Days of Gara Sue's Life

I'M BAAAAACK!

2008-12-08T11:14:00.003-06:00

Okay - it's been WAAAAAAY too long since I've posted anything and so much has happened! We survived the "storm" - Hurricane IKE. This is kinda sick I think, I actually wanted to stay! I didn't want to travel to avoid the storm and get stuck somewhere that wasn't home (especially if it turned out to be a little wind and rain!) I actually wanted to see the storm too! What's wrong with me? Is that what all those folks down in New Orleans were thinking? I really thought, "Ya, we'll get some big winds and lots of much needed rain and it'll be sort of fun if the lights go out for awhile!" I've been without power in the middle of winter in Nashville for 9 days (cold!) We went without AC in the hottest days of this past summer here in Texas BUT . . . being without AC AND power after a hurricane, well, it's just yucky! Everyone hangs out outside of their homes because it's just too hot to go inside! My neighbors (and us) cooked outside on our grills and the constant hummmmm of generators was annoooooying!! Not having access to any TV news was slightly agitating too since I really wanted to know what was going on in our city!

It took me just a couple of days of that plus school kids running wild since there was NO school to GET OUT OF TOWN!! I was blessed enough to have several offers and we chose to go to Oklahoma to see an old roommate of mine (not old, just old), Mickie Foris! She not only had a generator we could borrow (which I still need to return!) but she lives on a farm with horses, dogs, kids and a husband willing to let my kids play! This was a freaking vacation for us! Way too cool! My kids will forever remember Hurricane Ike as the time they got to rope calves and ride horses! Thank God for good friends!

Well, since then the weather has been much calmer and we've settled back down to our non-routine kind of life. Treet has finished baseball and is now playing basketball in a church league. We tested Shelbi and found out that she has dyslexia. We are working with that now and she is simply amazing! She's also started Hip-Hop dance classes which she loves. Kove and Ayvan are both taking gymnastics and I - yes I - am their teacher! Makes for some free lessons! Yea!

Okay, I'm tired and the kids are being needy! Imagine that! Gotta run for now!

9 Years Of Bliss

2008-03-21T11:59:00.004-05:00

My Flowers!

My Reaction!

Yesterday was our Anniversary! Jason let me sleep in and while I was sleeping he loaded up our children and the baby I babysit along with his portable crib and toys etc.... and took them to Grandma's house so he could take me out to breakfast!! Ahhhhhhhhh!!! I had NO idea! We had a wonderful meal at The Egg & I (yes that's the names of the restaurant) then headed back to pick up the kids. The afternoon was filled with washing cars (everything turns yellow here this time of year from the pollen), washing the dog, raking the "poky balls" out of our yard (I swear I'm cutting down that stupid tree this year!!), then having a nice picnic on a blanket in the front yard. Oh to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

About that time the FedEx man drives up and hands me a box that had a beautiful bouquet of flowers in it from my boyfriend!! (That's Jason!!) Can you believe this guy? He's pretty good, huh?

Soon after that, we got dressed up, took the kids to Jason's brother's house and went out for dinner to Bennihanna's (sp??). YUM!! I was so stuffed after dinner I could hardly walk! We were sitting with a Spanish speaking family so when Jason asked if I mined if he left me for a minute to use the restroom I jokingly said that I was going to make friends. Yup, you guessed it, I made friends! They were so nice! From Bolivia.

I'd have to say that this is absolutely one of the best anniversaries yet - but I'm willing to try many more times to see if it can be beat!! I'm so blessed.

Grocery Store Laughs

2008-02-25T21:14:00.002-06:00

So I'm at Kroger with my girls. We are picking out cake mix and frosting because we have a little bit of a sweet tooth and "need" a cake that very night (you know how that goes!) Kove is looking at the candles and picks up one of the "Over The Hill" candles that looks like a tombstone. She walks up to me and innocently yet seriously asks, "So this is what you use when you're making a cake for dead people?"

The lady walking by burst in to laughter along with me! It just doesn't get much cuter than that!

Hannah Mon-who-a?

2008-02-04T13:45:00.001-06:00

So Treet is at batting practing at the Bandito's batting facility with his professional coach - Big Coach Albert. Here's the conversation:

Coach: Is that your little sister Treet?
Treet: Ya, I have THREE of them! Sometimes it gets a little boring.
Coach: You mean you don't play with dolls?
Treet: NO!!!
Coach: But I bet you watch Hannah Montanna sometimes, don't you?
Treet: ya.

Coach Al was CRACKING up!! It was too funny!

Elvis' Favorite Sandwich

2008-02-04T13:26:00.000-06:00

Did you know that Elvis Presley's favorite sandwich was bananas mashed with peanut butter and mayo? Well, Kove made it today! She crammed it in my face and said, "Here, try a bite!" Me being the superb mom that I am - ate a bite off the corner where there was just bread and said, "Mmmmm! Good!" She then offered Ayvan (my 3 year old) a bite. Ayvan apparently took a bite and when I asked her if she got any she said, "No, only a nipple!" Don't you just love kids!

Where Has She Been?

2008-01-09T16:55:00.000-06:00

Here I am! I'm back with a vengance! As you can see by my lack of writing I have been a tad busy. Thankfully things are about to get back to "normal" after the holiday crazies. By normal I mean - one week after Christmas was Shelbi's birthday - two weeks after that was Kove's. Treet starts his select AA baseball workouts twice a week and weekend tournaments at least once a month soon - OH, and guitar every Friday. Shelbi will begin sewing lessons next week along with knitting lessons for my three oldest. Shelbi also has her own phone now - that's another story in itself! Kove turned 7 Jan. 16 - holy crap! We're still trying to decide where to focus her energy - she's got it down to either gymnastics, soccer, swimming or running. She just wants to be an athlete. So there is another class at least once a week. Ayvan? Well, she's still just tagging along to everything making our outings a little sillier!

Other than that - I basically just try to work in meals and sleep.
And that's where I've been!

Uncle Johnny

2007-12-10T16:24:00.000-06:00

This actually happened before Christmas but I still wanted to post it:

My "Uncle" Johnny died this morning. Mom called and told me. He's not really my uncle - I think he's my 2nd cousin - but he's just a tad younger than my dad and I've always called him uncle. This being completely unexpected, I think I'm still a little in shock. When I picture him all I can see is this big tall quiet natured man with beautiful honest blue eyes. He's very loving, giving and Godly and I have no doubt that he's in Heaven right now with our Lord. The hardest part about this is the family he left behind. Isn't that always how it is?

Ode To The Mall

2007-12-04T10:41:00.000-06:00

For those of you that don't know me (and if you don't, why are you on my blogspot?) I HATE going to the mall. Yes, there was a time in my senior year of high school when I was a bit of a mall rat - but in defence we had off campus lunches and really, which would you choose?

So my friend calls and tells me that her baby (Braeden) that I babysit during the week is sick and she will be staying home with him today. He's 8 months old now and I love him like he's mine - in fact I'm thinking of doing a family portrait with him in it! ha ha! BUT, I still feel like it's a "day off" when I don't have him during the week, ya know?

Well, there's a "product" that is ONLY sold at a certain store that I wanted to look at for Jason for Christmas - and that certain store just happens to be - in the mall! ugh So I fain excitement and tell the kids to get dressed because we're going to the mall! I might as well of said we're going to candyland - they got a little excited!

I truly just wanted to get in and out within a couple of hours - TOPS. HA!!! We ended up walking out the door around 5pm. ME!! Who hates the mall. I have to admit it was a little fun. Mostly because of the kids though. We played with remote control cars. Went up and down the elevator in our rented two seater bus. Saw Santa from a distance. Took a 20 minute poll for $25! Played in the play area. Looked at bras, toys, clothes, junk, junk junk and ate at the foodcourt. It's tradition that we get 1-2 plates of Chinese food - one fork for each of us - and dig in! It's funny the things that become traditions.

I got out alive and actually plan on going back before Christmas but I guarantee you it will be in the middle of the week during work hours again! AHHH - I love my job!

my mom is so cool

2007-12-02T18:31:00.001-06:00

hey,
this Shelbi, Gara's littie girl i am not aloud to Blog but i what to thank you mom for all that you have done for me

Pulled Over!

2007-12-02T17:52:00.000-06:00

Today we celebrated two of my niece's birthdays at my sister-in-law's about 35 minutes away. All went really well actually! The kids didn't fight, nothing got broken and everyone seemed to have fun.

On the way home Jason tells me to get in the left lane and I think to myself, "Self, why would he want you to do that?" See - there's nothing to the left except a huge empty parking lot (like Sam's or something) that we used to drive by all the time and Shelbi would always say, "That sure would be a good place for someone to learn to drive!"

So, I slowly get the hint and quietly turn into the parking lot. As I pull in to the lot, stop, take off my seat belt and silently get out of the car, the kids start asking what we're doing there. Shelbi jumps out of her seat and in the front with nothing but a smile on her face! (Yes, she's only 11 but she's already taller than me and reaches the peddles well.)

I must say that she was ABSOLUTELY GREAT!! We did a lot of laughing but were very impressed with our daughter. As we were doing this, a couple of young boys in a very nice quad-cab Dodge truck pull in and start doing donuts!!! No biggy right? We've all done this. So we trade back and leave about the same time as them - as a police car pulls into the parking lot! Guess who this brilliant cop sees leaving - ME of course! So - I got pulled over for doing donuts today. ha ha! As soon as he walked up to my window I say, "It wasn't me!" Of course he looks in the van and sees a Jason, three children waving and one sleeping baby. He says, "I didn't think a mini-van would be doing donuts." Jason told him about the truck and where to go (not in that way!) and he left us with a smile. whew!

I Prayed For Rest

2007-11-30T11:58:00.000-06:00

You'd think I would know better by now. I was a little tired so I vaguely remember praying for a good night's sleep. Yup, you guessed it. We got sick! First I think it was my throat hurting. Then Ayvan kept coughing all night. This led (3-4 day later) to running some WAY too high temps (Ayvan's got to 104 under her arm!) and a lot of worshiping the porcelain throne by both of us - so we finally went to see the doctor. OH - and did we do this during the day like a normal family might, no, we waited til around 6:30pm to go. Our doc's office closed at 7pm so we were blessed and they were wonderful! They took blood from both of us and Ayvan never even flinched! They were a little worried about Ayvan not getting enough fluids too.

We both have "something" bacterial is all they could come up with but sent throat cultures out for growth. Of course by time they grow, we should be fine. Then we had to go wait at Walgreens for prescriptions - we also bought soup, Pedialite, Gatorade, several other meds they told us to get and a special book for Ayvan. I'm sure I looked like a first time mother at the check out!

We've spent the past few days in mine and Jason's "quarantined" bedroom mostly sleeping in between meds. Fun fun! Ayvan had one more rough night after the doctor visit where her temp went way up again. The next day she stayed in the "much better" range on the thermometer and Mommy got the best nap of her life!

NOW, the topper! Jason had his Paramedic release test the day AFTER we went to the doctor! He was so worried the day before and the day of his test that he had no time to worry about himself and he PASSED of course!! God does work in obvious ways if you're paying attention! His mom was able to help us out on test day so we were in good hands. Not to mention how awesome my children are! The kept popping their little heads in and asking what we needed. Jason barely let them in to hug me each day in fear that we would all get sick! I missed their little hugs so much!

I'm on the computer again! yea! I'm sure this is a very boring and lengthy blog (who came up with that ugly word "blog" - it's like "blahhhhhhg" ya know?) but I really wanted to let you all that know that we've just been blessed with rest. So, be careful what you pray for!

Thanksgiving 2007

2007-11-24T13:21:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving is over!!!??? We actually celebrated here on Monday with the Williams side of the family - at our new home! Yup . . . STRESS!! Things went really well and the food was good! Might I suggest - use a pre-cooked ham and turkey at your next holiday!? They taste wonderful and only take 2 1/2 hours to heat up. I got more compliments on the food this year than when I actually slaved! Figures.
We had Thanksgiving part II at my mother-in-law's Thursday - pot-luck style. Again, good food, good conversation and finally, COLD weather!! woo hoo!!!

I am thankful for good friends that hang in there through it all. For family. For my beautiful children. For an awesome husband. For the days I'm happy with who I am and eat whatever I want! For cold weather. For days that I don't wake up with a kink in my neck! Mostly I thank God for loving me enough to keep giving me more chances. I think we should all be ordered to have children so that we can understand why God loves us so much! He's not so much "amazing" in this area to me, He's just "Daddy."

Cleaning. To do or not to do?

2007-11-16T10:59:00.000-06:00

Yup - I said it, CLEANING!!! Daddy Will (Jason's dad, Ed) is coming in today from North Carolina bringing two rowing boats - you know, the kind that rich people at snooty schools race? Obviously I've forgotten what they're actually called! He always comes around Thanksgiving with agenda in hand which is kinda cool so I don't have to "plan" anything! So, he's never been to our new home here in TEXAS and we've been cleaning so he doesn't get to see the real us! ha ha! (I've decided to go back to ha ha! instead of lol! just because. FYI)

Well, I've cleaned it all - the kids are messing it back up - and now I'm on the computer creating a blog because, well, I don't really know. Typical day here! Isn't it crazy how you have this great list of "To Do's" and every intention of getting it done and then one thing leads to another? It reminds me of the movie "The Jerk" where the guy is leaving his wife because he's failed at his success and he's walking out saying, "I don't need anything! Except this chair. I don't need anything except this chair. And this phone. I don't need anything except this chair and this phone. And this . . . ." Well, you get it.

Newby

2007-11-16T10:37:00.000-06:00

Well, never thought I'd do it but here I am - blogging!! Honestly, this is mostly for myself, kind of a journal. I want to remember all the dorky things this family does, ya know?! I have my four beautiful children (Shelbi 11, Treet 8, Kove 6 and Ayvan 3) that I want to write about and remember all the cute things they say and do - ahhhh. I have a wonderful husband firefighter/paramedic (Jason) that I want to write about how perfect he is! Oh, aren't we all?! Did I mention my sarcasm? I also have some extremely odd dreams that I'd like to keep up with - read at your own risk! Then there's friends and family stories - it's getting juicy!! I guess this should've maybe gone under my profile? Like the title says, I'm new! Enjoy ya'll - I know I will!
p.s. Thanks Mickie for the idea!