365 days Later ...

I never count the years with the rest of the world..I think the new year starts when your birthday arrives. So I always reflect from birthdays what I was doing the year before and how many changes have come good or bad.
With the birth of my youngest this time last year, I sit and try to take in all the challenges God gave us last year. I have to say it was one of the hardest times in my life. It was like a bad dream. My son came 9 weeks early. When the doctor rolled up to my bed on her stool and told my husband and I that my son may not make it thru the night. I had so many emotions hit me all at once. At this point, I still had not been able to even see my little angel. I have to say, I wore god's ears out that night. Minutes and minutes continued to go by.. and that is how slow it goes. I begged the nurse to let me roll in just to see him..if god wasn't going to let me keep him the least they could do is let me see him. It was super late that night I got to see his little face from my wheelchair. Needless to say it was a LONG night.
I had always heard stories but this time I was living it and had no idea what to expect. I guess you don't until you are the person sitting up all night, going home without your child, begging for him to take one more MM of food, praying his heart doesn't stop again, the list goes on and on. I remember a girlfriend of mine that I was prego with for my first kiddo..she had a child that has Downs Syndrome and an early arrival. She went thru all of this herself. She showed up at the hospital.. I remember running to her arms with huge tears hoping with that big hug it would take it all away. It was a good feeling to have her there..maybe because she had been thru it and lived it and just KNEW. 33 days in the NICU was really tough. I continued to go to the hospital every single day to hold and see my little guy. I missed one day because I ended up with quite a staff infection around my c-section incision. I was happy he was getting better and knew he was coming home but every single day they kept telling us he will turn the corner and he will get to go home. I got so tired of hearing that because I wanted my baby home. After every trip to the hospital my oldest would meet me at the door and ask me where Baby Luke was... Oh my, it took all I had no break out in tears and explain this one. We made it thru and who cares how we were going to figure out 2 in diapers, babies so close together without help..people ask me that a million times over while I was prego. We just didn't care we were glad to have our baby home and healthy. God will provide.
We have spent the year with lots of doctor's/hospital visits. In the ER at Dell Children's hospital for 8 solid hours, we had a surgery to correct Hypospadia and a possible hole in his throat, tons of breathing treatments, doctor's visit every Friday for a complete 6 weeks due to sickness. Lots and lots of fights with insurance companies. It doesn't even matter those all seem to be the little things compared to the blessing we were given.
I am thankful for my friends and family helping me thru the whole year. It has been a HUGE challenge and I have learned alot of life lessons that are invaluable.
No telling what next year will bring, but what I know for sure is that having both our kiddos in our lives has been such a blessing. We are so fortunate to come out on the other side of the challenges we faced with both children. I can’t say I am ready to add a little girl to our mix just yet or anytime soon for that matter. But it is a thought and if not well I am certainly blessed to have two great little boys who are healthy and the greatest things ever. God is Great!~

Reason to Madness

Several of my friends ask me WHY WHY WHY do you keep up with 3 different blogs?? SO here is my answer to your question my friends:

I keep 3 different blogs because several years ago (pre kiddos) we had a PROFESSIONAL organizer come to my work and talk about how to get your life of clutter figured out. I never knew kiddos would bring so much more to this plate. Either way she talked about how to keep all the photos you love so much organized. She suggested making books on shutterfly/snapfish with your favorite photos and milestones. I did that for the first year of my kiddos life but found out fast that as many pictures as I take it is close to impossible to track down and then choose which ones I liked the best to add to the book. Sooo then I had this cool idea before it was ever even cool and said it was going to be my stay at home mommy job. Needless to say I am a much better person and a mommy to take myself on to work everyday. ok ok so I have been blogging every single day for both of my kids for 2 reasons.

1. my family back in TN watches the blog of the kiddos EVERY single day...yes EVERY single day. I get phone calls when it has not been updated. No kiddin

2. because someday my new stay at home mommy job.... scrap booking blogs was going to take off and put my family up on the big hill. :0)

Well I never did the stay at home mommy job but I finally found someone who had the same great idea as myself and made it happen. I love finding cools deals and sharing with those great peeps in my life.

http://www.scrapbookblogger.com/

I love this site and have used them to make books. I used another one that ran the blog pages all together and it wasn't worth it. This one separates each day's blog on its own page. LOVE IT! So what a better way to have all my kids memories separated. When they get older they won't have to go thru old crinkled pictures. Try to figure out who-what-when-and where because no one wrote on the back of the picture. I just think it is genius so you will probably see a added amount of things added to the blogs now that I discovered this great idea of mine that someone borrowed and made it work so nicely. :0)

As far as the 3rd blog, well I had to have a space for Mommy to chat. To share great ideas like this with my friends, or vent about the crazy peeps I run into in this great big ole world.

Just Sayin~

Not sure if the rest of you out there feel this way... but you know me I am going to throw my 2 cents out there. I think the Haiti earthquake was awful. I can't even imagine being in that situation nor do I ever want any of us to have to experience such a thing. I see the pictures on the news and tear up at all those babies with no choices. Half the country is pregnant mothers and the other half reportedly have AIDS. Really,they make 2 bucks a day...and still sing and smile in the streets with all the mayhem around them.. God Bless them all...BUT here is my beef.. George Clooney gathered the troops for "Hope For Haiti" to take up an entire night on several different networks. I understand there were over 63 celebs and raised around $57 million. So now lets do the math, if everyone of them donated at least a million that would put us to 63 Million then you always got Oprah who throws in a few of her millions. Then add in all the just $10 dollar contributions they were asking for us to donate. Haiti would be all set...right. I mean did all those celebrities not donate?? I heard of a few that gave a million dollar donations (thank you Leonardo, Sandra & whomever else made that list). Then you have Lady GaGa who performed a show and donated every last single penny to the people in Haiti separate from the $58 million dollar marathon. I think that is simply amazing..and wonderful. Here is my question where are all these big ole celebs and heroes when 911 happened? Where were they for Katrina? Where were they for Ike (one of the largest hurricanes to hit the US)? You sure don't hear about them stepping up to the plate ,to that magnitude, for any of OUR causes and natural disasters. Not that it is all on one group of people (the Celebs) to gather the troops to make a difference. Hey I am just sayin if you have that kind of power and make that kind of money off of one single film or album looks like you could give back and help your own country..FIRST. We have families who can't afford their home and without jobs. We have people on the street living in the cold, we have millions of sick kids. We have people all over our country in need of just a little help. WHY not help our country first? That's all I am sayin.....

Damn Fools~

OK it is for sure a vent day!~ Are you kidding me that half of Austin has NO CLUE what this symbol means? In a parking lot, right in front of you, when you pull in there is a big sign with this symbol on it. It means if you are free and able to walk DO NOT PARK HERE. If you do park here have a freakin tag and some kind of handicap. I have had one of these tags in my windshield for almost 5 weeks now because I DAMN well need it. Over the course of the 5 weeks we have gone out to eat with it raining and in a parking lot of 10 handicap parking spots there were ZERO..yes my friend, ZERO handicap parking spots. All being used by fools withOUT a handicap tag anywhere to be seen. So another words some lazy asses who didn't want to get their hair wet parked there and made the people who need it for a reason figure it out.

Over the weekend we had to tackle the grocery shopping adventure. That is an issue when you have 2 littles and one adult with working limbs. SO needless to say my youngest fell asleep so he and I stayed in the car. I watched more violations happen right in front of my face. Probably because it has all been brought to my attention as I am one of those peeps for now. I guess I never paid attention before but also never parked in a handicap spot. I mean that is against the law ya know. The local police men could make a LOT of money just driving around giving tickets for the Fools who park in these spots. If I knew it would work I would write down tags numbers and take a snap shot for them. The local FOOLS could get their $500 fine in the mail. If I were able I could get out and beat them with my crutches send them to the back of the parking lot. Ask the man upstairs for a little rain and have the fool see how it feels to crutch their ass from the back of the parking lot in the rain. All because their lazy,selfish ass parked in the handicap spot. Humm wonder how that would work out for them?

Dunce=Time Out

As most of you know, I am on crutches and can do much of nothing. Although, my little boy thinks differently. A funny moment went something like this. Believe me it took all I had not to laugh he was really serious, but good thing is at least he has got the rules down...

Cooper: OK everybody downstairs.

Mommy: GO ahead Cooper mommy is right behind you

Cooper: o tay

few seconds later he comes back into my doorway and says while holding his little fingers up

Cooper: one, two, free, boor ..dat's it mommy time out!

Mommy: really cooper why is mommy going to time out?

Cooper: Twas you not wisten to me

Mommy: Well how long do I have to stay in time out?

Cooper: until you twink about it

Goin to Jail~

Cooper: "Mommy me not wike you"
Mommy: really Cooper why is that?
Cooper:" Twause you put me in time out"
Mommy: well Cooper you were being a bad boy that is why you went to time out to start with
Cooper: "No Mommy you bad boy, you goin to jail..and Naughty list too"



Hummmmm I guess this is the new law of Cooper Land... wonder if Santa still visits you in jail?

Take your daddy and GO~~

Can you believe it Lane Kiffin is leaving Knoxville to go back to USC..WHAT??

He marched into Knoxville armed with big talk and bigger plans to stockpile the nation's top recruits, take down Florida and turn Tennessee back into a national power. He did none of those things, yet somehow he's managed to land an even cushier job. The kick to all his movement is he has nothing to show for any of it.. he has no stats saying he is such a bad ass. Either way maybe TN can get Mike Leach as a coach since Texas Tech gave him such a raw deal this year. Then he and Vince Gill can hang out and play twinkies on the sidelines.

and the winner is....

Every time I say I am not watching these trash TV shows I get drug in somehow. One of my New Years Resolutions was to get away from the TV and start exercising. As we all know that is on hold for a few more months. So I went ahead and tuned into the Bachelor. I am not a fan of Jake nor do I think he is much to even look at but hey to each their own. I do however have several favorite girls (Tenly, Ali, and the chick from TN) that I was hoping would win his heart. BUT today I found out this is the winner... Vienna Girardi from Florida.I am still holding out hope that my source is SOOO wrong. Either way I am hoping by the final show I am at the gym during this time and not worried about trash TV..ugh how did I get to this place again??

Best Cookie in DA world~

Over the holidays, I discovered this recipe and Oh my goodness!! It would beat any cookie in any cookie bake off...for sure hands down. Because I am NOT a baker or any kind of cook and been out of commission for almost a month. The famous NaNa made these and I hear they are pretty time consuming. BUT either way they are delisssshhhh.

Macaroon Kisses
(Taste of Home)

1/3 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 cups flaked coconut, divided
48 milk chocolate kisses (“Big Bag” allows you to double recipe)
Coarse sugar

In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in 3 cups coconut. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Roll into 1-inch balls and roll in the remaining coconut (roll again gently to prevent coconut from burning). Roll edges in coarse sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie; sprinkle with additional coarse sugar when chocolate softens about 2-3 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to wire racks to cool completely. Recommend putting on rack in refrigerator before trying to store.

Tidal Wave

Ahhh how sweet it is...2 words.. ROLL TIDE. I was so excited Alabama won the game last night. We were for sure a house divided last night my husband and my oldest were going for the horns and the little one and myself were Roll Tide. I have to say I hated to see Colt get hurt how awful in his final game and it may have been a different game had he stayed in BUT he didn't. That little freshman did a stand up job trying to bring them back he had to be shaking in his boots out there, I looked for poo marks on his pants. After the game the local news station had the craziest crap roll out of their mouth I had ever heard... "a longhorn fan is probably pretty upset with Nick Sabin right now for running up the score" WHAT I was in shock he was on the 3 yard line of course he is going to make a touchdown.. and for the record last time I checked Mack Brown is notorious for this same practice but with much much more of a point spread. You know bad sportsmanship doesn't get people far and excuses sure don't... you lost!! Say it over and over and like it and move on.

Either way I still caught this super cute photo of my longhorns and I am still a Texas fan as long as they aren't playing a SEC team.

What a nice Surprise!~

I was laying on the couch today and a nice man knocked at my door and gave me this... What a nice surprise it was... I must be stir crazy at this point after almost 15 days of couch /bed that I almost cried. The lady that keeps my kiddos is soo soo sweet to send this to us.. I just love these arrangements too they are so dern yummy. Thanks for all the calls and well wishes... and the help. You never know how much you use your limbs until you go down like this...

UPDATE: All 20 stitches are OUT but still have about 2 weeks left of NO pressure on this foot. Not sure how this is all going to work out when help (wonderful Mom) leaves town. I got to thinking I sure brought last year in with a bang (a premature baby) and took it out with a bang too.. I am calling NO WHAMMIES this year... No WHAMMIES.

My 2 Cents

I don't usually vent about politics,not so much for your sake, but because my poor little brain may just explode if I begin worrying about the whole world's problems.

But about this Christmas Day bombing attempt...So I've been standing barefoot on cold, dirty linoleum, shuffling strollers, bags, laptops and babies in arms, measuring liquids into 3 oz bottles before securely ziplocing them into a TSA-approved baggie, waiting around for hours before flights and getting questioned like a terrorist at every checkpoint...but some Nigerian who was on watch lists, whose father warned us he was crazy, who paid cash for his ticket, didn't check bags, had his Visa denied in UK and studied in Yemen...he goes right through? Wearing women's underwear stuffed with explosives?After a decade, 2 wars, trillions of dollars, tens of thousands of lives lost, Americans terrorized (by the TSA, not the terrorists) here at home--
THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AT WITH THE WAR ON TERROR?
Damn!
I'm starting to think we are our own terror. We are going to get ourselves killed through our own rampant stupidity and misplaced priorities. Our own people are literally going hungry and dying and we're chasing this rag-tag group of idiots around the world (and we apparently suck at it) wasting more money we don't have while barely bothering to protect those here at home?And you know, flying is bad enough. What used to be somewhat of a luxurious treat is now akin to riding a Greyhound bus. I don't want to go through a full body scanner that will show me naked. I don't want to remain seated with no entertainment for an hour before landing. The thought that flying is most likely going to get even worse, as a result of our own inability to manage the rules put in place after the last attack attempt, is truly unbearable. I see road trips in my future.Anyway, I think it is safe to say that the war on terror is going just about as well as the war on drugs.

Resolutions!~

Happy New Year to you all!!~Although, I have been enjoing the holiday season from the couch this year. I had a ton of fun with my family here in town and of course it was full of laughs and fun times. It has really been a blessed year and so thankful for all my family and friends. Now to the resolutions.. I am not sure what my list is going to consist of this year the only one I have so far is NO cokes.. guess I need to finish working on my list huh?