Scoring More Goals!

Molly had another soccer game again tonight. Let's just say, trying to get to Dacula at 5:30 at night is madness! Molly didn't even think she wanted to go. Tears, screaming, arguing, quiet contemplation, traffic, traffic, traffic. . .
But, the hassle and trouble was well worth it. Let me remind you that in the U5 league, they do not keep score. But, the McCreary family, keeps their own score books! Molly scored, although unofficial, what we believe were TEN goals tonight! She was HOT!!! We were so late arriving that Jeff literally dumped Molly and I out of the car to run down to the field. On the way down there, i told her i really hoped she would be "aggressive" and try to "go after the ball!" "You love scoring those goals, and Khaki can't be here to see you score them, so try to score a few you can tell her about!" (Side note, Khaki is in Florida taking care of Nana who had her pacemaker battery replaced yesterday. 2nd side note. . . Nana is doing just great. They've eaten out, run errands, and are just having a good week together, really).

Anyhow, ten goals later, she called Khaki. . . and told her she thought she scored FOUR!! HA!! See how NOT worried about it Molly always is? She's so laid back. But really, who would have thought that she would have been aggressive at all on a ball field? Not Me!!! But she is!

Thanks to Papa who made the night even better by riding WITH us, not taking his own car. AND going to dinner with us, AND staying when we got home so we could all go on a walk together! It's amazing how special the little things are! I love life from the child's view! They really remember to appreciate the little things. . . .most of the time!

5 More Days!

Only five more days until spring break! I can't wait!!! Well, wait a minute, can i wait?? So confusing. I LOVE having my kids at home, but really, does anything get accomplished when they are here for 9 days straight? We are not traveling for spring break, although we did debate 2 different trips, but really, i'm just planning on camping out at our own house and doing some fun things right here in the state of Georgia.

A quick update for those interested. Jeff is back on track. The stone passed and his drama was over. We did get an email from a dear friend who has suffered in the past with kidney stones and she had some good advice that Jeff is consulting with the urologist about.

Molly is back to 100% healthy. She was home from Tuesday through Friday of last week. She could quite possibly have gone to school on Friday, but really, it was Friday and she was not back to 100% and the teacher had said there were MANY kids absent with similar stuff, so why expose her again? We all took our meds to avoid getting the same crud, and so far, so good.

I am without a babysitter this week because Nana had the battery in her pacemaker replaced (and mom is there helping her) today, so i am not working and Camden is participating in all school-related activities with me. Watch out PTA, here comes Camden! We've ventured to the school already once today. We'll be back tomorrow. And again on Friday for spring parties. Wonder if i could make a go of it and be there every day this week since i didn't go once last week?? Fun, huh?? Please remind me, someone out there, why i agreed to do this again next year? I will say i am lucky enough to have talked a great new friend (or maybe i should say sucker) into serving with me next year. I have a great group of women to work with, that is the up side!! And really, i do it for the kids! And apparently, side note, my kids are well-known around there, and that helps me keep them in line :-)

Stinky pants is standing next to me as i type, so i'm going to logoff! I hope you all have a wonderful week before spring break!

Comments -

Sue and Kaylyn -
Try leaving a comment today, because i think i fixed the problem!
BTW - There is WAY too much you can do to "customize" a blog. I need my computer geek to help me! Otherwise, it will just stay bland and boring as it is now!

Panning for Gold!

Jeff has been "panning for gold" these last few days, hoping to find his kidney stone that was causing all that trouble! Thankfully, yesterday was the day! Early afternoon, Jeff found the stone and all pain was gone! Yahoo!!! Now we wait for the other two that are still in the kidneys. Just a wait and see game. But having passed two since Christmas. . . that's a record, even for Jeff!

Molly is doing a lot better. She is home again today, simply because her fever didn't go below 99.5 until about 5pm yesterday. She sat right at 99.2-99.8 all day. But last night . . . it was there. . . 98.4. She's going to school on FRIDAY! And, we're doing something for lunch today. She was so so mad at me when i explained that she had to stay home, yet again, i had to do something to entice her. However, my sweet Camden feels a little warm this morning and woke earlier than usual. I will watch him closely to make sure we don't need to increase his meds or something.

So far, Griffin is holding tight with no symptoms. Me too. Griffin had a first last night. . . . Three years of school and last night was his first skate night. He has begged to go since Kindergarten and we've always (created) had a reason that we couldn't go. Last night, i felt too much mommy-guilt, so off we went. I made him promise that when i said it was time to go, there would be no fussing, and he was the champ!! No fussing whatsoever! He definitely wanted to be allowed to go again sometime! I'll post pictures later!

That's it for the McCrearys right now. Hoping to hang tight with no more flu-like symptoms these next couple of days!

Calgon, Take Me Away!

Our trip to the pediatrician proved very exciting. At most, i was expecting molly to need breathing treatments for a few days, maybe an antibiotic. Never, have i been so wrong at "self-diagnosing" - which honestly, i've been pretty good at these last couple of years. When the doc looked in Molly's throat she said, "mmm, pretty red, i'm ordering a strep test and a flu test." Par for the course, for a McCreary kid to need a strep test. Molly and Grif have both had their tonsils out b/c they used to get it so frequently. Both have had it, even without tonsils.
When the doc returned to the room, she said, "Well, the good news is Molly doesn't have strep." I said, "Guess i know what the bad news is!"
She immediately prescribed anti-virals for Molly, Griffin, and Camden! I asked about Jeff and I and she said she can't prescribe for adults. Am i an adult?? I thought i was still 17??? When did that happen?? Crap, fine, okay, I'll call the family doc when i leave!
Called the family doc and was sure to ask about Khaki and Papa too, since Molly spent the night with them Saturday and ALL day Sunday with them. Sure 'nuff, we're ALL taking anti-viral medication too. Morgan babysat last night, so i've called her mom to give her the heads up and call the doc for meds for Morgan too! Hope this will keep us all in the clear! I'm hopeful. Molly is really doing okay. She is still running a fever even with extra doses of tylenol. But she's content. She did totally light into Griffin for leaving up the toilet seat. He is usually pretty good about putting it down. Goodness sake, she wasn't even going to the bathroom, just walking by and realized it was up, screaming and crying at him to go put it down. Can you say, sensitive???
Wish us luck, and stay away for a few days!

Jeff update - - - he is REALLY doped up, but feeling okay. The pain is under control. He did vomit a several times today and that is usually the tell-tale sign of needing to head to the emergency room, but he has managed it with phenergan today! YAHOO! I'd say another day or two and he'll be fine too!
Off to fix something quick and easy for dinner! Can't we just eat popsicles and sprite and call it meal?

Still Doping. . .

Jeff made it through Griffin's ballgame last night. Could barely walk, but doggone it, he was there and coaching. Amazing what a dad can make himself do. As soon as he got home, he didn't even walk to the couch, he just sat down on the kitchen floor.
This morning, the kidney stone is on the move again. He is phergan'd and percoceted up, to make it through the day, hopefully without a trip to the ER for intravenous meds and fluids. Keep your fingers crossed.

Molly is home today! 100.8 fever, sounding a little croupy. She is always my "asthmatic tendencies" child, so we're headed to the pediatrician if they'll ever take me off of hold and actually speak to me and make the appointment. She CRIED, then yelled at me, when i told her she couldn't go to school today! How much she reminds me of ME!

Is Jeff Glowing Yet?

This morning started with a real bang. Jeff woke me up saying, "Something's not right, honey, can you get up?" Over the weekend Jeff was suffering from a massive gout attack. Really the worst he has had. He slept on the couch, in hopes of getting comfy on Saturday night. And he attempted to sleep in our bed last night, but he tossed and turned so much, i don't think i slept at all.

This morning, when he woke me, i thought for sure something must have changed and he thought his foot was falling off from the gout. Fortunately, his foot is still attached, unfortunately, he was having, ONCE AGAIN, kidney stone pain. . . or what he thought was kidney stone pain.

I got up and got the kids ready for school, he stayed in bed, took a percocet, and started calling the doctor. In the midst of all this, the pain shifted from his back, to his lower right abdomen . . .not typical for his kidney stones. He was able to get a doc's appointment by the time i got the BIGS on the bus, and off we went. We arrived, they did intake, and then we waited. The doctor was pissed that he had taken a percocet already. Said he was "masking the pain." Well, the urologist that he just saw in February, purposefully gave him the rx for percocet so that he could head-off the onset of pain when a kidney stone starts passing. Who do we listen to? Lose-lose situation! Anyhow, they were afraid b/c of the lower abdominal pain that this could be an appendicitis. SO, after 40 minutes of waiting for them to "try to schedule an appointment" we went downstairs for him to start the long wait of being "fit-in." He had to drink something like crystal light, then have dye injected thru his arm, the once again, have a CT scan.

This one showed a kidney stone that is "stuck" basically. Not moving, and in the meantime, pushing on his appendix. Hence, the APPENDIX PAIN!! Good grief! We have called the urologist and now we wait. Wait to see what happens, if it passes on its' own, or if he has to have it blasted. With the blockage, there is a possibility for a kidney infection, so we monitor closely for a fever to start. Right now he feels good and is almost pain-free with just a little medication in him. We're hoping it lasts. He says he's going to Griffin's ballgame tonight. . . to coach! We'll see how that goes.

I'll keep you posted here!

Mmmmmmmm, Good!

Two beers and a GREAT time with new friends! Last night out to dinner was a great reward for a tough day. No margaritas, but the beer went down just as easy! Probably could've been moonshine last night and i wouldn't have even choked! Lots of laughter, long legs (you liked those, huh, Jim?) and great conversation!
Today has been full of soccer, face painting, and now shopping for a friend's birthday!

Time for Margaritas!

Two nights of extra late nights. . . we're talking 1:30/2am. UGH.
This morning. . .get BIGS and Dad off to Breakfast with Dad at school, get dressed, get Camden dressed, drive to school myself. Trade Camden with Jeff who is leaving school. . . Empty PTA mailbox, meet at 8:30, empty PTA mailbox, meeting at 9, meeting at 10, meeting at 11:15. Conference with array of PTA officers in the mix of all that. After meeting, meet with Principal to clear up about 12 more questions. Empty PTA mailbox. Deliver notes to teachers. Return items to teacher mailboxes. Thank 3 people for their help. Go home. NOPE, just kidding, return to MY children's classrooms to deliver "they will be car rider notes." NOW go home. Make 5 phone calls to 3 people regarding PTA (shouldn't we just use 3 way calling?). EAT. BIG HEADACHE. Go to car rider line at school where i have already spent 5 hours today to pick up BIGS (shouldn't i have just checked them out?). Send 2 emails. Phone rings and GOOD friend fesses up that she "let it slip" to Griffin that she THINKS we're all going to get ice cream after school together. Oh well, who can't eat a cone of ice cream after this day?? Waiting for 4:40 to arrive so i can go get ice cream. BIGS are going to movie night at elementary school and mom, dad, and camden are going out to dinner with the GOOD FRIEND who told Griffin he could go get ice cream. Mom WILL have a minimum of 2 margaritas. Jeff has agreed to drive :-) LOVE my husband! He is so nice to me!
Have a great weekend!

OH ---PS --- My cousin is having a baby GIRL!!! Yay, cute clothes i can make for her after i drink margaritas!

Morning Discussion

This morning was a whirlwind. The kids didn't get to bed last night until well after 10pm because of that awesome baseball game we watched so, needless to say, it was a drag-my-tail out of bed morning for everyone! But the bigs are off, and Camden is eating some animal crackers in the high chair for breakfast! Yep, score one for mom, animal crackers for breakfast. All the essential nutrients and vitamins a one year old could need! I assure you, mom, because i know you'll read this, yogurt will follow shortly, and a good cup of milk, but the animal crackers were on the kitchen counter and i couldn't endure the hissy fit of not getting them this morning! Definitely a 3rd child!

Anyhow - the point of this post - - -
Jeff was puttering about the kitchen a few moments ago and i noticed an empty Enfamil (formula) can sitting next to the sink. I asked if that was "the last of the cans, is it empty?" A little background information: we are in the process of switching Camden over from lactose-free formula, to lactose-free milk. Of course, a McCreary kid can't handle just plain skim milk. There is a total weaning process. . . special formula for a year or two, special milk for a year or two after that, then MAYBE at 4, if you do the switch-over slow enough, the tummy can handle regular milk. Again . . . to the point . . . Jeff responded, "No - that's the can we washed out over the weekend, it is dry and ready to be donated to the preschool. But, the other can is ALMOST empty. I'll be so GLAD when that can is empty and we don't buy another one. But i'll be happier when we can buy just a gallon of milk, no formula, no lactaid, just grown-up milk."

Ummmm, what is he wishing for??? I almost broke into tears! Does he have any idea what that will mean? No more formula . . . no more babies that can't talk back to you! Ummm, no more lactaid, that means all the children are in school all day long and there might be 1 whole hour where the house doesn't look like a tornado just passed through Georgia! WHY would he wish this? I know that i will savor the first few of those days myself when they arrive, but right now, i am self-admittedly holding on to this sweet baby as long as i can. No, not BABYING him, but keeping him little and enjoying it! But, realistically, that extra money in the bank from not buying formula and extra-expensive milk, okay, i guess i have to admit, it will be a little treat! But not nearly as sweet as the kisses that are smeared on my face each day when i wake up my little guy!

What a Pitcher!

Griffin had his third ballgame of the season tonight! I HATE (i know strong word, but so true) 7:45 ballgames! CRAZY for an 8 year old to be STARTING a game at 7:45 pm. Usually the boys are lethargic and tired and just want to be getting in the pj's, not starting a ballgame. OR, maybe that's the moms that want that, but whoever it is isn't the important part. For pete's sake, it's almost 8pm!
Enough of my ranting, it won't change anything. Let me get to the good part. Griffin is a great catcher . . . last game he had an awesome game as a catcher! He was terrific. Tonight Griffin started the game at catcher, again, really good. But in the 3rd inning, Jeff needed to switch up the pitchers - bases were loaded and there were no outs - time for a new pitcher. (Again, let me intercede in my own writing. . . why are 8 year old boys pitching for the entire duration of a ballgame?? Obviously men are in charge of this league, not the moms). Back on track . . . Jeff - yes our Jeff that is the coach - put Griffin in to pitch in the middle of the 3rd inning. Boy was hot to trot. For the last 6 plays of the game, Griffin in some way made or assisted with 5 of the outs! He threw 4 - back to back - strike outs. Basically 4 up, 4 down, and threw one out at first!! AMAZING! I will say, the boy definitely has had games where we come home saying. . . what were you doing tonight!?!?! Tonight was NOT one of those games! He was an 8 year old on a mission and i'd say he succeeded in his mission!
It was quite a proud mama moment. I do wish i had the video camera. . .but really, that's just for teeball! :-) I know if it was a proud mama moment, it was a REALLY proud coach/daddy moment! You should've seen the smile as he came off the field after the last strike-out. Even Grif knew it had been a great night!
We love you, buddy! Way to go!

Spring Has Sprung!

Well, it's official, spring has arrived. The weather keeps faltering, but today it is gorgeous! But, with this beautiful weather, comes the nervousness and anxiety I always feel as the end of the school year, baseball season, soccer season (new this year), teacher appreciation, PTA Spring fundraising, business orders for all the sports and teacher gifts and mother's day, and just keeping a house running all lump together. Ahhhhh, can i say sleeping pills??? My mind starts racing at night and i should just keep a notepad with me at all times. I get creative and think of things for teacher gifts that i can't remember the next day. I think of projects for school that i don't remember the great ideas for the next day. I have a to-do list in my head, and as i proved this morning, end up at Sam's shopping for the necessities in life instead of at the preschool picking up a phone list for calls i need to make!!

Anyhow . . . along with my anxiety, comes some of the best times of the year! I LOVE spring. Evening walks with the kids and Jeff after dinner at night. Baseball games, and now soccer games to watch! Time with friends. SO, all in all, it's not so bad. BUT, the lack of sleep and racing mind somehow seems to negate a little bit of the fun. This year, there is something else too . . . my cousin is expecting her first baby!! What a surprise for the whole family! A true miracle baby is on it's way. Tomorrow she finds out if it's a boy or a girl and i can hardly wait to find out!! She should know that as soon as i can, i'll have something precious embroidered and sent her way to stick in the closet for that sweet sweet baby that i can't wait to meet!

Anyhow - i know many of you read this and don't leave comments for me! Boo hoo. I've had two people tell me just in the last 24 hours that i am behind on posting. So, here it goes. . . .

TODAY IS THE DAY! We bought a NEW SWING SET!! We found a great company that is local and THEY do the installation -- Jeff's DREAM! Well, it's in the backyard. The hardest part will be not playing on it today!! Here's a picture . . .

We still have to mulch underneath and put in some "stuff" around it, but it is BEAUTIFUL! The company we used is Wee Monsters. They, so far, have had the BEST customer service. The installation was included in the price. They threw in an extra swing for us, gave us the staining of it for free, made changes to the ladder for us to accomodate Griffin AND Camden, came to our house before the day of installation to help us select the best location for it. . . really, so far, i can't say enough good things about them. I'll let you know in a month or so, after it's been loved a lot, how much we still like them!! :-) The kids are going to be so excited to come home today! They can't play on it until tomorrow b/c of wet cement, but really, isn't this great??

Another thing that didn't get posted b/c of time constraints. . . Molly had a USA Parade on Friday at school. They have been studying all-things USA and learned several songs during their study, so Camden and i went to school Friday morning to see the parade. Molly's class dressed up as Uncle Sam. Molly was actually the sign-holder and led her line in the parade! Go Molly! Here are some pictures . . .

The lady next to Molly is Mrs. Jackson - her classroom teacher.

Above is Molly's entire class. In the back row is Molly's teacher, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Emsley, principal; Mrs. Izadi, assistant principal; and Mrs. Friedman, parapro.

That's it for now. I still have some pictures to load of Duncan's graduation from puppy class, but no time left right now to do so!

Hope you all reading this are enjoying this spring-time weather too! If you want me to post more often, you better click on the comment link and leave some comments saying so :-)

Love - Hate Relationships!

Well, thanks to Renee, i've had a book sitting on my nightstand for about a month, staring at me every night saying, "Read me, read me!" Of course, with the time change, my internal clock is all screwed up and out of wack, so last night was the night - i started a love-hate relationship with a book.

We have a tv in our room and when that all-too-fun insomnia strikes, usually i turn it on (really quiet of course, because apparently Jeff NEVER suffers from insomnia, snore snore!!!!) and i watch something like Chelsea Lately b/c well, it just makes me think of nothing. A few good laughs, a little relaxation, none of my own worries to think about . . . just some junk tv. Off i doze. Well, embarassing enough as it is, the remote in our bedroom is GONE. And really, i'm not too lazy to turn the tv on and change the channel by walking to and fro the tv, but the tv DOESN'T work without the remote. . . . something about dish network, remote, the "box" is in another room. . . . I don't know. . . i'll probably type all this and someone will tell me the way jeff has it "rigged" up means we're stealing cable. Or satellite, or whatever it is. ANYHOW, no remote means no tv. SOOOOO, i picked up the book thinking my eyes would get heavy from reading very quickly.

NOTE-TO-SELF . . . never START a book at midnight again! Especially a book that comes highly recommended by several people. At one o'clock, now wider awake than i ever was at midnight, i decided if i read until about one-thirty, i could still get 5 good hours of sleep. At one thirty, i decided i could sleep until 7 and at 2 'o clock, i finally threw in the towel and turned off the light, although, really, all i wanted to do was READ!!! Have you ever HAD to stop in a part of a book that you really didn't need to stop at??? I have been waaaay too busy today - work, school, more work, kids, kids, kids, dinner. .. . to read this afternoon, but it is ALMOST bedtime for kids in my house and i really can't wait to get back to the book. Dare i even start it?? I'm wondering if i start reading at 9pm if i could read until midnight and maybe finish the book???

I'll let you know tomorrow, how it goes! If you're wondering. . . the book is The Shack.

And i read up to the part where the dad is with the FBI agent identifying something IN the shack - i won't spoil it for those of you that haven't read it. UGHHHH, i've gotta find out what happens. Wish me luck!

Camden's First Ice Cream. . . and cone!

Again, Saturday, March 7, 2009

It was a day of firsts. After Molly's soccer game we had a quick lunch, headed over to a cool store called Wee Monsters and bought a new swing set for the kids. The first one we had, that Jeff built (with a little help from family) didn't quite survive the move. Yes, we paid to have it moved, and what a waste of cash. It's just not holding up. SO, we vowed that IF there was any money leftover from Jeff's severence package last year, we would buy the kids (namely Camden) a new swingset to enjoy the next . . . hopefully, MANY years!! And this time around, it comes with INSTALLATION!! Jeff strongly believed that hazing of a new father (i.e. assembling a big-ass swing set) should only be mandatory once. Perhaps, he should have quit having children if this was his belief, but really, this Wee Monsters is a local company and they INCLUDE installation in there price . . . or at least that's what they tell you! HA!

ANYHOW, this post isn't about the swingset . . . i'll post on the 18th about that (after it's installed). This is about Camden's FIRST ICE CREAM CONE!! Khaki said she'd treat everyone to Bruster's to celebrate Molly's first soccer game and our new purchase, and really, we all know the McCreary family doesn't have to be talked into ice cream, so off we went. At Bruster's (in case any one out there is loser enough to have never been) they give anyone under a certain height a free "baby cone." Well, Camden got his first --- thin mint ice cream. Yes, it is girl scout cookies crushed up in Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. That's all i'll say. The pictures say the rest!

A little taste . . .

Really enjoying it . . .
Enjoying Molly's tossed-aside cone . . .
And, really, does anyone else think this last one might say, "umm, why in the heck are ya'll snapping all these pictures of me? But, i could use a napkin here!!!"
If you're ever going for ice cream, Camden would love to be invited along!

MOLLY'S FIRST SOCCER GAME!!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Today was Molly's first soccer game. . . ever!!! She ROCKED!! Yes, I'll be happy to brag. My sweet, sassy girl, loved her first soccer game ever! She started off just a little slow, but for a chic that had only had 2 practices before the first game, she did awesome. There are no referees, just 3 players on the field from each team, no goalie, and (not to my liking) no score is kept! I think you should at least keep score. Molly has watched baseball since perhaps, the day she was born :-) And, well, she doesn't know anything but keeping score and to ask, who won. But, she didn't care this day, i will say!!

She started out a little slow, taking it all in, i believe. But by the 2nd half, she had it down pat! She was quite the star. THREE (count them 1. . . 2. . . 3) goals IN A ROW!! They kicked off, and down the field Molly went. . .straight to the goal. The other team kicked off again, Molly took it from them, and SCORE 2!!!! And the third was pretty much the same! After each goal, she was more and more psyched and liking the game even better!! Who says success can't breed desire??? It just proves that a little taste of success can push a kid!!

Anyhow . . .i have a TON of pictures and i'm going to load them here for all of you that actually care just a little!! I think there's 11 in all. . . maybe 12, so just keep scrolling to see them all! If you're in town and you'd like a morning full of smiles, just come watch a game with us!

You might have to look for her in a couple of them. . . it was misty rainy, so of course, she has the semi-curly long pony tail with a white ribbon streaming through her hair. No bow, she was mad at me for making her wear a ribbon!!! Her number is 12, green jersey, although you can barely tell the shirt is so long. In this first one, she's the player with the ball.

CONTROL . . . . Refueling . . . girl has NEVER run this much in all her life!!

Gettin' the ball again!
Fight for it, girl!!This is just pretty :-)

Headed to score, one of the 3!!
She's not the girl in front here, she's the girl in back. . . but if you click on this picture, it should give you a larger picture and check out the HUGE smile! Guess she was having fun!
Headed back for a fist-bump with the coach . . . she had just scored!
Right after kick-off, she took possession again!! GO MOLLY!!
And really, don't all little-leaguers play for the snack at the end of the game?? I made homemade cupcakes, in soccer-themed cupcake wrappers, with pink icing and sprinkles. I think she was more proud of the cupcakes we took than the actual game!
WAY TO GO, MOLLY! We loved watching you, but even more, we loved to hear you talk about the game after! You are truly a blessing to our family!

Thankful for being safe!

Have you ever had one of those moments where you just can't seem to get the "What-ifs" out of your head? I was SO there last night.
We were leaving my parents house just off of Thompson Mill Road. When we got to the front of their subdivision, there was a fire truck, two ambulances, and LOTS of bright lights. The fireman in the road motioned for us to stop and asked us which way we were headed. "The right . . .we need to go home," Jeff replied. "Sorry, no can do because we've had to shut the road down because just minutes ago there was a BAD (he said it with exclamation and sharp meaning) wreck and we are about to land the life-flight helicopter right here" and he pointed to the ground below his feet. We happily agreed to "take the long route home." And of course, were big gawkers as we drove away. Looking back, all you could see just a little ways down the road were TONS of flashing blue lights. Right on a sharp curve in the road. As we passed one of the ambulances, you could see feet hanging off the gurney.
Well, this just got the best of me and i broke into (quiet) tears. The radio was on so the kids couldn't hear me, but all i could think of was how awful the accident must be if life flight is on its way, how sad i am for that family to get that news. THEN, it HIT ME!!!! WHAT IF we had left my mother's just 5 or 10 minutes earlier?? WHAT IF i hadn't let the kids hoarse around just a few more minutes with the hacky-sacks they were playing with? WHAT IF they had cleaned up completely the first time i asked them to??? WOW, totally overwhelming. That could have been my whole family!!!! I do feel sorry for the family that had to get that phone call or knock on the door last night, but WOW, WHAT IF???
It makes me sad to re-tell this story. We heard the helicopter fly overhead and that brought on the tears all over again. That COULD HAVE been one of my babies having to fly off in that chopper!!!!!
THANK GOD for the timeliness and for watching out for us. I really do believe that when it's your time, it's your time. That's it. However, i am truly grateful that it wasn't "our time" last night. No one knows (but the good Lord, of course) what tomorrow brings and things like this just remind to be grateful for the minutes you have!!
Hug a loved one tonight and be grateful for every second you have together! Look how quickly it can flash before your eyes!

Some previous pics that i've missed out posting. . .

Here's how we get laundry done around here and keep up with Camden at the same time. . .
Griffin getting his trophy after flag football season . . .
Fun with a friend . . .
Although, the more i look at that one of Molly and Carolyn, the more i think they look like they were both a little full of demons???? Are those the fakest smiles you've ever seen, or what?

MARCH 1ST, SNOW!

This is how it ALWAYS seems to happen in Atlanta. . . Snow at the END of winter! Griffin came home from school on Friday talking about how 3 grown-ups - teacher and two parents - were talking about there being snow on Sunday. I told him he must be hearing things! OH, how wrong i was! The day started slowly, but the excitement just grew and grew. We've had probably 2-3 inches of snow. The roads are very slushy. May i say, we had 3 days of rain leading up to this snow event, so everything is soaked. The wind is now so strong there are "wind advisories." Maybe that will dry it out some, but of course, good 'ol Gwinnett County schools have not committed to being in or out tomorrow. I guess we have to wake up at 5am to find out if we need to get up in an hour or not! UGH!
Here are many pictures from the day! The flakes were HUGE!!! See them on Jeff's head??------Side note ------ When i showed this post to Jeff, he said, "look at that huge snowflake on the back of my head there!!!" Well, poor Jeff just can't accept that the hair is getting "thin!"---------
We have about 5 pictures that all look like this! Camden's first snow! He was so intrigued by the HUGE snowflakes that were falling, he wouldn't dare look away from them to look at me! Notice that the roads are still pretty clear. This is early in the afternoon.YES, I did take the baby out with no socks and no coat. He was literally out the back door for 30 seconds. But obviously, he didn't like it! HA!
The previous 2 were around 3pm. Watch the following . . .
About 4pm . . .
About 5:45pm. . .
And this is what happens when you run out of things to do on a cold, slushy, snowy day when you are only a year old!
We've had a great day, and are a little hopeful that school will be cancelled!?!?! Are we crazy for wishing that?

Pretty Sure that "I'm the One!"