Thankful.....

I had a training class tonight at Shop At Home and I had to attend the class and work my shift there as well (I hate when I have to do that)...... So I'm on my break and I met a really nice lady and we begin talking - because we look familiar to each other and that's when we found out we were hired at the same time and we were in the same training class 2 1/2 years ago....... Anyway, she was telling me her story and how she had her baby and decided she wanted to be a stay at home mom and it took me back to 3 years ago when I was expecting Jackson and I wanted more than anything to be a "stay at home mom".... I truly desired it more than anything.... I was so burned out at work - I worked for Metro Public Works and I'd been there going on 13 years at the time and I was ready for a change... I had a very good job and great benefits, but I wanted to experience being a "stay at home mom".... I didn't get to stay home with my 1st child and I've always regretted that... My mother-in-law and my mom each took 2-3 days a piece and watched him for me! I'm so thankful - he never had to go to daycare and my mind was always at ease knowing he was safe and sound and being well cared for!!! So my sister-in-law (Tammy) put me in touch with a friend of hers that worked for a company called "Shop At Home" and I contacted her and I began the process which would lead me to where I am today: working from home and being able to pick my son up from school and stay at home with my 2 year old and attend all the functions I want to attend for my children! I'm so thankful for such an "awesome" opportunity to be a stay at home mom and I feel like "I'm" raising my children..... It's so fulfilling as well..... I don't need a glamorous job to make me feel fulfilled, just fixing breakfast for my children or seeing my smiling 8 year old when I pick him up from school is plenty enough for ME! There have been times when I've thought why did I quit my wonderful job, but I'm quickly reminded.... I wanted too!!! I don't regret it one bit... My two boys are more important than any job will "ever" be.... It hasn't been easy at all -there have been times I've worked 9pm-3am and then been right back up by 5:00am and work till 9:00am and I've had other crazy schedules as well, but God has helped me and I'm so thankful to him for allowing me this "AWESOME" opportunity.... My mood tonight is HAPPY and THANKFUL!

Silly Faces.....

We made a trip to Walmart yesterday and Dawson wanted to go down the costume aisle and this is what he came up with:

He wouldn't let me take a picture until I bribed him with a pop tart......

He's happy now and posing.....

Papaw and Granny got back in town today and they came to visit Dawson and Jackson and see the house since we've redecorated the livingroom, kitchen and dining room.... The kitchen is still not completed, but I just haven't found what I'm looking for..... Dawson and Jackson were so excited for Papaw and Granny to come to their house.... We went to eat dinner at Riverview with them and then it was back home to start on homework! I'm off tonight and I plan to go to bed early - David is gone to Nathan's house to watch football... It's just me and the kidos!

Patti Weaver..... aka Gina Romalotti

I work for a company called HSN (Home Shopping Network) and I took an order for a lady today that plays Gina on the Young and Restless.... Her real name is Patti Weaver... I thought it was so cool and I just had to share... I know Ang will think this is cool - if no one else does.... I know it's just a soap opera star, but this is the closest I've ever gotten to talking to someone famous - while working....

Saturday September 22, 2007

Went to eat dinner at the Cheesecake Factory - it was fabulous as usual..... We walked around the mall for a little bit and then it was home for the night... So very nice - seeing is how we are usually cleaning the church till midnight... We cleaned this afternoon and we were all through by 5:00pm.....Dawson spent the day with David and some of the children we pickup on Outreach... My child now knows how to text message, sing a rap song and dance to the same rap song... OMG...... Yikes... I wonder what next week will hold..... I think he will spend the day with me!

They love each other so much!

Napping with Spencer.....

Jackson fell asleep with Spencer... I thought this was too sweet!!!!!

Cool dude.....

Friday September 21,2007

Jackson, Mason(little boy I keep) and I went to eat lunch with Dawson today at school.... We had a good time eating with him and Dawson really enjoyed it as well! He was smiling from ear to ear..... Afterwards, I went to the grocery store and home to put up groceries and then it was time to go get Dawson from school.... We went to Home Goods and Ross in Hendersonville and Hobby Lobby and JoAnns to find the stuff to make Jackson's birthday cards.... I really couldn't find what I was looking for, so it was off to meet David and my in-laws for dinner at PEI WEI... We tried the new one in Green Hills and it was GREAT! We had a wonderful time eating and fellowshipping.... We checked out Swoozies - very neat place.... I bought the kids some m&m's and they were the most expensive m&m's I've ever bought..... $5.46 for 8 oz of m&m's... They did get to pick out their own color.... I always like to add pictures to my blog because I like to look at pictures, so here are some pictures... My mother-in-law wouldn't let me take any pictures of her, so I didn't get any of them.....

Monday September 17. 2007 - FAMILY TIME......

David, Dawson, Jackson and I met Heather at El Rey (our mexican restaurant in Ashland City) for our weekly dinner together... We came home and David decided to play with kids outside on the trampoline.... Here are some pictures... I don't know what is up with my camera - my camera is not acting right....

Sunday September 16, 2007

David, myself, and the kids went to eat with Heather, John, Denise, Brayden, and Miquela after church tonight... We went to this new place in GreenHills called California Pizza Kitchen... It came highly recommended by Tammy and I thought it was fabulous!!! David didn't care for it, but I loved it and I loved the atmosphere as well... I got this picture from my sister-in-laws blog.... Cool place...

Saturday September 15, 2007

I worked today from 6am-2:30pm... We were suppose to meet some friends of ours (Kendall and Amy) for supper, but they live out of town and something came up and they had to cut their visit short and go home... I was disappointed, but they are coming back soon, so we will get to see them.... I was very tired and I decided to lay down and take a nap... I woke up about 6:30pm and my house was a total wreck, so after I got my house back in order - we decided to take the kiddos to do something..... SO we ventured off to play Minature Golf.... I only got to take 1 picture before my camera battery died... It's a very dark picture because my camera battery was so low...

Friday September 14, 2007 - A NIGHT TO REMEMBER - HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL...

I changed my days off, so I'm now off Thursday and Friday... I LOVE it!!! I had lunch with another friend today (Denise).... We went to Cinco De Mayo... We haven't been there in a while, so it was nice to go back.... Anyway, I had some more errands to run and I decided to check out the new shopping area in Bellevue... Very nice... We went to Bellevue Mall and I saw a friend I use to work with - Roxanna - we talked for a while and caught up on things... I did some shopping for the kids and then it was off to get them both haircuts.... David met us to get Jackson, because Dawson and I had tickets to go to High School Musical with Tammy (sister-in-law) and LeAnna (neice) ... Dawson got his ticket from Nathan, Tammy and LeAnna for his birthday..... Nathan dropped us off at the Somet Center, so we didn't have to park and walk forever... Thanks Nathan! We got inside and all the kids wanted to do was get to our seats. We tryed to get them to go ahead and pick out their prizes and they were so excited they didn't really want to do that... Finally, they made their selection and we were off to our seats... It was a really good show... We really enjoyed ourselves...

Thursday September 13, 2007

Went to lunch today with Amy (a friend of mine)... We haven't got to get together and hang out in a long time, so we made a date and went to eat at Red Lobster.... After lunch, I had some errands to run and then Dawson had a piano lesson, so after my errands I took Dawson to Amy's house for his lesson and I played with Vovie and Jackson....

Financial Peace was tonight and we still haven't made our budget and we are definately not living off the envelope system.... Oh well, maybe one of the days we will get it together....

More BONDING moments between Jackson and Spencer....

Spencer crawled up on Jackson's elmo chair for a nap and here came Jackson to lay all over him as usual.....

"Jack" of all trades....

Jackson loves to sing and play the drums and anything else that has to do with making noise...

Saturday, September 8, 2007 - Happy Birthday, Grandma.....

We met grandma at Carrabba's Italian Grill for her birthday dinner... We had a really good time and dinner was fabulous.....

Random Pictures of Dawson, Jackson and Eli

Some more pictures I took last weekend... They aren't very good - my battery was going dead on my camera, so my pictures are very light....

Go Jump...

I took Dawson and Jackson to a new place in Pleasant View called "Go Jump".... It's exactly like the "Bounce Factory" that use to be in Rivergate... "Go Jump" is only about 15 min. from our house and my kids love it! "Go Jump" opened the day after Dawson's birthday.... It even has a game area... It's so cool!!!