Friday, November 30, 2012

LOVING Me A Christmas Tree!!!


Just wanted to send you holiday greetings from our family to yours.  The boys and Reese did a wonderful job decorating this BEAUTIFUL tree that ALL five of my angelic children handpicked and sawed down (with help from the tree farmer dude).  

I think our floor is not level OR some culprit jacked up the Christmas Tree Stand...I KNOW it's not my fault that the tree won't stand on it's own!  After about 4 very important ornaments came crashing to the floor and breaking my heart, I decided it was time to add the finishing touch to our masterpiece.  Yes, the angel is gorgeous and is a new one this year, but it is the purple duct tape at the top that truly made this a Redneck/Griswold/Ghetto Christmas!  I really thought Connor was going to wet himself laughing at my ingenuity!!!  Feel free to use this idea because I have not patented it....yet.

Please do not send me emails saying that Brooklyn and Peyton are NOT in the picture...that is where you have to use your imagination since I was too "busy" to photoshop them in...you all know what they look like anyway!  Geez!  And, yes, I realize Connor and Reese have "devilish glowing" eyes...that is just their "sparkling" personality trying to come out.  AND if you will look just a little closer, you will notice Jameson REALLY wanted to get into the holiday spirit by wearing some of the duct tape....everyone knows when Mom says, "SMILE" you better fake it OR I will make it....using purple duct tape.

Warm wishes and love to you all,

Brandi, Brooklyn, Peyton, Connor, Jameson, Reese, Sophie (the mommy dog German Shepherd), and the 8 baby puppies 

Thursday, September 13, 2012

HEY MOM!

A blog I found that I never posted....stupid ADD...

(My son is yelling from his bed last night as I am walking down the hall...)

"Yes, Conman...what's up?"
"Well, you know how you blog sometimes?  Well, I think you need to blog about things that go on every day in life....since you have so many kids."

Obviously, my oldest son has not been reading my blog....the funny thing is that none of them do, so I can say whatever I want to about them!  I know I usually dog on Reese, but she is full of material...and she can't read...not that it would embarrass her anyway.  I truly think that four year old doesn't even comprehend what the word means.

So, for Connor's sake, I thought I would write a little sumpin' sumpin' today.

I had all my kids (minus Peyton) this weekend, and I loved every minute of it!  Let's start at the beginning when Brook arrives mid-morning...

1.  When Reese sees Brook, it is like someone injects her with 5,325 sugar packets...she goes into hyper mode because she loves her Brookie!  Well...the "sugar" never wears off...
2.  We head to the "beauty shop" for three haircuts...it was a zoo in there, and we added 4 more monkeys to the bunch.  Reese goes first, and I told the lady to give her a Pixie cut like Dora...she looked at me strangely.  I said, "Wait, that's not right...what is the haircut called?"  Aha! The PAGEBOY haircut....hell, they both start with "P."  I just wanted that crap cut off because Reese screams and hollers about brushing her hair...my mom always said for me to pick my battles, so I chose to chop it!

Carpe Diem,
Brandi






Starting Over at the End

It's officially happened...I am an old, new mom.  Brooklyn, my oldest, is a senior this year and Reese, my baby, started Kindergarten.  My mass confusion over this is scary...I am either in deep denial of my children growing up or my tear ducts have dried up completely.  I know my skin has more wrinkles and I bruise a little easier with each passing year, but I had no idea that I wouldn't just be a emotional mess when this day came.  Brooklyn doesn't even flinch anymore when I yell down the halls that I love her or blow kisses to her.  She just rolls her eyes and says, "Mom...(or) I love you, too."  Good thing is that Peyton is up here now....fresh meat for me to embarrass!  Woohoo!

Four teenagers and a five year old?  Wow...even as I am typing, I am in disbelief.  Both of my 13 year old boys (who will remain nameless, of course, heehee) started the "change" this summer.  I am SO glad that God blessed me with this "change" of two boys during the summer.  No, honestly I am...no sarcasm here and it feels wrong not to be a smart arse about this subject and humiliate my kids.  BUT it could have always been worse...one at a time....one being a girl (heck no)....it could have happened during the spring....the possibilities are endless.  I'm really trying to look at the glass being half full instead of half empty....the experience of 37 years is very rewarding.  So what if I have a few more age spots or wrinkles...I like it!!!

My mind is not made up yet on whether I am going to allow Reese to grow up....I told her the other day that she better never get too big to give me hugs.  She said, "Don't worry, Mom, I'll come back and we can hang out and drink some wine."  I couldn't help but laugh because she is SO not the typical five year old girl.

So, as you can see, my oldest is graduating, and my youngest is just beginning her educational journey.  My teaching career has reached its 12th mark this year, and I will teach until the little diva graduates...at least.  In a way I feel like a rookie teacher and new mom, but with 12 years of teaching under my belt and another 17 years of parenting skills, well....I just feel like I am starting over at the end....and loving every minute of it!!!

Carpe Diem,
Brandi

Friday, April 13, 2012

You Gotta Fight For Your Right....

...to PARTAY!!!  According to the Beastie Boys, this is what we should be fighting for, and my little Reese's Pieces LOVES this song!  But I want to talk about another fight today....

Here is the rhetorical question for the day...Don't you just love when life picks you up, beats the living crap out of you, slams you on the floor and against the wall, and keeps throwing sucker punches every time you try to catch your breath?  Yep!  It's my favorite thing in the world, too!  <statement made while dripping with sarcasm>  But I do know that from those bruises, cuts, and wounds comes healing.  The kind of healing that blesses us over and over again IF we allow God to be our doctor...so to speak.  He is the ultimate Healer, right? 

We all have scars...some on the outside...some on the inside, but those scars are there to make us stronger.  Maybe they are visible reminders to keep us from repeating past mistakes....maybe they are invisible in order to help us pull from their strength to come to the aid of others. 

I do know that  a very good friend of mine has had to endure more pain than anyone should.  I love her to death, and I know God is working in her life.  It will be a long, slow road to recovery, but God will lay His healing hands upon her and make her stronger than she ever thought possible.

All I ask that you do today is to pray for someone who needs that inner strength right now....you never know how much you will help them! 

Proverbs 3: 5-6

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

TAKS - Draws a Hard Vaccuum!

For the past few weeks, I have been digging in my heels, gritting my teeth, and clenching my jaw in fruitless efforts to produce excellent writers in my sophomore class.  Or have they been fruitless?  There are a few diamonds in the rough, but all they need is a little spit and maybe some elbow grease to make their writing illuminate from the paper.  I have to give credit to 95% of them for at least trying to write a personal narrative essay on some generic topic the state produces.  It is about as much fun as having food poisoning or watching grass grow.

Today is the scrimmage for the ELA TAKS test.  I want to believe with all my heart that my kiddos will do well because I believe through all the blood, sweat, tears, and laughter, my hard-knocks way of coaching will pay off!!!  I know these tests are boring and suck, but they are essential in order to see where our focus needs to be before D-Day....March 7. 

No matter what...I will be proud of them for completing the marathon test without passing out!!!

Carpe Diem,
Brandi