Sky Guy is Turning 9!

Okay, okay so I fell off the blog wagon there for a little bit, but I am back! I have been such a scatter brain lately that if I would have posted something it probably would have looked something like this-.ksjdglurlwaiugf;.suliwUegwiru????? Not good! With Thanksgiving, christmas cards, and now Skyler's birthday behind me I think I can write something worth reading or at least something that makes sense! This is a picture of Skyler with all his new pals he got for his birthday. Skyler decided that he wanted a puppy party this year. No surprise to us, everything that goes on in his brain right now revolves around puppies! We decided to take everyone to a rock climbing wall to start the birthday celebration. They made it look so simple! Mastered that and bored in no time. Looked at my watch and realized I had 3 more hours to entertain these energetic 9 year olds! Back to the house for games. Had them be puppies while they were playing and realized that they move much slower when they are on all fours! Genius! One more hour down! Cake, presents, singing...okay that didn't take up very much time. Daddy saved the day and played catch, or was that fetch, with everyone in the front yard! Success! Skyler had a blast! I say it everytime one of my babies has a birthday, but I'll say it again. I can't believe how fast they are growing! Happy Birthday my sweet Skyler! I love you so much, but no you can not get a real puppy!

Harvest Fest Fun!

Well, it seems that everyone survived mommy being gone for a week! The house was even clean when I got here! Good job, Honey! I sure didn't have a chance to ease back into the routine, but am very glad to be home with my guys! Last night was Harvest Fest at our church. Although you can't tell from the picture my little Army man was sick with blood poisoning. On Halloween night! No trick or treating for him, but Skyler definitely got enough candy to go around! This picture was taken just an hour after having a shot of antibiotics in the thigh and having blood drawn at the hospital and he is smiling! He's my little trooper! The doctor told him he didn't have enough junk in his trunk to get the shot in his behind so they had to give it to him in the leg. OUCH! He did not get a fever so the doctor said he wasn't going to admit him, but he would have to take it easy. Yeah, easy for him to say! He is getting better though. Nothing 10 days of antibiotics and a shot in the leg can't cure! Just another day in paradise! Hope everyone had a great Halloween!

Kissyfur is Out of Surgery!

He is really going to hate that I called him that! Good thing he is in no position to do anything about it! It probably wouldn't be a good time to give him a big fat noogie either, but he's got one comin'! The doctor said the surgery went well. He also said that his recovery should be a lot easier this time and that is a huge praise! He is resting comfortably (well as comfortably as possible) at the hospital. Thank you all for your prayers. I know they are a comfort to him as well as all of us. This is a picture from his last surgery. I'll have to get a new one so we can compare! Please continue to pray for his recovery. His hearing, balance, and facial nerve have all been affected by this tumor. Thanks again everyone!

We Made It to The Top!

Of Mt. Diablo that is! Well, we drove to the top, but that isn't the point. We made it and it only took forever! We had to drive so slow because the kids were car sick that bikers were passing us UP HILL! Well, maybe it just felt that way, but anyhow it was well worth the effort! The views were amazing. Of course, I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I wasn't so terrified that the boys were going to fall off the cliffs and plummet to their deaths! And of course they caught on to Mommy's fear and ran with it. The more fear they senced the closer to the edge they would go! Funny how that works. We took a trail that circled the top careful to avoid all the Poison Oak that surrounded us. The boys were on a quest to find snakes and any other reptiles that were unlucky enough to be caught by them! I count the day a success...warm weather, picnic, beautiful scenery and we didn't come home with Poision Oak or any creepy crawlies! Only two cute little stuffed animals that Nana & Papa bought for them in the gift store! Fun, Fun, Fun!

Prayer Needed!

Well, the Lord continues to give our family things to pray about and so I am asking all of you to join us in lifting my brother Kristopher up in prayer. He is 30 yrs old and has a three yr old daughter named Emma. Last year after suffering with hearing loss and facial paralysis he was told he had a brain tumor. They said it was benign, but needed to come out. He underwent surgery in February of this year and considering what he had just been through he was doing great! Although they were unable to restore his hearing fully or repair his facial nerve back to normal with the help of physical therapy his balance was improving. All his doctors were encouraged by his progress. We thought his six month appt. with the surgeon would confirm what we already knew-he was doing great! The doctor gave him the news that his tumor had grown back and we all felt like we had been kicked in the stomach. Knowing that God is in control of all things I immediately started praying for the peace and comfort that only comes from knowing and trusting in Him. The Lord was not taken by surprise. He says that he works all things out for good for those who love Him. I have trouble trusting in Him fully at times, especially times like these, but I know that He is faithful and true to His word. So please join our family in praying for the Lord's good and perfect will for Kris and all the people who's lives will be touched by this. ( I will be posting an update after his surgery on Oct. 20th)

In Our Hearts Forever

Hello everyone! It has been a long time! I am trying to get my brain back in blogger mode, but I would like to take this week to tell you about a very special person that is no longer with us, but will always be in our hearts. Her name was Barbara J. Haynes ( aka Mom & Gramma B). She was my mother in law and I loved her dearly for so many reasons. Of course I love her for raising the wonderful man I get to spend the rest of my life with- and trust me that was a hard job, but she did it with an unconditional love that is to be admired. She was affectionate, gentle, caring, loving, intelligent, opinionated, and as Ben and I like to say she was sugar and spice and spice and vinager! I will always have great memories of times we had with her and regret that there were not more of them. The boys will miss her telling them all the stories about daddy when he was a boy and all the trouble he got into. Nothing made them laugh more! And I know we will all miss the loving mother and grandmother she was to us. Good-bye for now, Mom. You are in our hearts forever! We love you.

First Day of School!

Well, we did it! We made it through the summer and are now entering the world of early rising and frantic schedules. The first day was easy. Excitement got them up and ready in no time and we made it to school with time to spare! I love the first day of school! Handsome boys in their favorite clothes, squeaky clean sneakers, new lunch boxes that haven't started to smell yet, and smiling faces at the door telling you to hurry up or they are going to be late for school! Ahhh, bliss! I know it will all change when the excitement wears off, but for now I will bask in sweet victory and enjoy my first kid free day in three months! These are the first day pictures from last year and today! Wow, 2nd & 3rd grade! I am such a proud mama!

Boys will be boys!

I wasn't sure what to blog about this week until our pastor gave me an idea! He was talking about wives and mothers and what a typical day in the life of a mother looks like. So, I decided to make a mental list of things I say to my boys in a typical day. Take today for example. Before we even made it to lunch time I had said to them "no using knives while I'm in the shower!" and " You can't climb a tree with a saw in your hand! and "Be careful with that staple gun you could shoot your brothers eye out! Something tells me we are not living a typical life! And perhaps I'm not your typical mom! But at the end of the day I will thank God for protecting them another day and giving me the priviledge to be their mother. This picture was taken on another day when I said to them "Did you really dump the whole bottle of bubbles in the tub?" I guess the moral of the story is, the next time you hear yourself saying something like "Farting at the table is not funny!" just remember this wonderful season in life is so short. I better go check on those little rascals right now!

Memory Lane

My girlfriend Jessica had her baby girl. I went to the hospital yesterday to see her and she is sooo beautiful! Holding a newborn is just good for the soul. It reminded me of the moment I met each of my boys. That picture is as clear in my mind today as it was the day they were born. And now one of them is a teenager! My sweet little blue eyed, six pound baby boy with jet black hair standing up on his head is now my sweet 15 year old that shaves and wants to drive the car! Wow, does time fly when you are having fun! When they were in diapers I thought they would never grow up and then they potty trained and someone hit the fast forward button! Don't forget to enjoy the ride! Thanks for coming down memory lane with me!

We're Back!

Wow! What a great trip! So many highlights I'm not sure I'll be able to get them all in. We visited with Ben's mom, hung out with my brother and his family, went boogie boarding in Oceanside, braved Legoland, stuffed our brains with knowledge at the Science museum, roasted marshmallows, had charactures of the boys drawn in their undies, and the list goes on! I love vacation! Although, besides all the mounds of laundry it is good to be home! There is something very special about sleeping in your own bed! Seriously though, I think I may need a few more washing machines if I don't want to be doing laundry for an eternity! Have a good week everyone!

San Diego, Here We Come!

We are getting ready for our big trip to San Diego! Unfortunately, all these have to come with us. Ben and I just finished filling all our "pill packs" for the trip. It's a bummer Lyme doesn't take a vacation! I think I might need a vacation from getting ready for this vacation! Meds, check. Clothes washed, check. Find someone to feed the cat, check. Clean the car out, check. Load the car up, check. Bring my sanity, Oh, crap I can't find that! Maybe I'll just leave that behind this time instead of my toothbrush! Well, it looks like we are ready for San Diego. The question is "Is San Diego ready for us"? Have a sunshiny day everybody!

Quote of the Day!

I know this is my weekly blog, but I thought I would put in a "Quote of the Day" because God only knows when my life will be organized enough to post everyday like I promised in the beginning! I think I must have been dreamin'! Anyway, Spencer was a bit grumpy when he got up and when I asked him if he got up on the wrong side of the bed he looked at me confused and said, "No, I got up on the left side like I always do!" The look on his face said, "Is there a wrong side"? So cute! It's always a good day when it starts with a good laugh with your kids.
Have you laughed with your kids today? If not, I highly recommend it! Old picture, but thought it was appropriate for laugh factor! Yes, those are diapers, AKA "Super Hero Helmets"! Have a great week everybody!

Thank You Blog Readers!

First things first... I would like to thank you for the comments, emails, and prayers. Keep em' comin'. I love to hear from you! I am doing much better this week, but so much for looking better! As you can tell from the picture I am feeling well enough to be silly with my boy's again. I am taking a break from my meds until I see my doctor again on the 22nd. She said the reason I was so ill is because I was "herxing" which in a nutshell means that the medicine is killing the Lyme and my body is trying to rid itself of the dead bacteria. Crazy, huh? I have watched Ben go through it and now know his pain first hand and pray that Spencer doesn't have to go through it although it's very likely he will. I suppose we will cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I rely on God even when I don't feel like it because His mercies are new each morning! "Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning" Lamentations 3:23. Thank God for that!
Last week the verse I would have quoted would have been Psalm 6:2 "Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; Oh Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony"! I'm glad I can laugh a bit about it now! Have a good week everybody!

A Week Asleep!

Well, I'm not sure I have much to blog about this week since I spent it sleeping! It was a rough week dealing with the affects of this freakish disease they call Lyme. I sleep most hours of the day and the times I am awake I am in immense pain. Ben has been so wonderful taking care of everything. He doesn't do it the way I do, but God bless him for trying. I'm not sure what I would do without such a loving hubby so willing to gladly pick up the slack! Skyler is proving to be quite the responsible "man in charge" when Daddy isn't here too. Thanks Sky!
How about this picture! That's reality! No glamour here! Skyler took this picture because he said Ollie was so cute! I agree. Between the two of us, Ollie definitely gets the cute prize this week! I am looking forward to looking and feeling much better next week! Until I write again, hope you all have blessed week!

The Usher Boys

This past weekend we had the honor of watching two very dear people to us get married. "Annie the Nanny" & "Naterbugs" got hitched! It was a very sweet ceremony. The boys enjoyed the priviledge of walking the mother's and grandmothers of the bride and groom down the isle. They were so handsome and did such a great job! We were very proud of them. After the wedding, the ties came off and the they hit the dance floor! Spencer has got moves like his Dad! It was very fun to watch them have such a great time celebrating Nate & Annie's new life together! As Skyler put it "Now they can share the same glass!" Indeed they can! God Bless you guys! Thanks for allowing us to be a part of your very special day!

Mother of the Year! Or not!

Awe! Aren't they sweet? They really do love each other.
When I decided to start a blog I wanted it to be funny, encouraging, sweet, adorable-you get the point! But I also wanted it to be real. So, here goes reality! It was sorta one of those weeks that as a Mom you hope your kids don't remember you for. It wasn't pretty!
I am going to take a short minute to get on a soap box. Is it just me or does anyone else's kids morph into little vipers when they play video games? Who invented those things? I am almost positive it wasn't a Mom! Okay, now that that is off my chest, we did manage to squeak out a few good moments. Above is a picture of Skyler & Brandon at the water park. Spencer was on a ride with Daddy the only time I remembered to bring out the camera! I'll get ya next time Spence! Although, I didn't get the Mother of the Year award this week I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Thank God for forgiveness!

Join The Ride!

Hi Everyone,
Blogging is a new adventure for me, but I thought it would be a great way to stay connected with friends and family and anyone else who needs a good laugh! There is never a dull moment in the Haynes' house. Our life is a bit of a roller coaster and my kids keep me in stitches so sharing those stories with you is going to be a joy for me and I pray it will be a blessing to you as well.
The goal for now is to post once a week and as I get the hang of it I am going to transition into posting once a day complete with a "Quote of the Day" from who I think are the funniest and most interesting people I have ever met...my kids! Have a blessed day!