A Little Break...

Hello, Friends!

Just wanted to let you know that I am going to be taking a little break from the blog world. 

 

Yea...I'm not going on any fancy vacation as this picture would suggest. It just seems that all "bloggers" post a beautiful beach picture when they take a break from blogging...but that is because they are going to a beach like this!

Nothing fancy for me during my break. I've just been dealing with 

chipped thumb bones,

(It's much better now!)

sliced palms,

pulled teeth,

Projects, Projects and more Projects,

  and I just need to get caught up on life!  I love every minute of it all (except for blood and when the boys are hurt), it's just that I have loads on my plate right now and unfortunately, my blog is the last thing on the plate I deal with ...kind of like my lima beans when I was a kid. Once I get my plate a bit more clean, I will be back!  Just for a week or two!

Please check back!!

Until then...Think of me while we try to pick out a Halloween costume for Jack.

 

Decisions, Decisions!!

 

 

Why hello...

I walk into the room the other night finding Jack sitting at my desk.

" Why hello, Sir. Have you been working on your latest novel?"

 "Why yes I have, 'mam and enjoying a little hot chocolate on my break."

People are constantly asking me, "Where does come up with these things?" Honestly, I have no idea. They just happen.

Bellweather Rhapsody...

Just finished my latest book, Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia. Loved it!!

 

From Amazon:

Fifteen years ago, a murder-suicide in room 712 rocked the grand old Bellweather Hotel and the young bridesmaid who witnessed it, Minnie Graves. Now hundreds of high school musicians, including quiet bassoonist Rabbit Hatmaker and his brassy diva twin, Alice, have gathered in its cavernous, crumbling halls for the annual Statewide festival; Minnie has returned to face her demons; and a colossal snowstorm is threatening to trap them all in the hotel. Then Alice's roommate goes missing—from room 712. The search for her entwines an eccentric cast of characters: conductors and caretakers, failures and stars, teenagers on the verge and adults trapped in memories. For everyone has come to the Bellweather with a secret, and everyone is haunted.

I must admit, I was hesitant to begin reading this book, but by the end of the first couple of chapters, I was hooked and couldn't put it down. It is a murder mystery, but so much more. It's characters are each dealing with their own issues and it all comes together in the end. It does have some surprising and heartbreaking twists throughout the story, but also some very heartwarming successes and breakthroughs for others. 

I would definitely suggest you check this one out! 

Then and Now...

I know, I have been sharing a lot of then and now pictures when it comes to football. The reason: Sam is ending his junior football career and will start school ball next year. No more Sunday afternoon games for Sammy. And Jack..Jack is just starting his junior football career!

 

This picture is of when Sam was in third grade and got to run out on the high school football field while Jack watched.

And here are the boys the night they both got to run on to the football field. Jack is in third grade and this is the last time Sam will run onto the field as a junior football player.

How quickly time goes by.

*sniff*

Helping Out...

Jack likes to get the mail for me.

 Every time he gets the mail, I hope he doesn't fall out!

What I've Been Reading...

Well, I finally finished my summer book, Outlander! The 850 page book took about two months to read, but it was worth it! I have also been watching the series on Starz and liking that too! There are some parts in the book that drag, walking around the forest, talking, other stuff, walking around the town, talking, other stuff. But, between all the talking, walking and other stuff, there is a great story. I loved how "normal" events turn against Claire when you least expect it. 

 

The book starts in 1945, where Claire, a former combat nurse, is back from war and reunited with her husband Frank on their second honeymoon. She takes a walk through an ancient store circle and she is suddenly in Scotland in the year of 1743.

Here, she meets Scottish warriors and James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, AKA Jamie. Lucky her! 

I have 7 novels left to read and they are all about 800+ pages! I did pick up the next book, Dragonfly in Amber, but will wait a bit to start that one!

 So once I finished Outlander, I needed a "shorter" book and a friend loaned me Big Little Lies. She is the same author the wrote The Husband's Secret, which I loved! Well, she did not disappoint in this novel. I read the book in three days. They way the author writes, just makes you want to read just to find out what is going on and how it will all play out. It is a must read!

 

Big Little Lies focuses on three women, all of whom have children at the same preschool. One is a great beauty married to a fabulously rich businessman; they have a “perfect” set of twins. One is the can-do mom who can put together a mean pre-school art project but can’t prevent her teenage daughter from preferring her divorced dad. The third is a withdrawn, single mother who doesn’t quite fit in. Right from the start we know that someone is going to end up dead. The questions are who and how. Miraculously, Moriarty keeps this high concept plot aloft, largely because she infuses it with such wit and heart. She also knows not to overplay the message she’s sending: that we all tell lies--to each other and, more importantly, to ourselves.

I am now reading Bellweather Rhapsody and loving it!! 

 

A high school music festival goes awry when a young prodigy disappears from the most infamous room in the Bellweather Hotel.

That is just the tip of the iceberg of this "Shining" like book! So far, I would highly recommend this book, too, but will let you know after I finish reading it!!

 

Football Season...

Football season has officially started for both boys. I just love watching them play and socializing with all our football friends!

Background:

Sam has always been number 50 or 55. So, when Sam got his football jersey on Sunday for this year, he was super excited to put on number 55!  He started his football "career" with a red 55 jersey and how cool to have the same color and number for his last football days!

(Sam in third grade!)

Well,  I learned today that "55" is a lineman number. The refs know that a 50-some number, represents a boy that is only on the line and can't run the ball. Remember, Sam was below weight and he can now run the ball...which also means, he can't be number 55. I secretly thought, just keep that jersey on...maybe they will forget you can't run the ball!! Well, no such luck, they made him switch his jersey number 85. 

 

Hey!! Back off my boy!!!

 He still puts that right hand in his mouth!!

Sam is finishing his football years with junior football (next year he will play school ball) and Jack is just starting!

 Yep, that's little Jack! All padded up for a little flag football.

Jack is loving football..especially going after people.

Oh dear.

A Well Deserved Treat!

Sam has been craving a Pita Pit sandwich and we have just not gotten over there for him to enjoy one.! He finally got his Pita Pit last night and it was well deserved after his day in Science class!!

This weekend, Sam was working on a paper for school. It asked him "What is your most embarrassing school moment." He looked at me and said, "I don't have anything to tell." 

Well, after yesterday, he does have a most embarrassing moment!

Sam has a really cool Science teacher. She has all sorts of insects in her classroom and actually lets butterflies fly around the room after coming out of their cocoon. She will then open the window and let them fly away. Sam LOVES this!

Well, yesterday, his Science teacher thought one of the butterflies, a large beautiful bright orange monarch, wasn't doing so well, so she had the class gather around her at the back of the room to let the butterfly go.  It flew out and around and then landed...right on Sam's white shorts. But not in a place where you would want an entire 7th grade Science class looking at! He said, "Mom..I could just feel my face turn red!"  He started to carefully shake his shorts in an effort to get the butterfly off his shorts, but it would not move!  He went to grab the wings to pull it off, but in it's delicate state, the teacher panicked and said, "Don't do that! It doesn't feel good and you may hurt it more!"

So, Sam continued to stand there!

He then went on to share that there is a girl in his classroom that broke her leg and wasn't able to get to the back of the room to watch the release of the butterfly,  so the teacher asked Sam (I can't believe this!) "Sam, would you be willing to turn around and show (the girl) the butterfly."

Sam was aghast!! What?? Turn around and walk up to the girl with a butterfly on your crotch??

He looked at me, laughing while telling this part and said, "So, I turned around and showed her my butterfly!" He said when he turned around, the girls eyes about popped out of her head!

Five minutes later, this butterfly STILL hasn't moved! So, the teacher who doesn't know how to get this butterfly to fly away, tell Sam, "Sam, why don't you stand in the back corner and you can listen  to the lesson from there." So, Sam heads to the back corner, stands and continues to wait for this butterfly to decide to take flight! Sam shared that he stood back there, people would look back at him, he would smile and continue to tap his fingers on the counter. 

After about 10 more minutes and much to Sam's relief, the butterfly takes off! Sam was so relieved!  

Bless Sam's big heart..he told me, "It was cool to get an up close look at the butterfly. They have a lot of white spots on them that I didn't' realize they had!  I think it was happy on my shorts because of the material." 

"Oh, Sam" was all I could say.

I also told him, that unfortunately, with our family's luck, this won't be the last time you have an embarrassing moment at school! And how important it is for you to be able to laugh at yourself and this is just one of those stories you will be able to tell for a loooong time!

A Small Request...

I was taking pictures of Jack the other day when he suddenly did this....

"Stop taking my picture! And you cannot upload, download or post any of the pictures you just took!"

I didn't post any of them...except his"request" picture.

 

First and Last...

 Sam played in his last Fall travel football team tournament this weekend. It was fun to hang out with our "Bomber" families and I will miss them. The team was formed when the boys started fourth grade and have grown up together and Sam has made some great friends on the team. *sniff*

 The team played with all their heart and did very well.

 This is back when Sam was in fourth grade! Either the trophies have gotten smaller or Sam has really grown!!

Sam has reached a personal goal this year. He actually came in under the weight limit, so he has been able to run and catch the ball. He's always been on the line and I consider that a fairly "safe" place. No one is chasing my boy down and trying to thrown him to the ground!! Well, now that he runs the ball, he is going to get tackled..which I do not like! I would see Sam get the ball and tell my friend, "I am shutting my eyes! Tell me when it's over!!"  I shared this with Sam and he told me, "What if I get a touchdown? You don't' want to miss that!" I just cannot win.

Look what happens when you get tackled!!

NOT OKAY!!

He says it looks worse than it feels, but still!!

I told him if they throw the ball to you, it is OK to just let it drop. That way you will be safe and not get tackled. 

Yea...and you can see he disobeyed his mother. 

Guys.