it's about time

It's about time, GB is FINALLY in his toddler bed. Everyone asked me "Why is he still in his baby bed?", my response was he is a GREAT sleeper. He doesn't try to climb out of his bed so why do it until I HAVE to. Well last week I ate those words. 3 mornings in a row I found him riding the rail like a cowboy =) He would call me and say "mommy mommy. hurt me!" I spanked him and told him if he fell it would hurt him. So that was he way of telling me I'm on the rail! Adam and GB put together his big boy bed. I thought maybe if Gus Brown helped him and they talked it up, GB won't be so hesitate to go to bed. Seriously, I didn't want to rock the boat, we put him down and he is OUT for about 10-11 hours. I am SPOILED! So after the bed was put together it was nap time. I was at work so I didn't get to put him down the 1st time but no big deal, I have done 10 times since then. Adam laid GB down. He said he got up 1 time and came to the top of the stairs and said "HEY DADDY!" Adam told him to get back in bed and he did. attempt #1 - success. That night Adam had to go to work and I just knew GB would work me for another "tiss and dug..aka-kiss and hug" and this and that, u how we used to do when we went to bed. He didn't, straight to sleep! attempt #2- success. Tuesday after school he is always worn out but doesn't want to give it up, you know how that goes. I just knew he would pass out after a fun day @ school. NO WAY. This kid got up 4 times out of bed. U know I am firm believer in spanking! I told him not to get up again and if he did I would spank him. I went downstairs to put laundry in and unload the dishwasher and the next thing I know someone is handing me a cup to up!!!!! =) That little booger cracks me up! Anyway after a couple spankings on tuesday's naptime, bedtime is now a success. Morning time is a little different now though. I used to listen to him in the monitor talk, sing his ABC's and sing songs when he woke up but all that is done in MY BED now!! He gets up RUNS to my bed. Wouldn't change it for anything! OH. let me tell u about his sweet little prayer the other night. Every night Adam and I say prayers with GB (some nights both of us are not here, but if we both here we both want to pray with him) but the other night I asked him if he wanted to pray and he said "uh huh!" So we bowed our heads and put our hands together.. it was silent for a few seconds and I opened one eye and said GB u talk to Jesus tonight. Gus Brown smiled and said "mommy daddy mommy daddy ninny pop, AMEN!" it was the sweetest thing. I got a little tear. It was sweet, he really does have a sweet spirit even though sometime I have to get in check, but hey we all need a little discipline every now and then.

this is a picture I took from my cell phone so it's not that great. But u get the idea!

BEWARE

Beware it's my blog and I can complain if I want to, read at your own risk.

I miss my hubs! I don't mind the working nights that's his job he gets paid to do that. It's when he should be at home sleeping or being with us that he is doing other "obligations." I guess it's the protector (mother) in me that wants to call all these people and say PLEASE don't ask my hubs to do any more activities. He needs to sleep and when he is not sleeping he needs to be at home with his family. He only really has 24 hours in a work week that is doesn't see Evans Meats, again not complaining about the work, he gets paid for that. Too many people depend on Adam to pick up the broken pieces @ the last minute, b/c he is dependable, don't get me wrong I am VERY thankful he is a dependable person but at the same time, those people seem to get abused. I feel that he is abused, b/c he can't say NO. People tell him I'm in a bind and the rest is story!!! Adam is a better person than me, I guess that is why people ask him to do stuff and not me, b/c they know I would say no! Adam says people flake out and so people call him.... well I say to that, maybe you should start being flaky and people will quit asking you. I know I am complaining (it's my blog) BUT I see him worn out, I see him falling asleep in mid conversation, I say him just drained, I see him struggling to keep his eyes open past 7pm.... no one else sees that, no one else sees that he worked 15 hours in the last 24 hours to provide for his family. No one sees that today he got to sleep for 4 hours today and then had to wake up to go to the church only to have to wait for an hour b/c people were late, then to turn around and go to work until tomorrow @ noon. I don't know why but it just hit me, I am guess I am at a breaking point. I want to call people and tell them to leave my husband alone. We got a letter in the mail asking him to do something the other day and I tore it up. He doesn't have time for ANYTHING else. The church called and asked Adam why have we not heard from you about this and Adam asked me about it and I said yeah u got it but I tore it up. your plate is FULL!!!! Adam is a good man, a provider, a leader of the house, a GREAT father and obviously has a servants heart. I should be thankful. There are some hubs out there who are scum of the earth, that don't help @ home, that don't help with bath, that only cause problems instead of helping resolve them. I know all these things but it doesn't make it any easier. When I ask Adam how he does it, work, go here and go there, do this and do that, he says he doesn't know. I know it's God giving him strength b/c he is faithful to HIM. Gus Brown and I pray every night that Adam is working to protect him to and from work, give him strength that can only from God, to give him energy, to keep him alert and focused, to not make mistakes b/c he is tired. I know God is watching over Adam @ night. I know God will reward Adam for all his hard work. I can see it, I have seen it. It's just during the valley when it's the hardest. That just means we are about to be on top of the mountain. I know Adam's strength comes from the Lord, and I am sooo thankful for that.

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do no fear, I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

Wedding Weekend.

So it's official there are no more "EGGER" girls @ home with mom and dad. This weekend Alicia got hitched. It was at a BEAUTIFUL location, Guntersville State Park Lodge. They have redone it apparently and it is really classy. The view is AMAZING. Alicia and John Evan picked this place b/c more than half of Alicia's life we have camped up there and since John Evan has been apart of the family (we have loved him since the beginning, so he went with us camping too) he has been up there too. So it was perfect for them, it had some meaning behind it. Thursday we started up there, it took 2 car loads full of stuff. Got there and unloaded and just relaxed. John Evan was too cute, he was a nervous wreck! Alicia was calm but poor JE was nervous. He was sweet though. Friday morning we had rehearsal @ 9am and then enjoyed a breakfast buffet afterwards. All of the family was making their way in on friday. They got married friday night @ 6pm. Alicia was calm as a cucumber all day UNTIL Abbie (my bff came up to sing, she's so sweet.) started singing. Mom lost it when she started singing "Surely the Presence of the Lord" so Alicia lost it, then I noticed they were crying then of course I joined the club. Dela, John Evan's sister in law, is 8 months prego and she is a emotional b/c of the hormones joined us too. Then she sang "How Beautiful" (which was played @ my wedding as I was walking down the aisle) and then I lost it again. I made it to my place w/o tripping... that was a obstacle in itself b/c I fell UP the stairs TWICE, my dress could have used a little hem, but too late now. DA DA DA NAH.. here comes Alicia, she was beautiful and glowing. She was so emotional walking down the aisle and during the vows, which made there not be a dry eye in the place. David Awtrey (family friend and old neighbor) did he ceremony, he was GREAT. He is such a nice guy. Alicia and John Evan wanted a sit down dinner so they had a nice reception over looking the lake. The ceremony was beautiful, Rick did the flowers, he always does an amazing job, yet he kinda makes me nervous b/c he works so well under pressure and I am a planner so I start to fret and he is just getting cranked up. He is very talented. Our friend Andy took the pictures, so we are excited to see those, he said he took around 800. The weekend was just perfect. It went off without a hitch, I think they will remember this day FOREVER. John Evan is a great guy and treats Alicia like a lady, I couldn't ask for a better guy for her..... well maybe if he was a millionaire but hey we can't have it all.

btw- my mother in law came with Rick and watched GB. WOW she was a blessing. It would have not gone as well as it did if she had not been there. They picked him up from school on thursday and brought him up there with them so I could be with mom and alicia all day. She stayed with him all day on friday as we were getting ready and taking pictures and during the ceremony. We thought that GB was too little to be in the wedding party, so we just let him be the ring security, Alicia found this shirt and he wore it. We just thought he would more of a distraction in the wedding, since the WHOLE family was up there in front of him. Pam will NEVER know how easy and stressfree she made the weekend (she did however tell me that GB opened the car door while they were on the interstate and they didn't realize it until the interior lights came on, OH SON!) If I would have to deal w/ him and all this hustle and bustle it would have been crazy, I am sure I would have made it but I might have visited the bar area a couple of times during the day ;)

Here are some pictures. I am SURE the professional pics are much better but these are amateur AKA ME!!!!

ps- don't know why this is NOT underlined and the top part is... IDK sorry!

Friends

We are so blessed to have such good friends and it just so happens that all our kids are around the same age. Some are a few years older than GB and some are not here yet (Clark and Ruthie) but will be here in a couple of weeks. We have meet some new friends through GB's class @ mother's day out. I knew their parents but had never done anything outside of school, but since the kids play well it works out for everyone. They seem to all play well together and get along great. OF COURSE there is going to be a toy snatch here and there but hey I am possessive of my thing too ;) Nothing worth losing a friendship over, that's for sure. Anyway, this past weekend we took an adventure to Boo in the Zoo. Before the zoo we went to Johnny Rockets. WOW. that was fun! 7 kids and 8 parents. GB is at the in between stage where he is really too big for the highchair (but last night I was watching JK+8 and the 5 year olds were still in restaurant style highchairs.) So I decided to just let him sit in the booth, that's what the majority of the other parents did. It wasn't too bad. Towards the end they got a little antsy, but I was ready to go honestly. So off to the zoo we go. Thank goodness GB was free it was $14 for me and Adam to walk around. I know, I know they wouldn't make any $$ if they let everyone is for free but wow! GB IMMEDIATELY was intimidated/scared/whinny. I don't know why. I really don't baby him. He sleeps in the dark. I scare him all the time (like I will hide in his room and he will come look for me and I will jump out of his closet, it's really funny b/c he is such a chicken.) Gus Brown didn't want to ride the carousel or the train. I was able to get on the carousel with him and just hold him. He stood beside his friends, crying. sad. Off to the train we went (can I add that he did not walk ONE step @ the zoo, he was either on Adam's shoulders or on my hip, towards the end he decided to would stroll in the wagon but not for too long.) He has started to LOVE trains, he yells "all aboard" and loves Thomas the train so I just knew he wanted to ride.. ..."NOPE" he told me. So we sat with the "gear" while all our friends rode the train. It was a fun night, he got to trick or treat, and Adam ate all his candy by the time we got home.
if u look u can see

GB he's to the right w/ me holding him

he wouldn't get in the photo with his friends :(

I just noticed Ries was the only girl.. poor thing.
Ries and Gus Brown
Ries, Cohen and GB (his friends from school)

hello it's me again...

Hello, it's me again, sorry I have abandoned you!! Things are good, busy and fun, can't get much better than that. Gus Brown is growing like a WEED and is cuter by the minute, but still a little trouble maker. We taught him to say "yes maam" and "no maam", sometimes he needs a little reminder, but he thinks that the "no maam" is a good response when I TELL him to do something. ex: GB please don't take your shoes off we are about to get out of the car... GB's response " No maam." I was not asking you a question son I was telling you DON'T take off your shoes. Bless his heart, he means well. We are still struggling w/ his vocabulary, I can't understand half of what he says. He is getting better but man, I need a translator. I don't think he has a speak issue or anything. Here are some pictures from life recently.

BEWARE- NAKED BUTTS!!!!


GB the monkey!

stembridge vaca

So we went on a vaca w/ the Stembridge family... EVERYONE!  It was nice. However, Gus Brown HATED the sand and didn't want the ocean to get NEAR him. Let me give you some background... Day one. we get these tents and get them up b/c we have young ones and the sun is sooo hot and don't want them to get blistered and honestly they were SOO nice to have. So we head to the beach.. kids,coolers, floats, snacks, beach chairs, bag of toys, extra daipers, so are you getting the pictures. we are all loaded down and NO ONE has a empty hand. Gus Brown's big toe touches the sand and he SCREAMS! I can't pick him up b/c my hands are full. I make him walk for a bit until someone else drops their load to come get him. When I say SCREAM, I mean SCREAM. like BLOODY MURDER scream! Sooooo not looking so good for us, 10 minutes into the "beach" adventure.  day one lastest about 1 hour and then he has enough and was ready to go inside. 

Day two. GB didn't even see the sand. we were not going to try it again. Adam was very nice to stay in the room with him and let me enjoy the sun. Adam hates the sand as well. So I can see where GB gets it from :) 

Day three. we got him on a towel NOT touching the sand, with his water shoes on. He did decide to pick a bowl up and put sand in it and pour it out. So needless to say GB doesn't like the beach like his mother does.. BUMMER. 

The Stembridge's did get someone to take our pictures on the beach. they turned out GREAT! As the professional was taking some so were we. So we got alot of the same thing she did. All the kids got $100 a piece to spend how they want. We were not allowed to spend it on the kids or the spouse.. so that was nice and FUNNY to see how we each spent our money. I went to the GAP  hit the sales racks and got several outfits and a new pair of Sperry's. Adam got ONE pair of sunglasses and had to ADD some of our money with it. It was a great time.  

Here are some of the pics.. Enjoy! it's alot of pictures! 

pool side

When I used to think of being pool side, I thought of a radio, baby oil, a few "cold snacks", and a couple of girlfriend chit chatting every now and then after laying there for HOURS... well now when I am poolside, it has taken 45 minutes to get ready. I have to get the swim diaper, 50SPF sunscreen, floaties, pool toys, cooler full of fruit snack and a cell phone in case of an emergency.  Oh wow how things have changed.. FOR THE GOOD! I will admit I do being pool side. There is something about it in the summer. I mean EVERY house should come w/ a pool in the backyard. I told Adam I would like one at our next house.. well see.  Here are some pics of GB standing on the steps, he doesn't like the pool as much as I would like him too.