Stephen has been off of work quite a lot the past two weeks because of the rain and I'm here to tell you it has been nice. Last week he was off Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and although his check will be very short the time that we have been able to spend together has been really fun. Yesterday he was off due to the floods and we spent the entire day together. Hunter loves when Daddy does not have to work because he picks him up from school and they spend time together and he is able to tuck him into bed at night.
 Tonight, it was back to the old routine. Stephen had to go back to work and he missed Hunter's soccer game. Hunter played another great game...He scored again! He is quite the soccer player and I am very proud of him. Soccer actually keeps his attention the entire game unlike t-ball.
 Although Stephen is back on night shift and he likes the change I think that I would rather have him here at night. Tomorrow Austin has a football game and Thursday Brittaney will be in a homecomeing parade and of course the homecoming game will be Friday evening. I will have a lot of pictures next week from all of the events from this week, so stay tuned!

Today we celebrated Justin's birthday and we had a very special guest there. Stephen's grandmother joined us. We have not seen her in a while and when Hunter found out that Nona was going to be at Maw's house for lunch, he was excited. He loves to go to Maw's house and I would love to say that he really enjoys spending time with his grandparents, but the truth is he loves to play the video game with his Uncle Lyde. Although, I'm sure that he really does enjoy spending time with his Maw and Paw Paw.
 When we arrived he jumped up in the chair with Nona and snuggled right up with her and watched t.v. As we sat down to eat hamburgers (steak to Hunter because everything is steak) Hunter had just a few bites and he was finished. He cozied up to Uncle Lyde and convinced him to go upstairs and play the video game.
 I love spending time with our families and especially the cherished time that we have with everyone we love!

......GOAL......

Today was Hunter's first soccer game and he was awesome! Stephen and I were quite surprised by how well he played and that he was interested in the entire game. During tee ball season Hunter played well, but it did not keep his attention for the entire time. He would get upset when he could not get the baseball and he was always running after the ball. Soccer gives him the opportunity to chase after the ball and to work really hard. He could keep the ball between his feet and the only problem that he had was turning the ball around to go down the field. When the game first started he fell a couple of times fighting for the ball and he would take his time getting up. At half time Stephen and I told him he had to jump right back up and go after the ball. He was so cute everytime that he would get the ball and kick it down the field he would always look to make sure that his Daddy and I were watching him and we would give him a thumbs up or praise him and he would reply "kank you" or simply "kanks".

 He was playing against one of his classmates and everytime Tristen had the ball Hunter would run behind him and not try to get the ball back from him. When Hunter had the ball Tristen would run beside him and neither one would take the ball from each other. Finally Hunter had taken the ball from one of the opponents players and he ran it down the field and scored a goal. We were so proud of him! He really played a good game and had fun the entire game.

O'Pry

For the longest time if anyone ask Hunter "what is your name?" he will tell you "Hunter Teben Oohpy". Now, he has learned how to spell his last name and it sounds like this...O-pasta P-P-r-y. It is the cutest thing to hear him spell his last name. He is proud of his last name because he spells it all of the time.

How long will it take to adjust?

Last week Stephen found out that he would be working night's for the next 3 to 4 weeks and he was ready for the change. His only hesitation is not being able to sleep with us at night and missing out on Friday night football games with the kids. Hunter is not ready for the change at all. Today was Stephen's first day on the night shift so he went and checked out Hunter to spend the day with him. They have been together all day before we went to soccer practice and when we got home he had already left for work. It is after 10 p.m. and he is still in my bed crying, as he has been doing for the past 30 minutes, " I want Daddy, I really want Daddy....Daddy!"
I have not really paid much attention to how much he has become a Daddy's boy until tonight. He has always been a Mommy's boy and he will tell you that he is Mommy's baby and Daddy's big boy. Stephen has been telling me that slowly but surely he is making the change over to being his boy and he would joke with me just wait he will soon be all mine. Laughing, I would just tell him, "whatever he will always need his Mommy". Tonight I'm second guessing myself.
I love to see how their relationship is just blossoming into best buddies, but I'm getting a little jealous now, not really. Stephen is such a wonderful Daddy to his children and I'm so glad that we have a man who takes such good care of his family and is willing to work odd hours and shifts to support us.

Good bye Summer!

With the opening of dove season, football and Labor day weekend it only means one thing...Fall is around the corner. Oh the crisp air, changing of leaves, and the days getting shorter I get excited every year. I may sound crazy, but I love to have all of my windows open mopping my floors with the fall breeze blowing the smell of clean throughout the house. I love Fall! Spring is a favorite of mine as well.
Summer in Georgia is to hot for me so I really look forward to the cooler weather. Today Brian and Hunter took their last swim in the pool for the season and the water was freezing. I am glad that we have a pool, but as the cliche goes " I love to see it come and I love even more to see it go." It is to much trouble to take care of keeping the chemicals balanced, vacuuming it often, and the dreaded summer electric bills.
I got excited today as Brian and I were talking about potato soup. We make a lot of soups and casserole's in the fall and winter that warms the soul. I'm always up for new recipes if anyone has some that they want to share and I will be glad to share a few of mine in future post. Or if you are looking for something in particular let me know and I will share them sooner.

With my excitement of Fall must I say good bye summer and Happy Fall Ya'll!

8 great years!

Stephen got Angel for me for Mother's Day 8 years ago. I originally wanted and orange tabby and he hunted everywhere for one, but was unsuccessful. He found Angel in a box with other kittens, which were covered in fleas, and she was the closest thing to orange that he could find. She had some peach markings on her, but for the most part she was grey. I was so excited when he brought this bundle of fur to me that I immediately gave her a bath to get rid of the fleas and then cuddled her like a baby. Smokie was already 5 years old so she was set in her ways and would not allow me to do that with her. She did not like Angel coming in to her territory, nonetheless, she learned to love her over the years.


Smokie started losing weight and had gotten a little sick, but I was able to nurse her back to health. Then, a few weeks ago Angel started getting sick and losing weight. I have tried and tried to nurse her back to health, but all of my efforts were useless. Yesterday I called Brookwood Animal Hospital in Jackson and they told me to bring her in. I have to tell you that this hospital exceeded all of my expectations plus some! Dr.Bell worked her in, working through her lunch hour and drew some lab work, cleaned her ear's, and told me that it would be tomorrow before I would hear anything because the lab work would not be back until the morning.


My day started off great. I receieved some good news about my school books so the day was going to be excellent. Wrong! After I got home from school my Mom took the phone call and it was Dr. Bell. She was calling to inform me of the lab work and told me that Angel's diagnosis was diabetes. At first I thought "ok well we can certainly work through diabetes because there are humans who live everyday with this disease". Yes, I was wrong again. Diabetes affects animals differently and the cost of treatment is very high so she said basically that our best option is to euthanize her because her kidney's had already started to shut down. I lost it!



I have never had to make a decision to kill one of my pets and I believe that is harder than having a pet pass away. Stephen had the hardest job because he was the one who took Angel for me. She was such a sweet cat...she was my cat. I was the only one she would let love on her until the last year she would let Stephen love on her. Stephen and I would always joke around that Angel is my cat and Smokie is Stephen's cat.



I do not ever want any more animals because I get to attached. Yes, I'm one of the crazy ones that people talk about that treat my animals like my kids. Hunter had a hard time as well. How do you explain to a 4 year old that your kitty went to live with Jesus. He told me that "he wants his kitty back, he does not want Jesus to live with his kitty". Wow what do you say? I just assured him that his kitty cat was not sick anymore and he needs to be happy for her. I thought sarcastically what a great birthday present, actually it would be the worst one yet. I'm very thankful for the 8 wonderful years of love that Angel gave me and I will always remember her sweetness! She will be missed greatly.