That is exactly what I have.  Da Funk.  I don’t want to do anything.  I have neglected my blog as well as all the ones I read daily.  What brought me out of this funk?  Not really anything.  I’m afraid I still have it.  But, last night as I sat down to match up what seemed to be a million socks that I let Da Funk con me into throwing in a basket for a month, I realized that I could not just let things go anymore.  Including my blog.  So, adios Funk!

Want to know what I have been doing over the past month, besides neglecting important things.  I finished Abbey’s room.  I talked my husband into hanging pictures in the dining room and the hall.  I made a birthday cake for Abbey that was completely horrible!  I took Abbey out for a “Girls Only Day”.  I heard Zack say “Mama” for the first time.  I played nurse to both of my boys through the flu.  I slowed down and enjoyed everything I did and didn’t do. 

Now that I’m back I have a ton of pictures and stories to show.  But I must warn y’all.  If I go missing again, just know that I let Da Funk worm it’s way back into my life and I might actually be enjoying the down time!

Watch for pictures later this week!  Oh and Thanks Deanna for checking on me!  I love friends like you!!

I’m sure our memories of this day will be forever embedded in our minds.  There are not many days that go by that we are not reminded of the events of 9/11.  Tyler is even reading about it in his History books.  My memory of the day is quite vivid. 

I was siting at work that Tuesday morning.  Everyone was chipper as usual.  We were all discussing what we had done the previous weekend and what we were going to do the next.  The lady that cleaned our office came in.  She asked if we had been watching the news.  We didn’t have a t.v. in the office.  She told us an airplane had crashed into one of the towers.  I got online. Pictures were posted everywhere.  I called Jason to see if he had seen it on the news.  I was talking to him when the second tower was hit.  It was in that brief second that I realized our world was about to change.  Jason and I talked many times throughout that day.  I just needed the reassurance of his voice to help me through the day. 

On of the men at work brought a tiny old TV from the shop for us to watch.  We were glued to it all day.  We had very few customers that day. I sat at my desk shocked at how anything so devastating could happen to our country.  How could anyone plan something so horrible?  How could anyone think it was alright to take the lives of so many people?  What kind of people could possible think they were doing something great and would be rewarded for it after their lives were over?  I remember thinking I was crazy.  I was 8 months pregnant at the time.  I was disturbed by the fact that I was bringing another child into the turmoil of our country.  I was about to raise another child in a country that, at the moment, was unstable. 

Y’all know the rest of the story.  Y’all see the news everyday and know the effect that day had on everyone.  Every year on this day I remember the people that lost friends and family on that day and the many days after that.  Then I remember the ones that are fighting right now to protect us.  I’m thankful for these men and women that are willing to risk their lives for us.  Today take the time to thank God that He selected a path for you that didn’t put you in one of the towers or airplanes that day.  Thank Him for all the men and women that are fighting for us.  And, if you see one of those men or women today, take the time to say a special thanks.

So…. where were you on that infamous day?

Have y’all ever noticed how memories can just pop in your head for no reason?  I was sitting at work the other day and just started laughing.  Of course the guys here thought I had lost my mind.  I guess that’s part true.  I love to be reminded of childhood years, no matter how the memory comes to me.  I’m still not sure what made me think of this.

I can not remember a time when the Pound boys were not around.  There were so many of them.  Brothers and cousins.  My sister kept them when they were young.  We all went to church together.  I loved to play with them.  Brian, one of the younger cousins, was close to my age.  I would go with my brother to visit one of his friends, Hank.  Brian would be there playing with Hank’s younger brother, Ricky.  The three of us would play cops and robbers.  For some reason I was always the damsel in distress.  They would tie me up in the tree house and blindfold me.  Then one would heroically rescue me  while “fighting” the other.  It was fun…. guess I had no choice since I was the only girl in the community at the time.  This was not the memory I planned to share… see how things just pop into my head.

Travis was always around when we were younger.  I seriously think my mom tried to trade me for him.  No way I was the baby girl!  There is no way she would have done that. Is there? 

When my dad had his second leg removed he had to spend a few months in a hospital close to Memphis.  Every weekend we would visit.  This was way before the roads were four lanes.  Those of you close to this area probably can remember how curvy the roads were.  The worst part of the entire trip was the drive.  I especially hated the section of the road by “Pumpkin Hill”.  It was just one big curve after another. 

Travis always wanted to go with us.  Because, as I mentioned before he was always around, my mom would let him.  We would sit in the back seat and play cards. Go Fish, Old Maid, or any other game we could come up with to kill time.  This one time he didn’t want to play cards.  He wanted to drive.  Drive?  What?  No way my mama was letting that happen.  Wrong.  She did. 

His driver’s license were fresh in his pocket and he was ready.  I was scared.  His seat was pushed just as close to the dash as he could get it.  He sat straight as a board in the seat.  I bet if we still had that car you could see the indention his hands made from the grip he had on the steering wheel.  I’m not kidding. 

Since the highway wasn’t four-lane yet, all the eighteen wheelers had to take this same route.  This road was always busy.  There was no way to pass a slow driver on this road because of all the curves.  I kid you not, it was a scary road. 

Travis was being extremely careful. He wasn’t swerving or riding the yellow lines.  He was actually doing pretty good except he was going way under the speed limit. By way under the speed limit, I mean like 40-45!   Traffic was backed up for at least a mile.  Again, I’m not exaggerating.  My mom would tell him to speed up a little.  He’d grip the steering wheel harder and give the old car some more gas.  We’d be going good for a while then he’d start to slow down again.  When we got to “Pumpkin Hill” there was an eighteen wheeler right on our bumper.  I could see the driver’s nose hair.  He was that close.  My mom was beginning to get a little nervous.  She told him to pull over when he could to let some of the traffic pass.  A few minutes down the road he did.  I think he had all the driving he needed for that day.  He let my mom drive the rest of the way home.  I was glad.  He climbed in the back seat with me and we played our usual card games until we got home.  I promised myself I’d never ride with him again.  That didn’t happen.  The next time we went he was driving again.    I still don’t know what my mama was thinking!

I have got to get back to posting.  I really miss typing all the craziness I encounter.  I think now that school is back I’ll have plenty to post about.  Trust me… there is never a dull afternoon at my house with all the school stories.

Since I have been a bad blogger, I’m going to bombard y’all with a lot today.  I just could not choose one thing to write about today.  Not to mention that not one of these random things could merritt an entire post.  So, today you get my favorite kind of post… A LIST…  ohhhh ahhhhh applause.  I could just see Vanna White for some reason when I typed that sentence. 

• This morning we were praying on our way to school.  Tyler gets all upset because Abbey is eating her dry cereal while praying.  Then she shoots back at him that some mornings he doesn’t even pray.  They are just back and forth for a few minutes.  Then Tyler says, “Abbey, that is between me and GOD! So back off.”  I was so shocked that he would say that.  Of course Abbey was back at him with the same thing.  I’m not so sure she knew what she was saying, but hopefully one day she will.  My point… or Tyler’s point rather… Our lives with God is just that “With GOD”.  It is only ourselves that will answer to Him for what we do. 
• On a little lighter note… we then started talking about Halloween.  I know it’s early, but since I don’t spend money on costumes, I have to get an early start to making them.  I want Abbey to be a “party in a box”.  I can glitz up a box with glitter, balloons, and streamers and she could wear it.  They just hooted at that idea.  I thought it was good.  Guess it’s too “Giant Preschooler” for Abbey. 
• After a few minutes of talking about costumes Tyler asks me if I remembered the house with all the ghosts and scary stuff from last year.  I wasn’t sure so he says, “You know the one with the Ripstones.”  I’m like Ripstones?  What was he talking about.  He then explains that it was cardboard with R.I.P. on it.  I almost ran off the road.  Seriously where do they come up with this stuff?  Ripstones?  HA-HA!
• Last night we had steamed asparagus, black-eye peas, pork chops, and creamed potatoes.  This is not a joke… Abbey ate almost an entire plate of asparagus!  Then she asked for more!  That kid is going to explode!  At least she eats healthy… not that her allergies will allow anything else.
• A gigantic frog with those suction cup looking feet was on my passenger side window this morning.  Again, I almost ran off the road.  It kept moving back until it was on Tyler’s window.  He was screaming like a girl!  I rolled it down a little and that dang frog PEED on my window!  PEED!  YUCK! 
• Abbey’s room is almost finished.  Pink with brown polka dots.  It’s not what we were expecting, but it’s still cute. I’ll post some pictures as soon as her comforter set comes in.
• Finally, since I’ve bombarded y’all with a lot of nothingness…. I think it’s about time to have another giveaway.  Keep watching… I hope to have my ducks in a row by next week. 

It seems my little girl has acquired quite a few admirers on the bus this year.  I suppose that’s to be expected.  She is beautiful, if I say so myself.  Not bragging, just telling the truth.  My daughter is just plain beautiful.  Even when her allergies have her broken out from head to toe, her sweet smile just shines through and she shows that beauty.  Anyway, back to the admirers.

I didn’t find all this out until yesterday.  I picked Tyler and Abbey up and they were bickering.  I listened for a few minutes to figure out what was going on.  Then I heard Abbey begging Tyler not to tell me because I would tell Daddy.  I decided it was time to ask what was going on.  Tyler was way too eager to tell me the entire story while Abbey hid her face and interjected a few changes to the story.

This little boy is in kindergarten.  She is devastated that a “younger boy” likes her.   He peeps around the seat at Abbey.  He told the other little boy in his seat he wanted to marry Abbey.  Then he made “kissing lips” at her.  I almost fell out when Tyler said kissing lips.  Abbey turned every shade of red possible.  When she got on the bus yesterday he started singing, “Here comes my buddy, here comes my buddy.”  While singing he was doing a dance Tyler and Abbey call milking the cow.  My kids can come ups with some stuff!  Tyler gets a kick out of teasing her about boys.  She gets mad and then even.  She gives him a much harder time about his little crush.  Some day they won’t tease.  I hope they are there for each other to mend broken hearts along the way.  I’m sure there will be plenty.  I don’t know…. Abbey seems pretty content to keep boys far away.  Especially “younger boys”.

I can hardly wait to see what happened today on the bus.

Abbey is my little fashion diva.  She has to be cute.  Plain and simple.  She wants her earrings to match.  Her socks have to be turned down just right.  And, she will cut you to the core quick if you look bad. 

I decided this morning that I let Tyler and Abbey watch way too much Disney channel.  Why?  This morning I got a direct quote from one of the shows.  It was bad.  I wanted to run…. well, not really, but it was bad coming from my seven year old.

I had on a cute outfit.  Green shirt with black pants.  Nothing major stylish, just cute.  I put on my pink earrings and bracelet.  That is what the lady at the store said would look great… y’all know my fashion knowledge is in the lower numbers.  I wake Abbey up for school.  She takes one look at me and shakes her head.  I’m confused.  I thought maybe she couldn’t get her eyes to focus.  I had no idea what was about to take place.  She crawls out of the bed, stamps her little pink painted toes and says,  “MAMA!  You are NOT going to work like that.  You look like a giant preschooler!”  Giant preschooler?  Where on this earth did she hear that?    Disney channel!  Then she runs to wake Tyler so he can see me.  The whole time I’m contemplating what I can change into.  Tyler comes in my room and he laughs, too.  By now I’m just devastated.  If my kids think I look like a giant preschooler, imagine what adults will think.  Long story short, I march Abbey into my closet and let her pick my clothes.  Guess what I have on…. green shirt and black pants.  But some reason I don’t look like a giant preschooler because she picked out different jewelry!  Girls!   Need help picking out your clothes, just call me.  I’ll send Abbey right over!

Last night as I waited for sleep to take me over, I mentally ran through everything I had to do this morning.  It was a lot.  I fell asleep after wake kids went through my head. Needless to say that without my mental preparation last night, my morning was just complete chaos.  I like it that way.  I thrive on chaos.  Really I do.

First thing I slept late.  But, I didn’t let this bother me.  I already asked to be late for work so I could take Tyler and Abbey to school.  So, getting up late was not really that bad.  I enjoyed those few extra minutes of sleep.  After I was dressed I realized that I was supposed to make Abbey pancakes for breakfast.  I decided I’d feed her something better.  Chocolate cupcakes.  It’s good for her.  There is milk in there.  Plus, I gave her a cup of milk.  Tyler wanted to eat at school. Did y’all notice my eyes rolling?  I just don’t get what is so special about school breakfast.  In my school years, if you ate breakfast at school you were, how do I say it… I don’t know, but I’m sure y’all remember.  Seems like now everyone eats at school.  Saves me time, so I’m ok with that.

Abbey decided that she had to have her hair curled this morning.  We are talking about the kid that hasn’t brushed her hair one single morning this summer.  This is the same kid that begged for pony tails everyday last school year.  Is she growing up?  Ugh!  I don’t even want to think about that.  Then she had to pick out her earrings because this was the first time she could wear different ones to school.  Last year she was stuck with the original ones.  Next her shoes had to be the perfect ones.  After trying on at least three pair, she was dressed and ready to go.  During all that drama with little miss Abbey, Tyler threw on his t-shirt and shorts.  Yea… that’s how he does it. 

We got to school.  Tyler jumped out without even looking back.  Guess my Tyler is growing up too.  I walked Abbey to her class.  I had to give the teacher all her medicine.  Yeah, I thought that was a good excuse.  I need one kid to need me on the first day of school.  I left her sitting in the hall all excited and chit-chatting with some friends from last year. 

I sit here wondering how their day went.  I’m sure it was better than mine.  Just call me worry-wart.  That is what I did all day!

I have to honestly admit that Facebook is the reason I haven’t been posting here.  I am so addicted to Farmville and Farkle.  I am all about growing me some eggplant and rolling dice.  Y’all definitely need to try those two games!

Anyway…. I have news!  I’m so excited about this.  My little man took off a few nights ago.  Literally.  He was going!  He went from me to Abbey just as fast as those chubby legs would take him.  Then he smiled the sweetest smile I have ever seen.  He was all over the house.  He’d look back to make sure we were watching.  So sweet!  I am telling the truth here…. he was running (ok that reminded me of Forest Gump).  I could not slow him down.  I told Jason it was time to nail everything down because we have a walker.  He gets into everything!

Another bit of good news.  Abbey’s teacher is great!  She has been teaching for years.  Last night we went to meet her.  She was extremely attentive to what I had to tell her.  I know it’s hard to have a child with all the medical problems like Abbey in your class.  I tried not to bombard her with so much.  She was ready and excited to have her!  That makes all the difference to me and Abbey.

Tyler’s teacher is new.  He adored her from the minute he walked in.  Could have something to do with the fact that she is the absolute cutest thing!  And… she had goody bags on each of there desks.  He was so funny.  He kind of peaked around me to look around the room.  Then he spotted his assistant teacher from last year and he perked right up.  She will be in his room again this year. 

Tomorrow is their big day.  Look out Second and Fourth grade!  I wonder how Zack is going to like being all alone.  I bet he will take better naps.

I have been practicing my photography skills.  These are still not the best, but I’m getting there.

Abbey Beth

Zack

Tyler... who had to wear a cap and then decide to take it off right before the picture!

The cake.  Oh. my. word.  I had all these plans for an amazing first birthday cake for Zack.  I even showed y’all what I wanted to do.  It was just the perfect cake.  My husband had a different opinion.  He didn’t want to have a cake at the party that Abbey could not eat.  I guess I was a bad mama, but all I could think was… “It’s not her birthday.  We can make cupcakes for her.”  Jason thought that wasn’t fair for Abbey.  So…

After many weeks of searching the Internet for peanut, egg, corn, and soy free cake, we finally found one.  Well, not really, but we tweaked the recipe enough and substituted enough ingredients that she could have it.  Let me just say, that not being able to have Vanilla flavoring was tough!  Jason baked the cake.  I just could not do it.  I don’t have the patience for substitutions.   I just can’t. So, after many cakes hit the trash, he finally made one that was edible.  The next problem was the icing.  Abbey can’t have confectioners sugar because of the corn starch.  We had to figure out how to powder regular sugar.  It had to be done in our blender one single cup at a time.  Then we could make regular icing less the vanilla flavoring.  That done and edible, I moved on to coloring sugar for the decorations.  I did one food coloring drop at a time until the sugar was the color I wanted.  Y’all can imagine how worried I was about this cake.  At about 2:30 Saturday afternoon, I was about to give up on making the cake look good. I could not get the icing smooth, the polka-dots looked like who knows what!  I was about to go to Wal-mart and buy one off the shelf.  I was not having any luck getting it to look like I wanted it to!

It was not the most beautiful cake like I had visioned, but it was edible.  Zack loved it!  He mushed it into tiny pieces.  Some did manage to get on his face.  Most hit the floor!  I did vow that before Abbey’s birthday I was going to master the art of cake decorating!  I want to make flowers on hers.

If you know anyone that needs a hypoallergenic cake…. call me… I can give you the recipe!  Do they call food hypoallergenic?

got to love that baby poop green around the bottom

He was still confused about getting to eat it. All afternoon I told him not to touch it.

Finally he got the hang of it.... I can actually make a mess!

His sweet cheeks were packed full!