Family Nights

When Mark and I decided that we were moving to TX one of our selling points is that we would be able to spend more time together as a family since I would not need to work. We started having Tuesday Family Nights as our special one night a week to do what the kids choose. We usually go out to eat because the community resturants have "kids eat free" on Tuesdays and you know I am always looking to save some money.
This week we ended up at McDonald's becuase my Mom send the boys gift card to here for Easter. It is their favorite place and as you can see they were very happy! They ordered their own food and payed for too! I had to chip in cause they eat adult meals now that cost more than kids meals!

Before dinner we went to the movies and saw Earth! We really enjoyed it. Zachery made it through most of it but at the end he fell asleep. I should have know better but I tried to fit it in before his daily "crash time" It didnt work. Can you tell the sun is in our eyes?

Mark and I!

The kids never say no to an offer of a bike ride! However, someone told Mark this week that you have to be 14 to ride on the back....so I need to make a call to the DMV and find out for sure. Cause since we have moved here the boys have been on MANY rides.... we dont need another ticket.

Random fun over the last couple weeks

marcus and Baily have been doing crafts at the house and these two pics are what they created. I need to make a trip to Micheal's to replenesh the craft supply.

This is the note that Zachery wrote to the tooth fairy to let her know that he lost his tooth on the bus but that he still wanted his money.... and the arrow so she would know that he was on the bottom bunk so she would not give his money to his brother on the top bunk. :-)

Me and my Zachery. I love this pic. I am going to have it printed and framed! I dont get these big hugs very often!

I guess the top of the house has a better view???

Camping part 2

Filleting the fish!

Oh No! You just cutt the head off! and now you are cutting off the tail???

Let me do it let me do it!!!

Big ol buffalo!

Zachery flying his kite! He and his kite did the best during out flying session. Look at the view of the lake!

We are scheduled to go back in June for Fathers Day! Dont know if we can wait that long for another trip, we had so much fun as a family. The kids got to run wild, play with other kids, ride their bikes and scooters all over the campgounds....eat eat eat. The work NO was not said very much! :-)

Weekend of Camping!

Here are some pics of our camping weekend. Were were out there for 4 days three nights. Had a blast! Enjoy:

Zachery caught a fish!

Mark and the boys fishing for dinner.

This is the campsite and our view of the lake. It was georgous.

Here is our ol' faithful trailer that does not let us down. We used the lights, stove, sink, and the toilet! It all still works!

This is were the boys slept for the weekend. This tent was given to us from my Uncle Jim! We would not have been able to go camping without it! The boys dont fit in the trailer anymore!

This is the nice room also donated to us by my Uncle Jim and Aunt Cathy! Thanks :-) It even has this cool little covered area to keep the coolers in, It was perfect! Zackery enjoying the campgounds and his bike! Marcus had his scooter.

Zachery is the trailer eating or something.

Mark and Marcus flying the kites. Mark's brother (Uncle Mike for the boys) bought them these for Christmas and we finally got to use them! It was so beautiful out and a fun time for us all.

Marcus posing by the lake! He is getting so big and becoming a young man!

Mark and Marcus with the kite!

Another 1st!

Zachery came home today missing his tooth! He has been wanting to loose a tooth for a while now...it finally happened. The school nurse put it in a little plastic tooth on a rope necklace. Do you think it made it home? NNOOOOOOOOOOOO! He lost it somewhere on the bus coming home. Oh well. There will be more.

Fun.... at the Funches House

This young guy is at our house alot. He and Marcus are friends. They go to school together. The last time he was here he asked if I had a wig. He was SHOCKED when I told him I did. So he put it on and was a great sport for me to take a pic of him. Fun times at the Funches House! You just never what we are up to.

Happy Easter....HE is Risen!

Today started off with a great Easter service at church. Worship was awesome, moving, and got right to my heart. After church we BBQed in the rain some Carne Asada and it was yummy! Then we had an Easter Egg hunt in our front yards. Over 200 eggs for three kids!
Tarrance and Maria joined us for the day along with Dayna. Maria got here this morning and Tarrance came over when he got out of work!

Mark and Zachery decided to practice casting their new fishing poles (courtesy of my Uncle Jimmy!)in the front yard as if it were a lake. I mean I know it was raining and all but there was no water in sight!

Mark fishing for grass in the yard!

Kids having fun with the eggs. Who needs baskets when you have reusable grocery sacks???

Well he couldn't reach it but he really wanted it, so he climbed the tree for it!

Skipping right along!

Is Dayna so cute!!

Do you think he needed to go potty? LOL
Great Easter Day with friends. We are happy and our love tanks are full!

Tress are all gone.....almost

Lots of tractors, lots of trailers, and even more tree brush! That pine tree behind the trailer is the last one to go!

No more Pine Trees in the front yard!!

Dang, we busted another water line!! Hurry with the tractor and move this big tree so we can dig it up.

Last tree to fall in the back yard. It was a biggie.

This was the 1st water line to break. Easy to find and easy to fix. We like these kinds of setbacks as apposed to a tree falling on the house.

I really am blessed

So this is an email I just read received from a very special friend! God really has me in the palm of his hand and has placed the perfect people in my life and the perfect time. So like HIM!

I just wanted to tell you that I read your blog this morning and looked at all those great pics of the kids! Wow! We have such a great life EVEN THOUGH we get so frustrated!

However, I got really sad reading your blog about Zach. I know how frustrating and sad it can be for us dealing with ADHD children (you know I KNOW!), and you know I have felt right where you were that day too, but I wanted to just remind you that God CHOSE Zach for you! He did not give him to any other person. He gave me B and he gave you Zach. And, if we trust him, LIKE WE KNOW WE SHOULD, we will know that He, as He promised, would not give us more than we could handle. He knows WE CAN HANDLE them even when we feel we cannot.

You are a wonderful mom to Zach! You are consistent and firm and you provide him structure and boundaries and lots of love - I notice how you hold him and give him affection. I have always been told that is what ADHD children need. And while Zach may struggle in school not fitting into the little MOLD of what society expects from our children, he is sweet and caring and giving and SMART, and I just find a lot to be positive about with him.

I know and I KNOW YOU KNOW I do struggle sometimes with seeing the good in B when people around me are always pointing to the bad, but know that there is a lot special that I can see in Zach and he will soar in areas that "typical" children do not.

You know a scripture that helps me - "in our weakness, He is made strong." So, if we just continue to give our little ADHD angels over to God every day like we should, God will do in them what we cannot.

I just pray over B a lot this prayer "Lord please bridge the gap between what I am able to provide and do for B and what he needs." And, I believe He will do that for us both!

So, BE ENCOURAGED, you are a great mom and God is just making us both stronger!

I love you! You are just bringing so much into my life and into my kids' lives AND SAVING me some money! I am SOOO appreciative for yesterday! Be encouraged! :)

REALLY??? Could I have been given any better of a friend than this??? I am so lucky! Thanks T!! I love you too!

Fun Saturday

Today was a fun day. This morning we went to an Easter egg hunt at a local church. Pretty interesting how they were able to tell the story of Jesus with a dozen eggs. I liked it! Then we went to another Easter egg hunt at the local park! It was a big one. TONS of kids and tons of eggs. Boys were having fun with the Armadillo from Texas Roadhouse

Starbucks was there....and they were making FREE drinks!!!! So of course we had to stop by for that!!

All the kids sitting on the bench with the Starbucks. Good thing it was free! And yes they were on a sugar high for a while!

This was at the park egg hunt. We walked around the pond and looked at the ducks. Zachery and Parker were watching John David so he did not fall in.

Marcus and Matthew looking at what was in their eggs. Zachery was watching since he was grounded he was not participating.

Our friends that we went with: Erin and Parker. This was at the church.

Again at the church. Lots of candy!

Everyone is happy and ready to have fun looking for eggs. Like our baskets?

ggggrrrrrr

This has been a hard week for me emotionally. It always is when Z does not behave in school and then I have to deal with it at home. I know that it is our responsibility as his parents, but I hate it. I hate the fact that no matter what I do he can't seem to stay out of trouble. He does not listen to his teacher and he does not know how to keep his mouth shut. Last week I was gone and he was in trouble every day, with his name on the board, with check marks and even hole punches on his tiger card. I thought maybe this week would be better since I was back home and everything would be back to normal and that would translate to better days in school. Well it didn't. I feel like every day I dread the boys coming home cause I can never ask, "How was your day?" and get a good answer from both of them. I hate spanking him even though I do. He is going to get a spanking today and he is grounded this weekend. Tomorrow we are going to an Easter egg hunt and now he won't be able to participate. Its days and weeks like this when I wish I could go to the doctors and get some antidepressants for me and some ADHD meds for him. But we still don't have any insurance. I also hate it when I let myself get into a bad mood over this and then I don't treat Marcus and Mark with the happy cheery mood that I would like to. It just sucks. And the thing that puzzles me is that when he is at home he is good. He listens and does what he knows needs to be done. Sometimes we have issues with homework but overall he behaves. Why can't he do the same in school? AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH I am so frustrated today. I hope with him being in his room, grounded, I will be able to focus and enjoy the weekend with Marcus and Mark. Can you please say a prayer for me and Zachery? Thanks