Life with my sister

Samuel has been at a ball tournament since Thursday. David and Faniel have been in Ft. Smith since Tuesday, and Anna is at a slumber party for her buddy Audrey. Stephen was working and you know what hat left me? ALONE!! Oh my goodness! Stephen and I grabbed something to eat before he went to work, and then I went on my shopping quest for black wedges for the summer. I found none. Zero. Zilch. Payless had a pair that was kind of cute but they were $34.99. At Payless! I honk not! And then I headed home. I got inside right as the rain came. I quickly put my pj's on, grabbed a Coke and a Klondike bar turned on the tv and settled in the recliner to be alone. I love a stormy night, and alone on a stormy night was just perfect.  Stephen came home a little after 10, and I was so glad to see him. I'm such an introvert and love my alone time, but I just love that man so much and want to spend as much time with him as I can. Crazy after 20 years, isn't it.  I get all my kids back toda

In the great outdoors.....The day started out cold, but soon warmed up and it turned out to be a beautiful spring day. Heart of thanksgiving.....The kids and I traveled to Jonesboro Sunday, I'm thankful for safe travel and my fun sister! Random observations.....I don't like folding clothes. My silly children.....Daniel and David are in Ft. Smith for a few days, Samuel leaves for a ball tournament in the morning for a couple of days, so Anna is getting some good parent time this week. Thoughts from the kitchen.....Stephen grilled barbeque chicken tonight, it was superb!! Projects.....Anna and I plan on working on a couple of crafty projects tomorrow. I hope they're easy and turn out good. Sounds of the moment.....Stephen and I are watching The Office. We record them during the day and watch a couple of episodes before bed each night. It's a good way to decompress, and we laugh! Favorite thing from last week.....Samuel had a game last Thursday and at the very last minute

I'm at Abby's for a couple of days and found this gem on the dresser in the guest room. This is Thanksgiving 1984. We would spend Thanksgiving in Memphis if the Grizzlies didn't have a very good football season. I remember going the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving to buy these socks. I knew I was going to wear the navy blue corduroy shorts with this green sweater, but I needed a pair of argyle socks to tie the whole outfit together. Because, fashion. And there was no time that day that I felt like I didn't look HOT! Because, hello!, I did look HOT! This is to make the three of us feel a bit better about ourselves. This was Abby's rehearsal dinner ten years ago, we grew up good! Thank heavens.

It's that time of year again.    If you've been reading this blog for a few years you know that the Beavers family always fills out NCAA basketball brackets. We all do it differently, I just pick by name recognition and what I know of the team. Samuel and Stephen follow basketball and know what teams should win against what team. David and Daniel researched the teams this year and made good, logical picks. It used to be that they just guessed. Anna is always the one we love to watch pick her bracket. I remember when she was two, Stephen sat her on his lap gave her the name of the two teams and she would say one of them. The last few years she picks according to these criteria, a) does she know someone that loves there? B) has she been to the city or state? C) the name of the school d) the mascot.  This year she asked about yousla, or UCLA. She calls it yousla and keeps asking if they're winning. She cracks me up! So far we've all been in first place, and the tourney jus

The other day Samuel was leaving for a ball game and he realized we weren't going and appeared to have his feelings hurt a bit. So, I knew I had to go. It wasn't a game he was going to start in or probably even play but I knew I had to go.  While I was trying to get directions to the field that was an hour and a half away I saw that he would be playing in a game that he would be starting, he just didn't know it yet. So, the kids and I headed out for Hot Springs. I get so confused in that town, I was a little leary of going but I had my directions in hand, literally.  We went and were able to watch the softball team play while also watching the baseball team, it was really fun. They played two games and Samuel did really good. He got on base everytime he was up to bat and made some good plays in the field. I was so glad we went, and I think he was too. We got home after 10:00 and Anna said, "I'm sleepy, but I still look pretty." And haven't we all felt like

Today I took all four kids to the dentist. I've found it works best for all of us if they go at the same time. If not, then I have appointments scattered everywhere!  I decided to switch dentists a few weeks ago. I had never really been happy with the dentist they had been going to. But I kept making appointments for seven years! So, this time I made the switch. The kids were apprehensive, the other one was really the only dentist they ever remembered going to.  But it helped a little that they knew the new dentist from church. After filling out paperwork for all four children, which made me want to rethink having four, I noticed there was a big aquarium. David had always wanted to go to a dentist with an aquarium, so I was feeling pretty good about my decision! And as I should have. They loved it! There were tv's, and it was open so they could see other people. The other office was just a series of small rooms, so this was a huge improvement! I met with the dentist, which is s

Daybook Entry In the great outdoors...it was a pretty day. The kids played outside. It got windy this evening though, my hair was all over the place at Samuel's ball game. Within our walls...We're making spring break plans, it's all we've been talking about. A heart of thanksgiving...I've been thankful for memories today. I have so many good memories with friends and family. They make me smile. Random observations...My yoga pants have helped me conceal some weight gain this winter. I'm going to need to work on this! My silly children...Stephen loves the Despicabale Me movies. Actually, he loves the minions. Anna told him that she could be his personal fart gun. I can't even believe she said it as I type it. Where did my sweet little girly girl go? I almost cried when she said it, Stephen felt a new kinship with her.  Thoughts from my kitchen...Tonight was French bread pizzas. An easy meal, that everyone prepares themselves! Projects...It's about time to

We stayed close to home this weekend. But were on the move quite a bit. Thursday night Samuel had a ball game, which was one of the longest 7 inning games ever. The first inning alone was 45 minutes long! When it was over we HAD to get groceries. So at 8:15 these three and I headed to the store. And let me tell you, Thursday nights are not a good night to go to the store. There was no ground beef, no hot dog buns, no graham crackers. I had to make a second trip the next day! Friday, we got to see our favorite # 8 play. (Well, he actually didn't play Friday night, but he was ready!) His favorite jersey number has always been 2, but this year 2 was taken so he got 8. And 8 just happens to be my favorite number, and he knew it. It was a sweet moment. Saturday, this guy and I went to Samuel's last game of the weekend. If I wasn't 100% sure it was David, I would think this was a picture of Daniel. It still amazes me that they can look so much alike to me. Daniel and Anna stayed

In the great outdoors...A beautiful, sunny, warmish day. Beautiful. Within our walls...Yelling. I'm just keeping it real. Not everyone in here is having their best day. Actually no one is having their best day, A heart of thanksgiving...I'm thankful for a bargain. I bought Anna 2 dresses, 4 shirts, a pair of shorts, a swim suit, a skirt, a Build A Bear bed, and an American Girl potty for $42 at a consignment sale. Score! (Of course she has it in the bathroom) A heart of prayer...I know I say it every week but raising teenage boys is hard. Hard! Random Observations...I crossed the Arkansas River today and was reminded how much I love the water. I don't like being in the water, just looking at the water. Thoughts from the kitchen...I worked at the consignment sale yesterday and texted Daniel to see if he wanted to cook supper. Of course he did, so he made BBQ chicken and carrots. It was good! On my bookshelf...Sadly this week all I've read are blogs. Projects...Beacuse of

I have not blogged in a while and thought I would catch up tonight! I had my gall bladder removed the week after we came back from New Orleans. I had a handsome male nurse and his miniature assistant was quiet fine too! Julie had her friend in Jonesboro deliver balloons to my door. We loved that little delivery of cheer!  I had a slower recovery than I expected. I got to spend some much needed quality time in my bed. These sweet boys cuddled up with me for a bit. Henry loves playing with his friend Eli and Randall was desperate for him to have a play date, outlet, diversion! He stayed until bedtime that Saturday night. His mom and dad are sweet friends of ours.  Randall had fun picking up every toy in the house. He was such a good nurse and wouldn't allow me to bend over for a week. I soaked that up while I could!!! Ha. I have a jewel of a helpmate yet his mercy was wearing thin when I decided to throw up for 24 hours just 4 days after the surgery. That was a little touch of misery

I have been reminded the last month of how precious my children are. Since this is our blog and not Facebook I'm going to tell you a couple of stories. Samuel has a new friend, (of the girl persuasion), after they had been talking for a couple of weeks her mom died after a long battle with cancer. So here was Samuel, liking a girl and figuring all that out and also being a friend to her in that difficult time. It was a heavy time! But Samuel, as Samuel always is, was a trooper. He listened, talked, gave, was present in her time of need, and distant enough that he wasn't in the way or smothering her, and above all he prayed. Not only for her, but also how to be a friend to her.  Fast forward two weeks and it's David and Daniel's turn. They have a friend whose father died when he was just a baby. His grandfather has played a huge part in his life. He was both father and grandfather to him. On Sunday he was in a car accident and died two days later. Not only was he their f

Tuesday March 4, 2014 In the great outdoors...COLD! It has sleeted and iced in all parts of the state, but here we just have cold. I40 and I55 are at a standstill with miles of trucks and cars that can't get thru. It's crazy! Within our walls...The curtains I spoke of a couple of weeks ago are finally hanging on our windows. I love them. I even hung Anna's curtains in her room. We used Command hooks and it made it so easy. No hammers, no nails. A heart of thanksgiving... A heart of prayer...A friend of mine lost her father today. He was in a car accident Sunday and suffered three heart attacks since then. He was the grandfather of one of D&D's best buddy's. The loss is huge. He was both father and grandfather to their friend and D&D loved him so much. We went over today, just a little bit after he died to spend time with their friend. It was good for all three of them. Random observations...Lemons in vases make me happy. I'm using them to decorate and th

As you know, Stephen is the assistant manager at Wings To Go in our neighboring town. It is one of our family's favorite restaurants and not just because he works there! Everyday when he comes home he has a drink. It usually has his name written all over it with a black Sharpie marker so no one else will drink out of it at work. I know the people he works with and I'm convinced they mess with his drink sometimes! It's a fun group of people.   The other day he came home with this cup. I couldn't believe it! For some reason Wings To Go received a shipment of Jucy's cups. Jucy's is our favorite burger restaurant  in Longview, where my grandparents live. What are the odds?  Just seeing the cup made me hungry for a Jucy's burger and want a hug from Mamaw. If only we were closer.  I wonder what happened to the Wings To Go cups?

Friday night Anna and I had a girls night out. All the boys were busy and Papa and Nana sent money for mani/pedi's!  We began our evening at Larry's Pizza. It was buffet night which is great. At Larry's they bring the pizzas to the table, it's really a lazy mans buffet! We stayed for quite a while and enjoyed talking.  Then we headed to the nail place. They were busy on a Friday night, we waited our turn and it was worth the wait! Anna got a full pedicure and loved it all. She has come out of her shyness this week, she usually doesn't like the attention a pedicure brings. She said the hot towels were pretty hot, but she that she liked them anyway! Then she got her fingernails done. Her toes are lavender and her fingernails are turquoise. When her nails were drying she realized she hadn't chosen pink! We couldn't believe it.  We had such a fun night. Anna is really growing up, right before my eyes. Wow!