MY 13 YR OLD'S GOURMET LUNCH?

Anything in a tortilla!  Here is a pic of his lunch today - yes, that's macaroni and cheese, tortilla chips, and nacho cheese dip on top of it all.  Maybe I ate a little too much cheese with this pregnancy 13 years ago?  

When I grimaced at his lunch he tried to tell me how wonderful it was and he said when he gets married, he's going to have a chef make this for everyone at the wedding.  Boy, do I feel sorry for the girl that marries him....

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION: TO MAKE MY BLOG PRETTIER!

Yea!  I already fulfilled my new year's resolution and it isn't even the new year yet!  Does it still count?  I have had a lot of fun the last few months reading your blogs, which inspired me to get on the bandwagon.  Took me a while, but I finally saw the "cutest blog on the block" icon on all your beautiful pages, so I joined in the designer fun.  

I was going to post another blog a couple of days ago about CHRISTMAS DAY at our house with our teens, but have decided against it.  You can ask me about it if you really want to know...but it was kind of a let down after getting home late Dec. 23 from our awesome Crested Butte trip.  WOW, I thought I had planned everything so carefully!  I'll just say, don't ever, ever give a 17 year old 2 sweaters for Christmas.  Even if he doesn't tell you what he wants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We should've just told the kids that the trip WAS their present and then he would've been pleasantly surprised.

GOOD, COLD, FUN IN CRESTED BUTTE

Yes, It's Christmas Eve, and I'm waiting for my kids to go to bed!!!!!!! They're all watching a movie and it's 10:00 p.m.! No Christmas stories anymore, or tucking them in so Santa can come, but we are still having fun. My daughter is actually making the traditional monkey bread for Christmas breakfast, so I got a break on that chore!

Anyway, thought I would share some pics from a family 50th anniversary trip we just got back from. My husband's parents wanted to spend time with their kids and grandkids, instead of having a reception to celebrate, so 32 members of the family spent 3 days in Crested Butte together! Besides skiing during the day, there were awesome ice sculptures to see, snow tubing, and fun shopping in downtown. We booked the entire hostel for our group. The kids thoroughly enjoyed spending time with their grandparents and cousins. Each family was responsible for cooking a meal for the group. Every night we played games! We had our own worship service Sunday, and had a talent show Monday night, along with a wedding "roast" and powerpoint presentation of 50 years of pictures. It was about the best thing we have EVER done as a family!

EMHS MEN'S CHOIR - OR THE TALE OF THE CHEESY CHRISTMAS SWEATER

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas concert last night performed by EMHS students!  Listen to a few minutes of the men's choir!  They are the largest (and best, of course, in my opinion!) among the schools in this area.  

LOOK FOR THE TALL GUY WEARING THE CHRISTMAS TREE SWEATER!  

Yes, he's mine, and he and several of his choir buddies must hold a contest to see who can find the cheesiest sweater to wear to the concert!  Unfortunately, their teacher encourages this!  :)  Anyway, he's worn this one to 3 years of Christmas concerts.  It will be interesting to see if it fits next year!

A TIME TO DANCE...

Saturday, December 6th was a big night for both my boys. Winter Dance at EMHS, and 7th grade Cotillion! Now I think this winter dance thing must be about as big as prom around here, because not only did we get a new suit and flowers, etc., but 18 kids gathered at one house for 30 minutes of picture taking! Then dinner at Deep Fork (which I have never had the pleasure of going to!) and on to the dance. But that's not all folks! The party continues into the night with snacks at another house, and finally breakfast somewhere else, and going to church the next morning in the clothes they've been wearing for 15+ hours! Crazy, huh?!

So check out my 13 year old with the mustache, and my sharp dressed man!

PUMPKIN SMASHING, ANYONE?

How do you keep your teens interested in the Thanksgiving holiday?  Add in a little pumpkin smashing, of course!  A wonderful tradition started many years ago by Uncle Joe and Aunt Lori brings us to their home on the outskirts of town where we toss, hit, and smash pumpkins to our hearts' desire!  Bystanders, beware of flying pumpkin debris!

SO JUST WHAT DOES A STAY-AT-HOME MOM OF TEENS DO ALL DAY?

Yea, I know you're wondering. Well, besides PRAY ALOT, I get myself into all kinds of volunteer positions at school and church! Here's one of the latest projects: make 30 something locker signs to encourage the performing arts kids at school on their accomplishments. Football players and cheerleaders get them, so why not singers? So, time to go navigate the halls of the high school finding the right lockers!

REFLECTING ON MY FIRST BORN LEAVING THE NEST...

Yesterday a friend asked me how I was doing regarding my daughter going to college 3 months ago. I told her I was doing great, much better than I ever expected! I am continuing to be a busybee with many activities in my life. There have been a few moments I wished she was here, but it makes the phone conversations, emails, and visits (2 so far) more meaningful. Then I realized my friend was referring to seeing me the last Sunday at church before she left for college. THAT DAY I WAS A BASKET CASE! The tears flowed freely during the worship service as I listened to her sweet voice singing in the pew, between her brothers. I just had to ask God to forgive me for not focusing on Him that morning. All I could think of was that my life would never be the same again. My family would never be the same again. And like my good friend Gladys said to me, "No, it won't be the same again. But it will be okay." She's right.

An 83 in Calculus II? It's an A in my eyes

My daughter, who is a freshman in college, informed me that she recently got an 83 on her Calc II test!  Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so proud of her for attempting the impossible, in my eyes.  I did not get the math gene from my father, unfortunately.  Way to go, girl!

THANKS FOR CLEANING YOUR SHOES, SON

So this morning instead of eating breakfast, my 17 yr. old son is SCRUBBING, yes you heard right, SCRUBBING, IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM! He was actually cleaning his tennis shoes! Puts a smile on my face just thinking about how nice he's going to look today! But after he leaves, I discover the mess he left behind....I think I know what somebody will be doing when they get home from school!

CREATIVE GIVING

Wow! Am I proud! I gave my boys $20 to go to the grocery store to help stock our church's food pantry. I also gave them the list from the bulletin which included peanut butter, various canned goods, etc. I thought this would be a great lesson for them to go together without a parent and see exactly what food costs are, and to keep track of their spending, to basically learn to be thrifty! What did they get?
40 POUNDS OF SUGAR!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

Teaching Responsibility? NOT

I was so proud recently when our son left at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning. As he said goodbye, we sat up in bed, and said, "WHAT? WHERE?" (the two most important questions) and he reminded us he was going to Enid to try out for All-State. I told my husband later in the morning how proud I was of him. I had totally forgotten about it since I hadn't turned my calendar over to November. He had gotten himself up and out the door on a SATURDAY at 7A.M.!!! My son is getting more and more RESPONSIBLE.

HERE I AM AGAIN, EATING MY WORDS.......

Only later that afternoon when he got home, did he tell me he had awoken by the buzz of his cell phone because his alarm did not go off for some strange reason (couldn't have anything to do with him, of course) and it was his friend from school, asking where he was. It was 7:06 a.m. and he was supposed to be there at 7 a.m. He rolled out of bed and made it up to the school before they left for Enid. Thank goodness for friends, huh? YEA, HE'S RESPONSIBLE.

The latest school project...he spent 8 hours on this!

GETTING TIRED OF ALL THOSE CUTE BABY PICS
Hi Friends,Maybe you're like me and just getting a little sick of all those ADORABLE baby pics!!! Been there, done that, right? Well, our kids are cute, too. Well, at least they were 10 years ago! I thought it was time someone told the truth about life with teens. And I definitely qualify with a 13 year old, 17 year old, and 19 year old. So here's a bit of our exhausting, entertaining, enriching life with teenagers!