Devin Turns 19

I couldn't figure out one single large gift to get Devin for his 19th birthday, so I invented

"The Day of Devin" and he received small gifts periodically throughout the day.

• New trucks on his skateboard. He's ready to roll again.
• McDonald's Bacon Egg & Cheese biscuit delivered for breakfast.
• Two new toboggans' to keep his head warm at work
• Super Sonic Cheese burger, tots and Sprite delivered for lunch.
• iTunes gift card
• iPhone silicone case
• Dinner of his choice
• Cake

I think he was pleased with the outcome. I just want him to have a great birthday.

 

Sickness Strikes Stroker

I knew it would happen, it was inevitable.  The hubs caught the croup. He started feeling  bad yesterday, but hung in there with us for the circus adventure. Who knows, he might have caught some additional germs at the circus. Anywho, As of Saturday, January 24, he is "down for the count".  He is hacking and coughing his self to death.

We stayed home all day Saturday. We took naps, I cooked dinner...and not just some easy peasy dinner. I peeled potatos, made a meatloaf...I put in time and effort on this meal.

Fast forward to Monday, January 26, we got a few snow flakes. We  don't see many of those here in Tennessee these days. When there are a few flying around, the whole state stops and puts our noses to the window to watch in anticipation that a few will stick to the ground. Never seems to work out though.

Tuesday, January 27, I had to have blood work done first thing. Why is it that breakfast always sounds delicious when your fasting?

Stroker had to work late on Wednesday, January 28, so instead of waiting around on him to get home, I went shopping. When he got off work, we went for a dinner for two before picking up Brooke and Morgan at church.  Morgan came home with Brooke for a sleepover.

Thursday the 29th was almost a repeat. Stroker worked late again, followed by just the two of us at Logan's for dinner. Brooke went home with Devin from school for a sleepover.

Medicate Me

After church on Sunday, January 18, I decided to go visit mom for a while. I was perfectly healthy when I got there. Sometime during the visit, sneezing and runny nose set in. Not long after that, my throat started getting irritated. Initially, I thought my allergies were disturbed but after and hour or so, I knew I was getting sick. I could feel the pressure in my head and the exhaustion over my body.
Although I was feeling pretty puny, I wanted to spend some time with daddy too. He gave me some Coricidin HBP to help with the congestion. He also gave me a bottle of his "special recipe". That ought to cut the cold out of anything.

By the time I got back home that evening...I was full blown sick. I spent Monday, January 19,  laying around the house. I sneezed, sniffled and coughed all day long.
Tuesday, January 20 was the worst. I had so much pressure in my head from all the congestion, my eyes were bloodshot and watering all day. Everybody thought I had been crying. Pure misery. I don't know how I made it through the day without coming home and going back to bed, but I did.

By Wednesday, January 21, I knew the best thing for me was to spend the day in bed just as I did Monday.

By Friday, January 23, I was well enough to follow through with our Circus plans that we had made. we headed to Nashville right after school, with only one pit-stop at Red Robin for dinner. Although Brooke is older than Devin was when we took him on his Circus adventure, we all still had a great time and enjoyed the funnel cake. At least there was a fun ending to this week of misery.

Quiet Time & Family Time...2 of My Favorites

As we all know, taking on household projects can be a bit exhausting. After painting the living room (twice) last week, furniture shopping followed by new placements for all the living room wall decorations...I'm feeling a little drained to say the least. So on Wednesday, January 14, I took an evening drive all by myself. The hubs opted out on going to church that night and I didn't quite feel like going by myself, so I spent some time with my thoughts.

Brooke went to church with her friend Morgan tonight and then went home with her for sleepover. It was quiet at the Hayes House.
It was so cold on Thursday, January 15, that I stayed in all evening. Jerry went to a funeral visitation for his friend (Ridley Spivey)  from his work who passed away with cancer.

Friday, January 16 was a better day. We met up with our friends, Maleigha and Mickey at O'Charleys for a double date dinner.

 Brooke went to a "girls craft night" event at Life Church until 8 and then Morgan and Alyssa came home with Brooke to spend the night. Those girls have more sleepovers in a month than I had my whole life.  Okay, that's a stretch, but they do have a lot of sleepovers.
Saturday, January 17,  The hubs, Devin and I went to the theater to watch American Sniper. It is opening weekend for the movie, and it was crazy packed. We arrived an hour early with tickets in hand and the line was already down the corridor wrapped around and back up the other side of the corridor. By the time they allowed people to go inside to find a seat, the line was all the way to the exit of the theater.

It was such a great movie. I have never left the theatre so quietlly before. 

It is like the entire audience walked out in silence. 

I'm glad the three of us got out of the house and spent some time together.

Spending time with my family is my favorite.

New Year, New Room

It was too cold outside on Thursday, February 8 to even get from the house to the vehicle. School actually started two hours late to let the temperature rise a little. Crazy cold. 

Friday, January 9 was a little better,  but still bone chilling. We went to dinner with Sterl, Debi, Lee and Judy at the Dipsy Doodle. Brooke spent the night with Ella.

I hope we are still allowed to claim her on our taxes this year. She hasn't spent an entire week at home in months. Geeesh.

We sold the couch on Saturday, January 10. It was only a year old, but I was ready for a change. I really wanted to change the color of the room, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to paint while the furniture was gone.

In addition to the weekend makeover of the family room, Brooke text me to ask if Ella could spend the night at our house. Of course, we said yes.  The two of them went to Brad's house for a baby sitting adventure from 7 - 10pm. Brooke said that they had a blast. Brad and Michaela went to the movies to see "Unbroken".

Stroker and I set in painting (which we both hate) around 9pm. I did all edge work while he rolled the walls. "Sand Storm" was the color that we chose. I wanted a light tan/beige/taupe color and "sand" seemed like a logical light tan color.

As we painted the first wall, we noticed it looked a little pinkish, but we kept going. We blamed it on being wet and thought it would look fine when it dried. so, we kept painting.

When Brad dropped the girls back off at 10:00, he said maybe it appeared pinkish because it was up next to the gray. We continued to paint the entire room to cover all the gray.

We finished up just after midnight.

When we woke up Sunday morning, January 11 to see the room, it was definitely light pink.  I don't know if it was my hardwoods or what, but something made it have a pink hue. No one wants a pink living room, so after church, off to Lowe's we went yet again for a different paint color. This time we chose Hopsack and loved it after the entire living room got repainted. Yep, we painted the entire living room TWICE within 24 hours. And we hate painting.

 

We were gonna get a new sofa and love seat on Sunday, but the rain set in. Had to put it off until the weather clears.

Monday, January 12 was still rainy, so no new furniture. I did get a chance to re hang photos and wall decoration though.

The weather finally cleared enough to get our new furniture on Tuesday, January 13. 

I love the fresh, light  color. 

My family room has changed quite a bit the last couple of years. I get bored and like to change things up. I've always been that way.

  2009:   Tan Walls - Brown Couch

2011:   Gray Walls  - Brown Couch

 2013:   Gray Walls - Gray Couch

2015:     Back to Tan Walls - Light Blue/ Green Couch

The hubs said that he was never painting that room again. 

We will see about that. ;)

No Germ Zone

The first week of the new year was off to a better start than the last week of 2014. 

Everybody in the house was recuperating more and more daily. After Morgan went home on Thursday, January 1, Brooke turned right around and went to a sleepover at her friend Alyssa's house. 

The rest of us stayed in for another day regaining our strength. 

By Friday, January 2, I was back on my feet and ready to rid the house of any lingering germs.

So I began decontamination process.

1. I stripped the beds and washed the sheets and comforters.
2. Cleaned the shower, toilet and floor in the master bath.
3. Cleaned the tub, floor, toilet and baseboards in the main bath.
4. Wiped down all door knobs and handles with disinfectant wipes.
5. Cleaned the kitchen.

Saturday, January 3 was more of the same.

Once I felt that the germs were eradicated, I set into other house hold chores that had fell behind.

1. Cleaned out old files in my file drawer.
2. Fixed the touch sensor on my bed.
3. Moved the bookcase and wiped it down in my bedroom.
4. Cleaned the refrigerator vent.
5. Took down Christmas decorations.
6. Hung a new shower curtain rod in the main bath.
7. Vigit (from Dell) and I cleaned another virus from my computer. This time I think we discovered where it was coming from. So, I will avoid the infected website form here on.

Sometime mid day on Saturday, I also drove Brookelynn to Gallatin to meet Erin and Brandon because she went for yet another sleepover at Ansley's.

After a weekend full of cleaning and de-cluttering, the only thing I accomplished on

 Sunday, January 4, was church.

Monday, January 5, was the day we had to get back to our regularly scheduled lives. 

You know, the mundane...reality. 

Brookelynn went back to school after a two week break. The rest of us rejoined the working class.

It was a long day for Brooke. She got dropped off at school at 7am and stayed after to cheer at ballgames that didn't end until 8:30 pm.  She was worn out and ready for bed. 

Tuesday, January 6 had another ball game. The last one for the cheer leaders this year as a matter of fact. Bitter Sweet. 

Oh yeah...Apparently, one of the dads of the boys basketball team is acquainted with Taylor Swift so he brought Taylor Swift Totes full of TS merchandise for every cheerleader. Those girls were so excited.

We went to dinner at Logan's afterwords. It was a late dinner too. We didn't get home until 10 pm. That's a late night for this bunch.

Wednesday, December 7 brought us our coldest temperatures thus far this year. 0*  Talk about making a mad dash for the car and back indoors. It was bitter cold. I prayed for the homeless and for people without heat. I just don't know how they stood it today. It wasn't too cold for a sleepover though...Brooke went to church with Morgan after school and then spent the night at her house.

Hello 2015

New year, same me! 

I have no resolutions. 

That's because I like me, I'm happy with me and don't see a need to change me. 

Maybe it is because after being sick for a week, you just appreciate your good days more. 

Don't get me wrong...losing weight would be nice, fighting off wrinkles is fine and keeping my hair anything but gray is something I would like to achieve , but if I stay fat, get old and gray headed...I am okay with that too. 

Vanity has never meant much to me...and never will. 

So, what do I hope to achieve in 2015? 

1. I hope I can give more and take less.
2. I hope I find opportunities to take life slow...and seize them.
3. I hope I can Let Go and Let God handle things.
4. I hope I become consumed with my Creator.
5. I hope I, and my family forgive more.
6. I hope kindness floods all of our hearts.
7. I hope we never give up.
8. I hope my family can see God's hand in our lives.
9. I hope my children grow into the people God wants them to be.
10. I hope I hold onto hope. Sometimes it's all we got.
11. 

Ending 2014

Was it that the holiday was over?

 Was it that my body could take no more? 

Or was it the fact that I had to put all the decoration away?

I wasn't sure what it was, but come Friday morning, December 26, I was so exhausted that I couldn't get out of bed. I felt as though I had ran a marathon.

Eventually, I gathered up enough energy to crawl out of bed and get a shower. 

It helped me feel a little better. I disassembled the Christmas tree by early evening, we went by Mildred's to drop off something and then went to dinner at Cheddar's with Bucket.

That was a lot to accomplish on a day that I was already low on energy.

By Saturday, December 27, it was official. I was sick! There was no avoiding it. My body ached, I had fever, chills, a sore throat, and chest congestion. I wasn't the only one either. Stoker and the kids were coughing too. The flu bug was after us and it attacked me first....thanks Santa.

We laid around the house all day on Saturday. 

Sunday, December 28, was the first Sunday in five years that we have missed church (except for a couple of Sundays that we were out of town). We just couldn't muster up the energy. When I went to Devin's room to tell him that we were not going, he asked "Does everybody got this throat crap?" 

Yes, We sure did.

I told Stoker it was time to go to the clinic. After signing in, we had to wait the first hour in our car because there were no available seats in the clinic. Then, we spent another hour and a half in the clinic waiting room before seeing the doctor.

Stroker and I had side by side rooms. The first thing they did for me is test for flu. I text Stroker to see if they tested him too.. He said "she put something under my tongue". 

I replied..."That's a thermometer Stroker" duh!

After a long day waiting and a $55 copay, we finally got out of  there. Only to spend another $140 at the pharmacy on Tamiflu.  The day just keeps getting better.

Back home, medicate and back to bed. 

Monday, December 29, was more of the same. Try to eat, medicate, back to bed. 

Brooke snap chatted me this photo while I was on the couch for a few minutes. 

Yes, i felt as bad as it looked

I was so sick of my bed, but so sick I couldn't do anything else but lay in the bed. Brookelynn had fever and vomiting on Monday. Darlene delivered Motrin and lunch that day. 

Tuesday, December 30, Try to eat, medicate, back to bed. 

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

By Wednesday, December 31, we were starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I ventured out of the house for a bit.  Brookelynn asked Morgan to come over for New Year's since there was no more feverish people in the house and we were feeling a little better. Those girls made it all the way to midnight and then crashed by 12:05.

Stoker and Devin had crashed long before midnight. 

So that's it, 2014 ended, we recovered from the flu, we were all together to ring in the new year. Some asleep, some awake, but all together under one roof. Thank God for that.