The day that never seemed to end

Yesterday was an emotional, icy, cold, long and horrible no good day.
Yesterday sucked.
Yesterday started at 5:45am and didn't end until 12:30am.
5:45am Alarm goes off. I snuggle with Brian as he moans "I don't want to go today."
5:50am Alarm goes off again. I get up and start the coffee. Brian lays in bed, wide eyed dreading whats about to happen.
6:00am Brian gets out of bed and meets me in the kitchen. He eats a little breakfast while I get his lunch ready and packed.
615am Brian starts getting ready while I go out and scrape what seems like 10" of ice off of his police car. It was really only 1/4" of ice but it sure seemed like a lot more!
6:30am Brian comes out to help me finish scraping ice off the car and the side walk.
7:00am Brian is in his uniform. Today he has to wear a tie and a black ribbon across his badge.
7:30am I kiss Brian good-bye as he leaves for the day. The whole day.
7:35am I make a cup of coffee, grab a book and head back to our warm bed. I read and sip my coffee then turn the news on for an update on the ice storm.
8:00am Brandon runs to my room and jumps in bed with me. We snuggle and watch Tom and Jerry chase each other.
9:00am Brandon decides that he's finally starving and needs breakfast right now! Chocolate milk, waffle and banana are one the menu today.
9:30am Nathan gets up and eats breakfast right away. He must have slept really well, his hair is crazy!
9:45am Nathan is super excited that there is no school today because of the ice storm. After he eats, him and Brandon pick out a movie to watch. Curled up on the couch with their blankets wrapped around them, they're ready to giggle for the next 2hrs. I grab the computer and my head phones.
9:55am I grab the Kleenex and position myself so the kids can't see the screen or my face.
10:00am It starts. The funeral for fallen Officer David Moore. David Moore died on Jan 26th after being shot multiple times. He was 29yrs old . He and Brian were in the same recruit class.
10:30am The tears start rolling. I scan the crowd for Brian but don't see him. I'd do anything to be there with him but thankful I'm not. I would love to sit next to him and hold his hand but glad he doesn't see me fall apart. The fears that I push to the back of my mind are front and center today. Today really, really sucks.
11:30am The kids' movie is almost done. I get up and get another activity ready for them. Play dough always keeps them busy and entertained.
11:40am I go back to the computer and watch as people speak about David. He was a great officer. Someone told the family that if the sun shines on the day of your funeral you were a good man, if it rains on the day of your funeral you were a great man. We were in the middle of a horrific ice storm...
12:30pm The kids are ready for lunch. Turkey and cheese sandwiches, veggies, yogurt and strawberries. Pretty tasty.
1:00pm The funeral is starting to come to a close. Because of the ice storm they canceled the grave side services, so they were done at the funeral. The rider-less horse, 21 gun salute, and his mom radioed in his last 10-42 (end of duty) call. Whoa, more tears.
1:30pm The funeral ends. Every officer places a white carnation on the casket as they walk by.
2:00pm For the rest of the afternoon the kids and I read, watch some more cartoons, do dishes and laundry.
2:30pm Brian reports to work. His work day is just starting. He's expecting to work a 24hr shift due to the bad weather.
5:30pm The kids and I eat dinner. Spicy chicken, corn, and cottage cheese.
6:00pm I text Brian but don't hear back from him.
7:00pm I give the kids their showers and we all read some library books. Dr.Seuss gives us the giggles. I don't know whats more funny, the stories themselves or me trying to say them without getting tongue tied!
8:00pm I get a call from Nathan's school that classes are canceled again for tomorrow. So we pop some popcorn and plug in Furry Vengeance. Funniest movie ever!
9:30pm Brian calls. He doesn't have to work 24hrs after all. Sigh of relief. But he's still going to be late coming home. "Keep the kids up"
10:00pm The movie is done and we listen to the radio while we wait for daddy to come home.
11:30pm Brian finally makes it home. The kids run to the door as soon as they hear his key in the lock. Giggles, squeals, kisses and hugs for everyone!
11:45pm-12am I get the kids to bed while Brian eats a little something. He looks like he's been run over a few times.
12am We talk about the funeral and his day.
12:30am We are in bed snuggling. I push those fears back where they belong.
He made it home.

Happy Birthday Big Boy

Happy Birthday Baby B. Love you more than ever! xoxo

What a New Year

After passing a nasty stomach bug around we are finally settled into the new year. Nathan started back to school, Brandon has been counting down the days until his birthday and Brian and I are trying to keep up with the boys. It's been interesting.
The day after Christmas Brandon started the stomach bug fiasco. On New Year's Eve Nathan and I had the wonderful opportunity to experience it in full force. Then one week later Brian was the lucky one to bring it to a close. Lots of fun!
Last weekend we had an early birthday party for Brandon. He was so excited to open presents, eat birthday cake and play with his cousin and brother at a bounce house place. He's so funny. He wanted to make his own birthday cake. Chocolate cake with marshmallow icing. On top of the cake he wanted cherry tomatoes, cottage cheese and sprinkles. Mmmm. Tasty.
So we make a chocolate cake with chocolate marshmallow icing and sprinkles on top. We saved the tomatoes and cottage cheese for lunch. He was happy with that.

Here's the soon to be 4yr old. Doesn't he look like a cowboy in training. A carhart jacket, well worn jeans and cowboy boots. All he needs is a cowboy hat.
Ride like the wind little buddy!

Happy Birthday Mr. Crabby and Merry Christmas too!

Nathan is finally 8yrs old. Wow that took forever...according to him. He spent his birthday playing video games and eating pizza. He loves going to the arcade with his dad and uncle's. He's just one of the guys with them, not a kid but an equal. He loves that so much.
He was also Mr.Crabby in the school play. I was so proud of my little thespian. He's a total ham so this acting stuff is right up his alley. He got to stomp around the stage, shake his cane and look crabby (hence the name Mr.Crabby). He did really well, no stage fright, no jitters, just having fun and eating up the spot light.

We also got to go see Santa at the mall before Christmas came. While we were standing in line I took a couple of silly pictures of the boys. The one below is Brandons favorite of himself. You can almost see his horns poking through the hair. But once he got on Santa Claus' lap he was a pure angle. Speaking in a soft sweet voice asking for his dancing Mickey Mouse. Santa asked the boys if they had been good all year long and they both looked at me like "oh crap, what do we say now?" Santa laughed and said he'd be watching.

So Santa came, ate all his cookies, drank all his milk and left some toys and candy for the boys. Samson even got an extra treat on Christmas morning. I think he looks like Rudolph's long lost cousin. He leaves messes in the back yard like he's part moose though.

Lunch with Bubba

Today Brandon and I got to have lunch with Nathan at school. Brandon was so excited to pack his Thomas the Train lunch box just like bubba does everyday. All morning this is what I heard from Brandon..."is it time to go eat lunches with Bubba?"
We got to school early and signed in at the office. We walked hand in hand to Nathans classroom. The hall was quiet except for Brandons ohh's and ahh's at all the art work hanging on the walls. Then Nathans teacher let us in the room to stand next to Nathan as they got ready for lunch. Nathan and Brandon hugged like they hadn't seen each other for days instead of just hours and Nathan let Brandon sit in his chair. I wish I would have thought about taking a picture then because Brandon looked like he had just won the lottery. His eyes were just as big as his smile as he sat there looking through Nathans art box. "Bubba! You have big boy scissors!"
Once we got to the lunch room the boys tore into their lunch as Nathan told Brandon the rules of the lunch room. Then Nathan took us on a tour of his classroom. He showed us all his books, the golf balls in a jar that they get when everyone is good (he said they haven't added to the jar for awhile!) and the computers. And since it's so cold outside they don't get to have outdoor recess today but they get to watch Frosty the Snowman.
I know one of these days he isn't going to want his little brother and mommy to come to school to have lunch with him. But today he did. And today Brandon and I enjoyed every single minute.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hello out there!

I don't know where the time went. One minute it's the beginning of October and now it's the middle of November. I guess time does fly when you're having fun.
The boys have been keeping us on our toes these past few weeks. We've went to a farm and picked out pumpkins, spent loads of time outside, dressed up for Halloween (Nathan was a ninja and Brandon was Woody from Toy Story). Nathan has been doing really well in school except for when his mouth gets him in trouble. He just loves to talk! He's getting ready for the school Christmas program so our house has been filled with Christmas songs. Lots and lots of Christmas songs. Sang over and over again. All day long. It's a test of my patience I'm sure.
Brandon has been doing well too. He saw a ghost in our house a couple of weeks ago. That week sucked! But I think she has moved on. Which is good because I was ready to move out.
Now we are getting ready for Thanksgiving. I've taken this entire week off to clean, bake, clean and bake. And Uncle Rick will be home within the next day or two. The boys couldn't be more excited. Pumpkin pie and Uncle Rick, all in the same week, awesome!