Mom

My mom had back surgery today. And I just need to talk about it.
I am very upset I couldn't be there when she went into the hospital. I have been upset that she is all alone without any family around to help her. I was mad at my Dad for putting her in Columbus and then divorcing her and leaving her with no family around to help her. However, things happen and as soon as I was mad, I got over it. I am really appreciative my SIL, Teri could be with her. Teri is another awesome woman that I will have to blog about at another day. She is an understated force to be reckoned with. That's what I will say for now about Teri.
I've been very weepy concerning my mom lately. I love her so much. We have had a rocky road growing up. Her and I didn't get a long very well for a very long time. I could go into it, but choose not to. As an adult, my relationship with her has really improved. Maybe it's b/c I had to mature to appreciate her, maybe the things she has gone through over the years has made her more vulnerable and reachable-I don't know. I just know that I love her. I have finally felt that I have a mom that I can rely on and confide in. She has helped me many times over the last 5+ years when I didn't know where else to turn. She was always there when I had each one of my babies. She helped me move into my house in TX when I was 8 months prego with Gabriel. She would come watch my kiddos when I had to work and Gary wasn't around. She showers my children with love, presents, fun outings, and loads of kisses she calls "sugar". The boys LOVE their "sugar" from Grandma! I want the best for her. I want her to be happy, healthy, and well. She is a wonderful mother and Grandma. I pray that she will recover quickly from her surgery and be able to live a happy full life that she desperately needs and wants.

FHE fun

So, I love reading my friend Sarah Bradley's blog, she is totally organized and writes Monday Memoirs, Tuesday Tips, and so on and so forth throughout the week (pretty cool right?). Last week her Tuesday Tip was about the FHE she had the night before. She had bought a metal tub from Lowes for around $4 and enough graham crackers, Hershey's chocolate bars, and marshmallows to make smores for her cute family. The whole night cost her $10! She is my hero.

Since I can only copy good ideas and not come up with them on my own, I decided to cook hot dogs over a fire and make smores for part of our FHE on Monday. I went to WalMart in search for a tub. Why not Lowes like smart Sarah suggested? Well, WalMart has everything right? I needed other things for the house, like the Smores materials, and I have 4boys. I must maximize my happy cooperative time when I have it! WalMart is fun for all: when they are good while I do my shopping, I will take them down the toy isle and let them drool over, wish upon, play with, then say goodbye to the toys. (Yep! I NEVER buy them! teehee) Guess what? You know already...they did NOT have any tubs! Zip, Zilch! So, I go to the garden center in search of bricks or paving stones-I'll build my own fire pit! How about those suckers were like 3 bucks a piece!!! I would need 10-20. I might as well BUY a real firepit. I call my sweet hubby to consult, he gives me the OK (this man has been wanting a fire pit for years!) I find one for cough cough 75 dollars that I like. Nope, they don't have any in stock. OK people if it were just my family I would have given up there, hit Lowes the next day for a tub and had FHE on TUesday. But, I had invited another family over! Then I had a brillant thought! I have 2 metal trash cans at home! Maybe that would work. I drive home and do a test fire in both trash cans. As soon as the sticks caught on fire, so did the trash can!!! Ok, now what? Another light bulb goes off: There is a Target next to my house. What's better than WalMart to a kid? TARGET! I throw the kids in the car, again, and off we go. Target has a cute copper fire pit there so I grab it and put it in the cart, swing by the toy isle-"Target has different toys Mom", pay for my stuff, and head home. On my way I receive a phone call from Gary saying he is running late, and one from my friend who tells me her day is crazy, her kid is screaming and can we reschedule.
$100 and 2 hours later, the kids and I roast hot dogs and marshmallows. We had laughter, lessons, singing, crying, and lots of hugs and kisses. It was the best 100 dollars I've spent in a long time. I tried Sarah, I tried. :)

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Our new fire pit! Zechariah and Daddy

Me and the boys Ammon was crying b/c I told him no smores until he eats his hot dog