Weekend Fun

This weekend was jammed pack with fun and excitement all around.

Saturday morning I got up around 5:30am (the dog had gotten sick on the bottom of our sheets) Cleaned that up. Packed sack lunches and snacks for the road, loaded up the car with travel items for the younger two. I cooked eggs,biscuits, and gravy for breakfast and we left the house around 7:30. We stopped @ Morgan/Maumelle Exit to drop off a car and then off to Conway for soccer games. The first game was good, we won. The 2nd game was even BETTER! Jacob not only scored his second goal of the season he also was awarded a P.K. which is taken from twelve yards (approximately eleven metres) out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker (Jacob) and the goal. I buried my face in my hands I was so nervous for the little guy...and I peeked in between my fingers to watch the ball hit the crossbar and go in. It was great. Jacob jumped like a little leprechaun, he was so pumped. My dad jumped up and screamed, "that's my grandbabby" and we all just laughed, he was so excited. So that's three points for the year.

(trying to work on his Meridana??? while warming up for the game)

When the games were all done, we left Conway a little after 1pm. We got to Morgan/Maumelle exit and dropped Adam off at his car. The boys and I carried on to Lake Willastine where our sista to sister group was meeting for lunch with all our boys. They played on the playground and we sat on a bench and went over our material. Those boys played so well together.

From there I got back on Maumelle Blvd. and was stuck behind the last two women racing in the big damn bridge race. I got home by 4pm. Got everyone washed up and dusted off and then back in the car and off to Camp Aldersgate. The Methodist Church has a fundraiser there with catfish and kid fun, plus all the Aldersgate campers are there too. For me it's good for my boys to see the handicapped kids playing along side of them. We left and got home by 7pm. I crashed, we were in the sun from 8am-6pm. That's a LONG time. I was supposed to go out with ALL the Holsted Women...but that didn't happen (sorry guys)...but what did happen was a day filled with family fun and we all enjoyed the weather together.

I slept so hard that we went to 2nd service on Sunday morning. Which was very interesting to see all the different people and hear some man screaming out loud to our preacher. It was odd. But relaxing with my family on Sunday morning was great! We weren't rushed and that was a blessing after the hurried day yesterday.

Then off to game number three of the weekend. Jacob played the #1 team in the state (Ft. Smith) @ 3pm and we lost by 1, which isn't bad. Then after that hop in the car and go to Daddy's game (Adam) @ 5pm. I love watching these older guys play...they really love the game and are passionate to stay in shape and maintain their soccer skills. We left BP and then meet up with Mammy (my mom) to go eat at Sr. T's. It was a great evening.

During Adam's 1/2 time...I went to take J to the restroom (as our fields were locked)...and checked my phone and I had a text that read, "It's official this fat guy just got engaged". It was from my brother Sean. I am so happy for him and Angie and Vivian (aka Shorty- Angie's 4yr old). He is happy and I am thrilled to have her as a sister in law.

Vivian, Angie, Sean, Mammy

Ever want to know what a Holsted boy eats in a day...here is what Kobie ate this past Saturday...

YES IN ONE DAY!

2 Eggs

1 Biscuits w/ Jelly

2 Toaster Strudels

Slice of Watermellon

Breakfast Burrito from Hardee's (Papaw Balls)

Flaming hot Cheetos

Peanut butter crackers

a kids meal at Denny's (with DoDo in Conway)

Extra food (off Choo Choo's plate)

peanut butter and jelly sandwich

handful of carrots

sliced apples

handful of red grapes

2 pieces of sausage pizza

package of ritz bitz peanut butter crackers

3 pieces of catfish

2 hush puppies

handful of fries

biscuit

coleslaw

bowl of cereal

brownies

cookies

Drinks included: water, water, water, gatorade, and sierra mist...

If you see Kobie 4 inches taller in the next week, this is probably why!

My grocery bill has risen $200 extra a month (not to mention the auto gas). I've gone from cooking a serving for 6-8, to making a meal for 12...and we barely have left overs...these boys can eat! I meal plan and use all of my coupons and save probably $100+ / month. But it's only going to get worse...I know! When Adam and I got married I only knew how to cook for 12...cooking for my brothers and all their friends that were at the house. I would make huge meals for just the two of us and we would eat it for a week...I had to learn how to scale down. But now my training has come into good use. The boys will eat 2 1/2 grilled cheese sandwhiches with their soup...that's just craziness.

Off to interviews...I hope everyone has a great week!

Job hunt

Little Rock glass is out right now replacing my TWO window panes that "were" broken. One by a golf ball and the other a baseball...of course boys will be boys. So now is a good time for me to stop calling, emailing, applying for jobs...take a break!

September 30th will be two weeks with no job...not to mention, the illness I had that meant no income for almost the past month.

Thank God for Adam, he is working his rear off, but he has a large burden to carry right now. I know he is mentally & physically exhausted.

I've applied for dozens of jobs and have three interviews on Monday. I get my Postal Exam material in the mail next week and surely something will turn up.

Please pray that we can weather this storm together and that the bickering be kept to a minimum during this time. I know I'm irritable right now.

C

The Little Things

The power of positive thinking is an awesome tool!

This past week I tried to focus on the positive. Here is what happened.

We were driving downtown together, while Jacob was at soccer practice, and Kobie said, "you know mom, I don't like that house (now an office bldg). I asked why. He said, "it reminds me of a witches house, all pointy". Now where has he ever seen a witches house? Probably these Halloween decorations everywhere.

While eating lunch together, I was in the kitchen making my plate...the boys were chowing down in the dining room and then screamed, "OHHH Gross man, mom, Kobie pulled a slug out of his ear". I asked for proof and here is what they gave me.

We had Andrew over Friday and around 3 I made them hot chocolate chip cookies. When they were done I said, "come and get it". Of course my boys come running in, and Kobie says, "hot cookies, Andrew, Come on!"...Andrew says, "What do you mean hot cookies? Hot like spicy hot?", Kobie looked at him and without missing a beat said, "no silly, hot like woman hot!"...and my comment is? Silence.

When getting ready to leave the house Saturday morning. I was still in my jammies after making breakfast, doing 3 loads of laundry, etc...the "usual". And all my guys were ready to go, I said give me 5 min. and I'll be outside...3 min. later I popped out the front door ready to go. Kobie said, "you know why you can get ready so quick, you don't wear makeup and you dress in athletic clothes"...Then Jacob commented on how as he puts it, "most girls take 2 hours to get ready, they have to look pretty and can't smell.". So I sit there and think to myself, Jacob thinks I'm not pretty and smell bad. :) I let it go!

We head to my mom's house to see Logan (my 2yr old Nephew) Saturday morning. I turn up the tunes. Kobie takes his straw and turns it into the shape of a triangle. He says, "mom look here's my instrument" complete with some silly dance and finger tapping the "triangle".

Kobie is my comedic relief during the day!

Jacob on the other hand has his point of view and interesting thoughts about things.

We went to Target to buy cat food and cereal...Jacob's turn to push the buggy. I let them all take turns (D can't see over the handle), but I hold onto the end of the cart, guiding it along. They think they are big stuff. This Friday, Jacob decides that he can do it all by himself. He tells me "mom, I got it, I am aware of my surroundings" and did a great BIG circle with his arms. I tell this to the boys all the time...my usual reiterative before we go out in public, "You are not the only one here, be aware of others and your surroundings, and pay attention to your volume level". It was odd hearing my instructions from my child.

Jacob was on the way home from his friends soccer game. Adam took a Sharp turn. Jacob was just sitting there eating his candy bar and his body slid into the door. Jacob says to Adam, "man I didn't see that one coming". Adam was telling me about it, laughing, b/c Jacob is so "matter of fact" kind of person.

Or the time we were all driving...he saw a Jeep Cherokee that looked just like Adam's old one. He screamed, "mom, there's a CHERRY - O - KEY, just like dads"...we all died laughing and Kobie just said, "dude, that's what you do when you see the words on the screen and sing" (Karaoke).

Dylan is just an observer. He is starting to get competitive on us and loves to beat us at card games, with his sheepish grin. He doesn't say much to us, but sings to himself from the time he gets home from school till the time he goes to bed. I have no clue what words are coming out of his mouth, but he's just bee-bopping along to the beat of his own drum.