Story of my Life

     When it rains it pours. How totally true is that saying? Right now in the Hearne household it's raining cats and dogs. We were all set and excited to see our family that was driving in from Texas this evening and then comes the rain...

     In the beginning of this week we all noticed Jakers having a chain smoker's cough, but we didn't think too much of it because I also had a slight cough and the boys have had clear, runny noses off and on since the cold front came through.  Tuesday evening Phillip went over to his friend's house(who lives just down the street)to hang out in his man-garage with friends and shoot darts, drink beer, etc, the usually man-stuff. Even though it was a week night he informed me he would keep it short and reminded me to give him a ring if it got too late.  Ten-thirty came and I called but he didn't pick up so I took my old butt to bed and passed out and never heard him come in. Wednesday morning he was up and dressed and leaving for work so I figured he didn't stay out too late.  At around nine o'clock that same morning he comes home and totters in looking like death ran over, poor guy could only stand a few hours at work.  Phillip doesn't drink but on a blue moon now-a-days but I can bet you he won't be drinking like a freshman in college ever again. Lol.

     When we went to pick up the boys from school Jake got in the truck and handed me a note from his teacher. The just of it being that Jake was sent to the nurse's office and she advised that Jake's nose be looked at by our doctor in case it was infected.

     Jacob is that kid who is constantly picking his nose! UGH, I wish I could strap his hands to his side sometimes, it drives me and Phillip nuts! Anyways his left nostril was red and looked sore so when we came home we doctored it up with some over-the-counter ointment and figured it was nothing. Hah! All the while Jes is complaining of a sore throat and Phillip is getting chills and feeling achy all over...lovely.  Cut to this morning and Jake's nostrils on both sides had ballooned up with crusty nastiness and there was no way I was sending him to school(which obviously some other parent had done with their child and that is how Jake got it in the first place). Phillip was still in bed and had called in to work, he looked miserable and was going to go the doctor's, and so was Jake. I concluded before I made the Dr.'s appointment that Jake had a staph infection(yes, having 4 kids makes you a doctor)and the doctor told me it was impetigo, aka staph. We got loaded up with perscriptions at CVS and our doctor hooked us up with refills since this crap is contagious. Phillip called me after his appointment and told me he had strep. Our poor family who was almost to Shreveport turned around to head back home because who could blame them for not wanting any of this stuff? Heck, I wish I could leave this sick ward too, lol!

     I am so grrrr!! that all this happens at once and it never fails to happen on the weekends, but there isn't much I can do but laugh it off! So yes, when it rains it really pours, BUT God doesn't give you more than you can handle...is it possible He has confused me with someone else then? LOL!
    

Walk Like A Man

     So it's official now, Jude dude is "zombie walking" all over the place!! I call it that because he walks without moving his hips and both of his hands are usually held up high in claw-like form. Haha! It's too funny! I finally transitioned him to his crib in his own room...it only took me 10 months. Since he's my last baby I was having some difficulty, but thankfully my sister let me borrow her baby video monitor which is the coolest baby gadget EVER invented!

     We had our very first garage sale this past Saturday and the video monitor proved itself useful there also. It was a crazy day for sure! People showed up at 6am on the dot while it was still dark outside. We hadn't even fully set up shop but they came moseying on up anyway. We ran out of dollar bills before 10 and I made a mad dash to Kroger to get more, but aside from that everything went well. We both could not believe how much stuff we sold or how much money we made. It feels great to be rid of the clutter and make some cash doing it.

     I was able to purchase my bean bag couch(fuf lounger)with my bday money and some of the garage sale money. I am sooo excited, like a kid at Christmas excited!! I have been wanting one of these for a long time. We are turning the guest room into a cozy, entertainment room/reading nook. Since we have 4 guys it will be the perfect spot to snuggle up with all of them for story time before before bed. Eventually I will get to start reading my books again in there too. I miss reading but I keep reminding myself that I'll have all the time in the world to read when the guys get older and right now I need to soak them all up while they still think I'm cool and fun to be around. Lol.

     I was so proud of Phillip last weekend when I came back home from my Texas trip with the two babies. I arrived at 8pm on Sunday to a spotless house, his awesome grilled burgers for dinner, dishes done, laundry started, and he had surprised me by enclosing our swing set and filling it up with sand! It looks like an actual playground and the boys absolutely love it. His next project is to build a pergola with a fire pit in the middle. Then I'm gonna request a big porch swing too since he's becoming quite the wood-working expert. ;)

     Joey sure did enjoy the Texas visit and getting tons of affection and attention from everyone. He loves saying "I love you" and says it to me alone 20 times a day, so sweet. He's stepping up to the big brother plate now that Jude is walking and following him all around the house. He let's Jude know when he's doing something "naughty" and tells him "no, no", he'll give him his snacks or a drink and put his newni in his mouth for him.

     Jake and Jes have been quite the handful lately, little rascals. They can't seem to get along or agree and constantly tattle on each other for any minor thing. I informed them that I am not a teacher and unless they want to start paying me money I am not listening to tattletales. I know exactly what Jes is doing being that I was the oldest in my house too. He likes to aggravate poor Jakers and get him all riled up to the point where Jake runs to me screaming and in tears. Jake on the other hand is the type to enjoy laughing and poking fun at others but when it's done to him he flips out. Oh yes...it's been a circus over here. Who said only girls are drama queens?? I'm sure our neighbors think I'm certifiable because majority of this occurs outside and that's when I turn into "monster mom", Jesse's words not mine. And look it's just in time for Halloween...lol.

5 Years Ago

     "Happy Birhday to you...you're so young...age is just a number...don't you stop having fun"

"This is your day...your day...Happy Birthday...to you, to you, to yooouuuu!" LOL!  Had to bust out that old New Kids on the Block jam which I use to play to myself every year on my bday as a youngin. I'm officially 27 25 years old young today. 

     So I'm gonna do this every once in awhile...take a stroll down memory lane because it's unbelieveable that this much time has gone by already.  I feel so blessed and need to remind myself more often of everything God's given me.

     5 years ago we had already said our goodbye's to Daddy because he was given orders to go on an awesome vacation full of site seeing and beautiful places to Germany for 4 months! 

     We stayed in Texas at my mom's house during that time since no kids were in school and life was super easy. We sure did miss him a lot while he was away though!  Jacob went from nursing and sleeping only mode to really active baby mode.  I felt bad that Daddy missed out on all those milestones.  Jes has always been Daddy's little shadow and you could tell he wasn't feeling the situation at all. Aside from missing Phillip it was fun though!!  I truly miss being able to simply pack up and go for a visit like I use to.  We all went to the Waco Zoo which is a really unique, shaded zoo!

A little creek that you probably weren't suppose to get in. Lol.

We got to spend lots of time with family which I am all about! Also celebrated my 22nd birthday at one of my favorite mexican restaurants, Campo Verde!

Halloween was also spent in Texas.

I have to end it with this last image. Too ironic that at this very moment Joe Joe is wearing that same green, Old Navy t-shirt that Jes has on here!

Boys Will Be Boys

     Well, the rain has finally ceased over here and it left us with wonderful, breezy 60 degree weather! Woo hoo! I am not an outdoorsy type person at all, but yesterday even I was outside playing. Jake was hanging upside down from a tree limb like my little monkey that he is.  Joey was shooting hoops from Dad's truck bed. Jude was exploring the drive way since it was the first time I let him get down outside and of course he also decided to chomp down on some leaves and sticks. Daddy and Jes were tossing the football back and forth and I even made some pretty decent throws too. Although when it's passed to me I shriek like a little girl who's afraid of getting hit in the head. Lol. I couldn't believe that my 7 year old throws like a pro! He wanted to play football this year so badly(he actually requested that for his bday gift)and we almost let him but then we started thinking he's not old enough yet for tackle football. Whatever happened to little kids playing tag/flag(?)football? I can picture some enormous kid running into him and Jesse's lil bones breaking. Jesse is fairly tall for his age but he's lean.  When he was just a lil guy he fractured his leg and it broke our hearts. It happened at "Family Day" on the base in the fun toddler area where they had bouncy houses.

Jes and Jake jumping right before a herd of older kids ran in.

Several hours after the E.R. trip, poor baby.

  

      It was such a sad couple of months for him because he's always been a super active dude and he had to sit there and do nothing while the full cast was on.  Later on when they put the walking cast on him he was too afraid it would hurt again so he crawled around and dragged his leg. I never want to see him experience that again, or any of the other boys for that matter.  Anyways we figure a few more years and then we might let him play football.  Maybe my Jesse man could be a future Cowboy's quarterback.

     Speaking of Jesse and pain, he just came inside and showed me his elbow which is bleeding big time and scraped up pretty badly.  He said he flipped over on his powered scooter after pulling the brakes too hard.  I think God has a sense of humor seeing as I've never been able to stand the sight of blood yet I have 4 boys...who are very much into wrestling, jumping off high things, climbing trees, and the overall rough housing 24/7.  We just doctored up his wound and he is fine; yes I freaked out more than him. It's safe to confirm I will be seeing lots more blood.

    

    

Somewhere in the Middle

     Alright, so I don't know when I became clueless about clothes but it's happened and now I am not a fan of shopping.  I love jeans and I'd wear them daily for the rest of my life if I could.  Currently I do not own a pair of favorite jeans and that bothers me so instead of heading out with babies in tow to go shop for some I took to the internet.  My problem arose when I discovered that my choices are low rise, hip hugging teen jeans or the dreaded blob of blue that is called "mom jeans".  Why hasn't someone invented a stylish pair of jeans that young moms can wear(without exposing their panties and derriere)to flatter our curvy figures??  I am serious, this is ridiculous.  I refuse to wear jeans that come up past my belly button but I can't go around with my muffin top hanging out either.  I'm about to celebrate my 2 year anniversary of turning 25(lol)so I think that entitles me to own jeans that I feel comfy and classy in. I guess I'll just keep on searching and hopefully I'll find a great pair of jeans soon.  If not I can be in the next Saturday Night Live commercial for Mom Jeans.  Haha!

Hearne Family Update

     I haven't posted anything on this blog in forever!  I made it awhile back just for myself to write randomness that I didn't want on Facebook, but now since I no longer have fakebook I decided to make this our little family info page.  Hopefully I'll have time to write about stuff every once in awhile that the guys are doing and post some pictures on here too.  Can't make any promises though, it gets crazy hectic around here. 

     Anywho just a quick update.  Jesse is in 2nd grade now and we've informed him that this is a big deal, no more S for Satisfactory but real grades.  He got his first taste of just how real it was yesterday when he came home with 2 sheets of math homework back and front, spelling & vocabulary words to study, and reading to himself for twenty minutes.  He was not happy at all after 3 hours passed...poor guy.  He likes his teacher though and so do I!  She actually taught him for awhile in kindergarten too; as an aide to his teacher then.  He's super glad to have three good buddies in the same class with him.

     Jacob started Kindergarten this year and of course he LOVES school!  He actually couldn't wait to go to the "real school" as he calls it.  I'm guessing he thinks that expensive preschool we sent him to last year was just for fun.  Haha!  Jake has already made a best friend named Lee who sits across from him.  Thursday was Muffin's with Mom because their letter of the week was "M".  His teachers seem great and friendly too.

     Joseph wishes he could go to school.  He gets sad/mad when they get out of the car in the mornings.  Over the summer he got really close to Jake and will mimic the things he says or does, too cute!  He is doing a bit better with Jude but it's still a work in progress.  I am glad that me and Joe Joe get some one on one now that school has started.  We've gone to the Children's Museum with his little buddy Konner and they had lots of fun there.  Joey's new thing he's into is reading, he will go climb the boy's bunk bed ladder to reach the higher books on the shelf.  He's a pretty smart 2 year old and thinks he can do anything big brothers do.  Joey no longer sleeps with Mom and Dad! After 7 years now we have the whole bed to ourselves...never thought it would happen. Lol.  One last thing cute that he does, anytime we sit down at the table to eat he will reach both hands out and say, "come on, amen" meaning he wants to hold hands and say the prayer before we eat.  It never fails to make me smile.  Sometimes he wants to say the prayer more than once in the middle of eating.  He's getting closer to God. :)

     Jude is now all over the place!  He crawls but not the normal way; his knees never touch the ground and Phillip says he looks like a bear cub but I think it somewhat resembles the exorcist chick crawling down the stairs. Hah! Jude also "cruises" and for a least a month now he's been standing up on his own and prefers to do so without something to hold on to, it's crazy.  None of the other guys were this ballsy at his age so I'm foreseeing a dare devil...not good.  He eats and eats and if you are eating you better get him some food too or he'll squeal at you.  Jude still sleeps in his own bed and he wants to be placed in his bed when he gets tired, he doesn't like sleeping on me.  It still shocks me, but the guy likes his space and his bed. 

     Well, the second week of school is over and the boys have already brought home the first fundraiser of the year...gotta love PTO.  The thing that irks me is they send the children to the auditorium/cafeteria to listen to the fundraiser people give a speech informing the kids of all the goodies junk(that usually falls apart in one day)that they will receive by selling things.  Jake just came home and gushed, "Mommy I getta ride in the big, long car(hummer-limo thingy)and eat pizza!"  Seriously??  I know I know, the school needs to make money somehow and I am totally supportive of that. But come on, my five year old isn't exactly aware of how much he needs to sell in order to win that camera he wants(72 items!)or the awesome ride in the hummer with a pizza party. We have done a ton of these in the past and they are just a big headache.  I'm all for buying a t-shirt, a magazine, or my fav tub of cookie dough(that disappears w/o actually baking any cookies)here and there, but it's only been two weeks of school so far people! 

     During the first week they had a movie watching party and beforehand they sent home a list of junk food that the children could purchase to consume during the movie.  Yay!! That's exactly why I send my kids to school...you know, so they can eat candy, watch movies, and become young jump-down-your-throat salesmen.  LOL!

     Anyways enough ranting about public school.  Today is Friday and also the 5th day of my di...lifestyle change.  I ultimately want to drop at least 30 pounds.  I realized no weight was coming off by doing my walk/jog on the treadmill thus the dietary change.  I thought I would miss my sweet, sweet tea but I actually don't have any hankerings for it.  What I didn't expect is how much I would drool over chips(any kind of chip).  Lol.  Ending my love affair with chips is so sad.  I eat way too many so I had to cut it cold turkey since I show no self control what-so-ever.  On a great note, thank the LORD for pork rinds! 

     Last Saturday we took family pictures for the first time EVER! 

I have plenty to give out but I will need to buy the right stuff to send them in so they don't get bent or I can wait to give them in person.

Beach shot...too bad we weren't really there.

Our little guys all together.

Joey and Jude were always doing there own thing, lol. One of the many reasons we waited so long to take family pics.

My lil cowboy is almost 9 months!

Had to capture those blue eyes before they're gone.

Jude dude wasn't giving smiles at all but as soon as we left he was happy again.

Seeing how much Joey has grown up here is so bittersweet!

He's half way to 3 now.

I can still see Jake's little baby face, always so happy and smiling.

Can't believe he's in kindergarten, time flies!

All I thought here was my gosh, Jes is 7 going on 17.

Such a good big brother and helper to mom.

First baby and last baby.

My two babies in between. Subconsciously I think I had 4 kids just so I could avoid hearing "middle child syndrome" stories, not buying it. Lol.

I love this man so much. Almost 10 years together in November!

    

The World of Fiction

     Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of make-believe. I have been since I was a little girl and my room was filled with porcelain unicorns and posters of rainbows; not to mention the entire collector's edition of The Wizard of Oz figurines. Okay so all that being said it is easy to understand why I enjoy sticking my nose in a fantasy book and spending time with my imagination in another world far different from my own. Now I know what all of you are thinking. Yes I have a family and of course I love and adore my life. I know I am very blessed and I thank the Lord each day for what I have. Sometimes though a women has to find her identity again.


     Some women choose therapy shopping, others enjoy cooking, many of them go for a walk but for me I curl up with a great fictional book about romance and vampires. Yes vampires! Not the evil and demonic kind but the good and vegetarian kind. Okay so if you haven't guessed yet I am a twilight fan or twi-mom, twi-hard, whichever you prefer. I know that many men out there are wondering "what is it with women and this vampire crap?", right? Well you have come to a good source because my husband asked the same question to me just last night.


     As a student who is majoring in psychology I am always trying to think of why we do the things we do. I know why I enjoy these types of books and here is my list.


1.) Love and romance

2.) Mystery

3.) Something to look forward to

4.) Escaping the land of diapers, and "come wipe my butt" shouts from down the hall

5.) It makes me happy

6.) Excitement

7.) When I read them I feel like I'm a part of the adventure

8.) Something that is my own and isn't based on me being a mother or wife

9.) I laugh and giggle out loud

10.) Its something for me and I enjoy it!


     I think that everyone in general needs something that they enjoy that is their own. My husband provided a good example to this with some men and football or other sports. Or for example its hunting season right now and some women hardly even see their spouses or boyfriends during this time. The definition of a hobby is an activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure. There you have it all in a nutshell yet because reading about vampires doesn't seem normal we are constantly being questioned why. No one can say "well sports are a normal hobby but reading about vampires is weird", because it doesn't work that way. I'm pretty sure there are men out there whose hobby is porn but do we question how normal that is? Okay sorry that was the sarcastic person in me, bad analogy.


     I simply know that for me personally I enjoy having something to do with my spare time if I even get any. I get a thrill waiting for the next book in a series to come out just like a dude gets excited about fight night. I love when they turn the book into a movie because it means I get to see a world I have been living in(through my head)come to life on the big screen. I'm not the woman who enjoys shopping for clothes and cooking isn't fun for me unless it involves baking some sort of dessert. Reading is my hobby and right now more specifically it is reading about vampires but I also read other things too.


     Prior to having children I loved any Nicholas Sparks book and saw the movies and purchased the soundtracks as well. The difference from the old me to the present me is that back then I had many other activities going on so my reading didn't monopolize my time because I was always doing something. The me now is defined first as a wife, then as a mother and that is it. My days are spent doing chores, cooking, taking care of my little boys and working from home while going to school part-time. What else do I do or have that does not involve doing something for my husband or children? Well let me tell you it's not getting pampered and going for a manicure every two weeks like I use to pre-baby days. I can't look forward to dressing up nice and going out with my hubby either since we live hours away from the closest family member who can watch my children.


     So to the men-who-hate-the-vampire-crap I propose that you be sweet to your ladies and deal with it, just like we deal with your fishing, hunting, football, and fight nights. Or there is that saying if you can't beat them join them! Who knows you might enjoy the vampire world too.