Stupid socks.

A couple weeks ago Steve Brown, Mike's co-worker and buddy, asked him if he wanted to make some extra money. Duhhh! So last Saturday Mike and Steve went to Batesville and helped cater an event for Young's Catfish. They cooked a bajillion burgers, chicken patties and dogs. We have a bajillion burgers in our fridge now. They had TONS left. This is what is sitting on my kitchen table. BUNS...and lots of them.

Burgers anyone? Fresh buns...just come over and give 'em a squeeze.

Last Thursday Mike was coming in from out-of-town and had a game (to referee). There was NO way that he could get home and get his uniform and get there by 5:30. So guess who had to go ALL the way home from work and get his stuff and go ALL the way to CAC to get it to him? Yepers...it was me. So he tells me 'Don't forget my hat with all my stuff stuck down inside of it'. That urked me. 'Have I ever forgotten anything when I pack your stuff for you?' Pssshhhhttt! WRONG ANSWER! SOOOO.....I fly home, pack his stuff, grab Carson and get all his football garb because he has to be at practice by 6:00. So, ummm, I told Mike that I would leave work at 4:00. Ummm...I didn't. I left at 4:30 when I was supposed to leave. WRONG ANSWER! I got stuck in traffic in front of the big pentecostal church. Humongo traffic jam. It was 5:20. No way was I gonna make it. So, yeah, we had already had 'words' by this time. Now mind you, Mike and I rarely fight. I know, you may all think that we're the perfect couple. But really - we're not. Sshhh...I know...calm down. IT'S OK! We're NOT perfect, Lorie-(love ya, girl).

I finally pull up to CAC at about 5:35. Mike finally saunters over to the car as I get out and grab his bag out of the back seat. As I go to pick the bag up it all of the sudden dawns on me that I forgot to pack THESE!Holy crap! (Only imagine they were a little cleaner than this). OH MY...how was I to react? Of course my defense mechanism kicks up (shocker there) and I blame it on him(another shocker). He should have left NW Akansas earlier. You knew you should have gotten all your crap together before hand. It was not a nice exchange of words in the parking lot of Central Arkansas Christian. It was my fault. My bad. I forgot the STUPID socks. I went into the SAME drawer and got a regular pair of white socks and never even thought about those other STUPID socks. And what really made me mad was 'Have I ever forgotten anything when I pack your stuff for you'. Once again, my bad. OK, so I have to go A L L the way back home to get his STUPID socks. I call Academy Sports on the way thinking just maybe they had some. Nope! A L L the way back home. So I figure I'll drop Carson off (thanks Chip, for looking out for Carson, AGAIN) at practice before I go ALL the way back to CAC. As I'm dumping him off at practice I go to open his door to let him out so I can help him get his pads on. It was locked. As I flipped the handle to the locked door it ripped my finger nail to the quick. Grrrr! So he unlocks it and as he gets out steps on my flip-flop clad feet with his cleats. Oh yeah....that was NICE! I have another just like it that you forgot to romp on. At this point I just DID NOT care. So I go ALL the way back to CAC. I sit there. Where the crap is he? I'm getting just a mite bit miffed. I look around and get back in the car. I'm getting hacked. I get out once again just to check out the scenery and see where his skank butt is. He's out on the field....refereeing! WHAT! I've been driving like a mad woman (my poor Expedition was SO tired) and you are already out there? Grrrr! He had on plain white tube socks. HA! SO about that time the game is over and he comes running up the hill. Here. Here's your STUPID socks. Sorry...it was my fault (ooohhh-that hurts). My fingernail, my toes and my pride have recovered.

Last night we were laying (or is it lieing - is that even spelled right?) ...OK- so we were in bed. I was dieing (is that spelled right, too) for some chocolate milk. I never-hardley ever-drink chocolate milk. I whined of my desire for coklit milk (as Makenzie Burks would say) a couple or 10 times. My little honey-yeah I like him again-journeyed to the goshey (grocery) store and fetched this. We, together, betwenxt the two of us, pert-neer killed it off. It was spontaneous. Thanks baby...you da bomb!

Spontaneity...it's the spice of life (huh, honey- wink wink),

~Shannon

Losers

The Hogs lost...Carson's team lost...Falcon's lost. (What...nooo....say it ain't so!) In the words of the Jonas Brothers song 'Year 3000' (that's ALWAYS played on Radio Disney) "she was looking kinda dumb with her finger and her thumb in the shape of an L on her forehead". Sick and tired of losers!! Just kidding. Play hard but more importantly have fun. It's only the beginning-of football season. This is the week. I feel a win coming on!

Go Fight Win,

~Shannon

Hog Ball

In the words of Hank Williams, Jr...Are you ready for some football????? I AM! Can't wait for those Hogs, baby! These are pics from last season. We took the boys to the Southeast Missouri State game. It was Homecoming. The Hogs won. We had FUN!

We parked all the way down at Baum Stadium. We walked our tails off. Ok...not really!

With the Wild Hog. No, I'm not pregnant. Just valuptuous. LOL HA!


#37 is Hezekiah Smith (Hezy). A product of Sylvan Hills High School. One of Kody's friends. GREAT kid! I love this boy! This year he has changed numbers....#43 I think. I think I may have a pic of he and Kody together...I'll have to find it. I think it's on my computer at work. A post for another day. D-Mac is in the top right of the picture.

The Band

Chase
Go Hogs!
Hezy, again. He plays kickoff return. Since we were killin in this game he got to play...other than kickoff return. He ran the ball several times. People around us thought I was crazy...screaming for him.

Hezy and Houston Nutt


Hezy and Markus Monk #85.
Hezy # 37

Mike and Bobby Lester. He was sitting a little ways down from us.
The team and Houston Nutt singing the fight song to the student section after the game.
Carson hollered at Hezy on the sidelines and Hezy turned and waved at him. He was SO excited. We met Doug and Laura for pizza after the game and then home. Fun day!

Video of Hezy fair catching the ball. He is towards the bottom of the screen.

Off to some pee-wee football right now. Go Carson.

Go HOGS!,

~Shannon

Favorite Foto Friday

Another photo of brotherly love. These moments have to be caputred quickly. This was taken right after Carson got out of the hospital from his brain injury. I can still see a bit of bruising around his left eye. We were on the way to Aunt Carol's for an all day swim. That's Cricket...the dog. Otherwise known as Crickey-dog. I HATE this dog. Anyone SERIOUSLY wanting this dog...I'll PAY you to take it. Anyway...it's a cute picture regardless.

Calling the Dog Catcher,

~Shannon

Amazing

I heard from Becky Russell today-picture above. One of the most amazing women - if not THE most amazing woman that I know. I e-mailed her a devotional that I had read earlier today. The ending of the devotional, which was written by Max Lucado, talked about our 'coming home'. For the few that might happen to read this that don't know...Becky lost her oldest daughter Jae Lynn in a car accident March 18, 2004. Jae is on the left in the above picture. She was killed along with 2 other girls-all cheerleaders on spring break...going fishin'. I've known "of" Becky for a long time. My dad and her dad worked together for lots of years at the Jacksonville Post Office. Becky's husband Ralph...well...how do you explain Ralph? I guess you can figure out which one he is in the picture. He was one of my teachers in High School-one of my 2 favorite teachers. Ralph has always been very special to me. We got to know Jae through Kody. He was Jae's boyfriend at one point in Jr. High. Long story short-through Jae's death I have gotten to know Becky. And what a blessing it has been to become closer to this family as we share a tiny part of their grief. The ending of the devotional spoke of how our friends and family will rejoice at our 'going home' and that when we get there...the Lord will cup our chin in his scarred hands, wipe away any tears and say 'Welcome home'. When I read it...I thought of Becky. She replied to my e-mail and told me basically that she was glad that I sent it. You see, Becky's daddy died last week. The patriarch of a pretty amazing family. She wasn't sure that I knew - about her daddy...I did (I had already sent the family a card). She said "I bet he (speaking of her daddy) is still hanging on to his granddaughter. I am jealous". Becky has so much to look forward to. Her trip 'home'. I'm sure it won't come soon enough. She told me once that she thinks that the Lord will rejoice in the reunions of loved ones in heaven. I think so too, Becky. Jae's birthday is soon. I'll post a video of her then. I'm still shocked that it happened. You'll see a glimpse of the beautiful and most amazing daughter that Ralph and Becky raised. Pray for Becky and her family. If I could only be half the person that Becky Russell is....

I went to church tonight. First time in a while that I've been to a PM service. No preaching tonight. Steven felt lead to just have a time of testimony. I love my church and I love my pastor. I needed that...the encouragement. Time to get our hiney's back in gear. The Sanders' are back...Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night!!!

I'm alone tonight-without spouse. Mike is at Doug-E Fresh's house in NW Arkansas for work. Lots more traveling in the future for Mikey-P. That STINKS! I think I'll go to bed -alone- and spend a little time with just me and God. Why he loves a sinner like me...
Amazed,
~Shannon

Romantic Getaway

Help!! I'm needing some ideas. Mike and I usually try to do an overnight getaway for our anniversary which is next month. I'd like to plan something but I'm short on ideas. Something cheap. The picture below is from our last overnighter. I planned the whole thing...and I must say I was pretty proud of myself. I kept it a surprise untill we got there. We had a cabin in Ozark. Nice cabin but not really that secluded, which is what we wanted. We went up on Friday. The plan was for a tour of Weidekher (spelling?) Wine Village in Altus on Saturday. We had dinner Friday night in their restaurant. I'm glad that we went-we can now say that we've been there and done that. Won't do it again. It wasn't what we had anticipated. Although we had a GREAT time together. Time alone (away), without kids....GOOD TIMES!!! Any ideas...anyone.

Looking for another good time,

~Shannon

Cavities and ummm...balls?

OK...so this one's gonna be a little, well, different. The boys and I slept in a little this morning because they had dental appointments. A cleaning for Carson and the same for Chase plus a cavity to fill. With nothing ever going smoothly or easily-now Carson has a cavity and needs a filling. Just one more appointment in the cluster of many. Cavities...sheesh! That's just like cramming money into a small hole in their teeth. START BRUSHING BETTER...BOTH OF YOU!

So anyway, back to the matter at hand. So as I go to wake the little prince's from their slumber, Carson rolls over and starts bawling. What is it...what's wrong? OK....so how do I say this? I guess I'll just say what he said. My balls hurt. Yep, that's right. I'm never sure with him because he tends to be a bit dramatic sometimes. So after a dose of Tylenol we head off to the dentist. He began feeling much better but did still walk a little jingerly. So Mike and I talked and he decided to call a friend of ours from the ball park that works in the medical field, urology to be specific. He urged that we needed to make an appointment. Sheesh...another one? He was just at the pediatrician Wednesday. That appointment entailed an x-ray on his heel with a diagnosis of Severs disease. Yes, yes...it's as tragic as it sounds. Not really. He's at the point right now where he is at his maximum growth rate. His muscles and tendons can't keep up with the growth rate and are stretched. Basically, just growing pains. Kody was diagnosed with basically the same thing but in his knees-another horrible name called Osgood Schlatter's disease. (All named after doctor's that disovered the respective 'diseases'). Once again I have gotten off the beaten path. So I make the appointment for this afternoon. "I need to make an appointment. The reason for the visit?" What was I supposed to say? Ball pain? Dr. Byrum, of course, wasn't in and I really didn't want to see Dr. Dawn for this 'episode'. So I asked for the other male doc. I tried to prepare Carson for what this visit might entale. No, no shots...there. At least I don't think so, anyway. Yes, he'll have to touch it/them. Will he wear gloves, yes. He was feeling much better by this time. Still a bit sore, though. The nurse wanted to know the reason for the visit. Umm...testical pain...that sounds better now doesn't it? Drop your shorts. After an examination-without gloves I might add-there was no real diagnosis. The urgency comes in that the testical can become twisted. When this happens it can die and must be removed. WHAT? REMOVED? Guys are so sensitive about his area, ya know. Twisted? Not today. Once again, I've been through this with Kody as well. (Love ya, Kody- I'm sure he'll be delighted to read this-HA!) His ended up not being anything of an urgent nature either. Possible hernia? Nope, don't really think so. When was the last time you had a BM? A what? When was the last time you went poo? Probably not constipation, either. So the official diagnosis ends up being a pulled muscle...for lack of a better 'diagnosis'. Ice it. What??? I guess they'll disappear with ice and there'll be no need to worry about them then, huh? No football tonight. Ahhh, darn. Carson is really tore up about that. Not really.

So I'm not really sure why I felt the need to share all of this with those of you that lurk at my blog. Just a small glimpse into my world. Yes, this is my life. My life that I wouldn't change for anything. Well, almost anything-LOL.

Living in the joy of being the mother of boys,

~Shannon