Snuggle time...

She's tired and snuggly... my favorite thing. :)

Texting Thanksgiving...

This is my favorite picture taken at Thanksgiving this year. (Although I don't think Julie was too happy with us when she took it:) Notice in the warm and fuzzy Thanksgiving Eve post below from the 25th that I have used for the last two years, it says nothing about the traditions of Burns family texting... guess I will need to change that next year.

Despite how it looks in the picture...we actually did talk to eachother throughout the course of the night. :) Talked a lot about our phones, now that I think about it. Heck we even texted eachother from across the bar...

My Blackberry Curve... "PING"... it was Kent
My Blackberry Curve to his Blackberry Tour... "What!?"
His Tour to my Curve... "QUEER!"
My Curve to his Tour... "MAGGOT!"

True story... I am happy to say, though, that when we went around the table to say what we were most thankful for, not one of us said instant messaging, facebook, or 3G network...

Here are a couple more of my favorites pics...
Hey wait... is that a cellphone in Grandma's hand???

Don't ask...don't tell...believe me!

Best brothers ever!

Thanksgiving Eve....

This year on thanksgiving eve... I am FURIOUS! Furious with my oldest son. Ethan was chosen freshman homecoming candidate today and what does he do..... TURNS IT DOWN. Who does that?!!! Ethan Michael Jones does apparently. Turned it down.... blows my mind.

The following is from last year's Thanksgiving Eve post... not much has changed :)

I don't get to see my mom on Thanksgiving, and that is always a real bummer. But, I am looking VERY forward to seeing Kent and his family. Haley is home, so can't wait to see her. Max is with his mom... bummer. Jaden is SO excited to see Abby, he can hardly stand it. I can't wait to stand in the kitchen, crowded around the cheeseball, catching up with everyone while we wait on the turkey. It's tradition.

My family has a lot of Thanksgiving traditions...we are a predictable bunch. Dad and Kent and Aaron will hang out in the garage or at the bar watching some ball game. Julie, Patti, and I will hang in the kitchen and talk about everything we can think of. Evan will kind of migrate between the two. Big kids will impatiently await the food (which simply cannot be eaten before at least 7:30!) Little ones will run up and down the hallway, only stopping when papaw burns catches them.

We will gather around the table, take turns telling what we are most thankful for. My grandma Burns (almost 93!) will give thanks, and dad will be all misty eyed. Then we will proceed to stuff ourselves till we can hardly move, forgetting that grandma has made pumpkin AND chocolate pie. Somehow we will all find room for a piece or two. Kent will stand (cause he is too full to sit) in the kitchen eating several pieces of the persimmon pudding I make him every year. He will invariably say "Man, Aunt P, this is excellent!" (his kids call me Aunt P - long story) The rest of the evening we will just be together and anticipate the Christmas season.

Doesn't that sound like just THE most perfect Thanksgiving! I think it does... :)

Birthday Blog...

November is a big birthday month. A few of the people I love most in this world were born in November. Unfortunately, I am so stinkin busy I barely got time to acknowledge them.

The 2nd was my big brothers birthday. He got the customary text saying "Happy Birthday Queer", and responded with the usual "Thanks Queer." Those of you who know me well know that I love my brother with a passion. He is my hero and growing up he was the center of my universe. I can trust him and confide in him. He has always been there for me and has protected me like only a big brother can. I miss him everyday and don't see him nearly enough. Such is life.

The 14th was my little brother's birthday. He turned the big 22. Funny how he keeps having birthdays but I'm the one that keeps getting older. He also got a text about 9:30 that night. Sad I know. Evan is my inspiration and I also love him with a passion. That kid has more drive than anyone I have ever known in my life. He is destined for big things. Huge things actually. He will graduate from IU in the spring. I also miss him everyday, and don't see him nearly enough.


My dear friend Kristy's baby boy Isaiah shares Evan's birthday. He turned the big O-N-E. He is such a little doll. Looks like his big brother. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a phone yet, so I couldn't text him, and of course totally spaced the party. I really need to get out of the garage more. Saw pictures of him today. He is walking and has hair! I missed his whole first year. His big sister Mikenna also had a birthday this month. She is too cute for words. Her mommas face and her mommas sassines. Guess what... no phone, no text, busy on party day. How sad is that.

TODAY is my besties birthday! Christy and I started our friendship via text about 3 years ago. My life has never been the same. :) She is always there, night or day. She knows me deep. She loves me anyway. She prays with me, she prays for me. She holds me accountable and she never hesitates to tell me exactly what she thinks. I love that about her. We know that God brought us together for a reason and we are having a ball watching it all unfold. Her faith inspires me, her friendship guides me, and she helps me be a better person. I will text her happy birthday right now... but I won't call her a queer :)

CAN'T SLEEP!!!

It is 12:58 am... I am awake... Grrr

I am making an effort to clear the random thoughts filling my head so I can get some SLEEP!

Dang! I should've had some pop before midnight!! To late now, Christy and I have sworn off our beloved Pepsi and Dr. Pepper until further notice.

Crap! Tomorrow is Monday...well actually I guess it's already Monday...which means Walmart day...which means I have to deal with managing my extreme aisle rage yet again.

Holy Moly! Thanksgiving is a week from Thursday...

Good Lord! I haven't started Christmas shopping yet...do you know how long it takes to Christmas shop for 4 kids!

OMG! I didn't get all the laundry done, which means I will be searching for three pairs of matching socks in just a few hours before I have had a chance to have any coffee....oh wait... mom did all the laundry yesterday :)

Hmmm. I wonder if I am the only one who has obsessive thoughts that won't go away

Idk... Is facebook really a form of cyber stalking??

Man. It's kinda creepy sitting in here alone in the dark. I knew I shouldn't have watched that commercial for Paranormal Activity.

I wonder. How ridiculous am I going to feel when I have to sprint down the hallway cause now I've spooked myself.

I'm makin a run for it....

Sticks and stones...

Teasing and name calling... don't you love it. I am amazed at how it has transformed from the time I was a kid back in the land of innocence to the times we are living in today. You remember the days of "oh yea...you and what army" or classic insults like "your such a a doofus" or "barf bag" or "pizza face" or "four eyes." Today it's all out, no holds barred viscousness. Nothing is off limits. These kids throw insults and words around that I probably didn't even know existed until I was out of high school. It's a sad state of affairs...

Even though our insults seem WAY tame compared to today's... they were just as effective. Case in point... Way back in the day, circa 1978ish, I spent most of my summers at my grandparents in Otwell. Hung out with my cousins on lazy summer days that seemed to go on forever. Made some of the greatest childhood memories ever in that tiny town.

I had a major crush on this friend of my cousins who used to come and play with us. I thought he was the greatest thing on the planet. Oh so cute and so cool. It was the butterflies in your stomach and the sweaty palms kind of crush. One day we were all laying on a big blanket under the shade tree in my grandma's back yard; me, Chad, Ryan, Leah (my cousins) and Mike. We were talking and laughing, drinking Kool-aid and drawing pictures of our dream house. (Can't you just picture it as a classic Norman Rockwell painting. *sigh*)

Then came time for the big reveal... I'm sad to say I don't remember what I drew that day, or what Chad or Ryan or Leah drew either for that matter. But I do remember Mike's drawing. He drew a dog house. Your typical looking dog house. And above the door he wrote the word "Fido." We all laughed and thought it was funny, but then he said the words that still echo in my mind to this day.... wait for it folks...

It's way harsh...

"THIS is 'WHAT'S HER FACES' dream house!"

OOOOH man... and I'm sure you can guess that I was the "what's her face" to whom he was referring. DANG! Can't you just feel the pain of that poor 11 year old version of me. Scarred me for life... well sort of...

Ok not really, but I'd like for Mike to think it did. I have run into him on the rare occasion over the years... family funerals and such. And now I am happy to report that by the magical healing power that is Facebook... after 30 some years... he has apologized for scarring me emotionally, and we are friends. :)

The best advice...

Teenage years bite. They really do. So does middle age.... but I digress.

Parenting two teenage boys can be trying at times. I'm sure not as trying as parenting even one teenage girl, but still a struggle on occasion. I'm so thankful not to have any huge issues with either one of my boys. They are just trying to figure out who they are, where they are going, and where their place is in this world. (I don't have the heart to tell them they will still be trying to figure that one out when they are 40:)

They are going to struggle, make mistakes, get their hearts broken, fail to fit in at times and so on. My job is just to be there to guide them on their journey, guard and protect them from what I can, and pick up the pieces when I can't.

A dear friend gave me a cd recently and the song "The Words I Would Say" by the Sidewalk Prophets was on it. (It is on my playlist if you want to hear it). I loved it immediately. Exactly what I would want to say to my boys. I have written the chorus and posted it on my boys mirror to remind them everyday...

Be strong in the Lord and
never give up hope
You're gonna do great things
I already know.
God's got his hand on you so
don't live life in fear
Forgive and forget
but don't forget why your here.
Take your time and pray
Thank God for each day
His love will find a way.
These are the words I would say...

Great advice for even us middle-agers... don't ya think