Faith, Family & Friends

Pumkin Patch

2011-10-15T21:18:00.005-05:00

We visited the pumpkin patch in Baytown today. We went out and took pictures and when we were done, we tried to buy a pumpkin. That's when they told us that they weren't open until Monday - ooops!! They were very nice to let us keep taking pictures. We told them we would come back next week and buy a pumpkin.

First Day of First Grade

2011-10-15T21:15:00.002-05:00

Hudson is in First Grade this year. It's been a great year so far. He asked to have his head shaved right before school started because his Daddy had his shaved. So, we let him. I nearly cried, but it has grown back now. :)

100th Day

2011-05-23T22:01:00.000-05:00

This is Hudson on his 100th Day of Kindergarten. What Fun!

Disney & Destin

2011-05-23T21:53:00.005-05:00

We went to Disney World and Destin for Spring Break. Took tons of pictures, but just don't have enough time to add them all. Here's a few of our fun.

Hudson as BUZZ LIGHTYEAR

2010-09-12T18:00:00.002-05:00

Fishing

2010-09-12T17:55:00.005-05:00

We went fishing last weekend. These are pics from the trip. Hudson tried fishing with a banana. Apparently bananas aren't appealing to fish. That is why it is floating in the water.

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-09-05T21:27:00.003-05:00

THis is Hudson on his first day of Kindergarten. My baby is growing up too fast!

2010-09-05T21:23:00.002-05:00

This is Hudson as a PIRATE. He and his sitter - Michael - made this sword and pirate do rag. Hudson loves dressing up as a pirate now.

Playing Vet

2010-07-08T21:47:00.005-05:00

Hudson and I went to the Children's Museum this week. He enjoyed playing like he was a vet and putting a cone on the cats head. He also played in an ambulance and restarted his own heart. We had lots of fun.

Bouncing

2010-07-08T21:42:00.004-05:00

I took Hudson and his friend Talon to Bounce USA. Shelby and Kari (my nieces) went with us. The kids had lots of fun.

At the Mall with Shelby

2010-07-08T21:37:00.004-05:00

Hudson, Shelby and I went to the mall a couple weeks ago. Hudson loves going to the mall to JUMP. It only lasts 5 minutes but he thinks it is the most fun ever.

New Bike

2010-06-10T20:56:00.003-05:00

Went to the park tonight. Hudson rode his new Toy Story bike. Then we fed the ducks, played on the playground and finished it off by playing in the water hose when we got home.

WEE School Graduation

2010-06-06T21:51:00.006-05:00

This is Hudson's Wee School Graduation. It was a wonderful celebration of all the good that came from there. We couldn't have done it without Ms. Robin who cared so much for our family. She isn't just the director of Wee School, she is family. She cared for Hudson like he was her own. My thanks will never be enough. I am so thankful for the love and care she gave to Hudson the past year and a half.

Easter Party at Preschool

2010-05-24T20:38:00.004-05:00

Hudson has had a great year at his preschool. They are the best place in town. They love the kids and he's been treated better here than anywhere else he's ever gone. You can tell that they really love and care for the kids. On top of that, he has learned so much. He is going to be the smartest kindergartener ever.

This was his Easter Party at school. They ate pizza, decorated cookies and then hunted eggs. It was lots of fun. Tomorrow is his last party at school. We will miss his Preschool. We will miss all the joy they have brought to his life.

Most of all we will miss seeing Ms. Robin every day. She has become a part of our family. She is Hudson's mom away from home. She loves him like he is her own. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to take care of my son while I worked.

More pictures will follow soon from his party tomorrow.

Hudson's 5th Birthday

2010-05-24T20:29:00.003-05:00

These are pictures from Hudson's 5th Birthday. It's hard to imagine 5 years have gone by so quickly. Hudson has been such a joy. He brighten's mine and Philip's life daily. It was lots of fun celebrating five wonderful years.

Spring is Coming

2010-03-06T21:52:00.005-06:00

We had a fun day today playing outside with Hudson's new Bubble Guns. They are very inexspensive and lots of fun.

It's been a while

2010-02-22T19:27:00.003-06:00

Hudson & Mommy at his Christmas Performance.

Hudson at the Lake.

Hudson getting an UPWARDS SOCCER award!

I have been so busy with school and someone in my family has been sick since October. It seems that we just pass it around. Anyways, I decided it was time to start updating my blog again. These are some pics from the last few months. I will try to keep updating. :)

Halloween Pajamas

2009-10-29T19:48:00.004-05:00

Hudson is getting so tall these days. We had to go out and buy new pajamas because his were looking like capris. These are some new ones we got for Halloween.

Park Fun

2009-10-29T19:43:00.004-05:00

This is a day we went to the park. We rode bikes there and then played for a while. Hudson loves going to the park, but he was a little lazy when he didn't want to push his bike through the grass.

Movie Night

2009-10-29T19:41:00.001-05:00

We went to the movies a few weeks ago. I really like how we can take Hudson and sit through a movie. As long as he has popcorn, pickle, candy and a coke, he's good!! Just like his Mommy.

Pumpkin Carving

2009-10-29T19:37:00.003-05:00

Here's Hudson first pumpkin to carve. He didn't really want to touch the inside, but I told him he had to. So he did. He thought it was kind of gross. We carved Mickey Mouse at the beginning of the month - he didn't last long. Next time we'll wait till the end of the month.

Soccer Pics

2009-09-13T21:54:00.008-05:00

Hudson had his first soccer game this weekend. He was a great sport. He played well, ran with the other kids, MADE A GOAL, and face planted in the grass without crying. Here are some photos of the game.

Musician

2009-09-07T18:07:00.003-05:00

Not only does Hudson have a drum set, he also has convinced us that he needs a guitar. So we bought him one. He picked it out and loves to play especially while his daddy is playing his guitar.

Labor Day

2009-09-07T18:03:00.003-05:00

Here's Hudson at the Lake this weekend. He was making all kinds of gestures when riding his tractor. Many of them we did not recognize, but this was we did. "GIG 'EM!"

Hudson has been SLEEPY!!

2009-09-04T19:47:00.003-05:00

Hudson & I came home from school today and he asked to watch a TV Show. I told him to go upstairs and watch. Then I went to working in the kitchen, cutting out box tops for education. I thought I was finally becoming this "wonderful mom". I had started trying to help out my child's school by cutting box tops and I was even feeling pretty good about it. I searched all through the pantry for box tops and thought about how many I had thrown away over the years. Then I started feeling pretty smug about how good of a Mommy I was. I started thinking that I was getting really good at doing homework, making lunches and getting his projects done.

Then I realized I should check on Hudson. I walked past the stairs and looked up. This is what I saw. Him asleep on the stairs. I couldn't believe it. He hadn't even made it up the stairs and I didn't even know. He was fast asleep on the stairs. So instead of getting him up, I went for the camera. Then I thought it was so funny, I let him stay there until his Daddy came home (only a few more minutes).

Austin Trip

2009-08-10T21:19:00.012-05:00

We are in Austin for a few days because Philip has a business conference to attend. Hudson and I came along just for fun. The Hotel Omni is where we are staying. It is incredible. We got a double/split kids room for a great rate.

These photos are of Hudson's room and our room. The rooms are joined just like any hotel rooms that are joined with a locked door. But Hudson's room is what makes this the coolest hotel ever. His room has all kid friendly stuff in it. They also stock it with toys, books, puzzles, a CD & DVD player, CD's and DVD's, art supplies and much more. The bathroom has kid shampoo and body wash and is so cute. It has two twin beds and bean bag chairs. The towels and washcloths are pink and blue. They even deliverd him a cookie and milk at bedtime.

On top of that, they gave him a backpack when we checked in. It had all kinds of toys he gets to keep like a canteen, flashlight, and other stuff. I'm thinking that this is the best place to take kids. I may never pick a different hotel again.

Baseball

2009-08-10T21:15:00.004-05:00

Hudson asked his daddy to play baseball with him in the back yard. This is them throwing the ball back and forth to each other. Hudson now says he wants to play T-Ball. Maybe after this season of soccer, we'll sign him up.

CHUCK E CHEESE

2009-08-10T21:13:00.003-05:00

I took Hudson and Shelby to Chuck E Cheese's last week. Hudson had a blast playing all the games. I didn't like the pizza, but the fun time was worth it.

Circus

2009-07-26T21:12:00.005-05:00

We took Hudson to the Circus today. It was quite a fun day. We had great seats and I think Philip and I enjoyed the show more than Hudson. I love the elephants the most. They looked happy as they were performing.

NASA

2009-07-22T18:24:00.004-05:00

We went and ate lunch with Daddy today. Then we went and visited his work (NASA). It was lots of fun. Hudson got a space suit and was walking around saying "Mission Control - Can you hear me?". Then he was sure to tell everyone that he was an Astronaut and he could fly anything. Everyone thought he was really cute - he turned lots of heads. These are pics of him when we got home because I forgot my camera. He still hasn't taken the suit off.

Painting last night

2009-07-21T20:23:00.004-05:00

Last night I took Hudson to the mall to do some painting. Evidently he gets his skills from me :) as all my girls night out girls know.

Wetlands

2009-07-21T20:07:00.010-05:00

A couple weeks ago we went to the Wetlands in Baytown. It's not very big, but it has some fun stuff to look at. Hudson enjoyed feeding the baby alligators, petting the rabbit, touching a snake and a turtle and playing with the animal skins. He really enjoyed the snowcones that we went and got afterwards. The greatest thing about the Wetlands is it is FREE!

The squirrel

2009-07-07T20:45:00.002-05:00

One day while we were hiking across D.C. to see all the monuments, we took a break to sit/rest on a bench. While we were there the squirrels kept coming around looking for food. So I opened a bag of cheese-its and started throwing them towards them. Then I noticed how close they were getting so I tried feeding one from my hand. He would come right up to me and gently take the cheese-it from my fingers. They did this on numerous occasions. It was so much fun. I didn't want to scare him so I didn't take a picture until he had gotten it from me. Here he is eating my cheese-its. I fed him and two other squirrels, plus a few ducks, the whole bag of cheese-its. It was lots of fun. Too bad Hudson was asleep and didn't get to see it.

Visiting Monuments/Museums

2009-07-07T20:30:00.009-05:00

Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Mommy & Hudson resting at the Smithsonian Castle.

Hudson sleeping/resting during the 4th of July Parade.

Philip & Hudson with a man dressed up at the National Archives. It's a terrible photo because you can't use flash in there. They also have hardly any light in order to preserve the original documents.

Hudson standing in line at the Roosevelt Memorial.

Hudson sitting on a ladies lap at the Roosevelt Memorial.

Hudson & Philip at OCS Graduation (matching shirts).

Jonathan's Graduation from OCS & Family Day

2009-07-07T20:15:00.010-05:00

Hudson following behind.

Hudson playing on the OCS training course.

Still playing at Quantico.

Granddad & Grandma & Hudson

Officer Candidate School Graduation.

David & Jonathan at the Marine Corps Museum.

D.C. Day One

2009-07-07T20:00:00.002-05:00

Out trip to D.C. was very adventuresome. Traveling with a young child is difficult but easier than traveling with an infant. The good thing is, you don't always have to carry them (even though Hudson thought we should). The bad thing is, they don't help carry the luggage, and when they do help, it ends up eing a disaster. Hudson did a great job on the trip.

Our first flight was from Houston to Dallas. We were meeting up with Granddad, Grandma and Aunt Paula there and then flying to D.C. Our plane was late and then had to fly around some thunderstorms so our 40 minute layover was about a 5 minutes too late layover.

The good news was, as we were waiting patiently for the people to get off our first plane so that we could make a mad dash to the next one (which was completely on the other side of the airport and required that we ride the rail system) we met the man in front of us. He was an American Airlines pilot which is who we were flying. He said we would be ok and that they would get us another flight. Then we explained that we were meeting family and he understood why we were desperate to get there quickly. He asked Hudson's name and we thought nothing of it.

We got off the plane and ran through the airport, loaded the railsystem, got off at our terminal (sure that our plane would be gone), but as we turned the corner the check in lady was yelling Hudson's name. Apparently the pilot had called ahead and asked them to wait on us. Wasn't that nice!! I thought our family had mentioned us, but they said they hadn't - so it had to be him (especially since they were yelling - YOU MUST BE HUDSON - DON'T WORRY YOU'RE NOT TOO LATE!).

Needless to say, I didn't get any pics of this, because of the big rush. But then, we got on the plane (the very last people to get on) and we were row 18. Our family was on row 16. A lady on row 17 was very adgitated at us talking and asked us to switch rows with her because she couldn't put up with this the whole flight. So we switched. Then the pilot decided that a window was broken and couldn't be fixed, so we had to all get off again. This photo is us waiting for our next plane to load again....

Fun in the Water

2009-06-23T09:58:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Shelby and Hudson got up early and went Slip n Sliding in the back yard. Shelby added dish soap so that they could slide. Here's a photo of them.

Week in Dallas/Fort Worth Area

2009-06-23T09:54:00.002-05:00

Last week we went to the Dallas/Fort Worth area to stay with my friend who just had surgery. I didn't take any photos, because who would want to be in a photo right after surgery. But after that visit, we went on to Granddad & Grandmas. This a picture of Hudson and them at a yummy place called CHAPPS. We love eating there. But we especially love spending time with them.

Wave Pool

2009-06-15T22:34:00.004-05:00

Today we went to the wave pool. Shelby and Mason (Hudson's cousins) are here from Florida. We took them to the wave pool and all had a great day. Hudson really loves swimming. He is not afraid of the water at all. He just takes off like he knows what he's doing. We put lots of sunblock on, but I guess we spent too much time out there because we all got a little burnt.

Fun NIghts

2009-06-13T21:48:00.007-05:00

Hudson and I have been having a great 1st week of summer. Besides preparing for my neice and nephew who are coming tomorrow, we also went shopping, rode bikes, and ate at Roosters. These pics reflect all of those things.

Hudson has become an excellent bike rider. He actually pedals. He found it very fun to start at the top of the slanted driveway and bolt down on his bike. If I wasn't there to catch him he would have been in the street or crashed on the concrete. I advised him to not do this anymore.

After his doctor's appointment we did some shopping to pass time until lunch with Daddy. Hudson picked out these cute Lion Pajamas from The Gap. I really like them.

Then last night we ate at Rooster's. They had some live entertainment and the man that was singing was really nice to Hudson. He sang him a song and Hudson sang with him. Then while the man was singing, Hudson danced around. It was fun and Hudson added a big tip to his tip jar.

Anxiety, Anxiety, Anxiety

2009-06-10T13:44:00.005-05:00

We went to Hudson's doctor appointment today:

The doctor said Hudson was suffering from Anxiety.

So, as for now, we're doing what the pediatrician, preschool director, family, my husband, myself and now the urologist said we should do a few weeks ago - don't worry about it. Just take it easy. He's four.

Tomorrow is a big day

2009-06-09T19:32:00.003-05:00

Hudson got a new pool for the summer. This is the one he chose. He has had a good time playing in it. These are pics of him last night.

On another topic now, Hudson has a doctor's appointment tomorrow. We have been waiting 2 months to get in to this specialist. Please pray that they will be able to conduct the right tests that will help us come to some type of reason why he is having this problem. It has been a very hard few months. Who knew that such a minor issue could have been the stem of so many problems.

I think he has been more confused the past few months than ever before. Not knowing what people expect of him, getting mixed signals about what he is doing, trying his hardest - yet still feeling like he's dissappointing....It's been hard on him.

Things have gotten better with his issue. It seems as if calming down, acting like it's not a big deal and telling him that we are proud of him "no matter what" is what is working. It hasn't solved the problem (obviously) because we are still going to the doctor, but it has helped. I'm thankful for that.

Also, after seeing his speech pathologist, she is totally convinced that his issue and his speech are totally connected to his Sensory Integration Disorder. Hopefully the doctor can shed some light on this tomorrow. We will also have some extensive testing done at the beginning of the school year.

Anyways, just keep us in your prayers tomorrow. I will update as soon as I know more.

2009-06-08T15:59:00.002-05:00

Saturday we went to the Natural Science Museum and then went to Bass Pro Shops for Philip to do a little dreaming (LOL). I got a new purple fishing pole and Hudson got to take a picture. Philip got a chatter bait kit. We had lots of fun and ate at the Bass Pro Restaurant. I had some wonderful blackened fish. YUMMY!

Slip N Slide

2009-06-08T15:48:00.005-05:00

Hudson got a slip n slide for his birthday. It wasn't quite warm enough to use it in April, but now it is plenty warm. He had a blast plopping himself down on and trying to slide. Someone gave me the suggestion of adding soap to it so that he could really slide.
He also doesn't like grass on on his body. So when you see him sitting at the end - he's picking grass off of his body. He kept saying "EWWW Grass!!!"

Day at the Aquarium

2009-05-30T18:38:00.026-05:00

Wow - we had a lot of fun today. Hudson wanted to go see a movie and have popcorn, but there weren't any good movies for him to see. So instead, we took a trip to the Downtown Aquarium. It was pretty reasonable. We got to do all the attractions for $15.99 each. Too bad Hudson wasn't cheaper, but it was well worth the fun. You can also pay for things individually, but it's a better deal to buy the package.

We visited the aquarium - which is awesome. They have some of the coolest marine life I've ever seen. Plus they have awesome White Tigers. The tigers are very active because they are in a cool environment, not at the hot zoo. They were coming right up to the glass, eating in front of us, and one even pooped in the lake while everyone was watching. Is was quite funny. We watched the trainer put food out and then the tigers were let out again to eat the beef. I think this was my favorite part.

After the aquarium, we walked over to Hard Rock Cafe and ate. Then we headed back to the aquarium. We rode the train through a tunnel of sharks - that was cool. We also rode the carousel but skipped riding the ferris wheel (because I don't like those). Then we went to the dancing water. Hudson had a blast there. They even had a balloon toss game that Hudson entered. An older girl there offered to be his partner. She was really nice and her mom was too.
These are the pics from the day.

Monday at the Lake

2009-05-25T19:51:00.004-05:00

We had a great weekend at the lake. We all spent a lot of time outside. We took Hudson's inflatable bouncer and he had a great time playing on it. The pics where he is lying down is where he is "playing dead". He thought playing dead was fun and he wanted me to take a picture of him doing it. The other pic is of him and Grandpa playing basketball. They had a great time. It was a wonderful weekend with family.

Saturday at the Lake

2009-05-25T19:42:00.006-05:00

Hudson and his fish that he caught. He learned how to throw them back himself.

Mommy & Hudson on the boat going FAST!!!

Hudson started the weekend out sick. He still has a cough/congestion but he's definitely feeling better. He had a fun time playing at the lake and fishing. These are some pics from our fishing trip on Saturday. This one is him in Uncle Ken's truck, wearing Uncle Ken's hat.

KIds in Parking Lots

2009-05-22T17:10:00.003-05:00

I was just talking with my brother about how protective I am of my son in parking lots. We discussed how easy it is for a child to get run over. I am always cautious when it comes to my son. With our lives as busy as they are - I'm sure there are many distractions that takes our eyes and hands off our children. Loading a car, trying to get in a store with multiple children, pushing a stroller and trying to hold the hand of another child - these are all complicated tasks that mommies and daddies face when going out with their children.
Recently (this week) my husband was outside of Sun & Ski Sports and he noticed a woman yelling at her son for running off in the parking lot. She yelled for him to come back. Now in one sense, the woman was being responsible by calling her son back so he wouldn't get hurt. Yet, in another sense, holding the child's hand from the beginning would have been a better idea. Who knows what was going on with her that day - so I'm not judging. I'm simply making an observation.
Lately when I am out in parking lots - I have seen a lot of children just running amuck. Parents - hold on to your babies. :)

Sick Friday

2009-05-22T16:54:00.002-05:00

Hudson is sick today. A great way to start off a long weekend. Usually when he is sick, he still doesn't stop to rest much. But today, he hasn't stopped resting to play. This picture is of what he has been doing all day. I feel bad for him because he feels so bad. Hopefully tomorrow will be better day at the lake.

Happy Day

2009-05-20T19:37:00.002-05:00

These are my beautiful flowers that my husband got me today :)

Today is my 9th anniversary of making one of the best choices I ever made. I married my husband - Philip. He is wonderful, generous, caring, loving, and much, much more. I love him very much and am excited that we have enjoyed 9 years together. Thank you Philip for marrying me. Thank you for choosing me to be your wife. I'll love you forever.

Weekend Away

2009-05-17T21:28:00.003-05:00

It's been a great weekend away. Even though I hate driving in the car for hours, it was well worth it. We got to visit with Granddad, Grandma, Aunt Paula, Uncle Jonathan, Big Bobby, Bobby Wayne, Baylea and Rachael'. It was tons of fun. On Saturday we took Paula all around getting ready for PROM. She looked beautiful. Then on Saturday evening we met the Bressman's for dinner and shopping. The kids had a good time running around Bass Pro Shops, climbing boats and 4 wheelers. Then we roped the boys into a little outlet shopping. It was more walking than shopping, but it was good. It was nice to spend time with my family and BFF's this weekend. These are some pics from the kids playing at Bass Pro.

Fun Saturday

2009-05-09T23:04:00.002-05:00

Hudson had a soccer game today and after that we went to Academy. His daddy and him have a good time playing with all the stuff there. Hudson found the baseball helmets and decided he wanted to try one on. Here he is ready to play. This will probably be his next sport to play, because people don't try to steal the ball from you. He doesn't really like sharing the ball :).

Scarf

2009-05-09T22:59:00.003-05:00

Before Aunt Jennifer left for her 6 month trip, Hudson asked her to make a scarf for him. She had been making her own. So that night, we found some yarn upstairs, and Hudson picked out the colors he wanted. She nitted this scarf for him in one day. HE LOVES IT. He wears it all around the house. Sometimes he takes it with him when we go somewhere. And many times he sleeps with it. Tonight he is sleeping with it.

Girls weekend

2009-05-09T22:51:00.002-05:00

A couple weeks ago Jennifer and I had a short girls weekend. We went to Fredericksburg (Heaven on Earth) and had fun shopping and eating out. Here's a wonderful lunch we had at a sandwich shop in a town outside Fredericksburg. It was wonderful. Then another pic is of Jennifer at a brewery/restaurant that we went to. We only went to this place for the dessert. It was awesome. Jennifer is now on her own road trip across the West Coast then to Wyoming. I miss her but I love seeing all her fun pics. You should check out her blog.

Hudson's Drum Set

2009-04-22T21:20:00.004-05:00

Hudson got a drum set for his birthday. I know -we are crazy. But we love to let him play. His Daddy is hopeful that they can start a band - I'm not singing!! His Grandma taught him how to bow at the end and say "thank you, thank you". It's too cute.

Hudson's Birthday

2009-04-22T21:11:00.005-05:00

Hudson recently had a birthday. He & one of my best friends children have the same birthday (only 4 years apart). We had Hudson's birthday party the week before his actual birthday. Then we went to Baylea's birthday on their actual birthday weekend. These are pics from both weekends.

Easter

2009-04-22T21:05:00.004-05:00

I'm catching up on posting some pics. These are some Easter pics. We had a wonderful worship service at church. Hudson slept through most of it. Here he is before the rain.

At the Zoo

2009-03-21T22:24:00.002-05:00

We went to the zoo again during Spring Break. Hudson rode the carousel this time. It was fun meeting so many friends there. As you can see, I have not perfected the art of taking a picture of myself and Hudson, but at least you got parts of our faces. :)

Different Post Tonight

2009-03-18T00:25:00.002-05:00

Tonight I'm feeling like branching out and writing a different kind of post. I usually let you know about what has gone on during the day with my family and let you see a few pics from the fun we have had. But tonight, I'm feeling a little sad. My heart is heavy and I have a message to say. I'm not sure how it will come out, but here it comes....

Divorce is a terrible, ugly thing. It is a choice to tear apart one of the most sacred unions that has been made. Now, that I have said that, I want to also say that I'm not hear to PREACH about divorce. It happens for many reasons... too many for me to go into.

My parents divorced, my mom's parent's divorced and who knows how many others before that divorced. Each of these divorces was definitely full of hurt, despair, and feelings of guilt. The one thing I can say about my parents divorce is that they did it with DIGNITY. Although they both were feeling hurt, used, mistreated, worthless, tired, frustrated, angry, lied to.....they never once let me believe that I had a part in this. They never once fought in front of me. They never once looked out for themselves....they tried their best to do what was best for me. I was only 10. I didn't know my parents even fought. I thought the world was good.

Yes, it was a shock to me when my mom said we were moving. It wasn't easy for me to be uprooted from the place I had grown up in. It wasn't easy to leave my Dad and start a life in a new place. My mom and dad knew this and they did the best they could to help me with this. I remember many nights, lying on the bed next to my mom, crying about why we had to leave and why they had to divorce. My mom always reassured me that it was not my fault and that her and my dad just couldn't be married anymore. IT WAS THEIR PROBLEM - NOT MINE!
The most important thing I want to say is that my mom and dad never said anything bad about the other person. Although I lived with my mom, she always encouraged me to call my dad, visit him and respect him. At one point, I was angry with my dad, and my mom encouraged me to write my dad a letter to explain it to him. She said that it would be ok and that he would listen to my concerns. She was right. When he got the letter, he called me and we worked it out. Mom always encouraged me to have a good relationship with my dad.

My parents weren't perfect. They had their bad days. But overall - they took me through this tough time with all of their DIGNITY, RESPECT and INTEGRITY.

Divorce is HARD. IT SUCKS. It really sucks when you are in the middle of it. But it is of utmost importance to remember that all parties involved in a divorce are human. They are special people. Even if you have been hurt by your former spouse - it is your responsibility as a parent to foster a good relationship between your children and their other parent. It's called being a GROWN UP.

I hope that those that are close to me that are going through this terrible thing at this time will read this and know that I love them. I care for each and every one of them that are involved. I hope it spurs you on to being a better YOU. I hope that you look out for your children and guard them from the ugliness. Help them to have a close relationship with both of their parents. Realize that this is not all about you. Every word that you choose to say, every action that you take, every look that you make when something is said...it is all seen by your children. They can read the hostility in you. Forgive the former spouse for YOURSELF. Live peacefully. Do what is best for them.

Soccer Practice

2009-03-15T22:28:00.003-05:00

Hudson is now playing soccer. He has been really excited. This past week was our first practice. Here are some pics of him right before practice.

Zoo Trip

2009-03-10T20:24:00.006-05:00

This weekend we got to spend lots of time with Aunt Jennifer. It was so much fun. We went to the zoo - we actually became members so that we can go all year long. Hudson really got into the seeing the animals when we got there. He was so excited and it was fun watching him. I can't wait to spend many more days at the zoo.

If you take a Mouse to School

2009-03-10T20:03:00.003-05:00

Well, Hudson brought a mouse home. He got to bring home the book, If you take a mouse to school. Not only did he get to bring the book home but he also brought the mouse and a questionaire. We got to keep the mouse for a few days and we let him go places with us. One of the places he went was to Red Lobster. These are pics from his dinner out. We read the book every night and Hudson's favorite part was when the mouse played soccer. This was probably because Hudson is starting soccer soon.

It is such a good idea for schools to do programs like this. It doesn't take much and it really gets children interested in reading and spending time with their families. We had a great week and really appreciate his NEW SCHOOL and their efforts to involve families.

Catching up/Valentines Party

2009-03-10T19:57:00.004-05:00

Here's a pic from a few weeks ago. This was Hudson's Valentine's Party at school. They had ice cream sundaes, cookies, drinks and lots of fun. I took 1/2 a day off to go to the party.

Back to Blogging - AGAIN

2009-03-07T00:35:00.003-06:00

Hi everyone. Tomorrow you will have some new pics. I am up late playing Super Mario and CHECKING OUT WHO IS STALKING MY BFF'S BLOG, but I will add pics tomorrow.

Hudson is doing really well in his NEW PRESCHOOL. I will put pics of his rodeo on this week. I am really glad he left 4 our Kids. He is learning so much and loves his teachers. I can't wait to share the fun with you.

Fun with WII

2009-01-18T22:13:00.004-06:00

We got (no I got) a WII for Christmas. It is so much fun. We bought Hudson a Go Diego game. He really loves playing it. Here's a pic and a video of him playing the game.

day at the lake

2009-01-18T22:10:00.003-06:00

We spent last weekend at the lake. Hudson had a good time riding his tractor. He especially liked 2nd gear when I showed him how fast it would go. We had to lock it in first gear so that he wouldn't hurt himself - that thing goes fast!

Late Night Snack - Day 3

2009-01-03T22:28:00.004-06:00

This is my new rug & Shelby and Hudson enjoying their late night snack.

We had an uneventful day. Shelby and I went grocery shopping. We drove all the way to Kemah to shop at the Super Target. They have wonderful choices in the grocery department. I love the variety. All of my items, including ice cream, were still cold or frozen when I got home. I was excited.

After our uneventful day, we spent most of the evening picking up, cleaning and doing laundry. I did get a new rug for the front door. I wanted the small door rug, but could only get the runner. I've looked at several Target stores and can only find the runner in this print. I was pleasently surpised to see how good it looks.

After a long night of me hanging up laundry and Philip cleaning the shower, we decided we needed a late night snack. We took orders and headed to Starbucks. Shelby and Hudson really enjoyed their snacks. Hudson has become a very particular orderer. He asked for a Strawberry Creme with a big strawberry on top. I had to explain to him that Starbucks doesn't put strawberries on top. He seemed ok with this explanation.

Dancing with the man of my dreams - Day 2

2009-01-02T23:03:00.002-06:00

Here's a not so good pic of Philip and I after our night out.

One of our very good friends got married tonight. She's a beautiful girl and comes from a beautiful family. The wedding was - well, you guessed - BEAUTIFUL!

At her wedding they asked all the married couples to come to the dance floor. This kind of tricked my husband because he thought he was just participating in a game. Much to his surprise, it was a dance for married couples. He had to dance. While we were dancing I told him that this was the very FIRST DANCE we have ever danced together. It brought tears to my eyes. I actually danced with the man of my dreams! It was awesome.

I must explain why we have never danced. When I was growing up and sowing my oats, I did quite a bit of dancing. My husband on the other hand, was a Baptist Preacher's Son, and he sowed his oats in other ways. Because we all know that Baptist's DON'T DANCE!!! - WHATEVER!!

Anyways, he never learned to dance. So he was never comfortable taking me on the dance floor. But, he did mention tonight that if we took dance lessons, he would love to dance with me. So needless to say, I'm looking up dance lessons TONIGHT!

Back to the married couples game - they eliminated couples by how many years we were married. Philip and I made it till they said those that were married less than 10 years had to leave. We've been married almost nine. But the winners were a couple that had been married 65 years - WOW! They were cute. But it was most fun seeing the runner's up. They had been married 32 or 33 years and they were our dear friends - Mike & Angel. Congrats guys on a long, wonderful marriage. I hope that when Philip and I have been married that long we can still cut a rug like you guys.

I'M BACK - DAY 1

2009-01-01T21:25:00.005-06:00

Hi everyone. It's been a long time. I'm back to blogging. I'm finished with school (my master's degree) and now have a little more time. I will hopefully be faithful to add to my blog daily. Today was January 1st and we spent it with family. We took all the kiddos to the skate park. Hudson even participated in the skating. We had some on roller blades, some on skate boards and Hudson on a scooter. It was lots of fun and I hope we get to do it again soon. Stay tuned for more updates.

Oh, don't forget to answer my polling question. I'm sick of the crazy people who keep egging our cars. My nephews car was egged 2 nights ago. My best friends car was egged a few months ago and my husbands car was egged a few months before that. I'm ready to fight back. The problem is, I'm old and don't stay up late to catch them. But don't worry - things will change. I now park my car in the garage so mine won't be egged.

didn't make it

2008-09-01T10:40:00.002-05:00

I didn't make 365 consecutive posts, but I'm going to try to start again. I will not try to catch up though. Life has been too crazy with school starting. Philip and I both work full time jobs, plus we are both working on our Master's Degree's this semester. Philip is taking his first 9 hours and I'm taking my last 6 hours. It will be crazy until December. I'm going to try to post a pic a day - but I won't make any promises.

Day 58

2008-08-06T20:44:00.004-05:00

After a long, hot, humid day of shopping, I treated myself to a makeover. I went to MAC looking for new makeup for my 30 something skin and decided to have them do my makeup. The lady I had doing it was wonderful. She really took her time and gave me lots of pointers. My BFF told me to put a picture on my blog of my new makeover. Philip was too busy laughing at me so I had to take the pics myself.

Day 57

2008-08-05T21:44:00.003-05:00

You'll have to look very close to see, because my camera isn't working too well. This is a baby bird that was taking shelter on our front porch from the Tropical Storm. Even as I was taking the picture, rain started coming at the house and bird sideways. The poor birdie was getting all wet. He survived though. Later, I went back out to check on him and he flew off and played in the flower beds - most of the storm was gone by then. I think he's one of the many birds that have taken up residence in our Oak Tree. Our tree is not very big, but the other day I swear there were 20 birds inside it. I'll try to get a picture of that soon.

Day 56

2008-08-05T21:40:00.002-05:00

School is about to start. To get a head start, I got a copy of the 5th grade science curriculum early. I wanted to start studying. I may end up being smarter than a 5th grader this year!! At least I will be AS SMART AS a 5th grader. These are my new binders that I put the curriculum in. They are pretty, but kind of flimsy, so I may end up getting some more.

Day 55

2008-08-03T22:04:00.002-05:00

Philip mowed the yard this evening, trying to prepare for the Hurricane. Hudson tried to help his Daddy in the yard. Here's a pic of him sweeping the grass - in his underwear!

Day 54

2008-08-03T22:00:00.003-05:00

We went to the mall on Saturday. I showed Philip, Aunt Jennifer and Hudson the Lego store. Here's a pic of Hudson playing with the legos.

Day 53

2008-08-03T21:57:00.004-05:00

We went to Kemah and ate supper Friday night. We also let Hudson ride the train and we let him run around in the dancing water. We all had a good time. Here's a pic of Hudson and Aunt Jennifer on the train.

Day 52

2008-07-31T21:25:00.002-05:00

This picture is so funny. I have been teaching Hudson a new song when we drive - The B-I-B-L-E.

Here's the song:

The B-I-B-L-E, Yes that's the book for me.

I stand up on the Word of God. The B-I-B-L-E. BIBLE!!

While singing it in the car, he said he wanted to read his Bible when we got home. So I got it out while I was singing the song and having him sing it to Daddy. He immediately threw the Bible to the ground and stood on it. At first I wasn't sure what he was doing and I said, "No Hudson, we don't stand on the Bible". Then I realized the song says, "I stand up on the Word of God", and I laughed and took a picture. I know it seems a bit disrespectful(standing on the Bible), but I really believe that God thought this was just as humourous as I did. Oh to have Faith like a child!!

Day 51

2008-07-31T21:21:00.002-05:00

Wednesday was a fun day. We ate pizza and yummy greek salad with Aunt Jennifer and K.P. We also got to see Ashley because she came home for a late lunch. We ended up leaving thier house late, so we got daddy to cook dinner. He put a lasanga in the oven. Hudson didn't love it so he ate lots of strawberries.

Day 50

2008-07-30T18:58:00.003-05:00

Tuesday we were very busy. We attended a hearing to lower our lake house taxes. It worked - WOO-HOO! Then we went to the school and worked all day in my classroom. Hudson watched T.V. and played with a friend while I unpacked and organized. What a day. It was good that we were gone all day though, because Hudson has been eyeing this toy that we bought for his cousin. He keeps telling me that he doesn't want his toys, he only wants this toy. He would even give up his new cash register for this.

Day 49

2008-07-30T18:57:00.003-05:00

Hudson got a new toy this weekend. It is a cash register. He is having a fun time playing with it.

Day 48

2008-07-30T18:49:00.006-05:00

We spent the weekend with Granddad and Grandma. This is Hudson posing on their steps. He's a true model. This is his "act mad" look.

Day 47

2008-07-30T18:40:00.006-05:00

Saturday we went to try to ride the train from Grapevine to the Stockyards. Hudson was very insistent that we ride a train. Unfortunately the train was sold out so we weren't able to ride. Hudson settled for a picture in front of the train, a ride on the carousel, and multiple rides on various vehicles in the mall. He also got spoiled rotten by Grandma and Mommy at the Disney Store.

Day 46

2008-07-30T18:31:00.003-05:00

Friday we spent most of the day trying to take pictures at the Prarie Creek Park. We originally were going to take family pics of the Bressman's and then have them take some of us. But Hudson wasn't in that good of a mood and we were all sweating like pigs - so we passed on our family pics. We'll go back in the spring when the water is flowing freely and it is much cooler. Here's some pics of Hudson.

Day 45

2008-07-30T18:26:00.002-05:00

Thursday we did lots of shopping. We got Hudson some winter outfits and some new school clothes. I also got this wonderful relish that makes the best dip ever. You mix it with 2 softened bars of cream cheese and then eat with fritoes. I bought four jars - YUMMY!

Day 44

2008-07-30T18:17:00.002-05:00

Wednesday was a busy day. Rachael' had a school meeting and then I had a doctors appt. I had a wonderful experience with Care Now. It's kind of an urgent care place but more like a doctors office that stays open late. They also let you check in on the web and they call you when they are ready. You have a very minimal wait. The nurse was very nice and they don't waste your time. If you're ever in the Dallas area and need medical attention, I would definitely recommend them. Here's their website http://www.carenow.com/

Day 43

2008-07-30T18:13:00.003-05:00

O.K. It's been over a week since I've posted, so I have some catching up to do. This is Tuesday at our friends house in Plano. The kids were having a fun time playing in the sprinkler. Hudson kept saying he was MAD! I think he thinks it's kind of fun to play the MAD game. He crosses his arms and pouts. Here's a couple of pictures.

Day 42

2008-07-21T20:42:00.003-05:00

Today Hudson and I headed to the Dallas area to spend time with friends and family. We left Daddy at home. It was a long trip, but we survived. I really missed having Daddy as a driver and allowing me to sleep. When we got to my best friend Rachael's house we had to wait a few minutes for her to get home. Then we all headed out to eat lunch at Jason's Deli. After lunch we did a little bit of shopping for wash cloths. Then Rachael' and Bobby made a terrific dinner. Carolina smoked pork chops (with the best marinade ever), asian salad, corn on the cob, & cornbread. It was awesome. Then we all went swimming and had a blast. Here's all the kids after our fun day - ready for bed!

Day 41

2008-07-20T20:34:00.003-05:00

Today was a great day. We had a great Worship service at 2nd Baptist Baytown, then had a yummy lunch at Goings. After all of that fun, we came home and took a long nap. Hudson spent the evening entertaining himself - as always. I wish I would have taken a video of this, but I only got a picture. He was playing with the laundry baskets again. This time, he got in the basket and got his bat and sword. He used those as paddles and kept repeating, "I'm paddling my boat". He really does take after his daddy. I love kids imaginations.

By the way - he does wear pants - occasionally! It just seems easier to wear less while we're learning to use the potty.

Day 40

2008-07-20T20:31:00.003-05:00

I posted a pic of our flower beds when they were in bad shape and being redone by Philip and I. It took a lot of work to get those crazy Christmas Tree Runners uprooted, but we did it. Here is the final product.

Day 39

2008-07-20T20:26:00.002-05:00

I went shopping at my favorite teacher store - Mardel's. I resisted spending all of my money and only bought two teacher books. I'm getting a little nervous about teaching 5th grade math, so I'm thinking I need to find as many resources as I can. These are two books I found. One is filled with lots of activities that you can put together in boxes and have ready for the kids to pull off and work independently. I'm really excited about this one.

Day 38

2008-07-17T20:52:00.003-05:00

Hudson and I spent a lot of time playing today. He played on the school playground, then his friend Mary came over and played at our house, and then he went to play at Mary's house. After all the playing - we took a nap. This is a picture of the end of the day. I took Hudson in the back yard to play while it was cool. This is him enjoying his table and chair set that his Grandma got him, while I enjoyed watching the sun set.

Day 37

2008-07-16T23:19:00.002-05:00

Hudson and I had a busy day. It started with an ultrasound of his kidneys, then to Target to get bath mats and a prize for him. After that we headed home for some lunch and a nap. When Daddy got home we went to eat dinner at Outback and then came home. I cut Phil's hair in the back yard and then the neighbors came over swam in the back yard and played. We are tired!! This is a picture of my new bath mats. I love the dark color. It's like a dark grey. I think it will look good in my bathroom with the rich red accents that I have.

Day 36

2008-07-16T23:16:00.002-05:00

My new favorite book. It's due today and I won't make it to the library to turn it in. I'm the worst about returning library books. I am very dependable with other things, but give me a library book, I'll keep it forever. I'm planning on returning it Thursday!!

Day 35

2008-07-16T23:07:00.003-05:00

Hudson on a Merry Go Round!!

Day 34

2008-07-13T21:23:00.003-05:00

This was on our way home from Hurst. We picked up a Medium pizza at a Pizza Inn in Buffalo and ate it for dinner. Hudson was asleep when Philip and I ate, but later he woke up and wanted pizza immediately. Here he is, eating in the car seat that must be washed again!

Day 33

2008-07-13T21:17:00.003-05:00

We spent the weekend with Granddad, Grandma, and Aunt Paula. We had a great time! Granddad & Hudson did some cooking and made delicious blueberry waffles. They were the best! This picture is of Granddad teaching Hudson how to make the waffle batter. We also went to the Weatherford Peach Festival where Granddad, Grandma and Aunt Paula had Peach Ice-Cream and Peach slushies. Philip, Hudson and I stuck with Lemonade. It was HOT but fun.

Day 32

2008-07-13T21:11:00.003-05:00

We headed to Hurst, Texas on Friday. Before we left, I wrote welcome notes to all the new Crockett teachers joining us next year. These are the pretty new notecards that I bought especially for them. Although I wrote the notes, I forgot to mail them. So I will be mailing them first thing Monday.

Day 31

2008-07-13T21:07:00.002-05:00

We had a "Ladies Night Out" Thursday night. It was great fun. We went to California Pizza Kitchen and then on to the Mad Potter. Everyones pottery was beautiful. I learned from Ashley and experience that "LESS IS BETTER". I might show you my finished product next week. Or you can wait and see me drinking from it next year at school.

Day 30

2008-07-09T21:15:00.002-05:00

Today we went and picked up our pottery from the MudPie. This is the plate I made while Hudson painted his monster truck. Then we went to eat lunch with Ashley, K.P. and Aunt Jennifer. We ate at the best place - Berryhill - YUMMY. After lunch we went to a cupcake shop and got some wonderful cupcakes. What a good day!!

Day 29

2008-07-09T20:57:00.003-05:00

As the summer allows for me more time to reflect, I often think of my Mom and how much I miss her. I was looking around my house at all the gifts Hudson has given me for birthdays and Mother's Day and it reminded me of the gifts I gave my mom. The first picture is a gift that Hudson gave me this year for Mother's Day. He was so excited to give me my flower.

When my mom died, I was cleaning out her home and I found a gift that I gave her. It was back when these people would come to the school and sell things to the students. You could spend $1.00 and buy all of your family a gift. I remember that I bought everyone in my family something. I bought my mom this crazy horse with wings. I was so surprised that she still had this horse and it was in mint condition. Mom's are the best!! The second picture is of the gift I gave her. I'll save it forever.

Mom's are such a blessing. As a mom, I hope I am as big of a blessing to my son as my mom was to me. Not only are mom's a blessing but being a mom is a blessing. Having a child is one of God's greatest gifts to us. Cherish the time with your children and your moms.