T-BALL

I know I promised to write a little about T-ball, so here goes!!!  Basically, it was a hoot!  I'm very glad that I went into it with no real expectations of my son emerging a prodigy T-ball player.  .  .because a prodigy he was not!!!  To me, it was something to do to help our time while daddy is "working" go by just a little bit quicker!!  I would say our team of 6 players got a little better as the season wore on--rather than hitting the ball and quickly running after it, they would attempt to get over to first base (usually they stopped to chat with friends on the field, or asked mom's to take them potty, or my favorite "MOMMY--IS T-BALL OVER YET?  I'M READY FOR MY SNACK").  God Bless our coaches!!  They had the patience of saints, I would have tried putting people in time-out, or threatened no snack if people didn't focus, but they seemed to have just the right amount of patience for the little boys who really just wanted to chase each other around more than anything else!!!

Why do you think they keep making us stand out here in this field?

Are these big red helmets really necessary?

Doing some serious fielding.  .  .

So you hold the bat like this, then you swing and try to hit that ball on the tee.  .  .

Team shot--Go Lil' Braves!!

Big swing!!

"Mommy--I got a trophy and a cupcake!  I Love T-Ball!!"

For a real glimpse of what it is all about:

http://gallery.me.com/johnrharlow#100061

Check out this video! :)

Louise "Lois" Evelyn Madison

So, picking up where I left off.  .  .

After the Mother's Day celebration was done, Judy and I were bonding over Facebook when she mentioned that she had been trying to reach Aunt Lois since 11:30 and had not been able to get her.  I told her it was probably fine, that she was probably just not feeling like talking today, or maybe even taking a nap.  Nonetheless, Judy felt like it was probably a good idea to get headed back home to check on her and relieve her from the dogs (Lois keeps Judy's dogs when she goes out of town usually).  I suggested she just have someone run over and check in on her and make sure she was okay.  Judy still insisted that she wanted to get on the road, and for a brief second Dad and I tried to talk her out of it--and then we all just sort of went quiet.  .  ."I'll help you pack" was the next thing I said and within minutes they were out the door.  Unfortunately, Judy's gut feeling was right--Aunt Lois had passed away.  Fortunately, she had very peacefully passed away in her sleep.  

Aunt Lois was such a special lady!!!  It's hard to imagine what the next few months will be like adjusting to her not being here.  Camden ADORED her!!  In fact, after we left her memorial service he told me he wanted to go see Aunt Lois.  It took him a little while, but once he warmed up to her there was no cooling him off! :)  She was a tough lady too!  When she was little she had polio which left her 'crippled' on one side.  This didn't really slow her down until later in life, she actually fell last year around her birthday and broke that hip.  She did recover and she recovered as quickly as she could b/c she really hated the rehab facility.  They served COLD applesauce and didn't bring her any cinnamon for it.  .  . :)  I still remember when I was pregnant with Camden and called to tell her we were having a boy--"Oh well, maybe next time you'll have a girl" haha!!!  Then when I found out Evan was a boy I tried to convince Judy to call and tell her, but she said I had too.  .  .I never did give her that little girl she was hoping for, but she sure did love my boys to pieces!!!  

Last Tuesday I went over to Marietta to help Judy go through pictures for the memorial service.  That was actually sort of fun.  My Grandma and Aunt Lois were a handful when I knew them, and going back through those pictures I realized that throw one more Madison (their sister Betty) in the mix and you've got quite a little party!!! :)  I wish I had known them then, but I am blessed to have known them when I did and for as long as I did!  I know you three are together again--we miss you here, but I'm glad you have each other there.  Until we all meet again.  .  .

Aunt Lois

The Madison Family

"A Perfect Family"--that was the inscription Lois had written on the back of this photo

Lois & Camden

Oh my goodness--Jason didn't forget Mother's Day

shew--in my haste to finish up that last post (I was shocked I was able to get through it with no one crying) I forgot to mention how Jason recognized Mother's Day!  He put a tribute in Stars & Stripes to me about how great and wonderful I am :)!!  It was really very sweet and a nice surprise.  He also had sent a package that happened to arrive just in time for me to open for Mother's Day--along with letters and loot for the boys he sent me a t-shirt, bracelet, and a very pretty shawl.  It was a treat for all of us to open it up on Mother's Day.  :)

Thanks baby--we love you!!!!! :)

Graduation & Mother's Day

I've had a lot going on the past week that is blog worthy--I'm just going to blog piece by piece though!  Bear with me, I'll get it all in eventually!!  We'll start with the fun stuff!!

So, this past weekend the Shaw/Harlow/Conner (partial) clan loaded up and headed down south to watch our little Mit-Mit graduate!!  It was so exciting for me because not only did Jason and I graduate from Southern just 9 (holy crap) short years ago, but we were one of the first classes to graduate in Paulson Stadium.  It is such a privilege really, you and 2000 others gathering around 7:30 am to swelter in the sun in your black cap and gown for several hours!!  I have to say it was much hotter and much LESS organized when Jason and I walked.  We couldn't hear anything (including our speaker--Roy Barnes, I think), nor could any of our friends and family hear our names being called.  PLUS by the time they got around to the business school (last one) everyone was up and walking around---there were even people taking photos on the field (so rude).  Misty's graduation was much more organized, and not quite as hot as ours was!  We all mapped out where we would sit the night before and the early birds got fantastic seats--we were right by the College of Education and we could see Misty reading our texts and making phone calls while she was on the field.  It really is a huge even in one's life and she was just taking it all in!! ;)  I always get so tickled at graduation, people anxiously await the name of their graduate to be called out, you can see them pointing and saying "shhh, here he/she comes, they are next" then once the name is called the polite people clap or just shout "woo" and then it's all over.  .  .all the waiting and anticipation--over in one very brief moment!!  The other thing that gets me is the people who shout from the stands at their graduate, as if they can hear you.  .  . "JOHN, JOHN--WE ARE RIGHT HERE" (all while waving their hands wildly)--Seriously, I'm pretty sure they can't hear you, maybe just send them a text or something.  .  .

Misty did spot us, but only after we told her Dad was going to hold up a seat cushion.  .  .oh and he wore a reddish shirt, and told her he would be so she knew what color to look for in the stands!!  

After graduation we hit up Snooky's (dad's favorite place to eat in Statesboro) and then headed over to celebrate with the graduates at Misty's house!  It was very nostalgic, and also sort of sad to not have my college partner in crime there to share it with!  

I did learn this weekend that I am not in college anymore--I did have fun, but I'm much more comfortable partying with the old folks.  I kept thinking "I am at Rum Runners, and I have 2 kids at home", "All these kids are in college, and I'm so not"--I went out on Friday and then opted out for an early bedtime on Saturday!  

Sunday I forced Adam to go walk around with me on campus so I could see all of the big changes!!!  The campus is very much the same as it was, however, the buildings are being used for other things, or have just been completely redone altogether.  It looked great!!  I'm very proud of GA Southern, it's really coming into it's own.  Statesboro will always be the first place to enter my mind when I think of a college town!  What a perfect place to be when you are first learning to "be on your own"!!

Paulson Stadium

The Graduates--do you see Misty??

Freedom waiting to fly from the new field house

Adam & I anxiously awaiting to hear our graduate's name

There she is, ready to take on the world. . .or whatever

Sunday was also Mother's Day.  I have to admit I was not really looking forward to yet another holiday (albeit a "created one" as Bill would call it) without Jason.  I have to give big props to all of my parents for making it a special one for me!!  Dad & Judy took Camden shopping and let him pick out some lotion for me all by himself.  He was so excited to give me my gift and wish me a "Happy Mother's Day"!!  Mom & Dad also gave me a card with a gift certificate to get my nails did!  I'm saving it, I'm sure I'll have somewhere to go soon (and I'll want to have my nails done)!  All in all it ended up being a pretty good day--until about 4pm.  .  . 

Embracing my stay at home mommy status

First--these pictures are in the wrong order--we ended our day with a bath, but I truly don't feel like re-sequencing them so just start at the bottom I guess!!! 

So for some reason today I decided I was going to embrace my status.  It's been a tough one for me, as I really don't love being home--although, I do LOVE my kids!!  I think mainly it's because I feel like being at home means I have to have a perfectly clean house, and my kids should always look nice, I should always be put together, and there should always be something baking in the oven, and freezing in the freezer.  .  .

I don't clean well, and I really don't bake well.  I can cook--but I don't do it a whole lot b/c there's only 1 or 2 ways to heat up Chef Boyardee.  .  .Truly, I don't know what came over me today, but today I made a reasonable to do list--accomplished everything, and still had time to be Mommy!!  It was great!!

It started out with Evan talking to his feet around 6:30--since I wasn't ready to get up yet I turned the monitor down and hoped he would go back to sleep.  .  .this was a wasted effort--so I went ahead and got up and did the usual bottle, GMA, coffee, facebook/email routine!  We had gotten home rather late last night so I decided I would let Camden sleep until 8:30 (knowing full well he was going to be up by 8:05 at the latest), anyway 8:30 would give us plenty of time to get ready for the gym.  8:35 rolls around and for goodness sakes the child was just out like a light (wednesday must've been a long day for him), after a quick survey on facebook I decided I would let him sleep!!!  Once he did get up I asked him what he wanted for breakfast, to which he responded "BISCUITS" (okay, so he's asked for that every day this week and every day he's gotten the same answer "we don't have any"), when I explained once again that we didn't have biscuits he started crying and saying "but I just want biscuits"!  Okay, I felt bad so I found the bisquick an whipped some up (I know, Betty Crocker better WATCH OUT)!!  I decided while I was making my biscuits that it would be a GREAT day to hit the park, and take a picnic!!  So I made our picnic, bathed the dog (it was on the list), cleaned the bathroom (also on the list), and then cleaned the bathroom in the basement (not on the list, so I scored tv time for myself)!!  Then off to the park.  .  .

WOW--we get settled at our picnic table, Camden runs off to play, I pull out the bottle so I can feed Evan (which, I don't know if you've noticed but he doesn't miss many meals so if you pull the bottle out you better be good and ready to feed him--SERIOUSLY), and here comes Camden "Mommy--I need to find a tree, I have to go potty.  .  ."REALLY??  I explain that we will have to wait until Evan is done eating to walk back up to the bathrooms and in the future it would be good if he could potty before we get to the playground.  .  .

After we potty we come down and Camden wants to eat, so I pull everything out and we eat, I put it all back away and off he goes.  .  .as he's playing Jason calls--I literally get the phone to my ear when Camden says "Mommy (take a wild guess)--I need to go poo-poo" REALLY??  SERIOUSLY??  IN THE PUBLIC RESTROOM?  GREAT.  .   .

So--off we go to the bathroom AGAIN so Camden can do his business.  Shew--that was over--so far we've been at the playground for 50 minutes and Camden has gone down the slide ONCE, gone potty TWICE, and eaten 1/2 of his PB&J.  Seems like a wasted trip really--however, when we got back down to the playground another mommy had shown up with her kids and Camden was just in heaven!  I think we left around 2:30 or so, all in all a good adventure for us!

On to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for sausage balls--I decided since I was going to make them I would make a lot of them and FREEZE some for future use! :)

It is Teacher Appreciation week at school so we were in charge of bringing breakfast food, and I have my family support meeting Sunday so I can take them then as well--PLUS Camden loves sausage balls!!  So I decided while I was cooking (or rolling rather) that it would be good for Camden to play with play-doh (this way we could continue our togetherness).  This actually turned out to be a bit of a mistake b/c sausage hands can't play (or help) with play-doh.  .  .oh well, it kept him from in front of the tv for a while!  After all this was done, we watered flowers (again, very out of character for me), took baths, ate dinner, read stories and off to bed.  .  .I'm pretty sure this is was the kind of day God intended for me to have!!  I think he wants me to have more like this!!  I'm going to try.  .  .

Sharing a tub!  Camden has things that change the water color, so don't worry no one is bleeding!

At the bottom of a VERY big slide!

See I told you it was a big slide!

Evan can sit up--assisted of course!

Funny story, I was on the phone with mom and Camden was waiting on me in the bathroom, apparently I kept him waiting too long b/c when I came into check on him he was making a toilet paper fort!  He's so creative.  .  .

mmmmm.  .  .sweet potatoes!!