by teresa

Chris and the boys have been practicing basketball...alot.
Nick and him even have a tournament going.
Last night they were all three outside playing....and when they came in Chris plopped down on the floor (on his back) with the ball. I thought they had killed him....but he was just showing them a helpful tip to help them shoot better. He said if you lay on your back and flip the ball toward the ceiling (in correct shooting form) the ball will come straight back to you.
"Like this", he said.
Then he threw the ball up...it flipped the wrong way...slammed into my (yes...my) Christmas tree...and knocked (and broke) ornaments off the tree.
He was then sent straight to his room for time out!

P.S.
When I got Ben up for school this morning he had a basketball beside his bed. Apparently Chris didn't see the error of his ways (no playing ball in the house). He had put Ben to bed with a glow in the dark basketball so he could practice his new tip..in the dark...without mom knowing about it.

by teresa

Ben and I watched Shrek The Halls and The Grinch last night.
He took his shower...we got in our jammies and snuggled on the couch together. His bedtime is usually 8:00pm....but he promised to get up good in the morning so I conceded to the extended hour (what kind of mother would I be not letting him watch The Grinch?). He reneged on his promise by the way. The morning was filled with grumbles, whining, stomping and cries of displeasure. And Ben was grumpy too.

My hands are bent and achy. Yesterday and today I took on the task of cutting out Ben's school's Campbells Soup labels that parents have sent in since the beginning of the school year. There must have been 1,000 labels in the barrel. Oh my goodness! It's a neat idea. If you cut out and send in the proof of purchase from the labels...they will give the school free educational equipment. Any school can sign up....you just need volunteers to send in labels and cut them out. My old hands will let someone else do it next time.

by teresa

All our decorations are up.

Tree.

Bushes.

Wreaths.

Mantle.

We let the boys have some left over stuff to make a winter wonderland in the backyard. Mom also contributed to the boys "Griswald" back yard fantasy.

Although she put up lots of wonderful things (the most special). There were some things of Dad's she left in the attic or let the boys borrow.

My father did Christmas up special. Window displays(fake snow,Santa and Mrs. Claus,etc.), animated figures(elves, angels and snowflakes) and Santa's sleigh in the front yard(filled with wrapped gifts). Passers by would slow their cars to a crawl to linger in front to see all he had done.

It hurts.

We miss him so much.

It's as though someone ripped off the bandaid just as the scab was healing.

It's the elves that got me. Those awful, ugly elves he loved so much. He rejoiced over the ebay wins for each of them. He would find a place of honor for the set of them. Katy and I remarked at how scary they were...with their saw, hammers, etc.(they were toy makers). Did I mention that they move? Yes...move. Creepy. She put a Barbie head in one of the hands last year and Dad got all grumpy about it. How dare we dishonor his elves. hee hee

I love those darn elves!

*sigh*

comments and questions from this week...

by teresa


Stop wiping your boogers on the pillow!


Why do you want me to fall down the stairs?


Who put a finger nail in the butter?


Why are there four pitchers of tea in the house?


Who could drink all that tea?


Is there anymore of that tea left?


We need to get more tea!


Your chili makes my butt quiver.


Why is there poop on the couch cushion?


I like boobies!


If Katy has her boob out mom...I'll just close my eyes tight!


I'm not sharing my booty! I need to ration it!


hahahahaha Ben jumped into my fart cloud hahahaha!


If I buy you a new nightgown...will you throw away the grapefruit?

by teresa


What a super Thanksgiving week.

Everyone came over...and we did have the feast outside on our patio. More space and freedom for the kids (all 7 of them) made for a relaxing time for the adults. And goody for me...no spills on my carpet!

Friday (and a 30 degree drop in temperature) brought us back indoors and made for a perfect "chili" day. I made a big pot and we hosted our assistant soccer coaches and their kids. Five hours of fun, food, football and fire (Nick made a fire...and we ate waaaay too many marshmallows).
The kids played so well together. The game of Life, Twister ,SingStar and some cold (44 degree) basketball games out back made for a fun day.

Saturday Chris and I watched some more football (we love Va.Tech) and munched on some leftovers. The boys spent most of the day with different grandparents...helping with Christmas decorating and shopping. Last night we all met up together and headed over to Jason Deli for dinner. I guess no one was in the mood for leftovers.

Today after church we will clean out the fridge with a post Thanksgiving buffet. Everyone is invited and no one can leave until all the tupperware is empty!

Happy Thanksgiving!

by teresa

The other day...as we were sitting at the dinner table...Nick said,"I feel like we are in one of those commercials where someone is standing outside a window, looking in at a family eating dinner ...they are eating, smiling and laughing and he wishes he had a family like that one."

That melted my heart.
I wish that for all of you.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots of food and love. We are hosting this year...so all the family is piling in here around 1:00pm. It's so nice outside (74 degrees and breezy) that we are seriously thinking of setting up the tables and chairs outside. Crazy Virginia weather.

I am thankful for....

by teresa


My Jesus: He holds my hand, carries me, whispers in my ear, cheers me on, wipes my tears and gives me a pat on the back whenever needed.


My family: We are all as close as ever. I know some people who don't get along with one or more of their family members....that is not the case with us. It's one for all and all for one!


Memories: Of loved ones and good times!


Now for the important things (just kidding):


Chinese food(especially egg rolls with lots of duck sauce)


Internet (and everything bloggerific)


Barnes&Noble (sigh)


Target (double sigh)


DVR(I haven't watched a commercial in months)


Netflix (I get very happy when that red envelope is in the mailbox)


Fabreeze plugins (I have so many Chris teases that the vanilla is choking him)

Colorful sharpies (I do not share my sharpies)

What are you thankful for?

I want one serious thing...and one frivolous thing.

Hangin With the Boys

By Chris

Sheww. I still remembered the password. Since the madam of the blog skipped today, and I finally had a free minute, I thought I would fill in the blank. Today was the first time Ben, Nick and Dad all went together for an ODU basketball game this season. Nick and Dad went solo to the first two games, which was great for a variety of reasons.. Lauren secured a free ticket for tonight (well . . . sort of free . .. it comes with the thousands in tuition we are paying). That, plus my two season tickets had us all there to root on the Monarchs to a victory over Iona. I have this thing called the "Bank of Dad." The records are kept on my Blackberry. Any money the boys earn ends up there. Then, they can spend it with me. So, Ben hit the Bank of Dad hard tonight. The ODU Store has lots of neat stuff. He got a big old "No. 1" foam finger and a crazy blue wig. He sported both for the entire game. It slightly embarassed suddenly cool and almost-teenager-with-long-hair-and-American-Eagle-clothes Nick. But, not too embarassed to prvent him from taking little brother Ben around to all the concession stands and hookin' him up with dinner sans dad during halftime. Of course, Ben embraced persona Super Monarch Fan and danced to the music, blue hair and big finger drawing all kinds of attention. This got him a very long appearance on the Jumbo-Tron screen at the game. Realizing all 6,000 people were seeing him on the four screens . . . he hammed it up and danced more. Humongous Ben showing off for the whole crowd. That's so Ben. The camera loves him . . . and he loves the camera. We also got selected as the "row of the game" . . . of all the rows in the building. So, we have free tickets to see a Christmas lights display now (so, family blog readers, we'll be pilin' in to the Green van soon to hit that display if anyone wants to go) Pretty cool. That got us on the Jumbo Tron too. I don't really like to see myself on that thing . . . but Ben thinks it is really, really fabulous. During our evening prayers, he thanked the Lord for such a cool evening. Then, I thanked the Lord for the same. The boys and I at basketball with my boys from my college days. Pretty nifty. Sometimes God gives you yucky, sour lemons. Then, on nights like this, he gives you tasty lemonade, just to make sure you don't forget you're blessed. Go Big Blue ... and Praise the Lord!

by teresa

I have finally broken down and allowed my teenage son to grow out his hair.

Since he was three it has never grown past his eyebrows or ears. And NO side burns. Just say NO to side burns! Clean cut...that's how we roll.

He has begged me for years to let him grow it out. "I want Elvis hair mom!"

I finally caved....and I have to admit (admit to you , not to him) that I love it! He reminds me of my floppy hair toddler boy.

Here's some pictures I took of him. Don't you love his new furry hood pimp jacket? We were coat shopping...looking for a simple khaki cotton canvas jacket. Then he saw this and had to have it. "It's sooo cool mom!"

brrrrr...it's so cold here. I love it!

by teresa

Nick made the nicest fire in the backyard (fire pit) last night. It was in the low 40's...so you had to keep close to keep warm. Mom came over and we all roasted marshmallows and laughed at how close Shorty's tail kept getting to the flames. But we couldn't keep him away...he's a mallow thief. Hot or not...he'll snatch it right off the end of your stick if your not careful.

**********************************************

I made a big pot of chicken noodle soup yesterday. I got the recipe off food network and it turned out so yummy. I also bought a bunch of deli meat and sandwich buns and those kettle chips. We will be comfort fooding it for the next couple of days.

I was expecting company...that's why all the food. I also cleaned the entire house. And I do mean e n t i r e house. You know how it is....when you have company coming over you clean a little more thorough than you usually do. Cause...what if they want a tour? What if they need to use the upstairs bathroom and they look in the linen closet? What if they stumble, fall and happen to look under the children's beds? What if they mistakenly turn left instead of right and end up in the coat closet?

You gotta be prepared...right? Or am I the only one who thinks this way?

I did all that yesterday with a messed up tummy. Really messed up. From Friday night (with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese when a slice of their greasy pizza poisoned me) to last night. I trudged on though. I even left the house and went grocery shopping. Of course I was parting the crowds (like Moses and the Red Sea) with my Chuck E. Cheese "fumes"....but I got the job done!

questions and comments from this past week

by teresa

Ghandi didn't have a penis?

No, you can't have a horse.

I don't want to see your butt hole again!

Who pooped and left it?

Can I have a third glass of Mountain Dew?

Can I take Mountain Dew in my thermos to school?

Who bought the stupid Mountain Dew?

Can I move in with Katy...she always has poptarts and we only have granola bars?

Did I remember to feed the kids dinner tonight?

I like boobies!

Ewwwww...Shorty farted and it smells like cabbage!

Stop farting in the car or your going to be on restriction!

Go ask your father!

by teresa

I love this song!
If you don't have your speakers on...turn 'em up.
If you are reading this after I change the song...it's Alicia Keys: No One.
I bought (downloaded from itunes) this cd for Chris for our Anniversary.
I also burned it for my sister...and she says she has had it blaring through her house ever since.

Tonight I am heading to Nick's school for a book fair (you know that makes me happy). Hopefully Chris will be home from Baltimore before we leave so he can watch Ben. I don't feel like chasing him through the halls.

I can't believe Turkey day is one week from today. I need to get cleaning, planning, shopping and preparing. I think I'll ask Kitty (church secretary) if we can borrow a couple of tables and chairs from church like we have the past few years. It makes it so much nicer when we can all sit and eat together...instead of spread out in different rooms at tables and tv trays. If Katy doesn't stop having kids we are going to have to buy a bigger house just to accommodate her growing family.
I will go onto Crayola.com and print out things for the kids to color and decorate the table and house.

Yesterday at MOPS they asked as the divide and sit at each table according to what we liked more. Turkey, stuffing, the company or desserts. I chose the stuffing table. I really , really love stuffing...with gravy. Oh man...that's good stuff. And not gross stuffing with fruit or oysters in it.
Where are you spending Thanksgiving?
What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

by teresa

Do you remember my post a couple of days ago about the lemons? I said If life gives you lemons...you make lemon meringue pie! Well my friend Melanie did the most wonderful thing. I came home from church on Sunday and there was a message on my answering machine telling me I had a surprise coming. She came over later with a freshly made lemon pie. Isn't that the nicest thing? I am so blessed to have a friend like her.

Last night was Nick's soccer party. It was at the mall food court and we all had a good time...and good food. Chinese, bbq, taco bell and chick-fil-a. Everyone got what they wanted and then came together for trophies and cake. What a great idea. It takes pretty much no planning (we went on a night that the mall wouldn't be crowded) no reservations, no menu prep and no clean up.

Before I leave I have a question for you.
Why do 8yrs insist on using an entire roll of toilet paper to wipe themselves? And why do they try to flush it down all at once? And why does that small boulder of toilet paper clog the toilet, flood the bathroom and leak through the ceiling and said 8yr old never mentions it to anyone?
I'm going to install one of those industrial toilet paper rolls. You know...the ones that are so big and so tight you can only unfasten one square of paper at a time.

It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.

by teresa

Happy Anniversary sweetie!!

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A couple goes out to dinner to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. On the way home, she notices a tear in his eye and asks if he's getting sentimental because they're celebrating 50 wonderful years together. He replies, "No, I was thinking about the time before we got married. Your father threatened me with a shotgun and said he'd have me thrown in jail for 50 years if I didn't marry you. Tomorrow I would've been a free man!"

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.

by teresa

Things are on the up swing here at the Green house.
We had a less than perfect week. But it only makes you stronger...right?And you know what we always say?
When life gives you lemons....you find someone with a paper cut and rub it on them.
I'm just kidding.
You make lemon meringue pie!
Seriously...I want some pie!

Gearing up for the last soccer games of the season and the beginning of Upward basketball. Chris and the kids have already been shooting hoops (when the weather allows) and basketball fever has already begun.
On Sunday he and Nick will head over to ODU's first regular season game of the 2007-2008 season. Chris is beside himself with excitement. That man loooooooves his ODU b-ball. He once again purchased two season tickets...so he will be rotating games between the boys. I wonder if Lauren is going since students get in free.
I think I will use that alone time to relax and catch up on my reading. I have three half read books sitting on my bed table. Shame on me.

Some of my favorite perseverance quotes:

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much. ~Mother Teresa

If you're going through hell, keep going. ~Winston Churchill

A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn. ~Author Unknown

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind.Some come from ahead and some come from behind.But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see.Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!~Dr. Seuss

by teresa


Haven't had the energy to post lately.


I feel as if we have been on an emotional marathon this week.


Not giving details ....just asking for prayer.


That's all you really need to know...right?


Pray. For. Us.


In better news....Ben got up great for school today. The schools around here were closed Monday and Tuesday for teacher work days. So today we got to experience the effects of the hour clock change on Ben's early morning mood. He sprung up, dressed, washed a bit and came down with 15 minutes to spare. Hooray!

It was such a lovely day and the sun was shinning bright
A gentle breeze was blowin my way, not a storm cloudin sight
And suddenly without a warming, a storm surrounded mylife
But even in the storm, I can feel the calm, and here´s the reason why
CHORUS
I know the Peacespeaker, I know Him by my name
I know the Peacespeaker, He controls the winds and waves
When He says "peace, be still", they have to obey
I´m glad I know the Peacespeaker, yes I know Him by name
There´s never been another man with the power of this friend
By simply saying "peace, be still" He can calm the strongest wind
So now I´ll never be sorry when storm clouds come my way
I know that He is near to drive away my fear, and I can smile and say
REPEAT CHORUS
Peace, peace, wonderful peace.
Coming down from the Father above.

A mother's heart is always with her child

by teresa

*sigh*

by teresa

Last night was terrific.
Our churches trunk -r-treat was jam packed with families.
And I got my Reese cups...oh boy did I have my Reese cups.

Ben and Kai aka Mario and Luigi won first prize for their costumes...and Kaden aka chunky ladybug won first prize in her age group.

Now that Halloween is over...we move on to soccer party mode around here.
Our season is coming to an end and our parties are this Saturday(back to back).
Two teams...which meant two slide show presentations.
Lots of photos to take, crop, sort and put into the show.
It took me most of yesterday ....but now they are done.
And, man do they look cool.
Thanks to the Windows Movie Maker/DVD Maker on Lauren's laptop.

I can't believe it is November.
We finally have some chilly ...jacket worthy weather here.
And now Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner.
I have Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Family Fun , Martha Stewart and Southern Living magazines on my table...and I'm ready to get my craft on.