Thursday, September 15, 2011

Maybe I'll move the hammock inside

by teresa

When we got our windows replaced last week I had to do some prep work. Take down all blinds and curtains and move all furniture 3 feet from any window. Pretty easy for most of the house, but in our bedroom this was difficult. We had an old water bed frame that we had put a california king sized mattress in years ago. This huge frame/headboard construction was a monster and weighed a gillion (more or less) pounds and took up most of our room. So, no moving it. I had to take it apart, to get it away from the window. Then I threw the pieces out of the window (and took them to the curb for trash pick up). Not part of our original plan, but I couldn't stand that big, ugly monster anymore. I want a queen size bed, that can be moved without a crane and will actually give me room to walk around my room (not side ways, with my stomach held in). Now the problem with this is, I am too cheap to walk in a mattress store and buy a new mattress and bed. So we have been "camping" in our room for a week. I have been looking on craigslist, ebay, etc. for the perfect deal. I did keep the old mattress...but it is laying on the floor and pretty hard to pop out of, for this 40 year old lady.
The same day I also got bee in my bonnet about our huge tv downstairs. It's one of those 50 inch things, with a body that is as tall as me and weighs about as much as that bed did. It too, took up a quarter of our living room. We purchased it years ago, before the slim, lightweight, flat screens came out. So I moved it out and put a tv from another room in its place. A 30 something inch that Chris claims is too teeny tiny for his old man eyes.
He said, "Woman! You ain't right! You got rid of a mans bed and tv at the same time! Are you crazy?!"

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Protect the kicker!

By Teresa

Made it through the first week of school with no hiccups.
Homework is being done each night, with little urging and a paper was even written without having to fuss or threaten. Nice.
Ben is enjoying football tryouts and we should know by the end of the week if he made the team. What position are they training him at, you ask? Why, kicker...of course. Once a soccer player, always a soccer player.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Miss you daddy

By Teresa

I can't believe its been four years since I last saw you.
We still talk about you all the time.
The other day I said,"the house next door, is my parents house", when talking to someone. My parents.
We were looking through old videos last week and we found one of a church dinner.
The whole family was in the family life center and you walked in. We got excited to see you and when I turned the camera your way and said,"I love you daddy", you stuck your tongue out at me. Your signature move in most videos and photos. Mom and I both laughed so hard. We also found a picture of you in and old camera of Georges'. It was a group shot of all of us, in my front yard. He was taking it and sending it off to Jackie, who was out of the country on a mission trip. It was the best surprise ever...seriously. You were smiling. It was taken a couple weeks before you died.

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

If Ben plays football, I think Chris' heart may burst from excitement

by teresa
Tomorrow, Nick starts his new part time job. He will be working at the Virginia Opera, in their coffee/concession shop. Training begins tomorrow night. It's for a few months, during the opera season. Should be fun and help out with his gas and running around money. Still on the lookout for something steady though.

Chris took Ben for a sports physical after school today. Ben is entertaining the idea of trying out for the school football team. It would be weird seeing him on the field in football gear and not soccer. But, I think it's cool he is wanting to try new things. I will post more details once tryouts are over.

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

first day of school

by teresa


We had an uneventful morning.

Clouds of axe and globs of hair gel filled the house.

Both Nick and Ben had their outfits chosen days ago and Nick even organized all his clothes last night. His room is perfect...I wonder how long that will last. They both opted for poptarts this morning (I let them chose anything) and only took a couple bites. I guess they were both anxious about getting back in the swing of things. Ben packed a lunch and Nick decided to buy. It seems bagging a lunch in the 11th grade is not very cool. Nick drove sissy's car (they have been sharing for the past month) to school. He will do this every now and then, but I will drive him most days. That is until he gets a job, then the plan is that he will get Chris' car and Chris will buy a new one. But he has to get a Jay Oh Bee first. I bet seeing his friends coming and going in their own cars will light a fire under his butt to get one. We will see.


After I dropped the boys off I picked up my free Chic-fil-a biscuit (a store promotion) and headed to Katy's to have a little sissy time, kid free. Well, not actually kid free...6 kids were at school, but there were still 7 kids there. I am home now, reveling in the quiet and cleanliness. School is a true blessing for a mothers sanity.




















Monday, September 05, 2011

Summer 2011 collage



squeezing out the last drops of summer

by teresa

The boys were up really late last night. I was planning on making them go to bed at a reasonable time, so they don't go into shock tomorrow morning at 7:00am, but I didn't have the heart to put a stop to their fun. Plus, they were actually in the same room, on the same bed, at the same time (with no threats of bodily harm). Them and about 4 other kids from the church youth group were playing xbox together. And if that's not neat enough (playing the same video game from 3 different cities) they also had all their laptops open and webcams going. So they were watching each other play and talking through the kinect and webcams. When I walked in it was as if all the kids were in the same room. Technology sure makes being a kid easy.
Today, we will relax (as I type this Chris is mowing the yard....not very relaxing) and enjoy this last day of no homework, no alarm clock and no frenzied comings and goings.

Sunday, September 04, 2011

lets get together for some burgers and hugs

by teresa

Allen family cookout this afternoon at Uncle Timmy's and Aunt Esther's. Can't wait to see all my cousins and their families. I remember playing with them at our Nanny's house and now we have our own children and grandchildren. Time marches on, and sometimes I feel like it marches right across my face (love that line from Steel Magnolias).
Really missing my dad today. His side of the family is a hoot, but it's just not the same without him. I blew off the family reunion four years ago. Didn't feel like driving out to Franklin to see everyone. Then my dad died a few weeks later. I missed out on that fun time with him and mom and my aunts and uncles. I will never miss a get together again, if at all possible. Family is too important and you have to show them what they mean to you.

Two more days till school starts

by teresa

I survived another summer!