It's finally looking like a house.

So we have been working on building our/my dream house for about a year now. It's been a long and painful process. Really...I"m not lying! Lots of fighting between hubs and I! He says.....Black....I say White!  Nothing has really gone smoothly. It's a damn test for sure. But damn now that it's painted it just makes me smile. All the fights and crap may have just been worth it. I always wanted a house like this. Last minute we changed the color scheme to a typical farm house black, white, and silver. I'm so glad we did. It just reminds me of a true southern home. When we started this they told us nine months. I thought it will be like being pregnant except I could drink. That would have put us in in about July! I was so excited to be in before the kids started school. Plus I was DYING to decorate it for Halloween and have one of my costume parties. It has taken me a while and few major breakdowns to come to terms that it was not going to happen that way! I'm hoping for a Thanksgiving dinner in here at this point. Turkey...anyone????

This will be the 5th house we live in. We built two before this. This one was different though. We designed it and got to work with an amazing architect. I found a southern living design I liked. I changed the room sizes and added some things that are important to me. There is not one thing I would change on this house. I can't wait for family time here and family and friends to come visit. This house is bitter sweet for me. It will be the last house we build as a family. In this home it will be the final chapter in my life for raising my kids at home. Wow, when I wrote that I got a little scared and a little teary. Can't ya just hear that song..."This is it, make no mistakes where you are". Hello Kenny Rodgers! Should have never got that eye surgery!

When looking for the perfect floor plan I thought about our last house. I told the architect every thing I loved and hated about the last house. Spaces that were too big, rooms we never used, spaces that were not big enough, and our shower could have never fit us when we got fat and happy in the later years!  She listened and hit it spot on. Our last house was beautiful. I actually loved that house. I miss a few of my neighbors too. But the ones we connected with will be in our lives no matter where we live. I never thought I would own a home as nice as our last one. But it was a totally different home style. It looked a bit French Country from the outside. It was a little Tuscan on the inside. A lot of first in there. When we first moved there I came kicking and screaming. It would be the first time we lived somewhere with no family and didn't know a soul. It was scary. Plus no free family babysitters!  I'm so glad we ended up in Drip though. Such a great community.....most of the time. Sometimes it's a little too small. You definitely can't beep at anyone when their driving is pissing you off! I learned that fast.

We quickly made friends with people having three young boys. I have met some really great people here.....salt of the earth kind. My oldest became a man in that house. His voice still stops me in my tracks sometimes. My youngest started kindergarten in that house. How sad it is that time flies. My middle one entertained the hell out of me in that house. He still cracks my ass up. I can't wait to see him in his later years! So many great memories. My God our first year I think we had friends and family come almost every weekend. I loved every minute of it too. The worst memory of my last house was our next door neighbor. He made it miserable at times. I could write a book or a blog about the hell he put us through. I'm hoping in this next house we won't have a neighbor that steals kids balls, calls the police all the time, tells our houseguest and neighbors how awful we are and stands on his patio yelling..."Neighbor is an asshole in deep drunk German accent! Life will be good without him. He moved right when we did....I feel for the people he moved in next to!

So we have spent a year in a smaller rental. We are kind of on top of each other in here compared to the last house. I thought it would be hard. But the only bad thing has been a lot of our stuff is in storage. We couldn't really decorate or get settled here. But what I learned is a family makes a house. We have had a good year here....not much really changed. The bonus is we have made a few great friends here that we wouldn't have if we weren't here! We have had some fun nights here.  A lot of the coaches from the high school live here too. We have made friends with them too. Salt of the earth people. So I'm happy we lived here and will be able to carry these friendships on to the next adventure!  We have had fun nights here with good conversations and a little dancing in this kitchen. Plus we still have had friends and family come and stay. I guess that saying everything happens for a reason rings true.

So we are getting close to embark on our next adventure. When I think about this next house I think..."Damn I'm lucky". I got to build and design our/my dream home. Some people never get to that. I get that. I hope this house will bring more first and lots of good memories. I know one thing...two more of my kids will turn into men in this house. Scary right????? More scary because that means I'm getting old! I kind of hate that since I feel young still! One is close to flying the coop..at least I hope! I think it's important for him to do that even though I kind of hate it! I almost wish I could freeze time in this next house. We could just stay right where we are now that would be perfect. We have made their stay a little too comfortable though. They may never want to leave!

I picture lots of family and friends around in this next house. This house to me looks like a perfect picture......but I know from experience it will come with challenges on the inside. I have learned in my later years nothing is perfect and life has ups and downs. Damn it, When I was young I pictured white picket fence and bliss. But I'm looking forward to all that comes with it! Ask me that same question in a few years and it may be different.....with a house full of teenagers! Woe is me! For sure. But really even though this house has not gone the way we planned we have an amazing builder...even if I give him shit once in a while.....he throws it right back at me. I kinda like that about him....Most of the time. Sometimes I want to throw him the bone...but this house as long it took is turning out perfect...which is more than I can say for the people that are about to move in it! I will never admit that to him though!  Anyway...final thought.....My perfect black dog that I may love more than these people at times is going to look fab on that porch! And yes....I'm really thinking about that! Hello padded cell....My name is Kerry!!!!!!!

Smelly kids that fight over God knows what!!!! Life is good!

 I have not been on here for a while again. There are many reasons.......not motivated, building a house...FOREVER, tired, busy, doing laundry, cooking dinner, having house guest, lazy, fighting with hubs....OVER THE BUILDING A HOUSE FOREVER, and it's frickin football season......enough said!!!!! So football season for Blake pretty much started two weeks after school let out. We do live in Texas. A little bit of a thorn in my side in summer since I don't have that kid who will get a football ride to college. Don't tell him that though! He says on game days he is super pumped up. This picture of him is his first game. He was one of the team captains. He is 83 in case you care. I don't get the thrill. Maybe because I'm a girl. I get thrilled over pink and boots. My kids get thrilled over football and baseball. Oh yes, and girls! Thorn in my side too. Football for me also means too much time in the car with smelly kids fighting over God knows what! Also a thorn in my side....did I say that?????? I really need to invest in a self help CD!

  We actually have our homecoming game tomorrow. Do you want to hear about another thorn in my side????? Homecoming.......When I was a teen the guy asked you to the homecoming dance. The homecoming dance was fun and exciting. Us girls would pick out the perfect dress for this event. Which back in my day was some metallic dress with giant sleeves. A dress that by no means showed your assets. Anyway....back to homecoming. Homecoming in this day in age has changed. They don't care about the dance.  This makes me sad. I so want homecoming dance pictures. Homecoming now means you spend an UN Godly amount of money on a mum. Not only do you do that but your kid has to come up with an expensive way to ask a girl to Homecoming!!!!! It's almost like a frickin marriage proposal.

So anyway I kept hearing about these crazy ways kids were asking girls to homecoming. Flowers, chocolates, candles, cookies,  getting teachers involved to put things on chalk boards and test. I asked Blake how he was going to ask Mary to homecoming. She happens to be his girlfriend on and off since 6th grade.....more on than off. He says..."I don't know, we have been dating forever". I say..."You have to do something great. All her friends will want to know how you asked her. He is interested but wants me to do the work. What do I do????? I do what I would have wanted in high school. Let me just say...I think this generation is a little messed up but these chicks are on to something. Making the guys work for it. So we got a rose, balloons, candy, and a football charm. We went into her first period class and set it all up. He should thank me...cause she thinks he's a rock star. I asked him how it went. He said she loved the way he asked.  Being a girl I have encouraged my boys to treat women the way they are supposed to be treated. Hubs may disagree but that is why men are from Mars and women are from Venus. All I know is my idea was the bomb.

 So there's Cole. No homecoming date but poor baby got my short genes and is still growing. He only comes up the girls neck about now. I asked him if he was going to ask a girl. He said..."No, no one likes me". I felt bad for him. Mark my words this kid will be a stud when he catches up. He's smart, cute, and funny. He really makes me laugh everyday. I always tell him how it's important to make a girl laugh. Like you can be ugly as shit and if you make her laugh your in. But he's damn cute so when he grows he's going to be the shit!

Anyway Cole's first football game he got the ball right out of the gate. I was so excited because it was the first time in a long time he had his hands on the ball where he could run. This was his shining moment. That was until the QB tried to get in front of him to block and he tripped him. As he tripped him.....I thought NOOOOOOOOOO! Please God WHY! But it is what it is. After the game I asked him about that. He being the super laid back  said..."Mom, it's all good". I said were you mad??? He said..."It felt great to have the ball and my friend feels really bad he tripped me". He said he felt so bad he talked about it the whole game. But please God this kid loves football......Let him be a star at least once!!!!!

Then there is Aidan...aka...pig pen. We had to change schools because we moved. Pig pen is a man who hates change. It has been a nightmare getting him to change schools his last year of elementary. He loved all the teachers and his classmates at the last school.  So changing has caused him and me a lot of grief. At night he tells me he's not going back to the school. Begging me to go talk to his last school to get him back in.  What helped a little is he became the "NEW" guy. The guy that all the girls like. We all know if we look back we all love the "new guy". He's got a girlfriend now. He gets crazy text at 6am with way too many of those smiley faces with hearts in the eyes and hearts and flowers. If this was my first I might have died. Aidan is my last....What ever makes him want to go to school at this point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He loves to go to the varsity games. He thinks he's one of the big kids. Always in the high school student section on someones shoulders. He even made someones "Twitter" last Friday. So this is what we have been up to.

16 years has gone by way too fast.

It's been a while since I've been here! Life got in the way.....not to mention brain fog. My oldest turns 16 tomorrow. 16....I have to say it over and over to believe it. How can I have a 16 year old????? I feel I still act like a 16 year old at times. Woe is me! I have that damn Peter Pan complex. So I sit here tonight....wanting to watch Duck Dynasty or Housewives. Anything but write in this stupid blog.  Tomorrow is a big day though....I'm going to have a 16 year old. Which to me means a person I birthed that can drive!!!!!!!!! When you take them to kinder for the first time and cry your eyes out. Not knowing if it's tears of joy or sorrow.  After you get through all those night feedings and the nasty toddler years this shit goes lighting fast! Don't blink. What's on my mind tonight as I wish I could go back to that night 16 years ago and start this crap over! Seriously people! I was all of 27 when this one came along. I thought I was old as shit at the time. Young and dumb for sure. I would do such a better job if I had a do over! I'm so much smarter now. At least that's what I tell myself!

 If I could reverse I would be laying in bed about now. Still smelling the dinner....it would be making me sick. Almost like it was coming under the door to mess with me. I was scared to death about giving birth. For a good reason...as I know now. Waiting for Hubs to get home from the worst job he ever had. Reading "What to expect when your expecting". Hubs would get home. I would tell him all the signs of labor I was reading about. Not knowing this guy was ready to see the world a little early. Which in his later years he's still waiting to see the world too early. Woe is me...did I say that???? At about six am I started to get craps like I had to poop. No poop was coming out though. I woke Hubs up who was going on no sleep. He told me I was crazy and I just had to poop. I will never let him live this down. This one was by far my hardest birth. Still the most pain I ever felt in my life.

Anyway I read this person's blog recently. She was talking about kids. She was talking about how they are like dogs in their early years. Ya know happy to see you, want to be with you, tails wagging for you all the time. Then they turn into cats. Arrogant, stand off ish, only come down for food, and are down right nasty. Boy was she spot on. She says they eventually turn back into dogs. I sure hope so. I'm not a cat lover!!!! So I have this cat 16 years later. Sometimes this cat shows signs of being a dog when he not asking for money, food, or a ride. But for the most part we live in the same house but have almost become roommates. Roommates that fight all the time. It makes me sad in way. This kid used to think I hung the moon He used to cry in preschool because he hated when I went away.  Now he thinks almost everything I say is stupid. I'd almost like to refer to him as a cat/dog....cat being first! Woe is me....yep I said it again!!!!!

So he has a girlfriend. Same girl he's been in love with since the 6th grade. This is super hard for a mom who still thinks she has a dog! What I love about this is he is loyal, like a dog. See there's a sign of dog in there. Who didn't want a loyal guy in high school???? And yes Hubs and I, taught him this!!!!!! He did hear a little of what we said! So he tells me they will go to college together and then get married. Yes, there are those few rare that make it. But it's a damn lottery. I like the girlfriend. He shows signs of the dog when he's with her. I was always nervous about my boys dating. Thinking I would never like who they picked. I'm happy he has good taste.  I'm super proud of him for being such a good boyfriend at such a young age. When I was his age my Dad used to joke that I could have a boy for the month. I was always changing boyfriends. Never satisfied at that age. Thank you Jesus I've taught my kids better.

Don't feel too bad for me. I still have two dogs in the house. That swear they will never turn into cats. I have one that's about to turn into a cat before my eyes! Don't blink. Did I say that??? Those dogs think this cat I have is the bees knees. Bee's knees is a saying right???? Not sure if that sounds right! Ya know what I mean though. Hopefully I won't eventually have three cats at once. If this happens I may leave! Every other weekend would sound great.

Anywho, I'm rambling! What I want to say about my my oldest. Who I still think of as child. He is turning into a man before my eyes. I never imagined that someday this perfect child that scrunched his forehead  when he took a bottle. That face is forever in my head. When he was little he was perfect in every way.  I remember thinking "everything is going to be alright because I have this perfect child". Boy was I wrong....because no one has a perfect child!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But truth be told I wouldn't trade this not so perfect child for a billion dollars! So happy birthday to my not so charming prince! I love you to the moon and back!