Fall Festivities

Howdy, folks! Here it is, the Tuesday before Halloween, and boy have I needed to update!

OK, let's see. Haven't heard anything from the nice people at CPS. I did get security locks on my front and back doors, but I think they were just trying to scare me. It worked.

So now I just pretend all of that never happened. Here's what we've been up to so far this Fall. (My favorite season, by the way)

Early in October we met up with Pop and Grama Nette, and my brother, Billy's family at the local nursery for some Fall fun. The kids decorated little pumpkins and planted their own little flowers. And lucky Uncle Billy won four tickets to the Texas State Fair!

Some decorating fun.

Billy helping his youngest, Jorden, with his flower. That's his other son, Jimmy, behind them.


Conner and I scooping out his potting soil.
Fun times were had there.

Within a few days, I was craving some of my all time favorite treat!


Holy cow, I love me some caramel apples...

Another few days pass by, and we settle in for some Halloween cookie making. Another fun tradition for our family.
Conner preferred to decorate in his skivvies.

Not sure how my pictures got stuck over there, but Russell was gifted two cookies from the children.

Every year in Allen there is a "Book of Mormon Pageant". There are some people who own a bunch of land and they have a path cleared through the forest. Dozens of members volunteer and, dressed in Scriptural attire, they take you through the story of the Book of Mormon. We were asked not to take pictures once we were inside, but I snapped a few of the cuteness between cousins before we got in.

Conner and Jorden.

Pop and Grama Nette in front.

Caden, Jimmy, Carter and Karlie.
Makenna in between.

After the pageant, we went to Brahm's and ate ice cream. Conner's face says it all...

Makenna, intending to be Giselle from "Enchanted" for Halloween, got to get her hair dyed red!










Last weekend we left for our new family fall tradition: a trip to Springfield for all the Fall festivities.






First we met up with our niece, Mary, who is attending college in Bolivar. (Just north of Springfield)

I spent some time admiring the beautiful trees outside our hotel room. Have you ever?

We dressed up and attended "Spooktacular" at the Dickerson Park Zoo. One of our favorite things to do at Halloween time.







We went to the Pumpkin Patch where we conquered the corn maze...






...and made hot dogs and smores by a campfire. How fun is that?

Still not sure why my pictures are way over there, but that's Uncle Wes and Aunt Kelly. (My mom's brother and his wife)

We had a great time and plan to do it next year, and the year after that, and the year after that...
Hope you all are having happy times and are staying healthy!

What Kind of Mother ARE you?!

This afternoon I went to the bathroom. I know, I know, when you're a mom you're not supposed to do that, but I really needed to.

First let me say that, before I had the nerve to go to the bathroom, my older kids (some of them) had gone out in the front to ride their bikes.

OK, so I went to the bathroom, and just as I came out the doorbell rang. I went to the front door, noticing that my kids were now back in the house, and there was my neighbor. This is a neighbor that lives behind me. Remember that we have an alley and so we do see those "back" neighbors once in a while. Anyway, she so sweetly says "I think your son got out and the police have him." WHAT!? I went outside and, sure enough, down at the end of my street are two police cars, lights flashing, and a bald-headed, tough-guy-looking mean man officer holding my bare-footed, chocolate-faced Conner. (It was only about 60 degrees out) The two officers came to talk to me about it all. The mean man and a nicer lady officer. The mean man officer explained that, not only had Conner gotten out, but he was wandering down the hugely major street one street over from mine. Mind you, this is at 6:00-rush hour. Apparently some very nice people stopped, picked him up, and called the police. The mean man glared at me with disgust. The nice lady officer told me to come in the house and get a picture ID. I took Conner and came into the house. When I went back out the nice lady officer and the mean man officer were getting into their cars, and a third police car with a mean LADY officer came. She got out, walked over to me, and took my information. Then she said "So how is it that a three-year-old not only gets out of your house, but all the way out onto El******o before you noticed?" I explained that I was in the bathroom, blah blah blah, but she acted like I was totally neglectful. She came in my house and wanted to explain to the older kids how important it is that they watch out for him. I was trying to be stern with them, explaining that they can't come in the house without being sure that Conner was inside. (For the record, Conner's not allowed outside in the front without me) Explaining it all to them made ME realize how serious it was, and that's when I started to cry. The mean lady officer didn't have any sympathy for me, though, and just did what she had to do. She left, but only after explaining that it was a good thing my neighbor happened to drive by and recognize Conner, because the next step would've been calling CPS to come and pick up the "unidentified child".

Then I came in, cried to my kids about how I have to be able to rely on them for help, and then came in my room and broke down. I just sobbed, thanking my Heavenly Father for keeping Conner safe on that busy road, for the nice, non-scary people who picked him up, and for the neighbor, whom I've never met, who somehow recognized my little boy.

Now I'm going to go snuggle with my kids and watch a movie.

Update 10/11/09

Yesterday, two different times, the police came and sat outside a couple houses down. Creepy. Then yesterday afternoon Child Protective Services came. A very nice lady, just doing her job, but it still all makes me feel all funny. She talked to me for a while, then interviewed each of my kids, except Conner. She asked all those uncomfortable questions to my little ones. They don't seem to be bothered by it, but I am. Anyway, I've been ordered to "supervise my children at all times" and to get safety locks on all exterior doors. "Failure to comply with the guidelines of this safety plan may result in further CPS action, not excluding removal."

Talk about creepy.

So I'm being monitored. It sounds crazy to even say it. The CPS lady said the case will probably be open for 30-45 days, and in that time I can expect them to call or stop by.

Guess I'd better get those locks on the doors...

An Answered Prayer

Have you read my last post? If not, read it first.

This morning, after I took the kids to school, I came home, got dressed, picked up my mom, and headed to the Fort Worth Zoo. It was to be a beautiful day, sunny skies, light breeze, and a high of about 81. While feeding the birds a seed stick, I got a phone call from the elementary school. It was a very nice lady, who hated to inform me that my 9-year-old son, Carter, was being suspended for the rest of the day. He had decided to "use the restroom" out at recess. Suspended for "exposure". (For the record, he did hide and nobody saw) I was shocked and so embarrassed. Since I was over an hour from home, my dear dad left work and picked him up.
On the way home I received another phone call. This one from the middle school. Chandler would be receiving another detention for being tardy to class. He (Chandler) explained to me that "it wasn't my fault. I was at the library and the line was long."

I came home feeling like a total failure as a mother. Have I not taught my children not to relieve themselves in public? Have I not explained to Chandler about "maybe you can't go to the library before school if it's too late."? I don't know.

I sat down at the computer and went to Mormon Messages on YouTube hoping to find an answer. I found one. Here is what I found, and here is the full message. Read it. Maybe it's something you need to hear as much as I did.

The Church is true, you know.

How Do I....

How do I gain the self-discipline that is necessary in order to accomplish the things I want to accomplish?

Things like:
1. Have a "pretty" together house
2. Get the kids to practice the piano
3. Rise early in the morning to shower and be ready before my kids get up, so I don't just drag around being pitiful
4. Enforce a "no TV or games on school days" rule
5. Have family scripture EVERY DAY, even when we're cranky and tired and we just want to skip to prayer
6. Have the right attitude on Fast Sunday
7. Teach my children how to be patient, kind, responsible, etc

Oh, I could go on, but I don't have the discipline to sit here and finish what I started.
He He He

My Phrase of the Day

"I'm going potty! Go away from my bathroom door!"

My Goodness...

My Chandler

He started 6th grade this year. In this area 6th grade is the first year of Middle School. Yep-Middle School. He still seems so young to me.

Anyway, school started about a month ago. Already, Chandler has had three detentions.

What?!

Oh, you heard me, Chandler has had three detentions. Now, in his defense, only one of them was behavior related. His ELAR (English/Language Arts) teacher had evidently asked him to settle down. He was working in a group and she (the teacher) came over and asked "Have you finished your questions?" to which Chandler replied, sarcastically, "maybe". Let me say that I know my child, and I know that he did NOT mean to be disrespectful, but was trying to be funny. I did, however, support his teacher in giving him a detention because I feel like he needs to learn that there is a time and place for that kind of humor. So there's that. The second detention was due to not turning in his homework. In this district, that's not an option. If you don't turn it in, you get detention and do it at school. OK, so fine. So today his Assistant Principle called. (I shouldn't even KNOW her yet!) She was very nice, but explained to me that Chandler has been "having some problems getting to class on time." Tardy. Late. Apparently, several times. So-another detention.

Now, I'll just tell you, I'm really having a problem with this. Not my Chandler. I'm struggling to know how to handle it. I have to find a way to help him to realize that Middle School is not Elementary School. That he has to take it seriously. That it is HIS responsibility to know what his homework is, and to get it done, and to get it turned in. That it is HIS responsibility to know how much time he has between classes and to get to each one on time. That I'm not going to be there all the time to keep up with it all, HE has to do it. How do I get him to understand that? I don't just want to "punish" him, I want to TEACH him.

It may be silly for "ask" for comments, especially because I don't normally get many, but HELP!

A new slideshow my Mark Mabry. Awesome.