Making friends there, killer?

Timberrrrrrr!

Hallelujah, the big dead ash tree in my backyard finally came down.

It was missing most the bark and the thing was being held together with ratchet straps for the last few months.Not sure the ratchet straps were completely necessary, but the tree was split everywhere and the last thing I needed was it to just fall all over the back yard. Certainly onto Gavin's play-set.

Who do you call when you need a tree down? 

Friends that like to partake in occasional lumberjacka**ery, of course.

In all seriousness, they have cut down MANY of trees and were completely safe. And fast.

Yeah!!

I can't believe the thing didn't shatter on contact with the ground.

There is going to be little sticks in my yard for-ev-er! 

Dog heaven.

And little boy heaven witnessing the chainsaws in action.

Ideally, Gavin wouldn't be around chainsaws, but as posted previously.....plans don't always work out.

Turns out, it was much more fun that they didn't!

Gavin was a big help loading up wood.

Then we were invited to follow them back home to unload.

They are having a bonfire in the fall. Wasn't it nice of me to donate to the pile??

Afterwards we walked around and looked at an old tractor...

Fed a horse

Played in some sand...

And even got to go on a four-wheeler ride!

I couldn't believe my good fortune when they invited us to stay for dinner, as well!

Somehow, I got the best end of the deal ALL day long.

I have good people in my life.

We ended with some nut throwing down to the crick before heading home.

Da-na-na-na-na-nah... They Say It's Your Birthday!...

I hope you’re picturing Anthony Michael Hall belt out this little catchy tune in Sixteen Candles right about now.

So today is my birthday.  Yup.  I'm 33 now, which feels pretty weird to say.  While I wish I had fewer wrinkles and a firmer bum, I really can't complain in any way.  Life is good.  According to a Yahoo survey, 33 is the best age of your life. (I'll let you know) But right now...I am so grateful for Gavin, amazing friends and family, and everything else that life has brought me.  There have been ups and downs, some pretty monumental roller coaster action this past year, but it's been quite an amazing ride so far. I think 33 has much in store for me.

So while I won't be posting anything crafty today, I do want to talk for a second.  

About my life.

First things first:

Thank you, Tim, for nearly 13 years. That is over a third of my life! While it takes two to make a happy and loving marriage, it also takes two for it to fall apart. I just wanted to thank you for giving me many happy memories. Most importantly....you gave me an incredible and beautiful little boy. I could say a lot of things, but I'm choosing instead to simply say that I forgive you. For everything. I don't need to carry all that around anymore. It boils down to we lacked a very important thing: Communication. We lacked a lot of things. You may be the weak one for walking out....or maybe you're the stronger one for doing so.
As a country fan, perhaps I should just thank God, for unanswered prayers on this one.
Our chapter has ended. But my story does not end here.

Life goes on...

It already has started.

Now I do my best to take things in stride. More spontaneous. Plans change on a dime, as I've written before. And I like it. Not so much rushing around. When I'm not working, Gavin and I, we do what we feel like doing. We have lots of fun. I'm his Mommy....he is my purpose.

If you would have asked me ten years ago what I would be doing...I never would have guessed it would be divorced, single mom, and finally attempting to start a career. Nope, that would have been the LAST thing I would have guessed. Life isn't always planned though. No matter how good the intentions.

I have told myself  that I am going to show Gavin that I am capable of doing anything and therefore, he is too.

Growing up I had an idea of how I wanted life to be.
How I'd act in certain circumstances.
What my hair would be like. (Let's be honest, this is how I think.)--I have pictures of some serious hair-do catastrophes over my lifetime!

How I would dress. (I used to LOATHE pink...AND dresses.)
I never thought about how I would raise my son. (Or that I would even have him.)
I never thought that I'd be singing Fresh Beat Band songs 8 times a day. (And actually enjoying it.)
Or being somewhat salty after being schooled in Go Fish to a three year old.
I never knew I'd smile this much.
I never knew that a conversation with an almost-four-year-old could be quite so entertaining.
I never knew just how perfect it feels to have little arms around my neck at bedtime saying I love you.
I also, never knew how completely overwhelming some days could possibly be.

Growing up I had an idea of how I wanted life to be.
But it's nothing compared to how it is.

Dreams change.

I am always evaluating this blog and trying to figure out how to improve it and in which direction I want things to go. I'm all ears for suggestions.

I'm thinking a new name to start my new chapter...

Feeling pretty empowered lately.

Unfortunately, "I am Momma-Hear me ROAR" is already taken.

Now I'm off to eat some birthday cake.  Thanks for reading.

Because

Gavin (concentrating as he plays with his little legos): "Mom, I can't make this airplane!"

Me (reading a book while sitting on the couch): "You have to keep trying.  You'll only get better through practice."

Gavin (pleading): "MOMMYYYYY! Come on!  Just help me!"

Me (without looking up): "Gavin, Mommy isn't the lego expert builder."

Gavin (holding some legos in front of my face): "Come on.  You have to."

Me (still reading): "I have to?  And why is that?"

Gavin: "Because you're my Mommy.  And you're 'posed to help me."

5 seconds of silence

Me (putting the book down): "Give me the legos."

Pattern power

I was actually sitting on the computer for a few minutes whilst young sir was playing in his fort.

And then I heard the usual, "Mommy! Mommy! Look what I did!"

I turn around.

That's nice buddy, you lined up your cars.

Noooo-ah, I made a PATTERN!

Uhhh, OK.

Ohhhhh! NOW I see it.

Monster truck, car, Monster truck, car, Monster truck, car.....

Out for dinner

Outside at the park that is.

Eventually he caved and sat ON the pic-a-nic blanket.

Then of course, he ran sprinted shot like lightning, possibly teleported himself to the playground and almost out of sight, to play.

Unattended.

He got in trouble.

I grabbed everything up to follow him to find him speeding his monster truck down the slides.

Time to go home, mister.

You know better.

(for running so far away without Mommy, not so much the shooting toys down the slide)

Holy cow! We have the same size head!

Tuesday night snuggles before bedtime :)

That's a mighty big hole

Typically, I run home for lunch everyday to grab a bite and let my dogs out.
Today, I was welcomed home with a little surprise!

What the?!
I had to pull through yard to get into the driveway. The gas men must have been at lunch as well, because there was no one around. And I had some questions...

They did return before I left and informed me there was a gas leak and apologized for needing to dig up my driveway. Hey, no apology needed. Fix that stuff promptly, men!

Although, next time, do it when we are home so Gavin can watch the big trucks :)

Assuredly, I would have been dumbfounded by this had I not run home for lunch.

Good work, guys. I can barely tell you were here.
I wonder if they would have left a note had I not seen them at lunch??

Wood County Fair

Would you believe I have a FOURTH weekend off in a row?!

But I was called back next week, so we are going to LIVE IT UP this weekend :)

Friday night after work we hit up the fair. Long day at work, 95 degree weather, no nap at school, then fair.

It wasn't too bad--just a few minor meltdowns...such as, being told No to popcorn, therefore throwing oneself on the ground, Running ahead in large rowds of people and getting in trouble, Being scared of little rides (had to be from being tired-because he has ridden much bigger), getting swindled by a game player (I hope that man can sleep at night suckering a 3 year old and making him cry).

Here's the pics:
Look at that excitement!

Cheer up, Charlie! We are here finally!

This year we parked in the back entrance by the campers so we could check out the animals before passing by all the food and rides.

Who knew we should have brought the headphones for the chickens and roosters :)

I don't think you were supposed to touch the bunnies...but they both got a few pets in :/

I wouldn't put it past him to go under a rope had I not been right behind him...

I mean, he wouldn't listen AT ALL, when I yelled at him to stop jumping over horse dung!

I was fully prepared to drag him by his ears to the car if he landed in it.

I was NOT going to get it on me if he lacked distance or height in his Olympic jumping.

Maybe next year, kid.
I'm not paying $4 to watch you fall on your head immediately.

LOVE IT!

They wanted to walk ahead.

Rule was they could if they stayed together :)

Beating the heat with some juice boxes.

Always cool to pet a baby calf.

Ride time!!

Food was a loss. Kids had no interest.

And look who snuck up on us! 

It's been waaaay too long, Tracy.

 Her little man is up in the engine with Gavin and Pressly!

Little Mr. B wanted to go ride the firetruck, and Gavin and Pressly wanted to ride the strawberries, so as fast as we ran into each other, we parted ways again.

Hopefully a park date will work out before the season changes.

Then they rode the elephants and fish a few times.

Slapping hands!

Finally a game on the way out. 

Gavin won this ball last year and it has survived the entire year. 

I was easily persuaded to play a game that would win him another one.

Play til you win games....best ever!

The husslers that make 3 year old children cry because you lied to them and they don't understand?!

I hope you sleep at night.

(They made Mommy pretty mad too--don't hustle a toddler. I won't buy into that again.)

These two were able to leave with their prizes.

And get happy meals on the way home.

The fact he didn't go to bed until 11PM had nothing to do with him sleeping in until 10:15 this morning!

I couldn't believe it!