SUMMERTIME.....

We at the Robinson house have been so busy...I have alot to catch ya'll up on but for right now I am just going to leave you all with some (trust me when I say I have a ton o'pics) great pictures of what we have been up too..and I promise to tell some wonderful stories to go with these pictures!!!

a world all it's own....

This is one of EK's favorite shirts, I think she would wear it everyday if I let her. 

It maybe just a t-shirt with a witty saying on it BUT as much as I hate to admit it, it rings true!

I was not born a southern girl but I can say I am a true southern girl through and through,

SOUTHERN GIRLS ROCK!!!!!!

Just a few pics...

KARMA!!!!

This is one of my favorite things in life...I joke about Karma all the time.

I didn't realize how much I joke about it, till this weekend.

Emily Klair was being silly and she was teasing me about something, I don't even remember it was a cute teasing... anyways, she goes to sit down in her chair and she pinches her finger in the chair.  She says ouch that hurt, silly KARMA!

I laughed and laughed!!

I never wish any ill will on anyone, but I do have to admit that I might get a little chuckle out of a dad at the soccer field that is one of those dads...that really are annoying, and out right rude to everyone around them, that only think of themselves and their little guy on the field. Everyone knows the type I am talking about, the ones we all can't stand, and their whole demeanor screams stuck up rudeness!!

Well yesterday, we had one of those dads. He was a dad for the other team, and well he choose to sit down right next to us!! I mean really I think I have a radar that says please come sit by me, I love it when you act like an idiot, it makes my day complete! Anywho after listening to him the whole game and hearing him talk soo ugly to what I assume was his wife on the phone, I got a big chuckle at the end of the game, when as he was walking across the field like a big man...he tripped and nearly fell flat on his face!! and what did he trip on..nothing but a big fat chunk of KARMA!!!! it was beautiful..and guess what EK turns to me and says out loud...KARMA!! gotta love that girl!!

I need a clone...

I am soo behind on EVERYTHING!!!

I think I need a clone...I can not be everywhere with everyone...

Warren's work is always crazy but it seems to be getting crazier by the day.  And the kids are running in different directions.  I can not get to one practice before I am having to turn around and get another kid to another practice.  Forget zumba there is no time, so I am trying to walk during the practices, but I miss my Zumba classes.

My classroom needs lots of help and the laundry pile is now the laundry mountain...oh and eating healthy?? really its over rated!! I just don't have time to cook the things I should be cooking..mother of the year right here folks!!!

I know that there will be a time I will look back on this craziness and not think they that we were as busy as we are, but right now I feel like I need some major help!!!

This is a test..this is only a test!!

I am hoping that this fixes the words all being smashed together...

Lets hope this took care of it!!!

And I think it did and whoo hoo so excited to get back to blogging..but for now I am off to bed!!!

cliff hanger....

I did not finish my background story in my post yesterday so I am going to finish it up today... Ok here are my siblings names just to help with telling the story. Andrea is my sister closest to me in age, my one and only brother Matthew, Jesi, and Krysi ...this is there birth order and I am the oldest of these yahoo's! I am gonna back up and tell you the story from the beginning. I was not in the wreck, I was not there first hand so this part of it is from the stories I have heard about what happened. My family was going to a friends surprise birthday party at a restaurant here in town after church on a Sunday morning. They stopped at a CVS that was right across the street from the restaurant to get a birthday card and told the kiddos in the back to stay in their seat belts only dad was running in real fast..Andrea was in college, Matthew was in jr. high, (Matthew was by the window in the second row and Andrea was in that same row by the door) and the girls (were in the very back row of the van) were in elementary school. Dad went in got the card and away they went, they stopped at the red light in the parking lot. The light turns green and remember they are only going across the street, as dad starts to pull out, a vehicle runs the red light without even stepping on the brakes. It t-bones my parents van and spins then around, as it hits my littlest sisters fly out the back side window, Andrea flips over the seat she is sitting in and lands in the back where the girls are suppose to be. She is the one that realizes they are not in the vehicle, she starts screaming the girls are gone. I know my mom and dad open doors and run before the van came to a complete stop. Andrea does not think she is hurt, and gets up to go help and see about the girls. Matthew however stays in the vehicle. One of my parents friends go and get him to come out, and have him stand with them on the side of the road. Krysi flew into the turning lane quite a distance away from the intersection, and was out cold when mom and dad got there. Jesi flew out and landed on the storm grate right by the tire of the vehicle, she was awake but very scared and hurt. This is when Warren and I came up on the accident. As the ambulances were pulling away with my sisters in them headed to the life flight pad, (my parents and andrea were in there with the little ones), I noticed my brother and ran to get him, we get him in the car and away we go to the helicopter pad. As we are driving my brother starts freaking out, trying to get out of the car, asking over and over how we got there what was going on, where was mom and dad and where are we going?? and so on and so on..over and over!! It took all I had to keep him in the car. When we pull up I see dad and run to get him to come check out Matthew (my dad was a firefighter/emt) when he got there to check on him he realized immediately he had a head injury. So he sees the girls get loaded into the helicopter and made sure that mom, me and Andrea had a ride to Vanderbilt to meet the girls. Dad and Warren take Matthew to the local ER to get checked out. He ended up having a pretty good concussion and if the girls were not at Vanderbilt after being life flighted they would have kept him to make sure he was ok, instead they let him go with a list of instructions for us and orders for what to do and where to take him at Vanderbilt if he started to show any signs. What we now know is that Matthew took the brunt of the impact and was probably knocked out when Andrea discovered the girls were not in the vehicle, but no one even noticed because after hearing the girls were not in there everyone got out as fast as they could to get to them. Matthew is lucky he did not get hurt any worse then he did. Andrea was started to feel pain in her back and her knee, and we were all really worried about the girls. They finally came and told us they would be transported to the ICU for the night and that Krysi still was not awake fully. I know this is a long story and even longer when it is not spaced but no one can figure out why it is doing it..so sorry again if you are still reading this. Jesi ended up with a broken collar bone but was overall ok. She only stayed one night in the ICU and was dismissed a couple days later. Krysi woke up the next day and bless her heart her face was soo swollen she looked bad, but she was ok, her hip was not broken like they thought, no bones broken minus a skull fracture and a small brain bleed, that stopped on its own. She was in the hospital for a week, and we are soo thankful and blessed that day could of been much more tragic. WE all bear some scars from that day, and mine happen to be that whenever I see emergency vehicles I have a slight panic attack thinking that someone I know and love is hurt. It takes my breathe away every time I hear one, or get out of the way of one, and seeing them at the school proved how much to me I need to get some help for it. When I wrote that we are blessed, I mean it, the first people on the scene were friends of ours that go to church with us, both of which saw the accident as they were getting out of the car to go into the restaurant what makes these two particularly people such a blessing?? They are both doctors, and got my sister Krysi breathing before the ambulances got there...there are so many details to this story I don't feel like I did it justice but I tried.

PANIC ATTACK...

FIRST OFF THIS BLOG IS KILLING ME NOT ALLOWING ME TO SPACE THIS POST...SO SORRY!!!! I KNOW IT IS HARD TO READ ALL PUSHED TOGETHER... SO let me give you a little back ground on me and emergency vehicles... One Sunday after church before Warren and had kids ( I had just had my second miscarriage) we were on our to lunch with his family. As we pulled onto one of the main roads here in town we were met with an ambulance, we pulled over and got out of it's way. A few yards later another ambulance came flying up behind us and we got of it's way. At this point we could see that there was a really bad wreck up ahead. I can not explain it, but even from to far away I knew that it was bad and that it was someone I loved. As we got closer I saw that there was green mini van....and my heart jumped into my throat. Warren says I sounded possessed as I said " that's my family" he then reassured me that there are many a green mini vans and not to jump to the worst possible scenario first. I told him in my possessed manor, "pull over that is MY FAMILY!!" He pulls over, and I jump out of the car, and run to the scene, and what I see is my 2 littlest sisters laying on the ground really far from the vehicle. My mom and dad are with the youngest and the one that flew out of the vehicle the furthest, and I can tell the emergency people were working on her. I found my sister that is closest to me in age bent over holding my other sisters hand that had also flown out the window and landed right by the vehicle. I just kinda stood there, in disbelief. I looked for my brother and saw him standing on the side of the road with some friends of my parents. He looked ok, so I went to be with my two sisters...the other was being loaded into the ambulance to be transported to the life flight pad. I will blog more about this story another time because trust me when I say there is a lot to it and well I don't want to rush it. So yesterday when I topped the hill to get to the kids school and saw 3 firetrucks, lots of police, and an ambulance, what I had could not be described as a panic attack but more of a complete and utter freak out! I called Warren at work and well couldn't breathe, couldn't talk, and all I could manage to say was firetrucks kids school emergency. He again the voice of calm said, "do not worry if it was bad we would know about it" he reminded me to breathe, and stay calm. Let's just say I tried, I sat there in car rider line wondering what was happening if the kids were safe, if anyone had been hurt, the concerns and questions just kept rolling on in my mind. I then called one of my friends that has children at that school and figured she was in car rider line and that maybe we could comfort each other, but she had a funny feeling before the storm and had signed her kids out early, so she was home unaware of what was happening. Her husband is a cop here in town so I guess she could hear the terror and panic in my voice and she told me she would call him and get right back to me. That is when I found out everyone was safe and it was just the roof that had blown off..really?? did I just write it was JUST the roof?? It took me over an hour to get to my kids and they were fine, EK was shook up and said she wanted me but said a prayer while the loud noises were happening to keep her safe and calm till momma could get there, and Tyler said he was not scared but he sure had that yea soo glad momma is here look when I finally got to him! They left there backpacks, coats, everything but what they had with them when the storm hit...after we got home and settled a bit Tyler ( have I ever told you he is just like his daddy)says "at least no homework tonight momma." I don't have any pictures to show you but am trying to get some. 4 classrooms are pretty much destroyed, and the whole hallway that those are on sustained some pretty good damage. The school did a great job at keeping the kids safe, they had a plan they worked their plan and it paid off with no one getting hurt, and yes it was JUST a roof....it can be fixed, and it can be replaced. I hugged my kids tighter last night, and if I never ever see emergency vehicles at the school again it will be ok with me...

who is the girl that forgot her camera?? oh me that's who....

Well, there are no pictures of this trip for me.... Of course I have been tagged in some pretty not cool, very bad pictures from the kids on facebook, but none from my camera... Why is that you ask?? Well..... (which by the way is a story in itself..who knew the word WELL could get a story, but trust me it did..haha) everyone that knows me knows that I am not a morning person!! So the Sunday when we left home before 6 that morning I totally was on auto pilot. I had packed everything the night before..so shower and walking out the door was all I was really awake enough to do. So my nice camera got left behind, so no fun pictures for my blog, no funny pictures for memories, and I could just kick myself for that!! I had a really good time. The teens were great, and learned a lot of new tennis skills, and we all loved the warm sunshine and beautiful water at the beach. I missed my kids, and my hubby. I know they had the best week though. The kids got to go to everyone they love houses..from granny and pa's to nanny and d's to their aunt Stephanie's to play with there cousins...a good time was had by all and I am thankful that they are loved by so many and that they helped us out last week!! Back to school for me on Tuesday, and I am now on count down mood....as much as I love those little ones I love my summers home with my kiddos. It reminds me of when they are little and I got to stay home with them..and as much as I love spring break it makes me long for summer days with my kiddos!! So let the count down begin....

I got a great surprise....

Just a few pics of my surpise day trip and some of the fun we had.....

SO for those of you that don't know my hubby as great as he is has one flaw...and I hesitate to call it a flaw because in all honesty I am thankful for it....he is a major workaholic!! there I said it! it's true, he works and works and works some more...and really only will he take off if we have planned a vacay months in advance or if he is so sick he thinks he might die..he just is not one to miss work.

Well, Wednesday he surprised me and the kiddos and took off work and we went on a day trip to Chattanooga,Tn to the Tennessee Aquarium! It was a great day, lots of family time, and lots of memories made! And get this he took off Thursday and Friday as well...we have just played video games, watched some back things on the dvr, and just been together!! I am soo very thankful he works so hard to support us and take great care of us, and even more thankful when he can take a moment and enjoy taking the day off just to be with us!!

Ps on a side note...I must tell this story..I am old we all know this! We stopped at a gas station and I went in to get some snacks on the way home yesterday, and the clerk says to me " are those your kids" I said "yes sir they are" he replies with "no way you are too young to have kids that age" I laugh and say "no sir I am old..I am 33 " he says "I am not trying to be nice, nor get you to buy anything but you look about 23..not old enough to have kids that old...really you do" so anywho..that is my story and well lets just say I don't believe him but it was nice to hear anyways :)

spring break day one..

Well, first day of spring break and I got sun...let the addiction begin!! I love the sun!! I love to have a tan...I do not fake and bake..I only do natural tanning but I love the sun!!! I become addicted if you will, and lets just say I am already on my way to being a Bahama mama!! We went to the park today with some friends, and lets recap what all we learned today shall we?? 1.kids throw up after spinning too much on the merri go round, and we didn't know it had happened and my girl friend walked right into it.. 2.frogs like to mate in front of an audience..esp little kiddos.."look mom, they look like they have been velcroed together..." 3.there are some people that really should not reproduce...and then announce to the world that they only did to help keep someone in the country and now they don't want any kids, after the 5th one by 5 different fathers!!!!...really almost an exact quote from a gal at the park today and no she wasn't in our group she was across the park and we still heard it as if she was talking right to us!! 4. beautiful day with great friends!!! we all got an education today, it was quite an interesting day at the park to say the least, but one of the best things we learned is we are blessed beyond words and very thankful for everything we have and most importantly the love we share and the friends that love us and friends we love!!!

Little bit of this and little bit of that...

Proof that I did get real kites up and flying today :)One of my sweeties holding and flying kite in above pic....

some of my other sweeties flying the kites we made in the classroom, fun and easy and they really do fly in the wind.....plastic grocery bags with streamers stapled on the back end of them,tied together the handles with yarn for the string and away you go...hours and hours of fun!!

Tyler's travel team from Saturday...whoo hoo GO COLUMBIA ARSENAL!!!!

1st goal of the game unassisted......GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL! by #3 Tyler Robinson!!!!!

"Have you ever flown a kite in bed? did you ever walk with ten cats on your head?"-Dr. Suess

Today was kite day at school, last day before spring break and one of the most beautiful days we have had yet..... I have lots of fun pictures to share and will get them up on here this weekend or tomorrow or who knows maybe even tonight?? HOWEVER.....the title of this post sums up my day..hahah I think trying to fly a kite in bed, or walking with ten cats on my head would have been easier then trying to herd (sorry but that really is the best word I can use to describe it...) 8 excited, over stimulated, and ready for a break kiddos in a small grassy area near a creek (that is fenced in but still it scares me to death) and helping them all fly kites..oh yea did I mention I was alone?? hmm? no well I was with 8 4-5 yrs old. It was a great day, a tiring one, and one that I hope the kiddos loved. I will miss them over this two week break but am soooo happy to have this two week break! Going out with the girls tonight for a friends bday, woot woot!! so I get to get dolled up and can't wait!! better get off here and figure out something cute to wear....look for an update with pics soon!

Warning...she is about to blow!!!!

I am usually not a debbie downer...or a negative nancy....and this post really isn't negative just more ventfull!!! is that a word?? anywho...I digress I love this one aspect of my life, sure it is hard, sure there are days that I want to quit, that I want to fight and scream back and say "really, anyone can find the negative with something how about you try to say something nice for a change.." or " well if we are making a list of things wrong with (this that shall remain nameless) lets start with you and how much better it could be with out you..." or my all time favorite and one I am so afraid of blurting out when I get to my breaking point.." I know everything you have said, I know everything you have done, and every way you have tried to make me fail, every way you have lied, every way you have manipulated the situation to make us all look bad when in reality it was your mistake not ours...." the list could on and on. How does one stay positive with constant negative thoughts, actions, and seems like constant one upence or for lack of a better term constant only finding the bad never finding the good, or having a kind word to say about or to that person. I am trying, I am praying, I am asking God to come into my heart and help me with me, help me to show love and love and more love. I refuse to sit back and just nod my head or say "yes -----" whatever you say and do it anymore...I am at my wits ends. In everything I do I could use improvement I am not a perfect person, never claimed to be! but no matter how much I try with this one situation, or don't try, or stand up for myself, or bite a hole in my tongue because I am trying to not say something for being afraid I would say to much, or get everything done perfect, or not perfect but still done....it is never good enough. I get talked about, blasted if you will, and some if it is just not true! and it hurts, and it makes me feel inadequate and my buttons get pushed, and really I could on and on but I won't! I refuse to give this any more of time or attention today! I am going to figure it out, I am going to love and be loved and stop worrying or seeking approval that won't be there, and learn that I truly am the one in charge of my own piece of the world and I can make it be as good as I need!!

Warm sun, blue sky..

BEAUTIFUL,WONDERFUL,GLORIOUS, PERFECT.... those are just some of the words that I would use to describe our weekend!! Crystal blue skies, no clouds in sight, warm sun on our skin and the sound of soccer mom and dads cheering on their favorite little players. First, goal of the game by none other then Tyler Robinson!!!! Won both games, saw my son have some of the most wonderful assists, and foot skills..and even better then that watching him get schooled by a girl!!! PRICELESS!!! I am also firing Warren from videoing the games with flip, why you ask?? because he is so involved with the game he misses the action with the camera. We get alot of grass, feet, and the end of the wonderful plays but not the actual plays themselves..so he is fired and I will try to get better video this weekend. Emily Klair got to have hitting practice last week, the weather has not been cooperating so we have not been able to have real softball practice yet, unlike soccer, if it sprinkles they cancel so the fields won't get messed up. So hitting inside at the top of the old high school where I use to practice is all she has gotten to do. And well, she is mine so I get to say she did awesome!! The hitting coach agrees, and said she has some "natural" talent!! We shall see as the season goes on but I am excited to get this going and watch her have a blast on the softball field. Thank you all for your kind words on my last post, still not 100% but I am back to work and gonna try to make it to a work out tomorrow for the first time. I am not sure what is going on but it is not fun when it happens, I get sweaty, pulse races, feel like I have an elephant on my chest or someone squeezing my chest to the point of no return, then I get sick to my stomach throw up, feel weak, then it passes in about an hour, minus a little discomfort in my chest. Every test is coming back fine but even morphine, and phenagren couldn't control my pain or vomiting at the hospital, they know something is going on just not sure what?? I don't have my gallbladder, but they have said I could still have stones without my gallbladder?? who knew go figure?? I have decided to just wait and hold off before calling and making the follow up with the doctor, just hate having test and things run, nothing ever shows anything!! Even my MRI for my shoulder showed nothing but a small tear it wasn't till they got in there during surgery that they saw that I basically tore every cartilage, ligament off the bone front and back, and my rotator cuff was caught in my shoulder joint....major surgery!! but nothing but a small tear in my cartilage on the MRI...same with EK negative pregnancy test till over 10 wks along!! so nothing ever shows up for me..so why spend the money? that is my thought anyway... ok sorry this post got hijacked by my medical drama from last week...sorry about that! if you are still reading thanks... so one of my news years resolutions was to tell more of my story, hmmm how can I say this I haven't had one post about my story...I can't seem to get it together, it is like I am afraid to write it, or post it , or rethink about it. I don't know?? Something is holding me back and I don't know why?? I have no problems sharing but at the same time I can't let myself hit publish post?!?!? and it is driving me crazy, so I think I am going to have to start off with something easy, something light and fluffy!! so if I have not shared this week please make me!! hold me accountable!!

I am still alive...

Well, I am still alive, kinda anyways!! I was just in the hospital for something?? still not sure what is going on just know that I feel horrible, and they thought it was something with my heart, but turns out my heart is great! Good to know seeing as how I treat my body horribly... So anywho, not up to par, still feeling lousy, trying to get over what ever it is, and feel better!! Saturday is Ty's first travel game, so we shall see how it all goes we are all excited about it, and we do not have to travel very far this time only about an hour, so can't wait to show you all some videos and cool pictures of him rocking it out on the soccer field!! Hope everyone is well and can't wait to catch up with everyone!!

fell off the wagon..

so I missed Zumba twice this week...and well I think I am self sabotaging myself because my eating has went downhill all week and I can't stop.... so this is me admitting that I Kari, am officially struggling with the weight loss and I have fallen off the wagon, will do a mucho better job next week..but since this week is already kaput....bring on the food!! Hope everyone has a great weekend... we at the Robinson's are going to get some spring cleaning done!!! oh I can't wait (so sarcastic...wish there was a font for that emotion )

randomness that is in my head....

bad couple of days...just in a big funk....trying hard to get out of it....need an attitude adjustment!!! it is no ones fault, nobody did anything wrong, have the best family, and friends....so why the funk?? not sure??? missed my zumba class last night, feel really guilty this morning....had a rough day at school with one of my precious little ones....have lots I want to blog about but can't seem to get my thoughts together to make any sense of them.... loving having my windows open during the day, and to sleep at night, ready to hit some high school baseball and softball games..not to mention tennis matches.... count down for the tennis beach trip is officially on... random thoughts that have been on my mind this morning..in no particular order... found out EK's softball coach for this season...and soo excited she has 3 friends on the team and is going to be coached by one of the girls I played softball with in high school and can't wait she will learn so much this season... Tyler is playing travel soccer...whoo hoo he is so excited but we are fixing to be running in different directions...and our schedule (that I am working on this morning ) will be as follows.. Mon-ty soccer practice.5:30-6:30, EK practice 7-8:30 tues-mom zumba, ek gymnastics,maybe ty soccer?? still working on that one?? wed-ty song leading, speech, all of us church thurs-mom zumba,ty soccer practice 6-7, EK softball 7-8:30 fri-free unless we are gonna be traveling for a tourney with soccer... they want the travel players to also play rec this season so he will have rec games and travel games and practice for both....and this is just our schedule as they practice when real games start it will change again....don't forget homework, and eating and showers and sleep....geesh I am tired thinking about it!! haha so sorry for the randomness that is this post..but now you know what it is like inside my head this morning....fun times huh??

not liking this growing up thing...

I have always said that this blog was more my journal, and somewhere that I could write and share my thoughts so one day EK and TY could read it. So EK will probably kill me when she gets older and reads this entry, and Ty may too with some of the entries about him, but I hope they read it one day and see how much fun we had and how loved they are... With that said, we have hit another milestone in the Robinson house hold...and well I am not sure I should be posting about this but it is too cute too not...she is only 8 so it still qualifies as cute right?!?! Well, we just bought EK her first real set of "big girl" undergarments...I have noticed in a couple of her shirts and things for school that she needed something, so we tried the undershirt approach and that worked for a little while but here lately she has needed more...so tonight was the night. She was soo cute picking out what she liked and trying them on, and it was bittersweet to me. I have always wanted a girl to do fun stuff with like shop (even though I am not a shopper?) get nails done together, go to lunch dates, just have fun being girls together. Tonight was one of those nights that was fun to watch her get excited and act so grown up, but it made it me sad because she is growing up. Tonight we are experiencing some really big storms and under a tornado watch, she hates storms!! so when we got home and her bath had been taken she curled up in my lap...not beside me and laying in my lap but IN my lap, and we just cuddled, and talked and she tried on my hoop earrings and it was just a sweet moment. I love that my kids are growing up, but there is a big part of me that wishes they were still babies and needed me more...but I will take any of those special moments like tonight I can get.

once in a lifetime..

I truly believe that you only get GREAT, AWESOME, and FANTASTIC say anything to, always have your back, they love you and yours just like they are family and sometimes even more, they know all your secrets and still love you because of them. I have a group of friends and we don't get to see each other very often sometimes only once a year, but we are close friends..we go on a girls trip every year, and we have a ball...we always try and go to a beach some where, and do nothing but relax by the pool and beach, and just be us...Kari, Tammy, Stephanie and Angie, not mom's, not wives, just us..it does us all so much good. Last summer we went to Tybee Island in Georgia and had a blast! We did some fun and out of the ordinary stuff...we went on a ghost tour in a hearse...we swam with dolphins...we chilled and watched movies...went to nice restaurants...and overall just had a great time. It is that time of year where I get antsy and am ready to go tomorrow on our trip, we haven't even planned this year yet and I am ready to pack and leave ASAP. I miss my girls, I miss what we use to have before some moved and our lives started going in different directions. I love to go catch up with them and to pick up where we left off never missing a beat... Now don't get me wrong I have lots of friends, lots of people I appreciate, lots of people that I associate with...BUT no one will ever replace the type of friendship I have with these girls!!! This picture is from last summers trip...from left to right...Stephanie, Me,Tammy, and Angie...and we were missing Destiny last year but hoping she can make it this summer! Love my girls.....

why must everyone be so rude?!?!

I have noticed that the past few weeks, there are no nice people left in this world. I am talking about everyday people and everyday actions....what happened to holding doors open for those behind you, or saying hello, or even acknowledging that someone has spoken to you, shoot I would take a smile at this point. Manners people, manners!!! it is not that hard to understand!! sorry no real post today other then to say... Please remember your manners, you never know how much your encounters with someone no matter how small or short will mean to someone else's day....

ode to laundry...

Oh how I hate thee, I despise you and your piles of dirty, stinky self.. I keep piling you up and avoiding your being but it's time I try and fight back and I say try because... It never seems to be enough, no matter how much I do, when I turn around and think I have you beat... Always more, and more and more... where do you come from?? Socks, underwear, jeans, jerseys, towels, wash cloths, sheets, and shirts will it ever end??? No it won't but I have a small secret as much as I hate thee, I also secretly love thee!!!! Because with out all the chaos that makes that laundry, my life would be boring, and I am thankful for the little boy and his stinky socks and jerseys, and even thankful for the little girl that no matter whats spills something on her shirt everyday at school, and for the hubby that loves his jeans and t-shirts!! dirty laundry equals fun,chaos,messy, smelly...and it's all mine!!!

FIGURE ME OUT...

So Warren and I are going out on a double date tonight with good friends of ours and well I can not wait...

It is not going to be our typical date we are going to the Melting Pot..yummy yummy but it is what we are doing after dinner that we have never done before, may never do again, but sounds fun and different so we are a go...

The other couple asked us to go and thought it would be fun and maybe something different then the normal date so we jumped at the oppurtunity and away we go...

So what fun would it be if I told you what it was so you are going to have to figure it out...Good Luck...

I know it is easy but I couldn't find anything creative to describe it...so no judging hahah its my first atempt at a riddle and to be cool like Kellie and Natalie :) you girls always rock these!!!

EPIC PARENTAL FAIL...

My girl.. Sweet, kind, beautiful...*and many more wonderful words to describe her inserted here! I feel like she has been on the back burner lately and it is making me sad...I think we need a mother daugther day asap!!! She is so laid back and go with the flow that I think sometimes we take it for granted... I am officially the worst mother in the world, the kiddos school decided to not do Valentine's Party and called it a heart health friends day...fun, great, wonderful..however, I somehow missed a note saying that their class was still going to exchange Valentine's//I know right??? anywho she didn't have any to pass out, but do you think she complained? do you think I even heard about it when she got in the car? NO, I found them in her room yesterday while doing laundry, when I asked her about it she said no biggie mom I know you have been busy and lots on your mind lately! talk about feeling like a turd in the punch bowl!! sorry was that too gross?? anywho I felt horrible!! I still feel horrible, not sure how I missed that note but I did, and I have told her we will make it up and I will make cupcakes or brownies something she can share with the class to make it up, in the next few days! So, my quiet, don't make a fuss, laid back girl needs some attention right now and I am gonna make sure she gets some...all I can say is sorry EK your momma had one epic parental fail!! and I will do better!

GREEN EYED MONSTER....

GREEN EYED MONSTER...

that is what I am.....

I got my good purse stolen a few months back and I haven't been able to get a new one or rather find a new one that I like....

Then the other day my sister walks into my parents house with THIS.....so now I am the

GREEN EYED MONSTER....soo jealous!! and must have this purse!!! or one even more fab then this one!!!

Day of Love....

Valentines Day..a day of love.... 5 yrs ago on Feb. 14, my heart was broken, along with many others. Valentine's day will never be the same to me. I had a great day, and was cooking supper for Warren and the kiddos, when the phone rang. I answered it and what I heard next stopped me in my tracks. I remember thinking, this was not funny, this was a mistake, I also remember thinking I am going to fall down, my legs turned to jello. I remember turning off the stove and listening, no moving, no crying just listening. I then told the caller, I didn't believe them, I would find out the truth, and call them back. I immediately called Rusty (our youth minister) and he answered and all he could say was "Kari I can't talk and I am so sorry, so sorry" and then click he had hung up on me. I put the phone back up, walked back into the kitchen turned the stove back on and started cooking again. I remember getting the kids plates ready and not making them come to the table, but letting them have a picnic on the floor in the living room. That is when I saw Warren pull in the driveway, he was early, and he was in a hurry. He ran to me, hugged me, and told me he was sorry. He then asked what I knew, and all I knew was that there had been an accident, a bad accident. The phone started to ring, my cell started to ring, people started to come by. I went with my sister in law to the youth activity center at our church where people had already started to gather, to pray, to sing, to cry, to remember. That is when it hit me, that is where I realized I had to be strong, I was there to comfort them, I was there to pray with them. But I still couldn't believe it. That is where I heard the story and found out that one of my precious teens that I had worked with, prayed with, took on trips, helped with boy advice, and had a great time with had been killed, and another one that I also loved that played volleyball for me was fighting for her life at Vanderbilt. Mary Helen McMeen, beautiful, smart, fun, only child, loved by all that knew her, was taken from us on Valentine's day 5 yrs ago. She had been following some other basketball players to a teammates house to eat dinner before the big game that night, it was a huge caravan. When she was broad sided by a truck, and killed instantly. The accident happened in front of most of the team, cheerleaders, and even some parents, the teens that were there have never forgotten what they saw, nor will they ever. She was soo loved, and still is. I treated her like my own, we were very close. I have worked with the teens for 10 or so years, and have gotten close to alot of them, but Mary Helen was different. I can not explain it, she was just special, and because of that I would of done almost anything for her. One summer she could not go on the week long mission trip, so I took a day off of work, and me and her and EK along with my sil, and headed to spend the day with the youth group...she was soo thankful and surprised I would do that for her. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her. I want my Emily Klair to have all the qualities she possessed. Her parents are heroes in my eyes, and I want to tell them how much I look up to them. I want them to know that I still talk about her, think about her and always will. I have lost grandparents, and close friends before, but this was different. This effected me differently, there are no words to describe how this changed me. So yes Valentine's day is a day of love, but too me it is also a day to spend with those I love and remember those I have loved and lost... Mary Helen you will never be forgotten Thank you for the love you showed to me and everyone around you. We miss you everyday!!!!

"Sand"man...

We had "fun with sand" day at school the other day...

I had lots of fun ideas, but after getting to school and getting the sand poured into the bowl I decided to just let loose and let the kiddos play with it, we made a huge mess but had the best time! WE pretended we were at the beach, we dug around in it, pretended it had buried treasure in it, we poured it back and forth into cups, and we buried our hands in it...fun was had by all.

Since it is still winter we decided to make "sand"men....and they turned out so cute...I forgot to get a finished picture of them but you can still see how cute they turned out...we painted with the color of their choice mixed with a little Elmer's glue...then we took the sand and poured, patted and smoothed over the picture...

Everyone loved sand day....especially the teacher!!!!

Getting back to me....

Warren and I after our hot date tonight...

ok not really a hot date, just a benefit dinner for the private school here in town where I coach volleyball.

We never get our picture taken together, I am always behind the camera taking the pics and well we never take the time to get in a pic together, so tonight while we were still decent, I had Tyler take our picture....not too bad if I do say so myself!

Tomorrow is a big day...Warren is in a benefit fashion show for HEART HEALTH at the hospital where he works, from what I understand they have a pink dress (yes I said dress) all picked out waiting on him. I have to go do his make-up, and doll him all up around 11 tomorrow! You better believe that there will be pictures to post of that...I still can not believe he said he would do it. Not sure pink is his color, but we shall see tomorrow.

I feel like I am coming out of my depression a little bit at a time. I do a very good job at hiding it for the most part, but my family and close friends have been helping me and encouraging me to get out more, and for the first time tonight I felt more like myself. This shoulder surgery and the pain I am in daily, and the health scare with Tyler and now the diagnoses has kinda thrown me for a loop. I have been hiding out in my house and not really doing anything. For those of you that know me, know that I am very out going, loud and love being around people, but for the past few months I have only done what I have to do, and avoid or cancel things just to stay home and veg on the couch. I have struggled with this before but not for a long time...I am glad to say tonight felt good, like the old Kari is still in here...laughing and cutting up, wanting to dress up and be with friends tonight was a great feeling. I am hoping this is the start of me coming out of this awful funk I have been in. My family deserves better then what I have been able to give them lately.

*the top pic is one Tyler wanted to take bc he said I looked so pretty tonight more like the mom before shoulder surgery...bless his heart!!!! he told me I had to put it on my blog..so I did bc he was such a sweetheart about it...

sunny days are here again...

I love the snow, I love the memories we make in the snow, I love having snow days......BUT

I am getting over it!

I am ready for warm weather, flip flops (which I wore today even though it was snowing..I know I am dork but whatcha going to do?? Love them!)

I am ready to go to the beach, sun, sand, and cool blue water!!

I am ready to play outside with the kids throwing the softball with EK, or kicking the soccer ball with Ty...

I am ready for my windows to be open at the house, to trim the bushes and plant flowers, ready for sunny days to be here again!!

For all my northern friends I know I have no room to complain when we get 1 1/2 inches of snow and it shuts down the whole town, and we only get snow once in a blue moon, although this winter has been different...so I apologize to you for complaining!

I am very blessed and for the past few summers have gotten to go to the beach on an average of 4 times each summer, sometimes with my family, sometimes with some great friends for a girls trip, and sometimes with some great teenagers!! I could live at the beach!! The pictures are from various trips in the last few summers...

Top picture is from this Oct fall break..me and my girl EK

2nd picture is EK and my niece Hallie

3rd picture is me and my good friend Tammy swimming with the dolphins in the wild..we were at Tybee Island in Georgia and the dolphins would swim right up to us..it was wild!! 4th picture is of my beautiful family...love that picture one of my favs foresure

5th picture is me and EK again working on our tans!! oh how I miss my tan right now!!

Bring on the sunny days, please and the sooner the better!!!

I will hopefully be going to the beach this spring break with the tennis team again...they get their tails worked off at a tennis camp and I get my tan on while they are there...then fun times at night being a chaperone to a great group of kids!!

really?!?!

SO this weekend my family got a lesson in what is put on their blogs is free domain for anyone to use. My blog nor my sister's blog is very big and it is mainly for us to journal and write something we both love to do. Well, I introduced you to my precious nephew last week, what I failed to tell you all was that he was in the hospital again having a new shunt put in. He is doing great, and really is a precious little guy! Anywho, if you read my sister's blog you can follow his amazing journey... This weekend my sister gets a call from a friend and the friend reads her a story from their newspaper...and get this....she is reading my sister's words! from her blog!! The writer told my nephew's story, and how amazing he is, quoted my sister's blog, and for the most part the story was on target...BUT it could of been so much better!! Andrea would of invited this person over, let her met Anderson, share her feelings and frustrations, give God the glory, and show off how well Anderson really is doing...but no the reporter did none of that...did not even inform Andie that she was writing the story, just took her words and quotes because she could and wrote a story. I understand anything we write can be taken from us and no one has to even tell us but in all my life I can not and would not ever think of doing such a thing!! My sister has talked with the author of the story and she has forgiven her, because well she is nice like that!! So anywho, just had one of those moments this weekend that makes you go really???? who does that??? and just wanted to share it with you!!

Date night...

So since we have kinda had a rough couple of months and things just were out of the ordinary..we have yet to celebrate our 14 yr anniversary back in Dec. Tonight is date night...not sure where we are going and what we are doing but we do know the kiddos will be spending the night at the grandparents house tonight, and we will be out on the town!! I can not wait, I get to dress up for my man, put on make-up do my hair, and I get him all to myself! Not sure when the last time this happened was??? Have I mentioned I love date night?? bc guess what I DO!!!

Zumba

Well, I have found it!! I have heard about it, seen it, and now I have done it (you know like more then once...can't really tell if you like something if you only try it once or twice..) I don't get all the steps right, and pretty sure that I look like a fool most of the time, but I love it!! I don't care what I look like doing it, as long as it works my butt off..no I mean it I want this butt gone!!! I am still not suppose to be lifting anything with this shoulder of mine...and I am pretty sure I have mentioned this once or twice or maybe a hundred bizillion times...I AM DONE!!!! I want my life back, I am sick of pain, sick of not sleeping in bed, sick of needing help for personal things such as putting your bra on...I AM DONE!!! ok I feel better now, sorry just had to get that off my chest again this week :) Zumba is great and it is an exercise I am really enjoying doing...I don't dread going, I don't have to drag my butt there..have I mentioned I want said butt gone? yes? oh ok just making sure you know! This week as been a long week and I am thankful it is almost over, hope to get some great post finished up this weekend...and some great videos to download!!!

Writer's block..

So I have writer's block.. I have to write a speech for Tyler, and I have writer's block..I don't get writer's block. I just wrote a puppet script for 4 teams for church...no writer's block then...BUT now... nothing, nada, zero, do you hear birds chirping because I do!!! So any help from you wonderful people would be great.... The topic is "if you love me, keep my commandments.." John 14:15 Please and Thank you!!

The TY and Mom show....

Tyler was home sick today with STREP throat and we are being lazy, playing on the computer, watching TV, and just being silly together...

Been awhile since we had a light hearted fun post, so we thought we would have some fun with the flip and video ourselves.

The lighting is bad, we have not had showers and we look rough...and I am pretty sure we might smell too, good thing there is no smellavision yet!! but we are having fun...Thanks to my friend Dianne's blog for the idea..

No making fun of us..but please feel free to laugh with us and have a good time watching them...

* the video with Tyler reading the words, answering the questions and flipping his hair like Justin Bieber...is not downloading..so stay tuned for that...that boy is a mess!!

Too precious for words...

Meet Anderson Knox Spears...he is my precious nephew and I can not tell you how sweet this lil guy is! He is smiley and cuddly, and really is just the best baby there is. He has an amazing story, and you can check it out on my sister's blog the spears family on the blogs I follow list to the right.... He is a blessing to all that know him...love this lil man!!! I wanted to introduce him to you all, I hope you take the time to read his story and see along with us that God is more powerful then any DR, and only he knows how things will turn out ... oh yea and stay tuned for a fun post with me and Tyler (if I can get the video to download..it is taking forever!!!!!)

Right place right time...

Do you ever feel like God had a hand in where you are at a certain place and time?? Well that happened to us today. We were on our way to the grocery store after Tyler's bball game this afternoon and as we pulled into the parking lot I saw the SUBWAY restaurant that is in the same shopping complex and I said to Warren " yum SUBWAY sounds good today." He agreed so we ended up changing our plans and headed into the restaurant. When we walked in we noticed it was super hot in there, and it was kinda hard to breathe. As we were ordering a young girl (probably 19-21) walked in and you could tell she had been working out, work out clothes, red face, sweaty hair. She got into line behind us, we were done ordering and was paying our bill when she sat down to wait for her food to be made, and us to get out of her way. In a second of sitting down she went into a full grand mal seizure! Warren and I ran to her, Warren grabbed her head and held her shoulders while I got down and got her bottom half (we know not to normally touch a person other then to make sure they are not injuring their head, but she was sitting in a chair..so we were not holding her down we were barely holding her just enough to keep her from hitting her head or hurting herself) we knew what to do, what to watch for, if she stopped breathing and to look at the clock and see how long it lasted, and most importantly how to stay calm. She came out of it pretty quickly, and refused the ambulance the employees had called for. We sat with her for a while, got her a drink, and a cool rag, and paid for her meal. We shared with her how our children both have epilepsy, and asked if she had ever had this done before, she said only once and that it had been when she had gotten too hot. We offered to take her home, because I really knew she shouldn't be driving, but she said she lived just around the corner, so we told her we hoped she felt better soon, and to make sure to let her dr. know what had happened. She was embarrassed and hated that we had already paid for her meal, and was just ready to get home. I have thought about her the rest of the day, I hope she made it home, I hope she doesn't live alone, I hope she called someone and I hope she follows up and calls the dr.. I cried when she left, and I really was a bundle of nerves. I was shaken, it was scary and we had handled it calmly, but afterwards I couldn't stop thinking about Emily Klair and Tyler being that age and having a seizure in a public place and how I hope there are people there that now what to do. I thought lots of things after our visit to SUBWAY, and I do believe with all my heart that we were meant to be there today.

Can breathe again...

So Thankful, Grateful, blessed beyond words...that is how I am feeling this morning, with a little bit of sadness, and a little case of the whys thrown in. I am so happy to have a diagnoses and for it to be one we are already familiar with, not to mention the best possible outcome of what it could of been. I am going to be honest here for a minute,I am a little sad, mad and frustrated that my children have to go through this. YES I know it could be much worse, YES I know that I need to count my blessings, YES I know that this is not the end of the world...but I can not stop the momma in me from wanting to take it away from them. For them to not even know the word epilepsy and what it means, for them to not be scared, or have to take daily medication. But this is our life and we will settle into a new routine, and we will take care of business. Tyler is being a man about it, and by that I mean he is not talking about it, says he isn't scared when he clearly is, and acting as if everything is normal, like I said he is being a man about it.HAHA I know when he is ready he will ask questions and want to talk about it, and we will be here when he is ready. So last night I went to Zumba, with a new friend.....and wow, after hearing the good news, jamming and dancing my tail off to some great music I felt soo much better! It was a great night!! and if you have never tried zumba you should....it is full of laughing, dancing, twisting the hips, and just having a overall great time!! Tonight Tyler has a jump rope performance at a basketball game, it is always so fun to see them jump, nerve racking but fun! so stay tuned for some video clips to come... IT feels so good to be able to breathe again...

soooo.....the verdict is......

well I wish I could tell you!! I wasn't going to post till we knew forsure but well we still don't know!!! We got a call from the dr. on Monday night that said the one test was read and the results of that was either an epilepsy disorder, legions on the brain, or a tumor and without the MRI he couldn't tell us exactly which one it is.... So we wait, till he gets the full MRI report and we pray! None of the options are the best but with the epilepsy we have knowledge in that area we know about the meds, the way it effects our daily life and his, it is the best options! One I wish Tyler didn't have to deal with at all but one that we know about!! I shudder when I think about the others, and really I am trying to not worry, bc it is happening whether I worry or not, right?? But it is soo hard!!! Fingers and toes, arms and legs crossed we hear from the DR. today!!!

Waiting really stinks..

Well we don't know any details about yesterday yet?? What we do know is this..his eeg showed something in the left hemisphere of his brain, we were told that they were going to fax his test to Vandy as soon as possible...that they had already tried calling over there to get the Dr. to read the test while we were there, but he had stepped out so they were sending the test for him and he would read it yesterday and send the results to our Dr. yesterday afternoon...so if we didn't hear from our Dr. over the weekend, we need to call him Monday morning. It could be anything from a seizure disorder like EK, to something abnormal in that part of the brain..we just have no details right now so we know nothing!!! Other then we know that there is something going on... The MRI went smoothly and of course they are not allowed to say anything..not even do a wink and nudge, or nothing so we have no idea of knowing what that showed, the tech just said we should hear something first of the week.... so we wait, and really we are trying not to let our minds wander, we know that God is in control and no matter what we will take this challenge on just like we have every other challenge that has come our way...with God on our side, trusting in him, and believing that with him all things are possible. on a side note the tech (along with lots of people) think my lil man looks like Justin Bieber...she just kept on and on about how cute he was, she even wanted to take a pic of him and send it to her niece who loves "Jason Beaver" (the tech kept calling him by the wrong name..haha) I know he is a cutie pie, but it is nice to have others tell me how handsome he is... but after the night of beating mom so bad on the Wii and a morning of hearing how cute is he..it really is a wonder that ole head of his fit into the mri machine :)

CRZY FUN..

so me and Tyler have been up most of the night and we are sooo tired but wanted to share some highlights..ahem ok maybe just some silly moments.. Tried to play charades but he after his..Avatar The last Air Bender....(umm yes he did what you think...all I could do was laugh and laugh..he is a nut!!) I couldn't compose myself..so done with that game.. He kicked my tail at Mario cart, basketball and sword play....on the wii..can you believe he actually told me he was done because he needed competition!! I mean really?? He is his father's son!!! We got on FB and played a little family feud..and price is right...we laughed so hard bc well momma is tired and can't type well and we had answers that were what the word here..outta of this world!! crazy answers with crazy spelling equal not doing so well but laughing so hard you cry!! haha Well it is 5:18 am and we have about 5 hrs left...will have a full post on his test later probably after we know something...but for now I am off to try and beat him at something or his head is going to get sooo big it won't fit in the MRI machine :)

Some of my other kiddos...

Back to back District Champs...2010 VolleyDawgs!!

having fun after a week of two-a-day practices in the dog heat of summer...

we start the season in July...well our gym has no ac..in the summertime it can be over 100 degrees in that gym..and you will still find us in there sweating it out...our girls work very hard and we are always very proud of them!

We try and make it fun, we have crazy hair day Wednesdays, team bonding parties, we dress alike for practices and to travel, bc we are a team..we are one!

I love volleyball!! I love the sport, I love the family feeling we have as a team, I love everything about it!!

These are some pictures of some of my other kiddos...I love working with teenagers, whether its church, or coaching.

They are in a world all there own and if they let you in, you better treat it with care and treasure every moment of it...

I have coached for 6 seasons now and have been through lots of fun, hard, trying, awesome moments, that I wouldn't trade for anything!! My kiddos have grown up in the gym with me, I take them to every practice and most games just depends on how far we travel and what is going on with them (ie..if they have practice themselves or gymnastics or something)the girls are very sweet to them and love on them!!

I am lucky enough to get to do this with one of my best friends in the world, we are very similar and try and make volleyball more then just a school sport. We try and make it a family with lots of fun and having each others backs no matter what is going on. I think very few people in their lives get to experience the type of friendship we have with one another, she truly is a part of my family!

I just wanted to show off some of my other kiddos...I am one proud momma to a team of wonderful young ladies....past players and present players, looking forward to many more seasons to come.