I sometimes debate coming back and writing again. My life is vastly different but eerily similar to the days of writing here. I’m married again. I now have 3 children, but the happy times shared on here about my oldest are all so similar to the times I’m experiencing at the moment with my youngest. It’s like looking in a mirror that may or may not have been so kind to me. I’ve got grey hair for the moment. (I did buy dye though this week for a major change.) I’m still loving life though and I guess that is the key to everything. I left Tennessee. We never really quite fit in there and it was easy to leave. We’re in Virginia and honestly. I hope that I stay here for the rest of my life. It’s quite a lovely area and so much going on. I just love it.

Anyways… 1546 posts now. Isn’t that crazy?

Once upon a time there was an ocean . This was a special ocean. This was a magic ocean. Mermaids swim in it. This is why. Once there was a diamond. One winter this diamond got so cold it’s color started to go away. Then the next morning the sun shined on that diamond. Powder got on it. This was not any old dust. This was magic dust.

The diamond started to roll and roll and rolled until it came to a ledge. It fell off the ledge and shattered. Right when hope was lost the pieces started to move. It was putting itself together. Then it went on to another ledge instead of falling a bird caught it. Then it dropped and it landed in an ocean. People were swimming that day and they got the diamond. The dust on the diamond spread in the water. The eighteen people who were swimming turned into mermaids. They smiled and dove down deep. Then made homes and it has been that way ever since.

I’m now in Tennessee. I’m going to get my camera out and go take a pile of pictures, so that I can edit the site to show how pretty it is around here. There are some amazing things about this place as far as the countryside and even this little town.

I also don’t know if this will post images or not, so here is an image of Drake eating chicken if it works. That would be cool.

Drake got lots of tractor related things, his not so silent obsession really hit home with his grandparents. Kyra’s basic theme in gifts was security this year. Yeah, she’s an 8 year old who needs the ability to keep her things away from her brother, but still accessible to her. Prior to Christmas her nicest things are hidden in the top of her closet (she can’t reach the top of her closet either), so for Christmas she got luggage locks and foot lockers and locking things.

The kids got a few clothing items, but honestly. There is an amazing thrift store system here where we live, so I haven’t bought them clothing in a real store since I can remember. I haven’t even shopped in a real clothing store since living here. Stephen bought me my last real clothing purchase for my birthday last year. We all seem to have our dressers stocked though, we’re ready to go.

It’s the other stuff that occupied our Christmas though. Now, our little house is just a tiny bit smaller.

Stephen was actually surprised when I got him the home brewing kit. He had been looking to get one a few months ago, so I wasn’t sure what he would think when he actually had what he wanted. He had marked it as something he couldn’t afford. He works much too hard for that though. He’s always the one to sacrifice financially for our family. He does it willingly, but it still shouldn’t be him going totally without his wants. I hope he enjoys the process of making beer as it seems like an interesting hobby, more of a science.

I’m convinced we are firmly within the low end of middle class America though. It’s got grip on us like you wouldn’t believe which is making moving ahead really hard. I was watching videos about the economics of America the last few days. I don’t really know why as I honestly should avoid that type of information. It could make your head explode and understandably so.

Anyways, that is what is happening here over the holidays. I hope you had a great Christmas as well.

I’m super excited here. I bought tickets for just Kyra and myself to attend Disney on Ice in Chattanooga in October. Yep, we are going to leave the boys home and go. I’m so excited.

Drake went on the potty for the first time and today is Kyra’s first day of school. Life is crazy busy as you would expect. Stephen is attempting to make a record as well. He has gotten out of work really close to on time both day so far, I know that this record probably won’t happen. It sure would be nice to see him on time all week.

I also bought tickets for the Disney On Ice for just me and Kyra in October. Oh my gosh…that will be so fun and just us two going. I am so excited. Life is good. 

Well there was a truck pull in our town this week. We went Friday night. I never stepped on to the property the pull was being held on because Stephen\’s work owns the property that we sat on to watch. That being said about ½ way through the show, Stephen\’s boss had us bought arm bands to be on the show property. This wasn\’t really necessary because we didn\’t step on the property at all and had permission to be where we were.\r\n

Now, let me tell you about Saturday night. The truck pull was going on for a second night, so we were going to go watch it. Ha right.. small town we live in. There was a cop posted at Stephen\’s work gate and he was a real jerk. He stopped me from going onto the property. I\’m pretty sure that what he did was illegal because it\’s private property that we had permission to be on and the property isn\’t associated at all with the truck pull. Anyways, we left… the boss was coming this night as well to pay for tickets for us, but the cop lost out on a lot of money for the tractor pull.\r\n

That was the most exciting thing about my weekend though.\r\n

These kids are pretty fun. Drake is going into quite the man. He now says \”I just want to hug you!\” whenever he\’s being bad. It makes you laugh, but he still gets in trouble.\r\n

Kyra is going to be riding in the truck with her father again next week for the whole week. I get so worried with her gone, but I know her dad does his best to make sure she is safe. He sure does love her. I am glad in a way she gets to go, but in another way I wish he would just take a week off to spend with her at home without all the driving. Oh well…this is the reality.