HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Guess who's 38 years old today? Yep, this chick right here.

Had I been in another place in my life I'd be freaking out right now. 38 is just two years shy of 40! But...I'm where I'm at and being in place, I'm glad to be 38. I am happier, wiser and free-er (that's a word isn't it?) than I've been in my previous 37 years. I feel good about what's ahead of me. I feel the future is full of opportunity.

2010 will I'm sure, be full of obstacles but even more than that, it will be full of joy. I'm looking forward to this next year...IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD ONE as I continue to learn to fly again.

On the 15th Day of Christmas...

Just a short entry. Precious performed yesterday in the District-wide Orchestra performance. It was a very long but good program.

Maxwell's Addition to the Christmas Decorations

I LOVE CHRISTMAS! Everything about it and my boy is just like me. He wanted to add his own personal touch to our decorations and so he spent hours making 30 homemade snowflakes (while watching Dirty Jobs w/Mike Rowe...which is why it took hours...lol). These five are his favorites.

This Made Me Happy

LIVE THE LIFE YOU IMAGINED

I was doin' my ususal this afternoon, cruisin' around the internet and ran across this quote. Not sure who it's by or I'd give credit where credit was due. Anyway, this quote spoke to me. This is exactly what I'm working on doing...living the life I imagined. No doubt this is a hard time for me, I miss my babies terribly when they are away from me but I'm fighting hard for both them and me. But in the meanwhile, incredibly, I'm enjoying myself. I am so much stronger than I ever could've imagined.

I'm learning to fly again...and it feels good.

Shenita Lynn's Birthday Celebration

This past Saturday (Nov. 28th) Shenita had her 28th B-day party at Razzoo's. This was the first time at this restaurant for me; I've heard of it before but never wanted to go because they serve spicy seafood dishes (oh and they serve alligator too...what the hell?!) and I like neither spicy nor seafood. Luckily for me they had chicken tenders on the menu...mmm...mmm.

Top Left: The birthday girl was tipsy...look at her eyes...lol. I actually took way more pics than this but am not posting them because I don't know any of the people in them.

I've known Shenita since she was 15-16years old. Hard to believe she's grown now (and a new homeowner...CONGRATULATIONS SHENITA)

Spending Thanksgiving w/Family

This was the first Thanksgiving that I've ever spent without my babies. It was hard but I was still able to enjoy myself because I know it won't always be this way. I spent this Thanksgiving with my In-Laws, Lia and Terry. Lia and I cooked most of the food the night before. She had the fireplace going and Christmas music playing as we did what we needed to do. When we were done, we layed around watching movies. We went to bed around 3am.

Top Left: Samantha and Taysia (my nieces). These jokers spent the entire time on their cell phones. Middle: Me showing Little Terry (my nephew) how to correctly peel potatos. Bottom Left:Lia jacking with the fireplace...as usual.

I woke up the next morning around 10am to find that my brother-in-law, Terry, had already been up for a few hours but everyone else was still sleep. By about 10:30am I guess he got tired of waiting for them to wake up because he got two pots and commenced to banging them together while yelling "clang-clang-clang" at the same time. Unfortunately for him, my sis-in-law, Lia (the main one he wanted up), was wearing ear plugs and didn't hear a thing...LOL!

By 3:30 Shenita and Colette had arrived and we were ready to eat.

Despite my very strong objections, everyone was eating Chittlins. I kept trying to explain to them that we weren't slaves anymore so we can eat the good part of the pig (I mean, I know Texas found out about the slaves being freed late but "Juneteenth"...heard of that) but kept right on eating...DISGUSTING! I think Auntie Colette was the only one that had some sense and didn't eat any...and maybe Taysia.

See me representing the Buckeyes? That's what's up!

These pictures were taken on the friday after thanksgiving. Terry and Lia's rottweiler's, King and Sheba, had a litter of puppies. I just thought that they were so cute that I should share.

Little Terry getting puppy kisses

SNOWING IN TEXAS

YES...THAT IS SNOW YOU SEE!!! It actually snowed today. I took this picture today after dropping Precious off at school (this is her pictured). Not really sure why it would be snowing (this is being said with much eye rolling), I mean, yes it's winter and yes it's December but this is LANCASTER, TEXAS! It doesn't snow here in December. This is some straight Tom-Foolery. They (they being "The Man") should've listened to Al Gore. Damned Global Warming!!!

Happy Halloween 2009

CELEBRATING HALLOWEEN W/OUR FAMILY


























Top left: Little Terry, Middle: Max,
Bottom Left: TyWan

The girls took the boys out for Trick or Treat this year. It was the first time they were allowed to go out without an adult. They were very excited about it and all got TONS of candy.

The girls said they were dressed as crayons...lol.

Terry wins the award for the Most Creative Costume

as Blade

What's Been Goin On???

GUESS WHO TURNED 13???

If you guessed my Precious girl you'd be correct. I don't like at all having a teenager. I want her to stay my lil 'ole girl.

She is the typical teenager, loves clothes, music and her cell phone. She has her own style, which I sometimes don't understand but I'm sure my mama didn't always understand mine either.

For her birthday, I gave her some money and me and her along with her Aunt Lia and cousin Taysia went to the mall. Lia and I let the girls go their own way (a first for both of us) and they really enjoyed themselves.

Precious & Taysia at the mall

The girls making cupcakes for Precious B-day

Precious shopping

Me and my girl

Family Reunion...Sorta...But Not

Okay, ya'll gotta scroll down to the bottom to get the story on these pics. I forget sometimes how this thing is set up...psh. Get offa my back about it...

Jocky, Me & Squishy's Mama

I miss gettin' all these sweet kisses from my Squishy

Squishy's Mama taking a nap after clubbin' all night

Shelby and Squishy's Mama

My Squish-Mish sush a big girl now

Can't believe I used to baby-sit these two

Such a handsome cuzzin'...spreading chocolate covered goodness to the world...the world

Squishy's Mama looks more and more like her mama...so pretty. I miss my Aunt Debbie

Last weekend my cousins Jakki, Squishy's Mama (Kenya) and Squish (Neveah) came in from Florida to visit me. The arrived in Norcross on Friday to spend the night with Kenya's best friend and then the following night, came to stay the night with me. It was so good to see all of them. Jakka and Squish came up friday night and we went to the movies to see Land of the Lost which was flipping hilarious. When they arrived on Saturday, we really didn't do much. Ordered some pizzas and watched some movies (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button...pretty good but flippin long. If it ain't Lord of The Rings it don't get to be almost 3hrs long) but I really, really enjoyed myself. It doesn't take much to make me happy when I am around my family.

I love you Jocky...I love you Squishy's Mama...I LOVE YOU A VERY MUCH SQUISH!!

Theme Song

Shelby asked me the other day what my theme song was and I told her I didn't have one yet. Nothing had spoken to me. For those of you who aren't aware, when you are going thru some trial or tribulation a theme song is a NECESSITY! It is the song you play that helps you get your day going. Really, you can play it anytime during the day when you need that extra BOOST.

Saturday morning at 5am it came to me, my theme song. It's perfect for me.

Golden...by Jill Scott

Heyyy, Ohh, Heyyy, Yeah, Ohh, Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeahhhh

I'm taking my freedom
Pulling it off the shelf
Putting it on my chain
Wear it around my neck
I'm taking my freedom
Putting it in my car
Wherever I choose to go
It will take me far

I'm livin' my life like it's golden
Livin' my life like it's golden
Livin' my life like it's golden, golden
Livin' my life like it's golden
Livin' my life like it's golden, golden,

I'm taking my own freedom
Putting it in my song
Singing loud and strong
Grooving all day long
I'm taking my freedom
Putting it in my stroll
I'll be high-steppin' y'all
Letting the joy unfold

I'm holding on to my freedom
Can't take it from me
I was born into it
It comes naturally
I'm strumming my own freedom
Playing the god in me
Representing his glory
Hope he's proud of me

I'm living my life like its golden, golden, golden, golden, golden, golden

Livin' my life like it's golden
It really matters to me, Ohhh

I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH!

CELEBRATION

I have an attorney!!! Waaaahooo! I've been searching and searching trying to find the right one to respresent me in the divorce and now I've got her. In celebration, Shelby brought home some margarita mix and she made us margaritas. They were SOOOO good (even though there was barely any liquor in them). Yayyy for me and for my babies.

I Believe

These last few weeks have been very trying and unfortunately there are more to come but I Believe that I'll make it through. There is a hearing coming up on June 2nd where the judge will decide whether it's Bobby or me that will get temporary custody of our children while we are going through this divorce and there is a trial coming up on July 27th against Bobby for the charges I pressed against me for threatening me. I Believe that sometimes, to get to the other side of something where there is peace you have to go through that "something". Whatever it may be and that going through it makes you that much stronger.

Even though I worry constantly about what all of this is doing to our children (because they are going through it with us) I Believe that children, even sometimes more than adults, are resilient. And they too, in the long run, will make it through this to the other side where there is peace. Of course a big part of how they handle things is determined by how we handle things.

I believe that what goes around comes around. Call it Karma or whatever you want but how you treat others ALWAYS, ALWAYS comes back around to you. When you pretend that you are someone that you are not, at all times wearing a "mask" so that you can fool those around you into believing you are one person when really you are another, at the end of the day you are utterly and completly alone. It's then, in those quiet and dark hours of the night, that all you'll have to hold onto are your regret because you've pushed away those closest to you, those who loved you the most even when they knew you for who you truly are.

This I Believe.

God Doesn't Give You More Than You Can Handle

I've heard that all of my life and I believe it to be true. I just think that sometimes the Lord, in all of his infinate wisdom, gives me more credit than I should have. Now is one of those times. I'm going thru it ya'll but it's not just me, it's Precious and Max too. I've often thought of how much personal info. I should include in this blog and I'm still not sure. I will say this...I have left my husband...for the last time. I had to come to Georgia to be safe. Unfortunately I have to go back to Texas for a court date and I'm scared but I will do what I have to do to keep my children safe as well as myself.

Keep me in your prayers

What's Goin' On?

I haven't been posting any more pics of our Las Vegas trip because quite frankly, the whole uploading process/writting about what was going on in the pics was getting on my nerves (totally my fault cause i took so many gee-dee pictures...smile) Anywho, this post is just gonna be words.

I am feeling pretty good now. It's been a week and four days since I had my "procedure" (for those of you who don't know, I had some work done on my "mysterious lady parts" to quote Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights) done I am having very minimal pain and am able to move around quite normally. I went grocery shopping this morning and that didn't go to good. I was feeling faint and very warm, which seems to happen now whenever I exert myself but I made it through.

I received some SUPER-WONDERFUL presents from my very bestest friend in the whole world (Shelby). I'll take a picture and post tomorrow.

Other important news on the homefront, Precious and Max have their TAKS testing tomorrow (Precious also has hers on Weds.) TAKS stands for Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. Starting in 3rd grade and continuing on thru high school, students take these tests close to the end of the school year (for both math and reading). They have to pass these tests to be passed on to the next grade. I don't like the idea that they have to pass these tests in order to pass to the next grade. My reasoning is this, both Precious and Max have been in the Gifted and Talented Program since Kindergarten and they both have always STAYED on Honor Roll (well, Precious wasn't always on it this year. She seemed to be having trouble staying focused this year but we've nipped that in the bud). So my question has always been, if they excel all school year but don't pass the TAKS Test, how do you think you can hold them back. We, of course, have never had a problem with them failing these tests. As a matter of fact, Max just took his Reading TAKS a few weeks ago and was given a Commendation because he only missed one. The passing score is 2100 and Max scored 2500 (yes...those are MY genes running thru him). And every school year Precious gets commended for scoring high also.

Ok, so off of my soapbox. I'll try to post more Vegas pics tomorrow. Right now I'm going to sign off because I need to write.

Vegas Part Three

Saturday morning had us all up bright and early to prepare for the wedding. While the boys went wandering around the casino, I helped Yolanda do her hair.

While waiting on a cab to take us the the wedding chapel, Kel and Bobby decided to get their "GQ-Ebony-Man-of-Style" man poses on.

Yolanda all dressed up and pretty waiting to get married. There was a very clear sign posted inside the chapel stating that outside cameras/video cameras weren't allowed inside the chapel nor on the grounds. I really wasn't trying to hear that. I mean, I'm a scrapbooker...I take pictures

This is Yolanda's cousin who was in town from Indianapolis. She was her Maid of Honor

Okay so the story behind this picture is hilarious. Me, Bobby, Kel and Yolanda's cousin's boyfriend were all hanging out in the chapel waiting for the minister to come in so they could begin the ceramony. We were crackin jokes and talkin about people when the lady that works there came in and told us that the cameras were on so don't be talking about people (the ceremony was being shown on the internet in real-time) and that the minister would be in in a minute. Kel (groom) who was on the phone at the time stops in the middle of his conversation and says "What? It's about to start? I better get my last boogie on as a free man" and then he starts this combination Fred Sandford/George Jefferson "funky-chicken" dance. I mean, he was doin it hard. People back home (texas) started calling his/Bobby's phone asking what the heck he was doing. We all had a good laugh off of that one

The newly married Mr. and Mrs. Hayes outside of the chapel taking pictures

Aren't they beautiful

Bobby and I decided to get in on the photo ops too. We were smiling just a bit hard

Feelling pretty sassy myself