Lord, Grant me patience and answers to study guides

OK.. Kenny was just home for the weekend and it was a busy one. But, today was the first day back at school since daddy is gone again. It is always a adjustment even when he comes and goes and pops back in for just two days. Cort has tried my last nerve today and I was about to open a six pack of whoop ass on him. As we were finishing last minute things before bed, he went upstairs to brush his teeth. I decided to check his homework folder and low and behold he has a science test tomorrow. Did he study for it..NO.. So I call him so we can go over it and he forgot and doesn't have the study guide with him. I am so upset with him. This isn't a every day event but he forgets something at least two times a week. I talk to him and tell him that this is his responsibility and his grades. He needs to check, check, & double check this before he leaves school for the day. I mean really he wrote it in his binder today so it is not like some surprise. We have taken away things, no play time and many other things to no avail. I finally tell him that I am going to spank him and I tell him why. It gets his attention, he hates it and hopefully he will remember this when he packs up at the end of the day. He cried and cried before I layed a hand on him. He told me he had a better idea!!! He said for me to wait till he gets his test back next Tuesday and see how many he misses and then I can punish him for that many days. Then he says I can take away some of his toys. Then he said I could write him some reminder notes. Maybe even send an email to his teacher so she could remind him. Even though I was fuming at him he still made me laugh on the inside. He will bargain till the end.
I can take away every toy and he will find a stick and entertain himself for hours. Draw on a piece of paper till the cows come home. Anyway, I tell him to turn around and I spank him twice. He cried and said he was ready to study : ( We study and study some more, but he was so tired that it was a hour past his normal bedtime. I hate spanking, but what else do I do. I did threaten him to get a spanking everyday he forgets something. I am having such a hard time with my little man. It is so hard not to compare your kids when they are so darn different.
Kelsey is so scared to forget anything and takes such pride in all that she does. Cort will never have a heart attack, because he worries about nothing. I love my kids the same, but I am still learning how to parent each one different. They have such unique personalities and I want them to be happy, successful adults. I am trying every day to help them get there. A boy is Truth with dirt on it's face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair, and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.-- Author Unknown

Pretties & Gadgets

Ok, so here are some of the things I want and just to make Kenny smile if he read this want not need.

One is a newly released piece of Brighton jewelry that I think it really has a special message. It is a charm bracelet that all of the charms relate to peace. Kenny and all other military men and women would not have to leave the way they do if this world was a peaceful place. We would not be locking our doors to feel safe. Peace has so many connotations - we hear it every week at Church when the priest says let us go in PEACE to love and serve the Lord. I am at peace in knowing that Maw Lucy is up in heaven. I don't need a bracelet to know what peace means to me, just would be a cute reminder to have. $55.00 to have this - priceless to know what peace means to you!

My next pretty is the most expensive of them all. Maybe I want one because I see them all the time. Maybe I just that one classic iconic bag. I don't know but it is on my wish list for my Anniversary and Birthday. I even told Kenny that he will be missing both so don't make me buy it myself. Tenille my shopping superhero we talk about them all the time. A new Louis Vuitton store opened in Charleston, so she has the temptation too. This is the one I finally decided on. It is the classic Monogram Canvas Montorgueil GM
$865.00.I have come to realize that I am a gadget girl too. This next one is just what I think would help me lose that 10 pounds that are on me like white on rice. On me like flies on poo-poo. It seems more pointless than a screen door on a submarine ; ) (my workouts with out this thing that is ) Any more comparisons just ask!! It does everything for you when it comes to calories, counting steps and just keeping track of all helpful healthy mojo. I just wanna actually know someone that has used it. You can also get the digital display that you wear as a watch and see what you are burning throughout the day.. Love it . In case anyone wants the cost they are like 250-299. That's with the display too and 24 hour fitness sells them for cheaper than the web.

The last thing is just a shirt that has my all time favorite symbol. The Fleur de lis reminds me of everything that is good from back home. It stands for the holy trinity because of the three petals, which is what my Grandmother was all about. She was all that is good and holy to me. Traditionally, it has been used to represent French Royalty, and it is said to signify perfection, light, and life. This one has to be the most well priced at only 27 bucks. But who needs a long sleeves here in Hawaii.

Well, another day has come and gone. I'm sure my pretties will change just like the Navy and it's decisions.. Ashley

My baby is 12..booo whoo

Twelve years ago I was at the hospital getting an epidural and the IV. It was one of the coldest days on record in New Iberia. I actually rode to the scheduled induction of my baby girl with my mom because Kenny was a nervous wreck. Who would of thought the that was the beginning of a wonderful road ahead as a mom, friend and pony tail fixer. My little girl is 12 now and she is such a great kid. She is compassionate, loving and just a blessing to our the family every day. Many things have changed over the years with her, like her favorite color being pink, now it is blue. She used always tell granny that she would sleep tomorrow, that it was too dark for her to stay tonight. Now, Kelsey loves to be gone and always sleeping at any friends house and would never tell her Granny no now. Kelsey has always had a special place in her heart for all living things. Our first place we lived as a family was next to cows, sheep's and any other farm animal the Fitch crew brought home. That has never changed she still wants to be a Vet when she grows up. She loves all animals including our dog Peanut aka retard. When we lived in Charleston she volunteered allot of time helping out at the SPCA. She would play and love all the homeless pets, and it never failed she asked at least once each visit if we could take just one more home. Over the years my little girl is turning into a beautiful young women. She makes me proud everyday and reminds me how fast time goes by, it feels like just yesterday she was still saying she wanted to watch Barney & Friends.

Our day today started a little early for me.. I woke up to try and make beignets for breakfast for her and Cort. Then off to school but not before a phone call from Granny for a birthday wish. I also had to finish up the cupcakes for her classmates. Then after school we had dinner with Tonya and Sydney at Pinky's. As you can see this place does amazing things with balloons. Mrs. Tonya said something about what animal were the kids for their birth year. So we looked it up at the restaurant and Kelsey was the year of the ox and Cort was the year of the dragon. So that's what Chris aka balloon man made them. She said she had a wonderful day even getting a balloon bouquet from her sidekick (Mrs. Katie).. The only thing that was missing was Daddy from her day. He has missed the last couple birthdays because of the sweet ole' Navy. I know he will make it up as he always does to his little girl..

Life is good...

Ashley

Friends & Church

I am still getting over some good friends leaving. If there is anything wonderful about being a military wife it has to be all the great families we come across. We had so much fun while they were here. Between the hikes, just hanging out and some jello shots we all caught up the last six months in less than a week.

We even had an early birthday party for Kelsey, because she said the two people she really wanted here were going to be gone. Daddy is going to out to sea and Julia will be back at home . I am still not sure I like the idea of Kelsey being 12 on the 13th but I guess I will have to get over it soon.

Friends... What do you do when a friends is making a bad choice? Do you support, listen and not judge?? Do you just pray that it all works out and things always look better when the dust settles?

At church today I read something that I loved and wanted to share:

May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debt. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $1oo bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! may your clothes smell of success like smoking tires and may happiness slap your face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words may 2009 be the best year of your life!!!

Polka Dots and Yogurt Muffins

It is a beautiful day. The sun is shinning, Cort is laughing and Kenny is watching football. Little Miss Kelsey is still sound asleep. I have a happy healthy family and it is almost Christmas again. I have made some great friends one that i adore and am thanking the heavens she lives close by me. Well on to the polka dots, I went yesterday to get e pedicure and decided to chose the color true gift red and then to add the dots because I want to marry dots. I love them and just in time for the Holiday spirit.

Yogurt muffins was this recipe that i took from the vanilla yogurt we always have in the house. I guess when i take off the top I just throw it away. I looked this time and saw this recipe and it was for muffins with mostly yogurt, brown sugar, raisins and cinnamon. I made them and they were really good and the kidos ate them too.

I can't believe this year is almost to an end.

Love ya'll

Ashley

Rain rain go away come back never

As you all know Kenny is out to see for a little while. Of course the day he leaves all the skies opened up and chaos followed. Let's just say we had a rain storm with Kona winds that lasted for more than 24 hours. This is me and Cort in the back yard looking for some drain that we never found. yes, the shed flew over and put garden tools all over. It started with the electricity going out at about 10pm and the kids sleeping with us on the floor in our bedroom the night before he leaves. So we all were awake most of the night listening to the winds and the blinds hitting the window from the wind. Awake at 3 am to bring Kenny down to the boat. I get back home at 4ish home to try and get a little more sleep before 6 am to get up to get the kids ready for school. Still no electricity, so I figure we will sleep a little longer because we can't get ready in the dark. At 6:45 we get up and I had a gut feeling to just go look and check on things outside. I get the kids up and go look around in the crazy rain. The first things I see when I walk out the front door is the kids basketball set laying on top of Kenny's car and the hoop in nicely put in his windshield. I freak out and start moving cars because it is cracked and I am not sure if it is raining in his car. I thought that would be all the excitement for the day but I was wrong. Kelsey see's me frantic and helps and packs her and Cort's lunch for school. Cort helps by bringing me towels because I am soaked. We leave to only drive through the flooded streets to get to school to be told that school is closed. I did call just 10 minutes before to make sure it was still open and was told oh yes we are open.

I come back home to notice a puddle of water on the floor in the kids play room. The sliding glass door is dripping water inside the house on the wood floors. I clean that up and tell the kids to go and check all the other windows. The window behind the Christmas tree is leaking too and all the tree and some presents are wet. I am so mad and call our landlord for him to tell me to mop it up and this is really unusual for Hawaii to have this much rain. Even if he wanted to come out and see the problem he would have a hard time because allot of the roads or either flooded or closed.

Ok, no more drama.... NOT

Kelsey comes in the computer room to call a friend and she says the computer chair is all wet. It is raining from the can light fixtures in the office and the new laptop is sitting in a puddle of water. I look like Johnny Appleseed running around with pots trying to catch water instead of apples. I call my landlord back and tell him this is not normal for it to be raining in my house and no mopping up is going to fix that problem. I have been in hurricanes with lots of rain and wind and it had never rained in the house through door, windows or lights. So too all who thought Hawaii is a paradise 24/7 keep dreaming. it has been two days and it is still raining. I almost forgot our umbrella flew away and ended up in the palm trees and the fence is now missing two of it's white panels. I have always heard you can't appreciate the sunshine without the rain. Lord please give me some sunshine and I will be happy. I got through it with some tears and my dad making me laugh. Then the next day I managed to finish getting over it by shopping : )

The kids managed to have a decent day off of school. Amy and her little one came over and brought us McDonalds so we didn't have to leave becasue I was unsure if the house was safe from the rain.

My day..

Well, like many other days this one was no different. Kenny was suppose to leave this morning to go to sea for a couple of weeks. So, I was kinda bummed but life goes on. I started my day a little earlier than normal because I got up with him. He left then I made biscuits for the kids. The kitchen needed some attention afterwardsand then I was off to play taxi mom.
Me and Molly went for a walk with the new Nav's wife on the boat. We did the 3 mile loop around the lake. At least this time we did not stop at the Starbucks and get coffee before we walked the rest of the way home. I then meet another friend for Lunch and then off to buy a certain someone a Christmas gift. I swear the days go by so fast when it's a good day and then they just drag on when it is a shitty one. One a different note it was time to go get the kids from school. no not just a pick up today we had to stay for the talent show tryouts. Kelsey was trying out with three other little girls to do sign language for a song. They did really well : )

Home for more homework and then off again to the FRG meeting. Not that I am complaining then you get the phone call saying hey the boats broke we are coming home for another night. Then the emotions are all over the place and your happy and kinda sad. just want them to go so they can hurry up and get back. I am glad to have another night with Kenny in the bed with me, but so far he has been home for 3 hours and has been on the phone with the boat for 2 hours and 3o minutes. Kelsey has come downstairs again and asked if daddy was ever going to get off and come tuck her in. She had the crocodile tears in her eyes and was pissed at me that he was still on the phone......

I can't wait to tell anyone about this next day... OMG has never been a better term than it was today..