What a busy day

So today we have been very busy. It started with Dj wanting to go see Caitlins last soccer game of the season so we did that. Afterwards we went and cleaned up the church since Dale once again forgot to call someone to come. After we were done we went and ran a few errands while trying to decide what we were going to do for family home evening since we forgot to do it on Monday. The kids decided they wanted to make it a family movie night so we picked several movies and kicked back and spent time as a family. It was nice not to have all the bickering and fighting that usually goes on here at night. I like nights like this. I only wish we had more of them.

Blog at you later.

A drive in the country

SO today was such a beautiful day despite all the rain we have had lately so I decided that we are going to go for a ride in the country as a family with no interruptions. SO we did. I started driving toward Adams and when we came to a stop or an intersection I asked which way and whatever the majority was that was where we went. We came across this old shack that looked like it must have been used as a store house at one point so we pulled over and took pics on the front porch. It was really cool. After we were done we went about our way just going here and there and ended up on Hwy 12 somehow. Who knew. Anyway just as we decided to go to the river walk to see what the river was like I got a flat tire. So I pulled up to the first street I came to and Dale and Dj got out and Dale taught him how to change a tire. It was really cool to see them bonding over something like that. After they were done we headed home cause I had a donut on my car and we couldn't get it fixed until the next day. So now we are home and just hanging as a family. I will try to post pictures later cause my computer wont let me right now for some reason.

Well that's all for now. Blog at you later

Spending time

Today started out a lazy day then I got a call from my friend Mindy asking if I wanted to play some tennis with her since it was a nice day. I said yes and we headed over to the park to play. We played for about an hour and a half then her baby was getting to tired so I watched her two oldest boys while they played then we headed over to Poncho Villa to get some lunch then over to Barksdale to watch Hunters play his baseball game. It was a good game. His team won 18-6. Now we are at home hanging around the house cause it looks like its about to pour outside. Anyway that's all for now. It doesn't seem like I did a lot today when I write it all out but it took up almost all day to do those things. Ha ha. Oh well.

Blog at you later

Easter plans

We didn't do much of anything today. It was kinda a nice day so we sat at the park here at our house for a couple of hours and let the boys run off some of their energy from school. Then it started to rain so we headed home and stayed indoors until Sister Abren got here to pick up Andrew. The boys asked if Dj could spend the night and she said yes and invited us over to her house for an Easter dinner when she found out we were not doing anything. After they left Dale myself and Elyssa watched Smallville and ate dinner then watched a movie called " 1st furry Valentine" and now we are headed to bed.

Blog at you later.

Kinda Morbid

Ok so most people my age are not thinking about what they want done to them when they die but having just lost my step-dad a year ago this month it has come to my mind a lot. So I talked things over with my loving husband and we decided to check around at different cemetery's to find out prices for plots vs mausoleums. We found one place that we both really liked called Resthaven on Hwy 41-A by the church. So we went in on our way to clean the church with the boys to find out some prices. Its not as expensive as I thought it was going to be so we chose to both be put in the same Mausoleums crypt. Plus it saves on places that our loved ones have to go to visit us if they so choose to do so. Anyway the guy that helped us told us that he was really impressed with us because most people who come in to see him are either not young or if they are young they have already lost their loved one and are in a fit because they had no planning set up. We just said that after watching my mom go through what she had to do when my step-dad died unexpectedly we didn't want to have our love ones to have to deal with that. So lesson to everyone out there. Even if it sounds morbid and gives you the Hebe Jebe's to think about discuss this with your spouse and then do something about it. Cause you just never know when something is going to happen and then you are left in the dark trying to find your way out all alone. Anyway it only took us about half an hour and then we headed over to the church to make sure it was clean and set up for church on Sunday.

Dale also had his last test for the Clarksville Police Department in Nashville today. So we carpooled with another guy (Brett) and his wife ( Samantha) up there. Well they carpooled with us I should say. Anyway we got there and then the lady informed us that the test was going to be three hours long. So Samantha and I decided we were going to go and find the Cool Springs mall since neither of us have been there before but we ended up going in the complete opisite direction of the mall and got lost in Nashville. Ha ha but we had a great time driving around and getting to see all the pretty houses and getting to know eachother. We finally made it back to the area where the boys were taking their test and decided to go to SteinMart and window shop since Samantha had never been there before. It was nice just hanging out and looking at all the stuff. We got done with that just as the boys finished up their testing. So we went and got them then headed home. On the way we stopped at the DQ at Exit 35 I think and got something to eat. After it taking them about 45 mins to get my food to me they gave us free ice cream and we headed home. Oh he passed everything by the way. His swearing in will be on the 2nd of May. I will post pictures on a later blog. Now we are home and headed to bed.

Blog at you later.

Wednesday HodgePodge

1. What are your plans for Easter Day/weekend?
For the weekend not much but hanging with the family but for a change of pace we are going to a sister in our wards house for a Jamaican Easter. I am looking forward to that.

2. Besides Jesus, what one person from The Bible would you most like to meet and why?

Ummmmm thats a hard question because there are so many I would love to meet but I guess it being Easter and all I would have to say Mary (mother to Jesus) and find out just how she really felt about being a mother to such a wonderful man.

3. What is one modern day convenience you didn't have as a child that was easy to live without?

The cell phone all though I don't know what I would do without it now. It is my life line.

4. Are you more right brained or left brained? If you don't know what that means there is an

interesting little quiz here.

Im not sure I guess I will have to take the quiz and repost later. Turns out I am Right Brained.

5. What is something you intended to do today but didn't? Why?

I didn't intend to do anything today except hang out with my wonderful husband and beautiful daughter and then go to my best friends sons baseball game and I did all that.

6. Cadbury Creme Eggs or Reeses peanut butter?

Ummm yes I love both.

7. Who was your favorite cartoon character when you were a child?

That would be Tigger and he still is to this day. That was even my nick name in High School because I never sat still.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Easter says you can put truth in a grave,

but it won't stay there.

~Clarence W. Hall

Blessed Days

Not alot going on today just hanging around the house being a family. I love days like these. No pressure to do anything. No drama from other people. Just us being us. These are blessed days.

Blog at you later.

Meet me on Monday

1. Caesar Salad or Garden Salad?

I like both.

2. Will you be watching the Royal Wedding on April 29th?

yes I will just because I think they are such a cute couple.

3. Last thing you spent lots of money on?

My car that I got in February.

4. Window seat or aisle seat?

Depends on what I'm in. If its a plane or car then window anything else an aisle.

5. Do you know your blood type?

Yes and I know my husband and kids type also. You never know when you are going to need that info.

Sunday Hike

So today no body woke up in time to go to church...Ha ha I forgot to set my alarm. Silly me. So instead we decided to go on a two mile hike into the woods behind my apartments.

above. Dale and Elyssa in the pool below the water fall

Below. Dale and Dominic in the pool below the water fall. Dominic at the top of the water fall This is really another water fall (that is to the right) that is just cut off at the moment but I thought it was a pretty place to take some pictures

Elyssa at the top of the water fall

The beautiful 10 foot water fall behind my apartments.

The top is an 8 foot fall then a three foot jet out landing followed by another 2 1/2 foot fall then a pool of water.

Dj then tells us we should go to the waterfall. I said "what waterfall." he then tells me that behind our apartments is this beautiful waterfall. I was thinking Ya its probably a little stream with this half a foot waterfall. So we decided to go anyway. Well we hike about a mile into the woods and low and behold there it is this beautiful 10 foot double waterfall. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. I would have never thought in a million years that it was there. I mean really who would have thought that this little gem what behind us all along. Anyway while we are there I took a ton of pictures but at one point I asked Dale to climb up on the waterfall and get my phone that Dj and put at the top. He did but on his way back down he slipped on the jet out and fell off the bottom fall landing on some rocks at the bottom. I thought for sure he had hurt himself but all he got was a cut on his hand. He scared the heck out of me though.

After I knew he was ok I told him that I would not be going up there because if I fell I would for sure hurt something. Not two seconds after I said that I slipped on the rock next to me and landed on my butt. I just busted out laughing cause it didn't hurt but what else could I do. After spending about two hours down there we decided to head home. Dj took us the long all up hill way home and it took us forever to get home. I loved the place though. I will most deff be going back again and again.

Blog at you later.

Busy day

This is Elyssa at the practice they had right before the show. She is the only one not wearing a white under shirt. She wanted to wear a blue one. Silly girl just had to be different. So today was a busy day. Elyssa had to be at the Rivers and Spires today so that she could sing. She did so well we were all very proud of her. Her choir and the Sango choir sang together. They sang 5 very cute songs about music. They all sounded so good together. Dale couldn't be there because he had his Pollygraph test at the same time that she had to be there so he missed it but Dj and I were there. Dale got paid so we went and paid our bills then had a little bit of money left over and decided to treat the kids out to lunch at the China Buffet by Lowe's on Wilma Rudolph. After that we headed over to the church to check and make sure everything was cleaned up and ready for Sunday then we went and hung out at the book store for an hour or so then walked around Hobby Lobby so I could get some ideas about how I want to do the kids mini albums. After that we headed to Wal-Mart so I could pick up something for dinner tomorrow night. Then we headed home to wait for Dj's girl-friend's mom to drop her off so we could all go to see the new movie Hop. It was such a great movie. Totally worth going to see. After that we came home and talked with Caitlin's mom for about an hour then they went home and we are going to bed. Blog at you later.

New Movie night.

Not a lot happened today. Dale is still trying to get use to being home all the time now. He will adjust just fine I know but he seems to get bored easy. Anyway we just hung out at home today. We watched the new Harry Potter Part 1. and the new The Chronicles of Narnia movies as a family. It was nice and both movies were great. Blog at you later

Spending time

Today I went and spent some time with my scrap booking girls. It was nice to see them again. It has been a long time since I was able to go and hang out with them. After all that was done I came home and hung out with Dale since today was his first day off for the next two weeks before he starts at the Police Station. Oh did I forget to tell you...He he.... Dale got the job as a Police Officer for the Clarksville Police Department. His first day will be on the 2nd of May and he heads to the academy on 22 of May. We are so happy. Anyway We spent some time together until the kids got home from school then we all just hung out till bed time. Blog at you later.

Wednesday HodgePodge

1. Would you rather talk to everyone at a crowded party for a short time or have a significant conversation with two people?

I am going to say both depending on what kind of mood im in and what kind of party it is.

2. What objects do you remember from your parent's living room?

I remember my mom alway had a lot of pictures of the family in her living room.

3. Do you hog the bed? Steal the covers? Snore?

Well considering that most nights I have the bed to myself thanks to my working husband always working nights I would say yes to the bed hog, no to the cover stealer and I have no idea if I snore or not because I am usually asleep and my husband has never complained about it.

4. Speaking of Easter dinner....what is your favorite way to cook/eat lamb? Or does just the thought of that make you squeamish? If you're not cooking lamb what will be your entree du jour on Easter Sunday?

Ummm well I don't eat lamb so I wouldn't know how to cook it and as for the main meat at dinner we never really had a traditon of having a big mean on Easter. We just eat what ever is planned for the day. Plus Im not much of a big cooker so I only limit my big meals to twice a year and they are both at the end of the year. Lol

5. Let's throw some politics into this week's mix-oooohhh...Do you know the whereabouts of your birth certificate and when was the last time you had to produce it to prove you're you?

Yes I know where my birth cerificate is and the rest of my family's are. We keep them together. I can honestly say I don't remember when the last time I needed it. Being a stay at home mom doesn't have much call for it.

6. As a child, how did people describe you?

as a little mommy. I alway loved to make people feel better.

7. What do you complain about the most?

The fact that my kids can't seem to pick up after themselves. It drives me crazy when they get something out and then just leave it there instead of putting it away when they are done. I mean come on they are almost teenagers you would think they could at least do that.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

If you love someone because you think they are gorgeous

than its not love- Its Infatuation

If you love someone because you think that you shouldnt leave them

or because others think you shouldn't leave them

than its not love- Its compromise

If you love someone because you think you cannot live without their touch

than its not love- Its Inferiority Complex

If you love someone because you have been kissed by them

its not love- Its Charity

If you love someone because you share everything with them

its not love- Its Friendship

BUT

If you feel the pain of the other person more than they, even when they are stable

and you cry for them

Thats Love

If you are attracted to ther people but stay with them without regrets

That's Love

If you let them go knowing that they have to go even though they don't want to go

That's Love

--Unknown

Beautiful day

What a beautiful day it was today. I just wish it would stay this way. Not going to though. Anyway today was a pretty peacful day. I did the house chores and spent some time with Dale and then went and picked up Dj and Andrew from school. The boys played outside for a while

climbing the tree across from my apartment. They got pretty high up the tree before I made them come back down. I didn't want anyone getting scared or stuck up there. The tree is pretty big so they did have a little trouble getting in it in the first place but once they were up there they just wanted to go to the top. I said no of course but they made it about half way up the tree. Boys will be boys. lol.

This is Dj half way up the tree

This is Andrew half way up the tree

Then Andrew went home and we all took a nice walk around the apartments with Mindy and her boys. It was a really nice day. I hope tomorrow is just as nice.

Blog at you later

Meet me on monday

1. Who would be your dream celebrity date?

No words needed. Matthew McConaughey.

2. Do you have any food restrictions?

There are some shell fish that I can not eat but more recently I think I have grown an intolerance to eggs. They don't seem to get along with my insides very well.

3. How much time do you take to get ready in the morning?

About twenty mins tops just depending on what my day looks like.

4. Sausage or bacon?

Both please

5. Do you Google, Bing or Yahoo?

Google, I find it get me what I want without all the running around.

A calm day

So yesterday Dj got a call from his little girl-friend and she had received two free skating passes on her birthday so she invited Dj to go with her today. Now normally I wouldn't let him go anywhere on a Sunday but since we didn't have anything else going on I said yes. Plus I really think it is good for him to be around her. She is a good influence on him. She keeps him strait with his grades and attitude Plus they are kinda cute. Lol. Oh her name is Caitlin. They are in the same grade and on the same team at school. Anyway after he got home and Elyssa returned from her sleep over we had our family home evening lesson then played a couple of games and then Dj made dinner. He got kinda creative and made baked potatoes with chili on top. They were pretty good to tell the truth. I personally would have never thought to do that but hey what can I say the boy is a good cook. Sure didn't get that trait from me. lol. Blog at you later.

The next phase

So today Dj had his end of the season party for his basketball team. They went undefeated for the whole season. He was very proud of that. They celebrated at the skating rink and got a dog tag chain that said their name on one side and Undefeated season on the other. It was a nice gift from the coach to the kids.This is his team. Not a great picture but Dale took it with his phone. Its the only one we got of the whole team plus coaches. He accually had two teams that the coach tought but they did not play that day so this is the only picture we have. Elyssa went and spent the day with her new little friend Sarah. They live pretty close to us and her mom is so sweet. I'm glad she has a new friend she can play with that doesn't live here in the apartments. She ended up spending the night with her. It is nice to see her so happy again. Dale and I spent the day just hanging out until Dj needed to come home. I realized that while being a stay at home mom for the last 12 years has been a great blessing for me I am going to have a very hard time with empty Nester's when the kids leave the house for good if I don't find something to do outside of this house. Don't get me wrong I love my family but I am not going to do well when I am no longer needed on a daily basis by someone. So now that Dale is going to be working closer to home with better pay and all that I think I am really going to pursue the whole going back to school thing. I need to have something outside of this house to keep me sane later. Anyway that's all for now. Blog at you later.

Date night

Today was dales last day off for the week and we mostly spent it out on the porch watching nothing important going on. It seems to be our new normal now that the kids are growing up. Later we went out to the church for a date night the ward was putting on. It was the first time we left the kids home alone. I was nervous at first because we have never left them alone before but it went well. They followed all the rules and didn't even fight with each other. I can't believe how well it went. At the church we played a sort of newlyweds game with 8 other couples and won. It was nice to know that all those long nights of just talking to each other about everything really paid off. I use to think there was really no point to them other than just talking but now I understand that in a way we were really just learning more about each other. I know after so many years together what could we possibly need to learn that we didn't already know but it turns out that we learned a lot about each other. Funny how that happens when your not paying attention. Blog at you later.

Family day

Today was a nice day. We spent the day together as a family without any fighting at all. It is rare for us to not fight at least a little but it was a quiet day. We watched a couple of movies and played some games then had a wonderful dinner. Now we are all headed to bed. I love days like today. I wish we had more of them. They seem to be far and few between now that the kids are getting older and more independent. Kinda makes me sad but happy at the same time. Oh well. Blog at you later

Wednesday HodgePodge

1. National Read a Road Map Day falls on April 5th. Would people say you have a good sense of direction? Do you rely on a GPS when you drive somewhere new? When was the last time you used a map?

I think I have a pretty good sense of direction most of the time. Yes I tend to use GPS when I go anywhere in Nashville because I am not familiar with the area. The last time I used a map was when I moved out here from Mississippi almost 6 years ago.

2. What's your favorite cookbook?

I don't have a favorite cookbook. Most of my recipes are on cards in my box.

3. What painting would you like to "walk into" and experience? Why?

I don't know.

4. What annoys you more- misspellings or mispronunciations?

mispronunciations. Mostly of my last name. Its Bell-ard but most people say Bull-ard.

5. What is something your mother or father considered important?

respect which is something I find very important also.

6. Do you like or dislike schedules?

both depending on the situation.

7. Let's have some fun with National Poetry Month (that would be April)...write your own ending to this poem- "Roses are Red Violets are blue..." Incidentally if you'd like to read the history behind that little ditty you'll find it here.

Spring is pretty just like you.

8. Insert your own random thought in this space.

I want the weather to make up its mind if its going to continue to be winter or finally change to spring.

Not feeling well

I haven't been feeling well these past couple of days so Im not going to blog much today. It was an ok day. Just hanging out at the house trying to make myself feel better. I just wish this stupid weather would make up its mind so I can get well and stay well. Blahhhhhh.

Meet me on Monday

1. If you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I would have to say watermelon. While I know that there isn't much nutrition to it I just love it so much. Plus you get the fruit and a drink all at the same time. lol

2. Do you write your blog posts in advance or the day you post them?

Depends on the post most of the time.

3. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?

Yes a couple of times and none were for good reasons. I hate being in those things.

4. What is your favorite candle scent?

Watermelon or cucumber melon.

5. Coffee or tea?

Neither.

Mom moved today

Today I got to meet my Uncle Larry who is my mom's twin brother. I have never met him before but he looks just like my mom but a boy ofcourse. It was pretty cool to see him. He seems like a really cool guy. I hope I get to know more of him now that we have meet. He also is moving to Oklahoma with my mom so he stopped off and picked her and the kids up. They left this afternoon. I plan to see them this summer so it wont be long before they are back. Blog at you later.

Dj/ Mom moving

Today I got the news that dj got ISS in school because he had his phone on him and on in class. He knows the rules. He can have it at school but it has to be off and in his locker until the end of the day unless I send a note saying I need him to have it on during school hours. Which I never do but I guess he thought he would get away with it, and apparently he did for awhile until someone called him in the middle of class. Well I hope he learned his lesson this time to follow the rules and keep it in his locker while in school. I got a call from mom today telling me that she is planning on moving to Oklahoma this weekend to help take care of her brother who somehow got hurt. Anyway we had to pick up the kids and take them to moms place so she could break the news to them all at once and keep them in one place until my uncle Larry whom I have never met before gets here tomorrow to pick them all up and go. They were not happy about the move at all. I just explained to them that this is what mom needs right now to get on her feet. They didn't seem to care at all about that they just wanted to stay with their friends. Its funny how they try to manipulate her all the time. Most of the time it works but not this time. They leave tomorrow afternoon. I will miss having her around and seeing them all the time but I know its what she needs right now. Plus she is only 12 hours away so its not like she can't come and visit right. Blog at you later