It's been a long haul!

Well we are done with Football....we have been doing football since August 1st! That is a long time!

Especially with practices every day in the summer and then going to 4 times a week in the school year....x that by 3 and that is a lot of back and forth to football!

The boys loved it though and both Coop and Jackson got to the Championship games. Sadly they did not win, but runner up is pretty good too....it was absolutely frigid outside for their games that we had back to back. Sienna and I ended up pulling the car up and watching from the car because we couldn't take it. Even Conwey was cold so it must have been cold because he is NEVER cold.

We worked on some signs for them one night....(yes I am still in my workout clothes in the picture...from the morning...life it too crazy to even get a shower some days...)

It was fun having it at the High School, with the announcer and they let the boys use the locker rooms....



Do you notice a theme with Jackson's hands...I don't get it......

I know they do look soooo cold though...


Cooper's teamWe have some great family members that came and suffered through the games...Conwey's sweet dad who was totally sick stood out there freezing watching like he has to ALL their games...such a great grandpa!!!
Rachel and Jimmy came and kept coming into the car to get warm then going back out....and Conwey's CRAZY brother Nico came in shorts...he said he didn't realize how cold it was....he is CRAZY. Thanks guys....it means a lot to the boys! Even though they don't always express it.

I have to say I am glad to move into basketball...I love basketball. It is action packed and 1 hour in and out! Not hot, not cold...just right.

Can I just outline for you my day on Saturday and then you might feel the pain with me.

8:30 have Jackson at the field warming up for his game (in the 28 degree windy weather)

10:00 Jackson's championship game (in the FREEZING COLD)

10:30 Cooper to warm-ups

11:00 Hunter to basketball practice

12:00 Cooper's championship game (Still FREEZING COLD)

2:00 Jackson has a basketball game

3:30 Jackson has a birthday party (outside at a park playing football in the FREEZING cold....WHAT???)

4:00 Cooper to basketball practice

5:00 Hunter to his football party dinner

Then Jessie collapses from the day! I need some Jessie time!!!

Sienna came downstairs looking like this...she says mom do I look pretty? Wow Sienna you sure do!! It gave us a good laugh.....

It's a good thing I think she is cute!!

Mom

Well today was a very rainy and gloomy day outside. It was the perfect way to describe how I woke up feeling.

4 years ago today was the day my mom passed away. It is weird how it all comes flooding back.

Even though it does get a bit easier everyday I don't think there is a day that goes by I don't think of my mom.

My mom and I...I know I have used this picture of us on the floor before but it just makes me happy.

I think as the years go by it really bothers me more and more that I feel I am forgetting little details. I haven't heard her laugh in 4 years.... I haven't heard her voice in 4 years...I haven't felt her hugs in 4 years....my kids are growing up and she doesn't get to see it. I could always count on her to laugh at my silly stories about them that no one else would think was funny.

I was talking to my friend today who also lost her mom and we were saying how it's weird how you sometimes forget or think...I have to call mom and tell her that or ask her this....

I see things in stores and pick it up and think to myself...oh mom would love this for her birthday.

Then you remember and that sad feeling comes right back.

My mom and I went through ALOT together. She was my best friend.


PLEASE don't laugh at the hair!!! Let's just pray these styles do not come back!!!

This was in Colorado at my brothers house (we went out to see his first new little daughter after she was born) my mom and sister Holly had been driving all night and my mom wasn't feeling well....she looks so pail in this picture.....Holly, Rach, mom, me, and Wade.

My mom and her brother Mark always celebrated their birthdays together. That is my sister Becca and my two cousins in the picture with them.


She was a really good healthy cook and even though I didn't love it as a child that is how I like to eat as an adult.

She really enjoyed the simple things in life. I hope I am like that too.

She loved her family! Her parents, her brothers, and her sister more than anything.

She loved her kids. She went through a lot for them, even though she had a tough time taking care of 6 kids on her own after her divorce she ALWAYS tried to make all of us happy however she could.

She was the hardest worker I knew.

She had her struggles in life but she always tried to see the bright side of things.

I really really miss my mom!
I was in Florida on vacation when I found out about it and I will never ever forget that moment.
Very surreal!

My siblings (minus Becca) at the funeral home at her viewing. We were very sad in this picture...

All 6 of us at the cemetery....Becca, me, Rachel, Jeremy, Holly, and Wade.

The program for her funeral....

I remember having a really hard time leaving her at the cemetery. It just felt so wrong that we were all going back to my Uncle's house for dinner and it was sooooo cold outside. I cried as I looked out the back window of the car looking at her little casket there... watching as we drove away.

I know she is in a better place and she is happy. I just miss her!

Maureen Milligan Hardie

Bah Humbug!

Okay I feel like it's getting worse every year! I can't handle it that before Halloween even hits the stores have all the Christmas stuff out. I don't want to even think about Christmas yet.

I walked in a store the other day and was hit by blasting Christmas music and Christmas decorations EVERYWHERE! Why why why!

I just want to enjoy my holidays as they come.

Okay any of you have any good Christmas traditions you want to share. I am really wanting to do something different this year. Take my kids to a homeless shelter and let them help serve food or something so they can see what it's like for some people and realize how lucky they are. 

I just feel like it is so much darn work, and time, and money, and then it's all over in 1 hour!

I know I need to over come my bah humbug feelings and be happy and cheerful about Christmas...I use to love it. Sometimes it just takes me getting my trees and decorations out before I get in the Christmas Spirit.

Help...anyone out there know how I can get it back?

Happy Halloween......

Another year come and gone.....sad.


Sienna wore her costume all day. She wore it to the gym in the morning...here are a couple of her friends there....


We had lots of fun trick or treating....Sienna totally got it this year, she would walk right up knock on the door say trick or treat, and she always said Thank you.....it was cute.

Sienna has brothers that ALWAYS take such good care of her.....

Sienna with her neighbor friends.....

Hunter is too cool to go with us anymore. He went trick or treating with friends and then to a party. Sad.

Cooper had friends come over and go with us...then as soon as I know it there are a bunch of girls coming right along with us too...it's cracking me up that they are always around now and Coop is pretty oblivious....

Coop and his buddies....(and Jackson too) Cooper's reflector he was wearing is putting off that glare.


Coop and his best friend Dylan above and I tried to get some pictures with the girls but they didn't work very good.....


Rach and Jimmy came up and Ed and Jill too (Conwey's parents) I made a big old pot of chicken chili and cornbread so I could get a little nutritional value into my kids before the mounds of candy. And when I say mounds I am not kidding...it is crazy the amount of candy they get. Full size (King Freaking Size) candy bars....it's crazy. When I was little we would work so hard and I think I got maybe half of what these kids get in double the time.


Sisters

Rach and Sienna