2011 and My Words...

Well, it has been way too long since I have posted.  I started to post of couple of times in December, but decided to just wait and start off the new year with a bang!  So here is my first official post of 2012.  I spent a lot of time over our glorious two week break thinking about the past year and things that I hope for the coming year.  As I thought of the "Greats from 2011" there were a few that stood out (in no particular order):

     

Brandt started Pre-K

     

Cate started Daycare at Clark's Learning Center

     

Chris lead the Bulldog Baseball Team to be Bi-District Champions

    

We spent lots of time with family...

Each birthday was a milestone:  Chris - 40, Brett - 35, Brandt - 5 and Cate - 2

We went on a family vacation to Round Rock and got to watch Braden Strickland (one of Chris' players) play in the Texas Coaches Association All Star Game.

Brandt is Braden's biggest FAN!!

     We grew 6 baby butterflies from worms in the habitat that Mammy bought us.

     

I found a snake in one of our toilets...

This is Papa bringing all his snake wrangling tools to the house.  We couldn't figure out how to get it out - you can't shoot in the toilet, even a pointy shovel won't fit, so we called my dad and by the time he got here the snake was GONE.  I freaked out again and proceeded to pour about 12 gallons of bleach (throughout the next few days) down that toilet and wouldn't leave the bathroom without a 25 pound weight on the seat.

Cate found her "inner artist" and wrote on most every surface in our home.  

 The words "No, Cate" and "Stop, Cate" have never been utter more than in the year 2011.

Bulldog Football - 2011 Bi-District Champs

(beaten by Melissa, who went on to win the State Championship)

Our "Blonde" Bulldogs

Overall, it was just a GREAT year to be a Bulldog!!

Even when it takes this much out of you :)!!

        

So, on we go to 2012.  I am stealing an idea from lots of other bloggers (even though I didn't post on mine, I spent lots of time reading others).  This time of year there is a lot of talk in the blog sphere of a "word of the year", or a word that describes the blogger's focus for the year.  In typical Brett Powers form, I could not decide on just one, so I am going to have two words:  "grace" and "discipline".  After reading many definitions of "grace" I found that those are really the qualities I want to exhibit - kindness, a pleasing quality, giving favors and good will. Then, there is "discipline".  This is an area where I need a WHOLE lot of work -mostly in self - discipline.  I hope to use this discipline to get better at my house keeping and organization as well as my discipline when it comes to helping my physical and mental being (aka: getting my fat butt up and working out).

Of course, I will need a little visual inspiration as well...

  

 

And by the way, I still can't use the bathroom with out checking the toilet every few seconds :)

Until next time,

Brett

Swimming Time!!

At the beginning of summer we took a little trip and Brandt and Cate LOVED the pool at the hotel.  When we got home, we bought this pool from the Dollar Store.  It was a huge success for Brandt and Cate, however those of us who had to watch were rather hot!!

We started looking and realized there are a LOT of options in the area of pools.  We looked at what seems like every pool online.  We even spent the 90 minute consultation time with the man from Blue World Pools.  They had a $299 offer online.  I called and of course all you needed on the phone to qualify is to be a home owner.  When the guy got here, there was a little more to the deal of course.  We chose not to travel to Georgia and pick it up since the $299 doesn't include shipping.  We also chose not to do the other 5 outrageous things on the list.  We also decided against the next step up pool that started out $21,000, but then when the guy called his manger came all the way down to $9,000!!  Can you sense my happiness with the time we spent with this guy?

We decided to go with this "pot belly pool" (as I call it) from Wal- Mart to see how it works out for this summer.  Needless to say, it has been a total hit!!!  We have been going swimming at least twice a day and we all enjoy it!!

Just so you know, we are looking to step up to this pool next summer :)!!

And I am gonna look like this ...

I know - I am going to have to work on growing my hair out!  :) 

Top 10 as a Mother and Wife - June 2011

I was never one of those girls who dreamt of the perfect wedding or how many kids I would have.  I guess I just knew I had no control over it.  There were times that I wonder if I would ever find someone.  As you know, Eustace, Texas is not the metropolis of fine, upstanding men.  I did have a few tiny facinations of marrying Brett Hull.  I mean, let's face it - how stinking cool would it be to sign your Christmas cards: With Love, Brett and Brett Hull or BH2.
On to the topic at hand, I was lucky enough to marry a wonderful man on March 15, 2003.  Chris has not only been a great friend and partner to me, but a fabulous father to Brandt and Cate.  I have already been blessed beyond measure with everything Chris has brought into my life.  Of course marrying Chris gave me the opportunity to have the blessings of Brandt and Cate.  This summer has been so much fun for us as a family.  Cate is up and active and in to EVERYTHING!!  Brandt's vocabulary is developing and he is becoming more and more interested in some many different things.  So in honor of these 3 blessings in my life, I am leaving you with my Top 10 as a Mother and Wife.

10.  Being married to a coach does have some advantages - like getting to go on a trip to Round Rock / Austin to see an outstanding player play in the All Star Game!  Congrats Braden!! Thanks for the opportunity for a mini vacay!
9.  There isn't much difference in a 20 month old and a 21 month old as far as listening skills are concerned.
8.  There is a huge difference in a 20 month old and a 21 month old as far as speaking skills are concerned.
7.  Little hands that pat you and little teeth that show through on a grin can erase ALL traces of bad from a day / mood / week / month / year - well you get it!
6.  Golf is a stress reliever for some.  By the way, that "some" is not me.  Chris loves to golf and has been very successful this year winning 2 of the 3 tournaments he has been in.
5.  A locust could be the toughest insect ever. If you are wondering about this one, just ask "Blue Boy", Brandt's locust that Papa had for him in a jar when we left for our trip to Round Rock.  Blue Boy made the 3 day, 2 night trip in the car, stayed in a hotel room, was tortured by a 4 year old and then made it home to Payne Springs, Texas and was released and flew away STILL ALIVE!!!!!
4.  A 4 year old views going to the carnival with the family and Mammy just the same as going to Target and riding in Mammy's basket.
3.  Sometimes in public it is worth ignoring what you know is a fit coming on just so it doesn't happen no matter how bad of a parent it makes you look like - because unlike the others watching you know how much worse you will look once the fit occurs :)!!
2.  Daddy has a different definition of getting the kids dressed that Mommy does.
1. Patting hands and little, grinning teeth are pretty close to the best thing I have ever experienced!!

More to come later!!  Enjoy these wonderful summer days!

~Brett

Alive and Kicking - I think!

I have kind of dropped the ball on the whole blog thing lately, but I PROMISE that I am back on track and will do a better job.  My devotional this morning talked about clutter in your life.  It talked about having so much clutter in your life that you aren't able to let the Lord in to properly serve him.  There is no need for me to make this lengthy - I have A LOT of clutter - physically, as in the fact that my house looks like Hurricane Katrina Brandt / Cate came through, emotionally, spiritually and on and on and on ....  That being said I have a lot of things to share, but today I am going for the "clutter free" version.

It is amazing that with all the "clutter" I have let blur my life, the Lord has still blessed me with these three wonderful people!!

Pokers or Fur?

Brandt has been concerned about my shaving habits for quite sometime now.  One morning when I was still on maternity leave with Cate I was getting him ready for school and he asked me, "Mommy, why you have pokers?" (we were / are still working on our grammar).  After a few questions on my part trying to understand what he could possibly be talking about he let me know that my "leg pokers were like a cactus" - such insight from a then 3-year-old.  At the time, I didn't take much offense because let's face I had a newborn at home and shaving my legs wasn't high on my list of priorities. 

Since then, my "pokers" have been a constant topic of his concern.  He doesn't like to warm his feet on my legs when I have "bad pokers".  It is also hard for him to relax when I have "too many pokers".  Recently, as he was getting comfy (and the day after I had shaved) he informed me that my pokers felt perfect.  This prompted yet another discussion about follicular growth.  As we carried on our discussion, I commented about how most girls didn't have long pokers but boys, like Daddy, do.  It was at this time that Brandt informed me that, "Mommy, you have pokers, but Daddy has FUR"!

For the Record: I would like eveyone who reads this to know, I do practice good hygiene and don't make it a habit for my "pokers" too get to long.  Also, Chris does have more hair than me but I am thinking he is average in the "hair on your legs" department. 

Look, It's Chris.

:)

Obviously, I will need to look into always keeping up my "follicular removal" being that I have the "Hair Police" for a son!!

~ Brett

Word to Your Mother

I just wanted a leave a post letting everyone know how thankful I am for my mother.  I had a procedure done last Friday that required me to be on bedrest for the weekend.  She went with me, brought me home, and then stayed with the kids while Chris was at the game Friday night and at practice on Saturday.  It was sooooo nice actually getting to sleep soundly and not worry ahout what was happening in the other room.  Of course, this isn't the only reason I am thankful for my mom.  Did I say I was excited about uninterrupted sleep? :) I feel blessed each day that I have her and fear that I don't tell her or show her often enough. So in the words of Vanilla Ice:
 

An Afternoon with Mammy and Papa

Chris had baseball practice on Saturday afternoon, so the kids and I spent it down with Mammy and Papa at their house.  Brandt packed up all his buckets and "shobels" to work with the plants.  By the time we came home, I had two VERY dirty and VERY tired children!

Brandt and Mammy planting some new plants in the tire planters.

Adding a little water.



Little Miss Helper coming to see what is going on.

Time to wash up - a little.



Brandt getting ready to do some watering.

 

I don't think Mammy gave me any water!

Brandt watered based on the plants he thought "looked thirsty"!

"Excuse me!  Papa! Bubba! You forgot me!"

Brandt driving Papa around on the tractor!

Want a kiss from a really sweet little girl?

Are you sure?

I added this one just becasue I think it's pretty!

Brandt practicing his throwing skills.

This is very Cate-esque: an abandoned shoe and a missing, one shoed little girl!

I AM BIG enough to do whatever everyone else is doing!!!

Yeah, Bubba!!!

A little water play.



          

I love these little feet.  Their dirtiness is proof of one GREAT day!