This post is a delayed post, as this was written shortly after Taylers death in November...


So, it has been a really long time since I have posted to my blog, and I am sorry I have slacked off...but I have get back on that blogging horse again...that said, on to my post....

Recently we have had a great loss in our family. A beautiful little angel returned to live with her Heavenly Father just shy of 2 years old. Korey's baby sister Noelle and her husband Rich lost their little baby last week.

She did have a terminal illness, Leigh's Disease, but this was a shock at the timing of her death. All things considered, and feeding tube aside, she was not showing signs that her time here on earth was coming to an end...Rich woke up and checked on his little girl to find her already gone...the regrets started immediately, should have cuddled her longer that night, those sort of things that will eat away at a parent that just lost their baby. The call came at 3 AM, and we know that nothing good happens at 3 AM usually. The news was shocking to us to say the least. We had been planning Christmas gifts for the kids exchange to be held soon. Plans for the Christmas dinner were finished. We would spend it with Noelle and Rich so they would not have to travel with Tayler. The trip would now be made early for a very different gathering. An overwhelming feeling of sadness and sorrow kept us awake, and we found our selves kissing and hugging on our baby of the family, who was sleeping in our bed. All of our kisses woke him and then the searching for special photos started. With all 3 of us remembering our last encounter with Tayler at the end of August. It was a great visit, one that we will be forever grateful that we made. I never fell back to sleep that night. My heart was just completely broken for my sister and brother in law...I hoped I would never have to know exactly what they feel. We did not tell the boys before they went to school that morning. It was a day of preparing to leave getting the Durango fixed, bags packed....and wondering how the boys would take another loss of a loved one, the 4th one in 2 years. I had never had so many losses until my adult life.

That evening we gathered the boys and broke the news. It was just heart breaking to see them. Jordan's was probably the most touching to me, because he felt the same way I did. He just broke out in tears immediately, crying out...."not again, I can't do this mom, I can't see her like that, she is too little to see her in a casket!" Oh, my poor baby was feeling the same feelings that I was, I wanted to take away the pain that he was feeling.We had planned to attend the musical "Footloose" at the high school, but I decided I needed to finish the packing and planning for the trip so we sent the older boys to the musical with their cousin. While I planned and prepared for the trip, Korey rested and tried to forget and not think about it.The trip went well, as well as we could have expected for a trip as this....the baby looked like a doll. The boys mourned. They are strong in our faith and know that we will see her again someday. She will be ready to welcome us home one by one one day. No longer weak, but strong, and I envision her running to her family members excited to see us all together again. Jordan was asked the night before the funeral to sing at the end. He had done this a few other times, singing Amazing Grace...the first time at his great grandma's, when he was 3. He sang it last as his grandpa's funeral. Taylers parents wanted him to sing it there. He was nervous, and I told him he could do this. He would be able to get through it. He was scared when he saw the number of people there, but he took that great big breath in, held it for a minute, and then sweet music escaped his mouth. He sang it so beautifully, I was so proud of him getting though that, doing it for Tayler and her parents. I am grateful for my family and the health of my boys. I am grateful for the knowledge that one day I will be able to see Tayler again, I am grateful for the many blessings that I have, and for the trials in my life. For my trials, I am promised, I will be able to bear, I trust in the Lord that he will hold true to that promise. I am grateful for getting the chance to see my parents for a day and a half after the service for Tayler. I am grateful that my husband sacrificed his 2 days off after the service for me to see my parents....when he could have been hunting. Something that he has been preparing for since the beginning of the fall.

I have a lot to be grateful for!

Not funny....to me!!

So most of you that know me, probably know that I am NOT into funky things....and I really don't think that I am that ridiculous when it comes to the things that Korey does, but my Big Korey tends to think so! I tend to get a bit tense about how things are done this time of the year, yeah, tense and frustrated....this blog is about that part of Big Korey's life that I REALLY want nothing to do with, HUNTING. He reminds me and others often of the fact that I went hunting with him BEFORE we were married...and fishing....and that I tricked him. Well, these are partial truths. I went hunting with him ONCE. We were in Idaho, and he wanted me to go Sage Hen?? hunting with him. So, I had never gone hunting before, and did not know what I was in for, but I agreed to go with him and his friend. I did not enjoy my first experience, not at all...and he should have realized that this was going to be a short lived joint activity for the two of us....with the tears that fell for the sage hen that I shot out of the sky and fell hard to the ground with a hollow thud. Those tears really should have been a good indicator, but then when I stated that I am never doing that again, well....that would be the end all to the debate in my mind. But for some reason, in a man fashion, he did not get it.
So, anyway, I HATE hunting season. I hate all that comes with it. Not just the funky animals that hang from various parts of the property, or their skins that are not allowed to hang from the living areas of the house...or the mess they leave with their boots, hats, gloves, clothing...or the tearing out of all the totes their supplies and leaving them out...these are just SOME of the reasons that I hate hunting season. We got married in the height of hunting season, something that he wishes yearly that someone would have warned him not to do. NEVER GET MARRIED DURING HUNTING SEASON. I would have to agree. Because by the time our anniversary hits, I hate him. Plain and simply put...a bit harsh, maybe. But first it was just shot gun season, then it evolved into bow season, which makes for more time prior to our anniversary to add to that frustration of the whole hunting mess it brings. So, recently it has been even prior to the deer season that I am now REALLY tired and irritated by hunting. The biggest mistake 2 young men made last week was to lie to me. To trick me. I trusted them, that they would not pull such a stunt. What could they possibly have done you ask? They brought over "Chicken Stew" that they made themselves. I believed them, and even tho I did not want to taste what these two young men made, with the coaxing from Big Korey (that should have been a warning flag to me, I know!) I tasted their stew. I felt that the base of the stew was OK, but that the "chicken" was stringy, and I could not stand it. But I praised them anyway. That is until I found out that this chicken was really SQUIRREL!!! Yes, you read it right, that they LIED and fed me SQUIRREL! What is probably most amusing to you all is that you know I am SO NOT INTO FUNKY FOODS!! Give me a Sheppard's pie and I am good. Tuna casserole, yup, I'll eat it...but you serve me some rodent, and I am going to freak. And freak is what I did. Just ask these two young men, well if you can find their bodies!! How DARE they!!

Korey felt that I got him back the other night by putting part of a pie in his face, it was basically just the cool whip top with a cherry that actually was rubbed into his face. He and his accomplices were laughing and carrying on about the stunt that they had pulled the previous week, I just could not take it anymore with out doing something. But if he feels that some COOL WHIP is the same as feeding someone squirrel, then boy is he wrong. He feels that I got him back and that I am being silly about the squirrel meat. I let him know that I am not the only one that would think this is just gross, and I am not the only one that would never eat it (unless tricked). So, we had to make calls, he picked the woman to call and verify what I knew, and he just could not face. I was right and he was wrong...but I have to say that it is my very favorite Sista D that said, "Well, if little Korey went to all the trouble of preparing it for me, that would be the only reason I would taste it." I assured her that I would never let him do that to her, and she thanked me. (But, boy she is a better person than I am, because pulling the "your son made this" would NOT work with rodents!)

And Korey, are you serious? You have to live with me...he best be afraid, VERY afraid, for this is not over, not at all.


So, I end this with my title, that it was NOT FUNNY, at least not to me.

As a side note, when you see me, you really don't need to make the comments that I have heard already...."feeling squirrely today?"....."Hey Rocky"....and the such. No, just don't.

Football Season....

So, I am really pretty new at the whole foot ball mom thing. I am not really one to go and just start talking to the person next to me and really I don't like going alone....but I do what I gotta do and sit there and keep to myself pretty much. So, today was lil Korey's first "real" game. I am glad that they are calling it the first "real" game because the first "fake" game was just plain embarrassing!! They were the bad news bears of football. It was just bad. Big Korey was with me at that one, and we had a good time making jokes, yes, at our teams, or sons expense. It helped pass the time. It was like a tee ball game, and watching the boys pick the daises out there. BORING! You see the pic below, it was more fun to take pics of Jacob with the players behind him.



So, I have to say the best part was Big Korey and I spending the time together, making jokes at their expense...we really had some great ones. I was just on that day, one good one after another. (Side note here: Korey had gotten into an accident that day with the police car, and he was in a bad mood, or sad mood, but since he is always telling me that the is a professional driver when I think he is driving like a nut, I took this opportunity to really let him have it, not mean mind you, just "good ones". So, our friend that was supposed to do a ride along with him, well, I told him it may just actually be a walk along, because they took away his police car.) Now, back to the game....so lil Korey really is embarrassed by us. I guess this happens around this time in a teens life. No matter how cool we know we actually are or how many times we tell him how cool we are, we are just an embarrassment. So, we know that lil K talks a lot of "smack" or junk what ever todays lingo may be. He thinks that he is all that and a bag of chips (these sort of one liners is the reason he is embarrassed by us.)Well, the truth is, right now he is just the crumbs at the bottom of the bag. So we waved to him, ya know we wanted him to know we were there to root his team on. He could hardly wave back!! Like he was too embarrassed to wave to US? So, I said, "he is embarrassed? Heck I don't want to even acknowledge that he is even my son at this point...." OK, you really had to be there, because Big K and I were laughing and laughing, and really going on and on to each other at how funny we were. It was knee slapping funny! So, I guess, we are supposed to be the grown adults here rooting on our wonderful son, and he is, just not at football...we digressed back to our high school days and it was fun.
Now, today's game was a whole other story. They actually looked like a team PLAYING football! What a few days makes! Korey was out there, and not looking like an oompa loompa thinking about doing his job on the field, he did his job. And he did it well. I just wish I would have had my camera fixed so I can get action shots again....just as long as they keep the action coming.

(I am a good mom, right, even if I like to make fun of my son, in a loving way of course.)

First Day of Pre-school....

This was Jacob's first week of pre-school. The first day was only an orientation day, so the kids played and got to know the teachers and each other a bit as the parents had a meeting with the board. I was really surprised that Jacob acted a bit shy, was a little unsure. There are probably 5 kids that he knows, 3 that he knows really well from Church. After a bit, he relaxed a bit and started to play. When it was time for pickup Jacob was upset he did not get to use any of his school supplies. The teacher promised he would use some the next time. He felt better about it. :) Korey could not attend that first orientation day of school due to a murder trial he had to testify at, for the second time...anyway he took today off from work to be there. Jacob walked in, hung his back pack and put on his name tag...he was all set to start his day. He went in, I told him I loved him gave him a kiss, did my thing and off he was....off to play, with out a second thought about his dad. Korey thought, "I took a day off for this? He did not even say good bye?!!"
Jacob had a great time....he is excited about school. He is also excited about going to Aunt Lori's on Monday when mommy goes back to work, part time. That is a whole different blog...To be cont...

This picture was from today, he had a great time!

Last day of summer....First day of school....

Some parents may be a little sad when their kids start school. I have to say I was not. I love my kids, but with lil Korey turning into a teenager (GASP), Jordan having the middle child syndrome and Jacob wanting to get in on all the action, or start some of his own, I had a rough summer at first. It was hard to get into the swing of things. In the end....I realized that the summer went by fast. Before I know it they will all be grown and out of the house. So, anyway...last day of summer break, we spent the whole day at Six Flags Darien Lake. We went with Lori and her kids (sister). Korey actually ended up having the day off, but oh shoot....no room for him to ride...he was so sad! (NOT!) He went fishing! I have to say what a trooper Jacob was this day. They said that they were short staffed, so the little ones in the kiddie ride area , get the short end of the stick. There were only a few rides that were open, he rode 3 rides the whole day and did not complain at all! He loved the bumper cars. It was his first time he could actually go on and drive. Just tall enough. I am sharing the video cause watching him go round and round in circles was soooo funny! When he finally made it out of his own circle and he bumped someone, he was so EXCITED!


Tell me what you think of that video, I could not stop laughing!

Then off to the water park and the kids had a great time. Did the old fashion photo again of course and you will see that with the Christmas card. One last stop at the Super Man, but he had tears, Jordan is still to short! So off to the swings, and we all left happy. The kids actually started school the next day! We never start the day after Labor Day, but this was the schedule this year, so a stop home at Walmart for some last minute stuff and rush home to get a ice cream treat for the SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW celebration, I may have been the only one celebrating that fact, but they enjoyed their ice cream cone, then their Fathers Blessing from daddy. (Yeah, he finally made it home from the fishing trip in time for 9 PM blessings.) No one could fall to sleep...and morning came early. I had all back packs packed and ready to go! Little Korey was not so keen on me taking his picture, so I took it from the door so no one would see a THIRTEEN year old boy get his picture taken before school!


Jordan was all about the picture, at least at home.


Jacob had to get in on the action, his first day of pre-school is not until next week...that will be all its own blog...(sniff, sniff)



But the next photo speaks a thousand words. (Well, the picture I thought I had was the one with his face covered with his back pack as he got off the bus.) So, yeah, I was the only parent that met the busses at the school to capture that moment of Jordan walking off the bus at his new school...it is a change of school when in 4th grade here. I didn't get that memo that said parents don't do that anymore! Jordan told me in that sweet way that has the hint of scarcism..."yeah, mom...it was cute before, but not so much now!" I was the only parent in the hall following all the kids cram into the small doors like lab mice trying to get the prize first. (little did I know that at the office doors they were not allowing parents into the school with the kids, and there was quite a stir about it with many of the parents, but I was in and not one person said anything to me about it. I think I have that "don't mess with me and my child going to a new school and not knowing where he had to go" look. Like the other 100's of students did not have the same situation happening...but you know I am the one that made it in.)


So, yeah, he got a little razzing...from our neighbor standing in the pic too, who happens to be in his class too...so I took pics of him too, so Jordan was not the only one getting his pic taken.

We all made it through the first day of school, with out any problems...oh wait, lil Korey did decide to ride his 4 wheeler that evening, and rolled it! Big Korey thought he may have seperated his shoulder. So, off to the ER and they requested x-rays...it was a long night, and lil Korey did not get to bed until 11 PM. And he is fine, just bruised his shoulder, back and chest. All is well!

The End before the Beginning....

So, we just got back last night from a week of traveling. Our end of the summer trip, just before school starts again. Off we went, almost exactly as planned after Korey got out of work. We drove straight through to Louisville, KY to see his baby sister, Noelle and her family. Noelle's little girl has Leigh's disease, so I really felt it important to go and see them on our way down to Tennessee. Korey was a bit nervous, not wanting to see Taylor sick. We had a blast with them. I am so glad that we made this our first stop.




Our next leg of the trip was to visit Covie's brother. Covie is a "grandpa" figure to us. He passed away in January. Before he passed away, he told us how much his brother wanted to meet us. We told Covie we would visit him. We kept our promise and were able to visit and had a great time with him.



The final leg of our trip....2 more hours of driving to mom and dad's or "grandma and grandpa's". We got there late, but of course we stayed up later talking to mom and dad. Finally off to bed.....for a good nights sleep. We had a lot of fun while there. We went to Cades Cove...missed seeing the bears at least 2 times, by just minutes. The boys were disappointed. But we did see lots of deer and turkey. (Not just the turkeys I was travelling with....couldn't resist.) We also went to Gatlinburg, walked around, ate, took the ski lift up to the top and what a great view it was. Korey does not like heights, but he took it like a man, sucked it up and seemed to be having a good time.




On little Korey's 13th birthday we went horse back riding and into a cavern. It was a blast riding through a trail and then on the mountain. The cavern we walked in after the ride was the mountain that we rode on. It was really fun to do this as a family together. I knew that big Korey would like the cavern lots as well as little Korey. When we got back to grandma's and grandpa's we went out to dinner to celebrate lil Korey's birthday and had ice cream cake to top it off. We also went to Sevierville and Pigeon Forge. We went to the Nascar Speedpark. There my competitiveness came out and I was racing to win, no matter who I was racing against. I had to teach my newly 13 year old son, that I could kick is butt. Friend or foe, I was out to win. It was a blast. Racing against the boys and grandpa. I may not have "won" every time, but I was a TOUGH competitor. There were these other teens that were racing to win, and this was probably my favorite part of the day...seeing big Korey's face every time I would pass by him watching me race, him laughing cause I had 2 boys on my tail the entire time, trying to get past....they had faster cars than I did, but I out maneuvered them. Not allowing them to get pass me. Looking to my left, and quick to my right....trying to know their move before they did...oh, what a rush and what a blast! Korey could not believe that I would not just let them pass me. Had he not learned anything in nearly the 15 years we have been married. I am competitive. Yes, you may say that it is immature for an adult to go for blood on the track with a bunch of teens, but I wanted to let them know, I may be getting old, but not to count me out~ yes, Korey would have let them by eventually. I was going to,really I was, but then at the last minute, I couldn't do it. I wouldn't do it. I came in first, and then I retired. We all left that track laughing so hard, little Korey, proud of his mom for beating those boys. Giving me a high five, Jacob and Jordan waiting for me with the same high five of approval....that is how we roll. All for one, one for all. (Well, big Korey shook his head, laughing, but I knew what he was thinking.)


We had lots of fun with each other, and loved being at grandma's and grandpa's. It was sad to leave them, sadder to know it would be a while before we could see them again.

Typical Me....

So, yeah...this is why I am not good at the typical journal writing...I don't update my journal in real life. Lets see if I get this one posted....my last one is lost in my drafts.
Saturday Korey started days....wow, this is going to be great! We will have more opportunities to spend time together as a family! The down side, is that he misses Church. He will only be able to attend on his rotation, since it is 4 days on, 2 days off....he will be off 1 to 2 times a month. Since he is on a new shift, a new platoon, he had to wait to request time off. We have been wanting to go to Tennessee to see mom and dad, and go as a complete family this time. I am excited to show the two Korey's everything that Tennessee has to offer us, there is so much to do there. So, now Korey has to work the OT baby (over time) to earn us some extra cash for the trip. He has not been able to work OT or the security job in 8 months, due to his foot surgery. Almost three years ago he was shopping at a Home Depot type home improvement store. He was buying sheet rock, and the person loading the truck, on the fork truck, dropped the forks down, and one of them right on Korey's foot. Long story short, this nearly completely severed his tendon in his foot. So, after a couple of years, and having the severe pain, they opted to do surgery on the foot to try to clean up the scar tissue on the tendon. He has not had on his police boots in 8 months, when he was on light duty he wore sandals. So, Saturday evening when he returned home from his first day on he was icing his foot. I worry about the long lasting problems he will have especially with the job he has.
Day 2 on the job, today, he was so excited to call home saying he was going to be late because he "just got a gun off the street, baby!!" So he was feeling the rush of the job again, pain in the foot and all.

Below are a couple of pics from a "Night Out" with the fire and police departments in Brockport. They don't relate to this post so much, but they are in a jail cell....so I tried to relate it to the post a little. They better NEVER find themselves in there with the door shut! (And yes, they all need hair cuts, but I am waiting a little closer to school to start....)
This one below was too cool to be in there with his brothers.....so he did it alone! He was too cool for everything....

Above are Jordan and Jacob with the 911 fox....forget what his real name is....