Currently Reading A Scandalous Freedom: The Radical Nature of the Gospel By Steve Brown see related

Birthdays and Head Banging!!!

I'm driving the kids to Orlando next week for a fun time with Mike at Disney (the kids have the week off from school) and need to get caught up with the latest family news before we head out and I fall futher behind! Things here are GREAT! Birthday celebrations are behind us, the first quarter of school is 1/2 over and Mike just finished out a profitable year with his company (he's handing out bonuses today to his employees--so I'm sure it will be a HAPPY day for everyone at the office).

No major news to report other than Haily getting a CONCUSSION on the way home from school two weeks ago when her bus driver took a turn a little too fast and tossed little Haily (who really is a tiny thing) out of her seat and smack on the floor, where she apparently landed on the back of her head!!! Everything seemed ok that afternoon (she was sleepy and complained of a headache) until she started VOMITTING all over my bed. I got her to the emergency room (not a great time for Mike to be living eight hours away) and we were back home by 11pm. Mike raced home to see her, bringing with him a Skunk Webkinz and Haily was immediately well enough to log on for computer time. She missed a day of school, rested over Labor Day weekend and was back to her old self before long!

Tucker and Tatum celebrated birthdays in August...more "DREAM DAYS" (see one of my first blog entries for further explanation) to report....

Tatum wanted to go away with mom for an overnight at a hotel for her birthday. We found out about an American Girl Package at a hotel nearby (we live about 30 minutes from the American Girl Bistro in Atlanta) and checked in for a sleepover with all of her dolls (mine too!). Had a great time. Enjoyed the indoor pool, room service and doll/girl sized robes and bedding. She called her BFF from the hotel to tell her all about it (such a teenager in the making). Tatum and I tucked in all the dolls and savored a couple hours of pillow talk.

Tucker turned ten with an ALL-DAY-GUY-FEST filled with UNLIMITED Wii TIME, a bowling outing with buddies from school and CiCi's ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT-BUFFET. Nothing could have made him happier. Mike managed the guys for the day and joined Tucker for several HOURS of Madden '08 and Mario Kart. After a heated Guitar Hero duel or two they crashed for the night in the NO GIRLS ALLOWED ZONE of the house. Ahhh...male bonding at it's finest!

I'll post again after the twins' party...Haily and Paige are begging for a COSTUME PARTY CARNIVAL when they turn six in October--for ALL the kids in their classes (No, really...45 kindergarteners dressed up as who-knows-what in our backyard for a carnival...Pray for me!!!). It will take me until then to find the stamina to make it happen!

Currently Reading Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven By James Bryan Smith see related

 Is it the END OF SUMMER ALREADY?

Mike and I took the kids to a cabin in the mountains for our last weekend of the summer, where we played board games, fished and swam for three days...no TV, video games, computer or phone calls! Then it was BACK TO SCHOOL and an empty house for Mom!

Monday was everyone's first day, so they're now THREE days into their first week! The TWINS are half-way through their FIRST week of KINDERGARTEN! So hard to believe! Tucker has started 5th grade (even changes classes 6 times throughout the day) and Tatum is in 3rd (her classroom is a trailer--referred to as a "cottage" by the teacher). Everyone is having a great time! Our neighborhood was redistricted over the summer, so this is a new experience for them. Of course, after moving to Florida a year ago, changing schools then, starting in a new building the following semester and moving back here midyear to be back at our house in GA, Tucker and Tatum have changed schools 5 (yes, FIVE) times in the past 2 and 1/2 years! My kids are nothing if not adaptable.

Tucker is psyched to meet ALL the boys in the fifth grade. He's determined to make straight A's this year (good luck with that, son...I never did), and loves the newness of changing schools, winning over his teachers and seeing who's the fastest kid at recess. Tucker had the best summer of his life and is headed toward what I think will be the best school year of his life. Such a great kid--I'm very proud of him. He turns 10 in a couple of weeks and I'll blog about his birthday then.

The child most resistant to change in the family, Tatum wasn't so thrilled to switch schools again. God took care of Tatum in a very personal way by giving her a teacher who was a friend of mine from our previous neighborhood (she had moved out of state a few years ago). Meanwhile, we moved to Florida and her teacher moved back into the area and took a job teaching at this school. Neither of us knew the other was back! When I was pregnant with Tatum, this friend threw me a baby shower with a couple of other neighbors. Imagine how Tatum felt (being the most dramatic of the kids) to discover her teacher was celebrating her entrance into the world a full eight years before she became her student? Needless to say--Tatum is over the moon! She also celebrates a birthday this month (8). I'll post about her party soon.

 Haily...Haily...Haily...Haily was MADE for school! The girl has been chomping at the bit to get into a classroom and start being a student! I can't wait to see how she grows this year! Her teacher is a grandmother with four grandbabies (one of whom is starting kindergarten as well), and is exactly what Haily needs for her first year in school. Haily can't wait to start reading, earn treasures from the treasure box and get to be line-leader for the class. She's promised to try every lunch from the school menu at least once before I start packing her lunch (my picky eater--this was a HUGE step). 

Paige is ready to dance, sing and entertain her way through school and is willing to stop and do a worksheet here and there if she has too. She had music for the first time yesterday and had more to say about that than anything else. Her teacher is young, sweet and pretty--everything that matters to and impresses Paige. Paige gets to see Haily at lunch time and recess and is doing fine with the separation (my only concern about kindergarten). It will be fun to watch Paige come into her own with her own set of friends and classmates. My only challenge with Paige will be how to manage her hair in the morning!

The twins agreed to let me dress them alike for the first day of school, and will even let me choose their outfits one day a week--but other than that, they want total control over what they wear. They were even allowed to pick out their school clothes from different stores: Paige is still my Gymboree girl, but Haily now insists on dressing exclusively in Children's Place attire (she's thinks she is so fashion-forward).

I have enjoyed my three days of empty nesting! Mike stayed in town for the first day of school and we had a nice lunch date together. Yesterday I spent the day at the mall and had lunch with my sister-in-law Debbie and niece, Hannah. Today I am going to the movies! I've taken this first week to do NOTHING but have fun.  I've been at home with my children for 10 years now (no preschool even!) and Mike thinks I derserve at least a week of down-time. Who am I to argue with that? Next week, when I turn 39, I'm taking inventory of my life and organizing my world!!! More to come on that, too!

Currently Listening Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael By George Michael see related

Sunday Smiles!!!

'Tis a rare thing to wake up on Sunday morning, serve breakfast, get everyone showered and dressed with a few minutes to spare before heading out for church...but this past week IT HAPPENED. Not only that, all four kids were in really good moods and were all dressed in various shades of blue. The sun was shining and all was right with the world (at least at our house). What better time to get pictures of the kids?

So here they are--the latest shots of the kids. Tucker is 9 1/2, Tatum is 7 1/2, Haily (straight hair) and Paige (in curls) are 5 1/2!!! Happy Spring! Happy End of School! Happy Summer Vacation!

Currently Listening Growing Pains By Mary J. Blige see related

Happy Mother's Day to ME!

Here it is, Mother's Day 2008 and I've decided to embark on my blogging journey again to take care of keeping up with friends and family about the latest details and events in our lives. Be prepared, there will be lots of trivial and "I love my kids" postings mingled with a few ponderings and profound ramblings...read at will and skip as desired!

Life for the Usserys has taken a complicated but wonderful turn in 2008...In late January, after listing our house in GA for a full-year, the kids and I moved out of the FL apartment and returned to our Home Sweet Home in Woodstock. Mike is commuting back and forth during the week to be with us and things are working out beautifully. Mike is able to focus 110% on the company Monday-Thursday then hops in the car or on a plane and focuses on us 110% Friday-Sunday. The travel wears on him from time to time, but for the most part, all of us are doing well and are very happy to be back with friends and hanging around our ol' haunts. We cram in lots of family time when Mike is with us and LOVE having three full days with him each week--more time than we actually saw him when we were all together in Orlando.

Along the lines of family time, we celebrated Mother's Day with a great weekend! Friday night we surprised the kids with a 20 minutes drive up the road to an Embassy Suites where we took in the indoor pool (twice), rented a movie in the hotel room and devoured a huge breakfast buffet for a spontaneous budget getaway. Saturday evening was spent back at home with the kids spoiling Mommy. I had a chocolate facial with an orange-slice-scented eye treatment while the twins massaged my feet and Tucker ran me a hot bath. I kicked back, listened to my iPod for a couple of hours by candlelight and tuned out the stress from Mommying fulltime while Mike was out of town during the week.

Today, we started a new tradition for Mother's Day...With four kids, alone time with Mom is scarce, so we crammed in FOUR dates in one afternoon! Each child chose an activity to do with me for one hour. I got a 15 minute break in-between to chill, so the whole process filled FIVE hours of the afternoon! What did the kids choose?

Tucker (my big-hearted-sensitive-and-tuned-into-everyone's-feelings-male) asked me to read to him for his full hour. He's finishing fourth grade and has become an avid reader on his own, but wanted the little-boy-snuggling-with-Mommy time, so we got back in our PJs, found a few Teddy Bears and blankies to cuddle and settled in for an hour of reading.

Tatum (seven-year-old-teenager-in-training) asked to do make-overs and paint nails. I made a point of leaving the camera OUT of her room (I looked like a Ringling Bros. performer after my turn in the chair) and Tatum ended up with a manicure of 10 different colors. She also wanted to interview me about what I was like when I was her age. We have this great American Girl book called, "Just Mom and Me" that is a lot of fun to share. Her favorite activities are ones when we compare and contrast our likes and dislikes. Today we discovered we both love the same Pizza topping--MEATBALLS! We also discovered that our musical preferences are still quite varied--I am still hung-up on Bono and she in hanging on to her crush on Elvis (no really, Elvis).

Haily (my brainiac-in-the-works) wanted to play Wii's Disney Princess with me for 1/2 and hour and cuddle with me in my bed for last half-hour. The girl has aced the game and hardly let me play at all, but had a great time showing off her twirling and wand-zapping skills. Cuddle time was filled with questions about kindergarten, weather patterns, the upcoming presidential election and counting to 173.

Paige (my-mover-and-shaker-who-"performs"-life-for-an-imaginary-audience) insisted on playing Hannah Montana on Wii for a FULL HOUR. Good heavens! Who knew I could break a sweat acting like Miley Cyrus with a five year-old?! She is a hoot to watch and STINKS at the game because she'd much rather do her own moves than the ones she's supposed to copy from the screen. I beat her in every game we played (hey, it's Mother's Day--I don't have to let her win on MY day, right?).

All in all it was a great weekend and I'm wiped out! Mike took care of all the meals, baths and cleaning, but I'm still tired! My favorite part of the day (other than the time with my kids, OF COURSE)...eating Krispie Creme donuts for breakfast until I lost count!

Currently Reading An American Girl, Meet Julie: 1974 (American Girls Collection) By Megan McDonald see related

Time to Brag on My Husband!!!!

 Breaking News This Week for Mike!!!

Mike's company has made the Orlando Business Journal , "TOP 25 CENTRAL FLORIDA MANUFACTURING COMPANIES" list! Tropical Nut and Fruit was ranked #14 (based on sales)!! His company manufactures, distributes and sells over 3000 products (nuts, dried fruit, candies and chocolates to name just a few--He's the largest Jelly Belly distributor in the southeast)! This is a very big deal for him and I'm so proud!

Also, he's just landed new business with Disney (he's already in ALL their hotels, cruise ships, restaurants and a bunch of theme park shops) to do some LICENSED products (Tropical has been around for 30+ years, but hadn't won this kind of bid until Mike became President). He burned the midnight oil for this prestigious honor and personally made the business presentation for this account. Mike received an official call from a high-ranking Mickey guy congratulating him on being chosen for the job.

He's just back from a national CANDY show in Chicago where he was treated like a real VIP (cases of assorted candy and chocolates were delivered to his hotel room by companies trying to catch his eye). The kids love Daddy's job and are experiencing sugar overkill! Haily and Paige recently got to spend an afternoon with Mike at work and came home loaded down with gummy bears, lollipops, bubble gum and specialty m&ms. 

What a great guy! He works so hard and gives so much to his family, community and job! Three cheers for my guy, Mike (pictured with the kids above on Father's Day)! Hip Hip Hooray! I love you!