Here is to the New Year. . . . 2019

Year end update on the family, lots of things changing in 2019 for this crew.  Lots of new adventures on the horizon for us all.  It is going to be a little scary but we will attack it like we do everything else, as my sister says with Godcofince ( Confidence in knowing that God is leading us in His path).  That is my new buz phrase for 2019. 
I am very proud of the boys for their school work this year, they both did great and finished with high GPA's and Big T has chosen his pathway.  He had originally thought he would do EMS (emergency medicine) but after going to the college and seeing everything he has changed to a nursing pathway.  I am very proud of him.  Yes, the hubbs and I are both biology/chemistry majors but we have not influenced him other than being role models.  It does make a mama proud when your kids choose to follow in your major.  Not sure if he will do the super senior that is offered at his high school or not but either way he will have a foot hold on his college classes when he graduates. 
Sprat is making his way in Boston and loving every minute of it.  I must admit I was a little scared for him to be that far away, he is easily distracted.  He had a few snafus here and there along the way and it was crazy difficult getting him his mail.  His speech that involved me sending the Cheerwine he got a 92 and he was happy.  He met a lot of interesting people and got to do a lot of cool things and if all else fails, I do believe he could be a tour guide in Boston.  LOL!!  He is looking forward to Spring semester, it is going to be a tough class load but I think he can do it.  Since he has been home we have found out that his debit card was hacked so he is cardless now.   He is going to have to learn that cash is king and much safer. 
I have thoroughly enjoyed having everyone at home and it is amazing the bond that the boys have now since Sprat has been at college.  They are getting a long so much better and enjoy spending time with each other.  To all the moms that are worried about sibling rivalry it will level out, I was very worried about that these last 7 years they just argued all the time and there was NO love there.  It is very different now.  The hubbs and I are bracing for another possible lay off with his company, they are selling off every division and they are now down to pretty much the bare bones. 
On the up swing my job is going well and I have worked a lot in the last two months.  The good news to that is that we are preparing for this inevitable lay off.   We should hear something the first of the year so, prayers are greatly appreciated.  Walking in Godcofince as we embrace changes. . . .

Home Safe and Sound. .. ..

The hubbs and Sprat made it home safe and sound yesterday.  So glad to have the boy home for a few weeks, of course I may not be saying that in a few weeks.  You know how teenagers are, as you can see from the picture below he has already assumed the teenager position.   The brown lump behind his knees would be the B and she has also assumed her position.  

Speaking of the B, she was very excited to see her daddy and her boy come home.  She felt she had not seen them for years and she acted that way too.  She jumped and fussed and barked and wagged her tail like you would not believe when they came in the house.  

I have a secret to tell but you cannot share, if the word gets out I may never get to see this sight again.  So if you promise not to tell I will share what I saw.  It was almost like being in the wild when two rival species meet that usually fight to the death and you wonder what will happen.  I was brought to tears when I saw my two boys hug each other.  No, they were not trying to choke each other out as I would have thought had this happened over the Summer. They were truly happy to see each  other, in fact Big T has already enlisted his big brother advice on how to set up a prom posal for his "girlfriend" for the Spring.  Shhhhh!! I was not suppose to hear about that either.  I love hearing them talk with each other in a nice manner and not fussing and yelling at each other.  To all the Moms that are in that sibling rivalry phase, there is hope and there is light at the end of that tunnel and it does not appear to be a locomotive.  This Mama is going to enjoy Christmas having all the fellas at home together.  I am blessed beyond what I deserve and I am truly thankful for all of our blessings even the mouth one, the B. 

Snow Storm 2018 . . . .

The hubbs is on his way to Boston, and the biggest snow storm our area has seen in 90 years per the news outlets, is headed our way.  At 0430 on Sunday morning we had 6 inches of snow, it kept snowing most of the day.  I measured again by way of my leg and we had a foot of snow.  I am sure we had more but we did have an interspersing of  sleet and freezing rain that compacted the snow.  The hubbs is safe, Big T and I are safe here, I worked from home yesterday and will work tomorrow from home as well.  Another great perk of my company when we have bad weather or if you have kids sick and home from school. 

I was filling the hubbs in on our weather conditions last night and he says; "you need to run out and get a picture of the house decorated for Christmas with the snow.  You may not get that chance again."  Below are my best efforts at the night picture with the lights on.  I sent  him a copy via text. Just so you know, our lights on the bushes in the front of the house are not suppose to be on the bottom of the bushes.  They got a little droopy during the snow. 

Tonight since I was not working I decided Big T and I would have a nice dinner just the two of us.  I fixed homemade alfredo, which by the way I do very well.  It was very good and Big T ate two bowls. 

Preparing for Snowpocalypse 2018. . . .

The hubbs is on his way, sort of, to get Sprat a little earlier than planned.  He was trying to beat the weather out of the South.  Sprat still has two exams before he is finished, well one exam and a speech.  The speech has something to do with Cheerwine, I cannot wait to hear about it.  I shipped two cases of Cheerwine to him at school for this speech.  You cannot get Cheerwine in Boston heck, I do not think you can get it in Virginia even.  It is a southern thing.  Sprat so desperately wanted to share some of his Southern, I would not say heritage but maybe Southern traditions with his new friends in Boston.  It is not cheap to ship to cases of Cheerwine either.  I have had a time trying to get him mail.  I had three different packages in limbo for two weeks.  The postal person did contact me at the main branch in Brookline, MA and I must say he was the nicest and most professional person I have spoken with in the post office.  He was so helpful and in two days Sprat had all three of his packages and his Cheerwine for his speech. 
Back to snowpocalypse prep.  Yesterday the hubbs fixed his amazing crockpot chicken and I made chicken and rice soup in the instant pot today with his left over chicken and stock.  Soup was very good and Big T liked it too.  I used the stock left over from the hubbs crock pot chicken and added a little chicken stock and some rice, carrots, onion, and a little garlic and sage.  That cooked on soup setting for 15 minutes and then I added the chicken and did slow cook setting for 2 hours so all of the flavors could meld.   I felt like chicken and rice soup is a great staple for the snowpocalypse.  I have wrapped presents and made some scrabble (chex mix) too. 
Lots of things to get done before Christmas but most important is getting the hubbs and the boy home safe.  Stay tuned, the hubbs has requested pictures of the house with the lights on in the snow.  This should be very interesting. 

Tree is up and Mama waiting on the Boy. . .

Tree is up and decorated, the hubbs is leaving earlier than expected due to pending weather and the boy will be home for almost a month.  Mama is feeling very blessed and excited to have everyone back at home.  Prayers appreciated for safe travels for the hubbs and the boy.   

I cannot wait to hear about exams and Winter in Boston.  Sprat already has his schedule for next semester and we have books to rent and books to ship back.  To those preparing to send kids to college next year always check out Amazon to rent.  We have had great luck with that these last two years.  Renting is much cheaper than trying to buy, especially if the class is not in their major and they are not going to want to keep the book.  I kept a lot of my books from college, not sure why,  but I think my most expensive book was $150 and these days than can be as high as $400.  Rent, Rent, Rent~!!!! 

Decorations. . . .

In record time I have my tree up and lights on, no decorations just yet but those will be coming this week.  The hubbs and I enjoyed a breakfast date and then came home to decorate the outside of the house this past Friday.  With Sprat coming home for a long Christmas break, the hubbs wanted to  have everything just right.  So much to be thankful for this year, so many blessings on our home and family.  I will post another picture of the tree all decorated later.  

Work has been a little crazy with folks sick and family illness so I have been working a lot more than usual.  Very thankful for the extra hours especially at this time of year.  Sprat will be home in a couple of weeks and I cannot wait.  Prayers for all of those facing finals these next weeks, that is such a stressful time.