More Smoker Foods and a Hair Cut. . .

Maybe I should devote an entire blog to "the smoker?"  We tried salmon on the smoker recently and the hubbs and I liked it, the kids not so much.  I love salmon baked or broiled in the oven with lemon, butter, and dill.  I could eat that all day long.  There was something about the smoker salmon, it did not have the good lemon dill flavor that you get in the oven.  Shhh, please do not tell my hubby I said that.
He did steak on the smoker the other day for Sprat as a last hurah! before going back to school.  It was good and very juicy and tender.  I am not a big steak eater either.  He is going to fix a druken turkey this weekend.  That is when you cook the turkey sitting on a can of beer.  My sister makes an amazing smoked turkey on her smoker, I hope ours will be good.
Sprat is making his way back to school, he spent the night in Pennsylvania and he drove the rest of the way to Massachusetts the next day.  He did run in to a little snow but thankfully no accumulation and roads were fine.  It snowed a little this weekend in Massachusetts but, he was safe at the dorm by that time.
Big T went to the salon for a trim.  I have been trying to get him to get his hair shaped up and he always fusses at me and thinks I am trying to drastically cut it.  I am not trying to CUT his hair I just want it shaped up and for it to look nice.   A few people that do not know my sweet Big T ask why I let him have his hair so long.  I always respond with;  he is a straight A student dual enrolled in college and high school and is playing varsity lacrosse. . . if he wants long hair that is his choice.  This mama chooses her battles and his hair is not one of them.  He enjoyed his visit to the salon, my hair dresser and dear friend washed his hair and trimmed it up and told him what product to use and how to take care of his hair.   He also talked to her about donating his hair to Wigs 4 Kids, they talked about how long it would have to be to donate and they made a plan to cultivate his beautiful curls. 
A few pictures to round out the post. . .

Before the fish hits the grill

Taking the fish off the grill, yummmm. . . . 

The Before and a little shaggy

Don't you just love that sweet smile???  

Blessings Come from Weird Places. . .

My kids are closed mouthed of late about stuff going on in their lives but, every now and then they open up and let me know what is going on.  I love those little moments, Big T went through a very moody teenager phase a year or so ago but, lately he is sharing more about what is going on.  It took Sprat going off to college before he opened up and actually wanted to talk to his mom.  Sprat text me and his dad these days to update us on what is going on at school and gives a call on the weekends if things are not too busy. It does this mom good to hear all the things he is getting to do at school.
My work schedule has been a little crazy and I feel like I have not been the best mom.  Last night Big T had a panic attack while the hubbs and I were on our way home.  He called when we were on the way home and said he could not breath and that his heart was racing.  Now he is a little over dramatic sometimes but, I could hear the fear in his voice.  You do not know stress until you have been in a car with your husband driving soooo slow while you are trying to reach your child that thinks they are suffocating.  We finally got home to find Big T sitting on the porch almost hyperventilating.   We did some deep breathing to slow everything down and when he seemed more calm, Big T and I went to the store.  He has been congested so I thought we could pick up so OJ and a few other things I needed.  We had a wonderful talk, I always learn new things when we talk.  He has grown so much since his freshman year of high school and his interests have changed.  It is funny how things work out and how something as stressful as your child having a panic attack turning out to be a blessing in disguise. 

Cape Cod, Lobster Rolls, and Iron Maiden. . . .

Sprat made it home from the Cape safe and sound.  He sent me pictures of his plate after he had finished a lobster roll.  In case you do not know what a lobster roll is, it is a yummy po boy type sandwich with lobster type salad on the bun.  I have never seen one in person only pictures and have read about them.  I want to try one so bad.  I love seafood and I was going to try one while we were at the Red Sox game last year but they were so expensive I did not try it.  We did our first trip to Boston for the college visit with Sprat in true Dave Ramsey style, we stuck to our budget and sadly the lobster roll was not on our food budget.  I wanted to get one this last visit but we did  not get to go into Boston.  Sprat spent the last part of the week with his girlfriend and they played on the beach at Cape Cod and ate fish and chips and the fabulous lobster roll.  Yes, I was terribly jealous that my dear son got to have that lobster roll and all I got was a picture of his empty plate with a side dish full of slaw because, the boy does not eat slaw.   We have another trip scheduled to take him back to school and I WILL have my lobster roll, one way or another. 
I love my family and I love my hubby with all of my heart but I absolutely detest having to rush everywhere we go when we get to go to neat little places like Massachusetts.  There are so many things that I would like to see there and yes I guess I am being selfish.  We would not have gone to the Red Sox game if I had not insisted we try and get tickets.  They were all thankful for that because they all had a really good time and it will be a wonderful memory for my boys to have with their dad. I am all about making memories and taking pictures of everything.  As I am writing this post my three favorite fellas are out making memories now.  The hubbs has taken the boys to an Iron Maiden concert.  Yes, all of my fellas are metal heads.  I begged for pictures so hopefully I will get a few. 
Stay tuned for a few pictures from all of this fun. . .

Weekend Update. . . .

So, I shared earlier about having to get all my doctor appointments scheduled.  I still have to schedule my mammogram and my eye appointment and I have my appointment for my migraines.  It is rough trying to keep yourself healthy, I have realized these last few weeks that I seriously neglected my self over the years.  I am chalking this up to my resolution of self care this year. 
Young Moms, please do not neglect your own health for the sake of your family.  I wish I had been better to me while the boys were young but, when you are trying to hold down a household and take care of two boys you tend to neglect you.  Make you a priority.
I completed my Cologuard test, it was not as bad as I thought  it would be, I am waiting to hear back about my results.  This tests your poop for cancer DNA.  If it comes back positive it does not mean you have cancer it means you could have cancer and should have the colonoscopy to make sure there are no polyps.  If it comes back negative this will be the best thing ever because I will not have to have that nasty colonoscopy.  I will be honest I have heard horror stories about these and I want to stay as far away from them as I can.  I am a terrible patient, I hate doctors and I may have used the family as an excuse not to go to the doctor.  I am a terrible patient. 
We can chalk up a win for the Lax bros last night, our first win of the season.   Sprat got accepted to his new school, got his scholarship and will be playing lacrosse for this new school.  We are very excited for him and cannot wait to see what his sophomore year will hold. The hubbs has dirt and is going to work on my herb bed again today.  Big T is getting ready for his Prom tonight so stay tuned for photo overload. 

College Dorm Stuff. . . For Boys. . .

I have been seeing a lot of posts on Pinterest on what to bring and what not to bring to college for the freshman year.  I thought this would be a good post for today.  I searched the internet for these very same things last year when we were preparing to take Sprat to college.  I will share what I found and the truth about what is really needed. 
I will start with; things have changed since I went to college back when dirt was new.  College life is also very different for boys than girls, all the things that you think girls need or would like boys do not care about.  There are some things that us moms will have to insist on and that your sons will thank you for later, so be prepared to put your foot down. 
I did all of the dorm sheet shopping through the school flyer thing that all of the colleges send out.  Those are very handy but, in the words of my son, "the towels suck."  I bought all the sheets, towels, pillows, pillow cases, comforter etc. . .  Sprat informed me the laundry bag in that kit also sucked, it apparently ripped in the first weeks of school.  Sprat hated the towels the most, so my advice, buy your towels from where ever you buy your towels for your home.  Oh and boys do not care if everything matches, color and pattern wise that is.  Now for sheets it was very good to buy those through the college site because you  have to have the extra long sheets for dorm beds.   We also bought the trunk from the college site, we could have probably bought one from a local store but doing this online through the college site was very easy.  The trunk is a must for boys, Sprat decorated his with lacrosse stickers and band stickers and he used it as under bed storage, it had a lock so that he could lock any valuables in it when he was not in the room or when he would go home on break.  These locks are not 100% but they keep an honest person honest.  He kept his winter things in it during the fall and his extra summer things in it during the winter, it fit perfectly under the bed and it also was sturdy enough to use as an extra seat if you had company in your room.  We did not do curtains or hang things on the wall but I did take several of those command type hooks if we needed them.  Sprat did end up using those to hang extra towels or belts up, he even hung up a few lacrosse pinnies for decoration after we left.  We did get a small dorm fridge, I am not sure how much he used it but he had one if he needed it.  We did not do closet organizers, desk organizers, and things of that nature.  I did buy a caddy type thing for him to carry his shampoo, razor, soap, tooth brush and toothpaste to and from the showers.  Sprat stayed in a typical dorm where 16 boys shared a bathroom so this little shower caddy was a must.  He was not that enthused by it when I showed it to him but he did tell me later it was very handy and he was glad he had it.  I also got him some shower flip flops to wear to and from the shower and in the shower, he bucked at this and said it was stupid.  He later admitted he was glad he had them and he did in fact thank me for buying them for him. 
What Boys Need in the College Dorm:
trunk
shower caddy (Bed Bath and Beyond)
shower flip flops
command hooks of all sizes
towels (from where ever you buy them for home)
sheets, comforters, mattress pad, egg crate foam mattress thing (from college store)
lap top and printer, extra ink
flash drives
mini fridge used for leftovers and water
plastic refillable  water bottle  ( the one with water filter is really good)
lanyard for keys (if they do not already have one)
pictures of home and family (nothing fancy and just stuck where he will find them later)
surge protectors/ power strips
collapsible laundry basket (not what you can get from college store)
Small desk lamp
small fan ( a must according to Sprat)
Extra cash to leave with your Son ( most appreciated )
Snacks to leave ( another must per  Sprat)

Moms your instinct is going to be to decorate, take it from me I wanted to do the same, your son does not want this.  On move in day take:  water, lysol wipes, a trash can, paper towels, and snacks.   Don't say good bye in the dorm, do it in the parking lot.  It will not feel quite as final and you will not embarrass yourself or your son.  I got a little teary when we said good bye but, I cried like a baby off and on all the way home, just so you know, home was 13 hours away.   I still cry when he comes home and when we send him back, just not as much. 

Quick Snap Shots . . . Lax on Brah. . .

I was goofing around with Big T's camera with Sprat in the back yard and snapped  a couple pictures of him playing wall ball Lax style.  These were my favorite ones. 

I am going to miss this kid when he heads back to school, sometimes surly and all. 

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. . . .

Dating and My Boys. . .

Update on Boston:  Sprat has moved on to another female friend and this one goes to his school and play softball for them.  He says he and the other young lady he met at the Red Sox game are just friends.  Funny thing, the hubs and I met the softball players parents at move in day during the parent meeting and family dinner.  She is from California, the hubs and her dad were fast friends, funny how things work.  Sprat seems to be getting along well he has requested that I send him some sweet tea about every time we talk.  The lacrosse team has been doing fundraisers in and around Boston: they have worked the Boston College football games and will be going into the city to work at the Boston Children's museum too. Sprat even volunteered to do an extra game at Boston College to help out the team.  These fundraisers help them pay for their Spring break tournament room and board.  I love this idea, make the boys work to help pay their way rather than begging for money from parents or family.  The high schools could take a lesson here.
Big T informed me the other day that he was in a "relationship."  You can imagine my reaction to this comment from my 15 year old son.  I smiled and simply said, ok.  I was waiting on an explanation,  and decided I better  ask some questions because he was not going to offer up any information willingly.  I asked those typical Mom questions:  how long have you known this young lady?  is she in your grade?  what is her home high school?  If I have shared this already I apologize.   I was immediately told that her mother wanted to meet the hubs and I for dinner.   That actually went very well,  we liked the young lady and her mother and we had a very good time at dinner.  Last night was their first official date, they went to the movies.  The hubs and I got to go on a date too and that was very nice. 
I am not ready for this dating stuff again, bless dear Sprat he did not really date until he was a junior in high school and Big T is a sophomore.  The second usually does things faster than the first, except when it comes to driving.  Big T may be on track to get his license around the same time as Sprat, Big T does not want to drive much either. 
Stay tuned for more dating adventure and Real Food adventure. . .

College Prep continues. . .

Sorry for the gap in posts; work has been busy and so has getting Sprat ready to go off to College.  I had no idea there was so much paperwork involved in this college thing.  I do not think there was this much paperwork in buying our first house and signing for our first mortgage.  Every day there is a new email with more things to do and sign that we have read. 
I must admit, I have felt a little overwhelmed these last few weeks trying to prepare for this send off.  I am so afraid I am going to forget something that he might need for school and there is just not a Walmart or even a drug store on every corner in Boston. 
In the midst of all of my own worry and fretting my very sweet Sprat brought me this book this morning.  It is a photo album that he and one of his girl friends put together for me.  It is some of his baby pictures and it is the sweetest, thoughtful gesture I think he has ever made.  I was blown away.   Big ugly tears today as I think about him leaving home for the Big City.  Today, I feel like I may have done some things right, today I feel very blessed and a little sad that I did a good job raising this one.  He is going to go off on his own and make his own way in this big old world. 
You know we talk about this when they are young, but I am here to tell you that nothing has prepared me for this.  You want them to go off and be successful but nothing prepares you on how to deal with them being so good at this going off part.  My heart is full of love, pride, and sadness today as I think I only have four weeks left with this very sweet kid that I have spent the last eighteen years preparing for this very thing.
Stay tuned for the drama to come . . . .