love this...

i didn't know ceelo could sing like this.  i love this song as it is and his version is just great!

Happy Holidays!!

Happy Holidays from the Tuckers!!  I'd say Merry Christmas (or Happy Hanukkah to my Anna B) but since apparently I only find it necessary to post monthly--if we're lucky--I'll just stick with the gereral wishes of happiness.  Love to you and yours from me and mine!!

the parent rap

i had forgotten about this, but it's hysterical!

just bear with me

sniffsniff...it's the end of my saga.  i can't help myself.  i don't know the person who made this video, but i fully support it.  i am a sap.  and yes, i've seen it twice.  no snide comments.  just enjoy the love.  you know you want to.

just do it

go read this book.  you'll cry.  but in a good way.  it's a book that sticks with you.  it is so tender and wonderful and oh my goodness...augustus...and hazel grace.  i can promise you'll have a book hangover when you're done, but it is just so worth it.  i don't lie about books.  just put it on your list.  if you've already read it, tell me so we can swoon and cry together.  it is so wonderful.

Happy Halloween!

 

The Ninja, Princess Jasmine and a Teen Wolf!  May your candy last until Thanksgiving (because you can rest assured it won't in our house!)

The Post-It Project

First of all, I am in no way affiliated with the Post-It company and they aren't paying me for this, but I do love the brand and it is the one I bought during the awesome back to school sales, so that's how the name of this little project came to be.

Now...

I got the idea a while ago for Micah and I to kick it up a notch with the "I love you's" that can become all too familiar and standard...you know, the ones that come with a kiss before leaving in the mornings and before closing our eyes at night.  So, I challenged him to 30 days of love note writing.  I mean, let's face it, in our world of texting and emails, the common note is becoming obsolete and I HATE that because I LOVE the written word.  There's nothing I love more than getting something in the mail with a little personal note attached to it.  I'm not hard to please.

It started because I found a note tucked in the back of a bathroom drawer that he had written a while back, just wishing me a good day (after what I'm sure had been a few harry ones).  I cherish those little ways of saying 'I love you' or 'I'm thinking of you' or 'I'm proud of you' or even 'You are smokin' hot and I'm dang lucky' that can easily fall by the wayside when you're rushing kids to school or to practice or washing dishes and feeding dogs and folding laundry.

So, I named it The Post-It Project and got us started with this...

 

Then we chose our colors out of my plentiful stash...and got started.

 

We wrote our notes, sometimes in the mornings, sometimes after we thought about it for a whole day, and then slapped it to the bathroom mirror.

 

 

 

And we met the challenge for 30 days!! 

 

Sometimes it was hard not to fall into the rut and wind up saying the same things over and over, but that was the whole point of the challenge and I think it was so worth it, even if some of the things were silly and not so serious.  Love notes are typically cheesy and if you can't be that way with the one you love more than life, then what are you doing??

 



It gave me the opportunity to speak his love language a little better and tell him how much I appreciate all his help and just how lucky and blessed I feel that he's mine and vice versa!

 

It also gave him the chance to say more than a scheduled/obligatory 'I love you' (not that I don't love those words every time he says them) and be specific about what he loves and to encourage me in my every day tasks that can feel overlooked and expected.

 

It was really fun and now I think we'll do it for the kids!

 

Give it a try!  You won't be sorry, I promise.  It's husband approved! 

(ps...I wouldn't click on those pictures...there may be married people talk involved.  i'm not sorry about it.)

Happy 4th Birthday, Ally Claire

Dear Ally Claire,
Where to even begin my little lovely?  You are such a blessing, such a delight.  I've said it on here and I'll say it again so that you'll never question it.  I prayed you into existance little one.  I always wanted to be a mama.  I hoped I would be blessed and that I would get the experience of having both boys and girls, but if I'm being honest, and you know that's my way, I REALLY wanted a little girl.  You are ALLLLL girl!  Make no mistake about that.  You love all things girly and frilly and fluffy.  One of my favorite quotes from you this year was, "Mama...all it needs is sparkles and glitter!"  Pink and purple and glitter and crowns and princesses and nail polish and "spray" and bows.  You are sure to let me know when your "tip toes" get chipped and need to be redone.  You still cling to your purple Hippos that you've had since your "unfortunate incarceration" in the NICU (see links below), but you have allowed other animals to join the throng.  Not long ago, you fell out of bed at night and it was no wonder, you had so much in the bed with you, just like your big brother Luke.  I told you they pushed you out of bed!  You didn't seem to buy it.

But just because you are girly doesn't mean you aren't tough.  You give your brothers just as hard of a time as they give you.  You don't mind being a little dirty and playing outside and you still prefer that your hair look like a "cave woman's" most days.  All in your face and the bigger the better.

And smart.  My goodness you are so smart and verbal.  Luke's teacher thought you were older than you are because of how verbal and conversational you were when we went to have lunch with Luke's class at school!  You are really good at naming your numbers and can count to about 40, but those letters are giving you a hard time.  You're getting there, though, even if you DON'T want my help...with ANYTHING Miss Independant!

But sometimes being that smart has its downside.  You're also quite sassy in attitude and in speech!  You're my child so i doubt you'll outgrow it, but hopefully you'll learn to tame it a little and know when to use it to make people laugh or show boys that pretty girls can be smart, too!

I love you so much, Lucy.  I can't turn my back on you for a second.  Not just because you're into everything, but because if I do, I'll miss it and you'll be in school!  You'll be the hardest to let go of because you're the baby and because like I'd always hoped, we are so close. My hope is that you will continue to grow up strong and healthy, smart and sassy and that you'll always be beautiful and blessed.

Our family wasn't complete until you came along and I'm so thankful that you did!!
xoxoxo

for her hard beginning...start here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Just click on the numbers. the posts are pretty short.

take me out to the ballgame...

another baseball season has come and thankfully gone!  don't get me wrong...out of all the sports my kids play, this is by far my favorite.  but it is a huge time committment, especially when you have two in two different leagues.  plus, we live in the county, so our games aren't in one place.  they are all over and Limestone county is pretty wide!

we start practices in march and this year we had 4-6 practices per week between the two of them.  (and i'll admit, sometimes we skipped a few of seth's b/c no 6 year old needs to be practicing 3x a week.  i mean, hello?)  last year...before the tornadoes came through...we had a set schedule.  but that changed when some of our baseball fields got ruined and we are down a location in which to play.  that also meant less places to practice.  anyway, we made it through march and with april came our games.  TWENTY SIX OF THEM!  all over God's north Alabama creation.

this little girl was there for every practice and every game (some how we avoided them being at the same time all but once i think!) and do you know that they had the nerve to complain when i made them skip games to go to her little 1 hour end of the year preschool program?  i think i may have given them a right good guilt trip.  i've been that little girl and it's not always fun being dragged here and there, but she went and didn't say much to the contrary (unless i haven't brought the appropriate amount of snacks.  that's a different story.)

the boys did really well this year.  luke only struck out during his first game and he got hits every at bat, every game after that.  and he could really crush it!  he's actually going to baseball camp week after next from 9-2 M-TH and I hope he likes it and learns a few things because next year he'll move up into the kid pitch league.  (how did he get that old??)  he played 2nd base and really loved it and did a great job.  his team was set against several of the number one teams around the county so he got worked hard, but he never complained (they only won 2 games, bless 'em!)

seth played short stop...sort of.  it was his first year at that position and i kind of feel like no one really worked with him on what to do (plus the fact that there is a pitcher that stands right in front of him) but he did what he could and was a go-to hitter, earning the nickname of "crusher".  both coaches wondered what was so different in these kids from last season to this.  the only thing we know of is that they were a year older and had been doing kung fu for several months.  they are learning to move their bodies in different ways and their cores were stronger going into the season (which now that we're back in KF, i can tell that they lost some of that strength during baseball).  but who knows?  (i am certain it has nothing to do with the fact that their mama can still get out there and pitch to them help them with their batting stance and throw with them in the yard!)

now...for any of you mama's out there who get sick and tired of ball park food and hate burning up...i have a couple of things to talk about.

first of all...see that little red wagon and that green sportbrella? 
STOP.
GO GET ONE OF EACH.
TRUST ME.

we have at least 4 chairs to haul around with us to any ballgame.  plus equipment (bat bags or buckets, etc.)  i'm not a pack mule.  enter the best wagon ever.  it is made of a sturdy canvas, it folds up, has a cover and two drink holders, and will pull through the deepest gravel even all loaded down.  we're going to try it at the beach this summer, too!  i found mine at Sam's, but they also have them at K-mart.  we could fit our chairs, the sportbrella, a bat bag, an activity bag, a small cooler and a picnic basket in that thing and it just kept on going!

that part umbrella-part tent thing...got it at Sam's, but you can get them most anywhere now.  SO worth it.  especially if you DO have two games in one place and don't have anywhere to cool off in between (or if the game is at 1 and you have to be there at 1230 and you won't leave until sometime after 2!)  seriously...

and lastly...out of all of those games, there were three in which we ate something from the ball park or picked up fast food.  the rest of those games (23 for those of you still reading and keeping up) i took food from home and saved a jillion dollars by doing so.  do you know that those crazy people charge at least a dollar for a bottle of water and you can buy a case of 48 at Sam's for less than $4?  it ain't rocket science folks.  i won't drone on and on about what all i took, but if you want to know, you are welcome to email me.

we made it through another year and next year they both move up in age groups.  can't wait to see how luke does learning to slide and steal bases and let kids throw balls at him (while his mama cringes.)
ps...Sam's did not pay me to endorse their store or these products, but dang it if they would send a gift card for doing so, that would be awesome b/c we shop there at least bi-weekly!!

BOWLED OVER

so...let's go back a little bit.  the beginning of this story started when my boys were in their respective 4 year old pre-K classes.  one of their field trips was to go bowling.  micah went on each of those trips because i always had a younger child or two at home when the trip came around so i didn't get to see how much my kids LOVE to bowl. 

last summer the boys spent a week with my parents while little sister and i went to camp.  during that time, aunt sherri introduced us to www.kidsbowlfree.com. (you can also go to www.amf.com and they have a free bowling program for kids, as well.)  at both of these places you can sign your kids up and they can bowl 2 games for free every day of the summer.  did you hear that?  TWO GAMES FOR FREE EVERY DAY OF THE SUMMER!!!  people, that is quality indoor entertainment when it rains or is one thousand and sixty four degrees outside...like it tends to get in these parts say around the end of june.  you pay shoe rental and that's it.  this summer, we are signed up through both programs.  we could bowl half the day away folks.

so...that's the history.  what am i leading up to?  (man, my story telling skills are rusty!)  a few months ago, after micah's project manager at work got them together and they went out to the arsenal for some team bonding over bowling and a pizza buffet.  so the next time he had a day off and the kids were out of school, we loaded up the whole family and went bowling at the arsenal.

folks, that was a good time!  i can't lie.  the facility out there is awesome! i mean, the bumpers are programmable...as in they go up and down on their own depending on who's bowling!  they even have a little alligator/dinosaur thing for little sister to use so she can bowl like a pro, too!

the pizza was as good as any buffet pizza can be and the staff was super nice and helpful.  i have to say, after this past week's experience, we were spoiled by bowling on the arsenal.  but hopefully we'll be at a little bit newer facility next week (as in one that was built in this century) and have an awesome time since we plan to enjoy some free bowling every week this summer.  give it a try!  it's good fun!

Summer Fun 2012

before i give you a rewind...here's what we'll be up to this summer.  make your own list.  b/c see, even if you buy shaved ice every single week, it you put it on a list and let them check it off, only then does it become an event and more special!  outsmart them while you can, sisters!

once upon a time & a giveaway

hi. i'm becky. i used to blog here.  somewhat regularly.  but then those baby birds over there started getting all big and into so many things and changing the rules and requirements of my job on me.  i'm on the fence about it if i'm being honest.  while they no longer need me for some things (opening snacks, getting something to drink), now they need me for other things (drive us to this practice or game or class, wash this uniform, can we go bowling?--and the answer to that last one is always yes!)

so, i have plenty to catch up on in the last three months, but first, why not go visit meg and check out the 3M Mobile Projector she's trying out and leave her a comment to win a $150 Target gift card.

i'll be back soon.  all the photos are already downloaded and the fact that i've taken time to do that speaks volumes.  i even have a few things to tell you about that i learned during baseball season that kept us cool and occupied while spending hours at the field. 

later gators!

Tis the Season

It's almost that time again...you know the one I'm talking about.  The one that nearly made me insane last year.  The one I said never again to...and obviously lied.

That's right...

It's almost baseball season.

I grew up in some way or another on or around a baseball field.  My brother played baseball from the time he could walk all the way up to college.  He's a lefty pitcher and a home run hitter and even after all these years...I still like to brag on him.  In my eyes, he was a rock star.  Still kind of is.

Anyway...last season, the boys were in two different age brackets for our county league.  Which obviously means separate teams...which means separate practices.  People...remember this??

Just click on that calendar up there.  That's six practices a week...color coded per child...and a then 2 year old to take with me to at least half of them.  Needless to say, all that craziness led to this...

That was the first time I cooked in bulk.  And do you know I still plan that way?  I don't so much do it a month at a time anymore...more like every two weeks.  But it works.  And saved us a fortune in money and I'm sure cholesterol medicine by not eating ballpark food or fast food (which is actually cheaper than ballpark food.)

Anyway...all that to say this...I'm on the hunt for new recipes again.  Not only am I needing to plan things that are quick, but I've got to be sure to incorporate things that are Weight Watchers friendly. 

Planning...planning, planning, planning.  I feel like I live by a calendar.  Anyone else feeling that way?  I don't worry about things becasue I know that I ultimately have no control over anything (and that is HARD for this OCD woman to admit to) but I like to be prepared where I can.

I also bought this little jazzy thing at Sam's to help me carry all of our "gear".  (I'm going to use it for the beach, too.  Why rent the chairs when I can bring my own??)

Hopefully this year I'll be more prepared and less crazy...we'll see!  



what you may not know...

is that i'm teaching the ladies class on wednesday nights at our church. y'all...i don't know why. i'm not sure why anyone would even allow such nonsense to happen. but it is. i went to our preacher's wife, elayne, who is so awesome...i just love her. anyway, i saw this book at lifeway and thought, "hmm...lots of good, basic topics. i bet this could be a good study" and i took it to her to show her to see if she was interested. of course she said, "looks good. are you going to teach it?"

silence...

then crickets...

then a check for vital signs b/c i KNOW she was not asking ME that question.

i've taught a class of 3 year olds against my better judgement, I've been with kids 3rd grade-college age and done quick devotionals and even a sex class at Bible camp right after I was married-the nurse stuff, the Bible stuff and the real life stuff, and done prewritten Bible lessons...but this? NO. this was for women. like women my age and older. women who actually know stuff. women who are all learn-ed and whatnot. so what did i do?

I told her i'd think about it.

and i did. i took the book to the beach this past august and started reading through it. and thank goodness, it's not a very cerebral book (the author's words, not mine). but it is very applicable to every day living and that is what i LOVE when i'm in a class. i need to relate things.

also, in the years since being a stay at home mom, i have kind of let go of my used-to-be outgoing self and climbed into a box, into a box with the lights off and waaaaaaaaay back into a corner where no one could see me. (raise your hand if you've known me long enough to know that just ain't me.)

so...i prayed and decided that if He was gonna lead me down this road i may as well sign up to be a tour guide and not just another passenger asking "are we there yet?"

and then do you know that Elayne brought us Priscilla Shirer's lessons on Jonah this past fall...you know...when God told Jonah to do something and Jonah all but ran away? That one?Yeah. I'm kind of thinking I couldn't say no at that point.

micah asks me every week how class is going. and i have no idea. i tell him to ask someone who is actually there but not one of my friends cause they love me enough to lie to him. He says as long as i'm not being heckled it's probably fine. (y'all feel the love right there, too, right? nah, i'm kidding. he reads my lessons every week and lets me know if it at least makes sense.)

so i find that i'm doing purposeful reading and researching every week, something i haven't done in a long time. and i'm not too proud to tell you that some of the topics in this book that i thought were easy breezy...are kind of slapping me in the face and convicting me like i need to be...especially as i look outside of the text and dig for more scripture to base my own thoughts off of.

a week or two ago i read a friend's blog that said she had been out of God's word for a few days or a week or so and she could really tell in her attitude. Not two days later I was having breakfast with a friend to do our Christmas exchange and she was asking me to really give her something to think about b/c she had also been out of her Bible reading and could really tell in her attitude.

i have a feeling that was God trying to tell me something. I mean it was almost verbatim between these two friends who don't know each other but they are both a blessing to me. I confess that in the years that I've crawled into my box that my dependance on God is one of the things I have let go of. well, shame on me. and really...how ignorant. perhaps if i hadn't pushed talking to Him aside and searching out comfort and knowledge in His word then i'd have never known there was a little dark box for me to crawl into.

anyone else like that?

just goes to show you...sometimes you think you need to hear something encouraging and uplifting from someone else when really, it's right in front of you and He just wants YOU to search it out and find it for yourself. I mean, you learn the most when you do the work, right?

what i've learned so far is that it really is true...the teacher usually is the one who learns the most. so if you are feeling like you need to be challenged in your spiritual life, perhaps teaching just one class is what you need. trust me when I tell you that God will give you the confidence to stand up there. I look at 40 women every week and i just KNEW i was going to need some sort of pill, anxiety or antiemetic, to make it through. but i haven't felt nervous even once and i DON'T do stuff in front of crowds well, except for cheering all those years, but that's beside the point.

i have about 5 hours to pull together tonight's lesson on putting off the old self. and since it's the new year, the timing couldn't be better. i have a LOT of those areas to work on.