Farm Fun and Corporal Punishment

So you think this is a funny title huh?  Well then you weren't raised on a farm, the two go hand in hand!  :)  Actually the first part of this blog is about farm fun, the second is about the latter.

Santa brought Cash a 4-wheeler for Christmas and today he insisted on riding it.  Never mind you could spit and it would freeze, there were snow flurries in the air and the kid did not care, so off he goes.  After hours of being outside on the 4-wheeler I went outside to see if I could hear any evidence that he was still alive.  About that time my cousin Jim comes driving up, gets out of his truck laughing so hard and telling me to "come here".  What he is pointing out to me was hysterical.  Let me add that earlier Cash also insisted that his toolbox and tools that his Papa gave him for Christmas (not toy tools either people, the kid will be my new handyman) be tied onto the 4-wheeler so he could take them everywhere with him.  Being the skilled mama that i am I went in search for a tie down and strapped that tool box on his front rack.  Whew, that tie down saved him from walking later!!  Now, what Jim was pointing to was Malaine pulling Cash's 4-wheeler back from the dairy barn because the battery finally died on him.  Jim offered to load it up in his truck and bring them home but Cash said "nah, Malaine's got it". And she did, that sweet girl, she pulled that 4-wheeler all the way back home while Cash man sat on it!!

About that corporal punishment.....this isn't a blog of debates, feel free to have your opinion about this and feel free not to argue with mine :).  I am a spanker, when necessary.  I don't spank for every little thing but I believe that sometimes a good ole spanking is in fact the right answer.  Tonight was the "sometimes".  Cash and all of his cousins were running around playing, literally running and my Lord they were so loud.  Absolutely driving me nuts, my daddy will say it is music to his ears and I will tell you that ole Pat Ard must be going deaf!  So in all the craziness Cash was super excited and he tends to get a lot of attention because he is the only boy and he tends to like this!  Tonight for some strange reason while all the kids were playing in my old room he decides to take a leak on the floor!!!!!!  WHAT??!!  REALLY!!??  I was shocked when ALL the girls came running out of the bedroom tattling and sure as I sit here, I found the evidence all over the floor.  I had no choice, this behavior, funny as it will be later, must be dealt with so that is where the corporal punishment came in.  Ah, life on the farm is never dull!!!

Gender Confusion

As you all know, I have always kept Cash's hair on the long side.  I like it and quite honestly don't really care what anyone else thinks.  What? Does that shock you? :)  His hair, up until about three months ago has always been rings of curls but now is more of a wave, the rings are quickly becoming a thing of the past.  We may see them again later in life.  My hair was straight as a board until I was a teenager then I went through puberty and BAM!! Boobs and curls!!  All at once, it was awkward and I had no idea what to do with either.  Luckily I soon figured it out. :))  So maybe his beautiful curls will come back when he starts shaving. 

In saying all that, he has been mistaken for a girl many, many times.  It doesn't bother me.  If I dressed him in questionable, smocked girly clothes I may then take a little offense to this but because he is dressed with a band t-shirt, vintage jeans and Chuck Taylor shoes most days it gives me a good laugh at the person who is referring to him as "her".  Really??!!!  I always laugh when Cash very casually says "I'm a boy", it doesn't bother him either. Yet anyway. 

When we were in Nashville something weird happened and when I tell you it happened  not once but THREE times in a half hour period I am NOT exaggerating the story.  Arden Caroline and  I took a little stroll through the resort, she as always (this is not me bragging) looked adorable in a super cute one piece brown long john.  It had pink ruffles sewn at the ankle and the cutest super size PINK hoot owl on the front of it.  Three different people called her a boy! WHAT!!  It was has if they were running around the resort telling others "there is a super cute little girl coming this way but her long john is brown so call her a boy, OK".   I was baffled.  I mean calling Cash a girl is okay because A. he has(d) long curly hair which from behind and from behind only, can be misleading and B. you are a complete moron if you call him a girl and you are looking at him from the front.  BUT to call my sweet baby girl a boy, how dare you!!!!  She has a girl face, beautiful girl lips and where do you people come from.  I guess wherever you come from, the mama's dress the boys like girls and it confuses you.  When people call Cash a girl I just casually say "she's a he" but when they called Arden a boy I very aggressively let them know "she is NOT a boy"!!!  Seriously people.   And did I mention she was wearing a bow? No joke, you can't make this stuff up.

This is what she had on! No joke!

Opryland in December....



this was a boat ride inside the hotel!





Arden, Faith Meng and Cash



Cash LOVED holding baby Faith

On the way with my date to see The Rockette's

Cash helping his Daddy accept his award. 

everything in the next few pictures is made entirely of ice

Cash was not afraid of the Winter Warlocke

Cash coming down the ICE slide

Cousin!!

Had such a great visit with Tiffany and Charity

love this picture

breakfast with Kris Kringle

Before you get to "deep" into this blog I must note that I am not home, I am at the farm so therefore I have no pictures to download from our trip.  I actually have a few quiet moments and thought I would do a little blogging.  Mama is still sleeping off the "Christmas Day hangover" (Christmas at the farm is WILD, blog to come. and not wild as in a real hangover, ha) and Arden insisted on spending the night with Jason so it is just me and Cash right now. 

As I have blogged about before Nationwide has been very good to my family.  We have taken some really great trips to some really beautiful places that we otherwise may have never visited.  One place that we have visited often not because of Nationwide is Nashville.  We love Nashville!!  It's actually the first town that Master P and I visited together when we were dating because he was stationed in  Ft. Campbell,KY which is just a short drive from Nashville.  And as many of you know, we actually married there on December 31, 2004.  Patrick and I are not especially a romantic couple so it isn't for romantic reasons that I love Nashville, maybe it's because I love music so much, maybe it's because it really is a great, diverse town, maybe it's because one my dearest friends lives there, all I know is I do love it.  We use to go a couple of times of a year just because.  Now Master P is required to be there a lot because Nationwide hold a lot of meetings and events there and naturally me and the kids tag along! :)  I believe I went 4 or 5 times this past year and he got to go about 8 times(I don't take along ALL the time).  In all our years of traveling to the Music City I have never stayed at the Opryland Resort, I have always wanted to but we just never have.  Nationwide has always put us up downtown so when I found out that our latest trip would be at Opryland to say I was excited was an understatement!!!  Especially since I am a huge lover of all things Christmas and it is a common known fact that Opryland is the place to visit at Christmas time.  They start putting up their lights in July!! WHOA!! :)  It was everything I imagined it would be, beautiful lights and trees everywhere, it was beautiful, it was magical and we loved being there!!  Another really special thing about this visit was the fact that my two cousins Tiffany and Charity came and spent and evening with us.  Tiffany, her husband Benji and their girls Maggie and Olivia moved to Murfreesboro recently and Charity and her family live in Bowling Green so she and her daughter Megan came to.  It was so special to have them there, we had to best visit and I can't wait to see them again hopefully on our next visit in February. :)  We also went to visit my dear friend Bridgett and new sweet little baby girl Faith! Cash and Arden were pretty wild and so we cut that visit short in order for Faith to have her nap and  for Bridgett to keep from going insane with my wild crew! ha. 

The kids have always been really good travelers and for that we are thankful because we drag them everywhere but for some strange reason they have recently started NOT napping on road trips.  We drove the entire 6+ hour trip to Nashville and Arden never closed her eyes, instead she bossed me around, "my paci, my cup, my book, my blankie etc......"  Cash has always done the bossing, now  I have two kids bossing me around.  Next trip we may have to slip them something in their juice! :) ha  Pictures to come as soon as I get home!

And these are the moments....

Being a mother is full of challenges, daily challenges.  Being a stay at home mother has even more challenges because you are basically with your children 24/7!  Now before I go any further I will add that being a stay at home mother is a blessing on so many levels to me.  I am grateful everyday that my children are my job, that God has blessed me with this opportunity, I relish in memories I make with them.  With all that being said, some days, my kids drive me nuts!  If this weren't a family friendly blog I may throw in some choice words here but I will refrain and let Cash be the one to use all the dirty words in the blog! lol.  Some days they fight, some days they are discontent with everything, some days they need something from me every 17 seconds etc.... I could go on but I want.  One great thing I can say about Cash and Arden is this, they passionately love each other.  They remind me so much of me and Jason growing up.  Alese and Cash they remind me a little of me and John.  That's another blog!  They always hug and kiss each other goodnight, they hold hands, they yearn for the other to wake up in the mornings.  Those are the moments that make my heart flutter!!  Earlier tonight I was busy cooking in and I heard Cash say from the living room, "Arden you want to come snuggle on the couch with me"? Arden, "yep".  Cash, "I love you sister", Arden, "i love you brother".  This I love you business went on for several minutes after that.  It made me really cry a little, it warmed my heart  as if God was telling me "relax, this is what it is all for"!  I am here to tell you that if I get just a little bit of that sweetness I can take the "he pushed me/she hit me" business a lot easier.  This really is what it is all about.  I have prayed and still pray that God will give them compassionate spirits for others, I love when I see little glimpses of that!  Praising God for all His goodness and thanking him for the good, the bad and the moments that take my breathe away! :)

Cashism's

Although I have plenty to catch up on this blog, these two funnies could not bare fall victim of my "mommy brain". 

Yesterday as told to me by my sweet friend Brandi West:  During Sunday School the 3 and 4 year olds are grouped together for a brief time to sing and hear a story.  Yesterday's story was about the birth of baby Jesus.  When the story teller asked the children if they knew why Mary wrapped Jesus in a cloth my sweet and very smart might I add, Cash answered proudly, "because the hay was a itchin him"! ha!

Now let me add that while we were in Nashville this past weekend(coming soon to a blog near you) Cash and I went to see the Rockette's.  At the end of the show they had a live nativity and told the story of Jesus' birth, it was beautiful!!!  Cash was very interested in it all and asked lots of questions and I told him that Mary would wrap baby Jesus in a cloth to keep him warm and to keep the hay from itching him!!  The boy listens!!!  :)

Another story that I must share so that Arden can look back at in years (many years) when she starts dating and realize that this started very early for her.  As we were leaving church yesterday we stopped to talk to our friends Clay and  Tracy Speights and their two children Sawyer and Charlie Kate.  Sawyer is about 6 and I was trying to get Arden to give him sweet eyes because she is so cute when she does it.  Out of no where for no apparent reason Cash slapped Arden on the top of the head.  Not a little tap but a hard slap!!  Being the tough little thing she is she just turned around and gave him the "dirty" look she does but she didn't cry.  On the way to the car I asked Cash why he hit his little sister on the head.  He very humbly replied, "because Mama I don't want Arden giving that little boy sweet eyes".  Ah I am looking forward to the teenage years! :)

Grins and Giggles

We are currently at the farm for Thanksgiving but I wanted to blog for a minute.  I have no pictures to upload right now but will when we get back home. 

I have noticed recently that which ever of the "little kids" (as I call them to separate them from Alese) wakes up first, always wants to wake up the other one.  Cash has been waking up first most recently and he gets ants in his pants wanting to wake her up.  He gets his trucks and tractors all laid out on the couch or table anticipating her waking to play with him.  I should probably add here that he is SERIOUS about his trucks, tractors and trailers! He sleeps with them, no joke!  But anyway when they see each other in the mornings they smile and laugh and hug and just love each other so much and it completely melts my heart.  Now don't get me wrong, it isn't always this way, they hit, pull hair, bite etc... but they love one another so much and I pray that is always that way!

Yesterday as I was getting things packed and loaded to come home for Thanksgiving, Arden decided to take off her diaper and clothes, as she often tries to do.  Before I knew she was doing it, she was naked, running through the house laughing.  Then Cash joins in on the nudeness!! :)  Seriously, was it big deal that the my 3 and 2 year old were playing naked, laughing and loving life? Not to me so I just let em go all day until time to leave!! :)  Pictures to follow.

Sweet Baby Arden

Arden loves playing chase, it's her new favorite game.  She would play all day if someone would chase her.  When she is ready to play she will quickly run up to me, grinning from ear to ear and say "boo boo I can't get me".  She doesn't really know it's nananabooboo you can't get me, but she has made it her own and it cracks me up and of course I always chase her!  :)

More Cashism's....Reader Discretion Advised

So before you read any further be warned, it is PG-13! :)

Today Cash came in the kitchen from the back yard and said, "Mama I got some mud on my rubber boots but I cleaned it off".  Of course I did not care one bit that he had mud on his boots but I asked him how he got mud on them basically just to engage in a conversation with him because he is so animated when he tells stories.  He begins his story as he always does, talking with his hands and using the word "well".  He said, "Well I got my boot stuck in a hole out there and I got it out.  But now my bike is stuck in the hole so I have to come in here and get a rope so I can pull my ass out"..............................WHAT!!  Now clearly I don't teach nor encourage my children to use curse words but CLEARLY this IS funny no matter who you are.  Doing my very best to keep a straight face I looked him and said "did you just say ass", and he so matter of fact grinned and said "yes ma'am".  So I told him that was a bad word and he couldn't use that word, he said "uh oh, is Jesus gonna put dirt in my mouth".  I have told him that when we say bad words Jesus puts dirt in our mouth but I explained to him that because Jesus loves him so much he will not get in trouble this time because he didn't know it was a bad word but next time Jesus would definitely be putting  dirt in his mouth. 

I can't imagine where he heard this but I will add that it is in fact common occurrence on the farm for someone to need their ass pulled out.......Just sayin......

Cashism

Tonight Cash was playing with all of his trucks and tractors on the couch.  He had couch pillows piled all around him making fields, ditches etc... He is very serious about his trucks and tractors, he actually calls them his family! :) ha.  So Arden decided she wanted to play so she picked up one of his toys.  Cash looked at me so seriously, raised eyebrows and all and said "your little girl is messing with my stuff".  Not Arden, or my sister but "your little girl".  :)  There is always laughter in the James house!

Arden's personality!

I just walked in the bedroom to discover that Miss Arden had squirted Elmer's glue all over the wood floor and was rubbing it in really good.  When she saw me she said "what happened Mama"? :)  When I told her I was going to spank her she said "uh uhh no you not"! ha  She is a little bossy I would say. 

"what happened" is her famous line for everything now! :)

Arden Caroline's 2nd Birthday Party



The birthday girl!

 It is hard to believe that my sweet little baby girl will be 2 on Wednesday.  Yes I will say it,  "where does the time go"?  It has been a blessing having a baby girl.  It amazes me how she has grown and developed her own little bossy, determined, self sufficient attitude the last few months.  She is definitely her mother's daughter. ;-).  She is still tiny as can be and just like me when I was her age, still has very little hair.  But in that regard if she is anything like me she will grow to make up for it ten fold. 

Master P will be out of town next weekend so we went ahead and had her party this weekend at Mitchell Farms in Collins.  Let me just add a disclaimer here for those of you that have never gone, GO! It is just beautiful and SOOO much to do, especially if you don't have the privilege of living in the country, this is a special treat for "city kids". :)  Here is there website, check them out.  We got a lot of produce from them this summer too.  Super nice people those Mitchell's! www.mitchellfarms-ms.com

The party was a great success!!  The kids had so much fun and if this tells you anything, we planned the party from 10 to 12 knowing that after 12 we could still stay and play as long as we wanted to, we didn't leave until 4!! And Cash left unhappy about having to leave, of course he was born to farm though :). 

Arden celebrated her party with all the following people:  Mama, Daddy, Alese, Cash, Aunt Jessi, Nana, Papa, Walt, Ryn, Madison, Uncle Chris, Aunt Jeani, Jobi, Gigi, Papa, Ella, Uncle Jason, Uncle John, Theresa, Malaine, Mallory and Madilyn!!  What a crew! :)  Arden had so much fun and when I ask her "did you have fun at your birthday party"? she answers, "i eat cupcake" which she didn't but she did eat cake! ha.  Here are some photos from our all day adventure.