Josh's project

Josh has shocked me; he is pretty much done with his tree house for the boys. The shock comes from not how cool it turned out, because Josh can make some pretty cool stuff, but that he is done with it at all. For those of you who don't know, Josh decided to make a club house/tree house for the boys and I thought he was crazy and didn't want him to do it, but agree now it is outstanding. He decided to do this in November and for those who don't know he leaves Jan 2nd, so I didn't think it would get done.
He originally was going to not wrap it around the tree but he did and it so now it is the Tazma Hall of tree houses. Last night, he and Clay slept in the tree house and froze their little bums off, silly guys :0

Here is a picture of the almost finished project, it now has wood T's in the windows so that the boys can't jump or push each other out. Overall it turned out amazing.

Contaminated

Yes it has happened, it was to be expected with all the family sharing their coughs and sniffles with each other from all over. The Hughes have the BUG!! My aunt was sick last week, on Christmas Eve and last night I felt the sudden rush of nauseousness that comes with a virus, we were all going to go to Longhorn for dinner with Josh's family but the moment we got to the restaurant and I stepped out of the van, I knew I could not go in, Josh took me home and went back with everyone. After much sickness I feel better and was able to eat today, which I did apprehensively at first. But the illness isn't over yet, Clay woke up sick and has thrown up on my duvet (changed the bed), then the sheets (changed them again) and then on the floor, and by the way he has a bowl with him each time. Josh is now sick too, so it's a matter of time before Cregan and Collin are sick as well.

So how was everyone's Christmas???

Our Christmas was an extra - special one this year, especially since Josh is leaving Jan 1st for Kuwait for a year.

We had loads and loads of family here, I think the total on Christmas day was 27! It was wonderful. Christmas morning the kids got up at the crack of dawn to see what Santa brought them, which was a considerable amount of toys... Then Josh's Aunt Ronna and Robyn came up and we opened up presents, more toys and Josh got a toy too, a PSP, he was totally shocked!!
After that we went to Josh's mom and dad's for a nice BIG Christmas. Like I said there was around 27 of us, Josh and I and our crew, then all his sisters and brother with their families and his mom and dad and grandma and Aunt and Uncle and cousins and Jon (my brother in law) had his 2 brother and then the missionaries from our church were their too.

You can imagine the paper was flying when we were unwrapping gifts!! We ate and ate, played the Wii, played games, and took pictures, it was a fun for all!!!

My weekend

So I had a fun weekend, first we (josh and the kids) went to a friends house for a Christmas party, we played Rock Band and it was SO much fun!! We left there and picked up Julie and Avery from the airport. She was flying in to take care of the kids on Saturday so Josh and I could go away and spend some time together. For my Christmas gift she got Josh and I a room with a romantic package at the Marriot downtown, it was so fun! On Sunday, she and I and Avery just hung out while Josh went to visit his mom and dad. It was so nice having a girls night in, we just watched movies and ate chocolate!!

the little stinkers

The little stinkers is in reference to my 3 boys!! Each night we have pretty much the same routine and each and every night we have the same problems.

1. before dinner time, they help set up the table in which Clay and Cregan want nothing to do with until one of the 2 decides they do and then they fight about who's going to do what.

2. dinner the fighting then continues on into the meal, only now it's a competition to see who can eat the fastest, or drink there drink the fastest, or put the most food in their mouths, etc. I'm starting to boil at this point.

3 after dinner, begrudgly having them put their plates and cups up and clean up any messes, this is insued with crying and whining and telling me how they are either still hungry or too tired. I'm usually really angry by now.

4. bathtime, this starts the fun part of my evening it's when they start the tattle phase of the evening, this is when the other does ANYTHING then the other child comes to tell me about it. This part of the evening feels never ending, and eventually and snipping at the kids to hurry up and wash their bodies and hair and get out of the tub and get pj's on NOW!

5. Rest, my 30 minutes of sanity, Superman, they are quiet for around 17 minutes, plus or minus commericials, this is when I'm bathing Collin or loading the dishwasher.

6. Books, after Superman, it's time for reading, they ofcourse fight about the books and who's going to be first and they fight over where they are going to sit and who's touching whom while I'm reading and then there is the every 5 seconds of interupptions, "mommy, I've got a question..." says Clay or Cregan, I'll reply "what is it?", "well, in school today we talked about xyor z" , in which I reply "ok, well lets move on" only to be interupted 5 seconds later...

7. Teeth, fights again, fighting about how fast or slow someone is, fights about who's getting the stool, fights about anything or everything.

8. Bed, this is the hardest because at this point I have pretty much lost it! They come out to announce they have to go to the bathroom when only 5 minutes earlier when they were in the bathroom and I asked them, "do you need to go potty" they announced "no mom", urggg.

Then they start with "Clay is saying so and so" or "Cregan is out of bed". I'm screaming by then, go to bed right now.

9. Then they are giggling together, they have bonded, they have gotten mom to yell, hehe, so funny!

These are my stinkers they are boys through and through...

Hughes family rights and priviledge

Hughes Family Rights and Privileges


I have the right to wear clothing.
It is a privilege to wear clothes without, vomit, spit up, blood, or boogers all over them.

We have the right to make brownies and cookies.
It is a priviledge to eat one that doesn't have a hair in it!

I have the right to leave my house on occasion.
It is a privilege to do so ALL BY MYSELF!

I have the right to sleep at night.
It is a priviledge to do so without someone young in the bed or someone crying in the background.

I have the right to go to the bathroom whenever I feel the need.
It is a privilege to get to shut the door and go alone.

I have the right to a noon meal and several snacks.
It is a privilege to have my own plate of food, not just kids half eaten leftovers.

I have the right to listen to music during the day.
It is a privilege to listen to my music over ABC's.

I have the right to sit and relax on occasion as I may need rest.
It is a privilege to sit down and not have wrestle time declared.

I have the right talk to my friends on the phone.
It is a privilege to do so without any fights, injuries, or accidents occuring during that 5 minutes.

I have the right to brush my teeth.
It is a privilege to KNOW that no one else has used my toothbrush on their teeth, or for other random uses.

I have the right to receive love.
It is a privilege to receive slobbery kisses, tiny hugs, and hear “I wuv u”.

I have the right to choose my destiny.
It is a privilege to be chosen by three souls to be their guide and protector on this earth.

I have the right to serve myself and my needs.
It is a privilege to learn humility by putting the needs of others before my own.

I have the right to read an adult book with no pictures.
It is a privilege to read Country Farm 14 times in a row and make ALL the animal sounds.

I have the right to dine out at fancy restaurants.
It is a privilege to wipe spaghetti sauce off the walls and table and then do dishes.

I have the right to write emails all day.
It is a privilege to be reminded by a tug on the arm that there is more to life than that.

I have the right to my own personal space.
It is a privilege to have that space invaded by the critters I love most in this world.

I have the right to be a woman and choose my career.
It is a privilege to choose motherhood.

I have the right to work hard and earn money.
It is a privilege to be able to do that from my home.

This is from my friend Kami and I've adopted it for my household too.

Collin's backpack

Collin makes pretty much anything into a toy, and he is so happy all the time. He loves backyarigans and cars and all other types of toys but lately his new obsession lately is his Dora backpack.

He carries it around with him all the time and pushes the button that sings the song or makes it talk ALL the time or he is singing the song himself ALL THE TIME! All day long it's "baakak, baakak (Collin for backpack, backpack). It's very cute and endearing but ready for the next obsession to come soon...

Zoned out

Well I have been zoned out for a while now, it all started when I made the calender for December last week. We have one of those dry erase calenders and so I was planning my month like I do every month. As I was filling in all the things happening this month, I realized that Josh would be gone in 4 weeks! Four weeks, four weeks until he is gone for a whole year. I must have been in some type of denial phase because this has come along WAY too fast. I don't know if I can do this, I don't know if I can be basically a single mom for the next year. What am I going to do!! And the kids, the boys without their dad is going to be horrible, and poor Josh who is really got the raw end of the deal, leaving the kids, hs wife and fighting for our country... I can only imagine.
So needless to say, I've been out of it, I haven't really been functioning properly lately, I've been in a haze or something. I realized it today when I looked at my calender again and realized that I have done nothing this week, I've done stuff like babysit and watched TV, but basically nothing else really. Definetly no prayers or scriptures or things with the kids. so my new resolve is going to try to stop being so depressed and make myself be in a better mood and when Josh does leave, I'm going to really try to be the best mom I can be for the boys!!