Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-CHANGES....

WOW! Life has been so super busy and crazy and just plain NUTS that I have not even thought about posting in forever!
Then I see all my blogger friends, posting away... and I am reminded that I need to get my butt in gear and update y'all!

WOW!
Well, for those of you close to me, you already know about our HUGE move! For those of you that dont, here it is in a nutshell!

In November- December Noah and I started seriously talking about a move. A major move. We were looking to up-size in our current home ( we were outgrowing it) and we were not happy with the state of our financial affairs and job situations there in Massachusetts, nor were we happy with the way the school system and town was going... SO we decided to start looking into moving south. Like.. way way south! We originally started looking in Florida. We LOVE the St. Pete/ Tampa area BUT its touristy and too hot for our family.
So we started looking into Myrtle Beach and the Carolinas. We fell in love! ( you should know that while I had never been before, Noah used to own a property in Myrtle Beach so HE was familiar. Plus a ton of our friends vacation in Myrtle Beach every year and they raved about it!)

So... fast forward to February! Hubby and I hopped a plane for a 1 day trip down so he could attend some interviews and we could see some property. It was a glorious day, beautiful weather and beautiful areas to search out. We saw several homes, of which most we loved! His interviews went awesome and before we made it back to the airport at night, he had been given the jobs!

                                                  Boston to Myrtle Beach... 2 hours non stop. 

Fast forward to March. Noah had been settled in to a hotel ( courtesy of his employer) and was signing papers on our new house!

The kids love it because its a "castle" 

The kids and I managed to hold down the fort in Mass while daddy worked down in Myrtle Beach and enjoyed the sun while we dealt with cold, icy, freezing "spring".... he sent pictures often and we talked every day, several times a day. It was lonely though even with a house full of kids.It was very lonely for him as well. He was in this HUGE castle alone.... without any family. 

   This is the ice and "frost" we had in Mass in APRIL, while Noah was on the beach!

Fast forward to April and May when baseball was in full swing and daddy had to be briefed by phone and video calls. It was the first time in forever I was alone on the ball field and the first time Noah wasnt coaching. It was rough! 

                                                                 Asher- catchin'

Trev- Pitchin'

And... into the end of May, when Aaron got ready for Prom, packing was in full swing and living out of boxes was a way of life. Reality was setting in... we were moving. We were leaving our schools, friends, family, neighbors, coaches.... LIFE. But it was exciting!

                                                                                                          My family

  My grand- kitten Fluffy

 

                                                                          packing.....

Aaron- Senior Prom

Then the end of May..... 

Graduation and THE MOVE! 

It was tough! Emotional weekend, exciting and fun but tiring. 

Aaron graduated on a Friday night, truck was packed Friday during the day, all day Saturday, then after tearful goodbyes..... Noah, Aaron and Asher set out on their adventure.

Jo, Trevor, Joel and I went out for dinner with our family one last time and took our flight out of Logan bright and early ( 5am) Sunday morning. We arrived in our new paradise and a few hours later were joined by daddy and the boys!

The kids in front of the new house the first day we arrived. 

Noah and I on the beach 8 minutes from our house on my Birthday!

Our pool!!!

Noah and his brother Adam when they came to visit

My view most weekends....

Aaron, me and Joel on my birthday at the beach! Dream come true!!!

 So... here we are.. settled in nicely into our new home, our new lives.

I work for an amazing Vision Source practice literally 2 minutes from home with an unbelievable staff of women! Noah is close to home also... some days working out of our home in his home office.
The kids have started school and so far... so good. Jocelyn is taking drama classes ( and ROCKIN them!)

Since we have been gone, my sister has had a new baby boy, JACOB Malley and though I have yet to meet this little bundle, I get updated pics all the time! Kylie is doing well still working at Bugaboo ( but looking for bigger and better things!) and is living in Marlboro with her boyfriend of a year, Jared. She spends all day on Wednesdays usually with little Jacob.

So... all is well. We miss all our friends, family and "Northbridge" buddies. But Myrtle Beach is a beautiful place to visit... and we have a ton of room!!!

and i never wanted nothing more...

Been a crazy few months here in our house! ALl good... but of course, with six kids... how can it NOT be nuts!

School started, that means High School Football, Flag Football and Fall baseball.
Trev and Asher are both quarterbacking for their flag football teams and doing very well. Having a BLAST... much different for them then  the craziness of Pop Warner but a much needed break on daddy and I. They are playing on a Fall AAU baseball team, both pitching, catching and playing the field. Doing GREAT as usual!

Aaron is doing well as a wide receiver for The Rams... has had some great catches and is growin with his skill every game! Such fun to watch him play for a team I grew up cheering for!

Jocelyn is doing Drama for her last year in middle school ( she also did Drama last year and LOVED IT!) She has a speaking part in this terms play and is super excited!

Joel is taking the Fall off from sports and skating and focusing on his studies...he will play Baseball in the Spring as he normally does!

Kylie is working crazy hours at Bugaboo Steakhouse and is starting Cosmetology School November 1!! Cant wait!!

Noah is doing very well after his back surgery this summer and we are back at our regular gym workouts most mornings at 5:30. I have started taking CrossFit classes and am LOVING it! Some of my football and baseball friends have been raving about it and I decided a few weeks ago to break out of my comfort zone and give it a try. Its a kick butt work out but I am happy with my results so far and have even started taking Yoga again also! So proud of myself for trying something new and sticking with it!

All in all, we are doing very well! Busy, as I said, but looking forward to the Winter and spending some quality time with my family!!

Have a Blessed Fall everyone!!!

One year!!!!

One year ago today we were on our way to NY.
It wasn't just any regular trip.
Not going to tour the Empire State Building. No visit to Times Square.
No Long Island or Manhattan. Nope!
We were headed to Yankee Stadium. For a ball game? Sure!
A Yankee vs Red Sox ball game!
Oh....and a wedding!
Bears....
I love you. I am so blessed to be married to my best friend. Through the wonderfully easy times to the trying tough ones...there isnt anyone I would rather be married to. I still remember our vows that beautiful day and I promise to love you more every day.
We waited through a lot of years and a lot of time to find each other and I look forward to the next 40 years with my love, my best friend, my partner.
Happy Anniversary my bears!!!!
The first of many many more!

Our disappointing weekend at Regionals

So Trevors All-star team did it again! Three time Western Mass State Champions. And then...   it all fell apart. And by All.... I mean all. Well... mostly Trevor. Ya, the red headed temper got the best of him again. Or low blood sugar..  or just plain crankiness. Or brut competitiveness... I just couldn't tell ya. But anyway.... needless to say, he got called out on a run to first (when he felt he was clearly safe) and pretty much melted down.And by melted down... I mean full on temper tantrum in which the words.. I suck, I should quit, I can't hit all were uttered, and not quietly. So... his coaches, God bless them and their patience benched him for the next game and had me remove him from the hotel that night and take him with me to my parents house in Maine.

I have to say that even with my embarrassment as a mother, I was proud of my cub. He took his punishment like a man. Cheering on his team. Shagging foul balls, and warming up the pitchers and outfielders.

The team lost and were eliminated in the second game. They were upset. There were tears. AGAIN.

But in this house there was a valuable lesson learned. A life lesson. One that I hope will stay with him for the rest of his life and baseball career. He feels he let his team down. He feels that they might have had a better chance to win if he was playing and he knows it was his fault he was not allowed to play.

He has learned that being a player isnt easy but being a coach is always harder.

We are grateful for his coaching staff and that though he is just a part of a team.... if a win was quite possibly forfeited by HIS actions... the coaches did their best to teach him a lesson he will need to remember his whole life long.

We are now past baseball season, and taking the season off from Football ( all the young ones anyway.) Heres to some down time!!!

The hard lessons we teach.... and learn

Well here we are. ... Summer is finally here, and for us that means Baseball!!
Ashers team played well. ASHER played well and did us proud! Sadly, they fell short at the State level and didn't pull out the win. Aside from a "fun" tournament this coming weekend ( for both boys' teams)...  Ashers season is over. *sigh*

Trevors team..   2 time Mass State Champions... fell short at the District level last weekend but as luck would have it, they are still in the State tournament next weekend ( shortage of teams). *sigh*.

Tough losses for my little baseball AllStars. Its tough to see your child lose at something they are so passionate about. Its tough to explain that though sometimes your talented child is one of the best on a team of talented young men.... that recognizing EVERY child is super important!!
Every boy selected for these teams is as AllStar and though we as parents sometimes want to fall into the trap of believing OUR child is the MVP, the top player, the "glue" holding up the team... a cup of humility is imperative not only for us as parents but the key to raising a well rounded, human, compassionate person. It will only make them better adults, to recognize that this is a Team. Not one child is responsible for the losses OR the wins! They win and lose as a TEAM!!

I am grateful for the gifts that God has granted all my children but its our job as parents to help them USE those gifts and abilities.... and that includes being kind, gracious and humble!!!

So be proud Trev and Asher.... you represented Northbridge well... you made your parents and coaches proud! Never give up!!!

Have fun this weekend at your tournament and remember... first and foremost you are Our children, Gods blessed boys and RAMS!!!

Overdue
 

FAmily


Casual

BeAch


Tournaments

Innings

Outings

Naps



We are officially on Vacation starting now for a week with nothing much to do other than Tournaments, Baseball, Beach days and did I mention Baseball?

Yea.... GO RAMS!!!!

I am getting old and I am not a very good nurse!

It has been a few very busy weeks in our little corner of the world!

First, our oldest daughter Kylie Elizabeth Barents graduated from high school two weeeks ago! Yea. O-L-D.


I was fine. Cool as a cucumber, until the music started and I saw her walking in with her cap and gown on...and then I teared up... a little. Where did my little girl go? My little wide eyed wonderous toddler.

She is off to Cosmetology school in the Fall. For now she continues to babysit as well as waitress at the little coffee shop in town. We are SUPER proud of her!

Hubby underwent back surgery ( a Laminectomy) last Wednesday. It was NOT fun but it was much needed and very overdue surgery. He did well, though he does not respond to the pain medicine well at all.Of course I am not a very good or patient nurse. So it was a rather tough weekend. We made it through and he is on the mend. Still very sore but mostly surgical pain, not the dibilitating pain he has been suffering from for the last year.

Now he heals. His back is very black and blue but he is walking, sitting at the kids baseball games and trying to keep moving.

Continued prayers and good thoughts are appreciated!!

We are heading into the playoffs for Trevor's regular season team ( tonight is the semi final and possibly the Championship game. )Aaron and Asher's regular seasons teams are finished and Joels team continues to play....

Then next week... All Stars!!

Before we know it August will be here and it will be FOOTBALL! Phew!