October

Halloween has come and gone and now we are just 3 weeks from Thanksgiving, so hard to believe. This month was full of football, school activities, soccer, cheer leading, and family pumpkin parties.  Brian has begun his new job as a nurse practitioner here in town and he is slowly getting settled into his new role. I am...well....still in school!!! That's all I have to say about that for right now (I'm simply tired).
We traveled to Gatlinburg this year for our annual Tuttle family trip. I was glad we went during fall break this year, I took the kids down by myself on Wednesday and came back on Friday to watch Hunter's football game (which aired on ESPN-U). So proud of our team!!! The game was wet to say the least, I've been drier getting out of the shower then I was during that game, but oh was it worth it! After the game Brian, Hunter and I headed back down to TN to finish the rest of the weekend with our family. Did a little bit of shopping, and just spent time with the ones I love the most.

 Harrison played fall soccer and was on the team Fire this year, he has improved so much. Harrison is so fast!

Brian took the kids to Bearwallow farm this year with his mom and dad and their church, I worked but he did get a few pics of the kids for me.

We closed the month out with our Brumley family pumpkin carving contest, Hunter walked away this year with the winning pumpkin.

Most everyone was able to be there, and we had a really good time. Hadley just loved carving a pumpkin, well maybe I should say she loved getting the seeds out of the pumpkin.

We close out this month with the beginning of cheer competition, Hagan is starting with his basketball season, Harrison is in boy scouts and band, Hunter's football playoffs are in motion, and Haven's dance season. We just keep on keeping on, and that's all we can do for now. I did manage to get the Halloween decoration down and put away, and we drug out the Thanksgiving stuff last evening. Brian laughed and asked my why I was getting it out with just 3 weeks left until Thanksgiving? I just said "you know me, I'm never satisfied" if I don't put it out I would be sad, and sometimes you just have to do things that are aggravating and a pain in the you know what. We want our kids to know that there are just some things you do, and that's life. Plus it's nice looking at all the Thanksgiving decorations, it gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. The next big question is whether or not we get all the Thanksgiving decoration down on Black Friday, so the Christmas decorations can go up. Traditionally we only celebrate one holiday at a time, and all though it would be a lot easier to decorate for Christmas along side Thanksgiving, it's just that.... easier. We don't want easy, we want CRAZY in this house!!!

Harrison's 11th

Friday was our sweet Harrison's 11th birthday. We celebrated with family on Saturday, but Friday I let him pick what he wanted me to fix for dinner. Chocolate chip pancakes was his choice (who would've guessed it right?) Saturday evening we had Brian's family over for dinner and then we had cake and ice cream. Harrison even got to pick the color and flavor of his cake. This year he was undecided on what he wanted, so he got money from everyone. Totaled $90.00 and Brian took him to the store and let him pick out his presents.

Look at all that cash....

Happy Birthday to the sweetest 11 year old I know!!!! Love you Harrison-Mom

Our little Red Head

Hagan's first year of football, after pleading and begging for over a year, I finally said yes!!! I wasn't so sure he was big enough to play...

 and he picked out his number.... #00

most of the boys tower over him, but I don't think that little one is intimidated....

good luck this season Hagan!

The "Hammer"

At the beginning of each football season the coaches buy a new sledge hammer, paint it, and name it the "Hammer". The purpose, to hand this to the player with the biggest & baddest hit of the game. Each Sunday afternoon after previewing film, the coaches select the player and hand them the hammer to sign and keep until the following week. Hunter was the first player to receive the Hammer this year.

So proud of the great athlete and young man he has become... and super excited and sad that this is his last year of high school football.
Good Luck this year Hunter, we love you and will be there to support you all season long.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Just a little celebration of this wonderful woman's birthday......

 Dad got her this cute red hat...

The Best thing in my life

I wanted to write this post many times before, just haven't set down to do it. There are so many great things in my life, but there is one thing that is the foundation to everything else in my life. It's the core of my everything......

What is it? This amazing man, my husband. Brian is so much more than just my husband. Brian is my best friend, my parenting partner, my rock, my go-to-guy, my honey-can-you-do-me-a-favor person, my protector, my anchor, and the reason I wake up everyday. I never knew you could love someone the way he loves me. He is simply amazing!!! Over the past few years we have been so busy, just surviving day by day that many thought that we might not make it... But we have come through this fire, stronger than ever before. We are in it together, what we start together we will finish together. Our marriage is far from perfect, there are many days when I know Brian wants to choke me to death (just kidding), no kidding he probably does. I am difficult! But he loves me anyway, and I love him too.
Brian teaches me everyday how to love, how to give, how to trust, how to parent, how to stay calm in the storm. He is the giver that I wish I were, he is the best father to our five crazy kids. He supports me in all my wild and insane dreams, and lets me live out my life to the fullest everyday. When he calls me he says "hello beautiful" and in the darkest of night he still holds me tight. I never wonder if he loves me still, because there;s not a day that goes by he doesn't show me he does. I don't deserve this wonderful man, or the wonderful life we have together. But I wonder if I get to have it, because I have Brian and he deserves everything......
Brian graduated this past weekend, and those that know us, know that it's been a long and rough road. But hey, he did it.... Nothing was handed to him, he set his goal and persevered and that has made all the difference in the world. I could not be more prouder of this incredible man!!!!

He has inspired me to continue on many days when I wanted to quit, and watching him walk across that stage made my heart stop and dance for a moment.....

He is not only an inspiration to me, but most importantly to our five little ones.... They will appreciate his achievements even more when they understand how hard it was.

 Congratulations Baby, we are so proud of you!