Am I missing anything?

So we have been without satellite, internet and a home phone for almost 3 months now. I have to admit that I miss being able to talk on the phone in my own house and not have to repeat everything twice on account of poor cell phone reception. I also miss blogging. I think that has been the biggest change for me. I can do without TV. I have gotten so much done around my house. Currently we are at the beginning stages of a major bathroom remodel. Yippee!! We also repainted all the windows of our house and installed shutters. We did major yard work too. So there has been some very tangible results of my not having TV to sap my time and energy away. I also have read some great books. But I have missed blogging sooooo much. It was my outlet, my attempt at humor, my search for validation. I don't know if anyone read it or not but it made me feel like I was conributing something. Perhaps I should journal or as my mom suggested blog it out at home on the computer and then upload it as I have a chance. We will see.

I must say that the thing I have missed the least is Facebook. I thought I just had to have it....I knew that I would have a complete "freak out" because I wouldn't know what all my friends were doing every single second of their day. I was wrong. I have enjoyed the not knowing. Don't get me wrong...I miss being able to talk to my close friends more easily but freedom from the "I have to check it a billion times a day" has been liberating. Not saying that it wouldn't be easy to fall right back into it given the opportunity. You all know how that goes. ;)

Things at our house have been pretty good. No real complaints. My baby just turned 3 last week. Talk about making me feel old. I look into his beautiful eyes and I can still see that little newborn that loved his momma above every other person. Now he is getting to big and independent. It breaks my heart a little.

Our oldest asked Jesus into his heart last weekend. There is no greater feeling than knowing that your child loves the Lord and desires a relationship with Him. There is still much to teach him but it is the beginning. The look on his face that night will forever be etched in my memory and in my heart. He will turn 5 in a few weeks. Ok, enough about that before I start crying.

I hope to blog more but there are no promises. I still have to trek to a computer with internet access to do so.

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! So many things to be thankful for. God, family, friends, our home and so much more.

Out Of Pocket

Well the hubby and I have gotten inspired by my sister and her husband. Last week they announced that they are debt free. They followed Dave Ramseys system and worked it and now are on their way to financial freedom. My hubby and I went through the class a year ago but neglected to actually put any of what we heard into practice. Oops! Anyway, we have decided that we would also like to feel the freedom of being debt free. So we have decided to eliminate some excesses around our house. One of those is the internet so I will be out of touch for a while. I hope to continue reading your blogs as I have opportunity but will not be posting as often since I will have to do so from somewhere other than my living room.

Thanks to all that read. I hope to keep you posted.

Fashionista I Am Not.....

After browsing some blogs and stuff today I have come to the sad conclusion that I am a fashion wreck. I have been in denial about it but there it is. I admit it. I would like to say that there was a time in my past that I was fashion forward and enjoyed keeping up with the current styles. But I can't. I would wear jeans and t-shirt everyday. They only fashionable items in my closet have come to me only when someone else was kind enough to think of me when they were cleaning out their own closet. So that would mean that while these were fashionable at one point by the time I was wearing them they were not. My biggest hangup is that I am super cheapo about clothes shopping. THat and the fact that I never go shopping, on purpose. Most of the items in my closet were purchased while shopping for something else and it was just too cheap to pass up. Never mind that it didn't fit or was an ugly color or hideous print. It was cheap and I bought it. Kind of sad isn't it? The other problem I have right now is that I am a different size than I used to be (that is a blog all by itself) and so my options are limited even further.

My sister LOVES shopping!! She loves fashion. She loves trendy clothes and wears them well. I never know what to put together and feel very silly in trendy clothes. Maybe you have to have a certain "attitude" to wear clothes. I am not sure. But I have decided that I think I will hire her to be my fashion consultant. I would rather give her my money and let her shop for me. I avoid the whole shopping experience and she gets to go shopping and picking out cute clothes and spending money that isn't hers. I think it sounds like a good plan. I am not sure if there is hope for this unfashionable momma. There must be. I saw "The Devil Wears Prada" and I watch "What Not To Wear". I hope I am not as tacky as those people....hahaha

So Grateful

I am so grateful today for the fact that God does not give up on me. Even when I am taking longer than I should in learning a lesson or doing what He asks. I have messed up so many times that if I was God I would have given up on me already. But I am so thankful that God is not like me. But that He desires that I be like Him. It is a never-ending journey but He continues to hold my hand to lift me up when I call. Thank you Lord!!

A Little Brag Time

Only a week into potty training and I have been blown away by how well my little guy is doing. He has only had a couple of accidents and those were totally my fault.(not pulling the car over fast enough and thinking that a 2 year old knows how to "hold it") He is doing all of his business in the toilet and going in there on his own. He pees and redresses himself and washes his hands all on his own. The only time he wants my help is when he goes #2. I cannot tell you how relieved I have been. Praise the Lord!!! My oldest, Reid has been such a huge help. Pierce wants so badly to be like his big brother that Reid has been encouraging him to success.

I know that potty habits are not real riveting blog material but this is my life right now.

Okay, on another note. I have a beef. And since this is my blog I thought that I would vent a little bit.

Everyone knows that school has started. Yippee! or BooHoo! depending on who you talk to.

Our oldest son, Reid is 4. He will turn 5 in December. And everyone keeps asking me if he is going to 4-K. I know people are just curious and that is fine. What is aggrivating me is the response I am getting when I tell them "no". Last time I checked the law requires that children begin attending school at the age of 5, not 4, not 3. If parents want to send their kids to school before they are 5 then more power to you. But please don't try to guilt me or give me the "Top Ten" list of why I should do it too. I am an intelligent person. I know and understand the pros and cons of such a decision. My husband and I have decided to send our boys to school starting at 5-K. It is our choice to keep them home until that time. Are our children going to suffer because they missed one year of preschool? I don't think so. He already knows his alphabet, his shapes, colors, numbers, he writes everyone in his familys' names. He loves to be around other people and is comfortable is social situations.
I have no doubt that he will do more than fine when he goes to 5-K next year. I am taking advantage of the little time I have with my children before they are in the care of some other person for the majority of the day. I love my kids, I love spending time with them, I have the priviledge of being home with them and I am going to take advantage of every minute. If other people make a different decision for their family, that is their decision. I won't try to make you feel guilty for doing it different. So please give me the same respect. Thank you very much.

*disclaimer- this is not to any particular person, just my sentiments on a touchy subject for me right now.

His Ways are not my ways

You would think that after over 2 decades of knowing Jesus Christ as my Saviour that I would remember that He does things differently than I would. He delights in taking care of me, loving me, rescuing me, pursuing me, revealing Himself to me. His plans and purposes for me are for my good. I may not understand what they are. I may even walk in the complete opposite direction, convinced that I know better what I need. Sometimes I am driven by my need to be right. Why? Who am I impressing? All God asks of me is to trust Him and have faith in Him. And to be obedient when He does reveal His will for me. I will never know why He chooses to do thing a certain way. Perhaps He is just wanting to stretch my understanding of Him. Or maybe He is wanting to mature me. Or maybe He is protecting me from myself. Last time I checked the way I am doing things isn't working that great. His ways have got to be better. So why not take a chance? All I have to lose is myself and my agenda. Which now that I am thinking about it, isn't that exciting. I want to be great! I want to make a difference! I want to be transformed! I want to change that world around me. I can't do that on my own. I am going to need the help of the Lord. His wisdom, His love, His compassion, His strength, His joy, His peace, His passion, His power.

It is time to die to me and let God raise me up to be who He created me to be 30 years ago. He can do it. He is faithful. I know this to be true!!

Potty Update

He went 2 times today!! Yippee! He doesn't seem as freaked out now. Hope this continues. (crossing my fingers)

Battle Potty is on!

Yesterday morning my litte guy woke up with a pretty good attitude and the clouds aligned and we both decided that it was "the day". The beginning of the Potty Battle. He has done so well with peeing in the potty. I remind him sometimes and other times he just goes in there on his own. At times I thought I saw a ray of sunshine shining on his golden hair as he sat on his throne. Score for Pierce! And momma was feeling pretty good too.

Then round 2-today. Still doing great with wearing his big boy underwear and peeing in the potty. And no accidents at all. Then he told me that his belly hurt. Uh-oh. I had flashbacks to 2 years ago and potty training with his brother. We had such a time with Reid that we ended up at he doctor and Urgent Care more times than I care to count. So this time I decided to try to nip it in the bud. You know.....have him start the #2 before it was a problem. I guess I was a day too late. He sat on the potty and absolutely refused to go. Apparently he is a bit constipated from not going and now it hurts to try. Yippee!

So I gave him some Miralax. It was the miracle that got us through the ordeal with his brother. Hopefully it will kick in and Pierce will decide that being a big boy isn't so traumatic.

So proud of him though!!!! He is doing so well. And I love him so much!!

I Think I Am SOOOOO Over

being a grown up........lol

The responsibility, the planning, the organizing, trying not to worry all the time.

I think today I would like to take a vacation back to when I was 8 years old. Spend the day running in the grass through the sprinkler, knowing that my mom would wash my clothes, make sure I had a bath. She would cook dinner with all of the food she shopped for. Not having to worry if she went over budget on grocery day. Just knowing that it was taken care of.

Spend the day dressing up my awesome Barbies in all of their stylish clothes. Styling their hair. Re-naming them every time they changed outfits. I was much more sytlish back then.....lol

Spend the day with my brother and sisters, playing in the yard and then running inside to get a drink of water, while mom repeatedly told us to close the door, close the door, close the door. Not having to worry why she wanted that door closed. Not knowing that every second it was open meant the utility bill got higher.

Spend the day reading in a window seat, engrossed in "The Secret Garden". Knowing that I did not have to worry about anything except if I had finished my homework or not.

I thank my parents that they let me enjoy the innocence of my youth. That they allowed me to truly experience what it means to be a child and not having to worry about the "every days" of life.

So today I decide to embrace my youth and cast all of cares onto my Father God and let Him work out the details of my life. I will be responsible and do what I need to do but will not let the details drag me down. God has a plan for me. He will work it out in my favor. Resting in His hands is even better than all of my care-free days of my youth.

Better Now

Hubby came home and took the grumpy lady to dinner. Just what the doctor ordered.

Attitude Adjustment

I think I need one. I feel like my blood pressure is going up and that my head might actually explode. It is no ones fault. There isn't any unusual drama. Just me and my craziness.

My Sister Is The Bomb!

My awesome sister was kind enough to watch my boys while I went grocery shopping yesterday. It is amazing how much faster you can shop without two little people tagging along.

The hives seem to be gone. (crossed fingers)

Off I go to clean the house. Woohoo!! (completely sarcastic)

Oh, I would like all of the readers ( I think there are like 12 of you, lol) to leave me some tips that you use to clean and organize your homes. I could use all the help I can get.

I Do Not Like Grocery Shopping

I decided yesterday to try to get organized when it came to grocery shopping. So I got online and looked up the weekly specials at our closest grocery store. I made a list of the things on sale and then looked up recipes that would incorporate these ingredients so we could eat good and save money. Everything was looking promising...then I was in the shower and realized that I thought today was Tuesday. The specials only run through Tuesday. Today is Wednesday. Aargggghhh!! I got back onto the website only to find that everything on my list is now back at full price. So, I will either have to re-do everything I did last night or spend more money than I wanted.

I was having difficulty getting motivated to go at all but now I feel my butt dragging big time.

But I think getting out of the house will be good for me today. If only it wasn't as hot as blazes outside. I so do not enjoy being hot.

Wow! I just realized that I have griped and complained this post to death. Sorry about that. I will try to post later today while in a new frame of mind.

Brotherly Love

My big boy has been having some issues this week. He woke up Sunday morning with hives all over his little body. Hubby and I kept a close watch on him throughout the day and when they got worse I took him to Urgent Care so a qualified person could take a look. She said that it was an allergic reaction o some kind. He is now on Benadryl and Prednazone. He woke up Monday morning with almost all of them gone and by last night he was all better. Or so we thought. This morning he woke up with them again. Now, what kind of allergic reaction can make hives pop up while taking Benadryl and steroids? I have no idea. He hasn't eaten anything different. We haven't changed detergents or anything. But he has been such a trooper. He doesn't complain or whine. And even though the Benadryl should make him sleepy, it doesn't. But I have a theory......my little guy has been so whiny and tired that I think he may be having some sort of brotherly sympathy syndrome going on. Is that possible? Probably not but I don't know how else to explain the constant drama surrounding my little man. Oh, yeah......maybe the explanantion could be that he is 2.

If they could go for 5 straight minutes without there being a fight between them I might think I had dozed off and was dreaming. Nap time can't come fast enough today. I sure hope they actually go to sleep. Yesterday they both boycotted.

Feeling Weepy

I feel like I have been fighting back the tears for several weeks now. The smallest thing sets it off. And while I could probably benefit from a really good cry I am hesitant to give in to the impulse, afraid that if I do I might never stop. I would like to blame it on hormones but I can't.

God is good. And I know that He has promised to take care of me. And I am relying on that. He knows all about it.

Just Some Randomness

Staying up late does not agree with me anymore. What happened to the days of my youth when I could stay up late, get up early the next morning for work or school and never feel that I would fall down from exhaustion? They are long gone, I am afraid. The worst part is that I was not staying up to be productive or to do something cool. I was simply wired and could not fall asleep so I ended up sitting on the couch watching HGTV until after 1:00am. I was tempted to start a book but I knew that I wouldn't sleep at all if I did. I have a tendency to stay up way too late reading as well.

I was reading another blog this morning and she was talking about roller skating. And it made me think about going skating and it occurred to me that it has been over a decade since I went roller skating. How could I possibly be that old? Which brings me to the next random thought. I went bowling with my cousins while in Oklahoma a couple months back. We went twice. The first time my cousin (20 years old) was talking about how bowling should not be considered a sport since you could not injure yourself or even work up a sweat. We all laughed and I proceeded to beat the record for the lowest bowling score in the history of the world. A few days later we went back with all the cousins and their girlfriends. I stepped up to bowl the first frame and while flinging the ball down the lane I managed to pull something in my gludius maximus....yes, my butt. I couldn't even walk it hurt so bad. Everyone got a kick out watching me hobble and stand completely motionless while throwing the ball down the lane. My smart mouth cousin then reminded me that I must be old and completely out of shape because bowling wasn't even a sport. Somehow I had injured myself and had worked up a sweat (from embarressment). But the victory was mine because I had the highest score that night and I spanked all of those young bucks at their own game. Apparently standing perfectly still and flinging the ball is the method that works the best for me. Vindication is sweet. What isn't sweet is that my butt hurt for days afterward.

Okay, so was that random enough for you today?

Confession #2

I totally love cooking shows; all kinds of cooking shows. And I still do not cook much. I mean, I do cook most days but it is usually something that we have had a billion times. I am not creative at all and don't often remember any of the recipes that I have seen. Go figure.....

Kind of like looking in windows....

Okay, my first passion in the R&R department is reading. But I am fast realizing that there is a close second. There was a time that I made fun of people that watched reality TV but I am having to eat my words now. The invention of the DVR has made it so much easier to watch numerous shows in half the time. So I have a confession to make....

Hi, my name is ___________ and I am a reality TV show addict.

I still feel silly and ashamed at times when I admit to it. Does watching the lives of other people make me a weirdo? I don't think so........it just means that I like to study human behavior, right? It amazes me how you can put grown adults with successful careers and families into a house and watch them regress into adolescent behavior right before your eyes. Or to watch a persons' life be forever changed by losing an enormous amount of weight. So, to make myself accountable I thought that I would list some of my favorites.

1. American Idol
2. Top Chef
3. Chopped
4. Big Brother
5. The Next Food Network Star
6. Survivor
7. Deadliest Catch (my hubbys influence)
8. Shear Genius
9. Hell's Kitchen
10. What Not To Wear

Just a few.....and I don't watch all of them all the time. Luckily for my time management most of these rotate throughout the year. ;)

And I am a complete sucker for an Americas Next Top Model marathon. You know what I am talking about......

I am sure that I have left a few off of the list.

Perhaps I am living vicariously through others, but I don't think so. I am just completely in awe that people knowingly and willingly sign up to have the worst of them broadcast for the world to see.

Ok, it is time for me to go get a life....

Blue Bell Update

I have almost finished off the entire half gallon. yikes!!!

I want myself back

It is so crazy how a little extra estrogen in the body can make you feel like a nut-job. I think I want to just sleep for the next week. That way I don't snap at anyone, or find myself reduced to tears because "my clothes don't fit anymore". Hibernation would also help me NOT eat the entire half gallon of Blue Bell ice cream. Gotta run. There is a sweet little boy climbing all over me and covering my faces with kisses.

Perfect People

"Perfect People"
-Natalie Grant

Never let 'em see you when you're breaking
Never let 'em see you when you fall
That's how we live and that's how we try
Tell the world you've got it all together
Never let them see what's underneath
Cover it up with a crooked smile
But it only lasts for a little while

[CHORUS:]
There's no such thing as perfect people
There's no such thing as a perfect life
So come as you are, broken and scared
Lift up your heart and be amazed
And be changed by a perfect God

Suddenly it's like a weight is lifted
When you hear the words that you are loved
He knows where you are and where you've been
And you never have to go there again

Who lived and died to give new life
To heal our imperfections
So look up and see out let grace be enough

By a perfect God

Be changed by a perfect God
Be changed

****************

I heard this song today and it just about brought me to tears. It probably would have if I didn't have my "be strong and don't let anything make cracks in the dam of emotions" face on.

It was such a wonderful thing to hear and to read. Because for a long time I have tried very hard (in vain) to be one of those "perfect people". I am not sure why I have felt this way. I do have my suspicions though. First is the fact that I am a Preachers Kid. When you are a preachers kid you either conform or rebel. No matter which you choose it is always never the right choice according to everyone watching. For some reason there seems to be a different standard for preachers families. Maybe it is because people think that preachers and their families don't and shouldn't have any problems. Or that they are not entitled to screw up and need forgiveness every now and then. Or maybe it that people want to see if anyone can live out Gods Word the way He desired. I am really not sure. But for whatever reason I grew up with the "me on the inside" and the "me everyone saw". Most of the time they were one and the same. But when it came to showing emotion or needing to reach out for help, I couldn't do it. Still I am having a hard time with it to be honest. Consequently the wall of protection has gotten higher and higher. Factor is dissapointments and failures and you have a pretty big mess.

But through it all I am so thankful that the Lord knew me from the inside out. Even I was unsure of who I was or what I believed about myself. He has never given up on me. I know that He desires that I be a truly authentic person and Christian. And I am at a place where God is stripping layers away to reveal the beautiful daughter He says I am. Without Him I am nothing, but because of Him I can do anything.

So today as I listened to the song I was beckoned by my Father once again to come, warts and all, and just sit at His feet. And let Him hold me, love me, sing over me, shape and mold me into the reflection of His righteousness. Anything I try apart from Him is "false perfection", never lasting and leaving me wanting.

Thank you Lord that I don't have to be perfect to approach You. I can come as I am and let you work Your will in me. Nothing surprises or shock You. You love me in spite of myself.

I am Cool

The air is working!!! Hallelujah! Thank you Mr. Air Repair Man!!

Supposed to be learning something?

Have you ever realized that "negative" things seem to happen in clusters? Well, I have. Things around here are actually getting a little comical. I have moved past frustration and dissapointment to delirious laughter. After all, if you can't laugh at yourself and your circumstances how else can you move on?

The air conditioner is still not working. The poor A/C man got it all repaired and then realized that the new motor was bad too. He is on his way to pick up another one. Go figure......LOL ;) Then he tells me that the entire unit is so old that is is costing us more to maintain it than to replace it. That is of course if you can afford to replace an entire unit, which we can't right now.....(grinnig uncontrollably now)

Speaking of old things, did I ever tell you that when we moved into this house that it had a home made septic tank? It didn't even have a bottom......I know, gross. We got upgraded and up to code. Then the heater, which used fuel oil, went out. Got that replaced too. We added a second bathroom 2 years ago too. So we are slowly but surely updating our lovely home. Hubby and I tease about finally getting everything updated just in time to move somewhere else. Wouldn't that be a hoot?

And remember that workshop I told you that we bought? We are going to have to pay to get it wired too. Anyone have a money tree that they aren't using? LOL

But all in all we are very blessed. We have a beautiful home that is ours (well as soon as we pay the bank of). We have a wonderful family. I absolutley LOVE where we live. Such a nice area. I have a loving, caring, compassionate hubby that adores me and works hard to make sure that we have what we need. We have 2 handsome, intelligent, sweet little boys that think we hung the moon. I am trusting the Lord for some new friends for hubby & I. Some of our other friends have moved on to other parts of the country. Still wonderful friends but it just isn't as convenient to invite then over for dinner at the last minute. ;)

But the biggest blessing of all is that we can lean on the Lord for everything we need. He is always faithful to provide and take care of us. He loves us and his mercies are new every morning. Knowing Jesus Christ puts everything into perspective.

So, while I am waiting for the A/C to be repaired I will sit with my fans blowing, thanking the Lord that we have a home, a family and that hubby has a job with which to pay for whatever may come.

Remember that every situation is either a test or a temptation. But it is how we respond that lets us know who won, God or the enemy. If we respond in faith and stand firm then it was a test that was passed.

Sin Trap

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I usually refrain from writing about anything specific that is going on with me but today I feel as if I am going to burst wide open.

If you don't feel up to reading, then stop now.

But I am just wanting to put out there that I am so deeply saddened by the destructive wake that follows sin. There are some that would argue that there are varied degrees of sin and that some sin only affects the person committing it but I would like to argue that because God created us as relational human beings that everything we do or don't do ripples out to touch the lives of so many around us.

God must be so deeply saddened and dissapointed when we, as His children, willing walk away from His plans and purposes and walk into a lifestyle of sin. Especially when we try to justify it or pretend that there is nothing wrong with it at all. It states quite clearly in the Word of God that the wages of sin is death. And I have come to realize that you can be the living dead while still walking this earth.

Am I perfect? Absolutely not. Have I sinned? Absolutley yes. Will I sin again before I die? I am sure I will. Will I sin today? Probably so. But thank the Lord for his forgiveness and mercy that is available to all that will ask and receive. Do I want to sit in judgement of those that are living in continual sin? No. But I do want them to know the love, acceptance, forgiveness and life changing power of Jesus Christ. I am saddened by the condition of this world we live in. Where what we want is more highly esteemed than what we need or what our family, friends and communities want or need. Or putting our own desires (most of them fleshly) before the will of God.

Gods Word says to let peace rule your heart. If you do not have peace then most likely there is something in your life that should not be there. I have met people who walk around with such a peaceful countenance that it immediately puts others at ease. Then I have been around other people that seem to thrive on drama and the adrenaline rush of living a life on the edge. Living life the fullest is full of excitement and thrills but to live such a life without the peace of God is a symptom of something missing deep down.

I do not have all of this figured out at all. But I have witnessed a train wreck and it upsets me to see so many people that I love and care about hurting and walking around wounded. God has brought us through so much already in our brief time on this earth. And I know that He is faithful to walk us through this storm as well. The God I love and serve knows all about it and He has promised in Romans 8:28 that "We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

I take this scripture to mean that not all things happen because it is the will of God. We all have a free will to do as we wish. And sometimes we choose things that are not Gods will. But God can and will work through the situation to produce fruit of some kind. Sometimes it is maturing in Christ. Sometimes it is a lesson learned. And it says that He will work it for "my" good. And Gods plans and purposes are always for my good. So any good that comes will not come apart from God and His desires for me.

I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that He did not give up when things seemed so hopeless and tragic. And I thank Him that He promises to walk me and so many I love dearly through this time. Thank you to all that have been and are continuing to pray.

Just some stuff

I am feeling an overwhelming desire to completely overhaul my life in a big way. I have kind of let myself slip into a place of complacency and selfsihness in the last few years. DOn't get me wrong I love my hubby and boys. I am not talking ahout overhauling them at all. LOL They are just right they way they are. But I on the other hand could use some updating.

For the past few years I have wanted to learn to ride a horse. I want to ride through the wide open spaces listening to the world around me. Reid has expressed interest in this as well. So I am hoping to look into this further. We do live in the country and he will soon be attending school with kids that live on farms with animals so I don't think it is that far-fetched.

I am also thinking and praying about a way that I can express myself musically again. I have missed teaching so much and I miss the interaction with the kids I taught. I loved leading them in praises to the Lord. There is nothing like it. So I am seeking an avenue to reach out in this area of my life.

I am also needing to get ALOT more organized than I currently am. My children need more structure than they have and I need more discipline in my life. My "we will do whatever we want whenever we get to it" is not teaching my children much. ;) So I am looking into ways to get myself motivated.

And then there is getting healthy. Eating better and exercising. (because I haven't done that in a while now) I would like to find something that I enjoy doing that would serve two purposes. Buring calories and having fun.

Sounds like alot but I know that these are all things that will make my life more full and satisfying. Not to mention making me a better wife and mother. Having focused on just me and myself lately has left me isolated, selfish and unhappy. So I am trusting the Lord to work His will in me and to mold me into the person He created me to be.

To Photochick

We grilled steaks and cooked crab legs. Hubbys favorite dinner. :) Everything turned out great. And the crab legs were so easy to do. Plus they were on sale and so were the steaks. So hubby and mama were both excited. LOL

Hmmmm

I have never claimed to be a political genius. And to be honest I am probably not as informed as I really should be. But I received an email this morning talking about whether our President is in fact an American citizen or not. I don't know if it is true or accurate but if it is then there has been some major smoke screens going on in our government systems. (*****Update**** I have since discovered that the email was not entirely accurate but still have doubts****) Makes me wonder sometimes. And I am beginning to think that we as the American people decided a while back to be uninvolved and that is now biting us in the butt. I have no concrete plan of action to get us back on track. But I do think ALOT of prayer is in order. And in case I haven't made myself clear........I LOVE AMERICA!!!! And it ticks me off when other people who are privilidged to live in this great country bash it, talk negatively about or attempt to change it into something that it was never intended to be.

If an American is to amount to anything he must rely upon himself, and not upon the State; he must take pride in his own work, instead of sitting idle to envy the luck of others. He must face life with resolute courage, win victory if he can, and accept defeat if he must, without seeking to place on his fellow man a responsibility which is not theirs.
- President Theodore Roosevelt
Review of Reviews
January 1897

To sit home, read one's favorite paper, and scoff at the misdeeds of the men who do things is easy, but it is markedly ineffective. It is what evil men count upon the good men's doing.
- President Theodore Roosevelt
The Outlook
December 21, 1895

The first requisite of a good citizen in this Republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his own weight
- President Theodore Roosevelt

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all.
This is just as true of the man who puts “native” before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or English or French before the hyphen. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance.
But if he is heartily and singly loyal to this Republic, then no matter where he was born, he is just as good an American as any one else.
The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English- Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian- Americans, or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality than with the other citizens of the American Republic.
The men who do not become Americans and nothing else are hyphenated Americans; and there ought to be no room for them in this country. The man who calls himself an American citizen and who yet shows by his actions that he is primarily the citizen of a foreign land, plays a thoroughly mischievous part in the life of our body politic. He has no place here; and the sooner he returns to the land to which he feels his real heart-allegiance, the better it will be for every good American.
- President Theodore Roosevelt
Addressing the Knights of Columbus in New York City
12 October 1915

It hit me this morning that God loves all people and that he desires that there be unity IN CHRIST. Unity in anything besides Christ will still breed dissension and prejudice of all kinds. Because everyone is still looking out for their own best intrests not the will of God. Our country was founded on Godly principles and I would say to those that would take those away....." Go back to wherever you came from and live by the principles you hold to so strongly and leave us Americans alone! For I will fight to keep the country I love from being invaded and preyed upon by those who would seek to destroy it."

Some Randomness

Well I have yet to come up with a cohesive thought which to build a blog post around so I thought that I would throw out some random "stuff" that is floating about my cranium.

Our garden is doing quite well. We have been eating sweet corn, okra and squash. Yummo!!! Nothing better than eating fried squash and fried okra that grew in your own yard. The carrots and watermelons are still percolating so we will be enjoying them later in the summer. I hope to have a much larger garden next year. My hubby is so proud of it. As am I, of course. But he has been doing all of the work. I am just reaping the benefits. That is unless you consider picking the veggies and cooking them work. In that case, I guess we are equal partners. LOL

The astronomically high temperatures are about on my last nerve. Thank the Lord for A/C. And I hear myself whining about it a good bit and saying things like " I would rather be cold than hot anyday." And today I can say that honestly. But then when wintertime rolls around I say the opposite " I would rather be hot than cold anyday". Hmmmmmmm, I must be a woman. ;) But it all honesty the heat would not be so unbearable if I was sitting in the middle of a pool all day everyday. That is not a bad idea. I need to get on that one.

My house redecorating is still not done. So that is the reason that I have not posted pictures......well, that and the fact that I am r-e-a-l-l-y bad about remembering to upload them to the computer. I am hoping that it will be somewhat completed soon and then maybe I will post some pics. Maybe.

I got a new Bible and I am completely stoked about it. (Whoa, I think my brain did a time travel trip to the days I read The Sweet Valley Twins) Like, totally. Speaking of California.....I wanna take a trip out there soooooo bad. Anyway, back to the Bible. It is an Amplified Bible and I love how it expounds on the scriptures to make it easier to understand. My mother in law got it for me for my birthday. So thoughtful!!!

Okay, I have to be honest here.........I did start working out. Well, it has now been 12 days since then and I have officially worked out on 2 of those days. I know, I know, I fell off the wagon early. So there is a very good chance that the 30 Day Shred with Jillian may turn out to be 30 WEEK Shred. (note to self......*must work on self-discipline*) :)

My two little guys are not so little any more. Everyday they just amaze and surprise me with all that they are learning and doing. And it is a good thing that Pierce is younger and smaller than Reid. If it were the other way around poor Reid would be getting his booty kicked all the time. Reid is so sensitive and cerebral. Pierce is raw energy and aggression. Should be fun to watch as they grow. And I love to watch them together when they don't know I am watching. They have such a sweet close brotherly relationship. I hope that they are always close.

Reid is completely addicted to the old school Nintendo. He lives everyday to get to play it with his daddy when he comes home from work. It is a "guys time" and I love watching them together. And who knew that the Nintendo could help me in teaching Reid about behavior and consequences.......its working.

So Fathers Day is tomorrow. My hubby has asked for Steaks and crab legs.......so today I am on the hunt for some bargains. He is totally worth full price surf and turf but mama loves a bargain.

So I know that this has all been very random but that is what is going on with me today. Thank you for everyone that has been praying. I have felt the prayers and I know that I am loved by so many people. Thank you so much!!! Please don't quit.

Have a wonderful Saturday and a wonderful Fathers Day weekend.

what to say?

I still am not feeling especially "bloggy" but I am still living and breathing so I thought I would try to think of something.So here is my attempt.

Nope, I got nothing. Maybe tomorrow. Have a good one.

oh, the solitude

My two sweet, precious little boys just left to spend the night at their Grannys house. They have been so excited. So I have a day and a half all to myself. I am not sure what I will do. I can either be responsible and catch up on things around the house or I can choose to be lazy and truly enjoy the time alone. Hubby will be home tonight of course but tomorrow is all mine. I guess I could get caught up tonight so I can enjoy tomorrow without the guilt.

Here is to a quiet evening.

Today

Started working out again. It went alright. I didn't pass out so that is always a good sign. Then I took the boys outside to jump on their new trampoline. They enjoyed it for a few minutes. I think I have more fun on it than they do.

Pierce didn't get a nap yesterday so that means that he is g-r-u-m-p-y today. So much fun for his mama. Can't wait until he takes a nap.

Hopefully we can go outside later this afternoon so they can play in their little pool. But it has been so dog-gone hot. So we will see.

Poor little guys inherited super fair skin from both of their parents. They are already sporting a sunburn from the other day. Note to their mama.....buy stock on sunscreen and remember to put it on them. Another note to their mama.....remember to put some on yourself. That is right....I am burned too.

I realize that I have not been posting much but to be honest I wouldn't even know where to begin. There has been so much drama going on that it makes my head spin. And anything I would attempt to blog about it relation to any of that would probably be venom and portray a side of me that is not pretty at all. So I will leave it at this. Please be praying for my family. We are all tired. I need Gods strength to keep me going. Thanks!

Southern Shower Time

The boys & I went outside this afternoon to look around my new workshop. (Yeah, many posts about that coming soon) Afterwards I decided to water the vegetables in our garden. The boys couldn't resist the water so we all played in the water hose. Brought back memories of my youth. It started to thunder (go figure) so it was time to come inside. I wasn't wanting to do bathtime so early so I went inside and got some body wash and let them shower themselves on the deck. It was hilarious!!! Little naked boys covered in soapy suds chasing each other with the water hose. The thunder grew worse so it was time to rinse and come inside. My camera is dead so no pics but just had to share my moment today that brought a smile to me face. Gotta love those little boys!!! Even when they are driving me crazy. Lets you know that you are alive, right? So thankful and grateful to be their mommy!

PS. If you haven't heard about Pandora, check it out. It is my new favorite website. My brother Amick told me about it.
www.pandora.com

Back to the Grind

Our vacation was so nice. Very refreshing and relaxing for the most part. We got to see and visit with most of our family that live in Oklahoma. And as an added bonus my brother and his wife and son came out too. I am completely in love with little Isaak. Also in love with Bryten, my sisters little one. They were able to come out too. So it was a big happy family reunion. I won't bore you with all of the details because they would only be interesting to me. LOL

My two sons were pretty well behaved.

I am glad to be back home with my hubby. He wasn't able to go because if work so we missed him a great deal. However I am not glad to be back in allergy central, USA. I have sneezed and sniffed since I got home.

Oh, and I turned 30 while I was in Oklahoma.My family made a huge dinner and cake for me. It was a wonderful time. I had more trouble with turning 30 than I thought I would. It was really a little depressing. Add that to the fact that my monthly friend showed up and I was a bit nutty.

My hubbby and I also celebrated our 9th anniversary on Wednesday. In some ways the time has flown by and in other ways it has felt like we have been together forever. But I am very grateful and thankful to be married to such a wonderful man.

Still not sure how often I wil blog but I will try to do it a little more often. If I am being honest I am feeling a little uncertain about my life right now and don't really have anything to share. Guess you could say that I am in a "funk".

Heading Home

We will be heading hom in the morning. We have had a blast but will be glad to be in our own home and especially our own beds. I have really enjoyed this time away. And I have been surprised how much I have enjoyed NOT being online. So I am doing alot of thinking about how attached I want to be to this thing. So please pray that our travels will be safe. Thanks!!

Still Alive

I am still here and I am reading the blogs of my cyber buddies. Just haven't been in the mood to blog. I am leaving in the morning for vacation. So I am sure I will material for blogs when I get back. Have a great week!!

Taking A Break

I have decided to take a break from blogging for a while. Not sure for how long but I have gotten a little too attatched to the computer these days. So I will be back at a later date.

American Idol

I am finding this season wierd. Can't decide if I am enjoying it or not.

chicken update

The chicken turned out alright. I mistakenly roasted it upside down. oops...... But it did make for nice moist breasts. It looked very nice coming out of the oven and tasted fine too. Not sure I will use that recipe again. Just didn't have much flavor. And since there was alot less meat on there than I had thought I will probably stick to my chicken breast recipes. But any recipes that you have to share would be appreciated. And I wille be going to buy some gloves for meat preparation.

sooooooo, onto more exciting things. Well, maybe not exciting but different. It is still raining around here. At least we haven't had the surprise snow storms or tornados. So I am thankful.

Well, I think that is about all. Have a good day and stay dry.

Chicken

Alright I have to say right off the bat that I am a little weird. I know that about myself and am embracing it. But I really cannot stand cooking chicken. I LOVE eating chicken but preparing it grosses me out. Today is the first time that I have attempted to cook a whole chicken. I thought that the insides were already taken out. WRONG!! Yuck! Then they have all of these warnings about sanitizing EVERYTHING that came in contact with the chicken. Yeah, that is what I want to think about when I am trying to eat my dinner. As a rule I don't enjoy handling any kind of meat but chicken is just gross. But it does taste so tasty when it is done. Chicken is actually my favorite meat to eat. I just wish I didn't have to be the one to cook it. So is that random enough for you?

Red Envelope Day - Please Help!!

This is a repost from the SevenChicks Blog. Since I agree whole heartedly I decided to repost it. Every child deserves a chance. Lets tell President Obama and this country that we do not agree with how they view this issue.
All of us chicks are pro life and if you aren't then bless your heart. On March 31st which is Tuesday there will be something called Red Envelope Day.

What is Red Envelope Day? A day to call attentions to the 50 million babies who were victims of abortion in the U.S.

Barack Obama spoke at a Planned Parenthood Action Fund event, uttering the now infamous line. "Well, the first thing I'd do as president is, is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do." The freedom of Choice Act will essentially "undo" every law currently in place to limit abortion in the U.S. (i.e. parental consent laws, parental notification, waiting periods, prohibition of transporting a minor girl across the state lines to obtain an abortion, etc.).

An empty red envelope will send a message to President Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue. It will be quiet, but clear.

When:March 31st, 2009

How: Get red envelopes and on the front address them to:

President Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, D.C. 20500



on the Back, write the following message: This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion. It is empty because the life that was taken is now unable to be a part of our world.

Mail them to the White House on March 31st.

Please place this information on your blog and make sure you tell all of your friends.The goal is to send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who dies [in the U.S.] before having the chance to live. It may seem that those who believe abortions is wrong are in the minority. I t may seem like we have no voice and it's shameful to even bring it up. Let us show our President and the world that the voices of those who do not believe abortion is acceptable are not silent and must be heard. Together we can change the heart of the President and save the lives of millions of children, as will as prevent the heartache of post-abortion trauma for their parents.

What Do You Get?

What do you get when you combine 2 energy infused little boys with rain, rain, and more rain? You get a crazy momma. That is what you get.....LOL

They woke up with more energy than normal for some reason and are literally running around the house giggling, yelling, fussing, singing, etc.....

At least they play well together.

Have a wonderful soggy weekend!!

Help

Could somebody please tell me where I can live that my kids would NOT have allergies? I will pack and move tomorrow........

Poor Reid..sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff, "Momma I'm sorry" sniff, sniff, double sniff.

AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!

The Joys of Domesticity

Gotta love chores if you find this when you are doing laundry and making beds.

Fried Brain

I have just not been in the mood to blog. It isn't like I don't have material for one. It just doesn't come out right. Or maybe my brain is fried. My two year old has officially entered that phase of the Terrible Twos. It isn't every day but he is noticably whinier, more aggressive, etc. And the fact that he copies everything that his brother does now has him complaining of little scrapes and bumps. He is my tough guy and never usually even noticed when he got hurt so this is really driving me crazy.

I do have a funny story. The other night I was putting the boys in the bath and the youngest was already in the tub playing in the bubbles while the older one got undressed. When the Big boy got in he got all excited and said. "BUBBLES!!, brother mind if I have a few?" It made me smile that he was using such a grown up phrase in context. For those of you who haven't spent time with my oldest son.....he is a talkaholic. Always talking, all the time, everywhere. Now he is whisting, quite well I might add, when he isn't talking or singing.

The other night he was saying his prayers and told Jesus that he loved Him and that could he please tell momma to not make him clean his room.
He has a way with words. I pray that the Lord will get that channeled in the right direction so that the Lord will be glorified. On a humorous note, he would be one relentless telemarketer....LOL

I am not an outdoorsy kind of girl. My hubby loves the outdoors and goes into DT's if not outside for enough time every day. But lately I have been thinking that I might like a garden. I would like to have vegetables outside my door to be able to cook. Granted, I do not want the responsiblity of putting in the garden, or planting it, or watering it, or weeding it. I just want the veggies and fruit. So I am guessing that I will not get one this year.

And one last thought......I HATE ALLERGIES!!!

Nose Drama

Snot, snot, go away, don't come back another day.

Colds, alleries, whatever it is.....it is driving me crazy because I have been listening to sniffing for weeks now.

Annoyed in the middle of nowhere.

A Repost....

What is going on?

I was listening to news radio this morning coming back from my early morning walk and heard that President Obama has lifted the ban on embrionic stem cell research. I am so dissapointed and upset by this. It has been proven that there has not been anything beneficial come out of this research, especially now that they can harvest stem cells from adult subjects. And hello.....what about all of that cord blood they just keep throwing away? It is a gold mine for stem cells and is ideal for many aplications since it does not have DNA. They don't have the rejection issues in transplants that occur in other types of treatment and transplants. But do you think they are going to use that? No, and if you want to save your childs cord blood they will charge you enormous amounts of money to do so. Everything in our world just seems backwards.

Mr. Obama also has decided that he would like to lift the Consciece Rule protective rights that doctors and physicians now have. As it stands right now a doctor or physician does not have to perform abortions if they find it morally, ethically, or religiously wrong and they are protected in their choice. But if the Conscience Rule is removed then all physicians that are approached would be obligated by the government to perform the abortion or risk being shut down. That is just wrong! Leaders of religiously affiliated hospitals have been in dialogue with our President regarding this matter. If this passes then entire hospitals will be closing their doors. Do you realize that some of the best hospitals across our country are Catholic hospitals, Baptist hospital, etc...? They will have to shut their doors because they will not compromise. Guess who will be ready and willing to purchase those newly vacated facilities? You guessed it, the government. Call me crazy but I am not sure how I feel about not having a choice of going to a privately owned hospital for treatment if I want. Or having to find a different doctor for me and my family because the ones we had are out of work because of the government putting their noses where it doesn't belong.

It is no secret that I believe that abortion is wrong. But since there are so many doctors willing to perform them I think it is a travesty that our President thinks that he should be allowed to force people who are opposed to perform them. Folks, it is time to get on our knees and cry out to the Lord and ask for his mercy to be upon us and our country. And we need to pray that our President will see the truth of what he and his supporters are doing to our families, our communities and our country. I don't see how putting a large percentage of our health care professionals in the line of fire is going to benefit our country and its economy.


On a lighter note....I just heard that Peter Fuller is leaving the Newsboys and that Michael Tait (of DCTalk) is the new leader singer. Truly, what is going on in the world?

I Am So Hungry

Just thought I would throw that out there. Have a great week!!!

wa wa wa wa

"He's looking at me!" "He's looking at me!" "Argh!" "Stop it!"

Apparently the boys have hit that point in childhood where it truly offends you when you are looked at.....ever. The past few days have been filled with hollering, crying, hitting, yelling, pushing, hiding and purposeful aggrivation. So much fun!! The funniest thing is that I can remember doing every single thing they are doing when I was younger. It must have drove my mom crazy, especially with there being 4 of us doing it. I distinctly remember fussing in the car about it. The rule was you couldn't look at or touch anyone else without there being major drama. LOL And don't even think about putting your hand or any other part of your body on someone elses side of the car. Hahahaha Thankfully the boys are still on carseats on opposite sides of the car. But lately they have started "slap-fights". Luckily what the little guy lacks in size, he makes up in spunk. They are pretty evenly matched. They need to learn how to work things out on their own so I try to just supervise them when they start to wail on each other so we can avoid any real drama and injuries.

Oh, and the youngest has started drawing and coloring on anything and everything.....argh! His brother NEVER did that. Of course his brother isn't as busy as the little guy.

Something must be blooming outside. Me and the oldest boy have been sneezing all morning long. Seriously, between the two of us I think we have sneezed about 200 times. And that is NO exaggeration. Poor guy, he inherited my allergies. My hubby doesn't have allergies and neither does the little guy, thank goodness. I just hoped that it would skip both of the boys. THey are such a nuisance.

Wishing it would warm up!!

Another Update

Linda was moved to a room this afternoon and is doing very well. Thank you for the prayers. I know that her family is very grateful.

Update

Linda is doing well. They have taken out her breathing tube and are talking about moving her to a room tomorrow afternoon. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray as she is recovering.

Update

Linda came through surgery last night. The doctors said that they will keep her asleep for the next few days. Please continue to pray. Thank you..

Prayer Request.

Ladies, I need you to pray. Christy, my sister in law (Isaaks mommy) is at the hospital right now with her momma. Linda had a heart attack last night and is now awaiting open heart surgery. We need to lift her up in prayers tonight and the days ahead.

Lord, we pray right now that you would surround Linda right now with your presence. We ask for peace, strength, and healing to be administered by your Holy Spirit. Please guide the doctors hands, surround her with nurses and doctors that are gifted and are led by the Lord. Please be with her husband and children as they wait tonight and the days ahead. May her recovery be swift and complete. And may she be drawn closer to the Lord Jesus Christ during this time. Meet every need she has, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

Your Mama

I totally knocked this off of a friends blog but I thought it was cute. So I asked my big man to sit by me and answer these questions....

-What is something mom always says to you?
I love you and I want you to be nice and when you be nice you get to do nice things like play outside and buy toys
-What makes mom happy?
when we be nice
-What makes mom sad?
when we don't listen and obey
-How does your mom make you laugh?
(goofy laughter)
-What was your mom like as a child?
I don't know, what were you like, mommy?
-How old is your mom?
5
-How tall is your mom?
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
-What is her favorite thing to do?
learning time
-What does your mom do when you're not around?
make the house
-What is your mom really good at?
talking
-What is your mom not very good at?
playing outside and digging holes
- What does your mom do for her job?
clean the house
-What is your mom's favorite food?
pizza with onions, mushrooms and green stuff.
-What is your mom's favorite color?
(He ran off to steal toys from brother)

What a Weekend.....

It was sooooo nice seeing my brother, my sister in law and my sweet nephew Issak. It was a great time with all of our little boys. It has been a while since my sister, brother & I have just hung out. So here are some pics of the weekend (thanks to my brother, the photographer)


me & my sister


all 4 sweet boys


my sweet Reid


my sweet Pierce


cutie Isaak


my little cowboy - uncle Amick bought them cap guns.


pierce

Out Of Pocket

I am leaving in the morning to go visit my sweet little nephew and his mommy & daddy. My sister and I are driving over with our 3 little boys to see the other little boy. Can't wait!!!! I will update when I get back. Have a great weekend.

Call me Sleepy......

I was up way to late last night thanks to American Idol (DVR) and my oldest son. He is growing so fast that he is having leg aches in the night. So I was up late rubbing his legs so he could relax and go to sleep. When I say he is growing fast, I mean that he has grown an inch and a half in the last 2 months. Looks like he is going to be tall like his daddy.

Anyway, this morning I started a new workout regime. I am walking at a neighborhood park with my mom. I don't do so well without accountablity so this is the route I am taking. Plus it gets me a little "me" time before everyone wakes up. But 5:45 rolled around pretty early this morning. While I am feeling very good about the exercise I got this morning I am feeling quite sleepy from a shortage of sleep. I am hoping that the boys will both take naps today so I can too. And it is sooooooo dreary looking outside. We went out earlier for a couple hours but it was really windy and the dirt was getting in our eyes.

And now I have a headache. Not sure why, but it is bugging me. It is making me want to close my eyes. Can't do that for a while longer.

Wow! This post is seeming like a gripe fest. Sorry. Life is wonderful, I promise.....

My Other Blog

I have started another blog that will follow what I feel the Lord is doing in me right now.

http://whativelearnedaboutgod.blogspot.com

or you can click on MY JOURNEY in the blog list on the left.

Chaos Returns

Thank the Lord. The boys are back to being their rambunctious selves. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Isn't it odd how God allows things to realign our perspectives? Last week I was so tired of the "high-energy" environment and after a week of puny kiddos I am so thankful. Thankful that my children are alive, healthy, developemetally on-point, active and loving life. I love that they watch out for each other. Today they were drawing pictures of each other.

Another thing I realized this week is that my boys are getting big. Soon there is coming a day that they won't fit on my lap. Trying to enjoy every day and its challenges and many blessings.

Oh, and I know many out there totally understand what I am about to say. There is nothing sweeter in the entire world than listening to your children praying and talking to God. They talk to him like he is a close friend and tell about their day, what they liked about their day and what they didn't. The other day my oldest started asking the Lord to show him Gods will, His perfect will (his words). I was blown away. And when they pray and thank the Lord for momma & daddy and all they do, everything is worth it, isn't it? Hubby & I were talking the other night about how awesome it will be when they accept the Lord into their heart & life. It made me cry thinking about it. So that is our prayer...that they will seek the Lord and desire to know Him. Prayers like theirs must light up the heart and face of God. Imagine how God feels when any of His children seek Him. His heart and face is lighting up right now over you and I. He loves us all so much.

This is me....

trying not to have an opinion about the octuplet momma.

The boys seem to be doing better. Thanks for all those that have been praying. Hubby & I took them to the doc this morning and they are both on anti-biotics now. The coughing has eased up a bit and the fevers are not what they were.

Tomorrow I am leaving them with the M-I-L so I can go deliver Valentines Day flowers. I know, I know......bad mommy for leaving them. But they will be in great hands so I am not beating myself up about it. Plus they could probably use a break from their crazy momma. And they LOVE spending time with Granny.

My house looks like a bomb testing site. I have not gotten much done this week. Also, not beating myself up about that. In the end the most important thing is giving love & comfort to the boys when they don't feel well.

Gotta run, my big man is up from his nap and reminding me that he needs a snack.

Ugh....

Looks to be a great day ahead. Little man is pulling at his ear & crying. Doc can't squeeze us in until tomorrow. Just looking at him makes him wail. The big lil man is coughing and lil man looking at him makes him upset too. At least hubby said that he would go grocery shopping this evening so I don't have to even attempt to take them out in public. Wishing that mommas really could make all things better. I guess I will have to leave that up to the Lord.

sniff, sniff, cough, cough

So the boys have colds. And I haven't gotten much sleep the last two nights. What with all of the coughing, sniffing & fever. Little guy looks better this morning so I am hoping we are on the tail end of it. But it looks like today will be a hang around while holding kiddos kind of day.

I totally stole this from a friends blog

Friday Night Fun.....

So it is Friday night and it feels like any other evening. Hey, all of you married ladies.....do you remember what it was like before you got married and the man in your life would plan to make the weekends fun and special? I mean, there were dinner dates, movie dates, driving to the lake just to talk dates. Why is that all that goes out the window after they have us. (disclaimer- I do realize that some of you may have a wonderfully romantic husband, if that is you, please do not leave a comment bragging about it, okay? LOL) Anyway, hubby & I watched "Fireproof" last Saturday. It was a great movie, by the way. Everyone should see it. Wait, I am probably the last to see it, right? Anyway, there were so many things that resonated with me on so many levels. As a woman it would be so nice for the hubby to "get it" and realize how much it means to feel special and pampered. He is a wonderful man and I love him so much. But he is still a man after all and the romantic stuff is just not his thing. Go figure......... Thank the Lord for girlfriends.

Have a great weekend!!!

Human Pinball Machine

Today my boys are bouncing off of the walls, literally. They are reminding me of a pinball machine. And the LOUD noises they are making today are reminiscent of the ping sounds that the ball makes when it hits things in the game. If only they racked up points and cash for every thing they bounced into. Momma could afford a nice day out. I feel like they have run into me, bumped into me, charged into me and practically knocked me over all day. And when I am trying to get them to calm down they just grin and giggle and keep on moving. Their favorite place to be is on our bed, in our room. They know that room is off limits but I find them giggling in there at least 5-6 times a day. And our house is rather small so it isn't like I can't hear them when they head that direction. It is kind of funny now that I think about it. Some good news? My M-I-L is coming up tomorrow to give me a break. I am so excited.

P.S.- I wish there was some program I could enroll in that would pay me $1 for evey time my kids said "momma". They don't just say it once when they want something. There is a minimum of 4 times. "Momma, momma, momma, momma, I need to go to the bathroom." "Momma, momma, momma, momma, momma, I need to ask you a question....." "Momma, momma, momma, momma, momma, momma, MOMMA, see me" (The last one is the little guy, he says this while grabbing my face and pulling it to his and grinning from ear to ear) The oldest is now making up his own songs. Right now he is singing "Get under the covers, get under the covers......." The little guy just hit me in the chest. I should go so I can live to blog another day.

Maybe they will go to bed early tonight ;) I can hope, can't I?

Please Consider

Hello all, I just wanted to share somethat that I am really excited about. Over the course of the last few months the Lord has been speaking to my husband and I about giving to others. There are so many worthy causes and organizations so we prayed about where to give. Well the Lord led us to Compassion International (http://www.compassion.com/default.htm). A christian organization that feeds, clothes, educates and makes a huge difference in children across the globe. We both knew that this is what we were supposed to do. So I "clicked" my way through their site and signed up. We now have an extension of our family in Bangladesh. I cannot even begin to tell you how blessed I feel. In a day that we, as Americans are so focused on our own lack I think it would be a wonderful thing to truly take a look at what is going on across the globe. This little boy only needs $32 a month to be fed, clothed and educated. I think that is mind-blowing. And in the process he is being taught the truth of Gods word.

Then I was cruising through my fave blogs and came across http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

It is the story of a group of bloggers that are going to Calcutta to raise awareness for children that need sponsors. Please take a look. And please pray about sponsoring a child. If you have children already I think it is a good way to be constantly aware of how truly blessed we are.

Thanks for considering it. And imagine how different our world would be if we all followed the Lords commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves

Hearts Farts

I was browsing Craigslist this evening for random stuff. And I came across an ironing board cabinet. It was wood with a heart cut out. Ugh..... I cannot stand things with hearts on them. Even as a little girl I did not like them. I am not sure why but the sight of them make me want to throw something. I have a hutch that my M-I-L gave us. I absolutley love it but it has a heart cut out in the top. So I decided to display some plates on it so I could cover it up. I have been given jewelry with hearts and I don't wear them at all. And in all honesty I am not a fan of things that look inherently girly. I don't wear girly clothes, I don't decorate with girly things. It is just not me. So it is probably a good thing I have sons.

Now I like girly things for other people. I have an incredibly hard time passing up a frilly little girls dress in an adorably girly hue. I think little girls rooms are so cute. And there was a time before I found out my first child was a boy that I fantasized about a girly nursery. But not anymore. I do look forward to doing girly things with my future nieces (if my brother or sister have any daughters).

I know that Uncommon Blonde is going to fall over but I have NEVER had a pedicure. And the only manicure I have ever gotten was for my wedding. I do not get my haircut regularly and don't color it because I won't get it done often enough. I have never been to a spa.

I love a good chick flick but I prefer a drama or comedy and I do enjoy action movies as well.

My favorite food in the whole world is carrots! I eat them every day. They are yummy. I am trying to eat a wider variety of veggies since I am getting older and need some nutritional reinforcement. But I am rather picky and it is a little harder than I thought.

Has anyone ever really looked at that food pyramid thing? How are you supposed to reduce portions and eat less and still eat everything on that list? It is craziness!!!

Not sure why in the world I wrote all of that. Some days I think that I don't care if anyone else ever reads my blog because I would really like to just be able to look back in several years when my boys are older to remember what our life was like during this season.

Have a good one!!

Blogs, oh how I love thee.....

Today as I was surfing through my fav blogs I realized that I enjoy reading about the lives of others soooooo much. I think that mommys, whether you work at home or out of the house can get so self-involved in our own families. And blogs have allowed me to keep up with friends, make some new friends, read interesting and hilarious stories, and do it all when it is convenient for me. It doesn't replace the face to face conversations but it does keep me from feeling completely isolated from the rest of civilization. And I love that I have gotten back in touch with friends from the past. Its great!!!

So keep them coming.
BTW - My hubby does not understand blogs in any way. He has only read mine one time when he happened to get online when it was still up. He thinks I am crazy. But that is coming from a man that chooses to spend his days in tractors by himself. The only thing he looks up on the internet is tractors and toy tractors, books about tractors and the occassional CD. We are soooooo different, but it works. I love him so much.

Well, the oven is buzzing.....gotta go

I'm Okay, your okay.....

Well, I survived the day. I actually got to take a nap. I never do that. But boy did it do wonders for mama. I took hubbys advice and took the boys outside but it was way too cold for me and the little guys. And tomorrow is another day.

I totally got on here to post a clever blog and now I cannot remember what it was. Oh well.... I shoud go to bed anyway.

An Equation

Not much sleep + headache + kids runny noses + kids not listening + I wanna take a nap + I wanna eat some serious chocolate and don't have any = grumpy mama

I am glad that my big lil man is feeling better. He was pathetic yesterday. You know he doesn't feel well when he doesn't want to talk, at all.

My hubbys solution for a grumpy mama is to take the kiddos outside so I think I will try that before I put them down for naps. I hope they both take one so I can too.

Just Wondering?

Does anyone else think it is a bad thing that my children have begun to talk to each other like monkeys? Maybe it is time to limit the Curious George watching.

And I just want to say that I am SOOOOOOOOO Happy that I do not live in the other half of the country that is dealing with freezing temps and crazy snow, ice, sleet, etc. I will stay right here thank you very much.

And I just thought I was tired of hearing the news....... Can it get any more absurd?

And I would like to ask all of my blog buddies to keep my family in your prayers. Lots of drama these days and we are in need of some major guidance, direction and strength from the Lord. Thanks!!

Here I Am

I took the 43 Things Personality Quiz and found out I'm a

Romantic Lifelong Learning Believer

As if I needed a quiz to tell me that I am what I am........Romantic Lifelong Learning Believer

I've Been Tagged

So Mrs Sofa tagged me and I thought that I would respond. You are supposed to go into your pictures and open up the 4th folder and then post the 4th picture. Then explain it. Then tag 4 people.




This is my sweet, sweet, sweet nephew Bryten in his crib. Honestly this is probably one of the few pictures that he is not smiling his face off. What a cutie!!

Oh! And I tag Tara M., Tara S., Christy C. & Katie G.

Silence Is Golden

I never really understood that line in the movie previews. But now that I have children and it is hardly ever quiet, I understand, completely. And boy am I enjoying it right now.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

Just some thoughts

I realized this morning that I never followed through on my movie quote blog. Sorry, it has been crazy around here but I will get it posted sometime.

I have been feeling a little melancholy the past few days. You all read about little bit moving up to his big boy bed. But I have been really bummed about it. Not that he is in a different bed but because it means that I do not have a baby in my house anymore. We took down his crib and put it in the attic for my sister. Then we went through all of the toys and stuffed animals and bagged up a bunch to give away. I always wanted a house full of kids. I grew up as the oldest of four kids and we always had at least one or two extra kids at our house at any given time. My mom watched other kids. And then my 3 cousins came to live with us for a while. During that stretch it was not odd to have 9 kids, ranging from 9 months to 13 years old running around while my mom was cooking dinner. So I was comfortable with kids and I thought that I would have a house full.

Then I met my hubby. I love him so much and I wouldn't trade him for anything. But he did not grow up like I did. There are 6 years between he and his sister. I am sure that they had friends come over but they did not have other kids live with them or anything. And he was not around children growing up at all. So when it came time for the "children talk" we were at complete opposite ends of the discussion. I wanted as many as God would give us and he wasn't sure he wanted any. Needless to say I was very frustrated and aggrivated by this. Then came "the List". You women know about the list, right? The list that the man has that has all of the stuff he wants to have or do before he has kids. Well, everytime we would knock something off of the list he would add something else onto the bottom. Meanwhile my biological clock was ticking pretty loudly. It was getting so loud that it was really making me a grumpy person. LOL

Then in April 2004 we were at a church service with a visiting speaker. He called us up to the front and said that he had a word from the Lord for us. He said that we would have a child before the year was over. I was so excited! And my hubby said that for the first time ever he felt a peace about having children and being a daddy. The Lord spoke to his fears and doubts and told him that it was okay to have kids. What we didn't know was that I was already pregnant. I think that God is so awesome that He took the time to reassure my hubby and I before we found out.

Fast forward 8 months to December and the birth of Reid. What a blessing! But because of complications afterward the doctors said that having more children increased my chances for more problems. But I knew that God put the desire for more children in me and hubby & I decided to try for one more. Fast forward to December 2006 and the birth of Pierce. Another sweet blessing!! Then came the tough decision to have a tubal. I didn't really want to but I felt that it was the best thing since I didn't want to have any further complications and risk leaving my two sweet boys without their mommy. God had already saved my life once and I didn't want to push it. It seemed like a good compromise. Hubby didn't want any and I wanted a Dozen, so two seemed perfect. And it still does but that doesn't mean that I still don't get a little melancholy knowing that this stage of our family is over. I am not sure why I wrote all of that this morning. Maybe it was just to process some things and for my own benefit. So I guess I will just have to borrow my sweet nephews and love on them. They are such cuties!!!

So to help myself I am going to take a lesson from Mrs. Sofa and write out how I feel. (for those who haven't read her blog, this is supposed to be sarcastic)

I Will Not miss waking up in the middle of the night to nurse and hold my beautiful boys.

I Will Not miss that new baby smell.

I Will Not miss seeing them smile for the first time. Crawling, sitting up, walking for the first time.

I Will Not miss giving them cereal for the first time.

I Will miss diapers.

I Will miss carrying around a diaper bag.

I Will Not miss just sitting and holding my boys while they are asleep.

I Will Not miss being able to put them somewhere and knowing that they can't go anywhere else.

I could go on forever but I won't.

Enough of that. So now I look to the future and the new things on store for my boys and our family. With the passing of every season comes a new season with its own joys and I will choose to think on those. I know that those reading have children in all ranges of ages and stages so I know that I have some kindred spirits out there. We are all truly blessed! Blessed by the Lord.

Havin some fun

The new background is just something for fun. Sometimes I think we need to take a step back and remember to not take ourselves so seriously. And I wanted a change and when I saw this one it made me smile. And I am "Hot Lips" after all. LOL

I wanna

crawl back into my bed and go back to sleep. It is sooooo cold outside and I am sitting on the couch with a blanket (no, its not a snugglie) and a space heater. But it is making me want to go to sleep. The boys are playing nicely together so why not? No, I have way to much to do today.

Oh How I Love Them...

This morning as I sit at the computer I am reminded of just how much I love my sweet little boys. The youngest is walking around talking in his sweet little voice. He is getting better at it. I can actually understand most of what he says now. And what I don't understand, his older brother is willing to translate. However big brother always translates it so something having to do with wanting a snack. Must be a firstborn thing. I seem to remember using my younger siblings as pawns to try to get my way too.

I love the way they play together and sing together. They got a little CD player with a microphone for their birthdays. They have loved that thing. They have a few songs that they will sing over & over & over. Luckily they are songs that I don't mind because after hearing them for 25 times a day I might go crazy otherwise.

This morning they begged to watch a video about construction equipment. They are fascinated with all things tractor related. Must get that from daddy. I certainly do not have affections for them.

Well, the house is coming along, I promise. I have been purging closets, cabinets, and clothes the last few days and reorganizing everything. So after everything is the way I want it I will post some pics. My hubby told me this morning that he had prayed last night and thanked the Lord that his wife was getting organized. I didn't realize it was that bad. Oh well, you know what I say. If you don't like the way I do it, then go ahead and do it yourself. Hahaha

We had the second session of our Breaking Free bible study last night. So far it is great. There is just so much that the Lord is showing and teaching me. One thing that really has hit me hard is that I want a new passion and love for the Word of God. There is so much power in the Word and so many promises that are available but I can't claim them if I don't know what they are. I am also realizing how many areas of my life need total transformation by the Lord. And how many areas of my life need to be surrendered completely to the Lord and His will. I feel that this is going to be a process and maybe sometimes painful but I know that the freedom on the other side will be worth it.

New Quote

"Don't be exhausted simply because you are undisciplined." - Pastor Jim Laffoon

Girly Day

Today was a "girly" day. I took my little angels to their grannys house for the day. Then picked up my mom and my sister (plus awesome nephew) for a day together. We went to the fabric store. Yippee!!! I absolutely love fabrics and seeing and touching the different colors, textures, combinations. I was looking for fabrics for my house. I went with something in mind and ended up with fabrics that were even better. Plus they were having a sale. Double Yippee!! I ended up getting it all for around 75% off. I couldn't have planned it better myself. I think it is so cool when things fall into place like that. I know that some people might call it coincidence but I call it the favor of the Lord. I think he takes pleasure orchestrating things in the lives of his children. Especially when we are seeking him and asking him to guide us. So call it what you want but I will be believing that the Lord loves me enough to set this day up for me.

Us ladies went to lunch and then to a bakery for some delicious delectables. So yummy!! Gotta love cannolis. We even prayed that the fat of our desserts would not go to the hips after passing the lips. hahaha That time I am kidding. I wouldn't be so arrogant as to think that he would undo the consequences of willful behavior.

So I am still working on the house and while some things are progressing I am finding other things that I need to do. Like rearranging the kitchen cabinets. Reorganizing the boys rooms. Go through closets and drawers and get rid of unwanted items. But at least I am staying busy.

Oh!!! Last night my hunky hubby helped me move one of the beds out of our Big boys room into our little boys room. Currently he still is sleeping in a crib but with moving things around I decided that I wanted to go ahead and move it. So he jumped on it and played on it for a while. Then I gave the boys baths. After his bath he went in the living room and told his daddy "night-night" and then went straight to his new "big-boy" bed and pulled up the covers. So cute!!! So that is where he slept last night. I was totally NOT ready for this. He is my baby. But the bigger issue is that he is part monkey and part mouse. I am not 100% comfortable knowing that he is ranging free is he so chooses in the middle of the night. Hopefully my mommy sonar will not begin to fail me now. I usually hear him if he starts making noise.

Well, gotta go. I am hoping that hubby will let me have the TV soon so I can watch CSI. Tonight is supposed to be Grissoms last night. I am anxious ot watch it.

Ever Notice?

Has anyone else noticed that everyone says to '"be yourself", "share what you are feeling", etc.....but what they really mean is "share what you are feeling as long as that is what I want to hear and it doesn't make me uncomfortable".

Quite honestly I have spent alot of my life not saying what I wanted to say for fear of it offending someone else. I think that as a society we have gotten really good at faking it so someone else won't be able to look down on us for being "intolerant". Well I am finally fed up. I am what I am. The only person I have to please is the Lord. The only thing that matters is what he thinks of me. I don't see anywhere is the Bible tht Jesus was afraid of speaking truth because it might offend someone. And aren't we supposed to be like him? And I am not talking about just going out and being hateful or deliberatley hurting people. I just feel that if everyone else has the freedom to be able to speak up and tell me what they don't think I should say, then I have the same freedom (in Christ, and in our great country) to do the same.

I think the world would be a much different place if we as Christians hadn't allowed the world to tell us to "shut up". So while the world, or maybe even you might not agree with me, the beautiful thing is that I can still be me and share what is going on in my head, heart & life.

One quick reminder.....everyone out there has different life experiences that have shaped and molded them into who they are. I believe that we all have the capability to improve and be better people. But I think it is a detriment to relationships and to people when we compare ourselves to each other and then expect someone to feel the way we feel, or to do what we would do. Because that is when judgemental and critical thoughts come. And who knows what God has planned for someone else. I think it just might be Gods business, not ours. With that said, I would like to encourage everyone reading that if we would first seek God and his plan for our lives, and then live in the peace that accompanies Gods will, we might be less inclined to offend or be offended when we don't understand what God is doing in others.

I keep thinking about the scripture that talks about the speck and the plank. I know that I have fallen into the trap of looking at what other people need to change or work on when I have a HUGE mess in my own life. How different our lives, our families, our churches, our communities would be if we would just take care of our own business with the Lord and let God do his thing in others. And in the process remember to love on people the way God would.

This blog is totally for me. It may help someone else but today I am writing this to myself. There is so much to work on that I might as well put up some caution tape and traffic cones. LOL

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I don not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Phillipians 3:12-14

Progress Update

The painting is going well. I really like how it is turning out. I want to do a happy dance about the fact that the dark cave paneling is gone. It feels so much lighter and brighter. Now I am working on painting the dining room & kitchen. And also rearranging the furniture. Living in chaos right now but it will be worth it.

I am so tired of hearing and seeing commercials and such about losing weight. It annoys me. But enough about that.

Anyone else see the absurd "Snugglie"? Apparently is a blanket with sleeves so it keeps your hands free. They even show the people wearing them at a football game. Absurd!

I am totally excited about the new season of American Idol starting tomorrow night. Can't wait.

Oh! I am starting a new Bible study tomorrow night. It is called "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore. I am looking forward to it. I will try to post what I learn.

And on that note, I am reading a really good book called "If Momma Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy". It is a great book about joy and making the choice to rejoice. I am loving it so far. I would recommend it to every mommy, wife, daughter, friend, etc.

Have I mentioned lately that I absolutley LOVE being a stay at home mommy? I know that it isn't for everyone but for me there is no other choice. I am so grateful and thankful to my hubby who supports me in this decision. He works so hard so I don't have to leave my babies. The time will come too soon when they are not with me every day and I want to treasure every day and moment until then. I feel that it is my duty and my God given responsiblity to raise them up and train them in the ways of the Lord. But more importantly it is my pleasure to do so. And I don't care what anyone else says.....being a stay at home mommy is making a huge contribution to our society. I think it is absurd for someone else to make a living taking care of my children when I would be working just to pay them for doing it. Here is a concept.....how about me watch them for free. And before anyone out there reading gets offended, that is not my intent. I am just very blessed and want to express that. Afer all, it is my blog.

Well, I should probably go to bed before I go off on a tangent about something else.

Hoping that everyone has a wonderful week.