Meaningless rantings of a cabin fevered Mom.

Yubby

2011-12-04T11:41:00.004-05:00

Hey there,

First off, Lemme splain, Haggie is a name I acquired from an online friend, don't totally remember the story, but it just stuck.

YUBBY, is a nickname given to me by my younger brother David. He is 14 years younger than me, and I was more of a parent than sibling, this created a cool, weird, super strong Bond. He tried to call me "lovey" when he was very little, and it came out YUBBY, and it stuck, like crazy glue. When I met my husband, he kept calling me Sara, and it sounded so weird, my Family and friends had been calling me Yubby, or Yubs, or Yubmeister...etc. for so long, I forgot the sound of my own name. LOL!

So, me, this post is about me. The year 2011 has been a breakthrough year for me. I have overcome many many many mental and physical obstacles, and I feel like, although it's taken me many years to get here, this year it all clicked, and I am a totally different person going into 2012.

The first, and most obvious change, is my weight. I have battled with it for years. Yo-Yo-ing with all different methods, and never getting anywhere noticeable. This spring, I started Weight Watchers, I also accepted a challenge to run the Virginia Tough Mudder in October. These two things worked together, I needed to slim down, get healthy, and WORK OUT in order to simply survive this race. With the support of my team, our little Facebook group made up of mostly family and some good friends from way back. We did it, we completed it, each of us, we got there, we ran it, we got the headbands, and we felt GOOD!

When I started 2011, I felt fat, and uncomfortable, I tried to dress the body I had, but I didn't like it, I didn't like the mirror I didn't want my picture taken. Today, less then a month away from 2012, I have lost 20 lbs, I have gone from size 14 jeans to size 10. I have gone from a large to a medium. THIS is huge! I also gotten more toned, however, due to a sprained knee from the Mudder, I had to take a break, but I will get back at it, now, if I tone up, I will drop more pounds, and woohoo! I will be beyond thrilled!

So, the weight has done alot to boost my self confidence. not only because I like what I see, but because I accomplished something, I appreciate every outfit because I worked so very hard to get here. I want to show it off all the time! LOL This is very odd for me. I have spent MOST of my life covering up, even when I wore small shirts and size 8 jeans. :P I have discovered a good hair style, and have embraced make-up, and EYE-liner! I take my pics now, lol, I want to post them all over Facebook to say, Look! Look what i did! Can you believe it?! But, it kinda looks like I'm in love with myself, so I try to tone it down some. ;)

I have had mental breakthrough's too, I have made up my mind about some things, or decided to let other things go, and not stress about it. I am a free, open person, always have been, but now I am vocal about it. This is new, I have always been pretty cautious, worried about "what will they think" or "that person won't like that" or "What if they don't like me?" .. I'm done, it's too much work, I want to enjoy life, I want to be happy, and fun to be around. I have laughed and loved and embraced more life this year than I can ever remember.

I spent all summer at the pool. Small change but significant ;) This is not me, LOL, I always feel i should get house work done, or do something constructive, but you know what? My kids were off school, they wanted to swim, and it's 100yds from my house, and free, so why not? Who wouldn't love to sit around the pool all summer and tan? LOL. Well, that's me, a pool mom, and I am GOOD with it. ;)

My husband and I are more in love now than we were when we got married. We will be married 10 yrs in Sept. and I am so excited for the next 10 yrs. We have never talked more, been on the same page so much, been able to express ourselves, been soo relaxed with each other.

(another small but significant change ) ... I have embraced my Lineage, and got myself a football jersey and turn the on the TV on Sunday, and we watch football, and there is no discussion. ;)

Most importantly, I have turned and faced my past square in the eye. I have been picking it apart, the church/cult I ended up in, the friendships that confused me, the ones that survived, the people I have lost, the personal trauma I have dealt with. I haven't gotten all my answers, but I have been able to lay alot of things to rest. I have always been a "water off a ducks back" kind of person, and lately, the fog is lifting and I am getting back to that mindset, and it's a good place to be.

I realize some of this is Vague, but, people who know me best know what I'm talking about, people who want to know me better, ask me about it, I'll fill you in. ;) I just wanted to write because I know i seem different, and people may be wondering what kind of bug I got bitten by. LOL it's a good bug, it's a new Yubby, a "back to the classics"...."better than ever" kind of Yubby. It's all good yo. ;)

C is for Cookie .......... not quite good enough :P

2011-11-23T11:08:00.005-05:00

Yuh, no joke dude .......

So, Thanksgiving, I just want to start by saying that DUDE, not only did it creep up on me this year, it smacked me upside the head with a cricket bat, then stomped on my comatose body while shouting through a bull horn. FALL BREAK!!

Yesterday were my kids' harvest parties at school. For which i volunteered my services of course. I mean, they love it when Mom shows up in the classroom, and I have the time ..... i think ..... :P

I was bringing, 2 doz cookies to Sam's party, and a Pumpkin Pie and 4 bags of candy corn to Grant's. Seems simple ya? The pumpkin pie, I already knew I would buy, I have not made one yet, and I am NOT experimenting on a classroom of kids, they don't care where I got it!

I also, don't shoot me, decided last minute to BUY cookie dough. :o Do not shoot me! I don't bake .... oh wait .... hmm ... never mind, moving on. Same thought process, kids don't care, easy and fast, and yummy. Well, I was thinking there would be festive fall cookie dough out there, you know, you cut it and it has a pic or colors or something in it ...... yeah no, big problem in my thinking.

See, I thought it was Thanksgiving ...PRE-Thanksgiving at that, meaning, you can still buy FALL foods, and candy, and such ...... OH NO! It is now December, did you know? Did you know that we don't even recognize thanksgiving anymore? It's now ..."That day we eat ourselves silly to carb up for energy to go shopping on Black Friday". Yup, My cynic brain went there, and won't be swayed, I'm appalled LOL.

So I get sugar cookie dough, thinking I can decorate them with fall sprinkles or something ....... IF a store carried them! THEY DON'T. Candy Corn?? Oh no, they don't have that either! 10 stores, over two days ....... NO candy corn, fo real ..... -.- I found it in a local drug store, and they had ONLY the amount we needed for the party, no extra for decorating cookies. Now to bake, like I said I'm not a baker ... oh ...ok the joke is old .... it just never ceases to amaze me how badly I can screw up baked goods. >_<

They burned, and the orange sugar I made to decorate them with was crusty and didn't show up well. soooo, lets put some chocolate on them .... melt chocolate chips, kill the chocolate ..too bad I'm not a ...oh sorry....but seriously, I have a certificate in that field, I KNOW chocolate :P It turned on me, so I try again, get it melted, dip them in, and viola. They are hard, a little to brown, with weird sugar on top, and messy chocolate over half, that I am sure some mom will greatly thank me for. :D WHatever, I'm done, I have 2 doz+, wrap them up, go out to car in POURING down rain, and go to put cookies on the other seat, and BAM the whole plate, upside down on the seat. .... o.0 really?? Good thing they are wrapped tight. scheeech! Maybe my hands are shaking because I didn't eat lunch? Oooor breakfast ... yeah, gotta get better at that :P

School, 1pm, help with Sams party, 2pm, scoot down hall to help with Grants, found out that stringing cranberries on fish line, not so easy, very tricky and probably not the best activity for 20+ kids hopped up on pumpkin pie and cake pops.

*****Side note .... What the HECK is a cake pop anyway? Where did these things come from? I do not like to eat cake, srsly, srsly ... I don't like it, not a huge fan of super sweet frosting, and i HATE nonpareils, so gag me on a stick dude ..... yeah ... not a huge fan, they have surpassed cupcakes on my annoyance chart. ...... cupcakes, another time, another post, another rant...***

Um, yeah, so, today, day before thanksgiving, no baking, no cleaning, no driving, it's weird, and no, I am not planning to shop, dude, I don't have any Christmas lists yet! I am speechless, and I am pretty sure Christmas is going to run past me before I even get the wreath out of storage ..... -.-

Who's life did I wake up in?!?!

2011-11-09T08:41:00.003-05:00

Rah Rah sis boom bah! ....... wait. .... what??

Cheerleader .... you could say spider, and i might cringe a little less.

Lemme splain .... I am a tomboy. I grew up most of my life with two brothers, mostly boy cousins, and of course all my brothers friends, I had a choice, be the princess, or join in the merriment of being a boy, easy pick. Being a princess was too much work, and required uncomfortable shoes. :P

I played Army, and basketball, baseball, tag, capture the flag, climbed trees, biked all summer, swam in creeks and rivers. I knew how to be a lady, I had manners, I could dress up, but only when it was absolutely necessary, i preferred flannel and blue jeans with a comfy pair of sneakers.

I never wanted to be popular, never really gelled with the people who were. Cheerleaders to me, represented everything I did not want to be. When I was younger, I didn't even really know why, just that they always had perfect hair, and were co-ordinated, and skinny, and had perfect tans, and were so sinkin chipper all the time. :P

As I got older, I did grunge, i stuck to flannel, and jeans, and converse, and baseball hats, I even worked in the stockroom, loading dock at the local Sears. I loathed the cheerleader set, I perceived them as catty, and mouthy, clicky, and mean. I know it's unfair to jumble everyone in this group, or even this whole group as all the same, but c'mon, y'all know what I mean.

So, anyway, here I am, suburban mom, house in a well groomed, well plotted, maintained little neighborhood, two kids, a dog and a truck. I have grown up, I now appreciate shoes, many many beautiful shoes. I dress up more, I wear make up and do my hair. But, I love my sneakers, my hats and my truck, and I do not want to be on the PTO, or my kid in cheerleading, or be a team mom, or whatever. I just want to sail through, be at my daughter's hockey games, my son's football games, help out here and there, but LAWD, keep me away from "that group" ....

Problem ...... my daughter....is not me ... :P She is a girly girl like no one would believe. As my friend says .."She just farts rainbows" ya, well, we tried soccer, my son loved it, she, liked talking to her teamates, lol and picking flowers. Not her cup of tea.

Recently we went to a Bantam Football game ..

***side note ... Bantam Football?!?!? What is that?? I was shocked by how young the fever starts around here, I mean it's the same with Hockey in VT , I just wasn't ready for it! LOL ***

So we went to this game, and my son, is transfixed on the field. He wants to play football, AWESOME! I Love football, and I love that he wants to play, and the he decided all by himself. I am waiting to see what he says AFTER the first tackle, if he still loves it, then HooRahh! Let's go warriors! :D

Problem ..... they have Bantam cheerleaders too. No JOKE! So, while Grant is eyeing every play and drooling on the maroon jerseys all around him, worn by all his school buddies, my peanut of a little girl, is mimicking the cheerleaders. She is following their every move, perfectly, and turns around and says what i never dreamed i would hear ..

"Mommy! I want to be a cheerleader!! PLEASE? PLEASE can i do that??"

0.0 **sorry kid, mommy just fainted**

...

Really?? so, so, so, now, I have to be a football mom, which is fine, I'll just be the loud one, and no one will want me as team mom, or on any committees or whatever, but, but, now I have to be cheer mom too?? GAH! I cannot even fathom ME, YUBBY, being in the cheer world.

Oh you laugh, oh yes laugh .... oh my werd .... my parenting theory, let them try it. I want my kids to try whatever they want, as far as I can help. If she wants to, I will try to make it happen, I really didn't see this.

Another moment for me to step WAY OUT of my comfort zone I suppose. GAH.

I think that's it, really, nothing wise, nothing in closing ... just ...

Serenity now ... right now ..... anytime now ....... really??

Grant Paul

2011-10-07T07:46:00.003-04:00

I have a son, his name is Grant, he is 8, he was born in Springfield Mass. while Hurricane Isabelle beat down on top of us. He was our first child, and he was 10lbs 10oz. He is adorable, and smart, and quick witted like me, he is also brilliant and outgoing like his Dad. He has a knack for sports, and a love of computers. His favorite food is Mac n Cheese, and he loves his dog.

Grant is also my #1 challenge in Life right now. From the moment he started speaking and showing personality, it was clear that he was going to be one of a kind, and no walk in the park. He has problems with focus, if we took him to be examined by an expert, he would be "labeled" as ADHD, and who knows what else. Maybe at some point I will do that, just for the expert advice on how to deal with it better. For now though, we know him, we know how he is, and we know he is a GOOD kid and a SMART kid, he just has things about his little body he can't control.

He can't sit still, he can't stay on task any longer than 5 minutes alone, he needs constant reminders, and pushing to stay with it, and complete one thing at a time. He is highly emotional and has a hard time controlling his emotions. He is also hyper, like, MUST be moving, MUST be doing something, MUST go run, and expend energy. He talks non-stop. It's not annoying or bad talking, just him sharing what is in his head, and what he is thinking, 24-7.

It could look to someone like I am blowing something out of proportion, but any Mom who is dealing with a similar thing gets this, and knows how tired I am. :P

It is difficult to separate the BAD stuff, from the HIM stuff. Or the bad attitudes from the un controllable emotion chip. Like if he forgets to feed the dog, THAT is just him, he gets busy in has head and forgets, but then ,,,, he lies about it. He is worried I will be mad, and worried about being yelled at for forgetting, so he lies. I have to deal with it, but then I feel bad, because I react badly to his forgetfulness to the point he feels he needs to lie :P

Now understand, I am not a softie, I tend more towards military style parenting, LOL, but, God decided I needed a kid who is so not black and white. Someone I need to connect to emotionally, someone who will get me outside of my box. I have to be on call all the time, and think before I react, EVERY time. I have to weigh, is this his quirk, or is this him being obstinate.

He really IS a very good kid, and really does try to make people happy,. and he loves to be praised, and he loves to accomplish things, and push himself to do better. He just has this block, He forgets, or gets distracted, and then, everything I might have said is gone, and he is in the moment, and forgets, shoes, or to change his shirt, or to brush his teeth, and then needs to explain it all to me, but I just want him UPSTAIRS DOING IT. Then we get emotions, and I go into ..... don't cry to get out of it ...... and it's a circle of stress. :P

At school, it is showing, his teacher is awesome, and has a knack for dealing with him, but her concern, and now ours is that when he gets to 3rd grade he won't be able to handle the atmosphere, since it is alot of working alone, and getting your work done at your desk, in the time given, without reminders or breaks or the ability to get up or talk. It will be a new world, and NOT a place he will thrive in at all. This year we will be working on things. Grant is my new job. I will be working with him every moment i can to help him focus and think ahead and prepare for a new school scene next year. I will also be researching dietary changes, to help his body. He can't have any red dyes, I actually try to avoid any at all really, but I am thinking we need to go deeper, whatever he needs to keep his body in control, that is what we will do.

I sounds like a lot of work to me, and it makes me tired to think about it, but, I want my smart little scientist to excel, and to reach the goals he wants to reach, I want him to make the grades that show how brilliant he is, so he can get into a great college where he belongs, and find the cure to cancer, or whatever great thing he will invent.

And so, that's my vent on Grant ...... I do love the heck out of that kid, he is a light in a dark dumb world :D

My own worst demons

2011-07-21T11:45:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, I get sad, for no real reason. It's called depression, it makes no sense, it has no preference for body types, or personality types, it just exists. Too bad for me, it lives in me. It is not easy to talk about, I can here, because pretty much anyone who reads this, gets it.

Today, and for a little while now, the voices are winning, they are winning in the weight loss fight, they are winning in the love fight, in the mommy fight, and yes, in the laundry fight.

It's very unfair, but, the only way to get back on one's feet, is never to let them knock you off your feet. (if you can help it) This round, isn't as bad as some, so I can stay on my feet, and walk, one step a day, a shower here, an outing there, it all helps me "be normal" and once in a while the voices get drowned by life.

**siiigh** that's all just had to write it down, another thing that helps me keep walking.

something I wrote a while ago, in my Dark months ...... (early spring sucks in my head) This is how I WAS feeling, not quite so dark today, but I think it's worth sharing, so no one feels alone.

"Standing still, and the world is spinning,

My muse is worried, but the darkness is grinning

I feel I'm not far from slipping down then slope

Getting back up is the work; having to ask for a rope

I wonder how long i can stay up here,

teetering over the cliff

Sometimes I crave it,

Usually I'm scared stiff

There are days when the Darkness is inviting

Like a blanket I want to get lost in

Other days it's like a dark scary closet

I keep it closed so the monster stays in

Hanging over the crevasse, feeling the depths below,

It's comforting today, all i need it to just let go...."

You Nork Mow Lawners

2011-04-18T22:28:00.005-04:00

Today was my first "fast food Monday" My new schedule looks like this .... Volunteering at the church office in the am, while Sam is at school, Stop at store to get Ricotta cheese, to finish a lasagna dinner I am making for a neighbor with a new baby. It seems that ricotta cheese is not as common a thing as one might think, you can't stop at a quick IGA gas station, or even United Dairy Farmer, or even my discount grocer. That is what I get for trying to save time and money, next time, I will go all the way to Kroger, and pay whatever. :P

So, no cheese, must rush home to meet the bus, then throw pizza at Sam, and go out to find cheese, which you can see wasn't as simple as I had planned, but I got it, I now have 45 minutes to start cooking pasta, and assembling, and baking the cookie brownie bars, then I have to get in the car again, and go pick up Jessie (babysitter being babysat by me) from the Jr. High school by 2:15. We get home, and I go into frenzy mode. I throw brownies in oven, and finish assembling lasagna. Too bad I put 2x the amount of butter it said on the box, oh well, that's why I'm not a baker .... oh wait .... fail .:P

Now, did I mention the fascinating convo I had with my daughter while hunting the illusive cheese? She sat in the back, with two windows open, and music playing, and proceeded to tell me a story, about some play at school about Peter Rabbit, I couldn't hear her, because she was mumbling, and I said as much, to which she answered.

"Mom, I am not mumbling, I am just talking, there is something wrong with your ears!"

I did catch something about Peter Rabbit being from "You Nork" I was trying to get out of her, how she came to that conclusion, and she explained,

"Well, I think he lived there, and I think PROBALLY, his first house, when he was really really little, was in You Nork, so that means he is from You Nork."

I said why?

"WHY? There is no WHY about it! He is just from You Nork!"

Yes, she said every single time, and I would have been rolling laughing if I hadn't been driving, I was trying to memorize it all, so I would remember it when I went to record it all.

Let's see, oh yes, I finish making the dinner, in time to make a wrap for me to eat, since I havent, ALL DAY, I did consume 3 thermoses of coffee, but nothing better. SO I sit, to eat, and sort coupons, for 30 minutes tops, I get half of the wrap down, and don't feel very relaxed as I get up to go kibitz with the neighbors while waiting for Grant's bus.

Now it's 4:15, we need to leave by 4:30 to drop off the meal, and tale Jessie to Gymnastics, then come back to the other side of town for Grant's soccer practice, the timing is perfect, it takes about 30-40 minutes to go through the McD's and get nuggets for kids and salad for me, then drive back to the soccer fields, where Mommy can SIT, and eat salad, and relax. We notice that the fields have been freshly cut, but "Mow Lawners" according to my son, much to his own amusement.

Grant gets dressed in the car, and I look at his clothes, and ask ..

"Grant, did you get a napkin with your meal?"

"Yeah"

"Then WHY do you have crumbs ALL OVER your shirt?" (this is our current Pet peeve, children using clothes for napkins) UGH!

he quips back at me ...

"Man, I can't wait to grow up and be a scientist, then I am going to make shirts out of napkins!"

I am feeling on top of it all, like I actually made it through the first Fast Food Monday, when something flashes in my brain.

Have you seen the commercial where one soccer mom says to the other .. "Does my kid look a little sluggish today?"

And you see a giant box of french fries in soccer cleats out on the feild .... something about healthy kids eating real food, and being better in sports ....... and yeah ..... I just threw my kid out on the field with those french fries in his belly .... fail ....

heh .. oh well, the lasagna was good! :)

Java ... no Hutt!

2011-04-15T20:29:00.002-04:00

Yuh, you can pretty much find anything on the internet.

I got a piece of artwork, the first piece I've bought for the new house. It was on clearance, (of course) and it says JAVA. It's really nice, in the colors I'm aiming at, it fits perfect in it's little nook, and my kids ..... are very confused.

I expect in most houses, you would have to explain to the 5 yr old and the 7yr old, What exactly Java means ...... but in our house, not so much.

I had to explain, Java is NOT a Hutt! Java is coffee, the Hutt is Jabba.

They didn't quite get it, and they think it's pretty funny that I have a hutt coffee cup on my wall.

I have to say though, I am quite proud. :)

Picture ...not so Perfect .. :P

2011-04-15T09:02:00.004-04:00

SO, Yesterday was loads of fun .... BTW ..(that means By The Way for any non-texties out there) I re-started writing, inspired by something my lovely Sister said ... well my sis-in-law, but she would be another sister to me even if she wasn't "married in" :) Anyway, she said once, she felt like she lost some of her creativity, and used a little less brain muscle when sticking primarialy to FaceBook. The blog offers more space, and requires more thinking to write something remotely entertaining, so I have started back at it, since writing is something I do fairly well, and I like to tell stories, and apparently, my life is sort of funny, or at least when I tell it that way. ;)

SO, back to yesterday. Super fun day! :P I have been on ice and rest for most of the week, due to my back, and so I have had alot of things in the house pile up. Yesterday I decided I would stay home, and work on the things that needed to be done. I finished the paint in the bathroom, no more tarps for bath mats, and paint buckets to trip over in the middle of the night, no more blue tape! Then I cleaned off the bar in the kitchen, (it's an Island type thing, but actually a big oak bar, brass rail and all, it's great for putting out appetizers and drinks for parties, but not so practical for real life, and a FABULOUS paper catcher) so i cleaned it off. Do you have ANY clue how many papers two little kids can bring home in one school week? It's astronomical! UGH! Anyway ..i got some stuff done, and I sat out on the deck in the sun and had girl time with Sammy, we painted our nails. Something I only do in Summer, and only my feet so the look less hideous in my new LLBean flippies. Sam of course got the full mani-pedi, and was exclaiming all day long how she couldn't believe how beautiful they looked, and how dazzled everyone would be when they saw, and oooh and ahhh, and that is NOT my kid! :D It was nice to see that 30 minutes of my time made such an impact, I must do it more often, and maybe a little less girly.

Normal stuff, then my babysitter got here, and I sent her, Samantha and the pooch out in the sun with the intent of finally folding all that clean laundry, and catching up on Gilrmore Girls (LOVE my dvr!) Well, the first thing I did, was pull out soccer uniforms, we had team pictures last night, so i needed uniforms, I found everything but ONE black sock. >_< I then spent the time searching hi and low for the dern thing, finally finding it in time to go out and catch Grant's bus, then I sat out front with neighbors while all the kids played and biked and ran.

I also checked my email, and saw that the email said Sam's pictures were at 5:15, and Grant's were at 6:15 so, I left with half dressed kids, a bag full of snacky picnic type foods to feed children between shoeing and hair fixing and picture taking.

I get there, and NO one from Sam's team was there yet, excpt one mom, whom I actually introduced myself to (of which I was very proud, until I said WHOA! about her having 5 kids under 7 and I think she took it wrong dern!)

Anyway, so I'm too early, no big, lets sit and eat, and put on cleats and fix hair and Mommy can fill out the order forms, except, OMG! No check book, at least no the right one. :P ok ok, we figure that out, but no coaches here, so I don't know my team name, or group number, and OMG! I brought cheddar jack cheeze-it's, and my neatly made up children are now covered in orange cheese powder from the top of their head to their knee socks!. >_< Way to go mommy.:P

Pack up! Walking back to the car, cause smart mommy has baby wipes in the glove box, as I walk I pass many other children, and neat ones too, and lots and lots of girls with bows in their parfect hair that perfectly match their jersey, and 30 minutes ago, it made me feel a little sub-par, but now, I think , Their "perfect hair and bow kid" is my "Clean face and shirt kid". It all evens out.

I finally find teams, and people I recognize, and get a team name, and group number, and proceed to fill out BOTH forms most efficiently, which would have been really good, if both kids were on the same team, which their NOT! OI with the Poodles! Now I am bouncing between two teams, looking like I'm there, and I care, and trying to get order forms filled out, and my daughter decides she is picking wildflowers like it or not mom, so I may be walking, but she is meandering, amongst probably hundreds of kids and parents in soccer uniforms, being most likely the shortest one there.

Did I mention how much fun I had? So much flippin' fun that I put children to bed ASAP, no bath, although, how on earth they got THAT dirty by waiting to get their picture taken I'll never know! No real dinner, not more then the granola bars and the cheeze-its that disappeared out of the blue unbeknown to them.

Yeah, it was something else, and made my glass of wine with dinner QUITE deserved!

2011-04-13T16:23:00.002-04:00

REALLY? I mean c'mon! You have the ENTIRE first floor of a giant saltbox house, and the ONLY place in the entire house you can find to chew on your new bone is ON the LEG of my Office chair? SERIOUSLY?

That's the only spot? Oh, well apart from ON TOP of my feet while I wash dishes, I'm thinking you need to think a little bigger dude, this house is Big enough for the two of us!

OI with the poodles already!

2011-04-12T21:37:00.002-04:00

How was your day? Or really? Well want to hear about mine? Too bad, you showed up, now you have to read. ;)

I woke unable to move for the most part, I have a recurring lower back injury, a disk that gets irritated and today, it's feeling like a pinched nerve. So, I am slow, and pretty useless.

I am happy for two reasons, I have clean outfits for both kids for school, and I remembered it was Samantha's picture day. Too bad it's only 45 degrees this morning with 30mph winds, the denim dress for Sam, and shorts for Grant look somewhat lacking, oh well! WE ARE VERMONTERS! WE can handle it!

oooor not :P

I was proud of myself for doing Samantha's hair in a cute way that should last till pictures with no great damage. Until we went out side and the wind about knocked us over. :P I was proud of me, till right before she got on the bus, whipping, windblown hair in face, i realize she does not have the photo ordering sheet in her backpack. fail .

New plan, now, instead of going shopping, (today is my first attempt at "couponing" as guided by my sis-in-law I had plans to shower, get dressed and meet the challenge looking my best) I need to run out to her school right after Grant gets on the bus, so I can get the order sheet to her before her session.

I come inside, to get Grant ready for the bus, which comes in 15 minutes, and he is standing just inside the door, holding the blue rope that our new puppy was tethered to outside, except now it's inside, well, half of it is, dangling off the end of the smug pug's collar. Faaabulous. He gets his coat on, and walks out to the bus stop, freezing, literally, in the wind, and starts a tirade on how much I must not love him, to send him, the only child in OHIO who has to wear shorts today, to school on this cold cold day. Why didn't I have clothes ready for him? Well son, I did have clothes ready, and since it was 85 on Sunday, 75 on Monday, I figured shorts were the correct attire for today. Too bad i don't read the future!

Kids off to school, I (wearing an old 'Friday night meltdown' tee shirt, jeans, a hoodie and a hat) jump in the car and book to Sam's school. I do have the wherewithal to grab enough coupons and my list for my first "hunt" and accomplish that while I'm out.

I get to come home for a shower and change, and head out fully ready to shop, which goes well, except for the HOT HOT cup of Sttarbucks coffee that starts oozing out the side seam of the cup, wow, the girl DID say it was very strong coffee, but really, that's a little bit overkill!

All shopping went well, very very well. I started a nice stockpile, and felt like I was really on a road to saving serious money, then of course, there are the children coming home from school. All three of them, yeah, three, that'd be mine, Sam = 5 Grant = 8 and also Jessie = 13 ...( she is my babysitter, who stays here while her mom works) they all filter in throughout the day, with varying levels of loudness and character.

That topped with the new puppy, a one year old puggle, makes for quite an exciting, loud, crazy, chaotic, exhausting day.

Well, as the evening is winding down, after dinner, Jessie goes home, Daddy comes home, oh I don't know, why don't Samantha and I go drive to the mall, the one I have never driven to myself, and go get the flower girl dress Samantha is wearing this summer for my best friends wedding, I mean, why not? It's not like anything is going on tonight right? Well, not since they postponed the soccer team pictures due to cold and wind and wet ground ... oh it's cold out? Who knew?

Did I mention my back? OH and that I'm on Atkins? So, I'm starving, no fast food, and in PAAAAIN! When i get home, and throw them into bed, make a wrap with the meat i got today, and sit, on a bag of ice, with my feet up. Apparently rest is helpful for these things, hmmm nice thought ..... now big pain meds, THAT I can do!

Is it bedtime yet?

Florida ... part two......

2011-04-07T11:12:00.004-04:00

So, this is the second half of a post I wrote almost a two years ago exactly ........ Now i have time to finish, hopefully the memory too. :)

PART ONE

So, we made it down south, in the hot car, with no AC and probably too many kids is what my mom and at were thinking by the time we got there. The house was small, not the best of accommodations, but we really didn't notice, what we did notice was the nature around us. The geckos that were everywhere, the odd fact that it rained EVERY day, just a little in the morning. The GIGANTIC waves, we had never seen such surf. Our idea of "the beach" is a very New England one. Cold wet sand, a chance of sun, IF you go in August, IF your lucky, and maybe even water almost warm enough to enjoy swimming in. Oh my friends the awe! A beach, with white sand, and gigantic blue waves, that were WARM! Sun, bright, hot sun all day long, every day .... oh, and SUNBURN! Yeah, another New England mis-fire. We are not used to getting enough sun to actually worry about burning much. Well, we learned THAT lesson quick, and had to miss a couple days swimming because of it. Oh well!

We went to the Everglades national park, where we walked to boardwalk all over the swamps, looking for alligators and lizards, pelicans and all manner of wild plant life. It was absolutely fascinating to us.

One day we took a tour of the Everglades on Airboats, pictured above. Giant flat bottom boats with huge fans on the back of them, one of the best and fastses way to glide across the endless miles of swamp. The guy who took us out was "cousin Butch" I don't know his real relation to us, or do I officially know why in the world the guy own a homestead of types on an island in the middle of swamp no-where, but I do know, that on that day, after it had started raining, and we were soaked, and cold, and ready for comfort, that hut in the middle of who knows where, with warmth, and KFC brought with us, we like heaven. The first time I had KFC, I shall never forget the feeling of being so very far away from normal, and feeling so very comfy. Of course there were snakes too, one of which decided to travel in the cargo hold of a boat. Too bad the small Matt, (who Uncle Butch was afraid of loosing from a fast turn, and him flying off the boat) he had to travel in the cargo hold too, good thing we didn't know about the snake till we got back. :P

I remember eating catfish and hush-puppies. I remember Aunt Pearl, she was a sweetheart, she would rock baby amy to sleep on hot muggy nights, out on the screened in porch, singing southern Lullabies in her ear. I remember my some distant cousin of mine, being loud, and remembering one line each from dozens of songs, cause he would watch the record ads on TV and that's all he knew. He would walk around singing .... "Please help me I'm Faaalliiing!"

I remember being tired, and thinking that Mom and Aunty must be about "tuckered out from this VERY long trip and were not looking forward to the three days of return trip.

I remember a restaurant we stopped at on the way home called "Lizard's Thicket". It was done in Southwestern decor, and there were lizards everywhere, not real ones, stone ones, carved on the pottery, the walls, everywhere. The food was distinctly southern, and yummy, and it was the first time I ate Apple jelly, from a little packet on the table, it felt like Rich livin'. :) When we left, My grandpa gave us a gift. Tickets to go to Epcot Center! That was most certainly a highlight of our trip. It don't remember alot of the visit, a few rides, like the boat that went through all different cities, some space ride, seeing all the different countries, and of course the gift shop, where we got all kinds of mementos, mostly with rainbows on them, it WAS the 90's after all. :)

One of the hotels we stayed in, think the last one before home, was a REAL hotel. We had been staying in motels, the little one story things with sketchy pools, and no free anything, cheap and easy. The last one however, was a big Holiday inn, with food, and an elevator, and an INDOOR pool! It was the high life, it really was. :)

Yeah so that's our super exciting long trip down to Florida. It was our biggest adventure so far. When I think about it now, I am in awe, of our Mom's taking on this trip. I don't know that I would do it, with just my two kids. They did a great job, making it fun, managing to let us do so much stuff, with a baby, and sunburn, and family stress, to us, it was just one big fun trip. Job well done Mom! :D

Brainwashing ....

2010-05-18T11:59:00.006-04:00

Ooh deep! Well, not really, but maybe. LOL.

I was just thinking on my was home today about music, and how much I love it, and crave it, and thrive or wither under it's influence.

This month is a tough one for me, from past experience and recent events, people lost at this time of year, and events that changed me ... I tend to get introspective, withdrawn, and frequently dip back into the depression mode for a while. I know it's coming, I try to ward it off, but somehow, it just always surprises me. Music soothes the soul!

Brainwashing, where was I going? Ah yes, I am a firm believer in GOD, I do things in my faith walk now, not because I should, not because it is 'godly' or 'Christian' or even expected of me, but because I believe God wants me to, I believe that in an effort to give my kids a home that speaks His name, does His will, and wants to follow Him for Life, I need to have some 'brainwashing' going on. Lemme splain, :)

TV ... growing up, (well it a Loooong story, so i sum THAT up ) but it was a *bit* strict in my house, also, we had lots of kids, one working parent, not alot of spare money, and lived in rural NH. These things all added up to minimal TV. Partly due to content, mostly due to a lack of channels. We watched PBS mostly, and I must say, it served me well! Levar Burton gave me a love of books. Mr rogers taught me to zipper my own coat, and that my imagination was a gift to be treasured, Sesame Street, oh c'mon it taught us all LOTS! When we were younger, and in a bigger town, we watched cartoons, care bears and Gi Joe, and so on, but yeah PBS was our mainstay for most of our life, and seriously, growing up didn't know we were "missing out" on anything. My initial thought with my kids, was "Let them eat cake!' Give them all kinds of TV. I mean after all, look at what we have now! Nick Jr and Disney and on and on.... but ahh yeah, problems! First of all, commercial hell! My kids got into the "Mom look at THAT toy! I want it! I GOTTA have THAT toy! "

now it is .... "I want that for my birthday" ..or..."Maybe mom, someday on Christmas?" or ... "do you think Santa knows about THAT Barbie? Or Lego set or ... AH ENOUGH!!" The things they teach on some of these "kids" shows, good greif! Sponge Bob is of the devil, I would let my kid watch the evil purple Dino over that nasty creation of filth. :P Even young drama, like Hannah Montana have dating themes and jokes that I don't want my kids to get! GEEZ!

PBS, you have always been good to me! :) Now, we watch PBS, Samantha watches Disney in the mornings, no commercials, well precious few anyway.

MOVIES .... classics, so many old movies my kids have not seen, so much to catch up on. We like to stick to Disney, good classic themes, good role models, always parents dying, LOL! Some things never change!

CDs ..... My son loves Odyssey, and so for Easter this year, we bought him a box set of 16 episodes, he has gone through them over and over time for more! He loves them, can't get enough, and who's to argue? Such good current and timeless messages on those shows! Also, I have made him a mix CD of some loud rockin' Dc Talk and FFH and Jars of Clay and and the W's and Newsboys and so on, he loves it, LOVES the loud God music.

MUSIC ... I'm back .... we spend so much time driving in the car, and what is on the radio, will come out of my children's mouths, and stick in their heads. What do I want in their heads? Now when I'm alone, or with just adults it's different, usually, maybe. Sometimes, we talk to much to care, but just me, I need uplifting music, even country sometimes depresses me way too much, and I go back to the Christian station. My initial thought was, if they are going to keep it in their heads, and sing it, make it gospel! The rewards, make me cry! My daughter 4yrs old, LOVES to sing, and she sings along with all the music, word for word, and then I can't sing cause I'm all choked up. Now, they ask me questions about the songs, like "who is the devil?" "what does Glorious mean?' "God loves us always?" "Is no one ever perfect? How do we be good enough?You can't buy that stuff! You can't Stuff that into their brain. It's a subtle thing, it's setting the atmosphere. I know I can't keep them in a bubble, it doesn't work, never will. I cannot control a lot of things in their lives, but My Home and My Car I can control. I can wash their brains of the negativity, the anger, the confusion, the pain of "out there" I can wash their minds with God's love, grace' peace, and mercy. His words will stick in their heads, and the messages are there, for later on in life when they will need them. Someday, they will read something, or hear something and it will take them back to their childhood when they first heard that message and it will CLICK!

You know how I know that? Cause it did for me, all the music and messages my parents washed my brain with, STUCK. The classic Christian music, the old hymns, the verses read from the Bible by my Dad, the REAL Christmas story read from Luke every Christmas eve, STUCK. And now, it is part of who I am.

So, while driving today ... I was thinking about a girl who died 2 yrs ago today .... and she is missed, and I was thinking a friend who died almost a year ago, and my past, and so on, and on the radio ...... "You will be safe in His arms" and OMG, it's now playing as i type! God sends us messages! If we happen to have the radio on, maybe it will come in music. :) Also, on the way home I was thinking, "well it IS that time of year, i DO tend to get down" and on the radio? "This is where the healing begins." Who is to say when we are totally healed? Or 100% well, we wouldn't need a great physician if we were ever 100% now would we?

I will leave you with the thoughts of a 4 yr old .....

"Mommy what is Glorious?"

"well, it means, wonderful, awesome, beautiful, another word for those things."

"So, that means ... I AM Glorious!"

Oh my precious child YES YOU ARE and don't ever forget it!!

Later, long after the radio was off, Samantha was singing to herself and says ....

"Mommy, is it really never to late to get back up again?"

o.0 I dunno, do you think God knew what I needed to hear today?

Cakes!

2010-05-03T12:01:00.003-04:00

Introducing .......

Yup, I'm gonna sell baked yummies, starting with cakes. This latest one has a lot of people asking me if I will do cakes for them, seems like moving to a bigger area, a busier neighborhood, more people, gets you more attention! :) So, yes, I started by putting my ad on our neighborhood website, under the business directory, HERE

Mike D gave me a new website and I have spruced it up to my liking ..HERE

This morning I have gotten nothing done, except for digitalizing my little penguin logo, that i drew with sharpies, and I also worked out my pricing list, mostly, and my delivery area, mostly, and am working on an inventory list, but thinking these wide eyed children look hungry, lol and laundry needs a kick-start ... so back to the mundane, but I wanted to give everyone a peek into what's new over here in Ohio-land. :)

Wordless Wednesday #35 .... "A little piece of home"

2010-04-28T10:50:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday #34 .... "Remember to smile"

2010-04-14T11:44:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday #33 .... "From the mouth's of babes"..<--see first comment ;)

2010-03-31T10:41:00.002-04:00

Wordless Wednesday #32 .... "Tum ta Tum Tum TUMS! A girl's best friend!"

2010-03-24T08:42:00.001-04:00

Y...M..C>.A ... :)

2010-03-22T13:58:00.003-04:00

So, today was day # 1 of our "spring Schedule" I've signed the kids up for Gymnastics, and myself for a work out class. Sam is Mon. after school, Grant is Thurs. evening, and I am Tues and Thurs mornings for "Total Body Conditioning" weewt! Today I watched Samantha do her Gymnastics, and the poor kid! :P

Almost a year ago, she was diagnosed with "Hypotonia" which basically means she has very low muscle tone. I have noticed it for some time, not knowing what it was, but when she started Pre-school her teacher noticed it, and suggested I get her checked out, so we did, and now we know that she really has a reason for being so sluggish, and well, floppy! I mean, if you just watched her you would think she is just not a mobile kid, but she LOVES to move and run and jump and try to keep up with Grant, she just cant. We were told to get her into programs, targeted at strengthening muscles, try to work things out with her, like mastering steps, and better balance, and making her walk more, to build up her stamina. It all seems so easy, and normal, but it's not normal, I could tell by watching her in the gym, she is slower, much further behind the other kids in normal things, like hopping and running.

At first I felt bad for her, but then as I watched, she is just a determined little thing! She wants to do it, no matter how hard, she wants to try at least once, and see if she can do it. She tried her best to keep up with everyone, and smiled the whole time. It was cool, so I said all that to say, I think she will do OK. She may have to stay in this class a couple rounds, but she loves it, so lets keep going!

I have a feeling, when Grant hits the mats, it's gonna be a TOTALLY different story! ;)

Wordless Wednesday #31 .... "Like Mother, Like Daughter"

2010-03-17T08:23:00.001-04:00

Crud

2010-03-16T09:57:00.002-04:00

Ohio River Crud. seriously, look it up, it's fo' real yo!

Anyway, yeah I'm sicker than a dog today, which SUCKS. I had grand plans to go work out, take my kids to library, get library cards finally, but now, I can barely get them food to eat, let alone looking decent enough to go outside. :P

this is a rambling post really ..... almost boring? :D

I went to the doc recently, just a yearly check up, refreshing prescriptions and stuff. A couple things of mention,

Every time I do something like this, I think, wow, I really live here, I really don't live in Vermont anymore, I really need a new doctor, new drugstore, eventually new license! I'm holding out on that last one :P

Another thing, one that helped that homesicky feeling, when I was checking in at the front desk, I saw the back of a doctor's coat standing in the hall, and my eyes were drawn to her SHOES! She had these fabulous bright yellow HIGH heel sandals on. I thought, man, I hope she's my doctor! She is! :D She was wearing a simple purple dress, apparently she spends little on her clothes, since they are only there to compliment her shoes. I liked her immediately! Also, she has Twins, a boy and a girl, that are 6, and had a very similar delivery to what mine was with Samantha, and so we talked about how our husbands are perfectly happy with one of each, and a healthy mommy, and neither of them cares to "try again" LOL. It was nice, I felt like i made a friend, which is REALLY good, since I have a bad habit of avoiding the doc. :)

Last ... sorta, I talked to her about my Migraines. I have had bad headaches as far back as I can remember, but they never seemed as bad as My Aunt's, she had migraines, and my friend down the road got killer ones, so i figured, no big deal. As I have gotten older, they progressively get worse, I am at the point now where they knock me down, I need darkness, quiet, sleep, LOTS of Excedrin. :P So I talked to her, and got real Migraine Medicine, and OMG! I take it, and it goes away! Mostly, I still get the side effects, but those are NOTHING compared to the pain.

On that note, it brings me back to the crud, This morning I woke up with the allergy face, you know, the 10lb hammer slamming into the whole front of you face, you feel like it is puffed up to 10x it's size, your eyes burn, runny nose ... yeah you get it. So I take Sudafed ....... and it helps ... but the crud is almost like flu, so I'm still dragging, and i have a headache that won't quit, so I take ONE of my new pills, and lay on my bed ..... thinking ..... so non- drowsy will make my shaky, but the Midrin will make me sleepy, and the crud makes me ucky, so .... i hope my kids get lunch today .. LOL. OH, yeah .... and 2 hours later ... DOH! I never ate anything, not so good, so as I type I'm trying to down toast, and water .... and .... UGH Crud. :P

**don't give me that look, i warned you it was going to be boring!**

Wordless Wednesday #30... trying to stay connected ..

2010-03-10T10:19:00.002-05:00

My turf

2010-03-08T13:11:00.003-05:00

**This posts explains the reason I picked this new layout for my blog.**

So, I live in the suburbs. I never imagined myself doing that, as I grew up in the country, THAT is where I imagined living out my life, simply, in a simple place, with a simple life. Not so! I married a guy who works hard for his company, and they like him, so they move him forward and upward, and Ohio-ward.

I will follow him anywhere mind you, but moving to the "burbs" was NOT an easy thing to come to terms with. First of all, the houses all look the same! You go into these neighborhoods and it looks like a cookie cutter massacre of the landscape.

( I have also found out that from living in NE so long, i have turned into a little bit of a tree hugger. Scoffing the smog, being mad at people for driving ridiculously big vehicles for no reason, demolishing of the rolling hills and grasses, it all bothers me WAAAY more than I ever realized. )

But, back to the matter at hand, Cookie cutter houses on postage stamp lawns is NOT what I preferred for my first house, but I knew this move was God's will, and so I followed, and I trusted that if God wanted me here, He would give me something I could latch onto, and feel "at home" here in the flatlands of Suburbia.

My neighborhood, is awesome, it is cleared from farmland, so they didn't do a lot to the land that was already pretty flat, they left a lot of natural grades and trees and a brook. They added lovely ponds, and walking trails to let people enjoy the area. There are rules here about houses, they are NOT ALLOWED to look the same. They want it to look somewhat varied, as varied as you can get with a 100+ plus houses in one sot built by only 4 different companies.

My house, stands out. It is a plain saltbox shape, no fancy dormers, no stone, just a New Englandy looking salt box in Cape Cod grey with navy shutters. You could plop our house right in the middle of a beachy neighborhood in the Cape and it would blend in beautifully. We get a lot of compliments on our house, how pretty it is, how it stands out so nicely. Yeah that works for me! Not to mention, the space inside, the places Mike can escape to when he wants, the space for me to do my crafts, the space for my kids to play and just be kids even in the darkest coldest wintry days, we have a big bright house to romp through.

My yard, is perfect. No it's not huge, and yes, looking at the pictures it may seem snug, but the back yard is the gem! We are backed up to preserved land, they can't develop behind us. We have a brook, a small rambling, rocky brook. It is amongst weepy trees that bend down and make perfect fort-like hides for little kids. Yesterday in the first warm weather we've had, I went exploring down into the brush and was so pleasantly excited, it felt like I was back Home in Walpole, looking for Faerie houses, and bunnies, and trying to hide from pesky brothers. It's perfect, I can't wait for the ground to dry up, so I can get down there and clear it out, and show the kids how to make forts and climb trees, and get our feet wet in the brook.

Yes, God did good. He usually does, if we wait patiently to see His plans. I am very happy with my suburban piece of countryness. It suits me just fine my friends, and I wouldn't change a thing!

Wordless Wednesday ...... "Shopping with Mini Me"

2010-03-03T14:13:00.000-05:00

sweet 16 babay

2010-02-18T00:21:00.002-05:00

don't tell anyone, but according to my beautiful daughter, sometime in the next 24 hours, I will be turning 16! Isn't that lovely?

I seem to have vague memories of doing 16 already, skating party with my best girl friends, silver necklace that said Sweet Sixteen, but it must have been a dream, cause today, is the REAL #16!

heeheehee

MOTHERHOOD .....Please see warning label

2010-02-12T15:17:00.000-05:00

**BEWARE ... motherhood may cause one or many of the following. Proceed with caution..... Hormonal changes, weight gain, lowered Stress tolerance, wrinkles, grey hairs, Emotional emotions, spontaneous weeping, spontaneous screaming, spontaneous laughter, insomnia, muscle aches, Heartaches, heart enlargement, higher pain tolerance, lower emotional tolerance............... HOWEVER, in the end, it appears to be worth the side affects :) ***

Soo, today I went shopping, i am so out of the loop with kid's clothing, I have had 90% of my kids clothing passed down or bought as gifts, now I'm alone mostly, and lost that network, and I have to BUY clothes! Grant is 6 and suddenly growing a couple inches every hour :P His size depends on the quality of the clothes, so I spend alot time between the toddlers and "big boys" sections, which hurts a bit! :P I wanna go back to fuzzy puppy sleepers that are soo tiny you wonder how babies can be so small. Now, i buy jeans and thinking, REALLY? Is he THAT tall?? This morning I had to get T-Shirts for Sammy who is 4 but closing in on size 5 pretty quick. I buy these t-shirts, and when i get home, I open the package and they are HUGE! I'm wondering how I got the size so wrong, so I call Sammy over, and put them up to her ........ and they fit!!

So, when was saying "Oh man, these aren't right"

Sammy is sad, then i hold them up and say "WHAT?! They fit?"

Now she is happy, and says, Mommy, they FIT! That is a GOOD thing, don't be sad."

Seriously, i almost cried, LOL what a sap! I just can't get over how fast all that time went!! OI!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

2010-02-11T08:52:00.001-05:00

just wanted to say .....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my seester

OODIEBEAN!!!!

Love ya sis :)

Handy Dandy .. Mousa-ka-tools!

2010-02-04T12:52:00.002-05:00

Remember Blue's Clues? How he always had his "Handy Dandy Notebook!" whenever he needed to write something down? Have you seen Mickey Mouse lately? He has a clubhouse, and this little electronic pair of ears that follow him all day full of "Mouse-ka-tools" and amazingly, the tools are only and EXACTLY the ones he needs.

WHY have they not invented these for Mom's? WHY do I not have a Notebook that pops up everytime i say>..."I better write that down!" I don't care if it's in blue crayon, as long as the thought doesn't get forgotten till it's too late!

What about screwdrivers? OI for cryin' out loud, I'll be tidying my kitchen and wonder why on God's green earth do I have ALL the screwdrivers in the whole house in my Silverware drawer??? Then, when i need one, do you THINK i could find it? Or a thermometer? I KNOW i must own at least 8, cause I've seen them, when we are all well, and I'm organizing, but as soon I feel Sammy's head, and say, OI, all the thermometers scatter to the ends of the earth. >_<

I was thinking, in a perfect world, I would have those ears, and give cheers .. .(it's a mickey thing .. you'd have to see it ) ... then I remember a dream, from last night, it was a glimpse into a much more Mom-friendly world.....

...Picture this ..... **this is all I remember of the dream** .......I am walking in a lonely field,out in nowhere land and finally get cell service ..... **and oddly it looks strikingly similar to an NCIS set i may have seen on TV that night** so I go to dial a number, and alas! My phone dies. BUT! Then .... i say ....

"Dagum! well, I guess I'll have to plug it in"

, and I do ... cause you see, now, I am in my nice little car with the charger and a full tank of gas, and driving to safety and wondering why I thought I was in trouble.

Isn't that a nice world? **siiigh**

ok, back to my lunch, PB&J with cheddar sharks .... it's the good life, really, it is. :D

God Is amazing Isn't He?

2010-02-01T14:37:00.003-05:00

So, I've decided most of my "funny posts" will most likely be coming from the mouth of my 4yr old daughter ... she pretty much kills me. :)

Out shopping for yarn, we have a new little niece, whose name is Ruby, therefore, we must buy red ruby yarn to make her warm ruby slippers with. :)

Out of the blue, Sammy says to me ..."Mommy, How does God make a baby?"

DOH! Mommy stammers too long, cannot think of a thing to say because i want to laugh, and i said something like ...

"Well, it's an amazing thing that God does ..."

Sammy, "Is it magic?"

Mommy is REALLY trying to keep it together now ..

Sammy. ..."Well, I guess God IS pretty amazing, so he could pwobably make just about anything huh? Yeah ..Hey! I like this pink Yarn!"

Mommy moved to the end of the isle to laugh it out those little brains never stop thinking!

Shake anyone?

2010-01-29T14:43:00.002-05:00

Conversation had with My 4yr old daughter the other day, she was supposed to be getting dressed, and had only managed to get her PJ pants off.

..Samantha dances into the kitchen singing... "Shake, Shake ya Bootay! Shake shake ya bootay!."

I stop abruptly and say loudly .... ."WHAT are you singing?!"

Samantha replies with ... Eyeroll and Sigh "Shake your BOO..T EE , MOooMeeEE! Hey! did you know that Bootee, means whispers butt!? HA HA HA!!" and she dances away singing ... "shake shake ... shake ya bootay!"

o.0

It's OSO Icy!

2010-01-21T08:23:00.002-05:00

Have you seen the show "agent OSO" on Playhouse Disney? It's pretty cute, perfect for my little pre-schooler, but oh my goodness it makes me laugh! It is about a secret agent, named OSO, and of course it's a spoof off of the greatest secret agent ever, BOND. SO, the names of the missions and the songs they sing are all spin offs of Bond movies, it just cracks me up.

Anywho, went out to wait for the bus this morning, and my son went out the front door, it was raining, so I told him to wait, went in the garage got an umbrella and went out the garage door, and I hear a small voice saying, "carefu......." and there I am, on flat on my back, sliding down the driveway on a sheet of ice. OUCH! My coffee went everywhere, even on my son :P Poor kid, he fell off the top bunk the night before last and whacked his head, now he is laying on the wet ice, wailing cause he hit his head, and my coffee splashed on his pants. Not a nice way to start the day!

Now, I am OSO sore! I just got my wet jeans off, and I hurt in weird places. UGH! Guess it's a good day for scrapbooking :)

Annoying

2009-12-11T08:15:00.002-05:00

Soooo .... when I started this blog, I was taking steps to become a Wilton Instructor, (for the art of Cake Decorating) and so I started a gmail account and I wanted it to be "CRAZYcakeLady" but, being the ditz that I am, it came out as cARzycakelady ...so that's the main email on this blog, but then when I actually started using gmail, i didn't want THAT account, so I made a new one, but now, when I want to blog I have to sign into this dumb account, and I can't figure out how to change it, or if I even could. UGH.

ANyway ..... just a rant for today. I will get more creative, i promise :)

ACK! She's aliiive :D

2009-12-03T08:49:00.000-05:00

I have become a huge fan of facebook, and so I haven't been on here much, but i do love to chit-chat and since I am far away from my peeps now, maybe it will actually be interesting to someone. :)

Ellen Varnadore Atkins ...... vintage? :D

2008-11-10T19:09:00.005-05:00

that's right, it's my Mum's birthday, and i won't spill her age, but, she was born 6 decades ago. heehehhehehehee

(this is a pic of my Grandpa Varnadore holding his brandy new baby girl)

I could really write a novel, but I look at my mom's life and I see a walking talking example of a Proverb's 31 woman. She has seen years and years of a Faithful God that brings he through the pits and valleys of life, and who lifts her up to heights of joyful bliss she never thought she would see. I am so so proud to call her Mother, I pray every day to someday be the Woman, Christian, Wife, Friend, honest, loving, faithful, funny MOM that i see in her. I guess we'll keep her, after all, she is vintage now!! :D **You love me mommy you know it!** HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

"It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!"

2008-11-07T16:35:00.006-05:00

So, the other day on the way home late at night from somewhere, i saw this thing on the side of the road, well, more like 3 things, giant glowing in the dark cold night. I went by again another night to show my sis, and decided I needed to bring the kids one time but couldn't figure out when, since they are MUCH more impressive in the dark, when they glow. Well, this afternoon they were talking about pumpkins on the way home from the store, and i remembered, and i saw it was dark and dismal out, and thought.... hmmm.. possibly a good time for a Detour ...so we went ... and here is the proof.

yup, that's right, mammoth pumpkins! LOL They were SO cool!! Sammy was not overly cuddly, but Grant was speechless, and all over them, and trying to see how they lit up, and how they got so big and on and on, and he also brought home a new Acorn Collection, yippee!
This one next to Sammy apparently won the prize for the heaviest pumpkin ever grown in Vermont! Wo knew! and so close to home LOL. SO there, ya go, a crazy hectic day, made all better by gigantic smiling Pumpkin faces.

"Luke I am your.....cousin?"

2008-10-22T14:01:00.003-04:00

So we just did Grant's party, i know, but time and schedules, LOL, he was great to wait, and he asked everyone to don costumes, Star Wars the theme, it was a fab party! My hubby cooked the Pizza, and my MIL hosted at her clean, non-moving messed up house to ease my stress. Nice family huh? Yeah, I'll keep them, kids and all, they were pretty cute!

The cousin line up Gigi the ballerina, Sammy aka Princess Leia, Grant aka Luke, Isaac aka Vader, Aiden aka the Pirate

The set up.

The Ice Cream cake that i DID NOT make! :o Gasp! On the top is Han solo in Carbonite and Leia getting ready to save him.

The Jedi team Oh, I'm Leia of cloud city. :)

Me n Mike and kids. Pretty handsome i think :)

Post #200 Electrically Chraged Wallpaper ... and cows ......

2008-10-10T10:37:00.003-04:00

So, yesterday, was ... well zippy, or maybe zappy, but anyway, it was electrifying! Heehehehehee. For anyone who missed it, I am moving this month yes, we found a house, not a house to buy, it's a rental. Mike's company has houses they own, and rent to employees it's a very hands off landlord type deal, we do pretty much everything ourselves, except like, roof, septic and such, and the rent is 450 LESS a month.So that makes it all well worth it.
When Grant was younger he was very creative, and drew all over my bathroom walls with a yellow highlighter, NOT washable! I guess he was sorry later, he started to strip the wallpaper to cover the crime, even though it was a year later! LOL I felt it was up to us t get the bathroom back to decent before we leave the house, so my project has been that these past few days. It seemed so simple! Strip the wallpaper, sand the walls, put up paint. Yeah, not so much. The walls are crap! They removed tile a while back and never dealt with the wall correctly, so the top half is neon peach, and the bottom half is a bad plaster job over old grout and tile adhesive. It's BAD. So, i went out, bought similar paper to what they had, vinyl, white on white with a raised pattern, to cover the imperfections of the wall. I put up a couple pieces, not very well, and the wall madness showed right though! So, Mike pulled it all off, i went to the store bought cheap paint, more paper, a rzor blade, and we started to paint over the nasty wall with cheap paint.
This brings me to Thursday morning ..... I get up, paint the bathroom another coat and it is all white, and ready for wallpaper. Then i sit at my puter and decide to hook up my scanner. ( see Im making a video for my mom's birthday party, so i need to scan a bunch of old pics into my puter) so i plug it in, go online, find the stuff i need to download, and do it, and get it working, and I am pretty proud of myself!
Then, Paint is still drying, so I go on an internet hunt for a skit. (see, the day before Mom's party, I am directing a skit in church, for Thanksgiving) so im looking for a skit, and the whole time, I have one banging about in my brain, so Katie is online and i run it past her, and she loves it, so ... since im bored, i start typing it out.
Now mind you, im also nursing one sick kid, tolerating the terrorist, and feeding them, and doing laundry so I have apile to fold while i watch my thursday night TV.
I take a break and decide to start wallpapering, which goes very well I might add, now that i have a razor blade to do the edges. I was doing one piece next to the sink, and the wet paper was over the open light switch, and i put my hand on the wall, and the other hand on a piece of metal, and ZAP!! One finger tip to the other .... WHOoohoo that was fun, i actually didn't realize i had zapped myself until later. I got a brainstorm not long after, ran to my computer and finished off my skit, then as I sat there, i looked out the window, as of all things, a COW ran across my yard. I can imagine for city slickers, that may seem sensational, but here in Chittenden it's not that odd. I live next to all kinds of animals, and they run loose frequently. I never do get used to the site though LOL!! SO i went to help the poor teenager, and the biker lady with my broom and wallpaper pasted self, we got the cow back in her fence.
That night i was measuring for the next piece of walpaper and got ZAPPED again! I was shocked! No i mean, surprised! :D I put my hand on the wall, and my other hand on the faucet, and viola! ZAAP. So i asked Mik when he got home, went to demonstrate, thinking it was gone, yeah ZAP! Not so much. I told him to try it, and he was a whimp!
I say ..."It's just a little prick it doesn't hurt, I've done it like 3 times now."
he looks at me like I'm walking dead "THAT PRICK is 120 VOLTS woman!"

ahhhhh ..... no wonder i had so much energy! Geeeez ... too bad i didnt touch that laundry last night. UGH.

Never Forget

2008-09-11T09:19:00.001-04:00

My brother, Father, and now Brother in Law all serve or have served in the military, so it hits close to home, but i hope this day hit EVERYONE close to home.
Never forget what we are blessed with!

Crafty Again!

2008-09-09T10:17:00.006-04:00

My new project. An online one, I am crocheting this afghan along with a bunch of other women across the country and a couple in other countries, isn't that a cool idea? Mine is being done in soft yummy yarn in warm yummy fall colors. I uploaded some pics for the flikr group that goes along with the blog. It's much more fun to have other people to do it with, keeps you on your toes, makes you wanna get it done!

Lotion Commotion and the Bead Stampede.

2008-08-27T19:59:00.002-04:00

There are days that i wonder where my babies went, Grant puts his shoes on, Sammy picks her clothes out, they swim and talk, and chit and chat and squeal with glee about school, and i wonder WHEN did they get so big? Maybe i really am coming out of the "baby stage" And how sad, but how fun, how cool to think about the fun we can have as they get older ...... Then, days like today ,..... and i wonder, what woman in her right intelligent mind CHOOSES this crazy hairy, insanity inducing, bi-polar producing, madness soaked, dirty, nasty, smelly job??? and WHY on God's Green Earth would i EVER want to start all over?!?!! I'm quite sure you have no clue what i mean. ROFL Today was planned well, executed differently, and almost survived with no casualties, so far. :) I woke up, late, cranky from no sleep, and early awakening from the ball of energy that sleeps and bounces across the hall from me. I walk down the hall, avoiding him, so i don't say something mean and uncalled for pre-coffee. I open my daughter's door, and start to admire to pretty pinky room recently newly decorated with paint and new bed with bedding, before i can say one entire word, i spot the princess herself, covered, head to toe in lotion. GOBS and RIVERS of white lotion all over her, and the floor and the castle, and the kitchen, GAH! I stripped the child, shut the door and went to make coffee, over the sink piled high with dishes. Later, still not dressed, (wearing PJ pants and giant Hubby T-Shirt) i am getting in a rhythm, and pulling our some crafty stuff, and find our collection of "refrigerator magnet making beads" in a bucket, tipping, off a shelf, onto my head, and floor, and laundry basket. UGH!! Later, all cleaned up, (Still not dressed) but house getting somewhat in order, and i get an unexpected visitor. From a lovely lady, who was passing by with her hubby on their way to kayak at the Chittenden dam. She thought i should know that my precious son, whom i now was on good terms with, was blessing the passing cars with fist fulls of gravel from our driveway. FAAAAAbulous! THEN we call daddy, daddy lays down the law, mom nearly looses it looking at the piles of dishes, laundry, and various other things that should have been completed by now, but keep getting bypassed by my lovely children and their antics. NEver mind the daughter who WON"T potty train, and wondering, how many moms think at one time or another, "well poop on my hand only twice today is pretty good huh?" Then there are days, i want to switch places with Sara Doll, that has been a staple of my life, when i feel lie i need a new life, i switch places with her, she always seem to be in a good spot, when I'm in my worst. As shown here, this is how SHE is spending her evening.

Of course the REASON she needs a soak? You really wanna know? Yeah, I didn't think so!

Grant wins a gold medal.

2008-08-15T16:47:00.001-04:00

This is Grant being like Michael Phelps. My son who this spring needed to be ORDERED into the water, now has aspirations of someday being "Like Phelps" and swimming for gold on TV.

"Don't stick tinkertoys up your nose"

2008-08-08T09:54:00.001-04:00

This is title of a book my mom and aunt always wanted to write, about all the crazy things kids do, and say, and the things you mom never warned you about, the phrases you never imagined you'd use.

My kids have been giving me all kinds of "first time, hope i never have to do THAT again" moments this summer. Here are a few cute moments.

My son was playing on his wake board, in the grass with Sammy, and she was trying to share, and he wouldn't so I scolded him .. he says

" awww, C'mon Mom! I'm surfin' the net here!"

On the way home from swimming one day the darling were playing the ever popular, "Don't look at me" game and it's cousin, "She's looking at me! make her stop!" . SO i said to them ...

"Do you know who else is looking at you? God! God is ALWAYS watching, and you had better remember that next time you wanna be mean."

Grant is very solemn, and then Sammy in her pixie voice pipes up ..
"God?! I remember God!"

ON another day, my kids were playing with a friend who was over with her mom, while we tried to hash out lessons for VBS next week, our kids played VERY loudly. I went to shoo them out of the bathroom and find a rather pungent smell as i walk down the hall ..... kind like old lady perfume ...
Lo and behold, My son had decided to ... for some reason DUMP baby powder into the potty. GAG! My bathroom has no windows, is VERY small, and HOLDS smells well. So all day long if you wanted to go potty, you had to sit in a tiny room that smells like 10 old lady's at a quilting bee. GAG!

Last night, we went to a community BBQ held by our intrepid Youthworks staff. The last one of the year. It is held at a nice park with a great playground. Everything went great, lots of people, kids were great, even ate a small amount of food. but near the end .... it went bad. ;P My son was playing on these toadstool thingies. They each get taller than the last, and then got into a set a swinging platforms. Grant LOVES them. He has mastered the platforms, and going from one to the other, so i guess he was upping the difficulty level, and went to run up them. .... well, he tells it best.

"I was running, and I was trying to put my foot out to the next one, but i just used my face instead. And i was going to it, and looked right at it, and then it hit me in the eye. and it hurt alot!"

OI VEY! I was pretty certain he broke his nose, but the nose doesn't hurt, only the eye, with a cut on the lid, and now his black eye from last week (where he dropped a toy motorcycle on his face) is blacker, and I'm pretty sure he'll have one to match. WOW!

Happy Birthday ...

2008-07-04T08:40:00.002-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA ............. (no freedom sermon today, All talked out :) ...)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! Love ya :)

The BIG pool

2008-06-24T12:23:00.002-04:00

So, yesterday we signed up for a swim pass to Northwood pool. This also gives us free swim lessons for the kids all summer. YAY! See, mommy here is really quite petrified of kids in deep water, mainly because i nearly drowned twice in lake rescue, and once in a public pool UNDER the lifguard chair. :P Soooo, i have a small huge fear of water. I also have never been a big fan of public pools. The one we had in Walpole was pretty clean, but just in general, walking around on cement all afternoon, tons of other kids in the same water, just not my cup of tea :P
I much preferred the water hole in our nearby creek. Or the bigger one deep in the woods, or even maybe the nighbors private pool, i could handle that :)
So, any who, i got all prepared, even packed a picnic lunch so we could eat there, and swim in free swim, decided we would go to Walmart in the am to get floaties, and Grant a second suit and Sammy and cover up.

Last night however, we had a rather nasty revelation. The fridge downstairs had died, nobig deal, not much in it, but, oh wait, there was that one thing ....... the TURKEY ..... that was in the freezer, the freezer that died a week or so ago. :o OOOH NASTYNESS like you have never known! The reek was insaaaaaane!
So, my hubby spends the evening adressing that while i ready the swim stuff and make lunches, and i go down to put a candle on the floor where the appliance stood, and turn to go upstairs, and 'viola! I trip, over, NOTHING, and SLAM my knee, (the good one) into the staircase, into the corner where the steps meet the landing, and my ankle, into the corner of the bottom step..... oh it was NOT fun, Yubby's language was NOT fun, Yubby cried, Mike practically carried me upstairs, which, (if you've seen my basement stairs, you are now totally amazed) i iced it, and slept with TWO giant pillows under one leg, and a quilt over the rest of me, since the weight of the comforter hurt my knee. :P

So, we hobbled into walmart today, got what we needed, hobble to the pool, had two kids who would NOT go into the big pool. Sammy got in with me, but wouldn't let go, Grant got in and eventually let go, but didn't find it as exciting as the baby pool. OI! I didn't bother with the picnic, didn't want to hobble all day, and of course today will probably be the warmest sunniest one of the week. GAH dumb weather!

so there ya go, my Monday night and Tuesday morning, how long will THIS week be?? ROFL ... oi to the VEY already!

"I know the plans I have for you .........................."

2008-05-19T09:29:00.005-04:00

This is the verse we use so often this time of year, for graduates, for people getting married, for babies. But it is also a useful verse for times of sadness. When we sit and stare into the dark cold night and Wonder WHY? WHY do these things have to happen? WHY to these kind of people??

Yesterday As we went from Church, to a fund raising event at the local pizza place. (To raise money for The teens Mission trip this summer to WV) On the way there, News started trickle in about a Car accident. A BAD one, and it was our kids in it. Not the ones going on the trip, but part of the youth group, the big sister of one of the boys going on the trip.
The news was dismal, she was airlifted to DHMC, she was in critical.
Our church hosted a church-wide celebration. A whole bunch of area churches coming together to sing and dance and show off different talents. All to praise and Worship God. The whole time people everywhere in the building were fighting to keep it together up to their performance, then they left the room, and alot of the teens ended up meeting a Sunday school room for prayer and bible reading, waiting for news and hoping it was gonna be good.
It wasn't about an hour after everyone was done and went home, we got the news. She had died, from her massive injuries, mostly a fatal blow to the head.
That verse is the on her Father was holding onto at the hospital.
It's so tragic, seems so useless, but we do have faith, and her family is an amazing example of Faith. Her little brother was praying with other people for Their loved ones while he waited to see if his sister would survive surgery on her brain. Her Father told the driver that no one was angry with him, and to know that his greatest Gift to Chrissy was to accept Christ, and she was at peace.

Christine Kelly Besaw

Today i have an extra baby, since the Youth Pastor is a little tied up, and his wife is trying to hold the entire universe together, (thats her thing....we call her her SupperJenny) :)
It's appropriately cloudy, and I just want to hug Jimmy!
(thats her little bro, he's a hugger, and is the one who gives out hugs when people need it)
so, anywho, i have to get more coffee, i can't end this correctly, cause i have no answers or conclusions, just tears :(

It a whole new Ball game Link .....

2008-05-14T09:13:00.002-04:00

soooo in case you misssed it, For mother's day, I got a Wii. :) Heehehehe!!
I enjoy video games, a few have even gotten me addicted, but when it comes to spending hundreds of dollars on "systems" and equipment with which to play the games, Forget it!
Until, i saw the Wii, i saw right away that it was different, and totally not like anything ever made before. Then my friends got one, and i got to use it, and MAN, my entire body ached after an hour of baseball and golf, and i thought to myself. If playing a fun game, can wake up muscles and move them around like that, It may be worth the money!
Low and behold, Mikey got me one for Mother's day. I was shocked! I thought we were saving for a house, but, if you say it's okay, then by all means, put in the Golf game!! :)
So, i have been doing alot of golfing and batting practice, then my hubby comes home from visiting his buddy Pat with a managerie of odds and ends. Two of which are Wii games. One is a big game hunting game, pretty fun, wll take some practice. The other, you guessed it, ZELDA! The twilight princess or something. OMG! It's insane! It's so fun, i giggle while playing thinking about all the fun My seester would have with it. To swing the sword, you actually SWING your arm!. sooo cool!
One of my friends asked how Housework ever gets done anymore. LOL! Well, i do it faster, and it actually gets done, cause when im done, i get to play! Inspiration! heehehehe

anywho, gotta run, got errands to get done before lunch, then mommy can play :)

Life in general

2008-05-08T09:13:00.005-04:00

Soooo, life here has been pretty run of the mill. Nothing outstanding, but not quite slow enough to sit and think. :)
We are fast approaching summer, it seemed it would never come!
We have been recording our radio show regularly on Sunday nights, an it broadcasts on Friday nights. If you are ever interested in listening in LIVE tot he recording session, look up www.wftf.org on a Sunday evening around 9ish, you WON'T regret it! Well, you may, but not enough to make you cry, hopefully.... hmm ..anywhoooooo
Sammy has recovered from her little "allergic incident" but it seems she is now itching again, and terribly congested, so I'm starting to wonder if some plant in my yard is making her allergic? She didn't break out until she and Grant went outside on the first dry sunny day and played and romped and rolled in the grass. vweerry interesting!
Grant is doing well in school. He has successfully mastered the Tricycle, very impressive i must say! He gets smarter and smarter every day. The other day he said
"I think i am smarter than you mom!"
He had shared some information on Owls with me that i didn't know, therefore, he has more knowledge. ahhh kids!
Sammy is getting more and more girly as the days go on, she is a princess always, and then sometimes she is a Princess knight, or a princess runner, or a princess soccer player, or even a princess dragon. wow. Today she sang a new song, about her new favorite flower. it went something like this...
"dandelions, dandelions, dandelions, i wuv dandelions!"
the pronunciation was more like this
"Dayundeewions, dayundewioons, dayuuundeewions, i WUV dayundeewions!!"

soo anywho, i think thats all for now, to see a few new pictures look up my face book profile, i just posted them this morning.
Yubby's FACEBOOK

A Quest

2008-04-28T11:42:00.003-04:00

So, we have been spring cleaning, and one thing my hubby asked about was my doll house. It has gotten into pretty bad shape, this is not mine, just a picture of what it SHOULD look like. I told Mike i can't just get rid of it, i need to think about it first.
See, this toy is the one thing i have that can actually SEE my grandpa Varnadore in. I vividly remember the Christmas he gave it to me on. I remember how many hours i spent playing with it. How amazed i was with the whole thing, the lights that really worked, the tiny beautiful pieces of furniture, the details of the little house. I loved it to death really LOL.
So, i went searching online for a replacement, and low and behold, it's a collectors item that you CAN buy new stuff for, even a new house. SO, my new quest is to get a new one, for me, and Sammy :) To replace the peices that i have lost over the years and put my originals in the newer house that will be in usable condition. Cool huh?
If anyone ever sees one for sale online or anywhere really please send me an email! I have a bid on a large lot of accessories, but we will see if i actually win it. I can't seem to locate the fireplace set though, i think it had a log bunch that lit up and little lights on either side of the mantle, it was pretty neat!
Heehehe I am pretty excited.
anywho, lunch time. :)

Dern you Arachnids!!

2008-04-22T09:21:00.004-04:00

Sunday morning we wake and get ready for church, and i spend most of my time studying the intriguing rash that is starting to break out all over my daughter's body. We decide to keep her out of nursery in case it's something contagious. We went over to my parents for the afternoon, and My mom and I studied her under the microscope, and both came to the conclusion that she has chicken pox.
So, Monday morning i call and get a doctor appointment, thinking about what a pain iy was gonna be to have two ithcing crying kids for a week or longer, and the pink lotion, and oatmeal baths and UGH.
Good news! NO chicken Pox! But it's whaaaaaat? SCABIES? EWWWW ewwewewewew! If ever you want to feel dirty, pick up a case of scabies. GAH! Nasty stuff. but give me two sick itching kids any day!
Yesterday i spent all day removing anything soft out of the rooms, pillows, blakets towels, stuffed animals, baby blankies, dollies clothes, baby dolls, even My little ponies. Wash the washables, and the rest gets bagged up for two weeks to make sure the mites die a slow death :P Every stich of bedding and clothing, any pillow, and chair, carpet, coat , carseat, anything you can think of, down in the laundry room, waiting to be washed :P The whole time i have a mental image of the dern things jumping off the items im washing onto me in an effort to save their species.
Last night we bathed them both in the hottest water possible, poor things, then caked Sammy in special prescription lotin and bound her in long jammies and socks like a mummy. We put her to bed on a clean bed, room with no toys, one blankie, and Mike walked out of the room backwards, spraying lysol on anything and everything as he went. LOL.
Today we tackle Grant's rooom, keep washing laundry, keep washing my hands and lotioning them, and praying i don't get the rash GAH!
well, im just about done with coffee, so i need to get going. oh, and DON'T Scratch!!
Oh, and the Scabies, are Arachnids, of COURSE they ARE!! My favorite kind of creepy thing there is, why not make them microscopic and put them under skin, UGH. I do not like them! I do not like them Sam i Am. :P

2008-04-14T09:22:00.000-04:00

new post on the Family blog :)

2008-04-13T20:32:00.001-04:00

So, My hubby and brother started an online Radio show a year or two back, just them in the basement broadcasting online. They brought in a friend of ours, along with myself, and we had "The Friday Night Meltdown" for quite a while.
Well, our local Christian station, that is broadcast from our church building, agreed to give us air time, REAL air time!
Now, we four have become "FEEDBACK" as in our subject matter is subject to change according to what kind of Feedback we get from our Listeners. We ask people what they talk about, what they enjoy, what kind of stories they like, and what they think about the stuff we bring up on the air.
every Friday night on 90.5 in Rutland Vermont, Feedback runs for two hours. I know alot of your are out of range LOL, BUT on sunday nights, when we record the shows, you can listen! LIVE uncut, unedited! so check us out!!

WWW.WFTF.ORG

Listen tonight!! 9pm-11pm ish ... :)

and if you tune in, give us some feedback!!

ahhhh spring ....... wait WHAT?!?!

2008-04-13T14:20:00.003-04:00

uuuummmmmm well hey, i guess summer was fun while it lasted? Does this mean im behind starting my Christmas shopping??
o.0
OI to the VEY!

What exactly IS in meatloaf?

2008-04-10T19:52:00.003-04:00

So, tonight we sit down to a classic Atkins style meal. Meatloaf, Mashed potatoes and veggies. It never ceases to amaze me how much guys truly LIKE meatloaf. My Daughter has an inherited fear of anything resembling anything close to red meat. Grant is skiddish, but when faced with nutter butters or nothing, he persevered through and got his reward.
Sammy, on the other hand, not so easy! SHe loves the mashed potatoes, and gobbles up her tomatoes, but meatloaf? Forget it dad! I even got her to eat ketchup, but on the tomatoes, LOL.
Finally Mike decides to put his foot down, Samantha, you need to eat your meat honey.
"NO! I don't like it daddy, i don't need it"
We are trying very hard not to laugh because her face is SOO cute!
So we proceed to try to put ketchup on it, cut it smaller fly the plane in for landing. ALl of which gets the evil eye stare, and the mouth shut tight.
Finally, mommy gets a bright idea.
"Sammy! You gotta eat your meat, it's good for princess' they will stay healthy if they eat it!"
daddy adds ....
"Yes, c'mon honey, it's princess meatloaf ..... have a bite!"
to which Grant adds in a crooning coaxing voice ......
"C'mon Mantha, It's made of PRINCESS' ! "

"Soooomedaaaay, my maid will come....."

2008-04-09T10:36:00.001-04:00

isn't he cute? His name is Frodo, and he vacuumed my living room while i slept last night, isn't that nice of him? :)
My hubby says he bought it for me, LOL but he is the one who was nearly giggling opening the box! It is very fun to watch, and it's even more fun to watch Sammy run away from while Grant tried to sneak up on it from behind.
anywho, floors done, we are going out to play now :)

Marketing to the ill of conscience....

2008-04-04T09:38:00.002-04:00

I just have to vent, it's been bugging me!
There are several commercials on TV that drive me batty, and shine a rather unattractive light on the thought processes of a nation that is vastly blessed and by a large percent, sadly spoiled.
These commercials throw around phrases like,
"No woman should have to suffer" ( selling electrolysis)
"you don't need to suffer any longer" (selling a temurpedic mattress )
"You deserve it" "Only the best is good enough for you"
"start thinking about you for once" "Indulge yourself"
They are selling THINGS! Things that aren't even that important. I mean, think about the mattress thing. Sure, we'd all love to sleep on sweedish foam, but isn't it amazing how quickly we can forget what a blessing it is to even have a decent bed to sleep on in the first place? How bout the fact that is really wasn't all that long ago that people slept on corncob mattress, feeling like kings. Now we are apparently suffering terrible on these plush double top king size mattress' we are forced to sleep on.
And that electrolysis ad just burns my toast! SUFFER? It's true no woman should suffer, but from domestic abuse, or prejudice, aids, starvation, improper medical care. But suffer from unwanted facial hair?! Seriously???? Have we stooped so low that THAT is what we Americans consider to be suffering?
OI! Maybe im reading into too deeply, but man, that kind of advertising is making me ill, every time i see it i yell at the TV or shut it off. I just can't listen. ANywho, just had to vent, if anyone has anything to ad, please do so!

Say my name say my name........

2008-03-27T09:14:00.002-04:00

On the way from dropping Grant off to school, Sam and I had a rather amusing conversation. It went something like this.....
"mommy, whats your name? Oh i know...Shawa! "
thats right
"What is Daddy's name?"
michael
"What is Grant's name? oh! Grant! What is Uncle Matt's name?"
matthew
"What is Uncle David's name?"
david
"NOPE! His name is DUDE!"

o.0

who am i to argue? :)

Because in my line of work, freaquent and random bouts of laughter are a nessesity!

2008-03-17T08:43:00.002-04:00

My Brilliant Nephew artist .....

And this ..... is just funny!

16 miles of bridge in the middle of the ocean, and a federal summons on the horizon!

2008-03-12T11:04:00.000-04:00

sooooo, we went to see Amy this weekend. Actually we went on a LOOOOONG road trip and happened to find Amy right in the middle of it, heehehehe.Yes, we ( mom and myself) left her house in Bomoseen at 1am saturday morning, and drove and drove and drove for 12 hours till we got to where Amy is now residing in Norfolk Virginia. We were bringing her some more of her things, to help her set up home. some of those things were a queen size bed frame, box spring, and mattress, a dresser, and some other various items, and it was supposed to rain the entire trip, torrential downpour really. So on top of being totally weighed down in the truck, we had to tarp it all and tie it all so that the wind and rain couldn't' dampen our cargo. Well, it was pretty fine till we got to Virginia, then we hit some wind on route 13 going towards the Chesapeake bay, then rain, then wind AND rain, and then torrential downpour and whipping winds, it was pretty much miserable. and nearly impossible to drive anything, never mind a bulky old truck piled high with tarped stuff. As we crossed across the 16 mile of bridge that spans across the water to norfolk, it was sunny, and we could see for miles, and started to feel like we had made it, until, 2 seconds before arriving in Amy's parking lot, the heavens opened, and rain fell, in large wet drops at an alarming speed, thoroughly soaking anything in the truck that hadn't quite gotten wet enough yet.

after everything was delivered, and dripping and drying out, we crashed, then we shopped, then we ate, then we visited, then we slept. Forgot about daylight savings, :P and got up the next morning to go shopping on base.

Man! That was fun! The commissary looked exactly like the new one on Fort devens that we used to shop at. The NEX had lots of goodies, like coach shoes, and Dooney&Bourke purses, and Vera Bradley suitcases, and a laptop selection my hubby would drool over! Yes, it was fun, just like the old days, except of course for the Navy police dude. I never really talked to the police on base before.

See, up here in

Vermont, there aren't a whole lot of roads with Medians in them. There seem to be alot in Norfolk, so Mom was busy practicing the maneuvering of such road, paying attention the former speed limit of 25 MPH, somehow we missed the fresh posting of 15MPH, and that nice Naval police dude was kind enough to stop us and inform us of our error.

He asked for Military ID and the rest of the normal things, to which my mom says,

"Oh the girl at the commissary just informed me that my ID is expired."

Well, they don't like that, they take those away. So my mother had a heartfelt debate with the nice Naval boy who was trying to confiscate her retied ARMY ID. We got him laughing at one point, Amy flashed her fresh Navy ID and practiced a crying jag on the guy.

"Yes, im a newlywed, and my husband is on a ship and i haven't seen him in days, and my mom came to visit me cause i was lonely........."

She did it well, and he kept laughing, all the way back to the cruiser, as Amy and i whipped out cell phones and started to spread the joyous news. :) He returned with a written warning basically, but they call it something else, like an administrative something or other. oh wait, i have a picture! :)

So, that's how that went, now Mom has No ID and she is a lost civilian soul like the rest of us :) Funny though, every state we went thr

ough on the way home, we saw police, with lights flashing, and sirens blaring, thankfully none of them were after us, but it was kinda funny, so much fodder for the bored Yubby with stores to tell! :)

Oh, and we mustn't forget the St Plus Size church! Well, okay it was St Pius X but Mom maybe didn't have her glasses on when she read it? HEEHEHEHEHE

yes SIR!

2008-03-10T11:10:00.001-04:00

i mean, there a reasons they posted a 15MPH limit by the gates, incase some terrorist housewife is speeding through, trying to run from the Naval police, so they don't confiscate her AMRY ID. I tell ya, you can never be to careful!

More at 11 ............... :D

Jelly Beans are so last week!

2008-03-03T08:37:00.002-05:00

okay, so my hubby got me these wonderful chocolates for valentines day, I had 2 so far. I was saving them, you know, savor them kind of thing. Well, we put Sammy in our room for a nap. She is a very good girl normally, however, yesterday, different story. Yeah, I ate two, this is how i found them, with my daughter having chocolate around her precious mouth, while sitting in the middle of ALL my shoes. ALL of them pulled out of the closet, out of their boxes, all over the floor.

OI! Neither my chocolate OR my shoes are safe !!

"If your out on the roooad."

2008-02-29T18:54:00.001-05:00

Well, for my birthday my hubby bought me the boxed set of "Gilmore Girls Season #1"
I LOVE this show! I feel all witty and smart and sappy after watching it. I also miss my sis when i watch it :P BUT! I now have a new ring tone under her name :) heeheheheeee

So, if you haven't seen it, thank the gnomes for syndication and find it, and get hooked, it's worth it! :)

A song that really spoke to me today ....

2008-02-28T12:04:00.001-05:00

Hold Me Jesus

Rich Mullins
First Kings 19:3-13, Matthew 11:25-30

Well, sometimes my life just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

And I wake up in the night and feel the dark
It's so hot inside my soul
I swear there must be blisters on my heart

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

Surrender don't come natural to me
I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down, I'm falling on my knees

And this Salvation Army band is playing this hymn
And Your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin

I'm singing hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

Jelly beans!

2008-02-27T10:32:00.002-05:00

Ahh spring, well, in Vermont it's two feet of fresh snow, LOL BUT! We still get jelly beans! The only holiday I really get crazy over candy is Easter. I LOVE jelly beans, like can't get enough. Jelly bellies of course are the best, but those are slow, mix and match things, i love the Price Chopper ones, sooo yummy :)

Anywho, i was on the phone for a while this morning, and when i get back to the living room, my daughter looks very guilty. then i see the bag, the one that was nearly full, now nearly empty! Good lord woman! She IS her mommy all over again, bummer dude! :)

Change of scenery

2008-02-26T18:13:00.000-05:00

Just a note ...... the sailor has just been moved from "friend's blogs" to "My tribe of origin"

In case anyone cares ;)

"Life as we know it........."

2008-02-22T09:38:00.001-05:00

Ahhhhh! She lives! So it ain't so!! :)
Yes, i am posting a current newsy post. I have been pretty absent as of late. well, let's see, after the whole whirlwind that was Amy and Rick, they settled into a pseudo-honeymoon, living in an apartment my brother rents out. Meanwhile, they packed up Amy's things from Mom and Dad's and bought silly things, like printers and potatoes, because they had so much room in the little car to transport all the silly things to Virginia. :D They eventually left us, we almost kept them here, with the "Driveway of Doom" aka, my parents driveway. You must have a Vermont Winter worthy car to navigate the thing from December to April, otherwise, it'll be somewhat hazardous! :)
Back in November, i think? It was after Thanksgiving, My Nana, who lives with Mom and Dad, was diagnosed with Cancer. It was found in her lymph nodes, and it was determined to be terminal from the get go.
She went downhill pretty fast, and as they watched, they realized she wouold not live for many months. Shortly after Christmas, she had an emotional breakdown, after seeing my Aunt, realizing she wouldn't ever get to see her again. To which My Dad said, "You know Mom, There is a way you could see us all agian one day." And one more time, My Dad shared the Gospel with her, and this time, she got it, and accepted it, and was a different woman! My Nana, was out telling everyone she was going to heaven, she had met Jesus, she was going to see Him, she wasn't afraid of dying. It was pretty amazing!
Well,the first sunday Amy wasn't in church, Nana was pretty sick. The next day, she was admitted in the hospital for Horrific pain, and the Doctor told my Mom that Nana would not be going home this time :( SHe hadn't wanted any "help" in the end, no breathing help, or anything, just to go as peaceful as possible. So, Mom started calling people, Matt and Visited with her as she sat in the room with Nana. She wasn't really aware of anything, they had her on such high doses of meds that she was just sleeping pretty much. Wednesday, we were all iced in at our homes, and Mom got the call from the nurses that Nana had passed in her sleep. It was relief, that she finally got to see Jesus, and that she was happy, REALLY happy, and no more pain, and in eternal gardens, walking with Jesus. :) But it hurts, alot, Lots of good memories bubble up as you realize this person will not be here anymore, and it's all you have are those memories.
So, I went and helped Mom clean out the room Nana stayed in, they found a happy home for Nana's little doggie. In the spring, Mom will bury her remains in a little plot by the house, and then we will all get together and plant a glorious flower patch, just the kind that Nana would have wanted. As mom put it, "we will plant an obnoxious amount of daffodils!" heehee that will be a fun thing to remember her by, and beautiful thing for Mom to look at all summer as she misses her mom in the growing season. That woman had a knack for growing things, she will be missed!
This whole thing, along with normal business, sickness, weather, and my emotional stability *lol* have been what has kept me from my blogies, and my online contacts.
We are getting back into a grove now, I turned #31 on the 18th, My hubby ordered me a sewing mchine that i'm anxiously awaiting! Also season #1 of "Gilmore Girls" on DVD W00t!!
I miss my seester, but, i got her fuzzy BOOTS! :) and her yarn, which is happiness :)
So, Hello to y'all, sorry for the long post, but, as Bill Nye would say...
"Noooow Youuuuu Knoooooow!" : D heh

what a day ........

2008-02-18T09:46:00.001-05:00

1546

Martin Luther, German leader of the Protestant Reformation, died.

1564

Michelangelo Buonarotti, Italian painter, sculptor, and architect, died.

1885

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was published.

1930

Pluto, the ninth planet in the solar system, was discovered by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh.

1953

The first 3-D movie, Bwana Devil, opened in New York.

1977

Yubmeister was born. :)

2001

FBI agent Robert Philip Hanssen was arrested and charged with spying for Russia.

2001

Dale Earnhardt, Sr., died from injuries sustained at the Daytona 500.

like a warm blanket ......

2008-02-13T18:22:00.002-05:00

so, it's been icing and raining and miserable all day long, and night has fallen, in more ways than one, and as i looked up from my cleaning ( a Varnadore thing we have decided) i saw snow. Big fluffy white flakes of snow. Falling lightly to the ground, covering the ugly slush and ice and making the cold outdoors look very comfortable. God is so good, He sends us just what we need, right when we need it, Like a warm fuzzy blanket :)

A song for my Nana .....

2008-02-12T23:14:00.001-05:00

One of my personal favorites, and it came to me today, this is now her song too.

by (Jars of Clay)

"Love Song For A Savior"

In open fields of wild flowers,
she breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
in no simple language
Someday she'll understand the meaning of it all
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call her and she will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier

2008-02-08T19:02:00.000-05:00

You MUST check out this blog! This is just the coolest thing, i think it waill be amazing to catch up on.

Read along with me!!

WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier

"Bicker Bicker Bicker"

2008-02-08T10:46:00.000-05:00

OI! Well, i thinks it's safe to say we are on the mend here. This morning my son woke early, jumped out of bed, turned on the light cranked the radio and proceeded to play cars LOUDLY. :P
He was ravenous for breakfast, polishing off four toasted slices of Mommy's home made bread, and wanted more. He has been bossing his sister into the ground.
Sammy has dragged herself out of bed, waddled into the kitchen and grumpily waited for toast and milk. Only afterwards was she happy and able to converse normally. (boy i wonder where THAT came from?) She went potty like a big girl, had a meltdown over what to wear. (YES, not 3 yet, and having meltdowns over our clothes!) scheeeech

So, yeah, pretty normal i think, now i just need to catch up on sleep :P

Oh, two quotes for the day...also proving the "back to normal" state of my house.
after doing sam's hair and saying, "man your hair is stubborn today." she replies,
"No mommy! It's just crazy hair!"
Grant has been bossing the life out of her, so finally i said...
"Look, if you're going to act like the boss, then YOU get the dirty diapers!!"
he looks at me..
"UGH! Mom, that is NOT a good idea! I'm just a kid! You shouldn't do that to a kid."

o.0 yuh, it's all good i think

"lemme splain ....no, there is too much, Lemme sum up."

2008-02-06T08:51:00.000-05:00

Sick sick sick and SICKER!
if you want the details, it's like this see. January, a blur of activity, ending in a wedding. My aunt and uncle PC were here, staying with us, then they went to northern NH to visit my cousin and Brood. In that week, SAmmy was coughing, and coughing and coughing, then developed a high fever. So for a week or so i was not sleeping well, listening to the baby cough, then with the fever, i did NOT sleep with the fever, getting up to check and medicate all hours. Then the Aunt and uncle and cousin returned on Sunday for the night then they would head down towards home in the morning.

Well, I slept in the living room, so i could watch sammy, and around 1am her fever broke, YAY! shortlived :P around 3am, it was obvious that Uncle CP had been struck down by "the BUG" An evil 24 hr bug that leaves it's victim listless, on the bathroom floor wishing for death. *lol* You get the idea :)

So they stayed an extra day while he recovered, we sprayed the entire house with lysol. bought ginger ale, and crackers, and ate very little for fear of getting sick ourselves. Tuesday morning, all have slept through the night, aside from Jesse's nasty cough, it looks like we are on the light side of the tunnel.

I stripped the beds, opened windows, sprayed Lysol, febreze, lit candles, wiped down any and every surface i could.

Mike and I had a nice quiet evening, looking forward to a peaceful sleep in our comfy clean germ-free, bed, but alas!

1130pm, Sammy is struck down, after the second round we knew the peaceful night's rest was for another decade *lol* Mike checked on Grant around 1am when we were going to bed, and sure enough, he started up too, and, another night of up and down. I did not see 4am on the clock, so i got one solid hour of sleep in there somewhere. :P

Mike went to work late, and told me, "honey, your only goal today, DON'T GET SICK!"

I will try dear husband :)

So, yeah, I just hope the that 45 minutes my sis and her new hubby spent here yesterday for lunch didn't pass it to them :(

now, I'm getting coffee, and switching the laundry, and making some beds, and, OI!

When to call the doctor.......

2008-02-02T08:57:00.000-05:00

so , you know Mommies, when your kid is sick, and you play the what should i do game? Should we sit it out? Should we go to the doc? Then we check our "source" Either the big old book, or the internet website with all the info. We read the section entitled, "when to call the doctor.."

Well, i don't think this is ever in there. LOL Here is my sick sammy, and here is her table from yesterday. She didn't eat morning snack, lunch OR afternoon snack, COOKIES! Now THAT is a sick kid! When the carb quenn doesn't eat her cookies, It's time to call the doc!

And there she is hugging her "Gianna Dollie" :)

Wedding.....

2008-01-28T12:15:00.001-05:00

So, the kids had fun,

the cake didn't fall over, We danced, and cried, and took LOTS of pictures. All in all, twas a grand success! The Happy couple looked beyond happy as the ran away to wedded bliss. :)
All my pics are on my facebook page, so look'em up!.
Yubby on FACEBOOK

And now, to veg, i am NOT getting out of my jammies today. I may even sleep most of it away!

Post rollers

2008-01-28T11:39:00.001-05:00

hmmmm, not quite what i was thinking of!

The price of beauty ....

2008-01-25T11:38:00.000-05:00

Well, the wedding gets closer and the madness gets madder *lol* today is the start of the downward spiral. We are playing with hair and dresses, and thinking about frosting and cakes yay fun!

Here is our practice run for Sammy's hair i will take a pic of how it looks when its done!

Must go make some frosting now.

California

2008-01-17T12:51:00.000-05:00

In yer dreams kid :)
Yup, it will stay there, in our dreams. California would have been a great adventure, but, it seems not to be the one God wants for us now.
And so my friends and Family, We are remaining in the Vermont area. This is becoming more and more comforting as the minutes go by. I get to keep my kids in the school we love, i get to have SNOW, i get to see my Nana as much as possible over the next few months, I get to watch My brother play Football, Grant can coach with Grandpa and Skate with Papa, it's all good. We are happy :)

Now i have to go play with wedding ribbon heehehee life goes on!

Credit where Credit is due

2008-01-13T20:53:00.000-05:00

So, my 160th post, comes to you courtesy of Esther, yup, Esther, my lovely shoe crazy sister in law. She has given me new eyes, new passion, and possibly a new addiction.
Shoes, i have seen the light and now can find so much giggly fun and satisfaction in a pair of leather-esq foot coverings in various styles and colors.
My latest addition, this blue number to be worn at the wedding 2 weeks from today. Never let it be said that i was a boring bridesmaid! My sister, i do love you, and you are one of the most laid back brides i have met, however i must object to the current shoe demands, silver simply won't do! I will be wearing metallic snake skinish blue shoes, and i will feel fab! :)

okie, im tired, i'm planning a wedding in 3 weeks! What do you expect from me? SOMETHING has got to snap SOMEWHERE! *ROFL*

Wedding!

2008-01-10T13:25:00.000-05:00

Well people, it's wedding time! This is what we are living and breathing currently, and Sammy is right in the middle of it. With me acting as some kind of wacko Wedding Coordinator, cake baker, and Matron of Honor, Sammy gets to tag along for all the fun stuff, and it seems she now has the "bridal bug" Oh baby, don't grow up too fast!!
Oh, by the way, Amy picked a date for the wedding, in case you hadn't heard, it's on January 27th! Yup, three weeks! What a nutty fairy!
seriously though, God is in charge, We went dress shopping, and Amy walked away with an absolutely stunning ensemble for under 500$, and i found a very pretty dress in th perfect color off the rack, Mom's came in the mail yesterday, Sammy's came in today. Can you stand it? 4 days into official planning and the bridal party is fully outfitted weehee~!

Sammy thoroughly enjoyed the dress shopping experience, she just loved every minute of it, except for leaving all the pretty things behind LOL ahh. life, so cruel.

Now I'm not gonna give away the secret, or even hint of what my lovely sisters looks like in the bridal attire, her dress is no where near this picture angle, how ever, we could NOT resist this picture. Who doesn't love a good Butt bow? Heeheheheee!! SO much fun :)

Happy New Year!!

2008-01-02T11:11:00.000-05:00

Nice to see we are in the mood for a Happy new Year. LOL

Just want to wish everyone happiness, health, and LOTS of snow :)
We are thinking positive here.

More to post later, for now, the boy wants to go sledding. :)

Here's yer sign ......

2007-12-27T20:40:00.000-05:00

well, yes Christmas is come and gone, and so many things to say, or remember, or just things on the horizon in 2008, but so hard to write it all down, that is, until my son opens his mouth and pours it all out in sentence.

Let me set it up :) My sister is engaged to be married in 3 MONTHS :o, My big Brother is in a war, My husband is most likely getting a promotion that will relocate us to the west coast, in the desert, my Nana, and only surviving Grandparent will most likely not live to see another Christmas.
Tonight i went to visit with my inlaws, and eat fab pizza, and let my sister in law drool on the kiddos. See, she moved out to Boulder Colorado this summer, hasn't seen them since, and it kills her, so she is drinking in every minute with them this week.

As we leave, they give bg hugs and kisses, saying how much they love her, how they miss her, she hugs and clings and wonders why little people grow so fast, and Grant suggests that she just comes home to mama's house, every time we visit, she shoud too! ( like every other week) *lol*
Then he says to Mrs D.

"Mama, You make a sign, a sign that tells her how to get back to her home, so she can read it, ( at this point Andrea has left the room laughing choking and crying ) ...... and put it in front of the house, so she will always know how to get back to us."

Yeah, so, there ya go, thats all that needs saying :)

"Oh by Gosh by Golly......."

2007-12-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees.......

well i have no river to sail away on, but, if it hadn't gotten below 30 degrees last night, I'd have a lake in my driveway. :) That reminds me, i should spread some salt :P

It's Christmas Eve! Truly my favorite day of the year. Somehow, on this night, it is easy to imagine the babe, the manger, the steam from warmth rising into the crisp cool evening. The smell of warm straw, and horses, and cows, and new life. The look on Mary's face, the thoughts running through Joeseph's head. The crazy looking shepheards running like mad to find a barn, and worship a baby. The angels overhead, singing, and God, looking down on it.
Then add in today, the children anxious for Christmas morning, the familes all congregating together for meals, and laughs and memories. The twinkle lights in every house, the trees making it smell like the woods in our living rooms. The candles, the food, the feeling of belinging.
No other day compares to this one in my opinion.
So, tonight, i am hosting Christmas eve for the first time. So fun! We are having as many Atkin's as we can get here, knowing we are missing a large chunk still. We will eat manacotti, salad, bread, and end the evening with chocolate fondue! SO fun! Then of course gifts, so fun, and a couple for my kiddos, they must have their new jammies!

I do hope everyone will have as nice a Christmas Eve as we will. After all......
"There's only one more sleep till Christmas!"

Lest it go unsaid ......

2007-12-20T21:32:00.000-05:00

There are too many things in life that go unsaid. Maybe we "just know" that the other person knows we love them. Maybe we don't get into the "mushy stuff" Maybe, there is nothing to say, or too much sadness or anger piled on top of it that you forgot what those words were.

I have been sitting here crocheting, watching "Clash of the Choirs" (ya ya, boo hiss, cheesy whatever) .... anywho .... i heard these songs love, and family, and christmas, and wishing someone had said something to that loved one.

Lest it go unsaid,
I Love my Mom, I love my Dad, I love every one of my siblings more fiercely then any other people on this planet, (except my kids of course)
I Love my Husband, he is my one and only always soul mate. I want my kids to always KNOW that Mommy LOVES them.
I love my sister's in law like my very flesh and blood. My entire family is my most important relationship, next to God. :)
I want my family to know that, call it an early Christmas present, I want to live from here on out with the knowledge that you can never say I LOVE YOU too many times. You can NEVER hug too many times.
I Have always known love, I have never felt lacking for attention or love and i ache for anyone who has.

okay, now i must go finish a penguin. :) and et gum drops, and hope they don't sing anymore sappy songs, i hate crying LOL.

Sledding!

2007-12-19T10:02:00.000-05:00

One nice thing about having a cliff for a front walk, it makes a great sledding hill, complete with warm bathrooms, warm observation deck, first aid, oh yeah, and Hot Coffee. :)

Matt planning Isaac's descent

I can't get over the perpetual state of discombobulation of Aiden.

Sammy seems to be bummed about watching and not being in the snow.

He likes to lead, or dictate, or whine? It's cute though.

Ho Ho Ho LOTS of snow!

2007-12-17T10:15:00.000-05:00

Yes yes we are buried! And even more so since Mike broke his second shovel SCHEEEECH! BUT, the snow and ice make for a lovely lazt sunday when we can decorate the tree, eat cookies, and crochet.
Aren't they cute!?
They may find thier way into stockings or gifts bags, depending on how many i can crank out in a week, along with Sewing PJ's and baking cookie *lol* im tired!

Cause it's funny?

2007-12-15T09:24:00.000-05:00

Copied from Madame Blueberry.....

Go to the Wikipedia home page and click random article. That is your band's name.
Click random article again; that is your album name.
Click random article 10-15 more times; those are the tracks on your album.

Band Name :Austin F. Pike
Album Title:Sangokushi Battlefield

Open Space Technology
Baudline
Gondia District
Arthur Rudolf Hantzsch
Medicine Hat
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
1590 in music
Outro-solo
Verenium Corporation
Sound recording copyright symbol

I feel like i should be shouting against social injustice, or perhaps put into an institution for thunking a glunk!

The things you make me do blueberry!

eek! 151!!

2007-12-13T10:20:00.001-05:00

This would be my 151st post! W00t. :)
Anywho, just letting y'all know there is a new memory on My other blog. :)

"Oh be Kind to Your Fine Feathered Friend..."

2007-12-11T10:23:00.000-05:00

Uhoh! Looks like SOMEONE is getting on the naughty list this year!

Heehee Yuh, so i found something new and fun to make with yarn, and oh my goodness im having SO MUCH fun with it :)
Life here has been pretty busy. We have been gearing up for Christmas, looking into a possible relocation (more on THAT later) and trying to keep up with everything else. I have been rehearsing for a drama on Sunday, with My dad as my Dad and my brother as my hubby EWW! I do have to say though, having half of the cast being of Atkins' origin, it certainly adds alot of joviality to the skit! **is that a word?** my spell checker didn't hit it heehee
Mike is loving his job, we have lots of lovely snow, Grant can finally walk up and down the sledding hill, (aka our front walk) himself, and so gets to go play outside alone, which he loves. He is doing very well in Pre-school, loving the learning, and meeting new friends.
So thats a very short overview of life here, i gotta go clean off the counter so we can make sugar cookies when Grant gets home.
This is one of those things that tests my parental abilities. I like to make them methodically. All the bells are one color, the people a different color, and they are neat, and orderly, and Oh My Gosh, that is NOT how 4 year olds do it! I'm sure ill have pictures and stories for THAT tomorrow.:)
Oh! One more thing *Lol* I was dropping off Grant, and one of the little girls came over to me. SHe is maybe 4, tiny little thing with long blonde hair. She said, "Hey, Grant's mommy, WHy did you get a haircut?"
( i recently chopped my locks if you haven't seen, and it's Fab) :)
So i said, "I wanted a new haircut, so i just cut it, so i could have it different."
She says to me, "Oh i know what you mean! I am ALWAYS trying to cut mine, and i cut it, and get it all nice and cut, and it just grows and grows and grows no matter WHAT I do!"

*ROFL*! I thought his teacher was gonna faint, the look on her face was priceless!

so thats life for today. Cookie making pics to come soon :)

Ahhh Snow, we do love snow!

2007-12-04T22:37:00.000-05:00

Snowstorm cookies, and Samantha's day

2007-12-03T09:55:00.000-05:00

So, monday we woke to the first big snowstorm of the season. Looks like we could get a bunch! For once i planned ahead! We have hats gloves coats AND even sleds for the kiddos. Yay me :)

Of course, per Atkins' tradition, with the first snowstorm comes the first Christmas cookies. :) Now i have to tell you! Last year i tried to make these things with Mom Doenges' OLD cookie press. It had been passed down a few times, with the recipie, through her family, and no one likes to make them, because the press nearly breaks your hand. WELL! This year, i cracked open the Pampered Chef one my muddah gave me, and OH my GOODness! These were the easiest cookies i ever made! *lol*

and last but certainly not least, A day in the life of Samantha, as told in pictures. Tempermental? Moody? Adorable? You decide!

Hometown Heros

2007-11-30T10:24:00.000-05:00

Growing up, in Walpole NH there was a grocery store called IGA. On the paper bags for years was printed the Phrase, "Hometown Hero's"
I can't remember why, but it sticks with me today. I have been thinking alot about Hero's about our hero's mostly, those in the military.
I usually muster up extra patriotism whenever i have a loved one deployed to the warzone. I wear RW&B on Friday's i wear a pin, i cry over all the soldier songs. I am Vocal about praying for our troops and remembering their sacrifices.
But it occurs to me. Do they know that? Do my deployed loved ones KNOW that? Do they KNOW that i cry over the news? Do they KNOW i pray for them?
Have i written them? Have i sent them emails, sail mails, care packages, anything?
To my shame, i have not. In fact i just barely started a small campaign of my own, I have adopted an Army Wife, whose husband is deployed, and i try to send her an e-card of encouragement once a week. Not to brag, just to say out loud that
I Do support our troops, and this is how im showing it in a small way.
So i ask you, what are you doing? Have YOU called your soldier? Sent them a card? Did you tell them happy Thanksgiving? Are you sending them a care package for Christmas?
What about the family they left behind, are we holding them up? Not just in prayers, but in phone calls, in cards, visits, snail mail, anything?

I have felt somewhat guilty about it for sometime, but you know, feeling guilty, or even simply FEELING patriotic, won't get a soldier through a year long deployment in the sands of hell. It won't get his wife and kids through the long year without daddy or hubby.

So, I don't mean it as a guilt trip.
Well okay I do, *LOL* but for all of us, me included. If we are patriotic, and proud and scared and love them more than anything. (Which i KNOW we all do) What are we doing to show them?

I put this challenge to you. Look around, for the closest soldier (ahem, or sailor :) ) you can find. Find YOUR Hometown Hero. and TELL them how you feel about them. KEEP telling them. STAY in touch, Lets hold up the families and friends left behind, lets SHOW them how Proud we are, how much we love them, how much we want them HOME and SAFE.

and BTW, if someone needs a Hero to cheer, I have a couple names for you, but the top of my list is ERIC ATKINS. My big brother of whom i am SO proud. and his Wife JULIE, kids, Jonathan, Katelyn, Lauren, and Bryan. She is the one i send cards to. My small start :)
Start this Christmas season with a mission!!

"...Some terrific, radiant humble, thingamajingama PIG!..."

2007-11-28T10:11:00.000-05:00

So, today i figured out the reason i like Pigs so much *lol* I bought two movies at walmart yesterday, The REAL "Land Before Time" and the original "Charlotte's Web"

The very one i watched in school one year when i was very little, in the old yellow Hooper Institute Building in Walpole N.H. :)
As i watched the movie today, Sammy walked in the room, and saw the baby piglet in the baby carriage, and exclaimed....
" Mooomy! Wook! A wittle baby piggy! awwww, He's sooo cUUte!"
It clicked, this movie started my love of pigs. So now you know. :)
and on a nother note, could Wilbur GET more sentimental? Good greif, he cries more then me over extreme home makeover! *lol*

Oh, and on another not so small note. I got a NEW CAMERA!! WooHoo! So, here is how my son christened it *rofl* he looks very old to me suddenly.

UPDATE!

2007-11-26T11:26:00.001-05:00

COMING SOON ....... to a christmas Card near you!!

You only THINK you have seen this picture already ........ pay close attention to details! :)
I LOVE photobucket. :)

Anywho, on another note, i went to the doctor this weekend, got an XRay, and it seems i have a bad sprain, not a break. SO YAY! I am trying to move it more, and i think i will be able to make christmas cookies, AND all the little handmade crafts i was gonna tackle scheeech :P I did feel better after proper splinting, and hearing about the poor woman who was cleaning the cuisenart and hit the switch before unplugging it. OUCH! Now THAT is gonna hurt :P

Onto other issues. :) This weekend i met my sister's new friend Rick. I suppose now we are calling him the Boyfriend. Oi vey! I must say, he passed the sibling test with flying colors. He even seemed to enjoy himself, Amy was red in the face alot of the time, i wonder if she is allergic to him? heeheheheee He is sticking around. Even after Two big dinners with the Atkins' clan, hanging out at the house for four days, getting roughed up by Grant, braving the mass LOUDNESS and chaos that is Matt and Dave on guitars while small children run and rant and frolic, oh yeah, and after hearing Matt, Yubby, Dave and Jake preform the "Big Mac Rap" over the phone for Dave's crush Manders. :) Never mind the fun stories :)

Other than that, not a whole lot. We rearranged the living room to fit the tree we will get this coming weekend. AN interesting note for those who care. :) We borrowed "dogie tape" from the DOenges' (aka "lady and the Tramp")
and Grant LOVES it of course. As i was watching and trying very hard NOT to quote the ENTIRE movie from memory. The funniest thing happened. At one point in the movie, where the tramp is bringing Lady to the italian restaurant, something in his voice made me think of AMY's boy. How odd is that?
Now please understand, this movie has much meaning. For a LONG time, every weekday morning, Amy would wake up with Dad, Dad would put "Doggie Tape" (her fave movie) in the VCR for her to watch as he got ready, and we woke every morning halfway through the movie.
So, you see it's Amy movie! I wasn't even thinking of any of this at the time, just about how cute the movie was, how i knew it so well, and then, "wow, Rick reminds me of the Tramp ....making Amy Lady?" awwww! Now THAT IS CUTE!

"Lawsuit in Isle 5!"

2007-11-18T21:10:00.001-05:00

Not to trump my sis in law with her HILARIOUS treadmill story, but it runs in the family, and we all like doing things together, so it's fitting i get to tell a whopper to :)

So, like i said, we went to super bowl this weekend, but before that, i made a pit stop to get junk food, caffeine, pull ups and hat and gloves for grant. ( you can't send them to Mamaw's house with no hat and gloves *lol* )
so. i went in, got my stuff, went to check out, and as im finally getting to the checkout, i start to chat with the normal seeming guy behind the register, as my children begin a high pitched terror induced scream.
I prepare myself not to scream back at them and turn to see the cart.... the empty shopping cart with Sammy strapped in the seat, careening over onto it's side, on top of my 4 year old who is clutched to the edge with a "I'm gonna die" look on his face.
I leap, leaving my wallet and card for anyone to swipe on the counter, and i grab the side of the cart just before it hits the boy on the floor, but he won't let go, convinced he is going to die, he stays firmly gripped to the side, and poor Sammy, is hanging nearly upside down, petrified, wailing, and I'm trying to hug her with my left arm while futilely trying to pick up the cart with my right hand.
I know what you are thinking, "was there ANYONE else in the store? Did NONE see this predicament?" thats what i started to think, as the clerk stood rooted to the spot, watching, the couple behind me watched like it was a circus. Finally, some good Samaritan from 3 isles over, ran to my aid, picked the cart up with both hands, and set it back upright.
i was soo flustered, and thanked the guy multiple times as he glared down the clerk, who was nervously asking if my kids were ok, did i think they were hurt? He even called a "CSM to ISLE 5" ..... he was afraid i would sue! I was worried for Sam's sides, for Grants head, and ankles, and he was worried about a lawsuit!
OI!
soo, anyway, i got the kids to mamaw's house, got myself back into character for the teens and the event ahead, and didn't give it another thought.
Until, half way to Albany, while watching Shrek the third on the bus, my finger was throbbing, and swelling. The more i tried to pop it, or crack it, the worse it got, and it hit me ..... did i hurt it? Did i do something to it?
By the end of the evening, after a hockey game, 3 hour rally, 3 hours of bounce world, dodge ball and soccer, (all of which i only watched!) then 3 hours of pizza and roller blading, it was determined that it's broken. yup, my right index finger, broken at the top knuckle. :(
I imobilzed it with my first aid kit at home, and it throbs if i try picking up kids, or typing too much, or anything normal, needed, regular household stuff. NOT helpful :P I will look into a doc visit maybe just to find out what i should do.
So, there is the finger owie story :)

OWIEEE

Black Friday, one week away!

2007-11-16T08:47:00.000-05:00

No matter how prepared i am, the first snowfall always makes me feel a tad under the gun to get the Christmas chopping done *lol* Even though this year, i almost have all the kids gifts, and Mike and i are taking whatever is left from the christmas money to buy a camera :)
So, i don't feel too stressed. Of course when you wake up to the first snow, it's very calming really, until the oldest child calls out "daddy! Mommy! wake up! It's awesome! Its SNOW!! I need clothes! I need to go outside!"

Oi! I need coffee :P heeheeehee

so today, we drop the kids off with Mamaw and Poppa and head off to Ny for some God Only knows reason :) It's actually for Superbowl we chaperone it every year, i think I have been to every one for the last ........ oh ..... 7-9 years? WOW, i am a glutton for punishment. LOL It is alot of fun, and this year, we have 80 kids .....yes EIGHTY!! Thats like, one stuffed premiere bus, plus numerous church vans and mini vans, an lots of crazy adults too! :) I am very excited, ths year we could have one of the biggest groups in albany, its the biggest group we have ever brought anyway. Also, we got too big for our normal bowling alley stop, and then for the next thing they set us up for, so, now we are hitting a mini-golf, arcade place. That's between the 4 hour Hockey game/ rally, and the post-midnight rollerderby/ lazertag madness. i am tired thinking about it. :) OH and I also get to meet the Infamous MANDERS! She is Dave's current female object of affection. I hear she is a doll, and a crazy kid, and a very strong christian taboot, can't wait to meet the chick. heehehehheee! I think i will save her a seat next to ME! :)

One more note of interest, last night was my first ever parent teacher conference (which of course was fine, since Prek has no grades or anything LOL) but as i waited for my turn, i found this sign outside the door. Precious! :)

Your father... was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force.

2007-11-13T08:55:00.000-05:00

As hard as i try, the Force is strong, and they keep trying to pull over the innocent to the dark side.

(we left the kids alone with thier Grandparents for 30 minutes, and this is what i come back to! You just can't trust anyone! )

"Remember, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware. Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Luke... Luke... do not... do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor or suffer your father's fate you will. Luke, when gone am I... the last of the Jedi will you be. Luke, the Force runs strong in your family."

**sigh**, they ARE cute, maybe we could superimpose a Yankees symbol over her shirt? Then i could use it for Christmas pictures! :)

"Then the Emperor has already won. You were our only hope."
"Yoda spoke of another. "
"The other he spoke of is your twin sister.........."

remembering

2007-11-09T13:06:00.000-05:00

just an FYI ...new post on memory blog ... :)

59 things My Mother taught me.

2007-11-08T09:07:00.000-05:00

My Mum is having a birthday soon. On Sunday in fact, (along with my twin nieces out west).I would like to commemorate the occasion by listing some of the unique things i learned from her over the years. For no specific reason *giggle* I chose 59 as the magic number.

#59 --- Closets! The first thing to look for in a house is ample CLOSETS!(we lived in a salbox style farmhouse for 9+ years, three bedroom, and 2 closets. TWO, one little one in Mom's room, one little on in the hall Ghastly!)
#58 --- For goodness sake, learn to laugh at yourself. Life has too many potholes, must have some smiles!
#57 --- A clean home is a quiet home, pleasant, and calm. ( that's the theory anyway, we constantly strive to reach that goal!) :)
#56 --- Nothin' says lovin' like somthing from the oven!
#55 --- Embrace Your femininity. Embrace your Masculinity. In this time of fuzzy gender lines, and the breakdown of marraige, Mom has always been very good at showing us how to become Godly, feminine, Women, and helping the boys become strong, godly, Manly men. :)
#54 --- God doesn't make mistakes, He uses everything possible to teach us what we need to learn, to mold us into the people He wants us to be.
#53 --- On that note, "Semper Gumby"! ( Always Flexible)
#52 --- How to Crochet
#51 --- How to Crosstitch
#50 --- How to hand sew and machine sew
#49 --- How to Knit ... (that one didn't stick so well)
#48 --- How to clean a bathroom right! (never got around to LIKING it though ) :)
#47 --- How to care for babies, and rambunctious boy toddlers. DAVE AND JAKE
#46 --- How to cook, fried chicken, pancakes, brownies, pizza, yeast rolls, and christmas cookies are the top faves.
#45 --- Shopping in Bulk! AND reading the unit prices! :)
#44 --- "He who walks with the wise grows wise,
but a companion of fools suffers harm" (Proverbs 13:20)
#43 --- We do NOT leave the house in our PJ's ....usually :P
#42 --- You cannot feel ready for the day until your bed is made!
#41 --- How to type properly ...(that didn't stick so well either)
#40 --- Honor your Husband
#39 --- The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. :) A well fed hubby is a happy hubby. :)
#38 --- A love for plants. Mom loves to plant flowers and to bring them inside. She used to have a garden every year almost. Her favorite plants for flower boxes are impatients geraniums and petunias.
#37 --- How to decorate for the season. Mom always has, summer and spring towels, mugs, wreaths, and signs, and then the same for fall, and of course plenty of snowy stuffs for winter and Christmas!
#36 --- Christmas Trees must be done deeeelicately. LOL. Just the right amount of wifely input, then we SHUSH, and get the coffee and cookies ready for when it's over. :)
#35 --- Curtains are a necessity!
#34 --- Cookies are medicinal
#33 --- March Mental Illness Week. ( every spring we got a week of from homeschooling for this. ) heehee
#32 --- How to utilize every piece of furniture to its full potential. ( we lived in a small house for 8 people for a long time, and no closets, and not alot of room, she had a bookshelf made from boxes and duct tape, old, broken dishwasher = extra counter space and ample Tupperware storage, plastic bins galore in the attic, a desk made of file cabinets and an old door, a Piano seconds as shelving, the top of the dryer, with a foam pad with a quilted cover, makes and excellent baby changing table. The heat from the dryer kept the wipes and pad warm in the winter! We even tried to refill the baby wipes with homemade ones! *some things are better store bought!* lol
#31 --- Never speak badly of your hubby in front of the children. My mom is not a saint, and i know she got mad and wanted to spout and vent, but we NEVER heard it. I do not ever remember hearing a bad word about my Father spoken behind his back by my Mom.
#30 --- How to get Pen out of dress clothes. ( one year AFTER she finished washing AND drying the Easter clothes, she found out the there was a pen in someone's pocket, and man, i found out EVERY method for taking out ink!
#29 --- Love Languages, find them and use them.
#28 --- Family First, always, (Your friends come and go, your family you are stuck with forever, so you better learn to get along!) :)
#27 --- Birthdays are very important and should ALWAYS be celebrated. We always got our favorite dinner and desert for our birthdays. Spaghetti and meatballs, and strawberry shortcake!
#26 --- Yahtzee
#25 --- Scrabble
#24 --- solitaire, gin rummy, and many other various card games. She and Aunt Christine played these games and taught Kate and i to play and we have spent MANY hours, as a foursome, or twosome playing very competitively!
#23 --- Coffee, spice rounds and music make Christmas morning worth the 6am wake up call from the youngest sibling. :)
#22 --- REAL maple syrup is the only maple syrup. *i think this has slipped some lately, very sad, very sad indeed*
#21 --- "It takes alot of loving to make a house a home" (From a sampler that hung on the living room for many many moons.) :)
#20 --- Thank You cards are Proper etiquette, dumping sugar into your water goblet and stirring it with the soup spoon however, is NOT. heehee
#19 --- How to have a party. We didn't host alot of "parties" but when we had lots of people "gettin' together" we always had plenty of food, there were decorations, flowers, room for people to sit and visit, games outside, and not alot of leftovers! lol.
#18 --- How to manage 4 overly creative, energetic children while Dad was gone for a month or more while in the national guard. (she got it down to a tea, i still don't know how she did it! Except i do remember alot of play dates with the Marden's, and LOTS of playing outside. Smart woman LOL I used to wonder what on earth they could do in the house for 2 hours straight that we couldn't join in on. NOW i know! Coffee, adult type snacks, and ADULT talk! Talking to another person who is at your eyelevel, and understand 3 syllable words, and doesn't whine. yuh, makes more sense now. :)
#17 --- Cardinals are Mom's favorite of the winter birds. Then the tiny chickadees. I wonder if Eric remembers that? heehee
Eric's Chickadee tail
#16 --- Spit on a napkin, instant washcloth! :P
#15 --- Mice are NOT good pets! (especially when they live iin the walls already) heehee
#13 --- How to convince a lost Cow it does NOT want to be in our yard, the pasture is much better. :)
#12 --- A woman's Highest and most important calling is to Mother. Be it her biological children, adopted children, siblings, grandchildren, friends, wherever the children come from, Women were born to Mother them. We are also commanded and created to be Keepers of the Home. If you work At home, FROM home, or out of the Home. If your kids school in or out of home, your home is your domain to keep, to maintain, to create into a soft place for the family to land. A safe place for children to be children. For teenagers to be themselves, for a family to learn how to Love, serve, and find Jesus.
#11 --- Boys, when your sister bursts out into tears for no good reason, just walk away! And so starts the "time of the month" talks :P GAH!
#10 --- Creative ways to hide Christmas gifts! VERY hard to find, and never in the same spot. Sneaky mommy :P
#9 --- "Children are a Heritage from the Lord, Blessed is the man who's quiver is full."
#8 --- Only God can know how big each family's quiver is. ;)
#7 --- Things are things, and can be replaced. Like brand new cars with scratched paint, or special peter rabbit books with puff paint on them, lost sand dollar charms, broken snow globes, like Barbie corvettes that have been sat upon, or like cars that die, and run into things, and chase deer.
#6 --- Watch for attack telephone poles!
#5 --- Never forget the price of our freedom. Pray for our troops, love them, love their families, pray for them, support them. Show your American pride.
#4 --- Be ready to help, willing to serve, attentive to the needs of others. This is how Jesus Loves us, and we must love each other, and the only way to find real fulfillment.
#3 --- How to spell caffine..Cafiene?..Cafeen..Caf?..Caffeine!!
#2 --- How to laugh, how to make the best of a situation. How to enjoy the little things, how to be a real person, while making such a huge impact on so many lives.and the number one thing I learned from my mom?
#1 --- Cherish LIFE. From the cranky old lady down the street, to the tiniest unborn child, all LIFE is created in God's image, and must be honored, cherished and treated with care. We must stand up for the children with no voice, be fathers and mothers to the fatherless. Be a voice against the killing of the next generation. Also, we MUST cling tight to our families. We MUST uphold the institute of marriage, we must teach our children to love family, to hold on tight to siblings, and grandparents, honor our parents, treat our families with loyalty, honor and respect.

And those are some of the things i have learned from my Mom. not that i'm good at them LOL, but she did pass it on, and i wanted everyone to know .

So, Happy Birthday Mom, hope it's a fabulous day, and many more, i think, how old are you? Are there many left? *lol*
(now i am going to hide so she can't kill me heehehheheee)

Post #140

2007-11-08T09:04:00.000-05:00

Just to say, NEW layout! :) I found this at this site here,
Gisele's Bloggy Things

So yeah, thats my news of the day :)

You've come a long way babaay...

2007-10-31T22:55:00.000-04:00

oh the days of cowering in the back of the house and ignoring all the little knocks at the door....yes those days are gone ....WAY WAY gone! LOL
No, we don't "celebrate" halloween, but, we DO love an excuse to dress up, so for now, it's cute and pretty costumes, candy giving and getting, and the beloved sugar rush.
So, tonight we visited Nana at work, AUnty Amy at work, and went Trick or treating with Uncle Jacob and "uncle Ben"
(who is our brother by proxy and was dubbed 'uncle' just this evening to his great delight!)
LOL

at Nana's work

Nana is having fun showing off the babies and taking pics

Aunty Amy at work

All done harvesting TIME to EAT!
Sammy said "I got Yots and YOTS of candy mom!" :)

You can cut the cute with a knife

2007-10-27T22:24:00.000-04:00

I was hurrying around the house trying to get dressed and ready to head out, and wondering why in the world i can't keep a neat house, and i walk into the living room to this scene, twice the size, (there were piggys and kitties on the couch with bigger blankies, and one on daddy's chair, and Sammy was wandering amongst them singing some song that sounded a bit like Jesus loves me ABC Rock the baby. LOL
So, i stopped what i was doing and took a picture.
I need a real camera :P I only have a cell phone currently, perhaps santa has one with my name on it :D

musings

2007-10-11T16:18:00.000-04:00

First, dorky i know, but it IS kinda fun that I'm the only single word LINKAGE on Muddah's blog :)

Secondly, fall is finally here, and I am happy with the cool weather VERY happy!

Third, i may be addicted to popcorn, and now i know how to make it in a pan on the stove (much quieter) bad news dude!

Lastly, but the more important of things i've been musing over lately. Lots of soul searching, looking back, looking forward, checking my brain waves and all that fun stuff. Last night i went to pick up my hubby from our local airport. Nothing to brag about, but great fun for the little ones. As they frolicked about in the cold clear air of a fall night, they laid in the grass at the base of the gi-normic spotlite and looked up, ooohing and aweing at the size and coolness of it, and i was struck suddenly.
By a memory, one i hadn't visited for a long while, a cool night, unlike this one, it was foggy VERY foggy. My mom and i were on the way to the local airport, to meet my dad's plane after a long trip. She has informed me we may need to wait a while due to the weather, and not to worry, she knew one of the other Mom's would be there waiting, and may have some of her boys with her. Boys!? You want me to wait in the tiny airport with no tv and a bunch of boys? UGH!
I remember what i had on, i wore a pink and white sweater with a ballerina on it, my favorite at the time. I remember "the boys" my word, they were the craziest, loudest, and nearly the funniest kids i had ever met. There were three of them, and all they did was Army, they talked Army jargin, played Army guys, i was thinking they most likely dreamt it as well. What a drag! :P
their Mom was a peach, just loved her to death, how in the world did she survive? I remember she wore a brown coat. Their grandfather was there too. He was the one who decided we should all go to Wendy's for dinner, maybe it would "calm the natives" Thinking about it now, thats probably the first time i realized what that phrase really meant.
Well, we waited, HOURS, and played various games, had a blast really. I never remember actually seeing them with their dad, as i was caught up in my own reunion, but i DO remember HEARING them meet him. LOL seriously, I felt like a frontier lass who had barely survived Indian captivity. heehehe I told my brother about them, and of course he wanted to meet them.
At the Christmas party that year, i saw them, pointed them out to Matt.
"There they are! Those crazy Indian boys!"
Heehee, Later, while sitting down and eating, Matt put his plate down for a minute, and before he could pick it up off the floor again, the youngest Indian sat SPLAT in his plate .. the middle one gave him a tongue lashing, and the older one tried to pretend he wasn't related. Matt was now convinced he didn't really NEED to meet these hoodlums. :)
Eventually, we all became the best of buds. We played ALL the time, we were inseparable. We consider each other siblings really. I call their parents mom and dad just like my own.
Yes I'm talking about the Mardens. They have been on my mind muchly lately.as I'm sure they have been yours.
It's amazing to look back, to see where your path has gone, how it crosses with others, runs parallel with them, even joins with some. It's a good lesson, every single step back there, contributes to where you stand now. I pray every step i take from here on out leaves me standing in a most excellent place!

Meaningless rantings of a cabin fevered Mom.

Yubby

C is for Cookie .......... not quite good enough :P

Who's life did I wake up in?!?!

Grant Paul

My own worst demons

You Nork Mow Lawners

Java ... no Hutt!

Picture ...not so Perfect .. :P

Florida ... part two......

Brainwashing ....

Cakes!

Wordless Wednesday #35 .... "A little piece of home"

Wordless Wednesday #34 .... "Remember to smile"

Wordless Wednesday #33 .... "From the mouth's of babes"..<--see first comment ;)

Wordless Wednesday #32 .... "Tum ta Tum Tum TUMS! A girl's best friend!"

Y...M..C>.A ... :)

Wordless Wednesday #31 .... "Like Mother, Like Daughter"

Crud

Wordless Wednesday #30... trying to stay connected ..

My turf

Wordless Wednesday ...... "Shopping with Mini Me"

sweet 16 babay

MOTHERHOOD .....**Please see warning label**

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Handy Dandy .. Mousa-ka-tools!

God Is amazing Isn't He?

Shake anyone?

Conversation had with My 4yr old daughter the other day, she was supposed to be getting dressed, and had only managed to get her PJ pants off.

..Samantha dances into the kitchen singing... "Shake, Shake ya Bootay! Shake shake ya bootay!."

I stop abruptly and say loudly .... ."WHAT are you singing?!"

Samantha replies with ... **Eyeroll and Sigh** "Shake your BOO..T EE , MOooMeeEE! Hey! did you know that Bootee, means *whispers* butt!? HA HA HA!!" and she dances away singing ... "shake shake ... shake ya bootay!"

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Samantha replies with ... Eyeroll and Sigh "Shake your BOO..T EE , MOooMeeEE! Hey! did you know that Bootee, means whispers butt!? HA HA HA!!" and she dances away singing ... "shake shake ... shake ya bootay!"