In this moment

It's been awhile

2011-09-09T08:19:00.002-05:00

It's been a long while in fact. I guess I haven't had the motivation to write. there has been plenty to write about since I am so busy I can barely see straight, but I just didn't feel like writing.

Last weekend I went to a retreat with some old friends and made some new friends and will be bonded to these particular people forever. We share a special experience that no one can understand unless you have actually been through it, called AIM (Adventures in Missions). Anyway, the retreat wasn't really about AIM. In fact, I don't think we ever even talked about it unless we were on breaks and just reminiscing or trying to catch up with each other or about other people we know. The theme of this year's retreat was By His Wounds, My World is Right Side Up. We talked a lot about wounds: how we got them, how they have shaped our lives, and how they define us. We also talked a lot about Satan's attacks. What was very, very interesting was how just about all of our wounds could be boiled down to ONE KIND OF ATTACK. It might have been different for everyone in the room, but Satan is efficient. He just has to use one kind of arrow on me: I feel unworthy of love. That's what it all comes down to. He just hits me with that arrow over and over and over. You aren't pretty enough for people to like you. You aren't smart enough to do this new job. You aren't worthy of love from Christians, b/c they are better than you.

But the fact is, no matter what the worst thing Satan makes me think about myself, it doesn't come close to the truth of how bad I really am. I killed Jesus. I killed the Son of God. It doesn't get worse than that!!!! Here's the really good news, though. Jesus died FOR ME! So when Satan occasionally tries to attack my pride and pump me up, there is no way he can really touch how great I truly am. GOD SENT HIS SON FOR ME!! Someone shared with me yesterday that in Eph. 1:7-8 God tells us that he didn't naively give us grace. He KNOWS me and my faults and He STILL sent his son for me. And Jesus gave up his life for me!!

I started reading the Psalms this week and journaling. That's a big deal for me, so that's a God thing. Anyway, I was reading Psalm 17 and David talks about how he knows that God will show him the path of life. (I'm honestly not sure if he means the path in life he was supposed to follow or the path to eternal life, but I just tried to go with what was running around in my head, so go with me, won't you? ;) ) I started thinking about why I won't let God lead my life.
Why do I need to hold so tightly to my own reins? Because I am afraid.
What am I afraid of? I'm afraid of letting other people down.
Why am I afraid of letting people down? Because if I fail them, they might not love me or like me anymore.
REALLY??!!! So I am afraid to let God lead my life because people might not like me anymore? How does that even make sense?? It doesn't. And that's the point. Satan is so crafty that he has convinced me (and I have let him, in all honesty) that I have to take control of my life so that I can feel worthy. YIKES!!!!

So now what? I don't know the answer. But I know that being aware of my wounds helps me avoid making them bigger. Please pray for me as I continue to discover what God wants for my life and then to actually let go and let Him lead me.

I am a child of God. Jesus died for me. God loves me unconditionally. (I say this to myself many, many times a day to remind me that Satan's definition of me is just not true.)

Love

2011-05-11T12:37:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had what my friend, Bill, calls a "holy hunch." After I dropped Taylor off at school, I just felt compelled NOT to go home. I didn't really know where to go or what to do, but just started driving and ended up at Sunset (the congregation where we attend). I didn't know what I was doing there, but got out and went inside and thought maybe I would just find a quiet place to be still and just be. Bill's wife, Betty, is the Dean of Women for the Sunset International Bible Institute and her office is very close to the entrance I went in. I poked my head in her office just to say hi. I didn't plan to stay long or have a deep conversation. I just wanted to give her a hug. But we got to talking. We both shed some tears that we needed to shed and we both got some encouragement that we needed. Betty has been one of the most influential people in my life, along with Bill, and to be able to be a shoulder for her for just a little bit was the least I could do and I got so much back in return. Satan is working hard on some close friends of mine, but God is working, too! It was good to be reminded of that. We talked about love: love that we have for our kids, for our friends, for our God. We talked about struggles that we share and how we could help each other in this journey here on earth. We talked about heaven and how wonderful it will be when we leave all the strife and hurt and sin behind.

The preaching team at Sunset has been doing an incredible series on I Thessalonians. A couple of weeks ago, Monty preached about the excitement we should feel when we think about being called up to heaven. I don't know about how you view the "end of days" but I have always kind of been scared of the end of the world. I know that as a Christian I am supposed to be looking forward to Jesus' second coming. And part of me was. I want to go to heaven, but I wasn't sure I was ready to leave the earth. What about my kids? What about the lost? What about.... But Monty said two things that really clicked with me. 1) In heaven, Satan will not be there and all the things that he has done to me and done to my friends and family will not exist there. 2) We will be in eternal love.

Wow, what a concept! I have struggled with not feeling loved because of the lies that Satan tells me and the way he has used people in my life to manipulate me and hurt me. I can give you specific examples, but this is a public blog and I'm not willing to hurt those people by calling them out. But there are very specific times in my life when I have felt horribly unloved and alone. Heaven will be a place where I will be eternally loved. Oh what comfort and joy and HOPE that brings me! I can tell you that over the past 4 or 5 weeks my entire paradigm about going to heaven has changed. I am ready to go when the Lord is ready to come get me. I will live my life here on this earth as well as I can and to the glory of Him, but I long for Him to call me up. I will shed this mortal body and all its weaknesses and be with my Savior and my Father! Does it get anymore hopeful than that??!!! I don't think so!!

Feeling Blue

2011-03-31T11:27:00.003-05:00

Do you ever have those days when you feel like every one around you is better than you? or feel like everything you say is being discounted by those around you? that nothing you do is the right thing? that all you want to do is bury yourself under the covers and cry? Yeah. Me, too. Today. I'm tired and worn out and would like nothing better than to just pause my life so I can catch up. But I'm the mom of two very demanding children and a wife and a student (sort of) and life doesn't have a pause button. So I'm sitting at my computer in between planning our summer schedules and making a grocery list and meal plan and doing laundry, crying because I don't know what else to do. Am I the only one that ever feels like this?

Dancing With the Stars

2011-03-21T21:23:00.001-05:00

I love, love, LOVE DWTS! So I am going to blog about the show, LOL!

First up, Chelsea Kane: I really liked her dance! It was very high energy and she seemed to get all the steps in. I do agree with the judges that she needs to extend more, but for the very first dance of the season, she rocked it!

Wendy Williams: I'm a little surprised at how poorly she did considering she said in here promo that she is big and loud. She wasn't big and bold at all. Very timid and not like her personality at all. I hope she sticks around because I think she can work it and it will be awesome.

P.S. I'm not sure how I feel about Brooke's dress. It has a lot going on and not my favorite thing she has ever worn. But she is a beauty and so sweet so she can wear whatever she feels like!

Hines Ward: Wow! Awesome, awesome dance! He swiveled and grooved and full of energy! He had great timing and musicality. I loved it!

Petra Nemcova: No matter how she dances, her story of survival is so inspiring! She did ok. Not fabulous, but definitely not the worst I have ever seen at all! She was very charming, as Len said. And she is just a sweetie! I hope she survives the cut next week.

Romeo: well he can't possibly do any worse than his dad, Master P! Lol! That guy was AWFUL! His shoes are definitely sparkly! Ok, I'm not that impressed. His energy was good but he just didn't dance that well. He looked like he was club dancing and not ballroom dancing. I love his partner, Chelsea so I hope they can go really far.

Sugar Ray Leonard: he is trying so hard! Lol! He looks really uncomfortable in hold but looks good side by side. I liked it! Len is an idiot, btw. Bruno totally called it!! LOL! He said SRL looked like a ninja turtle in hold. BWAHAHAHA! But I still liked it!

Kendra Wilkenson: I love Kendra. She makes me laugh so hard. I hope she rocks it out in this competition!!! She did a good job! Lots of energy, very sexy, nice moves! Her steps weren't super clean, but she had some really hard choreography and she totally went for it! Go, Kendra, go Kendra, go Kendra!

Ralph Macchio: He's 49 years old. How is that possible?? Nice lines! He has definitely got the performance element down! So fun to watch. He did a great job. They did the best so far tonight by far.

Chris Jericho: he is total performer so he should be entertaining. He has a weird body type for dancing and he doesn't really seem to be dancing as much as walking around while Cheryl danced. No hip action at all. But he definitely knows how to work a crowd!

Mike Catherwood: First of all, what is up with Lacey's hair??! Ok so on to the dancing. ;) Oh, yeah, he's bad. Stiff and awkward. Poor Psycho Mike --- it was awful! Um, yeah..hmmmm...I was trying to think of something positive to say, but there just isn't much.

Kirsty Ally: she is working it out!!!! She has the footwork and the performance and the energy. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! My favorite so far!

Ok well this season is going to be so awesome!! Only two really bad dances and some really exceptional ones, so I am excited!! Anyone else watching??

Chicken Taco Bake

2011-03-11T08:03:00.003-06:00

I wish I had pictures to post, but I had no idea if this was going to be tasty or not and after the fact, there weren't even any leftovers! Taylor, who NEVER eats dinner, had his helping and Kami's helping. Kami's doesn't like spicy foods at all, except for queso (she is a Texan, after all) so she had rotisserie chicken, shredded cheese and a tortilla. I adapted this recipe from one I found on United's website here.

And here is my modified version:

2 1/2 cups diced rotisserie chicken
Taco seasoning packet
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 package Mission Carb Balance Plus small flour tortillas
shredded Mexican blend cheese, I would guess 8 oz, but I don't really know how much I used
tortilla chips (optional)
lime wedges (optional)

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*In a large skillet over medium heat, mix chicken, taco seasoning and water. Let mixture come to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
*Stir in sour cream.
*In a greased casserole dish, place tortillas to cover the bottom of the dish.
*Sprinkle cheese over tortillas.
*Add 1/3 chicken mixture over the cheese.
*Repeat layers until you end with the last of the chicken mixture.
*Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
*Add a layer of cheese to the top and bake for another 5 minutes.
*Serve with chips and limes, if desired.

Notes:
*I diced the chicken into about 1/4" cubes.
*The chicken sauce was fairly spicy when I tasted it before putting it in the casserole and I was a little nervous that no one was going to eat it. However, it mellowed almost completely and was just right for a family dish!
*I really recommend squeezing a bit of lime juice over the casserole. It brings an unexpected flavor note (don't I sound like I know what I am talking about here?? LOL!).
*I asked for reviews and Taylor scarfed his down before anyone else was even half way finished, so that was his review, I guess. Tim said he really liked it, but next time I should add some rice and have some onions on the top. My dad liked it a lot and then looked at me funny when I offered him a lime. But he is game for anything when it comes to food, so he tried it and was blown away. :D My mom enjoyed it, but agreed with Tim about the onions. Kami tried it, but I didn't really think she would like it, so my mom had a back-up plate of food for her. ;)

Meal Plan Monday

2011-03-07T12:50:00.003-06:00

Last week was one I would just like to forget, so that is why there is no blogging. LOL! It was awful, but God is good and life moves on. So what's for dinner this week at your house? At my house, here is what we are having:

Monday: I have no idea. Because last week was so awful, I didn't make it to the store, so we don't have food here. Perhaps Little Caesar's will be cooking for me tonight. ;)
Tuesday: chicken stir fry from the freezer
Wednesday: ham and baked sweet potatoes (turkey sandwich for Taylor)
Thursday: chicken taco bake
Friday: date night
Saturday: tortellini and roasted asparagus
Sunday: pot roast with potatoes, carrots and wild rice

Have any new recipes you have tried out lately that you just love? Send them my way, especially if they are easy!! :)

Wild Olive is having a giveaway!!

2011-02-25T13:32:00.002-06:00

I LOVE my Wild Olive tees and now they have a hoodie that is beyond cute! See that button on the side of my blog?? That's the design. I.want.it. If you want a chance at winning it, too, check them out at http://www.wildolivetees.com/hoodie-giveaway/

Grad school here I come

2011-02-20T19:29:00.002-06:00

So I finally made the final decision that I am going to go ahead and go to graduate school. I think that all the struggles that my family will face will be worth it. I know that it will be hard but I think that it is something that I am meant to do. I feel led and I finally have a peace about my decision. I have asked God to put up roadblocks if this is not supposed to happen and instead I have a peacefulnfeeling and the path seems to be cleared. So I'm going.

Kami finally lost that front tooth that has been HANGING out of the front of her mouth for the last week. It was really gross and I am so glad it is out. I think the other one is loose now. She looks a little too old with that tooth out!! Please pray for my relationship with her. I am really struggling with her and how to discipline her appropriately. Her drama is just too much for me to handle. It is a constant struggle and I feel like I am fighting a losing battle on a daily basis. I am going to read The Five Love Languages of Children because it was recommended by a good friend. If you have anything else to suggest, I am all ears!

Tomorrow I am going to hopefully finalize the curriculum I have been working on for the past year. Tim is off for President's Day so he and Taylor will get some time together and I can go work at the church building. As bad as this sounds, it will be a relief to be finished with this. I have enjoyed teaching, but I am completely burnt out. And writing lesson plans is just difficult work! It will also be satisfying to see it all out in print and in notebooks. Hopefully it will be useful for other teachers as well.

I am not exactly sure whqt we rare doing for dinner this week. I still need to talk to the kids and see what the want to choose for their days. I do know that we are having balsamic chicken, friend potatoes and roasted broccoli for tomorrow night. I will post a meal plan tomorrow.

Meal Plan Sunday??

2011-02-13T21:57:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow is going to be crazy bananas so I am trying to get ahead of the game. :) We had an interesting week last week so we didn't follow our meal plan exactly as I had hoped, but that's life, right?

Monday: carino's take-out
Tuesday: Taylor's choice--grilled cheese
Wednesday: Mac and cheese and ham
Thursday:MYO pizza
Friday: Tim's choice--balsamic chicken and fried potatoes
Saturday: Kami's choice
Sunday: small group
Monday: pork chops and roasted veggies

I am going to Kami's Valentine's Day party tomorrow and forgot that I got assigned to bring sandwiches. We barely have enough bread for 2 sandwiches so I will have to go to the store. I might as well do all my shopping since I'll be out. I also need to finish up the Bible class curriculum I have been writing for the last year. I am in the home stretch!!! Then I am planning activities for the Financial Peace kids classes that start in March. And I need to work on my Time Value of Money problems for school. There are just not enough hours in the day. Or maybe there are and I just don't have enough energy to put all those hours to use!! Lol!

Valentines!

2011-02-09T13:12:00.005-06:00

Last year I bought Valentines for my kids to give away. I hated it! I love handmade things much more than store bought and that was the very first year my kids gave away store bought Valentines. But they enjoyed picking them out so it was fine. BUT this year I had time to make them, so make them we did! I enlisted my little man to help me out since it was such a big job....Ok in reality it would have gone twice as fast without his help, but the pictures and memories are worth much more than my time! If you have never made old crayons into new crayons, here is how you do it:

Step 1: Peel the crayons.

Step 2: Break crayons into smaller pieces. Usually you will use a bigger mold than I am using this time so using a mallet or hammer wouldn't be necessary. But I had 60 of these bad boys to make, so smaller equaled better this year!

Step 3: Scatter the crayons in the mold. I bought these particular molds at the Dollar Spot at Target because I knew that they would be good for nothing else besides crayon molds after this project. If you are attached to a certain mold, especially if it is silicon, DON'T USE IT for this project!

Step 4: Melt the crayons in a 200 degree oven. Ours took between 20 and 25 minutes. Some crayons never melted so I dug them out with a toothpick or just submerged them a bit deeper in the melty mass of crayons.

Step 5: Let them cool and then remove them from the mold. Don't worry if they break. You can just remelt them! And there you have brand new crayons!

I used my Cricut to make 2 1/2" hearts and then wrote "You COLOR my world!" on the front and Taylor helped to write his name on the back. Kami will be able to do all of the To and From for her class, but Taylor still needed a bit of assistance. ;) Here is the finished product!

Meal Plan Monday

2011-02-07T10:17:00.004-06:00

It's Monday again, so that means it is time to plan the meals for the week. I need to get input from the family because I have decided I don't have to make every decision pertaining to what meals we eat! Last worked great. They each got a day to choose: Kami chose soup, Tim chose pancakes, and Taylor chose Mexican Casserole. That only left a few days for me to plan and I was a happy camper. :)

Monday: pork chops
Tuesday: Taylor's choice--lasagna
Wednesday: left overs
Thursday: Tim's choice
Friday: Kami's choice
Saturday: MYO pizza
Sunday: out for small group
Monday: ham and mac-n-cheese

I have started the laundry for today. Seems as if there are not as many loads this week for some reason, so I think I will catch up on some towels. Doesn't that sound like fun?? LOL!

Also on the agenda for today: making heart crayons, Wii boxing and walking, and a fun trip to the dentist for all 3 of us. Woot! Ok, really, I love my dentist and everyone in his office, so it will be fine. It will be Taylor's first time to go and Kami's first time to get X-rays and a cleaning. They get to watch t.v. so it should be fine. I just worry about Bubba so say a little prayer for us today! :D

That's all for now! Have a great week!

New Project

2011-02-01T12:30:00.006-06:00

I bought Kami the Hayley bedding from Pottery Barn Kids and obviously dropped a small fortune on it. So I'm trying to decorate the rest of her room on the cheap. I found some coordinating fabrics in a fat quarter bundle from The Ribbon Retreat so I am attempting to make a knock-off, er..., replicate the smaller of these two owls.

My friend Julie, of Sew Julie, gave me a tutorial over coffee one day. So this morning while the kids were building Eiffel Tower replicas with alphabet blocks, I decided to make a pattern and cut out my pieces. I used a Sun Harvest paper bag, in case you were wondering. LOL!

This is the back.

This is the top front.

Bottom front.

And the wings.

I have them all cut out now, but I don't have a sewing machine, so they will have to wait for another day. I was going to go to my parent's house to use my mom's machine, but there is noooooooo way I am getting out of the house today. Too cold!!!! I'll definitely post pics when I get it done, though!

Planning and a crossroad

2011-01-28T09:53:00.011-06:00

If you like super upbeat posts that sugar coat life, you might want to wait for another day to read this blog. If you like the nitty, gritty realness of life, keep reading. This week has been a rough one. I know a couple of reasons why, in retrospect, but I am not sure this explains all of it. So this post may be a lot of rambling...you have been warned. ;)

I didn't plan for anything this week. I am a planner by nature. It is part of who I am and I even have a degree in planning, for goodness sake! For some unknown reason, I didn't plan for this week. No meal plan and no activity plan. It didn't work. Wanna know why??? That's right!! Because I am a planner! So I am getting a jump start on that for next week. Here is my meal plan:
Friday: make your own pizzas
Saturday: Pork tenderloin, Mac n cheese, roasted veggies, dessert pizza
Sunday: brown bag with small group
Monday: Kami's choice
Tuesday: Taylor's choice---Mexican casserole
Wednesday: sandwiches
Thursday: Tim's choice
Friday: Italian chicken strips
Saturday: out
Sunday: Superbowl party with small group

I am really trying to figure out where to fit exercise and Bible reading into my day. I need a set time every day to do the we things, but I just don't know when that is going to be. I think I am going to have to get up early in the morning and go to bed earlier because even though I might stay up late, my brain shuts down about 9:30. So even though I despise mornings with an unrivaled passion, to be the kind of person I want to be, I think me and early mornings are going to have to become friends.

I think something else that might help make my week go smoother is getting all of Kami's clothes picked out for the entire week on laundry day. (which is Monday, btw) I think Making a daily list of everything that needs to be accomplished this next week will be helpful, too. Have I mentioned that I am a planner??

Today: dog groomed, blog, haircuts, CAbi preview party
----yes, I did put things on my list that I have already accomplished so that I could mark them off. I like to see the things that I have done for the day. ;)
Saturday: Taylor's make-up gymnastics, Take kids to Slaton, work on entering clothes for Cradles to Crayons, work on Bible class material
Sunday: Bible class, NAP, small group
Monday: laundry, bows, pick Kami up, work on reading with K, pack lunches
Tuesday: take kids to school, grocery store, drug stores, pick kids up, take K to dance, intro class
Wednesday: finish up laundry, Taylor to gymnastics, make Mexican casserole for Thursday, pick up K, get ready for dance, take K to dance, get kids bathed and fed, Bible class, pack lunches
Thursday: take kids to school, meet friends, meet with small business association people, pick up kids, counseling class
Friday: enter clothes for c2c, bows
Saturday: CHILL OUT, tidy the house for superbowl party

So the planning issue is one of the problems of the week, but not the only one, for sure. I have come to a major crossroad in my life and I am very confused and not just a little scared about what to do next. I started sitting in on classes at TTU this semester and that takes me away from home on Tuesday and Thursday nights. As I was sitting in class last night, I had the "What am I doing here?" thought. I almost just got up in the middle of class and left, but that would have been very rude to the professor who is a friend of mine, and I probably would never have gone back if I did leave. I wasn't quite ready to burn that bridge. But I'm not sure I am ready to cross it, either. I'm not worried about the work load. It will be a lot, I know, but it will be nice to be stretching my mind again. But being away from my kids for at least two, if not three, nights extra every week is a very high price to pay. I also feel very, very out of place in college. When I was getting my undergrad degree, I decided to go down the counseling path instead of the planning path because I really had no desire to work with people who had a lot of money and just didn't know what to do with it. I wanted to work with people like my parents, who were middle class and struggled to make every penny count. I wanted to make life better for people who were trying to figure out how to send their kids to college and still save for retirement and still take a vacation once a year. It wasn't a popular path, especially with some of the faculty, but I had a good, strong group of friends who went down this path with me. So now, starting back in grad school, I am going back to become a professional financial counselor. I don't fit in anywhere. I will only be taking 12 hours out of each of the three areas of study I have chosen for my interdisciplinary masters, so that really doesn't give me time to get to know anyone very well. I was not prepared for what a lonely journey this is going to be. That brings me back to the question I had last night... What am I doing? Is this worth taking two and a half years away from my kids? Can I make it through this time at without a core group of school friends?

Then if I choose not to go to grad school, how will that make me feel about myself and about my kids? There isn't going to be a better to time to go back to school. My kids have lots of activities, but I know it isn't going to slow down until they are both grown and out of the house. It is just going to get worse. But if I don't go, will I have regrets? I really do love financial counseling. I love helping people pull themselves up from their bootstraps and make great decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. But is it worth helping other people at the expense of my kids? Will I resent my kids if I don't go?

I am bawling right now because this has been boiling underneath the surface for a couple of weeks and a here it is all laid out. And I still don't have an answer. I am going to have to give up something really big with either decision. So what am I supposed to do???? Which of these paths do I take? How do I find peace with my decision? I thought once I made the decision to apply to school and once I got in, everything would be peachy keen. So I applied and I got in and it isn't peachy keen. I just don't know what to do. And I don't know how to make this decision.

Tim, as great as he is, doesn't get it. He told me last night that he thinks I am just trying to talk myself out of going to school. That isn't it. It just isn't that simple. Maybe it's a gender difference thing. I don't know. It seems I don't know about a lot of things right now.

Where do I go from here? I just keep going, I guess. I have no idea what decision I will make. The planner in me is not happy about that. I'm scared to make the wrong decision. I am scared to not make a decision. But God doesn't want me to live life like a scaredy cat, so I will make decision. I just don't know how or when.

A week? Really?

2011-01-18T08:09:00.002-06:00

I really can't believe that it has been a week since I blogged. I have been super busy so I figured I must have blogged somewhere in that craziness, but, alas, I did not. I know you have been glued to your seats just waiting for my next brilliant post, so here it is! You can breathe now! ;)

First of all, Lara Hunt, if you are reading this, I hope it is from the hospital. I pray for you a quick and painless delivery. :D Love you, girly!!

So last week was wild and crazy, but very excellent. I did all the things I listed plus I got to help Anjelica start planning her wedding. Tim is going to be a groomsman and Kami is going to be the flower girl. They asked if Taylor might want to be the ring bearer, but that ain't happenin'! That kid has some major stage fright issues!! Plus he doesn't like people he doesn't know staring at him. Kami, on the other hand, LOVES the spotlight. She will get to wear a pretty dress, get her hair, nails and make-up done (tastefully, of course), and have the attention of the entire guest list. It will be her own little slice of heaven!

Today has already NOT gone as planned, but that is life, right? Taylor is at home sick today so I am feeling the pressure to get all my running around done. I think I will call my mom and see if she can come watch him so I can get to CVS, Walgreens, United, Wal-Mart, Red & Black College Bookstore, and there is another store that I can not remember. I remember that I really needed to go there, but can't remember why! UGH! Hopefully it will come to me soon. Anyway, you can see why I don't want to drag a 3 year old around town with me, right? Especially a sick 3 year old!

Even though my schedule changed this morning (I didn't take Kami and Taylor to school and go run errands), I am still a mom and a wife and there are always things to do. Lots and lots and lots of laundry to do. Plus, last night I got really irritated with Kami. I was pulling clothes out of her drawers for approval for school today. She complained about ev.ery.thing. She is going to make me completely nutty!!! So I overreacted just a bit (shocking, I know) and took all the clothes out of her drawers and put them on the couch. Now I am going to go through all those clothes and sort out which ones she will wear and which ones she won't. I'm guessing there will be about 1/2 the clothes in her drawers from now on. And if she doesn't like that she only has 3 shirts and 2 pairs of leggings to choose from every day, then perhaps she will stop complaining about all her other clothes. Then again, I may end up doing her laundry 3 times a week because she only wants to wear those 3 shirts and 2 pairs of leggings!

My meal plan is a bit late this week, but here it is at any rate:
Tuesday: veggie soup from the freezer, bread
Wednesday: Sonic (busy, busy, busy night!!)
Thursday: lasagna, salad
Friday: pork chops, roasted veggies
Saturday: Italian chicken

So I'm off to tackle the mountains of laundry in my living room floor. Have a great rest of the week!

Whew! I survived Monday!

2011-01-11T11:40:00.005-06:00

I was a very busy girl yesterday and have been today, too. It feels good, though. I feel accomplished, or something. ;) Yesterday I finished everything on my To-Do List. I finished almost all of the laundry and have one load of towels left to do. Seeing as how I started with 10 or 11 loads of laundry, I can take that. I didn't do laundry for two weeks. (hanging my head in shame) I started dinner right after lunch and even with a few hiccups (steaks didn't finish cooking in the oven as fast as I thought they would, and the milk had soured so I made fried potatoes instead of mashed) I got my family fed. Well, most of the the family. Taylor was being a punk last night, so he didn't eat. His choice, not a punishment, by the way. I made lunches, I read, I walked, and I crashed. LOL! I was tired by the end of the night!

Today I have taken the kids to their respective schools, gone to Walgreen's, CVS, Target and United. I still have to put most of the groceries away, but at least they are in the house. ;) I have to share my good deals!!

Walgreen's: I bought a Lysol no-touch soap dispenser starter kit that was on sale, used a $3 coupon and got $7 back in Register Rewards. So the next time I shop at Walgreens, I will have paid $.99 (plus tax) for that dispenser! How cool is that?? And milk was on sale there for $2.99 a gallon.

CVS: I had a $1.00 off 2 Ziploc sandwich bags and they were on sale for 2/$5 with $1 back in Extra Bucks. Oh, and I got $.50 in Extra Bucks when I scanned my card there. The boxes of 100 each had 20 extra bags, so they were 120 count. They next time I go and use my EB will have ended up getting 240 Ziploc sandwich bags for $2.79 (including tax)!

Target: Yeah, so I ALWAYS buy more than I need at Target. It's a sickness. LOL! I went there for yogurt and spent $40 something on other random stuff. I checked the Dollar Spot because I have no will-power when it comes to the Dollar Spot. I found some cute silicon heart ice cube trays or candy molds or whatever they are. I am going to use them to make crayons for my kids to give away at Valentine's Day. Then I did get the yogurt that was 10 for $5. I had a coupon for some amount off of 6, but I decided to save it for a time when yogurt wasn't on sale.... Or at least that is what I told myself in the check-out line when I realized I left my coupon in the car. :D Oh, I got Bubba a Batman backpack for less than $12. He has a man-sized backpack that he can barely carry and I don't want to spend $40 on a new backpack for grad school, so he gets a Batman one and I get his. Pens were another random thing I bought. I was going to go to Staples since they are having a BOGO free sale on pens, but the thought of going to one more store made me want to cry, so I just picked some up at Target. I almost forgot!! I got Annie's Cheddar Bunnies for $1.99! They are usually $3.99 at United so I was totally pumped! I also got some other random snacks and then decided I had better get the heck out of there!!!!

United: Hmmm. I just got boring stuff at United. The only really good deal I got was on Lunchables. My kids love those things even though I think they are kind of gross. So every once in a while they each get to take one to school. I don't even know how much they usually cost because I buy them regardless, but they were on sale for 2 for $5. So a lunch of turkey, cheese, bread (Taylor will only eat the kind with bread, not the kind with crackers), applesauce, Nilla wafers and a little bottle of water for $2.50 is ok in my book!

Before I pick up the kids, I want to get my Bible read and write in my journal and take a bubble bath and eat bon bons. Ok so those last two are not gonna happen, but the other things will. I think I will wrap up in a warm blanket (because it is C-O-L-D, cold today!!) and make some coffee and read my Bible (though, perhaps I should make coffee before wrapping up in a blanket or there might be a big mess to clean up). Sounds like the perfect afternoon activity!

Let me just leave you with this picture of happiness:
A large Sonic cup filled with Dr. Pepper. *sigh*

Editing the meal plan

2011-01-10T10:23:00.003-06:00

I know no one is reading this but this is just a good place for me to keep my meal plan. ;)

Monday--steak, potatoes and corn
Tuesday--pasta
Wed--chicken nachos
Thursday--pork chops
Friday--out
Sat--roast beef sandwiches
Sun--leftovers or sandwiches or out

Weekends and failed commitments

2011-01-10T07:54:00.004-06:00

Why is it so hard for me to stay on track with my life on the weekends? Tim is home so that should make it easier, right? I didn't read my Bible for a few days and didn't write in my journal. I didn't finish the laundry. I didn't make my meal plan and goals for this week yesterday as I had planned to. Yikes! I'm beginning to sound like a very lazy person!

This week, there is no time for lazing around (is that a word??)! I have a full week.
Monday (that would be today): Finish laundry, create meal plan, prep at least 2 meals for later this week, walk on Wii or treadmill 30 min
Tuesday: Get kids to school, grocery store, Walgreens, CVS, prep another couple of meals, Kami's dance at 4:15 and Tim will meet me there and we will exchange cars and kids, then I head to TTU to sit in on Intro to Financial Planning class.
Wednesday: Taylor has Gymnastics in the morning, walk for 30 min need to clean a bathroom or two, Kami's dance again, Bible class
Thursday: Kids to school, meet with accountability partner, get my hair cut, sit in on Financial Counseling class at TTU
Friday: clean house like a crazy person, walk 30 min, in-laws coming that evening
Saturday: finish lesson plans for Bible class
Sunday: teach Bible class, worship, finish cleaning house, set goals for the week, meal plan, small group meets at our house

Yeah, so I need to get going.

Goals: in addition to last weeks goals, I am adding in walking for 30 min, 3 times this week.
Bible Reading: read 1 Psalm a day and journal, get back on track with 90-day plan
Meal Plan:
Monday-pork chops and corn
Tuesday-pasta and salad
Wednesday-roast beef sandwiches and carrots
Thursday-chicken nachos
Friday-out
Saturday-leftovers or sandwiches
Sunday-leftovers or sandwiches or out

Oh yes, and pictures. I didn't take any on Friday or Saturday. But I'm just going to mark those days off and keep going.
Yesterday, after a few days of agonizing over which dates and how many points to use, I booked our reservation at Saratoga Springs!

And this is Kami today before school.

Have a good Monday!

A good day

2011-01-07T08:39:00.007-06:00

Yesterday was a good day. Both kids were in school and I spent the majority of my day with my friend. We had breakfast at Fuzzy's Taco Shop, we went to visit another friend, then we went to buy journals and Starbucks at Barnes & Noble. It was a good day. :) Being a friend is one of the most important roles I have and I think I often forget that. Sometimes my friends take a back burner to my kids and my husband and my crazy life. But in reality, they should be right in the mix because I have some wonderful women in my life!!

I have taken a picture every day, it is just trying to find the time to blog and post it here! Here is yesterday's picture:

Andy and Anjelica flew home from Vegas last night so we went out to eat at Olive Garden. Yes, that means I broke my meal plan. On one hand that is frustrating, on the other, much larger hand (tee hee, that's a funny mental picture, isn't it?), Tim's little brother only gets engaged once and we had to celebrate!

I am almost positive I got all my water in yesterday. I have to keep better track of that! Tonight for dinner we will be having chicken fajitas with Rosa's tortillas. Is there anything better than Rosa's tortillas?? I think not. I did eat breakfast within 30 min of waking up the last few days. Yay, me! ;) I have been saving my Bible reading until the end of the day. That just doesn't work. I am so tired by then that I have been going to bed at 9:00 p.m. Why yes, I am an old lady, thanks for asking. So I need to find a better system. Because now, I need to read two days worth of scripture. Doesn't sound like a lot, but I need to read Ex. 15:19 to 40:38. Kind of daunting. LOL!

I had to stop typing for a few minutes so that I could transform a Transformer from robot to hellicopter. Well, I thought it was going to be a few minutes. It turned into 20 min! I need a Transformers For Dummies book because those things are way out of my realm. Let me French braid hair on a batallion of Barbie's and I'm good to go, but those GI Joe and Transformers are just a little more than I can handle. ;)

I hope you have had a wonderful week! It's Friday, so if anyone is actually reading this, you should tell me your weekend plans. :D

Two, two, two posts in one!

2011-01-05T08:45:00.006-06:00

In my defense, I thought I posted this last night so it really is only one day behind and not two, right??

I know that is a dumb title, but it is mostly accurate. ;) Here is what I would have written had I posted two days ago:

I took Taylor to Sonshine PreSchool today and he was not at all happy about it. Today was the first day that I was not working there this year and he screamed and cried and had to pried off my body. I worried about him all day, but of course, when I picked him up, they said he had a great day after he stopped the crying. Go figure.

Kami and I had our girl's day and it was fabulous! After we dropped off Taylor, we came home and I painted her nails and fixed her hair. We went to lunch at Grany Katz' tea room inside KK's Craft Mall. She loves eating there and it is very girly, so it was perfect. ;) Then we headed over to Barnes and Noble and hung out for a bit before going to Bath and Body Works. They were having their Semi-Annual Sale so we loaded up. It was so fun just going around opening all the bottles up and letting her smell everything. Very girly and something Tim just doesn't get. LOL! So it's nice to have a companion now!

OH!! Speaking of companions!! I'm getting a sister!! YIPPEE!! My BIL, Andy, proposed to his GF, Anjelica in Vegas at a magic show. It was all very romantic and the ring is a knock-out! I can't wait to see it in person!

Back to my post...So while we were at BBW we ran into Denae and got to see her adorable boys, Will and Reed. Denae is an amazing photographer, so if you need any pics done, check her out!

After we dropped our purchases off at home and picked up a few essentials (like blankies and pillows) we went to pick up Taylor from school. It was so nice to go in and not have any responsibilities except to my own kid. Freeing, actually! And I got to chat with my friend, Julie! She is one of the most talented people I know and makes me laugh so freakin' hard whenever we are together. Her etsy store is Sew Julie and she has some great stuff!! You can also find her on Facebook.

We played with Julie, Topper and Madeline for a bit and then headed out to Slaton to see Granny and Papa. My mom requested that I bring my camera to take pics of her house for some relatives that live in Ohio because they had never seen it and wanted to. And that leads me to the 365 pic for today. Taylor was climbing in the fort, or house as he calls it, and requested that I take his picture. So, I did.

Then I left the kids there and came home and made dinner for Tim and me. Pork chops and veggies. It was quite tasty! And since we were childless we went to Cheddar's for a cookie monster. That was soooo yummy!!!! Not exactly diet friendly, but on the other hand, we didn't eat dinner there, which is what we normally would have done since we didn't have the kids. Baby steps! ;)

As for my goals, most of them didn't get met. I should be upset about this, but I'm not because I had an amazing day with Kami. I need to read double for Wednesday, but Taylor has gymnastics so that shouldn't be a problem.

Now for today's post! :D

Monday is Laundry Day, or not

2011-01-03T18:25:00.005-06:00

First, my 365 pic:

Chicken spaghetti leftovers. YUM!

Here is the recipe, if you are interested:

Chicken Spaghetti

12 oz spaghetti
2T unsalted butter
1/4 cup minced onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small carton of sour cream
1/c cup water
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1 13 oz can chicken*
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Saute garlic and onion in butter. Add remaining ingredients. Heat thoroughly. Add to drained spaghetti and mix well. Pour into greased 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly. Let set 10-15 min before serving.

*I used my Good Grips chopper to mince the onion, garlic and chop the olives. Since I already had it out, I chopped up the chicken a little more, too. I liked it much better this way!

We had salad, and cresent rolls with the spaghetti. It was a great meal! I was very proud of myself. ;) For desert I am having a cup of decaf coffee with fat free Vanilla Caramel creamer. MMMMMM.

I kept to my goals today. Yay for me! I also went to the grocery store without my kids today. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love having my parents nearby. Not only because they are close and we can see them all the time, but my mom is freakin' amazing and watches them while I make Wal-Mart and grocery runs! I can get out of the store so much faster without answering 3,000 questions from Taylor about things that have nothing to do with anything at the grocery store. You would think that the boy is never around me so finds that the only time he can ask these all important questions are while I am trying to figure out which if the bread that is cheaper and tastes better is really worth it because it has three grams less of fiber. And Kami complains the entire time she is at any store because she is too big to sit in the front seat of the basket but really still too little to walk Wal-Mart or Market Street. So it is such a treat to not have to take either one of them with me to the store! Does that make me a bad mother? Hmm. Point to ponder.

I was going to do laundry, but got lazy and didn't do it. I didn't do laundry until the latter part of the week last week, so I am really not due to do laundry again yet, but Monday is Laundry Day. I guess Wednesday will be Laundry Day this week because Kami and I are having a girl's day tomorrow while Taylor is in school.

I hope your Monday was productive and bearable. ;)

Some successes and a fail

2011-01-02T11:40:00.008-06:00

Successes first:
I ate breakfast yesterday, I drank 84 oz of water and made my meal plan and I read my Bible.

Fail:
It's only day 2 and I skipped breakfast this morning. I am going to have to work that into my morning routine! I'm just not used to doing that so it will take some effort.

I taught Bible class this morning and then came home. Surprisingly enough, I wasn't feeling well. Perhaps it was because I didn't eat breakfast. Hmmm. Anyhoo, Kami is still getting over pneumonia so she had to stay home and Taylor cried when he found out she wasn't going but he was. "I want to stay with her! I love her! Please don't make me go!" I selfishly let him stay home because I wasn't up to the battle that I knew would ensue if I took him. When I came home the two of them were throwing plastic sticks at each other. Lovely. Fortunately they didn't break anything or themselves so no harm no foul, I guess.

I am freezing today!!! I got cold outside and can't get warm up. I think I need to move to Hawaii or something. ;) Honey, what do you think??

My 356 pic is of something that has been happening at our house every four hours for the last week. I think we are going to move to every six hours today because she is doing much better. YAY!!

If you know me at all you know I loooooove Dr Pepper. My friend Norah just posted a recipe for DP glazed ham on her food blog. Sounds delish! You can click on her blog on the side bar of this blog if you want to find the recipe!

Have a great week!

New Year, New Post

2011-01-01T10:02:00.005-06:00

So it has been awhile since I actually updated this thing. I figure today is as good as any! There are a few things I want to start today seeing as how it's the new year and all. First, I have got to get healthy. My kids are too important for me not to be healthy!!! Another thing I want to start is the 365 Project. Lastly, and most definitely most important is that I would like to read through the Bible at least two times this year.

So the health issue. I'm fat and I hate it, but I am the only one who can change it. I need goals and not just long term "I want to be a size 6" goals. I mean weekly, and even daily goals. This seems a good a format as any to make those goals public and try to keep myself accountable. This week I have 4 goals:
1. Make a meal plan for every night.
2. Stick to the meal plan!!!
3. Eat breakfast within 30 min of waking up every day.
4. Drink 64 oz of water each day.
I'll come back and post my meal plan for next week later today. And I did eat breakfast today.

The 365 project is taking a picture of your life every day and sharing it. Here is mine for today:
I took the ornaments off the tree today. :)

I am going to use the 90-day plan to read through the Bible. Today is Gen 1:1 to 16:16. The only way to get closer to God and have a stronger relationship with Him is through reading and understanding the Bible.

So let's get started!!!!!! Happy 2011 everyone!!!!

ETA:Meal Plan
Sunday-eat out for small group
Monday-Chicken spaghetti, salad, bread
Tuesday-grilled pork chops, roasted veggie mix
Wednesday-leftovers or sandwiches
Thursday-chicken fajitas, guacamole
Friday-meatballs for kids and cashew chicken for adults
Saturday-eat out or leftovers

Playing in the water at Granny's house

2009-07-10T08:49:00.001-05:00

Swinging and Sliding

2009-06-29T12:15:00.002-05:00

I know that the light is in the wrong spot for these pictures, but sometimes you don't get a choice about those things. These were taken with 50 mm lens, ISO 100, f/stop 4.0 and exposure 1/400 sec.

These last two are my favorites:

Here's how they look after some editing in PSP (Paint Shop Pro):

And in black and white:

Some things I learned from last time I took picture of the kids playing outside:
1. I needed a faster exposure speed to catch the action.
2. I needed to use a smaller f/stop (which actually lets in more light, if I understand that correctly) so that I could get the depth of field more to my liking. Or at least that's what I think happened. LOL! I'm still learning!
3. I needed to get down closer to the action, so eye level with the kids.

I am not sure the exposure is necessarily better in all of these b/c of the position of the sun, but I do think the composition is better. Opinions?

Flowers

2009-06-24T12:49:00.003-05:00

My wonderfully sweet hubby brought home flowers yesterday b/c he loves me. :) The feeling is definitely mutual, in case you were wondering. :P Here are some pictures. The first ones are with side lighting and the last two are with the light directly behind me. I am still experimenting and learning how to do all of this photography stuff. I was messing with the ISO, too, so I think the first three are all at different ISO's: 400, 100, and 200, I am pretty sure.

Errand Day!

2009-06-23T12:37:00.002-05:00

The kids are in Sonshine School today so I'm getting some errands run. I have been to Wal-Mart, Target and United, so far and I still need to go to CVS, Kohl's and the bank. If you are still needing groceries for this week, just a head's up that pork chops are BOGO free at United and milk is $2.69/gal at CVS.

I went to Target to stock up on Littlest Pet Shop toys b/c some of them were supposed to be 50% off, but I guess they were all sold out of the good ones and the other ones that were on sale where not what I was looking for. I hate when that happens! But I did get some storage bins on sale and that was great b/c I need them for the ribbon that keeps multiplying in my basement. It would probably stop multiplying if I would stop buying, but that's not going to happen anytime soon! LOL!

On a random note, I started on Prozac this week. I have been having wicked PMS the last few months and my GYN thinks this might help. So far so good! I only take it for two weeks at a time, but I'm hoping this helps keep me from losing control of my emotions during PMS.

If you could, please take a moment and pray for my great-uncle. He is having a rough time right now and we could all use your prayers on his behalf. Thank you!!

How do you cope?

2009-06-19T13:12:00.004-05:00

I'm having a rough mommy day today. Truth be told, most days are hard mommy days for me right now, but that's a whole other post. My coping mechanism is food, which is why I am 40 lbs overweight. I get upset, I go to the pantry. I get really angry, I go to the pantry. I get my feelings hurt, I go to the pantry. Well, you get the idea. Today my vice were these:

About half way through my 3rd or 4th chip, I realized I didn't want those and was going to feel sick if I kept eating. Normally I would have just kept eating b/c I would rather feel sick from eating too much than deal with what was upsetting me. My very wise and wonderful cousin Kristina told me I need to journal or blog to get me through the rough spots of life. She's right, I do. So all 3 of you that read my blog will be seeing a lot more of me, I think. Tomorrow I might even blog about what's bothering me instead of just sweeping it under the rug. Today, though, I still have my broom for sweeping. I think will go do my walking DVD. Maybe I'll feel better after that. At least I will have accomplished more than just sitting on my hind end feeling sorry for myself!

Working on my photography skills

2009-06-18T13:57:00.004-05:00

I'm not a great photographer by any stretch of the imagination, but I do love capturing moments in time. I am learning more about my camera and how to use it and yesterday I think I did a pretty good job. :) I took these pictures at about 10 a.m. under a lot of cloud cover, otherwise it would have been to bright to get good shots, I think. Anyway, I haven't edited these in any way except to change the orientation of some of them. And the bonus is, I got some great pictures of Kami (and a couple of Taylor), enjoying the freedom of swinging.

Jumping on the CVS, Walgreens, and coupon bandwagon

2009-06-17T08:21:00.002-05:00

If you check out Amanda's blog you will find some links and tips on saving some major money using coupons and shopping at the drug stores. I was reading her blog and got totally excited about how much money she saved on diapers so I decided to jump in. Yesterday I went to CVS and bought 2 jars of Planters peanuts, a square box of Puffs facial tissues and a tube of Crest Total toothpaste for under $8 and I got $2 Extra Care Bucks to use on my next trip. Then I went to Walgreens and bought 3 boxes of Barilla pasta for $3 (so $1 each!) and 2 boxes of Hefty galleon freezer bags for $3.29 (or something like that. I don't have my receipt in front of me).

So I was on a pretty big high heading into Target where I was all set to buy the 3 packages of Huggies to get my $5 Target gift card. But when I got to the diapers I decided to get out my calculator and figure out if I was really getting a good deal or not. Turns out, I can get diapers cheaper at Wal-Mart because Tim is a part-time employee there. So even with the $5 taken off the price of the 3 pkgs of diapers, they were still like $.27 each. At Wal-Mart we buy the big box and spend about $.25 each. Doesn't sound like much except that Taylor goes through an average of 6 diapers a day so that's $547.50 per year, if my math is correct. If I paid $.27 each, that's $591.30 so I am saving over $40 a year by buying diapers at Wal-Mart! I could probably save even more if I bought store brand diapers, but I am picky about those kinds of things and really love the Huggies Supremes, well that's not the name of them anymore b/c they just changed it, but the kid that has the stretch all the way around the back and legs. It keeps everything in the diaper! ;)

I didn't buy the paper this week so I printed off some coupons (if you go to iheartcvs.com you can print coupons there) for diapers, yougurt and chips. Random, but it will save a few cents and all those cents add up to free money! I have tried couponing in the past, unsucessfully b/c digging through all the coupons in my accordian file was a pain. However, Amanda had pics of all her coupons and gift cards in a baseball card notebook. Genious! That makes it so much easier to see what is in each category and when they are going to expire.

If you have any other money saving tips, send them my way!

Wanna see something so funny?

2009-05-24T22:37:00.002-05:00

Denae posted a story of something that happened while she was taking our latest set of pictures. Here is the link to her blog where you have to read the story b/c it will make you laugh really hard or at least make your jaw drop. :D http://pageisturned.blogspot.com/

And then go check out our pictures if you haven't already seen them. She is an amazing photographer and you should hire her. :) http://denaehutsonphotography.blogspot.com/2009/04/2-10.html

And just for one more link, I am running a sale on hairbows, so go to cottonkamibows.blogspot.com to find out the details!

My boy genius

2009-04-09T13:57:00.002-05:00

Just so ya know, this is a total Mama brag post. If you don't like those kind of posts, you should probably stop reading. ;)

Last night Taylor says, "Mama, listen this." And then he sang the ABC's by himself, even the "next time won't you sing with me" part. He turns 2 on April 30 and he can sing the ABC's by himself. Then he sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Jesus Loves Me, and the B-I-B-L-E. When people who don't know him start having a real conversation with him, they do one of two things: laugh hysterically b/c it's really funny to see a 2-yr old talk like a 20-yr old or just stand there with their mouth open. Today he told one of the teachers at Sonshine School, "My had a blue cookie today. Mama made lunch in my dog lunch box. My didn't eat it 'cuz my ate the blue cookie. My likes blue cookies."

Dear God, thank you for my smart boy. You have truely blessed me.

Wild Olive Tees

2009-04-01T13:18:00.002-05:00

So this company called Wild Olive Tees is having a contest and if you do a blog post about it you get more entries so I thought I would give a try. I love these t-shirts! I'm going to order one of the Such Things kind. I think these are brilliant and classy!! You can find out more info by clicking on the logo on the side bar of this blog. And you can enter their contest, too! I would love to see this company grow so order a tee, ok? :D

Propped up on the Bible

2009-02-26T21:15:00.005-06:00

I've been sad this week b/c my aunt passed away on Monday. She was my great-aunt, but was very much like a grandma to me. I loved her very much and I think I could have handled her death better if it had been a heart attack or car accident, but my family had to watch her fade away from a very rare brain disease. I know that she is in heaven. Have absolutely no doubt about it and that is a comfort of some sort b/c she isn't here to suffer this life any more. But the world was a better place with her in it. I did get to say good-bye to her, though she wasn't aware of it. She was already pretty much in a coma.

She had to have 24-hr care for the last month and someone was thoughtful enough to use a wipes warmer for the wipees they used to clean her. It made me smile to see the wipes warmer propped up on a Bible b/c I think that was a symbol for her life...everything was propped up on the Bible. I really wish I taken a picture of it but regardless that image will be burned into my brain for a very long time. I really hope that when my time comes to leave this world that the legacy I leave behind will be at least a little like my Aunt Marlene's.

Since I decided not to host a Bible study in my home for various reasons, I haven't done a lot of studying. I'm not bragging about that, so please don't take it that way. I just need to admit it, I guess, so I can face the fact and get back to my roots and my foundation. Right now I'm trying to prop my life up on the ideas and beliefs of the world and man when I should be propping my life up on the Bible. I think I will start a study of II Cor. as the last book I did an intensive study of was I Cor. That makes sense, right? Anyway, I don't think it matters so much what book of the Bible I choose to study b/c there is so much to learn from all of God's Word. If you have a favorite book of the Bible to study I would love to hear about it and why you love it!

CKB blog update

2009-02-15T17:17:00.003-06:00

I just updated my bow blog, so please go take a look! Thanks!!

The great state of Avocado!

2009-02-12T13:12:00.006-06:00

Kami was putting together a states puzzle last night and picked up a piece and said, "Look! I found Avocado!" I knew as soon as she said it what she meant, and sure enough, she had found Colorado. Bwahahahaha!

In other Kami news, she is having her Valentine's Day party today and was all dressed up and looking very festive so I got a few pictures this morning before we left for school.

2009-02-07T21:34:00.002-06:00

Hello, my friends out in blogland! It's been awhile so I have some random things to tell you about. :)

First, a very odd thing about Taylor. He was never a pacifier baby. I tried and tried to make him one, but he just didn't want that fake thing. He wanted his mama! So fast forward to 3 days ago. He has been sick (I'll get to that in a minute) and he is cutting molars so I'm guessing that's why he asked for a paci at nap time. It was just sooooo random!! I only kept one paci b/c a special friend bought it for him and it is Texas Tech. :D So being the crazy mom I am, I gave him the paci. That was a mistake, obviously, but I was so tired of the crying and fussing that if a paci made him stop, I was ready to give it to him. And ya know what? It worked! He stopped crying and he went to sleep. He asked for it the next day at nap time, too, and I gave it to him b/c he was still sick, but I cut him off yesterday. He seemed ok with it b/c he was feeling better, so hopefully we are over that. I wonder if after he goes to preschool that he'll ask for it again. I guess I'll know after Tuesday! ;)

And, yes, we have been sick again! ARGH! I'm ready for summer already! I'm tired of being cooped up indoors and when the weather is nice, we are sick and can't go out. It's starting to drive me batty, I tell ya! But I am hoping Tim and I are on the last couple of days of our colds b/c Taylor seems to be completely well. He had the tummy bug for a few days and then got RSV and an ear infection. He passed the RSV around so that has been tons of fun. Kami got a very, very light cold, but otherwise she has been good through the whole ordeal.

I am making a real effort to get back on the health kick. I lost like 25 lbs, but I gained some back over the last few months. I'm not willing to be this unhealthy, so I'm making some changes. Moving more, eating less, drinking more water. There's no quick fix, but hopefully over the next few months I'll be back in my skinny jeans and be able to buy some new skinny jeans. :)

I posted some new pics on Facebook so pop over and take a look when you get a chance. I am particularly fond of the faucet pics and the spaghetti sauce face. :)

Have a wonderful week!

4th Picture

2009-01-21T15:11:00.002-06:00

Denae and Amanda both tagged me, so here ya go.

Here's how it works:
1. Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on the computer.
2. Select the 4th picture in the folder.
3. Explain the picture.
4. Tag 4 people to do the same
5. No cheating. (cropping, editing, etc.)

I pushed backspace and this thing posted....so I am coming back to post a pic and tag someone else, so beware! LOL!

OK, trying one more time. :D This is a picture from Nov 2003 at the AFCPE convention in Savannah, GA of me (yes, I was that heavy and got much heavier, blech!) and the beautiful Katie (Sumners) Philips.

I tag Christi, Lisa, Toni, and Lara!

There are always repercussions

2009-01-20T20:15:00.002-06:00

I had to make a decision about a group I was in and thought I was making the right one. I agonized over it and knew there would be some fallout, but it has been much worse than I expected. I pulled away from the group and now I feel like I've lost my best friends. I honestly thought they would be relieved as the group didn't seem to be a priority in their lives anymore. I made the decision to leave because the group wasn't working anymore and I don't have the personal strength to make it work. I have some issues that I won't discuss here b/c they involved other people that would be devestated if I did, but I was made to feel as if I am letting everyone down and that I am no longer a Christian. That's a pretty hard slap in the face. I have cried about this stuff for 3 days now and I can't keep going on like this. I am lonely and hurt and the people I need the most have turned their backs, or at least that's how it seems right now. I feel like no matter what decision I made would have been the wrong one. Maybe I should have just kept up the charade that everything was fine and dandy, I don't know.

If you are reading this, please say a prayer that my heart can be healed and that my friends will open their hearts up to me again.

A small vent

2009-01-14T09:27:00.002-06:00

I lost my Gymbucks! ARGH!!!!! I have been using Gymbucks since Kami was a baby and have never ever lost them. And now I can't find the ones I got in December! I have an online cart full of stuff I was planning to get at half off (b/c of the Gymbucks) and now I'll have to either go without b/c it will sell out or wait for them to go on sale for real. GRRRRRRRR!

Ok, vent over. ;)

My kids

2009-01-12T21:49:00.003-06:00

I love my kids. Have I mentioned that before? :P One of Kami's most endearing qualities is that she mixes up words on a regular basis. I think I have mentioned Magic Steve (for majesty) before. Today she was singing "Ring Around the Rosie" except something didn't sound quiet right so I listened closer. Instead of saying pocket full of posies, she was something like pocket full of fosies. It just made me giggle. And she used to call Laurie Berkner, Mary Parkins. I'm kinda sad she grew out of that one b/c it made me laugh everytime she said it. :) And oh, my Taylor. He loves Laurie Berkner, too and sings and sings and sings. I will have to get them on video soon. The last time I tried he wasn't feeling very well and just made mad faces at the camera. LOL! He marches around like a dinosaur and he belts out Oh, Susana! with the best of them. Today while I was cooking dinner, they were laying on floor giving each other hugs and kisses until he got to rough and bit Kami's tummy. :) The first thing he always asks after nap is, "Where is Sister?" Not, "Hi, Mama." Not, "I'm hungry." But, "Where is Sister?" Makes me go all warm and goey inside.

Now that isn't to say I don't enjoy my time away from them. :D Tomorrow they will both be in school and I'm so ready! But I do love them. Being a mom is a great job.

New blog!

2009-01-12T09:45:00.003-06:00

From now on I'm going to be posting all bow related stuff on my new blog: http://cottonkamibows.blogspot.com/

I hope you'll stop by for a visit and to purchase a bow or two. ;)

My funny boy

2009-01-10T18:44:00.003-06:00

Taylor is talking more and more now and he is just funny! I don't think he always tries to be which makes it even cuter (more cute?) I think. Tonight at the dinner table we were eating salad and chicken spaghetti and he was totally diggin' the spaghetti and not so much the salad. So I was trying to pick the salad off of his plate so he could get to the rest of the good stuff. While I'm doing this, he's saying in a very firm voice, "Stop! That's mine! That's my spaghetti!!" It's so darn cute to hear this little baby voice talk in real sentences. :D He's also learned how to tattle, which is a survival skill when you have an older sister. ;) Just this second he said, "Daddy, have a football on your shirt." Amazing that 20 months ago this little being was so tiny and helpless and is now on his way to being a big boy!

Chloe's Princess Fairy Army :)

2009-01-10T09:29:00.003-06:00

Chloe is having a princess party and her mama was kind enough to ask me to make some party favors. We took a little of Sleeping Beauty, a little of Tinkerbell and came up with this fairy princess. Thank you, Deidra!! You rock!

More pics

2009-01-07T09:14:00.006-06:00

These pictures are just repeats of the slide show, but hopefully this will be easier to scroll through. Please contact me for more info! Thanks for looking!!

Cotton Kami Bows--New Ribbon!

2009-01-06T13:25:00.003-06:00

If you are having trouble seeing the images, please click the view all images button and it will take you to the pictures. Thanks for looking!!

Cotton Kami Bows Inventory

2009-01-06T12:02:00.001-06:00

Help me change this law!

2009-01-05T08:56:00.002-06:00

I was planning to do a post about my new plans for the new year and blah, blah, blah, but the last 48 hours have changed all of that. It was brought to my attention that there was a law passed in October that goes into effect (affect?, I always get those confused) Feb. 10, 2009. It is called the the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and it is intended to protect our children from lead through tougher testing requirements for all products intended for children under the age of 12. Sounds great, right? Who doesn't want to protect their kids from lead? But let's look at some reprocussions of this law. For me personally, I won't be able to sell hairbows anymore because there is absolutely no way I can afford to test my RIBBON and THREAD for lead. From what I understand, each test costs $300 and each batch has to be tested so that would mean that I would have to test each spool of ribbon (all 500 of them, ok only kidding about how many. I don't know how many spools of ribbon I have, but I have 4-5 photograph boxes full and then some.) and each spool of thread and every order of clips. So you can see the problem, right? I would have to charge $100 per bow to make up the cost! But it doesn't just affect me. Here is a blog that shows some other artisans (which, I don't consider myself to be, but these people are!) who will be affected, as well: http://www.endangeredwhimsy.com/

Here is a link to a good summary of the law: the post on Jan 2nd http://www.thesmartmama.com/bg/

So what can you do? You can write your legislators (it only takes a few minutes): http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/alert/?alertid=12274476 .
You can sign a petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html .
You can get more educated about the law: http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/ , http://coolmompicks.com/savehandmade/ , http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/faq/faq.html .
And you can tell other people so they can do all these things, too!

2008, Year In Review

2008-12-31T08:26:00.002-06:00

2008 was kind of a hard year for me emotionally. My baby learned how to feed himself, how to walk, how to talk and is becoming every increasingly more independent. He had a huge milestone birthday of turning ONE, which was exciting, but kind of sad at the same time. I know that I probably will never have another baby and I'm good with that, but knowing Taylor is doing all the firsts for the last time is a little bittersweet. I am proud that I'm raising him to be an independent little man, but I'm always glad when he still needs me to cuddle him. :)

My big girl turned FOUR! It doesn't even seem possible that four years have passed since I became a mom. It has gone in a whirlwind. And Taylor's got nothin' on Kami in the independence department! And stubborn! Yowza!! But she is also funny and brilliant and incredibly imaginative, so I wouldn't change a thing about her. She has learned how to draw people this year, to recognize a few letters of the alphabet and recognize numbers 1-9. And she has become an even better big sister than before. She is Taylor's mini-mama. :)

Tim and I celebrated 9 years together as a married couple and on 12-28 was the 10th anniversary of our engagement. Also, we both turned 30!

Kami and Taylor got to meet their great-grandmother and great-uncle and aunt in a trip to Oklahoma in April. That was a highlight in all our lives. Kami still talks about going to see them and getting to ride my uncle's horse, Daisy. :) My uncle also gave her one of his cowboy hats and that meant more than any other gift he could have given her. I hoping to take them back in the spring so we can visit with them again.

We welcomed some new friends to our group, Jack and Lyla were born into this crazy world in 2008 and I have very much enjoyed them! Jack is starting to really develop into his own person and it is so fun to watch! Both of my kids love him and we are all excited to get to play with him lots more in the spring semester. Lyla is a beautiful, smiley little thing and I hope she continues to blossom more each time I see her.

2008 was also a year of tragedy. Some very dear friends lost their baby in July. My heart still aches for them. In November, my cousin was killed in a drunk driving accident and her death still affects my daily life. I struggle to deal with the sadness of loss.

My friends and I began a new Bible study this year and it has been one of the highlights of the year for me. I have gotten into God's Word more deeply than I would have on my own and the study has given me new insights into passages I have read many times. The group has also given me the kind of close friends I need and have needed for a long time. We don't always agree on everything, but I know we can talk about anything and still be friends. It's also good to have a group of friends who I can call on if I need them and to know they will be there.

Speaking of friends, in August I got to go to Dallas to meet some of my internet friends! It was wonderful getting to hug their necks in real life!! We have "known" each other since before Kami was born and communicate almost daily, but there's something about seeing each other in person that solidifies a friendship.

And 2008 has also been the year of Facebook! Woot! I have been able to reconnect with so many people!! It is amazing, really. So many relatives, high school and college classmates and people from AIM are on FB! I love seeing pictures of people's lives and just getting to know them again.

So 2008 was a good year, but also very emotional and I look forward to 2009. More on that in the coming days. ;) Happy New Year everyone!!

A very merry Christmas, indeed!

2008-12-26T18:46:00.004-06:00

Christmas was a very good day this year. No stress, just the right amount of gifts and being with family. We did our big meal at dinner time so I had all day to get ready and it was fabulous. No rushing, no running around.

Kami and Taylor woke up about 7 a.m. (their normal time) and Kami yelled, "I DID make it onto Santa's List!!" She was so excited. :D She waited very patiently while Taylor had his banana. He can't function properly without his banana...it's kinda like his caffeine, I guess. ;) So then Kami opened her presents from Santa and Taylor wanted all of her presents, especially the Dora figure, but wasn't interested in opening his gifts at all. He just doesn't care about presents. Maybe it's his age or maybe his personality, or maybe a mixture of both. Kami loves to open presents so she opened his, too, and then he played with the toys. :D Funny boy!

After opening Santa gifts, I made pancakes and the kids played with their toys and Tim fell asleep on the couch. :D After breakfast, we just kinda hung out and lazed around the house. Taylor went down for a nap and I went to take a very long, hot bath. It was great!! Then it was time for Kami's "rest time." (I don't know why I even call it a rest time anymore, she never rests. I think I'll change the name to quiet play time in your bed, which is way more realistic!) Soon after, Taylor woke up, got a snack and Mimi and Poppi (Tim's mom and dad) showed up!

I started making preparations for dinner and then we opened family presents. Mimi and Poppi got us some wonderful things that we are all looking forward to playing with and using!! After we opened presents I took my time in the kitchen getting all the food ready while the kids played with their grandparents. I made garlic cheddar biscuits, roasted asparagus with browned butter balsamic sauce, heated up some ham, and Tim made the mashed potatoes. It was all on the table at 5:30 p.m. and the kids ate it up and so did everyone else! We had Snickerdoodle cake for dessert. :)

The kids were both asleep by 8:30 p.m., which is great for as much activity they had during the day. We stayed up and talked to Tim's parents for a couple of hours and then when they went to bed we started watching Leatherheads. I fell asleep during it, so hopefully we'll finish it tonight.

Today we went to Wal-Mart at 7:45 a.m. or so and it wasn't busy at all. We got a cart full of stuff for 50% off and now my gift stash is replenished, for girl presents anyway and I'm set for wrapping paper and other assorted things. Since we received quite a few gift cards for Christmas, this trip didn't cost us anything! How cool is that?

After we came back, I made a fairly large brunch of hashbrown casserole, eggs (Tim made the sunny-side up variety for his dad and him), bacon and fruit. Then it was time for Mimi and Poppi to head back home. The kids were very sad for them to go, but as soon as they left, Tim took Kami on a Daddy Date, so that took some of the sting out of it for her. They went to see Madegascar 2. Taylor had to take a nap, but he soooo needed one!

For dinner tonight I made hamburgers and french fries. Standing over the fries made me think back to my mom making me french fries when I was a little girl and it made me smile. My kids gobbled up the fries so I think they were a big hit! Those will definitely go into the regular rotation around here, now.

And now that I've written a novel, it's time to get my kids in bed. I hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas Day as I did! Hugs and love!

And it begins

2008-12-23T07:57:00.002-06:00

I have started planning for our Jan '10 Disney World trip! Yes, I know it is still 13 months away, but I just couldn't help myself! I started an Excel sheet to compare hotels and I will probably start a sheet on restaurants soon. Yes, I know I'm a big dork. :P But to in all seriousness, I feel like if we are going to spend $1,000's on a trip, it deserves some major planning. We went in 2007 and Kami loved it even though she was really sick, so I hope it will be even better this time around. She still remembers stuff about the trip and she was just a little over 2 years old! It made an impact! :D And I should have a better time this trip since I won't be 7 months pregnant. LOL! I'm off to sign up for Tour Guide Mike!!

He's such a boy! :)

2008-12-15T16:43:00.003-06:00

My son just put on my sandals I keep by the garage door and told me he was leaving. "Bye!" he said, and made kissy noises. Then he says, "Going to Best Buy!"

BWAHAHAHAHA!!

Our first, but probably not the last, trip to the ER for Taylor

2008-12-08T14:25:00.002-06:00

Taylor decided to go pew diving, as I like to call it, last night at worship services. He was attempting to get down, I guess, but sort of jumped from his knees and it happened so fast neither Tim nor I could put our arms out fast enough to catch him. He busted both of his lips and their is a small spot right above his eyebrow that didn't show up until today. We took him to the ER b/c we needed to make sure there was no serious damage to that brain of his and fortunately he was perfect, according to the CT. All the doctors and nurses and the rest of the staff were great with him. We were really blessed that all that happened was a couple of fat lips! It could have been so much worse! And we are so lucky to have access to medical care unlike so many people in the world.

Taylor was up running and playing last night and today like nothing has happened. Typical, right? :D

Having trouble getting into the whole Christmas thing

2008-12-06T21:43:00.002-06:00

Christmas is a weird time of year for me. On one hand, it's great to think of others and spend time with family, but on the other hand, I just have trouble with the concept of Christmas. The whole history of Christmas really bothers me....a lot. No where in the Bible does it say Jesus was born in December, let alone December 25th. (Please correct me if I'm wrong on that). I used to think that a day that made everyone think about Jesus couldn't be wrong, but I have changed my stance on that. It's a fine line to walk when we start adding things to the Bible. No where is it said that the New Testament Christians celebrated Jesus' birth. However, we are commanded to celebrate his death and resurrection every week. It's hard being in the minority that doesn't celebrate Jesus' birth on Christmas.

And then there is the whole commercialism aspect. When I was growing up we had very little money so when I got presents at Christmas I was very, very grateful. It's hard to teach that to my kids when they are given everything they want and more, especially since I have the means to do so. We don't necessarily to overboard on buying them presents, but we aren't the only ones giving them presents, so it's hard to say, "Oh don't get them anything" or "Don't spend over this much money" or "Homemade gifts are always appreciated." I will never forget the first Christmas I spent at Tim's house. It was horrifying to me how many gifts we all got. I wanted to be sick at the money that was being wasted. In my family we did one or two gifts per person. In Tim's family it was a contest to see who would get the biggest pile. And it only got worse when we had Kami. It seems that last year was a little better, though. Everyone got nice things, but there was the excess that seemed to dominate in years past. Or maybe I've become used to it and that is a very scary thought!

All that being said. We did decorate our Christmas tree tonight. It's fun for the kids and I do like pulling all the ornaments out one by one and remembering the story behind each one. I'll do a post soon all about our tree. It should really be a scrapbook page, but I don't know when I'll get around to doing that. So I'll at least post the journaling and probably the pictures here soon.

Time to think

2008-11-14T15:01:00.003-06:00

While I was in the car driving to OK for my cousin's funeral, I had a lot of time to think. Actually, I spent a lot of time trying not to think b/c I would keep thinking about how tragic Ashley's death had been and what I was going to face when I got to OK or what I had faced while I was driving home.

But it the in between times, I thought about how fragile our lives on earth are. I thought about how I would feel if it were my kids who we were putting into the ground. Have I loved them enough in the short time I have had them? Have I taken them for granted?

I thought about how sad it is that the last time I saw most of my family was at my great aunt's funeral. I have isolated myself in Lubbock too long. I vowed to make more trips to OK even if it is a horrible car ride b/c my kids scream and cry the whole way. I want them to know my family...their family.

I thought about how death changes people who are left behind. When I saw my cousin, Ashley's dad, in April, he all but ignored me. This time, he hugged me many times and told me that he loved me every time I saw him. I never knew he loved me, honestly. I know that I have always loved him, but in that "he's my dad's brother's son so I have to love him" kinda way. I'm guessing it's the same way for him and his brother, though his brother may not even have that strong of feelings for me. We were never close and it makes me sad now that I'm older. I am going to try to stay in touch with him b/c I think we would get along as friends and not just tolerate each other as family. When I talked to my mom today she said that he was sad he didn't get to see me at lunch today since I left early this morning to come home. It was nice that he missed me. Maybe it means we can be friends.

Mostly though, I'm just sad. I have the overwhelming urge to cry all the time. I have been fighting the tears all day and now that it is night time, I don't know how much longer I can hold them back. I thought I had cried myself out, but apparently I was wrong. I'm not really sure I miss Ashley anymore than I did before, because I hadn't seen her in so long, but I am sad that I know she isn't in our world anymore. I'm sad that she won't get to experience motherhood. I'm sad that my family has an empty spot in it now. I'm sad for Kelly and Carol and Harmon. No one should have to bury their child or grandchild. I'm sad that Kassidi won't have a big sister. I'm sad that I had to say good-bye to my cousin before I got to know her as an adult and as a friend. The last couple of days have been a fog and I don't know when that fog will lift.

Tragedy

2008-11-10T08:13:00.003-06:00

Please keep my family in your prayers. My 21-year old cousin, Ashley, was killed in a car accident yesterday. I don't know anymore details than that at this point. We are all still in shock. She was pregnant and her dad was planning to go up to Missouri to pick her up and move her back home to Oklahoma today, so it makes her death even more tragic to me.

I haven't seen Ashley in several years, but I will always think of her as my baby cousin. I was looking forward to getting in touch with her again now that she was going to be a mom b/c we would finally have something in common besides just being family.

My heart is too full to write more now.

Sickness and other stuff

2008-11-08T10:19:00.005-06:00

Ok, before I get to talking about the sickness, can I just say, GO RED RAIDERS!!!! They did awesome last week and I hope we can hold on and beat those OSU Cowboys tonight! RAIDER....POWER!! Thanks for taking this picture, Christi!

Sooooo, this has got to be the worst fall we have had as a family as far as sickness goes. I can not keep my family well! Taylor finally started feeling better and Kami started feeling better and then Tuesday morning at about 4 a.m. Kami started throwing up. At 6 a.m. I started throwing up and at 8 a.m. Taylor threw up. ARGH!! Fortunately for Taylor that was about all it was for him, but now he has a cold. Seriously. When is this kid going to get a break?! And poor Kami, she threw up every 30 min for 5 hours. She was feeling better on Wednesday but still wouldn't eat so when she woke up on Thursday she had reflux, ate too fast, and threw up again so I couldn't really send her to school. She cried and cried and cried b/c she missed her friends and her teachers. I threw up for 10 hours plus had other fun stuff to deal with in the bathroom. YAY! Or not so much. I was so out of it. Today is the first day I have felt really good and was so looking forward to going to the Tech game tonight. BUT....

Tim is laying in bed sick. *sigh* I could go without him I guess, but I really, really don't want to. He's hoping he just has what Taylor had and gets over it very quickly. I guess we will know soon.

I also have to say that I have the best mom in the whole world. She dropped everything for us and came as soon as I called her even though she lives 4 hours away and has a life of her own. It was a life saver having her here! I love you, Mama!!!

Last night we had Bible study and it was amazing, as always. I am always so comforted and uplifted by studying God's Word with my friends. We have been studying I Corinthians and while I'm sure I have read I Corinthians more than once, I can honestly say I have never done a study of it and have missed out on so many important lessons. Some of what we talked about last night was about how we have a responsibility to be a good influence, but also to help keep others from sinning by our actions. Also, in chapter 9, Paul talks about supporting those who preach the gospel and it sparked a very interesting discussion about gratitude and how to teach our children gratitude in our society. It has made me rethink my Christmas lists, that's for sure! There are much better ways that our money can be put to use for God than by buying our kids more presents than they can ever enjoy. Another thing that we touched on was in chapter 10 when Paul talks about how God won't allow us to be tempted more than we can bear and that He will always offer a way out of temptation. It made me realize that I don't always look for my escape hatch when I'm being tempted. Sometimes I like to wallow in the temptation and ask why I'm being punished and why I'm not getting my way. Sounds like a bratty kid to me!! So I'm going to try to do better at looking for my way out instead of complaining so much about the temptation.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a wonderful week! And WRECK 'EM TECH!!

I'm exhausted!

2008-10-30T19:36:00.002-05:00

I have taken my kids to the doctor 5 times in two weeks and Tim took one to the dr. on Sunday. I don't want to even think about all the hours I have spent in dr's offices this week plus all the time I have spent dispensing medication. Sheesh! But, Taylor is finally well. According to his 18-month check-up he is skinny and has a big head, so basically he's a little bobblehead. ;) But he's a cute bobblehead!!! Kami went to the ENT today b/c she has another ear infection, but he says to wait before we do tubes again, which is what I was hoping he would say. She hasn't complained of pain except for one night even though her ear drum was buldging! Usually she is very sensitive to pain, but maybe she is used to it in her ear. *shrug* So she and Taylor are both on prescriptions, but thankfully they both take medicine fairly easily.

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow evening. Usually I dread Halloween night, but I think we will have lots of fun tomorrow. We are going to a pumpking carving/decorating party and then to TOT with some friends. Kami loves having an excuse to wear a costume out of the house. :) Have a safe and fun Halloween!!

Some pictures

2008-10-28T13:13:00.002-05:00

He's a garden gnome. :)

She's a fairy. :)

A few pictures from the Lubbock Christian School Fall Festival (not sure why all the pics aren't the same size):

The big 3-0!

2008-10-28T10:23:00.002-05:00

So I'm 30. :) To be honest, I'm not hung up on age at all so it's not a big deal to me, but I do think beginning a new decade is a good time for reflection.

God has truly blessed me with so many things. First of all, I met Tim over 11 years ago. I was so lucky to have found the person I wanted to spend my life with (and who wanted to spend his life with me!) when I was so young. Sure we've had some growing pains, but we have grown through our 20's together and we are stronger for it. I am 30 and I have two kids. WOW! In this day and age that is pretty rare. If things had gone the way *I* had planned them, I would have had them 5 years earlier, but God (and Tim) knew better. :) My parents are another blessing that I can't imagine my life without. My mom and I talk on the phone everyday, sometimes 3 or 4 times if I'm working on something I need her help with. I can't wait until they actually move down here! They love my kids so much and my kids love them beyond words. It is such a wonderful thing to get to see them interact. I love it!

Another blessing are my friends. My church family is amazing and I can't imagine worshipping anywhere else than at Kings Ridge. Lara, I know you are reading this b/c you follow my blog ;) so I'll call you out. I probably never would have gotten to know you and come to love you and your family if it weren't for Kings Ridge. The community we have there with our young families group is incredible and I wouldn't trade it! Also, reconnecting with my friends from college in the last few months has been wonderful. I am so happy when someone updates a blog (Jamie, did you start yours yet?????) b/c I get a little peek into their lives and it makes me smile. Christi, girl, you inspire me day after day and I can't wait to get my hands on that book of yours!

Having all the material things in my life is just icing. To be in our second home and be able to have two cars that are paid off and be able to buy all the things we need and most of what we want are incredible blessings! I even have a little business that seems to be growing more than I ever expected. I started out making bows for Kami and now I sell bows and clips and streamers all over Lubbock. Pretty crazy! (I might as well post my gallery in case anyone is interested, hahahahha: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=18ojw89a.3w6vqlne&x=0&y=-itvcjh&localeid=en_US .

Anyway, as you can see, I'm a blessed woman! I have no idea what the next 30 years will bring but if I have will be as lucky as I was in this 30, I'll be golden.

4-yr old check-up

2008-10-20T19:09:00.002-05:00

For anyone who hasn't had to do the 4-year check-up yet, let me tell you, it's exhausting! They do a whole lotta stuff at that appointment, the worst of which is that Kami got FIVE shots. She was so not a happy camper, but she did ok. She got to choose a prize out of the prize box and she got a Dora sticker and we went to Rosa's for dinner and Sheridan's for dessert. I hope she feels ok tomorrow, but if not, I told her she could stay home from school. One of her little friends from pre-school was completely miserable the day after her shots and couldn't even get out of bed b/c her leg was so sore. Poor little muffin!

While we were at the doctor's office, she was kind enough to take a look at Taylor for us and his ears look great, his throat is fine and his molars aren't coming in. He is finishing cutting his canines, though so she suspects that is why he has been running fever since Saturday evening.

Speaking of Saturday, I did that craft fair in Wolforth and it went really well! The next one will be at Monterey church of Christ on November 15. I would love for you to come by even if it's just to say, "Hi!"

Well I need to get my kids ready for bed so I hope y'all have a great week!!

My faith is weak

2008-10-17T13:32:00.003-05:00

Do you have one thing that really tests your faith in God?

For me it is the death of babies. I don't understand it. As a mother, I can't even processes it. My friends lost their baby girl in June and I almost turned my back on God. These two people are some of the most generous, kind, wonderful people I have ever known and she had to go through almost her entire pregnancy knowing she was going to lose her baby girl. They got to have her for 3 weeks, which is 3 weeks longer than they thought they would, but still. 3 weeks??? I found out today that another friend who lives in the DC area had her boy/girl twins very prematurely and her baby boy didn't make it. Her baby girl is hanging on, but is not out of the woods yet. How can this happen???

I understand that God gives us free will and that bad things can happen as a consequence. But babies?? What free will did they exercise? NONE! Yes, I know they are up in heaven now and will never have to suffer, but what of us left behind? What free will did those parents exercise to warrent the loss of a baby? I just don't understand. I know life isn't always roses and poetry and that sometimes it is very ugly. I know that as a Christian I am almost guaranteed hardships, according to Peter. But babies are pure and innocent and represent the best of this world. WHY DO THEY DIE?! WHY, GOD?!

Please pray for the parents of these precious babies. If I'm struggling with this I can't even begin to imagine the struggle they face and will face daily. I know it sounds a little ironic that I am angry at God but still ask for prayers and have said them myself. It isn't that I don't believe in Him or don't trust Him. I do. I just need some guidance and understanding. It's like when you get mad at your parents. I still love my parents and know that they will always do their best to take care of me and mine, but I still get angry with them. So I guess that's where I am in my relationship with God right now. I thought I had reconciled myself with this question after this summer, but apparently not. Please pray that I don't sin in my anger.

I'm so far behind, I think I'm first!

2008-10-15T16:10:00.002-05:00

My mom used to have a coffee mug with that saying on it and that's about how I feel these days. :D It's all good, though.

So let's see, when last I left this wonderful blog, I was in the middle of getting ready for Kami's party and for Race for the Cure. As you can see from the slideshow, I did indeed run it. ;) I thought about coping out right before the race, but decided to go ahead and stick it out. I'm really glad I did and I only had to walk for a few minutes toward the latter half of the 5K. I finished in 46 min. which is well off the 30 min that was my goal, but so much happened in August and September that I didn't make training a priority. I have set a goal to push both the kids for the 5K next year, so that should be interesting. They weigh a total of about 55 lbs right now so I might be pushing 65 lbs plus the stroller next year! That should be a workout!

Anyway, Kami's party was a success. She had 4 friends come over and if you are on Facebook, you have probably already seen the pics. If not, this should let you see the pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6734&l=ed5d9&id=1353737597

This weekend, I'll be at the Wolforth craft show. Not sure what the real name of it is, but it's in Wolforth and it's this Saturday. :D To throw a wrench in things, Tim is leaving on Friday morning to head down to College Station for the game on Saturday. But my sweet friend, Dena, volunteered to take my kids for the day. She's the greatest and my kids love her so I know they will have a blast. Hopefully they will be nice for her, too!

My kids are screaming at each other and since Kami bit Taylor this morning when she got angry with him, I better go referee. I'll come back another time. ;)

Race for the Cure

2008-10-06T15:27:00.001-05:00

My Babies

2008-10-06T13:49:00.001-05:00

Crazy busy!

2008-09-30T11:46:00.001-05:00

Right now I am so stinkin' busy I can barely thing straight. I just wanted to let y'all know I'm not avoiding blogging, I just don't have time to do it right now. It might be a couple of weeks, but I will be back. I have some funny pictures of my kids sleeping in various places and pictures of Kami's first day of ballet, so when I come back I'll post those. :) Have a great rest of the week!!

Can a get a little cheese with that whine?

2008-09-24T16:08:00.002-05:00

HOLY SMOKES!! My kids have been whiney, whiney, whiney all day long! I'm about ready to pull my hair out! Tim needs to come home soon so no one gets hurt. (ok, just so you know, I'm being dramatic. I would never hurt my kids on purpose even on the worst days.) I have been busy all day long and I'm tired and they seem to be tired and that just isn't a good mix. I want to crawl in my bed and go to sleep for an hour or so and then I think I would feel better. I just yelled at them both and made Taylor cry. Not my finest mothering moment. *sigh* I still have so much to get done today and I just don't feel like it. I need chocolate.

Kami's project

2008-09-23T11:25:00.003-05:00

Why do parents feel the need to do their children's homework for them? Especially when they are 3?? We got this assignment to do over the weekend for Kami's school about families. I let Kami do the project since it was HER class and HER school. When I got to school this morning I saw a mom with COMPUTER GENERATED graphics and pictures! WHAT??? Then I get into Kami's classroom and I'm putting her lunch and backpack in her little locker and I see another project that a mom had obviously done and it was one of Kami's teachers!! What is wrong with letting our children be creative and doing their own work? What kind of pattern are you setting if you will already do your children's work in preschool? I guess I'm irritated b/c I am trying to raise my children to be independent adults and there are tiny steps along the way, such as doing work on their own, that I believe will lead to that goal. I could probably go on and on and on, but I'll stop now.

Anyway....
I went to Hobby Lobby after I dropped Kami off and I could spend hours and hours there just wandering around. *sigh* I picked up some huge vase thing and some greenery to go in my China hutch. It was all 50% off. I LOVE 50% off. :D And I ran into Jamie while I was there! It was good to see you, girl! Hope you got all your running around done!

More colds :(

2008-09-22T10:02:00.002-05:00

Kami woke up yesterday morning with what I thought was allergies. No such luck; she has another cold!! Poor kid. And this morning Taylor woke up with it. So they are both a little fussy and really snotty, especially Taylor. Kami doesn't like the feeling of snot, so she keeps up with her own, but Taylor can sneeze down to his chin and it doesn't bother him. Not sure if it is his age or his gender. ;)

Now I have to go clean house and do laundry. I am trying to get all the fall/winter clothes washed so that when we get a surprise cold front I'll be ready. And I like looking at all the clothes I bought over the last few months and at the end of the season last year. :) I'm a sucker for kid's clothes. I was kind of glad no one could see the piles of clothes I bought for each child, especially Kami. It was pretty eye-opening to see it all laid out on the floor and has definitely made me not want to buy anything else for awhile! Oh, well except if it is for next year and is on sale. :-P

Report on Taylor's tubes

2008-09-18T14:21:00.002-05:00

Taylor had his tubes put in this morning at about 8:30. He is doing great!! He is already acting as if nothing happened. It's totally crazy! The nurse said he did perfectly and never even whimpered when he woke up. In recovery he harldy cried at all even though he had to be in pain. Kami went nuts and it took her a full day to recover. Taylor was back to normal in 30 min. Just confirms what I already knew about my kids. ;)

Thank you, God, for such a successful surgery and recovery!

I love my kids. :)

2008-09-17T09:37:00.004-05:00

My kids are my true joy in this crazy life. I have really been enjoying them lately even more than I normally do. Kami is so passionate about everything. She has been that way since she was born and I think it will continue for her whole life. She is either happy, happy, happy or NOT happy at all. It used to frustrate me b/c I thought it was my fault that she was so unhappy sometimes. But now I know it is just part of who she is and I need to help her find a way to better express her anger than throwing fits and screaming and crying. Because she is so passionate, she is such a loving girl. She randomly gives me hugs and tells me that she loves me all the time. It makes my heart swell with love and pride to hear her tell Taylor that she loves him and that she will take care of him forever. So sweet! And she does take good care of him! Yesterday he really wanted to get his shoes and socks off after we came home from the grocery store but wasn't having much success. I was going to help him after I got the groceries put away, but when I peeked into the living room to check on him, Kami was sitting on the floor with him taking off his shoes and socks. It was sooooo adorable! She does stuff like that for him all the time. Oh, and she has started trying to teach him that is wrong to do things. The last week or so I will hear her say something like, "Do you want me to spit (or hit) you?" "No," says Taylor, which is his response to most things these days. "Then don't spit at me!" She says it in a very patient voice and is pretty nice about it and it just makes me smile to hear it. :) Kami is very into princesses and other pretend play. I think she always has a running dialog in her head and sometimes I get to hear some of it when she is playing house or something with her Little People. She loves baby dolls and we have a plethera of them, but I'm considering getting her a couple more b/c she really does play with all of them. They are all nekkie right now b/c she is going through the stage where they all have to be that way. She does dress them up every now and again, but mostly they are bare bottomed. ;) She loves to dance, especially if she has a Prince. That used to be me, Daddy or Granny, but now it is usually Taylor and he loves it! She took gymnastics at the community center for the spring and summer sessions but has now decided she wants to be a "weenut" (ballerina) so she is taking ballet starting at the end of the month. I can't wait to see her learn some cute little moves! She really enjoyed gymnastics but I told her she had to choose which she wanted to take b/c I didn't want to overschedule her. I think she will really enjoy it, even if it's just b/c she gets to wear tights and ballet shoes. :)

Taylor is my busy, busy, busy boy. He has been moving from inception I'm pretty sure. I had to have 2 NSTs (non-stress tests) done every week for my last trimester with him and I would be strapped to that machine FOREVER b/c he would move all over the place and they couldn't get good readings. I was supposed to be there for 30 min. or so and I would almost always end up being hooked up for a good hour. Crazy kid! After he was born, he only moved more since he had some freedom. ;) He started rolling over at 4 months, crawling at 8 months and walking at 12 months. He's 16 months now and he is running all over the place. It is amazing how much babies change and grow in that first 2 years! Kami didn't do all those physical things until several months later, so I wasn't really prepared for Taylor to be so active, I guess. Anyway, since he was so physically ahead of her I thought he would be slower in speech and other things like that. Um, not so much. He has a ton of word and is starting to make sentences. It is just amazing!! He loves to be outside (both of them do, actually) and he loves to swing. He is very into cars and dogs and all other animals, too. He loves his Mama, Daddy, Sister, Granny and Papa. He loves to laugh and be chased around. He also enjoys his "naks" or snacks. He hates sleep and having his hair washed and the blender, but other than that I can't think of anything he really doesn't like. He has started saying, "Awww, man!" because I say it all the time, I guess. I didn't realize how much until he started saying it. :) I used to say, "Crap!" a lot, but when Kami started saying it I realized that I had to stop that and quickly!!! Anyway, it's really funny to hear this tiny little voice from the other room say, "Awww, man."

Did I mention I love my kids? :-D

Craft Fair Report

2008-09-15T08:09:00.002-05:00

Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day! We had a great spot under a big tree so we were shaded from the sun so in the afternoon it was quite pleasant in our little booth. Financially I did pretty well, too. I did two shows last year and I made more at this one show than I did at both of those combined, so I call that a success! I am considering doing another one in Sept. at Maxey Park, but I need to get more info on that one. I am for sure going to be doing the one at Monterey Church of Christ in Nov (the 15th, I think??), so come by and see me. :)

In other news, I have unfortunately gained 6 lbs this last month. YUCK! I do not feel good and my pants are tight so I am going back to writing everything down that goes into my mouth and drinking more water. I know that I can lose it again, it is just frustrating to know I let hard work that I have already put in go to waste. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to report that I lost it all and then some. ;)

Have a great week!

Politics and the rain

2008-09-11T14:19:00.003-05:00

Why is it that the arguments made against Sarah Palin's nomination are things like, "She doesn't represent women well. She is an insult to women, etc." Maybe she is an insult to liberal women, but it doesn't mean she is an insult to me. What I know of her, I like her. I like that she is conservative and has an opinion about things. I don't agree with her on everything, but then again, I don't agree with my own husband or my parents on every issue, either. I'm not asking anyone to repond really, I just needed to vent. I'm tired of being referred to as an idiot b/c I am a conservative woman who backs Sarah Palin!

Ok, on to other things. I need the rain to stop by Saturday. Please pray that it does. For one thing, we were in Dallas for the first TTU game of the season and I am really wanting to go to the game and not sit in the rain. But that's not the real reason I need the rain to end. The Garden and Arts Festival is on Saturday and my friend, Alisha, and I have a booth there. We have spent a lot of time getting ready for this and I know the other vendors will have done that as well. If it is raining as hard as it is now, NO ONE is going to be out there to shop. Or if they are, I might not want to sell my bows to those crazy people! ;) So pray that the rain lets up by Saturday!

Bible study

2008-09-06T07:59:00.002-05:00

Last night we had our second Bible study on the book of I Corinthians. It was amazing!! I love getting together with my friends and discussing God's Word. The fact that the Bible was written so long ago and still applies to the struggles I face daily is proof that God has had a plan for us and for ME from the beginning of time. I won't profess to know or understand all of what I read in the Bible. Far from it actually, but I feel that if I'm willing, God opens up new things for me to discover each time I study. Because I grew up going to church, I have a lot of general knowledge, but I never have taken the time to do in depth study of His Word besides during my AIM time. I Corithians (and Hebrews) talks about being ready for the spiritual meat instead of staying on the milk. I think I have been taking the milk road for way too long and it's time to get my teeth into the meat.

Kami's Open House and first day of school

2008-09-04T11:08:00.003-05:00

Kami goes to Sonshine PreSchool over at Broadway Church of Christ and she LOVES it! This is her third year and she is such the big girl now. Here are a few pictures of her from Open House last week and her first day on Tuesday. :)

Dallas Trip

2008-09-03T09:01:00.002-05:00

Right before we were supposed to go to Dallas Taylor shared his lovely cold with his sister and with me. I was pretty tired of being covered in snot by then end of the cold!!! Taylor's nose is still runny and Kami still has a bit of a cough, but other than that we are pretty much well. Taylor is feeling much better because he is back to terrorizing his sister. LOL!

The drive down to Dallas was OK until we hit Ft. Worth. OH.MY.GOODNESS. It was insane!!!! It was raining cats and dogs and people were driving like idiots and we passed 3 or 4 major wrecks. It took us TWO HOURS to get from Ft. Worth to Plano. The kids both woke up about half way during that mess and Taylor pretty much cried from the time he woke up until we got out at the hotel. Or actually until we got out at the wrong hotel b/c I got confused about which Marriott we were staying at. So we loaded the kids back up, Taylor screaming and kicking, of course, and drove around getting lost until we found our way to the correct Marriott. We stayed in the Legacy Town Center and it was very nice there, like a little village. We walked to a few restaurants and down to the pond with a waterfall, the kids loved that, and it was just very nice.

Meeting up with my friends was awesome! I like them even more after meeting them in person which is always a good thing! :D I got some great pictures! I may post some of just my family another day. I'm too lazy to go upload them right now. ;) Anyway, we went to a couple of malls and to Ikea and had lots of fun just being together. Plus I got to shop at a Hanna Andersson store!! Whoo hoo! I got a few things for Kami off the sale rack and a hat for Taylor. Then I shopped at Janie and Jack and got Kami a sweet, sweet dress with a cardigan that is just, well...sweet. :) It is really precious and was almost worth the trip to Dallas. OK, so not really, but it is a really cute dress and cardi! Then I hit Baby Gap and got Taylor a couple of shirts and a baseball cap. He loves his hats!

The trip home was not so good. It was llllooooonnnnnggggg and the kids were not so cooperative. They were tired and hadn't eaten well the entire trip and were just out of sorts. So I sat in the back between the two car seats for way too many hours and tried to ply them with food, drinks and activities. We made it to Abilene without too many incidents, but from there home it was pure torture for everyone. Tim was having a hard time staying awake and focused and I was ready to chop my ears off from listening to all the whining and crying coming from my kids. As soon as we pulled into the drive way Kami started yelling for joy! She was soooo happy to be home and she ran to her room and did a little dance and it was hysterical! She really missed our house. :) Taylor was still a fussy boy until Tim picked up Chloe (our crazy jack russell/mutt) from Petsmart. He loves that crazy dog and they chased each other around the house for at least 15 or 20 minutes. He laughed and laughed and laughed!

So that was our adventure. Oh, I forgot to mention just one tiny thing. Taylor was on antibiotics for his ear infection and then getting the cold on top of that have made his diapers disgusting. Plus we weren't at home were I could feed him a BRATY (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, and yogurt) diet so we went through over half a pack of diapers in 4 days!! Good thing I brought the whole pack and two bricks of wipes! His poor bum has a horrible, horrible rash on it. It is healing but taking soooo long since I keep having to change his diapers. Just for reference (cuz I know you want to know all of this!) he poops at least 5 times a day, sometimes 8 times. Well when he is sick, it goes up from there! Every time I turn around he's telling me he is poopy. I never thought I would be relieved to only have to change 5 poopy diapers a day!!! LOLOL!

And on that lovely note, I'll wish you a happy hump day!

No sleep = a very cranky mama!!!

2008-08-26T19:09:00.002-05:00

How on earth did I survive my kids being newborns? I was up for a few hours with Taylor last night and I STRUGGLED today. I mean I am barely functioning. Lots of t.v. for the kids and lots of caffiene for the mama! Thank goodness for my wonderful husband who came home and took over. He's the bestest!

Poor Taylor picked up a cold somewhere (probably at the dr.'s office) and so on top of having a nasty ear infection he now has a nasty cold. He is sneezing (you know the kind where the baby sneezes and the snot hangs down to their chin? yeah, it's not pretty) and his eyes are watering and he just looks pitiful.

I tried to start packing today for our trip to Dallas this weekend. Fortunately Tim took Thursday off and we aren't leaving until Friday so I can get some stuff done then, too. I folded an enormous basket of clothes and barely made a dent in my laundry pile. At least it's clean!! I have to pack in secret b/c Kami knows what suitcases/travel bags are for. "Are we going on a trip? On an airplane? Awww! In the car?! I don't want to go in the car. I want to go on the airplane. Can I watch a movie in the car? What movie can I watch? Is Taylor going to watch the movie? When are we going to leave? What day is Friday? Is today Friday? What day is today? How many days until Friday? Is Granny going with us? Is it Friday yet? Who are we going to stay with? Will there be other kids there? Is it Friday yet? Are you going to ride in the back with us? Is it far away where we are going? Is it Friday yet?" etc, etc, etc. So I'm going to try to keep it a secret until Thursday evening. I have to prepare her a little and give her some time to ask her questions, but I just don't want to deal with three days of questions that will be repeated over and over again. :)

Tube date and meal planning

2008-08-25T14:50:00.003-05:00

Taylor now has an appointment for Thursday, Sept 18th to get his tubes put in. Thankfully my mom is going to be here to take Kami to school and all that day. I'm glad Tim and I don't have to choose who would stay with Taylor and who would go with Kami. Taylor is going to want me but I don't think I will be able to handle him if he goes crazy like Kami did after she woke up from the surgery. She went absolutely bananas, but doesn't remember any of it. I guess that is common, or at least not uncommon. So I kind of expect the same with Taylor.

Anyway, now I'm sitting here trying to plan my meals for the week so that we will have enough food that I won't have to go shopping again right after we get back from Dallas. If you have any easy meals you want to send my way, feel free!!! I know hotdogs aren't that great in the nutrition area, but when they are $.89 and then the buns are another $.89 and both my kids will eat, they make a great meal. ;) Oh, if you need any Cokes, they are 4 for $9 at Market Street right now! Hard to beat that deal! Yes, Cokes and hotdogs....the staples of a healthy household. *eyeroll*

My kids are fighting over the bouncy zebra so I guess I better go mediate. The joys of parenthood, right??

Tubes

2008-08-22T11:12:00.002-05:00

Taylor was screaming in pain most of Wednesday night unless one of us held him and then started running fever and was cranky Thursday morning. Then Thursday evening he was happy and went to bed fine, but seeing as how I have been down this road before, I went ahead and called to make him a doctor's appointment. He was fussy all this morning and super clingy and running fever. So we went to the doctor and guess what??? He has ANOTHER ear infection. *sigh* Poor kid. This makes his 5th one since January and we have already had a consult with the ENT so I am awaiting a call back to schedule his surgery for tubes. It will kind of be a relief except for the cotton in his ears for bath. Hmm that might get interesting. Anyway, Kami had a raging ear infection last summer (um, yes, when we had a newborn--lovely, right?) and it lasted through 3 rounds of antibiotics. Tim finally took her to the ER on a Tuesday morning because she was in constant pain and she had tubes put in on Thursday morning. By Friday she was a new kid so it was totally worth getting them done. She went a little crazy after the surgery, but that's a whole different post. ;)

So I am sad that my baby is in pain yet again, but I'm glad he will finally get some relief with the tubes. Please say a prayer that the shot he got today works wonders for him and that we can get him an appointment soonfor the tubes!!

Nothing much

2008-08-19T09:37:00.002-05:00

I got most of the laundry done and I actually folded all that is washed and dried. A big accomplishment, I promise you!

My mom is coming today to help get my house ready for my aunt to come. This will be my aunt's first visit to our house so I'm hoping not to scare her off! She loves me no matter what, but I'm sure she would prefer a clean house. ;) So after they are here for a couple of days, they are going to go down to my aunt's house in San Antonio and meet up with another aunt and uncle and my cousins. I wish I could go, but there just isn't really anyway we could make it this time for various reasons. It makes me a little sad because my cousin who had her baby girl on the same day I had Taylor will be there and I would love to get to meet little Autumn! But I guess that will have to wait for another time. We will get to go down to SA for Thanksgiving so that will be fun.

Labor Day weekend we are going to Dallas! I can't wait b/c I'm going to meet a group of friends and their families there!! I'm sure I will be posting more about that soon.

Laundry Day

2008-08-18T12:16:00.002-05:00

Today is laundry day. How is that two small children create so much laundry??? I don't mind actually mind putting the laundry in the washer and then putting in the dryer, but the folding and putting away just irritate me for some reason. I'll be the first to admit I am a horrible housekeeper (Tim will second that, I'm sure!) and so our laundry sits in baskets, clean, but unfolded and not in drawers where it belongs. The FlyLady would be horrified. ;) Well, I think I hear the dryer buzzer so I'm off to change the loads. Have a happy Monday!

Bible study downer

2008-08-15T20:50:00.002-05:00

I'm irritated that no one showed up for Bible study tonight. Yeah, I get that everyone had good excuses, I guess, but it doesn't stop me from being peeved that I was the only one who wanted to be there. I don't know why this is bothering me so much. I should be over it by now; yet, 2 1/2 hours later, here I sit, still aggrevated. I don't know if it just doesn't mean as much to other people or if they don't need the fellowship as much as I do or what. We haven't gotten together in over a month and one by one everyone bailed on me. I guess maybe my feelings are hurt and I need to get out my big girl panties and get over it. I don't know that I'm still motivated to keep hosting and "teaching" this study if only one or two people (or none!) are interested. Maybe I'll feel differently tomorrow.

Sneak Peek pictures

2008-08-13T12:46:00.002-05:00

Denae posted a sneak peek of our photo session here. Take a look!

Running

2008-08-12T13:44:00.003-05:00

Last July I started the C25K program and went from never ever running to being able to complete a 5K in about 40 min, I think. I sort of dropped the ball and quit running b/c I didn't have a goal to work towards over the latter part of last year and the beginning of this year. Then I decided to pick it back up and while my endurance was fine, my muscles weren't ready to go from nothing to 20 min. runs. So I ended up pulling my calf muscle in my right leg. I was out 8 weeks and then just couldn't get motivated to run again. The past couple of weeks, I finally got off my hind end and am back on the treadmill (best Christmas present ever!!). I'm hoping to do the Race for the Cure on Oct. 4th in under 30 min. That is probably a bit ambitious, but I need a goal besides just to finish the race. I'll be hitting some of my friends up for donations for this wonderful cause, so be ready! ;) Last year I was embarrassed about asking people for money, but after being at the race and seeing what the event was all about, I'm not embarrassed in the least. The pictures of the pink balloons from last year still make me tear up. If anyone wants to run with me, let me know! I would love to have some company!!

Last night I did day 2 of week 3 of C25K and my heiney is sore! It used to be that my calves would be sore, but those are pretty rock solid now, so I guess the soreness is moving up. ;) If my butt gets as in shape as my calves have gotten then it is all worth the pain. I started off really fast last night, well, fast for me, anyway, and just couldn't maintain the pace. It irked me a little so I either need to start at a slower pace or just push through. I think I will try to push through next time b/c to get under 30 min. I need to pick up the pace.

It is kind of odd for me to be posting about running. It still makes me smirk a little when I think back 14 months when I completely balked at the idea of running. "What??? ME? Running? I think not." I have never been an athletic person. I'm short and a little (ok a lot) thick around the middle and oh, so very accident prone. Running was for those people who were already in great shape, not for the flabolicious me. But, thanks to some friends who convinced me that they had started out just like me, I started the running program. And what do you know? It worked! I still don't completely love the process of running, but I like how I feel afterwards. I like that I feel strong and that I have accomplished something. It's an ego boost of my own creation and I love that.

Now I'm off to start getting prepared for pictures! Cross your fingers that my kids are in a good mood. I really can't wait to see the finished product b/c all of the pictures that I have seen that Denae has taken are just awesome.

USA! USA! USA!

2008-08-11T22:10:00.002-05:00

I had to post again and say how much I am loving the Olympics. Right now I am watching the amazing Phelps as he goes for yet another final. I am constantly amazed by the abilities God has blessed him with. And last night when I watched the women's gymnastics, I wanted to cry for them, give them all big hugs and cheer them on. Now the men are competing in gymnastics and are rockin' it out. Oh, and let's not forget the beach volleyball. They are amazing, too!

GO USA!!!!

My first blog post

2008-08-11T15:06:00.000-05:00

I'm jumping on the blog bandwagon. Not really sure why, but it seems to be the thing to do. Actually I need a place to post my random thoughts and feelings so here seems as good a place as any.

Tomorrow we're having family pictures taken and I'm really nervous! I have no idea why b/c the photographer (Hi, Denae!!) is a good friend from college and I don't anticipate a stressful experience or anything. I have all our clothes picked out and I didn't even have to buy anything new. (Aren't you proud, Tim??) I guess I've just never liked the way I look in pictures. Low self-esteem has been a constant battle in my life but I am getting better. I like the way I look for the most part. Sure I have a few more pounds to lose and need to tone up some more, but I am a different person than I was this time last year and if I never lose another pound, I'll still be OK with that. Anyway, just writing/typing this out has relaxed me a little. Hopefully the kids will cooperate tomorrow. If not we'll have pictures of the way life normally is around here, LOL!

So that's it for my first post. Wasn't that riveting???