2005: A Look back through my eyes

Bethany tagged me for this reflection of the year 2005.

What did you do in 2005 that you've never done before?
I evacuated for a Category 5 hurricane, the biggest one on record in our country, wondering if my husband and home were ok. Praise the Lord for watching over both! I also began formally educating my oldest child and am thoroughly enjoying it!

Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I don't recall making any resolutions last year. I would like to make a point to have more Bible study fomyselfef this year, as well as eat a bit better than I do (less chocolate).

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, both my sisters-in-law, Amie and Rachel, my cousin, Carri, and a few friends. Also, my closest friend here is about to give birth. Maybe she'll have the New Year's baby!

Did anyone close to you die?
No, not anybody relationally close, but close as in proximity many people died due to Hurricane Katrina.

What countries did you visit?
The one and only U.S. of A.

What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
I'd love to have some more patience with life in general and more discipline to spend more time in the Word and with the Lord. I'd also like to have more fellowship with fellow believers. That is something I really miss!

What date from 2005 will remain etched in your memory and why?
August 29, the date hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc to the place I currently call home. I will never forget that date along with the whole week following. I hope to never live through a nightmare like that again.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Learning to trust God with everything in me that He was going to protect my family and my home. Also, teaching my daughter how to read, add and other things has been a great achievement!

What was your biggest failure?
I feel like I didn't always give my husband and children the time and attention they needed. And of course, not spending enough time with the Lord.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, thankfully! Just a few sneezes and sniffles!

What was the best thing you bought?
Probably our new 2005 Ford Focus. I love that little car!

Where did most of your money go?
Probably frivolous things like going out to eat and books.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My 6 week visit to Michigan this summer. We got to see most of our family and had a big old family reunion! It was such a blast!

What scripture is a theme of 2005?
Proverbs 3:5 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart'.

Compared to this time last year are you:
a. Happier or sadder? I am happier. There is alot of devastation and sadness surrounding my area but I am trying to keep a positive spirit.
b. Thinner or fatter? Probably the same. I haven't seemed to gain or lose any weight, although it seems all my pants are loose on me.
c. Richer or poorer? Probably a bit richer. My husband gets a raise every year and we have had a blessed year, although we're by no means rich!

What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I had spent more time on the floor playing with my children, reading to them, getting down on their level.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Playing on this darn computer!

How did you spend Christmas?
We went to church, came home and opened gifts and I cooked a big dinner for my husband, children, father-in-law and I. We had a fun day!

Did you fall in love in 2005?
Well, even though the children often get under my skin I seem to continually, daily fall in love with the little things they do!

What was your favorite TV show?
I don't watch any TV so I don't have a favorite, although everybody tells Zach he likes like Raymond from 'Everybody Loves Raymond', so I'll just pick that;).

What was the best book you read?
No question about it, 'Created to be His Helpmeet' by Debi Pearl.

What was your greatest musical discovery of 2005?
My children and their sweet voices singing through the day. I am not sure I have discovered anything musical this year. Well, I did become addicted to The Sound of Music songs!

What did you want and get?
Well usually when I want something I get it. I don't usually have alot of things I want, so its really no big deal. The one thing I really wanted was to go home to Michigan for the summer and I did get to do that!

What did you want and not get?
Patience, patienpatienceence! And I wanted a piano. And the restthe teh rooms in my house painted. But that's ok, there's always 2006!

What was your favorite film this year?
I have a terrible memory when it comes to movies and the ones I've seen. I really liked the movie Dreamer, and a recent one I saw was Yours, Mine and Ours.

What did you do on your birthday?
My birthday is August 30. I sat at my friend Sheila's house in Panama City, FL, wondering if my dh was alive, and if my house was washed away. I then took the children to eat at IHOP and we probably shopped for nothing in particular. I was just trying to pass time and make life a bit normal at that time, but I was a wreck! I also saw another friend that lives in P.C., Nancy, who cooked a wonderful dinner for the kids and I!

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Um, I try to be content in all things. There are many little things that I could dwell on, but I will be content with all that I am blessed with! So many here still do not have a home so I choose to be thankful!

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Well, I'm not big on fashion trends. I just try to dress comfortable, in jeans and a nice shirt. Of course I like to look nice and presentable too.

What kept you sane?
Who said I was sane?

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ashton Kutcher

What political issue stirred you the most?
I don't usually get into politics, but it really irked me when the Hurricane Katrina thing became a political issue and everybody was blaming the President!

Who did you miss?
I missed my family, of course, but not having had many friends here, I really missed my friends and church from North Carolina. And my friend Jamie, my absolute best friend who I will get to see in a little over a month!!!

Who was the best new person you met?
My friend Robin has been a blessing in my life!

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005.
It is something I already knew, but was brought to the forefront this year: to treasure your famand adn enjoy them; not to take life for granted; not to place so much emphasis on material items.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
It is one of my favorites, called 'Who Am I' by Casting Crowns:
Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt,
Who am I?
That the Bright and Morning Star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart,

Not because of who I am,
But because of what You've done,
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who You are,

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean (ocean),
A vapor in the wind,
Still You hear me when I'm calling,Lord,
You catch me when I'm falling,
And You've told me who I am.. I am Yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin,
Would look on me with love,
and watch me rise again,
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me,

Not because of who I am,
But because of what You've done,
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who You are,

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean (ocean),
A vapor in the wind,
Still You hear me when I'm calling, Lord,
You catch me when I'm falling,
And You've told me who I am... I am Yours,
I am Yours. I am Yours,
Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am Yours, I am Yours.

I tag Amie, Anne, Beth, Heather & Marisa.

Winter Wonderland?

I want to know where my winter wonderland is! It has been nice here, in the 60s and 70s. The other day we had a picnic outside and the kids loved it! I am not complaining, it just doesn't feel like winter!

Christmas

J loved his Darth Vader toy!

G was dancing to the tunes of his new music blocks and H was ecstatic to have a Barbie dollhouse.













Amongst all the excitement of gifts we attended church in the morning, celebrating the birth of Jesus. A young girl sang the song, 'Happy Birthday Jesus' and all day long I heard H singing that song! We enjoyed singing some carols in church and the good message on Faith, Hope and Love (which I missed as I was out in the foyer with G). We also sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and talked about it being the day we celebrate Him being born. Christmas Eve we opened one gift and read about the Wise Men bringing gifts to Jesus. Friday night we went to a live nativity which was real neat. I enjoyed cooking a huge meal for us all and we really stuffed ourselves. I did manage to 'mess up' my mashed potatoes (that I had posted on here awhile ago), by adding too much cream cheese, but the guys thought they were wonderful (Larry had like 3 helpings)! Hope you all had a blessed Christmas as well!

Highlights

1. G is quite the little helper, at only 16 months old. He now will push a chair to the sink and help mommy out. He has always enjoyed the vacuum! He is so good at picking up! The other day at Wal-Mart he even helped put the grocery items onto the counter! Sometimes I think he's a better helper than both his brother and sister combined!
2. Last night I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some wrapping paper. They were out! They had been out for days! How can Wal-Mart run out of wrapping paper? Good thing Dollar Tree was right there, with ample supply! You gotta love the Dollar Tree;)
3. Yesterday I went to the commissary on the base to buy some groceries. I sat in traffic for probably at least 45 minutes. I wondered if there was an accident or something wrong with the bridge. Well, as I was listening to the radio they announce that the Imperial Palace casino had their grand opening and that traffic was backed up. It was quite sad to me that most of these people were sitting here waiting to gamble. I guess they had to turn many people away because they were at capacity! So what I was hoping to be a quick trip turned out to be a long day, but I did enjoy the Christmas music on the radio!
4. It is great to see many people still in the 'holiday' spirit! You see FEMA trailers decorated. People are out in the hoardes at the stores, along the roads, etc. I noticed not as many homes are decorated as last year, but there still are quite a few. It is great to see that despite life still being turned upside down for many of these families they are still celebrating Christmas.
5. The other day J helped me vacuum and he vacuumed the whole living room floor for me! It is great when these children get old enough to help out and pull some weight around here!
6. We had the most unreal evening on Wednesday. Awhile ago Zach had gotten an email at work about some Christmas party for children put on by the Boy Scouts. I told him to sign us up, but didn't really know what it was all about. Well, it was Wednesday night. I was apprehensive not knowing what it would be like (and the last Christmas thing we went to where the children got to pick out a gift for their parents had all Mardi Gras items-yuck). Then it was in an airplane hangar so my apprehension grew. But let me tell you that it was utterly amazing. Two Boy Scout troops (one from California and one from Illinois) came here to share this evening with us. It is called 'Good Turn' and every year I guess they do a 'Good Turn'. Well, after Katrina they decided that they wanted to come to Keesler AFB to help us out. They made this amazing, emotional video (I had the biggest lump in my throat to keep from crying). You can watch this video by going here and clicking on the link for it on the side. They had a dinner for us all, and had the kids sing Christmas songs. In front of the podium was pink backpacks, blue backpacks, wrapped boxes and a tree with oodles of unwrapped toys underneath. They also had these huge gift packs with two diaper bags for babies. Each child was to get a backpack and pick a gift from under the tree. Each backpack was FILLED with toys. Not cheap toys either. Both the older children received portable CD players! H also received a little radio, a jewelry making kit, hair ties, a handheld electronic game and other little things. The toy she picked from under the tree was a Disney Barbie, Belle. J received this neat monster-type truck that does tricks, a handheld game, a Spiderman toy and other items. G's two diaper bags were filled with all sorts of baby things! It was so overwhelming! We walked away with so much! As I drove home I just wanted to cry. It is unreal to see such love poured out to us. They were truly honored to come and give to us military families and we were so blessed!
7. The house repairs are coming along. Now that Zach has time off it should go by even quicker. The roof is already repaired! Larry sure is a hard worker out there! I am hoping that they will take some time off from it all this weekend to do family things. There is a live nativity I'd like to see, and in Mobile there are these gardens that they decorate beautifully for Christmas that I wouldn't mind going to. With Zach having had worked 6 day weeks for the past couple of weeks I feel like we're lacking on family time! He has been enjoying watching movies with his dad every night though! I'm not a big movie fan so I am trying to get us all to do something besides veg in front of the TV! It's Christmastime afterall and I want to celebrate the birth of our Lord throughout the weekend, not just on Sunday.
8. I haven't figured out if: a. people are slower on sending out their Christmas cards this year b. people aren't sending out Christmas cards this year c. the mail system down here is just backed up and slower or d. i'm just not receiving my mail. Usually by now I have received many more cards, some people never miss a year, so I'm wondering what is going on! I know it took awhile for us to get the card from my father-in-law!
9. H just loves the song 'Sleigh Ride'. She calls it the 'horsey song' and gets pretty excited when it comes on the radio. I have to admit that I am quite partial to that song too. Usually I just stick to the lovely songs reflecting Christ's birth, but we played this song in band one year and ever since I've just enjoyed it!
10. Larry, my father-in-law really seems to be enjoying my cooking. It sure makes me feel good! When I first got married I wasn't even sure how to read a recipe! I have come a long way in 6.5 years! I have to admit I've only made two big meals so far (Baked Ziti and Layered Enchilada Pie), but I have many more on the schedule. I did tell the guys last night though that the cook is off until Christmas. We have too many leftovers that need eating and I know we'll have many more after Christmas dinner!

Well, that's some of the highlights of my week! The list was much longer than I intended it to be!

On the Other Side

Ok, I need all your help. Everywhere 'national' that I turn for news about Katrina displays things about New Orleans. The levees and things like that. I never see anything national about Mississippi. Maybe its because I live here and I'm greatly affected, but that disturbs me in some ways. I hear about the levees breaking, I saw the pictures of the flooding. I read that N.O. didn't get the worst of the storm. So what about us that did? We may not have had the extensiveness of flooding as N.O., we may not have had levees that broke, but we did have severe damage. Houses completely wiped out. Gone. All that is left is a slab. Some houses still standing but completely gutted out. Now, N.O. had damage but alot of their flooding was because the levees broke (and how this is a problem with our government is beyond me, but that is a whole different point). They broke because of the storm, I know, because of the surge, wind, etc. But all of the damage hear was natural. No broken levees to cause flooding, it just flooded due to the surge. Anyway, I get tired of seeing N.O. in the headlines all the time. Now our local news, I get plenty of coverage. But what I want to know is what you all see where you are. Do you mostly see New Orleans, or do you still see things about Mississippi too? Inquiring minds want to know!

An Unexpected Visitor

My baby is 16 months old.
It has been 2 years and 1 month since I've seen this visitor.
I've often wondered and waited, and now she is here.
'Aunt Flo' has returned.
Happy early Merry Christmas to me!
I am a bit relieved and apprehensive at the same time; both happy and sad.
So far she is behaving herself and doesn't have me writhing in pain. Maybe finally after my 3rd baby she will be nice to me!
Not like you all needed to know, but it is a pretty big event for me:)
Never have I gone 2 years with not seeing this visitor!

All Services Cancelled

I've been hearing talk lately about how churches are canceling their services on Sunday because Christmas falls on Sunday. They're talking about how Christmas is a family day and you don't want to take time away from your family. Ummm...yeah....let's get up at 5 am the only Sunday out of the year to open presents from 'Santa Claus'. Let's not go to church because its Christmas. We need to thank Santa for our gifts and play with our new toys. Oh, and all the family is coming over for dinner so we need to keep busy in the kitchen. And football will be on. And parades. We can't miss the parade. I just don't understand. Why would a CHURCH cancel its service on CHRISTmas??? It is the day we celebrate the BIRTH of Jesus, our Lord, our God! I'm sure Jesus is pretty sad about this latest trend of the church. My father-in-law is a devout Catholic and I was asking him about the Catholic church because I know that no matter what day Christmas falls on, be it a Wednesday or Friday or Sunday, they always have a Christmas mass. Shouldn't the Christian churches be the same? Shouldn't we go to church on Jesus birthday to celebrate, to worship. I know that I will be there on Sunday! Now I also wonder when I will get the turkey in the oven, when will we open gifts, etc, but the most important thing is to celebrate Jesus that day and one way I will do that is by being in church. Thankfully our church is having a service on Sunday! I really would like to go to a candlelight service on Christmas Eve too. It's a tradition I'd love to keep. So we may be getting our double dosage this coming weekend! Happy Birthday Jesus!

Grandpa Has Arrived!

Well, Grandpa is here! The kids are so excited. They can't stop talking! Right away they ran up to him, even little G lagged behind the other two seeing what the excitement was! Right away J was asking for gum (the last time we were in Michigan Grandpa had given him some gum) and H was asking for presents. Greedy little kids! But, the airline lost one of his bags. They said to call at noon but it still hasn't been found. We're hoping they find it. It has all of his clothes (including clothes to work in), his digital camera, his paperwork for all our house repairs, his new glasses and dentures. What a mess! H was excited to give him the grand tour of the house, and she even woke up when he did this morning, which was an hour earlier than usual! I'm hoping the excitement wears off soon because the bouncing off the walls and non-stop chatter tends to drive me nuts after awhile. Poor Grandpa! He's used to living alone!!!

P.S. Today is Zach's birthday! Happy Birthday Honey! I love you!

Sleep baby, Sleep

Lately I have been doing alot of thinking on breastfeeding. See, I still am nursing strong with G being almost 16 months old! I'm certain the other two were completely weaned by the time they were this age. Which is ok. With H I followed the books and did everything on 'schedule'. With J I was a bit more lenient, holding off on baby & solid food a bit longer, but still following 'the rules' of things, so to speak. With G I threw the schedule out the window and nurse on demand, co-sleep, etc. I read this great book by Sheila Kippley called, "Breastfeeding & Natural Child Spacing". That's what got me motivated to try things the more 'natural' way. I mean, God designed my breasts not just to nourish my child, but to comfort. I wanted to be the soul source of comfort for my baby, not anything else (no pacifiers, thumbs, etc). And I'm sure back in the Bible days Eve and other mothers didn't stick something plastic in the baby's mouth to soothe them. Or send them alone in a room to sleep for hours on end. They probably completely nourished that baby, the baby never leaving the mother. So, this is what I tried. Let me tell you, G is such a mamma's boy. We are so close and he is so loving. He is so calm and well-mannered. My other two children were too, though. There is something so special about watching your baby sleep next to you, or to wake up and put his chubby little arms around you, smiling into your face. It is the sweetest thing to wake up to! I really enjoy it. But, at the same time it has been 16 months and I want my bed back. Zach and I have gotten quite used to the little guy in the bed, with us having hardly any space! We have managed, but I know Zach is more than ready for G to be in his own bed. And the stinker will NOT sleep in a crib! He will play in it when I shower but that's about it. And G cannot fall asleep without 'mama' in his mouth. So, as I sit and type on the computer late at night oftentimes he is attached to me falling asleep. Sometimes I don't mind but there are times when I would love a free hand! Some people tell me I need to wean him, and there are times I want to, but at other times I don't want to. And honestly I don't even know how to! It is so different from nursing the other two! Plus he still nurses at night (after all he is right next to us in bed). He nurses so often I still haven't gotten the good ol' cycle, Aunt Flo back yet. In ways I am very pleased with this nursing on demand thing, but in other ways I often question if I will do it the same way again. I think it will be weird when he is 18 months old and I'm not pregnant (because I was when the other two were that age). And maybe I seem crazy, but I don't want a huge gap between him and the next baby... Anyway, just some thoughts I've been having. I guess I just need to rest in the fact that this is one season in life that is really short. And I need to enjoy it. God has blessed me with the joy of mothering my baby and I need to bask in that joy. Before I know it he will be 5, 10 or 20!!!

Here are H and J with former NFL players Troy Drayton and Reggie Givens. As you can see they were a little leery to get near these huge guys! I would be too;)

My Girl on TV!

There are many different organizations that have come down to help out in the area. On Saturday the children had the chance to get a free gift from some very generous people. Well, lo and behold my dear daughter ended up being on TV (if only briefly). You can read about it here, and watch the video. H is the little girl in green after they interview the man. It is very brief, but hey, its exciting! I'm next to her in the pink sweater, but you can barely see me. Just wanted to share! I'm going to try to post a picture of them with the NFL players when I get the chance to put them on the computer!

I'm Tagged!

Amie tagged me for this Seven Sevens MeMe, so here goes.

Seven things I hope to do before I die:
1. See more of my family come to Jesus.
2. Be a Proverbs 31 wife.
3. Have some more babies.
4. Meet some grandbabies.
5. Learn how to sew.
6. Go on a cruise.
7. Go overseas.

Seven things I cannot do:
1. Whistle.
2. Leave a bed unmade or something (other than toys) lying on the floor.
3. Go one day without talking to my mother!
4. Swim.
5. Draw.
6. Live without chocolate...I eat at least 1 bit of chocolate every day.
7. Stick to a shopping list...I always end up buying something not on my list.

Seven things that attract me to my spouse (significant other, best friend):
1. His love for God.
2. His nice body & wonderful, kissable lips.
3. His knowledge of the Bible.
4. His willingness to help others.
5. His playfulness & helpfulness with the children (bathing them, feeding them, etc).
6. His love and devotion to his family.
7. His sense of humor.

Seven things I say often:
1. I love you.
2. Be patient.
3. No.
4. Be quiet (the children seem to talk in the loudest voices right in front of your face, so I need to continually remind them to talk quieter).
5. What do you say (reminding them to say please, thank you and sorry).
6. Hey!
7. Share.

Seven books or book series I love: (besides the Bible)
1. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
2. Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury
3. Love Comes Softly Series by Janette Oke
4. The Heritage of Lancaster County Series by Beverly Lewis
5. The Left Behind Series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
6. Lineage of Grace series by Francine Rivers
7. Created to be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl

Seven movies I would watch over & over again:
1. Sarah Plain & Tall
2. The Sound of Music
3. The Notebook
4. Beaches
5. Cheaper by the Dozen
6. The Patriot
7. It's a Wonderful Life

Seven people I want to join in this "Seven Sevens" meme:
I'm not certain if 7 people even read my blog (and if they do they may not have a blog). So, for those of you that have a blog and read this, you are now tagged!

The Not-So-Happy Happy Meal

Today I decided to treat the kiddos to a Happy Meal from McDonald's. We've been a bit cooped up lately and I thought it would be nice to do something different. We do McD's frequently, but not Happy Meals. I went through the drive through and the sign said there were Chicken Little toys. They saw this movie with Daddy and I knew they'd like that. There are some Happy Meal toys that I don't want my children to have. So, we get home and they look in their bags. J has a Power Ranger toy. Fine. It's not Chicken Little, but oh well. H's looks a bit different and I look at the baggy to see what it is. It has a doll and a book and the book is titled 'Witch'. I was aghast! What on earth!?!? My 5 year old is not going to have a witch toy, much less book. I open it up to read the book and see what it is all about. We're not into all the cartoons, toys and all that (we don't even have cable TV), so I was surprised to see it is some cartoon on Disney. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. Of course, H wants her toy, especially since her brother has one. So, she has the doll part of it for now, but not the book. I save the book to show to Zach and will take the doll later today and pitch it. The book talks about this girl/witch having power over air and it says her astrological sign. My 5 year old does not need things like this, and I don't think Jesus would want to see something like this in our home. I decided to call and complain about this toy they have in their Happy Meals. After all, many businesses can't say Merry Christmas but 'The Golden Arches' can sell a witch toy? I tried to call the local number but only got a machine. That's when I noticed an 800 # on my cup. Now, if you don't know me, I am NOT one to do these types of things. Normally I sit by and think that somebody else will be proactive and do it. Anyway, I talked to this man who was very friendly in the whole ordeal. He explained to me that Happy Meal toys need to interest children of all ages and that they try to see what shows/movies children are into and do the promotional thing. I told him that I am a Christian and I don't want my 5 year old daughter having a toy that is named after a Witch cartoon. Like, I said he was very friendly and took my complaint. Once I thought up it occurred to me that they would never have a Jesus toy in a Happy Meal, so why a witch? I know Jesus isn't 'cool' in the worlds terms and there isn't a show to base that off of for a promo toy thing, but still... I wonder if they've gotten any other calls about this? Anyway, just wanted to share my experience today. So, buyer beware: the next time you purchase a Happy Meal make sure it is a toy you approve of!

Blah, Blah, Blah

I haven't posted in forever because quite frankly I have nothing to write about. Life has been just flying by, but not much has been happening. I will try to think of some of my 'highlights'.

• I received about $90 worth of free products from The Pampered Chef, just for hosting a show. I tell you, it is such a breeze to get some great free products. So, I've been having fun with my new 'toys' in the kitchen. I finally organized my recipes (it was a disaster) and I think I will have some new ones to try out (and that chance to use my new toys).

• We purchased another bunkie and will be putting up the other bed for the bunkbeds soon. Zach's dad is coming down in a couple of weeks to help us make repairs from Katrina, and to spend Christmas with us. He is staying for 3 weeks so I thought I would actually have a bed, not an air mattress. Maybe G will enjoy it and want to sleep with his big brother. Doubtful, but it is a hope I have!

• I just read this today and was quite disturbed about it. We are pretty much right between all of these communities. I am certain we are breathing in some pretty nasty air around here. But, I am trying to rest in the thought that God will protect us and has us here for a reason.

• Last week was such a struggle to get back into our routine of things (after only a week off at Thanksgiving time). This week I have a new perspective and we are doing a few things a bit differently. So far it seems to be going much smoother and everybody seems much happier.

• I still have no idea what to get the kiddos for Christmas. I mean I have some ideas, but I'm still uncertain. We did get them all a Jeep Power Wheels, but we'll get each three little things also. I am such a last minute Christmas person. I feel I'm doing pretty good this year though, as I've already had the Christmas pictures taken, typed up the annual letter, began making the Grandparents gifts. I guess that counts for something! Zach will be working 6 day weeks up until the 21st and then he has 2 weeks off. Doesn't give me much time to shop alone! Yikes!

• And lastly, I am once again addicted to Scrabble. I bought a PC game and I can't seem to stop playing it. At least I'm using my brain...

King & Queen

Today in school we talked about Queen Esther. We made scepters and goblets, and we talked about what we would do if we were king or queen. Even J participated today! Here are the stories they made. I asked them the questions and they came up with their own answers. I really got a kick out of J's.

If I Were King
J would live in a hotel.
J would wear a Batman mask.
J would eat hotel food.
J would play with Play-doh.

If I Were Queen
H would live in a castle.
H would wear queen clothes.
H would eat cookies.
H would go potty and go to bed.

From Rags...To Riches

Remember in one of my previous posts I had said something about my Kirby costing more than Zach's truck? Well, I have been wanting to post a picture of that piece of junk and haven't done it. Finally, I want you to see just why Kirby cost more.













Now you may not think it looks all that bad, but the inside doesn't have a rooftop and it is just hideous. Truly a piece of junk! So hopefully we can sell it soon because...













We decided to buy a new set of wheels! We wanted something that would be reliable and good on gas. It was to be for Zach to take to and from work. We've always bought junkers as our second vehicle. We didn't really want a car payment after just paying off the van earlier this year, but oh well. We tried to find an older model vehicle, say a 2002 or something, but there were no used vehicles around here. We found this 2005 used Ford Focus and got a good deal on it and nice low payments! And let me say that I love it and drive it whenever I can! We can even fit all three kiddos in the backseat:)

Thankfulness

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:14-16

It is time to reflect upon the things I have been blessed with in life. And to be thankful. So often I take all things for granted. I may lose it with the children or get annoyed with my husband. I may be impatient at the car in front of me. I may go to another house and envy that it is 'nicer' than mine. In this world today it is so difficult to be thankful. We often become envious and greedy, wanting more and more. How often do we really reflect on what we do have? How often are we truly thankful for those things?

First of all, I am reading about the Pilgrims to H. It is interesting to me that the Pilgrims came to America to live for the Lord, to be missionaries. They wanted to be in a country where they were free to worship God the way He led them to, but they also wanted others to know about Him. So, they endured the hardships of sailing across the big open waters of the Atlantic and arrived here, not knowing what they would find. I am thankful for the hearts of these Pilgrims. What joy it must have brought the Lord for His children to so willingly obey His command, His heart. Imagine what life would have been like back then? Say, maybe 10-15 years after they arrived. What a religious nation this was! It was zealous for the Lord! How terribly sad that is has gone so downhill, trying to take God and Christ out of everything. This nation began upon the Lord!

Now, getting back on track, I am so very thankful for my family. You see, ever since I was the littlest girl I wanted to be married. Well, here I am- married. How awesome that God knew my heart and prepared my husband for me! Just for me! A man who loves me, takes care of me, completes me. I also wanted to be a mommy since I can remember. Well, so far I have three blessed children. Wow! Now I need to be honest, more often than not these children have been getting under my skin. But as I reflect upon my life, I am so thankful for them! They are truly gifts from the Lord. The little things they say and do. My life would not be complete were they not in it. I am thankful that I have a home. Almost 3 months ago I wondered if I would have a home and my things. They are just things, but things that have meaning to my family and I. Well, God was SO good and He heard the prayers of His people and set up His angels around my house to protect it. Amazing. Then again, we should not doubt Him and His extreme power. I am so thankful that He has called me, saved me and loved me. I am thankful that He is so patient with me in my shortcomings, yet He is always there, loving me and leading me in Him. There are so many other things I am thankful for, but for these I wish to write this year. May you, too, find the blessings of God all about you. For we are all truly blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a blessed day with the Lord, family and friends! Don't forget to give thanks to the One who has blessed us so!

School Days

Kirstin had this meme on her blog and I thought I'd do it too...A trip down memory lane! Let me know if you do it!

Kindergarten: I remember going to a farm for a field trip. It was so neat and such a blast! I got to ride a bus there, see many farm animals and eat a picnic lunch! What fun for a 5 year old!

First Grade: I remember in 'gym' class using the 'parachute' and having so much fun running underneath it and using that. I think that was the most fun I've ever had in gym!

Second Grade: I had the coolest teacher, Mrs. Brookhouse. Then she went on maternity leave and I ended up with a totally different teacher and was bummed. Overall, I remember really enjoying 2nd Grade.

Third Grade: This was the year I tried a hand at Karate. I don't think I participated too much but I enjoyed doing it. I believe this was also the year I got into the 'Baby-sitter Club' books and didn't put them down for years!

Fourth Grade: My teacher taught us all about Hershey, Pennsylvania. I remember being so fascinated with it all since I loved chocolate.

Fifth Grade: I was a crossing guard and went to the State Fair with other crossing guards from my school. My friend, Kerry and I had so much fun together on the big rides. I still have a big blown up picture of her and I, yet I haven't heard from her since she moved back in like 7th grade:(

Sixth Grade: I remember going to a 5 day long camp with the other 6th graders. I ended up in a cabin with some other girls, some were my friends, some were not. I remember the Seniors were the counselors and would try to get us with shaving cream when we were sleeping. I had not yet fallen asleep and some of the seniors came in. They got some of the other girls with shaving cream. After they left I woke people up and they were mad that I hadn't woken them up in the first place because now they were all full of shaving cream! I was a 6th grader, scared of those big seniors! So, they took TOOTHPASTE and put it in my hair and my sleeping bag (only 2 or 3 of them). I ran to where the counselors were, crying. Then I was put in a cabin with my friends. Not a pleasant memory;0

Seventh Grade: Science class was a joke. We'd read Time Magazine. Jay and I would come to class and discuss Full House from the night before. Band was a joke too. We rarely played our instruments, but more often ate candy and messed around for the hour. I think this was the year that I choked on a hard candy and had to go up to the office and get the Heimlich maneuver done by the Health teacher! Also had Woodshop and Metals Class (was required).

Eighth Grade: Science class again. One of my closest friends and I had to 'wire' a dollhouse with electricity. It was so much fun! We even got to decorate the house!

Ninth Grade: Became best friends with a girl from church. We had such a fun time together in Youth Group and became known as somewhat of rebels... We sure enjoyed chasing the boys and Bible camp. (And people wonder why I'll never let my children go to these types of things!!!) Had a crush on the new band teacher...yuck!

Tenth Grade: My gym teacher embarrassed me in front of the whole class. He was also the basketball coach. We were playing basketball that day and he blew his whistle, stopped everything and asked me why I wasn't guarding better. In front of the whole class! Told me to sit out. I was bawling. Everybody was in shock and felt pretty bad about it. Jerk;)

Eleventh Grade: Mom got remarried. Moved to a whole new school halfway through the year. Started dating a guy and went to prom together. We dated for 2 years. He was the whole reason I switched schools. Young love...

Twelfth Grade: Went on my senior class trip to NYC, Niagara Falls and Toronto. The tour guide in NYC was totally g*y. There was a roach in my shoe at the hotel in NYC. The hotel manager in Toronto was the biggest jerk and TAPED our doors closed so we wouldn't sneak out at night (because some kid threw something out of a window at the hotel in NYC and almost hit a lady on the head). Got to see The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto.

On the Loose

G seems to be a monkey. H and J were never like him. He has been climbing everything. The changing table, the couch, the beds, the chairs. You name it, he climbs it. I guess he is trying to prove to us that he's a big boy like the rest of us. He also has this fascination with trying to get his clothes off. I hear many kids hate wearing clothes. H and J never minded, but G...seems he's been running around in a shirt and diaper lately. Oh well. I am attaching some pictures. One where he climbed into the dryer and one where he climbed into the cupboard. So if we ever come to your house beware of my climbing monkey!

Recipe Swap

Since the holidays are around the corner I thought it would be fun to post recipes and exchange them that way. I know Beth has a killer Pumpkin Cheesecake. So, fess up one and all and give us those secrets to success in your kitchen on Turkey Day. I have this recipe for some wonderful creamy mashed potatoes. Sure beats your ordinary mashed spuds. Enjoy!

Creamy Mashed Potatoes
5 lbs. Potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 c. Sour cream
2 pkg. Cream cheese, softened
3 tbs. Butter, divided
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Onion Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper

Place potatoes in pot, cover with water. Cover & bring to a boil. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender. Drain well. In a large mixing bowl, mash potatoes. Add sour cream, cream cheese, 2 tbs. Butter, salt, onion salt & pepper; beat until fluffy. Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish, dot with remaining butter. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Who turned the heat on???

It cannot be November. How is it that Thanksgiving is next week? Not only has the year flown by, but it is SO hot here today. We had some errands to run and I was sweating get the kiddos in and out of the vehicle! I came home and cranked the AC and it is STILL running and I'm still hot and its been at least an hour since I have been back. I also threw on a pair of shorts. I'm normally the kind of gal who likes to be warm and gets easily cold, but today I'm so hot! I really would like to see the difference of seasons...a bit of autumn would be nice. I am not cut out to be a southern gal and I'm thinking/praying/hoping our next base will be either Ohio or Illinois. Seasons. Snow. Family. But, that's another 2.5 years away, at least. Guess I'll have to settle for the heat. And back home today is the official start of Deer Season. Who can think about hunting down here? It's more like, "Let's head to the beach." Oh, but we have no beach... Oh well. I will send all you Northerners some warm weather!!!

MeMe: 20 Random Things

Well, I've been tagged for the first time ever by Anne. So, here goes.

1. I am an only child.
2. I have always wanted to be a wife and a mommy.
3. I have 3 dads.
4. I used to cut people out of catalogs, make families out of them and write stories about them.
5. I loved to play Barbies and have lost a few of them in Lake Superior.
6. I have been luging on a homeade luge track.
7. I have never been overseas.
8. We never really had a 'real' honeymoon because Zach had to be back in Texas the day after our wedding because he wasn't officially released from Tech School. I snuck back to Texas with him.
9. I know how to correctly pronounce the word 'sauna' and I know what a pasty is.
10. I have always wanted to go on a cruise and to go to Australia.
11. I once had a crush on one of my band teachers (ick).
12. I had a pet parakeet that could say my name and flip over playing cards.
13. I have went skinny dipping in the frigid waters of Lake Superior with the girls from His House Christian Fellowship in college.
14. I knew Zach's brother and sister-in-law well before I even knew who Zach was!
15. I went to New York City and Toronto, Canada for my high school senior class trip (boy was my mom crazy).
16. I would never let my children go to these places without me, most especially on a senior class trip.
17. My best friend has the same name as I do.
18. I hate being stuck in traffic, but I don't even know what traffic in a real city is like!
19. I love to read books and get so sucked into the story.
20. I have a social work degree and at one time I wanted to work in a Children's Hospital, sometimes dressing as a clown to make the children laugh.

Okay, I tag Marisa, Amie and Heather.

What a Scare!

Like usual last night I had a difficult time falling asleep. I usually do. But I heard J cry a bit a few times and wondered if he was ok. Then I think I hear all these noises and my mind starts swirling. I am tired but just can't seem to fall asleep. I wonder if somebody will break in. I wonder if some child molester will take my child. Very unlikely, I know, but that's what happens when I'm overtired and can't seem to fall asleep. So finally I must have dozed off. I was out cold. All of a sudden the smoke alarms start going off! I jump up and try to reach for my glasses, turn on the light, and mumble, "What the h*#@!" Now I never swear, so I was pretty freaked out. Zach jumped up just as quickly as I did and ran into the hall, turning on the lights and checking for smoke. There was nothing, of course, thankfully, so we determined our batteries must be running low. Why do those things feel the need to go off in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT???? So we go back to lying down, but my heart is still pretty much out of my chest. About 10 minutes later again we hear, "Beep, beep, beep". And those things are SO loud. This time it woke up the baby. I was very surprised that J didn't wake screaming. H woke up, but she wasn't real frightened about it. So, poor Zach had to change the batteries at like 1:30 am! At least they didn't go off again and we were able to get some sleep. Sure was scary though!

Is Preschool Harmful?

While I am a big advocate for homeschooling, I know it is not for everybody. But, I read this interesting article and wanted to pass it along. And it is amazing to me that the ages of children that attend school is getting younger and younger. I don't remember 2 and 3 year olds going to school when I was a child, yet that is now how things are. Anyway, this article was just interesting and you can read it by clicking here. I know many of my friends and family that read my blog send their children to preschool so I hope to not step on any toes...like I said it was just an interesting article. And to me it makes sense... If you read it, what do you think?

My Boys

Here are pictures of my boys that we had taken last month. Aren't they adorable?

Friendships

Last week I went to a Pampered Chef party. While there I met another woman about my age. Her son looked about G's age, so we struck up a conversation. Turns out she has two other children that weren't there with her. All of her children and my children are the same ages! You may be wondering, "So what?". Well, I haven't necessarily been praying about this particular thing, but its been on my heart and in my mind for some time. I don't have a lot of close friends here, and of those I am close to their children are older than mine and they are quite a bit older than me. Which is totally ok, but sometimes I just wish I had somebody my age, in the same boat with me, so to speak, going through the same things at the same time. Does that make sense? And poor dear H hasn't had a close girlfriend since we were in North Carolina- well over a year ago! Well this lady, Casey, and I exchanged phone numbers and they came over to play yesterday. Let me tell you it was totally God to work this out. I wasn't originally planning on going to the PC party (afterall I didn't even really know the lady having it), but I went anyway. Anyway, I wasn't sure if Casey was a Christian, pagan, Buddhist... Not like it mattered at that particular time, but it is important to me to have a friend of the same faith. Well, it turns out she is a Christian also. Her 5 year old daughter goes to 1/2 day Kindergarten at a Baptist church here right now, but she wants to homeschool. We just really seemed to have a lot in common and it is SO nice to have a new friend. Now I know we only got together one time, but we really hit it off! And the kids had fun playing too. So, thank YOU Jesus for my new friend;)

On another note, why are we women SO sensitive? Why did God make us this way? Now I'm not nearly as sensitive as I was years ago, but I still am. You know, your husband jokingly disses dinner, but deep down it hurts, even if it is a joke. I'm not saying that is the case here, its just an example. How much do you reach out to somebody and try to be their friend? I have a friend here and I thought we were getting quite close. We'd get the kids together to play, we've gone out "kid-less" a few times and really seemed to be hitting it off. Now I know that this friend has had a rough year here and gone through some things. And I know she recently has as well. I have tried to reach out to her. I have called her numerous times. She never returns my calls. This is where the sensitivity kicks in. I begin to wonder, "What did I do?" She has caller ID, or did last I knew, so she knows when I call. I've left messages on her machine, emailed, etc. If this was just anybody I'd 'blow it off' as best I could. But, she was special to me as a friend and I enjoyed getting to know her. So, what do I do? See what I mean...I'm so sensitive! I know a lot of women would be like, "Forget it" or whatever, but it is hard to come across people who have the same beliefs and convictions that you have, and like I said this woman is special. I guess I just keep praying for her, for her healing and for peace. And I guess I just need to pray for peace for myself in the situation as well.

So, what are your stories? Are any of you other ladies just as sensitive to things like this?

Bible Books

I took this quiz to see what book of the Bible I'm most like. Interesting. Ephesians is one of my favorite books!


You are Ephesians.

Which book of the Bible are you?
brought to you by

Lookin' Good

Well, Zach finally got an answer we wanted to hear from the insurance company yesterday. I guess our check was mailed out a couple of days ago! Yipee! Now I just hope it covers the majority of work and supplies that need to be taken care of.

Last night we had some nice fellowship with one of the only families we know here. Well, we know many people but only know few, if that makes sense. Their children are ages 17, 15, 13 and 2, but my kiddos just love them. It is so nice because being that their girls (they're all girls) are older, they really help out with ours and I barely see them! We could hear them hootin' and hollerin' upstairs so we knew they were having a grand ol' time. Us adults had a blast making fun of each other. They're from Alabama and us being from Michigan, we sure have quite the different accents. It was a riot! I am somehow going to coordinate with their older girls and Logan (the dad) to throw a surprise shower for Sheri. She is pregnant with their 1st boy and we're all pretty excited;) So, looks like a nice ending to a crazy week. I think today we're going to head to Mobile to do something as its such a dreary rainy day and we feel a bit stir crazy!

Have a happy weekend!

Complaining

First off let me just say I am so sick of these insurance companies *screwing* people over (pardon the language, but that is exactly the case). Thankfully we didn't have as much hurricane damage as others, but we're still counting on our insurance money that we're entitled to. Have we seen it yet? No! Zach called yesterday and the lady tried saying that maybe the adjuster that was here doesn't work for them anymore or that Zach gave the wrong claim number. What does that have to do with us getting our money? The adjuster was here at least a month ago if not longer! I have been meaning to call but have been hopping on my toes all day long I haven't had a chance yet. It is ridiculous how they keep thinking they can get by with swindling people out of their entitled money. Zach's dad is supposed to come and help us get everything back together, but he's waiting until we find out how much the insurance is giving us. Well, at this rate he won't be here until next year! I am so sick of it...here we dish out this money every month and we can't even get our entitled money!?!?

On to my next complaint...

Last week I arranged with my baby-sitter to baby-sit today. The kids haven't seen her in well over 5 months and I wanted to volunteer so I thought it would work out. Well, I should have called her to remind her...she forgot. I guess that's what happens. She's a teenager, was homeschooled, still lives at home and is taking college courses. She's a sweet gal that we've had for a little over a year. So, I called her and she said she'd be here in 20 minutes. Luckily I was just volunteering and didn't have an appointment or something. By the time she gets here all the kids are up from naps and by the time I explain the whole drill with her its almost 3 o'clock and I'm almost an hour late. I'm sitting there doing my volunteer work when the cell phone rings. Uhoh. It's Sarah. Turns out H took the 'lip' thing that goes on the potty chair and flushed it down the toilet. I guess first G had gotten a hold of it, so Sarah was washing his hands when H did this. Lovely. What a fun phone call! I just told her not to flush the toilet anymore and we'd take care of it. Not much more we could do at that point. So, by the time I get home Zach's home and has heard the story. H's in her bed and I need to finish dinner (luckily I had put pork chops in the crock pot). So, Zach tells me that he got home to the kids watching Star Wars (and I had told Sarah I really didn't want them watching it) and that there were crumbs caked on the wall and on the floors. After asking H how her time with Sarah was it sounds like Sarah played on the computer. I asked if she played with them at all and H said no. Well, since Zach had gotten home before me he payed her. She was here for 2 1/2 hours at the most. He paid her $20!!! Of course, he wouldn't know how much to pay a baby-sitter but I was floored! Especially after the poor job she did today. I'm uncertain of the baby-sitting rates these days anyways, but I don't think I would've paid that much! It is so hard to come by a good baby-sitter nowadays. I remember I had when I baby-sat I watched the kids, played with them and made sure the house was somewhat intact before the parents came home. Things aren't that way anymore it seems. So, I guess I will be searching for a new baby-sitter. I'm so disappointed. It isn't the first time she has been late or that I've had little issues, but before I could overlook it. Now I am just tired of it. Not sure how we'll get the 'lip' out of the toilet. Guess its a good thing we have two toilets so we don't have to use that one for now! Not like its a horror baby-sitting story, but it could've went better.

So, that's my complaining for the day. Instead of taking it out on someone or something else I thought I'd blog about it. Isn't this what my blog is for?

What is the world coming to???

I have to wonder what kind of information people will be able to obtain next. Read on...

Hi Everyone...this is a public service notice...Your driver's license can be found online by going to this website. You can delete it from view to the general public if you go to the site and hit the "delete from view" icon. I deleted mine, but that doesn't delete it from the authorities, so I understand. It's always something, isn't it?? This website is good in all states. Let me know what you think about this absurd thing . We have to be so careful these days! You might want to share this...feel free to forward it. Click here: Drivers License Search - National Motor Vehicle License Bureau http://www.license.shorturl.com/

Blog Questions

Can anyone tell me why my bullets aren't showing up in my last post???? I thought I knew what to do and they showed up in the preview... Just like when I try to post pictures they never 'go' in the right spot. I guess I'm still learning here in blogworld.

Mindless Potpourri

• Yesterday I volunteered with a group thats here called CORE. They are here indefinately helping out with hurricane victims. Different groups come down from all over and help people tear parts of their houses and clean up debris. They have a big tent city set up. IT is truly amazing to see the selflessness of some of these men and women who are here helping, setting aside their own agenda to help those in need. I helped out in the office. I really enjoyed my time there and will be going back on Wednesday. It is nice to help out in some way. I feel I have been so blessed by such little storm damage that I need to do something to help those less fortunate.
• I totally got the wrong date for the hayride. We drove all the way out there (about 1/2 hour away) only to find out it was Friday night. I was a day late. The poor kiddos were so upset! I don't blame them. Zach told them we'd have a fire at home but I told him we have a burn ban here. Plus it was getting dark. So we just put a fire going in the fireplace, made hot dogs and ate picnic style on a blanket on the floor. That seemed to satisfy them. I was really looking forward to a hayride too. The date was right in the email I got about it, I just assumed it was Saturday. I don't know dates. I only know the day. So, I wonder if I'm not losing my mind. I seem to have been doing things like that lately. Looking for things in the wrong places, etc. I don't think I'm pregnant, but you really never know. And my SIL, Amie, emailed me and said she had a dream that I was!
• I watched a movie last night called, "The Other Side of Heaven". It was good, about a missionary, BUT he was a Mormon missionary. It was a clean movie, which is hard to come by nowadays.
• I just got back from watching the movie "Dreamer". It was VERY good. I think I will invest in it when it comes out on DVD. It was a wholesome, family movie. The little girl was such a good actress. I think H enjoyed it, but I also think it was a little over her head. But, we had mommy-daughter time, popcorn and pop! What more can we ask for?
• I will be having another Pampered Chef party in a couple of weeks. If you like Pampered Chef, that is the way to go. Last time I got over $100 in free products. If anybody is interested in ordering anything through me, let me know and I can email you the information. I am so excited...and its just in time for Christmas.

Tickle Test

If you go here, you too can discover what kind of movie parent you are most like. It's just for fun! Let me know if you do it and who they say you are like. Here are my results.

Jamie, you could star as a parent in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids!

Buckle your seatbelts. We can see your mind at work already, strapping your kids to your back, or piling them into the car as you take off on your next adventure. Your parenting style is like the Marcia Strassman and Rick Moranis characters in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. You teach by example and bring your kids along for the ride. We can see your expectant face, waiting excitedly for your kids' first words, steps, or any other achievement. When your kids come to you with questions, you're likely to point them towards the dictionary or encyclopedia. It's important for them to learn on their own. And it wouldn't surprise us if you refused to raise your kids' allowances in the hopes that the entrepreneurial spirit might encourage them to set up a lemonade stand. Like the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids parents, you can sometimes become absorbed in your own life. But once you feel the tug on your sleeve, you snap back into being the creative parent your kids can rely on.

Having some F-U-N

Well, today is day 2 of letting the little man nap in his crib. Boy, is it hard. Yesterday he was sleeping standing up! I peeked in on him and he was snoring but standing up, about to topple over! Stinker! Today he is crying off and on and when I peeked in on him he was standing up. The boy is 14 months! I think its time I get him used to his crib, but it is so hard to let him cry. Oh well, we'll both get over it. I got a ton of Barbies, Barbie clothes and other Barbie items from eBay (only $20 total for a HUGE lot) for H and she is loving them. I loved Barbies, but I said my daughter was not going to have them. Well, she got sucked in. Oh well, now I can play Barbies again;) J is into destructing his toys. It gets very tiring. I swear all of his GI Joe's are missing a leg. So is Spiderman. Batman is missing his arms. Oh well, boys will be boys. I want to take H to see that movie "Dreamer" sometime this weekend. She has a birthday party to go to tomorrow and then we're going on a hayride with a homeschool group:) Hopefully I'll get to take some pictures. I am hoping to meet other homeschool moms too. I feel I know so few people around here. Most I know are older with older kids, which is fine, but it would be lovely to meet somebody my own age with kids the same ages as mine. Here's some pictures taken recently. Enjoy!
A Mommy & G Moment


What a Face!


Playing Star Wars


A brotherly-sisterly Moment


My Two Dudes

Life with Kirby

Meet Kirby. I met Kirby back in the spring sometime. One of those demonstrator people came to the door. I thought, "Sure, you can clean my carpet, but I won't buy your product". Zach happened to come home early from work that day. He got to meet Kirby also. He was hooked on it. Boy, did it suck the dirt out of our carpet! It sucked the dead skin out of our mattress. I thought, "It would be nice to have it, but I don't need it". We saw the price. Outrageous! Of course, we were offered a deal and we could trade in our Hoover. Zach really thought we should get it. It has a lifetime warranty. With all the children he would love to have, I guess it would be worth it. Now, I need to admit that my friend Sheri had told me she got a Kirby and how much she enjoyed it. Ever since she told me about hers I thought how nice it would be to have a vacuum like that. But it never went beyond a mere thought. Well, here I am about 6 months later with Kirby living in my closet. At first I thought we shouldn't have done it, but I am glad we did. He has been by my side through the thick of it. He shampoos my carpets. He turns into a leaf blower. He blows up the pool. He depleted our pocketbook and we were making payments on him. He cost more than my husband's truck (which is a whole different story)! But, he should be around for a lifetime. And if we're blessed with many more children it will be a lifesaver! All I need to do is drag him out of the closet and 'TaDa', the mess from dinner is cleaned up! It is so nice. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? You bet! I feel I use Kirby every day to clean up some sort of mess, but I really don't mind at all! I hate sweeping, so all I do is drag out Kirby to clean the carpet, tile, hardwood floors. It really is amazing! Maybe we're crazy for spending so much money on a vacuum, but oh well! We're enjoying it!

Beware of the following

Uhoh. This is so scary. I have known it for awhile, but it is getting scarier by the day. I am afraid to break the news of this disastrous phenomenon. In one of my previous posts you were probably thinking I was a bit picky about keeping the little ones cleaned up and all that. Yes, I like to have my house in order, everything in its place and a place for everything. But, over the past 5 years of being a mommy I have lightened up quite a bit. Really, I have. Somewhere between the time of March 2000 and now there has been a spy. In my house. Watching what I do. Every move I make. My responses, my idiosyncrasies, my good habits and bad habits. No, it is not the government. It is my daughter. She is like me. But worse. Way worse. I have known it for some time. She is 5. She cleans her own room. Everything has its certain spot. If you move anything, she knows. Even her doll house has to be set up just so. Sometimes we'd play doll house and I'd rearrange the furniture. She would later come and ask me, "Mommy, was the couch right there? For real?". It needed to be just so. Just like I had done it. She saves everything. Even used Kleenex. I will find wrappers to Princess snacks in her room at times. I am proud of her. I'm glad she likes to be clean and have a clean room. The thing is, she barely plays in there. She doesn't want to mess it. She can't even enjoy it!!! I tell her over and over again that it's ok, she can clean it up, but she needs to enjoy her things! We often have pandemonium in our home. Toys strewn all over the place. I used to follow the trail picking it up. Now I say, "It's ok, we'll get it later". Sometimes we need to just enjoy life and not worry about the crumbs amongst us. Well, H is getting a bit more particular. She likes to put her own clothes away. I don't even have to ask her to do it, she just takes them and does it. The past few times she will sit on her floor crying or throwing a fit. She doesn't remember if her yellow shirt was under her butterfly shirt. "Mommy, were these shorts right here?" It is scary. Very scary. I like neat, orderly drawers, but I don't color coordinate, nor do I put things in the exact spot they were in when I took them out. In fact, my drawers are rarely orderly anymore. Who has time with 3 children? Especially when the littlest one likes to go and empty them! What do I do? I have told her that it does not matter where or how her clothes go in the drawer. All that matters is that they are put away. I also have noticed it coming out in her schoolwork. She gets upset if her B doesn't look like it should, or if her 9 isn't right. I try to tell her it takes practice, and sometimes that suffices, but sometimes she is so upset. Have I created a perfectionist? I haven't intentionally been 'picky' so she picks up on it. I haven't been 'drilling' her with the routine of how everything needs to be just so. I just pray she lightens up. I am glad that she desires to have great organizational skills and wants to be clean and orderly, but there is a point when one becomes obsessed by it. Oh, please don't let her be one of those!

What's Your Ideal Career?

Your Career Type: Social

You are helpful, friendly, and trustworthy.Your talents lie in teaching, nursing, giving information, and solving social problems. You would make an excellent: Counselor - Dental Hygienist - LibrarianNurse - Parole Officer - Personal TrainerPhysical Therapist - Social Worker - Teacher The worst career options for your are realistic careers, like truck driver or farmer.

What's" Your Ideal Career?

Well, I have a Bachelor of Social work degree and I homeschool my children. Can we get any more accurate than this?

Picky, Picky, Picky

Last week the base had this picnic, sorta like a "Let's celebrate Katrina" thing. Well, when the kiddos heard the word 'picnic' they were all about it. So, Friday afternoon we picked Daddy up from work and checked out this shindig. It was at the Marina Park. Well, that is on the back bay of Biloxi which was real flooded and all. So, where there used to be grass it was all like dried up sludge/mud/muck, whatever you want to call it. A bit gross to me. We ate our hot dogs and hamburgers (which made my stomach hurt like nothin' else), and of course the kids wanted to play. They were going all out at this picnic- they had the blow-up climbing things, bouncing things, etc. They had a few different local bands. It was pretty decent. I guess we did it more for the kids than anything. Something different to do, something that seems a bit 'normal' to us all. BUT their feet got SO dirty from that nasty ground. I mean, I have NO idea what was all sitting on that ground from Miss Katrina. I wasn't going to take chances. Not when it comes to my children. So when we got home I threw them all in the tub and scrubbed, scrubbed, scrubbed. Like I said, I don't know how 'safe' that was. I feel like I am so darn picky and weird. Last week we also played at McDonald's and they had been running around bare-footed. Gross. I'm not big on indoor play places to begin with. So when we got home from there I scrubbed their feet and washed their hands. I'm not taking chances when it comes to my precious children and keeping them healthy. Who knows what may be breeding down here as far as germs and all. But sometimes I feel like I am utterly too picky and take the fun out of life. I will include some pictures from our times of playing (minus the clean-up).

Playing

Another Fun Thing

Here is another thing I found at Beth's site. She seems to always be doing neat things like this so I thought I'd try it. Pretty funny. Here's what you do. Google your name needs (like Jamie needs, only type your name instead of mine). Then blog the first 10 things that come up. I went to 15 only because it was pretty hilarious. Have fun! Here's my crazy results...

1. Jamie needs your vote (vote for what?).
2. Jamie needs Kelly's backing (I'm unsure who Kelly is, but sure, I'll take her help!).
3. Jamie needs a kid (well, that would add to the dozen that Zach wants to have, so why not;)).
4. Jamie needs amanuensis (I don't even want to know what this is...and it refers to a cat...do I really need it? I am not too fond of cats).
5. Jamie needs a nap (FINALLY, somebody sees the need for mama to get some rest!).
6. Jamie needs the Spur of a goal (yeah, sure, bring it on).
7. Jamie needs to find a witness (I didn't do it. I swear I didn't do it. It was the butler.)
8. Jamie needs a kid (Wow, another one!!!).
9. Jamie needs a liver transplant (Gee, I hope not).
10. Jamie might need security (Yeah, I need some emotional security at times).
11. Jamie needs our help (Are you sure you'd like to elicit my help?).
12. Jamie needs to radically improve (And you just asked for my help...).
13. Jamie needs a new home (Oh please, in a different state!).
14. Jamie needs to be the only or oldest child in the family (Weird, I am an only child).
15. Jamie needs to uncover the truth (The truth about what? I'll work on that and get back to you...).