as requested...

I couldn't think of what else to blog about so since it was requested I thought I'd put more pictures up! These are from Sunday. Today was pretty uneventful...school, went out to dinner, grocery shopped and watched another American Girl movie with Chatterbox. I was laughing at her when she cried in some spots, but at one point we were both crying together;) Like mother like daughter. Mom, I'm sure if you were here you would've been crying too! Zach would be rolling his eyes! CB asked when she can start her own blog and declared that every lady needs a blog!!! So, there you have it!

Miscellaneous Monday

The other night Sweet Pea and I ran out to Wally World to get a few needed items. The cashier was an older woman and commented on how cute SP was. She asked if she was my first and I informed her I had three others at home. She couldn't believe it and asked how old I was...to which I told her. She thought I was about 20! Thanks lady, but I don't think I look that young!

Have you seen the Smart cars? Yesterday on our way home from church there was a parade of about 8 of them on the interstate. I had never heard of them. They are ugly!!! They look so small that I wouldn't think them too safe, but then again I don't claim to be all knowledgeable about that type of thing! Here is what they look like:

A friend from church had her baby yesterday!!! She had a girl and I am so excited for them! Now SP will have a little friend;) Congrats Sandra!

Speaking of friends from church, today we were blessed with yet another meal! Isn't God just good? It's been 5 weeks since I've had the baby and I feel I'm doing rather well. I feel great considering how I felt before I had her! But, it is one less thing to come off my busy plate and its truly a blessing, so thanks Danielle!

In May Chatterbox and I will be going to see the play Little House on the Prairie! I'm so excited! The tickets were super cheap I couldn't pass it up (during the day when schools go I'm assuming). She has read most of the books so this will be a treat for her.

Speaking of treats for her I rented two American Girl movies for her the other day. She reads like crazy and is almost done with the AG books. Yesterday after church while the boys watched football she and I watched the Samantha movie. I have to admit that a few times I was a bit teary...I just love girly movies;)

Our insurance is rather annoying. Because we're not by a military installation sometimes it seems like such a pain to make any type of appointment. In order to see an eye doctor I need to get a referral from my family practice doctor!?!? Of which I have none....so next week I go to meet my new doctor yet I don't really have a reason to see one...though I did mention the heart murmur that was found when I was getting my kidney stones removed. Crazy insurance companies!

Oooohhh our internet STILL isn't fixed. We've been using a neighbors wireless connection. Zach saw him yesterday and they were chatting. Well the guy knows about our cable cord being cut and was asking Zach about it...turns out he knows we're using their connection!!! I'm a bit embarrassed but Zach said he was cool about it and didn't mind. Thanks Ken & Gina! Tomorrow is the day they come to fix it...and that neighbor better not cut the cord again!!!

Off to read my latest book...I think I'm to about 30 books so far this year (you can check my reading list for more info). I am addicted to Jodi Piccoult books!!! Speaking of books, there's a movie out based on one of Nicholas Sparks' books that I really want to see.

How we spent our Saturday

Outlaws?

Three little monkeys sittin' in a tree...

This is what Sweet Pea did the whole time....not a good picture but the only one taken of her!

Watch out for this bad boy!

Walking across a log 'bridge'

hangin' out in a tree...
climbing
don't be scared!

concentration?
WEEEEE!!!! Daddy swinging him!
WAAAAAA!!!!!! Didn't want to climb through the brush! It's FALL!!!! Look at the leaves blanketing the ground!

A boy and his stick
Beautiful girl He made it!!!Beautiful flowers along the butterfly path
Some of God's beautiful creation
It's probably mean but we caught some butterflies...the kids were thrilled, although they may not all look it!!!

She looks like "EW, what is this thing I'm holding???"

I know I have a lot of pictures here, but if you want to see more just click this link!

uh, DUH

Yesterday when I got home from the park & library I was met by my neighbor. Well, actually his dog met us and the kids were petting him. Then the neighbor came to get the dog. I didn't really talk much because I was on the phone and trying to bring everything in the house. But he stopped me and told me he had to talk to me. He said he cut our cable cord- AGAIN but that his wife had called the cable company to fix it. He cut it Thursday night- the same day they came and fixed it! So I thought we'd be up and running by now since his wife called. Nope...no idea when they'll make it here. They scheduled an appointment for Tuesday but we're on the 'priority list' so it should be sooner. I feel terrible that I'm using somebody else's wireless connection (especially since its a good neighbor) but come on now, let's be realistic...I can't live without internet for that long! AND Zach is taking online classes and needs it also. So, let's hope this is the last time the neighbor cuts our cord. The first time I was understanding...now I'm a tad frustrated! Next time I think I'd be angry! Anyway, thus is the saga of the cut cable cord.

Junior Squirrel is now

the proud owner of his first Library card! Let me tell you he was very excited!!!

And for the record, I haven't been blogging all day...I had scheduled some of the things to post at certain times. Although I did fix the picture problem! We finished school at a decent time today, met some new friends at the park and went to the library. A good way to end our week!

sweet...second attempt

At last, pictures of Junior Squirrel with baby sister. He didn't want to give her up yesterday.

I love this look when they sleep!

Have you heard?

Of this new presidential candidate...

Check out this video to see more.

School days- history

This week in history we learned about Ezekiel and how he ate a scroll. We made edible scrolls out of bread and honey.

We also learned about Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace. We experimented with fire- seeing what would catch on fire and what wouldn't. We tried chalk, cloth, a toothpick, a penny, hair, a leaf and a sponge. Our last lesson of the week was about Buddha. The kids often comment on the Buddha statues we'd see at Chinese restaurants. It was good for them to learn a bit more about this false god than what we'd already taught them. We, of course, but the importance on how there is only one GOD.

He always cracks me up!

A contest

Penny is giving away a holiday apron! Check it out, it is so cute (and don't forget to enter to win)! If you've never been to their jumpinbloomers site you should take a look. Chatterbox has a nightgown and bloomers and we LOVE them!!!! Thanks for a great giveaway Penny!!!

my brain in bullets...

• My stomach has been hurting lately. Maybe I've been overdoing it? (I cleaned the suburban and downstairs of the house in one day). They tell me not to vacuum but nobody else does as good a job as I do and dirty floors are my pet peeve! Or maybe its from wearing a certain pair of jeans? Or could it be carrying the baby in the Ergo? Then sometimes I get a sharp pain on the right side (where my incision looks weird). I can't wait to go to the doctor and see what's going on.
• Sweet Pea will get surgery on the 8th of Oct. She has a little skin tag by her ear and they're going to remove it. I really hope they'll let me back there with her, but I doubt it. Thankfully it will only take like 15 minutes.
• She sleeps so well at night, usually only wakes up twice to eat. Sometimes though early, early in the morning she is grunting and having a hard time pooping. Poor girl.
• You want to know something I think is 'weird'? Most of the people around here are actually from here! Being a military family, we're usually amongst people who are just 'passing through'. So its kind of weird to meet people who are actually from Iowa!
• I can't stand those months where its like 3 weeks between pay periods. It really puts a crunch on things right before payday!
• My neck still hurts. Normally during the day its not bad, but at night its horrible. Should I do a chiropractor do you think?
• Did I tell you that there are two homeschooled teenage girls that live a street over? Can you say it with me- babysitters!!!! I hope to meet them soon!
• Speaking of homeschooling lately I've been asking myself why I do it. I guess the kiddos seem to be having a hard time staying on task and it drives me nuts. I know why I do it, but when you're in the midst of some harder times I question it. I couldn't send them to public school though as its my conviction to teach them at home.
• It's been about 80* lately. I really enjoy it. I wonder why it was so cool when my parents were here? We couldn't do as much. Oh well...I think its supposed to get back in the 60s and 70s soon. Then I will be able to open windows!
• Our neighbor cut our cable to our cable yesterday while working in his yard. Oops. Thankfully they're quick on fixing it!

So, you wanna know...

This is where I went tonight:

We were pretty low on groceries and it sure felt good to get some in the house finally!!! What? You don't think that's exciting and worth tearing up over???? Are you sure??? I certainly didn't go to a circus and that wouldn't cause me to cry. So, WHERE did I go?

I went to a church. In Des Moines. It was a church I'd never gone to before. But, the African Children's Choir was in town and I went to see them!!!! I was hoping we'd all go as a family, but just us girls went- Chatterbox, Sweet Pea and I. It was awesome, awesome, awesome! There were so many times that tears were rolling down my cheeks just seeing these beautiful children dance. You looked at their faces and all you could see was their huge smiles and the white of their teeth! They were adorable! I wanted to grab them, hug and hold them and take them home! To think of the poverty they've come from. Most of their parents are dead. To think of where they've come to- to knowing Jesus, to faith, hope and love. To furthering their future and the future of their country, their Africa homeland. It was one of the most amazing things I have seen (did I mention it was free- bonus). They even introduce themselves and say what they want to be when they grow up- builder, teacher, doctor, pilot, engineer, social worker. Not here, but in their country to help their people.

Ok, to see these children dance around...wow. I told Chatterbox on the way home that God sure gave black people the ability to dance because us white folk could never bust a move like that (please no flames I'm NOT trying to be stereotypical in a negative way). To hear them sing in person...songs I listen to from their CD. It was truly amazing. Such beautiful voices. Awesome accents. Can you tell I was blessed??? Chatterbox was even impressed with it! I'm SO glad I happened to look at their schedule 2 days before to see that they were going to be in our area. Totally a GOD thing if you ask me!

Here are a few pictures we took. Chatterbox took most of them...she did a pretty good job too!

***And for the record...I still want to adopt from Africa...hopefully someday!

Fun MEME

6 random things about me...

Read my 6 random things for clues as to whom the 6 people I tagged are. If I'm talking about you, you're it!



1. My girl isn't so little anymore. Although she hasn't hit the double digits yet, she's still sassy and smart. She loves to pick on her brothers and boss them around but she also loves them.



2. I love to bake and I've been itching to do it, I just haven't had the time. I don't think I've baked anything homemade since we've lived here (boxed brownies don't count even though they're delicious).



3. We enjoy living in our new home, however there are still so many thing we'd like to do with it. I guess it all takes time.



4. Being proved wrong by a 3 or 4 year old is never much fun, is it!?!? How is it that in some cases they seem to know more than us!



5. We've recently been blessed with our 4th child, a girl. Thankfully we didn't have to endure a horrible hurricane right after!



6. If I could have one talent I think it would be to sew.



So, if I was talking about you its your turn to do the same...

I'm so excited, I cannot wait, you won't believe this...

Tomorrow night there is something 'special' going on in our area. I just so happened to go to the website last night and discovered that there was one in our area. What timing! It is something I have been wanting to see for some time now!!! I just can't believe I'll actually be able to see it in real life! What is it, you ask? Well, that's the fun part...you get to guess. And I'll tell you all about it after the fact. Just know that I will be so blessed, yet probably better take my Kleenex (that's just me though, most people probably wouldn't need Kleenex for it).

4 weeks

I can't believe Sweet Pea is 4 weeks old today. I really tried not to think about it because it makes me really sad to think how fast she is growing. If I thought about it too hard I'd probably burst into tears. Here are some pictures of her today. You can also click here to see a small web album of pictures. Regretfully I don't have any of Junior Squirrel...I really need to make a point to take some with him and the baby!

She's not smiling here but getting frustrated: