This Homeschooling Journey

Lately I have really been struggling with my thoughts on homeschooling. While I really like the curriculum I am using (Bob Jones), I guess I am a bit tired of how I don't feel like I have much leeway to teaching. Not like I have to follow it to a tee, but I enjoy it. The Phonics book is broken up into 5 lessons a week. So, this week we're talking about Lakes & Rivers. Last week we talked about the Prairie. So I feel like I need to keep it all in a week, you know? That is the type of person I am (and sometimes I really roll my eyes at myself for it). I mean I don't want to do 3 lessons of something one week, then continue it in the next week and be all thrown off. I'd like it all to flow together. Plus Fridays are book days, where we read a new book, which often pertains to what we've talked about all week. What about those days when I don't want to do school? Like President's Day? Or if we just want to take a day off here or there and go on a field trip or something? So I feel like I have to cram 2 lessons into one day then (being the type of person I am). Sometimes this is ok, because sometimes it seems like we fly through lessons. But other times I don't want to do that! So this is where I am at. As I begin to think about school next year I wonder what to do. I want to be more flexible, but not too flexible because I really need to maintain a schedule. Sometimes I want to throw my own things in there and do this or that. I know there are different ways to homeschool an there are so many curriculum choices. I guess, being that I am new to this journey, I am learning the type of homeschooler I'd like to be. I don't want our home to be just like a public school. I want us to have fun learning. I want to do hands-on things. Learn through counting money or pulling weeds. At the same time I'm not a very adventurous person, so while I think these thoughts I wonder if I would actually do something like this! So, right now I am torn. While H doesn't seem to mind the way we do school, I'm wanting a bit of a change. Nothing drastic, just maybe something different. And once J will start school I don't expect him to sit still for long amounts of time learning like his sister can! Then again, knowing me I'll order Bob Jones again for next year! Who knows! Just some random thoughts I've been having. Any advice would be MUCH appreciated!

AAACCCCKKKKK!!!!

I am getting my hair cut in one hour and have no idea what to do! It has been long for forever, won't grow anymore and I am ready for a bit of a change. What do I do!?!?! Hoping the stylist has a few ideas for me!

The Truth Revealed!

The answer is #4! Yeah to those of you who got it right! When I approached my RA about the porn she just suggested we make paper clothes to cover up the parts. I was like, "I don't THINK so!". And of course all the other girls on my floor thought the posters were pretty cool and thought it quite funny (obviously I did not go to a Christian college).

#1 Wasn't totally true, as I wasn't driving quite that fast on the roads. I did spin out of control a couple of times and landed my butt in the ditch. Luckily for that truck behind me to pull me out! The next day as we drove by my parents commented on somebody going in the ditch. It was years before I told them it was me! I didn't want to lose driving privileges! Obviously both the car and I were OK!

#2 A friend and I really did ditch the conference but all we did was drive around Marquette for awhile. We did get into trouble by the youth leaders and our parents. The youth leaders were really concerned on where we were! We were always the ones causing problems in the group! Boy, I feel awful now!

#3 This Native American girl who was a few grades younger than me (and a few pounds heavier) and sometimes rode my bus came up behind me after lunch one day and yanked on my hair. I didn't do a thing about it though, but she had said something about me commenting on her hair. I didn't even know her name, had only seen her a few times and had never commented on her hair! I was a bit unnerved by her for awhile as I wasn't (still ain't) the fighting type! My boyfriend could've kicked her butt though;)

#5 While on our class trip to NYC some guys were throwing things out of the hotels windows and got busted. Not sure if they hit somebody, but I think they came pretty close to! When we ventured to Toronto to finish off our trip the manager of that hotel heard about it and really lectured us, locking us in our rooms at night and putting tape on the doors so nobody snuck out! I think even the chaperones were in shock!

So, that is the truth of the matter! Hope you had fun playing!

True or False

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!!!!

I was tagged by Bethany for this fun meme! Here's how it works: Write five things about yourself with only ONE of them being true. The other four are fiction, and everyone else gets to guess which one is not fiction. Let me know in the comments which one you think is true!

1. While in high school I was driving 60 mph on snow covered roads in the country, speeding through the many curves in the road. Alas, I started to spin out of control only to end up spinning right into a tree! Luckily, a plow was right behind me and stopped to give me a hand out of my car. I only sustained a sore wrist from hitting it on the steering wheel somehow. I wasn't allowed to drive again until the snow melted!

2. While attending a Billy Graham youth conference with my youth group a friend and I ditched the conference with two boys we knew from another town. We ended up getting lost as we hiked up a mountain, drove along Lake Superior and ended up a bit drunk, plus we were late getting back to the conference. Our leaders were so worried about where we had been and we were 'suspended' from youth group for a time! I was not allowed to associate with friends for a month!

3. In high school I got into a fight with a Native American girl. She came up behind me and yanked my hair, so I turned and punched her in the face. We hit one another a few times before my boyfriend broke up the fight. She ended up with a bloody nose and my left cheek was all bruised and swollen. Turned out she heard I had made fun of her hair so she decided to try to kick my butt. We both got detention for the week.

4. My freshman year of college I had a psycho roommate. At first she seemed normal, but then she began to get a bit weird. She would be gone all hours of the day, avoiding me at all costs. She and I and our suite mates had always gotten along, but now she was nowhere to be found. She would return to our room only when I wasn't there, and wouldn't even sleep or shower there! Nobody really knew where she was and the RA got a bit worried! Then she decided to hang up porn all over our bathroom. When I sat on the toilet there was a naked guy in front of me. When I looked in the mirror behind me was another naked dude. It was disgusting!

5. During my high school senior class trip to New York we decided to throw things out of the 10th story window down below. I took a bottle of hairspray and a pair of cheap sandals and sent them sailing below. The hair spray hit this gangster looking guy on the head and he ended up coming into the hotel to complain at the desk. The cops were called- real NYC cops- and my friends and I were reprimanded and had to stay near a chaperone for the rest of the trip!

Your turn to play along!

Peanuts Anyone?

You are Marcie!

Which Peanuts Character are You?
brought to you by

Back to Normal

Well, our company has come and gone. We had such a good time visiting, even though Zach ended up working. We still managed to do what we wanted to though, and we had such a nice time seeing the kids play together and just spending some time together! I don't have many pictures of us to post on my camera, but Jamie will be emailing me some and then hopefully I can post a picture. Their last morning here we all went out to breakfast and the waitress spilled water all over my diaper bag, which was on the floor. My camera was on the outer part of the diaper bag and now it doesn't quite work- I can't get it to turn on. I did manage to somehow get it turned on Saturday night, but I am not sure what I will do. I am so disappointed. It's a good little camera and best of all it was free!

Saturday night I got to meet Bethany and her husband, Josh. I am not sure who's blog Bethany found me through, but she commented on mine that we're both from the same area! We finally decided to meet and were planning to go out to dinner, but instead I had marinated these steaks all week and invited them over for them. We had such a good time visiting with them and our children really hit it off also! It is so weird how most of the people I've met down here are through the internet. Sometimes you never know if you are going to encounter some weirdo or psycho, but Bethany and Josh were completely normal people and we had a blessed night of fellowship! Hopefully we can get together again!

Now it is back to life as normal...started school again today, back to the library for books, to the Post Office and all of the other errands we do on a normal basis. Hopefully we will get our taxes done this week also!

 

Boys, Bellies and Blunders

My son is obsessed with ladies bellies. He thinks every lady with a bigger belly has a baby growing inside. About a month ago when some friends were over for dinner he walked up to my very pregnant friend and was trying to lift up her shirt, saying something about taking her baby out and where is her baby. He really wanted to see that baby that was in her belly and I think he thought by just lifting her shirt up he'd see it!

Last week a friend stopped by and he said, "Look at her big belly!". She doesn't even have a 'big belly'! I felt horrible!

Yesterday at Awana I was talking to H's new Sparks teacher. She is a shorter lady and a bit on the heavier side. Now mind you, my son has seen many 'bigger' people in his days, be it family, in church, at the store or at a restaurant. So I'm talking to this lady and the next thing I know he goes up to her and is trying to lift up her shirt and asking if there is a baby in her belly! I felt horrible once again!

Kids will be kids, but sometimes they sure do embarrass the heck out of us! So, if you are in the neighborhood and my son tries to lift up your shirt, please just know he is searching for your baby!

A Tribute Of Sorts

It was the summer of 1999. We were newlyweds arriving at our first duty station (Minot, North Dakota), pretty much new to the Air Force. That is where we met the best friends anybody could have, Scott and Jamie. Zach & Scott went to Tech School together and both got orders to Minot. When we arrived in Minot Zach somehow got a hold of Scott and we went to their house. They were just moving in and there were boxes everywhere. I remember thinking how weird they talked! They are from 'Wuhsta', Massachusetts! Jamie and I seemed to hit it off pretty well. She was, after all the first person I met in Minot (and we do have the same name)! The next day as we looked at houses (they gave us 3 choices) on base we picked the one nearest to them (which happened to be the nicest one). We often would get together with Scott and Jamie, eating dinner together and playing games. Jamie and I often talked about getting together when the guys were at work, but time would go by and we still hadn't gotten together without the husbands! I don't know why, we seemed to get along great while the four of us were together. (Seems weird to think back to the days with no kids). Zach was a cop in the missile field, gone for days at a time, and Scott was a cop on the flight line, so they worked different schedules. Finally, Zach got switched to working on the flight line also. Wow! Jamie and I often began doing things together with the guys working the same shift (from like 2 pm to 7 am). Being we were in North Dakota, there wasn't much to do, but we often visited at one another's house or took a walk. We discovered how much we love to play Scrabble! Thus began the road to our friendship...

They were there all through our first years of marriage and parenthood. Jamie came and watched H while I had J. It seemed our holidays were spent together, as well as our off time. And like I said Jamie and I got together far more often while the guys worked. We went through a lot together up in the frigid cold on the prairie, er Air Force base.

Almost six years later...We now live in Mississippi and they are moving from California to Washington D.C. We moved from Minot back in August of 2002, leaving behind the closest friends we've had. That is one thing that I hate about military life- leaving friends behind. It is so hard to come across good friends! And oftentimes you find there are some people that just don't keep in touch as well as others, although maybe you'd like to. I remember saying good-bye to Jamie at TLF, just bawling my eyes out. Now don't get me wrong, I was SO glad to leave North Dakota (and joked not to look back for fear I'd turn into a pillar of salt), but I just wanted to pack Scott and Jamie up in our van and take them along!

I remember one weekend when we were living in North Carolina. Zach insisted I not go anywhere this Saturday morning while he went to work. He said he had a surprise. Now I knew that Jamie was up around Maryland working at that time, as she traveled for work. We were going to arrange to see one another but it didn't work out. So, I just assumed Zach must have been having flowers delivered. I'm going about my day doing something in the kitchen, talking on the phone when the doorbell rings. I look out the window and see a lady standing there and I think (and even comment out loud) how strange it is that she isn't holding flowers. So, I go to the door and open it, puzzled by this lady on my doorstep, when it hits me. It is Jamie! I stood there, my mouth hanging, in utter amazement, speechless. I politely get off the phone and cry and laugh at the same time as I hug Jamie. I could not believe my eyes! Here she drove all the way down to see my for only one night! What a friend! We had a blast!

Now, as they travel from west coast to east they are stopping to see us! They arrive tomorrow! I have been anticipating this day for a LONG time! I cannot contain myself and I know I'm going to have trouble sleeping. You see, Scott and Jamie are no longer just Scott and Jamie. They have a lovely 2 year old son that I get to meet for the first time! They adopted this sweet boy from Russia when he was about 10 months old! I have seen numerous pictures and heard many tales of this budding boy, but to actually see their child! It is hard enough anticipating seeing them...But their son! I know how much they desired a child, prayed for and yearned for a child. Once they moved to Cali adoption fell into place and now they are parents! The amazing thing is to see Jamie's faith in the whole matter, that one day God will allow her to conceive. Oh, I pray so! I know they are awesome parents!

So, as I sit these next 12-24 hours waiting for them to arrive, I will ponder the memories of our times in North Dakota. It is exciting to get company no matter who it is, but when it is somebody this special...And we have never had friends visit us before (from out-of-town), it has always been family (doesn't that sound sad and pitiful)...This will truly be a special time.

*On the flipside, Zach is unable to get leave this week. It will take a miracle. So, please say a prayer that he is able to get time off. Not only does he have to work, but he has to work horrible hours, not allowing him much time with Scott.*

Above Rubies Retreat

This past weekend I went to the Above Rubies retreat in Alabama. What a blessed time! I was a bit apprehensive going, not really knowing anybody, although I had met some ladies from last year's retreat that would be there this year. I also knew I'd be taking G since he still nurses and I figured he would have me chasing him about all weekend and that I'd be stressed and worried.

I carpooled with a lady that lives in my area, so the hour and a half it took to get there flew by. She had been there last year too, and it was nice getting to know one another. I roomed with a Marine wife, so that was fun! I saw many ladies I met last year and had the opportunity to get to know them better this year. But best of all I was able to be encouraged by Nancy's teachings. Even though I did chase around my little fellow a bit I was able to get from it what i knew I needed to hear. It was so encouraging and refreshing. And one of Nancy's daughters, Pearl, was there along with her 10 year old daughter, Meadow. Pearl and sister Serene have two CD's that you can purchsae through Above Rubies. They are the sweetest, most encouraging songs about motherhood (and you can order them through the Above Rubies site, and I HIGHLY recommend them!!!). Serene and Pearl used to be 'Considering Lily' (if you have ever heard of that Christian band). Well, since Serene wasn't there (they just adopted 4 children from Liberia), Pearl and Meadow sang. Can you picture it? This 10 year old girl singing with her mother. But, she wasn't only singing words, you could tell she meant what she was singing. Oh, it was such a beautiful site. She had the most beautiful voice! And if you know me, you know that I was trying to hold back those tears! I just kept thinking how I pray my daughter will have such a love for the Lord like that as she grows. And to watch mother and daughter. Little Meadow was massaging her mama's back, helping with her 14 month old sister. You could tell they had such a bond, a friendship. How I yearn to be my daughters friend, not just her mother. Sometimes I feel like I am just a dictator at times, saying, "Do this", or "Don't do that".

Part of Nancy's message was about Adam & Eve being made as one. Now I know this, but for some reason it really just struck me this weekend and I really needed to hear it. I am always quick to open my mouth about things, nagging and complaining about this and that. But this weekend as I listened to the word of the Lord through this wise woman of God it really hit home for me. I vowed to come home changed. Renewed. Keeping my mouth shut more often. Even if I don't agree with my husband on something, to stand by him, being one with him. I was tested even before I came home, let me tell you, and I succeeded, only because I relied upon the Lord for His strength.

G was so good! Friday night he ran around like crazy, but it wasn't stressful at all. The other days he seemed a bit calmer. But I really enjoyed him! Even though he was sometimes so busy I never lost my patience! I feel I had a chance to bond with him a bit more than usual, being just he and I. I was able to enjoy him and all his little antics. And he was so sweet. He has never been around babies. We don't really know many people around here with babies. But at the retreat there were babies. He would go up to them and call them "Nana". Don't know how he gets that out of the word baby! He would rub their head and smile at them, rub their belly. Oh, he was SO gentle, SO loving to these sweet little babies! It was so sweet to see (and it only reinforced my desire to have another). So, now that I know that my baby is cool with babies, bring it on Lord;)

A bit of paint and...

It's amazing what a bit of paint can do! My kitchen looks so different to me, with just a bit of paint! I am so glad to be rid of that ugly border at the top! The kitchen feels so much warmer and homier. Just thought I'd share!

Proverbs from the Mouths of Babes

Has anybody ever kept a journal of their children's sayings? I have been thinking lately alot about the things my dear children say. Some of the following can be heard at times:
"Mommy, when I get big I'm going to paint my living room orange."
"I'm a scherba."
"I want 4 girls and 1 boy. If I don't I will cry and pray to Jesus."

Not to mention all of the questions they ask:

"What does humble mean?"

"Did God made everything?"

"Mommy, can I marry you?"

So, I've been thinking how it would be neat to write down some of the things they say throughout the day. That way I can look back and laugh (especially at those times they're driving me bonkers), and it will be a great thing for them to read when they're older. Has anybody done anything like this or heard of anything like this? Not sure how good I will be at doing it...running to the notebook every time something cute comes out of their mouth, but it is worth a shot!

This 'N That

So, I've been playing around with my living room a bit. And you know what? It is finally exactly the way I want it! I absolutely love it! I bought new curtains last week (I haven't had curtains up in there in awhile because I didn't know what to do with the shape of my windows). Then I bought some new lamps. When asking Zach what he thought of the lamps he commented, "What are you trying to make this look like an officers house?" I simply want a nice home, not fancy, just nice, to my appeal to make a home for my family. After all, the lamps only came from Wal-Mart! Do officers shop there? I don't know!

(I have 3 long skinny windows hiding behind those panels which is why it took so long to find curtains I liked!) . And here is a closeup of my new lamp. It really goes with my living room!

Did I mention before about the quilts the ladies in Minnesota made? I've been wanting to take a picture of the munchkins with the quilts to mail along with a thank you. Here's a snapshot!

Aren't they adorable?

Yesterday I picked up a new book from the library called 'The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns' by Ann Budd. Looks very good (and modern, as most books were from the 60s or 70s). Lots of nice patterns I wouldn't mind trying to knit sometime!

Have you seen this article yet? It tells exactly how I have been feeling living down here on the Mississippi coast. I think we all feel like this down here. I may have seen it before, but it really struck me last night.

Last night I had all sorts of things running through my mind that I was going to blog about, but I could not get into blogger for the life of me and of course now I have forgotten.

My First Knitting Project!

This is my first official knitting job. I just LOVE knit dishcloths! My mom makes them for me, but now I think I can do it on my own! I'm hoping to learn to knit many other things. It really isn't that difficult! It is weird to see how popular knitting is nowadays.

H lost her first tooth today! 

Snow Much Fun!

Did you know there is 'snow' in Mobile, AL? My friend told me there was a snow park there, so we coordinated a trip to take our families! Yesterday was the day. Now, if you look at the pictures online it looks like a neat little thing to do. Considering we have no snow down here, I thought the kiddos would enjoy it. I did keep wondering to myself, though, why I was PAYING to play in snow!!! Who would think, growing up in Michigan, that you would go to a special place to play in snow!?! Not I! Anyway, it turned out to be a joke. There were two 'slides' to tube down and one little place with 'snow'. The people said it is because the weather has been milder, that it is difficult to keep the snow! I guess I can understand in a way, but the pictures make it seem much better than what it was. The kids still did have fun, as you can see by the pictures, but us adults were rolling our eyes. It wasn't a total wasted trip into Mobile though, since our friends from Pensacola had met us and we got to visit with them and enjoy a scrumptious meal together!


Here is G on his only trip down the 'hill'. I'm not too sure what he thought of it. There was no smile, but there were no tears either!

Here is H having a blast and smiling for the camera, as usual!

J was just chillin' in his tube!

Poetry

H has been wanting to read poems every morning after we do our Bible time. I came across this one and wanted to share it. I don't have too much else to post about anyways.

God Give Us Homes!

Homes where the Bible is honoured and taught;

Homes with the Spirit of Christ in their thought;

Homes that a likeness to heaven have caught.

God give us homes!

God give us homes!

Homes with the father in the priest-like employ;

Homes that are bright with a far-reaching joy;

Homes where no world-stain shall come to annoy.

God give us homes!

God give us homes!

Homes where the mother is queen-like in love;

Ruled in the fear of the Savior above;

Homes that to youth most inspiring shall prove.

God give us homes!

God give us homes!

Homes with the children to brighten the hours;

Budding and blooming like beautiful flowers;

Places of sunshine- sweet, sanctified bowers.

God give us homes!

By J.R. Clements

*Taken out of the book 'Verses of Virtue' from The Vision Forum.

I certainly hope someday my home can look like this!

Sometimes Sharing is NOT Caring

I know I've posted things like this before, but it really just angers me....
Yesterday I was sitting here at the computer and my neighbor came over with her two kids, ages 2 years and 6 weeks. No big deal, I don't know her well and it was a nice surprise. I haven't had somebody 'just drop in' since I've lived on base! Well, after about 3 minutes of her being here I realized both she and her 2 year old had colds. She kept coughing and her daughter had the nastiest nose. What could I say? "Get out of my house, you are sick!" I just kept sitting there praying we wouldn't get sick! Then H invited her for dinner! Boy, I felt real unhospitable, but I was thinking about all the germs that were already lingering in my home! I'd like to have her over, just last night wasn't good. So I made up some excuse about not sure what we're eating, and it being last minute. When she finally left I went around the house with the Clorox wipes and with my Sol-u-Guard and sprayed everything!!! This morning J's been coughing a bit, but I'm not sure if he could catch a cold that fast! Just praying we all stay healthy here...And wondering WHY people make an appearance when they are not in the best of health!
***UPDATE: Well, it must have been my imagination on J's coughing this morning, because all has been fine so far. I guess I'm just a big germ freak!

Nothing New...

Not much has been happening here lately, so I haven't really had anything to write about.

Larry flew back home on Friday. We had a nice visit and they did a lot of work on the house. I even got a new kitchen sink! I absolutely love it! My other sink wasn't very deep, so I went on the deep end and got an extra deep one! You can see it here. Now to paint the kitchen walls...

Since Larry left I figure I'd get G used to his bed. He would never sleep in a crib so I had taken that down sometime after Christmas. He has been sleeping in his bed for naps and doing real well. I can't believe he is big enough to do it, and I don't think H & J were as little as him when they went into their big kid beds. Then again, they didn't sleep with us either! Last night I put him in his bed for bed and he slept in it for like 2 hours. At least he is getting used to it! I can't believe how much he is growing. He feeds himself like a pro and makes less of a mess than his 3 year old brother!!! I guess when there are other siblings that need mommy's attention they learn to grow up a bit quicker.

On Sunday I took H and J to Awana for the first time. I said I'd help in Cubbies. This is the first time my children have been to anything of this nature. We don't go to Sunday School, we homeschool, etc. I wasn't sure what H would think and I had volunteered to help in J's class. J is in Cubbies. He was a bit clingy, saying, "Mommy, Mommy!". He isn't very good with changes though. I am hoping after a few times he will be more relaxed and I won't have to stay right by him! I don't want to make it a miserable experience for him though. He did seem to enjoy himself and he's even memorized a few verses! H came to find us after Sparks and she had a good time, chatting about it the whole way home. She seemed to do fine with my not being right there! She generally does good with new situations though.

We finally began school again this week. H was so excited to start! I told her Sunday night and she was practically dancing in her chair, asking what we were going to learn and if I was for real! That sure made me more enthusiastic to prepare her lessons. She does awesome in math. I hate math and I wasn't sure how it would go, but she sure is catching on to adding! She still tends to read words with sounding them out and if I ask her not to sound them out she doubts herself. Hopefully she'll get it soon! I even did some school with J. Once H was excited, he was too. Last night I hauled myself to the Dollar Tree and picked up a few books for him. As if I don't have enough workbooks around here, but these were only $1 and I figured he'd enjoy them. So, we've been working on shapes with him. This is all stuff that I did with H when she was way younger than he is now, but many things he catches on to when we do it (like colors and counting). It was nice to have some time to teach him too, and I'm sure he enjoyed the attention. So often I feel like he gets 'pushed aside' as I teach H and nurse G.

I have been knitting again and teaching a lot of it to myself. I did have a friend's daughter show me how to cast on, but otherwise I've been learning binding off and purling myself. My first project was supposed to be a dishcloth but was a bit messed up so I gave it to H & it worked for a Barbie blanket! I am attempting another dishcloth now. Hopefully I'm doing it all the right way!

That's a little update on us! Nothing exciting...

Fun & Learning in One!

Last week we took a trip to Mobile with a friend and went to the Exploreum. We had such a fun time! Here are some pictures of the kids having fun! First is H playing the harp. Only this harp had no strings, but if you move your hands it detects the movement of your hands and plays music. J is at the bottom of the slide in the room where you learn about poop! And G had a blast playing with the water!

Tagged Again

Amie tagged me for this meme, so here goes:

Four jobs you've had in your life:
1. Pizza Maker/Waitress
2. Burger flipper/ice cream designer
3. Bartender
4. Secretary

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. Sarah Plain & Tall
2. Cheaper By the Dozen
3. Dying Young
4. The Polar Express

Four places you have lived:
1. Upper Michigan
2. North Dakota
3. North Carolina
4. Mississippi

Four TV shows you love to watch : (I don't watch TV much anymore, so I'm just saying 4 that have been my favorites at some point in time)
1. Full House
2. Beverly Hills 90210
3. Seventh Heaven
4. One Tree Hill

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Olympia, WA
2. Rapid City, SD
3. Winnipeg Canada
4. Myrtle Beach, SC

Four websites you visit daily: (I'm excluding blogs)
1. CNN
2. Allrecipes
3. Ebay
4. My Yahoo Groups

Four of your favorite foods:
1. Anything with Chocolate
2. Chicken Fajitas
3. Pepperoni Pizza
4. Baked Ziti

Four places you would rather be right now:
1. California visiting my best friend
2. North Carolina visiting friends
3. Michigan visiting family
4. In my bed napping next to my baby

Four bloggers you are tagging:
1. Bethany
2. Marisa
3. Bobbie Jo
4. Anybody else who wants to join in

North woods vs. South bayou

In the North woods you greet people by saying, 'Hey yous guys. How are ya?'
In the South bayou you greet people by saying, 'Hi there ya'll. How are ya'll doing, honey?'

In the North woods you spend your winters snowblowing, shoveling and sitting by the woodstove keeping warm.
In the South bayou you spend your winters outdoors, doing house repairs from the season's hurricanes. You also need to mow your lawn a few times and you've never seen snow so you can't even imagine what it is.

In the North woods you have to drive about three hours to go shopping. You call up your ma and say, 'Hey, I wanna go Green Bay. Wanna come?'. It takes you about 6 hours to drive there due to the snow drifts on the road.
In the South bayou you drive down the road to the local shopping mall when you get shopping fever. A road trip is reserved for when you need to evacuate during hurricane season.

In the North woods you see more snowmobiles that you soon dream about them.
In the South bayou you see more shrimp boats that you consider investing in the business.

In the North woods you are glued to the TV screen to keep track of the snow count.
In the South bayou you are glued to the TV screen to keep track of the latest tropical developments.

In the North woods fireworks are reserved for the 4th of July.
In the South bayou fireworks are seen all year long: 4th of July, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, etc...

In the North woods 30 degrees seems warm to you.
In the South bayou 30 degrees is freezing and you are wearing the warmest coat you have.

In the North woods you grow icicles off of your mittens by the time you get indoors and you have to dry your boots by the heater.
In the South bayou you have never seen a pair of mittens (and have only heard of them in The Three Little Kittens story), and the only boots you own are cowboy boots.

In the North woods the only people racially different from you are the college students.
In the South bayou all of the people are racially different- you live in a mixed neighborhood.

In the North woods you've never seen a real train.
In the South bayou the trains wizz by you every 5 minutes.

This is just some of the differences between the North and the South. I could come up with many more but my computer time is over! Last night I laid awake for hours listening to the whole neighborhood go crazy lighting off fireworks and celebrating the New Year. I had never seen fireworks on New Year's until I moved to Mississippi! Strange land, this is. Happy New Year!

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...