What a Busy Weekend!

The weekend teases me. Every. Single. Weekend. I usually have Fridays off (thanks be to God!), so I have a "cheater" day in there which many don't have. But I still run out of time because, well, because I'm a lazy bum. This past weekend was actually fairly full, however, so the downtime was spent relaxing and gearing up for this week.

Friday, Jacob had his dentist appointment. The poor kid has had a broken tooth for awhile, and the dental assistant said it probably broke due to the adult tooth pushing on it, and we'll just yank the baby tooth out and there ya go. Uh huh. So we get there and have x-rays done. Lo and behold, the broken tooth isn't a baby tooth, it's his 6 year molar!! {groan} So the dentist put some temp stuff in it to hold him over and that was that. Now we get to schedule a root canal. Jacob doesn't really understand what it is, but he was a trooper about getting the tooth pulled, so this should be a piece of cake.

Thomas made the basketball team! And of course, the physical he had on file couldn't be used for sports (I don't get it at all, but we roll with the punches, don't we?). So we took him to the clinic at my store to get his sports physical done. He's officially a Bullet now, complete with a white home uniform and a red away uniform. His first practice was today, and he came in looking pretty worn out :) He likes it though, and is good at it.

I spent time on Saturday baking my first ever pumpkins to purée and freeze for future pumpkin pies. I used the instructions on Heavenly Homemakers site, and it worked perfectly. I actually could've baked them a little longer, but they were small pumpkins, so I didn't want to take the chance of overdoing them. I'm not sure you can over cook pumpkin, but I didn't want to find out. So just a little work with the food processor, and Bob's your uncle, I've got enough pumpkin to make 3 pies and some extra (maybe cookies?). Sadly, I tried to brine the seeds, coat them in melted butter, then bake them. I mean, butter makes everything better, right? Not so much. I find the butter flavor overwhelming, and the seeds weren't as crispy as I like them...sort of like chewing butter-flavored tree bark...if I knew what that tasted like.

And does everyone remember the lost cookie recipe? Guess what!! I was washing dishes tonight, and I moved my used-so-often-that-it-has-earned-a-permanent-spot-on-my-stove griddle, and there it was!!! The long lost recipe! It's seriously the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever made, and I've had bags of chips waiting for their chance to snag a starring role in the recipe for so long. So next weekend, they'll get their wish.

Work tomorrow, so good night, dear friends. Keep doing everything for His glory!

:) :(

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

~that the rain has turned to snow in places west of our area (winter is my favorite season)
~that God is so absolutely forgiving, even as I fail as a wife, parent, and homemaker daily
~soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies (I think I found my lost recipe...I'm trying it this weekend and will post results)
~hot coffee with peppermint mocha creamer
~falling back!! (don't forget to set your clocks back and replace smoke alarm batteries this weekend)
~roast in the crock pot (is the crock pot on my list every week?? I love my crock pot)

THINGS THAT MAKE ME SAD:

~early huge snowstorms on the East Coast. I've been praying for relief for family and friends we have there.
~matching socks (see my bible verse below: it's one I meditate on while on sock duty)


Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ~Galatians 6:9

I believe this is an important verse for any mother, as we tread through the seemingly menial tasks of keeping home. We are serving our family by making our home a haven, a comfortable, welcoming place that exudes our love, and more importantly, that of our Heavenly Father. Our family should feel at peace when walking through the door, and we as homemakers are charged with that duty. Take comfort that this is of God's design! He is all-knowing, and He has given you everything you need to succeed in this role, including your greatest lifeline: Him!!

Things I've Realized Today

1) more sour cream in party potatoes doesn't necessarily mean tastier party potatoes. "More isn't always better, Linus...sometimes it's just more."

2) my children don't know what "I didn't just fall off the turnip truck" means. I obviously don't say it enough.

3) my husband likes Hardee's hand breaded chicken tenders better than my homemade ones. I'm working on it though.

4) regular oil changes really, really do a car good.

5) we will NEVER use Geico for insurance, simply because of their commercials.

6) I really wish I would just sit down and learn to quilt (not just realized today, but reminded today).

Happy Monday everyone. Have a terrific week. My verse for today is from Ephesians:

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. ~Ephesians 4:1-3

Trick or Treat (a day early!)

For some reason, our “village” has trick or treating two days – tonight and tomorrow night. So the older kids dressed up and went down our street and back (Gina stayed here at home, as she’d had enough candy from yesterday – more on that later). So far tonight, we’ve had one little girl who was too afraid to take the candy, another little girl who refused our candy because “I don’t like that kind”, and a dad who was screaming at his son to hurry up and get to the next house. I’m not sure I have it in me to hand out candy again tomorrow night.

We also went to the local parade, which was awesome (and incredibly long!). Lots of floats, a few marching bands (yay band geeks!!), and lots of candy tossed our way. I don’t know what it is about wee little ones, but floaters always flip and extra handful of candy towards Gina. Not that I’m complaining. My hips might be, but I’m not.

This is the time of year when many of the blogs I follow are writing about their reasoning behind not celebrating Halloween. I have to admit something: we still celebrate it, and not because I disagree with much of anything my fellow bloggers have to say about it. We celebrate it because I’m still a weak parent when it comes to things like this. Our older kids have gone trick or treating every year since they were very young, and I just couldn’t say no to them this year. And although I let them dress up, I did not allow them to stand in our yard and scare their fellow trick or treaters.

I’m also at the place where I question the harm in carving a pumpkin or attending a parade. I get that the whole holiday is very dark, and that the world has so much evil, gore, killing and senselessness already. We do not allow that much and do make them cut back this year. Perhaps next year, when I’m further in my walk with God and further into my Bible studies, I’ll be more comfortable not celebrating it at all.

I guess all I’m saying is this: please don’t judge my family because we still celebrate in a fun way on Halloween. If you think it’s wrong, that’s fine. Please remember back to when you first started your true walk with the Lord. Remember all the mistakes you made while learning. Remember all the things you wanted to figure out. Questions you had that made you want to research and study the Bible for answers. This is where I am. And the great thing about our Heavenly Father is that if what I’m doing is wrong, and I figure it out later and repent for it, He’s alright with that. He made me perfectly imperfect so I could glorify Him for the changes He’s made (and will make) in me. Glorify Him for His daily renewed grace.

Quilting Saturday

And by Quilting Saturday, I mean I didn't quilt at all. Actually, I'd put "take a trip to the closest fabric store to look at fallish material" on my mental to-do list. But that didn't happen. We were busy bees today.

This morning we awoke early to get my older son off to his weekend away. His friends showed up a little early, so I'm glad we were up and prepared. Then we left on a mini-road trip north up The Great River Road. We crossed a really old (and really narrow!) drawbridge into Calhoun County, and just drove. And looked at farmland. And drove. And pit-stopped for a drink and snack. And drove. And took pictures of barns. And drove. And stopped at an old couple's house to buy homemade raspberry jam. And drove some more.

There was some sort of quilt show this weekend in one of the one-horse-towns we drove through. Talk about amazing!! If I'd been alone, i probably could've spent hours looking. We took several pictures of quilt blocks that had been painted onto the sides of barns. The homemade jam lady assured us this was just a fad that caught on, and although she didn't have one yet, she needed to start considering it.

Then we crossed back over the Illinois River by way of the Brussels Ferry, which wierded me out just a little bit, so I entertained myself by reading the old copy of The Little House in the Big Woods that I picked up at the book sale at the Parkfest last weekend. A quick stint back down The River Road, and home again, home again we went.

Now we sit, watching Game 3 of the World Series. Ice cream and chips for some evening snacks, and although I'd hoped to hit the hay early tonight, I don't think I'll be able to go before the game is over.

Everyone have a blessed Sunday, and remember:

Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Oh Yeah!!

First of all, let me tell ya something:

I'm writing from A COMPUTER!!! Oh, you have no idea how blessed this is!

Secondly:

GO CARDS!!! We may have lost game 2, but we'll get them!

Third:

I received my catalog from Vision Forum a few days ago. What fantastic products!! (And no, I'm not getting paid to say that...I'm just really impressed with the products, and with Vision Forum in general.

And now for the random stuff:

My email, that I've had for years, hasn't been working lately for some reason. So I finally decided on a new email address with yahoo (Patrick had switched over not long ago, and said yahoo had been okay for him, so I trusted it). Can I tell you what a big pain it is to subscribe to all my different emails all over again?? I realize that's a pretty petty thing to complain about, and if that's my only problem, I'm SET!!

Last Saturday we went to Eckert's Farm in Grafton, Illinois. Not only did we get to drive along the Great River Road (the trees have started turning!), but the kids had a blast playing, seeing animals, and picking out their pumpkins. Sunday afternoon, we went to the 20th Annual LeClaire Parkfest in my hometown, Edwardsville, Illinois. Can you say "carnival food"?? Oh yes. Games, funnel cakes, pony rides, lemonade, the lake, homemade curly fries, doggy adoptions (no, we didn't adopt, but the dogs were just adorable)...good times followed by tired kids. It doesn't get much better.

This weekend has no set plans, which is wonderful. It's been chilly here this week, so I think cookies might be in order, and maybe a batch of Olga bread. Nom nom nom. Thomas will be gone with friends this weekend, so one less child is on the agenda.

God Knew What He Was Doing (of course!)

Another year has come and gone. Eight years ago, my husband and I pledged a lifetime together to ourselves, our family and friends, and to God. We've been through so many things, good times and bad. Thankfully, that which does not kill us, makes us stronger.

I thank God for bringing Patrick into my life. for arranging those stars just perfectly. for giving us the strength to get going when the going got tough. I am so thankful and blessed. Even on my worst days, I'm the luckiest woman on Earth, being married to the man God created me for. Being his help meet has been the best job I've ever had. I'm pretty bad at it ;) but I'm still learning eagerly. There are so many people who have come into my life and shown me what it means to truly be a wife, and I'm so thankful to all of them as well. I know God's hand is in it, as it always is, and I'm grateful He has opened my eyes to see, my ears to listen, my mind to learn, and my heart to love.

Here's to a lifetime full of love.

:) :(

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:

~getting our car fixed, by my brother (brilliant with cars), with a used (but guaranteed!) part (yay cheap!!)
~that in T minus 75 minutes, I'll be TGIFing with the best of 'em
~a retirement party on Sunday of a pharmacist from my old store, the guy who really got the wheels turning concerning being a tech
~coming home to the sounds of "MOMMY!!!" through the open windows
~perfect timing (more specifically, His perfect timing)

THINGS THAT MAKE ME SAD:

~losing things




An Apology

Yesterday was a really rough day at work. I was very down last night because of it. After writing yesterday's post, I felt absolutely lifted in prayer (and thank you for so many kind and encouraging emails!!). Today was still tough. I'm struggling at work, not necessarily fitting in, but keeping up. Tonight, I read an email from Proverbs 31 Devotions:

"In other words, seeking to obey God in the midst of whatever circumstance I’m facing will position me to work in the flow of God’s power. I’ll still have to navigate the realities of my situation but I won’t be doing it with my strength."

WHOAH.

Does God know EXACTLY what I need to hear, and when I need to hear it??? Why am I fighting His power?

Lord, forgive me for being stubborn, and continually trying to fight against Your plan for me. Open my heart to Your perfect will, which I may not understand. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the blessings you've given me, even though I may not recognize them as blessings right away. Thank you for every single chance you give me to glorify your name and to speak of your grace and mercy. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Last Minute

It's late. I should be in bed. Tomorrow is an early day for me, and after a couple drug-induced nights of sleep (I love you, Nyquil!), I'm at least feeling rested, although not healthier. That being said, in an effort to post most days (not including Sundays), I've got to write a quick something.

The Cards are beating the 'Stros, 12 to 6!!! GO CARDS!!

Patrick won't be home for dinner tomorrow, so I'm trying to decide what I should make for the kids and myself. Tuna casserole sounds lovely, since Patrick doesn't like it. The kids devour it, so that sounds like a plan.

I've got clothes in the dryer that I'm leaving there. Overnight. I'm not afraid to admit this to you, even after yesterday's laundry post. This is only because I almost left them in the washing machine. Baby steps.

The baby now asks me to sing to her every night, which I absolutely love to do. I sing Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight (yes, just like Three Men and a Baby), which she now sings along with. It seems to settle her a bit.

Cardinals just hit another home run - 13 to 6. I wonder if it's safe for me to go to bed?

What's Your Housekeeping Nemesis?

I'm here to tell you, I'm not the best housekeeper in the world. I'm not even the second best housekeeper. My home is not filthy, by any means, but it is far from tidy (most days). And since I've gone back to work, it's gotten worse...or maybe it's the same, but I'm too tired when I get home to deal with anything but dinner and family time.

Since moving into my mother's home (we are sort of long-term, indefinite house sitters for right now, but that's another post), I've come to realize what a TREMENDOUS blessing a dishwasher is. Because we don't have one. And oh, how I miss it. But dishes are in a close race with the never-ending pile of laundry.

I have kids. And a husband. And a uniform for work. I'd like to point out here that although I DO change into more comfortable clothes when I get home, I'm often in them for only a few hours before bed, so I wear the same clothes a couple days in a row. So...I'm not the one making the laundry here, people!! :) It's just something I can't keep on top of. I haven't found a system that works (yet). I've tried a specific laundry day. I've tried doing one load a day (the OCD in me has a hard time with that one). I've tried separating clothes by color, and by person, since I wash everything but towels in cold anyway. Some ways have proven more effective than others, but I've not been completely successful with any certain way.

"In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered." 2 Chronicles 31:21

Laundry is one of the many duties God gave me when He made me wife and mother. By looking at the never-ending pile as such a burden, as something I MUST do, and "Woe is me that no one will turn their socks right-side out!", Ido not please the Lord. The job of making my husband and children ready for each day has been entrusted to me, and I should look upon it as a privilege to do such an important job! God smiles down on me when I work with a joyful heart, to His glory. And thankfully, even when I catch a glimpse of the bottom of the laundry basket, someone will always be happy to toss in another pair of socks for me to continue my work.

No, Really This Time

When I wrote Never Ending, I was sort of hoping that the mere mention of it would bring all the excitement to a halt.

A girl can dream, right?

My younger daughter and I spent the morning at the walk-in clinic at my store. Yesterday afternoon, she fell asleep on my lap, and she's been really snotty and sneezy and watery-eyed for a couple days. Then last night, my throat started to feel like broken glass, and my ears (or rather, right below my ears) are swollen and painful. Since Gina gets ear infections fairly easily, we went in today and WHAM! Ear infection in her right ear. I, on the other hand, had nothing treatable, but she did tell me to come back in a couple days if I don't feel better, as strep can take a couple days. So I called in sick to work tonight in the hopes that an evening of relaxing will nip this.

Thomas also saw his new primary care doctor (please don't ever ask me how much I dislike insurance companies...unless you have a few days to spare). He has a non-displaced fracture, but he has full extension and little to no pain (unless his finger gets knocked around or something obvious). So he's to keep his finger splinted for 2 weeks. If he has no issues at that time, no additional appointments are needed. So no orthopedics unless there's a problem - yippee!!

"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the Lord. ~Jeremiah 30:17

This is my meditation verse this week. Pray with me, for the healing of my family. And if you have physical struggles and would like me to pray for you, let me know.

Ahhhh, Life Without "normal" Internet Access

Since we have no home computer, we use our cell phones for most Internet access for now. If we need something printed or to view something that requires Flash, we head to the library down the street. A few days ago, however, I discovered mobile blogging, and registered my phone for the Lodge.

Yeah.

I've tried twice now, and neither post has shown up...ever. Sooooooo...

That means I can't post pictures. That means you can't see the MOUNDS of chocolate chip cookies we made this afternoon in our toasty warm kitchen. That means you can't smell or taste their sweetness.

Oh wait, you couldn't do that anyway. I'm sorry.

"But she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband." ~1 Corinthians 7:34

I actually wanted to make lime cooler cookies, as Patrick really likes limey stuff, but I was missing an ingredient (who knew one needed limes for Lime Coolers?!?). I will have to better prepare next time.

Merry, Happy, and All That Jazz!

Okay, okay, you can berate and belittle me all ya want to...I'm a busy lady!! I've got limited time here on the computer in the library, so let me make a long story short, for anyone who was wondering:

My husband got a job! w00t!!! He's actually had it for awhile now, and I think that I may have already posted about this in a previous post, but I'll say it again - my husband got a job! w00t!!! That being said (and said again), he's been in Dallas since the beginning of November, and the kids and I moved in temporarily with my mom in Illinois. This ia great because, well, we get to have one last holiday with my family without the stress of travel, plus, we get to spend loads of time with my mom before we move away permanently.

Now this sucks because my children and I are apart from Papa Tango, which makes my heart shrink every little time I think about it, yet it makes it grow as well. The kids area greatly missing Daddy, but have gotten to see him every once in awhile due to flying standby (yay for working for an airline!!). This also bites because I have very little internet access at mom's house. When I say very little, I mean I can access email and facebook from my phone, but not really anything else - hence the serious lack of blog posts recently.

We are still looking for housing in the Dallas area. We'd better get a move on too, because I'm already on leave from work and the whole reason for taking it was to get the family moved and settled. We've got a couple places in mind, one in particular for which I'm waiting for some information to be mailed to me. Pray we can find something sooner rather than later so we can get this show on the road! In other news, I finally made it to the great state of Texas, and all I have to say about that is "YEEHAW!!". The traffic is in desperate need of some serious driving lessons, and some parts of Dallas are more than a little frightening. But the outlying areas are nicer and much less scary. This is a good thing.

So friends, be patient, please. I actually have my own library card now, so if I can sneak away during naps to post any updates, I will. If not, think good, moving thoughts for us and I'll be back in the saddle soon! I hope everyone had a very blessed Christmas, and if you're out and baout on New Years Eve, please be careful and responsible!

Seven Years

Sevens are lucky for many. Casinos are filled with them, as are lottery tickets. Who would think, then, that our seventh year of marriage would be the hardest we've been through yet?



I won't list everything my husband and I have been through in the past year. It's not glamorous, exciting, or interesting in the least. The point is, we made it through that seventh year...to today.

Our seventh wedding anniversary.



The seventh anniversary of the day I married the man God put on this Earth for me to find. Of the day when I gave my heart and soul to him "officially", although I knew long before then that he was The One. Of the day when we vowed to each other that nothing would come between us.

Well, the proof is in the pudding, people. The past year has been full of trials and hardships. And today we celebrate every single one of those days as a triumph of our love for one another. A love that held fast against outside forces. A love that is greater than it's ever been because we made it through all of them. We may have done things a little backwards in our relationship, but that's okay. It makes us unique. It makes us that much stronger.

Here's to a lifetime more of memories, trials, celebrations and anniversaries.



Thank you for putting up with me for this long. I love you!

Leaving...on a jet plane.

Okay, so I'm not. But I am leaving. Actually, we are leaving as a family. My husband has gotten a job with Southwest Airlines. This is excellent, as it's been a long haul with him being unemployed. The whole time has been trying for us as a family and us as husband and wife, but we're stronger because of it. And let me tell you this - we will never take the simple things for granted again!

This is also scary, as it requires a move from the Midwest...the only place I've known and spent all but two or three years of my life. We will be facing Dallas, Texas, head on come the end of this year. Patrick will be going on ahead of us, and I'll be staying here with the kids to make it through the holidays with my family. Then we'll make the trek down to Dallas to join him at the very end if this year.



What an exciting prospect, no? I've never been to Texas, that I can remember at least. I know this will be difficult. I know that I'm the world's biggest baby when it comes to heat - it makes me cranky and miserable. I also know that I'll be leaving behind my family and friends. I know I'll be a K-State fan in the middle of SMU territory.

However, the longer summer in Texas just means a longer growing season (and they do have air conditioning there, too, so I've heard :P ). And I do have friends that live in the Dallas and surrounding areas, and I've got an aunt, uncle, and cousin that live in a not-too-far away city. And I don't give a hoot about SMU, or the Horns, or TCU. I'm a K-Stater til I die, baby! (Plus, although I'll never, EVER be a Cowboys fan, at least I like Houston!)

So, this is the start of a brand new adventure. I'll admit to having cowboy hats and boots picked out for the kids already.



I will also admit to dreaming of moving right into a house on a couple acres out in the semi-middle of nowhere. I have dreams of a good garden, a T-bar clothes line, and an eventual chicken coop.

Dream house photo courtesy of Connor Homes

These dreams will stay just that for awhile though...it's been 14 months on one {teensy weensy} income, and we'll have to spend a short while recovering from that.

So, fair warning - I may be out of sorts for a little while. We will be busy packing and moving to our temporary home (thanks, Mom!!), then moving and unpacking. I do plan on taking time off from work to get the family settled, the kids school stuff figured out, and all the other little big things that will knock on our door. Oh, and if you live anywhere on the way from Missouri to Texas, keep your eyes peeled and ears open for us between Christmas and New Years!

What am I doing??

You want the answer to that? You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!!

Okay, so the truth is, I'm not doing a thing. And I really haven't done a thing, all day long. Okay, earlier today I ran to the store because we were out of coffee creamer and milk, and Italian dressing for marinating the chicken my dear, sweet, grill-master husband is going to take for a ride on the Char-broil Express later today. And I watched a neighbor boy for a couple hours this morning while his parents ran an errand (you remember Jacob's friend Zachary from GinaGina's birthday party). But other than that, I've been a big lazy bum so far today.

I've also been busy (while GinaGina is napping) catching up on some email and blogs I follow. That being said, I have 2 complaints: 1) I really don't like it when I can't subscribe by email to a blog. I think the idea of following on google is good, but honestly, I hardly ever go to my google homepage. When I do, I have to sit for an inordinate amount of time reading all the blogs. That's not saying that I don't *want* to catch up on them! Some would say "Just pare down your blog roll, and that's that". I just can't do that. It's like going through your favorites on your computer. At least for me it is. And finally, 2) I also hate link loss. That's what I call it. I'm on a blog, see an interesting link, follow it, see another link, follow it, and before I know it, I'm 11 pages away from where I started, all filled with posts I want to continue reading, but I couldn't find them again if I tried! I try really hard to right click and open the link in a new tab, but sometimes I forget. I will say, however, that if these are the only 2 things I find myself complaining about today, I'm in excellent shape.

Anywho, back to my plans today. I will start laundry sometime, and I'd like to go to the library too. I stayed up entirely too late last night finishing the book I've been reading. I couldn't believe what time it was when I finally turned the last page of the book and checked the clock. I groaned, thinking that the kids simply wouldn't understand that mommy stayed up too late reading and would you please sleep in for just this once?? Although I was pleasantly surprised this morning when I woke at 8:30 with a start, listened for a few moments, heard nothing, and was able to drift back off to sleep for a little while longer.

Other than that, my day plans include watching college football with Patrick and the kids, grilled chicken, recipe copying and maybe some knitting. I know, I know - I lead a life of total excitement, but you know what? I love it. I wouldn't trade being here with my family for anything in the world.

Happy holiday!

Did all of you have a refreshing long weekend? I certainly hope it was filled with fun, sun, gorgeous weather, football, barbecue and cold drinks! Mine had some of that, but also had work today (boo!). That also means, however, that I will get holiday pay on my next check - that's a yippee right there!

Over the weekend, my younger daughter turned 2 years old. I can't believe how time has completely flown by...seems like just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital and sat and stared at her for hours on end. Now, she runs around like some crazy baby, and we still sit around watching her.

My sons Thomas and Jacob, Jacob's friend Zachary, and GinaGina.

Her party (and I use that term loosely, since it was nothing significantly planned out at all) was successful. Snacks, homemade chili, and a frosted pink birthday cake made it great.


Yay for pink frosting and sprinkles!

GinaGina's favorite thing is, by far, Dora the Explorer (much to my chagrin). She runs when she hears it on tv. We have several episodes DVR'd for her viewing pleasure, as well as a DVD of 4 episodes. If she's upset, you can always get her to calm by singing the Dora song and quoting the beginning of an episode. She'll continue quoting and forget what she was upset about.


GREAT find!

Along with Backpack and Map, my mom got her another Dora DVD with 3 episodes we didn't have DVR'd! SCORE!


What 2 year old doesn't need another AC/DC shirt?? And Thomas looks thrilled to be there, doesn't he?

One of her favorite episodes of Dora is the cowboy episode, where Dora and Boots are dressed in their cowboy gear and have to deliver cowboy cookies to Benny. She loves it, and rides her stuffed unicorn around yelling, "Yeehaw!". So, we had to get her some gear.


Giddyup, pinto!

Zachary also gave her a stick horse, which is awesome except that it talks and whinnies when a button is pressed on its ear, which really freaks GinaGina out. So she's sticking with the unicorn, from what I can tell. She's also going for the country singer gig, which she can totally pull off.


Just give that girl anything that resembles a microphone, and she's good to go.

So even though I had to work today, the weekend was an utter success. The weather was just stunning as well - we were able to keep the windows open all weekend long (until today, because I'm a wimp). I can't say it was relaxing, although we didn't DO much of anything. We were all exhausted by the end. Again, I hope your weekend was beautiful and special.

Hello, Summer?

Not really, I know. But it's 78 degrees here at the Lodge - on November 7th, for Pete's sake! We're taking advantage of the beautiful weather by raking and bagging leaves from our yard (along with the rest of the neighbors), and we're grilling tonight.

We were finally able to move the "trash" pile of boxes and bags out to the curb for trash pick-up. They don't pick up until Mondays, but I have to work tomorrow, so it was easier to get it done today and make sure it actually got done. I'm very pleased with the progress made today, although my back is *screaming*. I'm also pleased that there were *way* more boxes and bags in the "trash" and "donate" piles than there are in the "keep" pile. YAY for blessing someone else with stuff we don't need anymore :)

We'll have news here in the next week, hopefully. This will be huge for the entire family, and it will require some major changes and adjustments as well. Keep your eyes peeled for a post concerning that. We've been busy preparing for this possibility in order to make the transition as easy as possible.

I'm off to the grocery store to get some last minute things for tonight - I think we're going to hunker down with some snacks and watch football. It's evenings like this that I wish we had one of those fire pits, because although it's warm out now, it gets sort of chilly at night - the perfect weather for a fire!

Have a great weekend, everyone! Enjoy what's left of it!

Happy Halloween, folks!

How could it possibly be October 31st, already?!?! I am continually amazed at how quickly the year is passing by. It always moves fast, but once cold and flu season hits, it goes faster because of how busy it gets at work.

Today has been spent working around the house. I hit the ground FLYing and although I've taken a couple breaks, I've gotten so much done! I'm going through The Boys' room and the basement, 15 minutes at a time, collecting stuff that's just plain trash (*why* have we been keeping broken toys, games missing pieces, etc.????). Then I'm collecting stuff that's still good, but not in use by us anymore - we can certainly let it bless someone else's life! I'll take that to one of my favorite stores,Value Village, tomorrow. I also went to the grocery store and had dinner planned out, but my husband woke up feeling sick to his stomach, and the meal I'd planned wasn't sounding too appealing at all. So I'll save that for tomorrow night's supper and try something quick and easy for tonight.

We'll be heading out for trick or treating later this evening - The Boys are going as zombies (yeah, I really tried to convince them otherwise, to no avail), and GinaGina will be THE cutest bumble bee I've ever seen. We'd planned on heading over to a friend's house for her yearly party, but oddly, she woke up not feeling well either, and isn't sure if the party's a go or not. If not, we'll come back home, sort through the candy, and maybe have family movie night (or family football night, which we enjoy even more!).

Everyone have a safe, happy Halloween! Don't eat too much candy!

Deep breaths.

Do you ever have those days where you have to force yourself to count to 10 about, I don't know, 15 bazillion times? Where you've taken so many deep breaths that you start to feel dizzy? That even your last nerve is about to break? How do you handle these moments? Do you block everything out? Do you have a hobby to take your mind off things? Do you meditate? Pray? Lose yourself in a good book?

I had one of those days yesterday. In fact, I started this post last evening, but ended up getting up from the desk to do some other stuff, and never returned. I'm not going to exaggerate and say that *everything* was going wrong, but goodness...it sure seemed like it. After I finished up a chapter in the new book I found at the library last night, I prayed that God would wake me up on the right side of the bed this morning and help me to see the simple blessings that I might experience today with fresh eyes. (And yes, I may have thrown in a request to let my new attitude affect that of my children...maybe).

I know that one of God's purposes for me is to raise my children to seek Him, and to be a comfort and blessing to my husband. Sometimes we all slip up, and must get back to basics - He wouldn't have called us for such a demanding job if He didn't think we were up to it! Philippians 4:13 (one of my favorite verses) reminds us that we can do anything through Christ and His strength. What an awesome promise! Sometimes when I'm feeling the burn, so to speak, I tell myself that over and over (in my favorite Jan Karon way) "Philippians 4:13, for Pete's sake!!". I have to remind myself that anytime I feel weak and unable to perform the tasks at hand, Jesus has my back - that's his guarantee. That doesn't mean it's going to be pleasant, but I'll make it through just the same, leaning on Him.