Just me and my boys

2011-08-24T06:40:00.002-05:00

Back to School Pinterest Brought to Life

I am officially addicted to finding ideas on Pinterest...I always make the boys' teachers a little back to school gift. Well, this year we went for everyone...gym teacher, secretaries, etc. So easy and fun to make! Just scissors, ribbon, and paperclips. I put them on cardstock, inked the edges a bit, and stamped it 'welcome back'.

2011-08-01T08:05:00.006-05:00

Keepsake box and burp cloths. Bought a plain wooden box and covered it in western paper and mod podge. used chipboard letters of his initials and some cute western premade wooden pieces at hobby lobby(67cents each) to cover the other squares. Made some monogrammed burp cloths to go with it. Adorable poem I found online about the keepsake box. Just google: baby keepsake box poem. Printed it, and placed it inside.

Not sure why my pic is not loading fully, but this was a teacher appreciation week gift that we made for all of the boys teachers. TerraCotta pot with a mint herb plant and cute stakes. Having boys is easy, but with girl it would be super fun to add some blingy touches. :) Paint the pot, make some stakes out of cricut or scrappy paper??

Made this banner from pre-cut pennants at hobby lobby. Mod podged some cutie paper to them and made some fabric rosettes. Chipboard letters that I painted and glittered to match. Baby Evan is ADORABLE!! and they used this at her shower.

I am new to pinterest and loving all of the wonderful ideas that I am finding there. I have discovered that in order to share an idea of your own, you need to blog about it first :) So, I am blogging away. School is about to begin again, and I will disappear from the world of fun and adventure the computer for a while.

I.Love.My.Life. Just in case anyone was wondering!! We recently bought Lane a horse for his birthday and are boarding it in Collinsville at a beautiful farm. We are having some amazing family time caring for the horse and learning to ride, etc. together. Lane named her Layla. Tate made a competitive soccer club this summer and is in serious dedicated training mode. Running every other day and 'met pukie' at his first practice. It is 110+ degrees, so that is not helping! Wyatt is a nut! He is so much fun and I am going to dearly miss watching him sleep in the mornings and playing with him all day when school starts back.

2011-07-31T08:58:00.001-05:00

Pantry Painting...

after a summer of heat and pinterest, i decided to chalkboard the inside of my pantry door. the boys love it!! super fun and i look forward to many inspiring quotes and motivation coming their way! :)

2010-02-19T05:46:00.007-06:00

playing blog catch up...

for all you single ladies out there :) or anyone who can appreciate an almost two year old dancing to the chipmunks!

posing after the dance party

wyatt's single ladies dance off...lane laughing so hard at him you can barely hear the song. these boys keep us rolling!! they are such good boys...all boy...but such good ones.

tater in front of the Rockies stadium...can't wait for baseball season to start for this boy!

my sweet new nephew hudson.6 weeks early and still weighed 5lb6oz 19in...must be a farley boy

my handsome men at our favorite denver mall, park meadows

ok, so i haven't posted since dec. pretty sad, but we have been a bit busy. we traveled to denver over christmas break to meet our new nephew hudson. he was 6 weeks early but is healthy and doing great! can't wait to see him again! we enjoyed our time away and it made me miss seeing those mountains every day.

little dub enjoying his first time to really get out and play in the OK snow.

upon our return, we had some more snow here and another ice dam on our roof. it has been 3 years since the last one and the roof endured the big ice storm of '07 and everything. the insurance literally said it is amazing that it happened again. the conditions and temperatures have to be just right for it to happen. the ice melts from the bottom first and the weight of the snow sends all of that water snaking under your shingles and into the tiniest corner to get in. ahhhh!!! we had just had some french doors and a passage door to the kitchen put on our office and made tate his own room...fun! lane was loving his new room. wyatt was about to graduate to his big boy bed. now, we are awaiting the contents of our garage to be removed to a storage container in our driveway for a week or so while they completely redo the garage ceiling, replace the pad and restretch and clean the carpets, repaint the laundry room, hall, and both little boys rooms. i am praising the Lord for insurance, helpful contractors, and patient children.

i feel so blessed with so many things in such a harsh economy, but teacher morale is a little low right now at my school. if you happen to be reading this...thank a teacher. yes, we get summers off, etc. etc. etc. :) but the current budget cuts are weighing heavily on everyone's minds at school. it is hard to stay positive. that is my goal. we are not in control. pray for good decisions to be made by administration. pray for peace in the minds of some teachers who are new. this is the most real this has ever been.

A teacher affects eternity:he can never tell where his influence stops. - Henry Adams

when you're five...there are not many things more fun than building whatever you want with a giant tub of legos :)

i am blessed! i love my busy, crazy, livin' the minivan dream kind of life...thank you sweet Jesus for saving me, for providing, for caring, for loving, for protecting.

2009-12-01T23:01:00.004-06:00

blessings all around...
my dad, step-mom, 2 of their awesome children, and one of their friends came to town. my boys played and played and just knew they were in the presence of greatness. uncle jake is a college baseball player and tate could not leave to go meet up with them at my brother's until granny ran over his ball glove that he left at her house the day before. she was sweet to do it and later that night at home, i found a note he had written to himself about meeting uncle jake and maybe asking him to sign something. i will be keeping that sweet note. it was a great visit!!! my sis took some wonderful pictures of the whole lot of us, but there are a few here.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=910265&l=a749d145dd&id=1137661532

as a family, minus wyatt due to no strollers aloud, we completed the YMCA hog jog. i must say that amidst all my -itis's i felt better that day than i had in a long time. it was a true blessing and at every turn, there were these great little groups of encouragers. we ran ahead of a group and they were yelling...'go farley's' i seriously almost cried. for one fleeting moment, i felt like rocky balboa or something. a must keep tradition!!

our next adventure for the weekend led us to a little town in NE OK who's name i won't mention for a gig that shane had gotten roped into. i don't normally feel like 'betty better than anyone' but i was a little scared there. i felt like shane needed some chicken wire up like on the blues brother's movie. luckily, my sister and her husband went with us and it served as great back up unless things got crazy but more importantly, we had some great laughs!! we may just laugh about that for years to come to keep from crying :) they were a very receptive crowd though...a few chords in to any hank jr. song and the whole place was howling!!! awesome!

we have recently also adopted 'Tony' our new elf on the shelf. if you have small children, these little guys are precious!! since shane works in international shipping, Tony arrived from the north pole with daddy one night when he came home from work.

if you don't already have it...might i recommend Jacob's Gift by Max Lucado. *tear* i love reading that to the boys this time of year!!!

life is good! thank you sweet savior for all of the things i count as blessings that i know i don't deserve...there is none like You!

2009-11-12T21:24:00.001-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

2009-11-08T21:33:00.004-06:00

an all about Lane weekend...

when you are in the middle of three boys, you sometimes just have to go with the flow. you are not the boss and you are not the baby. this weekend, our little lane was everything! he was happy, excited, silly, fun, an athlete, a good friend, a superstar to say the least. we left baby with granny and headed to 'the city' for the Turkey Shootout soccer tournament with the cutest bunch of 5 year olds around. they ate at Toby Keith's, they rode the bricktown canal, they had ice cream, snow cones, kettle corn, swam at the hotel, jumped on the beds...i could go on all night. lane scored 6 goals and played some killer defense. his team went on to win the tournament! 6 and under champs!!! they have basically dominated the regular season aside from one team who they really had some good competition with and ended up losing one game by one. we came to the tournament not knowing how they would hold up in a different town and knowing we have a pretty young team...all but one are 5. they won every game and the scores sound more like football scores. in the last game they needed 17 points to beat the points total of another team from another bracket that was their same age. they scored 22 points. go Pride!! that other team had allowed 17 goals all tournament and we only allowed 9, so i think it is fair to say that they ROCK!!!!! :) yes, i am a PROUD soccer mom! our friends from 'the city' came to watch him and he was feeling very special to have guests, not to mention another amazing highlight...some of the team wanted to ride in our van, which is the right team color and offers movies! oh, to be 5 :) i thank God for my lane (and all my other boys who i get to share this wonderful life with)

awesome new warm-ups and a back-up black uni and socks in case we clash with the other team! thanks to a gracious donor parent!!

our coaches are amazing and love these boys! we also got a new popup bench...they all have their own backpacks. i've said it before - we look like little david beckhams. blue mohawks and all! :) Go Pride!

2009-11-01T23:00:00.004-06:00

first stop...Grandma Billie and Papa's

our pirate with a five o'clock shadow compliments of daddy :)

never thought i would have the opportunity to sew with the shiny materials :) or spray paint black dress shoes white...but he had fun with it!

halloween happenings...

by the end of our short family trick-or-treat visits, Tate had Wyatt doing the 'stayin' alive' pose as well. he was still doing it tonight. so fun! we had a blast! we ended our night at a neighborhood block party outdoors, where shane was singing. there was a bonfire and good friends for mom and a jupiter jump for the boys. gotta love FALL!! we are so blessed!

Neva's Surprise 60th

2009-10-26T05:18:00.001-05:00

I highly recommend animoto...super easy and a great result! My sweet mother-in-law does so much for so many people, it was nice to focus on her for one night!! She was SHOCKED!!! Success!!!!!

2009-10-14T22:35:00.002-05:00

little stinkers...

wyatt is going to give us a run for our money!! two scenes here. 1) a nice innocent after church coloring session 2) it was way too quiet for a few minutes in the boys' room while i was trying to call all of the football parents to cancel practice due to the rain. Can you guess which is which?

the two big boys are starting to irritate each other from time to time. the other day i was doing laundry around the corner from their room and hear.

'PLEASE stop, PLEASE be quiet!!,' said Tate.

'Be nice now. Talk sweetly to each other,' said Mom.

'Well, he will not quit making noises mom,' explains Tate.

'I was JUST singing 'Eye of the Tiger' mom,' says Lane.

hee hee!

2009-09-23T00:08:00.002-05:00

me and kat von d

i heart l.a.ink. not because i love tattoos or because i love the minimal drama of the shop workers. what i love is that deep down inside, i know that kat and i have a lot in common. hardy har har some of you are thinking. well, among many other things she has shared on the show, recently she has been heavily burdened by the stories of her clients. she has begun to have one of the gals at the shop help her sit down and go through her journals to weed through her personal emotions after tattooing them and get down to their real stories in order to put them in a book. i have no tattoos, my husband on the other hand...well, he would finish covering his body if he had the time and the spare cash. i do appreciate the art behind them, but i also admire her genuine tone and respect when she is dealing with someone who's story behind their tattoo seems almost too heart wrenching to be true.

i feel like this in class almost every day. this year alone, i have 7 move-ins to my homeroom class only. that means 7 kids who have had to start a BRAND new school for their last year of elementary. it would not seem so bad except 5 of those are from such extreme situations that if i told you, you would question the truth. i will not only write about each of them in my own journal, but pray for their safety and well being every time they cross my mind. our moment of silence this year to start the day has taken on a whole new meaning to me. they don't know that i am using that time to ask the Lord to bless their day and make them feel safe and loved while i am on watch.

maybe kat and i can get together. i would tell her that i am proud of her over two years of sobriety. i can explain to her that she is right about writing helping to vent and express your true feelings. my 15 hours of graduate work taught me that...ha ha (as well as years of doing it). and maybe, just maybe, she could teach me how to apply rockin' eye make-up...but not permanently.

2009-08-30T13:12:00.003-05:00

football and the flu...

our first game of the season and coach Shane told the parents that we made great strides! no one cried and we made 3 first downs!! :)

we took allergy boy to the doc thinking he needed something stronger and they sent us with a mask on to the hospital for an h1n1 test. he tested positive for influenza A and we will not find out if it is specifically 'swine' for 10 days. no sweat right? well, that is how they acted and even said if he is fever free to send him back to school on monday. my sweet boy...mommy is having a hard time, but he is fine!

2009-08-07T08:11:00.003-05:00

nothing sweeter...

nothing sweeter than a hot, sweaty 8 year old after his first football practice. it has been a fun week getting to know the sport a little better. we always relied on these other dads to be in charge of teaching my brother the positions, etc. we were merely there to cheer him on. that became ironic later in life. tate is loving it and true to form, seems a natural at the concept of it all. he is a little bruised, which is making mommy upset, but he could care less.

another nothing sweeter...

a recipe box for my tree loving sister who found one similar on etsy. ever shop etsy? please do! such a favorite idea haven of mine and one of the only places i repeatedly shop online.

i did my best to reinvent what she saw and it was a ton of fun. i made the dividers and included a few of my recipes that she likes. i snuck a quote in, because that's what i do. it is messy, but i like it that way inside the lid as a little reminder to her when she opens it that she is beautiful.

"There is no spectacle on Earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking for someone she loves." - Thomas Wolfe

have a blessed weekend!

2009-07-31T12:59:00.004-05:00

party pics...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=30886&id=1137661532&l=ee801ac1c4

i have never tried this before, but loved all of these pics and my computer is goofing up. try the link for some birthday party pics. the boys' party was AMAZING!! they had a ball and one of my former students, peter kozma, signed autographs pre-game as well as some of his teammates. so sweet!! two things have happened since. lane, being that he is now 5, decided that he should no longer use training wheels and that he was going to lose a tooth. i told him we would work on the bike riding, but not to jump the gun on the teeth. :) tate lost his first one when he was 5 and i am pretty sure lane thought it was happening day 1. second thing to happen was tate deciding on his fall sport. lots of options and we still have a fall baseball team that wants him to come try out. it is a crazy world of sports for 8 year olds :) but mommy is the least enthused about the final decision. shane is coaching and is super pumped. they had 'the draft' last night and it should be a lot of fun!!! yikes!! lots of testosterone at my home. adding a pic of wyatt for good measure. he gets funnier every day. i love him and am already a little weepy about school starting.

tough enough?? mommy hopes so.

just took two times trying...now he's a pro!!

a little eddie haskell...this sweet picture, but we were just moments away from something ornery! he is a mess!!!

2009-07-23T09:21:00.003-05:00

reminders...
sometimes we need them. like when we are sitting at a ballgame in July and it is hovering right around 80 degrees. wow! thank you Jesus. i have abundant blessings and don't hesitate to be thankful for them, but this was such a joy to read and stabbed me right in the heart.
have you called your father lately???

http://mamawantsmore.blogspot.com/2009/07/have-you-called-your-father-lately.html

2009-06-25T15:21:00.009-05:00

the farleys hit san antonio...

granny can't convince lane that there really isn't going to be a thunderstorm at the rain forest cafe' . he is such a sweetie!

daddy and the boys enjoying a carriage ride after the alamo and a new coonskin cap for tate!

a swordfight in downtown...only on vacation :)

natural bridge drive-thru safari. these guys were ruthless!!!wyatt is not too sure about this! he ended up loving it!!

he gets the award for 'trooper toddler'! so much stroller time and he was still smiling!

while waiting on granny and lane to get snack #3,151 for the day, tate was taking it all in at the riverwalk. this was after daddy and i said 'hey, sit on those steps and enjoy the river' to avoid him taking in too much of the riverwalk! people watching at it's finest!!

we have arrived!!!!

first stop...sealion and walrus show! soooo fun and we were drenched!

splash park cuties!

:)

shamu was amazing!!

we fed the dolphins!

and last, but certainly not least...we had a 4 year old meltdown to top off the seaworld experience. i am a mom that feels i should document every aspect of the vacation! :) also good to show them how silly they look!

coolest restaraunt and great food in grapevine. we weren't quite ready to come home, so we stayed an extra night there and did some shopping. trivia at the table. the boys were all into it! oh, and HOOK'EM HORNS!!!

and away we go!!! this was a real highlight...just like zach and cody!

vacation '09...on our way home, wyatt perfected the fishy face. who says you need an airplane when you can have hours of memories made in the car!!! thank you Jesus for a safe, enjoyable time! we are blessed!!!!!!!!

2009-06-22T11:45:00.005-05:00

wyatt learned how to say 'cheese' everytime he sees the camera :)

the business of our backyard...this is what we love to do. play catch. all day. everyday. we got a pitchback, but somehow it is necessary for daddy to get out their and play almost every night. TONS of vacation pics coming soon! we had a great time! now i need to get busy planning a birthday party for the two big boys :)

2009-06-15T08:58:00.002-05:00

boys...

besides climbing out the doggie door, climbing into every chair he can find and the diswasher, wyatt likes to wear lane's flip flops around the house.

we like to make a duck's day! one of their favorite things to do

i love these boys!!!

2009-06-04T15:40:00.002-05:00

grandpa Ed is the coolest... got this on an email today!

love you dad!! we miss you!

2009-05-22T06:44:00.004-05:00

gpEd was here...

i never eat in the teacher's lounge. i mean, you know, unless there is some special gathering in there where delicious food made by the hands of the staff is being served. it is too far away from my room and there is too much negativity on some occasions (and i tend to jump right in because it does feel good to vent about little johnny or suzie sometimes). just recently, i was in there by myself and another teacher walked in. she sat down and i began to tell her how i was so glad to have been able to spend some time with her and her husband at a recent party where shane had played music. i told her that i could just tell that she and her husband were in love and that he seemed to treat her so sweetly. it was just the compliment she needed to explain a few things about the two of them. it was such a nice moment and break away from the day. they have an amazing love story. she then asked me about my dad. she knows my family somewhat and mentioned she never remembers meeting my father. i used to get sweaty palms, pits, maybe would have just paused a while to think of the best way to tell someone my story, but i couldn't wait for it to spill out. he is a great guy, super funny, super smart, a great artist, a wonderful grandpa, and a Christian. as you can see, if the genetics stay true to maternal grandfather's hair...my boys are set for life! he has 7 beautiful children and 6 and still counting grandchildren. the teacher i was talking to is a Christian, but i know as a believer sometimes we just need to hear about someone's coming to believe to be reminded of God's grace and sovereignty. it was so nice to share. i have posted about my dad several times, but very rarely do i get to add pictures...well, his job has brought him to town a few times recently. he loves these boys and they think he is the coolest!! they don't have a lot of grandfatherly influences, so we get as much grandpa Ed time as we can when he is here. the rain kept him from seeing any baseball but maybe next time.

this is going to be our 'mess'. we thought it was lane, but wyatt takes the cake. can't you just see it in those little curls?

2009-05-11T05:28:00.006-05:00

i am not my sister...

my husband sings at a lot of weddings, private parties, etc. recently, i was asked if i could take a few pictures at a lovely wedding we were invited to and i agreed to do so. i made the disclaimer that even though i love to take photos, i am not my sister the professional. it became clear to me to second i shot my first picture of this 58 yr. old blushing bride (yes, she is amazing and i couldn't be happier for her and her sweet man) that i was not emotionally cut out to photograph weddings. i could not quit tearing up the whole night. their first dance about sent me into a full sob. we had the best time!!!

her beautiful, sweet, successful daughters. she has so much to be proud of and so do they!!

grandkids!! so cute!

her dad walked her down to meet her groom.

this little guy had a bottle and watched so quietly. he did a great job!!

she laughed really hard when i told her new son-in-laws (minus one who is in the military, thank you sir!) to kiss her on the cheek. she is glowing!!

gifts and cake...all so pretty

first dance. they could not quit looking at each other and i could not focus. their kids surprised them with the gift of music (a very classy d.j.), they made a beautiful toast and it was an amazing reception.

a little kareoke...

a lot of dancing... shake it girl!!

always breaking for the grandkids...
this sweet little girl was pooped!!

shane sings at a lot of weddings, but this one will be remembered fondly. i met this sweet lady a few years ago and it didn't take long for me to realize that her daughters and i have a lot in common. we were raised by strong women. this bride deserves all the happiness in the world!! i pray my mom finds this bliss someday as well.

2009-04-27T22:25:00.004-05:00

andy and kimberly.

my brother is 30...

pure craziness! loved my unrealistic weekend of parties and special events. my mother was set up for watching my niece and my mother-in-law had our boys. we enjoyed my brother's 30th friday night. shane played music and it was awesome! loved the venue and the sweet people. felt a little old with all of my brothers high school friends who i used to think were a bunch of sweaty boys when we were growing up. they have all gotten to be such men with families and careers! we laughed so hard my abs were hurting...is it fair to say i still even have abs after 3 kids? kidding, yoga is helping :) saturday night was special. we left early and were back to get the boys early. shane had played a private party a while back and he had offered to do it for nothing, yet he got paid in a heafty gift card to mahogony's. if you live in the area and have never had the pleasure, you should treat yourself sometime. we had been before, and it was the perfect opportunity to dress up and enjoy. then it was off to 30th b-day #2. a surprise party at the Vintage 1740 wine bar. very sweet and our friend's wife pulled it off with ease!! so fun! we don't get out much, but when we did this weekend...we did it right!!!

ash and the big 3-0 birthday boy!

the amazing cake from the saturday night shindig...word on the street is a talented teacher in owasso made this?! so detailed.

gotta have some kid pics to satisfy THG...can't wait to see you next week!! hoping for no baseball rainouts!! the sandlot team, pre-new uni's. a sweet victory for the bluejays. shane told the boys he was going to give the game ball to coach brent until he hit blaise. darn the first year of coach pitch :)notice bat boy in the blue underarmor that he will hardly take off in the middle.

wyatt is on the move!!

2009-04-17T06:36:00.004-05:00

**my soccer stars**

tate is #21 and these unis are not hard to spot at the fields! GO GALAXY!!!

exhausted and taking a moment to breath before kick off...yes, he had just SCORED!! :)

GOAL!!! (am i bragging too much?? i can't help myself. i am so proud of my hustlers!!!)

learning to goal kick with coach mandi

easter shirts from grams

wyatt has discovered the joy of books...if you can hang on until the end, you will see him lick his fingers to turn the page. a little trick he learned watching granny go through her magazines. he is so funny!!

2009-04-09T23:07:00.007-05:00

Happy Birthday Grandpa Ed!!!!!!!!!!

We miss you and love you!!

I love that my boys have some of your sense of humor. I love to talk to you on the phone and hear you laugh. I love that you have a great big family of children that all love you so much. I love that you are my dad. I love that you are my boys grandpa and that they ask me if we can call you every time they do something spectacular.

God is good!

2009-03-19T11:39:00.005-05:00

farrah fawcet goes to the zoo...

so exciting, my little sister is back in T-town and we invited her to go zooing with us on a gorgeous spring day. it was so fun. so glad we went early due to the unbelievable amount of people who showed up after us! couldn't she pass for a young farrah with those shades? funniest thing is they were my great grandmother's. emily and i share the same passion for era oleta's hand-me-downs. i have a bunch of her old jewelry and get the most compliments when i wear it.

wyatt remained calm as long as there were cheerios a'plenty.

the boys got these lovely handspun, llama bracelets. thanks BB the llama for sharing. glad they still allowed them one after tate sat down at a spinning wheel that was left unattended. :)

this was so cute. we are watching these elephants cool off and they were making there own mud hole and spraying water. tate noticed i was taking pictures and says (in his usual volume...loud) 'mom, you should put those on your blog!' this man standing close got a real kick out of that. sign of the times i guess :) us mommies and our blogs!

lane was showing his exhaustion and a soon after, hard hitting allergy headache.

thought these two pics were funny too. before ball practice, the boys were trying again to stand still for a picture. this may never happen again in my lifetime :)

i need spring break to last until summer!

2009-03-16T09:35:00.003-05:00

like father, like son...

it's spring break here and we are super excited!! our little guy is just a few wobbles away from taking off running and i want to be home when it happens!! for now, we will settle for a few tunes on the guitar. shane has been filling in at central for their music pastor and he plays at legend's this weekend with a big private party just a few weeks away. needless to say there has been lots of music practiced in our home. everything from third day to willie and wyatt is loving it all! he assumes the position every time. soccer pics soon to come...we have a couple of high scorers on our hands!

2009-03-10T11:51:00.001-05:00

one year ago today...

http://hopperphotography.blogspot.com/2008/03/wyatt-has-arrived.html

2009-03-08T17:44:00.004-05:00

my sweet baby is one...

i am grateful for so many things today. for last minute changes that worked out awesome, for family and friends who took time out to celebrate, for my photographer sister who i pray has better pics to choose from than my 8 i managed to take. i am also grateful for the internet so that grandpa ed and family can stay informed and so i can document such occasions. wyatt was not so sure about the new swing from granny at first, as you can see his brother were there for support and daddy was in charge of pushing slowly. i know he will love it eventually! this little boy was so tired when we came in from the beautiful outdoors where we enjoyed our miss ruby made cake. daddy brought him in the bathroom and while i was running the bath water, he rubbed his eye...so sleepy (and thankfully none was IN his eye). after gifts, it was time for a mega nap!! thank you Jesus for favor with the weather and blessings be to our sweet family. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE DUB!!

2009-02-26T02:27:00.003-06:00

a 4 year old mind...

i very vividly remember the things i wrote about tate under this same title years ago. it is funny how lately everything that comes out of lane's mouth needs to be written down. shane and i laugh all the time. don't get me wrong, tate is still FULL of them. there is just something about this 4 year old age that has brought out a funny, innocent honesty and curiosity in my boys.

* mom, 'e' (little boy at sitter) says miss b (young, cute gal that works at sitter) has fat boobs. i say, 'wow, do you know what boobs are?' because although we do have one female in the house we don't walk around using this term. he simply says yes and points with both fingers and big eyes at his own chest. he was surprised that 'e' did not get his mouth washed out for saying the word fat. wasn't at all concerned that he was pointing out her boobs. it was not quite as painful as the tate story about the hills by my stomach from the link above.

*as mentioned last week, we will not be watching any nature shows with snakes for a while. he will now not go in the backyard clubhouse without checking ever nook first and is not particularly fond of his bed right now since he thinks the 'wide cheeked snake lives in the bookshelf' that would be a king cobra for those of you who are not up on your snake identification.

*miss b is obviously a key figure in my young man's life, since he sees her every day of the week and she helps to care for, feed, and educate him throughout the day. it is just funny to me what he picks up on from her wardrobe and make-up choices. monday, as i was putting my mascara on, lane says...mom, why don't you wear green on your eyes like miss b. i said, "well lane, she is younger than me." and to that he says...and KINNIER too. yesssss, that is skinnier for those of you who do not know lane speak. i simply agreed and reminded him that ladies don't enjoy being reminded of how big or small they might be. he is so sweet and sensitive that he sort of felt bad. i told him it was fine and i loved him so much.

*today, we visited our doctor. we LOVE our doctor. he always comments on lane's good looks and charm. they compare hair gel and cow-lick stories. he is just a fun guy. lane had a fever and we feared he had bronchitis. turns out to be viral and just needs to run it's course. they did a flu test which was negative, but lane thought the nurse 'touched his brain' with the swab. while there, lane asked the doctor if he would be able to 'play some dolf since it wasn't as bad as we first thought.' you see, it was about 68 degrees today and he told him it would be 'a dood day for some dolf.' the doc (who referred us for speech testing for that whole g is a d sound) looked at me and smiled for the right way to answer and i just laughed and said...how about this? can he practice soccer with big brother's team tomorrow night? what are our rules doc? he told him if he was fever-free that he could join in. lane thinks he is an honorary member of every sports team that tate is on. he is darn good too and never has a problem keeping up with the big boys. :)

*one more, but i'm telling you, i've got dozens. monday night, the boys were in the kitchen. all chores complete, dogs fed, everyone bathed and ready for bed. tate was wanting to show lane something really cool he learned in computer class. i was helping him access it and lane is sort of dancing around behind me with some jello his granny had sent home with them. the baby is in the floor banging some bowls and spoons together (note to self: find better hiding spot for new william sonoma mixing bowls. not baby proof like gladware) you know, just typical kid stuff. well, i turn around and the baby had thrown up. he wasn't a bit upset, but yikes!!!! he was sort of smacking his mouth around like something tasted bad.

i say, "lane, did you give your brother a bite of that?"

he said, "no, he just ate a piece of dog food"

NICE! i explained to lane that next time he sees wyatt eating something strange that he needs to let me know. we started over on the bathtime routine for wyatt and i think shane could sense a nervous breakdown. i was laughing hysterically to keep from crying. had not slept in nights with all the coughing going on around here, so he very calmly said he would take the big boys tonight to bed. he told me to put the baby to bed and go to bed. so i took him up on it.

2009-02-19T22:12:00.005-06:00

pay it forward...

i could not believe how many emails and offers for prom dresses that i received after my last post. thanks for your generosity and kindness. she found a dress and my sweet mom is picking her up after school tomorrow to go buy her some shoes and jewelry. bless that family and the mom's job situation. when i talked to her today to arrange the pick up, i told her to feel free to go since she didn't know my mom from adam. she was speechless and grateful.

my precious baby will be one march 10th. my sister has been so kind as you can see above. her pictures amaze me. i love this little boy so much. he is almost walking and loves to say 'uh-oh!' he LOVES his big brothers. he LOVES his daddy and he LOVES to play pattycake.

funny things from the week...don't let your 4 yr. old watch the spitting king cobra nature show with your husband unless you want to go on a 30 minute snake hunt at 2:15a.m. always keep some tylenol on hand for your 7 yr. old when those giant molars are coming in and he heard the snake hunt in session. never try and give said 'gag reflex boy' the baby's teething tablets to ease the pain or you will just be awake longer listening to dry heaving with luckily nothing productive coming up. never give a baby refried beans at a slightly later dinner time unless you wish to hear more than the birds chirping from the sound machine through the baby monitor. and never leave a sweaty soccer jersey anywhere near a fairly new puppy unless you want to beg the sporting good store owner (that luckily you worked for when you turned 16) to make you a new jersey by saturday.

2009-02-11T05:02:00.004-06:00

hope for every man...

knowing the recent turn in the economy would likely hit hard for someone i know, i am sad to say that it has come to pass. my little sister will be moving back soon from denver. we are glad, but it came with a lay-off and with the underlying promise of less pay in the future. i sat through parent/teacher conferences tonight with a crying mom who had just lost her job. my teaching partner and i were brainstorming with her about prom dresses for her oldest and how we can find this girl a dress and my grandma can alter anything. very sad, but we tried to give her some hope and resources.

with all of the doom and gloom that seems to be lurking, i just have to rely on the hope that comes in our Savior. 'there is NONE like YOU, no one else can touch my heart like YOU do' music is such a big part of our family. when i feel like i am getting overwhelmed, i like to pick a song for the day to replay in my mind. recently, i have been LOVING Casting Crowns. shane is even leading a night of praise at my sister's church coming up and we decided when picking out songs that it could easily be a Casting Crowns cover concert.

i find comfort for myself and for the burdens of others in these lyrics:

There is hope for every man

A solid place where we can stand

In this dry and weary land

There is hope for every man

There is Love that never dies

There is peace in troubled times

Will we help them understand?

Jesus is hope for every man

i also find it challenging. that second to the last line there is telling me that i need to take part. even if i do teach public school. i will still tell parents that i will pray for them and mean it and do it.

last week was hard for me. working is hard. being a wife and mommy is so rewarding and attempting to be a great one is hard. my husband was sick last week and he scared me a few times. i was thankful for many things. my neighbor who checked on me later in the week after hearing about a few bad nights. my mother-in-law and sisters who came to my rescue with the boys for after school pick-ups and playtime. thanks!

i am, as always, thankful for my many blessings and pray that life seems easier for those who are in need and hurting. i hate to feel defeated and hate for others to feel that way too.

i know that no one really wants to read all of this, so i will put a cute picture on to satisfy that need (dad)... here is true contentment after an afternoon of playing with big brothers.

2009-01-28T11:58:00.007-06:00

10 fun things we do when grace has been extended to us by way of a snow day...
1. planning a one year old birthday party for little sweet cheeks here.

2. playing outside with my boys.

3. and the dog. who was exhausted when we were done. (mulligan, our older dog, was smarter than that. he was lounging on the couch while we were freezing)

4. getting caught up on laundry.
5. getting caught up on schoolwork.
6. dancing to the iPod with the boys to every annoying teen pop song, plus a few oldies thrown in for good measure.
7. having time to make my family a thoughtful dinner.
8. highlights magazines and coloring books. and lots of them!!
9. the promise of a schedule in the next few days. we do love a routine around here. :)
10. realizing we have now officially prayed over every one of our christmas cards, then finding that one that was still hanging on the fridge...SCORE! it will be bathed in little prayers tonight!

Thank you Christ Jesus for grace and my many blessings...today and always.

2009-01-22T07:00:00.003-06:00

thg...grandpa ed meets wyatt

it won't ever matter how old i am, i somehow still get that sinking feeling when i get to see my dad and when it is time for him to go home. we dropped him off at the hotel last night after a fun dinner out and i felt like i was 13 again. my sister and i decided that we may never feel any different than that. i love him so much and am so glad that my boys got to spend some time with their grandpa! i have posted many times about him through the few years that i have written. we have come a long way in our lives and i am so proud of where we are. love you dad!

2009-01-15T12:23:00.005-06:00

tubes...

the nurses said he started their day off right. he never cried. he was a trooper and so was daddy (which is who i was worried about, he is a big softy). it was early, cold, snowy, and a little nerve racking. low and behold it was over and we were home before most people were even leaving for work. i am now selfishly hoping to sleep better at night :) and mostly thrilled that he should feel better right away. isn't he cute??

2009-01-02T11:58:00.003-06:00

so much to say...

we have had a crazy Christmas! we were ALL sick on Christmas day. santa's gifts didn't get opened until around 10:30 Christmas night. sad, but memorable. some sort of toxic roto-like virus that spread among the town. NICE!! i found myself in the middle of cleaning up messes and lysoling anything that would stand still just trying to take in the wonder that is my family. i love them all so much. we are so BLESSED! i was just glad we were all together.

my school will be needing prayers as we start back on monday. we had a funeral this last monday for another one of my teaching friends. i feel for her husband, her two children, and her classroom full of kindergarteners. Lord give us all strength and peace that passes understanding, for this is hard to understand. one of the most impressive things at her funeral was that her preacher said she was credited with teaching hundreds of little ones HOW to pray. she would fold her hands this special way and they would respond so willingly. i can just see her doing it. what an honor and a wonderful way to be remembered. we will miss you Shona.

here are many pics from our fun break...

wyatt in his new t-shirt 'be cute, don't pollute' a new years resolution of his :)

miss B got a flip camera and this was one of many movies made with their own 'suite life' theme

spy shades...he can see behind him

my clever student's trash to treasure recycling project. these are old paperbacks. WOW!!

we were so lucky for ava to come over this morning to play. wyatt was thrilled!!

have you ever seen prettier eyes?? didn't think so!

lane and tate showed her the ropes on the guitar. i think she should look into drumming. she's got that shake your groove thang kind of rhythm.

she had the hang of it in no time!
we also added a new daschund to our family. a friend for mulligan...his name is patch and he is a long haired cutie. so far, so good! :) it's a full house!! anyone know of a 5 bedroom, 3 bath home? the only requirement is a straight up trade for our humble abode :) we are busting at the seams here, but we love it! Thank you Jesus for smiles, active healthy children, friends and for giving your life so we can have the peace of eternity!

2008-12-19T06:20:00.005-06:00

'tis the season...
i love this time of year but am finding with three that events and obligations of time need to be tattoo'd to my forehead or something. i am hoping to make it through the season without forgetting anything else (had a biggy today AT school...cried too much and got made fun of by my husband...i know where my son gets the perfectionistic, overly emotional drama). here are a few pics to share. LOVE the first one...tater is trying to make wyatt quit looking at santa. he snuggled in for a great picture, then turned and looked up and his bottom lip shot out like i'd never seen before. his brothers HATE to see/hear him cry. so sweet!! the next one is my beautiful sister trying to dress wyatt after changing his diaper (note: both legs in one hole) we laughed way too hard and so did he! next we have the very lovely, very talented haley who is days away from 13...the boys were mesmerized by the band concert. thanks haley for sharing your talent with these little admirers. this is my sister's step-daughter, but there is no step to it. my sister loves these kids more than her own life. i am so proud of her and her dedication! as it has been my whole life...what an example she is to me!!

2008-12-10T05:52:00.004-06:00

a year FULL of blessings...

while working on a little project for a christmas gift, i have been looking through all of my stored pics. i am amazed at what can happen in a year! i have a friend who just sent out her family's digital christmas card spanning the year's activities. she even started with last christmas, the ice storm, etc. what a concept!! i still have a choice few relatives who would not benefit from such a thing, as they are not technologically savvy, but for the most part it is a good plan. pending i get a handle on my slight addiction to scrapbook paper and the clipboard business, i will maybe try that next year :)

here are a few treasures i was reminded of from the past year.

what we have here is kindy graduation, scoring our first homerun, and last but certainly not least a tiny new brother to love!!!! i am so proud when i see these pictures. a mom can say that right? proud of my little guys!! i also can't get over how fast it all happens. wyatt is pulling up everywhere and tate's two front teeth are back :) wow! it reminds me again that no matter how much laundry i have to do or papers to grade...i will play with legos, trucks, action figures... have talent shows, make multiple new lists for santa and read books until they fall asleep because it won't be long before they may not want to do that. thank you sweet Saviour for my blessings!

2008-12-04T23:09:00.004-06:00

on the move...

little wyatt is a mover and a shaker. the only time he is still is if he is buckled into something :)

he LOVES tate and lane's lollie hallmark trees. they used to put these in their rooms every year, but they know their little bro. loves them. it was a close call for the camera, but we survived. he was so excited about these red christmas jammies from granny. 12-18mo fits like a glove ;)

thank you Jesus for my sweet boys...

2008-11-23T08:46:00.008-06:00

shave my legs sunday...

all these cool mommy bloggers do this cute little 'wordless wednesday' entry, well, i don't have time on wednesdays. i have decided that i don't have time for much of anything most days of the week! until the weekend, i never even think about whether or not i have shaved my legs. some of you are appauled right now, but let's face it...you've been there! it has been an unusually strange, surreal, and BUSY week. kinda glad it's over and looking so forward to things to come!!!

my boys keep me laughing and when counting my blessings i count them three times :)

here are the goofy threesome...typically all shirtless, cracking up, and luckily pretty darn sweet! i'm thinking that i will be likely to get a shot with all three looking and paying attention at the same time NO time in the near future!!

i am so thankful for my husband who has put up with me this weekend. it has been a little trying, crazy, and without a doubt busy and he is helping me host bunco tomorrow night for me and 11 of my very closest, loudest friends :) wish him luck! he already made the pumpkin dip (don't tell him i told you he made it, he may get embarrassed...but he also made the sweet potato casserole he has to take to work tomorrow)

2008-11-16T21:50:00.003-06:00

a newly appointed angel...

picture stolen from ashley hopper photography

this is tate's first librarian. she was the coolest because she was friends with his aunt ashley. i remember leaving her school after volunteering at the book fair and calling my sister and saying, "wow, she's good!!!" tate LOVED her! we would run into her around town and she would go crazy over his dimples and his love for reading. i have decided that between aunt ashley and miss G's influence...we have a reader on our hands! i am sad for her friends and family and for her niece and nephews who she spoiled and loved on like my sisters and sis-in-law do my boys. i am happy for her. she is walking through heaven's gates pain free.
i hope that anyone who reads this can take a new holiday outlook. family feuds, friendly squabbles, housekeeping, kid issues, too busy, too broke...guess what? you are here and have more time on this Earth to influence people, to be positive, to make a difference. check out G's family blog...your heart will be broken and hopefully softened by her grace and love for Christ.

2008-11-12T19:42:00.006-06:00

keepin' THG happy...

my dad has jokingly named himself 'the honorable grandfather'. he doesn't get to see these kiddos much in person, and i don't have much time this week...bad combo!! so, here are a few proud momma moments to tide grandpa ed over!

to sum it all up - wyatt gets his first real 'toy' and is thrilled!! thank you eloisa :)

lane received his first soccer trophy (i am guessing of many since we have been semi-recruited to play up a little next season)

and last but not least, tate became a bobcat at scouts. are they cute or what????? i love my job!

and we MISS you THG! love you!

2008-11-02T22:36:00.012-06:00

ready for picture-palooza...

we had a fun, fun halloween!! we are so thankful for our big family and too many places to go. little w had shots that very afternoon and we had to cut our night short, but still managed to have a wonderful time for the big boys!!

our week started with hippy day at school.

we wanted to recreate aunt emily's witches finger cookies that she always makes us for halloween. weeelllll, our's looked a bit like monster claws, but they were still so fun to make and yummy!!

ok, so last but not at all least...the twin ninjas from the cobra kai dojo (no mercy)

and a little baby pirate, ARGH!!

notice the barricade of cushions protecting that little pirate from the dreaded fireplace...we are crawling and grabbing EVERYTHING. crazy fun for all!!! the spooky hayride ended up being what the boys could not stop talking about all weekend! smores, smores, and more burnt marshmallow smores! and a saturday morning visit from our friends bernie and liz with little baby hank. too fun. they even made it to lane's soccer game...YES! our little scorer!!

oh yes, and one more pic...aunt ashley in her bride of frankenstein wig. wyatt thought it was great! and i will spare the picture of the hair going right up his nose.

2008-10-20T09:51:00.011-05:00

potato head pirate pumpkin :)

my 6 things...

my friend dawn gave me this little 'award'. cracks me up because i have always noticed these blog awards, but didn't know they came with a price :) it is a chain letter of sorts, so if i pass this award on to you and you don't have that kind of time...i completely understand!!!

List 6 things that make you happy:

my boys...all of them. saturday was my birthday and shane played at legend's bbq. (if you have never heard him sing go to http://www.ashleyhopper.com/ and he is the background music for my sister's photog site) my sweet family met us there for dinner and the boys were going to get on stage with daddy and sing me happy birthday. tate had even drawn a picture of the big event and it was complete with cousins bobby, haley on stage and ava sitting on the steps to the stage all singing happy birthday to mom! these boys always make me smile. they are my life. my husband bought me the most perfect card and wrote something in it that i have needed to hear for a long time. 'let's both start taking life as it comes, then more importantly, letting it go when we need to' i have recently been in a funk (which i am proud to say almost never happens to me) over some friend issues. sounds like i'm 12 years old, well, that is what it felt like. no matter what the outcome may have been, i now need to just let it go and stand firm in the knowledge that my God has provided me with multitudes of wonderful friends throughout my life, and more importantly an incredible family. my husband is my best friend and i appreciate him so much...

number 2. the bible. i came across an old bible study book about realizing you're already a virtuous woman in Christ. i had done it when we lived in CO. it's timing was perfect. 'she looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness she will not eat.' proverbs 31:27 bread of idleness for me = gossip, discontent, self-pity

i am through eating that bread...too many time wasting carbs!!! i have better ways to spend my life on Earth.

3. pumpkins. take your kids to carmichael's in bixby!! stealing grams from work early to go with us for camel and pony rides @ the pumpkin patch. perfect weather. what else could you ask for???
4. keeping secrets from my little sis who will be home for thanksgiving. we want to WOW her with all the new hotspots after a day of black friday christmas shopping. so fun to talk to her and give her little hints about our 'plans' she is a hip chick who is very missed!!

5. blue diamond natural brown sugar and cinnamon almonds. a recent diagnosis of two types of arthritis will jump start you into a new lifestyle. after visiting the arthritis center and seeing all of the pictures of the crippling effects it can bring, i have researched the most natural ways to feel better. the paleolithic diet approach is basically eating all things hunted or gathered. the lack of carbs and preservatives will lessen the flare ups and ease the joint stress. -11 pounds and several inches has made a dif already. i feel better. but these little almonds have helped me through a few rough spots.

6. reasor's online shopping. see previous post :) unbeatable happiness when pulling through that drive thru!!!!!! yea reasor's!

ok ladies, tag you're it...and the award goes to:

kim

ashley hopper photography

2008-10-12T07:09:00.009-05:00

new blankie...

lollie (a.k.a. grandma ed) made wyatt a new blanket and in the box that she sent i found something else so special. she had kept the flowers that she and my dad and the kids had worn during shane and i's wedding. it was this perfectly preserved set of memories that made me cry the second i saw them. that box had been through a lot, but managed to remind me of everything from that incredible day and from the last 8 1/2 years. the crazy thing is, with my dad's job that box of flowers had moved 6 times and been through 2 hurricanes! amazing! thank you lollie for sending such wonderful, priceless treasures. my boys will forever love their soft, special, chenielle, one of a kind 'lollie-pop' blankies!!

yesterday, we ventured out to the most glorious place on earth...no, not the grand canyon or pikes peak, but the pumpkin patch. to me, it is just another one of God's miracles. maybe it is because i have an october birthday or just because the weather this time of year is irresistible, but i will always believe that a pumpkin and i have some special connection. they are just so darn cute and the colors are awesome! i love just letting the boys loose with the maze and wheelbarrows and the hay. we had a ball and it's always a treat to have cousin b come with, oh yes, and you too granny!

2008-10-08T21:32:00.004-05:00

impressed...

a mother's strength is a hard thing to match. i try not to ever complain (my husband might laugh at that statement...he lets me whine as needed) but the heartload of a mother can be difficult. i don't care if you are mother to one, mother to five, step-mom to two - just whatever the case may be you love your children beyond measure. you love them with every ounce of who you are. tonight i got to deliver my clipboards and i was reminded of a mother's strength. if you don't know her, you should visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/haleypalmer Jennifer is about to open her new shop in Owasso and it is going to ROCK!!! i was so impressed and could not help thinking how proud haley has to be right now...

2008-09-30T22:52:00.006-05:00

proud momma...

monday morning @ 8:40am a host of family braved the early morning and came to our wonderful school week kickoff assembly to watch our little mandolin player. his class was in charge of the assembly and he got to play along with their rise and shine song. he was a natural...even picked out his own outfit :) had to sport the cowboy vest and big team ropin' belt buckle to play that instrument.

ok, later that evening the boys had scouts. this picture makes me laugh because i pray it is no indication of the future for lane. he looks like a frat boy. he LOVES these boys and so badly wants to be one of the gang! good thing that is mom's diet d.p. that he LOVES to steal as soon as i start to drink one :)

so, while the big boys were all gone...my sweet wyatt was snoozin' away for his evening nap and i got busy with my clipboard order. yes! this picture is a little busy, but they are so fun! a friend of mine is opening a teacher supply store in owasso http://www.owassoclassroomcorner.com/ on fall break weekend and i am well on my way to completing her clipboard order :) 2 dozen and some card packs!!! i was so excited to be asked and to be a part of such an exciting time in her life as well!!

praise the Lord for my family, friends, and opportunities! we are so blessed!!

2008-09-25T21:03:00.005-05:00

absolute rush...

it is funny what us mommies of the world will get excited about. this goes way beyond just mommies!! i don't know too many people who wouldn't be excited about this. my neighbor was so anxious to tell me something the other day and so excited that i was excited. she even said that her heart was racing when she found out how wonderful this thing was. drum roll please..............

online grocery shopping

i am in a new world! it is going to change my life! i am writing right now because i have an extra minute due to the lack of grocery store chaos i would usually go through on a typical trip. i want to shout it from the rooftops!!! for a minuscule $5 fee, you too can experience heaven. i could not sleep last night. i had too much to do and not enough hours in the day. when i get like this, i must get up and just do what i need to do. after laundry sorting and housewide trash collecting, i decide to give the online experience a try. i found everything i needed and actually had time to look at some things i had been wanting to try. i planned out recipes, shopped bargains, and even chose thinly sliced ham from the deli for sandwiches. all in the comfort of my jammies with no monkeys hanging from the cart, shelves, displays or ramming the cart into my heels or other peoples' toes. i chose a 4:00pm pick up time, called them after collecting all children after school and literally drove up into the drive-thru...got out...opened my back hatch...and out they came through the sliding doors. "Mrs. Farley?" and that very moment is when i knew what my neighbor was talking about...my heart leaped! YES!! i AM mrs. farley...the luckiest, smartest, most resourceful woman alive. no dodging the fruit snack and cookie aisle. no crying to ride the horse that i never remember to keep a quarter for. no making the two big boys a list of their own to play 'i spy' all the way through the store which usually turns into a fight over who won. no more pushing the baby in one cart while trying to guide my oldest with a second cart too full for him to turn corners with while the middle one is wanting to know when we will ever make it to the cookie lady at the bake-a-wee...heaven! i am hooked!

2008-09-15T22:34:00.004-05:00

watch if you love to laugh...

my boys love each other so much!! the two oldest have so much fun trying to make wyatt laugh and at the same time seem to try to irritate each other to the point of tears. i guess i remember doing the same thing with my siblings. memories in the making!!!

2008-08-10T22:29:00.002-05:00

photography by www.ashleyhopper.com

pride...

you've seen him eat green beans, but have we ever even formally introduced him? well, here he is. i never knew my hearts real capacity until i met wyatt. tate and lane are two unbelievable little boys. lane is the bat boy for tate's ball team, but can practically out run, out catch, out throw some of the boys on the team. tate is constantly proud of him and doesn't hesitate to tell him so. lane stands as tall as he can stretch at the front of the line to shake hands with the opposing team after games because the coaches have told him he earned that spot and the big boys just step aside to let him lead the way. with all of the fun we have had and all of the birthdays they have shared in july and all of the firsts they have conquered together, i never dreamed of how astonished they would be of their little brother wyatt almost daily! every new noise, rolling over, now trying to sit up...they will shout it from the rooftops and cheer him along every step of the way. i feel like i am having my own little olympics sometimes...tears of joy and all.

2008-08-07T05:51:00.003-05:00

green beans are chewy...

the gag reflex must not be quite as strong for our new little one. our oldest would gag when the spoon got right under his nose. still funny to watch! isn't he so cute???

2008-08-06T06:43:00.002-05:00

doomsday

today will start another school year for me. i will likely blubber from the moment i get into the car to leave the sitters for at least 5 or 6 miles. i pledge to come prepared...make-up, my cell phone (so my husband can make fun/comfort me), and a diet dr.pepper. will wyatt remember me tonight? will the big boys behave? will my job bring with it the rewards and fulfillment it always does?
i realize that some people think that their job is the hardest, but i salute anyone who is a mom and works. my husband and i were just talking about this last night. he finally admitted that i DO have a job in the summers...and two during the school year. smart guy!

2008-08-02T06:52:00.003-05:00

gossip @ 33...

gossip: (gos-uhp) idle talk or rumor, esp. about the personal or private affairs of others:

apparently this post was not taken well by some readers (didn't know i had any or that they were full of opinions) oh well! I live in a house full of boys, so crying over things is not always understood but my husband listens and manages to comfort me anyway! :)
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever."Psalm 28:7-9

2008-07-31T15:40:00.002-05:00

my reality...

i actually submitted this to jeff foxworthy's website. we shall see if it posts. it might seem funny to some, and others you may not get it at first. yes, it IS a true story.

YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK IF YOUR SON AND HIS UNCLE ARE ON THE SAME T-BALL TEAM.

2008-07-30T22:56:00.004-05:00

at it again...

i LOVE sewing, and i especially love sewing for new babies... i attempted a quilt for my brother's newborn. she is now 1 and i am not sure if it is still intact. i have been too afraid to ask. i used so-so fabric and some of my husband's old levi's. very cute. very not perfectly sewn. i have ventured into a little better fabric. chenille. someone gave me a burp cloth for our newest addition, wyatt, and it was chenille on one side and a light flannel on the other. it is truly my favorite because of size and absorbency. seeing how i have the viper child, i am in constant contact with my burp cloth. anywho, i decided to give them a try. i am in the middle of project # 2 with this same idea...only for a little miracle child named Brody. these were for enchanted Ella, our neighbor and friends who much like us are entering the 3 kids club. that fun, fabulous world where you, believe it or not, get strange looks in the store because you have more than 2. it's like people think we must be involved in some religious cult because we didn't stop at the sacred 2. enjoy, and i think chenille is messy but wonderful. easy to piece together and washes well!

2007-12-20T05:08:00.001-06:00

isn't it ironic?

I used to love that song...Alanis Morrissette, cool chic. Anyway, I sometimes find life to be this way!

A few years ago, we uprooted and moved to the Denver area. I loved it...stayed home with the boys, actually worked out several times a week, and felt like when my husband came home from work that I too had put in a full day. We were satisfied, but missed the comforts of grandparents close by and family near. So, at our first opportunity...we moved back. Stayed with the same company until recently when they started shutting down branches and my smart husband saw it coming and found a new job. Within a week of this, they let everyone go at his branch but two people. Rumor has it, he may have stayed but would have been asked to move again.
Upon moving back, I took my job back teaching in the public school. We were not sure the pay difference between the move and to be on the safe side (and the fact that I loved my job) I got it right back. The following school year, we decide that we can take a pay cut for me to join the ranks of the Christian school in our town. We were enrolling our boys anyway, and they had an opening in my area. Oddly enough, it was an opening created by the same lady leaving whose job I had previously taken in the public school.
We had made an appointment late in the previous school year with my doctor to have my tubes tied. This may seem like too much information, but for the sake of documentation on my part I am going to continue. My husband is diabetic and takes a magnitude of medicines daily. We have scheduled him to have his wisdom teeth removed 4 different times and each one ends in a 'no go' due to sugar being high and potentials of healing time taking too long. Therefore, he was not and may never be a good candidate for the male equivalent of a tube tying. I had not been on a regular track since having our second boy, had tried 8 different types of birth control in a 2.5 year time frame, and after being 'normal' my entire life, my body was saying enough is enough! My appointment for pre-op was at the end of July, and I was told on the phone...well, you know the routine he (doc) will want you to phase off of the old pills to prepare for new ones or in this case the procedure. I had done this so many times, but this time...I had to call the nurse back two weeks before the appointment and ask her to change it to a 'oh my, we are having another one' appointment. We walk in and the doc says to my husband...Why are YOU here? Did you just want to come have an annual with her?? My husband replies, "Well, we got this card in the mail that says the third one is free!" After a few belly bumps and high fives (our doc is crazy and is the same one to have delivered both of the boys) we have been well on our way to a third...and guess what? It's also a boy!
Did I mention that the job switch for my husband happened AFTER deciding I could take a huge pay cut and move to a new school where I sometimes feel like I am working to pay tuition and lunch tickets only? Well, it did and he also took a cut. At the same time, one of his all time dreams came true. The church asked him to LEAD a worship service...yes, he became a bi-vocational music minister. Our pay had once again evened out, I did not say exceeded limits or the college funds are once again busting at the seams. I said evened out. We can live and live comfortably.
Oh, and did I mention that when I took my new job our old baby sitter was retiring? The only woman that had ever watched my two boys was done?? What was I going to do with a new baby? and What was I going to say to my new principal? Thanks for the job, but I am going to need from about March to May off work :) Well, the school has infant care for the staff at an amazingly low rate. So, if I continue to work (and I will pending all is well with baby and mom or no other changes occur) then me and 'my 3 sons' will all get up each morning next year and head to school together. A wonderful school with wonderful students and wonderful parent support and best of all the daily teachings from the Word.
On a Denver note, our only friends that lived there just moved within 2 hours of us here and my precious little sister from here just moved to Denver one week ago. The Denver branch/headquarters of my husband's old work is rumored to be shutting down and they will leave the remaining braches open on a quarterly basis depending on productivity and profits. My brother-in-law who was our only family in Denver, just months after we moved back here sent his wife and daughter back here and they have been in the middle of a sticky divorce for these past few years...still not final.

Irony? No way...God has a plan and no one can write a better life story for you than He can. I thank Him daily for the blessings and watchful eye He provides for my family. My boys are awesome!!! Daddy included! We have learned a lot about family in the last few years. We have learned even more about Faith.

Proverbs 16:9
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

During this time of the year, I always think about Mary. I am quite sure she had a different 'plan' for she and Joseph. A little house on a hill somewhere, a few kiddos, maybe some livestock? She soon found out, just as my husband and I have, that she was not in charge. She would be given the ultimate gift, just as we have been given! Thank you Jesus...for without You nothing is possible!

2007-06-29T07:30:00.000-05:00

Women are Funny!

I crack up at myself sometimes...I recently realized I am not the only over-doer in the world. I had a friend ask me if I could make her Bunco invites. She is going to wow her group with a celebration of the Oklahoma Centennial!!! Yes, for Bunco! I am a Bunco junkie myself...12 friends getting together without the kids to laugh, scream, cuss (Elo :) ) and eat. My sister and I secretly try and outdo each others invites every time it is our turn to host!!! I was honored for this to be one of my first paying orders...more to come!!

2007-06-26T08:41:00.000-05:00

father's day

This day has always been a thorn in my side. I often did not send a card in time, or ended up feeling guilty for not getting my mom something for father's day. Strange? No, that is just the nature of a broken family celebration. It doesn't matter what the holiday...someone will always be hurt or forgotten.

Well, this father's day has been a little different. For the first time in 20 years I spent father's day with my dad! Sounds peachy and divine and sweet. Truth is, it was! It was also surreal and uneasy, under the circumstances. Our father's day weekend began Thursday when my oldest sister and I picked my dad up from the airport. My two boys had not seen him in 2 years. He had not seen our little one mobile. My brother and his wife now have a 2 month old, so it was a big weekend to say the least. My oldest sister has two step-children and they don't really know him either.

Our relationship with our step-mother has always been ok, but not spectacular. In their 20 years of marriage with 3 children of their own, she may have encouraged him to come see us on his own...ummm, never. He came one time by himself (they have always lived a plane ride away) to my brother's senior high football game when they announced the parents and walked on the field with my mom and brother. The picture of that is one that still surfaces often. It is a reminder that yes, those are indeed the two people that conceived 4 children together.

You see, my dad is an alcoholic. I don't know, if I were his wife, I would let him come here by himself either. Out of his 3 brothers, he is the only one who moved off his parent's land and he is extremely successful. They all drink daily and my dad swears that he can't even get out of the car if he goes to see them without them putting a beer in his hand first. This can be 8am and you would never go after dark...the newest town rumor is that they are running a chop shop out of the back barn. NICE!

Dad's wife sent an email. We get the occasional forward from her, but never a real email. She sent it to all four of us. He is drinking again. She is the best thing for his drinking problem, because I have mentioned this in a previous post that she is the only thing that has had the crabbiness to keep him sober. This time she wasn't having her normal Cajun influence, so she called on us for help. This was a surprise for all of us, we have all talked and agreed that we never expected to be sought out for help. We more expected to be devastated one day when we find out he has died and no one called to let us know. He has been in the hospital before without any of us being notified.

Us four wanted to get 18 hours away in a quick hurry. Lil' sis was checking flights before any of us were at work or even awake. Lil' sis called step-mom and let her know this was not possible and due to kids, work, church obligations, etc. we needed him to come here. Apparently, he likes to use his 'dead-beat dad of 4 kids I never see and grandchildren that don't even know me' as an excuse to get so hammered drunk that he can't even walk up his driveway. His teenage daughter saw him this time, for the first time. Not a pretty sight. Saw it when I was little and can recount vivid memories of this from the age 5 to 9. I don't wish this on anyone, just like any form of abuse even as a child you know that something bigger than you has your father's heart and you can't reach in and make him see that he has more in his life than that substance.

With a little smooth talking from lil'sis, step-mom agrees to purchase him a ticket for an 'intervention weekend'. We picked him up Thursday, had a nice relaxing evening visiting. The next day, just us 4 kids took him to lunch. A major accomplishment in itself was arranging all 4 of us to have lunch together. We opted for no spouses to come and they all agreed for the reason of not further embarrassing him. You see, dad did not know that we knew the reason for the trip. His wife told him that lil'sis called sad and wanting to see her dad on father's day for the first time in her 23 year old life. Step-mom got to be the hero and put him on the plane. We wanted this to be organized somewhat so that we would not be talking over one another...right before I left the house, brother calls whispering to say that after a cup of coffee, dad has confessed to him what has been going on. He forewarned him about the lunchtime intervention and they had both talked and cried it out already. Made lunch a little easier.

We were all still bound and determined to get out what we had rehearsed in our minds over and over for days. We wanted him to quit using us as an excuse! It is very selfish on his part to think that after all of these years, we all sit around and blame him every time we get a hangnail. We don't! Love never fails...it keeps no record of wrongs. Paul said it best, so that is what I chose. I remained surprisingly calm, did not cry, handed him a copy of 1 Corinthians 13, looked him right in the eye and told him he owes us nothing but love.

After a lunch like that, two father's day sermons (once at my brother's church, then onto mine where my husband was leading worship), and a weekend full of the cutest grandkids around...we can only hope and continue to pray he feels even more blessed than he already should have.

2007-06-22T08:32:00.000-05:00

harlem

my little sister and the love of her life are purchasing a new home and she wanted a place to document their ideas and journey to remodeling it to make it their own... here you go emily and harley! congrats! we love you guys!

2007-04-13T08:36:00.000-05:00

funny blessings

my oldest is a bright, 5 year old kindy who made it through the 1/2 of kindergarten just fine. after christmas break and a few different snow weeks...he developed a separation issue. he sort of already had the issue, but it had not reared it's ugly head in quite sometime! his sweet, young, wonderful teacher sat my husband and i down at parent conferences to give us the news. we can be slightly intimidating, you would have almost had to be there to see what i mean...my husband is a big, strong man and i have taught for 10 years. the combo for this young teacher left her figiting in her seat and staring at the floor for a minute. HE NEEDS TO DO THIS KINDY THING AGAIN!!! not at all a shock to us, since we had been bribing him to go for the last month. we were up to one Tums a day to make it out the door so he wouldn't have a belly ache. i winked at the doctor when we were there for an appointment and asked her if the tums was a good solution. she said, 'oh yes, and a glass of milk is fine too'. funny that he didn't appear to be listening until that moment and piped in...'can it be flavored?'
he is doing great now! the whole kindy again thing is fine, yet our district could not guarantee us all day kindergarten. his teacher did state that it would do him no good to do 1/2 day again. he can already read and spell as well as anyone in the class and academically it would be torture for him to sit through 1/2 day again. SO, i called our local christian school for enrollment. his little brother was going to start the 3y.o. program there this year anyway, so hey, why not go the same direction every morning.
one thing led to another and by loud knocking, unchanging grace of God, a persistant prayer chain, and honesty about wants and needs...we are ALL going there next year. i am going to teach 6th grade!!! not a new gig for me...the teaching thing. teaching in a christian school is going to rock! i will no longer have to explain things 'in my opinion' i will be able to talk about the true nature of our scientific world through biblical examples.
thank you Jesus for the opportunity to serve you! thank you for your constant watch over me and my family. thank you for the blessing of being home with my boys in the summer and now, what i feel will be the next best thing to being a stay at home mom! i love my career and am excited for this turn of events!!!!

2006-10-19T09:03:00.001-05:00

thirty something

Do you remember that TV show? I used to think these people were old...
I had a birthday yesterday and 32 seems really old right now. I was loving yesterday. My boys went to the sitter/grandma's for a bit. I took my car in to have it serviced. Got to have lunch with all the ladies in my life. That's right mom, sis, sis, sis-in-law...all in one spot!! Went to see one of my bestest friend's new little baby (fought off hormonal rages to have another one based on his little smell). Did a little window shopping alone, picked up some dog food and milk, then went to get the boys.
Last night was probably when my age began to set in. We were invited to 'corporate night' at OktoberFest here in town. I got a designated driver wristband so that I could drink all of the diet beverages I wanted all night. I thought that was a clever idea. I watched, laughed, watched, laughed...and remembered a time that I may have actually looked forward to dancing the chicken on top of those very same tables. It was fun! Safe and fun!
I think my favorite part of the day was coming home with my tipsy husband :) to see my mom so proudly displaying a jack-o-lantern that she and the boys had made. Drying the seeds of course that my oldest had washed one by one. The boys were tucked neatly in...tired and content.
I can't tell you how great it feels to be fulfilled in life. God continues to be good...His mercy is everlasting. He allowed our family to spread it's wings, fly back home to OK, and enjoy our existence...no matter our age.

2006-09-22T05:33:00.000-05:00

Mother of the Year

Yes, it is true. School is waaaaayyyy back in swing and I am beginning to fall behind on my duties as a mother. With our oldest now a Kindy, and our youngest a mean 2...life is wild when I get out of school. I can't complain, I have the best schedule in the world.

6:45 drop off kids in their p.j.'s
7:00ish arrive to mold the minds of 135 hormonal 7th graders
8:00 - 12:05 teach 5 classes...it is a fast pace with only 5 minutes between classes, but if I can make it through that marathon I am home free.
12:05 - 12:35 'lunch' which consists of one day of cafeteria duty a week and the other days I get to go to the elementary next door and walk my little man into kindy. Even on duty day! I just leave the cafeteria in the charge of our gym teacher and two other teachers trying to keep 600+ students from throwing food, etc. and I run across campus to go walk in my little scholar. Hey, I should count this as exercise.
12:40 - 1:25 my planning time...a solitary moment of the day when I can do whatever I, yes that was, I want! Sometimes go chat with my sister, also my school's librarian and a brilliant photographer Sometimes I get in my car and drive to hobby lobby and dream about all the cards I want to make, or the blanket I want to sew my brother and his wife who are expecting.
1:30 - 2:20 teach 7th period. Actually it is not quite fair to say 'teach' because I have never met a group of students so hard to teach. They are rude, disrespectful, tired of school by the end of the day...here I am fresh off a heavenly break. They usually drive me to want to find the nearest marjarita bar on the way home...but I would never do that :) I can't drink in the company of my closest friends without spilling something on someone. I always think it is a sign from God.
2:20 - 3:10 Clean up 7th hour's mess and get ready for the next day. Walk back to the elementary and pick up my charming kindy.

After that it is a whirlwind tour of picking up ornery little man, go home and start some laundry, start dinner, yard work, homework (me and kindy) man the phones from soccer parents (yes, my husband coaches the team which makes me mom/coach/organizer of all things good), disgruntled family members going through hard times, catch up on friend phone calls, make a card or two for any birthday or special occasion coming up, play with the children, show my husband love and affection because he is the best!
Although in my mind there is a web of sarcasm woven through the typing of that schedule... it really is the best. I just have to prioritize the wants vs. the needs as far as things to do. I need to focus on the joy in getting some of it done. I have even thought about a housekeeper?? Am I lazy? I certainly was not raised to think that was normal.
On the flip side of positive, I have at least 3/4 of an inch of roots showing which includes gray. I took my youngest for his 2 year 'well' check to find out he had double ear infections. I about died right there in the office. Not to mention when I went to pick him up from the sitter he had wet his entire suit of clothes during nap time. We were digging through the old stash of clothes that she had collected over the years...found a pair of neon green shorts, score! Now if we could just find a shirt...no, we had to dig through the other little sleeping boy's bag and found low and behold a power ranger t-shirt! I don't even let my children watch that show. He wore that and his cute little chuck taylor converse all stars (which are blue). When do you want your child to look better than they do at church???? The Doctor! Don't ask me why?? They strip them down anyway!!
My oldest had lollipop day at school and I have read every memo and still cannot find the one that talks about the day. He had to inform me on the way to the car that he did not get one and everyone else did. I immediately walk to the office and purchase him one. Luckily they were continuing the sale after school. Then I later find out in my neurotic quizzing of the poor child that the teacher didn't let them eat them in class anyway. I was picturing him sad and teary having to watch everyone else enjoy a tasty treat.
Pray for my sanity!

2006-08-09T23:55:00.000-05:00

grandpa's hands...grandpa's heart

In a recent, unexpected turn of events, we have acquired a couple of house guests. Hubby's 82 year old grandpa being one of them. It has been a fun 4 days, with an undetermined amount of days still to come. I just could not lose these thoughts, I didn't want them to get away from me as school is powering up tomorrow. Yes, my extended holiday is over...God works in mysterious ways, and all for our good.
You see, grandpa is a very sharp, articulate, and kind 82 year old. He is a veteran, a father, grandfather, great-grandfather. He is a friend to many, never meets a stranger, and likes a good hug. (my grandmother particularly doesn't mind getting one from him) He is a FoxNews fanatic and a conservative Democrat through and through. He is a proud American. He was there when they raised the flag at Iwo Jima. His ship carried troops there and was in the middle of countless air raids a day. Grandpa likes routine, he likes golf, and bluegrass music. He may be one of the only people who ever tell my husband they are proud of him besides me. He is tough, but when my boys talk to him he listens and praises their every move.
Just the other day when we asked them to stay with us, I was selfishly thinking these are my last 3 days with the boys before my school year begins. I was selfish and bummed. I was mad at the cause of the situation, mad at hubby's brother and wife for causing drama of their own in a different state causing hubby to have to lose vacation to fly up and help them out. I was mad that my oldest will be a Kindy in a week and no one is worried about that. I was a jerk.
God has taught me a lot the last few days.
#1, don't get offended when your mother-in-law questions you for not bleaching your clothes the right way...little did she know you don't at all because it breaks everyone out.
#2, don't worry every time grandpa is picking lint out of the carpet and rugs. It is just something he does...regardless if you were to vacuum daily and have 2 small boys and have added a new dog to the mix.
#3, and most importantly...cherish times like this when God throws you a curve ball. Love every moment of it. Be honest with your 5 year old, because he knows everything anyway but has twisted the details in his mind. Reach within to meet your potential as a hostess, wife, daughter, granddaughter. Be yourself, and realize how much more is going on in the world than just in your little corner and you will learn so much from it.
Me and the boys took grandpa to Target today and he got a swimsuit. So excited that it was on sale. Tonight he went to our neighborhood pool with all of us. He finally relaxed for a bit. We heard old stories of skiing at the Lake and losing his top teeth. The boys never laughed so hard. Today was a great day...and right in the middle of it I got this email from a former student's mom. Very appropriate, and she would have had no clue what was going on in my life. Here is just part of it...

Grandpa smiled and related this story to his grandchild:"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have;how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler Icrashed upon the floor.They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my Mother taught me to fold them in prayer.They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war.They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my Parents and Spouse and walked my Daughter down the aisle.Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off of my best friend's foot.They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life.But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ ."

2006-07-31T16:58:00.000-05:00

pirate's cove playroom

Here is our latest creative venture. I cannot take full credit. It pains me to tell you that we splurged and paid a wonderful group of ladies to paint this for us. I have NEVER paid someone to paint something in my life!! I will add that it was totally affordable and worth it. I did learn a lot from watching them and would be willing to share details with anyone who requests such info...

The ship is awesome, and the pirate is so cool. Not Jack Sparrow cool, but little boy pirate room cool. We have one wall that is completely netting with a shabby anchor hanging that i found on eBay for 1.99, plus minimal shipping :) We are still in accessory mode, but it has been a huge hit!!

This map was a pottery barn kids find, and on sale! My mom and grandmother have a wonderful machine that i used to monogram their names at the bottom of the map.We also used the scripture reference of Matthew 6:19-21. My husband and i come from very different backgrounds growing up, and we want our kids to know that Earthly treasure is not what is important. The "Aye! Treasure!" is taken from one of my son's favorite books about a little boy named Jeremy Jacobs who wants to be a pirate, then realizes that no one will read him bedtime stories on the ship and that pirate's teeth are all green.

We then decided to put their names in their room over their beds and it turned out so sharp!! I am sure before too long their will be masking tape down the center the room and lots of 'mine' going on...but for now, they love it!

Well, Supermom (since i have no idea how to link anything!!) here's our latest playroom idea and a some pics of my two little pirates.

2006-07-26T20:51:00.000-05:00

back to the blog, i need somewhere to vent...cry...laugh...

We are back in OK!! Yes, the feeling is everything I thought it would be and more. Our time away taught us so much, and it is great thing to reflect on daily. We have a wonderful new home, finally got the computer hooked up, and have survived another round of the boy's birthdays. ALL three of my boys...2 little ones and hubby...all have these wonderful July b-days. We hosted a party of 40 at our home Sunday night. It was a blast, although the Lord did bless us with a mild day (not 105) we still vote that next year instead of grilling we have a 7pm cake and ice cream party.

I am having mixed emotions about going back to school. It is always a late summer feeling. I have been spoiled to being home with my guys for these last 7 months, and I am not sure I am ready for the daily routine. At the same time, the excitement of it all is overwhelming. Our oldest is starting kindergarten, they are completing the new Science wing at my school which I did have a hand in designing with the architects and is still a miracle that I could leave mid-year last year and even think about taking my job right back, and my husband's brush with possible heart problems is in the hands of God and not something for me to worry with another minute. Let's just say we have had a busy June/July. Lots of appointments and tests after a bad ekg at his 3 month diabetes check-up. After FLUNKING every possible test (and possibly 1,000's of dollars later)...we did the heart cath, and he is healthy! All imaging errors...and a lot of prayer!! He is 33 today! Happy in knowing he has no blockages or malfunctioning valves!

Since we have been back, we have seen a new side of ourselves. We hoped to not jump right back into the routine of gotta go here, see them, do this, do that...now we do what we can, when we want, and with what fits our boys and our schedules. We enjoy the moments of quiet peace that come when you know the boys are at grandmas (pick a grandma! they are plentiful and wonderful here) having the time of their lives. When we get to spend time with each other. We are back to the land of free-flowing family...our now 5 year old started T-ball and had 10+ fans at his game on Saturday. We can't even sit in the stands. So fun!!

A low point so far has been that all of our suspicions and worries while away have come true about another couple in our family. They were our only family in CO. Apparently, the stress of work and constant worry have led a man to tell his wife he is finished. He feels unappreciated, unloved, that she doesn't love his family, his friends, doesn't respect his work...happens to be one of the mom's that isn't really big on friends and isn't really big on anything. She never appears to really like being around my husband and I. The last few times I have been around her she has ignored me like I am invisible. I can put all that aside (since I'm not in junior high) and just say that Dr. Phil hit in on the head when he said to this woman that his self worth was not wrapped up in her opinion of him. I feel very much this way about her. Right now, I am so sad for all of them. She is an absolute wreck. Their child is withdrawn, reserved, and totally unlike normal. It rips my heart out to know that something that God so carefully put together seems to be falling apart.

Please pray for them.

2006-05-22T15:28:00.000-05:00

top 10 things i learned while living in CO

1. Purple mountains majesty really does exist. God is huge. No one else could be responsible for such beauty.
2. Legalizing a dangerous substance does not prove to be a good thing. 'Safer than alcohol' my rear. Tell that to the guy on my husband's company softball team whose reflexes were so slowed that he almost got knocked out by hubby at homeplate. Maybe it's because I have never been around anything but drunks beginning in early childhood, but I can't get used to grown adults smoking something they had to sneak buy. Legal, yes, but only with a doctor's note and apparently those come cheap and easy. I've never smelled more of it in my life. Probably walk around in this altitude with a contact high most of the time. And believe it or not, in OK you would just be repulsed to see your child pick up a cigarette butt...try a used joint. (almost happened while waiting to be seated at a nice restaurant)
3. I love my children. They are hilarious, brilliant, strong, special, courageous...all the things their granny tells them. They are boys who are not afraid to tell their mommy and daddy how much they love us all the time. They are never happier than when we show them lots of attention together. If we have learned nothing, we have learned how to be a family again. It doesn't have to be about anyone else - just us 4.
4. My husband is wonderful. I love him for this move. He has not only proven to himself once and for all, but to me that he has our best interest at heart. He is the true spiritual leader of this household, and I can let go of ever feeling in charge. I needed that big time! My joy and goal is to just be fulfilled. We have been through so much and have grown every inch of the way.
5. The stay home mom gripe turned into an entire blog entry. It was a huge part of my stay here, but I fear there are miserable at home moms everywhere. I was not one of them. Yes, there are rough days when nothing goes your way...take a class, join a bible study, love your kids and your time to watch them grow, love your hubby for what he is giving you, and don't forget to release your frustration somehow. You don't have to have a fancy gym membership. Try a walk around the block. Don't be afraid to admit that you like working outside the home. Very wise women find this out all the time.
6. Virtually everyone is a transfer here. We have only met 2 natives. It is a serious melting pot of cultures. And apparently openly breastfeeding with no attempt to cover the breast is a beautiful, natural, earth mother kind of event. I'm all about nature, but hubby about passed out at the zoo.
7. Cost of living is about 20% higher...they say. Not seen or noticed except in housing. Our brand new custom home on 3.2 acres in Oologah, OK sold for 192,500. We rented a home here on a saltine sized lot with an 'enormous' backyard for way toooooo much a month. More than our mortgage in OK. Colorado definition of enormous - just a tad bigger than our dog run for our daschund in OK. The basement gig is awesome! I will miss that. A/C is not required due to the mild temps, but coming from OK I need to sniff some free-on occasionally while being a mile closer to the sun. Asking price for this beauty...close to 300,000. Transplant our OK home & property here...$750,000 is what the realtor told us. Land is not an option in most affordable places here. It is reserved for bears, mountain lions, big horn sheep, buffalo, prarie rattlers, and mule deer. Some of the most beautiful animals. The deer come straight off some Santa movie and make our little white tails look like woosies.
8. If you were stranded in CO what one thing would you need to survive? LOTION!Not just Jergen's cherry almond, but some sort of body butter. Thick and hearty. The fresh mtn. air is wonderful to breath, but rough on the skin.
9. There is nothing like waking up and looking out your upstairs window to see the neighbor dressing right in front of you. NO, joking...to see Pike's Peak. This really is a scenicly wonderful place to live. The foothills of the Rockies, if you're ever lost you have 3 helpful hints. When you see the front range you are headed West. When you see Pike's Peak you are headed South to Colorado Springs, and when you see traffic backed up you are headed straight North into downtown Denver.
10. FITNESS. The altitude about killed us when we first got here. Just climbing up 3 stairs it was like all of the sudden I needed to be inhaler dependant. It only took a few days to conquer the steps, but almost 6 mo. to really get into a habit of working out every day. We decided when we moved that we were going to change our fitness lifestyle. My husband is diabetic and takes a handful of pills daily. His biggest problem is his sugar going high. He has sort of a double whammy of family history bad cholesterol and family history diabetes. He has trimmed down from a 52 to 46 waist since December. We both enjoy the gym. It is almost a craving now. If we could just lose the sweet cravings we would be fine. Yes, just because someone tells you that you can't have sweets doesn't mean you all the sudden don't like them. Darn! We want our kids to know that we think our health is important. We want them to grow up active and making good choices. That came easy here. For one, we really knew nobody to keep us overly busy doing other things. So our goal is to keep moving when we get back HOME! I am going to sign up for a fitness program (free!) that sponsors you with one run/fun run or walk per month. Of course the free t-shirt is encouraging, but I have recently been improving my very slow time of running a mile. I am not a small person and would have never thought I could do this. I don't want to lose my enthusiasm, so I have been setting a few goals for myself along the way. My husband feels good, looks as handsome as ever, and can't wait to work in our new yard in OK.

We will never feel more blessed. My husband and I had fought coming here for about a year and a half before deciding that if we didn't take this chance it may eat away at us the rest of our lives. We have learned so much, but mostly just how big God is. He has provided us basically a round trip ticket to a great job. My husband has always struggled with his career, and he came home one night here and just said that we needed to go back to OK. I about passed out. Our kids were definatly struggling, but I didn't realize how unhappy he was. When he told his boss that I was indeed taking my job back in OK, and that he would fulfill his obligation for his year here it was very hard. We were for some reason not at all concerned. We had feelers out already for jobs in OK, and he felt confident that he would find something by January. The worst part was that he would have to stay through December and we would already be in OK. God is so good! The boss told him that they would work something out because he could not be their competition. Yea hubby!! Finally feeling validated for his hard work and knowing that it is not going unnoticed. Finally believing and trusting in God enough to just be upfront and bold with others. They are transferring him back to OK with the same pay. Hello God! No other way that all could have happened. Also, they have knocked down a wall at their only facility there to make him an office, they have given him a whole week off to move, and he starts there June 5th!!!!!! Praise the Lord! Grace like rain!!!!!!!!!!! Colorado will always have a special place in my heart.

2006-05-22T09:20:00.000-05:00

stay at home and love it, please!

I have been wanting to write about my Colorado experience, so that I would never forget everything that the Lord has taught me while I was here. I started out with this top 10 list and number one turned into a soap box, so I will just diverge on that as a whole topic.

I have been clearly disturbed by the actions of some individuals since being here. I was taking on a new career path, and they managed to suck the life right out of it. Yes, I am speaking of stay at home mothers. I must say to begin with that the only thing that kept my sanity was reading the mommy blogs of women who take pride in their job and their children. I am so glad that I started reading, God knew to have my sister keep begging me until I gave in and just joined the blog world. Also, my new good friend Jenny. We have sort of seen both sides of the coin. We both came from the same career path, and we have shared similar frustrations along the way. May God give her the strength to not get too 'crazed'.

These are the issues at hand. It is alright to have money and be a stay at home mom if...

* You don't use the leisure pool at the local rec. center to show off your tummy tuck scar while showing off your thong and chasing your 18 mo. old.

*Don't complain about spending time with your children! They are YOUR precious beings. If your trade off at home mommy can't complete the babysitting swap on your usual daily basis for you to go tan...you will likely survive and I am guessing no one will even notice.

*D-I-S-C-I-P-L-I-N-E-! Please don't depend on all the planets and stars being in alignment for your child to behave properly. Beat them into submission (joking, but all you who do discipline will back me on that one).

*If your nanny, or whomever generally combs your child's hair, is off that day...worry with someone else's looks other than your own. The kids deserve to match, have their shoes on the right feet all day. You know, not just sneak past you with them pointing outward, wrenching their little, big toe? I'm pretty sure if left in that position there would be long term damage.

*Your husband...Yes, when I first started this quest of not 'working' (hee, hee) I began to realize something. Not all hubbies are cut out to be hubbies with a wife that doesn't 'work'. It can be a thankless, red-eyed, no-money-making task. I was so blessed to have had this opportunity. Although, the women I have had the pleasure of meeting at various places along the way are miserable. Granted, some of this is due to the relationship with their hubbies, but I have never heard so much complaining in my life. Your husband should not have to watch the kids/KID (sad but true, several do not have multiple children) the second he walks in the door because you have been MADE to HANDLE them all day. What do these people thing Laura's mom on Little House thought when Pa came home from the fields? Excuse me while I go pamper myself Pa...I don't think so sister! Do they not realize that there are women who would pay good money to go through the agony of childbirth just to hold that baby until it was in college? I was around happier women and their much happier children when I 'worked' all day, every day!

You make life what you want it to be. You learn from mistakes, you love whole-heartedly or you won't ever know what it feels like coming back to you. You really do have to put yourself aside, but don't be afraid to remember that you are still there. I can't help but want to scream because there are deserving women all over the world who need the chance to have a child of their own, and other women waste away every day with their little blessings. To all you at home mom's out there (I'm not sure why I just said that, there are like two people who read this :) sounded good) you really do have the most blessed opportunity, the best 'job' (next to teaching that is) ever!! Don't take it for granted. There are women everywhere who will never have that joy. As I go back to teaching next year, I will be helping my oldest across the way to start his Kindy journey and will be praying daily for my little 2 year old. May he have all the fun in the world and take a big, long afternoon nap so that I don't miss too much.

2006-05-10T11:55:00.000-05:00

balletone

yes, that was the name of the class that almost killed me. In the class description at the rec. center it clearly stated that you didn't have the have any prior dance experience. Well, this I do have...not ballet, but I was actually in a recital at age 27. If you know me you may be thinking that had to have been a dare, but it was merely a wonderful way to make new friends and spend time with my sister and sister-in-law. We still can't believe we did it, but it rocked!!

Needless to say, I thought I could handle this ballet/toning class. I handled it alright...I just barely lived to tell about it. For one, I am built a bit more like an ultimate fighter/kickboxer than a ballerina. I walked in head held high, looked around to see what the norm was and proceeded to take off my shoes and socks. I found an inconspicuous place to stand, not too close, but not back row either like the baptist I was raised to be. I begin to stretch out a little. I am starting to see a pattern with the women who are walking in. They all appear to be at least 6 feet tall. My husband laughs at me when I say I am 5'4". He swears I can't be more than 5'2".

As we begin, the teacher immediately spots a new victim. She looks my way and makes sure I have a visual on myself in the mirror, for it is especially important to be able to see yourself. I want to shout out that I don't particularly enjoy having a 'visual' of my total body in these distorted mirrors or any mirror for that matter, but I refrain for fear of drawing even more attention to my short self.

She goes through a few basics for my benefit, and just standing in first position I am feeling good. I am at least flexible enough to do this part. Sure, I can make it. She proceeds through a routine of poses and moves, then reminds me to keep myself in clear sight at all times (obviously my technique was catching her eye and needed to be catching mine). She says we will go through the routine 4 or 5 times up to tempo (fast) before going to the floor to tone. I am still thinking I can handle it. I quit thinking that the third time through the 'routine' at the same time I look up at the clock and realize only about 15 minutes had passed. I was ready to leave. The arches of my feet were on fire, as were my inner thighs. Apparently kickboxers use their quads to do most of the work, and my inner thighs were not conditioned to stay in this 'first position' for very long.

After another reminder to get a visual on myself, I almost told Six Foot Six Suzie to get a visual on my rear as it was leaving the room. I managed to send her a smile in the mirror and keep on truckin'. We made it to floor exercises and I thought I was home free. I was experiencing paralysis in certain parts of my legs and neck, but figured I had made it this far so I would continue.

Have you ever sat in a mitzi (you know the old cheerleading jump?) and did leg lifts with your back leg? Try it and see how it works out for you. Ever done a ballet sit-up? Well, let's just say I know why ballerina's stomachs look like they do, and that leftover baby weight from two kids sort of gets in the way of this exercise.

I am not bitter. I am not mad at my genetic make-up. I am just simply warning anyone out there who thinks they may be up for balletone. I will stick to my old ways. I will realize I am 31, not 21. I will set limits on my workouts and know when to quit...and maybe someday I will be able to climb stairs again and have a full range of motion in my neck.

2006-05-05T12:22:00.000-05:00

taterisms

My son, oldest of two sons, is a 4 year old comedian. His granny calls him 'brilliant and special' and I just love that because he already believes it. In this world, self-esteem can be everything. I am so greatful that as an adult I realize this and want a healthy dose of encouragement given to my kids (not to mention the obvious healthy dose of discipline!). Here are a few things he has recently said that I have been making note of that I don't ever want to forget...

Hey mom, I know all about that sin bear. If you feed him too often you may not go to Heaven.

Hey brother, I only know two people in heaven...God and C.C's mom (would have been his Great Great Grandmother).

Yes, we did talk about Easter in my class at church...The stone is rolled away, HE IS RISEN! HAL-E-LU-A! HAL-E-LU-A!

Mom, can you do the robot? It goes something like this...he then demos the robot with 80's perfection. Not sure where that came from!

I can now spin spaghetti on my fork...I'm really getting used to being a man!

Mom, if there is an emergency or fire or something I know what a one looks like, but maybe you could push the 9.

I love Mr. Incredible, but how come Jesus is the greatest super?

I can move this chair to the table because I am using my inner strength.

Ok, I could go on all day and marvel at his cuteness! Yes, some of these took some explaining on our parts after they were said, but great conversation starters none the less. I am so grateful for a place to manage my thoughts other than post-it noting all of them to his scrapbook that still has nothing in it!!!!! Oh well, maybe by graduation...from med. school...:)

2006-05-03T11:13:00.000-05:00

i am from...

I am from red 90 three wheeler (now illegal) carefully purchased by my father from his favorite periodical...the Bargain Post. I am from Chinese roach detouring chalk after all else failed, because I am from rental properties, cozy, loving, yet not all the rage.

I am from the golf course weeping willow's protection, the jonquil so refreshing, and the earthworm. I am from the pine needles, cone bird feeders, and most of all I am from pumpkins perfectly picked and placed. I am from the lake with the Yancy's to give mom a break. I am from soccer fields and cheerleading practice. I am from rides home with Aunt SuAnny.

I am from from Eddie...from Coetta. From high school romance and promises of everlasting love.

I am from the not minding my own business kind of closeness and not knowing when to stop drinking, from proud hard work and disfunction.
From "i am only spanking you because i love you" and "how's your car runnin'?"
I am from the Bible belt, no women shall take the offering, no shorts in the gym. Heaven/Hell revival, "Just as I am". I am from you might go to hell for clapping in the church building and you'd have never heard "Grace Like Rain" that now makes my son's tummy tickle with raised hands.

I'm from Oklahoma, chicken and dumplings and popcorn (with m&m's if it was payday).

From the gar shooting, beer drinking uncles. From the country club other side. From the 'don't talk about religion, politics, or other family members' voice of non-reason PaPa. From Grandma Great who once ate 13 desserts resulting in 'must be blastin' somewhere'. From trips to Uncle J's, dreaming that every day would be that fun. From my dad walking me down the aisle to meet my true love.

I am from retro photo albums yellowed and worn, shoeboxes, rusty lock boxes, cedar chests and the barn. I am from film on reels of mom's childhood vacations, quilt filled trailers with smoky framed photos given each Christmas, and refrigerators exploding with friend's kids. From embarrassing stockings with 4th grade pictures attached and ornaments wrapped gently and placed in the attic by CC and only CC. From proud phone calls and news clippings about us kids sent across state lines to dad from ma. I am from lots of tears and lots of love.

2006-04-24T11:44:00.000-05:00

parenting

I was recently sent this email. It had no copyright, etc. so hopefully it is ok to post as part of my blog. I was honestly laughing so hard I could barely contain myself. The reason is because my sister-in-law sent it to me. She is beautiful, neat, classy...and needless to say, married to my brother. He is such a sweet guy. Raised with all girls, and surprisingly is the cleanest of all of us. Almost anal in most cases. You know the type. He gets this look on his face when he sees grime of any kind like someone just asked him to lick the floor of a movie theater after a busy Friday night. He gets in my vehicle last week when I was home for a visit and immediately starts the clean up efforts. I just know that they have got to be thinking kids, and I just can't wait!!!!!! The first time he finds a fish stick behind their designer sofa....hee, hee, hee! (evil wicked witch laughter fills my head)

The best part is that they are going to be the best parents. They have this mix of compassion and hard *%$. Their children will be loved all around and very well rounded! I can't wait until his little boy asks him funny questions, or the first time the kid pukes or spills strawberry milk in the shag carpeting. I am now speaking from experience. Just last night, my 4 year old (going on 18) says that he has found his brain. I said oh, where is it? He says just below my wasset (his penis...somehow he named it a cross between wiener and faucet...makes sense!). He proceeds to tell me that he sees it everyday when he potties and knows that is his brain because he saw a picture of a brain in a book. WOW! I explained that it was not his brain, then going into my very 'science teacher' version of where the brain is located and why it is surrounded by bone for protection, etc. The explanation was lengthy in hopes of detouring the obvious next question he was going to ask. Didn't work! We now know what testicles are. He was at least satisfied with the technical name, and didn't ask their function. Thank you Lord for that break. I, as always when something in that area is brought up, explained and reminded him about the importance of only discussing these things with mommy and daddy. So, on his way down the stairs he yells down to daddy..."Daddy, my brain really isn't under my wasset!" Nice, I just smiled at my husband and told him I would explain later!

Enjoy and parents, try not to wet your pants!:

How To Know Whether Or Not You Are Ready To Have Children
MESS TEST: Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.
TOY TEST: Obtain a 55-gallon box of LEGOs (or you may substitute roofing tacks). Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream because this would wake a child at night.
GROCERY STORE TEST: Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.
DRESSING TEST: Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all the arms stay inside.
FEEDING TEST: Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal into the mouth of the jug, while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.
NIGHT TEST: Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8-12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 3:00 PM, begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 PM. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 PM. Getup, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing these too until 4:00 am. Set alarm for 5:00am Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.
INGENUITY TEST: Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and pot of paint,turn it into an alligator. Now take a toilet paper tube and turn it into an attractive Christmas candle. Use only scotch tape and a piece of foil. Last,take a milk carton, a Ping-Pong ball, and an empty box of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
AUTOMOBILE TEST: Forget the BMW and buy a station wagon. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there. Get a dime. Stick it into the cassette player. Take a family size package of chocolate chip cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.There, perfect.
PHYSICAL TEST (Women): Obtain a large bean bag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now remove 10 of the beans.
PHYSICAL TEST (Men): Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.FINAL ASSIGNMENT: Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run wild. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.

2006-04-04T11:56:00.000-05:00

finding a balance

What does this mean anyway? I am having a hard time right now doing that. I used to teach 140 kids a day, be a decent mom, good wife, and never perfected the housekeeping gig...but oh well! Now I get to stay home. I love every minute of it. I get to work out daily, set my own schedule, reward myself for a job well done, and even hear and see everything my little guys do. Here are my only issues. I used to work with 40+ women every day. These ladies were in the same boat I was in with the list of daily duties. They were my friends. They could sympathize, and another thing we all shared was the love of teaching. So...which do I prefer? Well, considering my 4 year old seems to need counseling for his lack of friends and grandparents in our new state, and my husband's job is nothing more than a job?? I am not sure. The money flows like rivers here, but is that enough? That is certainly not what life is made of...it is made of family, friends, faith, and relationships. It is knowing that your child is safe and flourishing. It is loving whatever you are doing...Wherever you are doing it, and making the most of every situation. It is not taking for granted the importance of stability and community.

2006-04-01T15:58:00.000-06:00

reaping what you sow

When I was little all I ever wanted was for my parents to somehow get back together. I say when I was little, it is truly only fair to say that I felt that way from about age 9 to 12. My thoughts and feelings changed when I turned 12 and all the sudden my heart was burdened with my dad's lost soul. He was a bit of a drinker when we were young. I never realized how much this impacted me until I was an adult and was scared (still am) to drink in a crowd and, of course, never alone. I had a few embarrassing incidents in college that were obviously paternally inherited.
I knew that his mom was a 'good woman' and until her funeral did not know that she used to sing in church. My mom sheltered us a bit from any sort of super close relationship with my dad's parents. My mom meant well and as we got older encouraged us to build that relationship. It was just not a place where we would have been spending the night or going over for Sunday dinner. We joke that by sundown my grandpa was posted at the end of the driveway with a shotgun, drunk, and awaiting any trespassers.
My dad was having a sordid affair with an older, wrinkled, epileptic smoker that he worked with; while all along my mom was taking care of 4 children and babysat a few of her working friends kids during the day. She had never worked outside of the home, and she and my dad had just custom built a beautiful home for our family. Needless to say, we moved into a rental and my mom got her first job since high school. My little sister was still in the crib, so my older sister, 12, myself, 9, and our brother, 4.5, were instant babysitters, housekeepers, etc.
I say epileptic because our first blessed opportunity to meet this scary woman was at a pizza place where she had a siezure when ordering the pizza. All I remember was her false teeth coming out and my little sister crying in the high chair. We were all scared. For goodness sakes, we were way to young to be witnessing all of that. It was hard enough because there were several promising weekends prior to this one that we would all 4 wait at the front door for his arrival and he would not show. I can just remember my mom scooping us all up and taking us to the park or something to help us feel a little better about being stood up.
My dad moved to Louisiana with this woman after a failed attempt to start a business led to bancruptcy in Oklahoma. While there and still married, he met a woman. Someone else that he worked with...although this time younger, smarter, very cajun, very opinionated, very passionate about life, and very controlling of him. She was young enough to want more children. They were blessed with 3. Yes, my father has 7 beautiful (if I do say so myself) children.
I wanted to say all that to say this...at age 31 I can honestly say that God's covenant with Abram in Genesis really does still hold true today.
"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all people on earth will be blessed through you."
My dad was prayed for by me for right at 10 years before God spoke to him. As a kid every time anyone asked for prayer requests, that was mine. I would simply say, "My dad." It was hard on all of us. We were raised in a conservative Southern Baptist Church, do you know the kind? Where you can't even wear shorts in the gymnasium? My mom was pretty well shunned by all but 2 women that come to mind. I even had a friend who's parents would no longer let her stay the night because my mom was 'a single parent'. No telling what hell she would have been exposed to.
I was the director of Vacation Bible School when I first started teaching school and had summer time to help out with that. I loved it. I never realized what an impact VBS was having on the parents of the kids who came. I then found out that is one main reason that churches have this big event. To get the parents to come! Well, that same summer, my dad's kids were attending VBS in their community and the rest is history.
My dad...once I felt cursed by him, and he would tell you today that he has reaped plenty of what he sowed. Yet, he would also tell you that taking his teenagers to ballgames, school events, and church functions is now something he loves. I used to think that would have made me jealous, but I can't tell you how happy it makes me. He would tell you a funny story about how one time his wife had to bail him out of jail and he to this day will never hear the end of it. He would tell you that without her persuasive, persistence he would not be walking the straight and narrow. He would tell you how proud of his kids he is. He would tell you that he never wanted to hurt anyone, but admits to hurting everyone. He will call himself 'honorable grandfather' to my two sweethearts and laugh the hardest on the phone when they are talking to him. He would tell you that he cooks for the men's prayer breakfast, runs the powerpoint on Sunday mornings, and is amazed whenever he can share his testimony. I am amazed at the blessings that I have received from coming to the realization that he will meet Jesus someday just as I prayed for and I know my siblings did too. That he is already forgiven and that we are all in this together as believers. That none of us are perfect and that's why we have Jesus. Thank you for the promises and long lasting covenants that You and only You give Lord!

2006-02-17T05:17:00.000-06:00

a 4 year old mind

Last night my husband had dinner with the president of his new company, so me and the little ones rented a movie and snuggled in on the couch waiting for him to arrive. We had finished 'Scooby Doo Meets Batman' and were on to watching figure skating. Little man had just fallen asleep and big brother was well on his way when all of the sudden I am covered in puke for about the 7th consecutive time since we have been here. Apparently between the antibiotic for ear infection, the nighttime cold and cough meds, and the chocolate milk (now that the fever was gone)...little guy couldn't keep it all down.
I wrapped he and I in his blanket and carefully carry him to the bathroom. Big brother follows and says he will just grab Buzz Lightyear on the way. I decide that chances are if I don't just get in too I will have this puke smell on my leg and most of my upper body all night. So, I hop in with little guy. He is laughing now and playing in the water. I am quickly washing off the evidence and getting ready to get out when big brother comes over to investigate. He puts his elbows on the side of the tub and rests his head in his hands and says..."How come you have these big hippos (confusing a once fat comment made by his cousin about my hips, with boobs) and I don't? I mean look at little guy, he has these two brown dots and that is it. I don't even think I have that?"
Then lifting his shirt to check he says, "Oh, I do. Daddy does too, just not like yours."
I said as I am hoisting myself out and into a towel, "Remember how mommy told you that God makes everyone special? Well He made girls to have different ones than boys." 'Nuf said? Not quite.
He says, "Then why doesn't (girl cousin) have them?"
I said, "Only older girls have bigger ones than yours. Her's are just like yours now." I am dying here. Probably breaking every parenting rule by not just coming out and saying the proper term for them or something. You have got to know my kid. He will say anything to anyone sometimes. This is the same kid that about a year ago asked me what those 'hills' were down by my stomach. I quickly continued to get dressed and sort of ignored the question wondering if they were really sagging that low. The next time that this came up was after watching Tarzan, he told me he wished he had those big muscles right there like mommy and Tarzan do. He would even put toys up to his chest and say look at my 'muscles'.
He apparently was satisfied in knowing that older girls get them, and it was just another way God makes us different and special. He just had one more thing to say about the subject as I was getting little bit dressed for bed, again. He said, "Is this sort of like why girls p.p. out of their bunkusses (bottom), you know since they don't have a wasset (penis)?"
At this 10:00 point of exhaustion, all I could say was yes.
I read them a story, told them I loved them and we talked about how excited we were to be driving back to OK to get the rest of our toys. He told me that he thought Woody was assigning all the other toys moving buddies like on the movie. I told him he was probably right. After 'doobing' himself a king, me a princess, and little man a prince he leaned back on his pillow, covered up with Pistol Pete (his blankie that will probably be somewhere in his backpack when he starts high school), and said, "Well, I'm gonna hit the jack!" :)

2006-02-16T21:59:00.000-06:00

dis'fun'ctional

Anymore everyone has their own version of the disfunctional family. It is sort of sad to say that, but the only few families that I have kept in touch with growing up that are actual 'traditional' family units are so disfunctional it is really not even funny. Everyone probably thinks their version is worse or funnier than the next, yet sadly it is just our story. No one else has it...it is uniquely ours. Loving our families is all we can do. I could humor you with a light version of my families disfunction. In hopes of a little much needed therapy, I think I will.
Mine
Mom, 52, works her tail off for a minimal salary of which she deserves much more, single handedly raised 4 children, loves her grandkids, does not do enough to take care of herself, is an addicted bargain shopper, remarried once yet currently single, likes to treat herself to mani/pedis, and recently realized how much she loves to travel (just not by greyhound).
her mom/my grandma - the last surviving grandparent on both sides of my family, she is 70ish, doesn't look or act it, recently went on a cruise with a bunch of girlfriends and climbed the rock wall on the boat, dates, plays cards weekly with the same group of church friends, volunteers, and loves to buy shoes.
older sis- 34, married, 2 children by marriage, wanting to be biological mother, media specialist at the same middle school that I just retired from when I moved (by the way, I am now the only one of any of the people I will mention that lives out of a 20 mile radius from each other - except husband's brother), she has only one secret identity: evil step-monster wishing she could remove the earth's gravitational pull only long enough for her husband's ex-wife to fall off the face of the earth and leave her alone.
younger bro - 26, successful salesman, loves music and working out, has a passion for his beautiful wife, God, tattoos, and his jeep. Grew up the only boy in a house full of women and one time in high school tragically used a backpack that I had left some feminine hygiene products in. All of that made him more equipped to become a college cheerleader, where he met his lovely wife. See, we were just doing him a favor.
little sis- 22, recently divorced due to the fact she married out of her religious beliefs and he treated her like a dung heap, finishing school, substitute teaching (no, she does not want to teach), and has a handsome new boyfriend.
dad- 56, recovering alcoholic, now deacon at his church (yea God!), remarried to a converted Catholic Cajun woman who totally keeps him grounded, they have 3 teenagers - yes, that makes seven known children for my father :), and he is still trying to pay my mom the last bit of child support that we never saw growing up.
Husband's family
mom - 57, little fireball who married a recovering x-con that she met when volunteering at the local mission, they have since started a ministry of their own, she is a very successful accountant, cancer survivor, and would absolutely do anything for anyone at anytime of day or night.
brother - 28, ex-college football player, successful salesman, father to wonderful little 3 year old girl, they do live where we are now...moved up here with his job a few months before us yet wife is in OK for weeks at a time, brother doesn't say much unless directly spoken to, must be stress.
dad - 59, was seeing his intern that my husband spent a college summer working with while parents were still married, now married to intern, they have a 3 year old son (notice the closeness in the ages of our son, cousin, and little uncle), he loves his sons yet would never say it outloud, was a great dad growing up - always the football coach, etc., will be close to 80 when youngest son is ready to marry.
Oh, I am so glad I hit the surface. This seems so non-dramatic after writing it down. If you only knew all the scoop! Thank you Jesus for health and happiness, closeness and love. We could not survive without this family. We want our boys to understand that the reason we have 6 Christmas celebrations is not because we couldn't just have one, it's just that it is more fun this way. We want them to see the love in every situation. They are wrapped in love all the time, even living 10 hours from 'home'.

2006-02-14T09:41:00.000-06:00

setting myself up for disaster

Some day I will learn. Today is just another experience in the life of a mother. Don't expect your 4 year old negotiator to understand the value of a last-minute homemade Valentine's gift when he saw you get something nice.
I took the boys on this great outing yesterday only to realize that it didn't replace a wrapped Valentine gift. Last night, after a long day of play and an evening at the gym, my husband surprisingly stopped by the mall on the way home. He parks in the perfect place to aquire a double stroller from customer service, takes us directly to the food court to get the boys an ice cream to occupy their time while we shopped, and then took me shopping for the perfect Valentine treasures! What a nice guy...thoughtful, sweet, caring, and spontaneous. Our oldest was perfectly content until my husband comes out of Brighton with a wrapped package. The whole way home all he could say was that he didn't get a 'present'. I tried to explain that his whole day was our Valentine's gift to him. That getting to go to the museum, see Clifford, and the binoculars he picked out in the gift shop were all a really big deal. It was a lost cause. 4 year olds tend to have a one track mind on issues like this. There is sometimes no explanation that makes things better.
You see, my husband and I came from very different backgrounds. My parents divorced when I was 9 and my mom had never worked aside from being a stay at home sitter for another family. My grandparents were not your typical come over and just pick you up for a shopping spree kind of grandparents. My 72 year old grandmother would now rock climb to my rescue just to take me shoe shopping...the woman has more shoes than Oprah and all are quite sassy, but when my grandfather was still alive that would not have always been the case. With 4 kids and a single newly employed mother we struggled, to say the least. My husbands family was more well off. I wasn't even sure how to order a steak, so when we were first dating I always ordered chicken until I finally told him I didn't think I had ever eaten half of the menu choices if any. He was kind enough to explain and help me out. His father was constantly moving them to improve his pay and their livelyhood. His parents did eventually divorce when he was in college. Very sad, yet a harse reality that we face daily. Both of our fathers remarried and his dad has a child 4 months younger than our oldest. They are great friends, yet the whole -he's your uncle- thing will hopefully never be discussed until they are old enough to get it.
Now that we have our own children we have tried to work really hard at not spoiling them ourselves, but when you throw in the grandparents we have a big issue! With both grandmas, both grandpas, not to mention all the aunts, uncles and step-grandparent involvement it is no wonder that our 4 year old was confused with a non-wrapped gift. In a situation like this you want to crawl in a hole and ask yourself what you have done wrong. I can only hope that when we get more settled here, he will understand that we are not in OK anymore.
Since the whole incident happened on Feb. 13th I woke up early the morning of the 14th and printed off some much desired Power Ranger coloring sheets from the internet along with some other super hero friends. I carefully wrapped it in the beautiful Brighton tissue paper and toole bow. When he woke up I said, "Guess what Brother Bear, you do have a present!" He was so excited and began digging in. My heart broke when, after all of the discussion the night before about how a gift isn't always wrapped and because we now live far away from all grandmas you may not always have something in a nice neat package, he finished opening it and said,"This is nothin' but coloring sheets!"
I said, "Just what you wanted!"
He acted very quietly disappointed, but I think knew better than to say anything else. After a few hours of play and cartoons, he was telling the dog sorry for something then looked at me and said sorry about the pictures. He since colored them all. Maybe there is hope afterall!

2006-02-13T16:37:00.000-06:00

Children's Museum

It is so funny how we can sometimes have so much more fun with our children when it is just us! We don't have to be in a group or at a party to totally enjoy the moment. Today we ventured out to the children's museum. Clifford the Big Red Dog was there for Valentine's Day and we just had to go see him. Little bit cried like a banchie, but big man hugged him, high-fived and sat by him for a quick pic. We had never been somewhere like this before. It was far cooler than any zoo or pizza place with games. They had cute little areas set up for make believe of every type. They painted, went grocery shopping, worked at the checkout stand, invented, played dress-up, and climbed through a forest of trees. I love it that people are so open and funny with their children. I like to check places like this out before my husband goes. The forewarning of women hiding in the cave breastfeeding is always a good heads up. My oldest was enjoying the kareoke and while waiting patiently in line for the microphone I asked him what song he thought he would do. We were hearing all these cute ABC songs and Twinkle, Twinkle...he gets up there and belts out, "Who let the dogs out! Woof, Woof." The sweet 70 year old volunteer working that attraction was luckily cracking up! My husband grew up watching sports center and playing Texas football with full pads at 4 years old, so it is always refreshing to see our boys just being little kids. Exploring, learning, playing, and feeding off each other is awesome to see. It makes me once again thank God for the opportunity to be with them EVERY day! Thank you Jesus.

2006-02-11T20:52:00.000-06:00

Jjo, Not Jlo

Have you ever wanted to know why it is that some days you wish you were someone else? Well, when I was pregnant with my first my little, cute, petite, yoga instructor sister would lovingly call me 'jjo prego'. Needless to say that stuck through my next pregnancy as well.
Ever since we moved we joined one of the many rec. centers in our area. We are not in OK anymore! My husband even made the comment one day that he had not seen one morbidly obese person since we'd been here. You don't go to Wal-Mart and see people in motorized carts because they can't walk otherwise. You can barely find a McDonalds and there is only one drive-thru bank teller with an actual human working in a 20 mile radius. Not so convenient when you have two kids in the car, one of which is usually virus-stricken, but a healthier way of life for sure.
Since the rodovirus, we have missed a week of gymtime!! YIKES! When I was teaching plus doing most of what I do now, I never would have considered joining a gym. No time! Now that I have been going all but one day a week, I feel like I am going to just fall over with a heart attack for missing. I even called my buff, blue-eyed brother to try to arrange with his gym back home for me to visit while I was going to be in town. It is like an addiction.
Like many other things in my new life as Wonderwoman, I have decided if God is giving me this opportunity then I need to sieze it. I need to overdo it. I need to go to that rec. center and change something, meet people and share my excitement for being there. I need to show my boys how important fitness and healthy living really is to our family. My diabetic husband has gone from a 52 waist when we arrived to a new 'hot' 46. Eating better seems to come easier with me being a bit more prepared on the meals and shopping trips. The new cartoon Lazy Town is not hampering our progress any either with my oldest now always wanting 'sports candy' (fruit/veggies). I am loving it!
The problem with missing lies in the devil creeping back into every aspect of eating, mood, motivation, and recovery. You see, I am not exactly your picture of perfection. I have wide 'hippos' (as my 3-year old niece lovingly called them), extremly thick hair and a 2-head instead of 4 leading me to some pretty short hairstyles none of which are desirable with a chubbs face, I would be a great candidate for extreme makeover lop-sided breast addition, and I am only about 5 foot 4. When I was working out everyday I was feeling so much perkier. Not as free flowing with fat. :) This all seems silly, but someday I hope to look back and be laughing my Jlo 'A' off! I did secretly love it when that was my prego nickname, because I really do think Jlo is beautiful and the extra junk in the trunk well-tamed will someday be me! So, I am not going to give up...ironically, in my bible study I am doing I was reminded that in reference to Proverbs 23:7 How you see yourself will determine the fruit of your life.

2006-02-10T13:08:00.000-06:00

Just me and my boys moved! My husband took a new job, and it has been so far quite an experience. No one tells you when you decide to move more than 3 hours away from home that your little ones will be sick for at the minimum 18 months. So far in my new career path I have been covered in puke for 3 out of the 6 weeks we have been here. It has been an eye opening experience. I never knew you could go through a whole jumbo econ. box of diapers in a few days until we discovered the rodovirus. A nasty bug we may have picked up at snow school on the slopes. Our first day of family fun turned into a week of quarenteen. I do on the other hand feel that God has given me a fresh start with my kiddos, and a new outlook on mothering and parenting all together! I worked my tail off teaching for the last 10 years...dropping the kids off at the babysitter (whom they called 'grandma') and excitedly started my oldest at preschool this last year. I really had the best of all worlds. My hours allowed me to transport my oldest to and from school and still usually make it home before 4. Between running everywhere and trying to overdo my job at school with too many tasks...by the time I did get home I was spent. The joy today comes in not getting dressed until 10 a.m. because I spent the morning making Valentine's with the boys and being a nurse to the recovering rodo-victim. Three nights of little sleep are now not a big deal, because I will use the occasional naptime for a little snooze myself. My husband is working at a job that allows him great friends and a lot less workload for a lot more money. He feels respected and valued. He deserves to feel that way. Daily validation of a good decision comes when my sweetheart still asks me, "Mommy is today a school day, or a grandma day?" I proudly tell him that today is a mommy and the boys day! He gets really excited!!