Saturday, December 30, 2006

ODDITIES

OK...I was tagged by a very dear friend of mine. She has asked that I list 6....ONLY SIX....oddities about myself. My DH laughed long and hard and helped to narrow them down. He even added a few extras, but I'll list my faves and what I consider to be most odd.

If you are reading this and have your own blog, list your own little quirks....let me know! I would LOVE to read about the real, the weird, the really weird you!

Oddity #1: I eat one thing at a time. Most children, during toddler age, get picky and do not like their foods to touch. Some will only eat one thing at a time. But, most have grown out of it. At the tender age of 35 *ahem* almost 36, I STILL eat one thing at a time. Not only that, but I refill one thing at a time, usually. For example, when I've eaten my potatoes, if I want more, I will get more, regardless of what is on my plate. What's more is I eat my favorite thing last. This has proven to NOT be a good thing. I usually clean my plate...starting with the least fave and ending with the fave. Well, I could be getting full by the time I get to my fave...but since it is my fave, I continue to eat until it is consumed. Because it is my fave, I usually have seconds. Do you see the insanity?

Oddity #2: I have a thing with condiments. I don't really know what it would be called, so I'll just describe it. I eat ketchup on fries and ALL meat. I eat mustard or mayo on my sandwiches. I dip chips in salsa and eat salad dressing on salads. But I CANNOT lick the extra off my finger or the knife or spoon. EEEEWWWWWWW!!!! I just have a rigor thinking about it. It MUST MUST MUST be wiped off with a towel. Did I say, "EEEEWWWWWWW?!?!?!?!"

Oddity #3: I CANNOT TOLERATE GEL TOOTHPASTE. That stuff really creeps me out and makes me want to gag at just the thought. RIGOR!!!!

Oddity #4: Fan noise....I can hear it when it is pert near non-existent. My hubby doesn't even hear it half the time. It will wake me from a dead sleep. A little squeak; the chain tap-tap-tapping against the globe; the whine of the vibration as the fan sways back-and-forth.....it is no worse than Chinese Water Torture. DO YOU HEAR THAT?

Oddity #5: I HATE animal movies. This includes all Disney cartoons, as well. Benji, Lassie, Old Yeller, Fox and the Hound, Charlotte's Web...I hate them all. Why? Think about it. Something bad ALWAYS happens to one of the animals! Bambi? He's cute and all with his little spots...Thumper? Flower? Why do we meet them? Because Bambi's momma got shot, that's why!

Oddity #6: I have to listen to talk radio during the night. I HAVE TO! If I don't....shoot, I don't know...I might go crazy. (HA! I hear you debating that....like it's a trip to be taken in the future.) Even during Christmas when so many stations played Christmas music 24/7. Well, I listened to it about 16/7. The other 8 hours...on talk radio. Why? My hubby asked the same thing. I spend a lot of time alone at night...my hubby is a pilot. I like a bit of low noise. However, music tends to fluctuate in volume. So there. On the plus side, I'm usually right on top of the weather and the traffic.

SO...that is a peek into the very scary personality that is me. Hope to see you again soon.

Friday, December 29, 2006

The Fall of a Dictator

God bless and protect our troops who are in Iraq.

Some say that the United States liberated Iraq.

Some say that the United States invaded Iraq.

There were weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein was a weapon of mass destruction.

Three years ago, this man was found in a hole in the ground....how very appropriate.

Today, that person was hanged for the crimes he committed.



I'm glad he's dead!

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Life Rules

Everyone has rules. There are rules, as in: "THOU SHALT NOT...." These rules are pretty common sense. I mean, it's not right to go out and shoot someone. The rules against lying and coveting are the ones that are so easily broken, I should think.

There are other rules, as in: "IT'S AGAINST THE LAW TO....." Again, you don't go shooting someone, though you don't get thrown into jail for lying to your mom. These rules can have some pretty severe consequences...from paying a fine to going to jail to going to "the bad place." (Here is where you get to put your fingers on top of your head....make little horns....and kind of growl in a sinister voice "the baaaad place!")

Then there are the rules that really have no serious consequence. These rules are more self-imposed. They come from personal experience, like when you touch a hot burner you learn to not do that again. The consequence was painful, but was experienced only once. This could be a life rule.

I have a few life rules that I would like to share. Some of these are...well, ALL of these, to my way of thinking, are common sense. It is almost laughable to think that some of you do not hold to such rules. However, to enlighten some and entertain others, I will post some of my life rules...and hopefully, a bit of reasoning behind it.

Life Rule #1: If you HAVE to smell it.....it stinks! For example: If you pick up a sock off the floor and you have to smell it to see if it stinks....well, YUCK! Just wash it anyway. What is ONE SOCK! This holds true for various other objects: undies, used dishrags, lunchmeat, MILK!

Life Rule #2: Do NOT...I repeat...do NOT consume milk or other items past the date stamped on the carton or can. HELLO!!!! There is a reason there is a date on the milk. MILK GOES SOUR!!! Some see the date and, since the date has JUST passed, they believe they are in a "milk is OK" window. So what do they do? They smell it. PLEASE refer to Life Rule #1.

Life Rule #3: Always proofread your emails before you hit send. You do NOT want to sound like an idiot. Now...the word idiot...it can be debated, so let me clarify. You do not want to seem like an uneducated moron because you forgot to hit spellcheck (let me assure you, I will be hitting that very button in about 4 minutes.)

Life Rule #4: ALWAYS double check your "to" box on emails. How embarrassing if Daddy were to read a seductive page of poetry meant ONLY for your beloved. (The thought is not only embarrassing, but a bit disturbing, as well.)

Life Rule #5: Be on time. I say this to myself and for myself. You do NOT want to get into a habit of being late all the time. With 4 kids, I know that it is difficult, and it is something I battle constantly. However, being late is a bad habit. Those who are always dealing with your lateness...well, they don't find you very trustworthy...I promise.

Life Rule #6. Be a TRUE friend. Sometimes that means offering advice. Sometimes it means shutting up. Be wise....learn when to shut your mouth and offer a shoulder. I have dealt with a few issues in which a person had a mouth too big for her head. How sad....in the name of friendship and "maturity" this person has alienated some and misled others. And in my book, she is not one whom I can and will trust.

Life Rule #7: Remember God gave us TWO ears and ONE mouth...there is a reason for that. Learn which to open up and when. *hint....when one is open, the other must be closed. Again...I am preaching to myself.

Finally, Life Rule #8: Pray every day. Pray to the point that prayer, and calling out to Jesus, becomes a natural reaction to any problem, big or small.

I will be back soon to post 6 oddities about myself....YES ONLY SIX! That is all I am required to post...I don't have to list them all! I have been tagged. I will probably tag the few other bloggers I know.

God bless you into the coming new year!

Monday, December 18, 2006

What is it about....


What is it about a new year that makes people want to resolve to change? If something is so wrong in one's life, why must one wait until January 1st to do better? I never understood this. I mean, if you need to quit smoking, shouldn't you quit NOW?! Why wait 3 months, 6 months, or even a whole year to decide to quit? This, to me, is one of the most ridiculous things in life.

That being said, I find myself secretly making resolutions. I guess it is human nature to want to better oneself. Now that I have admitted defeat to a personal peeve of mine, I guess I should discuss a bit of what I want to accomplish.

Some of these will seem, I'm sure, ludicrous to some. Some of these will seem admirable....though lofty. Some will even seem run-of-the-mill. And some, will not be shared with you, the reader. (Some of you might get a glimpse into my most sacred desires.) Why won't I share everything? In part, I'm afraid I'll be laughed at for trying. But mostly, I'm afraid I'll be laughed at for failing. I don't just set some minor goal that can be accomplished and forgotten within the course of the first month. No, dear friend, these are BIG!!!!

SO...here we go:

1. I want to lose 10 pounds. Granted...I need to do this at least 4 times, but 40 pounds makes me feel fat....so I will lose 10 pounds; then lose them again, again, and again.

2. I want to write. I do that now, but I want to be a bit more serious about it. I would love to be published.

3. I want to me more of a Proverbs 31 Woman.

4. I want to organize my time better. (With 4 children in sports, music lessons, school and other activities...well....must you ask?)

5. (this one is just for me)

6. I want to learn to cook healthier for me and my husband. (Don't get me wrong...I consider myself a fairly good cook....this testified by the fact that everyone has left my dinners under their own strength and have returned to dine again.) However, resolution #1 is shared by my DH. He has asked this self-proclaimed southern cook (dip it and fry it) to PLEASE make healthier choices. SO.....

7. Be a better parent. (I'm a yeller....it is quite noisy in my house.)

8. Follow a daily schedule. I just can't seem to get everything done.....EVER!

9. Follow a tighter budget. We are OK....nobody is starving in my house (though I fail to understand how my 3 year old survives on his morning pop-tart and a few chicken nuggets a week). However, my hubby and I have some goals for the next few years...I should do my part.

10. Be a better CE Coordinator. I feel that I don't do for the teachers what I should be or could be doing. There is so much more that I could do. ***Mommy Spice...you can tell Daddy Spice that I'm NOT kissing up. HA HA! I really want to be better at my "job."

11. Be a better housekeeper. This, my friend, is where my hubby and I chuckle, but where I shed a tear inside.

OK....that is all for now. I may, or may not update you on how these things are going. These are hard for me. They are constant challenges that face me everyday. At times, I laugh it off and go play with my kids. At other times, I'm so distraught over it that I am moved to tears and literally* cannot sleep. *that one is for you, DH!

Here's to you and a Happy New Year! I pray that the Lord bring you to it and through it safely and relatively unscathed. God bless you all, as we see 2007 bring us closer to His return. LISTEN FOR THE SHOUT!!!

Monday, December 11, 2006

Home Improvements


There comes a time in every man's life when he takes on the role of a tool-man, a jack-of-all-trades, a fix-it man, a plumber, a roofer, or just plain home-improvement specialist. Being married for 15 years, I have seen many of these appointments with destiny. Being the female I am, I gladly step aside and let the testosterone toting man-of-the-house save time AND money by taking care of disasters, both minor and major.

When a problem arises, there are many variables that come into play. One such occasion brought a flood...literally. The unfortunate thing was that I was alone. Well, the kids were with me, but they didn't help. I called my dear husband. Why? Was there anything he could do from Chattanooga, Tennessee? No...but it helped to get my hysteria under control so I could think more clearly. I had to call a plumber. We had a busted pipe outside that leaked into our house. It only cost a few hundred dollars.

Because of the mildewy smell in our carpet for a few days and the mopping up of GALLONS of water, DH decided it was necessary to buy a wet/dry vac. I, ashamedly, scoffed.....until a few months later when our 3rd son managed to flood the bathroom while washing one of his Hot Wheels cars. It came in really handy.

Now, come with me, if you would, to our most recent event. I was picking up in the boys' bedroom. I went into the closet and was affronted with a smell. Not too shocking, considering how many soccer shoes we have in that closet...but this smell was different....mildewy. BLECH. Further inspection revealed my worst nightmare....a moldy baseboard. (Remember the flooded kitchen from a few paragraphs ago? Could that be the reason?)

Shortly after my horrifying discovery, my hubby came home. He immediately went to investigate the depth of our problems. He sat in the closet with kitchen scissors, flashlights, fan, latex gloves, mask and a carpet cutter. He tore off the baseboard and pulled some of the carpet. He wiped it all down with bleach. He knew that the mold went into the wall...but where from?

OK...now back up a few weeks before that. We discovered another puddle of water in the kitchen. It wasn't the flood of months before. The puddle, it was soon discovered, came from under the refrigerator. Our ice maker line had a pin-hole and water just spewed out. My fix-it man went to work straight away. After discovering that chewed up bubble gum didn't hold it (you think I'm making that up...I assure you, I'm not) he went to the hardware store and got another line. After a total of about 2 hours, we had the line fixed. I need to consider a suede toolbelt for my baby to wear for me....after hours ;)

Well, our current problem of mold came from that flood. SO, DH decided he needed to wipe down the inside of the walls. The only way to get rid of mold is to kill it. We needed to know for sure that the water came from that line a few weeks prior. SO...a hole was cut into the boys' closet. It's not big, but enough to get a flashlight in to look. DH saw no water in the walls. To the untrained wife, that is good news. To the very smart, and very hardworking tool-man, that is bad news. So the search continued. He hammered, swore a little, and finally asked me to look into the pantry (on the other side of the wall he was on) to see if he had poked through the wall.

"NO! I DON'T SEE ANYTHING!"

"ARE YOU SURE?" hammering proceeds..."CHECK NOW!"

"NOPE! WAIT...I THINK IT IS IN THE WALL BEHIND THE FRIDGE!"

"OK...GO CHECK TO SEE IF YOU SEE THE TIP OF THE SCREWDRIVER!"

This, dear reader is where the story turns sadly hilarious...or hilariously sad...depending on your outlook. I can honestly say that I have laughed my butt off numerous times over this.

After several moments of silence, I go to him and inform him that I do, indeed, see the screwdriver sticking out of the wall.....

Out of the wall......

Touching the fridge....(go ahead. open the door and check)

Into the fridge....

Through the side of the crisper drawer.

Yes, my husband hammered the screwdriver through one wall, into and THROUGH my refrigerator wall. What did my husband do then?

He got the duct tape.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

THE BIG CHILL


Being a stay-at-home-mom, or SAHM, I get to listen and watch the news more than ever. I'm kind of a news junkie, I guess. I don't get into a lot of international happenings, but I'm REALLY into weather. And I'm not the only one. I just know that the news teams across North Texas allot "x" number of hours to cover weather.

North Texas is an interesting place to talk about weather. It is said, in these parts, that if you are not happy with the weather, you only have to wait a few hours...because it WILL change. Now I know that weather changes, so people could arguably say the same about their own weather wherever they may be. But ours is CRAZY. This is a TRUE look at our weather forecast starting Tuesday, the 28th. First, it was windy, then we were to expect highs in the 80s. After that, the forecast included: rain, wind, possible tornadoes, hail, thunderstorms, freezing rain, sleet, snow, highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s.

Twenty degrees and a little precipitation is nothing for a lot of Americans. Consider, for a moment, that our Thanksgiving saw us in the high 70s. THAT IS INSANE! Winter, for us, is a few days each year in the 30s, a few days every 2 years or so of serious ice issues and a few hours, every 10 years, of any type of snow accumulation.

The fact that an "Arctic Blast" was headed for us became headline news starting on Sunday. The dropping temps and "quickly changing" forecast took at least half of every news broadcast. Tons of salt and sand mixture were loaded into dump trucks and ready to spread the instant temperatures dropped below freezing. This morning, when the front had actually brought the cold air, even Rachel Ray herself, could not penetrate the news anchors' bombardment of the dangerous and intense driving conditions.

Schools closed all over the area...except ours. We didn't close because we were just getting rain. The windchill was in the teens, but education must continue. However, at 11:30, we got a call from the school saying they would dismiss 2 1/2 hours early. WOOHOO!

I can accept the fact that we, North Texans, don't really know how to handle such weather. We don't get it often. We don't shovel our walkways EVER. We don't have an engine warmer. We don't have chains for our tires. Most of us don't even own scarves and gloves. And that is OK. What we do is completely shut down and "pity the fool" who insists on going out and acting like a bozo.

With that in mind, I have beans in a pot, fire in the fireplace, and all my kids are home. It's a great way to say goodbye to November!

Happy Holidays, Y'all!

Monday, November 20, 2006

Good Housekeeping


Quick....what was your first thought when you read the title of this entry? If I were to stumble across something entitled "Good Housekeeping," I'm sure I would plunk down in my seat and commence reading...I love hints on organization making things run smoothly. It is no secret that I adore Martha Stewart. I want to BE her. There is one MAJOR problem, though. I SUCK at housekeeping.

OK. I apologize for my somewhat harsh statement using a semi-ugly word. But, it's true. You could ask DH. He knows. He will never say. He is so good to me and is always an encouragement. The sad fact is what I know and what he knows. I do suck at housekeeping.

It's quite sad when you've given yourself enough airs to think you are good at something. Really....what, in your life, do people comment or compliment about? What is something you do that others can't seem to get a handle on? When deep down, you are laughing....ok, maybe crying..."ARE YOU KIDDING ME? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU ARE SAYING?"

I have, in the past, convinced myself that I'm a good housewife. I have 4 gorgeous boys who are relatively clean. (They don't stink...I don't think...I mean, I don't smell them.) My hubby is gone a lot. I make it to church WITH all my kids...and everyone is dressed. I cook when I'm supposed to. I LOVE to cook for others. And I'm kind of good at it. I've even done a lecture on couponing (which I'm good at when I work at it) and I have lectured on the Proverbs 31 woman and striving for an organized and well-kept home. THAT, my friends, is where the sick joke lies.

When I first told DH that I was going to lecture on the housekeeping stuff, he chuckled and asked, "Why you?" It's a fair question...though I feigned shock and contempt for his lack of enthusiasm and faith in my abilities. My talk had a literal "do as I say, not as I do" approach.

I just can't seem to get it together. I think it's the onset of adult ADD. (please note the sarcastic tone) I don't want to do housework when kids are home...I want to play. And if my dear hubby is in town, I want to hang out with him the whole time. Because of my desire for family time, the quality of the household has dwindled to an embarrassing low. We have an unmapped mountain range in our bedroom....seriously. My babysitters could attest to the fact...but we pay them good money, so hopefully, they won't.

So with this admission comes the goal of getting things in control this week. The holidays are just around the corner. I'll have company. I can't stand to spend another 10 minutes per day looking for clean undies and socks. I don't want to have to keep the doors shut and hope that the wrong person doesn't happen to open the wrong door.

I pray everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Good food, good fellowship, good fun and clean toilets.

Friday, November 10, 2006

The FTU

I have, in the past, referred to my beloved FTU. Before I go into what I want to get into...well, let's just talk about the old girl.

The FTU is an acronym for Family Transport Unit. I know it sounds a bit corny to the normal driver out there, but it is a very necessary and fitting title for, what is also known by my kids as, The Purple Van. Now Purple Van sounds a bit juvenile, doesn't it? What we needed was a much more mature title. I always knew I'd have 4 kids. I always knew I'd live in Texas. I also knew that I would NOT....let me repeat NOT drive a mini-van. I cringe even as I type the words.

February 2003 found us diligently and very purposefully looking for something larger than a Hyundai Elantra. Two carseats barely fit in the back, yet I was pregnant with my 3rd child. The search for a bigger vehicle ensued. Yes, I was gainfully employed, as was my husband. However, I defer to my man on such big decisions. He researched. He watched vehicles on the highway. He asked around. He compared prices. He pulled our credit. All of that led us to a few possibilities. The decision was made by a very wise and concerned man....he made the final decision on safety.

How excited I was to be in something bigger. Would it be an Explorer? No...we had discussed that and it would not be what we needed for the family we would eventually have. Would it be a station wagon? Do they even make those anymore? LOL...THAT, my friend, was a joke. Would it be a Suburban? Really? OOOOOH, this is getting good! Oh...my husband knows me so well and he will do anything for me. I secretly rubbed my palms together then patted my swollen belly in excited anticipation as I was about to see our new (new to us, anyway) bigger vehicle...appropriate for the soccer mom that I was called to be. It was......a purple van! A Plymouth Voyager. Hmmmmm....not exactly what I had in my head.

In my own rebellious way, I decided to dub the vehicle something else. I refuse REFUSE to drive a mini-van....I drive a FAMILY TRANSPORT UNIT! Or, FTU for short.

So this FTU has been with us for a bit over 3 years. It has been to the "van doctor" more times than we can count. But you know what? It is paid for, it runs, and it holds ALL my kids. We just have 1 major problem. THE SMELL!!!!!

Now, I will admit that it is mostly my fault. We grab fast food quite a bit. I know some dedicated moms who refuse to let their kids eat in their vehicles. WHATEVER! Are you kidding me? To listen to them beg for their chicken and fries for the 4 miles home? "BE QUIET!!!! EAT A FRENCH FRY! HAVE SOME SODA!!! JUST LET ME HEAR THIS SONG!"

I am painfully aware that my lack of housekeeping abilities has crept into FTU upkeep. I can only hope that I'm not harboring any vermin...as has been known to happen to a friend of mine. EWWWW! WAIT! That could be the ticket! Perhaps the discovery of mouse leftovers could be just the thing to convince that wonderful man of mine to get me that long awaited Suburban!

I'm really not that conniving....you know that, right? RIGHT?

Monday, November 06, 2006

The Ultimate Chopper



I admit, I find infomercials fascinating. And if I'm not careful, I could easily be tempted to succumb to their seductive claims to tone, slim, melt, seal, burn, last, or in this case, chop my way to a better, more efficient, beautiful existence.

The Ultimate Chopper is a particular favorite of mine. The host is a mustached Chef-Boy-R-D look-alike convincing Jenni Lee and an auditorium full of naive, or perhaps, intellectually dead observers with the spiel that the Ultimate Chopper REALLY CAN replace a food processor, blender and coffee grinder.....all for the low price of $39.99

Now this is a really great price. You see, the Chef showed us a line-up of department store food processors that weren't even up to the 750 watts of the Ultimate Chopper. These ranged in price from $60 - $350. WOW! Can you beat that? Not with a stick!

I found out that junior could eat fresh, pureed peaches with "no lumps, no bumps."

I learned that I could grind coffee so fine that it would taste like "liquid velvet."

And, DID YOU KNOW that you can turn the everyday, run-of-the-mill, granulated sugar into powdered sugar? I was told that any baker NEEDED this product for just such an occasion. This will save the serious baker time and trouble when he or she realizes that the supply of confectioner's sugar has been depleted.

Chef made guacamole. (He added bleu cheese and yogurt, which gave me pause.) He was able to do this in seconds while Jenni Lee gained hands-on practice making "sowl-suh." {Please note that this native Texan has serious issue with these two presentations....as any true Texan would.}

Chef "D" warned me not to blink as he chopped eggs for that perfect egg-salad.

Through "TV magic" the chef turned a handful of ingredients into a 5-star restaurant offering of the Denver omelet.

Jenni Lee, whose lips appear to have been attached upside down, REALLY enjoyed a pinkie full of homemade peanut butter. I was impressed that in a few short bursts of whirling energy, I could have nuts for cakes and desserts or have it blended smooth for a wonderfully fresh spread.

The three pieces are sturdy and guaranteed for life. In fact, they are so easy to clean that one simply has to submerge, swish and swirl in hot, sudsy water. Miraculously, the parts immerge as if new.

The testimonials regarding this remarkable product are really worth their weight in gold. One lady informed me that the machine was "quick, quiet and beautiful" as it is offered with 5 brilliant color choices to match any decor.

Another dedicated product user emphatically stated that she loved to cook, needed to cook and DOES cook. "NOTHING," said she, "compares," to the Ultimate Chopper.

Thankfully, there is so much more to this product...I can't even tell you. I will say this though; if you EVER need bits of concrete pulverised into powder, the Ultimate Chopper is the tool for you.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Halloween


Many things I have in my mind to blog about, but as we just had Halloween, I figured I'd talk about that.

First off....we let our children dress up and we go trick or treating. Now, don't you go and hit your knees, bombarding heaven in an attempt to cast out any demons. There are none. We are God-fearing. We are not in a cult. We don't participate in any evil doings...nothing like that. We are like any other normal parent out there. We take our kids from house to house for one thing and one thing only: TO CONFISCATE THEIR CHOCOLATE!!!

No....really!

We dressed the kids up....2 were Superman, 1 was a pirate and the other was asleep in the van! I drove beside the kids and the dad with the back of the van open. The kidletts walked from one lit house to the next. They trotted up yelling "Tik-or-teat" (the words of my 3 year old) and before saying "thank you" gave a Charlie Brown-like report of what they had received; complete with #2 son's statement, "I have a rock in my shoe."

We spent about 1 hour going from house to house. We had to dump the collection buckets three times, in the front seat, in order to continue collecting. We probably hit about 20 houses....it doesn't seem like a lot, but as every lot is at least 1/2 acre....well, there is some distance between each house. After about 1 hour, we made it home: happy, hyper and fighting hypothermia. It was a bit chilly.

We all gathered in a little huddle on the floor and dumped our booty to admire and sort. Being the good parents, we got rid of all Now and Laters and jawbreakers. Then we separated into semi-like bunches. Lollipops and gum are big faves...so we put those in a bag. Then we put all candies like: smarties, nerds, tootsie rolls and the like into a bag. This is the bag that, by next Saturday, will probably be forgotten and/or thrown out. Finally, we have a bag that Daddy has labeled "the meltables." These are put together to "keep them fresh." It also makes for easy acccess.

So instead of praying for forgiveness for taking our children out on "All Hallows Eve," perhaps we should pray for forgiveness for stealing their candy.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Myspace.com


OK....here's the deal. Myspace.com has become quite a force on the internet. EVERYONE uses it, it would seem...everyone except me.

Well, that's not entirely true. I went on to find another friend's blog. She is on myspace. I "peek" at her list of friends...I know a lot of people in her list...and they are all on myspace. I WANT FRIENDS IN MY SPACE...not the site, but in my little circle of friends.

So today, I go to this site and click the button to leave a message. I had to create an account. EEEEK! Did I just succumb to the status quo? Did I make a deal with the devil? Well, I don't deal with the devil, but I think I'm now in the traffic pattern of ordinary society.

What a disappointment. I always considered my self EXTRAordinary. Hmmmmm...so the dilemma is now this....do I move my blog? Do I go on myspace.com in order to gain new cyber-friends? You know...I didn't join a sorority just for that reason. I always did it my way. (Oooohhhh, flash to Bon Jovi - "Like Frankie said, 'I did it my way.' I just want to live while I'm alive. IT'S MY LIFE!" (sorry...that was TOTALLY a tangent. )

Anyway, I'm just now figuring out my blog stuff To consider moving now is a bit insane. I don't know. We'll see. I will give it a bit before I decide. I just have a hangup. And that is a whole "nother" blog....but I'll peek into it a bit.

First off, my biggest peeve in the world is when someone says "a whole nother." What is a "nother?" Grrrr. My hangup is this...there is SO MUCH to do and see on myspace.com. I don't like that. I like my little corner of the world, under my rock, with not a lot to look at and get lost in. There, I said it. I'm plain. I'm boring. And I flat don't want to move.

Myspace.com...I'll visit to see my friends, but I probably will not take up residence there.

Monday, October 23, 2006

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see!


There is a book out there titled The Pilot's Wife. It was quite popular several years ago. There was even a TV movie based on it. My best friend called one day, a few years ago, and asked if I had read it. She said that I needed to. I think that even Oprah had it on her book list or something.

I have never read the book, but I've heard enough to get the idea of what it is about...and it's awful. It is basically about this guy...a pilot...who marries two women and has two families. The two lives collide when he is killed in a plane crash and the two wives try to claim his benefits.

Being a pilot's wife, I do not read such trash, nor do I entertain the idea of all the possibilities. My hubby and I have discussed stuff like this many times. We have chosen to trust each other, be honest and guard our marriage. We both have opportunity. (But frankly, having 4 kids probably doesn't lift me too high on the "desirability" ladder. :D)

We have discussed the "what ifs" of unfaithfulness. Do you forgive? Do you separate? Well, I would kill him. I've told him that. He believes me. LOL!!!! I'm serious. He knows it. However, this is not the point of this entry.

DH and I have discussed how we view married life and how we are to participate. We know that marriage is NOT give and take. It is NOT 50-50. The person who wrote that is probably divorced. Marriage is 100-100 and it is give and give. Anyone who goes into a marriage with a different idea is headed for divorce court.

We have based our family with God as our head-of-house. We are faithful in church. Our children are involved. We pray as a family. We tithe as a family. We play as a family. We ARE a family.

DH and I have been married for 15 years. I KNOW that we will never divorce....I won't even have to kill him.

SO, be careful little eyes what you see. Be careful little eyes what you see. For the Father up above is looking down with love. So, be careful little eyes what you see.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Hobbies


Do you have a hobby? Do you actively pursue it? If you put a hobby down for a while....say about 7 years....is it still a hobby? I don't know.

I have a hobby; or I had one. It was astronomy. Please reread that...ASTRONOMY, NOT astrology. I love to study the stars. Several years ago, I was really pretty good at it, especially considering that it was just something I kind of picked up on my own.

It is truly amazing, the wonders of the sky. Anyone who sees the rings of Saturn, or the Great Red Spot on Jupiter and doesn't believe in God....well, there just isn't much to say about them.

I think I will pull out my telescope, dust it off and go star-gazing soon. Hmmm...have to find all the tools to calibrate it and such, BUT I'm sure my handsome hubby would love to step in and assist. Wouldn't you, honey? PLEASE?

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Responsibilities

My husband has told me a few times, in our life together, that if I didn't have a stressor at the moment, that I would stress over that fact. Hmmmm....what do I think about that?

It's true, I suppose. I'm so busy being busy that I don't stay busy at what NEEDS to be done. Let me rephrase that. I know you, my intelligent reader, are able to comprehend the above statement, but I feel the need to clarify what I mean.

I have a lot of responsibilities. Everything I'm involved in NEEDS to be done. It does not, however, have to be done by me. I have enough to keep me busy at home. My problem is that I take on so much outside "stuff" that I don't get my "stuff" done at home. The family joke (an all too serious joke, I must add) is that I will do ANYTHING to get out of doing laundry. It is a sad fact.

Now before you start feeling sorry for my family, we don't walk around wearing dirty undies....well, I won't get into that when it comes to my 5 year old. BUT, the laundry gets washed and dried. And that's about it. LAUNDRY IS MY NEMESIS! It has taken me many years to get here. I haven't always had this problem...well, that is a lie, I guess. I've always had a distaste for the art of laundering, but it was always manageable. Now that I have 4 monkeys and 1 full-grown ape...then there is myself, the zookeeper...well, THAT, my friend is a bunch of laundry.

But I digress. My point is this: because I involve myself so much into other duties, the household duties, such as laundry, are neglected.

I do love to be involved. I'm not guilted into doing any of these things, I just volunteer for pert near everything that is brought up. I have really started to look into this more because of MOPS.

MOPS is an acronym for Mothers of Preschoolers. (My dh wants to know when I'll actually learn to mop....laugh it up, fuzz-ball!) Anyway, we are going through the book "What Every Mom Needs." I am starting the discussion tonight. The topic is growth. The idea is that moms tend to lose themselves when they become parents. Two weeks ago, we MOPpers lost our identities...today our growth is stunted.

I have been reading and preparing for this talk and I have begun to realize that I'm not growing. The very first "barrier" the book brings up is busyness. THAT IS ME! I'm too busy. I made it a bit harder on myself last night. I was at a PTO board meeting (yes...I'm on the PTO board.) I went to talk to my kindergartener's teacher about the upcoming Thanksgiving Feast. I'm the homeroom mom. Somehow, I have found myself involved very deeply in this feast. Instead of just offering to bring paper goods, I'm now coordinating efforts, to be shared with all the other K5 homeroom parents, for the feast itself. If my dh is not home on that day, I will have to find childcare for my two cherubs that are still home, make my way to the school to help with the Indian headwear and the pilgrim collars before going to the cafeteria where about 125 VERY excited and antsy 5 and 6 year olds will be waiting to partake of turkey lunchmeat, dried fruits and other feast quality quisine.

So while that is in the back of my VERY PACKED head, I am planning my MOPS talk, planning a teacher training for Sunday School teachers and planning the next event for the teachers for PTO. I'm burning at both ends and feeling a bit soft and "melty" in the middle....HEY...CUT THE FAT JOKES!!!

The fact is...I love it. I love the adrenaline rush that I get from being on a time constraint and in the end (after MUCH belly-aching...both verbally and literally) coming out having accomplished all that I wanted in a semi-acceptable way.

So my hubby is right. He is such a smart man. If I only had house duties, I would be bored from lack of stress. Is that sad? I really don't know.

I will return in a few days having accomplished a few of this week's tasks and, I'm sure, having picked up a few more.

Blessings~

Monday, October 16, 2006

Time Flies

Why is it that time flies? Have you noticed that the older you get, the faster time goes by? Is it that we are so distracted by our lives? Or is it that time is literally going faster? Hmmmm....I have my own theories on that last question, but I'll save that one for when I have more time.

You probably don't know this, but I did NOT abandon this blog. In fact, I only posted a few days ago.....RIGHT! It was September 13, I believe. As I said, time flies.

It is said that "time flies when you are having fun." Is that what it was? Some of it was fun, that is for certain, but not all of it. Nothing bad happened....just life got in the way of my nasty computer habit.

We have had so much happen in the last month. My husband, who is a pilot, started training in a new plane. The perk to that? Well, he hasn't actually FLOWN a plane since mid- August. AND HE STILL GETS PAID! How cushy is that? He is gone quite a bit for said training and other "piloting duties," but still is home enough to help out with the big and/or unpleasant tasks of yardwork, auto care and the like.

Kids are in school. We have homework almost every night. That is no big deal....only about 30 minutes a night. But tack onto that piano practice, church study, baths and VERY NECESSARY play time...not to mention meals and stuff....well, the kids are busy, too. Is time flying for them? Do they have any concept of it going by SO QUICKLY? Is it fair to them that my life is making their lives so crazy?

I have often questioned whether or not the kids should be as involved in things as they are. When you take each child alone, it is not an unreasonable amount of outside activites....in my honest opinion, anyway. But what happens in six years when my fourth decides to be just as busy as my third....who happens to want to do everything that my second has chosen to do...which is, in fact, a carbon copy of the schedule my first follows. Can they do it all? Can I do it all? Is it fair to them? To me?

I don't know. What I DO know is that time is marching on! The drum is loud and steady. All I can do is pray to stay caught up. Time will go by, no matter what we are, or are not involved in.

Hmmmm, my third just came in and showed me that he could dress himself. So, as I sit here, involved in this habit of mine, time is marching throughout my house. I better go jump in.

Blessings.

I will be back sooner than later.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Potty training

All Aboard! We are all on board the potty train. I hate this train....but I like the destination.

I have 4 boys. Two are totally in tightie-whities and my baby is still in diapers. My third is on the train. And let's just say it took FOREVER to get the train into the station, much less loaded up and down the track.

My older two were trained by 30 months. I don't know what I did that was so special, to be honest. I got flashcards and books and sat, for what seemed liked hours, and reviewed colors, shapes, letters and numbers. It helped to pass the time, especially for my oldest. He was always content to just sit for hours, his little legs going numb. He would sit long enough to tee-tee at least twice. We never really had any poop accidents. Hmmmm, I guess that happens when one sits on the potty for hours a day. It's bound to just work out, huh?

My second trained fairly easily, as well. He didn't like to sit as long as my first. He already knew a lot of the letters and such. It was just a boring chore. But, he knew if he just got down to business then he would get his skittles and be able to go play. (Hey, don't knock bribery. Skittles, doled out a few at a time is a small price to pay in exchange for NOT buying diapers.)

Well, I must have gotten a bit over-confident. Maybe some kids are wired differently, Maybe I was lazy. Maybe he was stubborn. But, number three....OH MY GOSH!!!!! I really began to worry about kindergarten and pull-ups.

He was not interested. He would rather sit in poop than on a potty. He would tell me, flat out, "No potty, Momma. DIAPER!" Hello?! I would go change his little brother and he would come with a diaper for himself. He would take off his pull-up and lie down. If he was poopy, he would go ahead and lift his legs for me. He is such a considerate child.

Monday, I finally got tired of it all. I was able to adjust my attitude to get him on the potty. We had a boot-camp of sorts. I set the timer for every 20 minutes. I had pulled out dozens of little undies. I had two different potty seats, books, candy....I was armed and ready for the battle.

The little stinker....he went through 3 pair on Monday, 3 pair yesterday and is on his 2nd pair today. I don't know if it's because he is ready, or if it's all me. Whatever the case. It is finally happening. I will have this kid out of diapers SOON!!!!!

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Kid Hell

Kid Hell. This is the title of a recent entry on a blog that I read. And I'll be glad to link you to it...as soon as I figure out how to do so. LOL!

Let's try this: http://myblessedhome.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_myblessedhome_archive.html

In this article, the author is not a fan of nursery, children's Sunday school, children's church or any such programs.

NOW...don't get your britches in a bunch! I was a bit...well, I have no good adjective. I wasn't angry, I wasn't confused...I guess I was intrigued.

I am the CE coordinator for our church. It is quite large. We run about 125 kids in our Sunday school in classes kinder - 6th grade. And THAT'S SUMMER. It will go up next week. My job is to call the teachers that show up every Sunday to see if they need supplies, prayers, whatever. I also have trainings in which we discuss classroom management, as well as "fun" things to do beside read the scripted lesson and pass out the assigned color page.

I was intrigued by the article and it was a GOOD THING! It was good because it helped me to see the way some parents may view the Christian Education program. I want my kids to be safe, well cared for and feel the love of Jesus Christ. This article has given me some WONDERFUL ideas of things that I can do to help the children AND their parents learn the Bible.

So, if you read the article and you are miffed at all...please don't be. It is well-written and brings up wonderful points. Instead, please channel your energies into prayer for me that I might continue to grow in my position and help the teachers AND students achieve all they should.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

CRASH~

Has your computer ever crashed? It is a PAIN IN THE BUTT! Or a PITB in computer lingo.

Last Monday night, my computer crashed. I'm not going to get into the technology of it all. Frankly, I have NO IDEA what happened. What I DO know is that I could not get the computer turned on...much less online.

We took the computer to the Geek Squad on Tuesday. They called on Wednesday to say the the computer had to be totally restored. They ran a backup (I haven't checked yet to see what, if anything, was saved.) and restored the darn thing. I picked it up on Friday.

Now, in my defense, I'm not a computer guru, nerd, expert or any other adjective that would lead one to believe I know a thing about these "new-fangled gadgets." What I do know is that the green wire gets plugged into the green hole and so on.

I did all this on Friday, all the while talking to my hubby on the phone....he was in New Jersey or some "NEW" state. I did everything he said to do...I even ad-libbed a bit...to no avail. Just today am I FINALLY able to get on.

So here's the clincher....I don't really NEED my computer. The sad part is is that I felt like I was going to fall over with a coronary the entire time I couldn't get online. I don't spend hour upon hour on the internet...I really don't. No...really, I don't. BUT, I do have my "peeps" that I feel I have to keep in touch with. Do I have their numbers listed somewhere? SURE I DO!!!! What kind of bozo do you think I am? It just so happens that it is safely tucked into a file ON THE COMPUTER!

I was completely paralyzed, socially. Sure, I talked to my local friends, but so many who are "out there," (no pun intended) didn't know where I was. Ha...sadly, they probably didn't care.

So, if you missed me...please let me know. I need to feel the love. I missed all of you.

Blessings.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

The Follow Through

There are several things that I can think of where the words "follow through" are considered to be a very important part of the process. I know in golf, you have to follow through on the swing. Granted, I haven't a clue as to what that looks like, but I HAVE heard it. In tennis, you follow through. If you stop short on your swing, the ball doesn't go where you aimed.

Well, parenting is no different and I became painfully aware of that today. I had to go to Walmart for some stuff and the 4 boys were a bit of a handful. The baby did OK...he's only 1. He didn't scream. He just sat facing the back (or front rather) of the basket. My 2nd son did OK for the most part. He certainly kept reminding me of that fact, as well. No, the problem came mostly with sons #1 and #3. My 3rd son LOVES to push the basket. Being only 3, his strength and aim are serious issues. Since he can't see where he is pushing, he ends up going as fast as his little legs will go. This leaves the baby, clinging to the basket seat, white-knuckled as he knows, instinctively, that the groceries should NOT be a blur. It then leaves me out of breath and out of patience as I remind myself to "Punish in private. Praise in public." *I never liked that...not once does it tell a parent when to beat the snot out of them.

OH GO ON! I DON'T BEAT MY KIDS! (regularly)

Anyway, my oldest son has to have things just so....and that means he pushes....period. He does it right, he's the oldest, he is, after all, in 2nd grade and with that comes all rights and responsibilities to push the basket. Normally this isn't a problem for me...except that #3 screams "My turn.....MY TURN!"

As I was saying, we were in Walmart and had sufficiently distracted son #3 with Cars fruit snacks. (I never said I was above bribery.) Well, at the end of the shopping session, #3 realized he had yet to push. Seeing as how fruit snacks were finished, he decided to go push. No problem, we are about to check out.....except for one thing....son #1. Forget the fact that he had been pushing for the past 40 minutes. Nope...it was STILL his turn, he's the oldest, he's in 2nd grade....yada, yada, yada....you get my drift.

SOOOOO, the normal muttered threats and lovingly hiss of "You are going to get a spanking when you get home if you don't let him push right now. Do you understand me? I said to let go of the basket. You have already pushed. Hey, do you want to help me get some hotdog buns? Yes I KNOW you were here first, but we are almost done......I'll get you some candy. Do you want some candy? I can't believe you are being this ugly to your brother. He is just a baby. LET GO!!!!!" as I pry his fingers off the basket.

We make it out to the FTU in rather good spirits, considering the fiasco of 5 minutes prior. On the way home, #1 starts to hit, kick, punch, scratch and talk ugly to son #2. I told him he would get a time-out. Well, long story short and a lot of disobedience later, I told him he would go to bed for the day if he didn't cut it out. Not for one moment did I think he would continue. I mean, the word of his mother is good, right? WRONG!

So now he sits in my bed for, going on, 8 1/2 hours. It is now bedtime. He has tried everything to get up, including telling me that he can only sleep if there is a movie in front of him.

Do I regret the decision? Yes and no. I hate that it had to get to that point. But, what I'm hoping is that now he will understand that I can, and will, put him in bed all day....that his behavior was, and is, unacceptable.

I hope you have never had to get to that point. But, if you promised it, even in anger, realize that you MUST follow through.

Blessings

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Aggravation

I'm aggravated today! What aggravates me even more is that I can't tell you why I'm aggravated. Suffice it to say, keep your tongues hinged down! Gossip affects more people than the subject.

OK...onto different things. It has been so hot. But today, we finally had a "cold front" move through. It is only supposed to get up to 95 today. Aren't we lucky?

I bought school supplies yesterday. Almost all of them. I still have to get a clear backpack (on rollers), some long manilla paper and some long construction paper. Other than that, I need nothing else. We start on August 9th. That gives me 2 1/2 weeks to get the rest of the supplies.

I've decided that by the time all 4 get into school I'll either have to be back at work or I'll have to homeschool. It was EXPENSIVE! I figure each boy averaged about $350 for uniforms, shoes and supplies. Hmmmm...that means that by the time prices go up and all 4 boys are in school, the grand total should be, roughly, $1800. YIKES! And that is for a charter school. I can't imagine if we paid for tuition as well.

My 2nd son is SO excited. He'll be starting kindergarten this year. He had to look at all his supplies. A box of crayons seemed VERY different and much more exciting to him than normal. He got a new beach towel. The kiddos use them as blankets during their rest time. He had to sleep with it last night to "practice." HA! He also wants me to serve lunch in his Superman lunchbox so he can practice with that. I think I'll take the boys on a picnic in the next few days and do just that. I'm so glad that they are excited. I have mixed emotions. Two of my babies will be away from me...that makes me sad. BUT, I'll be down to only 2 kids to run around with me. Ahhh, the possibilities.

I hope the start of school is pleasant for all of you. I hope you get involved in the classroom. It makes a huge difference in the performance of your child. I say that as a parent and as a teacher. The students of mine, whose parents were in touch with me, performed much better in the classroom...as a general rule.

God bless all of you at this exciting time of year.

Monday, July 17, 2006

The News

Usually, my blog entries are about the runnings of our house and family. It's usually a good read...if I do say so myself. Today, however, I just want to talk about a few things in the news.

First off, congratulations to the NASA crew. They returned from their work in space this morning. After the 1986 disaster, and the 2003 disaster, lift-offs and re-entry can no longer be looked at the same. Space travel has never been ordinary...though many have thought so. I just thank God that everyone arrived back to Earth safe and sound.

The heat....YES it is HOT! I do feel sorry for those who are not used to this kind of heat. If you are in the Dakota's or up around there, you are not used to this. You probably don't have the means to deal with heat like this. I feel for you all and pray that everyone stays safe and INDOORS. For those in south-central US...quit your belly-aching! It is SUMMER! We get HOT! I hate that it is on the news. News people are never happy about the weather. Have you ever listened to them? Let me give you an example of one of the things that irks me most:
(keep in mind that we are in the middle of a drought...a SEVERE drought.)

"Bob, can you tell us when we will have a break from the dry weather?"
"Yes, Lisa. When we come back, I will tell you when, in the next 5 days, we can expect rain."

A week goes by...we get MAYBE an inch.

"Bob, we weren't able to have our barbecue this past weekend. Can you tell us when the rain will finally end?"

HELLO!?!?! We need TWO FEET of rain just to get us up to normal. Our lakes are ten feet below.....there are many docks that are DRY! Stop asking for the rain to stop. We should be hosting rain dances everyday!

OK...enough about that.

The big news is Israel. Many of you who read this know how I feel and you agree. Thank God. Some of you don't know, understand or agree. If not, you need to get your house in order. The end is near. The end of what? The end of life as you know it. You may not be a Bible reader/believer, but no doubt, you have heard of Armageddon, the Anti-Christ, the 2nd Coming. Well, things in the middle east are setting up for all of that. Granted, we still do not know the time. We won't ever know until it happens. BUT, what we do know is that we are getting really close to meeting our Heavenly Father. If you are not a born-again Christian (or you are not sure) PLEASE become right with the Lord. You don't want to be forever lost. Please read the following:

Spiritual truth #1 - No one is good. All are sinners

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God -Romans 3:23

Spiritual Truth #2 - The payment for sin is death. If you sin, you have been sentenced to the death penalty, and an eternity away from God.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. -Romans 6:23

Spiritual truth #3 - Jesus paid the death penalty for us.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. -John 3:16-17

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. -John 14:6

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. -John 10:10

Spiritual truth #4 - To accept the free gift of salvation, you must accept Jesus as your Lord and saviour.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. -2 Corinthians5:17

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. -Romans 10:9-11

The above scripture says you need to do three things:

Confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth
Believe in your heart
Don't be ashamed

If you are want to be saved and born again, and you are ready to become a new creature in Christ, then pray the following prayer. You can do this right now...right where you are. God will hear you:

Dear Lord, Thank You so much for sending Your Son to pay for my sins, by dying in my place. I accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and I believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead. Thank You for Your free gift of salvation, I gladly accept it. Amen

If you did this, please let me know in the comment section. I will pray for you.

I will be back in a few days with more of our normal antics.

Blessings.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Bath time

For the first time in a long time....OK....for the first time EVER, we had a relatively peaceful bath time in our house. Granted, I only bathed 2 of the 4, but it went off well.

Usually bath time is nothing short of chaos that ends in puddles, wet clothes (mine), scoldings, yelling, crying, and exhaustion. Honestly, I would much rather have dirty kids than to go through what I usually go through.

My oldest child is old enough to shower by himself. That helps; just a little. He showers, washes his own hair, soaps up and rinses. BUT, he also stops the drain and when the water is mid-calf deep, he turns off the water to practice making tidal waves. There is usually about an inch of water on the floor. The only reason I don't get on to him to harshly is I can remember doing the same thing...and LOVING it!

My 5 year old isn't quite ready to go solo yet. He's too scared to get anything above the neck wet. It is a pain in the rump. EVERY bath time with him leads to tears. We've done cups, rags, hand, water spout cans, the little hat, towel over the eyes, looking up....you name it, we've tried it. The child always jumps up and starts to scream and stomp around. Well, that just makes me mad and since I want to get over it as soon as possible, I usually just douse him. Kind of an ugly thing to do, I know, but it's less painful in the end for me.

As you may have already guessed, these older 2 boys were not involved in the cleaning ritual. Actually, bath time was only going to be for my baby. He wasn't really that dirty, but a bottom IS a bottom and needs a certain amount of help in freshness. No sooner did I start running the water than my 3 year old came running in, stripping as he came. He was yelling "take a baff, mommom." Before I could prepare myself, he was in the water. So...2 boys in the tub. My 3 year old decided to bathe my 1 year old. The baby had cups of water poured over him several times and never made a sound.

In the end, it was helpful. When I got to where I was ready to clean them up, I realized that soap had been involved. All I had to do was rinse the baby. My 3 year old cleans up pretty easily. I got the water drained and both boys out before too much water was in the floor. And the bonus was that since I was cleaning the bathroom anyway, I just used a towel to use any water to wipe down my floor and baseboards.

Ooooooh, look at me multi-tasking!

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

The 4th of July

I love the 4th of July. Not only is the patriotism very important to me, but I just love all the happiness and good cheer that seems to be in the air. I also really like it because to me, it is a sign that fall is approaching...which leads to my favorite time of the year: Halloween through January 2nd.

My boys, the 2 older ones anyway, are finally to the point where they remember the year before and therefore have a TON of excitement for what is happening. When we mentioned the 4th of July, they both immediately asked about fireworks. We have been in such a drought that we weren't sure if we would be able to do anything, so we played it pretty low.

We finally decided, on Sunday the 2nd, that we would buy some of the smaller things that are kid friendly. DH sat outside with our 3 year old and 1 year old. I went in with the other 2. OH MY GOSH! They were both talking a mile a minute. They were SO excited that it was painful. My oldest actually started to walk through the little fence area to separate patrons from the fireworks.

We spent a whole $30....well, $30.52 to be exact. We got small stuff: snaps, snakes, roman candles, roses, satellites, sparklers and a fountain. We also got a "climbing panda." UGH! I HOPE you didn't waste your money on that worthless little critter.

Anyway, after a much needed thunderstorm, we went outside to pop and shoot and light our stuff. We had their attention for about 30 minutes. Soon, my dh and I ended up sitting at the edge of our drive watching the more expensive lights while the others played.

What a wonderful 4th!

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Saturday mornings

I'm a stay at home mom. You would think that everyday kind of runs into the other. It doesn't. To me, Saturday is THE most stressful day of my week. Weird, huh?

I can't explain it. I think it's because we have church the next day. I love church, don't get me wrong. But, having to get all 5 or 6 of us spit-n-shined and out the door on time is a tremendous undertaking. I haven't been able to figure out why, nor have I been able to make it any easier.

We start off our Saturdays with morning cartoons. Is it weird that I enjoy this time? I think every parent does. But, I actually like to sit and watch with the kids. I either snooze or, if Backyardigans is on, actually watch. When the kidlets get antsy, it is usually time for lunch....which is the most stressful time of the day. I prepare whatever is to be eaten and get that taken care of. That is usually when I clean the kitchen.

Between playing outside, running errands, and supper, there really isn't a lot of time before bath time. UGH! Now I usually stagger the times between the 4, but on Saturday night, everyone gets bathed. So, that takes about an hour and a mop job and a load of towels. By the time we get everyone out, dried, lotioned, teeth brushed and in bed, it is time for the grown-ups to prepare for the morning.

It's pretty easy, for the most part. Just find 4 kid outfits and 2 adult outfits.....easy if the laundry is done. Most of you know my issue with laundry...we won't delve into it. SO, once clothes are picked out, I clean the kitchen one last time then finally settle into bed.

Doesn't sound bad, does it? You would think that Saturdays would be a bit more laid back. Oh well.....that's what you get for thinkin'.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels have taken over my home! Really! I've never counted all that we have. Even I, as a math teacher, would have trouble keeping up with the numbers.

You think I'm joking. I sense the laughter behind your eyes. But, there are a few of you who are NOT laughing....my parents and my husband. You KNOW how my kids LOVE Hot Wheels. Now...I'm not talking a few cars and one little track. No, I'm talking HUNDREDS of cars. My kids have even gone to the extreme of reading the bottom to see if they are true Hot Wheels. Most are...otherwise they are not worth a sniff.

Back to my story: we have cars, trucks, tracks, carries, bigger carriers, games and movies. Did you know that they have Hot Wheels movies? They have at least 3 of them. I would love to be able to loan them to you, but to do so would cause some rift in the cosmos.

Anyway, those of you who are just getting into Hot Wheels need to know a few things. First of all, the cheap tracks are just that, cheap. I have thrown out several tracks...some small and some very large. (Don't worry, Grammy and Gramps, we still have the gorilla track.) Secondly, you need a minor in engineering to be able to put these tracks together according to specified instructions. But a good thing about them is that you can fiddle with it long enough to connect and make the necessary loops and turns.

Investing in Hot Wheels can be expensive. Who knew that these cute little 97 cent toys could become such a "hot" thing around the house. It is good to know a bit about these. To step on one is Painful with a capital "P." It will make a grown man cry to step on a "wagon-car" during a barefoot, midnight run to the little-boys' room. Where a "cheaper" car, not worthy of the Hot Wheels name, would just break under the healthy weight of an adult, the Hot Wheels car will simply pull said adult to his or her knees with tears....both the adult's and the child's as he runs across screaming, "MY CAR!"

The next lesson that must be learned is the lingo. This is far more difficult to learn. My children are fluent in the terms, and my hubby (who is quite versed in BS) is also good....much to my chagrin and to my children's delight. The common child, sadly, is not so well-versed. My children still do not understand why friends, theirs and ours, do not know what Nitrox 1, 2, or 3 is. Even worse is the fact that my hubby has defined Nitrox 4-12....wow. These terms are even unknown to the Hot Wheels "people."

Now all I have to do is convince my kids that cars aren't meant to be driven the way they are in the movies. They need to learn that Nitrox doesn't really exist....or does it?

Monday, June 26, 2006

Swimming lessons

It amazes me that there are adults out there who don't know how to swim. While growing up, I took swimming lessons. Not just one year, but I took several years...up to the point of diving and water safety and such.

My parents were never worried for me to go with friends to the pool. I don't remember a lot of adults hovering over their kids. They sat in the bleachers, behind a fence at the end of one of the 3 pools. Now, there was the baby pool - that's where some parents were. But, kids 5 and up? Nah.

Anyway, I have all 4 of my boys in lessons. We are all in the pool at the same time, but in different groups. I do lessons with my baby, who just turned 1 a few weeks ago. He loves the water. I have such fond memories of being in the water...almost ALL the time (lakes, rivers, pools). I want my boys to have the same memories. I want to be fear-free because they learned appropriate behavior around pools.

As I was bouncing my baby in the water and going deeper (a whole 4 feet....my 7 year old can touch at that depth) 2 of the adults, with fear in their faces, stated that they couldn't swim. Now when I say fear, I mean the deer in the headlights look. You know, wide-eyed, color drained from their faces and their voices quivering. When the water got over our hips, they started to wimper that they didn't swim. What? Can't you even dog-paddle? Hmmmmm.....

I don't even know what to say to that?

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Going Bald

Well, I'm not REALLY going bald. I mean, I'm pulling my hair out. My children are a bit crazy today.

There are a few reasons, but the biggest has to do with their father. He is a pilot. He flew out this morning. He was gone before we even woke up. It seems that his first day out is a really bad day in the house. I don't know why as our schedule doesn't change otherwise.

As we speak (at 11:37 a.m.) my kids have all been put into time-out. They have received swats for various offenses. They have gotten into fights with each other, yelled at me because they can't be heard over a fight going on AND spilled milk. *sigh* I haven't even had a shower yet.

Thank you, God, for blessing me with 4 very normal, healthy little boys.

Until later.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Am I Crazy?

OK. I have a problem. Not a problem that one would go to an advisor for some counsel. But, a true problem that I don't know how to fix. I can't even pinpoint the problem. I'll just explain it. Maybe there is some sage wisdom out there for me.

So here goes....I'm walking through Walmart today doing a bit of shopping. If you remember, we were having company tonight. I (we) fixed a GOOD dinner: barbecue chicken, broccoli and rice casserole, grilled squash and zucchini, cucumber and tomato salad with fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and garlic TX toast. YUMMY! We had key lime pie and chocolate silk pie for dessert. I digress.....I'm walking through Walmart getting groceries for the aforementioned meal. We (my hubby and I) are in a bit of a hurry. We had been to workout at the Y, gone to the library and other errands. We knew that we needed to get the shopping done and get home. My dh needed to mow part of the yard and he needed at least an hour. Our house was a disaster (still is, but not in "company areas") and I needed to prepare meal things on top of it all.

SO, what do I find myself doing? LOOKING FOR A BOOK ON QUILTING!!!! HELLOOOOO!!! I don't quilt. I only OWN quilts. I don't know how to piece together anything, much less stitch it, stuff it and quilt it! But, NO, I was determined that I wanted to learn how to quilt, and by golly, I needed to do it TODAY!

The good thing was that I couldn't locate a "how-to" book. I know they are out there, I just couldn't find it. So, as I go across the store to the grocery section, I wander through the appliances area just in case they have a sewing machine. I'd like to make curtains and pillow shams and such, but....You guessed it...I DON'T SEW!!!!

UGH! See?????? I have a serious problem! I have about 25 loads of laundry to do something with. (That is sadly not an exaggeration.) I have floors to mop, diapers to change, babies to bath, kids to read to, children to sing with, meals to prepare, swimming lessons to attend, books to read.....So many things. Now I want to sew and quilt? Oh my gosh....I'm losing it!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Me Time

Do you claim enough "me time" in your life? Sometimes I think I get too more than I deserve. Other times, I feel that I need a lot more. It's hard, especially for women, I think.

Doing this thing here (the blog) is one form of "me time" that I'm trying to incorporate daily. I do get on the computer every day....except when I'm on vacation, obviously. I check a few blogs, and then a few message boards, then I do my own blog. It helps for me to write out my thoughts...I feel more "in control."

The problem I have is with time. Any mother knows that seldom is her time her own. I can't even sit and have a casual lunch because I have to make chocolate milk, juice cups, actual lunches, get the baby going on lunch, go mop up spilled chocolate milk, refill a juice cup, take care of the baby's "uh-oh" and so on. I find that I'm getting more and more stressed at meal time. I would love for the family to sit around the table and enjoy each other...but that is so hard, and so far from reality in my house.

Don't get me wrong. I'm certainly not making excuses. I know that in order for it to happen, I have to make it so. With that being said, I've determined that my "me time" is for getting my house in order. I don't mean cleaning or laundry; though that certainly always needs to be done. I mean that I will sit and work on projects, map out thoughts, coupons...whatever to make my daily life run more smoothly.

If you have read my profile, I have stated something to the fact that I'm trying to be more like the Virtuous Woman. Please don't laugh...I'm dead serious. Those of you who don't know to whom I'm referring, please read Proverbs 31. It is a wonderful "advice column." A talk between a mother and a son. The mother is instructing her son on the type of woman he should marry. She (the woman, not the mom) is so fascinating...so hard to attain, in my mind. But, that is my goal.

With that being said, I'm currently working on a household notebook. I'm one of those analytical people who likes to have everything in black and white. It makes me feel a bit more in control. So, my goal for this week (and very possibly the rest of June) is to sit each evening for an hour and gain control of my schedule. Kids thrive on schedules. They should be on one, but I'm so disorganized that I'm having issues with it.

I don't like to waste time. And it's easy for me to consider the "me time" a waste of time. But I feel that if I spend this time, by myself, but for my family, I will finally be able to look around and feel, somewhat, that I have things a bit more together.

Blessings.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Honey, I'm Home!

Well, we FINALLY made it back home. That was the longest 6 hours of our entire travels. I've so enjoyed our vacation, but I'm SO glad that it is over. Now the work begins again and we have to try to get back to normal.

The first thing we did, upon arrival, was run by the store for some supplies. I have a lot to get still, but we had NOTHING to eat and we are so tired of eating out. That "junked out" feeling is really old. I made "hobo-packs" and a batch of brownies....I know that is a bit "junkie" but we have to have dessert, right? :D

We got home to a hot house (2 1/2 weeks without A/C), but everything was in order. My 2nd son and I went out to check our garden. I picked a lot of cherry tomatoes, some zucchini, okra and beans. Speaking of zucchini, does ANYONE know how to get rid of squash bugs? BLECH! They are all over one of my plants. If you have any advice, please respond in the comment section. By the way, I'm totally organic, so no chemicals, please.

I fixed our dinner then started going through the mail...not really reading, but tossing the junk and separating into piles: my piles of coupons and magazines and DH's pile of everything else. We had a bunch, that's for sure.

Bedtime is the battle at the moment. I know...not for me, as I'm "blogging", but my DH has been putting everyone down and I've been offering my support by yelling "lie down, now." LOL!

It is 9:30 and we have to go to bed. We are so stinkin' tired. I think I will lie down with a pad of paper and a pen. I need to make a few lists of things to do. Yes, laundry will be on the list, I'm sure. It's perpetually on my list!

I'm hoping that within the next week or 2 I can kind of tweak this stuff. I would like to share a few of the places that I try to visit each day, as well as incorporate some ideas from other sites. If anyone is really good at this and can kind of guide me, PLEASE let me know. There is one site that has a Q and A time. Kind of neat...though I wonder if anyone would actually have any "Q's" for me.

Well, it's 9:34 now and I need to move my rump! Until tomorrow.

Monday, June 19, 2006

T Minus 16 hours and counting.....

....until we are home. I'm so ready. But before I say what I want to say, I need to get one issue out of the way.

I was rereading last night's entry.... YES, I KNOW that that there are a few errors. So hard for a teacher (who has a specialization in Language Arts) to admit....so PLEASE don't feel the need to correct me. Keep in mind that my brain is still on California time AND I haven't had a decent night's sleep since June 1st.

OK...now that I have that out of the way....in answer to some of the comments to yesterday's entry, YES, Ms. SK...you KNOW you are one I'm speaking of. Love you BUNCHES!

So, tomorrow at about 9:00 CST, we will load the FTU and start heading back to North Texas. I'm SOOOO ready, but am feeling that anxious feeling in my chest of all the things that I need to do. Sadly, I kind of thrive on that feeling. Hmmmm, I need to change things, don't I? Laundry, which is the BANE of my existence, will forever loom before me. I just have a ton for EVERY person to catch up on. YUCK! It is crazy the laundry that I have to do CONSTANTLY, but hey...clean undies are very important to my family :D

Wednesday, my dh and I will be meeting with our children's pastor....meaning the pastor over the children's department. We (my dh and I) are the CE coordinators for our church and we have been gone for 3 Sundays. I have a lot to do for that. I need teachers, subs and ideas for our kids, which number just under 200.

Thursday, we'll meet with some very dear friends of ours. We haven't met with them in MONTHS. The great thing about the meeting, besides good fellowship, is the pressure to have a clean house. I have decided that I need company at least once a week in order to kind of hold my feet to the fire, you know?

Friday...oh my, could it be that I have nothing? Surely something is escaping me. I KNOW that I have something to do. Maybe it's just all the stuff that I have to do....like laundry.

I have a lot of piddly things, like laundry, that I'll have to do to prepare for the weekend. I need to call all the Sunday school teachers to make sure that they don't need any supplies. Also, my oldest son turns 7 on Sunday. My parents are coming out to church then to lunch. We'll have a birthday party for DS #1 and for DS #4, who turned 1 on the 7th.

With all that being said, I'm suddenly very tired, and VERY aware of the need to go to bed TODAY so that I may get up TOMORROW to start all of this stuff.

Those of you who DO read...thank you for sharing in my thoughts. This is somewhat therapeutic, so those of you who don't write or journal, should try it out.

God bless.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

All good things must come to an end.

We are finally on the last leg of our vacation. Thank goodness. Don't get me wrong...it has been good. But, OH so long.

My last entry found us in birthday cupcakes and repair garages. It was a bit uneventful from then on out....relatively, anyway.

Thursday, my DH and his dad drove BACK to Yuma to pick up an improved van. They got back and we went to the San Diego Zoo...well, not THE zoo, but a part of the zoo that is kind of a wildlife refuge. It was good because there was a train around most of the park. It took a bit to get back into the swing of things because of all the money and time spent on the FTU.

One of the highlights of the trip was my going out to NC to meet some friends in real life. There is a wonderful group of ladies whom I've been chatting with, and getting to know, on-line since September of 2002. We FINALLY got to the point where we could meet. Sadly, the entire group could not join us....pregnancies, distance and family sickness were some of the obstacles. But there were 6 of us who met for the first time. It was a bit surreal, to say the least. No....nobody was weird...well, maybe a little, but no worse than my own personal weirdness. Anyway, the first fear was dashed when I saw that these ladies were normal. My dh has been teasing me that these ladies were really old men in "wife-beater" t-shirts trying to lure me into their lair of filth and deception. Well, 3 years is a bit long to try to trick me, so I felt comfortable meeting them. It was a LOT of fun. I really liked everyone....2 of the people I thought I'd kind of clash with were such blessings to meet. I feel such a bond with these ladies, now. Love you all, April 2003 Mommies.

The day after I flew BACK to LAX from Charlotte, we went to Legoland. Totally neat. It's no Disneyland, but seeing as how are kids are 6 and under, this other park was perfect. It was a lot of fun. The day after that, we started our trek back east via Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Borger and Odessa.

We drove up to the Grand Canyon. The boys couldn't give a rat's rump for the canyon. I was overwhelmed with it's beauty, but my dh and I couldn't share it at the same time because we had to keep the kids in the FTU. (they scared us too much with their lack of understanding of physics and depth perception.)

So, let's see...we saw the crater in Odessa, TX (did y'all know there was a meteor crater there?) We saw the Grand Canyon then the Meteor Crater in AZ. A bunch of holes. LOL! The Meteor Crater was SO neat...in fact, I would put it at number 2 on my list of highlights for my trip. (I know...I'm weird)

At this point in time, I'm sitting in Odessa, TX trying to get this entry done (the computer is not cooperating, so I'm cutting this short....HOPEFULLY to be back tomorrow or Tuesday). We will go see my grandparents tomorrow and start the 300 mile drive back to North Texas. (I say 300 miles.....you, the normal driver is thinking, "hmmm...300 miles...at roughly 70 mph, they should be home in approximately 4 1/2 hours. BUT, dear reader, let me remind you that I have 4 kids, ages 6, 5, 3 and 1 PLUS a rider (me) who needs a Dr Pepper every 100 miles or so, thus calling for pit-stops.....it'll take us 9 hours EASY!)

I hope to be back in the next day or 2. When I'm more refreshed, I hope to be more interesting. I'm sure my next few entries will talk about all the stuff that I have to do to catch up with my life. Oh boy...are YOU in for a treat.

See you in a day or two.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Does ANYONE miss me?

OK....since I have no idea of the readership of this blog, I assume that the only person who noticed my absence was myself. Kind of sad. I feel like I'm talking to space, but some times, there is a "point of light" that makes a comment. I love those.

Friday, we left for vacation. We will be gone for about 18 days. Kind of hard to leave for that long. We are currently in southern California. The trip has not been without it's issues. (all of our vacations have had one snafu or another....We have a precedent to uphold.)

Our first overnight on the road found us in west Texas...home of Taco Villa. Despite the fact that we had already eaten, and despite the fact that we weren't hungry, we decided that just one burrito (each) was warranted. YUM YUM!

We had a great time in NM with my best friend, Miss K. (love ya, girl! miss you already.) Then we headed to Yuma, AZ. HOT! OMG! Of course, it IS a dry heat, but sometimes it doesn't matter...it's just plain hot. It was so hot that the hot tub was the same as the ambient temp. BLECH! BUT, kids were happy, swimming was great, the pizza....eh....so-so, but with happiness in our steps, we went to our FTU (family-transport unit...a.k.a. "purple van") and went for some ice cream. We drove 1/2 block before we realized we had big troubles. Our transmission is SHOT. So...we had to leave said FTU in AZ, rent another FTU and spend $3000 for a new transmission. GULP! Hope you kids didn't want any souvenirs.

BUT, with all that said, we are so VERY thankful to God for his obvious hand on us and our adventure! A big difference 10 miles or 10 minutes would have made. If you have never been that FAR OUT (west, I mean) you need to understand that there is a stretch of highway for around 75 miles of NOTHING! Even the dust devils are trying to escape. We could have been one of the countless vehicles stranded on the side of the road in 100+ degree heat with 4 kids.

Speaking of kids...my baby turned 1 today. I'm beside myself! How in the world can this baby be 1? We did the obligatory chocolate cupcake with thick frosting. (thanks, mom-in-law)...and he would have NOTHING to do with it. The only mess he made was on his leg by crawling to his father as he tried to get the camera.

In my hometown, it is now tomorrow. I guess that is my cue to leave. I will try to be back in a few days. It will probably be Tuesday. Tomorrow will find us at the zoo. (granted...we live IN a zoo, but I mean the kind with animals....real ones.) On Friday, I'm flying out to the east coast to meet (IRL) some great gals! Pray for all of us as we will be traveling from various states. Not only do we want safety, but we would like to like each other in person. LOL.

Finally...if you are the praying type, please pray for some friends of mine. I can't reveal names, but I have 3 dear friends who are struggling with various "mother" type things.
To misses B, E, and L, you know who you are, I'm praying for you! I love you!

I shall return soon.