She's a Mommy's Girl

It has been a crazy month and I have been a slacker here on my blog. As we gear up for a new year, I thought I'd sneak in what may be my final post for 2008 and give you an update on our new furry family member, Nola.

Nola has been here nearly two months now and is settling in quite nicely. She is playful and SO lovable! She loves to snuggle right up next to you and she is incredibly soft. The kids LOVE her and she loves them too. However, she seems to be my sidekick for now, as she follows me absolutely everywhere I go. I cannot leave the room without her underfoot, which is sweet, but also kind of annoying sometimes. I'm sure she's going to make me fall down the stairs or trip and fall on my face one of these days. Matt also said she cries for me when I leave the house sometimes. How sweet and sad is that? As much as I still miss Apollo, it is really nice to have another furbaby who is so very sweet and loving.

This photo is Nola on Christmas (can you see her stocking in the background???) She was very tuckered out at this point along with the rest of us! How was your Christmas? Ours was low key and relaxing and wonderful. We are usually traveling for Christmas and we finally got a chance to stay home this year. I have to say -- I LOVED it! I loved that my kids were able to wake up in their own beds and have Santa come to our house. I loved that they had the whole day to enjoy their new presents. I loved that we went to our own church on Christmas Eve. I loved that we were together and healthy and celebrating the holiday without too much chaos. It was really nice.

I think I will spend today packing up the Christmas tree and decorations. I usually like to leave them out until the New Year, but I am just itching to get my house back in order. It feels so cluttered at this point and it's making me a little crazy. I think it will help get the New Year off to a good start if I can get things pretty much in order before the 1st.

Alright -- I hope I have not bored you to tears with today's highly unexciting post. I tried to visit some of your blogs last week and will continue to try and sneak in some blog time this week. I miss all my blog visits!

Have a great week!

A Birthday Girl

Yesterday, my girl Rachel turned seven. I don't know how -- but she did. She had a half day of school then I took her and two of her best friends from school to Chuck E. Cheese and to see "Madagascar 2". She also invited her big brother because she could not stand the thought of him feeling left out. I thought that was sweet. We had a lot of fun! We were supposed to finish up our day by going to a family karaoke night at a local restaurant with some friends , but we got home later than expected and Rachel was too tuckered out. Here is a current picture of her and one from her 1st birthday -- boy, time flies!

Another highlight of our week was my oldest son, Ryan in his school play. He was Charlie Brown in "A Charlie Brown Christmas" performed by all of the 4th graders at his school. He did such a great job -- all of the kids did really -- and we had a wonderful time. I have not loaded the pictures on my computer yet and I'm not sure how they turned out, but if any of them are post-worthy -- I will post one later.

This past week was crazy busy, as I'm sure it was for everyone. I am not 100% ready for Christmas, but I just needed to get through Rachel's birthday and now I hope to finish up the last few things for Christmas today and tomorrow.

Hope you all are surviving the holiday season and having some fun! Chat with you soon!

So much to do...

so little time. That is why I am not posting -- that is why I am not visiting you.

I hope I will find the the time to blog and blog hop soon -- but it may be a while and I am not holding my breath.

Hope all my bloggy friends are doing well. I look forward to visiting you SOON!

Have a good week!

The Roll of the Dice

Being the mother of this adorable little guy right here always keeps me on my toes. Of all my children, Nick is the one who I have to worry about the most as far as freak accidents go. He has had stitches across the bridge of his nose -- he woke up one day and couldn't walk due to some strange inflammation of his joints -- he received an injury by falling at the bowling alley and I thought he had a concussion -- and we have had at least four or five trips to the ER with him in four and a half years. To me, that's a lot -- especially since my other two kids have (knock on wood) not been in the ER that much combined.

Today, we had a heart-stopping moment again. Let me start by saying, it was one of those days where I was feeling a bit irritated -- just trying to get things done and the kids were talking to me and needing something one after the other NON-stop (no, I am not exaggerating). Nick in particular was a barrage of questions and comments. "Hey mom, can I....?" "Hey mom, will you...?" "Hey mom, I need..." -- I heard it over and over and over again and I was beginning to lose my patience.

Then I heard Nick yelling, but it was completely unintelligible. I was in our kitchen -- all three of the kids were in our living room. So I yelled, "What is it Nick??" -- and thankfully, even though I was busy making lunch and had just been on the brink of some serious impatience -- my mommy radar realized his reply was full of panic. It was almost like he couldn't breathe -- and he definitely couldn't say any words.

Just as I was running into the living room, my oldest was screaming, "Mom, he's choking!!!" Nick, who LOVES to carry small toys and coins around and I have never caught him actually putting them in his mouth, decided to shove this plastic die into his mouth. It is the size of a big walnut -- and he somehow managed to get it past his teeth -- but could not get it back out. My heart stopped when I realized how jammed in there it was and my older kids started crying. My oldest started screaming for his dad who was upstairs and my husband literally appeared out of nowhere behind me. By the time my husband was there, I had gotten my fingers around the die and was working like crazy to pull it out. It was really jammed in Nick's little mouth and he could not catch his breath.

It felt like it lasted forever, (though it was probably seconds) and I was shaking by the time I finally got it out. Nick was crying hysterically and my husband was clinging to him. I couldn't wait to hold him in my arms. I am sure I hurt the inside of his poor little mouth, but I shudder to think of the alternative. It still gives me chills as I type this and it happened hours ago.

This stupid orange die that he loves -- well, he loved it until today -- rolled right into the trash can after this incident. None of us wanted to look at it again.

It's funny how a quick, scary incident can change the mood in your house immediately. My husband had been in a grumpy mood, as had my oldest son and they were snapping at everyone. I was feeling irritable and impatient. Once this scary moment was over, we were all suddenly much calmer and nicer to each other. It's like God picked up our home -- shook it up -- and set us all back on the right track.

I am so thankful my little guy is alright. I said many, many prayers of thanks.

On another note -- I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and long weekend! I meant to post on Thanksgiving, but just never got around to it.

I wish you a great week ahead.

You Must Promise Not to Laugh

This post is only for those who promise not to laugh. Do you promise?? Come on...I need to hear you say so. (hee hee)

I was going through some old books and came across this poem. It was written by a young poet who obviously had some seriously dark moments in his or her youth. The poem is titled "Solitude".

Haunting cry of midnight owl
Resounding through the darkened hollow
Left alone without the guidelines
That my being now must follow

Lonely light of moon above me
Dulled by misty fog of night
Strength escapes me at this moment
Hope is not within my sight

Black the clouds reign high above me
Thunder's roar the stillness breaks
Noise which matches that inside me
Disorder of the heavens makes

Parted from all forms of safety
What is right remains unknown
Standing in the storm around me
Lost, confused and all alone


Can you say DRAMA!?!?!?!?! And okay, okay -- you can laugh, because the poet is ME at age 17!!! As I am reading this, I am not sure if I should be sad or CRACKING UP! (I think cracking up is more appropriate.) I found a whole journal of old poems written when I was between 15 and 18. Many are depressing like this one. Some are ridiculous. Some are oh so corny (like one that was meant to be patriotic and one where I am professing my true love and I can't even tell you who I wrote it for!)

Those were the days when I was sure I would grow up to be some fantastically popular author. I can see now why that hasn't quite come to fruition. Although I do still hold on to some strands of hope that I will publish books someday. Maybe I should just avoid the poetry.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend -- happy Monday!

Well, I hate to admit it...

but I am disappointed. I was trying really hard to convince myself that I wasn't disappointed -- but I am.

In my experience, a book is always better than the movie they make of it, so I was not expecting to like this movie as much as I enjoyed the book. But when I went to see Twilight last night and the movie ended, I didn't necessarily feel disappointed initially -- but I felt a little indifferent. I had lost the excitement I had when we walked into the theater. For me -- it was a let down.

It wasn't awful -- I did like it to a certain extent. And it did lay the groundwork for the next installment of the story. I won't say anything that may ruin it for all you other Twilighters who still need to see the movie. I hope you enjoy it and I actually am hoping if I watch it again when it's out on DVD, I'll learn to like it a little better.

That's all I've got today. I am blogging because I am stalling. I've been working on a photo project today and I needed a break from it -- but now, I should probably get back to work.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

What is Important?

Why do people insist on placing importance on things that really are not that important? I suppose we all have our own idea of what is a priority and what is not, but there are some pursuits that I firmly believe will never make one happy.

One thing that I think people place far too much importance on is money. Yes, I realize it's necessary and of course I would love to have more of it at times -- I can't deny it would make life a little easier in some ways. But I am not about to pin my hopes of being happy on the idea of having more money. Money does not equal happiness. Money cannot buy happiness. "More" is not always better. The more you have, the more you want. Isn't it better to learn to live with less? To appreciate the true non-material blessings we have and not worry so much about the "stuff" we think we need or want? You can't take it with you -- the money or the stuff.

Sometimes it is frightening to think about the future and what it may hold. How will we afford college for the kids? Will we have enough to retire? Are we prepared if an unexpected tragedy strikes -- is anyone? For me -- this is where faith comes into play. You can't just sit around and expect God to take care of everything for you. What you can do is believe that if you live your life to the best of your ability according to what you know is right - God has a plan and will provide for you. It won't always be easy and it's not supposed to be. But I think there is a certain peacefulness that comes with learning to accept our trials along with our successes -- to accept that things aren't always going to be perfect.

I'm rambling about all of this because I live with a pessimist. It's difficult and downright depressing some days. But I can't let it bring me down. Someone around here has to have faith that there is in fact, a light at the end of even the darkest tunnels. My children need to realize this too -- I will not let them learn to feel despair -- because even in our darkest moments, there is always HOPE.

This time of year, I admit that even I tend to have moments of wishing for more. I feel like we can't afford to do for others what I would like to do during the holidays. But the truth is -- maybe I just need to be more creative. To remember that gift giving doesn't have to be anything big or cost a lot of money. It's about letting others know you care and appreciate them. And I don't know about you, but sometimes it's the smallest gifts or acts of kindness that touch my heart the most.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I notice many of you are posting daily gratitudes on your blogs. You inspire me and remind me each and every day that we all have so much to be thankful for. I am grateful for so very many things, but high on my list is my wonderful friends near and far.

I hope you are having a happy and productive week! Chat with you soon...

History Repeats Itself

Two years ago when my daughter was in pre-school, she learned a song in class that begins, "The Lord is good to me" -- perhaps you know it? If not, it's a short, sweet little song that lists some of the things the Lord has given us and ends with, "Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen." Like a prayer.

When my daughter came home and sang this song for me, instead of ending it with the "A-men", she would sing, "Aww man, aww man, aww man, aww man aww man!" It cracked me up every time because try as I might to convince her that the word was actually "amen" -- like when we pray -- she insisted her teacher was saying, "awww man!" -- like she was frustrated or upset.

Fast forward two years later...my youngest is playing a few days ago and I hear him mumbling a song under his breath. Suddenly he gets to the end of his song and belts out "Aww man! Aww man! Aww man! Aww man awww man!" Yes, he too is in pre-school, learning the same song with the same teacher -- and like his sister before him, he does not sing "amen" -- but rather -- "Aww man!" No wonder they are such good buddies -- they are so much alike sometimes it's scary! (And they're pretty darn cute aren't they??? Look at those cute faces...not that I'm biased or anything....)

Speaking of history repeating itself...I would like to take a moment to welcome back my friend...

Peppermint Mocha Twist -- how happy I am to see you again! And how unhappy my husband will be at the number of trips I might possibly find myself making to Starbucks this month.

I have about a million things to do today...but guess what? I'm tired of always having a million things to do and I may only do a few of them and ignore the rest. I may just spend the rest of my time today hanging out and reading blogs and doing whatever else I feel like doing. I haven't done that in a long time and I think I'm due. Sometimes you just have to cut yourself some slack -- know what I mean?

Finally, I would like to mention my cousin's Etsy site and blog. She would love for you to stop by and say hello. She has been doing some fun giveaways -- if you have a second -- go check out her handiwork here -- The Belladonna Shoppe.

Hope you've had a great week. Enjoy the weekend!

Meet Our Newest Addition...

Well, my timing probably wasn't the best -- we have had so much going on lately AND I am starting back to work part-time this week -- but we have added a new four-legged furbaby to our family.

Meet Nola. These aren't the best photos because she is constantly moving and I was having trouble catching her! We adopted her from a local animal shelter on Tuesday. She already had her name and we considered changing it, but the kids like it -- so Nola it is!

I was told by the shelter that she is two years old and house trained. Guess what?? Not true. I took her to the vet on Wednesday and he said there is no way she is two yet. He guessed she is likely between eight and fifteen months. And she is not house trained, but I am hopeful it won't take long. Two big accidents so far, but she seems to be figuring out that she needs to go to the door when she needs to do her thing!

She is a golden retriever mix (we're thinking maybe a little Chow?) and she is as sweet as sweet can be. Very snuggly -- and rarely ever barks. I have heard her bark once. She adores the kids already and they adore her right back. She follows me EVERYWHERE I go, so I guess I have a new sidekick.

The first day, I have to admit -- I had instant "buyer's remorse". I got overwhelmed with the thought of getting a new dog acclamated to our home and to be honest -- it felt really, really weird to have a dog here that wasn't Apollo. But I think within a week or so, we will all begin to adjust and get into some sort of routine. Nola has already decided our bed is a great spot to sleep at night and she kept me snuggly warm last night!

I have not been on the computer much this week -- I have an awful head cold and the kids have had it too. Add that to a new dog and a new part-time job and I haven't been able to keep up (as usual!)

Hope you all are well -- have a great weekend and I'll be stopping by your blogs as soon as I can make some time!

Not much of a post but...

you know I had to share the other two jack-o-lanterns after my previous post.

The spider in the web for Ryan ---

And the happy face pumpkin (yes I talked Nick into just a face! It's all in how you use inflection in your voice with a four-year old -- if you make it sound really exciting, they usually buy it! whew!!!) ---

I am too darn tired to blog anything more, so for now -- I hope you had a great Halloween and a wonderful weekend!

Oh how I miss the days of triangle eyes and square-toothed smiles...

exhibit A

exhibit B

Dear Mr. or Ms. Inventor of Patterns for Pumpkin Carving,

I felt it was necessary to write you a letter to tell you one thing. I have decided you are EVIL!

I am also wondering if you will send me your address so that I may send you the doctor bill. What doctor bill, you ask?? The doctor bill for the carpal tunnel syndrome I am quite certain I have developed over the past two hours. Two hours of sawing a thick-skinned pumpkin using one of your darn patterns and the world's smallest saws (one of which is called "the comfort grip saw" -- ha!) (see exhibit B)

Sure, you can argue that no one FORCED me to buy your silly pattern book and undertake the adventure of carving a pirate skull face into a pumpkin. (see exhibit A) And perhaps it looks easy -- like it did not take much effort at all. HA! Two hours I tell you! TWO!! I ask you -- what has happened to the days of jack-o-lanterns with their happy triangle-shaped eyes and toothy square smiles???

Finally -- did I mention I have THREE children and have yet to carve two of their pumpkins?? I believe pumpkin number two is expected to depict a spider hanging from a web. Wish me luck with that one.

Pumpkin number three is anyone's guess. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my four-year old will love the idea of some rockin' triangle and square shapes carved into his pumpkin!

(Actually... should my children be thrilled with the outcome of my efforts, I will cut you some slack and all will be forgiven. But you are still getting that doctor bill I mentioned earlier!)

That is all for now. Happy Halloween!

Monday Again

It's Monday and I'm back! First of all -- I must say thank you to Nicholas and his dimple for filling in on my blog for a day! hee hee...

Today we are trying to get back to our routine after a wonderful week of Fall break. We kept quite busy with a visit from my in-laws and all that it entails (the Pumpkin Patch, Dollywood, the zoo, swimming and other such fun). We also got to spend some time with our friends after my in-laws left. We went bowling, to a birthday party, to Boo at the Zoo -- overall, we had a great week!

I also turned a year older since my last blog visit and would like to say thanks to all of you for the birthday messages on my blog, by email, by phone and in person. I appreciate it! Now the dreaded countdown to 40 has begun and if the months keep flying by the way they have been -- it will be here before I'm ready! Seriously -- can anyone tell me what has happened to the last three months?? I swear it was just August and all of a sudden we are sneaking up on November!

I have taken quite a few photos the past several days and thought I would share a few from Dollywood. If you've never been there, let me tell you it's probably the cleanest amusement park you will ever see. It is so pretty -- surrounded by the Smoky Mountains and landscaped beautifully. The people that work there are mostly older retired men and women who are quite friendly and great with the kids.

I personally, am a complete wimp when it comes to amusement parks. I cannot do roller coasters or anything that will make me dizzy or turn my stomach. This is quite embarrassing, considering my six-year old was riding every coaster multiple times! You can see from the photo below, she is right in the front seat with her brother -- enjoying every minute of it (and making mommy quite nervous! eek!) It was the first time she was tall enough to ride all the rides, so she was pretty happy. The picture next to it is Nicholas and me riding the flying elephants -- those are so much more my speed! LOL

(And I have NO idea who that crazy dude is waving to me from the back of the roller coaster! LOL)

Another big hit with my family was the water ride called River Battle. On this particular day, it was quite chilly when we left home and I told the kids no water rides until it warmed up. My husband said -- "No water rides AT ALL today -- it will be too cold!" Then he saw River Battle and all of a sudden he was like a little kid ready to play with the water cannons. I didn't think we would ever get him off the ride! These photos show my kids and their dad shooting at people as they ride by -- and there is my father-in-law, shooting back from the sidelines. They were all drenched! It was quite entertaining.

I am looking forward to catching up with all of you this week -- I hate not having time to read your blogs! Hope you all are doing well and enjoying some beautiful Fall weather. Have a GREAT week!

Just peeking in...

Hi Everyone! My dimple and I thought we would peek in and say hello! We also wanted to let you know that my mom is not ignoring you and has not left the country or anything. She's just very busy because my older brother and sister are on Fall break right now. Also, my Nannie and Pops are visiting and we are so very busy -- it's just crazy at our house!

But we've been taking lots of pictures and are having a great time, so I'm sure she'll be back soon. And she'll do her best to catch up on all of your blogs too!

Hope you're having a good week!

Your pal -- Nicholas

The Road Taken

This photo was taken on the road that leads out of our neighborhood. It would be much prettier if there were no electrical lines in the photo, but I suppose those are necessary (you know, if I want to blog and such....LOL). I love this time of year when the trees that cover the hills and mountains around us are all different colors. It's a nice way to start a journey somewhere -- seeing this splendid view of God's handiwork.

My post title of course is a play on the title of the very famous Robert Frost poem. I remember memorizing it in a high school English class, but I doubt I could have remembered it today (which is why I am so thankful for the internet -- it's great for people with missing brain cells such as myself!).

Anyway -- I've always loved this poem, so I thought I would post it today. It also seemed to be a reflection of things that have been on my mind lately. Like how much it bothers me when people feel the need to follow the crowd...to do what's popular, not necessarily what's right. They choose what is easy and what will make them feel accepted by those around them and are often afraid to take a different stand for fear of being attacked or cast out. I'm probably guilty of it myself. I don't always speak up when I should.

Read the poem -- and then remember -- it's okay to be different from the majority. It's okay to have different convictions and beliefs and to stand by them even if others will make you feel badly about it. It's okay to choose the path less traveled -- sometimes it can make all the difference.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

For All You Twilighters...

Alice had this quiz on her blog, so of course I had to take it. Thought all you Twilight fans might have fun with it as well.

This is what I came up with -- gosh, I hope I truly am like Esme!


Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

You are thoughtful and care very deeply for your family. A loving home is of great importance to you and you always try to make people feel welcome. Although you have a great capacity to love, you also have a great capacity to hurt, so at times you can be sensitive. You're firm when you need to be, but people trust your judgment and appreciate the kind way you always handle things.

Happy Tuesday!

How to Survive a 1st Grade Field Trip

Today, I had the honor and pleasure of going on a field trip with my daughter and her 1st grade classmates. All of the 1st grade classes went from not only our school, but many, many others in the area. We saw a musical production of "The Life and Times of Junie B. Jones". It was quite cute and we had so much fun! (Alice, did you all go as well??)

Let me give you some tips, should the opportunity to attend a first grade field trip present itself to you.

#1 -- On the evening before your excursion, should the thought cross your mind that you need to remember your camera -- pay attention to that thought IMMEDIATELY. Do not put it off until the morning. Chances are you will forget your camera. (do you see any pictures in my post?? grrrr....). Unfortunately, the other two moms you happen to know that are also on the trip might forget their cameras as well. (yes, we ALL forgot them!)

#2 -- 1st graders may be small, but they do know how to turn up the volume. If you are riding in one school bus with about 60 kids and a dozen adults -- you may want to invest in some ear plugs. However, if you do this you will miss out on the opportunity to get a healthy dose of exercise for your imagination. The little boy sitting next to you on the bus will expect you to play along as he pretends the school bus is actually driving underwater and that metal suits must be worn to protect one's self from sharks and other sea creatures. Who knew a ride on a yellow bus could be so exciting and dangerous??

#3 -- Be prepared for lots of hugs and information sharing. (Also be prepared for your own child to be jealous of the attention you are giving the other kids -- yes, it's true. Somehow my daughter was not pleased that I was having fun with her classmates. It was a bit surprising -- but it gave us a chance to discuss jealousy and the fact that she is my favorite person of all her classmates to spend time with.)

#4 -- Soak in the sound of hundreds of six and seven year olds laughing in unison. It has a sound of innocence and happiness that is good for your soul.

#5 -- Eat a good breakfast (or at least eat SOMETHING) before you go. If you don't, by the time you return to school at lunch time you will be starving and believe it or not, the cafeteria peas and mashed potatoes will be very tempting. They can only be resisted if someone mentions fast food to you, which sounds really, really good because you are starving. Especially if they mention Taco Bell.

#6 -- When you leave school and head to Taco Bell (well, of course I went to Taco Bell) PAY ATTENTION to the voice inside your head that tells you Taco Bell is NOT "eat in the car" food. Do not give in to the temptation and extreme hunger and pull out your taco anyway. Greasy meat and tomatoes will gravitate toward your clothing no matter how careful you are. It does not look pretty.

(Granted #5 & #6 will not likely be a part of your field trip experience, but I felt the need to share anyway. If you can learn from my mistakes, it is worth the mention.)

#7 -- Above all else -- enjoy every aspect of the day that you can. Times like these are priceless.


Have a great day!

Books

Yesterday after church we made a short trip to Borders bookstore. My husband had another errand to run and so he dropped the kids and me off with the words, "Promise me you won't buy anything." To which I simply had to reply "I'll TRY not to buy anything." The bookstore is worse than Target for me -- I could probably bankrupt us buying books -- especially for the kids. I can always find books I would love to have in our collection. My hubby constantly says, "The kids have enough books!" After 12 years of marriage you would think he would have figured out that I do not believe in such an absurd idea -- ENOUGH books -- ha! Not even possible!

Somehow I did manage to get out of there without spending a penny. However, I fully intend to remedy that situation by making my own trip back to Borders this week. Not only did I get many Christmas ideas from the kids, but I also had a completely nostalgic moment and I need to go back and buy the book pictured above.

Please tell me somebody remembers the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books....oh my goodness I LOVED these books when I was younger. I read them when I was maybe eight or nine and I have not seen them or thought about them in ages. When I saw a collection of three Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books at Borders yesterday, I almost cried I was so excited. It gave me such a rush of memories of going to the library as a child -- of reading at my grandparents house -- of how much I loved getting new books through my Scholastic book order forms at school. It sounds crazy, but seeing these books just gave me a rush of memories that really made me sentimental. I must get this book for our collection. (When my husband isn't with me....hee hee....) They are chapter books I would love to read with and to my kids.

We are also addicted to these wonderful children's books at our house right now...stories about Pigeon by Mo Willems. My four-year old especially adores these stories -- we read them multiple times a day. This link will lead you to all Mo Willems books -- Pigeon is our favorite and I would highly recommend them if you have little kids. They are hilarious and so much fun! My older kids and I like them just as much as my little guy.

Moving on to adult books -- I have just finished The Thirteenth Tale and am trying to decide what to read next. I'm kind of in the mood for a quick read because this book took me about a month to read. I really enjoyed it, but for some reason it seemed to take me forever to get through it. Any suggestions for a wonderful book -- one you couldn't put down???

I am SO behind on blog hopping lately -- I have been trying to get through some projects at home, plus life is just crazy busy right now with sports/activities. But I try to visit you all at least once or twice a week and hope to catch up with you very soon.

Happy Monday -- have a great week!

My Love/Hate Relationship with October

Happy October Everyone! Can you believe it's here already??

I LOVE October -- it's my favorite month of the year. I just love the season, the change in temps, the inevitable trip to the pumpkin patch. As a child, maybe I was in love with October because my birthday is this month. Of course birthdays aren't as exciting anymore -- but I still love my birth month.

The only thing I hate about October is once it comes -- you KNOW the rest of the year is going to fly by. It will be a blur and before I know it I'll be wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

This year though, I have to admit -- it's all gone by pretty quickly. I have no idea where August and September went. So maybe I just need to realize I'm getting older...my kids are getting older...and life just goes quickly period.

Speaking of my birthday -- this year I will turn 39. My husband has been harping on the fact that I am dangerously close to 40. I have a whole year before that happens, and yet he keeps on bringing it up. I am not one to freak out about my age -- because really, what can you do about it? Not a darn thing. But it does seem awfully strange to think I will be hitting that milestone next year. Forty....wow! If anything, it makes me anxious to achieve a few of my goals by the time that day comes. It should motivate me a bit more I hope.

I was planning to post some pictures today of recent activities, but just realized they are not yet loaded on the computer. So for today, I will leave you with a wish for a wonderful October. Chat with you soon!

So You Think You Can Craft

It should totally be a new reality show. And Cally should be a contestant. She would win.

She is one of my crafty heroes. Her work is beautiful and fun. She is talented in so many ways.

Go visit her -- she's doing a blog giveaway you do not want to miss!!!

(And no, I am not sucking up to Cally -- I am being truthful. But should my observations help me win, I shall not complain!) ;)

Not Quite Awake...

but I thought I'd blog anyway. My youngest decided 5:40am was a great time to get up today and now he's grumpy and I'm sleepy. I'm afraid we are going to have a loooooooonnnng, interesting day!

First, I need to tell you who WON my blog giveaway from last week. I was supposed to draw Friday, but never got around to it, so I did it this morning. All names were put into a pile and I drew not one, but two names because one is just never enough! My winners this time around are......my lovely cousin Teresa and the wonderful Jen!!!! Woo Hoo!!! You will be receiving a little something from me in the mail soon ladies!

(Speaking of winning....my Bears won last night! Woooo Hoooo! Just had to throw that in so I could have my own little mini celebration this morning...hee hee...)

This past weekend I went to a crop at my favorite local scrapbook store. It was a 12-hour crop, but I only made it for about seven hours. We had our usual soccer craziness/fun to deal with first, then I was able to go. I am SO bad at preparing for crops -- it's so much easier to just scrap at home with all my stuff at my fingertips. But crops are fun for some time out of the house and for socializing. I didn't really socialize too much -- the other ladies there came in groups -- I was the only "loner" -- but they were all very nice and I actually got several pages done and enjoyed some quiet time! And all the proceeds from the crop went toward breast cancer research, so you can't beat that.

I did re-do the page I shared with you last week that was bugging me so much...here's the new one...


This is a bad scan -- that "tree" paper does not have yellow streaks through it, but I could NOT get a scan without the yellow, so just imagine the page without it! :) This page is so much more "me" than the last one, so I'm happier now! LOL

I also did a page about our sweet Apollo -- we're still missing her very much.

Isn't she the prettiest dog ever? I just love her.

I did four other pages and made three birthday cards last week as well. Plus, I am in a circle journal swap (where a group of us make pages for each other) and I finished up 19 - 8x8 pages for that! That is a lot of craftiness for me in one week! I rarely if ever do that much.

I am so tired right now...I am completely rambling about nothing so I will take pity on you and hush up for today.

Hope you had a marvelous weekend. Enjoy the week -- can you believe it will be OCTOBER already???

My Six-Year Old Discovers Feng Shui

Today as I was driving down the highway with all three kids in the car, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw my daughter doing what appeared to be meditating. Hmmm...I thought. Interesting and strange. What would a six-year old be doing meditating? And how did she learn to do it anyway? Kung Fu Panda perhaps....

Before I had a chance to question her she pipes up from the backseat, "Hey mom -- me and Kenzie made a new game at school today. It's called China people."

My first thought is oh great... please tell me she's not inadvertantly making fun of people of Chinese descent. Please tell me she wasn't doing anything offensive without even realizing it.

So I reply, "What's it called?" -- just to make sure I had heard her properly.

Rachel replies happily, "China people!"

With baited breath (or bated breath depending on where you look -- wow -- this is a popular argument online -- I had no idea until I just checked on my spelling that "bated" is apparently the correct spelling, not baited.....but I'm not completely convinced -- so anyway, let's get on with it...) -- With baited breath I asked, "Why do you call it China people?"

"Because you do this (she resumes the meditating stance) and you're very calm and quiet and peaceful. It's what people in China do and they are very calm. Except for China kids, who aren't that quiet -- kind of like me while I'm talking and talking right now!"

"Ohhhhh, I see!" was my simple reply. But really, I didn't see completely, because I was wondering where she had gotten this idea that in my mind, is along the lines of the calming effects of feng shui. When had we discussed feng shui and when has my home EVER been an example of harmony and balance?

So I pressed on..."Did Kenzie tell you that China people are calm?"

"No," Rachel tells me matter-of-factly. "We heard some China music in the gym and it was really calm and peaceful. So China people must be quiet and calm."

Okay. Makes sense to me.

Perhaps I should go out tomorrow and buy a CD filled with the harmonious music of China. Perhaps then I will find the calm and quiet I am searching for.

The things you can learn from a six-year old....

I *Heart* Fall

What is not to love about Fall?? The cool, crisp mornings, the beautiful evenings, the vibrant colors, the intense blue skies, watching football, making soup and chili, enjoying hot coffee and cider....I just love everything about Fall. It energizes me more than any other time of year. I only wish it would last longer. Although I guess here in the South, it isn't too bad...our worst winter months don't seem to hit until the new year, so I guess Fall does hang on a little longer.

These photos are from last year, but they make me anxious for the changing colors and our annual trip to the pumpkin patch.

This week, I am determined to have a good, productive week. I think I had at least three days last week where things just did not go as planned. I kept busy -- yet at the end of the day I felt I had nothing to show for it. I absolutely hate when that happens.

I was also forgetful -- like Saturday, when I was in charge of soccer snacks for my son's team -- and I COMPLETELY forgot! I have never done that. Do you know how awful it makes you feel when eleven hungry, hot and tired boys are looking at you for snacks and drinks and you don't have a darn thing for them??? I felt so terrible.

My mind was full of too many things last week and there literally wasn't room to write everything on my calendar. I need everything on my calendar -- or as I proved to myself -- I forget! This reminds me of a favorite saying of my old boss -- "A short pencil is better than a long memory!" That is definitely the truth!

This week will be better -- I am even going to re-do that darn scrapbook page from my previous post -- it is really bugging me! LOL

I think I need to do a blog giveaway to start my week off right. Leave me a comment about one or more of your favorite things about Fall -- I will then randomly select one name on Friday for a little prize!

Hope you enjoyed your weekend -- have a fantastic week!

(By the way -- several of you have asked where I got my "favorite quotes" box on my sidebar. It's from the site Goodreads.com -- if you are a member, it's under explore and you can pick a bunch of your favorite quotes then get a link to add to your blog! And if you are a member and want to link with me as a friend -- send me an invite! I'd love to see what you're reading!)

I think I've forgotten how to scrapbook...

It's official. I have been so terribly "uncrafty" lately, that when I try to scrapbook, it just looks bad.

This is my latest page. I don't really like it and am seriously considering re-doing it. I think I should have left off the blue letter paper and done something else. Anyway -- I love this picture of my little guy on his first day of pre-school and I ruined it with an ugly page.

I hate when I have gone too long without doing something crafty and then when I try again, it's like my hands and brain don't work. I can't make things look the way I like them. Drives me crazy.

I've also decided that part of my lack of creative mojo is due to too much stuff that is STILL horribly unorganized. I can't seem to find an organizing system I like. I found a great new organizer at AC Moore the other day that I really want and I think it will help, but it's pricey. So I have to wait for a sale -- and a coupon.

I am the type of person that cannot function in the middle of a mess. When I had a job outside the home, if my desk got too piled up with stuff, I would have to stop everything -- re-organize -- and then get going again. That probably explains why I feel so unproductive this week. My house is somewhat chaotic. I have boxes of stuff for a rummage sale this weekend, my kids keep making obstacle courses with my couch and chair cushions and I have an unruly stack of school papers and junk mail that got out of hand when I was sick a couple of weeks ago. And don't even get me started on my husband and his soccer messes everywhere -- clothing, gear, papers, and so on. Everywhere I turn -- messes.

I have GOT to focus next week and pick a room/project to work on each day. Then maybe I can think, breathe and accomplish things. And if I can organize my scrap space, maybe, just maybe I can remember how to scrapbook once again!

Would You Like a Job???

Because I think I need a personal organizer. Or maybe I just need someone here to shake me once in a while -- shake me up, kick my butt into gear, knock me around a little....

I make myself so frustated some days. I like to think I have some sort of organization about me, but truth be told -- so many days I get to the end of the day and think, why oh why did I not accomplish more today?? Why am I so unorganized?? It is a constant struggle.

Some day I'll get it all together. I can hope anyway.

I subscribe to the quote of the day emails from The Foundation for a Better Life. If you like quotes I highly recommend them. Here is the quote for today --

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'” —Mary Anne Radmacher; author

Thank you God, for giving me yet another day to try again. Goodness knows I need it.

Hope you are having a good (and productive!) week.

There's Nothing Like Kindness

After today, I won't dwell with you on the loss of my sweet dog, Apollo. But I wanted to share a few things before I move on.

Friday was a really horrible day. I seriously felt like I cried out every single tear I possibly could that day. My two older kids were also devastated when they found out Apollo was leaving us and many tears were shed. All three of us had huge crying headaches by the end of the day. Nicholas was quite confused the whole time, and is still asking when we are bringing Apollo home.

Friday, we went as a family to say goodbye to Apollo. She came into the room with an IV -- just like someone in the hospital with an IV on a rolling cart. She was so happy to see us, but honestly, I could tell she wasn't feeling well. We spent a bit of time with her, then I sent the kids out with Matt and I stayed with her until the end. It haunts me a little -- but I think I needed to be with her.

On the way home, Ryan cried and cried until he finally decided he couldn't be so sad anymore. All on his own, he decided, "Mom, I really want Apollo here with us, but I am going to feel happy that Apollo is in heaven now with the babies you lost. They can have a turn being with her and Apollo will be happy." I was so glad he found a way to comfort himself and I thought it was really sweet.

As soon as we got home Rachel drew this picture. You can see she drew herself with a sad face and Apollo with an arrow pointing to a cloud with an "h" for Heaven. She misses her dog a lot. We all do.
I know it will get easier, but for now we are realizing how much a part our dog was of our daily routine. We keep catching ourselves looking for her behind her favorite chair or thinking we forgot to let her out before bedtime.

We have a new neighbor who is recently widowed and also a huge animal lover. She has four dogs and three cats. She and my kids fell in love with each other immediately and I'm telling you, she is truly one of THE nicest people I have ever met in my life. We have only known her a few months and when she found out about Apollo, she invited the kids over for a donut party. She had decorated her kitchen table with ribbons like confetti and had their favorite donuts. She also had wrapped presents (books) for each of them and on Nick's present she taped at least a dozen pennies in a design, because Nicholas is addicted to pennies. Once her dogs warmed up to us, spending time with them was actually a really happy thing for my kids. The dogs crawled in their laps, gave them kisses and my kids were grinning from ear to ear. She has a Bull Mastiff that is 100 pounds, so we kept the kids away from her just because she is big and likes to jump. I however, spent some time with the big dog and she put her front paws in my lap and snuggled her big puppy head on my shoulder like she wanted to comfort me. She was the sweetest thing and those puppy snuggles did me a world of good.

This act of kindness by my neighbor (and her mother, who lives with her) touched my heart in such a big way. She barely knows us, but here she is going completely out of her way to cheer us up. That is the kind of person I want to be.

Finally -- thank you all SO, so much for your kind words, hugs and prayers. It really has helped and I appreciate it more than words can convey.

I hope you've enjoyed your weekend. I will be back soon and I promise to be back to my usual mindless chatter! No more sadness....life goes on.

(((BIG hugs))) to all -- have a great week!

My Heart is Breaking

The day I’ve been dreading has finally come. We knew it was coming, but it doesn’t make it any easier. We had to make one of the most awful decisions of my life today. That may sound dramatic to some, but deciding to put my dog to sleep has absolutely broken my heart.

Apollo has been with us eleven wonderful years. She has been the sweetest, most wonderful pet a family could hope for. As I type this, my kids do not even know what we are going to have to do and I am dreading telling them. Apollo has been a part of their ENTIRE lives. How do you tell your children their beloved pet is leaving their home for good? They are all quite attached to her – even Nicholas, at age four. I hate the thought of our home without Apollo and I know they will too.

One thing that I will always, always remember is how attached Apollo was to me right after my late term miscarriage. It may sound crazy, but I’m telling you – the dog had a sense that I was very, very sad and lonely during that time and she rarely left my side. She was such a great comfort to me and always has been. Losing her – well, I really have no words. I am having a really hard time today.

If you have a furbaby or furbabies – be sure to give them some extra love today.

It's the Little Things In Life...

My youngest has always had a fascination with things that are little. It started at an early age with his toes. When he was about a year maybe younger, he would rip off his shoes and socks and spend 15-20 minutes at a time just studying his little bitty toes like they were the most fascinating thing on the planet.

He went through a toothbrush stage too -- I know those aren't "little" so to speak, but he would have three or four toothbrushes at any given time and carry them with him everywhere. Since then we've gone through a marble phase, a penny phase (now he likes any and all coins) and a small Lego phase. He also went through a "tokens from the board games" phase where he always wanted to hold the tokens from our board games and carry them around. I know I'm forgetting something. But let me introduce you to our latest phase.

It's the miniature flocked animal phase. Mostly teddy bears, but we also have some horses and bunnies. Look at this obnoxious collection.

At just twenty-two or twenty-five cents a piece, it's hard to say no when he asks for one. And originally, this collection was half his, half his sister's. But somehow, he has managed to talk her out of almost all of her collection and he carries these things in a "purse" or lunchbox everywhere we go.


At last count we had about 30 bears, eight or ten ponies and about six or eight bunnies. We also have some plastic bears that go along with a counting book we bought at Target. (Evil money-sucking Target...I can always find something to buy at Target....)

I figure at $.25 a piece Nick's "collection" is still a lot cheaper than the Littlest Pets my daughter thinks she can never have enough of -- and my oldest son's first choice of something to "have" is a video game. I can buy quite a few miniature bears for the cost of one video game!

(I guess it is also much cheaper than my scrapbooking hobby too...hmmmm.....)

And then, as just another justification to myself that it's okay to have such a ridiculous amount of mini flocked bears....surely Nicholas is learning the life lesson that it's the "little" things that matter -- right? :)

I am FINALLY feeling much better today and want to thank all of you for your well wishes. It means a lot -- I appreciate you all so very much!

Have a great week!!!

Alive, just not kicking...

Hello my friends! Several of you have been emailing and/or sending messages to check on me (thank you so very much). I am just popping in to say I have been sick with a nasty old stomach bug since Wednesday. I finally had to get a prescription to stop the sickness so I could keep something in me and not get dehydrated.

I am starting to feel somewhat human again today, but not nearly back to normal yet. I am quite out of it and just praying by tomorrow I will feel somewhat like myself again.

So if anyone has emailed and I have not replied -- I am simply out of commission for now, but hoping to be back up to speed very soon.

((HUGS)) to all of you! Thanks for thinking of me!

My One & Only Political Post

I do not like to talk politics on my blog, or anywhere really. I'm not an expert, nor do I want to push my views on anyone. But I'm going to say a couple of things right here -- just this once. It is basically me venting, so please -- take no offense to my ranting and raving. I am now stepping on my soap box....

First, can I just say how much I DON'T CARE ABOUT CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS!?!?!?! It really gets under my skin that a big deal is made about them. Do I care who Susan Sarandon is voting for? Will I vote for someone because Oprah or George Clooney thinks I should?? NO! I will vote for whomever I feel will best serve this country based on my own beliefs and convictions. Oprah can recommend a book to me -- she can tell me how I can help other human beings or bring an end to puppy mills -- but don't expect me to vote for someone because she or any other "celebrity" tells me I should.

Next -- the media drives me crazy! There just always has to be drama. I am not an advocate of teen pregnancy -- but personally, I do not feel Sarah Palin's daughter's pregnancy is any reflection of what type of VP Sarah Palin will be. Nor do I care that her husband had a DUI many, many years ago in his twenties. Are they expected to be perfect?? Do we really think they didn't ever make any type of mistakes in the past? Are they supposed to be superheroes?? I know there are PLENTY of things I did in my early twenties that I am not proud of and would never repeat again. (Thank goodness I'm not running for office! hee hee..)

But it's called growing up -- making mistakes and the wrong choices and learning from them. Give them a break.

It especially irks me because Bill Clinton cheated while IN office -- initially LIED about it -- and yet people still admire and adore him and pay him tons of money to speak. His wife can stand by his side, run for president and all of the Monica Lewinsky crap is forgotten. Give me a break. And quit looking for stupid petty things to make the candidates look bad. Shouldn't we be focusing on what they are promising to bring to the table right now if they are elected? Shouldn't we be looking at their past political history and voting records?

In my opinion there is NO perfect candidate. I don't really trust any politician 100%. They make their promises and we have to make our choices based on our own belief system and who we HOPE will lead our country with integrity and to the best of their ability.

I hope I have not offended anyone -- it was not my intent. I just had to get that off my chest. I want to be informed when I vote, but trying to read the news or watch it on TV is like wading through a ridiculous three-ring circus and it gets me fired up sometimes. (Can you tell??? LOL)

I am now stepping off my soap box. My next post will be much calmer! :)

12 Years Ago Today....

This guy right here and I said "I do".

I think I used this same photo last year! LOL (we don't get our picture taken together too often!)

We had plans today, but had to put them on hold because our youngest took a fall yesterday AND has been sick. We don't know if the sickness is due to the fall, or something completely separate, so say a little prayer for him that he is okay. I'm sure he'll be fine, but he did give us quite a scare -- particularly me! It is so ironic that I posted the "why me?" post yesterday and then my little guy got hurt. I was quite tempted all day to ask "Why Nicholas?", because darn it -- that poor little guy just seems to be a magnet for injuries and difficulties. I just want to keep him in my arms and protect him at all times. But I can't always do it.

Anyway -- back to our Anniversary -- we decided to cook steaks on the grill and celebrate with the kids at home, so I'm sure it will be a lovely day! Hope you are enjoying your Labor Day weekend as well!

Why Me? Why Not...

As I was blog hopping a little yesterday, I happened across this link ~ Nie Recovery.

What I found was the story of a beautiful family suffering through a tragic accident. You can check it out, but basically the happy young couple you will see when you click on the link are now recovering from burns they suffered in a small plane crash. The wife over 80% of her body -- the husband over 30%.

As I was looking at their blog and reading their story, it made me think about how often we are tempted to ask the question "Why me?" when something goes wrong in our lives. I'm guilty of it myself. Whether it's a true tragedy -- like a death or disease -- or just a bump in the road -- like the loss of a job or maybe a car or house repair you weren't expecting -- it's easy to panic initially and think, "Why is this happening to ME?"

The truth is -- we should not be asking why me, but instead -- why NOT me? Bad things happen to good people all the time and while it doesn't always make sense or seem fair, it's the way life goes. Why should any one of us be immune to tragedy? And wouldn't you agree that it is in those darkest hours that we often learn what we are really made of -- and what those around us are made of? It gives us the opportunity to build our strength and our character, if only we are willing to accept and move forward.

I am one who believes God has a plan. As I read through the story of this family, it seems they have tremendous faith and they too, feel God has a plan and things happen for a reason. I am always so inspired by people of faith ~ people who can draw on that faith even when it feels like God has turned His back on them. Everything does happen for a reason -- even though sometimes, it takes us a long time to find out what the reason might be.

Before I had any of my children, I had two miscarriages (and another between my first two kids). One was at 20 weeks of pregnancy and not only was I incredibly sad, I was angry at times. I would see other parents out with their kids -- screaming at them, ignoring them -- and I would think, "Why do those people get to have kids, but not me??" I would cry about it. It wasn't my place to judge anyone -- but I did. The baby I lost at 20 weeks was a little girl and she would have had Downs Syndrome. I often wonder if God took her from us because we wouldn't have been strong enough to handle it. I like to think I would have handled it fine. But who really knows. Now I tell my other kids that she is their own personal angel in Heaven -- a big sister (who we named Allyson Grace) looking out for them, keeping them safe.

I still mourn the children I lost, but I often think about the fact that had things happened differently, the children I DO have right now would not be here -- and I certainly cannot imagine life without them! My miscarriages DID make me learn a lot about myself -- my spouse -- others who have experienced the same thing. They changed me. Each time God had a plan and these things have helped to make me who I am today.

I wish I was in a position to help this family in their suffering -- the only help I can offer is prayers and I hope you will do the same. And let's all continue to remind each other that good things CAN come out of tragedy. If only we believe.

Have a great Labor Day weekend -- God bless!

The Fine Line Between Creativity and Chaos

My daughter LOVES to create. Whether it be an art project, writing stories, building contraptions out of trash (like cardboard and plastic that normally I would throw out), or building clubhouses all over my house out of toys, laundry baskets and small pieces of furniture -- the girl is always thinking of new and inventive ways to use things.

I love the imaginative way her mind works. But can I just tell you that as much as I do not want to crush her creative spirit -- her constant "building" turns my home into complete chaos. Each time I clean up one area -- she has moved on to another and transformed it.

The good thing is, she actually is playing and usually one or both of her brothers plays with her. They have so much fun and I'm glad when they are playing this way instead of asking for computer time, movies or video games for a while. But boy -- it creates a mess.

I will probably never have a "fancy", well-decorated house. My house is very lived in and I'm usually okay with that. But there are plenty of times when I think, "Why in the world do I bother?" with the picking up, the cleaning -- it usually feels so pointless. Then I remind myself that there will come a day when I won't have Legos and Littlest Pet Shop toys underfoot. When my laundry basket will be just that -- a basket for folded clothes, not the wall or roof of a clubhouse. And I am 100% certain I will miss it.

I haven't taken many "clubhouse" photos, but I had to share some of her other handiwork.

This first photo, she informed me is a character she created named "Evil Professor Bunny Hat" but he goes by "Bunny Hat".

The second photo is a Halloween decoration she created yesterday. She used some of my Stickles (glitter) to create a web -- it actually looks quite cool!

And this is one of many stories she has written -- my scan is horrible, but I just had to share the story because it cracks me up. She doesn't always like my help to spell the words, so allow me to type her words -- and then translate where necessary!

The Dog and the Cat -- by Rachel

Wuse there wre a cat. She wuse aloone. (Once there was a cat. She was alone.)

Then a dog came and sall the cat. (Then a dog came and saw the cat.)

The cat likes the dog. The dog likes the cat.

But thene tay rilis that tay wre ole 5. (But then they realized they were only 5.)

But then thae wre 19! (But then they were 19!)

Then the dog ask her for a date to dinr. (a date to dinner, of course!)

Then the dog ask this hr to mere him. (Then the dog asked this her to marry him.)

The End.

I think I can live with some clutter and chaos if it means encouraging a creative mind like this one!

Have a good week!