Our demands won this time.

Last night after Tball and dinner, we sat the kids down and told them our expectations for a wonderful, relaxing Saturday morning. These were our demands:

--no one wakes up during the middle of the night.
--no one wakes up BEFORE 9:00.
--no one wakes up grumpy.
--no one wakes up ready to fight with sister or brother.
--no one wakes up hungry or thirsty.

We thought these were reasonable demands. Afterall, they usually come into our room with THEIR demands in hand...hungry, thirsty, watch TV, fight with each other, jump on parent's bed till they have no choice but to get up, etc.

It was high time Skip and I got what WE wanted...peace and quiet, time to wake up without having to solve the world's problems of Pop Tart shortage, etc. They can give us ONE morning of peace. Can't they?

All of our demands were met and a full night sleep ensued and we slept until 9:05.

GLORIOUS Saturday!

Mixing Business with Pleasure

Oh, I shouldn't post this...but I'm gonna. Mom, cover your eyes!

Today as I was cooking dinner, I called Skip just to let him know I was thinking of him (in the manner of which he likes to be thought of by me).

I was chopping chicken and broccoli with my Pampered Chef Food Chopper. If you have one of these fantastic tools, then you know how much fun they are. CHOP, CHOP, CHOP. Anyway, below is our phone call...

Ring, Ring.
Skip in official-business-what-do-you-need voice: "Hello."
Me in my bedroom voice (read this in yours, I know you have one): "Hi..."
Him: "What are you doing?"
Me: " Just thinking of you..."

CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, CHOP

Him: "Really. What are you thinking?"
Me: "Oh, you know..."

CHOP, CHOP, CHOP

Him: "Are you thinking about seducing me or killing me?"
Me: "Huh?"

CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, CHOP

Moral of this story...don't mix food chopping with sexy phone calls. Not a turn on.

Thursday 13

13 Words To Tell A Story:

Neighbor's cat came into our backyard to potty in the playground. How convenient.

My Life is Random

Alana tagged me to share 8 random facts about myself. Things that I have rarely shared with others. Eight of my deepest, darkest secrets. Well, maybe that is a bit dramatic. Here goes nothing...

1. Until the age of 3, I had no hair...NONE. Now, I have plenty to share. It finally came in blonde and curly...like someone I know who shall be named Loulabelle. Somewhere in the elementary grades it started to turn a lovely shade of mousy brown. Now in my early thirties it is starting to turn an even lovelier shade of ash gray.

2. Pumpkin pie makes my skin crawl. *shudder* I think it is a texture problem not a taste problem.

3. I wanted to marry Jon Bon Jovi. I used to pretend that I was a guest on Johnny Carson giving an interview about my husband JBJ. I had a plastic diamond ring that I wore during the "interview" and flashed it often as I told about our fantastic life together. The crowd would always go crazy when I would talk about JBJ and our kids. (I know you are wondering...I was a geek.)

4. I wet my pants in 5th grade...in the classroom...10 feet away from the bathroom...on my birthday.

5. I can remember Rhonda's phone number...my oldest friend from 7th grade. (***-2642) Many memories of talking on the phone and watching MTV or SNL during our early teen years.
She and I also tried to order apple juice at a Cory Hart concert...Rhonda, I hope you are smiling if you are reading this.

6. I am not afraid of spiders...but walking sticks are pure torture.

7. Nancy Drew was my constant companion from 4th-7th grade. I soaked her up and loved all of her adventures. I haven't decided whether to see the movie or whether it will ruin the Nancy Drew in my head. I am afraid they have made her too quirky. She is not quirky in my head.

8. Oprah is such a follower. For as long as I can remember I have loved the color of spring green. New grass green. The first green that follows the dull of winter. Well, Oprah stole my thunder and announced that it was HER favorite color and had Crayola name it after her. I just don't have the platform that she does to make such proclamations, but I liked it first. I know I did!

iPod Shuffle

Well, mine is not technically an iPod...but a super-cool MP3 Player. Michelle found this fun meme, so it looks like fun to play. I am a big fan of fun, so here goes...

Disclaimer: As I was going through my selection, I can only say two things...Tod you have some wicked tunes that made this hilarious! I guess this is payback since I don't actually know how to load my own music! And, Michelle. I am so sorry about my wise crack about George Michael. I have no room to talk since mine currently has La Bamba and Ghostbusters stored on it...and that is just WRONG.

Instructions:

Put your iPod on shuffle.
Press forward for each question.
Use the song title to answer the question even if it doesn't make sense. NO CHEATING!

How do you feel today? Get the Party Started by Superstar Kidz
What is your outlook on life? Raise a Voice by Matt Redman
What does your family think of you? Does Anybody Hear Her? by Casting Crowns
What do your friends think of you? La Bamba by Los Lobos (thanks, Tod!)
What do your exes think of you? Draw Me Close To You by Kutless
How is your love life? Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys
What does your love life look like in the future? We Got the Beat by the Go-Gos
Are you good at school? Unbelieveable by The Swift
Will you be successful? Breathing the Breath by Matt Redman
What song will they sing at your birthday? Ghostbusters by Ray Parkers, Jr.
What song will they sing at your graduation? Lead Us Up the Mountain by Matt Redman
The soundtrack of your life? Show Me Your Glory by Third Day
You and your friends are? If I Have Not Love by Matt Redman
Happy Times? I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me
Sad Times? Now That You've Found Me by The Swift
For Today? ABC by the Jackson 5
For Tomorrow? Big Star by Kenney Chesney
For you: Man! I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain
What does next year have in store for me? Footloose by Kenny Loggins
What do I say when life gets too hard? Alive in Love by The Swift
What do you want as your career? Car Wash by Christina Aguilera
Your favorite saying? Let My Words be Few by Matt Redman
How will I die? Only Want To Be With You by Hootie and the Blow Fish

If you own an iPod or MP3, tag, you're it. Be prepared to laugh at yourself!

RIGHT

Why is it that the negatives are always the first thing people (or maybe just me) talk about? After a frustrating morning filled with WRONGS...I was convicted to start thinking about all the RIGHTS in my life. How awesome it is to know that so many things are good. So many things are RIGHT in my life that I have no reason to ever complain about my WRONGS. Here are just a few that I experienced today.

I have an incredible extended family...one without any major drama and spending time with them is actually fun.
I have a healthy, loving husband who puts up with me and MY drama.
I have two kids who are really cool and full of mischief, but who also know how to forgive and forget.
I have a roof over my head and full pantry of food.
I have friends that love me, cry with me, laugh with me, encourage me, support me, help me, trust me, like me, etc. I don't deserve all the love.
I have a Savior who is always available, always ready, always loving, always forgiving, always rescuing.

Today ended up being very, very RIGHT.

WRONG

Today was a glorious day until the kids woke up. Then everything became WRONG!

The lighting in Z's room was WRONG for his Star Wars game.
The clothes I picked out for both kids was WRONG.
The kelly green shorts and hunter green shirt Z wanted to wear was WRONG on so many levels.
The brand new washer is not working--that's aggravatingly WRONG.
The spoons for cereal were WRONG.
The sippy cups with chocolate milk were WRONG.
I am an hour late for my Grannie's surgery and it is very WRONG to be late for someone's surgery.
The good news is that I have dinner in the crock pot, but I have a feeling that will be WRONG because of the peppers. Too soon to tell on that...

I need the Lord today. He is the only One that can turn these WRONGS into right. I am really fighting the temptation to be crabby. That attitude still has victory, but I have hope that Jesus will save the day! If you all think about it, please pray for my sweet Grannie. She has a long road ahead plus she is primary caregiver for my elderly Gramps. What a hard job, one that I don't completely understand.

Thanks, friends!

Road Trip Highlights....plus a good-ole embarrassing moment!

Great Time Was Had By All!

We had a fantastic time in St. Louis last weekend. As you can see the view from our hotel room was incredible. I felt like I could reach out and touch someone from our room. We had a blast watching all the excitement and hearing the noise of the crowd. Skip and Z went to the game while Lou and I stayed behind. Gotta say, I was soooo jealous. It is such a fun atmosphere that you can't help get excited.

After Skip and Z went, I kept watching the scalpers and seriously thought about buying a ticket for Lou and I. I lost my nerve well into the 6th inning. So, she and I ordered room service and took a bubble bath. She fell asleep watching Madagascar. We snuggled up in the Westin's Heavenly Bed...I gots to get me one of those.

View from the "cheap seats." When Skip was in HS, he played a tournament against #44. Gotta say he is not a fan (probably just jealous).

My guys enjoyed the game...even though Cardinals lost. It is a dream come true for Skip to take his son to a game. They had a special time.

Lookin' good! Oh yeah, I would say this was a tad bit embarrassing. I am the only one in my family with enough hair to make this experiment work at the Magic House. We had a blast exploring this museum on Saturday. Well worth the $20 bucks. Not one time did the kids complain, or fight, or whine, or beg, or bother. I would have paid $200 bucks for that peace! They have the most amazing, hands-on activities. To top it off, they have a 4 story slide that the kids LOVED!! It was a wonderful day!

Here is the kicker. If you thought I was embarrassed before with my wild hair...you ain't seen nothin' yet. You know those pin toys that show your hand, or face, etc on the other side? Well, this is a whole wall. We had so much fun sticking our hands and writing our names in the pin wall. The second panel down is my face. If you look closely at the third panel down...those 2 round objects are my boobs. I came around to the other side to see my face, only to get a double surprise! Skip was laughing so hard. Thank the LORD we were the only ones at the wall. That was enough to make me blush. Of course, he had to take a picture of it...

Ramblin' Road Trip

We are leaving in just a few short minutes for a road trip to see our beloved Cardinals. But, before we go I am going to ramble on about something that has been weighing my heart down lately.

Skip and I have been talking about this for a couple of days but purposefully didn't tell the kids until this morning. We waited until we knew for sure it was going to happen. We didn't want to crash and burn with the kids...you all know what I mean.

Everything is now secure and we gathered our foursome on the couch to tell the kids. MY, OH MY are they excited. Skip and Z are going to the game and tomorrow we will go to the zoo. The smiles from our kids made it all worth it. They immediately jumped up and started to pack. It was delightful...I love surprising them. Skip and I would have been devastated if they whined and complained about the bump in their schedule. How often do I whine and complain when God places something in front of me that doesn't quite fit with what I wanted.

As I was packing, I was struck with the thought of how our gifts towards our children don't even compare to the gifts the Lord has for His children. We rocked our kids' world and their response was IMMEDIATE. Now, mind you it was a good surprise so it should justify an immediate response.

I know and believe that God has a plan for me. I trust that plan. But I don't always obey when I hear Him whisper to me in my heart. I rebel. I procrastinate. I try to justify why I shouldn't do what I think I should. As I pondered my kids' reaction, I knew that there have been hundreds of times that I have grieved God because of my brat-like behavior.

When God told Abraham to take his only son, his beloved son Issac, to sacrifice him, Abraham's response was IMMEDIATE. The Bible says:

"Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Issac, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I tell you. So Abraham rose early in the morning...and went to the place God told him."

Abraham didn't hesitate. He obeyed immediately because he knew that the Lord was greater than any gift. The Lord was everything to him. It didn't matter that it wasn't what Abraham would have chosen. He didn't try to justify a way out. He didn't procrastinate. He didn't act like a spoiled brat. He did it. First thing. He jumped out of bed with the full intention of sacrificing his son. The thought of that is beyond my comprehension.

I know God would never require me to take my child's life. But I know that He does want me to sacrifice my will. My desires. My schedule. My time. I don't willingly give any of those. I don't willingly give my day to Him and ask Him to guide me. I don't willingly lay down my desires for someone else. I don't show God that He is more important than everything He has given me.

Where am I going on this ramblin' road trip? I am not sure. But I know I need more of God. I need His Living Water to rain down on me and fill up my God-shaped hole I have created by choosing my will over His. I need to remember my kids' reaction to our surprise and make that my response to God's surprises...good or bad. I need to stop whining, stop complaining when things don't go my way.

I need to be reminded that my life belongs to the One who made it.

Thursday 13

A Day in the Life of My Girl

hair curling
baby rocking
somersault flipping
everywhere skipping
costume dressing
secret telling
eskimo kissing
brother bothering
kartwheel flopping
constant snacking
blue eyes peeping
real tears rolling
fingernail painting

Oh, I wish I could go on and on. She is a blast! Loulabelle adds a fullness to our family that I can't describe. I love you, sis.

Gibson's Mug Shot

I am so sad. This is the ONLY picture I could find on Skip's computer of our dog, Gibson. It looks like a doggie prison picture. He looks depressed. We really do love him. I promise we have better pictures of him....somewhere.

Can We Keep Him?

I was in the shower this morning when Z came in with the all important question.

"Mom, can we keep the frog I found outside?"

Did I mention that I was IN THE SHOWER. My first reaction was to say whatever it would take to get him out of the bathroom quickly.

"Sure...please leave."

Two nano-seconds of clear thought later.

"WAIT! Come back. Where is the frog now?"

Should have seen it coming. He had the frog with him...in the house...in my bathroom...in the house. For those of you without a dog this may mean nothing to you. But I am having flashbacks to all the gross things I have pulled out of Gibson's mouth. A baby bird, a turtle, well several turtles...now I am thinking that frog will be added to that noteworthy list.

We made haste and got the frog out of the house before it became dog food.

Aside from the CONSTANT hair and the occasional small critter removal, Gibson really is a joy to have around. He sleeps with Skip and I. Rather, I should say that Skip and I sleep with him. He takes up nearly the entire bottom of the bed. He is completely, utterly terrified of thunderstorms and usually moves to the head of the bed tucked in between us like a newborn baby. Our kids have never woken up during a storm.

He barks with authority when someone rings the doorbell. He wakes Skip up with one swift move of his giant paw. He eats 3 times a week. He will swallow any sock laying around...especially the kids'. He drinks water out of the shower after we exit and sometimes the toilet. He eats trash out of the bathroom trash can. When you get right to the heart of it...he is weird. And I ask myself why we even have this dog.

But love bears all things. So I guess we will keep him...weird stuff and all!

Frog is safety back outside with his mommy and twin brother--we worked out visitations.

Blank Slate and Getting To Know You

My brain is running the test pattern today. BEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPP. That's it.

So for lack of nothing else in my brain...

Coke or Pepsi?
Mountains or Beach?
Mac or PC?
Dog or Cat?
Morning Light or Night Owl?

Hand Me the Hoover!

OK. I vacuumed the dog today. I was tired of sweeping the never-ending pile of dog hair from the laundry room. So, I got the Hoover and hooked up the flat attachment that looks like a 4-sided comb. I went straight to the source.

I don't think Gibson was thrilled with my new approach to grooming. He is a very sensitive dog. But it did give me a sense of satisfaction.

Thought For The Day

Man cannot live on chocolate cake alone, but woman can!

Home Is Where Your Heart Is

I love the fact that this is your favorite place in the world to be. Currently, you are getting clubbed in the head by Loulabelle. And Big Z is pouncing on you, dangerously close to the "Man Zone". But you are here.

There is nowhere else you would rather be. You have told me that a million times. I have begged you to go out with the guys, or go out alone. Almost always, you chose to stay. This is where you belong.

I appreciate that. Some men would give their eye teeth to be far, far away from this craziness. Some men find a million other things to occupy their time. Some men spend their free time being free. You are not those men. You are our man.

We are so blessed to have you around. There may not always be food, there usually is a mess. But you are here.

The kids have now stopped clubbing and pouncing. They are both in your arms. You are enjoying the moment.

Well, moment is gone. They are now beating each other.

WE LOVE YOU! Happy Father's Day to the best of the best!

My Hot Date

shin splitting
head aching
skin burning
feet throbbing
hugs sharing
courage strengthening
hearts melting

Wouldn't trade this day for anything!

Thursday 13

A Date with My Son

lemonade drinking
roller coaster riding
tea cup spinning
big hill navigating
hot sun sweating
toboggan ride wetting
ball throwing
sand digging
tunnel crawling
people screaming
popcorn eating
swings flying
hand holding

Thanks, mom for keeping L. I am looking forward to a fun day.

READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

Warning: Those of you with a weak stomach, turn off the computer now and just go to bed!

Here I was driving down the road today when I stopped at a red light. What a better time to pluck my eyebrows or floss my teeth? I am all about multi-tasking as I drive. So, I was checking out my ever growing brows when I spotted something on the left side of my neck. Halfway down is a small mole. I seriously have never noticed this mole before, so I spent some time looking at it.

I was shocked and equally disgusted.

It was the home of not three, but four hairs. All ranging in size from 2 inches to 3 inches in length. OK, so I didn't actually measure them, but still it was GROSS!!!

I am the type that NEEDS to know if my fly is unzipped, or spinach is in my teeth, or there is a foreign object in my nose. I certainly needed to know that I had four LONG hairs growing out of the side of my neck. PLEASE tell me next time I am sporting the very unpopular neck hair-do. They were longer than my bangs!

Thank goodness I had my tweezers and I can drive with my knees! (Jen!)

Death to the Potty Words

Do you know what I hate worse than honking? When my kids (specifically the boy one and sometimes his dad) use potty language. You know the words that I am talking about. It is gross. And I want to wage war on the potty talk.

My usual course of correction has become more like play time than a punishment. When Z says potty words, I make him clean the toilet and trash cans. My lesson for him is that when he talks like that people will think of a toilet. If he talks trash, people will think he is a trashy boy. That correction worked for a while. I will have to say it had his attention and was effective.

Not anymore.

It seems like it is getting worse. These are not words make a mama proud. Mind you, these are not THE WORDS, but potty words. These are words that may not bother you. They bother me. I do have to say that I am a reformed cusser. Skip and I vowed to stop cussing when we first got married. We had to pay a quarter for every bad word we said (potty words were exempt). Long story short, we ended up raising enough money in the Cussing Jar to buy a dog. It turned out to be a fundraiser, but it worked for both of us. Now it is hard to see the same root of sin take hold of my child (much lesser degree, but still).

After listening to Z talk today I warned him against using these words. I told him that we would clean the toilet and he said "Yay!" I knew that I had to resort to something else. I told him that we would clean out his mouth with soap the next potty word he said. Maybe that was a dare. He looked me right in the eye and said..."POOP."

Something in my brain snapped. I grabbed his arm and we headed right to the bathroom. This was going to be the end all punishment. Except I couldn't figure out which soap to use. I couldn't use my Bath & Body soap (Alana!), I couldn't use the heavy duty anti-germ soap, I couldn't use shampoo. I didn't know what to do. He thought he was getting a free pass on this soap rinsing thing until I stormed in the kitchen with his toothbrush and used dish soap.

We cleaned out his mouth and he spit for 5 minutes. I hope that was lesson learned. I know it was a risky punishment. Afterwards we were able to talk (without spit) and I hope conveyed the meaning behind making our words reflect our character. He has accepted Christ as his personal savior so he is a new creation. The old yucky stuff is gone and the new is made fresh.

It is a good reminder for me, too. It is easy to let your guard down and say or do things that leave you with regrets. It happens all the time. I am thankful that forgiveness has already been paid for on the cross. I need to spend more time with my savior and let Him give me the correction I deserve....

It has now been 15 minutes and nary a potty, trashy word has been said. This may be the start of something! (pause while L tells me he said another potty word)

I spoke too soon. Off to rinse and spit again. This is going to be a tough road.

Just A Swingin...

Lazy

I am worthless today. LAZY! I started three projects today and haven't finished a single one. My living room is covered in stacks of paper, my June calendar just says "June", my laundry room is a wasteland. All I want to do is sleep.

How can I tap into my children's boundless energy resource? Maybe if I had a drop of energy transfer, I might be able to write numbers on the June calendar without needing to take a break.

I think I have just hit overwhelmed mode. There is never a break in work. The laundry is never done, the dishes keep getting dirty, rooms get unorganized, weeds keep growing. People need food and drinks constantly. There is always work. My mind is boggled by the vast amount that needs to be done around my house. They range from easy tasks, to major demolition.

And I don't want to do any of it.

It's My Blog and I'm Sticking To It

Shelley found this great Blogging Questionnaire. I don't really feel as qualified to answer most of these because I am brand new to this world. But, it is a good world. I love it. Here are my answers to these questions about how it all began...just 1 month ago. Sixty one posts in 42 days. I would say I am a junkie.

HOW DID YOU START BLOGGING?
One word at a time. Seriously, one really late night at the Steak and Shake. Voila! Alana was just a reader at the time. She quoted several good one-liners that night. One stands out in particular from a certain blog-queen, Big Mama. "Folks, if you have to google expired mayonnaise, throw it out!" We were intrigued. Just for the record, I thought Alana had already started one. I didn't mean to steal her thunder!

DID YOU INTEND TO HAVE A BLOG WITH A FOLLOWING?
Since I just heard the word "blog" that night, I would say NO. What a thrill it is to have new friends whose real names and identities have been hidden to protect the innocent. There are a lot of cool mommas out there. I do read a lot of blogs...including BETH MOORE's. What a fun hobby!

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH YOUR BLOG?
Record our memories, use my rapidly shrinking brain, encourage my friends, show my family that I treasure this time. It has made me start to look for the story of our life. I want to record our story in hopes that it teaches my kids how to laugh, love, and live life to the fullest. Basically, I want to freeze time so we can enjoy it more.

HAS THE FOCUS OF YOUR BLOG CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED?
Um...no. I read back to the beginning and realize that it is me...sometimes funny, sometimes thoughtful, sometimes blah. Just me. Actually, I did think it would be more serious. It is hard to type a funny story. But practice, practice, practice.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU STARTED?
That this is a time-hog. Hours, minutes, seconds are gone...unaccounted for. I sit down just to read ONE BLOG...46 minutes later I realize that I have gone through my entire BLOG WORTHY list. I didn't realize it was a time vacuum.

I also didn't realize that I you could write about the most trivial things. One lady honks at me and BOOM...4 posts about honking.

DO YOU MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR BLOG?
No, my blog is strictly not-for-profit blog. HOWEVER, I would venture to say that if Skip found out I could make money...he would be a little less likely to expect dinner, clean clothes, or anything (wink-wink). He would be a blog-pimp. It would really take the fun out of it. I just wouldn't be able to respect myself.

DOES YOUR IMMEDIATE/EXTENDED FAMILY KNOW ABOUT YOUR BLOG?
They do now. HI!

WHAT TWO PIECES OF ADVICE WOULD YOU TELL NEW BLOGGERS?
Well, I don't know if 42 days qualifies me as a mentor. But I will give it a whirl because I always love sharing my advice--lol. Moderation is the key to success. Not sitting in the special chair day, noon and night...that only leads to problems. TRUST ME. Secondly, write the way you write. Make it yours, there is only one you. It is tempting to adopt someone else's style...just be yourself in life and in blogging.

Do You Want a Hot Apple Pie With That?

I am the BIGGEST dork. I have this horrible history with McD's. They probably have my picture up somewhere in their training rooms. Back in 1991, I worked at McD's for all of 2 months. I finally made it to "Fry Girl" before I quit for a better job (sorry Tod!). I vaguely remember the uniform, something with vertical stripes. I don't look good in vertical stripes. Although, my "better job" had Hawaiian shirts for their uniform. I don't look good in Hawaiian either.

Recently, I have placed my order to a trash can and had Z question what animal he was eating. But today was, bar none, the worst. After jumping up and down because they now serve Iced Coffee and digging Z's shoes out of the trash, I begin to place my order.

1 Chicken Nugget Happy Meal with fries and chocolate milk.
1 Cheeseburger Happy Meal, plain, with apples and chocolate milk.
1 Double Cheeseburger made like a Big Mac (saves $1.22 to leave off the 2nd bun...FYI)
1 Large Vanilla Iced Coffee (don't get the large unless you want to drink it for 3 days...FYI)

McD guy: "Do you want an apple pie with that?"
Me: "APPETIZERS? You now have APPETIZERS? WOW, Iced Coffee and appetizers!"
McD guy (now visibly sweating): "AA-pppp-lllll-eeee PPPPP-IIII-EEEE."

Maybe this might be the dumbest thing I have done at McD's, or maybe it's just another reason to get the hearing aid. This truly happened...ask Pam! She looked on as they took my picture for the "Biggest Dork EVER!"

Top Ten Reasons I Love My Mom

Welcome, MOM. I know, I know I should have told you sooner about my blog, but really didn't know if was going to last. :)

Top 10:

10. Her sheets are FABULOUS. They are soft and luxurious. The thread count is 1 million versus mine that are 20.

9. Her love for cooking and her passion for teaching my kids to love working in the kitchen.

8. Her gardens and love for hard work.

7. The selfless way she serves her husband.

6. Thanksgiving...the end result and all the work leading up to it is so awesome. Did you remember to shower?

5. She always has sandwich makings...black forest ham, swiss cheese, good bread and cold milk.

4. Her perseverance in times of struggle. Watching her in the midst of a crisis is inspiring.

3. I will always be her baby.

2. "I just love Boston this time of year."

1. The way she loves my kids. She is a fun grandma who desires a relationship with them. She plays, wrestles, tickles, cooks, fishes, reads, hides, teaches, corrects, snuggles with both of them.

I love you, mom. I know I should say it more often. You are special to me.

MUST GO TO BED

It is 1:22am. I just realized that for the past 46 minutes I have been reading my own blog.

MY OWN BLOG, for pete's sake. I caught myself about to comment on a post.

Name Change?

OK...I am putting myself out here. I am risking criticism from all 9 of you. Please advise.

I was snuggling with my kids a minute ago. I love the moment when they are in their jammies. So sweet...like the day melts away. There is just that moment of pure sugar that drizzles over the rush and frenzy of the day. I live for that moment every night.

I thought I should re-name this blog to reflect my favorite time of day. I am thinking about Jammie Babies, or Jammy Babies, or Jammie Babes. L has a Jammie Baby. It is her favorite baby and appropriately named because it is dressed in...jammies. So the name change would still reflect this stage of life and also forever memorialize Jammie Baby.

What do you think??? Be gentle with me, this is not something I do often.

How To Tell If Your Husband Is Really Sick...

I now know that Skip is not faking his recent illness. I had my doubts, but it is official. I left him tonight in his special chair watching "Legally Blonde". Not on DVD, rather the modified-to-fit-your-television-screen-with-commercials version (PAM!). Not only was he watching but it was on MUTE.

Let me break it down for you (read this next sentence slowly with emphasis on the italicized words). He was watching a chick flick, TV version, on mute. If you know him at all, that is so not how he behaves when it comes to television viewing. He has standards.

Yep, I would say he is really sick. Poor guy. I have not been very compassionate. I vaguely remember something about..."in sickness and in health."

Sorry, honey.

My 15 Minutes are Ticking Away...

I will always remember where I was when I got the call. The call that Big Mama had just commented on my blog. I was sitting in Dixie's living room (Big Mama if you are out there, you have to read this, our friends have taken over her blog in the comment section because she refuses to write any new posts.) Anyway, back in the moment.

I was sitting on Dixie's couch when Skip called.

"You will never believe this, but Big Mama commented on your recent post."
"SHUT UP!?!"
"No, it's true. She did."
"I want to hear everything. Start at the beginning."
"That was the whole story."
"NO, I need details."
"I have no more details, that really was the whole story."

This is a defining moment. My date with the rich and famous. It was almost like the time Donny Osmond, as in Donny and Marie, was pitching a tent in his brother's back yard. His brother lived next door to Skip's sister. Five of us where smooshed up against her daughter's window to watch. He was wearing a white t-shirt and looked like he had the whole tent thang under control. My sister-in-law was the PRESIDENT OF HIS FAN CLUB and was practically drooling on the mini-blinds. I was impressed, but he wasn't my hero. He did look good, though.

Big Mama is a hero. I really think if she lived here or I lived there, we would be friends. We are practically kindred spirits anyway. She has a 3 year old daughter who takes swim lessons and I have a 3 year old daughter who takes swim lessons. She doesn't make her bed, I don't make my bed.

The similarities are uncanny.

A Honk and A Wave and A Kiss Goodnight

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!! ANOTHER POST ABOUT HONKING? I AM GOING TO STOP READING THIS BLOG RIGHT NOW! THIS GIRL HAS NO MATERIAL.

Yes, I know. This is my 4th entry about honking. But this honk is different. This honk is special. This honk has a happy ending. I promise.

Tonight as my kids and I were driving to church for our small group meeting. I passed by a friend's house. I could see her family in the backyard playing, so I HONKED. (Remember, you can honk for a friend!) She came running. Thankfully, there is a stop sign right in front of her house, so I was legally obligated to stay put.

"Does your son want to play?" she asked.

Absolutely! Not only did she want him to play, but she also asked if he could spend the night. WOW! It took Z all of 0 seconds to decide that he indeed wanted to play, but wasn't sure about the all-nighter. That is until she mentioned her 3rd guest of honor. None other than R.C. Quick hug for mom and off he went. Mind you, I am still stopped at the stop sign. I literally dropped him off on the curb. But to see her driveway, you would understand.

Now, if you read my post yesterday about all the junk I took OUT of my car. Let me tell you what I put IN my car for our night at church. I had the following: PJ's, toothbrush, toothpaste and blanket. NO LIE! God orchestrated the perfect sleepover.

I called on my way home from church as I passed their house. Z's little voice came over the line telling me that he wanted to stay. They played outside until dark, ate his favorite foods and made ice cream shakes. I would say that his first sleepover will be one for the books.

So...honking can be beneficial.

Thursday 13

13 Rules For Better Living:

Alana tagged us for this fun post. I am not much of a rule-follower, but here are my "rules".

1. Always start your day with a cup of coffee or caffeine of some sort.

2. Always check your blogs while drinking #1.

3. Find something your husband loves and take an interest in it for him. Take baseball, for example. I haven't always loved it...but now I live for the sound of it in our house because that means Skip is home.

4. When drinking milk, you must eat something. Otherwise it tastes funny.

5. Never sleep with socks.

6. Never, or at least almost never, honk your horn.

7. Throw out the Cool Whip and go for the spray whipped cream. YUM!

8. Try to use your waitress/waiter's name. They LOVE that!

9. Dishes have to be scrubbed BEFORE putting in the dishwasher.

10. Gum is the perfect bribe, I mean, INCENTIVE for getting your kids to obey.

11. Cheer, hoot, holler for your kids. Even if they don't hear you, they know you are there cheering them on. Also, know the team name so you aren't cheering for the "Black Guys!"

12. Don't let fear stop you from anything. You will regret losing out on many opportunities.

13. Anything with syrup needs to be on a separate plate...and for the love of all that's good in this world, get a new plate between dinner and dessert!

Time For Dinner?

OK, Skip just called and asked if there was any way I could make him dinner tonight (with heavy emphasis on "tonight").

What!?

I offered him dinner last night. He just didn't approve of the Honey Nut Cheerios selection.

What does he think I am? Red Lobster?

Whirlwind

Got caught up in a whirlwind day today. Started with gymnastics, then grocery store, then creek class party, then skating birthday party, then dentist for both kids, then Taco Bell to redeem the dentist coupons, then home.

Having days like this is fun-ish for me. I am not one that can GO GO GO GO GO. Some of you can and you handle it beautifully. I am not one of those people. My kids are not one of those people either. I tend to get short-tempered with the kids, short-tempered with other drivers, irritated by life. They get ill-mannered and WILD. I wish I could be more flexible and enjoy what comes down the pike.

I try. Really try.

Most of the time, I am smiling on the outside and churning on the inside. Actually, I did pretty good today. I knew the end was in sight. The only thing I didn't like about today was that it is 1000 degrees outside and I hate to sweat when I am trying to look cute. You all know what I mean.

The one area of life that suffered most from this hectic, whirlwind day is my car. I would be embarrassed if anyone tried to ride with me. I will try to describe it and hopefully you can imagine the WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO in your own cars.

Here are the things I pulled out of my car. Mind you, none of it was there this morning. It was all from TODAY. Today people.

5 beach towels (3 soaking wet), 2 pairs creek shoes, 1 bag dirty clothes, 1 bag swim suits, 1 bag clean clothes, multiple gum wrappers, 2 party treat bags (won't be eating till tomorrow because the dentist told us not to), 1 cooler filled with food, napkins, 3 grocery bags filled with food, dried- up dandelions, purse, cell phone, BOUNCE sheet (thought it would make my car smell fresh), 3 bag chairs, 4 umbrellas (2 adult, 1 Spiderman, 1 Dora), 2 bikes (those I do keep in the back), sunscreen, bug spray, creek toys, empty water bottle, Taco Bell food, lettuce, gas receipt from April 13th (I was digging deep now), Cub Scout applications, socks borrowed from friend, and a partridge in a pear tree.

The good news is that my car is clean. The bad news is that my laundry room is not.

Life With Girls

I love these girls. I am so sad that tomorrow I am taking them home. Here is more "overheard" from Estrogen Valley.

"Ewwww, he just pottied on the tree."

"That purple and green butterfly was absolutely perfect!"

"OK, OK. I will marry you first. Then her. But I won't marry her because she is my sister."

"I AM NOT YELLING!!"

"Do they speak sign language in Nebraska? I bet they do."

"She will eat anything, just watch..."

"Why do you have gum and I don't?"

"Who wants me to kiss them?"

"You can be the dad, she can be the sister, she can be the baby, and I will be the mom."

"They just called me baby!"

"Happy Birthday dear everybody in the whole wide world, Happy Birthday to you!"

"No, I think you are the prettiest."

"Who is ready for a nap?"

"ME!" (that was Skip!)

Crowded

1 princess tent

4 kids

7 Build-A-Bears

3 Cabbage Patch kids

4 pillows

2 blankets

1 monkey

and a really big fish

LIGHTS OUT!

Estrogen Valley

Well, I survived the stomach flu and was immediately thrust back into the swing of things. I love it! We are keeping Jason & Amber's kiddos for 3 days while they are in Italy!! We have increased our house by 2...girls. They are darling, sweet, joyful little ones. We are having a blast with them. Conversations are very different with 3 girls and 1 boy.

Here are some things we have overheard.

Please note the starred items (**) are high frequency, use any time with great variation, phrases. You can insert them anywhere.

"Girls rule, boys drool."

"My feet are dirty and I am not very happy about that."

"I am hungry." **

"We have 4 girls and 2 boys."

"No, its 4 girls and 5 boys with my dog, God and Jesus." (you can't argue with that logic!)

"I'm thirsty." **

"Tell him to stop chasing us."

"OOOOWWWWWWWWW!!" **

"What's for dinner? I just know it will be fabulous!" (flair for dramatic)

"When can we go swimming?" **

"Enough already!"

"Hey, do you want to play baseball when we get home? I will be the batter and you can be the crowd."

"Maybe Skip is home cooking us dinner." (sweet innocent child!)

"I think getting my face painted is the BEST thing EVER!"

"Ugh. He just kissed me!"

"What's the plunger for?"

"I love rock and roll, put another dime in my JUICE box, baby!"

"Can we have gum now?" **

"OH MY GOSH!" **

"Frozen pizza? I have never had frozen pizza before." (what?)

"People shouldn't litter in this world."

"Give me it!" **

"She said a bad word."

"You said you would get up in a minute and I counted to 60 already."

"Privacy, pplleeeaassseee!"

Not My Own Words

Day #2 of the stomach flu.

Day #1 started with just an inkling of stomach cramps.

Day #2 is full-blown, no mistaking it for anything else.

It has my attention now.

So, for lack of my own words. Read this.

I think Alana, Shelley, Jen, Celeste, Sarah, and even Dixie (who's blog is seriously neglected) will appreciate it. :)

Hannah

H=Honest

A=Amazing

N=Nice

N="Niece"

A=Always smiling

H=Huggable

Happy Birthday, sweet Hannah. I love you and am so proud to call you friend. You are one of the coolest people I know. Your smile lights up a room and your hugs chase away the blues. Keep living for the Lord. He has blessed your life. He has blessed those around you just because you are here! Have a great birthday party!!