I'm totally insane!

I haven't had a day off in 2 weeks. Looks like I won't have one next week either. I've totally lost my mind. We had to buy a new ride since the saturn and the van have seen better days. We are trying to resurrect the van but the saturn is in the graveyard. So now we have to pay for this new ride, hence all the overtime. It's making me insane I tell ya. There are some other benefits to this crazy schedule I get to attend Avery's b-day party in Texas in just a few weeks and Doug and I get to go see Kamri and Evie in the Nutcracker Ballet in Dec. I'm totally stoked about both of those. I hope my rapid reward flying points add up fast with all this flying back and forth.

We are entering week 3 of no smart phones. :( I'm totally going through withdrawals. My whole life was in that phone and I hate not having it.  I blame this on myself as I had a momentary lapse in judgement and added teenagers to my cell plan. In the 3 years Doug and I have been with Verizon we've never gone over our mins our had an outrageous bill. The teens did it in a month. The younger boys will hate the older ones when it comes time for them to get cell phones, cause my first question will be. Do you have a job? No, well then you have no phone! Alex is already looking for work and he is 9! He asked our landlord if he had any jobs he could do that he needed to make $10 a month. I think he might have found something for him to do. Alex really wants that Lego Universe monthly subscription but mom's just not working overtime for that!


Andy and I went to the Florida Aquarium on Tuesday with the home school group. I was lots of fun and of course he really enjoyed it. Especially getting to see the penguins so up close and personal, since they are his favorite animal. I love our field trips we always have a good time and we get to do lots of fun stuff. I'm really looking for to January's field trip to Lego land! Hooray for group rates otherwise we couldn't go, it's like Disney expensive!

So there is nothing new really going on. Just me trying to make it through each day without losing my mind.

Andy & I at the Aquarium

Getting into the learning side of the Aquarium

Touching the star fish! that water was COLD!

Andy and his best friends Joel (left) and Jake (right)

Just call me Laura Stewart

I'm having one of those moments when my chest is s a little puffed out and my head is the size of watermelon! I'm quite proud of myself. Maybe I should go back just a little bit. I found a link to a site called Pinterest. There I found all kinds of things to distract me from the things I was supposed to be doing. Among them was this Pin for sheet storage that I just thought was genius so Martha Stewart and it even had a link to the Martha Stewart video for fitted sheet folding which I promptly pinned. (pinterset lingo). I pulled out all the sheets and reorganized away. Now of course my sheets in their cases don't look that neat and nice but the concept works and it solved some problems I was having with sheet storage, so I'm happy.

For years I've been wanting to try my hand at making hand soap, laundry soap, candles and pretty much anything I can make on my own. I have this fascination with all things homemade. Well with rocketing prices I finally decided to try it. I had already research hundreds of recipes for laundry detergent and hand soap. So I had it narrowed down and honestly I took advice from several peoples posts, including my friend who posted her recipe on facebook, and kind made our own. Same with the hand soap. Last night armed with my recipes, all my ingredients and my hubby we ventured in to the world of Laura Ingles days of making your own soaps.

My liquid soap was a little runnier than I wanted but works really well. Works for dishes, hand soap and yes you could even bath the kids with it. It's wonderful! I stored in the cutest little Better Homes & Gardens canning jars. So cute Doug is designing little cute labels for them.

The liquid laundry soap turned out fabulous! I was so proud! I used it today and it is wonderful! It was easier than I thought it would be.

Next was the dishwasher powder, which by the way is fabulous! Super easy and to me easily rivals the name brands.

All in all it was I'd say it was a great success! I'm feeling very frugal and Martha Stewarty!
Next on my list is fabric softener, Bug Spray (off) and anything else I can find to do!  So, I'm totally addicted to Pinterest! There is a ton of cool stuff on there and I'm loving every second! 

Here are some links that I pulled from in my search

Laundry Soap1 
Laundry Soap2
Dishwasher Powder1
Dishwasher Powder2
Liquid Hand Soap - in my research I found this was the easiest recipe out there for what I wanted.

Crap that so backfired!

So I'm trying to convince my seriously funny hubby to start a blog. His would be the blog that would probably become a national treasure. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. I am married to the man after all. There are only 2 conditions to this blog writing, for now at least, 1. he can't write about my pilates experiences and 2. he cant write about my zumba experiences. I, of course, mentioned this to him beforehand and he got the biggest grin. He actually giggles when thinking about this. Somehow I doubt it would stay out the blog. Apparently this is the equivalent to me mentioning my parking block fall to my sister, who still hysterically laughs nearly 20 years later.

I'm not doing a very good job at convincing him to blog. So I enlisted my sister to help out. Epic FAIL! That didn't work either.

A while passes and we're holding hands and his hands are crazy cold. I mention that blogging would help with this because all the fast typing would make his hands warmer.

Doug: I like my hands cold.

me: oh well forget it I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Doug See I don't need to blog, I'm not that funny.

me: Yes, yes you do your hysterical

Doug:  You just said you don't know what your talking about! 

me: Crap that so backfired.

The following are things he wrote when he a myspace account like a thousand years ago and are still funny!

Kids

Dec 2006

Have you really ever paid attention to what your kids do? I mean for the sum of us who have kids. This is a rich and rewarding time in SOME aspect. well I say some because today I finally fix the toilet. What does this have to do with my child you ask? GREAT question.

Well it started about two day's ago when we "my wife and I" were amusing ourselves to the delightful ways of the internet. The kids were posted up at the T.V. watching what we thought was  Cars. Now don't get me wrong we check in on them for sure but some how the little one wanted to go potty so thinking nothing of it he politely lets us know what he is going to go do. I hear the toilet flush and think nothing of it. I hear it again and started to get a little upset, once more the toilet flushes and I scurry in to run him out scolding him of the values of the water bill as his little feet head out the bathroom at 90 miles an hour.

Well the next day the toilet started backing up. The water wouldn't go down properly so I take the ever so trusty Plunger and put it to good use, boy what a topic huh? The water hesitates but goes down. so by the fifth time of this I'm thinking this is crazy right? It never dawned on me that Andrew the day before was in there and might have done something to the toilet.

Finally today I am very sick no voice hardly and I just want to trim my beard and shave get a shower and try to have a peaceful day. My wife come's in and use's the bathroom, flushes it but it keeps running ... I didn't think nothing about it and actually wasn't paying any attention to it do to the fact of paying attention to my own duties. suddenly my feet are getting wet I turn and the toilet is flowing over with joy. Pissed i turn the water off now keep in mind I have no voice hardly and I'm doing my best to be heard. whelp I know what I have to do at this point.

I start working on taking the toilet up being sure to drain it before doing so. I look down the drain and see nothing I'm thinking WTH. So just for chits and giggles I turn the toilet over and look in the bottom , low and behold the momma of all back ups over the past day cause by a frickin McDonald's happy meal toy from the Incredibles, That's right my youngest got the Mcbrilliant idea of flushing a toy down the toilet. I clean the mess but got the wife to get the toy cause I wasn't touching it the big ole man I am and put the thrown of kids back in it's place.

I sit here and laugh at my own stupidity but wonder what was going through his mind at the point of entry 'splash down of Mr. Incredable, and if he really thought it would go away. How is it you can tell a child five times to get up and get ready for school and he doesn't budge but tell him Santa came before your through He's at the tree about to pee his pants to open a gift. How is it a child can not remember what you said not to do five seconds ago 'as he is doing it again' but he tells your pastor that you drank 3 beers swore five times while changing the spark plugs on a 1994 chevy C-15 V-8 automatic because he didn't set the gaps on the plugs right.

GO FIGURE!

Doug

Peace in Chaos

July 2007

Whelp,
Here I am again facing the reality of the world as we all come to realize. Why is it that no matter where you are in life there are certain people that can hone in on how much of a pissy day your having? I mean just for a few examples, You had a bad weekend with the wife with a couple of fights that should have never happened go to work on Monday and out of the blue someone you work with who normally say's nothing to you just intensified the edge you carried over from the weekend. I mean whats the deal???

Bill collectors will do it too. Your in life's mode having a very hard time but your coping with your troubles the best you can and trying very hard to survive and hold on to every piece of sanity you have to make it through and you think to your self, " Self all it's going to take is just one more thing", Low and behold the message was  magically beamed to all your bill collectors and there you are holding a credit card bill for 3000 dollars, a financial statement for a house your behind on that you never owned, a 250.00 dollar electric bill you just payed threatening to turn off your lights,  A vet bill for 500.00's for a pet snake named Mr. slithers you never touched and of course the kick between the legs, Your wife's  Dr. think it would be a great time to play a practical joke and tell you your having triplets. All in less the 24 hours.

Heh, funny enough you then come to terms of your life as you see it in the moment and wonder if you can even afford the bullet it would take to end cruelty. Then you start to wonder with everything else happening you would probably miss and take out the Chevy bus to haul your triplets around in that you just went in debt for because the Dr. was a little late with her punch line. Yet we wonder why there are so many angry people in the world and so much violence.

Just about the time your fixing to rip the arms off the dude that just cut the line in front of you at wally world you get a tug on the pants and in the middle of your rage you look down with intense eye's and there stands your 3 year old with a smile, and he says daddy, that was nice of you to let him in line from the back. You then melt and everything that once was, the core of every angry moment becomes clear to you. For every mistake, for every bad timed punch line or debt owed. we over look the fact that no matter what, It's all how you deal with your situation. Also who is watching you deal with it as well. As you look into your wife's eye's and think how wonderful but chaotic your lives are, there is one thing that was perfect, your children.

then the cashiers rings up a 300.00 dollar food bill when you only have 15 items

sigh so on so forth love is the key.

Doug

                                                           

I'm right aren't I? He needs a blog. He's funny and darn stinkin cute! What more could a girl want. Well there is that one thing... never mind~ :)

Anyhoo, he needs a blog and we all need to drive him insane until he starts one!

WOW! My kid is cool!

Our brilliant genius level son was nominated to travel with People to People in the summer of 2012. I had never heard of this program so I was a little surprised to get the letter in the mail. I had to go look it up. Alex was invited to travel through Europe in the UK & Ireland. What a cool opportunity! Although I'm not sure how I feel about letting my 5th grader (he would be by then) go to Europe without me. I think it's incredible that he was invited. It's also uber expensive, of course. This is definitely something that we have to pray about about but I just thought it was soooo cool!

My brilliant amazing 9 yr old son!

From the People to People website:

The People to People movement dates back more than half a century to its founding by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. Eisenhower was acting on his firm belief that direct interaction between ordinary citizens around the world can promote cultural understanding and world peace.
That proud legacy of hope lives on in People to People Ambassador Programs on seven continents. 

Legends of the United Kingdom and Ireland

DESTINATION(S): ENGLAND, IRELAND, SCOTLAND, AND WALES

DURATION: 19 DAYS

AUDIENCE: Grades 5th - 6th

London, EnglandGet to know the Beefeaters, official guards of the Tower of London, and learn about the tower’s 10 centuries of rich history.
Gain an insider’s perspective on British government from a current or former Parliament or Cabinet member.
Float past Big Ben and other iconic London landmarks on a Thames riverboat.
Re-create life in the Middle Ages—complete with a medieval banquet.
Experience the ceremonial changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
Catch a play or musical in the West End, considered the capital of the theater world.
Soar high above the city in the London Eye, the world’s largest Ferris wheel.

Oxford, England

Explore this famous college town and its blend of ancient architecture and modern business.

Warwick, England

Spend an afternoon on the grounds of Warwick Castle, where a medieval encampment brims with music, games, and colorful characters ranging from knights to rat-catchers.
Train to wage war as a knight, and watch the world’s largest trebuchet (catapult) in action.

The Highlands, Scotland

Keep your eyes peeled for signs of Nessie, the legendary lake monster.
Learn how sheepdog puppies are trained to watch over their flocks.
Hike to discover hidden waterfalls and deep mountain pools in stunning Scottish scenery.
Meet a traditional Scotsman, and learn how his regalia honor the country’s history and heritage.
Try on a kilt and kick up your heels during an evening of Scottish culture.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Experience Scotland’s commanding capital city, perched upon the crests of seven hills.
Stroll the Royal Mile, and research the history of Scottish clans.
Explore Edinburgh Castle, from its 12th-century chapel to the 1 o’clock gun.

Blaenavon, Wales

Hear Welsh spoken by local craftsman while exploring St. Fagans, a 16th-century castle turned open-air museum.

Dublin, Ireland

Explore the streets of Dublin, including areas like Grafton Street and Trinity College.
Try your hand at Gaelic football in the Gaelic Athletic Museum.

County Kerry, Ireland

Visit ancient Blarney Castle, and discover the Witch’s Kitchen and other Druid rock formations found on its grounds.
View the breathtaking Gap of Dunloe from a horse-drawn jaunty car.
Soak up the joyous Irish culture during a céilidh, an evening of traditional music and dance.
Admire the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, which plummet 650 feet straight down t

My Best Friend

I'm feeling a little nostalgic tonight. I listened to a song called 7X70 by Chris August, excellent song. It reminds me partly of my hubby and his dad, who died about 10 yrs. ago. There was a lot of hurt there and Doug made peace with him, was able to see his father come to Christ, and spoke at his funeral. Although I was not able to be there with him through that time (this was the year before we started dating) I am so proud of him now. What courage, love, a mountain of other things it took to do that.

Honestly my best friend is pretty darn amazing. I could tell parts of his life story here although he might kill me but it's not really my story to tell. Some might see only the pain he has been through, but I see this amazing man that has overcome some huge hurts and is today the most loving, forgiving, patient man I know. I've watched him transform over the past (almost) 9 yrs and although it hasn't all be pretty it has been amazing. I'm so incredibly proud of him.

He accepts people as they are and with him what you see is what you get. He isn't a different person at home than he is in public. I love that about him. We don't always agree, we sometimes drive each other crazy but man oh man do I love this man.

He is a great dad who loves all the boys exactly the same. He usually knows just what to say to each of them just when they need to hear it. It's amazing to watch him interact with them. I love how our kids each look up to and respect him. That's saying a lot when you have teenagers!

I'm so incredibly blessed to have him as my husband. I'm thankful that he loves me for me (even the side of me that isn't so great!) I hope he knows just how much I love, adore, respect and admire him. I look forward to each day with him and watching our love and relationship grow over time.

He is truly amazing this best friend of mine!

I love the way he looks at me!

My beautiful family!

Little Boys and Lots of Rain

I love love love my boys. I don't post as much about my kids. Other people have hysterical stories about their kids and the crazy things they do, I however don't. Maybe it's not so much that my kids aren't funny and don't do crazy cute things, Of course they do. However, let's face it, I'm stinking old and exhausted I just can't remember what they are later to blog about them. I try, I really do. I think oh man cute I'll blog later, sit down and yep it's gone. Gone like the wind! So my blog is most often whatever ramble I can put together on the days I can sit still and put two or more semi-intelligent thoughts together.

Today I even remembered to take a picture for this blog! Aren't we proud! This is my beautiful, funny, loving, huge hearted baby boy Andy. He will play inside most of the day and run outside late in the afternoon. This child has an it's about to rain meter buried somewhere deep inside. I kid you not 10 mins. after he is out the door it is pouring rain so hard you can't see in front of you. He is wet, outside and totally happy. He will be totally soaked then sit under the porch and watch the rain. It's a miracle he doesn't get sick but he doesn't and he loves it. My daughter Kaitlyn loved the rain too. In her very short time here, if it was raining she would cry until you took her out on the porch and suddenly she was quite. I like to think Andy got his love of the rain from his sister. I don't have the heart to make him come inside. So until the rainy season is over I guess he'll just be out in the rain in the afternoon. So if you drive by my house in the late afternoons expect to see Andy out watching the rain surrounded by a passel of neighbor hood kids that have decided our porch is the place to be. Isn't life grand!!

From Mid-Life Crisis to Clarity

Mid-life crisis is so cliche, I think, but lately that's almost how it felt. I've been seeking God's will more and more, spending more time in His word, searching for the wisdom that I so desperately lack in decision making. Two Sundays ago Pastor Dumas preached and I was completely and totally convicted. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he was preaching to me, I also knew I couldn't do anything about it. I was standing in my own way, I knew it, I had known it for a long time. I've felt for a while God saying I want to take you to new heights, to places we've never been before together; but I can't until you do this one thing. Isn't it always that one thing that gets you so torn up inside that you just can't go there. My husband sat next to me watching me knowing that I was struggling. He looked at me and I flat out told him I can't, I'm standing in my own way and I know it and I'm not going to do anything about it because I can't. (talk about stubborn disobedience) Doug in the Holy Spirit's wisdom told me I was telling God that I don't trust him among other things (that are a tad personal for a blog.) We went home and I was miserable. I knew I had to do what God was telling me to do. I knew I couldn't go any farther in my walk with God until I obeyed Him and trusted Him that in the end His way would mean life not death. (we are so short sighted, aren't we.) By that evening I was a mess and I knew it was all coming to head.

You see it's like the old saying you can run but you can't hide. Although God will never force His will on us, never force His love and grace on us if we are TRULY seeking what God wants in our lives then we must make the hard decision. Do we continue to live in misery or do we choose freedom. And let me tell you that freedom is ever so sweet, once we walk into it. During our Beth Moore study she said God can deliver you one of three ways.
1. Deliverance from the fire - this is a faith builder
2. Deliverance through the fire - our faith is refined
3. Deliverance by the fire - our faith is perfected
We all pray to be delivered from the fire. This is our very first prayer please Lord deliver me from this and trust me I prayed that.. Don't make me go through this fire because Lord I will no make it out. This was me not trusting him, I honestly believed I would not make it out. But it was not to be, I was going to have to walk into that fire and I knew it. Let me just say that this was not an easy walk and I had literally been running the other way for years, but the time had come. I was in bondage and I couldn't hobble my way along any longer. I needed to be free, deep down I wanted to be free. So head down I walked into the fire, I felt like I was walking before a firing squad and that this would be the end of life as I knew it. (In a way I was right) But just like with Sadrach, Meschach and Abednego I was not alone in the fire, there was one more. When I walked out the other side I didn't even smell like smoke!! The only thing burned here were the chains that had been holding me captive! (and I was deathly afraid of that fire.) I would walk out of that fire with more freedom than I had ever know. Jesus had stood with me in my fire and set me free! I am here to tell you there is NO other way. I got a lot of perspective that day and a whole lot of clarity. I just didn't know yet how much clarity. Remember I said I knew I couldn't go deeper until I faced that fire. Well today I'm deep sea diving!

This Sunday was incredible also but in totally different ways. The verse read before worship was the same verse Andy has been studying all last week. (these things are never a coincidence) So last night at work I opened up my journal and begin to write and then read. The following is an excerpt of my journal from last night.

9/25/2011

I have been totally ungrateful about the things in my life. I want to have a grateful heart about everything that you give us. I want to have a good attitude about all things. I know my attitude is terrible and I really want to be better.
Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God, renew a right spirit within me."
Forgive me Father for my lack of commitment to you.
vs. 11-12 & 15 "Do not banish me from your presence and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that I may praise you."
This is it! This is how I feel right now. Like maybe I've gone from a mid-life crisis to clarity. I just want to have a crazy close relationship with you! I've always felt like there was something missing, something deeper. That's what I want, the deeper uber personal relationship with you. The one where I can't get enough of you, I can't spend enough time in your presence, in your Word. I feel like a new woman, like these bondage chains have finally come off and I am finally free of this person I USED to be! Mold me into that new person you want (and already know) me to be!
 (And if that were not enough he gives me more love and conformation as I continue to read)

Col. 1:9b "we ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom."
Yes Lord Yes!
vs. 10 "Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord and you will continually do good, kind things for othera. All the while, you will learn to know God better and better."
Yes! This is exactly it! A thousand times yes!!! (can I get an amen!)
vs. 14b "And he has forgiven ALL your sins." (emphasis mine)
Not just some but ALL
Col 2:3 "In Him lie hidden all the the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
(bring on the treasure hunt!)
Col 2:7 "Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him.... let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all his has done!
Col 2:11 "When you came to Christ, you were circumcised, but not in a physical procedure - the cutting away of your sinful nature."
(any of this sounding familiar? Verse 20-23 totally blows me away and this is my final thought of the day)

Vs 20-23 "You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as don't handle, don't eat, don't touch. Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility and severe bodily discipline. But they have no affect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thought and desires."

There is a whole other "book" I could write just from vs 20-23 but as I promised this is my last thought of the day. Why are we opening up the world's playbook everyday and trying to finish the race according to the world and it's views? Let me assure you the real playbook is far better and the freedom that comes from it passes all of our own understanding. Someday I will get to stand before the King of Heaven and thank Him in person for delivering me, this time, through the fire. Until then I'll thank Him everyday by going deeper and enjoying my uber personal relationship with Him. My sincerest hope is that you find the clarity you're looking for in your life. Don't be afraid to walk into your fire for the freedom on the other side is beyond what you can see or understand right now. He is here, He is with you and you are NOT ALONE!

Learning how to not be so OCD

I never really thought of myself as ocd about some things, but as I am getting older I see that really I am. How do you unlearn ocd? That's a great question, wish I had the answer. Increasingly I'm seeing more and more things that I am ocd and controlling about. Now I realize these are really two separate issues but for this blog (and to make myself feel better) we'll call it one.


I guess in some ways this could be a good trait but apparently not in the ways that I have them. I can't look at my kids dresser drawers without wanting to cry or throw a big fat mommy tantrum. I know they have to learn to do these things on their own, but can't they at least do it my way!! *stomping my foot* Haven't they heard that if momma isn't happy no one is happy? I am not happy when I see those clothes like that. I know I should be happy they are doing their own laundry, and believe me I am, but if they could just attempt to put them away nicely I would feel so much better.

Also, I like my instructions to followed exactly as I have said them with no deviations what so ever.
This is not so great with kids, but it really bothers me if they don't . I just don't like the slightest detail to be missed. How in the world do you stay sane as mother with this crazy trait? I feel like a mutant!

Honestly I really like most things done on my terms, in my time, just the way I imagine it. Doug says I just don't do well if things don't go the way I imagine them. Example: A couple of weeks ago I wanted to go downtown to the garage sale thing they had on the circle. When I saw it on my way home from work I was suddenly energized. It was a Saturday morning and we had no kids and I envisioned us walking hand in hand down through tables, laughing and talking. I get home and Doug was sleeping as it was 7 am. I excitedly begged him to get up and go with me. I go no where, he was out! Begrudgingly I got into bed and proceeded to sleep the day way.

Last Saturday was the car show, same circle downtown. I went to get stuff for pancakes and saw the car show. This time we had a house full of kids, our kids and a neighbor kid who had stayed the night. I rushed home threw some cinnamon rolls in the oven and gave my family no choice. They were going to this car show whether they liked it or not. ( ps car shows get more attention than garage sales.)
We get there and Doug and are holding hands, laughing, talking (sound familiar yet?) when he tries to dart off with the boys for something. I promptly told him oh noooooo this day is going to go exactly as I envisioned it or else! Of course he laughs and shakes his head at me (cause he only laughs when I'm not being funny or I'm mad.)

It seems these days I look in the mirror and see all these things I really don't like about myself. I, of course, have wonderful traits also (please don't tell my family I have faults because I almost have them convinced that I am practically perfect in every way.) Maybe it's just the fine tuning of God, bringing out the things that need changing and helping me to recognize and free up the control in that area of my life, but it really stinks. I was perfectly happy in my own little world being ocd and not realizing it. Now it seems I have to let that go and somehow not be so controlling and well anal I guess. It would be easier if God just fixed everyone else but it seems that is not the case and apparently it's me that needs the fixing this time. Maybe someday I'll look back at this blog and laugh and be happy that I went through this process but for now I'm like the old family comic where the little boy was sent to the corner, as he sat there he announced to his mama; "I may be sittin down on the outside but I'm standing up on the inside."

3 day weekend!

I've officially been up 15 hours and I don't have to be back at work until Monday at 9:30 pm! Praise the Lord! Today I ordered the cage for the new pedigree rabbit, went to the tag office, paid an enormous fine at the library, had lunch with Andy and Doug, went to the laundromat and did some 13 loads of laundry. The was no stinking way I was doing all that laundry on the only weekend I've had off in months! No thank you! Tonight dinner with friends.

Tomorrow the new cage for the rabbit (thanks to amazon's prime shipping overnight for $3.99!!!) Which is a very good thing because I came in under budget and just in time. We make the drive to Lake Wales tomorrow to see Andy's new pedigree show bunny. That phrase still kills me! I mean really a pedigree bunny, but hey there could be worse things, at least he doesn't want a horse!
Tomorrow night curl up and watch movies, which I am totally looking forward too. 


Sunday is church. So we have a long weekend ahead but I am really looking forward to spending some good family time. Andy says to me today that he hasn't got to spend much time with me lately which is funny because he has seen me more than Doug or Alex. I don't ever get to see Doug anymore, just right before he leaves for work and right before I leave for work. Just passing each other in the doorway.


So I met this lady in the laundromat that does other peoples laundry. $10 bucks an hour and she washes, dries, folds and puts it all away. At this point that is sounding mighty awesome!  I took her number not that I can really afford to have someone come do my laundry but it is every moms dream, right?


I have managed to get 95% of Andy's school done this week. With just a few minor assignments unfinished. OHHHH. Andy got his very first library card today! He is so cute with it! He signed the back and everything! He was so proud to show it to Daddy. Super cute! We may even hit the library tomorrow. Alex is home this week so life is almost complete. We are only missing 2 now. I sure do miss them.

Things I am coming to realize

There are a few things that I am slowing coming to realize in this life of mine. Once again, as in my other useless lists, these are in no particular order.

1. There are not enough hours in the day
2. My husband mostly pretends to hear what I say
3. Life is harder than ever thought it would be
4. My house will never clean itself and the laundry will never wash itself (sadly)
5. I may never see the good things about me
6. I'm more OCD than I want to admit
7. I seriously dislike working nights and totally regret quitting at the church.
 8. I'm a compulsive complainer
9. I'm apparently not as angry as I used to be. (or so my hubby says)

I'm sure there are probably more but honestly I'm just too darn tired to think them up right now.
Here I am working overnights and there are a ton of things still to do during the day. I'm not a single person who can sleep all day and it doesn't really matter. I had no idea how hard this was going to be or how tired I would be. I had no idea  how my house would suffer and bedroom might never be clean again. ACK!

Men have severely selective hearing. Enough said.

I never, ever, ever in a million years thought my life would be like it is now. This is not a neccessarly a bad observation. Sure there are things that I would do differently if I was given the chance to go back and change things but I would also not be where I am now if I did. And I can not imagine my life without Doug and the kids.

I didn't realize growing up how much work it takes to keep a house going and clean. This fact was somehow lost to me in my growing up years. Probably due to my highly selfish nature. This is actually exhausting and I am just horrible at it.

Sadly, I will probably never see the good things about myself. I look in the mirror now and think who is this chunky person with the grey hair? Do I know her? She sorta resembles someone I used to know but not really. I'm older, fatter, with less energy and even less motivation. I tend to see the negative in everything, especially myself. I honestly can't think of anything I really like about myself right now.

My closet is color coated and sorted into sections ( at least it is when Doug is not putting clothes away) and it drives me batty insane that he hangs my clothes in the wrong spot. Although I don't tell him that because he might stop doing what laundry he does do. I can't even look in the boys drawers anymore without freaking out since they started putting their own clothes away. It's just too terrible!

One of my major regrets of the past year is when I walked away from being the sec. at the church. Enough said.

I complain about everything. Not an attractive trait, something I am desperately working on.

Apparently I used to be worse off than I am now. That is truly a frightening thought. This has to be tangible proof that God isn't finished with me yet. That He is changing me and that I am making progress! If it isn't just leave them in that delusion please.  neurotic thoughts

Another School Year Starts

Another school year has started and we are off and running. Full plates this year!
Bryce as a senior in high school (heaven only knows how that is possible)
Tyler is a sophomore. Alex in 4th grade and Andy in 2nd. Of course this family can't do anything easy so we have 2 in Texas going to school, Alex in Heartland Christian and Andy homeschooled.

Alex and Andy are in 4-H this year. With Alex doing an art project and Andy doing a show rabbit project. Alex is running for president of their club and I can't wait to hear his speech and see how the vote goes. Should be interesting. 4-H is a whole lot more involved than I thought it would be but I think it will be good for the kids.

Andy is homeschooled so that means lesson plans for me, which I am not good at at all. We really wanted to go with Bigger Hearts for His Glory this year and were totally excited about it but finances got in the way and we pulled out the one we already had. I was quite proud of myself for getting the whole year all note booked out and lesson plans done through Nov. Even without the lesson plans I have the whole year planned out and ready to go. At the end of the year the notebook will be his portfolio and I won't have to do any extra work for that! Hooray!

One of the many things I really love about homeschool is the fabulous field trips we go on. Public school goes on field trips but the homeschool ones are just awesome! The kids had their first field trip of the year last Thursday (the 1st one I've ever missed and boy it was not one to miss). I'll take an excerpt from our homeschool group pres. blog (Our Beautiful Mess) about what they did on the field trip.

Our homeschool group had an island adventure with the Nature’s Academy on the Gulf Coast. We got to explore God’s creatures through a nature walk  as well as dip netting into a sea grass bed.

We licked the mangrove leaves, saltiness and learned how healthy these trees made the estuary for the sea creatures.  We ate a “salt wart” leaf….salty and lettuce like.  The birds were perched on the boardwalk.  The herrings seemed to be fine with our nature hike with our binoculars exploring as quietly as K-4th graders could!  The fiddler crabs dug perfect circular holes moving quickly in the sand.  We kicked seeds into the water saving those mangroves and continuing the circle of life in the Gulf.

We continued our tour with a shark dissection learning the parts of a shark.  We felt the spine of the shark (hence vertebrates) and discovered how small their hearts really are.
After we got on our water shoes we dug into the seabeds with nets bringing up 20 different sea creatures from the bottom, confirming that indeed this was a healthy place.
Our day was finished as we picked up 45 pounds of trash in about the length of half a football field in less than 15 minutes!  This was disappointing but the kids and adults could not believe how little time it took to clean up God’s Creation.

This was an amazing trip with the Nature’s Academy.  Dana Pounds was such a blessing to our group as she had lost her leg to cancer and has a prosthetic leg.  She explained her relation with Winter the Dolphin as they share the same gel that is used for Winter’s tail.
What a great Homeschool Day!!

This is just a few of our homeschool group kids.

How awesome does that sound. It was a day I'm sure Andy won't forget anytime soon and I'm personally glad he got the chance to delve deep into God's creation for a moment to see just how AWESOME he really is.

I must say that I am extremely grateful for the chance to be a homeschool mom. My life has been so enriched by it. Not only by being able to watch closely as my child is learning and spending precious moments with him, as he is growing up way too fast, but also the privilege of getting to know the other kids, moms and dads that make up our group. These are some fantastic people that I am growing to love more with each passing event and social.

How Hard Is It? Really?

This is my vent post! There are some disadvantages to being surrounded by all boys. Truthfully they are slobs although admittedly I can be somewhat of a slob also. Here is my how can is it really list, in no particular order.

How hard is it to:

1.  Put the new roll of toilet paper on the holder and throw away the empty roll.

2. To close the shower curtain when you get out of the shower. I hate mildew

3. To hit the laundry basket when you take off your clothes

4. Unload the dishwasher or load it for that matter

5. Fold a basket of laundry that has been waiting for you to fold it for a week.

6. Put your shoes IN the shoe basket

7. Put the books back on the bookcase.

8. Put your clothes in the actual drawer that they go in.

9. Put the movies and games back in their case and the case back on the bookcase.

10. Hang up your towels!

These are a few of my pet peeves that I am finding are driving me increasingly batso! I mean really. It isn't that hard.

I find that there are just not enough hours in the day. I'm having to become very task oriented in order to get anything done. I have to have a clear plan for the day and make myself stay on track or else I just don't get anything done. I'm finding this schedule so difficult to feel rested. I slept last night and woke up this morning tired. Go figure.

Next post...... Things I wish!

Completely Random Nonsense

I have writer's block so I have to make myself write something. So here is my completely random nonsense.

The kids were helping out by cleaning the kitchen the other day. Which they actually don't mind doing, strangely.

Me: Did you wipe down the table?

Boys: Yeah Mom we swept it.

Me: What do you mean swept it?

Boys: You know like with the broom.

Me: Seriously? Really? Are you kidding?

Boys: Nope it had crumbs on it.

Me: Lord help me!

I'm not sure where they got that idea. I'm pretty darn sure they have never seen me do that!!

Random Topic 2

School has started we are on week one and already Alex is driving his teacher nuts. Oh yeah it's gonna be a long year. It is not a good sign that Doug and I have to have a come to Jesus meeting before week 2 of school.

Random topic 3

Here are my first 2 cards! I decided I needed a completely Lone Estrogen hobby, no testosterone allowed hobby. My Mom does cards with Stampin Up and always thought they were really cute and so I've decided to give it try. I'm not really crafty but I'm quite proud of my first 2 cards! Extremely simple but really fun to do.

Card I made for Baby Job

Card I made for Danny's b-day

I am blameless.... Well at least this time

So the other night we are all sitting in the living room doing our various forms of entertainment when Doug lets off of fart not a small fart but a big fat noisy fart. First words out of Andy's mouth is "gross mom!" Hey that was not me! Doug of course is dying laughing that mommy gets blamed for his fart. My kids don't believe me that it wasn't me. Ummm I am a lady I don't fart out loud! I may on occasion fluff out loud but never fart. Who heard of such a ghastly thing! 

This has to be the difference between raising boys and girls. I have a sister and I don't remember farts being so talked about growing up but now it is the topic of lots of conversations in our house. I have to admit that I am succumbing to the boy topics in my house. It's hard to not be pulled into their gross conversations. I feel like I am losing my ladyship status a little more everyday! :) My mother would be mortified! She didn't raise us to be so crude! I have tried to introduce a little culture into my house full of vary levels of testosterone but to no avail. The second they even smell classical music or a classic movie they scatter faster than cockroaches in light. I literally think they can smell for at least an hour before I even think it.

Alas I am the Lone Estrogen. I feel like I need a sidekick now. The Lone Ranger and Tonto meets The Lone Estrogen and Meno (short for menopause). I guarantee estrogen and menopause win that duel! Apparently I will need to be more sneaky when it comes to introducing culture into my clan. Hey maybe I'll make it mandatory homework! *evil laugh* I can do that. I'm mom and teacher!

Motivated Moms

Motivated Moms is a printable chore planning system to help you have a clean and organized home and still have time for yourself! Motivated Moms is a great idea for anyone who would like an easy system to help them to know what to do each day. Just consult the list, do the work, check it off for the day and enjoy your free time!

I have this chore program I used to use it all the time years ago when I had my other house and I was the sec. at the church. Now that we've moved into our own place again I pulled out the good ole Motivated Moms and printed it out, put it neatly in it's nice binder and waited. And waited and waited. Disclaimer **** this does not come with the motivation to actually do the chores. I pulled out the nice notebook with the perfectly organized chore plan and stared at it. I got tired just reading it so I did the next logical thing and went to bed. 

Of course this is not a flaw in the motivated moms program (which is quite wonderful) but a flaw in myself. I did manage to spray the shower curtain down this morning before hitting the sack. Oh I did find something interesting before I went to bed that was a tad bit disturbing to me. 

I can not for whatever reason get this picture to be right side up. I've tried everything. But I'm reading the cereal box after pouring the cereal and I'm liking the calories, trans fat, I get to the cholesterol, it says omg cholesterol! Seriously! ROFL! OMW that slays me. It's an excellent source of vitamins & minerals but omg that cholesterol!  ROFL!

Omg Cholestreol!

Sunburned Knees

It was a hard choice today whether to blog about motivated moms or Doug's sunburned knees. You guessed it Doug's knees win out. Yesterday we went to the homeschool swim party at the Y. Now Doug is hit or miss on swimming mostly he goes and just hangs out with us. On this particular day I manned him with the camera and he got some really cute shots too! For whatever weirdo reason we come home and his knees are really sunburned. His face and neck too but his knees it's really weird. Not any other part of legs just his knees. I know it's mean of me but his pain in this is really funny for some unexplained reason.

I was going to post something about it on my Facebook status but Doug caught me in action This did not go over well, however he didn't say anything about the blog! The conversation about the Facebook status was quite comical but I can never remember them well enough to post the actual hysterical comments by my hubby about not posting about ridiculously sunburned knees. Just saying/typing sunburned knees cracks me up.

Bedtime was disastrous!  How do you not get the sheets to rub on your sunburned knees? I know I'm horrible but I was laughing so hard I couldn't breath See I'm laughing now just writing about it. Also funny is that our sheets are cream and red. I pointed out this fact to Doug that he now matches the sheets but the humor of it was lost to him.

This may end up being on of those had to be there kinda funny or it was funny in my head but just trust me when I tell you it was funny!

ETA: This is me trying to get a picture of Doug's sunburned knees. It was not easy and the one pic I did get really doesn't show how red they really are.

This pic just disturbs me!

Trying to use the Swiffer mop head as a shield

Poor Slinky is being used as a doggy shield!

Times this red by about a 100 and that's how red they really are!

The end result is he is now suffering in jeans.

The Life and times of a completely exhausted mom

The Life and times of a completely exhausted mom.... This is the name I should have named my blog only I had just come back from my wonderful trip to Texas and was pretty well rested. Now of course I am back to reality.

I worked all night, came home and worked on Job's welcome to the world gift for a few, caught an hour of sleep, had the homeschool swim party, home again for a short phone meeting with my mom, all before passing out on the couch for 4 hours. Most days aren't like this but it seems a part of the night shift to just stay tired. I am beginning to wonder if my judgement in taking this shift was a little off, but hey I have a job!

Andy has decided he wants to do a show bunny for 4-H. I have to admit I'm less than thrilled about this but he seems to be enthralled in the reading material for this. Who am I to deny him something that he would really love to do so I started to download the papers he needs to complete for a show bunny project. Now I am completely overwhelmed. OMW that is alot of info, so much so I don't even know where to start. Should be interesting. I'll be happy if Andy makes it to the fair with a bunny that is actually still alive! Thank goodness he didn't want to do a rooster or a hen. I'm afraid the first time that rooster crowed early it would end up dinner that night!

Alex is doing and Art and drawing project for 4-H. He is really excited about it and I can't wait to see what is in store for him with  it. He starts school in 2 weeks. Oh the joys of the school year.

 I am actually looking forward to getting back into some sort of routine. The summer has been long but good.

I don't care what my family says I am TOO FUNNY!

Honestly I really do crack myself up sometimes. However my hubby only laughs at me when I'm not being funny. Seriously?? I am so not amused by that! Andy my precious 7 yr old tonight tells me Aunt Taren is funny Mom you not so much! I mean really. Death to Aunt Taren and I LOVE my sis.

I'm surrounded by funny people. My sister is funny, my hubby is funny. Today I was the messenger between Taren and Doug how were cracking jokes to each other through me on the phone. WHAT THE HEY BOBBY! I feel like a stick out of place sometimes. It seems I have a sense of humor all my own that only I understand. That's okay. I'm funny, I know it, in my head it's freakin hysterical!

I was searching the web for some pics to go along with my blog. and I came across this.

I can assure you this is a crock of poo. I laughed pretty darn hard when I saw this but I am still overweight. I mean really please. I spend a week with 2 of the funniest people I know laughed till my sides hurt and didn't lose a pound. Americans are little too gullible if this book is actually selling.

Just in case your wondering. Yes I did have another blog.  I had some technical difficulties with my blog and my primary email so here I am starting all over. my favorite thing to do. So if you decide to follow me it probably won't make you laugh but hey it made me laugh so get your own blog!

All Good Things Come to an End

Today we are leaving Texas to head home to Florida. Also the boys will be going home today and I never do well with that. By the time we get back to Florida half of my family will be in Texas.

This week has been so wonderful! A whole week with my sister. Seeing my parents and finally watching my kids get a chance to know them. It was awesome. Seeing my grandparents. It's almost like this whole part of me is here and I am there. I enjoyed me week in Texas and honestly I am sad to be leaving. But I do miss my friends, my house, my bed!

Goodbye Texas our next visit won't be so far away!

Family Pics

We did family pics today. My parents, my sister and her fam and all 6 of us. We have not had a family picture done in forever at least 11 years. Susan (our photographer) was absolutely fabulous!
She took some pics of just us with the kids and some of just Doug and I. I swear it was like my wedding day again. Looking up at Doug today was even better than our wedding day. I felt like a teenager today! Although I would never willingly go back to those days. Not even wild horses could drag me.... but today was amazing and I can't wait to see the pictures.

I can't wait to see Bryce's senior pics. Which Susan also did today. I can't believe he is a senior this year. Here we are ordering senior rings, taking senior pics.... Geez where did the time go?