This used to be my favorite holiday...used to be...

Now, I think that I would rather just stay in bed all day with my kiddos and they can bring all their toys and play in there. Much more comfortable, peaceful, and less stressful.

The peaceful has been replaced with stressful, the comfortable has been replaced with running around trying to make everyone happy and the joy of giving has been replaced by having to buy the perfect gift. Well, I refuse to find the perfect gift so if you don't like what you get this year - give it to someone else next year!

I no longer find joy in shopping for others because people at the stores are pushy and downright rude. There is no longer any time for relaxation and enjoyment of the day spent with family because there is rushing from one place to the other. There is no longer time to sleep in and just wait until the kiddos wake up to find "Santa" has come. And, who knows what the traveling will be like with the 11 to 20 inches of snow that they are predicting....

Oh, and did I forget to mention that between my pregnancy and my kiddos being sick all week that I haven't had much sleep. I guess that really doesn't help the mood either...still doesn't hide the fact that I am not looking forward to Christmas this year!

The one positive thing that is going to happen this year is that we will get to go to Christmas Eve service and be able to enjoy that short time of the true meaning of Christmas...maybe that will help my attitude to change for Christmas Day...

Wishing you a less stressful, more peaceful Christmas!!!

Stressed...

Why do my kids think that they don't have to listen??? I think that I need to change the way I am doing things because nothing - not even the time of year - is helping! Maybe they sense that I am way too tired to do any follow up or disciplining. It is kind of stressful for me around this time of year...even if they were listening and it doesn't help that I am seven and a half months pregnant with no energy. I am waiting for the nesting period because my house needs a good cleaning - after it is organized and put away. We have no Christmas decorations out - much to the boys chagrin, except the little tree that my sister graciously brought over.

Somewhere around there they managed to kill the DirecTv...which makes things worse around here - I could at least turn that on and get a MOMENT of peace but can't even use that today. The only thing that works is that it shows that it is recording something constantly. Don't ask - I have no clue what they did.

Here is my schedule until after the first of the year - now mind you that my house is still not put together....tomorrow I work, Friday or Saturday Dan will finally come home, his brother is coming up from GA for the week, Sunday is D's birthday, Monday is our wedding anniversary, Tuesday I work, Wednesday I have an ultrasound and dr appt., Thursday is Christmas eve, Friday is Christmas, Saturday is C's birthday, New Year's Eve we are doing a Murder Mystery Party with friends, and New Year's Day we are having family over for the boys' birthdays. Christmas day is usually spent on my side but Dan's family wanted to have it on Christmas Day because Bob and the boys were up. That means we would split the day and it makes it more stressful. I really love time with family and friends - I just don't have the energy this year.

Gotta go - need to yell at my kiddos again!!!!!!

Most of the Painting done!

Yeah! Most of my house is now painted...no more white. I love it - though the blue in my laundry room is a little brighter than I like but I think I will get used to it...The room has no windows so I wanted something that was a little brighter. The only ones left are the kid's (main) bathroom, boys bedroom and K's/baby's bedroom. I am doing murals on these though and so it will take more time - maybe have to wait until after the new year - before baby...hahaha!

I am so not ready for Christmas - though not really in the mood. I went shopping this weekend and got a lot of it done except for my kiddos because they were with. I just don't know what to get anyone anymore and I don't like giving gift certificates. We are going to be so busy from now until probably the end of January that it is just going to get crazy. Hopefully my blood pressure cooperates with this baby.

Dan's brother is coming up on Friday, Sunday is D's birthday, Monday is Dan and my anniversary, Wed is my ultrasound and Doctor appointment, then Christmas eve and Christmas day, then Saturday is C's birthday. We are doing a Murder Mystery party with friends on New Year's Eve and on New Year's Day we are having a birthday party for my two birthday boys along with my nephew whose birthday is on the first. Whew, I think I need a nap just thinking about it. Oh, yeah, my house is still a mess and not ready for company...guess I should go put the kiddos to bed and get busy....even though I would rather hit the hay too....

No rest for the wicked!

Painting

Yeah! I can finally paint my house and start getting settled in... All of the rooms are primed and there is one coat of paint on three of my bedroom walls. The living room is complete - along with shampooed carpet so one room is completely done! Well, we still have to hang pictures and find the rest of our furniture but it is a start isn't it?

Busy last week...

We have had quite the busy week. I worked Wed - Fri, so that has consumed most of my day. Leaving early in the morning and coming home late at night then getting the kiddos ready for the next day. I fall in bed exhausted but unable to sleep.

On Tuesday, I noticed that K had what I thought was a spider bite. I squeezed it to see if anything came out and then we soaked it in the tub with her bath. Afterwards I put neosporin and a bandaid on it. The next morning before heading to work I put some more on. When I got to work I noticed that it was bleeding and getting red. By afternoon it was hard, warm and very sore to the touch - poor girl. I took her into the clinic and it was diagnosed as a skin infection. Now, recently I heard of quite a few people with staph infections and so this scared me (dreams about her being seriously ill in the hospital!). She was given antibiotics and I was told to hold warm compresses on it. WOW! what gross looking stuff came out with just the warm compresses - I was amazed! It is much better now - but I am still keeping an eye on it...

Then, I felt horrible yesterday. BAD headcold...I have not felt like that for a long time. I was hoping to get lots of rest last night but that didn't happen. Dan called me at midnight to wake me up to give K her meds (every six hours), then C crawled in bed with me, then K was up about every hour and a half. Finally I put C back in his bed and brought K in with me. I am much better today despite my lack of sleep but I think the rest of us are coming down with colds. Hopefully that is all it is with Thanksgiving coming up.

Creative KidStuff

Today, I had the opportunity (thanks to my friend Lisa) to check out a new store before it opened up to the public. It was great! We were allowed in an hour before it opened, they had breakfast yummies, a goodie bag and we were allowed to play with some of the toys that they had set up. The store is called Creative Kidstuff (located in The Shops at West End, 1665 West End Blvd, Minneapolis) and that is exactly what they sell. All three of the kiddos loved it and I will have to go back without them and do some Birthday/Christmas shopping.

This new store location allows children to explore, learn and grow while playing with their favorite toys. It has hands-on learning and playing areas along with a huge party room where they have more toys set up for play. I thought the store had very reasonable prices on all of their items. It was all very educational as well as fun to play for them to play with. D loves to crafts and they had lots of art, drawing and craft items. There were lots of fun games and homeschooling/supplemental books and toys for a variety of ages.

My boys loved the kitchen set...they had little chef hats and aprons to go along with a little kitchen and lots of kitchen accessories. They then raced around the rest of the store yelling back at me that they NEED this or that - which was everything. K loved the fact that she was able to get down and run - which is exactly what she did. She was playing in the books, by the kitchen, with the poppers, on a bouncy dog, and much more. I wish I had brought my camera but I will take some pics of them with my purchases...D wanted the chef''s hat (but was later mad because we didn't get the apron, spoon, pans, and all the other kitchen stuff), C wanted a king's crown (he would not pose nice with it so I took a picture of K with it - she loves it too), and I got K a book (she loves books and right now most of them are packed away).

I'm back and we've moved!!!

Did you think that you would ever hear from me again??? Don't know if anyone has checked up on me since I have been gone, but a lot has changed in my little world.

First of all, I am pregnant with number four! I am 27 weeks along. It was a little surprise but we are very happy. This is by far the best pregnancy...not that I was sick or anything with the others but my bloodpressure is more stable and actually on the low side. The kids are excited - at least D and C. I don't think K has any clue what is coming her way. The kiddos are all getting big on me.

Second, we have started home schooling. D is doing Kindergarten and C is doing preschool. Both are liking it. D gets a little bored with the repetition and C doesn't want to stop half the time so he will finish his book way early, but that is okay because I have picked up some other books for him to work on.

Third, we have moved. We got this big house that needed a little bit of work to get going and will eventually be a great deal...if we can ever get it finished. I wanted to paint before we moved everything in but we are waiting on some drywall stuff to be done before I can do that. So, we are living in it with just the minimum stuff out so that we can move it when they do the drywall and we paint. It is a nice area - too far from my friends - but I am used to driving. I like the fact that there are trees here too. BIG PLUS!

Well, hopefully I will be more faithful in posting...I can't wait to get my faster computer now that I don't have dial-up anymore!!!

Wordless Wednesday...

The Vanishing Sculptor Summary and Review

This book was different than what I expected. I am not a big fan of dragons and five-foot tall parrots but it has a wonderfully unexpected twist. I love the fact that it was an easy read and it kept my interest...hard to put down. It is a great read for anyone! I might just have to go and find the rest of her novels.

Summary

Donita K. Paul’s 250,000-plus-selling DragonKeeper Chronicles series has attracted a wide spectrum of dedicated fans–and they’re sure to fall in love with the new characters and adventures in her latest superbly-crafted novel for all ages. It’s a mind-boggling fantasy that inhabits the same world as the DragonKeeper Chronicles, but in a different country and an earlier time, where the people know little of Wulder and nothing of Paladin.

In The Vanishing Sculptor, readers will meet Tipper, a young emerlindian who’s responsible for the upkeep of her family’s estate during her sculptor father’s absence. Tipper soon discovers that her actions have unbalanced the whole foundation of her world, and she must act quickly to undo the calamitous threat. But how can she save her father and her world on her own? The task is too huge for one person, so she gathers the help of some unlikely companions–including the nearly five-foot tall parrot Beccaroon–and eventually witnesses the loving care and miraculous resources of Wulder. Through Tipper’s breathtaking story, readers will discover the beauty of knowing and serving God.

Author Bio:

Donita K. Paul is a retired teacher and author of numerous novellas, short stories, and eight novels, including the best-selling DragonKeeper Chronicles, a series which has sold more than a quarter million books to date. The winner of multiple awards, she lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she spends time mentoring and encouraging young writers. Visit her online at donitakpaul.com.

Bad Things Always Happen In Threes??!

At least that is the old wives tale...however, very true for us this week. We have three older vehicles (at least we don't have a car payment!) and all three needed repairs this week. My Mazda had it's timing belt replaced a month and a half ago but the tensioner (?) was bad and so it was slipping - not good for the engine. Dan tried to fix it but he needed a special tool and so when he put it all back together, it would not even start because the belt was off position. He rented a car dolly and took it in...belts, tensioners, pulleys and labor later it will cost us four days with out that vehicle and around $700 later we will be getting that one back tomorrow.

Dan's tracker would not start when he was at the airport parking lot - his brother went down and hauled it home and he figured out that his ECM (Engine Control Module - or the computer) was down. He looked on line and called some junkyards but that part is very hard to find for his vehicle. He went to a Chevy dealership - they wanted $2400.00 (!!!!) for a brand new one. After he picked his jaw up off of the floor and told them to take a flying leap - that was 2.5 times what he paid for the vehicle - he did some more research online. He can get his rebuilt with a year warrantee for $80 plus shipping but it will be 24 to 48 turn around time. He is going to send it out tomorrow...

And tonight - picking up the loaner car from the garage where the Mazda is getting fixed - I guess Dan was trying to get my attention by honking the horn and flashing the lights on the loaner at me. But driving in the big truck with the mud tires that sounds like a jet taking off and landing you can not hear anything. I pulled up by the garage in the driveway and Dan was muttering under his breath. I asked what was wrong and he asked if I could hear him - "You've driven the truck - can you hear ANYTHING when you are driving?" Here the back rear tire was completely flat! I noticed it pulling a little but would not have thought that the tire was flat. He tried pumping it up again but air was just blowing out of the hole - at least making it very easy to identify where it was leaking... Dan did a quick patch on it and it is keeping air in but I will need to take it into a shop and have them do a better patch job on it. Shouldn't cost too much but with everything else this was just icing on the cake for Dan.

Then I read my emails and Pam my heart goes out to you and your family in the loss of your Father! Life just doesn't seem so bad with a few minor car problems. We need to keep things in perspective...our vehicles will soon be fixed and at just under $1000.00 for all three. Your Father has now met his FATHER! May HE comfort you in your grief and loss!!

Friday Funnies...

The Husband Store

A store that sells new husbands has opened in New York City , where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates: You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increase as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.

On the first floor the sign on the door reads: Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs

She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads: Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.

'That's nice,' she thinks, 'but I want more.'So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads: Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking.

'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads: Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help With Housework.

'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!' Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads: Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads: Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.

PLEASE NOTE: To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street.

The first floor sign reads: Wives that love sex.
The second floor sign reads: Wives that love sex and have money and like beer .
The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors have never been visited.

Thursday Thirteen - New Milestones for K

(In no particular order...)

1. Waves hello and good-bye and mimics saying "Hi". (I'm trying to get her to do a princess wave for all of the parades this summer but we'll take what she's got.)



2. Eats all table foods - no baby food for her - not even in a pinch and she usually has seconds. She loves her food just like her mama.



3. She can drink out of a sippy cup all by herself now. We used to have to hold it for her but she even tips it the right way and can actually drink out of it.



4. She has four teeth through and still working on at least two more at the moment.



5. She has been told she looks like Pebbles (just needs the bone) with one whale spout and CindyLou Who with two whale spouts in her hair.



6. She does an extra long blink when she wants to flirt...mighty darn cute if I do say so myself - her Daddy is in TROUBLE! (Get the guns polished Honey!)



7. She can click her tongue and mimic other noises. She also claps her hands, gives high 5's and beeps my nose.



8. She teases her Mama...I try to get her to say "Mama" but usually when I say "Mama" she says "DADA." She loves talking to her Daddy on the phone...see number 13)



9. She is SUPER ticklish!!! Just like her Daddy...Especially on her yummy rolls and under her chin.



10. She tosses and turns and mostly sleeps through the night - except when her teeth are bothering her.



11. She has no interest in crawling but rolls to where ever she wants to go. She gets herself in plenty enough trouble without the crawling...especially when she spies certain toys that her brothers have not picked up.



12. She loves watching and playing with her "Bubba"s. They make her laugh, especially C - he likes to play with her. She is going to be one protected little girl - no one will mess with her "Bubba"s!



13. Her beautiful blue eyes light up the room when she laughs...they sparkle and twinkle.



14. OOOPPS! I know I am over the thirteen but just one more....She loves kitties...Auntie Jamie and Uncle Steve have baby kitties at their house and she would not leave those poor kitties alone. She was for the most part fairly gentle with them but she was trying to give it lots of kisses.



15. That is another thing she likes to do! Give kisses. Of course, they are open mouth but she does "blow" kisses by making a kissing sound (smacking her lips together).

Okay - I'll stop now. She is getting so big - getting close to a year - only 50 more days!!! I can not figure out where all the time went! She is definitely a joy in our lives!!!!

She Said - He Heard

I said: Can either of you two boys bring me a diaper for K please?

D heard: We are going to Dairy Queen.

I said: Nevermind.

D said: Are we still going to DQ? Why not??

Yoplait Get Active Giveaway

Yoplait Yogurt is giving away a Get Active package to three of my readers. Yoplait for Kids helps build strong bones, enabling healthy and active bodies. Calcium and Vitamin D are both essential nutrients for building strong bones. Though it can be challenging for growing kids to get Vitamin D, since it is found naturally in very few foods. Yoplait for Kids makes it a little easier to incorporate a delicious source of Vitamin D and Calcium in your child's diet. Yoplait includes brands such as Go-Gurt, Trix, Yoplait Kids. My kiddos love these - especially K, when I pull out one of the yogurt containers she knows exactly what it is and I can not feed it to her fast enough.

This package is perfect for a fun-filled day for your active children, the Yoplait Get Active Prize Pack includes a travel cooler (to take your yogurt on the road), coupons for free Yoplait yogurt, a jump rope, a water bottle and an outdoor game set that includes a beach ball, paddle ball, Jai-Ali and a Frisbee. Perfect for getting active with your family this summer.

To win just leave a comment telling me what your favorite Get Active activity with your family is before Thursday, June 11th. If you don't win you can always click on the following link to print a coupon and learn more about Yoplait for Kids! Sorry this is only open to US residents. Thank you and good luck!

Wordless Wednesday - Before and After

You've Got To Be Kidding!!!

On Friday, I worked until close - 6pm. I got my kiddos ready and headed for home. When I got home I noticed that K's eyes were goopy but wiped them out and forgot about it. But it got lots worse and so I knew it was pink eye. I tried some home remedies but they weren't seeming to work and so the next morning I called to see where I could take her. The lady on the other end of the phone said that I could take her to the clinic in Coborns and that other than the ER that was the only place in the area. I told her that they don't see anyone under 12 months and she said that my only other option was the ER.

How ridiculous is that!!!!! I was not going to pay $75 for some doctor to tell me she had pinkeye and write me a prescription. I knew she had pink eye - it was very obvious that that is what it was - why couldn't I just call and get the prescription. I continued to try different "Home remedies" but nothing seemed to be working. So, I finally caved and went in - yep, paying the $75 - for a doctor to tell me that she has pink eye and giving me a prescription. At least it was slow there and I was in and out of the ER in a half hour.

Now you tell me...why couldn't they diagnose pink eye on a 12 month old at the clinic in Coborns???? I could see if she was having trouble breathing or needed stitches or something more serious - but then it wouldn't really matter the age because if it was more serious - I would be taking any age kid to the ER...RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!

At least she has the drops and the goop is going away - hopefully she is feeling better too. She is also cutting FOUR more teeth - one just popped through today!!! She is a trooper though - they don't seem to be bothering her - except for at night. If I don't put on oragel she wakes up every couple of hours but with it she sleeps the night through.

Yesterday she turned 10 months - I can't believe it!!! Although, looking at a new little girl from our church born in the middle of May who weighed 8 ounces more than K when she was born it is easy to forget how little they once were. K now weighs 18 pounds 3.5 ounces but I love everyone of her rolls - especially because they are ticklish and I love her giggles!! :)

Playing at the Park

Thursday was a perfect day for the kiddos to play in the park. We had to go to this park versus the one that was shaded because the other one was "overrun with ticks." Here are a some shots from the day...

Posing on the playground bridge...

D is telling stories while the others are resting....

Watching the "Party of Water"....K was having fun with her daddy

and Baby C was hanging out with Mom (Sarah) and Lisa.

"It's Working Now!"

At least that is what C is now saying - and here is the rest of the story......

When I was potty training C, I would have him sit on the toilet but he would always say that it wasn't working. Meaning that he didn't have to go potty...but then he would go in his diaper within the next few minutes. It was very frustrating. He finally got the hang of going on the toilet - even running in by himself but he was still having BM accidents. So the "it's not working" got transferred to the BM aspect of training.

Tonight I was a little cleaning in the bathroom and he ran in to go to the bathroom. I told him that I was proud of him for coming in all by himself and staying dry. Next thing I know he looked up at me with this HUGE "I did it" grin and he said, "It's working now!" I know exactly what he meant, with a little help from the grunts. ;) He had to go get Daddy to show him and we all did the potty dance.

Hopefully this is the start of the end! His incentive is to be fully trained with no accidents so that he can move up to the next room and ride the school bus on fieldtrips.

Yeah C!!!

Friday Funnies - # Who can remember?

I know it has been another LONG time since blogging - some of my friends have given up on me but I just have not had the time. Or if I had - I chose to try to catch up on my sleep. It is not for lack of material though....here is another good one.

We were in the car (the whole family) on the way to my parents to celebrate a belated Mother's Day. C has been really into Lightning McQueen and so once again the conversation revolved around that. C was pretending to be LMcQ of course, D was Luigi and C told Daddy he was Mater. And everyone knows that Mater has a "hooker." Jokingly under my breath I asked Dan who his "hooker" was - D heard and said "You, Mama, You're Daddy's hooker." Dan replied, "Yep, Mama is Mater's hooker."

Is that a compliment??? I guess I do wear the ring....

Precious Brown-noser!

So my three-year-old tells his teacher, "I am glad that my daddy isn't home..."
She asked him, "Why?"
He said, "Because then I have my mommy all to myself."

Doesn't that just melt your heart?? It did mine...especially since they have been asking when Daddy is coming home non-stop, every day that he left.

My boys are also a little jealous of my Ladies Night Out - and the fact that K gets to come with me. They are planning to have their own versions of it - a Boys Night Out - the first one is in Florida (D's choosing) and the second in Texas (C's choosing). C is totally into Texas - don't ask me why but at any mention of the state his little face lights up and he says, "Texas, I love Texas!" They are too adorable.....

Friday Funnies - C's nightmares...

Wednesday night I was laying in bed trying to get my boys to sleep because they are "all alone" without me - even though they have each other...
C tells me he "had a bad dream last night."
I said - oh that's not good what was it about.
He said - Actually, I had two bad dreams (as he holds up two fingers by his face).
I said - that really is not good. What were they about?
He said - Well, the first one was about monsters. (as he is holding up one finger by his face) They were big scary monsters, but only the ones with googly eyes are the bad monsters.
I said - You don't have to worry about monsters coming into our house because Murphy (our dog) will not let any monsters near the house, those monsters are afraid of Murphy. And I won't let anything happen to you either. And, if you are really afraid, you can always talk to God and ask him to protect you and He will help you too.
He said - Yes, you and Murphy and God will help me....
I said - what was your other bad dream?
He said - Well, the other bad dream...the second one (as he is holding up two fingers to his face)...was that we were sitting there and we were watching bad commercials...
I said - Oh, that is bad. (Which was all I could manage to say without busting up laughing because he was being so serious.)


Now I know that the kids at daycare have been playing "monsters" so I can see how he might have a bad dream about them. But, I have no clue where that second bad dream came from or what kind of commercials he has been watching because the TV has not been on hardly at all this last week or two, and if it was on it was a DVD playing but I guess it was traumatic!

My kiddos are getting big...

K can sit - loves to eat "real" food and now has a tooth! When did she get so big?! I am sure that other teeth are close to follow. I actually didn't even realize that she was getting one until I noticed that her bottom gums had a spot on it...upon further inspection (sticking my finger in and scraping it against the sharp nubs of her tooth) I realized what it was. She had been waking up more at night but other than that not real fussy. She loves to watch her big brothers - I can almost see her wheels turning trying to find ways to upset them. She is such a great baby - but I CAN wait a little while longer before she starts to crawl :)

C is kind of getting the hang of potty training. Yes, I am actually bribing him with money...it is the only bribe that has been working. He earns a penny for every time he sits on the toilet, if he actually goes potty then he gets a quarter as well. If by some miracle of fate he actually has a BM in the toilet he earns himself a dollar. He said, "Mom, I want the green one." I told him what he needed to do so he settled for "the brown one" (penny). This after trying to bribe him with toys, meals out, and even a four-wheeler. **Check out my next Friday Funnies to see how he makes me laugh!

D is a great kid as well. His imagination is so great. I was going to put him in an ECFE class on acting but they had to be going into first grade to join. His latest interests are centaurs and griffins. He is learning the different sounds of the letters and has learned to spell many words (makes this momma proud). He can remember lots of things with such detail. His favorite book is a halloween one about a haunted house and he can verbatum remember the words to that book even though they have not read it in a long time. Or, he can remember scenes from movies or cartoons and repeat them word for word even though it has been a while since he has seen him...I am envious of his memory! Not that mine has ever been that great but I think it is non-existent nowadays.

Oh, to be young again - or at least have a portion of the energy that they have!!!!

Pics from Easter...

Here are the eggs that we dyed. Dan and the boys colored on them with crayons and then I dyed them (they picked the color they wanted them to go into). I didn't trust the boys not to spill the dye all over - not something that I wanted to clean up. The crayons worked great on the eggs too because they added lots more color to the eggs and the boys were proud of their creations.



Here is one that D made, he says it is a picture of Kassie - not sure she would appreciate it if she were older but I think it is kinda cute!





C and D checking out their Easter loot...



Princess K with her proud Daddy! (Thanks Sarah for the dress - it was perfect!)


All 14 grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa....look at that wild and crazy bunch! (This was one of the better pics - it is so hard to get them to all sit nicely.) The oldest is thirteen and a half and the youngest is eight months. Notice Grandpa with both of the little ones on his lap :)


The weather was so nice and it was a great day. We went to breakfast at church - it was a youth fundraiser. Good food there! Dan had to usher and then afterwards we went to my parents house. Grandma made yummy ham and scalloped potatoes. Everyone was home and it was good to see everyone especially my brother again who is off travelling more than my husband!

The kids were so tired from playing hard with their cousins. It is so fun to have cousins for my kiddos to play with that are the same age as them. The Daddy was all tired out from playing on his four-wheeler with the big "kids." He had lots of fun too. C loved to go through the mud and the water, D didn't care where they went as long as he was riding. K enjoyed all the attention from Grandma, Grandpa, aunties and cousins. Time with family just goes by too fast! Hope you all had great Easter Celebrations as well!

Yes, Still Alive - Just busy....

plus my husband was home for a longer stretch than normal...right hun!

We have been really busy...I had a Women's Retreat at our church that I was involved in the planning and execution of. Lots of fun was had by all - we did a Survivor - Laughter Island theme. Lots of fun - survivorish kinds of games, great company, and an awesome speaker! She has a Women's retreat planned for the end of September and we are already planning on going there to hear her again.

The next weekend we had a Girlfriends Weekend in Duluth - I LOVE DULUTH! We were right on Canal park and it was awesome! It is so cool to watch the ships come in. Here is a picture of us right before we came back to reality.

Of course this last weekend was Easter - or as my last Pastor had us trained to say "Resurrection Sunday." Saturday we colored eggs and then on Sunday we went to my Mom and Dad's. Everyone was home and the guys all went four-wheeling. I got some pics of all the nieces and nephews. I can't say that they were great pics but they were the best I could get with 14 kids late in the afternoon! :) Of course I also got a cute pic of my princess in her Easter dress with her daddy. I will post them later - it is much to late tonight to fight my slow speed computer.

In between these weekends, I have been working 4 days a week and so my day off is usually doing laundry and TRYING to keep a handle on my house. Having Dan home did help that because he stays up on cleaning more than I do....

Off to bed now - will post more pics later! Good to be back in the bloggy world!!!

Please Go Take Time To Vote!

Lets surprise NBC

Here's your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation.
NBC is taking a poll on "In God We Trust" to stay on our American currency.

Please send this to every Christian you know so they can vote on thisimportant subject. Please do it right away, before NBC takes this off theweb page.

Poll is still open so you can vote:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

This is not blogged for discussion, if you agree go vote and tell others to vote, if you don't, forget it.

By me blogging it, you know how I feel. I'll bet this was a surprise to NBC.

Wordless Wednesday - No Words Needed!

Book Review - "Perfect Stranger"

These are two FABULOUS books! They were quick and easy to read but lots of good "stuff" in them. I read these books both in one day, with all the interuptions of my kiddos. I love the ease of conversations in them and also very modern. I am hoping the auther, David Gregory (see bio below), is going to have a sequel to these called "A Life with a Perfect Stranger" and write about Mattie's sister....I will be the first to sign up to review that book!!! I recommend these books for EVERYONE!

Dan read them too - He loved the fact that everything is explained so well, that it isn't religion but a relationship...

Summary Dinner with a Perfect Stranger:
You are Invited to a Dinner with Jesus of Nazareth. The mysterious envelope arrives on Nick Cominsky’s desk amid a stack of credit card applications and business-related junk mail. Although his seventy-hour workweek has already eaten into his limited family time, Nick can’t pass up the opportunity to see what kind of plot his colleagues have hatched. The normally confident, cynical Nick soon finds himself thrown off-balance, drawn into an intriguing conversation with a baffling man who appears to be more than comfortable discussing everything from world religions to the existence of heaven and hell. And this man who calls himself Jesus also seems to know a disturbing amount about Nick’s personal life.………….."You’re bored, Nick. You were made for more than this. You’re worried about God stealing your fun, but you’ve got it backwards.… There’s no adventure like being joined to the Creator of the universe." He leaned back off the table. "And your first mission would be to let him guide you out of the mess you’re in at work."………….As the evening progresses, their conversation touches on life, God, meaning, pain, faith, and doubt–and it seems that having Dinner with a Perfect Stranger may change Nick’s life forever.

Summary Day with a Perfect Stranger:
What if a fascinating stranger knew you better than you know yourself? When her husband comes home with a far fetched story about eating dinner with someone he believes to be Jesus, Mattie Cominsky thinks this may signal the end of her shaky marriage. Convinced that Nick is, at best, turning into a religious nut, the self-described agnostic hopes that a quick business trip will give her time to think things through. On board the plane, Mattie strikes up a conversation with a fellow passenger. When she discovers their shared scorn for religion, she confides her frustration over her husband’s recent conversion. The stranger suggests that perhaps her husband isn’t seeking religion but true spiritual connection, an idea that prompts her to reflect on her own search for fulfillment. As their conversation turns to issues of spiritual longing and deeper questions about the nature of God, Mattie finds herself increasingly drawn to this insightful stranger. But when the discussion unexpectedly turns personal, touching on things she’s never told anyone, Mattie is startled and disturbed. Who is this man who seems to peer straight into her soul?


Author Bio:
David Gregory is the author of the best-selling books Dinner with a Perfect Stranger and A Day with a Perfect Stranger, and coauthor of two nonfiction books. After a ten-year business career, he returned to school to study religion and communications, earning graduate degrees from The University of North Texas and Dallas Theological Seminary. A native Texan, David now devotes himself to writing full time.

For More Information:
To learn more about or purchase these books at RandomHouse.com:
Dinner with a Perfect Stranger
Day with a Perfect Stranger


Win One:
You can win a copy of Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by simply leaving a comment here. You need not be a blogger to win. Giveaway will end on March 15th.

Time is Flying By!

Where did this week go?? I tell you, I think that every year time goes by faster! It is already March - though I am glad it is almost spring...

We have been busy this last week - though when I think about it now I can't remember much of what we did - just that we were busy. One thing I do want to share though is a video of the boys singing Karaoke. Dan sang "Hey, Good Looking" for karaoke a couple of months ago and so I found that ringtone and put it on my cell for when he calls. The boys have taken to singing that - as I mentioned in last friday's post. My friend Jean recorded their singing it and put it on YouTube... Here is the link to the video of them singing... I guess when Charlie is done singing he don't mess around!

Here are some pics from that night...it was lots of fun because there were more people there and so a wider range of songs...along with my K and the soon to be Grandma!

It is also interesting to see the places your children will get into....

Book Review: The Echo Within and Giveaway

Book Summary:

The Echo Within is a profoundly affecting, honest look at the myriad ways we are drawn into our life’s best work.
Written out of his own lifelong search for and response to the calling voice of God, Robert Benson recounts his discovery of the meaning of vocation, work, and purpose through the ups and downs inherent in family life, professional choice, and spiritual experience. With clarity and insight, and in the elegant prose for which he is known, he gently invites and encourages readers to find such deep truths for their lives as well. In particular, he illuminates the way for readers to explore:

· ways to sense the Holy in our pursuits, both in the pursuits themselves and within ourselves.
· how to fall into our vocation and chart a course toward it at the same time.
· how to love the work we do, and the process of doing it.

For anyone beginning a new career or sensing a needed change in their life or wrestling with a transition suddenly thrust upon them, Robert Benson delivers wisdom, humor, and heart in what he’s learned about listening for The Echo Within—and how it can help us discover our calling.

Author Bio:
Robert Benson has written more than a dozen books about the discovery of the sacred in the midst of our ordinary lives, including Between the Dreaming and the Coming True, Home By Another Way, and Digging In. His work has been critically acclaimed in a wide range of publications from The New York Times and USA Today to Spirituality & Health and The Benedictine Review. He is an alumnus of The Upper Room’s Academy for Spiritual Formation and was recently named a Living Spiritual Teacher by SpiritualityandPractice.com. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

This was a very interesting book - not that I am in the process of changing or looking for my calling but I think that a lot can be learned from reading a book. It is always interesting to see how others handle different experiences in life and see how I would have done or what I would have done differently. You can purchase the book online at these great stores:
- http://www.amazon.com/
- http://www.christianbook.com/
- http://www.familychristian.com/

The great people over at Multnomah Books, a division of Random House, have also given me two of these books to giveaway...so if you would like to win one of the wonderful books - just leave a comment and good luck!

Friday Funnies...

I need to start writing down more of the funnies that the boys say during the week...The other day C said something funny but I couldn't write it down at that moment - got distracted and now I can't for the life of me remember what it was but at the time I thought..."There is a Friday Funny!"

They have been singing, "Hey, Good Looking" by Hank Williams, SR. I think that is the name of the song anyway... Dan sang it for Karaoke one night and everyone thought he sounded great so I found the ringtone and downloaded it so that when he calls my cell that song plays. Well, the boys have both been singing it too. It is so cute to see their different styles of singing...D makes it sound more like a ballad and C definately has more of the twangy, country sound. C also does a little Elvis-like move as he is singing... I need to get a video of it and I would post it here but I am on slow-mow dial up and it would take FFFOOORRREEEVVVEEERRR!

So, until we get faster internet...here is something to laugh at....

Aloha Friday #2

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link on An Island Life's site. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends! You DO NOT have to be a blogger to make comments or to visit other blogs that are participating!!

My question this week is:

How do you potty train a three year old boy that does not want to be potty trained??? ANY help will be useful....Thank you!

Review: Outlaw Marshall by Al & Joanna Lacy

This was a very good book, the first of the new series Return of the Stranger. It was one that I had to force myself to put down to get things done. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series and will have to go back and read the books of the first series Journeys of the Stranger Series and the Angel of Mercy Series, although this is not necessary to understand this series. The authors did a great job of making sure that you did not have to read the first series to enjoy this one. But I feel captivated to read more about the main characters of John and Breanna Brockman.

Here is some more info about the book:
A good deed grants outlaw Whipley Langford early release from prison and a friendship with Chief U.S. Marshal John Brockman. Another good deed gets Whip framed for murder and looking at life through a hangman’s noose. John arrives just in time to reveal the true murderers and lead Whip to Christ.

A new man and a fast draw, Whip becomes Brockman’s deputy. Life is still fast and dangerous, and there’s a pretty lady Whip would like to get to know better too. Before he admits his love, Whip is shot in a bank robbery. Survival looks slim until he awakens to hear his lady confess her love. Weeks later, they are married.

Readers who are familiar with the Journeys of the Stranger and Angel of Mercy series reunite with well-loved characters John and Breanna Brockman. Western history buffs will enjoy a wholesome, fast-paced story where the Gospel is presented clearly. Christian readers will learn how to lean on the Lord in times of trial and non-Christians will have the opportunity to make Christ their Savior.

About The Authors:
Al Lacy is an evangelist and author of more than one hundred historical and western novels, including the Journeys of the Stranger, Angel of Mercy, and Mail Order Bride series, with more than three million books in print. JoAnna Lacy, Al’s wife and longtime collaborator, is a retired nurse. The Lacys have been married over forty years and live in the Colorado Rockies.

Published by: WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Here is what our Valentine's Day special meal looked like...The boys each decorated their pizza and to my surprise ate most of their pizzas.

Each "decorating" their pizzas with the ingredients of their choice.

What the pizzas look like before going into the oven...

C and D enjoying the finished product...

both of them had fun decorating their own pizza heart.

After that we talked with Daddy on the phone - we wished you could have been here with us but we saved some of the toppings so we can make more pizzas when you get home...We love you!! Hope you all had a great Valentine's day!!!

Aloha Friday!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link on An Island Life's site. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question is how do you celebrate Valentine's Day as a family?

This year we are hoping that my husband is going to be home but otherwise we are making our own homemade heart shaped pizzas, watching movies all cuddled on the couch and then maybe playing some games. Have a great Valentines Day!

Friday Funnies - Who needs a diet?

Thursday Thirteen Signs of Spring...

...No Matter What That Groundhog Says!

1. Saw FOUR Robins on Sunday!
2. Rain in February!!
3. Snow has mostly melted.
4. The snow that is left is full of dirt.
5. The ditches are full of water.
6. The driveway has no snow on it.
7. The driveway is all mud.
8. Temperatures are above average at 40 degrees (Thank you God!)
9. There are tornados in Oklahoma! Yikes!!!
10. There are lots of puddles for the boys to go stomping through.
11. My floor is full of mud that has been tracked into the house.
12. My car is full of mud not salt.
13. The grassy patches that are in the yard have a hint of green to them...

I am choosing to ignore the snizzle (for you non-Minnesotans that is a snowy drizzle) outside right now and to not look at the forcast that has us just below freezing...there were ROBINS for gracious-sakes!

WW - Wish they could be this close and not fight when they are awake!

K's first ER visit...

Sorry we have once again been away from the blogging scene but that is because my little K was sick. She had RSV and bronchiolitus (spelled?). On Monday, we had a Dr appt scheduled for that afternoon but during the day she got progressively worse...She was coughing more, more lethargic, and not herself at all. At the appointment, her temp was running 101.9 and the doc said she had the start of an ear infection so he gave me an antibiotic to get rid of that. He also said to continue doing her neb treatments more frequently...As you can see from the pic that she really doesn't mind them. She usually falls asleep and will help me hold the mask.

Tuesday, I took the boys in because they both had coughs. Also, almost as soon as we left the Dr's office, C started to complain that his ear hurt. I had them both checked out and a strep test done. Both of them were clear...C's ears looked good - just a lot of wax. D's one ear looked a little red but could have just been from the cough - not enough to warrant antibiotics.

That night I went to bed, hoping for a good night sleep - NOT to be had! When K went down for the night I gave her ibuprofen because she had still been running a temp off and on all day. She woke up around 1:30 and was breathing really hard - I picked her up and she was boiling! I took her temp and it was 101.9 under the arm so almost 103!!! It was too soon to give her more ibuprofen so I searched for my infant Tylenol and gave her some of that. After a half hour I checked her temp again and it had come down but very little and her breathing was still very labored. I waited another half hour (so full hour) and it had still barely come down...so I was left with the dilemma - I knew she needed to go in and be seen but I was home alone with all three kiddos and so would have to wake up the boys to take her in.

At 3:00am we were at the ER, all four of us. The boys actually did great - I was surprised. Of course the didn't like being woke up (not to say I didn't blame them on that) but I had grabbed their Leapsters and so they sat and played with them and later watched Peter Pan. K was given more meds to bring her temp down, a neb treatment and an oral steroid to help her breathing. Then, of course, we had to get our all time favorite chest x-rays (Dan always seems to get out of going with the kiddos for these - one of these times hun - one of these times!). We went down to the room and I think she was just so exhausted from the fever and the breathing because she actually didn't scream TOO much. And of course the boys are trailing behind.

The x-rays came back showing that there was no pneumonia - Thank you God! but that her bronchial tubes were swollen (something like that - you expect me to remember everything when it was early morning and having minimal sleep?). The nurse did another neb treatment and then the Dr asked if I would be comfortable going home with her still breathing like that or if I wanted to admit her...NEITHER would be my choice but I decided to wait and see what happened once the meds kicked in. After about half an hour she woke up and ate good and seemed to be more relaxed breathing so we packed everyone up and headed for home... The only thing was we needed to pick up some meds and all of the pharmacies were closed and didn't open until 8am - this being about 6:15.

Great - we went home and laid back in bed - the boys in my bed with me... D fussed about having to go back to sleep but fell asleep almost right away. C on the other hand is a morning person like his Daddy and so was sitting in bed between D and I just chatting away. I dozed in and out until about 7:45 and then got up. I got the boys breakfast and then packed everyone up for another run into town to get the meds. Drive up to Coborn's drive-thru and they said it would be about 20 minutes...okay now what. Drove through McD's for my breakfast and a snack for the boys then drove around, went back and got the meds and headed for home again.

The boys took a 5 hour nap that afternoon because they were exhausted. Me on the other hand - I have gotten little to no sleep all week. K needed to be get her neb every four hours and of course she eats every three hours - plus she still had high temps and hard time breathing. The boys have slowly gotten better. D still has a cough....C says that D took his cough. ;) I had a head cold with sinus issues but I think that we are all better now.

K had her follow up Dr appointment today and the Doc said it would probably take another 2 weeks for her to fully recover. So in the meantime, we continue her nebs and keep an extra special eye on her. You can tell she is doing much better because she is smiling and singing once again. I just need to catch up on my sleep now.....................

Why am I still up??? I am waiting for a call from Dan to let me know his plane landed in CT and he got to the hotel okay. He is there for the day and then back to Miami - hopefully, training in Miami will go good enough for him to be home on Saturday around noon.

And the For The Love of Chocolate winner is...

Drum Roll please..........................................................

Number 121

Lisa said...
The BAYOU BOURBON GLAZE looks like something I'd like to try.the_outsider01AThotmailDOTcom
January 29, 2009 4:43 PM

Congratulations, Lisa and thank you to all who entered. Lisa has been emailed and she has three days to reply. If she does not within the three days then a new winner will be picked.

Lisa - enjoy your chocolate yummys!

WW #6 - Some People Have Ficus Trees!?!

Does this work to leave it up all year?? Some people have Ficus trees - I just have an evergreen tree... I'll take the stockings off of the mantle this year.

OK, probably not - but it would save time next December!

Milkshake Giveaway...

Hooray for Milkshake Music!!! This is just so much fun!!
Milkshake Music is family friendly rock and roll that the kids and parents will enjoy - fun fun fun! Yes, it is aimed at kids, but is a lot of fun for all. They have been seen on tv on Discovery kids and PBS kids and do regular live performances that have everyone dancing and joining in. If you are on the east coast, there is a list of upcoming concerts on their website. I'm hoping that they'll be heading west soon.
I popped in the dvd and my boys loved them...they were up be-bopping. I even enjoyed the songs.

I've been given a great prize pack to pass along to one of my readers.
* Milkshake Screen Play DVD
* Milkshake Play CD
* Milkshake Comic Book

***Main Entry: For your main entry, go to http://www.milkshakemusic.com/ and then tell me something fun you saw on the site.*** (If you are not a blogger or if your email address is not publicly available on your blogger account, please post it in your entry so that I may contact you if you win)
Extra Credit Entries: (must do main entry first- post a separate comment for each extra credit entry)
* Post on your blog about the giveaway and comment with the link (2 entries)

Giveaway ends on February 6th, 2009 at 10pm Central Time. Giveaway is open for US mailing addresses only. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to notification with shipping info - if no response, another winner will be chosen.
After you enter here, please check out the other giveaways in the Bloggy Carnival!

For the Love of Chocolate - Valentine's Giveaway!

Here is one giveaway that you don't want to miss...

Yummy Tastefully Simple product in one package ready for Valentine's Day. A retail value of over $55.00 - includes shipping. For the Love of Chocolate includes: Truffle Fudge Brownie Mix(dark, velvety brownie mix loaded with chunks of chocolate), Chocolatini Drink Mix(Chocolate Almond Frozen Martini that's always ready when you are - can be made either with or without alcohol), AND a gorgeous wooden serving tray(Italian-inspired design). How cool and yummy is that!

Here is what you need to do: Go to my Tastefully Simple website - or on the side of my blog and check out their products...come back here and leave a comment on what you would purchase. For extra chances...you can place an order (five more chances to win), blog about it (be sure to link my to your blog in the comment), or email two or more of your friends (copy me on the email). Contest will end on February 3rd so that I will have time to get it sent to you for Valentine's Day! Good Luck!!!

PS You need not be a blogger just make sure I know where/how to reach you if you win!

A Brief Layover...

Dan had a brief layover in Minnesota on his way from LA to a suburb of Miami. His plane arrived in Mpls at 1:00 PM and he left this morning at 7:30 AM. I didn't tell the boys that he was coming home...I wish I had a video of their reaction. They were so excited to have him home - they literally would not let go of him for hours.

I thought about joining him in Miami - and as I write this it is below zero again! But there is too much stuff to do around the house and we have bills to pay. Besides, if you know my kiddos - would you want to be in an airport/plane with them for that long? Or in a car for three days driving down? I didn't think so! Besides who will take care of the killer dog when it is freezing outside?

He will be home again in a little while and then I think it will be for a while - so in a way it is good he is gone again for awhile...

Fourth Friday of Every Month...

Yep! That's right - it was Karaoke night. Not that I sing mind you but it is fun to go and hang out with friends. Actually, I did sing on friday - believe it or not I sang with my friends, Lisa and Anna. We sang, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."
It was lots of fun - Thanks again Jean and Ray for hosting!!!