MammaMia

Gratituesday!

2009-11-02T22:22:00.006-07:00

I was going to use "A Long Time Coming" but then realized that I had already used that title! I guess I shouldn't be such a slacker!!

Because of my current addiction to Facebook (which explains my blogging absence) I have become good friends with someone I probably wouldn't have otherwise! We have been attending the same congregation for the last 6+ years and just this last year have started to build what is the start of a great friendship. How sad that I have been missing out on such a great friend all this time!!

Sometimes I wonder how many other relationships could be so special if I would get myself out of the way. My new friend (We'll call her Ms. Pink. Maybe later I'll share why!) and I have discussed how sometimes our shyness might be interpreted as snobbery. I also think that it's my shyness that keeps me from pursuing new friends. I am so grateful that FB allowed Ms. Pink and I to move beyond our shyness and really get to know one another. I think at first it was the safety of FB and the informal nature of it that allowed us to be more outgoing. Either way I am grateful. I am grateful for the walks this summer that really allowed us to get to know one another. I am grateful that our kids get along so that everybody can have fun, not just the moms. I'm grateful that she "gets me". I'm grateful that she can say that she understands, but at the same time help me to see the error of my thinking. It helps that she understands my husband's crazy schedule, her hubby can deal with the same.

So thank God for new friends!!! They are a HUGE blessing!

And, thank God for Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers and all that she does!!! Make sure to check out other Gratituesday posts and the great new layout of Laura's FABULOUS site !!!

Trying To Catch Up...

2009-10-31T13:47:00.000-06:00

At this rate I fear I will NOT be caught up before the baby is born! You see we live in a small house. When we bought it, it was the perfect size. When we added our first, Pumkin, it was still a good size for us. Well, with adding a third child in the near future, it seems like the walls are closing in! I'm trying to go through the girls stuff and get rid of things that they haven't used. It's a little harder when you have two kids following you. Especially when they know which box is the "get rid of" box. "But MOM, that is my favorite____!!!" We have way too many favorites around here! I'm also trying to go through my stuff. You know that box of clothes that used to fit way back when. Then there are the clothes that fit before the kids were born. I figure that by the time I'm able to fit into them again they will be WAY out of style. Especially since I was never an "in style" type of person anyway! Between getting rid of some of the girls stuff and some of my stuff we can hopefully make some room for this baby. Poor Honey doesn't have much else that he can part with so I'll leave his stuff alone, for now! ;) If this next baby is a boy, we will be able to get rid of LOTS of stuff next summer!

Right now my poor Sugar Plum is sick! She has an ear infection along with a horrible cough that has left her without a voice. Thankfully her fever finally broke Wednesday evening! Since then I have gotten the yucky cough that she is dealing with along with a head cold. I hate being sick while pregnant! I hate being sick period, but more so when I'm pregnant. On Thursday Pumkin started with the cough, so that now makes 3 out of four that are ill in our house. Needless to say all that has added up to one grumpy mommy. I am quickly running out of patience with my children. I know I'm a mom 24/7 but this week has been rough, especially the last few days! Maybe it has to do with the fact that I've only left the house once for a Pull Up run to WM in all week. Then, WM didn't even have the size that I needed! grrrr!

I am really not wanting to head out to do the whole trick or treating thing tonight. I had thought about just going to our local mall. Most of the stores hand out candy. And then I thought, WHY?It's not like I'm obligated to take the kids out right? They are only 3 and 2, there will be plenty more Halloween nights to come. I have never been one that has really enjoyed Halloween. I guess I'm a little bit chicken! Even as a kid I would make my brother, who is three years younger than me, ring the doorbell. If there was a bunch if scary looking candy seekers out, he'd have to walk in front of me. I know, I'M A CHICKEN!!! So why did I go? For the candy of course!!

When we went trick or treating last year, Pumkin wasn't fazed by any of it! She didn't mind the creepy decorations or any of the scary costumes that we ran into throughout the night! Which is a good thing! The kid knows no fear. It would be helpful in some cases, like when it comes to strangers. But no, my child was not born with a fear gene. Sugar Plum I don't think was scared either. All she cared about was holding her pumkin and being carried. Half way through the night I was wishing that I had taken a stroller!
Hopefully we all start to feel better soon! I don't know how much more of this my nerves can take!! Happy Halloween everyone!

Time, I NEED more!!!

2009-10-02T14:41:00.002-06:00

If I had more time then perhaps my poor blog wouldn't be so neglected. Lately it has been extremely busy around here. My baby turned two. If you ask Sugar Plum how old she is, she'll tell you " I gonna be 2". We have to remind her that she IS two because she had a birthday. If you ask her again she'll say "I gonna be 4"! I'm sure she says that because her big sister is going to be four. Still, she needs to SLOW DOWN!! Four will be here soon enough.

Last week was spent moving my mom to a new house. Secretly I'm very thankful that she was able to find another place so quickly. Otherwise she would have been staying with us until something else came along. How I survived last week is beyond me. We had long days full of moving. That means that neither I nor the kids had a nap. By Sunday we were all exhausted!! Thankfully it is behind us.

Someday I will get pictures posted of Sugar Plum's birthday. This year I had no time to make a cake. Some family friends made a "Belle" cake. It was a big hit!! Sugar Plum loved it! She is enjoying playing with the doll that was part of her cake. Aren't friends wonderful?!?!?!

Another short update I know!! Bear with me!!

Things Are Beginnig to Look Up!!

2009-09-20T14:40:00.003-06:00

This last week has possibly been the best week in the last couple of months!!! The nausea is subsiding, and is somewhat tolerable. Even when it gets a little rough it can sometimes be managed with some pineapple and life saver mints. Weird combination I know!! But whatever works right! The doctor's appointment went well last week! And we got to hear the heart beat! That's always exciting and comforting.

This next Friday my baby will be TWO!! Now how in the world did that happen? I think Sugar Plum is sensing that she will soon lose her place as the baby of the family. She has been very cranky and extremely clingy. Most the time she wants to be held or carried. Not only that but she is absolutely refusing our potty training attempts! Hopefully she starts to get over all of this! Otherwise this mama is gonna go nuts! ;-)

I know it's a short update, but I figured a short post was better than none at all!

Oh where has this month gone?!?!?

2009-09-09T16:15:00.003-06:00

Oh wait, I remember, being sick!!!! I did get some medication from the doctor but then remembered that it was the same stuff that I'd had with my first pregnancy. Yes it did take the nausea away but it left horrible headaches instead. I decided to try and stick it out this time without the meds. Which means that we are basically in the same boat as when I posted last!!
Although we have gotten out a little more. The girls and I went to the zoo and had a couple of play dates. It's been good to get out!

We decided to tell the girls since we knew that people at church would ask them about it. Sugar Plum could care less. And Pumkin has changed her mind, she no longer wants a brother she wants a sister! I guess we'll see. Lot's of people have asked if we're going to find out. I was thinking absolutely yes!! What if it is a boy? We have maybe 5 pajamas that are gender neutral and even the car seats or pink!!! Not to mention I don't like surprises! I need to KNOW!!!

Anyway! Tomorrow is the first day of the girls preschool! Where did the summer go? I keep worrying about my little Sugar Plum! She is such a mama's girl! I'm hoping this will help her mature a little bit. She seems so little to me. I'm sure it's because Pumkin has always been mature for her age. She's your regular over achiever! Sugar Plum would be happy to just curl up in my lap and read books all day! Oh I hope I don't cry tomorrow! I'm not usually a crier, but these hormones make me a bawl bag!! I can't hardly watch TV without shedding a tear! So anyway pray for me and my sweet girls that the enjoy themselves and learn a little while they're there!

What a month it has been!!

2009-08-26T13:34:00.002-06:00

I went to the doctor yesterday and found out that I am 8 weeks and two days along!! I had taken an at home pregnancy test(that actually came out "positive")! Usually those things always say negative when I really am pregnant. With all the fatigue and nausea I knew it was a for sure thing! We are getting more excited as time goes on. We were not at all prepared or trying for baby #3 so I think we're still in a little bit of shock. I guess we have seven months to get over the shock. This is definitely a different pregnancy than the other two. I have had severe nausea this time around. So much so that my house is falling apart around me. I feel bad for my Honey that after working his long days he has to come home and take care of us. I asked the doctor for some medication because I can't live like this for another month at best. With the other two kiddos the "morning" sickness lasted well beyond the first trimester. :( Hopefully it helps. I would like to feel well enough to get out of the house more than twice a week.
We haven't told the girls yet. I don't know when we'll tell them. It more for my sanity than anything. I don't want to be asked everyday for the next seven months when the baby is coming. Any advice on when to tell small children "the news"?

Menu Plan 101

2009-08-21T00:42:00.004-06:00

Toni over at The Happy Housewife is hossting Menu Plan 101 & I am SO excited because I am definitely challenged in the planning area! The assignment for this week was to come up with 15 meals. Now when I heard that I automatically wondered, hot or cold. Meaning I NEVER make something like Taco Soup in the summer! I get hot enough as it is!! Then I realized that my "cold" list is a lot shorter than my "hot" list. Needless to say I did come up with 15 items and no, Taco Soup isn't one of them!!

Hamburgers on the grill
Poppy Seed Chicken
Johnny Knows It
Barbecued Country style pork ribs
Chicken Spaghetti
Taco Salad
Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas
Baked Chicken Breasts
Fajitas
Spaghetti(w/red sauce)
Chicken, Rice and Veggies(Oriental-ish, but without all the work!)
Steaks on the grill
Tacos
Lasagna
Fried Spaghetti

There you have it! Looking at the list we have a lot of pasta, beef and chicken! Now you can see why I NEED HELP!!

Don't forget to go the The Happy Housewife's site for many more ideas!

Just when things were slowing down...

2009-08-13T15:11:00.002-06:00

So I figured that the best way to break the news is to tell you all about a giveaway that I entered. It's for a baby sling!! It looks really cool! Bit's and Pieces is hosting this giveaway. Now why in the world would I need a baby sling since Sugar Plum is almost two? Yesterday we found out that we are expecting a Little Bean!! I'm not very far along, but it's the perfect time to enter this giveaway. And, I couldn't blog about the giveaway without spilling the beans. We are both excited and nervous. So you see that is why I've entered this giveaway!! I'll be needing a sling in the spring!!!

Whew, things are finally slowing down!!

2009-08-09T13:26:00.005-06:00

It seems like this summer has been really busy! I know that there were some breaks in between, but it's finally not crazy! In the last two weeks we've finished swimming lessons, had my in laws visit for a few days, went to Albuquerque for a wedding and stayed a few days to visit my grandparents!!
When I was a kid we always had company. Sometimes we had company that would stay for weeks on end. I don't know if it's because we always had company or if it's just my in laws, but I almost go crazy when they are here!!! I think it would be a different story if my house wasn't under scrutiny every time they visit. I KNOW my house is small! I KNOW we need a bigger house. I KNOW we have horrible neighbors. I do not need to be reminded of these things! It also doesn't help that when my in laws are here my mother in law always goes on and on about the things that she does for her kids(my Honey's mom passed away 9 years ago). I don't care what she does for her kids, but don't be telling me about it if you're not going to help us. Not to mention they only visit like once a year. Then she complains that they never get to see the kids. Guess what? An 11 hour trip(one way) is much easier on two adults than it is on two toddlers!! Not to mention they can afford it a little easier than we can. Can you hear the frustration?!?! So sorry, I just needed to get that out.
On to happier things!
We had a good time in Albuquerque. It was bummer that Honey had to come home early. But the girls and I still managed to have some fun. My grandparents live in an apartment complex. While we were there we got to take advantage of their pool!! The girls really enjoyed the water. They especially liked jumping in! Of course they were cold, but they had fun anyway. We also got to eat some good Mexican food at my Uncle's restaurant. YUM!!! Nothing like eating the green chili you grew up with!! Too bad I haven't learned to make it! Otherwise I could be enjoying it more often!! Shame on me, I know!!
Having a mini vacation is nice, but it is soooo nice to be home!!!

Pondering...

2009-07-28T22:23:00.003-06:00

Life is sometimes compared to mountains and valley's. Do you ever feel like sometimes you're stuck in the valley? No matter how hard you try, you just can't climb back onto the mountain? You know the mountain is better? You know that there are not as many shadows on top of the mountain. You know the things that are weighing you down, that which is keeping you in the valley. You know that if you could just trust God enough to let Him carry your "pack"(since we're climbing) you could make it to the top in no time. You are being reminded of things that God has promised over and over. Things like "He takes care of the birds",Mt. 6:26, or even "the hairs on your head are numbered",Mt. 10:30. Or even verses like Malachi 3:10, "Test me in this says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven..."
These are things that I know!! And it is because I know them that I wonder why I am still in the valley staring up at the mountaintop!! There is too much involved to go into detail here. I keep wondering why it is that I'm here in the valley. What lesson am I not learning? Why do I have to be so stubborn? Why do I have to be so untrusting? Why, why why? Too many whys I know! Maybe it's the whys that keep me stuck in the valley? Maybe this is all to deep for a Tuesday night!
Any ideas on how to get back up on the mountaintop?

Getting Back to Normal

2009-07-16T14:14:00.004-06:00

Whew what a long week it was! We finally finished Sugar Plum's nebulizer treatments on Monday. When we saw the doctor she said that we just have to keep a close eye on Sugar Plum. She is probably developing asthma. It is obviously triggered by colds and chronic allergy issues. FUN, FUN!! In any case she is better NOW and that is something to be thankful for!

Last week the girls started swim lessons. They really enjoyed them. Pumkin keeps asking when we are going back for more lessons! That girl is so easily distracted!! I kept having to remind her to pay attention to the instructor and not the other kids. I've been thinking about putting her in a gymnastics class, but I don't think she's got the focus for that yet. Why gymnastics? Because that girl has got some thighs on her that you wouldn't believe. I say that she got my thighs, but hers are muscular!! I don't think that at three years old she should be as built as she is!!

Sugar Plum has been a cranky bossy little bit for the last few weeks. I know she's been sick and she is trying to pop out at least four teeth. But the cranky, clinginess is getting old, really fast!! I don't know what to do with the girl!! People have suggested that we add another child. They said that should cure the clinginess. I fear that I would just be hauling around two kids instead of one. Any suggestions??

Since I haven't posted any pictures of the girls in awhile I thought I'd post a few today.

This is for the 4th of July pig roast that we had. Sugar Plum is sitting with my friend's son. Isn't he adorable?!?

Sugar Plum is closing up shop. Okay I don't really know what she's doing!

This is when we went "camping". We stayed in a cabin, but to my grandparents that is camping!

Gratituesday

2009-07-06T21:23:00.007-06:00

I'm back!! I guess I've been sort of back since Friday. I say "sort of" because right after we unloaded the car we headed over to my mom's house because my grandparents came to town on Friday. They actually got here from NM before we did! No one is shocked, believe me! We're glad that they came for a visit!

On Saturday morning we did get to have a lazy morning. The kids slept in until NINE! Talk about a gift!! We did pretty much nothing in the morning. In the afternoon we went to a 4th of July pig roast with other members of our congregation. Yummy food. Who knew that you could rent a smoker big enough to fit a whole pig?!?! We stayed to watch the firework display, both of the kids(both big and small) in attendance and the one by the local golf course.

On Sunday after worship services the girls and I headed out to join my grandparents at a cabin they rented about 45 miles from here. They wanted to go "camping". Now please understand that we were in no shape or form "roughing it". Unless you consider using a charcoal grill "roughing it". Later in the afternoon my aunt's family plus quite a few of their friends met us up in the mountains as well. It was fun when it wasn't raining. We played volleyball, ping-pong, ate some delicious steaks, roasted marshmallows and played Chinese checkers. It had been a LONG time since I had played that game! My poor Honey had to work on Sunday, but he did join us later in the evening. He didn't want to miss out on good food!

We had a great vacation in New Mexico! I am so thankful that we were able to go!! We were able to listen to some great speakers. I loved the class that we chose to go to. It was talking about how we need to be intentional parents. Meaning that the here and now isn't and shouldn't be our main focus. Heaven is our destination and as parents we need to be using every minute to make sure that our children know that that's what we are striving for! Oh it was so good!!

Being able to visit with our friends was really nice too. I really enjoy their company. It's nice to be able to discuss spiritual things and know that you are of the same mind!

And now that this has gotten incredibly long I want to wrap up by asking for prayers for my little Sugar Plum. I think VBS and vacation so close together was too much for her little body. We are thankful that I am writing this from the comfort of our home and not a hospital room. She started having issues last week. Last night it turned into wheezing issues. By the time we got back into town this morning I think it was a full blown asthma attack! The doctor let us come home because Sugar Plum is what she called borderline. If she gets worse tonight I have to take her to the ER. Right now we're praying that the nebulizer treatments and PRAYER will improve things!! Unfortunately asthma is a very chronic condition in my husband's family. It wasn't really a question of if, but more of when. I know that God is in control. Maybe He will spare us and we won't have to deal with this health issue. But even if not I just pray that he comforts my little baby.

Whew! If you made it to the end, Congratulations!!! Now you can reward yourself by going to Heavenly Homemakers and checking out other Gratituesday posts!! Most of which are probably shorter than mine!

Distractions vs. Life

2009-06-18T17:42:00.004-06:00

Sometimes I think I should sit down and post something and then I get distracted! I'm very easily distracted. The bad part is that I forget what I was doing before the distraction. I know many would say that that is just part of being a wife and mother. I would say that yes, that is partly true. However I think I'm kind of on the extreme end of the spectrum. Plus this was going on way before we had kids. I like to blame my lack of blogging on life and it's distractions. But the truth is, I just can't focus long enough for a thought to make it's way out of my brain!
Can you say ADD? I certainly hope that is not the problem, but you just never know.

Lately I've really been tired. It doesn't matter if I get eight hours of sleep or six hours of sleep. I thought I was getting to much sleep so I cut back. When I decreased the amount I slept at night, that was worse than the eight hour. Some days I could barely make it through an afternoon without a nap. This is not the norm for me and it is really bugging me!

This next week is going to be a very busy week. We will have VBS in the morning everyday. I'm sure Sugar Plum will not be too happy. She is not old enough to participate yet. She really doesn't like being left in the nursery. Hopefully it won't be too traumatic. Because on Friday evening right after Honey gets off of work WE LEAVE ON VACATION!!!! I am SOOOO excited and so ready for a break! I wish we could leave earlier, but Honey's boss will be out of town. Since Honey is second in command he has to stay and hold down the fort! But what's an extra five hours, right? I'm sure that by Friday it will seem like forever! Please pray that I can make it through next Friday!

I had wanted to be able to get a laptop before we left, just so I could keep up on Facebook and all the different blogs that I frequent. I don't think that is going to happen though. It might be a good thing though. I don't need a laptop. I don't need to read blogs. I don't need to farm on Farm Town. Oh that game! That game is the exact reason why I can't drink, gamble or do drugs! I get too addicted way to easily. That and they're also pretty destructive behaviors! Sorry! There's the distraction problem I mentioned a minute ago!

I guess all this is to say that if I'm M.I.A. for the next couple of weeks you'll know that VBS wiped me out and I'm having a great time on my vacation. Maybe I'll list all my favorite blogs to visit. You can visit them for me and give me a summary when I return... Okay I won't make you all do that. But if you come across some great, must have recipes please leave me the link. Please?

Til' Next Time,

Mia

Gratituesday-Remembering

2009-06-09T10:44:00.004-06:00

This week I've been thinking about my two friends that died last year. I was thinking about all the fun times we had together.
I was telling some other friends about the time that we went to Applebee's and we all had to wait for my husband to finish 3+ baskets of riblets. I can't remember exactly how many. I'm sure Kim would have remembered. She was great at remembering everything!
There was the time that Gary went skiing with us and and a few other friends. He was a trooper! He took lessons in the morning and skied on his own in the afternoon.
On another ski trip Kim went along and we went to Taos. It was a horrible day to ski!! They took their lessons and Gary hurt his knee. Oh I felt so bad!! We were supposed to ski for three days. Kim and Gary decided that they'd rather go sight seeing. Maybe that's when their relationship began... That was a fun trip!! Even though we ended up having to have the car towed and wait for hours for it to be repaired.
I went to a wedding this weekend and was reminded of the day that Kim helped me tie cute little ribbon around those small bottles of bubbles. I don't know how many we did, but there were A LOT of boxes.
Then there was the time that we went camping. It was Labor Day weekend. I had never cooked over an open fire before. I cooked some potatoes for breakfast and they stuck, BAD!! Afterwards Gary was like "you needed to season the pan". I'm like if you knew this why didn't you mention it before!! He was in charge of helping with the cooking from then on!
Kim's mom recently gave me a couple of pictures that Kim had taken at the hospital the day after Pumkin was born. She found out that we were going to be induced with Pumkin and ditched work so she could hang out at the hospital. What a friend!!
Gary was always eager to hold Pumkin! That was until the day they sat behind us in church and Pumkin spit up. :) Kim said she was proud of him for not throwing up himself! He still liked to hold the kid, he just kept her facing forward!

I thought that when I stopped at their graves in November it would make things a little more real. It didn't! Every once in a while I'll think that maybe they'll be coming to town soon. Or if I see a red car like Gary's or a silver one like Kim's I wonder for a split second if it's them.

Honey and I recently bought the movie Twister. I used to like that movie. I realized that I haven't watched it since before they died. I really had a hard time with it. It made me think too much about what they might have gone through while in that tornado. Those are images that I don't need in my head.

So aside from the latter I am thankful for all the happy memories I have of times that were spent with them. There are so many more times along with these that I will always cherish. I am so thankful that I was able to be a part of their lives for the time that we had. I am so thankful that they are able to enjoy Heaven together!!

Head on over to Heavenly Homemakers and check out all the others that have shared what they are thankful for! And I guess while you're there you can drool over Laura's strawberries!

Life is, well Life!

2009-06-05T09:13:00.005-06:00

I've decided that I'm not going to make anymore promise of consistent blogging. I know everyone says that in order to build readership you have to blog on a consistent basis. UH-OH!!! Guess I'll have to work on that part!

I really am needing to work on managing my time better. I also need to work on making a menu plan every week. I am probably the least organized person I know. Well okay the second. The other person I know doesn't care that their life is disorganized! Anyhoo, this isn't working for me anymore! I need to change!!! A friend of mine is helping me get together a cleaning schedule. I need to try and get up earlier, but I've dealing with some insomnia issues lately. Getting up early is not easy when I'm still awake at 12 or 1. As for the menu planning, I'm just not a planner! I made a list of meals that I make thinking that that would help. I realized that a lot of the meals on there are winter foods. Oh I wish I had the "cooking gene" that it seems the rest of my family was born with! Any tips for any of the above? Any meal ideas? Any are welcome!

Since my last post my Honey and I celebrated our fifth anniversary! I can't believe that we've been married that long. At the same time it seems longer in some ways, not in a bad way though. He says it's the kids, they must add time! All kidding aside we have had a very good marriage! He is a very kind, hardworking and attentive husband and dad. I am so blessed!!

Here is a picture of the flowers that he bought me for our anniversary.

As for my gift I'm waiting to find a good deal on a laptop. I saw one recently that I might want, but I don't know. Any suggestions on what to look for?

I was trying to upload a picture of the girls. But I realized that most of my pictures are not on my computer, but on my mom's! Oh bother!

Last week we finished up our last week of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University! I enjoyed the classes, but it was a L-O-N-G thirteen weeks. We need to get into gazelle intensity mode! Oh what it would be like to be debt free! I keep lamenting the fact that I/we didn't have this information years ago! I just need to get over that fact and work at applying it to our lives NOW!!

I know this post is filled with a lot of random stuff, but that's me!!

Absolutes...

2009-05-17T22:37:00.003-06:00

On Friday evening I went for what was supposed to be a relaxing girls night out with some other mom's that have kids my age. Most of the moms are within a couple years of my age. This should be a fun night, right? Well it turned into a night of thought, at least for me anyway.

Something you should know about me, I'm a pretty conservative person. I know that the conservative view is not the popular one these days but it served people of old well. If it worked for them, why not today? I don't like grey areas. I like for things to be black and white. I like to know where the line is so I'm sure to stay for from it.

Anyway the conversation turned to raising kids. One of the moms was talking about how she didn't know how to handle her daughter. The daughter is soon to be four! The mom wants this small child to make good choices, on her own. She wants for her daughter to not feel forced into doing what's right but to choose the right path for herself. Umm, SHE'S FOUR!!! She can barely make the right choice when choosing her clothes for the day! Unless a child is pointed in the right direction, how can they know the way! No wonder our society is falling apart! No wonder churches are being founded on the principals of "it feels right for me". Do they ever stop to think that maybe being nailed to and hung on the cross didn't feel all that great? Do they ever think that maybe leaving a wonderful place like Heaven to come to this crummy earth was as from a vacation as you could get?

I absolutely believe that it is my responsibility to train my children up in the ways of God. It is my responsibility to make sure that they grow up knowing that is better to give than to receive, that it is better serve than to be served, to show kindness to all, to love their family, to treat others with respect. These principals alone will not guarantee that my children will grow up and be perfect members of society. Neither does all this training guarantee that they will be Christians when they are old enough to make that decision for themselves. All this doesn't even promise that my kids will behave themselves now! But if I cannot take the time to teach them right from wrong, good and bad, acceptable and unacceptable behavior, who will?

Remember when I said I wasn't going to vent??? :) I wonder if there are others who struggle with all of this? I can think of a million things that I should have said to that mom. But I let fear hold my tongue.

My challenge to those that struggle as I do would be to be BOLD!!

Yes, I'm Still Alive!

2009-05-14T16:26:00.003-06:00

It's just been so nice here that we've been getting out a lot. Along with that things have a little distressing. There for a few day I thought that we were going to be adding to our family. At some point in time I would like to have more children, just not right now. Whew!! I love babies! I'm just very, very glad that I will not be having one in nine months.
Also sadly, Facebook has now become an addiction! I miss blogging. I know that if I could find a balance I could do both Facebook and blogging. In an effort to do just that, I've gone through and deleted some blogs that were bookmarked. For you see, I am a people watcher. I could spend hours at the mall watching people go by. In a sense that is what I was doing with blogs. Somehow I'd come across one, and there I'd be, lurking. And instead of updating my blog I would see if others had updated their blog. There is still a list of ones that I frequent, in addition to the ones over on the side. But there are some that I just couldn't not let go. It's nice to see how others live there lives. It's nice to be able to learn new recipes and take comfort in the fact that there are others learning or the same lessons that you are. It's nice to see that there are others that have gone through the same season that I am currently in and they made it through!

I keep thinking that I would like to be able to offer more on here. I have an idea that's been running through my head on something that I would like to try. I just don't know if I'm brave enough to take the first step. We'll see... I am getting ready to teach the Wednesday night Bible study for 4 & 5 year olds at church. I know that's going to take up some of my time for the summer. We will also be taking our annual trip to Red River in June. Maybe I'll shoot for the end of summer to launch my idea. That will give me a couple of months to try and get my act together.

I guess the bottom line is to please bear with me.

Gratituesday

2009-05-04T20:49:00.005-06:00

As I was putting my girls to bed tonight I was thinking about bible class on Sunday morning. The teacher made the point that we are quick to point out all the things that we seem to be lacking. At the same time we are slow to count our blessings. I know that at times this is especially true of me. I could give you mountains of lists of things that I feel that I want or need or arrogantly feel I am entitled to. How selfish of me! If I would only stop and truly take time to be thankful for all that I do have.

For starters I have air in my lungs! I don't even have to think about putting it there! It is there because of the marvelous way God created us! I have a roof over my head. I have a wonderful husband(who BTW is being nominated for Manager of the Year!!) that works hard so that we can have the things that we do. I am also able to stay home because of his hard work. I have two beautiful, healthy girls. They are a handful at times, but I wouldn't trade them for anything. Goodnight hugs and kisses are quite possibly the best!! We have some minor health issues, but compared to others there is no room for complaining. I live in a country where we are still free to worship God. We are free to worship whenever we choose. Yes, we are continually falling away from being the nation that was founded on godly principals by God-fearing men. But, we are still FREE! And if ever worse comes to worse I have the hope of something more to come, because this world is not my home! God blesses us while we journey HOME! He provides all that we need! How could complaining ever come into the picture(I'm still working on that one!)?? Let me know if anyone has it figured out!

The greatest blessing of all is that I have the promise and hope of Heaven. No matter the troubles of this life, there IS more to come. There IS more than just this life!

God is GOOD! What a blessing it is that He chooses to bless us!!

Head on over to Heavenly Homemakers where you'll find others that are sharing what they are grateful for this week!

Folks We Have Our Winners!!

2009-05-02T08:47:00.003-06:00

I used the number generator over at Random.org to pick our two lucky people!

Drum roll Please....

Our two winners in no particular order are Rebecca with number 7

And Lorrie Briggs with number 16.

I will be sending you ladies an e mail soon so I can get these handy neck warmers out to you!
Congratulations!! And thanks for participating! And a big THANK YOU to Laura at Heavenly Homemakers for hosting the Spring Giveaway!

Kids Say the Silliest Things!

2009-05-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

Every time we leave church services we ask Pumkin what she learned. Most the time she remembers what the story was about in bible class. Sometime she even remembers what songs they sang! Last week when we were driving home we asked what her story was about. I was not expecting her answer! She said the they had talked about Esau and Jacob. Still pretty normal right? When we asked what they learned about them she told us! She said that Jacob was a cooker and Esau, well he "huuunnnted". She kinda drew out the word just like that! And that Esau ate some soup and then he was sad! At least I know she's paying attention right?!?!

Want another funny quote? Wednesday Pumkin was talking to her Grandpa that lives in MO. She asked him how he was, when he was coming to visit. And I guess she also felt the need to fill him in on our day. She told him how we went to the library and listened to the guy with the funny voice(he does a great job!) and that we went to play Frisbee and that her daddy got a short cut! Now that would be a HAIR cut. It didn't matter how many times we told her, she kept calling it a short cut!

Kids really do say the silliest things!!

Springtime Giveaway Carnival!!

2009-04-27T13:17:00.005-06:00

**UPDATED**
I will be keeping the giveaway open until Friday night. I have no specific time, just tonight!! Make sure to enter!!
It's Spring, finally!! In an effort to kick off the season I've decided join Heavenly Homemaker's Springtime giveaway!! Laura is kind enough to be hosting this, because that is the wonderful person she is!!

Now bear with me people, because this is the first time I've ever done a giveaway. So what is in it for you? Once upon a time I was a BeautiControl representative. Because my personality is more of the introverted type, it didn't work out. That and the fact that I very rarely ever wear makeup. Anyway, because I am no longer in the business
I had a couple of these lovely neck wraps just lying around. They're crying out for someone to please, PLEASE use them!!
They work very well on sore neck muscles. They are also useful when you need to warm a ~~spoiled~~ sweet baby's bed on a cold winter winter night!

Because I have a couple of neck wraps that are just "warming the bench" I'll pick two lucky winners on Friday!

Make sure to go to Heavenly Homemaker's and see all the other bloggers that are participating in the Giveaway!!

2009-04-24T14:14:00.003-06:00

I've been thinking of my poor, neglected blog lately. I've been thinking about when I first started blogging. I had no goals for my blog. I didn't set out to do anything with my blog. It was just a new thing to try that provided a way for me to keep in touch with my friend. It rapidly turned into an emotional outlet. I guess I used my blog as a dumping ground, a place where I could let it all out. Looking back I don't think I would have taken the same route.

So here I am today looking to set out in a new direction!

I want my blog to be a place for encouragement, a place of comfort, a place to gain a new understanding, a place for God to be honored and glorified. Oh and also to show off my girls every now and then! ;) I'm not promising that there won't be the occasional venting, I do promise to make those events much less frequent.

So here is to a fresh start!

Be on the look out next week for a giveaway! Laura at Heavenly Homemakers is kind enough to be hosting the Springtime Giveaway Carnival.

Have a great weekend!

Mama Ate Soup....

2009-04-02T16:29:00.005-06:00

...and did a sort of menu plan!!

I know that neither of these is a big deal, but you have to understand two things about me. I don't eat soup and I've never done a menu plan.
I really do not care for soup. The only time that I eat soup is if I'm sick or if it's the meal that a hostess has prepared. I don't crave soup of any type. I don't think "it's a lovely winter day, I should make soup." That just isn't how my taste buds work, until this week!
A friend of mine made some Taco Soup while we were visiting in OK this past fall. Both Honey and I thought it was pretty tasty. I asked her for the recipe and she kindly obliged! I made it this week and let me tell you, it was delicious!! The girls ate some even though it was a little spicy. This recipe is definitely a new favorite! Not only did it taste great, it was super easy. I love it when new recipes work out so well!

In other news I did my first menu plan for this week! I've been putting that task off for who knows how long now. Since we've been doing Dave Ramsey's FPU and doing our budget and cash flow plan we've had to actually make a food budget. I've never had a food budget. I probably could have saved us a lot of money if we would have had one. It's not like I go grocery shopping frequently. I try to limit that to a couple of times a week. The problem is that I end up buying things that I already have at home or things that we don't get to that eventually go to waste *gasp*! I want to be more responsible with what God has entrusted us with. Hence FPU and my first menu plan. I also did good at the store, I only went about $15 over our budget. That is because I had to buy sesame seeds(those were like a fifth of my budget!!) and potatoes which will last us for a couple of weeks.

So what was on the dinner menu for this week? Here you go!
Mon- Taquitos with Sour Cream, Guacamole and Salsa
Tues- Eat Out
Wed-Grilled Cheese with Japanese Salad and Oranges
Thurs- Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas w/ leftover Salsa
Fri- Chicken Spaghetti
Sat- Corned Beef and Cabbage (some how this got missed on St. Patty's Day)
Sun- Leftovers

So there you have my week of new things! Have a great weekend!

Gratituesday- A Long Time Coming

2009-03-30T21:38:00.003-06:00

This week there is so much to be thankful for I couldn't avoid Gratituesday again. I NEEDED to take time to be thankful!

We had a good trip to NM. We got to see the grandparents, enjoy good Mexican food, and visit some good friends!

I had a few people tell me about things we should do or see while in Albuquerque. Sometimes I like trips where I don't have to go anywhere or do anything. We got up, we ate, and we shopped. In a nutshell we did whatever we wanted to!! While in Albuquerque the girls and I were able to visit with a couple of old friends of mine. They are the cutest little couple! I can call them cute, they are 3+ years younger than me. They were married the week after Honey and I were. They were little twerps! I can say that because they arelike family!

After leaving Albuquerque we headed north to Las Vegas. I was only planning on staying until Friday, but it finally snowed here on Thursday! The weather was so bad here that Honey's job closed early! Per Honey's request the girls and I stayed until Saturday. It was so nice to get to go "home" for a couple of days. The friends that we stayed with are like my family. They took me in when my own family was falling apart. They helped me grow spiritually. I will always be so thankful for them! Anyway they put up with us for a couple of days. I got to eat some very delicious enchiladas with red chili(the only red chili I REALLY like)! We'll call my friend Lucy. Anyway she made a yummy Vanilla Wafer Pudding! Oh how I wish my family would eat it. I'd make some right now!! I'm drooling sitting here thinking of her great cooking!

It was so nice to come HOME!! I really, Really, REALLY missed my husband! I think this is the longest we've been apart in more than four years. Absence really does make the heart go fonder. He was so nice and did quite a bit of housework while I was away. He also rearranged some furniture that I asked him to move!

Okay so this post has gotten really long! What can I say, it was a good week! I guess I'll just have to post again soon!

Join Laura for Gratituesday, it's always good to take time to be grateful!

Accountability is a great motivator!

2009-03-19T17:41:00.005-06:00

So I guess having everyone know that I tend to frequently raise my voice I have tried much harder to be good! I've done fairly well this week. Maybe it was know that I'd actually have to fess up since the dirt is now out on me.

It is amazing at how a problem can cause a person to reevaluate everything. It seems like lately I've been hit over the head with a lot of different scriptures that keep popping up "out of the blue". I type that and know that with God, nothing is out of the blue. Everything works as God wants it to work. It is up us to be open to it.

A few things that I've realized lately:

I have two of the cutest girls that you are ever going to find! I hope that Honey and I will raise them to be godly women. In the mean time we are enjoying the craziness and sweetness that comes along with two "high maintenance" girls. It is so fun to watch as they grow! Pumkin loves to help and be a part of any and all action that is occurring! Right now she wants a dog! If she could stop sucking her thumb long enough we might consider it. We've tried yucky stuff, hot stuff, taping her thumb, taping her whole hand, bribery, rewards, and just constantly removing it from her mouth. Nothing has worked! Maybe the dog, maybe.

Sugar Plum is growing up way too fast! :( She is not a baby anymore. I know at 18 months she is well into the toddler stage! I guess I've been in denial. She is talking so much now. She is wanting to do things on her own and hates it when we have to step in and help. She's getting to be quite the pro at stair sliding.

Honey is such a good match for me! He helps me to be a kinder , more understanding, less aggressive person. He helps me to realize that the attitudes that I grew up surrounded by are not a "one size fits all". I am so thankful that he is who he is!

Can anyone truly understand God's grace? I don't understand it. I think my interpretation of it has been somewhat clouded. I hope I'm on the road to being more accepting and imparting of it! I'm wondering if somehow we(I) try to limit grace. How many times does the Word tell us that we cannot earn grace yet that is what we try to do? Don't get me wrong, I know that there are things that are required of us. I know that there are things we must do to be added to the kingdom of God. But I also know that we are human and sometimes fail and fall short. Maybe it is in the valley of failure that God's grace covers us and helps us climb back up the mountain. All I know is that I am so very thankful for the grace of God!

So there you have it! The things I've been mulling over!

Next week the girls and I will be taking my mom to Albuquerque. Her wound is completely closed! Praise God!! She has decided to go down for a couple of weeks and then return for a doctors appointment. She is no longer wanting to move to Albuquerque, but I think she knows that at this point it is inevitable. We shall see how our little road trip without Daddy goes. I think the longest that Pumkin has been away from her Daddy is a couple of days. Sugar Plum has never been away!

Since I'm going south I've also been debating if now is a good time for my dad to meet the girls. Believe me, this is not one reunion that I'm looking forward to! I haven't even talked to my dad in over two months. I didn't realize that it had been that long until I remembered that he had called to tell Pumkin "Happy Birthday" in January. I guess if his attitude was more repentant rather than self righteous it would be easier. Maybe if he was actually taking responsibility for the things he has done rather than blaming others for his sin. That's probably for another post though. Please pray for me! Please pray that I will speak as God would have me to! And to not allow the situation to cause me undo stress.