Okay, so obviously I don't do this blogging thing well! My life is busy but you would think I would have a few extra minutes to type my random but oh so meaningful thoughts for all of you to experience! HA! For those of you who blog daily or every other day, I salute you! I enjoy reading your blog and commenting. For those of you who read mine, this is as good as it gets!
That said, we have had a very full week. Paul's sister Pam was here visiting from California. She left Tuesday. It was so sad to see her go. I've always felt very close to Pam. She is the sister I never had. She has the most wonderful spirit. She is kind and loving and has always been wonderful to my children. We can talk on the phone for hours and we enjoy spending time together doing the mundane things(i.e. shopping) It was so nice to have her and her daughter here for 5 days and they are truly missed!
So, I have to say that I love getting Christmas Cards. This year I had to buy another memo board to display our Christmas cards. I love going to the mailbox during the month of December to see who we got a card from. My personal favorites are the ones that contain pictures. Since we've moved it's been great to be able to see how everyone's kids have grown. Having lived in San Jose all my life I have friends that I made in 2nd grade. In fact there are 5 of us that grew up and have remained close friends. We all have children that are around the same age. One of my greatest regrets is that our children don't get to grow up together and form the kind of bond that we did. These 4 women mean the world to me and I feel so blessed to have them in my life! I'm looking forward to spending the weekend with them in February! I love ya, Susie, Kim, Kris and Jen. Merry Christmas to you and your families.
And to all my wonderful friends here that I've formed special relationships with, I love receiving your cards and looking forward to the many years of friendship with each other and our children!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Wallowing
Just feeling a little down today, could be the weather, I don't know. I had a really bad day yesterday.
Paul and I went to the lawyer to get advice on a situation. Although the lawyer said we definitely had a strong case we needed to know what we were getting in to. Chances were that if we pursued and won a judgement in our favor, we would never see any money. If we chose to pursue getting our money it would mean time and effort on our part plus we would have to try and garnish wages and that could just be ugly. The lawyer said he wasn't trying to discourage us from going to court he was just trying to lay out all the facts since this was family we would be dealing with.
After we left, Paul and I stood outside and chatted a little about what we thought we should do. Paul said we should give it some time and think about it but I could tell he was feeling differently than when we first went in. Plus, he said he didn't know if we should go this far since he wasn't sure what the other party could be capable of.
Needless to say I was extremely frustrated! I came home and called my dad since I value my parents opinion. After telling me that I wasn't going to like what he had to say, he suggested that we just let the whole thing go. I was so mad and hurt. I spent most of the time on the phone with him bawling. I wasn't mad at him, I was so mad at the situation. This situation and many others with these people have been a constant issue in my life. The problems they have brought about in our lives has brought emotional and monetary stress. I felt like this was our opportunity to hold them accountable. Even if we never got money from them, I felt it was the principle of the thing.
So I wallowed yesterday. I wallowed in my frustration, I wallowed in my pain. I also wallowed in the fact that although I have met wonderful people here, I miss the deep connections I had with friends in California. Even though they are a phone call away, it was nice to be able to see them, go to coffee or just have them come over so I could vent. I did end up going to coffee last night with two friends and it was so nice. One friend in particular gave me some great advice and empathized with me! (Thanks Karen! You don't know how needed it was!)
So today I'm not feeling very "Tis the Season".....maybe tomorrow!
Paul and I went to the lawyer to get advice on a situation. Although the lawyer said we definitely had a strong case we needed to know what we were getting in to. Chances were that if we pursued and won a judgement in our favor, we would never see any money. If we chose to pursue getting our money it would mean time and effort on our part plus we would have to try and garnish wages and that could just be ugly. The lawyer said he wasn't trying to discourage us from going to court he was just trying to lay out all the facts since this was family we would be dealing with.
After we left, Paul and I stood outside and chatted a little about what we thought we should do. Paul said we should give it some time and think about it but I could tell he was feeling differently than when we first went in. Plus, he said he didn't know if we should go this far since he wasn't sure what the other party could be capable of.
Needless to say I was extremely frustrated! I came home and called my dad since I value my parents opinion. After telling me that I wasn't going to like what he had to say, he suggested that we just let the whole thing go. I was so mad and hurt. I spent most of the time on the phone with him bawling. I wasn't mad at him, I was so mad at the situation. This situation and many others with these people have been a constant issue in my life. The problems they have brought about in our lives has brought emotional and monetary stress. I felt like this was our opportunity to hold them accountable. Even if we never got money from them, I felt it was the principle of the thing.
So I wallowed yesterday. I wallowed in my frustration, I wallowed in my pain. I also wallowed in the fact that although I have met wonderful people here, I miss the deep connections I had with friends in California. Even though they are a phone call away, it was nice to be able to see them, go to coffee or just have them come over so I could vent. I did end up going to coffee last night with two friends and it was so nice. One friend in particular gave me some great advice and empathized with me! (Thanks Karen! You don't know how needed it was!)
So today I'm not feeling very "Tis the Season".....maybe tomorrow!
Friday, December 08, 2006
Life in General
Okay, so guess what? It's not snowing anymore. I mean it has been a week since I've posted. However we do still have a lot of snow in our front yard. Kind-of stinks. The snow has completely melted across the street. As a punishment to our kids, Paul had them bring out hot water last weekend and pour it all over the drive way. Needless to say they weren't very happy.
So, I haven't posted for awhile because I haven't found the time. Paul has been gone for the past two weeks on business. He came home last weekend but was off again on Tuesday and won't be back until late tonight. So I've been a single parent, trying to juggle the household, kids, events that are going on, etc. I have to say I'm pretty tired, both mentally and physically and I am looking forward to Paul coming home.
We did get a bit of good news on Tuesday. We got an offer on our home. We had to lower the price 10k and they still offered less than that. We were asking 229,000 and they came in at 223,000 plus they had a contingency. There house has to sell first. We weren't thrilled with the offer but we would be happy to be done with that house. We countered with 227,000 as well as a "bump clause" which means that if we get another offer in the mean time then we can go back to them and ask them to remove their contingency within 48 hours or we can procede with another offer. We felt that was fair and we are waiting for their response. They have until 5pm today to respond. Our realtor spoke with their realtor and felt pretty good about the fact that they really wanted our house and finding it was what prompted them to put their house on the market.
Other than that, I've been enjoying my recent blog-posted songs on CD. I think it's called, "Anything but a Tuba" or something like that. I'm not sure the official title! Anyway, I've really been enjoying the songs. Some bring back old memories some are new. Some are a little "rocky" for this cheerleader(LOL!) but all of them bring a smile to my face as I can recall the blog posting they pertain too. Much Enjoyment!
That's all for now, I'm hoping it won't be another week before I post again!
So, I haven't posted for awhile because I haven't found the time. Paul has been gone for the past two weeks on business. He came home last weekend but was off again on Tuesday and won't be back until late tonight. So I've been a single parent, trying to juggle the household, kids, events that are going on, etc. I have to say I'm pretty tired, both mentally and physically and I am looking forward to Paul coming home.
We did get a bit of good news on Tuesday. We got an offer on our home. We had to lower the price 10k and they still offered less than that. We were asking 229,000 and they came in at 223,000 plus they had a contingency. There house has to sell first. We weren't thrilled with the offer but we would be happy to be done with that house. We countered with 227,000 as well as a "bump clause" which means that if we get another offer in the mean time then we can go back to them and ask them to remove their contingency within 48 hours or we can procede with another offer. We felt that was fair and we are waiting for their response. They have until 5pm today to respond. Our realtor spoke with their realtor and felt pretty good about the fact that they really wanted our house and finding it was what prompted them to put their house on the market.
Other than that, I've been enjoying my recent blog-posted songs on CD. I think it's called, "Anything but a Tuba" or something like that. I'm not sure the official title! Anyway, I've really been enjoying the songs. Some bring back old memories some are new. Some are a little "rocky" for this cheerleader(LOL!) but all of them bring a smile to my face as I can recall the blog posting they pertain too. Much Enjoyment!
That's all for now, I'm hoping it won't be another week before I post again!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Happy Snow Day!
It's snowing!!!!!
Being from California, this is quite a novelty for us here. In fact the only time we saw snow in San Jose was when I was 4. That was the one and only time in over 30 years. Of course when we decided to move here everyone told us how cold it was and how much snow there was in Idaho(no one had actually been here, they just heard, right!) In fact, at our going away party everyone wore white to signify the snow. As if we were moving to the tundra!
So I have to say that last year I wasn't very impressed with the snow fall. I mean if we were moving to a place that snowed, I wanted to see some snow. We got around 5 snowfalls last year I think and only 2 stayed longer than a day. My kids love the snow so needless to say they were disappointed.
So here we are at the start of the winter season and we are having some snow. The kids are loving it. Our trampoline has a light coat of snow and they are outside jumping on it watching the snow bounce up. They are also scooping it up and putting it in their mouth(I know you are so grossed out right now Na!) Of course, Lauren is complaining how freezing cold her hands are!(Before you say anything she does have gloves on!)
We've found out that our cat is completely freaked out by the snow. Hannah brought him outside and he cowered beneath the trampoline. I let him back inside and he went and hid inside Lauren's Dora tent in the patio room. Not a fan of the snow I guess.
I for one think it is so pretty. I went to pick up Andrew from school and there was Christmas music on the radio and the snow was falling. I know it's corny but it gave me this kind-of warm feeling, which considering my mood lately, I really needed that!
Happy Snow Day!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Stars in the making!
I just wanted to say that I have 2 little stars in the making!
This past May, Hannah went on a field trip to Eagle Island State Park to watch a reenactment of the Civil War. Besides the fact that she enjoyed the field trip tremendously, she also got to be on the news! They showed 2 clips of her being interviewed by the reporter as well as shots of her watching the actors. It was so cool. We recorded it and watched it over and over. We were so proud of how well she did on television. Very mature! Definitely Disney channel material! Ha!
Then today I was on my way to take Lauren to school and we were listening to 89.5fm KTSY. It's a great christian music channel and the kids enjoy listening to it as well. Every weekday morning they have a child do the Pledge of Allegiance on the air. Well, Lauren has been telling us the Pledge of Allegiance for the past month because she has been learning it in preschool. So I ask her quickly if she wants to say the Pledge of Allegiance on the radio and she says yes. I hurry and call the station and they put me right through to the DJ. He asks me her name, what city we live in and how old she is. Then he asks me to put her on the phone and she said the whole Pledge of Allegiance on the phone. It was so stinkin' cute! She wasn't shy or anything. I think because she couldn't see him on the other end of the phone. He told me that she would be on the air at 9 am.
So of course I hung up and started calling everyone to tell them to listen to her. We got to her preschool and waited a few minutes to take her in so she could hear herself on the radio. She thought that was so neat! As soon as we got inside the school though, she became shy again. I asked her to tell her teacher what she did and she clammed up! She's just so modest!
I called the radio station and asked if I could get a copy of it and they said they were going to mail one out to me as soon as they could. Isn't that cool. I love this radio station. Two weeks ago I won four tickets to Idaho Ice World and a cd from the same radio station because I called in when they were having their family name game. The name was Lauren so I called right away and I was the winner! I love cell phones!
So I'm very proud of my two girls and their "air time"
This past May, Hannah went on a field trip to Eagle Island State Park to watch a reenactment of the Civil War. Besides the fact that she enjoyed the field trip tremendously, she also got to be on the news! They showed 2 clips of her being interviewed by the reporter as well as shots of her watching the actors. It was so cool. We recorded it and watched it over and over. We were so proud of how well she did on television. Very mature! Definitely Disney channel material! Ha!
Then today I was on my way to take Lauren to school and we were listening to 89.5fm KTSY. It's a great christian music channel and the kids enjoy listening to it as well. Every weekday morning they have a child do the Pledge of Allegiance on the air. Well, Lauren has been telling us the Pledge of Allegiance for the past month because she has been learning it in preschool. So I ask her quickly if she wants to say the Pledge of Allegiance on the radio and she says yes. I hurry and call the station and they put me right through to the DJ. He asks me her name, what city we live in and how old she is. Then he asks me to put her on the phone and she said the whole Pledge of Allegiance on the phone. It was so stinkin' cute! She wasn't shy or anything. I think because she couldn't see him on the other end of the phone. He told me that she would be on the air at 9 am.
So of course I hung up and started calling everyone to tell them to listen to her. We got to her preschool and waited a few minutes to take her in so she could hear herself on the radio. She thought that was so neat! As soon as we got inside the school though, she became shy again. I asked her to tell her teacher what she did and she clammed up! She's just so modest!
I called the radio station and asked if I could get a copy of it and they said they were going to mail one out to me as soon as they could. Isn't that cool. I love this radio station. Two weeks ago I won four tickets to Idaho Ice World and a cd from the same radio station because I called in when they were having their family name game. The name was Lauren so I called right away and I was the winner! I love cell phones!
So I'm very proud of my two girls and their "air time"
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Shopping
Went shopping with my friend Darcie yesterday. Now I have always been a day after Thanksgiving shopper but who knew that there were others out there who were more ambitious than me!(I used the word crazy but Darcie said ambitious!)
Last year I couldn't get anyone to go with me so I went by myself. Darcie and I were talking one day and she told me that she too was a "day after Thanksgiving shopper". We decided to go together and try and recruit some of our other friends. As the day got closer some of our other friends appeared to be chickening out! I had most of my shopping done but since I promised my friend I would go, I went.
Let me just set the scene for you! Darcie picked me up at my house at 4 am! Yes people that's not a typo-it does say am, as in the morning. With coffee in hand we drove to the first store and sat in her car since there wasn't a whole lot of people in line. When the doors opened at 5 am Darcie was off like a flash! We were getting two things here for me so she had one of the things in hand before I was even over to her! You ROCK Chuck! After that we headed to Target and stood in line for 40 minutes. There was even a security guard that was telling us the rules once the doors opened. "There will be no running, tripping, pushing, hitting or biting when the doors open. If you are caught doing any of these things, you will be escorted from the premises and not allowed to buy anything that day." Upon hearing these rules Darcie and I quickly decided that he said nothing about skipping, galloping, hair pulling or elbowing so we were good.
After Target we decided it was time to refuel so we stopped for coffee and bagels and we were back on the road. After ShopKo we hit the mall and then back to Fred Meyer. We met our friends at Applebees for some lunch and my dear friend Chuck was upset when I told her that I would like for her to take me home. She wanted to go to WalMart and a couple of more places. I had had enough! We had shopped for 8 hours and I was done!
All in all I had a fun time. Darcie is always a blast to be with and we did get a lot of good deals! I honor of my friend, I have decided to post some lyrics:
Bare Naked Ladies
"Shopping"
Well you know that it's going to be alright
I think it's gonna be alright
Everything will always be alright When we go shopping
Well you know that it's going to be alright When we go shopping
It's always lalalalala...
Shopping spree begin
It's always lalalalala...
Everybody wins
So shutup And never stop
Let's shop until we drop
Chorus:
It's always lalalalala...
Shopping never ends
It's always lalalalala...
Shopping with our friends
Shopping once again
It's always lalalalala... (x4)
It's never enough Until you've got all the stuff
When the going gets rough
Just shop with somebody tough
CHORUS (x2) It's always... When we go shopping (x3) It's always lalalalala... (repeat to fade)
Last year I couldn't get anyone to go with me so I went by myself. Darcie and I were talking one day and she told me that she too was a "day after Thanksgiving shopper". We decided to go together and try and recruit some of our other friends. As the day got closer some of our other friends appeared to be chickening out! I had most of my shopping done but since I promised my friend I would go, I went.
Let me just set the scene for you! Darcie picked me up at my house at 4 am! Yes people that's not a typo-it does say am, as in the morning. With coffee in hand we drove to the first store and sat in her car since there wasn't a whole lot of people in line. When the doors opened at 5 am Darcie was off like a flash! We were getting two things here for me so she had one of the things in hand before I was even over to her! You ROCK Chuck! After that we headed to Target and stood in line for 40 minutes. There was even a security guard that was telling us the rules once the doors opened. "There will be no running, tripping, pushing, hitting or biting when the doors open. If you are caught doing any of these things, you will be escorted from the premises and not allowed to buy anything that day." Upon hearing these rules Darcie and I quickly decided that he said nothing about skipping, galloping, hair pulling or elbowing so we were good.
After Target we decided it was time to refuel so we stopped for coffee and bagels and we were back on the road. After ShopKo we hit the mall and then back to Fred Meyer. We met our friends at Applebees for some lunch and my dear friend Chuck was upset when I told her that I would like for her to take me home. She wanted to go to WalMart and a couple of more places. I had had enough! We had shopped for 8 hours and I was done!
All in all I had a fun time. Darcie is always a blast to be with and we did get a lot of good deals! I honor of my friend, I have decided to post some lyrics:
Bare Naked Ladies
"Shopping"
Well you know that it's going to be alright
I think it's gonna be alright
Everything will always be alright When we go shopping
Well you know that it's going to be alright When we go shopping
It's always lalalalala...
Shopping spree begin
It's always lalalalala...
Everybody wins
So shutup And never stop
Let's shop until we drop
Chorus:
It's always lalalalala...
Shopping never ends
It's always lalalalala...
Shopping with our friends
Shopping once again
It's always lalalalala... (x4)
It's never enough Until you've got all the stuff
When the going gets rough
Just shop with somebody tough
CHORUS (x2) It's always... When we go shopping (x3) It's always lalalalala... (repeat to fade)
Thursday, November 23, 2006
A Thanksgiving Prayer
A friend just shared this with me and I thought I would share it with all of you! Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I'm so thankful for your friendship!
A Thanksgiving Prayer
Oh, God, when i have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work, help me
to remember the jobless;
When I have a warm home
help me to remember the homeless;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer;
And remembering, help me
to destroy my complacency
and bestir my compassion.
Make me concerned enough
to help, by word and deed,
those who cry out
for what we take for granted.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Fun Weekend
Had a great time this past weekend. I mean who knew I could top the ultra exciting night with the vacuum but we did have a very packed weekend.
On Saturday we went to Red Robin with some friends and then back over to their house for games and snacks. They taught us how to play Caddie. It's a very fun card game. Similar to 21 only you have to get 31. They typically play with quarters but since we had kids playing we played with chocolate chips. Then we played Apples to Apples, another fun game. I had never played this game before but apparently it is all the rage! A great family game for those of you looking for a Christmas gift. Make sure you get the Jr. version, kids 7 and older can play. I had to go out and buy it, we enjoyed it so much. We had a great time with our friends.
Sunday night Paul and I and Dan and Darcie went to dinner at PF Chang's(just an FYI- they take reservations). Then we went to see Brian Regan live. I had never heard of him prior to Darcie telling us about him. Let me just say, he was hysterical. I laughed so hard I was crying a couple of times! Plus the nice thing was he did not use one swear word and he didn't talk about anything sleazy. You could definitely watch his DVD at home with the kids. In fact I went to his website and Andrew thought he was so funny. We had a great night.
So now we are coming upon Thanksgiving. I feel we truly have so much to be thankful for. Looking forward to Turkey Day with family. Hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving.
On Saturday we went to Red Robin with some friends and then back over to their house for games and snacks. They taught us how to play Caddie. It's a very fun card game. Similar to 21 only you have to get 31. They typically play with quarters but since we had kids playing we played with chocolate chips. Then we played Apples to Apples, another fun game. I had never played this game before but apparently it is all the rage! A great family game for those of you looking for a Christmas gift. Make sure you get the Jr. version, kids 7 and older can play. I had to go out and buy it, we enjoyed it so much. We had a great time with our friends.
Sunday night Paul and I and Dan and Darcie went to dinner at PF Chang's(just an FYI- they take reservations). Then we went to see Brian Regan live. I had never heard of him prior to Darcie telling us about him. Let me just say, he was hysterical. I laughed so hard I was crying a couple of times! Plus the nice thing was he did not use one swear word and he didn't talk about anything sleazy. You could definitely watch his DVD at home with the kids. In fact I went to his website and Andrew thought he was so funny. We had a great night.
So now we are coming upon Thanksgiving. I feel we truly have so much to be thankful for. Looking forward to Turkey Day with family. Hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
A woman thing
Can you believe it? Two posts in two days. This must be a record or something!
Last night Paul and I got to have a little date night! We went to a dinner/auction benefiting the Family Advocate program here in Boise. It was very fun. It was a gingerbread themed event. They had several gingerbread houses all over the room that you could bid on as well as many other great things. You should have seen how elaborate the gingerbread houses were. One was a gingerbread treehouse, one was Santa's diner with snowmen inside. Very cool. People were bidding hundreds of dollars for them- all for a good cause.
So Paul and I got there right when it started so we had 2 hours to circle the auction items several times! Next time we decided we would get there with about 45 minutes to spare for auction before dinner. We put our bid on a couple of things including 4 floor tickets for the Idaho Stampede. Then there was this vacuum. It was awesome. Valued at $530 it supposedly is even better than a Dyson. I told Paul I would like to bid on it. Paul thought I was crazy however several women at our table thought it was a great thing to bid on. There were 3 of us who were going back and forth raising the bid $10. So I hovered! We were down to the last 5 minutes and one of the ladies raised it another $10 bringing it to $200, since I was standing right there she said that she was trying for 2 things and she wouldn't be back to bid again on the vacuum! Ok, so you see me there and you still raise the bid knowing you weren't going to get the vacuum- whatever! So, needless to say I won the bid for the vacuum at $210.
At the end of the night we got to go and pay for our prize. Paul was still giving me a hard time about the fact that we bid on a vacuum. However every woman we came in contact with, from the lady who gave us the receipt, to the lady who got the vacuum for us was so excited that we got the vacuum. They were saying what a great vacuum it was and what a fabulous deal we got. Paul was shocked at the response. I told him it was a woman thing!
When we got home I tried that vacuum out right away and I love it! I was very pleased. All in all it was a very fun night.
Last night Paul and I got to have a little date night! We went to a dinner/auction benefiting the Family Advocate program here in Boise. It was very fun. It was a gingerbread themed event. They had several gingerbread houses all over the room that you could bid on as well as many other great things. You should have seen how elaborate the gingerbread houses were. One was a gingerbread treehouse, one was Santa's diner with snowmen inside. Very cool. People were bidding hundreds of dollars for them- all for a good cause.
So Paul and I got there right when it started so we had 2 hours to circle the auction items several times! Next time we decided we would get there with about 45 minutes to spare for auction before dinner. We put our bid on a couple of things including 4 floor tickets for the Idaho Stampede. Then there was this vacuum. It was awesome. Valued at $530 it supposedly is even better than a Dyson. I told Paul I would like to bid on it. Paul thought I was crazy however several women at our table thought it was a great thing to bid on. There were 3 of us who were going back and forth raising the bid $10. So I hovered! We were down to the last 5 minutes and one of the ladies raised it another $10 bringing it to $200, since I was standing right there she said that she was trying for 2 things and she wouldn't be back to bid again on the vacuum! Ok, so you see me there and you still raise the bid knowing you weren't going to get the vacuum- whatever! So, needless to say I won the bid for the vacuum at $210.
At the end of the night we got to go and pay for our prize. Paul was still giving me a hard time about the fact that we bid on a vacuum. However every woman we came in contact with, from the lady who gave us the receipt, to the lady who got the vacuum for us was so excited that we got the vacuum. They were saying what a great vacuum it was and what a fabulous deal we got. Paul was shocked at the response. I told him it was a woman thing!
When we got home I tried that vacuum out right away and I love it! I was very pleased. All in all it was a very fun night.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Time
Sooooooo, because it's been over a week and Darcie has compiled a whole cd of songs for me, I've decided perhaps it might be time to update!!!!
I've titled my post time because I'm finding I don't have enough of it! I consider myself a fairly organized person(I pale in comparison to Na!) and yet I'm finding that there are so many things I just can't get done. Case in point, my e-mails and this blog. I know several of my friends who can chat daily on the computer and post and check e-mails and I need to know, "How do you do it?"
When I quit my job 2 years ago and became a stay at home mom I thought I was going to have all the time in the world. I thought for sure I'd be caught up on all my scrapbooks, my house would be immaculate, I would cook dinner for my family every night and so on and so on. Well I can honestly say....it's not happening! And I have to ask myself why? Why can't I keep my house clean, why can't I meet with my friends, at least if not more than, once a week? Why is it that I feel I'm being pulled in so many directions? I guess what I'm saying is maybe I need a little help(in the form of suggestions or advice, not $800 help! JK, Na!) I want to know how those of you who juggle so many things do it?
So enough of my ranting! Life here has been busy as you can tell. Lauren is on her second bout of strep throat in 3 weeks. Good Times! I'm just hoping she's not going to have issues with this like I did and end up having to have her tonsils removed. That is not fun at all. However it's a lot worse as an adult! Hannah is going to her first dance today after school. It's a sock hop. She took a poodle skirt to change into after school. Very cute! She is enjoying middle school very much and is doing so great in all her classes. She got straight A's and I am extremely proud of her!
Paul and I are going to a dinner/auction tonight. It should be fun. We need a little date night considering the stress we've been under with the house/inlaws lately.
Well, that's all I've got for now. I promise I won't wait over a week to post next time. I welcome any of your advice for my time issues!
I've titled my post time because I'm finding I don't have enough of it! I consider myself a fairly organized person(I pale in comparison to Na!) and yet I'm finding that there are so many things I just can't get done. Case in point, my e-mails and this blog. I know several of my friends who can chat daily on the computer and post and check e-mails and I need to know, "How do you do it?"
When I quit my job 2 years ago and became a stay at home mom I thought I was going to have all the time in the world. I thought for sure I'd be caught up on all my scrapbooks, my house would be immaculate, I would cook dinner for my family every night and so on and so on. Well I can honestly say....it's not happening! And I have to ask myself why? Why can't I keep my house clean, why can't I meet with my friends, at least if not more than, once a week? Why is it that I feel I'm being pulled in so many directions? I guess what I'm saying is maybe I need a little help(in the form of suggestions or advice, not $800 help! JK, Na!) I want to know how those of you who juggle so many things do it?
So enough of my ranting! Life here has been busy as you can tell. Lauren is on her second bout of strep throat in 3 weeks. Good Times! I'm just hoping she's not going to have issues with this like I did and end up having to have her tonsils removed. That is not fun at all. However it's a lot worse as an adult! Hannah is going to her first dance today after school. It's a sock hop. She took a poodle skirt to change into after school. Very cute! She is enjoying middle school very much and is doing so great in all her classes. She got straight A's and I am extremely proud of her!
Paul and I are going to a dinner/auction tonight. It should be fun. We need a little date night considering the stress we've been under with the house/inlaws lately.
Well, that's all I've got for now. I promise I won't wait over a week to post next time. I welcome any of your advice for my time issues!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
My husband
I love my husband, okay not in a corny, gaze into his eyes longingly way but in a very real way. We just celebrated our 12 year anniversary on Sunday! Twelve years! My dad always likes to say that it's 11 years and 11 months longer than he thought it would last. He changes it every year. Don't get me wrong my dad loves Paul but our marriage wasn't ideal. We were both very young and I was 5 months pregnant when we got married. At our wedding, Paul bawled like a baby during his vows(not necessarily a good sign). We still laugh about that.
The first 5-7 years of our marriage were hard!!! Paul was working full time and finishing college at night. I was working and raising our kids. We had no time for ourselves and we were both jealous of one another. I was jealous because he was out there in the adult world and I was home alone with 2 kids. He was jealous because he was working his butt off plus going to school while I got to spend time with the kids. We were immature and made a lot of mistakes. There were times when it would have been so easy to just call it quits but we stuck it out (counseling helped as well as a lot of prayers!)
I can honestly say that the past 5 years have been great. I didn't say perfect but very rewarding. I have grown to love and respect my husband more than I ever thought possible. He is hardworking, smart and very dedicated to our family. What he lacks in the romance department he makes up for in the way he has provided for our family. He makes me laugh all the time and he is definitely the steady in my sometimes chaotic world. He is a wonderful father and I feel very blessed to have reached this place in our marriage. I'm looking forward to many more years with this man.
I have always admired the love and the relationship that my parents have for each other. They have been married almost 36 years. I would like to pattern my relationship with Paul after their marriage and I believe that is very possible.
The first 5-7 years of our marriage were hard!!! Paul was working full time and finishing college at night. I was working and raising our kids. We had no time for ourselves and we were both jealous of one another. I was jealous because he was out there in the adult world and I was home alone with 2 kids. He was jealous because he was working his butt off plus going to school while I got to spend time with the kids. We were immature and made a lot of mistakes. There were times when it would have been so easy to just call it quits but we stuck it out (counseling helped as well as a lot of prayers!)
I can honestly say that the past 5 years have been great. I didn't say perfect but very rewarding. I have grown to love and respect my husband more than I ever thought possible. He is hardworking, smart and very dedicated to our family. What he lacks in the romance department he makes up for in the way he has provided for our family. He makes me laugh all the time and he is definitely the steady in my sometimes chaotic world. He is a wonderful father and I feel very blessed to have reached this place in our marriage. I'm looking forward to many more years with this man.
I have always admired the love and the relationship that my parents have for each other. They have been married almost 36 years. I would like to pattern my relationship with Paul after their marriage and I believe that is very possible.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Love Family Pictures!!!
Okay, okay, so it's been a few days since I've posted! It's been a busy week. Halloween pretty much wiped me out for the whole week. Can I just say how much I hate this holiday. I mean honestly there is really not anything I like about it. Deciding what the kids are going to be, picking out the costumes, paying outrageous prices for the costumes, having complete meltdowns the night of trick-or-treating and too much candy, what part of any of that is FUN?!?! Besides the fact that it was soooooo stinkin cold! Lauren lasted about 6 houses and then had a complete meltdown. Andrew was upset because, "We didn't go to as many houses as we did last year." And, Hannah, who was with a friend, decided she was too cool to walk with us! Yeah, right, as if I'm going to let her walk alone. Needless to say, we survived but it was not FUN!!!!!
Also, my dad ended up going to the hospital that night from a severe intestinal infection. We had to call 911 and he ended up in the hospital for 4 hours. They released him at 1 in the morning and he's been taking it easy the past few days. He's doing much better now, thankfully, but it was pretty scary.
Today we went and had our traditional family picture taken. Good Times! We've been doing this every year for Christmas since Hannah was a baby. It's sort-of become our tradition. However I have to say that it is not a tradition my family embraces. It can be pretty stressful and most of the time they complain. Which is why when I announced that I had decided we weren't going to do the pictures this year, I thought it would be received with uninhibited delight. Quite the contrary! They couldn't believe we weren't going to do the picture because we've done it every year and how could I possibly imagine not taking the picture. So with their own words as ammunition, I made an appointment. At home, before the pictures was pretty unstressful. Everybody got ready on time, everyone looked nice and we got to the picture place on time! Good, good, good. However when we got there they were 1/2 hour behind. I swear this happens every year! You would think that they would plan their photo sessions better, I mean we are coming upon the holidays! So as most of you know with children, waiting 1/2 an hour is like waiting 2 hours. Plus my husband can be just as anxious as my three children. Paul and Andrew are wrestling in the chair, Lauren is peeking into all the other studios and Hannah is complaining that it is taking too long and she is hungry! Is now the time that I remind them that they wanted to take this picture? Yes, it is!
To make a long story short, we ended up taking 20 pictures most of which consisted of us smiling until our faces hurt while the photographer tried to get Lauren to smile! Every year I keep telling myself that Lauren is one year older and this will be the year that everything will go smoothly. Although it wasn't as bad as previous years, next year will be the year! I just know it. We did get a very cute shot of the kids that I was very pleased with and isn't that really what counts? My whole family knows that if mom isn't happy with the pictures, ain't nobody happy!!
So that's a quick recap of the week since it's been so long! Looking forward to bagels tomorrow morning! Oh, one more thing, I'd just like to say Thank You so much to bucket for the very cool, very shabby chic purse she made me! I love it!
Also, my dad ended up going to the hospital that night from a severe intestinal infection. We had to call 911 and he ended up in the hospital for 4 hours. They released him at 1 in the morning and he's been taking it easy the past few days. He's doing much better now, thankfully, but it was pretty scary.
Today we went and had our traditional family picture taken. Good Times! We've been doing this every year for Christmas since Hannah was a baby. It's sort-of become our tradition. However I have to say that it is not a tradition my family embraces. It can be pretty stressful and most of the time they complain. Which is why when I announced that I had decided we weren't going to do the pictures this year, I thought it would be received with uninhibited delight. Quite the contrary! They couldn't believe we weren't going to do the picture because we've done it every year and how could I possibly imagine not taking the picture. So with their own words as ammunition, I made an appointment. At home, before the pictures was pretty unstressful. Everybody got ready on time, everyone looked nice and we got to the picture place on time! Good, good, good. However when we got there they were 1/2 hour behind. I swear this happens every year! You would think that they would plan their photo sessions better, I mean we are coming upon the holidays! So as most of you know with children, waiting 1/2 an hour is like waiting 2 hours. Plus my husband can be just as anxious as my three children. Paul and Andrew are wrestling in the chair, Lauren is peeking into all the other studios and Hannah is complaining that it is taking too long and she is hungry! Is now the time that I remind them that they wanted to take this picture? Yes, it is!
To make a long story short, we ended up taking 20 pictures most of which consisted of us smiling until our faces hurt while the photographer tried to get Lauren to smile! Every year I keep telling myself that Lauren is one year older and this will be the year that everything will go smoothly. Although it wasn't as bad as previous years, next year will be the year! I just know it. We did get a very cute shot of the kids that I was very pleased with and isn't that really what counts? My whole family knows that if mom isn't happy with the pictures, ain't nobody happy!!
So that's a quick recap of the week since it's been so long! Looking forward to bagels tomorrow morning! Oh, one more thing, I'd just like to say Thank You so much to bucket for the very cool, very shabby chic purse she made me! I love it!
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Weekend Update
Well it's coming to the close of the weekend and I thought I would update! Since there wasn't much response to my delicious brownie recipe, I'll shelf the recipes for awhile. LOL!
We've had a very nice quiet weekend. I think sometimes you need these types of weekends to regroup.
I had a nice meeting with my sister-n-law on Friday. After struggling with a lot of anger and resentment I felt it was time to give it to God. I did that on Wednesday and then called her and asked if we could get together and talk. This was big for me as I felt I had a reason to be upset with her and there are several reasons but my "righteous anger" wasn't doing my family or myself any good. We talked for over an hour, she apologized and I apologized for holding a grudge. We hugged and hopefully this will be a big step in moving forward in our relationship, Lord willing!
Yesterday I did a little bit of shopping by myself! How nice it is to shop without any kids or a husband asking, "Are you done yet?" I was able to get a few Christmas presents and some outfits for the kids for our family picture. All in all, I was very pleased with my purchases and everything was on sale, so Paul was pleased with that!
When I got home, Lauren was not feeling well. She's had a runny nose and cough for a few days but now she was really not feeling well. For those of you who know Lauren she was laying around, going in and out of sleep, definitely not herself. We went to dinner at Chuck-A-Rama for my mom's birthday and Lauren just layed on my lap the whole time. She wouldn't eat or drink and was complaining that her throat hurt. She was also running a fever. We went home and she fell asleep on the couch and we watched the movie "Dreamer" with the kids. A definite thumbs up family movie.
After a long night of Lauren not sleeping very well and running a fever, I took her to Urgent Care this morning. They did a throat culture and she has strep throat! So now I'm praying no one else in the family gets it. Both Andrew and I have had our tonsils removed but apparently you can still get it. So today has been pretty uneventful but I've been able to catch up on laundry and housework so that's a plus.
Looking forward to a busy and fun-filled week!
We've had a very nice quiet weekend. I think sometimes you need these types of weekends to regroup.
I had a nice meeting with my sister-n-law on Friday. After struggling with a lot of anger and resentment I felt it was time to give it to God. I did that on Wednesday and then called her and asked if we could get together and talk. This was big for me as I felt I had a reason to be upset with her and there are several reasons but my "righteous anger" wasn't doing my family or myself any good. We talked for over an hour, she apologized and I apologized for holding a grudge. We hugged and hopefully this will be a big step in moving forward in our relationship, Lord willing!
Yesterday I did a little bit of shopping by myself! How nice it is to shop without any kids or a husband asking, "Are you done yet?" I was able to get a few Christmas presents and some outfits for the kids for our family picture. All in all, I was very pleased with my purchases and everything was on sale, so Paul was pleased with that!
When I got home, Lauren was not feeling well. She's had a runny nose and cough for a few days but now she was really not feeling well. For those of you who know Lauren she was laying around, going in and out of sleep, definitely not herself. We went to dinner at Chuck-A-Rama for my mom's birthday and Lauren just layed on my lap the whole time. She wouldn't eat or drink and was complaining that her throat hurt. She was also running a fever. We went home and she fell asleep on the couch and we watched the movie "Dreamer" with the kids. A definite thumbs up family movie.
After a long night of Lauren not sleeping very well and running a fever, I took her to Urgent Care this morning. They did a throat culture and she has strep throat! So now I'm praying no one else in the family gets it. Both Andrew and I have had our tonsils removed but apparently you can still get it. So today has been pretty uneventful but I've been able to catch up on laundry and housework so that's a plus.
Looking forward to a busy and fun-filled week!
Friday, October 27, 2006
Yet Another Recipe
Ok to follow along in the footsteps of my friend Wild Potato, I have decided to post a very yummy recipe! This is super easy and delicious! For those of you who will be joining me next week for girl's night you will be getting a sampling of these!
Caramel Brownies
1 bag of caramels(kraft caramels are the only way to go!)
2/3 cup evaporated milk(DIVIDED)
1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 1/2 sticks of butter(melted)
Melt bag of caramels and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk on low heat. Remember to remove the caramels from the bag and wrapping, taking extra care not to eat any of the caramels!!! Set aside.
Mix together in a bowl the cake mix and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Spread 1/2 of the batter on the bottom of a greased pan. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes.
Pour melted caramels over the top of the baked cake, pour the remaining batter over the top of the caramel(you will want to see the caramel). Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, cool before cutting.
Enjoy from one Chocolaholic to another!
Caramel Brownies
1 bag of caramels(kraft caramels are the only way to go!)
2/3 cup evaporated milk(DIVIDED)
1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 1/2 sticks of butter(melted)
Melt bag of caramels and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk on low heat. Remember to remove the caramels from the bag and wrapping, taking extra care not to eat any of the caramels!!! Set aside.
Mix together in a bowl the cake mix and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Spread 1/2 of the batter on the bottom of a greased pan. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes.
Pour melted caramels over the top of the baked cake, pour the remaining batter over the top of the caramel(you will want to see the caramel). Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, cool before cutting.
Enjoy from one Chocolaholic to another!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Living in Idaho
I just have to say how much I enjoy living in Idaho! Having been born and raised in San Jose, California, I never thought I would get to the point of saying that. However, over the past year I have had a chance to meet some great people, see some wonderful seasons and enjoy an overall less stressful environment for my family. It's been great.
Several things have prompted my "enlightened" view of Idaho. First of all I love my home! We had a nice home in California and we worked really hard on it but I love this home! Maybe because after spending over a year remodeling in San Jose, we came to this brand new home, completely done, with fabulous upgrades! Of course that was one of the things I told my husband when we were looking for homes here, "I want a house that I don't have to do anything to!" I can be a little bossy that way. HA!
I also love my neighborhood. When we first moved here Hannah met a girl her age who instantly became a good friend. Then when they started school, Cassie ended up being in her class. How great was that. The Lord knew exactly what Hannah needed since she was having such a hard time with the move. All my neighbors are very friendly too. Last year 3 of us hosted a "Get to Know your Neighbors" Potluck. It was so great. Everyone around here waves and stops to talk. So unlike our neighborhood in California where everyone drives right into their garage and shuts the door. We had kids in our neighborhood but everyone was too busy with their lives to develop any relationships. Tragic! There is just an overall sense of "neighborhood" here. Right now our neighborhood is doing the whole "BOO" thing. A special treat along with a poem and a picture of a boo ghost is delivered to your doorstep anonomously. This year we got a little gift bag full of candy, a pumpkin potholder, a pumpkin candle and some stickers. So cute! You then make copies of the poem and ghost and you go and BOO 2 of your neighbors who don't have the ghost hanging in their window. The kids think this is just the best thing!
I also love the change of seasons here! We don't have that in California. It's either hot or not hot! When we moved here our dear friends gave us a going away party. Every single person dressed in white since we were coming to a state where it always snows! Now I have to admit it is cold but it's not the tundra people! I think we had 4 snowfalls last winter that were melted by that day or the next. I just love seeing all the gorgeous colors of all the seasons.
And finally I have met so many great people here. It helped that I had 2 wonderful friends and their families move here from California at the same time but I've been able to establish some other really great relationships too. Through Mops, scrapbooking, church and my kids activities I have met some fun people I can call friends! How great is that. The Lord is always gracious and knows exactly what we need!
Although I miss friends and family in California tremendously, I welcome this change in my life. I feel Paul and I definitely made the right decision for us and our family and the Lord has blessed our obedience ten-fold!
Several things have prompted my "enlightened" view of Idaho. First of all I love my home! We had a nice home in California and we worked really hard on it but I love this home! Maybe because after spending over a year remodeling in San Jose, we came to this brand new home, completely done, with fabulous upgrades! Of course that was one of the things I told my husband when we were looking for homes here, "I want a house that I don't have to do anything to!" I can be a little bossy that way. HA!
I also love my neighborhood. When we first moved here Hannah met a girl her age who instantly became a good friend. Then when they started school, Cassie ended up being in her class. How great was that. The Lord knew exactly what Hannah needed since she was having such a hard time with the move. All my neighbors are very friendly too. Last year 3 of us hosted a "Get to Know your Neighbors" Potluck. It was so great. Everyone around here waves and stops to talk. So unlike our neighborhood in California where everyone drives right into their garage and shuts the door. We had kids in our neighborhood but everyone was too busy with their lives to develop any relationships. Tragic! There is just an overall sense of "neighborhood" here. Right now our neighborhood is doing the whole "BOO" thing. A special treat along with a poem and a picture of a boo ghost is delivered to your doorstep anonomously. This year we got a little gift bag full of candy, a pumpkin potholder, a pumpkin candle and some stickers. So cute! You then make copies of the poem and ghost and you go and BOO 2 of your neighbors who don't have the ghost hanging in their window. The kids think this is just the best thing!
I also love the change of seasons here! We don't have that in California. It's either hot or not hot! When we moved here our dear friends gave us a going away party. Every single person dressed in white since we were coming to a state where it always snows! Now I have to admit it is cold but it's not the tundra people! I think we had 4 snowfalls last winter that were melted by that day or the next. I just love seeing all the gorgeous colors of all the seasons.
And finally I have met so many great people here. It helped that I had 2 wonderful friends and their families move here from California at the same time but I've been able to establish some other really great relationships too. Through Mops, scrapbooking, church and my kids activities I have met some fun people I can call friends! How great is that. The Lord is always gracious and knows exactly what we need!
Although I miss friends and family in California tremendously, I welcome this change in my life. I feel Paul and I definitely made the right decision for us and our family and the Lord has blessed our obedience ten-fold!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Nice guys finish last
"Nice guys finish last" although a cliche, very true! Have you ever done something with the very best intentions only to have it backfire in your face? Have you ever known from the beginning that you shouldn't do it because your gut was telling you it would never work out but you did it because that's just the kind of person you are? Did you ever have your very sincere, generous actions turn into something ugly and insulting?
This very thing is what has happened to Paul and I. Through very sincere, gracious acts on our parts we have become the bad guys in our situation with his family. Now I know what you're thinking, "consider the source" and I have and I know that I really shouldn't care what they say or think about Paul and I but I have to say that it does bother me. Because now we are no longer focusing on the matter at hand but it has come to personal attacks. Mine and my husband's character and integrity are both being attacked. It just baffles my mind.
So, considering my mood and attitude about this the Lord knew what I needed. Today in my bible study I came across 2 Corinthians 4:17 which says, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." It doesn't matter how our actions are perceived here on earth, the Lord knows our hearts and our rewards are ultimately in heaven! How relieving to know that nice guys don't finish last there!
This very thing is what has happened to Paul and I. Through very sincere, gracious acts on our parts we have become the bad guys in our situation with his family. Now I know what you're thinking, "consider the source" and I have and I know that I really shouldn't care what they say or think about Paul and I but I have to say that it does bother me. Because now we are no longer focusing on the matter at hand but it has come to personal attacks. Mine and my husband's character and integrity are both being attacked. It just baffles my mind.
So, considering my mood and attitude about this the Lord knew what I needed. Today in my bible study I came across 2 Corinthians 4:17 which says, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." It doesn't matter how our actions are perceived here on earth, the Lord knows our hearts and our rewards are ultimately in heaven! How relieving to know that nice guys don't finish last there!
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Good Times
Ok, so I know my previous post was me venting about my pre-teen daughter and I greatly appreciate the advice and empathy but I'm needing to vent a little more again!(I promise all my entries won't be like this.)
I have had a pretty crappy week. The worst part about it is that I've had to relinquish control of my schedule to unforseen circumstances! I hate relinquishing control! My entire week has been spent dealing with the house that has suddenly been dropped in mine and Paul's lap and that we are trying to sell. So all week I have been painting and cleaning in order to make the house presentable. We have replaced carpet, linoleum, baseboard, paint, electric outlets and several other things. My husband has tried, to no avail, to get the awful smell out of the garage. It is a mixture of dog urine(they had 2 dogs in the garage) and cigarette smoke(they didn't smoke in the house, only in the garage) He has powerwashed the floor several times, as well as plugged in air fresheners and nothing is working. Is it wrong to tell our realtor not to take any perspective buyers into the garage?! So, I didn't make it to bible study this week and I was mentally & physically exhausted by last night that I didn't make it to scrap either! I really wanted to scrapbook with friends, I needed the break.
Today was a better day. We started off by going over to the house to vacuum the new carpet and put electrical plates back on and do some yard work. Then we went to Hannah's last game cheering! After the game we headed over to Linder Farms Pumpkin Patch! This is the best pumpkin patch. We went there last year and loved it. First of all the most expensive pumpkin is only $4.00 and that's if it's over 20 lbs. Plus they have jumphouses, a corn maze, a hay maze, several tractor rides and food! We spent almost 2 hours there. We ended up with 6 pumpkins and some fabulous gourds that were only 25 cents each(one looks just like a swan) After the pumpkin patch we went out to dinner and then I came home hoping to go scrapbook tonight. My husband was going to take my in-laws home and then come home. Instead, he decided to go to Lowe's to spend more money and get more stuff for the house. By the time he got home I was more than burnt out and layed on the couch with Lauren until she fell asleep. Now it's 10pm and I decided to vent! I would much rather be with friends scrapbooking. You all have so much fun wherever you go and I'm just missing out! I'm hoping to join you all for bagels on Monday before I meet Paul to execute our wills! Good Times!
I have had a pretty crappy week. The worst part about it is that I've had to relinquish control of my schedule to unforseen circumstances! I hate relinquishing control! My entire week has been spent dealing with the house that has suddenly been dropped in mine and Paul's lap and that we are trying to sell. So all week I have been painting and cleaning in order to make the house presentable. We have replaced carpet, linoleum, baseboard, paint, electric outlets and several other things. My husband has tried, to no avail, to get the awful smell out of the garage. It is a mixture of dog urine(they had 2 dogs in the garage) and cigarette smoke(they didn't smoke in the house, only in the garage) He has powerwashed the floor several times, as well as plugged in air fresheners and nothing is working. Is it wrong to tell our realtor not to take any perspective buyers into the garage?! So, I didn't make it to bible study this week and I was mentally & physically exhausted by last night that I didn't make it to scrap either! I really wanted to scrapbook with friends, I needed the break.
Today was a better day. We started off by going over to the house to vacuum the new carpet and put electrical plates back on and do some yard work. Then we went to Hannah's last game cheering! After the game we headed over to Linder Farms Pumpkin Patch! This is the best pumpkin patch. We went there last year and loved it. First of all the most expensive pumpkin is only $4.00 and that's if it's over 20 lbs. Plus they have jumphouses, a corn maze, a hay maze, several tractor rides and food! We spent almost 2 hours there. We ended up with 6 pumpkins and some fabulous gourds that were only 25 cents each(one looks just like a swan) After the pumpkin patch we went out to dinner and then I came home hoping to go scrapbook tonight. My husband was going to take my in-laws home and then come home. Instead, he decided to go to Lowe's to spend more money and get more stuff for the house. By the time he got home I was more than burnt out and layed on the couch with Lauren until she fell asleep. Now it's 10pm and I decided to vent! I would much rather be with friends scrapbooking. You all have so much fun wherever you go and I'm just missing out! I'm hoping to join you all for bagels on Monday before I meet Paul to execute our wills! Good Times!
Friday, October 20, 2006
Hormones are Raging!!!!!
"People who say nothing is impossible, don't have teenagers." I agree with this statement 100%! While my oldest daughter is not a teenager yet(she likes to remind me that she is a pre-teen)she definitely has the attitude and hormones of a teenager!
It seems that lately the hormones are raging! One minute she will be fine and 5 minutes later she is freaking out. For example, the other day she was getting ready to go to cheer practice. She asked me 5 times if I thought what she was wearing looked okay and if it matched and 5 times I told her it looked fine. Then while we were in the bathroom I see her checking herself out in the mirror and I could literally watch the hormonal build-up overflow. She proceeded to tell me that it didn't match and that it might look ok if it wasn't for the little teeny tiny butterfly in the left hand corner that made her look like she was five! WHAAAAAAT!?!? She then proceeded to have a complete meltdown. This is just an example of many episodes we have had lately.
So I ask, where is that sweet, demure, compliant little girl that never gave me any trouble? I'll tell you...she is in the throes of pre-teen angst! The problem is I don't know how to handle it. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was there myself and yet when she's having her melt-downs I look at her in utter disbelief. I'm not ready for this! I'm not ready for the hormonal ups and downs, the shaving of the legs, the 3 underarm hairs!(yes she counted them) and the impending visit from Aunt Flo! I was sure that I would never have to go through being a mom of a pre-teen/teenager. I was certain the second coming of Christ would come before that!
So here's what I have learned so far. It is impossible to say the right thing to your pre-teen/teenager. You just have to empathize with them regardless of how ridiculous their breakdown is and during the teen years you will spend a lot of time on your knees asking the Lord for guidance!!!
It seems that lately the hormones are raging! One minute she will be fine and 5 minutes later she is freaking out. For example, the other day she was getting ready to go to cheer practice. She asked me 5 times if I thought what she was wearing looked okay and if it matched and 5 times I told her it looked fine. Then while we were in the bathroom I see her checking herself out in the mirror and I could literally watch the hormonal build-up overflow. She proceeded to tell me that it didn't match and that it might look ok if it wasn't for the little teeny tiny butterfly in the left hand corner that made her look like she was five! WHAAAAAAT!?!? She then proceeded to have a complete meltdown. This is just an example of many episodes we have had lately.
So I ask, where is that sweet, demure, compliant little girl that never gave me any trouble? I'll tell you...she is in the throes of pre-teen angst! The problem is I don't know how to handle it. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was there myself and yet when she's having her melt-downs I look at her in utter disbelief. I'm not ready for this! I'm not ready for the hormonal ups and downs, the shaving of the legs, the 3 underarm hairs!(yes she counted them) and the impending visit from Aunt Flo! I was sure that I would never have to go through being a mom of a pre-teen/teenager. I was certain the second coming of Christ would come before that!
So here's what I have learned so far. It is impossible to say the right thing to your pre-teen/teenager. You just have to empathize with them regardless of how ridiculous their breakdown is and during the teen years you will spend a lot of time on your knees asking the Lord for guidance!!!
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Randomness
So, I think I've made you wait long enough. I know the anticipation is killing you! The untrue weird things are #2 and #3. I believe Darcie and Na got it correct. I was surprised to see how many of you had family members who do the wierd food thing. My brother does this and I've always thought it was a little strange. He not only eats his food one item at a time but if they are on his plate they can't be touching! The pencil thing was an idea I got from Darcie that I exaggerated a little(thanks Darcie!)
As for my long awaited posting, things have been a little hectic in my house. First I wasn't feeling so well last Friday and I missed out on scrapbook night which sounded like a lot of fun, even with 28 kids! Plus there were presents and chocolate, what more do you need? Thanks for the stickers Karri.
On Sunday night Paul and I went out to dinner for his birthday with some very good friends. When we moved here a year ago we had two sets of friends move at the same time we did. We've been friends with them for 12 years. I met Nancy when I was working at Lucky's and we became quick friends. She introduced me to her sister Bonnie and we hit it off right away. I just love these gals. They are like sisters to me. I would be their much younger sister!LOL! Anyway, we've been there through many life experiences, weddings, births of children, trials in our marriage and many other things. I cherish their friendship deeply and feel so blessed that we live close by!
Monday was Paul's 36th birthday so we celebrated! I've known my husband for 17 years. We've been married 12(next month) but we met when I was 16 and we were both working for Long's Drug Store. I'm so proud of the man, husband and father he has become.
As for the last couple of days, I've been over at the house we purchased for my sister-n-law and her family that they moved out of. We are now having to put it on the market and we need to get it ready for show. So I've been painting since they painted two rooms coral and watermelon pink!!! Who uses those colors?! Anyway please join me in praying for a quick sale! It will be hard to carry 2 mortgages for too long.
As for my long awaited posting, things have been a little hectic in my house. First I wasn't feeling so well last Friday and I missed out on scrapbook night which sounded like a lot of fun, even with 28 kids! Plus there were presents and chocolate, what more do you need? Thanks for the stickers Karri.
On Sunday night Paul and I went out to dinner for his birthday with some very good friends. When we moved here a year ago we had two sets of friends move at the same time we did. We've been friends with them for 12 years. I met Nancy when I was working at Lucky's and we became quick friends. She introduced me to her sister Bonnie and we hit it off right away. I just love these gals. They are like sisters to me. I would be their much younger sister!LOL! Anyway, we've been there through many life experiences, weddings, births of children, trials in our marriage and many other things. I cherish their friendship deeply and feel so blessed that we live close by!
Monday was Paul's 36th birthday so we celebrated! I've known my husband for 17 years. We've been married 12(next month) but we met when I was 16 and we were both working for Long's Drug Store. I'm so proud of the man, husband and father he has become.
As for the last couple of days, I've been over at the house we purchased for my sister-n-law and her family that they moved out of. We are now having to put it on the market and we need to get it ready for show. So I've been painting since they painted two rooms coral and watermelon pink!!! Who uses those colors?! Anyway please join me in praying for a quick sale! It will be hard to carry 2 mortgages for too long.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
5 Weird Things
So, I was tagged to list 5 weird things about me. As so many of you know(i've seen the posts) this has taken me a while! After 3 days I was only able to come up with 3 so here's what I'm going to do. Three of these things are true and two are not. It will be up to you to decide which weird behaviors I hold dear!
1. I have a love for pens. I love a new pen! I have been known to even take pens that don't belong to me. When Paul and I sign documents at the title company, I always collect all the pens that are on the table. In fact after witnessing me collecting all the pens our realtor asked if I wanted his, of course!!! I played bunco with some friends and was told that I was supposed to leave the pen at the table when I switched tables...WHAT?! The pen goes with!
2. I have certain food issues. When I am eating breakfast, lunch or dinner and I have several items on my plate, I have to finish one item completely before I can go to the next and eat that. For example, if I am having chicken, vegetables and mashed potatoes, I will eat all of the potatoes before I go on to the next side. There is no particular order but there is definitely no food mixing.
3. I hardly ever use pencils to write with(hence my pen fetish) but if I do I have to use a wooden #2 pencil. I'm assuming this stems from all the tests you take as a kid when you have to fill in the little bubble and they insisted you had a #2 pencil, couldn't be a #1 or #3(is there such a thing?) So you can imagine how appalled I was when they came out with mechanical pencils!
4. I think I'm a little OCD. I have some issues when it comes to leaving the house after I have ironed or curled my hair. Before I leave the house I will check repeatedly to make sure I have unplugged the unit. It doesn't matter if I just checked it a second ago, I'll walk back in just to make sure I can see the cord dangling. This can be quite tiresome when I'm downstairs and have to run upstairs just to check again!
5. Often times when I am laying down and trying to relax, I will rub my foot back and forth. It's very calming for me. I know that is a little strange, but I've been doing it since I was a kid. I remember one time laying on my aunt's couch and they thought I was asleep(which I wasn't) and they were all laughing at the way my foot was moving, as if I was some freak! Go figure!
Ok, so that's it! Remember 3 are true and 2 are made up. Can you guess which ones ?
1. I have a love for pens. I love a new pen! I have been known to even take pens that don't belong to me. When Paul and I sign documents at the title company, I always collect all the pens that are on the table. In fact after witnessing me collecting all the pens our realtor asked if I wanted his, of course!!! I played bunco with some friends and was told that I was supposed to leave the pen at the table when I switched tables...WHAT?! The pen goes with!
2. I have certain food issues. When I am eating breakfast, lunch or dinner and I have several items on my plate, I have to finish one item completely before I can go to the next and eat that. For example, if I am having chicken, vegetables and mashed potatoes, I will eat all of the potatoes before I go on to the next side. There is no particular order but there is definitely no food mixing.
3. I hardly ever use pencils to write with(hence my pen fetish) but if I do I have to use a wooden #2 pencil. I'm assuming this stems from all the tests you take as a kid when you have to fill in the little bubble and they insisted you had a #2 pencil, couldn't be a #1 or #3(is there such a thing?) So you can imagine how appalled I was when they came out with mechanical pencils!
4. I think I'm a little OCD. I have some issues when it comes to leaving the house after I have ironed or curled my hair. Before I leave the house I will check repeatedly to make sure I have unplugged the unit. It doesn't matter if I just checked it a second ago, I'll walk back in just to make sure I can see the cord dangling. This can be quite tiresome when I'm downstairs and have to run upstairs just to check again!
5. Often times when I am laying down and trying to relax, I will rub my foot back and forth. It's very calming for me. I know that is a little strange, but I've been doing it since I was a kid. I remember one time laying on my aunt's couch and they thought I was asleep(which I wasn't) and they were all laughing at the way my foot was moving, as if I was some freak! Go figure!
Ok, so that's it! Remember 3 are true and 2 are made up. Can you guess which ones ?
Monday, October 09, 2006
Enough with the smack!!!
Ok, since I'm not going to be able to see this day out without posting an entry for my friends I will share with you about my weekend.
My mom and I left Friday morning to drive to Salt Lake to see Beth Moore at the E Center. For those of you who don't know who Beth Moore is she is an inspirational writer and bible study writer. She is awesome and I have done 3 of her studies.
The drive was about 5 hours but it flew by, it always does when I'm with my mom! We have the best time. We can talk about anything and everything. She is my best friend! She makes me laugh and cry sometimes because I'm laughing so hard. The conference was Friday night and Saturday morning. Worth every penny! It was great to get away and spend time worshipping the Lord.
After the conference on Saturday, we went downtown to see the Salt Lake Temple. It covers 35 acres of downtown Salt Lake City. I have to say they had the most beautiful flowers growing inside the square. My mom and I took several pictures of the flowers. Just gorgeous!
Drove home on Sunday and went to dinner at Cracker Barrel with my in-laws for my mother in laws birthday. After the weekend I had I was able to go with all of my in-laws and had a really good time. Who knows I may be seeing them more than I thought since it looks like they're not moving! Don't ask!
My mom and I left Friday morning to drive to Salt Lake to see Beth Moore at the E Center. For those of you who don't know who Beth Moore is she is an inspirational writer and bible study writer. She is awesome and I have done 3 of her studies.
The drive was about 5 hours but it flew by, it always does when I'm with my mom! We have the best time. We can talk about anything and everything. She is my best friend! She makes me laugh and cry sometimes because I'm laughing so hard. The conference was Friday night and Saturday morning. Worth every penny! It was great to get away and spend time worshipping the Lord.
After the conference on Saturday, we went downtown to see the Salt Lake Temple. It covers 35 acres of downtown Salt Lake City. I have to say they had the most beautiful flowers growing inside the square. My mom and I took several pictures of the flowers. Just gorgeous!
Drove home on Sunday and went to dinner at Cracker Barrel with my in-laws for my mother in laws birthday. After the weekend I had I was able to go with all of my in-laws and had a really good time. Who knows I may be seeing them more than I thought since it looks like they're not moving! Don't ask!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Goodbyes will be hard
Goodbyes are going to be hard!! Without going into a lot of details my sister-n-law and her family are moving back to California next week. Despite my very strong feelings regarding this entire situation, I'm now starting to grieve over not seeing her children. My children are also sharing in this. Lauren's best friend is Jane's daughter Madison. Not a day goes by when Lauren doesn't bring up Maddie's name. She adores her. They are only 9 months apart and have been very close. She will be devastated to not be able to go to Grandma's and play with Maddie or go to the park with Maddie. Then there is my niece Sara. Since moving here to Idaho, I have seen a change in Sara. A very positive change. She's dressing a lot more modest and she's hanging around with good girls at school. She's actually a pleasure to be around. Now she's going to be taken back to California to go to school with friends who are in gangs and be a full-time babysitter for her little sister and brother. My heart just aches for all 3 of these kids. Isn't it unfortunate that children are the ones that suffer when the parents make selfish and stupid decisions!
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