Little Bit of Everything

Muffin Top...For reals this time :-)

2012-02-10T13:35:00.001-06:00

Please ignore the tiger stripes (a.k.a. stretch marks): I had two babies within two years of each other and that's just what happens. I've made some noticeable progress. Mainly in the muffin top area. Last year, I could barely button these jeans and now, I'm giving them away because I can take them off without unbuttoning them.

I love accountability.

Not loving that I'll never wear a bikini again, but hey...I'll wear a one piece proudly one day!!!

February - 2011 (They're snug!)

February 2012 - They're loose!

About a twenty pound loss between the two pictures.

I like it. I like it a lot!!!

SHUT UP and Run!

2012-02-09T13:16:00.001-06:00

I was browsing blogs and saw some exercise shirts with this on them. "SHUT UP and Run!" How true!!

I've never met anyone that's in shape and lives it out that said, "Oh this is a fluke and I'll be back to my jiggle and jammies before ya know it!"

I dislike when people tell me that my like for health and fitness is gonna run it's course and I won't stick with it. These people are always out of shape. And why on earth would say that out loud to someone?

Am I that finicky? I don't think so.

I ENJOY all of it. I'm happy my pregnancy days were here and I'm happy they're gone. I'm happy with my family of four. I'm happy we're doing stuff together and running and hiking "hunting wolves as Bub calls it" and I'm happy our eating habits are better. I'm happy to have a little tone again and I will continue to just be active and eat healthy....for the most part! (We will have birthday cake and ice cream...it just won't be in the house everyday type of thing).

It's a GOOD thing and I honestly don't understand why you wouldn't encourage it for other people.

You know, I think I gave myself three years of being in Mommy only mode...the main thing was recovering from the c-sections...nursing my babies...nurturing us...getting to know the little 'everythings' of each other and NOW -- it's time to focus on teaching them how to eat right and have an active lifestyle among the LOTS of other things we want to teach them. The kids are loving it! They ask for grapes for a snack and it just warms my heart! :-)
Feelin' good about the overhaul on the food department. Feelin' good about the choices we're making.

Feelin' good about lots of stuff here lately! Aside from crazy husbands murdering their babies and blowin' up houses. Aside from stuff like that.

What's out there?

2012-02-08T13:32:00.001-06:00

I feel sheltered and cocooned inside my home.

My sister told me a story yesterday about this man that admitted to killing his wife via e-mail to his lawyer. Then, after he sent the e-mail, he went to the school and picked up his two boys, brought them home, killed them and blew up the house with all of them inside. They believe he killed his sons with machetes before blowing up the house.

Then, you hear of gang members that as part of their initiation, have to just walk around the corner and kill the first innocent soul they stumble upon. Man, woman, child, baby...doesn't matter.

Sometimes, I feel safe. I feel like I could walk down the street and be okay, like the majority of people AREN'T like that...But I think about death every single day.

Every single day.

I wonder how, when...for me, my family, my sweet innocent little babies...I don't trust that everything is going to be okay or that it'll be painless and not gory, horrific &/or torturous.

I am constantly on guard for anything of satan...and this holds true for people I love, people I like, people I trust. Not just strangers.

There's a lot of good out there and I'm thankful for genuine glimpses of it.
I dislike evil a lot. I know that might sound silly, because "everyone dislikes evil"...um, no they don't. Some people bathe in it and worship it and sing and are just completely black.

Freaks me out that it's out there like that.

I pray over our deaths...I pray more over our lives, but I throw death in there too.

Weekend Recap, Super Bowl

2012-02-07T20:50:00.000-06:00

Bub is coloring on a musical color board and Sis has a water pen.

They are laughing at the new M&M commercial - "I'm sexy and I know it!" LOL...Funniest commercial of the night.

One of my dearest friends little baby boy! What a cutie!!

Sis!

My hubs making the spicy chicken wings - The guys like them, the girls, not so much.

Loaded pretzel rods - Dip in caramel and roll in chocolate chips, crunchy toffee bits, butterscotch bits and nuts.

They LOVE each other...So sweet.

LOL...He has chocolate all over his 7 month old face - Bub was feeding him a chocolate chip cookie before any of us adults even realized it!!! He liked it! Heehee...

Sis and Trig

My sis, Meg and her sweet baby Trigger!

Bub - it's so hard to get a picture of him.

2012-02-06T21:30:00.001-06:00

Jogged (and walked some) about three miles on Saturday, two on Sunday and jumped rope today. Calves are sore, not to where I CAN'T walk, but I'm limping just a little. Feels good though...Might be in my head, but I can already see a difference.

Weekend Recap can't happen today, but it was a great weekend! Great, great, great!! I love when rest is spectacular.

I'm trying to keep this thought running through my head, "What can I do for my husband today? What can I do for my children today?"

Not just the normal stuff, but extra special. Ways to make them feel loved and thought of in a way that's unique to them. I want them to each know that I'm not in this just because I have to be...if that makes sense...I'm in it because I truly love them each to pieces.

I've had these questions float around my brain before and I understand that you can't make each day crazy fantastic, but I also think that there should be effort regularly...because with the hustle and bustle...I honestly sometimes forget. I forget to ask these questions and more often than not, it's my husband that suffers. I just...I forget about him. I get so caught up in the house, church, kids, LIFE...and I forget to make my husband a priority. Like with special things.

I got it right this weekend...I remembered and refocused and this past weekend was restful, peaceful...We are so in love.

It's amazing what being considerate to my husband does for our relationship. Because that's basically what it all boils down to...consideration.

I'm better at this with my kids, because I'm their constant care taker all day long...so they are really on the front of my mind, but still...it needs to be EXTRA special...personal.

I've got my priorities messed up though...NO JOKE...I still struggle with putting Jesus as No. 1. He's like in a three way tie with my kids and husband. That's just all outta whack.

Lord, help me help my stupid self. I love those song lyrics...they're from a country song. Heehee!!!

Happy Monday!

Storm and YUM!

2012-02-03T13:49:00.001-06:00

BOOM! There's a storm brewing outside and I can feel my excitement building. We haven't had a storm in what feels like FOREVER. :-)

But there's one here now --- I love the electricity and static it creates in my neck. WOOHOO!
****

We went grocery shopping this morning and I NEARLY stayed on budget, just 8 dollars over - YES!
****

Super Bowl is Sunday! I'll be the first to admit, I'm not really into Pro Football...I just love to get together with friends and have good food :-) That's our excuse!
I'm making pinwheels, bacon wrapped little smokies and I'm making over the top dipped pretzels. YUMMO!
I'll post pictures of this weekend's festivities.

****
Last night, we had beefy spinach lasagna...it was SO GOOD.
Recipe:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jars (26 oz each) meatless spaghetti sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
9 no-cook lasagna noodles

Cook beef and onion until meat is longer pink, drain. Stir in sauce, garlic, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine 1 cup mozzarella cheese, spinach and cottage cheese.

Spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with three noodles. Spread 1 1/2 cups sauce to edge of noodles. Top with half spinach mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, sauce and mozzarella.

Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes more or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

All done!

Cheese layer with spinach

Right before going into the oven!

Crazy Blogging Woman

2012-02-02T13:58:00.001-06:00

I go through phases of becoming addicted to things and I'm back to blogging. :-)

You know the dancing on the movie Footloose?
That's TOTALLY how I dance. When I'm alone. And no one else is watching. Aside from the kids.

Seems like people nowadays are too interested in acting cool and looking cool....they're less interested in BEING cool :-)
Heehee!!! I kid, I kid.

But seriously, when we break it down and rock out in the living room, you can bet my feet are tapping and hair is swinging.

Are you a good dancer and what's your "style"?

What it's about and the verdict

2012-02-02T07:29:00.001-06:00

This is from my facebook post:

Kids locked me out of the house this morning. I was outside because Max got loose again and they slammed the door and locked me out. Didn't know that when I nearly broke my face trying to get back in. Then I stood there screaming, "BUBBA!" for a bit before I realized they were no where near the back of the house anymore.
SO - I trotted to the neighbors and borrowed their phone to call Mike home and unlock the house, because I didn't put the key back in the hidin' spot the last time I got locked out.

While waiting on Mike - I went to each window and yelled the kids names and finally heard them in the bathroom. I heard the cabinet doors opening...and drawers opening. So I yelled for them to get out of there and come to the back door.
Sis walked to the back door with no pants on and no diaper anymore. She's just laughing and screamin' "HEINEY! HEINEY!"
(The neighbor man is at our door this entire time trying to get it unlocked.)
Then, Bub comes to the door completely a nudist and says, "Mama, I pooped." So I ask him if he wiped and he says, "YES!" And then they start running toward the front of the house again.
Bub finally unlocked the door for us right as Mike was pulling onto our street.
I walked into the bathroom and there is toilet paper everywhere and the toilet paper everywhere WAS USED. Oh My Goodness. (He hasn't really mastered that part yet.)
Then I turn around and Sis points at the floor, "MESS!" and she's peed in the floor.
Heehee!! What a morning! :-)

******

The verdict: I'm staying home with my babies unless circumstances change that I simply cannot.

These years are PRECIOUS and I know that Moms have different views and opinions on working and the roles mothers should play. But...staying home fulfills me. I ENJOY it. I'm not bored. It doesn't feel like a sacrifice to me. So until I can't or things change and I want to do something different, home is where my heart is...
Whew! (Kinda figured I'd pick that one :-)

Meltdown.

2012-02-01T13:35:00.001-06:00

The past two days have been mentally rough.

Not gonna lie.

The first day, I just knew I would APPLY for this job. It's so funny the roller coaster my mind rides, I'm freaking out over something I haven't even got yet.
The second day, I knew I WOULD NOT be applying. No if's, and's or but's about it!

Today, I'm melting down and processing still. Let's just let it lay for a bit.
*****

Among this morning's activities, we went digging for rocks. We had our duster, our sticks to dig and our bucket to collect. Bub kept telling me, "Mama, this is like T-rex." (Jurassic Park, one of our favorite movies...) It doesn't sound like much fun, but let me tell ya, it WAS! We got a whole bucket full of rocks and it wasn't a little bucket.

Sis wasn't as interested in the rock digging as much as she was interested in taking sticks to the dogs. And she's also mastered riding the four wheeler by herself. Every now and then, she'll get stuck and Bub will have to rescue her, but she's getting pretty good at it! :-)

*****
Ahhh...what I would've missed this morning....
My babies. I love you more than you know.

Boxes and Balls!

2012-01-31T20:57:00.001-06:00

I CANNOT DO IT!

I cannot make this decision...I WANT TO STAY HOME WITH MY BABIES EVERY DAY UNTIL THEY MOVE OUT.

Oh my goodness, there I said it.

I want to be home to greet them from school, I want to make them lunches and visit their teachers. I want to work on homework with them and have wonderful nutritious dinners waiting to be ate up. I want to be fresh and warm and comfortable and AVAILABLE...

Is that so wrong? Is that so 1950's?

I feel pressure to have more and do more...and it makes me want to throw up.

You know, I wrote previously that we've been reading this book called You are Special (I think that's the title...by Max Lucado). Well, GUESS WHAT book they've been bringing me lately?!?! It's called You are Mine...
And it's about buying boxes and balls...

God keeps telling me over and over...and even my babies are telling me that home is where I should be.
We aren't on government assistance, we make ends meet, we pay our bills, we can buy groceries....We are even going on our first vacation in FOREVER this fall.
There's so much we can't afford and so much WE WANT that it can almost consume you with greed. Boxes and balls....it's all just boxes and balls.

I just wish that little devil on my shoulder saying, "but look at those boxes and balls...it wouldn't cost you THAT much time away from your precious babies to get them!!"

Yuck. I wish we were more content. I know I am the majority of the time...I just hate the pressure to fit a mold we've all made for each other.

Part-Time

2012-01-31T12:52:00.001-06:00

Well, I am looking (again) at a part-time job this time (last time, it would have been full-time right before I got pregnant with Mik - that was a very different situation though) to make a little more spending money. I would be able to bring the kids with me and it's only four hours a day. (Haven't even applied, just thinking right now.)
I keep analyzing what I'd be giving up. Basically, it's an hour of their play time, an hour of lunch and then two hours of nap...that's what we'd be giving up AT HOME.

Is it worth it? I know a LOT of Mom's have little part-time stuff. Some isn't every day like this would be, some are...I just REALLY have a hard time giving up time with my babies.

Then, what would me and the kids and the hubs be gaining? Well, I guess the kids would have a few hours each day to play with other kids. I would have a little more spending money and not gonna lie, that would be nice. I know my hubby would be excited for the extra money and just to be able to save more.

I think the pros outweigh the cons if I can balance it all, because I'm a slight perfectionist. I'm a HUGE planner. I am already asking LOTS of "what if" questions. Going through lots of various scenarios and how I'd handle them. I know once I jump in, I'll be confident and bold. That's just how I am, but those few steps before jumping...man, I'm tentative and QUESTION everything.

Already got a list of the days of the week and how I'd fit everything in...Not many people I'm friends with are like this and they all make fun of me and are like, "JUST DO IT!" or "JUST DON'T DO IT!" Cause I'm like this with everything...

I just need it to feel right and like I can succeed...like everything's kinda planned out in my head, and there's even plan b and plan c...and plan XYZ is for when things just fall to pieces :-) Heehee!

My sister works full time, she has little Trigger --- she says, I don't going to work, but I like getting a paycheck. I've never worked with the kids, aside from a cleaning job that takes a 2-3 hours each week. This would be about 20 hours each week for part-time...

Twenty hours each week without my babies right by my side. I think I'm already suffering from separation anxiety from them.

Our Weekend

2012-01-30T14:40:00.003-06:00

Mik wanted the camera from her Daddy

And Bubba wanted the camera from his Daddy as well...He took it a little tougher than Sis - I was grating soap and we had just colored with markers when Daddy came home from hunting ducks Saturday morning!

Our first family of four hiking trip - We only went 2 1/2 miles with the little tikes, but they did so good! Bub calls it hunting wolves instead of hiking. He and his Dad looked at tracks the entire time. SO precious. Sis looked too and we all had a ball! This will be our first of many hikes as a little family :-) We wanted to go farther and brought our flashlights (so hoped to use them!) But Daddy had already gone down this trail several times and said the last part would probably be too muddy for us. So we had to cut our trip short. (Bub and I were running and didn't see this HUGE mud puddle, he fell in it and the guys said I slid about six feet, but I didn't fall!!!) It was so funny, we laughed pretty hard.

Their PaPa (PuhPuh) visited and the kids love putting a laundry basket over them and a blanket so it's dark. It's cute to hear them all three giggle under there. My dad is such a softie.

Kids watchin the Lion King - Popcorn and Milk...I set up their living room...so presh!

Group shot! Bub is less enthused about being in the shot, he wants to take it! :-)

Sis - 19 months, Bub - 3 years

Oh Goodness

2012-01-27T13:16:00.000-06:00

My pants almost fell off today. I can take my now baggy jeans that used to be my "I don't think I'll ever be able to button them again" jeans off without unbuttoning them. I should have wore a belt today.
Holding Bub's hand and carrying Sis, I almost lost my drawers!

We had our shopping day today, I moved it to Friday's a couple weeks ago. That change alone has made a drastic improvement to our whole week in the planning department. Everything is so beautifully stocked as well on the store shelves. I like that too :-)

Our weekend doesn't have much in it and I'm excited about that! Time to relax with the family.

Happy Weekend to ya!

Snapshots!

2012-01-25T20:55:00.000-06:00

Mommy - "Cheese!" It's so bright outside!

Helping Mommy dust the table and chairs!

Sissy loves to help too!

Piggy back ride for two sweethearts!

Sissy tells Chester to eat all his food...so precious :-)

"Momma, I wanna go FAST!"

Sissy Marie...what a doll baby.

Bub - My little buddy

Giving smoochies!

I decided to go ahead and post the snapshots today too...couldn't handle the Christmas pictures being sideways for long as my main post...and really - it's just for keepsake anyway.

Tomorrow is supposed to be really pretty, lots of outside time!

Today was wet and cool, so we stayed in. Watched the Lion King and PuhPuh visited for awhile.

Made oven chicken over salad, baked potatoes and carrots for dinner.

Me and Meg went jog/walking at the park track. It was muddy! But we had fun.

Happy Wednesday!

Christmas...finally!

2012-01-25T14:02:00.002-06:00

Oh my goodness! All these pictures are sideways. My apologies. I made them correct, but they are from my sister's camera and the pictures never stay how I save them. Not sure why.

I made them extra big though.

My Dad played Santa...he had a ball!

Opening the door for Santa...

Sis was a little scared at first!

Gave Santa hugs goodbye!

We had a good Christmas, feels like a very distant memory now.

Weekend Recap

2012-01-23T07:00:00.002-06:00

Thursday - I made chicken fajitas...Been on a fajita kick - can't get enough of them. So yum.

Friday - I babysat Trigger and he was NOT happy the first hour and slept the rest of the night until his Mommy and Daddy picked him up. They had a date night. It was a sleepy/hungry/gassy combo that just had him in tears for a bit.

Saturday - Mike and I went out for our anniversary and Gramma and PuhPuh watched the kiddos. We ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Tequila - I had FAJITAS! Mmmm....Mike had the monster burrito. Then we went and saw a stupid movie. I just hate wasting money at the theater on stupid movies. Didn't get popcorn or soda pop as I'm really trying to slim my waist line and I had JUST ate dinner. We saw 'The Devil Within'...Mike picked it thinking it would be a horror scary movie...it WAS NOT. It was like a documentary type movie. SO.LAME. It was a LAST MINUTE decision. Never a good idea at the movies.

Sunday - Church was good and the kids got a late nap. They slept from 2-4. Mike went with Josh (Meg's hubby) to look at spots to hunt, I think. It was guy stuff - I just say "yes, have fun!" but don't always pay attention to where they're going exactly. Then they went and worked at the grill and Mike brought home Bill and Ruth's subs/sandwiches and a wrap for me for dinner. It was yummy! Meg and I went to the store and bought Zumba Wii and we all went to her house and worked out. Well, the guys tried a song or two, but they couldn't get into it. They're probably gonna do P90X and we're gonna dance. It was fun though. And we're gonna run and do other things, but dancing is gonna be one of the "get in shape" techniques :-)

That was my family's weekend! No pictures, I KNOW! Didn't take a single picture this weekend.

Fridge, Cabinets and Pantry

2012-01-19T13:42:00.000-06:00

I'm kind of doing a sneaky overhaul on the food department.
I've been transitioning for a while now, not to scare anybody off (my husband) or have my kids run away and so far - so good :-)

I'd like cake, cookies, FLUFF to be birthday treats, special occasions - not the NORM. I'd like the day to day stuff to be super healthy and GOOD for them. The majority of their "sweets" come in fruit form. I LOVE that.

My hubby doesn't have a sweet tooth at all, so he's the not the culprit, I am. My sweet tooth is HORRIBLE. I used to buy Golden Oreo's (LOVE them...), Reese's pieces (OH MY GOODNESS, SO YUMMY!), Brownie ingredients (Chocolate Heaven), cake ingredients...you name the fluff and I've probably had it in the kitchen at some point. And then chips - I'm a sucker for chips and dip. Especially crinkled potato chips and french onion dip. Mmmm...(Carrots and celery instead of chips now...)

But...it's been a WHILE since those things have entered my house and no one at my house is starving or complaining. My kids have gotten used to the "cookie jar" now being just an empty pretty container on the kitchen counter. They don't get ice cream before bed...I got on a kick where this was EVERY night - a shake! Woohoo!!

Not that those things are terrible and a special treat every now and then is just plain ol' fun, but I want it to be special. Not the norm. It's been a few months :-)

NOW - to curb my intense sweet tooth...I've turned to fruit smoothies. I wasn't eating ANY fruit AT ALL before. And aside from fruit juice, I wasn't giving the kids much fruit either. We are doing MUCH better on the fruit front now. I've always loved strawberries and apples...and I LOVE the flavor of bananas, but don't like to eat bananas plain. Well, we have sliced apples and strawberries (sometimes in my salads too), and banana berry smoothies - I'm just gonna introduce some new stuff slowly. Also, I can drink OJ again, YAY! It used to give me really bad heartburn, but I think it was due to being overweight and pregnant. Acid reflux-y stuff.

Here's to good and healthy food! I say, the more color, the better!

Salad with strawberries

Rice and Nachos

(Running and elliptical use has been in session for a bit, I'm getting a little tone!)

More pics and weight update to come soon :-)

Lighter Side

2012-01-17T13:01:00.000-06:00

I think the ol' blog needs aired out...too much heavy.

Let's see...Mike and my 9 year anniversary is coming up. Woot! Dinner and the movies - it's our thing!
I made oatmeal muffins with a streusel (sp?) topping last night. YUM!
Me and the kids braved the wind yesterday and played outside...at one point, Sis was stumbling, the wind was blowing so hard. She didn't fall though, God bless her.

PB&J face

Sissy's first snow of the season - she was excited!

Sweet girl

Hangin' out with cousin Trigger

Four-wheelin'!

Bub climbin' the brush pile...that's STILL there. I dislike living in town, I would LOVE to be able to build a fire outside. I want country life SO BAD. We were born to live in the country, our little family would thrive.

Sis!

Trig asleep on his Mama's shoulder.

Sis's PB&J face :-)

What a breath of fresh air...this life I lead. I drink it deep and want to drink it deeper still.

Thoughts

2012-01-16T12:48:00.000-06:00

Superficial, Intellectual, Spiritual and the Core...

How big is your house? What kind of car do you drive? Where do you live? What brand of clothes do you buy? Where do you shop for groceries?
Did you go to college? What do you do for a living? How much do money do you make a year?
Do you believe in God? Do you have faith? What are the morals you pass onto to your children?
Are you a descent person? Are you genuine? Are you faithful? Are you considerate, kind, trustworthy?

There is a book I read to the kids called I Am Special, or God made me Special...it's called something like that and I would go look, but the kids are napping. The author's first name is Max...and the last name starts with an L. Anyway...
It's about a wood carver named Eli and he makes wooden people. All the wooden people do all day is give each other stickers, either stars (good) or dots (bad). And there's this one wooden person named Punchinello that only receives dots, because he isn't as good in the eyes of the other wooden people. His paint is chipped, he has scratches...you get the idea. Well, he meets a girl named Lucia who doesn't have any stars or dots on her and he asks her "why?". She tells him it's because she goes to talk to Eli every day. Well, he finally musters up the courage to go see his maker and talk with him. Eli explains that Lucia doesn't have any stars or dots because she doesn't care about what others think of her. She only cares what her maker thinks of her.

This book resonates with me much deeper than it does with the kids (maybe). They pick it out to read a lot, I'm not sure why...the pictures aren't bright and fun and it's not a FUN story. It teaches a lesson and aside from learning, those are my next favorite kind of books.

I think sometimes that I'm fair. That I'm not judgmental for the most part. But then, I had this thought the other day. "I want to see their house before they visit mine because I need to know if they're better than me."

Hrmmm...

To an extent:
I think people that have more and have better ARE better. People that have less and have worse ARE worse. I believe that makes me superficial.

I bet if we all REALLY thought about it, we're all superficial like that to a degree.
So...I had a few New Year's resolutions this year. But I need to make some life resolutions.

I want to focus more on the core of people and the core of myself. I know some of us aren't gonna be the best of friends. We're just not gonna 'click' with certain people. But why? I would say, if it doesn't have to do with their core self, maybe we should reevaluate those relationships. I feel inadequate sometimes and the reasons I give myself for feeling that way are silly.
I don't want any more star or dot stickers!!

What I Once Was...

2012-01-15T22:10:00.000-06:00

I had a post about who I used to be. You know what? Who cares.

I'm being tested. I've seen my past thrown in my face the past few days and I will say this...it's scary.

Oh my...who would I be without the Lord?!?! I'm not naturally good.

You know people that are just naturally good people...Not saying I'm not nice or thoughtful or considerate, I'm those things I think.

I think without the Lord, I'd be destructive.

Oh Dear Jesus...thank YOU for this test of faith and focus. Thank you for my husband whom I can confide in. Thank you for children that among many things, provide me focus. And thank You for who I am now. I get paralyzed sometimes by my past, but thank You for forgiving me and making me pure again.

I love you, Amen.

I want to jot this down

2012-01-11T22:01:00.000-06:00

I heard my Dad pray aloud tonight for the first time in my whole life.

****

Mike is watching Man vs. Wild and the babies are asleep and tucked in for the night. We went to the fellowship dinner and business meeting at church tonight, I took chili and cornbread. It was good.

This month is Sanctity for Human Life...we are collecting baby items for mothers who are keeping their babies instead of aborting them.

****
I want to start running! Golly...I am really trying to rally my sister into going with me though. The other night, I ran to her house and there's this house on the way where a big group of guys are always standing outside and normally, they ignore me and the kids. But I was by myself, because I was running at night, and they started whistling and saying stuff. She drove me back home. :-/ Nothing like a group of idiots to ruin my running adventure.

Plus, it scared me a bit. I'm not afraid of the dark, just the things in the dark.

Moments

2012-01-10T12:36:00.000-06:00

My house is picked up.
There's patchwork on the kitchen walls in preparation to paint.
My babies are napping.
Bub keeps pulling the keys out of the basket by the door and he keeps getting into trouble over it. Sis has now started trying to CLIMB the bookshelf.
It's been a fun morning though, I made them bacon, scrambled eggs and toast this morning.
They devoured it.
For lunch, they had leftover pasta, broccoli with ranch and corn. Sissy insisted on having some strawberries too.

We've had 'The Light' station on the t.v. blaring all morning. We typically have it on, but today, it's blaring. :-) I'm listening to it right now, Light up the sky by the Afters is playing.

I'm fixin to take a shower and then watch a little t.v. and work on laundry.

It's pretty cool outside, we're probably not gonna do much outside today. Daddy has class tonight, so we're gonna be by ourselves for dinner. Gonna make something simple for the three of us. I'm debating on PB&J sandwiches, haven't had those in quite a while...I know, super lazy, but it sounds delicious!

Bubba prayed last night. He always asks me before bed if we're gonna pray to Jesus and I say yes. Then, I turn out all the lights and stand in the hallway and pray outloud so both babies can hear.
Well, last night, Bubba wanted to say the prayer and let me tell ya. A punch kick combo straight to my heart. We stood in the dark hallway and he started praying and said all the names he knew to pray for and then he said, "I love you Jesus and you too Mama." So sweet and snot bawl worthy.

You alone I long to worship...you alone are worthy of my praise!

Happy Tuesday!

Enlightened, Inspired Twice and Calm

2012-01-07T21:14:00.001-06:00

Enlightened:
I never heard it put this way. Discipline your children when they blatantly disobey. Correct your children daily (or as needed...). I LOVE that. It's what we do, but to have it PUT this way. It opens my eyes. Makes me see it differently. I LOVE that. Thank you.

Inspired Twice:
To make blankets - instead of quilts starting out. Quilting is expensive...with all the stuff you "need". But blankets, the kind my MIL made and showed me how to do. It's beginner stuff I'm excited to try. It's the kind of blankets my great grandma always made. :-)
AND To run again. Thank you. It's been awhile and I used to and I want to again! A coach had to teach me how to run in track. Have I ever told you that while I was a baby, I had to wear braces on my legs to get them to go straight? I relate to Forrest Gump in so many ways. But I sat in the womb like a frog. I was breech and so my legs were weird. And when I got older and ran, they flipped out to the sides...like past my rear. Anyway....

LOL.

A coach had to teach me how to run and he would say, "Lori...kick your butt cheeks. EVERY time." And so that's what I started doing and man...I was fast. Until I blew out my knee. But until then...man, I was fast.

CALM:
We had a wonderful day today. I woke up with both my babies in my arms. Just where they needed to be. We burned leaves, cleaned the church, ate tacos Mike's mom made us, played and visited....Just a wonderful, wonderful day.

Small tests...SMALL?!?!?!

2012-01-06T20:39:00.001-06:00

I know that this looks like a novel and it is...
I don't like my side door.
I don't like it one bit.

My house is a reversed L shape. The short horizontal line is on the other side of the long vertical line. The front door is where the point of the short line is located (there abouts) The side door is on the corner and the back door is way up top of the vertical line point. Three doors on all three points. The side door sucks. You know why it sucks?! Because even I'm innocently just going to the other room to get clothes so we can go out to eat...and I'm not fully paying attention. I heard the kids laughter and was calling for Mikayla to come get dressed because I had just picked out her outfit. I hear a knock.
I'm holding the shirt I just picked out to wear. I walk to the door and two guys are standing there. "Ma'am...are those your children?" And I peek around still grinning, because no...my kids are in the room right next to the one I was in, I could hear them laughing. I was only gone a few minutes. I had just undressed Sissy and Bub from being outside ALL DAY. We were changing clothes and...and...and..."YES! THOSE ARE MY BABIES!!!!" as I see Sissy with no shoes on and just her diaper. "Where did you find them!?" I shrieked as I throw my shirt on the ground and grab my children from this OTHER guy. "Well ma'am, they ran down the street about five houses down and I was watching them and didn't see an adult, so I yelled for the OTHER guy to get them and bring them back."
Me again, "Thank you so much, MIKAYLA ARE YOU OKAY? BUBBA DID YOU OPEN THE DOOR?!. Thank you, oh my GAWD...Thank you so much!"
And yes...Bub opened the door AGAIN. Twice in one week. Three...four times TOTAL...Guess what was installed the minute I stopped freaking out. I mean, literally...I was freaking out until I saw that my freaking out was making Mike freak out on me and then I calmed down a bit.
CHAIN LOCKS!!!
YAY!!! As high as they'll go and if I can just remember we have them when I'm trying to open the door and not rip them off the door, we'll be good I hope. Now...I won't have to be with the kids constantly. Because I say this in all sincerity...I usually am. Actually, they're my little shadows. Cept when Daddy's home and then they wanna be where they're Daddy is...and guess who Bub was looking for!
PRAISE JESUS they're okay.

More than Praise Jesus...WOOP WOOP JESUS WOOP WOOP!!! THANK YOU LORD!!!!!! SAFETY and PROVISIONS.
And now...CHAIN LOCKS!!!

Weekend Plans

2012-01-06T11:56:00.000-06:00

Tonight is family night! I've decided :-)

Nothing big, but for dessert, I'd like to take the kids for ice cream. And I forgot a couple things while shopping. (Orange Juice...how did I forget OJ!?!) I also want to get some fruit dip.

Tomorrow, I must clean the church and Sunday IS church...bustin' out some new music on them. Well, new to the music program, but old music. If that makes sense :-)

I haven't been doing my weekly updates...the holidays were just too busy, but there was lots of togetherness with family. I MUST get Christmas pictures uploaded before next Christmas, my, I'm a slacker. (Actually, they're on my sister's camera, so I need to twist her arm.)

Now that everything's calmer and our routine is back in swing, I'll be able to keep a better log of our life!

Happy Weekend everybody!