My Little Box of Chocolates

Not Me Monday

2010-02-01T07:00:00.003-05:00

1. I did NOT position my car at the red light so that the other cars could not tell that I was eating pizza in my car. (Burger King understandable but Pizza? I was having a CRAVING and I could not wait to get back to work to eat it!)

2. I did NOT ask Hayley to "smile normal" so that I could see if it was noticeable that she knocked out one of her front teeth. Yes, you heard me right, KNOCKED OUT.

Hayley's 4th Birthday

2010-01-27T06:33:00.005-05:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Menu Plan Monday

2010-01-25T14:15:00.002-05:00

MPM

Monday
Country Fried Steak
Squash Casserole
Green Beans
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Tuesday
Shrimp & Grits
Roasted Carrots & Potatoes
Salad

Wednesday
Mexican Chicken Casserole
Corn

Thursday
Grilled Chicken with our Budweiser BBQ sauce (to DIE for)
Broccoli Casserole
Pasta Salad
Breadsticks

Friday
Taco Spaghetti
Salad

Saturday
Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Garlic Bread
Salad

Sunday
Roast
Peas
Buscuits
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Not Me Monday

2010-01-25T11:06:00.005-05:00

I did NOT have the receptionist cancel the last patient due to "AC issues" on Friday so that I could make it to a wedding on time.
I did NOT have to do a Ring A-Round the Rosie dance in the food line at the wedding to keep the 2 year old happy.
I did NOT accuse my husband of having an affair after finding a pair of my sister- in- laws undergarments wrapped up in one of his shirts that he hasn't worn since Thanksgiving.
I did NOT feed my children ice cream for dinner Saturday night at Dairy Queen.
My face did NOT turn bright red as the pastor came up to me Sunday night declaring that he had heard a "funny" story about me that happened Saturday. And that he was NOT going to walk in twirling a pair of undergarments around his finger.

**And is only from what I can remember from the last few days!**

To Resolute or Not To Resolute...

2010-01-07T12:19:00.004-05:00

I am wondering if you all make New Year's Resolutions? And what are they, if you feel compelled to share. I sure hope you do, but that's the nosy side in me coming out.

I have thought looooong and hard about some changes I would like to make this year. I refer to them as 'changes' not resolutions, because resolution is such a scary word and let's face it everyone breaks them anyhow. And I try to make my "changes" realistic.

I have finally decided and I have three changes for myself this year.

I have always felt very guilty for not reading to my kids very often, so I have declared Tuesday nights reading night. Each child can pick out one book, we pile in my bed and read.
Also, since the girls are getting older and can participate in playing simple games, I am declaring Thursday nights game night. I am really excited about this one! I think I am going to stop by Wal-Mart on my way home and pick up Jenga. I think we will all have fun with this one! I remember playing it at the table with my family.
And my financial goals this year include, pay this off, cut that in half, and start working on this. And I am actually thinking about having a friend of mine keep me accountable. You have to be careful who you trust though. ;)

I usually do have a resolution for several areas in my life, but once again trying to keep them simple so that you can stick with it!

I really wanted to add a forth change and say that I was going to get back into working out. I am so tired of feeling like a puddle of pudding. No muscle tone, no definition just jello. I am having a hard time coping with this right now, I think because I used to be pretty fit. Running every day, swimming laps, kick boxing tapes, the gym, weight lifting.

I just can't figure out how to squeeze it into my daily or every-other-daily routine. Right now the only day I can see myself getting to the gym is on Mondays because I am off on Mondays and I know that one day in the gym is not going to improve anything. Also, this off on Mondays thing may end in Feb. I would hate to sign a gym contract and never go.

I also can't see myself going home strapping on the ole spandex and jumping all over the living room. No sir, not this cat, not in front of my kids and not to mention the husband may see! Mortifying!!!! This girl has boundaries.

Running outside, not working for me either. I never was fond of running in the cold. It does something funny to my nose and lungs that I feel like I may need resuscitation when I finally make it back to the house.

I would also like to have my Christmas pictures taken and Christmas cards ready to go out by the middle of November and already have some idea of what I am going to do for Hayley's birthday, instead of waiting until after Christmas and having to push the date back because I still haven't decided on what to do.

So, how do you fit excercise into your daily routine? Help!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-09T07:38:00.000-05:00

How Many Different Santa's Can You See Before The Children Start To Get Suspicious?

2009-12-08T11:01:00.007-05:00

Warning this could, quite possibly be, a very lengthy post. Just sayin.

Friday night we had B's Christmas work party. I was running late because my patient was running late and apparently she was not guilt ridden at all that it was a Friday and the technologist might have plans on this ole' Friday night. Let's face it, it's not something that comes by too frequently these days. The weather was terrible so that meant my last minute plans to exchange my new favorite boot for one size too big for the one I had which was one size too small.

Don't ask.

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Actually, at that time I was in a hurry which explains why I didn't take the time to try them on in the store. B questioned that theory. Men will never understand.

You are in a store. You are in a hurry. You see what could possibly turn into a love relationship with this particular boot. It's 40% off. You (or maybe this part is just me) don't pass it up just because they don't have your exact size!!!! Nooooo. My friend just pick the one that is the closest to your size and CHECK OUT.

Pain is beauty.

To some extent, and then at some point you have to realize that you are not going to be squeezing into that size 9. Did I really just admit that? Yes, my foot is ginormous!

Anyways, we made it to the party.

Every year at B's Christmas party all of the desserts there are entered into a contest. The first year I won 3rd place. The second year nothing. The third year 2nd place. And this year could have been my year to win 1st, not because of my baking abilities but because of the lack of competition. Dang. If only B didn't have to keep out so late the night before watching the 3 hour long Twilight Saga.

Here are some pictures from the party.

I think she found the biggest piece of gum ever made!

Saturday morning we arose and watched the drizzling rain start and stop. And so we decided to head to the Christmas parade anyhow. Because we just don't have enough cavities yet, so going and having people throw Tootsie rolls and bubble gum at us seemed to do the trick.

Then, I have no idea why, I had the urge to go and just be amongst the madness at the Avenues Mall. I heart that mall. Spent a many a Saturdays and a many a dollars at that mall as a teenager and I just hadn't been in a while. It's just not something you do with a double wide stroller and children who think they want well....everything. But we did go and we saw Santa again. And when I say saw I mean waved from a distance. I may be dumb but not that dumb. As soon as we walked up Santa's helper told us that he had just stepped out to take his cigarette/Zanny break, I mean uhh lunch break. Ok, ok, she actually said, "he needed to go feed his reindeer." But we all know what's really going on.

We even braved the Disney store. I could not fit the stroller around in the store, so I ended up just collapsing it a bit and stored it in a corner of the store while, the kids ran free like wild animals! Really they walked around holding my hand and looking at all the store had to offer with such obedient and soft spoken words. Ha! Yeah right! I really think that the stores do this to moms on purpose, it raises their sales.

Then we headed to my Mom and Dad's to watch the Gators play in the SEC game.

When we got home B asked Hayley if she wanted to go look for Reindeer. (She thinks that all deer are reindeer.) Before they left I told Hayley that if she got hungry to ask Daddy to take her by Wendy's.

Well, his truck got stuck. And B called his friend Adam to come and pull him out. When Adam got there Hayley decided she would get in the truck with Mr. Adam. And she tells B, "and I'm gonna have Mr. Adam take me to Wendy's."

B asked, "Why are you hungry?"

She replied, "No, but if I do get hungry then I will eat it."

Duh, Daddy?

Leighton wanted to stay home with me and watch a movie.

Sunday was church. Then lunch. Then home for a nap so that I could get the tree decorated.

I didn't get a picture of L because her dress was soaking in a gallon of spray-n-wash as a result of her lunch, or lack there of.

Decorating the tree is always interesting because I am really OCD about glitter. Here are some new things I put on the tree this year and some old, very old.

This one is from somewhere around 1987.

Monday morning was spent cleaning, except I didn't really get anything accomplished. The vacuum cleaner kept shutting itself off and I could not figure out why. So needless to say I didn't mop either because it didn't get vacuumed first and I just wasn't feeling like scrubbing the bathroom floors. And as I was bending over vacuuming I noticed the dust sitting on my t.v. stand. Ugh.

B came home and wanted to go to town, needless to say it didn't take much to get me out of house and away from...well...all of the frustration/cleaning.

We put the kids in the car and headed for the Town Center. We went in Target and again it did not take long to figure out that they wanted EVERYTHING!

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-02T15:41:00.017-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. As always we spent it at Jekyll Island with the rest of us Jordan's (and Musgrove's).

As always there was too much food and I think Thanksgiving day was the only day that we did not indulge in some oyster eatin'. It was good to be around family and to get some real time to spend with Hayley and Leighton. It's a lot easier to go out and play when your not at home thinking I really need to be inside vacuuming or dusting or laundry!

Friday I took the girls for a walk down to the ocean. Hayley asked me if we were going swimming. Uh, no.

This is a Horseshoe Crab that we found.

Then Friday night we went to the campground on the island and had our annual low country boil and some more oysters! I did not take my camera I stole these off of Facebook from Sarah (used to be Jordan) Hall. Thanks in advance, Sarah!

This is Sarah and her dad.

No, that is not his hair, it is a hat. And all I'm going to say about that is you should have seen Mr. Bobby wearing this hat. HILARIOUS!

Saturday was the famous Florida/Florida State game. And all I'm gonna say is GOOOO GATORS!!!!!

After we watched the game we got ready to go see Mr. and Mrs. Claus, the lighting of the Christmas tree and the fireworks.

(The girls with their Great Grandaddy.)

Then we hoped in this....

... to go see Santa. The Red Bug rental man reassured us that "EVERYONE would be driving their Red Bugs to see the fireworks." Well by all means, we wouldn't want to be left out of the "cool crowd!" And who wouldn't want to ride 25 (27 at best) miles per hour next to the windy ocean and freezing cold air blowing in my just blow dried my hair, hair? Umm, yeah I'll take being a nerd and riding in a car over being in the "cool crowd" any day if it means I can arrive without catching The Pneumonia Bug.

Ok, seriously B and B Jr. would it kill you to smile for a picture?

And Sunday we did this....

You Got To ...Pray

2009-11-20T15:39:00.002-05:00

Today I decided to splurge and eat out for lunch today. I usually bring my lunch but on Fridays I get cabin fever and just have to get out! By the way I ended up at Wendy's, where I ordered my 24th Southwest Taco Salad. No I haven't really eaten 24, it may be a few more or a few less. I think I am TOTALLY addicted!

Anyways, while I was sitting in the: 5minuteexpressdrivethruforthoseofusthathave15minutestoorderandscarf I was listening to Dr. Dobson have a discussion about teaching our children to pray. I suddenly felt very convicted of not doing a very good job at that. Yes, we pray at the table as a family and they know how to do, "God is great..." and I pray with each of the girls at bed time, when I am not too tired and thought I might make it through without falling asleep, as I am on bended knee beside their beds.

But do they know that they can talk to God all the time, casually, just like they talk to me.

Here is another view on praying (more for the adults).
God knows all your thoughts, he hears every unspoken word, so why do we need to pray and verbally tell God what's on our hearts?
Answer: Because no relationship has ever been formed by just eavesdropping.

A wife knows that her husband loves her, but it's nice to hear him say it. Same thing as our relationship with Christ.

The other day I bought this 2 ft. tall 'J' to decorate and hang on my front door. Hayley picked it up and said look Mama it's like a 'H'"
I said, "No, that's a 'J' for jump.....and.....Jesus."
Hayley, "name, Amen."

Hopefully The First of Many

2009-11-18T12:21:00.012-05:00

Last night I joined some friends and went to LNO. (Ladies Night Out) It is a Bible study on raising children and other motherly and womanly duties.

While I was getting ready I looked down at my toenail polish, that had seen better days, and just about gasped out loud, hideous! I knew I only had a few minutes but it was something that had to be taken care of.

Isn't it funny that we take longer getting ready to go out with the girls versus going out with the husband. Why is that? Because girls will notice your chipped toenail polish and guys won't.

I am writing this post because I have not yet put these ideas on paper, and if I don't put them somewhere FAST they will be gone (as my memory fails me)!

Rhonda is the speaker and holy cow is she gooooooood!

One thing she talked about was having thoughts of discontentment about your home. One example she shared was, "Well, we can't have anyone over because that toilet runs and everyone will have to use the one in the back." I almost laughed out loud. But I didn't because I was sitting on the front row in a room of oh about 50 women, and with it being my first time there I thought that might be a bit rude. Just before our annual Halloween party I asked B if we could get a new toilet for the spare bathroom because I didn't want it to be running all night long and because I was embarrassed. Ok, has Rhonda been reading my mail? I am SOOOO guilty of feeling discontent with my home. Here's a thought, isn't discontentment jealousy? Hello!

I had read the posts from Kelly last week while she was on the Compassion trip to El Salvador. After I would read some of her words about these families living with dirt floors or a family of 4 living in a one room hut. Uhh, who could feel discontent about having a 3 bedroom brick house then? Things that I feel I have to have, that new recliner for the living, really isn't a need. Or a new dining room table that seats 6 instead of 4, because every time we have people over to eat there aren't enough chairs. There's that feeling again that Rhonda was talking about. Well, we can't have people over because....

Another point she made was, when we see something or someone that is pretty and we think it, why don't we say it? Why does the thought only go as far as our brain. Is it because we are jealous?

Her goal, that she said a couple of times, is that people take away one little nugget of information. Well, when you say nugget in my presence the first thing that comes to my mind is chicken nugget, maybe that's because I live with a 2 and 3 year old. In comparison to the nugget I think I took the whole chicken. Thanks Rhonda!

Healthy and Happy

2009-11-18T08:23:00.014-05:00

I am going to brag for just this one post, I promise! Two nights ago we had spaghetti for dinner. B wasn't home so we just sat at the bar and ate. I was so proud of my girls for wanting salad to go with their spaghetti. Hayley discovered ranch dressing at Pizza Hut one afternoon and now it's all I can do to keep her from eating it 24/7. Leighton on the other hand prefers her salad plain.

Since we were eating at the bar they decided to grab an apple off of the 3 tier stand I have on the counter.

It has little tiny pumpkins and fake fall leaves sitting on the top and bottom layer and I put apples on the middle layer, for decoration of course. Except, as quickly as I go the store and buy some pretty green Granny Smith apples to put on my middle tier, they jump up on the bar stool and snatch some off to eat. I really shouldn't complain.

Side Note: If there is one thing I have learned it is that you have to keep good, healthy, fresh fruits and veggies readily available. Why? Because we are Americans and Americans like convience. If you have to wash and cut those strawberries or rinse off the grapes before you can eat them, let's face it, it's probably not going to happen and they go bad and get thrown away. Ok, maybe that only happens in my house! When I buy grapes or strawberries I go ahead and rinse and cut them up and put them in tupperware so it is ready to eat. I know, you feel like you're reading an insert out of a Martha Stewart mag. I'll stop, I know BORING! Maybe it will help ONE mama out there.
As I was, scarfing down my food because that's what us moms have to do, I noticed how healthy they were eating and I am so thankful they like to eat things that are good for their bodies and minds!

And yes, only in a small country town like ours will you find one wearing a John Deer shirt and the other wearing a Callie Kays shirt! Ha!

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

2009-11-02T13:59:00.006-05:00

A few weeks back we took a trip down to the big O for a few reasons...1 my brother was getting married...2 we went to Disney World... and 3 just because it's nice every once in a while to just get away!

Let me first start by saying Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Edwards!

Proud father to ALL his daughters! Keli, Tina, Dad, Carolyn, and Me

The second part of our trip had to do with this guy....

The girls had so much fun! Actually this was their first time staying in a hotel. (That shows you right there that we don't get out much. Maybe now that they are older we will be able to go more places.)

This was them right after we walked into the room. Of course they immediately starting jumping on the beds and ran to look out the window! We were WAAAAAYYY up! On the 14h floor!

Sunday night we hit The Magic Kingdom.

As you can see from the picture below that we started out carrying the Mickey's that I bought ahead of time from War-Mart. And now if you will look up, we are carrying a "baby Mickey". What happened was, while we were riding rides we parked the stroller and left the Mickey's in the stroller. When we returned from riding "Peter Pan" and "It's A Small World" (I still have that dern song stuck in my head) one of the Mickey's were missing! So I informed one of the Disney employees what had occured, they graciously replaced it, even knowing that the stolen one was from War-Mart. Now if that's not customer service I don't know what is!

Overall, we had a great weekend and we can't wait to go back!

Hats, Hats, Hats

2009-10-27T18:51:00.005-04:00

I have taken some pictures of these crotchet hats. My Mema can whip them up like no body's business! She came down to see us this past summer and said, "Look what I whipped up on the plane ride." She made the girls the brown one with the pink flower (you will see a picture of it). I talked her into making a bunch and then shipping them to me to try and sell. Sooo, take a look and if you like them and want one leave a comment and I'll save it for you. The flowers are removable if you want the hat plain or to be able to switch the color of the flower. Or if you want one and don't see one that you like leave me a comment with what colors you want and I'll put an order in for you. They are $8 - $10.

My FAIR lady...make that ladies

2009-10-27T10:44:00.008-04:00

We had another busy weekend. We took the girls to the fair Friday night and they had a blast!

Here are the girls with some of their friends on the kiddie roller coaster.

In line waiting for the Bumper Boats.

They rode so many rides!

I never expected them to want to ride all the rides like they did. Let's just say we spend probably $65-$70 worth of tickets, we should have bought the wristbands!!!!

On the Ferris Wheel
Seeing all the animals

Brandon eating his funnel cake
Hayley and Leighton eating their cotton candy (at 10:00 at night)
Then Saturday we went to Camdyn's 5th birthday party.

<
And we found out at the party that Camdyn is going to be another big brother!!!

Congrats to the Hinson family!!!

Sunday was church.

Monday we would've gone to the corn maze, but the kiddies were too BAD! It really broke my heart, I really wanted to go, but sometimes you have to stick to your guns! Instead we stayed home and played outside and got a lot of things done around the house.

Overall good weekend!

"When Elmo Grows Up"

2009-10-16T22:09:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday after the morning service at church I took the girls to see Elmo Live. They LOVED it!

This was at intermission. AKA potty break time.

These hazardous spinny light up gadgets were $15 a piece! RIP OFF!

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

2009-10-16T21:38:00.003-04:00

Before church last Sunday. Hayley was NOT happy this morning!

Opps! This picture wasn't suppose to make it on the blog! But it did! Haaaaaa!

(This was NOT staged for the camera he really was reading this Fall issue of the Martha Stewart Living magazine.)

Menu Plan Monday

2009-10-12T08:56:00.002-04:00

You: What posting on a Monday?

Me: Yes, yes I am.

You: Seems a little out of character.

Me: Well, I am working this fine Monday and decided while I am at work to put up a post. It has been a while because my computer at home is not recognizing my camera so while I have many great things to post about they require uploading pictures. So Menu Plan Monday is as good as it gets for now.

You: Working on a Monday Huh? LOL!

Me: I know it's hard for me to even wrap my head around right now, but it's for a good, no make that GREAT cause, more on that later.

Here it is, maybe this will help some of my fellow mothers thru the week as we don our chef hats (one of the many we wear).

Monday: Ham Steak (this time I am going to throw some pineapple chunks in the pan to give a Hawaiian style)
Lima Beans
Mashed Potatoes
Yam Patties

Tuesday : Pepper Jack Enchiladas

Wednesday: Braised Tomato Spareribs
Green Beans
Cheddar Mash
Pear Salad

Thursday: Sloppy Joes
French Fries

Friday: Grilled Chicken
Baked Beans
Mac-n-cheese
Garlic Bread

Saturday: Chicken & Shrimp Fettuccine
Steamed Broccoli
Bread sticks

Sunday: Saucy Pasta (except I am using sausage instead of ground beef)

The Day At The Farm

2009-09-25T12:12:00.006-04:00

Sorry I know it's been a while since posting. I really have no excuse other than just too tired and too busy.

This past Monday I took the girls to the farm. Lately they both have been fascinated with cows and I knew that they would just LOVE it and they DID! They had a ball! I want to go back when B can go with us and maybe spend the night. I'll let the pictures do the talking...

Ok, seriously Hayley pet that cat for hours!

This was some sort of magnetic 'pick up' game, that Aunt Patsy made.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-09T00:47:00.001-04:00

Surprise!

2009-09-06T09:53:00.009-04:00

This past Saturday B had his first ever surprise party! This is a picture, just before church, on his actual birthday.

Leighton would NOT smile and we were running late, as usual, so this is the best it got.
I know it's hard to see, but there is a candle in the middle of the pie. ie; he's not much of a cake person.

This was almost a week after his birthday, we had to postpone the surprise dinner so that some friends could make it. Thanks to everyone who came, you made this night very special for B!

Sorry, the "surprise face" was taken from behind, I'm still new at this surprise thing!

(I am just venting here but when I upload the pictures from my camera they are crystal clear, as soon as I upload them into Blogger the pictures look blurry. Does anyone know why?)

FL Vs. Southern Charleston

2009-09-06T09:39:00.006-04:00

I just wanted to say thanks to our friends Chad & Kristi for the tickets to this game, we had a BLAST!!!As soon as I got down the stairs, yeah I was scurrying, he turned his back. So this is the back half the Coach Urban Meyer.

Chad & B looking very intense, weren't sure if we were going to win this one. (sarcasm's inserted there)

These guys contacted me earlier in the week, they wanted Kristi & I to be the 'G' & 'A', but at the last minute, we changed our minds! Ha!

Chad & Kristi at Sonny's

Thanks guys, we had the BEST time, and the seats were AWESOME!

Orange...Blue...Orange...Blue

2009-09-04T07:14:00.000-04:00

Ok, so ya'll I am SOOOOO excited because tomorrow is the first Gator game of the season and we are going to The Swamp !!!!Yahoo!!!

When I get super excited about something I get this nervous feeling in my stomach. (Because I'm weird. Nervousness and excitedness, yeah I guess they go hand in hand.)

You know the feeling like you're fixin' to pee your pants or I will just laugh a lot. I don't know why I do that, laugh ,when I get nervous. It used to really worry me, because when I was in high school I worked as a lifeguard. I could always picture myself laughing my head off in a situation where someone was drowning. Yeah, try explaining that one to your boss! AWKWARD. Thank God that never happened.

Boo Mama did a 'share your favorite dip recipe' post to welcome the new 2009 football season. So here is my contribution.

There are 3 ingredients, and I am telling you this stuff is G.O.O.D.

1 can of Hormel Chili (with or without beans-your preference)

1 can of Tostitos cheese queso

1/2 cup of Pace Picante Sauce

Put all 3 ingredients into a sauce pan and heat up.

It's that easy! And sooo good I couldn't stop eating it when my sister made it!

Enjoy and Gooooo Gators!!!!

Hope ya'll have a great weekend!

Would Someone Please Remove the Rock From Which I Live Under

2009-09-01T14:25:00.008-04:00

Yesterday was a typical day. I had planned on dropping the kids off at the sitter for a little while so that I could get some errands done.

I needed to get the oil changed, renew the tags, drop off a package, you know the run-of-the-mill.

I dropped the kids off around 11:00 am and planned on being back to pick them up in just a couple of hours.

On my way to Callahan, B calls me (he was at the doctor in Callahan) and wanted to meet for lunch. So we met and grabbed a burger together. I told him I was going to get the tags renewed, he said he would ride over there with me so he could go ahead and put the sticker on his tag. So I follow him over to the tag office and see that the line is OUT THE DOOR HALF WAY THRU THE PARKING LOT!
I pulled up beside him and said, "Forget this, I'll come back after I get the oil changed!"

So B went home and I proceeded to 'The Oil Changing Station' (official name).

Somehow I started talking to the man behind the counter at the 'Station' about the length of the line at the tag office. Because apparently talking to strangers is a new habit I've picked up, and because that's what everyone else does in this town-o-400. You can just call it 'tryin' to fit in'.

Anyways, back to talking to the man behind the counter. As I am sitting, in this very posh 'Oil Changing Station' complete with a floor fan that doubled for me as an end table which held my McDonald's coke just superb, he tells me that the lines are soooo ridiculously loooong because the prices to renew tags is going up in 24 hours, WAY up, some 54%! I thought to myself, ok so I better go get my butt in line today!

I am really teetering on line here: Lucky vs. Unlucky

Lucky, because I found out about the increase in fees and because if I hadn't found out I probably would've just gone home and ended up paying WAY more.

Unlucky, because the one day I decide to do something about our soon expiring tags, so does the rest of the state.

Apparently this has been all over the news for months now and the media knew that it was not going to be hard to keep this a secret from me because it was not posted on Yahoo! OMG, People.com or MSN Entertainment. Which is where all the really important news takes place.

This man at the station also informed me that he heard on the radio to expect to wait at least 2 hours anywhere you go. Hello?

You know this guy really was a wealth of information because I also found out that they are turning a used to be gas station into a Walgreens. Humm who knew? I really kind of butted my way into that convo. Which I am sure he appreciated seeing as how he was trying to flirt with a girl WAY TOO young for him! (Seriously, just trust me on this one.)

I walked in the tag office right at 2:00 pm and stood in line.

There were about 15 people in front of me and I really couldn't foresee it taking that long.

At that moment I was really happy to be living in the small town-o-400. Or maybe not, since I had not a drop of makeup on and it didn't look like I had brushed my hair at all.

Seriously, who did I have to impress at the 'Oil Changing Station' and the tag renewal office? Little did I know I would come face to face with the entire town!

And right after I got comfortable being the last one in line, in walks the Minister of Education from our church. And after standing in line together for almost three hours he knows my entire life story! Actually, that really only took about 15 minutes, the rest of the time was me secretly wishing one of the poor individuals in front of me would give up and go home, and deciding that I didn't care about the 27 Easy, Delicious Meals that the Taste of Home Magazine had to offer.

I finally got out of there at 5:00 pm! Feeling Lucky.

Ok, you caught me, I was feeling emotionally, physically, and monetary drained!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-26T09:03:00.000-04:00

Just Call Me A Liar

2009-08-25T12:41:00.019-04:00

Well as I sit down to type this it is Tuesday and I am recapping the weekend. I know this may seem a bit late to some, but I do not work on Mondays so, to me the weekend just ended.

Friday night was spent cleaning out the playroom/office to make it more of a sitting room/office with some toys in two leather bins placed neatly beneath a table. Whatever I could not fit in the two leather bins went in the kids closest. Which meant, I had to first clean out the closets. BIG task! This really went on Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. I think, after all the cleaning out of the closets, I will be ready for a garage sale sometime in October.

I am totally stoked about the evolving look of the office!

This is what it looked like before:

(like I said before all the toys are gone except what's in the bins under the table)

And this is what is going in the corner in place of the card table.
I might even get the chair, because I have a plan that if I buy a computer chair that isn't so comfy maybe certain members of our family wouldn't be so prone to sit in it as looooong as they do! I'll letcha know how that theory pans out!

Friday evening I got the girls all pumped up about a birthday party we were going to be attending the next day. I was especially excited because it is my BFF's little boys party so really I was dragging my kids along so that I could see Lynnie, I mean Lynn (sorry Lynn) and her parents and her In-Laws (I LOVE her mother-in-law). She stole my heart when is did the Polka Dance with her son at their wedding! Not that I am Polish or know anything about the Polish culture, but she was the cutest thing doing the Polka, if I had a video of it I would up load it so I could share it with all of you.

Anyway, Saturday we were running really late for the party so I called Lynn to let her know not to wait for us to cut the cake (because people have been known to just cancel the entire show if we can't come Wink! Wink!) She replied "Late for what?"

"The Party."

"The party isn't until tomorrow."

"Please tell me you are kidding!"

"No"

Ok, so those last two lines above repeat like 50 times!

So, I finally realized that she wasn't kidding. I've got two kids dressed, in the car, half way to J-ville, and an entire Saturday with not a single plan.

Stopped on the side of US-1 trying to decide whether to turn around and go back home or continue on and have a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kinda day, I was trying to explain to the kids that mommy was wrong the birthday party wasn't until Sunday, they just looked at me with these blank stares. I can imagine the confusion when you have no concept of time or even know when Sunday will come.

Strike One.

Before I had time to think I blurted out the words "Chuck E. Cheese"

Yeah, shoulda thought about that for... say... 2 more seconds, maybe I would have saved some of my sanity!

So, my sis Keli and I, conquered that Chuck E. Cheese that day and all of it's over priced, cardboard tasting pizza.

It was raining that day so as you can imagine every kid and it's toddling younger sibling in Middleburg, Orange Park and the surrounding counties where exactly where we were. Sweatin' it up climbing through the tunnels and playing ten rounds of bowling just so that we could walk out of there with a plastic spider ring.

Leighton kept claiming that Chuck E. Cheese was Mickey Mouse. You know I really contemplated just going with it because I seriously could have saved myself a few hundred dollars here! No, if you are wondering, we have not made that first trip to Disney yet, so I totally could have just agreed.

The next morning we had these for breakfast.

What? I'm not pushing it or anything...it could pass as Chuck E. Cheese pancakes!

Sunday evening B sprung on me at the last minute he wanted to go to hot dog night, so I bathed the kids and told them we were going to Anna's house for hot dog night. They were very excited because they LOVE Anna!

I sent them on their way with B, I would be there as soon as the Lasagna is done.

A few minutes later they return home-no hot dog night.

Strike Two.

Saturday as I was on the way home from Hell In A Hand Basket, oh sorry I mean Chuck E. Cheese, I called my dad to see if he was going to be at the farm this Monday that I would like to bring the girls to see the cows and ride the tractor. (I usually like to plan for this kind of stuff but it was officially fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants day.) He said yes he was going to be there and yes to bring the kids!

So, I got all excited and told the girls' that we were going to Pop Pop's farm. Hayley was soooo excited because she is really into cows right now.

A couple of hours later my dad called to tell me that it had been raining at the farm and he was not going Monday so we would have to reschedule our tractor riding date for another time.

Three strikes and your out Mom.

Instead we pulled out the slip-n-slide for one last time and ate cream sickles.

"I Love You's"

2009-08-22T09:09:00.002-04:00

I took this video because I just love the way Leighton says "I love you" right now. I don't want to forget the way they sound.

I had to take about ten of these videos, that's why Leighton is asking if we are done at the end.

Have You Heard This...Seen That?

2009-08-20T11:10:00.017-04:00

If you haven't heard this, you really should take the time to read it. This particular video is the last of three videos. (Feel free to go back and watch all three videos-I did) I know a lot of people read the Audrey Caroline blog. When I first started blogging I read Bring the Rain like every day at work and it's a good thing I was working by myself because I would be bawling like a baby EVERY TIME. I stopped reading it so much because half of the time I didn't really understand the whole story. After I watched the 3 youtube videos I understand her story now, and maybe it will help some of you too. Even if you don't read Bring the Rain or care about Angie and Todd I still would say to you, take the time to listen to this couple's faith and the ups and downs they had with God, it's an amazing story! And I only post on things that I am really passionate about and want to share with others, you know those things in life that really grabs your attention, one of those Ah Ha moments!

I posted the last video because the whole theme behind this study is called Plan B. I think it is at the very end of this video that Angie addresses the whole Plan B in a light that I have never thought of.

Sometimes as a young adult we have dreams, plans, intentions and sometimes life doesn't always play out those dreams you had. Maybe, we think how our life "turned out" is Plan B. But to God it is Plan A. Angie says it so well; God doesn't have a Plan B.

Now, on a lighter note:

Have you seen this picture?

Isn't this hilarious? The lady in this picture is Stellan's nurse and they were trying to take a picture on vacay. When they saw the squirrel they hit the button on their handheld remote control!

This totally makes me want a remote control, maybe then I would be in more pictures!

Yep, I Did It Again

2009-08-15T21:25:00.025-04:00

Friday evening we had dinner over at my MIL's house to celebrate Granny's birthday. Here are some pictures.

While we were there I had to share this story with, well, anyone who would listen, so I will share it with you too.

Hayley is still mispronouncing certain words like "other" is "utter" and "hamburger" is "hambooger" and if you want to know, one of my pet peeves is bad grammar or mispronunciation.

One day I overheard Hayley saying, "No not that one, the utter one!" I quickly had to correct her and I thought if I just put a little explanation with it maybe it will stick.

Me: "Hayley, do you know what an utter is?"

Hayley: "No."

Me:"Ok, an utter is a cow's Beebos."

Hayley: "Ohhhh."

A few days later it was just Hayley and I in the grocery store and she was telling me that she didn't want that kind of cereal she wanted the "utter" one. I quickly shot her a look and proceeded down the isle.

A teenage boy was walking right along side of us as Hayley decides to remind me what exactly an utter was! I knew what was about to come out of her mouth.(And the girl does NOT know how to whisper!) But the boy did not know what she was about to say, so I keep one eye on him just about the time she got the Beebo part. It was soooo funny watching him try not to laugh out loud!

Saturday we met my MIL, SIL, and Granny at Cracker Barrel for lunch. I was really looking forward to going, because I don't think I've been to Cracker Barrel for 2 1/2 years!!! I remember I was ready to deliver Leighton like any second!

Anyways, it was me and the girls about to conquer this assignment, I mean lunch.

Let's just say they had been warned in the car of what could go down in the bathroom if need be.

On a serious note, I have noticed that if I tell them what is going to happen like, 'Hey, we are not going to stay in this store for long, and when I say it's time to go, IT'S TIME TO GO.' And I tell them that as we are standing in front of the doors about to go in so there's no time for them to forget.

Back to Cracker Barrel. We were sitting at the table waiting for our food when Miss Wakeup At 7:00 AM Napless Leighton was doing too much whinning for me and yes we made that trip to the bathroom! As my memory failed me (yet again), I thought the Women's Restroom was to the right aaaannnnndddd apparently it (my memory) was wrong! If you haven't read the story of the first time this happened click here. Yes, I was so heated at the time I failed to look at the sign and we were standing in the Men's Restroom. I DID recognize the urinals this time and quickly motioned for Leighton to exit. She just stood there looking at me like, 'You're not giving me a spanking?' She headed back like she was going to the table. And I said, 'Eint, this way!' motioning towards the Women's Restroom.

We are not making a big deal about this, I know this curse will pass eventually!

An Encouragement

2009-08-13T12:58:00.005-04:00

I have been wanting to share this for some time now. Except, I've had a hard time looking at things in this light.

Maybe this will encourage some of you. I know most people that read this are mothers and for the most part we all take care of chores around the house. Soooo...

Thank you God for the dirty dishes, that means that my family has been fed.

Thank you God for the piles of laundry, that means that my family has been clothed.

Thank you God for the toys strung all over the house, that means I can provide entertainment for my children.

Thank you God for the bills that come every month, ok I'm not thankful for that one.

Thank you God for the alarm clock that goes off Tuesday-Friday, that means I have a job.

Thank you God for the kids who cry when I drop them off at day care, that means they love me.

I have been thinking about this lately because for the last two weeks, it seems as though I just can't get the laundry caught up, and the cob webs in the windows are mocking me everytime I walk in the door! I've thought about just leaving them there for Halloween...

What are you thankful for?

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

Singin', Dancin', and Almost Dyin'

2009-08-06T10:40:00.014-04:00

I know this is a couple of weeks late but, I still wanted to post some pictures of the VBS show.
'(Sorry if the video is shaky I was trying to video with my camera and take still pictures with the other hand and another camera at the same time! Plus I was laughing so hard at all these kids, especially mine, they had no idea what the motions were but bless their little souls they were tryin.)

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

After the show the kids went home with my parents. Yippee!!! Friday night through Sunday afternoon with no kids!!! I had to hurry after the dinner and run home to pack their bags in case Gamma and Pop Pops changed their minds.

My parents wanted to keep the girls that weekend because it was our Anniversary weekend. However, B was on call, so we couldn't really go anywhere. It still a productive weekend. That's just whatcha want to celebrate your anniversary? Productiveness, sounds romantic right? You're supposed to be lazy, waited upon, catered to, oh poo I was daydreaming and drooled all over my keyboard!

About 6:00 Saturday evening I was officially BORED! Laying on the couch for sooo long I felt what it was like to have bed sores. Well, except I didn't have the sores and I wasn't in a bed.

At 6:27 B's pager went off, the most excitement all day. He excitedly exclaims, "Come with me!" Suddenly I thought of 10 things I could do. I was very hesitant at first and then gave in. What else was I to do on this rainy Saturday evening, I had my fill of watching Chinese synchronized diving.

So if this call was going to be like other calls I was going to be prepared.

-Rain jacket (as if I was really going to get out of the truck, to what? Help. Yeah right.)

-Tennis shoes (sensible)

-Food (Possible dinner in case we get stranded) B "This is one call not Survivor!"

-Drink (Because I am eating and will probably get thirsty)

-MRI study material (Because I'm supposed to take the BIGGEST test of my life in October)

-A book (In case I learn everything there is to know about MRI)

-Cell (To take pictures and send to my sister)

-Blanket (In case I end up sleeping in the truck over night)

I know this all sounds crazy but sometimes they get call after call after call.

So anyways, we were on our way to a 911 call, sounds thrilling. There was a tree on the line and "we" had to go find it. I tried not to act too excited, but secretly I was hoping when we got there, there would be police men with the car lights flashing and bystanders looking and pointing and rushing the children inside. I was craving some drama- I was really that bored people!

Notsomuch.

Never found the tree.

What we did find was a freshly grated clay road. I saw my life flash before my eyes as that big bucket truck fish tailed like crazy! (There was this voice that said 'Hey, if you die out here at least you don't have to sit for your MRI boards in October!') I don't even think what we were doing falls into the same category as fish tailing. What we were doing should be called SlingingTheWheelDodgingDitchesScreamingForSweetMercy!

The road was soooo slick that when B got out to lock the truck into 4wheel drive, his foot slipped and he looked like Bambi trying to walk on ice. When I saw that I had to hold in my laughter.

We got off that road and headed home safely.

I am really sorry to build up this story to such a climax as this and then end so abruptly. What would my English teacher have to say about this?

But really that's all I got.

Needing Some Feedback...

2009-08-05T09:45:00.006-04:00

As some of you have probably seen the latest fashion for fall seems to be hats like these.

I know someone close to me who knows how to make them. My question to you is, first of all, are you interested, how much do you think is a reasonable price, and what are some colors you like. Something that I thought of is putting a button in the middle of the flower that is the first letter of the child's name, because I know how everyone loves to personalize stuff!

Let me know what you think about it.

Just Thought I'd Share

2009-07-30T14:36:00.013-04:00

A possible new treatment for many acute spinal injuries may be coating that blue M&M or in that blue bottle of Gatorade. There they go the Gators did it again. (Just in case in live under a rock, the University of Florida created Gatorade.)

Researchers from the University of Rochester found that non-toxic blue food dye (known as BBG) stops the cascade of molecular events that causes secondary damage to the spinal cord in the hours following an injury -- and the interruption could prevent paralysis.

Researchers studied rats, but hope this breakthrough could lead to treatments in humans. And because blue food dye is already known to be safe when ingested, the researchers see this as a promising development.

When a spinal cord injury occurs, a molecule called adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP, is released in high amounts. The ATP molecules then bind to receptors that trigger irreversible cell death, which then leads to swelling.

What they found to be contained in this dye, blocks that receptor cascade, so you don't get the cell death and you don't get the swelling.

The research on rats did have one temporary side effect: The animals had a slight blue tint to their white fur and paws. What a small price to pay blue skin over walking Hummmm. No. Brainer.

Still, rats who received the treatment, the researchers reported, were able to recover much of their limb function, to the point of being able to walk again, though with a limp.

So speaking of Gators is anymore else like totally ready for football season? Because I am too excited! (SEC to be exact)

I have prematurely got out the car flags and dusted off the car magnets. And I may or may not have already posted the team schedule on my fridge over the family Easter picture. (What? I ran out of magnets!)

2008
#4 FLA (11-1) 45
#20 FSU (8-4) 15

(Just in case anyone forgot!!!)

Happy Four Year Anni To Us

2009-07-21T15:28:00.041-04:00

It's our turn for the anniversary post! Yep, July 23, 2005 was our special day, and the hottest day especially if the air conditioning is not working at your reception site! Whole nother story. I think back on that day and want to do it all over again. Is that wrong? The dress, the hair, the flower's girls headpiece, the dress, the ring bearer's pillow, the homemade programs, and the dress. I really loved my dress! You know the day that Shally and Jason got married I was wedding gown shopping. Just thought I'd throw that in there. And my MIL told me that Christen Hinson said she was in David's Bridal and when she saw this particular dress she said,"Oh Mama that dress right there makes me want to get married all over again!" Then when my MIL described what she had seen, I told her that was the exact dress I had picked out that day. You can tell that we've been busy since then, because the dress still hangs in the closest at my parent's house. Every time I go to my mom and dad's I go in my old bedroom (now an office) and unzip the bag and run my hand over all the beading. Ok enough about all that. I will fill the rest up with pictures! Also, the song playing is the song that Christen sang at our wedding, just before I walked through the doors. I have never told her this but I was singing the words right along with her in the foyer of my church. The other song was our first dance (When I Fall in Love by Chris Botti). The first time I heard him play, he was on Oprah, he made me stand still in my tracks and I knew right then that was going to be the song.

My dress was not white, it was called candlelight and after we bought it I was having serious regrets, because every time I would picture the dress in my mind it looked browner and browner.

Just a little nervous

Hey, a girls gotta eat!

He totally looks nervous here.

Aww but look at Pudgy in the background-so sweet!

(It was probably my bridesmaid Amiee coming down the aisle when this was shot.)

Left to right: Aimee, Lynn, Tina, Me, Keli, Paige, Lindsay, Allyson

Ok, left to right here we go!

Chad, Travis, Austin, Nate, Robert, B, Pudgy, Joe, Micah, Josh, Randy Front:Lil' Bill

What a line up.A week later Micah cut his hair. Thanks!

Here I was telling B,"Hey did you notice that I said 'I Do' TWICE!"
Aaand here we were placing his ring on the correct finger-thank you to whoever LOL in the crowd, at the time I didn't even know why ya'll were laughing!

I never would have thought that I would have been as hands on as I was with the wedding. But you know how the saying,"If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself." Or stand over your mother and scrutinize every little detail while she does all the work. Same thing -Right?

But surprise, surprise,

I made the flower girl's headpiece...

and her basket...

all of these programs...
...the ring bearer's pillow (inspired by Donald Trump's ring bearer's pillow-could not find a picture to show you)
and hundreds of these cd wedding favors!
Some of my favorite pictures from this day are with my niece Allyson.

St. Thomas/St. John VI here we come! (or came)

Menu Plan Monday

2009-07-20T12:12:00.007-04:00

Monday- Slow-Cooker Orange-BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
(Also receives the "Longest Name" Award)
Chips

Tuesday- Grilled Chicken
Butter Noodles
Squash
Garlic Cheese Buscuits (Bisquick makes this and it's right beside the muffin mixes, I tried to find a picture of the package to show you but Betty Crocker didn't have one on their site.)

Wednesday-Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas
(chicken tenderloins are BOGO at W/D)

Thursday- Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Rice (Pork loins are manager's special too!)
Fordhook Lima Beans
French Bread

Friday- Pizza

Saturday- Beef Strognaff (B LOVES this so get used to seeing it often)
Cabbage
Black Eyed Peas

Sunday- Stuffed Shells
Garlic Bread
Salad

*Hint- I have recently learned to pick up a bag of chicken nuggets or a box of corn dogs for the kids on the weekend. Maybe this will help one of you.
-Seriously why did it take this long to figure that out (kids really should come with an instruction manual for moms like me that aren't all that maternal). It took a handful of Saturday lunch hours of standing in the kitchen with hungry kids until I finally came up with this idea.

One more mind boggling food related thing, as you know we were on vacay last week, last night I was in the kitchen preparing my sandwich for my lunch today and I realized we did not have any mayo. No it wasn't that we were out, it was missing. B asked if I had taken it to the lake with us. I replied "No, that's kinda an odd thing to take to the lake." Ok let's think the last time I used it was when I fixed potato salad for Hot dog night like 2 weeks ago! So, seriously if you broke into our house and stole our mayo please bring it back! Turkey with cheese and mustard is just WRONG! Oh, and are you the same person who brought our trash cans up to the house after garbage day Wednesday-just curious. But really I've been wondering.

The Lake 2009

2009-07-18T19:27:00.007-04:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

If you will notice how Hayley placed her lamby on the headrest so that he could see too! So sweet. In a nut shell the weather was great, we ate M&Ms, we swam, ate snickers, we tubed, we ate M&Ms, we napped, Leightoe ran around most of the time with no bathing suit at all, we ate M&Ms, we were just plain lazy, and we read the People magazine special on MJ while eating M&Ms ok ok ok you all know me way too well, it was ME eating all those M&Ms! Hayley is now sportin' the freckles all the way across the nose and I think Leightoe actually acquired a tan! I didn't think that was possible with her gene pool.

This One's For My Work Angel

2009-07-10T13:28:00.003-04:00

This probably isn't one of those stories you tell your kids just before tucking them into bed at night. But for your reading pleasures I just wanted to share with you what just happened to me at work.

As you all (all 7 of you) know I am a MRI Technologist. There are certain things you can and cannot take into the magnet room. (A MRI machine is essentially one big magnet) Some magnets are stronger than others, the one I am working on now is pretty mediocre on the scale of strengths.

I hope I am not boring you. I did not mean for this to be a physics lesson.

Anyhow, as I am explaining to my patient (who is an African American-yes that tid bit of info will help later on in the story) what he cannot take into the room, cell, watch, I said and I always say "It's probably a good idea to just empty EVERYTHING out of your pockets." He agreed and did just that.

So we proceed and go into the room. He gets on the table and something (that small voice inside my head, I call it my "work angel"-he and I have become very good friends) told me, as I noticed the deep pockets on his demin shorts, to ask one more time. "You don't have anything else in your pockets right?" I kinda have grown attached to my eyeballs and would like to keep them for a few more years- Amen?

He says,"Oh, wait..yeah."

I stick my hand out to get it from him so that I could lay it on the counter for him.

Do you know what it was?!?!

A GRILL!!!

Uh, yeah! As I put my hand out, and it was too late at this point, I could hear him saying "oh I haven't had it in my mouth."

Yeah right. He just keeps it in his pocket and pops it in before going into the Mall?

Why don't I just let the elderly patients hand me their dentures?

After that he handed over two lighters and a pocket knife. Not just any old regular little pocket knife, one that McGiver is probably carrying around somewhere.

Sorry, just had to share.

P.S. We are leaving for the lake Sunday and will be returning on Friday so I will get back with ya then. Love ya!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-07T21:03:00.002-04:00

Fun Filled Fourth

2009-07-06T20:53:00.015-04:00

First of all I hope you all had a great 4th of July! I am so grateful to live in this nation! Thoughts fill my mind year round of the privileges I have that many others don't. Just another glimpse into my head. Be careful it's scary in there!!!

Anyways, last week I looked forward to Friday like I was kid going to Disney World for the first time. I was super excited to be off Friday because we were going to the beach!! Here are some pictures from Friday afternoon.

Leighton was so proud of her sandcastle-she built it all by herself!

Daddys were entertaining while Mommys were sunbathing!

Hayley, Kate, Leighton

After the beach we went home and took naps. Later the kids went to spend the night with their Gaby and Papa, and B and I went to dinner and movie with our friends, Chad and Christy. And apparently I like run on sentences.

Ok I have to add this in. We all went to see the movie Hangover. I have to be honest B and I had plans to go see Proposal, and when the plans changed to Hangover I wasn't to keen on the idea because I'm a huge wedding sap. But then I found out that Hangover starts out as this guys Bachelor party I was game because surely there had to be some sign of a wedding in this movie.
I have never been so glad I saw a movie in my life! It was the funniest movie EVER!!!!

I would love to sit here and recite every part to you that I thought was funny, but I won't do that to you, plus I would be here til midnight because my typeing skils rnt that gr8.

After the movie we went and hung out with guy.

Them.

And these folks.

(Not pictured Josh and Joy)

Saturday we stayed around the house for the morning. Oh, I have to tell you, I drug out my old stereo, from when I lived with my parents, and put it in the playhouse. I have a video (that I will post on Wednesday) of Hayley singing to (I think) Taylor Swift. It is hilarious!

So they played while I spring cleaned the carport (What? Better late than never). Actually, if you want to know the truth I was embarrassed when Matt and Hollie came to the house Friday to pick us up for the beach, so the first chance I got I was throwing stuff away and sweeping and throwing stuff away.

Am I the only one like that? When you have someone stop by or company over and the house isn't exactly the way you would like, the minute they leave you start cleaning out of sheer embarrassment.

Yeah, I thought I was the only one.

Anyway, we are half way through the weekend.
So Saturday afternoon we went over to Ben and Kristin's for a BBQ and slip-n-slide.

(This picture is supposed to be at the end of this day.)

Happy Birthday to Ben (Yes that is a tea light candle in the cake!)
After the fireworks we all went back to Ben and Kristin's for more food and more fireworks!
I have to say that while we were at the Hilliard Airport waiting on the fireworks to start I felt like I was on the set of Hope Floats, you know that small town feeling. It was like all the people that had moved away and had their own families came back to Hilliard for the Forth of July. I could tell B saw some friends he hadn't seen in a while. It was really neat to stand back and watch.

Sunday we did the unthinkable. We skipped church and headed for the water park in St. Mary's.

On the way there we found out that the park didn't open until 1:00. We had about an hour to kill so we stopped and had lunch at Applebee's. One word to sum up that stop - STRESS! We rarely and I mean rarely take the kids to a restaurant. I bribed the girls that I would take them to the gum ball machine and let them get a piece of chewy, as Leighton calls it, if they ate their lunch. So after they ate we walked to the back of the restaurant and there were four canisters of chewy and tattoos and such. I could only scramble up .25, so that meant we would have to bite it in half. Hayley decided she wanted the chewy that had all the swirly colors on it. I said ok and we put the money in and turned the crank. She popped in her mouth and I said "Wait! Wait! Wait! Bite it in half." B had walked up after paying the bill so I handed the chewy to B and said here you bite it in half. He said, "No you." As I was about to pop it in my mouth I realized it wasn't chewy at all! It was a RUBBER BOUNCY BALL!!!!!! Hayley was thrilled that she had a bouncy ball, but I had to carry Leighton out of Applebee's screaming and crying.

After the water park it was back to Ben and Kristin's for our annual Sunday evening, hot dog night. (You would think they would get tired of seeing our faces, but as long as they invite us we'll keep showin' up.)

"The Way You Make Me Feel"...

2009-06-27T14:13:00.003-04:00

All STRESSED out!!!!!!

There you have it (above) me paying my respects for The King of Pop. Even though my king of pop is Coca-Cola. As you can tell Thriller and Beat It were a little before my time. Yes, he has been around forever and it is a shocker that he's not on this earth with us anymore, but frankly I thought he had serious issues.

Now, back to why I am all stressed out. Just take a look...

Need I say more!

This has been going on since Wednesday. Let's see...

Leighton

Up Wednesday night 3 times (I think, I lost count)
Had a croupy cough & croupy breathing
No fever until Friday
Went to the doctor with B Thursday & got some steroids
Puked all over herself while laying on the couch Friday evening
Woke up Saturday with a little fever & NO croup

Hayley

Low grade fever Wednesday
Up Thursday night 4 times (I think, I lost count)
Went to doctor with B Thursday arriving with a temp. of 104.
Drank 1/2 gallon of Tylenol at doctor's office
Friday still low grade fever
Woke up Saturday feeling GREAT & ready to play (@7:30 am !!!)

I just want to add that it is pretty predictable what the house is going to look like when I get home from work after B has kept both kids while they are both ill! Boy did he surprise me Thursday! The dishes were washed! The floor was mopped! The toys were put away! All sixteen pairs of shoes were lined up by the side door! And (the best for last) the kids were sleeping!

Is this guy awesome or what!?!?!

Also he practically met me at the door and informed me that he was going to W/D to get some food.

"For dinner?"

"No."

"Oh, for your lunches?"

"No."

(light bulb came on) "You're just going to walk around to get out of the house and away from the kids for a while."

He smiled and shut the door.

The End

Menu Plan Monday

2009-06-22T09:18:00.005-04:00

Here's another trick that I use. A lot of times I will plan out my menu while I'm at work. And what would happen is, I would sit there and not be able to think of anything to cook. So one afternoon at home I sat down and wrote out a list of every entree', side dish, and bread that I knew how to make and that I knew my family liked. The problem that I would come across is that my food lists would be at home and I am writing my menu at work. So one day I brought my food lists to work with me and typed them in my email. So, now I have my food lists with me wherever life may lead.

Sounds a bit crazy I'm sure! But the goal is to keep life movin' and you gotta do crazy things sometimes!

Here's my menu for the week:

Monday
Goolash
Steamed Broccoli
Fruit Salad (the kind with the marshmallows)
Croissant Rolls

Tuesday
Salmon Patties
Grits
Baked Beans

Wednesday
Beef Stew
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/easy-beef-stew-54045.aspx
Rice
Biscuits

Thursday
Homemade Beef a Roni
-Ground beef, strain, add 2 cans of tomato sauce, 1 can of water, 1 box uncooked macaroni noodles, simmer for 15 min. top with mozzarella cheese!
Sweet Peas
Pear Salad

Friday
Chicken Spaghetti Bake (recipe from Tara Libby)
Garlic Bread

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T09:00:00.001-04:00

Menu Plan Monday

2009-06-15T11:29:00.007-04:00

I am going to try to do this every Monday. I thought about posting a menu on Saturdays or Sundays. We will see how it goes, because a lot of times I plan out my meals Monday or Tuesday so I can go to the grocery store Wednesday while the kiddos are with my in-laws. I also plan out my menu for two weeks that way I only go the grocery store once every two weeks. I usually have to stop in for diapers and milk but it's a lot quicker! So, I might only do Menu Plan Monday every two weeks, can you tell I haven't put too much thought into this. Also, I do not know how to link a site to my recipes so for now, a hint is I get a lot of good stuff from kraftfoods.com. I'll be working on that for next time though.

Monday- Chicken Fajita Salad
http://thematzats.blogspot.com/2008/05/chicken-fajita-salad.html

Tuesday- Braised Tomato Spareribs
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/braised-tomato-spareribs-104762.aspx
Okra and Tomatoes
Rice
Mac and Cheese

Wednesday-Crock Pot Lasagna
http://mimismakingmeals.blogspot.com/2008/11/crock-pot-lasagna.html
Green Beans
Breadsticks

Thursday-Beef Strognaff
Squash
Steamed Broccoli
Crossiant Rolls

Friday-BBQ Glazed Chicken
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/so-easy-bbq-glazed-chicken-92086.aspx
Black Eyed Peas
Cream Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/cream-cheese-stuffed-tomatoes-57001.aspx
Italian Bread

Saturday-Blackened Chicken Pizza
http://thebigmamablog.com/category/im-cooking/

Sunday-Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/new-look-scalloped-potatoes-ham-69207.aspx
Fruit Salad
Garlic Cheese Buscuits

Here a Bonus if you like sweet stuff for Breakfast, B is more of an Eggs and Bacon breakfast person, take your left over buscuits (plain not the Garlic Cheese Buscuits) icing (plain old cake or cookie icing) and some of your favorite jelly (I use strawberry). Stack it all up buscuit, icing and jelly ontop ummmm so good! Be sure to have a big tall glass of milk too. I do that on Sunday morning then send the kiddies to the nusery at church! All wired up on icing at 9:30 in the morning!!!

Love

2009-06-12T14:00:00.008-04:00

Have you ever heard a really good song about love? I know that sounds SUPER cheesy! But as most girls do when they hear a good love song on the radio they go "Oh I want that to be sung in my wedding!" I have a song that if I could turn back the hands of time this song would have been sung. Love Is Not A Fight-Warren Barfield. This song has really spoke to me recently.

Ok, even though I am already married (Yes, sorry guys I'm taken. And this is funny because the only guy that reads this is my husband!) I can only hope that this song is still around for my daughters weddings. (Aww my stomach just got all flip floppy thinking about them getting married!) Assuming that I am not going to live vicariously through them, wink wink! And hoping they don't get married at the same time ooooorrrr I'm gonna have to sell a kidney!

This song has so much truth to it. Here are some of the lyrics plus my interpretation:

Love is not a place
To come and go as we please (don't leave every time things get bad)
It’s a house we enter in
And then commit to never leave (marriage is forever)
Lock the door behind you
Throw away the key
We’ll work it out together
Let it bring us to our knees (pray about it together)
Love is a shelter in the raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
If we try to leave,
May God send His angels to guard the door (pray for God to protect your marriage)
No, love is not a fight but it’s something worth fighting for

(You can listen to the song-just crank up the volume)

Fun In The...Well, Overcast?

2009-06-11T18:21:00.007-04:00

This was about all the kids really played I guess the adults were enough entertainment!

See the expression on our faces. Like we are bracing for the impact!

I really don't know why I had one eye closed in every picture.

I'm pretty sure it was this move here that had us ALL hurting for the next 5 days!

This was sooo much fun! If you are ever bored on the weekend and just don't feel like driving to the nearest water park you've got to try this! If you can find $12 for the tarpe and some friends that are just as CRAZY as you, I promise you'll have a BLAST!!!!!

Thank you to Matt and Hollie for hosting!

And thank you Hollie for providing the pictures

It Tasted Like An Old Boot

2009-06-07T15:53:00.004-04:00

This Sunday School's lesson was about unselfish love. If there were a word that means the opposite of love, it is selfishness. It is a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves.

Here is a thought that I learned (and I can't remember where I read this), if I were to complain that B is being selfish by spending time at the gym rather than helping me with the kids at home, I am being selfish for thinking that way. Does that make sense?

The assignment this week was to pick one way that you can demonstrate unselfish love to your spouse.

When I started thinking about what I could do for B a certain list popped into my mind.

This list came from FamilyLife.com (it's GOOD you should check it out) Simply Romantic Tips for Him/Her.

You know until I came across this list just a few months ago I don't think I ever understood what romance was. I now know that it's not a scene from a movie or a candle light bedroom. The best way to get this across is for me to just list some of things from this list. There are 87 of them so I'll just pick a few. But seriously check out FamilyLife.com.

Holding hands
Find a book that he/she is reading a leave a note in it every 20 pages or so
On those chilly mornings go out and warm up his/her car

After church we came home to eat lunch. I had put a roast in the crock pot at 8:00am for 4 hours with carrots and potatoes. When we came home and I started to cut the meat it wouldn't even cut it was sooo tough. The veggies didn't even taste cooked, I had no milk for the kraft mac and cheese and apparently you can't store buscuits in a ziplock bag. Maybe next week we'll just go out to eat!

In The Beginning...

2009-06-02T09:15:00.013-04:00

Sunday, while we were in the car to Dylan's 2nd birthday party, by the way Happy Birthday Dylan, B and I were going over the discussions in our Sunday School classes.

Let me fill some people in. Our Sunday school class has teamed up with other Sunday school classes and then we have separated, dividing men and women. There were about 15 women in class Sunday and I would speculate there were about the same number of men. The class is about marriage and discussing what the Bible says about a lot of the things young married couples face.

Back to driving in the car. B and I were asking each other how the other one's class went. I told him I thought it went really well. I didn't tell B this but sometimes in a larger group discussion like that I will have some input on a topic and then my heart starts POUNDING, my feet and hands start SWEATING, (yes I said feet), and my metabolism kicks in (yes I said that too). I know it's just the devil attacking me and I get these flash backs of my Speech class in college.

But there is usually someone who has the similar thought and shares it for me. I just want to send out big THANK YOU to Becky. She piped in for me last Sunday morning. The question was how do put your husband before your children? What I wanted to say was something that I learned when I was pregnant with Hayley. Let me rephrase that, while I was big as a house about to pop pregnant with Hayley.

It went like this: "In a sense, your children merely pass through your home." What was meant by that was they only live in your home for a time while they are growing up. "When the children have grown up and moved out a lot of times the husband and wife are estranged from each other because for all these years it has all been about the children." That is why it is soooo important to make time for just each other!

That's some GOOOOD stuff right there!

Whew, kept it comin' I hope the next 5 weeks are jammed packed with that kinda info!

Now if you thought that was good listen to what B had to say.

They talked about Adam and Eve. As we all know Eve ate the apple first then tricked Adam into eating as well. B said," and as ALL men do, Adam turned and pointed the finger to God. Adam said, 'Well this is the woman that You gave to me.'"

But B (and later I learned too) said but it's the man who's in charge. So Adam should have taken responsibility in that situation.

I have never looked at it quite that way.

And down the way Hayley and Leighton must have been busy learning new stuff too like how to say there prayers, other than just the daily "kankyou Jesus for this food. Amen."

Because now Hayley shows off her skills at the dinner table.

(watch the last line)

"God is good

God is great

Let us thank Him for our food

By his hands

We are feed

Thank you Lord

For Hayley's breath"

No joke the first time B and I heard this come out of her mouth it was all we had to keep it together at the dinner table.

She is definitely mine, she's got the mind set that the world revolves around her!

Some Friends, Some Sun, Some Food, Some Drama

2009-05-29T09:01:00.020-04:00

That's how I would sum up last weekend.

I am sorry it has taken me so long to post. This week has been a little sleepless. Leighton had one bad night where she would just yell out in her sleep and I would just lay there waiting for her to call me or cry and Hayley has been under the weather. B stayed with her Tuesday and I stayed home Wednesday and left work early Thursday to take her to the Dr. Along with a dirty house and piles of laundry I am still folding from last weekend. (I have been borrowing B's socks all week for a lack of clean ones in my drawer)

Last Saturday we arose at 7:00am and were on our way to Welaka at 9:00am. It POURED down rain for 2 hours on the way there.

As soon as we arrived the rain cleared up and we were unpacking all the water/sand toys. I guess no one noticed the black cloud that lingered over B's head.

I asked him to go get the wagon full of toys out of the back of the truck for the kids.

He said "Sure."

While he was gone to the truck it had started to sprinkle and we all decided it would be a good time to eat lunch while it was raining.

I was trying to be a good wife and wait for B to get back with the toys, so we could all walk together inside to get lunch. Well now it was raining a little harder and "What the heck is taking him sooo long?!?"

So the girls and I go up to the house without him. I walk up to see everyone crowded around B with his foot propped up in a chair, and it would be an understatement if I said blood was pouring out of his foot. Some were saying he didn't need stitches and some were saying he did. Let's just say he definitely DID.

So Matt and his sweet Mama loaded up B and took him to the Critical Care Center. Where in my opinion the doctor did a work of art, he pieced it back together perfectly! They were back in a couple of hours, the sun was out and B was barefooting.

What? He had his tennis shoes on.

Oh, and enough pain pills to feed an army!

Mrs. Mary saved us from having to stay at the hotel near the lake.

P.S. I think Hayley and Leighton have officially adopted Mrs. Mary as their Welaka Grandmother.

Sunday morning as Matt, Hollie, B, all our kids, and I sat around eating pecan pancakes, yeah that's right pecan pancakes and sausage, Hollie and I were remembering the days as a teen when we would load up to go to the beach and be so conscious of how we looked in a bathing suit that it didn't matter how hungry or lightheaded you would get, no one stopped for food. Just shake it off! I laughed about that! It's funny how you forget stuff like that.

After breakfast we went over to where the VanZant and Buchanan Families were staying. When we got there some of the kids were catching minnows and putting them in a bucket. Hayley thought this was the neatest thing ever, she joined right in!

These must have been the slowest minnows in the world because even I could catch them.

Well the other kids were catching them and putting them in a bucket. Not my Hayley she wanted to hold them and talk to them and take pictures with them.

Right before I took this picture she gave the "sleeping" minnows a pep talk. "Ok little fishees, it's ok, come on just smile."

I have never seen her make a sweeter smile then when she was posing with her fishees. Notice she even leaned her head into the fish, there was so much love!

She would lay them down to take a "nap." Needless to say we had sleeping fishees everywhere!

Late Sunday afternoon we packed up and headed home.

It was pitch black outside and pouring down rain. But that didn't matter to Leigh Leigh.

Monday we stayed around the house, grilled out, ate watermelon, and of course drug out the slip and slide!

We were trying to teach Hayley how to slip and slide without actually doing it. It wasn't working! One of us had to show her. Can you guess who that was?

The Good 'Ole Days

2009-05-22T15:19:00.006-04:00

First of all I would just like to say, I am sorry for abandoning my blog for a while. All I can say is - Writer's Block!

Depending whether or not you have been affected by the downhill turn that our economy has taken, what I am about to talk about might seem a bit shallow but just try to see the brighter side with me for a sec.

Let me just reiterate. I know that there are a lot of people struggling financially right now.

I personally remember having that particular staff meeting on that Tuesday in September and being told by the manager that Friday we will be shutting the doors. I had three days to find a job because I knew the bills would not stop coming just because the paycheck stop coming.

Mine is just one of the millions of stories of people who have experienced a job loss.

But can I just share a few good things that have come out of all this?

Oh, good I knew you would want to hear me ramble! (haha wink wink)

-People are realizing where they have been throwing there money away all this time. Like the guy who finally read his cell phone bill. Really read it and cut back minutes when he never used them in the first place. People are getting rid of a lot of waste.

-Others have to do without luxury staples like TV. I LOVE this one, because it means people are getting outside and spending more time with there families! Like the good 'ole days when kids played outside 'till dark.

-Speaking of getting outside, we are growing a garden! It's healthy and it saves on the grocery bill.

-I especially appreciate the one story where the husband loses his job so the wife goes back to work. So guess who's picking the kids up from school and cleaning the bathrooms and cooking the meals. I think the husband has a new found appreciation for what the wife has been doing all this time! I bet it does wonders for getting a little help now and then.

Maybe this economic turn is a sign that people will get back to there roots and start realizing what's important. At least we can all hope.

Let us reflect on the changes over the years.

1957 VS 2009

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2009 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2009 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

1957 - Ants die.

2009- BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Miscellaneous Weekend

2009-05-18T08:29:00.012-04:00

This Saturday we went swimming over at our friends pool. The picture that I did not take was too cute with four little girls swimming in a huddle, sticking together like a school of fish. I was wishing that I had taken out stock on water wings, there was five or six pair in the pool that evening!

The other picture that I did not take was of Hayley and Leighton eating Wendy's happy meals in their playhouse after church Sunday. The same playhouse that I am still not finished painting! I have given myself a deadline- the end of summer. I tried to make some curtains for it Friday night, but I didn't get enough material so back to War-Mart I go.

Thanks to B for making fun of me, "Momma's wearing granny panties!" he announces to the entire world, ok he really just yelled it in the house. Now Hayley thinks I wear Granny's panties. Thanks B!

Saturday night we tried out Bar-B-Q Barn or whatever it's called. It was really good, especially the baked beans!

I watched Marley & Me Friday night.

The power went out Sunday afternoon. Woke up from my Sunday nap b/c Hayley and I were sweating and sticking to each other. Not a fun way to wake up!

Ok, ok, ok I know let's face it I got nothing for this post I am trying to entertain you with what I ate and watched and it's not working for me. I try to at least have a point or a story to tell. My life was boring this weekend so, I will save both of us the pain and sign off.

B had a fun packed weekend maybe I should get him to write a post, yeah probably not.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T18:34:00.002-04:00

I Ate the Bread of Idleness

2009-05-11T09:41:00.031-04:00

Friday when I picked the girls up from their sitter I was told to sit on the couch and close my eyes. So I did. (If you wanna know the truth I was thinking that the Cockerspaniel at the sitter's house had puppies and that she was going to try to 'paw'n one off on me. Thoughts start rushing through my head like: I'm not very good at "No", we would need to get a fence, the girls would LOVE a dog) Now that I think about it, the dog isn't even pregnant and to top it off it's a male dog! So Irrational!)

Anyways, I open my eyes to see this:

They said, "Happy Mother's Day!"

They were sooooo proud!

The sweetest thing about it was the paint all over the girls shirts from the paint. I know it sounds crazy, but I just have this vision in my head of them sitting at the miniature picnic table finger painting, knowing that they were painting these vases just for me!

Friday night I stayed up until 11:00 folding laundry, vacuuming, mopping, and washing dishes so that Saturday and Sunday I could (eat the bread of idleness) enjoy the day and be with my girls instead of worrying about a "to-do" list. Let's face it when you have a 2 year old and a 3 year old no matter how hard you try there's not much idleness going on! Saturday after we woke up and ate breakfast, we hit the road. One particular road, the one that took us straight to the beach! It was the first time I had ever taken them to the beach, they had both been before just with other people. We met my mom and sister there. We all had the best time! B could not join us due to he had the Swine Flu. No I am not 100% sure that's what he had but I am sure he had a lot of symptoms like chest pain, coughing up "stuff", achy back, and sweating like a PIG at night. So there you have my version of the Swine Flu.

(Do your best Jeff Foxworthy voice) You know you're from Hilliard when.........

...you're 3 year old knows how to crack open her own boiled peanuts!!!!

Oh, and guess who followed us all the way to the beach.......

No I am NOT kidding!

We had just gotten to where you can drive on the beach, we had the windows down, and the kids were looking out the window and Hayley spotted it! She said,"Momma, is that the ice cream truck?" I can't remember what I told her but later they spotted it again and on one side it only has pictures of food food like hot dogs, chips and stuff. So I tried to convince her that, that particular "ice cream" truck only sold hot dogs.

I hope everyone had a

Happy Mother's Day

(even to those of you expecting)

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-05T13:13:00.003-04:00

"With All Do Respectiveity"

2009-05-04T11:26:00.023-04:00

That was a line from the Broadway musical Wicked. Saturday my mom, my sis-in-law, my mom-in-law, & I all went to see Wicked. It was sooooooo good! And very funny. We all had the best time!

My mom had seen the show in Chicago and when she saw it was going to be in Jacksonville she called me and told me I really needed to go! So we did. The only other Broadway show that I have seen, was when I was in N.Y., I saw The King and I and I fell asleep. I had been picked from my cheer leading squad to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and we were sooooo busy the whole time we were there. I was sooooo exhausted I found the first comfortable seat in the theatre and CRASHED!!! So I don't think that one really counts.

The show pretty much took up the entire day though somehow I still managed to get three loads of laundry done. Note to anyone who goes to see Wicked it is 3 hours long. Which was fine I just expected it to be around 2 hours and so did the sitter!

Sunday after the a.m. church service the girls and I hoped in the car to head over to Julington Creek for my dad's birthday. NOTE: B could not join us as for there was an OREMC work truck in our drive way. NOTE for NOTE that means he was on call.

All was fun and games 'til mom brought out the trick candles! I tried not to think of the spit that I was probably indulging as I ate the chocolate cake. It was well worth it! (FIVE layer chocolate cake!! Someone was doing some serious baking!)

We had fun eating and swimming in the pool. I got to visit with my older brother and sister who I never get to see. I was very excited to find out that my brother is getting married at a Disney Resort in October. Let me clarify that. I knew he is getting married, I knew it is in Orlando, and I knew it is in October I just didn't know about the Disney part. So my chances of taking the girls to Disney while we are there just got a bit better!

And as if that were not enough for the weekend I decided at 7:00 pm last night to start potty training Leighton, right then, at that very moment. We haven't started out so well seeing as how 45 minutes into it I was reaching for the carpet cleaner!

The girls were soooo tired from all the swimming that Hayley's nap last until 8:00 pm. The only way I could get her to wake up was to bribe her with some ice cream.

If you need me I'll be preparing my acceptance speech for Parent of the Year!

Corn, Cantaloupe, Squash, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Jalapenos, Habenero Peppers, & Super Chilies

2009-04-28T19:26:00.008-04:00

That's what's in our garden this summer. B has been so hard at work getting it started. It's lookin' good so far. If the weather will cooperate we will be feasting like Kings or a least have a King Size heartburn. Now if we could just keep the girls from driving thru the middle of it with the Mustang we will be in good shape.

We have to have an increase in crops this year in order to feed our three children. Yes I said three! And no I am not pregnant! I am SOOOOOO excited to share with you that B and I have decided to sponsor a child with Compassion. Her name is Saydi and she is 3 years old. Her birthday is January 12th and she lives in Nicaragua. Which is really neat because when I first started my search I was trying to find a child who shared a birthday with one of the girls, but no luck. So I decided to look at some pictures to see which child would be a good match for our family. Then I found sweet Saydi! Hayley's birthday is January 3rd, so close enough. Words cannot express the excitement I am feeling about making a difference in this child's life.

I have to admit that I have been reading the blogs of the people in Kolkata, India. It had such a deep impact on me when I read about all of the infants who didn't even have a name because they don't live very long or the post from Melissa who talked about the kids who aren't told "I love you" just because in the Indian culture the poor just don't express their love to their children. To me that is just absolutely heartbreaking. I can't ever imagine not telling my girls that I love them. Hayley was sitting across the dinner table from me last night and told B and I that she loved us three or four times. I kept looking at B like why does she keep saying that. Maybe that was all I needed from God to confirm that this was something I needed to do. If I can write a letter to Saydi and tell her that not only does my family love her but also the Creator of this great big world I will, and I will do it a MILLION times!

I have to admit I get this big lump in my throat sometimes when I think about this little girl. The letters we will write, the prayers we will say, the birthday packages, and the thoughts of Saydi every day are just a few of my thoughts recently. I will keep you posted with updates of our sweet Saydi. (That name just fits I think it might stick, not just Saydi, but Sweet Saydi)

Our Ice Cream Truck Lady is Sittin' Tall

2009-04-26T22:07:00.009-04:00

Well the weekend is over already, it always seems to fly by! Saturday morn the girls and I did some quick shopping and came home to pickup B to make it to the family reunion at Aunt Sue and Uncle Eddie's, where we found out some very exciting news (that I am not at liberty to discuss right now-sorry, but I will soon). Then we came home to get ready for nap time because later that night B and I were going to a wedding. While I was trying to get Leighton down for a nap Hayley was still in the living room with B. And yes I heard "it" outside but if you don't acknowledge "it" neither will the kids. But oooohhhh no not B. I hear him and Hayley get all excited and run outside, so then Leighton starts wondering what all the excitement is about. Before I knew it we were all standing in the driveway. B comes inside with a whole arm full of goodies. We told the girls they could have their treats after they took their naps. They agreed. B tells me later that he spent $8.50 on that stuff! WHAT! (This is right up there with the Girl Scout Cookies.) He tells me (and this is going to sound familiar) that's it's not just buying ice cream and rocket popsicles, it's about the Ice Cream Truck. I stand there just looking at him with this look of "You gotta be kiddin me?" Today he comes inside with a huge grin on his face and tells me that, "I set a new record! $9.00." I ask him, "What would Suze Ormand have to say about all this?" He says,"Who?" Eeeexactly. Y'all I can guarantee that there will never be a day that this Ice Cream Truck passes up our house!

Let me share this with you. He will buy:

Tools out of a tent (a tent sale on the side of the road)

A generator off of the radio

Speakers out of a van (yes a white van with no windows-cash only please)

Meat out of a truck (tasted like a rubber boot)

A mattress by just looking at the catalog from the mail

This guy is the biggest sucker I know!

Kids Say The Darnest Things

2009-04-22T18:24:00.023-04:00

Well today I decided that I will never return to War-Mart again. (yes red squiggly line I see you and no that is not misspelled that is how we say it in our family-inside joke) Yeah right! That is kinda like saying I will never eat chocolate again.

When I woke up this morning I didn't think this day would bring anything blog worthy. God is getting a chuckle out of me right now, because boy was I wrong! It was supposed to be a quick trip to the pediatric dermatologist with Hayley followed up by a quick stop in War-Mart and then back home to finish up the house work.

This is how it really went.

We arrived at the dermatologist office and had our visit. All was smooth except when Hayley broke into complete hysteria when the Dr. put on her gloves. Oh and every time she touched Hayley she would scream out,"SHE'S HURTING ME!!!!!!" I wasn't embarrassed at all (hint of sarcasm)! So we leave there and my stomach was trying to eat my backbone so I asked Hayley what she wanted to eat. She replies "Chips." I said alright and we were off to Ruby Tuesdays. All went fairly smooth there. Except when she was enjoying the music piping through the speakers a bit much because I looked up and she is headbanging to Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple. (If you don't know the song-just turn up the volume on your speakers!)

So we finish our meal and head to car. As soon as we get strapped in she says,"Mommy I have to go pee." I told her she could wait. (I know you are thinking I'm a mean parent, but she went twice at the dermatologist office! One of those times she asked me to leave the bathroom so she could do her morning "business". I was really shocked, because we were in a strange bathroom and she's asking to be left alone! You could not have paid me to do that at 3 years old. I would have freaked! So, I said very slowly, so that she would be comforted, "Ok...I..will..be..right..outside..the.. door. Call..me..when..you..are..finished.") Anyways back to the story, we were on our way to War-Mart. As we were pulling in to the parking lot she has increased the frequency of her reminder to once every second! (Say really fast) Mommy I have to go pee, Mommy I have to go pee, Mommy I have to go pee real bad! So I found the first parking spot and grabbed her out of car, at one point I even looked at her, worriedly, and said, "Don't you pee on me!" So then I thought it might be wiser to put her in a buggy and walk briskly. I wish you could have seen me bookin it across the parking lot into the store! Ok no I don't! I found the first associate and asked "Where's the CLOSEST restroom?" The lady pointed and Hayley and I made a dash. I saw the big huge RESTROOM sign hanging from the ceiling and then looked to see where I needed to leave the buggy. I saw a bunch of little signs reading 'Caution Wet Floor' I saw a few associates standing around the entrance and in my mind flashed ok they must be cleaning on that side of the Women's we will just go in this side. Remember we are still bookin it!!!! My only goal at that particular moment was to get this child's rear on a toilet AS SOON AS I COULD! So I grab her out of the buggy and fly into the bathroom. Quick! My eyes always search for the handicap stall (because there is always at least two of us going in)! I am running for the stall and I glance to my right, and suddenly (still running) a thought goes through my mind. It goes like this,"Humm, when did they start putting urinals in a women's bathroom?!?!" So I get in the stall and I did take the time to get a seat cover, I mean after all we were in War-Mart. And another thought goes through my mind, that it is very strange that there are actually seat covers to be gotten. I mean usually they are all gone! I have to take a knee in front of her to catch my breath and I start to hear something. Someone else peeing and loudly, quite loudly as a matter of fact. Then it all starts to sink in. I crouch down to take a peek and I see tennis shoes. Tennis shoes facing the opposite direction as Hayley's shoes!!!! Yep it was then I realized that we were in the Men's Restroom. So she finished up and my plan was just to peek out the door to see when he leaves, and then we will just sneak out right behind him. It was my fear that men would just keep coming in while the first guy was washing his hands and we would never get out of there! But that was just my mind overreacting, it does that sometimes. We did get out right after him. Hayley, however could not understand why we were peeking through the crack of the door nor why we were running for the exist.

So we get back in the buggy and continue our shopping. We pick up a few things and then, from all of the excitement, I have to do some "business" myself. (That happens to me when my stomach gets all worked up -TMI I know, I'm sorry)

Proceed this post with caution!

So I ask an associate where's the nearest restroom and we go in, this time I checked the sign (like three times!). I get in the stall and apparently I had this look on my face because Hayley says to me "Momma..I..will..be..right..outside..the..door.Call..me..when..you..are..finished." I think I heard a lady in the next stall over snicker. In flash she was back. "Momma are you done poopin?!?" I whispered,"No." A few moments later I stand up and she peers around to the toilet and says, very loudly I might add,"WOW MOMMA YOU REALLY POOPED A LOT!!!" I thought the woman on the other side of the wall was going to DIE! I was soooo embarrassed to say the least! At that point I was like let's go, let's just get out of here! So we proceeded to checkout and while we were standing in line Hayley notices that the old gentleman in front of us was wearing flip flops. Hayley turns to me all the while still pointing to the man's shoes and says,"Momma boys don't wear flip flops!" Apparently this 60+ year old man could hear just fine and turned to her and said,"Well, I do." He wasn't rude or anything but at that point I looked at Hayley with my eyes squinted and said bring it on sister today I can take anything you got!

Finish Strong

2009-04-21T12:42:00.002-04:00

The guy who wears number 15 and accessorizes with a ‘red cape’ finished his testimonial after dinner with the following story:
A day or so before the national championship game God touched his heart with a message…Tim needed to change the message on his black eye liner that he wears when he is playing. All year he had a reference to Phillipians 4:13 on the eye liner which represented the following: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. He talked to four or five others about switching the message and everyone except his parents told him not to do it because they had been so successful all year with the Phillipians 4:13. His parents, Pam and Bob Tebow, supported the change and Tim knew it was the right thing to do. He played the championship game with John 3:16 on the eye liner which represents the following: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
We all know the outcome of the game, but the phone call that Tim received a couple of days later when he was back in Gainesville was nothing short of unbelievable. Tim answered his cell phone and it was the P.R. guy for the UF Football game. He said, “You set a record.” Tim wondered what kind of record was he talking about. “In the 24 hour period from the start of the championship game, JOHN 3:16 was Googled…93 MILLION times! No other topic had ever been Googled that many times in a 24 hour period of time.”
Follow up story from Urban Meyer, Coach of the 2008 National Champion University Florida football team:
As Coach Meyer was introduced next, he looked out at the 400 attendees and said, “How do you follow that?” as he referred to Tim’s testimonial.
Coach Meyer then shared a few stories and then introduced his last story with the following introduction:
We all hear about the incredible family Tim is a part of. With everything going on in the world, you just know there is no way Pam and Bob Tebow can be as perfect as they are made out to be.
I am here to tell you I witnessed the most amazing conversation which is the truest testimonial to how incredibly good the Tebows truly are.
A few days after the championship game I sat at a table in the back of the Ballyhoo restaurant with Tim, Pam and Bob Tebow. It was just the four of us and I listened in amazement as Tim’s future about moving to the next level of football was decided. Unbelievably, the NFL was never once mentioned. Tim’s dad started the conversation by saying that Brett Farve spoke about his faith and no one ever listened. Here was a future Hall of Fame quarterback and no one heard his message. Tim then said…”I can think of 93 million reasons why I would want to stay in school and play my senior year at the University of Florida.”
That’s how the decision was made.
Which platform would provide Tim with the best opportunity to share the word of God? As you now know, playing his senior year for the University of Florida would be that choice.
And, is there any doubt about Tim’s passionate commitment to FINISH STRONG!

Some of my thoughts on this:
I am so proud, thankful, overjoyed, moved, ... that Tim would be so passionate about sharing Christ. If we all just had the attitude of how is the most effective way to share Christ instead of how is the most effective way to serve ourselves. How awesome is it that John 3:16 set a record on Google and not some movie preview or some other worldly tangible. Thankyou Aunt Beth for sharing this with me.

The Next Best Place To Being In Heaven

2009-04-18T21:31:00.007-04:00

...is being at The Swamp of course! Today B, Josh, Keli (my sis), and I went to the Gators spring game. The weather was good a little overcast so it was not too hot and not too cool.

Why does my eye look all swollen in this picture, I ask myself. Oh, maybe because I was up at 7:30 already blowing drying this mane of mine I like to call hair.

Ok, ok, ok, if you really want to know the details I will tell you but, I'm warning you I am really letting my guard down on this one! Keli spent the night Friday night so she wouldn't have to get up so early to go with us. Which I loved by the way, because I feel like I never get to spend time with my sister anymore. So we got the kiddies to bed and made the 10:30 trip to the gas station so we could have milk and eggs for breakfast. It was either hit the clubs or go to flash foods and of course we choose flash foods! Anyways, the next morning we get up to get ready and it was just like old times, fighting for the mirror and swapping out so we could each get a turn at the sink. Josh came to Hilliard so we could all ride together. On the way to Gainsville B and Josh had us laughing (sweating) so hard my deodorant had already started to wear off! I noticed a little but didn't really think about it because I was trying to get there (we were going a route that I don't normally take), pay a small fortune to park the car in between two trees (also trying not to run over the guy directing me "a little more to the left"), and get to the Will Call desk to buy our tickets. We finally got our tickets and found some seats. I looked at the game clock and it said 2:36, meaning we had 2 minutes and 36 seconds until halftime. Which I found soooooo (NOT) funny because after the first half of the game they were no longer selling tickets. Nope that's right no more tickets to be sold. Because then you can get in for FREE! So, I think the final price for us was about $1 a minute. But when you're in The Swamp who's counting? Just a side note as we were sitting there enjoying the game I always tend to watch the cheerleaders (more than the football game itself) and be a little bit jealous, because I really did have the best time cheerleading in highschool and I wish that I could have cheered on the best team in the country. Anyways, now the clouds had blown away and the sun was shining bright. And I was reeking! Just a little bit, ok a lot, no just a little ... To make a long story some what short on the way back home I was STANKIN'! I made Josh pull over in Walgreens so that I could get some deo for my B.O. (Corny I know!) It was the right brand but NOT the right scent! Now it was like stank on top of stank! We got home and I was never so happy to get a shower! All in all I might have been the stinky kid in class today but we still had a blast!!!!!

Watch Out He's In The Kitchen/Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-15T19:14:00.006-04:00

Our Easter Doings

2009-04-12T21:27:00.012-04:00

Y'all I have been so busy, I was trying to think back to when it all started to get crazy and I can't even remember it's been weeks. Two weeks ago we had a garage sale & lemonade stand/pictures on Saturday, Sunday church/softball game/pressure washing carport. Last Friday get ready for birthday party, Saturday birthday party/cancelled Easter photo session-too tired, Sunday church/Palm Sunday lunch at the in-laws. Wednesday cleaning and cooking for Mary Kay party. Thursday second round of Easter attire shopping/Mary Kay party. Saturday bake carrot cake for Sunday (which actually turned into a peel the cake off the pan throw it into a nice bowl, spread the icing on top and let people dip it out with a spoon), Easter Egg Hunt(which if anyone noticed, yes I bought the girls matching shirts to wear to the egg hunt, I know I know imagine that, and yes they were on backwards. Who knew the buttons went in the back! Okay besides you B!)/cancelled wedding attendance-too tired. Sunday church/drive like a CRAZY woman to my mom's for lunch with my whole family. That about sums it up oh and throw in there painting the playhouse every free minute and doctors checkups. Anyways I've been making mental notes on what to post about (is that weird?). Here are some pictures from this weekend. By the way I have nerds scattered all over my house, if I step on another piece of Easter grass I might scream (that would be the neat freak coming out in me),and when the girls were finding the eggs that the Easter Bunny left they would -find one, open it up, and eat the candy. So nevertheless Leighton pretty much ate miniature snickers and M&Ms for breakfast. Also, I don't think they found all the eggs due to their bellies being full, so I have to now remember where and how many eggs I, I mean the Easter Bunny hid. We had a great time at my moms except for, I think it is very sad that B could not get out of the car and pump gas, on the way home today, for the reason that he ate too much. He is now complaining that he "doesn't feel that great".
I just want to add that even though we have been so busy, I managed to squeeze in some time with the girls to explain the real meaning of Easter (not just teaching them how to be the fastest egg hunter in Hilliard). I struggled with this story for a while, I mean trying to explain to a 2 and 3 year old that someone died and then came back is a tad bit heavy. But my mom-in-law lent me her copy of The Beginner's Bible and it worked great! I did change some of the words like disciples to friends (so that B would be able to follow along) hee hee! Wait B! Come back, I was just kidding!

Leighton's Party

2009-04-04T21:39:00.009-04:00

Today we celebrated Leighton's 2nd birthday. It was a great party - good food, nice weather, and great company! The kids went to play, I had a plate of food in front of me (and I actually got to eat it) and I got to chat with good friends - I was happy! And of course we went straight home and dove into all the gifts. Here is a picture of the aftermath.

Here are some more pictures from the day. ( Hint: the slideshow has sound so you may have to pause the music at the bottom of the blog)

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Recipe

2009-04-03T12:23:00.004-04:00

I want to share this recipe with you, just in case you are like me and have no time and are trying to do one thousand things at a time. I declare this the easiest recipe ever! B gets excited when I tell him we are having this for dinner. There is only one problem it doesn't have a name. So, you read it, make it and then help it out.

Cut up sausage into slices and throw into a large pot. Cook until brown.

Throw in some salt, pepper, pieces of onion and bell pepper. (We skip the latter). Once the onion and bell pepper are tender add 1/2 to the whole jug of tomato juice (V8 Juice will work also) bring to a boil. Add 2 cups of rice and simmer for 15 minutes.

That's it!!!

I usually fix this with green beans and corn muffins.

Right now on my recipe card it's called Sausage and Rice, BORING!

Let me know what you think.

Happy 2nd Birthday Leighton

2009-03-30T12:35:00.045-04:00

Two years ago today B and I welcomed our second daughter, Leighton Elizabeth Jordan (after her Great Aunt Beth) into our family. I feel compelled to share with all of you "her" labor story or at least the events leading up to.

It was a Friday March 30th, I went to work feeling like I couldn't fit through the doors of Noah's Ark if I had to, you know the feeling, if you've ever had a child. Anyway, I remember getting off work early and picking Hayley (still just 15 mos. old) up from the sitter. I also remember telling her sitter not to give her a nap because I am on the way home and we will take a nap together. Hey desperate times calls for desperate measures!! And that we did, we napped and napped and napped. I woke up to B standing over me reminding me that our dear friends the Skelton's were going to be here in an hour for dinner. So I roll out of bed. We were having steak, salad, some other things I can't remember, and garlic bread. Garlic bread! I forgot! So, Katie and I hop in her car and go to W/D. That's when it happened. I remember looking at the clock in her car driving down Pine Street. 7:00. The first contraction!!! We get through dinner and finally sit down on the couch. By now it's 9:30, another contraction. My dear friend didn't want to leave b/c she could tell they were coming sporadically but, more importantly, they were coming. (The contractions that is - keep up!) So, they left - I mean they have kids to put to bed too. B stays up to watch t.v. and I went to the bedroom to watch t.v. The contractions seemed to be getting closer together, so I started writing them down. 11:12, 11:20, 11:28, 11:36 and so on for 1 hour. Something told me I should get up and get ready. So that's what I did. I did what every smart woman would do, I hoped right in the bathroom to shave my legs and blow out my hair. After all the grooming I got my bag and pillow and headed down the hall. By now B is asleep. This is where it gets good! I kept telling myself one day this will all be funny!

After all my efforts to wake him, he tells me "It'll be okay, go back to bed." He wanted to sleep in his own bed, at home. (Selfishness is not normally in his nature. I don't know where this came from - wink, wink) After showing him the times of the contractions he agreed. It was now 1:00am. My labor pains were all in my back and consistently 5 minutes apart, but we had to stop at Flashfoods to get gas ok, understandable. It now was drizzling rain. For once I was happy to have a husband that drove 120mph EVERYWHERE, even in the rain. Not this night! I'm praying Lord please get me there ASAP, and B driving 45mph down US 1. Then stops to get a Coke at the gas station in Dinsmore!!!!!WHAT!?!?

Ok, we finally made it to BMC downtown. If you don't know there is a pull up place for Women in Labor. That would be me. B gets out, goes up to the door, that is not automatically opening for the safety of the 95 year old volunteer working the labor check in desk. So B is having to yell to the woman through the door. She thinks we are here to SEE someone who HAD a baby. (B/c that's what we do at 1:00 in the morning) She tells B to park in the garage and WALK down the STAIRS to the security guard. One would think to be inquisitive - Do these directions also apply to women screaming and shouting about epidurals? NOPE, NOT B! NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!!! So we make it to the security guard and he thinks we are there to see someone too (I guess the look on my face, the baby about to come out of me, this HUGE belly, and the pillow under my arm wasn't enough). The security guard asked,"What's the patients name?" B answers,"Kasey Edwards" EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all I AM the patient, technically I am not even a patient b/c we haven't even made it to check in. Secondly, last time I checked we were married so that would make me Jordan, Kasey Jordan.

Daddy's Girl

2009-03-30T09:24:00.007-04:00

You know there is sooooo much pressure being a mother. I don't know about your house, but at mine the kiddies ALWAYS prefer Momma over Daddy. If they are sick at the daycare and momma can't come get 'em, Daddy will do, but they really want Momma. In a way it is rewarding, but at the same time - EXHAUSTING!

This is the story I got from B during the song/worship time at church. (This is like one of the only times we get to talk alone without the kids- PATHETIC!!!)

He says whispering,"I go into Hayley's room this morning and I say to her I need some covers. So she pulls the covers back and she is (picture him mimicking her pulling the blanket over his shoulders). As she is blowing her dragon breath all in my face she says,'Daddy I love you.' And lays her head on my face. Then 5 seconds later she says,'Where's Momma? Is Momma here? (like where else would I be at 8:30 on a Sunday morn.)I wanna go see Momma.' Then she very sllloooowwwlllyyy edges off the bed keeping both eyes on me like I'm not gonna notice her backing out of the bed. She runs out of room to go find you. It was nice while it lasted." Shrugging his shoulders.

I had tears in my eyes from laughing and everyone around me must have thought I was having a spiritual moment singing Oh The Wonderful Cross.

Daddy's Girl

I Dedicate This One To You My Love

2009-03-25T15:09:00.008-04:00

As a Christian parent one of my top priorities is shielding my children from the evil of this world. You spend soooo much time teaching them not to say "stupid & shut up" or calling them into a different room when you know that the part in the movie is about to get scary. I try so hard to guard them against all evil things. I know that I can't keep them in a bubble their whole lives. Anyway, back to my point, all this effort and the little boy at day care spouts off at the mouth about his homework. There went all that hard work right out the window! Suddenly, my three year old has a new vocab and I am constantly saying,"Where did you learn that!" Right now Hayley will notice me folding laundry on the couch and she will see that I have washed her nightgown and she will pick it up with a HUGE smile on her face and say, "Oh, kankyou mommy!" This morning topped all. She climbed up in my bed (me still 3/4 of the way asleep) leaned over and said, "I love you, mommy." Finished off with a hug and a kiss. All I can hope is that she stays this way FOREVER! My ultimate prayer is to have a fulfulling and prosperous relationship with my daughters. There is this song that sums all of this mumbojumbo up. I ALWAYS sing it when I am in the car, and I used not to be able to get through it without bawling I mean tearing up - I am getting better!

So I dedicate this song to you, Hayley.

In my arms by Plumb

Your baby blues

So full of wonder

Your Curly Que’s

Your contagious smile

And as I watch

You start to grow up

All I can do is hold you tight

Knowing

Clouds will rage in

Storms will race in

But you will be safe in my arms

Rains will pour down

Waves will crash all around

But you will be safe in my arms

Story books

Are full of fairy-tales

Of kings and queens

And the bluest skies

My heart is torn just in knowing

You’ll someday see

The truth for lies

Clouds will rage in

Storms will race in

But you will be safe in my arms

Rains will pour down

Waves will crash all around

But you will be safe in my arms

Castles they might crumble

Dreams may not come true

Cause you are never all alone

Cause I will always

Always love you

Wachovia meets Hayley

2009-03-18T19:30:00.003-04:00

Hayley's been really into finances (very young I know and this may or may not even be a real opening story) and, now more recently, very concerned about the economy. I mean you can't hide the news it's everywhere - the magazines, newspapers, and TV. She came to me today holding a broken baby doll very concerned about the quality of work going on in the United States today and decided it was time she do something about it. Soooo....she wants to start investing.

Today I took Hayley to the bank to start her own savings account. I don't think she understood, because when I told her we were going to the bank to give the lady her money she replied, "and then her's gonna gimme some more?!?"

I thought it would be very picturesque for her to walk in carrying her precious little piggy bank. Then it occurred to me that this half filled with change pig is probably just going to tick them off when they have to count all this out. But the reaction was right on key.

"Oh, that is the cutest thing I've ever seen. Look at her bringing in her piggy bank!" LOVED IT!

She thought 3 years worth of birthday "monies" for 2 suckers (not even pink like requested) was an even trade.

My Apologies

2009-03-17T10:55:00.014-04:00

First of all I would like to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This past Sunday after church we all went out to eat at a restaurant in Hilliard. For some reason Brandon starts bragging to everyone that he's got Girl Scout cookies waiting on him when he gets home. I leaned over to Uncle Josh (He's not my uncle. He's my kids uncle, but there's soooo many Joshs I just always refer to him as Uncle Josh to minimize the confusion) and said,"You know I can't see paying $5 for 12 cookies, when you can go IN the store and get a whole bag of Kebler Elf for like 2 bucks." He agreed but didn't make as big a deal as I. The waitress wiping down our table turns to us (me) and says, "I'm a Girl Scout troop leader and it's for a good cause." Yelling back over my shoulder as I was crawling under the table from sheer embarrassment I call out, "I used to be a Girl Scout!" (Don't you laugh...I know you are laughing)

So, what did we (I) learn from this, well first of all I probably should be diagnosed with Footinmouth Disease. I've heard the FDA hasn't approved treatment for this yet, but when they do I'll be the first one in line at the drug store.

Secondly, and more importantly, the next day I was listening to radio on the way to work and they quoted James 1:19 ...be slow to speak... then we won't be so prone to say things we regret.

So, to wrap this up, to the lady at Little Al's with the cute bob - I apologize sincerely!

I Always Have an Appreciation for Consistency

2009-03-14T22:11:00.008-04:00

Before I show you what I'm talking about - about the whole appreciation for consistency bit, let me tell you this short story. To me, this is the funniest story ever. I am having to hold back from laughing out loud right now. ( Another thing you'll learn about me is that I am really corny like that. I crack my self up...a lot. Yep that would be me the one who tells a joke and then while laughing, is slapping myself on the leg, it really embarrasses my husband!) As you know from previous posts we have a very hard headed child, well both of them are hard headed but one inparticular, Leighton, I mean no names mentioned. All of the sudden we have been having a terrible time getting her to go to bed. The recipe calls for: We put her in her bed she comes right out

Repeat x one hundred

So after spanking and threatening to close the door we actually did. Close the door. Well she then gets out of her bed, all demon possessed, and comes out crying and all upset. So we put her back in there. This time Brandon is on the outside holding the door shut. Of course, she gets up all upset and starts banging on her shoe rack against the door. (It's one of those that hooks over the door but is not attached at the bottom) Then all of the sudden silence. She gave up... she feel asleep... or she escaped out the window, we're left wondering. Brandon lets go of the door, my heart beat finally gets back to normal when....long pause....she walks out with shoes on. We don't back down, we put her back in there, we continues this and every time she comes out she has on a different pair of shoes. Including, my personal favorite, the fuzzy hot pink bed slippers Gaby gave her for Christmas. Last night we had a very long night with her. It started as described above, but she ended up in her bed. She must have had a nightmare or something b/c she came in our bedroom about 4:30 fully accessorized. So, with that in mind check out these pics just from the last 2 days!

Hot pink high heels while vacumming

Hot pink high heels while playing in the sprinkler with her sister.

Wordless Wednesdays

2009-03-11T22:09:00.003-04:00

Leighton's first haircut

2009-03-09T18:27:00.002-04:00

Last Wednesday Leighton got her first haircut. I figured since she is about to turn 2 years old and all it was bout time. You'd be surprised what a little trim can do. Of course we went all out and got the ears pierced too! Us Jordans don't do anything half way, we go all out!!! Side note- Brandon was not happy that he didn't take her as he took Hayley for her first haircut. I am going to brag just for a minute I promise. She sat in the chair all by herself, she was so big. Perfect opportunity for Mom to get some pics. Then when it was time for the ear piercing, not ONE tear! All the 80 somethings in the salon that day couldn't believe her! They were saying "I can't believe how good she is, do you remember that little boy that was in here crying and making a scene ...." mean while she is in my lap, needle ready one on each ear, my heart pounding and hands sweating like never before (because they are usually sweaty at any given moment- sorry for the people at church that shake my hand!). Here are a few photos. Sorry the pictures are supposed to be at the end here, but I am still figuring this thing out.

Since we are talking about my very stubborn child I thought the following to be appropriate. I was driving to work last week and was listening to the radio. They were talking about guiding children through life, particularly stubborn or as we like to say strong willed children. So I turned up the volume and was all ears. They were saying as a parent you should never back down if you say "no" to something stick with it don't back down. Children might act out but they really want to be lead. And here's the part that I hope I never forget. You have to prove to them that you are worthy of leading them!!!!!!!

Congratulations !!!

2009-03-09T18:06:00.000-04:00

At least that is what people say when a new baby is born. So I found it appropriate since a new blog is born. Maybe I will remember in a year to celebrate it's first birthday, probably not. I have to say I've been wanting to have a blog for a while now I just couldn't come up with a name that wasn't taken. You know how that is- can't have a name that's too popular in the area. I am going to try to give it the attention it deserves, but life can be crazy at times, so just bare with me.