And One More Thing

Funny stuff from kids

2010-05-14T14:12:00.000-06:00

Well, only two funny things. One from each child.

Jellybean said something that struck my funny bone last week. As we drove past a vietnamese restaurant she asked me if vitaminese people eat french fries. Once I stopped laughing, I told her that I am sure they do.

Yesterday Bug's teacher told me his response to playing outside at recess during the warm weather...

I am so hot!

(she touches his forehead)You are hot.

I'm so hot even my armpits are hot!

Changes

2010-05-13T14:07:00.003-06:00

Lots of changes.

I'm making this quick. I have lots to do.

We're moving.

After 10 years in this house the landlord has raised the rent tremendously.

June 1 marks a new beginning for us in a {much} smaller but beautiful place - the townhouses the church has been renovating. I am looking forward to a fresh start.

Not looking forward to having to give up our family pet of ten years. Yes, we are needing to find a home for Jewel. {this is where I beg any of you to take her or to convince your neighbor or someone else you know} to take her. I know you want to.
She comes with all the stuff you {or your friend} needs to care for her - except maybe food, depending on when she is picked up. We are running low on food and we will only be picking it up on a can by can basis now.

I don't want to have to take her to the SPCA. This is hard enough.

{Yes, I realize that I have been a terrible blogger the past few months. Yes, I realize some of you may have given up on me...}

been a while

2010-03-22T15:12:00.002-06:00

There's been lots of changes in my life, changes in priorities, in focus, etc. I am going to do my best to get on here a bit more - keep you up-to-date and all but I am not making many promises. grin.

Dear Auto Glass Repair Man

2010-01-19T15:54:00.001-06:00

Hi, Yes, it is I, the lady whose car you have at your shop. You know, the one who was told to be home at a quarter to one to ensure I was home for you to pick up my vehicle? The one who needed to take an hour off work to be home in time for that one o'clock pick up? Yeah, that one.

Well, one o'clock came and went and there was no sign of you so I called my husband, who is working about 5 hours away right now to make sure I had the right time and to double check that I had the right day. Um, I did. You didn't show up. My husband called you at 1:15, and you said you were on your way. I am thinking that you need to get your GPS checked or replaced as I know where your shop is and I know where it is in conjunction with my house and there is no way it should take one and a half hours to get from there to here. Um, now that I mention it, it only takes 15 minutes to get from one side of this town to the other and THAT, sir is if you hit every red light along the way.

I know you don't really care but I do have a lot of things to do as a mom and there are a great many of them that involve me needing my car and that don't involve me sitting at home waiting 2 hours for you to come. I have now had to recruit my father to pick up the little boy from my house, take him to the school so he can be reunited with his mother and so he can pick up my daughter. I realize that lunch is the most important meal of the day. Oh, it's not? That would be breakfast? Then, sir, I don't understand why our one o'clock "right after lunch" appointment has been detained for so long. I certainly hope it wasn't because you had to send your steak sandwich back because it was over-done, tough and chewy, and all your little garage friends had all ready eaten and you were still waiting for yours and when it came you had to eat all by yourself while your friends stared at you because they were all done. (Excuse me while I pause to breathe after that incredibly long, run-on sentence.)

Sir, I appreciate the fact that you did eventually show up, looking like a grease monkey. (Oh wait, you kind of are, except you work with glass not oil and the like so how, pray tell, did you get that filthy?) I know my car doesn't look like much, especially with that whole back window thing happening but I am really hoping that you put down one of those seat protector paper thingys. (Don't look at me like I am stupid. You know what I mean.) This car carries very precious cargo; it carries my kids to and from school and the food I feed them from the store to my house; it also transports us, dressed in the finest we have, to church. Please take care of it and try to keep it clean.

Oh, just so I know, the whole 5:00 ready thing? Yeah, is that still a go, since the whole 1:00 pick up thing was delayed by almost 2 hours? I would hate to pack up my kids, bother my dad for yet another ride today, get to your shop to find out that someone brought doughnuts for coffee time and your coffee order was messed up. I'd hate for that to have happened to you.

Just out of curiosity, you don't happen to be related to the cable guy or the phone man? No? Oh, no reason; just wondering.

By the way, I do appreciate you fixing my car. These Canadian winters can be tough and, while it is certainly beautiful now, I know that winter will rear its 'ooglay' head again so, having a glass barrier between it and us will be really swell.

With Age Comes Wisdom

2009-12-26T10:45:00.000-06:00

Words of the aged came from Jellybean's mouth this morning as she spoke to her brother...

Let me recount this incredibly wise {and cute} conversation went.

Jellybean to Bug: (as she was vaccuming) Bug, let me tell you something that I learned when I was like 7 or younger. The vaccum is too small to suck you up. It can't eat you so don't worry; you are too big.

Isn't it great when siblings share knowledge like that?

I know it warmed my heart.

Fiesty!

2009-11-27T16:28:00.001-06:00

Jellybean was playing a bit of Wii boxing last night. Here is what I heard during her match.

Oh! Yeah! You want a piece of me? You want a piece of the birthday girl?

C'mon! How do you like that? And that? How 'bout that?

Huh? Is that making you hungry?

You wanna knuckle samich?

Huh? You hungry? I can give it to ya!

You likin' that?

I'm not even breakin' a sweat here! You're probably tellin' your friends I'm a pro. Heh, bro! Take it!

You can't take down the birthday girl!

I'm all over this thang! Oh yeah, that's right. Take that! Gettin' beat by a girl!

5...6...7...8...9...10

and that's a knockout!

Suckah!!!!

Oh yeah, people, she is fiesty!

Gimme a Break (and no I am not referring to a Kit Kat bar)

2009-11-10T14:55:00.009-06:00

Yesterday, at school Bug was pushed while playing - nothing mean or vindictive, just pushed. He hurt his arm. I wondered back and forth about taking him in and eventually decided it best to double check.

The doctor figured it was fractured or had a fracture called "green stick". We didn't make it to radiology in time for them to check it last night so off we went this morning.

And now, for the rest of the story...

I just got back from our appointments with Radiology, the doctor and the Cast Technician, Boris.

(yesterday after picking Bug up from my friend's house after work - pre doctor)

Bug has definitely broken his arm - his radius to be precise. Apparently the bone is at a 5 to 10 degree elevation from where it should be and we need to go to the Cast Clinic on Thursday to see the Orthopedic Surgeon to see if "manipulation" of the bone is required.

(Waiting at the walk-in clinic yesterday with his pink panther)

He will be casted then. For now, he has a brace on the arm and a sling to keep it stable.

(Trying to figure out the best way to support his arm during the night. This attempt was a fail.)

(Apparently, this way was the most comfortable for the little man.)

(The temporary "fix" until we see the surgeon to rule out the need for surgery on Thursday morning.)

Get 'er done

2009-10-12T20:01:00.002-06:00

We got back from a nice weekend visit with BigB's mom and Dad and were also able to spend the afternoon with the kids (except LilB and Tuff) on Sunday.

Upon getting home I got the milk, bread and things we need for the beginning of the week, got the lizards home from their babysitter's (aka Dad & Jude's), did laundry (there is only 2 loads left to do!), moved some more stuff for the newest bedroom switch project, got the kids' lunches made while making supper and BigB got several rooms of carpet cleaned. Ugh! Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike carpet? I do...

But we are getting things done here. Kids helped cleaning the kitchen table and setting it and getting their laundry put away...

Can't wait for it all to be done...There will be some painting to do soon.

Looking forward

2009-10-06T21:58:00.003-06:00

Some people spend too much time looking backward at the what-if's and the used-to-be's and the used-to-haves. Not me. I look to the now and the future. I am especially looking forward to the not-so-distant future. This weekend in fact! We are going to get to see BigB's mom and dad, and PB&J, Rush, Tuff and BabyK! I am really looking forward to it. I am not, however, wishing away the days in order to get there as I am making the best of the days I have been given and not what could have been or should have been. Look to the future; go straight up the middle and TOUCHDOWN!

Now I realize that parts of this post won't make sense to some but it makes perfect sense to me and, well, it is my blog so let's hope it does. {Grin}

Rest easy, my friends

2009-09-28T20:33:00.001-06:00

Bug just now promised me, as I tucked him into bed, that we will NOT take over the world using science.

Do you feel safer?

I know I do.

Jack is gone...

2009-09-23T08:35:00.001-06:00

Early this morning, a panicked and very devestated little voice came running down the hallway screaming, "He died! Jack died! Jack's gone, Mom! He died! He's dead!

As I pealed my eyes open and adjusted their focus I found my dear, sweet, kind-hearted Bug holding a tiny orange and white fish in his outstretched hands with huge tears pouring from his eyes.

"Mama," he said in a soft, sorrowful voice, "Jack died...he was stuck to dat fing that hangs down in da tank. My Jack is gone..."

This is quite the load of emotion to wake up to first thing for a young man of 6 years old who has never had a pet die before. Sure, he as seen several of his sisters fish die, even a snail but, he has never experienced the pain of his own pet, who he named, who he fed and who he loved, die.

I could look into his beautiful blue eyes and see his poor little heartbreaking right before my eyes. His sensitive heart...

So, I climbed out of bed, gathered the two kids and I in the official fish burial center, thinking we had better get it from out of his hands before we did too much more. DS3 got to say a few words about his wonderful fish friend, Jack.

Allow me, then, to share Jack, the fish we have had since Saturday who DS3 had fallen madly in love with, through Bug's eyes: Jack was a friendly fish and he made all the other fish his friends. He missed his other fish friends from the petstore but he was very happy in his new home. He loved to swim in the bubble wall and ride the bubbles all the way to the top, and I loved him so very much.

We then flushed our dear friend, Jack and waved saying our goodbyes as we gave Jack a proper sea(?) burial. I then spoke to Bug about the realities of death and how sometimes these things happen, accidents will happen, pets & people will get sick and sometimes die. I told him how its ok for him to be sad for a while and very ok for him to miss Jack and I told him how this is an example of a time when we can truly turn to God for comfort. God can help us to not feel sad about Jack anymore - not that we have to forget about him but that it is not healthy for us to stay sad for a very long time, how there is a season for sadness just like there is a season for winter and it seems harsh, hard, cold and dark but then it comes spring and new life comes popping out and it becomes bright and cheery and warm and the leaves start to come out and bring people hope. He seemed ok after that, a little more come, but then I told him that I would share Herman, my fish, with him - not that Herman can ever replace Jack in his heart but so that he can still help take care of the fish, I will make him co-owner...

So, here's to you, Jack

You WERE a good fish and you had an owner who loved you more than you could ever comrehend.

A pinch of this and a small dash of that

2009-09-22T07:55:00.002-06:00

BigB is gone this week, for work. He'll be back Friday.

It's always really quiet after i put the kids to bed when he is gone; it maks for a long night.

The kids' music lessons went really well last night; Bug got over his shyness of his teacher and actually spoke to him last night. His teacher said it was like having a totally different kid. Jellybean could be heard all the way down the hall telling her teacher all kinds of stories. I had to tease her when she came out of her class.

I am getting some odds and ends done around here this week and trying to find a job. Today I will do that while Bug is in school so he doesn't have to tag along.

I may, finally, get the bottles/cans to Sarcan to recycle. The money is being split among the two kids to save towards their future purchase of a DS.

Tonight we will be going to what will probably be the last weiner roast of the year. The two younger kids and I will be going to a friend's house to partake in some burnt wieners and whatever else we gather together - should be LOTS of fun!

I know it's not Feb 2

2009-09-17T20:27:00.003-06:00

but, this little ground hog is popping her head out to say...

Wow! What a week this has been! I watched my brother marry a wonderful lady on Saturday. I laughed; I cried. It moved me, Bob!

No, really, it did. It was truly one of the most beautiful and moving weddings I have ever been to.

Sunday we had a good friend over for supper and later on in the evening a couple of very dear friends came over for coffee.

Monday was the kids' first music lessons and boy oh boy, did Bug ever make a good first impression. He walked in with his hair tosseled and held with gel, black dress pants and orange shirt and his "leather" biker jacket, flipping his fancy red drumsticks around. One of the people in the room stated that they figured he had to be the coolest kid they had ever seen. I think they may be right, at least as far as 6 year old boys go.

I've been training my replacement all week and now that time has come; tomorrow is my last day. We are all going for lunch tomorrow as a farewell to myself and another girl who left last Friday. Vietnamese food! Yummy!!!

On Saturday two of my dear friends are getting married and I have been doing the decorations. I have done my very best but I am simply hoping that it looks as nice as they deserve. I want nothing short of the best for them.

I am still missing my girl and think of her often.

The other day Bug had a hard time sleeping because Jewel kept jumping on his window sill in the middle of the night and he insisted that she was tring to run away from us just like Rush did. Needless to say, he and Jellybean have been finding this incredibly difficult.

BigB is gone for another week next week and he has been in school all this. We haven't seen much of him but plan to have a nice family time after church on Sunday. it may involve pizza...delish!

Oh! I just saw my shadow and so I must retreat back into my hole and hide for a bit more. See you after the wedding - perhaps with pictures...

Whole Lotta Shakin' Adjusting Goin' On

2009-09-10T09:14:00.003-06:00

Wow, I have been quiet! I think this is probably the quietest I have been, well, ever.

Sorry about that.

There's just been a lot of adjusting going on in our home, in our lives.

Adjusting to BigB being gone for days at a time, in communities where we can't reach him.

Adjusting to Rush being gone.

Adjusting to the fragile emotional state of Jellybean and Bug right now, as they adjust.

Adjusting to the new school year (for the kids and for BigB).

Adjusting to adding music lessons, for both children, into our schedule.

Adjusting to my needing a new job. (I have a couple of places I would like to apply but I need to be able to find someone to "pawn" my kids off on for a bit - can't be applying for work with 2 kids in tow.)

Adjusting to the busyness of the last week and the upcoming week.

Adjusting to remembering to care for the two lizards we have inherited.

Did I mention adjusting to Rush being gone?
We may know where she is and we may know that she is being taken care of but, that only eases the worry and doesn't aid much at all in the "dealing" with the fact that she is gone.

It's has simply been a time of stretching and adjusting and trusting in God that He is in control and all will be as it is supposed to be.

What Happened?

2009-09-09T10:47:00.001-06:00

I happened to remember this, not even recorded a year ago. What happened?

16 More Days

2009-09-02T16:00:00.003-06:00

Until I am done work here. Until I am at home with my two youngest.

The interview process has started.

It won't be long now.

I do still need to find a morning job...

...I need to get looking.

To and Fro

2009-09-02T09:06:00.002-06:00

And no, this isn't a post about my hair...
{GRIN}

This new job of BigB's has been great for him (for us); he loves the people he works for and with, the environment he works in and the opportunities he has to travel within our beautiful province.

He has gone to two places so far (other than around here), one being a place he had never been before and that was just last week. Today he leaves again and gets home Friday - just in time for the long weekend. (Speaking of the long weekend, I am hoping we do something). Tuesday morning he flies off again and comes home late Thursday night or early Friday morning.

I certainly hope he gets to make good use of his "collapsible" Ugly Stick fishing rod and new reel that we bought just for this purpose. It fits nicely in his overnight bag. I am thinking we need to send an empty cooler with him so he can bring some of his catches home for us to feast on. After all...

...it's only fair.

I've been kinda quiet

2009-08-31T10:38:00.002-06:00

Dealing with things. Inwardly. I'm doing...ok.

It's a busy time of year. Kids back in school. Orientation for BigB. I won't be going to school this year. Not right now anyway. Tough decision but it will be fine. I can be with my kids.

I am also in the middle of a very busy three week stretch of weddings, special services at church (which were great) and my last three weeks of working here at ECIP. I do need to find a morning only job, so I will be doing that in the next few days as well.

Jush tah lek you know

2009-08-27T09:25:00.002-06:00

Ah put way to mush peanud budder on ma sanwishch.

Pleass God, don' lek dah phone wing! Thanssss

Just ask me...

2009-08-26T23:46:00.002-06:00

Go ahead.

Just ask me.

Am I just as organized at the launch of this school year as I was last?

Am I?

Huh?

Let's all shout out the answer with a resounding...

...NO!!!! Nuh uh! No way, Man! Not even close. Not even a little.

It's 11:48 and I am just crawling into bed after completing 2 1/2 lunches (I'll finish mine tomorrow; I don't want day old tuna) and 1 snack. I scoured our "office supply" box to see what I did have to send Jellybean for supplies and came up with 2 blue pens and 3 pencils to go along with her new binder and 2 new folders.

The Boy Scouts will surely take away my badges and all. You now, if had badges...or was ever a boy scout...

Next week will be better. I just know it!

Looking to the Future

2009-08-24T13:25:00.002-06:00

Well, the not-so distant future. Our son-in-law will be coming to school in town here soon and we are looking forward to being able to have him over for supper every once in a while. It will be nice; we miss him ('them' but 'they' will not be here just 'him'). Jellybean and Bug will be excited for that to happen too.

Beyond Repair

2009-08-21T10:35:00.003-06:00

That's what she said. She feels she is "beyond repair". I have news for her, for you all. No one is EVER beyond repair.

He repaired me and I was in a very dark place in my life. God came and poured His oil & wine into my life; He picked me up from the ditches where robbers had beaten me and left me for dead (parable of the Good Samaritan), and He cared for me, fixed me up.

None of us are beyond repair. He fixed a girl who didn't care if she lived or died, who drank way too much, who hung out with people who would either protect her or kill her, who felt completely unworthy of her very next breath. Yet she continued to breath because she loved her daughter and knew she had to fight for her. He fixed a girl who ran out on her dad and her brother and sister, and then her mom and step-dad, who struck out at everyone who came near like she was a King Cobra, who felt worthless and broken. He repaired a girl who had so much life taken from her, she decided to give the rest of it away just so it would hurt just that little bit less.

He repaired a girl who had lost her joy, her hope, her purpose, her destiny, her spirit and her ability to love all (but that beautiful blonde reason for living that God had blessed her with). He fixed that. He restored those things unto me.

I am broken again but I know He will fix me. He is the potter and I am the clay. The words from ColdPlay's song "Fix You" keeps coming to mind - only I am not the fixer; I am the one to be fixed.

He can fix you too. You. Are. Not. Beyond. Repair!

How Do I Taste, Moby?

2009-08-20T14:28:00.003-06:00

The evening of August 18 BigB & I watched a movie with Rush, Finding Nemo to be exact. She knows ALL the words; she can recite them perfectly even without the movie playing. It sparked some interesting conversation.

→ Rush wants to be able to sit in the mouth of a Blue Whale but only if it won't eat her. Why? So she can say "How do I tast, Moby?! Huh?".
→ This lead to a conversation about how horrible it would be to be swallowed by a whale and die due to digestion.
→ She wants to be able to eat Blow Fish because one wrong cut or mistake during cooking and it "could" kill her; she thinks that would be a thrill. However, she thinks people who play Russian Roulette are idiots. Odd...
→ She wants a salt water tank with all the main characters from Finding Nemo.
→ She named the log in her terrarium "Logwannahawkaloogie".
→ She thinks it would be great to have an animal that "could eat me walk past me, as long as they can't see me so they can't eat me."
→ Rush's comment on Darla (the dentist's niece on Finding Nemo), "If she keeps killing fish, why get her a new one? Why not buy her a hamster?"
Huh??????????
→ Quote from Rush, "I'd like to go sliding with the Polar Bears...if they can't see me. I could wear a polar bear costume!"
→ She thinks that the babies Marlon and Dory would have, if they were to have babies, would be very cute. She imagines them orange with blue stripes. "Can you breed fish?! Here, you guys, now have babies!"

But, I think the most memorable thing I got from that movie came in a quote from the movie itself (not that I like it being memorable or anything)
"Of course I like you; it's because I like you that I can't be with you."

I certainly do love my Nemo loving, Nemo quoting girl - more than she knows and more than I ever thought I could ever love...

Excuse me. Is my head on straight?

2009-08-20T10:33:00.003-06:00

It feels like it isn't.

It took a few motrin to get me to sleep last night.

I can't think, or focus, or smile.

I'm trying. To smile, that is.

I'm trying. To think straight, that is.

So. If you would be so kind, can you tell me when I haven't put my head on straight? I need to adjust to a new normal that I don't like. one. little. bit. It sort of feels like open heart surgery without the anesthetic (not that I have had open heart surgery with or without it).

I am turning to God for strength but I think there may be road construction or something, as there seems to be a bit of a delay.

So...? This is what it's like living with boys...

2009-08-17T20:17:00.003-06:00

Jellybean & Bug came running out of the bathroom, toothbrushes in hand, laughing like hyenas. Through squeals of delight Jellybean finally managed to squeak out that Bug had just drank from the toilet.

As BigB tried to explain to him how disgusting and unsafe that is, he told Bug that some people have even died from the germs found in toilets.

Bugs response?

In 20 days? They die if they do it for 20 days?

After reassuring Bug that he didn't mean he would die. Bug sprinted back off to the bathroom, where we encouraged him to brush his teeth AND use listerine!

So, can anyone seriously tell me why burping, farting, and, now, drinking toilet water (oh and let's not forget licking toilets) are so incredibly funny?

Earlier tonight, one of the family members passed gas and Bug says "If there were a trophy for worst farts, you would get it! You have the worst farts in the universe!". He then proceded to laugh to the point where we thought he may actually pee his pants.

Boys! What a strange species...

I 'Twit'

2009-08-17T15:57:00.002-06:00

Yes, I do and yes, I did. I 'twit'. I didn't twit as in 'twit'; I twit, as in the other day Bug asked me if I had "twit" my job yet since Daddy got his new job.

The answer is, yes, I did just "twit". I will need to make a bit of money but I will only work in the mornings - unless BigB & I decide that I will take in 2 or 3 children and babysit.

Regardless, I get to be home with Bug in the afternoons; I get to be home when the girls get home from school. Heck, I even get to pick them up! I can take care of my children the way I want to! This makes me uber happy! I can't even begin to describe how happy I am. I'm all this is too good to be true but then I'm all oh no it isn't! I have waited SO long to get to this point!

So there you have it; I twit! I am a twitter. And although I could mean this, what I actually mean is this

Not Me Monday

2009-08-17T09:42:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

It is most certainly Not Me who has discovered that raising a child truly does mean your heart is not your own, and sometimes you will see your heart walk around you not knowing where it will go, who it will see or if it will come back in one piece. It is Not Me who has learned that THAT is the most tired you will ever be. I always thought that it was the sleepless nights of waking babies and breastfeeding...It's Not Me who was completely wrong.

It is Not Me who wrote an incredibly depressing Not Me and deleted most of it. It is Not Me who is not going to air this "basket of dirty laundry" right now. Therefore, it is Not Me who is asking you to remember our family in prayer, to ask for strength and wisdom. It is Not Me who is asking you to lift our hands...It is, then, Not Me who is moving on to better things to focus on.

It is Not Me who got to go to a neighboring city with 3 of my fantastic kids and my wonderful husband, and enjoy a day of shopping and eating. It was Not Me then, who found a great deal on a new dress coat and a lovely orange, silk shirt. It is Not Me who went to Lush and bought a great sugar scrub and has a wish list for the next time I go there; it is also Not Me who took my 8 year old daughter in with me and have created a monster - she has her own wish list; she is the girliest of girls that I know.

It is most definitely Not Me who is sitting here watching a spider crawl over my printer, trying not to SCREAM. LIKE. A. GIRL and wondering if I should find something to squish it (even though it has done nothing to me) or leave it (since it has done nothing to me). Friends, I am torn...

Rockin' the Pixie.

2009-08-14T10:44:00.005-06:00

Jellybean has wanted her hair cut to "her ears" for quite a long time and we were never brave enough to let her do it. We thought that she would regret it the minute it was done so, we compromised and each time when a bit shorter and a bit shorter. She needed a haircut a week ago and so, when posed with the question of what she wanted I was again greeted by the "to my ears" comment.

This is what she looked like pre-haircut (with her most favorite doll, Watoto, a well loved doll Jellybean has lugged around since she was 3 years old).

Yes, we are in McDonalds. It was a bit before we could get in to her appointment so, we went for a drink and a rest; we had walked and Jellybean & Bug were quite vocal about their sore feet. (Good thing they weren't around when that was the only way Rush & I could get around, heh, Rush?)

At this point, I think I stopped breathing for a few minutes. It was a LOT to take in and a BIG change. The hair stylist and I thought that, perhaps, Jellybean's vocal button was released as more hair came off because the less hair there was the more talking ensued. I don't know how many times I had to ask her to please stop talking so the girl wouldn't make a mistake she couldn't fix (due to lack of hair). Perhaps I am a hair stylists' worst nightmare - the parent who doesn't like this much change...)

Voila! The finished look. It has taken a lot to get used to; I mean, I "lost" Bug after getting his hair cut because I didn't recognize him and it was no where near this dramatic.

She wanted to look like Rihanna...I say she is the spitting image, wouldn't you? Only 8... and fairer... and blond... with blue eyes...spittin' image. (The funny thing is, she doesn't even know who Rihanna is; she just saw her picture in a hair magazine and said 'I want it to look like that'.)

'It' has finally happened!

2009-08-13T11:29:00.002-06:00

What 'it'? You mean you don't know? Seriously? You have no idea what I am talking about? Oh. Ok. Sit down, grab a coffee or a Dole tangerine sparkler, put your feet up and I will enlighten you.

For the last year or so I have really been struggling with this whole 'getting up, working all day, sending my kids to a sitter, relying on Rush to make supper' existance that I have been living.

Some of you will know (Facebook) but others still have no idea so, let me share my fabulous news with y'all!

BigB has, just today, signed the paperwork for a new job that is in town and a bit more than he was making before! (Can I get a hallah in da house?!) This means that I can change my hours here at work OR, if that isn't feesible, get a different job where I am only working mornings! No more sitters (except for maybe an hour during lunch)! I get to be home when my kids come home from school; in fact, I get to pick them up from school! I can have suppers made and snacks and clean my house and all those things that have been taunting me with my working full-time and having the schedule we do!

I am so excited by the possibilites BigB has with this new job, that I will have as a result of his new job and of the things that we can give to our children because of this new job! Thank you, God! You get ALL the credit on this; Your hand is through it all!

Meet our little friends...

2009-08-11T16:23:00.007-06:00

Their new home...

Meet Fredrico and Rodriguez, the newest members of our family.

I haven't learned to like them yet but, I am getting a bit more adjusted to having them in my house, locked in Rush's room, under lock and key...

We, meaning Rush, bought their home on her birthday and they became official family members on Aug 9. (Rush has yet to really enjoy them as she left Monday to work at the group home - until Saturday. I have bravely been feeding them their crickets and spraying their home and, I have to admit I am getting used to them being around...as long as they are in their terrarium. Still not too hot on the idea of touching them or having them loose (held by children) in my house but it will come.)

She sure is excited to have them; it has been a long wait for Rush. She has talked about having little guys like these for a few years now. Thanks for being so patient, baby.

Bug enjoying just watching the critters...

I am not sure if I really am going to enjoy the fact the Fredrico and Rodriguez are here as it has caused quite a ripple effect. Jellybean wants a corn snake, Bug a tarantula and BigB his own terrarium of reptiles, including one he needs a collar and leash for; yes, a bearded dragon or iguana of some sort. Not for this girl. Give me a dog, a horse, a cow, a buffalo...a rhinocerous even but please, for all that will leave me sane leave the reptiles, amphibions and arachnids out of THAT much of my home (she said somewhat jokingly).

Please welcome Fredrico and Rodriguez to our home and to our family. They will, from now on, be referred to as The Boys or The Critters.

Sometimes

2009-08-11T15:54:00.003-06:00

Sometimes it makes life a heck of a lot more interesting to try not to do things the easy way.

Sometimes getting a running start at things makes doing things the hard way just that much more effective...

Sometimes God opens a window when you were thinking it would be a door and you may need to know how to step into a situation through that window...

Why not get that experience young? It keeps you versatile, ready, on your toes and giggling from somewhere near your toes.

Keep life interesting. Don't follow the crowd. Take the opportunity to make use of all the "openings" life presents you with...And laugh while you do it.

You're my Superman

2009-08-11T15:42:00.003-06:00

Someone thinks her daddy is very, very special. Someone thinks her daddy is just like Superman.

Someone drew this very lovely picture for her daddy.

Our children should look to us as their role models. Why should we leave it to the teenybopper star of the week or the super hero of the year to be our children's role models? Have you not glanced at the covers of those rag mags while you are standing in line at the grocery store? Do you really want your children looking up to them?

Give your child a godly influence to model themselves after. Make your life a life they should and will want to be like. Show them, with your example, what and who we are to be like by being a living breathing example of Jesus to them. Don't leave it up to the flavour of the week to influence your sons and daughters...it will only leave them heartbroken, discouraged, doubleminded and exasperated...

The Supper

2009-08-11T15:19:00.007-06:00

Our present to Rush

Some of da family...

Grandma & Papa's present

a Chi hair straightener which led to her new haircut (which I don't have pictures of yet...)

Opening the present from Mom & Dad

Rush with her ring

Not all of the family was able to make it but, we sure did have fun with a couple sets of grandparents, an aunt and uncle and one cousin. We ate pizza, chips, with onion dip (thanks to our friend, Johnnie, for getting us addicted to that!), veggies, angel food cake, and punch, and we shared lots of stories from Rush's growing up (including some I had never heard from her visits with Grandma and Papa H).

Beautiful Girl

2009-08-11T14:59:00.006-06:00

During my blogging hiatus Rush turned 16; we had a party. We went to the spa. We said we would be going again and again and again if we had the money for doing that sort of thing all the time, which we don't, so that was just a pipe dream.

On Aug 1 I took my baby girl (who is no longer a baby but a beautiful young lady) to the spa to celebrate. Following we had some family over for Dominoes pizza (at the birthday girl's request) and angel food cake with raspberries.
The food...

Can't go to the spa without chocolate! I mean seriously!

Aaaaahhhhh, relaxing...

Me & my girl! (I love you, darlin')

Dear Blog

2009-08-11T11:32:00.003-06:00

I have ignored you the past little while. It hasn't been you; it's been me. No, really. I mean it.

You see, I was able to enjoy my daughter's Sweet 16 spa day and birthday supper, went with her to buy a home for her two new friends (you will meet them), walked my kids to get their hair cut (Jellybean looks VERY different), went to "The City" with a friend a couple times to help with wedding planning, went to my almost-sister's wedding shower (yay), heard that my brother wore a dress for his party, needed therapy after that and needed my brain cleaned - mental images and all (just kidding) and have been enjoying some incredible, life changing services at our church (Canadian Revival Center).

There has been a lot to take in with those sermons...a lot. Did I mention 'a lot'? They have changed our thinking and our perspective and our lives! It has been amazing!

Rush has been working just out of town since last Wednesday as well so, there has been a lot of driving back and forth and a lot of texting her; I miss her! She's a great kid! You would miss her too! She will be there until Friday and so, this week, is a week of driving out to get Jellybean and Bug each night (as well as taking them out there each morning before work). I am in charge of her new friends (you WILL meet them) and, this morning, I was perfectly at ease opening the door to their new home and taking care of all their needs, and for that, I am kind of proud of myself...

Another Super Saturday

2009-07-28T09:00:00.012-06:00

This past Saturday was a nice family day. We had no plan, despite our attempts at figuring out what we were going to do. No one could think of anything we would all like, our town is a little lacking in that area unless you can get out to one of the many gorgeous lakes, unfortunately that wasn't a choice for Saturday.

We left our house, flying by the seat of our proverbial pants. No plan. No clue. We were just leaving.

We drove to Extreme Pita to have a quick, healthy lunch. It was delish! The 2 youngest kids had a ham & cheese pita with their own version of the works; their meals came with drinks and a cookie. What more could a kid want? We don't need no stinkin' Happy Meal to make us happy. The food was delicious. Rush had a grilled chicken pita; BigB had a Mandarine Chicken pita and I had a, mmmmm, yummy Mediteranean pita. It was so yummy. Have I mentioned that the food there is very yummy? I did? Oh, sorry. To finish off our meals, as we were still jsut a tad hungry, we split a package of freshly made garlic pita chips with hummus. Well, I had hummus; everyone else had Ranch. How boring.

Just look at that face as Jellybean bites into that pita. Isn't she just screaming, "MMMMM this is delish!"

From Extreme Pita we walked over to the pet store which was a big mistake. HUGE! Here we held some bunnies & some hamsters, checked out some fish, and fell in love with an adorable Boston Terrier pup & an equally adorable soft, fluffy grey kitten with gorgeous blue eyes. This is when we left the store, empty-handed with long, sullen faces.

Rush with a cute little hamster she decided to call Hernado or Fredrico; she couldn't decide.

Tell me how you could resist this adorable face? Tell me! Seriously! TELL ME!

Or this one?! Look at that face! {sigh} What cuties! Now you can see why we left so forelorn with empty arms...

The boys played football while we sunned ourselves and made funny faces at mom whow was always holding the camera...

And then we hopped on the swings to swing the heat away, and to giggle uncontollably as dad gave pushes.

We finished off the day with a family movie and some snuggling. I love days like these...

4 more days

2009-07-27T15:27:00.002-06:00

"Until what?", you ask. Until the Sweet 16 birthday celebration at the spa and then to our house for a pizza supper complete with salad and angel food cake with a lemon glaze and raspberries.

We have 'the gift' and I found some bright green wrapping paper (her favorite color, or as close as I could find) and some funky green ribbon with colorful dots to spruce it up.

My feet welcome the pedicure that is approaching, and I really hope Rush has a good and relaxing time with her girls. There will also be munching at the spa and some cupcakes or soemthing to satisfy their sweet teeth. Plus, I bought Lindt chocolate.

All that is left to purchase is the food for the supper, the fruit and the cupcakes...

But that is not all...it is 4 days until I start a week of holidays! Swe-et. If all goes according to plan, there could be a garage sale in there.

And he said...

2009-07-27T14:39:00.002-06:00

...Look at all those dandelions...

as he looked out across the vast

fields of

...canola

Chances Are

2009-07-27T10:17:00.002-06:00

Chances are

...if there is music playing, Bug is dancing.

...if the cat is running down the hallway Bug and/or Jellybean are chasing her with a nerf gun.

...if Jewel is following me meowing and intertwining herself in my legs, someone has forgotten to feed her.

...if it is Friday night, we are at church enjoying another great service at Canadian Revival Center.

...if it is Sunday afternoon at 2, we are just getting out of another great church service and are pretty hungry.

...if there is a lap to be sat in, Jellybean will be in it.

...if I am sitting on the couch, Bug and/or Jellybean are perched on or beside me.

...if Jellybean is wearing new clothes mustard will fall on said clothes, even if it has to fall from the sky.

...if I called my house right now, Rush would still be sleeping.

...if I were to be craving anything right now it would be garlic pita chips and hummus from Extreme Pita.

...if I would be at home I would be pricing stuff for an upcoming garage sale.

...if I am cleaning the house I should probably be in bed (I tend to clean at bizzarrely late times).

...if it is Saturday after 1, we are trying to figure out what to do for the rest of the day.

...if it is before 1, I am at church enjoying music practice.

...if Bug calls me from his room, it is to see when I am coming to tuck him in.

...if I have a highlighter (or several) in my hand, I am about to go through the weekend's sermons.

♫The Cat Kids Came Back the Very Next Day♫

2009-07-24T11:07:00.003-06:00

♫She thought that they were gonners♫

♫But the kids came back; they just couldn't stay away...♫

Yes, they came back yesterday to their depressed and distraught kitty. I think she was under the assumption they would never return. Well, you know what happens when you assume. You don't? Well, it makes an a....ah, never mind.

Anyway, back to my story. The kids got home at 11:30 last night looking no worse for wear than when they left. It's always nice and mind-easing when your children come back with all their molecules in tact.

It seems as though they spent 90% of their time at the farm playing in the pool; it shows. (I am hoping to get some pictures of them tonight to show you - last night we were all too tired to do any posing.) Rush came home looking like she had just spent a good month on a tropical island; Bug looked like he is an exchange student from Australia, and Jellybean, poor, poor Jellybean... She has her Norwegian ancestory's pale skin (as do I) and she came home with a nice red triangle formed on her nose and 3/4 of her cheeks, like a danger sign or something. It just screams DANGE! DANGER! DANGER!

They did all come home with big smiles on their tired faces; I like that kind of tired, the tired that comes from 2 days worth of good, hard play, relaxing in the cool water under the hot sun, and, occassionally burying your face into the necks of good ol' dogs and horses.

How miserable does she look?

2009-07-23T10:24:00.005-06:00

Jewel is not a happy kitty! In fact, she spent most of last night not being a happy kitty. Her kids are gone! Can you believe it?! We actually took her kids away from her!

Yessiree, these kids were gone last night, overnight, and poor Jewel was beside herself without them. She aimlessly wandered the halls of the house last night going from one empty bed to another - missing her kids. Poor, pitiful thing she is.

Of dinosaur fish and ferries

2009-07-22T14:56:00.013-06:00

Last Sunday Jellybean, Bug & I took a drive in the country.

We had no plan; we just drove.

We enjoyed some of the beautiful scenary of country living, that I miss and they have yet to truly experience, but do appreciate.

We found ourselves driving up to the ferry and, upon realizing the kids had never seen one, due to all their questions, decided to hop out of the car and take a little walk to get a closer view of the ferry, and to, hopefully see it cross once or twice.

As we waited to see the ferry do its thing, we wandered along the beach area of the river, and watched a boy and his dad fishing. Moments later we watched as the young guy reeled in a fish, and my children watched with their mouths wide open as the fish was revealed.

The dad asked Jellybean and Bug if they wanted to come see a 'dinosaur fish' and they jumped at the chance with a slight backward glance to get the nod of approval from me. He told them how this fish was as old as the dinosaurs and, when he saw the look of shock on the kids' faces, he explained further that this fish was probably only 8 years old but that the type of fish went back to the dinosaurs. That made more sense tot hem and they carried on admiring the fish. Jellybean got brave enough to start asking him questions wherein she discovered that it was a Sturgeon.

We played with the water, sticks and sand for a few moments before heading back to town to get a nice cool treat.

If a picture is worth 1000 words, enough said!

2009-07-22T12:59:00.003-06:00

Rush had a bit of a mishap a few days ago, quite a few days ago. Somehow, and I really mean somehow, her phone fell in the toilet bowl (it was a clean water toilet bowl but still...ew!). BigB took her phone apart and put it in a bag of silica sand to desoggify (totally a word!) it.

She's almost 16.

Without a cell phone.

For a few weeks.

It wasn't pretty.

There were tears and withdrawal tremors.

(I only kid. Or do I?)

Let this picture tell the rest of the story to you...

(this was taken while she used my phone b/c she just wanted to 'feel it' in her hands. I think she was joking...the look on her face said she was joking...I hope she was joking...)

My Little Man

2009-07-21T20:10:00.008-06:00

turned 6 years old today. Six! Six! Count it...six! Seriously! SIX! Am I the only one who is panicking here!? Does no one else know what this means? Is no one else aware that 6 officially ends all things little, all things "baby", all things..well, does anyone else know that it simply changes the whole dynamics of our family because Bug is no longer little?

Sure, he is the shortest one, for now...but I am sure by the time I get home from work tomorrow he will be taller than me. Because that's how fast he is growing! Does no one else see that? His face is losing that "baby" look and he is looking more and more like a young man everyday and I am betting, by Friday, he will be asking me for the keys to my car. Because that's how fast he is growing! Have you not noticed it yourself? I am even thinking that by the end of August he will have graduated or something. Because (say it with me) that's. how. fast. he. is. growing!

Inspite of how fast he is growing, he still loves to snuggle with me and he still fits in my lap just as perfectly as he did the day he was born (with some modifications obviously because I should not be growing any more). When he lays down beside me, his body still fits perfectly next to mine so that we look like, well, me with a Bug shaped tumor or wart or something. He still asks for me to tuck him in at night and loves to have me read him a story or to sing him a song, or to tell him a 'mommy made-up story' or for the two of us to go on an imagination vacation.

I love the way he looks at me, as he can say 'I love you' with those big blue eyes framed with his 3-inch eyelashes and it absolutely melts me. Girls, watch out! Beware of the eyelashes paired with those big blue eyes; they will get you every. single. time.

I love hearing his giggle when he is being a typical mischievious boy and I love it more when I hear that belly laugh that comes from a deep down glee and happiness. I love to watch his face as he plays with toys or tries to figure something out as there is such a seriousness in his eyes.

I love how gentle he is with his cat mere moments after she has forgiven him for chasing her around the house, shooting at her with his nerf gun or how he gets me to cut off pieces of yard to play with her because he loves to see her playing like a kitten again. I love how music moves him to dance to the beat no matter where we are: home, church, the mall, the river bank...

I love how he feels misplaced and off balance when we aren't all together, as it shows me just how much his family means to him, or how upset he is when he realizes that a certain day isn't a day for us to go to church. I love how he wants to be like his daddy and his pastor, and I love how much dogs love him and love to kiss him; it doesn't matter the dog. I love how he will run towards Luca (my friend's German Shephard) and throw his arms around Luca's neck so he can bury his face deep in Luca's fur and love on him.

I love how he has to run to the stairs to give me a kiss and a hug 'goodbye' 4 times before I leave the house and how he yells my name and runs to the stairs any time I walk in the door, even if I have only gone to get the mail.

He is such a good boy and I love everything about him; God made him with the perfect mix of love, mischief, sensitivity, nurturing, fun and whatever other ingredients God threw in there to make this absolutely wonderfully fantastic boy.

Really? Six? This could take a bit to get used to.

(Pictures taken from his birthday party on Saturday at the Splash Pad and from today)

What he (Bug) said

2009-07-20T11:22:00.003-06:00

"Did you know the sun is up and you're not?! Did you know the sun is up at 4:00 in the morning? Trust me; I know." (to his, almost, 16 year old sister when told to wake her up)

And, as Rush was eating a piece of birthday cake and licking the icing of the racing flag, Bug shouts, "Rush that's just a toy!"

Her calm reply, "I know, there was icing on it."

While playing his Quad Racing game on the Wii: "I fink a nice breakfast of cold sushi is in order." (hat was he talking about? I don't know either but he said it.)

This is all from this morning and there were other moments/words that I have all ready forgotten that brought my beverage almost out of my nose. I am sure there will be more and I am going to try to get them down on here just so we can see a day in the life of Bug on his last day of being 5.

Woke up: 6 A.M.
Breakfast: Shredded wheat with about 4 cups of milk (I know, he definitely got his dairy)
Clothes: first started with a pair of khaki shorts with a motocross t-shirt and a plaid shirt over top. Second, same shorts but a skateboard shirt (reading "Gimme my wheels" that is about 4 sizes too big for him.

Right now, at 11:37, he is tryig to figure out what a 5 year old eats for lunch on his last day of being 5. So far we have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with orange (read tomato) soup.

But, it's my day off...

2009-07-20T09:21:00.002-06:00

(Read the next few lines together really fast or simultaneously, if you can to feel the right mood to this story.)

Bug: Mo-om
Jellybean: I'm sorry....I'm sorry
Bug: Mo-om
Jellybean: I'm sorry; I'm sorry. I said I was sorry.
Bug: Mo-m
Jellybean: I'm sorry. Sorry. Sorry (mo-om). Sorry. I said...
Bug: Mo-om, Jellybean kicked my de-esk.
Jellybean: I'm sor...no I didn't.
Bug: Well, it's part of it! Mo-om...
Jellybean: I. Am. Sorry!
Bug, at this point stuck his fingers in his ears; I kid you not and I was waiting with baited breath to hear "I'm not listening" singing from his voice.

I slowly got up and sent each one on their merry way to their rooms; it's supposed to be my day off and I don't want to hear stupid fighting at this time of morning. Legitimate fighting maybe. Stupid fighting, no. After all, it's my day off and I have all ready been up for 3 hours.

To Do Thursday through Sunday

2009-07-16T13:29:00.009-06:00

Updated: Well, I guess that's not too bad for accomplishing my list of things to do. Today is the day for getting the kids ready for camp (Monday July 20)
• ~~order cake for party~~
• ~~make grocery list for party supper~~
• ~~buy gift and groceries for Bug's party~~
• ~~make template for wedding invitations~~
• ~~photocopy template for invitations~~
• ~~cut out invites~~
• ~~glue and ribbon invites~~
• ~~make list for each kid of what they need for camp~~
• make supper for friend who recently had surgery
• take supper to friend
• buy bug spray and sun screen for kids' camping trip
• pack each of the kids stuff up
• dig sleeping bags out of tent trailer (well remind BigB to do that)
• ~~fill 300 water balloons for party~~ Not 300 though
• ~~music practice~~
• ~~buy gift for friend's daughter~~
• ~~attend friend's daughter's birthday party~~
• ~~call family from northern Manitoba~~
• call the other family from northern Manitoba (tried but no one home)
• wiifit (each night)
• ~~pick kids up from out of town on Friday before church (which I think means fast food supper)~~
• ~~church Friday night. Yay!~~
• ~~church Sunday morning. Yay! Yay!~~
• ~~pick up cake~~
• ~~pick up Rush and two of the boys from out of town for Bug's party~~
• ~~take Rush and kids back to farm~~
• buy groceries for the kids to take with them to help out camping family.
• ~~buy more ribbon~~

I am not entirely sure but that seems like all I have to do this weekend, aside from working. It won't be that bad...I can multitask right? {grin} The life of a working mom...I love this part of my life, the doing stuff for my family. It is such a joy; I just hope I don't forget any important events or steps this weekend...

All I want is a Hotdog!

2009-07-16T13:15:00.002-06:00

That's all he wanted...a hotdog. Over and over again, we heard "All I want is a hotdog", but at $5 a pop he was not getting a hotdog!

So...for his birthday party, on Saturday, he is getting hotdogs...hotdogs outside always taste better!

So buddy, you've waited a bit but, you will get your hotdog.

Excuse me!? WHAT did you call her?!?

2009-07-15T09:28:00.003-06:00

That's exactly what our cashier at WalMart said to Rush last night upon overhearing our conversation wherein Rush did nothing more than say, "Mom, do you think that ribbon color is what they are looking for?".

She gasped and she wheezed and she sucked in air for a few moments as she tried to regain her composure, and Rush & I stood there staring blankly at her and each other - not completely sure what was so shocking to this poor cashier.

"Did you just call her 'mom'? Is she really your mom?!"

"Um...? Yes, she is...?" (we still weren't really comprehending what was so shocking until she finally gushed...)

"Wow! I thought she was your older sister but that's it! Not your mom!"

I do look younger than 35 but not a lot younger, at least I don't think I look a lot younger, and Rush does look a fair bit older than her years but at least it's not as bad as it was a few years ago. When she was in Grade 8 (still 13 years old) she was hospitalized for a bit and the doctor's kept asking her what she did for a living...

The fact that I am only 18 years older than Rush does add to the whole scenario but we have never gotten a reaction quite like that one. I sure do hope that cashier finally caught her breath.

P.S. I ♥ that cashier; she made my day (or night, rather).

Soda Tute

2009-07-13T22:46:00.005-06:00

Bug talking to me as I finished making supper:
"Mama, I was watch...what is that Veggie Tales? Um...? Oh yeah. I was watchin' Soda Tute and Larry, he..."

Jellybean:
"Oh Bug! You are so cute the way you said that! Can you say 'Minn e so ta'? I really just think you are adorable the way you said that."

Bug:
"Could you twit calling me tute all ready!? All I said was we watched Soda Tute! There's nuffin' tute about Soda Tute!"

How do you stop from laughing when he is so adamant about not being tute, soda tute even?

Not Me Monday

2009-07-13T09:17:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Not Me Monday, a fun, slightly therapeutic blog carnival created by MckMama where we can confess all those things we don't do and never would. That being said, welcome to Not Me Monday.

It was most certainly NOT me who made an overwhelmingly long list of things that need to be done in our house. That list definitely didn't include painting every room in our house other than Rush's most recently painted bedroom. I would never add that kind of workload onto BigB and my shoulders? Why would I do that to us?

It was also, then, NOT me who decided that we have a lot more stuff in our house that we can get rid of. This means, then, that it was also NOT me who decided to get working on having a garage sale. I most certainly don't have time to add that to my schedule.

It wasn't me you saw throwing my kids onto trains in the trainyard to get pictures of them and it was also NOT me driving around town to find suitable spots to get Bug's picture taken. Why did I decide to do that? Well, it most certainly wasn't because he was sporting his new faux-hawk and looking too cute to not be photographed and since he isn't sporting the faux, he doesn't look absolutely adorable in these pictures posted here and here.

We did not spend Saturday evening trying not to drool over other people's cars and it certainly didn't get me to start singing "My Little GTO" and since we didn't drool over Challengers, and Mustangs and bikes (oh my), I didn't write this post with pictures here.

Does somebody have a cell phone? Anybody?

2009-07-12T22:07:00.006-06:00

Family Camp is next week. The 21st to be exact. Bug's birthday is the 21st. BigB & I couldn't get that time off work so no one was going to go. A very, very dear friend offered to add our 3 kids to her 5 kids (WHAT!? Perhaps our very dear friend is flippin' nuts! Nah! They are all good kids and J1 and Rush will be lots of help with the kids I know.)

Needless to say, the kids are all super stoked about going! However, this is what I overheard this morning:

Does somebody have a cell phone?! Anyone?! Does someone have a cell phone that I can use!? I will need to call my mom and dad every morning and every night so I say good morning and good night to my mama and daddy! And I won't even be with my mom on my birthday!"

How could you NOT love that face? (And, of course, the faces of his lovely sisters.)

Turn it on, wind it up, blow it out...GTO

2009-07-12T20:36:00.015-06:00

My family ♥ cars, well, not just cars; we ♥ good ole American muscle cars (except for Rush; she ♥ them too but her favorite is the 2009 Acura NSX and if you were to ask her, she would even add silver on there because it doesn't hurt to be too specific).

BigB and I took the younger two kids to a small, local car show yesterday and, more often than not, the thing we heard most from their adorable faces was "OH! I LOVE THAT ONE! THAT ONE'S MY FAVORITE!". We have discovered that Jellybean loves Challengers (any year) and if they are purple that makes them even BETTER. Bug loves Challengers, Mustangs, GTOs and, pretty much anything that screams American muscle car. His favorite seemed to be a '71 Boss Mustang, orange in color but I didn't end up getting a picture of him with it.

We found the cutest Austin Mini Pickup that the kids HAD to get their pictures taken with it as they were almost taller than it.

At this point I think they were distracted by a lime green Challenger.

"Heh! Yook (look) at dat Mustang!"

Mama's favorite...

I have ~~stalked~~ ~~coveted~~ loved this car from the very first time I saw it, about 10 years ago. Now, don't get me wrong, I still love me some muscle car and I ♥ the Challenger and the Mustang but this car, {sigh}, she is SO pretty!!!!

As much as I love that beautiful navy blue 1932 Buick, as we neared the end of the vehicles, I gave my ♥ to another but check it out! How could you not love this big ole boy?

A Boss Hoss with Nos (and no, I am not channeling Dr, Suess.)

C'mon Dad! There's lots more to see!

And just like Bug rockin' the faux hawk, these cars ROCKED (according to my 2 young children - um, and me...)

Fun with a Bug and...a Jellybean

2009-07-12T00:23:00.009-06:00

The condensed version of our family (even sans Rush who was working this weekend) had a fun evening out together and it went a little like this...

We spent some time at a local, annual car show (more on that later, perhaps tomorrow)

We found the most darling Bug in a tree.

We threw the kids on the back of a cube van. I am not even joking...

After eyeing up the artwork on this fence since, well, many, many years, we stopped to take some pictures in front of it. (You can't tell from this picture, but I will post more later, but this is a beautiful painting of a train on someone's fence.)

We spent time hanging out at the train yard playng on the trains and on the tracks...

We had a really fun evening and the kids went to bed smiling and exhausted. BigB and I got to spend some quiet time together. You want to know how we took advantage of that? We threw in an old movie (Son-in-Law with Pauly Shore; I used to love that movie. Funny how our tastes change. Now I think there is far too much swearing and sexuality in it for us to keep this movie in our house. It was great to go down memory lane though and it did show us that we have changed, a lot.). Oh yeah, back to what we were doing. So we watched the movie, chuckled at parts of it ad sat on either end of the couch snuggled up, each with our own laptop looking like a couple of geeks. Me, I was editting photos and BigB was doing some research for different projects he is working on.

It was a nice quiet night spent with some of the people I love, love, love. Did I mention I ♥ them? 'Cuz I do! (Really missed Rush tonight though)

A little of this and a little of that

2009-07-10T16:21:00.003-06:00

→ BigB worked from home all week and has been enjoying it quite a lot. I have to admit that I enjoyed him being around town as well as we were able to get away on a nice lunch date.

→ Progress has been made on me being able to work part-time and be home with my kids in the afternoons. At this point we are unaware of how much progress it is but progress is progress and we are steppin' forward, baby!

→ I have wiifitted (well, what would the past tense be then?) myself into some very sore muscles this week. Some of those advanced levels are tiring, especially when you do them for over an hour. What? Too much?

→ It's been raining here, pretty much all week and we are all hoping for some nicer weather that we may enjoy a bit of the summer months before they are over.

→ Bug's birthday party is coming up in a week and Rush's party is two weeks after that. Wow that seemed to come fast. Think that's the end? Not even close. There are birthdays in between (including my dad's, & BabyK's); there are wedding showers, weddings and anniversaries and all sorts of fun events to look forward to.

→ I have been thinking of having a garage sale to get rid of some more of our clutter but, haven't quite figured out when I would have time to do any of the organizing a garage sale requires. Perhaps something to put on the agenda for this weekend.

→ Rush will be working again this weekend. She is excited about that. She loves that job and it gives her great experience considering she is contemplating a nursing career as well.

→ I did a bit of research to find some html codes to help make longer posts look more organized and found this arrow one. I think it looks great! How about you? Do you think it makes things a little neater looking and esthetically pleasing?

Overheard in my house this evening

2009-07-09T20:50:00.002-06:00

Yes, you can sleep with Mr. W; he's the one with the sweater. Don't take the dark brown one without the sweater, the chocolate one. If you take him, I'll punchya in the nose; I sleep with that one.

And that, folks, was said by a teenager in our house to the 8 year old...Would I even lie about something like that?! Seriously?

Don't just sit there! Work harder!

2009-07-07T08:32:00.003-06:00

Today's devotion from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "Pursuit of His Presence" spoke to us as a family. We can't just sit back and wait, not all the time anyway. Probably not even most of the time.

Here's a bit from the devotional:
"'We just need to get out of the way and let God work. After all, we can't do anything anyway. He's the One who is in contol.'

Have you ever heard anyone say things like that?

I am sure you have. In fact, if you're like most of us, you've said them yourself. At the time, they probably sounded very good. Very religious. Very humble.

But let me warn you, that kind of attitude can also be very dangerous. It can leave you sitting passively while the devil tears up everything around you. It can leave you in tears, begging God to fix a situation for you when He was saying all along, 'Take care of it yourself! I'll back you. I've given you My name. I've given you My authority. I've given you My own faith. Now, use it!'"

Interesting. Especially since I just said something somewhat similar to the whole "I am just going to turn it over to God, sit back and let Him take care of it." Sometimes religious thinking sneaks in there and we have to shake it off and get rid of that stinkin' thinkin' all over again.

What makes this all the more interesting is tying it in with last Friday's sermon on "Strict Training". We read from 1 Corin 9:19-27. Verse 24 says that all runners run but only one gets the prize; verse25 says that everyone who enters the race goes into strict training but I think it was verse 26 that spoke the most to me "therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air".

We need to fight with a purpose and enter into strict training (strict training doesn't come from having a hardcore drill sergant barking orders at you. He can bark all he wants; if you have no self discipline it doesn't matter what he tells you to do). Strict training comes from you; it is a strictness that you put on yourself, a self discipline. Remember, we are not to run aimlessly; we are to have a purpose, a reason for doing what we are doing.

Paul said that he would be disciplined. How? It tells us in Mathew 22:37, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your soul". There you have it. Pretty straight forward.

The woman with the issue of blood didn't just sit back, 'get out of the way' and wait for Jesus to decide when to heal her. She made a plan, she set her mind on her healing and she purposed to get it done. She decided who, when, where & how.

We, as christians, need to stop being so passive; we need to get aggressive in the things of God. Christianity isn't ice cream cones, rainbows and pretty unicorns under a sparkling morning sun with us sitting in the dewy grass holding hands as we sway back and forth and it most certainly isn't doing our own thing Monday through Saturday, become righteous and pure because we graciously give God a few minutes on Sunday morning. Going to church each Sunday doesn't make you any more of a Christian than sleeping in a garage makes you a car. It takes more than believing to be a Christian; the demons believe too. They, however, don't submit themselves to God. So, we need to submit to Him but, we don't sit there like a wimp and wait for Him to tell us to do something. He has given us access to His power and authority, and now, we need to be aggressive enough to plug into that power and authority, and actually use it.

Come on girls, do you really like passive men, a man who will stand by and watch someone mistreat you and harm you? Or, would you rather a man who will aggressively defend you and come to the aid of your honor? We, as Christians, need to be aggressive as well - to restore God's honor in a time where honor of anything has fallen to the wayside. We don't need to sit on the sidelines and wait for God to tell us exactly what to do; press into His word more, His presence more and pursue Him, aggressively (like the woman with the issue of blood - I doubt she was sauntering down the road thinking "I'll just walk down here and IF God chooses to heal me than Jesus will walk by and it will be close enough that I can reach out and touch Him." No she pushed, crawled and shoved her way through multitudes of people to get to Him, knowing that if she could even just touch the hem of his garment she would be healed. I have never once read where she said, "If it be Your will that I be healed..."

Anyway. All this to say that we need to stop being so passive in our beliefs. Have a purpose in what you do. Have faith and chase after a God that wants no harm to come to you; he just wants you to love Him and chase after Him harder tha you chase after the loves you have in this world.

Not Me Monday

2009-07-06T00:27:00.006-06:00

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r208/jennisajoy/OUAB/NotMeMondayButtonV6copy.jpg">>

Welcome to Not Me Monday, a blog carnival created by MckMama. Are you tired of trying to hide behind a facade of perfect motherhood and womanhood? Ashamed that you let the kids eat marshmallows for breakfast or that you were just so tired that you watched as one of your children painted the baby? Did you fall short of all of your motherly/womanly expectations? Good. Join us as we all share what we didn't do this past week. If feels real good to get it off your chest and to air your laundry (oh, you didn't do your laundry....hmmm)

I did not overhear Jellybean say this, as she was about to kill a beetle, "Any last words?" I do NOT think that my children are incredibly funny most of the time and I have never, ever told any of my children that they were geeks. (Positive and uplifting words only)

BigB did NOT discover that leaving the glass bottle of BBQ sauce, with lid on, by the hot barbeque will lead to the lid blowing off. Fortunately no animals, children or other innocent by-standers were harmed during this discovery. (I have never thought it would be funny to see this on the end of a movie, One animal was harmed during the filming of this movie but he recovered very quickly and is in perfect health now. Or some other similar such note.)

I did NOT pay for my kids to get tattoos this week. No, really I didn't! What kind of mother would I be?! Well, ok...I did sort of pay for them to get tattoos...

My heart did NOT leap for joy when I got this text "Hi girlfriend! We are on our way to (insert name of town here). Will be there tonight. When do you want to get together?" and since I did NOT get this text, we did NOT decide to meet Thursday and we did NOT hang out all afternoon at Walmart and Timmy's with our kids and I, of course, then, did NOT get a chance to take these pictures of my most adorable nieces.

I did NOT think about enrolling my 5 (almost 6) year old son in some kind of etiquette training or "good husband" class after hearing this comment, "I am going to make a GREAT husband!" Followed by an incredibly loud belch.

I most certainly did NOT feed my kids and their friends s'mores for supper tonight as we had had a late lunch or "lupper" as they call it and I most certainly did NOT eat a couple myself. Good health practices are always followed in this house and I, therefore, fed them a wonderful snack of raw vegetables, nuts and berries. Yup, I sure di...

Ok! Ok! Don't judge me... {grin}

It is most definitely NOT a quarter to 1 as I type this as I have NOT been having a difficult time sleeping the last 3 days. Oh! Remember last week's NOT ME? Those sick family members I had been taking care of were NOT finally diagnosed with having H1N1 and since three of the four were boys and the girl only got a mild case of it I did NOT say something to the effect of that proving that men are pigs because I only ever say things that are honoring, respectful and uplifting (even when joking and trying to get a laugh). Always. So, I never did say that - NOT at all! NOT even a little bit! I never even hinted! NOT ME!

I am NOT going to bed now so I can get some sleep and get to work and I will NOT add the links and pictures needed to finish this edition of Not Me Monday ~~tomorrow~~ later on this morning (after I get some sleep).

This morning, on our way to work BigB & I did NOT stop to get some oil and a gingerale for me, and when he turned to right to drive me to work I did NOT ask him where he was going because I most certainly didn't think he should have turned left to go to church. I am always well orientated and know precisely where I am and where I should be going. He did NOT laugh at me and say, "You know you're in a revival seeking church when..."

Anyway, that was our fun week and you can read about more of our adventures here, here, here and here.

Whew! Ok, I feel a lot better having shared with you all my shortcomings of the week (as well as a couple from my family). Now go on over to MckMama's and read what the rest of us didn't do. Go on now! Go! I'm serious! I mean it! You! Go! {grin}

Look who I met!

2009-07-03T16:27:00.005-06:00

Isn't she adorable? Couldn't you just eat her up with a big ol' jar of Nutella? How can you not ♥ either of these girls?

Me an' my girl, my sistah

Happy Canada Day from our house to yours

2009-07-03T15:37:00.014-06:00

I did manage to get those pictures uploaded so here it is - our celebrations. Hope our fellow Canadians and Canadian transplants had a great day! Tomorrow we send wishes of a Happy 4th of July to our fellow Americans and American transplants. (BigB & I were in Missouri for Independence Day a few years back and we had a great time; you guys know how to throw a party!)

Anywho, here's a little photo look-see of our Canada Day.

We got ourselves all tattooed up (some of us weren't as willing to show off our tats as others were)

We enjoyed a feast of grilled steaks, corn on the cob and citrus spinach salad (yum! That is delish in itself: spinach, canned mandarine oranges, dried cranberries, almonds, feta cheese and tuscan italian dressing. First time we ate that salad Bug said "WHY are there oranges in dis salad?! There are oranges in here! WHY?! Now he says, "This is my FAVORITE salad!)

We all enjoyed a dipped cone from Dairy Queen before heading to the river for the Canada Day festivities (and by that I mean rolling down the hill, doing interpretive dance to really off key singers, trying to figure out new and creative ways to not actually have to sit on the portapotty seats - yuck - and...people watching)

Hill rolling which soon turned into little boy squishing...
*Disclaimer* No little boys were hurt during the documenting of this adventure.

Part of the interpretive dance

This photo is VERY similar to the one where he was on his knees, looking directly at a couple as they passed by crooning at them. He is his father's son (or is he a lot like me? Perhaps both)

Bug and Jellybean doing their best interpretation of a Toyota commerical (from my youth) "What a feeling! Toyota!"
Fireworks then off home for our own sparklers and some nachos! Yummy!

Here, Piggy! Piggy!

2009-07-03T14:57:00.003-06:00

Remember all the sickness we had at our house last week? I talked about it here. Just this morning I got a phone call from Rikki, a friendly sounding public health nurse, who called to inform me that, yes, Bug did indeed have a confirmed case of H1N1 (aka Swine Flu). That being said, she also said that it was very safe (in fact, extremely acurate) to say that Jellybean, BigB and LilB had the virus as well.

We found out that the boys, and Jellybean, are to be in isolation for 7 days from the start of their symptoms. Seven days from the start of Bug's symptoms was this past Tuesday. I love how that system worked in this case. We found out 3 days after the isolation period was up that he should be isolated. Good thing we didn't really go anywhere.

Going to the gun show!

2009-07-03T14:18:00.003-06:00

Just for the record, life has prevented me from uploading pictures from my camera to my laptop (that is a good thing). We have been running here and there today: purchased Rush's birthday present, got a tire with a wrecked valve repaired, ran into loads of people we knew at the mall and have been doing laundry.

Overheard while Bug was cleaning up the movies and I was folding laundry.

Bug: Heh. I'm 'finking' of 'zat' little lady over 'zere'. You gonna check out the gun show. Boom! (as he flexes one arm) Boom (and he flexes the other). Fire Powah (as he stretches on arm out).

P.S. He has NOT seen Night at the Museum two. He has seen a preview once or twice (perhaps his quoting skills have a lot to do with the fact that it is ne of Rush & my favorite parts.

I've been in the shop

2009-07-02T23:45:00.002-06:00

Well, technically, not me but my laptop and technically,not the shop but in the capable computer-knowledged, geek nerd equipped, virus zapper, hard drive repairer, mostly fantastically skilled hands of my dear husband (I originally put awesomely instead of fantastically but I try to reserve the word 'awesome' for God).

I have been sidetracked by my computer's need for ~~medical~~ technical attention and its skilled (and cute) repairer.

It is almost tomorrow as I type this so I will be heading to bed very soon but I just wanted to say that I am not ignoring you, my dear blog, and I am most certainly not shunning you; Ihave not had the means to access you in a couple of days.

Therefore, tomorrow I will tell you (and show you) the Canada Day fun we had at the riverbank (complete with music that left Rush & I, and at times BigB, wishing we could pluck our eardrums out with forks and our ♥s out with spoons - I tell you no lies!). Bug thought it was great and even did some interpretive dance on the hill which left us in stitches. If you were there, our group of fun and loveable friends were the only ones patriotic enough to start singing OH Canada during the fireworks. So, that will be tomorrow AND I was able to meet my dearest friend today and we hung out with our MSC in Walmart & Timmy's. It was great to be with her. I LOE that girl - she's my peeps!

Anyway it is now 5 minutes until tomorrow and I could really use some sleep today...

That's kind of exciting!

2009-06-30T09:29:00.002-06:00

Well it is! Are you arguing with me?! Seriously?

Ok. I am done being silly. I am going to blame it on all that totally cool thunder we are getting today! I always get in a goofy mood when there is a thunder storm and the better the storm, well, the goofier I get. It seems to stir something up in me because I feel so energetic and like a ball of live wires or something but I digress.

Wow! That one was so close and loud it made me jump! Too cool! (Digressing again...)

Let me get to the point of what is kind of exciting. Rush is turning 16 this summer.

{16?! Seriously, when did this happen!? I mean wasn't it just yesterday she was a chubby faced, pigtailed 2 year old taking her poodle/terrier, Princess, for a walk? Wasn't it just last week that she cried when her Papa Ray told her that his sprayer killed weeds and she cried and begged him to promise to NEVER KILL WEEDS AGAIN!? Wasn't it? It wasn't really THAT long ago that she strutted out of her Kindergarten classroom proud as punch over the fact that she had met the Queen of England? (Really it was the school secretary dressed up as the Queen but there was no telling my Rush that. She met the Queen and that was THAT!) Has that much time really passed since we found her fixing Pa's swather with a yellow and green handled chisel? Wasn't it last week we took these pictures?}

Yes, Rush is turning 16 years old this summer and she has morphed from an adorable little girl with the biggest, bluest eyes and biggest heart to a beautiful young lady with the most beautiful green eyes and the biggest heart. (Yes, I am aware her eyes went from blue to green.)

So, as her mom, I want something special for my daughter's Sweet 16, from gift to party. (By the way, her Dad wants these things to; it's not just me.) I am not telling the gift as I don't know how often she reads here but I can tell you about the party. (Do you guys know how much I LOVE to plan parties? I love, love, LOVE it!)

The afternoon of her party is going to spent at the Spa with a few of her close friends and, of course, her mama. When we are done there, we will be going to our house for a family supper and her "bestest" friend will most likely be spending the night.

The invitation parts are now printed on their appropriate page color (vanilla; I didn't have any caramel left); I will then be putting them onto a chocolate background and finishing them off with a nice green ribbon and I have printed spa information on kiwi paper. Supper invites are on the kiwi green and I will finish those off with a chocolate ribbon. (Rush loves green.)

I have plans for refreshments at the spa (including fruit with dip, cheese, crackers, chocolate and some cupcakes ~ yummy!)

I am so very excited and I really hope it all goes off the way it has played out in my head several times since planning it.

Now, it is time to get planning Bug's 6th birthday but first I need to contact his buddy's mom to see if she wants another joint party this year (since their birthdays are only days away from each others). It seems he is wanting to go to the park for an all out run around and play, weiner roast kind of day. Easy enough.

Do NOT start a phone call conversation like this EVER

2009-06-29T12:58:00.004-06:00

Moments ago my phone at work rang; it was BigB. He is going to give you an excellent example of how NOT to start a conversation.

"First of all, he's ok."

and then there was a pause...

I have to admit that during that pause I immediately forgot 'first of all, he's ok'. I immediately went to who is he (given the terribly high fever Bug had been fighting up until yesterday and the fact that LilB just left our house to travel to Calgary for a family reunion with his mom's family and I have a terribly vivid imagination (quick too) and several people and scenarios popped into my head).

What should I have done? Turned my fears and imagination directly and immediately over to God and waited for BigB to finish.

Here's the scoop.
As I had said LilB was on his way to Calgary to the family reunion and in a city very near ours he was side swiped; his car is pretty smashed up which means he can not drive to the reunion and he is returning to our house as ~~we speak~~ I type this.

He IS ok; he is pretty ticked off that his car has so much damage to it and I think he will have to remain here until his car is fixed (which has it's pluses and negatives - plus that we get to visit with him, negative that he misses the reunion with his other family and his return to his home in Missouri may be delayed depending on when it can be repaired.)

But don't. ever. start a conversation like that with anyone. ever! Especially if that person is someone whose family didn't want to tell her her brother had a heart attack because she is 'overly sensitive' and 'overly protective' and would 'freak out' (read panic)

How to handle this type of conversation (only from the side of the person doing the calling and scaring and not the replies from the person recieving said call and being scared):
"Hi. How is your day going?"
"Great. Me? I'm doing all right. Oh, I just wanted to let you know that someone side swiped LilB in (insert name of city near ours here) so he is on his way back here. I guess we'll be getting a few more days with him after all."

A lot nicer, heh? A lot less room for panic and imagination to creep in. A lot more focus on the smooshing of the car than the possible smooshing and/or breaking of the son.

Lesson over. Never forget it!

***Edited to add***
LilB has since decided to carry on to Calgary (as I was just informed through a second call) and is taking care of accident business at the police station of "city very near us". I have to admit, it is extremely difficult to say 'goodbye' to your child twice in one day with the excitement of getting to spend more time with him smooshed in between good bye's. This is where I would kick the dirt with a swiping motion of my feet, gestured with a closed fist a motion of disappointment by moving said fist slightly to the front of my body, cast my eyes downward and give a HUGE melodramatic sigh. If I were totally into those kinds of antics, shich I so totally am NOT.

Not Me Monday

2009-06-29T08:36:00.010-06:00

Welcome to Not Me Monday! A fun and therapeutic way to deal with our not-so-proud and not-so-glorious moments from the week. It was created by MckMama, mom to many small children. So pop on over to her site to read what she and others have NOT done in the past week. Here is what she has to say about Not Me Mondays:

"Are you feeling guilty for pretending not to notice as your child sucked toothpaste out of the tube? Feel like a slouch for wearing your husband's big, baggy t-shirts all day? We'll don't! Not Me! Monday was born out of my desire to admit some of my imperfections and reveal a few moments I'd rather forget. You may find it therapeutic to join in and do the same thing!"

I did NOT play nursemaid to my family all wee - one at a time it seems. Bug did NOT fight a temperature between 38.5 and 40.7 Celsius (which is approximately 100 to 103 temp) for 4 days. With his temperature so high I did NOT end up taking him to the doctor and, therefore, don't have these pictures to share with you.

I had only left him on the couch for 5 minutes while I tucked another sick child into their bed and I came upstairs to this sight - Bug passed out on the loveseat with his bottle tucked in his arm; I did NOT have to snap a picture because I found it terribly humourous given the fact that he reminded me of a 5 year old version of a park-bench person. Nope, NOT ME; I don't find humor in the strangest most inappropriate places, especially when I am tired.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We did NOT spend most of our visit with LilB dealing with gingerale, thermometers, tylenol, lukewarm baths, "nuggles" and pukepails and not nearly as much visiting as we had hoped. BigB and LilB did, however, get to make it to the golf course twice before both were struck with this flu.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With all the sickness running amuck in my household and all the HIGH fevers, I did NOT spend most of my time running around with this in my hand

run to one person, checking a temp, running to disinfect, on to the next, and so on. Nope, NOT ME! We are the epitomy of health ALL the time.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was NOT our 9th anniversary on Wednesday and we were NOT scheduled to teach in Youth that day so we did NOT do anything for our anniversary until Saturday afternoon. We did NOT have a great lunch at a nice vietnamese restaurant having hot and sour soup and special vermicelli (YUM) along with some great conversation!

I usually do NOT have a reflective day on our anniversary because it is not just our anniversary but two special people's birthdays as well and so I did NOT get emotional and write about it here. NOT ME! I am not senitmental AT ALL.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With all the sick children I had to contend with I did NOT make it to church Friday night just to turn around and take two of them home right after I was done singing. I did NOT feel a smidge selfish because I did NOT want to stay so I could sit with LilB during a service as it has been so long. I did NOT wish I could have stayed to listen to the sermon as it was on Persistance and Consistency. Nope, I am never selfish about anything so NOT ME! NOT ME! NOT ME!

I did NOT have my cell phone with my at church (eventually giving it to BigB) because we were waiting for the doctor to phone us with news from the pediatrician as to what he wanted us to do with Bug and all his feverness. (I did NOT just make up the word 'feverness'.)

The pediatrician said to just continue with what we were doing but they did NOT put his name on a list so the on-call ped would be aware of him should we have to take him into emergency. We, thankfully, did not have to take him!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I did NOT end up laughing at my children or my husband as they said some very silly, fever-induced things that made no sense because I am ever the sensitive one and I would NEVER laugh at the expense of my family especially when they aren't feeling well - no matter how silly their words are. NOT ME!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because of all the sickness that has NOT been making its rounds in my house I will NOT be spending my days off this week (I have Wed, Thurs, Fri off) disinfencting my house. I will NOT probably take a break from it on the evening of Wednesday so my family & I can enjoy the Canada Day celebrations and fireworks (if there is no fireban or anything and they still have them). I am NOT looking forward to that and don't have to go out today or tomorrow to buy our Canada Day red & white accessories.

So that is what I have NOT been doing this week. I wonder what I won't do next week. Hopefully something that deals a lot less with medication and thermometers.

I will leave you with a sight that I did NOT see last night just to prove to you that LilB is not as big of a geeknerd as BigB.

Nope. I do NOT have two geeknerds in my family and still do NOT have a broken computer with scads of pictures on a hard drive that I can not get to and a weak little laptop to carry me through. Since there is so much computer knowledge in my family, I always have a finely tuned computer...just like the mechanics wife has the smoothest running car and the carpenter's wife never has half-finished projects in her house. NOT!!!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I did NOT find out how terribly easy it is to make s'mores in the microwave and how delicious they are NOT! I always thought microwaved s'mores would be gross. I guess that's why I did NOT eat at least one a day every day last week at work! Nope, NOT ME! I have way more will power than that and can so totally resist its melty chocolatey, marshmallowy goodness...{drool}

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I also did NOT look down yesterday morning while singing on the Worship team, in front of our congregation to see my belt (with a d-link buckle) had come undone and my belt was swinging in the breeze in front of all to see (at least it wasn't keeping my pants up). I also did NOT discover the underwire to my bra sticking out the top of my shirt during alter call. I most certainly did NOT discover either of these things as I make darn sure I am well put together, never falling apart, especially in public places. I would never have left the house with such defective clothing and it would NOT have been a smidge embarrassing )darn pride! {grin}

Baby's got back nerve

2009-06-24T20:20:00.002-06:00

A couple days ago Jellybean informed me that she saw the next door neighbor in is yard as she took the garbage out.

"I decided I needed to talk to him, Mama."

"You did?" (Um, this doesn't sound good. What did she say?! What did she say?!) What did you say, baby?"

"I just let him know that I go to bed at 8:30 and that his kids are too loud outside and they keep me awake real late and maybe he might wanna keep them in the house after 8:00 and put them to bed, please."

(Oh dear Lord, she's telling this man how to parent his children. He is going to be offended. Red alert! We have an offended neighbor! What are we gonna...Heh! Good for her for at least making her needs known and for not just accepting it as the way things have to be. She did say 'please'.)
"Um? Honey, you probably shouldn't have said that to him, ok? But I am glad that you were polite in trying to fix your problem; I am also glad that you tried to fix your problem. You DID say 'please' right? I mean, you told him nicely?"

"Yes, mama I was nice to him."

What do you think? Do I make them cookies or pretend like it never happened?

" Ye....es," she said, cautiously, wondering where this was going.

2009-06-24T20:17:00.001-06:00

Bug (just out of the blue during a moment or two of silence): Mama boys don't have boobies; they have pecs.

You Give Me Fever...

2009-06-24T16:25:00.005-06:00

This handsome, fun-loving...

...and kind young man

is sick.

He woke yesterday morning with a fever; it started to come down slightly. When I got home from work it was almost 41 degrees Celsius (not entirely sure what that is in Farenheit - about 104). A lukewarm bath brought it down to a not too bad level. I was told he didn'thave a fever when going to bed last night; he woke this morning and it was 38.5. He snuggled with his brother LilB grinning like an idiot that he was really here (yesterday must have been fever induced dream like); I talked to Jellybean on the phone today and she informed me that Bug was outside with LilB working on our car. I received a text from BigB saying Bug was even playing this morning.

A half hour ago, LilB text me to say Bug's fever is back up to 38.5 and he is, once again, lethargic (but not as bad as yesterday).

There may be a trip to the doctor planned AND I think I will be excusing myself from tonight's Youth Group waterfight and watermelon eating contest to "nuggle" with my sick boy. BigB and LilB are more than capable and I will be where my heart longs to be anyway, caring for my children (well, one anyway - the others, that are here, will be in the midst of waterfights, watermelon and BigB's devotional "Being Drenched in the Spirit"). I think I will send my camera along in hopes that one of the 3 capable of picture taking will snap a photo or two of the watery fun!

May I Present to You

2009-06-24T10:16:00.009-06:00

the pictures I promised.

Three of my beautiful children (CRPS awards - Bug, Rush, Jellybean)

Jellybean and the yellow poppy.

The Junior's school performance (Jellybean & Kolby)

Jellybean's awards...

BigB getting his certificate for completion of first year.

Because it's a Special Day

2009-06-24T09:03:00.002-06:00

That's right today is a special day. June 24th always has been. My grandpa was born on June 24, 1900 in Odda, Norway; he was my best friend. He had twinkling, mischievious eyes that sparkled when he was up to something (just like my very own Bug's do) and he loved to hear you laugh. He loved to steal our desserts by fabricating some kind of story of some animal or another coming down the driveway in order to distract us. He pulled on his earlobe to hear you even though he had hearing aides and he always had to do something to be helping out even when his years failed his body. He always said "Oh ye" and the way he said my name, with his Norwegian accent, I can't even begin to describe how it made me feel (What did he call me? Anyula) His feet were extremely ticklish and his sense of humor and love of laughing and jokes made his eyes shine like a young boy. I loved his eyes; there was so much love and life in them and sometimes I find myself just staring into his eyes through the pictures I have of him on my living room wall. Grandpa always told me that the eyes were the window to the soul; he had a beautiful soul and today was his birthday which is why...

...today marks my 9th anniversary. I have been married to BigB for 9 years now and it has been rocky and it hasn't always been sunshine and roses smiling upon us. There were times when it seemed like this moment would not have gotten here but it did and we are changed. We are closer than ever before and it is only getting better. We have learned how to honor each other properly; we have learned that the closer we draw to God the closer we seem to draw to each other. We have learned that love is not a noun but an action and we have learned to step into our proper roles as man and wife. We have learned what proper submission is and how it pertains to us and each other.

I love being married to my husband; he provides for us as best as he can in so many ways and on so many levels. He has been a great father to my children. I am very blessed to have him (as he is to have me). It says in the Bible that marriage is "when two become one" and I can tell you taht the rocky parts of our marriage were when we fought being one and sought to be our own, when we were trying to go on our own path and drag the other with us. We are now walking, in unison, down the same path, to the same goal, focused on the same finish line and we are SO MUCH closer to being one.

I can't wait to see what this next year holds for the two of us because we both know that we will continue to grow closer. So, I love you, hun. Happy Anniversary!

You would think that would be enough to make this day special right? But that isn't all. Today is my "sister's" mom's birthday. Huh? My "sister". C'mon, you all have one! You all have that friend that is not a friend but a sister; the friend that time, distance or other circumstances does not change or alter your relationship because it is on a different level than friend. Anyway, today is my "sister's" mom's birthday. Her name is Judy and she is a beautiful woman! She really truly is. She is gorgeous but aside from that she is a beautiful woman. Remember the eye thing my grandpa told me? Judy is beautiful, not just outwardly, but her soul is beautiful. She is kind, full of life and is just an all-round great lady. To Rush, she is a grandma and always will be, and, although, we don't see her much anymore (due to our moving) we think of her often...especially today. Happy Birthday (Grandma B) Judy! We ♥ you!

It's Been A Couple Days

2009-06-23T16:21:00.002-06:00

What can I say? I have been busy with lots of little things and some pretty important things like Friday night's CRPS awards, visiting with my mom on Saturday, teaching Children's Church on Sunday morning and attending CRTC's grad on Sunday night.

The kids at CRPS have all done so well this year and it was great to see them get recognition for their hardwork. (I'll only tell of my three since none of the people who read here know any of the other kids.) Rush & Bug got certificates with a character trait on them and a trophy; Jellybean got this as well. She also received trophies for highest Junior average in Social Studies and in Science, as well as getting a medal for memorizing all of her memory verses. We then had a fun time of food, fellowship and cake to celebrate the kids hardwork.

Saturday morning my mom came for a visit; she joined me at music practice to take a listen to us and the two of us headed for some mom/daughter time and hit a local restaurant for some nachos and laughing. She shared supper with the whole family, watched Fireproof with us and then headed back home.

I had a bit of work to do on my Children's Church lesson for Sunday morning before going to bed. Children's Church was great! I taught on "Quality time with 'Dad'" given that it was Father's Day and some of the kids had a pretty firey time of prayer at the end of class. It was great to watch these young kids crying out for God to touch them in powerful ways and to give them the discipline to spend that quality time with Him.

We took BigB out for lunch/supper between service and the CRTC grad ceremony. Proud moments that night too. A lot of people overcame having not been in school for almost longer than I have been around or learning disorders and other situations as well. I got my marks from the first semester that I had taken classes (I put the schooling on hold to be with the kids more right now) and I ended up with a 92.7%; I was pretty pleased with that and I look forward to when I do go back.

Today, we are counting down hours as LilB is on his way to our house from KC as we speak and should be here sometime tonight. It is going to be very nice to see him in person as he has been going through some difficulties and it will just be reassuring for this mom to see her son in person and see that he is ok.

Tonight Rush & I are going to a barbeque for the music team and BigB and I are in the midst of planning tomorrow's youth night: water ballons and watermelon to go along with BigB speaking ("Being Drenched in the Spirit - can't wait to hear that one).

So, that's it in a nutshell. It's been fun and I will put pictures up of the past events and the soon-to-be events. I just am running a bit short on time right now.

One word...Aaaahhhhh!

2009-06-19T09:44:00.008-06:00

Spa day with my co-workers was fabulous, wonderful, relaxing and do-over-and-over again enjoyable! Rush & I plan to go for some mom and daughter chill-out time closer to her 16th birthday.

What did I do? I relaxed to the point of sleeping during my Iron Mineral Body Scrub & Aloe Wrap (aaaahhhh); after which I enjoyed several relaxing minutes (about 15) of solitude in the wet sauna, some laughter and stories in their therapeutic pool, deliriously relaxing time in the infrared sauna (again about 15 minutes {apparently this aids in weight loss - yay!}), ate some cheese, crackers, grapes and chocolate and thoroughly enjoyed the relaxing decor and atmosphere they have lovingly created at Serenity Spa.

What is there to say but, aaaahhhhh.....

Unfortunately someone took some blurry pictures but I am totally relaxed during my Mineral Scrub and Aloe Wrap.

What a fabulous afternoon. I am so looking forward to being able to spend some great, relaxing time just me and Rush here.

...and here

...and probably here.

Dear WiiFit Personal Trainer

2009-06-17T08:22:00.003-06:00

I hate you. Oh, yes, I do! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! You may think that 'hate' is an awful, strong word but compared to the other two words (despise and loathe) that ran through my head this morning, hate is rather kind.

You are so deceitful, you and your computer generated flat abbed-thin thighed-shapely armed-self. You tricked me with "fun" activities like slalam skiing, ski jumps, hula hoops, dance step aerobics and sun salutations until, there I sit 50 minutes later wondering when I had started to sweat. Your soothing, gentle voice, encouraging me, drove me to 50 minutes of exercise through games and I woke, this morning, feeling muscles that probably haven't worked since 1989. How dare you trick me that way! You seemed so nice and I fell for it! My, but you are the cunning one, aren't you!?

So... I guess that's it then. There's nothing left to say except...

...I'll see you tonight same wii time, same wii channel. Oh, and this time I promise to not come to you eating a Dairy Queen medium dipped cone. I saw the evil eye you gave me.

Until then I sign off, only grumbling slightly under my breath at you becasue I truly ♥ you; I'm just an ungrateful wretch.

And there I am WITHOUT my camera!

2009-06-16T08:57:00.002-06:00

BigB & I saw the funniest thing on our way to work this morning. Well, funny to us. Given the Harley Davidson riding, bar-brawl fighting, tattoo sporting background we have it was even leaning to the side of hilarious and there I was WITHOUT my camera (technically, it was in the backseat in my bag but, I wouldn't have been able to reach it in time and probably would have caused myself physical harm trying to get to it for photographic proof of just how stinking cute the sight we saw was). So...without photographic evidence you will just have to trust me when I say it was very funny and use your best imagination when you read the description and if you haven't laughed to the point of peeing your pants, you haven't tried hard enough!

Pulling off of our street to get to work this morning we were delayed by on-coming traffic which happened to bring us more delight than it probably should. What was the source of our tickled funny bones? I am so glad you asked. We saw a tall, scrawny young man (read baby face) who was sporting a very stringy yet scruffy (or straggly) goatee and a doo-rag, looking as tough as he could possibly muster riding on his ...

...vespa scooter!

I think BigB did pee his pants, but only a little.

He, the vespa riding ~~Hell's Angel~~ Purgatory Cherub was so cute in an "I'm wearing Daddy's clothes" kind of way and we appreciate him so much for bringing just that much more of a smile to our faces this morning. Sure do wish I had my camera ready!

We are Sheeple

2009-06-15T13:04:00.002-06:00

We had a wonderful Friday night service with the speaker being one of our own (and my friend), Darla. She had a lot of great things to say and I wanted to share from the notes that I took (mainly because I seem to end up getting the pages of my books ripped out lately but I also thought some of you may enjoy what she said).

"Survival of the Sheep"

What most people think a pastor is:
-a social convener (sp?) planning spaghetti suppers and fishing trips
- a hander-outter of freebies. (yes, that is a totally made-up word) (Pastors make sure we are taken care of but it is not his job to go around and buy your groceries.)
-a pastor is someone who is just supposed to pray for your blessings ( "God, "so-and-so" came to church today so please bless them") (Pasotrs pray for you but not just so you will be blessed and happy)
-a comforter of people (ues, they comfort but that is not really their job)
-an administrator ("Pastor, I have a need; please start a prayer chain.") (Pastors need to focus on other things which means they don't need to be playing secretary or anything else similar)

Pastors do do these above metioned things BUT they are not a part of his office/not his job and people will get upset that the pastor doesn't do these things and will leave churches offended because 'Pastor wasn't taking care of ME'.

God's definition of a pastor:

1Peter 5:2-3 says
Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

1. A pastor shouldn't ask you to do anything that he wouldn't do.

-I know our pastor won't ask us to do things he has not done or is not willing to do himself and he is willing to do so much for us; it's a wonder the man ever sleeps!

2. A pastor is to equip the saints.

3. A pastor is to protect. (Ezek 34:7-16)

4. A pastor is to be a ruler

({Gasp!} Did I just type that?! We are to be ruled by someone?! It's not just about us and our needs and how someone can make us feel better about ourselves? We actually have to do what we are told and not just whatever we deem acceptable for us to comply with?! Wow! People will bend over backwards to do what their hockey coach tells them, get up at 4 AM to be at practice on time, take a ballet class to boost their balance for crying out loud but heaven forbid a pastor tells them to do something or worse yet, actually expect them to be at service!)

-In 2 Sam 5:2 it says, "And the Lord said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.' "
-So a shepherd is to rule his sheep.
-How many times as parents do we say "Because I said so!"? so, why can't pastor say it. We shouldn't have to say, "I will think about it" or "I will pray about it" or "Let me get back to you on that". Would we allow our children to say those things to us? Not likely! So why do we think it is fine for us to respond to our pastors that way? We want our children to obey us the instant we tell them something but give them no example of us doing that very thing when our pastors want us to do something and then we complain because we don't know why we have such poorly behaved kids.

-We may benefit from god's plan but guess what? We are not the purpose of His plan. Shocked? Guess what? We need to come to the realization that it is NOT about us! Not even a little!

Ezek 36: 18-24, 37-38
-God restored honor to His name not for Israel but for Himself.

-The pastor's job then is not just to take care of the sheep but to lead the flock to restore honor back to the Lord (not to help them feel they are special and can do whatever they want and that God loves them SO much. No, we benefit from His plan, as I said above but, we are not the purpose!)

-We are to minister to God to bring His presence down.
Exodus 33:16
"How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"
-Most of the things we have in the church you can get int eh world (lifecoaches, etc) so we are no different than the world if we don't have the presence of God to offer people. If we don't have that presence, our only difference is location.

Sheep:
*Sheep benefit from have a shepherd (pastor) in fact, their lives depend on it!
Mt 9:26 (When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. )

1. Sheep don't like to be enclosed in a tight environment. (We don't like rules)
*Society teaches us to be our own ruler, make our own decisions and decide for ourselves what is right and wrong. That is not how God intended it.
*We learn to hate being controlled - even if it's for our own good.
*Most people would rather suffer in their own bad choices than be happy after beign told to do something that would make their lives easier!

(Why do some people even come to church? They don't want to worship God ("That's not who I am", who cares that the Bible tells you to right?) they don't want to let the Word change them. So why come? So they can feel morally superior because they go to church and sometimes not even on a regular basis.)

2. Sheep move away from shepherds/workers & dogs
*the wrod pastor gives to us should cause us to change.

3. Sheep have good longterm memory, especially for bad experiences. They will always remember to stay away fromthe dog that bit them.

*We are not different. We really remember the bad stuff and rarely the good stuff! (How horrible our husband is because one time he did such and such but forget about all those times he takes care of us and provides for us!)

*The final word is the Word of God - that 's the authority. go by his word and not your past experiences. The way it used to be is not the way it is!

4. If given a choice sheep prefer flat terrain as opposed to an incline.

*We need to be stretched to be coaxed out of our comfort zones.

5. If left in one place sheep will destroy their pasture.

*Pator will help/provoke you to move on or you will be destroyed in your faith - destroy what you have if you stay the same.

6. If sheep see other sheep run they run

*stir other people up and be stirred up yourself
*if you don't feel stirred up, it's pride.

7. Sheep will follow the older sheep
*discipleship.

8. Sheep will follow other sheep even if it's a bad decision
*In Turkey a sheep tried going over a ravine and fell to his death. 400 other sheep watched him die and then followed him to his death)
*be careful who you follow and remember who is following you. (You are your childrens' example)

*generally we follow laws so why don't we follow a pastor's instruction? We don't break government laws because we don't want to pay the money but how much more do we lose spiritually if we don't obey pastor's (& therefore God's) instructions?

*It tells us right in Hebrews that it is unprofitable for us to disobey.

Not Me Monday

2009-06-15T09:01:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Not Me Monday, a fun blogging carnival created by MckMama to share with each other those embarrassing, silly, senseless or less than ideal things that have happened to us during the week. A fun sort of free therapy one may say. So take a peak at what I didn't do and head on over to see what she and the other ladies haven't done as well.

I did not spend too much time going through photos of Rush this past week because she is going to be turning 16 in less than 2 months and I didn't go through a pre-mourning pity party. Nope. Not Me! I am always composed and it doesn't bother me that my children are growing up so fast and I certainly didn't say that it seems like I just gave birth to this beautiful young lady 4 minutes ago instead of 16 years ago.

I wasn't super excited that when BigB and I went out for a drive that he took me out for a DQ chocolate dipped cone and then surprised me with a stop at my Dad's house. I didn't almost cry when I saw my dad because I love him so much and I didn't end up writing this post about how he and my Judy always come to the window to wave goodbye to us. I also didn't go through a few months worth of pictures just to find the photo I took of them standing in their window to accompany said post. I am not a daddy's girl and even if I were, I most certainly wouldn't be a suck about it.

We didn't laugh, uncontrollably, at our two youngest children over a disgusting game of "Truth or Dare" and I most certainly didn't put the story up here for the whole internet world to see and, even if I did do that, I wouldn't put a link to it so all my fellow "Not Me-ers" could take a peak at the story if they wished.

I did not, jokingly, try to convince Rush to take a swim in a green and orange algae covered pond by telling her it would be good for her skin because I am a kind mom and wold never dream of playing a trick on her like that. She really, truly didn't fall for it and so I didn't keep imagining in my head how funny it would look to have her emmerging from that greenish water looking all swamp-manish. I also didn't tell her that would make a great picture and we should do that when I take her out to do a photoshoot in the next couple of weeks. She really, truly didn't think that was a good idea and she most certainly didn't roll her eyes at me.

I didn't have a great time visiting with friends last night and didn't eat a jumbo Dr. Pepper freezie and then go with my friend to the grocery store 10 minutes away just to buy Brownies (to give into a craving) because we are way smarter than that and have much better nurtitional skills.

I most certainly didn't cry when I heard my oldest son's voice on Saturday. I don't miss him at all and I certainly didn't wish that I could have seen him on Friday for his birthday. I didn't jokingly tell him that we tried to contact Bill Gates to have him send his private jet to pick us up and take us to Kansas City but that Bill was being rude and wouldn't return our calls.

So, there you have it, some of the things I didn't do this week. Now, remember to check out MckMama's and see what she and the other ladies haven't done!

Hello, 911?

2009-06-13T21:28:00.003-06:00

That's what he said and I am NOT making that up!

Today Jellybean & Bug were playing "Truth or Dare" (and I thought that was a scary game when played by Junior High aged girls). Word to the wise, people, if my kids come to your house to play do not, I repeat, do not let them play "Truth or Dare" with your kids.

You may be asking yourself 'why?'; you may be thinking 'it's just an innocent game' but, when my kids play, someone ends up licking the toilet.

"What!?!" we said, as they retold this story through fits of giggles and gagging. "Do you know what you just licked!? Do you know you could get really sick from doing that?! Do you know how GROSS that is!?"

As this all sank in, Bug's face foreshadowed some insight into ~~his toilet licking escapade~~ his Denis the Menace charm and he picked up my cell phone , pretended to dial, and said...

..."Hello, 911? I just licked the toilet...my sister dared me. Please, send an ambulance. Thank you!""

To which, he looked over at us with ~~more mischief than our neighborhood punks~~ the biggest, goofiest grin he could muster, gave us the "eyebrows" and burst into Abs of Steel making laughter.

It's Been Kinda Dry at our House

2009-06-12T16:21:00.003-06:00

But boy, oh boy, are we ever glad. It has been a time of celebrations and high-fives, and a time of rest for our washer & dryer. You see, my 5 year old has had difficulty in the wee hours (no pun intended but now that I type it out it is very funny) of the night waking enough to realize he has to go to the bathroom.

We tried every trick we could think of:
-No liquid after 6 (or if he was really thirsty, we limited him to a medicine dropper full - I only kid on that but we would seriously only give him a mouthful or two, if he was very thristy).
That didn't work.

-We tried the let's be cruel and wake our poor boy in the middle of the night to drag his zombie-butt out of bed, somehow manage to steer him to the bathroom and coach him into remembering how to take off his underwear (or where they even go) in his sleepy, half awake, mostly comatos state just so he could go to the bathroom and wake up dry! (Whew! Must take a breath after that run-on sentence).
Guess what? That didn't work either. Most times we just wound up frustrating ourselves and confusing him because after sleeping soundly for 4 hours he understood about as much English as an undiscovered tribe of pigmys (Do you think I am kidding?! Nah uh!) adn I usually had a toilet or a bathroom floor to clean the next day because ones aim is not so good when their eyes are closed and they don't comprehend their native language.

-We tried the "let's make sure he goes to the bathroom just before he goes to bed" route and...
...That didn't work either.

-We tried every possible combination of the above attempts and came up short or, as the case may be, wet. Wet and disappointed and embarassed; well, only Bug did.

For a stretch there the only laundry we were washing was his bedding and it was getting frustrating for all involved - including and especially our handsome, young man who was trying his very best to not have accidents and would pray every night to God to help him.

Our morning routine changed considerably: get him out of wet clothes, wash him up, strip the bed, leave it to air dry, hopefully throw his bedding in the washer right then (if we had the time and if not right after work), spray his dried bed with febreeze, wait for that to dry, make his bed and know that it would start over in less than 12 hours.

We have now had 2 weeks of dryness in our house! Bug is so happy and he is so thankful that God has been helping him to not have any accidents. Every morning he wakes up and joyfully tells us how many days it has been and we all celebrate with him - not because it means less work for us but, because he is so thrilled.

So, when I say our house has been kinda dry, it's a good thing (no Martha Stewart reference implied).

My Heart's in Their Window

2009-06-12T09:45:00.004-06:00

To most of you the following picture may seem a strange one to have taken but I want this picture forever etched in my mind and my heart, and I am pretty sure it is. This is a tradition. A visit to Dad and Judy's doesn't seem complete if they aren't standing in the window to see us off with a wave (or when it's a beautiful day like last evening, to come stand on the front lawn to do the same).

My beautiful granny used to do the same thing; she would stand in her big bay window in the kitchen and watch as we disappeared, and now the tradition has continued and it is one of those things that has become so very important to me and to my children. If Pa and Grandma aren't in that window when we are buckled and ready to go, we hear panick induced rants that go something like this, "We can't go yet!!! They aren't in the window!!! You have to wait!!!"...

...and sometimes the kids join me...

I ♥ Rush

2009-06-11T10:08:00.020-06:00

Because from the moment they placed her in my arms almost 16 years ago, she has changed my life. From that moment, it wasn't about me any more; my thoughts shifted from me to her - how everything I did would affect her. I know I have made mistakes and that I will continue to make mistakes (just hopefully not the same ones and that the severity of those mistakes lessens each and every time) but I have done my best for her, and I think it's really great how she has changed and impacted me as much as I have her. She took me outside of myself and made me aware of life in a way I never could have dreamt or imagined.

She is a great kid, always has been. Her sense of humor has never failed to leave me in stitches; her heart and compassion has always left me proud. The work ethic that she has shown since entering the work world is one any mom could be proud of but, I am not just any mom. I am the fortuntate one who gets to be her mom.

I ♥ Rush and I have since before I knew her (any mom knows that feeling) but I have no words to describe the tugging, the pulling, the gnawing, the burning in my heart when I think of her (and all my kids but this post is about how I ♥ Rush) and how much I ♥ her and how much she means to me.

"Nobody ever told me that motherhood is a constant gnawing hunger, a confusing mix of envisioning future ages & milestones, cars & boys and the way her grown up hand will feel in mine, and simultaneously mourning tiny pink socks, that surely only ever fit seashells." - S. Murdock

Working at CRC - clean up crew (photo by Eug)

Just hanging out at BK with the family.

Family walk.

Taking a trip down memory lane...

Rush & my Granny K (Oh, how I ♥ them both!)

Looking a little like Miss CindyLoo Who.

Rush & her oldest friend (they met the day he was born 2 days after her) & her most ♥ed stuffed animal Toots.

After what looks like a terribly fun water fight. I think she lost...

Dancing to the music on Fox and the Hound.

Fixing Pa's swather, or should I say "fixing" since she was using a chisel!

Pa & Rush having a nap in the tent at the farm.

And, in the not so distant past of memory lane...

Dad said something that was shockingly funny here (as Rush is wearing a cloth sack a gift came in to make it look like a night cap - her humor, I tell ya).

I don't really know what to say about this one other than she was hamming it up for her cousins by wearing the bright yellow bowl and goggles at Christmas (& she is also wearing Uncle Cowboy's hoodie.)

Clowning around last July for Bug's birthday party.

SSSSSHHHHHHH....I have a secret...

~~Tyra~~ Rush workin' it like a pro.

Rush, I want you to know that you mean more to me than I could possibly ever express; my word-bank is void of the appropriate words. Rush, I ♥ you!

Random Memory #3

2009-06-10T15:34:00.002-06:00

The first time I EVER made buns I was not privy to the knowledge of just how much they would rise so...I made them just about the size I wanted them to be. By the time they were done they were about the size of cantelope, I am sure! Fortunately, BigB was making hamburgers that night and he happened to make them "BillyRay style" (which means HUGE). We still get a good chuckle out of that memory any time I make buns.

Impromptu "Photo Shoots" #2

2009-06-10T09:11:00.009-06:00

These are two of my favorite people; they are such incredible role models as a couple and as individuals and I love them SO much! Both are heaps of fun to be around and I hope that I was able to capture that, as well as how much they love each other in these pictures.

I only wish I would have had more time to get a few more shots to play with but we were at a wedding and had lots of stuff to do.

Impromptu "PhotoShoots" #1

2009-06-10T08:49:00.010-06:00

Not Me Monday

2009-06-08T09:26:00.006-06:00

Welcome to this fun little blog carnival created by MckMama, mom to many adorable children; she created this as a fun "therapy" for all of us moms to share what we have ~~not~~ really been doing. When you're done here, stop by her blog to see what she & the other moms have not been doing.

This past week has not been jam packed with fun; therefore, I most certainly did not spend Tuesday night at my friend's lingerie bridal shower, laughing and having so much fun with my friends.

I did not spend Wednesday night doing almost the same thing but at a MaryKay party and if I did I most certainly would not have blogged about it here (complete with pictures).

I did not cheat on my ~~diet~~ lifestyle change and eat a Whopper from Burger King not once but twice due to our schedules of getting here and there last week. Having said that, I most certainly didn't add to the caloric intake and ask for bacon and cheese on the second trip. I am very disciplined and would never cave into peer pressure from my husband to indulge in such horrible food and I certainly wouldn't cave twice!

I didn't have loads of fun at Colin & Krisann's wedding on Saturday and most certainly didn't wish I had taken LOTS more of that delicious fish they cooked up from Northern Ontario. It probably wasn't absolutely delicious.

Speaking of the wedding, I most certainly didn't decide to wear 5 inch heels and by the end of the day I was NOT the one begging all the men to trade shoes with me just so I could be in flat shoes. Nope not me. I never beg and I am poised and ever the lady and I can handle wearing tremendously high heeled shoes with grace and joy.

I don't think it was incredibly funny that as I typed the word 'grace' above I had a typo and spelled 'grave'.

I did not say good bye to my "nephew" yesterday as he is heading back to Ontario and it did not break my childrens' hearts to say goodbye to him so these pictures were not taken.

I didn't spend most of Thursday thinking of my daughter, J and wishing I could somehow transport myself to see her graduate from her LPN program! I did not think how proud of her I was. I did not find myself, on occassion, wiping a tear from my eye.

I do not think I am the luckiest(if I believed in luck which I don't) mom in the world because I have the greatest kids! I do not love to see their faces light up when they see me or have them to snuggle into me. I do not melt when they tell me they love me. Nope, I am not a very ~~lucky~~ blessed woman. I do not hope to save up some money so I can take the kids and my honey on a nice vacation. (A woman I respect very dearly told me you have never been on a vacation if you have never gone somewhere without a purpose and you have never gone somewhere where you don't know anyone - if you go to see family/friends it is not a vacation but a visit. She is sitting on a beach in Montego Bay right now working on my share of the tan she is going to bring home.)

As I type this, I have not realized that there are only 5 days of school left, including today and I am not going to have to figure out some days that I want for holidays in the summer.

Little Tidbits of Yesterday and Today, Yonder and Now, Past and Present...Okay, I'm done!

2009-06-05T08:47:00.006-06:00

Last night we had ourselves a NICE supper; in fact, Bug commented several times "God, thanks for this wonderful supper". BigB grilled up some steaks (and cooked them perfectly to each individual liking) and I baked some potatoes and steamed some veggies. We opened a can of beans to go with it all and, yummy, we had a great supper.

I like to put salsa and a little crumbled feta cheese on my baked potato and Bug has develeoped a love for this "white" cheese. As I was crumbling mine onto my potato, Bug asked me if I could get him some. While getting the cheese for him, I asked him where he wanted it; I thought maybe he wanted it crumbled on his potato as well. Well, we almost fell over laughing when he looked at me like I had suddenly sprouted tenticles from my nose and said, "Here" as he wiggled the fingers on his outstretched hand. That boy loves himself some feta!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After supper as Rush did her chores, I joined Bill at the car to "help" him work on the car. I don't know what I did to help or what he was really expecting but I mainly sat on the grass watching him or chasing Jellybean & Bug down the street just to hear their giggles of glee as I reached and tickled them. When we thought it may be fixed, he & I took a drive down the highway to see if it was a success.

No. We have checked the computer code to see what the problem is for the "service engine" light to keep coming on and the only part it says we need has been replaced but there is still something not quite right as the car still hesitates and seems like it doesn't get enough gas to carry on, occassionally.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have been trying to find a dress to wear to my brother's wedding this fall and I could never find anything that I really liked in this little town but my very good friend works at Reitmans and she told me that the minute their dresses came in, she would let me know. They have come in and yesterday after the 'mechanicing", we stopped by to see what we could find.

I tried on 3. This one(The link doesn't take you to the direct dress so I typed the name for you to scroll through the 5 dresses until you see the correct name) (cowl neck sleeveless dress). One they don't have a picture of and this one (rose printe dress). I really liked the purplish one but BigB thought it looked too boring and dull so we chose this rose print dress with some turquoise accessories (a thick bangle bracelet, scarf and earrings and I will probably just wear a nice silver chain); I am pretty happy with my find.

It is on hold at Reitmans right now and I will go pick it up, to be my very own, next Friday when BigB gets paid. I won't even need to buy shoes to go with it because I all ready a own two cute pairs that will go perfectly (just a matter of deciding now) so I may get some opinions as to which would be best closer to the wedding.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To celebrate our shopping success we went to Dairy Queen for a chocolate dipped cone. Yummy! And took a little drive in the ~~country~~ dirt road outskirts of town.

By the time we picked J1 up at work to take her to her house, I was beat from the day and I washed my face, put on my jammies and was in bed and sound asleep before 10.

I fell asleep thinking about our J and wondering how her graduation went, hopping that she will send us some pictures so we can at least pretend we were able to be there and thinking how very proud I am of her. She is now an LPN (licensed practical nurse)! We really can't wait to get this car road worthy (of going distances) so we can get out to see her and P.B., see their new house (we've only seen pictures) and have a nice visit with them.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tonight is dress rehearsal for my friends' wedding! Tomorrow they are getting married! Yay! Our worship team is going to be singing at the wedding; I think that's kind of cool. I have never done that before and it is really great that we can help be a special part of their wedding that way.

Just don't go thinking I am The Wedding Singer or anything; although...I can badly sing 80's songs with the best of them.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, and just because I know you will all be rivoted by this information, the skin on my face is SO incredibly happy with me since my Wednesday night purchase ( I ran out last week). Last night I think I even heard it sigh! (I also picked up some fun new colors.)

And to keep with the taking care of oneself, I get to go, with some of the girls from work, to a spa for some spoiling and I just may look a lot like this that afternoon! We will also be getting to participate in their therapeutic pool, steam sauna, infared sauna, chair massage, tea buffet and a do it yourself facial. This joyous occasion takes place on June 18 and my ~~harsh Canadian~~ winter skin is screaming for this to happen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Girls' Night Out

2009-06-04T09:26:00.012-06:00

By the end of the day yesterday I had decided I didn't want to go but I have a dear husband who loves me and gave me a gentle kick out of the nest (or the mild pity-party as it may have been). I had decided that sitting at home was going to be WAY more fun and beneficial for me than going out, after all I went out to Krisann's bridal shower the night before and, apparently that means, I am destined to stay at home for the rest of the week bound to the washer and dryer. (C'mon, it made sense in my head during my mild pity-party and, heh, who has a party and doesn't serve refreshments? Apparently I do because I failed to offer myself any kind of appetizer or gooey chocolate treat. Some hostess I am!)

So I hopped on over to my friend Char's house and we headed off, Char, J1 and I, too Loretta's and then off to the party. There were only 7 of us, not including the MaryKay lady and it turned out to be a blast but what else could you expect when you get 3 Newfies, 2 Indians and 2 Cowboys in the same room? We laughed, we primped, we preened and we looked, dare I say, gorgeous!

So, a big thanks to BigB for kicking me out of my house and "allowing" me to spend money! Yay for MaryKay and for good friends who are ready to compliment each other on how fabulous we all looked. Shazam!

The bride-to-be, Krisann (center), her mama, Rose and J1.

Here I am, making a brief appearance (it happens here sometimes; I am on occassion in front, and not behind, the camera) on my blog, pre-makeup but post skin care and foundation. Oh and I know I said I am glow-in-the-dark white but I seemed to have been proven wrong; I din't have to use the lightest foundation in Ivory, and was, in fact, Beige 300! And we haven't even had any summer weather yet! A'RIGHT!!!

Our fearless (you'd have to be to take on this group of friends) leader.

~~The trouble-makers~~ My friends, Char and Loretta.After make-up (including bronzer, for. the. first. time. ever.) Too bad I always have such squinty eyes when I smile.

I have gorgeous friends, inside and out!

The hostess with the mostess, for this month anyway...the lovely J1!

Rose lookin' swe-et!

We had loads of fun and there is another party in July! *Tingle* We got a sneak peak of what the special is and I am now on my way to the ditches and garbage cans to get me some pop cans for recycle and save my mula!

Strange

2009-06-03T11:10:00.002-06:00

That would be how I would describe today. Nothing like this has happened; it's simply a generalized feeling, like something is in the air or something. Could there be a storm brewing? Could it be from the burning fires around the area? Is something amiss? I know I have no idea, just this strange feeling.

Random Memory #2

2009-06-02T14:17:00.002-06:00

After "Flicka" came out, and my kids & I fell in love with this song by Kenny Loggins, it became part of our bedtime routine (even Rush liked to have it sung to her when she wasn't feeling well, since she has long past lullabies as part of her routine havign replaced it with make-up remover & moisturizer).

Hush a bye
Dont you cry
Go to sleep my little baby
When you wake
You shall have
All the pretty little ponies

In your bed
Momma said
Babys riding off to dreamland
One by one
Theyve begun
Dance and prance for little baby
Blacks and bays, dapples and greys
Running in the night

When you wake
You shall have
All the pretty little ponies
Can you see the little ponies
Dance before your eyes
All the pretty little ponies
Will be there when you arise

Random Memory #1

2009-06-02T13:51:00.003-06:00

Lullabies
I remember singing this song every night at bedtime to my dearest Rush. Oh, how I loved those moments of her snuggling in beside me, under the covers, as I stroked her very blond head and sang to her until she fell asleep. (Jellybean & Bug liked this at bedtime too but not so much as Rush

Dancing Bears, painted wings,
Things I almost remember,
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December

Someone holds me safe and warm.
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully,
Across my memory

Far away, long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember,
Things my heart used to know,
Things it yearns to remember…
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December

--"Once Upon a December" - Anastasia 1997

Anastasia OST - Once Upon A December - Anastasia

We also sang this a lot for bedtime and, although I sang it to my other children as well, I think it will always remind me of Rush.

Morningtown Ride or Train Whistle Blowing

Words and Music by Malvina Reynolds Performed by The Seekers (1966)
Train whistle blowin', makes a sleepy noise
Underneath their blankets go all the girls and boys
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin', out along the bay
All bound for Morningtown, many miles a-way

Driver at the engine, Fireman rings the bell
Sandman swings the lantern to say that all is well
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin', out along the bay
All bound for Morningtown, many miles a-way

Maybe it is raining where our train will ride
All the little trave'lers are warm and snug in-side
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin', out along the bay
All bound for Morningtown, many miles a-way

Somewhere there is sunshine, somewhere there is day
Somewhere there is Morningtown, many miles a-way
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin', out along the bay
All bound for Morningtown, many miles a-way

All bound for Morningtown, many miles a-way

Words cannot even begin to describe the depth of the love in my heart for this young lady and how much these memories mean to me.

"Yeah! Well she died!"

2009-06-02T10:57:00.003-06:00

Coming home from work yesterday with Bug in the back seat was a "beverage-out-of nose" (if I would have had one) adventure.

Bug hates bugs; he has to kill every bug he sees (other than ladybugs and worms as they, apparently, are not bugs). There was a teeny little spider in the backseat with him and when Bug failed at being able to fling him off the seat to stomp on him, Bug took off his shoe and repeatedly attempted to smack him with said shoe. This was an absolute fail; the poor spider did nothing but flail around like a ragdoll on a trampoline.

Eventually I jokingly said to Bug that he should just 'eat the spider. It will be ok; I heard of an old lady who swallowed a spider.'

And he said...C'mon everyone, say it with me!

"Yeah! Well, she died!"

A lengthy pause later he followed with, "Man. I hate it when old ladies die!"

What I'd rather be doing

2009-06-01T12:56:00.002-06:00

I'd rather be watching Bug finish up the brownie I know he is eating for "dessert" for his lunch and helping him wash the crumbs from his handsome face.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd rather be getting the load of whites out of the dryer, getting them folded and put away and getting Bug's bedding out of the washer to the dryer and on his bed for tonight's sleep.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have two toilets that are in desperate need of a good scrubbing.

Did I really just say I would rather be cleaning toilets? Did I really? Somebody, quick, check if I have a fever!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As was refered in my Not Me Monday post below, I need to go get groceries and now would be a most excellent time to do that.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My room is a disaster and not the disaster one would be imagining. My room looks like two teenagers live in it as I started to go through our clothes and that has become a work in progress (all over our floor).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cooking supper for my family.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cleaning up more in our yard.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take Bug to the park to play; the rainy day has past and it looks rather nice, albeit windy, outside.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Going through more of our stuff to get this house more organized and lighter.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two words: walls & floors.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Those are just a few of the things I could be doing right now - and not only could be but wish I were doing. *Sigh*

Not Me Monday

2009-06-01T09:23:00.008-06:00

When you're done here, head on over to MckMama's, the creator of this blog carnival, and see what she and the other ladies haven't been doing this week.

I have not been so busy this week that I almost don't remember what I did or did not do this past week. Whew!

I most certainly did not have to keep pushing back when I could go get groceries this weekend so many times (due to out-of-my-control circumstances) that I had to run to the stor at 9:00 last night just so I could send my kids to school with more than just a sandwich because we had nothing else. Not me! I mean, really, I have weeks worth of sandwiches in my freezer so I obviously would take the same care in planning the rest of their lunches and snacks.

We did not get some of the car fixed this weekend and that definitely means that we didn't fix one side of the front brakes and some part I had never heard of before (because I am all up on my mechanic jargin and know exactly what my husband is talking about at all times.). I did not become their mechanical photographer because the guys couldn't see behind what they were working with since we couldn't lift the car up enough. So I didn't take this picture.

I did not sleep on a couch with a hound dog glued to my side and did not enjoy waking up in the country side and therefore, did not get to spend time snuggling with this wonderful creature for a good part of the morning.

I did not enjoy getting to know some wonderful people from Kingston and didn't thoroughly enjoy listening to Pastor Bill as he preached at CRC on Friday night. Jellybean did not get to listen to him at chapel on Wed either and she most certainly did not come home tell me, "Pastor Bill is a funny, funny man," and that he is now her third favorite pastor. (This is not a good quality picture due to my mad photo taking skills but because he was not hopping around from chair to chair as I snapped this shot.)

My son didn't willingly dress up like this and spend the majority of the day in this attire and in the mindset of whatever character this guy is. My children are all serious children, devoted to spending their time doing practical things like cleaning their rooms, doing their homework and memorizing their Bible verses.

(P.S. There is not a sword, gun and walkie talkie tucked into Bug's pants right now; he is not some sort of Clark Kent, Steve Erkle, police man, pirate type guy.)

I did not get to spend part of the day and all evening watching this cutey and his two older sisters.

I did not buy cigarettes for my almost 16 year old daughter. Ok really, I didn't but she did give me the money for them. She worked at the group home this weekend and one of the ladies needed cigarettes so, in order to avoid Rush having to chase this woman down as she would have decided to walk into town to buy them, I bought smokes for her. It has not been years since I bought a pack of smokes and it did not feel extremely strange and awkward.

I most certainly didn't spend a very restless night last night think of and praying for my dear friend whose marriage is in desperate need of restoration like mine was and I am certainly not praying that she really will be at church on Friday like she said she would and I am most certainly not praying that she chooses to put God first in her life once again and restores that relationship first and allows God to heal the other.

I also haven't spent the week having periods of sadness over the fact that we are unable to get to our oldest daughter's graduation tea this coming Thursday as our car really isn't travel worthy yet. Not me. I certainly don't feel like the worst parent in the world over missing something so important as a graduation from LPN. That being said I am so completely NOT proud of her and all that she has accomplished (including all ready having two relief positions near her new house).

I have not spent the week wishing I had a private jet so I could go to Kansas City, Mo just to hug my son. Nope, not me. I don't miss him at all, especially since his birthday is only a few days away.

These are some of the things I haven't done this week. What haven't you done? C'mon, it's very freeing to admit our shortcomings.

Jellybean Fun

2009-05-29T13:56:00.009-06:00

Oh, what a night

2009-05-29T09:02:00.011-06:00

Bug was pretty pumped to get on his bike again; he had had to wait so BigB could adjust it.

Jellybean enjoyed her freedom of skipping up and down the block, after I "finally allowed" her to stop helping me pick up the neighbor's cigarette butts (ew!).

On the Rotary Trail not too far from the river; it was a nice walk, especially through the wooded area.

Bug got a little ~~mischievious~~ adventuresome and wondered off the trail into the swampy area and got ~~savagely attacked~~ mixed up in a bush of thistles.

Getting a bit of squishy face loving from Rush, which left me resembling a 108 year old lady with, apparently, no teeth. If I had any say in this, this picture wouldn't be on here. Oh wait, I do; it's MY blog but, meh, I put bad pictures of the rest of my family on here - I'm pretty sure that falls into the "it's-only-fair" category.

We went trick riding on a whale; Bug & Jellybean riding double.

and...

Bug doing some stunt riding on the back of Sammy the Whale.

Rumor has it that you will swing faster if you close your eyes. (This tidbit of information brought to you by Jellybean and since she is a jellybean, and therefore, sweet, it HAS to be the truth. RIGHT?

This moment of over-acting brought to you by ~~William Shatner~~ Rush. That girl is a real hoot when she wants to be. Oh boy!

We had a great time after supper. Jellybean & I worked in the yard - mostly she asked if she was done and then got completely distracted when she was able to pick up and play with her first earth worm of the year. Bug rode his red bike and Jellybean skipped until we were all ready for the walk. We headed out to the Rotary Trail, which makes it nice walking ~~with city kids~~ and stopped in several little playgrounds for a bit of fun and so I could snap a few pictures (the only one willing of being my ~~guinea pig~~ subject was Jellybean; I ~~fought tooth and nail~~ sneakily snapped pictures of the rest)

Sometimes

2009-05-28T16:01:00.002-06:00

all a mom can do is be a mom and leave everything else in God's hands. Sometimes we just have to let go of the situation, knowing that no matter the outcome, God will be there to pick up shattered pieces and to mend broken hearts. A mom can fix a "booboo" on the knee with just a little band aid and a little kiss but, there are things that moms just have to leave to "the big guy".

We can ease bruised egos but we can not piece together broken hearts and shattered dreams. Sometimes, no matter how much we want to "fix" things for our children, we need to know that we are not capable of doing such things.

Sometimes it is hard to sit back, offering only a word of encouragement, a hug or tears on behalf of your children, and sometimes it is hard not to run to them but you just have to acknowledge that they have a Father who loves them so much more than you possibly can. Who are we to think we can care for them better than He?

Sometimes it is a struggle to leave those things to God and not try to fix them ourselves, and sometimes we must remind ourselves that, as mothers, there are things we are called to do and capable of doing, and others that we, simply, are not. In the midst of those time, mothers, we are called to pray; that is our job. Pray with fervency because the fervent prayers of a righteous man avail much.

Sometimes it is very hard to be a mom when you see your heart walking around in 7 different directions - epsecially when one of those walking hearts needs more than to be picked up and dusted off. Despite the fact that, at times, being a mom hurts beyond our control, I love being a mom and I will continue to do whatever I can for my kids, including giving complete control to God over their entire lives.

Love is in the air

2009-05-27T12:57:00.002-06:00

At least, according to Bug, it's fragrance is. This morning, as he was sitting on my knee during morning devotions, he nuzzled his nose into my neck, looked up at me and, through glistening eyes and a big, bright smile said, "Mommy, you smell like love."

That's a little surprising, considering I am wearing the same perfume today that caused him to say this to me just a few months ago. But then, maybe fruit loops do smell like love to a 5 year old boy.

Singing in the Rain

2009-05-27T10:40:00.003-06:00

It was our first thunderstorm of the year last night and I LOVE thunderstorms. What do I love about them? I love the unbridled, raw, intensity of thunderstorms but I also love the feeling that I get in the midst of one.

Let me explain. As a kid ,moreso a teenager, I found safety sitting or walking during a thunderstorm; it was a time and a place where I could be alone with my thoughts, my true thoughts and have no one know I was crying. I especially liked spending time up here during storms (internal as well as external). I felt safe enough to "let out" all the feelings that I had stored up from my past and it was not uncommon for me to scream at the top of my lungs along with the thunder. Despite what I was going through at those times, the memories are good now. It was a place of healing when I didn't know where to turn for true healing (not just the train bridge but the storms as well, they were a place of healing for me then).

Now, I just love thunderstorms and walking/playing in them. I feel clarity, youthful (even though I really still am youthful just moreso), comfort and I love the fact the Rush loves to walk with me as she loves them just as much as I.

Last night we laughed with each other, to the point where it seemed we just may pee our pants, and it was great - a moment of bonding one may say. We walked, skipped and ran hand in hand down the rotary trail through a wooded area enjoying the beauty of the buds popping out into leaves and blossoms bursting forth into existence. It was, again, an escape, from some of the realities of our lives and an escape from the ever-present fact that I live in the city. It was so beautiful and peaceful to me to be able to pretend that the houses and new developments behind us didn't exist and it was just us in the bush during a beautiful thunderstorm.

We laughed at how wet we had gotten, at the fact that, at just the moment we decided to turn our faces to the rain, the rain got much harder for a moment and it felt like it was attempting to tear our retinas from our eyes and, yes, we laughed about that. I learned that Rush's dream is to, when the right one comes along and, she is old enough, be proposed to during a thunderstorm. I think that would be beautiful and I must remember to let Mr. How Lucky are You to Marry my Daughter know, when that time comes, so that this dream can come true for her.

*No pictures were taken on our journey last night as both our camera batteries were dead and I am pretty sure they would have gotten wrecked at some point had we taken them, considering how wet we both got. It is, however, permanently etched in my mind and in my heart, and I can't wait for the next storm!

I am no stranger to strangeness

2009-05-26T15:56:00.004-06:00

but this really took the cake...

I got a text on my cell from an unknown number in a different province stating 'Call me.'

I text back, "Who is this?"

About a half an hour later comes the reply, "Your ex husband. Lol."

#1 My ex-husband would have no idea what my cell number is.
#2 He would not be asking me to call him; we haven't heard from him in years.
#3 He would not use the term 'LOL' in a conversation with me (and I am almost certain with no one else either).

I text back saying, "I know you aren't my ex husband. Who is this and what do you want?"

The reply comes back, "Nothing I guess."

So I text back because I am really wondering which of my friends is playing a trick on me at this point and I say, "Please tell me who this is because I am really getting curious."

About 10 minutes later a call comes in and a strange man is having a conversation with me; I assure him that I am not his ex-wife and he begins to attempt small talk with me. By small talk I mean this man tried to spin some charm on me (I can totally see why the guy has an ex-wife to be calling).
"Who is this and are you in P.A.?" he says to me.

"You called me, buddy; I think you need to tell me who you are."

"I think I got the numbers mixed up."

"That's all right have a..."

"Why don't you tell me your name?"

"Sir, I am at work."

"Oh, you work?"

"Yes."

"You're probably married off too then, heh?"

"Yes, and happily."

"Ok well have a good day."

Is this the newest form of the dating game or something? Would you believe me if I told you strange things like this happen to me quite often? Would you? Would you believe they don't even catch me off guard anymore?

I wonder if I should call that guy's ex-wife and let her know he's looking for her - just to give her a head's up...

Revive Our Nation Conference Day 4

2009-05-25T11:29:00.007-06:00

Rush & I were in Children's Church for the morning session; we were teaching "God is my Optimus Prime"

"Jesus, you're my super hero. You're my best friend. Better than Superman." (one of the songs we sang but I am forgetting a line or two in there.)

The kids from my class during prayer at the end of the morning, praying for Bug; all he wanted was to be able to obey God & his mommy & daddy all the time.

Family Church's praise & worship team. Again, I think it is so great that our churches can work so closely together.

The team of people who came from Pastor Francis Armstrong's church (Kingston, On) to help us with some of our building project after conference. What a fun group of people (inlcuding having a water fight in the van while Jen was giving them the "grand tour" or our town.