It's the Little Things {11/18/11}

It has been a funky week around here ... as in - *I* have been in a funk. There are several reasons of course ...

1. I went to Women of Faith this past weekend - got myself on this amazing spiritual high, then came home to normal life, where I know without a doubt the devil tries to bring me down after seeing where I've been for the weekend!

2. The weather stinks. Rain, rain and more rain. And this week I've realized just how much I am a sunny day kinda girl. I really thrive on sunny days and I definitely feel the funk coming on during endless rainy days.

3. I am sore. Did some gardening/yard clean up on Monday and have been back to exercising again so my back and body have been really sore this week. It's never fun when you don't feel good.

4. I've been sad. Sad for good friends in the end of their marriage and having to say goodbye this week to them. Sad for a family member who is also going through a rough time in their marriage. Y'all I KNOW that marriage is hard work, but I can't stand it when people treat each other so poorly! Many tears have been shed {by me} this week. I am more and more burdened to pray for the marriages of our friends and family members {and my own}.

So yeah - those are my funk reasons. Maybe they seem silly or petty but oh well, that's just me.




Having said all that ... I made a choice today. I chose to FIND something to be thankful for and focus on that. I also chose to get my butt up and get moving, whether I wanted to or not. So here are my little things for the week:

* my awesome husband, Bob. I am so blessed to be married to him. We don't have a perfect marriage, but we do treat one another with love and respect and we work together as a team and I am soooo blessed by him.

* my Green Mountain coffee order that arrived yesterday ... AND a free k-cup carousel from a friend who didn't need it!

* the ability to walk/run and do my exercise videos, even when I'm sore I can still move and try and do my best. Maybe I'm not a skinny minny or an all star athlete but I'm also not a paraplegic sitting in a wheel chair, so I will be thankful.

* the girls have an amazing piano teacher who I also consider a great friend. She does a great job with the girls and I'm impressed with how much they learn each time.

* finding a really great new recipe this week that was to die for! {White Chicken Enchiladas, will post recipe soon!}

* the anticipation of my first Blessings Unlimited gatherings this weekend {Fri and Sat}.

* little chats with my Mom and my friend

* big hugs, kisses and 'I love yous' from my girls.

Thanksgiving is only a week away ... after that we set up our Christmas tree ... is it just me or does that all seem a little crazy?! Didn't summer JUST end?

OH YEAH, one last thing I wanted to share ... at Women of Faith they had this great comedian on Friday night. I laughed SO hard I had a splitting headache when he was done. He kept saying over and over how good joy and laughter is for us. He used the verse 'The Joy of the Lord is your strength' {Neh. 8:10} many times. I have been playing that verse in my mind all week. Because really, when you're in a funk, there is no better way to shake it off than to remind yourself 'the Joy of the Lord is your strength!'

Have a great weekend!

{Day 25} Laughter

{Again with no picture, what's going on with blogger lately?!} =)

Proverbs 15:13
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 17:22
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.



You’ve heard it said that laughter is good medicine and it’s really true. Laughter can be as cleansing as tears at times.

You know those times when you’re not sure whether you want to laugh or cry … when you’re totally overwhelmed as a Mom and nothing is going your way and you just feel like you’re at the end of your rope? LAUGH. I promise it will feel good, ease the tension and be cleansing.

There were times when I would have screamed. When someone spilled the milk or something silly like that and I would have reacted by yelling. Crazy, isn’t it? I mean who would tell at a child over spilled milk? But I have learned that it’s so much better for everyone involved to just shake it off and laugh. Children can be SO sensitive to what we think of them and how we react to them. When we respond in anger or frustration they take it to heart and worry that we don’t love them enough or they aren’t good enough. When we respond positively they see that we love them MORE than the glass that was broken.

Laughing with your family is simple, cheap fun. It won’t cost anything to start a tickle fight, tell silly jokes, have a contest for who can make the silliest face. We also love watching America’s Funniest Videos together – that show is SURE to bring about laughter!

Today’s Challenge: Laugh with your family today. Our world is so serious with so many demands placed on us and on our kids. Kids are expected to sit still in school, pay attention, behave, etc. So when they come home give them a little slack, allow them to cut loose a little and just laugh. Watch a silly movie together, run outside and jump in leaf piles together, tell everyone to come to dinner with a silly outfit on – the possibilities are endless. Just smile and laugh today. Don't ya think our world would be a much brighter place if more people just SMILED more? I do! =)

Happy 232nd Birthday America!

This past weekend we had a great time hosting our family reunion / BBQ. It's become a fun family tradition that we started about 4 years ago. Over the past few years we have had as little as 8 people and as many as 25. Either way we enjoy it and have a great time.

This year we greatly missed a few family members who were unable to come due to sickness or vacation plans. Next year we hope that everyone can come!

Since my nephews were sick, it meant we only had three little girls for the party. H, J, and my niece Becca (who is J's age). Those girls were like three peas in a pod and they had a blast all weekend.

On Friday they all swam and played at Grandma S.'s house while Bob and I attended a party at our friend's house. On Saturday they all swam and played at our house, then we BBQ'd that evening and had yummy chicken and corn with strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Then my Mom offered to have the girls spend the night at her house (where my brother Matt and niece Becca were already staying). So they had a sleepover at Grandma's, then went to Sunday school in the morning before coming back home just in time for the family reunion.

It was nice to hang out two nights in a row in the evenings on our deck with my brother in law Aaron and his wife Glenna. Just hanging out, having adult conversation and a couple of drinks and sharing some laughs. It was really nice. (Only problem was that I stayed up WAY too late both nights and was exhausted!)

So anyway, let's get to the pictures ... our yard with flags hung in celebration.
Yahoo for the RED, WHITE and BLUE!!
A family photo. We all dressed in white shirts and tan shorts for a group photo (the whole group photo is a new tradition we started last year)... those are on Matt's camera so I'll have to add those later when I get them. Glenna and AaronH, Becca and JHaving fun! Those are bubble containers!
We played some relay games ... this is J doing the hula hoop part of the race...
H doing the "Happy 4th of July" part of the race ...
Daddy doing the hula hoop ... woohoo, look at that hip action from my honey!!!!
Grandma S does the hula hoop too! The kids swam in the pool after playing a fun pool game ...
Then they showed off their super cool sunglasses that they had decorated ...
J looking very patriotic ...
And H too ...
By the time everyone went home we were all pooped ... even Casey who had chased and played with Aaron and Glenna's dog 'Bette' all weekend long.

The unbreakable bond

I've always been intrigued by the bond between sisters. I never had any sisters, but always longed to have one just so I could know the feeling of that deeply rooted bond.

My Mom had 4 sisters, my Mother in law had 3. I've seen the times when sisters don't get along, don't share the same viewpoints, or lifestyles, or thoughts on parenting ... but I've also seen (and heard) the stories of late nights talking and whispering, shared clothes and shoes, memories of funny experiences ...

My daughters have this bond. I was thrilled to pieces the day we found out that our second born would be another girl. My longing for a sister was about to be lived out in my daughter's lives.

My daughters fight. A lot. Every day. All the time. About everything. You see the bond of sisterhood does not mean you will always get along. They have very different views of life, very different personalities and very different ways of doing things. So they fight. And they argue. About everything.

But then ... there are those times ... times when I find them huddled together reading a book, or playing make believe out in the yard, or lying side by side 'sunning' on their beach towels ...

The day I took this picture (a couple weeks ago) we were sitting at the beach while the girls played. After a little while I noticed they had moved about 200 yards down the beach away from us and had set up this little spot for themselves. They were lying there talking and relaxing and as soon as I saw it I grabbed my camera and ran to capture this precious sisterly moment.

Yesterday another moment like this happened. They played in the pool for awhile. Sometimes fighting and sometimes getting along. Later they decided to get out and play in the yard. I was inside doing housework when I glanced out the window to check on them. They were sitting in the top of the swingset/fort and were just chatting away with one another. They later took pillows and towels out there and set up little beds - side by side. Then came supper time and they chose to bring their supper out to their little 'home' to have a picnic. It was wonderful, they were getting along so well and really enjoying one another so much!

I am so thankful that my girls have one another. I am always trying to teach them that they are so blessed to have a sister, a very best friend, to play with and talk with every single day. {Of course they don't always see it that way ... but I'm thankful for the times when they do!}

Right at this very moment ... I can hear them listening to music in H's room and chatting together. Ahhh, love those moments!

Oh how I love long weekends

Lazy Saturday mornings ... waking up late ... slowly enjoying my coffee and fresh baked (low fat) cranberry muffins ... kids watching cartoons ... BBQ's and campfires with friends ... enjoying the sun... windows open with warm breezes flowing in ... laughter and conversation with great friends ... kids playing, laughing and running around ... going to church on a sunny, Sunday morning ... taking a boat ride out to the beach ... cooking on the grill ... quiet, lazy mornings when you don't have to rush out the door ... family time ... sand between my toes ... knowing that summer is on it's way ...

Changes - part 3

The girls were excited for the pool, but they were even more excited for this!





The moment the builders finished hanging the swings up the girls rushed outside and immediately began swinging and playing. (Even though it was raining!) They have been counting the days for this for about a month.

OH, for anyone who might be wondering ... NO, we did not hit the lottery! We have some equity built up in our home and decided to use it to our benefit so we could enjoy our home more while we're living here. =)

April Vacation - day 3

You are all going to think of me as terribly lazy by the end of this week! Today we had to go to Lynn's house ... we simply HAD to! Haley had left her favorite blanket, her favorite stuffed dog, and countless other items there when she slept over the other night. So instead of just waiting till we would see them at church on Sunday, we decided it was a great excuse to invite ourselves over to visit. heeheehee =)

The kids had a fabulous day. Played outside, made mud pies, played inside, played outside some more ... and on and on they went.

Lynn and I had fun too. Sat in the sunshine, talked, looked through scrapbook magazines, sat around some more, talked some more, laughed ... and so on. We were so lazy today but it was so nice! So relaxing and fun. We stayed all day! Jason was so nice to put up with all of us girls for the whole day!

Thanks Lynn, Jason, Katie and Ben for a great day!

Little Tooter Girls

I think I have a couple of tomboys on my hands, there is NO shame in this house! Including the fact that I'm going to share this story with all of you ... against my better judgment!! It's just too funny though, so even though you might think less of me, I will share!

Last night the girls were going to 'sleep over' in one of their bedrooms. As I was singing their bedtime songs and getting them tucked in I 'passed gas', rather loudly. They burst into laughter and started pointing at one another saying 'It was you, it was you!" -- neither one of them suspected that it could have been Mommy.

So we finish our goodnights and I slowly walk out of the room, as I'm getting ready to shut the door I lean in and whisper "It was ME!" -- when they realized what I'd said they erupted into the biggest fit of laughter, as did I, because it was just SO funny. As they calmed down, I again went to leave the room and passed another round of loud gas as I was leaving the room which got us all started laughing hysterically again! I was laughing so hard I had tears coming from my eyes.

So I know this story paints me in a bad light, and that you all think I'm gross now, but it was such a fun moment where the girls and I were just really enjoying each other, enjoying laughing and being silly and not caring about being proper. So that is why I had to share!

Lately my mission in life has been to 'enjoy my children' ... last night I did just that!

Mommy's ONLY - no kids allowed!

We had a fabulous overnight adventure this past weekend. Just me and my 3 girlfriends. We were celebrating someone's birthday ... she looks a little red after having the handsome waiter sing Happy Birthday to her!!
So we went to a fun Mexican place for dinner Friday night, then drove halfway across the state to a hotel where we spent the night, and then went to an all day scrapbook event on Saturday that was held right there in the hotel. It was so much fun! Lynn's birthday was great and we laughed and laughed (as usual!). Her sister Amy and Amy's friend Fran also met us there to scrap and it was great to meet them. Here are some fun pictures ...

Caroline and Lynn at dinner...

Myself and Sandy ... Lynn scrappin' ... it may look disorganized, but there's a method to her madness! =)
A fave layout I was working on ...
I was on a mission to complete LOTS of pages!
Sandy, always stampin' ... Caroline, always laughin' ... notice no pages being worked on!! =) Yes we are nerds ... with our matching bags! I think they are rather cute!
Lynn and Amy ... Amy was very impressed with our stamp collection!
Getting ready to leave the hotel, that is ALL our scrap stuff, no clothes, just scrap stuff for ONE day of scrappin'!!! So heavy Lynn can hardly push it!

Thieves!!

You've heard about people who have been abducted and had
their kidneys removed by black-market organ thieves. Well,
this kind of cruel theft is happening with other body parts
as well!

My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years
ago. I went to sleep and woke up with someone else's thighs.
The replacements had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Those
thighs were these and what happened to mine? I spent the
entire summer looking for my thighs. Finally, hurt and
angry, I resigned myself to living out my life in jeans.

And then the thieves struck again. My rear end was next. I
knew it was the same gang, because they took pains to match
my new rear end to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier.
But my new butt was attached at least three inches lower than
my original! I realized I'd have to give up my jeans in
favor of long skirts.

Two years ago I realized my arms had been switched. One
morning I was fixing my hair and was horrified to see the
flesh of my upper arms swing to and fro with the motion of
the hair brush. This was really getting scary - my body was
being replaced one section at a time. What could they do to
me next?

When my poor neck suddenly disappeared and was replaced with
a turkey neck, I decided to tell my story. Women of the
world, wake up and smell the coffee! Those 'plastic'
surgeons are using REAL replacement body parts - stolen from
you and me!
The next time someone you know has something 'lifted', look
again - was it lifted from you?

THIS IS NOT A HOAX. This is happening to women everywhere
every night. WARN YOUR FRIENDS!

P.S.
Last year I thought someone had stolen my breasts. I was
lying in bed and they were gone! But when I jumped out of
bed, I was relieved to see that they had just been hiding in
my armpits as I slept. Now I keep them hidden in my
waistband.

Later that same night...

Yes, we had a VERY busy Saturday, we came straight home from the birthday party, ate a quick snack, grabbed our stuff and went right back out the door to a Girl Scout event. They had a 'semi-sleepover' ... so the girls brought PJ's, blankets, pillows, etc and stayed up till about 10pm, then went home to sleep in their own beds.

I stayed to help out and it was so much fun. There were 7 girls in all, including my J who isn't quite a girl scout yet, but was able to come along anyway. They played games, did crafts, did dress-up, put on a puppet show, made and ate mini pizzas and watched .... you guessed it "Hannah Montana". I have to say, my two favorite moments were watching them practice for the puppet show, you will see pictures of this below. And also while watching Hannah Montana is was SO cute when all 7 girls would jump up and start singing and dancing all over the room.

Here are some pictures:











































All snuggled up in sleeping bags!

Oh so fancy!

My girls are really into Fancy Nancy ... if you've never seen these books, you have to check them out. Little girls are bound to fall in love with Nancy ... who loves everything in her life to be fancy!
So take an otherwise boring afternoon, with everyone feeling blah, and nothing to do ... Daddy is gone to work, so it's just us girls. Mommy doesn't really feel like 'cooking' since it's just me and the girls ...

Then comes the brilliant idea to have a fancy tea party dinner! I told the girls to go dress up any way they wanted, I made heart shaped PB & J sandwiches, apple and banana slices, and cucumber slices. Then we had cranberry juice served in my fancy china tea cups and all the food served on my good china. And for dessert, little lemon cakes (the girls thought they were fancy, they didn't need to know they were actually weight watchers dessert cakes!)

I set the table with a fancy tablecloth and candles, then put all the food out and invited the girls to join me in our fancy restaurant ... Oh, and I dressed up fancy too with a scarf, fancy shawl, glittery top and dangly earrings ... who cared if I matched, the girls thought it was fancy!

We had so much fun! The girls really enjoyed our little fancy tea party! I am thinking that we really need to make this a weekly tradition, perhaps I could surprise them by doing it once a week on a day when they aren't expecting it at all!

Here are a couple photos: Fancy H
Fancy J Mommy and H Mommy and JOf course you can dress 'em up but you can't guarantee they'll act like ladies!!
Now there are some sweet smiles!
And a fancy bubble bath to finish the night.