Sincerely Fro Me To You ~ Age 15 Months

For the first ever Sincerely Fro Me To You blog carnival, I have 

decided to share a photo taken of me when I was around 15 months

old.  This picture was taken at my Great Grandparents house, at 

Christmas time.  See the beautiful white wreath on the fire place, a

nice touch for 1979, don't you think?

Now the picture below is of my daughter at 15 months, she looks just like me I think... 

For more great Fro Me To You pictures head over to We Are That Family.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow....

Tomorrow my Bloggy friend Kristen or shall we call her little orphan Annie lookalike will be holding the first ever, Fro Me to You Blog Carnival.  You can go over to We Are That Family for all the details.

So stay tuned for tomorrow's old photo of me.  Although I never had a home permanent, I do have some funny pictures to share, each and every Thursday!

See you then.

WFMW- Clean Base Boards

Today I will explain how to fight boredom in you children and 

how to get your base boards clean all at the same time.

See my 6 year old son Luke has picked up a nasty habit of 

saying I'm Bored, and he doesn't just say it once a day, oh no

he says it 50 times a day.

At first I started trying to find things for him to do, feeling like maybe I was falling short as a mom, and needing to give my homeschooler some fun activity's.  And then I realized, he says it all the time.

So I came up with a solution, every time he says I'm bored, I give him a bottle of Clorox Green Works and some paper towels and have him start scrubbing the base boards.  

It has really made a difference in our homes appearance, my base boards have never been cleaner.  He even enjoyed it at first.

But I'm sure you figured that my sweet boy no longer says he is bored...

It worked for me.  For more great WFMW ideas visit Rocks In My Dryer.

Walt Disney would roll over in his grave

UPDATE:  It seems that Miley is sorry for what she has done...  She commented to People you can read it here.  I sadly think her apology is provoked so she does not lose fans....

I was over at Rocks in My Dryer when I read that Miley Cyrus has posed topless for Vanity Fair...  You can read for yourself here. 

 I really wanted to share some of my thoughts on this.

I have to say, I am absolutely sick, although, Miss Cyrus is covered with a sheet, the look of being naked is there and I assume she is.  In my opinion this is child porn, which is illegal!  She is supposed to be a role model, she is supposed to be a wholesome young lady.  She is supposed to be someone our children can look up to.

But No she is just another girl, trying to grow up way to fast, she is another example of ways to cause our sons to lust, oh better yet lets put her on the cover of an adult magazine make her look way older than she is and plant seeds of lust in our husbands eyes too...  Thank you so much Vanity Fair!

Since when is Vanity Fair interested in a 15 year old Disney tv star?  I guess when her Mother and Father are willing to exploit their daughter and allow her to show off her body, no doubt for the almighty dollar!  Great Parenting, Ol' Billy Ray!

I am disgusted in Disney, I am really wondering how this mega company will respond in the next few days.  I do not approve of all Disney's movies or characters but for the most part if it has the Disney label, its ok.  Maybe I need to rethink that whole thing!

I just know Mr. Disney, was a good man who wanted to share great family entertainment and he would also be sickened by this.

I am never surprised to see half dressed photos of Britney Spears or even Lindsey Lohan come across my tv with not notice, but I was really surprised she is only 15 people.

I wish that Vanity Fair would have given the CDC's report on young girls and the alarming rate of STD's.   When they chose to exploit a minor showing her half naked, maybe that would open some eyes.

I have Son's so I want to protect they from the hurt and heart ache that sex outside of marriage can cause, I want to teach them to restrain, I want them to follow Gods plan, and wait until they are married.  It is so incredible hard in today's society, and now even Disney Stars are making it harder. I want my daughter to also remain pure, I want her to feel confident in her beauty without having to show her whole body, I want her to be loved for who she.  Our job as Christian Parents is becoming harder and harder everyday. 

So even though we do not watch Hannah Montana, please explain to me how are the parents of the million or so viewers now going to explain to their sons and daughters that it's not ok to show our body's in that way, that their favorite show is now not so good and that their role model is a role model after all....

Sunday Night

A few months ago Daddy joined a men's group at church on Sunday nights.  Sunday nights being his day off, I like to be with him.  I have struggled feeling selfish with his time,  I know this group is good for him yet I still want him home with me.

Well last night as I made him a hamburger (after the meeting) he came over and grabbed me swung me around and planted a kiss that curled my toes on me...  He simple said  "thank you for making us good food" and walked away.  Hamburgers?  Good?

So thank you for men's groups, I have no idea what you talked about last night but I will be praying you talk about it again next week!

I mentioned last week that Daddy was having an MRI well he went to the Doctor today, he will be having surgery to repair his torn Meniscus.  We are not sure the date yet.  He is in extreme pain.  

Unfortunately we leave for our beach vacation in less than 4 weeks.

A Photo Contest

I am using this photo for in the extremely wonderful contest that Five Minutes For Mom is hosting.  The Contest is for Mother's Day.

I struggled with infertility with our first child, and God blessed us with two more....  Even as a little girl, I wanted to me a Mommy.  I have always been totally into matching outfits and all that corny stuff, my boys match Daddy and now as often as I can Daisy and I match!

Last summer while in a flower garden taking family photo's, Daddy caught this moment.

Daisy and I were smelling the flowers and I was loving on my girl.

I love this photo so much.  It says Motherhood to me, I was truly taking time to stop and smell the flowers, and see the beauty God has created and the gift of being a mom is the greatest gift I have ever receive!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Happy Saturday!  Today I have whipped up

some yummy muffins, that is if one can whip

anything up this early on a Saturday!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup Sugar

2 Tbs Baking Powder

1 Egg

3/4 cup Milk

1/4 cup Vegetable oil

1-2 tsp Lemon Extract (Not Lemon Juice)

1 Tbs Poppy seeds

Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a mixing bowl.  Make a little well in the middle and add all other ingredients mix.  Don't go crazy stirring, some lumps are good with muffins.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

For more wonderful Saturday Stirring Recipes head over to It Coulda' Been Worse.  Hurry now you know you need some ideas!

First Kiss

I was thinking today about my first kiss.  I was one of those girls who played with baby dolls until I was 12 shoot maybe even 13 and then boom, over night I liked boys!  So literally from barbies to boys.  I was always a chubby girl and then the summer of 6th grade I grew a few inches thinned out and started wearing mascara.  And started to be noticed too.

I had a friend her name was Janelle and she had a sister Hawley, their mom and dad where gone all the time, so much freedom at their house, I tried to be there as much as I could!  So while with Janelle and her big sister I met a boy his name was Joe Collie, he was always in trouble at school but the girls were just crazy about him.  He was one of those guys who always was with a popular girl which as I stated I was just playing with babies months previous, I was not his type, at all!

But for some reason he paid a lot of attention to me, which I loved, he would try and corner me and I would always find a way out of the kiss, see I was 14 and had never kissed a boy, I had never even held a boys hand.  I was what you would call frigid, scared to death.

Looking back I wish I would have said something to one of my more mature friends but for fear of being labeled frigid, which I definitely was, I said nothing.

I will remember the day forever, he gave me a note it said I want to be your boyfriend, but you have to kiss me, yes or no?  Do you all remember those notes?

I said yes, and to meet me at Janelle and Hawley's tonight I will kiss you there.  Well no way out now, I tried to recall every movie and soap opera I had ever seen, how hard can it be just move your tongue really fast, right...

So he comes over and we are talking all the while he keeps scooting closer and closer and then he leans in.  First I forget to close my eyes so I see the whole awful thing take place.  Second I never knew you must swallow the spit in your mouth.  Third I wiggled my tongue violently around that poor boys mouth like a snake in a bag, it was bad people, really bad.  

He later asked my friend if I had ever kissed a boy before and informed her I really needed to slow down,  I acted very offended and said all the many boys I had been kissing really liked it like that and that he must need more practice!

I guess you figured out that Joe Collie never called me again, no more yes or no notes for me and my fast tongue.

I never have a hard time laughing at myself and I just thought you all might need a laugh today so there you go!

What to help?

Did you know that Malaria kills more people than Aids?  Did you know that it is totally preventable?  For only $10 you can buy a mosquito net for an African Family.  I am thankful for Shannon and her awareness!  Go over here and check out how you can help, Friday is World Malaria Day.

Lets talk about Movie's

I was reading Big Mama this morning and she was listing some of her favorite movie's, it really got me thinking, What are your favorite movies?  Do you all like sappy cry movies, scary movies, or maybe adventure, or romance...

As for Adventure/Suspense - Hello Jason Bourne!  The whole Bourne collection was wonderful!

Oh and I really loved Entrapment with Sean Connery (yes I think that old guy is good looking) and Katherine Zeta Jones.

As for Scary movies let me tell you I really used to love scary movies, love them, then I became a Mommy and I changed, life changed and I can't really watch them anymore, but a few of my favorites were Lost Boys (Vampires),The Sixth Sense, and I can't forget The Stir of Echos which made me grab Dana's arm in the theater causing her to throw our Reese's Pieces everywhere....

I am not really a Romance kind of movie person.  I do however like movies that stir you up and make you cry!

My Favorite movie of all time is The Color Purple if you have never seen this movie, you should!  It is followed closely by Fried Green Tomatoes and of course if I haven't cried enough I would watch Steel Magnolias.

As for comedy I think 50 First Dates is just great! I laughed so hard at The Waterboy and Big Daddy.  And Who can forget There's Something About Mary,

And now let me tell you a few movies that were such a waste of my life, hours I can never get back...  Let's start with The Blair Witch Project, this movie is just wrong, it freaked me out and its so much cussing and cussing. Oh and Natural Born Killers just bloody and weird, The Wicker Man was awful, really awful!

Now tell me what are your favorite movies, and what movies do you wish you would never have seen?

Banana Bread recipe

I thought you all might like to know what we are having for breakfast in the morning.  Banana bread with fresh (frozen fruit) fruit.  I found that the kids really like the frozen fruit from Sams Club, it has strawberries and pineapple and mango, melons and I think grapes, it's just a little under $9 for a large bag the bag lasts for about 3 breakfasts.  We have fruit for breakfast about two times a week with yogurt or fresh muffins.  Tomorrow I am going to have Banana bread, it smells so good I thought I would share my recipe with you, you all, my cyber friends..

1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour

3/4 cup Sugar

2 tea Baking Powder

1/2 tea Baking Soda

1/4 tea Salt

1 tlbs Vanilla 

2 Eggs (fresh from your very own back yard if you have them)

1/3 cup Shortening 

2 tlbs Milk

2 or 3 Ripe Bananas / Mashed

1 cup Pecans / Chopped

I just mix it all together and I use two loaf pans, I like thinner slices of bread, you can use one loaf pan and make a really thick loaf.  Bake at 350 for about 50-60 min.

Now the hard part is to wrap the warm wonderful smelling bread up in plastic wrap and wait until morning, but if you can, it is so moist and wonderful you will thank me!

Know what?

Its raining, and as you all know I hate rainy days, see here and here.  So guess what, we are wearing our pj's with no intent of dressing, we are watching ET, and we are eating peanut butter crackers and sticks of cheese for lunch.  

We did go outside in the rain just long enough to gather our eggs, (gather our eggs, doesn't that sound country) I could just say get the eggs, or collect the eggs, but gather the eggs sounds so nice...  We got four eggs today, 1 brown, 2 white and 1 green.  Luke love them, he was sitting out in the rain singing to the chickens earlier today.

We are having left over cream of vegetable soup from yesterday for dinner so I have no plans to do anything other than skim the net, watch tv and maybe eat popcorn...

Please pray for Daddy, he has an MRI on his knee today at 5pm, I think I mentioned a few weeks back that he hurt his knee, well it's not better, and even though he still works all day and builds chicken coops he is still in alot of pain, he will need surgery to repair his knee, just pray that the doctors find all that's wrong and it can be repaired quickly!

WFMW- the magic of Parkay

For my first ever Works For Me post I wanted to share a great way to cut the fat and have really flavorful dishes!  If you are a regular reader you know that I used to weigh over 225 pounds,  but after WW I lost 95 pounds.

So one of my secrets is Parkay* butter spray, it has no fat, it has no calories, it has a lot of taste though.  I use this like you would use butter, and I know that I wouldn't and couldn't have lost nearly as much weight as I have without it!

I cook big, because Daddy eats big, I cook breakfast and large dinners everyday.  So if you have a baked potato for instance, forget about the spray, just open the lid and pour some butter on.  I bake with it, if a recipe calls for a stick of butter I pour 1/2 cup of butter spray and use that, no fat no calories!

I pour it over steamed vegetables and even spray it on popcorn.  I don't think I have found anything that it doesn't work with.  I have even made butter cream icing with it for cinnamon rolls.

So that is a great way to cut fat and calories without taking away from taste, it works for me and for more great WFMW ideas go over to Rocks in my Dryer.

Chickens and a Coop

Daddy is working late this week, that means he goes to work at 9 and gets home at 6:30, not so bad now that it is staying light longer.

Here is a picture of our chickens.  We have 5 of them.  The white one talks alot!

They are in a temporary house while Daddy finishes the coop.

Some of our chickens have their back feathers plucked out, this is due to the number of chickens that were in our friends pen, he just had too many so us taking a few will help.

I guess that's where we get the saying "the pecking order".

This is our coop.

This kind of siding is called Dutch Lap.  Daddy is busy nailing here.

Daddy busy working before he goes to work...

HGTV

Hey did you guys know that you can enter once a day to win an HGTV dream home?

And this year it is in Hilton Head SC which we vacationed last year and it is beautiful, oh and this house is totally Green...  So go here and enter.

Tomorrow I will post pictures of our new pets...  We got 5, ten month old egg laying chickens!  I am so excited!  Daddy worked all weekend on our coop, I will post pictures of that as well.

Good night.

Poverty

While reading over some blogs, I found that Tally had posted this.  I wanted to share.  I then suggest we head over to Boo Mama's and find out how to sponsor a child for Compassion Ministry.

Pictures of Bonfire

Last night at our bonfire we had BBQ chicken, baked beans and a lovely salad, we topped the evening off with some gramcrackery, marshmallowy, chocolaty goodness!

This is my friend Ruby Wife.

My sweet Daisy is on the left and RW's Wendy is on the right.

Here are some of the boys jumping on the trampoline.

My friend E whose husband played the guitar for our get together, nothing says Spring like a cookout, with Christian friends sitten around a bonfire sing Margarita Ville together.

I am not sure why I am smiling so big here, maybe the smoor'...

Summer, baked beans and a list

Today is Sunny and 87 degrees.  I am so happy I could do a cartwheel, except that I don't know how to do a cartwheel and I might break my ankle...

Anyway, I love summer I love spring I love hot weather!  I filled the pool with freezing well water, and the kids jumped right in, it never ceases to amaze me that kids don't care how cold water is they just love it.  We are having our first bonfire of the year tonight and a cookout with friends.  Have I mentioned yet that I love this weather?

So let me share my baked beans recipe

2 large cans of Bush's baked beans (country style)

1 large onion

1 lb mild sausage

1 cup white sugar

First brown the sausage and onion as it gets done add the sugar and then add the beans simmer for a few hours, and for heaven sake, remove the nasty piece of fat in the beans!  I promise people will love this recipe, and when they ask where you got it say from my friend Happy Mommy!

Oh and a list top 10 summer things I love

10. ocean

9. pool

8. sprinkler

7. cookouts

6. bonfires

5. camping

4. lake

3. fireworks

2. Popsicles

1. catching lightning bugs

Happy Friday!

Check out Saturday Stirrings over at It coulda' been Worse.

My Husband

I want to share today how greatful I am for my husband.  I sometimes forget that not all husbands call their wife 2 or 3 times a day, during work to see how their day is going.  And I forget that not all family's have breakfast and dinner together every day and that my husband prays for our family each by name everyday.  I have a husband who reads books to us every night (Chronicles of Narnia right now) and a husband who always takes part in bathing and putting the kids to bed not just helping but he is a part of everything.

I have never experienced my needs not being met, my husband works hard, in 12 years of marriage this fall, he has never not even one time called in sick for himself.  But he has stayed home and taken care of me, just last year when I was sick, and he also took is vacation when Dana had her babies 3 months early, so that I could be by her side.  

He has given up his free time to be a little league coach, for our sons football team.  He has built squirrel houses and chicken coops taking double the time just so the kids could be a part of it.

He never complains, even when I let laundry pile up or when I do laundry but the clean pile, piles up too.  Even when he is working outside and it is over 100 degree's he still never complains.  He actually gets up almost every morning sing, sometimes he sings some country song from the radio but my favorite is when he makes up songs, he is just a very happy person. He thanks me for each and every meal.  He has never under estimated the work I do he proclaims it hard work and gives me credit.

I guess at times I forget that not all wives have husbands who kiss them before they leave the house or that the first thing they do when they get home is to kiss and hug them again.  And even when we watch tv, he holds my hand.

I don't ever want to forget,  that God has given me such a wonderful husband.  I am truly blessed beyond measure.  I am thankful.

Things that make my day better

I have found that things, some things just make a day go well.

Coffee, reading my Bible, starting school as soon as my husband walks out the door, drinking more water, taking long deep breaths, making lunch before the kids are too hungry, praying for a quite voice, reading to the kids, taking time outside, disciplining as soon as the kids disobey, limiting tv, having the meals planned, getting the kids to bed on time, setting the coffee pot, packing Daddy's lunch the night before.

I have also found that some things make the day go really bad, really.

Skipping Bible time, rushing through school, waiting to do school until the house is clean, giving the kids sugary breakfast, letting them watch to much tv, ignoring slight disobedience, letting laundry pile up, running around to much, waiting until the kids are fussy to start lunch, skipping nap time, waiting until a hour before Daddy gets home to start dinner, keeping the kids inside,  letting them stay up late, forgetting to pack lunch, forgetting to set the coffee pot, staying up to late.

So what makes your day better, what makes things go well, what doesn't?

We have a Winner

And the Winner is.....  Twice Blessed Mommy!  Only two of my loyal readers knew that I have never had morning sickness, my pregnancies are very easy and no Morning sickness.

1. My parents were divorced when I was 4 and when I was 6 my mother and I moved in with my grandparents and we stayed with them until I was 16.

2. Back in 2003 my husband and I with 7 or 8 other couples helped start a church plant and worship was one of the many tasks I helped with.

3. I dyed my hair blond for 6 months when I was 19, it didn't look so good.

4. I joined weight watchers on Jan 2, 2004, I weighed in at 225.

5. I am allergic to Beef, it makes me very sick to my stomach if you know what I mean...

6. I have only thrown up once with all three pregnancies and it was when I had the flu...

Thanks for playing.  And I will send Twice Blessed Mommy a gift card for Target!

Contest

I will announce the winner of the contest tomorrow morning!  And so far only one person has the right answer so the drawing will be really short!

A Meme Contest

Minnesota Mom Tagged me a few days ago...

What I will do is list 6 things about myself one of them will not be true.  You leave a comment telling me which one you think is untrue, I will then choose a winner from the ones with the correct answer and you will receive a $10 gift card from Target.  I will choose a winner on Sunday night so Please comment!

1. I lived with my grandparents most of my life

2. I was a Worship leader of a church

3. I have had blond hair

4. I weighed 225 once

5. I am allergic to Beef

6. I have extreme morning sickness while I am pregnant

Now guess away!

And I want to tag...

We are that family

One Thing

Life on the Hilltop

Mandigirl Muses

Bunch of Bullers

haircut

I am going over to Ruby Wife's house in 2 hours and I am getting my hair cut.  I think I need more bang, and less hair in the back, I almost think I have too many layers.

I am also getting Daisy's hair cut too, this will be her second hair cut, she has such thin, fine hair it needs to be a bit shorter.  I will put up some pictures later!

I need some prayer today, I have a wicked sore throat, and a nasty cough!  I am finding it hard to teach school feeling so yucky...

The kids definently know when I'm not at the top of my game and they take full advantage of the situation.  I have really smart kids!

Pictures later.

Oh and you have to go over to Pyzam.com for the coolest free layouts for your blog I have ever seen!  I have to work out the kinks like you have to add all your widgets over and redo your blogroll and any posted pictures, but free, hello, I love free!

Mini VACATION part 2

So we set out on Friday night for our mini vacation to Washington D.C. and to Baltimore.  We left the house late, it was almost 6pm before we got on the road.  We drove for over an hour when the kids started getting really hungry and the cheese crackers just weren't cut'n it.  So we drove around looking for a place to eat and my Happy Husband suggests we stop at the Waffle House...

I try to be submissive I really do, but let's be real here, the Waffle House is down right nasty! And I can say that, I worked as a waitress for the Scattered Covered Smothered empire back in 1995.

I think that was the worst job I have ever had!  So we stopped it was 7pm on a Friday night and we were the only car in the parking lot, now this is never a good sign, but we went in anyway (I now need an award for submissiveness) Daddy thought the kids would like a waffle and of course they did...  I decided to order a chicken sandwich, how bad could it be?  Well let me tell you the picture is not what you get, it was a chicken breast on toast with a slice of American cheese, and I do believe they might have added some form of grease because when I bit into the bread some yellowish-clear substance ran down my chin...

Now you won't be surprised to hear that dinner didn't get better from there, Bo dropped his lemonade (goes great with waffles) right in my lap, now I'm not one to sweat the small stuff, I just called for the waiter/cook/manager/floor cleaner, I asked for more napkins and he gave me a dirty rag...  I don't mean slightly used I mean dirty, that's spelled D-I-R-T-T-T-T-Y!

We finished our all but pleasant dinner and left $42 later, Nasty and not cheap.

We finally arrived at Dana's house at 9:30 on Friday night, we no more than got in the door than, I was sick, (maybe it was our lovely dinner) I was sick the rest of the night.

I felt much better when we woke up in the morning and we continued with our plans to go to the Baltimore Aquarium.  We had a great time!  I love the Aquarium, the fish and sharks and frogs oh my.  I found life with twins is not an easy task, Dana carried the Reese in a wrap carrier and I carried Tate.  Daisy had on a leash, you know aka harness.  That is one of those things I probable judged someone for.  The boys did really well staying with us and following our strict holding hands policy.

After the Aquarium we tried to go to dinner at the Hard Rock, my mom had never been to Baltimore or to a Hard Rock before, but it was almost a 2 hour wait.  We walked around the harbor, and tried to go to the Cheese Cake factory another 2 hour wait.

So we went to a sushi restaurant.  I have very versatile children, they really eat every vegetable and fruit known to man with no complaint, this is not due to some amazing thing we have done as parents, they have always been exposed to lots of different kinds of foods and they just like it.  So we order the kids and myself non-raw sushi, I don't think it's safe while trying to get pregnant (I will find out next week if I am pregnant) to eat raw fish and I don't really think it's safe for the kids either.  The rest of my family ate all kinds of sushi.  We made our last stop in Baltimore at a great Italian Bakery and ordered Cannoli's Oh My were they good!  

I woke up at 6 am on Sunday with Daddy standing over me asking for help, I was unsure what he was talking about, he repeated himself "Luke has gotten sick everywhere"  I jump from the bed and sure enough my poor boy, was really sick.  I was hoping it was maybe sinus drainage, that was dismissed 15 minutes later with the next bout of vomiting.  This continued with out fever all day, he was only able to keep some fluids down for an hour and sick again.

We debated on whether to leave or stay, at that point I was concerned for the babies, but at the same time I didn't want to travel with a really sick kid either.  

We kept Luke far away from the other kids and did major hand washing all day.  By 8pm, he was finally better!   We hurried on Monday morning and got our things packed and left.

Not so great of a trip...  We always enjoy our time with Dana, Joe and the babies, and the Aquarium is never a disappointment, but all the in between really sucked!

I Won!!!!

You all guess what, I won!  I won!  I won!  We are that Family had a contest last week and I won!

I won $20 worth of merchandise at Creative Blessings by Stacey!  The custom cards are just beautiful, you need to go and check out her site!  And if you are not reading We are that Family yet you need to start, I laugh daily, and even get a little teary at times, I have found a real favorite here and you need to go check it out, and not just because I WON I WON!

Mini VACATION

Daddy has a three day weekend so we are going to Dana's house!  We are going to go and do lot's of fun stuff!  

I really can believe I am posting right now, I have Bible study in 58  minutes.  None of my children or myself are dressed, no makeup either!  I have to pack our bag still.  I need to clean out the car, which my husband will not sit in for a three hour trip unless I peel the old french fries off the back seat....  He hates clutter, doesn't bother me much.

I still need to wash some clothes.  Again why am I posting, I will tell you why, I think I am addicted, I really do, and what fuels me the most is that some of you will comment.  I love comments, I have talked about it here.  So since I am not going to be able to post for 3 day I just had to say something.

Oh and on a serious note, I took Luke to the Doctor yesterday, he was having some trouble breathing and the Doctor thinks he has asthma, I have asthma, I don't want my baby to struggle to breath.  This sucks!  He is also having major allergy's, so the doctor has scheduled him with a pediatric asthma and allergy specialist, get this they can't see him till, JUNE!

Please pray for him, he is only 6, and the testing is difficult.  Any suggestions as how to explain to a strong willed 6 year old boy that they are going to poke you, oh, about 150 times, to determine what your allergic to.

Personality Test

I was over at Minnesota Mom's blog 

And she had posted this personality test.  Check it out and take one yourself!

My test results are listed below, I liked this test it was really different from other test.

My personalDNA Report

Very funny it has a part at the end that says if you want to be different and for me it says you could spend time alone it can be fulfilling, HA I hate being alone and I don't like different!!!

Bo

In the summer of 2002, with our beautiful baby, Luke, we traveled to Ohio for 3 months while Daddy did projects all around the area.  We stayed with my Grandparents for the whole time.

While we were in Ohio we decided to visit Daddy's aunt Beth, she lived in Chicago.  So off to the big city we went.  Beth had a 13 month old son and Luke was 10 months, so we had a great time.  Beth was like a mentor to me, she was a mother of 4 a stay home wife a home school teacher an avid breast feeder, everything I wanted to be.  When Beth started asking us about if we wanted any more children, I was simply overwhelmed, not because things were hard with Luke but I truly felt like he was our gift and that was it,door closed story over.  The Doctor had told me to be very happy that I had never experienced the loss so many other woman feel with PCOS and to enjoy my son, he was probably the only one we could have...

So I tearfully explained to Beth that I don't think we can have more, I don't want to lose a baby and God did give us one.  Beth just would not hear any of it!  She said "Honey, Satan is lying to you, not only will God give you your hearts desires he will and can heal you, he died on the cross to free you from your sins and to heal you".  Now this was a new concept God heal me, I had never really prayed for healing, see PCOS is treatable not curable.  

We went to church with Beth on Wednesday night, Wednesday night is a prayer service, at the end of the service I went up and I asked for prayer for healing, a group of people came around me and all prayed for healing for my body.  It was very different from the Contemporary Baptist church I went to that's for sure!  The church was filled with at least 400-500 people large church.  At the very end we wanted to shake hands with the pastor and tell him thank you for a lovely message.  As I approached him he took my hand and my husbands and instantly said, can I pray for you, now let me tell you I was feeling a bit uncomfortable, I had never met him and this whole very charismatic thing was new for me, I don't know much about prophecy and have never been a part of anything like this but we said sure, not knowing what to expect...

At that moment he said God wants you to know he is going to heal your womb and you will have children.  I instantly saw a silhouette of 4 children, the tears came with out warning and uncontrollable for Daddy and I.  He went on to tell Daddy you will be used in a mighty way and many more things, and many more wonderful, God inspired things.

It was very euphoric, and for the first time other than when I excepted Christ as my Savior, I had true faith.  Faith like none other, faith that the God of all creation could choose in his infinite wisdom to heal me and give me children, make me a mother of many...  I believed God was going to heal me.  I believed we were going to have children.  I had Faith.

The third week of July, I started my period.  I had never in my life had a real period with out medically inducing one.  I knew, I am well, God is healing me.   October of 2002 we started the Purpose driven Life with our small group at church.  During this study God spoke to us both and we knew it was time to have another child and time to share our story.  We told our small group about the service at Beth's church back in July, we shared our new faith that God had healed me and we told them we were trying to have a baby.  Our group just gathered around us and prayed right then for God to bless us with another child!

I found out I was pregnant on Nov. 22, 2002.  It was 6:20 in the morning and unlike all the other times I had taken pregnancy tests this time I just knew!  Daddy and Luke were laying in our bed while I went into the bathroom and took the test, I came out of the bathroom and I don't think I could even speak for a minute which is a very unlikely event around here I rarely shutup...  I looked at Daddy and said I'm pregnant, God healed me!  We laid in our bed holding our sweet boy and we prayed and thanked God!  The next week we had a Dinner at church and shared what was happening in our life after reading the Purpose Driven Life, I was asked to speak, I was able to stand up in front of our church and tell them my purpose was to be a wife and mother, that I been given the gift of healing and that I indeed was pregnant.  I will never forget the gasps I said those words and people clapping!  I was making this Gods story not my story which made it so much more special!

Now my pregnancy with Bo was very different from my pregnancy with Luke, I wasn't scared, I was healed, happy and healthy.  I had no irrational fears, I had peace.  I enjoyed all the tiredness and napped with Luke everyday.

I had an unquenchable desire for broccoli and corndogs with mayo, nasty I know!

At 15 weeks I started feeling him kicking and rolling, that's one of my favorite parts!  At 17 weeks Daddy felt Bo kick.  At 19 weeks my Mother and Grandmother came for a visit, we wanted them to come for the ultrasound.  We found out at 20 weeks that we were having another boy.  We couldn't have been happier!  Being an only child I really wanted Luke to have a best friend!  Daddy is the oldest of 4 and he and his younger brother are very close and so I wanted that for Luke, we were so excited!

At 6 months pregnant we decided to move, you know the logical thing to do being 6 months pregnant, put your house on the market and have to keep it vacuumed upstairs and down each and every single day not to mention all the other things that must remain spotless all the while chasing a 20 month old toddler around...

We wanted to move to the next town over to be closer to our church, we were both in youth ministry and we were going to be part of a church plant.  Our house sold and we found another house we were scheduled to move into our house July 27, my due date was July 28th.  Just a little pressure.  

I again was gestational diabetic, so at  37 weeks and 6 days we had an ultrasound to see how big our boy was measuring.  I had been dilated to a 3 from 36 weeks and at this visit I was a 4, my hips were really hurting and I was just a little over being pregnant!  I think packing and walking everyday didn't help much!  So at the ultrasound Bo looked to be over 8 pounds.  The Doctor said lets have a baby tomorrow!  TOMORROW!

We had everything planed for my Aunt Dana to fly to our house to be at the birth and to stay with Luke, so when I called and said "Tomorrow" it was crazy!  She was working in New York City at the time, Dana is a Travel Agent, not a magician but she pulled some strings did a magic dance, waved her hands in the air and made it happen!  We arranged for my best friend Susan's mom to watch Luke so Daddy, Dana and Susan could be with me while I gave birth.  

I was admitted into the hospital at around 9am.  We established that I was not having contractions so they gave me pitocin and with in an hour, I started having some real good ones.  At 11:30 Dana, got there, I was go glad to see her, she had never seen a baby be born before and this was really important to me and to her!  When Luke was born Dana had just moved to NY and our relationship was strained due to our miles apart.  I was a first time freaked out Mom and I asked her not to come...  I know I broke Dana's heart, she wanted to witness Luke's birth, but in my clear mind and all, I didn't want house guests, I wanted only Daddy and I to BOND with our baby so I asked her to come see him later.  Anyway, Dana being at Bo's birth was more than important for me, I needed her to be there, she is my best friend and I was so sorry she missed our first child, all forgiven for the past she couldn't wait to be with us for the birth of our second child.

So right about the time she got to the hospital, I started hurting, really hurting.  Now I am not a screamer, or a groaner, not that that isn't a great way to handle pain, what ever works while giving birth is fine by me.  I am loud all the other time, but surprisingly while in extreme pain, I bury my head in daddy's chest and have to be reminded to breath!  At that point with the pain, I called for an epidural.  I got the epidural and I felt like a new woman, for about 10 minutes that is.  Suddenly and Urgently I needed to push, I really needed to push, a feeling I never felt this with Luke, they told me to push with him, I felt it with Bo.

I told the nurse I need to push she checked me and said the baby is crowning, and she then told me the most shocking thing my ears have ever heard, that woman told me the doctor was delivering an other baby and I needed to close my legs, I must wait.  WHAT @#$%#%*#%*#*$  I was not having that, I need to push, She CLOSED MY LEGS...  This is really not a nice thing to do to a woman who has a basket ball coming out of her!

I told my sweet husband to go to the end of the table, the nurse was yelling for the Doctor, She kept trying to explain that the hospital doesn't like for nurses to deliver babies it's a lot of paper work.  All I hear is lalala la lalala the Doctor won't get paid if I do this keep you legs closed lalala la lalala!  I again said go to the end of the table, My sweet husband was still acting hearing impaired he is not hearing me, I get louder, I Need To Have This BABY, GO TO THE END OF THE TABLE!  At that moment the Doctor slides in and he has the nerve to stop an put shoe covers on, I said some thing  nice like   whocaresaboutyourstupidshoesI'llbuyyounewonesjustgetoverhere!

I roll on to my back push one, his head comes out push two, the rest of him comes out!  He was laid on my chest, I kissed him and hugged him, he cried instantly which is such a wonderful sound to a new mothers ears!

It was very different with Bo, the birthing team was taking care of the other woman who had just given birth, and we got to hold him longer and, Daddy got to help clean him up, I liked this better, with no birthing team we felt more in control.

Bo weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long.  He came in to the world on July 16th, 2003 at 1:15pm on a Wednesday.  Just like his big brother he was a great nurser, and he was nursing with in 15 minutes of being born, probably because the birth team was busy and we got to do it our way!  It was a wonderful birth, except for the fact the nurse tried to stop me.

Dana was the first to notice that Bo just like his big brother and his Mama has a dimple in his chin.  I will never forget the look on Daddy's face, he was so happy, and Dana was crying right along with us, witnessing birth is such a miracle, a gift...

WHAT

Last night Happy Daddy and I were laying in bed watching tv.  A commercial came on advertising this and I have to admit I was sucked in at first.  There was this young girl wearing a short sundress she was at least 5'9 and I'm sure she wouldn't tip the scales at 120 soaking wet.  She is flitting about and they say she has great legs due to the fact she uses this Nivea firming cream.  Now I am going to be really honest and say for about 3 whole seconds I considered that I must have that!  

And then I came to my senses again and yelled (yes out loud) WHAT!  I know that woman has absolutely no and I repeat no need for leg firming cream she had not one dimple of cellulite on her skinny body.  

I mean if they really want to sell the stuff they should at least show us someone that is wearing a size 12 not a size 2 (do the stores carry size 2)!

I was offended that Nivea wasted my 2 minutes, I could have seen a preview for LOST or even something more worth while like that Edy's ice cream now has peanut butter cup in 1/2 the fat, if we starting eating 1/2 fat ice cream now, by June we might not need firming cream...