Things have been looking up

We moved....

HD's company moved us to a neighboring state. I really hated it at first, to be honest I felt like God was just not listening to me anymore, after two years of begging, pleading and crying for a baby still God was saying wait or maybe NO and I was not hearing very clearly. Then we were moved away from our comfort zone. From all of our friends, from our beautiful home.

Have you ever felt like GOD where are you? Boy I have felt like that more in the last few months of my life than any other time. Yet he is right here. He never pulls away, we do, He never leaves when we don't do what He want's us to, Yet when He doesn't do what we want we pull away, He never stops loving us.

I have started to make some friends here and it is not the worst place in the world to live, it is colder which if you have ever read this blog you know there are two things I hate more than anything else, Rain and snow... But even with that I am adjusting

We are renting a small house in the city, talk about big change from a 12 acre mini farm with our own chickens to the city with a bus stop right in front of our house! CRAZY! The kids like it, it only takes 5 minutes to get anywhere. There are great restaurants on every corner, that is nice too!

We have a basement to play in, a walk up attic to hide in, and they have made the best of it. HD and I have really relied on each other for friendship which I had never realized had shifted, we had so many friends back in our old town that we didn't need to talk as much. Here we only have each other, it has been nice to get back to ourselves and the relationship we value so much.

This area is not a churched community, that is a big difference from our old city which had one of the biggest Christian Colleges in the country. I know God wants us here, I know our story will help more people here, I know I don't always get what I want.... I also know God loves me even when He tells me no....

I will not complain I will not complain I will not complain

Hello there Blog world it's me HAPPY Mommy, remember me the Happy one....  Oh, you forgot who I was, sorry that's because I was very miserable for about a week now.  

The big fat shot in my hind end really helped, the doctor gave me a shot of steroids to help my spastic lungs, doesn't that sound nice.  I am not complaining, no not at all, I slept last night.

Yesterday was a horrible day, the kids we awful and I was in a very bad mood!  I am feeling much better now, thanks to a very good friend (THANK YOU "S") my friend "S" reminded me last night that my kids are young....  Profound isn't it.  Young.  To be honest, I was unprepared for a Dr. visit I brought no books no toys, no coloring books or drawing paper, and I truly expected my three young kids to sit and not move because I felt like crap.

Well that plan fell apart fast.   I left that appointment feeling like a bad mom, which I am not, my kids are sick, I am sick and we had a bad day.  Life goes on, chin up!

My friend "S" reminded me to set some rules that really matter, don't bust down on everything make somethings rules to live by.  Like if it is my major issue, teach them, like I get the maddest when I am ready to leave and I ask the kids to get there coats and shoes, oh 12 times.  Funny this is also "S's" major thing too.  So I have decided from now on to go to my kids and tell them in their face get your shoes and coat, if the tv is on I will turn it off, I will no longer allow myself to get upset before we head out for the day!

I also hate when the kids act up in public, who doesn't right!  I have had a lot of success in the past with packing a bag for the car with books and scissors and paper, for some reason I got away from that and so I packed a car bag this morning, I realize I can't expect a 7, 5 and 3 year old to sit quietly with nothing to do.

I am thankful for friends who have kids a few years older they have had these days too!  I am thankful for my kids who just this morning told me I was the best mommy in the world...

I am thankful we get to go to bed and  start over each day!  I am Thankful God Loves me even when I act ugly!

See no complaining today!  Happy Thursday!

I am going where...

UPDATE:

I went to the doctor who must me paid by musinex because she said try musinex at least 14 times in the 10 minutes we were with her.  I have a virus, Luke has a virus which means that I wasted 30$ because they do nothing for a virus.  Oh and my children acted like wild animals at the doctor,  Daisy actually ran out of the room while the doctor was listening to my chest.  I had to stop and think are these my children?  We had a kicking incident at the pharmacy.  The Pharmacist wanted to visit, he came out and asked the kids their names and I was so ready to leave, what really gets me is why in the world would he want us there one minute longer than we had to be, because right about then, Daisy laid out in the floor and had a fit over a pack of gum, oh and as we were about to leave the question of the day where do you go to school, I had to tell the man that I spend all day with these lovely children and I must be out of my mind because I want more!  And if things couldn't get worse which they always Always can, the car door slammed shut on my hand, I now have hotdogs for fingers.  And let me just say if the car door shuts on your right hand it is very difficult to open with your left. So I am now going to go take a nap....

We are planing  to go out of town for the twins second Birthday this weekend.  I am still coughing up my left lung, and Luke is just as sick.  Thankfully Daisy and Bo are much better and making messes as we speak.  I am not only planing  to go, I am the one making the cake...  

I need your prayers because the only way we are driving 3 hours from home 2 days from now is a Divine intervention!  

I still need to pick up an extra gift for them and I am scheduled to teach astronomy to some of our home school group on Friday.  Wow, I am overwhelmed just writing it.

Please pray for the sick family!

I flu the coop!

I have to confess this was the worst Valentines Day in the history of all the Valentines Days in my married life!  Or better yet in my whole life!  

I had all my favorite people with me Twice Blessed Mommy and her babies, HD's sister Regan, and of course HD.  Regan drove down from here station in KY she took a 9 hour drive to spend the long weekend with us, Friday was a wonderful day with our homeschool group I did however find out that Luke gets stage fright and the poor boy almost fainted while giving his report on Beowulf, the kids had a Valentines party and besides stage fright all was well.  We finished up packing my grandma's house at which time I started having some trouble breathing, now I totally attributed this to old paper and unwrapping dishes.

By Saturday morning I was sick, all out sick.  But I can't be held back we went out to dinner and to the movies all the while I sneezed and coughed and while at CVS buying NyQuil to insure that I would be able to sleep the worst thing ever happened, I thought I had to pass gas, I will leave it at that, because it was horrible and I am still trying to recover from the incident!  

I woke up sometime in the night with a fever and was shaking horrible, I stayed in bed until today, I had the flu and Sunday all three of our children came down with it too.  First Bo said he had a headache and he started crying a few minutes later he was throwing up, Daisy was behind him only by a few hours.  Luke has been coughing so hard he is throwing up too.  

So as I said originally this was the worst Valentines Day of my life!  Regan went back to Base yesterday and the poor girl is sick as a dog!  

The only good part of the whole thing is HD bought me the most beautiful Milk glass candy dish.  I had mentioned that I love milk glass and he went to my favorite antique store and bought me a piece, I love thoughtful gifts that don't die!

Pie

I did not win the pie contest on Saturday nor did HD win the chili cook off.  The woman who won the first place in the pie contest also won 2nd place in the chili cook off and you want to know the worst part, she was pretty.  Now I don't think I would have minded half as much if she would have been slightly over weight with a mustache...

But noooooo she was tall and thin and blond and pretty with a cute outfit to boot!

I wanted to share my pie recipes with you, because I love you and they are really good.  Did I mention there were 41 pies entered into the contest?  So its not like I lost really bad.

Pecan Cream Cheese

1 refrigerated pie crust

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

1 egg

1 tea vanilla

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tea salt

3 eggs

1/4 cup sugar 

1 cup light corn syrup

1 tea vanilla

1 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Now with an electric mixer mix the first 5 ingredients until smooth.  Set it aside.  Now mix the next 4 ingredients well.  Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of the uncooked pie shell and sprinkle the pecans on top of it.  Gently pour the corn syrup mixture onto of the pecans.  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes.  ( you may have to cover the crust with foil about half way through keep checking)

I'm alive!

Blog friends I really do miss you all, are you all there anymore or have you left my lack of blogging all together?  I have found times in the last year where I never had trouble blogging I had endless ideas and other times where you all were my dearest friends.  I have to tell you that lately I can't come up with one thing to write about.  Not at all because I'm not busy but because I am so busy.  More than anything I am so fulfilled in our new church, I knew back in November that something was missing a void of sorts.  Now I realize I was very lonely, I longed for more friendships with women in our church and this blog filled that void, but lets face it most of you don't even know my real name.  I was so lonely.

This last 2 months have been the best months I have had in years.  My children are making friends and can't wait until we go to church and my husband is making friendships and going to men's bible study and he is also so happy.

I do feel bad for the lack of blogging because you all have encouraged me in bad times and laughed with me during happy times, you all have been a source of comfort when I didn't even know why I was so sad.  Thank you.  Although I can't promise to blog daily I am sure I don't want this part of my life to end.  I have found in the last year that I love writing, I love reading your blogs.

So let me tell you some exciting things going on in our life.  We are having a Chili cook off and pie bake off contest this Saturday at our church, we are also having a snow day, our church has rented a snow making machine and we are going to have a snow day.  I am entering 2 pies into the contest, I will post the recipe this week and HD is making his famous Texas chili.  My mom is going to enter a white chicken chili also.

We are still not pregnant and sadly it has been a year since HD had a vasectomy reversal, I will say I am becoming less hopeful as time passes.  I also find that I have more peace as time passes also, see I know God wants me to be a mother again and I feel like God is leading my heart into different directions, I keep feeling like maybe we are to adopt maybe a 2 year old girl.  I can't believe I am sharing this with you all but I really need your prayers for so long I have wanted to be pregnant and to nurse a baby and hold my own child but when it all comes down to it, none of that really matters I feel like if I can't have one maybe someone already has, and God wants us to open our hearts and home to a child that really needs us.  Please pray for HD and I as we pray about this journey and ask God to lead us completely into his will for  our family.

I hope you all have a great Tuesday!   We are having freezing rain today so hopefully we don't lose our power!

confessions of a disorganized housewife....

I still have my Christmas decorations up!  Ok now that, that's out in the open I feel much better!  I really want to get everything packed away but I haven't had a minute yet, except for maybe last Sunday but ya'll I needed a nap...

I am going to have HD get the boxed down from the attic tomorrow evening so that we can start on the job.  HD works this coming Saturday so I can get everything done and have him put the boxes away.  We are going to a Sunday School class get together on Saturday night we are to bring soup.  I am making clam chowder, and some fresh bread.  I love the New England creamy kind not the brown Manhattan kind.

We are enjoying our new church so much!  I realized a few weeks ago that I really wanted to go to church, I actually couldn't wait to go.  I have been going to church for many years but for the last few years I have not really felt like a vital part of a church family and even though we have wonderful friends something was missing.  I have found it, it was a whole family of Christians.  We have a small couples group we go to on Wednesday nights, I am really looking forward to meeting tonight.   In two weeks our church is having a sledding snow boarding, chili and pie cook off  festival of sorts.  We have rented a snow machine and will be having a great time.  HD, being a Texan and all has decide that he needs to win the first prize for the chili contest.  I on the other hand want to have the best pie.  But what pie, the rules do not say we can't make more than one pie so I think I will make 3 so I have a better chance to win, and you can never have to much food at a Baptist function, we like to eat.  I am thinking I need a peanut butter pie and maybe a cream pie, I am unsure of the kind of fruit pie to make so if you have any ideas let me know...

So I am going to go vacuum around the Christmas tree's again and hopefully for the last time this year.  As soon as we get the decorations put up we are starting on redoing the kitchen flooring and painting so that we can get this house on the market, maybe that's why we have been procrastinating so much we just have so much to do.

I have  been getting up early every day to do the Wii Fit I have lost 4 pounds since I weighed in on Monday with a group of woman, we are calling our little group Weigh and Pray and we are following WW while weighing in on Monday mornings and praying for each other.  I really want to lose 16  more pounds.

Have a great  and Happy Wednesday!

Small things can mean so much

Last night HD went to Walmart with me....  Let me tell you it really meant the world to me!  I love grocery shopping, I really do.  Nothing brings much more satisfaction than to fill our cabinets and fridge with healthy food and make nutritious meals for our family.  The problem, shopping for two weeks at a time with 3 small children it toe.

So, last night HD went to the store with us, he got a cart for Daisy to ride in the front and Bo to sit on the coats in the back.  He took the kids and would go fetch an item or two meet back up with me and I would send him on the next hunt.  He really enjoyed the time with the kids and I was able to get our shopping done in less than 2 hours, and we made it to Sams Club too.

This is such a wonderfully kind thing because HD does not like shopping, he actually hates shopping unless it's at a sporting goods store.  

On Wednesday HD took a vacation day to stay home and spend the day with us.  I decided he should see what our school day looks like, he really doesn't get a chance to watch the kids do school so he really has no idea what a whole homeschooling day looks like.  He was surprised, I guess he thought it went faster or maybe that it was  easier...  I guess he was unaware of how many times a day the kids interrupt me or that they have so many different needs or how different each one of their schooling is, from second grade to Kindergarten and even pre K with Daisy.  He was full of compliments at the end of our day, from "it is really a hard  job, you do" to "boy our kids are smart"!  It was really good for him and in turn he realized my days are hard and last night he made my job as a ~stay home wife, mother, home school teacher, nurse, cook, and  maid  much easier!

Tonight we are going on a much needed date!  My mom is  keeping the kids over night she is even coming to pick them up to give me more time to get ready.  We are going to Panara Bread for dinner.  I have never been there before so I look forward to trying something new.  We are also going to go to a movie, and maybe even to Starbucks for coffee.  We have no curfew, no kids, I am really excited!  I even scheduled a couples massage for us in the morning before we have to go pick up the kids.  As much as I am in love with my husband and as attracted to him as I am and always have been, his sweet gesture last night has made me even more excited to be alone with him, and spend time with just us!  

I hope your Friday night is great I know mine will be!

Money Well Spent

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have stressed and worried about what is the best gift to give.  Hundreds of times probably!  With Luke our oldest I wanted him to have everything and I over spent most every holiday.  I never bought with in the age range which always turned out to be a huge mistake!  With Bo I bought him expensive toys to make up for the fact that he had so many hand me downs.  One Christmas, it was his first Christmas I think I spent $80 on a stuffed Octopus with bells and mirrors that was supposed to be very intellectually stimulating all because we had everything else.  No matter how I spun that stupid thing he never would look at crawl to or play with it!

Now with Daisy being the only girl I wanted her to have barbies and babies and a toy kitchen and dress up clothes you know girly stuff.  All way to early though, she was just starting to speak in sentences when we bought her the kitchen and she didn't even know what to do with it.

So with all that in mind I really did some research this year.  I wanted to buy the kids age appropriate gifts that they would enjoy, learn from and remember.  I love that the boys are interested in action figures, we invested in more Playmobil this year we got them a Cowboy and Indian set, they have played with it every single day, and a Forestry set because with HD being a hunter the boys love playing with this set as well.  They were given the Tag reader, and it is worth every penny!  Even Daisy loves it, she is picking up some of the words by using it over and over.

Daisy got Bitty Baby Twins this year and she has proven to be a wonderful little mommy, it will be no time at all until she is ready for her American Girl.

Luke was given a Ball of Whacks, this is a great gift idea for any boy who likes to take apart and put together.  We got 2 really amazing board games one is an old classic called Shut The Box it is a math game and if you have kids who like to play games this is a great one it is fun and teaches math all at the same time.  We also got Blokus and even I am hooked, we have played almost everyday, its a little to advanced for Daisy at 3, but with supervision she has played with the pieces sorting and stacking them on the board making her own game.  The other game we got this Christmas is Cosmic Catch, I think this is my favorite game the kids got, all 5 of us can play together and it is not a long game.

Oh and we got the Wii Fit.  I found it on Amazon.com for over the retail value but really it has been worth the extra money I paid!  I have lost 2 pounds already.  I have been getting up at 5:30 and exercising before I make breakfast and I feel good.  

As far as I am concerned the money we spent this year was all on great toys and games.  I wish I could say that about every year!

Happy New Year 2009!

I really can't believe a whole year has past so quickly!  I find that these days I am so busy I don't even find time to blog or read blogs.  That's because we got so many fun games for Christmas we have been playing non stop for two weeks now.  So I won't apologize for my blog absence because I have really been having a great time with my kids!

We have been doing the new Wii fit, playing shut the box and blokus, domino's, uno and many many other games all the while dressing and undressing Daisy's bitty baby twins.

Are you enjoying the kids during their school breaks?  I wish it could last even longer but Monday morning I will be doing school again.

Do you have any New Years Resolutions?

Last year I had so many, this year seems so different, I had no idea last year we were going to have a vasectomy reversal and remain baby less, I really believed I would have four children by now....  I had no idea that I would lose my Grandpa with lung and liver cancer.  Life just seems shorter to me I guess.

I do want to remain positive this year!  I want to remain hopeful and thankful this year.

Happy New Years, I hope you day has been wonderful!

Sincerely Fro Me To You ~ The Christmas Secret part 2

Last week I shared with you a picture I hold dear to my heart, a picture of me at Christmas 2000, just days before I found out I was pregnant with our first son, Luke.  This week I want to share two other very special photo's.  I have had all of our child so far in the summer...

I found out I was pregnant again with our second miracle baby on Nov 22, 2002 you can read about how amazing it was to be pregnant without fertility drugs and to be cured from an incurable fertility problem here.  I can remember very well how exciting it was to celebrate Christmas knowing we were going to have another child.  Here is our family photo from that year.

Notice Twice Blessed mommy in the left corner.  She was not dating Twice Blessed Daddy yet, but by the time Bo was born they were talking more seriously, he even sent us a beautiful gift for his birth.  What I think was really funny is at 6 weeks pregnant I was wearing maternity overalls....

The next photo is of our family on Christmas 2004, I found out I pregnant with Daisy on Nov. 6, 2004.  I was again so excited about having another baby, I prayed this would be our girl, and God blessed us with a daughter.  By this Christmas Twice Blessed Mommy and Daddy were married, they are standing in the back with my mom and HD.  My poor little Bo was so sick this Christmas, and we had 24 inches of snow in Ohio, everyone had a great time sledding but me because I was pregnant!  I would give up sledding any day to be pregnant again!

Go to We Are THAT Family for more funny and charming pictures.

An award for me

I found this morning that I had been honored with an award.  An award for being an open and honest blogger.  Thank you so much Amanda for thinking of me.  I love this blog, I love how I feel like I can share anything with you guys and I have friends listening.  I feel free to share openly here.  I am grateful!  

With this award I am to share 10 facts about me.  I am also to share this award with 5 other bloggers.

Fact 1~ This last few months have been the hardest time of my life.  I have never really experienced grief and to be honest it sucks!  I have not been myself lately, not that I am unhappy just not myself, I even think I might be slightly suffering from the big D (depression).

Fact 2~ I have found that I have issues with rain, I know you all already know that I hate the rain well I not only hate the rain, I'm not so fond of the winter either, that being said maybe it's seasonal depression boy I hate that word Depression I don't think I am depressed I am truly happy inside lets say I am just a bit off....  That sounds like off my rocker, lets say I want to stay in my pj's all day and eat cookies and macaroni and cheese and watch TV with the kids.

Fact 3~ I always put my makeup on before I fix my hair, I do this because no matter how pretty my hair is, it's not right without makeup.

Fact 4~  On occasion I find a recipe I like, I change a few ingredients add a few things and call it my own...

Fact 5~ I am madly in love with my husband, he jokes and says if I could fold you up and put you in my pocket you would be a very happy woman....  I believe it's true.

Fact 6~ I don't like to be alone.  I love having the house full of people.  Maybe that's why I want more kids, so the house is full.  

Fact 7~ I talk to strangers, I make small talk with people ever where I go, I will tell people how nice a sweater looks or how pretty a color of nail polish is,   HD will say who is that, I will say I don't know and he just shakes his head, because he does not talk to strangers.

Fact 8~ I have been on a diet for the last 20 years, really TWENTY YEARS!  I started drinking slim fast when I was 10.  I have always went up and down with my weight.  I am currently 18 pounds over weight.  I just ate a slim fast breakfast bar.  I do WW, I try really hard to stay slim and then it rains and I eat cookies and macaroni and cheese.  If we move to AZ I will me very skinny.

Fact 9~ I didn't realize home schooling your children was like going to work full time.  The laundry piles up the floor needs vacuumed for day's and it is left undone because I now have a full time job along with all my other responsibilities.   It takes many hours a day to home school, it's hard work, it takes planing and organization.  It is a job.  It is also the most rewarding  job I have ever done.

Fact 10~ I love to sing,  I used to sing in school, I took first place in competition for the State of Ohio in the 9th grade.  I have sang in church choir, I have even lead worship in a church plant for a short time while we were settling in.  In that time I loved the attention, and in being honest with you I will tell you all, that I started not even hearing the words, I no longer praised God with my voice and my words let alone with my heart but longed for the next compliment.  I sadly no longer have a voice, my singing voice is gone.  When I sing or try to sing I can't hit the notes, and then I start to have an asthma attack.  Some times at church I will start to sing an nothing comes out at all, I am left listening to the words and really letting them penetrate my heart.  I have learned a really wonderful lesson, my voice was a gift from God, someday he may give it back but for now I am happy to listen.

 

I would now like to give this award to 5 woman who I feel are truly honest with thier blogging.

I want to award Linda at Growin' with it, Linda is very honest she touches me with her life all the time.

Wilma at Little Toes and Cheerio's is not only my cousin in law but a very funny honest blogger.

Twice Blessed Mommy is my Aunt and very best friend in the world, she has had more put on her plate in the last 2 years than anyone I know she has a lot to share with us all.

Kristen at We Are THAT Family is one of my first blog friends, I love her blog and she is very honest, I can't wait to read some new facts about her.

Giovanna at Giovanna Diaries is a very honest blogger, she is so sweet I love having her as  blog and a facebook friend!

My Country Tis Of Thee

I really love being an American!  I love our mighty Country's traditions, I love our strength.  I love America!  One of my most favorite places in the world to go is to Washington D.C.!  I have to tell you in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom it is so breath taking!  At Christmas when the cold is in the air and the lamp posts are decorated and the trees sparkle and less fortunate people play instruments on the street corner, playing Christmas carols, it makes you smile you do want to reach into your pocket and give....

We spent this weekend in Northern Virginia, we went on Saturday to see the National tree it was beautiful.  All around the tree they have placed a Christmas tree for each state with ornaments from made to represent the state.  Texas had ornaments with little yellow roses.  Ohio had ornaments with Cardinals and Ohio State memorabilia.  There is a fire pit on the grounds where the tree is set, it is a huge fire pit they use a fork lift to drop logs from large tree's in, like huge stumps.  A band plays while are walking around and a shop sells cocoa.

It was very very cold on Saturday like a high of 37, so to say the least we were freezing!  Twice Blessed Mommy's little ones about froze to death!  They could have had a much better time if the temperature was higher!  I really feel for Twice Blessed, I can remember wanting to take my children even as infants to see sights and visit new places and when they are miserable it makes you miserable.  Even though they were cold I am very thankful we got to be together to see the National Tree!

Here is Reese and Tate, this is when we started our day, they were cold but still happy.

Here is Daisy, we were at a really cool out door Christmas fair.

Here is Twice Blessed Mommy.

HD, look at that cool building in the back ground.

Me and my sweet boys all bundled up.

This is the National Tree.

The Tree sits directly across the street from the White House.

This was a Happy Mommy moment!

As we walked back, this is what we saw, look how amazing, the Capital building.

Look how the street was decorated.

HD snapped this picture of the National Tree as we drove out of  the city.

Sincerely Fro Me To You ~ The Christmas Secret

When I think of Christmas it just puts a smile on my face!  I love all things Christmas, its the time we celebrate and honor the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  The lights and decorations are simply beautiful.  I have been known to play Christmas music all year long....

The Christmas of 2000 well the whole month of December 2000 HD and I were on pins and needles.  We had been trying to have a baby our first baby for over a year and I was praying for a Christmas miracle!  Early on in the month I had taken a fertility drug called Clomid, I took 5 pills in all, I took them every other day.  So toward the end of the month I could take a pregnancy test every other day for 10 days.  

This picture was taken on Christmas Eve at my Aunt Jan and Uncle Luther's house were our large extended family gathered for many many years to celebrate together.  I had taken a pregnancy test the day before and it was negative but I was still very hopeful, tomorrow was Christmas!

The next morning, Christmas morning I took a pregnancy test and it was negative.  I was so upset, I was just sure I was pregnant.  Again on the 27th I took a test and again it was negative, by this point I was just so sad I am pretty sure I was ruining our trip home to Ohio with our family and my attitude sucked!  The morning of the 29th we were having a nice breakfast with Zack and Jess and our little nephew R.  I will never forget making the walk down the hall to take the test, it was the last test of the month and then on to more fertility treatments, I was filled with uncertainty and was really scared I would never have a baby of my own.  R crawled into the bathroom while I was watching the stick for any sign of a pink line, then it happened it slowly came into sight!  I had waited years and spent a small fortune in pregnancy test only to have them all be negative and finally all my prayers had been answered!  I yelled for HD to come here, we hugged and kissed and we both scooped our little nephew up and kissed him he just giggled.  

When I look at this picture it makes me so happy.  Hidden deep inside my body was my baby, My first born son, Luke.  I am very thankful for the way it all worked out!  I was able to be with my family and tell them face to face that our prayers had been answered.  

Go to We Are THAT Family for more Fro Me To You.

Better Much Better!

By last night Luke and I were feeling just fine!  I was so hungry I could have eaten a whole 12 inch sub from Subway.  HD brought us home subs last night.  By this morning I was back to my self.  I whipped up some cookies for Daisy's homeschool  party and we have had a pretty good day!  I am praying that Daisy and Bo don't get sick because we have been to homeschool co-op and Walmart oh and to Toys R Us so we have pretty much given the flu to 5000 people if they come down with it in the next day....

Now lets talk toys, I went to Toys R Us with one mission in mind I was buying a Cozy Coupe for Tate and Reese (Twice Blessed Mommy's little ones) I was very disappointed to find that they no longer sell the old Coupe but a Pink and Purple girls model or a Fireman's boy model.  Did I mention this is a gift for both of them?  Now yes I do know there are woman firemen/women but when you buy a fireman toy it's not normally a girl you have in mind...  I did go with the firetruck coupe because it would just be wrong to give Tate a pink coupe for Christmas.  What happened to the old red and yellow one?

Have any of you started wrapping yet?  I really need to get busy!  We are going to visit Twice Blessed Mommy, Daddy and Kids this weekend to see the National Tree and have some fun together so I have to wrap all of our gifts to go up there, I will be wrapping all day tomorrow!

I look forward to sharing my tree with you on Friday, Kristen is having a little party where you can post pictures of your tree and Boo Mama is doing a Tour of Homes on Monday.  So stay tuned for some tree pictures.

I feel really bad yall'

Yesterday went like most others, school in the morning, rush rush rush.  Monday's are ballet days for Daisy.  As I drove across town Luke started to complain that his stomach was hurting.  Within minutes of arriving at ballet Luke started throwing up.  I hurried to my mom's house she lives really close to ballet, as I cleaned the car I felt a little nauseous but who wouldn't while cleaning up well you know....

We can right home and about 6 last night I started getting sick too.  So far it has only been Luke and I.  I guess we should have gotten our flu shot....

Hope you are having a better Tuesday than us!

Pictures from Thanksgiving 2008

HD snapped my picture while I was cooking and I turned and gave him a great big smile.  How does my hair look curly?  I love big hair, Ruby Wife will say she loves it curly.  HD loves it strait.

This is my Grandma's side of the family.  There is a whole lot of us here but not all of us...  Do you see Little Toes and Cheerios on the top right and Twice Blessed Mommy in the middle.

HD and I right before we left my Aunts house.  I remembered, oh, three minutes before we walked out the door that we had not had a picture with each other all day, or with our kids....

This is a picture of my Dad and my sister Molly and I.  We went over to my Dads house on Saturday for a few hours for an amazing breakfast.  Have I ever told you all that I got all my cooking ability from my Dad?  He could open up a restaurant, he is that good!

This is Jess and I, I sat just high enough in the chair to look like the tall one.  I am a good 4 inches shorter that Jess!

This is HD with both of his brothers, Zack and Travis.  Looks like Travis is a bit taller than his older brother Zack and a bit shorter than his oldest brother HD.

Regan and Luke snuggling up together!  My boy will be singing All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,  for sure!

This is my nephew R.  We exchanged presents while we were back home for Thanksgiving.  Our boys played so well with each other!

This is my niece C, she and Daisy had such a good time while we were in Ohio!

These are a few of my favorite pictures from last week.  Have a great night!

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving was wonderful!  We had really great food and the family was nice too!  Just kidding!  I loved being with our family.  I had such a great time visiting with our extended relatives, my cousins are a lot of fun to hang out with.  My cousin in law at Little Toes and Cheerios gave me the most amazing Christmas gifts, she had a Happy Mommy apron made for me, and she had a puzzle made for my kids, its a our last years Christmas photo, the last family picture we have of my Grandpa.  I can't even begin to tell you how surprised and Thankful I was.  Thank you so much "Wilma" I love you and getting closer to you on our blogs has been great!

Our time with HD's family was so much fun!  I am really really blessed with my Sisters in Law!  Jess and I had so much fun, we stayed up talking until 3 am all but one night.  We also shopped and ate and played games, we played Taboo, have you all played Taboo?  We played boys against girls and we had a blast!  Now I will say that when HD was describing things his brothers just knew, I think it was a brother thing.  When Jess was describing things her sister Jodi, helped us beat the boys every time!  I am going to go buy the game this week!  We got to spend time with Regan who was on leave from the Army for Thanksgiving.  Regan stayed with us at Jess and Zack's house, our kids are just crazy about her, she is an amazing young woman and we are all really proud of her!  We didn't get to spend much time with Travis, HD's younger brother, but we did drag him into a game of Taboo on Saturday and it was so much fun!

On Friday, I had a sister movie party.  Jess, Regan, Molly and myself all went to the movies.  Guess what we saw.....  Twilight!!!!  It was so good!  We all have read all the books and we had to see the movie together.  The movie was pretty true to the book for the most part which was great.  I can't wait for the next movie, I'll have to drive to Ohio to go see it with my girls.

We are trying to get back to normal this week, I am starting school with the boys now and better go get busy.  I will post some pictures of our trip later today.

Happy Tuesday!

COMMENTS!!!

Just so ya'll know and understand....

Comments are like CRACK for the blogger!

We write with the thought that someone, somewhere, will read and like what we say!

We bloggers are opinionated people with an opinion to share.

With that said I will let you in on a secret, I am an only child and I like to talk. (and be heard)

I like to be the center of attention and I REALLY like knowing people are reading me!

SO COMMENT WILL YOU?!

ITS BLOG CRACK I SAY !

Some Answers part 2

I am really enjoying answering your questions.

Anonymous asked me how my day is set up, and if I have an advice on being a good wife and an marriage advice for a couple with young children~

I set my day up like this- We get up at 6 each morning, I set the coffee pot the night before so when we get up we have hot coffee waiting.  HD and I spend a few minutes reading the Bible and then I pack his lunch and make breakfast.  The kids get up between 6:30 and 7.  We eat breakfast together as a family and HD leaves for work at 7:30, We pray together as a family before he walks out the door.  I start school with the kids when he leaves.  I am teaching 2nd grade and Kindergarten so I alternate, Math with one and then the other, phonics with one and then the other.  I do some pre school with Daisy in between Math and phonics with the boys.  We have lunch around 1pm each day and Daisy takes a nap at 2pm.  I start dinner around 3 and when HD gets home at 5 its ready.  We sit together at the table and share dinner.  We will sometimes play a game after dinner sometimes we read books or even watch tv together.  The kids go to bed at 8.  I love to read so I read a lot in the evening.  HD and I sit together by the fire or on the couch and read or watch tv or just talk....

My advice on being a good wife is very simple, if your husband loves to eat make sure you feed him after a long day of work, if he hates a mess, then spend a few minutes cleaning up before he comes home.  My husband loves to eat and he likes me to be fixed up so every day at 4:45 I touch up my makeup and dinner is ready when he gets in the door.  The very best marriage advice I can give anyone with kids or not is pray for your husband!  Our husbands are faced with many challenges each and everyday and the best thing you can do is pray for him.  Pray together and if you have a husband who does not like to pray out loud ask him if you can pray with him and take his hand and just pray for you both.  Take time to be with each other alone also.  I treasure my time with HD in the evening when our kids are in bed, lets face it babysitters are expensive  so we have dates at home often, after the kids go off to bed I try and set the stage for a nice date sometimes romantic sometimes just fun.  

Little Toes asked me if I had an easy cake recipe for Christmas~  

I will give you my favorite cake recipe, its called Neiman Marcus Bars

Crust-

1 box of butter cake mix

1 stick of butter

1 large egg

Filling-

1 package of cream cheese 8 oz at room temp.

2 large eggs

1 tea pure vanilla extract

1 stick of butter melted

3 3/4 cups of confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for the first step mix the ingredients together for the crust, it should come together in a ball.  With your fingers pat it evenly into a 9x13 pan.

Next for the filling mix the first 4 ingredients together until smooth and then about a cup at a time add the sugar, mix until incorporated well.  Pour the filling on top of the crust mixture.  Bake in the oven for 45-47 minutes it should be well browned on top and just slightly jiggle when you shake the pan,  Place it on a wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes, cut and serve.  This is one  of my very favorite deserts ever! 

Growin' with it asked me three very good questions, What did I want to be when I grew up, If I was a superhero what would my powers be and what is my favorite color and why~

I had two career aspirations, I always and I mean always wanted to be a wife and mommy!  My mother and I lived with my Grandparents from the time I turned 5 and the only really good relationship I ever saw was that of my Grandpa and Grandma, I would dream of how my husband would sweep me away and we would have 7 children, I even had all 7 names picked out -Carlotta, Calliope, Collette, Christian, Justine, Jasmine and Sky.  I wanted a house full of girls.

My other dream job was to be a famous singer, not just a singer but a famous one, I wanted to be the next Reba!  Now being that I am from Dayton Ohio and with no hint of southern accent, this is a problem...

If I was a superhero I would totally have the power to be invisible, I would use my power to listen in on conversations and rid the Christian world of Gossip!  You would never know when Superhero Happy Mommy would be listening in and bust you for talking about your friends behind their back, so all Christian Woman everywhere would be kinder and way more careful about what they say, creating unity in the church like we have never known before!  Hey God's invisible and always listening, that should make us think.....

My favorite color is red!  I love red because I look good in red, red clothes, red lipstick, red shoes, and of course red nail polish.  I think red is a powerful color and when you where red you get noticed, not in a "your hot way"  but in a you know what your talking about way.  I don't think I ever walk by a woman dressed in red and don't look twice.  And all red food is yummy!