Playlist

I have Ryan's hand-me-down iphone. He's done well showing me how to use it. And I've learned the ropes of itunes and how to download my music to my iphone (hello 21st century, I have finally arrived!).

Now, I intend to use my newly uploaded music for the gym, to help me power through a few workouts. I've tried to keep the music upbeat and pumpin'! There's a little bit of everything in there. I've got some Stephen Curtis Chapman, and Dc Talk. Then there's a snippet of Coldplay along with some Michael Jackson. A little of Brooks and Dunn and Need To Breathe. See....a little bit of everything!

But I only have a few songs, really not a whole lot. Would you like to add to my playlist? If you did, what would you suggest???

He's At It Again....

Edward, he's playing with his food again. My only hope is that he doesn't feel the need to share any with us. I don't think I'll like rabbit. My tastes are a bit more distinguished (even if it does taste like chicken).

On Household Tasks

Changing sheets on mattresses needs to be done. It's just a given when trying to care for your household. It's a thankless job....and mom has to do it.

But putting clean sheets on the top bunk is just plain tiring.

Period.

Gooooooooal!

Last Friday was Caleb's last soccer game. He has enjoyed soccer so much and since this was his first season to play, he was quite sad about it coming to an end. On the way to the game I reminded him to play and enjoy his last game. Caleb's response to me was, "I'm gonna kick some goals today, just for you Mom!". Well, that was a nice thought, but since he hadn't kicked any goals this entire season I just encouraged him to play his best and enjoy the game.

Despite my encouragement to just play and have fun, he went ahead and scored two goals! Once he kicked his first goal, I could see not only his excitement over what he had just done but also there was a fire in his eyes that wasn't there before. It was his first taste of victory and he kinda liked it and wanted more.

Again, this was Caleb's first season of soccer, or for any sport for that matter. Timing and cost have kept me from signing him up for anything prior to this. And frankly I haven't really seen the need for it. Sure, it would be fun for Caleb to learn a sport and make friends, but I told myself that he got some of that at school. But now I get it! It was so great to see Caleb learn how to play soccer and to do well. And it felt great to sit on the sidelines and cheer for my son as he scored his first goals. I'm so proud of my son! Too bad soccer is over. But I'll be signing him up for other things very soon.

And as Isabel often said throughout the season during Caleb's games......Go Caleb! Go Caleb! Go Caleb!!!

My Husband Loves Me Because I'm Cheap

It's true. I'm a sucker for paying a low price. Or a reduced price. Pretty much any price that isn't the full deal. And I'll to great lengths to pay a lower price, even when I shouldn't. But it works out in the end, most times.

When we moved into our house last year, I noticed that the silverware basket wasn't the one that originally came with the dishwasher. In fact, it was a small metal basket that barely fit all the silverware (if you call jamming the silverware into any available crevice a 'fit', that is). The worst part was that it was metal and it was rusting in areas and therefore starting to get rust on my some of my silverware. So I called Sears with my dishwasher part information to order a replacement. Should have been easy enough, right? Well, it was, actually, but the price that was quoted to me was something I was not willing to pay. The lady on the phone said it was going to be forty bucks!!! And that did not include shipping. After her insistence that she wasn't kidding me, I told her I wasn't willing to pay that much for such a part, and quickly (and gracefully) ended the call. The funny part was that Ryan was willing to shell out the forty-plus bucks for the simple little plastic piece of dishwasherness, but I was not. And so began my quest for a cheaper part.

And I found it! Gotta love the internet and it's ease of searching for stuff. I was able to locate a dishwasher basket that would fit. Would you like to guess how much I paid for it??

Twenty bucks. Including shipping. Wah-lah! I just saved us twenty-plus dollars!!!! Not much could make me happier.

And that is why my husband loves his cheap wife.

Then End.

Too Much Of A Good Thing

On my nightstand is usually one book and my One Year Bible, my teeny alarm clock and a bedside light. But I'm a bit behind in reading and a few books have gathered beside my bed, all wanting my attention. Then yesterday at a ladies gathering at church there was a table of donated books and they were free for the taking. And because I must like to have lists of unfinished 'things to do', I grabbed a set of four books. Yes, I know, I'm crazy.

And what once was my nightstand has now become a bookshelf, apparently.



Currently, the books that are gracing my bedside are;

The One Year Bible (God)
The Note (Angela Hunt)
The Girls (Lori Lansens)
Captian Wentworth's Diary (Amanda Grange)
Take Three (Karen Kingsbury)
The Yada Yada Prayer Group - all four in the series (Neta Jackson)
Conspiracy In Kiev (Noel Hynd)

When I am finished with these, I plan to pick up some of the books mentioned here. And after that, who knows!

So what's on your nightstand?

Getting the Second Round of Shots

A few months ago we got the kids vaccinated for H1N1. Well, they got the first round of it due to their age. If you recall, I was sneaky and didn't tell the kids that they were getting a shot until we were pulling into the parking lot. When they heard the news there was all kinds of cries protest and tears. While there, they learned that they would need to get a second shot in a few weeks. But I refused to tell them exactly when. However, I made a different plan.

Mae was asking me when the next appointment was, and still I wouldn't tell her exactly when it was. I asked her what she preferred, but I had her think about her answer before she told me. My question was this, "would you like me to tell you the morning of the appointment, or just before we get to the doctors office?". After thinking about it, her answer was that I tell her the morning of, but I made her promise that she wouldn't worry about it all day.

When the day came, before school, I pulled Mae aside and told her that after school was the vaccine appointment. In addition to telling her the event, I also gave her a bible verse. The verse was Philippians 4:8, which says;

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I explained to Mae that when she had thoughts about getting the shot and started to worry, that she could go over this verse and focus her thoughts on things that were good and not worrisome.

In the end, Mae did not fuss or complain at any time before getting the shot. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!

Again, His word does not return void!

Keeping The Peace

The kids and I recently made a trip to Modesto during their spring break. Typically on road trips I get snacks to help everyone make it between pit stops (of which I limit to only one, to the best of my ability). For this trip I got a box of wheat thins, goldfish crackers, and tootsie pops and usually I dole them out when requested, but this time I did something a bit differently. I gave them their snacks before we left.

I had an idea to divvy out the crackers between three ziplock baggies, and wrote a child's name on each baggie. The idea was that when they got hungry they could eat and not bother the driver (me!). And it worked out perfectly. No one bugged me with announcements of hunger or wanting more, and therefore, I was able to focus my attention on the road. It was one of those moments where I say to myself "why didn't I think of this sooner?".

The tootsie pops, however, were kept near me in a safe place. We can't have kids going willy nilly with sugar. Not is a confined space, that is.

Ultimate Blog Party - Sometimes I Pretend to be a Good Cook

Greetings! Welcome to my little corner of the Ultimate Blog Party! Feel free to mosey around and make your self comfortable. Now, if I was having a real-life party or a small gathering of friends, I'd have a few snacks on hand and I'd probably have a big ol' bowl of tortilla chips along with some guacamole (my favorite snacky snack). And I just got a recipe for iced coffee, so I'd most likely serve some of that too. If I was a true proficient in the kitchen then I'd probably whip up something more elaborate and exciting. But alas, I am not. When I cook it is only to survive. Although, I've been known, on occasion, to get a little creative and produce a dish of delight....

Like the time I was assigned to bring a potato dish to a bible study social event. I had no idea what to make! None. So I asked around and was given a recipe for what was called Funeral Potatoes. I don't recall too clearly how I made it or what was in it (aside from frozen hash browns) but as I was making it I decided to sprinkle some curry on top to help give it a little more taste. And the potatoes were a hit!

Then there was the time that I accidentally opened the wrong can wile I was making dinner. I was supposed to use cream of mushroom soup for my dish but instead I opened cream of chicken. So I put the cream of chicken in a plastic container and into the fridge it went, where it would wait until the next day when I would use it creatively, somehow, because I didn't want to waste it. After consulting my mother, I put some frozen chicken in the crock pot along with the cream of chicken soup (which I mixed with some curry, not too much, just enough to add some flavor) then I added some broccoli that was had been sitting around in the vegetable drawer of my fridge. After several hours, when dinner was served.....wah-lah! we had a fabulous dinner that was raved about! A called that one my happy accident (which I have served more than once).

And there have also been a few times when I just throw a couple things together and it consumed as though it was a bonafide dish. Like when I threw in some salsa from a jar into a pot of kernel corn. And the time I fried up some canned sliced potatoes with green onion, spices and cubed tomatoes (although I must admit that my husband helped with that dish, a little).

So sometimes I amaze myself. But other times I'm just throwing things together so we can live. I'm not a marvel in the kitchen, but there are times I pretend that I am and my family lives to tell about it.....and asks for more.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For the prize drawing, if I win, my choices would be;

* US39 - the 2 night stay at a Hilton Garden hotel
* US75 - $100 gift certificate to Summit Camping Gear
* US7 - Tupperware prize pack
or - any Amazon or Target gift card (I'm easy to please ;)

The Almost-Free Library

The kids and I went to the library the other day to get stocked up on books and movies for our upcoming road trip to Modesto. I'm still getting used to the library in our new city, so I wasn't sure how many books I could have out at one time, and I didn't know the policy on dvd loans either. Turns out that dvd rentals at our library is fifty cents per movie AND due back in one week. Since I'm cheap and because I wouldn't be able to return the movies in time, we did not get any movies. Instead, I left the library with two things;

1. a stack of almost 20 books

2. the wish that Benjamin Franklin had invented tv and dvd's so the movie rentals would have been free also when he instituted the free library system.

Seeing Red

I've been looking for a red belt for about a year. I haven't been looking overly hard, and at times I've completely forgotten about my desire for one. But when I'm out at certain stores, and when I remember, I'll casually look at the belts in search of a perfect red one. As it turns out, I found one recently at a second hand store that showed no signs of ever having been worn, and I only paid two bucks for it. Score!

Now all I need a pair of red shoes to go with the belt. And so my search continues.

The other day a friend and I were talking about red shoes and she told me about these little beauties;

And I became obsessed with finding them online for cheaper than their original price (which is about $95 dollars). But I was unsuccessful. I wasn't even looking for the exact pair, but something similar would do. But still, no success. Then I went to a few stores. Again, no red ballet-style shoes.

But I did find these;

They aren't exactly ballet-style, and they aren't the exact color red I was hoping to find, but they sure are cute! Oh, and they were on the clearance rack for fifteen bucks! (that makes them even more cute)

Now I just need to find another belt to go with my cranberry red shoes with the cute little buckle at the toes. I don't feel too bad about that though. It's not like I spent a lot on the first belt, which I can still wear, just not with my current red heels!

New Cats, New Things

I've had cats before, so having Jane and Edward isn't a new experience for me. However, there are a couple things that are different this time around.

Things like;

* Hearing my husband say he has a favorite cat (he always professed his aversion to them, never any devotion.) Ryan is definitely Team Edward with all the killing that cat has accomplished lately.

* Installing a cat door. Well, ok, Ryan put it in, not me. But still, we have one!

* Getting the cats to use said cat door. Teaching them to go through the hole is like trying to put them in a toilet (imagine legs and claws extended, and lots of maneuvering).

Yep. It's the life and times of excitement 'round these parts.

Rude Awakening

I enjoy sleeping in on Saturday mornings. It's delicious and something I look forward to all week. Today, however, my bliss was cut short by a crying, fit-throwing, naked, child who was out of clean underwear.

All I can say is.....it's a good thing she's cute!

Living And Active

The other night I had a bad dream that woke me up. It was the kind of dream that when I woke up I was still feeling scared and emotional. Sometimes it helps if I get up and walk around a bit instead of laying there trying to go ignore the fearful thoughts. But getting up didn't help this time.

I laid back down and tried to sleep, but my fearful emotions wouldn't go away. I knew that when morning came the fear would vanish with the rising sun, so I started to run scripture through my mind and praying for others. As I reviewed verses and prayed, the fearful thoughts dwindled and the grip it had over my mind started to lessen. At that moment I had a mental image of a tangled, knotted mess of squirming yarn that was shrinking. And I knew that God's Word and focusing on Him was releasing the strangle hold of fear in my mind. As I prayed and reviewed scripture it was making the fear dissipate.

I am reminded of a scripture that says "I have hidden your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11). By reviewing the scripture I had memorized (hidden in my heart) I was able to stop worrying, and therefore not sin against the Lord. So, as much I don't enjoy bad dreams and being woken up in the middle of the night, I am thankful for the opportunity to trust the Lord and experience the living power that His Word really has!

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

Their Numbers Are Dwindling

Every morning as I open the blinds in the living room I can't help but look out at the pool. I look at the pool for a couple reasons.

1 - to see how clean (or dirty) it is (depending how recently I swept it or had it vacuumed.

2 - to see if anything found its demise within its waters. (remember this from last year?)

Sure enough, today I saw a dead something floating on the surface. So I went out to investigate. And my suspicions were correct. A dead rat was making its rounds as the water circulated with the filter system running.

Nice.

So I went over and opened the garbage, grabbed the long-handled pool net, scooped up the chlorine embalmed rat and put it in the garbage.

One less rat to deal with. OR....one less play thing for Edward.

I wonder if the rat heard of Edwards exploits and decided to give up?

Who Dunnit?

Now, does this look like the face of a killer to you??

Well, ok, maybe it does. I mean, Edward is looking mighty fierce. But then again he may just be annoyed that I had the camera in his face.

However, this is the face of our resident rat killer from yesterday.

I happened to be outside when I saw him running toward the garage with something in his mouth. I followed him to see what he had. When I approached him, Edward has a wide-eyed look that told me that what he had was his, all his.

As I got closer, Edward dropped his prize of a small rat. And! It was still alive!!! It started to scurry away but Edward wasn't done. He captured it again and I heard it squeaking.

But Edward wasn't going in for the kill.

He was playing with his food.

Nice. I walked away and left him to his catch.

I wondered later what he actually did with the rat. Then I figured I'd never know since I couldn't find any remains outside in the area where he was 'playing'. But later I did find out. He left some of it in the garage for me to take care of.

Nice. Thanks Edward. But next time can you clean up after your meal?

Muerte

When we got the kitties a couple months ago it was with the hope that they would one day (soon!) keep the rat population down, if not non-existant. We have gone back and forth with thoughts and predictions about which cat would would be 'the one' to carry out it's mission.

At first I thought it would be Edward. He was more outgoing when we first brought him home. But when it came time to introduce them to the great out of doors, he promptly hid under the back patio and only came inside when he was enticed, then dragged out from underneath. It was looking like Edward was more of the 'fraidy cat variety.

Edward

Then there was Jane. She was the timid one when they first came home with us. In fact, she was so unsure of her new surroundings that she would not leave the cat carrier when we opened it. After a while of letting her sit in there, we had to physically reach in and take her out. However, Jane was in love with the out of doors the moment we let her out.

Jane

And so, with these facts, plus a few more, the debate was still on with whom we each thought would be the family's rat killer.

Until today.

Who do you think it was????

I'm Still Not Ready For This!!!

Mae just asked me what a period is.

And she didn't mean the punctuation mark at the end of a sentence (I asked).

Can you say AWKWARD?!!

~~~~~~

After I explained to her what it was, etcetera, etcetera, her response was "Ewe. That's gross."

Yeah, I think so too.

Moving on......can we talk about something else now? Hey, let's go look at pictures of cute little bunnies!

You Know When....

....your son has too much Star Wars on the brain when you have conversations that end with "The Force".

Caleb was having a rough morning this morning. He was getting upset too quickly about silly things. So, while on the way to school I tried to get his mind off his crummy mood. If I can get him to smile or laugh then he has a better chance of starting his school day with a better attitude.

As I drove, I noticed that the truck in front of me had their tailgate down and inside the bed of the truck was a backpack just like Caleb's. This gave me an idea to thwart Caleb's mindset.

Me - Caleb! How did your backpack get in that truck in front of us??!?

Caleb - Huh? What?

Me - Look! Your backpack is in that truck. How did it get there?

Caleb - (finally seeing what I was talking about. he laughs, and says) I used The Force!

Done. Mission accomplished. Caleb is no longer focused on being in a down-in-the-dumps mood as he continues with his Star Wars references and banter. And as I drop him off at school he is smiling and blowing me kisses. But still.....it makes me wonder if he will now try the Jedi mind trick to get his teacher from assigning him homework.

Quick! Hide The Scissors!

It's been a little over a year since Isabel gave herself a haircut (remember? if not, go here) After she cut her hair, I felt like my cute little girl was gone. Now, I still had my sweet little girl who happen to do and say cute things, but she just lacked her cute little bob-styled hair cut that I adored and went so well with her personality.

Well, I just want to let you know that I finally have that cute little girl back.

A few weeks ago I noticed that Isabel's bangs needed a trim and the rest of her hair was getting shaggy, so I took her in for a hair cut. While I was waiting for Isabel's name to be called, I looked at the length of her hair and was thinking of how short to get it cut. That's when I saw that her hair had grown out enough that I could now have it all one length (minus the bangs, of course). So that's what I did!

Look at my cute little girl with her stylish bob!!! Isn't she adorable?!