Monday Randomness

bullet style ~ because I like organization

• I have been without a central vacuum for 8 days now. The motor blew up, most likely from a foreign object, like und*rw*ar or something my boys didn't want to touch when they were cleaning (true story!)...I still have a Kirby, but hauling that thing up and down to vacuum the step runners is a pain. Plus I don't like to use it on my linoleum or hard wood.
  
• I really like clean floors. The last week has been stressful for me. See above.
• My coffee order came on Friday, at least I can drink coffee while I am stewing about my vacuum motor not showing up in 4 days like they promised.
• Decaf Coffee that is. One cup regular the rest decaf for this expecting mama.
  
• Kids crack me up. I feel exceptionally blessed to be able to spend the day with mine.
  
• Sunshine, YOU make my day.
  
• It amazes me how fast I can consume 3 cookies & how long, in comparison, it takes me to eat one apple.
• 127 Hours, I've been waiting to watch that movie. Possibly this week I will have time for it. Have you seen it?
• I love my Snoozer full body, feather filled pillow, however putting the pillow case back on it, is a pain.
  
• I'd really like to work out with Bob or Jillian (in person). Well not while I am pregnant, but, wow, what a challenge it would be!
• Body Pump, Zumba, Nia... I think maybe I'll get certified to teach something.
• I've moved my Gaiam ball to the office. It is now my chair. I'm working on posture.
• I really should go workout. Time is a tickin'

Have a great day!

More of 'Ask Me'

How I met my best friend...
The short story...We met through a mutual friend. We played Co-Ed softball together. He went to Promise Keepers with a group of men from church, my father was one of them. Our first 'date' was with my parents on the motorcycles, ending in ice-cream of course.

What my day looks like...
Wake up 5:30. Switch laundry loads and fold. Run. Shower. Read. Start Breakfast.
8:00 Breakfast and Bible Time. Followed by 'Table Time' (school we all do together). Then other school work.
9:30 - 10:30 Girls have quiet play time. I help Tyson with his reading and other new concepts in his work. Answer ? for Braden.
11:00 Ashlynn takes a nap. Help Gabrielle with preschool work. Answer ? for boys.
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Finish any school work that is left. Possible activities include: Science projects, Art projects, Free Play, Start on Dinner Prep, Bake Bread, Pay Bills/Check Book...
2:30 Snacks followed by story time and nap for girls. I finish work do cleaning, hang with boys. Boys play outside, help me, work on chores.
5:00 Shower/Clean up. Bathe Girls. Put away laundry, which has been going throughout the day.
6:30 Set table. Make hubby's lunch for tomorrow. Get dinner out.
7:00 Eat. Clean up. Games. TV. Family time.
8:30 Bedtime snacks. Bedtime routines. Girls to bed.
9:15 Boys to Bed. Read/Talk with hubby/Watch TV in Bed
9:45 Lights out.

Our biggest marriage struggle...
This has changed over the years. Going through IVF and having two adoptions fail were definitely two of the toughest experiences we've walked through... Now, I would say the thing we struggle with the most is understanding where each other is coming from; Male vs female perspective. I tend to live with my heart and he lives with his head, if that makes sense... I am a neat freak and well, he is not :) ... I would also say, a struggle I have is keeping my mouth shut when I don't see things the same way as he does.

What I do in my free time...
Bake. Decorate. Garden. Blog. I use to scrap book, but that hasn't happened for a long time. Organize. Read health books.

What I want for Christmas...
A hamburger press. We eat a lot of hamburgers :)
New Curtains.
New Jean Rugs for my kitchen.
A date with my hubby to climb the new rock wall at the U, this is on my b-day list too :)

CR Ask Me

It's Friday again, and that means
Which makes it the perfect day for my answers, of random questions, from you. Gee do you think I could fit another preposition in that sentence?

Here we go...

What is your favorite kind and brand of ice cream? (I know you LOVE ice cream) Ahh, my love for ice-cream is well known! My favorite ice cream brand is SaraAnn vanilla soft serve. Our local ice-cream shop uses that brand. We can also get the mix at one of the local grocery stores and make it ourselves. I like to top my ice-cream with golden grahams or hot cocoa mix. When we go to the ice-cream shop for cones, I order it with butter-brickle sprinkles on top. If I were eating hard serve, I'd have to say Pumpkin from the Schwans man, with cereal on top of course :)

Will we adopt again? I do not know the answer to that question. Two years ago I would have said yes. 1 year ago, I'd have said no. I do not feel God pressing us to pursue an adoption right now. But, that is not to say He will not in the future or a circumstance will not arrive that we feel God is instructing us to.

Are you drinking pop again? No. I did have 7-up in the hospital after delivering Ashlynn, but that is the only pop I have had in the last 3 years.

Will I ever send my kids to school? We take it one year at a time! I am not against it. I do not feel it is Biblically wrong for children to attend school. For us, and our children right now, home-schooling is what we feel is right.

What is your biggest struggle? Honestly, the biggest thing I struggle with is prioritizing and putting what matters most, first. I tend to get caught up in my to do list of cleaning, gardening, organizing, elaborate baking/cooking and over look the simple fact that my children are only going to be living in my house for a short while and my to do this will be here for an eternity. I also struggle with girlfriend relationships. I tend to allow myself to get only so close, and then back off, but I'll save that for another day. God is really working on me in that area.

Do you ever get tired? Yes. That is why most nights I am in bed by 9:00. I don't turn my light off at 9pm, I either watch TV or read, but after 8:00 I am really worthless.

I really enjoyed these. I'll be answering more next week. If you have any other burning questions to ask, just leave a comment and I'll add it to the list :)

I Will Not

...complain about the humidity and the fact that my hair frizzes up within minutes of straightening it. I will be thankful for hair.

...gripe about our softener not working and having to shower in hard water for the past week. I will be glad I have hot water and a shower to shower in.

...be irritated that my husband went on FOUR out of water calls on Sunday. I will be thankful the people call us when they need water.

...whine that he had another call minutes before I was walking out the door to take my oldest to JLife at church while I got to spend the evening ALONE in Barnes and Nobel. No, I will be thankful the call came in before I left so I could take the other children with me. A trip alone to Barnes and Nobel is over rated, right?

...bad mouth the man in the big white house or complain about the taxes he is raising, our health care system he is screwing up, or the decisions he is making about the lives of the unborn. I will pray that in the next few years, Americans see the mistake we've made and that each one of us will do our part to correct it.

...be overwhelmed by the amount of laundry that piled up over the weekend. Instead I will rejoice that we have clothes to wear and I don't have to scrub them in the creek.

...sigh at the sticky floors. I will count my blessings that I am able bodied and can get down on my knees to scrub them.

My Favotite things...

at least for right now...

This coffee is
.A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
The smell is delightful, the taste, DELICIOUS!!

Apples
I love a good crisp apple.

Aren't these plates sets adorable!
My mom gives a set to each Grandchild when they are born.
They are made by Hadley Pottery.

I love this old magazine ad.
'found it at a second hand store, 'n framed it.
Hung it in my kitchen.

Fuzzi Bunz Dipaers
So cute, so well made.

Frigi Gears
Another Christmas gift.
Keeps the girls, and boys, entertained.

What are your favorite things?

The Every Day made Special

Do you take the time to make the little moments of life special?
I don't always, but I am trying too more.

WHY?
It adds excitement to an ordinary day.
...
.It makes the moments of life worth living for.
...
It makes childhood achievements memorable.
...
It blesses your child.
...
It makes them feel special.
...
...It makes life fun...

Like this ordinary pudding we had for dessert...
We put it in fancy cups, topped it with whipped cream and added a Teddy Bear cookie.

And OHHH it was sooo much better.

What else can you do?

• Celebrate a missing tooth with a candle on a pancake, decorate it with a toothless grin if you want.
• Do dinner backwards, eat dessert first.
• Declare the first Monday of February national PJ Day. Let your kids stay in their PJ's all day, just for fun, wear your too!
• Homeschooling moms, have a snow day. Put all the blankets and pillows you can find on the 'Road' to your school room. Make a sign, 'NO School For The *** Family. Road CLOSED due to hazardous conditions!'
• Get the good china out and have a candle lit dinner because your child achieved a goal.
• Throw a winter party, just because it snowed.
• Have a movie night and eat in front of the TV.
• Build a fort and eat lunch in it.

The possibilities are endless.
Make. Life. Fun

What do you do to make the ordinary special?

Reality

There has been talk in blogger land lately about 'Reality' well here I am...

I lose my cool far too much and get upset at little things like pencil shavings on the floor.

I make my kids wash their feet when they come in from playing outside barefoot.

I am obsessed with clean floors. (read above) Dust doesn't bother me as much.

When my husband calls and says he is going to be late, I will pull out a box of Annies Mac & Cheese or scramble up some eggs and call it dinner. We had vegetables at lunch, right?

I am indecisive when shopping. I will pick up an item, knowing full well I probably won't buy it, then put it back in a totally new location when I decide I don't need it.

I waste far too much $ on mascara. Some women like lipstick, I like mascara. This is my current stash.

I love candy. I have a huge sweet tooth. The Jelly Belly's are hidden behind the crackers in the cupboard.

I buy in bulk, but only the important things like 5# of Popcorn Jelly Belly's.

I am seriously considering breast feeding Ashlynn until she's 10. I've never been so...er... blessed on the top half.

I don't discuss things that I should with my husband. I tend to shove it down as opposed to bring it up. I don't like conflict.

I wear a shirt with our business logo on it almost every day. I have a at least 7 different colors.

I have 3 pairs of my favorite jean. I bought them off Ebay after I wore holes in my original pair because the style wasn't being made anymore. Remember, I buy in bulk :)

I like to have a plan and I don't like to change my plan, unless it is me changing the plan.

I am afraid of relationships. When I get too close to someone, I back way off.

I have a list. Sometimes I add things to my list I've already done just so I can cross something off.

I sometimes forget why I grounded my child from a specific thing like the computer or TV.

I like organization. I really like organization. Disorganization causes the grumpies in me.

I am really more of a people person than I will allow myself to be.

I check email way too often.

I don't like shopping with people. I think it's awkward.

I am still holding on to childhood grudges with a few family members.

I live to eat ice cream at night, for some reason I think I deserve it.

Well there you have it, far more than you ever wanted to know.
Go ahead you may laugh!
But please have patience with me, as I work on my quirks. I am a work in progress.

How about you? Are you daring enough to share?

Working on...

...Math...Thoroughness...Launguage...

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...Attitude...Reading...Motivation...

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...Obedience...Sitting still...Being Quiet...

We are all working on something each day.
Even me.
Each day is different, yet each day is the same.
Sometimes I am thrilled to be where we are, sometimes I am... not so thrilled!

I am learning how to teach important life skills and not be a drill Sergeant.
"Write it again so I can read it...Do 10 more...Did you read the directions?...I can't read your answer...You skipped some problems...You didn't follow the directions."
...the skills that seem so small are huge in life...

I am working on:
praising more than scolding
having an encouraging tone in my voice
focusing on my child and noticing how hard he is working
saying more positive things, even when I am correcting
pointing out what is good before pointing out what is wrong

Yip, I am working too!

I feel Cool

I've been dreaming about getting one of these little big machines. However, I couldn't justify the pricey, $1800, machine for the little 'fix' I needed to have. So, yesterday at Target, I found this! Not quite as flashy, no where close to having all the same bells and whistles. But, $35! That, I could justify.
So now I am typing drinking this

Feeling very cool that I made my own.
Decaf of course.

Just for fun- I use to... now I...

I use to love to dip Wendy's fries in my Frosty, now my favorite treat is vanilla ice cream with butter-brickle sprinkles on top.

I use to say I'd never live in this small town for the rest of my life, now I can't imagine raising my family elsewhere.

I use to run at a pretty good clip, now I walk, some days pretty slow. Hopefully that will change back again :)

I use to be able to do flip flops into flips, now I only wear flip flops.

I use to stay up late at night, now it's a treat to go to bed early.

I use to think I would NEVER home-school. Now I can't imagine not spending my days with my children.

I use to cringe at the thought of one more set of bed sheets to put on. Now I am glad I have children who fill the beds.

I use to cry, silently inside, when someone criticized me. Now I take what they have to say and try to better myself because of it.

I use to make the children's beds so they would look perfect. Now they make their own, who cares what it looks like as long as they did their best.

I use to drink pop, all the time. Now I drink water with lemon or lime.

I use to be able to bend over to tie my shoes, now I slip on sandals.

Tagged, 4 things

I was tagged by my new blogger friend, Tiffany, at 4under3. It was fun learning new things about her; she ran Cross Country (me too!!) and she walks through cow pastures, with her children, to a creek, us too :)
Here I go...
4 things I was doing 10 years ago...
I had just finished coordinating Vacation Bible School and was thinking about the upcoming year. I was 20 and ecstatic because I recently found out I was expecting my first child. I was just beginning to be comfortable in my own skin and role as a wife.

4 things on my to do list for today...
Teach school to my children, and make it fun
Can Pizza Sauce
Map Quest our vacation route
Pick Peaches

4 things I love about my husband...
He is patient with me (I tend to break silly little things)
He is supportive and encouraging to me and my dreams
He makes me feel like I am priceless
He is wise beyond his years

4 jobs I have had...
I worked at a bakery in high school
I started my own Wedding/Birthday cake decorating business out of our home
I was a bookkeeper at The Ground Round
I worked at my husbands business

4 movies I have watched more than once...
Cheaper by the Dozen
Janet Oke's movies... Love comes Softly and a few others
The old Dukes of Hazard, technically not a movie, we have several seasons on DVD, my boys LOVE them
I am not very good as sitting still, I don't watch too many movies

4 places I have lived...
My parents house
My father in laws basement
And our current home... all within 2 miles of eachother, not very exciting!

4 places I have been...
St Lucia
Grand Cayman
Pikes Peak
Cancun

4 places I want to visit...
Australia
Alaska
Hawaii
Africa

4 t.v. shows I watch...
The Today Show (when I run in the morning)
WipeOut (I think it would be fun to be on it)
Biggest Loser
Olympics, I know their over, but they were fun to watch

4 things you may not know about me...
I eat real ice-cream with cereal on top every night which totally contradicts with my next statement...
I am very health conscience with myself and my family. I go the natural/organic route when ever possible. I prefer a chiropractor over a Dr.
I would love to get my pilots license , my husband says he would never fly with me :)
I hope to adopt Internationally

4 people I tag...
Sarah @ Photo eye love
Tiffany @ Dykstra 4
Megan @ Life Every Day
Sabrina @ Mamabee