Some things I learned . . . . while on vacation!!!

My sisters, cousin and I just got back from an amazing trip to Belize, C.A. "Belize" it or not - C.A. does not stand for California but Central America. (I actually knew this before leaving for Belize but was a little shocked at how many people didn't even know what Belize was!) Anyway, it was such a beautiful place and we had a ton of fun. I thought it might be interesting to share a couple of things I "learned" while gone!

• i am actually capable of drinking not one, or two or even three but FOUR whole cups of coffee in the morning without reheating a single one if I take the time to sit down and enjoy my coffee without being distracted by other things.
• i can survive without Facebook for a whole week and not even have withdrawals.
• i'm surprisingly getting much better at the whole flying thing and did just fine on all of our flights to and from Belize as well as the two tiny airplane rides we took while in Belize flying from Ambergris Caye to the mainland and then back again - no nausea and no panic attacks.
• i didn't miss my cell phone one stinkin' bit while gone and could have went a whole nother week or two without turning it on once i was home!
• i am not as young as i once was and that fact doesn't bother me in the slightest.
• i am not now - nor was i ever into the "party scene".
• i truly enjoy karaoke even though i am not very good at it!
• i smile too big for pictures.
• i smile too much for snorkeling.
• i am getting to old for sleeping on hide-a-beds!
• i look better with a tan!
• God has created the most magnificent world and I love being able to see all the things and places that he has made.
• the Caribbean is indescribable in its beauty!!!
• i love meeting new people and getting to know more about them and their lives.
• i don't like being ignored!
• i could live in Belize if the opportunity ever presented itself!
• Belizean Red Beans and Rice is SO YUMMY!!!!!

Blessed by my Momma!

Though I'm a day late - I still want to wish my Mom a very Happy Mother's Day! I am truly blessed by the most wonderful momma in the world. I love you, Mommy!

He is amazing!!!

I have big plans for my weekend. I need to get all my Christmas decorations taken down. I need to do some major deep cleaning because we have some of our FAVORITE company coming next weekend and there are some major allergies in the family. Because of the cold weather and having a puppy we've had our animals in the house quite a bit over the last 2 months. All traces of our pets must be removed, as much as possible anyway.
I told my husband last night that I was going to get up early to get started on my day. Of course, I needed him to bring in all my Christmas tubs. When I woke up this morning, it was after 9 am. My hubby was not in bed. I came out and my kids were quietly eating breakfast and playing cribbage together and all my Christmas boxes and tubs were lined up inside just patiently waiting for me. Coffee had been brewed!
After being up for just a short time, something became glaringly apparent. My kids had pulled one over on me with their quiet demeanor and "show" of getting along. Within a half hour I was about ready to pull my hair out. Anything and everything that they could fight about they were. And they weren't just fighting, they were being down right cruel to each other. My hubby came in and found me hiding in the office trying to "get-away". I apologized for sleeping in and he just hugged me and held me and told me that I needed it and it was fine. As we were trying to go over some things the girls were just getting worse and worse.
Fast forward to an hour and a half later . . . .
I just got done listening to my husband calmly and patiently talk with the girls about their behavior. He has such a gentle and yet firm way with them. He amazes me with his wisdom in disciplining them. They are now both laying down for some much needed rest. Hopefully they will actually get a nap in and when they wake up we can start the day "over".
I am so blessed by this man . . . my husband . . . my love . . . the perfect father for my daughters!

Thanks Tank #27

It's been awhile since I posted a Thursday Thanks Tank but even though I haven't posted anything in some time each Thursday I think a little more on the things in my life that I am thankful for. I love this exercise of consciously and purposefully taking time to think on the things that make me thankful. Here's my list for this week!

1. I am thankful for my new gym membership! I am excited to be able to be "hitting the gym" with my very good friend Heather. I'm excited to be setting some goals and hopefully being able to reach them.
   
2. I am thankful for a good deal on said membership. I've been meaning and wanting to get this membership for close to a year now. It's actually my Mother's Day gift from 2008! By waiting this long, I'm only paying half of what I would have been paying if I'd signed up before now! Yeah, me!!!!
3. I am thankful for the chance I had this past weekend of hanging out with my sister! We got to go up to IKEA on Saturday and have a free breakfast and then had a whirlwind shopping trip. She got lots of neat items for her home! My whole weekend was actually spent with family and it was really nice to be able to get out of the house and relax! Friday night we four girls went to see a movie. Saturday late afternoon all of us "kids" went shooting at the shooting range. And Sunday was spent out at my parents. It was a wonderful weekend!
4. I'm thankful for a chance to get together with my "other" family (my sister and mother-in-law) on Monday and scrapbook together! We hadn't done that for a long while and it was lots of fun!
   
5. I am thankful that things have been going so smoothly with our puppy but I'm also thankful that he should be going to his new home this weekend! Unfortunately, I've gotten a little attached to the stink pot so I'm praying I don't have some sort of crying fit when he leaves!
6. I am so, so thankful that my husband was able to figure out the problem with our washing machine and that we should be getting the rather inexpensive parts in the mail tomorrow! I am SO BLESSED to have a mechanically inclined hubby to do these sorts of things!
7. I am thankful for how responsible my kids are (usually) in the morning. I've gotten spoiled with them always getting up with their alarm and doing their normal morning routines without much help from me. It takes mornings like this morning (when they slept through their alarm) for me to realize that most 8 & 9 year olds need a little more coaching from Mom to do what my girls do on a normal day all by themselves. I'm very blessed!
8. I'm thankful that our very dear friends who were unable to make it up for Christmas from Oregon are coming up for Valentine's Day! I would be going insane with impatience if I didn't have so much work to do to get my house ready for company!
9. I'm thankful for my church, my church family and friends and how I miss it when I don't make it to church. We are SO BLESSED to be a part of a wonderful group of believers who love the Lord and are such an encouragement to others!

FRIDAY FLASHBACK

So once again, I'm stealing a post idea from JA. What can I say, she's got all the great ideas!!! These are just a few pictures of my time spent at Ecola Bible School and one of them is actually from a reunion. This was definitely the most defining year of my life. I grew in ways I never thought possible and made friendships that have lasted 16 1/2 years. Because I moved around so much growing up, I unfortunately don't still have friends from Kindergarten. Amazingly through Facebook I am reconnecting with friends from different states I've lived in and that has been a blast but my closest friends are all "newer" friends - friends that I've made since graduating from high school. At times this makes me sad but I am so grateful for the friendships I have that it doesn't keep me sad for long. I am thrilled to be reconnecting with my "older" friends again and am hoping that now that we've reconnected we won't lose touch again. But back to my "lovely pictures"! Enjoy the pics - they make me smile and laugh!!!

Kristi and I at the Fall Talent Show!
Kristi and I at our Spring Banquet

Julie and I at reunion but I'm not sure what year it was!

Kristi and I pigging out on food after going for a run in the pouring down rain!

Jenni, Tammy and I getting ready for our Spring Banquet. Everyone who sees this picture comments on the "big hair"! Ha, ha!

Not Me Monday

Ok so this is my very feeble attempt at my first, but hopefully not last, Not Me Monday! I have enjoyed reading through my dear friend Jane Anne's Not Me Monday posts over the last couple of months. If you even slightly enjoy reading this you should check out her Not Me Monday post as well!

After going for a "long spell" without having a Starbucks and then asking my hubby to bring me home one two nights in a row and that not quite working out, I certainly DID NOT buy myself not one but two quad shot Caramel Macchiatto's last Thursday. NOT ME!!!

I also DID NOT decide not to look for subs for Bunco last Thursday because it would give us all a better chance of winning. That would be so selfish and certainly doesn't sound like something I would do - NOT ME!!!

I DID NOT leave a status up on my Facebook profile for an extra long amount of time and refuse to update it until I had someone comment on it because of how clever I thought it was. NOT ME!!!

I DO NOT still have Christmas presents sitting in my bedroom that still need to be wrapped and given to friends. NOT ME!!!

I DID NOT thoroughly enjoy driving my husbands Durango today with new tires and wheels. NOT ME!!!

And lastly, I HAVE NOT been shamelessly leaving message after message for one of my closest friends pestering her about coming to visit. That would be inconsiderate of me to nag and nag and I would never do that. NOT ME!!!

I'm keen on KEEN's!!!!

While checking out my friend Jane Anne's blog, I found a link to a fantastic give away. Just thought I'd pass along this great opportunity to you all! Hop on over to this blog for a chance to win your own pair of KEEN's!

Go Elf Yourself!!!

Scroll down to the bottom of my page and see my family "elfed" and then go make your own. Let me know so I can come check out your very own "elfing"!!!! And Merry, Merry Christmas!!!

Broken weather widget!

I think my weather widget might be a little "off". It's showing a clear, sunshiny day in my neck of the woods. When in reality - it's dark, windy and practically monsooning!!!

Thanks Tank #26

This evening I am thankful for many things. Our warm home with Christmas decorations up and Christmas lights softly glowing here and there around the rooms. I'm thankful for dinner made by my husband and the chance to sit and eat with the whole family even though it was nearing 9 pm, a whole hour after the girls' bed time. I'm thankful for the opportunities taken to get together with friends for an evening of food and fun and knowing that it didn't matter what my house looked like - they were just glad to be here. I'm thankful for the honesty of friends asking for prayer for a difficult time they are going through and being able to diligently pray for them and then see specific answers to prayer. But mostly tonight I'm thankful for my husband. I'm thankful for the love we share and the burdens that we bare together. I am a blessed wife because of my husband and I never want to take that for granted. So thank you Keith, for all that you are to me! I LOVE YOU!!!

Thanks Tank #25

I AM THANKFUL!!!!!!!

1. I am thankful for the beautiful weather and warm sunshine today.
2. I am thankful that things went so well having Savanah's "saliva ball" lanced. Unfortunately, I don't think it was a permanent fix but it will give her some relief temporarily.
3. I am thankful for a wonderful Thanksgiving break spent with family all four days!
4. I am thankful for my husband taking the time to unbury all of our Christmas decoration tubs and boxes.
5. I am thankful for a "free" weekend to spend putting my Christmas decorations up.
   
6. I am thankful for our house and home!
7. I am thankful for the chance to reconnect with some "old" friends and also family on Facebook.
8. I am thankful for dear friends that I miss so badly I can actually feel a physical ache.
9. I am thankful for time spent hanging out with my girls, playing around and having fun!
10. I am thankful for our hairdresser squeezing us in for haircuts and hair-colors before Christmas!
11. I am thankful that Samantha is taking the loss of her kitty as well as she is which is much better than I have been taking it.
12. I am thankful that my sister is slowly, but surely, healing.
13. I am thankful for laughter and how much I have been hearing it in my home when only the four of us are here.
14. I am thankful for candles and how yummy and inviting they make my house smell.
15. I am thankful for a cleaner than normal house.
16. I am thankful for my heating blanket on my bed and for my husband who always turns it on in plenty of time to warm my side of the bed before I crawl into it!
17. I am thankful for coffee that is already brewed before I wake up.
18. I am thankful for my niece who just turned 3 years old on Monday and who will officially be my niece within 2 weeks time.
19. I am thankful for my new niece or nephew and the technology that allows us to know before hand - pink or blue? Hopefully, we will know tomorrow!
20. I am thankful for hope.
21. I am thankful for my parents and how much I love them and how lucky I am to still have both of them in my life.
22. I am thankful for surprises.
23. I am thankful that gas prices have dropped so significantly.
24. I am thankful for chocolate and brownies.
25. I am thankful for a tiny, perfect baby born of a virgin who came to earth and died on the cross for my sins and for the sins of ALL who would believe.
    

Wednesday Why's

There are no "whys" concerning this Wednesday's post . . . . . .

only a bunch of "yes, Yes, YES's"!!!!!!!

Wednesday Why's

Why????

I am wanting to know what the common practice is for recess on rainy days like today. I understand the need for teachers to have a break from the students and for the students to have a break from the classroom. But I'm also sure that there is some alternative for recess on days when the weather is so poor. Apparently Samantha is not aware of the alternative so I thought I would find out from you what the policy is. She came home today with pants wet all the way up to her knees, boots soaked through and socks that were so wet that I actually wrung them out. She said they had been this wet since first recess. Obviously walking around in wet socks and shoes all day cannot be healthy. I'd like to let her know what her other options are for recess besides for standing outside in the pouring down rain.
(Above letter sent to teacher today via email!)

Why????

Tuesday Teachings

Today is Veterans Day and so I thought I'd do a little research on this National Holiday to better know what we are celebrating and to be able to pass some of this information along to my girls so they too realize how blessed we are to live in a country with so many freedoms.
Veterans Day began as Armistice Day and it was to commemorate the ending of the first World War. Armistice Day, "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'.", became a legal holiday in 1938. In 1954 this was replaced with a new bill and a new name. Under this new name, Veterans Day, all veterans from all wars would be remembered - not just those from World War I.
I often get confused what the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day is. Memorial Day is a day set aside for remembering and honoring those that died in service to their country. Veterans Day on the other hand is for remembering and honoring ALL that served their country.
So today as we go about our daily lives, remember those that have served and who are still serving to ensure all the freedoms that we enjoy today.


I looked at this article and this web page to get more information about Veterans Day. They are worth checking out!

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . . .

It completely KILLS me (totally in a good way) that my two not so little "princesses" are so completely engrossed in this (new to them) fad!!! Ever since we got home from our vacation these movies are the only movies that they want to watch. They are trying to recruit their girl cousins to the "dark side" with little success. Translation - they didn't want to have anything to do with it! The questions they ask are so intriguing and it's very interesting to see how their minds work in comparison to all the little boys who are so enamored. I mean really how many of you parents with boys have ever gotten the question - So do you think that Princess Leia is going to marry Indiana Jones?

Wednesday Why's

Why, oh why???????

Tuesday's Teachings

i'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony . . . .

sorry that's all i got for today

Cutest Trick-or-Treaters on the Block

Thanks Tank #24

So today has been a rather crazy, busy day but I really wanted to make sure that I posted a thanks tank because it's been a little while and because I have SO MUCH to be thankful for. I hope that as the holidays are starting to ramp up for everyone and the next two months fly by that everyone will make sure that they are consciously making an effort to think about the things that are filling your heart with thanks and the One who gives us joy!

1. I'm so thankful for a chance to go on vacation with my family. We had so much fun doing all the touristy Southern Cali things but we also managed to squeeze in time to see family. I'm thankful for my extended family and how much they mean to me and how much I love them even though I don't get a chance to see them very often.
2. I'm thankful for Facebook. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again but I just love keeping in touch with not only local friends and family but also my friends and family that are far away. In the past week I've reconnected with my two best friends from high school here in Eatonville and also found some "other" family members on FB that I didn't know were on there. It's too fun getting caught up on their lives and family!!!
3. I'm thankful when my husband sees that the garbage needs to be dumped and takes it out without me having to ask. It might sound silly but it means a lot to me to have him do that w/o me asking him to.
4. I'm thankful for modern medicine and all the things they can do these days to treat people who have serious medical issues. It really wasn't too long ago that some of the things that are so easily diagnosed and treated now were undetectable and led to death or severe illness.
5. I'm thankful for the power of prayer to not only heal but to calm. I'm thankful for all those that are praying for the medical issues that are going on with in my extended family right now.
6. I'm thankful that when we got home from Cali and over the last couple of days that even though it's been cold it has been nice and sunny and not stormy.
7. I'm thankful for beautiful autumn days and for the fall colors appearing on the trees and bushes.
8. I'm thankful for our good friends the Thompson's who agreed to watch our pets while we were gone.
   
9. I'm thankful that the girls' parent-teacher conferences went so well and the girls are doing so well in school.
10. I'm thankful that Wednesday was the last day of volleyball practice and this Saturday is Sammy's last game. I LOVE the sport but am happy to be having a few less things to do every week!
    

Wednesday Why's

Why does the peel on a banana get thinner the riper the banana gets?

Why does it seem that the shows I like to watch on TV are always on when I'm busy but then not on when I have nothing going on?

Why do some people love rainy, gloomy weather and others prefer sunshine and heat? Does it have something to do with personality, genetics, environment?

Why did my floor fail?

Why do I sometimes prefer a latte over a regular cup of coffee and then other times only a cup of coffee will satisfy?

Why do we give out candy at Halloween time? When did this ritual start and why?

And lastly - this isn't a why question but it's something I'm hoping someone might be able to answer for me - has there ever been a child/person abducted from Disneyland?