Lots Of Random Stuff

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is not my favorite holiday, the only reason I some what get excited is because there are cat associated with it, and yep I'm a cat lover! Look how cute these kitties are!!

I have not posted much this week, I have just been so busy that I have had a hard time with just getting a few minutes to sit and type! I have done one blog makeover this week that was completed and another that I am working on, along with getting ready to work on one for our Ladies Ministry blog, so this has been occupying my time.....a lot!! But I like doing it, so I am not complaining...much. I would not be me if I did not complain some!!

Here is my kitty Gracie, she has been helping me design blog lately!! She was actually in my way, but she was too cute to move...

I just finished my second full week of work! Yippee! They say once you make it over the two week hump, it's smooth sailing from there!

Actually it had been great, I am so blessed to get a job that totally fits me to a T, but of course I am one of those that like to start something and finish it in the same sitting...that's not happening here, it's a work in progress. I just feel like..Hey the day is gone...but I am not done.....wait let me finish!! I need to work on this and just turn everything off, walk away and know that I can do it tomorrow! It will get better, or maybe I should say I'll get better!!!

There is one thing that is kicking my butt...the telephone!! Here is the culprit...


Looks simple, huh? It is, but for some reason it is not being very user friendly to me!! Ughh, and this is coming from the girl who's first job was as a telephone operator using this...

Yep, my first job I used a machine just like this, and we called it "The Beast"!! I loved it, and using this was way cool!! So if I can learn something like this, what is my problem with the other phone?? I guess it is too simple. I transfer people to voice mail when I just want to transfer and when I want to transfer a call to voice mail, I can't!! Oh well I need a glitch here and there, right?

So for the next thing about my new job is I need to decorate my office....the walls are a little bare. I brought some cat stuff in and a round mirror but I need some inspiration.

Plus, there is another bare wall that I did not get a picture of!! So if you have any ideas for me.....GREAT!! I could use them! Of course I love cats and a total cat theme would be great, but I do not want to get fired for being too PURRFECT!! He he!!

Headaches, Neckaches, Thanksgiving, Spiders & Politics

Headache is gone....thank goodness, bad part is it has been replaced with this huge pain in my neck. A REAL PAIN in my neck....not hubby!! He he! That was a good one!!

Thanks for the responses on Thanksgiving traditions. We as well, usually do the big turkey nap, after stuffing ourselves silly with food!! For those that are taking a run this year....Greg.....let me just say kuddos to you! A strong word for you.....if you ever see me running....call the police and stop and help me, because someone is chasing me!!

That's right, I do not run....EVER.....the only reason I would be running is because some deranged person is chasing me trying to kill me. Granted I am sure that I would deserve it, but still I would run. Only reason I'd run!!

Wow, I am sweating even thinking about running!!

I am still up in the air on what to do, so if all else fails, we will nap!

Now on to more frightening things. The cold air has brought these unusually big spiders in the house the past few days....gross. I am scared of spiders and all things insect, so this has not been a fun few days. You know something else that I am frighted about??

Obama....yep, it's out there. I did it...I said the dreaded name on my blog....I can't help myself, I have told myself over and over not to talk politics. It went something like this...

"ME: listen, do not talk politics on your blog. ME: OK, I wont. ME: Good, because people might hate your opinion and you should not talk about it! ME: OK!!"

I guess I don't listen to me. Really, what are we thinking as a nation???? Have we gone batty or something???? I can not believe what I am seeing and hearing.....OH MY GOODNESSSSSS!!! I am really worried about this upcoming election and really worried for our nation.

OK, I will stop here, I do not want to make things worse. Once again stepping off the soap box.

Forgive me, I respect others right to vote, I respect your right to vote for whom ever you see fit, I just can not help but to be a little scared and worried.

I am getting down....stepping off right now!!!!!!

I Have A Headache!

It's cold.....Brrrrrrrrrr! I have a headache.....Boooooo! I want to blog, but I took my contacts off and I can't see.......Ughhhhh!!

More tomorrow, have a great night!

I've Never....

Well my first week of work is now in the history books, that's a big Whoo to the Hoo!!

It went so well, and I feel very comfortable in my new role.

Hubby was great this week, and helped so much picking up the slack and helping us all transition into me working again. The boys were not to happy, because mom can tend to be a push over, but Dad, is not!! It was a mini boot camp around our household this week! Every afternoon when I got home, I got this look of "HELP" from the boys! This is a first in a long time, that everything was done, organized, cleaned & put up and just plain orderly! Even the animals are getting a redo on their fencing, so inside & out everything is ship, shape!! Another Whoo to the Hoo, please!

Ok, you were thinking that this was going to be a sweet tribute to my first week of work and all the wonderful things that were happening around the home front......well, I can't seem to help myself, so here comes the rant!! Yep, I am getting ready to throw myself a full blown hissy fit!

I have never in my life been so ill at the actions and hurtful words of some!!! There I said it, it's out, I feel somewhat better! I get so sick of some that think they are so very self-righteous, the world owes them, they are entitled to everything that they think belongs to them and when life happens and it did not go the way they planned, of course it is someone else's fault and they pin the blame on that, poor, unexpected person! Ugghhh, sometimes women can be so vicious! Yep, I was a fall person for someone this week.

I am a little hurt, I will have to say and I would love to confront this person and say:

"Hey, what's the deal with you....I had no idea...please leave me out of your pity party, and quit trying to make me feel bad because, just maybe this was not about you and what you wanted, but about someone else and their accomplishment and hard work, It was not yours to begin with....it was a toss up and anybodies game!"

I am so glad the Lord loves such a sinner as myself and forgives me for my sometimes daily rants!!!

OK, I am done, I am stepping off that soap box and I will try not to visit it again!

Back to the happy post....I see butterflies floating daintily, worry free in the breeze that is gently pushing fall leaves through the sky and squirrels scurrying around along the vibrant oranges, browns and yellows that are the fresh fallen leaves getting the last of their harvest tucked safely away for the winter. (What a run on sentence!!) Goodness I feel better!

I do have a question for y'all....

I am looking for a new Thanksgiving tradition for this year. We usually cook the big feast and enjoy each other. This year Jeremy sister her husband and our nephew is coming for thanksgiving. I would love to do something fun and exciting Thanksgiving day, and would love to know what your family does after the big feast!! Does your family play games, watch the games or just simply take naps?? Let me know and throw any suggestion my way!!

Peppermint Mocha CoffeeMate - WFMW

Coffee-Mate Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer

Yep, this works for me this Wednesday, actually this works for me each and everyday of my life, that is, if they would sell it everyday of my life!! Ughh!

Unfortunately, they only sell it around this time of the year, and it is so hard to find it on the shelves. Last year I would stalk Kroger's and when they had it I would buy every container and then drive across town and buy all their containers also! Yep, I am that person, the one that buys each and every container of something, leaving the other people wanting something yummy, not able to get any! I am not the only one, because it is rare to find this stuff! I actually purchased so much of this last year that I had enough to last until March! PIT-A-FULL!

My question is, it's this good, and people buy it off the shelves, tell me why Mr. Coffee-Mate, why do you not make it all year long??

Hi Ho Hi Ho, Its Off To Work I Go...

It's official, today I joined the ranks of the Seven Dwarfs and off to work I went!

So which dwarf was I, you ask? Well today I did not sneeze, so I'm not Sneezing, I did not join the medical field, so I am not Doc and I have never been Bashful a day in my life, so that one is out!

I did have to wake up early today, but I really was not Sleepy and totally not Grumpy. At times I do tend to be a little Dopey but I guess today I will have to rate myself as Happy.

Yep, today went very well! Of course first days are always a little nerve wracking, but I am going to totally love my job.

Did I sing all the way to work this morning, nah, it's not the diamond fields I am going to, so I am not that happy!!

Just joking, having some fun, but of course if anyone wants to shower me with lots of jewels, I might start singing all the way to work!! Did I mention that birds fall from the sky when I sing.....

Anyhoo...today was a great day, it did fly by ever so quickly! Thanks to all my bloggy friends for your thoughts and prayers today, I could totally feel them. First days are always tough, but not today!

Weekend Review

I have had a busy weekend of doing nothing and thought I would wind down a bit before the big day on the job tomorrow!!

First off, this is going to be a little rough for the ones that have a weak stomach! So if you are one of those and need to skip down a bit I totally understand!

Friday night, was Higgin's bath, and boy did he need it! Friday afternoon I went to the pet store and purchased this wonderful smell good shampoo and finishing spray for Higgies. It was baby powder fresh, so I though hey, my baby will smell as fresh as a baby's butt!!

Anyhow, my sweet hubby gave Higgies his bath, and afterwards he was running through the house like a mad dog (Higgin's not Hubby) and I could not get him to go outside for his nightly constitution, because it was a tad chilly, so I figured that he would be OK until the morning. WRONG! While I was getting ready for bed, he did his constitution on my bedroom floor! UGGHHHHH! Really that was not the bad part! His "constitution" had squiggly worms in it! I thought I would die!! Lots of worms!! OMGoooooodness! I was completely beside myself, I had no clue what to do! So Saturday morning it was off to the vet! Poor Higgies, he got violated for a poop sample and yep, he needed medication to rid himself of his little friends! Then the vet had to pull one of his baby teeth, poor baby! So I went ahead and purchased some heart worm preventive and some Front Line, because tape worms come from fleas! Are you ready for the bill?? A whopping $123, again, OMGoodness! After I picked myself off the floor and paid for everything, we headed home.

The rest of the day was pretty much uneventful as well as of today! Not much going on here, except for hubby shampooing the floors and we are cleaning the kitchen floors really good too, because I am afraid that Higgin's might share his friends with others!

Well I guess that about covers the weekend. You can wake up now! Yea, I had to wake myself up several times this weekend also, so much fun, I do not know how we survived!!

I will update again tomorrow on my first day of work, until then, I hope y'all have had a great weekend!!

Wait No Longer...The Big Annoucement!

I am going to get all English on y'all, so are you ready??

Surprise to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

That is the definition of surprise, but here are words that follow along with how I feel about my announcement.....

• amaze
• astonish
• Whoo Hoo
• bowled (over)
• dumfounded
• flabbergast
• floor
• shock
• startle
• stunned
• stupefy

Now, here are some words that describe some of those that are waiting to hear about the big announcement.....

• befuddle
• bewilder
• confound
• confuse
• discomfit
• disconcert
• dismay
• muddle
• perplex
• impatience

Class dismissed, homework due tomorrow!!

I think that some are getting ready to kill me....I can feel it!!

Are you ready?? Are you ready to hear (read) about my big announcement?? Want to know what I have not been telling you??? So what were all the prayers about? Well here it is!

I start a new job on Monday! Yippee!!

I applied for a Ministry Assistant position at our church, and got it! That's a big Whoo to the Hooo!!

It must be a God thing, because I was not going to originally apply for it, but I went into the church office last week to pick up something for my 'cuz April and found myself sitting down and chit chatting about the position, well Tuesday I went in for a formal interview and yesterday I was awarded the job! Yea!

The funny thing is I have been so calm about this whole process, nonchalant and had the attitude of, if I get it great, and if not, hey, it's not meant to be.....BUT after the interview, I was a bit more on the side of I WANT IT!

Guys this is really up my alley! There is this whole side of this position that allows for my creative side to come out! As y'all know I love to designs blogs, well I will not be designing blogs for this position, but will be creating other publications and such. There is more, but I will not bore you any longer....

Just wanted to say thanks for the prayers and stay tuned and I will update everyone Monday on how the first day went!!

Ladies & Gentlemen, I Am Honored!

I would like to take a few moments of your day to accept this wonderful award! Yes I got an award!! Yippeee....Horray.....a big Whoo to the Hoo....I got me an award, y'all! Not just any award but a gold one, a BFF Gold Card Award!

Let me first thank Julie who visits my blog on a regular basic, reading and putting up with my occasional rant here and there! If you have never stopped by her blog before, stop by and say hello!

Now, the rules state, I am to pass this award on to those friends in blog world that I would consider some of my BFFs. Drum roll please......

Carrie, April, Greg (Greg you my newest BFF!!), Jennifer & Jill

I tried using this wonderful Gold Card reward at Wally's last night, but it kept telling the cashiers insufficient funds, so no guarantee if the is any $$ that comes along with it!!

UPDATE

So are y'all wondering about my little surprise?? You know the other day I asked for a few prayers at 10:30am because I was doing something?? Remember how I could not tell you about it yet?? Well, I still can't tell you yet, but keep your fingers crossed and a few prayers are still appreciated! Stay tuned for more!!!

Have a great day!!

Naa Naa Naa

COMMERCIALS

Yes, we love commercials in our household and at times they are better than the actual show you are watching!

Yesterday, Joey wanted us to come into the living room. He was hysterically laughing about a commercial that he had paused on the DVR. You might of seen it already, it is the new Arby's commercial.

There are two guys and one is telling the other about a $5 lunch and he did not believe him and told him he would marry a goat if he could get lunch for $5, (I am totally paraphrasing here) too funny. I have searched the net for a clip of the commercial, but I have yet to find one yet. but here are some pictures of it.

Of course, we are goat people, and we raise market goats and up until recently I milked a dairy goat twice a day for milk consumption, so we having no life being goat people, get so excited to see commercials with goats in them.

For some odd glorious reason they are using goats more and more in commercials and ads lately. When searching for the Arby's clip I came across several, Honda for one, had a goat in one of their commercials for their Element SUV and of course we have all seen the Alfac commercial, which is my favorite! If you have not seen it, check it out!

Another all time favorite commercial, so I do not discriminate again non-goat people is this one.

So here is my Works For Me Wednesday, commercials, we all love them, just rarely see them anymore due to the wonderful DVR!

Tuesday Morning

Tuesday morning is upon us and what is so great about Tuesdays? I am not really sure, but this is Tuesday October 14, 2008! Again...Tuesday....get to the point! Yes, my computer tells me what you are thinking!

I do not harbor ill feelings, I do not judge your impatiences, at times I am impatience so why would I judge you? At times though I do tend to go on and on about certain crazy thoughts that are in my head and just can't seem to throw myself off the soap box! Yes, at times my kids have tackled me down off that box I love to stand on, delivering my fine speeches as I have gone on and on and on about things....

Opps sorry, I did it again, so this Tuesday, October 14, 2008 and it is special because it's....

NATIONAL DESSERT DAY!!

Say it's not so......but it is!!!!!! It is just one day, forget about those calories and do not think about the high fat content of those thigh thickening tasty treats! No, not today , because today we throw caution to the wind and enjoy desserts without guilt, knowing that tomorrow we can diet again!! So enjoy and be a little crazy today and eat desserts at every meal and maybe a few in between!

What else is going on today, any new adventure that you may be embarking on, you ask? Well thanks for asking! Actually today at 10:30am I am going to do something! I would love to tell you what I am doing, but would hate to jinx myself! Do I believe in superstitions? Nope, not at all! I am the kind of girl that would like to say, see what has happened, I can not believe that I did this, or other things that I like to say is, man, geeze Louise (no offence Louise) I can't believe that this did not happen!

So will I be able to tell you my somewhat exciting news today? See, here's the clincher, I may not be able to....it may be a few days before I can revel the big surprise or maybe the big let down! See there again, I feel that you are getting a little impatience with me! Please say it is not so....please hang on and stick with me here!

If you are thinking of me at around 10:30am (I am sure you think of me all though-out the day) but if for some reason you thoughts may flicker towards my way, say a little prayer for me. I know I hear you, your not really sure what to say that prayer about, but just shoot a few my way!!

Stay tuned and have a great day and enjoy dessert(s)!!

Fall Into Flavor - Artery Clogging Potato Soup

I procrastinated last Monday and did not get my recipe up and before I knew it, it was already Friday!! Today, I woke up decided that I am getting my recipe in EARLY!!

This potato soup is not for the faint of heart! I love The Olive Gardens, Zuppa soup and this is a run off of that, I guess you could say. It is a yummy, full of flavor. melt in your mouth, clog your arteries YUMMINESS (new word here!!)!!

Sadly it has no butter in it, but if you want you could throw a stick in there some where! The only healthy thing about this soup is there is some spinach in it!

BTW, I am the kind of cook that just makes soup. There is really no set amount, I just kinda of throw things in....there are a couple of ingredients that I know how much I use, but the majority is just this and that, to your liking!

5-7 pounds of potatoes

1 pound of bacon

1 package of Italian Sausage medium or hot, whatever degree of hot you love! (5-6)

1 large onion

3-4 garlic cloves

Chicken Broth

1 bag of Spinach

Heavy Whipping Cream

Peel & cut potatoes, chucks, thick slices, skin or not, to your liking. Put in large stock pot cover almost to top of potatoes with water and add chicken broth to cover the rest of the way, add salt & pepper and boil until tender.

While potatoes are cooking....

Broil Italian sausage in oven until done. I usually cut my sausage up before I broil or you can get ground Italian sausage and cook on stove, again, which ever is easier for you and to your liking.

Drain and set aside.

Cut up the pound of bacon into bite size pieces, add 1 large chopped onion and minced garlic, cook on the stove top until golden brown, the bacon should be crispy and onions are caramelized.

Drain and add to soup along with Italian sausage. Mix and add heavy whipping cream (I usually use the smaller container) and bag of spinach. When spinach is tender, dig in! We add fresh grated parmesan cheese to the top of ours!

Enjoy! Check out Linda @ 2nd Cup of Coffee for more yummy recipes!

Yummy White Chicken Chili & Giveaway!

Let me start off my saying that is recipe will rock your socks off! It is so yummy, that it actually caught me by surprise! Guess what else??? You make it in the microwave using this.....

I know, you are thinking....'Say it's not so" But really, microwave! Everyone that tried it on Friday LOVED it and we had a great response!

So where do you get one of these wonderful Cranberry Deep Covered Bakers, you ask?? You can get one from me! Yep, from The Pampered Chef! If you are interested, let me know and we can place an order for you, or better yet, get it free or half priced! Also, right now if you place an order of $150 you will get either the Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkle & Chipotle Rub OR a Cranberry Hot Pad/Trivet for free (a $10.50 value)!!

I know, I know you are ready for the recipe and here it is!

The Pampered Chef ®Microwave White Chicken Chili Recipe

3 whole heads garlic (about 48 cloves), unpeeled (It's good really!!)
3/4 tsp salt, divided
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 poblano peppers
1 medium onion
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I use a rotisserie chicken)
2 tbsp Southwestern Seasoning Mix
2 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern beans, drained
1 jar (16 oz) salsa verde

Using (5-in.) Santoku Knife, slice about 1/4 in. off the pointed top of garlic heads to expose cloves. Place garlic cut side up in Classic Batter Bowl. Sprinkle garlic with 1/4 tsp of the salt and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the oil. Cover batter bowl with lid; microwave on HIGH 3 minutes or until garlic is soft. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, finely dice peppers using Santoku Knife. Chop onion using Food Chopper. Combine peppers and onion in Deep Covered Baker. Trim and finely dice chicken using Boning Knife. Add chicken, seasoning mix, remaining 1 tbsp oil and remaining 1/2 tsp salt to baker; mix well using Master Scraper. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 4 minutes; stir to separate chicken. Cover; microwave an additional 4-6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Meanwhile, gently squeeze cooled garlic from heads into batter bowl (discard skins); mash using Mix ‘N Masher. Add beans and salsa to batter bowl. Transfer bean mixture to baker; mix well.

Microwave, covered, on HIGH 5-7 minutes or until chili is heated through.

Yield: 8 servings (8 cups)

One more fun thing.........a giveaway! Because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, If you do place an order or want to host a show for me, yes, catalog shows do count, there are two things I am doing a drawing for!

If you place an order in the next two weeks, I will place you in a drawing for this Pink Bar Board & Knife
And if you host a show or catalog show and submit at least $150 in sales or place an order of $150 or more, I will put your name in the drawing for these beautiful Pink Polka Dot Simple Additions coffee mugs, that hold a whopping 16oz of yummy coffee, or other beverage of choice!

Busy, Busy Weekend

So I have been busy, who has not been busy lately? Today April (my cuz) and me did this little cook off adventure for Habitat for Humanity. We are a hoot, let me tell you how much we are alike. Never mind, I guess I will save you from that and just tell you about our day!

First off last night we got together to cook our wonderful white chicken chili....well, really it is not our recipe, but a Pampered Chef recipe. (I will post it on another day), I will have to say it was the bomb! I only wish I would of took a picture of her kitchen......it was the bomb too, the after math of a bomb I should say. We had to make between 3 and 5 gallons, so in true fashion, panic kicked in, and we started going crazy, and there is where the mess came in.

We got the chili done last night, in crock pots and in the refrigerator, ready for today. April had lots to do to get ready for tomorrow (Saturday), I will elaborate a little on that in a bit, so she was going to finish the poster display after she got home and we were to meet this morning at 8:30 am and according to the plans we had in our heads, all would be well! Ah ha ha ha! Actually not that bad really!

So when I got home instead of doing the recipe cards like I should of, I procrastinated, in my true procrastination form, and did other things instead. So at 12:30 last night I started to get a little yancy and decided that I would start the little project while I watched CSI. So at 2am I finally get done with the little project and off to bed I go.....did I mention that I had to get up at 6 am this morning?? Ughh!

6 am came and it was rough, but I managed, and off to Aprils I went without coffee. That was not good...thank goodness she made a lovely pot of that wonderful, addicting, yummy, get me going treat I love so much!

Instead of getting there early to set up this morning, we were the last to arrive, beside the dessert lady, but she did not have a tent to set up! Yep, we had a tent to set up, a big green tent...did I mention that April and I are a lot alike, and we do not do tents? Thanks to these three wonderful men plus me and April....yes, 5 of us, we finally managed to get the tent up! Not sure how, but it did get up and actually, miracles upon miracles today, it actually stayed up!

We had a great time and of course it was for a great cause, even though our chili did not win, tons of people kept showing up because they heard that we had great chili. The winner...some guy that made taco soup, yummy, but I am biased, I not sure if it was as yummy as ours!!

It was a fun day, we are going to do it all over again tomorrow, but a longer day it will be. We are heading to a craft Fair (no chili involved), and we will have two tents to put up! That should be interesting....I wonder if those wonderful men will be there to help??

Hopefully I will have some pictures to post of our weekend adventure soon.

4 Things I Don't Want To Admit, But I Will...

I was tagged by April to do this MeMe. It is to list four things that I do not want to admit about myself......who makes these things up?

Could it not be 4 things I would love to LIE about myself....example: how skinning I am and I look hot in size 3 jeans, my flawless skin that has never seen a zit, my perfectly smooth feet that have never had cracks on the heels and my lovely curly hair that is never matted in the morning, just full of free flowing curls that look wonderful all the time.

Oh, wait, sorry I kinda got carried away, I guess I am living in a fantasy world and forgot it was to list four things I do not want to admit! Oops, sorry my bad, not opposite day, so here we go!

4 Things I Don't Want To Admit........

1. My teenage son drives as fast as I do. Yep, I am a speed demon.....so is he!


2. Sometimes my husband is right, so very rarely, so far in between moments that I should really not mention this but......I will not go and elaborate any further on that one!


3. I love my cat, Abbey Baby sooooo much that I actually talk to her and treat her just as she was my daughter! Well, actually she is, I would hate for to read my blog and know that I called her a CAT!!!


4. When it comes to cleaning my kitchen, I would rather drink coffee, play YaYa (a game my 'cuz and I made up) play around with web design and surf the web. Yep, again, another bad me.
   

Ok, there it is.....the shame, the horror....the real me (thank goodness it only wanted me to list four)!! Here is the bad part, I have to nominate four others to participate. Don't hate me, please don't yell, I have had a hard few days....just woman or man up and just do this thing, tell the entire world only four little things that you would hate to admit about yourself!!! You can do it!

Drum roll please.....here are the four lucky ones that I really wanted to know their faults!! He he!

1. Greg @ Greg's General Store


2. Carrie @ The Rest Is Still Unwritten


3. Jennifer @ Meals Made Easy


4. Jeanette @ Our Crazy Kids

Have fun and I am so ready to read what you have to say!!

Weekend Happenings & Monday Memories

First I want to thank you for praying. This week is going to be difficult to say the least, we are praying for God's guidance and for the right words to be spoken. Sometime this week we will be talking to my family and I covet your prayers.

Second, just a little funny. I have got tons of laughs, comments and e-mails about our crazy animals. For some unknown reason our back porch has turned into the hot spot of the entire farm. The back porch has always been the cats domain, which causes Jeremy much distress. Anyhoo, take a look at this.......

Looks like a chicken got caught red handed!! Yep, that's a chicken that got stuck in between the banister. I think someone needs a diet around here (besides me)! Is anyone thinking chicken and dumplins??

Third...boy this is turning out to be a long post!! Our church ladies have started a blog, if you would like check it out, do so here. Each day of the week we will be posting different subject and on Mondays we have stated something called Memory Monday. I am honored to be the first, so I thought I would post here what I posted on the Calvary Ladies blog. I hope you enjoy. By the way we were really young and wow I was so skinny. I think I am going to post that picture on the refrigerator and hopefully that will deter me from eating!!

Here is my post for the ladies bog.

I am very excited to be the first to share my precious memories with you.

I thought about this for a few days and really wanted to share something besides us getting married and having children, but just could not get past us getting married and having children! When I think of all the special memories that I have, the majority of them are about our life together and our children.

Just the other night while I was praying, thanking God for my family, in the middle of my prayers I just laughed with God. I remember my prayers right after we were just married. We were so young and just like it was yesterday I remember vividly what I prayed for in our marriage. I prayed for strength and for the new love that we shared as a married couple. I prayed for our future children and the life that we would share with a child or children one day.

After we had DJ, my prayers changed again and I prayed so hard for this little life that God blessed us with. How could we ever raise such a perfect baby and I prayed for guidance. I thanked God everyday for the wonderful opportunity that he gave us to be parents.

Then came Bradley a short 18 months later. Goodness, how were were blessed again with another healthy little one. Our family grew and was bursting at the seams with love and laughter. There were hard times to, because after Bradley we decided that I would be a full time mommy. There again, memories were made each and everyday while I stayed at home and spent time with the boys.

Then did God ever have a sense of humor, because He felt, and I say He, because Joey was God's plan for us. Never the less again we were blessed with another little one. Wow, what wonderful, precious memories we have made, the five of us.

I wanted to share something that is on my wall, because it really sums up our lives in a short sentence.

The Perfect Love in Our Lives, Happened in a Sequence of Time. With each kids name I have a clock with the time stopped at the time they were born. I think about of all the memories that we have shared, and having our children was the most special times in our lives. Our perfect love made our children and how honored we are that God blessed us as parents to them!

Standing there with my hubby to be, on May 4th 1991, I would of never thought that I would be were I am today, a mother of three boys. Wow, how we have grown, not only as a family but how we have grown in the Lord. I could not planned my life any better than it turned out!

Which brings this verse to mind:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

So I close my Monday Memory with:

Our wedding day on May 4, 1991.
DJ's arrival, July 30, 1992
Bradley's arrival, January 31, 1994
Joey's arrival, February 23, 1998

Just four of my special memories!!

A Prayer Request

I have thrown myself into my blog lately as a form of therapy. I found friends that I could not even imagined. Friends that hurt, friends that care and most importantly friends that will pray hard for someone they have never meet in person.

I have seen countless miracles through the blogs that I read, anything from adopted children, medical necessities and answered prayers. I have also seen others go through hard times, death of children and things that leave us crying with the ones that we have connected with, through a bond that is hard to believe that is formed through all things, a blog.

There has been so much going on in my life for some time now with my family. I have hesitated to mention much on my blog, for the fear that my family may read it and I did not want to make the situation worse than it already is, but it can not get any worse, so here it is.

I am coming to you for help. I have struggle, wrestled with my thoughts, blamed myself, blamed my family, asked God why, pleaded with Him, blamed Him, praised Him, cried and tried to laugh, but I think what I been missing is keeping this to myself, trying to act like everything is perfect and nothing is wrong. Smiling and laughing in front of others and hiding in my home dealing with the pain by myself. There are few that know, but I am asking for prays of many now.

I have been estranged from my parents now since the day before I left for our mission trip to the Dominican Republic. That day on the phone with my father was one of the hardest things that I have ever been through. I was given a choice to make and I made the choice that is one of the hardest things that I ever had to make. I chose to continue to minister to a family that has caused such strife in our families. A family that caused us such pain for many years. A family that is put our lives through unspeakable heart ache.

There was an opportunity, that was, what I like to call "A God Thing". This summer an opportunity came where we were able to make peace with this family. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. I am not one that forgives easily and for me to forgive but most importantly forget the horrible things that have happened in the past, is only a God thing. I hid this from my parents, because I was afraid that they would not understand. The hurt that we have gone through is not easy to move on from. So for weeks, I guess you could say, we were in stealth mode, hoping that they would not find out.

They found out and there was a strain, a disconnection if you will. I tried to continue without really facing my family head on and by ignoring remarks and praying that it would blow over. It didn't. The disconnection grew more and then the phone call that changed everything. I have always prided myself in being "daddy's little girl", not any more, I hurt him with my decision, and he said things to me that day that I can not bear to mention. Which leads us to where it is today, no communication. The only communication with my family I have is so minimal we seem like strangers.

It's killing me. I really do not know where to go from here. I've tried, but I feel that they need to try too. It can not be one sided and I can not quit this relationship that we have built with this other family. I know God has a purpose, but should we lose love ones for this purpose? I know what I should do, but in my wildest dreams I thought this would be better by now. Do my parents not see I need my family.

So here I am coming to all my friends for their prayers, I need help. I am not even sure what to ask for prayers for. Maybe unharding of hearts, forgiveness, strength to carry on...I am not even sure. I just thank you in advance for your prayers.

Thursday Rant

As you know our children have been home schooled for more years that I can count, and this year DJ and Bradley both went to high school, DJ is in the 11th and Bradley is in 9th! Well they got their report cards Monday. DJ comes right in full of smiles and his grades we all A's and high B's, needless to say I was thrilled, because I was afraid that it may of been worse, because of integrating back into school.

Then Bradley is sitting there, doing his Bradley smile and I knew something was up. Now granted, I did not think anything bad, because mid terms were all A's, B's and 1 C, so how bad could it be......right??? WRONG! He had a 60 F in World History.....an F!! Ughh! I am not a happy mom. All the other grades were where they should be, maybe Algebra 1 could of been a little higher, but, I am not complaining!

So I asked.......WHAT HAS HAPPENED??? At mid term his grade was a 86 B, so in three weeks "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE????" Bradley tells me nothing, I do my work, the teacher hates me, that is why I have a bad grade. Well, I have to go into the speech, of we all have teachers that we do not like and we all have teachers that do not like us, but they do not fail you because of the mere point that they do not like you. Bradley stood firm on I am failing because he indeed hates me. So, I guess it is to the teacher conference I will go on Tuesday afternoon, and I went....Oh My Goodness!

Are you ready for this......the teacher hates him!! I will not mention names, but this teacher is a coach....a football coach, and Bradley was on the team for a short week at the beginning of school....a very short week, if that. Bradley quit the team soon after he was told, no Dr. Peppers, no sugar and weight lifting and practice was mandatory each day. To many restrictions for Bradley, because a day with out Dr. Pepper for Bradley....well there are no days like that!! I guess coach might have some anger towards him for quitting.

I am rambling, and if I want to end this post before next Thursday I need to get to the point here....This unnamed teacher, gives this grade called a contribution grade. Bradley got a 20F for that part, which in turns fails him. So I asked what is this, because I am going through Bradley's folder looking for anything that has F's on it and found nothing except for one quiz that he bombed, which happened after he broke his collarbone, the first day he went back to school, and did I mention he was on pain pills that day, the day before surgery?? ANYHOO, I asked this guy, what is this....are you ready for this???? "This grade is for students that raise their hands in class, pass out paper and do other things that make my life easier." Bradley says, I do raise my hand, you never call on me and this guy just moves on like Bradley never spoke a word. I am in shock here, but did not say anything, I need to get home and process this, and plus there is a line of parents, apparently I am not the only one with a child with an F.

Needless to say, I am not a happy camper here, as we walked out of the class Bradley said...see I told you he hates me. Trust me when I say this, this is a short version of what happened, much more was said that floored me!

So yesterday off to the school I, or we go again, Jeremy is not happy, because who is going to hold this teacher accountable for this grade? Who is to say he is failing and passing kids, on a like and dislike basis? How can you give a grade for passing out papers and raising your hand???? Passing out paper grade....have you ever heard of this????

Needless to say the principle was wonderful and is looking into this for us and hopefully I will know something today. She agreed, that a contribution grade can not happen and put our fears at ease that she would would fix this. I hope that the fall out for Bradley will not be bad, I am afraid that this teacher might really get him now!!

I really needed to get this off my chest so thanks for hearing me out....uhm...reading this!!