Bieber Fever

I was not interested in going to see the Justin Bieber "Never Say Never" movie at all. But my little lady was eager and was just sure she would die if she didn't see it TONIGHT!!! So I gave in and took her. I'm not sure why but the men of the house decided to stay behind??:)
When the previews started they were advertising some sort of wild animal show and when they showed a monkey I said "Look there's Justin Bieber"....I got some pretty dirty looks from a certain 8 year old for that. The movie was pretty interesting to say the least. You just don't have no idea what goes in to his hair...you know, before he cut it.
When JB's (that's what we are calling him now) grandfather talked about his grandson I may or may not have had tears in my eyes. I most definitely was not so proud that I thought I would bust when our little JB sold out Madison Square Garden. They reeled me right in with all those pictures and home movies of him at around 3 and 4 years old. They knew exactly what they were doing when they made this movie.
Rylee stood up and danced like the rock star that she is. For a brief second I thought about making her set down but then I remembered it was dark in there and the girl is in love for goodness sakes. Surely there are enough old clips of the Backstreet Boys for them to throw together a billion dollar movie for us old folks!!!
The the Never Say Never disclaimer is that Bieber Fever is real and totally contagious!!! I fear that I will be singing and dancing to Baby Baby Baby for days!!!!

The Great Manipulator

Kids seem to learn things faster and faster these days. I'm going to go ahead and throw this out there....Tegan has me in the palm of his itty bitty fat cute little hands. He can pretty much talk me in to anything and talk his way out of everything. When he has done something wrong and I haven't even discovered it yet he will try to block me from getting to his room and say "I promise I be good" or "I promise I gone start listening to you" over and over again until I break through his human barricade only to discover a whole bottle of Elmer's glue poured all over 50% of the stuff in his bedroom. Things were glued to his carpet that will never be the same.
He tries to talk his way out of preschool every single day. I'm not sure why b/c he seems to love it but I think he would just rather be at home so that he can continue to make progress on pulling this house apart piece by piece....he obviously has a deadline to meet. Anyways, the other night when putting him to bed he starts telling me about how he doesn't like school, how some kid keeps throwing sand in his eyes, how all the kids are mean to him and won't play with him and how he just wants to stay with me and promises that he will be sweet all day long. For a very brief amount of time he had me going. I was upset and worried about my already fragile little boy. I was terrified that my greatest fear was coming true and my little guy was being picked on. I had already been working up a plan in my head to talk Paul in to pulling him out and him just staying home with me until he is 18. But first I decided to mention my concerns to his teacher. I was so relieved when she burst out in laughter and said that my little man isn't having problems, in fact he is the ring leader!!! I looked down at him standing beside me and there he stood with a huge grin on his face. He almost got away with it.
Yesterday when I went to pick him up from school they were out on the playground playing. Him and several other kids were in a playhouse playing. He didn't realize I was there so as I came up from behind I witnessed it....he was blocking the door, told the other kids to sit down and he was telling them what to do while all these kids were happy to oblige and grinning from ear to ear. Somehow witnessing this bossy episode did my heart good....that little boy can take care of himself but just loves his Mommy to much to let her know it!!!

When you least expect it...

This morning I have been tired. I had plans to come home and do a little sewing or cleaning or school work. Either way I had plans to do something! Then there was a knock at the door. It was a friend that has been really pulled through the mud of life lately. She has been heavy on my heart for some time now. Even with all this crazy stuff going on in her life she took the time to pick up some coupon books for me and bring them to my house. Something so small can seem so amazing. I think about her and pray about her all the time. I don't pray for God to fix things b/c I think some of the things that have happened can't just be fixed but I pray for her to have peace, for her to rebuild, for her to come out the other side a new and faithful person but most importantly I have prayed that she prays. Her little visit to drop something off this morning turned in to us being able to really talk for about an hour and seemed like a slight form of therapy for both of us:) The best blessing I could get out of her visit was to know that she is still very faithful in prayer.
After she left I got on facebook for a second to check something. I came across a status update from an old friend from highschool that is so inspiring. I actually seek out and look forward to this person touching my life with his status updates on a daily basis. Who knew facebook would be used a tool to witness?? His status this morning was no disappointment at all and I think this is perfect for my morning visitor to read.


There's nothing that you can do for God that has a greater reward than running YOUR course, and finishing YOUR course with joy. Whatever your course is... stay on it. Make your mind up. Get your teeth in it. Lock onto it. Run it. Finish it. It may not seem glamorous, and it may not yield the results that you think that it should or could.
Just do it willingly and give it all that you have. That's the whole of what you can do for God. Be willing. Obey. Keep a Word attitude. Know that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Whatever you do, do it with so much passion just as if you are doing it for the Lord Jesus Himself. You are.

Counting Calories

I'm not even sure what a calorie is....I mean I have never ever looked at calories so I don't know what is good or bad. So I have decided to wake up and stop living in my happy little world where I can continue to cram in nutty bars, zebra cakes, chips and ice cream at warp speed. I am not really on a mission to lose weight although that would be an awesome bonus. My point is really to try to just feel better. To say that I have a stomach with a temper would be an understatement. One week all the food I eat just sits in my stomach and succeeds in making me feel bloated, bubbly and just plain nasty. Then the very next week my stomach will give up it's boycott and throw a temper tantrum that results in everything I have ate in the past two weeks coming out in one day. I know...TMI. But the point is that when I took a couple of days to really look at what I was eating I realized that I will not have this really awesome metabolism forever(extra special thanks to my oldest sister for telling me that over and over again). When I went grocery shopping yesterday instead of filling the cart with junk I bought fruit and some healthy snack alternatives. See I don't really eat a whole lot when I set down for a meal but it is the snacking and grazing that I do all day that seems to be my downfall.
Today has been my first half day of making an effort.

1. Breakfast: I started off my day with not one but two bowls of Special K cereal. Even though this was a much better choice to the bacon biscuit I wanted to stop and get after dropping Tegan off at school, I'm pretty sure I shouldn't have crammed in two really big bowls full.

2. Mid-morning: since I can't quit my snacks cold turkey, I am going to have to retrain myself to not eat every second of the day. So mid-morning I had a Special K cereal bar. Oats & Honey is pretty good.

3. Lunch- I usually eat a stouffer's french bread pizza or make me some chicken fries and french fries. I realized today that the stouffer's pizza is 430 calories!!! I was shocked. So I made an effort to make a better decision. I bought these...

at the grocery store yesterday. Bagel Thins are really good but these are AWESOME!! You have to get the everything bagel thins. The whole bagel is 110 calories. I made me an egg white which I then topped with cheese and inhaled the whole thing. I'm pretty sure I should have left off the cheese??? Then I had some Baked Ruffles (which are also AWESOME) on the side. The only problem is that I should have probably not ate half the bag of those??

My efforts have not been easy and I seem to be floundering like a fish out of water. But I guess the point is that I am eating things that are slightly better for me than my usual choices. Maybe I should just stop here and not eat the whole rest of the day or just finish myself off with some good old break and bake cookies and just eat like I want until my metabolism decides to stop functioning!!!

These Days

We enjoyed a pretty weekend around here with NOT ONE THING on the schedule. Well I say that but Rylee and I did have a date planned for Friday night with her friends and their mom but that has been put on hold until next Friday. Rylee woke up around 4 or so on Friday morning with a stomach virus. She proceeded to throw up pretty hard for the next four hours. Just to be safe we stayed home on Friday night even though she tried with everything in her to make me change my mind. You see the date included the Justin Beiber movie. Let me just warn you...never tell a vomiting 8 year old that this is just part of Beiber Fever. I thought it was funny, she did not! Anyways we all managed to stay well and not catch what she had.

The rest of our weekend was spent hanging around the house, a lot of outside play and I even got some sewing done. Tegan was unusually good and I am starting to think that God reads this blog and knows that Tegan has been trying to take me down. He has just been somewhat of a different child the past few days. Only one tiny problem...he won't take a nap AT ALL!

Tegan has been saying some super cute things lately and I'm not sure where he gets this stuff from. Yesterday I was hugging all over him and he said "get off of me OLD WOMAN". WHAT??? where did he learn that and who does he think he is talking to b/c it sure isn't this spring chicken:) About an hour later he was sitting in my lap at the computer and he out of no where says "let me down Hot Chick". Again...where has he heard that at. I heard him ask his Daddy if he wanted a knuckle sandwich and then he informed me that he loves everyone including his whole self. I also discovered over the weekend that my son has been thinking that at some point he will have to go back in to my belly. He told me that he didn't think he would like having to go back in my belly and he just wants to stay out here with Rylee. I laughed so hard when he was so excited to find out he doesn't have to go back in my belly.

Rylee is just growing and changing so much everyday. After a month of either being home sick from church or being upstairs helping with one of the classes, I was finally able to see her take communion for the first time. I mean...it wasn't her first time taking it since being baptized but my first time getting to see it. She thinks it is even more special that her Daddy serves it to her. I signed her up for soccer and we have been working with her a little outside but really we don't know much about soccer other than kicking a ball and running. She seems to have gotten taller and is already starting to slim up. She will be taller than me in no time. Yesterday at church a lady dropped the additional bread pieces left over from communion. They went all down the basement steps. Rylee had already turned the corner and saw it happen. When I turned the corner I saw her immediately set her stuff down and start helping clean it up. She never even hesitated. I am so proud of how she is quick to help and so thoughtful of other people.

Well I am off to finally eat lunch at almost 1:30 and maybe talk Tegan in to at least going in his bedroom for a little quiet play time:) Hope everyone has a great week!

Miracle Diet Plan

A week or so ago my sister-in-law sent me an email with the Miracle Diet Plan and I wanted to share it with everyone....


Toddler Miracle Diet
People are always on the lookout for a new diet. The trouble with most diets is that you don't get enough to eat (the starvation diet); you don't get enough variation (the liquid diet); or you go broke (the all-meat diet).
Consequently, people tend to cheat on their diets, or quit after 3 days. Well, now there's the new Toddler Miracle Diet! Over the years you may have noticed that most two years olds are trim.
Now the formula to their success is available to all in this new diet. You may want to consult your doctor before embarking on this diet; otherwise, you may be seeing him afterwards.
Good luck! (Smirk)

DAY ONE----
Breakfast: One scrambled egg, one piece of toast with grape jelly. Eat 2 bites of egg, using your fingers; dump the rest on the floor. Take 1 bite of toast, and then smear the jelly over your face and clothes.
Lunch: Four crayons (any color), a handful of potato chips, and a glass of milk (3 sips only, then spill the rest).
Dinner: A dry stick, two pennies and a nickel, 4 sips of flat pop.
Bedtime snack: Throw a piece of toast on the kitchen floor so it slides under the fridge.

DAY TWO----
Breakfast: Pick up stale toast from under the fridge and eat it. Drink half bottle of vanilla extract or one vial of vegetable dye.
Lunch: Half a tube of "Pulsating Pink" lipstick and a handful of Purina Dog Chow (any flavor). One ice cube, if desired.
Afternoon Snack: Lick an all-day sucker until sticky, take outside, drop in dirt. Retrieve and continue slurping until it is clean again. Then bring inside and drop on the rug.
Dinner: A rock or an uncooked bean, which should be thrust up your left nostril. Pour grape Kool-Aid over mashed potatoes; eat with a spoon.


DAY THREE-----
Breakfast: Two pancakes with plenty of syrup eat one with fingers, rub in hair. Glass of milk; drink half, stuff other pancake in glass.
After breakfast, pick up yesterday’s sucker from rug, lick off fuzz, and put it on the cushion of your daddy's favorite chair.
Lunch: Three matches, peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Spit several bites onto the floor. Pour glass of milk on table and slurp up.
Dinner: Dish of ice cream, handful of potato chips, some red punch. Try to laugh some punch through nose, if possible.

FINAL DAY----
Breakfast: A quarter tube of toothpaste (any flavor), bit of soap, an olive. Pour a glass of milk over bowl of cornflakes; add half a cup of sugar. Once cereal is soggy, drink milk and feed cereal to dog.
Lunch: Eat bread crumbs off kitchen floor and dining room carpet. Find that sucker and finish eating it.
Dinner: A glass of spaghetti and chocolate milk. Leave meatball on plate.
Stick of mascara for dessert.

Laughter…still life’s best medicine! A big dose does you well!

At Home

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day here! It was great spring like weather and maybe even borderline summer. It started off with not a lot of sleep last night and Tegan's smiling face waking me up dark and early saying he didn't hear the crickets anymore so it was time to get up. I literally moved from the bed to the couch where he sat next to me watching TV. I wanted so bad to sleep but couldn't get back to sleep for fear he would pull the house apart. I felt like crud but got up and got going anyway. My husband took the Teg man outside with him to do whatever it is that men do outside. I sat and did a weeks worth of homework and by 12:30 I was done and ready to head outside for some good old fashion vitamin D. This beautiful weather does my heart good. We enjoyed the rest of the day outside and I even got one of my rocking chairs painted!!!
Tonight was yet another early night to bed for everyone in the house but me. At night time I catch some sort of second wind and even though I have felt like I would fall flat on my face all day now I am wide awake and ready to get stuff done. That wasn't my point....anyways everyone is sleeping and all is quiet around here. While I would like to go to bed at the same time as everyone I have to say that I simply love being up after they are all in the bed. I love the quiet time but most importantly I just love knowing that my family is sleeping safe and sound. Lately at night I will have this overwhelming sense of contentment with being in this house with these people. I love that we have slowed down and stopped running by somewhat simplifying. I just feel complete when I am here. Now don't ask me to say these words in the middle of the day in the middle of the week just after Tegan has thrown something in the toilet but for today....I'm at home!!!

Just Don't Give Up

Lately I have been a little out of sorts so to speak. Can't put my finger on it but I'm sure it has to do with lots of changes and my future hanging in the balance with school and waiting to find out what direction God is going to allow me to go in with that. Things are just different around here lately and my husband and I are trying to adjust while helping our kids adjust and my mind has been a little overcrowded. Wait...I think overcrowded is a total understatement. Tonight in the shower I had been in there for probably 15 minutes and seriously could not remember what I had done. Like I didn't remember washing my hair but I could smell the shampoo in it but I never could figure out if I had actually washed my body so I just did it again just in case:) The other day I went to throw a freshly opened quart of ice cream in the trash can instead of putting it in the freezer. Things like that are starting to make me feel like I am going over the edge.
Tegan has been here and there with his behavior lately. One day he is a sweet little angel and the next he has that little red devil setting on his shoulder helping him make every move. When he gets in trouble he always has the ability to show his sweet kind heart. Tonight after pouring a full cup of bath water in the bathroom floor I was aggravated. I didn't yell or scream but yet just started cleaning it up and said "I just don't know what I am going to do with you". Tegan gave me the perfect response "Just don't give up Mommy". He said this with a huge smile on his face and a little giggle afterwards. A moment that makes all the ups, downs, and stresses in life seem so minor. A moment that felt like it was whispered straight in to his ear for his precious mouth to relay to me. I'm down, worried, stressed, aggravated with some things right now but when I least expect it God literally tells me to Just Don't Give Up!!!

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

1 John 5:14-15

A Simple Valentine's Day

I had all these plans to take pictures of all the Valentine's Day happenings but as you can see that didn't happen. It was a slow and relaxing day around here so I'm not sure why I couldn't pick up the camera at least once.

My husband and I usually don't do much for Valentine's Day and come to think of it we don't do date nights at all either. Not because we don't want to but for some reason or another things get in our way like lack of babysitter, mother's guilt, kids begging to go with us, etc... Last week a precious lady at church named Rhonda ASKED if she could keep our kids while we went on a date night. I say she ASKED b/c for the first time EVER I didn't have to ASK someone and feel guilty for it. Although I still felt guilty for taking her up on the offer b/c let's face it, what if it was comparable to the scenario where you ask how someone is doing but you don't really want to hear their whole answer. Anyways, we took her up on the offer whether she meant it or not (but I really think she meant it) and went on a mini date night on Sunday....just food! Both kids love Ms. Rhonda and she has had a huge part in their lives through church since both kids were tiny so I knew they would both be just fine. Of course we left at 5 pm and was back home by 7 pm but that TWO hours was so refreshing for me. Just to go somewhere with my husband and eat a meal without having to feed anyone else was a nice little break. Don't get me wrong, I love feeding my babies but come on sometimes a married couple just needs a moment! I can't thank Rhonda enough and pray that she meant it when she said she would love to do it again sometime!!

Today has been a low key day. While the kids were at school I did some errands, bought Valentine's gifts and did my grocery shopping. This afternoon I was able to catch up on some things, clean a little and cook a great meal for my three Valentine's. I had supper ready when my husband walked in the door from work (something he has been dreaming about for 10 years:). We gave the kids a little V-day basket of goodies and then it happened...I pulled out a card and candy for my dear husband and he felt so bad for not getting me anything, not even a card. It was funny watching him squirm his way out of that and after a little guilt trip I informed him that it didn't matter b/c I knew he hadn't had time to go get me anything so I wasn't expecting anything. Then I informed him that he could always do a just because gift or card or something one day...he laughed but I didn't! Anyways overall it was a great Valentine's Day and I am glad that I got to spend it with our whole family of four. It may be cheesy to celebrate or go out of our way on Valentine's Day but really it is just a way to remind us to show a little more love to the ones we love. I know everyone says they don't need a day to remind them of that but just think about it, if you got flowers today(I DIDN'T) when was the last time you got flowers on a just because day???

I am finishing my Valentine's Day off by applying for a job over the Internet and keeping my fingers crossed. Hopeful for a small change but not big enough to affect my family to much.
Hope you all had a very blessed Valentine's Day!!!

Climbing the Mountain

Climbing the mountain is what I feel like I have been doing lately unfortunately it is a handmade mountain made especially for me by my sweet and oh so handsome little man.

During nap time today he decided not to nap and instead made something special for his Mommy.....

This would be ALL the clothes in his room, even the ones that were packed away from last summer.

What a mess!!!

I like the added touch of the deer that he stole from the living room, don't you?

He was so proud of himself!

And then he wasn't:)

While I was stuck in his room going through ALL the clothes and putting them back up, he hurled my favorite little deer across the living room. Remember how the above pictured deer had two ears....

Well now he doesn't:(

In the words of my dear friend....This boy better be glad he is so cute!!!!

At The Foot of The Cross

I have a friend on facebook that just like so many on facebook I went to school with but during school we just never really crossed each others paths very much. I mean we knew OF each other but I have been blessed through facebook (strange I know) to get to know her on a deeper level. She is going through a hard time right now, what that is I don't know b/c I'm sure if she wants me to know she will tell me but even through this rough time she is amazing me on a whole new level. We connected through facebook by our faith and her faith is taking me to a whole new level over the past week. She keeps talking about how her devotions are lining up with exactly where she is in her life and showing us that God really is at work even when you think he isn't.

I believe that we all go through the Valley to get to the Mountain TOP! I know that in order to grow and become closer to God we have to experience things in life that are just unbearable to think about. We have to fall so that we can be picked up. We have to cry so that he can dry our tears. When we are in the valley it can last for hours, days, weeks and even years but at some point if you allow him to he will pull you through!!! Angie, on facebook posted this poem this morning and I just loved it and wanted to share it with everyone:

Fearing the battle was over

And I'd already lost the war

I was tired of trying and failing

I just can't fight anymore

So, dragging my battle scarred body

I crawled to the foot of the cross

And I sobbed " oh please father forgive me

But I tried...I tried... And I still lost

Then the air grew silent around me

I heard his voice just as clear as the dawn

"oh my child though you are tired and weary

You can't stop you have to go on"

At the foot of the cross where I met

At the foot of the cross where he died

I felt love as I knelt in his presence

I felt hope as I looked in his eyes

Then he gathered me lovingly to him

As around us gods light clearly shone

and together we walked through my lifetime

to heal every wound I had known

I found bits of my dreams long forgotten

And pieces of my life on the floor

But I watched as he tenderly blessed them

And my life was worth living once more

I knew then why I had been losing

I knew why I had not grown

At the foot of the cross came the answer

I'd been fighting the battle alone

At the foot of the cross where

I met him

At the foot of the cross where he died

Then I knew I could face any challenge

Together- just my lord and i

Boy OH Boy

My little man has had me in tears the past few weeks. A handful would be an understatement when using it in the sentence with his name. Energy...there is a lot of energy and unfortunately I have lost mine somewhere and can't seem to find it. He NEVER stops moving and likes to be destructive. I am sad to say that it has put me in a bad place and making me so frustrated with him that last night I just had to walk away and put myself in time out after he nearly ripped Ry's homework to pieces. Today he has been on the go. He pulled every item that he owns(clothes included) out of any toy box, dresser, closet, etc... and placed it all in the middle of his bedroom floor during his nap time today. He has crumbled up goldfish crackers in his hands and graciously spread them all over the living room floor. While I was cooking supper tonight he was in the living room with a bottle of water, my favorite jar candle and various things trying to make a fish aquarium. He was so proud of his creation that it was ALMOST hard to get on to him. The bad part was that I was getting on to him for pouring water everywhere but right before I caught him pouring water in my candle I had been running dish water. Well I walked away to handle him and forgot to turn off my water which ended in an even bigger mess than what he was making. I sent him to his room but when I went to get him out for supper he had taken everything off his dresser, pulled a chair up, climbed up there and was just standing there....again he had that so proud of himself look on his face. Why on earth don't three year old boys get as tired as their Mommies?? I love that little man and will take all the messes in the world. I can't help but laugh when he does something wrong and I hear his Daddy saying "You better run boy b/c here comes your Mama and she is going to get you"...reminds me of listening to old people tell stories about their kids and talking about how mad they use to make their Mama.

Poor Ry has no idea what is going on and she comes to me to tell me what her favorite color is right in the middle of me chasing Teg through the house while he is running with scissors. All I can do is look at her dumbfounded and try to figure out why she choose that exact moment to insist on stopping me and telling me that.

I'm just so tired today. For his bedtime story tonight I told him a story all about a sweet little boy and a much better tomorrow....he giggled and said "That not true Mommy!" Great, just great!

The water bottle

Can you tell that my candle is completely filled with water?

And here are the various objects placed in this fish aquarium to act as fish!

I have a feeling the fun is just beginning with this child!

Week END review

I wish I could say that the weekend would be a little less stressful than the week but it is not really looking that way. Sunday I woke up with the feeling that I was starting to get sick. Throat hurt, aching in my sinus region and just plain blah! Well that progressed as the days went on until I developed what can only be named as "Death By a Cold". That should totally be a movie title.

Any who...I was dragging myself to Walmart on Wed. morning to get me some more medicine and to stock up on cold medicine for Tegan b/c he wouldn't stay out of my face so I was sure he would be the next to fall victim. My sister calls and my Mom was being stubborn again. She was at home with one of her fingers literally rotting off, sick as a dog and wouldn't get out of bed. I called the Dr. and my OLDEST sister and I made the decision that she just needed to go to the emergency room. So I come home, rush around and meet her and my mom at the ER. I stood around in the ER and in her hospital room for about 8 hours b/c no one would take turns with the chair!!! Did I mention I was sick at this time and probably needed a hospital bed more than a chair but I played it off well in front of everyone:) Anyways, I spent the whole next day up there too and by the time I got home at a little after 3:00 pm on Thursday I felt like I could die but there was no rest for me. There was supper to cook, kids to care for and school work to catch up on.

My dear sweet stubborn and sometimes meany pants Mom came home from the hospital today but I never made it far from the house. After staying up until midnight working on a test that it took me more than three hours to nearly fail, Tegan woke me up in the middle of the night and then really early in the morning so motivation was not on the agenda. Plus it was raining...like flooding rain so anyone with a choice or a brain would stay home. Oh and did I mention that Tegan woke up with a bad cough and a beautiful color green snotty nose??? Awesome!!! It didn't take much for him to convince me to let him stay home with me.

Then there was the war with the embroidery machine. I just needed to embroider a single letter on a hand towel and a single letter on a throw blanket....over two hours later I was finished. #AREYOUKIDDINGME#

The next couple of days involves a schedule that is back to back to back to back stuff! I really NEED this weekend to be behind me so as much as I know you working people will hate me....I am ready for Monday!!!!