14 of the hardest things for me do

1. go all day without wearing covergirl expresso brown eyeliner - my eyes are lost on my face without it.

2. get out of a hot shower

3. keep my closet clean and organized for more than 2 days

4. design a daily routine and stick to it for more than a day

5. impulsively know my right from my left

6. go to the grocery store and not forget to buy something I need

7. stop caring for a friend, even if they are the one who quit communicating

8. go shopping for me and not stop to look at children's clothing

9. get out of a warm cozy bed in our freezing cold house during the winter

10. have patience in a drive thru lane

11. walk by my computer and not check my email

12. buy accessories to spruce up my outfits

13. not people watch

14. refraining from saying what I feel



14, why 14? I was trying for a Thursday 13, but I came up with one to many.

new "kitty" pool

Once when #1 was 2 years old, I told him we were going out to buy him a kiddy pool. His excited reply: YEAH! We are going to get a cat and a pool?! Well yesterday we retired the old pool, it's lasted a lot longer than I thought. #1 and I went shopping for a bigger and better one. Toys-R-US had a huge one for only $10. The pool was wider than our Expedition. It's was kinda tricky getting it home. We had to squish in the sides a bit, but no real damage done. It flexed itself right back out. The girls played in it for hours yesterday and today it has been the hit again. We switched it up a bit and added bubbles. It makes for a nice cool afternoon. Oh, and our $5 garage sale slide we've had for 5 years is the perfect compliment for it. Up and down, up and down, up and down.

Oh, as I am typing this the girls just got into their second cat fight ever! I can see them clear as day through the window. Taking turns slapping back and forth, screaming like only true little girls can. It was short lived. Maybe 2 minutes top. #2 was the mature one who stepped out of the pool and said, "That is ENOUGH!" Next thing you know, they are over it and up they go back on the slide. DRAMA!

She is blowing bubbles out of her nose.

sundays

I snoozed for 2 hours today with #2. We were out late last night so all the kids had to "rest" today. I decided that I would catch up on some sleep as well. I may have slept a bit too long. It's my bedtime and I am not feeling very tired.

Sundays should be called "trash the house day". I feel so lazy on Sundays. I did cook, but no dishes have been done. I am so glad tomorrow is a holiday. We have a date night scheduled. The kids are super excited about my cousin babysitting. Knowing she is coming to play will help motivate them to help me get the house spic and span.

Hope I wake up REALLY motivated tomorrow!

blog roll

I finally updated my blog roll. It has been a while. OH, and I alphabetized them, well the mom list- I did. I never thought I would meet so many cyber friends through blogging. Have a great extended weekend.

never been a cat lover

Growing up, I always had at least one dog. My mom has never liked cats so we never owned one. Well right after we got married, I begged my man for a pet. Since we lived in an apartment on the third floor we agreed a cat would be the best pet for us. So we headed off to the Humane Society to rescue a kitten. There we found a precious black kitty with white little paws. Once we got her home the cat began to have uncontrollable EXPLOSIVE diarrhea. OH my gosh did it ever reek. I was freaking out b/c she was ruining our carpet. Turns out she had some kind of worms and after two days her bowels became normal. The smell was something we could never forget so we named her Stinker. At first I adored her. My man, who is NOT the animal lover, even had some affection for her as well. Then one day she turned psycho! If you were not petting her, she would attack your leg, arm, hand, what ever. While we were at work, she would climb on our mantel and knock things off. She was so stinkin crazy. Finally we found another home for her and she became an outdoor cat. Her knew owner never had one ounce of trouble with her.

So, not sure why I shared all that, but the point of this post is, we have a cat, used to have two (one got "squished" by a car), and cats really baffle me. A typical dog loves it owner. If you go outside it wants to be petted and played with. It come when you call its name. It always seems happy when you are around and somehow you just know it misses you when you are gone. Our cat is 2 years old now and you can stand over her and call her name over and over and over and she will never not once look in your direction. If I am still and sitting in the front porch swing, she might climb in my lap, but for the most part she hangs around the kids and me keeping a distance of about 3 feet, just out of arms reach so the girls hardly ever get to pick her up. The cat shows zero emotion unless it's at the end of the day and she hasn't been fed she'll scratch at the window to let you know she's ticked. She does kill lots of small yard creatures and leaves them at the back door for us. Someone told us this is a sign of love. I am not sure if I believe them. I honestly think she does it just to have something to toss around and play with. I do like that we never have to board her and or worry with a leash. But other than that, I can't really say why I'd prefer a cat over a dog. They are just kinda strange.


Maybe this is why she doesn't seem to love us?

new system

okay, so since my vacuum cleaner died, my dishwasher has now risen to the top of my doo-doo list of appliances. It can't wash but half the dishes in there. No matter how hard I try to rearrange things, put less items in, change dishwashing detergent, nothing gets it cleaning like it used to. OH, and the thing is only 2 & 1/2 years old. So finally I am giving up. I went a full week of not using it. Hand washing everything. It went better than I thought. The problem was my man kept putting things into the dishwasher. He was refusing to give it up. So I reverted back. Same thing happened. Begin my day with breakfast and unloading the dishwasher and "dad-gum-it" all my silver ware has white detergent caked on it. Things on the top rack look only rinsed. UGH! So I am cutting ties with the white loud monster in my kitchen and my drying rack is my new best friend. I honestly do not think it takes me any longer to do the dishes. Plus everything is always clean. I can use my favorite paring knife all day long. I like that.

OH- American Idol -Taylor Hicks. What do you think? It really did not matter to me who won after Chris got the boot.

I know what you must be thinking. She is a TV freak. I promise there is more to my life than the tube. :)

24 ends & pops-c-sickles

okay, so 24 is over until January. I have to admit I was bummed at how everything ended. I mean COME ON! Jack deserves a bit of a fairy tale life just for a moment. I mean give the guy at least 24 hours to be in La-LA land of love with his girl. Poor Audrey. Last 24 she her husband died, which they were in the process of a divorce, and she was led to believe her lover Jack died. So during this 24 she discovers her long lost love Jack really isn't dead and he's alive, and isn't it sweet they are still in love. Now at the end of this 24, Jack and Audrey are embracing and Jack goes inside a warehouse to take a call. BAM he is kidnapped and Audrey again loses her man. My man being a typically male of course loved the way the season ended. Me the female, needed more love and less action. Oh well. It is still the best show ever.

So summer is here at our house. It is hot. The kids have spent the past two days in the yard hosing each other down. The outdoors are a perfect babysitter for a homeschool family. I get so much done and they get worn out. Here is a pic of them cooling off with a "pops-c-sickle" (that is what #2 used to call them).

creative in their own way

My son is not scared to brag at how well he can build with legos. He has decided to coin the phrase "Lego Expert" and apply it to himself. Probably at least 75% of his freetime he is building, tearing down, rebuilding and designing new structures with legos. We video tape some of his best ones so he can show his kids one day what he liked to do growing up. He is now a member of the "Lego Club" and receives magazines on a monthly basis. He looks these magazines over at least a dozen times and fantasies about how the new building sets he wishes he could have. In the latest issue of his magazine, there is a group of lego kids who drive lego robots. He asked me to paint a mask on his face to match one of the drivers and then he drew on a shirt to match the guys outfit. The girls then decided they needed face paint too.

#2 loves to draw and paint. She will also sit and play at the computer all day if I let her. This is her original design: necklace, bracelet and some other structure all made for Magnetics. She was so proud of all this she asked if I would take her picture.



And this is Miss Silly using a Mrs. Potato face to add some unique character to her own face. The thing is actually shoved up her nose. Surprisingly it came out clean.

odd little thing that happened

Here is a short story about something that has never happened to me before. I bought a bottle of Redken shampoo and a bottle of conditioner. They came as a set. The conditioner bottle held about 1/4 less than the shampoo. I started using them both on the same day. I can't remember deviating from them to a different brand over the course of about two months. Crazy thing is, I emptied both bottles on the very same day. This is like amazing to me. I ALWAYS have one emptied before the other. Any ladies out there think this is shocking as me?

A side note that has nothing to do with hair care: Thanks so SUPER much for the sweet comments left concerning yesterday's post. Things are beginning to look a bit better already.

deep within me

Haven't felt like writing much lately. I am dealing with family junk the past two days and it's hard to bare all that on the world wide web, even for an open book girl like me. Nothing within our household, just extended family stuff.

As I pause for a minute and try to figure out what to type next, I take a glimpse back on my life over the past 5 years. Boy have I changed. 3 years ago, I wasn't comfortable in my own skin. I was critical of me, my man, every thing and everybody. I lived with guilt. I carried guilt about the stupidest things and it made zero sense. All I wanted to be was who I thought the people I respected most wanted me to be. Internally I was on an emotional roller coaster that never came to a stop. It took me hitting rock bottom in two areas of my life to make a change. Now, with the help of some expensive professional advice, I am me. I know me, I love me, and I accept me. When you live in chaos it is hard to see things clear. I am so thankful for someone helping me pin point the root of all my craziness. Once I could see it clearly, I knew I had to change. It wasn't easy everyday, but each day was so much easier than the one before. So right now, when the problems are pounding at my door that once shook me to the core, I can stand confident and know I have nothing to prove, no one to impress, nothing to hide, I am who I am. I am a child of God. I am called to follow him not man, and faithfully choose the path he has planned out for me. It may never make sense to those I love the most, but I must be obedient to the one who chose to love me first. My relationship with my kids is so much better now, my marriage is SO much happier now, and I feel so emotionally healthy, it's great. So this junk will pass. I will learn even more about God's grace and perfect love. I will become stronger in the end.

a blah final two

There was no celebration in our home last night as the final vote was read on Survivor. Aras. So what. Next to Big Dog Terry, I mean, come on. I was so upset when Terry didn't win the last immunity. Man. I really thought he'd win the whole thing. So when it came down to Danielle and Aras, I did not care who took home the million. Now I have to comment about Shane (Can you believe he smoked at least 3 packs a day and quick cold turkey the day he left to go on the show!?). He was so stinkin Psycho. There were many nights I yelled ... vote that crazy man off, but in the end, his final statements to D & Aras will forever go down in Survioir history as some of the best. I hope after a few seasons another Survivor Allstar will come into play and Terry will come back and dominate again.

just another manic Monday

Warning blogger is SOOOOOOOO slow, no spell check today!

Ever wake up in the morning and feel panicked? I woke up 45 minutes later than I wanted too and so my exercise routine was cut from my day. Then I realized, we have a poptart crisis at our house, so that means I have to get the kids to dunkin donuts and then hit the grocery store. The house is a wreck of course so I begin to feel yucky about that. The kids are full on aggravation mode and can't keep their hands off each other. We need to get out of here. I look in the mirror, Ew, Sleepy face and a new zit, nice. Throw some clothes on the kids and do a little something to myself. It is amazing what a little face wash and eyeliner will do for ya. We head out the door.

Dunkin Donuts, Goodwill, #1's haircut, Kroger, food co-op, drop of stuff at a friends, pick up two more kids and now we are home. It's time for lunch. I am now facing reality that I am not going to meet all my goals for today. You know it is so rare that I do. And.... (nice calm collected voice) that is okay. What really matters is not my junk and not my dirt. I am only one imperfect woman. I love my kids, even though today they are really on my nerves, and I love my man, who helped make my mother's day the best. I love that I stay at home, even though it seems always a mess, and I love that we homeschool, normally just 3 days a week but we're going year round and that is okay. I love the cool weather we are having. I love the color green. I love the view from my window. I love to hear my kids playing well with their best friends, it makes me smile. I love knowing I love a God who cares and knows about every detail of my life.

....Fill me God with your purpose. Bend my agenda to match yours. I am crazy about you. Thanks for loving me.

double wedding day

Worn out. I am so stinkin tired. We all headed south today to attend two different weddings. The first was short and well I wouldn't say sweet. It was kinda confusing. You never really knew what was going on. I felt bad for them b/c it began to rain on their cermony, which was outside right next to a busy intersection. Then once at the reception, which was inside, the bottom fell out.

In between weddings we spent some time with my man's fam. They all hang out together all the time. It's really cool.

For the next wedding we met up with some friends, Keri & Rusty, and all rode together. I love spending time with them. It's so rare that we all get to hang out since they live an hour north of us. The guys have been best friends since high school and they both went to college with us. Actually the first wedding we went to was Rusty's brothers.

I really enjoyed the second wedding. I got to see and meet a lot of my man's high school friends. It's so neat that they have all stayed in touch. I talk to NO ONE that went to high school with me. It's like we said ... see ya ... once we graduated. Anyways the food was great and I had a glass of wine. I hate wine but I do like how it usually makes me somewhat giddy. But tonight the single glass just made me extra tired and borderline grumpy. We had a long drive home and I could barely stay awake. So why I am staying up to blog? Well I guess I just wanted to say, if I spent time with you today and you are reading this ... I am so glad I got to spend time with you in person.

Have a great mommy, mama, momma, mother's day

Us with Keri Hairy & Busty Rusty



Sidenote #1. Da_n, my man is looking so fine. Oh, Rusty you looked nice tonight as well.

Sidenote #2. Keri, your highlights looked great.

Sidenote #3. This was my "wedding" dress last year and I guess it will be for 2006 as well. So if you expect to see me at a wedding or shower from now until ... uh.. September, you can't expect to see me in it.

i am a tv freak

We are caught up on all our shows. The main ones we watch are:
24
Prison Break
Lost

oh, and not to forget American Idol (shocker tonight, I am sad!)

I just don't think it is possible for 24 and Prison Break to get more intense. OH my GOODNESS. I am so on the edge of my seat. Like I feel physically exhausted after watching them. That's not healthy is it? I really do get into them a tad bit too much. I am so glad the season is coming to an end. I just want to finish them. The suspense is Killing me.

Oh, and Hale, you said they should kill Jack off on 24, what are you thinkin? I would be so ticked if they did. He is the man
.

in a funk & trash

I am kind of in a funk. Exactly Why? I have zero clue. I really think it is a hodge podge of stuff.

Okay something funny just happened. I am sitting here in this mellow mood when I here someone pull in our drive way. An old beat up car is sitting there and someone gets out. I can see all of this through the shears on our bedroom window. I hear the door close and then they back up and drive away. I am thinking ... what is the heck are they doing? Then I remember my man just took all the trash up to the street. Guess what was in our trash pile. It's something kinda big, has a handle, it literally sucks and I hate it. You guessed it, my Hoover Wind Tunnel. One woman's piece of crap vacuum is another man's treasure.

How odd.

I did get a new baby. I am ashamed that I have yet to post a pic of my new powerful metallic red beauty. I really love it. I already used it twice in less than a week.

Alrighty. That was fun watching someone steal our trash. Time for bed kids...

The Sound of Music

It took sleeping late, reading a chapter in my Bible Study book, eating breakfast, sending a few emails and snuggling with the kids as we watched The Sound of Music to get me motivated enough to tackle cleaning the house. Call me a dork, I don't care, but I absolutely love that movie. It had been YEARS since I watched it. I was so into it. When I was younger I loved the music and that they fell in love in the end. Now that I am a few years older, I actually got the whole plot. The kids sort of liked it. After the odd morning I finally got a lot accomplished. It still never feels like enough. But when I came home from bible study tonight it felt so good walking into a super clean kitchen. I have got to get on Fly Lady to get a better pace for housework.

Ok, I am beat. Good night.

dreading tomorrow

We had a great weekend.

The house was looking kind of bad heading into the weekend. Now that it is over, it's just a wreck. I am so dreading facing it all tomorrow.

I am going to try to stay positive and hope the kids feel like playing outside, like all day, so I can get a handle on things inside. We will see.

Oh, the message at church today was stinkin incredible. If you struggle with guilt or know someone who tries to use guilt to manipulate or if you want to learn more about Jesus character, listen to it. I seriously doubt you will be disappointed.

forgetful

Ever go to the store. Get home. Unpack all the groceries. Pull stuff out to make lunch and realize, oh man.... I forgot to get cheese. And then the next thing you know you then remember 5 more things your either forgot to put on your list, put on your list and still forgot them, or you just left the list in your car and you had to recall the whole thing from memory while walking each aisle and trying to keep 3 kids happy, out of trouble and from not touching everything and each other.

This is always what happens to me.

Oh well. Back to Kroger again tomorrow.

some Dog watchin

I love our TIVO machine. We record the most random shows to watch. We love specials like .... Our 80 year old children, The smallest People in the World, and Little People Big World. The other night we asked the kids to watch Little People Big World since #2 spotted a Dwarf at Walmart and chose to publicly point her out.




Any way. We used to watch Dog the Bounty Hunter. Well for whatever reason it's been awhile since we've joined in on one of their bounties. Last night the episode we watched took them from Hawaii to San Francisco. I was so caught up in the drama. I felt kinda silly. But in the end the bad guy got what was coming and Beth, Dog's wife, was crying b/c she didn't have to pay his $75,000 bail bond.

This Dog Chapman and his crew really baffle me. They love the Lord. They love to pray. They cuss like sailors (not just to the bad guys but to each other as well). Dog loves to have kids (he has got I think 9). Beth's boobs are bigger than Dolly Parton's. They called people "bra" instead of bro. Dog still hasn't made enough money to get his teeth fixed. He never wears anything but workout clothes or JUST a black leather vest. His hair is an amazing wonder (no telling how long it takes him to fix it). Dog likes his woman Beth to dress on the dirty side (which she does whether he likes it or not). Dog vacuums his house daily, side note: he used to sell vacuum cleaners.

Although Dog's appearance really grosses me out, I still love to watch the show. I admire the love that He and his "posse" share. I like that they are honest and real with one another. But my most favorite part about the show is after the capture. When they take a man down, they're cussing him out. Threatening him to behave. Once they got the bad guy in the car, they give him a cigarette. They talk to him about the choices he has made. They let him use their phone to call a mom or wife. In their own unique way they share God's love to the criminal. I like it. It's so not the picture that I would paint of Christianity, but what do I know. I am just a sheltered Georgia girl who was raised in the Bible belt where almost every and anyone knows how to pretend to be a Christian.

let it go

Gray hair. I have it. I have a lot of it. Honestly most days I really like it. For as long as I can remember I have had dark brown hair. I've only had my hair highlighted twice in my life and I have never put permanent color on it either. So as the gray grows, I like knowing that within a few years for the first time I will have a completely different hair color. I can tell this year it has taken off. Sometimes I am shocked at how much has come in. Sometimes I even find stray hairs that are half brown and half gray. I didn't know that could happen, I thought they grew in on their own.

Gray hair is a great conversation starter with women. I have the most random people come up to me to talk about my gray. I also never fail to compliment a woman who is all natural herself. Though I have family that almost beg me to color it, and then some who say they like it, I am in it for the long haul. I want to take another picture this same time next year and just see how much it has changed again.

friends

Today I stopped by one of my best friends house to hang out for a while. I felt like I could have sat there forever. It feels so good just to sit and visit with a friend. It was as if time was standing still. I just love my friends. I don't take the time that often to express just how much I do love them. I am a very blessed girl to have so many true friends.