he's her favorite

These two have been buddies from the start. His mom is one of my best friends and she delivered this precious boy just three weeks after #3 was born.

Recently they were both in the car with me and #3 leaned over and asked him, "When are you going to marry me?" He gave her an uncertain look and I just started laughing.

I hope they remain friends forever.

not blogging

Ever feel like just not blogging? I am there. I have stuff I want to journal about, I just don't want to take the time to get it all out. So, maybe I will take a few days off. Maybe then I will get the feeling again.

Until then... you can check out the splinter drama that happened tonight on my man's blog.

it's late

I am tired and it is late. We just finished watching the Contender finale. Can't believe I am into that show. I use to HATE boxing. I am sure my man will blog about it and he will sound much more educated in his re-cap of the night than I ever could.

Anyways. God is beginning to shed some light on some areas in my life that need re-fining. I am excited about it. I will write more later but it is how, to whom, and to what I run to when I need to "escape". I crave food, TV, computer and other things over Him. This all might not make sense. My eyes are blurry I am so tired. The point is, I sense Him calling me out on some things and I hope I can be disciplined enough to obey.

I am headed to bed. Nighty night.

don't hassel the hoff

This cracked me up. I was such a HUGE Knight Rider fan growing up.

getting rid of distractions

I have got a lot to do today. That means I need to get rid of some distractions. First of is the computer. I am turning it off.

Oh, I have to add one more thing before I go, one of my best friends and fellow blogger had a baby girl last night. I got to be there and she is JUST precious! Looks just like her brothers. I will let her fill in the rest of the details in later. In the mean time you can check out the nursery on her blog. It's soo sweet.

I am really doing it. I am shutting down. bye.

wanna quit, but I won't

Today, is the first day I can honestly say I want to quit homeschooling. I won't, but it's the first day I have ever felt like throwing in the towel. This feeling does NOT stem from my kids behavior, or being with them almost 100% of the time, or anything like that. I am just mentally overwhelmed. I am starting a homeschool group and which I need to complete some tasks for, the adoption process and paper work has me stressed, and then lesson planning for one and now I realize I need to get #2 more involved, plus all the other junk ... I am whining, so whining, really whining like I need to be in time out whining. Honestly I would take a time out right now if I could. I know I am not alone. Millions of moms all over the world have the same junk on their plate as me, many have more. I don't care, I just feel like whining.

Okay, now it's out of my system. Note to self: shut up and suck it up. Breathe deep, Go to bed early tonight, remember God enables me to do all the things I need to do to bring glory to Him.

I don't know what to title this?

As we were getting ready for gymnastics today, #3 looked all through her drawers and came running to ask me ... "Mommy, where my nastics-tard?" Oh, the things she says. Yesterday, I took her to the doctor to get her speech checked. What finally pushed me in that direction was when one of her playmates asked me why she still talked like a baby. He wasn't being mean at all, he loves her, but it made me realize it is time to get some help. I kept hoping she'd grow out of it, and she might, but the pediatrician agreed she needs to be further evaluated.

At gymnastics today, #3 kept wandering off to do her own thing. She is so head strong and daring with no fear of jumping off of anything. Her determination gets her in trouble many times throughout the day. It is hard for me to stay upset with her because I know she's not trying to be "bad", she is just set on doing things her way. (Plus she is so darn cute she just melts me) But strong willed or not, I need her to obey. Right now I am having to step up the consequences for both of the girls. Their listening skills stink right now and it really frustrates me. Hopefully they'll begin to listen now that they know losing some of their favorite toys for a day is on the line. I am so mean, Ha! : )

I am sitting here, trying to have 20 minutes of alone time. It is not happening like I had hoped. The kids keep coming in my room asking me a zillion questions. I asked them to let me have some "alone time" so then they go out in the hall and ask me questions from there. Also, I am starving. I really want Chick-fil-A hot Waffle Fries dipped in Polynesian Sauce. I so wanted to drive there after gymnastics, the $5 in my pocket was trying to get me to steer in that direction. Instead I am here at the computer eating a salad with lettuce, strawberries, blackberries, and avocado and it's VERY good, but I still missing the fries. Don't know what I will cook for dinner. I wish we could budget for a personal chef. Oh, isn't that so dreamy ... and they could do the dishes too. Just think of all the stuff I could accomplish if I didn't have to cook and do dishes. I would take a chef over a maid, any day. I hear some fake crying, I guess I should go settle it, oh, now I hear laughing, no, now it's whining, demanding, now it's a fit. Bye.

it was a dirty one

Today during school we were finishing up our unit study on the water cycle when it began to rain. So the kids headed outside to experience it. 2 & 1/2 hours later, wow, they'd had some fun.

i do it by myself

#3 tries to wash her hair all by herself!

telemarketers

I hate telemarketers! What is even more stupid is when the DISH, which we have, keeps calling us to inform we that we have graciously been pre-approved for a DISH satellite system. We HAVE ONE. STOP CALLING! Ugh!

released back into the wild & #2's hair

Last night I was able to convince my kids that the tadpoles needed to return to their original home. They have been hanging out in our kitchen and every time I got up close to them, my stomach would kinda tense up. See, at first they started eating each other. They would suck the insides out and leave just a hollow shell. It was REALLY gross. After about the second day, they stopped and their numbers never decreased, well except for the two I accidentally killed while changing their water. Even though they stopped the cannibalism, I just couldn't get over it. Plus, all that poop floating around, it just seemed so unhealthy. Luckily, we live like rednecks. On our back deck there is an old hot tub. It doesn't work anymore so we just have a cover over it. You are suppose to inflate the cover so that it doesn't sag. Well we haven't inflated it, instead we just have old boards up underneath it to keep it from completely caving in. The cover still doesn't lay flat and it creates little "pools/ponds" on top. That is home of all the tadpoles. The water is icky and green, but we can take a strainer and check up on the babies any time we want. I think that is a more satisfying plan for me.

This is a completely different subject, but I wanted to document it. #2 loves to wear her hair down. She says it is long and beautiful. Well sometimes it just doesn't look all that great hanging in her face and she has this cowlick type part on the top back on her head. Today I asked her to meet me in the bathroom so I could fix her hair. She gave me the usual, "No, I really want to have it down". So I granted her wish, wet the cowlick and smoothed it out. As I was brushing she told me this, "Mommy, when I get bigger and I am a mommy, if I have a little girl, I am never going to fix her hair. I will always like her hair down."

#2 questions God

You have to love the conversations that happen in the car with your kids.

This one came completely out of the blue.

#2 - Mommy. Why did God create people?

Me - Because he wanted to have a relationship with us and because he loves us.

#2 - How come he wants to love people?

Ahh, I love it! She really hasn't been interested in learning much about our faith. Maybe now she will be ready to remember that Jesus is God's son, not his brother, as she has figured before.

the slide, my weekend and 9/11

First off I want to say I am an idiot.

Friday night I was at a kids birthday party which was held at one of those places that has all the big blow up jump and slides. The kids had a blast. It was time to leave and we were one of the last families left. Before I rounded up the kids, the thought came to me, "you should at least go down the slide one time". So up I go. As I get to the top I recall #2 jumping and landing half way down the slide and sliding the rest of the way down as if it was the biggest thrill ever in her short little life. So as I stand up at the top, I think of #2's stunt. Why can't I have as much fun. So I jump up as high as I can. I never hit the slide. I free fell to the landing area. Landed on my rear and all I felt was crunch. My neck and back were in immediate pain. What the heck was I thinking. It was pretty funny though. I just had to laugh, I couldn't let anyone know the amount of pain I was in. The birthday girl's dad came over and said, " I seriously thought you broke your neck" Well yeah, I think I came pretty close. Needless to say, the entire weekend I spent in pain. Finally today I have felt better. I still can't think of the incident without laughing to myself. What was I thinking?

Saturday was so incredibly awesome. We went to an adoption meeting and got to meet our social worker. He and his wife have a three year old Chinese daughter that they brought home when she was 2. As I saw her curled up in his arms playing shy, I had to turn my head. I felt the sudden urge to just break down and cry. I know this will be a long process, but I just can't wait to get our child.

Well, 5 years ago today, my name changed for Mama to Mommy. During the events of 9/11, as I stared at the TV and became and emotional wreck, #1 who was not yet 2, saw my distress and referred to me for the first time as mommy. I am not sure just why he chose to switch the name, but I remember it clearly. I was pregnant with #2 and I kept thinking what kind of world will she be born into. I know 9/11 had a huge impact on everyone. For me, 9/11 and the events that followed led me to ask God a LOT of questions. I remember watching a news special on Afghanistan refugee camps one night. Watching kids bathing in the same water they used to drink and cook with. People dying from illness, the living conditions were inhumane. There I sat on my nice soft couch, in my air conditioned home, with my full tummy and my soft carpet beneath my feet. Why. Why I am sitting here, and they are living in hell over there? God used all my questions to really begin to deepen my faith. It really began to hit home that I am not created to live the American Dream. To keep striving to get a bigger and better house, more clothes, more "friends", I am not living to just better my life. I am created with a purpose. A purpose that will impact eternity. I am not loved by God more than those small children starving in Africa or Arab women who live in bondage. I was placed where I am today to be used to spread God's love to all people. Since then I cannot live life the same.

new pets

#1 rounded up a bunch of tadpoles today and now they are our new pets. Not sure how I feel about it. I mean, I really don't feel like I have time to manage pet care for a dozen baby frogs. But our unit study is on the water cycle, lakes, ponds, oceans, etc, so I guess it's the perfect time to adopt some aquatic live. The things poop like cheap goldfish which really grosses me out. We haven't had them more than an hour and there is already lots of stringy poo floating around. It will be interesting to see just how many make it to adulthood. The girls are constantly wanting to poke around at them and pick them up. We've already have one incident. Poor tadpole got its guts squeezed out. I think #3 did it. He/she swam around with all its junk just swishing around in the water behind him. Pretty amazing. I'll bet that within a week they are all dead. I will try not to feel too bad about it. Hopefully the kids can learn a thing or two from the experience.

Shiney baby bellies of the tadpoles from the bottom of the jar he collected them in. We did put about half of them back.

Not even one hour later: See the POOP! Oh and one is already dead.

picking it up

Finally today I was able to get the house descent looking again. (Thanks Muddy Hands for the babysitting!) The house has been TRASHED. You can straighten things up and within 30 minutes junk is every where. The girls especially have been little tornados. While #1 and I get school work done, they are having the time of their life playing with every toy they own. Well, not necessarily playing with it all at one time, they are just dragging it all out, room to room to room. I really do love how they integrate all their toys into one big happy neighborhood. See in my adult mind, I would never mix a Polly Pocket fashion boutique with a Littlest Pet's Shop play ground while inviting Little People to visit who arrive in their Little People yellow school bus, oh and by the way they stopped in Sweet Streets neighborhood to pick up the pool guy and his friends. I would keep it all segregated. All the Polly's live in their hood, Sweet Streets People in their village, Little People in their town and the Littlest Pet's Shop pets would be on their own planet.

So anyways, while they spent the afternoon at a friend's house, I turned OFF the computer, put on my ipod and picked up all my junk. I can be, well truthfully, "am" a messy person by nature. I have to put forth some extra effort in my brain processing to put things away immediately. I love to clean though. Give me an old tooth brush and I will smile the whole time I am scrubbing the scum away. Ask me to put up junk, UGH, I will easily get overwhelmed. Once my kids came home I sat them down and laid down the law about the house. I want no more whining, moaning, complaining "It's TOO big of a mess, I need help. Nooooo, please I don't want to clean up today.." Hopefully the consequences I laid out today will help us achieve that goal. I never mind them playing and creating, but when no one wants to clean up, that's when I have a problem.

This is minor compared to the other day. I kept thinking, "oh the girls are playing so well, so quietly" I went to their room, EVERYTHING had been dumped on the floor. So I guess today is improvement. There were still a few things on the shelf and all the linens are still on the bed.

i can't get enough of her

trip down hairy memory lane

My man loves to tease me about my "big Hair" days. I'll say something like, "one time in high school this girl said to me...." and he will always reply "You mean back when you had big hair?" Ha Ha he always thinks he is funny, but it's the sad truth. (But he was the one with the mullet!) Anyways. I was at my parents house tonight looking at the family historical wall of pictures. I realized my hair had its own sad story to tell.

Here I start out cute and normal and sandy blonde. Note: no curls

Still straight hair. By this point I was seeing the last of the blonde highlights. They never returned. I am sporting super cute home made barrettes. Too bad you can't really see them. By the way, I felt like a princess in that dress.

Okay so now I am the one with the mullet. Wow, I look really bad. Lace panty hose and all. I used the ever popular curling brush to create that masterpiece.
Right after that picture was taken, I hit puberty. I cut my hair all off and this is what happened. It made it's own fro. I blame it on the hormones. (This picture was taken actually 3 years after I chopped it off. I still had no clue how to handle the beast) ( I really need a tan)


Nice big hair for high school. I was still trying to get the bangs thing worked out. Finally by the time I graduated I gave up and started growing them out. I went through a phase where I hated my curly hair. I would blow dry it till it was frizzy then I 'd lean over an ironing board and iron it straight. That is how desperate I was to get rid of it. It looked horrible.
Check out my swatch. I thought I was so cool.

This is me in the now. Still crazy hair. The wind helped for this picture. I have accepted it curly. I don't straighten it that often any more. With each kid and the added hormones during the pregnancies, the curl would get tighter or more relaxed. Funny how that happens. Maybe when I hit menopause it will go straight.