falling behind again

UGH! I am so bad at blogging. Things have just been crazy around here lately. Hopefully after Christmas, I'll be able to sit down and update what's been going on. Not that it's all that exciting. :) But for now, I'll just say - everyone is doing good. A few colds going around, but nothing major. School got out today for the Christmas break, so the kids will be home for 2 weeks! I hope to keep them very busy. lol In case I don't get a chance to say it later - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
(((HUGS)))

quiet evening

Chris is at work, and the kids are in bed. All is quiet in my house. Well, except for the Christmas music I have playing. :) Chris closes on Thursday nights. This is to prepare him for management. They are building a new location closer to us, and Chris has already been promised a management position there. woohooo!!

The kids are all sick. Everyone has a runny nose, coughing, etc. Poor Conner - he seems to be the worst. Although Madison is quickly catching up to him. Conner hasn't really been sick much, so this is new for him. I asked if he wanted to stay home from school today - he just looks like he doesn't feel good- but he said he wanted to go.

Megan has been acting up at school again. We had a talk about it tonight, and she promised to do better. We'll see.

I can not believe Thanksgiving is next week!! It has happened too fast! Where did the time go? Wasn't last week halloween? I knew I had tons of time to get things done, and now I'm falling behind! ugh!! Gotta get my butt in gear!

Well, I'm off to enjoy the quiet. I think I'll catch up on some reading.

(((HUGS)))

Whatever You're Doing

This is currently my favorite song! I absolutely love Sanctus Real, and here's another wonderful song by them. I've put the part that most applies to me right now, in green. But I LOVE the whole song!!


Sanctus Real - Whatever You’re Doing
From the album We Need Each Other

It’s time for healing, time to move on,
it’s time to fix what’s been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong;
it’s time to find my way to where I belong

Chorus:
There’s a wave that’s crashing over me, and all I can do is surrender
Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but somehow there’s peace
And it’s hard to surrender to what I can’t see, but I’m giving in to something heavenly

Time for a milestone, time to begin again, re-evaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will or just
climbing aimlessly over these hills?
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything – I surrender

Chorus:

Time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
that I’ve wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but I believe …
You’re up to something bigger than me
Larger than life, something heavenly

Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life
Something heavenly, something heavenly

Time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

Weekend over? *sad

I can't believe the weekend is over. It was a pretty good one. Chris was at drill yesterday and today, so the kids and I went shopping w/ my parents on Saturday. The only thing I bought was a new Christmas tablecloth. I could have bought tons more, but hubby doesn't get paid till Thursday. :( God continues to bless us financially. Don't get me wrong, things are tight. But God continues to show me that He will provide when we need it. He goes by His timetable, not mine.

Today was a fun day. My cousin and his family are in town. I haven't seen him in years. In fact, I'd never met his kids, and he has 3! I got to see my grandma, great grandma, aunt, and lots of cousins! It was great! We had our own mini-Thanksgiving. He told us he is considering moving to OK. All of his family is here except his dad. We would love to have him back!

I have a horrible headache and can feel a cold coming on, so I guess I should get to bed. I don't want to get sick again! We've had enough of that going around. I think Caleb is coming down with something as well. I'm sure it's just a matter of time till we all have it again. ah, the joys of winter!

(((hugs)))

cute story

The other day we were driving in the van, and I heard Conner and Caleb having a conversation in the back seat. I love listening to them when they are getting along. lol Kids have some great conversations! Anyway, Conner is saying to Caleb "Meme (his gma) is a gift to Memaw (his great gma), Mama is a gift to Meme, and we are gifts to mom. Because the Bible says childs are a gifts to their parents." How cute is that??!! I especially loved his use of the word "childs". lol I love to hear them talking about things that are in the Bible. Conner is my one that has been asking questions about becoming a Christian - how to do it, what it means, what you have to do, etc. We aren't pushing it, just letting him ask his questions and figure things out. That way when he's ready to make a decision, we will know it's his choice.

We have just started going to a new church (Chris was voted in as youth pastor last Sunday), and the boys' SS teacher has already come up to me and said "your boys are so smart. They always know the Bible story." We have been telling our kids Bible stories since they were born. And they know if it's in the Bible it's true. It fills this mom w/ motherly pride to know my kids know their Bible! What a blessing it is!!

((((HUGS))))

Rainy Monday

ugh!! I had a whole blog typed out, and then it was gone! That bugs me so bad! Ok, well here's the shortened version - today was a cold, rainy day. But I still managed to get a workout in, and take the kids to the library - as much for me as for them. ;) I also went grocery shopping with Madison which took longer than planned. That cut into her nap time, which meant she was cranky the rest of the night. But it was my fault, so I guess I deserved the crankiness.

Madison is growing up too fast. :( Not only is she crawling and pulling up, but this weekend she cut her first tooth! Where is the time going? Ok, that's all I have for tonight.

(((Hugs)))

Another week comes to an end

I can't believe it's Friday. This week has been a crazy week! I voted on Tuesday, but my guy didn't win. :( I was very saddened by this, but I have now accepted it enough to begin praying for the president elect. I am angered at how Sarah Palin is being portrayed, but what can you expect? The media loved Obama, and it seems even now, they are doing all they can to discredit Palin. But moving on...

I took Madison to the doctor this week. She has another cold, and I just wanted to make sure she didn't have an ear infection. The doctor suggested a cool mist humidifier. Of course, mine was warm mist, since that's what was recommended when I had my first child. So I bought a cool mist. I'll probably hang onto the warm mist since I'm sure they will go back recommending that one in a few years. *eyes rolling Madison does not have any infection anywhere, so we are just waiting out the cold. I sure hope we don't have a whole winter of one cold after the other. My kids have always been very healthy, so I'm hoping Madison follows that pattern.

The kids got their school pics this week. I'll post those another day. They all turned out so cute!!! Of course, I'm biased, but my children really are beautiful. ;)

Hubby had to work in the evening one night this week. It's all in preparation to make him a manager. woohoo!!

I am so proud of myself. Last week I came up with a menu, did my shopping based on that menu, and actually stayed w/ the menu. (I did change up some days, but got all the meals in) This was so much nicer than walking aimlessly through the grocery store trying to plan meals in my head. And I didn't come home w/ a bunch of food that had purpose. I've been trying out new recipes which Chris loves. The kids are actually doing pretty well with it also b/c they've eaten everything I've made. yay!! I feel like I'm really starting to do better at being a good "homemaker".

That's all I've got for now. I know there's much more to update on - like the fact that Madison is already pulling herself up! But those other updates will have to wait.

Hope everyone is doing well!!
big hugs!

What's wrong with me?

Oh yeah, I'm sick!! UGH!! I am still fighting this head-cold. But it's turning me into a zombie-like person. I feel like I'm in a fog. I was telling my hubby I feel disconnected. I see things going on around me, but it's like I'm not really here. Even when I type an email, half the time I reread it, and it doesn't make sense. My brain is just not functioning properly! I can see things in the house - like the living room floor was a mess, but it didn't register to have the kids pick up their mess. I just looked at it, and kept walking - like I didn't really see it. Wow, now I'm sounding like a crazy person. I'm ready to be over this cold and back to my normal self! I promise, I'm not always like this! But if you get an email from me, and it makes no sense - or if you are reading this and it makes no sense, I'm sorry! It's the cold talking.

then you read something like this

Ok, so I posted earlier about having a hard time. This evening, I was going through the papers the kids brought home. I found one in Caleb's pile, that made me very proud! His instructions were to write a story about a soldier who sees a horse behind a tree using the words in the box (behind, story, and soldier). Here is Caleb's story (with a few spelling corrections from mom):

Once there was a soldier who saw a horse behind a tree. He was tired of walking so he rode it home. He saw a poor man. He gave it to the man. The poor man thanked the soldier for the horse.

It's reading things like that, that reassure me somewhere in their heads, the kids are picking up on what we are teaching them. Lessons like giving to those in need. I am so proud of my 7 year old!!

sick and down - great combo. :(

I'm having a really bad week. Part of it is b/c I'm sick - AGAIN! I am ready to be well for more than a day!

Have you ever had a really good week - things going smoothly, kids doing well, house in order, etc. You start feeling pretty good, thinking "yeah, I can do this! I can handle my family and my life." Then one day it comes crashing down around you? Well, that describes me this week. I am feeling like a failure this week. I forgot Megan's snack day on Monday - that was the first oops. I felt horrible! I haven't forgotten a snack day since I was in the hospital having Madison! Then the laundry started piling up. It's partly b/c I'm sick and don't feel like doing the laundry, and partly b/c it seems like we are rarely home anymore. The house needs a major cleaning, the kids' closets need to be cleaned out, I need to come up with some menus and go grocery shopping, the list goes on and on.

Today has been a very stressful day. I lost my temper with the kids earlier - all of them! Madison was crying for no reason other than I wasn't holding her, Conner and Megan were fighting, Conner glued his homework to the coffee table, the house had toys all over, the bucket of gloves and hats was empty b/c the contents were strewn all over the hall, the back door was standing wide open letting in more cold air which was causing the heater to kick on, etc, etc, etc. I was ready to lock myself in a room and scream!!! I finally managed to get the coffee table clean, rescue the homework, convince the kids to leave the door closed and pick up the gloves, entertain Madison w/ some toys so I could fix lunch, and get the kids to school. Now I'm going to take a nap b/c a)I'm sick! and b) mommy needs a timeout!

update (it's been a while) - again

I am really bad at blogging these days. I guess it's b/c things are so busy around here. And I'm afraid if I sit down to blog, I'll have so much to say, I won't stop. lol But I'm going to update now, and then try to do better. :)

I'll start with the kids:
Caleb - in 2nd grade and loving it!! He was just awarded the principal's honor roll for straight A's. He also received the RAM award for the month of October. (His school mascot is the Rams - the award is given to one boy and one girl in each class.) His teacher told me he's doing great in his reading. In fact he's pretty advanced in his reading. Which doesn't surprise me - the boy loves to read! He'll read anything in front of him. :) He's playing soccer this season for the Y, and loves that as well. He has asked to play it again in the spring.

Conner is in 1/2 day Kindergarten. It took him a couple of weeks to adjust, but now that he has, he's doing great! He's doing exceptionally well for his age, although he still has his stubborn moments when he won't participate. But we know how smart he is. ;) He's playing flag football, and this is the first sport he has really enjoyed. He has also asked to play next season.

Megan is in 1/2 day pre-k. Her teacher has told me she is extremely bright as well. (guess I'm blessed w/ smart kids.) She is learning to write her name, and really seems to enjoy learning. I am so proud of her! She's playing soccer. She has lots of fun, but at her age, she still doesn't fully get it. but that's ok - she's learning. She is such a friendly, out-going girl. Anytime she sees a girl close to her age, she'll walk up to her and say "I'm Megan, want to play with me?" lol She loves making friends!

Madison is now 7 1/2 months old. She's crawling, but only when she really wants to get to something. She has been sick the last week or so, so she hasn't been her normal bright-eyed, happy self. But she's starting to feel better, and slowly getting back to where she was. She is such a joy to us! I can't imagine life without her. She's learning to wave bye-bye, and says "babababa" and "mamamamama" Neither means anything specific yet, but it's a start. :)

Chris has been asked by a church in Norman to come help with their youth. They are a small church with very few youth, but they were so excited to find out that Chris was willing to help out. It was a total God-thing that they even found us. Their music minister knew Chris from another church that Chris helped out. When he ran into Chris and found out he wasn't at a church, he asked Chris to come help with his current church. So that's what we're doing. We've been there the last 2 Sundays, and they seem like a very friendly church.

As for me - I'm just trying to keep it all running smoothly. I have my daily routine, and that helps. And things will slow down once the season is over for the kids' sports. I'm working on being a better wife and mother. I've made a lot of changes, so I'm proud of myself for that.

Well, it's getting late, and this is getting pretty long. I'm going to try to do better at blogging. We'll see. :)

Awesome video

Kudos

I told my hubby that I would post a blog about a restaurant he ate at. It's called "The Pit Stop Bar-B-Que" in Fulton, MS. He said it was wonderful and they treated him great! So if you are near Fulton or travel that way - go check out their food! And you can tell them the National Guard soldier that promised to have his wife blog about them sent you. :)

Chris is home

Christopher got home last night!! The kids were watching for him, and bombarded him in the driveway. lol They were all talking at once, but it was great. Even Madison is acting like he's been here all along. He's surprised at how active she's gotten. She's trying so hard to roll over the other way now. She'll have it figured out soon.

Today we all went to church together, then came home for lunch and naps. This evening we dropped the kids off at church, then ran a few errands. It was just me and Chris and Madison. It was nice having some almost alone time. ;)

Not sure what's in store for the week. We've got a few ideas, but it's suppose to be hot this week - 100* everyday! That's OK in July for ya! So we might just end up hanging out at my grandma's pool. :)

Thanks to everyone for your support while Christopher was gone these past 6 weeks. I have the greatest friends!! Love ya!!

Day 42 - Last day!!!!

Christopher will be home tomorrow around dinner time!!! I am so excited!! The kids and I worked all day to get the house looking good. Tomorrow we will be working in the garage to make room for Chris' car. ;)

We've had a busy week - playdate, housework, yardwork, etc. I mowed the other day, and I think I pulled something in my thigh - ouch! Got a new cellphone - love it, but it might be having some problems. Going to take it to the cingular store tomorrow. Dinner w/ my parents tonight. Madison had her 4 mo check up a couple of days ago. She's 15 lbs already! Also had to get 3 shots. :( She's starting to get over her cold - finally! Poor baby has had a runny nose for over a week! Apparently that's what's been making her spitup more b/c she's been fine since it cleared up.

Well, I better get some sleep - big day tomorrow!!! My days as a single parent come to an end. yay!!!

Day 39

Had a great day today!! It started off w/a good night's sleep - thank you Madison. :) Then we had a playdate at a great place called "Nothin But Fun Kidz". I must say, my yahoo playdate group is wonderful! The ladies in it are all great ladies. I am so excited about getting to know the newer members better. All the kids had a blast at the playdate and have been asking when we can go back. That may be one of the places we take Chris when he gets home.

After the playdate we came home to nap. But everytime I started to doze off, the phone rang. Two of the calls were stupid surveys or some other nonsense. But one was my dear friend Carrie. Her dad is not doing well, and she was having a hard time. She called so I could be praying for her family, and also get my other friends to pray for her. And of course, my Christian friends came through big time! They all started praying for her family. It's still unclear what the outcome will be, but there are many people praying for her family. Thank God for good friends!

I am slowly starting to move the stuff out of the house that has accumulated in my room since I began my declutter. Once it's out, the house will look so different! I want it to be done before Chris gets home. Unfortunately, I may have waited too long. At least I can get it better than it is now. Chris is still going to be so surprised at all I have gotten done.

Well, it's been a long day. I better get some sleep. I intend to get lots done tomorrow!

Day 38

Today started off not that great. Someone that I considered a friend decided she didn't want to be friends anymore. Apparently it's b/c I'm a Christian. I have never forced my beliefs on anyone. I know this friend isn't a believer, and I have NEVER treated her any different that I would any other friend. But today she just lost it. I never understand how someone can turn their back on a friendship so easily. And what's ironic - it's b/c I'm a Christian. It seems more and more that non-Christians are always saying the Christians are too judgmental, blah blah blah, but then they turn right around and judge all Christians. Not all Christians are the same, and I get tired of being lumped together w/ every bad Christian someone has met.

Ok, better get off that soapbox. ;)

After the incident w/ my friend, I was very hurt. so I posted what happened to my yahoo groups that are for Christian moms. I got so much support and positive feedback. It was wonderful!! I realized I have some great friends, even if none of them live in the same state as me. :( I realized even though I feel alone at times, I have great friends I can turn to.

Something else I learned - a lot of them have the same "alone" feeling I do. They haven't really connected with another Godly woman that lives close to them. So we are all praying for God to bring a special, Godly woman into each of our lives to be that "best friend" that we are searching for.

Let me just say here - Christopher is definitely my best friend. I have the most amazing husband ever!! But sometimes a woman needs another woman. Girls, you know what I mean. ;)

I did talk to another friend after all this happened, and while I was talking to her I realized - it might be for the best that this friend is out of my life. I'm sure God put her in my life for a season, but that season is over. It's time to let that one go. So that's what I've done. I'm not hurt anymore, I'm accepting it and moving on. Life is good. :)

I got my new cellphone today!! It's so cool, and it's pink!!!! Gotta love pink!

Day 37

I've already posted my church experience today. After church, we ate lunch and went shopping w/ my parents - again. That's kind of becoming a Sunday habit, but this will probably be the last week of that. Anyway, I found several things I had been looking for, so I'm very excited!!

After shopping we came home and napped. Everyone needed it. Madison was up at 5am again! I really think it's b/c of her runny nose possibly draining into her tummy. I moved her to the bassinet in my room, and she slept till my alarm went off. So, everyone was ready for a nap when we got home.

After naps the kids played together then we cleaned up the girls' room. I think I have the furniture the way I want it now, so hopefully I can start decorating the walls tomorrow.

Chris will be home in a week!!

wow!

Church was amazing this morning!!! It wasn't even so much the message. It was good, but the worship time was just.... I can't even put it into words. I haven't felt that much in the Lord's presence in a while. It was like, in that moment, nothing in the world mattered. All I could think about was God. It was truly amazing! I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

Day 36

Madison did not sleep well last night. :( She was up 4 times. So after I fed her this morning, we both went back to sleep till around 10.

My parents, the kids, and I went to Sulphur for the day. We had so much fun. The only thing that would have made it better was if Chris had been there. The kids loved playing in the water! We even went exploring, and walked down one of the creeks till we found 2 different waterfalls. I carried Madison the whole way, and it was hard! I had on flip flops, and we were walking against the current on the rocks. OUCH! I lost my shoe once, but my dad was behind me and was able to stop it. Then he almost lost his shoe. The kids were barefoot, and didn't seem to mind. I just kept thinking - I can't fall b/c Madison will get wet and freak out! Thankfully, no one fell.

We stopped at a bison overlook - a place where you sit and wait for bison to come by. We didn't see any bison, but we saw a deer. It was very neat, and the kids were so excited! (except Caleb who never saw the deer.)

We found a really good bbq place for lunch, and chicken place for dinner. Both were so good and had great staff.

We've decided to go back once Christopher is home. Next time we want to get an earlier start, so we can have more time to explore. The kids were a little disappointed that we didn't spend more time in the water.

Hopefully everyone will sleep really well tonight, since we have church in the morning.

Our day trip to Sulphur, OK

Day 35

Today was a pretty good day. I got lots of laundry done. :) And the kids got along all day! The TV didn't come on at all today. It was nice, but the kids made big messes.

The 3 oldest ones are at my parents' house for a sleepover. I was doing some stuff while I was over there, and they kept saying "when are you leaving? This is our sleepover!" LOL Guess a sleepover isn't as much fun w/ mom hanging around.

Madison was very cranky today. I don't think she feels good. She cried a lot today, and just wanted to be held. So I didn't get as much done as I wanted to. She seemed a little better this evening, so maybe she's getting better.

Tomorrow is going to be another busy day!

Day 34

Things are going good. Staying busy, getting lots done in the house. Kids have been acting better, so that's good! Madison has been kind of cranky the last few days - not sure what's up with her. That's my brief update for today.

Day 32

I can't believe it's already been 32 days!! It's going by faster than I thought it would. Boy, am I glad!!!

Today was another productive day. Had an apt this morning, then came home and mowed the backyard. The kids played outside while I was working. Even Madison was outside and loving it!! Then we moved to the garage and I worked on organizing the totes that are left out there.

This afternoon I watched my mom's daycare while she went to the doctor. Shortly after I got there, Madison threw up all over me! And I don't mean a little spit-up. I mean running down my front and back all over her and stinking - throw up!! I think it might have been sinus drainage effecting her tummy. :( She has a runny nose. Ok, that was probably TMI, but oh well. lol

A very dear friend had her baby last night, so the girls and I went to see them. It doesn't seem like it's been 4 months since I had Madison. It's going so fast. Another dear friend had her baby today, but I haven't been able to get up there to see her yet. Hopefully tomorrow.

I think that's about all that's going on around here. Suppose to get some rain tonight and tomorrow. We need it! Hopefully it won't thunder tonight b/c I need some sleep!

Day 30

Today is my dad's birthday. So after church the kids and I took my parents out to eat. We let my dad pick since it was his bday. We ended up at a BBQ place. It was yummy!!! And kids eat for .99 on Mondays, so we'll be going back! Especially after Chris gets back b/c I know how much he likes BBQ. ;)

After lunch my parents needed to do some shopping so they took the 3 oldest kids. Madison and I ran to the store for a few things, then headed home. After my parents dropped off the other kids, we all took naps. Well, except Megan. She was having a hard time listening tonight, so she went to bed early. Which was apparently exactly what she needed b/c she went right to sleep!

The boys and I went through their toybox tonight. We boxed up some toys to get rid of, and almost filled a garbage bag w/ the broken toys. So their toybox is about half full now, but they are so excited about all the toys they had forgotten about or thought were lost. I need to work on Megan's one of these days. I also need to get my butt in gear and figure out what I'm doing w/ the moutain of clothes in my room! I think I'll call some charity tomorrow to come pick up a load. That will be a start.

The kids have been so funny lately! Caleb begs me all the time to let him vacuum. And Megan was asking to dust. LOL I promise, it's not slave labor - they actually enjoy helping out around the house.

A friend is having her baby tomorrow, so I plan to get up to the hospital to see her. We worked together years ago, and now we have the same doctor. And another mutual friend is the nurse for this doctor and also going to have a baby any minute. So I may be visiting 2 friends this week.

I know I skipped blogging last night. I just didn't feel up to it. I had a very blah day, and basically did nothing all day. Although, I think I needed a day "off". We've been constantly running it seems for weeks, so it was nice to just sit at home and vegg out. But today was much better. I felt better, and we had another productive day.

Day 28 - Fourth of July!!

Happy Independence Day!!

Madison was up early today. I think it was b/c she had a runny nose. She had a bottle, and went right back to sleep.

We went shopping w/ my parents today, and I got the girls a new dresser for their room. I almost bought a couch also, but I wanted to think on it a little longer. I hate making a huge purchase like that without Chris. But the dresser was definitely needed!! Now I can get some real work done in their room.

This evening we went to my parents' house for fireworks. They had bought some, and my firework-crazy brother had bought a bunch. lol We had lots of fun. At first the kids were scared, but then they thought it was fun. Funny thing is - Madison wasn't scared at all. She loved it!!! My mom was trying to give her a bottle, and she would take a few swallows then turn her head to see what we were doing. It was such a good evening! It would have been perfect if Chris had been there. :( Only a couple more weeks and he'll be home. I'm so glad.

On the downside, I've been battling a headache all day, and it's getting worse. Guess I need to get to bed.

Day 27

Today was "one of those days." I've felt very blah all day. I'm not sure why. For one thing, I've really been down about my weight lately. I haven't been to the Y in a while, but I was going regularly, cutting back on food, and seeing no results. Then it dawned on me - a side effect of my new b/c (birth control) is weight gain! So now I'm even more down about the b/c. (that's another story all-together!)

The kids were wild today. I kept trying to get them to go outside to run off some of their energy, but they were in and out the whole time. They did play in the sandbox for about 20 minutes, but even that didn't last long. I did make them take naps today, mainly to get them to calm down and to get me a break!!

I got Conner to eat some peas today. Not a lot, but every little bit helps. And it's one step in our battle of the wills that we've been having. :(

I got a few more boxes organized today. My bedroom looks like a closet exploded in it b/c it's full of clothes I'm getting rid of. I just haven't figured out the best way to get rid of them. I usually just donate stuff, but the cash would be nice.

We did get out of the house to run an errand, so while we were out, I rented "Enchanted". Very cute movie!! Highly recommend it!

Those are the highlights from today. Hope everyone had a wonderful day!

Day 25

Another productive day. This morning I mowed and edged the front yard, then trimmed the bushes. The front yard looks great! During naptime I organized Madison's clothes. I pulled out all her 0-3 month clothes b/c they are too small. (my baby is big enough to outgrow clothes. :( ) I put some in a tote to keep "just in case", and the rest is boxed up to get rid of.

After running a few more errands this afternoon, we went to my parents' house for dinner.

Chris' pay was deposited today, so I took care of all the bills. It feels good to know that all of the bills are taken care of. There have been so many times when we didn't know how we would pay the bills. But God always provides for us!! And I am even more thankful during months like this when I know everything is taken care of. It's a great feeling!

We have another playdate tomorrow. I hope the kids are better at this one. On Monday, I was really at a loss. They were so bad at that playdate. I'm just praying they do better. We've been talking about it, so I think they will try. I'll update tomorrow.

Madison video

Freedom Celebration

Day 23

Church this morning. This is the earliest we've gotten there since Christopher left, but I was still a few minutes late. Oh well, each week is an improvement.

After church we had lunch w/ my parents. We did some shopping for tonight, then headed home for naps.

Tonight was the Freedom Celebration at church. We had a blast!!!!! The kids got to watch a BMX stunt team and play on inflatables. They also got to climb all over a firetruck. Then we saw an awesome fireworks show!! The only disappointing thing was the music. During the fireworks there was not one Christian song! Why do churches do that?? There are patriotic songs sung by Christian artists. Why not use those? Several years ago they did "secular" music for a couple of years. Then they got back to Christian for a few years. I guess they are going back to secular. Wonder if it has anything to do with the new music minister??

Ok, it's way late, and I am exhausted! Hope everyone else had a great Sunday!

Day 22 - half way there

Three weeks down, 3 to go!! I'm so glad! Not that things have been horrible, I will just be so glad when Chris is back.

I basically did nothing this morning. Just kind of took it easy. But this afternoon, I organized my bedroom, boxed up 3 boxes of stuff to give away, did 2 loads of laundry, 1 load of dishes, bought some groceries, and vacuumed! I am very proud of the progress I made in my room today!! Now if I can just figure out how to organize the girls' room, I'll be all set!

Day 21

Today is kind of a blur. We are all sick w/ a cold, and today I had a really bad pain in my right side. I was starting to get worried b/c I can't really afford the doctor right now. I took it easy for today, and had my friends praying for me. After naps, I felt much better! Everyone took long naps today, so hopefully we are on the road to recovery!

I did manage to wash a load of clothes, and make sure the kids were fed, so the basics were taken care of today. :) I'll have to get out of the house tomorrow b/c we are out of some grocery items, so hopefully we are all feeling better tomorrow.

Chris got to call tonight!! We were all excited to talk to him, since it had been a few days.

A milestone

Today when I was giving Madison a bath, she reached up and grabbed my thumb, then just studied it. It's the first time she's actually reached for something and grabbed hold! It was so cute!!!!!!

video of madison - taken 6/26/2008

Day 20

I am officially sick. :( UGH! I hate being sick, but especially when I'm the only parent. The kids were driving me crazy today! I was trying to talk to a friend (who also has 4 kids) on the phone, and I finally said "you wanna meet for lunch?" And she was like "yes!!" LOL So we met at Burger King. The kids played and had a great time. Our 4 kids are very close in age, and like me she has 2 boys and 2 girls. After sitting at BK for hours, I finally said "wanna come to my house?" So the 5 of them came to our house for a while. It was nice have company. I was able to loan her some books as well. She was looking for some good Christian books. It was nice to able share some of my MANY books. :) After they left, I made dinner, and then the kids took baths and went to bed. So another long, but very fun day.

Christopher - the hat come today. :) I'm so glad it got here in time!!

Day 19

Another long day. I feel like I was barely home today. Here are the highlights:

~ eye dr for followup. took the kids w/ me - they were great!!!
~ playdate at the splash pad! Lots of fun!! (I actually remembered the sunscreen!!)
~ home for lunch and naps
~ took some videos to a friend at the sno cone stand, so of course, had a sno cone. :)
~ went to my parents' - out to eat (chinese), then they took the kids to their house, and I went shopping. I took Madison w/ me, and she slept the whole time. I could actually think while I was in the store!! It was wonderful!
~ back home to get the kids in bed.
~ Madison slept till 8am!! but she was making noise at 6, just didn't actually wake up till 8.
~ everyone now has a cold. How does that happen in the summer?? Caleb was up 3 times last night to blow his nose. At 3am I gave him some cold medicine. Don't know if it helped or not. :(
~ hoping since everyone is sick and was up late, that everyone will sleep in tomorow. I can dream, right? LOL
~ first day since he's been gone that I didn't get to talk to Christopher. :(

Day 18

So last night I forgot to blog. I think I've made up for it today as this is my third blog today. LOL

So, yesterday:
~got some baby toys out of the garage for Madison. You would have thought it was Christmas the way the older kids were acting.
~let the older kids play outside in the water. They had a blast!

Today:
~my 15 yr old cousin came by to help out. She watched the kids while I got some housework done. I cleaned the bathrooms, did tons of laundry, cleaned up the kitchen, mowed the backyard, and played outside with the kids.
~Caleb got a kiddie pool/toy for his birthday. It's a kiddie pool w/ a slide, basketball goal, ring toss, and sprinkler. We finally found the air pump, so I let the kids play in the pool. They had so much fun!! They played in it for hours. Unfortunately, I forgot the sunscreen, so they are all pink now.

The last few mornings Madison has gotten up between 5:30 and 6:00am. :( She had been sleeping till 8:30, so I'm not sure what's going on with her.
Conner finally came down with the same cold that Megan has. :( The only symptom seems to be a runny nose. They still have plenty of energy!

Chris called this morning b/c he'll be out in the field the next few days and won't be able to call. It was weird not talking to him tonight. That's the highlight of our day.

Guess that about sums up today. Still hanging in there...

Person of Faith

I've been seeing bits and pieces of an interview with Obama lately, and I've got to post my feelings on him. Let me start off by saying - I believe I have been blessed with a gift - I can read people. I know that sounds strange. But I believe most women have this to a degree. I can usually tell after a short time what kind of person someone is. This has been very beneficial to me since my hubby is a youth pastor. When we go to a new church, I can tell you within a couple of weeks (usually the first Sunday) who is going to be a good friend, and who we need to keep an eye on. I can tell you right off who the trouble makers are. I can even tell you who is being friendly, but will eventually stab us in the back. It's just something I've been blessed with.

Having said that - I believe that Obama is a liar. I believe he is fooling America. He has already fooled a few big name celebrities. One in particular does not surprise me, as this person is very "confused" about matters of faith anyway. But Obama is not what he seems. He is not being honest with America. If he is elected president, we should be afraid. He is not what he seems.

Recently he said something about being a "person of faith". However, if you look at other comments he has made, it is obvious his faith is not what he wants Americans to believe. I'm sorry, but there is only ONE way to Heaven. The Bible is very clear about that. And just b/c more and more Americans are falling for the "there are many paths to the same place" speech, does NOT make it true. It doesn't really matter what people believe or say - Truth is truth. Everyone can believe that today is Friday, but that does not make today Friday - no matter how much you want it to be true, or how many people say it's so. And a true believer will know that what I say is right. So just b/c Obama calls himself a "person of faith" does not mean faith in one true God - the only God, the God who sent His son, Jesus, to die for the sins of the world. Obama does not believe that is true.

Do we really want a president that can't even be honest about his "faith"? He's trying to win over believers, so he can get elected. I just hope the believers are paying attention to his words at all times - not just when he's trying to sound religious.

Maddy's new shirt

Day 16

Pretty normal Sunday - church, lunch w/ parents. Then we did some shopping. Home for naps!! :) After naps, I was doing some laundry, and getting the stuff to clean the bathroom mirror. Megan was brushing her teeth. She comes to me and says "I need you to come look at the bathroom." And I'm like "why? What's wrong with it?" She calmly says "Just come look." So we stroll into the bathroom where I see that the toilet is overflowing and the floor is flooded!! Oh the joys of being the only adult home!! I have to unclog the toilet, mop up gross water, start a load of laundry to wash (the towels covered in gross water), then mop the floor w/ clean water. OH JOY!! At least the toilet was an easy fix. If it had kept overflowing, I would have been in trouble. At least I know how to shut off the water - I think. ;)

And even with all of that, I still got the kids in bed at a decent time, and got to watch Army Wives. :) Sometimes I feel like Roxie did in the first season of that show - she was new to the Army and had no idea about anything. That's how I feel. And my circumstance is even more unique b/c my hubby is a chaplain. That's not that common. I guess I will learn as I go.

Day 15

I got extra sleep today. Since the 3 oldest kids were at my parents' house, Madison and I had an easy morning. I got up when she did, gave her a bottle, then we talked and played until she was ready for her nap. Then we both slept about 2 more hours. It was wonderful!!!

Megan seems to be getting a cold. Seems odd since it's summer, but she has a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, etc. Madison seems to be getting sick as well. And I've had a sore throat all day. I was wondering if I was getting sick b/c things have been tasting different to me. Hopefully everyone is feeling better tomorrow so we can go to church.

That pretty much sums up our Saturday. I was so glad for an easy day!!

Day 14

The 3 oldest kids went to VBS today. Everyone had a great time, and was sad to see it come to an end. I'm not sure what I'm going to do next week when we don't have VBS everyday.

While they were at VBS, Madison and I ran to Walmart for a few things.

We attempted naps today, but things did not go as planned.

The oldest kids are at my parents' house tonight. They are spending the night tonight, so it's just me and Madison at the house. Maddy's already in bed, and I'm fixing to curl up in the recliner and watch a movie - after I clean the kitchen. :(

Lots of family drama going on w/ the extended family on both sides. :( Just keep us in your prayers as I'm not comfortable writing about it yet.

I saw a story on the news today that really made me angry. Some woman went into Walmart with her son. She walked down a few aisles, then left - without her son!!! She left him with a backpack of diapers and a bottle w/ a note pinned to his shirt. The note said her husband had left, and she couldn't afford the kid anymore. OK, What???!! Just like that she can leave her son in Walmart??? Get a job, get some assistance, whatever it takes, but you don't just leave your son in Walmart!! Obviously she's not a real mother b/c a real mother would do whatever it took to provide for her child. UGH, some people should not be allowed to have kids! Ok, off my soapbox.

Guess I better get busy on that kitchen. ;)

Message for Christopher

Day 13

Today was much better. The kids were better, and I even left the house w/ them. LOL

Megan wouldn't go to VBS today. I'm not sure what was up with that. She was crying, and clinging to me. She never acts like that. She told me she will go tomorrow for the last day. I hope she does.

I did make it to the Y. I'm going to be short this week b/c of all the running around. But I'm trying. :)

After I picked up the boys we ran a few errands, then we came home and napped!! Our electricity went off for a while. I was starting to worry we would have to stay with my parents, but it finally came back on.

We spent a quiet evening at home. It was a nice change. ;)

Day 12

Kids were better today, but I feel like I barely saw them today:

~VBS this morning for the boys. Megan was having "tummy issues", so she went to my mom's w/ Madison while I went to the eye doctor. My eyes may have improved. We aren't fully sure b/c my corneas are irritated and swollen. So I go back in a week to see how my eyes do after recovering from the irritation.

~Picked up the girls then picked up the boys.

~Home for lunch and quiet time.

~Dropped off everyone but Megan at my parents' house. Took Megan to the doctor for a follow up.

~Picked up the kids, came home to refill the diaper bag (needed bottles), then to Family Fun Night at the church. My parents came also, but by the time we got the hot dog table they were out. So we left to go have dinner. Kids did get to do several inflatables before we left. They also had some "exotic animals" there that the kids got to see and touch. So it was a very fun time for all.

~At Braum's I ran into a very dear friend. We keep bumping into each other this summer. But I found out tonight she's moving to Tulsa. :( I'm gonna miss her!!

~Home late AGAIN. Got kids in bed, and now I'm ready to crash! What a day!!! I'm actually looking forward to next week when there's no VBS so I can just take it easy during the day.

Days like today when I'm driving all over town dropping off kids, picking up kids, going to the doctor, etc I really miss Chris. This single parenting stuff is hard!! I don't see how people do it. But I am so grateful that I have parents that live nearby and are willing to help me out. I know a lot of people don't have that. I am truly blessed!

Day 11

Today didn't go as smoothly as the others have. The kids were really wild today. It's like with each passing day they try to push the limit further and further. I had to run in Walmart for like 5 things, and by the time we left, I was ready for them to all take a nap!! I may send them to my parents' house on Friday for a sleepover b/c I could use a nice, quiet evening.

Storms woke me up early again. And we still have the chance of storms for the rest of the week. It's almost July and we are dealing w/ spring weather. That's Oklahoma for ya!

I guess that's all I have to update on for today.

Picture

Madison and me at JumpZone.

Day 10 - crazy busy!

What a crazy day!! I've been going non-stop since I woke up!


~Took the 3 oldest kids to VBS.

~Madison and I went to the Y. I did 35 minutes on the eliptical!!

~Back home to clean up and feed Maddy.

~Picked up the 3 kids. This takes a while b/c they are on opposite sides of the huge church. ~Had lunch at BK. They have Hulk toys, and my kids have been begging to go.

~JumpZone (giant inflatables) - today was discount day, so we all got in for under $10!!

~They were doing drawings every 15 minutes, and we won a t-shirt.

~Your drawing ticket also got you $1 scoop of ice cream at Marble Slab, so we had 3 scoops (total not each of us lol).

~It started getting dark and windy while we were at MS, so I rushed the kids to beat the storm home, but it has yet to rain.

~The kids were being whiney, so I sent Conner and Megan to bed till they could stop whining, and told Caleb to read. All 3 fell asleep. Caleb fell asleep in the recliner reading. It was so cute, I had to take his picture. Guess all that jumping wears you out. ;)

~I was debating mowing the yard before the rain moved in. It's suppose to rain every day this week, so I was thinking I should probably do it while I had the chance. Then my dad called and offered to come over and mow for me. I thought that was so sweet of him! I pulled out the mower to make sure it had gas and would start. (it's very moody) It started, so I just started mowing. My dad pulled up and said "I thought I was doing that." lol So I trimmed the shrubs while he mowed.

~It's thundering outside, so the storms must be moving in. I hope we can sleep throught them tonight - I need the rest!

Day 9 - Father's Day

Father's day is hard on kids when their father is away. :( Chris called this afternoon, and after Caleb talked to him, he told me he was close to crying. And I know it's hard on Conner b/c he's such a daddy's boy. I don't think Megan has fully grasped the time concept yet. But in another week or so, I think it's going to start sinking in for her as well.

The kids had colored Father's Day pictures for Chris before he left, and we snuck them into his bag. So at least he has something from the kids on this day.

After church, we headed to my parents' house for a cookout. My brother and his family came by, and everyone had a good time. My mom recently got home movies of her childhood on DVD, so we watched it tonight. It was weird seeing my mom as a child. The kids were a little wild today, and we had a long discussion about it before they went to bed tonight.

This week is going to be busy - the 3 oldest are in VBS all week. It will give me a break each day. I plan on working out every day, and running errands while I just have Madison. The kids are really looking forward to it - especially Megan since this will be her first one.

Storms are expected all week. I don't mind - I like storms. But I was going to mow this week, and now that will have to wait. And most of these storms are expected overnight, so I might be getting little sleep this week.

Speaking of sleep, I have been exhausted the last few days. I don't think I'm sleeping well for several reasons - 1) I never sleep good when Chris is gone and 2) I'm sleeping very light knowing I'm the only one that can be there for the kids if they need me. Guess that means I need to get to bed!

Day 8

Another busy day! It started off with Madison sleeping in - which would normally be a good thing, but today meant I slept in. So we were a few minutes late to my cousin's wedding. It was an outdoor wedding, and we were walking up the drive as they were playing "here comes the bride." But my parents had saved us seats, and we didn't miss much. The ceremony was nice - short, but nice. The groom's cake was an OU cake!! And the weather was almost perfect.

This evening we went shoe shopping with my mom. I found one pair of dress shoes, but needed to find some tennis shoes. Guess I'll have to keep shopping. We stayed at my parents' house and did some crafts. The kids all made necklaces w/ the their names, and I made Madison a bracelet with hers. It's such a tiny bracelet!! but sooo cute!

I took lots of pictures at the wedding to show Chris. Originally he was going to perform the ceremony, but since he had to do this NG stuff, they had to find another minister. I know he's sorry he missed out.

In this picture: cousins: Chelsey, Kerry, Kasey, and Aunt Carol. (can you tell the 2 in the middle are twins? lol) They all looked so beautiful!!

For Christopher

This is what Madison wore today. Christopher picked out this onsie for her before she was even born. Just had to show it off. :)

Day 7

Today wasn't as smooth as the others have been. The kids were a little wild today. They have been wrestling each other, but someone always gets hurt. Madison has been very cranky today as well. Not sure what's up with her.

It was a pretty laid-back day. The kids watched TV this morning, then just played around this afternoon. The boys got hair cuts, and Megan got her bangs trimmed. They played outside till it started raining. It's thundering outside right now, so I hope the kids are able to sleep. We have a wedding in the morning, and I don't need the kids to be tired and cranky. :(

We only got out tonight to take my movie back, buy a gift card for the wedding, and pick up a few things at Big Lots. I always forget about that store, but they have some great deals!

Wow, it's actually quiet in the house. Maybe the kids will fall asleep even with the thunder in the distance. The storms are being brought in by a cold front, so hopefully things won't be too hot tomorrow for the wedding, since it's outdoors.

I had one of those "man, I wish Chris was here" moments today. I was putting Madison in the van and saw a dead mouse in the middle of the garage. I guess that Deacon we put out really worked. But I was standing there thinking - I have to get rid of the mouse before the kids see it. I really wish Chris was here to take care of it. :( But I did what I had to do. EEEWWW

I also saw a commercial encouraging me to vacation in Arkansas. It made me sad to think I was just there a week ago, but not under happy circumstances. But hey, it's day 7 and we are doing great! dead mouse and all! We can get through the next 5 weeks just as well as the first one. :)

Day 6

I've got to do better about getting my act together in the mornings. I decided to go to the Y, but had to get the kids motivated to get dressed, feed Madison, get ready, etc. So by the time I got there, I only got to do 17 minutes on the eliptical. The daycare closes at 12:30 - don't ask me why. I don't understand why they can't offer daycare all day. It starts back up again at 4:30, so why not just do it all day? anyway, I saw the pastor and his wife come in, so I went over to say hi. I ended up being 3 minutes late to pick up the kids. The workers told me next time I'm late, I have to pay. Interesting, since I don't pay for daycare - it's included in the membership. I guess they make you pay out of pocket? or charge you extra that month? I don't know. Anyway, I'll be doing better.

Going to the Y was about all we did today. I rented a chick flick for me to watch after the kids were in bed. That's my recovery time. Tonight I watched 27 Dresses. Very cute movie, just wish it wasn't full of cussing. I don't understand why they put that in movies. It has no bearing on the movie whatsoever! Just leave it out, and make it a clean movie. That's my 2 cents anyway.

All the kids slept in today, which means I slept in today!! Gotta love that!

Everyone keeps asking me how I'm doing. And honestly - much better than I thought I would. I have a renewed confidence in my parenting ability. Of course, it's only been a week. By week 3 I may be in a mental institution. lol I miss Chris terribly, but I also know that I can do this! That feels good.

Day 5

Another day comes to a close. It was another good day! The kids were very good today, so we watched Alvin and the Chipmunks - cute movie!!! But then the day went downhill - the kids started acting up this evening, but we had a talk, and I'm hoping tomorrow is better. I've got a few activities I'm working on for them, so I hope they behave. :)

Tonight we had dinner with my parents, then went shopping. I found some great deals at walmart!! I'm very excited!

I also got some housework done. The house has been staying really clean! The kids are doing good with keeping their toys picked up. yay!!

Guess that's it for today.

Red Hawks game!

Day 4

Another fun day! I got to workout at the Y this morning. I had to cut it 3 minutes short b/c the daycare was closing, but that's not bad.

I rented a movie for the kids last night, and told them they could watch it today if they were good. However, they did not get to watch the movie. :( They just kept doing things to pick on each other, so I said no movie.

We had tickets to a Red Hawks baseball tonight. My dad decided to go with us, which I was so thankful for. It would have been really hard by myself, but I was going to try. My dad spoiled the kids. He said you can't go to a baseball game w/o hot dogs, peanuts and cracker jacks. LOL He came back to the seats w/ chili fries, hot dogs, and cracker jacks. Then I got drinks for everyone, and then Dad decided we needed ice cream. It comes in little plastic baseball hats, so the kids were thrilled. Conner put his on Chris' dresser and said his was for Daddy. :) so sweet!! Conner told me tonight he really misses his daddy and sometimes he cries for him. I haven't seen him cry, so I guess he does it when no one is around. :( Chris called while we were at the game, so everyone got to talk to him tonight. That's the highlight of my day!

Well, it's late, and I'm tired. Just wanted to give a quick update on our day. Chris, if you are reading this - We love you and miss you!!

Day 3

Another good day!! The kids were pretty good. We even went to Walmart for some groceries, and they were better than I expected. YAY!!

We had storms last night, so I ended up with kids in my bed. Caleb came in first around 3am. After that round of storms passed, he went back to his bed. Then at 6am Megan came in b/c of another round of storms. We had storms off and on all day today. So that means the kids were stuck inside. I let them play some video games, but they mostly just played with their toys.

We got to talk to Chris again. He called while we were grocery shopping, but everyone got a chance to talk.

Think that's about all for today!

pictures from our trip to Arkansas to say bye to daddy

Our day at Frontier City

pics from Caleb's 7th birthday party

Day 2

Another day comes to a close. And it was another good one. Madison was up before my alarm, but not too much. The morning went smoothly - everyone's clothes had been laid out the night before, so that was no problem. And even with Caleb losing his second tooth this morning (which is lost somewhere in the hall carpet), we actually got to church at 9:02! (It starts at 9:00, but this is huge with me getting 4 gets ready by myself.) However, when we got the nursery, Conner and Megan's room had no teacher. I stood around waiting for them to figure out what to do about it, and finally decided to take Caleb to the other side of the church for his class. We get over there, and guess what - he has no teacher! Now for those that don't know, we are going to my "home" church since Chris isn't ministering at a church right now. And this church is a big church! Plenty of people to work the nursery. So it was a little annoying that they were short-handed today. And it's more the fault of the workers - they should be there on time - which for them is 15 BEFORE service. Not 2 minutes after it's started. and if they can't be there, they are suppose to have a fill-in ready. I know this b/c I've worked in the nursery before. Anyway, back to my story - we finally figure out Caleb is joining the K class, so I notice that it's the welcome time in service. I find my parents and hand them Madison, and tell them I'll be back. I take Conner and Megan back to their class where there is now a worker. Oh, and why did I take Madison to service instead of leaving her in the nursery? Glad you asked. B/c one of the ladies in charge looked at her and said "oh, are you taking the baby to the nursery? b/c that will mess me up." Ok, I'm not even going to go there. I decided to keep Maddy w/ me. She slept the whole service in my arms. :) So it was a wonerful time for me!

Ok, after church - lunch w/ my parents, then home for naps. And trust me, I needed one. We all got about an hour of sleep, then everyone was up. The kids played outside while I played inside with Madison.

Chris called this evening. Always wonderful to hear from him! He talked to Caleb and Megan - Conner didn't want to talk this time.

My new favorite show was back tonight - Army Wives on Lifetime!! I'm getting a little annoyed w/ Lifetime - all their movies are the same and getting very cheesey, but this series is awesome!! Maybe it's b/c I am an Army wife now, but I love this show!! I cried through most of tonight's episode. It was about losing a child. My emotions are already all over the place, and then to watch a show like that - all the emotions of an army wife and a mom... man!

Ok, I think that about sums up today. We survived another day! And the only thing lost is the tooth. :) Man, we are doing good!!