Through the eyes of the Creator

Mirror Symmetry

2010-11-10T05:23:00.003-05:00

Today we worked on mirror symmetry. A very basic concept. To keep mess at a minimum we just used crayons to decorate on side of the paper, folded it over, rubbed the living daylights out of it, and VOILA! The image transferred to the other side, mirroring the original design. The little ones put a lot of color on their pages and it was hard to see the exact designs they had made but they got the idea. Once again, personality shines through the art of the individual. We also talked about symmetry of balance but did not do any particular project for it.

Next week: Basic Shapes

This little piggy went to the butcher.....

2010-09-28T11:08:00.004-04:00

One BIG piggy wrecked havoc upon our yard last night!

Last night, Mike went out to burn garbage and saw our neighbors HUGE pig in our yard. So we all went out to see it. At the time the beast was only eating the grass around the porch which sounded so disgusting. Mike called the neighbor and they came down to get the pig but the pig ran off into the woods and since it was dark, Mike told them not to worry about it.

"We don't want it rootin' up your yard" says the neighbor.

"Don't worry about it," says my city-raised husband.

"Pigs can rip up the yard pretty good," I tell him.

This morning, we all left while it was still dark. I came home after a relaxing swim and a physical therapy appointment.

TO THIS!!!

I wish I had a picture of the ugly hog that destroyed our yard. Alas, much to my pleasure, said hog is being butchered today.

One day too late, if you ask me!

Autumn Leaf Sun Catchers

2010-09-27T12:56:00.005-04:00

Busy, being artistic!

The kids at the Lighthouse Academy enjoyed making their Autumn Leaf suncatchers this past week. They all worked so hard and the suncatchers are beautiful.

Sandile and Annalynn working quietly

Each child had a piece of clear contact paper on which they arranged the pieces of precut tissue
paper. When all the sticky spots were covered, they used watered down glue to "decoupage" the tissue paper.

I try to come up with projects that will interest the broad age range in our class. The older kids seemed to enjoy making the suncatchers as much as the little ones.

I showed the kids an example of my own. I used black construction paper to create a leaf-shaped "frame". The frame is glued down over the tissue paper and cut around when dry.

Malachi and Carol

Each child could make any kind of "frame" they wanted. So we have some Autumn Hearts and an Autumn Flower.

Taryn and Leslie did an awesome job filling up all the sticky spots!

When they were all finished, we punched holes and strung ribbon through them to hang in the window.

Mimi hard at work

I didn't get any pictures of the finished projects but IF I actually remember to bring my camera next week I will take a picture of the suncatchers they have hung up at their home.

Next project: Foamies Shape Pictures

What Will Happen With a Gluten-Free Diet....

2010-09-21T11:44:00.005-04:00

If you're truly gluten-intolerant it will make you feel 100% better!

I've recently began to eliminate gluten from my diet. This is my 2nd go-round. Back in January I'd been suffering with pain in my stomach, bathroom issues, bloating..... and I could not figure it out. Not until I friend with gluten-intolerance began to tell me about her symptoms. So I cut gluten from my diet. Within a week my symptoms began to clear up. I stayed off gluten for over a month and it made a HUGE difference.

It will make you hungry!

When I first started cutting the gluten from my diet, I was so stinkin' hungry. Do you realize what all has gluten in it? Everything good! Not really...but so many foods are made from grass grains like wheat and rye. Flour is used in most food items that need thickener...like cream soups. And cream soups are a staple of my home....I use them in EVERYTHING--almost.

It took a little while to figure out what I could and couldn't eat and to find substitutes. Gluten-free breads, crackers and bakery items are EXPENSIVE! But if you're the only one eating them, take the splurge....or you'll starve!

You'll be reminded that there is a reason you are on this diet.

Then this past spring I started to have lots of joint pain. Now remember, I started incorporating gluten into my diet again.... I didn't have the initial symptoms so I figured I was okay. Then a friend looked up info about joint pain and saw that many gluten-intolerant people have issues with their joints. So guess what.....I've once again cut gluten from my diet. And I'm hungry again. Because to tell the truth, when I open the fridge, nothing looks better than that gluten-filled brownie or the left over spaghetti.... Or I go to the cupboard and graham crackers are calling my name.

You will become culinarily creative (is culinarily a word?)

I told you all the above just to tell you about my new recipe! And to be honest, it didn't strike me as sounding too appetizing to begin with. I don't even know what to call it....ummmm, hamburger rice casserole or something similarly unoriginal.

3 cups rice, uncooked
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 med onion, chopped
salt, pepper, garlic to taste
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
3 cubes beef bouillon
8 oz shredded cheddar or cojack cheese

Cook rice until just UNDER done. Spread in large casserole dish. Meanwhile, brown beef , onion, and seasonings. Add tomatoes and bouillon to to browned beef and cook until hot. Pour over rice in casserole and mix. Top with shredded cheese and bake in 350* oven 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

My son, Samuel, likes it with Red Hot sauce. And it is quite good that way. He enjoyed the casserole so much, he took leftovers to school today. My husband liked it too. And that made me feel real good!

Notice: I have not had gluten-intolerance confirmed by a doctor and I do not claim to know much at all about it....just that eliminating it from my diet made ME feel much better.

Enjoy the recipe!

Welcome to Art 2010!

2010-09-20T12:58:00.005-04:00

Wow! A whole new school year. That means a whole new year of ART! Woot!

So to start off this year with kids at the Lighthouse Academy we did self-portraits. I didn't put any restrictions on what they could or couldn't do. I just asked them to draw a picture of themselves and to pay close attention to details.

What kind of details?

Well, how about eyelashes, eyebrows and even noses? Those are a few things often forgotten on childrens' drawings of themselves. A few more are necks (yes, we all have a neck. Our head does not just sit on top our shoulders. Who knew?), freckles and eyewear.

So here is a collection of the kids' art work from September 13, 2010.

It will be fun to see how the kids grow in their artistic capabilities and creativity.

Follow along with us over the course of this new school year and let us know what you think.

Coming up next week in art: Fall Leaf Suncatchers

Twice In One Week--Mark It On The Calendar!

2010-05-01T16:11:00.005-04:00

Happy May everyone! Bright and early (7am) this morning, stepped out on our porch to allow Zoey some "privacy" and saw sun through the mist in the trees. It was so beautiful and peaceful and I thought "that would make a good picture". Then I thought, "Oh, duh, go get YOUR camera!"

To tell you the truth, I still don't really understand the thing. I don't ever have enough uninterrupted time to really get to know how to use each capability. So I just play. Please feel free to give me pointers.

I played with this picture on Picasa. First I flooded it with light. Then I sharpened it to the max and add 2 shades of gradient color to the sky to contrast with the trees...otherwise they get kind of lost. I like really stark pictures so this is my favorite. A bit eerie but the blue adds a dimension of reality. Funny how something fake can make your photo look real.

I wanted to get something that was the most like what I was seeing with the naked eye. And though this is darker than it actually was--a bit more dusk than dawn looking--I think it's better than the one just before it that is TOO light. The sunlight in it is warmer and more invigorating...but the mist in the trees in this last one really shows up nice.

Decorating for the Kids

2010-04-29T08:08:00.010-04:00

Sorry. My pictures are in no particular order because I am having trouble moving them.

If it bothers you, let me know. And then maybe you can help me figure this out. =)

Welcome to my Sunday School class. We are the 3 - 9 year olds at this particular time. If you come back in a year I may have room for 10 year olds because I have a hard time letting go of my own children.

Meet Bumble Bee-liever. I made her. She is my bee puppet. The kids absolutely love her!
This is her hive.

The wood fence was a roll of $7 paper from Michael's. The sky is plastic table clothes from The Dollar Tree and the grass is green tissue paper (I couldn't find any green plastic).

Though I may have many artistic skills, it's so much faster to use the overheads provided. Here are my "Plan of Salvation" billboards.

Very PASTORAL. Cow in the field, big fluffy clouds. Soothing scenes should foster peace and harmony in the classroom. Or not. We have a very busy room. The kids keep me on my toes!

Our Memory Verse garden. Each child puts a bug sticker on his/her flower each time they say their verses. Leaves are 3-D.

As you enter the classroom, you pass through a crepe paper archway. It drew the kids right in the first time I put it up. Definitely an invitation into a fun classroom.

I believe a classroom should be engaging. Each item ties into the lessons...even the 3 spiders hiding on their webs. Did you see the two in the pictures?

Besides the table, I also have a rug for the kids to sit on when I'm telling the week's Bible story. I find it's easier to have two areas to work in. Kids in this age group are not going to want to sit at a table for a whole hour. They squirm, tear at the table cloth, get up, lose interest. Being able to spread out or lay down gives them an outlet. I also try to incorporate a time to sing and move around....get all the wiggles out! This isn't always the case and I'm working on that.

We will be changing our set-up here shortly. I can't say a whole lot about it right now....just that our theme is going to be "Crime Stoppers". Our lessons are based on the commandments. The decorations should be great. I can't wait to see how it will all come together.

PS. We hung bee cutouts for attendance each week...so now the walls are covered with bees. =)

A Visit to Elgin

2010-03-11T21:34:00.008-05:00

I recently went Illinois to visit my sister Kim. It was a spur of the moment trip. I decided she needed me. So I told Mike, I made arrangements for the boys, and I was off. Maybe not quite that quick, or that easy, but I was able to go.

I left home later than expected but made good time on my 8 hour trip, pulling into Kim's drive even before they got back from Abbi's skate practice.

I had so much fun with my sister and her three beautiful girls. Sorry, but I did not get any pictures of Millie this time around. She was tucked warmly in her stroller when I had my camera out and I decided she was happy to be out of the limelight this time around.

While in Elgin, Kim took me to a few stores that I don't get to very often since we don't have them out in the boondocks of the Upper Peninsula. We trolled the aisles of two party stores, looking for brown crepe paper. One of them carried it but did not have it in stock. I was sorely disappointed. But I did buy spider web stuff and some bugs. Oh, yeah, and these wall hangings that look like barn doors. I'll be decorating my Sunday School class with my treasures.

Not only can Kim snap some awesome photos but she can COOK! I take much pride in my own abilities to make mouths water so believe me when I say, she impressed me with every meal. Yum, yum, yum. I did gain a few pounds over the weekend. She even made concessions for my gluten intolerance. Her homemade meatballs are divine and her lemon chicken was oh. so. scrumptious!

On Sunday morning I had plans to visit the Bartlett United Pentecostal Church pastored by Jack Yonts, Sr. I had invited Kim to attend with me but she already had a photo session planned for that morning. Since the photo shoot started before I left I was able to peek in and see all the fun her 2 year old subject was having as her 3rd Birthday photos were being taken--giant cupcake included. I'm not a BIG CITY driver but I was able to successfully drive myself to the church after a brief glance on MapQuest. Church was enjoyable--the worship was anointed and the preaching was the old-time Pentecostal preaching I remember hearing as a child.

Monday, Kim had plans to volunteer in Abbi's preschool classroom so I checked out Elgin's magnificent Gail Borden Public Library. Add it to your next "place to stop while on vacation". There is SO much to do there. And all I did in a 2 hour period was check out the kids' movies for my nieces, learn how to use the self-check out scanners, visit the Youth and Kids' Centers and stop by the cafe so Lexi and Millie could have a snack. After a quick lunch, Kim and I headed to downtown Elgin to scout for locations for photoshoots. Kim, an up and coming photographer, reminded me to bring my new digital SLR so we could play if the weather worked for us. We were hoping for a fairer day but had to take what we could get. I still can't understand everything about my camera but I'm working on it.

It was so hard to leave Tuesday morning. Visits with my sister are few and far between because of the miles between us. And I love to see how the girls are growing and changing. I can't wait for another chance to visit with them.

The drive back was uneventful....the weather was decent. I did end up driving in the dark and about 45 minutes from home I just could not keep my eyes open any longer! I ended up pulling over and resting my eyes for a few moments.

There's just something about pulling back into your own driveway after a time away. Though the trip was so fun and enjoyable, I missed my home and my men!!!

Thanks for the great time Kim! Can't wait to do it again.

I've Got Sunshine!

2010-01-26T08:33:00.003-05:00

Eli!

My little man is now 11 years old.
How time flies.

For his birthday party, we rented the Covington Twp Hall at the Ski Hill and had Jack's pizzas, chips, fruit, cake, pop and sledding. Eli shares his birth date with our friend Nan so we decided to surprise her and invited everyone from church to the party and celebrated the two birthdays together. She was very surprised....never suspected a thing!

It was definitely a day to remember. I had taken the day off from BHK so I could get stuff done that morning but still had to teach art up in Hancock. Ended up running late ALL day. I had made plans to pick Eli's friends up and since we were running late parents were calling wondering what was up. So I was stressing and had trouble finding one kid's home. I finally figured out where I was going and as I'm just about to the turn off to his house some dogs ran out in front of me. Not wanting to tramatize myself or the kids by hitting a pack of dogs I braked hard and lost control of the van on the slippery back road. We fishtailed for a bit then spun off into the tree line. Thankfully, we missed a stand of pine trees and just buried the van up to the front doors in the ditch. Yah! NOT. I was distraught. And that is a HUGE understatement. We did get lots of help. Thank you to the strangers that dug us out and Mr. Toumi for pulling us out. I was now running VERY late. I tearfully called Nan's mom to ask if she'd pick up a cake for Eli since I would now not have time to decorate one myself. And then we were on our way. We ended up being an hour late to the hall and unable to preset or decorate anything. We had to come up with a way to surprise Nan now that she was already there and we did pull it off pretty well. The boys didn't care that we were late or about the spin out and didn't have a clue as to why I was so stressed. All the kids LOVED the sledding -- we had a hard time getting them to come in for pizza, cake or icecream. The parents had a good time as well but I ended the evening in tears with a blistering headache. Then it was back home with four extra kids to spend the night. They were well behaved and had a great time but at 12:40 in the morning I finally begged Mike to make them be quiet so I could go to sleep.

So Eli had a great party and a fun story to tell about his mom putting the van in the ditch, again.

It's hard to think of Eli as 11. Yesterday I picked him up early from school. He went to the eye doctor with me for my appointment. Then I took him to his Well Child appointment with his doctor. He was being so silly and goofy all afternoon but we had a great time. I felt bad that he was bored out of his mind at the Vision Clinic but he behaved himself and I was so proud to admit he was mine! The doctor's office was a whole other story though. He kept up his silliness and you know how you can just tell when people are infuriated with something but trying to be patient...that was our doctor yesterday. Eli would not answer any questions directly and I was getting upset and the doctor kept sighing. Not rude but real quiet and I give him kudos. I was ready to rip my hair out and just leave! Or insist on the shots that Eli really doesn't need until next year. But we made it through maintaining our cool and our smiles.

Eli is fun to be with. We raced to the car each time we left a place yesterday and he has such a great imagination. But that imagination gets him in trouble sometimes. He tends to exaggerate and embellish and sometimes just plain fib about things he's done. His smile and giggle make me smile even when I'm impatient with him--a common occurance in the morning as I'm trying to get him up and ready for school. Though he's a normal child and gets into his share of trouble he admits his faults readily and is quick to straighten up his act when in hot water. He's my outdoorsman. Eli loves camo and binoculars, bb guns and spends countless hours playing "hunter" or "soldier". Eli is also sensitive, loving and friendly. He can play quietly by himself or spend an afternoon reading or doing puzzles.

I'm really proud of Eli. He spent two years in the 3rd grade so that he wouldn't fall behind as he got older and this year in 4th grade he is maintaining a C+ average. He hasn't fallen in love with school but he's taking it more seriously.

My little man is definitely growing up. But we're not rushing him. He still plays "Tickle Monster" and asks for hugs and kisses. How long can this last? I cherish every one!

Eli is my Sunshine!

Happy New Year! 2010

2010-01-01T20:33:00.003-05:00

Hello and Happy New Year 2010!

First, an apology: It has been 5 months since my last post. Shame on me.

So here is a quick recap of the last months of 2009:

I am working 2 jobs within the same company. I am now a lunch aid at Head Start and I am a GE (Great Explorations) Instructor after school. I find both jobs rewarding as I'm working with kids all day--ages 3-11.

Mike has finished up his first semester of the nursing program at Finlandia on the Dean's List. Woot! Woot! Mike. Way to go!

Our Grand Caravan has seen 200,000 miles and she's still going. Hallelujah!

God blesses us greatly this holiday season. Thanks to all the secret givers. Your generosity is appreciated so, so much!

The boys are growing like weeds. I miss them as little boys but I'm so excited to see what they will become as young men.

(Michael - almost 13)

(Samuel - almost 9)

(Eli - almost 11)

(Riley - 5 1/2)

I haven't been cooking very many home cooked meals the past four months. By the time I get home at 6:30pm it is hard to get anything on the table before 7:00 and I'm always forgetting to thaw something before hand. I'm sure my husband and boys have enjoyed all the pizza and fast food but I feel SO guilty. So while on vacation I've tried to make some good meals to remind them what I'm capable of making.

Last night we went to a New Year's Eve party at my pastor's home and we all brought ethnic dishes from our heritage. I made sauerkraut and sausage since I'm German and it is easy to do. But I really wanted to make something else. So in researching my heritage I found something that spanned the Irish, German, Russian, Swede and Jew in me:

Potato Pancakes!

I didn't get them made for last night but the boys and I enjoyed them for dinner tonight. I served them with sugar, syrup or apple jelly. My favorite was the apple jelly. Samuel and Riley doubled up and used sugar and syrup (ewww!) and Eli ate them plain. I remember eating these as kids and they are just as good today as back then. Yum-O!

So the last thing I want to catch up on is my book list. I've updated, though not in time to qualify for my challenge.....I didn't make it anyway. But I was a reading fiend this past year and I've decided that no one with four kids needs to read 100 books to have a fulfilled life. I did find some new authors that I'm interested in exploring further and I've weeded out a few that I'm not really interested in. I've read children's books, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (2 thumbs up!); the rave of the moment, The Twilight Series (great story, writing could be better); mysteries, Easy to Kill (Agatha is still a favorite!), and classics, The Chronicles of Narnia (I could read these over and over!). Check out my list on the left--see one you'd like to know more about, just ask.

Happy 2010

Life is what you make it!

March On!

2009-07-11T19:05:00.004-04:00

Today Michael marched in his first parade with the CHS band.

(Michael, second from right, 3rd row, playing clarinet)

He looked so very handsome in his uniform and the whole band was way classier than the other bands that marched in t-shirts and shorts.

The entire Strawberry Festival Parade was very good. Lots of candy for the little ones and the floats were both nicely done and well thought out. The only drawback was that we only saw Michael for a moment and then he was on to perform for others and he didn't get to see much of the parade himself.

Patience is a Virtue

2009-06-13T11:21:00.003-04:00

Of which I'm lacking.

Sorely lacking.

But I hope you have more than I do!

My boys are all home for summer break. I love my boys. They are my sunshine! But they test my patience daily. Some days I lose it. I totally lose it and I have to give myself a timeout. I give them timeouts, too. But I think it's safe to say that I'm the one that needs it the most, because as I remind Mikey often, I'm older and I should know better.

Right now, my living room is cluttered. Not just a few toys, books and papers randomly scattered. No, it's a mountain of clutter that I moved from my bedroom to the livingroom, knowing that it can't stay that way and I will be forced to deal with it. While it was ensconced in the bedroom, I could ignore it. At least until I went to bed each night. Then I tossed and turned wishing I had the energy to do something about it.

I'm glad to say my bedroom has not looked this good in 8 years. It's peaceful and relaxing. I think I'll spend my weekend in there.

Or not.

I have to get this pile taken care of.

Anyway, I said all that because I know I haven't been posting regularly and I feel bad for my readers. I'm sorry. I may not have much of anything important to impart to you folks on a daily basis, but I know that when I do post, it gives you an excuse to put off the dreaded housework, homework, errands, etc. a few minutes more. I understand this.

But it will be worth your while to keep following. I'm working up to my 100th post and in celebration of that I will be posting about 10 of my favorite things for posts 90-100. And I would like to have a giveaway for each post. So stay tuned. Hopefully, we'll reach that 100 post together before snow flies. *fingers crossed*

Remember:

Patience is a virtue

Virtue is a grace

Grace is a little girl

Who wouldn't wash her face!

I'm too old for this!

2009-06-01T20:56:00.002-04:00

Tonight I took Eli and Samuel for a bike ride. It sounded like such a good idea. I've been needing to incorporate more exercise into my daily routine and they need an outlet for all their energy.

So we took off and decided to only go as far as the Post Office. That's probably just over a 3 mile bike ride. Not bad.

The ride there was great and exhilirating. It was Samuel's first foray past our road. And we had a great big hill to coast down and feel the wind in our faces and he loved it.

When we got to the Post Office we got drinks of water from the natural spring behind the building and then headed back home.

I taught the boys the rules of biking.....follow all rules of the road, signaling, staying on the right side, riding in single file, etc. They did great except for Samuel swerving off the road onto the gravel shoulder and then back straight into the road, almost cutting me off, forcing me into the road to avoid a collision (thank goodness there were no cars in sight).

Then we turned back onto our road and started up the hill.

Oh, boy! It was a ride. About half way. Then we got off the bikes and walked most of the way up. We got back on the bikes as soon as we were to a spot flat enough to start off from.

I am ashamed to say that it was too hard. Way too hard. I was in so much pain. My legs were tired but that's not the bad part. I couldn't catch my breath. I stopped for a last rest right before a friend's house (didn't want anyone to know I couldn't do it). Then I forced myself to ride the rest of the way to the side road we live on. As soon as I passed the neighbor's house, I stopped again to take a breather before making it the rest of the way home. Then I flopped down on the couch for 10 minutes to catch my breath and will my heart to not explode.

The sad thing is, I used to ride my bike to school everyday, until the snow flew, which was about 10 miles from our home.

I guess I must be getting old. I don't like how it feels. Not one bit!

Hot Time in the UP

2009-05-21T07:56:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we had some very unseasonably warm weather. Very.

At 8:00am it was 38*F. At 2:30pm it was 94*F. Yowsah!

It was a very dry heat.

And there was a LOT of wind.

Know what that means?

Very extreme fire hazard. That's what it means.

And we found out all about that fire hazard last night.

On our way to church we spied a cloud of smoke to the east and all I didn't know was where the fire had originated. A fire had started just east of L'Anse and quickly spread with the wind gusting up to 50-60mph.

Mike was on the golf course and I gave him a call to see what he knew. All he knew was that the fire was a big 'un and he wasn't responding to any calls til his 18 holes were played. (Ninny!) Baraga was called to assist L'Anse around 6:30pm and the kids watched as the fire engines raced past the church. Pelkie Fire Department was put on standby later that evening (Mike was finished with his golf and ready to respond--finally!) but they were never called out.

Now, the news last night was that certain residents (one lady from our church included) were asked to evacuate just in case, but as we left L'Anse at 9:00pm we could see that it was mostly under control.

The info I heard from our local gossip is that it was sparked off by someone welding. I'm sure Mike will get the whole scoop today and I will pass it on.

That's the closest I've ever been to a forest fire and I hope it stays that way. I was really nervous yesterday....we live in the middle of the woods (literally surrounded on all sides by trees--lots of deadfall) and when I was going to get the kids from the bus I got spooked by the smoke from my neighbor's wood furnace. It was more than normal and I did notice that their chimney needs repair. You notice these things when the danger is so high. Normally, I'd just be irritated with the heavy smoke blowing into our yard. *cough*

Here is the report as of 5/21/09 on the Pinery Lake Fire in L'Anse.

Go here to see pictures of the Pinery Lake Fire.

There was also a fire in the Ishpeming area Wednesday. Go here to see pictures and get reports on the Black River Falls Fire.

Vision Forum Giveaway.....

2009-05-12T08:03:00.003-04:00

over at Five Little Arrows. Check out Laura's blog and enter to win a DVD from the Reclaiming the Culture set recently released by Vision Forum. Laura has the link to the descriptions of each of the 5 titles offered:

You May Not Take Our Guns
The Devolution of Law
Top Ten Questions About Genesis and Creation
The State of Parental Rights in America
Christianity and Science Fiction: Reclaiming the Genre for Christ

100th Post and a Giveaway at Kelli's Blog

2009-05-06T10:19:00.004-04:00

Head on over to Kelli's blog, Random Thoughts of a Supermom, to help celebrate the coming of summer with her 100th post and a giveaway!

Woo hoo! Who doesn't like a giveaway?

Check out her archives and see how a mother of 3 boys takes on the world.

When the kids are restless

2009-05-03T21:51:00.009-04:00

At the bottom of Silver Mountain

you force them to climb a mountain in the rain.

Saturday morning got off to a slow start. I did not want to make a humongous breakfast, which I usually do on Saturdays, because I was up until 1:30am the night before. We had friends over. It was fun. I'll tell you about it. Later.

So, the kids were getting restless. We had seven of them here. Yes, seven. As in 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. Cinnamon's friend, Jojo spent the night because her mom was in the hospital overnight and Mikey's friend Steven spent the night because Mikey was missing him after being grounded for almost 4 months.

I got ready at 11:30, told the kids we were leaving, to get shoes, jackets, gloves and hats on. They readily complied. And we were on the road to Silver Mountain.

We made two detours on the way. One to check out Prickett Dam to see if it was full open. It was, which explains why the Sturgeon River is running so high and fast. I love it! Then we went to the other side of the dam, at the boat launch. I heard the fish calling my name. And I'm gonna heed their calling one of these days. Just gotta make sure it's legal to fish there now first.

We got to Silver Mountain and it was drizzling. There was one other car at the bottom.

The kids were so excited to go up that I had to yell for them to come back down to get a group picture.

There's a lot of stairs. I think it would hurt less if you just hiked up. I am so out of shape. I was panting by the time I got to the last step. And we still had a way to go. Ugh!

See the girls at the top of the stairs. Riley and I were last, dead last. *panting*
Just as we got to what I thought was the top, we met the other people that were up there. The guy told us to make sure we went "all the way to the top". What! You mean I have to go further?

So we did.

It was worth the extra climbing. It was beautiful in the sleet. Mmmm-hmmm. Yup, sleet. So I can only imagine how pretty it is in the sunlight.

The kids were making me nervous and they didn't want to stand real still for the pictures. So after getting a decent one, I told them they could do anything, but PUSH!

Mikey, Steven, Jojo, Cinnamon, Samuel, Riley and Eli

Then we had to head back down.

Steep, steep, stairs!

Let's just say, it's easier going up, if you can ignore the burning pain in your thighs.

Samuel, the next GQ cover model

I almost landed on my bottom a few times, slipping in the mud. Ewwww!

Riley

Eli sitting still for a few!

By the time we got to the bottom, I had a few minutes to take a cupla pictures of the kids climbing, exploring and being silly. Then we had to zip out of there--my brother came up to visit and was already at my house.

Mikey, always so dramatic (this is why I refuse to take my boys to the Grand Canyon)

Next adventure....Sugar Loaf. Or Copper Harbor (if I can get over my fear of driving there. I get car sick and the ride there is full of tickle-bellies. Oiy!)

UP Ladies Retreat 2009

2009-05-01T08:41:00.007-04:00

I know, I know. I'm already a month behind in my blogging. And I promise, I will get to those things. Soon.

But, while I'm thinking about it, I want to tell you about the Ladies Retreat I recently attended.

Every year, our Section puts on our own Ladies Retreat because the District Ladies Retreat is a 10+ hour drive for us here in the Upper Peninsula. We have had the privilege of hearing some high-caliber women speak at our retreats.

LaJoyce Martin and Sherry Langson (my pastor's wife)

This year we were honored to welcome LaJoyce Martin as our speaker. If you have never heard her speak, you are missing some good stuff. She is very comical and has lots of wisdom. And she also has one of the most astonishing and romantic stories about how she and her "Hunk" got hooked up.

LaJoyce Martin is also a writer-a prolific writer. I was able to purchase two of her new books (Women's Secrets, Crooked Halos and Clay Feet) this time, plus 2 CD's of Bible stories (The Tattletale Trees, Let's Go to the Fires- both w/Granny Mullins). I will post reviews of all four as soon as I get through them.

This year Sis. Martin spoke on "Satan's Lullaby" (the 5 verses that put the church to sleep), "The Times of the Signs" (we still need holiness - the sign of God's people), and "The Masked Blessing" (what seems like a hard trial is really a blessing in disguise). It was ALL good.

I really appreciated "The Masked Blessing" as I'm going through a hard time right now with my niece in my home and I came to realize that it may be her being here that opens a door for my brother to come back to God.

"Satan's Lullaby" was a real wake up call. (oxymoron, eh?) We can easily be lulled into spiritual slumber by things like inactivity, comfort and shutting our eyes to things that should not be. I've gone back to this lesson over and over in the past weeks to encourage myself to stay awake in this day and time when it may be easier to just roll over and shut it all out.

All the pastors' wives present with Sis. LaJoyce Martin

Ladies Retreat is always an awesome time. I always feel so much pressure getting ready for it and fear that once I get there I'll be too tired to enjoy it all. But I really shouldn't worry. Once I got there I was able to sit down, relax and have a great time.

Marcia Gannon and Me

My Mother-in-the-Lord, Marcia Gannon, from my hometown was able to be here again this year and we were able to catch up on all the family and church news.

We also get two really awesome meals on Friday during the retreat. Our ladies provide the food, potluck-style. This year I brought a relish tray and cake balls - 1/2 were chocolate and 1/2 were strawberry. Everyone that got one was so very impressed. I really enjoyed making these.

Cake balls (thank you Bakerella and Pioneer Woman)

Pastor Bryan Langston (Marquette) baptizes {L} in the wonderful name of Jesus!

{L} was baptized on Saturday after the retreat.

I'd have to say that was the perfect ending to a perfect retreat!

Junior Prom

2009-04-27T07:45:00.004-04:00

Do you remember your Junior Prom?

I do. But I'd rather not. It wasn't the highlight of my year, that is for certain.

For my Junior Prom, I went with the guy that I was currently dating, which wasn't Mike. I was excited since I originally hadn't planned to go. I bought my own dress which wasn't sparkly, slinky or long. It was a spaghetti strapped-lace covered-knee length thing that was really very pretty. I thought I looked rather nice. My date showed up and had a red rose wrist corsage for me. My dad dutifully took pictures that I have never seen. I wonder if they were ever developed. See, that was a long time ago. No digital cameras back then!

I was nervous but excited for the Grand March. We stopped at his sister's house to show off our fancy duds and then we'd be on our way. Well, lo and behold, his sister and her husband were watching WWF wrestling and he got sucked into that.

We NEVER made it to the Grand March. I was SO upset. But being Lil' Miss Nicety-Nice, I didn't say anything and we headed on over to the dance. Which, by the way, is the lamest part of the prom. Who agrees? I spent more time sitting and watching the juvenile antics of all the guys than I did dancing and when it was over, and I didn't win any of the door prizes, we headed out. And I asked to be brought home. I think that was the first time I was home BEFORE my curfew (I had always made it home BY curfew but that was definitely a first for me!).

My senior year, I was dating Mike and we decided to skip the prom (he'd already done the prom thing with his ex-wife) and do the Senior Dinner-Dance instead. Lame-O! Another bad choice.

ANYWAY!!!! I told you all that just to let you know that Mike's oldest son, Anthony, just went to his Junior Prom this past Saturday.

I feel old.

Mike and Michael went to Menominee to see him.

He escorted his girlfriend, Krystal.

They are a cute couple and both looked so nice in their formal attire.

Anthony was also a member of the prom court. Their theme was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

When the crowning took place, each court member received a chocolate bar and the girl and boy with the golden tickets were crowned Queen and King (decided upon by a prior vote).

Anthony did not get the ticket but Grandma was so proud of him anyway. Who wouldn't be proud to claim such a handsome young man as their own?

Do you have a good prom story to tell? Please share!

The Stress of Illness

2009-04-21T18:24:00.003-04:00

I'm trying to catch you all up on the happenings while I was away from my 'puter. Some are fun and exciting and some of it may be a bit boring. There was also a fair amount of stress. Tag-along as I finally get to it!

My mom, niece (CJ) and I went down to my sister's home in Illinois on the 3rd of April. On the 4th I hosted her babyshower. It was a lot of fun. But that's another story for another post. You'll just have to come back to hear all about it. Or you can go here and check out the highlights now!

On Sunday, the 5th, we were going to have a quick breakfast with Kim, Russ and the girls before we hit the road so I could get back to the Keeweenaw that night.

My sis and BIL were busy in the kitchen making breakfast when my mom and CJ arrived from the hotel. My mom started to complain about a pain across her shoulders. We thought maybe she just slept wrong but after a few minutes she went to sit on the couch and got really pale and started having problems breathing. I asked if she was okay or if we should call the ambulance. She said she was okay but I just wasn't down with that. I was about to ask Kim what she thought when my mom started retching and grunting. It was SO SCARY. There was spittle around her mouth and I thought she was having a stroke or heart attack. Kim totally freaked in a completely controlled way. I know--WHAT? But really, she took control and when my mom said she was okay, Kim told her in no uncertain terms, "No you're not!". Russ called the ambulance.

Mom wasn't too thrilled about the ambulance but she did realize that she needed medical attention because she was not aware of her "episode". Everything seemed fine as far as the paramedics could tell but they said she really should go in. We opted to take her in ourselves to a hospital that my sister preferred.

We ended up in the emergency room for quite a few hours. Her EKG was fine. She's never had any problems with her heart. So they did a CAT and and echocardiogram. Mom had fluid build-up around her heart which caused the pain in her back and chest. Because of fluid her heart had to work harder and caused the "spell". But she was also experiencing extreme nausea that the doctors could not explain.

After 3 days in the hospital and 3 echocardiograms the doctors decided the fluid was not blood which was a real concern as she's on blood thinners. They released Mom to her own doctors.

We drove home on Tuesday. It was totally uneventful except for the backed up traffic between Kenosha and Milwaukee caused by a burnt out charter bus.

Mom went to see her doctor on Thursday and testing showed an improvement in the fluid level around her heart and also a problem with her gallbladder.

So far, so good.

Then Saturday night my brother, Jason, called to say mom was back in the hospital. She called the ambulance herself after experiencing the same symptoms she had the previous Sunday.

The fluid had doubled since Thursday's appointment. About an 1/2 hour after Jason's call, he called again and said Mom was going in for surgery. The doctor decided to insert a tube and drain the fluid.

With all the strain of being away from home extra long, taking CJ into our home, getting ready for Easter and remodeling our kitchen I did not take it really well. I cried--A LOT. Mike tried to console me.

I think part of it was that I could not be there for Mom. I didn't even have words to pray for her. I just cried.

I still had to clean the church that night so CJ, Mikey and I set out to do that at 9pm. I called my pastor's wife and she prayed with me.

While I was on the phone, Ian stopped in to help us clean. I was so grateful for his help. With the four of us we made short work of it. The kids also prayed with me for my mom.

Mom got through the surgery okay and was out of the hospital by Wednesday.

There are still a few unanswered questions. We still don't know what caused the fluid build-up. We don't know if it's related to the problem with her gall bladder. We don't even know what's wrong with her gall bladder.

I'm thankful that the stress of it all is over for the time being. I am slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things at home. My kitchen is coming together nicely with lots of help from my wonderful hubby.

Stay tuned. I hope to post kitchen and babyshower pics soon.

Read this

2009-04-20T08:14:00.002-04:00

If you love blogs about children, families, messes, girls, princesses, ballerinas, pink stuff and fluff, you may just want to check out my sister's new blog The Pink Pack. http://thepinkpack.blogspot.com She has two girlie-girl princess ballerinas and one more on the way very, very soon. Check out this pack of pink!

Warning: Watch your heart around these cuties -- they are sure to steal it right away from you!

Pussy cat, Pussy cat, Where have you been?

2009-04-16T08:50:00.003-04:00

Well, it hasn't been to London to visit the queen!

I have been away from my blog for 15 days. Can you believe it?

Actually, the only thing I have done at my computer in the last 12 days is check my email and read a few headlines. That's it.

But today....My life is settling. A little. So I started to catch up on all the posts I've missed. I'm still not 100%. But I hope to visit most of you in the next week to let you know I still exist.

So. Where have I been?

Green Bay, WI - on layover at my Mom's enroute to Kim's for her babyshower

Elgin, IL - Kim's for baby shower

Delnor - a very nice hospital in Illinois with really nice staff. I visited my mom there for a few days after a small scare

Green Bay, WI - on layover at my Mom's enroute to my home....way far away....with a newbie in tow

Home - lots of company and a kitchen remodel

Marquette, MI - visiting in-laws. What was I thinking?

Home - very, very messy house. Problems with kiddos and newbie. We're dealing!

All over God's creation - here, there and everywhere. More shopping than I do at Christmas and the start of the school year! Golly!

School - Ever try to transfer someone when there's less than 2 months left to the school year and the classes from another state don't mesh real well with your local schools?

Home - Yah! I'm home all morning today. I'm excited. But I have more shopping to do. It's gonna pick up the pace here real quick today. Hold on!

Marquette, MI - tomorrow I'm going back there. Gotta drop the kiddos off at the in-laws and then my newbie and I are going to a Ladies Retreat! I can't wait. Just gotta endure the stress until the moment that I can drop into my chair and listen to LaJoyce Martin expound her godly wisdom and humor to me. Hallelujah!

Are you exhausted yet? I understand. I want to go into details on a few of these things later. I just don't have the time right now. So if you'll hold tight, keep your eyes and ears open into next week and don't abandon me now, I'll give you the lowdown. Ok? Ok.

Because I KNOW you want to know some things: who's the newbie? Why Delnor? Kitchen Remodel?

Oh! Oh-hohoho. I'm gonna let you in, alright. And I hope you won't mind a bit of venting too. That's what we're all about right?

Ok, then. I'll let you go for now and I'll get back to you soon. Real soon.

In the meantime, check out these sites -- my favorites!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/

http://thepinkpack.blogspot.com

http://photografour.blogspot.com

http://bakerella.blogspot.com/

http://baracksteleprompter.blogspot.com/

http://www.sarahsbluecastle.com/blue_castle/

http://peterpanandfamily.blogspot.com/

These are just a few of the blogs I regularly visit. I hope you enjoy!

Farewell, Coco

2009-04-01T10:02:00.007-04:00

Today, at 9:25am, Coco breathed her last breath as I stroked her side on our front porch.

I had just returned from dropping Riley off at the bus stop. Coco was under the deck so I called her up and she ran to the door, turned around and all of a sudden she lurched, fell and went into convulsions. It all happened really fast and she did not suffer.

Still, I sobbed and could barely manage to make myself understood as I told Mike over the phone. He called our neighbor to remove Coco from the porch. We will be saying our last good-byes tonight when the boys get home.

Coco was an awesome dog. She barely ever barked (only at strangers and when she was cold outside and wanted in) and she was SO friendly. All you had to do was say her name, whisper it even, and she'd come sit quietly by your side. She wasn't pushy. And she had an iron bladder. Really! 48 hours in the house proved it once when we were stuck out of town unexpectedly.

We got Coco from our local shelter 9 yrs ago. She was abused and had almost died after being hit by a car and thrown into an oncoming car. Thankfully she survived her injuries to become our dog. She could not jump (due to those injuries) and she did not play. If you threw a stick or ball she'd just look at you.

Coco was awesome. I am not a dog lover. But I LOVED Coco.

I miss her already.

Random Picture Challenge

2009-03-29T21:36:00.004-04:00

27th folder

Or December 2007

27th picture

Oh, my word.

Well, that would be Eli. Actually, Eli's mouth. And his tooth is barely hanging on. I'm sure he plucked it out right after this picture was taken.

You asked for it. You got it!

PS. Notice the sand in his nostrils and peanut butter at the corners of his mouth? This picture screams summer time! LOL

For the Family

2009-03-26T21:43:00.003-04:00

I decided that we needed a getaway. Well, actually, I really, really, REALLY need a getaway. But I'm getting one. In two weeks. But that's then. This is now!

We, the whole family, is going to Minnesota Friday and Saturday. Just because. Just because we can. Just because Samuel thought of it. And it's his birthday Saturday. And I like Samuel. Because.

So. We are going to take in an IMAX film. About the Great Lakes. Because I like water. And one about the Grand Canyon. Because I like water and great heights. And I've been to both places. Yup. Small parts of them but still.

We are going to eat out. Yum. No more eggs for me this week. Guess what? When you don't feel like cooking....eggs are an easy meal. But they get old. And if you have an aversion to them because you are pregnant with your 3rd or 4th child it just might not be the best meal.

And we just might go to a "REAL" mall. You know, the kind that has more than 3 open store fronts.

But. We gotta get there first. And that is going to be the telling. Are we still in the honeymoon phase of childrearing? Hohohohahahee. No. I coulda told ya that. But the boys will have to get along. Sitting REALLY close together for 4 hours. Mike and I might just let them run the halls and we'll lock ourselves into our room and have a honeymoon. Woo hoo.

Ok. It's late and I'm gonna go back over to PW to read more of her real-time answers. Hope she answers my burning questions. See ya there!

Random Picture Challenge

2009-03-21T17:22:00.008-04:00

3rd folder

1st picture with the color brown

My little sister Kim holding Riley. I'm not sure how old Riley is at this point but it can't be too old...maybe a month???

Mikey was so cute! Look at the little man in his suit!

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

2009-03-21T00:29:00.004-04:00

I am taking an informal poll....

How many of you have ever heard of Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

No?

Don't feel bad. Not many people are aware of it.

I first read up on it about a year ago as I stumbled upon the term when I was having labs ran on a spot on my breast. That spot turned out to be a very small cyst and it went away on its own rather quickly.

I forgot all about IBC. Until today.

Yesterday I visited my doctor because of a sore lump surrounded by a large reddish patch below one breast. He told me it was cellulitis and prescribed an antibiotic. Thanks, and I went home.

Today I started studying up on cellulitis. That's not pretty in itself. I specifically 'googled' "breast cellulitis" because most sites mentioned that it was common on the extremities (arms and legs) and was a cause for great concern if on the face. But nowhere did it mention the breast. When I started looking into "breast cellulitis" I found on one site that it mentioned that IBC was often misdiagnosed as cellulitis of the breast.

Well, that woke me up in a hurry.

I am not of the hypochondriac variety. But I dug a bit further and made up my mind that if this does not clear up in the 10 days of antibiotic treatment I will have my doctor specifically check for IBC.

It's kinda scary.

Here's some facts:
1. Rare but very aggressive. Accounts for 1-5% of all breast cancer cases in US.
2. Can occur in men and women of any age. Young to old.
3. Symptoms include redness, swelling, warmth, often lacks noticeable lump, skin may be ridged or pitted like orange peel, heaviness, burning or aching of breast, inverted nipple, discoloration, swollen lymph nodes.
4. Mammograms often miss the diagnoses because it does not look like the "typical" breast cancer lump but is more like a sheet of cancer in breast tissue.
5. 5 year survival rate of 25-50%
6. Symptoms can appear over-night.

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/inflammatory-breast-cancer/4016186461

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/sites-types/ibc

Surprisingly, the Susan G. Koman for the Cure site does not have any information on this type of cancer.

I hope by posting this will help someone survive.

PS. I would appreciate any information anyone else has on this. Thank you!

Whew, I'm finished!

2009-03-20T09:17:00.007-04:00

I finished one challenge! The Well-Seasoned Reader Challenge.

Check out my reviews here.

Zoey

2009-03-18T13:35:00.002-04:00

Zoey has been home with us for a bit over a week now.

She is a puppy.

Puppies are like babies.

Lots o' work.

Everytime I think things are going well, she changes. Her housetraining was going really good. But now when I take her out, she plays around and though I try to be patient with her, it gets old--really fast.

She is a cutie though.

Zoey, thankfully, is a very small dog so her doo is small and her puddles are small and the few accidents she's had are easy to clean. But, alas, I don't want to be cleaning up after her for months so I'm really wanting this training to take hold in her teeny-tiny brain.

Mike is the one getting up in the middle of the night with her. I told him, "I got up for all the midnight nursing and diaper changes. You can get up to take the dog out." He claims he got up for 80% of those nightly feedings and changes. I don't remember him nursing! Oh....I see. He woke up. He didn't GET up.

Well, Zoey's whining. Again.

I will take her out once before I head to the bus stop for my baby, Riley.

Later!

These were quick and easy

2009-03-13T09:27:00.004-04:00

I had to come up with a number of quick and easy cards to make Wednesday afternoon. I was feeling my creativity begin to ebb and I was short on time. So I grabbed an old Stampin' UP! catalog at random and began to search for an idea. The original had an image of a frog stamped on a white circle with white rick-rack. The background paper was darker. After I had most of it assembled I decided it looked a bit unbalanced. Maybe because my image was larger than the original. So I added the tab to the side of the color strip. Evened it out a bit.

This is my favorite.

What do you like/not like about these cards?

Kim's Baby Shower Invitations

2009-03-12T10:53:00.004-04:00

My sister, Kim, is pregnant with her third girl. She had two big baby showers for {A} and my mom, sisters-in-law, and I surprised her by driving 4 hours to give her a baby shower for {L}. This time I figured we couldn't surprise her again. She does not surprise easily--she's too keen for that. So I went ahead and told her I'd throw her a shower at her home. To make it a bit easier on her I'm going to do all the cleaning and decorate. My mom decided to get catered food for the most part and the guest list is small and intimate.

We are doing a book themed party so I wanted the invitations to reflect that. Check 'em out!

Not your typical baby shower invites but I wanted it to portray a girl and look like an old Golden Book-type cover. The image is stamped on pink card stock and embossed. Then I bleached out the image. When it was dry I water colored the image. A friend cut out the scalloped ovals using her die cutter. I used a bone folder to score along the "binding". A gold gel pen worked great to give it some detail and write the title. Gold cord was taped inside the binding and ran down the front.I already decided to make a library card for the actual invitation but also added the pocket and fabric-patterned scrapbook paper. I used three different patterns. Just because I wanted to. I like them. I think the stripe and the circles are my favorites.

I always finish off my cards with my signature, bottom center back.

Baby {B} and Mom

2009-03-12T10:37:00.004-04:00

Here's Baby {B}

He's the recipient of my long dormant creativity.

He looks just like his daddy.

And here's Mommy with the gift. She was thrilled. She always is. It makes me feel all warm inside to be able to give each mother an original gift that will last longer than any of the dozens of awesomely adorable outfits or boxes of diapers, lotions, shoes, bibs, etc.....

I like to give all that stuff, too. It just doesn't make me feel all warm inside. It just makes me say "ooh" and "ahh". And wish I could have another baby.

Okay, maybe not. Can I just have a baby shower? Without the baby?

I've been feeling Crafty!

2009-03-12T08:25:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday I had a baby shower to attend. For my close friends I always try to make something personal. Something they'll never, ever throw away.

The problem was that by Friday I still hadn't come up with an idea or gone shopping. So Friday night we ran up to WalMart and I picked out a few items in the infant section: a camoflage had and mittens set that will fit next winter, long sleeve white tees that will fit in 12 months and the most adorable monkey sleeper that will fit 3-6months.

But I still wanted to find something personal. I had about given up when we were perusing the clearance aisles. That's when I found this.

For $5.

Couldn't pass that up. Wish I would've grabbed them all!

So early Saturday I picked out four paints and got to work....

Baby {B} is a boy so I wanted to go sorta primary but picked different shades of primaries. Instead of the typical red, yellow, blue and green, I chose crimson, canary yellow, leaf green and sky blue.

It took 3 coats of paint to get a nice even finish. Sorry, I don't have a close-up of the final coat here.

I thought it was a major improvement from plain ol' white. But it still needed something so I scrounged around in my supply of Stampin' UP! rubber stamps and picked two that I thought would go: safari or bugs.

I went with the safari. Though I borrowed the ant from the bug set. I did his name free-hand in green at the bottom. I added some word stickers to the mat (a favorite of mine). But I wish-really, really, really wish-I would've painted the mat blue. I still could but, eh....that's kinda awkward to do at my friend's house. What do you think? Technically, it isn't finished in my book because I haven't signed it yet....which I'm going to do today....it's a long story. See, if I sign a painting, I'm saying that I'm done and have to be happy with it as is. It's my way of dealing with my perfectionism.

More later about my sudden burst of creativity brought on by necessity.

Serious.Life Magazine

2009-03-10T06:49:00.004-04:00

I wanted you to know about this publication I’m a part of called Serious.Life Magazine.

They just published the March issue today, and I am in their Featured Blog Directory. It’s a very high quality magazine… you’ll really like it. The magazine includes a lot of great content from bloggers you’ll appreciate, as well as great features, photos and other content. The magazine is owned and published by a family who have seven kids, three adopted and one who has Leukemia (http://www.riggsfamilyblog.com/). The magazine gives away a bunch of ads to charities and ministries. Besides great articles on interesting people, there is a lot about family, adoption, personal finance, spiritual life, humor… all sorts of “life” topics.

Again, the subscription is FREE, and I know you’ll enjoy the magazine, so take a minute to check it out and sign up to get future issues. http://www.seriouslifemagazine.com/

Need a good laugh?

2009-03-06T08:14:00.003-05:00

If you need something to laugh at, or about, today, you gotta go check out Cake Wrecks.

Never been there? Oh, you're really missing out.

Just don't blame me if you spray coffee all over your computer or wet yourself laughing hysterically.

Enjoy!

When Momma Goes to Work

2009-03-04T07:03:00.004-05:00

Reality Check.

When Momma goes to work, all hands do NOT pitch in.

That is my reality.

Before kids came into the picture, Mike and I both worked full time jobs and we both did the housework.

I am not a women's-libber. I believe it is the place for the woman to be in the house, making it a home, if it is at all possible in this day and age we live in. The woman raises the children and cooks the meals and does the laundry and all that stuff.

But I also believe that if the woman has to work outside the home, then the household chores should be split-up. Although, she is still responsible for the home overall. Even if she has slave labor-um, er, I mean children.

Mike told me that if I got a job outside the home, that he would take over some of the housework to help out. Well, lets see what he's done since I've been subbing 3-4 days a week this past month: Dishes? Nope. Laundry? Nada. Vacuum or sweep? Of course....NOT! Make the bed? Yeah, right! Tidy the house? What????

You get the picture. If fact, he has been very busy: playing Call of Duty on the XBox 360, playing myspace apps, riding 4wheeler, taking naps, talking on phone to his buddies, did I mention taking naps?

So. I'm pulling double duty right now. Working and managing the household. It's a bit rough and I'm not inviting anyone over anytime soon. And I'm not allowing any cameras inside these walls. We are not going to capture this on film for posterity. No, sirree.

I'm not dissin' my homeboy. Really! I still love him beyond words. What can I say? He's a man and he's set in his ways. He likes living with "mommy" and having his underwear picked up for him these past 12 years.

I'm just telling you why I'm not posting as often as I'd like to. I'm filling you in on the blank spots of my life.

"Mi vida loca." My crazy life. That 'bout explains it.

Win a Book

2009-03-02T21:36:00.002-05:00

If you haven't read Michelle Moran's books Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen, here's a chance to win a copy of each book along with an author interview over at Bloggin 'bout Books.

The New Toy

2009-03-02T20:47:00.003-05:00

This past Christmas we decided to get a big family gift instead of lots of little things for the boys.

So we saved up our pennies and found this beauty at Keweenaw Motor Sports. We got a sweet deal on it.

It's a 2004 Honda Rubicon with brand new tires and a 2500lb winch. We bought a county plow to throw on the front of it and Mike uses it to plow our driveway while the boys and I just cruise around the yard and up and down our road.

Come spring, we are hoping to take the boys out for jaunts through the woods.

Mike was shocked that I had never rode a 4wheeler before. He assumed that since I grew up out in the boondocks that I had my share of "wheelin'".

No sirree, Bob! Not me. Our family was too poor to have that kinda stuff.

Or something like that.

Maybe it just wasn't that important to have all the toys when I was growing up.

Yeah, a few of my neighbors had 3wheelers and would take them out in the dunes and it looked like lots of fun. Actually, I'd love to have had this baby back then. That would've been freakin' AWESOME. *ahem*

But somehow I don't think my brothers would've appreciated the "privilege" of an ATV. Walking down the frozen river and biking into town in the summer was adventure enough for their 'free-spirits'!

Shaiton's Fire and Hosea

2009-02-26T07:28:00.006-05:00

What??

Yeah, I just finished 2 books. I'm still trying to read, um....I think I have 3 others going. They are NOT fiction. One is a book about difficult children. Fun. The other is about Jesus. Interesting. But I don't devour books like that. Now, fiction on the other hand....especially if it is a really GOOD story, I can rip right through. As I did with Shaiton's Fire by Jake Thoene.

Following a vicious attack in San Francisco, the FBI's new domestic counterterrorism unit, Chapter 16, races to capture the perpetrators. Special Agent Steve Alstead faces a crisis in his family and his faith, but as he pursues the suspected terrorists, he discovers a more sinister peril that threatens the security of countless lives...and America itself.

-synopsis from Shaiton's Fire

I especially like stories that are realistic and have lots of action and suspense. This fit the bill. Plus, you throw in the fact that all the good-guys have a healthy belief in God and it's the making of a dynamic read. The bad guys are an Al-Quaeda splinter group....that should give you chills.

I finished it much too quick, but the good new is that there are two more books in the series. I'm now reading Firefly Blue. It's a slower start than Shaiton's Fire but the characters being introduced have me hooked!

This morning I finished the book of Hosea. I'm trying to read the Bible through-again. I think the first time I read the Bible completely through, I was a teenager and I'm sure I retained about 13% of what I read. I've read it COMPLETELY through at least once as an adult. My brain tends to turn to mush somewhere in the middle of Jeremiah and I get stuck. I can handle the repetition of Numbers and Chronicles. I just can't get a grasp on all the prophets. So, I figured I'd start in the prophets and see how I go from there. Daniel was pretty easy. Hosea has been interesting. Here are my favorite verses:

Hosea 6:1-3

Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Hosea 10:12

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hosea 13:9

O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.

Hosea 14:4

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

Tomorrow I dive into Joel.

Tomorrow I don't work. Perhaps I'll have a chance to catch you up on my life this past month. It's been a whirlwind!

Have a wonderful day!

100 Truths

2009-02-25T15:00:00.003-05:00

001. Real name → Samara Rae Wilson

002. Nickname(s)→ Mara, Samarii Warrior, Mar, Smear

003. Zodiac sign → =S

004. Male or female → Female

005. Elementary →Washington and Park Elementary Schools

006. Middle School → Marinette Middle School

007. High School → Marinette Senior High School

008. Hair color → Brown

009. Long or short → Long, between bottom and knees

010. Loud or Quiet → both

011. Sweats or Jeans → Jean skirts

012. Phone or Camera → camera, when I remember it

013. Health freak → trying

014. Smoke? → nope

015. Do you have a crush on someone? Yes--Robert Redford and Mel Gibson

016. Eat or Drink → Drink...I'm actually really thirsty right now but don't want to get up. Blah.

017. Piercings → Old ones in my ears but don't wear earrings anymore

018. Body piercings→ Nope

HAVE YOU EVER?
019. Been in an airplane→ Yes

020. Been in a relationship → Yes--a few. But this one is real and forever!

021. Been in a car accident → Yes--3

022. Been in a fist fight → Yes--with my siblings, but that doesn't really count. Came really close once when a friend took off with my car in high school

FIRSTS:
023. First piercing → My 6th birthday...sapphire earrings

024. First best friend? Hong Chang

025. First award → It was in elementary school. Presidential Fitness Award or something like that!

026. First crush → John Gannon

027. First Vacation → Laramie, WY

LASTS:
028. Last time you cried -- Sunday morning

029. Last person you talked to → Lynne

030. Last person you texted → Johnny on his sister's phone

031. Last person you watched a movie with → My dad --we were visiting and he had it on

032. Last food you ate → a paczki

033. Last movie you watched → Ghost Rider @ Dad's

034. Last song you listened to → Refiner's Fire

035. Last thing you bought → a coke for Mikey

036. Last person you hugged → Riley

FAVES:
037. Food → fresh veggies and fruit

038. Drinks → lemonade

039. Clothing → right now, anything that fits comfortably

040. Flower → Lilies

041. Store --- Christopher & Banks

042. Colors → Purple, yellow, orange and green

043. Movies → nada

044. Subjects → history and sciences

In 2008,I....
045. [x] kissed someone

046. [ ] celebrated Halloween

047. [ ] had your heart broken

048. [ ] went over the minutes/texts on your cell phone

049. [ ] someone questioned your sexual orientation

050. [ ] came out of the closet

051. [ ] got pregnant

052. [ ] had an abortion

053. [X] did something you've regretted

054. [ ] broke a promise

055. [X] hid a secret

056. [X] pretended to be happy

057. [ ] met someone who changed your life

058. [ ] pretended to be sick

059. [ ] left the country

060. [X] tried something you normally wouldn't try and liked it

061. [X] cried over the silliest thing

062. [ ] ran a mile

063. [x] went to the beach with your best friend(s)

064. [x] got into an argument with your friends

065. [ ] hated someone

066. [ ] stayed single the whole year

CURRENTLY:
067. Eating → Nothing

068. Drinking → Gah, still thirsty

069. I'm about to → go to get kids at bus stop

070. Listening to → refridgerator hum

071. Plans for today → get house tidied at least a little, make dinner, church

072. Waiting for → life to be normal again...probably won't ever happen

YOUR FUTURE:
073. Want kids? → got 'em, can I give 'em back? no, just kidding. I love my loonies!

074. Want to get married? → Actually yes! I want the big wedding and dress and bridesmaids and the whole thing. We had a private ceremony at a friend's home and I regret never doing the big shebang.

075. Careers in mind → nursing, dental hygiene, early childhood education....not necessarily in that order

WHICH IS BETTER WITH A BOY/GIRL
076. Lips or eyes → my hubbies lips hooked me from the start! But I also love his eyes. they laugh!

077. Shorter or taller?→ Taller--Mike is good tall. He's look funny short.

078. Romantic or spontaneous → Romantic--Mike is more spontaneous and that is fun. But I like romance.

079. Nice stomach or nice arms → Arms & hands--mike has strong hands and wonderful arms that hold me tight!

080. Sensitive or loud → sensitive--I don't like loud. Loud is bad.

081. Hook-up or relationship → relationship--don't believe in hook-ups. Never have. Never will.

082. Trouble-maker or hesitant → trouble maker--like all my boys, right???

HAVE YOU EVER:
083. Lost glasses/contacts - Yes, spent many a morning as a child looking for them and finding them usually in the hampers. *shrugs* Never lost a contact, or my glasses as an adult. But if they fall I can't find them myself, even though I know where they are. I'm blind. ;)

084. Snuck out of your house → Nope

085. Held a gun/knife for self defense → Scissors, all night.

086. Killed somebody → No. Looks can't hurt anyone.

087. Broken someone's heart → Yes, I'm sorry. Really, I am.

088. Been arrested → NO

089. Cried when someone died → Yes

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
090. Yourself → Yes. God made me and I'm special!

091. Miracles → Definitely. There are miracles happening everyday. I don't believe in coincidence

092. Love at first sight → Um, "I really like you at first sight"

093. Heaven → Yup. I'm planning on going there.

094. Santa Claus → No

095. Sex on the first date → NO--save it for marriage

096. Kiss on the first date → NO--save it for marriage

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
097. Is there one person you want to be with right now? → Yes--Mike, alone!

098. Are you seriously happy with where you are in life? → Not really. I'm stressed. But it's my own fault.

099. Do you believe in God → Yes, He is my everything!

100. Did you like this quiz -- Not really but it gave me something to post. And I'm really sorry if you don't like it either. It's kind of lame-o. But at least you heard from me and know I'm still living and breathing.

I might actually have something interesting to say one of these days when I have time to really sit down and think about something besides where I have to be in the next 1/2 hour.

Forgive me.

INSOMNIA

2009-02-17T02:16:00.003-05:00

My mom suffers from insomnia and I really could never understand it. I thought, "if you're tired, go to bed!"

Now I know, first-hand, that going to bed does not guarantee sleep.

I have to work in the morning....subbing in a Headstart classroom of 18 kids. How in the world am I gonna function?

Making matters worse is the fact that Mike is suffering from a head cold and took LOTS of Benedryl before going to bed.

Now he is sprawled over 3/4 of the bed. I can't get him to BUDGE!!! Ugh.

Ok....I'm gonna try to count sheep.

G'nite....I hope!

Valentine's Day Breakfast for all the boys I LOVE

2009-02-16T07:25:00.003-05:00

As of Friday night, I still had not decided exactly what to do for my guys for Valentine's Day. Two years ago, I got a babysitter for the boys and I made a very romantic dinner for Mike. He had no idea I had anything planned. I whisked the kids over to a friend's house just to get home a few minutes ahead of Mike and get the finishing touches on our candle light dinner of beef tenderloin and shrimp all set out on a table decked with a red tablecloth covered with a white crocheted tablecloth. It was very pretty. We finished dinner off with my homemade Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake. To. Die. For. Yum.

Then, while the kiddos where away, I wanted to play and Mike decided we'd go to Walmart! Ugh.

Last year was Mike's turn to surprise me.

He invited me out to a seafood lunch at a little diner called Joey's (not to be confused with Joey's Crab Shack--but just as good!) in downtown Houghton. That wasn't the surprise. The surprise was that he got me flowers and chocolates and had them all waiting for me at the table, ensconsed in one of the storefront windows. It was very nice!

So. Earlier this past week, I bought some candy and a small stuffed animal for each of the boys (stuffed animals at V-day and Easter seems to be a tradition).

But Saturday was still a mystery to me. The boys and I were going to a Church Dedication service in Hancock later that afternoon so it wasn't like I could do anything special for Mike. It had to be a family affair.

What do you do at 8am? Cook breakfast.

I had almost decided on oatmeal or bagels the night before. But as I rolled out of bed Saturday morning I decided a special breakfast was in store.

My husband loves crepes. Mikey loves crepes and can even cook them! So crepes it was!!

This is the recipe we use:

4 eggs

1 1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

In medium bowl, slightly beat eggs then add all other ingredients. Beat until smooth.

Heat crepe pan over med-high heat. Spray with cooking spray.

Pour 1/2 cup batter into hot pan, immediately tilting pan until batter covers bottom of pan. Cook until edges start to dry and center is set. Turn to brown other side.

We have our crepes!

Now we fill them:

3 tbsp small curd cottage cheese

3 tbsp sliced strawberries in syrup

(I thickened my syrup by heating it in microwave until boiling, then adding a tbsp cornstarch and heating again til thick)

Roll crepes, sprinkle with powdered sugar, red decorating sugar and draw a heart with chocolate syrup

Ta da!

They were an absolute hit!

PS. You can make smaller crepes by using 1/4 cup batter and putting less filling in each one. My boys are big eaters!

Taking it Easy

2009-02-11T07:23:00.003-05:00

Stolen from a stranger
Because I don't feel like doing a real post and yet I want to post something....

1. Make a list of things you can see without getting up: My painting, Swans in Gold; Riley eating breakfast, a dying poinsettia, a super-duper laser printer that I can't imagine living without (how did I survive without it for so long?); the cluttered kitchen counter .

2. Favorite football team: Green Bay Packers GO! PACK! GO!

3. What are you wearing now? a pink nightgown and pink slippers--I believe in coordinating my wardrobe! ;)

4. What color is your bedroom? a deep red to go with my nautical theme--it's awesome!

5. What’s the last thing you read/are currently reading? The Explosive Child - Ross W. Greene, Ph.D.

6. Do you nap a lot? No. I try to take a nap every Sunday. Other than that it's only when I'm thoroughly exhausted.

7. Who was the last person you hugged? Riley -- had to get my daily dose of lovin'!

8. What’s your current obsession/addiction? Pioneer Woman

9. What was the last thing you said aloud? to Riley as he ran off with MY yogurt, "Sit at the table it you're gonna eat it."

10. What web sites do you always visit when you go online? my favorite blogs (on the side bar), up.net, Facebook, and MSN.com for my daily dose of news

11. What was the last thing you bought? gas...$20 gave me 3/4 tank

12. What are you listening to right now? Riley playing Lego's, he's got an air raid going down.

13. What is something you wish you could do more? Go out with Mike without the kids. Especially to visit friends & play a game or just be alone for awhile.

14. If you could have any super power, what would it be? The power to clone whenever I have too many things to do. Just clone a few of myself and, VOILA!, delegate duties. It's all done!

15. What is your favorite weather, and why? Balmy days with a light breeze....right about 65-70*F is good.

16. What time do you usually get up? Weekdays I get up at 6:00 or a bit before so I can get the kids out to the car by 6:40. Saturdays I TRY to sleep in, about 8:30-ish, but it depends on the kids. Sundays, I have to be up and ready for church so I get up between 6:30-7:00 so I can get totally prepared before the kids get up. Unless I still have stuff to prepare for Sunday School, then it's 5-ish. Ick!

17. What is your most challenging goal right now? It's a toss up: Being patient with my family now that I'm working more hours and nothing gets done at home OR losing weight. Depends on the day.

18. Say something to the person who tagged you: ummm....nobody tagged me. I stole this thing, remember? But I'll say "Hi, I love your blog!" to Angela anyway. =)

19. If you could have a house–totally paid for, fully furnished–anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? I'd still want to be in the UP, but instead of being in the middle of the woods with a horrible well, and a gravel quarry behind my property, I'd want to be right on the water (Lake Superior & Lake Michigamme are good). But I'd also need like 120 acres to surround me.

20. Favorite vacation spot? So far, Hawaii has to be my favorite. I loved it and want to go back but take my husband and kids next time.

21. What is your favorite children’s book? Bear Wants More and Bear Snores On I love the rhyming story and the illustrations are so adorable! I haven't read the others, YET!

22. Name one thing you just can’t resist no matter how bad it is for you: McDonald's Chicken Selects dipped in Ranch and Buffalo sauce and a large Mocha. Yum-O!

23. If you could meet anyone famous - dead or alive - who would it be? I have no idea......um, maybe Martin Luther King, Jr. Or maybe Anastasia Nikolaevna and her family.

24. Have you ever met anyone famous? If so who? Yup, I met Davy Jones and Sally Struthers when I went to a play in Chicago during my Senior year of high school. It was cool to meet them but the play, a modernistic version of Grease, was lame.

25. If you could have any job in the world , what would it be? I want to be a stay-at-home mom that doesn't feel like she needs to work to make ends meet.

If any of you are in the mood for a super easy don't-have-to-think-about-it post, feel free to follow my example and steal this from me.

Mouse Tales

2009-02-04T21:00:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! I haven't forgotten about you. This has just been a very, very, very busy week. It has left me run down, cold and exhausted. Tonight I feel really icky. I don't even know how to explain it. Just icky.

But...I have a great story to tell. This happened Sunday night. I wanted to post it first thing Monday morning but I'm trying to get my priorities straightened out now before I go adding bigger responsibilities like school into the picture. Plus the boys had a 2 hour delay so there was no blogging for me.

Sunday night I was all tucked in, ready to doze off and Mike went out to the kitchen for a glass of Crystal Light. All of a sudden he calls me to come see something.

Oh, I did not want to get out of that bed. I asked him if it could wait and he was adamant that I come out there right then and see it. So, being the ever obedient wife *cough*, I did.

I heard scratching coming from under the kitchen cupboard where we keep the paper garbage.

I'm no dummy and I knew immediately what it meant...a MOUSE! Oiy!

So I instructed my husband, in a very terse, no-nonsense, manner to get it out of the house. So he grabs the bag, rolls the top of it and shakes it like there's no tomorrow.

Now, not to brag on myself or anything, but I am THE Mouse Warrior in this household. I take it very personally when a mouse intrudes on my domain. I once clobbered a mouse with a chunk of 2X4. Another time I took out a rude mouse staring at me in the bathroom with a package of Scott Toilet Tissue. Then there was the time I trapped a mouse behind the microwave with sticky traps on either side and used a fly swatter to herd him into one of them.

Anyway, I tell Mike to flatten the mostly-empty bag and lay it on the floor. I'm gonna do Mickey in with the broom this time. No fooling around.

Instead, Mike puts the AIR-TIGHT, rolled, paper bag on the floor and proceeds to........

JUMP ON IT!

It burst. You knew that was coming right?

Well, it's after 11pm and the kids are sleeping but that didn't stop me from letting out a blood-curdling scream as the big, fat mouse flew out of that hole, propelled by the force of the trapped air, into the middle of the kitchen floor. At that point there was no getting at him without also smacking Mike, but maybe I should've done it anyway. He definitely deserved it after that huge, yes, HUGE, mouse ran off into the dark corners of the house.

I had nightmares of mice. Reepicheep mean anything to you?

I've got issues

2009-01-31T12:57:00.002-05:00

Ok. Anyone else having this problem, because it is making me irate.

There are like 3 or 4 of my favorite blogs that will not come up. Only the headers and sometimes the sidebars but never the posts. Now my other blog, Picking up the Pace, is doing it too. Is it just me or what??? er.

So anyway. I'm gonna switch my 101 in 1001 over to here tomorrow....the official starting day. I've been really pumped for it. But in case you are really wondering what I'm talking about, go over here, and if you can get in, peruse my goals and laugh it up. Cuz I'm really, really, gonna try all that! Yup. But it you can't see my posts this is not gonna help you. So you'll just have to wait til I repost all those dadgum goals.

I've already been on here too long already today and I'm gonna go clean my house. Gonna put on some tunes and do a SUPER CLEAN. {cleaning-really-fast-and-getting-lots-done-before-I-get-bored-sort-of-thing}

Wish me luck! Or pray. Thanks!

Now I know why

2009-01-30T10:28:00.004-05:00

I picked up a realtors catalog not too long ago and it's been floating about the house ever since. We love to look at what's on the market in our area and dream about the homes we would buy if we ever won the lottery that we don't play.

There are some of those houses that just knock our socks off. We really dig the ones that have 4 or more bedrooms. Separate the kiddos and we'd have loads of peace around here. But what we don't understand is when there are all these bedrooms and only one bathroom. Now granted, when I was growing up, we had 7 people living in a 3-bedroom home with one bathroom and we worked around that quite well, even having 3 girls. And then, this boggled me even more....the homes that have, like, 2 or 3 bedrooms and 5, yes, that's FIVE, bathrooms. Whatever for????

Well, I learned why. Between last night and this morning.

Last night we got home from doing some shopping and taking the boys to Long John Silver's. The first thing the boys do is head for the bathrooms. We have two. Bathrooms. And 4 boys. So Samuel got in there. All fine and good, heads off to bed. Eli's next and he's gonna be awhile. Michael asks to use our bathroom. I told him only if he's gonna be quick. He assures me he will be quick. Half an hour later I was crossing my legs and getting mad! He finally saunters out. I was not happy.

Ok. I could justify 2 1/2 baths. But five? That's just a bit nuts.

Then Riley called to me this morning for some assistance in the bathroom. This is what I found:

We are all readers. Now I know why there are 5 bathrooms in some homes. Oiy!

We are Getting a Puppy!

2009-01-30T09:42:00.005-05:00

This is #3 for me today. Posts that is, not puppies. I'm playing catch-up. And if my bladder and my frozen toesies can hold out I may add 2 more. Bonus! It's your lucky day!

Anyway. We have picked out a puppy from a litter born this past Saturday. We had asked for one out of Smidget's last litter but family had first dibs. That was okay. I would not have wanted to train a dog through this winter. Oiy!

3/4 Chihauhau, 1/4 poodle...she is tiny!

Here she is!

We haven't named her yet. Here are the names that we've come up with or others have suggested: Daisy, Hailey, Chi-chi, Chili, Bovine, Heifer, Precious. My idea was Daisy and Mike's was Hailey. We automatically threw out the Chi-chi and Chili (typical names for chihauhaus but we don't like typical and the coloring is all wrong for those names). The "cow" names came up because Mike didn't like my suggestion of Daisy. He said it sounded too much like a cow and we should just name her Heifer and I suggested Bovine. Or maybe we should go with Bovinia...feminize it! No?

Handwriting Challenge

2009-01-30T09:27:00.003-05:00

Ok....I want to start off by saying that the way I write BIG is different than when I write normally. I'm usually neater, by far. Unless I'm in this huge-o hurry. Then it's completely atrocious and I wouldn't let you see it anyway. =P And if I'm writing out cards or a letter to a special friend my writing is all loopy and flourishy (that's not a real word but you know what I mean).

Want to know what this all about? Head over to Angela's blog and she'll clue you in!

~ My Husband Rocks! ~ The Moment I Knew...

2009-01-30T08:39:00.005-05:00

Prompt/Theme for Friday, January 30, 2009

.....the moment or the circumstances that led to you knowing that you were going to marry the man who became your husband....

As I've mentioned before, Mike and I would drive around after work in the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes we would go to a truck stop diner and have a cheap breakfast or go fishing or just burn up miles of asphalt and talk. Most of the time my brother Jason was with us.

It didn't take long before Mike knew I had a huge crush on him. I really didn't ever think anything would come of it; I was just having fun. But the longer we worked together and the more time we spent together, the more I liked Mike and really wanted our relationship to go farther than just work acquaintances or friends.

I remember sitting in the parking lot one morning as he was dropping me off at my car and I was looking at his profile and thinking how he was becoming more to me. He was my confidant and I could really tell him EVERYTHING. It was just a week or so later that we were driving down Riverside and we were talking about how we wanted our homes decorated, the number of kids we wanted, how we would raise those kids and where we wanted to live. The conversation started with us talking about our individual lives and as we talked we were soon incorporating each other's ideas into what we wanted and what we "would do". That is when I thought in my mind that he wanted to move forward in a serious relationship and that we were on the same page with values and dreams for our futures. I KNEW he was the one I wanted and somehow, despite the circumstances we were in, we would end up together.

Happy Birthday, Eli!

2009-01-24T11:20:00.011-05:00

I can not believe it's been 10 years since Eli was laid in my arms and I fell in love with his eyes and his headful of hair and shortly thereafter, his cheeky smile.

Alas, time moves swiftly on and we have no recourse but to chronicle the years in pictures and words that may or may not make sense to us or them years from now.

Anyway. We had fun last night.

Trick candles. I took him awhile and there was lots of smoke.

Eli proclaimed his fishing pole from {G} his favorite gift.

PS> Eli is a year older than his friends. Don't tell him I told you. He's short. Very.

Eli has actually begged to go to WalMart since {M} got him a gift card.

Eli hates WalMart!

Eli thanks {M} for his new snowball maker. He is already planning his sweet revenge on his brother, Michael.

How many boys does it take to fly a plane?

The boys try to figure this out and can't get the plane to fly. Dad tries to do it and gashes his hand in the process. Then Mom says "Are there directions?" Ahhh! The red thing goes on the front of the 'gun' and it works wonderfully. Gee, directions are pretty handy.

Happy 10th Birthday, Eli!

Thank you, fellow moms

2009-01-23T22:01:00.002-05:00

Thank you all for your advice. I know it's not easy to help another parent as all children are different and some things work for one and not another.

Fortunately, Eli did shape up and was able to have his party tonight. Luckily for us, only 3 of the 5 invited were able to make it and only 1 was able to spend the night. whew! Seven boys under the age of 12 in one small home is quite a riot.

I still don't know what got into him this week. There are times when you know your kid is acting out to show off or because they are tired. Oddly enough, Eli was the first up each morning this week (definitely not the norm)so we didn't think him being tired was the issue. I'm sure I'll never know what it was (though it bled over into his school behavior as well).

Now, if only we could get through to Michael. He's grounded into the middle of February. Aye, carumba!

PS. My plans for tomorrow: making caramel sweet rolls, reading more Anna Karenina, and posting pics from Eli's party. Sweet!

What to do? What to do?

2009-01-22T07:36:00.004-05:00

I love my children. I want what is best for them. I hope they will realize this truth someday. Someday soon.

We have a birthday sleepover planned for tomorrow night in honor of Eli's 10th birthday. He has invited 5 boys over and I'm sure they plan to monopolize the XBox 360 all night - much to the consternation of Eli's brothers.

But now we have a problem. Eli. Yes, Eli is the problem. He has had the most durned-awful attitude the last two days and I am at my wit's end with him. He has been treating his brothers so badly, arguing with Mike and myself and he gives me the goofy grin that says, "Oh, I know I'm in trouble but I'm gonna make it worth my while!" Do you know the look? Er. That look pushes me to the edge, let me clue you in.

So, what to do? Can I, and should I, wait until the last moment (tomorrow morning) to give him a chance to shape up or call the party off? What would you do? We want Eli to take us seriously and that just isn't happening. Oiy!

PS. I realize that I have neglected to introduce you to E and Sam. And I will be doing that soon. They are both integral parts of our family. But they are both in the middle and tend to be lost there sometimes. So, pardon! I will get to it. Sometime.

Teaser Tuesday

2009-01-20T08:37:00.005-05:00

Teaser Tuesday
Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should be Reading:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

I actually just finished Vampire in Moscow by Richard Henrick this morning. Here's a teaser for you....

Dressed in white coveralls, this individual spun to face them and let out a deafening, mournful howl that was unlike anything Yuri had ever heard. Yuri dropped his cigarette as his jaw opened in astonishment.

The Well Seasoned Reader Challenge

2009-01-11T16:36:00.008-05:00

I picked up this challenge over at Book Nut. I think this will be the last challenge I sign up for until this one is over. I have a few going and I want to be able to keep up with them. But this sounds good and it will definitely get me into some new books.

Here's how it works:

Rule #1: The challenge runs from January 1 to March 31. (No cheating and starting before!)Rule

#2: You must read three books. After that, it's up to you how much you want to read.

Rule #3: The books must:
have a food name in the title

be about cooking/eating

have a place name in the title

be about one (or more) person's travel experience

ORbe about a specific cultureOR

be by an author whose ethnicity is other than your own (see, I squeezed it in!)

I'll leave it up to you to choose how the three books you read fit the criteria.

Rule #4: They must be middle-grade on up, but can be either fiction or non-fiction.

The purpose, this winter, is to take yourself someplace out of the ordinary, to go on a literary trip, whether that be challenging your expectations, discovering a new place, or enjoying the experience of reading about good food, places, and people.

So, I will add my reviews here as I finish my 3 books. Stay tuned!

My first book to fall into this challenge-I say fall because I was already reading it when I stumbled upon this challenge last week-is A Father's Law by Richard Wright. This falls under an author of an ethnicity other than my own category. Mr. Wright was an African American writer that made his way into the world of writing through Communist groups in Chicago in the 1920's. Mr. Wright's last novel, A Father's Law, is an unfinished work. I wasn't too sure if I'd even read through to the "end" when I was a chapter into the book. It was a bit on the dry, psychological side. But as Mr. Wright builds up the characters of Ruddy (the father) and Tommy (his son) it kind of grips you. The story is about a father that is promoted as police chief into an area with 5 unsolved murders and for reasons unexplained, besides misunderstanding, he suspects his son is involved somehow. As the story progresses, the reader can't help but side with the Ruddy and than Tommy alternately, and almost believe Tommy's guilt right along with Ruddy. Mr. Wright died before he finished the book but his family believed it was his best work yet so published it "as-is". I won't ruin the last page for anyone but let me just say this....You'll be wishing he'd survived to finish it. A Father's Law is one of the best "chance picks" I've ever read. *****
Vampire in Moscow begins in ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Nero. There the author sets the tone for what becomes a very interesting read. Quickly we catch up to a more modern era of post-war Russia and Richard Henrick entertwines the lives of 6 main characters. What I liked most about his book is that he really goes into details of each of the victims' lives. They aren't just a name or body discovered. You know why they are where they are and you know they are the expendable characters but after you've had a glimpse into their lives you want them to survive. There are some weaknesses in the plot that could have used some shoring up, just as there are a few characters that need to be fleshed out a little more. Overall, I was pleased with this read-especially since I went into it thinking it would be a cheap-o novel. Also, except for a couple paragraphs of slight allusions to sex, it is a very clean book with no profanity. Mr. Henrick also does a good job of describing the godless society communist Russia propagated. I do recommend it for anyone that likes historical fiction with a penchant for the darker side of fantasy, but it's not for everyone. ***

Woo Hoo!

This is #3 for me. A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam is fits the challenge as the author is a different ethnicity than my own and the book is about a specific culture other than my own. It also mentions ethnic food, a lot. Does that count? A Golden Age is set in 1971 East Pakistan during the Bangladesh War of Independance. It is a masterful telling of a family affected in all aspects by the war. It is poetic and suspenseful. There were times I could not put it down because I just had to know what was going to happen.

I came upon this book by accident. I was at our local Target and was actually looking to buy a totally different book--The Love Dare. Then I remembered that I needed to get this challenge wrapped up very quickly. I turned around, saw this book on the shelf, read the synopsis and bought it instead. For a chance find, it is a great read.

Rehana Haque, a young widow, blissfully prepared for the party she will host for her son and daughter. But this is 1971 in East Pakistan, and change is in the air.

Set against teh backdrop of the Bangladesh War of Independance, A Golden Age is a story of passion and revolution; of hope, faith, and unexpected heroism in the midst of chaos--and of one woman's heartbreaking struggle to keep her family safe. From A Golden Age

I found myself inspired by the character, Rehana. The edition I purchased included an interview with Tahmima Anam. I was awed by the account of her maternal grandmother's tale of life during the war, on which A Golden Age is based. The story is at once believable but also fairytale-like in it's ending. It took me by surprise to learn it was based on fact.

I have to say this was my favorite read during this challenge. I enjoyed all the books I read but this one really took me away, beyond the borders of what I know and understand about the world and opened my curiousity towards a custom and way of life I had never regarded closely before.

My Husband Rocks

2009-01-09T10:16:00.004-05:00

1. Where did you meet?

Mike and I met at my brother's house briefly. He came over to check Jason's stove before heading to work at Burger King where my brother also worked. Jason was bringing me in for an interview. Mike interviewed me and hired me that night. He still remembers what I wore to that interview. Though his he remembers my skirt being a bit shorter than it actually was!

2. How long did you date before you were married?

We dated 5 months before he proposed and we were married 11 months later.

3. What does he do that surprises you?

The thing that surprises me the most about Mike is his connection with little girls. We only have boys but our nieces and friends' girls are always drawn to him. He always has room on his lap for one of them when they visit. He always says that if he had had a girl he would have been the one to spoil her.

4. What is your favorite quality of his?

My favorite quality of Mike's is his humor and his laugh. He giggles. I love to make him giggle. He can be violent when tickled but I'll brave the thrashing feet, knees and elbows just to hear him giggle. He can say the darnedest things to make me laugh (and blush).

5. What is your favorite feature of his?

Picking a favorite feature is really hard. I love to look at his face. I always have. He's got a great nose and I LOVE his lips. But I think if I really have to pick a favorite then I'd have to say his hands. They are great for holding of course and they are strong. But he could stop biting his nails. Heehee.

6. Does he have a nickname for you?

He used to call me Thumper when we were dating but I don't really know that he has a regular nickname for me anymore. There are names he calls me to get a rise out of me. But I'm not sharing those at this time.

7. What is his favorite food?

Mike loves a good beef tenderloin. He also loves peanut butter, a lot!

8. What is his favorite sport?

Mike's favorite sport is NFL football and thankfully he's a Green Bay Packer fan. He wouldn't get along well with his in-laws otherwise.

9. When and where was your first kiss?

Our first kiss was on July 3rd or maybe it was the 4th. It was the wee hours of the morning after working a closing shift at Burger King and Jason, Mike and I always drove around a bit before heading home to go our separate ways. That night, Jason wasn't with us but we drove down to the lighthouse and we were sitting on the rocks listening to the waves. The air was balmy and I looked up at him and he leaned over and kissed me. Then it began to rain. I love this memory.

10. What do you like to do together?

We like to take drives around the area to find where different roads will lead us. We also like to spend the quiet hours after the kids go to bed just being together, not necessarily doing anything together but being in the same room. We also love to play games. Mike is so competitive!

11. Do you have any children?

Mike has a 17 yo son from his first marriage. We have 4 boys together, 12, 10, 8 (ages are rounded up as their birthdays are coming up) and 4 yo. They are a joy and a source of all our gray hairs!

12. Does he have a hidden talent?

Mike has a talent that should stay hidden! He can sing just like the singers from the "hair" bands of the eighties. Oh, it is so irritating! But it also makes me laugh. Otherwise, he has a great singing voice. Another talent not everyone knows about him is that he can fix almost-I did say almost-anything. He is a self-taught fix-it man that will learn through trial, error and experience. He used to do most of the maintenance at the BK he worked at and does most of our vehicle repairs himself.

13. Who said "I love you" first?

I am pretty sure it was me. I'm 6 years younger than Mike and he was 24 when we started dating. I probably said "I love you" before I even knew I was in love!

14. What is his favorite type of music?

Mike likes rock, hard rock, rap, punk and some that I don't even know the genre of. His favorite is Pink Floyd. We don't share the same tastes in music.

15. What do you admire most about him?

The thing I admire most about Mike is his care for our family. He works hard to provide for us. I grew up in a home where my mom supported the family while going to college as my dad could not keep a steady job. So the stability that Mike supplies for our family is tremendous for me. I am able to stay at home with the kids. Now Mike is also going to school to get a nursing degree. He thinks ahead and is always trying to better himself and make sure we are ready for the future.

16. Do you think he will read this?

Mike only reads my posts if I ask him to. This is one he needs to read.

Chunkster Challenge

2009-01-08T07:12:00.004-05:00

I did it again. I entered yet another challenge. See, I just know I can do it. If I'm gonna read books, and you know I am, I might as well challenge myself. So I joined the Chunkster Challenge. I already have my first chunky book too! I started Don Quixote back in October and just couldn't get into it so I guess I'll give Cervantes another go. As far as a second book, the title remains to be known. I'll have to do some scouting in my local library. Any way, here's the guidelines if you should want to get on board for this challenge.

*The Chubby Chunkster - this option is for the reader who has a large tome or two to read, but really doesn't want to commit to more than that. 2 books is all you need to finish this challenge.

*Don Quixote - Cervantes
* Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

Check It Out!

2008-12-30T10:32:00.002-05:00

Come on over to my newest blog Pick up the Pace: Lifestyle 2009 to find out what my goals are for 2009. I'll be starting daily logs for exercise and eating habits starting January 1. Well, probably on the 2nd since I'll be at my in-laws on the 1st. I'm gonna try to get my BFF to come over and add her wisdom occasionally. Gonna do some old fashioned research as well. So if you need some tips and tricks you may find them here, as well as a links to other fitness, nutrition and wellness blogs. Hope this new blog helps you AND me! Happy New Year to y'all!

Christmas Program

2008-12-28T09:48:00.007-05:00

Our Christmas program came off as a success. The little kids stole the spot light and it was commented that we had the richest looking wise men in history. I'm not quite sure about that but the robes I found at St. Vinnies did work wonderfully!

My boys made very handsome wisemen.

Joey was adorable. They all did very well. They only had to walk through the song "We Three Kings" as it was sung by Joey's Umma, Mom and Uncle Ian. The complication was that they had to walk from different sides of the sanctuary, meet in the middle and walk very slowly to the back, together. That went without a hitch.

Natalie was tucked away in the stable, patiently awaiting the arrival of the wisemen. She was so nervous about dropping the baby. She started to cry when we went to get ready but all was well; she safely held onto the baby until it was time to leave it on the chair.

The wisemen worship the newborn savior and present their gifts to Him.

Then we got all modern-like and sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas....and we even used instruments. Well, I sang and they used instruments.

What's On Your Nightstand?

2008-12-23T16:52:00.005-05:00

What's On Your Nightstand is a monthly meme on the fourth Tuesday of every month.

This month I've completed my Anything Agatha Challenge.

Three Blind Mice

The Moving Finger

Pocket Full of Rye

Evil Under the Sun

The Body in the Library

Curtain

I also checked out a book from the Finlandia University Library when I picked up some books for Riley:

The Journal of William Thomas Emerson - Barry Denenberg

I've also read to my children all the stories of Christ's birth that I could get my hands on.

Come and See, A Christmas Story - Monica Mayper

The Light of the World - Katherine Paterson

The Birth of Jesus and other Bible Stories - P3 Publishing

Christmas in the Stable - Astrid Lindgren and Harald Wiberg

The First Night - B. G. Hennessey

Donkey Daniel in Bethlehem - Janice Kramer

The Legend of the Christmas Rose - William H. Hooks

Busy, Busy Innkeeper - Katrina Cassell

I have a whole pile of books next to my bed awaiting my attention. I may finish 2 or 3 more before the end of the month but I'm trying to wait for January and the beginning of the 100+ Reading Challenge for 2009.

Playing with Pictures

2008-12-19T13:30:00.006-05:00

I was playing with Picasa and touched up this picture. What do you think? I just downloaded the program to fix a picture of my boys and then got to playing so I this is still new to me but I think I like it. Really like it.

Kinda boring.

Dark.

See how the horizon line is almost dead center....guess that's a no-no.

But, I was taking these pictures on the fly. So to speak.

I cropped it to put the horizon just north of the middle.

Then I brightened and "warmified" it.

I also put a soft focus on it, making the barn stand out as the focal point.

I like it.

What's your opinion?

Living in Thanksgiving

2008-12-18T07:48:00.003-05:00

At first I wasn't going to participate in this today. But then I remembered the horrible dream I had last night.

I woke from a deep sleep at 3:54am just overwhelmed with grief. Usually I can just pray awhile and then go back to sleep but my dream had disturbed me so much that I had to get up. I did keep myself from going into the boys' room to make sure all was well but oh, what a dream!

I dreamt that my kids and I were walking along a bridge from my home town and it was under construction. There were huge gaps in the concrete and wierd scaffolding along the sides without rails. Eli fell from the bridge but was okay. He'd meet me on the other side. But then Samuel began to jump from ledge to ledge around the holes. He then jumped unto the scaffolding and I begged him to come back, carefully. Instead, with this huge cheeky grin that usually means he's going to do something that will test my patience, he jumped right off into the air. He was not okay. But in my dream I waited until the next day to call 911. As I recounted to my husband, in the dream, what Samuel had done, I recalled the huge cheeky grin and began to sob in anguish at the thought of never seeing it again.

That's when I woke up.

So, today, I am VERY, VERY thankful for my children and God's protective and merciful hand on us.

I'm also thankful for the huge cheeky grin though it exasperates me so on some occasions.

I'm thankful that when I can't protect my children, God can and does.

I'm also thankful that I can trust God in every situation, good and bad.

What's in a Name 2 Reading Challenge

2008-12-13T15:15:00.005-05:00

Hi all! I'm excited about the What's in a Name 2 Challenge. I did not participate in the first one this past year but since I'm also doing a 100+ reading challenge I figure I should be able to fit in books that fit these requirements somewhere along the line.

Thanks to Annie for hosting this interesting challenge.

*This is a challenge that anyone can join, no matter what types of books they like to read. You should be able to find books from any genre that will work.

*Dates: January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009

*The Challenge: Choose one book from each of the following categories.

1. A book with a "profession" in its title. Examples might include: The Book Thief, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Historian

2. A book with a "time of day" in its title. Examples might include: Twilight, Four Past Midnight, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

3. A book with a "relative" in its title. Examples might include: Eight Cousins, My Father's Dragon, The Daughter of Time

4. A book with a "body part" in its title. Examples might include: The Bluest Eye, Bag of Bones, The Heart of Darkness

5. A book with a "building" in its title. Examples might include: Uncle Tom's Cabin, Little House on the Prairie, The Looming Tower

6. A book with a "medical condition" in its title. Examples might include: Insomnia, Coma, The Plague

*You may overlap books with other challenges, but please don't use the same book for more than one category.

*Again, there will be some small prizes scattered throughout. No set schedule, so just be sure to check in once a while. There will also be a prize awarded at the conclusion to one participant who completes the challenge.

Here's my list:

#1. More Than a Carpenter - Josh McDowell

#3. A Father's Law - Richard Wright

#5. The Shack - William P. Young

Day 12 - Blog Advent Tour

2008-12-11T23:55:00.004-05:00

Day 12. Already? Wow. This month is just flying past and I'm running hard to keep up. I have really enjoyed reading about the ways you all celebrate Christmas and the old and new traditions involved in those celebrations.

But it seems that time is getting away from me this year and I'm already into the thick of my oldest Christmas tradition: trying to get homemade cards and newsletters out BEFORE Christmas. I'm doing really well this year. I have the pictures but other than that, nothing. Hahaha. *eye twitches, choke--really* What am I going to do???

Actually, to be quite honest, I have it SO very easy. First of all, my decorating is the bare minimun. I hang lights and pine garland around the livingroom and usually the kids homemade ornaments hang from suction cups on the windows. That's about it. We don't do a tree for various reasons. The first of which is we don't want one. Yes, they are pretty and all that but the mess isn't worth the hassle when we are hardly ever home for the holidays. I think we have woke up on Christmas morning, in our own bed maybe twice in our 14 year relationship.

Our Christmas traditions are quite simple. I love that we go to my in-laws for Christmas eve. I hate to miss it. We used to go with them to Mike's great gr'ma's house for snacks and the aunts and uncles exchanged gifts then. After she went to the nursing home, we brought our Christmas eve celebration there. It was still a lot of fun. Our kids even enjoyed it. Mike didn't really care for it as he has a decided dislike for nursing homes. After she passed away we just stayed at my in-laws since my MIL is the oldest in her family. Now the aunts, uncles, and cousins in the area all go there and it's a blast.

My favorite uncle (Gene!) always has a great big bear hug for me and it's just fun to sit around and shoot the breeze. After the crowd leaves, Mike and I exchange gifts with his parents. Christmas morning is all about the kids.

I am also a Sunday School teacher so I get the honor of putting together a presentation each year with my class of 3-8 year olds.

It has always been a challenge but even more so this year since our numbers are down to 2-4yr olds, an 8 yr old and a 3 yr old. In past years they have dressed as the "Friendly Beasts", the principal characters involved in the birth of Jesus, and of course angels.

This year I will have 3 kings and Mary. That fits my 3 boy/1 girl ratio quite well. Since most can't or won't recite anything, they just walk through a song. It's quite a hit with the parents and older folks.

The new tradition that I'm trying to implement this year is a advent type thing. I wanted to do something that would definitely put the emphasis on Jesus' birth. I found coloring pages of the Christmas story online, one for each day of Dec up to to Christmas. Each day one of the boys get to color the picture and read the scripture to us. Then we pick a Christmas story book from our vast collection to share that night. We've read The Christmas Rose by William H. Hooks, Come and See by Monica Mayper, Donkey Daniel in Bethlehem by Janice Kramer, The Light of the World by Katherine Paterson, The Story of Baby Jesus- Alice in Bibleland by Alice Joyce Davidson, and The First Night by BG Hennessy just to name a few. I really didn't know how the boys would like it. Mikey and Eli especially seem to be growing out of this sort of thing...stories and coloring pages. But actually, they look forward to it. And we are going to make the coloring pages into a book that we can read next year. Perhaps next year the boys can draw their own pictures to go along with the scripture for the day.

Well, I have Christmas concerts today plus 2 different Christmas parties to attend tonight so I'd better get some much needed sleep. Merry Christmas to you all!

Chocolate-Cranberry-Walnut Oat Cookies

2008-12-11T17:12:00.003-05:00

These cookies are the bomb!

I got this great cook book last winter that has over 500 5-ingredient desserts. I like oatmeal cookies but not particularly Raisin Oatmeal Cookies. So in this book was a recipe for Cranberry Oatmeal cookies. Great! I love cranberries!

I need to triple the recipe but I didn't have enough cranberries so decided to throw in some nuts and chips.

Here you go....try 'em. They are really good!

3 cups butter, softened
3 cups packed brown sugar
6 eggs
6 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups oats
1 cup cranberries
1 cup semi sweet chips
1 cup walnut pieces

Preheat over 350*F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

Mix butter and sugar til light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in flour and salt til thoroughly incorporated. Add oats, cranberries, chips and nuts. Mix and drop by tablespoonfuls unto cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly browned and set but still soft. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 9 dozen

Nasty Things! Blech!

2008-12-11T17:04:00.003-05:00

I volunteered to make some cookies for the CTS cookie sale going on Saturday the 13th. The other day I made 9 dozen Chocolate-Cranberry-Walnut-Oat cookies. They were scrumptious!

Today I decided to make another new recipe. Lemonade Cookies. First off, I thought the batter was pretty good. I love lemonade and tart things so it hit the spot for me. But as I was putting the second pan of cookies into the oven I noticed the first pan was already burning and they still had almost 8 minutes to go. So I took them out and turned the temp down a bit. Also, the cookies did the not spread the way I pictured they would. So I used a glass dipped in sugar to flatten them. Not so bad. They were coming out better. But then I tasted them.

Let's just say they are not a favorite. I took the rest of the dough, pressed it in a pan and made bars. I just couldn't put that much time into a cookie that I didn't like.

So after dinner is all cleaned up tonight I'm gonna make another 9 dozen of my DDWO cookies.

PS. Don't dbl or triple a recipe you've never tried before. What a waste! Ugh.

High School Christmas Concert

2008-12-11T09:48:00.006-05:00

One of my most favorite things to do this time of year is to go to the local school concert(s). Last week I went to our district's band and choir concert. It was so-so. The band is small and the kids did a fine job. The choir was excellent. It is made up of 7 or 8 girls that did a fantastic job of singing all the traditional Christmas songs...no Rudolph or Jolly Old St. Nicholas. You know, O Holy Night and the like, the ones that require some real talent. They did it and I was so very pleased to be there to hear it.

Last night was the High School Band Concert for my sons' school. In past years they have had the elementary and high school bands play on the same night with the elementary choral concert during the day. This year, because of all the changes, they had the high school play last night and the elementary band and choral concerts will be during the day on Friday. So, really I wouldn't have bothered doing an extra trip to school in this blasted weather but for one reason....

Michael debuted with the high school band last night. What's that all about? He's not in high school. He is only in 6th grade but he was invited to practice with the high school band this year to challenge him and keep him interested. But it was with the understanding that he would not be performing with them. That all changed 2 weeks ago when the director, Mr. G., called and asked Michael to perform with them on the last number, Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow.

When we arrived he went off to get his instrument and we found front row seats with a clear view of his chair. He came in and sat with the band. I was surprised as Mr. G. had said he'd be called up for the last number. Well, that song finally came and Mr. G. started off by explaining how Michael had been practicing with them and had asked to sit with the band for the whole concert. How cool! Mike, not being able to come, asked if it was odd to see him sitting there not playing all that time. Not at all. It seemed right somehow.

I really want to put the video up here for your enjoyment but I've had nothing but problems all day with this computer. So check back later. I may get it up here yet.

The whole band, all 24 members, worked really hard and had lots of fun and pulled off a great show! The other thing is they played the most difficult arrangement of Greensleeves and did a spectacular job! The students pick the music they want to play for the most part and this group has never shied away from challenges. I'm so proud to be a parent of a CHS band member!

Patience is a Virtue....I'm missing

2008-12-10T13:44:00.003-05:00

I have been waiting all day for that darned sequel from Pioneer Woman! I must confess, I've been bitten by that competitive bug and I want to be in the top 10 comments on her page. Ugh. I can't believe this has happened. Me....the one with NO addictions. Ok, not many, anyway.

Gotta go check!

6 Below, $1.40 and 9 Dozen

2008-12-10T08:27:00.004-05:00

Here's a recap of my week thus far...

Monday:

Riley woke with growing pains. Mike forgot to apply the Bengay. Negative point for dad. Me, driving to the bus in -6*F weather only to turn around and come back for the Bengay. Point for me cuz I'm a 'good' mom!

Jack Pot at the local Vinny's...14 books, 6 of which are Agatha Christie's. Total: $1.40 plus tax. Cha-ching. I think that deserves, like, 5 points!

I got home in time to whip out 9 dozen Chocolate-Cranberry-Walnut-Oat Cookies. Point for me--I did it ahead of time...no procrastinating! Because of the cookies I left late to get the boys from the after-school program which caused me to be late to my parent meeting. Ugh. What a day! Minus 2 points, mom.

Tuesday:

Got the boys off to school without a hitch. Point for mom! Left an hour late for Marquette due to a blistering headache and an upset tummy. Minus a point for mom. Boo.

Roads were fine. Took mother-in-love shopping and found a Christmas gift for my Secret Sister. Point, mom! MIL took me out to lunch at Coco's. Awesome place. Go try it out!

Didn't leave there until 4pm because of the laundry. Minus one point, mom. I can't wash our whites at home because of the iron in our water....I've tried all the fixes....they don't work for us. So, by the time I left it was snowing and blowing and my windshield washer didn't work. It was frozen. So I was blinded most of way through Marquette, Negaunee and Ishpeming. It was ok the rest of the way and I made good time. Point!

Mike had dinner waiting for me when I got home. Point for dad--ok...I'll give him a few cuz he's the best! He made his special fried chicken with rice. It was so good that I ate too much and went to bed with an upset tummy. Minus a point for mom. Ugh.

Wednesday:

So far, so good. Boys are at school, Mike is taking his last exam of the semester (3 down, only 7 semesters to go! oh, yeah...and one summer. er). Point for dad. The house is quiet....I AM AT HOME! That deserves a point. =) Hallelujah! Hallelujah! If only I could stay here. But no. I have to pick up Riley, pick up the other 3 hooligans, get dinner thrown on the table and be off to get Michael back to the school for the high school concert that he gets to play one song for. Whew! I'm tired already.

Let's see: Mike-3, Samara-6
I guess it's a bit unfair cuz I don't keep track of everything Mike does. Eh...oh well. I'm still winning! hahahahaha

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2008-12-05T16:21:00.008-05:00

Hubby did not get his wish to stay home from school today but I got my wish for the boys to be in school. Yeah! Riley took a few moments, as I was getting ready to go out the door, to walk to the end of the driveway and make some tracks in the fresh snow. He's really into tracks lately. It's really endearing, except when I'm running late to the bus or church and he won't go straight to the van. Instead he is out in the yard....making TRACKS. *sigh* He's just too sweet.

We went up to school to have lunch with Mike today (shrimp, clams and some seasoned fries that are to die for! yum-O!) and crash in the library for an hour or so. It was so cold! 8* F before the wind chill! I still have to go out in it tonight. It wouldn't be so bad but it's at least a 45 minute drive. Er--Brrrrr!

Here's another pic of "the tree". I don't like pine trees. I don't know what kind this is....but it's the only one on our property that I do like. So I take lots of pictures of it. So Pretty!

Snow, snow and more snow!

2008-12-04T21:12:00.004-05:00

I was thinking earlier today that I probably should have put a counter up on my site for how many days it snows around here. I think we had about 3 days last week that it didn't snow and I actually thought it would all be gone before Kim and the girls could play in it over Thanksgiving weekend.

Well, I needn't worry about a green Christmas anyway. It snowed all day today and yesterday and the day before and...well, you get the drift. Haha. That was punny! Maybe not. =I

So today I almost got stuck at the sportsmen's club after Riley got off the bus. The state has cut back hours for the plow truck drivers so they are only doing what's absolutely necessary. Which means main highways, not parking lots. And not little back roads, even if the principal of the local school IS my neighbor.

Tonight Mikey and I drove into Baraga for the Baraga Schools Christmas Concert. It was slow going as the visibility was pretty near nil and the roads are SLICK! On the way home it was blowing pretty bad and very COLD. Brrrrr. Glad I don't have to bring the kids to the bus tomorrow. Thank you, Lord, for a husband that goes to school! Although--- Mike is hoping for a snow day tomorrow. I think, if we get one, I will have to bug out of here for a few. I just need the quiet....I really don't need for the kids to have a 3-day weekend. Eh. I love 'em but Oh. My. Goodness. They have not been getting along lately. Not. At. All.

So anyway. We have lots of snow. Too much snow. And here's a warning to you all....Don't you dare complain about your snow til you've shoveled mine! hoohoohoo!! I will be whining and waiting for spring right bout mid-February. Just wait and see!

Night all!

Added Pictures

2008-12-03T12:33:00.003-05:00

Hi. Did you read about my Thanksgiving Dinner? If not, check it out here . If you did already, you may want to go back and check out Kim's photos from the day--I finally got them up. Thank you, Kim, for cooking and taking pictures!

Handmade Christmas Coaster Giveaway

2008-12-01T18:24:00.003-05:00

Are you decorating for Christmas yet? Heh heh. Not me. Soon though...the boys keep asking when the lights are going up. =) I love lights. I also love poinsettias and homemade crafts. If you love them too, check out Nikki's Notes for a beautiful handmade poinsettia Christmas coaster giveaway.

Happy Decorating! I'm gonna go clean my room now. =D

Thanksgiving at Home

2008-12-01T08:25:00.005-05:00

This is coming a bit late but after my last blog, I'm sure you can understand. =)

I loved, LOVED, LOVED having my family here for Thanksgiving. It's the first time we've had T-day dinner at home since we married in 1995.

My LILsis,

Kim, came up Wednesday with her daughters from Illinois. We made a late night trip to Walmart Wednesday night and stayed up chatting til 3am.

Thursday morning we brought Michael over to the KC Hall to work the free dinner our church puts on every year. I missed working it this year but Kim said she'd like to come help, so maybe next year???

When we got home we got right to cooking. I was very pleased to find that Kim and I work well in the kitchen together. She just went right to work on anything that had to be done and quickly adapted to the quirks of my oven.

I didn't have time to fold the laundry that had yet to be done but we did have time to set the tables and even made crafty little turkey place cards.

My mom and Jason and his family arrived around 4pm and we sat down to eat just after 5pm. Even with all 8 children sitting around a separate table in the living room it was very calm and we were able to enjoy our dinner.

We partook of a gorgeous turkey stuffed with whole cloves of garlic and rosemary.

(all pictures courtesy of Kimberli Nelson)

Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (sorry, I don't put brown sugar or marshmallows on mine...just butter, thank you), sausage stuffing that turned out excellent but we'll cut the amount of sausage next time, a corn casserole that everyone LOVED, bacon green beans that could've been skipped, homemade cranberry sauce that didn't last long at all rounded out the meal and added color.....

or not!

And of course we had to have our relish tray (all the olives were gobbled up, wah!).

We left a bit of room for our choice of fresh blueberry or pumpkin pie (ty, Kim!), or apple pecan cheesecake.

The older kids did the dishes, leaving the pots and pans for us adults...but we had the kitchen spic and span in no time!

We ended the night with a game of Last Word. No, it wasn't an argument between Michael and me...we actually played the game. Kim won both rounds, if I remember correctly, which didn't surprise any of us. LOL

Overall it was a very exciting and wonderful Thanksgiving. I really have so much to be thankful for!

1/2 Dozen

2008-12-01T08:04:00.004-05:00

Wow. It is SO quiet here in my home right now. Not that anything is different from the ordinary this morning. But it was a few short hours ago.
I was a brave, very brave woman this weekend.
After a hectic two weeks trying to get my kitchen painted and the house ready for Thanksgiving with my family, we had 14 people jammed into it all day Thursday--the majority of them children all under 15. My 4 nieces stayed the night Thursday and left Friday afternoon. I enjoyed their stay immensely and hope they all come again REALLY soon. So we had Friday evening to ourselves. My husband and I celebrated our 13th anniversary without the boys. =D
Now comes the brave part.....
Saturday morning I was scheduled to babysit for a family in Houghton. When I got there, I was informed that the dad had got the day off so I wasn't needed. I didn't see any reason to waste the 1/2 hour trip so called over to the Griffins to see if they wanted company for the morning. Turned out that they were a bit busy (that is a supreme understatement) so I instead offered to take their 8yo son, Malachi, off their hands for the weekend. Eli has been wanting him to stay over for some time now but it has not worked out for either of us. But Kelly was more than willing to have him out of her hair for a little while. When I got to the house, her 12 yo son, TJ, asked if he could come along. I figured it would be nice for Michael to have company too so I said sure if it was ok with his mom. She was fine with it and sent him to pack. "I'm already packed," he said. "I started packing as soon as you told Malachi he was going." Woo-eee! Now there is some faith in action! LOL That is how I ended up with a 1/2 dozen boys in my home this weekend. But that's not all. Oh, no....that's not all! Michael's friend, Steven, also called and invited him over but since TJ was here it wasn't going to work so I let Michael invite Steven over for the day instead.
So here we had 7 boys...ranging in age from 4 to 12. Wow.
I think Mike is crabby right now. He was really short with me and the boys all weekend. Luckily it was his weekend on call, he didn't have to put up with it too long.
Well, I'm still sane. I think. And guess what? I want to do it again. Except Mike has put his foot down that it can't be on school nights anymore. Oh well. We'll do Friday to Sunday afternoon next time! hahahahahohoheehee

Anything Agatha Challenge

2008-11-30T12:45:00.005-05:00

Anything Agatha Challenge

Here's the list of what I've read:

Poirot Investigates (Collection of Poirot Short Stories)- Agatha Christie
Appointment with Death - Agatha Christie
Taken at the Flood - Agatha Christie
Murder in Mesopotamia - Agatha Christie
The Burden - Agatha Christie writing under the name Mary Westmacott
Cat Among the Pigeons - Agatha Christie
The Mirror Crack'd - Agatha Christie
The Murder at Hazelmoor - Agatha Christie
Curtain - Agatha Christie
The Body in the Library - Agatha Christie
Evil Under the Sun - Agatha Christie
Pocket Full of Rye - Agatha Christie
The Moving Finger - Agatha Christie

What's On Your Nightstand?

2008-11-25T21:47:00.006-05:00

Today I stopped by our local St. Vincent DePaul to drop off a bag of cook books. I don't go there very often but occasionally I'll browse through the shelves of books. Lately I've been on an Agatha Christie kick so I was excited to come across two-TWO!-right off the bat. I also grabbed another book that looked interesting (I'm trying to go beyond mere entertainment). When I checked out I was delighted to find that the books were all $.10! Woo hoo. Not that they were much anyway, but a discount's a discount! Yup. So, I got them home, brought them to my nightstand and forgot about them til I came across this topic tonight. I went to grab my stack and lo, and behold....these are the books I have:

Curtain-Agatha Christie (hard cover, 1975 edition)
Curtain- Agatha Christie (soft cover, 1976 edition)

I was so excited I didn't even check the titles! Hohohoheeheehee. Mayhap it was just that I'm so thoroughly exhausted. Hmmm? Maybe.

I also have these on the nightstand:

More Than a Carpenter-Josh McDowell
Crusader Hymns and Hymn Stories-The Billy Graham Team

I love the stories behind the hymns we sing at church so I snapped this one up. I'm hoping it will be something I can share with the kids since they have heard a few of these true stories through Adventures in Odyssey and have shown a lot of interest in them.

I'm suffering though. I have these great books at my fingertips and I can't read them. Yet. I have too much to do before my family shows up tomorrow and Thursday, expecting a 5-star Thanksgiving Dinner. I am so thankful those books will still be here when they have had their fill of food and family and head home.

Happy reading!

Why I'm Up So Stinkin' Late

2008-11-21T23:07:00.009-05:00

Ever start a project that you just wish would finish itself?

I have, and I have again.

This painting of my kitchen and the boys' bathroom has officially become noisome to me. I want to be finished by Sunday, as in, not having to paint AT ALL on Sunday. But, unless my kids become totally self-sufficient overnight, this is not going to happen.

Last night, Mike begged me to treat them all out to pizza so we wouldn't have to eat at our overloaded table. Today I just shoved it all aside and made room for the kids...they had grilled cheese and fruit for dinner, hot cocoa and GoldFish pretzel crackers for a bedtime snack. It worked...but it's getting old. For them and for me.

So, I'm half done with the kitchen. Unfortunately, I have finished the EASY half. The rest of it, I have to move the fridge and stove, and all my junque on the counters and above the cupboards to even get to the walls to paint.

The good news is that I am falling in love with the color....I think.

I'll let you know for sure when it is ALL done.

Of course I've thrown in extra projects, like the bookcase to keep me busy in the meantime. Right now I have 4 paint pans going: primer, summer rye (k), rice paper (br), and foam (bc and door).

Fun, fun, fun.

Disclaimer: My kitchen doesn't always look this cluttered. Really! Just sometimes. =)

My goal before I head off to slumber land? The last coat in the bathroom (all but the cabinet doors will be done! woo hoo!). Better get to it..... Night y'all!

A Wintry Tour

2008-11-20T11:15:00.011-05:00

This morning, just as I was going out the door to catch the Head Start bus with Riley, it started to snow these huge, beautiful snow flakes.

So I grabbed my camera and on the way back home I took a bit of a detour from my usual route and decided to take you all on a picture tour of my Upper Peninsula community.

These are just a few things my eye caught as I was driving. Sorry, no cows along this route! But lots of hay. I love the round hay bales! Especially in the fall with the long shadows behind them, golden fields surrounding them and a dark, stormy sky with the sun just peaking through to kiss them with a golden warmth. I could go on and on about hay bales.

This hay bale was begging to get it's picture taken.
There is a peaceful loneliness that a snowy day conveys. The snow closes you off from the outside world and all can seem right in the world for a brief moment.

Long, hilly roads (they aren't really winding) connect neighbors that are otherwise separated by vast tracts of forest and field.

If you like the simplicity a red barn conveys, there are many to be had up here. In every state of repair and disrepair.

Never boring, the UP is abound with hills, creating a scenic horizon that, today, was just a hint in the snowy sky.

This little house is a favorite of mine. Of all the run-down shacks that you find up here, the symmetry of this one really speaks to me. So much care put into the building of it, but now it stands empty, only awaiting the ravages of time.

I would love to look in there and see how it was designed. I would love to copy the outside structure, but with my family I'd have to add an addition out back...but in a way to save the symmetry.

These enchanting roads that take my thoughts on flights of fancy can quickly become hazardous during our winter storms. With hardly a landmark to guide you in a dark, snowy storm it would be easy to lose the road and have to trek to the nearest (term used loosely) farm to get help--our cell service is quite spotty out here.

These little out-buildings always grab my attention. One property I passed today had at least 6 out-buildings of various sizes. I wonder what they are all for and if they are all still used. Mike often laughs at me because I rant about the run down shacks out here. Why don't the owners rip them up or burn them down. Our fire department could always use a good practice burn.

Yes, it's a fence post. I like fence posts. And barbed wire. As long as I'm not tripping over it!

This tree is a bit scary.

But I like it.

Here, if I go straight, I will not have enough gas to get the kids after school. So, I'm turning right and heading home. But another day I will take you farther down this road.

What's over that hill? I know what's over this particular hill. But this is the question that keeps me going some days--just wandering the back roads. Ooooh! Just remembered a back road I did that on and I'm definitely gonna take you down that one! Either before the snow gets too deep or next spring. I should've gone while the leaves were still changing. It is a glorious drive!

SEE! It pays to go over that next hill. You never know what you're gonna find.

That's home, peaking through the trees.

The sun decided to make an appearance later in the afternoon. I like how all glowy this picture is. I like this spot in my yard too. Those trees are nice.

I hope you enjoyed our little driving-picture tour.

Ok, I gotta go paint! Have a blessed day. =)

Tea for Two?

2008-11-14T11:13:00.003-05:00

Last night I had the pleasure of being invited to a friend's home to try out her new Tupperware tea pot and blooming tea. I so needed this time away from home-I was feeling ignored by Mike (talking to a soup pot would've been more rewarding) and I had absolutely no tolerance for the boys. It was a last minute affair with no purpose but to share some tea among friends. There were actually about 10 of us there. We had blueberry scones, some killer chocolate brownies, and the tea. Oh, the tea! Now I don't know exactly what it is called, but it is from Tupperware and it has lily and jasmine in it. It was the smoothest tea I've ever had and I'm quite the tea drinker. It didn't have a bitter aftertaste or the dryness often associated with teas. If you'd like to try it, the host, Cheryl, sells Tupperware and you can get in touch with her through her beautiful blog, Out on a Whim . We were only there about 2 hours--perfect for a quick visit without overstaying our welcome or getting on each other's nerves. We had a great time of fellowship and I think I can speak for all there that we look forward to another evening like it. What a great way to share the cold, dark and long evenings of the coming winter. Thank you, Cheryl!

2008 Blog Advent Tour

2008-11-12T10:28:00.006-05:00

2008 Blog Advent Tour
*******************STICKY POST**************************
In what feels a bit like is coming a Christmas tradition given that this is the third year running that we are doing this, Kailana from The Written World and I thought it would be fun if we had ran the virtual advent calendar again this year. After all, why should the kids get all the fun of opening a box on the advent calendar and finding a little treat in there?Each day anyone who wants to participate could take turns sharing a little treat with our friends here in blogland. For example it could be something about a holiday tradition, or a recipe, or a picture of a hot guy dressed as Santa, or a favourite Christmas memory, movie, book, song...anything you like. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas we would like to hear about what your family does during the holiday season, whether it be celebrating Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or anything!We will create a list of links so that as people express interest we will add them to the list, and then we will post a link directing visitors to the appropriate blog. To give people a chance to get organised, we will start on Monday 1 December. If there are more people than there are days that's fine too.....the more the merrier! It just means that there will be more than one blog to visit on those days.In addition to getting to see lots of fun things and maybe finding new blogs there is also a chance to win either a gift card up to the equivalent of $20US, or the book of your choice, if your internet retailer of choice doesn't do gift cards. We will draw the name of the winner out of the list of people who have signed up prior to the blog tour starting, so get in and sign up for your day soon!

1 December - Alabama Bookworm/Joanne from Lost in a Good Book
2 December - Louise from Lou's Pages/Penelope from Life's Sweet Passions
3 December - Booklogged from A Reader's Journal
4 December - Ladytink from Ladytink's Neverland
5 December - Vickie from Scrapbooking and Tidbits
6 December - Andrew from The View from Arizona
7 December - Becky from Becky's Book Reviews
8 December - Amy from Passages to the Past/Alyssa from By the Book
9 December - Raidergirl3 from An Adventure in Reading
10 December - Kerrie from Mysteries in Paradise
11 December - Chris from Book-a-rama
12 December - Bigsis from Through the Eyes of the Creator
13 December - Nymeth from Things Mean a Lot
14 December - Emily from Dreaming on the Job
15 December - Natasha from Maw Books
16 December - Strumpet from Strumpet's Life / Chris from Stuff as Dreams are Made on
17 December - 3M from 1 More Chapter
18 December - Alex from Daemonwolf Books
19 December - Laclau from Conversacions de Cafe
20 December - Jessica from The Bluestockings Society/Naida from The Bookworm
21 December - Rhinoa from Rhinoa's Ramblings/Melissa from Remember to Breathe
22 December - Think Pink Dana/My Friend Amy
23 December - Jane from Janezlifeandtimes/Memory from Stella Matutina
24 December - Carl from Stainless Steel Droppings / Kailana's Written World

Signing up is easy! Just leave a comment either on this post, or the similar one at Kailana's blog! If you want to post on a specific date then please mention that date in your comment as well, otherwise we will allocate a date for you.
If you want to see what other people have done during the last couple of years, then this link will lead you to all the posts over the last couple of years.A very special thanks to Alex from Le Canape for the lovely button! When I asked her to create a button for this year's tour, I didn't really give her much to go on other than the ones from the previous two years. She came back with this one, and the reason she gave for the design was "to do something like a small part of an envelope and a stamp, since this must be the time of the year when people send more letters to each others." Perfect! Thanks Alex!

Veteran's Day

2008-11-11T15:29:00.003-05:00

Today Mike, Riley and I went to the boys' school for their Veteran's Day program. This is the first time I've been able to make it so it was a treat for me that I did not want to miss.

First the Mr. Stockero, the principal welcomed all the veterans and visitors and then turned the program over to the students, who led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the band played "The Star Spangled Banner" beautifully.

Each of the veterans there were presented and then the grade school children sang their songs. It was very cute and moving. They did an excellent job. We watched especially to be sure our boys were participating and were proud to note that they did with enthusiasm. After each class group sang, the entire grade school sang "If you love your country, thank a Vet". I was very near tears by the time the song was done. A slide presentation of the Vets' pictures from their time of service was played while the children sang.

Afterward, the State Chaplain for our Am. Leg. Post closed the presentation with a very moving speech that encouraged our young people to take pride in living a life of decency and honor. The program was closed with the playing of "Taps" by 2 students from the school.

I am so thankful that I took the time out today to attend that program and that my children are learning to respect those that have served our country not only at home but also at school.

"Thank You!" to all that served and are still serving our country that we might have freedom!

Giving Up Control

2008-11-10T19:59:00.003-05:00

The problem with being a leader for so long in something is that when you finally relinquish that control it is so hard to deal with how the next leader does things.

I am having that issue in regards to our Parent meetings for Head Start. This year was the first time in 7 years that I did not volunteer to be an officer. I have been the Chairperson for 4 of those years, the secretary for 2 and the treasurer once. I've also been the Council Rep once.

I decided that this year I'd let the newer parents have a shot at leading. The problem lies in the fact that some of them don't know what they are doing but don't want suggestions either. So, I just sat back and let the meeting flounder. We didn't accomplish much besides setting dates for our next 2 meetings.

Well, it's my last year to be involved in this aspect of BHK so I guess I won't complain too much. Maybe I'll hint around during classroom hours and give our newbies some tips. Or maybe I'll just shut my mouth and accept that I'm no longer in control. =)

100+ Reading Challenge 2009

2008-11-10T07:51:00.005-05:00

The 2009 - 100+ Reading Challenge

I've decided to sign up for a few of these reading challenges hosted by my fellow bloggers. First of all, it won't take any more of my time than I already use for reading and since I read so much I might as well challenge myself! Check out the other challenges I'm doing on my sidebar.

Here are the guidelines:
1) You can join anytime as long as you don’t start reading your books prior to 2009.

2) This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is December 31, 2009.

3) You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009.

4) If you don’t have a blog, please join our Yahoo Groups.

5) When you sign up under Mr. Linky, list the direct link to your post where your 100+ books will be listed. If you list just your blog’s URL, it will be removed.

6) All books count: children’s, YA, adults, fiction, non-fiction, how-tos, etc.

7) Feel free to post in the comment section or on Yahoo Groups your monthly progress as well as your favorite books that month.

I'll list my books here:
1. Beside a Burning Sea - John Shors
2. A Father's Law - Richard Wright
3. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
4. The Shack - William P. Young
5. Vampire in Moscow - Richard Henrick

Snow is Inevitable

2008-11-09T15:32:00.002-05:00

The snow has found us again this year. Hope as we might that the snow won't come, it always does. The kids were so excited. They kept telling me it was snowing. If it stopped for a moment one of them would ask if it was going to snow anymore. Then when it did start again, they'd get excited all over again. Who needs Christmas? Just dump some snow in my yard and that takes care of my boy's wants and wishes....for all of 1 week or so anyway. It won't be long and they'll be longing for the spring thaw as much as I do if not more so. I have to admit there is a certain hush and beauty to the snow that I do enjoy. I'd have taken more pictures but I was NOT wading through that wet stuff any more than I had to at this point. I'll tote the camera with me tomorrow when I do the bus runs and give you all some of our UP "eye candy".

How not to spend 1 1/2 hours....

2008-11-08T22:30:00.003-05:00

Next time I want to waste a perfectly good evening, remind me that I do NOT need photos of my children from Walmart photographers! lol First of all, I bribed the boys to cooperate, "Smile and cooperate and you can each have your own 20 oz pop." See, I took their holiday photos last year and I was close to committing myself to the psych ward at MGH before I was half done. So I was really hoping they would do better with a stranger--with the encouragement of decent school photos for once. Well, nope. It didn't go any better. Try getting 4 boys to sit up straight, look where they are directed and smile without looking deranged at the same time. If you can do it, I will scrub your bathrooms for a month! You may say "oh, that's a cinch!" Now let me throw in a half-wit photographer (using the term loosely) that hasn't the slightest clue of a good composition for a photo. She had the boys sitting so scattered that Mikey and Samuel seem to be the background instead of the subjects! At least she had good taste! When she showed us the pictures, she choose our favorites for her portfolio.

I was actually surprised by the time we were done. After the disaster of the group photos I figured we'd go out of there with the basic $5 pkg and nothing more but we fell in love with their individual shots.

The one thing I can say is my boys are darlings. I can't wait to show them off. Be on the look out in 2 weeks.

Until then.....Blog On!

PS. Auntie Kim we look forward to our photo shoot with you!

The Bus Stop

2008-11-06T10:19:00.002-05:00

What a gorgeous day it has turned out to be. Last night we had rain and lightning and this morning we had a bit of fog but it's dissapating and the temperature is rising. I'm not delusional though...I see that snow is in our forecast for the weekend. Bummer.

Once it gets colder the chats at the bus stop won't be as comfortable. The past two days, four of us mothers have let the kids run the loop around the vehicles as we stood out and waited for the bus. It's nostalgic of how things used to be. And how things still are in small farming communities.

Yesterday's topic of conversation was lice and presidents. LOL Today we talked about antsy kids and frustrating family members. Yesterday afternoon I chatted with one mom about our eldest sons. They are 2 peas in pod. Now I don't feel so alone with my difficult child. She has one too!

I'm almost thinking that after the weather cools off and the snow flies so that we can't stand out in the weather I'll just invite them over for coffee right after the kids get on the bus. It's funny, we all live so close together, we could actually car pool but I think we all look forward to seeing and talking to one another.

*shrugs* Well, that was the highlight of my morning. On the agenda for this afternoon? Parent-teacher conferences. I'm sure I'll have plenty to vent after that! =)

Have a good day everyone. Love ya all!

Two Topics Today

2008-11-05T10:06:00.005-05:00

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

#1. The election. Well, Obama is in. I did NOT vote for Obama. BUT. I am a proud American that will support my elected president. I do not like the attitude I've seen, heard and read from the Republicans. The fact that they boo'ed Obama's name while McCain gave his speech last night was mortifying. While Obama spoke of McCain there was not a shout or interruption and that is as it should be. Weren't they both running a race that technically had the same goal? So, now, rather than fight amongst ourselves, we need to work together. I'm not saying that I agree with Obama's policies or even that I like the man himself (although I don't have an opinion on his character as of yet). I can disagree and still support my country.
I stayed up late watching the results come in on my laptop. Even after Obama had won at 11pm, I was still curious about those states that had not submitted their decisions yet. The problem is that the key states were won for Obama before the election even took place. McCain did not stand a chance. I'm proud of him for trying. And I hope that in 2012 we have a strong campaign, with a dynamic leader, that will win the election. But until then, we shall see what we shall see. The other thing I was disappointed in was that MI voters passed the proposals for stem cell research on embryos and medically used marijuana. There were many tears shed on my pillow last night.

#2. Have any of you been following the posts for the Compassion, International trip to the Dominican Republic? Please do if you have the time! Very moving, heartbreaking, inspiring and thought-provoking stuff there.

Alright. I think that will do for now. I'm still tired after my vigil last night and I am on the more emotional side today. Love to all!

Election coverage

2008-11-04T16:55:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 ELECTION DAY

2008-11-04T16:42:00.002-05:00

I am a proud voter as of 4:20pm today. I took Eli and Samuel with me to the polls. Mikey choose to stay at home. The pros to living in a small community like I do is that there are no lines 1/2 mile long and 500 people deep. There was only one gentleman in there when I got there and there were four more as I left. I had the chance to explain what I was doing as I voted and the boys asked several questions as I filled the ballot in. I explained what a political party was, why I could vote for more than one nominee for certain positions and what the initiatives were. We talked about write-ins and why some positions only had one nominee. I hope they will remember this day come next election and then that they recall it when it comes time for them to vote their first time. Now as I've been sifting through the articles about the voting on the internet and we are less than 3 hours from receiving the first results from the east coast I just want to crawl into bed, bury my head and cry. I get very emotional over these things! I know that I am basically useless for the rest of the night. I'm sure I'll be up until midnight to see Alaska's results come in. I just can't wait til tomorrow to know the direction our nation will be headed.
Well, Happy Election Day everyone! I hope you all did your duty as a citizen of this fine country and voted. If not, please make sure to register and become informed before the next election in 2012.

Election '09

2008-11-03T19:06:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY. I was going to do my usual and hit the polls early but this year I've decided that the boys should go with me to cast my vote. First of all, they are very informed and interested in what's happening. Not just the election...Mikey has been following all the gas/oil news for over a year and usually knows before I do what the price/barrel is. I don't remember being that informed as a child. I remember the race between Bush Sr. and Dukakis (?). But I didn't really pay much attention until the day of the election and watching the votes come in on national TV. The boys have been voting in their classes and today it was McCain-100/Obama-86, with 300 more students to cast votes tomorrow. Also, whoever wins the presidency tomorrow will be making decisions that will directly affect the lives of my boys. Why shouldn't they have a part in this momentous day? I have some friends and aquaintances that don't vote for whatever reason but when I went to vote for the first time at the age of 24 I became a voter for life. You may think we don't have a say in who becomes president. But don't we have a say in our local, regional and state governments? And when we become informed about the individuals running we are empowering ourselves. One of America's leading problems is that we as a people have become complacent--accepting any and everything that happens. Change is NOT always a good thing. Please stand up for your beliefs tomorrow......

Get out there and vote!

This OId House

2008-11-03T09:56:00.002-05:00

Today I am determined to get somewhere in the upkeep of this old house. When we bought it, I was strictly against living in a trailer. Mike didn't mind because he had once lived in a very tiny one in the outskirts of Menominee. The only positive thing about this one was that it has a very large addition on the backside. So plenty of room for growing boys. The price was right and it came with a nice chunk of land. We bought it. Nine months later, our exceptional addition was exceptionally wet! The previous owner had no idea how to build an addition obviously. So after much work and more work, 3 roofs and 8 years later, we still can't use the addition for anything more than storage. Last spring we still had leaking around the doors. Hopefully, that was fixed when they put up the flashing that the contractor FORGOT! So...now I'm on my way down there to clean up. It's not pretty and it's cold but I'm determined to have it decent before snow flies. I figure I have a couple hours! =) LOL

Wish me luck and send in spelunkers if you don't hear from me in 24!

THAT picture.....

2008-11-02T14:06:00.003-05:00

My previous blog has a picture of Mikey on the shoulders of our friend Tim, who is on the shoulders of our friend Erik. Bryan is gallantly spotting them for any mishaps. Well, they actually had a mishap! I'm not sure if it started on the bottom, middle or top...but someone lost balance and in their quest for the perfect balance, Tim and Mikey fell from Erik's shoulders. Now, Erik is not a small man by any means. He is big and he is TALL. And Tim's got some height on him as well. To put it into perspective, Bryan is 6'4". Mikey is WAY up there. I just watched horrified as they headed for the ground...it seemed to happen in slow motion. And as Tim hit the dirt and Mikey's face was just inches from the ground, Bryan dove under him (this is what they tell me as I had covered my face by that point) and saved him from kissing the dirt. Everyone told me I could look, that he was okay. So as I looked for myself and saw that my baby was indeed in one piece without any disfigurements to his lovely visage, I broke into great sobs of pent up horrification! It took me a few minutes to regain my composure. Erik, Bryan and Tim felt horrible that it scared me so badly but I did not blame them for it at all. I allowed Mikey to get up there...I was party to the fun! So, although Mikey was fine, Tim did suffer a wrenched back from rolling off Erik's shoulders with a 100 lb brick on his shoulders as he hit the ground. All for the sake of my baby's safety. Awwww. So he bought a stick. That's another story for another time!