The New Year!

It has been a long 2 weeks. In both good and not so good ways. The bad first. The kids have been sick with, as the doctor said, something "viral". Fevers of 104, snot, coughing, more snot. For something that was viral it certainly feels flu like. The kids were just lethargic and doing all they could to try and play. This is completely out of character for all of my kids. We had to miss all of our family get together's. We were all sad about it. We were able to go to my parents house(just around the corner) on Christmas night. The good news is, we were all in the house together. Yes, we were all getting a tad stuffed up. But, there was a lot of snuggling going on with the kids. Lots of time playing and be thankful for what was in front of us. We were really able to soak up the finally days of Christmas 2012. We watched Christmas movies, ate popcorn, and laughed. Even though they felt awful, they still gave us plenty of laughs. Unfortunately, they have passed their cold on to the parents. This is not nice. I think we need to re-think the whole "sharing" thing for New Years.  Which brings me to the coming New Year.

I love the beginning of a new year. A new year, a new start. A time of refreshing and starting over. Every year, I feel as if there is a "theme" to the coming year.(Is this weird, or do other people do this? Maybe?) Sometimes it's peace, joy, change. This year I really feel there are two themes The first is simplicity. Going back to the basics. The time before so much Internet, so much TV. Just being in the moment with the people you love. My husband and I recently went out to eat. As we sat and watched everyone around us, we noticed an almost unnatural attachment people had to their phones. It was as if their smart phone was permanently attached to their hands. The kids got the board game Operation for Christmas. The game even has a "Texting Thumb". Then we realized that only a few months ago that was us. We had a smart phone and an I-pod touch. We were constantly looking down and never looking up. We answered each other in mumbles and "uh-huhs". There but not present. This really confirmed Simplicity for me. We no longer have smart phones, only the basic *gasp* cell phone and dare I say it...land line. We have no laptop or i-Pad. We have a plain desktop and a Kindle reader. Then I realized how, even though I don't have a device at hands length anymore, I still spend more time than I should on-line. I am on Facebook or Pinterest a lot. There are games to play and people to "observe" on Facebook. I never have enough time to get the things done, I need to get done. Hmmm...wonder why? I am taking a break for a while from the Facebook world starting the New Year. A new year, a new start. I have 4 very special people in my life that need my attention more than the dramatic people on Facebook that I may see once a year. Maybe. (Some I haven't seen in years.) My family are the ones that need my observation. Our kids are the ones who need our attention. I don't want my kids to be unable to be sociable in any situation. Walking around with technology in their hands and sending messages, will cause them to not know how to interact in "real" life. So, all that to say, it's time for me to step back and be in the moment. Be on social networks three times less than I was. And I'm ok with that.

The second "theme" for this year is Trust. It's something everyone has issues with in one form or another. This is really spiritual thing for me. I want to get closer to my Savior. I love the song that says, I am a friend of God, he calls me friend. Then I thought about it. He knows everything about me, as a best friend should. Yet, what do I really know about him? Do I know all there is to know about him. Yes, I am aware that it will take a life time to know our Lord. Probably, eternity. But, I want to not only try but succeed in knowing all I can about him. When you have a close friend, you have to be able to put all of your trust in them. I feel there is going to be a lot of growing and stretching this year. It's the growing and stretching that makes us who we are. I'm going to trust that God is going to take care of us every day. That he will be our provider and friend. That if we put our trust in him and him alone, he will not let us down. So, I'm going to trust in him and let him be my everything. 

There are exciting things going on with the Fowler's. I'm excited! As always, I'll keep you posted! Hopefully, I will have Christmas pics up soon. Perhaps, by Easter? ;) Now, I have to go be in that moment I was speaking of. My son is trying to stick a Handy Manny sticker on the dog while telling his sister the dog doesn't like her. And that the dog said it not him.



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Happiness is...

What is happiness? A few definitions of happiness is :: a state of well-being and contentment : Joy and

a pleasurable or satisfying experience

There are many things that make me happy. There are also some things that make me unhappy. I'll give you a few examples. (NOTE: This isn't all that make me a happy just a few things!)

HAPPY                                                                   

1. A clean house
2. Clean laundry 
3. DVR
4. Sparkling grape juice
5. Shoes that I bought on sale @ Kohl's (A pair of Dana Buchman dress shoes for $20 originally    $69.99..OH YEAH!)
6. Naps
7. Children who behave
8. My husband being off work for a week! 
9. Christmas
10. Healthy family      
11. Books
12. The bible(I love how I learn something new every time I read it!)

Some things that make me not so happy:

1. A bed room that has been destroyed exactly 2.4 minutes after I walk out of a clean room. How do they do that? Really? It's one of life's mysteries. 
2. Laundry....let's just not go there.
3. Cleaning up rice from a homemade rice sock(you know the kind you warm up in the microwave to put on sore muscles?) My Sweetie Pie and the Boy, decided one would bite a hole in said sock and they would collectively spread contents around Sweetie's Pie room. I should have known something was going on when I heard no arguing for 5 minutes! Did I mention, the parents of above mentioned children found it at bedtime, when trying to tuck said children into bed. 
4. Cinnamon that has been spilled in the kitchen floor and rolled around in by a 4 year old little boy. {Thank God, he didn't get sick from inhaling it!} I was on the computer for 3 minutes and he attacks. 
5. I don't like that the awesome deal I got on my shoes is still not here yet! *said, weepy* They should be here by December 24. At least that's what the tracking info said. I'm trying so hard to be patient I really am. ;)
6. Not being able to take naps. Sometimes you just need a nap. 
7. Children who fight and argue and tattle every 2 minutes. Literally. (It could be worse, I do realize that. But I could so go without it for say 20 minutes.)
8. Tissue fights. I don't like tissue fights. My son likes tissue fights. In which he takes as many tissues out at a time he can without getting caught. This is why I hide my good Puffs tissues. 

 Well, at least the good outweighs the bad. I really am blessed. If we make it to Christmas without 2.3 million time outs and my sanity left in tack at least 10%, we'll be doing well. Here's to hope! Without it, I would join the natives and roll in some cinnamon and have tissue fights while dancing in dry rice. Don't be jealous!                                                    




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Let's Play Catch Up, Shall We?

It has been busy, as usual. Sometimes, after a very long day, all I want to do is sit down and make some room on my DVR.  And I'm talking no kids interrupting or whining or crying or putting their sister in a choke hold. Do you know what I'm talking about? I know you do! So lets play catch up. I have a few minutes while the kids are watching Good Luck Charlie. Thank you Lord for Disney. I'm not ashamed to admit I let the kids watch TV. Especially when I need a minute to catch up on the ole blog. Or Pinterest.

• Sweetie Pie turned 5. My boy turned 4. Oh my gosh! When did that happen? Since turning 4, my boy has decided he should grow a beard. A big beard. Like his Paw-paw. Then he said he needs to shave it like Daddy. Yeah, could you not go and be that old yet? Please, and Thank You! Sweetie Pie has just piled on the sassy since turning 5. Seeing as she is no longer 4, like her brother. They've also been trying to drive me crazy by trying their best to make the other get in trouble. It's never ending. Not that I really want it any other way. 
• The husband and I are now the leaders of the Preschool class at church. Yay! That's right ages 3,4 and 5 are now being lead my the Fowler's! It's fun. They never run out of amazing hilarious things to say. Much like our own home. I found myself in a deep discussion with a 3 year old about how Jesus was much better than Santa. He didn't give up and I did, when I realized I was actually arguing with a three year old. Great things are happening! That you can be sure! :)
• We made a 4 and 1/2 hour trip to see family for Thanksgiving. It was a nice drive until my boy decided to bounce of the car walls. It was fun. Really, it was. Ok, it was slight torture. None of the cousins went to sleep until around 12:30 or 1:00 in the morning. The good news is, the boy only made an appearance in his underwear once. That was the afternoon before we left. It meant we stayed too long, he became too comfortable. I made a permanent note to self on that one. Son becomes comfortable= Pants come off. 
• We are having a family gathering at our house again this year for Christmas! Lets pray we don't have a repeat of last year. Griswold, Fowler...it's all the same really!  haha! That was a nervous laugh by the way. 
• We have a bad case of musical beds going on. The boy was in all 4 beds in the course of an hour every night this week. I was finally to the point of, just lay down and go to sleep. I don't care if it's on the roof. Especially when Parenthood is on. I love this show. It's a night time soap opera. It's awesome. Next week looks like a tear jerker. Is anyone else {slightly}addicted to this show?
• Speaking of shows, we got a DVR. Have I mentioned that before? I don't remember. It's awesome. No commercials. Pause button when you have to go potty.(I just said potty. Hi, I'm Jessica. I'm a mom. In case the potty comment didn't give that away...) Or if one son is pulling hair, literally, out of his sister's head. Yeah, a parent had to invent DVR. 
• We have our tree up! Yay for Christmas time! We celebrate all month long. It's one of my favorite holidays! The girls are going to be in a Christmas play at church. It's going to be so awesome! I'm excited for them! 
• Next week we're going to see the Nutcracker Ballet! I am so excited! Probably even more than my girls are! Eeck! 
• I totally won the entire Friends series on Blu-ray a few weeks ago. It came yesterday. I can't wait to be able to sit for a few minutes so I can start watching it from the beginning!  
• I think that pretty much sums it up. Let's see all of that on top of cleaning, cooking, schooling, saying no 5.2 billion times a day, church. Yeah, I think that may be it. Of course, I'll update if there is more. Until then, I'll try to survive the night. Thank God, the kids don't know where the duck tape is. One day, they may just try to duck tape me to a chair. Not that I would complain...that bad! Happy Thursday...hang on, tomorrow is Friday...you're almost there! :) 

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