tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91852977805735443942024-03-13T15:42:40.854-05:00Life, Love, and LaundryThe Tales of a Relentless HomemakerJessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-38122208080263088502013-11-12T14:00:00.002-06:002013-11-12T14:00:59.354-06:00The happenings of the Fowler Family! <b> </b>We have had a lot of happenings going on in the family these past few weeks. Let's start with the past happenings, shall we?<br />
<i><b>Happenings of the Past:</b></i><br />
<b>My Boy</b><br />
My boy has turned 5. Five! How in the world can that be? He should still be 2! But at the same time, he is so smart he sometimes seems older. He has quiet the imagination. He is so silly and adventurous. Sometimes, he is even a deep thinker. He pulls out some serious thoughts that make you stop in your tracks all doe-eyed like! Such as, "How do babies get out of your tummy?" As I stammer over the answer of "Um...well...uh....Doctors cut them out."(Which by the way, not a lie.) He is unamused by my answer and decides to inform the family, "I'm the green ninja from Ninjago! What kind of weapon do you have?" Thankfully his interest change rather quickly. (Currently, we have two 5 year olds and a 7 year old in the house. Every year for 15 days we have 2 kids who are the same age but don't share the same birthday. Meaning no twins. Yeah, I'll let you do the math on that! I love to see the looks on people's faces when I tell them that. It never gets old! ) Here he is when he was a baby:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Nced-gnO65062bTPYilR0ql-ORSx8Nx-5eklTHgSdar0SNn_SBlFUQqE3pOBeJ5EPYWXE8mcg2uHVIHPL2QMi8ziAU3RwYRjgTLxSA2_ZcIZj8oBYjZyQsM4zYqYvhaqOePKa0ggGHQ/s1600/thanksgiving2008+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Nced-gnO65062bTPYilR0ql-ORSx8Nx-5eklTHgSdar0SNn_SBlFUQqE3pOBeJ5EPYWXE8mcg2uHVIHPL2QMi8ziAU3RwYRjgTLxSA2_ZcIZj8oBYjZyQsM4zYqYvhaqOePKa0ggGHQ/s320/thanksgiving2008+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was his first Thanksgiving! He was so tiny! </td></tr>
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And this is my little guy now. Can we just rewind a few years? I miss my squishy baby!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7SDftOcPrzNfItZploBMHEe3f6y8FQf2IMf6UJEJsjaStcNMGDT4Ow5X6CceaKcWouUEqAcpHGcD_fuKWCRUmF1rciM0SL_NLvJ415ibCXQl0P01O4yOwgFsPFRfbtCCv67LGQ0ghq4/s1600/fall2013+377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7SDftOcPrzNfItZploBMHEe3f6y8FQf2IMf6UJEJsjaStcNMGDT4Ow5X6CceaKcWouUEqAcpHGcD_fuKWCRUmF1rciM0SL_NLvJ415ibCXQl0P01O4yOwgFsPFRfbtCCv67LGQ0ghq4/s320/fall2013+377.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He is all about Star Wars. I made him his R2D2 cake. I think he loved it!</td></tr>
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<b> </b><br />
<b>Pictures</b><br />
I just downloaded pictures from my camera to my computer. I had 418 pictures on there. Apparently, I haven't downloaded any since...um...July. Yeah. Here are a few from over the past few months:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtVZv4DwljXxLia36yjlLOvpBTGkDLhas2zrvM_2UIWDWrioZ5Te9CQdblqlPAtVBTaBE2dauRec_EqbswAuV23_ZWtl4qLX9Fety0gp4ahXmHEBhVRgywblUbK9UjhlwTtV_84icmHo/s1600/fall2013+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtVZv4DwljXxLia36yjlLOvpBTGkDLhas2zrvM_2UIWDWrioZ5Te9CQdblqlPAtVBTaBE2dauRec_EqbswAuV23_ZWtl4qLX9Fety0gp4ahXmHEBhVRgywblUbK9UjhlwTtV_84icmHo/s320/fall2013+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you find the sleeping boy? I was in a moment of panic because I didn't see him at first! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mSgWaKUOf410S5iA1h2-EMvy1oMhKAvZXHuhMJAa071-JAH7sI586MPUxuoQGoDXOnCFzDo7wUbkpr6tIPD0e7xOHPxigk-UCbJY6aOCTnPF8BnRLtOol-kQXaofJP9LmvEbcFCC6m4/s1600/fall2013+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mSgWaKUOf410S5iA1h2-EMvy1oMhKAvZXHuhMJAa071-JAH7sI586MPUxuoQGoDXOnCFzDo7wUbkpr6tIPD0e7xOHPxigk-UCbJY6aOCTnPF8BnRLtOol-kQXaofJP9LmvEbcFCC6m4/s320/fall2013+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our family trip to a local state park! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTdfFm1DeFxKKV872RLrdG4hTafzUQih0PqKkN9Eml-SiJyhti5ZLvaLDsSEF_XowylAFa8UpSsUvWt0c-6EOoCClJ9JBxUT2Yo9pyTR15cR8DrOLSl6qXQOzwi2M2dZ5Mz3N6NJA4lU/s1600/fall2013+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTdfFm1DeFxKKV872RLrdG4hTafzUQih0PqKkN9Eml-SiJyhti5ZLvaLDsSEF_XowylAFa8UpSsUvWt0c-6EOoCClJ9JBxUT2Yo9pyTR15cR8DrOLSl6qXQOzwi2M2dZ5Mz3N6NJA4lU/s320/fall2013+056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most important people in my life! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwVSLkV2rSqklA8PbBvHQk6WiRg51eG_LYOEusORsz5W8WRIwQZYO5fdcxuCJW1zks-EH5KpLPFuJxDqQgqZodPGvIFOzZ-McHIOfS1QfNlW-eRL_AlacAzr8ccrgMwJr1SvAeK2UmX4/s1600/fall2013+191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwVSLkV2rSqklA8PbBvHQk6WiRg51eG_LYOEusORsz5W8WRIwQZYO5fdcxuCJW1zks-EH5KpLPFuJxDqQgqZodPGvIFOzZ-McHIOfS1QfNlW-eRL_AlacAzr8ccrgMwJr1SvAeK2UmX4/s320/fall2013+191.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My boy spent the night with his Mimi and Paw on the 4th of July. He took a few "fireworks" with him.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdS_lih_smGPQv_PI78a3AOSLQsVK9p2XJqCKdcJMGJw20gP7s_dVBqekdE7mIy1aEpzXFcgYWQdZ-v9s8T_lKbVbKo7SOv2hxgcP8VQSfSvn4mivvaKCayXX1mmTC6FalOTgg79yn3M/s1600/fall2013+194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdS_lih_smGPQv_PI78a3AOSLQsVK9p2XJqCKdcJMGJw20gP7s_dVBqekdE7mIy1aEpzXFcgYWQdZ-v9s8T_lKbVbKo7SOv2hxgcP8VQSfSvn4mivvaKCayXX1mmTC6FalOTgg79yn3M/s320/fall2013+194.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls stayed home and enjoyed the fun from the front porch in their pajamas! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-oU2aJg6uSJwbhJFJQezFE7gJKs2_hmVNU4IzOHu2swgjnwOPdhxCdalQnSsInQxDCC5cOmiActPE68Qvpnp8oMgCQ6JJMeT4Bu8yaOlKwwZ8G-MN5py5NhpXVWj8K2SDfreuOelbA4/s1600/fall2013+200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-oU2aJg6uSJwbhJFJQezFE7gJKs2_hmVNU4IzOHu2swgjnwOPdhxCdalQnSsInQxDCC5cOmiActPE68Qvpnp8oMgCQ6JJMeT4Bu8yaOlKwwZ8G-MN5py5NhpXVWj8K2SDfreuOelbA4/s320/fall2013+200.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This little guy made himself a pallet and fell asleep one day after lunch. I knew it was a little too quiet! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeAQ3-YeVpdtWcY2oNaK-dALUzyYGNFbeH89fibQmNwNPus2Q-5M3tpcqA_xmMWmc4Qbnra3rTnk_y8293BNcG3KYu22ReOSIJLy6vU18dkLUnGdu6ad_zSHY8XB2IzKuznsslDX38ns/s1600/fall2013+226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeAQ3-YeVpdtWcY2oNaK-dALUzyYGNFbeH89fibQmNwNPus2Q-5M3tpcqA_xmMWmc4Qbnra3rTnk_y8293BNcG3KYu22ReOSIJLy6vU18dkLUnGdu6ad_zSHY8XB2IzKuznsslDX38ns/s320/fall2013+226.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My bold Sweetie Pie full of sass! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0P0ezb5OT0K3cFBkqgylC4hA0Rb67uxiF2ySIhTTRTuzQi4E04ozIvcRz7GRvJpZm9DlLLpPpfSUFn0ufkgd50ZpGazCE4Sj_VaR56OI5MMBLsmRV0VB2nKWvPm55K-TvdAKXOhpC-uM/s1600/fall2013+232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0P0ezb5OT0K3cFBkqgylC4hA0Rb67uxiF2ySIhTTRTuzQi4E04ozIvcRz7GRvJpZm9DlLLpPpfSUFn0ufkgd50ZpGazCE4Sj_VaR56OI5MMBLsmRV0VB2nKWvPm55K-TvdAKXOhpC-uM/s320/fall2013+232.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of 2nd grade.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cvVXkbsRcdF7Q4Hq7WEXceS9xPkBW825icBff7ne-RrgQx8-y7Xtw6wNZmo7rjccA0pC7iS45yMDpGwbB_45HMRYwnUoBgmuf8nzrDnXSkD5fwaa2i893jpcCSCvmSNcJn81votuQCw/s1600/fall2013+234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cvVXkbsRcdF7Q4Hq7WEXceS9xPkBW825icBff7ne-RrgQx8-y7Xtw6wNZmo7rjccA0pC7iS45yMDpGwbB_45HMRYwnUoBgmuf8nzrDnXSkD5fwaa2i893jpcCSCvmSNcJn81votuQCw/s320/fall2013+234.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of Kindergarten.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6SN6aDNT3eDwb5m9ggzxEF5W8h4gsBTbUND7YH3NqpJdWTaWcLySGkjCvOnQXqRQTqCPv1b51CTnfT9SG8w9o6DD2O8BIyZfRcyplahpmfT2v1DpHi0Y7YUiMva0oCA5W0vVZ-1lyGk/s1600/fall2013+235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6SN6aDNT3eDwb5m9ggzxEF5W8h4gsBTbUND7YH3NqpJdWTaWcLySGkjCvOnQXqRQTqCPv1b51CTnfT9SG8w9o6DD2O8BIyZfRcyplahpmfT2v1DpHi0Y7YUiMva0oCA5W0vVZ-1lyGk/s320/fall2013+235.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of K4.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx19Z4pGwMyTRYL1CfRKeLHxVuWzlGtEWDg-eKc5k2CtyIhgQ_AI4ait43RTfY2TCsMfecjR7UkaMsNAncmTAgi1G5GVtnGDcZZXTHkawjL9bFYLt_6VQNqgNONJiyXSd6JQ9fWGVpVrg/s1600/fall2013+256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx19Z4pGwMyTRYL1CfRKeLHxVuWzlGtEWDg-eKc5k2CtyIhgQ_AI4ait43RTfY2TCsMfecjR7UkaMsNAncmTAgi1G5GVtnGDcZZXTHkawjL9bFYLt_6VQNqgNONJiyXSd6JQ9fWGVpVrg/s320/fall2013+256.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Sweet Pea found a butterfly friend! </td></tr>
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<b> </b><br />
<b>Veterans Day</b><br />
Yesterday my love had a day off from work. We were able to actually go on a date and do a little Christmas shopping. We also got to eat Chinese food and see a movie. A rare and appreciated treat! <b> </b>We saw Thor: The Dark World. It was awesome! We also saw a few trailers of some upcoming movies we can't wait to see: The Hobbit, Captain America, Catching Fire! I cherish our time spent together. We always have so much fun!<br />
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Now on to the Future Happenings:<br />
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<b>Thanksgiving</b><br />
Oh Thanksgiving! How I love you...let me count the ways! It is a time for family, food, and fellowship. We have our menu planned from the smoked turkey to the pies. Thanksgiving is a time for pies. What about cake you say? That's what birthday's and Tuesdays are for. What about cookies? Have you heard of Christmas and Friday's? Thanksgiving is for pie! We currently have 4 pies on our menu. If your nice, we might share. Unless you talk to my Sweetie Pie about her beloved chocolate pie. I'll warn you, she is fierce! I wouldn't try to steal a bite. She will put you in your place. We working on the whole sharing thing. We may need to work harder on the sharing thing. I think this is our family's favorite holiday! We are beyond excited! <br />
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<b>Christmas</b><br />
It's November and the excitement is building for the upcoming holiday! I feel ahead of the game in ways. Such as: Most of the kids Christmas shopping is done. This year we are taking the kids individually Christmas shopping for each of their siblings! Saturday, I took our oldest girl shopping. I had so much fun! She had very creative ideas. She has such a big, giving heart. I love that so much about her. If she could bring the moon down, wrap it up with a bow and give it to you, she would! I also had to remind her of her budget. Ha! As the saying around here goes she has a "wine taste on a beer budget"! Once she was reminded of her allotted amount of money she could spend, she was eager to do so. We have the two smaller ones to take shopping. I'm looking forward to it; It's going to be a blast! I have a plan for my husband's gift and few other people's gifts. I am excited to get my tree up. But, in the Fowler house we have to wait until after Thanksgiving. Waiting is hard for an impatient person. Not that I would know about it personally. Not me...not even a little.<br />
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<b>The Present</b><br />
Currently, I have a sink of dishes left over from breakfast this morning and bowls leftover from rice pudding last night. My table is full of home school work. We still have some work to finish from yesterday. I have laundry coming out of my eyeballs. It could also be flowing freely from my couch onto the floor. Not that I would be willing to tell anyone that. It is however clean and that's a plus. Beds are unmade and toys are scattered throughout the house. Supper will need to be worked on soon. (Why do they always want to eat Supper?) It's cold and windy today. It will only be worse tomorrow. My feelings on the cold have changed. I actually don't mind the cold so much anymore. I am grateful for a warm house and warm hearts that fill it up. It's easy to see that time is not always on your side. But it's even easier to see that time isn't what matters. It's the people you spend it with that does. Even if you have to do a hurdle jump over the four laundry baskets in front of the front door to do so. Happy Tuesday to you and yours! <br />
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-43628654604804672842013-10-17T10:01:00.002-05:002013-10-17T10:01:40.291-05:00Back from an unscheduled hiatus/ Homeschool post...Apparently, I went on a blogging hiatus. I'm still not entirely sure when I decided on it. I think the last time I published was in July. It is October. The 17th. Three months I have been away and it still seems like it should be July. We didn't have a "real" Alabama summer this year. It rained more than usual. Not that I am complaining because I actually love the rain. The temps were so fall like it is still unbelievable to me! Any-who, Busyness can control your life if you let it. I try not to let it but, alas sometimes it does. Which to my surprise has brought us to October. I have the kids entertained in front of Netflix, with Sweet Pea in charge of the remote. The peace may last long enough for me to finish one post. I hope. She thinks she is the Queen of the Remote. She is often told that she is merely the servant of the remote. I find it humorous. She does not. Ya'll, my babies are growing up! Sweet Pea is almost 8(eeck!), Sweetie Pie is about to be 6(what?), and my boy is about to turn 5(oh my heart!). It is an amazing thing to see the changes from pre-school to big kid. It seems like over night.<br />
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Here are a few reasons I've been away: <br />
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We are in school full force. This is our 3rd year to be homeschooling. I was slightly apprehensive before school started. This year I would be teaching a 2nd grader and a Kindergartner, with a pre-schooling boy on the side. I wasn't sure I could do it. But, we have worked out most of the kinks and we have a pretty good and easy going system. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. Except maybe Sweetie Pie and her natural desire to be stubborn. She has told me a couple of times and I quote,"I am not doing that today." Excuse me? This was followed by the whimpering that she is so very good at and the statement of, "I don't know how." Even though she just finished doing it and she is on her last two letters. Needless to say, I asked her to rethink her attitude <strike>or</strike> <strike>I would take her change jar and put it on the table and if she didn't do her work, I would start taking pennies away</strike> and to my surprise she did. After two days she realized Mama wasn't bluffing and we've had no problems since. (Have I ever mentioned, I'm not above bribing my children?) Sweet Pea is loving school for the most part. She tries to get out of it every once in a while. It doesn't work but it doesn't stop her from trying! The boy is steadily learning his basics. I let him work until he gets tired of working and then I let him go play. I don't push him to complete a certain amount of work. He's learning just as much by playing with blocks and coloring. He'll be in school for the next 13 years, at least. I'm letting him have his last "free" year off.<br />
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OK, so looking back apparently home school is keeping me busy. Ha! Not to mention all of our "normal" house keeping duties. It makes for a very busy day. I must say that being a home school family is just perfect
for us. (Especially after hearing about all the common core horror
stories. But I am not going there today!) I do enjoy it and so do the kids. This year we have started some new activities. Actually, we just started last week. I came across an amazing blog called<a href="http://practicalpages.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> Practical Pages</a> and totally took her ideas as my own.(Don't worry, she gave away free resources. I didn't actually steal anything!) She has great ideas! So, last week we started an "Artist of the Month" and a "Musician of the Month". Our artist, one of my favorites: Vincent Van Gogh(that rhymes with cough, not "Go"-which is the way I was always taught. I like learning something new!) and our musician, per the request of Sweet Pea: Ludwig van Beethoven. I want the kids to know more and do more than just your regular run of the mill construction paper craft. There is nothing wrong with that and we still do those but, I want them to appreciate the work these men and others did. How God gave them a special talent and because they embraced who they where, we are able to enjoy their talents as well. These are extras that we do toward the end of the week, as a sort of reward for working hard on our core curriculum all week. <br />
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Our typical day consists of breakfast, school, lunch, quiet time(reading, playing, napping, as long as <strike>I </strike>they have quiet time I don't care) then play time outside or inside, followed by supper, showers(all they kids take showers, for the most part, by themselves. My back seriously is grateful!) then family time, family devotion(most nights...it's still a work in progress!), prayer, and bed. Then somewhere between quiet time, home school lessons, play time, I try to keep the house looking semi-clean. Whew. I need a nap just typing that out. So, busy, busy has been my agenda lately. Hopefully, I can get back into the drill of blogging. I do miss it, ever so much. I even cleaned off the office desk, which looked incredibly sad. And crowded.(OK, it looked like it could be on it's very own show of Hoarders.) I can't work like that. So, it's clean and ready for me to post more of my tales of being a relentless homemaker. It's never ending work. At the same time, the rewards are never ending either! So, until next time<br />
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Enjoy Life!<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: purple;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jessica </span></span></i></span></span></span><br />
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-58634156732828510382013-07-01T08:31:00.001-05:002013-07-01T08:31:22.204-05:00Happy July and an update! Where in the world did June go? It went by so fast. We have been busy being lazy. We did go to a couple of the $1 movies...that was fun! We didn't have to get up in the middle of the movie for anything! We had only one drink spilled and absolutely ZERO tears. What!?! We went to the local splash pad. It was hot. We also had a great time there with no tears while we were leaving. We've told our kids if they have good behavior they will get to go back and have fun. If you cry all the way home while yelling," Go back! Turn Left and go back!" You will not go back. I will not turn left. Not that we personally experienced this last year while leaving the splash pad. Yeah. My sweet little boy wouldn't do that........Anyway. It seems my babies are growing up. It makes me so sad and so happy. They aren't clinging to their running around naked, screaming like a crazy person ways. They have become much more civilized. Well....more civilized than a hyper 2 year old. I'll take it.<br />
So here is some of our summer adventures in pictures. Enjoy.<br />
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My Sweetie Pie lost two teeth. That was as fun as um...pulling teeth. Her adult teeth were popping in behind her, hanging by a thread baby teeth, so I had to help pull them. This grosses out her daddy. So I got to be the one to fight the jerking head and screaming when I said, "Open your mouth" little girl. Her big sister was all about pulling teeth so she could get a dollar. Little sister, not so much. I waived a dollar under her nose so she could smell the money. She saw the blood on the tissue and panicked. After much pulling we were able to get it out. She's so cute without her baby teeth. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mIgiOl0Fg__dMsJPxrHnduC2969jDJlm8qa59h4A2Z-C01g7WkfrXBhSUli5obS1jDVo1Qu9HziyIN2bDtoJ4YPn_QzIn749g967-cD9T9U1Kr1YOzhWPuIWgnH2at6dZTolLPtIDz4/s1600/Summer2013pt1+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mIgiOl0Fg__dMsJPxrHnduC2969jDJlm8qa59h4A2Z-C01g7WkfrXBhSUli5obS1jDVo1Qu9HziyIN2bDtoJ4YPn_QzIn749g967-cD9T9U1Kr1YOzhWPuIWgnH2at6dZTolLPtIDz4/s400/Summer2013pt1+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Sweetie Pie is growing up. She has lost 2 baby teeth and her 2 top ones are loose. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweirWcHNnh6E4uCapzKuWQ3p1z4CL0nm4ePXGaKS6RlveC5KpR72JKOrK7Ip1iRd8H69xYjRt3r5tuRmhj0nJYmvU9ccX4pt-o2zXBHYvP_odyOuuLS3uOpFMJUbLS3tDdn-f8mez3wE/s1600/Summer2013pt1+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweirWcHNnh6E4uCapzKuWQ3p1z4CL0nm4ePXGaKS6RlveC5KpR72JKOrK7Ip1iRd8H69xYjRt3r5tuRmhj0nJYmvU9ccX4pt-o2zXBHYvP_odyOuuLS3uOpFMJUbLS3tDdn-f8mez3wE/s400/Summer2013pt1+005.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Pea got a new earring. This girl is the lizard whisperer. She catches them, wears them as earrings, names them, and even gets them to fall asleep while laying on her chest. This girl...this girl! I love her adventurous spirit. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiSg7Uz3BUt-LZP_OwVLM8IA71AzaVoGLkC8y_vS0YOj0KOpjr8rN0qFgYot-BGtLDeXVlbIkd9zFhmZDkYQ8SvFhgue_8zqF6f08tqZSgE2lH5lXBtML1FngH_Ze2L9vw3NZK4N809M/s1600/Summer2013pt1+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiSg7Uz3BUt-LZP_OwVLM8IA71AzaVoGLkC8y_vS0YOj0KOpjr8rN0qFgYot-BGtLDeXVlbIkd9zFhmZDkYQ8SvFhgue_8zqF6f08tqZSgE2lH5lXBtML1FngH_Ze2L9vw3NZK4N809M/s400/Summer2013pt1+008.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course, The Boy had to try it out too. Sissy wasn't as brave. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohwFSTYvCAWe6W7K2P0QDXEDX3B4dYCd05Q9R7TRzqLL4uKDlZ7WY1bHhbWcplMhkd5ZtdM4_btGne_8mgh6q6iSJ35DvIJTacLTQo7gpwnvK0zSZl5kznYizRR1mrjoVVPztyLLbV34/s1600/Summer2013pt1+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohwFSTYvCAWe6W7K2P0QDXEDX3B4dYCd05Q9R7TRzqLL4uKDlZ7WY1bHhbWcplMhkd5ZtdM4_btGne_8mgh6q6iSJ35DvIJTacLTQo7gpwnvK0zSZl5kznYizRR1mrjoVVPztyLLbV34/s400/Summer2013pt1+033.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmmm...let me think. He wanted his hair spiked before he got his hair cut the next day. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSrhS1TZjm3p9ll8drlJXN_9YuMaFikpQF4ZUelKIBZ1pQhyvKtIvMjLshPbmHhy00Ps8tIyEizbpg0FJ1RuhBLBNEgb4ubh23LH-5zihkvq2KuaISJXIxixLAW3aEnce-GjvK-wWxdY/s1600/Summer2013pt1+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSrhS1TZjm3p9ll8drlJXN_9YuMaFikpQF4ZUelKIBZ1pQhyvKtIvMjLshPbmHhy00Ps8tIyEizbpg0FJ1RuhBLBNEgb4ubh23LH-5zihkvq2KuaISJXIxixLAW3aEnce-GjvK-wWxdY/s400/Summer2013pt1+039.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls were making sure he knew how cute he was. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBE4dtR6A2Plj6JFdQWK5d6dAEA5ZrCZk8pegtKExEklwWms6Wk097oMInMUS6Zs_FgroRUGPCWzammLczZ2P8GFIsaw8bpeFNNFsbm9Yr6sQzWtoQe9as0x5zcF4pRsLaxPjeMYWKoTU/s1600/Summer2013pt1+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBE4dtR6A2Plj6JFdQWK5d6dAEA5ZrCZk8pegtKExEklwWms6Wk097oMInMUS6Zs_FgroRUGPCWzammLczZ2P8GFIsaw8bpeFNNFsbm9Yr6sQzWtoQe9as0x5zcF4pRsLaxPjeMYWKoTU/s400/Summer2013pt1+046.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This girl. Seriously, if she can't make you laugh, give her 5 minutes. She'll come up with some shenanigan that will have you shaking your head and laughing until your side hurts. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Y_5c5RAvwutu_nuMQz4uTopVkHiztR2tGGovCUAoaF9xNfPiMVIMktFQq9vkK079AtS1tPmBh71X1ExyNvSJgTDdpGbiF0aZElZA2Zpl-FovC76hH5E-etnYQqGXz_nWEzXDa1cirUk/s1600/Summer2013pt1+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Y_5c5RAvwutu_nuMQz4uTopVkHiztR2tGGovCUAoaF9xNfPiMVIMktFQq9vkK079AtS1tPmBh71X1ExyNvSJgTDdpGbiF0aZElZA2Zpl-FovC76hH5E-etnYQqGXz_nWEzXDa1cirUk/s400/Summer2013pt1+048.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My babies. We went bowling. I beat my all time high score of 32. Don't be jealous. I walked away with a score of 70 something. I will not tell you what my 7 year old got. She may have beat us. I don't remember....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37wn5VuQmiDHqaj3EYlI7pBhzYM2M4bW9ahED3UE9jbpO9EQBjolYjHV1JsICABEjJP_LW04Ez7QzTCpB-5A38YT1MaCAaR4_Pl6wOQm0o_u6dx8q5tZ5SjKFzuyvuJcFcTTWk9GOlAQ/s1600/Summer2013pt1+094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37wn5VuQmiDHqaj3EYlI7pBhzYM2M4bW9ahED3UE9jbpO9EQBjolYjHV1JsICABEjJP_LW04Ez7QzTCpB-5A38YT1MaCAaR4_Pl6wOQm0o_u6dx8q5tZ5SjKFzuyvuJcFcTTWk9GOlAQ/s400/Summer2013pt1+094.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids play in the sprinkler often. I came in the living room to find clothes, a swim suit but no little boy. Thankfully, he was wearing another set of swim trunks and wasn't taking a shower in the front yard with a garden sprinkler. Ha! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVz3mzJztMGf1YZoaDju2VVeSzDFreVrbOf03E8dy3zE6cN9nD8FNVvFhyK12GU1JGt-eHq2mWMUuxGE-xraWFNi_Kx5LxeDYObAdromt7DdUSA0wwN0_N0p9dCxN6pm0TDFGXTlpLTdU/s1600/Summer2013pt1+130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVz3mzJztMGf1YZoaDju2VVeSzDFreVrbOf03E8dy3zE6cN9nD8FNVvFhyK12GU1JGt-eHq2mWMUuxGE-xraWFNi_Kx5LxeDYObAdromt7DdUSA0wwN0_N0p9dCxN6pm0TDFGXTlpLTdU/s400/Summer2013pt1+130.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We played with cousin E. We had sprinklers, little tykes cars, and water guns that I regret to inform you also doubled as a water bottle. At least it was fresh water they had in the bowl. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWjZl7QBQ9t5GBcWPwsx9Lz1eYVLX_XyOm-_CJbLnhMy4WRBGS9ns1VqImMN9F-w0MjwfdgnIICqkoro8zLVmQqqdXZ8aHSA3YHpJxzrX0MQfHN5BNqYCnt6f6OUEUP1ZGr_Ow1U3Mu0/s1600/Summer2013pt1+139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWjZl7QBQ9t5GBcWPwsx9Lz1eYVLX_XyOm-_CJbLnhMy4WRBGS9ns1VqImMN9F-w0MjwfdgnIICqkoro8zLVmQqqdXZ8aHSA3YHpJxzrX0MQfHN5BNqYCnt6f6OUEUP1ZGr_Ow1U3Mu0/s400/Summer2013pt1+139.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was right before we left for the splash pad. They were stylin'! Be still my beating heart. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4g9D4TTHsnMpIou5XojcHX5gY3roOmLqv2HVu55vCtvCLlfY6bamioB87VSp238pNiC2LI6-tDVpGTbs8seBajudjjbbdmmpdpdaC1YLLY0PqIryje3v6xRDKlglHe_JT8a3f8pyovc/s1600/Summer2013pt1+202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4g9D4TTHsnMpIou5XojcHX5gY3roOmLqv2HVu55vCtvCLlfY6bamioB87VSp238pNiC2LI6-tDVpGTbs8seBajudjjbbdmmpdpdaC1YLLY0PqIryje3v6xRDKlglHe_JT8a3f8pyovc/s400/Summer2013pt1+202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We also had Father's Day. My awesome husband, my babies daddy got a Tardis mug. If you do not know what a Tardis is. You must not be a Whovian. We may or may not be addicted to Dr. Who. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Well this is summer so far. This week The Mr. has the entire week off and we have an entire week of fun planned. The kids and I are equally excited about it. I can't wait to post pics. Have a happy Monday and be blessed! Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-48075913593901279032013-05-15T09:02:00.004-05:002013-05-15T09:03:12.390-05:00Summer.....Welcome to the middle of May. Summer has finally seemed to arrive here in good ole Alabama. It has been unseasonable cold the last month or so. I'm hoping maybe that will mean a mild summer. 100 degree heat is not really my favorite! The kids were actually able to get in Mimi's wadding pool yesterday with their cousin, baby E. They had a blast! I am actually considering bribing them with water privileges so we can get the house good and cleaned today. I am not against bribing a child. Never have been. Especially when there is a chance of a clean home. Which, let's face it, doesn't happen to often!<br />
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My Sweet Pea has officially finished her 1st grade year! Woo! The kids are excited I am excited. Summer is finally here. I love the excitement that every season brings. We are beyond ready for some fun in the sun! And even some fun indoors. {You know I can only handle so much heat. I don't like to be sticky!} We are going to go to the $1 movies and bowling. Movies, I can handle. Bowling, well....the last time I bowled was in high school and I bowled an amazing score of 83. Boom! I'm also pretty sure I fell. Now, Wii Bowling on the other hand, I am the best. So, maybe the two will even out! ha! After summer my Sweetie Pie will be starting Kindergarten. Sigh. I try to push it to the back of my head. Then things like this arrive in the mail:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VhhBQe3piEKPbx2G5Cj7Ql1OCxTyqUuV0KRN8bTxS7MH84-WjxlxO4hjaYSYtkQeUmTFd8U6l3e6sj9bHw2hK266luqXISV4BaPNSwYdXlKpf40jvrEfofEGz_9V8VWuTQXRHhoDzUY/s1600/Easter2013+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VhhBQe3piEKPbx2G5Cj7Ql1OCxTyqUuV0KRN8bTxS7MH84-WjxlxO4hjaYSYtkQeUmTFd8U6l3e6sj9bHw2hK266luqXISV4BaPNSwYdXlKpf40jvrEfofEGz_9V8VWuTQXRHhoDzUY/s400/Easter2013+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetie Pie's Kindergarten books. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY3dYxNX85gOduy-f7a2MbBfa2shB7DyteOuRuIU5qG_MJPR7VqE0w_0sfnqERaleHo_UrRaMl_wsPWYs86uwri1xlJQ4L9gUBdgl85G5z1Qr1OgF5B71PmZyEmtVHoxR1JRnm9Yppbc/s1600/Easter2013+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY3dYxNX85gOduy-f7a2MbBfa2shB7DyteOuRuIU5qG_MJPR7VqE0w_0sfnqERaleHo_UrRaMl_wsPWYs86uwri1xlJQ4L9gUBdgl85G5z1Qr1OgF5B71PmZyEmtVHoxR1JRnm9Yppbc/s400/Easter2013+077.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetie Pie should still be 1. Could we rewind time? Or at least slow it down? Thanks. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EgOrpbq-4GT4nXhsWfHfi3UDuVfAgJFJuJ6sNPfKq7kHRHYWRaVYB03ARwJbbfE1mCP_jq8Zc17dYjlktUNyQz31J56O1GKgsc6UUJdwRHGBlobN9WkYaxdOamxpDdOVLzeXJHk0nVI/s1600/Easter2013+268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EgOrpbq-4GT4nXhsWfHfi3UDuVfAgJFJuJ6sNPfKq7kHRHYWRaVYB03ARwJbbfE1mCP_jq8Zc17dYjlktUNyQz31J56O1GKgsc6UUJdwRHGBlobN9WkYaxdOamxpDdOVLzeXJHk0nVI/s400/Easter2013+268.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not entirely sure what this boy is doing but he is concentrating awfully hard his foot. I love that he is ALL boy! </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4itrdD3Z8944BLXbfxnjHBTyTtB3Y7fqrJTEXAoaq1tXEpVUdtb1EoD_aYLUkPeEt8P1wouT1P8pZHFHr-eyqy5JR0XNeiHo_ZCvIjW_9Y-FdEtERk_LiumYElXg7-foDCzFzoAE7KrE/s1600/Easter2013+295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4itrdD3Z8944BLXbfxnjHBTyTtB3Y7fqrJTEXAoaq1tXEpVUdtb1EoD_aYLUkPeEt8P1wouT1P8pZHFHr-eyqy5JR0XNeiHo_ZCvIjW_9Y-FdEtERk_LiumYElXg7-foDCzFzoAE7KrE/s400/Easter2013+295.JPG" width="400" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Sweet Pea! My little bookworm. I love that she loves to read. :) I love summer and all the adventures that await us. So here's to it finally being summer and a months of endless fun! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: 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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-3663507682159625972013-04-11T08:19:00.001-05:002013-04-11T08:19:30.891-05:00A picture post...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's April and rather warm around these parts! Yesterday on the hottest day of the year so far, our air conditioner decided not to work. I believe it reached almost 90. Granted, our house stayed around 78 degrees yesterday so compared to 90 that's not bad. It's not my favorite but it didn't kill anyone. Today we have someone coming to fix it. Hopefully, it's a cheap fix. Mostly, because I hate to spend money on things I don't want to spend money on. Give me shoes or a purse and well that's a completely different story! ;) Anywho, at least it wasn't May through September when our air went out. I might actually have melted. You gotta love the humidity in Alabama! But, today it's going to rain{suppose to be bad, but praying it's not} and our heat wave will be gone for a few days and hopefully all of this pollen. But for now, for today I have for you a picture post. The computer <i>Finally </i>cooperated with me on it. Woot! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pPWAgS73xNsCgGYKyC6vL0gcypO-KBlopkeGgkzbUL8EypJMWTec_cP8RdT_qw6xDm8cfSET-aJIOvJa0dJHqL9tRFsTZ-CDZoln6rYtBZSzAsK0BfAmeApEI4iQL1r_nbKx9LL7xVQ/s1600/Easter2013+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pPWAgS73xNsCgGYKyC6vL0gcypO-KBlopkeGgkzbUL8EypJMWTec_cP8RdT_qw6xDm8cfSET-aJIOvJa0dJHqL9tRFsTZ-CDZoln6rYtBZSzAsK0BfAmeApEI4iQL1r_nbKx9LL7xVQ/s400/Easter2013+021.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade Bread. I've been making homemade sandwich bread lately and it is amazing! What do they put in store brought bread? Homemade taste 110% better. {I'll post recipe later!}</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoKO_MB8JsnqulKcCoiom6rFfD42IdsHRMRyt3RQk4wLFKu8xzaB-hzTuIAum-6QV4IOA_rGXafYrKCu3JOud7wA3hlTofzFmdWZO2Pbp_65ZcTvHUcwySXHdIANF7M3z-abdNQZsB-0/s1600/Easter2013+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoKO_MB8JsnqulKcCoiom6rFfD42IdsHRMRyt3RQk4wLFKu8xzaB-hzTuIAum-6QV4IOA_rGXafYrKCu3JOud7wA3hlTofzFmdWZO2Pbp_65ZcTvHUcwySXHdIANF7M3z-abdNQZsB-0/s400/Easter2013+024.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My oldest baby girl, Sweet Pea, turned 7 recently. How did that happen so fast? She wanted a sock monkey cake. So, a sock monkey cake is what she got! Honestly, I wasn't sure I could pull it off. Alas, I did. I did this little monkey free handed! I am actually proud of it. I {almost} didn't want to cut it. Almost! ;)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvxAim-XbBQxprX2RR65Cc0abScavGpgSgl2Jge8Vf6FBRawnF-CiqMYcvfRhgK0Sk_ItaCN8_D1kxtnxt_NwVC4YqE_cwBT8e4bRsbDd3FmIs-T97J4Mv6OAP4gAD02n1G5KRp6G97A/s1600/Easter2013+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvxAim-XbBQxprX2RR65Cc0abScavGpgSgl2Jge8Vf6FBRawnF-CiqMYcvfRhgK0Sk_ItaCN8_D1kxtnxt_NwVC4YqE_cwBT8e4bRsbDd3FmIs-T97J4Mv6OAP4gAD02n1G5KRp6G97A/s320/Easter2013+042.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Be still my beating heart! This was on Sweet Pea's 7th birthday. Their ages here are: 7, 5, & 4. Please stop growing. On, the other hand, keep growing strong. A mother's heart is always so conflicted. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvC5VXElaintAF_1pRo21iTXybTArsy83LHlAFAqFS7sf_MUobqUg2XriU0BZAgARpd7bG3ImtPk5PojzyPCzLr-VRIU0d3A_p3aGNRvKrqvOh06aLh9cqP3lIlGJ_yCSTnCdCTlakaM/s1600/Easter2013+178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvC5VXElaintAF_1pRo21iTXybTArsy83LHlAFAqFS7sf_MUobqUg2XriU0BZAgARpd7bG3ImtPk5PojzyPCzLr-VRIU0d3A_p3aGNRvKrqvOh06aLh9cqP3lIlGJ_yCSTnCdCTlakaM/s400/Easter2013+178.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was Easter. It started out a rainy day so we couldn't do our yearly Easter picture outside so we settled for my bedroom. These are the most beautiful children ever. {I'm not biased at all!} After this picture, we had to have a wardrobe change with Sweetie Pie since she was extra itchy due to the material in her dress. How do you like The Boy's suit? I almost died from all the cuteness this picture holds! (And also because everyone is looking at the camera at the same time!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanDC1fpzh9oeBy8_z5yRQqv4hgG0YFuGWF0dZWr_8PPbjYdhnRrPSr-fL3BrdBCQm-KLAuzw69Yf6P_hkK1M_ZQGXeRT7xja7V-dg2KVsAAOOx5R9ULILG3y77MPwEA0SLOh3RWhFdxc/s1600/Easter2013+236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanDC1fpzh9oeBy8_z5yRQqv4hgG0YFuGWF0dZWr_8PPbjYdhnRrPSr-fL3BrdBCQm-KLAuzw69Yf6P_hkK1M_ZQGXeRT7xja7V-dg2KVsAAOOx5R9ULILG3y77MPwEA0SLOh3RWhFdxc/s400/Easter2013+236.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last weekend we painted rocks. Sounds silly but it was fun. It did have a purpose. We painted the names of the veggies we planted. They are garden markers. So we don't forget where we planted what. It was fun! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlvfEDr2JYgQ4AkWkH-6v1WQDKCcc8X4IgGj_k7jTXOosepNK1-5bv0qXq67uXHOIu_8FPGvqHzu1TISpflCiE5j4CCDFpNSVDYhITz50U2LUaxP2sCHieu3si6WsB7PcskxF5p0g_PQ/s1600/Easter2013+246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlvfEDr2JYgQ4AkWkH-6v1WQDKCcc8X4IgGj_k7jTXOosepNK1-5bv0qXq67uXHOIu_8FPGvqHzu1TISpflCiE5j4CCDFpNSVDYhITz50U2LUaxP2sCHieu3si6WsB7PcskxF5p0g_PQ/s400/Easter2013+246.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little Corndog got in on the action. Of course it was because he was being lazy. When he laid down, his tail landed in the pink paint. We now have a male dog, named Corndog who has a pink tail. Never a dull moment! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWLub9kaEcveku39xGbm9MFammS1knwWnRkQXNF7kBJlWL0CyBLEg72Cw5_ActA-PX6ZwxgHWTkjx80jnIqzgxLI7rnCUEkfBQ0-St222fS-2lI12VBehD3kpiXWVBSdBtpADDHov6Yw/s1600/Easter2013+256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWLub9kaEcveku39xGbm9MFammS1knwWnRkQXNF7kBJlWL0CyBLEg72Cw5_ActA-PX6ZwxgHWTkjx80jnIqzgxLI7rnCUEkfBQ0-St222fS-2lI12VBehD3kpiXWVBSdBtpADDHov6Yw/s400/Easter2013+256.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the finished product! I hope our garden does well this year! It is always so much fun when the harvest comes in! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa-r4EIUEwBDlFn3xm9tPxvQt8ph1DTMwTNBWAlWy8ylmzp1W_fv6zV7DUXMXnmDiM27Aztm4983b8e3hGHdaQ_pz8WK5aXk_Qq1ITeLbWmtxBiZp32gYDfqdtdTp3KnT8rbnQMkRBaM/s1600/Easter2013+329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa-r4EIUEwBDlFn3xm9tPxvQt8ph1DTMwTNBWAlWy8ylmzp1W_fv6zV7DUXMXnmDiM27Aztm4983b8e3hGHdaQ_pz8WK5aXk_Qq1ITeLbWmtxBiZp32gYDfqdtdTp3KnT8rbnQMkRBaM/s400/Easter2013+329.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is our Okra rock in our Okra garden! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutcoqza-DjiWX5Ads8NpY2KOH3ycQ4d4g7ZQXLmBQQkJubbmr3Mo8oWLHUzCb8CIckmzf9rmvND897BxJE1wPtCapwtPRylQTWofMGgxlScXZ9hAh2TSGYxV1Akd9u_1Y4ub0jrHTuPY/s1600/Easter2013+308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutcoqza-DjiWX5Ads8NpY2KOH3ycQ4d4g7ZQXLmBQQkJubbmr3Mo8oWLHUzCb8CIckmzf9rmvND897BxJE1wPtCapwtPRylQTWofMGgxlScXZ9hAh2TSGYxV1Akd9u_1Y4ub0jrHTuPY/s400/Easter2013+308.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are the kids in front of my weeping cherry tree. I love this tree! It has little pink blooms and is my favorite tree in the yard. It's grown a lot since last year. Yes, Sweet Pea is drinking some water, Sweetie Pie is eating a sandwich, and The Boy is doing something that has to do with Spiderman slinging a web. What? Don't your kid's eat sandwiches in pictures? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlOC-2dXjoeaBYe1WWuzo5Rr2GYre6QZFovM1hmNl5Bdyspw4YOqt6R8EZjP3y8c61K6LpCiBTGLqF9bMgTiORMjLaMfACPHibAV7SguVElQ2j2jT4Jic4ZndrHXRya-g5c8oGbfpqzs/s1600/Easter2013+320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlOC-2dXjoeaBYe1WWuzo5Rr2GYre6QZFovM1hmNl5Bdyspw4YOqt6R8EZjP3y8c61K6LpCiBTGLqF9bMgTiORMjLaMfACPHibAV7SguVElQ2j2jT4Jic4ZndrHXRya-g5c8oGbfpqzs/s400/Easter2013+320.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an up-close picture of my Cherry Tree blooms. The bees love it! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this picture one night after the house was clean and quite. All kids tucked tightly in their beds. I realized a crane truck here and a police badge there are little reminders that I still have little children. One day, there will be Teen magazines, video games, large chapter books, and iPods lying around. I like the reminders. I think I'll keep them for a while! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I hope you have a marvelous Thursday full of love and hope! {Hopefully, no bad weather for my local readers!} Have a blessed day! I know I will[Even if I don't have air!]<br />
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-41538640943183767392013-04-09T10:07:00.002-05:002013-04-09T10:08:09.899-05:00A random update on a Happy Tuesday! Good Morning! Here is you a post of complete randomness to get your day started off right.<br />
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I am currently downloading 321 pictures and videos from my camera to my computer. I am the worst at remembering to download my pics. I am trying to upload some pics to my blog but my computer or the Internet or the forces of nature are refusing to cooperate! <br />
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Moving on....<br />
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I'm glad it's Tuesday. Monday's are always so busy for me and I'm not entirely sure why. Perhaps it's the umpteen loads of laundry I do every Monday. Or the dishes that I leave from Sunday. Perhaps, getting readjusted to Daddy going back to work. I don't know. But, Tuesdays are instantly better. Dishes are normally done. Laundry is done for the week. My only chores on the List are cleaning rooms, vacuuming those rooms, and dusting. Not to bad. Except the dusting part since the pollen seems to have covered every thing that can or is considered furniture. We had our windows open this weekend. Yesterday and today we are leaving them closed. Probably the rest of the week too. Our heads are going to become pollen volcanoes if we have to inhale it for to much longer! So dusting is in my very near future for sure.<br />
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Speaking of chores, I will be glad when chores are the only thing on my list of "Things to Do Today" this summer! I love home school but I will be glad to have a break for a while. We are almost done with school! Yay! I'm still asked daily if it's time to play in the sprinkler yet. Boy, will I be glad when it is! I love that they can play in the sprinkler, I can catch a tan and read a book, come in eat lunch, take a nap. Summer is awesome!<br />
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I just finished reading the book: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Extremely-Incredibly-Close-Movie-Tie-In/dp/0547735022" target="_blank">Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</a>. It's a very interesting book. It's weird and fun. Eccentric and serious. Sad and happy. It's all over the place and strangely centered. It's just unique. I have not seen the movie and don't know that I want to after reading the book. Mostly because stories are generally ruined when they are turned into a movie. Sad but true. Now I am reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Lucky-One-Nicholas-Sparks/dp/1455508977" target="_blank">The Lucky One</a>. So far, so good. I will say that I have seen the movie and I thought it was pretty decent. Now, 4 chapters into the book and I'm glad I watched the movie first. I would have been extremely disappointed. Nicholas Sparks is an insanely amazing writer. His movies just don't compare. Just to say it, our local library is awesome! It's not very big but they are always on top of their game. I think the staff has read almost every book that we have asked about! I love it and it's free! :)<br />
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I was changing the sheets on my bed yesterday and the kids were outside playing. I had my blinds open so I could keep an eye on them. I catch a glance of something out of my eye. I turn to see a hiney that is as white as a cloud looking at me. It takes me a second, mostly because I am in shock. Apparently my son thought that it would be an awesome idea to just pull his pants down and pee on a tree by the garage. I was on the phone with my Mama and started laughing and couldn't stop. I could barely tell her what was happening! All you could see was a white bottom and a tree that was soaking wet from about the boys' chest down. I will admit this could be my fault. {God knows I'll try and blame it on my husband!}My husband was fixing a little plumbing issue we had and The Boy had to potty. Seeing as we couldn't flush at the moment, I took him around the corner and let him pee-pee on the side of the foundation. Apparently, he thinks everything is free game to potty on. To Do List: have talk with son about not pee-peeing on things in public. {PS. Never thought I would be having this conversation!}<br />
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Since, I can't, for whatever crazy reason, upload pics I will be done with it for now. I will be back later with a post full of pictures! I have pictures from Sweet Pea turning 7 to fun things we have been doing at Destiny Kids{the children's ministry at our church}, to many many Easter egg hunts. I even have pictures of a special project we did for our garden this year. But that's an entirely different post where our little dog ends up with a pink tail. Trust me when I say, there is never a dull moment around here! Happy Tuesday! <br />
<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-84531244164161041502013-04-02T09:39:00.003-05:002013-04-02T09:43:56.430-05:00Spring and National Water Fountain Day! Hello, Spring! I have so missed you. I have missed the pretty green grass. The birds chirping around my pink flowering weeping cherry tree. The warmth on my skin and the nice breeze through my hair. The ability to send my children outside to have as much fun in the sun as they can stand! Maybe Spring was just waiting on Easter to pass? Whatever the reason, I am glad it's here! Things I am ready to accomplish now that Spring is here:<br />
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<li> I am ready to paint my living room/kitchen area. It's an open floor plan. Which I love since I am constantly in the kitchen cooking, cleaning, teaching....this works great for our family to be able to be together. What I'm not to fond of is the basic beige of color on my walls. So, I'm(by I mean we...me and the husband) are going to paint an accent wall in red and the other walls in a yellow color. Kind of like the color of butter. It's going to be pretty and full of color to help lighten things up! Now, that we can open windows and not die of paint fume inhalation, we can do just that.</li>
<li>I can't wait to plant my garden! We are doing raised beds again this year and I can't wait to harvest our crops. </li>
<li>This school year is almost over. The kids are ready for a break and so am I. Summer fun in the water is coming our way. Even if it is from the garden sprinkler!</li>
<li>To plant our grapes that my father in law brought to us. We have enough to make a small vineyard. I see lots of grape jelly being made in my future. </li>
<li>To be able to play outside with the kids. Yesterday was so beautiful that we played hopscotch and rode bikes for a while. </li>
<li>To possibly {try} camping. </li>
<li>To absolutely go fishing. Everyone in my family loves to fish. I'm not sure how my Sweetie Pie is going to handle touching a fish since she hates to get dirty. That's why I know it's going to be fun.</li>
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Things I could probably live without but I'll try {NOT} to complain about:</div>
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<li>Allergies. Pollen is what makes all my flowers happy. It makes my head wish it were buried in the flower garden. I'm trying to be positive. </li>
<li>I think the sun makes my kids a little crazy right before bedtime. Last night, as they were brushing their teeth, I hear, "It's National Water Fountain Day!" In the two minutes all 3 kids were in the bathroom they managed to fill a sandwich bag(that smuggled peeps into their rooms and was never thrown away)with water. The water was then "sprung" out like a water fountain. All over the bathroom. And the carpet outside the bathroom. National Water Fountain Day has for ever been canceled. Too much celebration caused the kids to be sent to bed 20 minutes early. {Wait a minute...maybe we will celebrate Water Fountain Day every day....}</li>
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Ok, so that's the only two things I could live without. I hope you are all enjoying your Spring weather. I know I certainly am! (Minus pollen and water fountain's!) I'll post some really cute Easter pics later. Until then......Happy National Water Fountain Day! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*not my picture*<br />Do you think I could hang my kids from the line like this?<br />I kid...I kid...maybe...</td></tr>
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We are anxiously awaiting spring. It is weird to me that Daylight Savings time is this weekend. Why is it so early this year? I am ready for longer days if it means the kids can get outside more and run out their built up winter energy. I am beyond ready to get my hands in some soil! I need to plant something and watch it grow. I also need sunshine. I feel as though I look like a ghost. I need Vitamin C. Not to mention I need lots and lots of sunshine so I can hang out my clothes on the line. I'm beginning to think I'm old fashioned. I'm not against it. Simplifying my life? I say bring it on! Also, my Sweetie Pie asks me on a daily basis if it is time to go swimming yet. When I tell her sweet summer loving self, "No, not yet." She says, "Ok, well how about the sprinkler." She's persistent! :)<br />
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Speaking of this sweet girl. I just enrolled her in Kindergarten. How in the world did that happen? She is super excited to learn how to read. She knows all the letter sounds and when she is helped can sound out small words with no issues. She loves it when Sweet Pea helps her out. Until, Sweet Pea corrects her when she doesn't "need" help. Then we have all kinds of attitudes. We are going to home school again this year. We all have really enjoyed the freedom we have with home schooling. We can do the work in the mornings, in the afternoons, or at night. This works out rather well when Daddy is on night shift. We get to eat a big lunch with him and spend time with him during the day. At night, after he leaves, we do our school work. The way his schedule falls, if they were in public school, the kids would never get to see their Daddy. This makes me happy that we can bend our schedules and still be a family together. :)<br />
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Speaking of family time, we are about to have a lot more of it. We made the decision to be a....<b>Duh, duh, duh.</b>...Cable/dish free family for a while. Maybe forever. Who knows? We had cut back on our TV viewing time. Especially when doing school work. Starting next year, we will be adding Sweetie Pie to the home school mix as well as The Boy with some pre-K work. So, that would be even more time with the TV off. Not to mention, the ridiculous amount of what we call "non-view-able" shows. We have no desire to watch shows with nude people, extreme foul language, or an obscene amount of violence and gore. Even the news is depressing and almost unviewable. I have no desire to watch that mess and I <b>absolutely</b> have no desire for my children to walk in and see or hear it. Sometimes, we were more concerned with our shows than spending time with our kids. The only "family" shows that were ever on, were on the Disney channel. Turns out we get all of those shows on Netflix. We are keeping our extremely inexpensive Netflix and got rid of Dish all together. The few shows we do watch are on the networks website for free the next day. The news is also on the internet...for free. So we were actually paying for nothing. So here's to saving money and bringing the family closer together! We are currently on day 3. We have yet to kill each other or have withdrawals Mostly.( Ok, I kind of miss HGTV.) It's also not as loud as has been known to get around here. That's a plus! (Oh, how I wish House Hunters was on Netflix!) Ok, I'll survive. I think. Maybe<br />
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Micah and I were talking and decided that the Fowler Family are officially Conservative Hippies! Hanging out my clothes, eating things that we grow, no cable, home school, saving money, me being a homemaker, anti-big government, loving God and life....Yup, Conservative Hippie. I think I'll take it!<br />
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It's almost the weekend, chin up! Happy Thursday!<br />
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What exactly is this? Well this is about 1/4 of my son's toy cars. I got to wash them! Why? Well, apparently, he needed to pee-pee and the bathroom, that's exactly 7 steps down the hall, was just too far away. So he decided to pee on his cars and the car holder. Yup. That smelled lovely. So, after a long soak in a bleach, soap, and hot water sink, they are now back to being carpet mines.{carpet mines: small weapons, aka toys, that are placed on the carpet where hard working responsible adults step on them, barefooted, quickly losing their religion and the feeling in their foot. May also cause one to hop on uninjured foot, causing one to not pay attention and step on another carpet mine. Note: This will bring tears to your eyes while children look at you as though you have lost your mind.}</div>
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One of our dear little pets, Corndog, brought home a nice little treat yesterday. Only, it was an entire fried chicken breast. I feel the need to mention, our Corndog is a weeny dog. He is small. The chicken breast he brought home, and into my house by the way, was two times bigger than his head! We were just minding our own business, doing school work, and we hear him crying outside. I told Sweet Pea to let him in. Upon entering I see this monstrous something in his mouth. I'm thinking, what in the world is that? Sweet Pea was laughing so hard, she couldn't form a sentence. All I got was.... Corndog...something....I....don't know...So, I run and chase after him and alas find out it is a fried chicken breast. I start telling him to let go. He doesn't listen. He's worse than the kids. I try to pull it out of his jaws, I only remove half of the chicken. I have to pop him on his little nose 2 or 3 times to get him to drop the rest. He follows me to the trash can and starts crying. I mean, he is moaning. He is a sad puppy. He finds Sweetie Pie and jumps up on her knees and starts crying. Like he's tattling on me. He was mad the rest of the day. He didn't even curl up by my legs after the kids went to sleep. I have no idea where he got it. I'm sure there is a doberman somewhere with a chicken wing saying, "What the what?" </div>
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This past week my entire hall was filled with baby dolls. From one end to the other. Sweetie Pie decided she would line them up and take a tally. She even had a notebook and pencil. She was calling roll and taking names! Her brother was "helping" her. By helping I mean he was made to help. She put him to work lining up baby dolls. I wish I had a picture, I didn't think of it until after the fact. </div>
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My son has started calling the potty the "Oval Office". I completely blame this on that Clorox commercial with all the different names for a toilet. I also blame this on my husband. He finds it hilarious. Why is toilet humor so funny to males? He says, "I'm going to have some fun in the Oval Office!" "I'm going to poop in the Oval Office!" SIGH. That child is only 4. <i>Dear Lord, please help me. He is not even a teenager yet. P.S. Why are boys so gross?</i></div>
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So, as you can see it's been busy. This is only a portion of my week. It snowed yesterday! I have pictures I'll post later. It was a fun day. We only get one snow day a year. We had to go out in it! </div>
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I hope ya'll have a good weekend! I hope I have a weekend that doesn't include oval offices or chicken breast. </div>
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-32213426785956316872013-01-04T09:09:00.000-06:002013-01-04T09:09:32.415-06:00A recap of the new year...thus, far....It has been a glorious new year! I know, it's only day 4 of 365 days but, it's still good! I've been out of the Facebook loop for about 5 days. I must say it feels nice, to not be at the computer every few hours just scrolling up and down. I feel much more relaxed. I still occasionally fight an urge to go "check Facebook, real fast"(like, that's ever possible!) but I have been strong and I have stayed away. I find I spend more time with the kids when I am away from FB. Which, is slightly awkward to admit. I should always make time to build the Joker's layer with my boy and congratulate my girls on what amazingly stable Lincoln log buildings they have made. And yet, in the past, it would be, "I will in a minute" or "In just a little while". How disrespectful I have been. I'm glad I decided to take a break. I realized just how much it had control over the little things. The little things that will not always be around.<br />
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I <i>finally</i> finished the <a href="http://www.alagaesia.com/" target="_blank">The Inheritance Cycle</a>. It's a really great set of books(4) that has everything fantasy you could want: dwarfs , all kinds of strange creatures, elves, and the best part of all dragons. I never thought I would love this genre of books but alas, it's one of my favorites. Thanks to my husband! It really left me wanting more. If you ever have the chance to read it, you should totally pick it up! Now, I'm just trying to figure out what to read next. I always have that problem!<br />
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We woke up to 27 degree weather this morning. That's cold. This would normally not really be that big of a deal but today it is. I parked in the front of the house. Instead of the garage. I promised I would take the kids to Wal-mart(which by the way, I am certain is one of the entrances into Hades) to spend their gift card they got for Christmas. I'm waiting until after lunch so that no one is Hangry (angry because they are hungry). Pray for me.<br />
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I am ready for Spring. We've been getting planting magazines in the mail almost every day since Christmas. We've made a list of everything we want to plant. It makes me so excited! The kids are by far warm weather kids. They love to be on their bikes, running around outside, playing sports, and chasing the dogs everywhere. I like winter a lot. But, I am also looking forward to warmer weather. :)<br />
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My brother, sister in love, and Micah and I decided to get my parents a picture of all their grand babies for Christmas. We decided to do one really big picture and then an album of all the other pictures. This was 100% easier said than done. We had two cameras, about 30-40 minutes and four grand kids. We needed just one picture where everyone was looking at the camera and smiling. And that my friends was exactly what we got. One picture out of all the pictures we took. My sister in love captured the one picture with her extremely nice, extremely fast camera. I think the more kids we add to the family, we're going to need an even faster camera. Here are some of the "outtakes" from my camera! Enjoy!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpM-32MWQQVzNIRitxUxCWMRNxdiMPSMaGJCq3-oRC5NP3HVrqSFw5O1AXp9-mIUAGi5mUvo-k1IrgpKKsIawSdA2Hu7h_P00Ln8ktVVdQOjFoTxVOmh-D52nQMifNE-wRgUW0FJ611w/s1600/Thanksgiving2012+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpM-32MWQQVzNIRitxUxCWMRNxdiMPSMaGJCq3-oRC5NP3HVrqSFw5O1AXp9-mIUAGi5mUvo-k1IrgpKKsIawSdA2Hu7h_P00Ln8ktVVdQOjFoTxVOmh-D52nQMifNE-wRgUW0FJ611w/s640/Thanksgiving2012+044.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only the boys are looking at the camera.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86RPOG-GrNXTWW_qEYScgXMv_8T8piBnmPq-xFv5bcevRtDtgIkJxDEr2Ap-Xc3Iedqcl74sVLSvYkOXRBbg9msYbL-Hi_9gbLjdb_yiroI_JUebJ20y1wSlSwmWMqRahiW5sYC6CGmQ/s1600/Thanksgiving2012+064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86RPOG-GrNXTWW_qEYScgXMv_8T8piBnmPq-xFv5bcevRtDtgIkJxDEr2Ap-Xc3Iedqcl74sVLSvYkOXRBbg9msYbL-Hi_9gbLjdb_yiroI_JUebJ20y1wSlSwmWMqRahiW5sYC6CGmQ/s640/Thanksgiving2012+064.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok, no one is looking at the camera, they're throwing leaves. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hP6HHrGkjTifQP7F41mIaTLZz0cuE9LlPmNQENqNWwYPlyadtnKxn6gBrXiYwRPqpXmhyphenhyphenyOuQQZ9KFk2zmgesngpbLk7pd2vUxKSi6LWI04W0kQLlJrb8WDNIueCgK37DQeLJbC6qRU/s1600/Thanksgiving2012+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hP6HHrGkjTifQP7F41mIaTLZz0cuE9LlPmNQENqNWwYPlyadtnKxn6gBrXiYwRPqpXmhyphenhyphenyOuQQZ9KFk2zmgesngpbLk7pd2vUxKSi6LWI04W0kQLlJrb8WDNIueCgK37DQeLJbC6qRU/s640/Thanksgiving2012+052.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, the falling leaves were much more entertaining than two mommy's taking pictures.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUkfatbc6nPTx0qgiNykv_h_FAmuHpA5d2GolWqWZt5rzZz1dP8ryU1zN_K9bRphY-NzU6Mv_LQTg72IIgXxcFTT5QDxZ6YjVWWFLeCWApcOCL9iNC1a0skZ4d2V6iqjn7oENa2lVfzY/s1600/Thanksgiving2012+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUkfatbc6nPTx0qgiNykv_h_FAmuHpA5d2GolWqWZt5rzZz1dP8ryU1zN_K9bRphY-NzU6Mv_LQTg72IIgXxcFTT5QDxZ6YjVWWFLeCWApcOCL9iNC1a0skZ4d2V6iqjn7oENa2lVfzY/s640/Thanksgiving2012+067.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the looks on all of their faces in this one! They all crack me up! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2KlVxNuOPI5afNJxgyPKv8-vLyh1NFqLuZDJ_mX5tDiAyi4ZvNrbdpO5PD07pZFVDbA_g6tGLPMc2HGTWDHtPtiR2O0XcI23HJUXJnAooWtbtfSoT2TWWRKHzL3Zy0MFwr9WjD3dw_Y/s1600/Thanksgiving2012+068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2KlVxNuOPI5afNJxgyPKv8-vLyh1NFqLuZDJ_mX5tDiAyi4ZvNrbdpO5PD07pZFVDbA_g6tGLPMc2HGTWDHtPtiR2O0XcI23HJUXJnAooWtbtfSoT2TWWRKHzL3Zy0MFwr9WjD3dw_Y/s640/Thanksgiving2012+068.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think they are getting slightly disgusted. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g5i4PbP5i53jmZwB-RU6ijTz3nq3S7l2YcPioOWA2VIUv2y0-tKcx2_VhAcMt4Tv4Uv17Gix3Q0xcPcsnagfMbpXHkfQYqGu_W2fD-zRtinc9NV7_8ghGXGxFYo-Bl9JHRVD6R8wegk/s1600/Thanksgiving2012+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g5i4PbP5i53jmZwB-RU6ijTz3nq3S7l2YcPioOWA2VIUv2y0-tKcx2_VhAcMt4Tv4Uv17Gix3Q0xcPcsnagfMbpXHkfQYqGu_W2fD-zRtinc9NV7_8ghGXGxFYo-Bl9JHRVD6R8wegk/s640/Thanksgiving2012+069.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys have the exact same look as each other. So do the girls! lol! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Did I mention, we had to keep this a surprise from my parents for a month. We had to be all Mission: Impossible with it. They were surprised and happy. I hope to get more Christmas pictures loaded from my camera to the computer then to the blog, soon. I hope. I must leave now, my son just said, "I'm going to go kick some honey buns " Well, that wasn't as nice as telling his sisters he loved them because they "had big hearts and are nice!" like he did the other night. At least they haven't offered to "Let's make over brother! That's a great idea!" Happy first week of 2013!<br />
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-47124726784558078072012-12-29T10:07:00.000-06:002012-12-29T10:07:18.013-06:00The 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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. <br />
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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.<br />
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/"><img alt="Blogger Templates" border="0" height="67" src="http://www.allblogtools.com/MiSc/Signature-Generator/holdz/z4b58d3682b697.gif" width="167" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-56587873780040015152012-12-20T16:10:00.000-06:002012-12-20T16:10:01.183-06:00Happiness is...What is happiness? A few definitions of happiness is :<strong style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">:</strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">a state of well-being and contentment</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><strong style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">:</strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joy" style="color: #1122cc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: initial;">J</a>oy and<br />
<span class="ssens" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="break" style="height: 10px;">
a pleasurable or satisfying experience</div>
</span><br />
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!)<br />
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<b>HAPPY </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
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<ol>
<li>A clean house</li>
<li>Clean laundry </li>
<li>DVR</li>
<li>Sparkling grape juice</li>
<li>Shoes that I bought on sale @ <a href="http://kohls.com/" target="_blank">Kohl's</a> (A pair of Dana Buchman dress shoes for $20 originally $69.99..OH YEAH!)</li>
<li>Naps</li>
<li>Children who behave</li>
<li>My husband being off work for a week! </li>
<li>Christmas</li>
<li>Healthy family </li>
<li>Books</li>
<li>The bible(I love how I learn something new every time I read it!)</li>
</ol>
<b>Some things that make me not so happy:</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>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. </li>
<li>Laundry....let's just not go there.</li>
<li>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. </li>
<li>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. </li>
<li>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. ;)</li>
<li>Not being able to take naps. Sometimes you just need a nap. </li>
<li>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.)</li>
<li>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. </li>
</ol>
<br /> 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! <br />
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-43320476551591011582012-12-06T16:15:00.001-06:002012-12-06T16:15:27.319-06:00Let'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.<br />
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<ul>
<li>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. </li>
<li>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! :)</li>
<li>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. </li>
<li>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. <a href="http://lifeloveandlaundry-jfowler.blogspot.com/2011/12/griswolds-meet-fowlers.html" target="_blank">Griswold, Fowler...it's all the same really! </a> haha! That was a nervous laugh by the way. </li>
<li>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 <a href="http://www.nbc.com/parenthood/" target="_blank">Parenthood</a> 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?</li>
<li>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. </li>
<li>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! </li>
<li>Next week we're going to see the Nutcracker Ballet! I am so excited! Probably even more than my girls are! Eeck! </li>
<li>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! </li>
<li>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! :) </li>
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/"><img alt="Blogger Templates" border="0" height="67" src="http://www.allblogtools.com/MiSc/Signature-Generator/holdz/z4b58d3682b697.gif" width="167" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-58903258248260950542012-09-28T13:04:00.000-05:002012-09-28T13:04:16.061-05:00Fun times at the Fowler house.....I'm ready for the weekend. How about you? You probably are right?! Well, I like to have all of my "stuff" done before the weekend starts. But here I am, writing on the blog. Not mopping the floor, or cleaning the bathrooms. Did I mention, I have a sink of dirty dishes because I didn't do them last night? Well, I do. I had a headache and laying on the couch topped my list of things to do last night. Not the dishes. Maybe it's the rain that is suppose to be coming in, but I am having serious headache issues. They are a pain in the...<i>head.</i> So, while the kids are watching Lion King 1 1/2 and eating a "picnic" lunch in the living room floor, I am bringing to you, The many antics of the Fowler children. Who knew three small children could cause so much...um...humor? Yeah, we'll go with humor.<br />
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<ol>
<li>When looking at clearance section at Target. There are little girl training bras. My Sweet Pea(one day she may die from finding this out, but until then, it's hilarious. And that's my job, right?) said, "Um I don't think that's going to fit you. It will be too small." Yeah...that's not for me, it might be for you one day. "OH, then I want this." As she points to a size A cup. Her father had a palpitation and has yet to recover. I may think this is hilarious and I may be laughing at this very moment. </li>
<li>Sweet Pea loves to read. She can read almost anything. She reads everything. Everything. This is good until a Viagra or Cialis commercial comes on. Not good.. Ever. This just added to her father's palpitation. In fact he has gone straight into heart attack form. We have to tell her, "Don't read that, close your eyes!" Or the commercial that says, "If you have a mesh bladder sling..." Not fun for a 6 1/2 year old to read. <i>On a side note: Why must they put those kind of commercials on at 5 o'clock in the afternoon? Can they not wait until after 8pm...just curious! </i>Her sister gets tired of her reading everything. She rolls her eyes and says, "Do you <i>have </i>to read <i>everything</i>?" </li>
<li>Speaking of my Sweetie Pie. She has got to be the pickiest eater in the entire world. Some days, I find myself praying that Peanut Butter would have the same nutritional value as broccoli and squash. That is all she eats. She will eat fries. But this week she refused to eat fries because they were, "Too squishy." I told her no, they aren't. Now eat them. A few minutes later, she says, "look I ate them." She had spread the fries in a circle around her plate leaving only the middle of her plate empty. <i>AHEM</i>. I said, "No you didn't. You just moved them around your plate." Her response, "Oh, man! I hoped you wouldn't figure it out." </li>
<li>She also has issues sleeping. As in she doesn't want to sleep by herself at all. Ever. We let her sleep on a pallet in our bedroom floor, if she comes in late at night. Well, it was 11:30pm and she had yet to fall asleep. So, I said, "Fine, just lay down on a pallet and go to sleep in here." I didn't realize our little weeny dog Corndog followed her in. All of a sudden I hear her laughing hysterically. The dog was snuggled up next to her back licking her. What's wrong with that you ask? Nothing is wrong with that at all....at 1 in the afternoon. Not at midnight. I should be asleep. Not up and angry. The dog was kicked out. I am not sad about it. </li>
<li>My sweet boy. <i><b>Sigh</b>. </i>At the moment he is telling his sister the steps. AKA the rules. Step 1. Don't step on the pillows. Step 2. Don't touch the TV. Step 3. Don't get on the couch. He must think the living room is his. And only his.</li>
<li> He seems to think that everyone needs to be reminded to keep their manners. He tells me, "My girls don't know to eat with their mouth closed." Um...pretty sure you're the one that doesn't know how. </li>
<li>He just said, "Rule 7, no touching my radio.....Hey Mommy, can you help me find my radio?</li>
<li>He has also decided to give me daily science lessons. Yeah. That is about as much fun as it sounds. Lesson #1: When we eat and drink it goes in our tummy and we poop or pee it out. Lesson #2: "Hey Mommy, when you sit on a toilet you gotta read a book." <i>good to know</i></li>
<li>When saying the pledge of allegiance, he finds it hilarious to say it in the highest voice possible. This only makes his sisters laugh and his mommy mess up the pledge from laughing. </li>
<li>He likes to proudly announce, "I'm going to poop in the potty." He then returns and tells me, "See, it only takes a few minutes." I was just schooled in Science Lesson #3. </li>
<li>He will also say, "The Bible. Chapter 1. Eat pizza pizza. Chapter 3. Eat Peanuts."</li>
<li>While I was cleaning his room, he grabs the bible and said, "Let me look in the bible. Yup, it says you have to clean my room. That's what it says."</li>
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At least he knows to look for answers in the bible. And he likes science. Sam does too, as long she doesn't have to eat anything that consist of healthy. Ha! I have floors to mop and bras to hide. And on that note, I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I think I know why I have a headache. I just told my son to get off his sister's head. Yup, that's where the headache comes from... </div>
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/"><img alt="Blogger Templates" border="0" height="67" src="http://www.allblogtools.com/MiSc/Signature-Generator/holdz/z4b58d3682b697.gif" width="167" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-91825435182305894512012-09-20T21:43:00.000-05:002012-09-20T21:43:14.358-05:00Dave Ramsey, a budget, and stretching....And I'm not talking about stretching before a run! I'm talking about stretching my faith and trust in Jesus. Stretching and Growing. Setting Budgets and staying in those budgets. My husband and I are going through <a href="http://daveramsey.com/" target="_blank">Financial Peace University</a> at our church. It's the Dave Ramsey program. It is going to be good and sometimes border-line good, I think. In the end, our plan is to be debt free. Owing no man, anything. I know that we can get through this because, "<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px;"><i style="background-color: white;">But He said, </i></span><span class="wordsofchrist" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i>The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.</i>” Luke 18:27</span><i> </i>We were already {kinda} on a budget. At least, I thought we were until we filled out his Quick Start Budget. Then I realized, we were on exactly no budget. At all. We set aside $100 a week for groceries. Honestly, I was completely nervous about this. I had been getting groceries for $120-150 a week. I use to be able to get them for $75 a week and that was with diapers. So what was I doing to make my groceries jump from $45-$75 a week. I knew I could make this budget work, I just had to reset some things. Those things were:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Coupons. I had stopped using coupons. I didn't think it made that big of a difference. I was wrong. I was...lazy. While I am not "extreme" by any stretch of the imagination, I do think that $1.00 off here and there do add up. Pairing coupons with "Buy one, get one free" sales = many products, little prices.</li>
<li>Menu. I create a menu for the week. I usually do four-five meals and two-three nights of leftovers. I spread the leftover nights out, that way there is plenty to choose from but we aren't having leftovers three nights in a row. I usually cook on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I use Wednesday and Sunday for leftovers. I add what breakfast items, lunch items, and snack items we will need for the week. I only put what we need, not necessarily what we want on the list. This way we don't waste any food and therefore waste money.</li>
<li>List. I put exactly what is needed for each days' meals. I try to factor in healthy snacks. Unless, it is just a drop dead, awesome, once in a blue moon deal, I leave it on the shelf. Not on the list, not in the buggy.(Unless, I actually need it and forgot to put it on my list. Not that it has ever happened before....)</li>
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So, with my not so new budget ideas in hand, I head to the grocery store. I have my menu planned out:
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<ul>
<li>Baked ziti and homemade french bread </li>
<li>Katsudan(Japanese pork dish) for our date night{We are having date night at home while the kids go to my parents house. We are both able to get in the kitchen and cook and spend time together without, "Can we watch a cartoon, what are you cooking, it smells funny! I don't want to eat it, She's looking at me. Mommmmmyyyyy....." We are getting a dollar rental from Redbox. So by having date night at home, we are saving money! Dave Ramsey, would be proud! :)}</li>
<li>Black bean burgers</li>
<li>Smoked Sausage Bisque</li>
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My list is ready to go! I'm not too confident that I'm ready but with my trusty side kick Micah beside me, I know that we'll make it work! I went to Aldi and Publix. In Aldi, I spent a grand total of: $40.71! I left with a buggy full of groceries. If you have an Aldi close by and you have never tried it, I say go for it! Especially if you aren't "brand specific". If you're buying Wal-mart/Target brands anyway, buy Aldi. Your grocery bill will be cut in half. Now that I have shared my love for Aldi with you, we're moving on! In Publix, I spent a total of: $34.52! And I only used five coupons, two of them they doubled. So you know I didn't spend 40hours of my week working on coupons. My grand total for groceries this week was: $ 75.53! Not only did I get all my groceries for a week, but I came in under budget! My list included pork chops, smoked sausage, cheese( 8 cups of shredded and 16ounces of fresh mozzarella!), Shout, carpet powder, toilet paper, paper towels, fruit, veggies, milk, cheese, bread, chips, lunch meat....just to name a few things. So, I hope I have given you some hope, in the fact that if you try really hard and make some changes, you can make a budget and stick to it. Maybe this stretching and growing thing won't be so bad! Then again, we are only on week one out of nine in our class...... I'll let you know how next week goes! Many blessings on that budget! :)</div>
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/"><img alt="Blogger Templates" border="0" height="67" src="http://www.allblogtools.com/MiSc/Signature-Generator/holdz/z4b58d3682b697.gif" width="167" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-27876351013613552492012-09-18T08:45:00.005-05:002012-09-18T08:47:01.588-05:00A Random Post on a not so random Tuesday...I love fall. It feels as if good ole' Alabama may actually see true fall weather in September. I think the highest temp in the next 7 days is <i>only </i>going to be in the low 80s. I know people from Wisconsin are laughing at us saying, "That is so not fall!" But for me, it totally is!<br />
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Speaking of Wisconsin, my husband wants to move to Green Bay. Mostly, for the Packers. Ok, all for the Packers. He hates being cold and yet wants to move for the sake of football. It is near the water and I do like football.... It also snows in winter. I like snow. It <i>would be</i> fun to see them play a game.... hmmm....<br />
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So I was reading in Proverbs(16:31) yesterday. There is a verse that says silver hair is a crown of glory. My crown has started. I'm not sure to be vain and cry or embrace it fully. It's only one <i>silver</i> hair. I <i>think</i> I have it pretty well hidden. It's not that bad.<br />
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My oldest daughter, Sweet Pea, told me she brushed her teeth with Clorox. I panicked. I never leave bleach where they can reach it. Ever. After her daddy and myself asked, "What!!??" with panicked looks on our faces, she explained it. "Well, that's what it said on the toothpaste." <i>sigh of relief</i>. "Sweet girl, you need to read a little slower because that says Colgate."<br />
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I now have added to my crown of glory.<br />
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My baby brother #2 is getting married. Yay! Congrats to Ryan and my future sister in law Colbie! I'm so happy for them!<br />
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My son keeps asking me when we are getting married. That sweet boy. I have to explain that I'm already married to Daddy. He says, "Ok! When are you going to marry me?" God love his sweet self.<br />
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I had to separate him and his sister last night. He was laying on her and hanging off the side of the couch. I can't explain it. He was defying gravity somehow. I don't know how he wasn't falling off. So I picked them up and sat them on the couch. Maybe I used a little too much force because they {may have} bounced up and down when I let go. They laughed and said do it again!<br />
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Oh look, my glory crown is growing..<i>.yay..</i>..<br />
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We're going to the "liberry" today. The kids love to go. I do to. I wish I could go in there with a warm sweater, a cup of coffee, and just read for hours and hours. That would be nice. It's so quite and cool in there. I can't do it with the kids, obviously. The librarian would be like, "Ma'am, you son is climbing up that very unstable bookshelf. Your girls are arguing over who gets the Fancy Nancy book and...oh look! The bookcases are toppling over like dominoes!" I would be like, " Who knew they actually did that?" Ha, Ha, Ha, <i>ahem. </i>Here is my library card, it was nice to know you. Have a happy life."<br />
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I should go inform my kids we are going. My son just walked by in a Superman T-shirt, Spiderman underwear, Buzz Lightyear house shoes, and three hats. Yes, three. He says he's going ice skating on the floor. Thank God we don't have bookcases in the living room.<br />
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Oh look, my glory crown is growing...again... <br />
Now I may just cry.<br />
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/"><img alt="Blogger Templates" border="0" height="67" src="http://www.allblogtools.com/MiSc/Signature-Generator/holdz/z4b58d3682b697.gif" width="167" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-34500564392326510552012-09-14T21:50:00.002-05:002012-09-14T21:51:29.550-05:00Typical Friday Night....It's mostly quiet in my house. I hear our dog Cookie barking at rabbits or dogs or squirrels or me(because I want let her in the house!). She's very protective. I like that, a lot! I've had the kids in bed since 8:30pm. I've put them back in bed at least 23.42 million times.<br />
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8:34pm<br />
Daughter #2 says, "I'm thirsty." Go get your drink. "It's aaalllll gggooonneee!" <i>She immediately turns to Jello. deep breaths, Jess, deep breaths. </i> Then get some water. "I don't waaaannnntttt waterrrrrrrr." *In a very stern voice* You may have water or you may not have water, but it is time to go to sleep. Now! "I'll take waterrrr." <i>Her bones decide to grow back. She is no longer a puddle on the kitchen floor. </i><br />
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8:36pm<br />
Daughter #2,"I forgot to get Sissy's water." {They are "spending the night" together.} Get it and please, go to bed.<br />
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8:40PM<br />
Son says, "I don't want to watch Bugs Bunny."<br />
<i>a low growl comes from Mama Bear. </i>"How about Penguins of Madagascar?"<br />
Son says, "That would be good!"<br />
<br />
<i>I think they are finally asleep! Netflix, here I come! I have Parenthood episodes to catch up on. </i><br />
<i>cricket.....</i><br />
<i>cricket....</i><i>.</i><br />
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9:05pm<br />
I hear bumps from my sons room. I'm pretty sure he is still not asleep. Or he is asleep and is sleep walking. If that's the case then he is tripping over the room full of toys. He, literally, picked up his toy box and flipped it over. I'm not even exaggerating! It was still half full when he did it. They boy has the strength of the Hulk when he is in his true to self, little boy form! Where do kids get all their energy and strength? I may never know.<br />
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9:07pm<br />
I {just} consoled a crying daughter. She was in a pool of crocodile tears. Why? Her sister "accidentally" pulled the flashlight away from her and it bounced off her bottom lip. She was and I quote, "Just trying to shake the light back on." {Um...Sweetie there haven't been batteries in that thing in 6 months. I don't think shaking it will make the light come on!} I think her heart was more broken than the lip was busted. Very little blood, all is good!<br />
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<i>It's been a whole five minutes since I've heard a door creak open and little feet frolicking my....never mind. </i><br />
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9:12pm<br />
That very same daughter who was just crying decided she was "hungawe" It's not supper time, it's bed time. Back to bed.<br />
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9:13pm<br />
Daughter #1 is up. She lost the back to her earring.....again. "Sweet Pea, how many times have I told you, 'Don't mess with your earrings?' I'll tell you, too many to count!"<br />
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9:14pm<br />
Digging through jewelry box looking for another back to earring. Ha! Found one! Woot!<br />
"Now, back to bed. Don't play with your earrings!"<br />
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9:15pm<br />
Son comes tip toeing out of his room. I want to watch the new Alvin and the Chipmunks!" I say, "Dear Son, we don't have that." He replies with a sigh, "But, get the movie suitcase, we do have it!" In the most loving voice I can muster <i>through gritted teeth, I might add</i>, "I can't find it. It's probably under the floor of toys you just dumped out!" <i>WHINE, CRY, TURN INTO JELL-O, CRY, WHINE. </i><br />
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9:16pm<br />
"Oh look! The Muppets! You LOVE the Muppets! How about this?"<br />
<i>His bones also magically appear again. He is now human again and not slimy Jell-o.</i><br />
Son says, "Yes! That would be good!"<br />
Off to bed...again.<br />
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<i>It's been another 5 minutes of peace and qu....sigh...why? I'm about to turn into a blob of Jell-o and see if I can get my way.</i><br />
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9:22PM<br />
Daughter #2 says, "I miss Daddy." Mama lovingly says, "Me too...he'll be home soon, go back to bed."<br />
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9:23pm<br />
"I really miss Daaaaddddddddyyyyy."<br />
"He'll be here soon, Sweetie. Bed. Now." <i>Mommy is running out of patience.</i><br />
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9:24pm<br />
<i>squeak.....</i><br />
<b>Turn around and go to bed. Now. I know you miss Daddy, he'll be home soon. Good Night. I love you. </b><br />
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<b>9:26pm</b><br />
<i>Squeak....</i><br />
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If you need me, I'll be the puddle of melted Jell-o..... hiding under the table, waiting on my hubby to get home. Thank you Lord, that today is Friday!<br />
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Today is Tuesday! I'm linking up with the <a href="http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Time Warp Wife</a> for some Titus 2sday fun!<br />
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Have you ever felt overwhelmed? Of course you have! If you haven't you {might} just be lying! It's so easy to become overwhelmed in today's society. You <i>have</i> to keep up with Facebook, Pinterest, Blogger, the news, celebrity gossip, church activities, school activities, extra curricular activities, work, house work, home school, play dates, your favorite TV shows, and the list goes on and on and on. The last time I checked there are still only 24 hours in a day and still only one you. How do you keep up with everything and keep your sanity in check? Well, the answer is: <b>YOU CAN'T.</b> I'm not big on being negative. But, there comes a time you have to say <b>I can't do it all. </b>You would think the answer would involve some complex equation. It doesn't. <b>Just say NO! </b>Change your priorities. <b> </b>Tell your kids, pick one activity or sport, that's all we doing. Be the parent, your still allowed to control your children's schedule. Is Pinterest and Facebook more important than time spent with your spouse? Is keeping up with the latest celebrity gossip columnist really more important than making a home cooked meal for your family? Is watching your favorite TV show more important than spending time in God's word? When we step back and put our priorities in order, our time falls into our purpose. It falls into the appropriate place it needs to be. In my life, I try to put:<br />
<b>God First, Husband Second, Children Third</b><br />
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I admit, it doesn't always look like that. Especially when life takes hold of you, instead of allowing God to take hold of your life. I read a blog post called <a href="http://womenlivingwell.org/2012/09/im-maxed-out/" target="_blank">I'm Maxed Out</a> by Courtney at Women Living Well. It spoke volumes to my spirit today. She spoke about <a href="http://duggarfamily.com/" target="_blank">Michelle Duggar</a> being overwhelmed around child number 7. I have 3 that I home school, I can't imagine four much less seven or seventeen, for that matter. She was overwhelmed! {Can you imagine?!} She cried out to the Lord that she couldn't do it anymore. The verse He brought to her spirit was 2 Corinthians 12:9. {I added 10 also, because it spoke to me!}<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>" ...My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecution, in difficulties, For when I am weak, then I am strong."</b></span><br />
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So today, boast that you can't do it. That you alone can do nothing. But with Christ, you have more than enough strength to carry through. Set God first, seek him, tell him your weak and can't complete all the tasks ahead of you. His power will rest on you and you will be made strong. So have no fear, God is here!<br />
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<span class="verse Prov_3_5" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding.</span><span class="verse Prov_3_6" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px;"> In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths. {Proverbs 3:5-6}</span><br />
<span class="verse Prov_3_6" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="verse Prov_3_6" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px;">Many Blessings,</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-35930551069365655172012-09-05T13:42:00.001-05:002012-09-05T13:43:26.411-05:00My cleaning schedule...I am happy for short weeks! How about you? This week has been like I'm ramming my head against a brick wall! It seems like I really have to work extra hard at everything this week. I guess that's just another way to relinquish control over things you just don't have control over and say, "OK, Lord I trust you." And so goes life. Today, I'm going to talk about household....stuff. Chores. Laundry. The mundane things that can completely overwhelm you, if you let it. Instead, take joy in the fact that you are able to take care of your family. Even though, not to many people actually like to clean, it's still a way of taking care of your family. When I look at it that way, it's not near as painful. If you don't clean, you start having unfavorable "guests" show up and the next thing you know your on the next episode of Hoarders. For the love of Clorox, please take care of your family. (P.S. if you need motivation, you should totally watch an episode of Hoarders. The sheer thought makes me reach for a Clorox wipe.) Until my husbands decides to turn into Bruce Wayne and hires dear Alfred(I prefer Michael Caine compared to all other Alfred's because he's like a sweet, yet very cool grandpa!) to come take care of my cleaning(and the bat cave) I'll have to settle on my own system of cleaning. :)<br />
My current system of cleaning has been taken from numerous blogs. Over at <a href="http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/2010/09/home-maintenance-schedule.html" target="_blank">Time Warp Wife</a> she has a pretty in depth schedule. Mine isn't quite that in depth, but it works for me. I, usually, set aside each day to do one "major" cleaning along with "everyday" cleaning. I knew that I would need something to help me along this school year. With Sweet Pea in 1st grade and Sweetie Pie in K-4, and my son, who just dumped out half a box of animal crackers on his bed, I needed guidance. I am a make a list kind of person. I NEED a list. So I came up with a list and it has worked wonderfully over the past 3 weeks.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what I look like when I clean.HA! .....Just kidding<br />(this is not my image!)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Monday: Laundry </b>As in all day. I do laundry once a week. My cousin Marie has always done laundry once a week. I always thought that's crazy. How can you only do laundry once a week? I decided to try it. I loved it! I take Mondays and wash, dry, fold, and put away then it's done for the week. I, occasionally, have to wash a load in the middle of the week for whatever reason. But, one load in the middle of seven days, is totally fine with me. I'm usually done by late afternoon. Especially if I set my timer that tells me when my dryer is done....<i>ahem. </i>I also haven't used as much laundry soap and I did washing every day or every other day. Sweet....I'm saving money in the process! </span><div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Tuesday: Vacuum and dust.</b> I run the vacuum over the floors and dust and I'm done in about 30 minutes, I guess. Although, I'm not a fan of dusting....it has to be done. Vacuumed floors just make the house feel and look so clean. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Wednesday: Bathrooms and Grocery List</b> I hate to clean the bathrooms. It doesn't take to terribly long but it's one of those "necessary evils" that has to be done. If not, see above comments about Hoarders. All through the day, I write out my weekly grocery list. I tend to find I'm out of things as I go through out my day making meals, home schooling, and cleaning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Thursday: Grocery Shopping and Bills</b> This isn't usually an all day affair. It could be, but I try not to let it be. I still have my daily cleaning to do, supper to cook, and school to be taught. Sometimes, you just need a day to shop....even if it's window shopping. I like going early in the mornings before lunch crowds get there. (I love being a full time homemaker!) I also have been taking a kid a week with me. It gives us a great "Mommy and me" day. They like to help with loading the groceries and looking at toys. I like the one on one time, they like the hash browns for breakfast! ;) I also like going by myself sometimes too. It is very relaxing to me. (Thankful to my Mama for watching the kids and my sweet husband!) I also do my bills on Thursdays. I {try my best} do them first thing in the morning before I go to the store. That determines my budget for groceries for the week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Friday: Floors</b> As in mopping. I do the family room, which in our home is the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Then I do the bathrooms. This way, I only get the steam mop out once a week. {As long as there are no major spillage issues, which let's face it...!} </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Saturday and Sunday: Rest!</b> My days are busy. From 4:30am to 10:00pm. Or from 8:00am to 1:30am.(depending on night shift/day shift) I am always doing something. Three meals a day {times 5}, home school, laundry, cleaning, baths, etc. I like that I can wake up on Saturday and Sunday and have a relatively clean house and not have to do any major cleaning. I need that rest. I don't want to be concerned with a deep cleaning. I would rather be concerned with spending time with my family! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Daily Cleaning: Beds made, dirty clothes but in proper places, kitchen cleaned, floor swept, toys picked up before bed, living room picked up, hall way picked up, bathroom quickly tidied up.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Not that difficult. Just right for me. So do you have a list? Or you more go with the flow or just a once a week, all on one day cleaner? Let me know. Any tips? Show some love and leave a comment! :)</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-1029261557115126622012-08-24T09:04:00.002-05:002012-08-24T09:04:45.629-05:00It's Friday..Woop! Woop! ...I'm so happy it's Friday! How about you? Yes?! Good! First, it hasn't been a month since my last blog entry....say what?! Tonight the kids and I are having a "Perry Party".{The husband will be at work....he never wants to trade spots with me! That's so not fair! ;)} Who's Perry? It's more like "Hey, Where's Perry?" If you have kids, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Or if you don't have kids or maybe you don't have a TV, here's Perry:<br />
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Pet by day, Secret Agent by night. He's also on the Disney TV show: <a href="http://tv.disney.go.com/disneychannel/phineasandferb" target="_blank">Phineas and Ferb</a>. It's really a cute show and our family loves it. All of us. It has humor for everyone. Anyway, I've been asked, by my oldest to make a chocolate chip cookie cake. Of course, how could I say no?! It's chocolate chips and Perry!<br />
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I'm also going to make my first cake to sale. It's a Blues Clues cake for a family friend. It's his first birthday and I'm super excited about it! My husband has been telling me for a while that I need a baking business on the side. My mama has also been telling me. Then, I made homemade cinnamon rolls for a youth breakfast, and my pastor's wife said you need to sell these. My pastor said, "Your calling is cinnamon rolls. Maybe would could use these for communion!" HA! Maybe not so much for communion! So, I'm praying about if I want to do something like this in the near future. Hmmm.....<br />
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My cooking blog has almost been forgotten. GASP. Not on purpose, of course. I do have multiple recipes and pictures to update it. I just haven't yet. I will soon. With school starting back, I'm actually more on my "normal" schedule. I like it. I like structure during the week and knowing what's coming next. :)<br />
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It has been feeling wonderful here in Alabama. It feels slightly like fall. Normally, it's 100 degrees and you can't breathe. It's barely reaching 90 and a breeze is blowing. I love fall. And soup. I think I'll make a beef stew for lunch. And by beef, I mean deer. My sister in law is always in shock at the wild game we eat. I think it shocks her more when she realized she's probably eaten it also, we just didn't tell her. I know it's mean....HA! I'm sorry Mo, it's funny! :)<br />
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Speaking of my Sis-in-law and my brother, they are on Facebook! Signal the hallelujah chorus! The end is coming. Life as we know it over. Just kidding. :)<br />
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I am so excited about something special happening this weekend. I literally, can't say more than that because it would give to much away. So excited. Yay! Of course, when I can, I'll have a big blog post about it!<br />
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My son and our new dog Cookie got in quite a pickle last night. I have no picture yet, my camera's battery is dead. {sigh} She's some kind of shepherd mix. She's cute. She wasn't cute when she came out of her collar and was barking on my front porch last night. I go to take her back to her collar and stake out, lead thing and it is wrapped about, not lying, 20 times around the kids' red tricycle. Not just wrapped, but tied. Naturally, as I'm trying my best to untie this contraption, I ask, "Who did this? There is no way the dog did this by herself!" Before, I was even finished speaking the girls piped up and said it was brother. About that time, the Boy said, "It was me and Cookie! We did it!" He was proud and I should have known. It was also wrapped around a tree. Seriously, never a dull moment.<br />
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I'm super glad it's Friday and my Husband is off work for two days. I need help in the trenches. On that note, School is about to start, floors need to be done and bathrooms need to be cleaned. If you find my maid around, tell her she's 8 1/2 years late. {This is also the reason, I'm having movie night after the kids go to bed. I'm watching the Hunger Games and I'm eating popcorn all by myself. Thank you and Amen!} <br />
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P.S. If you haven't read the books read them! They're great! The movie isn't to far off from the books, so you should watch it too! You won't be disappointed! (You may even want to shoot a bow and arrow when you're done!)<br />
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Happy Friday! <br />
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-31078794167557274002012-08-21T22:27:00.001-05:002012-08-21T22:27:15.924-05:00Life is good...If I had a theme to my life, it would be: "Life is Good". Because, well, it is. I am beyond blessed. I sit in a beautiful house surrounded by a beautiful family, with more than I need and every thing I want. I have such a peaceful heart tonight. I am just so content with where and what God is doing in our lives. So, what has been going on in our lives? Well, why don't you pull up a seat and let me tell you!<br />
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We started back in full swing with home school this week. I officially have a 1st grader, a (K-4) Kindergartner (Her birthday falls a little later, but we are still working on {some} K-5 stuff!), and a preschooler. Can someone please tell me, where have my sweet little babies went? Seriously, I just had a newborn, 1yr old, and 2 yr old. It's so bitter-sweet really. I'm loving every minute of these ever changing phases in life. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I could handle 3 kids on 3 different learning levels. I am so happy that it's going beautifully! I saw this really cute idea on Pinterest: Take a picture of your kids with the grade they're in and what they want to be when they grow up. Then you can look back on past years and see how they have changed as well as what they want to be "when they grow up"! Here are my "babies"!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjbxfT_nc8kd_wKEsWzZtMBTWafCXtkcYr42XwfpeeewX9NkfDJxOKrLQgV5hS2ROOABhd8yX5UpwmZi_80ER6bG6aoUuiarPOKiXg37AwMWc8-EVb3_HeLQTXS1jAnTWqSY1oW5W8_k/s1600/Summer+2012+293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjbxfT_nc8kd_wKEsWzZtMBTWafCXtkcYr42XwfpeeewX9NkfDJxOKrLQgV5hS2ROOABhd8yX5UpwmZi_80ER6bG6aoUuiarPOKiXg37AwMWc8-EVb3_HeLQTXS1jAnTWqSY1oW5W8_k/s320/Summer+2012+293.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Pea: 1st grade; teacher</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4btpSdZl5Vlp9cKnhB8YGNmJwWFMxp4PxtUxLAYZHnBajjQE_8QHbtbTyRbusWWWWvaZFbeGSPHs57WNDcqP7sDryUid6TO8XXIOBINCNQyO0WKvd-eUVsz3wdzW_2fw-3sQfl3peh4/s1600/Summer+2012+299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4btpSdZl5Vlp9cKnhB8YGNmJwWFMxp4PxtUxLAYZHnBajjQE_8QHbtbTyRbusWWWWvaZFbeGSPHs57WNDcqP7sDryUid6TO8XXIOBINCNQyO0WKvd-eUVsz3wdzW_2fw-3sQfl3peh4/s320/Summer+2012+299.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetie Pie: K-4; Ballet teacher</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH7C11-Avg0iICudvkdQ24tmV7q3TOYocxyORH526aCgpJMxlx-F5tDYx71KCaYdEDzEg6VHE6usNYDUubwfBCmMFPV20U1cTSFKBfNLBXNlOE4k0DngEachUgwux2UVzLcCwjZuEs6w/s1600/Summer+2012+302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH7C11-Avg0iICudvkdQ24tmV7q3TOYocxyORH526aCgpJMxlx-F5tDYx71KCaYdEDzEg6VHE6usNYDUubwfBCmMFPV20U1cTSFKBfNLBXNlOE4k0DngEachUgwux2UVzLcCwjZuEs6w/s320/Summer+2012+302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boy: preschool; a pirate( a real one, not nice, mad!)<br /></td></tr>
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We have been busy with church. We have been at our current church for almost 5 months and love it! We only live about 10 minutes away, which is awesome! We can actually help when it's needed and go more often. This summer we helped with the Kids Crusade.(aka Bible School!) It was a total success. I must admit, I was 100% exhausted when it was over. It was worth it, to see so many kids have fun and learn about Jesus all at the same time!<br />
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Just for you! I have some of my families everyday antics to tell you about!<br />
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<li>My son has started to say "OH FLRAP"! Translation: Oh crap! Where did he get this from? It couldn't possibly be from his wonderful mommy who, on occasion, says it when she's frustrated. Occasionally....</li>
<li>Upon telling my eldest daughter that she needed to go back to bed{for the 400th time that night} she told me she couldn't. <i>I said</i>, "Go count some sheep!" <i>She responded</i>, "Um, could you just take my sheep{stuffed animal, of course...I hope} and throw it over me so I can count that instead of imagining fake sheep?" <i>Me.</i>" Um..no! Go to bed!" <i>Her</i>." It's not that hard...<i>as she lightly frolics back to bed"</i></li>
<li>I would like to know, why is it that the lightest person in the entire house sounds like a herd of elephants running through the streets of New York when she walks? This is my Sweetie Pie. She, for some reason, literally stomps as hard as she can when she walks. I have no idea why! Her only other form of transportation is frolicking, like an elephant, down the hall. She thinks it's hilarious. I do not. </li>
<li>My son, who was suppose to be putting a cup in the sink, decided to get very quite. He was only suppose to put it in the sink and then come back and help me clean his room. Did that happen...no! I'm slaving away through dirty underwear{why are boys so gross?} and it dawns on me he's not back. <i>Me</i>:"Um Son, where are you at?" <i>Him:</i> " I'm in da kitchen." <i>Me</i>: "OK, whatcha doing?" <i>Him:</i>" Oh just drinkin' syrup." <i>Me</i>: "What!?! Give me that! Where is the lid? <i>turning in circles </i>Give me the lid you crazy dog!" Yes, the dog had the lid, the boy had the bottle. sigh. Into the trash Mrs. Buttersworth went.</li>
<li> As I'm leaving the trash, shaking my head at my ever...um.... interesting son, what's that I see? Why it's a straw. In the dog's bowl. I look at the cup my son was drinking from that recently had a straw in it. Missing...naturally. <i>Me</i>:" Did you drink out of the dog's water bowl with a straw?" <i>Him:</i>"Yup, I did!" At least he didn't lie. </li>
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And on that note, I better get some sleep. After all, the kids are asleep and I need mine too. Especially, if they get a good nights rest! ;) </div>
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-69681558440236265532012-07-17T16:28:00.002-05:002012-07-17T16:28:28.152-05:00A helpful hint and a Titus 2sday Link Up...Happy Tuesday everyone! I have been a busy little bee lately! After returning from vacation, it took a while to get back in the swing of things. Just in time to be turned upside down again when my husband's shift at work changed to night shift. Let me just tell you, bed time was fun last night! <i>If you call wrestling monkeys into a twin size bed fun. </i>They popped( I totally almost wrote pooped! Ha!) out of bed every 3 minutes for multiple things including but not limited to: potty breaks, drinks of water, it's too dark, I can't sleep, I'm not comfy, can I sleep in your bed since Daddy is gone. Yep, fun. :)<br />
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So, after trying to get settled in this past week, I was slightly haunted by my laundry pile. Why? Well, it had become taller than me and somehow multiplied itself times 2...every 2 hours. The question I ask myself all too often is: How can I make laundry easier on myself? It has to be done, we all know that. In our house, I'm the one to do it. My husband volunteers to help but, I feel like it's my job since I stay at home. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I do need his help and I'm not afraid to ask!<br />
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While at the beach, our condo had a dryer with a buzzer on it. A buzzer! It went off as soon as the dryer was finished. How incredibly awesome is that? Apparently, I have missed out! I thought to myself, wouldn't it be awesome to know when your laundry is done? Then I could just change the laundry, fold it, and put it away. Maybe, I wouldn't be so distracted by other things and forget it. <i>I am a mommy after all, mommy brain has a tendency to take over. And sometimes HGTV. That's beside the point. </i><br />
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I realize a lot of people have buzzers on their dryer. This is no new thing to you. I'm just....well....happy about small things. :)<br />
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So my plan: Set a timer for my dryer. I had read this many times on many blogs and for some reason, it never clicked what they were talking about. <i>Set a timer? How will that help me? </i> Ok, it takes me a little time to catch on to stuff, sometimes. <i>What's that?...Oh, yes I do home school my children. Why do you ask? Why do you look a little scared? Oh, you'll pray for me and my kids. That's sweet. I think....</i><br />
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So I started out with 30 minutes on my oven's timer. It's central to everything, so I knew I would be able to hear it. It wasn't quite long enough so I added 15 more minutes and voila! My clothes are dried! So I switch out my clothes, set another 45 minute timer, and fold my recently dried clothes. What do I do while waiting, my other chores, of course. Or perhaps, catch an episode of <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/house-hunters/show/index.html" target="_blank">House Hunters</a>. Which ever happens to come first. ;)<br />
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With my helpful new tip to myself, I did approximately 11 loads of laundry and was completely done by 3:00pm. I started at around 8:30am. Not to shabby, if I do say so myself! :) I hope my helpful tip helps you with your hauntingly huge mound of laundry.<br />
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<a href="http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsHsXeSEQUZsgpIuAkebkepBgXVrrMPuwZU_WL3TNs6kbm1m5JAQUSDvRRzTh37KPXj61TEWneiPq8lHzfqO06etqNm0ln9Wk62dziJhylYvH3Ydmyx6k3WZRJNGd8Dw6EqYKN5el-vk/s1600/TuesdaysButton.jpg" /></a><br />
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If you have a helpful hint, advice you would like to share, or if you would like to read some awesome articles head over to <a href="http://ime-warp-wife.blogspot.com/2012/07/titus-2sday-link-up-party_16.html" target="_blank">The Time Warp Wife</a> and join in!<br />
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/"><img alt="Blogger Templates" border="0" height="67" src="http://www.allblogtools.com/MiSc/Signature-Generator/holdz/z4b58d3682b697.gif" width="167" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-34064935106955450052012-06-29T09:36:00.001-05:002012-06-29T09:36:36.153-05:00Things I like and some I don't....<br />
<ol>
<li>I like that it's Friday again....only a few days and I'll be on the beach!</li>
<li>I like the fact that we'll be without technology for a week. I'm not disappointed <b>AT ALL</b> about this!</li>
<li>I like the fact that we have air conditioner in triple digit heat waves.</li>
<li>I like that my laundry is caught up.</li>
<li>I like that my house has remained clean for more than 2 hours this week. </li>
<li>I like that I can drink coffee whenever I want. </li>
<li>I like when I can go shopping with my husband. He's pretty awesome. </li>
<li>I like when I can sleep in. Did I mention we're going on vacation?</li>
<li>Vacation = Naps. I'm not <b>AT ALL</b> disappointed in this either!</li>
<li>I like that I can listen to live worship at <a href="http://jesusculture.com/" target="_blank">jesusculture.com</a>! </li>
<li>The internet can be a marvelous thing!</li>
<li>I do not like the Magic Mike film that's coming out. I have not seen it. I do not want to see it. Movies like this come out and people wonder why infidelity is so rampant. This alone doesn't cause infidelity but it can't help it any. What ever happened to being modest?</li>
<li>I do not like that "Obamacare" went through. There is so much I don't agree with and no amount of blog posts can explain how much I don't agree with it. </li>
<li>I do like that I serve the God who can provide for my needs regardless of what an earthly kingdom goes through! </li>
<li>I do like that I have found an interesting set of books to read. It's called <i>The Circle Series </i>by Ted Dekker. You can find a list of his books at <a href="http://www.teddekker.com/library/" target="_blank">http://www.teddekker.com/library/</a>! </li>
<li>I like that my kids set up a "church" in their bedroom! So sweet and cute!</li>
<li>I like that my kids are each different than the other. I love that they have their own unique personalities and each bring an amazing quality to our family. </li>
<li>I like that my girls take care of my boy. They are little mommies!(When they aren't dressing him up like a ballerina!...this makes me laugh so hard because there is nothing graceful about my sweet little boy!) </li>
<li>I do not like when my son pees under my kitchen table.(See... not a ballerina!) </li>
<li>I do not like when he then rubs his head in it. Why are boys so gross? Is it so they can get multiple baths during the day? I think that may be it....</li>
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Happy Friday, Happy Independence Day, and have a wonderful week!<br />
P.S. Did I mention, I'll be at the beach? Well...I'll be at the beach so I'll see you on the flip side with pictures!<br />
And hopefully, no stories of my son peeing off the balcony into the pool. (Dear Lord, Please.....)<br />
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/"><img alt="Blogger Templates" border="0" height="67" src="http://www.allblogtools.com/MiSc/Signature-Generator/holdz/z4b58d3682b697.gif" width="167" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-57343860971384143402012-06-22T16:06:00.000-05:002012-06-22T16:12:22.697-05:00I am so happy it's Friday!Hi! Can I just say I am beyond happy that today is Friday? Good! Because I just did! So happy! We are a very short 8 days away from seeing the beach. Ahhh. Here let me just show you so you can be just as happy as I am!<br />
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<a href="http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles21667.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles21667.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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Isn't that gorgeous?! Yes it is! The kids are as excited as I am. Not as excited as the hubby though! We are coming out of another round of night shift. Thank God, it's not as bad as it was the previous round. I think we have adjusted rather well this time around. I must say, I am still ready to go back on days. This change up keeps things rather interesting. I think I like it!<br />
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I am currently making an extremely, dare I say, sinful chocolate cake for my Daddy's birthday tomorrow. It smells like I stepped out of laundry-ville, USA and right into Chocolate paradise. <i>Sigh.</i> Did I mention it's homemade, from scratch, no box stuff chocolate cake? Oh it is so good. I just can't seem to get my homemade cakes to come out of the pan whole. This one did better than previous cakes. It still had a few small spots that didn't come out clean. No worries, that's what icing is for!<br />
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I have a very small confession to make. This show right here:<br />
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<img height="223" src="http://images.wikia.com/disney/images/9/9b/Good_Luck_Charlie.png" width="400" /><br />
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<a href="http://tv.disney.go.com/disneychannel/goodluckcharlie/" target="_blank">Good Luck Charlie</a> keeps me in stitches. It's on the Disney Channel. It's the only place we can find family appropriate shows anymore. The mom on the show, is hilarious! They are about to have a new baby on the show. The big event is coming on Sunday night. I may be thinking about making a big deal family night out of it. Maybe, I'll make some blue and pink cookies as a snack. They also don't know the gender of the baby. You really should try it out. You'll laugh, trust me! I love it because, as silly as some stuff is, it is not to far from the truth! :)<br />
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Our quaint little garden is doing incredibly awesome this year! We have squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, cabbage, greens, carrots, beets. This is the first year that our garden has produced beyond one or two pieces of produce. I can't wait until my purple cabbage comes in. (Or is it called red? Hmm...not sure) Well, I'm not a full time farmer. Not that it hasn't passed through my mind....<br />
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I was looking at older pictures today and came across these precious little ones.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNszx7x7uxt76gCRFbyzUkXu4Vj2xcw8M54GPWCaI_WC_NK-sLxTIjd008HPXZYWvbo-flX7wJ1dB7GRLXzb6DWcRqoqJwQrWIMhZD9p7oeylHcZludge4Z3ssatQkPBtgzqfeskQMtA/s1600/thanksgiving2008+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNszx7x7uxt76gCRFbyzUkXu4Vj2xcw8M54GPWCaI_WC_NK-sLxTIjd008HPXZYWvbo-flX7wJ1dB7GRLXzb6DWcRqoqJwQrWIMhZD9p7oeylHcZludge4Z3ssatQkPBtgzqfeskQMtA/s400/thanksgiving2008+031.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Look how little they were! So sweet! I want another one.....Wait....Nope never mind. The moment passed. My son just asked me to come look at his poop in the potty. Yup, that's one of those..<i>I never thought I'd be happy to see poop in a potty moments......</i><br />
Is it bedtime yet?<br />
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I feel a chic flick marathon coming my way....Well, any kind of movie marathon that doesn't include animated characters and poop.<br />
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Happy Friday!<br />
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/"><img alt="Blogger Templates" border="0" height="67" src="http://www.allblogtools.com/MiSc/Signature-Generator/holdz/z4b58d3682b697.gif" width="167" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9185297780573544394.post-3953476497721248692012-06-11T17:41:00.001-05:002012-06-11T17:41:43.776-05:00Hello, My name is Jessica....I am the owner of this blog. I am alive and well. Not that you would know from my blogging hiatus. But I am. :) Boy, life has been a crazy whirlwind lately. It hasn't left very much time for blogging. That's life, I guess. We have been going through a very new season in our lives, not a bad one but a good one. In the past two months, we have gone from ordinary, everyday(for the past 7 years) life to something new. A new beginning. A new everyday routine. We have been sent to a new church, ended an old job and started a new one, started a new work schedule that includes a mix of days and nights, ended Kindergarten(my baby!), got rid of one vehicle just in time for the other one to die, got a new car, lost a very special person, gained a new family member(that's you Chuck!) started living a new life. And loving every minute of it. Looking back on the past two months, I can honestly say I wasn't sure how things would end up, but I KNEW God would handle it. And he has. We have been in a transition period with life and when I look forward, I can see an amazing future. My wonderful, amazing husband is no longer so stressed because of work that he can't enjoy life. We are adjusting to him switching out day shift and night shift. It's different and it is taking some getting use to. Since, we home school it's not a big deal if he works nights...we can be very flexible. We actually see him more now than we ever did at his other job. It was truly a God send that he is working at this current company. Honestly, there is no other way to put it. We are at an amazing church, that is in our community, that has a community outreach like none I have ever been a part of. It truly has a heart for people and loving those people, just like the bible says we should. One word- Amazing. We are exactly where God wants us to be and we are so excited to be a part of the church.<br />
My Sweet Pea "graduated" Kindergarten. We didn't actually have a graduating ceremony but I did take her picture in a little cap and gown. That way I would have one of her in Kindergarten and when she actually graduates high school. GASP. High School. Quick...someone hold me, I can't breathe. High School. <i>deep breaths...breath...</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi997pcx5Iil3xMEqW8q_ZiXZMNnZ6nXRiFn-5FAuw_9jVjixql4mesajDtu9qq0T4N6pin0q44JSiTckRVvubay8wUmdbcAFJ7mk2JtEek-Pn1Z2-V2O-_Jl7zRgW5VOa1_1pxrBPd38w/s1600/Spring2012+355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi997pcx5Iil3xMEqW8q_ZiXZMNnZ6nXRiFn-5FAuw_9jVjixql4mesajDtu9qq0T4N6pin0q44JSiTckRVvubay8wUmdbcAFJ7mk2JtEek-Pn1Z2-V2O-_Jl7zRgW5VOa1_1pxrBPd38w/s400/Spring2012+355.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Sweet Pea, growing up way to fast. We are so blessed to have this toothless little smile to look at everyday!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">We start first grade at the end of August. We will be home schooling again. I really love it and so do they. It fits in perfectly with our life right now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We also lost an amazing man of God- my husbands' granddaddy. Granddaddy, was one of the most faithful men I have ever known. He helped to raise my husband and I will always be eternally grateful to him for what an amazing job he did. He holds a very special place in my heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Even in the midst of new things, some things never change. Like, for instant, my son's ability to constantly gross me out. He is 3 and 1/2 for crying out loud! I thought I would have a few more years before this happened....I was wrong. Also, the fact that getting my kids to clean their rooms is like giving a shark a bubble bath....it's going to be painful and possibly deadly. They can destroy a room in 10 seconds flat. Can someone please endorse us for the Olympics? Anyone? Tide? Subway?....No? This has to be some kind of record! I am trying to get them to pick up their rooms every night before bath/bed time. Some nights it works, some it doesn't. Like Friday night, when Sweetie Pie dumped out a 5 gallon tub full of books, in the door way of her room. Right before bedtime. Sometimes, it's just better to go to bed and deal with the mess in the morning. Sigh. Of course, in the morning turned into Monday afternoon...but whatever. I am determined to make this pick up every night before bed thing work. It may take me all summer long but that's OK. These thing take time. I just hope all summer long doesn't turn into 17 years later....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So I think that has brought us up to speed. Old way of living turning into a new way of living while some things remain the same. I think that covers it. I hope to see you tomorrow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Meanwhile....Enjoy life, love while you can, and it never hurts to do a little laundry in between it all....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/"><img alt="Blogger Templates" border="0" height="67" src="http://www.allblogtools.com/MiSc/Signature-Generator/holdz/z4b58d3682b697.gif" width="167" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.allblogtools.com/" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Blogger Templates</a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256606263631475111noreply@blogger.com0