Oh wow~ies, and ouch~ies

Last Thursday was my mom's birthday so I just wanted to say again, Happy Birthday Mom!!

We had a little bit of a scare last week. The kids had been playing outside and came in when it was getting dark. Meggy kept scratching her leg and saying that she thought a misquito had bitten her leg so I took a look at it and I thought that the bite area looked to big for a misquito bite because it was about a 2x2in red place on her leg. I gave her a little bit of Benedryl because she was crying that it was itching so bad and told her that I would look at it in the morning. The next morning the area on her leg had grown to 4 1/2in by 2 1/2in. I knew that was no misquito bite. I called the doctor because I was afraid she had been bitten by a spider and stupid me had googled "symptoms of a brown recluse spider bite" so I had all that info in my head. They advised me to put some cortizone on it and give her the Benedryl to help with the itching. By that afternoon the red area had grown to 5 1/2in by 3 1/2. I was freaking out at that point becuase I just knew it was a BR spider bite and seeing some of the pictures on the internet, I had all these horrific images of what her leg would look like if left untreated. I kept putting the cortizone on her leg and by the morning time it looked way better. I was so relieved. This is what her little leg looked like...

By the way, that next day she came and told me that she had seen a baby spider bite her wrist...GREAT!! Now I was having to put corizone on two places of her little body and worrying if her skin was going to start rotting. Thankfully, the cream must have helped because both places look back to normal and she seems to be fine. She said she never felt anything bite or prick her leg...I'm still convinced it was some type of spider.....ewwwww, I LOATHE SPIDERS!!!!!!

This past weekend was just a great weekend. David and I had the rare opportunity to go on a date thanks to Dee-deed who watched the babies for us. We prayed before we left that God would bless our time together because isn't it like the evil one to ruin something you are looking forward to?

We were going to go to the Olive Garden but at the last minute decided on Ruby Tuesday and I'm so glad we did. We decided to try an appetizer called Southwestern Spring Rolls and they were delicious! I could go back just to have those with a salad. We also decided to get a salad and then ordered broiled tilapia. The whole meal was delicious and we really enjoyed just sitting and talking without any interruptions(except for the waiter) as adults.

Our movie didn't start until 9:45p and we had some time to kill so we decided to go into Walmart and get some Christmas gift ideas for the kids. We ended up getting a few of their Christmas gifts and now I'm glad because it's only September and some of their Christmas is already bought!! YAY!

It was time for the movie to start so we decided to go and sit down in our seats. At this new theater the particular seats we sat in were literally reclined back. I'm still not sure if I liked it or not. I felt like I was almost laying down the whole time. The movie we watched was called Fireproof and let me just tell you, it was AWESOME!!! It had the right amount of humor added in at just the right moments but it also had a serious story line that millions of married and even non-married couples could relate to. All of the problems this couple faced are true problems that happen in everyday relationships. You could hear sniffles coming from me and other people in the theater. It was an impactful movie. I encourage everyone to go see it..just be sure and take the tissues!!


Saturday was just as enjoyable. We basically just layed around all day and watched the football games. I'm still in shock over all the supposedly "best teams" losing on Saturday which bumped up the "not so good" teams. Oh, but my team still won!!

Sunday we went to church where the ladies who were able to go to the Women of Faith concert led our worship time. It was sweet! After church we headed home and waited on Dee-deed to come home from her church and then grabbed some lunch and headed to the park to have a picnic. There were lots of people there..I'm guessing they had that same idea as we did. We walked around the track for a little bit while the kids rode their power wheel and then we let them play on the playground. Bless their hearts, they were so filthy when we left the park that when we got home they had to have their 2nd bath for the day. But, that's part of it and what makes it all the more fun for them!

We've been working on this for a few days now.....


Dee-deed helping it along...

It's out!! Finally last night it came out!! She was so excited. The first thing she said was "Mommy,it feels weird up there." My how she is growing up so fast!! I had woken up last night to use the restroom and as always went into the kids bedrooms to check on them. Meggy had woken up also and looked under her pillow. Her "Tooth Fairy" money was under the pillow but no tooth. She asked me where her tooth was and I said, "The Tooth Fairy" took it and immediately she dropped her head into the mattress and started crying. Awww I felt bad for her and so I told her that I was just kidding and that the "Tooth Fairy" had put her tooth on my chest of drawers because she knew that Meggy wanted to keep it. She was so happy, all the while somehow missing the money until she woke up this morning..go figure!! Oh & take note all you future "Tooth Fairies".....the tooth fairy doesn't give 50cent pieces anymore....be prepared to dole out some cash...rates have gone up. HEE~HEE!!

Quiet My Heart

**I recommend you listen to the song..it's awesome!! Just be sure and "Pause" the music on my playlist over on the side.**

Quiet My Heart
by Brooke Barrettsmith

My mind wanders away
Dreaming of where I could be on another day
I'm always so far ahead
I seem to miss the one that I'm in
And I regret the time I lost
Slow me down before it's gone

Right here in the moment I'm given
I'll treasure the breath that I breathe in
And I'll rest in You
You quiet my heart
Somehow every second that's passing
Is filled with so much meaning
As I wait here with You
Quiet my heart

I get stuck in between
Yesterday and all that tomorrow brings
When all that You want from me
Is that I come and sit at your feet
And know that You are God
And with You no time is lost

Don't let me run away
Show me why I should stay
Open my eyes to take in Your beauty
Keep me here in this place
Take me in Your embrace
There's no place I'd rather be than right now

Just some Happenings

I can't believe I haven't posted these already. Bless his heart, Bud's been in school for 2 1/2 weeks and I am just now posting his first day pics...Oh how we've been busy!!

What a Cutie!!

Walking in like such a big boy all by himself...

Still walking in...*tear*

Yesterday was an adventure. First Meggy had the second part of her root canal done and bless her heart, she was such a trooper. I wasn't able to be in the back with her this time because I had Bud and Boogs with me and they couldn't be back there so I had to stay in the waiting area with them. It wasn't until we left that Meggy told me she started crying in the back because I couldn't be in the back with her. That made me feel so horrible, but I didn't have a choice. And then when she talked to her daddy about it, she started crying again (and I mean crocodile tears) because he couldn't be there with her either. Talk about feeling like a failure, but Dee-deed told me last night that it was probably good for Meggy to go back by herself because she will have to learn to do things on her own as she grows up and this was a start, but still, I felt like I let her down. Sooo, David suggest that I take her to Build A Bear and let her pick out whatever she wanted, you know, to spoil her so to speak.

Also, Bud was having "Teddy Bear" day at school today and his favorite stuffed animal, a dinosaur that he picked out at Build A Bear, "Rexie" had start to come unraveled in the back so we had to take him to Build A Bear anyway. Now picture this..I'm already sort of terrified to go into the mall by myself with all the kids because..let's just face it..1)all three are too big for a stroller and want to walk 2)I have two boys who are like little speed racers and don't necessarily like to stay with mom because it's always more fun to make mom panic and walk 10 steps ahead and 3)you just never know what kind of "crazy" is going to be lurking and watching to see of some mom isn't paying that close attention to her children so it would be easy to walk away with a child that isn't theirs. I'm terrified.

I haven't been to the mall in ages so I wasn't aware of all the kiosk that are now positioned in the middle areas of the mall. So picture this...I am frantically trying to keep all the kids within a step of my steps and each one are holding their build a bear animals. I'm also constantly scanning everywhere to keep the "crazies" away and all of a sudden I am bombarded by this perky, blond headed, accent laden girl asking me if she could talk to me for a second...only a second. So I say sure only because..stupid me..gave her eye contact and that somehow sent brain waves to her that I was interested in whatever is was that she was selling. She makes me sit down on this tiny stool and starts asking me all these questions about my hair care regimen, all the while I'm trying to keep the kids close by me. I'm thinking..this is taking longer than a second. All of a sudden she starts pulling my hair up and taking small strands and straightening them with a (note variation in voice here) porcelain hair straightener and then starts taking other pieces of my hair and giving them little ringlets. She is going on and on about how this is the best product on the market and see how shiny my hair is now and feel how softer this side of my hair is...ohhh la~la. I'm sitting thinking...Great!! I have to walk around this mall where I could potentially run into anyone I know with one side of my hair looking normal and the other side looking straighter than normal with ringlets. So I say "how much is this?" "It's only $99.00" WHAT!!!!! Then she says in her thick accent, "What's your favorite color" as to which I say pink and she shows me a pink straightener. OH goodness! The kids are getting so bored at this point that they have decided to go ahead and walk into the Build A Bear store (thank goodness is was right there in front of the kiosk). I tell her that I can't pay that much for a hair care product and then she says "You say you like it..you say you like it. How about if you pay this much?" and she gives me a price ten dollars less and I keep saying no and she just keeps pushing and pushing. She finally comes down to $70.00 and I still told her that I wouldn't spend that much on something like that and so she ask "How much would you be willing to pay?" and I said $20.00 . Of course she couldn't let it go for that much so anyway, I just had to finally say I was sorry but I wasn't going to spend that much for a hair care product and I just ran..literally ran fast away from her into the Build A Bear store. I think she was the "crazies" I had been scanning and trying to avoid, but that darn eye contact gets you all the time!

Meggy got to pick out what she wanted, an outfit complete with shoes and Hello Kitty pj's complete with shoes for her "Teddy". Bud got "Rexie" fixed and even gave him an "air bath" all the while, Boogs is running around the store saying "Mommy, loo (as in look), Mommy loo". After our time at the store, we ran in to an old high school friend (see, I just knew I was going to run into someone I knew and now I had half straighter than straight ringlet hair..great! What would she think about me now?) So we chatted for a few minutes until my two speed racers decided that it would be fun to stick their small flange's on the escalator steps as they were moving....thankfully no fingers got cut off or anything really gross like that.

We then decided to ride the carousel and of course, I didn't bring my camera so I have no pics. :(

Bud tried to help me fold clothes today..isn't that just so sweet!


Today I decided that it would be fun if we all made some fall cookies. I had bought some cookie mix around Christmas time last year and I needed to go ahead and make the rest of the cookie mix before the expiration date..which is tomorrow..oops. Here are some cute pictures of our time together today. I'm so thankful for my blessings!!

Praise

Today we went to hear the results of Boogie's evaluation for the school system. He did qualify for speech therapy services once a week starting in October when he turns 3. That is a praise!! If he didn't qualify then we would have had to look into private therapy which can be costly. So thankfully he will continue to receive speech therapy services!! Thank you for your prayers!! :)

Toddler Property Laws

Say *I* if you agree...


*If I like it, it's mine.

*If it's in my hand, it's mine.

*If I can take it from you, it's mine.

*If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

*If it is mine, it must never in any way appear to be yours.

*If I am doing or building something all the pieces are mine.

*If it looks like mine, it's mine.

*If I saw it first, it's mine.

*If you are playing with something and put it down it automatically becomes mine.

*And, if it's broken...it's yours.


**I**

He said MOO!!

I know this may not be a big deal to some, but if you have been keeping up with my Boogie's speech delay then you would understand why I am excited!! I had gotten up this morning and fixed the kids breakfast but didn't have time to make me anything, so after I dropped Bud off at school, I swung by Chick-fil-a to get me a little something to eat. As we were driving around the drive thru, Boogs saw their infamous cow and said "Loo mama(he doesn't say the "k"), a tow(sounds like cow)" and so I said "that's right Boogs, what does a cow say?" and he said like normal "oooooo" so I started emphasizing the "m" sound and then the "oo" sound and then put them together and he did it!! He said "MOOOO"!! YAYAYAYAYAY!!! I can't tell you enough how excited I am to hear that!! And so now every time I ask him what a cow says, he says "MOOOOO"!!!! :) I'm thrilled!! :)

Thankful Thursday

My friend, Rachel, decided to start something called Thankful Thursdays so here is my Thankful Thursday blog.

I am thankful for my husband who knows what it means to take care of his family. Because of all the rain we have had recently, he has been working a lot of overtime. In part because of what his work calls "service requirements" which means he works 10 hour days for 13 days in a row and then one off day, but also because he would work the overtime anyway to make sure that he is providing for us. He really is a hard worker and has a great work ethic. He never 'calls in' to work unless he is at deaths door with some sickness. He's a manly man and won't hesitate to let you know it. When we first met I was this shy girl who would let someone walk all over me and do everything I could to try and please anyone. Since I have been married to him I have become more confrontational (not in a bad way) and more aware of people that try to take advantage of me. I'm so glad for that because if I was still that same girl, then I would be every one's door mat. He has helped me to say 'no' when I needed to say 'no' and 'yes' when I needed to say 'yes'. Does that make sense?

I am also thankful for the three precious blessings in my life that I call my M&M's. It can be very stressful having three so close in age, but I am thankful because if I didn't have them in my life, my life would be so boring. They constantly keep me on my toes during the day and even into the night when one of them wakes up (as Bud did the other night) throwing up all over and down the side of his bed. Nice huh?? They also teach me about the mom that I want to become and help me to remember that life was once innocent and there is still some good left in this world. I see the good in the eyes of my children! I love being able to watch them grow and learn. I need to remember more to cherish each day as if it were my last because as I was reminded the other day, each day and breath is a gift of grace!

By the way, I haven't figured out how to "link" someone's blog or website into my actual blog yet, so could someone please clue me in as to how to do that?? Thanks! :)

Live Like You Are Dying

First of all I would like to just say Thank You to each of you, whether you are family, friends, bloggy friends or even someone I might not even know, for being such a blessing in my life in one way or another.

I had the opportunity to hear a great speaker this morning at my church. His name is Sammy Gilbreath and he is the Director of Evangelism for the Alabama State Board of Missions. He has an awesome story to tell and I wish each of you could have been there with me this morning to hear it.

I am going to try and retell his story so I hope that I have the facts correct. He found out some time back that he has the largest blood clot of anyone that the medical field has seen, sitting at the base of his heart and has an aneurysm also in one of the ventricles just waiting to burst. He was told that he could be apart of some research that involved surgery but to be warned that the other three patients that had been through the surgery had not made it. He decided to go ahead with the surgery and thankfully he made it through. He now has a defibrillator type of thing but that is only buying him some time. He was accepted to get on a heart transplant list but then told that a heart transplant wouldn't work for him (I don't remember him telling why the transplant wouldn't work), but anyway he had to go ahead and start making preparations for his family so that they would be taken care of when his time comes. His son wanted to make sure his dad would be there for his wedding and despite his doctors telling him he wouldn't make the trip to Louisiana for the wedding..he made it. He has gone skydiving, ridden bulls (real ones)as a way to tell others about Jesus and rides a harley into prison yards and tells those prisoners about Jesus. Now mind you, this man doesn't look like the typical man you would see doing those types of things. He is very clean cut. He talked about how he has changed his vocabulary to say " I get to do this and that" instead of saying "I've got to do this or that". That is how he lives now, knowing that at any minute and without any warning he could drop dead. You know, that is how all of us should think because God does not promise us tomorrow. Anyone of us could slip into eternity at any time.

He talked about valuing the promise of life. How we should value spiritual blessings rather than physical blessings.

He talked about how we can't stop living because of something that we can't control.

He talked about how we need to value the gift of grace. Every day is a gift of grace, every breath is a gift of grace and every life experience is a gift of grace. Grace is never given in advance...God gives us enough grace for that day.

He said that we need to learn the value of remembering.

We need to learn the value of a clear conscience. A clear conscience can only come from God. We shouldn't come to God and say "IF I have sinned I am sorry"..we should just say "I'M SORRY"...no if's. This also applies to anyone you have hurt or offended.

He also said something that hit home with me. If your loved ones were to slip out into eternity right now, what would you wish you had said to them? WOW!!! That is one reason why I stated at the beginning of this blog that I was thankful to each of you because I wanted you to know that even though I may not see you or talk to you often, you are a big blessing in my life..everyday!

I know I haven't done justice to his story, but maybe someone is reading this and thinking about their life and how they should live. Maybe someone is thinking how they would spend eternity because we are not promised tomorrow or even another minute. We are only here minute by minute because of God's grace to us.

He played the first verse of this song during church and I just wanted to share it with you....maybe it'll get you thinking (as it has me) to live like you were dying.

He said I was in my early forties, with a lot of life before me
And one moment came that stopped me on a dime
I spent most of the next days, looking at the x-rays
Talking bout' the options and talking bout' sweet times.
I asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end
How's it hit 'cha when you get that kind of news?
Man what did ya do?
He said

Chorus
I went skydiving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin'
(Lyrics by Tim Mcgraw)

What would you have looked like?

I saw this website from a fellow bloggy friend and thought I would check it out..pretty funny!!

This is what I would have supposedly looked like in 1952.


And this is what I would have supposedly looked like in 1990.


I think it's hilarious!! If you want to see what you would have looked like then here is the website...www.yearbookyourself.com

Let me know if you decide to try it out!!

New Kids and Zip Codes

Ok, so I was a child of the 80's and a teenager of the 90's and loved each decade!! I loved the 80's for their movies and music and the 90's for some of the tv shows. Allison and I were dedicated New Kids on the Block fans...Joey was my guy and Jonathon was Allison's. We had every cassette tape, poster, trading card, big button, blankets, other memorabilia and I also made a scrapbook of New Kids stuff. We even drug our big brother to a concert...LOL!! I could have sworn that Joey looked right at me in the midst of all the other girls while hanging out of his tour bus as they were pulling away.....I'm serious, he was.....no, he really was...really! Anyway, to say the least, we were heartbroken when they decided to put an end their boy band. Deep down in the depths of my soul, ok so not really down that deep, I always hoped they would get back together. Maybe because those days of my life seemed so much simpler. No drama at that point that I really knew of. Those days were innocent. Just a bunch of little geeky jr. high girls squealing at the gyrations of a group of high school boys. We loved it! Oh, let's not forget those awesome rat tails they had going on....except for my awesome Joey! Hee-hee!
Well, my long time dream has finally come true...they are back together!! I am so excited!!

Now I'm not saying that I will run out and buy their cd or happen to go to a concert of they come around here, but maybe for old time's sake...I will. Who knows?

Also, on the same lines a show aired on tv that Allison and I loved watching...I'm sure you know it..Beverly Hills 90210.

We were avid watchers. It doesn't mean we always agreed with the shows content or how stupid we felt some of the story lines were, you have that with every show on tv, but we loved it none the less and hated if we had to miss an episode. We would even tape the shows on VHS if we were going to miss them...Aha, the things you do when you are young...Oh wait, don't we still do that sometimes with shows now that we might miss only with Tivo or however it's done now??(I don't watch too much tv at night anyway so there's no need for me to tivo or do whatever it is that the cable thingy does..LOL)
Well, Allison and I were once again heartbroken when the cast decided to end the show on it's 10th season. :( No more Brandon~Kelly~Dylan drama...no more Donna and David and no more Steve with his shenanigans.

But now, they have decided to bring back a newer and updated version of the show.

I didn't like the fact that the main characters are not twins or even biologically related. And the "friends" group seems to be a bit bigger then the original. Of course I watched the two hour season premiere just to see how the show would be portrayed and to see if I could see any of the original cast. I was excited to see "Kelly", "Brenda", "Nat" and I saw the premiere for next weeks episode and "Kelly's" mom is going to be on there. I was sad to read that some of the other main characters have chosen not to appear on this version of 90210 but a few is better than none! I also noticed that some of the kids in the show were supposed to be the teenage kids that were portrayed in the original. So that was neat to see how they incorporated some of the old story lines into the new. I don't know if I'll continue to watch this new version but my interest are definitely peaked. I still like the old ones better!

Anybody else want to admit they were a New Kids or 90210 fan??