Sorry I haven't blogged much lately. Last week we were busy at Vacation Bible School, and this week we've been trying to beat back a case of mild sickies.
I went to Urgent Care last night after about 48 hours of having a SUPER sore throat, stiff neck, swollen glands, and a headache. They tested for strep throat (which is what I thought it was), but it turned out just to be a viral infection which will have to run it's course on its own. I am sore today, but doing alright with my Tylenol and Orange Juice. I have not had a fever, so I've been able to function reasonably well as a Mommy (thank you Lord!).
J-Boy has had diarrhea for almost a full week. He's been happy as a clam, with NO fever or vomiting (again, thank you Lord!). However, he's had a nasty diaper rash and lots of Pedialyte to make up for his lost nutrients.
Lorelin had her three-year well check yesterday morning, so they let us bring J-Boy in at the same time. My pedatrician gave me a special diarrhea forumla which has definitely helped to slow down the "flow"...so to speak.....and he does seem to feeling better overall.
Lorelin had a great three-year well check, and was a champ at the doctor's office, calmly and sweetly complying with all that the doctor and nurses asked.
Well, that's about it....I am going to go and lay down for nap, since the rest of my crew is either sleeping or on their way there.
I'll post more summer snapshots soon.....
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Take Me Out To The Ballgame - Part 2
Here's a short video (sorry, it's not the best quality) of the girlies as they root on the Diamondbacks. This was late in the night...around the 10th inning, I think. We were tired, but they were moving and grooving. K-Bug knew that our team was the "Red Team" with the red hats, so she made up the little red team cheer all by herself.
GO RED TEAM!!!
GO RED TEAM!!!
Take Me Out To The Ballgame - Part 1
This past Friday, we took our girlies to their very first professional baseball game. I had a found a "Family Fridays" ticket package that included a seat, a hot dog & soda, and a free pass to the zoo all for $15 apiece. PLUS, it was advertised that there were fireworks after the game - that's all I needed to know....
My father-in-law loves the Diamondbacks, so he bought tickets as well and brought his grandson (our nephew) along.
My Mom came over and watched J-Boy for the evening, so we were all set to go with just the four of us.
We left our house around 5:00 p.m. in order to beat traffic, and ended up with an altogether easy commute and an immediate parking space (yeah!).The girls were fascinated by all of the BIG buildings in the down-town Phoenix area, and even more fascinated by the LARGE stadium that we were getting to go inside!!
I asked a nice man to take our picture outside of the stadium as we were getting ready to go in.
We headed up two very large escalators and finally made our way up the third level where we found our seats (yuppers, we were in the cheap seats, but I didn't really mind.)We had a great view of the field!
After four trips to the bathroom, and one small hike for ice cream, I was starting to wonder if the game was as good an idea as I first thought. The girls were getting tired and a little bored, and around the fourth inning I just wasn't sure that we were going to make it through (especially us parents! :)
Then,around the 5th or 6th inning, both girls caught their second wind. From that point foward, they clapped, they cheered, and they danced! :)
FINALLY.....in the 11th inning....the tied score was broken by a home run from the opposing team -sorry Diamondbacks :( BUT we were happy because finally we saw
FIREWORKS!!!!
K-Bug must have danced during the entire fireworks performance. She loved it!! Lorelin was a little more subdued, but when asked aferward she said that she liked it as well. :)
We arrived home at midnight, and got into bed around 12:30 p.m. Not surprisingly, the girles slept until almost 9:00 p.m. the next morning.
My father-in-law loves the Diamondbacks, so he bought tickets as well and brought his grandson (our nephew) along.
My Mom came over and watched J-Boy for the evening, so we were all set to go with just the four of us.
We left our house around 5:00 p.m. in order to beat traffic, and ended up with an altogether easy commute and an immediate parking space (yeah!).The girls were fascinated by all of the BIG buildings in the down-town Phoenix area, and even more fascinated by the LARGE stadium that we were getting to go inside!!
I asked a nice man to take our picture outside of the stadium as we were getting ready to go in.
We headed up two very large escalators and finally made our way up the third level where we found our seats (yuppers, we were in the cheap seats, but I didn't really mind.)We had a great view of the field!
After four trips to the bathroom, and one small hike for ice cream, I was starting to wonder if the game was as good an idea as I first thought. The girls were getting tired and a little bored, and around the fourth inning I just wasn't sure that we were going to make it through (especially us parents! :)
Then,around the 5th or 6th inning, both girls caught their second wind. From that point foward, they clapped, they cheered, and they danced! :)
FINALLY.....in the 11th inning....the tied score was broken by a home run from the opposing team -sorry Diamondbacks :( BUT we were happy because finally we saw
FIREWORKS!!!!
K-Bug must have danced during the entire fireworks performance. She loved it!! Lorelin was a little more subdued, but when asked aferward she said that she liked it as well. :)
We arrived home at midnight, and got into bed around 12:30 p.m. Not surprisingly, the girles slept until almost 9:00 p.m. the next morning.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Monday Moments....Things That Gurgle & Flush
Or don’t flush, such as the case may be…(hee,hee)
Maybe our water is just really hard, or maybe our toilet handles are just wimpy, or….. maybe we flush too hard. Whatever the case may be, we have broken two toilet handles in the span of just a few weeks. This has rendered our potties un-flushable by the normal method of pushing the outside handle.
Instead, you have to lift the back of the lid off the commode, and then reach inside to manually pull the lever that releases the water flow.
We have yet to go to Ace’s Hardware/Lowes/Home Depot for new potty handles, so in the last week, there has been a lot of “alternative flushing methods”
Not a big deal, UNLESS you happen to have your mother-in-law and her mother coming over on a Saturday morning for an extended visit.
This was the case this past weekend, and we didn’t remember until about an hour beforehand that our potties were still broken and our guests might need to use the bathroom. And then….well…..how would we ask them to flush?
My hubby went into big-time MacGyver mode, asking for some rubber bands and duct tape. I went into the bathroom a few minutes later to find that he was trying to jerry-rig a temporary handle made up of two used choptsticks held together by the rubber bands, and glued to the inside of the potty with lots of duct tape.
I lost it. I had to hang onto the bathroom sink (being careful not to break anything off of it! ) on account of my laughter.
I wish I had taken pictures, and I wish even more that his invention had worked.
Alas, the chopsticks wouldn’t hold, and we ended up explaining everything to our family members. My mother-in-law assured us she had experience in “alternative flushing methods” and made it in and out of the bathroom just fine.
I’ve heard of people dropping their cell phones in the toilet, but this past week I landed our phone in a rather uncommon swimming pool.
I was diving for the phone one morning this past week, when it slipped out of my hands and fell over the back of the kitchen counter. I wish I could say that this is an infrequent event, but the truth of the matter is that the phone takes regular spills off the counter, usually bouncing on the floor or landing in a pile of dry cat food. We had had several close calls with the cat’s water dish, but thankfully it always seemed to “just miss” taking a swim.
Well, on this particular morning, my hubby had moved the cat’s water to the opposite side of their food dish, thinking that if the phone fell, it would have a better chance of missing the water dish.
Turns out he was WRONG.
Instead, as the phone slipped like butter from my grasp, still sounding-off from the incoming call, I heard a sudden “SPLASH” and then a gurgled ring as the phone continued, even in it’s suddenly submerged state.
I was a big dummy, and picked up the phone to answer it (I know, I know….it was a blonde moment). My hubby was the one on the phone and he immediately asked me why the phone was making a loud buzzing sound in his ear.
I quickly recounted the phone’s “dip in the pool” and he advised me to immediately hang up, and take out the battery pack to let the phone dry.
I gingerly slid out the phone’s contents, and am happy to report that once dry, the phone made a miraculous recovery.
Also, we’ve found a new, safer home for the kitchen’s phone.
Although at the point, you might be wondering about water safety at the Smith household, I assure you that any visits to our abode (which oddly rhymes with commode) will be clean and dry……I just hope you don’t have to use the bathroom…….Just kidding!!!
We are getting it fixed this week…
Feel free to come over and flush the toilets just for fun if you’d like…..
Merry Monday everyone!!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Comfy In My Own Skin
How much do you like yourself? How do you feel about who God has created you to be?
I have been having some great conversations with some very good friend about htis very topic. We have been talking about who we are, underneath even the Mommy, wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc. roles that we fill.
Number one - we are daughters of Christ.
Now, I believe that as we understand that God created us, with every part of our personality intact from the day we were conceived, and that we also understand that “nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39 NLT) Only then we can start to take those steps in accepting ourselves and relaxing in our own skin.
But we live in an imperfect world. And for those of us who sometimes care too deeply about pleasing others, and for those of us who care too much what others think {guilty as charged: I am talking about myself here}, we have to constantly come back to pleasing God first, and leaving others, with their thoughts, feelings, etc in His hands.
It’s not as easy as it sounds….
I have a funny example of this from last Sunday night. My Mom and I had run up to the local Safeway grocery store so that I could get, among other things, a can of formula and some bottle liners.
Right before I left the house, Lorelin came running up to me with a large, plastic tiara in her hand. “Here, Mommy, this is for you!” she said. “You can wear it!”
“To the store?” I asked. “Yes” she said. “Bye!”
Now, when it comes to funky clothes, funny hats, or sparkly tiaras, I am willing to wear them anywhere, anytime, and truly, I don’t care what anyone thinks. So, I stuck the tiara on my head and off we went.
We had gotten most of our grocery items, and were just about to hit the check-out line when we stopped short at the card isle. The racks were full of those new “Cards With Sound” and I just LOVE those things!! My Mom does too, and we can spend a good 10-15 minutes on that aisle alone, listening to the cards, singing along to the songs we know, and dancing to the really groovy ones.
So, there we were – singing, dancing, and laughing when a woman started down the aisle toward the cards we were looking at. She stopped her cart behind ours and proceeded to fix us with “the look”, you know…..
“ I-think-that-you-are-being-rather-loud-and-crazy” look . She then silently started looking at cards.
I decided the best approach was the direct one. “Don’t you just love these cards?” I asked. “They are so much fun!”
“Mmmm, yes…..” she replied, with a frown. My Mom and I picked up this very large musical card that vibrates in your hand with its intensity and volume.
“Here, feel this!” my Mom said, shoving the card into the lady’s hand.
Poor thing! She looked like the card (or we) might bite, and pursing her lips, quickly touched the card and then jerked her hand away.
“Have a good night!” I called, as we finished getting our cards and walked down the aisle.
“Mmm…hmm….” I heard her mumble as I turned to go.
It was about that time that I thought about the tiara on my head, and the fact that my Mom and I probably did descend on this poor lady like a couple of nuts in our effort to be friendly.
This is a funny example, because as I was pondering what this woman thought of me, I fully realized that it didn’t matter. I didn’t know her….and she didn’t know me (she was probably glad of that fact…)
However, it’s so much tougher when it’s someone you DO know, and someone that DOES know you. If it had been a friend of mine who had responded the way that lady did, I probably would have spent the rest of the evening wondering if I had done something wrong, etc.
I am thankful that I am learning to become secure in Christ, and comfortable in who God created me to be.
Day by day…..
I have been having some great conversations with some very good friend about htis very topic. We have been talking about who we are, underneath even the Mommy, wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc. roles that we fill.
Number one - we are daughters of Christ.
Now, I believe that as we understand that God created us, with every part of our personality intact from the day we were conceived, and that we also understand that “nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39 NLT) Only then we can start to take those steps in accepting ourselves and relaxing in our own skin.
But we live in an imperfect world. And for those of us who sometimes care too deeply about pleasing others, and for those of us who care too much what others think {guilty as charged: I am talking about myself here}, we have to constantly come back to pleasing God first, and leaving others, with their thoughts, feelings, etc in His hands.
It’s not as easy as it sounds….
I have a funny example of this from last Sunday night. My Mom and I had run up to the local Safeway grocery store so that I could get, among other things, a can of formula and some bottle liners.
Right before I left the house, Lorelin came running up to me with a large, plastic tiara in her hand. “Here, Mommy, this is for you!” she said. “You can wear it!”
“To the store?” I asked. “Yes” she said. “Bye!”
Now, when it comes to funky clothes, funny hats, or sparkly tiaras, I am willing to wear them anywhere, anytime, and truly, I don’t care what anyone thinks. So, I stuck the tiara on my head and off we went.
We had gotten most of our grocery items, and were just about to hit the check-out line when we stopped short at the card isle. The racks were full of those new “Cards With Sound” and I just LOVE those things!! My Mom does too, and we can spend a good 10-15 minutes on that aisle alone, listening to the cards, singing along to the songs we know, and dancing to the really groovy ones.
So, there we were – singing, dancing, and laughing when a woman started down the aisle toward the cards we were looking at. She stopped her cart behind ours and proceeded to fix us with “the look”, you know…..
“ I-think-that-you-are-being-rather-loud-and-crazy” look . She then silently started looking at cards.
I decided the best approach was the direct one. “Don’t you just love these cards?” I asked. “They are so much fun!”
“Mmmm, yes…..” she replied, with a frown. My Mom and I picked up this very large musical card that vibrates in your hand with its intensity and volume.
“Here, feel this!” my Mom said, shoving the card into the lady’s hand.
Poor thing! She looked like the card (or we) might bite, and pursing her lips, quickly touched the card and then jerked her hand away.
“Have a good night!” I called, as we finished getting our cards and walked down the aisle.
“Mmm…hmm….” I heard her mumble as I turned to go.
It was about that time that I thought about the tiara on my head, and the fact that my Mom and I probably did descend on this poor lady like a couple of nuts in our effort to be friendly.
This is a funny example, because as I was pondering what this woman thought of me, I fully realized that it didn’t matter. I didn’t know her….and she didn’t know me (she was probably glad of that fact…)
However, it’s so much tougher when it’s someone you DO know, and someone that DOES know you. If it had been a friend of mine who had responded the way that lady did, I probably would have spent the rest of the evening wondering if I had done something wrong, etc.
I am thankful that I am learning to become secure in Christ, and comfortable in who God created me to be.
Day by day…..
Merry Monday!
Hello!
I am coming off of a very busy weekend (which I will blog and post pictures of soon!), so I haven't had time to write a Monday Moment for today.
Maybe tomorrow....
I am coming off of a very busy weekend (which I will blog and post pictures of soon!), so I haven't had time to write a Monday Moment for today.
Maybe tomorrow....
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Four Month Update: J-Boy
Well, I took J-Boy to his four month check-up this past Monday (although this Friday he will be 4 ½ months old).
He weighed in at a hefty 16 lbs, 10 oz, and although he still has the big pounds, the pediatrician commented on his activity (kicking his legs, etc) and noted that he had dropped some in “percentile points” from his last visit.
She suggested an increase in calories, and based on his current weight and size, she gave the recommendation to start him on rice cereal. This will be a gradual introduction, giving him as many as two weeks of rice cereal before introducing oatmeal a week after, barley the week after that, and then finally starting him on a first fruit or veggie when he is almost six months old.
Ahh…the world of solid foods (and solid food poopies)……here we come!
The pediatrician also commented on how strong J-Boy is. He pulls to stand readily easily, and strains to sit up when laid on his back. He loves to put his fingers into his mouth, and has been quite happy with the recent discovery of his feet and toes.
He is sleeping quite well through the night, and will easily go to sleep around 8:00 p.m., before waking around 5:00 a.m. for a bottle. He returns to bed immediately, and sleeps for a few more hours before awaking in a happy, talkative mood.
Thank you Lord, for a baby who is easy-going and sleeps WELL!!!!!!!!!!!!! {Lorelin was colicky and neither she or I slept well for at least a year}
J-boy is very drooly right now, and although he chews on his hands and fists, I don’t see any evidence of that legendary “first tooth”.
J-boy loves to coo and he LOVES to be talked to. His sisters love to hold him, kiss his head, and can always make him smile and laugh. He also loves to splash and kick his legs in the bath, resulting in one happy baby and one wet Mommy (okay, okay…so I’m happy too)
We are so thankful for the healthy start to J-boy’s first four months. He is our joy and we love watching him grow!
Here are a few snapshots of J-boy and I together. I should have some more “formal shots” coming soon!
He weighed in at a hefty 16 lbs, 10 oz, and although he still has the big pounds, the pediatrician commented on his activity (kicking his legs, etc) and noted that he had dropped some in “percentile points” from his last visit.
She suggested an increase in calories, and based on his current weight and size, she gave the recommendation to start him on rice cereal. This will be a gradual introduction, giving him as many as two weeks of rice cereal before introducing oatmeal a week after, barley the week after that, and then finally starting him on a first fruit or veggie when he is almost six months old.
Ahh…the world of solid foods (and solid food poopies)……here we come!
The pediatrician also commented on how strong J-Boy is. He pulls to stand readily easily, and strains to sit up when laid on his back. He loves to put his fingers into his mouth, and has been quite happy with the recent discovery of his feet and toes.
He is sleeping quite well through the night, and will easily go to sleep around 8:00 p.m., before waking around 5:00 a.m. for a bottle. He returns to bed immediately, and sleeps for a few more hours before awaking in a happy, talkative mood.
Thank you Lord, for a baby who is easy-going and sleeps WELL!!!!!!!!!!!!! {Lorelin was colicky and neither she or I slept well for at least a year}
J-boy is very drooly right now, and although he chews on his hands and fists, I don’t see any evidence of that legendary “first tooth”.
J-boy loves to coo and he LOVES to be talked to. His sisters love to hold him, kiss his head, and can always make him smile and laugh. He also loves to splash and kick his legs in the bath, resulting in one happy baby and one wet Mommy (okay, okay…so I’m happy too)
We are so thankful for the healthy start to J-boy’s first four months. He is our joy and we love watching him grow!
Here are a few snapshots of J-boy and I together. I should have some more “formal shots” coming soon!
Don't Look At The TV!
J-Boy is absolutely mesmerized by the bright colors and constant motion to be found on TV. And while we are not opposed to his getting sneak peeks of the flashy screen, we are big believers in not having our children (and most especially babies) particpate in large amounts of viewing at one time.
Soooo, we had the TV on because we were watching the Olympic trials, and J-Boy kept trying to turn his head to stare at the screen. He was sitting in his Bumbo, so I turned him all the way around to face me.
That is when he propped his arm up on the back of the Bumbo, and turned his body completely all the way around so that he could still see the TV.
That stinker!
We couldn't resist sharing a laugh and grabbing this video before we moved him again.
Soooo, we had the TV on because we were watching the Olympic trials, and J-Boy kept trying to turn his head to stare at the screen. He was sitting in his Bumbo, so I turned him all the way around to face me.
That is when he propped his arm up on the back of the Bumbo, and turned his body completely all the way around so that he could still see the TV.
That stinker!
We couldn't resist sharing a laugh and grabbing this video before we moved him again.
Back To Blogging....
I know, I know....everyone has been going thru withdrawals without the ol' Smith blogs to entertain you! :)
However, I am happy to report that it is a good blogging week, and it is my personal goal to blog at least once every day.
And, all kidding aside, it is always my joy (and usually cathartic for me as well) to share with you tibits of Smithlets. (ha! I just made that up)
Somtimes I am so strange.....
However, I am happy to report that it is a good blogging week, and it is my personal goal to blog at least once every day.
And, all kidding aside, it is always my joy (and usually cathartic for me as well) to share with you tibits of Smithlets. (ha! I just made that up)
Somtimes I am so strange.....
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Family Gathering
This past Sunday afternoon, we had a family gathering at my sister-in-law's house. We celebrated my in-laws fifteenth wedding anniversary (congratulations Jen & Eric!!!) and also my husband's birthday (which was yesterday)
Here is a picture of all of us together:
This is Brian's grandfather Ron, and Ron's energetic wife Bobbi! We were so happy that they could be there!
Everyone ooed and cooed over J-Boy (how could you not??) and we all enjoyed cake and ice cream. Fun times!!
Here is a picture of all of us together:
This is Brian's grandfather Ron, and Ron's energetic wife Bobbi! We were so happy that they could be there!
Everyone ooed and cooed over J-Boy (how could you not??) and we all enjoyed cake and ice cream. Fun times!!
Summer Fun: Gymsters
We have been having some summer fun with the Gymsters program. It's a activity-based program that keeps the kids moviong, as well as teaching them sign language and the "scientific" names for their body parts. My girlies have had a great time with Teacher Lonnie and Gymsters!!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Would you like a little cheese with that whine??
When I was a kid, I remember my Mom saying the above rejoinder whenever I started to whine. Well, I do like cheese...but I'd rather just whine.....
It's been one of those days...
Lorelin has been in trouble more often than she's been out of it. So many fits!!
K-Bug bit her sister's finger, and got in big-time trouble for that. She said she was pretending to be a "mean kitty-kat".... but biting is still OFF-LIMITS
J-Boy has been fussy and not taking good naps.
And it's one of those days that I just feel like I don't look good, and even more, I definitely don't feel very up.
I feel lonely, even though I know I have loads of fabulous friends and a wonderful loving family.
Maybe I should check my calendar...is this just PMS??
I had a good week last week, and an interesting weekend....so...I'm not sure what's up.
I'm going to pour myself a glass of sparkling lime water (a special drink my friend Nickle-Pickle has helped me to appreciate) and read a few chapters of my Bible...
I promise to post a few more positive things tonight...
It's been one of those days...
Lorelin has been in trouble more often than she's been out of it. So many fits!!
K-Bug bit her sister's finger, and got in big-time trouble for that. She said she was pretending to be a "mean kitty-kat".... but biting is still OFF-LIMITS
J-Boy has been fussy and not taking good naps.
And it's one of those days that I just feel like I don't look good, and even more, I definitely don't feel very up.
I feel lonely, even though I know I have loads of fabulous friends and a wonderful loving family.
Maybe I should check my calendar...is this just PMS??
I had a good week last week, and an interesting weekend....so...I'm not sure what's up.
I'm going to pour myself a glass of sparkling lime water (a special drink my friend Nickle-Pickle has helped me to appreciate) and read a few chapters of my Bible...
I promise to post a few more positive things tonight...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday Moments...a day late
I thought of this moment the other day when, in a hurry, I drove down the street with one of J-boy’s baby t-shirts on my windshield (I had put it there so that I could remember to stick it in a bag of give-away clothes that were in the van).
I didn’t see the t-shirt until it flew off past my window and fell down into the street.
This isn’t the first time that items belonging to me have flown into the road….
I was a teenager getting ready for a trip with my youth group to Six Flags in Texas.
Now I know that this may be hard to believe, :) but when I was a teenager, I was a bit, um…scatterbrained. I had packed for the trip, but had forgotten to pack some last essentials.
Being in a hurry, I threw several toiletries, an alarm clock, and my Bible (can’t forget that!) into my pillowcase – which also contained my pillow.
I was one of the last youth to arrive and my youth minister threw my stuff into the back of his pickup truck. He stuck my pillow, full of my stuff, underneath a bungee cord that was holding down some luggage.
We headed off. I was riding in the pick-up with my youth minister, and the guy that I currently had a crush on. Looking back…it’s a possibility that I might have been, oh-I-don’t-know…. a little bit distracted with trying to impress the guy rather than noticing that my pillow was starting to wave like a flag in the wind.
We got onto the interstate and picked up speed. It was at this point that ALL of the passengers in the truck noticed that my pillow was waving wildly out of the back of the truck, barely hanging on to the bungee cord.
“I’ll pull over” my youth minister said. But no sooner were the word out of his mouth than the entire pillow and its contents launched onto the interstate.
My youth minister did pull over and almost like slow motion in a movie, we watched as a large semi-truck thundered past. Unable to stop, swerve, or slow down, it hit my pillow with full force, exploding the contents onto the road.
My deodorant, a bottle of hairspray, a completely demolished alarm clock, and my Bible bounced, rolled, and flapped wildly about.
Many of the items had bounced to the side of the road, and my friends quickly gathered up the items while I tried not to die of embarrassment. My youth minister made a quick dash out and picked up my pillow, pillowcase, and Bible.
Most of the items were destroyed beyond use, but I used that Bible, smashed and covered in tire tracks, for many, many years following.
God often used that Bible to remind me that His word is timeless and (even when run over) can never really be destroyed.
Happily, I recovered from the embarrassment and went on to have a wonderful time on trip. And, while I didn’t get the guy (maybe he didn’t like girls that put deodorant in their pillowcases), I did eventually get an amazing hubby who loves me in my scatterbrained moments and laughs at my stories.
I hope I gave you a laugh today too.
I didn’t see the t-shirt until it flew off past my window and fell down into the street.
This isn’t the first time that items belonging to me have flown into the road….
I was a teenager getting ready for a trip with my youth group to Six Flags in Texas.
Now I know that this may be hard to believe, :) but when I was a teenager, I was a bit, um…scatterbrained. I had packed for the trip, but had forgotten to pack some last essentials.
Being in a hurry, I threw several toiletries, an alarm clock, and my Bible (can’t forget that!) into my pillowcase – which also contained my pillow.
I was one of the last youth to arrive and my youth minister threw my stuff into the back of his pickup truck. He stuck my pillow, full of my stuff, underneath a bungee cord that was holding down some luggage.
We headed off. I was riding in the pick-up with my youth minister, and the guy that I currently had a crush on. Looking back…it’s a possibility that I might have been, oh-I-don’t-know…. a little bit distracted with trying to impress the guy rather than noticing that my pillow was starting to wave like a flag in the wind.
We got onto the interstate and picked up speed. It was at this point that ALL of the passengers in the truck noticed that my pillow was waving wildly out of the back of the truck, barely hanging on to the bungee cord.
“I’ll pull over” my youth minister said. But no sooner were the word out of his mouth than the entire pillow and its contents launched onto the interstate.
My youth minister did pull over and almost like slow motion in a movie, we watched as a large semi-truck thundered past. Unable to stop, swerve, or slow down, it hit my pillow with full force, exploding the contents onto the road.
My deodorant, a bottle of hairspray, a completely demolished alarm clock, and my Bible bounced, rolled, and flapped wildly about.
Many of the items had bounced to the side of the road, and my friends quickly gathered up the items while I tried not to die of embarrassment. My youth minister made a quick dash out and picked up my pillow, pillowcase, and Bible.
Most of the items were destroyed beyond use, but I used that Bible, smashed and covered in tire tracks, for many, many years following.
God often used that Bible to remind me that His word is timeless and (even when run over) can never really be destroyed.
Happily, I recovered from the embarrassment and went on to have a wonderful time on trip. And, while I didn’t get the guy (maybe he didn’t like girls that put deodorant in their pillowcases), I did eventually get an amazing hubby who loves me in my scatterbrained moments and laughs at my stories.
I hope I gave you a laugh today too.
Monday, June 23, 2008
A Promise Is A Promise..
I promised my friend Tracy that I would blog tonight. I have a funny Monday Moment to share, and an even deeper (gasp!) post of what's been on my heart lately. But tonight...tonight I am going to bed.
I DID post though, just as I promised. :)
More to come tomorrow....
I promise...
I DID post though, just as I promised. :)
More to come tomorrow....
I promise...
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
"It's Toilet Paper!"
This morning we were reading our Bible Stories for devotion time, and we came to the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.
I was reading along when Lorelin stopped me and said, "Wow, Mom, he's wearing a lot of toilet paper!"
I tried to tell her that it was like long blankets, but she said, "No, Mom, it's toilet paper!" :) Oh, so funny!!
BTW, the picture above is just one I found on Google Images. The actual picure in our book was quite nice. I use "The Bible In Pictures For Little Eyes" for my Bible stories - I really like it!
WARNING: Kute Kiddo Overload!
Just kidding! I've been a little behind in my posting, so I'm catching up today with multiple posts about all three of my kiddos. Make sure you check out the little guy in his Bumbo toward the bottom of the page.
Oh, and there is also an oh-so-lovely picture of tofu....you have to see that! Ha!
And I STILL have to blog about Father's Day, and books, and the story about the Blue Flash...and now I'm talking to myself...
Anyway, enjoy!
Oh, and there is also an oh-so-lovely picture of tofu....you have to see that! Ha!
And I STILL have to blog about Father's Day, and books, and the story about the Blue Flash...and now I'm talking to myself...
Anyway, enjoy!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
My Terrific Three Year Old
My sweet Lorelin turned three years old last week! Here is a note I wrote to her on her birthday.
To my sweet, sweet Lorelin…you are three years old today. You were born with only ONE hour of labor, and you hurled yourself at the world in less then three pushes. You’ve been embracing the world head-on ever since! Let me tell you a little bit about yourself at three years old.
You have bright, sparkling eyes that pop open with the early morning light. Your little blonde head is usually the first thing I see as you state, “I’m awake now. The sun’s up!!”
Your little spirit is like sunshine as well. You speak the love language of hugs, kisses, and snuggles. Several times a day, you find the ones you love and tell them so – “I love you so much Daddy!”
You have a very strong will, and sometimes when Mommy asks you do something you tell me very directly - “I don’t fink I want to do that”. After some direct discussion (and sometimes immediate discipline) you will often obey with a cheerful spirit.
You have an amazing sense of humor, and you make all of us laugh with your silly antics and sayings….like when you handed Mommy her panties one day and said, “Here is your pull-up Mommy!” You LOVE to talk to your baby brother, and he loves to smile and laugh at you too.
Your favorite thing to do is to imagine with your older sister. She is your best friend. You are always being a cat, or a cow, or a baby…anything the two of you can dream up.
You are sometimes shy in public, and easily frightened of new circumstances or new places. However, you are already learning at this early age that Jesus helps us to be brave and will always be with you, wherever you go. Don’t ever forget that, precious one.
It is your Daddy’s and my prayer that you will come to know Jesus as not only Savior, but also Lord early in your life. May your heart ever be yielded to His will for you, and you may you always be overcome with His abundant love.
God has a great plan for your adventuresome spirit, and we can’t wait to see what that is! Happy Birthday, sweetie!
Here are some pictures of Miss Lorelin loving life!
To my sweet, sweet Lorelin…you are three years old today. You were born with only ONE hour of labor, and you hurled yourself at the world in less then three pushes. You’ve been embracing the world head-on ever since! Let me tell you a little bit about yourself at three years old.
You have bright, sparkling eyes that pop open with the early morning light. Your little blonde head is usually the first thing I see as you state, “I’m awake now. The sun’s up!!”
Your little spirit is like sunshine as well. You speak the love language of hugs, kisses, and snuggles. Several times a day, you find the ones you love and tell them so – “I love you so much Daddy!”
You have a very strong will, and sometimes when Mommy asks you do something you tell me very directly - “I don’t fink I want to do that”. After some direct discussion (and sometimes immediate discipline) you will often obey with a cheerful spirit.
You have an amazing sense of humor, and you make all of us laugh with your silly antics and sayings….like when you handed Mommy her panties one day and said, “Here is your pull-up Mommy!” You LOVE to talk to your baby brother, and he loves to smile and laugh at you too.
Your favorite thing to do is to imagine with your older sister. She is your best friend. You are always being a cat, or a cow, or a baby…anything the two of you can dream up.
You are sometimes shy in public, and easily frightened of new circumstances or new places. However, you are already learning at this early age that Jesus helps us to be brave and will always be with you, wherever you go. Don’t ever forget that, precious one.
It is your Daddy’s and my prayer that you will come to know Jesus as not only Savior, but also Lord early in your life. May your heart ever be yielded to His will for you, and you may you always be overcome with His abundant love.
God has a great plan for your adventuresome spirit, and we can’t wait to see what that is! Happy Birthday, sweetie!
Here are some pictures of Miss Lorelin loving life!
My Fabulous Four Year Old
I'm a little-bit behind, because my K-Bug turned 4 years old waay back in April, but I wrote a letter to her on that day, which I am just posting now. A very belated Happy Birthday K-Bug!
To my beautiful K-Bug. Mommy is writing you a note today, and even though you can’t read yet, I hope that one day you’ll look back at this and see how much joy you brought your Mommy and Daddy as you turned from three to four years old. You are such an articulate and precious little girl. You wake up in the morning with a smile on your face (“Good morning Mommy! I had a good sleep!”) and greet the day with words abounding. You love to express yourself through your words while you sing, while you imagine, and while you play. You have a soft and sensitive spirit, and are often easily corrected and immediately sorry when disciplined with just a stern glance or gentle warning (not ALL the time, but most of the time). You glow when people give you words of praise and affirmation, and you in turn love to encourage others with your words (“Good job Daddy! You play the guitar SO well!”) Your sister is your constant companion and best friend, as I pray she will be your entire life. You also love to tickle your new little brother’s belly and kiss his soft baby head. You tend to lean toward the dramatic side (sorry kiddo, you come from a long line of dramatic women), and are easily brought to tears over broken toys or “hurt feelings” when you don’t get your way. Even at this age, though, you are learning that “Jesus helps me find my happy heart”. You love to read your Bible stories and do devotions, and singing Bible songs is absolutely your favorite past-time right now. I love to see you love the Lord, and it your Daddy and my prayer that you will know and love Jesus your whole life long. God has a plan for your soft heart, my beautiful little lady, and we are so excited to see what it is! Happy Birthday!
Here a few pictures of K-Bug doing what she likes best!
To my beautiful K-Bug. Mommy is writing you a note today, and even though you can’t read yet, I hope that one day you’ll look back at this and see how much joy you brought your Mommy and Daddy as you turned from three to four years old. You are such an articulate and precious little girl. You wake up in the morning with a smile on your face (“Good morning Mommy! I had a good sleep!”) and greet the day with words abounding. You love to express yourself through your words while you sing, while you imagine, and while you play. You have a soft and sensitive spirit, and are often easily corrected and immediately sorry when disciplined with just a stern glance or gentle warning (not ALL the time, but most of the time). You glow when people give you words of praise and affirmation, and you in turn love to encourage others with your words (“Good job Daddy! You play the guitar SO well!”) Your sister is your constant companion and best friend, as I pray she will be your entire life. You also love to tickle your new little brother’s belly and kiss his soft baby head. You tend to lean toward the dramatic side (sorry kiddo, you come from a long line of dramatic women), and are easily brought to tears over broken toys or “hurt feelings” when you don’t get your way. Even at this age, though, you are learning that “Jesus helps me find my happy heart”. You love to read your Bible stories and do devotions, and singing Bible songs is absolutely your favorite past-time right now. I love to see you love the Lord, and it your Daddy and my prayer that you will know and love Jesus your whole life long. God has a plan for your soft heart, my beautiful little lady, and we are so excited to see what it is! Happy Birthday!
Here a few pictures of K-Bug doing what she likes best!
My BIG Boy And His Bumbo
My son is one strong kid (the pediatrician comments on this every-time we go in), and he loves to be in a sitting position. Although he isn't quite old enough to sit up on his own, he does enjoy using his Bumbo (a soft seat made to support babies in learning to sit up), so he can see what's going on.. a big THANK YOU to J-Boy's friend Dane in letting him use the Bumbo....Dane doesn't need it anymore becuase he has better things to do - like walking!!! :)
Here is a few pictures of Mr J-Boy enjoying his seat. Here is J-Boy's "Thoughtful" look. If you look closely, you can see the dimples that he gets right above his eyebrows.
And here is his "Sunshine Smile" look. It still melts my heart!
Here is a few pictures of Mr J-Boy enjoying his seat. Here is J-Boy's "Thoughtful" look. If you look closely, you can see the dimples that he gets right above his eyebrows.
And here is his "Sunshine Smile" look. It still melts my heart!
Adventures In Tofu...
I really do love adventure. Before I was married, I spent my teenage years doing things like white-water rafting in Colorado, back-packing in Wyoming, rock-climbing in Arizona, and spending time on missions in Russia.
So, I REALLY do like new and and exciting things…..
But cell-phones and tofu are not among them.
My dear hubby has a dream of one day spending some extended time doing missions work in Japan. To try in my own small way to adapt to this possibility, and given the many, many health factors of tofu, I decided to buy some during my last shopping trip and give it the ol’ college try.
I really enjoy the Annie’s Chinese noodle bowls and thought I would chop up some tofu to go in the soup.
I mean, how bad could it be?
I also decided to get a tofu that had a little bit of flavor added to it. I think this one had some garlic and pepper spices. I took it out, chopped it up, and warmed it up in a frying pan on the stove.
I was instantly put-off by the texture and look of the tofu – it looked like giant blocks of wet cat food.
Don't you think???
However, I proceeded to chop it up and dutifully ate a few bites. It was…….interesting.
While the taste wasn’t completely off-putting, for some reason I couldn’t get past the way it felt in my mouth.
Very rubbery….
Tofu is BIG in Japan – so big, in fact, that Japanese TV commercials regularly market it to children in the shapes of their favorite cartoon characters.
Maybe I’d like my tofu better in the shape of a Pok-e-mon too……for now, I think I’ll go back to just my plain, old noodle bowls.
If trying tofu is a new taste adventure, shopping for a new cell phone is an adventure in patience and choices.
That’s why I’ve decided that, when it comes to cell phones, old is better than new.
I lost my cell-phone almost two months ago, and although we dutifully searched the lost and found at several grocery stores, it never turned up.
I really haven’t missed having a cell phone (except for those moments when I’m traveling alone somewhere in the car with all of my kiddos), and actually tried to talk my dear hubby into getting one of those pay-as-you-go phones from Wal-Mart.
We would have just gotten a new phone from our provider, but in order to get a cheap or free phone we would have to sign a two-year service agreement, something we don’t really want to do.
So, while digging through his desk one day, my hubby found an old…
And I do repeat OLD…
cell-phone. He took it down to the provider’s store, and now my number is effectively switched over to this beauty…
The numbers have completely rubbed off of the key pad, and the sides are being held together by several pieces of Scotch tape. It doesn’t really do anything other than make phone calls (no internet, no music, etc)
Aren’t we impossibly cheap?? I love it!!!!!!!!!
I can’t wait for all of the adventures in my future - the ones that I try to plan, and the ones that I never plan but God dreams up for me.
Even if those new adventures include tofu…..
So, I REALLY do like new and and exciting things…..
But cell-phones and tofu are not among them.
My dear hubby has a dream of one day spending some extended time doing missions work in Japan. To try in my own small way to adapt to this possibility, and given the many, many health factors of tofu, I decided to buy some during my last shopping trip and give it the ol’ college try.
I really enjoy the Annie’s Chinese noodle bowls and thought I would chop up some tofu to go in the soup.
I mean, how bad could it be?
I also decided to get a tofu that had a little bit of flavor added to it. I think this one had some garlic and pepper spices. I took it out, chopped it up, and warmed it up in a frying pan on the stove.
I was instantly put-off by the texture and look of the tofu – it looked like giant blocks of wet cat food.
Don't you think???
However, I proceeded to chop it up and dutifully ate a few bites. It was…….interesting.
While the taste wasn’t completely off-putting, for some reason I couldn’t get past the way it felt in my mouth.
Very rubbery….
Tofu is BIG in Japan – so big, in fact, that Japanese TV commercials regularly market it to children in the shapes of their favorite cartoon characters.
Maybe I’d like my tofu better in the shape of a Pok-e-mon too……for now, I think I’ll go back to just my plain, old noodle bowls.
If trying tofu is a new taste adventure, shopping for a new cell phone is an adventure in patience and choices.
That’s why I’ve decided that, when it comes to cell phones, old is better than new.
I lost my cell-phone almost two months ago, and although we dutifully searched the lost and found at several grocery stores, it never turned up.
I really haven’t missed having a cell phone (except for those moments when I’m traveling alone somewhere in the car with all of my kiddos), and actually tried to talk my dear hubby into getting one of those pay-as-you-go phones from Wal-Mart.
We would have just gotten a new phone from our provider, but in order to get a cheap or free phone we would have to sign a two-year service agreement, something we don’t really want to do.
So, while digging through his desk one day, my hubby found an old…
And I do repeat OLD…
cell-phone. He took it down to the provider’s store, and now my number is effectively switched over to this beauty…
The numbers have completely rubbed off of the key pad, and the sides are being held together by several pieces of Scotch tape. It doesn’t really do anything other than make phone calls (no internet, no music, etc)
Aren’t we impossibly cheap?? I love it!!!!!!!!!
I can’t wait for all of the adventures in my future - the ones that I try to plan, and the ones that I never plan but God dreams up for me.
Even if those new adventures include tofu…..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
