I've been so busy! I have been meaning to and wanting to blog, but who has the time???? Unless I'm up at 3AM some morning or something like that . . .
Anyway, things are going great. I really love my students at work. I'm overloaded and sometimes feel overwhelmed with getting used to all the paperwork involved with teaching. But it gets easier every day.
Oh, and we might get a house. But that's all I'm gonna say for now . . .
Much love to you all!
Showing posts with label other stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label other stuff. Show all posts
Monday, February 02, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
2AM
I went to bed at 8PM, completely exhausted. I woke up with the baby at 1AM and took some Excedrin for a headache. Now I can't go back to sleep.
I was just reading The Second Summer of the Sisterhood in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I'm halfway through the book and just discovered that each girl (except Bridget, whose Mother is not living) is in a fight with her mother. The theme of this book seems to be mother-daughter relationships. I've heard that a woman's realtionship with her mother is the most complicated one in her life. It's a good book so far.
I've been thinking about writing about my New Year's Resolutions. I have several, but I kind of don't want to share them out loud (so to speak). There are several changes that I want to make, but I don't know if I'm brave enough or consistent enough to follow through. What if I don't, then you all think that I'm a big failure?
I've been thinking about how different my life is now compared to before the Scott and the kids. I think about that a lot. There's not one place in this house that I can look that's not a reminder of my family. My bookmark is one that Eliza made me for Christmas. On the desk beside me is Eliza's report card and her reminder note for her academic after-school competetion. She's doing oral reading; a poem. In my pocket today, I carried a picture Molly had drawn of our family and insisted that I take with me today. Molly likes to draw things and tape them to the doors and walls. Right now, on our bedroom door is a picture of a not exactly round face with large, not-round eyes and a crooked smile. I can't remember if it's my face or Scott's. Sometimes Molly forgoes the paper altogether and just draws directly onto the wall or door. Aaron has taken to getting into bed with us these days and playing with my hair till he falls asleep. He needs to pick up his Thomas trains and his Lincoln Logs. I step on them when I'm changing Charlie's diaper. There's a trail of Charlie's spit-up-on clothing and blankets trailing through the house. There's a chubby finger wrapped around mine as I feed him in the middle of the night. I was really only joking when I asked Scott tonight if someone might take our kids, and then we could sleep at night. Sleepless nights are hard, but I really do like those kids a lot.
I like being a teacher. I have several students with tattoos. One of my students has a tattoo that reminds me of something I saw on TV about radiation patients getting tattoos so that they'll get the radiation in the right spot. I mentioned that to my student and said, "Does that tattoo mean something?" His gaze strayed to the spot on the knuckle of his thumb where the three dots were, looked at it briefly, and then said, "Yeah, Miss, it means something." He wouldn't tell me what it meant, but I didn't have to guess. Mostly the kids in gangs interact peacefully at school; I'm not worried. But I am hearsick for most of them, because I know that this is a replacement for family and real belonging. I have this quote from Helen Keller up on my wall: "I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something."
I hope that will be true.
As I've been on this journey with God these past 22 years, I've come to recognize His voice in my life and how it is that He speaks to me. I'm sure you understand. Sometimes it's a still, small voice, a gentle whisper that you recognize. Sometimes it's a voice so loud in your ear, it's like a bullhorn. I've been hearing the bullhorn lately.
Much love to all of you. I love to hear and read about all of your adventures. I just hope you're sleeping peacefully as I write about mine!
I was just reading The Second Summer of the Sisterhood in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I'm halfway through the book and just discovered that each girl (except Bridget, whose Mother is not living) is in a fight with her mother. The theme of this book seems to be mother-daughter relationships. I've heard that a woman's realtionship with her mother is the most complicated one in her life. It's a good book so far.
I've been thinking about writing about my New Year's Resolutions. I have several, but I kind of don't want to share them out loud (so to speak). There are several changes that I want to make, but I don't know if I'm brave enough or consistent enough to follow through. What if I don't, then you all think that I'm a big failure?
I've been thinking about how different my life is now compared to before the Scott and the kids. I think about that a lot. There's not one place in this house that I can look that's not a reminder of my family. My bookmark is one that Eliza made me for Christmas. On the desk beside me is Eliza's report card and her reminder note for her academic after-school competetion. She's doing oral reading; a poem. In my pocket today, I carried a picture Molly had drawn of our family and insisted that I take with me today. Molly likes to draw things and tape them to the doors and walls. Right now, on our bedroom door is a picture of a not exactly round face with large, not-round eyes and a crooked smile. I can't remember if it's my face or Scott's. Sometimes Molly forgoes the paper altogether and just draws directly onto the wall or door. Aaron has taken to getting into bed with us these days and playing with my hair till he falls asleep. He needs to pick up his Thomas trains and his Lincoln Logs. I step on them when I'm changing Charlie's diaper. There's a trail of Charlie's spit-up-on clothing and blankets trailing through the house. There's a chubby finger wrapped around mine as I feed him in the middle of the night. I was really only joking when I asked Scott tonight if someone might take our kids, and then we could sleep at night. Sleepless nights are hard, but I really do like those kids a lot.
I like being a teacher. I have several students with tattoos. One of my students has a tattoo that reminds me of something I saw on TV about radiation patients getting tattoos so that they'll get the radiation in the right spot. I mentioned that to my student and said, "Does that tattoo mean something?" His gaze strayed to the spot on the knuckle of his thumb where the three dots were, looked at it briefly, and then said, "Yeah, Miss, it means something." He wouldn't tell me what it meant, but I didn't have to guess. Mostly the kids in gangs interact peacefully at school; I'm not worried. But I am hearsick for most of them, because I know that this is a replacement for family and real belonging. I have this quote from Helen Keller up on my wall: "I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something."
I hope that will be true.
As I've been on this journey with God these past 22 years, I've come to recognize His voice in my life and how it is that He speaks to me. I'm sure you understand. Sometimes it's a still, small voice, a gentle whisper that you recognize. Sometimes it's a voice so loud in your ear, it's like a bullhorn. I've been hearing the bullhorn lately.
Much love to all of you. I love to hear and read about all of your adventures. I just hope you're sleeping peacefully as I write about mine!
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Just More Stuff for You to Read
So, I think I'm almost finished tweaking my page now. I would like a more creative-looking header, but don't know how to achieve that. Any suggestions?
Christmas was good. We got to head up to Arkansas for some time with the fam. I didn't get to see CBB, which bummed me out. But next time, Court. Or my new fab-o BFF Rachel! CBB, please tell her she has now been immortalized on my blog.
But we did get some good time with my parents, brother, sis-in-law, and nephew, as well as with Elizabeth. The kids ate up some Grandma and Pappa time, and I ate up (way too much) some good home-baked sweets. We're talking tiger butter, fudge, hard candy (cinnamon), chocolate pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and magic bars. OK, so I don't go so much for the pecan pie or the magic bars (I don't care for anything with nuts or coconut), but let me tell you, few morsels were left when all was said and done.
The most interesting part of our visit: spending the night in my sis's-in-law haunted house. I wanted to do it, and let me tell you, it's creepy. It's also got no heat in it at the moment (they're doing quite a bit of remodeling to it), which made for a potentially chilly evening.
Let me back up on this one:
My sis-in-law has owned this house in Benton for awhile. It's big, and it's old. And haunted. Right now, she, Matt, and Trevor live in Matt's cozy little thing on Canturbury. But they eventually want to move into Lisa's place; thus, the remodeling. I'd taken a tour in it before, and loved the deliciously creepy feel of it. It's just fun to be in and pretend it's haunted. But then that stuff starts getting into your head and you get a little freaked out. So Lisa and I started talking about all of us piling in there for a sleepover while BW and I were up for Christmas. BW's allergies wouldn't allow him to stay in it, because all of the work has stirred up quite a bit of junk. But that didn't stop me from taking Noodle and Chicken Nugget over there, and we all piled up on some air mattresses and sleeping bags and plugged in a space heater and watched The Nightmare Before Christmas and drank hot cocoa and ate cookies and popcorn and M&M's. Elizabeth was there, too, with her digital camera. So before settling in for the night, we took a tour of the house and took pics all around and got lots of orbs (which Matt said was dust floating in the air, but it was more fun to call them orbs). I only got freaked out once in the night, when the space heater went off and came back on all by itself . . . spooky . . . till I realized it had a thermometer on it.
Also fun to note, for those of you who have had any dealings with me and my bladder issues: we stayed in an upstairs room (the house has 14 rooms all told, including living rooms, etc.) and the working bathroom was not only downstairs, but downstairs and all the way on the other side of the house. Man, I held it for as long as I could before waking Elizabeth up in the night and having her walk me down there. I was too spooked to go all by myself!
So before we left for Christmas, I got a call from a principal from one of the schools to which I'd applied. He offered me a contracted position! I'll be starting Monday. It'll be teaching 9th grade English. I am still pinching myself! I don't even know if I'll really believe it till my name is down in ink on that contract. Oooooo . . . can this REALLY, finally be happening!
I think we had a great year. We did. We had a great year. And we have a good life. Beautiful kids, wonderful marriage, and a lot to be thankful for. I'm still just trying to make each day matter. I was thinking about Christmas gifts, but really, we got some great gifts even before Christmas. We added Baby Butterbean to our family, and he's been a joy and a treasure. All the kids are growing and are happy. BW and I are happy (and growing, but not up - hope to take care of that in the coming year). My mom, myself, and three of my children were spared from harm this summer. We also were able to be part of a beautiful wedding and to welcome my new sis-in-law to the family. Yeah . . . it's been a great year.
Much love to all of you.
Christmas was good. We got to head up to Arkansas for some time with the fam. I didn't get to see CBB, which bummed me out. But next time, Court. Or my new fab-o BFF Rachel! CBB, please tell her she has now been immortalized on my blog.
But we did get some good time with my parents, brother, sis-in-law, and nephew, as well as with Elizabeth. The kids ate up some Grandma and Pappa time, and I ate up (way too much) some good home-baked sweets. We're talking tiger butter, fudge, hard candy (cinnamon), chocolate pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and magic bars. OK, so I don't go so much for the pecan pie or the magic bars (I don't care for anything with nuts or coconut), but let me tell you, few morsels were left when all was said and done.
The most interesting part of our visit: spending the night in my sis's-in-law haunted house. I wanted to do it, and let me tell you, it's creepy. It's also got no heat in it at the moment (they're doing quite a bit of remodeling to it), which made for a potentially chilly evening.
Let me back up on this one:
My sis-in-law has owned this house in Benton for awhile. It's big, and it's old. And haunted. Right now, she, Matt, and Trevor live in Matt's cozy little thing on Canturbury. But they eventually want to move into Lisa's place; thus, the remodeling. I'd taken a tour in it before, and loved the deliciously creepy feel of it. It's just fun to be in and pretend it's haunted. But then that stuff starts getting into your head and you get a little freaked out. So Lisa and I started talking about all of us piling in there for a sleepover while BW and I were up for Christmas. BW's allergies wouldn't allow him to stay in it, because all of the work has stirred up quite a bit of junk. But that didn't stop me from taking Noodle and Chicken Nugget over there, and we all piled up on some air mattresses and sleeping bags and plugged in a space heater and watched The Nightmare Before Christmas and drank hot cocoa and ate cookies and popcorn and M&M's. Elizabeth was there, too, with her digital camera. So before settling in for the night, we took a tour of the house and took pics all around and got lots of orbs (which Matt said was dust floating in the air, but it was more fun to call them orbs). I only got freaked out once in the night, when the space heater went off and came back on all by itself . . . spooky . . . till I realized it had a thermometer on it.
Also fun to note, for those of you who have had any dealings with me and my bladder issues: we stayed in an upstairs room (the house has 14 rooms all told, including living rooms, etc.) and the working bathroom was not only downstairs, but downstairs and all the way on the other side of the house. Man, I held it for as long as I could before waking Elizabeth up in the night and having her walk me down there. I was too spooked to go all by myself!
So before we left for Christmas, I got a call from a principal from one of the schools to which I'd applied. He offered me a contracted position! I'll be starting Monday. It'll be teaching 9th grade English. I am still pinching myself! I don't even know if I'll really believe it till my name is down in ink on that contract. Oooooo . . . can this REALLY, finally be happening!
I think we had a great year. We did. We had a great year. And we have a good life. Beautiful kids, wonderful marriage, and a lot to be thankful for. I'm still just trying to make each day matter. I was thinking about Christmas gifts, but really, we got some great gifts even before Christmas. We added Baby Butterbean to our family, and he's been a joy and a treasure. All the kids are growing and are happy. BW and I are happy (and growing, but not up - hope to take care of that in the coming year). My mom, myself, and three of my children were spared from harm this summer. We also were able to be part of a beautiful wedding and to welcome my new sis-in-law to the family. Yeah . . . it's been a great year.
Much love to all of you.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Pictures and Stuff
I'll be calling the baby Butter Bean, in keeping with the Tasty Names Family tradition. No, he doesn't eat Butter Beans, but he looks like a little Butter Bean. Butter Beans are cute, and so is he.
Noodle sure does love her baby brother! She is always hugging him and kissing him and patting his soft head. She is fascinated. And he is such a good baby.
We are doing well. A little sleep deprived, but that's par for the course. It is amazing how much better I feel. I don't miss bed rest at all, and I'm recovering well from the C-section. I've even cooked a meal or two! Our Sunday school class called to see if we needed meals, and I said no. I felt horrible pre-delivery. My parents took great care of us the first week post-delivery, and by that time, I was feeling great. Now, I'm not even minding doing laundry and cooking a little. And Buffalo Wings is great to do anything that needs to be done. I am SO glad he's home with me this summer.
Right now, we are looking very forward to the wedding of my brother! This will take place in a couple of weeks. I am so excited, I can't even stand it. We have been waiting for Matt to find his someone special for a very long time.
OK, so here's something Anita and Zalo in Peru tagged me on. Ten random facts about myself:
1. I do not like doing my hair. I don't like doing my girls' hair. I don't have time to mess with it, so that's why I keep us all in as short as possible hairdos.
2. I like my fingernails. I've always had great fingernails.
3. I do not like seafood, except red snapper.
4. My favorite show is House. I haven't had a real, honest-to-goodness favorite show in a long time. I just started watching House this year. I lose interest in most other series; I lost interest in Lost.
5. I think that most people don't know that my favorite actor is Ethan Embry.
6. If I'd had another baby girl, I would have wanted to name her Camille Renee.
7. My favorite vacation area (besides San Francisco, of course) is Savannah, Georgia.
8. I was once almost run over by a car when I was in first grade. It happened as I was getting off the school bus to go home.
9. I once stole crackers off the salad bar at Pizza Inn. It was humiliating, because I got caught, even though it was only a joke.
10. I collect VWs and VW items (books, symbols, etc.), stamps, keychains, and magnets. Am I a party animal or WHAT????
Saturday, April 19, 2008
I'm Sure I've Had a Worse Five Hours on a Saturday . . .
. . . I just don't remember them!
I took my content test today. Yes, it took me five hours. OK, it took me four hours and forty-five minutes. But who's counting?
I gotta go poke my leg with a needle now!
I took my content test today. Yes, it took me five hours. OK, it took me four hours and forty-five minutes. But who's counting?
I gotta go poke my leg with a needle now!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Random Ramblings
Resumes and job fairs and tests, Oh My!
I went to a job fair on Saturday and there is another one on Friday night. I never realized how intimidating this would be. I came home from the job fair lamenting:
"Why would anyone hire me? I don't interview well. I've never been a teacher. There were so many people there trying to get the same jobs I was trying to get! I was just another face in that crowd, just another piece of paper with stuff written on it."
Of course, BW was supportive and encouraging. And I know the attack of the enemy when I hear it and feel it. So I am trusting in God. I will glorify in His name when I have a job, and I will say, "God has done this thing!" Please pray for me still; it is nerve-rattling.
((((I take my big content test for English on the 19th. Please pray!!!!))))
Speaking of the enemy, he really is everywhere. One day as I was walking through the halls at school, I think my eyes were really opened to that. The enemy is attacking the students so hard. I tried to pay close attention that day: how is Satan attacking these kids? How are they responding? To what issues are the blinded or apathetic? I learned a lot that day. I know better how to pray. I'm thankful for this mission field. I love these kids.
I think of my dad when I think about the mission field of the public school system. I have always said that my dad is one of the greatest missionaries I have ever known. He was never ashamed to speak the name of Jesus to anyone at school (or anywhere else for that matter). He was never afraid of conversations of spiritual matters, even if it may have gotten him in trouble. I want to be like my dad and speak boldly about the Hope that each and every student can have. That everyone can have.
Today, as I was walking up to school, I noticed about a million caterpillars on the sidewalk. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. Maybe it was more like 500,000. Anyway, I wondered what they were doing on the sidewalk. Sadly, some of them were already . . . smooshed. :o( Why did they crawl onto the sidewalk and into the parking lot? Why didn't they just stay in the safe, safe grass and trees? I guess I will never know.
I think we are centering on Asher as a name for the baby. Nothing definite. But it keeps coming up a lot.
I really am trying to keep my pregnancy complaints to a minimum, but . . . I'm about to let some fly. When I got pregnant with this baby, I just made up my mind to enjoy it. I know it will be my last pregnancy. I thought that might make me a little bit sad, so I wanted to savor every little change and kick. However, it has been hard to enjoy since I've felt so nauseated, couldn't eat much for a long time, had to be on Zofran, and am plagued with heartburn and *ahem* other certain digestive dysfunctions. Not to mention the sciatica, which still bothers me daily. I feel so tired and am about to start taking an iron supplement. By tired, I don't just mean tired - I mean exhausted beyond words. I usually come home from work and go to sleep. It's more than sleepiness, it is absolutely no energy at all. The iron should help. Anyway, this pregnancy has been the hardest of all four, and has solidified for me the knowledge that I do not ever want to put my body through this again. I even had a contraction this morning - a painful one. I'm trying not to worry about it, because it was only one, but I will talk to my doctor about it on Monday when I go for my appointment.
Baby boy is doing great, however! We got some really good pictures of him two weeks ago at our 26 week ultrasound. He looks wonderful, and he is a busy little boy in my belly. I can't wait to meet him in June or July!
I have not had any consistent cravings during this pregnancy. The nausea has been too bad. At first, I was nauseated before I ate. Now, I get nauseated after I eat (and sometimes before). It's not as bad as it was in the beginning of the pregnancy. Not even close. But I did have to take a Zofran or two this week.
Some cravings:
*A-1 Steak Sauce
*potato salad (I craved this hard with Banana! Weird)
*thin-crust Canadian bacon pizza from Pizza Hut (yes, it must be that specific and it must be from Pizza Hut. This is what I am craving right now.)
*Snickers bars
*Coke
Maybe BW can think of some others, but I can't. The cravings have been so weird and sporadic. One week I'll want something and then I will not ever want it again. Strange.
That's about it from our neck of the woods. Hope things are great with all of you! Much love to you all.
I went to a job fair on Saturday and there is another one on Friday night. I never realized how intimidating this would be. I came home from the job fair lamenting:
"Why would anyone hire me? I don't interview well. I've never been a teacher. There were so many people there trying to get the same jobs I was trying to get! I was just another face in that crowd, just another piece of paper with stuff written on it."
Of course, BW was supportive and encouraging. And I know the attack of the enemy when I hear it and feel it. So I am trusting in God. I will glorify in His name when I have a job, and I will say, "God has done this thing!" Please pray for me still; it is nerve-rattling.
((((I take my big content test for English on the 19th. Please pray!!!!))))
Speaking of the enemy, he really is everywhere. One day as I was walking through the halls at school, I think my eyes were really opened to that. The enemy is attacking the students so hard. I tried to pay close attention that day: how is Satan attacking these kids? How are they responding? To what issues are the blinded or apathetic? I learned a lot that day. I know better how to pray. I'm thankful for this mission field. I love these kids.
I think of my dad when I think about the mission field of the public school system. I have always said that my dad is one of the greatest missionaries I have ever known. He was never ashamed to speak the name of Jesus to anyone at school (or anywhere else for that matter). He was never afraid of conversations of spiritual matters, even if it may have gotten him in trouble. I want to be like my dad and speak boldly about the Hope that each and every student can have. That everyone can have.
Today, as I was walking up to school, I noticed about a million caterpillars on the sidewalk. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. Maybe it was more like 500,000. Anyway, I wondered what they were doing on the sidewalk. Sadly, some of them were already . . . smooshed. :o( Why did they crawl onto the sidewalk and into the parking lot? Why didn't they just stay in the safe, safe grass and trees? I guess I will never know.
I think we are centering on Asher as a name for the baby. Nothing definite. But it keeps coming up a lot.
I really am trying to keep my pregnancy complaints to a minimum, but . . . I'm about to let some fly. When I got pregnant with this baby, I just made up my mind to enjoy it. I know it will be my last pregnancy. I thought that might make me a little bit sad, so I wanted to savor every little change and kick. However, it has been hard to enjoy since I've felt so nauseated, couldn't eat much for a long time, had to be on Zofran, and am plagued with heartburn and *ahem* other certain digestive dysfunctions. Not to mention the sciatica, which still bothers me daily. I feel so tired and am about to start taking an iron supplement. By tired, I don't just mean tired - I mean exhausted beyond words. I usually come home from work and go to sleep. It's more than sleepiness, it is absolutely no energy at all. The iron should help. Anyway, this pregnancy has been the hardest of all four, and has solidified for me the knowledge that I do not ever want to put my body through this again. I even had a contraction this morning - a painful one. I'm trying not to worry about it, because it was only one, but I will talk to my doctor about it on Monday when I go for my appointment.
Baby boy is doing great, however! We got some really good pictures of him two weeks ago at our 26 week ultrasound. He looks wonderful, and he is a busy little boy in my belly. I can't wait to meet him in June or July!
I have not had any consistent cravings during this pregnancy. The nausea has been too bad. At first, I was nauseated before I ate. Now, I get nauseated after I eat (and sometimes before). It's not as bad as it was in the beginning of the pregnancy. Not even close. But I did have to take a Zofran or two this week.
Some cravings:
*A-1 Steak Sauce
*potato salad (I craved this hard with Banana! Weird)
*thin-crust Canadian bacon pizza from Pizza Hut (yes, it must be that specific and it must be from Pizza Hut. This is what I am craving right now.)
*Snickers bars
*Coke
Maybe BW can think of some others, but I can't. The cravings have been so weird and sporadic. One week I'll want something and then I will not ever want it again. Strange.
That's about it from our neck of the woods. Hope things are great with all of you! Much love to you all.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
The Longest Post in America . . .
. . . and maybe even in Guatemala, but the research hasn't made it back yet. It's a long post, because I have many topics to cover today:
THE SRC - YARD SALE STYLE
Over the weekend, Buffalo Wings and I had our annual yard sale. We've been having these yard sales every year since we married. Sometimes we even have more than one a year. We reduced our stash drastically, and in the process made about $400 on Friday (and we nickel and dime our stuff, ya'll), but got rained out on Saturday. But let me tell you, we got rid of a TON of stuff. I never know how we can accumulate enough stuff to make a yard sale each year, but each year we surprise ourselves. But I add to the yard-sale pile all year long, beginning the day after the last yard sale. That helps. I'm definitely into the purging of our stuff. If, in the course of one year, we haven't looked at it, breathed on it, thought about it, read it, discussed it, worn it, smelled it, used it . . . then it goes.
DRESSING YOUR KIDS WELL - EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT WEALTHY
Number One: You should work at a department store. I get a great discount, even if the item is on sale or clearance. My favorite find: a complete three-piece winter outfit for Banana. It had been $36. I made it mine for $1.40.
Number Two: You should shop at Ross. I love Ross. Now, you have to go in with an attitude of determination. That's because nothing is where it is supposed to be, and you have to dig and look for the right sizes. I suggest going alone. Be persistent. The cutest stuff is always the stuff that's put on the wrong rack or that has fallen in the floor. And the prices are dang cheap. Truly. Dang cheap.
Number Three: Go to the yard sales!!!! Maybe that's why I always have such a good yard sale pile for next year. :o) I can always find great stuff for the kids, and stuff for all wearing capacities: Stuff for around the house, nicer stuff they can wear to town or whatever, and church clothes. That's because kids don't stay in their stuff long enough to wear them out, usually.
Number Four: Buy off the clearance racks and put it away from next year. This is especially helpful when combined with Number One. Buy a size bigger and put it in your large Rubbermaid container. When next year rolls around, you have a whole new wardrobe for your kids and you don't even remember shopping for it!
I'M ON A ROLL
And I'm losing the roll! I've entered the Biggest Loser contest at Buffalo Wings' school, and I am currently in fifth place. BW is in third. He's lighter by about 27 or so pounds now; I'm lighter by about 9. It's great for me, because trying weight loss and healthy eating just on my own has never really worked. I like the accountability and the encouragement, and BW and I working on this together has been wonderful.
POTTY PRINCESS
Noodle is doing great! We've graduated from the plastic-on-the-outside training pants to regular all-cloth training pants, with only a pull-up at nap and bedtime. She hasn't had one accident yet. I'm still waiting for the day when she comes up and tells me when she needs to go. But hey, her being taken to the potty and staying dry in-between is still reason to rejoice! We don't even set the timer anymore; I just take her when I feel like it's been long enough between the last time she went till now. It's working! Yesterday, she pooped in the potty so BW gave her some gum. She said, "You give me gum?" BW said, "Yes, and I have gum, too." She said, "Oh . . . you go to the potty, too?"
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A TALKING BANANA?
Well, our little Banana is surprising us every day with all the words he can say. I will try to make a list, but I can't even remember all the words he now knows. He can even form sentences. So far we have:
*Banana (the fruit)
*Banana (his name)
*Chicken Nugget (his sister)
*Noodle (his sister)
*Daddy
*Mamma (but he only says it at prompting - he usually calls me Daddy, too)
*Eat
*Cereal
*Out (as in, wanting out of his high chair)
*Lunch
*Outside
*Swing
*Bird
*Truck
*Dog
*Meow
*Dinosaur (and then he growls like a dinosaur)
*Light, light on, light off
*Bath
*Pappa (my dad)
*Sleep
*TV
*Dora, Maisey (his two favorite shows)
*Bear
*Daddy's at work, Daddy's home
*Go get Chicken Nugget (his sister)
*In a minute
*Help
*Read, read book
*Yay
*Woo-Hoo
*Sooiee (as in Pig Sooie, Razorbacks, a first in all my kids' vocabulary)
*Jump
*Run
*Baby
*Diaper
*Poop
And I really cannot remember all his words, but there's a sampling. He and Chicken Nugget were verbal very early - Chicken Nugget more so than Banana, but Banana's vocabulary is growing much faster than Chicken Nugget's did.
A REAL LITTLE READER
Last year, Chicken Nugget preferred to read Junie B. Jones. She's made quite a jump. She's been reading more difficult chapter books, such as Stuart Little. I found some Babysitter's Club books at a yard sale the other day and thought she might like them. I didn't start reading them till about the fifth or sixth grade. She's had no problem tearing right through them.
SOMETIMES EVEN I GET TO READ A BOOK OR TWO
I started reading Fannie Flagg's Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! at around Christmastime; I finished it sometime in February. It was really good. Then I read A Redbird Christmas, also by Fannie Flagg, and I liked it so much. It was such a good and heartwarming story, and the characters are so easy to get to know. Buffalo Wings is reading Simple Church, by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger. Eric Geiger came to our church a few weeks ago to lead a seminar on the concepts found in the book, and it was refreshing and eye-opening. We are going to be working to be implementing some of those principles at our church very soon. It's exciting, and I can't wait. I also can't wait to read the book in its entirety, when BW finishes it, that is. I just started reading Wingspread; A.B. Simipson: A Study in Spiritual Attitude by A.W. Tozer. BW found it as he was going through his books for the yard sale, and he said it was worth the read. So far, I agree with him. I'm hoping to finish it over the long weekend.
A GOOD WORKOUT VIDEO
BW bought Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds, and it's great. It has about three different levels of walking - a one, two, and three mile, and each increases in intensity. Sansone has several workout videos out. I'd reccomend any of them, and they're resonably priced, or you could probably pick them up at your library or video rental store. Just in case you're looking for an exercise video.
LONG ENOUGH
So maybe this wasn't the longest post in America or Guatemala, but it was pretty dang close. Either way, it's long enough. So I'm going to stop now!
THE SRC - YARD SALE STYLE
Over the weekend, Buffalo Wings and I had our annual yard sale. We've been having these yard sales every year since we married. Sometimes we even have more than one a year. We reduced our stash drastically, and in the process made about $400 on Friday (and we nickel and dime our stuff, ya'll), but got rained out on Saturday. But let me tell you, we got rid of a TON of stuff. I never know how we can accumulate enough stuff to make a yard sale each year, but each year we surprise ourselves. But I add to the yard-sale pile all year long, beginning the day after the last yard sale. That helps. I'm definitely into the purging of our stuff. If, in the course of one year, we haven't looked at it, breathed on it, thought about it, read it, discussed it, worn it, smelled it, used it . . . then it goes.
DRESSING YOUR KIDS WELL - EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT WEALTHY
Number One: You should work at a department store. I get a great discount, even if the item is on sale or clearance. My favorite find: a complete three-piece winter outfit for Banana. It had been $36. I made it mine for $1.40.
Number Two: You should shop at Ross. I love Ross. Now, you have to go in with an attitude of determination. That's because nothing is where it is supposed to be, and you have to dig and look for the right sizes. I suggest going alone. Be persistent. The cutest stuff is always the stuff that's put on the wrong rack or that has fallen in the floor. And the prices are dang cheap. Truly. Dang cheap.
Number Three: Go to the yard sales!!!! Maybe that's why I always have such a good yard sale pile for next year. :o) I can always find great stuff for the kids, and stuff for all wearing capacities: Stuff for around the house, nicer stuff they can wear to town or whatever, and church clothes. That's because kids don't stay in their stuff long enough to wear them out, usually.
Number Four: Buy off the clearance racks and put it away from next year. This is especially helpful when combined with Number One. Buy a size bigger and put it in your large Rubbermaid container. When next year rolls around, you have a whole new wardrobe for your kids and you don't even remember shopping for it!
I'M ON A ROLL
And I'm losing the roll! I've entered the Biggest Loser contest at Buffalo Wings' school, and I am currently in fifth place. BW is in third. He's lighter by about 27 or so pounds now; I'm lighter by about 9. It's great for me, because trying weight loss and healthy eating just on my own has never really worked. I like the accountability and the encouragement, and BW and I working on this together has been wonderful.
POTTY PRINCESS
Noodle is doing great! We've graduated from the plastic-on-the-outside training pants to regular all-cloth training pants, with only a pull-up at nap and bedtime. She hasn't had one accident yet. I'm still waiting for the day when she comes up and tells me when she needs to go. But hey, her being taken to the potty and staying dry in-between is still reason to rejoice! We don't even set the timer anymore; I just take her when I feel like it's been long enough between the last time she went till now. It's working! Yesterday, she pooped in the potty so BW gave her some gum. She said, "You give me gum?" BW said, "Yes, and I have gum, too." She said, "Oh . . . you go to the potty, too?"
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A TALKING BANANA?
Well, our little Banana is surprising us every day with all the words he can say. I will try to make a list, but I can't even remember all the words he now knows. He can even form sentences. So far we have:
*Banana (the fruit)
*Banana (his name)
*Chicken Nugget (his sister)
*Noodle (his sister)
*Daddy
*Mamma (but he only says it at prompting - he usually calls me Daddy, too)
*Eat
*Cereal
*Out (as in, wanting out of his high chair)
*Lunch
*Outside
*Swing
*Bird
*Truck
*Dog
*Meow
*Dinosaur (and then he growls like a dinosaur)
*Light, light on, light off
*Bath
*Pappa (my dad)
*Sleep
*TV
*Dora, Maisey (his two favorite shows)
*Bear
*Daddy's at work, Daddy's home
*Go get Chicken Nugget (his sister)
*In a minute
*Help
*Read, read book
*Yay
*Woo-Hoo
*Sooiee (as in Pig Sooie, Razorbacks, a first in all my kids' vocabulary)
*Jump
*Run
*Baby
*Diaper
*Poop
And I really cannot remember all his words, but there's a sampling. He and Chicken Nugget were verbal very early - Chicken Nugget more so than Banana, but Banana's vocabulary is growing much faster than Chicken Nugget's did.
A REAL LITTLE READER
Last year, Chicken Nugget preferred to read Junie B. Jones. She's made quite a jump. She's been reading more difficult chapter books, such as Stuart Little. I found some Babysitter's Club books at a yard sale the other day and thought she might like them. I didn't start reading them till about the fifth or sixth grade. She's had no problem tearing right through them.
SOMETIMES EVEN I GET TO READ A BOOK OR TWO
I started reading Fannie Flagg's Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! at around Christmastime; I finished it sometime in February. It was really good. Then I read A Redbird Christmas, also by Fannie Flagg, and I liked it so much. It was such a good and heartwarming story, and the characters are so easy to get to know. Buffalo Wings is reading Simple Church, by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger. Eric Geiger came to our church a few weeks ago to lead a seminar on the concepts found in the book, and it was refreshing and eye-opening. We are going to be working to be implementing some of those principles at our church very soon. It's exciting, and I can't wait. I also can't wait to read the book in its entirety, when BW finishes it, that is. I just started reading Wingspread; A.B. Simipson: A Study in Spiritual Attitude by A.W. Tozer. BW found it as he was going through his books for the yard sale, and he said it was worth the read. So far, I agree with him. I'm hoping to finish it over the long weekend.
A GOOD WORKOUT VIDEO
BW bought Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds, and it's great. It has about three different levels of walking - a one, two, and three mile, and each increases in intensity. Sansone has several workout videos out. I'd reccomend any of them, and they're resonably priced, or you could probably pick them up at your library or video rental store. Just in case you're looking for an exercise video.
LONG ENOUGH
So maybe this wasn't the longest post in America or Guatemala, but it was pretty dang close. Either way, it's long enough. So I'm going to stop now!
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