Another year in the books...

So today is my 33rd Birthday!

.... Don't everyone jump at once now. It's cool... No big.

I guess, I'm going to use this post to break my life down as it were. Enjoy, or don't. This blog, I write to track for me.

Things I have learned about myself this year:

• I am much stronger than I thought
• That asking for help and accepting is not weakness
• That finding every moment I can to find happiness alone is time well spent
• I can fix things that I found daunting (Frozen Water Tank and Pipes)
• I truly enjoy woodworking
• Car seat Dancing while everyone is watching, is not wrong
• My individuality is wonderful and something to celebrate
• Make up is my obsession, yet I am comfortable being without
• Still not sure I can do Bleach blonde hair. 
• Music... speaks to my soul

Things I have learned about love:

• Any potential lover can look at me and tell me sweet things, but not many will take the time to show me sweet things
• My size, while it may an attract to a man - does not dictate who I am. 
• That most men that come at you 'Damn I love me a BBW' ... 90% of the time, they aren't seeking a serious relationship - mostly a fulfillment of some fantasy
• The best gifts - are homemade
• That it is Ok to go with how you feel in the moment without a future plan
• That it is more than ok to say 'No.' 
• That I can take care of me and trust that they are a grown adult who can handle themselves
• That the best experiences and connections START with the mental connection, and blossom in a Physical Connection
• That it is ok to be different and like different things, You never know WHAT you will discover with them

Things I have learned in Parenting:

• They are individuals
• They are wonderful, frustrating, Passionate, and curious
• It is my job to guide them while I have them
• They can cause more tears and fears and self doubt than a lover can
• They can also make you so proud and want to scream how AWESOME my children are
• That I have two compassionate children
• That it's also ok to seek help and try a different way to get your point across
• That they are just as fragile as I am in this whole situation, yet resilient. 
• Children are like the Japanese art of Kintsugi. Yes, they are going to break at some point, OUR jobs as parents, is to fill in the cracks and help put them together in the right way. If we use wonderful a powerful fillings of Gold (parables, lessons, compassion, love) these children will rise above the pain and brokenness, and become and inspiring work of art.

Things I have learned as a Friend:

• God found a way to give me the sisters I wasn't born with. 
• Fighting with them and coming back together means that ... Well no one else would take us! Not... means that no matter how much I feel hurt, I miss them more than my pride. 
• Best Friends mean you can be brutally honest about your feelings that you just can't with others
• Also - brutally honest about how your body is betraying you!
• While every friend has certain aspects that you are drawn too, there is no reason to look at my two besties and pick the one I love the most. Because they are the most unique and loving ladies I have ever known... and I couldn't see myself without them. 
• That you will not always agree with the decisions they make, but you can prepare if things go wrong. ... Never leave your Vodka at your friends house unmanned though!
• That new friends are awesome, and only add to your life
• That there is nothing better than a girl's night ... that doesn't have to leave the house but enjoy complete goofing off.
• That my life would be so incomplete with out them... I can do without lovers. My children will eventually leave my side to go make the world a better place... But I could never be without the support my friends, Best friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and casual ones provide. 

Exercise!... Good for the soul... Bad for my thighs...

Laws... So this evening, after emptying out the Freezer-that-was, as well as chasing coos, (cows) from the gate as we eviscerated the... freezers guts. I got very good at closing my own nose off and mouth breathing. I decided today is just the day I needed to start my own shenanigans...

This means, I did Giddy Up from Country Heat. It's not the newest, but a newer program from BeachBody. Country Line Dancing... Though I am sure if you looked at my window as you drove by, I probably resembled a drunken squirrel trying to climb a tree.

But I digress, I enjoy it, and feel the burn. My thighs are quivering, even from the dance Modifications (You know, the different way of doing things for people who are like me and I don't move like a rubber band... more like... a rusty tin man).

It's not that it's hard, it isn't. It's not that it isn't fun, otherwise I would NOT have owned the Drunken Squirrel resemblance. It's that it makes you move, simply, but steadily. The Steady pace is key - It doesn't wind you as bad, and it makes it easier to adapt to what you need to do.

Fun part? I shook my booty, a lot... more than I should have probably. My child walked in my room, watched and then shrunk off in shame at her Momma shaking her booty.

So not only did I win by Exercising... I won by embarrassing my daughter. Ha!

Super Moon = a realization for Mommy Time...

So this was a Super Moon kind of day. I have been tired and cranky, and just working through trying to get the day done. I posted on my personal Facebook about how I just broke down and yelled at my kids "Please pick your crap up and quit playing 'Squirrel!'".

Here's my frustration. I love my children. I would so be super mom, or a female Al Capone if you mes with my kids. I am a momma bear. my son is the love of my life. But at the same time, I have spent all day focusing on an Excel spreadsheet hurrying to complete it accurately but speedily. I came home, and found out that I ruined the pork chops in the crock pot, and they just weren't right and he was not eating them. ... crying was gonna happen soon.

Then I go out to see the Super Moon, and it was clouding and beginning to rain.

Now then, Boy-o talks. He talks all the time. He narrates everything he does, what he is thinking about doing, and wants constant affirmations that I like what he is doing. Which I give him whole-heartedly. I answer all the random questions "How long to flies live? What's it like underwater? What would happen if I mixed soap and the scrubby stuff?" I answer things about his Dad and I. I answer things positively about his father, so that it's a good bond that I have not singed.

But, after working all that time, I would love to be able to come home after a hard day, sit on the couch, and zone out. But that is not the life of a single mom. It's me and these two 24/7. All the homework, the scrapes, the 'do the chores', the hugs, the kisses, the goofiness, the tears, the fears.

But I love them, and I realize that someday I will miss all of this. It isn't easy, I knew it wasn't gonna be easy. But it's worth every moment.

... Because between verbally asking him multiplication tables and even some quiz facts for sis that she shares on our drive in the morning when we start out together.... I get this wonderful contest where the kids try to up me on who loves who more. Often - I drag out a 90's saying of 'All that and a bag of chips' which produces giggles. We sing and for 5 minutes, we try to start our days out the best we can. As a loving family, who while odd... is working our best to be the best we can be.

Never said we were perfect - Never said that was a goal. But happy and productive.... those are goals I shoot for with my kiddos.

A cloudy Super Moon taken this evening. 

Living Passionately is hard...

Strange part of living passionately, is sometimes the engine runs out of steam. I've been divorced a year and a half now, and my ex is engaged and already a father to another child. I am still struggling with my children. But I love them and could not do without them.

But I lost my steam, I lost my passionate reasoning. And it's hard. Passion is something I want to be at the core, passion for my friends and family. Passion in caring for my community. But my passion, over the last year and a half, fizzled.

You look on blogs all the time, or simply on your Facebook, and it reminds every mother out there to take care of herself so she has something to give. For awhile I thought that was something only those who had another half could do.

...Then I had an epiphany.... 

Passion, is much like an Amish Friendship Loaf starter. You start it, you feed it, and then, you have to bake with it. It feeds your soul, in yummy carbohydrate heaven. But there is a small problem with it, after you have satisfied your soul, it's still growing. So now, you have all these soul carb loaves, and no chink to stuff them in with your own soul. So what do you do? .... You spread your soul food to others and help inspire them to begin. Once they taste it for awhile, they may ask you how you make it. .... You'd give them a starter and the process begins all over again.

My starter had died. Slowly though, my best friend came along and kept sharing her soul food with me. Now, I've started producing my own soul food again. Only Jamie did not share the very butt widening experience of Amish Friendship Loaf - She shared BeachBody. PiYo, to be specific.

It has been a great experience. I feel motivated for the first time in a long time to do more with my life than just struggle to raise the two kidlets that I was blessed with. I'm even writing again folks, and trust me when I say this is a wonderful thing I never thought I'd be doing.

We're going to be Best Friends Forever!

Yes... I'm mom. I was eavesdropping on my daughter's conversation with Sidney. She kept asking, so we called and asked if Sidney could talk. And thus was the cutest end of a child's conversation I could hear.

...

"Sidney!?" "I've Missed you!"

...

"You wanna hear a joke?"

...

"Yeah well.... OMG! You kill me! *insert massive giggles here*"

...

"Here's my joke... A chicken goes in the road and lays her eggs..."

...

"I know wasn't that funny?!"

...

"Sidney! We're going to be Best Friends Forever!"

I love Siestas and Storms

So this Sunday, I literally declared the day a wash, before it really started to be honest. Tom and the kids helped clean the living room up. I did dishes, well.. I have more taunting me with their amazing procreating skills. I swear, it's like the dish soap is a kegger and they've invited all their friends to come party in my sink. The owner always does the clean up.

The absolute best part of the day was getting the kids to nap, then going in and curling up with my husband and sleeping. He works nights, so weekends and his two days off are our cuddling time. We've decided that it's more important that we feel connected, than a perfect house or life.

But as it is everywhere in the US recently, it's been hot. Today though, was a miraculous event as I could lay snuggled up in my husband's side while he watched TV with the kids, I was watching the storm roll in. I love the look of the fields as a storm comes this way. We took the kids out for a drive and just reveled in the rain coming down. We drove by our bank before it started, and it told us it was 80 degrees out. 15 minutes later, it was just 71. We explained the scientific points of how lightening occurs and why. Yes... we prefer to be real with her on some things. The fairytales still exist though.

But yes... Siestas are the best thing in the world, especially when you get to snuggle with your loved one/s! And teaching your children that Storms are a blessing and a spectacle... completely worth the day being a wash!

Berries, Apples, and.. Cobbler?! OH MY!

So, Monday was a rough day... The whole week previous was rough honestly. I was making Supper for the kids and decided we needed to leave the house for awhile. So, it was decided we needed to hunt Blackberries. So, we loaded in Daddy (Tom)'s Jeep and went into the field. We found a few, but the real awesome find, was the Granny Apple tree in the back corner. This is a tree that my brother and I would hunt when we were younger... We used to pick apples and feed them to Jackie, a bay muley mouthed mare who was like our dog.

So Tori, climbed on Mommy and Daddy while we pulled branches down and we got 4 apples that she really wanted to eat. Then we went to Uncle Bill & Marcus's Saw mill. The kids seen my brother there and watched the machinery work. Ian wants one... toys just aren't cutting it!

But we got home, and Tori was helping me work the blackberries and I was cutting the apples up for cobbler and we discussed cooking terms as I was applying my pie crust...

*as I'm reaching in the fridge* 'Momma needs to get her Cheater'. "Momma! You keep cheaters in there?!" *very serious look on her face*. While I am seriously considering saying yes, I say no. 'No baby, Cheaters are the bought Pie Crusts Momma keeps in here. I call them cheaters because I didn't make them from scratch'..... *Confused look* "Momma, what are you scratching then?".... 'Tori, from scratch means, Mommy actually took flour, salt, water, and butter to make a pie crust. Mommy didn't, so this isn't from scratch". ... 'You're silly Momma."

Anyway, folks try this cobbler! I've found that it works wonderfully with vanilla ice cream. It's warm, but sweet. Just what a family dessert should be.

Black Apple Cobbler -

1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 tbls Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Chopped Granny Smith Apples
3 cup Blackberries

1 Refridgerated Pie Crust
2 Tbs Butter
2 tbs Sugar

Heat oven to 350 Degrees.

Combine the first set of ingredients in a bowl, mix well. Pour in 9 x 9 pan. Cover with Pie Crust and settle in. Butter Crust and Sugar it. Fork the crust to make air vents. Make sure to say Poke every time you fork it, it adds fun to the dish.

Cook in oven for 45 minutes. Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream.

Their first Fishes!

So Wednesday last week, the kids and I went up to my Mom's and we went fishing. More correctly, Mom and the kids fished, Uncle Mike (my brother), and two of the neighborhood kids, Kenny & Jimmy, were there to help the kids take their fishes off the line.

Honestly, I don't fish. I don't like the slimy texture, and if I can't take the fish off the line, I'm not torturing the poor thing. But the kids are young enough to start fishing, and boy do they love it. They caught 6 or 7 fish between the two of them, and their first fishes are well documented. I'm not even sure what kind of fish they caught. I think it was a carp, but they are doing well and love to fish. I might get into fishing again. These are the things my children love. To be outside, and doing something. I think next weekend, we're going to start our gardening project next week.

We're behind, I got knocked on my rear this weekend. I must put a request out to all those lovely trees in my area. Could you please, learn to fornicate in more private ways rather than this public nuisance that is pollen, and subsequently a massive sinus infection for me? Thanks.

,~* Their First Fishes *~,

I never want to repeat that life experience...

It's not that I don't want to go to the Circus again. Oh No! I loved the Circus. Recently the Kelly Miller Circus came to our small town to grace us with a spectacular performance that I hope they repeat next year! It was wonderful and fantastic. Amusing, beguiling, stunning, shocking, and we had the best seats in the house!

There was a gentleman who had a special act in the beginning where he literally walked through ropes on the ceiling... upside down. He did flips in the air on these loops, and looked right down at my children and acknowledged them. Literally above our heads!

No, the experience I don't want to repeat is the Elephant ride. I could post the picture of the kids and I on this gentle giant, but I will spare all of you the horrific view of my... ample posterior. It was perfectly safe, keep that in mind. I just wasn't so keen on the height, the constant shifting of the elephants hips beneath my own rump, and the sinking feeling that regardless of how much like rubber my rear resembles, if I fall off, I know the bouncing quality of rubber will be lacking greatly.

The kids on the other hand, jeered and giggled. They truly enjoyed the experience, granted, I was holding on to the bar for dear life, and them too. They ran to their Grandma and told her how wonderful it was to be so high! Unfortunately when they looked at me, it was a tentative smile and nod. And with an understanding grin from my mother in law I whispered, 'I have never been so happy to be on the ground!'

Wedding Bells...

Over this past weekend, my family partook in a wonderful and most beautiful event... the marriage of a pair of friend's of ours, Katy & Luke. They are a wonderful couple and deserve the best that their love and devotion to each other can create!

But, as always there are little things that happen in weddings, and some prove how gullible that children really are. I share with you, the detriment one bridesmaid did to my poor son, the ring bearer.

So I'm standing here trying to organize these little things in order to make sure we are good before we trek down to the wooded wedding chapel. The flower girl's basket, check. One, two, three bouquets, Check. Ring Pillow, Check. Rings for Ring Pillow.... Negative. Quick thinking reminded me that Tom wears three rings. All of these rings symbolize a stage in our relationship, but only one is actually worth more than two nickels rubbed together. I asked him to 'loan' his paste rings to the ceremony pillow just for show. He agrees and then, while I'm tying these two items to the pillow... Lissie talks to Ian.

'Now Ian, if you drop those rings, Mommy and Daddy won't be married anymore!'. ... ... ... He took her very seriously on this topic. He spent the whole time refusing to hold on to the actual pillow. But instead, walks his little self down the aisle, after being reminded that you have to walk down it, and cannot simple skate around the outside of the pavilion to where you need to stand, holding on to the rings tightly clutched in his little hand. And that is where his little hand stayed until we removed Daddy's rings from the pillow.

Poor child. I must teach him not to listen to Lissie.

**Side Note: Do check out the bottom, there are two pictures of my precious children dressed up for their respective positions in the wedding.

So Tori was a Tap Dancer...

She's so cute whenever she thinks that she's all that, isn't she? *grins*

I was actually VERY proud of my daughter and her whole class during their Tap Dance at the Cosmopolitan Club Variety Show & Pageant. It was a disaster until they danced.

Apparently, the song that the Teacher had was on a Cassette Tape. It's a really cute song, and I finally found it and may take it upon myself to buy it on the CD and give it to the teacher to avoid this NEXT year. Since Tori will also be in this class next year.

But the short story: They did not have the tape cued. For either the practice or the show. So during the show, on the stage, these poor kids had to stand there, for 4 minutes (I have the video and it is timed as such) while the technician had to cue the tape. So during random bits, the whole audience is hearing Whitney Houston.

My daughter as you can see, had very little make-up on. I chose to be that way because it's natural, and the only real make-up that she required was to even her skin tone and cover her 'raccoon eyes'. For those who do not know about the whole Stage thing. Those lights, bring out EVERY flaw and amplify it. So it was necessary for that much just enough to merely make her more photogenic and not look like something that stepped out of a Tim Burton movie all sallow looking and such.

But I am very proud of my daughter. She danced beautifully. Especially for as short of a time that she's been dancing.

My Acceptance Speech for the Best Loss of Sanity...

*waves and walks to the podium, gracefully tripping on the non-existent carpet - please ignore my facial twitch, it's rude to stare*

Thank you, Thank you dear ones. Oh it is so wonderful to be here amongst you all. It's always nice to be recognized by my colleagues with the same lack of sanity that I have.

I would first like to thank Adulthood for bringing me to this moment. Without your constant worries about bills, groceries, and my weight, I would be a sane normal person who would have no concept of the difference between living on a dime and living on the dollar. Nor would I understand what it means to have Thunder Thighs, or stretch marks the size of the grand canyon running across my rump.

I'd also like to thank my hormones, because without you, I wouldn't have the constant flux of emotions that keep my whole family on their toes! My children and husband will be well equipped for WWIII, because during certain parts of the month, their worlds are full of a constant eruption of splutters. They know how to use a fox hole now, They also know how to keep their mouths shut. My son will be well prepared for a relationship with a female, and my daughter will recognize most of the signs. I myself have learned how to avoid committing homicide. Also during these times, I have become acutely aware of the stupidity of the human race.

Though, We all know that without Motherhood - I would be just as able to adjust my responses to within normal limits. The constant lack of sleep, with the consistent work load increases, along with all the wonderful evenings spent being the depository for puke, piss, and crap ... along with a few bodily fluids I'm not really sure of. All these things left me with a wonderful way of looking at the world. I've learned that sanity is over rated, and some confusing imagination and creativity with a complete lack of true reality.

Thank you again dear ones... I'll make sure to save you a seat next to me at lunch in the Sanitarium. Kiss Kiss!

*waves and leaves with mic, muttering about how stupidly insane all of those people were*

It's all too fast...

You know... I had sick kids over the weekend. On top of that Tom gets to take a Albuterol Inhaler... I actually contemplated kicking him to his parents over the weekend and just putting up a sign that says: 'No cranky Sickies in the house'. Yeah, bet that would have went over well.

But here was the sad part of the weekend. I curled up with my baby boy.... he's not a baby anymore. He had trouble sleeping so I asked him to bring his blanket here and I'll rock him. He jumped for the chance. But it didn't ork out like it used to. He is almost too big for me to snuggle now. He's into 5t, but he's tallll... and he stretches all down my front and it was awkward to find a suitable position for him to lay in.

I can remember him being my velcro boy. Seriously, when he was a baby he'd just snuggle down in a ball and lay on your chest and just sit there all night. He was happy, he was comfy, and he was so sweet.

Now that he's almost annoying at times and I wonder what happened to that little child? He's sick and showing his rump and well, that means his rump gets shown where it needs to be. Please don't be all 'aw but he's sick'... If we're sick and at work... and our rumps show off, they get put right back in place, reguardless of what's going on. Work Ethics start here.

But he snuggled down and went to sleep peacefully. And I was weepy because I didn't want to realize how quickly this is all going by. My baby boy is no longer my 'baby boy'. He's growing up too fast, too quickly, and just... wow. *sigh*

I hate Shopping...

Seriously... Shopping bugs me. I doubt when I loose all the weight I want, I will like shopping then. Internet Browsing, yes I like that. Now, I be large... some might say my body simply expanded to fit in all my attitude. I did gain a lot of that after having kids. I attribute that to my birthing experience with Tori.

It wasn't bad, by any means. It was just when you are in the hospital for 30 hours, and everyone and their cousin is 'checking your dilation'... for those who don't know.... that's where they stick a hand up your hoo-hah and check how thinned and expanded the cervix is. I kinda got a little ... quirky after that.

But needless to say, shopping at my size sucks. Stores never carry my size, even my shoe size, which is an 11, is hard to find IN STORE. But online, you are still taking your chances. On top of that, 2 c-sections in a year later.... let's just say me naked isn't so pretty.

But I looove shopping for my kids. They're just the right size, they make such awesome clothes... I can even make pretty cute clothes cheap because it doesn't take a lot of fabric. So that's what I enjoy to shop for. Soon enough my daughter will shun what I buy and want what's cool. If what's cool ends up being like some of the popular styles of today.... well She can dress like that when she's MOVED OUT and I'm not paying her bills. Just sayin.

Peace and Rescue...

Saturday, we had a party, and while it was wonderful and... busy. It was really great. So on Sunday, I took the opportunity on Sunday for some peace of my mind. First thing on the agenda was the rescue of a treasured family heirloom.

This is a table made by my father, during the first year of marriage between him and Mom. Now this table is on temporary loan to me, but my mother states that she will be taking this back. but for now, I have it and am loving it. Still have some restoration to do to it, but it'll be awesome.

I also claimed sanity by pulling my non-napping daughter into the living room and cuddling on the couch with her... the results?

This was the best part of the day. She just slept there. It was great, until I realized I had forgotten to each lunch. It was the most peaceful day I can remember in awhile. On top of that, the weather was fabulous! Kicked the kids outside and they just ran their little tails off. I'm so totally ready for spring!

I have Iris bulbs getting ready to be planted, and first week of march, they're out the door and in the ground.

It's a Circus! At least my Mental Images are!

So, the other morning, I'm waking up, and Tor comes in. The dogs came in begging to be let out to relieve their poor little bladders. I asked Tori to open the door and let the dogs out. She was grumpy and decided she didn't want to. So she knitted her fingers together, and essentially polished the door knob with them.

Being half awake, I trudge into the living room. I take one look at how she's trying to open the door, and realize what's happening. I hear her saying the door is stuck, no more 'I Can't's because well, Mommy doesn't allow those words in my house. After watching this performance for five minutes, I realize one thing. She's just going to keep doing this balderdash until I do it myself.

So when I get them out, I look at Tori and I tell her that I'm disappointed that you did that. She looks at me with her eyes welling with tears at these words. I was worried. I spent all morning pondering what this might mean for her future.

So I immediately imagine myself, standing on plank, which is balancing on a ball. And in my arms, the squirming ever changing child constantly throwing me off balance as I try to straighten her up to what she should be.

When I look at this image, It really hits home. Is my daughter going to be one of those people who will constantly seek everyone's approval. Will she take it hard when the bully says she doesn't like her? Have I created a horrible person?

I roll this around and around in my head... until finally my mental image of me crashes to the ground, cradling the mental Tori as I hit the ground with a swift painful woosh of air escaping. My daughter sits up on my chest and looks down at me smiling... 'You're Silly Mommy'.

And it's true. My daughter does stand up for herself. She enjoys her own thing, and doesn't let anyone stop her... unless it's her elders pointing out that it's kinda dangerous. She even argues with her family members to make her point clear. She stands up to bullies. She's even told one that if they keep being mean, they'll never get married.

Which makes me think, my Hubby and I have done something right if she thinks that getting married is such a great thing to achieve. .... As long as she graduates college first.

I'm sorry.... It's a hard thing to say.

The other night, my son was playing rough with my Mom. For those of you who aren't familiar with the typical Child playing Formula, here you go:

Happy Child x Excitement x Sparring Partner x Tickles = Injuries!!

Suffice it to say, Mom got a good Nose bump (no blood, thankfully), and Ian got a knotty noggin. So, like all good Moms, I tell Ian and Mom to apologize to each other... Now let me clarify.

I am not an 'I'm sorry' will cut it kind of Mom. I believe a child's first real lesson in responsibility occurs in these moments when a child has injured another. Teaching them to make a proper apology, not just saying "I'm sorry", but clarifying why they are sorry. As in... "I'm sorry Mom that I broke your $60 China Plate that is REALLY hard to find"... Ok maybe not that specific, but at least 'I'm sorry I broke the plate'. Even for accidents.

I don't want my kids to go through life like some I know, people who look at you and say It was an accident. ... Yes bub, I know it was an accident you rear-ended me, but you still have to pay the piper... or my repairman in this case.

My daughter took awhile to really slam this lesson home for her. My son... I swear he's part Mule. ... No comments from my friend's pointing how stubborn I am, my blog, shh.

Going back to why we are writing this in the first place - Ian wasn't going to apologize. Instead, He took off running when we pointed out that giggling when Memaw's eyes were welling wasn't funny. After we retrieved him from his room - he was completely focused on his knotted noggin, that it must be all her fault. So Mom tries talking to him. He starts to cry, bawl, basically 'Memaw Lecture Neutralizer v3'. I had to intervene. So we try just calmly explaining that he needs to apologize too because he hit Memaw as well. That doesn't work.

Said son turns from Mule, to Stonewall Jackson. That's ok... I'm John Pope... or.. Jonita? So, while I put Ian in sit down time, I endure glares from my Mom, who might I add is still working on her Immunity from MLNv3. I explained to her several times, you did this to me HOW MANY TIMES?

Finally Mom leaves because Ian is still Stonewalling me. Finally he breaks down in sobs after realizing that Memaw is gone. So we sit down and talk. I asked him why he was in trouble.'I hit Memaw'. Well Ian, that wasn't nice, but that's not why you are in trouble. You wouldn't apologize. So we talked about it, in four-year old language by the way. We even brushed over responsibility for your actions.

In the end, he said he wanted to apologize to Memaw. So I call Memaw on the phone... He was silent the whole time. Just teared and sniffled. Also it was really late so I said he needed to go to bed and I loved him.

By the way - before you start. Even Pope lost troops, and I won this battle by at least getting the message of responsibility across. Be sure that Stonewall and Pope shall meet again!

Snow Person!

So... Because my Aunt Mary is awesome. She came by while I was cleaning and helped the kids make this Snow person! She has Oreo's for eyes, a twizzler for a mouth... and a baby carrot for a nose, because I didn't have any full carrots. I think it's highly cute.

And because the dog wanted to get in on the photo action! That's Rosie, she's Basset Hound and we think a collie mix. :)

Kicking Stove Top Butt!

While today, I work on the house in bits and pieces, I think there is something to be grateful for... number one, my children's ability to scuffle and fight. They make messes, tattle, stand with their noses 3 inches from the plasma tv, and.... I'm grateful.

I have a friend who is going through a rough time with her youngest child, and I can't even begin to think about how or what I would do if this was me. I'm just praying for her, so my few readers, will you pray for her family as well? They could use a little assistance.

Right now, I am looking at my stove top though in immense satisfaction. Well... at least half of it, I'm still kicking the other half's rump. I've activated super Mom Powers and am working though this stove top with Lemon Juice, Baking Soda, and Cream of Tarter. Oh yeah.

I'm also no longer broadcasting on the internet radio, I haven't in awhile, but at some point, when things kind of settle out, and I've figured out what I need to do... I'll go again. This week has been horrid, I'm sick, and it was a blizzard week, and just ... ugh!

We've made two concrete plans this past week though. Over Memorial Day, Our little family is going to go join Chrisna's and visit Michigan, and Chicago since we will be going through it! So as we review plans and get to that point, keep us in mind if you have any suggestions!

The other major plan, is Tom and I are going to work outside our home... as in our yard. We already work outside the home to make some strange green thing they call money. We don't really know, we never actually get to see it because these white things called Bills always come along at the SAME time. We're going to do Straw Bale Gardening, and Put in some Flowers, Also move the Ozark Strawberry Patch, get a Blueberry bush or three, and start a Grape Vine. So Pictures will be around at that point.

Ok.... Scattered post done.... Please do pray for my friend's and their child at this time.