I'll be home for Christmas

sorry for the lack of blogs, who knew having 3 kids would make things so busy around the house. things here are....good. her heiness has decided that being potty trained is highly overrated, so after 6 months of being so awesome she has decided to poop her pants again. this is worse than irritating. she doesn't pee in her pants, just poops, and i should mention not when she is at school either. as soon as she gets home she runs to find a place to poop in private. argh. monkey has decided that she thinks it is fun to lie to us. yeah, it isn't going very well for her. i keep trying to let her know that we know when she's lying, but alas she doesn't believe me until after i have given her a chance to come clean and she doesn't. well that's enough complaining for one day.



on to happier things like...oh q is trying desperately to crawl it's quite humorous. her heiness is learning the pledge, nothing is as cute as listening to her try to say it. monkey turned 10 and has her Christmas program in about an hour. we went and saw my dad in the land of chili, peppers not the country. things are starting to stir. the hubby is sleeping with the q this morning, and her heiness is still out. just a small moment of peace in the house.



i wanted to ask all of you to take a moment this holiday to think about the kids who are going without. I'm not gonna bust into a rendition of "do they know it's Christmas" no fear. most of you know that i spent a chunk of my childhood in a children's home. Christmas was always a interesting time. we always got to spend it back home with the family, but that just helped you realize that you weren't there the rest of the time. in fact the only Christmas i spent alone was when i was in college, but that's a story for another time. take a moment this holiday season and say a prayer for the forgotten kids. you probably have a few in your church or neighborhood. you never know how you will impact a child's life for the better. a big thank you to all the "adopted" parents i have had over the years, and to my friends who shared their families with me. okay enough mileage on memory lane today. forward keep moving forward.



after monkey was born we decided that the holiday would be celebrated at our house. we always do a huge tamale feast. we make homemade tamales, refrieds, tortillas, salsa, and sangria. we invite anyone who doesn't have plans. so here is your invite. if you find that you will be celebrating solo, or just want some great chow, make your way to the town without a frown and we would be delighted to spend our holiday with you.



i hope everyone has a blessed holiday, and i will post pictures. take some time to tell the people you love what they mean to you. thanks for reading and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

when troubles like sea billows blow

what a month this has been so far. one of my dear bloggy friends is having...a very difficult time and needs your prayers. it isn't my place to share her troubles and pains, but she needs prayers for peace, strength, and love. some of our dear friends who were getting ready to go into the missionary field have hit a bump in the road. the husband has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. the doctors think that it is treatable and he will begin treatment on monday. we are going to be traveling to the austin area for thanksgiving. sorry this is so short i have christmas gifts to finish by next week.

i'm all alone, and i need you now

so quite a bit has happened in the month since my last blog. i have been busy working on my crochet. i have also battled bronchitis and secondary illness that was much less fun. the hubby and i went to a weekend to remember, and it was wonderful. i celebrated my 31st bday it was the best birthday ever. a dear friend of mine lost her grandad, and another friend is in icu fighting an infection. it has been buy to say the least. below are some pictures of some of my recent crochet projects.

this is the diamond trellis afghan i made for myself.

these are the crochet shoes i made for Q.

two of the many topped towels i have made.

i hope things are good for everyone. i will try to blog more often, but my blog makes our internet hiccup and the hubby's favorite game shuts down. that is not forgivable by the way.

video killed the radio star

i know its been forever, things are very crazy around here. the hubster had tonsillitis again, that is number 6 this year. i have been suffering with migraines for nearly two weeks. enough whining, let's talk about the good things. Q had his well baby check and is weighing in at 18.1 lbs. and is 28 inches long. the dr. looks at him and says "well he obviously doesn't have a problem eating does he." i can't find the usb cord to connect the camera to the computer, so no pictures. well, sorry to rush things, but Q is sleeping and if i want this to get done i need to post before he wakes.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. honesty- billy joel had it right. there isn't much i dislike more than a liar.

2. children singing- the song in the title came on the radio on the way to awanas, and both the girls sang along at the top of their lungs.

3. bug spray- we have had a serious invasion of spiders. i am horribly arachnophobia. little indoor spiders i can handle, but the giant spiders that chase you must die. seriously i shriek like a small girl, it is really pathetic.

4. dave ramsey- with his knowledge, our dedication, and God's blessing we are now able to help fund some friends of ours that are going into the mission field.

5. my kiddos- Q is getting so big and is the sweetest tempered of all my kids. her heiness is doing well in school and is doing great with her verses for awanas. there is nothing sweeter than hearing her say "God loves us and sent His son". monkey is getting so tall. she currently has over 600% of her AR reading goal. yeah i know, crazy huh.

6. funky socks- you can always find really cool ones around Halloween.

7. good coffee- no explanation needed

8. sleep- Q is usually a good sleeper, but when daddy is gone he wakes every two hours to see if he's home yet. it makes for really long days.

9. good friends- i don't know what i would do with out them.

10. my mom- she will be moving into our garage apartment in the spring. she will probably retire in January and move in after that. the kids are beyond happy, and i am thrilled. it is nice to get to know your parents on an adult level.

i wanted to say that i think single moms are the most amazing people on earth. when the hubby travels i am left to run herd, and sometimes it can be very exhausting. long days and even longer nights. i hope everyone is doing well, i don't hear from most of you often. sweet baby noises are coming from the other room, so i will get up his sweetness.

dreaming is still how the strong survive

i know its been forever, but things are very busy around here. I'm getting the camera out so i can take some pictures of all the wonderful things going on around here. i will try to post later today or tomorrow with the pics. by the way vanilla frog q adores his blanket. i have a few pics on my phone of him pulling it over his face as he rolls on it. truly the most hilarious thing. crochet class is good. I've been busy honing my new craft. grandma came this past weekend for a visit and we all had a good time. monkey's french horn playing is getting better by the day. her heiness writes amazing A's. the hubby and i celebrated 11 years since our first date this past weekend. i have been reading like crazy, but i have run out of books. the q calls.

One little monkey sitting in a tree

This is the song her heiness learned her first day of pre-k. I will post some more pics hopefully tomorrow. I am blogging this from my phone while waiting in the car for my hubby. I know I didn't post last thursday, but in my defense I just wasn't up for it. My dear friend amazon's little sister delivered a baby boy at 23 weeks he lived 3 days. The funeral was last thursday. It has been a rough time for everyone. On a brighter note  I start crochet class tonight.  The hubby changed the dining room into a craft room and I have been very busy crafting.  On to my thankful list.  

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1.  Salvation- do I need to explain. I have lost a few people who wer dear to me because they don't understand and can't accept me for who I've become.  I'm sorry for them.

2  friends- the real ones who stick by your side. Thanks guys.

3.  Books- I have been on a reading spree lately & it is quite an expensive habit.

4.  My hubbies job- there are a lot of things about it that make me angry, but I'm learning to latch on to the good parts.

5.  School- I'm so glad school is in session again.

6.  My kiddos- seriously they are such unique individuals.

7.  My hubby- he is amazing & I don't know what I would do without him.  

8.  Music- man I love music

9.  Red plaid heels- so pretty

10. Laughter- I'm trying to laugh more.

Well that's all for now time to eat lunch.

dancing on the stage of memories

what a wonderful week we have had. i got to see some friends that i haven't seen in years. the kiddos were thrilled to get to spend some quality time with the hubby's family.



her heiness needed some snuggle time with her daddy while we waited for shelly and crew to show at the zoo for our rendezvous.





shelly's boys and my girls hanging together outside of marble slab.







this is just off the river walk in san angelo. the plaque said that she was a water sprite and her heiness demanded having a picture taken with her.

yep my girls are eating ice cream. we met my dear friend snow white in Caldwell. her youngest moved every time i tried to get her in the picture. if you look you can see her hand in the picture.
Nana had a blast getting to spend time with the kiddos. she even let them help feed the cows.

another picture of mine and shelly's crew outside of marble slab.
her heiness and her cousin playing together at Nana's house.

the girls were showing their funky tongues off. her heiness had been eating crazy colors ice cream and her tongue was a weird shade of purple.

this past week has really opened my eyes to how many things i have to be thankful for. i know i have been really hit or miss this summer with thankful list so here is a long one.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. AC-no really i am sooo thankful. all i have to say is 103 in Austin for a week.

2. good friends- you guys are the best.

3. my palm pre- so awesome, no really it is amazing.

4. benadryl- my eczema has been on super outbreak for a few weeks now.

5. long showers- i usually get a really good one about once a week or so.

6. my kiddos- they regularly amaze me with their capacity for love.

7. good books- i have been able to get some serious reading done with all the driving we have done.

8. blogs- it is the only way i get to keep up with some of my friends. they are also one of the few ways the far away fam can keep up with us.

9. lotion- my skin has been super dry and gross.

10. bedtime- those of you who have kids understand that one right?

11. school- man i am so ready for the steady schedule of the school year.

12. church homes- we have traveled so much this summer we haven't had a chance to attend much, and i really miss it.

a thank you section for my friends-

snow white- you have been my friend for many years. i was so thrilled to get to see you again. thank you for all the wonderful gifties you got for q. thank you for listening t me whine, I'm glad you don't think I'm too crazy.

shellybabes- what a beautiful and amazing family you have. i am so happy for you. thank you for letting me vent to you.

vanilla frog- the blanket is amazing thank you. i will post pics of it soon. we have been using it as his play on the floor blankey.

pattylicious- what would i do with out you? thank you so much, and i do not piss excellence silly girl.

if your not on the list don't fret. this last week has been hell on me and these were my go to girls. thank you.

well this is our last trip of the summer as of Saturday we will be home bound. we hope to get the craft room finished soon, so i will be busy crafting soon i hope.

remembering your kiss, your touch, your warm embrace

we are in midland again this week. the hubby is trying to make the travel "better" for the family, so we've been enjoying things that don't revolve around his work. we took the girls ice skating at the mall in Odessa. monkey is a natural. she looked so pretty skating around the rink with her little skort on. her heiness gave the hubby a rough run around the rink. he was holding her trying to keep her from falling, it was really cute. q slept peacefully in his stroller on the sideline with me watching. the mall also has a carousel, so the girls rode that and the mini train. then i purchased the most amazing shoes. pattylicious found them while she was at teta, but couldn't find them in our size. while walking the mall i found the same store and they had 1 pair. the lovely lady called the store in midland and had them hold a pair for me. woo hoo they are gorgeous. i will post pics as soon as i can figure how to sync my phone to the laptop. its about time for bed, so i will post later.

she had some trouble with herself

the sip and see was a success. only a few people made it, but a great time was had by all. i served cucumber sandwiches that were delicious. i mixed cream cheese, butter, and some lemon thyme together. i slathered that on the bread and layered the cucumbers on top. they were so yummy. then i made chicken salad sandwiches, they weren't the chicken salad you would eat country girl. i used pecans, dried cranberries, celery, chicken and a bit of mayo to stick it all together. they were so good. i also made up lemon tarts, coconut tarts, and mini quiches. the grandmas brought a vegetable tray with them for the shin dig. we drank lots of tea and did tons of visiting. sorry i forgot to take pics. hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

she once believed in every story he had to tell

as promised pics of my new bed.

it's king sized tempurpedic. so comfy and so pretty.

you will notice the blue ceiling that my husband vaulted so the new bed would fit.

cool huh.

did i mention her heiness had an awesome shiner? this is a pic of it a week later. she's quite the accident magnet. well, in her defense monkey did smash her pretty hard at the splash pad that day.

i just had to share this pic. it shows so much of his personality.

he got his first round of immunizations today and he didn't like them much. he has been bent all day. at his appointment he weighed in at a slight 13 lbs. 13 oz and was a tiny 23 inches long. tiny little boy isn't he. i hope everyone is having a great week so far. if anyone is in the Amarillo area Saturday about 1ish, we are having a sip and see for the big boy. we would love to have you. the hubby's current project is creating a craft room from our dining room. he said he would rather have a craft room. i was a it confused, but grateful. if i don't see you on Saturday the you can see pictures of the event here next week.

i'm not ready to make nice

our family is having a bit of a dilemma, and I'm not feeling overly kind and loving. a few months back i wrote about our church home imploding on itself due to... well difference of opinions. my love would like to start attending there again and frankly i don't feel comfortable having my children raised in a church that called my husband a Judas. anyway i thought since Q was sleeping i would try to sneak in thankful list, so here goes.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. my new laptop- it has web cam and makes traveling much easier because i can take all the important bill paying with me.

2. my husband-Tuesday i was feeling a bit...weird and depressed, so my hubby took me to town to shop and eat at sakura, a Japanese steakhouse.

3. baby noises- i forget how sweet the little noises they make are.

4. AC- its going to be over 100 all week they think, so I'm really glad that our AC is fixed

5. sugar free jello- it really kills a sweet tooth, and it doesn't add any inches to my waist

6. nap time- the only time of the day anything gets done

7. my new bed- so awesome and wonderful i hope to post pics soon

8. good diapers- enough said

9. good music- love me some good music

10. vanilla coke 0- so tasty.

Q is beginning to make wake up noises, so i gotta go. i hope everyone has a great weekend. i will try to post pics next week. her heiness has been wearing big girl panties all week. I'm so proud of her.

oh i'm still alive

who wants to see pictures? we have been traveling a lot with the hubby, so that's why i haven't been posting. monkey made all A's for the third grade so her reward was she got to color her hair any color she wanted.

she chose red

her heiness chose purple. i thought hubby would say no to the three year old coloring her hair, nope he thought it was super cool.

a family photo. aren't we sweet.

we spend a lot of time in the car. the girls sure love to snuggle the brother.

this was taken when he was 3 weeks old. this is at the cowden house right after he rolled the first time. that's why he looks so surprised. we put him on tummy time. he screamed and then rolled right over on his back. now he doesn't do tummy time if he doesn't want to. hope that you are all doing well.

can't think of anything i need

as Q quickly approaches 2 weeks in age things are calming down some. pappy left yesterday after he had been here 2 weeks, the girls were very disappointed. i don't have a lot of pics yet sorry. the few i do have were taken on my phone, so they aren't the best quality. we are hoping to take some this weekend with the good camera. we were hoping pappy could take some, but he was in a bit of a hurry and forgot his camera. well, i hear a Q calling, so i will do this as quickly as possible.

here is the Q shortly after he arrived in the world. i still had my iv in.


have i mentioned i love camo. this is actually a sleeper, but he got a bit warm so we undressed him. then he got cold so we covered him with it.


this was one of our first nights home. aren't they sweet.

hope you enjoyed. hope to get to post a thankful list at some point in the future, but no promises. did i mention i am only 5 lbs heavier than my lowest point with weight watchers. i am back at where i was when i got pregnant. woo hoo.

a child arrived just the other day

just a quick note. Q arrived at 1313 on 5/8/09. he weighed 9 lbs 5 oz and was 21 inches long. the hubby says he thinks he's closer to 21 1/2 inches, but who's counting. he was induced a week and a half early. we made it home today, but are still having jaundice issues. i hope to post pics at a later time. my epidural only numbed my right leg, so i got to feel everything and he came out face down. I'm a bit tired, but both q and i are doing well. thanks for the prayers.

i change by not changing at all

i hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. our was...interesting. we had an awesome pizza night at our casa on the veranda. Saturday the hubby and i went out and had a great time. around 3:30 in the morning we woke up to the sound of rushing water. the water heater for the spare bath is in the attic, and it overflowed. we got the flood stopped in time to watch the ceiling collapse into the bathroom. it made for very little sleep. the good news is very little damage was really done, and now we can gut the bathroom and redo it as we choose. the other good news is that my wonderful hubby was still home. he left for Dallas this morning. the meeting at church on Sunday ended something like this: my hubby stands and says "in light of this morning's decisions i am tendering my resignation effective immediately." my husband has been leading music at the church for about 3 years now. it has been a constant battle. we are now on the search for a new church home. we can see God's work and see where he has brought us from, now we are praying that we can see where He is sending us next. now for picture time.

this is the adorable package we got from bex. well it would have been, but her heiness snatched one of the princess books as i was taking the picture. isn't the robe adorable. it has little frog slippers that go with it.

yeah, that's her showing off her pretty princess book.

did i mention she loves the princess books? in case you couldn't tell from the look on her face.

this is the view from my backdoor. that is the new white fence that enclosed what we now refer to as "the veranda".

the shade covers this side up so it isn't a very good pic. i will try to take a better one soon.

that is our mesclun mix growing in our indoor garden. it is way yummy.

those are the beans that we are growing aren't they pretty.

well, this evening i am going to see Maya Angelou with pattylicious. my mom is here keeping us company "in case i pop". i am so ready to meet this little guy. at most we have 2 weeks, but the doctor is really hoping i pop sooner than later. i need to go water my plants, so more later.

i come to the garden alone

I've been a little busy since the doctor allowed mobility. in fact I've been really busy. Monday i went to pattylicious' OAP public performance. the kids did a good job. i did recommend something a little less depressing next year, like Antigone where everyone dies. the doctor was sick yesterday, so no internal exam. that's right i have no idea if the additional activity has had any effect or not. I'm officially 36 1/2 weeks, so i took myself off bed rest completely. if you guys haven't read living on the spit before, you need to read this post. i nearly fell off my chair laughing. my hubby got really concerned because i was having trouble breathing. we have been working outside on a wee haven from the tremendous wind, and we are almost where we want it to be. i hope to post pics soon, but don't hold your breath. the hubby is almost finished cooking breakfast, so i will speed this up. my thankful list:

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. sunshine- it brightens everything up. all the trees and plants look like they are finally recovering from the late blizzard we got.

2. my hubby- he works so hard to provide for his family. he has been working for several weeks now to get the hot tub up and running, so we can enjoy it. he has made the patio a little piece of heaven.

3. our budget- with out it none of our projects would have been possible.

4. flowers- they are blooming everywhere and they remind me of how much God loves us. to give us little reminders of joy.

5. sun tea- that's right we have been thoroughly enjoying sun tea all week here. now i just need to be patient and let the mint get big enough i can use it.

6. resolution- for quite some time there has been a huge rift at our church. it is difficult to attend when instead of thinking of God, you're making sure not to step on people's toes. there appears to be a resolution on the horizon, and i am thankful for it.

7. hot showers- so relaxing

8. the stars- they remind me just how small i really am

9. the future- at the longest we have 2 1/2 weeks before we get to meet the newest member of our little family. i am beside myself excited, so is her heiness.

10. acceptable weight gain- it looks like i may actually gain the amount of weight that I'm supposed to this pregnancy. i haven't gained weight with the girls pregnancies, so I'm hoping that gaining it with Q is a good thing.

I'm going to go outside and take pics of our beautiful haven and our little indoor garden. i will try to edit them in later. take care and have a great weekend.

i go walkin after midnight

usually it's just to the potty. went to the Dr today and got some awesome news. there have been no changes. woo hoo!!!!! i know i was stoked too. she said that i can up my activity level some, but not to go too crazy. she did the tummy measurement and he's measuring term, yeah he's a big boy. she also told us that the TX board of obgyn's has changed their feelings about inducing before 39 weeks. this means that unless i go naturally, she can't induce me before may 12. i can't say thank you enough for all the prayers. i know that is why i haven't popped yet, trust me the doctor looked surprised that there weren't any changes. what an awesome God we have. well i am currently making dinner, so i need to make this short. my thankful list. I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. prayers- i really can't say thank you enough.

2. being overly prepared- we went Monday and got a car seat, newborn diapers, bottles, and bags for breast milk. all of Q's clothes are washed and put where they go. his bassinet sits comfortably by my hubby's side of the bed. bags are packed for the hospital, i feel so much better when everything is ready.

3. mail- imagine my surprise when i went to the post office and there was a box from bex. it contained goodies for the girls and the little man. i was so excited i love paper dolls, and apparently so does her heiness.

4. texts- what a quick and easy way to let everyone know how I'm doing.

5. my girls- they have been so sweet, well mostly, this past few weeks. her heiness has been very concerned about her brother.

6. rain- i am listening to the rain as i type and i am so thankful that we have finally gotten some moisture.

7. no accidents- her heiness has been wearing big girl panties and doing very well in them. usually only 1 accident a day.

8. my hubby- he made sure that we got everything we would need for the door hangy at the hospital, and put it together.

9. being off bed rest- well mostly off. i can't wait to get outside and see how my yard looks.

10. you guys- thanks so much for all the kind words and thoughts. they have really helped me out of the terrible funk i have found myself in.

i hope all is well in your worlds. take a minute and find something to be thankful for.

she left the suds in the bucket and the clothes hanging out on the line

thank you for all the well wishes. this has been a tough week so far. we made another trip to the hospital yesterday because the downward pressure isn't easing up at all, and i don't feel my contractions. thank goodness there was no change since Sunday. they were discussing giving the baby some roids, but they decided against it. went to see the dr. for my regularly scheduled visit this morning and there is no change. this is better than great news. she took me off bed rest and put me on light duty. this means i can get off my butt. it feels so nice to do laundry. the bad news is I'm still dilated and effaced farther than i should be at this point. the good news is she thinks that due to his size he would be just fine if he decided to come early. so, I'm allowed to be functional just not too functional. I'm learning to recognize my limits. i have tons to be thankful for this week, so here it is, my thankful list. I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. my new recliner- the hubby got me one on Sunday when he was told that i needed to be reclined for the majority of the day.

2. my friends- seriously you guys rock. i have gotten emails, texts, calls, and comments about the prayers you guys are sending up for me. did i mention my brother and sister haven't even inquired about how I'm doing? thanks guys you rock.

3. my hubby- not only did he get me a cool new recliner, he has stayed home or close to home all week.

4. flowers- the tulips are in bloom and they are beautiful. they really help cheer a girl up when she is feeling down.

5. comfy clothes- it makes it nice to be able to lounge in comfy clothes, so i don't feel like I'm being cut in two.

6. knitting- at least it has kept my hands busy this week.

7. being mobile- no really I'm thrilled to be able to do laundry.

8. nurses that have a sense of humor- my nurse Sunday was hilarious, and that really helped my nerves considerably.

9. my cell phone- at least i could check and send emails while reclined.

10. normal blood pressure- it is one less thing to worry about during this less than fun time.

i really can't say thanks enough for all of the prayers and well wishes. as eager as i am to meet the little one, i hope he doesn't decide to arrive until after April 27th. i hope this Easter finds everyone with family and loved ones. my mom is coming in for the weekend, so it should be a good time.

so good bye yellowbrick road

this is going to be short. i was in the hospital yesterday for some preterm labor issues. i am fine as is the baby. however, i have been put on "modified" bed rest. this means i can recline during the day. as it stands i have no way to blog and recline at the same time, so that means if you want to chat you're going to need to email me. trust me this is harder on me than you. who puts a SAHM with a 3 year old on bed rest, no really. i hope to have an update on my condition Thursday after my appointment. hope to blog soon.

do you believe in magic

there was a complaint about lack of photos from the blizzard. well, here is my favorite that i took on our way home.
that would be my husband shoveling our car out when it got stuck on the road. you can see how much snow there was on the road, and this was one of the better stretches of road.


this is the girls in the hotel room eating snow. they sent daddy out to get the ice bucket full of snow. i wish i had been thinking forward and i would have brought the stuff to make snow ice cream, but i didn't. they don't seem to mind though. on to the thankful list that i haven't done in several weeks. I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. txdot- really they had the roads clear and ready to drive.

2. pattylicious- she let us crash at her house after our long drive home. it was awesome everyone was very happy to be together.

3. schwann's home delivery- it is nice to have easy to prepare healthy lunch options.

4. my husband- he can fix anything, which is good since the hot tub has been on the blink.

5. karen- who picked up my angel food when i couldn't make it.

6. my cell phone- it allowed me communication with the outside world while trapped in the land of snow.

7. God- He alone is the reason we made it home safe and sound and to Him i give great thanks.

8. bird feeders- i love to look out the front door while typing on the computer and see all the pretty birds eating.

9. my wee little indoor garden- i used some of the lemon thyme on my salmon for lunch. it was so much more than delicious.

10. babies- i can't believe how fast the twins have grown and grayson too. soon little Q will be here and before i know it he will be walking around. every time my SIL posts pics of her kids i can't believe how big they are. i don't get to see them very often so they seem to grow much faster.

i hope that everyone is doing well and enjoying the beginning of spring, did i mention i woke up to snow on the ground this morning. take some time to think about all the blessing you have in your life.

walking in a winter wonderland or i come from the land of ice and snow

greetings sorry it has been a bit since i posted, but you see i have been stranded in the land of Oz. no seriously, i have been stuck in Garden City, KS in a blizzard. they got roughly 20 inches they think. it happened something like this. hubby says "they say that we are under a blizzard watch, but I'm pretty sure with the new tires on the car i can make it home Friday after my meeting." I'm thinking are you nuts? he grew up in the Austin area, so i blame his lack of fear on the lack of snow growing up. i asked if he would like the family to travel with him, knowing that he wouldn't put us in the same danger he would himself, so off to Kansas we went. well the blizzard did indeed arrive and 20 inches of snow and drifts that covered horse trailers, we were still there. on Saturday morning there was fear of impending doom if we didn't escape, so we continued to check road conditions. they finally opened a road out of Garden City, so off we went. by the way highway 83 wasn't open for the entire stretch of the drive, but we figured if there wasn't a barricade then we were free to drive. it was an experience i hope to never have again. the girls thought it was great "daddy do roller coaster car more" was the cheer from the backseat. in other news my doctor's appointment went very well. the sonogram was...informative. at 32 weeks my darling little Q is measuring at 35 and 4 days. his head alone measures at 39 weeks and 4 days. they estimate his weight at 5 lbs. 11 oz. i know that sonograms can be off a pound in either direction. if he is 4 lbs. 11 oz. then he is a normal size kiddo. however, i don't want to think about the other direction. he is healthy and looks great no problems at all. my blood pressure is still normal, which is amazing because she took it right after i was told the size of my kid. i have finished 9 pair of booties and will be sending them today. her heiness awakens so i must go. hope to write again soon.

working 9 to 5

so while catching up on blogs and mail i have read several things that have me going hmmm. as you all know i am a SAHM, some days this is easier than others. one of my biggest pet peeves about my current occupation is the "mommy wars". who came up with that crap? most of my friends who have kiddos, well they work outside the home as well as inside it. does my lack of a paycheck make me a less valuable commodity to the world? I'm not begging for comments about "what an amazing choice you made". i honestly want to know why it is assumed that all "soccer moms" are vacuous dingbats? seriously folks i have a bachelor's degree, and i graduated with honors. it is interesting because i have never thought less of a mom who works outside her home. i also don't think that they are superior just because they made that choice. i read an article yesterday about how to handle the question "you're still at home?" this is of course after all of your dear darlings have headed into the world of academia. i am not as brave/gifted/crazy as some of my SAHM compatriots who choose to home school. seriously i wasn't gifted in that field. i don't volunteer at our church for children's teaching or nursery duty either, in case you wondered. i love my kiddos and adore being home with them, but i just don't think I'm cut out for the teacher biz. so why is it assumed that you are needed less at home when your kids go to school. does the laundry suddenly do itself? do meals spontaneously cook themselves? I'm kind of excited about the extra time i will have to do things like craft with out interruption, garden in the morning when it's cool, exercise, or read a book. i know it sounds a bit selfish, but hey maybe that will be the paycheck I've been waiting for. the wee one stirs and is demanding her father who happens to be in pampa this morning.

if i go crazy then will you still call me superman?

the trip was....good? i adore my husband, but when he gets into work mode...well he is a little difficult to deal with. now imagine 1400 miles in one week with two kiddos in tow. the girls had a great time swimming in the indoor pools and playing putt putt. i am feeling a bit...harried? we got back in time to go to XXX's birthday party. what a grand time it was. her heiness was so excited to get to see the family of pattylicious. both of the girls were having serious withdrawals. this is short because i have many things on my plate currently and i need to get them finished. i hope everyone had a great week and i hope to be posting later.

i ain't got no season pass

last night was....difficult at best. i was very proud that i didn't let my temper get the best of me. i walked away long before i said anything that i would regret, or at least be told that i should regret. i got to talk to the hubby last night and he said things are busy at the conference. it is very chilly here in the town with out a frown this morning. it is a balmy 27 outside, but when you add the wind it feels like it's 20. almost tropical i tell you. they keep promising snow, but i don't believe them anymore and am no longer getting my hopes up. i just finished a yellow pair of booties to send to the audrey caroline baskets of love project. I'm hoping to get the booties in the mail week after next. before her heiness gets too cranky here's my thankful list.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. learning to control my temper- this is no easy thing mind you. especially when you add the hormones of pregnancy.

2. my solarium- we are trying a mostly indoor garden this year. last year the wind blew so hard that we just couldn't keep everything watered enough, so everything withered and died.

3. my children- often they are the only thing that keeps me completely grounded.

4. the future- what an exciting few months are ahead. Q will be here in 8 weeks or less. we have a sono on the 26th to estimate his size.

5. knitting- it keeps my hands busy while riding in the car with the hubby

6. portable DVD players- never been a big fan of them, but her heiness HATES to be in the car. these seem to help things a lot. we are going to be traveling with the hubby for spring break, so i hope that she will be at least somewhat content in the car.

7. little mementos of happiness- currently drinking coffee out of the yellow coffee cup my hubby bought me the day after we got married. love this cup.

8. dirty little hands- the girls love to "help" with the garden. her heiness helped us plant the seeds and monkey packed the dirt in the cups. when we were finished there were little dirty hands to remind me of how wonderful my helpers are.

9. my babysitter- if you read yesterday's post do i really need to add anything? how about how at church last night she says "if you need any help while your hubby is gone just give me a call and let me know." I'm so stealing her.

10. 1/2 & 1/2 in my coffee- it was the one indulgence that i couldn't give up when i was on weight watchers. love the yumminess.

11. friends- pattylicious who listened to me complain about my bad night on her most important day. thanks, you rock. my SIL who called to check on me because i hadn't blogged or called, and she was concerned about me. good to know I'm thought about, thanks you rock. amazon, who doesn't read this, but needs to be bragged on anyway. she waited to share her good news until she was sure i had calmed down enough that i wasn't going to send myself into preterm labor. oh yeah i was that upset.

12. dependable transportation- love my van

13. baby clothes- they are so sweet. amazon picked up a couple of things for Q, and a shirt for each of the girls. really too funny.

14. my budget- really don't know how people function with out one.

15. my cell phone- really it is amazing. monkey had a solo at church on Sunday, so i recorded it on my phone.

16. monster spray- not sure where her heiness came up with monsters in the dark, but she is terrified of them. in a stroke of genius i decided to get some old body spray and spray the monsters away. she got to say the magic words "go away monsters" then i would spray the smelly good, and all the monsters disappeared. she slept soundly with out issue. apparently when she woke up and still smelled the spray she knew she was still safe.

17. lotion- all of the family has been suffering from extremely dry skin due to the lack of humidity.

18. my washer & dryer- they make my life so much easier.

19. snuggling with the girls- monkey is mostly passed the snuggle stage, but her heiness is all about the snuggle.

20. learning to trust in God- i have learned that when i try to do things my way they rarely work the way i hope they will, but when i hand them over they work out great. not always in my time, but in His.

what are you thankful for? answered prayers, a trip to see family, getting better, rain on dry land? i hope everyone has a great weekend, and i will try to post next week from the road. oh and don't forget "BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH!!!"

it's a hazy shade of winter

just a note to let everyone know that i am alive and well. sorry i have been MIA, but things have been a little busy around here. i had an appointment on Thursday, and fully intended on writing my thankful Thursday list after i got home. well....the hubby needed to be in garden city, ks that evening, so he asked if monkey could play hooky from school and then the family could travel with. hey why not sounds good to me, so we left as soon as we got home from the doctor. monkey was way excited to get to miss a day of school for no reason. the appointment went well, even the glucose test. the doc did say that if the weird contraction things pick up or happen more than 6 an hour i am to get to the hospital, something about preterm labor. she said that if being up and active makes them worse i should sit down and take it easy. well, i have been doing my best to take it easy. the hubby took it easy this Monday and Tuesday and hung out with the family because he is in Addison from this morning until Sunday morning. have i mentioned that i have the world's best babysitter? seriously SHE ROCKS. she called Monday to ask if i would need her for belly dancing class, the hubby explained that i would not because i was taking a break until fall. amazon, my belly dancing partner, got a new job that isn't conducive to class and the weird belly things frighten me. my babysitter asks if the hubby and i would like some time to ourselves because she already cleaned her house and did her chores so she could babysit. you don't need to twist my arm, so out we went. we got coffee and walked around barnes & noble for a few hours before returning home. when we walked in the door she had the "cat that ate the canary" look on her face as she was loading the dishwasher. she had already swept and mopped the floor, had monkey clean and vacuum her room, made sure the girls were bathed and ready for bed. she is unbelievable. today is pattylicous' birthday so go wish her a happy birthday.

you're a winner for a lifetime

so quite a while back i mentioned fabric.com on my wee little blog. they noticed and are giving my readers $5 off their next order. just enter the coupon code blogbei. this coupon is only good until march 5th, so hop on over there and take a look. it is a one time coupon with no minimum order. hope you guys have a rockin weekend.

hold me like you'll never let me go

thanks for the bits of advice on belly discomfort. i think it is just one of those joys of pregnancy. I'm learning to take it a bit easier, this is quite difficult for me. the hubby made it home last night, and her heiness has refused to be away from him. he had been gone since Monday morning. i gave the booties to the new mommy and she really liked them. there are a family of kids that attend Wednesday night suppers, and their sister recently lost her husband in a car accident. they had just had a beautiful baby girl, so I'm whipping up a pair of booties for her. our preacher announced that he will be leaving our church in a few weeks for a new church. this didn't come as much of a surprise for my family because we are very close to the preacher. we have been praying since July that the Lord would provide a church home for him. i am sad that he is leaving us, but thrilled that the Lord has provided him with a new church home. things have been tense since July at our little church and i know that it has been incredibly stressful for him and his wife. I'm not sure what will happen with the Wednesday night suppers because they are one of the ministries he started, and with him gone I'm not sure if the church will continue them or not. monkey brought home all A's again this six weeks. we are so proud of her. well, i have lots to get done today, so on to my thankful list.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. people with helping hearts- seriously go check her out. i think this may be one of the best lent blogs i have read. i haven't had the pleasure of meeting her in person, but I'm putting it on my list of to do's next time I'm in that area.

2. power of prayer- i am always in awe of how the Lord gives us what we need.

3. finding your passion- a good friend of mine just called and told me she has found something she really enjoys doing and is good at. good job snow white. you rock

4. decaf coffee- amazon bought me a bag of hazelnut decaf and it is awesome.

5. unlimited minutes on my cell phone- we just upgraded our plan and i am already more at ease. the hubby is on the phone a lot for his job. he used around 2500 minutes in February.

6. the sound of laughter- i don't know if angels get their wings when bells ring or not, but I'm sure they grin every time a child laughs. i don't know if there is a sweeter sound in the world.

7. new beginnings- my friend amazon is getting a new job, at least she will if her parents are willing to help with her kiddos. she is super excited about the potential, so i hope it works out for her.

8. learning to accept help- i am no good at this. i don't like to ask for help. in fact i don't ask for it unless absolutely necessary, and sometimes not even then. i am trying to learn that asking for help is not weakness.

9. Kleenex with lotion- what a blessing they have been during the never ending cold that struck the house.

10. spring- i love the time of year when bulbs come up and start to bloom. the fact is i like all the seasons, but summer i have a tough time with because it is soooo hot. i hope to post pics when the daffodils bloom.

what are you thankful for? an amazing friend, the ability to help others, the chance to find yourself, the sound of music and laughter, or discovering that it really is a small world. take a minute examine all of the blessings in your life. have a great weekend.

if you wrap yourself in daffodils, i'll wrap myself in pain

i do love the counting crows. our daffodils are about 2 inches out of the ground now. i can hardly wait they are so pretty when they bloom. then it will be the tulips and the lilacs. i also wanted to share some awesome news with you guys. we paid off our last credit card. the motorcycle will be paid off in June. if we continue to follow our budget we will have everything paid off in 4 1/2 years. yes, everything. that includes both vehicles and the house. the Lord has blessed us in ways i can't believe. we could potentially be out of debt sooner. we usually use our tax refunds to pay things off, so we are looking at a year earlier. this has been such a battle for us, and the Lord has been working on our behalf for a long time. so now i have a question for you guys. did you have braxton hicks contractions with pregnancy? I've been asking my friends because these things are a bit unnerving for me. i didn't really have these with the girls. now it seems like every time i am up and active for more than 15 minutes my entire abdomen tightens. it isn't painful, but it is uncomfortable. it has been absolutely beautiful here and i would love to go for walks, but i worry about the weird tightening. anyway i need to start getting things ready for dinner at the church. hope you guys are having a great week.

happy happy birthday baby

what a weekend we had. a weekend filled with princesses, pappy, and presents. what a birthday weekend it was. a monkey princess.

a birthday princess. isn't she sweet.

the girls had a great time playing with the kids at the party. then they helped us bottle the beer. they fought for pappy attention. it was an amazing time. I've also been knitting a bit.
i know they're pink. a lady at our church had a girl, so they are pink. aren't they cute. the pair only took about 3 hours start to finish.
this is the little hat that i made for the same little girl. it only took about an hour or so. well, it would have if i hadn't been chasing children.
finally the booties for Q. i need to trim the string, but that's all. I'm making a pair of beige that he can wear with his cute little outfits to church. I'm also going to do a couple of hats. really enjoying using my hands again. well i hope that everyone's weekend was as wonderful as mine.

remember that it's all in your head

my honey is gone for tonight to visit the southern part of his territory. i heard that the pappy is coming to visit this weekend, so her heiness will have an extra visitor for her big day. for lunch before the party we are having my famous chicken tacos. well, the tacos may not be famous per se, but they are highly requested by anyone who has ever eaten them. it has been a while since i made my tortillas, so i hope i don't ruin them. after the party i think we're going to bottle the beer that has been patiently fermenting in the den. yesterday i was searching for an easy knitting pattern for baby hats online, and found a few different hats. i will post pics of the results. I'm still not very good at making the seams look pretty. dinner went well last night other than i had some tightening of the abdomen while cooking. her heiness is wanting to watch a movie with me, so I'll get started on my thankful list.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. trivia- i am always thoroughly amused by random knowledge that really serves little purpose.

2. the ability to help others- even when it is just a kind word. I'm very grateful that from time to time i get to see how I've helped someone.

3. bubble wrap- this provides endless hours of entertainment for her heiness. this is the big bubble wrap. she likes to put it on the floor and jump up and down on it.

4. friends- i try to tell them regularly how awesome they are, but i just don't think words are often enough.

5. being an American- i am proud to live in the greatest country on earth.

6. getting to be a housewife- sometimes it is a very frustrating job, but it is so incredibly rewarding.

7. picture mail- this way my friends and family that won't be here for Q's arrival will still get to see a picture of him shortly after he arrives.

8. my bug- the vw kind that is. i hope to be able to rebuild it either this summer or this fall.

9. vacation- since we won't have one until at least November we are putting a lot of thought into where we want to go. where as we love to see family, we would like to go somewhere we've never been before.

10. mail- you know the kind that isn't bills. every once in a while i get a letter sent out and sometimes even get one in the mail.

what are you thankful for this week? a flyswatter to kill the pesky fruit flies, a child's smile, good chicken salad, friends and family, peace in troubled times? take some time think about it. then call a friend just to say hi and you're thinking about them. they'll be glad to hear from you. have a great weekend.

somethings gotta go wrong cause i feeling way too **** good

I'm glad everyone enjoyed my random tidbits and history. things are almost back to normal here in the finch house. her heiness has some issues when daddy leaves the house, but she's getting better. the lady who writes one of my favorite blogs is having a rough time, so go give her some love please. she needs some prayers and well wishes, and i know you guys are good at those. recently i have begun to worry when the world is going to fall down around me because life is going sooooo well right now. the Lord has blessed us with so much. financially we are out of credit card debt. we have health insurance for the first time in almost 9 years. our little family is growing and thriving. I'm not sure how much of my apprehension is pregnancy induced, and how much is just me being well conditioned to expect over the years.

anyway enough being a negative nancy. one of my bestest buds called me yesterday, and we talked for like 45 minutes. we'll call her snow white because i always thought that was who she looked like, only much prettier. she has black hair, blue eyes, and ivory skin. i haven't gotten a chance to talk to her for 6 months or so, but i try to email her as often as i can. oh the days of sitting at sweet eugene's drinking coffee and talking about what we were going to do with our lives. i wonder if someone had told us what we were really going to do, if we would have believed them. this Saturday her heiness will be three, i can hardly believe how big she has gotten. this will be her first birthday party too. the first two we had to cancel because she was sick.

i found a recipe i am dying to try over at sweetflutterbys, but every time I'm at the store i forget to buy caramels and coconut. i will remember this next time i put an alert on my phone to remind me. yeah i know I'm pathetic, I'd like to blame it on pregnancy brain. the hubby is taking an office day today, so her heiness and i have been enjoying his company all day. we're starting to get things ready for Q's arrival. he will be here in 11 weeks or less. we've begun purchasing a few clothes here and there for him. i truly wonder what size he's going to be. her heiness was a week early and still weighed 9 1/2 lbs, so I'm buying anything newborn sized for him. even monkey weighed 7 lbs 11 oz, and she was almost 3 weeks early. it's kinda funny my friend snow white called to see what we needed for him, and we don't really need anything. we built a beautiful crib for her heiness when she was born. our baby cage is navy and yellow plaid. our stroller is navy and white plaid. most of our sheets and blankets are unisex, so we don't really "need" anything. she decided that we needed boy blankets, onsies, shoes, and socks. i really dig my friends.

belly dancing has been somewhat discouraging lately. we've been learning hip slides and figure eight hip movements. i don't seem to be able to do them. this makes me very sad. i don't handle failure well. the teacher is really awesome. she shows us the movement then she walks around and gives one on one instruction. i told her that i felt incompetent,t and she laughed and told me that there would be several movements that i wouldn't be able to do. apparently my abdominal muscles are a wee bit overworked already. she said she expects to see me back in the class when I'm no longer preggos. I'm hoping to be able to take during the summer session. i figure i can just take Q with me, and nurse when needed. anyway, take care and i will do a thankful list tomorrow.

will you still love me tomorrow

the history of valentines day according to the history chanel.

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".

don't feel bad cause 2 out of 3 ain't bad

apparently i spoke to soon. we are not all well and doing better. yesterday afternoon her heiness awoke from her nap bouncing off the walls with a low grade fever and a cough. i awoke this morning with major snot again. not a whole lot of fun. the strange thing is that last week when her heiness was sick she acted sick. she didn't want to do or eat anything. today she is her normal self demanding candy and marshmallows for breakfast, but settling for eggs. the hubby is having a great time in dallas with his training. he's busy from 7 am until usually 9 pm. he always calls to tell the girls he loves them and good night. i hope everyone enjoyed my random valentines information yesterday because i have tomorrow's post ready to go. i know you guys are waiting for it, so here is this week's thankful list. I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. my hubby- sometimes i tend to get aggravated with him, but then i remember what an amazing man he is. it is often easier to dwell on his faults instead of his wonderful attributes.

2. abuelo tea- my dad makes an herbal tea that helps relieve colds. i'm going to get the rest of the ingredients i need to make more today.

3. sunday school- i never really understood the purpose of sunday school when i was younger, but i have discovered that i am usually more upset when i miss it than when i miss church. my teacher starts class with asking "what is God doing in your life?" it is good to hear how He is working in everyone's lives.

4. my friends- thanks for reading my wee little blog and leaving such wonderful comments. they really brighten my day.

5. texts- sometimes it is the only communication i get from the hubby. it is nice that he can sneak a message or two out while in class.

6. music- i have been listening to my playlist and meatloaf was on when i started the blog this morning. i have actually had this song dedicated to me. as the women in the song not the man. yes that's right the one telling the guys sorry "i want you, i need you, but no matter how i try i'm never gonna love you, but don't feel bad cause 2 out of 3 ain't bad." what does that say about me really.

7. people who give- i was over at some of a kind reading and saw that she is making little hats and wants to know who she can donate them to. in a world where we are inundated with how horrible people treat each other it is good to see people who still care.

8. my family- those who have adopted me into theirs, the ones i have adopted into mine, and those that i was born into. you guys are wonderful thanks.

9. blogs- what an interesting way to keep up with those we know and don't know. a little peek into the lives of others and what they choose to share.

10. the ability to smell- i never truly realized how much i enjoy it until it was gone. i hope that it will return in the near future, but at this rate i'm not holding my breath.

what are you thankful for this week? a hot date on saturday, children laughing, a good rain, or a friend who always knows just when to call. i hope that this week has been blessed for everyone and that it continues that way. the history of valentines according to the history chanel will post tomorrow morning, so don't miss it.

do you love me

in honor of my least favorite holiday some history and trivia. i found this here at the history chanel. here are some interesting trivia bits and i will post the history of valentine's day in a blog on friday.

• 188 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion. (This total excludes packaged kids valentines for classroom exchanges.) (Source: Hallmark research)

• Over 50 percent of all Valentine's Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the observance, making Valentine's Day a procrastinator's delight. (Source: Hallmark research)

• Research reveals that more than half of the U.S. population celebrates Valentine's Day by purchasing a greeting card. (Source: Hallmark research)

• There are 119 single men (i.e., never married, widowed or divorced) who are in their 20s for every 100 single women of the same ages.

• 2.2 million marriages take place in the United States annually. That breaks down to more than 6,000 a day.

• 147,300 marriages are performed in Nevada during 2005. So many couples "tie the knot" in the Silver State that it ranked fourth nationally in marriages, even though it's total population that year among states was 35th.

• The estimated U.S. median ages at first marriage for women and men are 25.3 and 27.1 respectively, in 2005. The age for women rose 4.2 years in the last three decades. The age for men at first marriage is up 3.6 years.

• Men and women in northeastern states generally have a higher median age at first marriage than the national average. In Massachusetts, for example, women were a median of 27.4 years old and men 29.1 years of age at first marriage. States where people typically marry young include Utah, where women were a median of 21.9 years and men, 23.9 years.

• 57% and 60% of American women and men, respectively, are 15 or older and currently married (includes those who are separated).

• 72%: The percentage of men and women ages 30 to 34 in 2005 who had been married at some point in their lives - either currently or formerly.

• 4.9 million opposite-sex cohabitating couples maintained households in 2005. These couples comprised 4.3 percent of all households.

• 1,241: The number of locations producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2004. These establishments employed 43,322 people. California led the nation in the number of such establishments with 136, followed by Pennsylvania with 122. (Source:http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html)

• 515 locations produced nonchocolate confectionary products in 2004. These establishments employed 22,234 people.

• The total value of shipments in 2004 for firms producing chocolate and cocoa products was $13.9 billion. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing, meanwhile, was a $5.7 billion industry.

• 3,467 Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States in 2004. Often referred to as candy stores, they are among the best sources of sweets for Valentine's Day.

• The per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2005 was 25.7 pounds. Candy consumption has actually declined over the last few years; in 1997, each American gobbled or savored more than 27 pounds of candy a year.