Kingdom of the Birds

i'm not who i once was

2012-01-26T11:24:00.007-06:00

what a week this has been. my sweet finch has been at sales training for the majority of the week and it has been rough being solo here at home. here goes the my list of thankfuls for the week.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. my sweet monkey: she compete in 2 events this year for UIL. she won 1st in both of the events.

2. church family- we joined the local baptist church a few weeks back. what an amazing group of people . they have been so kind and inclusive the moment we began attending. they have welcomed us in and showered us with kindness. i am so thankful for this group.

3. friends- my sweet friend pattylicous made a trip down to visit and we had such a great time. sprout was particularly fond of her and had many wonderful conversations with her.

4. baby giggles- yes she is already smiling and giggling. she finds her siblings to be particularly funny

5. handmade goodness- pattylicous made this beautiful blankey for sprout. she loves her blankey.

6. text messages- sometimes it is the only way i get to communicate with my friends. I'm just glad there is a way to say hey without trying to scream over my screaming darlings

7. daddy time- all my kids have loved their daddy time.

8. mail- I've been way behind on checking it, but yesterday i got 4 packages. tons of happy in the mailbox

9. girl time- one thing the girls can agree on is that sprout needs lots of love and snuggles.

10. rain- we had a crazy storm here yesterday. school started 2 hours late due to the storm. the rain is such a blessing to this area, so as the song says "i will praise you in this storm". i am thankful for the moisture and thankful that we didn't have any damage to our apartment.

i hope that everyone has a great and blessed weekend.

oh baby baby

2012-01-19T11:45:00.003-06:00

wow, where does time go? the last bit of 2011 flew by for us. my sweet friend pattylicious had her appendix removed, so i drove up to keep her company while she was in the hospital. the 10 hour drive was not a lot of fun because i was very pregnant. my sweet hubby made sure the kids were well taken care so that i could make the trip. after that trip was monkey's 12th birthday, then turkey day, then Christmas was here before i knew it. i was so excited for 2011 to be over i could hardly contain my joy as the new year approached. i knew that our sweet sprout would be making her way into the world at some point in January, so the year already held an immense joy. at midnight my water broke and the new year brought a new little girl into our family. a quick thankful list while she naps and q watches little einsteins.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. big brothers- he is such a big helper and loves his sister so much already.

2. my hubby- he has been so helpful and i can hardly wait to see what the new year has in store for us.

3. snuggles- there has been A LOT of snuggling going on in the house the past few weeks

4. laughter- there has also been A LOT of laughing in our house the past few weeks.

5. church family- we have found a wonderful group of believers who have taken us in and welcomed us as family. some of the members watched the kiddos for us while i was at the hospital having sprout. the kids loved the bath at gigi's and grumpy's house

6. moving forward- the Lord is moving in our lives and pushing us forward to greater things. i can see where he has been opening doors and putting people in our path. i am so excited to see what he has in store for this year.

7. sisterly love- i have friends who are super close to their sisters, and i have to admit I'm a bit jealous. my sister and i are not close and we never have been. i pray daily that my girls will be friends as they grow.

8. baby noises- the sweet sounds that new babies make are truly gifts from God.

9. our sweet lil sprout- she was born at 7:57 am on 1-1-12. she weighed a tiny 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 18 1/2 inches long. it was love at first sight.

10. the grace of God- He has showered me and my family with it and i am so thankful for His love, grace and mercy.

i hope that this year brings blessings and joy to you.

sweeter than sugar

2011-11-15T10:44:00.002-06:00

wow, how did i miss a whole week and a thankful Thursday? oh yeah, last week was rough. i was in the process of battling a cold that was doing its best to settle in my lungs. then i got the call that i had failed my glucose test, ugh. on Thursday i went in and did the 3 hour fasting test and it was not a fun thing.
i am thankful that i passed the 3 hour test, no diabetes for me. woohoo.

i thought everyone could use an Oreo smile from my little man. isn't he cute. we don't get oreos very often, so he was very excited to get some as a snack.

we are God's hands

2011-11-08T18:28:00.001-06:00

i am so thankful for the ability to craft. i know that all my gifts and abilities come from God, so i give him thanks for them. i was so thrilled when i was asked to make a hat for the picture taking of sweet scout. scout is my friend vanillafrog's son and he is so much more than precious. his sweet grams requested a specific type of hat, and i set out to find a pattern and the appropriate colors.

i have to admit it was tougher than i thought it would be. the pompom was the first I'd ever made. well, i made 2 practice ones "just in case". i was so honored to be asked to make something for lil scout. his mom and grams are such amazing christian women and i think the world of them, so it was a true blessing to be asked to make a part of his early adornments.

we're going to the chapel and we're gonna get married

2011-11-07T09:06:00.004-06:00

i am so thankful for my hubby. without him i wouldn't have any of my darling kiddos. he is so supportive of me in everything that i endeavor to do. i am truly blessed to call him mine.

this is a picture from our renewal ceremony that we did for our 6th anniversary. i made mine and monkey's dresses. finch and i eloped to vegas, so this was our "ceremony" for the family.

you are so beautiful

2011-11-06T20:11:00.002-06:00

i am thankful for my sweet lil princess. she is truly a light in my life. she is a blessing to me. she is always ready with a laugh or smile whenever i need one. she started to kindergarten this year and is loving school more everyday.

she was so excited to loose this tooth. she lost it at school and they gave her a little treasure chest to store it in until she got home. i am thankful for the joy she sees in everything.

i absolutely love her, when she smiles

2011-11-05T23:15:00.002-05:00

i am so thankful for my eldest child. my sweet monkey. 12 years ago i was anxiously awaiting her arrival, not knowing how much my world and outlook were about to change.

this is a picture of her laughing at the q man as we were making a moving trip from our old house to the apartment. she has one of the most beautiful smiles i have ever seen. she reminds me of how far life has come in her short life. she reminds me of how much love a person is capable of. i know that without her i wouldn't be who i am today. she's taught me that it is wise to choose my battles. she has also taught me that sometimes a hug can make it all better. she gives the best hugs and they can bring a smile to my face even in my darkest moods.

to know, know, know him is to love, love, love him, and i do, yes i do

2011-11-04T19:44:00.002-05:00

day three. i am thankful for my lil man. i had no idea how truly different boys are from girls. from birth he has been such a blessing and joy. he was rough and tumble in my belly and is still rough and tumble.

this picture is from before we cut his lovely golden locks. i cried when we cut them because all the baby was gone. he has taught me so much in his short time here. like how to rejoice in the little accomplishments of the day. he's shown me how to live less fearfully. i love this boy and all the different dynamics that he adds to my family

what if Your blessings come through raindrops

2011-11-03T08:12:00.003-05:00

two days in a row, don't believe it myself. my picture thank you is for wee lil sprout. she's quite the active baby so far. below is my favorite picture from her sono. she looked like she was waving hi to us, she did this right after the kids were talking to her. they thought it was super cool.

since it is Thursday i need to do my full thankful post.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. laundry- being able to do this "chore" means that i am capable of being upright, walking and carrying things. that alone should make me grateful, but wait there's more..... it also means that i have clothes that need to be washed, how wonderful is that. I'm trying to look at housework through different eyes and seeing laundry as a blessing was step one

2. hot tea- i try to have a cup every morning to start me off on a calmer note

3. honey crisp apples- LOVE these apples. they are only available for a short time, so i try to eat all that i can when i can get them

4. my minivan- it seats all of us and is super comfy, love it

5. friends- what a blessing they are to me. words of encouragement and prayers when i need them. even better being able to do sweet things for them

6. yarn- my yarn stash has gone crazy, but I'm slowly using it up making things

7. learning new things- my sil sent me a spindle for my birthday and I'm so excited to try it out, now i just need some extra time in my day

8. kool-aid- not only do my kids drink it by the gallon, you can dye yarn with it. yep, that's also on my list of to do things

9. good food- we are cooking more and more at home. i forget how much better a good home cooked meal tastes than what you can get out.

10. good water- our water here leaves quite a bit to be desired, so we have been buying water. you know it's rough when you think someone has been cleaning with bleach because the chlorine smell is so strong from the water.

i hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend

i will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart

2011-11-02T09:53:00.003-05:00

i already posted these pics on my crafty blog, totally on accident. i blame pregnancy brain, so if you want to read what i am thankful for go check it out. i will try to remember to post them here tomorrow.

i will sing a song of hope, sing along

2011-10-19T07:59:00.001-05:00

howdy to those who still check in from time to time to see if I'm still alive. i am and i am one year older than last time i wrote. the last two months have been a..... time for prayer and for... holding close and tight to those i love. i have decided to list, in honor of my bday, a list of 32 things i am thankful for.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. prayers- i have been blessed with many answered prayers this past few months. the fires didn't make it to our property, the issues at hand were solved, and the family is adjusting to where we are.

2. friends- this past year has been worse than rough and my friends have been there to pray for me and to cheer me on, even when i wasn't sure i would make it.

3. the baby- she's not here yet, but she will be before i know it. have i mentioned her due date is the day the ectopic pregnancy was removed? yeah, God works in mysterious ways

4. crafts- i have a couple of things planned for some special ladies in my life. those ladies that have prayed for me and cheered me on. yeah I've got a lil something planned for each of you

5. the cool weather- it was so cool this morning and it felt so wonderful. it's been too hot for too long here

6. tums- got to love heartburn

7. the ability to help others

8. the ability to let go and let God- this year has been full of these moments and i am slowly learning that it's ok to let go

9. kind words- there have been several times recently that it would have felt so good to lash out and be cruel, but instead i offered a few kind thoughts. not sure it changed the other person, but man did it make me feel better

10. silence- the self imposed kind. sometimes the silence between two people is needed to heal the wounds.

11. yarn- I've been crocheting and knitting nearly nonstop the past few months. i really should post some pics

12. laughter- it really is the best medicine

13. well behaved kids- it isn't until I'm surrounded by other kids that i realize "hey mine are actually pretty good"

14. feeding the ducks- the kids have enjoyed this tremendously. we have taken them several times

15. finding peace- I'm still trying to make sense of some of this past year. why people i thought were friends turned out to be... less that friendly, but I'm slowly making peace

16. sleep- i miss a good night's sleep

17. standing up for what i believe- not always the popular choice, but always the right choice

18. manners- how easy they are, but what a foreign concept they seem to be

19. good talks- i don't talk on the phone much, texting is so much easier, i mean who wants to hear my kids fighting while we attempt to discuss anything?

20. dvr- i get to actually watch the shows i want to watch.

21. rain- it has rained a few times, but we are in serious need of more

22. a church home- i miss ours and we are still looking for one here.

23. facebook- i don't play the games anymore, but it is nice to see/keep up with people that i have wondered about over the years.

24. good music- it helps to lift the mood and elevate the spirit

25. clean clothes- which means i do lots of laundry

26. my washer and dryer- after 7 years I'm still loving them

27. privacy- did you know that you can hear almost everything that your neighbors do and say in this apartment. yeah, fun

28. hot tea- it seems to calm my nerves and that has been something to be thankful for lately

29. baby wiggles- this sweet girl is very active. the kids think it is cool that you can see her move

30. soft toilet paper- seriously I'm all about good paper products. they are worth every penny

31. getting wiser

32. the life i live

there are so many things i thank God for daily and it has been nice to list some extra to share with you guys. hope this weekend is a blessing for all of you

hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me

2011-08-25T20:00:00.002-05:00

this last week has been one of the worst i have ever endured. thank you for the friends that have prayed for us during this time. today it rained, it poured almost all day. it hasn't rained here in what feels like forever, and today it poured. the beauty is in the song lyric i used as my title. today all was made clear to us, and grace fell down like the rain.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. prayer- the amazing power of this has been so evident this week.

2. rain- so cleansing and beautiful

3. my family- what a great lil group we are

4. friends- you ladies are amazing. to those who have shared this week with me, i can never thank you enough. seriously, i don't know if i would have made it without your kind words.

5. laughter- i have cherished each laugh i have had and heard this past week

6. praise music- it has been so uplifting to hear it this week

7. sleep- I've missed having a good rest

8. iced tea- mmmm, so good when it's so hot out

9. joy- it has helped sustain me this week

10. peace- that deep peace that keeps me sane

hope everyone has a great weekend.

and i will praise you in this storm

2011-08-19T14:41:00.001-05:00

CASTING CROWNS - PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM LYRICS: Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus

say a prayer for me

2011-08-19T00:10:00.001-05:00

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

PRAYER- and i ask for my family to be kept in your prayers. thank you

can you teach me how to dance real slow

2011-08-06T21:44:00.001-05:00

so we are on to the letter C. to begin i updated my cooking blog, i know shocker. it was at the request of a friend for a recipe, this does tie into the letter c i promise. well, it's late and i am tired.

THINGS I LIKE THAT START WITH C

chuy's mexican restaurant- below is a pic of monkey at chuy's on Friday. coffee- the chuy's we went to was in college station, which is home to my favorite coffee house sweet eugene's. we skipped it this trip because it was too hot for my favorite drink, bummer.

cooking- told you it would all tie in together. below is the cooking of the caramelized apple topping we had on our pancakes this morning. want to know more....check out the other blog

cold- even when we aren't having the hottest and driest summer on record, i prefer the cold. funny because i now live somewhere that gets 2 weeks of cold they call winter.

caramel- love it in almost all of its forms. below is monkey's plate before she devoured the goodness and licked the plate.

candles- i love to make them at to burn them

cuddles- there is nothing in the world like a good cuddle with someone you love
cell phones- i love the fact that we can now instantly communicate when we need something. i am aware that some people let the phone rule their life, but just today i got a prayer request on my phone. i stopped what i was doing and said a prayer. that my friends is good stuff

chillin out- we do some serious chillin out in our house when it is time to relax. yeah that's a picture of the two men in my life, handsome devils.

this has been fun, but it's past my bedtime.

perfection is my enemy

2011-08-04T21:42:00.002-05:00

another great day in the finch house. we went school shopping for the girls, my sweet princess will be in kindergarten and monkey will be in middle school. everything is labeled, sorted, and put in its proper backpack. I've gotten my craft goods unpacked and placed in the proper places. wow, i have a lot of yarn. i also found tons of wip, works in progress. I've put them all in a bag and will be trying to finish at least one a week. I've also decided not to start any new projects, excluding swaps, until the bag is empty. maybe this will give me something to put on the craft blog. I've discovered so much this week that i am soooo thankful for.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. sun tea- i made sure to pack the sun tea jar this last round of move, only to discover that my mint has bugs and the jar spigot is broken. after a trip to the local heb i have a new jar and some delicious non-mint sun tea.

2. a/c- in case you didn't know 108+ add some humidity is not a good thing for this bird. the kids asked if they could play outside and i had to explain that we are not equipped to prevent boiling in this heat.

3. pictures- I've been going through all of the old pictures and they just make me smile. i need to get the scanner hooked up so i can get some of my middle school and high school pictures up.

4. the bird clock- i should have put this on my B list, but didn't. it was my grandpa's clock and it chimes/sings/calls a different bird song on each hour. it hangs in our living room and makes us all smile when it sings.

5. my recliner- yes again i find myself in it's loving arms daily.

6. garden ridge- we had some extra time before my doctor appointment, so finch surprised me with a quick trip

7. taking a break- we will be taking a small family trip to the beach next week and we are all very excited.

8. mail- i do love to get things in the mail.

9. good food- we had hummus and tabbouleh today for lunch and it was so good. not as good as the foccacia from yesterday, but close

10. bedtime- love the time of day when i get to sit and relax for a just a lil bit.

i hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

back in black

2011-08-03T20:36:00.006-05:00

it's been quite a busy week already. Monday had an appointment and doctor says all is well, but maybe i should take it easy for a bit. apparently my "abdominal discomfort" sounds a bit too much like preterm labor for her. Tuesday we rode with daddy to San Antonio, and monkey was introduced to 1/2 priced books. she just stood in the entry way for several minutes just staring at all the books. the look on her face when i told her that was a small store was truly priceless. today was spent shopping, doing laundry and cleaning. now I'm reclining and taking it easy. i had a blast doing the A list, so i figured i would do the B list today. most of these pics are old ones, but they are great pics

THINGS I LIKE THAT START WITH "B"

baptism- every time i see one i cry. finch thinks it's cute. below is monkey's baptism.

being an adult- man i love this.

bread- I've been making lots of bread since we got here, and it goes quick.

better than ezra- if you aren't familiar with them, look em up

books- i love books, love to read and love to learn. q likes a good book before bed too.

babies- love the tiny toes, the giggles, and the love that they so freely give

bubbles- my kids love to blow bubbles and it warms my heart to see it

Bible- some may figure it goes under books, but to me it is so much more than just a book

bags- love me some bags. i did a cal, crochet a long, earlier this year and we made the green grocer bag.

that's all for now, i have some dishcloths to finish before bed tonight. hope everyone is having a great week so far, and I'm hoping to get a thankful list up tomorrow. maybe the kids will let me take pics.

you labeled me, i label you, so i dub thee unforgiven

2011-08-01T22:04:00.004-05:00

ever get to the end of a week and wonder why it seemed to last a month? that's how last week was for me. we made 2 whirlwind trips to and from to get more stuff. i have a question for the few of you that read. how do you handle when your religion is attacked or better yet when it is questioned/thrown in your face. this has happened to me a few times and it usually involves somebody thinking they are somehow owed something because i am a christian. hmmm, not sure when in the bible it says "thou shalt be a doormat", but i could be wrong. anywho, i had this long tirade of a blog typed out about forgiveness, but decided to take the high road instead. trust me it was a very.... biting blog. instead i think that i would like to play the alphabet game. I've seen it in various forms here and here. i hope to upload pics tomorrow for the letter b, but we'll see what tomorrow brings.

some things that i like that start with A

amigurumis- they are cute, and i love to make them. couldn't find a pic of the ones I've made, so i will have to make more and take pics.

antics- you know the kinds kiddos have when they are having fun.

apples- i ordered a fruit and walnut salad at mc d's and the kids ate it all. princess and q ate the grapes then the apples, monkey devoured the walnuts and finch ate the yogurt. q kept asking for more apples please. the princess always asks for apples with her happy meals, i blame the caramel dip.

angels- my kiddos are truly the angels i see on earth every day. not that they always behave like angels mind you.

answers- i like to know why things are the way they are and why people do what they do. i don't always like the answers, but I'm always glad to know.

for those who know me in real life my oldest, known here as monkey, her name starts with A

agua- is it cheating to use a different language? oh well, loving me some ice cold agua during this unbearably hot summer.

my darling second daughter, known here as the princess, also sports a name that starts with A

this was fun, and so much happier than the other post that i had typed. thanks for the support.

broke into the old apartment

2011-07-21T20:25:00.002-05:00

we are apartment dwellers again. we know that once again it is for the short term and that God provided what we needed when we needed it. the great news is that it is in the school district we wanted the girls to attend, so no transfer fees this year. I'm hoping that living in this environment will cut down on some of the screaming that has become second nature to the family. it feels great to have a kitchen again. we've been eating some seriously yummy food this past week. felt sprout wiggle for the first time on Tuesday. finch was put his hand on the ever expanding bump, and there was a lil flutter. monkey is getting ready to head to camp with her bff next week, and can hardly contain her excitement. I've been trying to catch up on all my friends' blogs lately and i have to say I'm loving the alphabet game. in fact when we get back from this trip i may start it here.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. a place of our own- how we have missed this the last 6 months

2. being together- q is so excited to have daddy every day again

3. good water- i have been so thirsty and the water here is way gross, so we've been buying water. we have a Brita pitcher and it doesn't help at all.

4. my bed- man i have missed it this summer while packing in happy

5. good laughs- how great it is to joke and laugh

6. picnics- we went on a picnic today with finch's mom. we had chicken and played at the park. the kids were so happy to see nana and play with her.

7. good friends- i have some amazing friends who have been wonderful to me during the transitional period. I'm sad to leave some behind, but excited to be near others.

8. swaps- i had planned on sitting out of any more than the dishcloth ones I'm in, but there is a recipe swap. you guys know how i feel about recipes. woohoo

9. maternity clothes- yeah, now i just have to find them all

10. quiet time- the kids are getting use to being here, so bedtime is still a war zone. they are usually asleep by 9, and then i get a lil bit of time to crochet.

i hope that this weekend is wonderful for everyone. i will be making a pack and move run this weekend. it should be fast and furious. don't forget to take a minute to count your blessings.

someday i'll be saturday night

2011-07-07T22:26:00.004-05:00

i love me some bon jovi, and i can relate to this song more than i should probably admit to. the chorus says "I'm feeling like a Monday, but someday I'll be Saturday night." too often I've felt like Monday, and it wasn't until last week i began to understand Saturday night. the kids and i were jamming out to bon jovi while packing and this song came on. the kids were dancing around and laughing. i couldn't help but grin ear to ear and laugh as they spun around giggling. i realized that i have Saturday night everyday of the week, but too often i get caught up with the crap of life to realize it. there in front of me was happiness and contentment. man am i blessed.

i missed my thankfuls last week, not because i wasn't thankful, but mainly due to the fact that my computer was in a different part of Texas than me. i went to the doctor last week for a routine checkup, and sprout is getting bigger and the heart rate sounds great. after the appointment my dear hubby and i drove back to the town without a frown.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. my Saturday night- glad God reminds me to take a minute and enjoy what really matters in life.

2. my husband- he works so hard so that we can have such a great life. he stands by his beliefs and loves the Lord. who could ask for more?

3. my wonderful summer help- I'm learning to relax and let the kids help more. we got most of the kitchen packed up and all the books.

4. my washer and dryer- man how i have missed them, seriously i missed them.

5. good sleep- it feel good to be rested because packing is hard work
6. milk- i have really gotten to love a cold glass of milk before bed. it really helps me sleep

7. peace and harmony- with 3 kids peace and harmony are sometimes hard to come by, but when they happen.... ah they are wonderful

8. family- i have an amazing family. 3 great kids with another on the way and an amazing hubby. who needs more? i am so blessed.

9. a job well done- i started packing by packing all the books. this might not make sense, but it feels good to walk in the den and all the shelves are empty. it's rewarding to see how much has been accomplished.

10. friends- i have some amazing friends and i am very thankful for each and every one of them. i don't know what i would do without the support and love they shower me with.

i can't believe how much of my life has changed in the path of less than a year. i can hardly believe how much is still to come. i wonder at what God's plan is, and i am very excited to see what he has in store for us. this year is half over, and i can't say I'll be sad to see it go. hope everyone has a great weekend, i have more packing to do, so i better get some sleep.

i'm going off the rails on a crazy train

2011-06-23T20:52:00.002-05:00

we've been watching megamind again. q absolutely loves it and anything with that great of a soundtrack has my vote. June is over halfway gone and I'm not halfway finished with all the packing. turns out packing makes me tired, and being over tired makes me cramp. i feel so blah lately, i know mostly because I'm missing my sweet hubby worse everyday. i sat down with my aunt on father's day and we were discussing weight loss, good conversation for a pregnant chick right. i told her that i had dropped a lil over 8 pounds since we got back to happy, and it wasn't until i was talking to her about calories that it occurred to me that perhaps i wasn't getting what i should be. yeah, most days I'm getting less than 1000. oops, i have the tendency when busy to forget to eat and drink, yep that's why the kidneys hurt today. I'm doing my best to remedy the situation, but old habits die hard. I'm tired and tomorrow will come early, and I'm finishing my cookbook packing tomorrow. already packed 6 boxes of them today. on the the thankfuls

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. text messages- it's about the only form of communication i have anymore.

2. central air- with highs over 100 this girl is way to hot just walking to the car.

3. ravelry- there is a group that i belong to and they are just so amazing. they cheer when you are up, they rally around when you are down. love this group

4. my hubby- the nightmares are getting worse and he sends me sweet emails and calls to reassure me that all is well.

5. prayer- the power of prayer is more amazing than i can ever explain.

6. friends- i have a great group that supports me and lifts me up in prayer whenever i need it, thanks guys

7. the ability to say no- my family situation is tense at best, both related and married to, and it has been such a relief to step away and say nothing. no i won't be your friend on fb, no i won't tell you what is eating me alive so you can pawn it to the highest bidder, no i won't let you bring me down anymore.

8. standing firm- the hubby and i have some very strict rules and guidelines as far as our kids go, and some of these, most of these, have been tested the past 6 months. it feels good to not back down from what we know is right and what we know God has set forth. yep, even when everybody else is doing it.

9. friends from the past- there were some wonderful christian people put in my path during a very difficult time in my life, and they were always such a bright beacon of hope for me. i only wish that i had known to run to these people when my world collapsed. i wonder if i had run to them instead of seeking solace in a bottle how much smoother high school would have been. how was i to know that some people offer love unconditionally. thank you ladies, you may never know how much you and your daughters meant to me.

10. good teachers- i had some great teachers and i have friends who are now great teachers. keep up the good fight, you never know how much you you do for those kids.

i hope that this first weekend of summer is cooler for you than it will be here. smile you never know whose day you will brighten

baby can i hold you tonight?

2011-06-09T20:28:00.002-05:00

so our first week back in happy packing has gone surprisingly well. I've stirred up tons of dust, so my sinuses are on full back up. while we've been enjoying 100+ temps here, my sweet hubby has been in San Diego at a conference. he got back a day earlier than we had thought, so we actually got to see him for his birthday. the kids have been really great about letting me rest in the afternoons, turns out preggie at 32 isn't as easy as preggie at 20-who knew. I've gotten most of the books in the den packed, those who know how many books we have know this isn't too shabby a job for one person in a few days. I'm feeling gross, so this is going to be short. my thankful list

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. being held to go to sleep- i don't sleep well as a general rule, nightmares are tough. it was wonderful to have my sweet finch home to hold me to sleep.

2. naps- I've taken 2 today and will probably call it an early night.

3. my nook- yep, last night when we all loaded in the van to come home from the airport, my sweet hubby took a detour via barnes and noble to get me a nook. he knows how much i love to read, and how i refuse to buy anymore books this summer to pack.

4. my hubby- he is so good to me and the kids, and he is capable of keeping the house in running order. i made the joke on facebook that other than a busted water pipe and looking like boo radley had been renting our house looked great. finch got the water fixed the next day and still made it to the girls birthday party.

5. cute maternity clothes- i put on some of my capris, that fit fine last week, and lo and behold they were tough to zip. i figured it was due to my constant hunger that i had been gaining weight, so i hopped on the scale to find I'd actually lost 4 lbs. hmmmm, may have to bust out the maternity shorts and capris sooner than i thought.

6. yogurt- mmmmmmm, the one snack everyone in the house can agree on.

7. micro food- i love to cook, but as time and kitchen resources are limited, well, we have been living on some tasty micro meals. the kids think it is such a treat. they were actually upset that they didn't get ramen for breakfast. i guess anything that you get rarely is a treat when you're a kid.

8. central air- please see above about 100+ degree weather

9. friends- monkey has spent the day with her bff and will be staying the night as well. the kids are so excited to get to see friends while we are here.

10. God- sometimes it is difficult for me to fathom a creator that would care for his broken creations so much. then i see how much i love my sweet kids, even when they are being monsters, and i wonder how much more God loves us. without Him i wouldn't be where i am, so a huge thank you to Him.

i hope this weekend brings us some rain and a cool down. i also hope to feel well enough tomorrow to actually be able to function like a normal human.

hold my heart

2011-06-02T22:33:00.002-05:00

what a week this has been. school has finished and the girls are so excited to spend the summer in happy. I'm thrilled to get to spend time with my friends that i have missed, but the thought of single parenting, packing, and morning sickness all together makes me want to cry. yes you read that correctly, we are expecting. we waited to make the news public until after the sono, the ectopic in January really took the wind out of my sails. the title of today's blog is the title of another one of my favorite songs. every time it comes on the radio i choke up. it's late and we are spending tomorrow traveling, so i should get some rest.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. good news from doctor visits- a friend from ravelry got great news today that her grandpa's cancer was indeed gone.

2. the wonder of a child- we took the kids with us, and the looks on their sweet faces when they saw the baby was amazing. q started dancing when he heard the heartbeat, it was too cute.

3. dum dums and ginger ale- yeah the nausea has been rough so far.

4. good talks- we had one of those tough, but needed talks with monkey this week. you know the one that goes "people who really love you will never ask you to go against your morals and beliefs". it is wonderful to be able to talk to her and to listen to her in return

5. prayer- the power of prayer never ceases to amaze me. the ability to commune with my Maker, that's the good stuff.

6. friends- i have been so blessed with a great group of friends. i think it is very needed to tell them and the world how wonderful they are. YOU GUYS ROCK

7. a great hubby- God really knew what he was doing when He put us in each other's path. what a great man I'm married to.

8. tums- yeah heartburn has started early this round.

9. new beginnings- the girls will start school in a new district this fall. it was a long discussion, but ultimately we want what is best for them.

10. friend dates- pattylicious and i have a long overdue date planned for Saturday night.

thanks for the comments they are good to read. i do hope to be able to post some on my other two blogs in the near future, but don't hold your breath. I'm going to be a very busy girl for the next.... several months. i will try to put some more pictures up soon. take care and have a great weekend.

how far the east is from the west

2011-05-26T21:36:00.001-05:00

I've been listening to our contemporary christian station A LOT since we moved. below are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs. songs like this are my number one on my thankful list this week. they are a daily reminder that I'm never too far from my Father and His love.

CASTING CROWNS LYRICS - East To West: "Here I am, Lord, and I'm drowning in your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me
I yearn for peace and rest
I don't want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight
I know You've cast my sin as far as the east is from the west
And I stand before You now as though I've never sinned
But today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west
'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day, the war begins, endless reminding of my sin
Time and time again Your truth is drowned out by the storm I'm in
Today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

I know You've washed me white, turned my darkness into light
I need Your peace to get me through, to get me through this night
I can't live by what I feel, but by the truth Your word reveals
I'm not holding on to You, but You're holding on to me
You're holding on to me

Jesus, You know just how far the east is from the west
I don't have to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other
One scarred hand to the other
From one scarred hand to the other"

2. friends- I'm so thankful for my friends who offer me encouragement and guidance when i feel lost and confused

3. my hubby- he has been so understanding and caring. he knows me and still loves me, may not sound like much, but he has seen the demons that haunt me and he holds me and loves me anyway.

4. my past-yep it made me who i am, like me or not. I'm happy with who i have become and each test has brought me to where God has put me. for the first time in a long time i don't feel crazy and that is a good thing.

5. my present- i am happy with my life and who i am. it has taken me most of my life to reach this point, and here i am content with who i am

6. my future- sometimes it scares the heebus jeebus out of me. then i take a deep breath and say a long prayer and i discover that I'm not afraid at all

7. my faith- it has cost me friends and family, but i wasn't promised an easy walk. i was promised joy, peace, and salvation.

8. dates- i had a date with my hubby and a date with some friends this past weekend. both were very needed in there own ways.

9. cleaning house- both the literal cleaning of the home and the kind where people who are toxic are removed. both are needed sometimes more often than we like.

10. crafting- I've been working hard on several projects lately, and it feels good to be busy.

i hope this memorial weekend is wonderful for you. take a moment to say thanks to those who are away from home fighting for us, and for those they left at home.

the honest cries of breaking hearts are better than a halleluia

2011-05-19T09:33:00.003-05:00

things are very busy here in the kingdom. we have been busy clearning brush, so that we can get electric out to the property. after that we can get the house. it's getting very hot here, we've already had a few near 100 days. it's been forever since i've done a thankful list, but lately i have been so thankful for all i do have.
I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. hard work- it feels good to be able to use my hands to get things done.

2. the results of the hard work- above is the property where the house will sit. it has taken a lot of work on our parts. we've been using a lawnmower, chain saw, machete, and tree loppers.

3. family time- we've been clinging together as a tight group lately to get the work done, and when we get to let off some steam and play it really helps.

4. long walks on the beach- above is a picture of us walking on the pier at port lavaca

5. flowers- we planted some pots of flowers this year because we weren't sure where we ulitmately would be.

6. friends- it is so amazing how we draw together when one of us has a problem. my friends are amazing

7. crafting- i have been crazy busy working on projects for friends, family, and swaps.

8. new experiences- above is the kids in corpus. q was a bit confused by the waves at first.

9. being loved- there is no better feeling that to love a be loved in return. there is a lot of love in my life.

10. family- i have a great family. just look at that smile, that makes all better.

i hope that things are going great for everyone who reads this. we have big plans this weekend. the princess has a skate birthday party to attend and i'm meeting friends at knitting nest for a book signing. things are looking up and looking great.

tell the world i'm coming home

2011-04-18T13:19:00.003-05:00

sorry for the lack of blog. things have been.... well things are finally starting to look up. we have relocated to where my hubby grew up, where he has always called home. in fact the day after my last blog he got the call that the territory near his old stomping grounds was open and was his if he wanted it. well, here we are.

the internet here is slow at best, so mostly i don't use it. i keep up via my phone for most things facebook and blog. however, i can't seem to do a decent blog from it. this is going to be quick, mostly i was curious to see how long this would take, so that i could plan accordingly.

this is a picture from the renfest that is just down the road from us. the kids had a super time.

yeah, i can't believe how big she's getting either. she gets prettier by the day

they are all getting bigger by the day. this was at a park in college station.

i hope to be able to update more often, but life is busy and time is short. hope to start back to my thursday posts this week. thanks for reading

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades

2011-01-13T18:59:00.002-06:00

this is from one of my favorite songs we sing during worship at church. i had every intention of blogging sooner, but we were without Internet for two weeks and then..... well suffice it to say life happens. yesterday i went into surgery to remove an ectopic pregnancy, so now I'm trying to recover. while in surgery the doctor realized that the fallopian tube had already ruptured, two weeks ago is her guess of when it happened. so in the face of losing a life that i was carrying in my body, i could have lost mine. that was not God's plan yet, for He spared my life. the doctor assured finch, i was still in recovery, that we should have no problem having another lil finch if we still chose to. i have been so blessed with prayers and well wishes from my dear and wonderful friends. during my short stay at the hospital peaches came to see me and brought me chocolate, a beautiful magazine, and an apron book. how awesome is that. pattylicious came to the hospital to see me too, and she brought me the prettiest sparkly daisies. i am truly blessed with a wonderful group of friends. i am so thankful for all the love and prayers that have been showered on me and my family as we waited to see what would be.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. prayers- the ability to communicate with the Lord, this has been my saving grace the past two weeks.

2. God- without him i wouldn't be here.

3. life- i know that medically speaking i shouldn't have made it, but i am here by God's will and i am soooo thankful for that

4. good doctors- my ob/gyn twice has given advice that has let me live a full life.

5. friends- my sweet friend kayla kept the kids for me during the days that i spent at the dr trying to figure out what was wrong with me. my dear friend firecracker came and stayed the night with the kids, so that finch could be with me in the hospital. all my other friends that offered up prayers and gave kind words when things seemed so dark, they reminded me of the Light.

6. my hubby- he is taking excellent care of me.

7. my sweet kids- monkey has been cooking dinner for us, so that i can be off my feet. the princess has been fetching me cups of water. the poor lil q just wants to be held and loved.

8. pain meds- i usually don't use the pain meds that I'm given, but oh my am i glad i got the prescription filled this time. wow i hurt.

9. compassion- the nursing staff decided to prep me in my room for surgery because there were lots of babies in pre-op and they didn't want me to be sad. they gave hugs and prayers to help comfort me. what a great group of ladies.

10. my recliner- i can relax in the living room with the fam instead of being in bed by myself.

I've seen so much cruelty in my life and it is too easy to get caught up in the cruelty that the world dishes out. it is easy to forget how many truly kind people there are in this world. thank you to each and everyone of you.

how many kings have stepped down from their thrones?

2010-12-16T11:16:00.003-06:00

what a busy week we have had. i would love to say that the time has flown, but that would be a lie. this week has crawled by at slower than a slug's pace. this morning princess and i made some reindeer dust to give to all her friends in prek. they have their Christmas party this afternoon and she was very excited about having something for everyone. Doppler Dave says that we have a chance for a couple inches of snow tonight and into tomorrow morning. that's always very exciting for the kiddos. monkey has her party at school tomorrow afternoon and i am supplying the puppy chow and rice crispy treats as requested by her. had to get lil man another pair of shoes, he keeps losing one of each pair. i have tons to do, so on to the thankfuls

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. good music- i joined a swap group on ravelry called the odd ducks, and one of the sweet ducks saw that i love better than ezra. she sent me 2 cds. i was so excited that i jumped up and down and did the lil happy dance.

2. surprise packages- i was expecting one box last Saturday from a winter dishcloth swap i was in, but to my surprise and excitement there were 3. 1 package had the above mentioned cds and the other was a loaf of shelly's famous chocolate chip Amish friendship bread. it was sooooo good.

3. netflix- the hubby has been gone all week, so I've been enjoying watching movies instantly while i crochet presents.

4. early bedtime- for me. i require sleep, lots of it, or i just don't function well. this week has been great I've been in bed by no later than 10:15 every night.

5. the ability to be a friend- i don't often brag on myself, but i will this time. i think I'm a pretty awesome friend to have. i don't make friends easily, so i try to hold on to those that i have with all my might. i got to spend a wonderful day with a good friend from high school and it was great to catch up and cook together.

6. my friends- now this group of ladies is just amazing. they are truly God's gift to me in my times of need. it has been a rough 3 weeks and they have been awesome

7. prayer- the power of prayer is soooo amazing.

8. cooking- i love to cook and bake and make things for people.

9. giving- it is the time of year when gift giving is the norm, and i wonder why more people aren't giving the rest of the year. i don't necessarily mean money. my friend peaches gave me the prettiest coupon holder for no other reason than she can. she is an amazing woman that i am thrilled to know.

10. ravelry- seriously addicting, but the ladies i have met are AWESOME.

i am thankful for God who sent Jesus to earth, so that one day i might be saved. i hope the rest of the season is a blessing to you.

i'll be home for christmas

2010-12-13T12:06:00.003-06:00

i know it's been forever since i have been around in the blogosphere. i've been debating getting rid of this lil drivel, but instead i think i will steal an idea from another blog. i hope to be able to take a picture a day of the kids and blog those. we have been very busy here in happy. my sweet monkey turned 11 and is becoming quite the lady. she's a little over 5 foot now and is looking less like a kid everyday. sweet princess is getting bigger by the day as well, and is definitely her own person. halloween was lots of fun here. monkey wanted to be artemis and the princess wanted to be a vampire fairy. yeah, the joys of having an older sister.

this is them at the festival our church held, they had a great time.

a close up of artemis, isn't she pretty

lil man went as the healthiest skeleton ever.

we have a family membership to the discovery center, and have been enjoying it.

monkey was highly curious about the bed of nails bit.

so was the princess

the discovery center has a kinderstudio for kids 5 and under. lil man had a great time

monkey showing off her killer roping skills.

we have had a great fall so far, and the winter is shaping up to be awesome as well. we are traveling this year for christmas, this will be the first time in the 12 years we have been married. i know 12 years of marriage. this fall has brought some very sweet babies into this world. a beautiful set of twin boys to my friend ro and sweet scout to vanilla frog. i have been busy crocheting stockings for the family and some presents too. i hope that all is well for everyone in the blogosphere. work has been good, stressful but good. did you know that mail is measured in inches. think about that for a second.... think how many letters it takes to make up 75 inches of mail. yeah, this time of year is very busy. i need to work on some crochet, so i bid you bye for now. i do hope to be back soon, but the trip south will take me away from the internet.

every new boy that she meets doesn't know the real surprise

2010-10-07T20:52:00.004-05:00

I'm just going to jump into my thankfuls this week.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. the crafts i do- i am thankful that God has given me a healthy way to unwind.

2. dancing with my hubby- we haven't gone out dancing in a long time, but from time to time he will spin me around our house. it's times like that when i can't believe it's been 12 years of us together.

3. crafty people- i don't mean the con artists of the world, I'm talking about the people who can take simple yarn or towels or food and make them into works of art. you people inspire me to do more and be more than i am today.

4. laughter- i went to a celebration of a life ended too soon this past weekend, and there were tears shed for a woman who touched so many lives. in the midst we found ourselves laughing about things she had said or done that touched us all.

5. innocence- the kind that when lost just can't be regained. the kind that makes every person a friend.

6. sweet songs- i love the sound of children singing. i sometimes wonder if it is the closest to angels we hear on earth.

7. friends- the picture below is the lovely gifty that my friend peaches sent me. isn't it beautiful. she is one of the most amazing people i have met. proof that you are who you choose to be, and being kind is a good thing.

8. my mail- i was not aware of all that was required to get that simple stamp or gift to where it needs to be. postal employees i salute you.

9. prayer- there have been lots going up lately, and there have been lots answered. a kind wall post when i needed encouragement. the news that a dear friend is feeling better one day at a time. the blog post that God sometimes speaks to us when we least expect it.

10. cool weather- we have been getting in the 40's for lows and there is rumor of 30's next week. i love this time of year.

so I'm curious, those of you who still read- do you take time during your busy/crazy week to be thankful. do you find yourself being thankful for the little things that you so often take for granted? i live in a tiny town that somewhat prides itself on its old fashioned way of life. i know small town living isn't for everyone, but who doesn't love watching andy griffith. did you ever dream of living in mayberry? i live there. in a town where people wave to each other, and mind everyone's business. I've known this about my lil town for the entire 6 years we have lived here, but never did i realize how far that stretches til i started training at the post office. people come by to ask how the postmaster is doing and when she'll be back. they stop to chat and ask how my training is going or to let me know that it's OK if i make a few mistakes when learning the job. this week has been long. the hubby has been traveling all week, so we haven't seen much of him. I've trained almost everyday this week, i missed Wednesday training because monkey was under the weather. just when i thought "oh yeah, i have this mail thing down" no, no, not even close. so far all i had trained on was putting the mail in the proper places, little did i realize how much goes on in the afternoon at the post office. WOW is all i can say. today was insane busy. i don't know if I'm cut out for this. i am thankful for those who still read and those who have moved on. take a minute this weekend and say thank you for something or someone that sometimes you forget to. I'm off to finish a surprise for someone who has been a beacon of hope for me for years. take care and God bless

r e s p e c t, find out what it means to me

2010-09-30T21:47:00.003-05:00

i finished my second day of training at the p o today, and all i can say is... be nice to your postal workers. there are lots of rules, and sometimes what you want isn't within the guidelines of those rules. that being said i am enjoying myself immensely. tonight i am enjoying one of the things i love the most, time with the hubby. the hour grows late and i need sleep, so without further ado: the thankfuls.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. note taking- who knew there was so much to putting mail in boxes.

2. good food- lots of good home cooking lately

3. my hubby- he has been so helpful this week and i don't know what i would do without him

4. new shoes- the hubby got me a really cute pair of shoes last week.

5. kind words- you guys have been so sweet and kind. i can't say thanks enough

6. crochet- I've been making stuff like no one's business. several projects need to be posted on my craft blog soon

7. ravelry- I've joined a group of ladies that are amazing. they are wickedly talented and compassionate to no end.

8. chocolate- I've got some awesome chocolate that is to die for, and I've been enjoying it one piece at time

9. coffee- it's really helped with my early mornings and late nights

10. fall- it's cool here, evenings are in the upper 40s and lower 50s. i LOVE this time of year

i hope that this little bit of happiness brightens your week as you have brightened mine with your kind words. thanks

have you ever seen the rain

2010-09-24T12:16:00.002-05:00

we were blessed to have a magnificent rain yesterday. i feel the blahs starting to sneak their way into me. i feel overwhelmed this week, and i don't like it. this summer was rough and the fall isn't looking up at this point, so i think i may just be allowing myself to wallow in the self pity. i found myself struggling for a thankful list yesterday, and i have so much to be thankful for. i have to admit I'm somewhat dreading the impending move, yeah the job isn't official yet, but with 3 different ones on the table... it's a matter of time. the hubby is beyond excited about it, and i find myself dreading it.

i know it will be a new start, but I'm content where i am. the lil man is napping and the princess is playing peacefully in her room, so i think i may crochet while the washer washes and the dryer dries. i really am grateful for all the comments, sorry I've been down for so long. the normal, yes i am using that term loosely, will be back soon i promise.

i was thinking bout her

2010-09-23T19:10:00.002-05:00

what an amazing day I've had today. i got a lunch date/play date with my friend peaches and her adorable daughter. she made us spaghetti, rolls, and this delicious iced coffee drink. we had a lovely talk too. adult conversation is so lacking in my days. i begin orientation on Monday and i am very excited about the opportunity. the services have been set for my friends mother. things continue on the usual course here at the casa de finch. rumors about a move circle overhead like buzzards. we will see what the future holds for us. I've found some really awesome groups on ravelry, the ladies are a riot. well, crochet time draws near, so on to the thankfuls

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. adult conversation- i don't get to talk to adults very often, so when i do i feel like I'm in heaven.

2. wonderful comments- not only the ones I've received here on my blog, but the several i have been left on ravelry, thanks you make my day

3. eating at home- the 2 week menu is up and running again. we had yummy crock pot dinner tonight.

4. learning new things- the baby hat that i made recently had a stitch i had never done before.

5. opportunity- there are several that are opening up, and we are trying to listen to what God wants us to do.

6. jokes- i love a good joke, and some not so good ones

7. new tv season- my shows are back woohoo

8. clean sheets- i love to sleep in clean smell good sheets

9. friends- this week has been rough family wise and the friends have really pulled up the slack

10. understanding- there have been some fb and blog posts this past week that have been very disparaging to people i know or am getting to know. it makes me wonder WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?

i hope that everyone has a great weekend. we will be attending a birthday party for pattylicious' oldest son. a funny sidenote when doing spell check crockpot came up as an error and one of the suggestions was crack pot. just thougt i would share.

it's so hard to say goodbye

2010-09-20T23:53:00.002-05:00

a dear friend of mine that i have blogged about recently has lost her mother. her mother was an amazing woman, who gave others hope and happiness. they took me in for a few weeks the summer after my granny passed. i know as a christian that death is just a stop on the journey of life, but the absence of the person that you loved is still a hole. there are times i still think that my granny or grandpa would get a kick out of something and i reach for the phone. my heart aches for the loved ones left behind, and i pray that they have peace during this difficult time. if you can send up a prayer for the family.

the big giant gorilla went up the water spout

2010-09-17T10:13:00.006-05:00

that's right sing it to the tune of the "itsy bitsy spider". the girls sang that to us as were driving home from piano last night. i am happy to report my spoilee for the swap received her package and was thrilled with it. i don't know why i worry so much, maybe it is because secretly i crave recognition and validation. my friend's mom is back in ICU, she was improving so well and then took another nosedive. i think i may rename her heiness to the princess, yeah let's do that. well, the princess missed pre-k yesterday because she was sick Wednesday, and i don't send sick kids to school. I'm so excited about being able to go to east Texas. it will be a quick trip, but I'm hoping to get to see some of my buds. there is a hotel with a 2 room suite we will be staying at when we are there, and I'm trying to talk the hubby into driving in Friday and leaving Sunday. i didn't even realize i had missed my thankful list because i didn't realize yesterday was Thursday. i began this post this morning, but right as i began to list my thankfuls i got a text from my friend, firecracker. her mom is the one in ICU. i spent today there with her and her brother as they made some very difficult choices. my love and prayers go out to them and their families tonight.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. good Kleenexes- otherwise my nose would be raw by now. there were many tears shed today.

2. good friends- while visiting another of our friends arrived. she was tired from her long drive, but glad that she could be there when her friend needed her.

3. changes- I'm so glad that at some point when i wasn't paying attention i became an adult, and so did the people i went to high school with.

4. hot tea- I'm feeling a bit weak tonight and the tea is helping warm me.

5. fall- there was a crisp bite to the air this morning and it whispered fall to me.

6. my hubby- he watched the kids today, so that i could be with my friend. he then took us all to dinner to get us out of the hospital. he is an amazing man

7. my kids- apparently they played very well today, and even got a big bag of dum dums for my friend.

8. my bestie- we were going to have a date tonight, but i was called elsewhere instead. she was so sweet about it and i really appreciate it.

9. crafts- they help work out some of my angst and turmoil.

10. you- that's right all of you who read this and leave me encouraging words. i can't say thank you enough to you.

11. peaches- she's my friend from Georgia. i received the sweetest package in the mail from her this week. she said that she sensed that it had been a rough summer for me and she wanted me to know that she had been thinking about me. thank you.

it is good to be thought about and prayed for. have a good night I'm going to crochet something

my baby just wrote me a letter

2010-09-15T22:01:00.002-05:00

yes, it is the second postal centered title for my blog. the reason being, i am the new postmaster relief in our great city. it is a part time gig that will help with our move. yes you read that right. within the next three years or so we will be relocating, but i don't want to dwell on that right now. i have a sick princess who wants nothing more than to sit and snuggle all day. the lil man is getting so big and so funny. his new favorite saying, "no no". i finished a couple of projects this past week. one i'm dying to post pics of because it is sooooo cute, but it is a surprise for someone who reads this so alas no pics til it's given. i finished a pair of slippers for myself yesterday. well rainbow six starts so i'm grabbing my hooks and whipping something up. what will i make tonight?

hey mr. postman

2010-09-10T23:26:00.001-05:00

if you want this week's thankful thursday you will need to visit my craft blog. i was tired and posted it over there, and i have no idea how to get it here. you really should look at it, i was very proud of the post.

all i've got is a photograph

2010-09-08T21:33:00.002-05:00

or as it could be titled what i've been doing this summer

the don harrington discovery center. this place is science fun goodness.

this is the planet section of the center. they were filming a commercial for cool things to do for a staycation in the area while we were there.

the albuquerque botanical gardens

the kids really dig the giant area

isn't she beautiful, she's almost 5 foot tall now.

our produce from the garden, the poor white zucchini stood out amongst his dark brothers.

the beautiful canyons not far from our house

the cool cloud machine at the discovery center

yeah, that's my name, don't wear it out.

love his curly hair

smile pretty.

check out my craft blog for all the crafty goodness i have been up to lately. the hubby should be home tomorrow, so i hope to actually get a thankful post up. take care

show me a sign, to let me know you're here

2010-08-19T22:48:00.002-05:00

the last two weeks of summer are drawing to a close, and we have been enjoying the ability to travel once again, long story. last week we went to see the gma, and the girls stayed the weekend with her. i hope to be able to get some pics uploaded next week when school is in session again. i have been hard at work making lots of baby stuff for friends and family that are expecting. my niece was born 8-13-2010, she is quite the cutey. I'm also busy getting the house in back to school order so this post will be short, sorry. on to the thankfuls.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. not being the victim- i don't need to create drama in my life so that i can play the victim to every person who will listen and give pity. i once had a good friend ask why i don't tell about my past, and i said "i don't like to be a victim".

2. cooler weather- this summer has not been nearly as hot as ones i remember in the past, at least in my lil part of Texas. it has been hot, but not east Texas hot. hope it cools down for you guys soon.

3. lessons learned- i could write several blogs on this alone. i am grateful for each lesson that i have learned this summer

4. school- the kids will be going back soon, and life will return to almost normal very soon.

5. beading- i pulled out my old bead tackle box last night and began to make some crochet stitch markers. they are beautiful.

6. air conditioning- it hasn't been above 100 but a few times this summer, but anything above 9 is too warm for me.

7. good music- i love to watch my kids dance and sing to music that they hear.

8. angel food- good food cheap.

9. fresh veggies- the garden overfloweth. we are already discussing what all we want to do next year.

10. new friends- i have made a couple of new bloggy friends this summer and it is nice to meet some new faces with new interests.

i hope this past few weeks have been as wonderful for you as they have for me. take a minute to find something to say thank you for.

the answer my friend is blowing in the wind

2010-08-05T22:09:00.003-05:00

what a whirlwind week this has been. we traveled the state of Kansas with my hubby this week. did i mention we were a mere hour from both Nebraska and Colorado at one point. on our way home we stopped by to have lunch at the Dog with my mom, and then a quick stop to see a friend. this friend takes the best pictures, and every time we go she takes some for us.

i mean isn't he sweet. yeah, my hair is purple if you look close. i was going to post the family pic she took, but it was a little small to see all the smiling faces. I'm tired and there doesn't look to be a slow down in the near future for us, so onto the thankfuls.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. facebook- say what you will about it, but a good friend of mine used it to communicate with several of us about a struggle she is facing. I'm glad she had a way to talk to me.

2. swaps- i have missed them so. i am totally stoked about the coffee/tea swap I'm in.

3. not expecting perfection- the one and only perfect person to walk this great planet had to endure an agonizing death. i don't want to be perfect and i don't expect other people to be perfect either. people will disappoint you and make mistakes, it's part of the human condition.

4. good food- I'm thrilled to be home and cooking again.

5. good long talks- it doesn't matter if they come via email, text, phone, letter, or in person. i love a good conversation.

6. my bed- the tempurpedic bed i have is amazing. i forget how amazing sometimes until i get to sleep on a hotel bed for several nights.

7. family- while traveling the amazing I-70 corridor this week, i got to see some of my family that i haven't seen in years.

8. expectations- as the gin blossoms once said "if you don't expect to much from me you might not be let down". I'm learning that some people are only capable of so much and if i don't expect more than that, then I'm not let down.

9. my hubby- he tries so hard, and sometimes he falls short of his mark. he always gets an A+ for the effort he puts into things.

10. prayer- the power of prayer is truly amazing.

i hope that everyone has had a fantastic week, and i hope your weekend is even better.

since you've been gone

2010-07-29T10:02:00.004-05:00

i have been trying to get back into the blogosphere lately, and i have discovered and rediscovered some thrilling blogs. i found several bead blogs that are so creative. i love lamp work beads and i love to bead. several years back my wonderful hubby bought me a lamp work kit for our anniversary. when i was in college i took glassblowing as one of my electives, and it was so far beyond fun. when i graduated i was very sad that i wouldn't be able to do it anymore, and that is why my sweet thoughtful hubby got it for me. i think that i may try my hand at quilting this fall. it is something i have wanted to learn for quite so time, and as they say no better time than the present. i have several friends that are expecting this fall, and i have been hard at work making sweet baby stuff for them.

i have recently signed up for a new swap over at ravelry. if you love crafting it is the place to be. i am currently in 3 swaps. one all we do is send each other letters. you know snail mail, i love snail mail. one of them we send homemade/handmade washcloths. i am enjoying having reasons to craft. the sweet hubby is playing oblivion on the xbox, did i mention he LOVES the xbox? he works so hard to provide for us, so i can stay home, and i feel like the least i can do is to let him have some downtime. on to my thankfuls.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. my life- it was a hard road to get here, but man I'm glad i did. believe me when i say but by the grace of God go i.

2. honesty- even when it hurts, it is good to hear.

3. friends- you know the ones who know they can tell you something even if it isn't what you want to hear. thanks guys.

4. learning from my mistakes- experience is a tough teacher, she's not very nice.

5. learning new stuff- this week of cooking food that is unfamiliar to me has been so nice. it is soothing to create something that I'm not completely familiar with. i have discovered most of the Greek food i have made this week has been very work and time intensive.

6. babies- there is something about new life that is...so...amazing, sorry trying to search for the right word.

7. church- we have been attending a church for a while now, and the preacher speaks on such an understandable/no nonsense kind of way that just hits you between the eyes.

8. small town living- it isn't for everyone, but there are days that it is worth any headache. it is nice to know people are looking out for each other.

9. letting go- ahhhh, to let go of the anger and hard feelings. this is hard to do when there is no recourse for the pain. this goes back to forgiveness is for the forgiver not the forgiven.

10. knowing the truth- there is tremendous power in knowing the truth about a person. knowing who and what they really are. i think this is why people who have known you for so long are so wonderful, yet so dangerous.

i hope that this weekend is wonderful for everyone. thank you for all of the support and kind words lately. it is so good to know we are not alone in this world. thanks again for reading

blinded by the light

2010-07-28T22:56:00.002-05:00

i have spent the last several weeks in discussion with my hubby over many things. it has been a time of reflection for me. my bestie deleted her blog, turns out a lot of "well meaning" people are nothing but wolves in sheep's clothing. yeah you're surprised i know. i will miss her witty banter.

the fam has been thoroughly enjoying Greek week. the baklava was very tasty. truth be told everything has been very delicious. the garden is doing great. you should see all of the pumpkins we have. everyday we gather zucchini and cucumbers. the cumbers have come in handy all week for all the tasty Greek goodness. i will be posting thankfuls tomorrow, so until then...

do you know what i know?

2010-07-26T21:08:00.002-05:00

it's Greek week at the house of finch. we had a great first day, and we thoroughly enjoyed our first day of food. we didn't get to study anything due to a shopping excursion to the big city. i got a pasta machine, a mortar and pestle, and an olive oil bottle. i love getting goodies for my kitchen. if you want to know see the yummy food we are enjoying you're going to need to head over to the cooking blog. things could not be better here in the kingdom of the birds. sometimes it is good to know that others have been through the same tough times you are going through. i was looking through and deleting some blogs that are no longer... up my alley and/or are not being updated. i found one of my favorite blogs had moved. while catching up on all of her awesomeness i realized how much i REALLY miss cake decorating. did i mention the sweet hubby finally got an xbox? he has wanted one for 2 years now, but I'm not a big gamer and it is easy for me to say no to a new game system. he got an AWESOME bonus, so i conceded to the xbox. he is loving it and i am finding plenty of time to crochet. i hope everyone has an awesome week, and remember to check out all the yummies that Greek week is bringing to our house.

tell me lies tell me sweet little lies

2010-07-22T08:53:00.000-05:00

i love fleetwood mac and was listening to them when typing this. i hope this week has been as wonderful for you as it has been for me. i can hardly believe that another week has gone by. we have our menu set up for our "Greece discovery week", and I'm planning some cool events for the kids. monkey is super stoked about learning the Greek alphabet. her heiness is excited about olives lots of olives. i have realized this past week how easy it is for words to hurt someone, but words also have an amazing healing power. for example the words "they're yours", made a friends day today. we have been grilling out lots this week, and we've been enjoying the fruits of our labors from the garden. we have several tiny melons that will hopefully be ready before our first freeze. i can't believe that summer only has a month left, sorry to all the teachers who didn't want that tidbit of knowledge. both the girls are looking forward to heading back to school.

there has been some thought and discussion about the deleting of blogs recently. I've been thinking about it some since the main purpose of this endeavor was for my friends and fam to keep up with us, and they don't seem to be doing that. anyway on to my thankfuls and i do have lots of them.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. Christ- He is the solid rock upon which i stand.

2. friends- you guys are amazing no matter what anybody else may tell you, YOU GUYS ROCK.

3. my hubby- what can i say he's an amazing, funny, intelligent, loyal, and sexy man.

4. memes- i had so forgotten how much i enjoy these. so fun so fun

5. swaps- I'm doing a couple on ravelry and so enjoying it.

6. my kids- what would i do without you and your amazing loving selves.

7. my garden- the radishes were so yummy, the zucchini is so delicious, and i haven't tried the cucumbers yet, but I'm sure they are yummy too.

8. good people- i think too often we get caught up on how horrible some people are, and we don't take time to think of all the good people there are in the world. thank you to all of those that never ask for thanks.

9. my mom- she's looking at a house here local. the kids are bouncing off the walls excited.

10. the truth- it will always come out. I've been working on less brutal honesty lately.

i noticed as i was about to begin this post that this is number 240. looks like i need to figure out something cool for number 300, it will be here before i know it. i hope that this weekend finds you well and happy. we have some big plans coming up in the near future, and i will share as soon as i can. until then have a blessed week.

one is the loneliest number

2010-07-17T20:36:00.003-05:00

i got this meme in an email, so i share it with you my fellow readers. i tag all who want to participate.

USING ONLY ONE WORD change the answers to suit you better. please share with the rest of us.

where is your cell phone? table
significant other? amazing
your hair? blond
your mother? retired
your father? veteran
your favorite thing? love
your dream last night? kinky
your favorite drink? tea
what room are you in? living
your hobby? crafts
your fear? spiders
where do you want to be in 6 years? debtless
where were you last night? tara's
something that you aren't? dishonest
muffins? yummy
wish list item? date
last thing you did? worry
what are you wearing? glasses
TV? backyardigans
pet? plenty
friends? ROCK
your life? better
your mood? relieved
missing someone? desperately
drinking? coffee
your car? van
something you're not wearing? shoes
your favorite store? hobbylobby
your favorite color? yellow
when was the last time you cried? earlier
who will resend this? someone
where do you go to over and over? potty
my favorite place to eat? home
favorite place I'd like to be right now? arms
four people i think will respond? anyone

OK now it's your turn. let me know if you do, thanks.

Jesus loves the little children

2010-07-15T20:15:00.003-05:00

who knew weeks could be so busy? we are planning a Greek week in our house. what is Greek week you ask? well, it is a week dedicated to studying Greece. why Greece? monkey got WAY into the Percy Jackson books this past year. the books are based on/retelling Greek myths. i thought that a good way to get more out of the books would be a week long study of ancient Greece. i found the alphabet and a bunch of other interesting info. we are also going to do some Greek cooking, not just ancient Greek food. monkey loves to cook and i thought this would be a cool way to expose her to different food than she might be use to. her heiness will also take part in the festivities because she desires nothing more than t be like her sister. if anyone has a suggestion for Greek food please leave me a comment. i will be covering all food made over on my cooking blog. we also have "adopted" a little boy from compassion international. we are very excited about the positive things this could do for him and for us. there are many more exciting things happening in our little world. here is my thankful list:

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1 my health- i figure this one i regularly say thank you in my prayers for, but realized i rarely put it on my blog.

2. my life- it may not be what everyone wants, but man I LOVE my life.

3. my church- we have been attending a nondenominational church and we are loving it. this past Wednesday the kids went to jump in jive again. the kids had a blast and it is nice to see the members outside of church.

4. freedom- thank you to all who have fought for it and those that still do. thank you to the families that are left behind.

5. crafting- so loving being busy with my hands.

6. reruns- we have been watching tons of reruns on netflix.

7. love- how great it is to be loved.

8. my mom- she has been so willing to come and help with the kids this summer. she has been amazing and i can't be thankful enough.

9. downtime- oh how i long for a moment to myself.

10. date night- the hubby and i are in serious need of one of these.

i hope this has been a blessed week for all of you. have a great weekend

it's good to have you with us, even if it's just for today

2010-07-09T13:24:00.005-05:00

just when i was longing for a meme or question blog, i find this over at hot cup's. enjoy and play along, you know you want to.

20 questions:

1. when you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing that you thought?

glad i did the roots.

2. do you miss anyone right now?

several people. i miss my friends from the middle and high school. i wish they lived closer, so we could see how well we turned out.

3. if you could move anywhere else, would you?

i love where i live, but sometimes i do wish i lived closer to my friends.

4. if you could choose, what would your last meal be?

hmmmm, not really sure. i love some good tamales, but i can't choose just one or two things.

5. what famous person, dead or alive, would you want to have lunch with?

again i just don't know if i could choose. maybe john bon jovi, maybe stephen king, or someone like thomas jefferson. i don't do well with choices.

6. what was the last book you read?

it's been so long i don't remember. i think it was a dean koontz, but it might have been charlaine harris. no i remember it was a book on crochet, yeah I'm a big nerd.

7. what was the last movie you watched?

fly me to the moon

8. what was the last song you heard?

theme to phineas and ferb on tv

9. what's your dream vacation?

traveling the british isles with my family.

10. what is the next trip you'll take?

we went to borger with the hubby yesterday. it was just a quick drop off something at an office and head home kind of trip.

11. did you ever go to camp?

when i lived at the children's home in elementary school it was mandatory.

12. have you ever been in love?

still am

13. what do you want to know about the future?

will my children be happy?

14. where is your best friend?

well, i am blessed enough to have several, so let's see: pattylicious is at home with her fam. shellybabes is probably at home with her family. my sweet snow white, i don't know where specifically she is, but she's in austin somewhere. my sweet hubby is walking around looking for the stereo remote.

15. how is your best friend?

pattylicious is a bit bummed about being without her hubby this evening. shellybabes is probably busy and good with her amazing family. snow white is missing her beautiful girls and anxious about what the future holds. the hubby seems good, he has coffee and d & d this cool morning in July.

16. who is the biggest gossiper you know?

the little ladies and men in town that all get together for coffee.

17. what does your last text message say?

waving back- i got a text that someone was waving at my casa.

18. what are 3 things you've always wanted to do, that you still plan to accomplish?

1. go visit Ireland and Scotland. 2. being debt free. 3. own a convertible vw bug.

19. what is one thing you've learned from your parents?

insanity is hereditary, communication is key, love your kids and love yourself. most of these were lessons taught looking back. the most important lesson learned: forgiveness is for the forgiver not the forgiven.

20. what is one thing you hope to teach your own children?

believe in yourself and respect yourself because if you respect yourself no one will ever make you do something you don't want to. learn from others mistakes, so that you don't have to make the same ones.

i think we're alone now

2010-07-08T15:00:00.003-05:00

this week has been... busy. we had some serious fun for July 4th. amazon and crew made it to the party, so did pattylicious and crew. there was tons of food and other goodness to be consumed. we popped fireworks and confetti poppers. the kids had tons of fun. the weather has been rainy and cool here for the past couple of weeks. the hubby had Monday off for the holiday, so we made fruit leather from the apricots that my mom brought. then Tuesday the hubby had a meeting in lewisville, so we loaded up and headed east. my mom kept the kids, so it was just the hubby and i. i was so lucky, i got to hang with ro and her beautiful daughter. nothing beats looking at photos from middle and high school to make one not want to eat. i was looking at past blog posts and was surprised that i have over 200 posts. i also noticed that i used to do tons of posts and memes. i miss memes, so i may repost some of them. while the lil man sleeps i will post my thankfuls.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. the rain- it has kept the temp down and watered the garden for me.

2. nap time- i love the little bit of quiet this time allows. now if i could only get her heiness to take a nap.

3. friends- it was nice to spend time with someone who knew me from back when.

4. sleep- I'm running on less than enough, and oh how i miss sleep.

5. crochet- i just finished a baby blanket for my brother's daughter who is due next month.

6. communication- it is what makes relationships of any kind possible.

7. coffee- I've been enjoying lots of coffee this past week

8. cars- they make it possible to visit people who live in a different area of the greatest state ever, by the way that fact is not open for discussion.

9. my kids- they remind me of how God must feel about me when i am openly defiant.

10. date night- i am in serious need of date night.

it appears as though nap time is drawing to a close, so i must dash to the liquor cabinet, i meant to get the kids. hope everyone has a great weekend.

our house is a very, very, very fine house

2010-07-02T15:41:00.004-05:00

another amazing week has come to an end. i am busy making plans for the 4th of July. this week has brought some deep contemplation to our household and some closure. i have an interview for the job at the post office next Friday. my FIL is in the hospital with heart problems. we love pappy and this has been hard on the family. he is a christian, so i know where he will spend eternity. this knowledge doesn't ease the concern for his health and future. i was hoping to get my thankfuls posted yesterday, but i was to busy hanging at my besties. here they are for this lovely week in July.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. the ability to crochet- i love to make stuff for myself and my loved ones. below is a picture of some of the things I've made so far.

2. cooler weather- the last week has been cool and beautiful here.

3. sharing- i love when one of the lessons i try to teach my kids finally sinks in. q was sharing his animal crackers with the geese.

4. the beauty of nature- what great work God did when creating the world that i live in.

5. love- especially the love of children. the capacity they have to care and give amazes me. at what point do we loose the wonder that children hold for the world? i see my children and the way they view the world, and it makes me step back and thank God for all he has given me.

6. the garden- we officially have wee little zucchini and radishes.

7. disposable diapers- with what comes out of my son they are truly a blessing.

8. knowing oneself- learning who i am, and accepting that person is so freeing.

9. friends- one major upside of this summer is the amount of time I've been able to spend with my pattylicious.

10. my health- sometimes i don't say thanks for my health out loud, but i am so grateful for it.

11. our veterans- without them i wouldn't have the freedoms i love and enjoy. THANK YOU.

the pictures above were mostly taken at a local park where you can feed the fowl. the kids had an absolute blast. thanks for reading and i hope this holiday weekend finds you happy and blessed.

paranoia, paranoia everybody's coming to get me, just say you never met me

2010-06-24T12:40:00.003-05:00

what an awesome week this has been for my little family. we got to travel to midland with daddy for work, and that is always a good time. we played in the pool, play putt putt, and ping pong. then home we headed to get the house picked up in time for a grandma visit. i got an invite to a friend's wedding reception in the piney woods area, and I'm really hoping we can go. i haven't seen most of these friends in almost 15 years. i have found so much to be thankful for this week. i am so blessed. i have actually had time to post on both my craft blog and my cooking blog, so if you wonder what I'm doing in either of those areas check it out. i am hoping to post more goodness on both soon. on to my thankfuls

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. my friends- i have some of the most awesome friends in the world. seriously my friends ROCK. I LOVE YOU GUYS.

2. my hubby- i can't say how much i appreciate his goodness and kindness.

3. quotes- i do love a good quote. want some good ones watch tombstone.

4. ac- this isn't the hottest summer ever, not even close, but it is summer.

5. thunder boomers- what an amazing storm we had last night. tons of rain and lightening. i love the storms that are fierce without being deadly. i have no need for tornadoes or giant hail, but a good thunder boomer with lots of rain is amazing to behold.

6. my garden- i will try to take some pictures of it soon. we have tons of tiny zucchini blossoms, and that means tons of zucchini.

7. my kids- they are so wonderful.

8. frozen burritos- yummy quick food.

9. learning something new- love learning.

10. teachers- ah the unsung hero of the future. to all of my friends who have this profession, WAY TO GO- YOU ROCK. no really i don't think they hear that often enough.

thank you for all who read. what are you thankful for this week? the kind word of a friend when you were down, a much needed family vacation, new life, new hope, a new chance, the hug of a friend, the love of a child. i hope this weekend finds you blessed with love. i will be trying my hand at a couple of new recipes this weekend and you will be able to find them on my cooking blog.

i love you, i honestly love you

2010-06-17T20:55:00.002-05:00

what an amazing week this has been. i thought i would include some pictures this go round. my love has been working close to home, so we have gotten to spend tons of time together as a family. the church took the kids to jump and jive and the kids had such a great time. below is lefty, he is a lab mutt. his left arm is the only limb that doesn't have spots of some form on it. he has a sleeve on his right arm and capped toes on his back legs. when he rolls on his belly it looks like he is wearing a holster. he is such a good boy.

below is a pick of her heiness and her new friend. her friend is the daughter of my friend, who will be known as peaches. peaches was the school librarian when monkey was in kindergarten. i met her again in my crochet class. what an amazing lady she is.

this was the last day of pre-k. all the kids surrounded the teacher to hug her and tell her how much they would miss her.

this is the q man. monkey did his hair in a Mohawk after playing in the water. isn't he the sweetest thing ever.

i am currently making a set of booties and hat for our music minister and his wife, well their baby. i hope to post pics, i know I'm so bad at posting pics. on to my thankfuls.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. netflix- we really enjoy the instant play movies. they have tons of scoobydoo and veggie tales available for the kids, and the hubby and i are catching all of the dead zone series.

2. love- it is so good to be loved, and to love others.

3. God- without Him and His guidance i would be lost. literally i would be doomed to a terrible life and afterlife.

4. rain- love the summer rain, how it cools things off and makes everything seem new again.

5. idiots- without whom i wouldn't realize how special teachers truly are.

6. teachers- i don't know how you guys do it, but thank you for all you do.

7. answered prayers- there have been several of these lately, thanks God

8. good food- we had kabobs and homemade pudding tonight. love good food

9. angel food- seriously i don't know how we would make it without it.

10. my home- we have lived in our current dwelling for a little over 6 years now, and i love it more everyday.

what are you thankful for this week? your ac working again, your spouse, your friends, your family. take time to tell those you care about what they mean to you. thanks again for reading, and i have actually posted on both of my other blogs this week. have a great week and God bless

i'm so unworthy, but still you love me

2010-06-14T21:42:00.002-05:00

i realize what an amazing gift salvation is, and i can't believe some people don't want it. while at church this past Saturday i came to an amazing decision- i will treat people the way God would want me to treat them. regardless of how they behave i will be the better person. this week looks to be a better week because of this decision. it will still be busy and people will still act the way they choose, but i do not have to give into it. thank you readers for the prayers and warm thoughts.

i'm going home

2010-06-11T21:06:00.003-05:00

i have really pondered about this blog post. mainly because i don't want it to be taken out of context. i do not proclaim to be a nice person, i do not proclaim to be the most christian person, and i surely do not claim to be the end all or the be all. if you need help, more often than not i will help. i do however expect a certain level of.... decorum to be upheld. i have had a really hard time this week being grateful. it seems like everywhere i look i find cruelty. i don't understand. so i haven't posted a thankful list, to those who still read i do apologize. this week has brought me to a very dark place. i am praying to be through this soon. here are my thankfuls, a day late, but not a dollar short.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. pattylicious- sometimes i don't understand why she is so loyal a friend, but weeks like this i sure am glad she is.

2. my hubby- i don't understand his logic sometimes. i don't understand why he insists on me being level headed, but I'm glad that he sticks with me.

3. old friends- some of my friends from middle and high school have really cheered me up this week on facebook

4. pizza night- this has been a family tradition for a little over a decade. i love the good food and good times.

5. honesty- i can't stress how much i appreciate this. if you can't be honest with me then don't be around me.

6. crafting- i crocheted a market bag this week and i don't care for the design, but i love the color.

7. my mom- she came to visit this week and she was a definite uplift to the crap week I've had.

8. cooking- have i mentioned we are only eating at home now. the food is awesome, if you don't mind me bragging on me.

9. understanding- this only covers so much before it flies out the door and gets demolished by a passing semi.

10. truly knowing someone- i have learned a very important lesson this week.

11. the ability to help others- this too has been exploited and i find myself hardening against it in the future. i HATE being used.

12. good upbringing- i don't assume that i had a normal childhood, in fact most of you would call me a liar if i ever decided to post my whole story, i was raised to be caring, honest, and kind. i appreciate those characteristics in others.

13. my kids- have i mentioned how much i love them.

14. hornsby- sipping a cold one and calming down currently.

15. the sunshine- i hate the heat, but love the sun. i know it sounds strange, but i love the way the sun feels when I'm feeling down.

16. the garden- my how it grows

17. puppies- have i mentioned lefty?

18. blogs- I'm so glad to be able to read blogs again.

19. my ac- have i mentioned it has been hot

20. snow cones- we are thinking of opening one.

i am thankful for second chances those i have given and those that have been given to me. i hope to not let down those who have given friendship another go. so what are you thankful for? thanks again to those of you who still read and have a great weekend.

some fools never learn

2010-06-07T12:33:00.005-05:00

i had every intention of blogging last Thursday, but something else to be grateful for came along. things are good around here. i have come to the realization that other people's desire for drama doesn't have to drag me down. a blogger friend reached out for help, and i offered a hand. she and her fiance are now residents of my beloved town. we have been enjoying showing off the local food and scenery. the fiance who was renamed ted by her heiness has become a constant friend to the kids. well Thursday ted got an interview for a job, this was super awesome and we were all very excited. on Thursday afternoon he got a call that he got the job, he started on Friday. talk about answered prayer. did i mention her heiness cut her hair, again.

yeah, it is that short all over. it was a bit heartbreaking for me and her once she realized she was in trouble.

isn't this cool. we got it as a birthday gift for q and a summer toy for all the kids. they love it.

those are the booties i made for my brother. his daughter is expected in august.

the kiddos in the lil kiddy pool. they are all getting so big. q loves the water.

now on to the thankfuls:

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. air conditioning- it is so hot already. we are expecting 100s all week.

2. my hubby- he helps keep me calm when i really want to punch somebody upside their head.

3. crafts- it feels so good to be crafting.

4. my friends- what an amazing group of people. you help keep me grounded and remind me that maybe i am a good person.

5. good food- I've been doing lots of cooking lately, and i am loving it.

6. ice- loving cold drinks in the hot weather

7. my kids- q is officially walking. he has been taking steps for a little over month now, but this morning he was walking all over the living room.

8. prayer- i heard that if you pray for someone it is hard to stay angry with them, and amen it is true.

9. netflix- currently the kids are watching veggie tales on instant watch.

10. a sense of humor- someone once said "if you can't laugh at yourself you maybe missing out on the joke of the century", learning to laugh at myself and the silliness that surrounds me has really helped with the insanity.

i am thankful for all the sweet comments. i am thankful for people who understand that there is more to life than meets the mere eye. what are you thankful for? perhaps a kind word when you were down, the chance to be a grandma for the first time, or maybe a job when the job hunt seemed hopeless? i hope this week finds you in a blessed place.

where've you been?

2010-05-31T00:28:00.002-05:00

so much has happened since my last post and i do hope to blog about it in the very near future. for the short list school's out, we have new people in our lovely town, q is 1, and the list could go on for days. i wanted to say thanks for those of you who still find the time to stop by and see if anything new has appeared here lately. i would also like to say sorry that it hasn't. i admit i have been spending my spare time doing things like farmville, laugh if you want, it provides excellent brain dead time for me at the end of the day. i have been busy crocheting up a storm of baby goods. if possible i will get a bit of time tomorrow to blog, and i will try to brighten the blogosphere once again with my wit and charm. until then a short list of thankfuls

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1 the ability to remember: this is sometimes a blessing and a curse. the ability to remember where i came from and what I've overcome helps me to be focused on the future.

2. the ability to forget: there is so much of my past that i keep pushed to the far back of my mind. it only creeps out at night when my guard is down. my demons find me at night.

3. my hubby: he usually keeps the aforementioned demons at bay even at night.

4. my friends: i can never say thank you enough to this vigilant group. your stanch defense of me is awesome, and i mean that in the fact that it truly creates a feeling of awe in me.

5. my kids: i don't know what i did that was so right to deserve the amazing kids that i have, but i am so grateful. they may not be perfect, but they are perfectly wonderful for me

6. the blogosphere: i love to blog, but i am hesitant to put myself out where others can so easily be cruel. i love the ability to write what i think and feel, but i have become somewhat hesitant for fear of the cruelty that flows so easily from some people.

7. my laptop: love to use the puter while watching TV

8. cooking: it has been great to get back to the kitchen again.

9. crafting: i can not begin to describe how nice it has been to be back in the swing of crafting, rumor has it that an etsy shop may be on its way

10. letting go: i am not perfect nor have i ever claimed to be. i use humor to take the edge off the hurt. i am so thankful for the ability to let go of the anger that ate me alive for years.

the realization that blogging is for me is very freeing. i don't do this for approval. i do it for the ability to connect to others and myself. if anyone is still out there let me know, i would love to hear from you

do you believe in magic?

2010-04-05T13:43:00.002-05:00

every spring the daffodils peek their leaves out of the ground to herald the beginning of the most magical time of the year. well, i think it is magical. it is easy to see God's work everywhere in the spring. this spring has been very busy for us. we made a trip to see the fam in central Texas. we made a stop in kileen to see shellybabes. i can't believe how big her kids are getting. we got to see her house, and she whipped up a wonderful dinner for us. the kids have been begging to go back, so we will see what summer allows. things are picking up around here. lil man is doing all kinds of amazing things. he has been waving "hi" and "bye" for about a month now. i will try to post pics soon, but i just wanted to let everyone know we are still alive.

silence is golden

2010-02-18T10:11:00.002-06:00

ah the peace of nap time. the lil man has been particularly cranky this morning, i blame it on the four teeth that are breaking through. I'm not sure how long nap time will last due to the nature of cranky babies. i finished my first intermediate pattern for crochet. it was a washcloth that was made up of v-stitches and shells. it is more of a rhombus and less of a square than i care for, but her heiness squealed "it's so pretty can i have it?" it now resides in her kingdom. my little princess will be four this Sunday, how does time go by so quickly? i hear the beginnings of fuss from the lil man's room, so here goes thankful Thursday.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. the ability to work things out- well i don't want to air dirty laundry so that's the best you get for a description. sometimes the ability to say "sorry, i was an idiot" goes a long ways.

2. my kids- they have the ability to make a day amazing. there is nothing like hearing "you're the best mom ever" or "wow, mom you know everything" to make a girl feel good.

3. good shampoo- i have never been a lover of my hair. it has always seemed somewhat...blah to me. i have to admit i love my hair when it is all shiny and soft.

4. good makeup- the hubby got me a ton of ulta makeup for my bday, love it. her heiness decided our 100 pound lab wanted to be a vampire, so she used my good makeup to help him. argh

5. cake decorating- i forget how much i enjoy it, and then i see how awesome one of my old students is doing with her skills.

6. the birds- the hubby wanted some finches. we now have three. did i mention they are laying eggs.

7. flowers- there is still snow on the ground here and according to Doppler Dave more is on its way next week. it is nice to know that all that pretty white stuff is melting and watering my daffodils and tulips.

8. snow- LOVE the snow. i really love it when the hubby and kids are all home and we make hot chocolate and sit around the fire.

9. my hubby- he works so hard so that we can have the life that we do.

10. church family- talk about you don't know what you've got til its gone. well, somewhat. we are still searching for a new church home.

thanks for reading all comments are greatly appreciated, and the really good ones are saved in my email, so i can use them as a pick me up when i get down.

just an old fashioned love song

2010-02-11T11:22:00.002-06:00

most of you know i don't care for valentine's day. i hold to the belief that if you truly care about someone, then you won't need a special day to tell them that. that being said the hubby got each of us a lil something to snuggle with. he has been gone all week, and he will not be back until this evening. my friend shelly is talking of restarting her sock swap on her blog. when this happens i will put a link to it. i am thinking of doing 2 swaps. these will repeat monthly. I'm thinking of a bookmark swap and a book swap. the rules are simple if you commit please see it through.

bookmark swap-these are minimums anything extra is fine, but realize they might not send extra to you.
1 homemade bookmark- this does not have to be filet crochet mind you. a simple paper cut out that is decorated will be sufficient. keep in mind don't send something you wouldn't want to get in return. there will be themes for the months
1 recipe- it doesn't have to be anything super fancy, but something you enjoy would be nice.
1 special treat- candy bar, soap, anything special that the other person would enjoy.
none of this has to be expensive.

book swap- again just minimums.
1 book- again there will be themes. find a used bookstore to get your books from, they are way cheaper.
1 homemade item- this could be anything. a bookmark, crayons that you have remelted into a cool shape, anything your lil heart desires that the recipient would enjoy.
1 treat- same as above, this could be anything.

things are very busy around our house. q is walking around holding furniture. his top two teeth, butter scrapers, cut last night. it is Thursday so on to a thankful list

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. adult company- it is one thing that i really miss being a SAHM.

2. friendship- can you ever have too many friends?

3. nap time- its the only time anything gets done.

4. swaps- i miss them. getting goodies from someone you might not have ever met before. so fun

5. mail- i love opening the mail box to find something that doesn't require a check.

6. my bed- it still takes my breath away. it is so pretty and so very comfy.

7. laughter- the girls have the ability to make q laugh almost constantly, so our house is filled with laughter.

8. change- it truly is the only constant in the world.

9. salvation- the loss of my friend would be so much worse if he wasn't saved. i know it's not popular to talk about it.

10. the new heater in the bathroom- so warm and toasty.

11. the light at the end of the debt tunnel- all we have left are the car, the van and the house. the car will be paid off this year, the van in the next 1 1/2 years, then its just the house.

12. good hot chocolate- i love a good cup of hot chocolate. if i can brag, i make some great hot chocolate.

13. homemade bread- getting ready to make some today.

14. blogs- it makes it easier to keep up with how my friends lives are going.

15. facebook- brain dead time is so nice at the end of the day.

i hope that everyone has a great weekend. i hope that it is filled with love and kindness.

but i know who holds tomorrow

2010-02-10T10:16:00.002-06:00

things have been very busy around our house lately. q has learned to pull up and walk holding the tables. her heiness has her good days as far as the poop issues go. the hubby has been doing a lot of traveling lately. he is in Kansas all of this week. we have been enjoying the snow, and hear that we are expecting more tomorrow. monkey is doing well with her piano. the teacher told us "she is such a pleasure to talk to. she talks just like an adult." I'm so proud that she is turning out to be such an amazing girl. we had a birthday party to go to this past weekend. the parents of the little boy were missionaries in Tanzania and south africa. we had a blast talking about Kenya. the lil man calls, so i must go. i wanted to ask if you could please keep some friends of mine in your prayers. they were commissioned into the missionary field in September and he passed this morning from pancreatic cancer. we rejoice that he is with Jesus, but we mourn the loss of such a great man. please keep his kids and widow in your prayers.

but you're just a boy

2010-01-21T10:56:00.002-06:00

i have discovered that q is an avid beyonce fan. no really its kind of creepy. his favorite is "all the single ladies". he can be in the worst grump and all i have to do is put that video on and he gets this hilarious grin on his face and starts to coo. he's getting so big so fast. monkey starts piano lessons tonight, and i think she's excited about it. last week was rough. the hubby was in Orlando for training, and all the kids got sick. the night he gets back, i get sick, where is the justice? I've been working hard on the baby blanket, although it's going to be more of a coverlet than a blanket. i still need to get some buttons, so i can finish my owl. q is napping, so time is short. on to the thankfuls. I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. the diaper genie- seriously q is eating a lot of solids, and the smell is horrible. the genie keeps all the gross locked away.

2. the capacity for kindness: some people have such an overflowing of love and kindness that it catches on to you and won't let go.

3. real friends- while driving to town i heard the country song "you find out who you're friends are". it is easy to be a friend when the road is smooth and the sun is shining brightly. i am truly grateful to have several friends that have been and will be there when i need them.

4. good coffee- i love a good cup of coffee, and lately i have been enjoying more than usual.

5. the internet- what an amazing thing it allow us to communicate with family far away without spending a fortune.

6. good food- yeah i didn't get looking like this because i don't like food.

7. my kids- weeks without the hubby are always difficult, but the kids are so helpful and loving.

8. hot tea- it was the only thing that helped my cough this past week.

9. free crochet patterns- so many awesome cute things i want to make.

10. nap time- ah peace and quiet for a little while anyway.

i want to thank those of you who held my friend up in prayer last week. she has found a way to make a new start, and the sun is shining in her world again. i ask for you to keep my mil in your prayers, her older sister passed away this week. please keep the family in your prayers. i hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. i hope to update on my other blogs this weekend so check in and see.

calling all angels

2010-01-12T13:33:00.001-06:00

i have a friend who needs help desperately. she is in norfolk, va. she needs some luggage to borrow and a ride to the bus station. please i beg for your help.

it could've been love

2010-01-08T23:30:00.002-06:00

i hope this blog finds you in good spirits. we here at the finch house are doing well.

maybe a bit crazy, but not too bad. her heiness loves to snuggle with her brother. she actually just loves to snuggle and he does it so well, that he is her person of choice for now.

my models for the cookbook picture for my cooking blog. can you believe how big the kids are getting.

cvc1 thought it would be fun to snuggle with q, so she climbed into his ride. he thought this was great and began to hug and kiss her, yeah already.

when she tried to get down he didn't want her to go, so he held on as tight as he could. she did escape from his clutches no fear.

cvc2 flashed a big grin and squealed cheese because i had the camera out. isn't she cute. i can't believe how big the twins are getting. we had a great time over at the house of pattylicous. another yummy pizza night. i realize i have missed several thankful Thursdays this past year, so i will do my best this year to do a better job. I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. the snow- we don't get a lot, but man do the kids love what we get.

2. my salvation- i know it isn't the popular thing to do, but when have i ever done what was popular

3. the people who love me- i don't know how you do it, but I'm sure glad you do

4. the people who don't- you have taught me that no matter how hard i try, there will always be those that live to bring others down

5. adult time- i don't get much of it, so i cherish what i do get. i know there will come a time when i miss all the business, so i am doing my best to enjoy it as much as i can

6. my husband- last year was a very...growing experience for us. a new child, a new job, and a few setbacks. we have come out stronger, tighter and more in love.

7. God- without whom i would not be here. i can honestly say "but by the grace of God go i"

8. my family- you have taught me that no matter how right i think my choices are, you will always "know better" even if you don't, and i don't have to listen

9. prayer- i don't know where i would be without it. thanks for all of you who have helped get me where i am

10. the ability to let go- of hurt and anger, love that is poison, friends who are bad for you, and sometimes those you are bad for.

thanks to those of you who still stop by here. i have amazing things planned for the coming years. God is working. there are discussions of a new house, a new town, a new child, and a new job. we will see what the decade ahead will hold. this last one brought so many changes that have helped strengthen me and my faith. it's late and i have a busy week ahead so have a good one, thanks for reading and God bless.

help me believe in anything, cause i wanna be someone who believes

2010-01-06T20:53:00.003-06:00

as promised some pics. thank you to those who have already taken a peek at my new blogs. things around here are busy as usual. school has started back, the hubby is going to be in Orlando next week for national sales training. last year was a bit trying for us as a family, but anytime you add a new member things change a bit. i took a crochet class from September through December and i really enjoyed it. i would like to say that they taught me how to do amazing things, but it was a self paced and by default self taught class. most of the other students had been crocheting for years, so if i needed help i could ask. this spring will bring a new nephew and a new niece to the family. my mom has retired and i wonder what changes for her and us that will bring.

monkey is getting so tall. she is really beginning to look more mature everyday. her heiness is still pooping in her panties, argh. she loves preschool and is learning all kinds of fun things. q is getting big. he is officially scooting and nearly crawling. he has two teeth on the bottom, and has tons of teeth bumps on top.

Christmas was wonderful. we have a spending cap on gifts, so the gift giving is never extravagant at our house. we try to keep the focus on Christ and family. the tamales were unbelievably good as usual. we made up three different salsas this year because we have discovered my eczema is aggravated by tomatoes. my father is highly allergic to them, so i guess i should be grateful. we have had more snow so far than we did all of last year. nothing like the east coast is getting, but we don't have the same moisture they do. below is q with her heiness in his first snow. he was very curious about the cold stuff on the ground.

this is our tree. the girls decorated it this year. the gold ornaments are the same age as monkey. we got them for our tree her first Christmas.

the family picture that i always take at Christmas. aren't they the sweetest things ever. her heiness is at the age where making faces for the camera is tons of fun. if you check out the food blog you will notice she is modeling in most of the pics. she is my picture lover.

i hope that this year brings tons of joy, love and happiness to everyone. did i mention we went to see my dad? we had a great time and the kids were completely enamored with him. i hope to be able to blog every evening, but we'll see what next week brings as a solo parent.

o bring us some figgy pudding

2010-01-06T15:27:00.003-06:00

i wanted to let anyone who still reads this know that i am doin an exlporation of my vast cookbooks on another blog. i plan to blog on my personal, cooking and craft blogs daily. the only way i will be able to do this is to do it in the evening when the wee finches are sleeping. i hope everyone had an amazing christmas. we had a semi-white christmas. i will blog about it and post pics this evening.

I'll be home for Christmas

2009-12-18T08:18:00.003-06:00

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

2009-11-20T15:17:00.002-06:00

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

2009-11-03T19:07:00.002-06:00

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

2009-10-01T07:38:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-15T10:45:00.002-05:00

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

2009-08-27T11:38:00.004-05:00

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

2009-08-13T20:56:00.004-05:00

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

2009-07-21T22:10:00.002-05:00

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

2009-07-18T19:37:00.002-05:00

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

2009-07-14T20:35:00.004-05:00

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

2009-07-09T09:55:00.002-05:00

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

2009-06-30T11:12:00.003-05:00

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

2009-05-21T11:20:00.003-05:00

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

2009-05-11T17:04:00.000-05:00

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

2009-04-27T14:14:00.004-05:00

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

2009-04-24T09:07:00.003-05:00

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

2009-04-16T17:36:00.002-05:00

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

2009-04-09T15:06:00.002-05:00

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

2009-04-06T15:12:00.001-05:00

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

2009-04-01T14:04:00.003-05:00

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

2009-03-30T17:25:00.003-05:00

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

2009-03-24T09:31:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-23T15:11:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-12T07:48:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-11T14:55:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-27T09:29:00.002-06:00

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

2009-02-26T09:21:00.004-06:00

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

2009-02-25T15:34:00.002-06:00

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

2009-02-23T10:01:00.002-06:00

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

2009-02-19T10:12:00.004-06:00

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

2009-02-18T13:35:00.002-06:00

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

2009-02-13T07:00:00.001-06:00

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

2009-02-12T08:46:00.003-06:00

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

2009-02-11T16:30:00.001-06:00

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.

girls just wanna have fun

2009-02-09T14:34:00.003-06:00

it is a girls only kind of week here in the house of finch. the hubby is gone for the week in training in Dallas. then on to Austin for a convention for the weekend. he will make it home around 10:30 pm on Sunday. thank you for all the prayers i think the family may officially be on the mend. no fevers and the hacking cough has calmed down considerably. the problem is the cough last up to 3 weeks after the funk has left, well that's what the doctor says anyway. my babysitter is ill so i will be missing belly dancing class this evening. I'm pretty bummed about it really. her heiness was so sweet last night. we drove the hubby to the airport in the van, so his car was still here when we got home. she say the car and got so excited that her daddy was home already. the excitement didn't last long as soon as she realized he wasn't here she began to cry. the interesting thing is that she isn't a daddy's girl really. she loves him dearly, but has always been much more attached to me than him. this morning there was another crying fit when he wasn't the one to lift her out of her bed. most of my friends know that the upcoming holiday isn't my favorite. yes I'm talking about valentine's day. well, the hubby will be enjoying dinner with his new boss, old boss, and several other people that don't include his wife this valentine's day. i was more bummed about the fact that he would be gone for a week, than that i would be with out him for valentine's day. i was going to put alone, but i will have the girls for the holiday and that is definitely not alone. we took the girls to the mall to see Madagascar 2 on Friday. we got there early so the hubby says why don't we go look at jewelry stores. I'm confused because I'm not the biggest jewelry hound, and usually i prefer spending money on the kiddos instead of myself. we go to zales and sitting in the first case i walk up to is the most beautiful ring. it is shaped like a bow and set in white gold. the bow is made of clear and black diamonds. it was soooo pretty. it was also way more money than i think should be spent on me. i commented on it tried it on and then handed it back to the nice lady. we continued to walk around the mall until time for our movie. who knew that the children's place sold appropriate dresses and skirts for monkey sized girls? i was stoked. at least i know where i can buy her church clothes from now on. any who on Saturday we did baby registering and got the hubby luggage for the impending trip. we decided to hang with the cowden's for the rest of the day. it was great. they offered to take us to dinner and the hubby leans over and says "can we afford the ring?" i thought about it and said yes, so we were off to the mall. they had put the ring on sale that day and offered 10% off if you opened an account. the hubby said "I'm paying cash how bout you give me the discount and save yourself the paperwork." so she did and this is my new ring. isn't it beautiful.

well, her heiness is awaking from her nap, so I'll blog later hope everyone is having a great week so far.

i know you, i walked with you once upon a dream

2009-02-05T11:54:00.002-06:00

her heiness is still feeling gross, so we're watching sleeping beauty. just got back from the doctor, and everything looks good so far. my blood pressure looks good and next month i get to take the diabetes test. woo hoo. it is thursday and you know what that means. that's right it is time for my thankful list.
i am thankful for:

1. hot showers- they really seem to help me feel better lately.

2. fun and funky socks- i'm currently wearing a pair of sky blue argyle socks. fun socks just seem to make me smile.

3. baby clothes- they are so adorable

4. good chapstick- as windy as it is here chapstick is absolutely necessary if you don't want bloody lips.

5. yogurt- this is what my breakfast has consisted of recently along with whole wheat toast.

6. friends- with out you guys i don't know what i'd do. i have several who don't read this little blog, but to those who do. thanks

7. a good night's sleep- i finally got one last night. i felt so rested this morning

8. laughter- i'm glad that i can still find humor in my daily life

9. health insurance- this is a new one to me, and i am so thankful to have it.

10. wednesday night suppers- it is a lot of work, but i'm grateful that work i do can help others.