all about books

...I checked out Krista's blog and she had answered a book quiz and suggested that we, her readers, answered it too on our blog. So, that is what I am going to do. And I will sneak in my #8 for my thankful list too. :)

1. A book that changed your life.
Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself by Judy Blume. I think this was one of the first "big" books that I read and I absolutely loved it. Sally was imaginative, like me, and a dreamer, like me and I was instantly drawn to her. My real love of books began with this book. It had humor, drama and real-life history mixed in to make a great story. Wow.

2. A book you've read more than once.
Like my sister, I love re-reading books. I love re-reading biographies: Michael J. Fox, Nelly Connolly's, ect. and also great classics like To Kill a Mockingbird.
I re-read the Harry Potter collection every time a new one comes out.

3. A book you'd want on a desert island.
I think I'd want 3--The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It takes me awhile to get through it, but I could read those three books over and over again. Classic good vs. evil.

4. A book that made you giddy.
Ummm, I really don't know. Maybe Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man because it was so hilarious and I just fell in love with Daisy Fay. And also, while I was reading it, I came across a passage that I had read in high school in my Prose competitions in Speech and I was so excited to read that again.

5. A book that you wish would be written.
A book that would never end. I don't like when the books I read end. It makes me sad.

6. A book that wracked you with sobs.
I don't know if a book has ever wracked me with sobs, but I know Where the Red Fern Grows came pretty close. Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco made my kids wonder what was wrong with me because I was crying so hard, I couldn't see the words. The Velveteen Rabbit is also a touching story. And that leads me to what I am thankful for:
#8. Good, ole Rufus. My mom and Christy may be the only people that remember Rufus so let me explain. He was a small, stuffed sheepdog. He had long, soft hair that covered his eyes and he wasn't stuffed very full, so he was pretty floppy. I think I got him in Jr. High, almost too old to play with stuffed animals, but I saw him and instantly loved him and told mom I wanted him for my birthday. So she gave him to me. Years after sleeping next to me, he was stuffed in the attic, along with my other childhood toys. The other day, I was cleaning out some things and I found this huge bag of stuffed toys. I went through them, wondering if I could wash some of them and let the boys have them. And who did I find? Rufus. He looked a little crumpled, but I gave him a good wash and dry and he came out good as new. I presented him to the boys and said to take good care of him. Now Rhett sleeps with him. He makes me give Rufus a kiss every night. And I love it. Absolutely love it!

7. A book you wish had never been written.
This is hard. I wish I had never read A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry because it was so sorrowful and disturbing that I could not go to sleep right away for weeks afterward, but to say I wish it had never been written would be wrong because things like those in the book really happen. Which is terribly sad.

8. A book you are currently reading.
Honestly, I have been reading cookbooks. And that is it. I am getting ready for Thanksgiving! :)

9. A book you've been meaning to read.
Look at Krista's blog. Every one that made her list, I am going to have to check out!

Now, it's your turn! What are some books you love?

brothers and sisters

...I have a new favorite show: Brothers and Sisters. It is really a great show about family. I love that no matter what the problem, they always are there for each other. They make each other mad, even crazy sometimes, but they love one another fiercely! It reminds me of my family. We have been through some stuff, as every family I am sure, these past few years and I think it has only made our relationships stronger. And it has made me very thankful for

7. my big family

I have always been a fan of big families. My grandfather has 5 brothers and sisters (all still living--my family has great genes) and I loved the times when all of them, with their children and grandchildren, got together. Now I love when we all get together with our children. 7 little ones running around is so much fun! And total chaos but that is okay. I love that we are not perfect, that we have problems, because that makes us normal and strong. I love that we are there for each other. I love that we have kids around the same age. I love that we can laugh and have a great time but also know when to hug and cry. I am always so excited to see them and always so sad to see them go. Yesterday, I was sad because I knew on Sunday in 2 weeks, my family would be leaving my house. (Isn't that funny? They haven't even come yet and I am already sad that they will be leaving!)

Families come in all shapes and sizes and they are always changing. But, just remember, as Rachael Ray said, "Families who eat together, stay together!" :)

show and tell

...I took a break yesterday from doing what I was supposed to be doing and we did something that was a whole lot of fun. We made Christmas trees!







I saw the idea for the paper trees in Creating Keepsakes and had to make my own. The boys helped with the glitter and cutting the strips. The beaded tree took a little more time, but it turned out pretty too. I really went tree crazy because I also am making trees with fall colors. I just had too much fun.

#6 on my Thankful List is:
*Goof-off Days
I really could have waited to do these trees until December. Especially since Thnaksgiving is a mere two weeks away and my house is a complete mess and I need to do some things to get ready for my family coming, but it was one of those days. You know the days when you feel like you are in a rut and just can't bear to do one more load of laundry or pick up one more toy? That was me yesterday. So when Rhett came in wanting to do a craft, I jumped up and said, "Let's go to Hobby Lobby!"

I love goof-off days.

that's life

...We all know life is hard. Sometimes we feel life is harder than it has to be, than it should be. But, then again, there are no guarantees from God that life will be easy.

These past two weeks, I have had my eyes opened about difficulties other people in my life are facing. Whether it be about health, jobs, big decisions, or waiting for prayers to be answered, these things are making their lives hard. Like I said before, God never said life would be easy. But He did say he would love us. And that's what I am going to be thankful for today.

6. God's love
It is a simple thought: God loves me. But it has profound meaning and it can get me through some tough times. And it is the only thing I can think of to say to all those who are going through rough times right now.

God loves you. He loves you for who you are, he loves you no matter what, he loves you all day long, he loves you during easy times and difficult times. And that love will never go away.

Thank heavens for that.
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I forgot to mention that Tuesday was my brother-in-law's birthday! (I know, Miss I-Love-Birthdays forgot to give a shout-out to Scott!) Anyway, Happy Birthday Scott! I can always count on you to make my husband laugh and for that, I sincerely thank you.

like a good neighbor

...The fifth thing on my thankful list is something I am so excited about. When we lived in Midland, we didn't have this. Now, here, we do and I am so thankful

5. For good neighbors
Our neighbors have welcomed us with open arms, have been friendly toward us, they have helped us become familar with Edmond and they actually act like they mean all of this. I realize (now after not having them) that good neighbors are hard to find. Living in the country growing up, I had one neighbor--my grandparents and they were supposed to love us. It is so nice to be able to be able to trust your neighbors with things such as babysitting your kids, watching our house while we are away for the weekend, sending your kids to play with their kids and not worry. And all of this good neighborly stuff makes me want to be a good neighbor back. It makes it easy to be a good neighbor. This is one reason I love Edmond so much: My neighborhood.

I feel lucky.

all about the boy

...We have a neighbor boy, around 9 years of age, that waits at the bus stop with Rhett and some others. Rhett thinks he is totally cool and always follows him around and tries talking to him. I say "tries" because this boy totally ignores Rhett. He has two younger brothers and I guess he thinks Rhett is just like them, I am not sure. But it doesn't faze Rhett. No sir. My #4 thing that I am thankful for is:

4. Rhett's attitude toward people
Rhett is such a pleaser and just loves to be friends with others. It doesn't bother him at all that this kid does not pay him the time of day. He just smiles and goes right on talking to him. I want to scream, "Hey, you, what is wrong with you? Rhett is a good kid! Don't you hurt him!!" but then I look at Rhett and am so proud of him. He still likes the neighbor, still wants to be around him and is still so happy. And I know in my heart that he would never do that to others. He is a protector. Yesterday, we went to church with their grandparents and they asked for guests to come up and Rhett, who is so shy in front of large groups of people, put his arm around his little brother (who totally isn't shy at all) and they made their way up to the front together. He is such a good friend to Noah and an awesome brother. Yes, he does do annoying older brother things sometimes, but for the most part, he is so loving and caring. I am so proud of who is becoming.

tgif

...Of course, I have to be thankful

3. It's Friday!

Today, Rhett doesn't have school because of parent-teacher conferences. So I told them both last night, "Ok, tomorrow you can sleep in! You don't have to get up at the crack of dawn!"(time change is never a good thing around here. Do the boys know the time changed? No. Do they realize that now they are getting up a full hour earlier than they used to? No.) Well, that didn't work. But that is okay. They are in good moods and I am about to go make pancakes for them. It will be a good day. The sun is shining, we are going to see the grandparents this weekend, we are going to spend time being a family and enjoying each other, we are going to make a turkey for Noah's school together and it will be a great weekend.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend too!

cowboy up!

I have my issues with Wal-mart. A lot of issues. It is always crowded, I can never find everything I am looking for, and its ethics are sometimes lacking, to name a few. But I have to give credit where credit is due. Because of Wal-mart, I have my #2 thing I am thankful for:

2. Cowboys boots.



My son is deliriously happy today because yesterday he got cowboy boots. This is something he has wanted for a very long time and I was really going to wait until Christmas, because they are expensive. But the other day, I found that Wal-mart has them for $15. That is great! That means we don't have to shell out some bucks for him to try boots and decide he doesn't like them. Or only wear them for a month before he outgrows them (his feet grow like weeds!) He hasn't taken them off since yesterday. He wore them with a pair of carpenter jeans today. It looked a little silly but I didn't say anything. I just went out and bought him some boot-cut jeans, told them to try those and really buttered him up--"Now, those are cowboy jeans! You look amazing!" And he said, "Let's take a picture!" So I did. And just look at him posing for the camera. Isn't he something?

It is a little thing. But it made my son so happy. I hope that today you find something small thing that makes you happy.




BTW, here is a link to Krista's book. It is an amazing story of a woman and her family who made a fresh start in West Texas. And what is so neat is that woman happened to be my great-grandmother.

23 days

...until Thanksgiving! That means 22 more days until I see my sisters and their families! I am so excited! And because Thanksgiving is all about being thankful, I will post one thing I am thankful for each day of November. (or each time I blog). Because I really am thankful for so many things. So here's the first:

I am thankful for...
----my grandparents. Today is my grandad's birthday so I have been thinking about him and both my grandmothers a lot. I realize how lucky I am to still have living grandparents, because so many people around me do not. I realize how lucky my kids are to know their great-grandparents. I realize, now that I am older especially, how cool they are and how much they have lived through. My sister, Krista, edited a book of my Great-grandmother's diaries and I think my family is so fortunate to, one, have such a talented person to go through all those writings and actually get them into book form (thanks sis!) and two, have Grannie actually write down her history. Because now, not only do I get to read what life was like in her life, my kids and future grandkids do too. Cool. Anyway, my point is that I wish my three grandparents would do something similar. My late maternal grandfather was in the war and never really liked to talk about it but I wish that he had or at least wrote it down because wouldn't it be so cool to know his experiences? Wishing aside, I am very grateful for the time I had with him and have with my other grandparents.

trick or treat

...and Happy Halloween! These are the boys costumes this year. (Noah felt he need make-up too and with his mask it looks really cool but he didn't want to wear his mask so he just looked really tired!) We went to Haunt the Zoo on Saturday night so they got to wear their costumes early. Tonight we do it again.

Have a spooky day!

the four D's

...Today, the fam and I tried out a new church. It is a fairly new church (meaning small) and we were impressed with it the minute we got there. The minister is a fast-talker (reminding me of Gilmore Girls fast-talking, if you watch that show) and I honestly love it--but it was hard to keep up with him during recitation! But he was so down-to-earth and had such a great message. I would like to share it what I can remember with you now.

Basically, it was how to make your life easier. And it came down to the Four D's. Delete, Delay, Delegate, and Do it now.

Delete: all those things that is an extra-stress causing, life-cluttering, time-stealing, not really worth it in the long run, waste of your life so you can focus on things that really matter. He brought up all those hours watching tv (guilty as charged--as you can see from my Gilmore Girls reference to our preacher!). Now I don't watch during the day, unless I have loads of laundry to fold and I only turn on the tv at night after the boys are in bed, but then I just sit there and watch. I love my tv shows, but do I really need to watch The Nine when I don't even like what is going on? No. So my goal is to really cut down on watching at night.

Delay: all those things that don't need to be done right away or else! like cleaning your garage (that was his example) to again, focus on the people in your life that need a friend or a helping hand or just a hug. I really am good at procrastinating on doing chores so I liked this one. I do need to work on why I am procrastinating. Procrastinating just to do so is not what the preacher was talking about. But if I choose to spend time with my kids to make them feel loved instead of fold that load of laundry, then that is okay. And we need to be okay with that.

Delegate: all those things that that don't HAVE to be done by you. I loved his example: That is why we have kids--to take out the trash and mow the lawn! Kidding aside, it is fine to ask for help. It is great when someone wants to help you. It is awesome when you help someone else. No one alone. (from Buzz Lightyear: Star Command)

Do it now: do all these things so you can concentrate on the things that really matter: loving God with all your heart and your mind and your soul and loving your neighbor. Those are his commandments.

I know, it sounds a lot simpler than it really is. It is hard not to be selfish and to love all people. It is hard to be a Christian in this world today. This world has so much hatred in it, so much anger and bitterness. But I love when I find the good in people. Just today, when shopping at the grocery store, I tried smiling more to people. And you know what? People were more open to talking to me, they were friendlier and that made me feel happy.

Here's hoping you find happiness this week too.

my list of things to-do

...for today:
1. Laundry
2. Clean house
3. Think good thoughts for my brother. I hope the weight on his shoulders and his heart is lifted after today.

...for this weekend:
1. Spend time with Seth. He has been working non-stop this past week and we miss him.
2. Bake. I want to get a jump ahead of the upcoming holidays.
3. Scrapbook. I haven't done a layout in 2 weeks. The creative part in my mind is itching for something to do.
4. Go to the neighborhood fall festival. This should be fun for the boys. I never know about these things. Do the kids wear costumes? They never mention the word, "halloween" so I never know.

Yes, I know this has to be the most boring post ever. I don't even have any excuse for it. When I don't use the creative part of my mind, it falls asleep. Seriously. ...Okay, that was an excuse. Here's another: I got the FluMist yesterday and while it was much better than a shot (especially for Rhett who was high-fiving the nurse after it was over--remember he is terrified of shots), it made me so tired. I went to be early last night and still today I am dragging. Let's see if I can think of another...nope. Sorry. All tapped out. Signing off now.

we've been hit

...by the neighborhood phantom. Don't worry, it is not bad. I actually have never heard of this game, but apparently, one person gives 3 neighbors a treat, then they must in turn, give 3 of their neighbors treats and so on. But it has to be anonymous. So the tricky part for me is to get the boys to ring the bell of the neighbors houses we choose, then run as fast as they can away from the house. Hopefully, no one will be home. I can just see Noah just standing around waiting for the door to open, then let himself into the house to play. He loves other people's houses. I will let you know how it goes.

Other Halloween news: We carved a pumpkin yesterday into the shape of a skeleton. I know the boys wanted the little saw, but I just couldn't let them have it. I told them maybe the next one. I know it is too early to be carving a pumpkin because it is already looking sad, but it was rainy outside and we were bored.




We also made yummy cupcakes yesterday, as if we need more sweets for the holiday. But, in my defense, it was rainy outside and we were bored. (I know, I already used that excuse.) I did let them do most the work here. They had a lot of fun.








We also tried putting fake cobwebs outside our house, but the wind blew them into my fake flowers and it was a big, REAL mess trying to pull it apart. So that idea was a bust. Oh well.

I, for one, will be glad when this tooth-decaying holiday is over. Halloween is fun and all, but it has been one long month of it, you know?

just say no

...This week is Red Ribbon Week for schools and as you all probably know, students wear silly things like slippers to school to promote Drug-free awareness. I have no problem with this. My problem is...have you ever tried to talk to a 5-year-old about how to stay away from drugs? If not, here is how the conversation would go:

the mom (on Monday): So, it is Red Ribbon Week. Do you know what the red ribbons are for?
the son: Yes. (rolling his eyes) It is for you to wear.
the mom: But do you know why?
the son: ummm
the mom: This week is all about teaching you about drugs. There are some really bad drugs out there that you need to stay away from and...
the son: What's a drug?
the mom: Well, you know when a doctor gives you drugs when you are sick? It is medicine that makes you feel better. But some drugs are not meant to be taken because they make you even sicker. If anyone besides a doctor offers you drugs, do not take them because they can make you sick.
the son: Okay, okay.
the mom: Do you understand?
the son: Yes! Do not take drugs from anyone, especially doctors.
the mom (knowing this conversation is doomed): No, you can take drugs from doctors. They know what they are doing.
the son: No! If they offer you drugs, it can make you sick.
the mom (frustration level rising): Not doctors! They give you medicine to help you feel better. But if one of your classmates or another kid from your school or even a stranger tries to give you drugs, then you should say "no" and walk away.
the son: Why?
the mom (rising even higher): I just told you why! Drugs are bad. They are not meant to be taken for fun.
the son (getting upset too): Fine!
the mom (trying to calm down): So, did you talk about drugs today at school?
the son: No.
the mom: They didn't try to explain why they gave you the ribbon?
the son: No. They just gave it to me. I don't know why.
the mom (giving up): Eat your dinner.

I need one of those pamplets that tell you how to talk to your child about drugs. Because after that conversation, all I could imagine is that commercial where they cracked an egg, which was your brain, and fried it. That is how I felt. So, while I commend schools for helping children learn about drugs, they need to send home notes to tell what they talked about that day. Wouldn't that make life easier for everyone?

dinner with friends

...On Sunday night, we had a couple over to eat with us. They both work with Seth and we have known them for a few years, since we all lived in Midland before moving up here this summer. The only reason I am mentioning this dinner is because the boys were so excited that they were coming over. They talked of nothing else the whole week! And our friends didn't disappoint. She brought brownies just for them and he watched Buzz Lightyear with them. Then the boys brought out the game Hullabaloo. If you haven't heard of this game, here is a quick explaination: There are pads of different colors that you put on the floor. Each pad has a food, instrument or animal. There is a "box with a man trapped inside" (Noah's explaination) that shouts out instructions: Skip to a circle. Spin to an animal. Now make the animal noise. It is a fun kid game. Anyway, the boys wanted all of us to play it. Our friends are such troopers because they did. They have very big hearts and have helped us out so much since moving here and playing a twister-like game with Rhett and Noah just proved how good of people they are.

______________________________________________

This next part is from Rhett:

When I woke up, I saw the money. Thanks Tooth Fairy for the $1 coin and the penny. Thank you for note too. I didn't hear you when you came in. I can't believe you live in a mouth. Do you have sisters? Do you like KitKats? My mom is really pretty. Do you have a dad? I have a clock. It is really cool. It is in the kitchen. The kitchen is red. It is pretty cool. You would like it. My dad doesn't like he is waked up by other kids in the middle of the night. Tooth Fairy, do you have any toys? Man, is it cold out there? What state do you live in? I really want to know? Um, bye Tooth Fairy. From, Rhett.

(I promise I didn't tell him to say the thing about his mom! This is pure Rhett. Talk, talk, talk. And I honestly don't know how the penny got there either. When the tooth fairy came, she left just the dollar. Maybe she came again? Or maybe her husband?)

oh, Tooth Fairy

...you need to come to our house tonight! Rhett has lost his tooth!

It was so loose this morning that he let me pull it out. I wasn't sure I could do it. I still remember being the pulled, not the puller. (One time, my dad pulled my tooth out with my mouth full of peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What a guy!)

But , we did it in 2 tries. He was so excited! After telling daddy, he told me to make sure and write a note (that is his word for email or blog) to everyone.

R: Write a note to Grandmom about my tooth.

me: Ok, Rhett.

R: And Nana.

me: Ok, Rhett.

R: Oh and Nicolas!


And I am sure if we did not have to go to the bus stop, he would have had a much longer list that of family members that need to know. :)

Can you believe it? I am starting to get a mushy feeling, so I better go...

going to the movies (edited at bottom)

...I told the boys that we could go see a movie today. I really want to see Flicka, the boys want to see Open Season. I wonder who will win in this situation? I will have to wait until Flicka is out on video, I guess. :)

There are so many movies out on video that I want to see but just haven't yet. These are the movies that I wanted to see when they were out in the theaters but we just didn't. For starters, the prices are getting ridiculously high. I figure I can wait a few more months until it is on dvd. And for the most part, I can. I think Flicka is a book. Maybe I will read the book first. They are always better than the movie anyway.

I watched a really good movie the other day. North County. If you have not watched this yet, then make time for it. I thought it would be like other woman rights in the workplace movies, (like the Sally Field movie--Norma Ray--is that the spelling or the right name of the movie?) and a lot of it was similar. But this movie really touched me. I cried and cried. The father-daughter parts especially were so moving.

There are movies that no matter how many times I watch, I will cry. I think I cry harder each time because I know what is going to happen. But I love watching them. Here are my top tearjerkers with the parts that make me cry (so if you haven't watched them and don't want to know, stop reading!)

1. Castaway: The part where Wilson is lost forever and Tom Hanks character just breaks down makes me tear up but the part where I really cry is when he and Helen Hunt's character breakdown and reveal how much they love each other but they realize they can't be together. How sad is that!
2. Steel Magnolias: Of course. But I cried worse at this movie when I became a mother. Same goes for the other Shirley Maclaine movie with Debra Winger. What is that one called?
3. Backdraft: My love for Kurt Russell makes this one a top tearjerker. I just bawl. Seth laughs at me. It is a sad sight to see.
4. The Fox and the Hound: I can't even watch this movie because of the ending. I know it is coming and with the boys in the room, I have to leave. The other day while at Grandmom's house, the boys watched it with her and I walked in the last 2 minutes and started boo-hooing. I warned my mom it was sad and could see that it got to her too.

I am almost positive that Open Season won't be a tearjerker, so I don't think I'll bring my tissues. Have a great Friday!


eta: Okay, we saw Open Season and although it wasn't the best, it wasn't the worst either. There were a few funny moments. And I'll have to add The Family Stone to my "cry list" because I have watched it at least 5 times now and cry everytime. It also has some really funny moments too. Holly helped me think of that one, so thanks friend!

amazing

...the colors, the cool air, the falling leaves are just so breathtaking! We took a little hike (Rhett's word for our walk) yesterday and collected leaves, which we later used to make leaf mobiles that now hang in their rooms. We also stopped at a small park so the boys could swing.




They didn't complain once about the chilly air, but I did have a hard time convincing them that they needed to wear coats and hats. They are warm weather children, what can I say?

Good times.

_______________________________________

Even more amazing news:

Noah can write his name! He has been trying for awhile now and has written everything from NOON to NOHA (my fave) but yesterday he gave Rhett his autograph (that is Rhett's thing lately--he wants everyone to give him his autograph) and he wrote NOAH. Yay! He showed his dad last night and after writing it, Noah said, "I need to practice a lot more." This coming from a boy who does not like to sit down and color for more than 2 minutes. I guess he is growing up.

i'm better now

...I got all my negativity out of my system. Really, Seth. :) Even after I tried to paint the office in a way that would allow us not to move the furniture and it didn't work out as plan. So after all the taping and measuring, I am back to square one. But I am choosing to breathe deeply and try to do something else for awhile.

Today is the start of Rhett and Noah's fall break so this morning we went to the library and I think this afternoon we will go for a nature walk. The trees are just beautiful and I want to get some pictures. We'll have to bundle up because it is cold, but it will be worth it, at least for me. I am so excited about fall this year. So expect some pictures tomorrow of the pretty leaves. :)

women and men

...ok, mostly men. Just a few questions:

1. Why does the average male not care about having your picture made? Or having a photo made of your entire family? I could name names but I won't. I will say, although my husband was hard enough to convince about having a photographer come to our house over Thanksgiving, it was my brother's lack of caring about it that really annoyed me. (Hey, I didn't name anyone!)

2. Why does the average male not realize that he has indeed annoyed you? Are they really oblivious or do they act that way so they won't have to deal with it? I really want to know the answer to this one.

3. Why is it when you make a meal that takes an hour to prepare, the males in your house either a) do not like it or b) do not comment about it but when you fix frozen chicken strips, frozen tator tots and a quick veggie they are all praise? (quick note: my sweetie usually is very good at commenting about my meals. But he did look excited about the chicken strips. A little too excited. Hmmm...)

4. Why does the average female even let any of this bother her? (I am hoping I am considered average, only in this instance. Hee Hee!)

elephant, elephant

...Rhett has this book that he colored at school. It is about the zoo (because they are going to the zoo tomorrow) and it has 12 words per page, 10 being repeated over and over on each page: "Elephant, Elephant", I said at the zoo. "Elephant, Elephant", I like you. "Giraffe, Giraffe", I said at the zoo. "Giraffe, Giraffe", I like you. And so on. Well, he reads this book to Noah a lot. So much that tonight Noah read it to me. It was so cute. I was so amazed at both of them. And it was so funny to hear them try to say, "Chimpanzee." It came out "perpanzee."

Then, Rhett read the words on the back page. It was a list of animals. I know that he has most of them memorized, but he actually sounded out the word "penguin." He was really reading. So cool.



Now, about their clothing choices. This is what happens when I talk to long on the phone with my mom and dad before their bedtime. They go in their closets, find last year's Christmas sweaters, their caps and long socks and put an outfit together. Yes, they are silly. And I wouldn't want them any other way!

happy birthday Dad!

...I hope you have had a wonderful day!

We love you!

sunday funnies

...So today I was reading the new TV Week in the Sunday paper and they have a section called TV Forum which I always find so hilarious. People can comment on any tv-related topics by calling a phone number. Here are some questions by the Oklahoman public: "I would like to request that they cancel Friday Night Lights in Oklahoma, because it's about Texas football." Wait, it gets better... "How much older is Dick Clark than Bob Barker? Dick Clark doesn't look a day over 40, but Bob Barker looks dead." And finally, "Geraldo is twice as good as Anderson Cooper. So I propose that Geraldo has a show called 720 degrees." And there is always a comment about the Family Feud show. At first I wondered why they even have this column. Is it supposed to be funny? Are we supposed to feel sad for these people? And why do I read it every week? It is like a bad car wreck. I cannot keep from reading it every Sunday. What is even worse is that it is the very first thing I read from the paper. I know. Sad, isn't it?

pumpkins aren't just for pie

or for carving jack o' laterns. You can also make pumpkin pancakes! Yummy!

Friday night is usually Breakfast for Dinner night around here, but that night we are going to Rhett's school's Fall Festival so I decided to have it on a Thursday night instead. And, also, making breakfast is always quicker and uses a lot less pans and I was tired because I cleaned house all day, so that is thee main reason why I decided to have pancakes.

Anyway, because it is fall, I decided to add a little spice to my pancakes. I found the recipe in Martha Stewart Living and they were wonderful. Here is the recipe in case you want to try it. And I really recommend that you do.

Pumpkin Pancakes
1 1/4 c flour
2 T sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t each cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt
1/8 t nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves

Whisk these ingredients together. Then add,

1 c milk
6 T canned pumpkin puree
2 T melted butter
1 egg

Stir until combined. Melt some butter in a skillet over med. heat; pour in 1/4 c batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side; serve with butter and syrup. Makes 8-10 (from Martha Stewart Living Oct 06)

Have a great weekend and Happy 6th Birthday Nicolas on Sunday!

more birthdays coming

...this weekend. My nephew's, my dad's and my grandmother's are the 15th, 16th and 17th, respectively. (I have always wanted to use that word that way!) Sad for us, we won't be there to celebrate any of them. Rhett and Noah are pretty sad that they won't be at Nicolas' birthday party. The first time in 4 years. Maybe next year...



This layout is about my dad. Noah put on Grandad's boots and was being silly. I, of course, decided to scrapbook the moment. The journaling reads: these are Noah's grandad's boots--my dad's. My dad is a great man--hard worker, wonderful storyteller, and so smart. I hope Noah learns from him what it takes to fill a good man's shoes.

I am finding myself using dadism's (dad's wisdom) more and more now. Just the other day, Rhett was trying to zip his coat (me: Do you need help? R: No, I got it.) and got it stuck. So stuck I had to take his coat off of him the hard way because I couldn't get it unstuck. What did I say while doing this? "Rhett, you are more trouble than a goat." Ha! My dad told me that so many times. And I think all of his grandchildren use "Bad Business" because of him. My favorite was the time when he, while trying to get Rhett and Nicolas to stop crawling all over him, called those two boys: Pande and Monium. (hopefully, he meant it as wild uproar and not the other definition you'll find under the word) Anyway, my dad keeps us laughing, that is sure.

Here's hoping all three have a wonderful birthday!

d.o.g.s. are watching

...my son's school, that is. Watch D.O.G.S. or Dads of Great Students is a group of fathers (duh) that literally hang around the school and watch out for the kids. They also help out at the school. When Seth went to the first meeting a month ago, I didn't think much about it. I thought it was nice. Then, the wave of school shootings happened. And, honestly, I didn't think about it then either. I think I was blocking those things from my mind because if I gave it a seconds thought, I would have connected those with "oh my son goes to school...I hope he is safe." and that would have been overwhelming. But Seth mentioned it and I finally realized that I need to be aware of these things. I also saw a little blurb in the school's newsletter about how they need the Watch D.O.G.S more than ever. Just having men present in the hallways makes the school safer.

But I didn't really appreciate it until Monday. That day, while picking Rhett up from school, I noticed two fathers helping with the pick-up. They were taking children to their cars. One was a pretty big man. Instantly, my heart felt relief. Those men are taking time out from their work to take care of my son and other mother's children. Keeping them safe and keeping the other parents from worrying so much. Because if a school shooting can occur in an Amish community, then it can occur anywhere. So I am very thankful for those dads. And I am very thankful for the school for doing their part in keeping my kid safe.

one smart cookie

...A few weeks ago, after eating some chinese food, I opened my fortune cookie. It read: No one can make you feel bad without your permission. Since then, I have thought about that a lot and tried to apply it to my life and also try to teach the philosophy to my sons. I think that it is the most profound thing I have ever gotten from a fortune cookie. Think about how true it is. A person can be as mean to you as he/she wants, but unless you allow yourself to get all worked up about it, that person does not have to affect you.

Today, I thought about these words again because something happened that made me feel terrible. I was stood up. I was supposed to meet a woman for breakfast that I had met a couple of months ago at a party. She said she knew what it was like to be new and not know anyone, so she gave me her number. I called her two weeks ago and we decided to meet for breakfast today. I showed up, she didn't. Now, I am a sensitive person. I do know that there is the possibility that she just forgot, or she wrote down the wrong phone number and couldn't get a hold of me, but whatever the reason, I felt that I was not worth it to her to make sure I knew why she didn't make it. So I was hurt. And upset. Because of something she did, I felt bad.

Then, I wondered why I felt bad. Can she see that she hurt my feelings? No. Is there a huge possiblity that she forgot and doesn't even realize she did this? Yes. Yet, I was giving her permission to make me feel bad. It is easy to do. So, I decided to listen to my wise cookie fortune. I got up out of the chair I was in at Panera, I got in line for a Chai Tea Latte and a German Chocolate pastry (because chocolate always makes you feel better) and left. I kept myself busy until getting my boys at school. I celebrated with Noah because his teachers were so proud of him today because he didn't cry when it was time to clean up (this is a BIG thing for him. HUGE!) We watched our neighbor, who is a policeman pilot, fly over our houses in his helicopter. (Very cool.) And, you know what? I am feeling better.

Thanks to a very wise fortune cookie. :)

these are for you

...Sandy and Sammy! The rest of you, meet my nephew and niece: Matthew and Sara. Seth's brother and sister-in-law dropped by Friday night and we finally got to see the newest member of the family. Sara was born in May, so it is about time!

***********************************************
We bought Halloween costumes for the boys yesterday. Rhett is going to be a vampire. I bought face make-up so I can make his face greyish looking and have blood dripping from his mouth. He is very excited. This is the first time since he was one that he won't be some kind of "hero". Noah is going to be Batman again. He was Batman AND Buzz Lightyear last year. He is wearing the same costume as last year, but we bought him some cool Batman gadgets to go along with his costume. They are so ready for Halloween.

They know what it is all about--the candy. Is that bad? I met a nice couple from Venzuela yesterday and the wife was telling me that back there, Halloween is nothing like it is here in America. No decorations, no trick-or-treat. They just wear costumes and go to a party. That is it. This year, we will probably be going to two Fall Festivals and at least have two trick-or-treating events available. Growing up, I never went trick-or-treating. Of course, I grew up in the country with no neighbors but my grandparents. Now, the neighbors are warning us that as many as 150 kids could be coming through our neighborhood. Yikes!

Well, I am off to bake some treats for the Fall Festival cake walk!

GLBs

...what in the world?, I hear you asking. GLB is something I use quite a lot at my house. The boys love it. It stands for Gross Little Boys. Everytime they start saying disgusting things, or I catch them picking their noses, I say, "You are a GLB!" and they giggle and act more disgusting. So, yes, it backfired on me but it is still fun.

Tonight at dinner was a GLB moment. Not at first. At first it was hilarious! Here is our conversation pretty much word for word:

Me: So what did you do for fun today Rhett?
Rhett: We got to go to recess. Except we had to skip to the playground, holding a girl's hand. I hate that!
Me: Why do you have to do that?
R: Because the teacher makes us.
Me: What?
R: I don't like holding the girl's hand!
Me: Your teacher makes you hold hands with girls and skip?
(I'll break in here because I never got a straight answer from him. He just kept telling me that he didn't like holding hands with girls)
Later in the conversation:

Me: You know, it is okay to be friends with girls, Rhett.
Rhett: Ewww no!
Me: It doesn't mean they are your girlfriend.
Rhett: No. NO!

Noah: Well, I played with Elle today.
Me: You did. That is nice.
Rhett (breaking in): Noah, you used to have a girlfriend last year. Katie!
Noah: Oooh, I like Katie.
...dramatic pause
N: I kissed Katie!
Rhett: You kissed Katie!
N: Oh yeah.

By this time I am crying because I am laughing so hard. I am thinking, "What a sweetie! How cute!" Then...

Noah: Rhett, I kissed a worm.

GLBs strike again. The conversation went downhill from there. As it always does. There is a harldy a conversation that doesn't end with the word poop or weewee. Tonight was no exception.

Boy, they do keep me laughing though.

the things I will put my boys through

...to find a copy of Simple Scrapbooks. Yesterday, we went all over Edmond to three different stores looking for the latest copy. An hour and a half traveling in the car, getting out of the car, getting back in the car can get old for two little boys. They were good sports but at the end of it all, I still had no copy of it!!! So then I call my sweet husband and begged him to find me a copy. So he went to a couple of book stores and still no luck.

So today, I try at a scrapbook store, just a block down from the Hobby Lobby that I tried yesterday and found it right away! I snatched up two copies and of course, had to explain why I was buying two copies to the wonderful lady in the scrapbook store and she was very happy for me, even though it says I am from Midland, TX and not Edmond, OK. Details, details. I was so ecstatic. I mean, those of you who know me, know that I get pretty excited about things. Over the top excited about things. Jump-on-the-couch-Tom Cruise-style excited about things (although I would never do that in public). This is definitely one of those times. (I do have to point out that I did not actually jump on the couch. They are new and I would never dream of jumping on our new couches. Really, Seth.)

Anyway, thank you to all of you for being excited for me as well. It means a lot to me!

good news

...I am pretty excited today. Mom emailed me and said she got her copy of November/December Simple Scrapbooks today and my layout was in it! Whohoo!!! Of course, I haven't gotten mine yet, so I think the boys and I are taking a trip to find one at the store. I can't wait.

Also, Rhett has his very first loose tooth! He was thrilled! He wanted to call his daddy right away. Very cool!

Just had to share the excitement in the Houston household!!!

Rhett update

...So my friend Christy totally came through for me in an unexpected way. Without even asking, she gave me an idea for a post. Thanks friend!

Rhett has been to kindergarten for a month now. And it is totally amazing to see all he has learned. Today he was singing a song, "WHITE, that spells white" and while he was singing it "WHYTE, that spells white," I was still impressed. Here are some more info about Rhett's first month of kindergarten:

Friends: Jack is his best friend right now. He talks about him all the time. He mentions other boys too, I forget their names right now, but Jack is a subject we talk about every day. He is totally girl shy right now--will not admit that any girls are his friends. Ewww, mom, no, no. No girlfriends. NO! I think those are his exact words.

Cool things: So he has to do a mystery sack every week with the letter they are learning that week. They have to tell the class 3 clues about what is in their sack. The cool thing is that he is doing his clues all by himself now. At the beginning, I was helping him and now he just does it by himself and I just write them down for him. This past week was O and his mystery sack contained an Octopus. His clues: It has 8 legs, It's mouth is at the bottom, and he shoots ink out when scared. Such a smart fellow!

Oops moment: So a couple of weeks ago, I picked him up and he told me that he got to have a second breakfast that morning. I nodded, thinking someone had brought snacks. Then he told me what he had for breakfast (biscuits, orange juice, cereal, milk) and I figured out that he went into the cafeteria and had a second breakfast! Without paying! After making sure he knew never to do that again, I wondered what would possess the person in charge of the money to allow a 5-year old to just come on in, because surely the mom just forgot his money that day!!! Rhett said she didn't say anything about paying. A few days later, I got a note with a $0.90 charge for breakfast. Ugg.

Oops moment #2: Apparently, one day at recess, he and his friend, Brady, hid under the computer chairs the whole time. I never did get the full story about this one and really, didn't want to.

What Rhett is learning: He has been talking about snakes, about Halloween, making puppets, writing numbers and letters, writing his own letters to the Gingerbread man, and playing basketball

So, in short, he is becoming a little man. And I couldn't be prouder!

post a blog...check

...I am in a blogging rut. I have no idea what to blog about. I think my mind is on other things (like the HOF contest, getting my house in order, Thanksgiving) so I am not thinking much of anything else. I have a big to do list in my head and that is pretty much it.

I do need to say that there are many people in need of prayers right now. I am leaving it as unspoken prayer requests, but they are weighing on my heart. Please pray for healing, for comfort, for strength and for the answers they need, if it weighs on your heart as well.

One more thing: Life moves too fast, so remember to take the time to breathe. Breathe in your blessings, breathe in fresh air, breathe in the joy around you. Just breathe.

fall cleaning time

...I don't want to, but I have to. My house is in major disarray. Today I am tackling the kids' rooms. Throwing away some things, putting toys that they don't play with away, organizing.

Good thing I am in an organizing mood today. I hope the mood lasts all this week. I need to declutter my life and everything in it. Start with the big areas of the house and work to the smaller areas like my craft room which has baskets full of stuff. Stuff that needs to be put into order.

I want to do this because I want to start scrapbooking again and actually know where things are. I have decided to enter the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame 2007 Contest, so I need to be organized. I say I am going to do this every year, but never do. This year, I really want to do it. The contest has 10 assignments, so I need to get busy!

But first, the cleaning. Then, the fun begins!

baby, it's cold outside

...really! Why am I so excited about it being cold outside? Because this is the first time in 4 years that I have experienced a cold morning in September. And it is wonderful. Not so when you are standing in the wind while waiting on the bus, which was late, but wonderful when you are cozy and warm inside, hearing the wind outside.

It is also Friday and October begins in a couple of days. I was thinking out loud last night that we need to get our flu shots soon, before realizing the person I was "thinking out loud" to was Rhett. Rhett is terrified of shots. TERRIFIED. It takes 3 people to hold him down when he gets one. So, of course, he starts crying before I have to chance to take it back. (I take it back! I take it all back! I didn't say anything about shots!) We told him it wouldn't happen today or tomorrow or even this weekend. Still, he totally freaked out about it. This morning he even asked me about it, but much more calmly: "Will the flu shot be just a quick little poke?" Man, that was totally my bad mommy move of the month.

Have a wonderful Friday and remember to get your flu you-know-whats soon!

Batman, there's trouble!

...Rhett and Noah constantly crack Seth and me up. I wish I wrote down all the funny things they said because I always forget them. But not this time. I am sharing a Rhett funny with you tonight.

Seth had to wear a suit and tie today for work. (A quick aside: Why do you have to say "suit and tie"? Isn't it assumed if you wear a suit, the tie goes with it? Just wondering.) Anyway, he went to tell Rhett good-bye this morning and found Noah playing in the closet. (Yes, this is normal Noah behavior.) Seth was asking him what he was doing when Rhett said, "Hey, Dad, you look really nice today. You look just like Commissioner Gordon!" It took a minute for Seth to realize that Rhett was talking about Mr. Gordon from Batman! He is the guy who quotes this blog title in one of the many Batman books we have. My husband said he laughed all the way to work.

In a totally related story, Noah thinks I am Batgirl because tonight I put on my orange shirt with a black bat symbol on the front. He thinks I'm cool. How long does that last? Just wondering because I want to be prepared for the day when I put on my orange shirt with the bat on the front and the boys look at me, roll their eyes and say, "Mother! Please!"

I guess I'll worry about that later. Tonight Commissioner Gordon and Batgirl are going to bask in their high coolness factor.

scrapbook share

...I know yesterday's blog was a little sad so I thought I would make today's a little more upbeat. And what is more upbeat than sharing my latest scrapbooking project?

This is for a mini-book challenge from Ali Edwards. She challenged other scrapbookers (or life artists) to make a mini-book of our Five Fabulous Favorites. So I made mine out of Mossimo clothing tags that I had been saving for "something". My Five Fabulous Five are: Bath and Body Works My Favorite Lip Balm, Oregon Chai Chai Tea Latte, Gilmore Girls, Third Day's song Rise Up, and the color red.





Mini-books are so much fun to do because they give you the "I finished a project" feeling. Scrapbooking is just the greatest because of things like this: you can share things, learn things, be inspired by others, and get these fabulous ideas to share your life. I also love participating in challenges because it keeps it interesting. And I get ot use things like clothing tags! :)

So, next time you cut the tags off of your clothes, keep them. You never know when you can make a mini-book out of it!

Have a great day!

weekend recap

So, we went home for the weekend. (I still call my the town I grew up in "home" because I have never lived anywhere longer so it still is "home" to me). And the boys and I had a great time. I read a book, the boys got to play with their cousin, my mom and I talked till midnight one night just catching up on things, I saw my friend Abbey for a brief moment at church, I went shopping and we got to see our family. It was good.

And because of the five hour drive to and from here, I thought a lot. Now, normally, when Seth tells me he's been thinking, I reply, "That's never good." And, honestly, I have tried not to really think about things lately. A lot in our lives have changed these past few years and if I get to thinking about them too hard, it gets overwhelming and I start having to deal with all these things that I don't think I am ready to deal with yet. But when you are on the road and your kids are watching a movie, then you have no choice but to think.

And this is one thing I thought about:

*The church I grew up in has really changed. There are just a few children now. I remember when the classrooms were open and had children there, learning about God. Now there is only one room they open and that is the nursery. It made me sad. Because I remembered when I was a kid, we had this awesome preacher. I loved Skip. He was there before our church stopped growing. He was there before we went through preacher after preacher after preacher. He was there before all the kids grew up and left and our youth group was down to 3. When he left, I remembered being sad about it. But I got over it as people do. Then about 5 1/2 or 6 years ago, the unthinkable happened. Skip and his wife was found murdered in their home in Houston. And driving home, I realized that I don't think I will ever get over that. What could possibly make someone kill another person, let alone a man of God and his wife? I just don't know. But it makes you want to hold on to your loved ones even harder. It makes you want to shield your children's eyes from all that is bad in this world. It makes you want to go back to that time when you were a child and all that mattered in the world was whether or not you got to sit with your friends in church. (I always did). It makes hope that you are the kind of person God needs you to be, especially when you or a loved one goes through tough times: if you were there where you were supposed to be, did what you could, loved how you should have loved...

I hope I was and am that person.

sniff, sniff, hack, hack

...Both of my sons have coughs and stuffy noses. Seth is just now getting over a cold. I had a cold two weeks ago. You know what this means? Fall is here!

There are good things about Fall too but I am having a hard time convincing the boys that cooler weather is here. They still want to go barefoot outside and wear shorts and no shirts at night. I don't blame them. They have never experienced autumn weather (at least Noah never has; Rhett has but doesn't remember it). So this is a new thing for them.

I love when Fall comes around. It means cooking comfort food that makes you feel warm and cozy. Tortilla soup, anything with squash, warm apple pie, hot chocolate, lasagna, fresh baked bread...yum.

Fall means the holidays are soon coming. Which means I really need to finish the projects around the house before our families come in November. Today I am tackling the guest bathroom. The wallpaper must go! (And believe me, if you had seen it, you would agree).

Have a wonderful Monday!

i'm 29!

...just in case you didn't get that from my posts this week. Ha! Ha! So, technically, it is not midnight yet, so I'm not officially 29, but its pretty close.

Thursday was a good day. It rained really hard so my picnic and nature walk was out, but we had fun baking a cake (tell you more about that later), and going to the new Wal-mart. Seriously, they had fun. Good times.

Speaking of good times, I think I owe you one more list. I was going to do a "29 reasons I am glad I'm 29" list, but honestly, I could not think of more than 10. I'll give you my #1 though: It is not 30. :)

This list is going to be a little easier and a lot of fun. Here it is:

29 fun things to do for your birthday
1. Bake a cake. The boys and I made a Chai Tea Buttercream Golden Layer Cake with Fudge Dip on the side. Sound good? It was.
2. Eat 2 pieces of the cake you baked. Yes, I did. Seriously.
3. Watch the premiere of 3 of your favorite shows. Thanks to DVR, we were able to watch The Office, Grey's Anatomy (that is where Seriously is coming from, in case you don't watch this show), and ER.
4. Have someone take your picture. Noah took this one of me.

5. Show your sweetie how to do yoga to relieve a stuffy nose. He was doubtful, but it worked!
6. Paint your kitchen red! Yes, I did and I love it!
7. Enjoy the cards that your friends and family sent you! Thanks by the way!

8. Have a flour mini-fight. With boys, you can't have a full fledge flour fight or it would be everywhere, so we each put a small dab on our faces. See my white nose?
9. Stay up late writing silly lists. Yep, it is late and I'm gonna regret it in the morning. But it is my birthday and I can stay up late if I want to. :)
10. Eat a third piece of cake. Okay, I am just kidding. I did not have a third piece of cake. Promise. Thought about it. But did not do it.
11. Take your boys to Sonic for lunch. They love Sonic. And I have to admit, their tater tots are very good.
12. Eat Chinese food on your day. They boys got Sonic, so I get Chinese food on my day. Yummy!
13. Make a layout. Hopefully, I will get to do one in the morning.
14. Wish your twin brother "Happy Birthday" in person. I get to see him and Cameron and give them their b-day gifts. We are very excited!
15. Go on a trip. The boys and I are going to go see my parents and Seth's parents this weekend. We are looking forward to going! Seth can't come this time. And he will be missed. So...
16. Laugh with your sweetie. We had a great time watching The Office together. I love hearing Seth's laugh. It is the best.
17. Make one of your favorite foods. I made calzones tonight. The easy version. I haven't made those in forever and just felt like doing it tonight.
18. Hide from your kids. Just for the fun of it.
19. Give your sons an extra hug. Even when they are stalling before going to bed.
20. Watch your child go across the monkey bars.
21. Pretend you are going across the monkey bars too.
22. Dance in the middle of your living room.
23. Make a new friend. I talked to one of the mothers at Noah's preschool today for a few minutes. And even though it made me late picking up Rhett, I was glad I did it. She is really nice and it is great when a new friendship is found.
24. Sing the big, bad wolf song with your child. Noah learned the story of the 3 little pigs today and so we sang, "Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?" together. I loved it!
25. Thank God for all the blessings you have been given. Because he has given me a full cup.
26. Thank God for your family. Because he has given me the greatest family I could ask for.
27. Thank God for your friends. Because he has given me wonderful, thoughtful, loyal friends.
28. Thank God for my husband. Because he has given the man who is right for me.
29. Sing Happy Birthday to yourself in the shower. Where else?

Well, look at the time: it is my birthday officially now. I am 29. Here's to another year. Thanks to everyone for participating in my lists. And tell me what you do to celebrate your birthday. I would love to know.

Have a great day! I know I will!

late night thoughts

...ok, I was prepared to make another list, but I think I am not going to anymore. See, today was not a good mommy day. Not a good mommy day is defined as one when mommy yells at her sons, is not patient with her sons and does not spend as much time with them as she should. Of course, I realize this after Rhett and Noah are asleep in their beds. Instead of making another list about blessings, I am going to take a break from blogging tomorrow and go out and spend a fun, fall day with my kids. We are going to have a picnic outside, take a nature walk, go to the park and hopefully see some signs of Fall in the air. In order to do that though, I have to get everything done that I wanted to get done tomorrow in the morning when they are in school. (That is when I usually blog) Those two mean the world to me and I want them to know it. And tomorrow, they will.

hopelessly devoted to you

…This list is for my husband because he has been with me throughout my whole 20s. He has really been a big part of who I have am and hope to become. I know I have frustrated him beyond belief at times but he still loves me. I also know that we still have a lot to learn and to work on, but I am glad that Seth is my partner. Thanks for being there for me! Love you sweetie!

29 lessons I have learned from being married
1. Fight for a solution, not about the problem.
2. Sharing is as important when you are married as when you were a child
3. Being selfish doesn’t work. Period.
4. You always have a friend.
5. Surprises, little and big, are always appreciated
6. Kindness goes a long way.
7. So does compassion.
8. Brutal honesty is sometimes a necessary thing, but look at #6.
9. Sometimes little white lies are necessary too. (like complimenting on the burnt dinner)
10. You have to make sacrifices.
11. Appreciate what each does for the other.
12. If he wants to cuddle at night, let him. :)
13. Don’t try to change each other.
14. Be happy for each other.
15. Listen to each other. Really listen
16. Love each other unconditionally.
17. Laugh together. Do something fun together. Life is too short not too.
18. Sometimes you will have to do something you don’t want to. Don’t worry, it all evens out.
19. Always keep the focus on God.
20. Be the first to stand up for the other.
21. Men cannot read a woman’s mind.
22. Love does mean having to say you’re sorry. If you don’t, you’ll be sorry.
23. Support each other’s dreams.
24. Be good to one another. Don’t be mean just because you can.
25. When your spouse walks through the door, give him/her a hug. It means more than you think it will.
26. It is still nice to hear a wonderful compliment, no matter how long you have been married.
27. Go on dates. Even if it is a stay-at-home, watch a movie, kids are in the other room kind of date.
28. You are partners. Treat each other as such.
29. Remember why you fell in love. Then, when you are angry, think about that and you’ll be surprised how you anger doesn’t matter anymore.

Ok, what lessons did I leave out? Let me know, okay? Tomorrow, is the last list you will have to endure, I promise. :)

Loving Life

…I loved doing this list. It is always fun to see what you love doing at a particular point in your life.

29 things I love in my life right now
1. Chai Tea Latte
2. Cooking
3. Reading magazines
4. Scrapbooking
5. My new house
6. Decorating my new house
7. Chinese food
8. Watching The Office with Seth
9. Jumping on the trampoline with my sons
10. Watching Gilmore Girls every afternoon
11. Blogging
12. Watching movies (funny, romantic and dramatic)
13. Reading blogs
14. Daily phone calls from Seth while he is at work
15. Planning Thanksgiving for my family
16. Seth (extra love for him) for giving me the special gift of getting my family here for Thanksgiving
17. Snuggling on the couch at night to read the boys a book
18. Checking on the boys before I go to bed at night
19. Getting emails from my friends and family
20. Reading a good book
21. Waking up to the sound of rain
22. The new church we started going to
23. Getting into bed on clean sheet night
24. Yoga
25. Anything chocolate
26. Shopping with Seth
27. All things Fall and leading up to the holidays
28. Sunday night dinners (or whatever nights we are all together to eat)
29. Wearing layers

Now, you tell me what you love in your life right now. I say right now, because tastes change, or you finally watch all the episodes of your favorite television show and no longer watch it. But I have to say, I will always love being with Seth, always love spending time with the boys and always love spending time with our families and friends. Just had to make that clear! :)

Celebrating 29

…This Friday, I turn 29. So this week, I am celebrating with lists that go from 1 to 29 of different things. Why? Because it is fun. Because it made me appreciate the things I take for granted, like being a mom. Because it is my birthday and I can do it if I want to. Hee. Hee.
And because it is my birthday week (yes, I am calling the whole week my birthday week) I want you to interact too. I’ll tell you what you need to do at the end of the post.
So here is my first list of the week.

29 reasons why I love being a mom:
1. Rhett
2. Noah
3. Getting to play the games I loved when I was a kid
4. Baking chocolate chip cookies (and sharing them so I won’t eat the whole batch!)
5. Snuggle time
6. Reading at bedtime
7. My children’s laughter
8. Leg hugs
9. Sweet, sloppy kisses
10. Chocolate covered faces
11. Little hands
12. Toothless grins (as a baby and then when they lose their baby teeth)
13. My kids wanting me to jump on the trampoline with them
14. Watching them learn new things (this week, Rhett learned how to whistle and climb the monkey bars!)
15. Teaching them about God’s love
16. Dancing with the boys
17. It is never boring, ever
18. Teaching them jokes
19. Listening to their stories
20. The unconditional love I feel
21. That when they get hurt or sick, no matter what their age, they still need me
22. Watching them sleep
23. Each day I find a reason to love them more
24. Seeing Seth’s and my traits in the boys is truly amazing
25. The things kids say! (The other day, Noah said, “Mom, I wish I were God.” Me: “Uhh, you do? Well, that’s a big job. A lot of responsibility. I don’t think you really want to be God.” Noah: "Well, I just want a magic stick like Him." I think he meant the rod that Moses and Aaron used.)
26. Cooking with the kids
27. Getting to watch Disney movies with them (or going to Disney on Ice! That was pretty neat, by the way!)
28. Being a superhero (even if it is just pretend)
29. Being a mother makes me appreciate my own mother and my husband’s mother so much!

Now, it is your turn. Give me one reason why you love what you do. Whether it is being a parent, a spouse, or what you do for a liveing, or being a Christian---I’ll let you decide that. Just click on the word “comments” right below this post and get to typing! Have a great day!

it's my sister's birthday!!!

...Happy Birthday to Jana! I hope you have a wonderful, fun day!

I have the most amazing sisters. They are both such amazing mothers, wonderful women, cool, smart, talented and I look up to both Jana and Krista. I appreciate them so much.

I wasn't always so appreciative of them. They were the older, wiser ones and Casey and I were always considered the babies. Jana left for college when I was in 5th grade and Krista left two years later. And although, I got to know Krista a little more than Jana because we shared a bathroom for those two years before she graduated, I still had a lot to get to know, if you know what I mean. And what I knew of Jana--I knew she was my sister, but I didn't know her as a person. (How many time can I use the word know or knew in a paragraph? Let's count and see...)

Then, my not-so-cool teenager years struck and I was hard to get along with (what teenager isn't like this?) I disliked that every time we had a break from school, we had to go see my sisters in San Antonio. I liked seeing my sisters--just not the good-byes that were inevitable every time we visited. I missed them and the longer we didn't see each other, the less it bothered me that I didn't know them. Then we would see each other and it bothered me again.

By the time I went to college, they lived far away from Texas. I saw them once, maybe twice a year. Now it wasn't that I didn't know them, they didn't know me either. Jana even said many times that she still thought of me as little.

Then, because of God's amazing timing, all four of us (Casey included), had children that are close in age. My parents have 7 grandchildren, the first born in 2000 and the youngest born in 2005. That instantly bonded us. We talked more. We shared more. We started wanting to get together more. I started to get to know Jana--not as my oldest sister, but as a friend. Krista and I renewed that bond again that was just beginning when we were sharing a bathroom all those years before. She became my friend too.

Now, I consider my sisters as two of my best friends. I love them both very much and I am so lucky to be their little sister. But I am also glad that I am not treated as their "little" sister anymore. I love sharing our children's lives together and I am so thankful for God's timing.

music, books and birthdays

...I gave Rhett some old cds that Seth and I never listen to anymore. They were just taking up precious space in the drawer (my mom can testify to that because she is the one who stuffed the drawer with cds and movies) so I thought maybe Rhett might like some of them. Well, he does. This morning before school he listened to REM's It's the End of the World over and over. At least 10 times. A few weeks ago he was on his country music kick, now REM. He is a funny kid.

Moving on...so I'm trying to read some classics. The last book I read make me realize I know little of the great books of the world. Last week at the library I decided to move past the breezy fiction and and picked up Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. First of all, you don't just "pick up" Jane Austen. I learned that fairly quickly. Second of all, I did not get past the first few pages! See, the last book I read, Literacy and Longing in LA, was about this woman who would go on book binges when things fell apart in her life. It was in this book that I learned what type of reader I am. She talked of four, I only remember my type. I am a skim reader. I read the dialog, skip past the long, detailed paragraphs and am finished within a day or two. I have only become this type of reader after becoming a mother. (Remember the mommy brain I referred to last blog? Well, it affects my concentration for books too). I don't mean to do it, I just do. When I began reading Austen, I knew that I couldn't skim this book. I was going to have to study each long sentence and it was going to take awhile. So I stopped.

I do still want to read some classics. I know that I am going to have to read all them slowly. I just can't start with that one. So, here is where I need help. I know several teachers (two of them English), an English major, many book lovers and all of you intelligent read this blog. You tell me your suggestions of what books I should read. I'll let you know if I can get through them! :)


One more thing...Today is my nephew Cameron's birthday! He turns 3 today. He is the happiest little boy I know and the pride and joy of my twin brother. I hope he has a fun day! Here is a layout I made for Casey about his cute little son. I am going to give it to him, framed, for his birthday (which is in a week--that means mine is in a week too! Yay!)

the state fair

...of Oklahoma starts Saturday. It is the 100th year so it is expected to be a huge celebration. I had actually forgot that we bought tickets to see Disney on Ice: The Incredibles for that day and was going to go to my hometown 100th celebration and parade, but happened to remember when I saw a sign while getting gas. Oh yeah, we are going to the state fair.

I am actually more excited than that. Almost forgetting about it was not because of my lack of excitement, it was my mommy brain. (or the lack of brain). I have wanted to go to a Disney on Ice forever and now that The Incredibles are the show, I know the boys will enjoy it too.

I have never been to a state fair. I have read horror stories about them (falling ferris wheels stories that make you want to never, ever get on one), read about their unusual and delicious food in the paper (turkey legs, roasted corn-on-the-cob, Indian tacos and cinnamon rolls are the favorites around here), and heard about the people that never miss a state fair. Ever.

So this will be an interesting experience for us. I want to find out what kind of food an elephant ear is. I want the boys to try funnel cake. I want to try an Indian Taco. I want to find out if this is really worth going to year after year. Whether it is or not, you will read about it hear. Hopefully, I will remember my camera. And some Rolaids.

my evening out

...was absolutely wonderful! Because the Julie Andrews event was downtown, at night, Seth did not feel comfortable with me going alone (in truth--I didn't want to deal with the parking situation) so he and the boys drove me to the music hall and then they went to Bricktown to have some fun.

Dame Julie Andrews was just lovely. I can't think of any other word to describe her. She talked of her life as a young girl, told stories about meeting Walt Disney and all the leading men that were in her movies, relayed humorous antedotes about her life and was so gracious to everyone. You could tell she was totally in control of the whole situation, but she did have a question/answer session where she talked candidly about who was the best kisser. (She picked James Garner! I think it was because he is from Norman and she knew how to get in good graces with Oklahoma people with that answer). The total event was very enjoyable for me.



Then, I called Seth and was picked up quickly and we went to Marble Slab for dessert. I was not allowed to take a picture of Julie, so I took a picture of my three main guys, enjoying their ice cream. Seth had taken them to the Bass store to look at all the fish and Sonic, one of Noah's favorite places. I am very thankful for him. He wanted to watch the UT/Ohio State game (not because he likes UT but because he thought it would be a good game--had to make that clear) but instead he took care of the boys while I did what I wanted. Sweet.

What better way to spend a Saturday night than with Mary Poppins, sweet boys, an amazing husband and good ice cream? I sure can't think of any.

just so you know

...jcpenney's Home Furnishings in Tulsa, OK does not carry its own furniture found in the catalog or their online site. They carry something completely different that can only be found in their store. Are you confused yet? We were. The saleslady said they had 3 different ways to shop--in the store, online, or catalog. Yes, but doesn't that mean you should have available most of the items in the catalog or online? Apparently not. And our couch shopping saga continues.

We have been trying to find the perfect couch, chair and ottoman since we have moved here. We want something comfortable, something pretty, something that fits in our formal living room that has western pictures hung in it. Seth and I have two completely different tastes so this has not been easy. Our search has led us all over OKC and then finally, to Tulsa. We saw a couch and chair that would be perfect online, but wanted to touch it and sit in it. It never occured to us that we should call the store first to see if they carried their own furniture. The items we were interested in did not say, Catalog and online only. Needless to say, we were disappointed. Even more disappointed and about as perplexed as the time we went to an Arby's in Houston and they had no roast beef. Seriously.

We did find a nice set in Macy's at the mall in Tulsa. So we at least have another option. But this couch expedition has taken it out on us emotionally. After shopping, we went to eat and ended up fighting over a silly issue and I had to excuse myself to the restroom to cry. Don't worry, all was forgiven after a few moments and we had a great time in the car on the way home, but I think we were at our wits end at that point in the restaurant.

Then, last night in bed, I began to think about all of those people who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. They could no longer shop for couches with their spouses or have silly fights in restaurants or laugh hysterically in the car until you are crying after that day. I truly hope that most have found a way to get on with their lives to a point where they have found some happiness again. Where they feel like they are living again. But hopefully, we will always remember those heroes and victims and their families who lost their lives that fateful day. I know I will. And I know that I will try to appreciate my family more. And today, I will give them extra hugs and "I love yous".

I hope you do the same.

julie andrews

..in all her glory, is coming to Oklahoma City tomorrow night as a keynote speaker in a women's health forum and I get to go see her!!! I am very excited. I am aware that she is not able to sing anymore, but that does not matter to me. I am going to see Mary Poppins. Maria. The Queen from Shrek 2. (that was for the boys). I am going to see an amazing, talented actress and a children's book author. It will be wonderful just to hear what she has to say about women's health. Heck, she could be talking about laundry and I would still want to go see her! (ha, ha)

Have a wonderful Friday!

please ignore

...this post.

the things that impress

...little children. Ok, I was impressed too. We bought a new washer and dryer the other day because our old ones were leaving rust stains on our clothes. As my dad would say, "Bad business." Especially on Seth's work clothes.

Anyway, the impressive part is that our washer is the front-loading kind. That means you can see the clothes spin around in soapy water. The boys love that! And it really is kind of mesmerizing to watch.

The negative thing is that you need to use High Efficeincy detergent with this washer. Well, I just bought a huge bottle of regular detergent at Sam's. We are talking 96 loads here. So we had to go and buy some of this HE detergent. I told Seth I felt like a laundry snob. No, I don't use the regular detergent. Only HE for this household. Sniff.

But I am excited about it. It will be nice to wash something and it come out cleaner than it went in.

Ok, I just realized I devoted a whole post on laundry. I gotta go now before I start talking about the advantages of using non-chemical cleaners over chemical ones. Or what takes out the toughest stains in the boys' bathtub. Now that is impressive.

noah's turn

...for a first-day-of-school picture. He was so excited to finally be going to school. Just a quick wave good-bye to me and he was ready to go with his teachers at the school.

Now I just have to figure out how to pick them both up at 11:30. Today was a bit stressful for me. I don't like showing up late and in this situation, it is inevitable that I will be late for one. I picked Noah up first and hooked it over to Rhett's school, but I was the last car there. It was 11:35. It was fine, but I don't like it.

What did I do for the 2 hours I had to myself this morning? I went to SuperTarget, where else? I found some sheets for the boys' rooms and a blanket for Noah's room--all on sale. I love that place!

I also found out what I needed to do to get an Oklahoma title and registration for my car. It will be easy but I am a little sad. I have never had a license plate that hasn't said Texas on it. I know it is silly, and as much as I am enjoying living here, I miss Texas.

I was so heart-broken the other day because I was looking at The Oklahoman (the newspaper) and just happened to glance down at the left-hand corner of 15-A and there I saw that Nellie Connally had passed away. I was sad because, not only is she part of our nation's history, but there was only a tiny blurb about her in the Oklahoma paper. I hope that she was on the front page in Texas. She deserved at least that.

I have read her book From Love Field: Our Final Hours with John F Kennedy twice already. The book is based on her notes that she wrote a short time after it all happened. She was a woman who was deeply devoted to her husband, John Connally and the book is not only a factual account of what happened but a story of love, friendship, pride in Texas and heartbreak. She dedicated the book to her deceased husband with these words: Sunrises and sunsets have never been as beautiful as when I shared them with you. Sleep well, my darling.

Now, all the people that were in that car on that fateful day in November are gone. In Connally's book, she included two speeches that President Kennedy was supposed to make later that day on November 22, 1963. I have read the last paragraph on his speech, The Country is Moving...And It Must Not Stop, and I think it is still so fitting in today's world. Especially as we approach the five-year anniversary of 9/11. Here are his words:

So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our nation's future is at stake. Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our case--united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future--and determined that this land we love shall lead all mankind into new frontiers of peace and abundance.

(text of speech President JFK was scheduled to deliver on the evening of 11-22-63).

what a weekend

...we had with the boys' grandparents! We went shopping, went to the zoo, went out to eat, went fishing, caught a can...

A can?!? Yes, a can. Pop wanted to take the boys fishing and he bought them poles, worms, the whole enchilada. After fishing at a lake (that is about 10 min away from our house) for an hour, Pop finally got a bite. We were so excited we all ran over to see. He let Rhett and Noah help reel it in and as you can see in the pictures, our big bite was a rusted, mucky can. Rhett held up our only catch for the day so we could take pictures. It was hilarious!


The lake was beautiful, the weather was nice and although I am not generally a nature person, I had a great time just relaxing, catching up on my scrapbook magazines, enjoying the peaceful surroundings and watching the boys have fun.


And I think Seth may become a fisherman. He didn't want to stop!

Noah didn't fish for long. Actually, he fished just long enough for me to take this picture. But he had a great time playing in the murky lake water.

So we had a great Labor Day weekend. It went by too fast and today we are all exhausted, but it was a lot of fun.

What about your weekend? What did you do? Tell me about it!

japanese beetles

...are invading our little willow tree. They are clumped together and look like they are having a great feast. When I first saw them I thought they were locusts because locusts love willow trees. Or at least they loved the willow tree in my front yard at my childhood home. (Doesn't that sound somewhat pretentious! Ha!) But, upon further study, I realized they don't look like locusts at all. So I looked yahooed "green, flying, large beetle that likes willow trees" and Japanese beetles came up. Isn't technology great?

Apparently, Japanese beetles are bad business. They lay eggs in your lawn and the larva eat your grass roots. They could possibly eat this whole tree (yes, I am being dramatic). The weird thing is they aren't even that big of threat in Japan because of natural enemies. But here in America--they are huge nuisance. They were dive bombing us they other day while the boys were on the trampoline. They are loud and attract wasps. So, Seth is going to get rid of them.

Other than the beetles, I really love Edmond so far. I love our house, the neighborhood, the hills and how we can see the beautiful sky from our windows-instead of the house beside us. I love that it is actually cool in the mornings now as we wait for the school bus. I love that we have butterflies in our yard on those cool mornings.

Today I told Noah to sit really still and maybe a butterfly would think he was a flower and land on him. And one almost did, but Noah got fidgety. He was more interested in chasing them. He wanted to touch their wings. I told him if he touched their wings, their magic dust would come off and they couldn't fly anymore. Noah's response: "Then it would be on me and I could fly!" Ahhh, the innocence of children.