Catch Me If You Can!

Weeeeeeeee! I have a new look! Come and see! I'll be blogging here from now on. Thank you so much for creating my header, Sara! I LOVE it!

Tears of Joy

Ethan called out to me tonight, about 45 minutes after he went to bed. I walked in to his room to find him sobbing. I asked him what was wrong,

"I'm (sob) just so full (sob) of joy!" (big sobs)

I wish I had a picture of his precious little face. He asked me if that ever happened to me, if I ever cried from being full of so much joy. I told him how I sometimes cry when I hear a song that really touches me, and at other times when I can just really feel Jesus' presence. Ethan said his joy came from the music he was listening to just then... "Sunday Morning Songs" by Bob and Larry. So precious.

A Little Commercial

I just need to tell you all about the best barbeque sauce ever. After we moved, we couldn't find it. But I just ordered a case of it online today! Can't have summer without Cookie's!

The View Out My Window

Anytime I look out the windows facing the back of our house, or coming down the street from taking the kids to school, I see the good old American flag waving above the houses. I can't help but think of my grandpa who was in WWII and my dad who was in Vietnam/Korea/Thailand, and the husband of my friend Tracey, who is on his way to war in Iraq. Whenever I try to talk to Tracey about it, I end up sounding like a blubbering fool. I just can't find the right words to express my thanks and gratitude and indebtedness for the sacrifice she and her husband are making for me and my family. Tracey, I'm praying for you, your kids, and your beloved sergeant. Many many prayers, not just from our family, but from millions of people all across the country, are going with him!

If Cartoons Got Saved

After reading Sarah's post over at Life in the Parsonage where she mentioned her son prays for his favorite cartoons, I thought of this really cute song and just thought I'd share it, heehee!

Little Bunny Foo-Foo

Okay, most of us grew up learning that song in elementary school. You know how it goes, Little B-F-F goes hopping along, scoops up field mice and bops them on the head. Little bully. But down comes the fairy and she says, "Little Bunny Foo-Foo I don't want to see you scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head. I'll give you two more chances, and if you don't stop, I'll turn you into a GOON!"

Okay, so that last part with the chances and turning into a goon, there are probably all kinds of variations of that part. But I wanted to share with you what I just now heard Ethan singing while he was sitting at the table eating some little foil-covered chocolate bunnies, marching them across the table. His exact words:

"Little Bunny Foo-Foo Hopping through the forest, scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head. Along came the fairy and she said, 'WHAT?! You're still doing that??? If you keep it up you're going to JAIL!"

And then Ethan gobbled up the unwrapped bunny he was marching across the table.

Somebody Got Stuck In The Toy Box

Heehee!

Another Question Answered!

I always get kind of nervous posting Biblical/Scriptural/God stuff because I'm still learning and still have a LOT to learn, but I get those "a-ha! moments" and think it's just so wonderful that I want to tell the world about it! So, if I misunderstand something, or say it wrong, I'd love to be gently corrected!

Anyway...

I love love love when this happens. Another question answered! For the past couple weeks (really since I've started that Isaiah Bible study) I've been thinking about holiness. I see a lot of Mennonite and Amish women here, and I do admire that they don't conform to the world. And I had been wondering if they are holier than me. I've been wondering what it means/looks like to be holy. I know "holy" means to be "set apart." So that's why I was wondering if those ladies were holier, because they are definitely setting themselves apart. Just this morning I was even talking to Heth about it.

Well, right now I'm doing my Isaiah homework, and I tell you what, Kay Arthur took us to Colossians 3:5. (Remember I'm studying ISAIAH, not Colossians)

BINGO!!! The whole chapter is about holy living!!! I LOVE it when that happens!

As I sit here trying to type out vs. 5 I realize that the whole chapter, chapter 3, says it all. Not just verse 5. I'll list it out. Put to death whatever belongs to my earthly nature (oh man!) like: sexual immorality; impurity; lust; evil desires and greed; anger; rage; malice; slander; filthy language; lying to each other; since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed inknowledge in the image of its Creator. There is no Grekk or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (that was a sort of summary of verses 5-11).

But I really love this part (quoting the rest of Colossians 3:12-17 and by the way those italics are my own emphasis because those are parts that really really speak to me),

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Oh man, I need to read all that every day many many times a day. Maybe I should copy it down and tape it all over the house, like on my bathroom mirror, near the kitchen sink, on the T.V. and computer for sure.

Anyway, I just love it when God answers my questions like that.

So going back to those Amish and Mennonite women. Are they holier than me? Only God knows what's in their hearts. I need to quit comparing myself to them and listen to what God is telling me and DO IT. Oh man I know I'll mess up, and I'm so thankful that my salvation does not depend on living a perfect life. But how awesome it is to hear the Word, believe it, and let it change my life. I hope I said that right, I hope that makes sense...I hope you know what I mean.

Easter Excitement!

I'm so excited! Tomorrow is Easter! I've been whistling "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" all day today. And "Praise Adonai" too. But anyway, I just got back from the store. I bought all the groceries for Easter dinner tomorrow. Remember when I made my first Thanksgiving dinner last fall? I'm rearin' to go for Easter. Going to try a couple new things like cherry sauce with our ham and a sweet potato dish with apples baked in it. Yum!

On the drive home from the store I got to thinking about how our families are so far away, and we'd be celebrating without them. They'd be celebrating without us. I started feeling a little homesick but then caught myself imagining Emily being old enough to help me with the cooking. I can't wait for that, me and Emmy in the kitchen together. Now my boys are old enough and could help me, too. That'd be just as precious. But they'd rather play than cook. And that's okay. Maybe Emmy won't want to help in the kitchen, either. I sure didn't when I was a kid. I would have rather been out shooting baskets or something.

So tomorrow we'll go to church at the E Free church we've been visiting. It's the same one I've been going to for precepts. It's huge, over a thousand people, so I imagine the music will be quite spectacular. I always get emotional over the music. It's just the way I respond. Some people raise their hands, others call out "Amen!" but me, tears. I always try to hide them though, because I don't want people to think something's wrong. It just comes over me. But in a congregation of well over 1,000 people, I can't imagine anyone noticing. That's when it's nice to just blend in with the crowd.

I hope you all have a beautiful Easter Sunday tomorrow, filled with thanks and awe for all Jesus has done for us!

Sunshiny Day

It's a bright sun-shiny day today, and as you can see we are still in our jammies. I love days like that. The kids have been out of school most of the week for Spring Break, and so we've been keeping busy with the Wii, building forts, playing with the neighbor boy, and Ethan even made it to a birthday party last night. Right now, the boys are chiseling away at a hunk of fossilized dinosaur poo from a dinosaur kit of Owen's.




It's not real poo. I imagine that would be very hard to find. Here are a few treasures they dug up.


And here's what I'll be doing today...

*sigh* I've been putting it off all week since Eric has been out of town. He comes home tonight, so I better get busy...

Emily Leaves Her Mark

Ethan thinks it's funny to put his finger in Emily's mouth so she'll bite it. Today he learned his lesson. He was playing with her on the floor, and she reached over and bit him on the cheek. I was telling Heth about it, and she directed me to this really cute video. I hope I got it to work!

Taming My Tongue

I joined a Bible study, and I'm really excited about it. It's a precepts study by Kay Arthur, and it's on the book of Isaiah. Each day I do as much cleaning as I can in the morning, because after I take Ethan to afternoon kindergarten, I put Emily down for a nap. And then, it's just me and God. I love it and really look forward to my quiet time with Him.

Yesterday my lesson really spoke to me. I'm on Isaiah 6, the chapter where Isaiah sees God sitting on a throne with the train of His robe filling the temple. Isaiah says, "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."

That unclean lips part really hit me. And I learned a lot about what my lips have to do with sin. I learned that out of the overflow of my heart my mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34b). The things that come from my mouth come from my heart (Matthew 15:18). Anytime I gossip, exaggerate the truth, use a nasty tone with my kids or husband, what does that say about my heart? And what does that say about how I feel about God?

Now, Isaiah had seen the Lord. He knew that because of his sin he should die. But Isaiah recognized his sin and confessed it, so God forgave him.

God knows that I am not perfect. His Word says, "We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check (James 3:2)." I recognize that the things I say and the way that I say them reflects what's in my heart and can be hurtful to others. I want Jesus to live in me and the words I say to be good and bring life. So I ask the Lord to forgive me, to come into my heart, and help me tame my tongue. I have a feeling He is saying, "Why Andrea, I'd be delighted!." Because I also learned that I'm His beloved.

Wow I love this Bible study!

Woohoo!

Emily went to sleep WITHOUT THE BINKY! (pacifier)

*happy dance*

Colors

This was fun! I saw it on PJ's blog.



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Happy Birthday Ethan!

My baby boy turned six today!

Per Eric's begging and pleading, we celebrated at Chuck E. Cheese's...

A little boy named Chris hopped over to our table to ask Ethan and Owen to play. When I explained that Ethan was about to open his presents, Chris asked if he could watch. I thought it was sweet. Even though they had only met four seconds prior to present time, Ethan was able to have a friend celebrate with him. The boys played with Chris the rest of the time we were there. What a sweetie.

Happy Birthday, Ethan! I love you, my precious boy!

I'd like to introduce you to a new friend...

If you are like me and prefer that your coffee not taste like coffee, then I highly recommend this! It tastes like a cherry-flavored tootsie pop! Yum!

Good Ol' Dad

Owen and Emily are both sick. Owen's doing much better now with the antibiotics, and I'm keeping a close watch on Emily. The moment she gets a fever I'll take her in. But maybe it won't get to that point.

But anyway, after supper tonite I was thinking that I wanted to take the kids' temps before bed. I still have a mercury thermometer which I feel is more accurate than our ear thermometer. I use that on Owen because he's old enough to hold it under his tongue and not break it. But for Emily and Ethan I use the ear one.

Thinking about all that triggered the memory of a story my mom told about my dad from when my brother and I were little kids. Dad is just like me, a chapstick addict. He must have been out of chapstick and used the Vaseline as a substitute. Do you see where this is going?

One day he came walking out to the room Mom was in as he was carrying the little jar of Vaseline. I can totally see my dad holding the jar and rubbing the Vaseline on his lips as he asks, "Why are there so many little holes in the Vaseline?" And my mom's reply?

"I always dip the thermometer in the Vaseline before I take the kids' temperatures." (We were little, Mom took our temp rectally because they hadn't invented digital thermometers yet.)

Imagine Dad's reaction to the knowledge that before the thermometer was placed in our little rears, it was plunged into that very jar of Vaseline he was smothering all over his lips. Of course, Mom thoroughly cleaned and sterilized the thermometer each time with alcohol after taking our temps, but still it is kind of gross. I suppose she didn't use that Vaseline for anything else, and she probably didn't even think about poor dad using it as lip balm.

It STILL makes me laugh!

Small World

It's such a small world. I love it when things like this happen. Owen has strep throat again (that's not the cool part). He had all his "signature symptoms" and so I took him in. When the doctor was ready to write the prescription I explained that Owen does better with pills rather than liquids or chewies (for some reason they make him gag and then he throws up. Poor buddy!).

Anyway, the doctor prescribed amoxicillin caplets and explained the dosage which I was pretty familiar with. The only thing is, I did not agree with the prescription this time. It seemed way way too high. I explained that and then when it was all said and done decided to just trust the doctor because I am not a doctor myself. But when I got home, I still called my mom, left a message with Patty, and researched on the internet. It just wasn't settling with me. The internet was telling me this doctor's dosage was way way way too high, like double that of an adult.

Here's the cool part.

I decided to call the clinic where my kids went to before all this moving started. I loved that doctor and her nurse, I trust them completely and miss them TERRIBLY. But I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do, since my kids haven't been patients there for two years, well, one year and 3 months. But I still called.

I explained my dilemma to the receptionist and even asked her if it was appropriate for me to call since we aren't patients anymore, but she said she'd try and see if anyone was available. I was put on hold, and then someone picked up the line. I asked if she was a nurse. She said she was a registered nurse. I explained that my name is (first name last name) and my son Owen was a patient there until we moved.

She interrupted me and asked if I was the same (first name last name) that taught at (name of school). I said, 'Yessss...." And she said, "I'm (name of daughter)'s mom! You had my daughter in second grade, as a matter of fact in the very same year you had Owen!!" I completely remembered her!

It was so cool! What a small world! It was so nice to talk to her. I had her daughter when she was in second grade. Now she is in TENTH grade! Oh man that makes me feel old. Not really.

But anyway, what a cool deal. And, I found out that even though this whole prescription thing was not how our former doctor would have done it, it still won't hurt Owen. Whew!

The really best part is that by this time tomorrow, my Owen will be feeling a gazillion times better.

Pampered Chef Saves The Day

Yay! You know those brown scrapers that come with any Pampered Chef stoneware? Well, I used on of those on the plasticky stuff stuck to my stove top. It did the trick! :)

Big Mistake

I messed up. I have a smooth-top stove and set a plastic measuring cup on one of the burners while it was still hot. Some of the plastic melted onto the burner and has hardened now that the burner is cooled. Is there any way to get the hardened plastic off? Or is it now a permanent part of my stove? I'm afraid to use that burner in case the plastic melts again. Any ideas or suggestions?

It's the Phone

I was on the phone with Patty and Emily was whiny, so I grabbed a cookie and gave her a bite. As she walked away from me, I just kind of ate the rest of the cookie. Soon she was back, whining. I was still on the phone so I grabbed another cookie, gave her a bite, and off she went. Of course I finished that cookie, too. Do you know that during my telephone conversation with Patty I ended up eating SEVEN cookies from Emily's whine-take a bite-wander off routine? But it was great talking to Patty!

Which reminds me, I was having a nice conversation with Vicki yesterday while driving to town to do some shopping. It's a good 30-minute drive, and the last time I tried to drive it by myself I got miserably lost. And I was even paying very good attention. Well, I'm happy to say that this time I did not get lost at all! I reached my destination smoothly and in great time, even while talking on my cell phone and not really paying attention to where I was going.

Did they pass that law here that says you get a ticket with a really high fine if caught talking on your cell while driving? I better find out...

Embracing Accusation

Another song I can't stop thinking about. So many times I have to pray that Jesus will block out Satan's voice so I can only hear Jesus.


Embracing Accusation
by Shane and Shane
from their "Pages" album

The father of lies
Coming to steal
Kill and destroy
All my hopes of being good enough
I hear him saying cursed are the ones
Who can’t abide
He’s right
Alleluia he’s right!

The devil is preaching
The song of the redeemed
That I am cursed and gone astray
I cannot gain salvation
Embracing accusation

Could the father of lies
Be telling the truth
Of God to me tonight?
If the penalty of sin is death
Then death is mine
I hear him saying cursed are the ones
Who can’t abide
He’s right
Alleluia he’s right!

Oh the devil’s singing over me
An age old song
That I am cursed and gone astray
Singing the first verse so conveniently
He’s forgotten the refrain
Jesus saves!



*Sorry I can't figure out how to add songs to my blog, but you can hear it on YouTube here. This particular version has an extra part added by John Piper.

For My Mother-in-Law

We finally got some family pictures taken.


This one isn't too bad, except in the left-side background you can see the messy living room...



Eric didn't like this one because it covers up our shirts...

This is the one we'll be sending out...

This one's okay too, except it's just kind of plain in the background...

Keeping It Real

This one's for you, Anne Marie!

Lunar Eclipse

I'm so excited! Tonite, in about 20 minutes, a lunar eclipse will begin. We won't see another one until 2010. The best part about it is my dad is here!

When I was a kid, Dad spent a lot of time teaching me the different constellations. We had so much fun watching satellites go by, and sometimes we'd catch a meteorite or even a storm. There used to be a cornfield behind our house, and we'd often walk out there to observe the night sky. I'm so excited that he is here now and we can watch the eclipse together.

Heartstrings

Music is really important in my life. I listen to it all the time. The only secular music I really listen to anymore is Enya from time to time, otherwise it's only Christian bands. I like a very wide range, from mild and mellow Shane&Shane to harder Blindside which surprises many people. I'm just so mysterious...haha.

When I find a song that I really love, I listen to it over and over again. Lately, I've been listening to Heartstrings Come Undone by Demon Hunter. The reason I love this song is simply because of the melody. It's unusual. Some of the lyrics are touching, but I haven't figured out what they mean. Maybe the lyrics are personal to the band. I'm wondering if the song was written for someone who is really lost and is afraid to let Jesus love him/her. Or maybe the lead singer is reflecting on a past mistake he made and how he hurt someone. When I listen to it, I tend to think of and pray for people I know who just keep rejecting Jesus. Anyway, I just thought I'd share the song with you.

Experiment

Well, I thought I'd make a goulash of sorts for supper tonite. I had the macaroni cooked, ground beef browned, green peppers and onions diced, cheese and spices added, and went for the can of kidney beans. I always have at least two cans of dark red kidneys because I make chili and taco casserole a lot. But tonite there were no kidneys. I thought we could just go without, but it would really seem lacking. I thought maybe Eric could grab a can on his way home, but then supper wouldn't be ready till really late. So...

I put a can of peas in. Drained of course. We'll see what happens!

Game Time

Right now I'm in the cold, unfinished basement with Emily in her exersaucer and Ethan sitting next to me on the couch. I've got a ceramic heater going which really warms the room up.

Although Owen is much more into soccer and football, Ethan loves video games. Don't worry, we don't let him play all day every day. As a matter of fact, the only time he really plays is when Owen, my husband or I am down here with him. He's too scared to be in the basement alone.

Super Paper Mario is Ethan's latest favorite. I'm down here helping him. There's a lot of scripting, and even though Ethan's reading is coming along very nicely, he still needs help with the reading.

I wish I could leave it at that. It sounds pretty good, me helping my son read the script on a video game. But that's not all I'm doing.

I've got my laptop open and I've googled Super Paper Mario walk-throughs. I'm helping my son beat the levels by reading aloud the walk-through. This gives us access to all the secret stuff and tells us how to finish each chapter quickly without having to figure it out on our own. At first I was letting him explore on his own before accessing the walk-through, but I discovered he'd get so lost and mixed up that we'd have to start at the beginning of the level in order for the walk-through to work. We both want to see the game completed but don't want to grind through it. So now I just read as we go. It's actually pretty fun. We spend about a half-hour/forty five minutes to finish a section, then head upstairs for a snack.

Okay, Ethan's been exploring in the game on his own and is getting frustrated. He spent all his coins to get access to a blue tube that seems to lead to nowhere. Better check the walk-through!

Shepherding A Child's Heart

Ethan and Emily are napping now, and so I thought I'd start this book my sister-in-law introduced to me. It's called Shepherding A Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp. I've only read the introduction, and already I'm touched. Page xix (what number is that anyway?) says:

"Proverbs 13:20 says, 'He who walks with the wise becomes wise.' As a wise parent your objective is not simply to discuss, but to demonstrate the freshness and vitality of life lived in integrity toward God and your family. Parenting is shepherding the hearts of your children in the ways of God's wisdom."

I love that. I want to be that, a wise shepherd, loving and kind, for my children's hearts, just like Jesus is for all of us. I've got a lot to learn, and God's got a lot of work to do in me. I'm so thankful He's not done with me yet.

Ethan Wants to Know...

Do kangaroos make sounds?

He asked me that today while we were eating our lunch. I honestly don't know the answer.

Sick

Yeah, that's a picture of me at Christmas at my mom and dad's. Dad thought it'd be cute to snap a picture of me and was gracious enough to email it to me.

That was the last time I saw my mother and father-in law, too, at Christmas, and I was sick. They are here now, visiting us after our big move, and I'm sick again. And so is Ethan. They've been so helpful, taking care of Emily, helping with meals, cleaning up around the house, DOING MY LAUNDRY (the best gift anyone could give me!). Please pray for them that they don't get sick. After their visit with us, they will go see more family and friends in two other states. I will feel so bad if they are sick on the rest of their trip.

Happy Day!

I know I tend to post more pictures of Emily and talk about her more, but I can't help it! It's not that I love her more than Owen or Ethan, but she's a baby and so darn cute. I came across these and just wanted to share them because I love them. She's walking completely on her own now, though. And I will work really hard to get more pictures of the boys on here.

Still Listening

I mean, it's incredible! How in the world did the people keep all this straight? Did Moses jot it all down for them and make extra copies? Can't you just see the priests with their manuals wide opened, asking, "Okay, Aaron, HOW many times are we supposed to sprinkle the blood? Is this a horns-on-the altar one or an in-front-of-the-curtain sprinkling?" It's mind-boggling.

I can't even follow a recipe a second or third time after I've initially cooked it without having my nose planted in that cookbook. It's incredible everything they had to learn, the discipline and obedience required. I'm such a slacker.

But then again, I imagine they had to do this continuously, so it probably didn't take long to get it down. And they had the Holy Spirit guiding them.

Just an Observation

I'm listening to Leviticus now. I'm not theological by any means, but I'm just listening, thinking about how BLOODY that tabernacle must have been! I just heard the part where if an Israelite or even the entire nation of Israel sins without realizing it, once they are aware of the sin they must present a bull, the elders must lay their hands on it and then it's sacrificed before the Lord. Then the priest dips his fingers in the blood and sprinkles it on the curtain (I think it's the curtain, I need to check on that). But just think how many times they had to do that! The priests, that must be all they did all day long is remove the innards from animals and burn them and sprinkle blood. A very gory job. Not for someone with a weak stomach (or someone who isn't a Levite~heehee! There's a little theology!). Sorry if you were looking for a deep message, but I just was observing how bloody the inside of the tabernacle must have been. And stinky. Well, except the smell of roasting meat isn't so bad. Anyway, I'll get back to listening. As I grow I'll get deeper and not sound so much like Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey.

Base Ten Blocks

Woohoo! I'm so excited! I ordered a starter set of base ten blocks and they arrived today. Owen is starting regrouping, and I got tired of trying to cut scraps of paper to make blocks, so I ordered a set.

I don't understand how children can learn regrouping and truly understand what is happening without these wonderful manipulatives. I'm sure children can memorize the procedure for regrouping, but then when they get to subtraction, they don't completely know when to regroup and when not to. These blocks make it concrete! I highly recommend them. In my teaching days, I couldn't live without them, and I wish they would have been around when I was learning regrouping as a child, it would have made much more sense for me back then.

My Little Thinker

Ethan asks amazing questions. His little wheels are always turning. The other day he asked me if Jesus slept when he was a baby. I said yes. His response was, "But God doesn't rest!"

Then yesterday he asked if a person has to be married to have a job. I explained that no, you don't have to be married to have a job. Teenagers have jobs and they aren't married. He asked if I had a job when I was a teenager. I said yes, that I worked at McDonald's. He was enthralled and all excited and asked all about it.

Today, Ethan asked me how babies got in the world. I asked if he meant how are babies born, and he said no. He wanted to know how the world got so many people on it. I explained that God created Adam and Eve, and they were married. They had kids. Then their kids got married and had kids, and so on and so on. He asked, "Does that mean brothers and sisters had to get married to each other?"

I was at a loss for words. I was amazed that he could put that together. But I chickened out and said, "Well I don't know! That's a great question. I do know that brothers and sisters are not supposed to get married though." His response was, "Well, maybe God just created more people so that brothers and sisters wouldn't have to marry each other." I just left it at that and said, "That could be. God can do anything." I just wasn't ready to explain it all to him, especially in the 7minute car-ride to school. But it amazed me how he thought all that out.

Coffee

I was just emailing Tracey that I am either too tired or just plain old losing it. I'm home from picking the kids up from school and thought I'd make some coffee. I poured the water in and waited and waited. Our coffee pot is slow, but this felt too slow. I checked and saw that there was no coffee. I had forgotten to turn it on. I hit the button and went back to feeding my wound-up kids a snack.

I could hear the pot gurgling, it was done, so I went over and was all upset because it wasn't making coffee, only hot water. I was thinking, "Great. Now we need a new coffee pot." Then I realized I didn't put any coffee in it. *BONK!*

By the way, how do you make coffee? I don't actually know how to make it, I just put spoonfuls in till it seems right, then turn on the pot. I put so much flavoring in it that I can't really taste the coffee anyway. The directions say, "1 serving (6 oz) = 1 tablespoon, 10 servings = 1/2 measuring cup."

This confuses me, because it didn't come with a measuring cup. Do they mean a half-cup? Like a normal half-cup measuring cup? I thought it meant to use a half of the measuring thingy they gave you in the can. My can did not have one, but I always remembered my mom's cans had them from when I was a kid. I need to know this, yesterday one of my new neighbors stopped by (oh my house was a disaster!) and I didn't dare offer to make coffee because I don't do it right. Our pot is a 12-cup pot. Does that mean I just fill it up to the 10 cup line and add a half a cup of coffee? Sounds pretty good to me, I can add as much vanilla or chocolate to cover up the coffee flavor. But I don't want to scare off my visitors. Tracey, did I ever make coffee for you? Yours always turned out right...

English is so Frustrating

I just found out WEIRD doesn't follow the "i before e except after c" rule. All my life (or at least as long as I've been able to understand the "i before e" rule) I've spelled it WIERD. /huff

I'm Not Wierd or Anything...

Hey all! Linda tagged me for a fun meme. I would be most delighted to oblige!

The rules for this meme are: (1) Link to the person that tagged you. (2) Post the rules on your blog. (3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. (5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

Okay, here goes!


1. When I discover a song that I absolutely love, I listen to it over and over and over again until I know every word and every sound so that I can hear it in my mind without needing to use the cd. (I wish I did that with scripture!)


2. I'm terrified of spiders. I do a spider check every night before bed. I'm getting better. I'm to the point where I can crawl into bed without the lights on, but I still sweep the bed with my hands just in case a little critter is wanting to join me. I used to be much much worse, though. There was a time when I couldn't turn the light out, let alone go to sleep, without doing this routine. Check under my pillow, check under the bedspread, check under the flat sheet, lift the flat sheet way up to check in the bottom corners of the bed, check behind my pillow, check the wall behind me, check in the space behind my bed that is between the wall and the mattress, check all four corners of the room near the ceiling. Then I could finally turn my light off. Sometimes I would get that "feeling," you know, spider radar, that told me to quick turn the light back on one more time. I couldn't ignore this, too many times I'd had good reason.

I'll add to that, I used to hallucinate really badly just as I was falling asleep. I would either see hundreds of spiders falling down on me from the ceiling, or I'd see one very large spider crawling on me or the bed. When I would see these, it would appear as real as day, as if the lights were on and everything. I'd scream and jump out of bed, terrifying my husband. It's been a good couple years since that's happened (thank goodness!).


3. I just asked my husband what else is wierd about me. He says I have a huge space between my big toe and the next toe over on both feet. I do not.


4. I have a hard time making decisions. I want to please people. For example, I've typed and retyped 5 different things here for item number 4 but can't decide what the best thing to share would be.


5. You will never see me dance. I dance all the time with my kids in my kitchen, but if you see me at a wedding, no way. Also, I am totally out of my element and completely uncomfortable going to bars or dance places. But I did find myself in a mosh-pit at a Blindside concert once. Yes, I did that. It was scary.


6. I am completely addicted to chapstick/lipgloss. There is nothing worse than having dry lips/mouth. I would rather have ten thousand shots than go to the dentist and have them spray cold air in my mouth or put gauze/cotton in my mouth. Bleck.


Okay, that's enough wierdness for today :) I am calling out Tracey, Joanne, Anne Marie, Patty, PJ, and T to rise to the challenge!

I'm Going Insane

My boys are having a tough time being in their own bedrooms at night. They've always shared a room with bunkbeds, and my older son, the 8 year old, was ready to have his own room. He's been having an even harder time transitioning than my 5 year old. This is not what is driving me insane.

Today I bought the boys a set of walkie talkies. Nothing fancy, but I thought they'd have fun using them while they were in their own beds in their own rooms at night. My 8 year old understands it. Push the button in. Talk. Let go of the button. My 5 year old?

I don't know how to help him understand. I've demonstrated and demonstrated, I've explained every which way I can think of, and he just doesn't get it. He's mad, near tears, insistant that it's his older brother's fault.

So maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all...

Don't Want to Miss This!

Jupiter, Venus, and the moon will be having a little get-together. Sounds brilliant!

Audio Bible

I'm gonna clean the house today, Doo Dah! Doo Dah! I'm gonna vacuum while I play, Oh, Doo Dah Day!

Emily has a toy vacuum that sings that song everytime she plays with it. It's very catchy. And irritating. But I find myself wishing I felt like that when I clean.

I did discover something that really helps. I got an audio Bible for Christmas (thanks mom!) and it's got background music and everything. They've been out for quite awhile, but I tell you, it's so wonderful to listen to it while working in the kitchen or doing laundry. Eventually I want to put it on my Zune so I can take it with me everywhere.

I'm on disc 6, yesterday I listened to a bunch of the laws the Lord gave Moses to teach the people(disc 5, Exodus 17-33). Normally, I'd be asleep after about the third paragraph of trying to read it, but when pretty music and different voices are used, it's so easy to listen attentively. And if I catch myself not paying attention, I just go back and listen again. YAY!

Have You Heard of This?

We had some friends over last night for supper. He works with Eric and she is a stay home mom teacher just like me. They were our first guests in our new house. It was fun to have friends over, even though they still live 7 hours away (they are moving here for the company, too, and were on a house hunting trip).

I was absolutely enthralled with how she handled her three year old. She never got angry or disrespectful. She offered him a choice for every behavior. He was a very good boy, and I really admired how she didn't get sarcastic or use an angry tone with him. I finally just asked her about it, and she told me that while she was still teaching, before her son was born, she learned about Love and Logic. She used it in her classroom, so it was just natural for her to use it with her son.

Have you heard of it? It seems like a really good program. They sell kits and everything, but I'm thinking I might just try one of their books.

Maybe I Shouldn't Ask

This might be completely inappropriate to blog about, but I just have to know. If it's inappropriate just let me know in the comments. I just got a call, it said "Private Caller" so I figured it was not a telemarketer (caller id is brand new to me). It was this town's police association asking me to be a hero and support the men and women in our police force with a monetary donation.

I've heard that the money given to the police associations isn't really used for what they say (for example equipment or programs), that it is actually used for the police's entertainment. Is that true? I feel so guilty saying I can't help at this time. What's the truth?

Church

Ugh. I'm starting to get cabin fever. We've lived here for nearly two weeks. Is today Tuesday or Wednesday?

We need to find a home church so that I can get involved in Bible study. I'm getting bored. We've tried two different churches and will try another this coming Sunday. My problem is that I'm looking for a church just like my brother's over here where we live. I don't think I'm going to find it.
I found a church that LOOKS like his but doesn't FEEL like it. I'll keep looking. Church-shopping isn't bad is it?

Another Update

Well, the house is pretty much done! I still need to hang up pictures and mirrors, and we are saving up for blinds (using paper temporary blinds for now). Today Ethan and Emily's beds came and I got them all made up and placed. It feels great to have it done.

Emily bit me today! I was making chili. She crawled over and grabbed onto my leg to pull herself into a standing position. Suddenly she bit me on the back of my thigh! It hurt and startled me. For the rest of the time I was cooking I was worried she'd bite again and so I kept trying to shake her off my leg. I noticed that when she gets excited she mouths whatever she's holding. I hope she doesn't become a biter.

I need to find my camera and start taking pictures of the kids again.

Just Hangin'

I did it! I hanged (or hung?) hooks up by the back door for our coats and backpacks, etc. I also put up a thing to hang the iron and ironing board up as well as the broom/mop/swiffer in the laundry room.

This is very empowering for me, because I had to use a drill and I had to use INSERTS. I had to put the drill bit on the drill even! And I only had to call my mom for help about 23 times. But I did it!

And now I know how to use a drill! Can't wait to get those curtains hung (hanged?)!

Sleeping In

Okay. NOT Fair. I just called my dad. It's 9:13 a.m. here which means it's 8:13a.m there. He and Mom were still IN BED SLEEPING.

I felt a tremendous urge to rush over there and put clothes in their dresser drawers and blankets in their closets, making sure to open the drawers and closet doors loudly. Or to fling the light on and say, "It's time to get up!" like my mom did. Or, maybe open the bedroom door and trumpet that army wake-up song through my fist like my dad always did to wake me and my brother up.

...

Actually, Mom and Dad have worked very hard in their lives and are finally retired.

Enjoy your rest Mom and Dad! I promise not to call so early next time :)

Update

Hooray I mopped my kitchen floor today for the first time! The move-in happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to do it before our stuff arrived. It was just as well because the floors got all yucky from moving all the stuff in.

It felt so good to really disinfect the floor, good ol' Lysol. Can't do that with wood floors (at least I never figured out how). And with a crawling baby who eats with her hands I want the floor to be as clean as I can get it.

Okay, I'm all talk. I DO want the floor to always be as clean as possible, but I know there will be days where the food will be picked up off the floor only because Emily crawled under the table and ate it before I cleaned it up. But I can dream.

I moved the couch just a little bit to center it with the fireplace. The t.v. is in the corner, and for optimum viewing pleasure Eric wanted the couch centered with the t.v. Well, I moved it. I bet he doesn't even notice :) And it looks much better, more put together. I don't think it will strain our necks too much to turn them slightly to the left to see t.v.

The other living room is all done! It's actually supposed to be a formal dining room, but we aren't ready for one of those quite yet. Plus I need a place to put the piano.

I'm having fun! I kind of don't want to work on the upstairs in the bedrooms because there is just stuff all over the place. I'll tackle it when I'm motivated.

Oh! I found Wal Mart! YAY!

We're all doing good, the kids are adjusting to school. It was different for them in that it's not a Christian school, it's public, so no Bible time or chapel time. They thought there'd be no more memory work, but wouldn't you know I found Owen's memory book from his old school! I'll keep working on it with them. I need a reward system, because they aren't as motivated to try since the teacher isn't making them do it. I want it to be fun for them. I'll figure something out.

That's about it. I like it here, friendly neighbors, two have already brought over a plate of cookies and a plate of brownies with their names/phone numbers. That was nice!

Everything's going to be just fine.

YAY It's Today!

So I didn't miss it after all, Heth! Happy Happy Birthday!!!!!

Happy Birthday Heth

Heth, yesterday was your birthday. And I forgot. I called you to tell you all about me and didn't even once ask you how your day was going, let along tell you happy birthday.

I miss you terribly. You are so beautiful, fun, loving, and humble. I love how you love my kids just like they are your own. I've never ONCE heard you gossip or say anything negative about anyone. You are the kind of person other people see and say, "I want to be like her." You truly bear the fruit of the spirit. (Titus 2 woman!)

I think way back to when you and Nate were dating. You were my goobery brother's cheerleader girlfriend. I didn't know you at all, and I was too wrapped up in my own selfish life to take time to get to know you. I never would have thought back then that you would become my most best friend ever.

You marrying Nate was THE best thing that ever happened to our family! You'll never ever know how much you've touched my life and how Jesus has worked through you to change my life. I love you Heth! Happy Birthday!

It's All Good

Whew! No scratches, just tape residue. But here's a funny. We put flattened cardboard down to protect the floor while they wheeled the fridge in. They weren't able to get it into the spot because the fridge was snagged on the cardboard. I asked the two guys if they wanted me to pull the cardboard out while they lifted the fridge. They said that'd be great. Well, the way the guys were positioned left me with only one option to pull that cardboard out. I had to crawl between the one guy's legs and pull. We were both pretty uncomfortable with the situation, so he really quick said, "Nah, that won't work." And so I crawled out of there lickity split. They found another way to remove the cardboard and got the fridge in no problem.

Yay we have a fridge!

We're still working on unpacking everything. It's going pretty good. Eric got his t.v. hooked up, the boys have their Wii, so with those guys out of the way I can get all kinds of work done, heehee! :)

They're installing our fridge right now! WOOOHOOO! I'm about 5 feet away from them, thought I'd quick touch base since my laptop is right here. We've been in the house for 3 days now, I love it! Eric thinks he sees "dings" on the fridge, I better check it out. Gotta go!

Smart Aleck

It's 12:13 a.m. and I want to go to bed but I can't. I gotta get this laundry done. The movers are coming in the morning to unhook the washer, but I can't remember if they said 8 a.m. or 10 a.m. or somewhere in between /snort.

Friendly Reminder

The packers come tomorrow! GAHHHHHH!

No but seriously, this morning at about 8:30 a.m. I got a call from the moving company telling me that they would be arriving tomorrow morning between 8 a.m. and 10a.m. to unhook our washer and dryer. I told them that sounds good and we'd be ready.

Then, at about 10 a.m. or so this morning I got a call from another lady from the moving company. They'd be by tomorrow morning between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. to unhook our washer and dryer. Yep, got that, we'll be ready, uh-huh. I wanted to tell her I already got a call this morning but I didn't. I was nice.

Then, at around 2 p.m. today I got a call from the moving company AGAIN telling me that they'd be by tomorrow morning between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. to unhook the washer and dryer. YES. I GOT IT. Actually I sort of interrupted her with my uh-huhs and yeps. But I did ask her, "Am I supposed to DO anything? Or do they just come in and unhook it?" I used a friendly tone of voice even though I wanted to be impatient.

She nicely said, "Nope. You don't have to do anything. I suppose just make sure all your laundry's done! See you tomorrow!"

DOH!!!!

I have PILES and PILES of dirty laundry that I've slacked off on because I've had this whole idea that I don't have to do anything for this move. They'll come in and take care of all the packing, all I have to do is "supervise." I completely forgot about all that dirty laundry hiding in our closets.

So THAT'S why the moving company called three times. God was telling me to get on the ball and do my laundry, otherwise those poor packers would have to /gag/ TOUCH it and pack it into boxes.

I'm so sorry for the bad attitude God, and THANK YOU for reminding me to do that laundry!!

Now That's A First

Another "first" for Emily! She figured out how to pick her nose. We're so proud heehee. But seriously, when the boys and I saw her, we paused and quietly watched her for a minute, somewhat amazed. Then we simultaneously said in excited voices, "Nose! That's your nose!" It was kind of funny.

Raspberry Mocha

What Your Latte Says About You

You are easygoing and pretty simple to please. You don't put up a fuss... ever. You can be quite silly at times, but you know when to buckle down and be serious. You have a good deal of energy, but you pace yourself. You never burn out too fast. You're addicted to caffeine. There's no denying it. You are responsible, mature, and truly an adult. You're occasionally playful, but you find it hard to be carefree. You are inventive and creative, but you are never weird.

Moving

I just realized I only have to keep this house clean for 4 more days YEEEHAWWW! I was talking to Patty on the phone last night and we were talking about the move. She said I sounded happy to be moving. I think it's more that I'm happy that I'm not SCARED to move. Last year I was so full of fear. But now I know what to expect. I'm just glad that I'm not wrapped up in anxiety this time.

I'm excited for the boys to have their own rooms. That means no more climbing up into the top bunk to change sheets. They are probably going to miss being together, but I picture them laying in their beds with walkie talkies, chatting like they do before they fall asleep. I'm excited to see what they pick out for colors and bedding. I already have Emily's room ready to go (big sale at Target woohoo!)

The movers come on Tuesday to pack everything up. On Wednesday they load us up, and on Thursday we hit the road. Our stuff will arrive at the new house on Friday, so we'll camp out that first night.

Oh man I remember our first night in this house. Emily was a wee little grasshopper then, just three weeks old. I was trying to breastfeed, I was all emo from wacky hormones and believing I'd never get to go back to my home state ever again.

We had driven pretty far and arrived at the house around 4:30 p.m. The boys ran through every room, all excited. We had no furniture yet, it wasn't arriving until a week later. I settled in a folding chair at the card table and the boys played GameCube with the t.v. resting on the living room floor. Then Eric asked me how I was doing.

I told him I was okay, just really tired. He said, "Okay, well, a co-worker invited us over to watch the football game. Wanna go?"

Ugh. We had pretty much JUST walked in the door. I didn't feel like doing anything except crawling under the covers of the bed that wasn't here yet. I told him I just wasn't up to it. He understood and said he'd be back later.

It's kind of funny when I look back now. But even funnier was that night when we went to bed.

About a month before we moved I thought I was being all smart and used all my Cabela's points to buy a king sized aerobed. Eric brought it to the house when he moved out here a couple weeks before he brought the kids and me. He said he was having trouble with the aerobed. I figured that out when we went to sleep our first night here.

A couple hours after falling asleep I discovered that MY side of the bed didn't stay inflated. Our real bed wasn't going to arrive for another week. Common sense should have told me to just go buy a $20 twin sized air mattress from Wal Mart, but my baby blues took away my common sense. I decided the next morning that we had to buy a new bed NOW.

Eric didn't argue. We didn't have a clue where any furniture/mattress stores were, didn't have a phone book, didn't know anyone, so we did our best to find a store online. We found one and went there to look at mattresses. I think Eric was feeling bad and wanted to make things better for me, so he let me choose the mattress.

I went for the biggest softest fluffiest sink-right-down-in-it plush pillow top I could find. It felt so comfortable after being pregnant and uncomfortable for the last couple months. I didn't do any research, didn't know a thing about beds. And we bought it. And now I HATE it. And, I didn't even think about the fact that the new bed we bought would be delivered well after our existing bed arrived with all the other furniture.

I'm looking forward to our first night in our new house. I know it will be much much better than last time heehee!

Toddling Along

Emily got one of those toys she can push along to practice walking. It's so cute to see her little baby body toddling along. She can stand up all by herself now and even took a couple steps at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Ah, and now she's playing with the Christmas tree again.