December 24, 2007 at 3:51 am (Family, God stuff)
Tags: children, christ, christmas, employment, Family, gratitude, holiday, home, life random, marriage, motherhood, relationship
Christmas and the holiday season bring about many feelings of gratefulness, for this moment, this day, here is my list:
5. My home. It is cold outside and we have shelter, we have heat, a washer and dryer, a comfortable bed and clean sheets. We have a stove to make hot food and beautiful Christmas tree. Now, and at Christmas time, I am grateful to have such extreme luxuries. I know that to many people a home may not be considered a luxury, but I am convinced that it is. I heard someone say today that they were watching a documentary on television about people in Mexico who use “Americans”, trashed garage doors to build their houses/shelters.
4. Employment. Not just the state of being employed but having a job that my husband and I enjoy is truly a blessing. Over the past few years the unemployment thing has hit close to home, several friends and family members have either been unemployed or hated their job. It is something I think many of us take for granted. I thank God that we have an income to take care of our family and pay our bills.
3. My children. I want to kiss my babies everyday, babies being all three of them. I love my job but unfortunately it can, on occasion, make one very aware of the possibilities of accidents and illness that could befall our precious children. Every time I hear the Viacom calling to report on a seriously ill child, or child that has been involved in an accident I hold my breath. Every moment is precious, every day a blessing, every kiss and hug meaningful. My goal is to put down the redundant tasks that I engage in on a daily basis and just spend more quality time with them, to be grateful for, and bask in every moment.
2. My husband. Relationships can be hard, learning to share, get along, and basically co-exist can seem easy but is probably one of the hardest things we as married people will ever do. Having said that, I am grateful for the relationship that I have with Stephan. We have our days but at the end of each one I know that he has my back. He is fun, and funny, he is kind and generous, and loves me more than I think I deserve to be loved some days. He is a servant and motivates me to be a better person. I am so glad that I found him, I don’t think they make many like him anymore. I am glad to have a partner that is like minded in our efforts in life, that wants to rise to the challenge of each new day and make great memories together.
1. The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, I acknowledge Him, that He was born to die for me, born of a virgin in a dirty manger. It seems so easy to forget why we celebrate Christmas, all the shopping and cooking and running around, the parties and the gatherings, all the business can easily lends itself to a stressful season. Not to mention the fact that sometimes I think all the “gift-getting” can make one become greedy without even realizing it, thinking of what we might get, making lists for people, etc. This year and in years to come I desire to make Him the real reason for the season, to make an event out of putting the star on top of that tree, to be sincere about reading that passage before we open gifts, to make it our purpose to “give” the way He gave. To love the way He loves.
Merry Christmas and Godspeed
5 Comments
December 18, 2007 at 1:10 pm (Family, God stuff, Uncategorized)
Tags: baking, bible, candy, children, christmas, jesus, life, motherhood, random
Yesterday Emerie and I did a lot of baking and candy making. She was so excited to help and get her hands into and onto things. It is a big test of my patience and I love to see her having fun but I never realized how hard it is to manage a toddler/little girl in the kitchen. She is way too smart for her own good.
We were making candy when she said, “Mommy, do you know somebody birthday at Christmas time?” I am busy stirring toffee and thinking about what to do next and answered quickly, “Yes, Uncle Chad was born at Christmas time.” Then she said, “No mommy, Jesus was born at Christmas time.” Talk about a humbling moment…I said, “Oh my, yes you are right, it is Jesus’ birthday at Christmas time.” She continues to talk about how Jesus was in everyones heart and how we are going to Grandpa’s house for Christmas and how he is going to read the Jesus book before we open gifts. Then she said something sweet, “Mommy Jesus is in my heart, and he is in my tummy too, at night he is in my tummy and helps me sleep when I am scared.” I thought that was adorable.
She has been talking a lot about the Jesus book lately, I guess she is learning that it is a part of our lives. She had my bible the other day, she told us she was reading it because it had the instructions on how to make a clubhouse out of socks. She had her sisters argile socks in one hand and was “reading” the bible out loud as if to be reading the clubhouse instructions, then would walk back to her clubhouse area, and back to the book and so on. I guess if the bibe can teach a little girl how to play and Jesus can help her when she is scared at night maybe I can start trusting him a little more in my life too…
5 Comments
December 14, 2007 at 1:34 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: Christmas candy, deep thoughts, grandmother, humor, random
You know those little brown balls your Grandmother always made and said they were candy? I am not sure they were candy, they always tasted a little suspect to me. And what’s up with the white crap they called “divinity?” What is so divine about white junk that isn’t very sweet, I never saw any of that at the candy store. When I am old I am going to put out plates of Reese Peanut butter cups, and Butterfinger bars with red and green bows, at least that way my grandkids won’t think I am trying to poison them, even though I really am.
Leave a Comment
December 14, 2007 at 1:13 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: discipline, humor, kids, life, motherhood, random
Here’s where the therapeutic journaling starts and the candy coating ends.
Emerie is in her room screaming at the top of her lungs, “Get me out of here, get me out of here!” She is screaming that exact phrase over and over again, as if her toy laden, princess dress up clothes stocked bedroom is a dungeon. I have instructed her to stay in her bed though, but from the echoing sounds of dispair I can tell she is bouncing all over the room. And now she is calling for Daddy, yes she is pulling out all the stops. This is my friends, is the terrible threes play by play…she is getting quiet now, a few moans, oh wait, she just yelled “Help me Daddy”, that my friends would have worked, had he been home. Why you ask does this mother have her child confined to the bedroom?
This morning I gave her a dose of medicine to take in a little cup, she accidentally spilled it and was warned to be more careful, then the cup grew wings and flew off onto the floor. After that there was no denying it was purposeful, my little angel had thrown her cup of medicine, so she got a few swats and was sent to her room.
Next scene- lunchtime, she finished her jam sandwich but did not touch her vegetable soup, that she had ranted and raved about the other night, she only had about a 1/2 cup to begin with, she was asking if she could have a treat from her halloween bag of candy and I told her I wanted her to have a few more bites of soup. A few minutes later I hear giggling and I look over to find her bowl of soup turned over, spilling onto the floor, and Oliver eating heartily.
That is why she is in her room, screaming bloody murder, the “Daddy please help me”, continues. Just yesterday Stephan was commenting on how sweet she has been lately. I know she doesn’t feel good but that usually makes my kids really act good, they feel too crappy to put forth the effort to mis-behave, maybe she’s not that sick yet.
Now she is yelling Daddy, daddy, daddy over and over at varying decibles and lengths. I think it’s time for some intervention or as they say at work, we need a commin to Jesus moment.
If there are no more posts from me it is because they have taken me to Western Medical Psyc Center.
5 Comments
December 13, 2007 at 11:09 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: cold, ice storm, kansas city, Midwest
Here are a few pictures of our backyard during the ice storm.
We were blessed to keep power and the roads didn’t get too bad, I know there were others in Liberty and surrounding counties that weren’t as fortunate. The ice is melting and they are calling for snow tomorrow…
Leave a Comment
December 13, 2007 at 11:02 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: barney, diving, life, motherhood, random
The kids having gymnastics night in our room before bed
Emerie says to me yesterday, “Look mom, I have your pretty ring, here you have this one,(she hands me another ring), I wear this one.” She dangles the ring from her finger and starts dancing around, and in her best rainman she utters over and over, “Barney says share, Barney says share.” I grab the ring and and say, “Oh no honey, this ring isn’t Barney’s, it’s moms, and we don’t play with that.”
Today we are sitting on the couch and she looks at me with wide eyes full of hope and excitement, and out of no where she asks, “Mommy, you go upstairs with me and skip and hop, ok, let’s go mommmy, let’s skip and hop!” Let’s just say I didn’t feel much like skippin and hoppin today, so I told her we’d do it another time. Fortunately she was ok with that, we had a good night, lately she has been so much fun.
We have been trying to get her to stay in her bed at night and have created a calendar where she can place stickers in the morning if she has obeyed the rules and stayed in bed. Today she got to get a guitar from the thrift store, one she has been wanting because she has done well for several nights in a row. After she gets the thing she yells over and over, “See my tar daddy, see, see my tar Owen, that’s my tar Owen you can’t play with it.” I say “Barney says share honey, why don’t you let your brother see it for a minute.” She looks at me with utter disbelief as if to say, how could she pull the Barney card like that, as if the Barney share idea does not apply to her having to share. So that is a work in progress.
Mesha has her first dive meet tomorrow for Liberty High swim and dive team. The first two have been cancelled and we are hoping this doesn’t. She looks pretty slick in her new warm-ups, she’s diving varsity, we couldn’t be prouder.
Stephan wearing Mesha’s hat, making his funny face. :-}
Leave a Comment
December 12, 2007 at 1:16 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: castor oil, constipation, expired drugs, flex benefits, illness, life, medicine, random, wallgreens
So last night I spent like $200 on medicines at Walgreens, and I happen to have the crud along with a few other members of my family, so the cashier was looking a little perplexed as I stacked my tylenol, motrin, dayquil, nyquil, mucinex, delsym, excedrin, mentholatum, etc…on the counter. As she was silently scanning and trying to be discreet about sizing me up I stated slowly, “We’re not feeling so good.” I thought it would be funny to see her reaction, you know a little social experiment can be fun from time to time. She then said, “I can see that!” Then I told her we had some money left in our flexible spending account, and she siad, “Ahhhhh.” If you don’t know what a flexible spending account is, I’ll explain; Stephan’s employer takes money out of his check, pre-tax, for us to spend on healthcare, including medicine. If you have any left in your account at year’s end, you loose it. I wasn’t going to loose it.
So, I had to come home and clean out the medicine cabinet. I really was surprised to find some massively expired medicines. The funniest things I found was a jar of mineral ice and a bottle of castor oil. I don’t for the life of me ever remember buying theses. The mineral ice expired in 95, the oil in 1989. I guess a vintage 1989 castor oil would cure some constipation now wouldn’t it? If I did indeed buy the castor oil I would have had to have been in the 9th or 10th grade, and to have toted it around with me all these years would be asinine. Not to mention the fact that the bottle is still full, so I guess I never needed it. Oh well, it’s a mystery…
4 Comments
December 9, 2007 at 2:42 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: christmas, curves, dessert, fudge, ladies, recipe
No this is not a post about Ralphie and his Dad changing a tire. I am posting this recipe because my friend Wendy and some other gals in my small group at church were literally freaking out at the ease and taste of this fudge. I personally haven’t had it but I am certainly going to try it. It sounds so simple!
One package any flavor chocolate chips, one can ready made frosting.
Microwave chocolate chips and stir until smooth, mix in the frosting and stir until smooth, you can microwave additional 30 seconds if needed. Butter a 9×9 inch pan, pour fudge into pan and refrigerate until it sets enough to cut.
She used triple chocolate icing and andes mint chocolate chips, but she said you can use any combination to come up with different flavors of fudge. Seriously, they went on and on about this recipe…oh yeah, she said she got the recipe at her “Curves Convention.” I am sure it’s bound to create more curves this Christmas season. 
2 Comments
December 7, 2007 at 1:39 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: christmas, Family, kids, life, motherhood, random, snow
Ok, pecked to death and mommyrulz have beaten me to the punch so I figured I better get these pics out here.
The kids had so much fun, Owen loved the snow until he did a face plant and then he was ready to go inside. I went and bought a coulpe of sleds, took Emerie around the neighborhood and in the front yard, then I took Mesha and her friend to William Jewell.
In years past Williams Jewell College has been the place to be on the first snow. They have an amazing hill that is notorious for Liberty families to go and have a great time sledding, so I was perplexed to find that we were one of three families there yesterday. I quickly understood why after about 20 minutes into our excursion when two security trucks drove up and demanded we vacate the hill immediately, they said William Jewell prohibits and sledding. This came as no surprise to me because I know several kids have inured themselves there including my daughter last year. She had an ankle injury that kept her out of diving for 6 weeks. This must be a new rule, so we are going to have to find a new hill.
So all in all, it was a great time. The kids had fun and Stephan got to get out and do his shoveling. He cleared a couple paths for our elderly neighbors and did our walks and driveway. I think he did this so much as a kid growing up in Iowa it just comes as second nature for him. I love this weather, time to shut in and force ourselves away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy some family time. Winter is natures way of bringing us all a little closer together. I feel the Christmas spirit much more now that we have some snow.
Time to make some soup.
Leave a Comment
December 4, 2007 at 3:16 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: christmas, Family, kids, random, spoiled, teens, thankful, tumbleweeds
It’s time for another gratitude, frankly I think it has been way too long. Here goes:
1) America’s funniest home videos. I can be in the worst funk and this show makes me laugh, cheesy I know, but it is therapeutic for me.
2) My job, I really enjoy the job, and the people I do it with, they make ER fun.
3) Clean bathroom’s.
4) A nice day that the kids can play at the park instead of being cooped up and stir-crazy.
5) Almost being done Christmas shopping.
So maybe it is a more superficial list, but there are some things I am grateful for every day, and I wanted to find something new to be grateful for.
I did take the kids out today, we went to the thrift store and got my mom a tree, a little table tree, very cute, I know she won’t buy one for herself so this one will be perfect. It kind of reminds me of the year we had a tumble weed Christmas tree when I was a teenager in New Mexico. Wow, that was a rough year, we were poor, my mom and I shared a small two bedroom house with another lady and her daughter. Mom told me to go out and find a tumble weed, I brought it in and we decorated it with tinsel and green ribbon. I have to say that was absolutely the prettiest tumble weed I have ever seen. We set it up in a foldgers coffee can of kitty litter, clean mind you, and put the few presents we had under it. I remember getting a book from my mom, “The Dreamers Dictionary”, I used that book until it literally fell apart, and I was very thankful for it.
I am very glad to be financially blessed. I am glad that we can pay our bills and buy lots of presents, I am glad that we don’t have to continually worry about money. Notice I said “continually”. But there is something to be said for having a time in real need in ones life. I really don’t remember being as thankful for any gift like I was that one. I know my mother reached deep into her pockets for that gift, I treasured that book. Seems like our kids are spoiled, I think it is time for a wake up call. I don’t think my teenage daughter knows what it feels like to really need something. Nor will she ever know what it feels like to have a winter without heat, and to have to boil your bath water in the mornings before school, when 3 other people have to do the same thing. another element of that winter I left out.
We have our kids Christmas shopping pretty much done, I think we may have done more than we should have. Even if we were very rich I think I would feel that way. I really feel the need to try and make this Christmas one that will leave an impression on my oldest one, at least help her to see the need in this world. If you have any suggestions, let me know.
3 Comments
« Older entries
