Blessings/Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for...

*The color PINK...I LOVE LOVE LOVE the color pink! Everything about it is feminine and girly! It's wonderful!

*Flip flops...My very favorite type of shoes in the whole wide world! What is better than a darling pair of flip flops, with painted toe-nails, and a toe ring?

*My yard...It is soooo big! I love that I can do anything I want with it. If I were only more creative, it could be so beautiful. I'd love to be able to hire one of those professional designer/landscapers! Oh to have a gazebo, bubbling fountain, swing, hammock, rock garden, lots more flowers/plants, fire pit, picnic table...oh I could go on and on!

Kids are wonderful, amazing, beautiful, fun...and sometimes quite annoying! LOL!

Here sits the Star Wars Lego Death Star...and I do literally mean "sits". Kids sure are funny. They will want something for Christmas or a birthday...they will ask and beg till they're blue in the face. They get it. They play with it...for a while. Then boom...there it sits. And sits. And sits.

It took the boys I don't know how long to put this thing together. And they love it. They truely do love it. But I don't think they've touched it in a week! Crazy boys.

It's funny how kids just gravitate from one thing to another. They'll play with something for a week or two, then drop it like a hot potato and move on to something else. And it doesn't have to even be a new toy, game, etc. It can be something they've had for ages...and all of a sudden it comes out of the closet and it's the best thing since sliced bread!

Like today...Nate got out his old McDonald's cash register. It's actually quite young for him. But he gets in these moods and he'll drag something out he hasn't played with in ages and it's like a brand new toy. I guess that's a good thing. Last weekend it was Tinker Toys. Crazy kid.

Ev's latest addiction is FaceBook. I guess I have only myself to blame for that. He's so silly. It's like a competition...he's always checking to see how many friends I have. He thinks he's going to catch up and "beat me" or something. Like it's a competition. LOL!

Today, I don't know what it was. It was like they had big time cabin fever or something. They were driving me nuts. They were driving each other nuts. It was bad. We even went to Red Robin for dinner. That didn't help. We let them go out and play in the snow. That didn't help. They were just so wound up and going at it!

Thankfully now...it's bedtime. All is quiet on the homefront.

Until tomorrow...

Blessings/Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for...

*Slippers...my feet are always so ice cold...slippers are my best friend in the winter-time.

*My car...I never realized just HOW MUCH we depend on a vehicle until ours was in the shop for nearly a week being repaired.

*Dragonflies...they have become one of my favorite insects! Something about them is so different, mysterious, and beautiful to me. I'm debating on starting a collection!

Such is life...

Today is Friday. All I can say is "YEA". As terrible as it sounds, I live for the weekends. Not that my Monday-Friday is all that bad...but do you ever get the feeling like you're living your life straight out of the movie "Groundhog Day"? Get up every day, do the same thing...over and over and over again.

I suppose I SHOULD be grateful I CAN EVEN get up and do things. I should be grateful I'm healthy enough to get up out of bed. I should be grateful I have a job to work. I should be grateful I have a family to get ready in the morning. All these things to be grateful for.

But sometimes, it just seems life gets so "ho-hum"...I get the "duldrums" (I don't even know if I spelled that right! LOL!) I get bored.

All my adult life as I was working other jobs, all I ever wanted was to get licensed and open my own home childcare business so I could work from home. Now...I almost feel "trapped". I went back to school and got certified in dental assisting and radiography. Yet all the jobs out there in that field are part-time and pay so little. Being in childcare, if I stay full...I can make more money doing this than any other job I could ever apply for. See what I mean? Trapped. Even if I wanted to do something different, I would take SUCH a HUGE pay cut. Honestly, if you can do it...childcare brings in alot of money if you can stay full...and keep your sanity...and deal with the kids and parents. LOL!

I don't know why I complain though. Honestly it's a very easy job...physically. Keeping the kiddos safe, happy, loved, and stimulated. Play with them, read to them, do art with them, exercise with them, love them, meet their needs...it doesn't really get much easier than that...if you're the kind of person that can do it. Plus I get to work from home and be here for my boys when they get home or when they're off and make pretty darn good money doing it.

I always say I want to be a stay at home mom. I'm very jealous and sometimes even bitter of sahms. Jamie says, "You really are a sahm...you just happen to get paid very well to do it!" It's true. But I told him the one thing that sets me apart from other sahms is, I am "tied" to this house. I can't go volunteer at the boys schools whenever I feel like it. I can't just clean the house. I can't have dinner on the table. I can't run errands. I am tied to the daycare kids.

I don't know...it's a very good job. A very easy job...with the exception of dealing with licensing. That's a pain in the butt. But other than that...I suppose I should count my lucky stars and thank the good Lord I have such a good career and I get to be home.

I suppose everyone has complaints about their job. So it's no big deal. Life goes on!

Thanksgiving/Blessings

Yesterday I didn't post my "thankful" post...
Not because I wasn't thankful for anything...LOL! My lame excuse was...I couldn't get into my photobucket account to get my little "thanks" daisy that I always post on these! LOL! How lame am I? Pathetic, I know. But I like keeping things consistent! LOL!

Today I am thankful for...

*Snow...I can't believe I just said that...maybe someone should smack me. But now that we don't "HAVE" to go anywhere or worry about driving in it...it sure is alot prettier! LOL! To just sit in the warm house with a cup of cocoa or coffee and watch it come down...lovely!

*Scrapbooking...I have been cropping pictures like crazy this week! Not actually scrapping, but just cropping. To me, cropping the photos is half the battle and that is what takes so much time. I nearly have two full photo boxes full of already cropped photos. Now I have no excuse to sit down and do a couple pages...fairly soon!

*Haircolor...Yes, it's vain to say. But without haircolor...ohhhhh...how nasty my roots would be! Speaking of, it's time for a touch-up! Those nasty dark roots and grays are so gosh-awful! YUCK!

Teehee, what he doesn't know, won't hurt him!

Shhhh! Jamie doesn't know I took this picture of him! Haha! He won't ever pose for a picture, so I sneak them! LOL! He hates having his picture taken. So you don't see him in too many photos...but alas, here he is...his back side...but still...LOL! Here is he doing bills or reading sports or something. He never reads my blog so he'll never know I took this. Shhh!

Today has been a good day. Really! The daycare kids that I have now are a good group for the most part. Oh, they have their days...but all in all, they're a really good group. We can actually do art, read stories, sing, etc. without interruption from certain people, LOL!

It's been snowing most of the day. And knowing you don't have anywhere to go, and don't have to drive in it...makes it really pretty and enjoyable.

The kids are just settling in for their nap...so is kitty. I'm having a homemade smoothie for lunch. A little low-fact peach yogurt, skim milk, strawberries, half a banana, and a few ice cubes...YUM-O! I've still been doing pretty good with my "healthier" lifestyle...at least it's healthier FOR ME. LOL! I don't sit down and eat a whole bag of chips like I used to. I watch my calories and portion sizes. I do eat what I want, and if that means dessert or a snack...I'll do it...but just watching size/portions. I'm still exercising...pretty consistently too. I may miss a day once in a while...but I jump back on the next. This is probably the best I've done in a long time. Even if I'm not dropping pounds as fast as I want...at least I'm not eating as much junk and I'm getting my heart rate up. I don't want to be a couch potato anymore.

Tonight is American Idol again. All these good, new tv shows make it really hard to eat healthy! LOL! Nate will have homework tonight. The boys both need showers. Haven't checked Ev's blog yet to see if he has homework or not.

Should be a fairly relaxing evening...with any luck...

My newest "reality show" addictions...

Ok, so my newest, latest tv addictions are three series on TLC.

I am in love with "Jon & Kate Plus 8", "17 Kids & Counting", and "Little People Big World". It is amazing to watch other families with challenges different from our own and see how they deal with them on a day to day basis.

After watching these families, it is evident that they all have strong faith in God. They make that known on their shows and make no appologies for it. It is good to see people's faith being portrayed in a positive light. Now that I'm addicted to the shows...my next goal is their books! LOL! I really want "Multiple Blessings" by Kate Gosselin. I also hear the Duggars have a book in the works too! And if anyone knows that the Roloffs do...just let me know! I love these families!

Blessings/Thanksgiving

Today's blessings/thanksgiving post will go back to a more serious nature...

Today I am thankful for...

*My needs are always met...maybe not always in the way I see fit, but in the way God sees fit. There may be struggles along the way, but there are life-lessons to be learned along the way as well.

*My friends...I always say I have bad luck with friends. The truth of the matter is, I have so many friends all over the world who care about me it's unreal! I may not have friends that I go out and have coffee with or go shopping with...but I have so many friends all over the country...and world for that matter who love me, care about me, support me, call me, send me notes, pray for me...WHAT MORE COULD A GIRL ASK FOR!?!

*My home...although I may complain it being too small at times, not tidy enough at times...it is my safe haven...the place I retreat to. It is warm, cozy, and full of love!

Finally!!!...took a picture, LOL!

I "FINALLY" got around to taking a picture of the hat and scarf I knitted for Nate for Christmas. Everyone had been asking and asking to see a picture of it...well here it is! LOL! Finally! Sorry it took so long. I used my Knifty Knitter knitting looms and had a blast doing it. Once I start a project on those looms, I have a hard time breaking away from it! Well, now that I finally finished this...I've started an afghan for the boys out of yarn that belonged to my grandma. I'm moving a little slower on this project...I don't know why, but I haven't found my "ooomph" yet. This is the first afghan I've ever attempted so we'll see how it turns out. I'm just doing squares/panels and then attatching them together. I'll post a picture when...if...I ever get it done. LOL!

Blessings/Thanksgiving

Today I'm in a silly mood again...actually I'm in a "foody" mood...

Today I'm thankful for three things that I love to cook with...ALL of which I probably use too much of in my cooking, LOL!

*Garlic...at least the vampires will stay away!
*Butter...the more the better...the greasier the better!
*Salt...hey, we're supposed to be the salt of the earth, am I right? LOL!

All I can say is...YUM-O!

Blessings/Thanksgiving

Today, I am thankful for:

*My church...every time I go, be it on Wednesday or Sunday, I realize that I am in the right place and just how much I love it.
*My soft warm blankets...silly as it sounds, there is nothing like snuggling up with a soft blanket on the couch or bed when you're cold and tired.
*Hairspray...LOL...I know...I'm vain...but a good hairspray that keeps my style in place really makes my day. :-)

My "review" on the new "IT" mascara...

Ok, so I bought that new mascara that seems to be all the rage, because let's face it...I have the world's wimpiest, "barely there" lashes.
It's the Loreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes.
Well...here's what I thought:
It does an amazing job LENGTHENING your lashes. I really needed that. My lashes are extremely short...so in that respect, I really loved what it did.
On the flip-side...I also needed volume and thickening. THAT, I wasn't so impressed with. When I tried to apply more coats, it seems to get a little clumpy and messy looking.
Another thing I DO like about it...it's really easy to remove. It DOESN'T come off during the day leaving you with "raccoon eyes"...it doesn't come off till YOU take it off, so that's another positive.
I paid $7.87 for it and that nearly killed me. I like "GOOD" make-up and I'm willing to pay a little more to get quality make-up...but OVER $7.00 for mascara was a bit much for me.
I'm going to finish it up...but I don't think I'll buy it again. Several friends have recommended some other brands for volume...which I REALLY need.
So if anyone has any suggestions...I'm open! LOL! I'm looking for both LENGTH and VOLUME! Let me know! :-)

Blessings/Thanksgiving

Today's blessings/thanksgiving...hmmm...

I am grateful for...

*My cat...yes, who'd have ever guessed it! LOL!
*My online friends...you mean more to me than many of the people I've met face-to-face!
*Candles...what could be better than the soft, romantic glow of a beautifully scented candle!

Proud of myself!

I've actually STUCK to my exercise routine this time! I started the first full week of January and I'm STILL doing good! I lost all the "holiday weight" I gained (four pounds)...PLUS one more! Woohoo! Five pounds total! My goal is to exercise five days a week. I'd still like to take off another 5-10 pounds. But if it doesn't happen right away...I've made peace with that. As long as my jeans are fitting better, which they are, I feel happy. And just knowing I'm doing something healthy and getting my heart rate up is good too. I don't want to fall into that "sedantary" lifestyle again!

Blessings/Thanksgiving

Well...today I'm in a more positive mood again...so probably back to the silly/fun thankful things today!

I am thankful for:

*White Vinegar...just a spritz on my plants and it has kept "Mr. Oreo The Cat" from nibbling them to nothing!
*Toe Rings...whoever invented this crazy piece of jewelry was a shear genious...what else could make our toes look so cute and pretty with our sandals and flip-flops!
*Lipstick...You will NEVER see me without it...PERIOD! LOL!

A pretty typical...boring...day...I think those are the best sometimes!

Yes, I have come to think that these "typical/boring" days are the best. No news is good news as they always say.

Not alot new to share today. I'm just sitting here enjoying a little "me" time during naptime...my favorite time of day...isn't that terrible to say? LOL! Oreo is in "his chair" getting ready for his afternoon nap too.

It actually hasn't snowed for the past couple days! How amazing is that! Woohoo!

Tonight I'm making the one meal that I could live the rest of my life without ever eating again and be happy...Hamburger Helper...ugh. If I never ate that again...I'd be a happy person. Why do I keep making it? It's easy, cheap, and the fam loves it. Bleck.

Pretty much same 'ol, same 'ol tonight...Nate will have to do his homework sheet and "Just Right Library" book...Ev will probably have a little homework as well. I'm amazed to say that he has had FAR less homework in 7th grade than he did in 6th grade. That's pretty wild.

Well...like I said...nothing magical or exciting today...
Till tomorrow...

Blessings/Thanksgiving

My "Blessing/Thanksgiving" post isn't as silly and fun as yesterday. Yes, I'm thankful for the things I posted yesterday. But after some of the things that have transpired in the past 24 hours...I've been thinking about some of the more serious things I'm truely grateful for.

I'm grateful for:

*The faithfulness of God...even when I'm not faithful, he's ALWAYS there for me!
*My husband...God could not have placed me with a better match. He is my soulmate, my best friend, my everything.
*My business...even though I may complain alot, I have been blessed beyond measure with enough business to help contribute to our family's finances.

Thank-you Lord for all your blessings!

Trust in God...

It is amazing how quickly in life, things change. We go along in life thinking things are going just fine...and BOOM! We're thrown a curve-ball. These are the time when our faith is tested. We can trust God and know that everything will be ok...or we can question Him and lose faith.

Our family has been thrown a curve-ball. I'm not ready to share yet...in time I will. It's still pretty fresh and we're dealing with it. But I know God is with us and will take care of us as He always has.

Until then...prayers are appreciated.
Hugs to all...

Another challenge..."Blessings and Thanksgiving"

And yet another friend of mine has put me to a challenge.
I am going to try to do it too. I NEED to do it...for myself. It is a "Blessings/Thanksgiving" challenge. We are challenged to write down three things each day that we are thankful for or feel blessed to have in our life. It can be serious...or downright silly. Just a way of helping us remember the good we have in our life. So without further ado...here goes:

Tuesday...
I am thankful for...

MITTENS...I cannot stand to have cold hands!
MY NOSE RING...It is the one thing I can still hang on to when I need to feel "hip or cool".
DENTAL FLOSS...It is an obsession, even more so since graduating dental assisting school.

There...I did it. Three things I am thankful for...silly as they may be. I need to put some fun and gratitude back into my life. :-)

It may be frigid outdoors, but my plants are flourishing indoors!

Well, I must say...as frigid as it's been outdoors...my plants continue to thrive inside! Woohoo! I am so excited because over the years, I've developed a green thumb to some extent.

I used to kill everything. Ask my mom about "Hermie" whom she took over and nursed back to health.

The plant you see at the bottom left here...Jamie brought home, deathly ill, bent over, with two little leaves on it. Well with a little Miracle Grow and a lot of TLC, my croton has grown like a weed!

The peace lily is doing amazingly well too. It would be doing even better if Oreo would leave it alone. For some reason, he finds this plant amazingly tasty and is always nibbling on it. I did not know until I recently read in the paper that peace lilies are harmful to pets! Well, Oreo has been munching on mine for over a year with no health problems, LOL! I read in the paper in "Heloise's" section that misting white vinegar on plants will help keep pets away from them. Well, I tried it...and sure enough...Oreo hates it! So my peace lily is getting some "Oreo-free" time to revive.

Check out the African Violet my mom gave me! Isn't it doing amazing?!?!

And how about my dwarf orange tree and bougainvillea? They are growing so tall, I've had to wrap and twist them up over the cabinets and blinds! LOL!

I guess I'm finally doing something right! My indoor plants are keeping me happy till spring gets here. I can't WAIT to start planting flowers outside again!

North vs. South

I am enjoying a good laugh today from several of my friends who live further south.

Last night they got a dusting a snow and school was cancelled, LOLOL!

I know it's because they don't have the equipment in the south to deal with the messy roads because they don't get snow on a regular basis.

But I just think it's so funny how we'll get two feet and it will be -10 degrees and our kids are out there standing at the bus stop! LOL!

But then on the flip side, I wouldn't know the first thing about hurricanes and tropical storms like they get either. Those are the kinds of extreme weather they deal with, whereas we wouldn't know the first thing about what to do in a situation like that.

Today while I was standing at the bus stop it was so cold, I was actually getting a headache. I cannot stand these sub-zero temperatures. My body is rebelling!

Our poor trampoline is caving to the weight of the snow. This has been one harsh winter...just too much...too quick. Bleck!

Thanks Jen!

I have to start this post by thanking my friend Jen from CafeMom. Not only did she give me the "umph" to get this blog up and going...

If you look to the side...I "FINALLY" got a recipe for chicken & dumplings, WOOHOO!

Thanks Jen!

Evan will be thrilled when he comes home from school and smells chicken and dumplings!

He has been BEGGING me to learn how to make homemade chicken & dumplings! I have been asking people for recipes to no avail...and FINALLY I found Jen's on her blog! Woohoo! Thanks from all of us Jen!

We can't wait to try them tonight!

Officially done with winter!

Sorry...just couldn't resist the image of this 'toon freezing her booty off. Because that's exactly what we're doing here...freezing our booties off.

We have officially decided we are done, over, and through with winter.

We've had it.

No more snowblowing.
No more shoveling.
No more actic temperatures.
We're done.

It's getting to where it's making us really irritable.

Every single weekend we get dumped on. We have to figure out when we can plan our trip
to the grocery store.

And trying to keep the driveway constantly clear for my clients is another story. And you can be sure, just as soon as Jamie goes out and snowblows or I go out and shovel...the county truck will come by and throw a huge icewall in front of the driveway.

Done, had it, over it.
We are all ready to move south!

He did it!

Well, Nate did it!

He got his first "mini-filling" at the dentist yesterday. He was such a good patient. If you look at the picture, it's on your left (his right)...on the top, second to the back. LOL!

The dentist said that it was so tiny, more of a soft spot that hadn't turned into a full fledged cavity, but was on it's way.

She said that it was more the "anatomy" of the tooth, the reason he even got it in the first place because that tooth had such a deep "crevice"...that it would be nearly impossible to get a toothbrush in there to keep food out. She said it wasn't due to him having poor brushing habits. That made us both feel good.

He didn't even need it numbed! He did awesome! Took about five minutes and he was done!

We went to check out...he got a toy from the treasure box AND the receptionist gave him AND Evan a certificate for a free kids meal at Red Robin! How cool was that!

Nate came home and said, "I LOVE THE DENTIST!" LOL! He said that last time we went for cleanings in the fall too. Most people can't say that. I'm glad he's off to a good start!

Crowns and fillings...but not both for teeth...royalty and dental, LOL!

Well, here he is..."KING" Oreo. Nate made this crown for Oreo today. He looks absolutely thrilled with it doesn't he? What royalty! LOL!

The boys are off school today...Records Day.

Nate has to go to the dentist at 4:15 to have a little "spot" on his tooth worked on. It's just a very small spot. Not even really a full-fledged cavity. More like a "soft-spot" that she didn't want to develop into a cavity. She doesn't even think she'll need to use the regular "drill". She said she'll probably just "clean it up" and he may not even need an actual "filling"...I think there may be something else they use for something this small. It's pretty common with younger kids. I remember seeing one done when I was doing my internship in the dentists' office. He doesn't seem nervous...yet. Either Jamie or I will go back with him probably.

This week has seemed soooooo long. I don't know why. The days aren't dragging...but the week itself has lasted forever! The daycare kids have been good. Things have been pleasant in that respect. Maybe it's been the stress with Jamie's job. I don't know. I'm looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend at home!

Feeling sad...

A little blue today.
Don't really feel like sharing...except to say...I could use prayer.
...prayer for God's will...prayer for direction...
Hopefully soon I'll be able to update more on the situation as things come to pass. It's probably just another test of faith.

Other than that...it's been a typical day. The boys are at school. Today is their last day for the week. No school tomorrow due to Records Day. I'm actually glad. I enjoy having them home. The older they get, the more help they are to me during the day. Any extra set of eyes in my line of work is always a good thing! LOL!

It's snowing like crazy. The temperatures this week have been bitter. Hasn't been above 10 degrees. And the windchill is awful. They've been keeping them inside at recess too. You KNOW it's cold when Zeeland keeps the kids inside, LOL!

Think I will make one of those Tyson pre-cooked/packaged roasts for dinner. They are so quick, easy...and GOOD. Will throw together some mashed potatoes and stuffing. A hearty meal for a cold day.

Well, that's it for now...hopefully I'll be back with good news soon...I'm still feeling blue worrying about some things...whisper a prayer for us! Hugs!

The ups and downs of life...

Tonight was church. Evan came out of Royal Rangers with two more badges. He got a Bible Merit...1 Peter and also his Computer badge. More sewing for mom to do! LOL! Nate is in the midst of working on several more as well. It is always a competition between them to see who has more. I am so thrilled that we have such an awesome Royal Ranger program at our church and that the boys like it so much. The men who work with them are so dedicated to the program and to the kids. I love it.

Today when Jamie came home from work, he was a little down. He found out his supervisor gave his resignation on Friday and won't be back. He's pretty disappointed, as his boss was one of the things he liked best about his job. They got along really well. I am just praying the next supervisor that comes in will be just as great or better and that Jamie will like him as much or more than his old one. Jamie is such a hard worker. I'm so blessed to be married to him! Shhh, we won't let it go to his head. LOL!

Enjoy them while they're little!

I've decided I need to quit worrying so much about having a perfect house...it just isn't gonna happen. The laundry is done, the dishes are washed, the floors are vaccuumed...the house is clean enough...for today. I'm not going to agonize about keeping up with the Jones' anymore. My home is clean enough, "lived in", and homey! We are a family...and it's time to start spending more time as a family.

Even though Jamie is working, I've been trying to spend more time in the evenings playing games with the boys. We've been having alot of fun. They're only young once. I don't think they'll remember how "perfect" the house was, but they'll remember how much fun we had playing games together!

"Snow" much for a blizzard!!! Pun intended...teehee!

Well, we're under another Winter Storm Warning. Big surprise there, huh? I am already sick of winter and it's only January. I think that's a pretty bad sign. So far, so good...nothing yet, except frigid temperatures...but they say 6-8 inches is coming. I don't think my body is "Michigan material". I am ALWAYS cold. I 'm even cold in the summer for crying out loud! Come on spring!

The boys were hoping for a snow day today. They took every precaution including wearing their jammies inside out, flushing ice cubes down the toilet, and sleeping with spoons under their pillow. No such luck. Oh well. They'd have been bored by noon anyway.

Well, I'm going to keep this short today...I have a furry black & white creature...Oreo...sitting on my lap trying to type with me. He is vying for my attention. If it's not the kids...it's the cat. LOL!

More later...

No more dilly-dallying...time to get this thing going!

Well, I've procrastinated long enough...

I've seen so many people's amazing family blogs and decided it's time to get going.

I started the initial process of catching everyone to date...from how Jamie and I met, to the birth of our children...now it's time to chat daily!

Today is a new day and I'm FINALLY enjoying my job again. I have a good group of kids and families to work with. When one feels at peace with and enjoys their job, life is a whole lot better in my opinion.

Evan has "late starts" this week at school due to the exam schedules. Do you think he'll sleep in? NOPE! LOL! Nate will be a little jealous I'm sure that he has to go in earlier than Ev. LOL! They are both off school on Friday. It's almost report card time again! Oh boy! They both are really good students. We always see the Honor Roll...sometimes by the skin of our teeth...but alas, we make it! LOL!

Jamie had his dr. appt. and it is looking like he will need surgery for his arm. We're kindof at a "wait and see" right now, as he has to talk to his boss regarding "work-related injury", "restrictions", etc. Hopefully this will correct the numbness, tingling, and lack of use he's had with his hand/arm. Prayers appreciated.