Thankful - Day 27 - Pie Day

My wonderful Aunt invites me over every Wednesday before Thanksgiving to help mass produce pies. I try and come every year unless I have to work.

This year was one of those working years and I wasn't going to be able to come. But with my sad farewells last night, I was still an emotional wreck at work and my boss let me leave early, we were pretty slow so it wasn't a big deal.

I came home, gathered my pie things and kids and headed over to my Aunt's. I know she is extremely overwhelmed right now, but she welcomed us and comforted me.

I am so thankful I was able to wipe away my tears and spend the day distracted with pies.

Thankful - Day 26 - Eye Liner

During my work week, I wear minimal make up.  I don't wear any eye shadow or lip stick.  I forget all about blush and concealer.  I use only three products.  A quick brush of powder foundation, one coat of mascara and a thin line of eye liner on my top eyelid.

I definitely do not try to impress with my make up at work.  I wake up pretty early and it is quite an accomplishment to even have matching shoes!

But I do love my eye liner!  Without it, I still look asleep.  It is just what I need so that I don't have the Walking Dead look. 

My favorite eye liner, you ask?  Mabelline's Eye Studio Eye Gel!  It stays all day and doesn't smudge like a pencil!  I love it!  Oh!  And the little container lasts a very long time so even though it is a little bit more expensive, it is well worth!  I bet it lasts 3-4 times longer than any pencil I have ever tried and because it uses a brush (which it comes with) you don't ever have to worry about sharpening! 

Gray Thanksgiving

I love Black Friday shopping. I love getting up ridiculously early to meet up with friends, bundle up with some hot coffee and armed with ads. I love looking over the ads and mapping out our routes while eating an early breakfast. I even love the atmosphere, as long as the business is prepared, and you are not after any big ticket doorbusters, it alleviates almost all of the craziness. I say almost all craziness because I have been witness to and even have been victim to some of those Black Friday horror stories. But even with that, I have to say that MOST people do not lose their humanity, MOST people are normal, kind, and even helpful.

The trend to start Black Friday earlier and earlier does upset me though. This year seems the worst. MOST stores will be open Thanksgiving and sales start in the afternoon or earlier.

I have heard a lot of people complain about how unfair this is to the worker. And although, I agree, that is not the main reason I will not be participating in Gray Thanksgiving.

Anyone who works retail, in a restaurant, or even customer service, knows they will be working holidays and crazy hours, especially this time of year. It is part of the job. They may not be excited about it, but it usually does come with extra pay and of course, a job.

I am one of those people so I am not talking from a perspective of someone who isn't impacted by holiday hours. I don't have a bank job and my company is open for every single holiday.

The reason I refuse to shop on Thanksgiving though is because it takes away my holiday as a consumer, not as an employee.

If I participate in such ridiculous sales tactics than I am saying it is ok to take away my time with my family as a CONSUMER. And that is one thing they can not put a price on for me.

So I plan on doing what I do every year. I will have a wonderful, relaxing Thanksgiving with my family. I will try to go to bed early, set my alarm for an unholy hour, pack up my ads and pick up my Black Friday partner before strategizing out a game plan over breakfast.

Hopefully, more people do the same and we can bring Black Friday back to Friday.

Thankful - Day 25 - My year with my sister

I really don't know what to say.  I get a bit emotional when I try to put it into words and I am trying REALLY hard to be strong and hold everything in.

So today's thankful is going to be short and sweet.

I am so thankful for this time I have had with my sister and her sweet family.  I love that I have been able to bond with my beautiful niece and handsome nephews.  I love the laughs we have shared and I will even cherish the tears.

I am SO happy that they are going to be reunited with their daddy and that my sister will no longer be lonely.  She will have her husband back.  I can only imagine the joy and yearning she must be feeling as the reunion comes closer.

But I am going to miss them all so very much.  I love you.

Thankful - Day 24 - My Mop

We have slowly remodeled almost every section of the home since we bought it 12 years ago.  It has been a slow and sometimes painful process.  But the most exciting find was the natural hardwood floors under the nasty carpet throughout the main floor of the house.

As we did each room we pulled up the carpet.  In the master bedroom and girl's room, we left the wood in it's natural color, but for Justin's room I wanted a nice beautiful cherry color and when we stained it, it was beautiful! 

So when we remodeled the front room, I told Shawn I wanted the hallway and the living room the same beautiful cherry wood color.  And he gave it to me.  And it really is beautiful...for about 1 minute after each cleaning.

It shows every little speck of dirt, hair, smudge, name it and it reveals it.  Nothing can be hidden in this beautifully colored wood. 

So to keep it up, I have to sweet multiple times a day and mop at least once.  I suppose most people mop everyday anyways, but I certainly did not.  It was a weekly chore type of thing, so mopping daily was a very big inconvenience to me.  Especially with kids and a dog.  And it was getting expensive.

I had a Swiffer mop.  It made things a little easier, but the replacement pads and mopping solution was getting out of hand. 

I came across a new mop in the cleaning aisle.  It was the same concept of the Swiffer but it had a washable, reusable cloth pad and a refillable solution holder so you could use whatever cleaner you wanted.  It had the spray action but no batteries needed, and to top it off, it was made in the USA!  FANTASTIC!

So I bought it and I love it!  I will never go back to Swiffer again.  I use ammonia, vinegar, and water for the solution, it's cheap, cleans, and disinfects.  I just throw the pad in with the laundry!  And it doesn't seem to "clog" with the spray like my Swiffer did.  Yay!!

I recommend it to everyone who is looking for a new mopping solution.  It has made mopping less of a headache and less of a hardship on my wallet.  It is called the Freedom Mop by Libman.  Get one, you will thank me!

Thankful - Day 23 - Warm coat

I often complain about my coat.  It's ugly and old.  It looks like a man's coat and it's starting to wear.  But even with all my complaining, I never complain when I am walking in a windy day with my ugly man's coat.

The weather is definitely getting colder.  Every day when I have to walk from my car to the inside of my work, I am saying a prayer of thanks for my warm coat.

I know that I often take for granted the things that people only wish they had, a warm coat is not one of the things I take for granted.  I love my old, ugly, mannish coat. 

With that said, I would love a new warm, cute, FEMININE coat!  :)

Thankful - Day 22 - Make up wipes

Do I even need to write a post of explanation for these magical little stress relieving, relax making, wipes that quite literally wipe away the burdens of a long day at work?

I didn't think so.

Thankful - Day 21 - Katie's piano playing

The house gets crazy on school nights.  The moment they get in the truck from being picked up from school until after dinner the house feels more chaotic than happy.

Homework is extra stressful these days with the district's change in the math program.  I can't even begin to understand why they have complicated SIMPLE math and it has gotten to the point that I struggle helping my fourth grader with his homework.  Not because I don't know the answer or even that he doesn't know the answer, but because they want the answer proven in some ridiculous way.  And if the work in this ridiculous way is not shown than the answer is wrong.  Even if you show the work doing it the traditional way.  What?!  Whatever.  I'm done complaining about it.  It's been 2 years on this stupid program and I still don't get it.

Then I am struggling to get dinner cooked while having to babysit to make sure my kids are doing their private reading.

And then Katie jumps on the piano to do her daily practice and suddenly the chaos calms a little.  The tension lightens. 

I love listening to her play.  It is so beautiful. 

Especially now that she is practicing carols. 

Thankful - Day 20 - Coupons

Shawn had a wonderful roast simmering on the stove that would be ready for dinner when I came home from work today. Like I said before, keeper!

It was just missing a few things to be dinner ready. Nothing that HAD to be added but it would make the dinner even better. I wanted some carrots and some crescent rolls. But I only had 2 bucks cash and I really hate going to the store for just a few things with the checkbook because I always spend more money than intended. So I pulled out my coupon book instead.

I walked out of Smith's with a 24 case of bottled water, a bag of peeled baby carrots, a can of cream of chicken soup (for dinner tomorrow), and two packages of refrigerated crescent rolls.

Guess what it cost me?

$0.82.

I walked out feeling victorious and thankful!

Thankful - Day 19 - My kids' love for Christmas

First let me start off by addressing any Bah Humbugers by saying  that Christmas to me is more than a day or even a month.  It is a SEASON.  I really do wish the season could last all year long however, because it is not politically correct to worship and show praise to our Lord and Savior it is extremely frowned upon.  So I soak in what I can during this SEASON.

Now I too believe that Christmas has gotten a little out of hand and has become even more commercial than even poor Charlie Brown could have imagined, but I again think it's because of the political correctness that everyone tip toes around. 

Of course our children only want Santa and presents for Christmas.  That is all they are allowed to talk about in school.  One mention of any religious background (except of course if you aren't Christian, then by all means, please speak your mind.  Let the world know how we have offended you in our beliefs of love and generosity.) and you are so quickly shut up that it cannot even be heard by these young ears.

If you want any shot of NOT having a commercial Christmas, it has to be taught in the home. 

And I am not talking about not buying presents or decorations.  For me all of that is part of the way I bring that joy into my home.  It is all reminders of the greatest gift of all, our loving Father's gift of His Son who's blood would be shed so that we may return to Him.

I love these reminders and if we teach our children what they mean and the purpose behind them, then the commercialism doesn't seem to be so exhausting. 

I can literally hear my heart sing songs of praise the first time I walk into a store and I see a glowing Christmas tree.  I don't have a single thought about what month it is or how many holidays aren't getting their glory because I am overwhelmed by the glory of our Lord.

So I do what I can to keep quiet (afraid of offending whoever decides they want to be offended) and I let you disgrace the holiday by posting pictures of a turkey fending off Santa because to me all I hear or see when people do that is that they have forgotten the Christ in Christmas.  They have crossed out his name with an X because it is faster to write.  And my heart breaks for them and their families. 

So when my kids asked if they could use their allowance to buy themselves each a Christmas tree that they could have in their own bedrooms, my heart leaped a little. 

To them it might not mean what it means to me, at least not yet, but some day I hope it will be.  I will continue to teach them what that Christmas tree means, what the colors represent, and even the meaning of the gifts that may be placed underneath. 

My hope is they will continue to grow in their relationship with Christ and one day they will walk into a store at the end of October to see a glowing Christmas tree and they too will have songs of praise pouring from their hearts.  Not because of the presents that are coming their way, but because of the present we were already given. 

So today, as we set up their own little Christmas trees, I am thankful for their love for our Savior and the little reminders we have this season to be so thankful and full of love for his blessings he continually bestows upon us, no matter how unworthy we may be.

Thankful - Day 18 - Elastic Hair Ties

I love doing my hair and my girls' hair, although they very rarely let me nowadays. They prefer the ragamuffin look. To each their own, I guess.

Whether I am doing my own hair or someone elses, I love elastic hair ties. Most hairstyles are nearly impossible without them.

I love the small plastic ones to keep tight holds for little twists and flips and the bigger thick ones for pont tails and buns.

I use one form or another on a daily basis and you will usually find one or two around my wrists cuz you just never know when you'll need to throw your hair in a pony or if you will come across someone willing to let you play with their hair. :-)

Thankful - Day 17 - Pintrest

When I first about Pintrest, I wasn't that excited about it. It just didn't make much sense to me. An internet "board" where you "pin" things you like? Ok. That sounds completely useless.

But as more and more friends started talking about it, the more curious I got.

I finally decided to give it a shot and apparently it had too many subscribers because I had to be put on a "waitlist". I still don't know why I could subscribe right away, I have never heard of it happening to anyone else, but I was that one in a million who had to wait.

I eventually got an email letting me know that I could now join and I did. Again, I wasn't too thrilled. Still didn't make a whole lot of sense to me and what my friends were pinning was just a bunch of outfits they liked and tattoo ideas.

It wasn't til I found the mobile app did I really start liking Pintrest. The app is far less messy looking. I can see one pin at a time. And the more friends I follow, the more I enjoy Pintrest. But I have also enjoyed searching for ideas on Pintrest too. There really is SO many ideas out there! I personally enjoy the recipes, crafts, and cleaning tips the most. I try something new at least once a week from something that I pinned or saw.

Picture courtesy of remodelaholic.com

I recently saw a pin (thanks Donna!) using nail polish to paint "swimsuits" on Barbies so that the poor dolls don't have to lie around naked any longer. If I'm not allowed to do it, I don't think they should be able to either.

I was tickled to try it!

I asked the girls to bring me one of their dolls that they don't play with often. I wanted to test it out.

Katie was not thrilled with the idea at all. In fact, I think she was border lined upset with me.

"But what if you can see it under their clothes?"
"If you can see it under their clothes then the clothes weren't covering enough."
"But sometimes we like to make them mermaids."
"So are they naked mermaids?"
"No, we put mermaid clothes on them."
"Well now you don't need to worry about tops, you can just put the fins on."
"But what if we want bikinis for them?"
"Now you don't have to worry about swimsuits. They will be built in. Besides, you aren't allowed to have bikinis, why should they?  Plus, no more fighting with your sister over the swimming suits."

And so on.

That is until I finished one. Then she was excited and happy with the result.

"Can I do one?"

Both her and Ciara painted a doll too. We had fun together doing it. I can't wait to finish them all!

Thankful - Day 16 - Justin's Laugh

My son has the most magical laugh. It's so sincere and filled with pure joy. It's contagious. Just the sound of his beautiful laugh will set a smile on your face.

I am so thankful that I get the privilege to hear it on a daily basis.

The sound itself is remarkable and can be heard throughout the house, but if you are lucky enough to be in the same room and see his sweet lite face light up along with it, it can change your entire mood. Suddenly, all worries are gone and you feel lighter just by being in his presence.

And if you are the lucky person causing the laughter, buckle up, because your heart will be filled with so much joy, it'll be hard to be contained.

Thank you, Justin for having the most adorable laugh I have ever heard. You make my life happy.

Thankful - Day 15 - Autumn Leaves

I think Autumn is my favorite season. I love the cool down in the weather, the beautiful changing colors, and the excitement in the air for the up coming holidays.

And as an added bonus, we can make fun out of new chores!  Woohoo!

The kids love to rake the leaves so they can jump and play in the piles.  And I am all for it!  It gets the leaves raked up and they enjoy doing it.


Getting ready to be covered by daddy

They love to hide and we (the parents) all pretend that we don't know that there is a little body (or bodies) underneath the pile of leaves.   It makes for good memories.
I also find it super funny when they think they will be able to just POP out and they forget that a pile of leaves can be a bit heavy and not so easy to just jump right out of!

Thankful - Day 14 - My Library

I love the library system.  I think it is one of the most underutilized sources for information and entertainment that we have.  And it's free.  As long as you can remember to return your checked out items, that is.

I go to the library at least once a week.  I like to browse through books, looking for any new books that may catch my eye.  I have found a few fun series that way, including a family favorite and soon to be motion picture The Last Apprentice.  If you haven't read it and enjoy juvenile fantasy fiction, it's a great series!  A little on the creepy side, dealing with dark creatures and witches and sorts, but full of great characters and adventure.  There are 12 books in the series now (not including a couple of side story novels).  I believe it'll have one more for a total of 13 when the series is complete.

The movie looks nothing like the books, but that is nothing new.  That is a different rant for a different day.

I love that they have a Spanish section too!  I can get current popular books in Spanish so that Katie can still read what she wants and keep up with her Spanish reading!

The library is so much more than books now though.  It has a whole selection of DVD's and CD's.  I NEW RELEASE movies often and even some old favorites.  We rent a handful of movies every week!  It's fun to bring new movies into the house for the kids to enjoy.

And the best part of the books, movies, and CD's is that I don't have to hunt them down either.  If I am not in the browsing mood and I know exactly what I want, I can hop online and reserve it.  So if a movie is coming to video soon, I can place a hold so I don't have to wait too long and I get an email when it's ready for me to pick up!  They even hold it for me for an entire week so I have plenty of time to grab it! 

Another favorite of mine and fairly new addition to the library is the downloadable music.  I LOVE this!!  I can download 3 songs a week per library card LEGALLY and for FREE!  Yes, please!  That is 15 songs a week for my family!  That is a whole album if not more!  The music lover in me rejoices!

They also have added some streaming movies and shows, but I have yet to try this out as I am not too found of having to watch TV at my computer.  I do it in a pinch, but I much prefer the comforts of my couch and big screen.

So thank you library for saving me money and time!  I appreciate good friends like you!

Thankful - Day 13 - Bounce Dryer Bars

As I sit down for another day to write my thank you for the day, I realize, yet again, what I am most thankful for is convenience.  I don't know if it's because I am a working mom, or just a lazy person, but if something makes my life a littler easier without too much cost, I am all for it!

I would like to think by 2013 we should have been able to create a folder machine that goes right along side the washer and dryer, but sadly, I must report that no such machine exists.  When it does though, I can guarantee you folks, it'll be on my thank you list.  But until then, my thank you shout out goes to Bounce's dryer bars.

I have a wonderful husband who actually does help with house chores.  When I let the laundry mountain grow to an eruptible size, he will actually throw in a few loads for me!  (Yes, he's a keeper!)  But he never remembers to use dryer sheets.


I personally don't like the static shock of putting an a pair of electrifying pants.  Not the best way to start a morning.  Maybe for a Saturday night, but definitely not a work day morning.

I saw these dryer bars being advertised and I looked at them a few times in the store before actually buying one.  I wasn't quite convinced that I wanted EVERY load to have a dryer sheet.  Some of the hand towels that I use for cleaning, I prefer not to have the fabric softener as it can lead to streaking.  But I finally gave in and decided to give it a go (after being encouraged by an incredible coupon where it was basically free!). 

I couldn't be happier! All of my clothes smell amazing!  And no more morning shock treatments or light shows!  I am on my third consecutive dryer bar and I don't know if I will ever go without again.

PS - I really haven't noticed any additional streaking in my cleaning.  I think I would have to clean windows to notice and I am just not to that point yet.  lol

Thankful - Day 12 - CiCi still fits

Sometimes I find myself staring at my babies in complete awe of them. I am filled with so much pride and absolute joy at what wonderful human beings they are. They truly amaze me.

Then I get smacked in the face with the reality that they are no longer babies. And the fact that I will never have babies again sinks in and destroys my heart.

So today, I am so thankful that I can lay on my couch after a long day of work, grab a blanket, pop in a movie, and my CiCi can still lay with me. She likes to point it out everytime too. She loves it just as much as I do.

"I am so glad that I still fit!"
As I softly kiss the top of her head. "Me too."

Thankful - Day 11 - Clorox Wipes

I love things that make my life easier.  I hate to clean but I love having a clean house.  So a lot of things that I am thankful for making cleanings just a tad easier for me.

Today on my thankful list is Clorox wipes.  I use them every single day.  I wipe down EVERYTHING with them.  Bathroom sinks, toilet seats, counters, walls, tables, couches, door knobs, just about every surface in my house.  It makes things so simple to be able to use the same "cleaner" in every room!  Of course, I go through wipes like they are going out of style, but I don't care.  My life is easier because of it.  I feel like my home is cleaner as well because I know that I am disinfecting and not just cleaning or masking.  With germ season upon us, I find myself wipes things down twice as much!

So today, I salute you, Clorox for making a simple, easy to use wipe to clean up after the my tornado kids!

Thankful - Day 10 - Music

I have always been a music lover. I'd like to thank my mom for that. I remember dancing around to music since I was a little little girl. And she married a music lover too. However, it was a different kind of music than what we listened to, which just made my love for music grow.
Between my mom, dad, nana, and summers with my real dad, I have such an array of music that my heart knows and appreciates.

I listen to music every single day. It is a part of my life and who I am.

I used to be careful about rocking out too hard in a car by myself afraid someone would notice, but now I am carefree. I enjoy my music and I don't care who knows it.  So if you ever see someone in their car, playing the drums and singing their heart out, try and find the station and sing a long with them. It may brighten your day.

Sometimes I wonder how people get anything done if they don't have music. It makes a job more fun and I get a bit of exercise because without a doubt, I'll be shaking my hips and dancing around as I am doing whatever it is I am doing.

So I am very thankful for the music in my life and the people who introduced me to it! It lifts my spirits and makes me whole.

Time to turn on some tunes and get ready for the day!

Thankful - Day 9 - Blistex

I love me some soft lips. The best way to get them is by keeping your lips protected.

I used to be a Chap Stick kind of girl. That is until I found Five Star Lip Protection with 30 SPF from Blistex.

This little gold tube is a miracle worker! And it has a nice smell and flavor.

Its the perfect accessory for a fresh summer face and the best protection against the harsh weather changes.

Thank you Blistex for making my kisses softer and sweeter!

XOXO

Student Council Secretary

Katie came home a couple of weeks into the school year and said she wanted to run for Student Council Secretary. 

She had to complete a one page application and submit a faculty recommendation.  Easy enough.

She created a stationary page on Word and asked each of her past teachers to give her a recommendation, she even asked the librarian.  All of whom, were more than happy to oblige.  She got some of the nicest recommendations that I have ever read!  They actually put some real time in praising her. 

We sat down together, completed the application, included the recommendations and put everything into a nice portfolio to turn in. 

A few weeks later, she received a notice that she was accepted to go onto the next round and that she would have a video interview (so the other faculty could judge) and pictures taken.

No biggie, she thought.  Until I asked if she was nervous about being taped.  She misunderstood and thought that she was going to be shown a video and then interviewed about what she saw.  I had to break her heart when I told her she wasn't going to play Scene It!

Take a deep breath.  You got this!

I coached her through what we thought would be some of the interview questions and I drilled her throughout the weekend.  I don't know if she was any less nervous, but she was at least prepared.

When I picked her up from school and asked her how the interview went, she started laughing.  She couldn't really remember.  She was so nervous that she just started talking.  She couldn't get her mouth to shut up and started talking about how dumb she thinks the recess rules are.  (To her defense, I have never seen such stupid recess rules.  She had a point.  Explain to me why we need to regulate playing outside to the degree of telling kids they can only use the monkey bars going east.  Insane.)  But the interview was done and she thought it went as well as it could.

A few weeks after that, she got a letter stating she moved to the next round and it was time to campaign.  (I actually think that each kid who turned in an application got moved to each round, but who knows.)

It's poster time!  Katie tossed a few ideas around.  She wanted to be different.  To stand out.  I encouraged her to highlight what she does best and to show how creative and fun she is.  And she did just that. 

She turned her posters into comics!  She loves to draw and is constantly drawing funny little comic strips for us.  She came up with a few ideas and went to town.  She was only allowed 2 posters so she made each one different. 

 

I thought they were so funny, but they were kinda making fun of school a little (In one, she is literally sleeping in class, daydreaming of being a super star! lol), but they worked.  They got people's attentions.  People had to approach the posters to read them, instead of just walking by and forgetting instantly!  People would laugh about them together and talk about them at recess!  She is one smart cookie.

Because she could only have 2 posters, we brainstormed other ways to get her name out there.  I thought about printing up some stickers and shirts, but it was just too costly for an elementary school election.  So instead, we picked up some window markers and put it on our vehicle!  If there are multiple names on a ballot and you don't know any of them, you will most likely pick the one that seems familiar!  It is worth a shot!

Then on Wednesday she came home with another note that her teacher had forgotten to give her prior to the weekend.  She had to deliver a speech the very next morning in an assembly!  AAAAAAAAGGGGH.

Again, breath.  It's going to be ok.  I am here to help.

We bullet pointed some things to highlight and we spent a good part of the night going over being excited and showing enthusiasm.  She was not too keen on the enthusiastic approach.  She is a little shy, but I told her if she wanted to be remembered, she had to make herself memorable. 

She finally agreed and we practiced all night.

When I picked her up Thursday, she was very excited!  The speech went great.  Her and one other person were the only ones who seemed excited about even being there.  She got the audience excited and cheering and clapping while her competition was barely understandable at the microphone because they were speaking so softly.  She felt confident!

Vote for Katelynn Ewell!  Ewell be glad you did!!!

Today, I could barely wait for her to get home!  She jumped out of the car with a great big, I won!!!  Her dad was disappointed, apparently, they were going to try to fake me out, but she just couldn't contain herself!  We did the hug jump of excitement together in the driveway! 

I am so proud of her!  She really had no idea what she was getting herself into when she decided to wanted to be in student council, but she handled herself with such poise!  She is so smart and so creative!  She really shined with this project even though she was stressed the entire time!

Great job, baby girl!  You are growing up so beautifully!

Thankful - Day 8 - My Hubby

I don't even know to start.  He is my everything.

Today is his birthday, I almost decided not to write about him today because it is just a little too cliché for me, but he is all I can think about today!

Our life is nothing like how we imagined when we were just kids, dating and daydreaming.  We thought we would live in a great big huge house, he would be some general in the army and I would be a stay at home mommy.

Although that dream still sounds so appealing, I couldn't imagine my life going differently. 

We have gone through so much together, at times I felt like we were just drowning,  we would just barely start to catch our breath when something would grab hold and pull us back under.  But somehow, we always raised above and came out stronger for it.  We have grown so much closer through our struggles.  He has been my best friend through it all.  He is my strength when I am weak and my healer when I am broken.  We have cried together, laughed together, fought together (more than I care to admit), but we always ended up in each others arms.

He loves me with all of my flaws.  In fact, he sees right through them.  I am beautiful.  And I FEEL beautiful in his presence.

I could go on and on about him.  About what an amazing father he is.  (I have never seen anyone quite like him with their kids.  He loves them so unconditionally.  He plays with them every moment that he can.  He teaches them, guides them, TALKS with them!  His fatherhood comes so naturally.)  About how dependable he is.  How intelligent he is.  His sense of humor still cracks me up on a daily basis.  How protective and loving he is.  He is remarkable.

And he is awfully handy to have around a 55 year old house!

I love him so much.  He truly is my soul mate and I am ever so thankful that we were blessed enough to find each other at such a young age.

Happy Pot Pies

Hailee was so excited when I dished up her pot pie for dinner and she saw a smiley face!

It made me smile to see her so thrilled about it.

This girl can see happiness everywhere and in everything.  She inspires me.

I love you, Hailee Dawn.

Thankful - Day 7 - My Phone

I am naturally a pretty lazy person.  I don't mean to be.  I think I am mostly just forgetful.  As I get older I seem to be forgetting more and more. 

My phone is my saving grace for my sanity.  I have fallen in love with it's calendar and reminder settings.  If I don't put it in my phone, more likely than not, I am not going to remember to do it.

I even have apps that I can add lists too!  This is so perfect for me!  I have my grocery lists, gift ideas, even books that I want to read, right at my finger tips at all times. 

No matter where I am, I can remember what I am looking for and what I am supposed to be doing. 

I don't have a ton of apps on my phone, I have learned to keep it pretty basic, but the apps I do have, I use often.

I have my shopping apps.  ShopSavy's Barcode Scanner, being one of my favorites!  I can scan any barcode and find the price at nearby stores and even the internet so that I know if I am getting a decent deal or not.  The only downside is that it doesn't update frequently enough for sale items.  But that's ok.  I'll forgive that.  I also like it because I can read immediate reviews on the item so I know if it is even worth my money.

Another favorite app of mine is the translator app.  I can't even begin to tell you how handy this app has come in, especially with Katie being in the Dual Immersion.  I can actually help with homework!  Woohoo!!  Not only does it translate Spanish to English but visa versa.  I can even take a picture of the text and it will translate it!  It also will translate verbal too!  And it's not just Spanish.  Every language I can think of is on it!  So if I ever I find myself in a foreign country and I cannot understand what someone is saying, they can speak into my phone and it will translate it for me and again, visa versa .  Awesome.

But my most favorite app of all is my bible app.  I have my bible with me at all times.  When I can't sleep.  When I am at work.  When I am at church. 

I can highlight, add tags,  and even book mark.

On top of all of that, there are also numerous reading plans.  And it will send me daily reminders to read!  That is amazing to me!  As I said above, without a reminder, I will forget.  This makes my life so much easier!  I have my reminder set in the evening so when I have gotten all comfy cozy and am in relax mode, my app will remind me so I don't forget our family reading and prayer time!  Yes!  Thank you, Bible App! 

So there are just a few of the things that I love about having a smart phone.  It may be lacking in some apps that I want (Come on Instragram!  Make a Window's app!), try to outsmart me by fixing words that don't need to be fixed, dial friends and family from my pocket, and randomly take pictures of absolutely nothing, but it does a lot to help make my life simpler and I appreciate the convenience it offers me daily!

Pie Rush Wednesday

Tyler and Hailee are spending this week with us as Misty is in Las Vegas for a union meeting.

So they got to experience their first Pie Rush Wednesday with us!  They have never had pie at Village Inn so they were very excited!


I don't think Village Inn has the best pies, in fact, I am not really a fan.  But I do LOVE free pie with my babies!  And they love it too!  It's something that everyone looks forward to!

I am glad we got to share it with my "other babies".  :-)

Thankful - Day 6 - My Job

Yesterday I received some disappointing news. I did not get the position I applied for in another department of my company.  I wanted this position so badly and I was almost certain I was going to get it. 

At first, I felt stuck. I have never had a problem getting the positions that I want.  I am a top performing employee with lots of tenure and experience.  When it was time for me to move on and get my feet wet with something new, I could move pretty easily.  Most of the time, I didn't even have to look for a new job, people sought me out.  So this kind of rejection is foreign to me.  Ever since I came into this department, I have kinda felt a bit stuck.  It is a great paying job with excellent benefits, but it is not what I want to be doing or where my skills and talents are really being utilized.  I sometimes feel wasted.

But quickly, I realized that if I had to be stuck, I'd rather rather be stuck IN a job and with a shift that works for me and my family.

It may not be the most prestigious position, but it is a job I can do and am successful in.  And I am a top performer in this position as well.

It struck me almost immediately.  I have to learn how to be proud of what I do and be grateful for doing it. 

Suddenly, I wasn't upset any more.

I promptly changed my attitude about the situation and my moment of disappointment turned into a rather good day.  I felt a difference on my calls and I am very happy that I have a job.  I don't know of any other job I could be doing right now where I could make what I am making and have the hours that I have.  I don't have it bad at all.  I have it actually pretty good.  And I am very thankful for it!

And guess what?  I know that new and exciting things are waiting for me.  I know that I won't be doing this job forever.  I am not stuck.  There are just some lessons I have to learn before I move on.  I need to become more humble and patient and when the time is right, I will have a position waiting for me. 

So in the meantime, I am going to excited about my job and take advantage of the time I have to learn a new piece of the company and hopefully, gain some new relationships and skills that will help me in the future.





PS- I found out later that the position went to a tenured, displaced employee.  I am so grateful that someone got to keep their job. Someone's prayer was answered.  That is so much more important than just wanting to "move on".

"And SNAP, the jobs a game!"

I remember when I was a kid and it was time to clean up our room, the three of us would spend HOURS arguing about who's fault the mess was and who should have to clean up what. We would be "grounded" to our room until the room was "Nana clean". Which meant that under beds, closets, and corners would be checked to ensure there were no "hidden" messes. She never did check our drawers though. Something I know to do now. ;-)

I swear, we were in our rooms all day. Arguing, playing, laughing, fighting, doing just about everything and anything EXCEPT cleaning.

When we would finally decide that enough was enough, we usually would make the cleaning into a game. I have vivid memories of us snapping our fingers, tossing items and toys in the air and quickly putting it away; acting as if it magically put itself away like in Mary Poppins.

Fast forward 20 something years and I do the same silly things with my kids. They seem to think that snapping your fingers and throwing stuff in the air is pretty nonproductive, and they are right, so we have made our own games.

We are all pretty competitive by nature so racing was an excellent game for us. Each would be assigned a chore and we would race to see who finished first.

This was fun, but it could easily go south when someone would purposely clean their area by putting it in someone elses, thus fighting would break out.

So now we like to race against the clock! This is MUCH more effective.
A) Everyone has to work together to accomplish the overall goal and
B) When one "chore" is finished, that person moves to the next, helping someone else. So there is "wasted" time.

We will be sitting there, lazily enjoying our relax time when suddenly, I will pop up and ask the question.. "How long do you think it will us to clean the house?"

The response I usually get is a series of questions.

"The WHOLE house?"
"Including the kitchen?"
"What about the dishes?"
"Will YOU do the dishes?"
"Is the dishwasher clean or dirty"
"Do we have to do the basement?"
"Does it have to be 'mama clean'?" (Yep, it's now turned into mama clean.)

Depending on the answers to said questions, we come up with an amount of time, usually between 5 and 10 minutes. We set the timer and we GO!

Tonight we accomplished the entire upstairs (not including bedrooms but did include putting away laundry and cleaning the bathroom) in 7 mins. Our goal was 5 but I added an extra two because the dishwasher needed to be unloaded. :-)

I think we are pretty awesome and I like that we can have fun together even when we are doing chores.

Thankful - Day 5 - Snooze

Today, like every work day, my alarm went off at 4:45 am.  As I reached for my phone, I was so thankful for the snooze button. 

Thank you snooze for giving me an extra 10 minutes to slowly allow my body to adjust to the fact that it can no longer be comfortable.  For allowing my eyes to adapt gradually to the change in lighting from the soft glow of my phone instead of the harsh bright light of the bathroom.

Thank you snooze for giving me a few quiet moments to reflect on my life and to give thanks for everything in it. 

Thank you snooze for granting me just enough time to read a small devotional right from the luxury of my sleeping position.

Thank you snooze.  I would be in a daze without you.

Thankful - Day 4 - Post It Notes

I have mentioned before in my Love Notes post how much I love post its and what they mean to me and my family.

Today, as I pack my babies lunches, I can't help but be thankful again. I love that I can add a daily reminder of how much I love them.

But beyond the love note aspect, I use post it notes constantly at work. My dual computer monitors are framed with reminders, disclosures, and phone numbers that I need consistently through out my daily job.

I also use them as to do lists that get thrown in my pockets through out the day so when I get home and change, emptying my pockets, I will be reminded of something I need to get ready for the next day, call to make an appointment, or pick up at the store.

My mind would be a clutter drawer without these lovely pieces of sticky paper to keep me on track.

So thank you Post Its for helping me love my family and keeping me organized!

Snow Fort

After the amazing Christmasy feeling we ended our night, it was almost too perfect to wake up to snow!!

The kids were so excited!  They couldn't wait to come home from church to go outside and play. 

They wanted to make a snow fort.  I told them there just wasn't enough snow yet for a fort but maybe a small snowman.

They proved me wrong.  They have the nice beginnings of a snow fort.

Girls Night Out

So my girls night out was never intended to be a girls night out.  It was supposed to be a date night with the hubby.  But when I sent him his reminder text to take the night off so we could go see Brigadoon, he asked what the play was about.  I told him it was about a magical town who awakens for only one day every 100 years with love and music.  Apparently, that didn't sound to appealing to him and asked me to get extra tickets and I could just take the kids instead. 

Like father like son, Justin didn't seem to think it sounded like a fun time either.  He nearly died of boredom when we went to see Tarzan, and I don't necessarily like paying extra money to force someone to whine at me.  So I asked him what he wanted to do instead if I took the girls.  His answer was immediate.  NapNap's.  And she of course, was happy to oblige.

Are we all in?  Then it counts!

So it became a girls night.  Works for me!  I have taken the girls to two plays this year and they were thrilled with both.  So I was happy to get the extra ticket and make it a mommy / daughters night!

The play started at 4 so it was a bit too early for dinner and too late for lun

ch.  We are usually 5 o'clock eaters so I knew they would be hungry if we waited til after the play so I decided to start our date night with some appetizers at Chilli's.  I am in love with chips and salsa and when you make it bottomless, I am a happy camper!  Throw in a couple slider burgers and some southwestern eggrolls and we were three happy girls!

Outside of the theatre in front of the poster.
Somehow didn't get the poster in pic.

We got to the playhouse about a half hour early so we had lots of time to joke around and get our traditional theatre cookies! 

While waiting for the show to start, we decided to play around and continue to take pictures of ourselves.  They think it's funny how horrible I am at it and I will admit, I think it is funny too.  I have yet to meet someone more awful at "selfies" as I am!



Waiting for concessions to open in front of a poster.
Again, totally missed the poster.

The only problem was that the room was pretty dark.  And for some reason I couldn't get my flash to work.  So we were snapping pics without any light at all.  It turned out for some fun pics though.

The play was fun.  Not quite what I was hoping for, but I have yet to go to a play that I didn't enjoy at Hale Center and I always enjoy spending time with my babies.



In our seats, passing the time.
Ciara looks a bit disgusted and Katie disturbed.  I'm just scared.

After the play we decided to share a banana split at Leatherby's.  Substitute the pineapple sauce with caramel, and we are in heaven!  Well, everyone but CiCi.  She decided that she no longer likes banana splits and wanted her own sundae.  But I didn't budge.  If she didn't want to share the ice cream, she didn't have to.  Needless to say, she enjoyed the ice cream we shared.

I love Katie's piggy face.

We decided while chatting and eating our ice cream that it would be fun to stop by Walmart on our way home and see if they had any Christmas movies out that we don't have and watch a new movie.  Katie is as excited as me to start in the Christmas celebrations.  She even asked if we could please start listening to Christmas music.  I was happy to oblige and luckily, I had a few Christmas CD's in the truck just waiting to be played.  So we sand our little hearts out while driving to Walmart.  And the holiday spirit didn't stop there.  Our songs continued as we shopped through the store.  We weren't able to find a new holiday movie that we wanted, but we did enjoy walking up and down the Christmas aisles and smelling all of the Christmas scents of holiday candles.  The girls laughed at me as I piled candles into our cart, knowing full well that I wouldn't burn them until December (I just can't bring myself to light an evergreen candle without a tree lighting up the house).

Proof that Ciara does indeed like banana splits!

Our caroling continued until our house was cleaned and our beds made in the living room.  Popped in Jim Carrey's Grinch and we laughed and cuddled til we fell asleep. 

It was a magical night.

I missed my Justin boy though.  I even texted Jenn a couple of times asking if he decided he didn't want to spend the night and would rather hang out with Mom.  But for some reason, he didn't seem to think that sounded very fun.

Now I just need to find a time to create a magical night with my little man.  I am thinking maybe a movie or laser tag as a main course. 

Thankful - Day 3 - Fleece lined leggings

Snow! I woke up this morning to see our first snowfall that is actually visible, honest to goodness, sticking to the ground snow.

I love that I can sit in my nice warm home and enjoy watching it fall peacefully. It's especially pleasurable since the house is quiet with sleeping bodies and I can be selfish, enjoying this heavenly scene all by myself.

I could sit and watch snow fall all day.

And that is when it hit me. I can't. I can't stay comfy cozy in my warm house, cuddling under a blanket, watching the snow fall all day. I have places to go, people to see, things that need to be done.

Daydream shattered.

The horrible truth of life smacks me right in the face as I realize I am going to have to be out in that cold snow! Oh man.

But you know what? Its going to be ok. Everything will be just fine. I am armed with fleece lined leggings!! I can still wear a pretty dress to church!

Yes! All is well in the world again. I can sit back down and enjoy my snow show with the knowledge that I can still be warm even though I am going to have to run from building to vehicle, vehicle to building. As long as I have my fleece lined leggings, I'll be safe from evil!

EDIT:  Ok, so I didn't wear a dress today.  But I did still wear my fleece lined leggings under my slacks and I was still ever so thankful for them!

Thankful - Day 2 - Qtips

As I get out of a nice, warm, relaxing shower, there is nothing I am more thankful for than a clean Qtip.

A shower just does not feel complete without these little cotton swabs of genius.

But not only are these little sticks of fluff there for me everyday after my shower, but they are there waiting for me when my mascara wand decides to go rogue and jabs me in the eyeball. Or when my eye liner brush shakes and insists that a squiggly line is much more flattering than a thin straight line.

My friend, the Qtip never fails me when I need to play nurse to clean and dress a wound, or when I need to fix a nail polish catastrophe.

It is the perfect paint brush for little fingers and a decent eyeshadow applicator in a pinch. It can apply glue like a boss and helps clean hard to reach awkward places.

Today, and everyday, I am thankful for my box of Qtips!!

Thankful - Day 1 - Church

Today marks the first day of November.  A month were we celebrate our thankfulness and wrap it into a holiday were we stuff ourselves with carbs and family!

Like I did last year on Facebook, I am going to try to write a daily post of something I am thankful for, big and small.

I want to start by saying how thankful I am for my church. 

A few months ago, I came across on old journal.  As I was reading through it I found this entry. 

Nov 21 2010
Church was very...interesting.  We almost didn't go.  The kids weren't cooperating and we were just getting angry.  Shawn finally said, "forget it" but I wasn't ready to give up.  that is how Satan works.  He wants it to be hard.

When we showed up to the church (we decided to go to Life Church aka Valley Assembly of God) and it was like walking into a Christian rock concert.  People were on stage performing with guitars and drums, people in the audience were waving their hands, clapping, and singing.  Needless to say, Ciara really enjoyed it. I felt really out of place.  I doubt we will ever go back.  Maybe the next church we find will have the "this is it!" feeling.

I read that entry now and I remember those feelings.  Feeling so out of place and uncomfortable.  It was like no church that I had ever been to.  And to this day, I don't know why we ever went back.  But I do know that I am so thankful that we did.

Now, the things that made me feel so out of place before, make me feel closer to God.  And every time I walk in, I feel that "this is it!" feeling!  This is what I was searching for!  This is what I need to help me survive another week!  This is my reminder of what He has given me!  This is what I need to remember my promises to Him.  This is where I learn to be more like Him.  THIS IS IT!

When I sing at church I feel like I am worshiping and praising Him!  It is a celebration for what He has done for me and the miracles He has done inside of me.  I am now one of those people who lift my hands in worship and thanks.

My church has brought my family closer.  We share prayer and scripture time.  I feel closer to my Heavenly Father more now than I ever have.  It amazes me.  And although I know the thing I am most thankful for is my strengthened relationship with the Lord and that was given to me from Him not any church, but I am so thankful for LifeChurch for giving me that rock to stand on while I opened the door and let Him in.

Happy Halloween!

This year I just didn't want to fork out money for new costumes. They are so cheaply made and most of the time, they aren't even cute.

Luckily, Justin wanted to be army guy again (best investment I ever made for Halloween 3 years ago!) and Jenn had matching costumes for the girls that her and Haylee wore last year that she gave them. The only kicker was that they were Little Miss Muffet costumes, which was totally cool with Ciara, but Katie thought it was a little juvenile. So we cut the apron off the dress so it was more generic looking. But then what were they? Witches maybe? I could just get some cheap witch hats, but Katie didn't want a hat. She usually isn't so picky and is so easy to please so when she gets a little difficult once in a while, it is forgivable.

Still undecided just days before Halloween, Katie saw me looking online at costume ideas and made a comment on how much she loves the Day of the Dead look. They have talked a lot about it in her class over the years because of the dual immersion and its always intrigued her.
That's it! I'll make her a Sugar Skull!

I now have two days to figure out how to do it! After really looking at the details of these beautiful skulls, I began to doubt myself. There is no way I am going to be able to pull this off.

I went to WalMart and got a costume paint pallet with your basic Halloween colors. The Sugar Skulls are either black and white with a little read or very bright and colorful. I wanted the prettier look and the pallet had purple and green so it could go either way.

The next day (Halloween Eve) I told Katie what I wanted to do. She was so excited! But I needed to make sure I could do it! So we needed a test run. Boy was I glad I did this!
A) Not only did the paint make up suck but B) It took a long time to do it!

The moment I started with the white make up I knee it would be impossible to use. The white would have to be CAKED on to get it a really white color and that just makes for itchy faces. And it was so greasy that it would literally just melt and slide off her face within minutes. So I decided to ditch the pallet. I used one thin layer of white just to pale out the face and rubbed most of it off with my finger to get the streaks out and pulled out my bag of old make up. I have collected so much make up over the years. Weird colors that I only use once and decide its awful but make up isn't cheap, so I throw it in my old make up bag and hide it away for occasions such as these. I found some beautiful blues and purples, and all waterproof and 24 hour stayproof, perfect for what I wanted.

So I went to town. As I did it, I became more and more confident. It was turning out beautifully.
Ciara liked it so much, she decided she wanted to do it too. Which game me another canvas to practice on
.
2 1/2 hours later the girls faces were done and everyone was happy with the look. Boy, was I glad I practiced the night before because I would have never guessed it would take so long.

Now we just needed to figure out hair. The Day of the Dead look is usually quite glamorous with big funky flowers. So I ran down to the basement to see if I had anything left from when I decided I wanted to make hair pretties for a day. Luckily, I had a couple of bunches of dollar store flowers but no clips or barrettes to put them on. And no hot glue to glue with. And its getting late. So I pulled out some bobby pins and jimmied a way to get the flowers on the head of the bobby pin with a little bit of crazy glue. It wasn't easy, the bobby pin would bust open the flowers but I was able to get it to work on a handful of them.

Okay, we knew what we were doing, time to take off the make up, get in the shower and wrap the girls hair in headbands so it would be curly in the morning.


I have no idea why this one is so blurry.

And before I knew it, my alarm was going off. Got up, made some coffee, put together a small breakfast for the girls and woke up Katie by 6. Everything went smoothly. The girls faces were all done up in two hours. I just needed to put on the fake lashes. Which ended up with tears and a complete panic from yours truly as I watched their make up sliding down their faces. Ok. Forget the lashes. Just stop crying so I can fix this!!

After a few moments of everyone calming down, I was able to fix the make up and everyone was all smiles again. I even begged Justin to let me do up his face as a regular old fashioned skeleton..he could be a dead army guy. But he would have nothing to do with it. I'm certain he was picturing me putting pretty blues and purples all over his face and no amount of peer pressure was going to change his mind. He was completely happy with his clean face, thank you very much!

The girls had the perfect amount of curls and I was able to rat it and pin it to get lots of volume. The flowers were the perfect addition to complete their look. I had just enough time left over to hop in the shower and make myself presentable for the school parade.  (Gotta love the blurry pics of parade pics...Haylee I was only able to capture her back.  lol)

The moment we got out of the car, the girls were getting stares and ooo's and ahh's. They LOVED the attention. The teachers were stopping them wanting to get a closer look at the details asking "who did your make up! Its beautiful!" and I was right there beaming. I not an artist. I can barely draw a stick figure so I was just as amazed as they were.


After we left the school it was time to come home and clean house. There was a but of a make up and hair whirlwind that came though that needed a good scrubbing. 

When it was time to pick the kids up, my breathing stopped as I waited to see what a mess the girls faces would be in. But to my relieve, they still looked really good! Just a little touch UPS to liven up the color again and fix the mouth but both touch UPS only took about 10 minutes so this mama was truly thankful! I believe in the power of Mabelline's 24 hour tattoo eye shadow!.

Plan for evening:
Meet up at NapNap's. She lives in an apartment complex so the kids are bound to get a lot of candy fast.
Church Trunk or Treat's Harvest Festival.
End at my place for a sleep over!

Sounds like a good plan. But like all good and they never quite go as expected.

Jakey was not too thrilled to be a spider.

The apartments didn't have a whole lot of people answering. Most likely it was just too early, it was only about 5, but with the baby, we didn't want to be trick or treating in the dark.

Next stop, the church. This was a much bigger even than I anticipated. Not only was there the trunk or treat which was presented with a car show, I felt like I was walking through a real life Hot Wheels convention, but it was a full on carnival with a mechanical bull, bounce house, and games galore. My kids were so excited!!

Sadly though, it was just too cold for NapNap and Jakey so the Bertola's decided to call it a night. I contemplated calling it quits for me too but my kids were having too much fun and none of them were complaining about the cold. So we decided to stay. I'm glad we did too. We had a lot of fun and everyone was in such a great mood.

After the Harvest Festival, we decided to go home but the kids weren't ready to call it a night yet. They still wanted to do more trick or treating so we went through our neighborhood but with little success. Our neighborhood gets very little trick or treating so there aren't many people who even bother any more.

But that's ok. I'm SUPERMOM! I have a whole crap load of candy left over from our Halloween party. Let's go trick or treat at my house!

I grabbed our candy, turned on our porch light to let other trick or treaters know we are home and happy to give you candy! Then I told the kids to trick or treat inside our house. I would run from room to room with my big bowl or candy, shutting the door behind me. The kids would knock and yell "trick or treat". I would open the door and tell them how wonderful they all looked and pass out candy. They would in turn tell me it was because of their wonderful mom and they would get extra candy. We did this for about a half hour, running from room to room, we even went outside into the clubhouse. It was so funny! We were all laughing by the end. In the meantime, we only had 3 trick or treaters.

 Time to get cleaned up. After showers and jammies, we decided to bring the air mattress out and everyone camped out in the living room watching movies!

It wasn't the night we had planned but I think it turned out even better. We had a lot of fun! And that says a lot being that I am not one who is particularly fond of Halloween!