Happy Middle of July :)

Just waving a hand to all my readers. Welcome to those of you who are new, and hello to my long time friends. Because everyone who comes to this blog is welcomed with open arms.
I'm just feeling like I'm living the dream today.
Church with my boys, cleaning the house while the boys entertain their friends, and now just hanging out at home with DT while the BIGS are at the movies. A nice day. Un-rushed, no scurrying about from this place to that at top speed, and just enjoying being at home. Life is good.
So, welcome to friends new and not-so-new. Come, look around, read some old posts, dig through Wordless Wednesday pictures and enjoy yourself. Leave a comment if you're so inclined. See you again soon!
     ~K~

Simple Woman's Daybook: Hello Fall Edition

For Today
September 30th, 2014

Outside my window...the chimes clang merrily in the breeze as autumn weather FINALLY comes to Southern New Mexico.

I am thinking...that sometimes change isn't a bad thing in the long run, even if it is uncomfortable in the here and now.

I am thankful...that my job is so homeschool friendly. In fact, I've turned the BossMan's family to the dark side and one of their children has joined the ranks of the home educated.

I am wearing...Brown yoga pants, flag t-shirt and tennies.If clothes are an outward representation of ME: then apparently I am predictable, comfortable and loyal. I think I'm ok with that.

I am creating...a bit of fall enthusiasm around the house by decorating with leaves, pumpkins and other gourds, plus some glorious fall colors. And anticipation for our annual pumpkin patch trip coming up next week. It's my favorite time of year.

I am going... to visit my Sister-Girl Karen tonight, which is especially fun since we missed last week due to BossMan's travels, and BossLady's rounds at the hospital. Looking forward to a nice long chat. Without interruptions.

I am wondering...how to find the right house, for the right price, in the right time, and the right place, without losing my mind. It may already be too late ;)In YOUR time, Lord. Amen.

I am reading...True Wealth: How and Why Millions of Americans Are Creating a Time-Rich, Ecologically Light, Small-Scale, High-Satisfaction Economy by Juliet Schor
I am hoping...that I learn something fantastic from this book. I am ready for change.

I am learning...that being old and wise isn't as much fun as being young and dumb, but it is more rewarding. And less painful.

Around the house...boys are caring for chores, animals are being enjoyed, and school is about to start.
In the kitchen... dinner is ready, just needing to be heated once our walls are filled with hungry bodies. Banana bread on the counter. Freezer full of my mom's hard work. Dishes. Always dishes.
I am pondering... schedules, ever present changes and houses, houses, houses.

A favorite quote for today...
"There are only 24 hours in a day. We need to quit trying to be awesome and instead be wise."
Courtesy of Jen Hatmaker (smartest woman I know)

One of my favorite things...F-A-L-L! And everything pumpkin!

A peek into one of my days from this past week-end... our great niece Carissa turned one and we got to enjoy her party this weekend. After a while, you almost forget how entertaining a baby party can be.

If you enjoyed this post and want to share in the fun, head back to Miss Peggy's site for details and other women's day books.
http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Swinging By and Waving a Hand~ Hello Cyber-Space!

Not much time this morning, but I wanted to swing by and say hello to everyone who has been catching up with us via the blog recently. Not too much going on right now, but Dan's Mom is in town (Otherwise known as Mambo) and we are enjoying her visit.  I worked nearly 60 hours last week, and while I do enjoy my job, 60 hours with someone else's kids is no picnic, especially when one parent is out of town and the littlest one lost her binky. To say that it was a long week doesn't really do it justice. Add in Karen, Tyler and Tiana's moving adventure, David's job, an unexpected chance to visit with the Milstead family plus our regular schedule of events as well, and you've got a long long LONG week. But, it's over and we are moving on to better days. Field trip to the El Paso zoo with all the kids was fun. DT went with Jodi after is week at zoology camp, but the rest of us trooped off together to enjoy the zoo. Mambo went along and had a good time spoiling the kids with ice cream and root beer floats.
This week we are looking forward to Independence day complete with a BBQ at the Man Crew House, a field trip to City of Rocks state park, and fireworks and dirt track racing on Saturday evening. David is working a few days this week for "Party in the USA" camp. This past week several people have approached me to let me know that they are so impressed with David's ability to coach the little ones. That always makes a mama feel proud to know her child is doing well in his chosen field.
That's about it for now. I know, rather random and shockingly short, but Little Miss just woke up (at 10:15) and needs some sustenance before we head off to do the weekly grocery shopping to feed the man horde that calls my house home. :) Have a wonderful (and SAFE) Independence day!

Back to Blogging...seriously!

I took a break from blogging this summer and while it was a good thing, I missed it terribly. So I've been trying to get back to it, and now I'm having trouble doing that. Seems to me that with Dan gone to Washington for weeks, I'd have PLENTY of time to blog, read, scrapbook, and goof off. OK, I admit to the goofing off part...at least a little. But my reading rate is WAY down, I've scrapbooked 2 pages in the 2 weeks that Dan's been gone and I've just barely touched my toes into the blogging pool. So...what gives? I don't know either. Guess I'll have to just keep plugging away at it as I have time and see what happens. Thanks to my faithful readers for your continued patience. I'm working on it, I really am!
Blessings,
~K~

PS. My friend Dani says that she likes to throw a random picture in here or there just for fun...so there is my random picture. : )

Catchin' Up with Us MeYeR's

Watched the Harvest Moon come up from Behind the Organ Mountains last night....completely amazing! Never seen anything like it.

Oh my goodness, I LOVE the Organ Mountains. All I did to get this was walk one block down the road, so that the church wasn't in the picture. It's no wonder Dan never wants to live anywhere but right here : )

Catchin' the MeYeR's might be a better title for this week's update. Seems like we were on the run and scattered to the four winds this week. It's official...I've become a soccer mom, err~ more like a TaeKwonDo observer, Gymnastics dropper offer and picker upper, TumbleBugs supervisor, Sam's club trip making concession stand refiller, airport shuttle runner, take an extra kid along-er Mama...LOL! Phew...I don't know who made up the term "at home' mom, but it obviously wasn't a mom : ) It's a good thing that I 'stay home' so I have TIME to do all those things. Thank you Lord, for the blessing of being able to be at home with my boys. Dan left Monday morning for a work trip to Washington state for an undetermined length...probably 2-3 weeks. *sigh* I sure do miss him, and so do the boys. However, I'm so grateful that he has the chance to do this, and that his work ethic is so good that someone would call him from 5 states away because he wants DAN, not just anyone that can handle a torch. I'm glad that the Lord provided the job, at just the right time.

~Anywho, here at home with the junior set of the Man Crew...we've been busy finding things to do that DON'T involve the TV. When Dave Roever was at our church 2 weeks ago, he challenged the kids to spend 30 days without TV, video games, texting or MP3 players. The boys weren't thrilled but agreed to try it out. So far, so good. They've complained about being bored more often, but generally find something to occupy themselves with before they are even done complaining. I'm glad to have quieter evenings, nice chats and game playing instead of just vegging out in front of the tube. The boys will even begrudgingly admit that it hasn't been as bad as they thought. So...it's progress and I'll take it!

~David is working really hard and is close to mastering a DOUBLE Front flip...as in two full rotations before landing. I'm amazed at his talent, his dedication and his continued enjoyment of his sport. Going down the tumble track at gym. I've seen him do a roundoff, backflip with a full twist, a whipback, another back with a full twist and then a frontflip with a 1/2 twist...all in one tumble pass. ZOIKS!! He learned how to do gainer backflips this week as well. He even said the other day that he thinks he would like to be a gymnastics coach once he's an adult.

~Pat's 2nd week of TaeKwonDo classes went MUCH better this week and he even signed up to help do a demonstration at the Festival this weekend. He did really well and even got to break his first board today : ) James and Derek won a FREE month of lessons...Jodi may or may NOT thank me...LOL! He's excited about James joining his class...Derek, not so much. He is really missing Dan and in serious need of some MAN TIME...hurry home, Daddy! Pat is also actively being 'recruited' by the David's gymnastics team coaches. Dan and I have decided not to allow him to join, but it does tell us that it isn't just in our heads that the boys have talent...LOL!

Ai-YAH! Pat shows off his new skills at his Demo today.

~Derek loves, Loves, LOVES his TumbleBugs class and anxiously awaits in all week. He is desperately missing his GameBoy, but has been doing much more 'reading' this week and asking me what things say and picking letters and numbers out wherever we go. He has really enjoyed all the books my Mom read onto tapes for him especially this week and will NOT go to bed without the tape player on his bed now : )

~I am tired...I miss Dan....I should NOT be allowed to be a single parent (I stink at it) and I'm tired of being in the car all the time. BUT, I've enjoyed this week. I've been playing on the computer after the boys go to bed including finally getting back to my beloved blog that I've neglected all summer, I've chatted on the phone longer and more often this week than I probably have in the last month and have had a ball catching up with my girlfriends, I've scrapbooked, and I've READ, READ, READ! I counted earlier this week and I've read 41 books since we moved into this house in the last week of June...WOW! No new books, but that I've read that many of my own collection in the past 3 months, surprised even me. At the end of the day, though....I still miss Dan, I'm still tired and I still shouldn't be allowed to be a single parent. Dan is usually the fun one and I'm the 'fun-sucker' but with Dan gone, I'm trying to be more fun, and I'm just no good at it. I really should just stick with keeping everyone fed, healthy and on schedule and let Dan be the fun one. I knew that parenting was designed to be a 2 person gig for a reason LOL! Have I mentioned that I miss Dan and that I'm tired?? I can't remember....

~In the not so great news department this week, my maternal grandmother passed away on Thursday. She was almost 94, survived by her 6 children, 23 grandchildren and almost as many in law grandchildren, I've LOST COUNT of the great grandchildren and I think 4 great GREAT grandchildren. She loved the Lord and her family...what a legacy she leaves behind. I can't say that I wish her back...she gets to be with the Lord and with my grandfather who has been gone about 19 years now. I'm sure she was missing him. You will be missed, Grma

~In the great news department...'Shua and Lauren are celebrating their ONE YEAR anniversary today. I'm so proud of them! May the Lord continue to bless them as they grow together and towards Him.

~We have been trying to enjoy our 'local culture' more this past month...Dan and I went to the Hatch Chile Festival over Labor Day weekend for our 14th anniversary and HAD A BALL! We took the motorcycle up there (about an hour) and the weather was perfect for riding. We tasted, sipped, smelled, chatted, sampled, bought trinkets and just had a wonderful time. This weekend here in Cruces is the Whole Enchilada Festival where Cruces has the WORLD RECORD for the largest Enchilada. Why?? Who knows...but there it is : ) So we went today, and wandered about in the sun for a while, listened to Jodi sing (I put up a video on FB) Pat did his TaeKwonDo Demo and just had a good time. Not sure what odd or obscure festival or celebration is next, but bring it on. One thing I realized after we moved away from IL is that there are so many things to do there, and we had enjoyed so few of them...what a waste. Let's get out there and have some fun and soak up some of the local flavor.

James at the Whole Enchilada Festival...trying desperately NOT to get any more sun.

~OK, big shock, but this is turning out to be much longer than I had anticipated, so I guess I'll post a pic and then sign off. Got church in the morning, and the church picnic tomorrow afternoon. David is bringing a friend, and Pat is meeting a friend there. I'm going to make apple crisp....and something else. Any suggestions??

Our beautiful church where we will be enjoying said picnic. Isn't that a beautiful building?

Thanks for listening to me ramble,

~Kristy~

So Long Summer...and Good Riddance!

My word, it's been a L-O-N-G summer, hasn't it? At our house, it seemed like something bad, upsetting, horrific or traumatizing happened every week. Ugh...make that double ugh! It made me want to sing the little ditty my friend Meredith used to sing, which was adapted and tweaked from Sound of Music...."so long, farewell, good riddance and goodbye!!" So often I wanted to wish away this summer. I just wanted it to be over as quickly as possible so that we could move on to more pleasant things and just forget about the things that we so painful and challenging to us. But the more I thought about it, the more I prayed about it and pondered the issues facing us, the more I was reminded that growth doesn't come in the 'easy' times, when everything is going smoothly, life is simple and times are good. Growth comes when you have no one to depend on but God and each other, when times are tough, money is TIGHT and the car breaks down on the way to work. So, I chose to trust. Sounds simple and easy, doesn't it? I wish I could say that trusting comes easy, but it almost never does. Sometimes you just have to WILL yourself to believe that things are eventually going to be better, or easier or simpler. Or that even if they aren't, God will get you through it. That's the really hard part, is saying, "OK, Lord...you and me are in this until the end. Even if it never gets easier. Even if it never gets better. Even if this is the best that life has to offer me. I'll still trust you to take care of me." Wow, that's HARD! However, I found that if I could find the TINIEST thing to be grateful for on the worst days, then things started to look up. As I look over this long, difficult summer, I can see the hand of the Lord guiding us so easily now. Why is it so hard to see when we are in the midst of it? So...instead of focusing on the negative, I choose to look for the positive. And here are just a few of the highlights of the summer.

• Dad and Mom have been able to come for 2 extended visits...in one summer!


• Dolli and Ryan have also been able to come visit twice this summer...and even intend to come back this fall with John after he returns home from his deployment.


• We moved to a smaller, cheaper house in our first, well thought out, intentional financially wise decision...EVER! We even got a great deal on the rent since the house had/has some cosmetic issues that Dan is fixing right up. Praise God for a handy, hunky hubby!


• We added a room to said house for practically nothing since Dan got many of the materials from a remodelling job he was doing at work. That's my kind of recycling...less waste, less money spent, less trash in the dump...it's good!


• David and Patrick made the leap across the chasm that separates the adults from the kids for the first time this summer. You know, the first time you realize that you can have a serious conversation with them and they can respond intelligently, ask appropriate questions and you don't have to worry about them making a ridiculous unrelated remark, laughing about something that's not funny or changing the subject in the middle of an important conversation. That totally blew my mind! The chat ranged from evolution, to why Dan and I weren't intending to have more children, to autism and other special needs, to astronomy, family values and what the Bible says about several other topics. It was a special night indeed!


• When money was really tight this summer, 'magically' someone would invite us for dinner that week, or clean out their freezer and bring us food. Hmmm.....what a coincidence. I think NOT


• We have a gorgeous view of the mountains from the back of our house and many is the night that you will find us sitting out there, watching the reflection of the sunset on the mountains, sipping iced tea and just chatting together.


• We FINALLY found a church here. We, of course, had to find it that hard way, but that's our style. It's an Assembly of God church (yes, I heard the horrified gasp) and although they teach some things we don't believe, they are a Bible preaching, God fearing church and we've made some friends there already. Just more reason to discuss the Bible and what WE believe with the boys if they hear something they aren't sure about.


• All of the boys have started/are continuing a recreational activity...and all through the lovely world of bartering! David has decided to compete with his gymnastics team this winter, so I work at the gym on Saturdays to earn his PRICEY lessons. Pat is FINALLY in his precious martial arts class and in return for the price of his lessons, I drive the carpool both ways, every time so that his friend Ebone can take classes, too. Derek just started a TumbleBugs class on Saturdays that are 'paid' for by a weekly trip to Sam's Club to stock the concession stand. I {heart} bartering and trading for services!!


• One of my favorite "coinky-dinks" from this summer just happened last weekend. Most of you don't know this, but Dan got laid off last Thursday and we weren't really sure when he was going to be called back...probably a few weeks or more, so we really just said, 'Lord, you know that Dan needs to be working as soon as possible, so....do Your thing!' The very next day a good friend handed us $400 saying that we've been feeding him and his family for a LONG time and it was time they gave back. What a blessing!! Wait, it gets better : ) 2 days later, an old work buddy of Dan's called and said, "I'm running a job up in Washington and I need you and your welding skills. Can you be here by tomorrow night? Good money, room and board paid for...just get yourself up here. " Would you believe that the amount of money we were given on Friday paid for the ticket on Sunday with just a few cents to spare?? Who said God doesn't provide?

All of that to say that while our summer was HOT, sticky, offensive to our pride, HOT, sometimes stinky and often stressful, irritating to our sense of propriety, HOT, filled with moving, painful losses and quite a bit of heartache, did I mention HOT....maybe it wasn't a complete loss after all. If it brings us closer to the Lord and brings him glory, then I say....bring it on. So long summer...come back soon!

~K~

Back to Blogging.........someday!

My blog...oh how I've missed you! I've got about 37, 892 things I want to share with you all about the 6 weeks it's been since I've had the time AND the Internet connection to write for your entertainment and my sanity, however, it's super early in the morning and I worked last night~ so for now...just a hello and the promise that I will soon be back here, making you all laugh at our antics, sharing some pictures and reminding everyone of how God is so good to us. It's good, Good...GOOD to be back!
~K~
PS. Hello to my 2 newest fan readers, Lorena and Rhonda...happy reading, ladies!

Just a Good Day

It's been a good day around here at the MeYeR house. I went off and earned David's gym lessons, which he greatly appreciates and on days like today when there isn't much activity, I can catch up on my letter writing...LOL! Patrick got invited over to 'Shua and Lauren's for an overnight trip, hurray for Pat! David had a friend over to spend the afternoon and they had a ball running around, beating each other with boffer swords, jumping on the trampoline and playing video games. Dan and I spent some time together making fruit leathers (kinda like fruit roll ups but healthy). We talked, decided and then signed the paperwork on our new house (phew, that's done) and still had time to chat with Mom, Dad, Lee and Marsha about the new place, and the cousins played some games together via Skype which has to be one of the best inventions, EVER. Derek played on the computer, ran around outside, made a pest of himself to David and his company, got tickled until he screamed by Daddy and then collapsed into bed. Pizza has been made and enjoyed...love me some homemade pizza! So now, it's 11:30, everyone is asleep except me (I'm waiting for the fruit leathers to get done) and I'm absorbing some quiet, not only in my head, but in my spirit. God is so good...even and especially when we don't deserve it. Kinda makes you want to holler AMEN, doesn't it?
~K~

Moving Musings~ Part 1

I'm going to ASSUME there will be more than one part to this post : ) Moving does NOT bring out the best in me...and that's putting it mildly. I crave security, schedule (or at least scheduled chaos) routine, and HOME. Take those things away from me and I become my least best version of myself. All my flaws, insecurities and character defects become magnified, and it's not pretty. I get over emotional, catty, sarcastic and whiny, and that's on a good day. It all boils down to control. I dislike moving because I feel like I'm not in control of what's going on and I tend to feel a bit left out of the goings on and activity, while at the same time feeling overworked as underappreciated as I do much of the packing and sorting of belongings. However, this move has been going a bit differently already, and well...it's pretty great! Dan is helping me look the PAGES of homes for rent each week, and we drive past each one that is in the price range and size that we are looking for. He has asked me how I feel about each one after we look at it. We are being more reasonable in our idea of what we want, need, or dream about. We are talking more about our financial goals, and how to make these things happen more than we ever have before. (LOVE IT) It's one of the first times we've really gone about achieving a goal together in terms of moving. It's super! Still not sure if I'm friends with Dave Ramsey or not, but that's another story : ) I'm following the advice of a dear friend, who told me to follow my husband, even if his choices weren't what I considered the best. (Marsha, that's HARDER to do than to say!) We have found a house and signed the lease today and while the house is a tad unique, so are we and we will just make it work. I've found as I get older (and hopefully wiser) that I really can set the tone for our home...so if I say it's gonna be fine, it will be. So...it's gonna be GREAT! Give me a week to settle in and I'll be baking bread and hanging my clothes out on the line, and Dan may even let me have chickens! It will be HOME. And home is where Kristy's heart is.

~K~

Bye Bye Bubba~

We have one less dog than we did 2 days ago...*sigh* We've had Bubba (who is named after his original owner, Bubba Rogers) since he was a tiny pup of 6 months or so. He is a black lab/Jack russell terrier mix. Looks like a small lab but has the energy level and jumping skills of a jack russell. Long story short, he'd already had 3 owners by the time we got him and we've always described him as emotionally scarred. If I believed in doggy therapy, he'd have gotten some...LOL! We got him from Jodi whose neighbor was complaining about him and so we took him on as a companion for Shadow....5 years ago. So, it was time for him to go back to her now that they have their own place. Since we are most likely moving soon, one less pet in the menagerie will be good for finding a rental place, but I certainly do miss his exuberant welcome every time I come in the door. He is having a great time with Jodi's puppy Jude and they are good buddies, so it helps to know that he is among friends and being well cared for by Jodi. So anyway, "Bye bye, Bubba...we love you!"

All Good Things Must Come to an End, so they say...

...And that's true at our house as well. Game night has undergone a change....there is no longer any pizza to be had at my house on a Friday night. I feel sad about the change, I feel almost guilty about the change and while most of the gang was understanding, some were actually upset over the change. Here's the why behind the change. When game night originally started, our routine was family game night on Thursday, Pizza/Movie night on Friday and Game night with the gang on Saturday. The 'gang' consisted of us 5 MeYeR's, my sister and nephew which we were living with and the infamous Charlie and Devin. We'd all crowd around our ridiculously tiny dinner table meant for 4 and play games and laugh hysterically. Then one week, we got thrown off schedule due to my new job at Kohls...and game night got mixed in with pizza/movie night. And it stuck : ) We loved it and kept it, and also started inviting more people as the house grew and we got another table, and another. So, 25 people later, preparing for game night had become an all-day process. Not one that I minded, but one that was affecting my time to teach the boys, and one that seriously impacted my energy level. After 2-3 hours of grocery shopping with 3 boys in tow, then the slicing and dicing started, then an hour of MAKING dough, then almost 3 hours of actually making the pizzas and baking them. SO, I finally discussed it with Dan because we all LOVE game night and didn't want to just end it, so we came to a compromise...we still host game night, but everyone either has to eat before they arrive or bring a frozen entree with them to pop in the oven. And so it is. On Friday, I felt a bit melancholy, but I will admit to enjoying the extra free time since I didn't have so much prep to do. I enjoyed playing games with everyone instead of fussing about in the kitchen. : ) Once in a while, I'll do pizza for old times sake. This also allow for a return to the previous routine for our weekends. One of the boys in particular is partial to routine, traditions and the like. So a good change for him especially. All in all, a good change.
Sorry about my ramblings...I'm sure that wasn't that interesting to most, but I needed to process it a bit more than in my head. Thanks for *listening*
~K~

Just Sayin'

I added this neat~o feature at the bottom of my posts, it recommends some others that you might like. I don't know about anyone else...but I'm really enjoying reading through some of my older posts. : ) Just sayin'
~K~

A Week in my Life According to Facebook : )

Just for laughs, I thought I'd give this a try. I'm going to post all of my 'status updates' from Facebook from last week on here and see if it gives an accurate summation of my week. Hold on to your seat belts, here we go...

**Sunday~ I am preparing Dan and 'Shua for another week in Hurley. Laundry to do, snack to prepare, Oh and french bread to make to go with the lasagna for dinner. I better get going if i want to get it all done.
~I am spending some last minute quality time with Dan before he heads to Hurley for the week...goodnight all!
**Monday~ I am thankful for Monday mornings...a chance to regroup, re-organize and begin the week fresh! Time to get my house clean, organize my random thoughts for the week, and really start planning my trip to IL...it's only 6 weeks away! HURRRRRAAAAAAAYYYYYY
~I am wondering where the day went...still much to do, I better get off this computer and get my rear in gear. I'll check back in later when the house is back to being a home. See you soon and wish me Godspeed!
~OK, the house chores are DONE, hurray! The kids are watching a movie, Jodi is running errands and T is emptying the cabinets. I'm gonna blog for a bit and then maybe take some silly quizzes later. Have a great evening everyone!
Tuesday~ Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful day...ahhhh, time to get started on the things that need to get done today. Good thing I've got helpers so we have time to play later! : )
~I am relaxing before the dinner rush and then I've got to head in to work....for now, just putting my feet up and enjoying a small time of rest....ahhhh!
~ I am glad for my employee discount at Kohl's, guess I better go earn it now. Talk to you all after work!
**Wednesday~ Danielle, are you doing the "by the hour" posts again? I'll start...for this hour: start laundry, pick up the LR, make sure all the boys are dressed and straighten their rooms and we all need to work in the back room for about 15 minutes. I better get going!
~This hour (from 11 to noon) will be: pick up back room and vac, put ABeka materials on shelves (yeah, I get so excited at the beginning of the school year) and flip the laundry, then it will be lunchtime....leftovers at Chez MeYeR. Homemeade Lasagna, salad, french bread, and pudding...not bad for leftovers...hee hee!
~This hour I'll be wrapping up lunch with the little ones, and settling them in with some books or an audio tape to listen to for a bit, folding the laundry, chasing T and probably help with the groceries when Jodi gets back. I'm not planning anything else this hour, if I get a break, HURRAY, if not, that's fine, too.
~After lunch hour: I"m going to fold the laundry, supervise quiet reading time and relax...I have a headache and I need to rest, rehydrate and elevate my feet for a bit. See you in an hour.
~OK, last hour was officially in a tail spin...next hour: redirect and reboot. Gotta get a few more things done! Fold the laundry, tie up T so I can rest for 5 whole minutes, and then S&S the bathroom and MAYBE shelve a few more ABeka books, yeah! Oh and I gave the boys a building challenge to keep them busy as well : )
~3-4 hour: Filling more shelves with school items, S&S bathroom, dishes and hydrating...I can tell I haven't had enough to drink yet today.
~4-5 hour: This is usually dinner prep hour, but since we are having grilled cheese and soup out of a can (*gasp*) I'm going to let David and James handle dinner while I wrap up the shelf project and then put my feet up for a few before I head out to work. I'm hoping to go in a bit early to put some things on hold for this weekend's sales~ that way I"m sure to get the sizes/styles I want and I don't get trampled~ :P
~The rest of the evening is taken up with going to work. 'Shua will be home shortly and then I am taking him to the airport at O'dark thirty to fly to IL. Even I'll be drinking coffee tomorrow!
**Thursday~ Anyone ever notice that waking up at 4:15 after going to bed at 12:45 is...ummm....character building?? Thank you 'Shua for the opportunity to grow!
~I am gearing up for the hourly posts for one more day...From 10-11 AM I will flip the laundry, fix the keyboard tray and S&S the bathroom...that's it! Taking it easy today...LOL
~Moving on...next hour (11 to noon) LR tidy, sheets back on beds and lunch time. Sadly, no more leftovers today, and it just occurred to me that we will have to be more creative today since I need to bake bread. Well, add that to this hour's list...oops!
~OK, now that the noon to 1pm hour is half over...T is eating lunch, big boys ate apples and peanut butter, I've WON the battle against the scanner, now I'm hungry...time to eat for me!
~This hour?? Not even sure yet....I think I"ll just relax and deal with anything that comes up...yep, that sounds good!
~OK, day has officially been derailed in a good way! Dan just came home from work about 5 hours early...I'm gone for the day...BYE
~I am pleased to report that after a really LONG day that involved great highs and frustrating lows, a whole lot of the excruciating work of getting over myself YET AGAIN and a psychotic meltdown just for kicks, today is over and I can look forward to God's grace being new every morning...what a relief! Thank you Lord that it always come to PASS, not stay!
**Friday~ I wonder...when you wake up each day, do you think..."Good morning, Lord!" or "Good Lord, it's morning!!" LOL, I'm leaning towards the former this morning and that's a good thing! Much to do before game night tonight and a birthday party tomorrow. Off to the store for me, back in a few hours!
~I am back from my shopping adventures...time to get busy with slicing and dicing...mixing up some dough for pizza night...OH and a good deal of cleaning, too! Dani, are you up to the cleaning by the hour thing today?? I need motivation! :)
~It's officially game night! Dani, sorry I bailed~ it got crazy but now it's going well again! Hurray for food, friends and fellowship! : )
**Saturday~ How much better can a day get? Game night leading into an impromptu teenager sleepover, a FUN birthday party for Derek, AND Dan got the cycle running again and we had time for a quick motorcycle ride...WHHHHHEEEEE! ~Later, the boys are heading to the races while I head into work. Hurray for a great day!
**Sunday~ I get the dork of the day award for flooding the kitchen, dining room and half the hallway...I needed more laundry to do, really! I was getting bored anyways...LOL
~Goodnight everyone, it's been a great week!


Yep, that about sums it up. A week well spent...house is a home, hubby and kiddos are well taken care of, and God is blessing us in SPITE of us. Life is good!

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 27, 2009

Outside my window...it's hot and sunny. A perfect day to stay indoors during the afternoon heat.

I am thinking...that I can't believe that my oldest is getting married in just a few months...when did THAT happen?? And WHY is it so hard to find a mother of the groom dress that doesn't make me look 60?? : ) I'm the wrong age to be a mother of the groom, that's the problem...LOL

I am thankful for...a son that's going to make a fine husband for my sweet daughter in love. He cherishes that young lady, that's for sure!

From the learning rooms...nothing...Mama is taking a break this week...LOL Maybe a little reading, that's all, but I'm also working on my preschool curriculum for Derek this week and getting it ready to go...hurray for the planning stages of homeschool!

From the kitchen…bread just went into the oven so that means the kitchen smells DIVINE! I made popcorn this morning for breakfast and lunch was just sammies and fruit. Here are the plans for the dinners this week...

• Monday: Baked Fish, Noodles and salad
  
• Tuesday: Smoky Black Bean and Rice Stoup


• Wednesday: Tacos


• Thursday: Baked Mac and Cheese


• Friday: PIZZA with the game night gang


• Saturday: BLTS, veggies and dip


• Sunday: Lasagna

I am wearing…Navy yoga pants, light blue t-shirt with a dove on it and tennies...all covered in bits of grass from my early morning weed whacking adventure...crazy machine!

I am creating…lessons for preschool, road trip plans for the wedding in IL (anyone want an overnight guest with 2 kiddos???) and hopefully some sewing projects this week

I am going...to work M, W, Th and Sat, taking the boys to day camp T and Th, at least one trip to Good Will this week, and wanting to visit the fabric store, the Library, and maybe a coffee shop while the boys are at day camp...yeah for alone time!

I am reading...nothing yet this week, although my trip to the library tomorrow will remedy that quickly, and I think reviewing homeschooling materials counts as reading, right?? RIGHT?!?

I am hoping...That I can lose enough weight before the wedding so as not to embarrass my sweet boy or my darling hubby at the wedding where we will be seeing people that we haven't seen in 2 years.

I am hearing...Mr Mom playing in the background, and the ceiling fans

Around the house...the chores are done for today, just a little clothes folding to go. Time to rest before I head to work. YEAH!

One of my favorite things...Being done for the day by 4pm..it's glorious!

A few plans for the rest of the week…Just hanging out with my boys, doing my house chores with a smile instead of a frown, running my errands in decent clothes, wrapping up the playroom.school room project and staying on top of my workout routines.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...we were being silly at the dinner table the other night so I grabbed the camera and started snapping pics...here are some of what I got...LOL Black mail pics are soooo fun!

Titus LOVED the chocolate dessert I made..and it loved him back...LOL

Derek was struggling with the mashed potatoes...they were too thick, I think

James was very concerned by the chocolate on his thumb and asked me to take a picture to show to Jodi when she got home...hee hee

And the best blackmail pic of them all...David goofing off while waiting for the others to finish so we could all have dessert...ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

PS> I almost forgot...if you want to read more posts of this nature...check out http://www.grandmotherwren.com/ or http://www.thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Maturity...Who Needs It? (A Rant by A Frustrated Mature Person)

Maturity is a psychological term used to indicate that a person responds to the circumstances or environment in an appropriate manner. This response is generally learned rather than instinctual, and is not determined by one's age. Maturity also encompasses being aware of the correct time and place to behave and knowing when to act in serious or non-serious ways. (definition courtesy of Wikipedia.com but the BOLD print is mine)
~~Maturity...who needs it?? This is a question that I have been pondering casually for quite a while. There has been a serious outbreak of 7th grade behavior among grown adults recently and I for one am tired of the mess. (Note*, these are my own personal ramblings about behaviors that I see not only in the people that I know personally, but across the board...they do not pertain to anyone in particular nor were names changed to protect the innocent...if this applies to you, well...deal with it!) Whatever happened to personal responsibility, not airing your 'dirty laundry' in public and/or being able to deal with one's OWN personal issues?? Why does it seem that 'young people' today are apparently incapable of managing their own lives?? Where did the idea of extended adolescence even come from? Forgive my rantings, but I just can't understand when 7th grade maturity level became the norm for adults. When 2 full grown adults well into their twenties need me to moderate their arguments because they can't behave without 'adult intervention', when fifty year old men need me to remind them that the drunk people aren't allowed to decide who is capable of driving, when not getting their way leads to pouting, whining and relentless insistence at having their own way...what has the world come to?? Seriously, 7th grade behavior! When did parents decide that it is better to be friends with the kids than to hold them accountable for their behavior and (gasp) correct it? ~~Maturity comes from dealing with difficult circumstances and coming out the other side bearing the battle scars...not from letting other people bear the consequences of our poor choices. From making the correct decision through pondering, asking for advice from those wiser than us and prayer and then dealing with whatever backlash might come from that. From being humble enough to know when you don't know enough to make the right decision. 7th grade behavior is only acceptable if you are IN the 7th grade...and barely then, HA! Give up the gossiping, the attention seeking behavior, and the DRAMA!! Stop looking for more drama, as most people have more than they want anyway and don't want to be involved in yours. Pick a mate and then stick it out....take care of your kids and don't pawn them off on other people....pay your bills and don't ask for handouts...get a job and be thankful for it! UGH, the absolute ungratefulness of our society at large, and our young people in particular sickens me. Starbucks everyday, fashion (read~ridiculously expensive) clothing, laptops, fancy vacations and cellphones are not, repeat NOT necessary for survival! I don't understand where these ideas come from, but the only reasonable explanation (to me) is that we as parents are not doing our jobs well. We have become a society that is afraid to say No to our kids...when did THAT happen?? We are obsessed with our kids having the newest, the most expensive, the best of everything and then we wonder where they get the notion that they DESERVE everything we can afford and then some. We schedule them to within an inch of their sanity with this class, this activity and that lesson and then wonder why kids are bored when we don't entertain them endlessly. Oh my, don't even get me started about family values! Somewhere along the line we have lost sight of the real goal of parenting...to raise our children to be prepared to face the adult world....capable of managing homes, jobs, finances and most importantly, their personal lives well. We want them to enjoy their childhood since it is fleeting and while this is a good intention, I'm not sure it's a good idea in the long run. Giving the idea that life is always pleasant, never difficult and choices are easy to make leads to disappointment with adult life. Not knowing how to make a difficult decision and then deal with the repercussions of that decision is asking for trouble at best and disastrous at worst. We must teach the realities of life, however harsh they may be. It's the only way to raise mature, independent, emotionally healthy adults.
~~UGH...I know that this is disjointed and certainly NOT my best post to date, but sometimes things just come out the way they come out. I can't seem to get this one to make sense to anyone but me...LOL! Well, I'll just post my wild rantings about maturity and let everyone deal with it on their own level. If this offends you, you may want to consider your own maturity level and seek professional help...Muahahaha!

Middle of the Week Madness... LOL!

Flowers from my Sister-Girl...she's so good to me!

Well, I'm either late for last week's post or early for this week's but I decided to just go ahead with it anyway...you decide whether I'm early or late. : )

Anywho, greetings from sunny and warm New Mexico! It's been a busy few days as always and I'll catch you up on some of the highlights. Hang on to your seats and here we go!!
~Pat is headed to IL in just about 10 days now and is just chomping at the bit...can't wait to get there! Auntie Karen took him to Barnes and Noble for a date last week and he came home very excited and told me..."Look, Mom~ I got some books for my travels!" So great to see him so happy and looking forward to it so much!

~SCHOOL is OUT! Hurray! The papers have been put away, books have been straightened and re-shelved, and the planning book has been tucked away until at least....July, when I can start planning next school year...hee hee! The boys have enjoyed the extra free time already and I am as well. We already have our core curriculum for next school year, so the rest will be a bonus. Since we have a wedding/road trip planned in Sept and Jodi will be gone until the end of Sept as well, we will be starting LATE but I will be doing small projects with them most of the summer and as long as we get in our 180 days...the school district doesn't care...so it's ALL good!

~Dan and 'Shua continue to work M-TH in Hurley, and have both been working Fridays and Saturdays here in Cruces as well so while they are tired, they are enjoying a bit of play money. They will be home on Thursday as usual and rumor has it that there will be NO overtime this weekend, and I think they are glad. Time to relax with family and reboot for the week ahead is ALWAYS a good thing.

~Jodi seems to be settling in while being at home this week...has unpacked MANY boxes, cleaned the playroom and has a car full of things to donate to Goodwill as well as enjoying being home with the boys and dealing with Titus' therapists herself. She even volunteered to stay home with all 5 of them today so I could go out and do something I wanted to do..and so I did...thanks, Jo!
~Lauren will be visiting soon, her plane lands on the 18th and I just can't wait to throw my arms around her and squeeze...Oh, how I've missed her! She is coming to spend their 6 YEAR anniversary with 'Shua....what a legacy they will have to pass on to their future children someday! It will be a short trip as she will be returning to IL on the 20th and taking Mr Patrick with her. That makes me feel so much better about him getting on a plane without me...*sigh*

~Derek went to VBS for the first time this past week and seemed to really enjoy himself. I can't get over how big he is getting...my baby! He will be 4 this August and I find myself rejoicing at how grown up he is one minute and the next lamenting that he isn't a baby anymore...such a silly mommy! HE LOVES to ride the dirt bike and dune buggy with Dan or 'Shua and if he thinks they are trying to ride without telling him...he throws on his shoes as fast as he can and dashes out there to demand a ride with whoever will scoop him up first. Poor Auntie Karen can't even look out the window when she is here...LOL!

~David is much the same....kind, sweet and busy. He is reading, riding, writing or playing something all the time. Loves his Legos as much as ever and is forever bringing me some new UPDATED model of this or that. He is starting to make the much anticipated leap from kid status to the scary middle ground before real teenage years start...starting to take part in adult conversations without talking about something else or missing the point all together. Makes this mama feel a mite bittersweet. Ah, the joys of motherhood!

~Me, I'm the same old me...just crunchier all the time. I'm driving 'Shua crazy by making him read all the labels on his food and then explaining what each one is or is doing to his body...can't figure out why he keeps rolling his eyes and walking away...I'm just trying to help...LOL! I went scrap booking today with a new friend from game night and had such fun! She has quite possibly the LARGEST scrap booking collection I've ever seen...if I had that much stuff...someone would have to move out...possibly two people...so I had a BALL just rummaging through her stuff and Oohh-ing and Aahhh-ing where appropriate! Needless to say, I didn't get many pages done, but I'll be ready next time...I'll just strap on my blinders and scrap like mad...hee hee!

~'Shua...he misses Lauren. And he works, sleeps and pesters me...that's his life. Soon, they will be grown, married and gone. I am so grateful for this opportunity to spend this time with him...goodness, I AM getting sentimental in my old age...emphasis on the MENTAL...sheesh!

Well, this is getting ridiculously long and a mite too sentimental, even for me, so I'll wrap it up with a few pics and be done...really!

The boys in the 'fort' under the stairs...they have such FUN times down there!

This is the view from our front yard on Sunday night...the moon was just...glorious!!

Patrick is really enjoying his newly created room and is doing very well on keeping it tidy, hurray!

David and Patrick in the play/workout/storage room, BEFORE Jodi started working on it...YIKES! It's so much better now, I'll try to get a picture up of the AFTER tomorrow.

Love to all and Blessings this week,

Kristy and the Man Crew

That's it, I quit, I lost my Happy Place, Where's the Line in the Sand, The Homesickness Flood, and other such Nonsense! And, the GLORY ROLLS!

Oh my, what a time we've had in the past few weeks....major emotional, mental, and physical upheaval, the tossing of every foundation we had in place and the starting over....I'll get to each one at a time...please bear with me on this one folks. Let's start with..

***I lost my Happy Place...Most of you know that we recently moved..as in a month ago although it feels longer. What most of you DON'T know is that I hate moving. And not like I hate getting a hangnail because it's a minor inconvenience...as in I HATE moving more than just about anything else in the world..As is it throws me totally out of whack for MONTHS, as is it flips all of my security switches (I'm such a GIRL) takes my hard strived for balance between structure and flexibility and throws it out the window, totally wrecks whatever shred of a truce Pat and I had over the never ending quest for power and puts us WAY back at square one. As in, it's time to put dinner on the table and I can't find what I need to get it there. I keep realizing things are missing, but I can't find them. Then Dan is bringing in things that he is finding, but since I THOUGHT everything was in the house already, I am having trouble making room for them...ACK! I STILL have boxes sitting here and there, in almost every room....sigh** I had all the boxes unpacked, but then we had to search the storage room for the missing bunny and I found 28 boxes that belonged in the house...but no bunny...found it in the pump house, chased it all over tarnation, re caught it, and it died the next day, but that's another story.

***I QUIT!! Mom, take a deep breath, I didn't quit my job! But, some days I would like to! It looks so pretty on paper...I work in the evenings so we never have to use a sitter...great, right?? But what it doesn't account for is Thursday evenings when Dan is walking in the door as I'm walking out...after he's been working in Hurley since Monday and I haven't seen him in 4 days, or days like last week, when I missed 'Shua's homecoming because I was working...grrr! Plus, the varied schedule is starting to really get on my nerves...some days I work 5 days and some I only work 1...and most weeks, it varies between 2 and 4....just pick a schedule and stay with it!

***THAT'S IT! I am irritated some days by the way my house looks on a daily basis...it looks like several small hurricanes live here...of course there ARE several hurricanes that live here...but that bugs me, too. I KNOW I've trained my kids better than to just throw everything on the floor, but that's what they've been doing recently. I'm irritated by the way my kids look, act and talk. I KNOW I taught my kids to be more respectful than they have been acting lately, but they are not behaving that way. I KNOW I taught my kids to bathe regularly, but some days I wonder when the last time they washed anything...LOL! Some days as I clean up the dinner mess, wash the dishes and wrangle the kids all by myself, I wonder why I thought that raising kids and having a clean house were possible synonymously and WHY it's sooo hard to accomplish BOTH at the same time.

***WHERE'S THE LINE IN THE SAND?? Do you ever wonder where your personal responsibility leaves off and other people's picks up? I have been really struggling with this issue lately. If someone comes to my house, brings their OWN alcohol, drinks it and then wants to leave when I feel they are not capable...where is the line between MY responsibility as a friend, a sober person and a fellow adult to say..."NO" and where is their line of responsibility to know how much is enough and speak for their own safety?? I'm really struggling! Another question....While I know that I can't force people to live according to my own moral standards...where is that line?? I can't minister to people if I never meet people that are different from us, (morally, ethically and religious preferences) but why does it seem that the people that they see once a week have more influence than us parents that work with them 24/7?? SO not fair...LOL~

***THE HOMESICKNESS FLOOD I have sooooo much to be grateful for here in the sunny land of NM, so why do I long for 'home in IL"?? I can list all the things that are great about here...probably alphabetically, but why is it that I still get pangs of homesickness that actually take my breath away?? I know one of the main things that I miss about IL is our wonderful home church...where Christian women abound that aren't afraid to ask me how my walk with the Lord is going, where they dropped by from time to time since we are a one car family and I don't get out much, and where our church was small enough that if you missed a week or so, people were calling, stopping by or sending a note of encouragement. I miss that! I miss my lost boys...coming by for a home baked treat, some motherly affection (or a lecture) and keeping me company when I spend 24/7 with the ankle biter crowd. I miss going grocery shopping with my best bud in the middle of the night when she got off of work, hunting a great kids clothes bargain when on our semi-annual ladies shopping trip, hanging with Kelly and her kids when they dropped by. I miss Mom stopping by for coffee in the AM on her way to work...WAH! I am such a big baby!!

***OTHER SUCH NONSENSE...so tired of feeling like the weight of the entire house is on my shoulders....baking, cooking and all the dishes, that'd be my responsibility. Cleaning, planning, laundry...yep, that'd be me, too. Homeschooling, child rearing and hospitality committee,....yep, there I go again. Keeping up with the family at home, too...even keeping up with the birthday cards and such for BOTH sides of the family, once again, that's all me. All the bill paying, coupon clipping, pet caring, and entertainment...that's all me, too! Sometimes it just feels like a lot. Not that I'm not capable...just tired. That part was just me whining...try to ignore it...LOL! Most days I feel honored to be able to care for the family God blessed us with, keep up with all the activities, and still have time to think a rational thought (at least one a day) but once it a while it not only catches up with me...but proceeds to run me over as well...ha ha ha!

***TOP 10 LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE GREAT! Now that I've done all this pondering, whining and rambling...let's get to the good stuff! I have MUCH to be glad about, rejoice over and be grateful for and so to remind myself truly how blessed we are...here's a top 10 list

1. Dan is a great hubby, a super dad, a hard worker, a fantastic provider and a helpful sounding board when I need advice, or just a listening ear

2. I have 4 beautiful, healthy GLORIOUS boys to raise, play with, fuss over and love amazingly.

3. Jodi and her boys have wandered over here to the land of enchantment and seem pretty happy.

4. I have gainful employment that doesn't cut into family time, cause us to hire a sitter or buy another car, meaning the money I make is actually ours to use.

5. To that end, we are slowly, but surely getting out of debt and ONE DAY might actually be able to save a bit of money to retire on...we'll see about that one

6. We have made some friends that have taught us a few things, allowed us to be who we are and enjoyed us to boot...we love them sooooo much.

7. We are soooooo enjoying our new house (despite above statements about it being messy) and the boys are SOOOOOOOO enjoying a huge yard to scamper about in, race around in, and drive the dune buggy around in...or if you're Tyler, flip it over in!) There is plenty of space to cook for our ever increasing family, plenty of room to get around the table, or on game night...around 2 tables as we serve 18-20 people, plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms and a huge playroom to bounce around it when the sun us too hot to be outside. A fire pit to gather around on cool summer evenings and watch the tumble weeds burn hot and bright, ...it's really just wonderful!

8. 'Shua has arrived safe and sound, much to this mother's delight and has settled right back into his place in the family.

9. Dan and I are still enjoying our fresh new start and are growing closer each day...to each other and to the Lord.

10. God is here...not that this newsflash astounds me, but sometimes when I feel especially lonely, overwhelmed, moody or just plain morose about being here (see above posts...LOL) it feels soooo good to know that wherever we have been, wherever we are or are going to be someday, God IS there, has BEEN there and will CONTINUE TO BE there. God never fails His children! Can I get an amen?? : )

AND last, but not least....***THE GLORY ROLLS! Get ready to clap your hands, click your heels and whistle for the Lord's provision! AS most of your know, 'Shua came here looking for work....and it's been provided! Dan has been saying that his company is NOT hiring anyone and hasn't bee for a while now (in fact, they have been wonderful in keeping Dan employed even when the work was slow) but that he would take 'Shua to the union office and help him get set up to find a job. Well ''COINCIDENTALLY" (winks) on last Thursday, Dan's supervisor mentioned needing to hire a few apprentices....what a bizarre happenstance!! So Dan mentioned 'Shua and before the end of the day...the boy had a job! not even in town yet and he's employed!! Is God's provision astounding or WHAT?!? I just cheered and clapped and carried on....yeah GOD! SO, all's well that ends well, right??

All of that to say, yes, some days are hard, but God always provides the answer, Dan is a rock star hubby and our hectic life suits me just fine!! Thanks for reading my novel of epic proportions and little consequence!

Blessings to all,

Kristy

I'm Speechless...

...well, that's not entirely true but I've got some things that I've been mulling over and pondering and I just can't get my mind around them enough to verbalize yet. I've logged on several times only to delete what I have written and give up in exasperation. I'll be in touch again. Just didn't want anyone to think I had/have given up blogging, in fact, I've come to enjoy it immensely and it's one of my favorite creative outlets these days. Hope to be back soon with some of my scrambled thoughts figured out. Love to all,
Kristy

Catching up with us MeYeR's

Greetings from warm and sunny New Mexico! It is a glorious day, isn't it?? The sun is shining, birds are singing, boys are outside enjoying the new yard and bread is rising...does life get much better?? Dan is working in town this week and I'm glad to have him around in the evenings again for a while. The fish tank is slowly getting set back up after the massacre last week...LOL! We are giving the water in the tank a week or two to 'mature' the water and then we will be getting fish again...I actually miss them as Dan makes such a lovely tank. Dan and the boys caught a new lizard yesterday that looks like a cross between Digger (whip tail) and Tawny (plains) and Pat named it Dragon, once he gets over being chased across the yard by Dan and the hooligans, I'll snap a picture for you all. *winks* As for the rest of last week, it was mostly unpacking, unpacking and MORE unpacking. I finally got to where I could serve home cooked meals out of the kitchen again and was grateful for that....I never pay attention to how much better we are eating these days until we start eating out for a few days. It tastes good but the aftermath is not pretty. The boys were even glad to give up fast food in the name of home baked bread and pizza from scratch; it warms this mother's heart! Anywho, I think we've added a new regular to the game night gang. My boss Mike helped us move last weekend and so to thank him, I invited him for pizza and games on Friday and he just LOVED it and kept asking when we were having game night next week...LOL! That's a good thing, I enjoy him, he's good people. I also worked on upping my 'mentoring' of the young gal Sarah from work who is 18, pregnant, in an iffy relationship and scared spitless...now that she's quitting Kohl's, I'll have to work harder at staying in touch, but will be totally worth the effort...she's open to many topics and in real need of guidance and a 'mother's touch' as she doesn't seem to have a good relationship with her mom at this point. Anyway...moving on, this post is SOOO random and it's bugging me, I'll have to wrap it up quickly...LOL! Easter was well...a haphazard/wacko day for us. After moving 6 days before Easter, I was not up to the regular hoopla and/or pomp and circumtsance. I found my resurrection cookies recipe about two hours too late, had no eggs, candy or nice clothes ready or anything, which was frustrating as I always want to stress the importance and significance of Easter to the boys. The church was are attending didn't make a big deal out of it at all which broke my heart a bit. I LONGED for our beloved home church, with the guarding of the tomb, prayer warriors all weekend, familiar hymns and sunrise service, but maybe another year. *sigh* Jodi managed to pull a few eggs and some candy out as a surprise and the boys were pleased. Dan took us to Cracker Barrel for lunch as he could tell I was not up to pulling an Easter dinner out of nowhere....LOL! And then we had a tasty lasgana for dinner and that helped me to feel better about the whole thing. Charlie and Devin spent the evening with us playing games and enjoying each other's company and that's always a good thing. So, all's well that ends well, right?? Just because I didn't make ham and au gratin potatoes doesn't make the Lord any less risen, does it?? Maybe this was an object lesson for me to focus less on the rituals and traditions and focus MORE on the reality of his death and resurrection...hmmmm. ; ) Touche! OK, enough pondering for a Monday morning...I've got to get back to my bread before it rises too much and then collapses...LOL! Have a blessed week and relish the joy of the living Savior that loves you and longs to embrace you....sins, scraped knees, hard heart and all!

Kristy

December...really??

Greetings from Sunny, Warm New Mexico! The ave. temp thses days is still in the high 60s-to low 70s. I have to stay inside if I want to feel Christmas-y...LOL~ The tree is up, the stockings are hung, the gifts are wrapped and under the tree, a few of the Christmas goodie boxes have been sent, it's getting to be that time of year. Where has this year gone? It's just flown by for us here. Karen has moved twice..Jodi and family have moved here, Josh graduated from High School (SO PROUD) I'm working at a 'real job,' we are still homeschooling and having our best year ever, all the boys are getting soooo big that it occured to Dan just the other day that in 5 years, David will be DRIVING...he almost ran the car off the road...ha ha! I was checking off my goals for this year just this very morning and we've accomplished about 85% of our yearly goals..not too bad in my opinion! Anywho, that was all very random, wasn't it? I got interrupted so now I'll take off in a new direction.

This week was full of exciting happenings. Game Night was, as always, lots of fun. Karen is staying longer these days and visiting. Dan and Charlie are getting to be such good friends, its so fun to see them interact. Charlie is going to make my birthday dinner next week on game night...yeah! Chicken Cordon Bleu, Corn on the cob and a fresh green salad...my mouth is watering already! Work is kicking my behind as we are working later and later to hang up the signs for the holiday sales to bring in the customers. Over theweekend, we got new carpet in the LR and Girl room...it looks so great and is so fluffy and padded! Now we aren't worried about laying Titus down to play or to have the boys snuggling on the floor. I will add some pics of it in a minute. We are getting the 3 bedrooms done this coming Saturday....can't wait! I have started my Christmas baking and remembered that I am actually good at it and that I ENJOY it! In all of our shuffling around of things this weekend, I have found some things that I was looking for and some I wasn't, but I DID find a picture to motivate me to lose some weight. I forgot that I was ever that thin...if I can get the printer to scan it, I'll post it also.

Jodi's handbell choir is starting thier performances next week, signalling the REAL start of the holiday rush...I'm not quite ready yet. I have a few more things to send, more to wrap and just a thing or two to buy still. But I have enjoyed this year so much more than other recent ones since Dana nd I are in such a differnt place in our relationship. We were just talking last night with Charlie about how glad we are that we are here and that after several hard raps to the head from God, we finally followed his leading us here. ; ) Anywho, enough rambling for today..thanks for reading this. If you want, join my followers and you will be alerted everytime I write a new blog...at least that how I THINK it works. I'm going to post a few pictures, then I'm off to teach school, put babies down for naps, and do some more baking...fudge, anyone??

Blessings,

Kristy

Look at the difference....it's the SAME exact carpet!!