Hey, Howdy, Hey

I've been bad, oh so bad. I've had lots of stories popping up in my mind, which I know would be SO blog worthy, but then I find something better to do with my time and forget it. Then there is the every-other-day feeling that I'm going to stop this whole blog thing. I go between feeling guilty for not posting regularly, to feeling like my posts are just a sign of my 'full of myself-ness', to realizing that it really is just to update my loved ones on the west coast about our happenings. So here I am, the boys are tackling their VERY long chore list before school. My walk is postponed till the temp gets above 40, I'm hoping by 2pm today I can go outside. The laundry is whirling, the dishes are NOT done, and yesterday's school work is still NOT graded. But I'm here for you, folks, just for you. :o)

We interrupt this bloggity post to tell you what I just spied out the window. Thing One (that would be Calvin) is using the blower to blow the leaves out of the garage, off the front porch, walkway and driveway....I look out and he's got his other hand held out in front of him as if he's using 'the force' to move the leaves back. Too funny, and maybe a bit too much Star Wars watching goin' on.

The Daisy Dog (as I so lovingly call her now) is not growing. I mean it's like she's stopped. I wanted a bigger dog, you know Golden Retriever size. She's Winston size. I look at her paws for signs that she has to grow into them, and they pretty much match the rest of her. I'm sad. She's cute, but small. She's small, but still oh so fluffy and soft and good to cuddle with.

The Daisy Dog is learning REALLY well. She's trained on her collar that keeps her in the yard. So now she can run amuck with the Winston all day and come in for cuddles whenever she wants. The best part is I get my laundry room back. Oh the laundry was in such a sad state. We had to keep it all in the small hallway outside the door with a baby gate in the doorway. Trying to lift laundry over the baby gate while dodging the little ball of fur nipping at your heals was NO FUN so I just let everyone run out of socks and underwear. That lasted for just about a week and a half, then Sweetie got mighty cranky. :o)

It's pickin' cold here. It's windy, which I don't like, 'cause that means all the pretty leaves will fall down faster. Sweetie likes this, he wants it over sooner than later. He's no fun. 'Course he's the one that has to do the leaf chores. I get to sit inside, sippin' my coffee and watch from the warm comfy chair. :o)

Our season's sports are over. And we are actually sad. I miss football. I miss visiting with my friends at the field. We look forward to basketball season. That's right, both boys will be playing basketball starting this winter. They are too excited.

We decided we won't be traveling for the holiday's this year. I'm sort of thankful, cause it makes our Christmas a little less stressful. Plus, it's giving us the opportunity to invite friends over that also don't have family in the area and pray we can be a blessing to each other.

Sweetie got onto a thought wave of moving to a little neighborhood that is just opening up and RIGHT ON A GOLF COURSE. The houses are really cheap. So I went out there yesterday and checked out their models. Cute, cheap, further away from stores (which could be SUCH a blessing)....but not as pretty as where we live. I'd miss the pretty drive through the trees, by the lake. I'd miss our home, that I'm convinced more and more each day is such a blessing from the Lord. I mean, I didn't get to go shopping for just the right house when we moved here, it was this one or nothing. I didn't even get to see it until we were already in the throws of buying it. But isn't that just how God works things out? We left it to him, and he took care of it. It fits us and feels like home. Plus, I'd miss our neighborhood.

Yep, this past weekend was the annual Halloween Neighborhood Party. We all get together for a hot dog BBQ, Pumpkin Carvin' contest, Costume contest, Hayride pulled by tractors down the street to all the neighbors giving the kids candy. It's so much fun and the kids look forward to it every year. It was a little sad this year, as last year was when my sister was in town and she was with me throwing candy at the beggin' children. Good memories.

I don't have any good photos of things. Sorry. You'll have to live with these. Enjoy. And have a good week.


(ah, homeschooling in the country. it's recess time, both boys are still in their jammies and it's 11:30)


(this was obviously during a much warmer week, hence the lovely tank top and no socks on my boy)


(this was at one of Calvin's games, it was MUCH colder than we had anticipated, and with us being 45 mins from home, I had to run to the nearby store to get the Dave a sweatshirt, he put it on and I went weak in the knees. Sweetie was out of town at the time, and this is pretty much his uniform; faded Levis and a grey hooded sweatshirt. With Dave lookin' so much like his Daddy anyway and then the outfit, awww, I couldn't resist)


(cuddlin' with my Davester)


(i know, I'm sorry, as if you didn't have ENOUGH pictures of the kid in his uniform, but dang, he's good lookin'!)


(Daisy Dog)

UPDATED: This is how out of it I really am, I had already posted a couple of these pictures. Your welcome.

Thankful on a Thursday

1. Car Drives. The long drive I ended up having Monday night after I got lost and then finally found the dog training class, but then decided I was too late to go, then drove trying to get to Dave's game on time. Spent about and 1-1/2 hours in the car, just me and the puppy, singing at the top of my lungs, being thankful for my little car and getting to live where I do. And yes, I made it to Dave's game, in time to see him do two great plays at second base, what a stud.

(this is him swinging)

(this is him at bat, when Jay has the camera....whatever!)

2. Waking Early. The early morning walk I was going to go on with a new neighbor friend, but then she called, she overslept. But that means, I'm up and the boys aren't and I'm enjoying the quiet to myself.

3. Feeling Cozy. My warm cozy home and the crisp cool outside. The leaves are changing and they fall slowing onto my car when I drive down our highway. Sweetie says, it's really leaves dying and he makes moaning and sad groaning noises when he sees them, he tries to ruin it, but it doesn't work, I still love it.





4. Rugs. My braided rugs I put down all over, because the hardwoods are a little chilly first thing in the morning now. But then we rolled them up and put them back in the attic, because, hello?, there's a new puppy in the house.

5. Football. Snuggled up with other moms watching our boys play football on Saturday morning. None of us understand the game of football, much to the disgust of our husbands. But we cheer and cringe and beam with pride at our boys.

(prayer time before the game)

(my cringin' at some kid gettin' smashed)

(tackle time, again, Calvin is #38)

6. Sleep. Had to be at the airport at 4am. Came back home and slept till 9am. Came out my bedroom door to a very disgruntled Dave. He'd been up for an hour, and wonders why we would sleep when there is so much to do. MY son Calvin got up an hour after me. Love that boy, he appreciates his sleep. Dave, I just don't understand him.





7. Recess. I sent the boys out this morning, in between subjects to get some air and play with the puppy. Then I realized they were both still in their p.j.'s. Ah, life in the country.



(Dave trying to catch little Daisy Mae, she's fast)

8. Tea. So caffeine makes my heart race, really bad. Artificial sweeteners give me whoppin' headaches. My butt & gut doesn't like all the decaf coffee with 1/2 & 1/2 and sugar....so I'm back trying to drink tea. I'm on my fourth cup of decaf green tea this morning. So far so good. But what am I suppose to drink with my McDonald's Happy Meal???

9. Fall Cooking. It's time for Pumpkin Pie, Apple Crisp, Stews in the Crockpot, all things warm and comforting.

(I realize that I should have taken a picture of the yummy and gorgeous Apple Crisp that I made, but I was too busy, finding a spoon.)


(This poor little car had a wipe out on my counter and this is now where he rests.)

10. Lists. I had a giant 'To Do' list in the office this week. I have conquered it all. Now I just sit back and bask in my done-ness.

Hope y'all have a great week!

LOL

meaning 'Laugh out Loud', it does not mean 'Later on Loser', which is what my husband thought 'LOL' meant. He also thought that it might mean, 'Lots of Luck' either way, when I enlightened him, he was glad that his one friend that texts him, isn't really trying to be mean. Now Sweetie embraces his texting ability by leaving the house each day with, "LOL LOL LOL.... Lots of Luck (with the boys today), Later on Loser (because that's how we flirt), Laughin out Loud (all the way to his truck)"....Whatever!

Okay. I needed a good laugh today, something to bring me out of my quiet-ness today. And here it is....go....laugh....and share. Giggle on over to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman and read today's post, she busts me up on a regular basis, but today was clearly a post of all time. Enjoy....


Does anyone know how I can get 1000 or so of these printed out in bumper sticker form? And don't tell anyone, I've been looking for something to pass around at the homeschooler's convention next year. oh, oh, oh, or better yet, to pass out to all the homeschooler's at our church....oh yeah, that'd be a good one.

A Not So Thankful Tuesday

Crayola Lady is teaching me to be Thankful. But it's not working so well today.

1. Oh, I'm thankful for Fall, but my hiney is NOT thankful for Pumpkin pie.

2. I'm thankful for the holidays coming, but I'm NOT thankful that we might just be at home listening to the crickets without our extended families with us.

colors are starting to change in the yard


3. I'm thankful for the opportunity to be a stay at home mom, but right now, I want to flee the nest.

4. I'm thankful for caffeine, but my heart doesn't like it. I'm thankful for naps, because without caffeine, that's all I do anymore, is nap. Or is tiredness a symptom of depression? And eating ones weight in pumpkin pie ALSO a symptom of depression?

and colors are starting to change around the lake


5. I'm thankful for cooler weather, but now my laundry piles are bigger.

6. I'm thankful for diet coke, but I can't drink it ANYMORE, and if any of you out there, catches me with one again, you have my permission to blog-slap me.

that little tree is extra eager for fall


7. I'm thankful for blogs that encourage me (thank you Lori & Heidi), and SO wish that I had better writing skills. I realize that I should erase all evidence on this blog that I home school my kids, y'all are scared for them, aren't ya?

8. I'm thankful for my puppy, I'm thankful for my puppy, I'm thankful for my puppy, even though she's turned into a frantic ball of fur and chewing frenzy. She's a cutie. (oh, side-note, her name will remain "Daisy Mae", I was all ready to take a vote with the family on Friday morning and they all voted NO on callin' her Lucy Lou, they REFUSE to use the new name....and Dave voted to start calling her 'Roadkill', I'm not talking to him anymore. SO Daisy Mae remains.)

and...I have no idea where this came from, but it showed up in my pictures, I'm thinking some little boy had something to do with it....


9. I'm thankful for Walmart, Supercenter. THE Walmart. The chance to save money, the chance to get EVERYTHING on my list at one stop. I am, however, not thankful for the agonizing experience that is shopping at THE Walmart. It is a never ending task. I mean, that store is so pickin' big, you get lost and lost and you feel older, dirtier and definitely crankier when you exit. I was completely exhausted when I left there yesterday. And that was WITH Calvin pushing the cart. I'm trying this new thing of making out the week's menu and doing ALL the shopping in one day....I know, I know, I'm a little slow

10. I'm thankful for ebay. Somebody just shoot me now. I came into the office now, to make sure I would be watching the computer, so I would not miss out AGAIN on Dave's little book series he's intent on finishing. I had 20 mins to go till the end of the bid, decided I'd blog a post while I waited......yep, you guessed it, it's passed, I blew it. (Dave just came racing into the office to see if I won....I'm now known as the Poopy Mommy, that's okay, I'm goin' to start callin' him Roadkill).

Hope Y'all Have a Happy Tuesday.

Lucy Lou

Here she is. I was trying to get her picture while I held her.


Mostly I got shots of my feet. Please excuse my obscene amount of toe cleavage, so inappropriate.


Then Sweetie took this one, she loves to just lay on you and put her head on your shoulder and snuggle.


Then I tried to get our picture together. Again, it just looks like I'm gagging her. Poor thing, so abused.



And for the record, because my Mom asked me last night, her feet DO smell like popcorn. Except for right after she comes in from outside, then they smell like grass. And right now, because she's been in my lap for 30 minutes, they smell like my perfume. Hmmmmm....Estee Lauder for Dogs.


And then we get to the reason for the title of this post. I named her Daisy, because it's my favorite flower. And because I secretly wish I was a hippie and had a daughter that I could name Daisy. And because the boys voted no on 'Gracie'. But now every time and I mean EVERY TIME I look at her, I see her as a 'Lucy'. What to do???????

Calvin is named after my Dad, his middle name. David is named after Jay's mom, his middle name. So I think it only fitting that this child is named after my mom, her middle name. Lucy-Lou. Any advice? Is it too late to re-name her? Am I totally losing it over this dog? I think so, but I don't even care.

Our bookkeeper dropped the weekly stuff off this afternoon and she just dropped it and went right to visit Daisy (Lucy), we didn't even talk about the books, we just baby talked for like 15 minutes to the dog.

Anyway, Lucy Lou, or Daisy Mae.......I need votes people. Thank you very much!

Updated: Jay thinks that I'm calling her Lucy Lou after the actress Lucy Liu. He's ruining it for me. Not that I have anything against Lucy Liu, but I was thinking more along the lines of Lucille Ball, my Mama Lou, and the sweet & cute little girl my sister's friend has. Lucy LOU, people. NOT, Lucy LIU. Thank you.

This & That

First of all, I must thank all of you that sent me along such kind words and prayers. Especially from my Mama, what a sweetie she is. I so appreciate all of you readers out there. Though I'm feeling like I need to set the record straight.

I may have over dramatized the overall emotions going on in the house. We are not that destitute, the kids are not messed up over things. I come from a sheltered back ground, Jay comes from the complete opposite. So when it comes to parenting we find ourselves in a quandary at times. We tend to be more honest with the kids and give them doses of reality when we feel it is necessary. They are boys, meaning that some day in the very near future they will need to be strong, Godly men, able to work a good job and deal with all that this life throws at them. Also, being men, they will need to lead their wives and children and follow after what God has called for them to do. Being that they are home schooled, I believe, just puts them further into a bubble, without having to deal with a lot of the ugliness that is out there. So a little bit of realistic-ness in their lives, will maybe make them stronger. Plus the fact that they are in a strong and loving environment and both have the comfort and reassurance of their Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, helps all the more.

Oh, also, when the boys and I had our discussion last week one of the scriptures I went over with them was 'not storing up our treasures here on earth, instead, storing them in heaven'... Since Calvin's room is a sort of shrine to all things Indiana Jones, he took it upon himself to take things down, to get his focus back into gear.

I'm sorry that I painted quite a different picture. Sweetie says I need to be careful doing things like that. I stand corrected. But still thankful. :O)

Whew! That was a mouthful, now let me step off my soap box and get you updated on what's been happening in our lives thus far.....

L.T. turned 1 year old last week, the cake was yummy. :o)


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Little Daisy got spayed last week, isn't she just precious? And she now has a middle name...Jay calls her, Daisy Mae....too cute. Puppy training is going so well, we are very thankful.


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Sweetie, came home to this in his desk chair one day. He fixed it right away!
The note says..."Dear Dad, I'm broken. I feel chewed up and spitted out. Please save me. And please, don't let that mean, though very cute, little puppy be near me again. I seriously suck and would like to be back at what I do best. Have you met your boys? They make HUGE messes and I LOVE to eat them (the messes, not the boys). Sincerely, Mr. Oreck Vacuum"

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Boys in Black


We woke up last Sunday morning, to realizin' the boys had no more pants, what with the chilly weather, we're thinking they might need some. So Tuesday turned into shopping day. They got the necessary jeans and church pants, new shoes and tried to tell me their NEED for black sport coats. Instead they got these....still, VERY handsome.


Aren't they great posers??......yeah right, first I got this picture.....



then I got this picture....be afraid, be very afraid.



then after bribing them with something yummy, they finally gave me 'Grandma worthy' pictures. Ah, boys, it's a great life!





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Calvin finally got to go to his first game on Saturday. Too fun to watch. And WAY exhausting, is his conclusion! :o) See that big kid towering over all the others? Yep, that's my boy.

See his scary face? Yep, that's my boy.

Now see this little guy totally taking down another guy, nope that's not my boy, just thought it was funny.

Loved, that their way of tackling was to grab a hold of the guy by the legs and just hang on till the guy lost his balance. Never mind the damage of getting dragged down the field. Such a joyous day, we lost, but we had fun...and Dave and I were very happy there was a snack bar.

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Our whirl wind week was made complete by a great date night and church activities on Sunday. What a blessing our new church family is for all of us. Jay was asked to teach our Sunday School class on Sunday, it was good to see him in that role again. The passages that we are going over in both Sunday School and in regular service are Exodus and Hebrews, they are speaking greatly to us right now.

Love you all and I hope you have a great week. I'm off to do some chores, my bathroom floor needs to be scrubbed, laundry is piled everywhere in the bedroom and my desk is a nightmare. I have NO idea what we're having for dinner and my legs are feeling itchy with all the stubble growing there. And don't even get me started on my hair, scary people, very scary. But the puppy is being trained and the boys are doing their schoolin', there's only so much a girl can do in the course of a day, especially when she spends an hour doing a blog post. Your welcome!

Ugh, The Joy!

First of all, you now what hit the fan last night. Reality set in what with this whole Nation's Financial Catastrophe. We've had to let one employee go this week, and the rest of the company has NO WORK. It's a very sad and scary time. But not unlike things that the company has been through before, I mean after 30 years, it's gone through it's fair share of recessions. Jay decided to let the boys know a little of what was going on, so that their prayer time could be more accurate. They asked a lot of questions and ended up finding out more than they really needed to know.

Then Jay couldn't sleep very good last night, no wonder. He did get a lot done in the 2 hours he was awake, but then with throwing out his back AGAIN while putting socks on, well, he was a grumpy-grumpy man going off to work today. Him throwing out his back after doing it earlier this week, is just another reminder that we really need to be exercising. It's like God is trying to get my attention everyday and I keep NOT listening.

Then, while I'm trying to make breakfast, Dave steps in dog poop outside and brings in all through the house and all over the stool. Did I tell you he was wearing MY SLIPPERS when he was outside??? I was determined to get him to clean it up, trying to teach him to clean it up, and not just make a bigger mess. Not fun!

Then, while trying to get school graded and I found that there are just way too many books this year and I don't have enough room for everything in the one bookcase, so I ask Calvin to please give up one of their bookcases and bring it down for me. Then I give them the small green painted one that is in our closet for them to use instead. It's dark green, it will match perfectly their woodsy outdoor motif upstairs and it's free! A stormy child ensues. He's heard upstairs, stomping, throwing down and being mad. When I finally question him about it, he starts sobbing and complaining that first, 'Dad took away his cool desk and now his bookcase, what's next his bed????' Oh my gosh. The desk thing was from when he was 4!!! 4!!!!

After talking and sharing scripture it comes down to them being all upset about the talk Jay had with them last night. We have a very long and lengthy discussion about it, then I give them an hour to get things put away and cleaned up upstairs while I finished grading.

When I'm done, I go up to see what they've done and Calvin has now taken EVERYTHING down off the walls and shelves and is walking around in a stupor.

David is meanwhile complaining and walking around with a clipboard in hand with today's schedule written on it and keeps moving the times down mumbling that they aren't going to get done with school until 7 tonight if they don't get started on it soon. I grab the clip board and bonk him on the head with it.

After all the moving of furniture, we decided the floor needed to be vacuumed, which it did, because it's been DAYS since it was last done and what a mess it was upstairs. Then ensues more grumbling because they realize the new puppy had chewed through the electrical cord on the regular vacuum so they would have to go get Anaconda the whole house vacuum and get all the right attachments to it. Then we couldn't get the regular head to go into the slot, so it had to be manually held in place. What a pain!!!!

It's finally vacuumed. I have my extra bookcase and the homeschool stuff is all put away, yesterday's work is graded, they are started on their school work.

The upstairs looks very sad. Calvin looks very sad. And Dave is just beside himself with our lateness in getting started on school. It's 10:30 am.

So I'm thankful that my Sweetie has a job to go to today. I'm thankful for motrin for his back. I'm thankful for our new puppy, as sweet as she is. I'm thankful for the extra bookcase. I'm thankful for the opportunity to homeschool. I'm thankful for the time to have a good character lesson today. I'm thankful that we even have an extra vacuum.

I'm just thankful. There are a lot of hurting people out there today, my heart aches for them, my mind is overwhelmed with thinking of them all. We will be prayerful this day, this week, this month, this time in all our lives. HE has the power, not me, and I'm thankful that my life is in HIS hands.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." ......

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

James 1:2-8, 12

What hope we have in HIM!