Mommy, you have big panties

MOVING...

2011-02-15T18:07:00.000-08:00

...to a new website.

missions 2011...the journey continues!!

2011-01-19T16:04:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2010-12-28T16:10:00.000-08:00

Hungarian Inventions!!

2010-12-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhsq1FFW_K0

3 kungfu fighters want you to check out a new post on BudapestAlive

2010-10-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

here!

excerpts from the past 24 hours

2010-09-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna put my feet in your face (spoken by E - cuz every middle child needs a secret weapon)
What kind of food would make you happy? (the husband knows me so well)
Stop looking at my butter-butt (the baby)
What am I suppossed to do in my room? (the oldest, followed by an eye roll)
These aren't my socks!!
Well then where are my socks??
me want my pup-cake socks (socks w/ cupcakes on them)
*random cries and wails for 10+ minutes over the loss of cupcake socks*

husband - The dramamine seems to be working
...it's been a long day folks.

mozart in the making

2010-08-21T12:10:00.001-07:00

she looks the way I feel

2010-08-04T17:41:00.001-07:00

My husband took a week to fast and pray and ask God to send a renter for our home, so we could begin eliminating financial constraints here and get to Hungary sooner. That week a single mama, whose kids were already enrolled for the fall at our neighborhood school, came and looked at our house. She submitted an application on a Thursday, called Friday and was approved, wanted to move in MONDAY. After taking many deep breathes into a paper bag I asked dear husband to please warn me next time he is fasting and praying. apparently it works...

So as C R A Z Y as it sounds, it actually is possible to move a family of 5 in two days. Its helpful if you have amazing extended family that have made major renovations to their home to accomadate you and yours for the next 4-5 months. Its super helpful if you remember where you packed your bras and shaving razors, but it turns out being braless and hairy for one weekend isn't so bad. Well -at least from my standpoint. My new bunk-mates may have a different point of view.

If you'd like to learn more about how to get us out of the US and to the field in Hungary by early 2011, go to Budapest Alive.
our new US address -
PO BOX 2053
SUGAR LAND, TX 77487

a post about my lack of faith

2010-07-15T10:42:00.001-07:00

So you'd think being a missionary and all I'd be all over this living a life of Faith thing. I'm there, I get it, I've arrived. sigh. I wish.

You'd think after the Lord safely protected my family and got me over my fear of flying, took me to Hungary and back and showed our family His Mighty calling for us... you'd think I'd have an easier time trusting Him. All the Time. I only wish.

You'd think after getting the hubby and I through a difficult season of medical trials, (including the successful removal of a tumor from behind his left eye, VERY NEAR the brain), you'd think I could breathe a sigh of relief. Trust the Lord, wait on Him, read my Bible instead of pounding my fists in frustration. So you'd think.

But instead, I pound my fists, I throw my tantrums at God like a big fussy baby in a diaper. Asking God why He didn't allow the sale of my house, why He did not erase our medical bills (although half of the bills were reduced by 90%), why my childhood wasn't easier, why my children do not obey me at the public pool causing me to bend over in numerous, unflattering ways; why getting to Hungary isn't easier and faster... yeah it's not a pretty picture. I don't know if Fear is a lack of Faith and if Faith = the absence of all Fear. I kinda think not. I've been reading Isaiah and came across this - “You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off”;

FEAR NOT, for I am with you;
...
be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ISAIAH 41

He knew I would be afraid and struggle with seasons of doubt, not doubting my salvation or doubting His Goodness, but doubting WHEN and HOW He will uphold me. Hopefully we will know the when and how and get to Hungary soon - preferably for my children's sake before the next Chick-fil-a Cow Appreciation Day. They did not "appreciate" being made to dress-up for free food.

humility

2010-06-15T12:10:00.001-07:00

yes, I am about to have a stroke in this photo.. thx for asking.

If you are feeling particularly good and BIG about yourself, have children. Then "attempt" to potty train those same children. Believe me your "I am so cool" points will go down. way down. almost immediately. If you are like me, you don't want to trade the expense of diapers for the expense of toddler panties, so I've been washing A LOT of panties. The poops usually can be rolled off and into the potty semi-neatly (TMI, I know). Don't try this at home. It's not for the faint of heart. or first-timers. Much like a military commander protecting his troops, I can say I haven't lost one yet. I've managed to save all panties, especially the highly sought after Minnie Mouse pairs. This morning had its own healthy dose of humility as after another incident I heard my youngest say "you missed one". A tiny turd had rolled away and landed behind the toilet. sigh. I'd like to add my husband will do none of the above. When they have accidents and I'm away, he has in the past cut the panties off our youngest and hosed her down. What can I say? He has his system, and I have mine.

post-op updates from the hubby

2010-05-25T17:58:00.000-07:00

available here

the waiting is the hardest part

2010-04-14T09:14:00.001-07:00

God is teaching me to live a life in limbo, something I'm not good at and DO NOT LIKE, but I'm learning. We are about 10% to our end support raising goal to return to Hungary on long term missions (4+ years) and that has been the work of mostly individuals! It AMAZES me when folks we know, at our same income level, commit to support us monthly, continually, graciously for the next several years to start a church in Hungary! At the moment (4) churches will be taking us before their elders / budget committees to consider us as missionaries for the return of the Gospel to Hungary. I am humbled and brought to tears every time a new commitment report comes in. We are praying to be at 50% support raised by June, in order to attend some important training w/ WorldVenture in July. Some days it seems like an insurmountable task... and moreover once we get to 50%, how do we move past 50% and beyond to leave for the field?? The answer is I don't know, but God does. Sounds like a churchy answer, odd since I didn't actually grow up in the church. But the truth is, living a life in limbo means acknowledging one does not have all the answers, only God does. It means living a life of faith and trusting God to provide in ways you've only ever heard about. It means you can sell a house in an economically depressed market. You can trust physicians to remove the (non-cancerous) tumor from behind your husband's eye in the coming weeks. And you can trust God to provide for medical bills and travel expenses and MANY MANY unforeseen circumstances. And in the midst of that, your family can even extend generosity, even though you are not naturally generous and everything in you says to hold on to your money "especially in these tough economic times" (as quoted by every major news program on ALL THE TIME, EVERYWHERE). So I am praying, and hoping and fearing my own inadequacies, but TRUSTING my God, who said I am the way and the truth and the life - John 14:6
I trust fully that the God of the Bible is the one that is right!

inquiring minds want to know!

2009-12-02T09:41:00.001-08:00

Here's the update on our missions efforts~

time change + 3 children + 12 days missions training = FATIGUE

2009-11-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

As we begin the exciting process of the Lord preparing us for missions in Budapest, Hungary, we'll be posting more at www.BudapestAlive.org... And I've said it before, but will say it again, time change is the enemy of mother's of young children everywhere!

This was a decent fall photo, until

2009-10-17T15:52:00.000-07:00

One child thoroughly lost interest... while another began crawling away. I don't even know what that third one is looking at! Sometimes it's fun to post a snapshot of real life, because, well, it's a bit challenging to get three children to have semi-enthusiastic expressions, while at the same time trying NOT to trample any pumpkins. Happy fall!

Big Girl Got Baptized!

2009-09-28T12:45:00.001-07:00

Grace's Baptism from Budapest Alive on Vimeo.

leaving on a jet plane (again)

2009-09-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

We've received word that the missions organization we applied with, has approved us to attend Base Camp, a 2 week orientation and training session. We are ecstatic and will be flying as a fam of 5 to Colorado in the fall!! Check back for more adventures as we walk through the doors God is opening. I'll be sure to post pics of our packing procedures, which include strapping a car seat onto a piece of rolling luggage, with a toddler in it, while older girls hopefully walk through security. Thanks to friend EW, who has been traveling with her own herd of 3 kids, and gave me the idea.

because I miss Hungary...

2009-08-29T09:14:00.000-07:00

.. I made a marzipan torte (or marzipan cake with raspberry sauce). If you have picked yourself up off the floor at the thought that my baking was a SUCCESS, compose yourself and try your hand at the recipe.

3 TBSP all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder (NOT BAKE SODA, have made that mistake many times)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
8 oz almond milk pulp from this recipe (or almond paste in a can). Try it my way and you get yummy almond milk for the kiddos, while the "pulp" is used in the cake.
2 eggs seperated
2 TBSP orange juice

Mix first 3 dry ingredients in a small bowl and put aside. With electric mix, Beat butter until creamy, add sugar and almond pulp or paste, continue to beat on low until well blended. Add dry ingredients, beat some more. Put in 2 egg YOLKS (put the egg whites aside), beat some more, put in final ingredient OJ, beat some more.

In a seperate bowl, beat on HIGH the egg whites until firm peaks form (took me 5 min!!). Gently fold in the egg whites with the rest of the cake mix. Pour into a wax paper lined or springy pan, this is a fluffy cake and does not do well with the flip and cool method once its done (TRUST ME). I drizzled some melted choc on top and put raspberry sauce on the side. The raspberry sauce is a bit of frozen fruit beat with mixer, some OJ and sugar. Oh yea, and bake the cake for 45 minutes at 300 degrees. Jó étvágyat! (or bon appetit in Hungarian).

2009-08-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to think the new, taller fence we are installing out back, is more for the containment of my children... than for the new dog.

Joy Joy turns 2!!

2009-08-11T14:24:00.001-07:00

Our precious "baby" daughter Amelia Joy turned 2 this weekend. It seems like just yesterday I was staring at an ultrasound photo, wondering what on earth I was going to do with 3 girls. How would this little girl be different? Would she be her own unique little person, would I get to spend one on one time with her EVER?? Or would she blend into the mix, forever to live a life of wearing someone else's hand-me-downs and called by her middle name. Well, life with Joy certainly does make things interesting, and she is NOTHING like her other sisters. Sure, they have their moments of similarity, being ALL GIRLS AND ALL! But for the most part, she is already making her mark on the world in her own "unique way". She has a big voice, big hair, big laughs and a big heart. She is fearless, jumping into anything with water, pool, ocean, bath, etc, and already has two chipped front teeth to prove it. I don't remember what life was like before her, and I can't imagine our family without her. As a mommy, your heart immediately grows to love another child, I don't know how it happens, it just does. Now the patience it takes to raise children... well the growth potential for that is slightly slower. At age 2, she likes to suck her thumb, crawl into Emma's toddler bed, LOVES SHOES, runs around the house yelling "hey guys!", and is learning to use the potty, with a pretty advanced vocabulary. Here are some pics from her 2 yr old beach adventure!

sometimes you just need to call in the daddy.. and get a dog

2009-07-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

I'll admit that while I AM a girl, I don't automatically know what to do with my girls. When they have a fit, or become extremely emotional about some nonsensical thing, I just want to run and hide! Maybe it's because I've had those same emotions, I know what a hard road it is to be a girl, and its a part of my life I'd rather stuff under the rug. Thank the Lord for a good and Godly daddy. I didn't have such a thing growing up. When I am at my wits end with a willful and emotional child, and I find my emotions rising and making the situation worse, IT'S TIME. It's time to step in with few words, few emotions and JUST DO IT, as only a daddy can.

Now about the dog... yes a dog! This time I think I scored a good one, with four good legs and everything, remember this post?! In a rather gruesome turn of events last week, I found my daughter's cat DEAD in our backyard. Although I am still traumatized by the events, 1 HOUR (not one day, or one week) later, dear daughter asked "does this mean we're getting a dog?" Apparently it does. So I'm off to walk my dog at the park. Although "unnamed", he has been a wonderful family pet. Good with kids, nice to the neighbors and their dogs, HOUSETRAINED! And HE does not throw a fit if I ask him to take a bath in the morning.

this is how it feels to live in Texas

2009-07-12T13:05:00.000-07:00

In Texas, it is 100 degrees today. When I ask my 2 yr old where she is going, she says "outside" and points to the garage... where they have been playing this summer with the door closed and the fan on. Yes friends, this is the closest she will get to the outside world, to an outdoor pool, to a normal life. Ohhh, don't get me wrong, we go outside and to the pool, but not until about 6pm. We don't frolick and play in the backyard because the grass which should feel nice under one's feet, has turned to prickly hay. I water it every night, not to make it grow, to keep it from bursting into flames (did I mention there is also a statewide drought?). Ah Texas. I guess in the winter when my friends up North are shoveling snow, I will love thee again.

Not True! Tuesday

2009-06-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

In the tradition of Not Me Mondays, which I fondly follow on this blog, I present Not True Tuesday, my attempt to bring to light the less than perfect parts of my day. I had a conversation this morning with a friend who mentioned that as Jesus followers, we don't make a good enough attempt to humble ourselves and admit things are going rough. For example, outwardly it may appear that on Tuesdays my children and I are cheerfully going to a Bible study. In fact, said Bible study is across town, the dvd player (which is only to appear in car on LONG roadtrips) is NOT working, and kids are eating donuts for breakfast (another item banished from car normally). The oldest child has misplaced her THIRD pair of flipflops this summer and so while it may appear like a cute form of dressup, she is actually wearing those pink fuzzy nitetime slippers OUT IN PUBLIC AND TO THE BIBLE STUDY as a punishment. She is 6 and a half and emphatically tells people she DOES NOT play dressup anymore.

I also most certainly DID NOT figure out what was wrong with the dvd player on the way home so that the girls could watch Strawberry Shortcake for a blessed (and quiet) 40 minutes. I DID NOT put the little ones down for a nap earlier than needed because I was upset and wanted to pray for my hubby who was having an MRI across town. I DID NOT fry an egg in the driveway with my 13 yr old niece because it hit 100 today, and later in the day I DID NOT find 2 donut holes in the bottom of my purse and eat them. These are all things that are most certainly Not True! Because Christians do not behave this way. We do not yell at our kids, fry eggs in the driveway, and run off to a back room of the house to eat a sloppy joe and type a post at the end of a long day.

BTW - in aforementioned Bible study a few weeks ago Lois McCall mentioned this verse Micah 6:8 -He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? and it has really stuck with me. While this post is probably not the best expression of humility, the verse reminds me that HUMILITY is required for an intimate walk with God - admitting that He is perfect and we are NOT. Anyone else have a Not True! Tuesday to share? :)

a shameless plug

2009-06-06T16:38:00.001-07:00

Our friend and photographer Jason Drumm, honored us by running around for several hours taking pictures of my brood of children, amidst the perils of streams and ducks and such. Enjoy the photos, and don't hesitate to contact him for your own family photos!

You know you're getting old when...

2009-06-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

- your teen niece tells you about her friend's cool ringtones that anyone over the age of 30 can't hear, thus keeping many happy teens in class with their IPhones on.... then you realize YOU are in that category with her teachers who can't hear squat!
- Lee Majors (6 million dollar man fame) who used to be kinda HOT, is now on an infomercial for a hearing aid.
- you get a text with AMBW or AML and need a texting translator (or a teen) to decode it.
- guy classmates you find on Facebook have mostly gone bald.
- while you are typing this post, 5 strands of your OWN hair have fallen out of your head and onto the keyboard.
- you find a picture of your young family, back when there was only 1 kiddo, 1 digit in my pant size, and only 1 month of parenting under my belt....and barely recognize them.

this is what church looks like in Hungary

2009-05-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

The church laborers in Hungary truly have a daunting task. First, picture a country with millions of people crammed into a landmass the size of Oregon. These people have been oppressed by the Turks, the Germans during WWII, liberated by the Americans, turned over to the Russians, and only 20 years ago were fully liberated. In fact, 20 years ago this month, the reformers in Hungary’s Communist Party started to tentatively remove the barbed wire on the border separating Hungary from Austria. By doing so, the first crack in the Iron Curtain was made, and by autumn of that year all border restrictions were removed by Hungary. So you can imagine, the people are fearful, distrusting, oppossed to leadership (even good leadership at times) and generally a very hard people group to reach! We did attend a small fellowship of believers the one Sunday we were there. We experienced worship in Hungarian, then Terry preached a short message, with the help of the Hungarian Pastor, who speaks both languages. The church service is held in a Christian Library in downtown Budapest, and is run by an American couple who live and work in the library. They open it as a church on Sundays; the adults in one room, the kids in another. It is like no other church I've ever experienced. At the end, the entire room opens for prayer, and everyone prays. The entire room softly says "amen" after each persons prayer, and it became quickly obvious nobody was leaving without a chance to talk to the living God. I can't figure out how to end this post, only to say "yes" I will be posting lots and lots about Hungary; "no" I do not care if I am boring you to tears; "yes" I am potty training two small children at the moment; "NO" I DO NOT want to say how it's going (I'd rather post about Hungary).

back...

2009-05-24T04:13:00.000-07:00

While my heart is still in Hungary, and my baggage is somewhere in London, I am back in the South. The heat is depressing, the kids are elated, and we are exhausted. ** update - our bags are now safe and sound back home.

We now begin the difficult yet exciting time of praying and asking God if He would have us return there soon!

my favorite photo

2009-05-21T12:23:00.001-07:00

speedos?

2009-05-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

It has gotten A LOT warmer here in the past few days, and that has brought about some unexpected European customs. For instance, old people put on bikinis and speedos to work in their front yards. And NO, I do not have a picture of THAT! The hubs has been posting pictures every day. Today, we had street performers who were more than happy to let us photograph them (for some forints, of course). I was hesitant that asking for a photograph would be demeaning in some way, but they are mostly proud of their talent and happy to play and pose.

5 things I did in Hungary today..

2009-05-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

1. Haggled at the market square. I mean really, why pay 5800 forints for something that is really only worth 5200 forint?
2. Rode the Villamos (tram, or above ground city train)
3. Going to see Bye Bye Birdie at the High School (in Hungarian)
4. Noticed that excessive body hair is readily accepted here (score!)
5. Had a great conversation on the bus with an older woman after giving her Grace's seat. Folks on the bus have great respect for mother's with children and the elderly, BUT making eye contact and small talk on the bus is generally not done. Only by speaking the language and offering her a seat did I even gain the right to speak to her.

And I'm eating foods like these! Honestly, can someone just bring my babies here to me so I can stay forever?!

wish you were here..

2009-05-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

..and in case you were wondering what the littles are doing back home, click here. My first thought was how much more clean and well kept they look in someone else's care. Go Tricia! Thanks for all your prayers, we are having a wonderful time.

today, I have no control over...

2009-05-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

- the economy;
- the 20 month old who has decided to start "flinging" herself out of her playpen, just days before I leave the country, with little or no time to transition her into a bed;
- that same 20 month old falling asleep by the door each night;
- that our VP is a raging lunatic to get on national tv telling folks not to stay in confined spaces, such as buses, planes, EVEN classrooms;
- that the VP's hair is starting to look more like Donald Trump's;
- that this stupid flu has my mother calling every day to "check on us";
- that I have a blinding headache, from 2 minutes sleep last night (see above 20month old antics);
- that the airport in Hungary is potentially going to scrutinize us more because we are from the US;
- that as I type this, the 3 yr old WILL NOT stop touching the keyboard (okay, maybe I could exert some control over that, had I slept more than 2 minutes last night).

I guess most days we comfort ourselves with the things that seem to be going well, the things we THINK we have UNDER CONTROL. I have to admit I HATE IT when people chirp "God is in Control" - 1. because I think the phrase is GROSSLY over used. 2. because I want to be in control. So today, I will search for comfort in a Sonic Coke (32oz), a nap (hopefully) and in the Scriptures. The author of all life knows all things, controls all things, and works all things together for the good of those who love Him, and who are called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28)

Prayer Newsletter complete!

2009-04-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, one more thing crossed off my impending to do list! If you would like to join in praying with us, please click the link in the sidebar.

18 days

2009-04-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

I've been avoiding the calendar until today. For until today, going to Hungary seemed like a fun far off notion, kinda like "some day I'll get married, some day I'll buy a house, some day I'll go to Europe". Well today, I came to a halt when I looked at the calendar and realized that "some day" is only 18 DAYS AWAY. 18 days... shoooot!

Many big things (like plane tickets, passports, and childcare) have been arranged, but I have a nagging to do list of about 10 other little things that is driving me bananas! For this week however, I'm trying to put my pre-trip anxiety on hold to attend a much needed Ladies Retreat with our church. And make 100 cake balls for aforementioned retreat. Pray for me friends, because this is about the time before any major event in my life when I usually FREAK OUT. And while you're at it, pls pray for this sweet babe also.

this is how a 6 yr old prepares to leave the country..

2009-03-28T17:50:00.001-07:00

Fervent Prayers Needed!

2009-03-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

baby Stellan
I will probably never meet this person, and most likely neither will you. But I do ask all readers to take a moment and pray. After all, we "stumble" upon the blogs of strangers all the time. We read their recipes, use their cloth diapering ideas, or start a vegetable garden based on the inspiration of others. Why not take a moment and pray for a baby? I can think of no better use of my time for the next few minutes, while my own babes are napping.
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20

1st Annual Cul-de-Sac Olympics!

2009-03-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

olympic showdown
My hubby is the one running like a cheetah (he won the grownup relay, ooooh yea!),and my kids are the short, fair haired ones. They are tiny, but FAST!

the most ridiculous thing since the economic stimulus package

2009-03-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Cat Bibs click the link.

My 6 yr old's cat has become quite the Killer. Don't get me wrong, I'm slightly proud of him and his attempts to control the bird population. Problem is, he's been bringing his kills into my garage, feathers and all (and sometimes half-eaten carcass). I am not a pioneer woman, I do not know how to handle such matters. sigh.

en` vagyok

2009-03-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

This summer I'll be doing something I would never have imagined 10 years ago... can you guess? I'll give you some hints - I'll be wearing scarves, haggling at the local market, and hope to club a peacock over the head. Why, I'm going to Hungary, of course (my mom swears peacocks are "very bad luck"). After 10 years of marriage, the man and I, and our 6 year old cutie will head off to Hungary early summer. Aside from a much needed vacation, we will be staying with a lovely American missionary family who has been in Budapest for 10 years. This trip is for the purposes of exploring some open doors to overseas missions for our family. We will be there in a couple months, and will be updating with photos on the hubby's blog. You can get to it by clicking on the Hungarian flag to the right.

If you feel inclined, please pray for the following:
1. Most importantly that we would sense if the Lord is leading us there beyond this first trip; Hungary is a country where you are either a Catholic or part of some weird cult (born again believers being in the cult category). We pray the rough economic times worldwide would make the country ripe for the Gospel vs self-seeking success.
2. Safety and protection for my youngest daughters, who are staying behind with a wonderful couple from our church;
3. Safe, uneventful travel (the last time I flew it was so turbulent my friend Pam held my hand while I sat in the fetal position).
4. Pray that I can communicate well with other Hungarians.
5. Pray that Grace enjoys the trip and does not pee or puke on me during travel.

Lastly, I hope we get to meet this guy, and get a similar outfit for the hubby to wear home. Will keep you posted!

Uncle Frank... the next Bachelor?

2009-03-04T08:33:00.000-08:00

LOST!!

2009-03-01T06:18:00.000-08:00

a tooth, that is.... with the help of one very brave cousin, who pulled it out!

pucker up

2009-02-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

I will be sad when they grow up and suddenly DO NOT want to bathe together..

belated valentine

2009-02-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

We got our little Joy together with the neighbor's baby boy. It turned out neither one had money for a date, or a driver's license, so they stayed home.

springtime resolution

2009-02-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

I tend to frustrate my family by allowing the pantry to run low, so my springtime resolution is to (gulp) BUY IN BULK. I know, you're thinking I should have done my resolutions say in January, but I'm weird and foreign so here's my take. As a family of 5, I should already buy in bulk, but I am insanely cheap. It pains me to think of spending $20 on paper goods, even though in reality I'm spending less in the long run by buying in bulk. I have a sam's card for goodness sake; I even have a family member that works for sam's!! So here are my bulk items - let me know what your bulk items are, do they save you money, and what in the world do I do with 40 lbs of ground sirloin?
- bulk ground meats (lasagnas, taco nights, lots of stuff to premake and freeze!)
- paper goods - toilet tissue, paper towels
- canned goods
- trash bags
- non perishable snacks for kids

dear mommies of small children..I DOUBLE DAWG DARE YOU!

2009-02-09T17:08:00.001-08:00

If you can read this post without crying, I will give you 20 bucks. Seriously, I dare you. And if that one doesn't get you, go here and read this one. Double or nothing. Warning - if you are anywhere near the start of your period, don't even try this challenge. Save yourselves. I await your responses.

today I have..

2009-02-07T17:42:00.000-08:00

1. a sore throat
2. an 18 month old who kept me awake from about 1am - 5am last night (ear infection?)
3. a renewed understanding of unconditional love, as I was nonetheless happy to see that same 18 month old wake up in my bed this morning.
4. very little patience for the 6 and 3 yr old due to 3 hours sleep.
5. a memory of what it was like when they were newborns; running on so little sleep that you have lost all rational perspective and are ready to cry at any moment.
6. three loads of laundry to put away (maybe tomorrow!)
7. God's grace despite my short temper and complaining
8. a busted heater (God's timing is perfect, come on springtime)
9. two advil
10. one cup sleepytime tea

quotable..

2009-02-04T09:13:00.001-08:00

I was on the phone with a friend the other day, and she asked "Is there a construction crew outside your house? What is all that BANGING?". pause. There was no construction crew... it was the sound of my children.

your lips are moving, but I can't understand what you're saying

2009-02-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

1 John 2:15-16...Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.

I pray with my girls every day "Jesus, teach us to love you more, to love you the Most. But on a typical day - here's what I love the most - 9am sonic coke, 10am coloring time, noon NAP TIME (big smiley face here) 3pm seeing the big girl leeping home from school. 4-6pm, uhm, well it's not in bold because this is the time of day where I would most like to poke my own eyeballs out. I have had a hard time with the above verse for a while. If we are made in God's image, and have God given desires for love, peace, children, sonic coke, how can these things be bad? Well, finally someone explained it to me - this morning. See because the word "lust", actually means "over-desire". To want something so much, that it overshadows everyone and everything else. I was then surprised to hear that the solution was to 1. repent of our idols 2. replace those idols. Score, I have been planning to replace my sonic cokes with iced chai lattes for some time now; but I soon heard the thing to replace those idols with is the love of Jesus. Oh yeah, I knew that. So here are my idols, for all the world to see - may I lay them down at the feet of Jesus every day.

1. My children
2. Money (subcategories would include bigger house, bigger car, those Daisy Fuentes jeans that make me a size smaller)
3. Approval of others
4. Comfort
5. Control
6. Pride
7. Ministry
8. sonic cokes (I know, you thought this would be #1)
9. the cleanliness of my home
10. oh I'm sure there are many more... to be continued.

garage makeover... and spoiled kids

2009-01-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

I'll just say it, my kids are spoiled. My kids have never lived in anything but a 3bedroom house, while I spent my ENTIRE childhood living in an apartment with my mother and grandmother. It's true - I did not live in a house until the hubby and I bought our first one in 2002, about a year before Grace was born. And yet, little miss G announced to me the other day "when she grows up she's going to live in a BIG house". Really? I launched into a small speech about being content with what God has given us, etc, but in truth, I myself have thought our house was too small, and I'm guilty of this attitude trickling down to my children. So in an effort to create space where there is none, I present the Spring 2009 project in our household... the garage!! We have a shed in our backyard, so I'm proposing to the hubby that we move all the junk out and allow a Playroom to move in! So here we go folks, I need your best ideas for a garage / playroom makeover. Should I install shelving? Put down some carpet scraps so that it can be used with the garage door closed on rainy days, but open on sunny days? Paint the walls for some added kick? Post any links or suggestions in the comments and I will be forever grateful! And in the process I hope to teach my children that we can think creatively, be content and THANKFUL (cuz you can say you are content, but still grumble when no one is around), and make our house into more of a home for play... even if it starts with a simple garage playroom!

say it ain't so!!

2009-01-21T15:20:00.000-08:00

I think this may be my twinclick

hungarian word of the day

2009-01-16T07:19:00.000-08:00

kisbaba - pronounced kish-bubba. means "little baby". Don't say I never taught you anything.

hands full

2009-01-15T05:39:00.000-08:00

It's hard to know what constitutes a friend. Some friendships are long, while some are brief but leave a lasting impression on the soul! I have one such friend. She only lived in Texas for a short time, but in that time she blessed me and the other moms in our community in a number of ways! She happily accompanied me and my girl (yes I did only have one way back when) to the movies and baked cookies with that same girl so that I could go to the ob/gyn when I got pregnant with our second child. Little did she know then that God had a long 2+ year journey planned before she would become a momma herself!

Ashley is that friend! Another mutual friend suggested a bloggy shower for her, in preparation for the precious baby boy that is on the way! Although she is no longer in Texas, she left a lasting impression on the friends she left behind, and many of us continued to pray and follow her sometimes painful journey into motherhood! When asked to share some of my pearls of wisdom for Ashley, one thing came to mind - HANDS FULL! I have gotten countless comments when out and about with my girls. Most of them go like this "boy, you sure do got your hands full". It's annoying, and not just due to the bad grammer. As a new mom, you don't want it pointed out to you that you've just dropped the diaper bag and spilled its contents. You need not have anyone tell you your baby is crying, you will be well aware. But...before I get to far off topic, my point is this... Yes, my hands are full. Yes, I often don't know what the heck I'm doing, BUT I am never doing it alone! I have a mighty Savior who is with me every step of the way. And while you dear sweet Ashley will sometimes feel like your hands are full, even with just one tiny baby, remember this... It is better to have hands full than hands empty. And the One who made you, will never leave you. and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. matthew 28:20.

It's Tricky to rock a rhyme, to rock a rhyme that's right on time

2009-01-06T17:34:00.000-08:00

Book of the month - word to yo mutha!

I stumble and I fall

2008-12-30T16:49:00.000-08:00

Rather than make new year's resolutions that I know I won't keep, I like to look back at my many blunders from the past year! Hey, if I can't keep a resolution, at least I can try to learn from my mistakes. So here's my last list of 2008, a Things I learned This Year list.

1. Jesus really is the answer to everything! After 10 yrs walking with Him (or more like stumbling and falling) you would think I had figured this one out by now!
2. Wide leg pants make you look like you have wide legs (if you have skinny lil bird legs you can get away with it). Almost as important as #1.
3. When you ask a child to do something and use the word "can" they will always say NO. example, "can you take your bath now" "can you go to the potty" "can you please stop driving your momma crazy?"
4. NEVER, and I mean NEVER NO NOT EVER try to multi-task by getting a haircut at Walmart.
5. For the fair skinned gals, always switch foundation colors in the winter. It is January, no way are you really THAT tan!
6. If you have both a dog and a trampoline in your backyard, Fido will escape.
7. Do not take children to the post office the week before Christmas.
8. Always reward your husband with ice cream for spending his winter break doing a home improvement project.
9. If you routinely say "dummy cat", your toddler will think the feline's name is Dummy Cat.
10. With God's Grace you have made it through another year of mothering and will do so again next year. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” Mark 9:37

merry christmas to all... and to all a good night!

2008-12-25T12:11:00.001-08:00

for unto us this day a child is born... and He shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty savior, prince of peace, JESUS!

hello snow!

2008-12-11T11:27:00.001-08:00

sisters in the snow

even the cat got in on the action!

today I'll be playing the role of 'Eliza Doolittle' before the professor fixes her up...or a pickpocketing hungarian street vendor. your call.

signing off for the holidays...

2008-11-26T09:07:00.001-08:00

but before I go, I wanted to give a plug to a wonderful ministry. The Angel Tree Ministry gives Christmas presents to the children of prison inmates around the US. This is a wonderful, easy, and relatively cheap way to bless a needy child at Christmas. If you click on the "Angel Tree at Christmas" tab, you can get more details. Gobble gobble, give now, before you eat too much turkey, the triptophane kicks in, and you can no longer remember what I'm talking about.

anniversary tribute!

2008-11-16T18:46:00.001-08:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

My niece Sarah is helping me have some fun, at Jeff and Sonya's expense. Don't feel too bad for them, they are currently celebrating their 20th anniversary!! They are such great godly examples of marriage, and we are so blessed to have them in our family. Now I have just 4 days, before they return, to dye my hair and join the witness protection program...

the best thing about 15 month olds...

2008-11-10T05:43:00.000-08:00

...giving them mohawks, without their knowledge!

Book of the Month!!

2008-11-05T14:58:00.001-08:00

Since I can't figure out how to add that cool Shelfaria thingy that I see on other blogs (it lets you list fav books), here's a post for November's book of the month! It's Ruth Graham's Devotional for Families and it's on sale now at Christian Book Distributors.

I got to thumb through a copy while at bible study, where my kids received awesome free childcare!! Thanks Cornerstone! The book was full of Bible stories and application questions, and I can't wait to use it with my 6 yr old (although I think it would work with younger and older ages too). Go out and get a copy! Go on, GET IT!

Fall Foto

2008-11-04T11:33:00.000-08:00

The costumes didn't stay on long, but I couldn't resist the chance for a photo op. I think it was all of 2 seconds before Emma no longer wanted to be a princess, and Joy pooped her pants, but it was cute will it lasted!

in between

2008-10-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

As I snuggle this neighbor's sweet new baby and then read this blog about the woes of raising teenagers, I realize I am somewhere in the middle. My babes all sleep through the night, but won't be driving a car anytime soon. Some things have gotten easier, while other aspects of parenting become more challenging. The biggest thing I've realized lately is that the job of parenting is never really over. Over is a big buzz word for me. I've been waiting for a time when potty training will be OVER. Crying fits will be OVER. My children will go off to college and my job will be OVER. While these are normal thoughts for a mom, it does get in the way of how much I love my children when all I can think about is "how soon will this day be OVER so I can get to bed!"

The training of my children will change as they grow, but the shepherding part will remain a constant. A really great blog writer recently posted that the parent child relationship was designed by God to be a discipler / disciple relationship. If you have no idea where to start, read Shepherding a Child's Heart, by Ted Tripp. I want to think of raising my children as a lifelong journey designed by God, for my joy (and sometimes pain) and for His Glory. And in the meantime, new moms take heart, ALL babies eventually do sleep through the night. :)

a typical week

2008-10-28T06:13:00.000-07:00

1 week=

2 kid class parties
1 halloween outreach party with our church
1 sick baby :(
1 crazy hair day on thursday (because buying candy for 2 class parties wasn't enough, now I must find crazy hair spray colored dye, 3 days before halloween!!)
1 trip to the grocery store (with sick baby) to buy candy for neighbor kids so they do not toilet paper my house
1 constipated cat (I ran out of cat food and have been feeding IT hot dogs). this should be remedied by aforementioned trip to the store..followed by follow-up trip to the store because I will have forgotten crazy hair spray hair dye for 6yr old.
2 family birthdays - one 40ish brother-in-law and one 90ish great-grandma.
1 two yr old, who routinely screams "no no, no way, go away" and then goes to timeout.

a typical week = 1 migraine for the momma!!
(disclaimer - if anyone wants to drop 1 margarita mysteriously at my door this week, that would be a-okay. non-alcoholic with a bit of nyquil mixed in will do just fine.)

My Letter to PBS

2008-10-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

Dear PBS -
Let me start off by expressing my deepest gratitude for the wonderful "kid shows" you provide. What would I do without Sesame Street in the mornings? It's a beautiful thing, the little ones enjoy learning about letters and numbers, while I get a kick out of the occasional special guest. My personal favorite was Ben Stiller dressed as a block of cheese...but I digress. I am becoming increasingly disheartened by the choice of morning hosts. I loved miss lori - yea, she wears too much purple, but she's a friendly and comforting face first thing in the morning. I take issue with the newest host, whom I shall call "miss hotsie totsie". She (also wearing purple) strikes me as the younger, thinner, hipper version of miss lori. She's cute and chipper, waaaaayyyy TOO chipper for early morning tv. And she's annoyingly awake and alert at 8am - MUST BE BECAUSE SHE HAS YET TO HAVE HER OWN CHILDREN. Consider your target audience folks. Who do you think the average stay at home momma wants to wake up to in the morning?
ps - I could also do without the chipmunk / squirrel / guinea pig - rodent thingy, co-host. thanks.

VS.

Detergent Experiment, Part II

2008-10-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

You may remember this post. Since then, I'm pleased to report the homemade laundry soap is getting our clothes clean and saving us money. I do miss seeing suds - while this is advertised as a low sudsing soap, it's really more like little or no suds. It took me a while to believe the clothes were actually clean. There's not much of a scent, but I've got sensitive skin and not a fan of the smells anyway. mainly, I like knowing the stuff we wash with is made of 3 simple ingredients and no other chemicals. And lo and behold today, I found this recipe (which calls for the 2 of the same ingredients) for homemade dish detergent. I'll be running this through the dishwasher soon and will report my findings!
Dish detergent-
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
20 Mule Team Borax

Pretty simple:
Equal parts of each (I think I initially mixed up about 1 cup).
Add 2 Tablespoons to the dishwasher dispenser. (I used 1 1/2 Tablespoons).

*This recipe also suggested using Distilled White Vinegar in the rinse compartment.

Exercising my 2nd amendment rights

2008-10-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to the shooting range with some ladies from church... no, you DIDN'T read that wrong! It's true. One more thing to cross off my "I'd Never" list. The ladies went on an "off the books" ladies outing to learn some basics about firearms. It was fun, and while it probably won't become a lifelong hobby, at least I can now say I know how to safely handle, load, and shoot a semi-automatic pistol. And am having great fun using the words "glock" and "beretta" in everyday conversation. The shooting range was a very safe and controlled environment, and the men were very respectful of us. We did get some looks for cheering on our ladies. Apparently, it is not okay at the shooting range to "clap like a girl" when your friends finish their round of shots. Now off to take care of those pesky ducks that are always crossing the road in Sugar Land.... errr, I mean, fold some laundry.

my new best friend...

2008-10-08T14:46:00.001-07:00

www.couponmom.com

the credit crunch, vp debates, AND my nose ring

2008-10-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

So here's the deal with my last poll and nose ring question - I'd like to get a nose ring (and you thought this post was about politics!).. After 30+ years HATING this nose of mine, I thought what better way to show God I am thankful for how he made me than to adorn the body part I have most despised! Other pros for it - it would be punk rock, I'm just foreign enough to get away with it, and it would avert the mid life crisis I am having after realizing the "old" people on the "new" 90210 are my age. The cons are simply that I don't want to set a bad example for my girls and let them think its okay to put holes in your body! (side note - I do not watch nor endorse the new 90210 show. I am equally oppossed to the return of the New Kids on the Block. All of these symbols of our youth should stay in the past where they belong!)

Now to more important matters, on which I have some knowledge, but am no expert. Feel free to comment and disagree (or tell me I should get a nose ring b/c I can't quite let it go!). I was miffed that so many were proud of Palin for simply "getting through the debate". It was stated over and over by one annoying commentator after another. Are the expectations for women so LOW that an accomplished woman and governor can be expected to do little more than stay on her feet, nobby shaky knees and all? Palin answered honestly, but dodged questions too. She did not seem to have ALL the answers, but where she did have answers she was unwavering. Biden kept smiling at her like a dirty old man, and only stated he oppossed gay marriage when backed into a corner. And the look on his face told me while he wants to get into office, he secretly would rather be running with somebody else. In my opinion, a republican is still a republican, and a democrat is still a democrat. Should Obama/Biden get in office, they will vote more liberally than I would like on several key issues. If you want to tell me they won't, show me the proof. The republicans do things I don't agree with as well, but they and I disagree LESS.

And the credit thing - good grief!! There is enough good sound financial advice (Dave Ramsey, etc) that we should know better! Did the mortgage companies deceive people - YES. Did we deceive ourselves even worse when we believed a $300K house could be bought with 0 down and only $1500 per month?? -OH MY GOSH YES! The american people got fooled because we behaved foolishly. Not being able to finance a house at the moment, or buy a car, or get a badly needed loan - ouch those things hurt! But maybe God will use these painful lessons in the lives of His people to draw us closer to Him, teach us to live within our means (which I often fail to do myself) and teach us even greater dependance on Him! and thats all I have to say about that..

september in pictures

2008-09-28T18:45:00.001-07:00

the birthday girl and her new cat(cuz I secretly wanted a fourth thing to take care of!)

the gang keeping busy post hurricane

the "bad bunny" joy

Shake Yo Booty!

2008-09-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

I haven't been a huge fan of Dancing with the Stars in the past, but this season I LOVE IT! As I'm watching tonight, I'm wondering..

- are the Jonas Brothers the next Beatles?
- do I have the same haircut as that middle brother? (I think he's the oldest)
- will Susan Lucci make it to the next round?

Oh how I love Susan Lucci! Growing up, I spent lots of time with that woman. My single mom was at work, and my crazy grandma was busy in the kitchen, making dishes that were not quite American, not quite Hungarian. sigh. But Erica Kane, now she taught me some serious life lessons. How to fall off a cliff and live, survive in an avalanche, slap a man (or woman if the situation calls for it)and always look FABULOUS! If la la Lucci doesn't make it very far, my next favorite is Warren Sapp. Ted McGinley - my husband reminded me this guy has killed every show he's ever been on. You can judge me if you like, I know you have better things to do than read my brainless tv post. But if by chance you are still reading, watch with me won't you? Because I'm tired of watching swimsuit model types eat bugs on Survivor, tired of watching House diagnose THE MOST RIDICULOUS DISEASES EVER, tired of watching them practice little or no medicine on Grey's. So this will be my one show of the season. In case you are concerned, I am in bible study at the moment, and still tending to my children. Ten points for anyone that can name Toni Braxton's medical condition....

You know there's been a hurricane when...

2008-09-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

- The local newscaster's hair is ratty from having been on the air for the past 12 hours..
- You begin to use phrases like "cone of uncertainty" with total confidence
- Suddenly every standing tree is a sign of life!
- There are lots of toothless people on tv (apparently hurricane force winds also blow out teeth)
- Candles become nite lites, bottled water flushes toilets.
- You become even more aware of God's sovreingty, and even more thankful for everyday conveniences.
- You find posts like this one on craigslist (you know how I feel about birds)

When the person that "wears the pants" in the family is a size 2T

2008-09-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

These are wise and borrowed words from another blog..

What concerns me is that I see too many children raised in Christian families who are not taught and expected to obey. They are allowed to dishonor their parents with their yelling, tantrums, and emotional displays. They are allowed to intentionally and brazenly disobey their parents, without repercussions of any kind. They are encouraged in selfishness and materialism by parents who don’t set limits and stand by them. They are outright rude to siblings, guests and adults, and it goes uncorrected.

We have less children than any generation before us, and more parenting advice at our fingertips, and yet we parent them worse.

If you think I'm calling you out, I'm not. In fact, I'm calling myself out! My kids are not bad kids; they can be taken out in public and all 3 know how to sit properly and enjoy a saturday lunch at a restaurant. But when I look at how I'm doing in the above areas, I am falling drastically short!

So my kids are not bad kids, but they do have bad hearts. And faulty wiring AND sinful natures caused by the fall of man. TV is not the enemy. Fast food, and plastic bottles and public school are not the enemy. I am my child's worst enemy if I don't CORRECT their behavior and let them down the path of foolishness. Frankly, most days I don't know HOW, but I'm going to look to my God and savior to help me. I'm going to teach thankfulness using the example of what the Lord has done for us, and for this world. I'm going to teach them how to honor and obey by how well I honor and obey and spend time in the Bible and in prayer. Even if I have to yell above a tantrum, or take away a webkinz or keep a 6 yr old indoors because she is grounded. Hmmmm, go figure that teaching my kids THE BIBLE might actually be the way to go?!

2008-09-04T16:51:00.000-07:00

Reasons I like Palin.

1. More programs for special needs. I don't claim to know much about special needs. I have a dear friend who knows all about it through the life and testimony of her son. She rarely complains, but I have to imagine the task of parenting with special needs in the household is beyond HARD. If there is just ONE program that can make just ONE aspect of these incredible people's lives a little bit easier, let's do it. I believe Palin, as a parent directly affected by this, WILL DO IT.

2. A voice for the voiceless. I was confused how Hillary (during the Dem. Convention) kept referring to her party as the ones looking out for the "invisible". Aren't the most invisible, the most voiceless, the unborn children? If anyone can clear this up, I'd be interested to know how you reconcile the two.

3. Let parents decide how to educate their own children - specifically in the area of sex ed. The media is having a field day with the fact that Palin is against sex ed in the schools, which MUST be why her teenage daughter got pregnant.. But if you look at statistics, the teen pregnancy rate has risen, despite the 20 years that sex ed has been taught in the schools. So I don't see that sex ed is some deterent for teen pregnancy. Another area of confusion for me - let's keep kids from having sex by showing them EXACTLY HOW TO DO IT, with a banana and a condom. Eeeewww. I still have nightmares from the 8th grade.

4. Creationism taught in public schools along with Darwinism. Brilliant!!

5. And last, a bit of humor. I like that she has 5 kids. I'm intrigued that some of her toughest critics have been other women (ladies, haven't we learned yet that we can't feel better about ourselves by passing judgement on others?) The world is not kind to large families. With just 3 children myself, I have received comments from total strangers that either make me feel like a breeding machine, or assume my children are there to terrorize their place of business. Neither is the case. Now, next time I walk into a restaurant, and I get that snoooty look of "oh dear, here comes a loud, obnoxious family with lots of children" I am going to yell "back off people, the VP has 5 kids, can kill a moose and dunk a basketball, YOU can deal with my 3 kids". And then I will order an Awesome Blossom.

side note - many commentators have questioned whether she is ready for the 24/7 job of VP. I would like to say she already has such a job, IT'S CALLED BEING A MOM!

got ferrets?

2008-08-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

I love the last woman's quote... as my children got older, I replaced them with ferrets. Gotta love public television!

This is why I shouldn't blog late at night....

2008-08-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

So in the light of day, the first day of school seemed a little less daunting. She did great, dad did great dropping her off, I did okay. At least I contained my weepies to the bathroom. She didn't have any problems at dropoff, although I've been told sometimes they save the tears for the SECOND day, when they realize they have to go back. Some things learned from my late night blog fest - 1. People REALLY like Michael Phelps!! I have already gotten calls and emails due to my sarcasm of him in the last post. 2. I am a big whimp. 3. When you stay up late crying and blogging, you have BIG eye bags the next day. 4. My kid is a brave girl.

Here's the big girl on her way out..and next is a pic of little sisters up to no good, 2 minutes after their big sister was out the door. Not sure why lil' sis has that gangsta rap look on her face, I swear I didn't pose her that way. Maybe she is acting as the lookout while baby sis figures out how to climb the shelf in the background.

(not crying) SOBBING!

2008-08-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

I'm up waaaay past my bedtime, for tomorrow morning my big girl will head off to her first day of kindergarten. And I can't sleep. Funny what's on tv this time of night (regular tv, not cable). Stargate?? What show is this? Some lame spinoff of Star Trek? As if Star Trek wasn't lame enough! And the olympic highlight show? Argh! The olympics have been the culprit in keeping me up too late every night this week! Enough already. Michael Phelps swims fast. Real fast. I get it. And what is up with Dominique Sacsha's lips? I mean really, that's just not natural. Oh, I'm so going to regret this post in the morning....

Here are some things God impressed upon me tonight, perhaps to give me some sense of peace tomorrow. 1. Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. We have prepared her to the best of our ability. No, she is not ready for every conflict or situation, but I have faith the year she spent in KinderBridge means she has experienced full day school, she has a faith strong enough to know who God is and know (some)what sin is, and I'm making her wear a little bracelet with her teacher's name on it - in case she gets lost. :) My plans for her are many, but I must always remind myself she is in God's hands and I must submit to his will. 2. Consistency means doing what we say we will do. The hubby and I have said for some time now she will go to public kindergarten and she has been a part of these talks when appropriate. What kind of example are we setting if we make a last minute decision to go a different route, mostly because I am freaked that the school is BIG, and the kids are all big enough to eat her?!

If you find me slumped over with my head in an iced chai latte somewhere tomorrow, please don't approach me. I'm not crying, I'm indeed sobbing, but just give me a minute and I will gather myself and be okay.

ps - If next week I've pulled her out of school, am wearing overalls, making my own soap and homeschooling, please do not remind me of this post. And if that happens, I've lost the bet and owe this person $20.

that's so random!

2008-08-22T17:08:00.000-07:00

I was asked to share 6 random things by morgan. Of course I have to oblige. She is after all my neighbor, and should I say no she might cut me off and stop letting me borrow stuff! Some of you gals have had a hard time coming up with random things about yourselves. ME? I have waaaayyy too much randomness to share. So here goes!

Here are the tagging rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4. If you're tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag

1) I HATE the grocery store. In fact, it makes me downright depressed. The long lines, the screaming children, argh!!! It makes me want to run far far away.. Walmart is the worst. Recently I've found the smaller Krogers a bit more bearable.

2) My First Job was as a sacker at Fiesta. I was 16, and while trying to double bag a rather large jar of pickles, the jar ripped thru, dropped to the ground and broke in a million pieces.. I ran out to a pay phone and called my mom and NEVER returned. Hmmm, perhaps this explains item #1 above.

3. I have a mortal fear of birds. All kinds. Yes, that includes geese, ducks, THE EAGLE (oh dear I could go on but its too close to bedtime)

4. I don't like to shave my legs. I'm foreign, what can I say?

5. In elementary school I got busted for selling gummy worms in math class (always did hate math). I charged 5 cents a worm. Had quite the business going until I was caught! Houston Independent school district ruined my chances of being a small business owner.

6. As a child I dreamed of being an olympic figure skater. In reality, I cannot roller skate, roller blade, or ice skate. Too bad, the hungarian olympic team could have really used me.

Here's who I'm tagging:
Caryn Turner - favorite out of town friend. I hope she will have time to do this!
Terry - he just flat out told me he will not do these. oh well, I need a filler.
Sonya - I know she doesn't have time to do this, but maybe she will let her fun and sassy 12 yr old post for her!
DidiLynn - new bloggie friend!
Iris - I know you've been tagged already, just thought you needed more peer pressure.
Kacey - not sure if she'll do it, but hey it's worth a try right?

Hello my name is < >, and I'm a blog stalker...

2008-08-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

Admission is the first step to recovery, right? I'll admit it, I have a problem. I am a blog stalker, one who reads blogs of total strangers and does not comment. I have some favorite bloggers I visit, most I will never meet, in far off lands like Pennsylvania and N. Dakota. Places where there are seasons, and sweaters and grown children. I can't remember how I found most of these, sometimes I'll "link" to other blogs, and 18 links later find myself back at the blog of someone I actually know. Weird. Some of these people are like me, some are not. All love Jesus and strive to honor Him by being wives and mothers. Some of them are pictured with their dogs, but I can forgive them for that. This particular one made me think, and made me smile. I hope it makes you smile too!
blog i stalk

first steps and first words!

2008-08-04T18:34:00.001-07:00

2008-07-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

As a family of five we run A LOT OF LAUNDRY!! So I went in search of some homemade laundry soap!
Check it out Here, doesn't seem too hard, does it?

seaworld!

2008-07-17T17:52:00.001-07:00

contentment and detox

2008-07-06T12:00:00.001-07:00

Bear with me as I combine topics for the next few posts.... tune in next week after we return from vacation. The topic will be seaworld and sweat.

On contentment, I'm learning how to love my house. We live on a wonderful street with wonderful friends. But my house is small. When we moved in, we had 2 kiddos, but now with 3 I'm constantly feeling the squeeze and saying "this house is soooo small". I recently gained some perspective however, not by watching a PBS documentary on conditions in third world countries, not even by driving down the street to four corners. My perspective came while sweeping the floor. These days I literally get about 10 minutes to clean house each day. It looks something like - start a load of laundry, pour some bleach in the toilets, sweep, FAST! And it occurred to me, if God had given us any bigger house, I would not have the time to clean it. Simple as that. Having a clean house is less important these days, but sweeping the kitchen and living area is a must with a crawling baby. So in that moment, I thanked God for my small house and the ability to keep it clean and safe for my babies.

On detox, life without soda (specifically coke) really really stinks. More on that later. I've got to go next door and bribe one of my wonderful neighbors (see above) to sneak me some sonic coke goodness this week!

schools and mentors

2008-06-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

I was having a great time at a JC Penney sale this week, when the clerk asked if I had browsed the "back to school" aisle. What the heck?! It is not even July! Back to school? I'm gonna be sick..

Back in April we went down to the neighborhood school, with all our paperwork in hand to enroll Grace for kindergarten. I was queasy, Terry was pale. While we have heard nothing but great things about the neighborhood school, somehow we thought this day would never come. When Grace was a baby, someone gave me a book entitled "Choosing Your Child's School". I thought, yea right, this baby is never going to stop crying or sleep thru the night, much less EVER go to school..... Ah, but here we are with our now near 6 yr old. She did eventually sleep thru the night, can almost fully read and write, still cries, but only if she can't find her favorite sword to play Narnia with the neighbor kids (the neighborhood cat is Aslan by the way).

I met with my new friend and mentor this week, Ms M. She is wonderful and I can tell God is already using her to guide me thru this season of mothering small children. She is maybe a few years older, and her kids are out of diapers, but she is not so far ahead of me in the game that she doesn't remember what it's like. Ever meet with an older woman, ready to suck up all the knowledge she has, only to find that her kids are grown and gone, and she no longer remembers when they were little, and you spend the afternoon talking about her hot flashes?? Ms M shared some about their decision of a public school education for their kids. She even told me she resisted the urge to handpick her daughter's kindergarten teacher b/c she had a relative on staff there! Now that is serious faith! She has been an involved parent at the school, and while they haven't always gotten a Christian teacher, each year she has seen her daughter find a friend to be a little light unto, or has herself been blessed by another little child who seemed to just be waiting there in the class! This conversation gave me a huge amount of peace about public school. I know I won't always like it, especially when my child is asked to play in the "multicultural, let's not offend anyone, Christmas extravaganza!!" I know we will have to revisit our decision year after year. But I also know the same God who has gotten us this far, will be there again. Watching over my little girl, guiding us as we experience school, and stretching our faith in Him the entire way!!

mi mamma in mi casa

2008-06-24T13:12:00.001-07:00

My mom is coming to stay with me for 3 days. It is a blessing and a curse. She will spend hours with the little ones while G and I go to the pool, the movies, all the places you cannot easily go with the little sisters. She will however be a big kid herself. I will have to remind her that kids don't get candy before dinner, that playdoh and bubbles are outdoor activities, and that bedtimes really do matter. I have learned over the years that the best way to handle these visits is to stay gone.. She is here to love on my children, and I don't want to forget that and police everything she does. And I can't show her the love of Christ if I am mean and horrible (which I usually am in these situations). If anyone knows where I can find a flask that can be concealed in a diaper bag... please let me know.

the great plastic debate

2008-06-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law told me plastic was bad many, many years ago, before all the BPAfree yahoos and go green fanatics. He told me simply not to microwave foods in plastic, to transfer them to a dish instead. Had he invented glass or stainless steel baby and toddler cups, he'd be a millionaire now......

Although my knowledge is limited, it appears the danger in the plastic comes when it is over heated time and time again, causing it to disintegrate and release toxins. This can happen in the microwave or in the high heat dry cycle of the dishwasher. I looked at my collection of plastic sippy cups, and wondered ..... what toddler is going to drink frothy warm milk from a cup anyway? I have gotten my kids used to cold or room temperature milk and formula. I chose never to heat the stuff, why bother? And I don't use the heat cycle on my dishwasher anyway b/c air drying uses less electricity. So while I will replace some of my sippies for good measure, I have to say the fears are somewhat unfounded to me. I did find a munchkin brand at Target labeled BPA free, 2 sippies for $8, that I can live with. In the meantime, if you have a toddler who likes hot milk in a sippy cup in the heat of the summer, please let me know.

sonic outreach

2008-06-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

I was pregnant with my third and struggling to get thru the day, when I heard about this most wonderful time of day known as sonic happy hour. Most afternoons the same friendly young woman brought me my drink, Tina. She would look in my van at my sweet girls and notice I was VERY pregnant. We started talking. She told me she had 2 girls herself and a baby boy on the way. Over time, we saw each other a lot. You know how much mamma likes her coke, so when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. We made small talk and even exchanged baby gifts and she became the only reason my husband didn't stop me from going. After giving birth to her baby she stopped working there. I was so sad. What had happended to her? How do I convince my husband she really did exist and just when I was so close to sharing the gospel with her?!!! Well lo and behold this week I went to a different sonic (now my "regular" location on w. airport) and THERE SHE WAS!! I couldn't believe it! My oldest Grace was with me, and now I finally had proof she really did exist! We exchanged phone numbers, something we had never done before. She told me her husband had left her, and she and the kids were living with her mother.

So here's my next step, what do I say or do with a single mom who only speaks basic english? Is there a spanish church nearby? Please comment if you have suggestions! T said I should invite her to bbq one sunday evening in our neighborhood "commune", but what newly single mom wants to hang out with a bunch of couples? I know God has brought her back in my path to help her, just not sure how yet.

Oh yea, this happened the very day after I said to T "I think I'm going to go cold turkey off of sodas tomorrow!".

nine

2008-06-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

After 9 years of marriage, here are 9 things my husband and I have learned about each other (yes, this is a joint list):

1. Starting a sentence with "airing of the grievances" is never good.
2. He does not remember I don't like black olives. does remember I like coke though!
3. I'm a bad listener.
4. I don't iron, but he does!!
5. If he's quiet, it doesn't mean he's had a bad day. No, he doesn't want to talk about it, he wants a sandwich. Even if he did tell me about it, I would only half listen (see item #3) and would need a retelling in a couple days when he's really ready to talk about it.
6. I don't put stuff back in their proper place, especially his tools.
7. I'm not allowed to touch his tools.
8. He knows I love it when he cleans the kitchen after breakfast, so that I can start my day with a clean slate. He's the best!
9. We still have a lot to learn.

We had a an arguement the other day about an avocado.. it went something like "hey, did you just throw away that avocado yea, it was way too soft. but I spent a lot of time in the store looking for that stupid thing, and you know how much I hate grocery shopping, but I know how much you like to make that dip... and you just threw it away without checking the inside? ARGH!!" Anyway, afterwards I realized how blessed we are that most of our fights are petty ones, he's the best!

ain't no cure for the summer time blues...

2008-05-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

Summer has started a bit unexpectedly around here! My big girl has been in full day Pre-K, but since it's not technically big school yet, they let out for the summer a full 2 weeks before the rest of society! SHOOT! Today was our first official day ALL at home together and I already heard the dreaded words "I'm Bored". We made our reward charts, where big girl gets a sticker for reading each day, and the 2 yr old gets stickers for going potty! YES, THE POTTY. After putting it off for as long as I could (and running out of excuses like "I just had a new baby" or "wait until school's out") we are finally potty training the 2 1/2 yr old. Oh how I dread potty training! Unlike the eager new mom, I have been down this long and lonely road, and I know potty training takes a LONG, LONG time. Please, if you have a child that potty trained in a day, or even a week, don't tell me about it or I might throw up. Our first day went well, with the help of KC, neighbor friend and resident potty expert. Reward stickers, crackers and sprite, along with a full day of sometimes wet panties make up a typical first day of training. And as extra incentive, I told big girl about all the extra crafts we would have money to buy if she could encourage lil' sis to go potty and stop wearing diapers. Yes, I bribe my kids, don't judge me. I'd post pictures of the little potty training refugee, but much like a POW, she's confined to panties, crackers and water only. And we try not to make eye contact.

Another Cokenour whose summer got off to a bang, is my sis-in-law, laid up with a badly broken ankle. To read her story (it's much more blue than mine), click here

on my soapbox

2008-05-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

I hate sayings like "more than just a stay at home mom". You would never say "more than just a doctor or lawyer" or "more than just the President of the United States". No, because those titles carry with it a sense of importance that the world does not allow for the average mom. It makes me crazy! Now that I've gotten that off my chest, here are 2 great reads - Praise Her in the Gates and Treasuring God in our Traditions. I love the quote from the first book which reads -
While evangelism brings more worshippers into the church, childbearing brings more disciples into the home. Children are not to be viewed as a hindrance, an intrusion, an interruption, or a burden.
Now these are books worth reading friends!

top 10 items for a diaper bag

2008-05-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

I like lists, they help keep me sane, and since I have so many soon-to-be-mommy friends, I thought I would post something helpful (for a change!). And after cleaning out my diaper bag this morning, it seems I too need a refresher, b/c all I found was 1 diaper, 1 wipe and 1 goldfish! Maybe if I was MacGyver, these items would help me in an emergency. Otherwise, I'd be in a bad way. So here goes...

1. Diapers, lots of them. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten stuck out longer than I thought I would, with a baby having multiple blowouts.
2. Wipes AND hand sanitizer!!
3. Emergency outfits for baby (and a spare shirt for mom!)
4. Food for baby! EVEN IF U NURSE - Take the sample formula and a spare bottle (ask for free samples in the hospital and join enfamil.com for free stuff) and keep in your bag at all times. You never know when your baby will freak and not want to latch on, or you will be stuck in traffic and your boobs will not reach... but a bottle will.
5. 1 blanket, 1 burp cloth (more than one if your baby is a spitter)
6. pacifier
7. seperate pouch for mom's stuff (keys, cell, wallet)
8. rash cream
9. changing pad
10. AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE... ziplocs! Oh, a thousand uses for the ziploc... to seal in the dirty diapers on the go, to seal in the soiled baby outfits, etc.

If you have a personal favorite, post on the comment page. Please don't say a book, or I will have to beat you next time I see you.

BUSTED!

2008-05-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

I got stopped by the fuzz (SLPD) today! I was driving T's car, and here was the list of my violations....

-expired registration
-expired inspection
-hadn't changed the address on my drivers license (does anyone do that anymore?)
-T only had an EXPIRED insurance card in the car.

Oh, and he asked "who buckled this child into the car?" pointing to Emma, who frequently moves the top part of her 5point harness off her chest. Yea, that would be me, THE WORST MOTHER ON EARTH! After telling him my sob story of my husband being out of town and how I usually "never drive this piece of junk car", he let me off on almost everything, except the expired insurance card. I didn't even cry or use the words "breast feed" as is always the plan in my head if I ever got pulled over. So all in all it could have been much worse. This confirms my theory that 1 of 3 things usually happens when daddy is out of town - 1. a car breaks down 2. a kid gets sick 3. you will get a ticket. Thank you Jesus daddy is home safe and sound today. And a very nice SL policeman has one less citation to write for the day..

the minimalist in me

2008-04-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

I am a minimalist. This is a problem because I live in a house full of packrats. I am constantly putting away, giving away or throwing away. It may seem like a good thing, but I'm a very short sighted minimalist! I have given away a crib (even though I had just had a baby) to a teacher friend, who did an adopt-a-family project with her high schoolers. Please don't call me generous. I just can't stand to keep anything that doesn't have an immediate purpose (baby Joy was in a playpen in our room at the time). I've limited my children to 2 pairs of shoes and socks, and banned my husband from buying any more undershirts. I have a problem, I know. I'm working on it. In my defense, my mom never throws anything away and I grew up surrounded by junk!

It is my love of minimalism and the encouragement of friend Erin W. that got me to try cloth diapers! Yea, stop choking on your cookie! I'm trying cloth diapers. I'm not an all natural kind of mom. My kids eat preservatives, they get their vaccines, and the epidural is my friend. But when I see the dozen cloth prefolds washed and ready to go for the next day, the minimalist in me is at peace. It has its drawbacks, just yesterday I told Erin W I was ready to give up. No matter how novel the cloth diaper websites can make it sound, dumping poop into the potty is no fun. But I can honestly say it is not as hard as I thought it would be. Erin's system is simple and laundering is no different from a standard load of wash. Please don't ask me particulars, Erin is the expert and I'm sure would answer any questions you have! I do have some funny jokes about indian vs chinese prefolds. Basically, you take the prefold (which is thicker and more absorbent than a standard burp cloth) and change it out every 2-3 hours, keeping the same cover on which velcros and keeps it all contained like a standard diaper. I have not had any leaks! I throw them all in the bathroom sink (minus the poo) to soak in detergent and at night throw them in the wash. Out on the go, throw the dirty prefolds in a ziploc.. At night or at church you gotta use disposables. So I'm crossing cloth diapers off my list of "i would never(s)".

2008-04-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

“Don't be humble. You're not that great.”
- Golda Meir

I was thoroughly disgusted with myself today! Every thought, every word out of my mouth was about ME, my life, my disappointments, my future. ME, ME, ME. Yuck, I could just yack after days like this. I need to hear from God, but I can't hear him because I am so self-involved. sigh. I haven't been going to daytime bible study because getting out with 2 small ones during morning nap time is a nightmare. Please don't suggest we attend a small group, because that involves transporting all the small ones PLUS all their nighttime gear. I think a nighttime ladies bible study, sans children, is in order. If anyone has one to recommend, preferably one that involves a good, humbling ass kicking, please let me know. Maybe we could attend together. Oooooh, one with finger foods would be nice.....

my doggie drama

2008-04-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

His name is buddy. He is a gimp legged, sheltie mix stray. And despite my fear, dread, and general dislike of animals, I rescued him on a thursday morning at the sonic drive thru! No, pigs are not flying outside your window... read on as I purge my soul of this experience!

I have NEVER, EVER picked up a stray in my life! I have driven by them, groaning at the potential road kill I would have to avoid later that day. I'm not heartless, really, I just don't think animals should be given equal consideration to people. But for some reason when this little dog limped across my path, I felt compelled to act. Future mommies take note, post-partum hormones can make one a bit nutty! I called KC and made her my partner in crime for the morning! After meeting me in the parking lot and assessing the situation, we decided to take him to our neighbor who works for a wonderful little vet on Eldridge. They called me later in the day to state he was heartworm and rabies free, and is generally a "good boy", but will always have a limp. By then I had figured out how to send picture mail, and sent Terry a text asking him if he wanted a dog (which he has for the past 10 years of our marriage!). It was decided he would come home the next day after further testing and shots.

Grace was so excited, I WAS EXCITED! YES, OVER A DOG?! I was petting him, walking him, putting him in the laundry room for the night. He was such a good boy. No accidents in the house, no yipping at night.. but a funny thing happened. Terry woke up saturday morning and said "he's gotta go". See folks, once you've been married for a while, you truly start to become one flesh. And his flesh was telling him he did not have the time to mess with a dog. sigh. Why on earth was I so compelled to do this? And how do I now find a happy ending for this dog that I have put time and effort into?

Well, Buddy, now named "Baldo" lives down at the end of our street with some animal loving neighbors.. They have 2 children, older than mine and the wife LOVES animals. They were very pleased to get him, and Grace is very pleased to have visitation rights. I still don't know why I did it. I wouldn't do it again. And in case you're wondering, I still have animal control on speed dial. Here are some things I learned from this experience though....

- not all dogs are bad and waiting to eat your face off!
- rescuing an animal has made me much more likeable to my neighbors. (good thing they don't know about my past!)
- my neighbors ARE approachable, despite their occasional cursing.
- Grace learned to ride a bike without training wheels.
- if you promise to buy your kid a new bike, they forget you gave away their dog.

I would like to be different in so many ways. I would like to be able to juggle 3 small children, and have pets, and cook and sew and paint! But for now, maybe all God wants me to learn is PATIENCE. I have learned so much from other mom friends....Erin Wallace is a wonderful cloth diapering tutor, Sonya is an excellent party planner, Kat is kind and patient with her children, KC is a good listener and always has something insightful to say! I will store up all this information and continue to let Him break me of my pride and selfishness, and let Him show me who I should be. For now, I am christina, raised a freaky hungarian (I didn't actually know how to ride a bike or use the dishwasher until I was 13), now a follower of Christ, wife and mom, bad cook, frazzled hostess, type A personality, ONE-TIME doggie rescuer, AND struggling to be a "good and faithful servant". That's not to say I don't aspire to cultivate new skills and interests in the future. But this will do just fine for now!

Tag You're It!!

2008-04-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

I got this idea from Melissa Longoria's blog.... enjoy and answer these questions on your own blogs! While I completely agree with R. Garza that a blog cannot sustain a relationship, it is nonetheless a fun way to get to know one another!

What I was doing 10 years ago... stalking my future husband and living in Chicago! I worked for a credit reporting agency and used to ride the subway to work.

On my to do list today... fold multiple loads of laundry, pickup kid from school, and today baby Joy is 8 months old!

Snacks I enjoy...m&ms, bagel bites, sonic cokes!

Things I would do if I was a billionaire.... laser eye surgery, cuz my kids have figured out I can't see squat without my contacts and are starting to play tricks on me. I would help out family members in debt, because debt stinks, give to local charities, churches, our favorite missionaries the Chinns, and of course Terry would never work again!

Three bad habits...
1. Totally addicted to caffeine. the sonic crew know me by name.
2. Not a procrastinator by definition, but have a hard time finishing projects. I'm more of a starter. :)
3. I have bad phone etiquette! I'm very hard to reach, put my phone on vibrate or silent and frequently forget to return calls.

Five places I've lived...
1. Houston & sugar land (since it's within 20 miles of each other, I don't think it counts as 2 places.
2. Chicago, Il
3. I only have 2, but before I die I'd also like to live in Hungary (the homeland), somewhere on the West coast or on the water.

Five jobs I've had...
1. Sacker at Fiesta
2. Waitress at Ryan's steakhouse
3. Insurance underwriter
4. Church secretary
5. mommy (non-profit)

Now it's your turn! I hope to learn a lot about you!

Megasztar!!

2008-04-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

Now these are my people! Check out Hungary's version of American Idol.. you won't be sorry!

the man and the baby!

2008-03-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

Do you see a resemblance? It's hard to say who the kids look like... Grace with the blonde hair and Joy with the blue eyes! But they sure do look like each other! This baby pic of Joy looks very much like some baby pictures of Grace. Same yoda ears, same cutie smile! They are so much work these days, but so worth it! We are recovering from the hectic week that was Spring Break and Easter (whose idea was that?). Rob and Morgan Garza moved in next door and we are loving watching them make improvements to the house they will call home for the next several years! In a couple weeks Terry will have his 34th birthday and then we are planning a Welcome party for the Garzas (evites on the way)! Happy Spring to you all!

misconceptions

2008-03-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

I'm finding a blog is a fairly subjective forum. I know what I mean to say when I sit down to write, but how you take what I say is not necessarily what I meant to say. Say what? For example, in my last post that is not a picture of Tony Orlando. In the post before that, I am not complaining about motherhood, I am accepting of the good, bad and the messiness of it, and hoping to give you a glimpse of all that. The biggest misconceptions I find lately center around motherhood. Take today..

A woman from Greatwood came and bought something I had listed on craigslist. She said "wow, you are a stay at home mom with 3 little ones?" Is this a question or a statement. Or a statement of the obvious. Groan. But she was giving me cash for my item, so I decided to be nice. "I'm just not cut out for that" she continues on. So I let my gums flap and I told her it's like this.... I am not cut out for this either. It's something I decided to do because it's what's best for the family. Not everything you are called to do in life is what's going to be most fun or most flexible for you. There is great joy in motherhood and great sacrifice too. Then she said "well, I can't exactly say I'm jealous, but I'm impressed". I wasn't trying to impress anybody in my sweats and no makeup, I was just trying to tell it like I see it! It is a common misconception that those who choose to stay home are cut from a different cloth.... that we all like to cook and sew and clean and play little people many more times than I can count. Moms come in all varieties, all shapes and sizes. I am not the kind who comes naturally to these skills. I have to work at it. And the bottom line for me is that if you really want to do something, you will work HARD at it, until you become better than you were before. Even if you are not "cut out for it" in the beginning. And trust God to do the rest. :)

what a mighty good man!

2008-03-06T11:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday late afternoon I took baby Joy in to the doc for her hacking cough! Good thing too because there was wheezing in her chest (thanks for the pre-diagnosis Kacey B). We were sent home with a baby inhaler and a very tired and cranky baby. I got home about 6:30 and found my super-dad husband had put away all the laundry, fed the big girls dinner and got them ready for bed AND cleaned the kitchen! I made us big people dinner after the kids were night night and all was well! He's the best... and he's all mine!

How 3 hours feels more like 6

2008-03-05T11:03:00.000-08:00

Everything seems to have doubled in my world as of late! Double the amount of laundry, double the amount of diapers, double the amount of tears (theirs and mine!) and also double the amount of smiles! Baby Joy is crawling at 6 months, and Emma at age 2 enjoys her new words "Emma 2, mommy 2, Ga-Ga (for Grace) 2, baby 2". In her world everyone should be two years old! Grace is a big girl now with pierced ears and definite opinions, including that she is ready for skates like all the neighbor kids.

In the mornings, my wonderful hubby takes Grace to pre-K. From 8:30 - 11:30, a typical day goes something like this...
Emma cries because everyone gets to leave but her (I know the feeling!) We take a trip to walmart after the baby's morning nap. Mommy is kinda frazzled trying to push a cart, prop up a baby bottle and read a list at the same time. A pack of applesauce slips out of my hand onto the floor. Yikes! A nice grandmotherly type tells me the walmart people will clean up after me. I tell her I'm having one of those days. I know, she says. This is the first time someone has spoken kind words to me in a walmart!! I'm wearing sandals and there is applesauce in between my toes now...

We get back home where there is double the poop to be changed, double the lunches to be spoon fed to the youngens, and the groceries are still sitting on top of the dryer. Somehow walking thru the garage takes double the amount of time when you have a curious 2 yr old. She stops to take yet another bite out of Miss Morgan's magic eraser (I told you I'd have to buy you another one of those Mo!) and cries that the Play-doh is not allowed inside the house. Finally, blissfully, thank you Jesus it is 11:30 and babies are ready for naps.. That, my friends is how 3 hours can feel like 6. What are stay at home moms all over the world doing tomorrow morning? Probably some variation of the above. good day folks.