The Supermom Blues

PMM - Proud Mommy Moments

2012-01-19T07:22:00.000-06:00

Today I am linking up with my friend KMama over at The Daily Dribbles for Proud Mommy Moments!
For more info on what PMM is all about, see this post.

Throughout my children's lives, there have been a myriad of moments that made me grin, even more that have made me cringe, and a few that just left me speechless.

This moment is one of those speechless moments.

My best friend, Laura, and I spend a lot of time at each other's houses. And by a lot, I mean that we are blessed to be able to see each other almost every day. Thus our children also spend a lot of time together. Laura's daughter and my son are both four. Same age, same temperment, almost the same personality.

They're both quite funny, in fact, and even when they do something outrageous, it is usually hilarious enough to keep them from getting into a lot of trouble.

The particular day in question, the kids were playing nicely in the back bedroom with the baby. Usually we have sounds of screams and laughter - all loud, happy sounds. This was no different. Until we noticed that it had been unusually quiet in there for a whole five minutes - an hour in four-year-old time.

Concerned, we both made our way to the room to see what was going on.
We found our four year old children jumping on the bed together.
Naked.
Completely, utterly, stark, buck naked.
Not a lick of clothes on except their socks.
My jaw dropped, then I had to stifle the biggest laugh, as did my friend.
Of course, we spoke to them about the importance of not being naked in front of each other at this tender stage of their development. When we asked who's idea it was, we found that it was my son who said to his "girlfriend" "let's get naked!"
Great. My boy's gonna be a mac-daddy.
But when I told my husband about it, his response was:
"That's my boy!"
I'm so proud!

Okay! Now it’s your turn. Type out your Proud, or maybe not-so-Proud Mommy Moment and link it up! Don’t forget to check out Emmy’s Proud Mommy Moment as well! One last thing, PMM isn’t just for mom’s…anyone can link up!

Memories . . .

2011-12-31T10:51:00.000-06:00

This week we said a very loving goodbye to a very special woman.

My husband's Grandmother, Clara Jones, was one of the most remarkable people on the planet. She was filled with love for the Holy Spirit, she was loving to everyone, kind, giving, and wise. She never met someone that wasn't a friend immediately, and she made it a point ask often "are you going to church anywhere regular?"

Grandma Clara was someone that we can all strive to be like.

She spent a lot of time in her garden.

She spent a lot of time with her grandchildren and, later, great grandchildren.

She loved the Lord and witnessed whenever she got a chance, in her gentle way.

One of my favorite memories of her is the first time I ever met her.

It was Christmas of 2005 - my first Christmas with my husband's family.

Ronnie and I had only been dating about a month, but we knew that we were meant for each other, but I was still so nervous meeting his family for the first time.

I was sitting on the couch, by myself, watching all the hub-bub and taking it all in. Grandma came and sat next to me and started talking to me. She asked me questions about myself and told me about her family. We must have sat there and talked for a whole hour. She made me feel so welcome - it was as though I was already a member of the family.

I never forgot that.

Every time I saw her since, she made me feel so loved and welcome.

My daughter, who was not her blood grandchild, became her grandchild. Once Emily got older, she would sit and talk to Grandma for hours at a time if she could.

She will be truly missed, but I revel in the fact that she is Home with her Lord and Savior.

Grandma got the best Christmas gift she could have ever gotten - she got to spend Jesus' birthday with Him in Heaven.

Good bye Grandma, we love you.

We'll see you later.

Wordless Wednesday - Santa Claus is Coming To Town!

2011-12-21T07:38:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas From

The SuperMom Blues!

For more Wordless Wednesday,

visit 5 Minutes For Mom!

A Heartfelt Letter to my Family . . .

2011-12-14T09:37:00.000-06:00

My Darlings:

As I'm sure you all have noticed, lately Mommy/Wifey-poo has been in quite a mood lately. The stress of the holidays coming upon us is putting its toll on me, for sure. That being said, something else has been bothering me (as it has probably bothered you). The condition of our house. It feels that every time I clean your messes, you are right behind me leaving another one. This has put undue stress on me that you would not believe.

Therefore, I have devised a plan that will alleviate that stress.

I will no longer be picking up your messes.

Don't worry, I'll pick up after myself, and I will still cook meals. I will also do laundry, dust, scrub toilets . . . that sort of thing. But I will no longer be picking up the messes you all make around me.

That means you will have to pick up after yourselves from now on. I hope you can handle that.

There are also a few rules that will have to go along with this new revelation.

First, if it's not in the dishwasher when I run it, it will probably not be clean.
Second, if it's not in the hamper, then it will probably not get clean.
Third, if it's blocking my way to doing my job, it will probably be hidden somewhere that you might not find it. . . like the trash can.
Fourth, you each have your own chores. Please do them as soon as they need to be done. I cannot do MY job, if YOU do not do YOUR job.

Effective immediately. Thanks for your understanding.

With much love and affection:
Momma/Wifey

This Messy House . . .

2011-12-13T06:48:00.001-06:00

It's been a while since I've sat here at the keyboard pouring my heart out for the world to see. For a while there, blogging just got to where it wasn't fun anymore. It became tedious. I became more concerned about followers and readers than about the real reason I started this journey to begin with: ME. So this and my other blog, Supermom: Losing It will both change slightly over the course of the next few months. Thank you for reading, and enjoy.

My house is driving me crazy.
Let me rephrase that . . .
The fact that my house cannot stay clean for any longer than thirty minutes at a time is driving me crazy.

It has become that even the most mundane tasks, like throwing something away or putting a dish up is not getting done. By anyone, not even myself. I guess maybe the thought in my head is something along the lines of: "if no one else cares, why should I?"

The irony of this is that I have my own self-creted house keeping system. It has worked tremendously well in the past, but I just don't stick with it. I clean for a while, then things get overwhelming again or I realize that I'm the only one doing anything and the frustration sets in.

But it gets very frustrating when you spend time to clean a room, come back five minutes later and it's completely trashed again.

Thanks for listening,

Wordless Wednesday - If Only

2011-08-31T07:12:00.000-05:00

If only it snowed in August.

But, alas, it cannot be so.

For if it snowed in August,

By November, we'd be sick of snow!

Marriage Minded Monday - Controlling the Money

2011-08-29T06:13:00.000-05:00

This week I am, once again, linking up with Nan over at Mom's The Word for her weekly Making Your Home Sing post! Go visit her right now and see what you can do to help make your home sing!

Statistics show, according to this article, that the number one cause of divorce is finances.
This is not surprising, as financial problems are linked to a number of issues including depression and health problems.
What is surprising is that more couples don't try to take the necessary steps in order to prevent this kind of calamity from harming their marriage.

Sometimes problems arise and there's nothing you can do about them - an injury, a lay-off, car problems, natural disasters - all of these things can happen. But more often then not, overspending, under budgeting, and lack of communication are what lead to financial disaster.

If you find yourself in this situation, the one thing to remember is that ignorance, in this case, is not bliss. It is necessary to communicate the problem with your spouse in a non-accusatory manner: "There is more money going out than what is coming in." Work together to come up with some solutions to save money: "I can give up this monthly payment" "I can give up this weekly treat." And decide together which debts should be taken care of first: "The hospital payment is more, but the credit card is more urgent".

Once the initial debt is taken care of, it's important to look at your budget again, together, to figure out where the mishap took place to begin with and what you, as a family, can do to prevent it from happening again, or to prepare for it in case it does. It may mean the whole family makes a sacrifice such as cable or satellite service, monthly gaming fees, or even giving up certain grocery items, but in the long run it will put you in a better financial place.

After you're head-above-water again, it will be important to continue to go over finances together often. Work together to see when things look like they might falter and to come up with solutions to prevent disaster. Start planning together for those unplanned but unpreventable times that could occur. And remember, above all, communication is key!

TMI Friday - Tata Talk

2011-08-26T08:14:00.000-05:00

*WARNING - THE FOLLOWING POST MAY CONTAIN ADULT-RELATED SUBJECTS NOT INTENDED FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 16*

Happy Friday Kiddies! It's time for another edition of TMI Friday! The post that will leave you cringing in your seat.

This week we're going to talk about a subject very close to me.
Boobs. Breasts. Chi-chi's. Tatas. Melons. Gazangas.
You get the point.
What prompted this subject?
Having electrodes stuck all around one of mine.
I realized that the gown they had given me to wear would not go around my . . . girls.
It was a bit humiliating, to tell you the truth.
I can't help that they're big - that's how God made me after all.
And I don't hear any complaints from The Hubbs.
But as the EKG specialist was placing said electrodes all around my ginormous mounds, a random thought popped into my head.
"I haven't done a breast exam lately"
Yes, that's a WEIRD thing to go through one's head, I know. But it did.
You see, cancer - specifically breast and ovarian cancer - run in my family.
My paternal grandmother died from it, and I'm fairly certain there have been others down the genetic line that have as well.
So I am generally pretty obsessive about my breast exams.
Like every-night-obsessive.
So for me to realize I hadn't done one in a while really worried me.
"Oh my God, what if I haven't checked in a week and something mysteriously appeared in that time frame??"
Yes, I am a bit of a hypochondriac sometimes.
Of course, after having the sticky things ripped off my sensitive skin (can we say OUCH???) I sat there the whole time thinking "I need to do one".
So when I got home, I did.
And, as usual, I found nothing.
So, LADIES . . .
Have you done YOUR breast exam this month?

When Parents Don't Parent . . .

2011-08-23T12:22:00.000-05:00

It saddens me to see a young woman head down the wrong path in life.
And it saddens me even more when this young woman is someone I love dearly and that I'm very close to.
The thing that saddens me the most is that she is right now crying out for attention.
Her parents, as many young people's are, are divorced. Both parents love her dearly, there's no doubt about that.
But sadly, she doesn't see her father as often as she could or should.
That leaves her mother.
Her mother loves her very much. But her mother has issues of her own. And, sadly, the young woman I speak of is very affected by these issues.
Her mother is often in bed, in fact, her mother (according to her children) is in bed more often than not - sleeping both the day and the night away. This leaves her children to fend for themselves.
And, of course, when you have a teenage daughter with no adult supervision . . .
I am praying hard for this young woman because I know all the wonderful things she is inside.
She is a talented artist.
She is a caring, loving person.
She is a devout Christian.
She is amazingly smart.
And I also know that she is hurting inside, aching so badly for the positive attention that she is not getting.
I pray that she finds herself and realizes where this path will lead her.
Before it's too late.

This is a hard lesson for parents.
So often we want to push our children into being responsible, before they're actually ready to be responsible.
Please, mom's, dad's . . .
Let your babies be babies.
And, for their sake,
PLEASE be a parent.

Proud Mommy Moments: She's NOT a Sheeple!

2011-08-18T10:56:00.000-05:00

This summer, parents everywhere were shocked at Abercrombie and Fitch's introduction of a new line of girls swimwear that included padded bikini tops, in sizes as small as 2T!! (either they sold out or took them off the market b/c the tops are no longer on the web site)

Well, the shock continues as Jours Apre Lunes - a French lingerie company - introduces a line of girls lingerie, including "high fashion photo advertising" in French Vogue and other fashion magazines throughout Europe. The "high fashion" photo shoots show young girls in provocative poses wearing little except panties and tiny bras or undershirts.

The problem with this is not that they're selling girls underwear - let's face it, girls need underwear and there's going to be advertising for it, but having the girls in heavy makeup, feather boas, and bouffant hairdo's is very extreme. This advertising ploy is, in fact, turning these small girls into sex objects, and into potential victims of pedophilia.

Not only that, but the message that is being sent to girls around the globe is that sexy - even at three - is the way to be.

The fashion industry these days is hitting girls at younger and younger ages. Gone are the days of rompers and jumpers and frilly dresses and pigtails. Now we are all into skinny jeans, mini skirts, off the shoulder tops, and, as my daughter calls it, "bling". Little girls as young as three are wearing outfits that I would have been sent home for in High School.

Parents, let's allow our kids to just be kids for a little bit longer. Why do we feel the need to turn our 10 year olds into sex kittens, or to allow them to wear sexy, revealing, or provocative clothing just because it's "in fashion". Tell the "fashion" industry that we don't want our daughters dressing like this by NOT buying it!

The rule in my house: You can wear what you want, as long as you're not revealing anything that you shouldn't be. We have the three B's that must be covered: Butt, back, and boobs. If those aren't completely covered, the outfit goes bye-bye. Period.

My Proud Mommy Moment?
My daughter is all of seven years old. When we were watching the news story this morning on the Today show, I turned to her and asked her "what do you think of this?" Her response: "Mom, it's stupid! Those girls look gross and dumb". I couldn't have agreed more. And I am proud to report that my child is NOT a Sheeple.

Today I'm linking up with KMama over at The Daily Dribbles for Proud Mommy Moments! Go check it out and share your PMM!

Marriage Minded Monday: Sharing Responsibility

2011-08-15T09:27:00.000-05:00

A common complaint among today's couples is how the household responsibilities are divied out.
Many claim that they have too much responsibility - cleaning, cooking, budgeting, child rearing, etc. - while their spouse does little to help, if anything.

Shared responsibility in running a household is essential.
When one spouse bares too much responsibility, it becomes grueling, tedious, exhausting, and overwhelming.

In my own situation, the responsibilities are as follows:

My husband works outside the home, does all the yard work, does all the "fix it" chores, handles the budget, and helps with the dishes, the laundry, and the children when he gets home from work, and takes out the garbage.

I stay at home with the children, keep the house clean (most of the time), handle the meal planning, shopping, cooking, schedule, and calender, as well as keep up with dishes and clothes when he is at work.

The children also have chores of their own.

This is a plan that certainly works for us.
That being said, this might not be a viable distribution for your own family - find out what works for your family.

For example, a couple who both work outside the home may decide to divy up chores and child raising equally: the wife may plan meals, do dishes, and tuck the children in while the husband may take out the garbage, cook, and give the children their baths, or something similar.

The point it, it is important that every member of the household is involved with its running. It keeps the burden from being solely one person's, and it helps family members feel important and needed.

Today I'm linking up with Nan over at Mom's The Word for Making Your Home Sing Monday.

Go pay her a visit and see what you can do to make your home sing this week!

TMI - PS3 RAGE

2011-08-05T09:41:00.000-05:00

Hello kids! It's time for a terrifying edition of TMI Friday.

Be afraid.

Be very afraid . . .

Our PS3 is on the fritz.

It's to be expected, I guess. We'd bought it when they first came out, and we use it ALL the time - every day for 4 hours +. So for it to be acting up now is really not a surprise.

But when the PS3 and the blue ray player on your laptop goes out at the same time . . .

AND you have a Netflix blue ray sitting on your entertainment center ready to be watched.

AND you're at home in a teeny-tiny space with two teenagers, a school ager, and a preschooler - and it's TOO HOT TO GO OUTSIDE.

Life with no PS3/Blue ray Player is like . . . Is like . . .

Well I don't know what it's like, but it's NOT FUN! So now I get to listen to the big kids whine b/c the preschooler is watching Team Umi Zoomi, I listen to the school ager whine because the teenagers are being allowed to play on computers/handheld devices, and I listen to the preschooler whine because, well, he's a preschooler.

But that's not the rage part.

The rage happened last night when The Hubbs was trying to fix the blue ray player on his laptop and try to make the PS3 work simultaneously.

He scared me!!

I think he actually cussed IN FRONT of the kids (which he NEVER does).

I was seriously afraid he was going to throw the PS3 and his lap top out the window!

But, he did not.

He did, in fact, FINALLY get the blue ray player on his laptop to work.

But the PS3?

It's Ppppppppppphhhhhhhhhht.

:-(

Proud Mommy Moments

2011-08-04T07:44:00.001-05:00

Today I'm linking up with KMama for PMM-Proud Mommy Moments. If you have a proud - or not so proud - mommy moment, be sure to link up with her today! And if you don't well head over to her blog The Daily Dribbles anyway and give her a shout out!

I have never been prouder of Emily as I was this week.

Of course there was the evening in the E. R. on Monday night - she was so brave and amazing. I was truly humbled watching her that night.

But then there has been the rest of the week - so far.

My daughter has turned into one of the most responsible children on the planet.

Case in point:

Tuesday I forgot to give her dose #2 of her medicine. She came to me at bedtime, and reminded me. Me, being "practical mommy" reminded her that drinking right before bed wasn't a good idea. Her response:

"But Momma, I'm supposed to have TWO DOSES!!"

I stood there, chastised.

Then gave her her second dose.

For those parents that have never delt with the problems of constipation with encopresis, this is HUGE. Typically, children with these problems will do whatever it takes to PREVENT going to the bathroom. So for Emily to understand the importance of taking her medication is amazing.

I love my daughter so much and I am so proud that she is mine.

Marriage Minded Monday - Parenting Styles

2011-08-01T08:02:00.001-05:00

One of the biggest disagreements between couples is parenting.
Spouse A thinks they should talk things out with Billy when he breaks the window. Spouse B thinks Billy needs a spanking.
Spouse A thinks that Suzie should be grounded because she talked back. Spouse B thinks it's not THAT big a deal.

Any of this sound familiar to you?

One thing that our children must ALWAYS understand is that we parents are going to back each other up 100%. Children have to feel that their parents are a unit - supportive of each other and on each other's side.
But what happens when parents don't always agree on discipline?

This is a problem in so many households. Chances are, if you have children, you and your spouse will disagree on how to parent them - at least somewhat.

So what's the solution?

Compromise and secrecy is key in situations like this.
Compromise between parents and secrecy from the kids, that is.

First off, there has to be a common ground on how to handle any given situation. Let's say you want to spank your child, but your spouse is a talker. A good compromise would be to have a "three strikes" kind of rule - the first two offenses (of the same kind) receive a good lecture and/or grounding with a warning that the third time will result in a spanking. The child will know what is coming ahead of time, so when that third offense inevitably comes, the corporal punishment occurs.

There also has to be some form of compromise on rules of the household. For example, one parent wants the children to only play video games on the weekends - when they don't have homework. Another parent thinks that kids playing during the week isn't a big deal. So the compromise - the child may only play video games during the week for one hour or less, and only after homework and chores have been confirmed done.

As for secrecy - let's face it, if children knew that parents didn't agree on discipline and punishment, they'd certainly use it to their benefit. Children can be quite manipulative, after all, and many love to put parent against parent in "the punishment war". This is why compromise and secrecy are so important.

The final key to the puzzle of parenting together is consistency. This is, of course, is a given even when there's not disagreement. Misbehavior increases in situations where consistency is a problem. Why? Because they feel that "I got away with it that one time - let's see if I can get away with it again!"

Now, this will not guarantee anything in the area of your children. (Children will test the waters to see how far they can push someone, and they are curious about their world. So occasional misbehavior is a given. If your child becomes a "behavior problem" you should certainly seek the help of a professional.) But if your marriage is constantly "on the rocks" because you and your spouse can't seem to get on the same page, you might try talking all of it over after the kids go to bed, and writing out behaviors and disciplines together. Parenting together is hard, but the results are so rewarding.

TMI Friday - Locker Room Edition!

2011-07-29T08:06:00.000-05:00

It's time for another edition of TMI Friday!

So grab a cuppa, sit back, relax, and get ready to laugh your heads off.

For those of you that DON'T know (if there are any of you that don't, LOL) - my mother and I have recently started taking a water aerobics class.

The class is FANTASTIC.

The locker room . . .

Well it can be quite scary at times.

Case in point:

Old women.

Naked.

Yes.

I said NAKED.

Now, I'm big on modesty to begin with. Honestly, I wouldn't want a stacked 20-something year old gettin' naked in front of me either.

But then the locker room can be good for a laugh or two.

For example:

Last night I was changing in the bathroom while my mother was taking a shower. From across the locker room I hear her humming some really old-timey song. It sounded good, but as she is my mother, of course I have to rile her, so after I'm dressed I walk into the shower room and say

"Hey, Ma,

you're becoming the creepy humming lady of the locker room!"

My mother then proceeds to open her shower curtain to inform me that

"Honey, THAT WASN'T ME"

At which point the lady in the shower stall next to her replies:

"Oh, no!

I guess I'M becoming the creepy humming lady of the locker room!"

Total locker room fail.

*Note - yes the other lady and we had a good laugh about it afterwards!*

Thoughtful Thursday - RUDE People

2011-07-28T09:43:00.000-05:00

I am about to say something very unChristian right now, so if you're easily offended you might cover your ~~ears~~ eyes or scroll down a bit.

i hate rude people

There.
I said it.

I have a HUGE aversion to rude people.
People that cut in line
People that talk loudly in movies.
People that push their way past you.
People that cut you off on the freeway.

It drives. me. BATTY.
What happened to politeness?
What happened to saying
"excuse me"
"please"
"thank you"
?????

Can anyone tell me the answer to this one?
Because I'm DYING to know.

Wordless Wednesday: Young Love

2011-07-27T08:46:00.000-05:00

They are but a mere three years old, yet their love seems to be eternal:

Happy On The Slide

Always Hugging

They are the two in the middle: This was right when she decided to give him a big kiss in the middle of Bible School.

See? ALWAYS hugging!

Sometimes they fight - like an old married couple. Then they'll stop and say:

"I love you!"

And hug again.

Her mom and I are convinced that she and Jake will be married someday and give us beautiful grand babies.

For more Wordless Wednesdays, visit 5 Minutes for Mom!

Tasty Tuesday Has Moved!!

2011-07-19T09:35:00.000-05:00

Since most of my Tasty Tuesday recipes will be considered healthier fare, I have decided to move these posts over to my weight loss blog, SuperMom: Losing It. If you've never visited my other blog, I would love to invite you to go now! The focus is my journey - both physical and spiritual - to a healthier me.

I have struggled with weight my entire life. I look back at pictures of me from first grade and realize that I'm the tallest - and heaviest - person in my class - from first all the way through high school. I have never been able to lose weight on my own, no matter how I've tried. I started my Weight Watchers journey in 2008 at 298, then quit a few weeks later. Honestly, I was in a bad place emotionally, I wasn't ready, and I was doing it all online. In February I joined Weight Watchers AGAIN at 292 lbs - with meetings this time. I have since lost around 7 pounds. A couple of weeks ago I began a water aerobics class that I feel will truly help me further. It's been an up and down road, but I am becoming more and more confident every day.

So, go visit Losing It for your Tasty Tuesday recipe - and maybe a little inspiration!
God Bless!

Marriage Minded Monday - When You Disagree

2011-07-18T09:16:00.000-05:00

This week I got a lesson from God about speaking up when something was bothering me.

I also learned that (as I said on my facebook page) I don't give my husband near enough credit.

I think we all assume that our spouses will respond one way when we tell them we don't agree with them, but when it comes down to it, they may very well respond differently.

Case in point:

I won't go into detail, but there was a project my husband and I have been discussing that was about to come into fruition.

It was going to take a lot of time, energy, and money to do this.

I have been worried about it - for a VERY long time - but I didn't want to say anything to my husband because I didn't want to hurt his feelings, nor did I want to squelch his dream.

So when it was right about to happen, I snapped. I turned into a sobbing, blubbering mess. I knew exactly what was bothering me, but I was still so afraid to tell him the truth that I came up with every other thing I could be stressed over - including something that I've never mentioned, ever! EVERYTHING but the problem at hand.

Finally, I told him. I was so worried that he would be hurt and that he would be angry. But instead, he told me he had the same concerns.

So we had a long discussion on it and decided - TOGETHER - to put it off for a while until we're in a better place, financially.

As you can see, my assumption was very off course, and as a result ended up in my anxiety and stress.

He had no idea - how could he?

I'd never told him!

Your disagreement may come from a different place - you might be in arms over child-rearing, finances, where to live, career choices . . .

Whatever it is, remember you DO have a voice.

God tells us in 1 Peter 3:1 to submit to our husbands the way Christ submitted to God. But remember, that even Christ spoke up about his concerns to the Lord in Matthew 26:39 "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup be taken from me . . ."

Yes, the bible tells us that we SHOULD submit fully to our husbands. And if mine had told me "I understand your concerns, but I really want to do this now rather than later" then we would have and that would have been the end of it. But the fact is, sometimes our husbands are waiting on US to speak up first because they're afraid of the same thing we are.

God's Blessings on you for a wonderful week!

Today I'm linking up with Nan from Mom's The Word for Making Your Home Sing Monday!

Go give her a visit and see how YOU can make YOUR home sing today!

Wordless Wednesday - A Boy and His Balloon

2011-07-13T07:20:00.000-05:00

Jake loves balloons.

I mean he REALLY loves balloons.

For More Wordless Wednesdays, visit 5 Minutes For Mom.

Tasty Tuesdays: Homemade Mac and Cheese (SO Good!)

2011-07-12T07:57:00.000-05:00

Oooey

Gooey

Cheesy

Yum...

You will need:

2 T butter

2 T flour

1 1/4 C milk

1/2 small block velveeta

1/2 bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 lb small short pasta (elbow, shells, bow-tie . . .)

For seasoning you will need:

2 T worchestershire sauce

1 Tsp nutmeg

2 Tsp ground mustard

1 T black pepper

salt to taste

Instructions:

In a stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat:

Add flour:

Cook, stirring with wooden spoon, 2 minutes to form a thick blonde roux.

Add milk and whisk.

(Why I have a wooden spoon in the picture, I have NO idea.)

Continue to cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of your wooden spoon:

Run your finger through the mix. If it stays separate, it's done!

Remove from heat and mix in cheddar cheese and velveeta:

Cutting up your Velveeta into smaller chunks will help it melt quicker.

At this point, add your seasonings.

When cheese is melted add your cooked pasta:

Mix well and serve hot!

*Note - this is NOT necessarily a "healthy" food - I used all 2% dairy products and whole grain white pasta, so it can be a little healthier if you wish*

I am considering starting a Tasty Tuesday blog hop/meme. If you would be interested in sharing your recipes with others, and learning some new ones, let me know and I'll "Make it so".

Marriage Minded Monday: Time Together

2011-07-11T10:22:00.000-05:00

Do you spend time with your spouse? Let me rephrase that. Do you MAKE time to spend with your spouse?
Are you one of those couples that lead different lives and only sleep in the same bed (occasionally).

There are couples who have no choice but to be apart - one may be a soldier, or a driver, or work on a pipeline.
But what about those couples that live together all the time?

One of the fundamental foundations of a good relationship is getting to know your spouse. The only way to do that is by spending time together. Watch a movie together, read to each other, or just sit across the table from each other and talk.

You might find out something interesting about your spouse that you never knew before.

Don't think you have anything in common with your partner? Try a compromise - one night a week you do what one of you wants and one night do what the other wants. You might discover a new love of a hobby, a musical or film genre, or art.

For example, before my husband and I were married, you would not have caught me on a small manned watercraft. Especially one without sides and with the potential of going 30 mph + on a lake. Then he introduced me to our Hobie 16' Catamarand:

Isn't it beautiful??

Now, I CRAVE this boat. I LONG to ride for hours!

And as for my husband, I brought to him a love of different exotic and healthy foods. His whole life had been fried, creamed, cheesed, and fat. I taught him to love quinoa and to TOLERATE (lol) asparagus.

Make some time today to spend with your spouse - just the two of you, together. You may find it makes all the difference in your relationship!

Today I'm linking up with my friend Nan's Making Your Home Sing Monday!

Run to her blog (Mom's The Word) NOW and check it out!!

Silly Saturday! Brownie Pops!

2011-07-09T08:17:00.000-05:00

So last week on Wordless Wednesday I posted this picture of the yummy treat with the promise that there would be a story and recipe that Saturday. Well, as it would happen, life happened and sometimes you just don't get to blog what you intended that day. So, here it is for you today, kids!

I'd been wanting to make these for a long time, I've seen them done with everything from cookies to cake and thought I'd give the brownies a try. My daughter Emily is my budding Chef, so she was my assistant for the day. We had chocolate and sprinkles everywhere, and every once in a while my OCD would kick in and I'd take over, but we still managed to have a blast. We giggled and laughed. Emily ended up with chocolate all over her face and more on the counters! She teased me by pretending to lick it off the floor at one point. And she was the first to sample her creation. It was a great time!

So Yum

Evan playing with Photoshop Settings, they STILL look YUM!

Pretty, to boot!

Brownie Pops
(I was unable to take pictures the day of, so I hope you are able to follow my instructions!)

Ingredients:

1 batch brownies, baked according to package directions
2 containers Bakers dipping chocolate
1 container Bakers white dipping chocolate
Sprinkles

Tools:

Lollipop sticks (Can be found on the craft baking aisle at local Super Store such as Wal Mart or Target. Can also be found at hobby and craft stores such as Hobby Lobby and Michael's. Ask for the Wilton aisle).
Small cupcake liners or parchment paper
Plate
Cookie sheet

Cut the edges of the brownies off and ~~eat~~ discard.
Scoop balls out of the middle with a small cookie scoop (this will make about 24 balls).
Place balls on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
Put cookie sheet in freezer and freeze for 15 minutes to harden and chill the brownie balls.
Meanwhile, melt the dipping chocolate according to package directions.
Dip the balls into the chocolate using a fork or your fingers (DON'T lick in between dips!) and return to cookie sheet.
Put the lollipop sticks into the balls.
Return to the freezer for another 15 minutes or until chocolate is set.
Melt the white dipping chocolate according to package directions.
Dip each pop 1/2 way up the ball and dip into sprinkles.
Place in small cupcake liners or return to cookie sheet.
Return to freezer 5 minutes to set.
Serve immediately or place into containers/plastic bags. (Freezer up to 3 months, fridge up to 1 week - IF they last that long!)

Enjoy the sweets and the memories!

TMI Friday - PEEESSSTSSS!!

2011-07-08T08:47:00.000-05:00

Hey kids! It's time for another edition of:

Where we're open to discuss anything and everything from the gross to the political.

After last weeks political debauchery . . .

I decided this week to bring back the

EEEWWWWWW!!!

by revisiting on of my favorite subjects . . .

PESTS!!

Specifically . . .

ANTS

ROACHES

and

MICE!!

First off let's talk about ants.

I know I've mentioned this a time or two but

I. Hate. Ants.

...!...

They have successfully been seen in every single orface of my kitchen now.

The plants.

The cabinets.

The sink.

The counters.

I even found them in some food - molasses to be exact.

Needless to say I've thrown away a LOT of stuff over the last month.

But after much determined work and effort

(and some really great ant baits)

I think we have the situation under control once and for all.

At least I haven't seen an ant in about 48 hours.

ROACHES

Ugh.

These are the absolute

MOST disgusting things on the planet.

I've learned a few things about them over the years.

First of all, they actually are not drawn to filth.

They're drawn to paper products and industrial glues.

Which is why so many older houses have infestations.

I also learned that there are two types generally in my area: American and German.

One is, of course, easier to get rid of than the other.

And finally I learned the most important lesson of all this past week.

Roaches really REALLY like electronics.

After talking to my best friend, I found this out.

So I thought I would open up the bottom of my coffee maker . . .

Just to be sure. Since we'd seen them around it so often.

Oh.

My.

HOLYCOW!!!

It was GROSS in there!!

Little roach carcases plastered all over the workings

On the wires.

On the sides.

Feces . . . egg sacks . . .

I almost threw up.

I decided I was going to throw away my $200 coffee maker right then and there.

Enter the hubby.

"I can clean that" He assured me.

Riiiiiiight, I thought. But I figured the worse that could happen was . . .

well we'd end up having to throw it away.

I admit when I was wrong.

And I give my husband a LOT of credit.

He stomached the grossness.

Wiped out every single wire with clorox.

Took the ENTIRE thing apart

Cleaned the entire thing up.

And put it back together.

He is my hero.

And the reason I write this with a delicious cuppa joe in front of me right now.

I love that man.

So now that their obvious nest has been cleaned out, and we've put gel, baits, and little contraptions that are supposed to sterilize them around the house,

I have yet to see one.

*happy dance*

And now for my final subject . . .

MICE.

My facebook friends know all about my little mouse-capades.

Jennifer Munson DeMoss

I already have my TMI Friday post for next week, LOL. I swear we must have the smartest mouse (mice?) on the planet! He's managed to evade at least two traps. One, he took the food off of. It tripped, but no mouse. The other he CHEWED ON!! I'll be posting pics here in a bit. It'd be funny if it didn't gross me out so much, LOL!!

Well, I didn't get the pics on Facebook, but I have them for you, kids!!

Peruse:

Here you see the trap: Empty . . . No cheese. No mouse!

This is the one the mouse flipped over. Notice the chewed up stuff around it from the basket here on the left. Also, that long thing to the right of the container is a piece of leather from the basket NOT a mouse tail.

Close-up. Notice the chewing on the upper right hand corner of the trap!

Now the disturbing part . . .

When I picked up the trap, I noticed that it had been tripped, but again, no mouse.

But there WAS a mouse paw!!

Jennifer Munson DeMoss OMG!!! I flip over the chewed mouse trap and there's a paw stuck in the trap!!! GROSS!!! So now we have a three-pawed mouse running around and he's probably PISSED!

Jennifer Munson DeMoss It's a government-engineered uber mouse, I'm sure of it . . .

Jennifer Munson DeMoss The Arnold of mice . . .

That evening as the hubbs and I are watching TV we notice a mouse running behind our entertainment center and curtain in the living room.

Hubby sat out a trap.

The next morning we discovered a (finally) trapped mouse.

He was missing a paw.

Thanks for joining me for this weeks TMI Friday, Kids!

If you have any suggestions for subjects, let me know in the comments or shoot me an email here.

Thoughtful Thursday - I'm Done With Summer

2011-07-07T06:53:00.000-05:00

Once upon I time, I was ready for summer.
I could sleep late, enjoy my kids, didn't have to go anywhere.
But that fairy tale was long over weeks ago.

First of all, let's talk about the heat.
I'm in Texas. It hit 104 yesterday and today it's supposed to hit 105.
I have window units. They're OKAY, but certainly don't have the cooling power of central A/C.
Not to mention the fact that we have a gas stove. The pilot lights stay on. That kitchen gets HOT.

Now let's talk about sleep.
Sleeping late is overrated, to say the very least.
I feel worse and worse every day, and I think it's because I seem to be sleeping later and later.

Enjoying my kids?
Well, since it's too hot to go outside, and there's not much to do right now . . .
They're hot,
Bored,
Cranky,
and Annoying.

And not having to go anywhere? Well, that gets old after the first two weeks.

I have another two months of this?

Dear Summer:

I AM SO OVER YOU!

Love,

Wordless Wednesday - The Lake Misses Us

2011-07-06T08:55:00.000-05:00

I miss the lake.

And I think it misses us.

Our Lake Lot is Lonely

See?? See how lonely it is??

It's even pointing us to the lake. It misses us.

*Sigh*

I need a vat of SPF 50,

our Hobie,

my husband,

and a day at the lake.

For more Wordless Wednesdays, visit 5 Minutes For Mom and link up!

Marriage Minded Monday - It's The Little Things . . .

2011-07-05T08:04:00.000-05:00

Yes, Kids, I know YESTERDAY was Monday, but yesterday was also the 4th, so I took the morning off from, well, EVERYTHING, and enjoyed my husband while I had him home for one more day. We did nothing but sit in front of the TV and clear our DVR all day, but it was WONDERFUL!! Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th as well! Now, ON WITH THE BLOG!

What do you do for your husband?
I know that we women sometimes tend to be moody or cranky when our husbands don't do things for us:
"He should have thought to do that"
But oftentimes we forget that our husbands need a little TLC as well.

For example:
I make my husband's dinner plate.
He neither asks nor expects me to do so, but I just do.
I like to make his plate.
And he is always appreciative when I do.

It may seem like nothing - an insignificant motion - but sometimes it's those "nothing" moments that can mean the world to our hubbies.

Like an unexpected love note when you know he's had a bad day.
A saucy text message to let him know he's on your mind.
Letting him have control of the remote.
Fluffing his pillow a little extra.
Making his favorite for dinner even though you hate it.

These are things we can do to "spoil" our hubbies a little bit.
And believe me when I say that the more we "spoil" them, the more they'll want to spoil us.
God bless!

TMI Friday: Dear New York

2011-07-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday Kiddies!

You know what Fridays' are for, right?

Alright, so I know that typically, TMI Fridays are reserved for gross or embarassing conversation.

Well, this week, I will be "going there" and discussiong something quite controversial.

If you haven't heard already, New York has passed a same-sex marriage bill over the past week.

The following is a letter that I have composed in my mind over and again about these events.

Dear New York:

Recently you passed a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry and have all the rights and priveleges as any heterosexual married couple. This has been called many things from a step toward progress to a step toward damnation for man kind. It is certainly historical, and has brought the word "equality" to a new and unprecedented level.

But I have a delimma, see . . .

My delimma is this.

As a Christian, I hold dear to Biblical truths and religions writings. And the bible clearly states that same-sex relationships are an "abomination" in the eyes of God. So from that persepctive, the idea of two men or two women together in the "bonds of holy matrimony" bothers me somewhat.

But on the other hand, as a human, and as a person with many dear friends in the GLT community, I jump for joy at the thought of some of my good friends finally being able to have happiness like mine in a married relationship.

Gay marriage is nothing light to think about, for sure.

Despite my misgivings, however, I continue to go back to two things.

1) God doesn't make mistakes.

2) We are all sinners, and no one sin is greater than any other in God's eyes.

Therefore, from that perspective, is it really anyone's right to say that two men or two women cannot be married? Certainly, from God's perspective, they are "living sinfully", but so is the gossip next door, the unwed mother, the pastor with a roving eye, the closet pot-smoker . . . These are no less sinful than homosexuality. And God forgives each of them, even before asked.

It is disturbing to me that people in your community would stand up and say that they refuse to sign a marriage document for same-sex couples. What gives them the right to remove a right from someone else? God certainly did not give his children any rights or commands in that manner.

So, to the people of New York, and the people of the rest of the world that are fighting so hard against same-sex marriage, I respond:

God loves each of his children so much that he gave his son in sacrifice for them. He asked for nothing in return, and demands nothing of His children other than their love and devotion. Each of us has wronged God in our own ways, and not one of our actions was any less or greater than any other. Do we have the right to tell someone they can't gossip? No, that would infringe on their freedom of speech. Do we have the right to tell someone they can't think lustful thoughts or have sex before marriage? No, that would infringe on their personal privacy. If we stand up and say that only some people can have a specific right, what's to stop the world from taking away other rights - even our right as Christians to worship the way we see fit.

Rights belong to all people, even to those whose lifestyle we don't agree with.

Yours Sincerely,
SuperMom Jen

Do You Discipline?

2011-06-30T07:25:00.002-05:00

This week I am linking up (for the first time) with Blogging Guru and SITs Girl Extrodinarre Mama Kat of Mama's Losin' It.

Each week Mama Kat has a list of blogging prompts to chose from and write about.

Then link up on Thursday and join the ~~chaos~~ fun!
Here's her post for this week.

This week I chose this particular promt:

Name a pet peeve you have about how other parents raise their kids. Go on…stir the pot.

This is something that has truly been weighing on my heart lately.

I have watched many people that I love dearly mess up their lives and their children's lives by neglecting to do one simple, yet important, thing:

DISCIPLINE

Many parents today think that it's okay to let your children have control and that it's okay for them to run amok and do whatever their little hearts desire because, well, "they're only kids". Then when their children get older and begin to get out of control, they try to pawn them off onto other people because they can no longer handle them.

If you had only disciplined your child from the get-go, you wouldn't be having this problem, now, would you?

I'm not talking about yelling or spanking your child when they do something wrong, but I do feel that children NEED to be corrected and suffer consequences for their actions. And, contrary to belief, "talking" to a child is NOT a consequence! Feel free to take away a privilege (or ten), put a child in time-out (age appropriate time length, please: 1 minute for each year of age), have them write sentences or a lengthy apology note, give them extra chores, and yes, when it is warranted, it is okay to spank your kids!

The book of Proverbs states: "He who spareth the rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him correcteth him betimes" (Proverbs 13:24). This means that if you are not showing your children when they are doing wrong, and correcting them you are doing them more harm than good!

THIS is why we have a larger amount of wayward teens now than ever before.

THIS is why your child shows you little to no respect.

THIS is why children everywhere are disrespectful to each other and to adults.

Parents, for all that is holy, PLEASE learn to discipline your children!

Wordless Wednesday - Goodies

2011-06-29T07:51:00.000-05:00

The other day I made some Brownie Pops with my wonderful daughter.
The sprinkles were delightful and just begged to be photographed,
so I obliged the little attention-hogs.
So glad I did.
Incidentally, the story and the recipe will arrive on Saturday's post.

Sometimes, you just gotta have sprinkles.

For more Wordless Wednesdays, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Marriage-Minded Monday - The Importance of Communication

2011-06-27T12:08:00.000-05:00

Each Monday I will be talking about marriage and home-and-hearth.

I have learned men's greatest secret.

Are you ready for this ladies?

*men are not mind readers*

I know that comes as quite a shock, doesn't it?

But it's true.

One of the largest complaints I hear from my female friends about their husbands is:

"He never does _____" or "He ALWAYS does _______"

And then go on to say:

"He KNOWS it bothers me!"

But, does he?

Does he REALLY?

Have you TOLD him it bothers you?

"No, but he should know!"

How can someone know it bothers you if you don't tell him?

Believe it or not, many divorces have been finalized over such.

Another example comes straight out of my own marriage:

"Honey did you remember that we're going to ______ today?"
"Uh . . . No, you never told me."
"Yes, I'm sure I did! We have to leave in five minutes and drive over three hours and we both need showers and get the kids ready!!"

"You never told me!"

"I'm sure I did! We also have to stop and buy a wedding gift!"

"YOU NEVER TOLD ME!"

This one happens more than I'd like to admit in my house.

*dramatized to get the point across*

Communication is the number one key to a happy, joyful marriage.

If something is bothering you, you NEED to tell your spouse - weather it's something they did or something else in the world that's been weighing on your heart.

If you're having problems talking to your spouse, you should look at why:

Do you fear their response?

Do you fear YOUR response?

Do you harbor resentments?

If any of these are an issue for you, take a deep breath and say a prayer. Then when you discuss your problem, be sure to do so at a time when you're both in decent moods. Sit down in an uninterrupted time, and make a promise to each other to not use harsh words or yelling. When you're talking about your issue, do not bring up issues of the past - they have nothing to do with the issue at hand. And remember to LISTEN as much as you talk - your spouse wants to be heard too, and I'm sure they have a few things on their mind they'd like to share as well!

Another solution - one that's good for the entire family - is something called a "gripe book" or a "communication journal" - it's for every family member to write down things that have bothered them during the week - then once a week the entire family sits down and talks about the book. The rules are - no retaliations, no arguments, no accusations, especially at the round table.

If you find that you are STILL having problems communicating, it may be time to talk to your pastor, priest, or a marriage counselor. But keep in mind the more you talk, the easier it becomes.

Silly Saturday - Summertime Blues

2011-06-25T09:56:00.000-05:00

We all know what summer means for our school age children -
BORED
ANNOYING
KIDS

And for those kids that haven't gone to camp or summer rec (like mine), it's even worse.
Sure they have video games and TV, but what happens when they wear out?
And it's not like they can go outside every day in this Texas summer heat (104 last week!!!!!)
And on top of THAT . . . Craft supplies can be PRICY.
So how in the WORLD do you keep bored kids entertained on a hot summer day??

One of my favorite activities to do with the kids involves a bit of recycling (sort of).
We take old newspapers and wad them up into (loose) balls, which we then put into two boxes.
Then we take chairs and blankets, move a bit of furniture around, and make two "forts".
Even numbers on each side of the room and then . . .
SNOWBALL FIGHT!

My kids can do this for hours.

Other newspaper activities:
Paper Mache (you can make homemade paste by following this recipe)
Paper boats (if you live close to a pond or creek, you can have a boat race!)
Paper hats

So what if you don't have newspaper?
Well there are a few other recyclables around your home I'm sure: Paper towel or toilet paper rolls, scratch paper, magazines, fliers, chip cans, applesauce/yogurt containers (washed) - these can all be used to make some amazing recycled crafts!

Okay, so the craft idea is out the window for some reason or another (I don't keep trash, I don't want to clean up the mess, kids to young, kids too old) . . .

Give your young ones a couple of sponges and spray bottles of water and let them clean your kitchen floor (hey, this works!! They have a BLAST!)

If it's not TOO hot out there, water guns, a small wading pool, and water balloons are all cheap as is running through the sprinkler.

While the summer heat can be unbearable for many of us (some more than others) there are ways to work around it and ensure that our kids aren't bored ALL the time (lets face it, they're going to bored at SOME point).

What are some of your favorite summertime activities?

TMI Fridays! Swimsuit season . . .

2011-06-24T10:42:00.001-05:00

Welcome to another edition of TMI Fridays!

This week is all about . . .

SWIMSUIT SEASON

*insert ominous music here*

I. Hate. Swimsuit season.

Unless you're a supermodel, are ANY of us REALLY happy with the way we look in a swimsuit?

Probably not.

And many of us are wearing swimsuits that we have NO BUSINESS wearing.

Don't give me that look

You know who you are.

*old men in Speedos*

And then you have the older people on the planet.

First off - I love old people.

I think they are a wonderful addition to society - wise sages that teach us the ways of life.

Interesting stories to keep us entertained for hours.

But there are some things on an older persons body that should just. be. covered. up.

If it sags below the belt, it needs support!!

Speaking of old people . . .

My mom and I started a water aerobics class yesterday.

I wore a swimsuit for the first time in over a year.

It was a new Speedo-brand conservative-cut (yes, that's a style, LOL) sports suit.

But there were oh, so many problems.

First of all, before we get into anything, let's just say that I am a ~~big~~ ~~svelte~~ ~~large~~ okay I admit it, I'm obese (thus the water aerobics).

So when I say I don't look very good in a swimsuit, let's just call that a HUGE understatement.

Second, as I have been dieting and exercising for a long time, the suit

(which I thought I ordered in my size)

was slightly too big.

It was slipping down my back.

At one time I thought someone was going to remind me that crack kills!

And there were wobbly bits that were hanging out that should, by all that is holy, NEVER be hanging out!!

I would post a picture,

but I'm sure none of you want to ruin your keyboards by being sick on them.

What do you hate the most about swimsuit season?

Blogging Schedule . . ? Yes, Blogging Schedule!!

2011-06-23T06:36:00.000-05:00

How many days have I missed out on a stellar blog post b/c I was stuck in the world of writer's block? Countless, I can tell you.
I was reading a post by another blogger several weeks ago, and they mentioned that they had a schedule for their blog - certain topics for certain days.
I thought she was crazy.
But then, I thought, maybe . . . JUST maybe an idea like this would work for me - captain scatterbrained.
So I've decided that I'm going to give it a shot.
Every day will be "themed" - now these themes aren't set in stone - so if, for example, I have another topic weighing on my heart or I just can't thing of anything to write for that theme I may write about something else. But this will give me - and you, kids! - an opportunity to see "what's in store" for the week! I will also be posting this list somewhere in my sidebar soon.

So without further ado, here's my new Blogging Schedule!

Marriage Minded Mondays - discussions and tips on having a happy and successful marriage
Tasty Tuesdays - I will be linking up with a few of my favorite blogs to share recipes and cooking tips
Wordless Wednesdays/Word-Filled Wednesdays - I will be linking up with 5 Minutes for Mom for their weekly meme OR I will be discussing a Biblical topic
Thougtful Thursdays - Writing about whatever's on my mind
TMI Fridays - The weekly free-for-all is back! Beware - some of these stories will be gross! Mwahahahahaa!
Silly Saturdays - Craft/Activity ideas for kids, funny stories, kids guest blogging (am I crazy . . ?)
Scriptural Sundays - I will be posting a bible verse for the week here.

So, there you have it, kids. My blog schedule. If any of you have one you'd like to share, leave a comment! What's YOUR blog schedule?

TMI Friday! Attack Of the Ants

2011-06-10T08:54:00.000-05:00

TMI Friday is back!

Can I just say right now how much I hate bugs, in general.

Oh, butterflies are nice.

I dig the occasional ladybug.

Moths aren't TOO bad.

Roly Poly's are sweet.

And ant lions (aka doodlebugs) are fun to play with.

Everything else can go, as far as I'm concerned.

Especially roaches and ants.

Especially ESPECIALLY ants.

I. Hate. Ants.

Guess which of the above I am currently waging war against?

No, dummies, not ladybugs.

ANTS

Little tiny black sugar ants.

My husband calls them something else that I'm not allowed to say here

(shame on you, Dear Husband for using such language!)

These little suckers are EVERYWHERE from the kitchen to my kids' room!

EV.

RY.

WHERE!!!

In the kitchen they're all over the counters and I've even found them in the cabinets.

In the dining room they're all over the table and the computer desk.

In the living room they're all in the couch.

In my kids rooms they're on the floor and in their beds!

AAAAAACK!

Luckily they're just the little black sugar ants and not fire ants.

For the past week, I have cleaned, scrubbed, vacuumed, wiped, washed . . .

I'm exhausted.

Yesterday, I think my kids think I lost it.

"Gotta KILL the little suckers . . .

Gonna . . .

Squish 'em SQUISH 'EM SQUISH 'EM . . .

NO! Not YOUR house MY house . . . out . . . OUT!!"

squish squish

BAM BAM BAM

(on the counter trying to squish them with bleach wipes)

THEN.

I found it.

Their ENTRYWAY

I found some boric acid and filled the hole with it, giggling maniacally.

My kids still think I'm nuts.

But today, we have fewer ants.

So I think that this morning I'll mix a good concoction of sugar and boric acid and see how they like THAT little feast.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

Beware evil little ants.

Your days are numbered . . .

PMM - Proud Mommy Moments

2011-06-09T08:57:00.000-05:00

Thanks everyone for all the comments on my last post in regards to "branding".

I'm so glad to know that you all like me just the way I am!

So to that end, I decided that today I was going to link up with my good Bloggy-Mommy-Friend KMama for her weekly "Proud Mommy Moments".

For more information on Proud Mommy Moments, visit KMama here and then come join the fun!!

My children have very distinct personalities.

First you have Garrett - he's the late-bloomer oh-woe-is-me emo kid (without the dark eyeliner). He loves to build with his legos, and create these amazing scenarios.

Then you have Christin. Christin is the typical pre-teen girl. Into boys and hair and makeup.

Then there's Emily. Emily is the social butterfly - she'll make friends with anyone and everyone - even in the middle of the grocery store.

And finally you have Jacob. The one we call "little man" Jake is the clown of the group. He's the jokemaster, the silly tickle monster, the one who will repeat an action over and over again if it will elicit a laugh.

This is a Jacob story.

We taught Jake his first knock knock joke at a young age.

It was the one about the interrupting cow.

For an almost-two-year old, his timing was impeccable.

Then he started creating his own knock knock jokes.

Not quite as funny, but still kinda cute as he is only three.

For example:

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Butt.

Butt who?

My butt is on my bottom!

Then the hysterical laughter occurs.

Not from us, mind you, but from HIM -

who thinks his jokes are the funniest in the world.

I just hope that he doesn't decide to break one of these . . .

er . . . HILARIOUS . . . jokes

out in the middle of church.

That would be a not-so-proud-mommy-moment . . .

Okay! Now it’s your turn.

Type out your Proud, or maybe not-so-Proud Mommy Moment and link up with either KMama or Emmy Mom! Don’t forget, PMM isn’t just for mom’s…anyone can link up! Join us each week for this fun meme!

What's My "Brand"

2011-06-07T07:33:00.000-05:00

As I look back on some of my older posts, it dawns on me that I am the most scattered person on the planet.
The whole point of blogging, if you want followers, is to have a theme - one theme - and you stick with it. But here, I have a whole variation of themes! This blog is proof of my multiple personalities.

First you have the mommy posts. These are the ones with pictures of my children, funny daily anecdotes, recipes, household tips . . . That's what my starting intentions were with this blog.

Then you have the "pious" me - the religious posts. Make no qualms about it, I am a Christian and I am loud and proud about it (although not pushy). These posts focus on the spiritual aspect of my life - what God has done for me, what I wish he would do, a bible verse, a religious debate . . . Things like that. The more I got to know my Jesus, and the closer I got to Him, the more in-depth these writings became.

Then you have the snarky, witty posts - the TMI Friday moments, and the real-world, in-your-face, (attempts) to be funny.

Let's face it, these three "me's" just don't really go hand in hand, now do they.

So, my dear readers, I ask for your help. Out of the three brands, which do YOU prefer? The "Mommy" me, the "Religious" me, or the "Snarky" me - your votes will help determine the future of this blog!

Where God Leads, I Will Follow

2011-05-26T21:17:00.000-05:00

http://soundcloud.com/jenniferdemoss/grandpa

I discovered at an early age that I had a voice.
I could sing.
I could mimic other artists, too.
My favorite's (listening to my parent's music at a young age, of course) were The Judds, Dolly Parton and Crystal Gale.
I still carry a soft spot in my heart for 80's country music, and especially for these three (well, four since the Judds are two people) artists.
I wanted so badly to do what they were doing.

In high school, I didn't have the confidence to stand up in front of people and sing.
I'd always been told I was fat.
I'd been told I was ugly.
Singers couldn't be fat and ugly so I just didn't even try.

Then when I got out of high school, I moved away. I still wanted to sing, but had no opportunity to do so.
When, after a long hard year, I came home, the dream still burned inside of me.
But it wasn't until I was 25 years old that I sang semi-professionally.
That was ten years ago.
The venue was Johnnie High's Country Music Review in Arlington, TX.
I sang "Fancy" by Reba McEntyre and, according to Johnnie High himself, I "sang the hell out of that song".
I was bitten.

I recorded a demo.
I traveled North Texas from Mesquite to Ft. Worth to Turkey, TX (home of Bob Wills) and everywhere in between.
There was something about being on stage.
Something about closing my eyes and letting the deepest part of me flow out of my heart through song.
Something about the lights, the sets, the applause.
My goodness . . . The applause was intoxicating.
Then . . . I quit.
I found out I was pregnant and I quit to raise my child.
For a while I did a few Karaoke shows here and there, but never had the glory I did on stage.
Then I got married.
And had another baby.
I decided that my marriage, my children, and my education would take a backseat to my music.
But I missed it.
For ten long years, I've missed it.

I've been praying about it, and I feel that God is leading me to do this again.
So I'm going to make a comeback.
Well, as much of a comeback as a non-famous person CAN make.
I may never be famous, or have a recording contract with RCA.
But that really doesn't bother me.
But I want my children to be proud of me.
I want them to look at me and say: Momma followed her dream.
So, I'm going to go for it.
And wherever God leads me, I will follow.

Miss Independent (Or Not)

2011-05-26T07:13:00.001-05:00

This is what just transpired in my kitchen, and what inspired this post:

My daughter (7) decided this morning to make her own bowl of cereal without ANY assistance.

She struggled to pull a chair from the dining room to the kitchen,

Climbed up the chair

Losing her beloved "Lambie" on the way

She got the big bag of cereal down

Knocked over a few items on the counter getting down.

She carried the cereal to the table, went back to retrieve the chair.

She went back into the kitchen again to get a plastic bowl.

She brought the bowl into the dining room, opened the new bag of cereal, poured herself a bowl (and overfilled it, spilling some cereal on the floor and table).

She carried the cereal back into the kitchen, to the fridge

Then got the almost-full gallon of milk out one handed.

Grunting she hurried to the counter to put her cereal down, then her milk.

She then proceeded to pour her milk over her cereal - splashing some on the counter and floor.

She then carried her full cereal bowl back to the table, and sat it down gingerly.

She returned to the kitchen to retrieve a spoon.

Then ran into me crying:

"MAAMAAAAAAAA THERE'S NO MORE CLEAN SPOONS!! WAAH!"

*sigh*

So much for Miss Independent . . .

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T10:38:00.000-05:00

Because Sometimes a Girl Just Needs a Great Pair of Glittery Shoes

For more Wordless Wednesdays, visit Five Minutes for Mom and link up!

5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Worry About the Rapture

2011-05-19T09:15:00.000-05:00

It would appear that a Christian group has made a very bold statement that states that they have predicted the end of the world. According to this group, the rapture will happen this Saturday, and the end of the world will happen on October 11.

I have been trying to approach this biblically, and have tried to NOT "point and laugh," but it would appear that this has been introduced to my children as well. While I am all up for a good witnessing session (I love to spread God's word as much as the next person), when my child comes to me upset and worried that she's going to be "left behind" when the rapture happens . . . Well, that's when I have to step in with my own doctrine - steeped in truth.

There are many out there that are worried about the rapture - when will it happen? Will I be taken? Will I be "left behind". But in my reading and research on the subject there are a few things that I've noticed. So, today I will share them with you dear readers - this is why you should not worry about the rapture.

1. (This is going to be an unpopular statement) The rapture is NOT biblical. Many rapturists will quote scripture to back up their claims. The problem with this tactic is that you have to be using scripture in context for it to be valid. For example: Matthew 24:30-31 is often used to prove the rapture is biblical. If however we look at this verse in its complete context, we will find that there is an whole other series of events that is to take place before Christs followers are taken into heaven. Essentially, the Earth will not be a pleasant place for Christians. Other scriptures that should be looked at in context are 1 Thessalonians 4:16-7; Matthew 24:40-41; and Revelation 3:10-11.

2. The rapture was not taught as a doctrine until the 1830's. According to the Biblical Eschatology Blog, the revelation was a concept brought about by delusional "visions" of an ill woman involved in a religious cult. Rather than looking at things biblically, some ministers decided to take this idea and run with it, taking scripture out of context and twisting it to fit their needs. Weather the rapture was meant as a comfort (don't worry, we won't be here when all the bad stuff is going to happen) or a scare tactic (you'd better be good or you'll be left behind) is hard to say. But it certainly was (and still is) an effective method for keeping parishioners in line.

3. If there IS going to be a rapture, if you are a true believer in Christ, you don't need to worry anyway. The fact is, weather or not there's a rapture is of little consequence. If there IS - Christs followers will be the ones taken. That includes those that don't believe in the rapture.

4. When we get into heaven, chances are, we will remember none of our earthy tribulations, and if we do, it will only make us appreciate Heaven more. In the coming times, Christians will be oppressed, tormented, mocked. The end days for Christians will be similar to the Holocaust for the Jews, according to Matthew 24. The good thing for us is, when we get to heaven, we will be surrounded by all the glory and majesty of God.

5. Chances are good that the second coming will not happen until many, many years from now. In fact, it is quite plausible that it won't happen for hundreds or thousands of years from now. The bottom line is, weather it happens on Saturday or in 378 years, no one knows (Matthew 24:36).

Jesus tells us in the Bible to not worry (Matthew 6:34). Rather, we should spend each day as though the Second Coming were tomorrow - Our focus should always be on God and teaching other's about Christ's love and God's amazing grace through our actions and words. Believe. Let Christ shine through you. Don't worry.

By the way, I am sure that the people spreading the Gospel about the prediction of the rapture are good, wonderful, and devout in their beliefs. I in no way believe them to be false prophets and in no way do I make the judgement that they are foolish and/or delusional. I feel that their love for Christ is so strong and they long so deeply for His return that they really and truly want this to be true. My heart and prayers goes out to them and I pray that they continue their ministry, even after May 22 and October 12 have come and gone.

Blessings to you all.

Wordless Wednesday - What I Did This Weekend

2011-05-18T07:02:00.000-05:00

This weekend my husband and I and a few friends went to Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, TX.We had an amazing time, as we do every year, and can't wait to go back. Here are some of the highlights:

The Trees Coming Into Camp

Lake Bardwell at Sunset

The Foliage Around our Camp at Night

King Henry VIII

My Sister, My Niece, Our Friend, and Rhianna the Troll

My Best Friend and Her Younglings and Rhianna the Troll

Noobler the Tinker Gnome's "Moon Dial"
(it doesn't work during the day time)

The Highlight of Every Visit to Scarborough Faire, Twig the Fairy

There was one other thing I did this weekend . . . Something very important:

I GRADUATED FROM
TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY!!!!

For More Wordless Wednesdays visit Five Minutes for Mom and link up!!

What Happened to My Life . . ?

2011-05-17T06:17:00.000-05:00

It's inevitable in most families . . .

The morning will be going well - everyone's quiet and sweet.

Then suddenly . . .

all h-e-double-hockey-sticks breaks loose.

One child is on the floor crying because another child pushed them out of a chair.

Another child is crying because they can't get their shoes on.

Another one is yelling at the first crying child because they wouldn't "get out" of his/her chair . . .

And this always happens as I you are trying to get them out the door.

I used to be a morning person.

I used to love to sit with my coffee and my bible, read every morning, maybe hop on the elliptical.

Not lately.

Now I dread every second because I am fully aware that as soon as those kids wake up, my peace and quiet is over.

I used to be able to watch whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.

Now it's SpongeBob and Bubble Guppies

I used to sing - I was on stage on many country opry's around North Texas.

Now I know every song in every kids show that airs today.

And quite a few from the past five years.

I remember how many hopes and dreams I used to have.

I wanted to sing professionally.

I wanted to act.

I wanted to be a photographer.

Now I'm lucky if I get through all the housework in a day.

I often sit and wonder . . .

What happened to my life?

Then my three year old walks up to me.

Wraps his little arms around me and says:

"Mama, I yuv yoo"

"Oh, yeah,"

I think as I squeeze him back, my heart filling with joy and love . . .

"THAT'S what happened to my life."

And I wouldn't change a thing.

Resentment . . .

2011-05-10T07:12:00.001-05:00

One thing that I have realized about myself is my tendency to hold grudges and to be resentful to people.

I could list names, but as this is the internet, I don't want to air my "dirty laundry".

But I've also realized that these resentments are unhealthy for my relationships.

We become resentful for many reasons.

Perhaps our husbands have wronged us in some way.

Maybe we have a child with special needs.

Perhaps a psycho-ex that's hovering in your life for one reason or another.

Maybe we were abused by someone we cared about and trusted.

Whatever the reason for our resentment, it's important for us to learn to let it go.

The bible tells us in Hebrews 12:14-15:

"Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; looking diligently lest any man fall from the Grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby made defiled" (KJV)

Letting go of our bitterness and our resentments will bring us closer to God.

We cannot possibly fill ourselves with the beautiful light and love of God if we are filled with the ugly darkness of hatred.

This fact is something that I struggle with daily.

Jesus tells us that we we are wronged we should

"turn the other cheek"

(Matthew 5:39)

and that we should forgive others

"seventy times seven"

times over

(Matthew 18:22).

And he also tells us to

"love one another as I have loved you"

(John 13:34).

It's hard to let go.

It's hard to forgive.

It's hard to forget.

But there is one thing to think about when we feel the ugly green bitterness rising up within us to consume our hearts:

Jesus loved us so much that he died for us.

God loves us so much that he will forgive ANY sin of us.

Now I know, we're not Christ. And we're not God. But it's good to remember these things as we struggle so that we can remember just how insignificant our "issues" are in the larger scheme of things.

One day, not one iota of these problems will remain.

They won't matter.

They won't even exist.

If God can forgive us our sins,

Shouldn't we take a moment to try to forgive others?

Blessings,

SO CLOSE

2011-05-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today marks a very momentous occasion for me.

This is the last day that I will ever walk into a class on the Texas Woman's University campus

as a TWU student.

It's a little bittersweet, actually.

I've made a lot of really good friends at TWU.

And aside from facebook, I'm afraid there won't be as much contact with them after graduation.

I will miss seeing them twice a week.

For the past two years, I have had the same instructor every semester.

I had him for French History.

I had him for Senior Seminar.

I had him for Renaissance and Reformation

*and*

I had him for Religion in an Atlantic World

My kids know that when I talk about

"my teacher"

that I'm talking about Dr. Blosser.

He's an amazing instructor and I have enjoyed his classes immensely.

I have had classes in the same building for the past four years at TWU.

The good old A&S building, right across the street from the Human Resources building

and the commuter parking lot.

Most of them have been in the same three classrooms:

101, 102, and 103.

Although this semester they decided to switch it up a bit by putting me on the second floor.

I will miss the hour long drive on 380,

listening to Ira Glass talk to people on This American Life,

which fills my mp3 player right now.

I will miss going onto campus, hearing the hubbub.

I will miss the library, the bookstore, the clock tower.

I will even miss the ~~stupid~~ elevators in the CFO building.

I will miss TWU

Now, a new chapter of my life will begin.

But I don't know what I will do.

For the past 15 years - well, longer if you count elementary, jr. high, and high school -

All I've Known Is School

Where will I go?

What will I do?

Will I be able to find a job I like in this economy?

Will I be able to find a JOB for that matter?

And if I do, what will happen to my children?

What if I have to commute every day?

What if my babies need me during the day and I can't be there?

I guess I can finally admit this now.

i'm scared

i feel like my security blanket is being ripped out from under me

Death of a Monster . . .

2011-05-02T06:19:00.000-05:00

Nine years, two months, ten days.
That's how long it had been since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the twin towers, the pentagon, and the attempted attack on Washington (assumed).
For almost ten years America has nursed its wounds.
For almost ten years families have mourned losses.
For almost ten years, we have been looking for one man.
That man has been found.
That man has been killed.
That man is Osama Bin Laden.

He was a madman.
A monster.
An evil genius hell-bent on killing all Americans and anyone that supported them.
As the president said in his address last night, "Justice has been done."

But excuse me if I'm not feeling very celebratory right now.
You see, with his death, a whole new set of doors are going to open.
More attacks will probably be made by his followers and supporters.
More death and destruction will come from this.
This war is far from over.
It's only just begun.

What will this mean for our future as a country - as a planet, for that matter?
What will this mean for our children?
Will they be left to pick up the pieces ten years from now?
Will they be left to finish a war we started?

I have said the same thing over and again -

This
Is
Surreal.

He's Alive!

2011-04-24T08:20:00.000-05:00

Easter Story.
Adapted from Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20-21.
© Copyright Jennifer June DeMoss, 2011

Mary, still aching from the loss of her friend, went to the tomb with some other women to anoint Jesus' body. It was a custom then to do so, and to pray over it and wrap it. As they walked to the simple hole in the side of the mountain they were all surprised to see the stone that had covered it to keep the animals and bugs out had been removed. Mary was a little petered at this - it was a sign of disrespect to leave a tomb unopened. She saw the gardener standing with his back turned, so she walked up to him, with the full intent of griping at him for such a mistake.

"Why is this tomb open?" She demanded. She then turned to look inside to check on Jesus' body, but it was empty. Angry and upset she returned outside to find her companions staring in awe at something behind her. She turned and shock filled her body. There, atop the stone, sat a man all in white. He was smiling joyously and had an ethereal glow about him. "Why are you looking for someone that's not there! Jesus isn't in that tomb, HE HAS RISEN!"

Mary and the others turned to return to the base camp. Faster than she, the other women went ahead. Mary weakened and collapsed to the ground, sobbing.
"Woman," sad a voice with a familiar kindness and love, "Why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"

Mary looked up and her heart soared with joy and love as she saw the man standing before her. How was it possible? Through some wonderful miracle of the Lord, Jesus was standing right in front of her. He gently touched her cheek, and wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face in rivers. "Mary . . ." he whispered.

"Rabboni . . ." Mary managed to choke out.

"Mary, let me go. I still have to return to the Father. Go tell our brothers that you have seen me and that I am returning to God."

Mary kissed the ground at his feet. She didn't want to leave, she wanted to hold on for dear life. But she knew that He was right. She turned to return to the inn where they were staying.

"I have seen Him," She said breathlessly as she ran into the meeting room. "He's alive. He's risen again!" The men stared at her - she obviously had had a little too much wine.

"Who are you talking about, Mary?" Peter asked.

"Jesus!!"

Then men all stared at her, mouths open. Thomas' face betrayed his thoughts - he thought she was a loon.
But Peter got up, placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Mary, are you sure?" Mary nodded. Without hesitating, Peter ran out the door.

Thomas got tired of waiting, and left the room. A while later,Peter returned, holding some of the burial cloth in his hand. "He wasn't there . . ." he said, sadly. "He just . . . wasn't there."

Then a voice sudden said, "Peace be with you!" The room fell silent. All eyes were on the man that had just appeared in the room. "The father has sent me, now I am sending you." He touched each of their heads and breathed on them. "Receive the Holy Spirit. Forgive others of their sins" he commanded. Then he left.

Soon after, Thomas returned. They told him what had happened. He thought everyone must have gotten into whatever wine Mary'd been drinking. "Unless he appears to me right now and shows me the marks in his hands and the wound in his side, I will not believe it."

A week later, the men were sitting down to dinner. Then, as before, a familiar voice said, "Peace be with you!" He looked at Thomas. "Hello Thomas." Thomas could barely stammer out a "hello". "Here," Jesus said. "Touch the wounds. Put your fingers here, in the hole. Here, put your hand in my side." He took Thomas' head in his hands and turned it up to face him. "Stop doubting, Thomas. BELIEVE."

Thomas wrapped his arms around his friend in a sobbing embrace. He was embarrassed to have doubted the truth. "My Lord and my God" he exclaimed.

Jesus stayed with the men for some time, teaching them how to run the church now that he was no longer going to be able to. He told them to go and tell the world what they had witnessed. Then, one day, he turned to them all. He blessed them. And then the men witnessed Jesus being taken into heaven by the Lord.

"His return is very soon, and so you better be believin' that our God is an AWESOME God . . ."
- Rich Mullins

Good Friday . . .

2011-04-22T06:50:00.000-05:00

Today is the day that our Savior took away our sins.
A friend posted on Facebook that he recently watched The Passion of the Christ again, a movie that I would actually like to watch again myself.
But it reminds me of something that breaks my heart and lifts my soul with joy all at once.
HE died for ME.
ME - who is completely unworthy of salvation.
ME - who spent much of my early adulthood denying His existance
ME - who is a sinner through and through

A few years ago I went with my church's youth group to church camp. At the end of camp we had a walk through, where I'd lead the kids through a maze of dark rooms. In each of the rooms, there are sounds, smells, flooring, even tactile items to make it seem that you are there listening and experiencing the last few days of Christ's life on Earth. You experience the last supper, the arrest, and the trial. But the one thing that got every child in that entire camp, the one thing that affected ME more than anything, was the death. In a dark room you only hear three things. First, the crack of a whip, over and over. Then, the sound of nails being driven into a piece of wood. Finally a man cries out in Aramaic: "Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

Even now this simple scene gives me chills.

Jesus knew what he was on Earth for. It wasn't as though he WANTED this to happen to him - on the contrary, he asked God many times to save him from this deed. But he knew that God's will must be fulfilled, and HE was God's will.

So he took it. Every lash of the whip. Every drop of saliva that the soldiers spit on him. Every drop of sour wine they shoved into his face to drink. Every pound of the hammer. And every. single. nail.

He didn't see our faults. He didn't see our sin. All He saw was God's will and His love for us. For ALL of us. He wanted us to have salvation, weather we wanted it or not. His undying love and grace and mercy saved us all from an eternity without Him.

We are filthy. All He sees is clean. We are ugly. All He sees is beauty. We are unworthy. All He sees is worth.

There is a song that I am reminded of right now by Nichole Nordeman called "Anyway". There is a line that goes:

"You called me beautiful when you saw my shame, and you placed me on the wall anyway . . ."

God sees our beauty and our worth. He knows our needs and fulfills them.
Almost 1000 years ago He fulfilled our need for salvation by sacrificing His own.
God Bless you all.

Raising a Child With Encopresis . . .

2011-04-21T12:34:00.000-05:00

This is such a personal issue. I almost didn't blog about it. But then I realized how important this topic really is and how much it is overlooked in the mainstream.

My child lives with a disorder called encopresis.
If you don't know what encopresis is, you can Google it and get a wealth of information.
These sites will give you the ins and outs of the physiology of it all - how it's caused by constipation and a blockage in the lower colon. Or how it is liquefied fecal matter seeping around the blockage. Or how the lower colon will become stretched.

But what these web sites won't tell you is the emotional distress it can cause. On my child. On my family. On me. On her educators, sitters, grandparents, ANY one she comes in contact with.

They don't tell you about the embarrassment you will feel as you walk into a store with your child as they smell like a bathroom, but don't notice it because they're so used to it they can't sense it.

They don't tell you the frustration you will feel as you help your child clean themselves up for the 1000th time, or throw away three pairs of underpants in one day.

They don't tell you the anguish you will feel ans your baby girl cries on your lap, saying her friends don't want to play with her because they tell her she smells bad.

They don't tell you the anger you will feel at your child's school for not doing enough to ensure she sits on the toilet during school hours. Or the anger at her doctor for telling you to do the same treatment over. and over. again. and again.

They don't tell you about the cost of medicines, doctor's visits, x-rays, new clothes, new sheets . . .

Every day I look at my child - my unbelievable blessing - and I pray for God to PLEASE make my baby be normal again. My soul is crying out in anguish for this problem to just go away.

It is so hard to raise a child with a problem like this.
No one likes to discuss it.
No one wants to know about it.
Everyone wants to hide it and pretend it doesn't exist.

But it does exist, and it's very visible.
Thanks for listening.

Wordless Wednesday - Hurry Up Spring!!

2011-03-09T09:27:00.000-06:00

Dear Spring:

While I am aware of your decision to have an unusually long vacation this year, I would like to request your return as soon as possible. Your swift arrival will bring much joy to the masses, as we will all be able to see beauty such as this:

And This:

And this, this, this, and this:

And the Children's faces will look like this:

Please return soon.

Thank you.

For more Wordless Wednesdays, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

How Does YOUR Garden Grow

2011-03-07T11:42:00.000-06:00

Well, DH and I did it.
We finally decided to grow a garden.
The asparagus, strawberries, onions, shallots, garlic, and potatoes are planted
The tomatoes and peppers are in containers to sprout
And as soon as this cold snap ends, we will be planting everything else.

What's the point of growing a garden?
Well, there are LOTS of points - which one shall I start with?

1) Cost effectiveness. One packet of seeds costs about a dollar, and depending on how many you plant, you can use the same packet of seeds for up to five years. Now add up your typical produce costs for spring and summer. I would call that quite a savings.

2) Organic vs non-organic. When you do your own garden, you can handle it how you like. We're organic - we will not be using any chemical fertilizers or pesticides in our garden - we have a compost pile and a handful of all natural remedies for the little pesties that might invade later.

3) Exercise - It is work to plant and maintain a garden. You have to till, rake, hoe, plant, weed, check, water, harvest, etc. You WILL be getting a workout, there's no way around it. Who needs a gym when you can just go pick some veggies?

4) Healthy eating - you put all the work into growing your own fruits and veggies, might as well eat the whole lot of them! That means more veggies in your diet - which is ALWAYS a good thing.

If you don't have room on your property or you live in a rental, you can always do container gardening. It's a little less time and activity intensive and can yield similar results!

Now, lets say you have a bounty and don't know what to do with it? Well here's one of my favorite soup recipes. Very healthful. Very tasty!!

Harvest Vegetable Soup

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. light butter
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini squash, diced
2 potatoes, diced
1 large or 2 small tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 or 5 stalks asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 box chicken or vegetable broth
1 C water

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt the butter into the olive oil over medium heat. Add all the veggies except the potatoes, tomatoes, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook another minute more. Add potatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Makes 6-8 servings.

*Notes - to trim asparagus, bend one until it snaps naturally. Line it up with the rest and trim all to the same length - to peel and seed a tomato, cut a small "x" on the bottom of the tomato, dunk into boiling water for about 5-10 seconds then plunge into an ice bath. The peel will come right off. To seed, cut in half and squeeze cut side down, gently. Then chop as usual.*

Enjoy! Blessings to you all!

Yikes!

2011-02-25T13:31:00.000-06:00

I have been neglecting this blog, haven't I??
WOW.
Well, between family and writing research papers about the significance of Spectral Evidence in the overall outcome of the Salem Witch Trials I haven't had much time to blog.
And that's got me thinking . . .
WHERE do my priorities lie?
Shouldn't my blog really focus on THAT.
Right now, and in this order, my priorities are:
God
Family
School
Weight Loss
Housework

Yes. Housework is on the bottom. Why? Because life's too short to focus on worrying about laundry or vacuuming on a regular basis. Yes, I do some work, when I can, but lets face it - when you're surrounded by books, papers, highlighters and computer keyboards, cleaning is going to have to take a second fiddle sometimes.

But that's okay. Because I know that things will slow down again and I will be able to get back on a cleaning schedule.

It helps that The Hubbs helps around the house.

So, on that note, as weight loss has become a larger focus in my life, most of my blogs for a while will reflect that. While I will still post here from time to time - hopefully at least once or twice a week - I will probably be spending my time over at my other blog - SuperMom: Losing It. Feel free to visit me there anytime! Recipes, weigh ins, and other tidbits that reflect my personal journey to making a smaller . . . well, ME!

Blessings to you all!

Making Your Home Sing Monday - The LOVE Edition

2011-02-14T06:27:00.002-06:00

For more Making Your Home Sing Mondays, or to find out how you can participate, visit Nan over at Mom's the Word and link up!

Today is Valentine's day. Now this is one of my favorite days of the year. Maybe because of all the hearts and flowers (I'm a sucker for romance).
Maybe it's because of the fact that it's right after my birthday.
Eh, who am I kidding? It's all about the CHOCOLATE!

Just kidding (sort of).

My husband doesn't like Valentine's day. He thinks it's a marketing ploy. And yes, it is, but it's FUN!
I think he just wants all the chocolate to himself.

But this year, Valentine's day hasn't been as big a deal. It really hasn't been on the top of my agenda.
You see, I love my husband every day, and I try to show him that - every day.
A touch, a whisper, a soft kiss on the cheek, a word, a hug, encouragement . . . ALL these things are important on an every day basis.

Proverbs 31:12 says:
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life

Now I know that they didn't have Valentine's Day in the time of Solomon, but this does NOT say "once a year" it says "ALL the days of her LIFE".

So, show your hubby some love!

Some of the fun ways to show your husband you love and appreciate him EVERY day:

♥ Get a bag of chocolate miniatures. Leave one on his pillow or in his car with a love note.
♥ Put some love songs on his MP3 player.
♥ Write a cheesy love poem on the bathroom mirror (with white-erase markers, of course)
♥ Hug him close, and whisper your devotion in his ear.
♥ Share a favorite bible verse or devotion with him.
♥ Massage his feet/shoulders/back.
♥ Get/make him a CD with some favorite songs from his childhood (if you know them) or some favorite songs of his now.
♥ Put the kids to bed early, and break out that fondue pot you've never used.
♥ Put the kids to bed early, and set the table with your nicest china, cook him his favorite meal and enjoy a candlelit dinner just for two.

For many of us, especially we Stay At Home Moms, our husbands work hard all day.
I hear so many women complaining about what their husband DOESN'T do -
they forget to be thankful for what their husband DOES do.
Remember, love is a two way street - you must give it in order to receive it.
And we must give it fully, wholly, and unconditionally.

Incidentally, for Valentine's Day this year The Hubbs is trying to find something non-food related to give me. He's trying to not be an enabler since I started Weight Watchers.
THAT in and of itself is an amazing Valentine's gift.
Of course, I DID remind him that sugar-free dark chocolate is a "power food" . . .

Have a blessed week!

Happy Birthday to . . . ME!

2011-02-10T07:39:00.000-06:00

You know, I almost forgot my own birthday this year, all the excitement with sickness and the weather and everything.
35 years today . . . I can't really believe it, to tell you the truth.
I remember as a kid thinking that 35 was SO OLD.
But right now, I am looking forward to new beginnings.
I have made it my mission that in the next five years, I am going to completely reinvent myself
physically
mentally
spiritually
I am going to lose this weight (thanks to weight watchers)
I am going to release my fears and self-doubts
I am going to re-focus on my relationship with Christ.
When I hit 40, I'm going to be the best version of me that I can imagine.
I'm not striving to be perfect
I'm just striving to be what God wants me to be.

Incidentally, my husband got me the silliest, and yet sweetest card (because of the inside joke - we've all been sick around here for ages!)

Birthdays are Like Boogers,

The more you have, the harder it is to breathe.

Have a Happy One!

(Birthday, That Is)

I guess he should feel lucky that I appreciate and adore his humor, huh?

This weekend we're going to go out and celebrate both my birthday and Valentine's (since the weekend falls smack dab in between the two). I've given him a list of three places I'd like to go, and told him to surprise me.

He has a way of making my birthday's amazing.

My birthday when we were dating was spectacular.

He went to this place here in town called "Party in a Box" and did this amazing box with lots of amazing goodies - movies, chocolate, a squishy pillow . . . The works. I loved it. A week later he proposed :-)

Then a couple years later, he took me and my sisters to Medieval times. We had the best time laughing at the pomp and circumstance! Oh, and the serving wench that dropped my chicken.

And of course, he's baked me a cake too.

My wish this year was for a coconut cake, but since I've started WW, I'm thinking on a smaller scale, so we'll see what happens.

It's going to be a great birthday.

Witnessing . . . And Me

2011-02-08T06:18:00.005-06:00

I am a terrible witness.
I just had to get that out first thing.

I don't minister to ANYONE face to face.
I may say something on my blog or facebook or twitter.
But never directly TO anyone, and NEVER face to face.
Maybe I'm scared of losing their friendship?
(I have many non-Christian friends)
Maybe I'm scared of being judged?
Whatever the reason, I know it's attributed to fear.

What kind of friend doesn't share the love of her Christ with those she cares about?

The Lord commands us to in Matthew 28:19-20:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

How displeasing is it to God that I don't - that I CAN'T - bring myself to do this?

Yesterday I read this devotion from Proverbs 31 Ministries. It talks about these feelings of self-doubt and fear. Doubting myself is, essentially, doubting what God can do for me.
It led me to make a commitment to myself and to my God to be a better Christian and to be a better minister.

Christ has led us ALL into His ministry, and calls for each of us to do so.

But in order to do this, I have to "check myself" first.

I have to release my fear and self-doubt.
Some people don't like Christians filled with Fire.
I have to be willing to take that risk and remember that teaching other's about Christ is right, and good, and pleasing to God.

I also have to stop whining and complaining so much in my life.
How can I tell others about the love of Christ and the Peace and the Joy He brings, when I'm complaining all the time?
God wants us to find comfort in Him at all times.

I also need to watch my actions and what I say.
Gossip is hurtful to others. Harsh words are hurtful to others. Raised voices are hurtful to others.
God wants us to be kind, and tolerant, and loving.

So there you have it.
It's going to be hard for me.
really. really. hard.
Please pray for me.

Have a blessed day!

Making Your Home Sing Monday When It's FROZEN!!

2011-02-07T06:35:00.000-06:00

It's time for another Making Your Home Sing Monday! Want to know how you can join in the fun? Go visit Nan over at Mom's The Word and find out how!

If you missed this post talking about our frozen tundra of a wasteland or this post with the pictures to prove it, let's just say things have been pretty slippery around here this past week. So much so, that it's been really REALLY hard to keep my home singing. So, I guess this post is kind of a "hind sight is 20-20" kind of post - all the things I SHOULD have done but didn't to prepare for the onslaught of what has become known as "Snowpocolypse 2011".

What To Do BEFORE "Snowpocolypse" Hits.

Stock up on bottled water, and fill a couple of 5 gallon jugs for important things like dishwashing or toilet flushing.
Make sure you have enough groceries for two weeks - INCLUDING milk, juice, and Goldfish Crackers. (Just in case)
Sock up on paper plates and plastic utensils to avoid as much dishwashing as possible - cutsie animal ones are preferred by smaller ones.
Make sure your kids are good on things like coats and gloves and galoshes (really spell check? THAT'S how you spell galoshes??).
Stock up on things like craft supplies and puzzles - especially puzzles with pictures of things like princesses or talking cars.
Remove the light bulbs from most of your light fixtures and unplug most electronics to avoid unnecessarily high price jumps in electricity.
Stock up on taper candles to use so that you won't be tempted to replace said light bulbs.
Stock up on batteries for all toys, cameras, and other battery operated things that you might need batteries for
Hid the battery operated things that make a lot of loud, repetitive, annoying noise.
Instruct family members on the proper noise level in a home with five people all stuck in the same place.
Invest in extra duct tape to assist those having issues remembering proper noise levels.
And finally, pray that we never live to see another SnowPocolypse again!!!

Hope you all got a good chuckle from my lack of foresight!! Love to everyone. Have blessed week!

Photo Post - Snow and Ice Days

2011-02-05T07:25:00.000-06:00

I don't post as many of my pictures as I should, even though I LOVE photography and photoshopping. So , I'm going to devote this entire post today to my most recent pictures. All of these were taken the other day. We had ice INSIDE our windows, snow and ice all over our trees, and 4-6 inches of ICE on the roads (we were taking my bonus son back to his mom's for the weekend). This was all before the snow hit on Friday morning. Hope you all enjoy!

Ice Ice Everywhere, But Nary a Drop to Drink . . .

2011-02-04T05:12:00.000-06:00

I haven't blogged this week . . .
The worst ice storm to hit TX in many years showed up in full force on Monday evening.
My husband didn't go to work Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
My children have been out of school all week.
Until yesterday, we haven't been out of the house.
Did I mention our water has been frozen since Wednesday too?

It's amazing the things you take for granted until you don't have them anymore.
Running water being at the top of my list right now.
Of course, my husband takes all the blame - I said Tuesday night "honey, shouldn't we leave the cabinets open and drip the faucets" "No, it should be fine," he said. Hmmmph Although, I do have to say I hold no blame. Listening to the world on Facebook - everyone else's water is frozen as well, so even if we HAD let the pipes drip, there's no guarantee that they would still be running right now.

So . . . no baths/showers. No dishwashing. No real handwashing to speak of. And no toilet flushing. That's right, we are conserving the toilet flushing. Not that we COULD flush . . . You see, we have this well out back (non-potable water) that we've been carting water from in order to flush the toilet. It's cold outside. REALLY cold, so we're only going out there twice a day. Thus . . . well, you ever hear the phrase "if it's yellow let it mellow" . . ? Yeah, you get the idea. We DO have some wipes to wipe our hands with, and hand sanitizer.

I think the real thing that's getting to me is not running my wonderful brand new dishwasher. Or washing clothes. Who'd have ever thought I'd miss washing clothes?!?! But I do. And doing dishes. And showering. And brushing my teeth with running water instead of bottled water. And showering. And . . . did I mention SHOWERING??

We DID manage to get out yesterday to take my bonus son to his mom's house (we were mutually sick of each other) and to go to Wal-Mart. There is NO LESS than three inches of ICE on the roads. I haven't been on the highway yet, so I don't know how those look, but I know that, at least in the middle of our teeny-tiny-nowhere town, it looks like Greenland (why is it called Greenland, anyway? it's never green!!). And let's not even discuss the Wal-Mart parking lot . . . Those ice inches expand to around 10-12 in little hills and ravines in the Wal-Mart parking lot!! It was more treacherous than the roads!! But, braving the elements we went - and got NOTHING on our list. Distracted, much?

So today, it's snowing, and my wonderful husband has to return to work - he's out of vacation/sick time and heaven forbid the company think about the safety of their employees and shut the plant down. They gave their employees TWO hours of E-WOP (excused without pay) Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. TWO hours of UNPAID time. Does something seem wrong with that to anyone else? So, now it's 5:10, I've been up since 4:30, and I'm not going back to sleep until I get a "I made it safe" phone call.

Praying for my husband's safety, and for the water to come back.

Making Your Home Sing Monday - Becoming Self-Sufficient

2011-01-31T08:18:00.000-06:00

It's time for another Making Your Home Sing Monday! After you read this, hop over to Mom's The Word to find out how you can tell others how you make YOUR home sing! Have a great week!

With the economy on the down-low and jobs becoming scarce, it's becoming more and more important for people to start trying to become self-sufficient - if for no other reason than out of necessity!

There are so many ways that one can do this, and though it may take some time and effort, it is so worth it in the end.

Let's face it, produce is one of the most expensive things to buy in the grocery store. Therefore, if you can, this spring try planting a little vegetable garden. Even just planting lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers will save hundreds of $$ over the summer. We plan on planting the above, plus potatoes, onions, zucchini, bell peppers, squash, and okra. We're also planing on planting a pear tree and maybe some strawberries. Our plot is so large, that we intend on making it a "community garden" by inviting friends and family to share in the work and the rewards!

Next on the list is meat. Now while for most of us it may not be practical to have a cow in the back yard or raise chickens, there are many places out there that will sell a whole side of beef for pennies on the dollar. While the initial cost may seem like a lot, the end savings is tremendous. And if you or a loved one hunts - even better! Venison is one of the leanest, most healthful meats out there! (note, to get rid of the "gamy" taste, try marinading it in milk for 8-12 hours!). And let's not forget wild pig, wild turkey, even rabbit! Again, the cost of having the meat processed may seem high, the overall savings can be huge!

Household cleaning products cost more than anything else in the grocery store. So, try making your own! I made my own laundry soap in August, and haven't bought any since. And we're JUST NOW halfway through the bucket. If THAT'S not money saving, I don't know what is! You can also make your own dishwasher soap (although, I will admit it does NOT work as well as the store-bought brand!!). As for regular household cleaning - I LOVE baking soda as a scrub and vinegar for all other jobs. CHEAP and THEY WORK.

What about clothes? Well, as the Duggars say "Buy used and save the difference". With the exception of myself (because it's very hard to find plus size clothes in a thrift store) the majority of my family's clothes have come from thrift shops. You can find some very nice gently used shirts, pants, skirts and tops for a fraction of what you would pay new!

As someone that will very soon be a college graduate, I am anticipating the dreaded loan repayments that face me. In order to pay these puppies off as quickly as possible, we are going to have to save money everywhere we can. These are just a few of the things that we're doing to do just that, I encourage you to follow suit and find your own ways to become self-sufficient!

Have Your Seen My Pretzels?

2011-01-25T10:11:00.000-06:00

No, that's not some sick kinky sex thing.
My pretzels have fallen off the face of the planet.
My favorite snack in the entire world.
Just.
Gone.
I can't find them ANYWHERE!!
They used to be on the checkout aisles at Wal Mart.
Not anymore.
They're nowhere.
Not Wal Mart.
Not Target.
Not CVS.
Not Brookshire's.
Not even online!!
Not even on the manufacturer's website!!!
I can't even find a picture for your viewing pleasure.

It's like they never existed.
It's as though my pretzels were a dream that lasted a few weeks, and then was ripped out of my head by a mean, mean person trying to steal every ounce of joy inside me.
It's a conspiracy I tell ya'.
HK Anderson Honey Mustard and Onion Pretzel Bites.
Where, oh WHERE have you gone?

Making Your Home Sing Monday! - Time Management

2011-01-24T06:22:00.000-06:00

Alrighty kids, it's time for another edition of MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY!

If you'd like to link up to Making Your Home Sing Monday or would like to know how to make YOUR home sing, visit Nan at Mom's The Word to find out more!

I am the world's worst procrastinator.
I always think : Oh, I have time. I don't have to do that now . . .
And then the inevitable happens:
A deadline for a 14 page paper on the intricacies of the British republic during the Tudor period in England;
A birth-control prescription runs out;
The fridge gets over full with food that is rotten and inedible;
The printer runs out of ink or the print head gets clogged;
The house gets messier . . .
Oh, the list could go on and on (and often does).

I am learning about time management, and am TRYING to work on it.
TRYING, I say.
But it's really hard.

I don't want to unload the dishes when I could be watching my husband play a video game.
I don't want to read an assignment when my three year old wants some "lovin's (yuvins)".
I don't want to mop the floor when I could be sitting on the computer writing a blog post.
I just don't want to.

But I am learning that time management isn't necessarily about getting all the "I-have-to-but-I-don't-want-to's" out of the way first. It's more about spreading your time equally and not getting bogged down. And it's also about figuring out what's more important.

For me, that priority list starts with my God, first and foremost. So, above everything, HE comes first.
Then comes my family. They come before everything else, no questions.
Then school.
THEN the house.

It helps to have your priorities in order.

I am learning that it's okay if the house gets out of sorts when I'm in the middle of a research paper or a midterm.
I am learning that it's okay to put off doing the dishes for some quality time with my husband.
I am learning that the floor is STILL going to be there, even after I cuddle my kids.
So, I still need to learn to call and make doctor appointments . . . but I'll get there . . . eventually.

So . . .
What are your priorities?
How do you manage your time?

For more Making Your Home Sing Monday's don't forget to visit Mom's The Word!

The Potty Chronicles: "Mama, You Have To Help Me"

2011-01-20T06:35:00.000-06:00

Don't throw things . . .
My son potty trained himself.
Seriously! It's like going potty was his calling.
His sister . . . notsomuch.
But that's another blog.

He has a stool and uses it to turn the light on and to get up on the potty and to wash his hands.
He CAN do it.
He's DONE it.
More than a few times.

So, why is it that he has to run into whichever room I'm in,
Stop whatever I'm doing and yell at the top of his lungs:
"MAMA MAMA I HAVE TO GO POTTY AND YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!!!"
Of course, I, in my calmest voice possible, reply:
"Baby, you're a big boy, you can do it yourself."
To which he shrieks (what is it with three year old boys and shrieking, anyway??)
"NO NO MAMA I NOT A BIG BOY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HELP ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GO POTTY!!"
You ever get one of those "Okay, now, REALLY??" moments?

Then, when I don't respond (because I'm a mean, mean Mama, like that) he proceeds to stomp and cry and dance around.
Which part of the potty process turned my sweet precious little boy into demon-child??

Inevitably, afraid that he will end up going to the bathroom anyway - all over himself - I guide him to the bathroom and show him where his stool is. "There ya' go, kiddo" I say and turn to walk away.

"NO NO MAMA BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!!"
I should probably mention here that his favorite word is "because" and he uses it all the time - out of context which makes it even cuter . . .

So what EXACTLY does he want me to do? He wants me to pull down his pants and pick him up and put him on the potty.

Yes. This is another "Okay, now, REALLY??" moments.

Again, I refuse, and again he starts throwing a fit that would rival John McEnroe on the tennis court after being called on a foul a few times.

So, I concede, doing his bidding as though I were his own personal servent.
He immediatly lets go of everything he'd been holding into his bladder.
A 30-40 second pee. Reminds me of that scene in "A League of Their Own".

Then he hops down off the potty, pulls his stuff up, turns to me, looks at me with adoring eyes and says,
"Mama, I love you. You're so soft."

Touche, my son. Touche.

To Teach . . . Or Not??

2011-01-18T06:26:00.000-06:00

I taught preschool for well over eight years before I had my daughter. I loved every second of.
Yes. Yes, I am sick and twisted, why thank you for noticing!
When I began my current degree plan, becoming a teacher, for some reason or another, never even really crossed my mind . . . too much.
But there are some circumstances that have changed that.
I have an opportunity to receive an accredited "alternative teacher's certification" for the state of Texas through a university.
Translation: I really could be a teacher.

But the question remains:
Do I want to?

I get so frustrated with my 14 year old son . . . How could I handle a room filled with teenagers?
And on the other hand, if I DO get my certification . . . Is there any real guarantee that I would be able to find a position, let alone an internship, anywhere?

And yet ANOTHER question: What to get my certification in? English? History? Special Education? Early Childhood?

I am praying about this decision, REALLY praying. But I have yet to gain any insight or sign from God. So, I'm putting it out there for you, my readers, to advise me.

To teach, or not to teach. That is the question.

Making Your Home Sing Monday - Back To School Mama's!

2011-01-17T07:48:00.000-06:00

It's time for another Edition of Making Your Home Sing Monday!

We tell our kids all the time how important school is and how important an education is.
But do we show them?

Some of us already have degrees under our belts, and some are even using those degrees. This is such a great thing to show your kids! "I finished high school, and even finished college. Here's my degree. This is what my having one has done for our family . . ." Nothing like showing your kids that you're degree in _(insert subject here)__ has helped you provide for that PS3 or even the dinner on your table.

But what about those of us that don't have degrees, or don't use the ones we have (due to our well informed and very educated choices to be SAHM's - *DISCLAIMER* I in no way think that NOT using your degree IS NOT A BAD THING!!!! In fact, I have personally made the choice to be a SAHM, and I love every second of it!!)

Kids learn good habits from us - picking up after themselves, using kind words instead of hateful ones, the list could go on. So why not teach them how important education is, by SHOWING them!

If you don't have a degree - consider getting one. I am living proof that it can be done! (Have I mentioned that I'm finally graduating in May??) If you think "I don't have time" or "I can't afford it", think again - there are degrees now that can be done 100% online or by correspondence, and there are grants, scholarships, and financial aid out there specifically for mom's returning to school!

If you have a degree, or don't want to go that route, consider a continuing education class at a local college or another type of class in something you enjoy. You can find classes in writing, art, pottery, sewing, dance, swimming, basically anything you might be interested in.

Another significant option is to read, research on the internet, go to the library. Show your kids that you never stop learning, and that it's important to continue to learn even after school is over!

As a mom that has trouble with a brooding 14 year old and school, I can say that my own educational journey has shown him the importance of "going through with it". I encourage you to show your children about how important it is to you as well!

For more Making Your Home Sing Mondays visit Mom's The Word and link up!
Blessings to you all!

Blogononymous

2011-01-14T04:00:00.005-06:00

I am participating in The Daily Dribbles and Domestically Challenged Blognonymous Blog Hop. The post below is not my own post. I'm hosting a post for someone else, and in turn, someone else is also hosting a post of mine, all anonymously. Click through the links below to view all the bloggers and posts in Blognonymous. Blognonymous is the coolest blog hop I've seen. All the posts are anonymous, and no one knows who's post is on who's blog. I am so excited to be a part of this Blognonymous "extravaganza" *giggle*.

A Rant

A rant... I'm usually good at those. Where's that soap box? You know, the one I'm usually standing on ranting and raving from? I can't find it either.

For some reason, give me the right to be really incredulous and I feel like I'm falling a bit short. Maybe it's just because I'm having such a hard time deciding what to post about. Maybe even though this is somewhat anonymous, I'm afraid someone will be mad. Oh well... here goes anyway.

It rubs me the wrong way that we chose to move closer to family last year. We'll be here for at least two years. While many people have visited, there is still an expectation that we should pack the kids up and go to them. It's hard. It's really, really hard. At one point this year, every weekend for nearly a month we spent on the road. Then we have to decide what we'll do for the dog. Do you rely on the kindness of a friend or spend a huge amount of money on a kennel risking that he'll get kennel cough when all we want to do is bring him with us? How will we get a three-year old to sleep when she doesn't have her cage bed? We're packing up 5 people, soon to be 6 not 2. Sometimes it takes major planning on my part to figure out how I will entertain the littles while we're gone. It's hard. Maybe it would be easier if some appreciation was expressed instead of just letting us know what you expect of us.

If you don't know us, we're in the middle of an international adoption. I love for people to talk to me about it if they're curious. I'll discuss orphan care and adoption all day long. I start to get a little bothered though when someone needs to repeatedly in large groups let me know what a poor decision I've made. I've been told exactly how many things can go wrong by the same person over and over. We're well informed. We're a little bit scared. We're stepping out in faith. How about a little encouragement instead of all doom and gloom? I promise I've heard every horror story by now. Telling me another one, with that little hint of I'm going to say "I told you so," one day just really ticks me off.

I was putting it all out there on my blog for a while. I stopped. I was told by someone close to me (not Miss Doom and Gloom), who I really hope doesn't find this because I never want to have that conversation again, that I'm neglecting the children I have for the one who isn't here. Really? Because I got upset that it's taking so much longer than it takes other people? How come when someone who is pregnant starts planning a nursery no one says, "I really think you're neglecting the child you have because you're frustrated over color schemes." I'm frustrated that I let that stop me from saying what I wanted to say.

While I'm getting the adoption process off my chest, I'm also a little hurt that people who are very close to us and will be to our child choose to pretend that it's not happening. It makes me wonder what they will be like when he comes home.

Moving on...I hate the pretentiousness of where we live. I probably hate that we put ourselves in this pretentious place a little more. I hate that I jump to conclusions and judge others because of all this. I really don't know how to flesh it out anymore than that.

In conclusion, like my dog... some days when I'm frustrated... I wish I could just piss on it.

Kind of like he pissed on the snowman...

15 Years In the Making . . .

2011-01-12T06:33:00.000-06:00

I am excited.
I am nervous.
I am anxious.
I am graduating.

I think I must have the world record for longest time taken to get a bachelor's degree.
15 years.
Actually, I think now we're officially up to 16.
I started in 1995. It is now 2011.
You do the math.

I know, I know I've said it before "It's near! I'm getting closer!!"
But this time, I really REALLY am.
2 classes left.
This semester.
C or better.

As excited as I am, I just don't think I'll know what to DO with myself when it's all over!!
I'm scared I won't find a job.
Or worse, that I WILL find a job, and hate it.

Of course . . . There's always Graduate School . . .
Of course that might take me another 20 years.
I am sick, aren't I?

Making Your Home Sing Monday - A Book Review!

2011-01-10T09:05:00.000-06:00

Yea!! Nan is back! That means Making Your Home Sing Monday is back too! Please lift her up in your prayers, kids - she's hurt her back and is still in some pain. Praying for a quick recovery for you, friend!!

If you want to learn more about Making Your Home Sing or if you would like to join in the link-up, visit Nan over at Mom's The Word to find out more about it!

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I don't do a whole lot of book reviews. I don't do a whole lot of reviews, period. There's a reason for that - if I don't really REALLY like or believe in something, I am not going to tell anyone they need to "rush out and get it". Just not my thing.

But there's this book . . .
It's amazing.
It has changed the way I look at housecleaning.
The name of the book is:
Just Clean Enough
By. I.B. Caruso and Jenny Schroedel

The book doesn't preach at you.
It doesn't tell you you you're wrong.
It doesn't even tell you you have to do 50,000 things at once to "get organized".
It goes through 365 days - that's one year - worth of "tasks" that you can do to help get your home where you want it to be.
Here's the secret to this book - you DON'T have to do things in order.
You can go room by room, day by day, week by week.
OR
You can search through the book for a task that takes 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30+ minutes, depending on how much time you have.
OR
You can just pick something at random!

And the tasks aren't hard or time consuming. Most of them don't take any longer than 10 minutes.
Like decluttering bath products in the bathroom.
Or picking up all your shoes in your bedroom.
Or polishing your kitchen table.

Some of these are things I do frequently, but some are things I never thought about!
For example:
washing the shower curtain
decorating the laundry room
putting a bulletin board in the living room

There are some wonderful ideas in this book. And I am going to do most of them (we don't have a basement or a huge attic like some of my northern friends might have).
I encourage you to check this book out. It's not about perfection, but about getting your home Just Clean Enough!

LOI - To All My Young Friends . . .

2011-01-07T09:12:00.000-06:00

I have many friends out there that are teens and/or young adults. With all the teen celebrity media out there recently, I thought I would write one long Letter of Intent to all of my sweet sweet friends.

Young Ones:

I have so many fond memories of each and every one of you.
Methodist Church Camp, 2004.
The Big Room at Christ Our Savior
Mancala
Veggie Tales
Duct Tape
Uno
Holding some of you in my lap, just because.

You are all as special to me as my own children, and I love each and every one of you as though you were.

You are all grown up now. Most of you are in college, and some of you will be there shortly. I am so proud of all of you and what you have all accomplished. You have each grown up to be very amazing young men and women.

The time will come for each of you, if it hasn't already, when you will be shown things you've never seen, nor ever wanted to. You will be faced with decisions that will be very difficult to make. You will be subjected to peer pressure unlike any you've seen before. People will try to get you to do things you don't want to do - things you know aren't right. Things you know go against your morals and your beliefs. And trust me when I say how much I KNOW the word "no" is hard to say - I've been there myself and have a sordid past to show for it.

I encourage you all to listen to your hearts, listen to your guts, and listen to your God. Follow your own dreams, not someone else's, and never EVER compromise yourself for any reason.

You will make mistakes sometimes. Learn from them. Know that it's okay to make mistakes.
You will fail sometimes. Learn from that too. Know that it's okay to fail, as long as you really tried.

Be strong. Stick to your guns. And if you are ever in doubt . . . Pray. God knows you and hears you.

My love and prayers go with each of you.

Love,
Miss Jenni

Visit FourSons for more Letters of Intent.

Oh the Sneaky Things We Do . . .

2011-01-06T05:59:00.000-06:00

I am a sneaky parent.
I've been known to redirect my children to an alternative truth or two.
I've been known to hide things (chocolate) that I don't want them to get into.
I've been known to spell, sign, whisper, and lip-sync to my husband behind my children's backs.
I've even texted my husband in front of our kids to say what I needed to without them hearing.
Oh, yes, I am sneaky.

I've heard stories of other sneaky parents - one mother I know, for example - hides her chocolate in the top shelf of the china cabinet. Then she sneaks it during nap time. Sneaky, huh?

Another mother has actually hidden her children's Christmas gifts under their own eyes - there was a cubby-hole in the top of their closet that she put all the gifts in. And they never knew it.

And I have to confess that I've gone into my children's rooms when they're not at home to snoop - making sure everything gets put exactly where I found it, of course.

Does it make us bad parents to be so sneaky?
Does it make us dishonest, or deceitful?
Does it mean that we don't trust our children?

No to all the above.
I am sneaky because I LOVE my children.
(okay so hiding the chocolate is for purely selfish reasons, I admit)

I don't say things to their face if I think it will hurt their feelings (such as planning a date night with my husband to a place the kids love to go).
I don't tell them WHY we can't get that $40 Barbie doll that everyone wants (I really don't think my kids need to know what my bank account balance is).
I snoop to make sure they're not doing something potentially harmful to themselves or others (it is not only my right, but my DUTY as a parent).

Yes. I'm sneaky. Very, very sneaky. And I'm proud of it.

Seven Years of Reflection . . . A Birthday Message to my Daughter

2011-01-04T07:00:00.001-06:00

Dear Sweet Sunshine:

Did you know that you came into this world as my angel?

Peek-A-Boo

I remember holding you so tightly that first night -
I didn't ever want to let you go for the nurses to take you.

The first year was such a learning experience.
I laughed and cried a lot.
I loved watching you learn how to roll, sit, crawl.
I loved hearing your first word:
♥Mama♥
And watching you walk for the first time was unbelievable.

The second year was so much fun.
You were still learning about your world and yourself.

Emily in the Paper

You would make funny faces.
You would chase your PePaw around Granny's kitchen for hours.

Emily's First Santa

We laughed so much that year.

The third year was so filled with love.

You threw the flowers down the aisle for Daddy and me.
We found our new home, and made a wonderful family -
Daddy, Big Brother, Big Sister, Sunshine, and Mama.

The fourth year was filled with life.
You started school.
I cried.
You made friends.
A baby brother entered your world.

Emily Welcomes Baby Jacob

They've been inseparable ever since.

You make such a wonderful big sister.

The fifth year was a time of growth.

Daddy's Girl

You loved your school so much and was busy learning everything.
You got into some trouble, and had some bumps. But always managed to come out on top!

Being Silly with my Baby Girl

The sixth year filled with hope

You graduated from preschool and started Kindergarten.

First Day of School

Mama didn't know what to do with herself and the baby all day long.

You began to learn how to cope with unusual and sometimes rough situations.

And always came out a trooper

This seventh year has been filled with trials, tribulations, and blessings.

We lost a beloved Grandpa

Grandpa with all of his loving Grandchildren

But found a new home with lots of loving possibilities.
We've also foundered new friendships and cemented amazing family relationships.

I have loved watching you grow.
You have gone from sweet, tiny, infant

SooooFuuuuuullll

to
*♥..♥*Diva-Licious T'ween*♥..♥*

Diva-Licious!

Overnight.

I can't promise that I will be able to always let you go.
Sometimes I will just want to hold you in my lap for a while.
I can't promise that I won't make mistakes as your mother.
I'm sure I've already made a few.
And I can't promise that life will always be easy.
But I can promise this, my sweet Sunshine-Girl.
I will love you forever and ever.
I thank God every day for blessing me with you.
Happy Birthday my sweet girl.

Love,
Mama

Mama's Little Princess!!

Resolutions . . .

2011-01-02T18:12:00.000-06:00

Each year, people ask me the same question: "What's YOUR New Year's Resolution?"
Each year, I have the same answer: "My New Year's Resolution is to not make any New Year's Resolutions!"
I stopped making them a while ago, because I was always setting myself up for failure.
Most people do that when they set resolutions, see.
They place their expectations WAY too high for themselves, and then sometime around July when you ask "Hey, how are those resolutions going?" they say "oh, I stopped somewhere between lose 30 pounds by March and visit the Soup Kitchen every day . . ."
And don't even ask them about finishing that novella.
So I never make Resolutions.

Until this year.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, SuperMom Jen has ridden the sheeple wagon and decided to make some resolutions this year.
Now, mind you, my expectations are not too high for myself. I know that I will be able to reach each and every one of these goals this year.
So . . . Without further ado, here are

SUPERMOM JEN'S TOP TEN NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

1) Stop saying "without further ado". Who really says that anyway? For that matter, what the heck does "ado" mean??
2) Exercise for no less than once a week, for at least a minute. After all, I have to keep this girlish *snort* figure intact.
3) Get rid of 5 things, every day. Eggshells, paper towels, kleenex . . . Those can really pile up!!
4) Hug my children daily. All my children. Even the ones I don't like so much.
5) Kiss my husband every day. Especially right before I ask him to do the dishes for me.
6) Take one hour a day, every day for myself. Okay, that one's not so funny. But necessary!!
7) Go to church at least once a month. Since we're going that route anyway.
8) Eat something really really fattening once a week. We're talking fried chicken, chocolate cake, ice cream, thick crust pizza with extra mushrooms and pepperoni . . . yeah, baby!
9) Work on my snarky wit. You readers really don't see how funny I am most of the time. I really need to showcase that more!
And my final New Year's Resolution for 2011 is . . .
1) LAUGH AT MYSELF OFTEN!!!! I think this one is self-explanatory, kiddies!

So, there you have it! Some are funny, some not so funny, but all are real, goals!!
Oh, the one I DIDN'T add to the list (really because I don't want to jinx it) is to FINALLY finish my BGS!! (Bachelor's of General Studies - English and History) Final semester!! Graduation in May, the Lord willing!!
This has been FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING KIDDIES!!!!

Happy New Year to each of you and many MANY blessings from the God of us all!!

'Twas The Week After Christmas . . .

2010-12-27T07:45:00.000-06:00

'Twas the week after Christmas and everywhere I turned
Boxes and clutter and new toys were strewn
The stockings had long since been tossed in the corner
Along with the fruit and the nuts no one wanted

The children were nestled in front of TV
While arguing over who gets to play the PS3
And Daddy in his hoodie and I in my jeans
Had just figured out what the instruction manuals mean

When in the kids room there arose such a clatter
I rolled off the couch to see what was the matter
Away to the bedroom I crawled like a slug
Wondering what in the world's this green stuff on my rug?

I had to stand up to turn the light on
When I discovered the entire light bulb was gone
When what should I see but the kiddos, red handed
With broken toys and movies right where they were standing

They all looked at each other for one short little minute
Then all pointed and stared and shouted "HE did it!"
Lots faster than snails, now, my fury it raged
As I looked at the now-broken video games

"Now I can't believe your irresponsibility!
I have a mind to throw it all to the hillbillies!
To the corners with you - in the kitchen and hall!
Now GO take your punishments - dash away all!!"

The kids ran like you-know-what - They'd never seen me so mad
I think they finally realized it was IT I that I'd had
I looked at the broken plastic shards on the ground
Picked one up and eyed it, then sighed with a frown.

NOT beating them had taken me quite a bit of refrain
After all - $400 down the drain.
As I hung my head and I turned around,
The youngest pranced into the room with a bound.

"Mama," she said, the tattle tone was quite clear
"Mama," she said, "Randy broke the reindeer!"
That was the straw - that was it - that one there
I finally decided I just didn't care

Let them brake it ALL said my head
After all, you can't take it with you when your dead!
Then my son came into the room, looking shameful
With a cut on his pinky that appeared quite painful

On top of the broken toys - video games and cars
I now had to spend Christmas vacation in the ER??
And then, something hit me - a spark big and bright
What exactly was I EXPECTING this night

Everything that could possibly go wrong - well, it did
From breakfast to dinner to husband and kids
It dawned on me that I had been the one in the wrong
Focusing on everything droll and long

Going into debt, toys and games, gifts abound . . .
Those were NOT what this time was about!!
I have a whole family home for a holiday
This is NOT the way I want to spend it - no way!

I decided right then and there I would change
My attitude would no longer be grumpy or mange
We ran to the car, blood springing from wounds
And I smiled as I figured out what I would do

As we drove to the ER under cold winter's might
I screamed like a loon -
"EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT!"

Hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday Week!
Blessings to you all!!

Merry Christmas From The SuperMom Blues!

2010-12-24T08:15:00.000-06:00

It's Christmas Eve!
Some people have snow on Christmas Eve.
(we did last year)
This year - we're having thunderstorms.
No worries, though, because this Christmas is proving to be one of the best ones yet.

I've gotten (most) of the baking done.
I've gotten (most) of the presents wrapped.
AND
I've gotten (ALL) of the blessings I could ask for.

Right now as I listen to the pitter-patter of the rain tumbling over my roof and windows, I am excited over the prospect of listening to my children sing joyful Christmas carols tonight. I am anticipating fighting them on going to bed so that Santa can finally make his appearance (by the way, do you follow him on Twitter?). Tonight we will be watching his route on NORAD, and I will delight in my children's giddy anticipation after a day filled with cookies and candy and their Granny's good food.

I will snuggle them, and read to them both The Christmas Story and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas as we drink hot cocoa. We will set out three of the prettiest cookies for Santa along with a mug of hot chocolate, and a few carrots for the reindeer. Then I will tuck them in and wait to hear them snoozing before I and their father make all of their Christmas visions of St. Nicholas come true.

Tomorrow promises to be another amazing day filled with blessings untold. My children's joy and wonder at the Magic of Christmas will make my heart leap and bring a smile to my face. Being able to finally give my Dear Husband something he will enjoy this year is also something I look very forward to. Spending time with family - some of whom we don't get to see very often - is going to be so wonderful.

But Christmas isn't just about the giving, and the feasting and the visiting.
This Christmas, above all things, I will be thinking of a tiny baby. A small young child that was brought into the world for one purpose - the salvation of all.

Thank you, God, for giving us the most precious gift we could ever receive in your Son.
Thank you, Jesus, for fulfilling the Father's will and blessing the world with the gift of Salvation.
Amen.

Blessings to you all,
And
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Adam!

2010-12-23T07:02:00.000-06:00

Happy Christmas Adam!!
That's right, I said Christmas Adam!
Don't know what Christmas Adam is?
It's a family tradition in my Dear Husband's family.
The night before Christmas Eve is Christmas Adam
(you know, because Adam came before Eve . . ?)

In the past, we hadn't really done much on Christmas Adam, but this year we are having our annual Cousin's Christmas party (another family tradition) on this night.
Maybe we'll start a tradition of Cousin's Christmas on Christmas Adam and call it Cousin's Christmas Adam! Okay, well, that didn't go over (humorously) as well as I had planned.

One other family tradition we have is the annual Gag Gift giving at my parents house on Christmas Eve. We'd always done gag gifts (usually it was only one of us being the recipient every year), but when I got married and we had to figure out all these Christmas celebrations, Christmas Eve became my parents' night. And we have the BEST time.

We go to the traditional Christmas Eve candle lighting service. THEN we eat Non-Traditional Christmas food (no turkey or dressing or ham HERE - more like shrimp and lamb or steak). Play Non-Traditional Christmas games (have you ever played In A Pickle or Smart Ass? FUN!) and, of course we give Non-Traditional Christmas gifts - for example, gifts of the past have included:

A water gun
Silly hats
Fun card games
Silly bubble bath
Humor books
Bathroom books
and
A singing catfish that drove everyone batty

I wonder what we're getting this year?

We have so much fun with each other and enjoy every second. It's all about family, and that's what's important this time of year.

If you don't have any fun, Non-Traditional Christmas traditions yet - let me encourage you make some up this year! If you DO have some, feel free to share in the comments section! I would love to hear some of YOUR traditions!!

Blessings to you all!!

The Angels Among Us

2010-12-22T07:27:00.000-06:00

The other day I picked my six year old's brain for blog ideas. The first one that came to her mind was "Angels, Mama! You have to write about angels!!"

Bless her.
She has such a gift.
No, not just because she mentioned angels.
You see, my daughter has this unbelievable Faith in God. I like to think that I have helped with that, but at the same time, I'm not sure I've helped much. I think it's all her.
She talks about God all the time.
She makes up songs about Jesus: "Oooohhh, I love Jesus, He loves me, He's my Beesssst Freeeiiiinnnnd!"
As off key as they are, I know they warm Christ's heart as much as they warm mine.
So when she mentioned Angels, I know that it was something that came straight from her warm fuzzy heart.
Because I believe her to be one.

Now, don't get me wrong, my child is NOT perfect.
She throws temper tantrums that would rival Janice Dickenson, Dustin Diamond, Gary Busy and Varuca Salt - all in one.
She's been known to lie. A lot, actually.
She teases her little brother, torments her older brother, and gets into things that she has no business getting into even AFTER we tell her time and again NOT to get into it.
But then, she turns around and says something so amazing:

"Mama, Jesus loves all of us, did you know that?"
My six year old has a witness' heart.

If you look hard enough, you can see Angels all around you. That person that let you get in front of them on the road during rush hour . . . The sister that helps you out when you least expect it . . . The check out girl that called after you after you forgot your $20 cash back . . . The old man sitting in the mall, smiling as he watches everyone pass . . .

Even a little child, reminding you what your faith is all about.
Blessings to you all!