Books for this Quarter

Books! Here's what I recommend -- "Aunt Jane of Kentucky" (can't remember the author); "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall Smith; "Beautiful in God's Eyes" by Elizabeth George (primarily for women). Generally speaking, anything by Martha Grimes and Carol O'Connell will feed your need for modern mystery. For classic mystery, try Dorothy Sayer.
Well, there's your list for this quarter...let me know what you think!!

Have a Holly Vomit Christmas

Christmas in Texas...Ho Ho Howdy!! Mark and I got to spend time here with my family...and his parents made the drive from Iowa to spend Christmas here too! We had all the ingredients for a terrific holiday: homemade food, too many gifts, air mattresses and made out couches, lit tree, and the stomach flu. Yep, almost every member of the family was puking their guts up Christmas Eve or a few days after. Nothing like a high fever to make your eyes bright on Christmas morning.
Maggie couldn't stand up by herself to open her gifts, so she lay in my lap while I opened them for her. Then, after she almost fainted, we got her relaxed and down for a nap. When she woke up, we had Christmas all over again because she had no memory of the first round.
We feel great now and the kids are all ecstatic over their new toys and books. I love that the kids like to get books as gifts. :) Excellent!
Well, I'd better go to Target and see if there's anything left on the sale racks. Please tell me about your Christmas!!

Back in Full Swing

Hello!
I am so sorry for being absent from blogging for so long...what a wild ride it's been these past few months! I miss blogging and hope this begins my second-wind for posting.
I started back to school but realized after a few weeks that I was short-changing my kids...so I quit. Yep, I quit college...again. :) I LOVE being available for all of Maggie's activities and for playing with my boys. I just can't sacrifice time with my family. You know? So...that's the latest. I guess the latest-latest is today's doctor's appt revealing my endometriosis is most likely back in full swing. Ah, those are the days...sitting in my pajamas, wrapped up in a heating-pad, drinking hot tea, hopped up on fioricet or lortab. Gotta love that. I'll be having surgery again soon...please pray for Mark and the kids during my recovery. A family can only survive so long on ramen noodles and hot dogs. :)

The Dog-Days of Summer

Saraphina got out of the yard and has not come back to us. We are very upset over losing her and I can't stop thinking of her out there hurt somewhere and wanting to come home. Losing Saraphina is the worst thing that's happened to our family in a long time.
Has anyone else ever lost a pet??

Put a Fork in 'Er, She's Done!

I finished my final exam less than an hour ago. Bye-Bye, British Romantic Poetry! Hello, three more hours on my transcript!! Woo-Hoo!! And, I MADE AN "A"!!! Yeah, Baby!!!!!!

Only thirty-something more hours to go. *sigh*

Crazy

I was getting ready for school this morning, putting on a dash of make-up, brushing my teeth, that sort of thing so I was all the way back in my bathroom. Mark was already at work and the kids were just playing throughout the house. I'd been back there longer than five minutes when Phoenix came in and said, "Mama, ahna mahn here." I freaked out. There's a man here? Where? Obviously there was a man at the door, but he hadn't rung the door bell. What kind of man stands at the door without ringing the doorbell? And why couldn't I hear Maggie talking? She's a talker. If there was a man at the door, she'd be talking his ear off and I'd certainly be able to hear her...unless he'd taken her! GOOD GRIEF AMIGHTY...all this passed through my mind in a split second and I yelled, "THERE'S A MAN HERE?????"
Phoenix looked at me like I'd lost and said, "No, Mama. I. Ahna. Tuhm. In. Here."
"Oh," I said. "You wanna come in here...with me? Okay, Phoenix. Come on in. Mama has to sit down a minute and remember how to breathe."
I'm so crazy sometimes.

Planets in Alignment

When you are young, there are many things that are important to you. You must have sunshine in order to run around outside and play for hours without getting tired. You must have "Super Friends" on Saturday morning. You must have praise from your father and kisses from your mother. When all of these planets are aligned, you celebrate, for life is good.
When you are a bit older, there are many things that are important to you. You must NOT look ugly on the first day of school. You must get your driver's license ASAP. You must be allowed to pick out your own clothes. You must teach your parents the RIGHT way to think. When all of THESE planets are aligned, you celebrate, for life is good.
When you are a bit older, there are many things that are important to you. You want your daughter, who is five, to conquer the habit of wetting the bed. You want your son, who is two and a half, to go tee-tee in the potty. You want your 20 month old to find his own pacifier in the middle of the night. You want your husband to make all the plans for date-night on Friday. You want there to BE a date-night on Friday. You want to make a meal everyone loves. You want to have energy to watch the basketball game with your husband in the evening after cooking, cleaning, doing your own homework and dealing with kids. When all of these planets are in alignment...well, if all of those planets are ever in alignment, I'll let you know what happens.
As it is, life is good anyway. Maggie has gone four nights with a dry bed. Phoenix goes tee-tee in the potty at LEAST 4 times a day. Luke truly only cries for his pacifier if he's dropped it and can't reach it. Mark has already given me a heads up to be ready to go out Friday night. I've finished my homework early so maybe I'll catch some of the Lakers tonight....we'll see. I feel alignment is very close by.

Wordy Wordy Wordsworth

I think I nailed it! My exam on Wordsworth was this morning at 10:30. I had anxiety about it all weekend. I made myself a study sheet and Mark helped me study Saturday and Sunday and encouraged me a lot this morning, saying I'd do great.
When I got to class, one of the students suggested we all go to the computer writing lab to type our essay answers and the teacher agreed. So, we trouped down the hall and entered the FREEZING lab and chose our computers to sit at. After sitting down, I turned on the screen and then, as if joining the air conditioner in the corner, I froze up. I forgot how to use a computer. I thought, "What do I need? Do I need to be online to type this up? Wait...I need Microsoft something..." So, I looked until I found Microsoft Word, and then it all came back to me and I felt like the dinosaur that I am in this class full of little chickadees.
I was the first one to complete the exam and I expressed to the professor that I found this to be a bad omen...maybe turning my test in first meant I'd rushed through it and left much of it incomplete. He said encouragingly, "Nonsense. When you know it, you know it." Yea!
I truly hope this isn't one of those situations where I feel like I've completely conquered the entire test (including bonus questions) only to find I was WAY OFF and bombed. You know?

But, It's a Good Tired...

I'm so tired! But, it's a good tired. Today ends my first week back at college...I'm a Junior! Can you believe it? A 34 year old Junior! And, I'm loving it. Mark and the kids are being very helpful and supportive so I really have no excuse NOT to do well in this class. It's British Romantic Poetry...Mark says, "Well, I guess someone has to like that stuff. Better you than me." Ha! I DO like it! Ah, Wordsworth...which is who my first test is over on Monday. I plan to drown myself in his work all weekend so as to be prepared for the essay-style exam. It's been so long since I've done this...and I didn't have three kids the last time.
I was sitting at the table reading last night (so much reading!) and I found that my mind is tired in the evenings and it helps to read some of the poetry out loud...so I did. Maggie likes to do her "homework" with me, so she sat beside me with her colors and coloring book. When I finished reading "Lines...from Tintern Abbey" (it's beautiful), Maggie said, "Mama! That was a lovely story!" Sweet five year old...appreciating William Wordsworth!
Well, on a different subject, how's my dieting, you ask? I was challenged today. My friend Sharon wanted to take the kids and me to McDonald's (the treat is they play while we visit) and I gladly went (the kids have been cooped up in the house because I am always studying these days...so they deserved it!) only to find the place soooo tempting! I knew we were going so, last night, I looked on the McDonald's website and found that their lowest-fat items were the Caesar salad with low-fat Italian dressing...which is what I ordered (with water, of course). Then, I had to split the boys' fries and chicken nuggets...getting the salt and grease and yummy stuff all over my fingers....ooooooh, it smelled so good!!!!! I wanted to lick my fingers shamelessly, but I refrained. Instead, I wiped off my hands and dove into my salad. It was worth it. For the first time (maybe ever) I left McDonald's feeling much the same as I had entered...except not hungry anymore. I did NOT feel grease-laden, gross, heavy, guilty, or lethargic. Woo-Hoo!
(And, did I mention I've lost a pound this week?)

Headin' to South Beach

Mark and I officially began the South Beach Diet on Saturday. We love it! We think we can already tell a difference in our bodies!
Saturday morning, we had omelets and bacon and milk; for supper (the omelet was brunch) we had baked tilapia with sauteed mushrooms, green and yellow onions and tomatoes topped with feta cheese and served with a spinach and mushroom salad. Oh. My. Goodness. YUM!!
Yesterday (Sunday) we had another egg dish for breakfast (with the bacon, of course...turkey bacon), and then for lunch we had grilled chicken and vegetables over a bed of fresh spinach leaves. That night, we had my own rendition of a turkey sandwich: two turkey slices (deli sliced and 98% fat free) with thinly sliced Roma tomatoes and a layer of mozzarella (made from skim milk) on top then all rolled up, toothpicked, and heated nicely....why haven't we all been doing the diet all along? TASTY!!!
We snack on string cheese, boiled eggs, V8, and chocolate milk (sweetened with Splenda...fat free...) and drink tons of water. I am so excited about all of this. I wish you all the best in your weight-loss ventures...I obviously recommend the South Beach Diet!

Once Upon a Time...

Once upon a time, two people set out for a walk. They each carried a backpack filled with what they believed they couldn't do without while trekking on their journey. They both knew that they needed to reach the end of this long walk in order to move forward in their lives. As they walked, they both realized how heavy the backpack was. One suggested to the other that they stop and rest, but the second hiker refused; he said that he was afraid that if he stopped, he would never want to get up and continue walking. He pointed out that their rest would be wonderful at the end of the journey. They walked on. There came a steep hill in the midst of their path and, as they began climbing it, the second hiker noticed his labored breathing and an idea struck him. He took off his backpack and laid it on the ground behind him.

"Finally," said the first hiker. "We're going to rest."

"No," said the second hiker. "I'm just unloading the extra baggage."

"What?!" The first hiker was shocked. "You're going to leave your essentials behind?"

"It's too heavy to carry."

"But, without it, your trip will so much harder! It's easier to make the journey when we have all of our comforts with us," argued the first hiker.

"Comforts? Yes, I have been comfortable; but, I've also been slower than I wanted to be in reaching my goal. I'll be more comfortable at the end of the journey If I do without the comforts for a short time now." And, with that, the second hiker started back up the big hill, this time with more zest for his climb than before.

Weighed down by his backpack, the first hiker continued his slow ascent. He felt sorry for the second hiker as he was able to reach back into his pack and retrieve a drink or a snack anytime he wanted. But, after awhile, he realized that he couldn't carry on with the weight if he was to reach the end of his journey. He couldn't see how he could live without it, so he simply stopped. He rationalized that he wouldn't like life at the end of the journey anyway if it was life without his comforts. He patted himself on the back for getting as far as he had and he again felt sorry for the second hiker who couldn't possibly have been happy without his comforts.

Little did he realize, however, that the second hiker had already reached his destination, much faster than anticipated for his determination and sacrifice. And, there was more comfort and rest than he ever imagined.

You can make this story about anything you want. There are spiritual and emotional implications. But, you can take it on a simple level as well. For me, it means that I can keep my comfort foods with me and still lose a little weight at a time. I will continue to struggle, but I'll pat myself on the back for each small step and think I've outwitted everyone else because I can lose a few pounds while still enjoying my fattening goodies. And, I'll have those fleeting thoughts that I actually am happier being a little chubby because it means I get to hang onto my yummy comforts. Little may I realize that, if I do without them COMPLETELY, I will reach new heights in such a quick time as to spin my head around. I could be healthy in no time, if I'd just take off the stupid backpack.

Family Night - Wonka Dreams

Sunday nights are our Family Nights. After church, we do something fun and interactive together...no cell phones, no housework, just family time! Last night, Mark and I were so tired that we decided to watch a movie. We try not to have television on family nights, but if we are give out and I have a migraine coming on, we find a good, family movie and we make yummy orange rolls and we snuggle up in the living room together for the evening. Last night, we watched "Willy Wonka"...the original.
By the time it was over, Maggie had left her rocking chair and cuddled up beside me...not for affection. She was terrified. I kept asking her what she was scared of and she would just shake her head. Finally, toward the end of the movie, she burst into tears and said, "I hate that those children are so spoiled and tacky and they get horrible things done to them because of it and those Umpa-Loompa things are freaking me out!!!"
When the movie was over, we read a soothing book together and put everyone into bed.
Phoenix would NOT stay in bed by himself, so he spent half the night with us. Before midnight, Maggie had dragged her pillow and blanket into our room and was asleep on our floor. I asked Mark if he wanted to go get Luke so we could all sleep in the same room. He smiled, but we left Luke in his own bed. We all finally got to sleep, but I realized that Willy Wonka wasn't as pleasant for my children as I'd thought. I was remembering the candy and chocolate and colorful scenery.
So, on a scale of one to ten, this family night gets a 3. (The orange rolls were yummy, after all.)

Spring

I have a challenge for everyone...for myself as well. Let's redefine "Spring" in our lives. What makes a trampoline fun?...the springs. Why do kids like to jump on the bed?...springs. What is the mechanism for any object that is able to bound from here to there?...SPRINGS!! Springs enable us to bounce from one place to another easily and with fun! Let's use this Spring to move into whatever area of our lives we've been hoping to move into. More Spirituality? Weight loss? Better relationships?
This Spring, let's envision our goals "over there" as we stand "over here". Now, list the springs needed to bounce you over to your goals. Here are mine:
Attending church (service and extra activities) whenever possible.
Being vigilant about my diet and exercise.
Treating others with care, no matter what the situation.
Remember, springs are useful, but they are also the element that brings fun. Make springing to your goals a fun experience! (Picture Tigger!!)
Welcome, Spring!!

The Church of...

Just a thought. There are so many churches out there. We (our family) call some of them, in fun, Holy Rollers. So, what does that make us, the Church of Christ? I've decided that, since we eat for every possible situation, we're Roley Polies!!

Meet Me In St. Louis...

We just got back from a wonderful trip to St. Louis! If you've never been, be sure and put it on your To-Do List. This city is full of history and aged beauty. We met Mark's parents there and visited the Arch (my kids are daredevils!) and the Science Museum (so many interactive things there!).
Our first night there, we ate at a little Mexican restaurant called Azalea's Mexicana. Mark thought he'd be adventurous and ordered the cactus. Cactus? Well, more power to him. As he was eating it, he told us we should all try some because it was really delicious! I tried a teeny tiny bite...it wasn't bad. Mother was more adventurous (which is where Mark gets it!) and tried a couple bites. Soon after we'd finished eating (well, you all know me...I was still finishing my plate when everyone else was done), Mark said he wasn't feeling right. He was very pale and said he thought he might pass out. I immediately dipped my napkin in my ice water and started mopping his neck and forehead (this seems a little silly now...but at the time, I really didn't know what else to do).
He and Father got up and walked around a bit and, after several minutes (15?), Mark said he was okay to drive to the hotel. I joked with him that it was the cactus. But we rationalized that Mother would've had a reaction too.
So, after we'd been back in the hotel about 10 minutes, Mother said she was feeling strange. She said there was no pain really, just a strange sensation in her left eye. Then, she said she was seeing a strange shape out of her left eye that wouldn't go away whether the eye was open or closed. She drew the strange shape for us and, wow, it was awfully scary!
We all went to bed wondering about the power of cactus.
The next day, mother suffered from a little headache but said her eye wasn't seeing shapes. Upon looking at her, however, she looked as if she'd had some crazy night...her eye was slightly blueish and swollen and she admitted that it did still feel quite strange. {We realized that this probably had nothing whatsoever to do with cactus and she is going to the doctor today!}
After a wonderful day about town (and a new experience with pizza...anyone ever eat at Imo's?), we again returned to the hotel. It was time to say goodbye to Mother and Father. They had thoroughly spoiled us all and it was so hard to see them leave. We comforted our sense of loss with reasoning that we would surely see them again soon.
Mark, Maggie and Phoenix went swimming while Luke and I rested. Mark had a Harding Lacrosse game to attend that night, so the kids and I settled in with Bravo's Top Chef, several books, and the length of our room as a racetrack.
We came home yesterday and were so glad to get back. It seems that no matter how wonderful a trip is, it's always nice to come home again.

However...

After my surgery, I spent three or four days knowing that I was so much better. I knew that the only reason I was still feeling kind-of yucky was just recovery from the surgery. After a week, I was able to get up and do normal things. I was still feeling yucky, but I knew it would pass. I felt better after two weeks and then the third week I was able to plant a little in my yard, trim my hedges, actually play with my children and do the dishes before bed! This, to me, meant total healing. Mark kept having to tell me that I needed to slow down. I was still feeling very feverish and achy at night and, to be honest, I was still having some yucky moments in the day. But, I DID feel better than I'd felt in ages. So...I was healed, right?

During the fourth week, I justified my lingering yuckiness to the fact that I was having, I thought, a tummy bug. HOWEVER...

I just got back from the doctor yesterday evening. Not a tummy bug after all. The infection in my body is still severe. I received a high-powered antibiotic shot and a bottle full of antibiotic pills to take. If the infection isn't "a whole lot better" in a week, I'll be back in the hospital for I.V. antibiotics.

I was down about it at first. I'd so hoped to be over all of this. I mean, I was already feeling tons better. How depressing. HOWEVER....

Why is that depressing?! If I feel good now, imagine how amazing I'll feel when the infection is completely gone!!! This is GREAT news!!! I'll be feeling outstanding in no time!!

This is infection is no match for all of your prayers. Thanks, everyone.

My Daughter's Addiction

Maggie is so addicted to sugar. We thought she was like most children and just really liked sweets. Then we thought she just had an intense sweet-tooth. Now we know. She's addicted. I cut back her sugar and she was almost impossible to live with. I couldn't take her off of it cold-turkey because she literally had headaches and screaming fits. Now, I'm not blind...I realize that part of it is just being spoiled. Part, however, is a real, physical craving for sugar. She will do anything for it.

She's doing so much better. Only three or four sweets a day...and this is a lot better than it's been. Any advice? Please be praying for us! Thanks.

The Biggest Dancer/Dancing With the Loser

My two favorite shows are "The Biggest Loser" and "Dancing With the Stars". Why? They inspire, motivate, and entertain me. I'm reminded each week that I shouldn't be afraid of looking silly and that I can do anything I put my mind to (...through Christ!). You know what I want to do? I want to dress up in sequins and tons of make-up and dance around my living room with my kids! I want to take my husband rock-climbing! I want to set up a tent in the backyard and "camp" with my family! If people can get on T.V. and walk around in a sports bra while weighing over 300 pounds; and can do death-spins and Mambo shakes after only 2 weeks of training....well, surely I can start treating my family and myself to a few simple thrills life has to offer. Right? What is it that you want to do?

Thank God!

Well, we made it through another weekend. I'm loving this feeling-better thing. I can actually participate in life again and it's wonderful. There wasn't anything especially dramatic about this past weekend; but it was fun and I got to spend some quality time with my children. Mark was at the Tulsa workshop so the kids and I were on our own until Saturday night. The kids' new favorite book is "The Poky Little Puppy" so we read that a lot. We also got to watch some great classics together..."Scooby-Doo" (the one with Josie and the Pussycats), etc...
This is a fairly short and boring post but it just mainly is to say thanks to everyone for praying for me. Even though this past weekend wasn't full of activity, it was full of me being back on my feet. Small things, like doing the laundry and cooking meals, are huge accomplishments for me now. I take nothing for granted anymore. Not being able to bathe my children was terrible and now I enjoy every splash. Not being able to sit in the floor for long periods of time was awful, so now I am the first to suggest we sit and build with the blocks!
Smiles used to be few and far between...now, they're mandatory! If there's something you used to enjoy but have put on the back burner, or something you would like to do...DO IT!! Don't wait until it's impossible for you in order to realize how special life can be.
I thank God for the illness that made me appreciate life...and I thank God that I'm healthy now to enjoy life!!

What A Weekend!

This past weekend was so much fun! With both mine and Mark's parents here, we felt truly blessed. Maggie had a whale of a party too! Turning five...can you believe it?

It was a Barbie party, so you can imagine the pink. There were pink balloons, pink plates, pink cups, pink punch, pink cupcakes, pink wrapping paper, AAARGH!!! Pink!!!!! Not only were both sets of grandparents "present", but we also were graced with seeing Emily and Caroline. Emily is my cousin and Caroline is Mark's niece who are each attending Harding. They both have a great relationship with the kids and enhanced the party greatly. Caroline is the oldest granddaughter on Mark's side and Maggie is the youngest so...photo-opp!

Maggie got a bicycle and we all went out to watch Mark teach her to ride. She was very excited about it and, of course, Phoenix wanted to ride too!

We got her the size required for a child two years older than her...she's very tall!

Maggie also got a new puppy (thanks, Meme and Papa!!) which she has named Saraphina, but which we have to wait for because she's still too tiny to leave her mama. After the party, and going shopping for new spring clothes (thanks, Grandmother!), we went to Charlie's Pizza for supper (thanks, Papa!). This was at Maggie's request (as was breakfast at I-Hop...forgot my camera for that event). It was tons of fun. Charlie's Pizza is so close to our house, it's visible from our backyard, so Granddad laughed at us when we all loaded up in carseats and it took two vehicles for us to travel a whole block.

This is Grandmother, Caroline and Granddad, waiting for pizza.

Here's Meme, Papa, Phoenix, and Maggie...waiting for the pizza (it sure took forever!)

Maggie wore her new princess crown (thanks, Emily!) and was so big!!

We had a Funny-Faces C0mpetition. Maggie won 2nd Place.

Mark won Runner Up. (I'm so proud)

Phoenix won First Place! (He was happy to rennact the winning face over and over!)

Green

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Forgive any ramblings...I'm still on the heavenly percocet. I woke this morning to green green green! Maggie takes birthdays very seriously and when they fall on a National holiday, all the better! The dining room had green streamers and green balloons and my three children were dressed in green outfits. "Happy Birthday, Kim!" was written on the dry erase board and a champagne glass was sitting on the island with gold and green beads in it. As if this wasn't festive enough, Maggie pinched me and said we'd better get me dressed for the day... my gown and robe were blue.
Maggie picked out a green pants-suit, green socks, and, yes, green panties for me. After I got greened to satisfaction, she announced that she wanted to buy me a cake that was green and that had "Happy Birthday, Mama; I hope you have a great birthday; and I hope you have a great day!" written on it. I didn't tell her this was virtually impossible. I've decided that NOTHING is impossible.
The horrid infection that held me captive for over a year is blessedly absent from my body and mind now. I feel like GOING and DOING and BEING!!! Even though I'm still recovering from surgery, I have found every moment possible to laugh and play with my children. Mama being here has helped tremendously because she has taken care of all the daily tasks so that I CAN just be with my kids.
We made paper palm leaves Saturday night and took turns being Jesus (Mark was the donkey and the kids would take their turn being Jesus by riding on his back) and the rest of us would throw coats on the ground and wave our palm leaves shouting, "Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!" What a great way to celebrate Palm Sunday! And you know what? I never would've even attempted that two weeks ago. There are so many things I've missed out on and must make up for now.
So, I plan on getting a huge sheet cake and letting Maggie write with icing all over it!!!! Why not? I feel alive again! And why can't a cake have a whole paragraph written on it?
I hope you are all wearing green! Every time you see someone NOT wearing green today, please tell them that the day's not over; and they have time still to get into the spirit and celebrate life!

When It Rains...

...It pours! So, as we're bustling about making arrangements for the upcoming surgery, both boys have gotten sick. We took Phoenix and Luke to see the doctor today and Phoenix has severe chest congestion and a right ear infection. Luke has a double ear infection. They are both watching "Dora" in the living room right now. I'm exhausted (as always), have my flu-like symptoms, and a migraine, and so I can't really do much for either of them; but Mom's here saving the day! I'm so glad she's here.
Also, my friend Shannon called and said she just happened to have extra ingredients when making a quiche and so she thought she'd make us one for supper tonight. How thoughtful! Then, Rita called. Rita is a woman we go to church with and who teaches at Maggie's school. She's been kind enough to pick Maggie up for school on several occasions when Mark's out of town or has to be at work early and I've been too sick to drive. Rita called to say that, because of the upcoming surgery, she's arranged for Maggie to attend, not only her regular Tuesday/Thursday classes at school, but also Wednesday and Friday at no extra charge; she will pick Maggie up and bring her home each day for us; oh, and her mother has "dibs on Wednesday", meaning her mother is cooking us supper for Wednesday night so Mom can just concentrate on taking care of me after the surgery.
Rita also said she would coordinate more meals to be coming to our home during my recovery. And then there's Sharon Plummer, who you've surely all heard me talk about. She's available to help with whatever we need, be it food, babysitting, or Kim-sitting, whatever!
When it rains, God pours blessings all over us!

Been a Long Time

It's been awhile since I've blogged...sorry to those of you who check in. Things have been kind-of crazy around here; preparing for the surgery, Maggie's party, Easter, Spring Sing, etc... Our company begins arriving tomorrow and I'm getting excited!
Mom and Dad are coming tomorrow and, even though they're coming because of my surgery on Wednesday, I am still very happy about seeing them and will treat their visit like a vacation! Any time Meme and Papa visit, our house is a buzz of activity. The kids are happy and things get done in record time. Long live the visits from Meme and Papa!
Grandmother and Granddad will be arriving in just a few weeks for Maggie's party! More excitement!! When Grandmother and Granddad are in town, again, lots of buzzing excitement at our house! Her party falls on the same weekend as Spring Sing (Bryan and Jan will be in town, yea!) and also Easter (gotta clean house for the Easter Bunny!)!!!
Getting ready for whatever may happen during the surgery and then trying to prepare for Mag's birthday has kept me out of the blog-world for awhile; but I've tried to keep up with all of your posts. Thank you for breaking the monotony of my day!
I love you all! And, hopefully I'll be posting more often.

Poll Outing...

Okay, who are the Curious George lovers???

What Day is This?

How does one lose a day? It has been Saturday in my mind since I very first woke up. I heard the kids in the living room arguing over what television show to watch and I wondered why Mark wasn't intervening. Normally I'm awake if he's gone to work, but, since today's Saturday, he must be in the living room with them...right? Wrong. He's at work. It's FRIDAY!! Goodness.

I believe every day has a certain tone, a certain feel to it. Even if my routine is exactly the same every day of the week (except, of course, Sunday) there is still a certain ownership each day has to its title. And, my body recognizes that unwritten code and registers it somewhere in my brain. On Sundays, my body demands a nap. This is strange to me because I don't usually nap during the week. How does my body know it's Sunday?

Mondays feel like a new beginning. Why does Monday feel any different than Tuesday or Thursday? Wednesday definitely feels like it is obviously Wednesday. And, again, Friday has an unmistakable mark on it. Why is this? How is this?

And, when something misfires in our system and we confuse one day with another, even though our routine would be the same regardless, why does this throw off our entire day?

I'm sure there is a Spiritual answer to this; a cosmic reason that each day of the week has an intensely different feel to it. There are so many things going on in that invisible Spiritual world that I can't grasp...but yet, I'm in tune to it. The intangible is often more tangible than the tangible.

And that's about as philosophical as I can get this early on a Friday morning that feels so strongly like Saturday.

Desk Full of Fun

My kids have toys, toys, and more toys. Some of their toys stand up and dance for them; some sing; some spin around; some light up, whistle, and go rolling down the hall. They have antique toys and also the latest things. They have toys that are beautiful and some that scare me a little bit. Some of their toys are bigger than they are and some of them, to tell the truth, are toys that Mommy and Daddy like to play too!
Today, my kids complained of being bored. Bored? Bored!! I gave them each an unsharpened pencil and they've been happy now for hours. Doing what? Why, casting spells all over the house, of course! These are no ordinary pencils, you see...they are actually magic wands! My children came up with this, not me. Their ideas are always better than mine because, well, they're theirs! Unsharpened pencils....magic wands...same thing!
Who needs toys that talk to you when you've got a desk drawer full of magic?! And, it doesn't just end with a simple wand. There's a storyline to the madness.
I heard Phoenix and Maggie using their "wands" to solve a mystery. Maggie said, "C'mon, Fred! We've gotta solve this mystery!" And Phoenix answered, "Okay, Dapny, I'm on my way!" I think Luke is supposed to be Shaggy. It fits. He's pretty messy and is always wanting to eat. Phoenix said to me, "Boma (Velma?), you 'pose to say 'jinkies'!" I think I'm Velma! I better get my pencil, er, wand!

What's in your desk drawer?

The Slideshow

Notice there's a slideshow on our blog now! Woo-Hoo! If you want to really enjoy it, just click on it and you'll be taken to a website...on the right side of that webpage is the word "slideshow"...click on that and enjoy! Please let me know if this doesn't work.

Clean Your Vents

Mark recently changed the vent for our air conditioning unit in the house. It was nasty. There was a lot of crud and build-up on it so it was nice of him to put in a new, fresh one. It made me start thinking. When I get all cruddy and "built-up" with negativity, I begin to "vent"...I begin blowing the nasty crud all over my family that has built-up inside of me. I wonder if my husband and children think, "Well, it's time for a new mommy. This one's all full."
I think that's one of the great uses of prayer. It's like an automatic vent-replacement. When we don't pray regularly, all the negativity that comes upon us daily just builds up and builds up until there's no fresh, clean words to give to anyone; instead, there are only negative thoughts and words to share.
This may be a silly thought to anyone else out there, but it was a great visual for me. Prayer cleans your vents and keeps the clean "air" flowing!

Hearts on Valentine's

Valentine's has come and gone...and we're now detoxing. No sugar today! (Except for the wonderful cinnamon bread from Sharon Plummer...YUM!)
Last night, my husband had the most wonderful evening planned. He planned to take me to dinner (wherever I wanted to go...which turned out to be a great little Mexican place called Mi Pueblitos), and then he was taking me to see "Mousetrap"! The significance of this is that our very first Valentine's as Mr. and Mrs. Pruitt was dinner and a showing of "Mousetrap". The night sounded so romantic and sentimental...
Well, Phoenix ran a fever throughout the day and wanted nothing more than to sit in my lap and moan. I just couldn't leave him with a babysitter being that sick. Mark completely understood and we salvaged what we could of the evening by eating take-out from Doc's Grill and watching "Disney's The Kid" on T.V. It wasn't hearts and candles, but it was warm, comfortable and sweet...what more could a wife and mommy ask for? Besides, as I assured Mark, it's truly the thought that counts. The fact that he had planned such a romantic evening and then was willing to abruptly change plans to suit a sick child...well, there's nothing more romantic than that.
It made me realize that when God is searching my heart, He is pleased more by my desire than my action. If Mark had taken me to dinner, but done it begrudgingly, it wouldn't have been romantic at all. When I serve God, if I did with a grumbling heart, it does not please Him. If I long to serve Him and seem to never be able to do enough, He is more than pleased.
When my kids make something for me and it's just pitifully ugly, colors don't match, glue is oozing out everywhere, there's more glitter in the hair than the paper, do I say, "Gross! I don't want that!"?
No, indeed! Because I know that in their hearts, they desired nothing more than to make me this wonderful gift and give it to me...to make me proud of them. God is the same way with us. Things don't have to be perfect in our lives for God to be proud of us. He is proud of us for our attempts...if they are attempts with good hearts. Mark doesn't have to give me flowers and candy (or that new computer game I've been wanting!) for me to know that he loves me. Just the fact that he spends time and energy trying to please me says all I need to hear.
I'm rambling. I'm about to change my mind and delete this entire post, so I'm going to hit "Save" very quickly now. Thoughts matter!

Balentime's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!
This morning did NOT start off well. Last night, Mark and I were sooo tired and literally crashed as soon as we could. The boys have been sick and Mark and I have been up several nights in a row. Mark and Phoenix were sick all night again and during the wee hours of morning, when I had intended to get up and play "Cupid" (and fill the empty bowl) I was, instead, laying dead to the world in my cozy bed.
Maggie got up and ran to the table to see if Cupid had come...and she immediately ran back to her room in tears. She told us she guessed we hadn't shown enough love this year because Cupid didn't come to our house. I felt like the worst mom in the world. I jumped out of bed and made eye signals to Mark who swept the children up and distracted them for a few minutes. We fixed it, but only barely.
I hid a note from Cupid underneath the empty bowl...Maggie was ecstatic to find she'd missed this proof of Cupid! The note told how all the candy we'd earned was too much for the little bowl we'd left. Cupid had, therefore, left our wonderful candy in "the little girl's room who'd shown the MOST love!" Maggie was thrilled! She ran to her room and found a heaping bowl of candy underneath her bed. This did the trick. The house was full of joy and magic and the holiday was restored and I had to go have a good cry because, in my exhaustion from caring for one child, I'd neglected another.
It was a lesson learned...no matter how tired I am, I HAVE to make sure every child's needs are taken care of.
I pray all of your needs are taken care of too and that Cupid visits each of you on this beautiful Valentine's Day.
(More later about school parties and a date with my husband!)

Climbin' the Poll

I asked you all to tell me which movie you liked better and the majority of you voted for Lonesome Dove. Why? I know Mom voted for The Jerk because, although she LOVES Lonesome Dove, The Jerk makes her laugh and forget about reality for awhile. Great reason. So...the rest of you?
Don't forget to vote on this Valentine Poll...

Stripes Again

With the whole world going "Retro" and bringing back things like neon green, disco style platforms, and stonewashed denim well, I have a question. Why are prisoners still wearing those awful jumpsuits? Why don't they go retro as well? I miss the black and white stripes! Oh, and the little caps too! Wouldn't they look so cute in that old outfit? Just a thought.

The Empty Bowl

Oooooh, to experience Valentine's Day through the eyes of a child! Remember how fun it was to give Valentines to all your classmates and receive a ton for yourself? We got Maggie's class list today and she and Mark bought the perfect cards to give out. She is so excited!

We have a tradition in our house concerning Cupid. We have a red and gold heart-bowl (thank you, Grandmother!) that we set on our table. It remains empty until February 14th. If we've given enough love to each other throughout the year, Cupid comes in the night and fills the bowl with goodies for us to have on Valentine's Day! Maggie and Phoenix see the empty bowl and are reminded to give each other hugs and help me out with chores around the house. The empty bowl is giving Mark and me more "treats" than Cupid will give to the children in a few days.

I'll be posting more about Balentime's Day soon...love to all!!

Three Minutes

Remember the Doris Day post? Well, I did it! I decorated the table for dinner with a beautiful red table cloth. Then, I put my new, red & gold, glass candle holder in the center with a wonderfully scented candle inside. Everything was perfect. And it lasted an entire 3 minutes. Luke ran by, grabbed the table cloth, yanked without stopping his race, and now the beautiful candle holder is in the trash. Well, I'll always remember those three minutes.

Pick Me!!

Just a quick visual on what I think we look like to God. Consider a classroom of young children. Some are passing notes to each other, their focus clearly on fun and pleasure and games instead of on the Teacher. Some are asleep, not in tune to others around them or on the Teacher or even on themselves...they are simply tired. Some are sitting in their desks, shrinking as low as possible, hoping that the Teacher passes them by without comment. And then, there are those, annoying to most, but loved by the Teacher. They are passionate, eager, full of enthusiasm and joy. They raise their hands so high that their rearends come out of the seat. They say over and over and over, "Pick me! Pick me!" They yearn for the Teacher's attention. They desire nothing more than the Teacher's approval. They live to please the Teacher.
The Teacher's heart is with the sleeping student, His discipline is with those without focus, His arms reach for those shrinking back, and His eyes rest lovingly on those who willingly aim to please Him. I am not the same student every day.
Which are you today?

Doris Day She Ain't

For over a week, we've all been struggling with some sort of illness...whether it's pneumonia, bronchitis, ear infection, a cold, flu, or that unnamed crud that attacts the sinus and glands (and attitude)...we're exhausted, cranky, and claustrophobic at this point and for some reason, the family always turns to "Mama" to make things all better. This might be taken in stride if "Mama" wasn't also feeling awful.

Mark is so good to come home from work and dive right into changing diapers, doing dishes, and so on while I get to rest a little. I know women who seemingly can do it all and I get very frustrated that I am NOT one of those women. I mean, when I feel good, I love buzzing around the house, humming and cleaning and smiling and cooking. I absolutely love cooking a creative meal and decorating the table for dinner. But, when I'm tired, it's all I can do just to slop a semi-warm dinner into the bowls and hand everyone a community rag to wipe their mouths with.

This morning I woke up feeling better than I've felt in ages. I did a load of dishes, two loads of laundry, 30 minutes of aerobics (with the kids bouncing along right under me) and actually took a shower (with Luke playing peek-a-boo with the shower curtain the whole time). All of this may sound like a normal day for Doris Day, but for me...well, it's pretty rare. I have treasured every feel-good moment of today and hope to decorate the table tonight for dinner!!

Hope you're all having a "Doris" day.

Poop

Why does poop turn black when you take an antibiotic? Luke's been on an antibiotic for about a week and every time Mark changes his stinky diaper he says, "Kim! Luke's poop's black!" And I say, "Yeah. It's the antibiotic." Then he forgets and changes it again another day and says, "Kim! Luke's poop's black!" And I say, "Yeah. It's the antibiotic." And then...well, you get the idea. So it got me to thinking...why does it turn black? And why does it stink like a dead skunk? Does anybody know?

The Mane Event

Hello out there! This is our first entry into cyberspace...we've finally decided to join the rest of the 21st century and get a blog. So, what does one share on a blog? And, where does the word "blog" come from? I hope you all will enlighten us and help us make this an interesting site for all to visit.
As we begin this blogging adventure, our family is living in Searcy, Arkansas. Mark works as an Admissions Advisor at Harding University; Kim is home with the three little 'uns; Maggie is four years old and busy in school, piano, and dance; Phoenix is two and is busy with Hotwheels, and mischief; Luke is one and is simply busy.
We run a carepackage business on the side called Sweet Home Delivery and it keeps our creative sides satisfied (check out the site and order a package!!). We miss everyone back home (in Texas and Iowa) but are faithfully making a home for ourselves here in Byson territory. We attend Westside Church of Christ and are LOVING it.
Let's see...how do we not make this information boring? We could share all the mundane trivialities of parenting...vomit, poop, broken dishes. Or, we could tell you all about getting no sleep and watching Dora the Explorer marathons. But, for this blog moment, we'll share with you the MANE event from Saturday and today (Wednesday).
Kim had been really getting bored with her hair lately. You know how she is...before getting married and "settling down", she'd colored her hair like it was her own personal coloring book. But, since wifedom and mommyhood took over, she's been content to get it highlighted and leave it at that. Until Saturday. She was just really bored with it and wanted to do something...the problem is, we don't have a lot of spare cash right now (who does?) and she felt guilty paying someone to "play" with her hair. So, she bought a three dollar box of blonde at Wal-Mart and we both "had a hand in" what happened next. We read the directions on the box and they certainly seemed simple enough...seemed simple...
Kim's hair is a lovely shade of tangerine now. We really like it. It's certainly not boring...or at least, we thought it wasn't. Today, however, Kim looked at her hair in the mirror and decided that coloring it just didn't do the trick. She wanted a CHANGE (tangerine is obviously just so "everybody-does-it"). So, having just gotten out of the shower and towel dried her hair, she promptly went for the scissors. Yes. She chopped it off. With no way of seeing the back and getting things even, she just whacked away. She called Mark at work and told him she'd done something crazy. When he got home he had visions of Sinead O'Conner in his mind. Determined to tell her she was beautiful (no matter what) he stepped into the house and...surprise!














Mark actually thinks it's cute! Kim is glad it's at least different.
Well, that's as dramatic as it gets around here. We'd love to hear from everyone!