Houston, We have a Problem!

Here's ya a nice story. Today I was looking frantically through my closet for something to wear to a program Little Ann was participating in at school. I haven't had time to really get my summer things out yet, but decided I'd quickly sort through the pile and pick out a pair of capri's from last year.

Whoa.....nelly. Um...can you say T.I.G.H.T???

This can only mean one thing. No more oreo mcflurries...or bigger clothes.

Or...maybe "The 30 Day Shred"?

Or...bigger clothes.

Or...lypo.

Or...bigger clothes.

I guess I could buy a membership to the gym....or lay off the chocolate milk.

Or...just buy bigger clothes.

I refuse!
Oh Dear.

Deep Thoughts and a Tradgedy

I'm coming up on my 200th post. Wow. That's amazing that I have kept going this long. I keep thinking about what I could do that would be really cool and exciting, but I got nothing.

nada.

zilch.

My brain has been in this funky state for awhile. I keep trying to think of fun things to blog about, but in all honesty, I feel like you guys are getting tired of baseball and right now that seems to be all we are doing. We ended the season as Conference Champs, District Champs, Regional Champs and will be playing in the State Tournament this weekend. You know I'll have pictures coming soon!!

I guess I could talk about the fact that my baby birdie is getting ready to leave the nest. Yep..we are in our official last week of high school and it is sort of bittersweet. I am sad because I want him to be little again. I long to stop the clock. I don't want him to leave. Sometimes I feel like I won't survive when my children are gone. That they are my everything and without them I will just be bobbling along through the rest of my life without a purpose. Motherhood is a wonderful thing...yes it is..even if I have to shake the occassional desire to "run away from home".

The tears flowed last Friday as I sat at the school during a period with no students. I looked out the window at a sidewalk that Big Dan has walked a many a mile on. I visualized him coming into my room (my kids always do this when I sub), asking for money or lunch from the store because the cafeteria was serving something not so desirable. I could see him jumping on the backs of his friends, or yelling across the way at the principal making a spectacle of himself as he so often does. He's a friendly guy. A loud, silly, loving life teenager. And as hard as it may be, I know this chapter in his life....one of many...has to come to an end.

And that's not all a bad thing.

I think about how much of a burden off me it will be to not have that homework to fret over. Wondering if he really got it done because it never seemed to make it home. Or that paper, project or scrapbook that loomed over us until the night before it was due. It will be nice to not feel the need to check the locker for lost jackets and missing jeans each time I substitue. To not cringe each time my phone rings and the caller id tells me it is the high school or wonder what kind of show he put on this time whenever all the teacher wants to do is say hello. Nope, no more parent-teacher conferences that cause me an anxiety attack the entire week before and no more wondering what kind of bill I'm going to get during the summer for lost text books, or locks that somehow never made it through the year in one piece or even turned in at all.

oh, who am I kidding. I'm gonna miss it all. The good and the bad.

Time goes by so fast. I know in just a few short years, I will be processing these same thoughts with Little Ann. Cherish each moment with your children, because the days are gone before you know it.

And I've said this before, none of us have the assurance of tomorrow. Just yesterday a lady in our little community pulled right out in front of a log truck on our highway. It was awful. She passed away, and her grandson, who is a 2nd grader at our little school, is at Children's hospital in critical condition. It has been a sad day and my heart is breaking for this family. He is such an adorable little boy. I am asking for your prayers for him and his family. He and his older brother are near the ages of my nephew's. They are friends and play baseball together. It is hard for little children to understand why things like this happen sometimes.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

FYI

Just a little "For Your Information"...

First of all, you know I gotta brag just a little bit. We're still playing ball..although we are just before finishing up the season. Last night we took home the title of Conference and District Champs!! Yea Us!

Can you find Big Dan? This is not the greatest picture. I was dealing with lots of fidgety, ready to get this over with, teenage boys....the darkness....and a glaring field light. But at least I have the picture. We advance to Regionals this weekend.

*********************************************

And for the 2nd bit of information.

I've been getting several comments and emails regarding my mom's etsy shop and I just wanted to let you know what is going on with that. She had several items listed for about 6 months and she and I both felt really good about it. But would you believe she never got one single sale? I felt so bad for her. Anyway, when her listing times ran out, she didn't list anything else, and I took her link down.

Guys, I know you're just going on my word, but her stuff is good. Really good...and not just because I have a teensy weensy reason to be partial. It is. So, for those of you who have expressed interest, please feel free to email me again and I can send you pictures of her work. And if any of you who have blogger friends that get lots of hits who may be interested in doing some advertising or "talking her up"...well, that would be so appreciated too. I'd really like to see Etsy work for her.

If you are just tuning in to my blog, and don't know what I'm talking about...she sews, monograms and appliques. She makes classy children's outfits from birth - size 6 (or so). She incorporates monogram or applique designs and personalization into her outfits. She also does precious baby bags, burp pads, blankets and lots of other stuff.

Hey..we'll take any advice you have for getting the word out. My parent's are retired and mom is just trying to make a living doing what she loves.

Some Mid Week "Things"...

There's been lots going on in the house of Scrapper Mom recently. Lots of things requiring my computer scrap savvy brain...such as it is. Starting over the weekend, this is what I'm talking about:

- One book report over "The Long Winter". Ready for Little Ann to audition for her part in the Accelerated Reading pageant on the 30th. We're talking 3-4 minutes that had to be memorized. Not even notecards....and complete with costume. CHECK.

She did this on Monday and I must brag. She was the only one in the class that made a perfect score and was first pick for the pageant!!

- Next up for Little Ann was the power point she had to put together for yesterday's 4-H presentation. Community Service is a good thing. CHECK.

- I've been scrap happy for the past few days because Big Dan's last 5 spreads for his Senior Scrapbook are due tomorrow. This time he had to design a cover and back for the binder. The essay was on his best childhood memory which of course would be the 500 years he's played baseball. We..correction..I spent hours sorting through old baseball pics for the accompanying collage. CHECK.

- District Tournament started this past week. All pushed back a day because of rain. I drove 5 hours yesterday (round trip) for the game which we won. We play again tonight for the Championship. And I suppose I'll be driving to watch again.

- Pete's job did change a little. Not too detrimental at the moment. As a railroader, there is so much strange lingo that it took me years to learn to comprehend. All I can say right now is he got "bumped" off the "extra board" and is now working a "regular job" which gives him pretty standard off days instead of a few hours off between trips. There. Did you get all that? I said all that to say that he has been a little stir crazy with the warm weather and off days. So much that he and Little Ann began "PROJECT TREE HOUSE". I think it's supposed to resemble "American Girl..Kit's". The first day they worked on it brought a little tumble backwards into the mud in which he thought he broke his ankle. Now Little Ann is stressed that her clumsy daddy is going to really hurt himself during this endeavor and she wants him to stop. Aw...now that's sweet. How is it that some of us get so much clumsier with age? (Love ya honey).

- The Seniors have 10 more days of school. I have hung in there. No tears yet (well, recent ones), but I know they're a comin'!! As soon as this tournament is over we are going to have to squeeze graduation invitations in somewhere between Regional and State...and I'm trying to plan the "after party".

No doubt it's been and will be a wild ride around here for a little while. Say a little prayer for us....(and my dad who is having a skin cancer removed today and sent off for biopsy).

Happy Hump Day, my friends!

La La Land

That's where I feel like I've been (and still am) for the past 48 hours. Maybe I'm writing to get a little sympathy...or not. But as boring as it may be, I'm going to share anyway.

I started having headaches at a very young age, but I don't think anybody really knew what a "migraine" was back then. As I got older into my teen years, I had them worse and worse and still battle (although medication choices are much better now). I had been to several doctors and a neurologist to try to get to the root, but no one could ever find it and just sent me home with more prescriptions.

Into college, I went through a series of allergy tests that revealed that I was allergic to practically everything and I went on food journal diets and shots to try to alleviate the headaches. Nothing seemed to change and I hate needles, so I eventually got off the shots.

Then my dentist discovered I had Temporal Mandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ). Found out that it is very common and I had all the symptoms. My dentist made me a splint to wear at night to align my bite and it did seem to alleviate some of the stress on my jaw. Although the headaches still remain today (oh, do they ever), the TMJ has thankfully been in remission for the past 15 years or so of my life.

BUT...it seems it's back in full force. I have noticed clicking and pain on the right side of my face and even a soreness in my teeth for the last several months. The weird thing about it now is, it is affecting my neck.

My neck aches.

Terribly.

It feels like a crick that never goes away. Tender to touch and sometimes shoots a strange pain completely up the back of my head. I've taken some hydrocodone over the weekend and been on heat and today called the doctor, but I guess I'm curious. Is anybody else out there familiar with this disorder....and is neck pain common with TMJ? I've googled and found some forums that say yes, but I'd like to know if any of you have experienced this first hand.

Babysitting

I think I mentioned to you way back when school started that Big Dan was taking a Parenting class. All has gone well so far, but with the end drawing near, time for "the baby" has come. Yes, my friend. I had big plans for pictures from Easter for you...or maybe some deep thoughts, but nooooo. Haven't had time for that over the past 24 hours. I've been too busy babysitting.

My heart went out to him last night as he came in utterly exhausted. So, me, being the good mama, stayed up all night with the crying thing. I think I finally got to sleep around 5:30 this morning. The little squawl bag went to school with Big Dan today. I had to use the morning hours to get caught up on my sleep. Thankfully my babysitting services were not required again until lunch time since the rest of the afternoon and evening would be filled with baseball.

It's been quite comical around here tonight. I think I only saw the thing fly across the room once...(....not the baby, but he did throw a bottle or a diaper or something baby related). I've heard lots and lots of fussin' and not just from the little one. Maybe I won't have to worry about becoming grandma too soon after tonight! WHEW! (I don't EVEN wanna go there!).....yet anyway.

Total Randomness

Some randomness for you...

This past week seems nothing more than a whirlwind for me now as I look back. I'm so tired as I write, I can't really even remember what the past 6 days beheld. I do know that today marks the beginning of a new week and represents the day my Lord and Savior rose from the grave. Oh how I am so thankful for that "agape" love He showed the day He died for my sins.

It seems as though I'm missing Pete more and more. He's been working so much lately. Part of our mutual total money makeover plan. I am so grateful to him for the sacrifices he has been making and appreciate the contributions, but I must admit I miss him.

You know..(in deep thought)...as much as I miss him, marriage is a hard thing. I sometimes wonder for the life of me why Pete can't understand me. He thinks I speak some foreign off the wall idiotic female language, (but it all makes perfect sense to me). When I nag, he goes outside to escape me. When I cry, he tells me to stop wallowing. When I am angry, he tells me I sound like a banshee. And when it's that week of the month...well, he tells me to talk to him again next week. It must be true what they say about men being from Mars and women from Venus. I guess what I'm trying to say is...I wish they'd offer a crash course in "listening, consoling, understanding, and apologizing" on Mars.

...and I know it's a two way street.

I can be difficult. I know this too (but I won't take credit for all of it).

Oh well, in changing the randomness, just so you know...(even misunderstood), I'm pretty sure I love him.... alot.

We played lots of baseball this week. A game on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and a mini Tournament on Saturday. It was pretty exciting and we won all of the above.

Good Friday really did turn out to be a pretty "good" day. We welcomed this new precious boy into the world....

and then Little Ann and I went to see.....

which was pretty good for a Hannah Montana movie. (shhh...don't tell anybody I said that.)

A Whole Lot of Stuff...Packed Into Three Days!

I've blogged quite a a bit this past week about feeling anxiety regarding the business (I guess you could say) of the week and especially the weekend. It was crazy and I felt like I met myself coming and going from about Thursday on, but here it is Monday again and I made it through.

I got a chance to take lots of photographs that I am excited about sharing today so bear with me.

Friday Night was Big Dan's Senior Prom. Pete and I invited the kids over to eat. Last year a group of them went to Chili's for dinner, but this year, I volunteered to pick up steaks from our local butcher shop for Pete to grill if they wanted to come here. I was hoping the words "eat free" would entice them, because I so wanted to be as much of a part of this special night as I could.

Here is Big Dan being his normal goofy self. They are eating in their street clothes because the girlfriend was just certain Big Dan would get dinner all over that white coat of his. Ahhh....not even a year since they started dating and she knows him so well.....lol.

We had a good meal and topped it off with some delicious cheesecake for dessert. Then they began getting ready. Little Ann was beside herself all night. She was just amazed by the glitter in the girlfriends hair, her beautiful dress, her sparkly shoes, and even Big Dan's white coat and bow tie.

I think she has been dreaming of her Prom Night every night since.

Unless I am bragging or posting pictures of him playing baseball, most of the time, when I am blogging about Big Dan, I am venting....lol. Mostly about some of his not so endearing teenager qualities, but one thing I can say about him is....he is funny. And that's probably the thing I love the most about him. He can make you smile. Check out this picture....

And now it's time for the finishing touches so we can get this photo session on the move!


And I took about a thousand pictures after they were dressed, but I won't bore you tee totally to death. Here are my favorites.

And so after they drove off in all their radiant glory, I went to hang out with my girls and we stuffed about a million eggs for Saturday's church/community wide egg hunt.

And here is my Little Ann finding those eggs.

Sunday afternoon, me and a friend of mine (is that the way you say that?? lol) hosted a baby shower here at my house for another dear friend of ours. She is actually our Pastor's wife as well. We'll be welcoming her sweet bundle of joy into the world on "Good Friday". How's that for a "Good Friday" celebration? She had a great shower...lots of fun, good fellowship, and I was tickled at the gifts she received.

See that cute little "Evan" bag right in the front? My mother made that. Don't you want one for your next shower? I can hook you up!

In looking at the calendar, it seems like this week will be a little on the crazy side as well. I'm starting today out with a little laundry, returning the tux, and heading out to a ballgame (that is supposed to be freezing), but I've got my attitude in check and a smile on my face!

Have a great week!

Mickey D's Has it Out for Me!

Once a month in every girl's life...nothing can satisfy like some chocolate, some sugar and lots of carbs. Which is exactly why in the midst of all my errand running yesterday for prom night tonight, I decided an oreo mcflurry would hit the spot.

Me: "Yes, I would like to order an oreo mcflurry."
Them: "That is $2 blah blah ...drive up..blah blah.."

Them: "We're sorry, we're out of oreos."
Me: (pondering the next best thing...) "Ok. then, I'll take a hot fudge sundae."
Them: heading off to kitchen...coming back...I"'m sorry. We're out of fudge."

WHAT??? Are they CRAZY? (they are messing with hormones, here!!) Needless to say. I just got my money back.

The reason this is so comical to me is just last month, Pete, Little Ann and I ordered hot fudge sundae's from a totally different McDonalds. After paying and having the ice cream in hand...I stood there patiently waiting on spoons. After they waited on a few more people, I finally spoke up..."hello...we need some spoons", I said. Would you believe that lady looked at me and said "oh, we're out of spoons". "Well, how do you expect me to eat my sundae?".. She had no reply. I got a refund that day too. (except for Little Ann who had already headed over to get a straw).

Wow. This is almost as bad as the day Big Dan and I stopped at Taco Bell on a day they were out of meat.....awesome.

Dissatisfied

I will admit....I've got like a thousand things to do today..and tomorrow...and the next day. It's a bit overwhelming. I wouldn't even allow myself to crawl back under my warm covers after taking Little Ann to school this morning, which is a pretty normal thing for me.

No, today, is filled with "stuff". An already packed full calendar and a death in our church requiring me to take out even more time to prepare food and a song since the family asked me to sing at the services. Wow. That adds a little stress to my weary, stressed out, hormonal body this week. But in reality, maybe it's what I need to make me me feel a little better about myself...you know. Being able to serve someone other than self right now.

As I write, I am listening to the rolling thunder. Seems a storm is blowing in (which actually may cancel the ballgame this evening alleviating something from my calendar without adding the guilt).

The storm makes me consider my life at this moment.

I am a terrible Christian. I fill my life with nonsense. A snippy tongue for no apparent reason. (I am working on that one.) A lazy..it'll be there tomorrow attitude. Blogging and Facebook.. which takes up an extreme amount of my time. This alone is the biggest storm I am having to row through at this moment. I seem to be letting things go...and then wondering why I feel the pressure. And my relationship with God. You don't even want to know. I should be spending time with Him. In study....in prayer.

I'm dissatisfied..with myself. No one else. It's all me. I'm upset because I can't seem to get control. I'm upset because I allow things to go on inside myself that shouldn't go on. I'm upset because I won't even do my Sunday School lesson and I can think of every excuse why. Our Pastor says if we are going to be Christians, then we should be Christians.

God's been speaking to me...

And I've been running...

Why God? Don't you know there are so many more important things to do?

I'm such a hypocrite.

O Lord My God..
When I in Awesome Wonder.
Consider all..the works Thy hand have made.

I see the stars. I hear the rolling thunder.
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then Sings my Soul...My Savior God to Thee.
How Great Thou Art! How Great Thou Art!

Oh Heavenly Father. Please don't give up on me. Help me get through this storm. Continue these convictions that our relationship may be restored. I love you Jesus. Amen.

An April Fool's Daybook

I am thinking.....that Prom is expensive, but I'm sad this is the last one.

AND I just have to say...I am also thinking that there are still lots of lurkey loo's out there that never comment, but the 10 of you that did definitely made me SMILE!! (and if you link in...you still CAN!!)

I am thankful.....that Big Dan's girlfriend and I have been spending more time together thanks to some away baseball games, a few road trips, and some good conversation. It has been nice being able to form a closer bond with her. She makes Big Dan happy and that makes me happy.

From the kitchen.....I am going to try a new recipe for a cake called "honey bun cake" given to me by a good friend recently. Doesn't that sound yummo?

I am wearing.....knit capri's, a tee shirt, and I am barefoot.

I am reading.....nothing, but I have been very convicted lately about reading too much internet and not enough of my bible. Anybody else have that problem? oh the shame....

I am hoping.....that I can scrapbook soon. I am feeling the urge BIG TIME, but it's one of those things where I get overwhelmed with guilt if I do it when I have other things lingering over my head. Believe me though. I've got the FEVER.

(haha...notice this is the same thing I was hoping the last time I did a daybook, but I STILL wanna scrapbook and STILL haven't had the time!)

I am creating.....ideas in my head about what to put in my 18 year old's Easter Basket that he doesn't already have or need!! (gasp!! yes, I still give him an Easter Basket...and he still believes in Santa too!) (April Fools!...well, the last part anyway.)

I am hearing.....the roar of our bedroom fan that is used for noise at night. I haven't managed to remove my body from my bedroom yet this morning...except to bathe. (but that's a good thing, right?) AND....the sound of the tractor outside. I think my husband is mowing for the first time this season. I love that sound because I love Spring and Summer.

Around the house.....I've got to do some deep cleaning...as in cabinets and corners! Having guests over this weekend.

One of my favorite things.....Sonic Cherry Limeades. I love finding a Sonic before a baseball game and sipping my limeade all during the game!

A few plans.....unfortunately a funeral that I was asked to sing at tomorrow, baseball (of course), feeding the kids a steak dinner here at the house before PROM on Friday night, Bible Study, an egg hunt, a birthday party, a Passion Play, Church, and last but not least, I am hosting a baby shower for our Pastor's wife here on Sunday. I'm sure you'll be hearing about that soon. He's due to arrive on the 10th!!

A picture thought for the day.....

I had a baseball shirt air brushed. You can guarantee I'm 100% Big Dan's BIGGEST FAN!

HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!