My Yesterdays, Todays, and Tomorrows

A Quick Hello

2009-10-10T19:24:00.005-05:00

Wow. Seems like I've been away forever. Hmmm..well, since July. I guess that is practically forever.

I still log in to my blog because I still like to read several of the blogs on my blogroll. I admit, I don't comment much....and I know that doesn't seem fair as when I was blogging frequently, I longed for comments. That was one thing that just made me smile on a cloudy day. A comment. I don't comment much though for a couple of different reasons. One..I am usually lying in my bed when I am reading and it's very difficult to type while lying down...and the other being that while not contributing to the blog world by posting, it's almost like I don't feel worthy of commenting. Like I have to visit in secret. I'm weird...I know.

I have missed you all though. Seems though things are very busy. School and my substituting is back in full swing. Lots of sickness and they are keeping my phone hot. Big Dan seems to be doing well in college. Right now though, I would be hard pressed to find blog topics that don't involve some whining....and we all know those are not what we are interested in. I just wanted to say hi.

It's Fall. I love Fall. Happy Fall Ya'll.
Scrapper Mom

To Blog or Not to Blog...That is the Question

2009-07-19T15:21:00.005-05:00

I just visited my blog. Something I haven't done in quite some time. I noticed I had one post for the entire month of July. It seems I have lost that loving feeling. The one that lasted a year, but is having trouble finding it's way back.

I've become so overtaken with life, and seem to spend way more time on my facebook. And although I have felt overhwelmingly guilty for forsaking my blog friends, it's not been enough. I have considered shutting her down altogether several times, but then again, that seems so final. Not sure I wanna do that either. I'd miss you too much.

Maybe I'll just say goodbye for a season. Can I come back, if I should have a change of heart?

I can be a little indecisive at times.

Sun Fun

2009-07-06T12:20:00.020-05:00

It's been a while since I last posted. The motorcycle drama has thankfully died down (at least for now while he saves his money) thanks to the purchase of a wii fit and a very competitive father / son duo. It is considered an early gift in honor of mine and Pete's anniversary coming up next week. Oh, I will most definitely have to post some photographs of my unbalanced guys doing the hula hoop. It is quite comical.

But for now I must share the latest happenings.

It has been a whirlwind of a week. One that included lots of eating out (which contributed to a little set back on the scales this morning), and lots of fun in the sun.

Last Tuesday we visited some friend of ours that live on one of Arkansas' beautiful lakes. We took the boat out and did a little tubing, swimming, and snorkeling.

Although I love water slides and an occasional dip in the pool, I wasn't raised too much around water. We managed to visit the ocean once when I was a kid, and would swim in hotel pools while on family vacations. My dad and brother would go on overnight fishing trips, but my mother has a fear of water so she and I would always find something more exciting to do instead of roughing it with the dudes at the camp.....

like shopping.

hmmmm.....camping, shopping, camping, shopping. There was never really any contest.

In the early years of our marriage, Pete was hard pressed to get me to do anything boat, lake, river or camping related, but hey, I've mellowed with age. I guess I'll try anything once....(well, maybe not anything).

I like it.

I like it a lot...especially the part when we take the boat out in the calm of the evening and just enjoy the peacefulness and serenity of God's creation.

and fish.

haha...yeah, we threw him back.

And the beauty of the sunset. It takes my breath away.

Another day we did one of my favorite things. We floated a river that is also near the lake. It takes us about 4 hours from point A to point B, but I find it very enjoyable and relaxing.....(minus the sunburn).

Friday of last week, Pete and I went to a water park in the big city. Little Ann was with a birthday group and we were invited to tag along. It is something we usually do every year at least once without any kids. I know...it sounds cruel, but I can't seem to get enough of those water slides, and I can really let my hair down and be a kid when I don't have to stress over my kids. I tend to do that, ya know.

I've been in the sun so much recently. I think I'm going to turn into one big freckle.

So tell me...what have you been up to this summer?

Let's Just Clarify Something...My Fears

2009-06-27T11:04:00.004-05:00

Before all 5 of you who actually read my last post about a motorcycle begin to think that I am fearless, and am okay with the fact that my 18 year old son who has no previous experience on any kind of motorcycle and spent a very limited amount of time on an atv as a child (yes, because of his mother's fears), I must clarify some things for you. The post was actually just poking fun at my teenager and the wonderful theory of ...buy now, pay later.

Oh believe me. I am not fearless by any means.

I fear many things.

Snakes for one. They freak me out. Just looking at them through the glass at the zoo brings on nightmares for weeks.

I fear closed doors at night. What if something happens to one of my kids, or my house catches on fire and I'm the last to know?

I'm afraid that when I die, people won't be able to find good things to say about me.....(I mean if they talk bad about Michael Jackson, what are they going to say about me?) And what if no one comes to my funeral? I guess I shouldn't care. It's not like I'm actually going to be there either.

I am afraid of cruise ships and airplanes. I like my feet to be on solid ground and I've never been on either of these. Don't know if I can ever bring myself to do it. Pete is hoping I'll conquer these particular fears. (I'm working on it)

I don't like shopping after dark. Dark parking lots are spooky and it's not a good feeling. I'm so vulnerable...and clumsy.....and female. A prime target.

I have never let my kids eat hard candy. What if they choke and I can't revive them?

I have always had a fear of things men put together such as rollercoasters and those crazy swings at amusement parks that have you flying over water. What if one just flies right off? The one I happened to be on?

I had a dream one time I drove off a bridge. Since that dream, I have greatly feared not being able to get myself or my kids out of their seatbelts and out of the van. So much that I had Pete purchase a glass breaker and seatbelt cutter to help my insecurities.

So just in case there is any question...I defintely do not want Big Dan to save his money all to spend it on a motorcycle.

Even the very thought of him on something that goes from 0-125 mph in 60 seconds...(or whatever it does)....

terrifies me!

You better believe I'm scared.

Sometimes Kids Are Just Plain Funny

2009-06-26T14:15:00.012-05:00

Like when your youngest comes up to you, hugs you, and proceeds to squishy, squishy the flags that are supposed to resemble triceps all the while saying to you...."Mom, I don't want you lose weight in your arms. I like them squishy. They are soft and like my pillow".

Yeah, well, thanks for that, but if that fat decides to disappear, because I am so dedicated to my diet and my 4 miles a day, then who am I to stand it it's way? I'll buy her something else to squish.

But the funniest thing that stands out to me is this comment made by my oldest a day or two ago. It was the day Pete and I both thought our cell phones were going to explode because Big Dan was calling every minute of every hour and the conversation ended with something kind of like this... "Hey, mom, Bubba said I could take out the easy payment plan if you and daddy would just come down here to the motorcycle shop and co-sign for me".

Say What?

Is it as funny to you as it was to me?

You just have to know Big Dan. He doesn't get excited about too much. Studying, no. Bringing down his laundry, no. Going to work, nope. Taking out the trash, well, nada. Even the dating scene doesn't seem to get him too worked up anymore, but I will tell you this. When he gets something on his mind, that is ALL HE TALKS ABOUT for hours. For days. For weeks even. And that is complete with pictures that he forces you to look at, and videos he whines about until you stop and watch.

Big Dan has his heart set on this.

Somebody save me. I'm trying to ignore it, but it's just not going away.

And you know. I am really glad he has found something to get excited about. I'm really glad he's found a reason to save his money and some motivation to go to work. But to me, it's just plain funny how oblivious he is to the real world.

My rebuttal to him asking for my signature on the dotted line? I said "No honey, I'm happy you are excited about your motorcycle, but we won't be helping you go into debt the summer you get out of high school."

"But Mommm!, Bubba says it is the easy payment plan...only $95 a month for 2 years."

all the while I'm thinking..ok, what after 2 years? what about the insurance? I bet Bubba didn't bother to explain the little word interest to you, did he?

I was thinking seriously about marching myself down to that motorcycle shop and thanking "Bubba" for introducing my naive child to the wonderful world of credit. Or maybe a size 6 1/2 shoe......ohhhhh..nevermind. I just get frustrated at how these business people prey on those that don't know any better especially my kid.

The easy payment plan. I love it. This comes right after Pete and I read Dave Ramsey from cover to cover and began our mission this past January to become debt free come hades or high water.

I know Big Dan's gonna learn some great, valuable lesson from our denying him the easy payment plan. He's gonna save, and be frugal and look so cool on his new bike one day...and it's gonna be paid for.....and he's gonna be proud. And I might even get on back and go for a ride with him.....

or not.

Ignorance is Bliss...The Rest of the Story

2009-06-22T23:06:00.026-05:00

The movie is called "The Pursuit of Happyness". I haven't seen it in a long time, but if I recall correctly, this man and his son are homeless...sleeping in public restrooms and train stations or wherever else they can find for that matter. He's trying to make ends meet someway, somehow until he makes it big as a stock broker (or something to that affect).

I'm wondering if I somehow got lucky enough (sarcastically spoken) to have slept in the same train station as Will Smith.

You think I'm kidding, don't you.

Upon arriving in the city, we walked around places like this:

We got some of this:

and saw lots of these:

We shopped in some stores such as these:

And although the weather was misty and extremely foggy, we took a ferry boat out to an island to see this:

It was such a breathtaking sight even in the fog. After exiting the subway and coming up right into the middle of Central Park, evening was setting in. Pete wanted me to be able to savor the glitz of Times Square after the sun went down, but Little Ann and I weren't for sure our little feetsy's could take us very much further. It was then that we had the joy of riding in one of these:

all so we could see this:

but as bad as my feet and legs ached from the 100 miles we walked that day, I was happy to be back in Times Square because I got to eat here:

We began to walk the streets in one last attempt at souvenir shopping when we realized it was midnight. I had no idea of the time, but I knew I was feeling every bit of our day settling in my bones. We began our journey back to the train station where we would wait to board a train back to Trenton. This train would, once again, change over to get us back to Philadelphia where our poor little lonely van sat. By the time we finally boarded the first one, it was almost 1 am.

About 15 minutes into our trip back, there were signal problems so we sat idle for another solid hour. I tried to sleep, but there were numerous passengers on the train, and one man sitting close by that was not very happy about the delay and made sure everyone knew it.

Around 3 am, we arrived back in Trenton, NJ, where we were supposed to switch. As soon as we got there, we hurriedly located the little tv screen that told us of all the times for the train's arrivals and departures. I could feel the tears well up in my own tired eyes as I was consoling Little Ann. The train we would need to be on to get us back to Philly would not be leaving until 6 am.

Not good.

And so I rolled up the souvenir tee shirts into pillows, made a make shift bed while Little Ann opened an umbrella to block the light from our eyes...

and slept.

in the train station.

while Pete stood guard.

for hours.

And the moral of the story is.....

If you're from the South and you know nothing about trains...or train stations....or anything else about the city you should probably either do your research or stay home.

Because I'll be the first to tell you, when your stuck in a train station in the middle of the night, you're anything but happy.

A Story to Tell

2009-06-19T11:42:00.012-05:00

I got up this morning thinking about what I was doing about this time one week ago. It wasn't exactly what I thought I'd be doing. I know you want to hear all about it, right?

As you know, a group of 3 couples and our kids ventured off to New Jersey to complete a mission project. The whole purpose of the trip was to work for God, but I didn't think God would mind if Pete took me on into New York City for a little play time before we headed back home, would He?

Thursday morning, our group split up...some heading home, others to stop in Tennessee and us to New York. I knew we were chancing it with the weather, but I didn't care. I told Pete even if I had to experience New York in the rain, it would be better than not experiencing it at all. Boy, was I in for a sur-prise.

We were ignorant. And when I say that, I mean Southerners just don't know much about getting around in the North. We drive everywhere we go. We don't have problems finding parking and it's mostly free. What I mean is, it's not a hassle to take my van when I venture out...but our Jersey friends said, it would be wise to leave our vehicle in Philadelphia and take the train into the city. That it would be much less stressful to get around by foot, or subway, or cab. I could handle that. I wasn't getting much exercise anyway. I could use a little walking. I've never ridden on the subway. Something about that sounded kind of city-girlish..unordinary for an Arkansas gal like me. And Little Ann was determined that she would, at some point in the day, whistle and wave for that taxi, just like she'd seen in the movies.

We left our hotel around 9 am, saying our goodbyes to our group and driving in rush hour traffic from New Jersey to Philadelphia. I think what should have taken 30 minutes took us about an hour. Even once we got into Philly, we had no clue where the train station was and drove around another 30 minutes for a place to park. We were suckers, but desperate and so we gave up $20 bucks for a spot that would ensure us the day.

The rain began to fall. It was busy and dreary and I began to question why I wanted so desperately to spend a day so far out of my element, but I did. After mistakenly going down into the subway station thinking that's where we were supposed to be, we were directed 2 blocks down to the train depot. Pete stood in line to purchase round trip tickets to New York only to be asked to hand over $237. He glanced over at me and I gave him this look like "are they nuts?". Get out of that line. We'll do something else.

It was Amtrack. Oops. Once again, wrong line.

By the time we were finally directed to the appropriate line, it was closing in on 11 am. Tickets in this line were for a train that would leave at 11:37 and change over in Trenton, New Jersey, but would get us to the station directly below Madison Square Gardens for only $93 round trip. Sold.

I only wish I would've know it was going to stop every five minutes and take us another 2 hours to get there.

At nearly 2:00, we exited the station and came up out of the ground onto the streets of the city that literally never sleeps.

I was frustrated at the amount of time we had wasted. We were all starving and a little grumpy, but we were in New York. New York people. I was in awe and ready to stomp some ground.

But I think I'll save all that ground stomping, subway riding, cab calling (oh! and believe me it gets better!) for another post. Come back and see me for .....as Paul Harvey says..."the rest of the story".

The Matter at Hand

2009-06-16T22:45:00.010-05:00

Several months ago when the pastor began talk of visiting the mission in New Jersey, I was a bit skeptical. A preacher who had been raised in the North, began pastoring in the South, had developed a burden for the people in his home town and wanted to plant a church there. I had heard good things were happening. I had seen pictures of his building and had heard they were having good attendance. "It seems like they are doing just as good in mission status as we are at a church that has been established for hundreds of years", I thought. What could we possibly be needed for?

Boy, did I ever need this trip.

I learned a number of things.

First...God needs a few good men who are willing to answer His call and be willing to uproot their lives and their family and go to who knows where to plant a true New Testament Church. I am so thankful that God called this Missionary to this place where the truth is so scarce.

Secondly...numbers can be oh, so deceiving. Just because they are attending, does not mean they are strong Christians or grounded in the faith. Majority of the people who are coming to this mission are unchurched people and have never given a relationship with Christ or God's people a second thought. How wonderful that they have decided to join His family, but who else is there to disciple but the missionary and his wife. What a great task at hand.

Third...I saw neighborhood after neighborhood of houses. So many houses with people who need Jesus. So many more than our one Missionary could possibly reach. I was so happy to be a part of a team of door knockers. To get the word out about the church and to take every opportunity that God gave me to tell someone about His love. My primary goal with each door that opened was to make sure they knew how to get to heaven.

and Finally...I learned that sometimes, even if there isn't an abundance of work to be done or buildings to be erected, sometimes it can simply be about encouragement. Encouraging our missionary and his family to keep on keeping on. Letting them know how much we appreciate the work they are doing, the sacrifices they are making and the souls they are reaching. (and cooking him a good ol' Southern style meal doesn't hurt any either!)

My eyes were opened.

What I Have Discovered About New Jersey

2009-06-09T21:36:00.020-05:00

I like it. At least the part we are in.

The town is very nice. A small, clean area with booming business and beautiful homes. How cool to actually have an attic and a basement. The people have been very friendly and most receptive.

We had a busy day today. I think we actually knocked on approximately 350 doors to get word out about the new church recently planted in this area. The guys did some needed maintenance around the building and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to their praise band practice tonight. Dinner at Applebee's was delish and the kids are having a great time. Something about being in a hotel with your bestest friends. Good times.

I am looking forward to what tomorrow brings....

Stopping in to say Hello

2009-06-08T22:51:00.014-05:00

I am so tired at this moment, I wouldn't dare be able to think of eloquent posts that include lots of pictures like this blogger/real life friend of mine. We both happen to be traveling the same route this week, but she has taken far more pictures than me, and spent way more time blogging. Would it be so bad if I just linked to her all week?

Actually, Sunday after morning services, 3 families from our church hit the road for what is my 2nd mission trip ever. Well, actually, Chickadee and her family left a day earlier than us for baby reasons. We arrived at our destination, which is New Jersey tonight, traveling through states I have never been through before (excluding Tennessee...I have actually been there). We stayed the night in Knoxville last night which was about half way and we covered the rest of our ground today which included the entire state of Virginia, on into Maryland, DC, Delaware and finally New Jersey. I have enjoyed every minute of the scenery and sights, wishing I could journey off our interstate route to catch a better glimpse. Hopefully there will be plenty of time for tourist attractions on the way home and after we take care of our business at hand.

I had a little catastrophe today which resulted in having to locate a camera repair shop during our lunch stop. Note to self and to anyone else that might have a brain of my caliber...NEVER try to clean your camera's inside parts. The pieces literally fell out of the camera and into my hand. Luckily, I found an extremely talented camera repair man that fixed my problem quickly and for only $40. Whew. That was a close one.

At least now, I will be able to blog and actually share pictures with you. Not sure when, but I will.

Is it Really June Already?

2009-06-03T11:25:00.011-05:00

I am thinking.....that I'm ready to see my Little Ann who's been at the grandparents for a few days. I miss her.

I am thankful.....that Pete and I continue to be faithful in our commitment we made to get healthy. Some days are a challenge with so many ballgames and reasons to "eat out", but both of us are trying to make good food choices and are still walking 4 miles a day. Hoping it pays off!

From the kitchen.....haha...in lieu of that last comment, there isn't anything going on in that kitchen right now, but I think I am going to cook up some Taco Soup for dinner before church. For my fellow weight watchers..you can have 1 cup for 3 points according to my recipe.

I am wearing.....my walking clothes. a tank and shorts.

I am reading.....nothing you could say would convince me to read my summer away.

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, (and the time before...and the time before)...but I STILL wanna scrapbook and STILL haven't had the time!)

I am creating.....I really got nothing here. Sorry folks. I have just never been accused of being too creative.

I am hearing.....mumbling and grunts as I watch Pete put together a baseball gizmo that Big Dan purchased with some of his graduation money. (don't you just love men and their directions!) It is called a "Quick Swing" and enables Big Dan to get in some batting practice without the assistance of me!! Very neat concept.

Around the house.....messes everywhere I look. I have got to get ready and start preparing for our Mission Outreach trip we are taking next week. We are heading out to New Jersey on Sunday afternoon.

One of my favorite things.....right now I am in total love with McDonalds Ice Cream Cones. Since being on this diet (aka health kick)..I have been lucky to find that McDonalds uses reduced fat ice cream on their cones. I can guiltlessly enjoy a nice, yummy, summer treat for only 3 points! Aren't you excited?

A few plans.....wow...where do I begin here? It's clean, clean. Wash, wash, pack, pack, buy some snacks and drinks for our trip, and Sunday we are off! I am so anxious to blog and post lots of pictures of our outreach AND the fun stuff. I never thought I would ever get to go to New York or Washington DC in my lifetime. I am pumped about being used by God AND getting up close and personal with Lady Liberty!!

A a couple of picture thoughts for the day.....

The gardenia's around my porch are just blooming away. I love them. They smell wonderful.

Hoping everyone has a great rest of the week!

When Your Efforts Feel Kinda..Well...Worthless

2009-05-29T11:53:00.007-05:00

First let me just start out by saying that those that know me knows it takes great effort for me to get out of bed in the morning. I am known for loving my sleep. I've never been much of a napper (aside from Sunday afternoon's), but I have and will probably always be a night owl. Staying up late every night can only mean sleeping in every morning. Yes, I do have to get up early to get the kids off to school, but once they are out and the house is quiet...my bed calls to me.

And I just can't resist.

Sleeping in though, most definitely has it's side effects for sure. By the time I get going, it seems my day is almost over. My energy levels are low, and I find myself needing a break between tasks. And I don't want you to mistake me here. I DON'T leave things undone and I DO make sure the mommy mobile gets where it needs to be. I'm just saying, I have to make myself trudge through the day and I don't want it to be that way.

Pete and I both have had a desire lately. One that seems stronger than my desire for sleep. It is to get healthy, gain energy and lose weight. I am short and petite and it seems that every pound I gain goes right straight to the behind. The older we get, the easier the weight is to gain, but the harder it is to lose so Pete and I decided it was time to jump on the bandwagon, eat better...(and here's the biggie)...exercise.

It has done great things for my energy levels. I have been getting up earlier, we have been walking 4 miles each morning and I must say I can get so much more accomplished the rest of the day, but the scales? They just don't seem to be moving.

Somebody explain to me why I can completely alter my diet (weight watchers), drink 64 ounces of WATER a day, walk 4 miles a day, and not lose weight. I mean, c'mon. If I'm going to live out of my element here, I want results, people. Is that too much to ask?

I'm thinking my scales are broken. Yeah, that's what it is. My scales are broken.

Oh woe is me. What am I doing wrong? I feel better, so I guess it hasn't all been for naught!

Last But NOT Least - Proud Moments Part IV

2009-05-25T23:14:00.014-05:00

Wow. This post was originally planned for Friday, but as you can see, it didn't happen. My Friday was filled with an end of the year awards assembly for Little Ann, the first day of my weekend yard sale with friends, and a high school graduation in the big city for another graduate on Pete's side of our family. It was a late night. Saturday was more of the same, and Sunday...well, Sunday brought rain and who can resist a nap on a rainy Sunday? And today, I know it's Memorial Day. I pay my tribute to our soldiers...past and present.

And so now, here is my post.

Even though I'm a little behind schedule, I don't want to make light of this proud moment by any means. It is probably one of the proudest moments I have ever experienced aside from the day my Big Dan was born. It's been a little over a week since this special day, but the memory is still so fresh and lingers in my mind as I attempt to adjust to the fact that my little boy is not so little anymore.

He graduated.

My heart was just overflowing with all kinds of emotions the moment he put on this attire. I can't even explain it. I wanted to cry, but I held back tears. Mainly because I had so many people already at my house and it was hectic trying to snap photographs and get there early enough to get good seats. I couldn't grasp the moment then like I had done the night before. I sat for hours watching a slide show of my favorite photographs from days gone by. I watched it a hundred times, and I admit...I sat there feeling sorry for myself for some time, but I needed it. I was able to get most of my emotion under control before the actual ceremony.

What can I say? I love this boy so much. And I am so proud of him for what he is and more importantly what he is to become.

We had a wonderful celebration with family and friends at our home afterwards. It was a night I will always remember. I am so proud.

Proud Moments - Part III

2009-05-21T13:31:00.017-05:00

I have to admit, sometimes I felt like I was boring you to death with my baseball posts and pictures, but I have some friends and family that actually may've been interested in keeping up with Big Dan and our team's progress. And then, of course, there are others of you that I know have kids in competitive sports that can totally understand how these things can consume your life for a season. And there is no feeling in the world like the feeling you get watching your child excel.

If you kept up with my blog, you will know that our school is a small school. A 2A classification. It is the school I graduated from and although it is growing, we will always remain close knit and be oh so proud of our achievements. Our baseball coach actually graduated a year ahead of me, coached one year at the college level, and then came back home to his roots to take our little school to do great things where baseball is concerned. He is one of the best coaches in our state...and everybody knows it.

Not only is our team full of talented players (that sometimes works to a disadvantage when you have so many that can play so well)....(at least for Big Dan). That kind of meant less playing time when he had to share the spot for 1st base, and his competition was also a Senior and had a better batting average. Oh Well. Anyway, not only are they good athletes, but they have good attitudes. Our coach has led us to the State level for the past 3 years in a row taking home the title last year.

We made it to the Championship game this year as well....and I must say, I was proud.

Proud to be a citizen of our community. Proud to have a student at this school. Proud to have a talented athlete on this winning team. What an exciting day.

The game was crazy. We made a few errors, had a few bad calls, had a 30 minute rain delay, and ultimately lost the game by one point.

But Big Dan played. And he played hard.

And he cheered hard...for the last batter who would feel the pressure. Big Dan is on 3rd and one run would tie the game. Not to mention it was the last out. What a nail biting moment.

But it was a line drive to shortstop.

So the game would be over. I'll never forget those long faces and tears that ran down the black marked cheeks of those tough baseball guys. They wanted it so bad.

Runners up or not. They played their hearts out and I was so happy that Big Dan could be a part of something so memorable.

And Proud.

Proud: (adjective) Feeling or showing pride. Having self-esteem. Very pleased.

Photo taken on Kris' home town visit. Little Rock, Arkansas

And have I mentioned how proud I am to be from the great state of Arkansas today?

Proud Moments - Part II

2009-05-20T14:11:00.009-05:00

Anytime anything makes your kids smile, it's bound to make you smile too. I've been smiling alot lately, because it seems....well, my kids have been happy.

And so, that makes me happy...not to mention proud.

I told you here about a book report Little Ann was working on. She had to be dressed in character, it all had to be memorized, and had a minimum time limit. She had to audition because the book report would be presented at the 5th grade's annual Accelerated Reading "History" pageant which included the entire elementary and a slew of parents.

So..don't mind me if I brag just a little. She made it through the audition phase with top score ensuring her a place in the spotlight. She was ecstatic! Lucky for me, her book was "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls Wilder and she already had a costume that would work perfectly.

And so the time came.

And it was a flawless performance. She was technical, cute and witty. I was grinning from ear to ear.

And guess what?

She won. Along with Johhny Appleseed in the Male category.

I don't even think it was the bribe she brought the judges. She was just really that good. And I'm not partial. Just proud.

My Week of Proud Moments

2009-05-19T12:49:00.008-05:00

I know I haven't blogged in almost a full 7 days. Shame on me. I was told by a reader recently that he (yes, I have a few male readers) get's tired of going to my page to find the same post as I'm sure others of you do as well. Oops! Maybe since summer is right around the corner, I will have more time to dedicate to the blog world again.

I have big plans for this summer. I hope to get lots of scrapbooking done, watch a little more baseball (American Legion), go on a mission trip and a couple of family outings, and of course attempt to be a more faithful blogger.

For the rest of this week, (if I can figure out how to get some video on here), I plan to share a few of my recent proud moments with you. It has been a crazy, emotional few weeks and I've got lots of things to tell you about.

Proud Moment number 1 - is yea for me...I just noticed that I have been blogging almost a year and I am posting number 207. Wow.. who would have thought I would have so much to say. haha.. (no need to comment on that, Pete)

I will be back with more proud moments (and I promise that was the only one regarding me!)

Oh yeah!! How could I forget? How about those Bachelors last night on "The Bachelorette"? I'm excited to get to blog about some reality tv again!!

Outside my Back Door - Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T14:13:00.003-05:00

Look Who I Happened Upon

2009-05-11T22:45:00.015-05:00

Do you recognize this fella? If you watch American Idol, then you know it is Conway, Arkansas native...Kris Allen. He was home this past weekend for the hometown rally and I just so happened upon him. It's quite the coincidence and I think I'll tell you about it.

Friday was a crazy day. We started out with the funeral for Pete's mamaw and then Pete and I parted ways so I could come back home and finish packing for the weekend and run Little Ann to the school to take a test. Once we met back up, we traveled on into the big city for the burial and then actually drove on further North to meet my mother in law. She had volunteered to take Little Ann with her for the Mother's Day weekend at the lake. The get together that we would miss in order to root the baseball boys on at the State Championship game held at the University of Arkansas. WHEW!!! yeah..all that and the day was only half over.

Anyway, I am an Idol fan. I've missed a lot of shows because of games, but I always try to see the performances online. I knew this was Kris' weekend to be home and as Pete and I traveled towards Fayetteville, it hit me we would be traveling through his hometown, Conway. I called the radio station to find out his schedule. Turned on the radio a few minutes later to hear my conversation with the dj on air. Gotta love that! Me and all my hick glory. Just a few more miles away and we would be arriving just as the parade would be starting.

I pleaded with Pete to let me get in on the action. He gave in although he thought I was nuts. The crowd was horrific and it was very humid and muggy. Not to mention the fact that they noted there was close to 20,000 people there.

It was so totally worth it.

After the parade, he put on a little mini concert. One things for sure...he's just as cute and sounds even better in person.

Since Pete just so happened to not have a train to catch, he let me crush a little and then we headed out to complete our mission at hand. We were traveling up the night before since the game started at 10 am on Saturday morning and we live 4 hours away.

Yes...I think Pete's wheels were turning. A hotel room, a king sized bed, no children.

...and I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

Oh Happy Day!

2009-05-10T23:22:00.005-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to me! It's pretty, isn't it? I've been wanting a Vera Bradley purse for awhile now, but wouldn't come off the money, so I was pretty excited today when I opened this.

I had a great day today. My kids mean the world to me and I feel so blessed just to have been given the privilege to be their mother. I look back and wish I could do so many things differently over the past years of their lives. I know I haven't always made all the right decisions in regards to parenting and I know that Big Dan would for sure tell you I was the strictest parent on the face of the earth, but I've tried. Oh how I've tried to be a good mother.

I spent some time with my own mother this evening. I went to church with her and we had some good quality time together tonight. I am so thankful I still have her and that she is my bestest friend in the world. Pete's mamaw that passed away last week had lost a daughter many years ago. Little Ann heard the story for the first time just the other day of how she fell off her bike, hit her head and died just a few days later. She was only 9 years old. Although Pete's dad and uncles buried their mother just 2 days before Mother's Day this year...what a wonderful reunion in Heaven for a mother and her daughter!

I've got lots of things to blog about this week. It's been a whirlwind, but lots of exciting things to post and pictures to share in between all the house cleaning and preparations for Graduation Friday night. Oh dear. Graduation is Friday night! Unbelievable.

Have a wonderful week and I hope you had a great Mother's Day!

Rain, Rain, Go Away...Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-06T11:21:00.002-05:00

Singing Praise

2009-05-04T23:05:00.004-05:00

Pete's mamaw passed this evening. I thank you for your prayers. God answered them and now she is singing praises to our Heavenly Father.

And continue to remember us all for the remainder of this week. It's gonna be a doozey. Tomorrow is Big Dan's last day of school. (sigh)

We also have one more game to get out of the way which determines if we will play in the State Championship in Fayetteville on Saturday. (doing the happy dance)

But it's going to be difficult saying our goodbyes to a precious little lady this week. Truly it's a blessing though for at this moment I know she feels no more pain.

Prayer Warriors...We Need You!

2009-05-03T20:41:00.006-05:00

I lost both set of my grandparents early in age. My mom's parents passed away when I was 8 and 16, but I managed to keep my dad's around for a little longer. My paternal grandmother died from lymphoma 2 weeks before Big Dan was born. It was an extremely hard time and my grandfather died from complications from a surgical procedure just 8 months later. I was 20. I miss them, but I know I will see them again one day. All 4 of them.

But Pete....he's been so blessed to have both of his grandmothers around for such a long time. Although he lost his maternal grandmother 2 years ago, it's been hard to keep the other one down. She is 88 and has hung with the best of them....until now. She fell off a ladder back around Christmas and has since been in and out of the hospital having 2 back surgeries giving her no relief. It seems that the pain is too much for her to bear, yet the medication makes her too ill for an appetite. She has just given up. Hospice is taking over tomorrow. My prayer is that God will either use His Almighty power to heal her, or He will scoop her up in His loving arms and bring her home. Her 70 pound body is absolutely pitiful and I can't stand to see and hear of any more suffering.

Please remember her when you pray.

Bummer

2009-05-02T17:51:00.013-05:00

If I were on top of things, I would've known that today called for 90% chance of rain and storms. Then I would've been able to prepare myself physically and mentally for a state tournament game that might be a little wet or not happen at all. Fortunately I have a husband that is pretty keen on things like that. He's always prepared for everything....nothing gets by him. Unfortunately, he was on a trip and I didn't get the memo.

I took my Little Ann to a play date and headed towards town where the game would be played. As I meandered out, I noticed the day did seem a little dreary. As I headed toward town, the sprinkles began to fall. The closer I got, the harder it came down. Just as I was inside the city limits, my mother called to tell me there were tornado warnings for the county that I lived in and also the one I was in. Great..

Then I heard them....something that we have never been fortunate enough to have in our little po dunk town.....tornado sirens. I've never heard them before and I panicked. As I pulled into the parking lot of the field I saw people, heads covered, running to their vehicles, but I needed Big Dan. I needed him with me, but I couldn't find him. No answer on the cell. I called the girlfriend. No answer. I called again and again. No answer. It was chaos in the street and I kept driving around looking and looking...no kids. Pete was still on a train, but told me I should find shelter under the nearest bank awning. I I just wanted to get home.

Finally I heard from Big Dan. He and the girlfriend were laughing at the distressed look on my face as I frantically searched through faces to find them...when all along they were right beside me. Big Dan says they were standing right near my van. I never saw them, but I did realize I was going the wrong way down the street so I sped off to turn around and get out of the way of oncoming traffic. I guess that's when they gave up on me letting them in and headed on to get in the girlfriends vehicle. What can I say. Storms cause me to lose my mind.

I drove like a crazy lady all the way home with my husband, my mother and my friend who had Little Ann (all taking cover in their bathtub) keeping me updated on weather conditions. I got home to a dark, empty house that remained that way for two hours.

I admit it...I am a big chicken. I hate storms....especially the ones that generate tornadoes. I am so relieved the worst is over, the power is back on, Pete is on his way home with supper, and Little Ann is safe and sound with mama.. I guess Big Dan will be home at curfew, but at least I know he's safe.

It's been an exciting day (if you can call it that), but I'm totally bummed out we didn't get to play ball today. We won last night in the first round of the state playoffs so we've got 2 more rounds to go before the championship game this weekend. Hope we get to make it up soon! Rain, rain....Go away!

Houston, We have a Problem!

2009-04-30T23:32:00.004-05:00

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

2009-04-29T22:40:00.005-05:00

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