At My House

This Christmas I'm....

2011-12-25T11:49:00.003-06:00

hoping {and praying!} for a baby. =-)

Teach us to number our days....

2011-08-27T01:47:00.006-05:00

~We are beginning those blessed days of cuddling on the couch while reading books about the providence of God in the affairs of men, the amazing way that God created the world(s) and all that in them is, and learning and growing as we study together. I love home schooling for these and many more reasons. I am so thankful to God to have these days to share with my precious children.

The American Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster 1828 gives the definition of educate as, "to lead, to bring up, as a child; to instruct; to inform and enlighten the understanding; to instill into the mind pricipals of arts, science, morals, religion and behavior. To educate children is one of the most imporant duties of parents and guardians."

The defintion of education is listed as, "The bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties."

With these goals in mind, we are setting off this year {Jathan's 4th grade year and Jared's 2nd grade year} to learn more this year than ever before.~

{Pictures taken this year at the Civil War Re-inactment this spring}

~One of my favorites~

2011-03-25T18:49:00.002-05:00

Don't get me wrong...my kids watch their share of movies. But I cannot let them waste away their childhood years in front of the television, instead of next to me. I ran across this quote in one of Roald Dahl's books that absolutely inspired me. I love this!

The most important thing we've learned, as far as children are concerned
is never, never, never let them near your television set!
Or better still, just don't install the idiotic thing at all!
In almost every house we've been,
we've watched them gaping at the screen
They loll and lounge and slop about
And stare until their eyes pop out
{Last week in someone's place we saw
a dozen eyeballs on the floor.}
They sit and stare and stare and sit
until they are hypnotized by it,
Until they are absolutely drunk
With all that shocking, ghastly junk
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink.
But did you ever stop to think,
to wonder just exactly what
this does to your beloved tot?
It rots the senses in the head
it kills the imagination dead
it clogs and clutters up the mind
it makes a child so dull and blind
He can no longer understand
a fantasy, a fairyland!
His brain becomes as soft as cheese
his powers of thinking rust and freeze.
He cannot think...he only sees!
"All right!" you'll cry, "All right!" you'll say.
"But if we take the set away,
what shall we do to entertain
our darling children? Please explain!"
We'll answer this by asking you
what used the darling ones to do?
How used they keep them selves contented
Before this monster was invented?
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow
They...used...to...read! They READ and READ
And read and read and then proceed
to read some more. Great scott! Gadzooks!
One half their life was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed
more books waiting to be read!
Such wonderous, fine, fanastic tales
of dragons, gypsies, queens and whales
and treasure isles, and distant shores
where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
and pirates wearing purple pants
and sailing ships and elephants
and cannibals crouching 'round the pot
and stirring away at something hot
{it smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious! Its Penelope!}
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Todd, the dirty rotter,
and Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggywiggle and
Just how the Camel Got His Hump,
And How the Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Todd, and bless my soul,
there's Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole.
Oh books, what books they used to know
those children living long ago!
So please..oh please! We beg, we pray!
Go throw your T.V. set away!
And in it's place you can install
a lovely bookshelf on the wall
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks
And children hitting you with sticks
Feat not, because we promise you
that, in about a week or two
of having nothing else to do,
they'll now begin to feel the need
of having something to read
And once they start! Oh boy! Oh boy!
You'll watch the slowly growing joy
that fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
they'll wonder what they'd ever seen
in that ridiculous machine
That nauseating, foul unclean
repulsive television machine!
And later, each and every kid
will love you more for what you did.

Roald Dahl

Ten years....

2010-02-06T18:46:00.002-06:00

I took this picture today wanting a picture that showcased my wedding rings. My husband and I will have been married for ten years in just a little over a week. This time of year {being around Valentine's Day as well as the time of year I married} always gets me to thinking about love. It just makes me happy to walk into places all decorated with hearts and cutsie love sayings....I love that we celebrate love once a year. It just seems fitting for our anniversary to be in this month as well.

I have been looking back, reflecting on who I was, and what my goals and dreams were ten years ago. I always wanted to be married....I truly believed in love at first sight, and happily ever after. I wanted to experience that for myself. I wanted that feeling of belonging to someone, to know that the rest of the world may be doing their own thing, but I had one person who truly cared and would take time to listen to my thoughts and dreams and fears. I believed in the forever kind of love....love that lasts through the thick and thin, and "endures forever". I wanted to bring children into the marriage, I wanted to show them what true love was, and to raise them in that environment. I wanted babies that looked like their daddy, babies with their daddy's beautiful happy smile and with their daddy's heart. I wanted to teach them about Jesus, to show them His forgiveness and to help them to find His plan for their lives. I wanted our marriage to be a reflection of Christ's love for his church.....

These were the things I believed in and wanted, without having experienced it for myself. Ten years ago I had the hope that these things would come to be. My life isn't perfect, and neither am I, but I have been truly blessed with two beautiful children that, as I had hoped, have their daddy's smile, and heart. :) I am so proud of them, so thankful that I have been blessed with the priviledge of raising them to be men of God. I am still in love with my husband, my heart still speeds up when he comes home at night, and is still entertwined with his. And yes, through the thick and the thin, our love has lasted. So thankful for that. So thankful to be his wife. So thankful for today, and the legacy of our yesterdays, and the hope for our tomorrows.

I love this :)

2010-01-18T20:38:00.002-06:00

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one." — C.S. Lewis

Christmas Photo Shoot

2010-01-16T15:49:00.007-06:00

I just love Christmas...the sights, the sounds, the feelings it brings. :) I was excited to get these pictures back the other day. :) Loveee Christmas pictures. :)

Happy Birthday, Jared!!!

2009-09-25T11:14:00.005-05:00

Happy Birthday, baby. :) I can't believe the once so tiny newborn has grown into this amazing little boy, and how fast it happened just blows my mind away. It seems like yesterday I was feeding you bananas and cheerios, and holding you while you suck on your blanket. :) I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life as your Mama, being there wherever you need me to. I know that as you get older, you won't need me like you have the last six, but I look forward to filling whatever role you need. :) You are an amazing person...and I love you one million. ;)

Ice Skating. ;)

2009-09-22T22:57:00.005-05:00

Hey...it has been forevverrr since I have posted anything. :) I have been getting ready for winter...we officially skipped fall altogether today (the first day of autumn) when we got snow flurries. :) I am...ummmmmm....not...quite ready for winter yet, but I don't guess anybody asked me. ;)

Anyway, there are some cool things that we have been up to lately...we went ice skating today for the first time. :) It was sooo much fun. :) I have been on roller blades/skates before, but never had gone ice skating. :) I was as excited as the kids were, I think. :) My friend here Lisa and I took the kids to McDonalds for happy meals, and then we took them to the ice rink. Between the two of us, we have 5 boys under 7, so they have oh so much fun together. :) My boys especially were all wiggly and excited today and had a hard time settling down. :)

When we got to the rink, we rented our skates, and tried walking around on them before we actually got out on the ice. They were sooo much easier on the ground than they were on the ice. :) I spent the first 20 minutes or so s-l-o-w-l-y moving around using the wall....I guess because it was also used for hockey, there wasn't a rail like there is at roller rinks......sooooo my fingers were just about cramping trying to keep myself up with just a tiny little lip around the windows about the size of a fingerprint. ;) I did that for a while until all the little kids were kind of giving me the eye like "lady learn how to skate already, and let us use it!" I was probably melting a spot beneath me where I was trying to get the skates to move, so I decided to be a big girl, and start edging away....I kept sliding backwards without trying to...and finally got so far away that I couldn't get back to the rail, so I decided I needed to learn how to keep myself up. ;) I made it to the middle...and went just about everywhere. :) I was soooOOoooo proud of myself. :) Hahaha. :) I want to be a fun Mom, I am just not altogether athletic, I am afraid. ;) I do have fun trying though. :) I actually didn't fall, although I had a bunch of REALLY close calls. :) I figured I would end up with a wet bottom, but I didn't....this time. :) I was pretty proud of myself until the end of the session was over, and everybody started emptying off, and I was in the middle on the far side, and started trying to make it out of the rink, and when I got to the exit, I looked back, and saw I was THE LAST ONE OFF!!!! Oh well, maybe next time. :) I did do some twirls and spins, even though I wasn't trying to. :)

The boys had soooo much fun. My friends Lisa and Becky were MUCH better skaters than I, so they took them and skated off with them, so they could get so fun in the middle. :) I got some videos of them with the camera, but it didn't catch the sound, but you could tell they were really having a good day. :) Jared was able to snag one of those skating walker things that little kids use...(I totally wanted one, but I was too tall to use Jared's. ;) He was going fast with that, he loved it. Jathan made it all the way around by himself, and had a great time. :) We definetely are gonna come back and do this again. :)

Denali-

2009-09-02T12:06:00.002-05:00

We took the boys to Denali this last Saturday because we had a season pass, and it is going to get too cold to go soon. :) Fall is here.... the yellows and reds were abundant. We ended up seeing a grizzly bear.... I actually got out of the truck to take pictures...and found out later that he could have made the trip up to me in less than 6 seconds....ummmmm....probably wasn't a good idea. Especially since the camera that I had taken (my digital one), doesn't zoom and the pictures were lousy. :) I really didn't feel threatened... I guess I should have. :)

We did end up getting out later, and taking some of the hiking trails. I love to hike...it is just a little different than it used to be before my car accident messed up my foot.... I can still do it, it just hurts. :( We took one that was pretty much uphill all the way, really steep, without ANY flat spots once you get started. It was a beautiful view... Once I got up high enough that I could see for a long ways around, I was ready to stop...but the boys kept urging me on... "Come on, Mama!!!" I thought it was so funny...usually always in the past I have been the one urging THEM on. "If you get up here, we will have an animal cracker picnic up there," or "I will race you up!!!" or "If we get done with this quickly, we will still be able to watch Diego before bedtime!" I guess they love to hike too. :) Anyway, here are some of the pictures that I took on our trip. Enjoy. :)

Demolition...

2009-08-28T01:11:00.008-05:00

The boys and I had a playdate today at the park at McDonalds, and on our way to run some more errands, we saw a demolition crew demolishing a bunch of buildings. The boys and I decided to park the truck, and walk to where we could get a better look. They had a man spraying the area with a water hose, and a man operating the heavy machinery (I am not sure what it is, but the boys and I are going to get a book from the library so we can find out more about it. :) Mamas aren't boys, even if we do raise them. :) I am learning as much as they are, I think. The boys were so excited to be able to witness the buildings coming down. They were actually SCREAMING with excitement!!! I bet the operator kind of thought we were crazy, because he gets to see things like this all the time. :) But for us, this was our first time. I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures of the day, so my boys will one day be able to look back on them, and remember their fun day dreaming of dirt and big boys toys. :)

Out our front door

2009-08-28T00:54:00.003-05:00

This was the view through our front door this evening about 9:30-ish. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets that I have seen in a long time. The weather was glorious, really still and calm, perfect temperature and made you want to stay outside and enjoy the view. The sun is beginning to set earlier now, and we are really enjoying the novelty of having a real night now. Ask me again this winter how nice it is to have dark, and I might have a different answer. :) But, for now it is so wonderful and cozy. It is towards the end of August, and we are already experiencing frosts on some mornings. It is totally different than what we are used to in Arkansas, we would still be running the air most days nonstop. The trees are starting to turn colors, and I have heard that the leaves don't stay on for long once they start changing. In the time that we have spent here we have not had alot of sunsets like this, and we were surprised and delighted to look out our front door and get a view like this. I walked out and down the street looking for glimpses without power lines and street signs, and thought that I would share some of my favorites with you.

Jared on babies. :)

2009-08-27T18:40:00.002-05:00

Jared absolutely LOVES babies, but he told me today that his car that he got at McDonalds he was going to keep in my purse until we left, because he didn't want a baby "blobbering" on it. :)

Jathan's newest thing.

2009-08-25T18:07:00.000-05:00

Jathan wants a dog. Bad. He has been reading alot of stories about dogs in his reading comprehension, and apparently they are passing on more than just the main idea. :) He keeps talking about how that it would be to have a dog, changes that we would have to make for one, whether he would be able to walk one, ect. He talks about it at least once an hour. We don't want one here where we are at now, because it would have to be an indoor dog, and we don't want that. So he is looking forward to when we might get a home in the country, and be able to get a dog. He is trying to decide which ones are best, and everything. I guess it is true, every boy needs a dog. :)

Jared's Marriage Plans

2009-08-24T21:03:00.003-05:00

Jared has been so funny lately. :) He just told me that "he wasn't going to marry anyone. At all. Because he likes me the best. And he always wants to be with me. But when I die, then he will have to get married. But he isn't going to talk about that. Because that would make me sad. When I am gone he would get too lonely without me. But I would never know. Because I would be dead.And don't worry, it won't happen for a long time. Because I am not TOO old."

Crickets

2009-08-23T22:52:00.002-05:00

Jared. "What happens if a cricket starts rubbing his legs together faster and faster and faster and they start getting redder and redder and they catch on fire?"

Room with a view.

2009-08-21T11:09:00.005-05:00

Jathan and Jared have been asking me for years for a bunk bed. I haven't been brave enough until now to get them one. Jared sometimes sleepwalks, so he was obviously not going to do too well on the top bunk, and with Jathan being the oldest, it seemed to work out well. We are still trying to figure out exactly what to do their new room in here in Alaska, right now we have kind of a smorgasbord of bright colors, and I have let them pick the kind of sheets that they wanted. It was easier than letting them pick their own comforter, because undoubtedly they would have picked two different things. We are leaning towards Peter Pan to decorate. Right now, Jathan has chose pirate sheets and cowboy sheets, and Jared chose Very Hungry Caterpillar sheets, and has been thinking about puppy sheets (he saw some of those at Sears. :) I just bought them bright colored quilts for now.... they match with everything that they have picked out, and will be good to keep their beds warm underneath their comforters later. (I think in Alaska you can probably never have too many layers. :) Here are some of the pictures that I took on Jathan's first night up above. :)

Spiders

2009-08-20T11:48:00.002-05:00

Talking about spiders today in school, I asked Jared to tell me what he knew about them. He told me that he knew that they had eight legs, built webs, ate flies' blood, some had hair and some didn't, and he said, "And do you know what else? Some spiders have red spots on their backs, and are poisonous if you eat them." :)

First day of school. :)

2009-08-17T13:15:00.004-05:00

Today was our first day of school. :) Jathan has started 2nd grade, and Jared Kindergarten. They both were so excited to be in new grades. Jared wants to learn to read as fluently as Jathan this year. :) I think that that is cute. We have so many fun things to do this year. Jathan is doing Laurel Springs curriculum, and Jared is using Calvert. I can already tell that for Jathan I will be having to get alot of supplements for him. We breezed through the outlined pages, and when we got done I noticed that that was supposed to have been for the first WEEK!!! And that was in the first two hours. That is definetely not going to be enough for him. :) He loves school, and I will have to stay on my toes this year for sure, making sure that he has enough to keep him occupied. I bought 17 file folder sets for both grades, making about 300 file folder games for the both of them, probably about 150 each. :) I am still working on those, and probably will for a long while. :) They are just so much more fun than workbook work, so once they have done the workbook work for the day, they practice on their file folder games. Jathan is a visual learner, he learns so well using charts and visual aids, so they work well for him. Jared learns best when he can DO it, so being able to actually take the things and place them where they belong keeps him interested, and he learns well from them also. :)

Jared is using a really great phonics program that we used with Jathan (Scholastic Home Readers) in addition to the phonics program offered with his boxed curriculum. He enjoys listening to the c.d's with his blanket while he is learning to read the words. :)

We are going to have a great year... I can tell. :)

Toothless. :)

2009-08-16T19:54:00.002-05:00

Jathan lost his two front teeth today within seconds of each other. With a little help from me (and his bed. :) They were having their "quiet" time in their rooms (playing games, reading, playing their Leapsters.. quiet stuff. :), and I hear this loud and strangled sounding voice yelling, "Mama!!!" I ran in the room, and Jathan was holding his mouth, with blood dripping down out from beneath his fingers. Ewwww!!! Jared told me that Jathan was on his bed, and rolled over, and bumped his teeth on the rail of his bed. (His teeth were just hanging there as it was, they literally have been loose since around Christmas time. REALLY. :) They were showing the roots, and just BARELY hanging in there.) Jathan was in the top bunk, and somehow, managed to drip blood down to the underneath, and splatter some on Jared and on his bedding, but his own clothes, and bedding were fine. Weird. Anyway, I made him up some salt water, and had him hold that in his mouth for a while, while we cleaned up his face and hands. When he spit it out, I knew that they had to come out, or he would probably end up swallowing them. Another Ewwwww. :) So, I just barely had to tug to get them out. He was SOOO happy to have the one out, he had been waiting for a long time, he said. I went ahead and pulled the other one out... and he looked so cute, I laughed. :) He looked at himself in the mirror, and said, "I don't like it!!!" I told him that I only laughed because he was so cute. :) We took these pictures because after he found that out, he wanted EVERYONE to see. :) Tonight, he will put the teeth under his pillow and get a double surprise. I don't tell them the tooth fairy story... I want the boys to always believe me when I tell them things. But at the same time, I don't want them to feel like they are missing out of anything either. So, they know that when they go to sleep with the tooth under their pillows, when they are asleep, I will tiptoe in and hide a surprise under their pillow in exchange for the tooth that they know I want to save. :) Jared can't wait to start gathering prizes for his teeth. :) I had bought Jathan a new leapster game back in April, that I carried with me ever since. :) That will be for one, and I bought a Clue-like game that I bought at that wonderful toy store in town. You have to find clues, and I know that he will love it!!! He has been playing a clue kind of game P.B.S. Kids.com that you have to guess whodoneit. :) I think he will have fun with the games. I always keep surprises on hand for times like these, where unexpected things come up. That way, if I see a good buy or something that they would really enjoy, I buy it, but don't give them a bunch of things all at once. :) I know he will be happy to go to sleep tonight, get his surprises from underneath his pillow, and start his first day of second grade tomorrow. :)

Meet me at the Fair. :)

2009-08-16T19:37:00.004-05:00

We took the boys to the fair this past Friday night. We had such a good time. This was the first Alaskan fair that we went to. Everyone told us that it wasn't like what we were used to in the lower 48, but we came from such a small town that it really was very similar to the one we had back home in our town. The boys rode rides, and I took pictures (of course ;). Jared didn't like the kiddie roller coaster at all. He said "That made me SICK!!! I thought I was going to die!!!" (I am kind of like that with rides myself. I love the idea of them, but get motion sickness. Besides, on some of them I really think it might be possible to die. I think life is full of enough worries as it is. :) Jathan didn't like the tea cup ride, because he rode on the other side of James and Jared, and got scared. Their favorites were... Jathan (the roller coaster. :) Jared (the cotton candy. :) They both said that it was the most fun they had ever had. :)

So good to be back on here....

2009-08-13T21:43:00.007-05:00

These are pictures that I took after we got off the plane, and were getting settled into the hotel. :)

Hey... I finally got a computer and internet here... and I am so ready to get caught up on all that has happened since I posted last. We are settled into our house now.... still finding things to make it more like "home", but we are pretty comfortable. It has been fun finding new things that fit the house, since we sold pretty much everything to make the move up here more easily. I will have to post more on that later. ;)

Everyone has asked me what my impressions on Alaska were, so I thought that I would list some of the differences that I noticed right away. Soooo... here it goes!!!!

1. There are bicycle racks EVERYWHERE!!! It is so not uncommon to pass 10-15 bicyclists on your way to town here. I think it is funny to go into McDonalds or places like that, and pass a big bicycle rack. There are so many people that bicycle during the summer that they needed to have a place to put them, I guess. I just never remember seeing any bicycle racks in Arkansas unless it was a school yard. I think thats cute. :)

2. Earthquakes!!! I never remember hearing about Alaska getting any earthquakes before, but the first night I got here, I woke up in the early morning to the bed shaking. I remember thinking that it had been too long since I had shared a bed, and the usual tossing and turning was waking me up, but then I thought that when someone turns over, the bed shakes up and down, not SIDE TO SIDE!!! I was so surprised, but sleepy, so when it was over, I just went back to sleep. When I walked down into the lobby of the hotel the next morning, all the visitors were stopping me in the hall, grabbing my arm, and saying, "Did you feel that!?!". I guess they were just as surprised as I was. Over the next two weeks, we felt two more. I didn't realize that Alaska had so many. I was later told that the state has hundreds every day, but most are so minor that they aren't felt, and it is such a big state that it usually doesn't cause any damage. I guess that it is something to look forward to. :)

3.The amount of sunlight in the summers. I did know about that when I got here, but I wasn't really prepared for the long nights. It was so hard to settle down, and get the kids asleep, because you couldn't mark time by the amount of daylight. I never really realized how much I relied on the light to tell the time, but I guess I did. Now I just look at the clock all the time, and try and make sure and have the kids in bed a decent hour. They would just lay there too, to wound up to settle down. We finally hung quilts on the windows, (I did buy black-out curtains that guaranteed to block out 90 something percent of the light, but they didn't do too good of a job. :) Quilts are much better. :)

4. Prices!!! I am still not used to paying $1.75 for a double cheeseburger at McDonalds.... some things are not as bad as others, but some are worse. :) We have found that for grocery shopping Sam's is the way to go... I wish I had had one nearby all my life. :) It is just mostly the restaurants that are high. The morning after I arrived here in Alaska, I walked down the lobby to bring back breakfast for everyone because I got up early. I ended up at the coffee shop to get James a cup, and got 4 muffins for the four of us for breakfast. It ended up being $22 dollars!!! Wow. I was so not used to that. :) I did find them later at the grocery store for about a dollar a piece... (and they told me at the coffee shop that they were fresh baked.. they must have put them in the oven to warm them up. I wonder if my family would buy that one?)

5. The amount of places to shop. I can't tell you how many people in Arkansas I had grab me by the shoulders and shake me and say, "Alaska!!! Don't you know that they will have to fly a helicopter over your house to drop a fruit basket in your yard!?! Are you crazy?" I guess it may be like that in some of the more remote areas, but the Fairbanks area is nothing like that at all. There are actually a whole lot more shopping possibilities here than we had back home. Don't get me wrong... I still REALLY miss Catos, Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel, and Sonic... still hoping they get those here. I just have found alot of other places to shop. I really love the Fred Meyer store (kinda like a Wal-Mart, but I actually like it a whole lot better. They have some really neat home decor things, and an excellent grocery store... and if you drink coffee, they have Starbucks for the weary shopper. :) I have found Hallmark, an excellent toy store, an antique store that I love, a really great thrift store where I was able to find almost the whole collection of Janette Oke, Beverly Lewis and Anne of Green Gables books. :) I also found a great book store... it has been so much fun shopping for things to fill up our house. :)

6. No fireworks for Fourth of July. I guess they do set them off (but I think that most of them must have started wildfires, so to me it was not worth it. :) Besides, you can't really see them anyway it is so light out that time of year. Everyone has told me that they more than make up for it at New Year's, so I am looking forward to that. :) We did go to a parade, and a kind of carnival thing, so it was alot of fun despite the lack of our normal firework routine. :)

7. Hard Bread. I guess the altitude is different here so it rises different and that plays with the taste, maybe it is froze before it got here, or something. It just TASTES different... I miss soft sandwich bread. :)

8.The amount of people that walk places. Back home, you really didn't do that unless you didn't HAVE a vehicle, or it was broke down. Here, people walk to enjoy the sunshine and mild temperatures after being cooped up all winter long. I have enjoyed getting out and walking myself, trying to store up sunshine and colors like Frederick the mouse. :)

9. That everyone is a die hard hunter here, and bullets and guns are SOOOO hard to get a hold of. Of course, that doesn't really matter to me that much, but I have spent alot of time in sporting goods stores waiting for James. :) I guess that they are hard to ship here, so everyone just buys them out as soon as they arrive, or something.

10. Lack of sweet tea. :) I guess we are southerners, huh? The very first thing that we bought for the house was a tea maker. You can get tea here at restaurants, but it is usually fruit flavored and sugarless. Another thing about being southern, having people notice my "accent". I didn't realize I even had one, but apparently being up here it is noticable to people. James has a much stronger accent than I have, and all the waitresses love that. For which, I don't usually tip too well. Haha. :)

All in all, I have really enjoyed the experience of being up here. I do miss our friends and family, and the things that were familiar to me, but it is exciting to discover new things together just the four of us. I am looking forward to discovering more and more things as we make this our new home.

Alaska....

2009-06-17T15:39:00.001-05:00

Hey, guys, it has been SOOOO long since I have posted anything. We did get moved up here, and left our computer in Arkansas to pick up this fall, so I don't have one at my house anymore, for a while anyway. We are getting one next month, so I will have alot of fun posting my new adventures. ;) I miss everyone back home, and will really enjoy catching up on your blogs. :) Love you guys. :)

Baby Birdies

2009-05-21T10:26:00.001-05:00

The boys and I were noticing all the spring birds out and about. Jathan noticed how that some of the cardinals were bright red, and some were dingy red. I was explaining how that God made it that way so that if a preditor was going to notice one of them, that they would see the flashier one first, and that would give the mother time to get away, so that she could take care of the babies. :) I told him that God made it that way so that when cats or something kills birds, they won't kill a whole bunch of them at once time, by killing the mother. Jathan seemed to be taking that in, and thought that that was very interesting.

This morning, Jathan told me, "You know, Mama. I am not like a baby bird. I need my Mama AND my Daddy." I thought that that was too precious. Someone is really missing their Daddy. Tomorrow, buddy. :)

Moving~

2009-05-20T10:59:00.002-05:00

We are getting ready to move up there with Jamie up in Alaska. He has been there for six weeks tomorrow morning, more than I ever thought I could live without him. I did live, but I never want to have to do that again. I will be so glad to be there with him, and at the same time, good-byes are hard. Good-bye to my family... I have parents, a sister and brother-in-law and a niece and nephew who will be so hard to say good-bye to, a Granny, and an Aunt. James has family here too, and I will miss the get-togethers and birthday parties, and taking Katie for a ride in my "black car." I will miss baby-sitting my niece and nephew, and being there watching them grow. I will miss my Mom's beef stew... the ultimate of all comfort foods. I will miss having the support when things get difficult... it is hard to give or recieve a hug over the phone. :( I will miss all of our friends here, and watching their children grow up, having someone to go out with for after-church-Sunday lunch.... on and on. I will miss Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel... I had Jamie check for me if they do have them up there, and he can't find them. I might be surprised though.. I did see where you can get some of Cracker Barrel's foods in the mail. :) :) They had the fried apples in a jar... all kinds of yummy things. I will miss having SEASONS here.... I like to decorate for fall, and I heard that they only have a two week fall there... I bet it would be hard to even find the leaves and pumpkins and things that we decorate with down here. I will miss things like that, but at the same time I am excited to experience all the new things, new friends, new church family, all of the new adventures that are waiting for us up there. :) I will so love being with Jamie, little things like hearing him snore me to sleep at night, smelling coffee in the morning (although I never drink it. :) Hearing his truck come home at the end of his work day (Although that will be different. We are leaving his old truck here, and we bought a different one up there, so the sounds will not be the same ever again. :( I will love making his favorite foods, holding his hand... so many things. I am going to try and keep in touch with our friends and family down here, so we can collect more and more friends along the way. :) That will make it easier to leave. :)

This will probably be my last post for a while... we are putting our computer in our car to ship, and it will be awhile before than we get that done, and I don't know if the library would let me blog or not... :) I will miss this, but I will be back and probably full of stories about our life up north. :)

~Trolls~

2009-05-20T10:57:00.001-05:00

On the way to complete one of our very many things that we needed to do before our trip, Jared says out of the blue to me, "Mom, trolls are real. They are like little animals that live under bridges." :)

Best Buds

2009-05-19T15:58:00.001-05:00

Jathan told Jared this morning that they were best friends....just like Dora and Boots. :()

Silly~

2009-05-16T10:12:00.003-05:00

Jathan and Jared were talking yesterday about how that you have to be careful when you are on an airplane not to bring guns in your backpack because you might have to go to jail. :) Which brought on the conversation about all of the rats in prison. (They MUST have seen that on some show... I am not sure where they picked up that little bit of info. :) Jathan told me that he thought that the police men put them in the prison to scare the bad guys. :)

Jared's Pre-school Graduation

2009-05-13T17:38:00.005-05:00

Jathan and Jared both have participated in the H.I.P.P.Y. (Home Instruction For Parents Of Preschool Youngsters.) preschool program. They have a 3, 4, and 5 year old program. For me, this was the perfect way for them to have preschool without having to be away. :) ( I am kind of jealous that way. ;) They both completed the full program, Jathan graduated last year, and this year was Jared's turn to graduate. He looked so cute walking down the aisle in cap and gown, and it made me so sad. He looked so grown-up and self-assured. *sniff*

They ask any of the past/present graduates if they would like to sing a song in their program. This year Jathan sang Hey Diddle Diddle, and Jared sang B.I.N.G.O. Last year Jared got all nervous singing his song, and asked me to come up there to help him sing the manners song. :) I was SO glad this year that he didn't require my assistance (as was the audience, I am sure. :)

It is so sad how fast children grow up, this last 5 years of Jared's life have just whizzed by. He will be a school kid this fall (in Kindergarten already. :( I just wish I could find some time to keep them little for just a little bit longer....

P.S. They gave each child a rose to give to their mothers just like they do in the high school graduation, and Jared was so proud to give me a rose. His Daddy had sent me flowers for Mother's Day from Alaska just that afternoon, and I think that he saw my reaction, and it made him kind of jealous. The roses were beautiful, but they were starting to wilt. By the time we got it home, it had only one petal left on it. :( Jared saw that and just snubbed and snubbed. :( It made ME cry. He was so proud of that flower, and he had it to give to me all by himself. It just melted my heart how sweet he was about it. I showed him where I kept a petal of every flower that his Daddy had ever given me, and I added a couple of the petals that had fallen off to the collection. It made him happy to see that I had added him to my sweetheart petal collection. He is so sweet, I hope that he always is that sensitive. :)

More Jared...

2009-05-12T22:50:00.002-05:00

Jared was telling me the other day that what we needed was a "re-bible." (revival) :) Amen, Brother Jared. :)

~First Celebrity with Swine Flu~

2009-05-11T16:56:00.003-05:00

AND WE ALL KNOW WHO THE CARRIER IS

I got this today in an email from my sister-in-law Melinda and loved it. :)

~Jared's Wisdom~

2009-05-11T08:05:00.002-05:00

Yesterday on the way to church I was explaining to the boys the route that we are going to be taking on our flight to Alaska. (Fayettville Ar. to Minneapolis MN to Seattle WA to Fairbanks AK.) When I told him our first flight will land in Minneapolis, Jared replied thoughtfully, "Hmmm. That must be where they eat alot of apples." :) (Many-Apple-is.) :)

Craziness!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-05T16:13:00.004-05:00

As part of getting ready for our move, I went today and went scouting the area thrift stores for second-hand luggage. We have decided to move via airplane :) (saving the seven day drive.) So, we were going to need alot more luggage than we have. Jamie took two when he went, and he still has them up there, so I was needing to get at least 5 full size suitcases, and three carry-ons. Wow!!!! I am so glad the boys' muscles are growing, so they were able to help me get them loaded. We will DEFINITELY be getting one of those wheely-carts to use at the airport until we check them in. :) I still can't believe it is happening... it seems so unreal. And now I have a smorgasbord of wild seventies style luggage to call my own. :)

~Reflections~

2009-05-03T16:50:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my friend Crystal for this beautiful picture taken right before Christmas '09. It summed up our "walk" so well, I thought that this would be the perfect choice for a picture. :)

This last year has been so different, breaking my "cookie-cutter" life. I hadn't realized before how idealic my life really was. :) This past year, I went through a car wreck that came very close to taking my life, if it wasn't for the Lord's mercy upon me. I can't imagine what life would be like right now, it it wasn't for His grace. If things had been just a little bit different...if I had swerved, and spun the car to where it would have hit on the boys' side....if I hadn't gotten so far off the road when he hit me... if, if, if. I am just so thankful that God was looking out for me. I really don't view myself all that great of a driver, so I figure that God sent angels to push my car over, to keep from getting killed. In all of that, I still broke my foot in three places, had to wear a walking boot for 5 months waiting on it to heal, and still doing therapy to undo the damage that occured.... moved from our big 4 bedroom house, to a much smaller house, trying to unpack everything, (still haven't. :) Having work so iffy around here that James went out of state to find work, living this past almost month without him, to finding out that we are going to be moving up there the 22nd. I still feel like the merry-go-round that we have been on is still shaking us up, and I will be glad when I get settled down. I have been sorting through all of our belongings, trying to decide what is most important to take on the plane. We have been married 9 years, and I started collecting things while we were dating, planning on marriage... (to be honest, even before that. My Granny helped alot with my "hope-chest".) We have lived in 5 different places since we have been married, each one a little bit bigger and better until this last move. :) We have had two children, alot of hobbies, saving up for the "future", a coupon addiction :), a business out of our home, friends that we so generous to us to keep giving us gifts, a sweet husband that made sure that I had all the "girly" things, (foot spas, parafin treatment machines, manicure sets that buff, sand, ect., massagers, ect.), so our home is VERY full. I am looking around now thinking of all that will have to be done before we can move. We are going to be going on a plane, and not making the 7 day trip in the car, so we are really limited to what we can bring. Everything I pick up, I am reminded of some story behind it, when we bought it, what we were doing when we found it, which birthday/holiday it was when we recieved it, ect. Looking back on it, we have had such a happy life. Our children have never had to do without anything, as evidenced in their toy boxes, closets full of clothes and massive amounts of school equipment. We have furniture that feels like home to us, that you can plop down to a good movie together, blankets to keep us warm and cozy, just about any kind of kitchen gadget that you can think of to make entertaining fun, books to keep us busy when it is rainy outside, playground equipment right outside our door for the boys to spend hours staying busy and active with....life has been so good. :) I guess not to many people have the opportunity to evaluate their situation as I have had, either people keep their things forever, or they get rid of it a little at a time when something better comes along, or they loose it all at once where a fire or some other catastrophy happens, and sweeps it all away before they have a chance to say good-bye. My sister and brother have both been through that, and I can't imagine that feeling. :( This way, I am able to reflect on all the good times that we have shared, when we were newlyweds, when our children were babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers. Now we are going to start over, in a house that I have never lived in just like it was when I got married and returned from our honeymoon, we are starting over where we have two school-age children, (will have this fall anyway when Jared starts Kindergarten.) Yes, life has been sweet, and I wonder what kind of experiences we will experience together in this next nine years...

~My hero~

2009-05-03T02:38:00.000-05:00

Jared says when he goes running off through the house, "I'm off to the rescue!" It must be fun to be a little boy and think that you could save the world. :)

A Beatrix breakfast...

2009-05-01T09:27:00.001-05:00

Jathan asked me this morning if he could have "fruit cottontail" for breakfast!

A Miracle....

2009-04-30T16:23:00.002-05:00

Jared was watching me put on my make-up this morning, and he came over and sat next to me, and said, "I will tell you when you get beautiful. If it doesn't work, just keep trying until it does!!" ;)

A Revelation....

2009-04-30T09:55:00.002-05:00

Jathan realizing the weight of his responsibility of being the "man of the house" while his Daddy is gone, told Jared today, "Jared, we don't need our muscles to wrestle with each other! We need our muscles to take care of Mama!"

Farmer Boy

2009-04-28T18:54:00.004-05:00

"Fishing wasn't the only summer fun, some July evening Father would say: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Tomorrow we'll go berrying." Almonzo wouldn't say anything, but inside he was all one joyful yell."

Laura Ingalls Wilder
Farmer Boy

One of the sweetest things....

2009-04-21T21:44:00.002-05:00

I wanted to tell you guys about one of the sweetest things that I ever saw this weekend. There was an elderly man (he was a preacher) who was telling the pastor's wife that I was talking to about how his wife had been doing. They ended up telling me the story of how that she had had a brain aneurysm and had suffered handicaps since then. She went on to have another massive one later on, and has been very childlike ever since. This was like in the late 80's. He was showing me pictures of his beloved wife, the recent ones, and he came across her senior picture that he has carried ever since in his wallet. *Sniff* That has to be one of the sweetest things that I have ever seen. He talks about her with such love and adoration, and for 40+ years still carries that picture along with her more recent ones. That just melted my heart, and I told him so. :) What is one of the sweetest things that you have ever seen?

Skunks

2009-04-19T22:09:00.003-05:00

Been meaning to tell you guys the funniest/saddest thing about Jared.... he is deathly afraid of skunks. :) He has been afraid to get up in the middle of the night, wondering if there are skunks in the house, and afraid to go outside by himself without having us or Jathan check first to see if there are any lurking around in the yard. :) He even dreams about them.... I am not sure where the phobia came from to begin with, but it seems like such a funny thing to be afraid of, but it has been seriously on his mind lately. :)

~Encouragement~

2009-04-16T13:33:00.005-05:00

I am so thankful that the Lord sends us what we need, exactly when we need it. I have had extra time on my hands since Jamie has been gone. I wanted to spend this time wisely, doing all kinds of home improvements,self-emprovements, ect. I went to my email this morning, and found this encouraging post. I have been recieving these emails for a while, they are such a blessing, and help me keep focus on what a woman's role is, with all that tries to pull at us today, it helps me remember to keep things in the proper focus. I hope that you get as much out from this website as I have. :) This is what they sent me today. :)

At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus Two

I really want to be working on that, I love him so much, and I want him to know that.

Another thing that I have been doing... Focus on the Family had aired this presentation back in 2005, I really enjoyed hearing it for the first time back then, and I found out that they were going to be re-airing it because it helped so many people. It is so informative, makes me want to be the kind of wife she is describing. I agree with what she says so many times, sometimes we are just clueless as to what the other is needing. It isn't that I don't want to be supportive, I just don't realize what he is going through sometimes. She is so encouraging. Take a look at this one, it aired for the last three days, so be sure that you start at the first one (April 14-16.)

Focus on the Family- What Women Should Know About Men

It really encouraged me (and convicted me. :) I love things like this, and I think the Lord that it came at such a good time for me, when I wasn't so rushed, and had time to really concentrate on what it was saying. I hope that you get a chance to look into these, and that they bless you as much as they have me. :)

My days

2009-04-14T15:57:00.003-05:00

My days have been oh so different since Jamie has gone to go work in Alaska. Our entire schedule has been different, going to bed at crazy times, the boys sleeping in later, eating simplier foods. I am trying so hard to keep busy, to keep my mind off him being gone. He has been gone for about a week several times, but this 6 week thing is killing me. I guess it is just because I know in my mind that it is going to be longer, plus he is so far away it isn't like I could just go up there for a weekend (But believe me I have thought about it.....many times. :) We are on the sixth day, 1/7 of six weeks.... I am not going to make it. Here is just a little bit what we have been up to since he was been gone.

*Staying at the airport until I was SURE that even with a delay, his plane was gone. (just in case he changed his mind. :(

*Coming back from Springfield, making 4 stops, shopping, crying, Sonic, and more shopping.
It took me six hours go make a 2 1/2 hour trip.

*Visiting with my sister Charin and her kids when we got home Thursday night.

*Not sleeping more than two hours all night, getting up every 10 or 15 minutes or so to track his flights online, waiting to hear his voice on the phone letting me know that he made each stop.

*Getting up EARLY the next morning to put out our yard sale things with my Mom.

*FREEZING on Friday, spending most of the day trying to put it all out.

*Going straight into the tub after the sale ended for the day, trying to thaw out my numb self.

*Putting more baby and kids clothes on hangers, watching Fireproof until I was exhausted Friday night.

*Loving waking up in the middle of the night for Jamie's night-night phone calls.

*Getting up not as early Saturday morning, thankful it was all set out, waiting for my Mom and Capachinos.

*Enjoying the day with both my Mom and my sister Charin, eating pizza we had delivered, selling ALOT of stuff.

*Making cupcakes Saturday night, getting ready for our Easter Egg Hunt with the cousins.

*Ironing, and getting ready for church in our new Easter clothes.

*Going to church, getting soaked on the way out...lunch at El Charros in Harrison.

*Coming home having an indoor egg hunt, eating cupcakes and my sister's delicious raspberry punch (Which she left with ME!!!!)

*Going to church again Sunday night, going to Wendy's to get my usual sour cream and chive baked potato, chili, and manderine cup. SO happy they got my order right!!! They usually forget the sour cream, spoons, and crackers. This happens EVERY time, but it is such a good combination, and you can't get it anywhere else, that I keep trying. :)

*Talking to my honey on the way home...

*Waking up to hear his ring tone, the song that we had at our wedding.... still makes me happy, especially when it is on the phone, because I know he is calling. :)

*Going clothes shopping with my sister with the proceeds from the yard sale. Out with the old, in with the new... enjoying all of the spring/summer colors, lots of cute stuff. Lunch at OLIVE GARDEN!!! (minestrone, bread sticks, shrimp alfredo..... YUM!!!!)

*Getting early baths, cuddling on the couch with the boys in their new jammers, watching their new Diego movie they got for Easter.

*Letting the boys sleep in later today....such a busy weekend..... watching my sister's babies for her while she goes back to work at the end of her maternity leave. I am so sad for her. Happy to have sweet, squishy bodies to snuggle with, though.

*Missing my honey so badly every single second.... I would definetely not make a mililtary wife, in case anyone ever wondered. It has made me pray harder for their poor families, making me sad what all that you have to sacrifice for your country and families sometimes. Sometimes life isn't fair.

Easter in Alaska....

2009-04-12T14:48:00.002-05:00

Sap Story

2009-04-12T14:40:00.005-05:00

Hey. I wanted to show you all this, Jamie sent this to me, this is him after work yesterday. :) I don't know if you all know this or not, kind of a sap story, but it is mine nonetheless. :) Jamie left Thursday to go do some work for a friend in Alaska for about six weeks or so, depending on how soon the job gets done. He left with a HUGE chunk of my heart in his carry-on....I will be so ready to get him back. It is so different, he is almost 4,000 miles away, thank the Lord for cell phones.. I am such a baby, I guess, I still get almost giddy when he calls me. :) He is 3 hours behind me, and they have different lighting situations than we do here, they don't start there day until late in the day, even the banks and schools don't until at least 9, so he hasn't been getting done until 9 or 10 at night, so when he calls me, it is like 1 or 2, depending on when he gets done with supper. It is kind of sweet talking to him that late at night, everything is so quiet, and it is just the two of us, no other calls or anything to distract me. :) I am going to be SO GLAD when he gets back home... this is the first holiday that we have ever been apart. :( SNIFF. I wish it had worked out that I could have gone, but it costs so much to get up there, that he needed to check out the job first. Pray for me, and until then.... Happy Easter from Jamie in Alaska. :)

P.S. My Sister-in-Law Melinda sent this picture to me, her husband is my husband's brother, and he had sent this picture to him, so she somehow got it on the computer, and sent it to me in case that I hadn't seen it. :) That made me so happy. I don't know how to do that sort of thing yet. She is SO talented....

P.S.S. And THEN...... :) Charin stayed up late last night editing this so I could see my honey better. :) Isn't that sweet? I am so blessed to have such good sisters that love me so much. :)

Robots

2009-04-12T07:03:00.007-05:00

I am *finally* getting Jathan's birthday pictures posted. :) Life has been so crazy and busy
around here (probably more on that on a different day :) Jathan had such a good day, his Grandma and Papa came, and his Great-Granny on my side, and his Aunt Charin, Uncle Kevin, Katie and new baby Colin came to celebrate with him. :) He felt so loved, and said that seven was the best year ever. :) I love how you cam tell about how that his tiny grown-up teeth are coming in on the bottom. :) That is part of who he is right now. :) He got so many fun things, and would probably do it again if we let him.:)

~So funny~

2009-04-07T13:40:00.001-05:00

These were SO much fun to do... it is so funny, though, everywhere I take the boys for the first time, people tell me that they sure must look like their Daddy, because they sure don't look like me!!! (Which is a *very* good thing. :)

Fox Look-alike Meter

2009-04-07T13:39:00.001-05:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Fox Look-alike Meter

2009-04-07T13:31:00.001-05:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celeb - Collage - Morph

A spoon full of sugar....

2009-04-05T08:02:00.002-05:00

"The blue fairy watched him running and playing in the room, lively and happy as a young rooster crowing for the first time and said, "Then my medicine really cured you?" "It certaintly did! It brought me back into this world." "Then why in the world did I have all the trouble getting you to drink it?" "That's how we boys are! We're more afraid of medicine than of being sick."

C. Collodi
The Adventures of Pinocchio

What REALLY happens in Sunday School

2009-04-03T09:25:00.003-05:00

I have been meaning to post some funny things that my boys have said or done in Sunday School for a while now, and then I came across this email. :) It is so cute... and very long... so I picked a few of my favorites. :)

A Sunday School teacher was telling her class the story of the Good Samaritan, in which a man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. She described the situation in vivid detail so her students could catch the drama. Then, she asked the class. "If you saw a person lying on the roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?" A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence, "I think I would throw up."

A Sunday School teacher asked, "Johnny, do you think Noah did alot of fishing while he was on the ark? " "No," replied Johnny, "how could he with only two worms?"

A Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt, when little Jason interrupted, "My Mommy looked back once, while she was driving," he triumphantly announced, "and she turned into a telephone pole!"

The Sunday School teacher was carefully explaining the story of Elijah the Prophet and the false prophets of Baal. She explained how Elijah built the altar, put wood on it, cut the steer into pieces, and laid it on the altar. And then, Elijah commanded the people of God to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had them do this four times "Now," said the teacher, "can anyone in this class tell me why the Lord would have Elijah pour water over the steer on the altar?" A little girl in the back of the room started waving her hand, "I know! I know!" she said. "To make the gravy!"

My stories~

Jared prayed during prayer requests that his cousin's umbilical cord would fall off. (And it did the next day!)

Jathan said when I asked which animal left the ark first, "The dirty ones." (After all that time on the ark, they were all probably really in need of a bath, but I think I would get the dirtiest ones off first. :)

Jathan took up the offering for us, and then took it to his Daddy's study, and then went back into the sanctuary. After service was over, and they would be walking by the study, the money was gone. They saw that the money that they gave to "God" was gone and their conclusion on what happened was that he reached down, and "powered" it up to heaven!!! We really hated to tell them the truth, that their Daddy picked it up to put into the bank to pay for the lights bill, ect for the church and that is how that we call that giving to God. They never were convinced of that no matter how long we spent trying, and even though we never lie to them, they were just sure that God took it up to heaven to him. They would race into the study, and hope to see it go up. Even if the money was still there, they just thought that He was busy, and would get to that later. :) I really wished for their sakes it was a little more glamourous that what really happened to it. :) I wished that I could have asked God to do that for them. :)

A little bit of Jared's philosophy :)

2009-04-01T11:46:00.001-05:00

Jared told me again today that if turtles didn't have shells.... they would be lizards. ;)

More beautiful words...

2009-03-31T13:15:00.002-05:00

I thought of so many more since I last posted some, I just thought I would share them. :)

*keepsake*

*yesterday*

*cuddle*

*dawn*

*cubbyhole*

*caroling*

*family*

*blankets*

*Once upon a time*

*kiss*

*attic*

*nook*

*nest*

*whisper*

*secrets*

*birth*

*sisters*

*happily ever after*

*forever*

*wisdom*

*confection*

*storybook*

~True Love~

2009-03-30T07:20:00.001-05:00

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!"

-Lucy Van Pelt
PEANUTS

Happy Birthday, Baby!!

2009-03-26T12:29:00.002-05:00

Today is the day that my firstborn was born seven years ago. He has been such a blessing in our lives, and I never before knew the wonders of motherhood. :) I put together a slide show to celebrate my special son. :)

Here are seven special things that I love about Jathan. :)

1. In his first year, he was so curious, always wanting to learn about the world around him. And he wanted to walk... BAD. He successfully learned, and was RUNNING before 10 months of his first year were up.

2. When he was two, he loved to watch Dora, and he would wrap his blanket around his shoulders, hop from side to side, and "unfurl" exactly at the same time that the Map did it on his show. :)

3. When he was three, he went to pre-school. He was so excited to get to go, and he always played with the girls (his teacher thought it was because they were quieter, and he didn't like "loud" people.) He followed the same girl around all year, because he got behind her in the lunch line on the first day, and she was nice to him. :) He also LOVED Little Bear, Franklin, and Thomas the Train. :)

4. At four, he was already reading. He LOVED to read, and read books to Jared at that age. :)

5. Five years old was such a sweet year, he loved so many things, Diego, Reading, Fishing with his Papa, going to sunday school and church, and being in Kindergarten, because that meant that he got to do "One hundred school," which in Jathan's eyes was a *very* good thing. :)

6. Six was such a fun year for us. He was in first grade, and learned how to add three digit numbers, how to do fractions, and loved reading skills. He also loved playing all kinds of imaginative play, "REALLY getting into the roles." He called himself my first baby, and thought that eating alot of food would make him grow faster. :)

7. The seventh wonderful thing about Jathan is that I have one whole year to be with him, and discover who he is at seven. :)

~about my husband~

2009-03-25T16:33:00.005-05:00

Hey. I found this blog Titus2atthewell other day, and found a post that really inspired me. She encouraged women to list things that they loved about their husbands, and I thought that I would try it. I really try not to take him for granted, he does so much for me, and I really appreciate him. Here are a few of the things that makes him so loveable.

1. He holds me when I cry.
2. He works so hard so I don't have to work outside the home.
3. He tries to see humor in any situation.
4. He loves our children with all his heart, and would gladly die for them.
5. He thinks I am beautiful. :)
6. He has a beautiful smile...it makes his whole face light up.
7. We have been through so much together, and he still loves me.
8. He cuddles me in his sleep.
9. He opens doors for me.
10.He loves God, and tries to put him first in everything that he does.

p>

~A few of my favorite words~

2009-03-23T10:32:00.002-05:00

I was thinking the other day about how some words stand for themselves, evoking a feeling strong enough to stand alone. I put together a list of some of my favorites, words that make me feel good inside. :)

*cherish*
*imagine*
*remember*
*carousel*
*romance*
*moonlight*
*soul*
*pregnant*
*memory*
*beautiful*
*Mama*
*caress*
*lover*
*soulmate*
*engaged*
*sunshine*
*protected*
*cozy*
*warmth*
*massage*
*starlight*
*follow*
*become*
*novel*
*daughter*

I know that there are a lot of others, but these were the ones that came to mind quickly. :)
What are your favorite words?

Farmer Boy

2009-03-21T10:15:00.000-05:00

"He felt very clean and good, and his skin felt sleek in the warm fresh clothes. It was the Saturday-night feeling. It was pleasant, but Almonzo didn't like it well enough to take a bath for it. If he could have had his way, he wouldn't have taken a bath till spring."

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Farmer Boy

She was so nice...starey eyed and bobble-headed...

2009-03-18T10:00:00.006-05:00

I am OUTRAGED. What an awful thing to do to our families. Isn't there enough "Hollywood" trying to steal our children's innocence, without changing things that we once viewed as "safe"? I was appalled to find out that they are changing Dora's look, to make her more appealing to "tweens." I feel like someone has died. Dora has been in our house for years, being a good role model, and now she has suddenly become provocative, with high heeled shoes, big hair, and LIPGLOSS?!? I found this link this morning, and it even has a petition to sign to ask Mattel to reconsider the makeover http://a-list.msn.com/default.aspx?cp-searchtext=Dora%20the%20Explorer%20makeover . This just made me sick. What do you think?

In our jungle...

2009-03-17T15:33:00.001-05:00

"And he grew and grew strong as a boy must grow who does not know that he is learning any lessons, and who has nothing in the world to think of except things to eat."

Rudyard Kipling
The Jungle Book

A Mother's Prayer

2009-03-14T11:17:00.026-05:00

I found this yesterday... it touched me so deeply I couldn't stop crying until long after the song was over. Like the woman who sings this song, Rachel Aldous, I too have a child with a disability. I can relate to this with the deepest part of me. My son is going to be 7 in a few days, and I can honestly say that they have been the happiest years of my life. He is so beautiful to me, and I know that God has a plan for each and every life He ever allows to be conceived. Abortion is the saddest thing to me, because I know that there is a hole in humanity where each new life was supposed to be. This is a beautiful song, and I want to make this my love song and anthem for my babies. Listen to it with kleenex, and as you think of what God has blessed you with, thank God that your mother allowed you to live to experience it.

I don't know why it isn't showing the video anymore, but you can go to You Tube, and search A Mother's Prayer-Not Celine Dion/a different song. I am sorry, I don't know why it used to show it, and not it won't. :(

Friday at last....

2009-03-13T15:17:00.003-05:00

I had... a left-over Subway sandwich for lunch.
I need... to do laundry.
I want...to see my littlest nephew again.
I will...get to see him tomorrow. :)
I made... meatloaf for supper.
I just.... rescheduled my physical therapy appointment to the next Monday so I don't have 3 Dr.'s appointments in 1 week.
I am...listening to Crystal's blog playlist.
I crave...mashed potatoes.
I'm going...to take a nap later.
I wish... I were feeling better.
I love...Fridays. :)
I promise...to blog more next week.
I'm thinking...about spring.
I miss...having energy.
I can't... wake up completely.
I shouldn't have... eaten chips and dip with that sandwich.

Happy Friday!!!

2009-03-10T13:24:00.002-05:00

How is it that on Little Bear everything looks cute, and when I look like that, it isn't cute at all? Sometimes I wish I was a cartoon. :) I don't exactly have mumps, but I went to the dentist last Monday, and he tried to fill a tooth for me, but it ended up needing a root canal, and he said that he wasn't able to do it, that I would have to be referred to another dentist that only did root canals. (I guess it would be a difficult one.) Anyway, he put in a temporary filling for me, and sent me home. :( To make a long story short, it ended up abcessing, and I have spent the last week being completely out of it with pain. I didn't know that it was possible to hurt like that.We tried several prescription pain killers, but nothing seemed to work very well. He put me on Vicodin and antibiotics yesterday, and last night was the only decent nights sleep I have got in a week. It felt so good to be able to sleep about 4 hours. :) I woke up feeling so much better, but I still feel so groggy and yucky with the medicine, but I would a million times rather be feeling this than the other. :( I can't imagine being somewhere where you couldn't get dental care, and having to suffer like this until it fell out. OUCH!!! Anyway, when I get back to feeling better, I will do better at posting. Until then, Little Bear and I have alot in common, with the big knots on our necks. :)

Seperated at birth?!?

2009-03-08T22:24:00.002-05:00

Silly Jared. At five, he is still in love with his blanket. :) He told me the other day that he wished I had swallowed his blanket, so he wouldn't have had to wait to meet him when he was born, and so he would have had someone to snuggle with in my belly. :)

Cute Balloon Pets :)

2009-03-06T11:15:00.010-06:00

The boys and I made these last weekend to take to their 4-H award banquet. The theme was 4-H Country, so I thought that these would be perfect tabletop decorations. :) Aren't they cute? They were actually a Martha Steward Kit, that I had found at Wal-Mart. We had so much fun decorating them. Everything had it's own sticky-backed peel off sticker, and it was so easy and fun to create them. :) If you get a chance, they had other kits. Wouldn't they be so much fun to make with guests at a child's birthday party?

P.S. Pardon the lousy pictures. :) I was in a BIG hurry, but I wanted to get pictures of them before I took them. I didn't know with getting them in and out if they would have a long life, being just balloons. :) The flash was shining off of some of them, but you get the idea. :)

Do you know your A.B.C.'s?

2009-03-03T16:24:00.003-06:00

I got this in an email the other day by my friend Crystal. I am just now finally getting it finished, and posted. :) Try it it is fun. :)

A

Age:27

Annoyance: telemarketers that hang up on ME if they want James. Ugghhh!!

Animal- Franklin the Turtle (Jathan's> :)

B

Beer: YUCK!

Birthday: October 2

Best Friend: Jamie :)

Body Part on Opposite Sex: Smile. :)

Blind or Deaf? No, thanks.

Best Weather: Fall with breeze and sunshine. :) aahhhhh.

Been on stage: Yes.

Believe in Magic: Nope.

Believe in Santa? No. I actually never did. :)

C

Candy: Whoppers and Hugs and Kisses. mmmmmm

Color: Red/Green/Brown

Chocolate?Vanilla: Vanilla....always. :) Haha Crystal. :)

Chinese/Mexican Food: Mexican

Cake or Pie: Cake

Continent to Visit: Pretty much everything I need is in ours. :)

Cheese: Colby

D

Day or Night: day

Dancing in the Rain: Make it warm weather if you do. :) Don't get sick. :)

E

Eyes: Green

Everyone's got... a waterbuffalo. :)

Ever failed a class? I was homeschooled, so I really didn't take any as a child, but I have done good with the ones that I have taken as an adult. So far.

F

First thoughts waking up: HURRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food: Yes, please.

G

Greatest fear: Being alone

Goals: Finish unpacking my house, finish cross-stitch so I can start the new one.

Gum: Sugar-free

Get along with your parents? Yes

H

Hair Color: Auburn/brown

Height: 5'4"

Happy: Mostly

Holiday: Just about all. :)

I

Ice Cream: a no-no (my Dr. says. :(

Instrument: Who me?

J

Jewelry: rings

Job: Full-time Mama

K

Kids: I need more

Kickboxing or Karate: makes me hurt thinking about either. :)

Keep a journal: does a blog count?

L

Love: makes me happy inside.

Letter: J (we have alot of them.)

Laughed so hard you cried: almost everyday

M

Milk Flavor: Chocolate

Movies: Anne of Green Gables

McD's or BK? McD's (I ate there today actually. :)

N

Number: seems to stick well with me. I remember most of our account numbers (even from the electric bills, ect. It is a good thing I don't sleep talk. :)

O

One wish: to be a better wife and Mama

P

Pepsi/Coke: Pepsi... to much. I try not too.

Q

Quality: Trustworthiness

R

Reason to cry: thinking about someone hurting

Reality T.V. : I don't get any channels. Am I weird?

Radio Station: 89.1 Southern Gospel

Roll your tongue in a circle: pretty tongue tied. :)

Ring Size: 9 (Isn't that huge? It is funny, though. It has been the same even with weight changes up/down.)

S

Song: There is Love (I walked down the aisle with that. :)

Shoe Size : 9 on my regular foot, just about any size hurts on my other one. :(

Sushie: I don't like anything raw. Thank you.

Skinny Dipped: I am merciful. No thank you.

Strawberries/ Blueberries: Strawberries

T
Tattoos? YUCK!!
Time for bed? Usually too late. :)
Thunderstorms? Usually only scare me if everyone says it is going to be bad. :)

U
Unpredictable: peoples moods

V
Vacation spot(s): Just about anywhere sounds good. :)

W
Weaknes: Children and small animals without Mommies. :)
Which one of your friends acts the most? I have no idea
Who makes you laugh the most? Probably Jared
Wanted to be a model? No, but I would settle for looking like one. :)

X
X-Rays: Probably had 25 in last 6 months. No kidding.

Y
Year it is now: 2009
Yellow: Is a happy color. :)

Z
Zoo animal: Giraffes. I love them. Jathan and Jared love to feed them. One time Jared almost ate their food when I handed it to him, though, because he thought it was a graham cracker. :):)

WHO:
1. Slept in a bed beside you? Jamie and my pillows :)
2. You went to the mall with? Jamie and the boys
3. Talked to on the phone? Charin
4. Made you laugh? Jared
Said they loved you? Jathan

To all you girls out there... Love, Jathan and Jared :)

2009-03-01T14:26:00.004-06:00

"No one is going to catch me, lady, and make me a man. I want always to be a little boy and to have fun."

James M. Barrie
Peter Pan

You need one.

2009-02-28T22:14:00.004-06:00

I saw this yesterday at Wal-mart and had to get one. They are called "Palm Pets", and they make the most realistic chirping sounds. :) They are the closest thing to the real thing that you can get without having to feed them. :) I just love baby chicks. We named him "Peeps." (If you want one, they have several different kinds in the Easter aisle. :) They are so cute. James was thinking when he got home from work and heard it cheeping that we really bought a real chick. I think that he was happy to find out that it was one that you could count on not to start laying eggs around the house. :)

Katie Shae

2009-02-27T13:35:00.002-06:00

I so much enjoyed Katie's sleepover last night. :) It was so fun having a girl in the house. :) She watched me fix my hair this morning, and she was so full of compliments. :) "wow. cute. hair", and when I put my shoes on (a big thing in Katie's world, she loves shoes) she said "wow. cute. shoes. on" I think it is so funny how that a little compliment like that, a little encouragement makes you feel prettier. :) She is such a fun girl to have around. What was the last thing that someone told you that made you feel good inside? Post it for me! :)

My tiniest nephew~

2009-02-26T16:46:00.003-06:00

This is Colin Wayne, my newest nephew. He was born today at 12:43, and is 8 pounds 6 ounces, 20 1/2 inches long. :) He is so sweet and quiet for a baby (his big sister had such a loud voice. :), and he has the sweetest scrunched up face I ever saw. :) His Mama had a hard time with him, please pray for her as she recovers. :( In the meantime, I have big sister with me, (YAY:) so I will probably have more fun things to talk about tomorrow. :)

A bit different...

2009-02-25T13:48:00.002-06:00

Jared has such a funny outlook on life. :) He is always looking at things (as he calls it) "A little bit different." I have gleaned alot from just listening to his unique outlook on life. For instance, the other day, he said something that didn't make alot of sense, and he said 'crumble that thought.' :) When he is searching for something to say, he tells me to 'just pause it a minute'. :) I guess that comes from being born in the technological era. He is always surprising me with what he comes up with. He has alot of different words to describe what he is talking about, 'all wobble' when he is dizzy, 'all sniff' when he has a stuffy nose, 'my heart is tired' when he is not wanting to do something, 'all cuddly inside' when he is feeling loving, 'all gishy gishy goo' when he is indescribably sick. :), '100 wonderful' when he really likes something, and 'all stink' when he needs a bath at night. LOL. I love listening to him talk. He is so funny. :)

~Anne of Green Gables~

2009-02-24T12:34:00.004-06:00

Does anyone love Anne of Green Gables as much as I do? I found the cutest site, that has Anne bloopers, and all kinds of fun things. :) Some of the bloopers I had found watching it through the years, but alot of them I had never paid any attention to. It makes me want to watch them again with more attention to detail. :) Isn't it funny how that what is so obvious to some people, other people miss entirely? If you want to check it out, you can use this link :)http://greengables.tripod.com/. Have fun!! Let me know if you love it as much as I do. :)

Help!!!!

2009-02-23T07:19:00.002-06:00

I neeeeed a girl around the house. I am so outnumbered. Last night Jared came out wearing his pajamas, minus the pants. (Don't ask me why.) I asked him where were his bottoms, and all THREE of the boys broke out into hysterical laughter!! (bottomS. :) I think a girl would have known what I was talking about. :) To me it was kind of obvious what was missing. It took a long time to get them calmed down. James said he was just glad that their sense of humor was obviously developing enough for them to catch the punchline. ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

All toys should live this well

2009-02-22T08:21:00.001-06:00

"Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just a toy to play with, but REALLY loves you, you become Real. It doesn't happen all at once. It takes a long time. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out, and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly except to people who don't understand."

The Velveteen Rabbit
Marjery Williams

I'm thinking a similiar thing happens to Mommy's. :)

LOVE this. :)

2009-02-21T15:09:00.002-06:00

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away."

Author Unknown

Awwww.

2009-02-21T14:38:00.002-06:00

Jared just told me when we were listening to one of his "Music Together" c.d's in the car that the song "Tis a gift to be simple" made his heart "dance". :) Awww, me too buddy. :)

King of the Castle

2009-02-21T11:10:00.002-06:00

I get so tickled at the boys lately. They are so imaginative sometimes they live in their own little world. Only people that are around them alot can understand. :) Jathan is going through a sign-making phase. He labels everything.The hall has signs on it "Rabbit Street." (Trix Rabbit street to be exact. :) I told you he was commercial. :) They make signs to remind them of the order of the steps they need to do in order to go to bed. :) They pretend they are cowboys and the next time I go in their room there are paper cactus' EVERYWHERE, horses drawn on paper, ect. I think the funniest thing happened the other day with them, though. They love playing with their puppet theatre. They act out all the things that they are going through lately. I was finishing up the supper dishes the other night, and I saw this sign letting me know that there was going to be a "Puppet Show" for the whole family to enjoy. :)

2009-02-21T11:09:00.001-06:00

2009-02-21T11:05:00.003-06:00

We were invited to sit down and "enjoy the show!!" James and I were delighted to attend the debut performance of "Rumplestitskin." They were comic performers, and we loved the show... and they loved the show... but we were informed that there will be no more public performances by order of the "King." He was in the show. I don't know who did the voices for the King, but he said sometime after the show that there weren't to be any more public performances allowed. It is so funny. I hear the boys talking about putting on another one, and then one of them tells the other, "We can't, remember? Don't you remember what the King said?" I can't even get them to change their mind. :)

"Late at night my mind would come alive with voices and stories and friends as dear to me as any in the real world. I gave myself up to it, longing for transformation."

Jo March
Little Women

2009-02-21T10:22:00.007-06:00

New Love :)

2009-02-20T19:23:00.003-06:00

I'm too funny. I have developed a new love... bowling. :) I know that it is kinda nerdy to actually admit it, but I have played 7 games in 6 days, and would go again tomorrow. :) James and I went on Valentine's Day after a dinner date at Chili's, and then we took the boys again today. It was their first time bowling, and using the bumpers and the ramp, the actually were beating me part of the time. :) Kind of embarrassing, but I am glad that maybe they inherited a better athletic gene than I did. :) It was so fun. I am not doing so well, I am just barely able to get my injured foot INTO the shoes, let alone do the fun sliding thing with them that all the people on the lanes beside us were doing. I sort of waddle down the aisle, then TRY and aim, and then roll it as hard as I can. It is frustrating, though, because a lot of the time I think that I would be able to do better, if I had more momentium going. Oh, well. James is liking it just as well as me, so maybe when I get to doing better I will be able to be more competitive. :)

Me Too

2009-02-19T08:01:00.002-06:00

"My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places."

A.A. Milne

First Love

2009-02-18T07:14:00.003-06:00

"They had come upon a whole clump of crocuses burst into purple and gold. Mary bent her face down and kissed them. 'You never kiss a person in that way,' she said when she lifted her head. 'Flowers are so different.'

Francis Hodgson Burnett

Our Anniversary

2009-02-17T17:41:00.003-06:00

"Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God..."

Ruth 1:16

We said these vows to each other 9 years ago today. :) I am still very happy to be where he is, and to go where he goes. I am so happy he's my man. :)

P.S. The song "There is Love" that is on my playlist right now is the song that we played when I walked down the aisle. :) It still makes me happy to hear it. :)

44 Random Thoughts

2009-02-17T09:36:00.001-06:00

I got this in an email from my sweet sister-in-law, and thought it would be fun to post. If you want to do it, you can post it on comments. :)

1. Do you like blue cheese? I don't think so, but that would probably be the only one I don't. :)
2. Have you ever smoked? Nope
3. Do you own a gun? My husband does. :) Enough for everybody in the family. :)
4. What flavor of Kool-Aid Is your favorite? Grape definetely
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Yes, everytime I go it seems like I get diagnosed with some new strange disease. :(
6. What do you think of hot dogs? One of James' favorite foods, but I only buy them for him, (and occasionally the boys. They get jealous.)
7. Favorite Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water
9. Can you do pushups? I haven't tried in forever, and don't want to find out that I can't. :(
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? my rings
11. Favorite hobby? cross-stitching
12. Do you have A.D.D.? I'm too lazy for that. :)
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? My weight. :(
14. Middle name? Aline
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment...I need to get the laundry in the dryer, I should be doing something else than play on the computer, what's for supper?
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink. Lemonade, green tea, Pepsi
17. Current worry? That my physical therapist said that it would take 6 months to a year before I am able to walk normally again. :(
18. Current hate right now? Divorce. Everyone I know it seems like is getting one. :(
19. Favorite place to be? At home, watching movies with my family and cuddling on the couch with lots of blankets. :)
20. How did you bring in the New Year? In bed. :)
21. Where would you like to be right now? Here
22. Name three people who will complete this? Probably who hasn't done it yet. :)
23. Do you own slippers? Yes, I LOVE them, but they don't fit right now. :(
24. What shirt are you wearing? brown polka dot
25. Do you like sleeping on satin Sheets? I don't know... I keep wanting some, but the cheap ones don't look like they would last one washing. :)
26. Can you whistle? yeah
27. What is your all time favorite song? I don't know.... I still cry everytime I hear "Proud to be an American".
28. Would you be a pirate? No. Definetely not. I love seafood, but the smell fresh makes me very nauseous.
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't. :)
30. Favorite girl's name? Kirsten Aleena Laurie
31. Favorite boy's name? Josiah ( we could call him Jo-jo) :(
32. What's in your pocket right now? Chapstick
33. Last thing that made you laugh? Jared telling me he knew that his bedroom was clean because you can walk easy and it's shiny as a whistle on the floor. :)34. Best bed sheets as a child? Does a pillowcase count? I had the softest pillowcase EVER, and I always waited until it came out of the wash to put another on my bed. But, I took it down to Florida on a trip, and it got confused with the the other people's pillows, and we came back with a very scratchy one. *frown*
35. Worst injury you've ever had? My foot, I guess. It has taken forever to get better. (21 weeks and counting...) Even my own foot Dr. calls me "crip". ughhh.
36. Do you love where you live? Not really, but at least we don't get flooded in/out now. :)
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 1
38. Who is your loudest friend? I really hate to say. Not you guys, though. :)
39. How many dogs do you have? none.
40. Does someone have a crush on you? Jared
41. What is your favorite book? Anything by Beverly Lewis, or Janette Oke. Been liking Tracy Peterson, too.
42. What is your favorite candy? Hugs. :) Yum.
43. Favorite Sports Team? not into sports. :)
44. What song do you want played at your funeral? Look for me (for I will be there too.) I can't remember the real name now, though. :)

Jane Austen

2009-02-16T15:32:00.003-06:00

Take the Quiz here!

I love Jane Austen, so I just love this quiz!!! If you love Jane, you have to try this. :)

Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Mo

2009-02-16T15:06:00.002-06:00

My Mom and Dad kept the boys for us on Saturday so we could have a Valentine's/ Anniversary date :). My Dad was so sweet. He went out to Wal-mart to get the boys rootbeer and ice cream at about 8:00 at night (about a 15 minute drive one way) so he could make them floats. We got there not long after that, so we got to share, too. :) They even gave them money to go get them something next time we went to Wal-mart, and I took them today to go get what they were wanting. Jathan asked for a Crayola digital camera (he will have to save for a while for that one, though:) and Jared wanted to look around. We ended up with a disposable camera for Jathan, and Jared picked out a package of army men. He had money left over, so he wanted to pick out something from the check-out (I don't let them do that as often as I should). He had such fun picking something out, and then he narrowed it down to two. He put them on the floor and played Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Mo until he picked one. It was so cute. He kept playing until it came to the one he wanted the most. :) I think that was so sweet of my parents, being such great Grandparents. I am enjoying my children so much, but I am so glad that there is something like that so fun to look forward to. I will enjoy being a Grandma doing fun things like that for my grandbabies. :)

Secret Admirer

2009-02-14T22:09:00.004-06:00

For Valentine's Day this year, I had the florist deliver the boys a balloon each and a bag of kisses. :) We had already gotten the boys' gifts, so I sent it from their "secret admirer". I thought that that would be fun, since they wouldn't really suspect anything else from us. They have a Little Bear show where Mother Bear sent her Little Bear a valentine, from his secret admirer, and she sends him off to find out who could love him so much. He finally figures out that she must be tricky, likes pretty things, ect., and finds out it must be her. I always thought that that would be so sweet. :) They were so surprised when the door bell rang, and when I let them answer it when it was opened there was somebody with pretty balloons and candy. :) Their mouths were open, and I knew they were trying to figure this out, what was going on. :) Jathan can read, so he opened both cards, and said "From your SECRET ADMIRER!!!" They were delighted. :) I asked them both seperately who they thought could love them so much, and they both had the same answer. "The lady that brought them, of course." :)

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

2009-02-14T12:41:00.001-06:00

Parenting Advice...

2009-02-13T19:39:00.003-06:00

"I say this calls for action and now. NIP IT IN THE BUD. 1st sign of youngsters going wrong yous gots to NIP IT IN THE BUD... well...just don't mollicoddlin'... NIP IT.... You go read any book you want on the subject of child discipline and you'll find every one of them is in favor of buddin' ...only one way to take care of it. NIP IT IN THE BUD."

Barney Fife

This was just too funny, coming from a man who has never had children, but has all the answers. :) He always was so sure of himself. And why didn't they make Barney get married and have some? That would have been even funnier. :)

Isn't he a doll?

2009-02-13T11:53:00.003-06:00

My Mother-In-Law was sent these pictures from a friend that had visited us 6 years ago, when Jathan was about 4 months. She wears a wig and took it off and put it on Jathan!! I couldn't believe it when I saw it, I had totally forgotten about that. They are just too cute. :) He looks just like a doll. I hope that he will forgive me when he is older for allowing these pictures to be taken. :)

So Cute...

2009-02-12T13:24:00.003-06:00

"Pansy was afraid to walk into the garden because her friends had told her there were hawks and foxes and dragons hiding there, but Violet smiled and explained that they were hollyhocks and foxgloves and snapdragons and that everyone knows that flowers would never hurt you- not even the tiger lilies!"

Author Unknown

Songs to NEVER sing if you come to my house....

2009-02-11T07:22:00.001-06:00

Songs that we DON'T sing around my house unless you want one or both of the boys to burst into tears....

1. Go tell Aunt Rhodie
2. Pop goes the Weasel
3. Bring Back My Bonnie to Me
4. Jack and Jill (the part where Jack gets hurt.)

I hope they will always be that innocent. :)

What are you doing?

2009-02-10T10:25:00.000-06:00

"What I like best Is Nothing."
"How do you do Nothing?" asked Pooh, after he had wondered for a long time.
"Well, it's when people call out at you just as you are going off to do it. What are you going to do, Christopher Robin, and you say; "Oh, nothing, and then you go off and do it."

A.A. Milne
The House on Pooh's Corner

Sweetness :)

2009-02-09T18:34:00.000-06:00

I baked some "Turtle Cookie Bars" (VERY good, by the way) today. They were by Betty Crocker. :)I had never baked them before, just looked good, so I bought them. (I guess Jathan doesn't have anything on me, huh?)I thought they were worth it though, I just loved the saying they had on the box, "Bake Life Sweeter". :) Isn't that sweet? It made me feel all happy inside just thinking about it. :)

2009-02-09T10:24:00.000-06:00

Just growing up too fast... slow down, please?

One thing I love about Jathan....

2009-02-09T10:11:00.001-06:00

One thing I love about Jathan...
I love how he get into things so much. He tries to pretend that he IS someone. I think he is trying out different personalities, and different ways of doing things. He watches a movie, and then imitates that person. He changes his stuffed animals into whatever he needs them to be, and pretends his room is where ever they lived in the show. What I think is just sooo funny, is his Uncle Joel did the same thing. I think it is in the genes. :) Part of growing up is figuring out who YOU are in relation to the whole wide world. So many choices... it must be scary sometimes. I did that to an extent when I was younger, wanting to be someone else, mostly from the American Girl Books (remember those?) I loved the era that they lived in, and would have gladly traded my electricity and t.v.'s for horse-drawn carriages and barn raisings. :) Maybe that it is a natural part of growing up. Did you ever do that? My brother Joel was an expert, he should have been an actor. He was so good. I remember one time he wanted me to be someone from his current fascination (I think it was Calvin and Hobbes, whoever the girl was. :) I didn't want to play along, and so he got mad, and said " that is okay, you will be her even if you don't want to. I can just pretend you are, and you are!"
So funny. Jathan doesn't do the same ones his uncle did, but he loves to pretend to be Diego (an animal rescuer.:), Franklin the turtle, Little Bear, and just about everyone from the books he is reading. I look at him and wonder sometimes who he will become as he gets older. For now, I just try and provide him good role models, and good examples, hoping that if he does emulate someone, he will have good character. :) Love you, Jathan.

2009-02-09T10:07:00.000-06:00

This is the way I will always remember him. Sweet and small and making his "cuddly blanket face." Jared- age four

One thing I love about Jared...

2009-02-09T09:51:00.000-06:00

One thing I love about Jared is.... he is in love with me. :) Who wouldn't love thinking that for a brief moment in time, your child has eyes only for you. :) He has so much love to give it is scary, one day I was just walking by the kitchen, and he burst into tears, I turned around in surprise, and asked him what was wrong. He said, "You are just.... so beautiful." Does that melt your heart or what? He picks out bows for my hair while I am buying shampoo, he lays me down on the couch, and brushes my hair for me, and then when he gets done, he turns the brush over, and "polishes" my hair. He calls it his "loving gift." He learned about a loving gift in Sunday School, where Mary anoints the feet of Jesus, (good job, Crystal :) and he says it makes him want to do things for me to show me how much he loves me. He has proposed a few times... ;)... I told him that I couldn't marry him because I was already married. He was sad about it, but I told him that he would want to marry another girl when he gets bigger. (sniff) He thought about that for a couple of days, and then came back and asked me what would happen if Daddy dies, can I marry you then? That was just too cute. His Daddy didn't like that too much, though. :) Jared just "gushes" when he gets in one of his moods. He "croons" (Jamie's word) me sweet love songs, and he burst into tears one night at the table when I told Jamie in joking that he was "the man" for something he had done. :) Jared was sniffling, and he said, "but you told that to ME one time. If he is the man than that means I can't be !!!" Jamie just loved that. :) He also says that he is going to live with us forever. His Daddy explained to him that when he gets older, he will WANT to go out and get a job, and have a place of his own. Jared just got real quite and wouldn't talk about it anymore. Later, when Jamie was at work, he told me that we were going to have to find a place for him to hide, while his Daddy was gone, so that when he got older, he could hide there, and still live at home. :) I thought that that was HILARIOUS!!! He is so cute, and so sincere, I know that he will make some girl a wonderful husband some day. I just hope that I won't be too jealous when it happens. I love being the only lady in his life for now, but I do want him to be happy. I just hope she takes as good care of him as I try to. It is not too early to start praying for my future-daughter-in-law. :) Just please, give me a few more years to be his "best girl"

Adventure

2009-02-07T09:48:00.001-06:00

"Christopher Robin was sitting outside his door, putting on his Big Boots. As soon as he saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an Adventure was going to happen, and he brushed the honey off his nose with the back of his paw, and spruced himself up as well as he could, so as to look ready for anything."

A.A. Milne
Winnie-The-Pooh

Everybody ought to live like that. :)

Advertising

2009-02-06T13:34:00.000-06:00

It is so amazing to me how that advertising can put a thought into your mind, when you aren't even thinking about it. Jathan (6) has fallen prey to "kid" advertising. He was reading some kid magazine (highlights, or something.), and he found an ad for Hubba Bubba Bubble gum. It "blew" the other ones away, it claimed. He has ranted and raved and NEEDED Hubba Bubba ever since. He has interviewed and surveyed people, on if they had tried it or not, and if so, what is the best flavor? At least he has done his research before he bought. :) He finally found some, and is a happy customer ever since. He also goes to a web site that he plays math games on, that advertises surgery cereal, toys, and bubble gum flavored yogurt. :) He now states his requests when we go grocery shopping. I didn't realize how nice it was, picking out their cereal and things, before he started being targeted. :) I know that women have to watch that (speaking from experience:). I don't know how many times I myself have been wooed into buying the latest thing, because of advertising (I am a sucker for pretty packages.) It just seems weird to see my kids facing the same thing. What is the craziest thing that you bought, not really expecting to? Post your comments. :)

At My House

This Christmas I'm....

Teach us to number our days....

~One of my favorites~

Ten years....

I love this :)

Christmas Photo Shoot

Happy Birthday, Jared!!!

Ice Skating. ;)

Denali-

Demolition...

Out our front door

Jared on babies. :)

Jathan's newest thing.

Jared's Marriage Plans

Crickets

Room with a view.

Spiders

First day of school. :)

Toothless. :)

Meet me at the Fair. :)

So good to be back on here....

Alaska....

Baby Birdies

Moving~

~Trolls~

Best Buds

Silly~

Jared's Pre-school Graduation

More Jared...

~First Celebrity with Swine Flu~

~Jared's Wisdom~

Craziness!!!!!!!!!!

~Reflections~

~My hero~

A Beatrix breakfast...

A Miracle....

A Revelation....

Farmer Boy

One of the sweetest things....

*Skunks*

~Encouragement~

My days

Easter in Alaska....

Sap Story

Robots

~So funny~

Fox Look-alike Meter

Fox Look-alike Meter

A spoon full of sugar....

What REALLY happens in Sunday School

A little bit of Jared's philosophy :)

More beautiful words...

~True Love~

Happy Birthday, Baby!!

~about my husband~

~A few of my favorite words~

Farmer Boy

She was so *nice*...starey eyed and bobble-headed...

In our jungle...

A Mother's Prayer

Friday at last....

Seperated at birth?!?

Cute Balloon Pets :)

Do you know your A.B.C.'s?

To all you girls out there... Love, Jathan and Jared :)

You need one.

Katie Shae

My tiniest nephew~

A bit different...

~Anne of Green Gables~

Help!!!!

All toys should live this well

LOVE this. :)

Awwww.

King of the Castle

New Love :)

Me Too

First Love

Our Anniversary

Skunks

She was so nice...starey eyed and bobble-headed...