I am so Thankful!

Those words seem so small to me as I see them on the page. This year has been such a ride for us. Before the time slips away with me completely I wanted to take the time... heck it may take two days.... to put together a small portion of the mountains of blessings that I have in my ever cracked life. Right now since I am giving two spelling tests while I blog let's just say the top 16!

1. I am so thankful that I know Jesus Christ as my savior and that he continues to bless and lift me up day after day.

2. For my husband, as quirky as we are I think he is the perfect fit to my whacky life. Not many would put up with me and my ways. He works so hard to provide us with a comfortable life and affords me the ability to stay home and teach and "grow" our kids.

3. For my kids here on this earth, Tiffany,my over-confident smart eldest child, Courtney,ever the animal lover and fun personality, Logan, my no bones about it scholar-scientist guy, Taylor, my all-boy family clown with such a love for animals and Kendall,the sweetest tiny girl, this little powerhouse is my joy. The blessings they give are so numerous, the responsibility I feel to make sure that they all know the true path in life is overwhelming at times. I stand in awe of them daily. Well, let's say most of time I am in awe, sometimes it is sheer shock!

4. For Elizabeth and her family, for her sacrifce so that we could have, love, and raise our sweet baby Kendall.

5. For our parents, they work tirelessly to help us in those moments where we are either to extended in time or don't have the skill to build up this house of ours.

6. For our angel baby Mackenzie, although I can't hold you here how much you have taught us. Someday in heaven we will be together.

7. For family, friends and neighbors here and in cyber space. Life wouldn't be the same without the encouragement of others. I love you guys!!!

8. For our freedoms. although we might not get along and the economy may stink right now, we are so blessed to live in a place that we can make choices and we can worship freely without fear.

9. For my discovery of my new favorite TV shows!!! I had no idea they were there. So now Joyce, Beth, Ed, and James and Betty are with me whenever I can get a moment to sit down.

10. For Fireproof, yes the movie, this movie has changed and improved marriages for those that have given it a chance.

11. For our pets and all the creature comforts they provide.

12. I am so thankful for warm cider, cozy socks, a robe and a good book. Well, of course this is when the many tiny oves are sleeping.

13. The blessing that I have in Tiffany being home to be the pick-up this or that on your way home or the Can you watch them for a minute while I run here or there. Without her we would be much more stressed.

14. For the blessing of having Courtney home with us for almost a week!!! I am so excited to have all my kids under one roof. Well, maybe it will be crazy but I can't wait!

15. For the blessing of having most of the shopping done this year BEFORE Thanksgiving!! You will still find me out in the dark on Black Friday but how could I miss all that fun??

16. Last but not least I am so thankful to have a new set of hub caps on my van! Yep, that rounds out the list. A whole bunch of happy for a simple box of four hub caps bought at Wal-Mart for 13.98. Or as Taylor says Wal (star) Mart. you get it right?

What are your blessings................................

Well, that is my partial list

Not Me Monday!

Well, believe it or not we are here again! Four more Sundays till Christmas and hmmmm, well let's just say if I don't get busy there may be some disappointed people on Christmas morning. I fondly remember that days they didn't know when Christmas "really" was. You could fudge a lot, I could even shop with them in the cart and they didn't realize the gifts were for them. But alas, those days are over. Now I have to figure out how to shop around three little ones that seem to be attached at the hip. Thank heaven for online shopping!



Let's see about all those not-me's. Well at least the ones that I can A. remember and B. actually own up to.

I did not completely flake out on my deal with myself to make a week full of "healthy" meals while my husband was on vacation.

I did not also forget my deal with myself to not "nag" (his words I prefer remind) him of things that he leaves as he moves through the house day and night. You know trash, shoes, socks, open doors, lights left on........ the list continues.

I did not push the boys through school this morning so I could slip out with only one in tow and go to lunch with my seldom seen but much enjoyed girlfriend neighbor.

I did not try to interest test the kids with some ideas of toys that they may actually really enjoy for Christmas.

I did not giggle to myself seeing the garage door open this morning and the several cats and kittens that had gotten into the garage visit. Nope wouldn't do that DH HATES the cats in the garage.

I did not pull something out of the clothes hamper to wear yesterday because it was snugly warm and the weather here is getting COLD!

Okay, back to MckMamas blog to see all of YOUR Not Me Mondays!

COOKIES, COOKIES, COOKIES!!!!!

Well, it's officially that time of year when we need to start planning the baking of the holidays goodies. Around here it seems all goes better if we plan everything. So I am giving the gift of my cookie recipe list that was given to me a long time ago. Go to the link and you can find anything you are looking for!

http://www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/

Close your ears if you don't want to hear this but Christmas is just 5 short Sundays away!?!?!?! Yikes!! So much to celebrate and so little time. I am for the first time in a long time really planning on getting the tree up early. Can't say I promise to get it down in the same fashion. We many years still have a tree up for Valentines Day! I know I know......... it just doesn't seem to get done.

Here you go have fun and go wild!!!!!!!



Now that's alot of cookies!

I am so cracked!!!!!!!

I think by the time all the kiddos have grown I will be the silliest thing you have ever seen. My kids just crack me up all the time with their funny comments and antics! Today Tim and I took the three little kids to a play at the Victoria Theater. The antics of Junie B. Jones kept them all in their seats and laughing for the entire hour. Even Kendall sat on my lap and clapped along with the play. At one point in the play two of the guys were alter characters that happened to be obvious girls. Logan leaned over and said "Mom, I think those are boys?!?! I said yep, I think they are and Logan in his very analitical way said "I bet they were surprised when they came to work today!!" I said what? He said I mean when they came to the theater and got ready for the show I bet they were surprised that they had to be girls part of the time! How funny for his mind to take him immediately there???? That's my 8 yr old, I just LOVE him to pieces.

In all honesty we did enjoy the play and they were wonderful to us getting us an extra seat last minute at a sold out show so Tim could go along. Perfect!

God just keeps those blessings coming!!! Pray for Adrienne and Jim with the birth of their new adopted daughter today. Pray for peace for the birth family and speedy healing for the birth Mom who had to have a c/s. A beautiful 6 14 1/2 baby is now part of the wonderful family!!

Not Me Monday!

Well, I needed to fess up! My life is crazier than a zoo so I will only give a few of the countless Not Me's for this week.



Well, I certainly didn't leave little Kendall "playing ...fussing" in her crib so I could get a just a few more minutes of sleep.

We certainly did NOT as a group (Logan Taylor and I) scramble to clean dusting, sweeping and bathrooms so that we could have a guest on Saturday. Not me I would not have made the boys clean!?!?! I did NOT just stuff the left over dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

We certainly did NOT stack 3 cords of wood so badly that they fell down when almost complete. I did NOT make the boys help me finish it up anyway.

I certainly did NOT go shopping once again for the tiny girl and buy her just "a few" more things that she did NOT need.

I did NOT make extra size meals last week knowing that they would make great left overs since Tim was gone most of the week.

I did NOT get so excited to see our pictures up from the photographers that I actually e-mailed to prod them along. I wouldn't be pushy like that NOT ME! I was so excited with them though that I think you should check them out.

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/storesearch.aspx?p=40397 yep, that is us 3 different links under the kids names. llamas is the password..... ssshhhhh don't tell anyone lol!

enjoy your blessings today!

Sometimes you just have to Laugh!

Well, so much for my plan to update 2x a week!!! What can I say life just gets in the way sometimes. After the weekend I thought that I just had to pop in and let you in on our belly laugh.

Like every week Sunday morning can be a bit of a race. Getting 4 people ready to go and out the door in time for Sunday school is a daunting task sometimes. I try to lay out the clothes and get all the bags ready the night before. Well, we started off with a bang Taylor was up and dressed very early ....(thank you daylight savings). I had to wake Logan and get him moving, all the while I am working to get Kendall and myself going. I let Maggie out and fed her, she was back in her cage and we were doing well. I grabbed the heavier fall coats because let me tell you Novemeber has let us know WINTER IS HERE! Logan needed to run out and feed the kittens (8 adorable ones, anyone need a kitten?!?!?!)
So off we went while I grabbed the last few things and made my visual of hemlines on pants and hair. I thought we all did well... off we went to church. I was very excited my Mom was coming down to spend the day with us and we don't get to see her very often so I was thrilled to get the boys into class and get myself organized. Mom got there and we had a wonderful service. Kendall even made it through most of the sermon before needing to go to the nursery for loud **talking**. After wards we all went to lunch at our favorite chinese resturant and then decided to do a bit of shopping.
While at Kohl's looking for pants for the boys I wanted to check the size in Logan's pants and was surprised when I lifted his coat and noticed the metal buckle on his pants in the back?!? I followed it down and then was shocked to see his zipper also was in the back?!!?!? What is the world!!! he was wearing his Arrow dress pants backwards!!! I laughed so hard that I couldn't explain it to her so I had to lift his coat for her to see. Then we both started laughing and couldn't get our breath. The kids are looking at us like we have truly went round the bend and then my phone rang. It was Tiffany and I couldn't even get a word out! I think it was the first time I have laughed that hard in a long time. Within a few minutes we met up with friends and there stood Logan with his hands down and in his pockets..... yes the slash pockets in the back!! A funny day......... a memory that I will haold for years.

I hope that we can have more fun memorys more often ...... just one of the many joys of being MOM!