PA Please!

Well, we're gearing up to head east. We're at T minus 28 hours and I have a list about 6 feet long of "things that should be done before our trip" and nothing is done. Scratch that. I got the epi-pens.

That got me to thinking...

Airport security these days is highly unpredictable, yes? Some places practically do a cavity search (the last time we flew, they checked Emily's diaper), while others wave you through, smiling and blowing kisses. Emily has a peanut allergy that is highly unpredictable. She is soon to be on an aircraft filled with tiny bags of peanuts all being opened simultaneously and I'm going to have a giant hypodermic needle in my purse, just in case she reacts. (For the record, I don't expect that she will.) Do you think we'll be "flagged" by security when the super-duper x-ray scanner sees that hypodermic needle in my purse? I'm taking bets.

Anyhow, Bobby and I are in desperate need of this vacation. Our kids are in desperate need of this vacation. We are sick to death of Oklahoma heat and staying in this house with PBS kid shows on all day long. You know it's bad when a trip to Target is a highlight in your day and going swimming is losing it's charm. We need our Grammy and Pop fix and some cooler weather and a change of scenery. I'll definitely try to post while we're there, Sara :), although I probably won't be able to do any pictures until we get back.

Stay cool. We'll miss you.

Saturday Errands

We just found out (the hard way), not too long ago, that Emily has a peanut allergy. Being the "on top of it" Mom that I am, I still haven't filled the prescription for the Epi-pen.

This evening Bobby and I were talking about what needs to be done tomorrow.

J: "Oh yeah, and I need to go to the pharmacy and get those epi-pens for Emily before our trip."

B: "Epi-pens........ those are for her hair, right?"

J(cracking up): "I'll be right back. I need to go blog real fast!"

Big Trash Treasure

We found this on the curb of the house, 2 doors up from us, the night before last.

It was dark and we were heading home from swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's house. We were coming down the hill toward home when I spotted it. Chris and I went for the initial inspection and when it passed, I came back and reported to Bobby. Bless his heart, he humored me and headed out to check it himself. We still have a chair in our attic that I found on a curb, 5 years ago.

After a couple of minutes, Emily and I went outside to see what his verdict was and saw him struggling down the street, carrying this thing, in a big bear hug. We ran to help him and after a little sweating, grunting and bruising, it's now residing, proudly, in our front living room. After I get it fixed up, it'll go in Chris' room.

I think it's perfect for a preschooler. I showed Chris how it has a special spot just for his backpack. He, on the other hand, thinks it makes a great house. He's claimed the section with the door as his hideout.

I'd like to remove the stickers and possibly paint it. I was really inspired by how turkey feathers transformed her microwave cart.

Roll your mouse over the picture to see the before and after. Cool, huh?

Any ideas on how to remove the stickers easily?

Pears and Plans

So, since our weather has been over 100 for the last several days, we've been inside alot.

When I'm home, I love to keep a candle burning. It makes the house smell great and I like to see the pretty glow coming from our kitchen counter. It just seems cozy to me.

This month's candle of the month scent is Japanese Pear and it is wonderful. I'm not usually a fan of fruity scents - mostly because they tend to be very sweet and cloying. This, however, is light and fresh and just perfect for summer!

I really struggle to balance my "real work" (raising my kids) with my "at home work" (home candle business). Oh yeah, and my "housework" and my "hobbies" (reading blogs and surfing the net!) and the "exercise" that I'm suposed to be doing and spending time with hubby. Guess which ones often get overlooked? Yep - the business and the exercise. Those are the two activities that take effort in the beginning. But they are also the two (besides kids and hubby) that can yield the greatest rewards!

Now, things wil be easier in September when Chris and Em are at their Mother's Day Out program twice a week, but until then, I have a plan. Just like working out, it's so much better to do a small amount every day than to wait and try to cram things in in one big burst of inspiration.

My summer resolution: I will do one thing daily to build my business. There are many things in the business that can be done in 15 minute increments, so I will take advantage of the times that the children are otherwise occupied and instead of reading fluff, I'll build my family's future. Okay, I feel better now that I've got that out on "paper". I'll work on the exercise later. :)

Here are a couple of non-fluff blogs that I like to read:

Mrs. Wilt

and

Antique Mommy

Thoughtful and funny - what a great combination!

photo supplied by allposters.com

Kid Pics

Heard today:

Emily: "Gaaah, Maah, Doc!"

Chris: "She said 'I want popcorn!'"

He knows better than I do. :)

Just some extraneous kid pics. Enjoy, Grammy and Pop!

We love you!

Mmmm, Muffins!

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

If you give a mom a muffin,

She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.

So she'll pour herself some.

The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.

She'll wipe it up.

Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.

She'll remember she has to do some laundry.

When she puts the laundry in the washer,

She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.

Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper for tonight.

She will get out a pound of hamburger.

She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With a Pound ofHamburger.)

The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.

She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow.

She will look for the checkbook.

The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two year old.

She'll smell something funny.

She'll change the two year old.

While she is changing the two year old the phone will ring. (Of course!)

Her five year old will answer it and hang up.

She remembers that she wants to phone a friend to come over for coffee on Friday.

Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.

She will pour herself some.

And chances are,

If she has a cup of coffee,

Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Written by Kathy Fictorie

Based on If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Found at this site.

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Me

I am blatantly copying an archived blog over at Enjoy The Journey. I know that Lindsey doesn't know who I am, so hopefully if she finds out, she'll forgive me.

Since you're here reading this, you might as well get to know me. : )

100 Things About Me
The Basics:
1. I turn 30 in Sept.
2. This milestone birthday is affecting me more than I thought it would.
3. I've been married to my husband, Bobby for 7 years.
4. We have 2 children.
5. One son, Chris, 4 and one daughter, Emily, 1.
6. I drive a tan minivan.
7. I have lived in Oklahoma for a combined total of 21 years.
8. I was born in New York state.
9. We attend a very contemporary Christian church.
10. Neither of us wanted to attend a contemporary church, but when we heard the pastor, we knew it was "it" for us.
11. My husband is an electrician.
12. I have several burned out light bulbs in my house.

Food:
13. I am in the process of losing weight - again.
14. My very favorite drink is Diet Mountain Dew.
15. I also really enjoy margaritas, but I don't get to have one very often.
16. I do not like Coke or Pepsi.
17. I have some sort of natural talent for making food taste really good.
18. I make a mean chocolate chip cookie.
19. My Mom and I have daydreamed about opening a bakery or cafe together.
20. Bakers awaken at the wee hours of the morning - I am a night owl.
21. We eat pizza at least once a week.
22. I love salad bars because I can doctor up my salad with all the different toppings that I don't take the time to fix for myself at home.
23. I once ate only fruit for 5 days.

Family:
24. I am an only child.
25. I have a very close relationship with my parents.
26. They live 1100 miles away.
27. My in-laws live 2 miles away - it's a good thing that I LOVE them!
28. My hubby and I knew each other for 7 1/2 years before we started dating.
29. We dated for only 6 months before he proposed and then were engaged for 6 months.
30. My father-in-law was once my sunday school teacher.
31. I have 3 gorgeous neices.
32. Sometimes I think it would be really amazing to have a large family - with 6+ kids.
33. Then I realize that my 2 kiddos are perfect and our family is just right.

School:
34. I was a "gifted" student in school.
35. I graduated with the title of "Valedictorian" - there were 40 of us with that title. ;oP
36. I have a degree in Spanish.
37. I taught 8th grade Spanish for one year and hated it.
38. I taught high school Spanish for 6 months and loved it.
39. For several years, I've toyed with the idea of going to nursing school.
40. I am intrigued with homeschooling.
41. I subscribe to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and frequent homeschool forums.
42. We have decided that our children will not be homeschooled - for now.

Hobbies:
43. My hubby and I love to go to the movies together.
44. I have an odd knack for remembering actors names and previous movie roles and I rarely forget one.
45. I really enjoy going for long walks outside.
46. When I'm in the habit of it, I actually like to work-out.
47. I get out of the habit of working out very easily.
48. I was part of a marathon relay this past spring. I ran/walked a 5k leg.
49. I have dreams of one day participating in a full marathon.
50. I love scented candles.
51. Prior to having children, we played pinochle almost every weekend with our BIL and SIL.
52. We're all very competetive!
53. I count reading blogs as a hobby. : )
54. I also really like watching reality TV. I've seen every season of Survivor and Amazing Race.

Random Things:
55. I've have my private pilot license for single engine airplanes.
56. I spent one summer working as a lifeguard after I was married.
57. I also have worked in a bridal shop.
58. I've also been a waitress and I think that everyone should be one at least once in their life.
59. I'm an Air Force brat.
60. Both of my parents, both of hubby's parents, hubby, his brother and brother's wife (our SIL) have all served in the military.
61. I have lived overseas in Iceland and Germany.
62. I've travelled to countless other countries.
63. I love to travel! Hubby and I plan to travel as much as possible - especially after he's retired.
64. I want to take my kids to Europe.
65. And Australia, Hawaii, Canada, Brazil and Africa.

Reading: (a big enough hobby that it gets its own section!)
66. I'm a voracious reader.
67. I often have 30 books (the max amount) checked out from the library at one time.
68. I worked in a library the summer that I was pregnant with Chris.
69. I also love to read magazines.
70. I tell my hubby that the internet is like having a huge library right in my living room!
71. I have probably read all of the Bible - but I've never read through the entire Bible, Genesis to Revelation.
72. One of my goals is to read through the entire Bible.

Music:
73. I played the piano as a kid.
74. Then I joined band and switched my focus to the flute.
75. I loved marching band in high school.
76. Yes, I am aware of the term "Band Nerd", but we thought we were cool and that's all that counts!
77. I've always wanted to learn the cello.
78. I played in my church bell-choir for 9 years.
79. Bobby played in the bell choir too.
80. That's where I sparked his "interest" with my bee-you-tiful smile, hee hee.
81. Now I get my music "fix" by singing as loud as I can while I'm driving.

The home stretch:
82. I used to be very organized - before my kids were born.
83. I still love making lists, though.
84. I'm an introvert and crave alone time.
85. I think my kids have the same tendencies - if we get too busy we all get cranky at each other and just need to Go. Home.
86. We live in the same house that I lived in from the ages 5-8. My son will be 5 next year and it's neat to think that his memories as a youngster may be very similar to mine.
87. I'm a cat lover.
88. I want to buy a fixer-upper house to renovate and do the work ourselves.
89. I can't do a cartwheel.
90. But my thumbs are double-jointed!
91. I'm pretty tall.
92. Yes, I played basketball in school. For one season. Because I was awful at it. I'm not aggressive at all. Just call me a Gentle Giant.
93. I may be gentle, but I'm also a bit sarcastic.
94. I hate housework, especially cleaning bathrooms.
95. My favorite holiday is Christmas, followed by Easter.
96. As I get older, I'm getting more emotional on the 4th of July. The fireworks get me every time.
97. I like the color green.
98. My eyes are green.
99. I put my hair in a ponytail almost daily.
100. My favorite passage of scripture is 1 Corinthians 13 - the love chapter. I use it as a guideline for my attitudes and behaviors as a Christian. Every time the word "love" or "it" is used, I substitute my name or "I", so Jenny is patient, Jenny is kind, etc.... It's a good self-test.

Wow. I didn't think it could be done. Congrats on making it to the end. Let's go take some Tylenol now.

True Love

I wanted to share with you Emily's obsession. At the tender age of 15 mo., she is in the midst of a love affair with a bear named Boz. You can meet him here.

It really is a cute series - well, if you can call 2 dvds a series. It's what they call "faith based", which means that they talk about God, teach about sharing, helping, respect, and end each show with a little prayer. They also include the standards: colors, shapes, counting.

Confession time. When we first got these, I loved them. We would all sing the songs together - it was just too cute. Now? I'm so sick of Boz. If Emily didn't love him so much and look like this when he is on the TV, I'd "lose" them. What can I say? When a green bear has the power to stop a meltdown mid-tear, he's welcome to stay in my home as long as he likes. : )

Welcome!

I'm jumping in on the blog-wagon and I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.

I'm using this as my forum to organize my thoughts, keep family and friends updated on our life and possibly share something uplifting.

Let the blogging begin!