You can find other wordless Wednesday posts here.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Weekend in review-this post turned out longer than I planned.
We made a trip to McAlester this weekend to visit our families. Daniel's birthday is this week, so it was his birthday trip.
The girls were out of school on Friday, so we had everything pretty much ready to go when Daniel got home. We planned to leave by 3:30, make a stop in Tulsa, and then meet Daniel's side of the family for dinner. The trip takes about 2 1/2 hours if you don't make any stops. So, planning for the stop in Tulsa and probably one additional bathroom stop, we were thinking we should be there no later than 7.
When we stopped for gas, I went in and grabbed some snacks. Since we were going to be eating when we got there, I didn't want the kids to have much. So, I grabbed them each a "mystery flavor" laffy taffy and we were on our way. We got to Tulsa about 4:30ish and made our stop at the Army Surplus store. Daniel went in and did his shopping while the rest of us waited in the van. The kids played their DS's/leapsters (someone please remind me to buy earphones for those things before our next trip) and all was well.
Of course, no sooner did we get back on the highway-in five o'clock on Friday traffic-then someone says "I need to go to the bathroom." There was nowhere to stop at the moment, so they were told to wait. About five minutes later, another child says "I don't feel good." Still no where to stop. That child was given a plastic bag and told to close their eyes. We turned the air on in the back and kept going. After a few minutes, she was looking better and the bathroom child was distracted with a DS (she usually doesn't really have to go anyway, she just wants to get out of the van for a while) so we kept going. The next thing I know, Landon is crying. I ask him what's wrong, but he won't say anything. Cheyenne says he says his throat hurts. Just as I turn around to check on him, here comes his (BRIGHT BLUE) laffy taffy all over the seat and floor of the van! Great!
It took a while before we got to a gas station to clean him up. Once we got there and got him changed, he was fine. The seats and floor of my van, however, are not. There will be a big blue spot there forever!
Thankfully, we managed to make it the rest of the way there without any more excitement. We met Daniel's family at a yummy Mexican restaurant for dinner. Here's the birthday boy outside the restaurant after dinner.
Emily waiting for Grandpa to come out.
DeAnn trying to get a picture of me with her phone.
After dinner, we went back to Grandpa and Grandma's house for cake and ice cream. The boys thought the cake looked really yummy!
I love the look on Danny's face in this picture. He was READY for that cake! Landon's rescue hero was asking if he could share Landon's cake but I think Landon said no. :) (don't ask me what grandpa and Dakota are doing in the background. They're always up to something)
One more picture of the birthday boy (who will be the same age as me in two days. Then he will have to stop calling me old!)
On Saturday, we went to Grandma Debbie's house. It was a nice day, so Grandma Debbie and I took the kids to the park for a while in the afternoon. I forgot my camera, darn it, but we did have fun. The kids' favorite part was the merry-go-round. After watching the kids play on that thing, I know why you don't really find them in parks much anymore. That thing was the merry-go-round of death! Not like these that I remember
If you fall off this merry go round, you pretty much just go sailing off into the grass, get back up, and jump right back on. If you're pushing, you grab hold of one of the handrails as it comes by and give it a shove. No big deal. The one at this park was different. Remember these?
Well, someone had the bright idea to replace the handrails on the merry go round with four of these lovely horses. The problem is, there isn't really a good place to grab these and push. The kids would end up grabbing the backside of the horse as it went around. This meant that they had to bend down, which put their heads directly in the path of the next horse as it was coming around. After having my heart stop a couple of times when I thought I was about to witness some child's skull being crushed by the spinning horses of doom and having two of my children get too dizzy to hang on, my mean mom side came out and I made my kids choose other things to play on. We didn't stay long after that.
We got back to Grandma Debbie's house around dinner time. The kids all love to help Grandma Debbie in the kitchen. Sometimes having the four of them around the hot stove is a bit too much help, so they have started taking turns. One child is the "helper" each time we visit. This time it was Sierra's turn. Here she is in her Tinkerbell apron and chef's hat making the tea.
Sunday morning, Daniel and Grandma Debbie watched the kids for me while I went to visit the cemetery. It was the first time I had been able to go out there since the day of the funeral. It's been too icy/snowy/wet when we've been in town. We had bought a shepherd's crook and a little wind chime for Christmas and I was finally able to get them put up. I stopped by the store on my way and picked up some pink tulips (because they are my favorite) to take with me. On the way, I turned on the CD I have of the music we used in the service. I listen to it from time to time when I'm in the van by myself. I knew it was going to be emotional going out there, but I really wasn't prepared for how hard those memories were going to hit when I heard those songs on that road going to that place. It was nice that I was by myself so I could just let it out. I needed to do that. Once I got there, I got everything in place and cleaned up some of the loose flowers and things that were on the ground. I was glad to see that my aunt and uncle had taken a Christmas wreath out. I stayed a while and enjoyed the quiet of that place and thought about how much my dad would have liked to have been out on the lake on a day like that. Man, I miss him!
I left there and drove out to another little country cemetery to visit my friend Ray. I haven't talked about him on my blog before. He passed away almost a year before Dakota was born (it's where she gets her middle name Raye) when I was only 19 and he was 16. I hadn't been out there since Dakota was a baby. I left him some pink tulips too. It's nice to think that Ray and my dad are getting to enjoy heaven together. I can't wait to see them both again!
Sunday afternoon my grandparents, Pops
and Memaw,
stopped by for a visit. (These pics are actually from Christmas, but I promise they still pretty much look like that).
Grandma Debbie
cooked us some yummy lunch and we hung out for a while. (This pic is from Christmas too, but I like it anyway).
Then, it was time to head back to Grandpa and Grandma Phyllis'
house to pick up the rest of our things. First, we stopped by and hung out with Grandma Rita
for a while.
Then, we had dinner with Grandpa and Grandma Phyllis. While Daniel and Grandpa were talking after dinner, the kids "helped" Grandma Phyllis make peanut brittle (that we got to bring home-yeah!).
We had a good trip, but it was so nice to get back to my own bed on Sunday evening. It will be nice when we don't have to travel so far to see everyone. Just a few more months. Think I should probably go get to work on all that cleaning and organizing I have to do before then!
The girls were out of school on Friday, so we had everything pretty much ready to go when Daniel got home. We planned to leave by 3:30, make a stop in Tulsa, and then meet Daniel's side of the family for dinner. The trip takes about 2 1/2 hours if you don't make any stops. So, planning for the stop in Tulsa and probably one additional bathroom stop, we were thinking we should be there no later than 7.
When we stopped for gas, I went in and grabbed some snacks. Since we were going to be eating when we got there, I didn't want the kids to have much. So, I grabbed them each a "mystery flavor" laffy taffy and we were on our way. We got to Tulsa about 4:30ish and made our stop at the Army Surplus store. Daniel went in and did his shopping while the rest of us waited in the van. The kids played their DS's/leapsters (someone please remind me to buy earphones for those things before our next trip) and all was well.
Of course, no sooner did we get back on the highway-in five o'clock on Friday traffic-then someone says "I need to go to the bathroom." There was nowhere to stop at the moment, so they were told to wait. About five minutes later, another child says "I don't feel good." Still no where to stop. That child was given a plastic bag and told to close their eyes. We turned the air on in the back and kept going. After a few minutes, she was looking better and the bathroom child was distracted with a DS (she usually doesn't really have to go anyway, she just wants to get out of the van for a while) so we kept going. The next thing I know, Landon is crying. I ask him what's wrong, but he won't say anything. Cheyenne says he says his throat hurts. Just as I turn around to check on him, here comes his (BRIGHT BLUE) laffy taffy all over the seat and floor of the van! Great!
It took a while before we got to a gas station to clean him up. Once we got there and got him changed, he was fine. The seats and floor of my van, however, are not. There will be a big blue spot there forever!
Thankfully, we managed to make it the rest of the way there without any more excitement. We met Daniel's family at a yummy Mexican restaurant for dinner. Here's the birthday boy outside the restaurant after dinner.
Danny Jay was pretty happy to see us.
Emily waiting for Grandpa to come out.
DeAnn trying to get a picture of me with her phone.I love the look on Danny's face in this picture. He was READY for that cake! Landon's rescue hero was asking if he could share Landon's cake but I think Landon said no. :) (don't ask me what grandpa and Dakota are doing in the background. They're always up to something)One more picture of the birthday boy (who will be the same age as me in two days. Then he will have to stop calling me old!)On Saturday, we went to Grandma Debbie's house. It was a nice day, so Grandma Debbie and I took the kids to the park for a while in the afternoon. I forgot my camera, darn it, but we did have fun. The kids' favorite part was the merry-go-round. After watching the kids play on that thing, I know why you don't really find them in parks much anymore. That thing was the merry-go-round of death! Not like these that I remember
If you fall off this merry go round, you pretty much just go sailing off into the grass, get back up, and jump right back on. If you're pushing, you grab hold of one of the handrails as it comes by and give it a shove. No big deal. The one at this park was different. Remember these?
Well, someone had the bright idea to replace the handrails on the merry go round with four of these lovely horses. The problem is, there isn't really a good place to grab these and push. The kids would end up grabbing the backside of the horse as it went around. This meant that they had to bend down, which put their heads directly in the path of the next horse as it was coming around. After having my heart stop a couple of times when I thought I was about to witness some child's skull being crushed by the spinning horses of doom and having two of my children get too dizzy to hang on, my mean mom side came out and I made my kids choose other things to play on. We didn't stay long after that.
We got back to Grandma Debbie's house around dinner time. The kids all love to help Grandma Debbie in the kitchen. Sometimes having the four of them around the hot stove is a bit too much help, so they have started taking turns. One child is the "helper" each time we visit. This time it was Sierra's turn. Here she is in her Tinkerbell apron and chef's hat making the tea.
Sunday morning, Daniel and Grandma Debbie watched the kids for me while I went to visit the cemetery. It was the first time I had been able to go out there since the day of the funeral. It's been too icy/snowy/wet when we've been in town. We had bought a shepherd's crook and a little wind chime for Christmas and I was finally able to get them put up. I stopped by the store on my way and picked up some pink tulips (because they are my favorite) to take with me. On the way, I turned on the CD I have of the music we used in the service. I listen to it from time to time when I'm in the van by myself. I knew it was going to be emotional going out there, but I really wasn't prepared for how hard those memories were going to hit when I heard those songs on that road going to that place. It was nice that I was by myself so I could just let it out. I needed to do that. Once I got there, I got everything in place and cleaned up some of the loose flowers and things that were on the ground. I was glad to see that my aunt and uncle had taken a Christmas wreath out. I stayed a while and enjoyed the quiet of that place and thought about how much my dad would have liked to have been out on the lake on a day like that. Man, I miss him!I left there and drove out to another little country cemetery to visit my friend Ray. I haven't talked about him on my blog before. He passed away almost a year before Dakota was born (it's where she gets her middle name Raye) when I was only 19 and he was 16. I hadn't been out there since Dakota was a baby. I left him some pink tulips too. It's nice to think that Ray and my dad are getting to enjoy heaven together. I can't wait to see them both again!
Sunday afternoon my grandparents, Pops
and Memaw,
stopped by for a visit. (These pics are actually from Christmas, but I promise they still pretty much look like that).
Grandma Debbie
cooked us some yummy lunch and we hung out for a while. (This pic is from Christmas too, but I like it anyway).
Then, it was time to head back to Grandpa and Grandma Phyllis'
house to pick up the rest of our things. First, we stopped by and hung out with Grandma Rita
for a while.
Then, we had dinner with Grandpa and Grandma Phyllis. While Daniel and Grandpa were talking after dinner, the kids "helped" Grandma Phyllis make peanut brittle (that we got to bring home-yeah!).
We had a good trip, but it was so nice to get back to my own bed on Sunday evening. It will be nice when we don't have to travel so far to see everyone. Just a few more months. Think I should probably go get to work on all that cleaning and organizing I have to do before then!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Five Question Friday 3-5-10
1. What's your guilty pleasure?
Birthday cake! I love birthday cake! The kind from the bakery with that wonderful buttercream frosting. Yum!!!!
2. What is your favorite TV series?
Hands down, Gilmore Girls. A couple of years ago, I ordered them from Netflix and watched the entire series from beginning to end, in order. It was great. I have the first two seasons on DVD at home and spent last week watching the first season.
3. Can you speak any foreign languages?
Well, I took Spanish for 2 1/2 years in high school and 2 semesters in college. So, I should be able to, right? Wrong! I can understand enough to follow most of what Dora the Explorer says.
4. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
I probably "own" 10 or so pairs of shoes. However, I only had one pair that are decent and two other so-so pairs that I wear around the house or when it's wet out. I hate spending money on shoes.
5. What's your favorite kind of M&M's...peanut, almond, straight up regular, etc.?
Peanut M&M's are the best! The plain ones are good too. I can't bring myself to try the other flavors. When I was at the store this week I saw some that were strawberry/peanut butter. Does anyone actually eat those? I'm not one for mixing candy flavors, so I can't imagine that would taste good (I don't even eat different colored M&M's together-yes, they do taste slightly different)
Peanut M&M's are the best! The plain ones are good too. I can't bring myself to try the other flavors. When I was at the store this week I saw some that were strawberry/peanut butter. Does anyone actually eat those? I'm not one for mixing candy flavors, so I can't imagine that would taste good (I don't even eat different colored M&M's together-yes, they do taste slightly different)
Friday Follow
I have to tell this funny story on my oldest daughter (but don't tell her that I told you, okay?) Last night, when I got home with the other girls from gymnastics, we sat down to our traditional gymnastics day dinner of McDonald's cheeseburgers (they practice from 6-7:30, so it's too early to eat before they leave and too late to cook when we get home). Anyway, while we were eating, my husband says something to her like "So, did you show your mom your book with the picture of the David statue or whoever?" And she starts cracking up. "It's not David, it's Hermes," she says. Now, I'm getting the idea and I say "Was there a little more of Hermes than you wanted to see?" Her reply cracked me up! She said, "Well I know that it's Greek, and the Greeks did stuff LIKE THAT, but they could have just covered IT up in the book at least!" She was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. (Okay, it's not nearly as funny to read as it was if you were there). Somewhere during the conversation, Cheyenne caught on too and the four of us had a pretty good laugh. The little ones had no idea what was so funny but they were laughing too. It was funny.
If you haven't ever seen the statue of Hermes, you can find it here .
Pretty funny stuff if you're 11!
Pretty funny stuff if you're 11!
Somehow we have had a theme going in our house with this subject lately. Last weekend, my two younger daughters were getting ready to go with my husband to a hunting seminar. Cheyenne LOVES to go hunting with her daddy and Sierra was tagging along because she doesn't get to spend much time with him. Cheyenne was putting on the new camo overalls she had gotten for her birthday (she got a shotgun for Christmas-like I said, she LOVES to hunt) and she couldn't get the "flap" buttoned, so she asked me to help. It was kind of hard to button because they were new and because she was wearing them at the time. About the third time the little button slipped out of my fingers, I made a comment like "I'm glad I'm not a man." She looked at me funny for a minute trying to figure out the connection and then "Oh!" and started laughing really hard. She said "Is that REALLY what it's for?" We still laugh about that one.
Now, head on over to the Friday Follow Ladies start finding some great new blogs! It's fun!
Now, head on over to the Friday Follow Ladies start finding some great new blogs! It's fun!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
32nd Street Blog Parade!
I am so excited to jump into Abigail's blog parade. I can't wait to get to know some new blog friends! Hop on over to her site and link up! It's going to be fun!
1. What's your favorite time of the day, and why?
My very favorite time of day is early in the morning before anyone else in the house is up. I feel so much better when I have some quiet time to myself in the morning before jumping into all the busyness of the day. The problem is that I also love to sleep and now that I am not working, I don't take advantage of this time as much as I used to. One of my goals is to start getting up earlier on the weekdays again. I think it will help me get a lot more accomplished during the day. I'll let ya know how it goes.
1. What's your favorite time of the day, and why?
My very favorite time of day is early in the morning before anyone else in the house is up. I feel so much better when I have some quiet time to myself in the morning before jumping into all the busyness of the day. The problem is that I also love to sleep and now that I am not working, I don't take advantage of this time as much as I used to. One of my goals is to start getting up earlier on the weekdays again. I think it will help me get a lot more accomplished during the day. I'll let ya know how it goes.
2. If health wasn't an issue, what food could you live off of?
I think I will have to go with chips and queso from Mexico Joe's (not just ANY queso will do-although El Chico runs a close second). I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Which reminds me, it's about time for another queso date with my friend Beckie! (and anyone else that wants to come along!)
I think I will have to go with chips and queso from Mexico Joe's (not just ANY queso will do-although El Chico runs a close second). I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Which reminds me, it's about time for another queso date with my friend Beckie! (and anyone else that wants to come along!)
3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be?
I wish I had a sock vending machine in my house! I would love to just go up and push a button and get a brand new, clean, folded pair of socks. I HATE matching and folding socks!
I wish I had a sock vending machine in my house! I would love to just go up and push a button and get a brand new, clean, folded pair of socks. I HATE matching and folding socks!
4. What's one thing that you get teased about a lot?
My husband loves to tease me about being short. I'm always having to ask him to reach things for me. It gets me out of having the change light bulbs, so I'm not complaining!
My husband loves to tease me about being short. I'm always having to ask him to reach things for me. It gets me out of having the change light bulbs, so I'm not complaining!
5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? What type of character would you be?
Wow, I've started this answer and erased it three times already. But, I finally have it. I would choose to be in The Cosby Show. I still find it occasionally and I still love it! I think it would have been so much fun to grow up in that family. Sometimes the character Denise reminds me of myself-she always has the best of intentions but things don't always turn out the way she plans.
Wow, I've started this answer and erased it three times already. But, I finally have it. I would choose to be in The Cosby Show. I still find it occasionally and I still love it! I think it would have been so much fun to grow up in that family. Sometimes the character Denise reminds me of myself-she always has the best of intentions but things don't always turn out the way she plans.
6. If you could have one talent that you don't already have, what would it be?
Photography. I am trying to learn more about all the technical parts of taking good pictures, but I don't think I'll ever have that "eye" for the artistic parts.
Photography. I am trying to learn more about all the technical parts of taking good pictures, but I don't think I'll ever have that "eye" for the artistic parts.
7.If money were no object, where would you go on vacation?
I would love to take my family to Disney World at Christmas time. I would love to go and spend some time just playing together.
I would love to take my family to Disney World at Christmas time. I would love to go and spend some time just playing together.
8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing?
I would probably choose country music. It's what I grew up listening to and there are some songs that mean a lot to me. It would be hard for me though because I'd probably be pretty picky and it's hard to sing a good country song without drinking, cheating, and gambling. :)
I would probably choose country music. It's what I grew up listening to and there are some songs that mean a lot to me. It would be hard for me though because I'd probably be pretty picky and it's hard to sing a good country song without drinking, cheating, and gambling. :)
9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be?
The Container Store! I could get sooooooooo organized!
The Container Store! I could get sooooooooo organized!
10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be?
My husband and I were just talking the other night about what it would be like to live like "Little House on the Prairie". It would be really nice to live such a simple life without all of the distractions we have today. Then again, I'm kind of attached to electricity and indoor plumbing, so I might just stick to living in the time we're in now.
My husband and I were just talking the other night about what it would be like to live like "Little House on the Prairie". It would be really nice to live such a simple life without all of the distractions we have today. Then again, I'm kind of attached to electricity and indoor plumbing, so I might just stick to living in the time we're in now.
11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be?
I'm thinking brown. It would sure make getting dressed so much easier, wouldn't it?
I'm thinking brown. It would sure make getting dressed so much easier, wouldn't it?
12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be?
(Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, or Dopey)
I'd like to say Happy, but I guess I'll be honest and say I'm probably a cross between Dopey and Grumpy most of the time.
I'd like to say Happy, but I guess I'll be honest and say I'm probably a cross between Dopey and Grumpy most of the time.
13. What's the last album you listened to?
Okay, okay, I'll admit it. It was the Hannah Montana Movie soundtrack. Cheyenne took back her Taylor Swift CD and it's the only one I have that's not "children's songs" (from my classroom collection). I usually listen to 89.7 The House or Praise 88.7, but for some reason, I couldn't pick them up in the kitchen that day. I do actually like a couple of the songs, though.
Okay, okay, I'll admit it. It was the Hannah Montana Movie soundtrack. Cheyenne took back her Taylor Swift CD and it's the only one I have that's not "children's songs" (from my classroom collection). I usually listen to 89.7 The House or Praise 88.7, but for some reason, I couldn't pick them up in the kitchen that day. I do actually like a couple of the songs, though.
14. What's something we'd be surprised to know about you?
I sleep with the television on in my room at night. I can sleep with the sound turned off, but I have to have that flickering light to help me sleep. It makes for some interesting dreams sometimes.
I sleep with the television on in my room at night. I can sleep with the sound turned off, but I have to have that flickering light to help me sleep. It makes for some interesting dreams sometimes.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Not Me! Monday 3/1/10
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
When Cheyenne and Sierra needed poodle skirts for their 50's day at school on Thursday, it was definitely NOT me who waited until Wednesday to start working on them. I always plan ahead and NEVER put things off until the last minute. If I had done that, I definitely would NOT have spent the entire day on Wednesday running around town picking up supplies to make the skirts. I also would NOT have then had Daniel and the girls meet me to buy groceries after school so that by the time we got home, it was time for dinner. This did NOT mean that I didn't get started on the skirts until it was time for the kids to go to bed.
It was NOT me who justified buying a new sewing machine to make the skirts. We did NOT end up making them without it and it is NOT still sitting in the box waiting for me to have time to use it. The poodle skirt episode was NOT so crazy that it's going to get it's own post later this week. The skirts did NOT turn out super cute in spite of it all!
I do NOT have tons of things that I need to get done everyday. It is NOT enough to keep me busy every waking minute. So I know it could NOT have been me who spent waaaaaay too much time last week watching my favorite show of all time
My family did NOT buy me the first two seasons on DVD for Christmas 2008. It did NOT take me over a year to break them out. I did NOT watch the entire first season last week. I am NOT totally paying for it with the giant mountain of laundry that I put off and have to tackle now.
Speaking of the Gilmore Girls DVDs, I did NOT go out and buy a new (cheap) DVD player just so I could have a remote for it. I did NOT get tired of having to start from the beginning of episode 1 every time I got interrupted (because that would NEVER happen at my house) that I just went out and got one. It was not completely worth it to be able to go to the scene selection and pick up where I left off.
It was NOT me who really didn't want to go anywhere yesterday, especially to Wal-Mart, and decided that the only thing we REALLY needed was something for the girls to take for dessert in their lunchboxes this morning. I did NOT decide that it would be easier to just make up a batch of sugar cookies since I already had all the ingredients. When my husband found out I was planning to bake cookies, he did NOT ask me to make chocolate chip instead. When I told him I didn't have any chocolate chips, he certainly did NOT offer to go to town to get them for me because he likes them better. If he did that, he surely would NOT have brought home my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookie mix and the cookies definitely would NOT have been the best cookies ever (and I am NOT disappointed that I didn't think to take a picture of them).
What did you NOT do this week?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)