Batting Zero or Striking Gold?

I had lots of things to accomplish today, and a battle plan to attack.

But it was 3 freakin degrees outside!

And here is how my list went...

Catch the 9:15 exercise class at the Y with a friend~ well the kids had a 2 hour delay, so that wasn't going to happen

My back up plan was after I got the kids to school in case of delay to meet Heather and work out~yup, I cancelled. I stayed in bed with a sinus headache a little longer after I gave her a call.

Drop off flyer's at the Junior High for upcoming pizza night~I handed them to Mike as he walked out the door and asked him if he didn't mind dropping them off for me.

Pick up Tatum from High School at 11:40 due to exams~ her friends stepfather offer to pick the girls up and I happily accepted!

The rest I could do from my computer and phone, and to tell you the truth, this house desperately needed the "at home mom" to be at home all day.

Oh, and I was. I was in my pajama's till 2! I did more laundry than we need to ever discuss. My car stayed parked in the drive way ALL DAY.

Thanks Mom!

Do you see the picture of the most saintly wonderful person in the world above?? That is my mom. She may look like an ordinary mom to you, but to me she looks like this.....

Why...do you ask? What in world has she done. Well, there are a thousand wonderful loving and brilliant things she has done! But the most recent being........

She had agreed to stay with my 4 children, and keep them clothed and alive until Mike and I return from CANCUN!!!! No Kidding! This will be the first trip He and I have EVER taken alone, unless you count our honeymoon, in which we even had a stowaway (Tatum) then in my tummy...so there was no drinking or snorkeling or such.

We are so excited (though we are trying not to act it cause it is making the kids mad). We leave February 22nd to the 25th!!!

GOD BLESS MY MOTHER!!! (Let's all say a prayer of Thanks for her 'kay?)

Mama Kat's Writing Prompts

I am going to try one of Mama Kat's writing assignments today, due to the lack of post ideas I could come up on my own. Hey! It can't hurt...I took creative writing in High School! Umm...I think this is where this story took place....(giggling to self..see that is foreshadowing!)

First off let's start with da rules..(from Mama Kat)
Your Assignment...Should You Choose To Accept *Edited To Add*
Directions:For you newbies it's never to late to jump in!! Here is what you must do. Choose a prompt that inspires you most. Write. Come back Thursday and paste your blog URL into the Mister Linky that will be up...this way anyone can click on your name and head over to your place to see what you wrote.Feel free to write on more than one prompt if you so desire. I do it all the time (ok not really but I INTEND to). But it's my game...and I don't know how to shut-up...so it should be expected. And remember the more comment love you give, the more comment love you get so comment comment away.
The Prompts:
1.) Describe your significant other's most attractive quality (on the inside).
2.) Tell about a time you stole something.
3.) Choose a poem you like. Take the last line and use it as the first line of your own poem. (creativewritingprompts.com)
4.) Write about a scary encounter with one of your old professors.

Alright, I choose #4.

There were a couple of years that when I look back upon in my past I cringe. I had some time in High School where I felt the need to sew my wild oats. I felt I was put upon, and invincible, and tomorrow was miles away, I lived wild and in each moment. I am not proud of all the things I have done in my past, but I do not wish them away, for they have made me who I am today.

I was in a Creative Writing class, in my Freshman or Sophomore year. I was lost in the crowd at that time, and desperately wanted to fit in anywhere that would take me. But I did not fit. I was barely passing most of my classes, but one thing I enjoyed was writing. The teacher on the other hand was a teenager's nightmare. She wore obnoxious floral prints, and was bitter from a recent divorce. She was thin and shrew like, and none of the kids liked her, so of coarse wanting to fit in neither did I.
But she like my writing. And would award my papers with encouraging comments. She didn't take any slack though, and wouldn't put up with any funny business in her class. She would drone on and on in class and it was like nails down a chalk board.
Now one day things had gone particularly bad with friend of mine in the hall before her class. I was feeling rebellious, and today was a test. As she passed it out and talked in her condescending tone, my anger grew and grew. People couldn't push me around. I was just as tough as anyone. Watch me! (yea..watch me be all dumb and get in big trouble here, I yi yi!)
On the back of my paper I wrote that dumb ol teacher a message. In Pig Latin (Umm future note to 15 year olds....yea teachers KNOW pig latin too!)

"UCKFA OUYA" it said

yep, I bad. I'm a bad , tough, you wanna mess wit me??**(&^*^&%^!

I walked out of there feeling all great and all.

Then came the next day when it was time to walk back in to the classroom.

And written across the board in bold letters was the words "UCKFA OUYA".

Yes, maim. I took my seat, and had to reevaluate this situation. Shit! (Sorry Mom if you are reading this...I know this is bringing back FUN memories:)

The teacher asked the class...."Does anyone know what this means???"

No one answered.

So, I figured if I had the balls to write it, I should be the one to say it. I raised my hand and stood up and "defined" it for the class.

Blushing a deep shade of crimson.



Okay Mama Kat................That was more painful than I imagined! Whew! Maybe I should have picked another #!

Tree Hugger

I am a sucker when it comes to photography. With a capital "S". I know next to nothing actually about the art of it and it would be a dream to someday study, and become a photographer, but until then, I keep myself happy with playing around with my camera and once a year paying someone hundreds of dollars to capture what is in my head, of what I think my family's pictures should and could look like.



Something I have always felt was so beautiful is trees. When I first got my camera I went out in search of trees for these shots. It was wintertime, so it was perfect to get to see the raw beauty of their branches.

It was just Mike and I alone one afternoon, spent looking for beautiful trees. A perfect afternoon in my book.

To think that these trees have seen years upon years of times and changes. They have grown stronger and taller and weathered seasons of rain and storms. How many different souls have come and gone on this earth, as this steady tree stood it's ground?

In the Summer, when this tree has it's leaves you do not even get to see the beauty of it's white bark so much. It takes the barren winter for you to even notice it.

I made these into 8x10's and hung them in my dining room. I got some really nice black and white matted frames.

My Guest Post!!!

Tattoo Mini Van Mom is linking people up today to feature guest posts!! I am turning over my blog for the day to my husband Mike (gulp). He is coming live to you from his man cave (hence the rockin decor). I'll be back tomorrow!

(please stop my music player at the bottom so you can hear the video)

Hi, I'm Mike, Becky's guest blogger friend and husband. When Becky asked me to be her guest, I offered to make a music video. My thought was this would be more guitar playing and less working at something to write!

I learned this song because of Becky's blog, so I thought it would be fitting.

If you've followed Becky's blog long then you must realize how lucky I am. Becky gives 100% of everyday for our family. I am amazed that she finds the time to reflect, write, and broadcast everyday.

If you know how to do a post and stop the background music, please include the secret in a comment to Becky.

Please keep comments about me retaining my day job to minimum.

My Week of W's

WooHoo- The boys had their first basket ball games this weekend and did great! Matthew made a basket during his game. (they don't keep score at his age level-but he says they won:) Jake's team won their game and he totally ROCKED. He played 3 out of the 4 quarters and played so hard, he was light headed at one point.

Whine- I have become a human kleenex. Summer is sick and is weepy and drippy and feels the need to use me as a wipe. She just actually lifted my shirt and wiped her nose down my back a minute ago as we layed on the bed.

I need a shower.

Wisdom- Oh I am full of wisdom now that I am doing this bible reading every day. The pastor was right...bypass the ones you don't understand, but cling to the ones that speak to you. I read one the other day that "spoke to me" such meaning....see if it does to you too. Luke 8:4While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'
11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
I think I like this so much because it doesn't just say that the ones that fell on rock didn't grow, and the ones that got sun prospered.... it said that there were seed that did grow but got choked by lifes pleasures, worries, and riches. That is so true. I do not want to be that seed.

Weakness-Today it was French Toast with lots of butter and syrup. YUM!

Worry-Looks like we are going to have to get Summer those tubes in her ears. Another double ear infection, and this is it for us I'm afraid. We go back to the ENT on February 2nd.

Want-a Wii Fit. So many people have been blogging about them and they seem FUN! I want to hula hoop and jump rope and get my score up, and lose weight too! Sign me up!

Wish-I wish my house was clean!

Weird-Tatum has exam's this week, but gets to get out of school early each day early when they are over if I pick her up. Like at noon. On Thursday she doesn't have to go to school at all! No note is needed or a phone call. They sure didn't do things like that when I was a freshman!

Pumpkin 2002-2009

As the story goes, each of my children get a kitten during their childhood.

This is the story of Pumpkin.

Pumpkin was Jake's cat. The 1st of the kids to get his cat he was a strapping 4 year old man cub when we when to the Animal Rescue Fund. It was early spring, and there were not many litters born yet, but back in one cage was a little 6 week old ball of orange tabby fluff. She had been found abandoned in the woods with no mother or siblings in site. The woman who found her, was so sad that she could not keep her herself, and worried that she would get a good home, that they took our picture that day so they could send it to her. I would pay to see that picture now.

She grew into a gorgeous girl and had long orange striped hair. She had an uncanny love for the baby Matty and we found her many, many, many, times in the crib with him while he slept. He became so taken with his personal playmate that his 1st birthday cake was of an orange cat.

With Tatum being the only girl, with 2 brothers at the time, and even the animals all being boys, except for pumpkin, we joked that they were the "girls". Tatum had a tell tale freckle on her nose that we lovingly poke often, believe it or not pumpkin had a black freckle on the tip of her nose too! We said it was because they were sisters...

When she got to be about 6 she wanted outside more and more, and then started using the litter box less and less, and within the last year we let her out all the time. Last winter was her first full year out and I would only bring her in if there was alot of snow or really cold. After some love, even then though she would beg at the door and want back out. She had discovered her freedom and there was no turning back.

About 10 days before Thanksgiving I woke up to her dishes in disarray and the front porch a mess. Those darn raccoons had been at it again! But this time Pumpkin didn't come back. Not for 1 day or 2. Not for a week.

We called for her.

We put up signs.

We reported it to the shelter.

We looked at the shelter at the turned in cats.

We got permission to search the local farms and barns.

Nothing.

Yesterday my friend called to say that she thought she saw Pumpkin out on 122. Not alive.

I went and looked. As crazy as it is the first thing I thought was "Oh how good it is to see you! I have missed you!" There was not a mark on her. It had just happened I guess. Cars fly pass. She was still the beautiful long haired orange tabby. I was parked up the road with the baby left in her seat. I was in heels in the snow on the burm as cars drove by at 65 mph. I called Mike to see if he could come get her.

When he came home he swore he thought it wasn't her. He said there are so many cats that look like that! I said I knew my cat, but he had myself doubting a little.

So this morning as I was gone to Dayton for Tatums dance competition he was to bury her.

He said he checked and she had a freckle on her nose.

May you be safe with Jesus Pumpkin! I love you sweet cat!

End of the Year Inventory

I saw these "end of the year" questions from Jen at The Fun House and thought it might be fun to tackle!




1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? decorated a real cake, with the piping and everything




2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Yes! Heather and I kicked butt going to the YMCA 3 times a week. With husbands, jobs, school, weather, sickness, and SEVEN kids between us...we DID IT!




.3. Did anyone close to you give birth? my neighbor and friend Amy. She has 4 and I have 4. Hers go Girl, boy, boy, girl too. I told her I was pregnant with Summer before I even told Mike (whoops!) and she told me before she even told her husband (I'll go to the grave denying it!) with her last baby too. It's a girl thing. We got a little crazy there for awhile dreaming/planning/hoping/plotting/ovulating. It was cool to have someone to talk to about.




4. Did anyone close to you die? thankfully no.




5. What countries did you visit? None




6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? To be debt free with our business




7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? For Mike's birthday I surprised him with his childhood friend coming to visit. Besides the High School reunion we had seen him at, Mike had not been with him in like 20 years. He was a safe spot from his childhood, and it was very cool to get them back together.



8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I think learning how to blog! I am not well coordinated when it comes to the computer, but with Heather's help, I have found a wonderful outlet for me to release my thoughts and share my pictures with family and friends.




9. What was your biggest failure? The family riff in which my grandma did not get taken care of properly. I did not get to help her, I lost one whole side of my dad's family in the process, and I feel I failed standing up enough for her. I feel disappointed in how family members handled themselves and I miss my grandmother terribly.




10. Did you suffer illness or injury? a bazillion sinus/ear/throat infections....but really nothing much besides that! I have headaches every day...but always have.




11. What was the best thing you bought? My brand new upright large capacity washer and dryer. I LOVE those guys!




12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Tatum has excelled in school with all A' s and B's. She is holding her own for her 1st year in High School.

Jake took the initiative on his own to sign up for school football, at an age that all the other boys had played for years. He endured huge physical workouts, heat, and earning his way off the sidelines.




13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? OJ Simpson




14. Where did most of your money go? probably food. Feeding 6 is expensive. I am not good at clipping coupons or thrift shopping. I admit I convenience shop. Something has to give...





15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? getting the baby's ear's pierced. Mike had told me he did not really want me too, but I really really wanted to. (Everyone kept calling her a boy, despite the pink dresses...she was a baldy) One winter day I packed that 10 month baby up with the boys and took her to the mall and had it done. The boys took it harder than her! They had to go ride the escalator up and down, to avoid hearing or seeing her cry. I was so nervous to show Mike, but sooo pleased with myself. I had waited 13 years for another little girl!!! And by golly, I had to pull my girl card on that one~!




16. What song will always remind you of 2008? I'm Yours, by Jason Mraz. Heather had it on her blog for the longest time, and it was the first place I heard it and LOVED it. Since then Mike has learned how to play it on guitar, and surprisingly Summer has learned the beat and syllables and showed me today in the car she knew it too! It was so cute!



17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? as happy as b) thinner or fatter? as thin as .c) richer or poorer? probably a little richer




18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Loved on my husband




19. What do you wish you’d done less of? yelled at my kids




20. How did you spend Christmas? home...all day....with Mike and the kids.




21. Did you fall in love in 2008? no




22. What was your favorite TV program? The Biggest Loser! Go Michelle!!!




23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? no




24. What was the best book you read? Breaking Dawn. The best of the 4!



25. What was your greatest musical discovery? playlist for the blog. Now I have all my favorite songs listed, not loose up in my brain. (I really need an Ipod!)



26. What did you want and get? the 6 feet under DVD series. Love. That. Show.




27. What did you want and not get? a new camera. I want THE BOMB. I need to study up on it.




28. What was your favorite film of this year? Baby Mamma




29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 33 and I got a TATTOO! It was so fun! (well actually it was quite painful, and scary, but the rest of the night was FUN!)




30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? If we could have worked things out with our dog. I am so sad that we had to put him down.




31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Old Navey/Kohls




32. What kept you sane? chocolate, workouts, Heather, God, Mike, Mom, zoloft.




33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Angelina Jolie




34. What political issue stirred you the most? Sarah Palin. Really excited to see a mom of many almost be our vice president!




35. Who did you miss? I miss my dad. It's been 11 years and it doesn't change anything.




36. Who was the best new person you met? Michelle (from heathersister)!...hopefully 2009 we will get together even more!




37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. The picture is so much bigger. Take time for God.



38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "Life is long, if you give it away..."

Diana

Well, for my New Year Resolution post, I told you all that I had a surprise to tell you in the works. And I am able to do so now! I wanted to be able to show you all her little churub face to go along with the story.
Please meet Diana......

Isn't she a doll. This is what our family did for the New year...and I guess many more to come! We have sponsored this little girl from Mexico. She and Summer have the same birthday on the same year, so they can grow up celebrating age 2, age 3, age 4 and so on together! We now have their address, and with Tatum learning Spanish we should be able to write and communicate easy enough. She lives with her parents and 2 older brothers, her dad works construction. We were able to pick her out through World Vision. If you watch their video about sponsorship there is no turning back.
Her 2nd birthday is in March. I cannot wait to send her something special from America!


Jesus said "...whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me." Matthew 18:5

go check out worldvision.org/GiveAgain

I am NOT a Shrimp

Today was Summer's first day of swim lessons at the local YMCA. They group the children in categories by ages and swim levels, and the name these levels different types of fish. Summer was designated to the "shrimp" class, so bright and early off we went.

We got her swim diaper and her bathing suit on. Mike said he would do the class with her so I could take some pictures. She was checking everything out pretty thoroughly, but loves water, and all looked good.

Then they were told to sit on the wall. Aaa...1st problem. Summer did not want to sit on the wall. She was nervous about this and wanted to sit on Mike's lap.

Then, heaven forbid, they wanted them to put on a floaty belt. She did not wish to conform to their rules. She did not want a floaty belt. She did not want a floaty belt to touch her. She especially did not want the teacher to help her put the unwanted floaty belt on. OH NO!

" I am NOT a shrimp!!!!"

"I am Not a Shrimp!!!"

" I AM NOT A SHRIMP!!!!!!!"

After they made a special allowance for her not to wear one (the only kid in the class) she calmed down some. Thank Goodness Daddy rocks, because he tried so hard to make it fun. Here he is singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider.

And here is when the babies go "wah wah wah" on the bus that go all through the town.

(see all the blue safety belts everyone has but Sum!)

She lightened up enough to blow some bubbles.

and kinda, maybe float, some!

They even did the Hokey Pokey!

Thanks Dad!

I"ll do better next week!