Sunday. Beautiful Sunday

Two kids...

Two ducks...

Some gazing...

And some greedy seagulls.
Pretty perfect pictures for a pretty perfect day.

Thankful Thursday

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:57

More to be thankful for...

1) That Stellan and Gavin are both still hanging in there.  Praise be to God for that.
2) That folks in the blog world are praying and trusting in God for these babies.
3) That my husband is home tonight to help with the kids.
4) That I have three beautiful healthy children.
5) That my baby brother's wife is enjoying a healthy pregnancy with twin boys!!!
6) That my work week is almost over.
7) That my niece is coming tomorrow.
8) For 3 point dark chocolate hot cocoa and fat free reddi whip!
9) That it's almost bedtime.
10) For hope.  Something that has been granted me in a very significant way.

Thank you God for being with me even when I don't pay attention. 

In the news...Good Dog!

I was reading the local paper tonight and saw an interesting article on Idaho prisons. Being in an area where bad people have been known to escape from the confines of where they shan't be allowed to, I thought after reading this article I might like to see more dogs 'round these here parts.

Mean dogs stand guard at Idaho prison

Food for thought.

Babies In Need

I haven't been much for posting lately. Today I'm asking for prayers for two little guys that are in a bit of trouble right now and really need God's touch.

Stellan - http://www.mycharmingkids.net/

Gavin - http://gavinowens.blogspot.com/

I only know these precious children through the words and pictures of their parents but I can tell you the journeys I have taken with them, through their blogs, have made me quite attached. If you are a prayer warrior now is the time.

Thankful Thursday

Gonna run these down real quick like because it's time for bed and I had a very looooong day at work. Almost 13 hours. Add a 90 minute commute in total and arriving home to two sweaty rambunctious kids and you will know what I mean.


So...

1. I'm thankful that I don't have to go to work again until Tuesday!!!! Whaaaaaahooooo!
2. I'm extremely thankful (excited) that I was chosen from the lottery to attend a play with my daughter's class tomorrow. Ya-ay!
3. I'm very happy that Watson resurfaced Wednesday. You see Watson is my favorite little girl in the world's best friend and she snuck him to school and lost him on Tuesday and she sobbed a really long time on Tuesday just before bedtime.
4. I'm thankful that though I'm still slightly hungry from being on this diet I have not eaten off any fingers yet.
5. I'm thankful that pizza was good enough for the family tonight and that I didn't eat even a teeny tiny morsel of cheese. Not on the ride home. Not when I served the kids. Not even a finger lick!
6. I'm thankful that my co-worker does not have jury duty tomorrow thus enabling me to rest assured our help desk is in good hands. Thank you beautiful co-worker!
7. I'm thankful that my mommy brought home-made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies to my house and I have yet to tear into them. (No no she is not a diet sabotager. She knows my husband is under the weather and she loves her grandkids too. Oh and even if I DO have JUST one it will still be healthier than a slice of pizza and I would be within in my point range STILL with points to spare. So there!)
8. I am extremely thankful that we have things to do outside the house on Saturday which will motivate me to NOT sit around and watch chick flicks instead of MOVING my body.
9. I'm thankful that I was able to get all of my tasking done today so I don't't have to fret about what I'd left UNdone all weekend.
10. I'm thankful that my kids have settled down so I don't have to be angry mama before bedtime.


Thank you God for all you do.

Voice of Truth

This week has been one of those weeks at work. Unfortunately it seems like my weeks like this are starting to run together. I don't like it. I feel down trodden. In deep despair. Somebody underneath my feet, I think, has gotten a hold of my New Year's Resolution to live, laugh, and love more and they are trying to get me to do anything but.

I cried to a dear friend today on my way home. I told her I didn't understand why I had to do this. Why I had to work in a place that causes me so much grief. Yes, I know there is a recession and that there are plenty of people that would kill for my job because it comes with a salary. I am thankful that my husband and I are able to provide for our household. That doesn't mean that doing it makes it any more pleasant for me.

It was also on the way home that I heard these words on the radio. "Boy, you'll never win, you'll never win." And my ears perked up. If ever I've had a song snap me to attention more clearly it was in this moment. But after that discouraging line came this one, "But the voice of truth tells me a different story the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!" and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory".

And people THAT is the beauty of God's ways. I'm not saying a switch flipped and I was instantly happy, because I'm still a bit tearful as I write this. No, I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel at work but I CAN see, through God, that it's that place that comes AFTER the tunnel that I can be secure in. That place that not everybody finds and friend let me tell you if you haven't found it you are missing out.

I'm speaking of eternity. Not the here and now but the there and then. And if I continue to work on focusing on the there and then I'm pretty sure I can get to the point of feeling like a kid anticipating recess. And really if all I'm thinking about is recess all those other subjects should just fade away into the gray. Don't you think?

Oh and to that friend I mentioned, who is always so patient and willing to lend an ear...I love you and thank you for reminding me that I need to let the little irritants go so they don't consume me.



(Song lyric credits go to Casting Crowns - "Voice of Truth")

Thankful Thursday

Top ten reasons I'm thankful this week...

1. I get to hide out in bed for a while because I don't feel well and no one is bothering me.
2. I've worked so many hours this week that after tomorrow I will only have to take a day's worth of leave. Thanks boss for asking me to go over stuff after I'd already packed up to leave for the day.
3. That I had a fantastic girls night out with my favorite little girl in the world last night.
4. That the future pilot actually ate THREE full meals today--this is NOT a common occurrence.
5. That my brother has moved next door and is helping out my parents when he sees they need it. I love this communal living.
6. That my oldest son is taking care of unloading and loading the dishwasher tonight so I don't have to. BLESSINGSSSSSSSS!!!!
7. That I was smart enough to already pack my lunch so I don't have to at 5am tomorrow.
8. That I am staying ON POINT with Weight Watchers after starting officially online on Saturday. THREE POUNDS DOWN SO FAR! Wahoooo!
9. That I may actually be able to pay off a credit card bill tomorrow when pay day hits. THAT will feel soooo good and give me so much to be thankful for.
10. For great friends--especially the three that left to go road trippin' without me today. Thank you for letting me bother you with annoying text messages to entertain and amuse myself.

God Cares

I realize that I've had way too many posts this week that talk about bodily functions but I feel I must expand (no pun intended) on an item from my Thankful Thursday list. Now I realize this might not go over well with some because it might look like I'm being sarcastic or belittling God's efforts but I can assure you I am not.

I am currently in a friendly competition with some of my co-workers. We are down to the last week and the results of my body are not very impressive to me. I've been working out harder than ever before and need all the gym time I can get. Mostly because I'm not good at starving myself. Unfortunately something in my diet is not agreeing with me and for several weeks I have been having a bit of intestinal discomfort. Okay, a LOT of intestinal discomfort. I decided to take the Activia challenge and see if I can get things regulated.

So yesterday I'm in the gym. My sciatic nerve is raging and I'm trying my best to get through some treadmill time. I certainly didn't need the added discomfort of...well...flatulence. So there I am. On the treadmill. Whining in my head that I probably won't make it to 15 minutes at this rate because of that screaming nerve and because I'm clenching so hard to ensure I do not spread my discomfort to my co-gymmers. So it really got me thinking. Is there a gym etiquette on that? I mean here we are working every muscle in our body with gusto and well, I can't believe that another person has not had to struggle with...hmmm...well, escapage (that's my word for the dirty slip--deal).

More than anything I just wanted to reach my goal for the day. 20 minutes. Seriously, I was that sore. And then the danged air bubble decides to float downward and I'm squeezing the glutes so hard. Then I remembered a post I left on Gitz's site on Wednesday. Where I said God tackles ALL problems. So I started talking to God. I begged and pleaded with Him to calm things down. I told Him if there was a lesson to learn in this that I'd like to opt out. I started asking Him if maybe I could take this "class" next semester (like when I'm 80 and can get away with it because I probably wouldn't even hear it myself). Then I started asking Him why He created us this way. I mean He COULD have created us to expell sweet fragrant air to where we might receive an "Atta-girl!" for freshening up the air. But no. That isn't the case. Anyway, I continued to please a few more moments and within those panicked minutes things subsided and believe it or not I was not plagued again for the rest of my work out! And not only that but I endured one whole hour! (Which might have been because I ended up with a guy on each side running their manly hearts out and I was not about to give up like a little girl.--but I will neither confirm or deny that.) :)

Thankful Thursday

"Today's the day! Today's the day! Today's the day! "

Does anyone remember that line from Stuart Little? The one where they bring home Stuart? His big brother is sooo excited. That is me! Today! Because I get to say once more ten things that I am grateful for.

1. Antibacterial tissues. What will they think of next?
2. A house full of family tonight.
3. The fact that Beverly Hills Chiahuahua came out on video this week and we are watching it as a family!
4. Another full day on the treadmill with a whiny sciatic nerve. With God's grace I was able to hold out for a full hour!
5. That flatulence did not take over my work out. Hey, I'm human. God made me that way and He made YOU that way too!
6. So very thankful that the future pilot volunteered to get a bath tonight instead of being dragged, coaxed, shouted into the tub.
7. That my favorite little girl in the world was completely done her homework before I got home from work!!!! Yaaaahoooo!
8. That last night's dinner left over enough to get me out of cooking tonight.
9. For the promise of a warmer weekend.
10.For caught up laundry! OH SO WONDERFUL!

Take some time to give a shout,
You know you'll feel better if you let it out.
God takes good care of his peeps
He remembers us all cuz we are His sheeps. (Sorry for the grammatical correction but it's movie time!!)

You Gonna Use That Bottle?

I'm not a flyer. Flying scares me. I might be a world traveler if it didn't involve an airplane. I'm not sure why I'm so scared of them. I mean they say the risk of crashing (said as I'm watching Lost) are less than that of being in a car accident.

Planes are okay. I mean they have reclining chairs (tongue in cheek), they serve food, fellowship (unless you get the rude neighbor), and bathrooms. Or at least right NOW they do.

And then I read this The Next Airline Fee... . Say what??? Do they NOT know from other experiences the havoc this could cost? Seriously. Pay toilets? In the air? Does anyone else see where this could go? Isn't it bad enough we have people stopping in the subway because they don't have facilities readily available? Or on the side of the road because it's not convenient to stop some place else? Now they want to install coin operated toilets. Um, can we NOT cut corners in some other way. Like maybe those airline catalogs that I couldn't afford a thing in unless I spent my entire pay check on it. For real.

It Was As Easy As That

Lately I've been feeling guilty because I don't "play" with my kids much. Oh sure we go swimming sometimes. I push them on the swing. There is the occasional board game. But I don't play with them much.

Today that was on my mind a lot. Probably because the future pilot was asking me repeatedly ALL DAY LONG yesterday to play video games with him. I don't really get into video games. They frustrate me and I get all jittery. I have visions of a Wii controller lodged in the wall should it connect with my hand. Dear ones you have been warned.

So as I was saying it was on my mind. At work. Where work should have been on my mind. But I miss my kids and wish I was home with them on a regular basis. So I vowed the next time the future pilot asked me, I would play video games with him. This happened about 10 minutes after I got in the door tonight.

For this session his game of choice was Mario. Nope Mario is not dead people. The future pilot happens to be a big fan too.

He loves the game. He loves Mario.

Get a load of those pajamas (forget that he's been in them all day--this kid's a home body)

(Close up of the pj's in case you didn't notice)
So I explained to the future pilot that I don't really know how to play the game. Never mind that this is the same game and system that my husband owned before we got married almost 13 years ago. I've never ever played it. Never been tempted either. Until now. To "bond".

He grabbed BOTH controllers and told me he would teach me. This sounded okay to me. I oohed and aahed over his skill. Complimented him on his keen eye, his quick fingers. Over and over. For twenty-five minutes. On a two player game. I never touched a controller. Okay well I did touch one ONCE. But he quickly let me know, again that he would need to TEACH me how to play.

Folks, had I known "playing the game" with him would be this easy I would have played long ago. It gave me plenty of time to pick my toenails, rub the dog's belly, and just LAY there. Amazing.

He is quite the little guy though. Here he is doing him impression of Spider-Man. Right before Mary Jane rolls up his mask so they can kiss. LOL. Isn't he a hoot?

Snow Day

Today felt like a series of blips. The snow continued to fall last night so the day was choppy. School was closed so I didn't need to go in and volunteer at my favorite little girl in the worlds school.

I was short on my exercise goal for the week so while the house slept I decided to work out. No kids on the couch to contend with--they like to stare at me and ask me questions...

No husband to watch me and make me get all embarrassed. No dog to run around me (because she thinks since I'm on the floor I'm there for the sole purpose of playing with her).

Yes, it was a good morning to get up, watch the snow fall out side...
and work out. There was one factor I didn't think about...

One factor that is often a side note...

One factor that likes to mix things up around here.

RC!

I thought, "Well now, this is interesting. Do I get bonus points for the extra weight I'm now crunching?" I mean after all leg lifts WERE a little harder...

It was very distracting to say the least. And at first I thought he was just lonely and needed a little snuggle time.

But then...
THEN I noticed he had the viscous death grip on my shirt!!!!

So I thought I'd just give him a little love and he'd let go. Lucky for him I was in the cool-down stage anyway.
But he wasn't buying it! He was in for the kill! he was NOT letting go! Just look at those fangs!
Kind of ironic that he had poor little Mickey Mouse in his grips. Don't ya think?

---------

Others in the house started to wake up. Especially this one. Who needed to go out. Lucky for her I was feeling energetic and ready to brave the snowy day.

Since this is the first significant snow for these parts I reveled in the beauty.
So did my favorite little girl in the world. (The future pilot dared not venture out until 530pm. He's such a little home body.)
And I can't believe that I actually witnessed perfect snowflakes that landed on my jacket in such beautiful, magnificent form.

Got Milk?

Ah at last. Even though it's late in the season we are finally getting a REAL snow fall! School has already been canceled for the morrow and I can NOT wait. In fact I SO could not wait that the cinnamon rolls are already in the oven. Mmm mmm mmm.

I took the dog out for a walk. The trees were covered and it was snowing so hard I felt like I was in Narnia.

Of course my camera doesn't do it justice.

It looked much more white and blizzardy than this.

When I came to this portion of our walk all I could think of was...

How nice a blazing fire would be about now.

Oh and how glad I was that I didn't need anything from the store.

Like milk.



Happy snow day to you.