In a New York Minute

I'm not sure what gave us away, maybe it was the camera swinging around my neck, maybe it was when we climbed the subway stairs to the street, immediately looked up atthe skyscrapers and Dan rammed into a local. I think it was because we wore big huge tennis shoes for all the walking and the regular New Yorkers wore just about anything else. We were strangers in a strange land and we loved it.

Our long weekend trip was hosted by two very gracious New Yorkers. Their love and pride of the city was as big as, well, the Big Apple itself. Steve and Dana guided us through different neighborhoods and districts of Manhattan detailing the history, the future, and the people that dwell there. Each neighborhood had its own feel, its own vibe nearly indescribable but powerfully present.

I highly recommend New York as a place everyone should visit if just once in their life. Please continue to lift up Steve, Dana and the kiddos in your prayers. They are on the brink of huge and exciting changes once again. From what I observed it isn't always easy for a family to live in NYC but God is so very much there, I could see it in the beauty of Central Park, feel it on the bus when a man gave up his seat for me, and saw His grace in a little apartment on the Upper West Side.

“Each man reads his own meaning into New York” ---Meyer Berger

Some photos of the trip:

On this day in 1997

Two young, naive, country kids tied the knot.

I remember waking up with a cold sore on my chin and 2 monster zits on my chest. Believe it or not that didn't get me down, for it was my wedding day! We stood before family and friends and pledged ourselves to constant faithfulness and abiding love.

I moved from my parents house to my new married home. Suddenly there was laundry, groceries, and toilets to clean. What delight I took in these tasks initially, but the novelty wore off.

Soon came our first car and full time jobs to pay the bills. It was an exciting time of learning my profession, but the novelty wore off.

Next up was pregnancies, births and becoming a family. Someone I know once said, "Isn't this the best of life--right now?" I agree. We are smack dab in the middle of a balancing act between childrearing, work, home, school and church responsibilities. I can honestly say that even as we reach this 10 year milestone the novelty of family life has not worn off.
I love you, Dan! Thank you for giving me the life I dreamed of as a little girl. God is good, it He that has brought us here.
Happy Anniversary!

AVON--product of the week

Here is another great AVON product!

ProSport Deodorant Wipes

Summer sweat is just around the corner and ProSport wipes are the perfect freshen up between showers.

They are easy to keep in your purse, beach bag for whenever you need them. AVON ProSport Wipes are better then a baby wipe or just re-applying deodorant,
because they actually clean and remove odor.

Contact me, or goto my website to order.

To be a kid again.

This was a great weekend for being a kid.

My children enjoyed a campfire, soccer game, Golf cart rides, Birthday party at the GRCM
Slip and Slide, and numerous freeze-pops. What I noticed about kids again today is that they run everywhere. I wonder if I did the same, did I aimlessly run through the grass, did I pick flowers (weeds) for my mommy, did I realize just how great it was to be a child? Probably not.

Forgive me for sounding like an episode of The Wonder Years. Boy, that show was so great.
Sometimes I think I should sit down and write down as many childhood memories that I can so I don't forget and can tell them to my kids. I also think that my parents should do the same. (Hint, hint)

This morning I checked out my cousin Carl's Blog
Strangely enough, his blog echoed many of my thoughts from this weekend.
His post today highlighted a local story from the GR Press about some neighborhood kids and their homespun Major League Whiffleball team. It is a great article about the simple joys of youth. Check it out, click here, then click Field of Dreams.
Here's to Summer Break! 12 and a half days left of school!!!!

Mouse in the House

I can't sleep, I'm thinking about the evidence of mice I found today in my mudroom closet and in my van. Tonight the internet has been quite informative, maybe too informative.

Tonight I am reading all kinds of horror stories about mice nesting in vehicles, chewing their way through fuel lines, wiring and such. Not to mention the fact that I am now afraid that one is going to rear it's ugly head as I am tooling down the highway!!!!

What to do?
I feel like some kind of disgusting housekeeper, who let one too many crumbs fall to the floor in the minivan (shut up Brad).

Again, what to do?

Another One of My Great Ideas.

This blog has seen many of my epiphanies-- moments of sudden revelation or insight.

To name just a few:

• Laundry--start and finish all it in one day.
• Credit Cards--cut 'em up
• My deliberate decision to drink coffee--and like it.
  
• Becoming an early riser
• Spring cleaning.

I feel like I am always coming up with great plans, new ideas for efficiency and self improvement. Today I came up with a brand spankin new one. It stems from one of my apparent flaws---I hate to meal plan, get groceries, and basically cook or bake. I look at my shopping cart and cupboards full of bounty but don't know what to do next. What irritates me is the stuff that sits in my cupboards for weeks, months, or even longer. Food stuffs that never get used, is old, or just plain does not sound appetizing.

All this leads up to my new plan!

I hereby declare that we will empty our cupboards, purge our frig , and vacate the freezer.
Yes, I know I'll still need to buy a few basics here and there, but it is high time we use what we already have before I mindlessly buy more and more!

Can it be done?
Will I finish the 7 or more boxes of cereal that are half gone?
Will we eat the freezer burned green beans from last summer? (D, you know what I'm talking about.)
Stay tuned.

in our spare time

this is what we do.
take photos of ourselves and laugh.



Thanks for the inspiration Stella!

putting my Mac to good use yet again.

not a pretty sight

Today was the weirdest day. Most of it was spent sleeping and staring into space. In almost ten years of marriage, Dan and I have shared a lot. This time we shared the stomach flu. Both sick at the same time. Picture two grown adults hunched over walking back and forth to the bathroom at regular intervals. Picture our 3 kids running circles around us as we try to get them ready for school. Picture in your mind Dan and I watching King of The Hill at 2:00 in the afternoon. Picture the sticky dishes in the sink that have been there for two days now and Dan's boots still in the driveway from yesterday where he kicked them off in a mad rush to find the toilet. It was a weird day, I am glad it is almost over. I am so thankful for my mother who came over and took Dewey to school and took our little miss jabber box home with her.

Please pray that my mom doesn't catch this nasty little flu.

No Questions Asked?

So my blog has been a tad fluffy lately which is all fine and good but today for no reason but a song I heard on the radio I have a few serious thoughts to share. The song was titled River of Peace. The chorus went like this:

Ours is not to question why,
Ours is just to live and try
To settle for the answer, whatever it might be.
Until we see You face to face in another time and place
Where the river of Your peace runs free.

Really, no questions? Am I taking it too literal-- Do not question God? In the midst of despair and confusion can we not throw our hands up in the air and cry out "Why?" It seems like a tall order to just settle for the answer without doing a bit of wrestling with God, our faith, ourselves.
I suppose this song is saying that in this life we will not always fully understand the answers to our "Why?"questions.

Why does my does my dear sweet aunt have ALS, why are little children taken from their parents at a young age, why does one family continue to suffer and other families never seemingly struggle, why, why, why?

Is it a sign of small faith to question, or a natural response because of human incapacity to know God's ultimate plan? This is what I ponder today. This song reminds me of another fave Hymn.

When peace Like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say,
It is Well, It is Well with my Soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

What you don't know.

I have been tagged again. This time by Laurie, the task is to list 6 things you may not know about me.

That's a toughy. Some of you will know this stuff I'm sure.

1. My early childhood was lived in Hopkins. As this was my maiden name, I told all the kids at my school that my dad owned the town.

2. I have never watched any Star Wars movie, sequel, or episode. Have no idea what they are about.

3. I like to watch 1970s TV, my favorites--All In The Family, Little House on the Prairie

4. Once I awhile, Dan and I want to pack it all up and move to Tennessee.

5. I drive like a senior citizen most of the time. Yeah, that's me that you get stuck behind on the highway in the fast lane.

6. Someday I want to start a home-based business making photo slideshows, movies montages, and the like.

You learn something new everyday.
I tag Triplet Mom, One Day at A Time, and Vink Clan

The moment I knew I was no longer young.

and basically un-cool for that matter.

On a Sunday night I was driving my mini-van
in the parking lot at Target.
I was rockin' out to a hit song
from 1976,
windows rolled all the way down.
A young-ish looking teenager looked at me.
She looked annoyed.
She looked at me like I was some kind of repulsive adult.

Man!

When did you (those of you that are old) realize you were not hip as you thought?

Turn off the TV week

Ok then.

So Chase came home with all excited last Monday night. At school the students were challenged to turn off the TV for the whole week--including the weekend. A good project with the end result being a child's realization that he could exist without his daily dose of the tube.
His ambitious, young mind was filled with ideas of what he could do instead of watch TV. I was ready to support him, until I began to realize how much I depended on a TV show or video here and there to occupy my kids while I completed various tasks. Each hour or so I needed to provide Chase with some type of entertainment. Books, bikes, games, wrestling with Dewey just to name a few.

Some info from TVturnoff.org
What's So Great about TV-Turnoff Week?
Turning off the television gives us a chance to think, read, create, and do. To connect with our families and engage in our communities. To turn off TV and turn on life.

I am proud to say that he accomplished the task. Maybe it was because "everybody's doing it", maybe he did it because of the small chance his name would be chosen in the daily drawing and he could win a calculator---ooooo! Whatever the reason, he showed determination and self discipline. Could you give it up? If just for a week?

Yesterday Chase woke up and asked me, "Am I done yet? Can I watch Arthur?"