2008 is less than 12 hours away

The plan for this evening is to have some snacks and let the children do their best at trying to stay up until midnight. It should be fun. We have cupcakes, chips and dip, lil smokies with BBQ sauce, Chex Mix, egg rolls, taquitos and chimichangas, and crab ragoon. What could be better?

Olaf went over to the next door neighbor's house at 9:30 this morning to tell her to turn down her loud rap music. She was outside and had the car stereo turned up so flippin' loud and was dancing around her driveway. I think she is in the 9th or 10th grade, but she has no respect for adults. When Olaf asked her to turn the music down she said, "It aint loud!" Now I am afraid that she will get her high school gang friends to come kill us. I am not sure what is going on with that house anyway. People are in and out and no one knows who lives there. It's just very odd. When they first moved in it was just a single mom and the daughter mentioned above. Then a boyfriend moved in and trouble started (another story). Then he moved out and females moved in. It's just a weird scenario. Since the boyfriend moved out is fairly quiet over there for the most part. Well, except for the riding lawnmower that they ride every single day from sun up to after dark.

I got my results from my pulmonary lung function test. I didn't understand what the nurse said though so I have a call into the doctor's office for clarification. They are prescribing me Symbicort so something must have been askew. I have had no significant changes in my chest X-ray so that is good news.

Oh, and one more thing...these are fabulous!

Almost 2008!

We had a great Christmas. (If you aren't marked as a 'friend' you will not see the Christmas photos!) Josiah turned FIVE yesterday (you'll see those photos too) and we went to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate. I totally blew my diet this week and gained two pounds. I cannot believe I did that. However, I did exercise every other day with the FIRM. At least that is a step in the right direction. I plan on doing the FIRM every other day until I get a little stronger, then I will go to everday.

Here is a video of Josiah on his fifth birthday (yesterday). He is so cute. He lives on peanut better and chocolate. He has the prettiest brown eyes and his favorite drink is milk. He weighs about 45 pounds and is about 45 inches tall. I think he is pretty neat.


I hope y'all have a great New Year. I never make resolutions because I never keep them. I do hope to be lighter at the end of 2008, but that's about all.

If Oprah can do it, so can I

I really wish I would have been in the audience for Oprah's favorite things show. Wouldn't that have been fun? So, I thought I would put together a list of MY favorite things.

Trapp candles are simply the best candles ever. At Trapp, “A bottle of perfume in every candle” is more than a tag line. It’s true. It takes just one experience with a Trapp candle to realize what every Trapp devotee knows: the amount of fragrance we use means we can keep our promise: “A Trapp candle or spray is guaranteed to fill a room with fragrance or we will replace it…even a votive." My favorite scent is Fresh Cut Tuberose, but Mediterranean Fig is also fabulous.

Speaking of tuberose, my favorite shower gel is Velvet Tuberose by Bath and Bodyworks. It works into a foamy lather and smells heavenly.

My favorite workout is The FIRM. I use the TransFIRMER. You really will see visible results in ten workouts. They are hard, but so worth it.

As I have posted before, my favorite laundy detergent is Charlie's Soap. One tablespoon is all you need for a large load of clothes. Love it.

My favorite parenting magazine is Mothering. I don't agree with 100% of what is printed in it, but I really like the natural childbirth and breastfeeding advocacy that it promotes.

My favorite online community is Women at Home. I have made some fabulous friends on this forum and am blessed by them on a daily basis.

My favorite movie has got to be Life is Beautiful. It must be watched in Italian (the original language) or it just isn't the same.

My favorite TV program is The Office. It makes me laugh so hard. That's what she said. However, my favorite TV program of all time is I Love Lucy. Olaf bought me this for Christmas.

My favorite disposable diaper are Pampers Cruisers. My favorite cloth diaper is Fuzzi Bunz.

And my very favorite thing of this year is my Dyson Vacuum. Oh my word. I love it so much. I would marry it if I could. Hee hee.

So there you have a few of my favorite things. Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens... There are many more, but I'm sure ten is plenty for now.

Gosh I love having a blog

Especially when I want to express a strong opinion about something. I rarely use this forum to do that, but I just have to this time.

Jamie Lynn Spears, baby sister to super famous Brittney, is pregnant. She is sixteen years old and has her own hit TV Show on Nickelodeon, a cable channel targeted to young people. She has decided to come forward and tell everyone of her pregnancy because she is keeping the baby. A lot of the evangelical Christian community is dogging this girl and it is pissing me off. Where, oh where, is that very vocal PRO LIFE community? This young girl has chosen to give this child LIFE. If she had an abortion we would have never known and she could have moved on with her career. As it is, she may never work as an actress for a very long time. I say thank you Jamie Lynn for giving this child life. This is one Christian woman who thinks you ARE a role model to young teen girls who may find themselves pregnant. Why can we so willingly forgive Ted Haggard for having a homosexual affair, doing drugs, and being an ALL OUT HYPOCRITE--but we refuse to show the same mercy and grace to a 16 year old girl who made a foolish decision but has willingly chosen (unlike Haggard who was found out) to come forward with her sin? Sheesh...

Just one more day

Tomorrow is the last work day for Olaf and then he will have five days off. Whew. I thought we would never get through this week.

Josiah turns FIVE on the 26th. I cannot believe my little guy is going to be five. He is such a handsome fellow. He is very tall for his age and wears a size 1.5 shoe. He is thin and eats peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. He loves chocolate more than his father (I didn't think that was possible) and would eat it for every meal if I let him. His favorite breakfast is a Pillsbury Toaster Scrambler. He wants a Thomas the Tank Engine cake...again. He has had one ever since his second birthday. He is learning his letters but he much prefers to color and cut and use a glue stick. He likes to burp and fart and sometimes he cries when he doesn't get his way. He likes his sisters to wait on him hand and foot. He initiates kisses every single morning when I get up and every single night before he goes to bed. He still likes me to hold him in the recliner. He is such a blessing straight from God and I am beyond happy that he is mine.

Changing the subject completely...we always have lasagna for Christmas dinner. I think the next week will be hard for me to stick to my diet. I did do the FIRM tonight (well, I attempted to do the FIRM tonight). It's not fun doing those workouts when you are as fat as I am. Grace came bouncing in to the living room to tell me, "You aren't doing those exercises right Mom." Uhh, no joke. They are the size of my left thigh. Someday though...someday:)

Tuesday

It's going to be along week. Olaf is working ten hour days so he can have Christmas Eve off. Sucketh.

I had my pulmonary lung function test done yesterday. It was awkward to say the least. You have to put this tube in your mouth and do all these crazy breathing techniques. Then they gave me four puffs of albuterol and made me do it all again. Four puffs of albuterol makes me jittery and shaky, but it did help me breathe better. I guess it's a trade off. I should get the official results soon. I still need to get to Newnan Hospital for another chest X-Ray. I definitely have to do that before the end of the year. Our insurance changes January 1st.

I maintained my weight this week. I didn't think I overate too much, but apparently it was enough to make me NOT lose. Oh well...keep on keeping on. I had such a big loss last week that my body may be in a bit of a shock.

Olaf bought this air hockey table for the children for Christmas. He set it up on Sunday and the children are having a blast playing it. We got it at BJ's so we only paid $350.00 instead of the $497 that is listed at WalMart. The children already have "air hockey arm." Their triceps are already sore.

Simon cut his two bottom teeth a few weeks ago and is trying desperately to cut his top two. He is rubbing his face on everything. He still only sleeps in one hour increments, but I have adjusted. Good thing I don't have to get up and be anywhere early. That would pose a problem.

Caleb is out of school on vacation. He will be asking for the bus several times a day for the first week. He loves school. Home is too boring for him. He does love to help out around the house though. He loves doing dishes, folding clothes, vacuuming, etc.

I am going to sign off so I can go watch The Biggest Loser finale. I love that show.

RIP Dan

I saw Dan Fogelberg in concert in Westbury, NY. I loved his music. He died from advanced prostate cancer.

Yoo Hoo...Oh Tammy....

Do you remember this?





Someday Olaf is going to buy one for me. Red quarters not needed. I miss you. What is going on with Ted? Please e-mail me or better yet, call!

Catch up...

I lost six pounds in one week. I'll take it. You know you are really fat when you can lose that much weight in a week. I could be on The Biggest Loser. I can fit into my fat pants now instead of my super fat pants. I am going to my Bunco Christmas party tonight, so I don't want to blow the diet there. I need to eat before I go and only eat veggies while I am there. I am going to have a half glass of moscato though.

If anyone out there wants to take my dog, please let me know. I am serious. I don't want him and I am honestly thinking of taking him to the pound. He is half pekingese and half shitzu. He just turned six on December 10th. Any takers?

Simon has his ear re-check tomorrow. He still has a nasty cold so I am certain his ears will still be infected. Now he is coughing as well. Will it ever end?

Thank God today was the last day of Spanish until next year. WOOT! That means I can slow down a little. Monday afternoon I am having a pulmonary function test done. I also need a chest X-Ray as a follow up to the one done in January. I have been having some weird shortness of breath (not associated with just being fat) so the doctor scheduled this test for me at Fayette Hospital. We'll see...I am sure it comes from years of my mom smoking two packs a day. Gross. Anyone who smokes around children should be slapped.

Simon is poopy, so it looks like I need to go. Have a great day!

The Reason for the Season

My friend, Becky, has a great blog post today. You can go read it there, but I also stole it to copy here in case people won't click the link. Either way...here it is:


The Reason for the Season

That's a really cute catchphrase. It rhymes and everything. Here's another one I like: "Keep Christ in Christmas."

You know what, though? We don't wait until Christmas to learn about Christ. And guess what we found out in our studies? That the "X" in "X-mas" is a symbol for Christ. So if you X it out, you're really leaving it in!

Guess what else? We sing Christmas carols in June sometimes. And talk about the humble birth of the baby Jesus when we talk about His work on earth. So at Christmas, if we want to shop ourselves silly, sing "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" and eat Velveeta-laden casseroles until we throw up, we're still celebrating.

Should we say, "Happy holidays" or "Merry Christmas?" How 'bout both? Along with "How are you today?" and "What can I do to help?" A big, sparkly grin is nice, too, and a much nicer way to decorate your Christian self than a sequined sweater.

It's nice to visit a nursing home at Christmas. It's also nice to pay for the McDonald's order of the guy in line behind you on President's Day, rescue a stranded puppy on Easter, buy some groceries for a needy family on the Fourth of July and drive a disabled veteran to his doctor's appointment on Labor Day. And still be celebrating Christmas.

Let me suggest something: If your main complaint this holiday season is that you don't approve of the music or activities that accompany Christmas these days, perhaps you should think about "the reason for the season."

Look at this precious baby!

The Santa Suit is from Build-A-Bear! And look how well he is sitting now. He is such a ham and smiles for the camera. That was cracking me up tonight when I took this photo. Gosh, he is so cute.

The choir performance went great. Everyone did a fantastic job and Caleb enjoyed watching them perform. The baby didn't even make a peep during the entire thing. I couldn't have asked for a better night. Here are the children in their uniforms.

Today was a lazy day. I didn't sleep much because Simon has a nasty cold. Olaf took him at 9:00 this morning and I slept until 11:00. That pretty much wasted the entire morning:) Tomorrow I plan on cleaning the house and decorating for Christmas. Well, I should say WE are going to clean the house. It will be a team effort.

I am hungry. I started a diet on Wednesday. My body is getting used to NOT eating everything in sight. The first couple of weeks always suck. My first mini goal is to lose 20 pounds. I am going to reward myself with a martini when I get there. Or maybe I should just drink too many martinis then I won't want to eat. Hmmm...there's an idea.

A preview of tonight's performance

Here is a little preview of the next big Broadway star!


Josiah is the Tin Man.

Not again.

My baby boy has another cold. It started last night with a very stuffy nose. Needless to say, it was an awful night with virtually no sleep. This is only going to make his already horrible ear infection even worse. Need to go because he is screaming.

For Laurel

I must blog today. I have been threatened. At least a paragraph she says. This is for you, my friend.

Simon is now on Omnicef because his ear infections are still just as bad as they were prior to the amoxicillin. I am praying that this child doesn't need tubes like the other kiddos did. The Jorek children are not blessed with good eustachian tubes. He is also teething but through it all has been a happy baby. (Did I mention cute yet?)

We made our annual trip to the Christmas Tree Farm yesterday to buy our tree, and the children are decorating it as I type this. This year we splurged and bought a nine foot Frasier Fir. It is huge and lovely. I'll take a quick photo to post.

The children were in the annual Christmas Parade today. They sang with the homeschool choir.


Let's see...what else is new? I sent out our Christmas cards to friends and family out of state. We had photo cards done this year with this Disney picture:



I promise you I will never get fatter than that photo. I've had it up to here with my weight. I am doing something about it and I will give updates when I feel they are appropriate. I promise not to make it the only subject I write about:)

For my local friends, you may not get a photo card. Y'all already know what I look like:0) I am awaiting postage stamps via the USPS. I made photo stamps for the out of towners with Simon's picture. They were so cute. All you locals are getting rooked and having regular old postage stamps on your cards.

Can you believe the air conditioner is running behind me? WOW! It's December and the air is on. That is just wrong.

I think that is at least a paragraph. Don't you? This week is going to be super busy but I will try to update on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Simon is learning how to sit up

Simon is starting to sit up. I cannot prevent it although I am trying. He is held 90% of the time, so we delayed it a bit:)

Quick Update

Simon has a double ear infection. He's on his first antbiotic. I don't think it is working.

Next week is going to be CRAZY. The children have three performances for choir, Simon has 2 doctor's appointments, Camille has Spanish class and a partridge in a pear tree.

I cannot wait until next week is over.

Our Christmas letter is done. I just need some Chirstmas stationery to print it on. WalMart didn't have any tonight.

Thanksgiving was nice. Olaf made the turkey and used Williams Sonoma brining stuff. It made for a juicy, moist, well seasoned turkey. Thank you Pioneer Woman.

Talked to my girfrin' on the phone for a long while today and laughed and laughed. That is always fun.

It's late. Super late. I don't get enough sleep anymore. Simon still wakes up about every two hours (yes, I know I am crazy!) but I just love holding him so I don't mind. I guess being old makes me a tad more sentimental. Half my life is over; I am going to enjoy every single second of this baby while I can.

I love Jen. She always takes the time to comment. Thank you, friend.

Another Video

This is Josiah making Simon laugh. It's so cute.

Happy Thanksgiving

This made me smile

The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List
By Deborah Markus, from Secular Homeschooling Magazine, Issue #1, Fall 2007

1 Please stop asking us if it's legal. If it is — and it is — it's insulting to imply that we're criminals. And if we were criminals, would we admit it?

2 Learn what the words "socialize" and "socialization" mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly. If you're talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet, and you can safely assume that we've got a decent grasp of both concepts.

3 Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir practice, baseball game, art class, field trip, park day, music class, 4H club, or soccer lesson to ask her if as a homeschooler she ever gets to socialize.

4 Don't assume that every homeschooler you meet is homeschooling for the same reasons and in the same way as that one homeschooler you know.

5 If that homeschooler you know is actually someone you saw on TV, either on the news or on a "reality" show, the above goes double.

6 Please stop telling us horror stories about the homeschoolers you know, know of, or think you might know who ruined their lives by homeschooling. You're probably the same little bluebird of happiness whose hobby is running up to pregnant women and inducing premature labor by telling them every ghastly birth story you've ever heard. We all hate you, so please go away.

7 We don't look horrified and start quizzing your kids when we hear they're in public school. Please stop drilling our children like potential oil fields to see if we're doing what you consider an adequate job of homeschooling.

8 Stop assuming all homeschoolers are religious.

9 Stop assuming that if we're religious, we must be homeschooling for religious reasons.

10 We didn't go through all the reading, learning, thinking, weighing of options, experimenting, and worrying that goes into homeschooling just to annoy you. Really. This was a deeply personal decision, tailored to the specifics of our family. Stop taking the bare fact of our being homeschoolers as either an affront or a judgment about your own educational decisions.

11 Please stop questioning my competency and demanding to see my credentials. I didn't have to complete a course in catering to successfully cook dinner for my family; I don't need a degree in teaching to educate my children. If spending at least twelve years in the kind of chew-it-up-and-spit-it-out educational facility we call public school left me with so little information in my memory banks that I can't teach the basics of an elementary education to my nearest and dearest, maybe there's a reason I'm so reluctant to send my child to school.

12 If my kid's only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can possibly teach him what he'd learn in school, please understand that you're calling me an idiot. Don't act shocked if I decide to respond in kind.

13 Stop assuming that because the word "home" is right there in "homeschool," we never leave the house. We're the ones who go to the amusement parks, museums, and zoos in the middle of the week and in the off-season and laugh at you because you have to go on weekends and holidays when it's crowded and icky.

14 Stop assuming that because the word "school" is right there in homeschool, we must sit around at a desk for six or eight hours every day, just like your kid does. Even if we're into the "school" side of education — and many of us prefer a more organic approach — we can burn through a lot of material a lot more efficiently, because we don't have to gear our lessons to the lowest common denominator.

15 Stop asking, "But what about the Prom?" Even if the idea that my kid might not be able to indulge in a night of over-hyped, over-priced revelry was enough to break my heart, plenty of kids who do go to school don't get to go to the Prom. For all you know, I'm one of them. I might still be bitter about it. So go be shallow somewhere else.

16 Don't ask my kid if she wouldn't rather go to school unless you don't mind if I ask your kid if he wouldn't rather stay home and get some sleep now and then.

17 Stop saying, "Oh, I could never homeschool!" Even if you think it's some kind of compliment, it sounds more like you're horrified. One of these days, I won't bother disagreeing with you any more.

18 If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you're allowed to ask how we'll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can't, thank you for the reassurance that we couldn't possibly do a worse job than your teachers did, and might even do a better one.

19 Stop asking about how hard it must be to be my child's teacher as well as her parent. I don't see much difference between bossing my kid around academically and bossing him around the way I do about everything else.

20 Stop saying that my kid is shy, outgoing, aggressive, anxious, quiet, boisterous, argumentative, pouty, fidgety, chatty, whiny, or loud because he's homeschooled. It's not fair that all the kids who go to school can be as annoying as they want to without being branded as representative of anything but childhood.

21 Quit assuming that my kid must be some kind of prodigy because she's homeschooled.

22 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of prodigy because I homeschool my kids.

23 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of saint because I homeschool my kids.

24 Stop talking about all the great childhood memories my kids won't get because they don't go to school, unless you want me to start asking about all the not-so-great childhood memories you have because you went to school.

25 Here's a thought: If you can't say something nice about homeschooling, shut up!

Go back to high schooool....

This is my friend, Sandy, and me our junior year in high school. Check out the groovy hair and stupid poses. Thanks, Sandy, for making me laugh.

Disney recap

This will probably be really long. Feel free to not read it and just scroll to look at a few pictures:)

Sunday, November 4th - The Terrible, Awful, Not-So-Good Day at Magic Kingdom We arrive at the Magic Kingdom parking lot all ready for a day of fun. As we are heading up the ramp to the Monorail, Olaf runs into the heel of my foot with Caleb's wheelchair. I was wearing crocs. It is bleeding profusely and we don't have any tissues to stop the bleeding, so Olaf whips out a maxi pad and presses it on my foot. A MAXI PAD!! It looked like this after it stopped bleeding:

After I stop crying (and Olaf stops hitting himself in the head), the monorail arrives. We board in the handicapped section and realize that it doesn't seem to be heading to the Magic Kingdom. Hmmmm... I ask the strangers in the next cabin over where we are headed. Why, Epcot of course! Oh great. This trip is starting out just fabulously. So, we try to remain upbeat and take a tour of Epcot on the Monorail before heading back to the parking area of the Magic Kingdom. Once we get back, we decide to take the ferry over to the Magic Kingdom because that is the only place the ferry can go. So far it has taken us over an hour to get from our car to the Magic Kingdom. After getting Caleb's Guest Assistance Card, dropping off his medicine at First Aid, and using the potty we were ready for lunch. After our $77 lunch, we did manage a few rides with no mishaps. We left the park somewhere around 7 pm and got all the way back to the van (on the ferry again, because the monorail is satan) before Olaf realized we left Caleb's medicine at First Aid. This is his seizure medicine and he has to have it every 12 hours. Poor Olaf has to go all the way back to the park just to get the medicine. He did it in record time too. I think it only took about 30 minutes for him to return.

Monday, November 5th - MGM Studios

All I can say is this wasn't a good choice for our family. I would have loved it if I could have gone alone, but Caleb wasn't impressed. If Caleb isn't impressed, then the entire family pays. The BEST part of MGM was the Tower of Terror.



Now, I did not ride this but Caleb, Camille, and Olaf did. Caleb hated it! Olaf said he flipped out (like in an autistic meltdown sort of way) and Olaf was screaming the entire ride, "WHEN DOES THIS RIDE END?" When he came out and told me the story, I was laughing so hard. I know, I know....bad mommy. It just tickled me to no end to picture Olaf screaming for the ride to stop all the while Caleb is flipping out and peeing his pants. I am giggling right now just typing this.

Tuesday, November 6th - The Magic Kingdom again!

This was a good day at the Magic Kingdom. The weather was fabulous. Dawn and her family were there that day and we met up for an hour or so. I love Dawn! She is my twin that was separated at birth. Honestly.


And what could be more magical than losing your very first tooth at the Magic Kingdom while eating Mickey Mouse ice cream?



We stayed and watched the fireworks. It was lovely. Finally, a good day in Orlando.

Wednesday, November 7th - Epcot
I love, love, love Epcot. Mostly because they serve alcohol there.


This was a fairly good day. Soarin' is simply the best ride ever made. I love that ride. I could ride it over and over. We happened to go to Epcot during The Food and Wine Festival (purely accidental people, although appropriate.) The countries were selling small portions of local fare and we had the best dish in Mexico. It is called chilaquiles and it goes perfect with a margarita. I only had two margaritas in Mexico and they were tasty.

The children got their faces painted for the first time ever. $51.00. That is the reason we have never done it before.


John, the artist who painted Camille and Caleb was so much fun to watch. He really was a fabulous artist. He painted them so fast and with such flair. Here is John, the very "happy" artist.




Thursday, November 8th - Sea World

We spent this day with the Mosby's. Scott gave us free tickets (what is better than free?) and we spent the day watching shows and catching up! Our children love each other and get along really well.


We watched the Shamu show which was really fun!


Caleb, Camille, and I rode Kraken. It was a fun roller coaster. Caleb and I loved it so much we rode it twice.

Friday, November 9th - My 40th Birthday! The Magic Kingdom
A birthday lunch with the princesses. What could be better?


They even brought me my very own birthday cupcake.


Oh, and guess what? Caleb pulled out the sword from the Sword in the Stone! I have never seen anyone else do that. Have you? A cast member gave him a golden sticker that said "Temporary Ruler of the Realm." It was fun for him.


We got our picture taken with the Disney characters too.

We watched the fireworks from the ferry dock in the parking area then went back to our house. Oh yeah, the house! It was great! It had six bedrooms and a pool.



We had a lovely time with Scott, Frances, and Natalie.

Natalie is such a cutie. We all adored her.

Saturday, November 10th - Epcot one last time.
It was crowded, but fun. We drank raspberry wine from Poland and a special brew of beer from Sam Adams. Olaf bought me some perfume from Norway for my birthday and some martini glasses with Mickey on them. We rode Soarin' again. It was a perfect day. We stayed the night at a local resort for a fair price and all was well. Until...Sunday morning. Josiah started throwing up. The poor little guy had eight hours in the van with a plastic bag to barf into. And you all know that the stomach virus is my very favorite thing in the entire world. He threw up again this morning. Now Grace has a fever but is not vomiting yet.

Overall it was a good trip! I am already looking forward to our 2009 visit.

Hello from Orlando

Yep, we're here. Yep, my sister in law has a laptop. It's my first time using one and they are pretty darn nifty if I do say so myself. But it is very late and I need to get to bed. I will update later in the week if she lets me:)

Friday Felicities

• Family Vacations to Disney World


• Children giddy with excitement and packing everything


• BIRTHDAYS!


• Birthday presents (hint, hint)


• Fabulous friends, old and new. (Hi Laurel!)

Now, go sign Mr. Linky at Becky's Blog and participate in Friday Felicities. Tell everyone what makes YOU happy.

For your viewing pleasure

Meet Caleb...

So much to do

and so little time. I am feeling very overwhelmed. Looks like we'll be packing Friday night and getting very little sleep. Oh well...

My friends, Tammy and Terry, came over this evening and gave me an early birthday present. A whole batch of the best homemade chocolate chip cookies ever (her cookies are fluffy, mine are flat), some Godiva Chocolate, (I LOVE this woman!) and a Yankee Candle in the Autumn Wreath scent. To top it off, the cookies were wrapped in a Williams Sonoma dish towel. What could possibly be better? Thank you so much my friend.

I spoke with Karen's husband, Darren, tonight. I guess he accidentally messed up the template of Karen's blog and called to ask me to fix it. It was great talking to him. He shared Karen's last few hours on earth with me. He sounded so happy for her, but of course, grieved for himself and his children. Her body was cremated at her request and the memorial will be on Sunday. I will be in Orlando, but Karen would want me to go on vacation with my family. I know she would. I can hear her voice in my head right now. "You go Miss Misty! Don't even think twice."

Simon will be six months old on the 4th. Can you believe that? Six months old. He is so big and so long. I nurse him and just stare in amazement at how big that child is. He still doesn't sleep well at all. He's like a newborn; worse than a newborn actually. He is up every 2 hours on a good night. On bad nights I can't put him down at all. He just likes to sleep ON me which makes for a long night sitting up against the headboard with a few pillows. However, I am still loving it because at my age (very nearly 40, my friends!) you never know if you will be blessed with another one. I am taking full advantage of every minute to hold that baby. I know far too well how incredibly fast they grow up. Karen's life has taught me the importance of every single minute on this earth. We are not guaranteed our next breath. Make every second count. Love is something that no one will ever regret on their death bed.

Speaking of more children, I watched Kids by the Dozen on TLC last night. It had on the Gonya Family and they were fabulous. No Duggar matching outfits or organization. Just a house that would run a lot like ours if we had twelve children. I enjoyed watching them and their family dynamic. I think they may have been Catholic, but that wasn't addressed in the episode. They just seemed to really like each other but yet were real and chaotic and normal. Camille enjoyed watching the show as well. She loves her siblings and wants more. She is begging for at least one more little girl. Like I can choose the sex of the baby. She is a fabulous big sister and helps me SO much. I don't know what I would do without her. I really don't.

Alright, it's 11:23 pm and I need to get some sleep. It just seems futile when I know the baby will wake up just as I am drifting off. I wish bodies could function on 2 or 3 hours of sleep.

I will miss you, friend.

Finally, a real update

Simon is in his jumpy thing and being so cute right now. I thought I'd jump on here and give ya'll a real update even though there is nothing new under the sun. Hey, I think someone said that before;)

The children are fine and super excited about Disney. We leave next Saturday. Olaf is outside detailing our minivan to sell it. It has been such a fabulous van that I hate to see it go. If you are local and know someone who may be interested, here is a link to what it is worth via Kelly Blue Book. Our price is $6,000 firm. It's actual value is closer to the 'excellent' price. Olaf kept meticulous records. It just turned 85K miles and we are the only owners.

We are still adjusting to not having Ella here. We still walk softly in the places she used to sleep afraid that we are going to make her yelp if we get too close. I don't have to sleep with my bedroom door closed anymore because her snoring no longer wakes me up. I miss her.

Need to run. Simon needs me. He is so darn cute.

A true story

I was walking down the street when I was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked me for a couple of dollars for dinner. I took out my wallet, got out ten dollars and asked, 'If I give you this money, will you buy wine with it instead of dinner?'

'No, I had to stop drinking years ago' , the homeless woman told me.

'Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?' I asked.

"No, I don't waste time shopping," the homeless woman said. 'I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive.

'Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food?' I asked.

'Are you NUTS !' replied the homeless woman. 'I haven't had my hair done in 20 years!'

'Well,' I said, 'I'm not going to give you the money. Instead, I'm going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight.'

The homeless woman was shocked. 'Won't your husband be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting.'

I said, 'That's okay. It's important for him to see what a woman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments and wine'.

OK, it's not true!:)

Simon in his jump up

I love this video thing. Can you tell?

Cool Beans

I just learned today that my digital camera has the ability to take videos. My friend, Misty, told me (Thanks woman!). So, here is Grace.

Weekend

I guess it's officially the weekend since it is after midnight. It seems like I never get to bed prior to midnight anymore. This baby thing can be tough on a 40 year old.

I got my hair trimmed today (and an eyebrow wax which was a total splurge for me) and as I was looking at myself in the mirror, I was just completely taken back at how fat and old I am. It was weird. Like all of a sudden I saw myself as other people see me. Blech. After our vacation I really need to step it up a notch.

The family is still reeling from the death of Ella. We received a sympathy card in the mail today from the vet's office. I cried when I read it. The entire staff signed the card. She was such a good dog. Too bad we couldn't have had her a few more years. Deacon has been waiting for her at the door. When we take him out to go potty, he looks for her. He is confused. I miss her terribly.

We are going to see Thomas on Sunday. It's about a 2.5 hour drive, so it will be a trial run for our upcoming Disney trip. I hope the baby does okay. With all that room in the new van we should be okay.

Please pray for my friend, Karen. The news isn't good, but their faith is amazing. I heard she cut her hair but I haven't seen it yet. Karen has always had one LOOONNNGGGG braid down her back. She got it cut chin length I think. Everyone says it looks fabulous. I bet it does. She cut it in case she has to have intrathecal chemo to the brain. Let me see if I can find a photo of Karen at my baby shower.

See that braid running down the right side of her neck?

I need to get to bed. My little man will be up any minute wanting his mama.

Did I mention I need a massage??

Goodbye Ella Jones Boney

July 4, 1997-October 16, 2007

Just one more...

My friend, Jeff, sent this to me in an e-mail.

MENOPAUSE JEWELRY

My husband, being unhappy with my mood swings,
bought me a mood ring the other day
so he would be able to monitor my moods.
We've discovered that when I'm in a good mood,
it turns green. When I'm in a bad mood,
it leaves a big red mark on his forehead.
Maybe next time he'll buy me a diamond.

BWAH HA HA!

A friend, who shall remain nameless for her own protection, sent me this via e-mail. It is too good not to share:

To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine... and those who don't.....................................

As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) - bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.

Remember: Water = Poop, Wine = Health

Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of sh .. .

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.

Right Brained or Left Brained?

Which way is she spinning? If you see counter clockwise (which most people will see) you are left brained. If you see clockwise, you are right brained. Or, if you are like me, she switches all the time. Go figure!



LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

Sniffles...

My children all have a stuffy nose, including the baby. It's not too bad though. No fevers or anything. Just a stuffy nose and some sneezing. We also put him in the Johnny Jump Up too. He liked it!



Ella (our dog) has an appointment for Tuesday afternoon. I am almost certain Olaf will put her down. It's weird because some days she is much better than others. We are still on the fence about whether to euthanize her. Such a hard decision to make.

Bunco was a blast. I had so much fun. I even won a prize. I had the most mini Bunco's and took home a ceramic turkey:) Too bad I don't decorate my home for the different seasons. I met a lot of people and am looking forward to making new friends.

Olaf cleaned out the new van today. It was filthy. I mean absolutely disgusting. Whoever owned that van before was just gross. He took out the last row of seats so we now have some storage room.

Need to go put the cutest baby in the whole world to sleep. Have a great weekend.

Aunt Pam's Visit

I haven't blogged for awhile because we have had company. My Aunt Pam from Portland has been here since Sunday. She left this evening for training in Atlanta and will be back Friday night to visit with us again. The children have absolutely loved her visit. Grace and Josiah have especially taken to her. They were fixing her hair for her within a few hours of her arrival. Here is a photo of her lovely new do by Grace:



I am going to start playing Bunco once a month with my friend, Misty, and her neighbors. I am excited about it. I have always wanted to go out to Bunco night with the ladies. It should be a lot of fun.

On a much sadder note, we are going to put Ella down on Saturday. She is not doing well at all. My heart breaks thinking about it, but it is time.



She is only ten but has been in ill health for awhile now. Even her pain medicine doesn't seem to help much anymore. Olaf is going to take her in because there is no way that I could do it. I am way too much of a wimp. As I type this she is panting behind me and drooling all over. The sad part is she still eats and drinks and goes outside to potty. She isn't totally incapacitated but she just looks like she is in so much pain. Someone tell me it's the right thing to do...PLEASE!

Heather likes me!

Heather over at Madame Rubies gave me an award on her blog. Here it is:



I make her smile! So, I am going to pass along the award to some fellow bloggers as well.

Mandie doesn't blog often, but when she does...she always makes me smile. She's a hippie like me and I bet she wears a perfume with patchouli in it.

I never miss a post from Dawn. I love her.

Christine always makes me think. And smile.

And Cheri is always good for a smile. She's also good for fabulous photos of Montana and really cute children.

If you haven't read The Pioneer Woman, go now!

A new van!

Olaf has been looking at 12 and 15 passenger vans since he found out I was pregnant with Simon because our minivan is, well, filled. Today he found a van on Auto Trader that was north of Atlanta at a dealer. It had a good price on it and Olaf wanted to take the family up to test drive it. The van is in great mechanical shape, only 29,000 miles (auto trader has a misprint and says 48K), clean Car Fax, one owner, but there is a dent in the front bumper and the interior needs a good cleaning. It was obviously owned by a large family with a lot of children. After our fun test drive, Olaf offered the guy $12,500 which is $1,050 less than the sticker price and wanted a front end alignment done, oil change, and detailing included. They accepted his offer, so we are the proud new owners of a 15 passenger Chevy van! Kelly Blue Book retail is $20K so I think we did really good. He will pick it up sometime this week. The funnest part for me is it has OnStar. I don't know if we will activate it, but I SO want to.

Happy Birthday to my husband

Twenty years ago on this day I rented a limousine and took you out to dinner at Pamona Valley Mining Company. I had never been in a limo before, but you had and you told me all about it. Which made me mad. Because it included a prom date and White Castle. Thinks to self: I have no idea why we are married. You were 19 years old then, and now you are old like me. We have been through a lot together, eh? Rough patches in the beginning, God changing our hearts, your deployment in the Air Force and a three month separation, more rough patches, a career change, a move to Long Island, a few precious months with your mother before she died and a few horrible months with your father, more rough patches, another move to Georgia, infertility, adoption, parenting a mentally challenged child, pregnancy, another move, more infertility, more rough patches, more children, the roughest patch ever, forgiveness, and here we are twenty years later. Whew. When I think about it that way, I am so glad I can't go back to do it all over again. Although there have been a lot of 'rough patches' along the way, I wouldn't trade them for the world. We have grown up together...literally...and you have always been my best friend. Always. You make me laugh like no other person on the face of this earth. You love me like any woman could only wish that her husband loved her. We certainly aren't perfect, but we love each other and are committed to each other until death do us part. Happy Birthday, Goose. May we live to see another 39 years together. I love you.

Friday Felicities

*Tomorrow is my husband's birthday. This means we will be the same age for six weeks.

*Children who are chomping at the bit to go buy their Papa a present.

*Visits from family. I have an aunt coming to visit who I rarely (and I do mean rarely...like this will be third time I have seen her in my adult life) see.

*My sister in Oregon, who just signed up to be a Mary Kay consultant, and loves to tell me about their products. All of which I already know because I have been using it for years.

*My baby is on the Hugga Buns website. Scroll down:)

Just because one is wandering, doesn't mean they are lost. Tolkien

I seriously need to lose weight

I am the heaviest I have ever been and I just feel gross. However, Olaf brought me a huge Dairy Queen Brownie Sundae tonight and I ate the entire flippin' thing. I am so fat I only have one pair of pants that fit me. One. I know, I know. Stop whining and DO something already. Time to drag out the FIRM DVD's and get busy.

Gracie is reading fabulously. I bought her this Amelia Bedelia reader and she sat down and read right through it like it was cake. It is actually too easy I think.

Here is a photo of Simon in his Hugga Buns. So cute and chunky.



He weighs 19 pounds now. I am desperately in love with him. The entire family is. I want another one. Kind of like Lay's potato chips; you just can't have one. Hee hee.

The best margarita ever!

I know a lot of you don't touch alochol to your lips, but for those of you who do imbibe, this is the best recipe for a margarita ever!

Put these ingredients in a shaker:

1 shot Presidente brandy
2 shots tequila
1 shot Gran Gala
1 shot Rose's sweetened lime juice
fill the rest of the shaker with Maragrita Mix

Serve over crushed ice with a salted rim. Oh so fabulous!

I told you when I love something I have to share. Remember the Charlie's soap post and the Dyson post? Well, this is my Margarita post!

New Frames

They weren't done "transitioning" before I took this picture. Ashleigh Banfield eat your heart out.

Words to live by

Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me alone.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.

Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile a way and you have their shoes.

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.

Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

A closed mouth gathers no foot.

There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

Never miss a good chance to shut up.

Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

Ticked-Off Tuesday

Yes, I am starting a new meme. Ticked-Off Tuesday! My husband irritated me this morning, so I am starting this meme in honor of him. Y'all know I love my husband, I am so glad he's mine, but I have to get this off my chest:0)

Why in the world does it take 90 minutes for the man to get ready in the morning? He showers at night, he irons at night, he makes his coffee at night so all he has to do is hit the 'on' switch. I have figured that it would take me no more than 45 minites MAX to do what he cannot do in 90 minutes.

Get dressed, brush teeth, etc (10 minutes - he's nearly bald...no hair curling needed)
Take out dogs to potty (10 minutes)
Fix Caleb's breakfast (5 minutes - it's instant grits people)
Dress Caleb (5 minutes)
Eat (15 minutes)

I really don't care how long it takes him to get ready. The thing I care about is that he is late for work every single day. If he weren't a manager, he would be fired. FIRED! If a normal person can do in 45 minutes what he clearly will not do in 90, that is just irritating.

Friday Felicities

Happy 12th Birthday Caleb!

Yeah, we only had eight candles. He didn't care. The number on the car was an 11 but it would have been great if she would have put a 12 instead. Oh well. It is still a cute cake.

While others remember the world trade center

I will reminisce about my first child who was born on this day in 1995. After several years of infertility, Olaf and I decided to adopt. At the time I was certain this desire was from the Lord (more on that later), so we applied with Bethany Christian Services in Atlanta. Because we didn't care what color our adopted child would be, we were put on a list of people who would be willing to adopt a biracial child. Less than five months after our application went in, we got a phone call that a birthmom wanted to meet us. Needless to say, we met and on September 11, 1995 Caleb was born. At the time of his birth I was 14 weeks pregnant with our daughter. The Lord worked it out so they are exactly six months apart. She was born March 11, 1996. OK Misty, stay focused... Caleb was a very colicky, high needs (that is an understatement) baby. When he was about four months old, we noticed that something wasn't quite right. It was almost as if his eyes didn't "connect" with us. He did not babble or coo, was late hitting his developmental milestones, and his mouth was always hanging open in a weird way. When I mentioned all this to our pediatrician, he took a 'wait and see' approach. When Caleb was about 14 months old, we took him to a Developmental Pediatrician who took one look at him and said, "Let's get him tested for Fragile X Syndrome. He has all the physical characteristics." I remember being so relieved. Finally, finally, we might have an answer. I didn't know what Fragile X was at that point, but I was just so happy to have a diagnoses. Skip forward twelve years...

Caleb is 12 years old today. He is handsome, sweet, BIG, loving, playful, and his heart is full of joy. He adores Olaf (and he has no problem telling you that Papa is his favorite. NOT mom.) He also is hyperactive, cannot speak, incontinent, moderately mentally retarded (not PC I know) and has a whole host of sensory issues, and has seizures. I have to admit that there are days (too many I must say) when I focus on the hard times instead of the blessing that Caleb is. Raising a child with special needs is not easy. It is hard. Very hard. The hardest thing I have ever been called to do. I don't enjoy it in my flesh. I wouldn't have chosen this for myself. I am sure that sounds selfish, but as the old saying goes...walk a mile in my shoes. However, I have to trust that God has placed him here no matter what the circumstances. You see...

Before we even put in an application for adoption, I really felt in my spirit that we would conceive. It was almost as if God told me somehow that I just needed to trust Him and His timing. However, that wasn't good enough for me. I wanted a baby NOW! So, we started the adoption process. Thus the question; is Caleb my Ishmael? You know how God promised Sarah that she would have a biological child and she didn't believe him. So she sent Abraham out to Hagar and thus little Ishmael was born. I know I can't dwell on WHY Caleb is here at any rate. He is, God is sovereign, and we love him dearly. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!

Chocolate Stuff

This recipe is fantastic! It is from the book The Sweet Potato Queens' Big-Ass Cookbook and Financial Planner by Jill Conner Browne.

Chocolate Stuff

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 stick of butter
2 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Beat two eggs with a cup of sugar and a half cup of flour.

2. Melt a stick of butter with two tablespoons of cocoa.

3. Mix the two and add 1 full teaspoon of vanilla. Add nuts if you want.

4. Put in a loaf pan then set loaf pan in bigger pan of water and cook at 300 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

It doesn't quite set up like brownies. You basically eat this stuff with a spoon. It is so PMS-delish!

I forgot...

How could I forget? On Labor Day, I got a Dyson Animal. Oh, how I love it. I mean, I think Mr. James Dyson is the smartest man to ever live. I have been wanting a Dyson for about two years but, man, are they expensive! As much as I am a laundry Nazi, I am also a floor Nazi. I already have a Kirby, an Oreck, and a Eureka. The Dyson is far, far, far superior to them all. I digress. Anyway, Target has a PINK Dyson advertised this week and I was going to get that one. They give you a $100 gift card with any Dyson purchase this week and I was all set to go. Then, for reasons that must have been destiny, I was flipping through the channels and stopped on HSN because they were selling...DYSON VACUUM CLEANERS! I watched them go through all the models. I watched them explain the technology. I watched them suck things up on carpet and hard floors. I watched with my mouth hanging open and my heart racing like a young girl in love. Then I promptly asked my husband to go buy a Dyson Animal right now. We had a 20% off coupon at Linens and Things so off he goes and brings me back the new love of my life. The man selling the Dyson's on HSN said to vacuum your mattress before you do anything else. So we did and all I can say is gross. I won't even go into what came out of my carpet. Moral to this story, save your pennies. If you want an awesome vacuum cleaner the Dyson is worth every. single. penny.

Busy

Well, busy for us. On Wednesday's my children have homeschool choir. They love it! Then on Thursday's, Camille takes a Spanish class with our local homeschool group. She is having a blast so far. Good thing I speak some Spanish so I can converse with her.

Today Simon and Caleb had well visits with the doctor. Simon weighed 17 pounds 14 ounces, 26 inches long, and a head circumference of 43.5 cm. BIG in every way. Caleb weighed 199 pounds and was 62.5 inches tall. Hee-Youg in every way. The main reason for taking Caleb was to get his tetanus shot and ask the doctor if she would sign the paperwork for a handicapped parking permit. We used to have one but it expired a long time ago. We only need it when we go places that require his wheelchair. Like the upcoming trip to Disney World. It is nice not to have to fight him in the WalMart parking lot as well. He obeys for the most part, but he is super hyper and has run in front of a car on more than one occassion. We have to hold his hand and make sure he doesn't get away, which at 200 lbs isn't always easy. Our doctor is very understanding and was glad to fill out the form for us.

The baby needs me right now, gotta go.

Four months old...WAY!

Four months old.
No way!
WAY!

New glasses...yippee!!

We went to Costco today where I had an eye exam and ordered new glasses with transitions lenses. Am I cool or what? New hair and new frames. Now if I could just talk my husband into letting me get new boobs my life would be fantabulous.

In the mail today I received a memory book from my 20th high school reunion that was held two years ago. I have had another child since then:) However, in my little "tell-me-what-you-have-been-doing-the-past-20-years" section, my blog url was posted. So, HELLO to anyone from Springfield High School class of 1985 that may stop by to see me.

And because make up makes the hair look better:

Ta Dah!

At the end of September I am going in for highlights. I think she did a good job on the cut. She was nervous whacking off all my hair but once she realized that I wasn't nervous, she had fun. Now earrings will be a must:0)

Wordless Wednesday

20 year anniversary of a MIRACLE!

I never hijacked Misty's blog, but here it goes...

20 years ago today, I did not know who God was, but He knew me and decided to do something wonderful in my life. It was a miracle, here is the story: I was a new recruit in the Air Force stationed at George AFB in California. There was a newer very beautiful recruit named Misty Johnson also stationed at George who I had wanted to talk to for some time, but I was chicken. On this day 20 years ago, after much pacing in my dorm room and much hesitation as I walked up the stairs to Misty’s dorm room, I finally got up the nerve to knock on the door (my fingers are tingling right now as I remember how it felt that day). Misty was spending her Friday night playing “I Need Love” by LL Cool J on her stereo so she could memorize the words (if you know Misty, you know she has a knack for music and yes, she can sing I Need Love to you still today if you like). Being the suave NY cool guy that I made myself out to be (even though I was a wreck inside) I asked her if she wanted to see a movie. What movie you ask? That romantic first date classic...“Born in East LA” (it hurts to even type that). First miracle: She said YES! Ok, so we leave in my rockin’ black VW Scirocco to the Victorville Movie Theater. When we get to the ticket booth (this is killing me) I let Misty know we were going Dutch (Arrg!) Can you believe it? Second miracle: she didn’t laugh, she didn’t tell me to take a hike, she (amazingly) paid and went in to see the movie with one of the biggest dorks to walk the planet. Finally, here is the third miracle: she married me, has stuck it out with me, carried 4 of my 5 wonderful children, and most of all she loves me - me the idiot who did a great job trying to ruin my chances with such a wonderful woman. Misty, you are the love of my life, you are my best friend, you are a blessing from God which I do not deserve. Happy First Date Anniversary! I love you Misty!

Toontown

Does anyone play Toontown? If so, e-mail me or leave a comment. My entire family plays and it would be fun to have some more "secret friends" to play with. We actually have two Toontown accounts so we can play together. It is a great family friendly game that you play online with others. Check it out and if you sign up, let me know.

Funnay

I stole these pictures off another blog because it was way too funny.

Some names should not be hyphenated:

*Remembering Nattie

*Books to be read

*These videos. They will make you smile. Especially the last two:)

*Charlie's Soap!!

*New lip liner

*A schoolbus driver that calls me to tell me she will be late. I am in love with her now.

Free Chick-Fil-A and Coke

For those of you that have a Chick-Fil-A in your area, go here to get a free sandwich and Coke.

Skeptical by nature

That's me...always the skeptic. The cynical one. So when I read on NUMEROUS cloth diapering forums that Charlie's Soap is simply the best detergent ever and it only takes one tablespoon per load, I was very, very skeptical. I mean, ONE tablespoon per large load of clothes?? C'mon. Now for those of you who do not know, I love doing laundry. I mean, I love, love, love it. I am the laundry Nazi. I currently have five open containers of detergent that I use (Tide powder, All Free and Clear, Dreft, MelaPower, and Charlie's), two fabric softeners (Costco brand and Snuggle. I usually have Downy but I recently ran out.), two boxes of dryer sheets (Bounce with Febreeze and Bounce Pure Essentials) not to mention the Spray and Wash, Clorox, baking soda and vinegar. The Charlie's soap says to not use any fabric softener with the detergent. Oh, put a spear through my soul! So, last night I put Simon's dirty diapers in the washing machine, put in one tablespoon of Charlie's and they not only were clean, they smelled clean. No fragrances are in the detergent but somehow when they come out of the dryer they smell CLEAN! It is so weird. OK, so today I put in a large load of colors. I have a front loader so a large load is a LARGE load. Again, one tablespoon. No softeners, no fabric sheets. FABULOUS! I get absolutely nothing for this glowing report, but when I like something I just want to share. Especially to those of you that use cloth diapers. Oh, and the best part? If you order on their website they ship it for FREE! Yes, for free my friends.