Mommyhood

Feeling a little overwhelmed...

2006-10-28T10:17:00.000-05:00

I am sorry that it has been so long since I last posted. I have been feeling exremely overwhelmed lately with work and home situations. My husband is currently looking for a job, so things have been really tight. At school I have been in charge of a few fundraisers this month, so I've been on the go a lot.

The kids have been doing great in school. The boys both had excellent report cards, and my little princess is loving her class, too. I can't believe how big they are getting. My oldest is now in 3rd grade and he has started division in Math, and is doing great. I am so proud of all of them! :)

I hope you all have a great Saturday. The weather here is BEAUTIFUL, so I think we may go ride bikes or have a picnic! :)

Mommy's Little Ballerina

2006-09-07T17:24:00.000-05:00

Last night my little princess started dance class. She is taking ballet, tap, and gymnastics. She was SO PRECIOUS!! While the kids were dancing, the parents waited in the lobby on benches and watched the kids on a TV. She was really shy at first, but she quickly warmed up once she put on her fun tap shoes! I can't believe my baby is old enough to dance! :)

Back to School

2006-08-14T17:14:00.000-05:00

Today was back to school day. Our first day went great! My students were wonderful, and my children had great first days also. My princess started the 3-year old program today and did terrific. She was so excited this morning to be going to school. She put on her schoolbag and looked so precious! :) Have your children started back to school yet?

Remembering Papa

2006-07-31T10:29:00.000-05:00

One year ago my Papa passed away. Even though I miss him so much, I know that he is in a much better place. He had been in pain for such a long time there was almost a sense of relief when he passed. Please keep my grandmother in your prayers. About 3 weeks after my grandfather died she had a stroke, and although she gets around really well, she still fumbles for words at times. My grandmother has strong faith, but even the strong have hard days. She lives in Tennessee and my family is here in LA, and my uncle's family is in Virginia. I hate that she is alone. She has a wonderful church family, but that isn't quite the same. Please pray that she will be encouraged this week.

My Home

2006-07-26T11:07:00.000-05:00

Maryland Mommy did this on her blog and I thought it would be fun. Here is my Living Room and Kitchen. Let me know if you play along!

The boys are playing chess on the floor! They learned how to play yesterday. LOL

I was watching ER. :)

There is still a Cars movie poster on the front door from the party on Saturday.

Happy 3rd Birthday to My Little Princess

2006-07-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

She received some makeup and other dressup stuff for her birthday from a friend, and she put it on after her party.

My sweet little princess turned 3 years old today. It's hard to believe that 3 years have already passed. She seems to get cuter and cuter every day! :) Happy Birthday baby girl! Mommy loves you so much!!!!!

Happy 7th Birthday!

2006-07-20T11:19:00.000-05:00

Happy 7th birthday to my baby boy! It seems like just yesterday he was born!

I took out his baby book this morning and choked up a little. They definitely don't stay little long...

I love you little man! Have a GREAT birthday!!!

I'm an Aunt!!

2006-07-18T23:22:00.000-05:00

My sister had her baby girl yesterday!! This is my first time being an aunt, and I love it!! :) She is absolutely beautiful! I am so proud of my sister - she did great! I got a phone call at about 5:20 in the morning Monday saying that she was having contractions 5 minutes apart, so I quickly got a bath and got dressed and was on my way to the hospital. She started having contractions at 3:30 AM, and had her baby girl at 3:07 PM. Even though her labor was a little long, it wasn't bad at all, and there were no complications. My sister even said that it was easier than she thought it would be. (Who says that?!?) Anyway, I am one proud aunt, and I have one beautiful little niece! :)

BTW, today my kids got to meet her and my little princess wasn't too sure about mommy holding another baby! :)

ABC's

2006-07-15T20:41:00.000-05:00

I got this from Maryland Mommy's blog & I thought I would try it too. Let me know if you do your own!

Accent: I may be from the South, but I don't have an accent.

Bible book that I like: Ephesians

Chore I don't care for: I hate doing laundry

Dog or cat: I always had a dog growing up, but I have a cat now. :)

Essential electronics: cell phone, laptop, and digital camera

Favorite cologne: Eternity

Gold or silver: I like both!

Handbag I carry most often: brown and white purse

Insomnia: Definitely not! I have a button on my behind. :)

Job title: 5th grade teacher, Mom & Wife

Kids: 3: son, 8, son, 7 (next week), & daughter, 3 (next week)

Living arrangement: My DH, our 3 kids, & our cat in a house in SE Louisiana

Most admirable trait: Forgiving

Naughtiest childhood behavior: My dad would say my power of manipulation... ;)

Overnight hospital stays: the birth of my 3 kids, and when I was an infant I had some digestive problem

Phobias: claustrophobia, arachnophobia, fear of roaches, wasps, and most insects!!!

Quote: Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord.

Religion: I am a CHRISTIAN

Siblings: Younger sister

Time I wake up: 8-9 during the summer (I'm off!!)

Unusual talent or skill: I make a pretty convincing monkey face!

Vegetable I refuse to eat: All of them! :)

Worst habits: talking way too fast; slouching; interrupting; procrastinating

X-rays: back x-ray a few years ago

Yummy stuff I cook: crawfish fettuccine

Zoo animal I like most: Monkeys - they are hilarious!

The Final Countdown

2006-07-12T12:19:00.000-05:00

We are counting down the days until I become an aunt! My sister is due with her first baby any day now. Her doctor said that if she doesn't go in on her own she will induce her at midnight next Tuesday. So at most I have to wait one more week! I am so excited!!!! She is having a baby girl, so my little princess will have a playmate! My grandmother is flying in this afternoon. I can't believe the time is finally here! :) I will post about her after she is born. Please pray for a smooth delivery.

I just want to wish you a...

2006-07-04T09:29:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July!

What are your plans for today? Lots of friends, family, and food?

We had a BBQ on Sunday with my family to celebrate since my brother-in-law is a police officer and he has to work today. I'm not really sure what we will do today, but we'll be together! :) Hope you guys all have fun!

Summer Vacation Part 2

2006-06-29T00:37:00.000-05:00

Some of you may recall a post in May about a group of students that I took to the Louisiana State Jr. Beta convention where they won 1st place in one of the competitions. Well, yesterday we got back from the national convention in Greensboro, NC, and we had a blast. We were a little surprised that the kids didn't place because we thought they did a great job, but the loss didn't get them down at all. They were so happy to be on "vacation" together that they didn't even mind! :) Our trip was quite an adventure, especially when our flight up there was cancelled at the last minute due to United Airlines retiring some old equipment. It's not like it's easy to suddenly (an hour before a flight) reschedule 24 people on a new flight! We ended up having to go through Delta and Continental, and breaking up into several small groups. Our groups went through Houston, Miami, Cincinnati, Memphis, Washington D.C. and Atlanta, all to get to Greensboro, NC. We also landed in 3 different cities because there were only a few flights (and most of them full) into Greensboro. Our groups landed in Raleigh/Durham, Charlotte, and Greensboro. One of the dads who arrived at our hotel first, shuttled the rental van back and forth to 2 airports as the groups started to come in. The Charlotte group (which I was in) rented their own vehicle (with a driver) to make the 90 minute trip at 11:30 pm. One group got in at 3 AM, and a dad and son lost their tickets and ended up stranded in D.C. overnight! We thankfully all made it before the competition and the kids did really well. I am very proud of them. Even after all the craziness of Saturday's airline troubles, we had a great time shopping, bowling, and eating! :) I am so glad to be back home.

After leaving for 5 days to go to San Antonio for my anniversary, and now 4 days for this school trip, I was missing my kiddos! I'm glad to be back and happy that now summer vacation can officially begin since I am now done planning and coordinating this school trip. Now it's just me focusing on my family, and waiting for my niece to be born (due in a couple of weeks)!

We stuffed a lot of activities into this summer for the kids. This week and next week they go to swim lessons. This week until Thursday they also are going to Art Camp at the local high school. They are participating in the summer reading program at the library. And, in a couple of weeks Vacation Bible School will start. I'm glad to be able to do so much with them. I know the best case scenario would be to stay home with them all the time, but since that isn't feasible for my family, being a teacher is the next best thing. I love summer vacation!! :) :)

One more update: we are working very hard to potty train my little princess. We made it official today by putting her in "big girl panties". She didn't want to get Dora wet so she actually pottied tonight. I am so proud of her!! I can see the end of pull-ups in sight! :) Well, that's my update. How are all of you doing?

Serenaded in San Antonio

2006-06-10T02:23:00.000-05:00

I will post more when I get back, but until then let me just share this with you. My sweet, sweet hubby had these guys sing me a song. It was so awesome! :) (There were fans blowing a mist to keep it cool which caused the "spots" on the picture.)

This is the most romantic place we've ever been. We highly recommend it. More pictures and info on Monday about our trip...

10 Wonderful Years

2006-06-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow will be my 10th wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that it has already been that long. 3 kids later I look back on our time together and think about what a great dad he has been, and a terrific husband to me. We are off today on a romantic getaway in San Antonio, Texas. The kids are staying with family and we will be gone for 5 DAYS! We won't know what to do with ourselves for 5 days without kids! :)

I'll tell you all about it and post pictures when we get back.

Happy Anniversary, honey! I am so happy that God brought me to you! I love you!!!

CAPTION CONTEST

2006-06-05T10:05:00.000-05:00

It's time for a brand new caption contest! If you can come up with the funniest or most original caption to go along with this picture you will be featured on my blog next week with a congratulatory message. Good luck!

Ready for Hurricane Season 2006?!?

2006-05-31T19:19:00.000-05:00

The New Orleans Superdome is still quite damaged after Hurricane Katrina blew off part of the roof last August.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of Hurricane Season, and I have to be honest folks, part of me is terrified. Yesterday I spent the day with my husband, my kids, and my sister and her hubby in New Orleans at the Aquarium of the Americas, which just reopened this week, next to the river. As I passed by the Superdome (see picture above) I was reminded of just how much work is left to be done to recover from LAST Hurricane season. So much of the area next to the 17th Street Canal is a ghost town - many homes are still virtually untouched since the storm. I don't want to dwell on all of that, but I said this to say please pray for New Orleans. So much still needs to be done before we are ready for another storm. And now, more of our day yesterday...

The kids had a great time at the Aquarium! We also went to the IMAX theater (next door) to see a Coral Reef movie which was beautiful! After the movie ended we just sat along the river - there was a nice breeze blowing and the kids liked watching the boats pass by.

The sun was in our eyes - this is not the greatest picture! :)

We ended the evening by eating at Deanie's Seafood Restaurant, a GREAT seafood restaurant. I ordered the crawfish quartet, which had crawfish au gratin, crawfish etouffee, crawfish balls, and fried crawfish. Needless to say I had to get a take home box! :) It was a great day filled with great food and fun with the family. How is your summer going so far?

Summer is Finally Here!!

2006-05-27T19:10:00.000-05:00

YAY! Summer is finally here! This month has been incredibly CRAZY at work, but now it is finally over!! :) :) I am so happy to now have so much time with the kids. We plan to start going to the library next week for storytime and the summer reading program. Also, we will be signing up for swimming lessons. What are your summer plans?

Stressful but rewarding trip...

2006-05-06T13:35:00.000-05:00

Wednesday I left with a group of 21 students for the Jr. Beta Club Louisiana State Convention in Lafayette, LA (about 3 hours away). We came back yesterday at around 5 and I am pooped! Our little club hasn't even won as much as an honorable mention at State Convention the years that I've been there because there are over 10,000 kids that attend each year. But, this year was different!! :)

We entered a brand new competition called the "Living Literature Museum," where 10 students re-enact a scene from any piece of literature using props, costumes, and a backdrop. We chose C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It was SO stressful yesterday. We were supposed to be ready to check out of the hotel and be dressed in costumes by 7 am, but it seems like noone was ready on time. By the time we got to the room where the competition was being held, we only had 15 minutes of setup time left out of the 30 we were supposed to have. I was a nervous wreck!!! The backdrop was put together incorrectly when we only had 5 minutes to spare. I have never seen a group of parents and 2 teachers work so quickly. I was so blessed to have them help me, because by the grace of God we got everything set up with NO TIME TO SPARE!! At 8:00 they blew a whistle and all adults had to leave. The kids then had to get into a pose and hold it for 15 minutes (yep, you heard right) to look like a wax museum exhibit. They got a 5 minute break, and then they had to get back into the pose for another 15 minutes. A few kids (not ours) came out throwing up and a couple even passed out!! I guess they locked their knees or didn't eat breakfast. Anyway, after all that stress it was worth it. We won!! We won 1st place - it was so amazing! I would love to post a picture, but I wouldn't want to place pictures of the kids without permission from their parents. We got a beautiful plaque and an invitation to compete in the National Convention in Greensboro, North Carolina at the end of next month.

So, just when I thought the school year was coming to a close, I will be working an EXTRA MONTH!! It will be fun, though. I couldn't do it without my co-sponsor . She's a great help! Well, I'm off to go look up plane tickets and hotel info. Have a great weekend!

And the Winner Is...

2006-04-24T20:26:00.000-05:00

to BayouMama for winning this week's Caption Contest!

"This will never work...we can't both be Superman!"

Please visit her site and congratulate her.

Thanks for playing!

Thanks!!

2006-04-19T09:06:00.000-05:00

I just won my first Battle of the Blogs competition! You have to be a member of Blog Explosion to play. Two blogs go head to head, and 15 people have to vote and choose which blog they like better. The final vote was 10 - 5. Thanks so much to anyone who voted for me!

Caption Contest

2006-04-17T20:54:00.000-05:00

Can you come up with a funny or creative caption to go with this picture? If you are this week's winner, your blog will be featured here next week. Good luck!

10 Ways to Tell if You've Become Your Mother

2006-04-12T23:30:00.000-05:00

1. You say "You just wait until your father gets home!"

2. You lick your finger and wipe your child's face.

3. A teenager who checks you out at the grocery store calls you mam.

4. You say "your face is going to get stuck like that!"

5. Your purse is bigger than your baby.

6. You make your child eat all of their vegetables.

7. You say "If so and so jumped off of a bridge, would you do it too?"

8. You can't wait for the Sunday paper so you can clip coupons.

9. You think that Robert Redford is a hottie after all.

10. You have memorized all of the prices on Price is Right.

Pretty as a picture

2006-04-10T06:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday before church I took these pictures of my little princess. I can't get over how big she is getting!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART!

2006-04-05T06:19:00.000-05:00

I want to say a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the love of my life! Hope you have a terrific day, sweetheart! I feel like the luckiest woman in the world being married to you!

Sorry it's been a while...

2006-03-31T18:26:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! It's been quite a while, hasn't it? Well, first of all my husband has been using my laptop a lot for work because our desktop has been giving us trouble. Secondly, I have honestly been avoiding the computer as much as possible. The Lord has been really working on me and dealing with me about how much time I spend on the computer and watching television. I have been spending more time with my family lately and have really been enjoying it. I miss reading your blogs, but I needed to obey the Lord and devote more time to him and also to my family. Hopefully this weekend I can spend some time catching up will all of you. I hope you are all having a great start to your weekend, and I hope to hear from you soon!

We're Back!

2006-03-06T17:55:00.000-06:00

We had a great time in Disney World! I am so sad that our vacation had to come to an end. Here is a link to see pictures from our trip. Aside from me getting a sinus infection and having a sore throat and runny nose, and little bit and big boy getting a stomach virus, everything was great! :) (Big boy even threw up in the Mexico boat ride! YIKES! At least it was almost time to go anyway! I was REALLY embarrassed.) Overall everything was A LOT of fun and we can't wait to go back!!!

Greetings from Mexico

2006-03-01T21:50:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I'm not REALLY in Mexico, but we were at the Mexico exhibit at Epcot and the kids had a blast!

Just wanted to write a quick note to let you all know that we are having a GREAT time in Disney World!! When we get back I will post plenty of pictures! Hope you are all having a great week, too. Talk to you soon!

Johari Window

2006-02-23T16:16:00.000-06:00

I found a link to a Johari Window over at TNChick's site and thought it looked like fun. Click on this link to tell me what you think of me! :)

Let me know if you make one for yourself so I can do it for you too!

And the winner is...

2006-02-23T15:28:00.000-06:00

Congratulation to TRINA for winning the caption contest!! She said:

"Oh no, here comes the police officer, just give him your award winning smile, honey."

Make sure to go over to her blog and congratulate her.

Thanks to everyone for participating!!

Caption Contest

2006-02-17T17:06:00.000-06:00

It's been a long time since I've done this, but it's time for an all new edition of the Caption Contest. Look at the picture below and come up with a caption for it, and the winning "contestant" will be featured with a link to his/her blog and a congratulatory message next week.

Good luck!

20 Questions - His and Hers

2006-02-10T16:30:00.000-06:00

I got this fun idea from The Martins and she got it from PM. I answered these 20 questions with my hubby.

Best memory:
Me: My wedding day
Him: Our honeymoon.

Most terrible day:
Me: The day my friend Stacie died in a car accident with 2 of her friends. (May 9, 1995)
Him: The day my grandpa died.

Birth City:
Me: Metairie, LA
Him: Raceland, LA

Favorite thing to do:
Me: Sing
Him: watch good movies

Hollywood Crush? Why?
Me: Ben Affleck cuz he’s cute & he always plays a good character ;)
Him: Cate Blanchett because she’s pretty

Favorite food:
Me: Pizza
Him: my Aunt’s custard pie

City you want to visit most and why?
Me: Paris because it’s romantic
Him: Teotihuacan (that’s in Mexico – it’s an ancient abandoned city – he’s an ancient history buff!)

Fantasy or dream that you want to come true?
Me: to win the Publisher’s Clearinghouse sweepstakes and pay off my debt and my family’s debt, too
Him: to be wealthy enough to not have to worry about money

Favorite sport:
Me: gymnastics
Him: baseball

How long have you been married
Me: almost 10 years
Him: 10 years on June 8th

Favorite song and why?
Me: Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood – she has an amazing voice!
Him: Uninvited by Alanis Morrisette – it’s a great song!

Someone you most admire:
Me: my Papa – he died last summer, but he was an amazing man of God
Him: my grandpa

Someone you hate and why?
Me: Satan because he’s a liar!!
Him: nobody

Secret crush? (excluding famous folks)
Me: I’m married; my heart belongs solely to my husband!!
Him: no

One (maybe 2) rule/s you live by?
Me: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!!
Him: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Enjoy every day!

Do you believe in God?
Me: Absolutely, unequivocally YES!
Him: yes

A dark secret (we won’t tell):
Me: I’m Batman ;)
Him: I’m the Joker

Most treasured item and why?
Me: my wedding ring because it reminds me how much I love my husband!
Him: my wedding ring because of what it represents

If you could turn back time, what would you do and why?
Me: no, because I believe everything happens for a reason!
Him: I would have stayed more in shape!

What kind of “work” do you do and do you enjoy it?
Me: I’m a 5th grade teacher at a private Christian school and I love it!
Him: I publish my own magazine and yes, I love it!

I am tagging BayouMama and Maryland Mommy. If anyone else wants to do it, please leave me a comment and I will check out your answers!

My Little Tinkerbell

2006-02-08T06:30:00.000-06:00

Is she ready for Disney World or what? :)

She is so excited about going to Cinderella's house! I made a reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table in the castle. I think she's gonna love it because she LOVES the Disney princesses. I hope to have plenty of precious pictures to share when I come back!

One disaster too many...

2006-02-02T16:58:00.000-06:00

Well friends, I am here once again to share with you some very sad news about SE Louisiana. What you are looking at above is not a Hurricane Katrina photo. It is a tornado aftermath photo taken today.

About 2:00 this morning I was suddenly awakened by tornado sirens. This has happened many times before when we are having a bad thunderstorm, but I tell you that last night was the MOTHER OF ALL THUNDERSTORMS!!!! I have never heard a louder, stronger storm (I wonder what it must have sounded like during Hurricane Katrina - I'm so happy I evacuated!). I was absolutely terrified. We grabbed our children and ran to a bathroom that is in the center of our home and I tell you we were scared. We heard hail, we heard LOUD swirly-sounding wind (if that makes sense) and horrible thunder. I was really afraid that a tornado was about to plow through our home. We spent quite a while waiting out the storm. When it finally passed my city, it moved on to the airport and an F-1 tornado actually did touch down there and damage it. The airport is about 15 minutes away. We are so thankful that once again God spared our city.

The worst part is that a second tornado, an F-2, touched down in the Lakeview neighborhood. Remember them? They are the ones right by the 17th street canal - many of them had water to their rooftops after Hurricane Katrina - several of them had just begun rebuilding - and now what was once ravaged by water is now completely demolished by wind. Some of the homes that were destroyed today actually made it through the hurricane without flooding - they felt so blessed a few months ago, and now they find themselves in the same boat as their neighbors - homeless. I cried as I watched the news today. It seemed so unfair - so UNrandom...But still, I KNOW that my God is in control. There are a lot of hurting people today. Louisiana needs your prayers.

YAY! I'm going out tonight!

2006-01-27T17:15:00.000-06:00

TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My dear MIL and FIL asked if they could have the boys overnight tonight for a sleepover, and of course I said yes! :) So I called my sister last night to see if she wanted to watch my little princess so hubby and I could have a date and she said yes! :) :) :)

We haven't had a date night in a while, so it will be nice. We're going to Outback Steakhouse and then to see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. We've heard it was really good, so I'm excited!

How about you? Any special plans for the weekend?

Thursday - Trash Day

2006-01-19T17:44:00.000-06:00

I grabbed this idea from PM (go over and check out her blog!) and it looks fun, so here goes...

Thirty-seven days until we go to Disney World - I can't wait!!

Right now I'm reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I've assigned it as a book report and now I've got to read it, too! ;)

American Idol is one of my favorite shows - it cracks me up!!

Sooo tired today. I've been staying up really late!

Hopefully things will get back to normal soon. I never would have imagined that Katrina would STILL be affecting us in Louisiana!

Didn't realize this would be hard! ;)

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE chocolate!!

You have got to watch LOST on ABC if you haven't watched it before. It is AWESOME!!

I'm Going to Disney World!

2006-01-10T23:13:00.000-06:00

I am so excited! It's been almost 4 years since the last time we've been to Disney World. My little princess hasn't been yet, and since she will turn 3 this summer and 2 year old's are free, we're choosing to go next month! :) We will be staying at the All-Star Movie Resort - we've never stayed there before. Anybody stay there and have an opinion about it? It looks fun! Disney had a special package if we stayed for 7 nights, so we decided to go for it! We bought 6 day park hopper passes, too. Anybody else going next month?

Look, I'm Like Mommy

2006-01-07T12:09:00.000-06:00

I came across this picture today, and forgot that I had wanted to post about it. :)

I was getting ready to go to dinner and was straightening my hair. My daughter got a little makeup set for Christmas, and in it was a play straightener. She saw me doing my hair and ran out to get hers. She came in and said "Look, I'm like Mommy!" I yelled for my husband to grab the camera. She is such a cutie...

It amazes me how our kids watch us, imitate us and want to be just like us. It's a joy to watch - like in this picture, but also comes with great responsibility. Are my actions and words such that I would WANT my daughter to emulate them?

This is what Christ meant when he told us we are to come to him like little children - ready to imitate his every word and action, longing to be just like him, having great faith and trust in him.

It's amazing what you can learn by watching a child.

Tag, I'm It!

2006-01-07T11:02:00.001-06:00

I’ve been tagged by FreeInHim, and though I’ve done this once before I thought it would be fun to revisit it!

7 things (I would like) to do before I die:
1. Go to Europe.
2. See my children get married.
3. Spoil my grandchildren rotten.
4. See my children praying with their own children.
5.Pay off my mortgage!
6. Be completely debt free.
7. Finally lose that baby weight (about 60 pounds!!!!)

7 things I can’t do:
1. See a cockroach without screaming like a little girl and jumping on furniture.
2. Own a gun (I’m scared of them!)
3. Drive a stick-shift.
4. Draw.
5. Keep quiet when someone talks about abortion.
6. Go 15 minutes without tripping over something – usually my own two feet (I’m a bit of a clutz)
7. Watch Oprah without crying.

7 things that attract me to blogging:
1. I enjoy writing.
2. I like meeting new people.
3. It’s fun!
4. I can brag about my beautiful children to all of the world! 
5. It’s an easy way to keep a journal/record of what I’ve done and what my kids have done, with pictures.
6. Blogger is very user-friendly – it doesn’t take long to post.
7. It’s a way for Christians to share about the Lord to people you wouldn’t normally have access to.

7 things I say most often:
1. I love you!
2. How much do you love me? (usually followed by a request to my hubby)
3. No way!
4. Shut up! (not in a bad way – meaning No way!!)
5. Good grief!
6. That’s awesome!
7. Clean up this mess!!

7 books I love:
1. The Bible (I’ve been reading the Message version – I love it)
2. The Left Behind series – I’ve read all 14 of them - they are awesome!
3. The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks
4. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
5. The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
6. Seeking Him (really a workbook/devotional) by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
7. To Kill a Mockingbird (one of my favorites I read in high school)

7 movies I watch over and over:
1. Titanic
2. Independence Day
3. Twister
4. Armageddon
5. What About Bob?
6. Clue
7. Lord of the Rings trilogy

7 people I want to join in too
1. Bill and Glory
2. Mandy
3. Renee
4. Ann
5. Candy for the Teacher
6. Pursuing Holiness
7. Cat

It came and went so fast!

2005-12-27T08:53:00.000-06:00

The china has been washed...

The presents have been opened...

Now it's time to play!!!

Christmas was wonderful this year. Not because of presents but because of the great family time we all had together. My parents, my sister and her hubby, & my in-laws were all together on Christmas, and we had a great time!! But, boy what a mess!! I realized that my children are SO SO SO spoiled. To be the only grandkids on both sides, and my sister's only neice & nephews -- boy did they stack up!! There are STILL boxes in their rooms of toys that have not been opened or put together!!

The favorite gifts this year...

For my little angel, her favorites are dress up Disney princess shoes, a princess play house, and her doll that came with a real wooden bunk bed and high chair. Here is a picture of her "all dressed up". Doesn't she look like a star? ;)

BTW, she DID have pants on but took them off after I changed her diaper! :)

My boys got an X-Box and of course that is very exciting. They are playing it right now as I type this. They both also got Thomas stuff and several lego and hot wheels sets. Here is a picture of them while putting together the massive Thomas set.

I bought my husband an MP3 player and he really seems to like it. I have actually been playing with it too - he is starting to suspect that I really bought it for myself! :)

My husband bought me a beautiful necklace - you can't go wrong buying a woman jewelry! I also got an American Idol DVD set, with the best and worst performances. The worst DVD has a lot of bad auditions that are hilarious - I love that show!

I can't believe that we are going to my grandmother's house in a few days and will exchange MORE gifts!! We just built this house 2 1/2 years ago and now I think we need a bigger one! :) :) :)

How was your Christmas? Hopefully it was full of family and fun!

Santa Claus is Coming To Town!!

2005-12-24T15:22:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it is Christmas Eve already!! My kids have been watching Christmas shows on TV and I have been wrapping presents for HOURS! I know, I know, I'm kinda late this year. ;)

If you go to emailsanta.com your kids can watch a Rudolph camera, and see where Santa is right now. It also tells you how many hours until Santa comes to your house. It's really cute!

Tonight we are going to my husband's parents' church for a Christmas Program, and then tomorrow everyone is coming to my house after church for lunch and to exchange gifts.

Well, I better get back to wrapping those gifts...only like 10 more to go!!

I wish you and your family a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Countdown to Christmas

2005-12-09T16:21:00.000-06:00

Don't you just love the Christmas season? I absolutely LOVE this time of year! In Louisiana we get excited when the temperature gets below 60! :) It was 40 degrees this morning when I left for school and it felt so good!!! The cold weather makes me excited, and ready to go shopping. We have already started counting down the days...

On Christmas morning my kids get up early to see what fun presents Santa has brought them. Then around 10 or 11, my parents and my sister & her husband usually come to my house and we open gifts and have a large meal. We also read the Christmas story aloud from the Bible to remind everyone what the true meaning of Christmas is. All day the kids play with their obscene stack of toys (between Santa and grandma I don't see how Toys-r-Us has any toys left!!) while the adults play board games and visit. Last year it actually snowed ALL DAY here on Christmas day. Now those of you from the North would probably argue that what we experienced here last year was slush or sleet or some other wet white substance, but to us southerners any white stuff that falls from the sky is SNOW!! :) :) :) We had such a great time! Here's wishing for another white Christmas!

What are YOUR Christmas traditions? Any special plans this year?

First Hand Look... (Lots of pictures below)

2005-11-21T19:39:00.000-06:00

A HUGE pile of debris in the devastated area next to the 17th Street Canal breech in New Orleans. Here you see debris that has been cleared from roadways and piled in one central location. If you look closely you can see a man standing on the pile. This pile is estimated to be about 25 feet high.

I have mentioned how tough it has been for us out here about 30 minutes from New Orleans. Stores are closed early, many haven't opened back up at all. Everywhere we look there are trees down, and blue FEMA roof tarps. But today I went to where the 17th Street Canal breech occured and it was worse than I could have ever imagined. Once you cross the canal you immediately see the debris and a layer of dirt EVERYWHERE. This is no power. Spray painted numbers were visible on each door, indicating whether bodies were found inside when rescuers conducted their search and rescue operation. I even saw one house with a hole in the roof. Apparently, that was someone's means of escape.

I have been delivering boxes of food to needy families in the New Orleans metro area the past few days. Students at my school donated items for Thanksgiving, and another teacher and I have been delivering them. Today one of the homes we delivered to was not far from the famous canal that breeched, so we decided to drive down and see the damage first hand. The other teacher's son was married in Lakeview Christian Center (next to the canal) just weeks before the storm hit. It was a beautiful church, newly renovated. Now it is completely destroyed. Here are a few pictures from inside the building. By the way, my nose still burns from breathing in the mold inside!!

This is the foyer of the church.

A picture of what used to be the sanctuary.

A picture from the foyer looking "through the wall" at the sanctuary.

The mold was everywhere!!

Looking at the devastation today made me realize how fortunate I have been through all of this. I still have a bed to sleep on, a car to drive, and at no time did I fear for my life, or the lives of my family members. Take a minute today and thank the Lord for all that you have. There are many in New Orleans that will be spending Thanksgiving away from family members because they have no home to go to. As you sit down with family members Thursday, don't forget to thank the Lord for His many blessings. We have much to be thankful for...

GOOD NEWS!!

2005-11-19T10:12:00.000-06:00

I'm going to be an Aunt!! My baby sister (well, she's 28 lol) just found out Sunday she is pregnant. She and her husband have been married 2 years. This is such great news!! She is my only sister, and my husband is an only child, so, this is my first time. The other day I went shopping at Wal-Mart to buy a few gifts for her. It was so much fun. I've bought gifts for friends who were pregnant, but buying for my future niece or nephew was a GREAT feeling!!!! Congratulations, baby sister!!!! Love you!!!

What happened to normal?

2005-11-03T18:22:00.000-06:00

You see it on TV. You hear about it on the news. But until you've been through it, it's hard to imagine. Here we are over 2 months after Hurricane Katrina came through, and not much has changed since.

I am so sorry to talk about this again, but the remnants of Katrina are still very much here. Life is STILL not back to normal. We are still not getting our mail on time. I just received a letter yesterday that was postmarked the day of Katrina, August 29th. Stores are still only open until about 7:00. Debris is still found along our streets. My parents drove through New Orleans last weekend on their way to Tennessee to see my grandmother. If you have ever been to New Orleans, you know it is a very busy city, full of lights at night. My parents drove by after dark and it looked like a ghost town from the interstate. My dad said that he saw maybe 2 homes with lights inside, and even those were candlelit. The debris is incomprehensible out there. My mom's friend and daughter live in a devestated area near New Orleans, and have been missing since the storm. My parents drove by her house and it was just surreal. There were markings on the garage door indicating that the house had been searched but no bodies had been found inside. Her door was busted in. Mom found her name on the Red Cross site a couple of days ago and she is okay. It just blows me away that we are STILL looking for people. So many bodies are unidentified. I have finally come to understand that the rebuilding process in our area will take years. I don't know if New Orleans will EVER be the same. Yes, it was a sinful city in many respects, but also a beautiful city rich in history and culture. I grew up here, about 30 miles south of New Orleans. Everthing I've ever known is different now. I can't explain it. It just doesn't feel like home anymore.

On the other hand, I know that my God is VERY REAL and He still resides in the city of New Orleans. I also know that His grace is sufficient to cover ALL of my needs. Even though the news is probably not talking about Louisiana anymore, please continue to lift our area up in prayer. Things are FAR from over here, and it will be a long time until things are "normal" again - whatever THAT is! :)

What happened to my baby?

2005-10-18T15:55:00.000-05:00

Can someone please tell me when my baby became a little girl?!?

It seems like she started growing up overnight!

Question of the week

2005-10-10T18:26:00.000-05:00

What kind of afterschool habits work best for your children? How do you encourage your child to do homework?

Busy, Busy, Busy

2005-10-04T18:05:00.000-05:00

Wow - I can't believe it's been over a week since I last posted. The last week has been crazy!!

After Hurricane Katrina one of our teachers' husbands lost his job, so she relocated to Phoenix. That left an open spot in our 5th grade class. Now, for those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you all know that earlier this summer I was moved from 6th grade down to 1st grade this year and I was NOT too happy about it. 1st graders are PRECIOUS, but I just prefer teaching the older kids. Anyway, I taught 1st grade for a few weeks, and 2 hurricanes later I have moved to 5th grade. Today was my second day and I LOVE IT!!!! I was worried about how my little 6 year olds would react when they found out they were getting a new teacher, but they seemed to be okay about it. We tried to make it a very smooth transition, and so far so good. The new teacher is really nice. She was working at a private Kindergarten center in New Orleans, and Katrina flooded her school, then it was looted, and burned down!!

I'm still amazed at how my life has changed after these storms...Phone and internet are still spotty - I didn't have either over the weekend. We still can only shop at Walmart from 6 to 6 and they are now letting in 30-40 people at a time. McDonald's is only open for Drive Thru, and closes at 7. Many people still have piles of debris in front of their homes. The mail service is totally unreliable. I took some pictures of my city now a month after Katrina. It seems that she will be with us for at least a few more months. They are finally starting to let people into New Orleans. Many of them are getting there through our area, so our once quiet parish is now busting at the seams with people!!

The line in front of Walmart - notice several letters on the sign were blown off.

These trucks are everywhere.

McDonald's is only open from 7 to 7 - Drive thru only

L-O-O-O-O-N-G line for FEMA.

Our church sign blew out.

Shell station

I don't mean to complain. I know this could have been so much worse! It's just that my life and community have been changed forever!! I am so ready for life to return to normal -- like being able to go shopping! :)

Anyway, how was your weekend?

My Little Actress

2005-09-24T21:09:00.000-05:00

Baby Darth Vader?

My 2 year old daughter was playing with her big brother's Darth Vader costume. It was hilarious! It was like Star Wars meets the Umpa Lumpas!

We Made It!

2005-09-24T08:37:00.000-05:00

Good morning! Well, we made it through yet another hurricane in Southeast Louisiana.

Last night got pretty scary there for a while. We had a feeder band that stayed over us for a few hours and the winds were staying in the 40 - 50 mph range. The wind was LOUD and the rain was coming down sideways! I was so afraid of a tornado, but God is good and we are safe. This morning it is still quite windy but it isn't raining at the moment. I can't believe that the storm is in Texas right now and we are still getting winds gusting to 30mph! We did lose power at 5:30 AM but it came back on around 8. I'm sure the worst is over now. We haven't been out yet, but I'd bet there are plenty of tree branches down in yards.

Thanks so much to all of you for your prayers! Hopefully this will be the LAST time this year I have to devote my blog to writing about a hurricane!! :0)

It's coming...UPDATE

2005-09-23T14:00:00.000-05:00

2:00 UPDATE

Well, we are still here! :) We've had 3 tornado sirens go off so far today (I HATE THOSE!!). We've had some gusty winds, in the 35 - 45 mph range, and the sky looks UGLY, but overall we are making out okay. Remember the tree that was on my dad's house that we thought caused no breach of his roof? Well my mom called and said that they now have a large water spot on the ceiling in their bedroom. All the rain we're getting today is slowly dripping in through their roof into the attic right above their bedroom. Hopefully it will not come through the ceiling! There is also another breach in a canal in New Orleans dumping A LOT of water back into areas that flooded for Katrina. So sad...

Thanks so much to all of you for keeping us in your prayers - it means SO much! If we can just make it through the next 4 or so hours and get out of the tornado watch area I will be feeling better. More updates later!

8:30 AM

Okay, this is a scary sight!

Rita may be down in the Gulf of Mexico, but she sure is making her presence known this morning. We just had a little squall here, and in a little while a large band will be coming through. I'm not sure if this will work or not, but here is the radar loop for our area.

Still praying for a major weakness before landfall in TX/LA!!

A little nervous...

2005-09-22T16:40:00.000-05:00

I don't know guys...I'm starting to get a little uneasy over here. We are now under a Tropical Storm Warning, and our schools have closed for tomorrow. Wow - talk about dejavu. I know that our area will not receive a direct hit from Hurricane Rita, but some local forecastors are really leaning toward a LA landfall, possibly as far as central LA. (The hurricane warning extends east to Morgan City, LA. That is only about an hour and a half away from where Bayou Mama and I live.) We've started having rain bands come in and the wind has picked up a little. The highest wind gust so far was 31. Boy I sure hope this thing doesn't turn out to be a double whammy for LA!!

I Got Tagged!

2005-09-18T22:41:00.000-05:00

I just realized that I was tagged by The Martins before the hurricane hit, so I’m a little late responding!

Here goes my list:

7 things I plan to do before I die:
1. Watch my kids grow up and get married
2. Go to Hawaii with my husband
3. Bungie Jump (I know that’s crazy!)
4. Finally lose that baby weight
5. Watch my grandchildren grow up
6. Travel to Europe
7. Be financially stable and able to bless those who have blessed us

7 Things I Can Do:
1. sing
2. make jewelry
3. teach children to read
4. I am good with computers and programming
5. make a great monkey face
6. teach a rat to push a lever to get food (thanks to a really cool Psychology class in college)
7. speak some Spanish

7 things that I cannot do:
1. keep my flowers alive (I’m great with green plants, but flowers don’t live long for me!!)
2. fix cars or do anything mechanical
3. sew
4. draw
5. keep my laundry under control (girl, me too!!!)
6. drive a stick shift
7. be in tight spaces (I’m very claustrophobic!)

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. Eyes
2. Hair
3. Height (I’m tall, so I like my men tall) ;)
4. Kind
5. Someone who loves the Lord
6. Sense of Humor
7. Manliness (I don’t like girlie men) ;)

7 things I say most often:
1. No!
2. I love you!
3. Bless your heart…
4. First of all…
5. Good grief!
6. How much do you love me? (usually followed by my husband saying “What do you want me to do?)
7. Praise God!

7 celebrity crushes:
1. Ben Affleck
2. Brad Pitt
3. Ryan from Young and the Restless
4. John Michael Montgomery
5. Matt LeBlanc
6. Colby from Survivor
7. George Clooney

7 people I want to do this:
1. BayouMama
2. Free In Him
3. Debbie
4. Maryland Mommy
5. Gina
6. Kim
7. Anybody else who hasn’t been tagged yet…

Can’t wait to read your answers!!

Laptops Rule!!

2005-09-18T18:40:00.000-05:00

I bought a laptop about a week ago and I love it!! I bought an HP Pavilion zv6000 from a WALMART in a town about 30 minutes away (our Walmart is still only taking in a few customers at a time - there is A VERY LONG LINE outside almost all the time - and it's only open until 6pm). Who would have thought you could buy computers at the same store where you get diapers and cereal?!? That cracks me up! Anyway, Walmart had a great deal - you got the laptop, a bag for it, and a printer for $827!

We also bought a Wireless Router. This cool toy allows you to hook your laptop up to the internet without any wires! I can sit anywhere in my house and get on the internet!! The other night I was in bed blogging - it was wonderful!!! The router was about $60 at Best Buy. When I got on the internet before I had to have my back to my kids, but now I can sit in the living room on the couch next to them and not feel so isolated. This morning I actually set it on the counter in the bathroom while I was taking a shower and I was playing a Contemporary Christian music station (on Yahoo). I was worshiping in the shower all thanks to my new laptop and wireless router.
This is my new favorite toy!! Anybody else out there with a laptop?

Bitten by the Change Bug!

2005-09-17T20:30:00.000-05:00

Today I just couldn't stop making changes!!! It's so much fun once you actually realize HOW to change things. I will probably make a few more changes, but I think I pretty much have it done. After hours of looking at the template codes, it all started to look the same! :) It seems like the change bug is catching - BayouMama, The Martins, Maryland Mommy, and, Humor Girl all got bitten too!

New Look

2005-09-13T10:53:00.000-05:00

Bayou MaMa and I have been making some changes to our blogs. BIG thanks to The Martins for helping us figure out how to do a new banner!! I still want to change a few more things, like background colors/patterns for the boxes. Any suggestions?

Hurricane Update

2005-09-11T23:58:00.000-05:00

Today was our first Sunday back to church. It was so nice to actually do something "normal"! :) Our phones are still not working, but the internet is fine (aside from a couple of mini outages). We are still under curfew, but now it is 10 pm to 5 am instead of 8 to 6, and they are much more lenient about it now. There are still National Guard at the Wal-Mart (which is only open a few hours a day), but aside from that things are starting to settle down around here. Tomorrow I have a teacher's meeting at 10 to discuss getting back to school - students are supposed to start back on Wednesday. I kind of dread going back because we've actually been out of school longer than we were IN school (in school 10 days, out of school total of 11 school days by Wednesday) - the kids are going to be so confused! :) But, again, it will be nice to get back into a routine.

I went to my mom and dad's house yesterday (a couple of blocks away) to see the tree that fell on their roof for myself, and I couldn't believe my eyes!!! I can't belive that the massive tree that hit their house did not end up INSIDE the house! Here are a few pictures I took of the tree...

The tree actually bent in half and cracked down the middle!

This is the picture of the tree on Dad's roof after he had already cut back quite a few limbs!

Dad's house as seen from a ladder!

God is so good!!! Can you belive that there was no water in the house at all?

Praise God we are HOME!!!!

2005-09-08T15:28:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much to all of you for your prayers through this very difficult time!! We definitely needed them! So much has happened in the past week...

Update on our family: My house is fine. We have electricity and water. We are being instructed to limit showers/baths and toilet flushing until the wastewater situation is not critical anymore. We do not have electricity parish-wide yet, but most people seem to have it. Also, miraculously my parents did NOT sustain any water damage to their home. According to my brother-in-law the water was up to their door. A tree did fall on their roof, but it DID NOT penetrate the roof to cause water damage. PRAISE GOD!!! Here are a few pictures...

This is my home boarded up. Please excuse the weeds. {blush}

This is our fence that was damaged.

Our neighbor's tree that came within a foot of our house.

Debris from our yard. We were so blessed! Many homes had trees fall on them!

The view up my street. Most people have already cleaned up their yards. Imagine what it must have looked like before cleanup? My brother-in-law said that this part of my street was impassable!

The scariest thing about all of this is not being able to communicate. Our cell phones do not work at all. Our regular phones are unpredictable. We cannot dial long distance. Our parish is occupied by the National Guard right now, so it's kind of strange. We are under a 10:00 curfew until further notice. Wal-Mart is only allowing a few people in at a time and my dad was there earlier and said that there were National Guard inside walking around with M16's. I guess that's to prevent looting. That just freaks me out. There is also a pretty steady sound of helicopters overhead. We are a predominantly middle class suburb of New Orleans only about 30 minutes away across the Mississippi River. It blows me away to think that just right over the bridge there is so much devastation…

School is expected to start back up sometime next week. We are expecting an influx of kids from Metairie and New Orleans. I was thinking today that maybe that is a blessing. New Orleans schools are not known for being very good - low funding and large class size spells trouble. Our parish has one of the best school systems in the state. Maybe this disaster will actually turn into a partial blessing so that they can get a good education and be removed from schools where gangs were rampant. I guess I am just trying to find some good in all of this mess…

Did you all see the Oprah Winfrey special on New Orleans? One of our local channels (who was displaced to Baton Rouge due to the studio being destroyed) aired it yesterday. I cannot tell you how many times I cried. These are places we have been so many times…I still am in a state of shock.

BUT, through all of this I know that the hand of God is moving. My faith will not waiver. My hope is secure. I do not understand why all of this has happened, but I do know that my God is still faithful and can carry our area through this tragedy. Please continue to pray for our area, Mississippi, and even our President. There are some tough decisions to be made, and finger pointing is not the answer. I will update as often as I can. Again, thanks so much to all of you - we can feel your prayers! {lots of hugs}

Question of the Week

2005-09-03T09:23:00.000-05:00

Throughout all of the craziness this week, and as the day when we are able to return home draws nearer, I can't help but wonder how I will discuss the damage and destruction my children will see on our way back home to SE Louisiana. We have not allowed them to watch the news obviously, but there are going to be things that they see and hear either firsthand or from other kids at school. No doubt about it our lives will be different now - even down to the malls we go to and the restaurants we enjoy...I know I will discuss the goodness of God in protecting our family, but I'm sure there will be lots of questions.

Any ideas out there?

Hurricane Katrina Update

2005-08-30T13:26:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for all of your prayers for the people living in the New Orleans area. My family is safe in Tennessee. BayouMaMa and her family are also safe. She heard from a neighbor that a tree was down and she had possibly taken in some water on her porch area, but overall no major problems. FreeInHim evacuated safely, but may have flood damage to her home (she lives further east closer to where the eyewall passed). We are praying for the best for her home, but praising the Lord for her safety.

My brother-in-law is a police officer who had to stay in our parish through the storm. If you have been watching CNN you have seen devastating pictures of New Orleans and further west into Jefferson parish (cities of Metairie and Kenner). Our parish is directly to the west of that. Our parish is divided by the Mississippi River and we live on the Westbank side. On the other side of the river is where the bulk of the devastation is. From what we hear, the only damage to my house is a fence that blew over. My sister lives a couple of streets over and her house had some flooding in an addition in the back of her house. My parents' have a tree down on the roof over their bedroom (we don't know yet whether the roof was actually breached and water came inside from the top), and their home did flood due to rising water, although there is no estimate yet on how much flooding occured since there is still standing water on their street. The authorities are telling us not to come back yet because we have no electricity - estimates at this point are between 10 days and 6 weeks for when we will get power back. The most frightening part of the whole thing is that we have almost NO communication with people anywhere in the New Orleans area. Our cell phones are almost IMPOSSIBLE to dial from due to so many towers down.

Our parish did not sustain the kind of damage reported in New Orleans. We have some structural damage to buildings and homes, some flooding, and MANY, MANY trees down, but we were so fortunate. Had the hurricane continued on its course and not turned north our parish would have been destroyed. It is so difficult to watch CNN and see places just 30 minutes from our homes destroyed (the Superdome is only about 30-40 minutes from home). Malls that we frequent are under water...homes of friends are flooded...people are trapped...

When the tsunami happened several months ago it was so upsetting to see the footage on the television, but there was a sense of "that could never happen to me"...Now devastation has happened on our doorsteps and it leaves me almost speechless...

Thanks so much to all of our online friends for your love and prayers and support. We will try to keep all of you updated as often as possible as we hear the information.

Follow me...

2005-08-25T18:11:00.000-05:00

Wow, I am amazed at how many times my daughter has imitated me lately. Here in these pictures she has taken a red marker and put on "lipstick" like Mommy.

"Look at my lipstick, Mommy!"

"Now how do I blot again, Mommy?"

This reminds me of how much our little ones watch our every moves and hear every word!

Questions to ponder: Is my behavior something that I would WANT my child to imitate? If not, what things must I change?

Just a little food for thought.

And the winner is...

2005-08-22T16:42:00.000-05:00

The winner of this week's Caption Contest is...

Maryland Mommy - "No Mommy, I didn't touch the chocolate cake mix on the counter..... ."

Be sure to go to her site and congratulate her!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

2005-08-21T19:26:00.000-05:00

I was cleaning yesterday and my daughter got out her little vacuum cleaner and started "helping" me! (Notice the snack in her hand - I guess she learned that from me, too! lol)

Caption Contest

2005-08-19T13:21:00.000-05:00

Can you think of a funny caption to go with this picture? I will post the winner on Monday along with a congratulatory message and a link to your site. Good luck!!

Sick Day

2005-08-19T13:10:00.000-05:00

I'm home with the kids today. My oldest wasn't himself yesterday and the youngest followed suit last night. Instead of the two of them running around terrorizing each other :) they were only interested in lying down. In fact, after dinner my youngest son ASKED ME IF HE COULD GO TO BED!! Then I knew something was wrong! lol Anyway, after checking their throats I discovered white patches on their tonsils. I was worried it might me strep throat. This morning I called my principal to get a sub for my class and my youngest son threw up! I brought both boys in to see the doctor, and of course it's just a virus. Doesn't it seem like everything is "just a virus"? :0) I picked up little bit at preschool and now all 4 of us are home. The boys are now doing fine (of course) after Tylenol and some TLC. Little bit is playing and I've been on the computer. It's actually turning out to be a pretty relaxing afternoon believe it or not!! I hope my sub is having a good day too...

Family Emergencies

2005-08-16T23:05:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody! I will hopefully be back up and running again in a few days. On Sunday night my husband's grandmother died. Yesterday my grandmother had a stroke. Yesterday was also my first day back to school. So needless to say this has been a crazy few days. Please keep my family in your prayers, and I will post again soon.
Thanks!

And the winner is...

2005-08-13T17:14:00.000-05:00

The winner of this week's Caption Contest is...

Gina Burgess - "I told him not to eat that lemon."

Be sure to go to her site and congratulate her!

Caption Contest

2005-08-11T18:33:00.000-05:00

Since everyone seemed to like this last week, the caption contest is back! :)

Think of a funny caption to go with this picture. On Saturday the winner will be announced. I will include a link to your blog with a congratulatory message. Good luck!!

Mommy Question of the Week

2005-08-10T00:15:00.000-05:00

What is the best way to correct a child that consistently does not clean his/her room ?

And the winner is...

2005-08-08T19:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, this was harder than I thought!! All of the entries were awesome and made me crack up, so I went with the one that went best with Riley's facial expression.

And the winner is...

themartins
Come on you know you want to trade your sucker with me sweetheart. ;o)

Look for a new contest later this week! Thanks for playing! Make sure to check out the website of this week's winner!

Caption Contest

2005-08-06T20:36:00.000-05:00

Can you think of a funny caption to go with this picture? On Monday morning I will announce the winning caption, and I will put a link back to your site with a congratulatory message. Good luck!

Mommy Question of the Week

2005-08-04T22:14:00.000-05:00

What do you think is the best way to approach the death of a loved one with young children?

We're Back

2005-08-04T22:09:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to say thanks so much to all of my online friends. Your prayers for our family were so greatly appreciated! We are back home now and we're trying to get everything back to normal. I missed my kids so much - I hadn't seen them since Sunday evening!! When my in-laws dropped them off tonight they had so much to tell me -- it was hilarious -- there were times when they were all talking at once! They are such cuties! :)

Thanks again for all of your encouraging words!

Update on my family

2005-07-31T17:07:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much to all of you for keeping my family in your prayers during this difficult time. This afternoon around 3:00 my grandfather passed away. Although it is very hard on my family right now, I know that he is in a better place. Please pray that we will have a safe journey tomorrow (they live in Tennessee), and pray for peace for my grandmother.

Thanks again to all of my "online friends". You guys are the best!

Fun Photos

2005-07-29T20:46:00.000-05:00

Maryland Mommy challenged everyone to post favorite pictures of our kids, so here are a few of mine.

First my favorite recent photos...

Mommy's pretty girl!

Aren't they cute buddies?

Now a few blasts from the past...

When my oldest was only one and a half. Doesn't he look like a little man?

When my 6 year old was about 2 - he just ate some chocolate pudding!

Isn't she adorable?

Ahhh, the memories. I love being a mommy!!

Prayer Need

2005-07-29T10:08:00.000-05:00

*****************UPDATE - SATURDAY 9:00 AM ****************
I just talked to my parents who are on the way to see my grandfather right now. The doctor told my granmother this morning that it would only be another day or so. He hasn't had anything to eat or drink in 3 days because he is unconscious most of the time. He is just too weak to wake up. My husband and I will be leaving when we get the call. Thanks so much for your kind words and prayers!

*****************ORIGINAL POST - FRIDAY********************

This is a picture of my family - my husband and kids, my grandparents, my sister and her husband (holding the baby), and my dad a few weeks ago when we all visited the hospice. My Papa was stable so we brought our whole family up to visit him.

Several weeks ago I posted about my grandfather who has end stage lymphoma. We received a phone call last night that he was probably not going to make it another 24 hours. He has suffered with this disease for 7 years and has told us that he is now ready to go "home". He knows the Lord - actually when I did my 100 List last night #100 said that I admired his faith (I wrote that before I got the phone call). He and my grandmother are such strong Christians. My prayer request is that my grandfather passes on without any pain (he is developing pneumonia and his body is too weak to handle all of his coughing), and for my family to have a peace in knowing that he will be in a place where he will not suffer any longer. I'm sorry this post is so depressing, but I love all you guys and know that you are prayer warriors. Not everyone in my extended family is living for the Lord and I pray that somehow through this the life of my grandfather will touch them and turn them back on the right path. Does that make sense? My family will probably be traveling either today or tomorrow (depending on when we get the call), so could you also pray for a safe journey? I will be leaving my 3 kids with my husband's parents because we feel they are too young for all of this. Thanks so much for your prayers!

My 100 List

2005-07-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

I really enjoyed reading everyone's 100 List, so I finally decided to one of my own. Here goes...

My 100 List

Calling All Moms of ADHD Kids...

2005-07-27T16:18:00.000-05:00

My husband and I are struggling right now with our 6 year old son. He has shown signs of ADHD since he was 2 years old. Being a first grade teacher, I've worked with several kids who have this disorder and am very familiar with it. I have put off getting him evaluated for a very long time...I guess because it's hard to admit your child has a problem. He is such a precious child, and very loving. But he has a terrible problem with not being able to attend to important details, not being able to follow through on directions, not being able to sit still ANYWHERE, etc., etc., etc. We finally saw his doctor last week and she gave us some paperwork to fill out. I guess the point of this post is to ask if there are other parents like us out there. If the testing comes back positive that he does in fact have ADHD (and I'm quite confident it will), what next? I'm not sure how I feel about medication, though I have seen several students respond fairly well to it. We are going back to the doctor next week, this time with my son, to get the results and talk about what the next step will be. My son doesn't even know what's going on yet. His doctor suggested that we sit him down and talk to him about it this week. I don't even know what we're going to say yet... Any advice out there? What works - what doesn't work? Thanks so much for your help!

Mommy Dilemma of the Week

2005-07-26T09:44:00.000-05:00

As the end of the summer approaches, how are you getting your child(ren) ready for the back-to-school routine?

Happy 2nd Birthday!!

2005-07-23T10:35:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Mommy's sweet baby girl!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

2005-07-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Happy 6th birthday to my sweet boy!!!

Mommy Dilemma of the Week

2005-07-18T11:57:00.000-05:00

What should you do about siblings that cannot seem to get along?

Just For Fun Quiz

2005-07-14T20:53:00.000-05:00

Parents: if you'd like to participate please answer the following questions. (It gives us a chance to share our stories.) :)

1. How many kids do you have? # boys/# girls & ages
2. How long was(were) your labor(s)?
3. Something you wish you knew then that you know now?
4. Best piece of advice for a new parent?

I look forward to reading your answers! :)

Just like Mommy...

2005-07-12T21:23:00.000-05:00

My daughter loves to come in the bathroom while I am putting on my makeup. I was putting on my mascara and she took the bottom part and put it up to her eye. She said "Look Mommy - eye!" Just a precious reminder of how our children watch everything we do!

Still Late....

2005-07-12T11:07:00.000-05:00

For those of you who read the post "LA Mommy of...4?!?", I am still "waiting". I called my doctor's office yesterday and spoke to a nurse who wants me to come in today for bloodwork (FUN STUFF!) to see what's up. Anybody have any experience in this? What do you think they are testing for? She said if the bloodwork comes out okay they will give me a medication to make "it" come down. I am over a month late and I took 3 pregnancy tests (about a week apart each time) and all were negative!

Mommy Dilemma of the Week

2005-07-11T15:03:00.000-05:00

Week #4:

When should you begin potty training? What helpful tips can you share?

What Ever Happened to Atari?

2005-07-09T12:49:00.000-05:00

I'm feeling old today, folks.

I used to think I was computer savvy - ahead of the game in my knowledge of computers, but that time is slowly fading away... :)

I have been trying to add new features to my blog, like adding myself to the site Blog Explosion - but the whole credits/traffic thing totally confused me. I spent about 30 minutes chatting with Blog Explosion users who were between the ages of 19 and 23 trying to figure out what it was all about. I don't know what has happened to me...my five year old can now beat me at Nintendo GameCube games. My 7 year old spouts off websites left and right and I am left looking at the two of them going "Huh?".

It amazes me how quickly children these days have picked up on computers and the Internet. When I was their age the coolest thing in the world was the pong game you could hook up to your TV. And then came Atari - now that was awesome!

Any other moms (or dads) experiencing this right now?

By the way, this might be fun -- what was your favorite Atari game? Mine was Haunted House.

Things My Mother Taught Me

2005-07-08T12:52:00.000-05:00

Found this cute list on AHAJOKES.COM

My Mother taught me LOGIC..."If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can't go to the store with me."

My Mother taught me MEDICINE..."If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they're going to freeze that way."

My Mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD..."If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job!"

My Mother taught me ESP..."Put your sweater on; don't you think that I know when you're cold?"

My Mother taught me TO MEET A CHALLENGE..."What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you...Don't talk back to me!"

My Mother taught me HUMOR..."When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT..."If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.

My mother taught me about GENETICS..."You are just like your father!"

My mother taught me about my ROOTS..."Do you think you were born in a barn?"

My mother taught me about the WISDOM of AGE..."When you get to be my age, you will understand."

My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION..."Just wait until your father gets home."

My mother taught me about RECEIVING...You are going to get it when we get home.

and my all time favorite thing - JUSTICE..."One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like YOU..then you'll see what it's like."

LA Mommy of...4?!?

2005-07-06T13:55:00.000-05:00

I'm sure many of us have been there before. You're "late" and you resign yourself to go buy a test...man those 2 minutes seem like a lifetime. Today we had one of those scares. I won't keep you guessing - according to the folks at EPT, I am NOT PREGNANT.

However, I am a little perplexed. I am probably a month late by now and I've taken 2 tests a week apart and both were negative. As much as I ADORE my children, the thought of having 4 made me think about checking myself into a psychiatric clinic or something. :) What's funny is that one of my first thoughts was "I'm too old!" I'm only 31 but my body feels a lot different now than when I had my first son at 23. I'm aching and popping and cracking in places I didn't even know I had before! :)

When my husband and I found out I was pregnant for our third child (our daughter) we were SHOCKED. We thought we were finished having children and really had no plans to have any more. (I have to interject here that I am SO HAPPY that I have my daughter and I can't imagine my life without her. It's amazing the way God knows EXACTLY what we need even when we don't know!) My husband's reaction was not exactly that of joy - we were in the process of building a new house and finally getting on our feet financially. Anyway, I was really upset last time at how he was not as supportive as I would have liked in those first months of my pregnancy. Don't get me wrong, he was very sweet, but I could tell that all he kept thinking was "How are we going to afford this?!?!" But today was different. I was waiting for the "test results" and he came in holding our daughter and looked at me and said that last time he was upset and God gave him Gabrielle (she is very much DADDY's GIRL already), so this time he was going to be okay no matter what happened. That meant a lot to me.

Well, hopefully that will be our last scare...ever! :) But, if God decides to surprise us with another "bundle of joy" at least I know that I have a WONDERFUL, supportive husband to see me through.

Mommy Dilemma of the Week

2005-07-05T09:11:00.000-05:00

Question #3:

Should a child have a TV in his or her bedroom?

My 100 List

2005-07-01T16:10:00.000-05:00

1. My first name is Heather.
2. I have always lived in Louisiana.
3. My husband's name is Eric.
4. We have been married for 9 years.
5. We are both born-again Christians.
6. We have 3 children (2 boys - 7 and 6, and 1 girl - 2)
7. I am a first grade teacher at a private Christian school.
8. We built a house 2 years ago and we love it.
9. We rented 3 apartments before we moved into our house.
10. I have a bachelor's degree in Child Psychology.
11. I love the color blue.
12. I have blue eyes.
13. I hate my hair.
14. I never battled with my weight until I had children. Right now I still look pregnant! I struggle with being overweight - and sometimes get very depressed over it.
15. This will be my 6th year teaching.
16. My husband and I have never been in a fight (we have disagreed but never screamed at each other).
17. I have never been drunk.
18. I have never done drugs of any kind.
19. My sister is my best friend (other than my DH).
20. I love my parents and have a great relationship with them.
21. I have never traveled outside the U.S.
22. I hate being outside when it is hot (I'm definitely an indoor girl).
23. I love tulips.
24. I love to watch reality shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and American Idol.
25. I sing in my church choir and sometimes help direct.
26. My sister and I sang backup vocals on a CD done by a local Christian artist.
27. I was on the Dance Team in high school.
28. When I was 14, I performed a solo dance routine in Ceasar's Palace at a dance competition.
29. I performed in the opening act of the Cotton Bowl parade in high school.
30. On my honeymoon I went to Disney World for one week and on a cruise to the Bahamas for the second week.
31. Disney World is my absolute favorite vacation.
32. We are planning to go again next Mardi Gras.
33. Last month we got a new Nissan Quest.
34. I love to eat seafood.
35. My favorite restaurant is Red Lobster.
36. I love to order the fondue for an appetizer.
37. I also love their crab legs.
38. I met my husband at his best friend's house.
39. I used to date his best friend.
40. My best friend was his best friend's sister.
41. They both stood in our wedding.
42. I am 3 years older than my husband.
43. I love to play volleyball and tennis.
44. I haven't played tennis in many years.
45. I used to be captain of my gymnastics team.
46. I used to be able to do a no-handed cartwheel (an arial), a back handspring, and a back walkover.
47. Thinking about doing any of that now makes my back ache! :)
48. I love chocolate.
49. God's greatest gift was the combination of chocolate and peanut butter.
50. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Reeses cups - the best is the Reeses eggs available at Easter time.
51. I love holidays - especially Christmas.
52. For Christmas I put out a little village - each year we add another building or two to our collection.
53. I am very organized - sometimes my husband calls me obsessive-compulsive.
54. I love my job.
55. I love being a mommy.
56. My favorite drink is Coca Cola.
57. I don't drink Coke at home because of all of the calories, so I drink Diet Dr. Pepper. I drink Coke when I go out to eat!!
58. I don't like nuts of any kind.
59. I absolutely hate coconut.
60. I am not always punctual - I am often running late (I hate that - its' a bad habit)!!
62. I was raised Southern Baptist.
63. I started attending an Assembly of God church after high school and joined it a year later.
64. I won Christian School Teacher of the Year for the state of LA last year.
65. I don't always read the Bible as much as I should.
66. I want an even closer relationship to the Lord than I have now.
67. I like figuring out Math problems.
68. I did not like Math in high school.
69. I also enjoy brain teasers.
70. I am not good with directions - I get lost sometimes. I need to SEE the map, not just read the directions - and that's kinda hard when you are driving.
71. I am good at being "co-pilot" - reading the map and telling my husband which way to turn on a trip. He calls me MAP GIRL.
72. My mother called me Heater Hose growing up.
73. I always hated that nickname - it made no sense!
74. I am 5'10" tall - only one inch shorter than my husband.
75. I never wear true heels because I am so tall - I wear flats or pumps.
76. I make a really funny monkey face that always seemed to amuse my friends at parties. ;)
77. I am claustrophobic.
78. I am extremely scared of roaches.
79. And spiders.
80. And wasps.
81. When I say scared I mean SCARED - I once almost jumped in a student's lap because I thought a spider was on me.
82. I love to laugh.
83. I love the way I feel when my house is in order.
84. I enjoy reading.
85. I have read all 13 of the Left Behind series books.
86. I also love to read books by Nicholas Sparks.
87. I want to read A Purpose Driven Life.
88. I have trouble saying no to people.
89. I am a lot like Monica on Friends.
90. I have been told I am competitive.
91. I love to play board games.
92. I like to watch romantic comedies - While You Were Sleeping is one of my favorites.
93. I also enjoy disaster movies - Titanic, Independence Day, I, Robot, and Armaggedon are among my favorites.
94. I do not curse.
95. I hate movies where the characters curse.
96. I think a lot.
97. I get flustered/stressed out easily, but people tell me I don't show it.
98. My husband sees it - he knows me better than anyone.
99. I still have all 4 of my grandparents living.
100. I admire the faith of my paternal grandparents.

Swimming Lessons

2005-06-30T15:58:00.000-05:00

My boys started swimming lessons on Monday morning. I am amazed at how much they have already learned in 4 lessons. I think the hardest thing for most kids is getting over their fear of the water - especially going under the water. The hardest thing for me is knowing when to push my children to do something they are afraid of and when to back off and let it go. At the end of each lesson all of the kids alternate between jumping off of the diving board and sliding down a slide into the water (instructors catch the kids in the water). My kids have been great at dunking their faces into the water and diving down into the water (4 feet) to get diving rings, but the diving board (10 ft.) and the slide (5 ft.) scare them to death. Yesterday was diving board day and my 5 yr old would not do it, but the 7 yr old was brave enough to walk out onto the board and look down into the water. There he froze and looked at me and shook his head. I told one of the instuctors to not let him get off of the board and she counted to 3 and dropped him into the pool. He did great and wasn't really upset or anything after it was over.

So today when it was slide day I thought he would do fine, but he would not go. The instructors can't exactly force him to walk up the steps or anything. I tried talking to him, but he wasn't budging. I decided to just let it go. It's hard to know what to do in these situations. I don't want them to not try new things just because they are afraid, but I also want them to know that I won't look down on them because of their fear.

I want them to know that it is okay to be scared, but not okay to just give up without trying. Balancing those two is not always easy, is it?

Mommy Dilemma of the Week

2005-06-27T15:36:00.000-05:00

Okay mommies...here is the new dilemma of the week:

Week #2

What is the best way to handle a toddler who does not want to stay in bed?

Sibling Rivalry

2005-06-23T16:08:00.000-05:00

I remember what it was like when I was 13 and my little sister was 9 and all she wanted to do was follow me around - especially at my slumber parties. I also remember the time she slapped herself on the arm until it was red and then blamed it on me. There was also the time that I tortured her and made her believe her Cricket doll was like Chucky and it was going to come to life. Ahh, the memories...

Having siblings can be wonderful, but they can also be the source of a great deal of conflict in the home. My sister and I alternated between loving each other one minute and fighting like cats and dogs the next. Knowing that, you would think that it wouldn't surprise me that my two sons do the same thing.

My husband and I have a 4 bedroom home - which seemed huge when we started building it because we only had 2 kids. Halfway through building I got pregnant, and to make a long story short, the office became a nursery. We decided to put our sons (who are 19 months apart - 7 and almost 6 right now) in the same bedroom and use the other bedroom as a playroom. That seemed like such a great idea and it worked for almost 2 years. Now that my oldest son has a little brother and a little sister who seem to want to follow HIM everywhere, I figured that he would appreciate a space of his own. Last week I decided to split up the boys and turn the playroom into a bedroom. Boy that playroom was a mess. It took several days to get both rooms completely split and ready, but now its all done and the boys both seem really happy. I've actually noticed that they've been fighting a little bit less. It's nice having some peace and quiet around here... :)

Even though having a playroom was very convenient, each child having his or her own room is even better. Having all of us together in the family room is very special and we do it all the time, but having a big family means little alone time. Now that the boys have their own rooms, they can have that.

My sister and I are the very best of friends now, and I pray that my children will have that one day too. Until then I'll just have to play referee.

Mommy Dilemma of the Week

2005-06-20T08:57:00.000-05:00

Each Monday I will post a new "mommy" dilemma. Please post a solution (whether you are a parent or not). It will be interesting to see the approaches different families take. Hopefully this will give parents new ideas!

Question #1:
What do you do with a child who is a picky eater and refuses to eat vegetables?

Answers

2005-06-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

Isn't it funny the way one day you struggle so much with making a decision and the next day everything seems so clear?

Yesterday the answer to my dilemma came in the strangest way. I decided that my children come first and I will continue to work at the private Christian school that has been so good to me for the past 5 years. I may not be thrilled about teaching first graders again, but I just trust that God knows what He is doing!

Besides, I would miss getting to see my (almost 2-year old) daughter being pulled in the little wagon around the school campus during the day. I would also miss seeing all of the little music and awards programs that my sons participate in.

Being a mommy means sometimes sacrificing "stuff" in order to just be there.

Being a public school teacher: $33,000 a year.

Being with my kids: priceless.

Tough Decisions

2005-06-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

As parents there are times when we are faced with decisions that seem impossible to make. Yesterday I was faced with one of those decisions.

I have been a teacher at a small private Christian school for 5 years. Yesterday I was notified that the school was having to downsize the upper grades and I would have to move from teaching 6th - 8th grade history to teaching 1st grade. It is fair to mention here that my first 4 years at this school I taught 1st grade waiting to move up to a more desirable position. Last year was wonderful. I was finally teaching the group of kids that I wanted, teaching the subject that I wanted...it was all too perfect. The best part of this job is that all 3 of my children attend there (we have a daycare facility also). On the down side, the annual salary is very low and we receive no benefits.

On the other hand...

The public schools in our area pay very well and have excellent benefits. My children are young and would not attend the schools I would want to work at. And, of course they do not have a daycare on site...

So why does it feel like it is a question of money vs. my kids? I don't ever want money to be the factor that determines my choices. But not having to struggle to pay my bills every month and having retirement benefits, etc. seems like it also would be helping my family. The school bus could drop off my school-age boys at my new school so that I wouldn't miss out on any time with them. My daughter goes to daycare so I would just have to pick her up after work like I do now anyway. I would definitely miss being right there with them (even though I rarely got to see them during the day), because somehow knowing I was there with them felt great.

Over the next few days and weeks I will be weighing all of this and trying to make the best decision for my family. I just pray that God will make His plan easy to see...

Dealing with Death in the Family

2005-06-11T23:54:00.000-05:00

This week I have been in Tennessee in a hospital watching my grandfather in the final stages of cancer. The past several months have been a roller coaster as he would come upon the brink of death time after time and then miraculously bounce back. Early this week the doctor said he only had a matter of days left, so the family all came in to be with him during these final hours. Half of the days we have been here (I am sitting in my hotel room now) he has been amazingly lucid - even making jokes, while the other days he has been completely weak and slept all day. This week has been very emotional. As we get close to the end, my husband and I had to make a decision regarding whether or not we would allow our children to be with him in these last days. We decided it would be best for the kids to stay at home with family members instead. We felt that our children were not quite ready to see me or my parents in that kind of emotional state- not to mention the fact that we are spending most of each day in a hospital where they would be bored and possibly inappropriately loud. This is a decision we did not take lightly, nor do we feel that there is a single right or wrong answer. Each parent needs to take into account their children and what they are ready and able to handle. In our case, we felt like our children had seen their Papa recently enough and we would rather them remember him while he was able to get around and play with them instead of in a hospital bed with tubes connected to him.

When all of this is over I will speak to my kids and discuss what happened - on a level that they can understand. Whether or not children attend funeral services, or visit dying relatives is not really the key - it is communication with them after it is all over with that is important. Even young children have many questions about death, pain, sickness, and heaven. Make sure to patiently answer all questions as honestly as possible. And remember, just because a child does not come out and ask does not mean they are not struggling with a concept. You may have to probe a little.

There is no easy answer on how to help your small children cope during a family crisis like a death in the family, but the best way to start is to sit them in your lap and just listen.

Be Flexible

2005-06-06T18:51:00.000-05:00

We had the whole day all planned out. We were doing so well. And then it rained. And it rained. And it rained...

This afternoon I was planning to take the kids to the library to see a juggler, but a terrible thunderstorm began this morning and lasted through early afternoon. Our plans had to change. Being the somewhat obsessive-compulsive (OC) person that I am, this could have thrown off our entire day.

Even though planning is a terrific thing (and I highly recommend working out daily schedules together), as mommies we have to be careful not to be inflexible. Sometimes the weather ruins our plans, and other times you find yourself having way too much fun doing one activity to move on to something else just because the time is "up". Organize your time together when it is appropriate, but be flexible enough to recognize times when it is better just to play it by ear. Some of the best times I've had with my kids are activities that we just came up with on the spur of the moment - some silly made-up game, an unplanned popcorn and movie time, or just a great big tickle war.

So come on you fellow OC parents. Throw out the schedule tonight and go have fun!!!

Avoiding Summer Overload

2005-06-05T15:38:00.000-05:00

I sat down today to map out the summer schedule for our family and WOAH there is only like one week that we aren't doing something. Between swimming lessons, vacation Bible school, the summer reading program at the library, 2 of my kids' birthdays, as well as 2 separate week-long trips (one to see family and one for fun), we are really going to be on the go!!

As mommies we are anxious to enroll our children in camps and lessons galore during the summer, as if the number of activities our children participate in is a reflection of our parenting skills. As you work out your schedule this summer, don't forget to set aside time to just BE with your kids. One of the best parts of summertime is having more time to spend with the kids - don't feel the need to fill up every moment of that time. Take time each day this summer to enjoy them.

Remember that being a mommy is the best job we can have!!

Great Way to Encourage Kids to Read

2005-06-04T20:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday a great thing happened. My kids and I write a schedule every morning now that the summer is here to help them plan out what they want to do for the day. Included are meals, snack times, tv time, video game time, reading time, outside play time, playroom time, clean up time, etc. This way the days aren't wasted with TV and video games. When reading time was up yesterday and it was finally TV/Video time, my oldest son decided to keep on reading!! And it is all thanks to a wonderful website called www.bookadventure.org.

It works similar to the school program called Accelerated Reader. Children read books and take a quiz testing their comprehension. Even my Kindergartener did the quizzes - and scored a 100 every time! They earn so many points depending on the difficulty of the book chosen and their score on the quiz. A few companies have even donated some prizes (small things, mind you) for children once they reach so many points. A great feature for parents is that you can monitor their progress and make your own certificates for them to access once they reach a certain score. I HIGHLY recommend this site as a mom and a teacher.

You can search for books on your child's reading level, say first grade, and then print out a list to take to the library (or to your own child's bedroom library). I took out about one shelf of books from my kids' bookcase and several of their books were on the site. Kids love it because they earn the points, and parents & teachers love it because it gets kids reading for comprehension!

Check it out and tell me what you think!