From Lynne's Table

Highlight of the day--Firehouse Grill in Ennis, Texas

2012-01-18T09:16:00.000-08:00

If you are ever in the town of Ennis, Texas, head downtown. There are some interesting places there. Over the next couple of days, I am going to highlight two or three of the places we have gone to.
If you go downtown and turn right just before crossing the railroad tracks and head over a couple of blocks, you will find an old firehouse that is now a restaurant properly named, Firehouse Grill. To look at it from the outside, you might assume it's a burger place but you would be so wrong. This is a real sit down restaurant with a laid back, easy going feel to it. The waitresses are friendly and willing to let you know what their favorites are if you ask. There are fire house mementos everywhere from old to new. History teems all around you.
My family (all boys) decided that they would try the chicken fried steak. It was huge. It covered the whole plate. Not only that but it comes with two or three sides (all tasted homemade) and rolls. For once, my boys took home about half of their meal because they couldn't eat it all. That is saying a lot! I ordered the bread pudding and one of the boys ordered the chocolate pie. Both were amazing!
This restaurant is locally owned and operated. I have the privilege of going to church with the owner's brother and his family. (I didn't know that til later). If you are looking for good food that fills you up then this is definitely the place to go.

Highlight of the Day--Horny Toad Bar and Grill, Cranfills Gap, Texas

2012-01-17T06:42:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't blogged in several days but I was out of town and then life caught up with me and well, I just enjoyed my family for a bit without the computer in my hands constantly.
Today's highlight is a place I have mentioned before but I felt like it was worth mentioning again. If you like to travel the back roads and just want to explore Texas then make sure you head out State Highway 22. Cranfills Gap is located 42 miles northwest of Waco and in this sleepy little town, there is a fantastic place to eat. It is called the Horny Toad Bar and Grill. Our family first heard about it in "Ride Texas" Magazine. So we loaded up the car and headed out.
We were pleasantly surprised. This little place has tons of charm and great food. We have been there several times now and every time we are not disappointed. I highly recommend the burgers and onion rings. They have an extensive menu and I have liked every thing I have eaten. On the weekends they have live music and it is a packed house. Although it is (for all practical purposes) a bar, it is still a great place to eat. We have gone during the day and it is more family-oriented during that time. The road to getting there is just as much a part of the journey as the eating. The beautiful winding roads make this a great outing. It is truly a place to "get away" from the hustle and bustle of life.

Highlight of the Day--HEB, Waxahachie, Texas

2012-01-14T06:09:00.000-08:00

I haven't been home lately so I haven't been able to post my highlight of the day. But I am back again and in full swing.
I told you previously that I a self-proclaimed foodie. I really love to bake and when you love to bake, you need to find stores that you really like for the things you use in baking.
Strange as it seems. I love HEB. This is a grocery store chain that I have know about all my life. It originated in Corpus Christi, Texas (where I grew up). I remember driving down Ocean Drive and my parents and grandparents pointing out Mr. Howard E. Butt's house. I am a third generation in my family to shop there.
The Waxahachie HEB is wonderful. They always seem to have really good meal deals and there is always someone around to help you. You don't have to wonder if anyone actually works there. I kind of wonder if they "station" someone on each aisle so that they can help people. Also, if you are in one department and you are looking for something clear across the store, they not only know where to look but will walk you to it. Personalized service and all done with a pleasant attitude. I remember being in this store one day and a lady screaming at the employee. Because they recommended a particular brand. The employee never got rude, they stayed calm, and eventually the lady calmed down and asked for help from this same person. I would have been fired for telling her off. This employee was great.
But that is how it always is there. When I check out the employees smile and visit with me and it is just uplifting. I can have a horrible day but they seem to know the right thing to make me smile or just wish me an encouragement.
I called the other day to let them know that the checker was friendly and they seemed amazed. They shouldn't. Their employees are worth their weight in gold.
So if you want a great place to shop for groceries and get some personalized service, go to the Waxahachie HEB. Best grocery store around.

Highlight of the Day--Mo's Cafe, Maypearl, Texas

2012-01-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

Even though Maypearl is a small town, there are several places to eat. Today's highlight is on Mo's Cafe. This is an interesting place. It is tucked away next to the Exxon Station at the corner of FM 157 and FM 66 in Maypearl, Texas. When you walk in, it is a cozy, country atmosphere complete with a fireplace and slate floors. Many of the locals gather there for breakfast, lunch, and supper and any time in between.
I have tried their breakfast menu and the omelets are wonderful. They will fill you up. Not only that but with the omelet you get biscuits and gravy. Now that is a Texas breakfast.
Their main meal menu has a wide assortment of items on it. I have slowly been working my way through their menu. The portions are good sized and very filling. I think my favorite item at this point is the their Monte Cristo Sandwich with the Raspberry Chipotle sauce. Incredible is the only word I can say for that combo. I have heard several people say that the fish and shrimp there are good and the fajitas are well worth it.
The staff there is friendly and treats you like they have known you forever. There is a laid back feel to the place that comes with the small town.
One thing I do know is that Mo's is the only place in town that will deliver meals to the teachers at the local school whenever they need them.
So if you are ever traveling through Maypearl, Texas and looking for a good homecooked meal where you can take a load off for a bit. Stop into Mo's!

Highlight of the Day--Lone Star Pizza

2012-01-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

Today's highlight feature is Lone Star Pizza. This small, family owned pizza place is located in the town of Maypearl, Texas. Maypearl is off the main highways. It is located halfway between Grandview and Waxahachie, Texas on FM 66. If you are a biker then you are quite familiar with this town.
Lone Star Pizza is owned by Kaaren and David Lynch. They put their heart and soul into this place. It is not a large place. It is set in an older building but it has charm and character. The pizza is made fresh and doesn't sit under lamps waiting to be eaten. This is one of the few pizza places that still deliver (even on Christmas Eve!)to anywhere in the area. The owners have even been known to deliver the pizza themselves. It arrives hot every time.
They have a large selection of pizza types and toppings. They have two types of crust. Hand tossed and cracker thin. They do have a stuffed crust for those who like that style. The sandwiches are excellent. If you order a side salad, you get a salad with more than just lettuce and dressing. It is definitely a salad with lots veggies, croutons, and the such.
My personal favorite pizza is what I call the supreme. They do have one called the Mayor's special which has every topping they have on it. It comes in one size--extra large. It is huge. With 3 boys in my house, they can eat pizza. 2 pizzas from this place fills the whole family up.
If you are ever in the Maypearl area and are craving pizza then stop by and soak some local atmosphere and chat with those around you. It is well worth the drive.

Highlight for the Day

2012-01-09T06:20:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about this a lot and have decided that every day I want to highlight some restaurant, book, movie, etc. that I have found interesting enough to share. Today is the first day so........
Today's Highlight is R&K Cafe. This is a small family owned cafe tucked away in the town of Grandview, Texas. Now oddly, enough in Texas, there are 2 Grandviews. This particular one is located about 45 minutes south of Ft. Worth, Texas off of IH-35.
At the R&K you get service with a smile and an atmosphere of family. Everyone knows everyone and if they don't then by the time you leave, you will have developed some new friendships along with a full stomach.
The menu is fairly simple but well worth it. Every day there is a list of specials and sides. Most meals come with 3 sides. The meals are prepared by wonderful cooks who have been doing this job for a while. The portions are Texas-sized all the way around. If you are looking for a smaller portion then you might want to order the Kids portion.
For dessert, they have some amazing pies. Everyday, the pies are made fresh and when they are gone, they are gone. You might want to order dessert before you have your meal.
R&K also does a mean breakfast. It is made to order and very filling. IHOP has nothing on the breakfast here. Crispy bacon, fluffy biscuits and pancakes, sausage and eggs. The Omelets are amazing!
I personally recommend the Western Omelet for breakfast and my all time favorite meal at lunch or supper is the Chicken Fried Chicken. I have tried the catfish (served as all you can eat on Fridays), the Chicken Fried Steak, and the Grilled Chicken. They are all wonderful. So far, there hasn't been a thing I haven't liked.
So if you are ever driving through North Central Texas between the hours of 6:00am-9:00pm and feel the hankerin' for a good, fill ya up meal then stop by the R&K in Grandview. You won't be disappointed.

Showers

2012-01-09T04:42:00.000-08:00

Well, for once I am up before 7:00am. I love to sleep and normally, I sleep til then.today though I woke up enough to hear the rain falling outside my window. It is a soothing sound most of the time. Unfortunately my first thought was "Great. How the heck are we gonna move the winter guard floor in the rain?" I stopped and realized that instead of enjoying the blessing of rain (which if you live in Texas, then you consider it a blessing), I was already groosing about it.
Once I realized that, I stopped and listened again. I closed my eyes. I focused on the rain. Then I heard the soothing sounds that I love when it rains. It was refreshing. It was like all the worries of the day were being washed away and the day was getting a shower of blessings.
There are times when I am too quick to jump right into the yuck instead of focusing on the beauty. I am working on trying to see the beauty before the yuck. It makes for a much more pleasant day, event, etc.

My boys and thoughts

2012-01-08T20:23:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I have actually written in my blog. I felt the need to tonight. I was thinking about my boys. You see the youngest one is constantly letting me know how much and how fast he wants to grow up. It appears that I am stifling his formative years because I don't do things on his timeline. He is still young and has a couple more years before he leaves the nest. The middle one is getting ready to face driving, college, and being independent and well, I admit it. I am not ready for this phase of his life. I am trying really hard but while he sees it as an adventure, I see it as another baby leaving. The oldest is the one that my heart is truly breaking for. He is facing the cold harsh world. I have and am still doing this. It isn't pretty. He is looking at it through the eyes of needing a job, debt to be paid off, etc. If it were up to me.... Unfortunately it isn't. He has to make decisions for himself because no matter what, this is his life and he has to live it. All three of them do. They are past the point of running to me to fix their problems. Now when they come to me, it is to let me know about the problem that they are working on themselves. Do I agree with their way of fixing it? No. Will I ever agree? Probably not. But then again I am the momma.
When my oldest son started dating, he would introduce us to the girls. He would later come to me and ask what I thought. Most of the time, I would tell him "Jesus said no.". He thought I was kidding until one day he realized that I was serious. There have only been a couple of occasions when Jesus didnt say no. My middle son is not much for dating. Takes after his daddy. I figure one day he will walk in the door and introduce a girl to us and tell us that they are just friends and that will be that. My youngest has started dating and he takes me serious when I tell him what Jesus has said. I know it seems silly but Jesus really does speak to my heart about the girls that my boys go out with. I just hope that they listen to what He says to them as well.
I told you in the beginning of this blog that I was thinking about my boys. They are no longer babies, toddlers, little boys. They are young men and adults. It happened so fast. I blinked. There is a song that says, "You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back." Boy were they right. My babies have grown up and are facing the world. Where did the time go?

It's been a long time.

2010-11-20T21:59:00.000-08:00

I haven't written in so long because I haven't been on the computer in so long. I haven't been on partly because I haven't felt like it and partly because I haven't had time. I was planning on doing the 30 days of Thanksgiving but again I haven't been on the computer.
My Wall of Fame has taken off at school and we are excited daily to see what is going to come in the mail. The kids are really into it and are excited that this is happening.
I am making headway with my Math class. I feel like I am finally getting a handle on it. We are moving forward and it is neat to see the kids make the connection.
As for the homefront, I am wanting to get back into my baking and be creative there. I miss it. I need to get back into it for my own sanity. It keeps me focused. I need that more than anything.
I am thankful for a lot of things and I am so grateful that I have a wonderful family and that they put up with me. I do think about things that I am grateful for and I feel blessed everyday.
I gave serious consideration to signing off the blog for good but a piece of me just couldn't let it go. So I will continue to blog hopefully more than once a month.

Happenings in my Life

2010-10-26T21:26:00.001-07:00

Where to start... Here we go, buckle up your seat belt and hang on.
On Saturday, I went to the grocery store and when trying to pay for everything, was informed that my driver's license was expired. Apparently, DPS no longer sends you a reminder. When I got home, I discovered that my amazing hubby had started working on our messy bedroom. I jumped in and by the time the evening happened, we had cleaned up the mess that had been building up. It was wonderful. We were working together and talking and I enjoyed it so much.
On Sunday, we had birthday lunch for Grandpa and my youngest. I did really well. I didn't cry in front of anyone. I made it through lunch and then our church dinner club that happened that night. I waited until I had gone to bed to let out what I was feeling. My youngest is turning 14 and this was a time when I felt the loss of Jeff's mom once again.
On Tuesday, I went to renew my license. I went during my conference period and got there a little before 10am. There were 5 people behind the desk and only one happened to be working. One lady was actually filing her nails. I finally got done at 11am. It was so annoying.
The high point of the day was when the mail came at school today. My principal came in carrying a box. He was like a kid in a candy store. He read the letter that was sent to my class. In the box with the letter was a mini helmet signed by the coach of the Philidelphia Eagles, Andy Reid. There were bookmarks, pencils, and lanyards for the kids. It was so great!! I had blogged previously (I think) about my letter writing campaign. It is now paying off. Although a lot of people have asked when I am planning on writing to NBA, WNBA, Hockey, and Baseball leagues. I just sent out over 100 letters. I am getting ready to send out the next set. I am just working my way through. My Wall of Fame is growing by leaps and bounds. The kids are excited and so am I. We can hardly wait from one day to the next.

Can you believe it?

2010-10-22T23:21:00.000-07:00

First, don't go into shock that I am writing 3 posts in one day. My hubby tells me to spread it out but lately, if I don't just do it then I tend to forget. That is a posting for another time.
I know I have probably mentioned in previous posts that I write letters to all kinds of people. It isn't to get stuff...well it is to get a letter but that's all I am asking for. About 4 years ago I started writing letters to famous people in an effort to get them to write and encourage my students. I wanted my students to know that they could fulfill their dreams, wishes, desires of becoming someone. (Heaven knows, I became someone.) :D Anyway, that first year, we heard from the Queen of England, President G.W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Carl Edwards, and another race car driver. One of my students got Bill Bates to autograph a napkin so that we could hang it on the Wall of Fame. After that, every year I would send out 100-150 letters to athletes, politicians, actors, actresses, singers. For the longest time, we received nothing. This year, I decided to be aggressive. I went after addresses for David Letterman, Jay Leno, Clint Black, Reba McEntire, the entire NFL, the president, local blues singers. Anyone that I could think of, I sent a letter or an email. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs.... No one is beyond my scope of getting a letter to them. I am even considering Fidel Castro. (You never know, one student might be seeing dictator as his future goal.)
This year so far, we have had a personal letter from Joe Biden, Ms. Marcy and her Texas Sugar Daddies, Billy Worthington, and the Buffalo Bills. I did receive an email from the San Fran 49ers. They only support California students. At least they wrote and told me that instead of just never answering my letter. I am still on the hunt. Tonight, I was given several other names of famous people to write to. I am hoping that we continue to see more and more people write to the students. They love reading the letters and they are amazed that the people who do write care about them enough to write to us.
I will post a picture of the Wall soon.

Pink Out!!!

2010-10-22T23:10:00.000-07:00

Today, our community held its first annual Pink Out! What is that? Well, Pink Out is Cancer Awareness Day. The Pink is mainly for Breast Cancer Awareness but we also wore ribbons that were yellow and turquoise. Those represent other types of cancer. The district had a pep rally and we honored 3 people who are fighters of cancer.
One was a 9 year old boy who had tummy aches starting in April 2010. In June, they discovered that he had stage 4 cancer. This next week, he gets to have surgery to remove the tumor because it is now 50% smaller than when they discovered it.
The next person was Vicki Williams, our high school secretary. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2008 and within the year, she was in remission. Sadly, earlier this year, it was discovered that the cancer was back but now it had seeped into her hip bone. She is fighting daily through the chemo, radiation, and medicine they give her. She always has a smile and never lets on how really sick she is.
Coach Farda is the other person we honored. He has had cancer return to him. He is a fighter and he comes to work; hurting, sick, etc. yet he smiles and stops to talk to you.
All 3 of these people are amazing! I cried over each of them. I cried over the fact that we too have dealt with cancer in our own lives in this family. But today, I wore the pink shirt with pride. I love the slogan on it that says "Pink Out for the survivors, the fighters, and the taken." So I will Pink Out and I will continue to pray for those who are fighting.

Cleaning out Clutter

2010-10-22T23:01:00.000-07:00

I know that Spring is when you are suppose to clean out and do all the deep cleaning but for some reason, this mood hits me in the fall. Maybe it's the cooler weather or maybe it's the fact that I get tired of having a lot of stuff around. I recently told some family members that I would love to take EVERYTHING out of my house and then only bring in the most needed items. This would apply to everything from pots and pans to clothes, shoes, etc.
We have lived here 3 years now. There are things in my attic that I haven't used or missed so I know that it is time to get it out. I still have books in my garage from when we moved in. I am still waiting for the promised bookcases to appear. Hmmmmm..... There are still boxes in my bedroom that are filled with things that my hubby deems important and "he will get to one day". (Hopefully that one day is this weekend.)
I am just tired of the clutter. I used to think that I didn't contribute so much to it but I am as guilty as the rest of them. I haven't bought any magazines in almost 4 months. All my subscriptions have run out so, I have eliminated that form of clutter from my pile. Now if I could just get a handle on the rest of my clutter.
I want, desire, dream, and wish that my bedroom was a calming, soothing place to go to but right now it is the storage center, the dumping grounds, whatever you want to call it. There is so much clutter in my bedroom that I hate going in there. Hopefully that will change this weekend. I intend to spend my weekend just cleaning up and getting rid of a lot of clutter. Goodwill, get ready cuz here I come!!!!

Fashion

2010-10-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

Well since my birthday, I find myself becoming more eccentric. One day this week, for absolutely no reason, I decided that I was tired of being beige. That is a figure of speech of course but basically it was this: I have always been brought up to match my clothes, shoes, purse, jewelry with whatever color the outfit is. I have had enough matchy matchy. I decided to kick it up a notch and break out. Now part of decision came about when I was flipping channels on television and some fashion show was on and the host was telling the camera that fashion is what you make of it. No one really knows what fashion is. Put something together and wear it. What makes it fashionable is wearing it with confidence. If you wear something and are obviously uncomfortable with doing so then you just look awkward but exuding confidence while wearing whatever shows others that you are a fashionista and then you pull it off. That being said, I decided to start breaking out of the mold. I wore red shoes with a black and white outfit this week. I had more compliments on that than I have ever had before. It was amazing. One thing and everyone noticed. So, I am now determined that I will wear something bright and unusual everyday. Today, I wore one of my grandmother's pins. It was a big blue flower with a bright green stem. Again, compliments over one little accessory.
I am thinking about creating the "Lynne Look" and seeing how that goes. Mind you, I am all about the comfort zone and keeping certain things covered. Maybe if I were skinny and a size 6, I might be all about high heels and such but I am what I am for now. I just need to remember "Be Bold, Be Strong. Right or Wrong." I encourage you to step out and be your own fashionista. Why let society dictate what is in and what isn't. We are who we are and we should be proud of that.

It's been a while

2010-10-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since I blogged. I was reminded about this not too long ago. Someone told me that they missed me writing and that I needed to get busy on it. They were right. I have missed writing. I know that I don’t write novels or such but I do write about what is on my mind at the time.
I recently turned 44. Yes, I am proud of my age. I don’t try to sugar coat it like my grandmother use to. She would tell everyone that she was 39. When she died, we had a horrible time finding out how old she really was. Turned out she was older than my granddaddy and that was what bothered her. That is the reason she would tell everyone a fake age. Jeff’s grandmother was proud of her age and she told everyone how old she was all the time. She died when she was 92. She didn’t look more than 70 something. I want to do that. I love the thought of living to a ripe old age and living life to its fullest. I seriously try hard not to give into the whining about aches and pains. I feel if I give into it then I will end up an old lady way before I am ready to be an old lady. I am also learning that 50 and 60 are not that far away and aren’t looking so bad. Happy Birthday to my aunt Betty Lou and Jeff’s uncle Jimmy in the month of September. We remembered you.
For my birthday, a small group of ladies and myself went to Salado for an entire weekend. It was so much fun! We went to every antique store, hole in the wall shop, and little venues that we could find. We ate at a little bakery and had amazing food. That night we ate at the Stagecoach Inn and was absolutely blown away by the amount of food they served us. It was really good. We intended to play games and talk but the travels of the day had worn us out. We were all asleep by 11:00pm that night. We hit the trail again the next day going to places we had missed. We also did some sight seeing of houses and trudged through the local cemetery looking at the historical markers and graves. We meandered home, refreshed, and relaxed.

Date Day with Aunt Wee

2010-09-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

I finally feel like I am getting my feet on the ground with work so, I talked with my sis-in-law and asked her if I could institute Date Day with Aunt Wee. She seemed to like the idea and plans were made. I go pick up one, two, or even all three kids and then we go off and allow their momma to have a breather and I get the pleasure of spending time with my nieces and nephew.
Today's plans weren't suppose to go the way they did today. The weather caused the change. So, the three kids and I took off this afternoon and headed out to Walmart in Midlothian. There we found legos, a giant pink ball, and a Dora baby doll had ended up in our basket. We decided they all needed a home and we checked out. This adventure was followed up with dinner at Sonic in Venus. We meandered back to their house and relaxed while waiting for their momma to get home from the grocery store. My nephew played with his new legos and the girls played with the ball and Dora. We piddled around and then took baths and watched a princess movie. Their momma made it home with the much requested milk and I went home. It was a great time with them and I just hope they had as much fun. I also hope their momma got the breather she needed to get her through the next few days. There are pictures and I will add them tomorrow.

God smacked me upside the head

2010-09-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

Our pastor has been preaching on Galatians 5:23 over the past few weeks. He has discussed each part of this verse and this last part was over self control. It was such a powerful message and I so needed to hear it. He tended to rabbit trail from time to time but everything was what I needed to hear. Not what I wanted to hear particularly but I sure needed to hear it.
One of the things was that he continued to say that the anger and hurt that we hang on to is satan's hold in our life. We give satan that foothold she we don't resolve our differences. With all that has happened over the past year, I have certainly allowed a ton of anger to build up. I knew that my prayer life had been low and I knew that I felt totally disgusted whenever I thought of the problems going on. It was life it would dredge up over and over again. Always when I thought it was past.
Well, I made the decision to have some self control and move past the anger and bitterness. This week I have made an effort to be nicer and to treat people better and as a result, the week has been better. I also got to thinking that I didn't want to be that person that everyone avoids because all I could talk about was the same problems over and over. Complaining and griping over and over. I am tired over reliving the nightmare over and over. So I made sure that I made an effort. It was such a good decision. I am glad I made this decision. I have to say that I am glad when God smacks me upside the head.

Out of Time

2010-08-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

There never seems to be enough time. It seems like the more I try to cram into a space of time, the less time I have. School starts Monday and I don't feel like my room is ready so I am stressing over that but at the same time, I want to spend time with family. So, I made the conscious decision to not go up to the school over the weekend. Instead, I went grocery shopping, took my wonderful niece shopping, and had dinner with extended family. Did I get my house clean for the 18 people coming tomorrow? No. Did I get the preparations started for it? Yes. Did I sit down and just be with my hubby? Yes. I will hopefully pull it all together before everyone arrives tomorrow night. My house will at least be picked up. I hate that it won't be as clean as I want it but again, so much to do, so little time.
As for school, I will have to just finish it up on Monday afternoon. It will come together but just not when I wanted it to. I thought I was good at budgeting my time but lately I have been having trouble with that aspect. Hopefully I will get better now that I have a schedule starting up again. I need to get better at it or I will have trouble this year.
I read a blog recently that said, "There must be more to life that dishes and laundry...." I am here to say--There certainly is.

Under Construction

2010-08-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

Please excuse my mess. My blog is undergoing construction at this time. I hope to have it completed and looking cute before long.

The Start of School Randomness

2010-08-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

I have been working on setting up my room at school this past week. I have to take the boys into band camp so I figure I can get my room set up while waiting on them to finish. What I didn't take into account was that I am getting volunteered to do things. I admit that it doesn't bother me too much right now. Once the year officially starts, I am not so sure that I will be willing to be volunteered so much.
Anyway, I am slowly working my way through all the boxes and such trying to get my room in place. I have decided that I am going to go with basic colors this year for decorating. I weeded out a bunch of material that I have had for a while and not used. I also decided not to use curtains this year. I am turning a corner in my life and that means that I am cleaning out and reducing. I have pack ratted for too long.
Now I have to get my lesson plans up and going so that at least the first couple of weeks worth.

I know my hubby loves me.

2010-07-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

My husband loves me. I have many ways that I know this but there is one in particular that cracks me up. I have an aversion to people touching my feet. I don't even go get pedicures because I just can't handle anyone touching my feet. Well, the last few months, I have been trying to get over some of my irrational fears so I asked him to rub lotion on my feet. He got excited and grabbed the lotion. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes. He did a good job but I am still not over my aversion. How many husbands would want to rub their wife's feet with lotion? I know of people who beg their husbands to do this and I am the one weirdo that begs her husband not to touch her feet. Maybe one day, I will get to a point where I will enjoy the procedure but for now....mmm, I don't think so. I love my husband for trying.

A Day Out With Aunt Wee

2010-07-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is late in posting but we have had internet trouble. My nieces came to play with me a couple of weeks ago. The pictures actually loaded in reverse order but that's ok. My little girlies (nieces) got to come play with me. I took a ton of pictures and they are on my facebook picture file but I choose a couple of them for this blog. We started the morning shopping for new shoes. Every girl needs new shoes from time to time. Then we had lunch at Chick Fil A followed by a short trip to the park. It was too hot to stay long. This was all followed by rest time and Bambi.

Watch out cuz here I come!

2010-07-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

First, let me say that this is a celebratory post. It is my 200th post!!! I never would have imagined I could blog that much. Cool! I know I already blogged today but I felt the need to post again. I have been looking at pictures of friends on facebook. Friends I went to college with mainly. One of the girls I went to school with is constantly happy. She was a clown then and appears to be a clown now. She looks like she totally enjoys life. She also looks like she enjoys her family. She is an ER nurse at Scott and White and I know that that is a hard job. Yet, it looks like nothing gets her down.
I want to be like that. Instead of hiding from the camera or scowling at the camera; I am going to start smiling more and hamming it up. I want to be known as a happy person. Not sour or depressed all the time. LB is an inspiration to me. She has fun with life and I am thinking that she has the right idea. Now I married a guy who is serious and who is matter of fact but that is him and not me. He knew that when he married me. I am going to find that person he married. She got lost along the way. I want to be more carefree and nutty and I want to enjoy life instead of just existing through it. Watch out world. You have no idea what is in store for you.

Memory Day

2010-07-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of having lunch with my oldest and my youngest today. (My middle son was off hanging out with friends.) We discussed many things. Most of which were deep and really on a level that I could only hope for. We discussed drinking, drugs, girls, what they should and shouldn't be doing and when. What their dreams were. What they aspired to be. They asked questions of me as well and I answered them the best I could. It was one of those times that I will treasure. They are few these days with the kids going in different directions. It was one of those lunches that I will record into my memory forever. It was a great day.

My Experience

2010-07-19T16:13:00.001-07:00

I wanted to post this and let everyone know about my experience. I went to Ennis to go to training. The training was good and I enjoyed it. I started home and realized there was a vibration in my car. I pulled over to the side of the road and thought that the right side looked low. I turned around and headed back into town. The first place I came to was the Kwik Kar oil change place. The guy there put air in my tires and helped me to locate the screw in my right rear tire. He then told me where the tire store was. After detouring through town because of a wreck, I found the tire store (Supreme Tire Co. in Ennis, Texas). I pulled in and was nervous because I noticed that there were a lot of men and no women but that is the way most tire stores are. As I walked up, all the men turned and looked at me and started staring...not at my face. I waited several minutes and finally a guy came over and asked what I needed. I told him I had a flat and showed him where. He told me it would be a "few minutes". 20 minutes later and them taken 5 trucks (with men driving them) ahead of me, I finally asked why they were taking all these other people ahead of me and I was told "they were ahead of me". I was getting mad and about that time, the head dude came out and told me to get my car. I drove it in and then waited while they changed my tire.
I left there and ended up at Walmart because I was still feeling a vibration and the warning light was still on. Norm at Walmart was wonderful!! He took my car into the bay and let some air out of the tires (they were over inflated) and checked the tire that they fixed. He told me it should be good to go.
I finally got home. The ordeal seemed to last forever and I now need a shower to get rid of the gross feeling of those guys staring at me. *Shudder* Eww. I so wished through this all that my hubby and/or my boys had been with me. I bet the service would have been quicker and without the staring. I know that other women have had similar experiences but I wanted people to know what happened to me in Ennis, Texas on Monday, July 19, 2010.

I am ready, bring it on!!!!

2010-07-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I blew off some steam because I was frustrated. Let me say that even when my family frustrates me, they are still the bright spot in my life. We have talked since the last post and they understand now that they are going to have to give me some ideas rather than say, "I don't know" and then get upset with what I fix.
I know it is early, but there was a really good sale on...PENCILS!!!!! What does that mean? It means that I bought pencils. When I start buying things like that then it means that I am more than ready to get back to school. I really do like teaching school. I love getting the school supplies, putting up the bulletin boards, getting my room ready, prepping lesson plans for at least the first six weeks, etc. I am one of the strange people that would love to have school for 6 weeks at a time and then a week off then school for 6 weeks and a week off, etc. Otherwise known as year round school. I like working with the kids and helping them to understand things.
When my kids were younger, we made a whole day of going to get school supplies, a new outfit (shorts/jeans and a t-shirt), new shoes, and a new backpack for school. I think I actually liked doing this more than they did but they never complained (at least until they turned 1o). Back to school shopping means the start of something new again. I love it!
I am weird because a lot of wives at school get flowers on the first day of school but I would absolutely love it if I got a pencil bouquet or better yet!!!!!! A BOUQUET OF COLORED SHARPIES!!!!!!!!! Seriously!! I mean it!! Really!! I told you I was weird.
I have already started working on lessons for the start of school. Making vocabulary charts, arranging my room on paper, creating bulletin boards on paper, making a list of school supplies I want to have in my room, etc. I have lists running around my house right now that all pertain to school. My family is enduring this with sweetness. They turn their heads away from me to roll their eyes and grimace. I love them so!!
I still have to wait a month but I am gearing up and getting ready. Bring on the new school year cuz I am ready!!!!

Just blowin off steam

2010-07-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

Okay. Normally, I would be upbeat but tonight I am frustrated. I ask my family every single day what they want to eat for supper. If I fix what I want they would never eat. I have a household of guys who are extremely picky eaters. The only veggies that they eat are green beans and corn and then those have to come from a can. Most of the time I fix stuff with chicken and ground meat. This is because that is what they will eat. On top of that I have about 10 recipes that they will actually eat. I have bought Rachel Ray's cookbooks and tried some of her recipes but they don't really like those either. Maybe, I ought to go back to processed foods, pizza, premade meals, etc. They are more expensive but that is what the family will eat. I have been trying hard to make them eat healthier but I feel like I am beating my head into the wall.
*Sigh* I just needed to vent a little. Thanks for listening.

Why am I doing this?

2010-07-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have been trying really hard to be humorous on my facebook posts. Why? Because it seems that all I have been seeing are negative comments, people who talk about being depressed or down, people who really are going through tough times, and the list goes on. So, I decided that I was going to make it my mission to post something that might tickle a funny bone or at the very least, get a good groan.
It isn't easy to find things that are clean and funny. A lot of the things I have sorted through have had cuss words, inappropriate subject matter, etc. I did post one that I thought was funny but later I posted something else because I decided it probably wasn't one of the better choices.
I need the positive in my life. It is too easy to find the negative and way to easy to give into the negative. I experienced enough negative throughout this past year. I need, crave, desire the positive.
So, from time to time, I will post things here that are not so upbeat but boy am I trying hard!!! Maybe I even got a small smile out of you.

Watching What My Little Men Become

2010-07-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

Today we sent our youngest off on his first mission trip. I was a little sad but at the same time, so excited for him. I wish I had been able to go with him and see the work that God is going to do in him this week. I know that there is a reason why I was able to go but I still wish I could have. I have seen him slowly changing over the past couple of weeks and it is so exciting because his digging deeper into God's word and is looking for more ways to be involved in ministry.
I watched my boys this morning during the worship service and noticed that they both worship with their whole heart. They don't go raising their hands or dancing or anything like that. You can just tell that they have blocked out all the extra stuff going on around them and they are totally in tune with God. They give the pastor their full attention. While others are passing notes, they are focused on what is being said. My heart was full today, realizing what godly men I have in my house. My oldest was sick so he wasn't there but I know that he has a heart for God and for ministry. I am like any other mom and I worry about my kids. If I could, I would have them close to me forever but that is not God's plan for their lives.
I look forward to seeing what God has in their future and what He does with them. It is exciting, scary, and really cool all at the same time to watch what happens.

Looking Back

2010-07-10T21:33:00.000-07:00

First, let me say that my habit of keeping the house clean at now is going great. The getting up thing, we will see this next week.
I was looking at pictures of people I went to high school earlier this evening. The people that I always looked at and wanted to be like, well, let's just say...I no longer want to be like them anymore. Yes, I would like to lose weight. Yes, I would love to have thick luxurious hair. Yes, I would love to have a ton of money.
I wouldn't trade what I have for anything. You see, I have 3 boys who are Christians, sweeter than sugar, and huge hearts. I have a husband who loves me, desires me, and makes sure that we have what we need. When I was dreaming of the perfect guy in my life, I had some strong criteria. My husband met every single criteria that I had dreamed of. I have great in-laws. Fantastic nieces and nephews.
I see pictures of these people I held in high regard and wonder.... Some of them have had dream jobs (my opinion), some of them get to travel, and some of them have been friends for many, many years.
I have the job that God gave me, I don't travel...yet, and I am friends with many people. Those who are my true blue friends have been through the thick and the thin with me and they are still friends. I am glad I am not the same person I was in high school. I am glad that I am the person I have become.

Making New Habits

2010-07-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

I heard or maybe I read one time that if you do something 21 times, it becomes a habit. So, I am working really hard to make an effort to keep the house clean, picked up, dishes done, and swept. I figure that if I can keep this up for the month of July, it will become a habit and I will just jump in there and do it. When school starts then, I will have developed this habit and it won't be an issue. The other habit I am wanting to work on instilling in my life is getting up earlier than I have in the past. You see for the last 2-3 years, during the school year, I get up at 630am and get the boys up. Then I go back to bed until 700am. I then get up, get ready, and walk out the door at 720am. I am in a dead run by this point. I am wanting to do better and actually get up and make my kids a real breakfast other than breakfast burritos to be warmed or cereal. I also want to have time to make my lunch and have a morning quiet time instead a middle of the day or nighttime quiet time. So, I am going to be getting up with my husband when his alarm goes off and making up the bed so that I cannot crawl back into bed.
I will post how I am doing on my two big goals as I go. I am determined to do this. I know I can if I just put my mind to it.

My Latest Read (Again)

2010-07-07T16:09:00.000-07:00

I have a habit of saving up all my reading for the summer. The reason being that I am the kind of person that likes to read from start to finish without interruptions. During the school year, I have trouble with this because I kind of have to get up and go to work the next day, chores have to be done, my family thinks I need to cook and feed them, and the list goes on. So, I save up most of my reading for the summertime.
I finished reading All Cracked Up by Patsy Clairmont for the 3rd time. I love this book. Of course, if you know me, you know that I love Patsy's humor. She makes me need to invest in Depends. I laugh so hard, sometimes...well, let's just say I laugh really really really hard!
With the dark times that have occurred throughout this past year, this book has allowed me to see the lighter side of everything. Patsy has such a way with her words, thoughts, and such. She has experienced fear and darkness and yet has come out with her humor leading the way. What a gift God has blessed her with. One I wish beyond wish that I had.
Anyway, if you need an uplifting, this is a book I recommend. Enjoy it with a cold drink, a sugary snack, and really--seriously--a change of clothes. :D

I Love My House

2010-07-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

I love the house my hubby designed for us. It is functional and welcomes people to come in and be themselves. Why do I know this? First, there is only bare concrete floors. We have a couple of throw rugs here and there but no carpet or "real" flooring. I love this for 3 reasons. The first is that before we moved in, the AC drain pipe was capped off and the water from the AC backed up into the laundry room, ran into the kitchen, my closet, and the garage. We also discovered that the sheet rockers had punctured the toilet pipes in our bedroom on the same night. If we had had any kind of flooring or carpeting, it would have been ruined and we might not have discovered it for a while. The second reason is because our dog at the time, chose our closet to give birth to 10 puppies. Again, flooring/carpeting would have been ruined. The best reason of all though and this is the one that I think helps people to relax is that a week after moving in the youth group met at our place. Within 20 minutes 3 Dr. Peppers were spilled on the floor and my response was "OK" and we mopped it up.
Another reason why I think that people relax at our house is the view out the front windows. It looks out onto the pasture and the hillside beyond. It is just a peaceful and wonderful view. People can come kick off their shoes, let their hair down, not worry about their kids ruining the carpeting, etc., etc. They can come and relax and breathe in clean, non-city, air.
The house itself is simple and completely us. My hubby drew up probably 30-40 plans before we decided on this particular one. When people come over and see it for the first time, they make the same comment that it fits us. We built this house so our kids would feel free to have their friends over and to house family things but most of all to just come in from work to a place where we can relax and unwind.
There are still several things we would love to add to the house but it isn't anything we can't live without. Contentment, comfort, and peace are words to describe my home. Come by sometime and see if you don't agree.

Our Sunday Adventures

2010-07-04T13:38:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday is an adventure for us. We never know how many kids we will end up with for the day. Most of the time, we have at least 4-5 but today, we had 7 kids. Their ages ranged from 8-21. Luckily, we had borrowed the Excursion for a trip so we had the room. It was hysterical! They were all talking and joking around, laughing til they couldn't breathe. It was wonderful. I then realized that it would have been entirely possible for all these kids to actually been ours. If we had continued to have kids, this could have been our life. I loved it! I told my hubby that I was enjoying it and he totally agreed.
I know that God gave us three boys for a reason and stopped us when He did but He also knew that I was willing to have more. I originally wanted 5 kids. That was not to be. I just consider the kids that come over and hang out are my "other kids". I now have tons of "kids" of all ages. I feel blessed.
I look forward to our Sunday adventures every week.

From the Table

2010-07-02T23:14:00.000-07:00

Today (Friday, which is technically yesterday now) was a challenge for me. I procrastinated beyond belief about cleaning the house for the reunion on July 3rd. Actually, I don't know that I procrastinated so much as I had little to no motivation to clean. I finally geared up and got going today. I worked on and off all day on this project. My nephew has been staying with us this week so there were times when we all had to stop and take a movie break with him. My middle son would stop periodically and take a rock band break with him as well.
For some reason at 11:00pm, I decided that my pantry had to be beyond clean. It had to be organized, cleaned, declutterized, and it had to be done right then. I don't know why I chose this particular time to do this but I went after it. If you know me then you know that when I stress, I cook or I clean. Tonight was a cleaning night. It felt good to get it all done but I really wished I had been motivated much sooner than late night.
I will admit that I have been struggling with staying positive. This past school year was rough and I finally finished teaching summer school this week. I think that with all that has happened, it finally crashed down upon me. My family can tell you that I have been pretty unmotivated to do much of anything except read and watch old romantic movies. Maybe now that I have cleaned most of the house, I will get going on the rest of it and get that project knocked out in the next couple of weeks. I always swear I am going to do that over the summer and then I never do. This summer I hope will be different.
I received an encouragement from someone I have never met but would absolutely love to meet. She spoke the sweetest words to me and it was God's timing that I read my blog responses when I did. God knew I needed those words.
I hope everyone has a great holiday and gets lots of rest.

An Answered Prayer

2010-07-01T19:03:00.001-07:00

I have been reading this book from Lisa Whelchel called "The Facts of Life and Other Lessons My Father Taught Me". It is basically her testimony/autobiography. As I went through this book, I wrote down the scriptures she quoted so that I could put them to heart.
One thing she talked about was that when we pray and ask God to help us, etc. we tend to just say the words and then proceed to try to do it ourselves. That made an impact on me.
I have been really praying hard for my youngest lately. I have been praying that his heart would soften towards missions and mission trips. You see his grandpa goes every year and our middle son goes with him. Every time we have mentioned going on mission trip, the youngest has melted down. I knew that taking him on a mission trip with that attitude would be pointless.
Last night and this morning I was praying about his heart softening (really thinking more about him being willing to go with grandpa on mission trip). This afternoon I asked him if he had given any thought to going on mission trip with grandpa and he replied, "I really want to go with our church on mission trip but I think it's too late." (Bear with me on this next part.) My response at first was, *Big Sigh* in frustration. Then, I said, "I wish you had told us sooner. Oh my word." At that moment, I got a mental kick from God. A very, very, very large mental kick! It hit me. I had been praying for his heart to soften and here he was saying, "I want to go. I want to be a part." and I was acting like it was an issue! I immediately repented and told him I would check into it.
Our ministry team is awesome! The pastor and the youth pastor immediately said, "Yes!" to him going. I "told" my husband that I was going to pay for this and (another kick from God) my hubby said that it was not a yours and mine situation with the money but ours and there was more than enough in the savings for him to go.
Lisa spoke in her book about how she would get ahead of God and her husband and how she would try to be in control all the time. She also talked about how God got hold of her and changed her heart in this matter. God knows that I struggle with the same issues and today He proved that everything I read really does happen IF we would just let God do what He wants to do for us. He has a much bigger plan and a much better plan than I could ever imagine. I know that my prayers will be much different from now on.

A Story of a Girl

2010-07-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was a girl who dreamed of being anything that she wanted. She had no constraints, no limitations. She was intelligent, beautiful, and talented. She had goals that to some people were unobtainable but in her mind she knew she could achieve them.
As time went by, she began to work toward her goals and put a lot of effort into them. Every time she thought that she was getting closer, there was someone there to remind her that she would never be good enough to achieve these goals. There was always someone there to put limitations on her dreams and goals. There was always someone there to remind her how she didn't measure up.
Over time without her realizing it, these words that others had spoken had taken root into her heart, soul, and very being of who she was. Now, she began to have doubts. She questioned her goals and dreams and saw them now as lofty and silly. Eventually she pushed her goals and dreams deep down inside and was convinced that she was not able to fulfill them.
These same people were the same ones that told her how stupid, fat, and ugly she was. This too, took root into her soul and mind. She tried to be better but felt she could never measure up to the standards that these people had placed upon her.
She could never accept compliments and struggled constantly to be what she could. Unfortunately, there were no constraints and limitations placed upon her life. These were placed there by others but she had allowed them to root in her.
She felt no joy, no happiness, no worthiness. She didn't let on that this was inside her. What others saw was happy and jovialness. She would swallow deep down the feelings and thoughts that invaded her.
She knew that she wanted to make changes and become the person she dreamed of being. She knew that she had to work hard. It was going to be a long road but she knew that eventually she would get there and that someday she would be the person that she originally set out to be.

Humor at the House

2010-06-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

Humorous Things that have recently happened or been said:

My nephew, Little D--I want to go visit Aunt Wee's house where there are no girls.
Question--Isn't Aunt Wee a girl?
Little D--She doesn't count.

My other nephew--Aunt Wee!!! I didn't know you were here. When did you come?
Me--I just walked in
Nephew--Well how come I couldn't see you?
Me--I don't know. I am here now.
Nephew--Go out again so I can see you first.

Little D--Aunt Wee, I want to move in with you.
Me--Honey, there isn't any room for you to move in.
One of my Friends--You could make Andy move out and then move into his room.
Little D--No Way!!! His room is way too messy for me. I don't want to clean it up.
Me--We could make him clean it up before he moved out.
Little D--Does that include him taking the smell with him?

Since Little D has arrived to stay at our house, the boys have acted nicer and played well together. Amazing what a little 8 year old can do to a household.

Please Indulge Me

2010-06-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

I know I said that this was going to be a lighter blog but I feel the need to just write tonight. If you will indulge me for a small bit, I would greatly appreciate it. I have struggled this evening. You see, a dear sweet man in our church died Thursday afternoon in his sleep. He was a great musician and a good music teacher. I believe my oldest had him for band. Anyway, his oldest daughter is a dear friend and tonight, she came up to the church to see some people and I was able to let her know how much her daddy would be missed. Of course, I didn't last long before I was crying. I explained to her that I would not be attending the funeral and I explained why. She totally understood.
I find that there are times when I think I am moving on and I am going to make it through but then something like this happens. There are certain songs that have this same effect. I find myself missing Mom Pipes just as much as before. There are many times when I wish I could talk to her again. I know that time will heal but time sure is slow.
I know her family misses her more than I ever could but it still hurts from time to time. I am praying for the family that lost their dad, husband this past week.

Supper on Tuesday

2010-06-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

I made chicken enchilada soup for supper tonight. I wanted to display it nicely so I set it up and photographed it. Jeff promptly sat down as I finished and started eating it. I am glad I got some pictures first. Recipe is below.

Chicken Enchilada Soup
1 1/2 onion diced

1 scoop of minced garlic (I used an ice tea spoon)

3 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups diced chicken

4-5 tsp chili powder

3 tsp cumin

3 tsp dried oregano

a couple of shakes of black pepper

a couple of shakes of cayenne pepper

2 small cans of diced green chiles

1 can of rotel tomatoes

2 cans of diced tomatoes with juice

2 cans of whole kernel corn

1 box of Swanson Chicken Broth

Cilantro

Saute onions and garlic in the olive oil. Once onions are softened, add chicken and cook chicken. Add spices and let cook for 1 minute. Add chiles and let cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, corn, broth, and cilantro. Let everything simmer together until it starts to boil.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, and/or tortilla chips, tortillas, or thick slices of homemade bread.

Jeff's Birthday

2010-06-22T17:05:00.001-07:00

Jeff turned 43 on Monday, June 21st. He says that his momma always told him that the longest day of the year was really the longest day of the year.
I asked Jeff to smile and this is what I got! Several friends surprised him at the church on his birthday with cake, ice cream, and watermelon.

Debbie Inman made her famous cake.

Watermelon was there for those who wanted it. I am not a huge fan of watermelon but this was good.

Debbie Inman, Simone Hastings, and Lynn McCullough (she was hiding from the camera) were standing in the kitchen talking. We eventually moved out tot the common area and sat down to continue our visit.

Jeff, Flint McCullough, and Preston Hastings sat at the counter and visited. We all had a good time just hanging out together. We all had kids gone to camp and no one at home so we stayed out as long as we wanted (8:45pm). It was good to hang with our friends for the evening.

My "Brownies"

2010-06-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

I had a craving for brownies tonight. So, I went to the pantry and pulled out a mix. Then I stopped and thought about it. One box of mix normally lasts maybe 30 minutes after I make it and they aren't very big. I like thick brownies. So, I got a second box down. As I mixed up the brownie mix, I kept thinking it was runnier than I remembered. I shrugged it off and continued.
I put the brownies in the oven and briefly thought it strange that you could make brownies in a bundt pan now. I went on my merry way. As is with any time I make brownies, the time elapsed and I had to let it cook longer. When I opened the oven, I was surprised to see that the brownies had grown much larger than I ever remembered.
I decided to look at the box one more time. It was at this point that I realized that I had not made a double batch of brownies but I had made a double cake in a 9 x 13 pan. Now I was committed because the cake was almost done. Unfortunately, I had told the guys I was making brownies.
When the "brownies" were done. I cut it up and got some. As I walked into the living room, the guys commented that they wanted one and I told them that it was in there for them. They all had the same reaction. "Those are some thick brownies! Hey, this tastes like cake." I finally admitted to them and they just laughed at me once again. Next time I will read the box. For now, the cake is really good.

Things to come

2010-06-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

I am ready to be finished with Summer School so that I can start really cooking. I plan on doing some baking and cooking and then posting it up for others to see. I don't know if my family will eat what I fix because it might have some vegetables (heaven forbid) involved. I am to the point that I want to try new things and see if I like them.
Hang with me and hopefully soon I will post some great things for your family to try.

Backtracking a Night

2010-06-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, we had a party for a friend and Mexican food was served. It was buffet style. There was fajita beef, fajita chicken, rice, salsa, tortillas, chips, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, and grilled veggies. Everything was delicious! For dessert there was sopapilla cheesecake and homemade ice cream. I put cheesecake on the bottom and then a large scoop of the homemade ice cream on top. Heavenly!!! Most everyone else had the ice cream with crushed Butterfingers on it. They ate the cheesecake on the side. We ate, laughed, played cards, and had fun until we hurt. It was a great night!!!!!

Sunday Lunch

2010-06-14T21:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday we celebrated Father's Day a week early. The Hales had plans for the actual Father's Day so we all got together early. I made a brisket. It smelled great. I am going to be critical though, it was not as tender as usual but then again it did not have much fat on it. I also brought homemade tomatoes to share. SE made potato salad, coleslaw, and bread, all of which were good. The boys even made a point to say that they liked the coleslaw. We also had chips with the salsa that was left from Friday. Everything tasted really good. It was a good visit and meal with everyone.

Our Adventure with Jeff

2010-06-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

Jeff and I had seen this place on a show called "Daytripper" on PBS. It has a logo that says "Best Pizza in Waco for last 30 years.". It intrigued us so we scheduled a day and set out to see if it really was good pizza.

The gang was anxiously waiting and it finally arrived. They endured my picture taking for a brief moment.

I took this shot just to make sure everyone was in the photo.

The boys ordered the giant 4 meat pizza. They were so hungry they dove in before I could finish photographing the food.

Grandpa, Jeff, and I ordered the Veggie Pizza. I wanted the Gourmet Veggie Pizza because it has tomatoes but I was overruled. We just ordered a large for the three of us. I guess I have different tastes than people in Waco. We thought the pizza was okay but we have had better. We were hungry so we ate all but a couple of slices. It wasn't bad but it wasn't the best. At least in our opinion.

In order to make this trip, the sacrifice of a major soccer game was made. They were not happy about this and so the trip home was tense, at least for some of them.

Andy had his poutty face on.

Then because Jesse wouldn't smile for me, the games began behind his head.

All the guys got in on it and yet, I don't think Jesse was even aware. He had his headphones on. The trip picked up a bit and they finally relaxed some.

Our Doctors

2010-06-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

I really like my family doctor and the physician's assistant that works with him. These two men are the medical team we have been going to since my oldest was born. I love them both because they care about their patients. They don't waltz in, go over a couple of symptoms, and whiz you out the door. They talk to you. They inquire about the family and in our case, the extended family. They make you laugh even when you feel your worst.
The PA has always been referred to by our family as Dr. Tom. He is a hoot! Dr. Green is very old school and I like that. He doesn't just whip out a prescription pad and give you the latest drug. He will tell you like it is and then use tried and true methods that usually work better than the new fangled stuff.
Anyway, I had to go see the doctor today and I got to see Dr. Tom. I don't go to the doctor very often so it has to be something of importance to warrant my going. I have in infection on my thumbs and nothing I have tried has fixed it. Therefore a doctor visit. Dr. Tom told me that I am always presenting him with something new so he looks forward to my visits. Today was no exception. The first surprise for him was my blood pressure. I normally run 130/70 on a good day but today I ran 118/68. Dr. Tom asked if I had been breathing when they took the blood pressure. He said he has patients that dream of those numbers and one of them is my husband. We moved on to my thumbs. He was amazed at what he saw. He said he had never seen anything like that ever. He, of course, referred me to the dermatologist but I also had strict instructions to call him with the findings of the dermatologist. He said that this really had him stumped. It is not viral nor is it fungal. It was unique and different. He said once again I had not failed to amaze him. I told him that I saved the best for him.
We then discussed family and work and his family and such. I left the office feeling like I had visited with an old friend. What could have been unpleasant, cold and callused was actually nice.
Incidentally, when all three of the boys had their tonsils out on the same day at Cook's Children's Hospital, Dr. Tom's wife was one of the nurses in the recovery room. When she found out who we were, she told us that Dr. Tom talked about us frequently. Again, it was like having family there.
I hope you find a doctor's office like ours. It is well worth it.

2010-06-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

We started the night with dinner at Chili's. We were excited because we were having a Girl's Night Out.
This is what I had for dinner. I had the Chicken Nachos. I took most of it home. I guess I was too excited to eat much.
This is right outside of Bass Hall. We were in search of gum so we went to Barnes and Noble across the street and looked at books and such. They didn't have gum. We then went to Embassy Suites and checked their sundries department out and they didn't have gum. We finally ended up at the Marriott and they had Altoids which was double the price that we would pay at the grocery store. We were desperate so we bought them. Then it was time to go see the play.
The only semi-decent photo of the stage and pit area.
The ceiling was painted to look like angel wings were surrounding it.
We had to take a picture of us there. We sat in the Upper Gallery in the front row. We had a great view of the stage. We could see all the action. Since the cast was miked, we could hear everything clearly.
This is the quote from Lincoln concerning homesteading. This was the cover for the stage.
This is a shot from the terrace at intermission. I didn't make it to the side with the angels.
This is a shot of the bathroom tiles in the bathroom on our level. It is an angel in case you didn't catch it.
As we were getting ready to leave, we decided to go to the bathroom. This is the bathroom on the floor level of the theater. When all the doors are closed, it makes a music staff. It is so cool!!!!!
This is the last door of the stalls. I loved this on the bathroom doors. I am weird, I know it. I saw this and had to take the pictures. It was an experience of a lifetime. I loved the whole thing. I loved being able to see Melissa Gilbert live and the play was well done. I definitely want to do this again someday.

Changes are being made

2010-06-08T18:51:00.000-07:00

I haven't consistantly blogged in a while. It has been sparatic. I have a lot that I want to say on the serious side but I have been giving this a lot of thought and I have decided that I am going to give in and conform. I am going to keep my blog light and airy. I have decided that I won't get as in depth in this blog. The reason is this. I made innocent comments on my facebook page throughout this year and some people decided that I was commenting on them, things at work, etc. So they presented it this way. I have decided that my blog is just as much at risk as the facebook stuff. It is time to make sure that the technology age doesn't cost me my job, cost my husband his job, cause harm to my children, family, or anyone else because of a post I made. So, I will be a light hearted blogger.
I don't know how oftern I will blog now. Keep checking back and see if I have updated anything. With this new style of blogging also comes a new title. I hope you enjoy.

The reason I teach

2010-06-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

I will admit it. I cried many tears yesterday. More this year than probably any other time as a teacher. It is silly really. My kids that I have worked with received their awards yesterday. Normally, the 6th graders would move on to the Secondary School and so I wouldn't see them much anymore. Next year though, we will house the Junior High (Middle school grades) so I will see them everyday still. The kids that were 5th graders this year will be 6th graders next year and being that I am suppose to teach Math, I will have them in class.
Yet, as each of my "babies" walked across the stage and stopped by to hug me, I cried. I love my kids and I love working with each and every one of them. Actually, these are the kids that I taught in 1st grade. So, I guess that may be why they mean so much to me. They all have such a special place in my heart. They will always have that place in my heart. As an educator, you are told that there will be that one kid that will work their way into your heart and will stay there forever. Well, in this case there are about 30-40 kids who have done that with me this year. What can I say. I have a big heart with lots of space.
I look forward to watching all these kids grow and move on in life. This is the real reason I teach.

Great Friends

2010-06-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of two of the most wonderful friends ever. Vona Hopkins (in brown) and Jan Stinson (in yellow). They have been my biggest cheerleaders, mentors, sounding boards, and friends that one could have. It has been a rough year for me and these two ladies made it possible to get through the "fire". One person who is not in this picture is Jan's sister (Gwen but we call her Sissy). I love Sissy! She is retired and some how she knows exactly when she needs to be at the school to hand out hugs, advice, support, etc. I love how she looks me in the eye and tells it straight up. No pussy-footin' around. She will tell it like it is. It is always in love that she does this. I will really miss her tons.
Unfortunately, Jan decided to retire this year. She had been talking about it a lot through out the year but she finally decided that it was time. I knew she was ready because once she made the decision and took action to put it into motion, I saw her relax and the weight of the decision come off her. She has been an educator for 30 years at Maypearl. What a ride!! I want to be that kind of a teacher.
Vona is around still and I plan on continuing to hang with her throughout this next year. She is my buddy. She puts things into a calm perspective. She has really been through a lot with family illnesses but through it all, I have seen her rely more and more on her faith. She is a strong woman and one that I want to be more like.
I have enjoyed my time with both of these ladies and I have cried a lot the past few days because I feel like I will be missing a part of me. But I know that I am growing and that it is time that I grew in strength without relying on others to help me be strong. The best way I can think to relate this to is that "instead of hiding behind the bushes and letting the strong people be the front line, I need to stand up and join them. I need be a strong person and not rely on the strong people." Once in a while they need some help as well. These ladies mean the world to me and I just hope that I can be just like all of them.
If this doesn't make sense then just remember who is writing this. You should know me by now. :D

Funny Story

2010-05-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have to see some humor in things right now otherwise I would just cry a lot. Saturday last week, I am trying to get ready for the band banquet that I was going to with Will.
[Side note: Will danced several dances that night. I loved every second of it. It was truly a side I didn't know he had. A bit of me hidden inside of him. Who knew?]Anyway. About 3 days prior to this I decided to give myself a manicure. Nails that glue on like the salon and such. I was pretty proud of myself because I had managed to do a decent job on them and not only that they were lasting.
Back to Saturday night. I am getting ready and happen to look down and noticed a nail missing. I started trying to look for it. I realized that I did not have time to do that so I thought I would just glue another nail on. I squirted the glue and it was a tad bit, okay a lot more than I should have used. When I went to press the nail on, it slipped and suddenly, I am standing there with all my fingers glued together and this nail glued to the side of my hand.
I started yelling at Will to pour the nail polish remover on my hands because it dawned on me that this stuff was like super glue. We pried my fingers apart and I, again, squirted more glue out (I know what you are thinking and No, I did not stop and think about what I had just done, the results, and what I was doing again.). I again went to hold the nail down only to discover my finger was stuck to the nail. Lucky for me, Will had a cool head about him and took my hand, separated my fingers, AGAIN then held the nail down so it could dry in place.
Throughout all this my cat has been rubbing around my legs and as Will is holding down the nail, the cat gags a couple of times throws up on the floor and walks away. I look down and see that she has managed to throw up my missing nail.
All I could do is laugh. It just struck me as hysterically funny. Anyway, I thought you might get a kick out of the fact that I glued my hands together and the cat threw up my nail. It is my pleasure to make sure you have had your dose of entertainment for the week.

Endurance

2010-05-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

I am trying really hard to view things as an adventure but the way things are going, well, I don't know that I would call it an adventure. It is more endurance. Kind of like training for a marathon. You have to keep pushing yourself to get past the tired, the strain, the pain (especially the pain). As you push through these areas, you go a little further each time. That is really more of what I am doing right now.
I know that this endurance is being built up for a reason and I am trying to hang on with all my might to the thought that there is a point for it. Like a finish line. I know that despite what I tell people (running is against my religion :D ), I am having to run as if my life depended on it. That is part of the endurance.
Unfortunately, this is now something that I have to do alone. I am not sure I am strong enough to do alone. I know I have to but I am just not sure I can. I knew that with a support system in place that I could get through any marathon just fine. Now, doubt, insecurity, etc. crowds in. It is like everything up to this was baby steps. Now I am expected to run it alone. I hope I can. I intend to do my best as well as I can on my own. Endurance, it is needed. Adventure, possibly. Life, always and forever.

The Light Shines Through

2010-05-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

In the darkness, the light struggles to shine through. The light's destination is one that must be made with precision and a clearness so that those following it will know exactly where to go. The darkness tries to squelch the light. The darkness fights to keep the light from being seen. It places obstacles in the way so as to misdirect the light. But the light maintains its path and no matter how hard the darkness fights it, the light shines through like a beacon directing those lost in the darkness. When the lost follow the light, their way seems easier and their struggles against the darkness appear to lessen. The light always comes through the deepest darkness. No matter what. We were made to grow, develop, and thrive in the light. When the darkness crowds in, look for the light. It is always there, shining through, piercing and clear.

My Next Adventure

2010-05-24T22:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies is "Up". I love the fact that there is an adventure book and that the wife at the beginning sees everything as an adventure. Just to remember that I watched it tonight after everyone went to bed. Since I am about to embark on a new adventure, I wanted to remind myself of the "Up's" I was going to have.
We are winding down the end of the year at school. I have to say that I am really glad. The kids have been great and I will miss seeing them until August. Our school is making a transition. We are going from being a 5th and 6th grade campus to being a 6th and 7th grade campus. The year after that we will add the 8th grade. With those changes comes the change of our name--Maypearl Middle School. An adventure.
I am excited about starting a new phase of teaching. I will be teaching math. I posted last time how nervous I am about it but in my prayer time and in talking with a dear friend, God has given me peace about what I am doing next year. The kids may not be too excited because it means that we will have the same kids next year that we had this year. I think the 6th graders were looking forward to going to the Secondary School. Oh well, I think that once we get started they will see how good it will all be. Another adventure.
I am looking forward to making new friends because with the new grades joining us, there will be new faces joining us. I know a lot of the people just by their names but now I will actually get to know them on a personal level. I like making new friends. Some of my tried and true friends are taking on new positions throughout the district so I will have to make sure to go and visit them from time to time. And yet another adventure.
So you see, next school year is going to be chock full of adventures and I am going to experience them all. I can't wait. My adventure book is going to quite possibly need extra pages when this is all said and done. How exciting is that!!!

2010-05-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

I learned this week that I am going to be teaching Middle School Math next year. I have absolutely no reason left now not to learn it. I have always thought that Math was my weak subject and so I have avoided it at all costs. Unfortunately, God keeps placing me into the position of teaching Math. I stress over it and I worry about it but when it gets down to it and I start working on it, I kind of, sort of understand it.
The problem is when they start throwing the alphabet into the numerical world. I never did understand that. I know that somewhere along the way, I will make mistakes but I am confident that I have enough support that I will be able to teach this subject to the best of my ability.
Watch out world, I am entering the Math Zone!!!!

So much to say

2010-05-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

There is so much to say. I am just not sure how to say it all. So this is what I will say......the end. I think that covers it all.

Pathological Picture Taking

2010-05-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

I have been on a kick lately. I have been taking pictures of flowers. I figure if I can perfect the perspective that I see with my own eyes and actually get the photos to look like what I see then I have been successful. Once I get this down then I will move on to other subjects. If you look on my facebook page, there are photo albums filled with the good, the bad, and the ugly of these photos.

One day I would like my name to be synonymous with photography, art, or music. I think that if I continue practicing and working really hard at it, then I have as much of a chance as anyone else. So, everyone for a while will have to endure my endless photos of flowers and such until I get it right.

I am a pathological picture taker.

My Mom's Day

2010-05-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

I am truly blessed. My hubby made darn sure that I was pampered through and through today. He bought me a beautiful bouquet of tulips, some chocolates, took me to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants and that was all before today. Today, he took me to lunch, allowed me some time to go take pictures, and then allowed me to go eat dinner with a friend. He did all of this and not once did he let on that he was hurting inside and that this was a really hard day for him.
I knew that in church this morning that this day was affecting him when he cried during the prayer for moms. I knew that he was really quiet for a large part of the day. I should have stayed home with him instead of going to dinner with my friend. He wanted to snuggle on the couch tonight and I did so for a while but then I moved down to give him the room I thought he might want/need.
Reality is that I tried to stay really busy today so that I didn't have to think about the fact that this day was a hard day. I was selfish. I really didn't mean to be but I was. I didn't call and talk to my father-in-law although I thought about him lots throughout the day. I briefly talked to one of my sil's but found myself getting emotional so I tried to cut it short. I didn't want to think about how much I missed Mom Pipes.
I love my hubby so much and I love the sacrifices he made for me to have a great Mom's day. He went above and beyond and it meant so much to me. He was sweet and thoughtful and kind and considerate and totally and completely selfless. I am so blessed to have this man in my life. Even without all the hoopla, I still would feel blessed and love him just as much as I do now.

Mother's Day

2010-05-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

Usually on Mother's Day, I get a card (sometimes) and/or lunch out or maybe dinner out the night before. I rarely get cut flowers. My husband believes that a plant will last longer and I agree most of the time. But... There are those times when a woman just needs some cut flowers in her life.

Today, I had to take the middle son to get his eyes examined and get him some new glasses and apparently, my oldest and my husband had been doing some talking. My oldest feigned that he was too tired to go with me today and just wanted to hang out at the house. That struck me as being a little odd but since he has been staying up late, I brushed it off and went on to do what I had to do. I was quite suspicious though later in the day when my hubby kept asking who was with me. Normally, he doesn't worry about it.

When I got home, I walked through to my room and looked at the mail. Then I went back to the living room. The boys were all grinning and telling me how oblivious I was to things. I looked around and noticed the house was still messy and then as I rounded the corner, the flowers caught my eye. I started crying immediately. They all laughed at me and I promptly called my hubby. I couldn't believe he had done that. He said it was Mother's Day. As if that explained it all.
When my hubby gives me flowers then I know that I have received something special and from his heart. It was totally unexpected and such a treat. Not only that, it came with a box of chocolates so he did REALLY good!!! I am a happy wife and momma!

2010-05-04T21:16:00.000-07:00

Well this has been an interesting week. We did have fun eating at an unusual place but that is not what I meant.
Friday night, I received the phone call that I was going to be an aunt again!! I was thrilled. I love all my nieces and nephews so much! I am very excited about this.
Then later in the weekend we received the phone call that my 5 year old nephew had accepted Christ into his heart. What a blessing!! I love that so much! He told me about it when I went to see him the other night. He was so excited about it.
So now we are into the week and my oldest is coming home for the summer. It is bittersweet though. His girlfriend and him broke up tonight. I know that they have their reasons and that they are adults. I know that they are both hurting right now. It breaks my heart. I want so desperately to run to my oldest and hold him but at the same time I want to go to her and hug her. I hurt deep down for both of them.
Now it is the middle of the week. I am trying to see the glass as being mostly full. We have only 4 1/2 weeks of school left. Then the summer will come and we will have some rest. Let us rejoice in that thought. I hope that you have a blessed week.

Our Night Out to Alligator Cafe

2010-05-01T18:18:00.001-07:00

Jeff heard about this interesting place on KNON radio station. (He also has the same pictures but his take on the dinner tonight.) So, it was time for a road trip to downtown Dallas. When we pulled in, we both commented that it resembled a fast food restaurant. Looks can be so deceiving as we soon learned. On the walls all over the inside are awards from everywhere for the cuisine from this place. The staff at this place was friendly. They acted like they were happy and enjoying their jobs there. They were willing to tell me (Mrs. Nosy) what other patrons were having when I asked what dishes were going past our table. Everything looked amazing and I intend to make it my mission to try everything on their menu. I don't think they know how to make bad food. They could compete with a 5 star restaurant any day of the week. The picture of the gumbo below was part of Jeff's dinner. It was chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. It was so good. This is the one thing that Jeff finished off completely.

This is Jeff's po'boy. It is fried Cajun chicken. I didn't taste any of this but he said it was delicious. He ended up taking half of it home. The part I think that was interesting was the fact that the mayonnaise was even homemade. It was amazing to look at.

This was my dinner. I had the craw fish enchiladas with dirty rice and beans. I was torn between this and the Cajun fettuccine. When I asked the girl taking our order which she preferred, she straight up said that they were equally good. It just depended on if you wanted a lot of cheese or not. I felt like cheese. This was so good. I savored each bite and still took half of it home. The enchiladas had Cajun sauce, crawfish, roasted veggies, corn tortilla and cheese. It was wonderful!!!

While we were eating our main course, the head chef and owner of the Cafe brought us each a "sample" of his sweet potato pecan pie with caramelized whiskey sauce. I love sweet potato pie and I always loved my grandmother's pecan pie so I was excited about this. I was not disappointed. It was absolutely amazing!! The chef came back by later to see if we needed anything and how we liked everything. He told us that every night when he gets home, he makes all the pies and the process takes 5 hours!! He then said what is worse is he is diabetic so he doesn't get to indulge in the desserts. The man makes a mean pie

The picture above was the bread pudding I ordered. I had seen it on the menu and I love a good bread pudding. This is what they brought me. It is actually bread pudding on top of flan and soaked in the whiskey sauce. It was warm when they brought it to me. I put on facebook that it was better than sex or at least almost better. I actually cried because it was absolutely amazing in flavor and taste. I wanted desperately to finish this but I was so full by this point that I ended up taking most of it home. It is better than cheesecake or chocolate. Trust me.

This was Jeff's banana pudding. The whipped cream was homemade and it was some of the best banana pudding ever!!! We said that Great would have loved this. I did notice that it had a hint of alcohol flavor but then again, it could have been the whiskey sauce from the pie and bread pudding talking. Jeff let me have a taste but then he pulled it to him and that was that.

New Perspective

2010-04-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

I love my friends! They always manage to put things into perspective. I had an absolute horrible day on Monday. So much so that I came home and cried like I haven't cried in a while. I had just gotten to a point where the stress and pressure of dealing with a person just got to me and I fell apart. My friend decided at that moment to text me and ask me if I was okay. She had been praying for me and felt like she needed to check on me. After a 30 minute round of texting, she brought the whole situation into perspective and I was able to pull myself up by my bootstraps and move on.
Let's just say that I am more than ready to finish this school year. I am ready for all this to be over. Enough is enough. I love school. I always miss it in the summers because I really enjoy my job. Until this year. This is the first time I can ever remember being so ready for a year to end. It isn't the kids, it isn't my boss, it isn't the district. Sadly, it is two or three people.
Well, my friends and my family helped put everything into perspective and I am hanging on to that every day. I have taken to calling my hubby everyday at lunch just to hear sanity and someone who loves me. I am so glad that he allows me to do that.
I am blessed with friends and family and I know that with that blessing and with God, I will get through anything.

2010-04-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

Why can't adults act like adults? Why is it that we (I include myself in this) resort to acting like children? There are times when I look at the adults around me and I wonder how we made it as far as we have in life. I then look around at the examples that we are suppose to be and realize that we are a poor and pitiful excuse for an example. No wonder there is turmoil and strife.
I am so tired (physically, emotionally, and mentally) from dealing with all the drama and garbage that is going on. Enough is enough. It has gone on too long and there has to be an end to it somewhere. I say, why not now?
I will admit that I have not kept my mouth shut when I needed to always but I have really been trying to be nice and good about my attitude and all. I have worked hard to keep my ugly comments to myself. I am not always successful but I am trying.
I am daily praying that God will put His hand on my mouth and one on my shoulder. I need something to keep me in check.
I am glad that we are testing at work the next several days. I will have to be in a room with my kids and no one else. I won't be hearing anything that is going on. I look forward to it really. I am just worn out by all the "stuff". I just cannot continue to deal with it. I just pray and read the bible and talk to God so much of the time that I find myself walking down the hallway talking to him. (There is something for the security cameras to see).
I just want to get through these next few weeks and then I can rest for a bit. It is the time of year when I am ready for summer. Let's hear it for a quickness over the next few weeks and then to a blissful rest period followed by a new beginning. What more can you ask for?

Happy Birthday Will!

2010-04-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

Unlike a lot of people I don't have all my kids photos on digital or scanned into the computer. So, that being said, today is my middle son's 16th birthday. I am so proud of him. He has been my child who has sat back and observed the world. He is sensitive, intelligent, funny, and sweet spirited. He does have his moments when those characteristics don't show up but those occasions are getting fewer and fewer.

He is a duplicate of his daddy. He looks like him and acts just like him. He is even sarcastic like his daddy. I have watched him as he sits back and watches the example his older brother set for him. I watched him as he would pray from the heart for others. I watched him stand up for his older and younger brothers more than once.

He has such a sense of humor. He makes me laugh when I am wanting to just yell at him. He knows what makes me laugh so what can I say. I love that he still comes in and lays his head in my lap or on my shoulder. I love that he isn't afraid to tell me that he loves me in front of his friends.

When he was 2, my brother got married. As the bride walked past us down the aisle, he yelled, "Aunt Cona, Aunt Cona!!!" and then took off running down the aisle. Needless to say, we went to the cry room at the back so as not to disturb the rest of the wedding. He wouldn't calm down until he was able to hug her after the ceremony.

When he would get sick, he would want me to rock him. He was my child who wanted to rock all the time. Up until he was 3, he slept with an empty bottle (no lid or anything on it) in his bed. He wanted something to hold that was his security. He was my child that I learned would climb out of his crib and get toys then climb back in the crib. For a long time, his older brother got blamed for throwing toys into the bed with him.

He has always been the one who roots for the underdog. He has always been sensitive of those who weren't included in things or who needed a friend. He was there to be their friend. I have seen him cry as a little boy over the fact that others were treated differently because they weren't like the others.

So, today we celebrate his birthday and I know I look forward to many more of them with him.

My Ranting Soapbox

2010-04-24T20:00:00.001-07:00

I usually don't pay attention to the news on the Internet but my hubby told me where there was a decent site to get a more conservative view. I just happened to look at this week and what I saw in the news was appalling, disgusting, and just plain angered me to the point that I wish I had some clout somewhere to change things. I don't but I can make darn sure that my voice is heard.
The first story I read about was that there was a 10 year old girl in Mexico who was pregnant with her stepfather's child. The courts there had denied her an abortion because she was 18 weeks along and they only allow abortions up through the 12th week. It was not about the abortion part that angered me but the fact that this was a 10 YEAR OLD. A child, literally, pregnant. She had been abused for who knows how long and now she had the responsibility of having to give birth. This is not something a child should have to do. She has probably been so abused that she knows nothing different. It sickens my stomach that she has to go through this. Where is the justice? Where is the decency? Is this man so demented that he finds actual pleasure in doing this to her? How many others have been treated like this? How many more have to endure this? What is this world coming to?
The next story I read a couple of days later was about a 12 year old girl who was getting a divorce from her 80 year old husband. It was in the middle east where they have arranged marriages. Her family was mad because they paid her dowry of $23,000 and would not get it back. She was banned from her family because she had humiliated them and caused them embarrassment. How sick is this? I know I shouldn't say that but seriously?!!!!?? Luckily, for her the courts there did find the results in her favor and the law was changed to say that arranged marriages couldn't be done until the girl was 16. The article stated that until now it was not unheard of for girls to be married as early as 9 years old. WHAT???????? This is more than I could stomach.
I knew that the world was getting worse but OH MYLANTA!!!!!
The straw that broke the camel's back for me and prompted me to write is the article that in the USA, there was a "gentleman's club" that had a 14 year old girl dancing there topless. She had been working there for several months and the staff knew that she was as young as she was. The money she brought in was more powerful than the moral issue. It was disgusting to know that there are men who get their kicks from doing who knows what to her and having her do who knows what to them. Not only that in a club like that there are other women and you would think that they would have some sort of conscious that would prompt them to protect her or better yet, get her some help.
How can we sit back and do nothing about these injustices? How can we just calmly say, well it isn't here so there really isn't anything we can do? How can we not want to step up and make a difference? What if these were your children? What if this was happening to you? Are we that desensitize to all this now? Is that what we have gotten to in this world today? When will these idiots doing this be made to stop? Why are our children being allowed to be treated in this matter?
I cried. I cried long and hard for these specific children and then I cried for the other children that I know have suffered this and more and we just haven't heard about it. My tears aren't going to change the world. I know that but maybe these words will be read by someone who will know how to make those changes. I am praying for that.

My Little Italian Wiener

2010-04-24T19:50:00.001-07:00

I was in my bedroom today and our miniature dachshund had been let out to go to the bathroom. She scratched to be let in and the boys jumped up to do so. As soon as she got in, they started yelling at her to get back out. I came into the living room asking what the problem was and the smell hit me.
Our outside dogs had brought up a dead skunk and it had been around for a while but Piper picked today to go roll in it. Apparently, she rolled in it so much that it smelled like she had been sprayed fully.
I had to go to the store and get tomato juice. I got home and started bathing her and she promptly jumped out of the tub and ran for the yard. She then rolled around trying to get the tomato juice off her. I grabbed her and put her back in the tub. This happened twice more before I was able to get the boys' attention to come out and help me.
We managed to get her bathed in one can and rinsed and then I had my middle son smell her. He stepped back and said that she still smelled. So we went back to the tub and used another can of juice on her. Finally we were able to get the smell down.
It was not funny then but it seems kind of humorous now. Now she just smells like an Italian wiener. Or a meatball. Whichever you decide.

It was not one of my better days

2010-04-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

I did something I am not proud of tonight. I gave into the depressive mood I was in. I had been doing well with it and maintaining it. Unfortunately, I got out of the maintaining mode and decided that I was doing okay. Reality, not really. I felt myself slipping down that road again and try as I might I couldn't pull myself out of it. I hate the thought that I can't keep from going there. I hate the thought that I am so weak that I sink into the depths of sadness and "darkness". I hate when I give in to it all and do the one thing I know I shouldn't...eat.

It is a bad drug for me. Some people turn to cigarettes, some to drugs, some to alcohol. Not me, I turn straight to the fridge, cabinet, and pantry. What is sad is that I don't get a little something. No, I usually get something upsized. Now I feel nauseated and almost wish I could throw up. I can't make myself throw up because I would rather have dental surgery than throw up. So, I will take myself to bed after I take the pepto and wait it out.

Today is one of the days when I wish Mom Pipes was here. She would listen to me and talk me through this. She was my floatation device when I would get in this mode. The one thing I could hear her say was that I needed to pray about it and ask God to help me work through this. Then she would tell me to go to the scripture and God would guide me to where I needed to look. I would get a hug and a pat on the arm then she would offer me a glass of water or something to drink.

So, I will pray about this, get up and study the Word, and drink my glass of tea while pullin' up the boot straps and movin' on.

My Dream and Reality

2010-04-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

I had a dream last night that has bothered me all day (considering that I am writing this at 12:01am, it was actually all day yesterday). I dreamed that I arrived at B and J's with my computer slung over one shoulder and my purple book bag slung over the other shoulder. I was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and heavy duty sandals. I told them that I was ready to go.
I need to stop here and preface this by saying that in reality B and J have a group that goes out and does mission work. They go on several mission trips a year. I was suppose to go on one but it fell through. Since then I have promised myself that I would follow what God has placed in my heart and that is that I will one day rock the babies in Africa.
Anyway, in the dream, I tell them I am ready to go. They both look at me and tell me to go home. It is over and there is nothing they can do. They turn away from me and keep talking to each other. I tell them that I have come prepared and ready and ask that they tell me where to go for the trip. They look at me perplexed and tell me that I am not going. Suddenly their daughter comes up and tells them that the bus is loaded and all are ready. They start walking to the bus and I again ask why I am not allowed to go since they are going. They turn to me and pointedly say, "You are not ready. You cannot go. Go home."
At this point, my alarm goes off. As I went through the day, I figured that because I dreamed about them so vividly, I needed to pray for them. Which I did every chance I got. Then towards the end of the day, it finally hit me. They kept saying that I couldn't go because I wasn't ready. That means that God is still working on me and preparing me for what He wants me to do. (Besides that, I haven't built up the muscles needed to carry that rocking chair with me. HA HA!!!) I ask God to reveal to me where I need to work so that I can be ready to go and immediately, He did.
I have been living with drama from adults for the last eight months. It is getting tiresome. There are a handful of adults who know exactly how to push my buttons and get a reaction from me. Today, they were in form and as a result, I had a little temper meltdown and got madder than a hornet. I wanted to cuss. I wanted to throw things. I wanted to walk over to them and get in their face and tell them what liars they were and then tell them what I really thought. I was so angry, I had to take a couple of laps around to cool off. My friend tried to defuse me by laughing at the situation and trying to make me see how silly they were but I was so mad, I couldn't see it that way. Luckily, I didn't do anything I wanted to. Sadly, some students saw me get mad and storm out. I was acting just as badly as the people doing this had been.
Reality--I am a work in progress and I am far from being ready to go anywhere right now. God knew that I was wanting to go on mission trip again and He spoke volumes to my heart about where I needed to work on so that I would be prepared.
I intended to go back and be professional and just let the problems roll off my back like water on a duck. It is easier said than done but I know if I go in prayerfully then it can be done. I am so glad that God finds ways to speak to me other than the 2x4 up against the head. I am already praying that I learn something from all this and apply it to my situation. I want to be the more mature person here. I do want to be a good example to the children around me and I do want to be ready to go and rock those babies in Africa and dance my way through it all. (That last bit is a reference to the book "I Danced in Africa". Love that book!!).
May you have a blessed and wonderful day and may the problems that come at you, be nothing at all that you and God can't handle.

I Intend To Be Better

2010-04-21T17:49:00.001-07:00

It seems that some days are harder than others to blog but it helps so much with getting things off my mind.
I learned today that one of my friends from college had adopted all three of her kids. I never would have known it. The kids look like her and her husband. I was amazed at how God knew to match this family up together. I love that they were able to adopt their kids when they were little. My friend takes everything in stride. The antics that she writes about keep me in stitches and she handles everything with grace and confidence. She knows that she has been blessed and she praises God in everything that she says and does.
I grumble and gripe about my kids and my family when they frustrate me. Maybe I should step back and look at them with a new perspective. Maybe I should find the humor in what has happened instead of the negative. I want my kids to see me as a happy mom not the gripey, complaining, nagging mom. I want them to remember me as smiling and laughing not frowning or mad all the time.
I think that I just need to relax and just step back and look with new eyes at how I deal with my family and even how I deal with everyone. It helps sometimes to hear from someone else on how they deal with everyday issues.

My photos

2010-04-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

My hubby and I went walking in the back pasture today. Normally, we walk on a trail that we have laid out on the pasture but today we deviated from the norm. I was intent on making sure I didn't come into contact with nettles and such so I really didn't look up too often. When I did look up, I had to stop and just catch my breath. Not because I am that out of shape but because of the wildflowers and plants all around. It was amazing. Everything is green and blooming. It was this pallet of color and mixture of textures. I really wished I had the good digital camera with long lens and capabilities to capture these images that I was seeing. I took some shots with my little point and click digital camera. I love experimenting with shots and lately I have been trying my hand doing the best I can with my little camera. It is interesting the way the shots turn out. The other day, my sis-in-law commented on one of my photos and paid me the ultimate compliment. She said that one of my photos looked like a Georgia O'Keefe painting. I was tickled to death. That to me is like hittin' the big times. I am trying to get really good at this and then I am hoping that one day, I can get them published. That would be the greatest thing ever.

I stick my tongue out

2010-04-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

I guess it was to be expected. I went to a conference but what did I blog and facebook about? My fun times. There are people out there that doubt that I attended the conference that I said I was going to. I know that on facebook, I post pictures of speakers, lunch, etc. I also have pictures of some of the power point presentations. About the only way to get those is to actually be there. I did attend the conference I said I was going to.
You see, I have this nasty little annoying habit. I take notes. I learned a long time ago to take notes so that I don't lose sight of what I am focusing on. It doesn't matter whether there is a power point, book full of notes, whatever. I still take notes. I have two books with notes in them from this conference. I learned a lot. I saw a fantastic classroom situation that I want to incorporate a lot of things into a classroom the next time I have one.
Ask my hubby, he dropped me off every day at the conference site and then picked me up later in the day. Still not convinced? Ask the principal from Abilene, the teacher from Witchita Falls, the two speakers I sat across from, the cirriculum director from Callahan, I could keep going. Then there are the two authors/speakers who signed books that I bought from them. The receipt from the book stores.
I know I had a great time in the late afternoons and evenings but trust me, I did attend the conference during the day. So in the most mature way I know how, I stick my tongue out at those people who think they know everything and that their version of the truth is gospel. They don't know squat. So there.
If this blog post is offensive then I am really sorry but I have to speak up and say what is on my mind. So there. Yes, I am still sticking my tongue out.

The Road Home

2010-04-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Well, all good things must come to an end. Our time in Corpus did just that. We got up, had breakfast, packed up, and hit the road. We drove down Ocean Drive one more time before leaving town. As we always do, we left a completely different way than we came in. We came down the Interstate coming in and so today we went home through the little towns that I used to drive through when I would go back and forth to college.
I had intended to take a picture of each town as we went through it but I was too busy looking to see what had changed and what hadn't that I forgot. I did want to take a picture of the building that I was born in. At one time it was a hospital, a welfare office, a run down shell, and well, now I don't know if it is still there because they had built a loop around the town where it was.
A lot of the towns had not changed much at all. Some had changed a lot. One of the places I did have my hubby stop was the little church in Cestahowa. It was just a special place for me. There was no real reason behind it except that it just brought me a moment of peace when things were so upside down in my life at that time. Today, I felt that same peace even though things are fine in my life. Today was also the first time I had gotten to go into it. It was beautiful inside. I don't think my wildest dreams could have thought of what the inside looked like. It is a Catholic Church so you can imagine the adornments inside.
We drove on and met up with my parents for lunch in San Marcos. I told them about all the places we had been and looked at in Corpus. They listened (kind of like my hubby did the other day). We left there and went on up to Belton. There we met up with our oldest and our girlie girl. They both looked tired but seemed to be happy about how their weekend went. We bought them dinner and then went on our way. We finally made it home, 8 1/2 hours after we set out from Corpus. We did have to stop and pick up some minor groceries before getting home.
I think that our middle son missed us because he called us three times before we got home. Our youngest son went to bed when he got home from the weekend and as I am writing this now, he is still asleep. He must have missed his bed alot.
As much as I enjoyed our vacation away, it is good to be home, back with my kids, back in my comfort zone, back where everyone knows my name, and where I really and truly belong. Traveling is good but home is better. I hope you have enjoyed our trip with us as much as we have.

Corpus Christi Day 3

2010-04-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I finished up with my conference this morning. It was okay but I was more impressed with the first two days than today. Today was what someone termed, "Speed Dating for RTI" The sessions were 45 minutes long and the presenters were talking so fast and going through their presentations that they lost me several times. I was really kind of glad when it was over today.
I decided that since I had the car this morning that I would do something I had never done in my life. I drove through Corpus. You would think I had done this in my life. Actually, my only experience had been my final driving test over the Harbor Bridge with my driving coach. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was very similar to driving in Burleson.
I finally got back to the hotel and changed clothes and my hubby and I headed out. We had lunch at Jason's Deli (yum!) and then went to Padre Island. We stopped off at Bob Hall Pier and attempted to go on the pier but it costs money now. We left there and drove past Mustang Island. We eventually ended up at Port Aransas. My hubby found a part of the beach that was uncrowded and quite nice. We parked and took off our shoes. We walked up and down the beach through the tide that was coming in and picked up some small shells that we found. It was hard to find a lot since the tide was coming in. My hubby did find me a part of a sand dollar which I treasure.
We left there and rode the ferry across to Aransas Pass. From there we went to Ingelside and then on to Gregory. My grandparents had lived there for many years and it was sad to see their house was no longer the way I remember it. I almost cried. We drove on down to the church and I took some pictures.
We left Gregory and drove on the Whataburger Field to try to catch the double header game. We got there in time to get rain check tickets in pretty decent seats and a giveaway ball hat for each of us. The first game went off without a hitch and we had fun interacting with them through it. The second game started with rain...again. We spent half that game standing under the awning watching them play. They had to finish the series with this team so they played through the rain. We were both cold so we headed back to the hotel. There we took showers to wash off the sand and grit from the day and relax watching Food Network.
Tomorrow we head back to Maypearl, our jobs, messy house, and my guys (I really miss them.) Adventures are good but home is best. Thanks for going with us on this trip.

Corpus Christi Day 2

2010-04-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

Most of today was spent at the conference. I have to admit that it is more enjoyable that I thought it would be. We had several good speakers and another delicious lunch. I saw a dual language school in action today and was so impressed with the classrooms and the interactions between the students and the teachers. It makes me want to go back into the classroom and be like these teachers. It was inspiring. I then attended a session in the afternoon that was actually one of my lower choices. It turned out to be the best choice. The speaker there gave book title after book title of books to read to the class, use, etc. She also had some fantastic ideas for teaching in the classroom and keeping kids from getting bored with the same old stuff. She was an outside the box thinker. I love that!
After I finished with my sessions, I came back to the hotel and shared all I had learned with my hubby. He patiently listened (I had texted him earlier and warned him that this would be the case) while I told him everything all at once. I then changed clothes and we headed out.
Our first stop was a small but nice wildlife preserve park in the city. It had a boardwalk trail out to the bay to see birds and such. Then we followed the trail and made the loop. It was a 3/4 mile hike. After sitting in classes and in a car for several days, my legs complained about the walking.
We stopped after that on the sea wall and walked down it a bit, stopping to take pictures here and there. We turned around and went back to the car after spotting the homeless people getting a little agitated that we were so close to them and their "spot" for the night.
From there, we went to our destination for the night, Whataburger Field. We were so excited to be going to the baseball game. We got our tickets, found our seats, strolled for a bit, then bought ourselves a Whataburger and drink. We made our way back to our seats and settled in for all of about 5 minutes. The rain started falling and our burgers were getting soggy. We made our way back up to the covered area and sat up against the wall. The rain came down. We people watched and finished our meal. We laughed at the mascots and their antics then we walked around. We just knew that the rain would stop and they would play ball. An hour after the game was suppose to have started they cleared the field and started prepping for the game. We went down to our seats and settled in. They announced that the game would start 30 minutes later. That 30 minutes came and went. The coaches and umpires doodled around on the field and finally it was decided that there was too much standing water to play. So they announced that the game on Saturday would be a double header and our tickets would be good for both games. We probably won't get the same great seats but still. They did give us the fireworks show and it was a good one.
We left and came back to the hotel, took a shower, and relaxed. By that I mean, I got on facebook and blogged my day and pictures and my hubby rolled over and started snoring.
Another full but really great day!!!

Corpus Christi Day 1

2010-04-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

I think I said in an earlier post that I wasn't sure how much I would blog. Yesterday we traveled down to Corpus Christi and had a good trip. We checked into our hotel and then prowled around Corpus. We went to TAMUCC where the conference was going to be held and got the layout of the place and parking situation. From there we tootled around and I was amazed at the changes that had taken place. It has only been 20 years since I was here last. We ate dinner at Pizza Hut and then went back to the hotel. We were in bed with the lights out by 930pm.
Today, I attended the first part of my conference. The meal they served today was Cuban. We had pork roast, yellow rice, black beans, fried plantains, salad, and peach cobbler. It was all good. The conference was really informative and I was able to meet some new people. I felt completely out of my league for most of the day. I was one of about 10 people who didn't have my PhD or Master's. Several comments were made about classroom teachers and I just sat there and kept quiet. Most of the people there were from out of state. It was quite interesting.
My hubby picked me up and we ventured over to Portland (my hometown). We stopped by and saw my second mom and visited with her for a bit. Then I took my hubby on a tour of my old homes. It was sad to see the houses in disarray and bad shape. The one house I spend the most years in, was in the worst shape. It was sad, sad, sad. I was amazed that there was a Walmart, Chili's, etc. that had now been added to the town. There are so many houses now that there is no real distinction between Gregory and Portland.
From there we went to the Texas State Aquarium. It was a nice surprise from my hubby. We were there until it closed. We meandered back into Corpus and eventually got to Catfish Charlie's. It is the one place that still looks the same inside and out down to the tablecloths. It was like really coming home. The food tasted as good as I remembered. We stuffed our faces full of shrimp, oysters, catfish, and hush puppies.
From there we went back to the hotel and vegetated the rest of the evening. It was an amazingly good day.

My Trip Prep

2010-04-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

Today I am getting ready for a trip. I mentioned it in an earlier post. I am now to the excited point. Not so much because I get to go to a conference but because I get to go with my hubby on what I call a 5 day vacation. We took a mini vacation last year and it was over a weekend. This time we are going to be gone for 5 days. Thanks to Grandpa for watch the younger two boys and getting them to school. The weekend was made easier because D-Now is happening. The oldest is coming home to help with D-Now so he will be in charge of getting the younger two where they need to go.
I haven't even begun to pack yet and the house was still upside down when I left for work this morning. Since my middle son and hubby were going to the ear doctor today, I left a honey do list for them. (By The Way--The middle son had a great report from the Dr. He is hearing better and the fluid seems to be going away.) I hope that by the time I get home, the honey do list will be done and I will just have some minor things to do.
I now understand why my mom was such a fanatic about having the house clean when we would leave on trips. I have found myself doing the same thing. It is so much nicer to come home to a clean house than to the mess that you left.
I don't know how much I will blog while we are gone but I will try to make an effort. At the very least, I will try to post pictures. Several people at work have asked me to bring back bottles of sand for them so they can feel like they are at the beach with me. Glad I am not flying home with all the bottles I am suppose to bring back. :D

Dinner Disaster

2010-04-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

I made a mistake in making dinner tonight. I decided to make Granny Goulash and I have made this dish thousands of times. I cooked the meat and went to add the seasoning. Now at this point, I would add chili powder. I reached into the spice cabinet and grabbed what I thought was chili powder. I finished cooking the meat and other ingredients and called out that supper was ready. I got myself a bowl of goulash. I took a bite and made the comment that it was some spicy chili powder. My husband took a bite and immediately coughed and asked if I had really used chili powder. I said yes and went to the cabinet to prove it. Unfortunately, I realized when I opened the cabinet that it was cayenne pepper. I didn't put just a little bit but I put quite a bit thinking it was chili powder. It was so hot and spicy that even the bit that we choked down was so bad that we didn't even finish. Luckily, my husband had left overs from Arby's that he was able to eat. The kids never eat this dish so they scrounged other things.
In the end, I set the leftovers of this mess out for the dogs. Chico started eating it immediately but then suddenly took a step back, shook his head, and looked up at me. It was almost accusatory. He started back to eating it and would stop and shake his head ever so often.
I have made a mess of some dishes but this turned out to be a doozie of one. Luckily for me, there was a backup to fall on to. Tomorrow, I think I will try to make something successful. HAHA!!

Returning back to the place I grew up

2010-04-12T05:35:00.000-07:00

Well, this is going to be an interesting week. I am returning to the place I grew up for a 5 day conference. I have to admit that I am somewhat nervous. I have not been there in over 20 years. So why would I be nervous? I happen to know that several people I grew up with still live there. The old feelings of inadequacy have come rushing back. One thing that I will hold my head up high about is that I have been married for 21 years to the same guy. I haven't been divorced, separated, or cheated. I have 3 smart boys and we are still happy. (I may gripe about my family from time to time but overall we are happy.) So why should I be nervous? I think I am actually a successful person overall. I have a good job that I like and I am pretty decent at what I do.
I never felt good enough in school compared to all these people. Now after all this time I still see them as the cheerleaders, prom queens, valedictorians, best singer, best actress/actor. I still see them as they were in high school. Skinny, beautiful, with all the bells and whistles. I still compare them to what they were 25 years ago. Guess what. They are not the same people as they were then. I am not the same person I was then. (Thank goodness!)
So in the famous words of my husband--I need to get over this. I need to hold my head up high and be proud of who I have become and who I am now. So take that.

My Frustration

2010-04-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am trying to blog today yet everything I have started writing about is a gripe or a complaint about the guys in my house. I know I annoy them to the innth degree but I am one and they are totaling three. I am trying to be understanding in that they don't have a long attention span so that I can talk to them. I am trying to be understanding that two of them are going through puberty at varying stages. I am trying to be understanding that they want to watch racing, action movies, or shows instead of something sweet and romantic. I am trying to be understanding that what I have to say is not as important to them as it is to me. But seriously? I think my understanding has run out today.
I know that my patience is very low today but I just don't think I can be that understanding anymore today. I just want to run out of the room screaming at the top of my lungs and then sit down and have a good long cry. A lot of good that would do. They wouldn't even notice and if they did they wouldn't understand it.
I guess I did end up griping and complaining about the guys anyway just not as viciously as I started to but at this moment I am tired of being understanding and patient with it all.

Happy Birthday to two sweeties

2010-04-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

I have the pleasure of having a niece and a nephew celebrating their birthdays April 7th. I will not forget when Little D was born. I was at a baby shower for a friend and suddenly had this overwhelming urge to go see my brother and sister-in-law. When we got there, D was all over the place and Cona was a little distracted because she was having contractions. Once we got to the hospital, the staff there kept her a while and then decided to send her home but about the time they did that her water broke and the event began. Unfortunately, Little D didn't make his appearance until the next day. I remember filming family members for D and Cona and I think at one point I put the camera down and filmed myself talking to Little D. He is a sweet boy and is no longer a baby. I can't believe how fast time has gone by.
My littlest niece was born a year ago. I remember waiting at school for the message that she had arrived into the world. I wanted so badly to be there when she was born but as luck would have it, I was unable to do so. Once the call came, I was so exicted to be able to finally see her. Her mama was having a little problem with blood pressure (I think) and so we stood in the hall and waited for 30 minutes or so. When we finally got to go in, I remember thinking that she was really cute. I wanted to hold her and cuddle her immediately. I felt honored when her daddy handed her to me while he helped her mama. Baby B. (I refer to her by the name I always call her.) snuggled into my arms and settled in. I was so content. I could have held her for hours but her daddy's family arrived and they were itching to hold her as well. We didn't stay long that night but since then I have had the privilege of rocking her, cuddling with her, and feeding her. She always has a beautiful, heart melting smile. I can already tell that she is going to be one that I will have a hard time saying "no" to. Wow, a year! Can you believe it?
I am not sure that there will be anymore nieces and nephews. I always encourage my sis-in-laws to branch out a little more but that idea hasn't met with great reviews. :D I love having so many nieces and nephews to play with, spoil, and hug and kiss. Of course, that's just the kind of aunt I am.
Happy Birthday Little D and Baby B.!!!!

"My Kids"

2010-04-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

My school kids are precious to me. After working with them for several hours a day, I feel that I have a right to call them "my kids". I have seen the good, the bad, the ugly, and through it all, I love them. These kids touch my heart every day. They have a desire to learn and a desire to please everyone and anyone. They give their all. These kids are a blessing and gift. These kids make me laugh, my world seem brighter, and worth going to work. In case, you didn't read the beginning of this, I love "my kids".

My Thoughts on the dreaded test

2010-04-05T22:27:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is the first of the TAKS test for our kids. I am nervous for them. I know they will do well but there is always the anxiety of the unknown. Will they have taken their medicine, had a good night's sleep, eaten dinner the night before as well as breakfast that morning? Will someone antagonize them before they get to school and rile their temper? Will they fight with their parents, siblings, best friends, or just anyone? Will they remember to use their strategies? Will they use the charts that are available for them? Will they remember how to use the charts? Will those that need to make their own charts? Will they remember their name????? All these factors can blow their test out of the water. I am praying for each and everyone of my babies I work with. (Yes, I call them my babies. I am with them a large part of the day so I feel I can). I am also praying for all the other kids. We will test for the next 2 days and for some there will be a 3rd day. This will exhaust us all.
I know that this test is important to show growth in the kids but I really wish the state would find another way to see if the kids have been learning. If they are truly trying to test the kids on knowledge then please let me help you design something that will do this. This test causes good teachers to second guess themselves, stress until they are physically ill, and gray hair. Not to mention the kids. They also stress until they cry, throw up, or second guess their abilities. Is this really the intent of the test?
I certainly hope not but until someone with more authority than me can come up with something valid and equitable, we will continue with this test. If you think about, once you read this then please pray for kids across the state over the next 2 days.

Our Basic Anniversary Celebration

2010-04-02T21:16:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems like forever (both my hubby and I say that). 21 years. Half my life. The good, the bad, the wonderful, the ugly. We continue to survive and work our way through this adventure. Apparently, we are a rare breed. We aren't divorced, haven't separated, had affairs, or such. We have been content with just the two of us. (The boys are a bonus!) One of the boys once told us that their friends like coming here because it was like being with a real family. When asked what was meant by that, they responded that we fuss and argue in front of the kids, no one packs up and leaves, and after a bit we are snuggling on the couch again. That is what you call, love.
To celebrate this wonderful day, I went to work and my hubby took the dog to the vet to get fixed. Then once I came home, we changed clothes and went out to dinner. My hubby asked me where I wanted to go and I struggled with the decision and finally told him that I really just wanted something simple. So we drove over to Rosa's Mexican Cafe and ate fajitas. Then we went to Home Depot and walked through the store just looking at different things. We stopped along the way and bought milk and then once home just relaxed watching television. We realized we are boring. But boring is good. It really is us. I enjoyed my self and was perfectly happy.
I am ready to face the next 21+ years with my hubby. I know that there will be ups and downs, happy, sad, boring, excited, and an occasional mad but we will survive it all.

What a glorious day!!

2010-03-31T14:39:00.001-07:00

Today was a glorious day outside! The temperature was pleasant, the sun was shining, and the skies were blue. It was wonderful. We took the reading class outside to do the lesson today and they had a ball. I loved it because I wasn't looking at four walls and florescent lights.

I couldn't think of anything other than praise for God. I just kept thanking Him over and over for the blessing of this day. You know to quote one of my favorite movies (Pollyanna)--"Get out there and enjoy this glorious day and while you are at it, give thanks to the one who made it."

Count your blessings one by one and have a blast of a day!!!!

I've Just Seen Jesus

2010-03-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

I saw someone had posted this YouTube video on facebook and the song flooded my brain, spirit, and soul. If you have never heard it then I encourage you to listen to it. Here are the lyrics to this very poignant song. This is what Easter is about.

We knew He was dead. "It is finished," He said. We had watched as His life ebbed away.
Then we all stood around, til the guards took Him down. Joseph begged for His body that day
It was late afternoon when we got to the tomb, wrapped His body, and sealed up the grave.
So I know how you feel. His death was so real, but please listen and hear what I say.

I've just seen Jesus! I tell you He is alive! I've just seen Jesus!
Our precious Lord alive! And I knew, He really saw me too, as if til now, I'd never lived.
All that I'd done before, won't matter anymore.
I've just seen Jesus and I'll never be the same again.

It was His voice she first heard.
Those kind gentle words, asking what was her reason for tears.
And I sobbed in despair, "My Lord is not there!"
He said, "Child! it is I, I am here!"

I've just seen Jesus! I tell you He is alive! I've just seen Jesus!
Our precious Lord alive!
And I knew, he really saw me too, as if til now, I'd never lived.
All that I'd done before won't matter anymore.
I've just seen Jesus! I've just seen Jesus! I've just seen Jesus!
All that I'd done before won't matter anymore.
I've just seen Jesus! And I'll never be the same again.

I've just seen Jesus!

Places in my mind

2010-03-30T17:15:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have some place in your mind that you can go and just get away? Some people would say that this is a sign of a crazy person in need of psychiatric help. Others would say that only selfish people would do that. Well, call me crazy and call me selfish.
At night my mind goes a hundred miles an hour. That is an exaggeration but it seems like that. I have tried cutting out caffeine, sugar, etc. so that I will go to sleep but that has not helped. What I found helps is that in my mind, I have a built a little one bedroom cabin. It is set in the middle of a forest with a lake. The only access is by a small water plane or helicopter. This cabin has all the amenities you could want. It is run by solar and wind power. In this scenario, I have unlimited money so I don't have to worry about finances. I have just enough furniture, and lots of homemade quilts. I have a garden outside that is fenced from bears and animals. It is a calming place.
So at night when the thoughts, worries, concerns, and work stuff crashes in, I make the trip to the cabin. I sit on the porch or in front of the fire and close my eyes. In doing this, I relax and the junk in my brain seems to disappear.
So, maybe I am crazy and selfish but if you could see my little cabin, you would want to pull up a chair and stay a while too.

Thoughts about my Grandmother

2010-03-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about my grandmother today. I had to hem my youngest son's band pants without cutting them off. It now has an 8 1/2 hem. As I was sewing these pants up, I remembered my mom and my grandmother working with me to make hems and to make creations on the sewing machine. Needless to say, I never made it to far. I can do the basic stuff and could probably even make some piece of clothing. Whether it would be wearable or not is a whole other thing.
So why did I think about my grandmother? She was what I thought of as the example of what I call the "perfect housewife" for her time. She made everything from scratch, she had a house cleaning schedule every day. She followed the same routine daily. She was up early to make a home cooked breakfast for everyone. This was followed by doing the dishes, sweeping and mopping the kitchen. Then the beds were made and furniture dusted. The bathrooms came next. She literally would get on her knees and scrub the floors, tub, toilet, and sink. (That is until she couldn't physically do it. At that point, she resorted to using a mop). Lunch would be made and it was always a hot meal. No sandwiches or processed foods there. Again dishes were done and the floor swept and mopped. She then would stop and watch her favorite show, "As the World Turns". She didn't just sit and watch it though. She was always mending something, crocheting, or working on some project. A true multi tasker. In the afternoon, she would work with my aunt on the piano. If I happen to be there, she would set my aunt to work on a writing project that tied into the Sunday School lesson that they would study together and then it was time for my piano lesson. She taught me the basics. This would be followed by reading together or learning to sew. Then it was off to make supper. Again, nothing processed there. The dishes done, floor swept and mopped. Then back to the couch for a couple of shows on television and more mending, sewing, or crocheting. A quick bath and then bedtime. I don't know that I ever heard her complain about all this work. She just did it and always made it seem effortless. She did ask that my granddaddy do the grocery shopping. Saturdays we would always dress up to leave the house and we would go to downtown Corpus Christi to the department store so that she could get her hair done. I would hang out on the mezzanine with my granddaddy. Sundays were her time. She played the organ for the church. She would always be prepared for any song. Then home to cook a full meal.
Why did I just give a run down of what she did daily? Because I realized tonight that if she could do all that and never complain then what business do I have to complain about what all I have to do? She was educated (had her degree in Spanish/Teaching) and actually taught a while. Meanwhile, keeping house. No complaints. I need to take lessons from her. No complaints.

A correction and anniversary moment

2010-03-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Okay in yesterday's post I said that my husband didn't listen to me or rather had selective listening. He kind of got a little irritated by that. He really does listen to me. It's just that he doesn't understand that I like face to face, in depth conversations that take more than 3 minutes. He tells me all the time that he can only focus on one thing at a time. We have been walking around the acreage lately so he is spending more time listening there. I say everything I think I need or want to say in that time because I know once we enter the house, his focus is everywhere but on what I want to talk about. Occasionally, he does listen to me when I think he isn't because later he will ask a question regarding what I had been saying. I have to give him credit there.
This Thursday will be our 21st anniversary. Yes, we got married on April 1st. When we got engaged we sat down and discussed wedding dates. We had known for a while that we were going to get married so the time from engagement to wedding was 10 weeks. I let him chose the date. He chose that date because he said he would never forget it. Well, he has never forgotten our anniversary but I have....twice. There are some people that wonder how we could pull off a wedding in 10 weeks but I got mad during the 10 weeks and we decided to just do immediate family only. We came extremely close to eloping but our great friends who were gladly going to stand up with us reminded us that my husband's grandmother would kill us if we did that. So we opted for a simple wedding. No fuss, no frills. Our siblings stood up for us and the guys wore suits. The girls (I cannot apologize enough for this) wore pink taffeta dresses that they made. (again I am so, so, so sorry!!!). My mom in anticipation of our getting married had made my wedding dress a month before we got engaged. My hubby's youngest sister made our cake and the reception was at my in-laws home. It actually fits our personalities and how we do things.
21 years...it seems like forever!! He would say the same. :D

2010-03-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

Today was quite a productive day. I am almost finished with all my laundry, cleaned my room, gathered up all the Goodwill stuff, did 2 loads in the dishwasher as well as 2 loads hand washing dishes, made a trip to Target, and made stuffed jalapenos (2 1/2 dozen jalapenos worth). For supper, I sadly resorted to tator tots and buffalo chicken strips from a bag. I just couldn't think of anything creative enough for dinner.
Tomorrow is dinner club with church members. Our group is having breakfast for dinner. I am suppose to bring homemade cinnamon rolls so I have to make them from scratch at the request of the hostess. So tomorrow afternoon will be spent making a mess in the kitchen. I love to bake so it is really more therapy than a chore.
Aside from all this, I was talking with my ultimate best friend (God) today and was sharing my dreams and wishes out loud although He already knew them. He doesn't mind if I talk a lot and share these things. He also seems to listen well, which let's be honest, my husband does not. (My husband has selective listening skills). As I shared with Him, I knew that He was really there. Listening to me. Giving me His undivided attention. It was such a neat feeling. I can't say how I knew that He was there but I could just feel it. I was driving while talking with Him otherwise I would have turned in my seat, crossed my legs Indian style, and gone what I call face to face. It was like when I meet up with my girlfriends. The intimacy, the warmth, the whole thing. It was so incredibly cool. Maybe this is why I accomplished so much. I felt like I had been heard and that someone had cared enough to give me the time I so craved and needed. I was free to move forward. For the first time in a long time, I feel at peace.

One Thought After Another

2010-03-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I am happy to say that I have an approved contract for the next school year. I am not sure what I will be teaching but I am relieved to know that the people in charge still believe in my ability to teach. It has been a long, hard, emotional last few months. Today was the first time in a long time that I felt like I could breathe.

I have been in deep prayer for my California sis-in-law and her family (Keeping up with the Tatums). They are going through so much with his mom and her health. Please keep them in your prayers. I am too far away to help them out in the way they need help but I can stand in the gap and pray for them.

Dad Pipes must have heard me say that I didn't want to really cook tonight. He called us up and wanted to go to dinner. We went to Long John Silver's and had a great visit the whole time. I really like spending time with him. I remember when we would go with him and Mom on what the kids called Grandpa Adventures. I am hoping that when the Post Office makes up its mind about my husband's weekend schedule that we can go back to Geo-Caching and Grandpa Adventures.

This is quite random when you look at it but then again, if you know anything about me, you know how random I can be at times. :D

A Truthful Moment

2010-03-23T18:36:00.000-07:00

I am going to do something that I rarely do. I am going to be an open book. I am going to be completely and brutally honest without reservation. I am tired. I am worn out. I am mentally, physically, and emotionally done. I will admit that I am stressed right now. Every year as a teacher, I wait for the school board to decide whether I will have a contract for the following year. I have been blessed to have been working in the same district. I am finishing my 10th year. I work as hard as I can to teach the kids and do the best I can at my job but every year, I worry that maybe my best isn't good enough. It is a flaw. I worry about things I have no control over.
You see, I have a job I like. I love to teach kids. I love working with them and watching them excel and the ah-ha moments. I like being creative in helping the kids to learn concepts. I want them to be whatever they dream of becoming. I know that they can achieve amazing and wonderful things. That is my goal for them.
I have once again managed to worry myself into this tired, worn out state. I have given into this worry instead of getting on my knees and giving it to the Lord. He is the only one who can take care of things and the only one who knows the answer to what lies ahead for me. So, tonight instead of making myself totally and completely sick, I am dumping this worry at God's feet. I can't do a thing about the decisions that are being made. I can't make the decisions. I can't do anything but my best. If I am giving my best then I am doing what God placed me here to do. I love working at this little town's school and I love the kids I work with. Now, I must give it to the Lord and get some rest.

I Know What I Know

2010-03-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

I am not the only one but since Mom Pipes has died, I have really struggled. I miss calling her and gleaning from her wisdom and her peaceful nature. On Friday afternoon, I decided to go to the cemetery and visit her grave. I thought I was ready. I was so wrong. I got there and all I could do was cry. There was someone else in the cemetery so my conversation with Mom Pipes was held internally for a while. After a couple of minutes, the young girl that was there, came over, placed a rose on Mom's grave and gave me a bear hug. She had been crying and we just stood there for a minute together. Two strangers grieving together. We didn't say a word to each other. Then she left. After she was gone, I started talking to Mom.
I talked with her about the things that I had going on with my job, things at home, things with the boys, things with AC and SE, and things in general. I told her how much I missed her and how I wished that I could talk to her again. I told her that I just wished that there was a way for her to let me know that it would all be okay. I left soon after and went home.
Today, I got home and got the mail. I started crying immediately. The only piece of mail was a card that said, "You have been given a gift of "Angel" magazine from Jerry Pipes. Happy Holidays." Mom has been getting this magazine for me for several years. We have discussed articles in it and laughed over some things in it. She loved Angels and she really liked this magazine. She knew that I liked this magazine as well. Normally, I get a card about the renewal of this magazine in December. This past December, I didn't get the card. I didn't worry too much about it with budgets being tight and all. But today, out of the blue, here was this card.
For me, it was her way of letting me know that it was all going to be okay. I know it is silly but I really believe that this was my little sign from Mom. I know that God is control but I also believe that Mom is up there watching all of us and praying for us and cheering us on. Occasionally, I think that there are signs to let us know this. For that I am glad.

Spring Break--Day 9

2010-03-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of Spring Break. I almost had a panic attack in church this morning when I realized that fact. I hadn't done my school work, I hadn't finished cleaning, and I hadn't done anything I really set out to do. I did sleep, I enjoyed being at home with my family relaxing so I did what anyone in my shoes would do. I came home and cooked all afternoon. In case, you don't recognize this, it is called procrastination. I am getting to be a pro at it.
This afternoon I made the following: Homemade Chicken Enchilada Soup, Rotel Cheese Dip, A Pot of Beans, Homemade Biscuits, and Homemade Cinnamon Rolls. Later tonight I will be making breakfast tacos and stuffed jalapenos. I just had this overwhelming urge to cook. I cleaned the kitchen after each thing and ran the poor dishwasher again. Then I sat down and looked at emails and facebook.
Now, I am about to go back to church and I will be finishing this evening off by watching an old movie or old television show on DVD. I will then go to bed and sleep. Tomorrow is the start to the long stretch of the school year. As the song says--I will "just put one foot in front of the other. Before I know it, I'll be walking out the door." (from the movie--Santa Claus is Comin to Town).

I hope that you have enjoyed my Spring Break with me. I will try to be more diligent and blog more frequently. May you be blessed this week.

Spring Break--Day 8

2010-03-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I slept in on this day. I had an alarm set but kept hitting the snooze button. I finally got up around 930am. Then I started working on the laundry and watched a movie. Around lunch time, I gathered the boys and we went to Venus for some lunch. Sonic was the main vote so that is where we went. We drove home and I continued to work on laundry and moved on to cleaning the closet. I am in the process of rearranging my clothes in an effort to redo the wardrobe. It is harder than you think it would be. I had promised everyone I would get rid of the clothes that were too big but I seem to have an emotional attachment to them and am having the hardest time letting go.
My youngest was fixing Jamabalaya for dinner and we realized we needed milk to make the cornbread so I went to the store. Of course, I thought of a couple of other things we needed so I picked those up as well. Grandpa had arrived right before I did so we visited with him while dinner was finishing up. We had a leisurely meal of Jamabalaya, cornbread, green beans, and aparagus. After dinner, grandpa left and went home and I cleaned the kitchen. You will be happy to know that I finally conquered the mess! Every time I would go to cook or do anything in the kitchen, I would find it in totally disarray. I was about to throw every pot and pan out because I couldn't ever find it clean. But 3 dishwasher loads, and 2 loads by hand later, the problem was solved. To celebrate, I made banana bread. My hubby and I watched some shows on music that he had recorded and I worked on my sudoku puzzles.
I ended the night with one of my top ten movies--Wedding Date.

Spring Break--Day 7

2010-03-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

Day 7 started off okay. I left fairly early to go grocery shopping. I started out at Target because there was something I needed there and couldn't get at the grocery store. Then I decided to meander over to Ross. There I found a pair of brown pants and got excited. Now, I had the basics in my wardrobe for work. I left there and went to HEB. I slowly and leisurely did my shopping. I almost broke down and bought a couple of tulip bouquets but resisted spending the money on something that wouldn't last long. I wished now I would have done it. It would have brightened my day later. As I got ready to check out, the clerk looked at me (now, at this point, let me describe what I am wearing--a pink tshirt, jeans, dangling earrings, a necklace, and a watch with charms.) and said, "Have a nice day sir." Sir??? Seriously?? What a blow. It was so disheartening. I know that the clerk didn't even realize what was said but still....
I made it home with all the groceries, had help putting them away, and heard--"There isn't anything to eat. When are you going to buy real food?" I went to my room and shut the door. I just couldn't respond to that.
A little later, my dad-in-law helped me take the car to the shop and then I stopped by and borrowed the tank, I mean the Excursion. After I got home, I changed clothes and we went out to meet my oldest and the girlie girl on their way back to college. They had been in Colorado visiting (in his case--meeting) her parents and enjoying a little snowboarding. We all gathered up at Buffalo Wild Wings and enjoyed the meal together. We walked over to Best Buy and dreamed a bit. Then moved on to Academy to buy shoes for the youngest. He has moved from a size 9 1/2 to a size 11 in a matter of 3 months. Sigh...
I was glad to get home. It seemed like the day would never end.

Spring Break Days 6

2010-03-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Well, what can I say? I got behind. I wish I could have stayed committed. Anyway, in case you are just dying to know here it goes.

DAY 6--This was a great day! I got to go meet up with one of my best friends and her daughter for lunch at Panera Bread. I highly recommend the new Cuban Chicken sandwich. They also have great tea. Then we leisurely went window shopping at Cato (my all time favorite store)and Charming Charlie. If you have never been to this store then as a woman, I encourage you to experience it. I am the type of person that sorts by color and this store is set up in just that manner. An example is that purses, jewelry, clothes, shoes, etc that is the color yellow is all grouped together, and on it goes. There is even a section of zebra stuff and cheetah stuff. It is overwhelming but going in the middle of the week is much better than going on the weekend. We finished up there and went to Lowe's for gardening stuff. After that they had to meet up with her hubby. I went on home. I spent a little bit of time at home and then ventured out to have dinner at Chick Fil A with another one of my dearest friends. We live less than 40 minutes from each other but see each other about once every 3-4 months. We schedule a time when we can just visit for 4-5 hours and catch up, vent, and share with each other. We have been through a lot with our families and that is one family that has been through thick and thin with us. After the guys at Chick Fil A threw us out so they could close up, I headed home.
Well, there it is. I hope that day was a little more exciting for you.

Spring Break Day 5 Part 2

2010-03-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I have spent the day with my youngest niece. The other two ended up going with their "Maw maw". I was really glad that they brought the exersaucer. I was able to go to the bathroom and get a couple of things done without having to worry about her eating anything or getting loose in the house without any precautions. I enjoyed snuggling with her. I miss when kids need me to rock them and hold them. I really don't miss the dirty diapers but hey, hazards of the job.
On a side note, I realized that my hair looks absolutely horrid when left to dry on its own. It goes crazy and I literally cannot do anything with it. It drives me nuts. I should go get it trimmed but I am afraid that they would cut it short again and I am trying to grow it back out. Sigh.... When it comes to hair, you can't win for losing.
I did get my living room cleaned this morning. I need to work on the laundry some more. I am getting frustrated in that I don't think I am going to make it with all the deep cleaning that I want to get done. Oh well, big ideas with short time. I know someone out there is wondering how dirty my house is. I am "deep" cleaning it. Going through every drawer, nook, and cranny. We moved in 3 years ago and have accumulated stuff. Now I am cleaning out that stuff. I am finding myself hanging on to things just because I don't want to have to deal with getting rid of things or go through it all. I can get the boys to help clean the main areas of the house but actually going through things, another story. Oh well, it will get done eventually. Well, that does it for today. Check back tomorrow. Maybe it will be more interesting. :D

Spring Break Day 5 Part 1

2010-03-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally made it up early this morning. I swept the living room, cleaned out the dishwasher, loaded the dishwasher, started a load of laundry, and picked up the living room. Today my nieces and nephew are coming over. For Christmas, we gave a babysitting coupon to my sister-in-law and her husband with a restaurant gift card. They have decided to cash it in. So, today is the day that I will keep the kids for them. I figure I probably won't get much done today because I have to have time to snuggle with the youngest, play Lego's with the oldest, and watch a princess movie with the middle one. It will be a full day to say the least. I will write more later about the whole experience.

Spring Break Day 4

2010-03-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I told my boys that they had to help with the deep cleaning because we all live here and we all make the mess. They protested and griped and grumbled but with the impending threat of their XBox disappearing, they quit the gripes and did an excellent job. Now I have to be diligent and do my job. I did some cleaning but I am finding myself totally unmotivated now. I want my house clean but even with individual room by room lists, I find the task daunting. I have decided to take one list at a time and work through it. It will take me considerably longer than I had hoped but the reward in the long run will be worth it.
I had my alarm set this morning and slept right through it. I guess I needed the sleep because I slept late again this morning. Then I started meandering with my chores. I really need to make myself go to be sooner and get back on a schedule. Maybe instead of sleeping as late as I want, I need to force myself to get up at the usual time. I would probably accomplish more in the morning than late at night. Since I am booked for tomorrow then I might just give that theory a whirl.