Army Wife and Mom of 4

Sometimes Life is Just HARD

2011-11-20T19:00:00.003-06:00

Do you ever feel like your life is falling apart? That you can't live up to your own, or other's, expectations? That you just can't keep up, or do it ALL? I've been feeling that way a lot recently. I'm a "perfectionist" by nature, but what am I really striving for, because all my "perfectionist" attempts really bring me are feelings of disappointment and discouragement. I CAN'T be perfect...I just can't! I know it theoretically, but somehow I can't get it through to my brain that it's not humanly possible. That being said, no one can be perfect, no matter how well they fake it. When we excel in one area of our lives, something else has to give, because we can't be AMAZING at everything. There isn't enough time in a day or enough energy in one person to do it all. So...since we can't do it all, how do we CHOOSE? How do we PRIORITIZE what's most important in our lives, or for today, even the next hour?

Priority and balance in my life have always been among the things with which I struggle most. My biggest problem is that I want to do EVERYTHING--all at once and really well--IMPOSSIBLE, right? Then, why do I still desire it. Maybe that's a discussion best left for a high-quality, professionally-trained shrink, I don't know. What I do know, is that making decisions can be hard, and because life is full of decisions, sometimes it's just that...HARD! Often, the decisions of others affect us, both in positive and negative ways, but they affect us nonetheless. Those decisions we can't control. What we can control, is our A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E!

In my last post I talked about having "an attitude of gratitude". I know, it's kinda cliche, but I like it, AND it works! This time, I think I want to have an attitude of F-A-I-T-H! Faith that there is a Master Plan--a greater heavenly design than what we can see with our limited vision, here on earth. I know that life wasn't meant to be EASY. But sometimes, it's SO hard, that I wish it were a little easier, don't you? The truth is, that we usually grow the most when life is the hard. Wouldn't you agree? It's difficult, when in the moment (or moments, sometimes years long) of challenge to see the growth we are making until we have overcome the struggle. It's then, that we can look back and see how far we've come, and how much we've grown. It's the "hard" things in life that make us better people--wiser, smarter, stronger, braver, humbler, more sensitive, and more sympathetic to others, especially those in situations that we can understand (because we too have experienced them). I think of the Savior and how perfectly he can succor (def: assist and support in times of hardship and distress) all of us. It's because He has felt what we have felt, and suffered what we suffer. He gets it, because he's experienced it ALL personally. I can't even imagine what heartache and difficulty he suffered when he knelt in Gethsemane and hung on Calvary. It is inconceivable (yes, I think of "Princess Bride" every time I say that, which isn't all that often, but makes me smile : )

I feel like I'm kind of just rambling right now, but my point is that YES, life is HARD, but not unlivable. Even in my darkest moments, I have wanted to live on and keep moving forward because I still had HOPE. Hope that my situation could improve, hope that I would become stronger and more capable--not perfect, but improved! It's Jesus Christ who I believe is the greatest source of that HOPE. For it is He that provided hope for us all when he made the most important sacrifice on Earth. And in Him, I will have FAITH!

I have come to realize that even when life is hard, I can be HAPPY because I have FAITH and I have HOPE and a SAVIOR who loves me, died for me, and LIVES for ME everyday! For this I am GRATEFUL! And that is my thought for the day.

A Grateful Heart

2011-11-17T17:47:00.012-06:00

Hello blogging readers! So, it's been 8 days since my last post and I made a goal to blog every week 'till Christmas, and even though I'm "a day late and a dollar short" I'm still gonna make a go of it.

A LOT has been on my mind lately. Much of it, I am hesitant to share, because it's of a very personal nature...but, other things--although deep in subject matter--are less revealing, so I think we'll stick to that kind of material for now. What I'm referring to today is G-R-A-T-I-T-U-D-E! I recently found out about a family that goes to our church who's apartment caught fire and all of their worldly belongings were destroyed. It was not their fault in anyway, and there was no way that they could have prepared, or been ready for, such a tragic event (the apartment below them caught fire and the flames came up through the floor and destroyed their apartment as well--they were not there at the time). The wife was pregnant with their second child and just this week had a miscarriage. I mean, how bad can things get for this poor little family. You think the worst that could ever happen in your life happens (the fire) and then the blow of an unexpected miscarriage (talk about a devastating event). It's the kind of stuff that makes people wonder if God really cares and is up there watching over us.

Hearing about these families' trials, really made me sit down and reflect about my own life and the hardships I have faced. In many ways, I feel like I have had my share of trials and tribulation, and that I have had to deal with just about all that I could bear, BUT...I have NEVER had to deal with a tragedy like my home burning down, or losing a baby in a miscarriage, and definitely not both in the same week! It felt like I couldn't even compare my situation or life to their's. The scale of difficulty in life definitely weighed the heaviest for their family, and the majority of my struggles felt trivial and insignificant in comparison.  As I thought all this through within my mind, I came to realize and acknowledge, how much good I have in my life and how much there truly is to be GRATEFUL for. So...I made a commitment to myself to:

                 COMPLAIN LESS A-N-D- BE GRATEFUL MORE!!!

I am going to focus on the positives and to share them with others. I have in the past written in a "Gratitude Journal" and think it's about time to bring it back again. The idea is to EVERY DAY write down at least, but not limited to, 5 things that you are grateful that day.  The thought is, that IF you spend more time, effort, and energy thinking about the positives in your life and what you are grateful for, THAT you are HAPPIER--and who doesn't want to be happier : )  I've decided that GRATITUDE is going to be my focus and goal for this upcoming week.

Here's my first Gratitude Journal installment:

I am grateful for:
1. Socks that keep my feet warm on cold winter days, and moist during the hot, dry summer.
2. A family, who loves and cares for me, and has my back no matter how many mistakes I make in life and how terrible I am at staying in touch.
3. My house that protects me from the outdoor elements and provides me with peace and serenity and a feeling of "home", even if it is messy most of the time : )
4. My kids, who even though they drive me crazy much of the time, and sometimes seem like the worst behaved kids on the planet, make me laugh often and tell me that they love me regularly.
5. A loving Father-In-Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ who are mindful of my situation, are always accessible through prayer, and provide an endless supply of love, support, and encouragement. I've heard the saying that, when life is challenging and it gets too hard to stand, then KNEEL (in prayer, of course).

Well, that is my list for today...I probably won't write all of my lists on this blog, but I will try to dutifully write them in my journal. "Till next week...

A Blogging Come Back

2011-11-09T18:44:00.003-06:00

Why is it always blogging that takes a back seat in my increasingly busy life. So many thoughts, ideas, whims, clever phrases, silly quips, lessons learned, funny moments, and visual imagery get lost in the vast and unorganized file boxes in my brain. Not to leave out all the 1000's of digital pictures left alone, unedited, full of red-eye that collect digital dust on my desk top computer. Blogging, oh how I miss thee...so, I've decided to put it back on the to do list, for like the zillienth time. This time, however, I'm going to actually attempt, with greater determination and urgency, to put fuel to my fire and leave cyber documentation that I am alive--that my four children and demanding husband have NOT YET been the end of me : )

So, without further adew (sp?)...what exactly does that phrase mean anyway? It sounds cool, though, doesn't it?...I'm bound and determined to blog atleast once a week until Christmas. If I make it that far, we'll extend the goal further.

And just for fun, here's a couple of random favs of my girls that I've taken recently (Sarah, 7; Rebekah, 6; Emily, 4; and Abigail 19 mos)...I'll post more soon! 'Till next time...

Babies Don't Keep

2011-08-31T23:28:00.008-05:00

Mother, O' Mother, come shake out your cloth,

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth.

Hang out the washing, make up the bed,

Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due,

Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek - peekaboo.

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew,

And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo.

But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?

Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,

But children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

~ Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

*Copied and pasted from Peaceful Parenting

The Krazy Coupon Lady . . . I know her!

2011-06-29T06:53:00.001-05:00

I don't know if you've heard of her, but she's kinda famous now. She goes by The Krazy Coupon Lady and has now authored a book, been on a TV several times on various talk shows and the recent TLC phenomenon, Extreme Couponing! Her name is Joanie Demer, but growing up I knew her as Joanie Dunbar. She lived just up the road from my home in Chico, CA. We went to the same church and from the ages of 13-18 we were friends--best friends for about 2 years of that time, with one of our other great friends Mona. We girls were like an inseparable 3-some and had some amazing times together (The picture below is of our little gang at age 15/16--Joanie's in the middle--right before Girl's Camp with our church group, summer of 1998).

Over the years, particularly since I left home for college--followed by meeting and marrying my husband (now a Military man)--,we lost touch. I had no idea that she was even famous until about a week ago when my mom told me. I looked her up online and, of course, she looks AMAZING, and her website is awesome! I don't think I want to become an extreme couponer or anything, but I think I'm going to order her book because, like I said in the title of this post, I KNOW HER! It makes me feel a little famous just saying that we use to be such good friends. Plus, it never hurts to save a little money, even as a 'mild couponer'.

Okay, so that's the background. Here's the real meat and potatoes of why I'm bringing her up--it actually has nothing to do with couponing. It's honestly the trigger for my last post about the question, "who am I besides a wife and mother?". All the thoughts and questions I talked about in that post surfaced after I learned about Joanie's success and accomplishments! She's my age, a grade below however, has 2 kids, her hubby's in the Military AND she's written a book, started a company (basically--see her website and you'll know what I mean), been on TV, and starred on a TLC special, plus looked AMAZING while doing all of it! To sum up my initial reaction, I'd have to say that I was JEALOUS! It wasn't that I wanted to be her or do exactly what she had done or anything, I just wanted to have more to show for my life up to this point.
I too have dreams to author books, become a motivational speaker, teach, and have a positive influence on the world, but I feel like I've made little, if any, progress toward any of those life ambitions. How is it that she's done so much? I don't want to leave my kids, or hire a nanny, or anything like that, so that I can go be a successful career woman. Like I said in my last post, I'm happy being a mother. I just want that little bit on the side, that makes me feel good about me, and puts my talents and skills to some visible use! Having 4 girls so close in age and as young as they are, doesn't warrant a lot of free or me alone time, but . . . if I planned ahead a little better (like I did today by getting up 5 AM), and scheduled that "me" time I think I'd be a better mommy and happier me.

So, that's the new plan I guess. Get up early everyday to exercise, and do whatever else makes me feel good about me--read, blog, edit pictures, craft . . . whatever I want basically and would enjoy doing uninterrupted and without little hands helping me out. So, I guess this means y'all (the y'alls come from our time in Texas) will be seeing a lot more of me. Now, I need to tackle my 1000's of digital pictures so I can FINALLY upload some of my girls onto this blog. My little munchin-ettes have grown SO much, it'd be nice to show you all how much they've changed. 'Till next time . . .

FINALLY Blogging...and it only took me 8 months!

2011-06-24T01:03:00.000-05:00

Excuses, excuses, excuses . . . there are a zillion reasons why I haven't blogged in sooooo long, but who really cares about all that. I mean really, excuses only make me feel better about being delinquent and encourage others to feel and express sympathy for my situation, which in turn also makes me feel better. So, rather than ask for pity empathy, we're gonna just sweep it all under the rug and move on. So, I hope that you're all cool with that.

Okay, well now that's all settled lets talk about something fun! And . . . I'm drawing a blank. It may have to do with the fact that it's 1 AM in the morning and my brain is shot from a busy day, or the fact that I have 4 kids under the age of 8 and my mind and body are dedicated to serving, teaching, and caring for them nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. To say it concisely, my life is MOTHERHOOD and I love it, I really do, but . . . sometimes I wonder where the "me" is underneath all the sippy cups, kitchen floor crumbs, potty training, endless laundry, and daily toy clean-up. Is there still a unique, individual woman, who's smart, creative, and confident? Someone who still has dreams for herself, and not just for her children?

As a youngster, I was going to do and be EVERYTHING. Life was limitless, and I was on a track for success, for something great. Not that I was so wonderful at anyone thing, but I was a very good student and had been exposed to many fabulous opportunities that broadened my abilities, and expanded my potential. At 18 I felt I could conquer the world. I was going to college to study what I was most passionate about: music, dance, and theater. I planned to travel abroad and to have amazing, exotic experiences. Then . . .

I met my husband, fell madly in love, and before I knew it, we were married and I was thrown for the first time into the REAL world--you know, the one full of adult responsibility and challenges. And just like that, I was no longer a child. Time passed and before we knew it our first daughter was born, we graduated from college, moved across the country (to Maryland, which was further away from my family than I had ever been), and joined the Military. Another daughter, another move (Georgia), then a career change (Navy to Army), followed by yet another move (Tennessee). We bought our first home, and daughter number 3 decided to surprise us 9 months later. 11 days after that my husband deployed to Iraq, leaving me with 3 children under the age of 4. I spent about 8 months of his 13 month deployment back west (Utah), where I could be closer to my family and take a few summer college courses at the good ol' BYU! Shortly after my man returned home from his overseas military service, it was time for a new adventure . . . another career change (Infantry to medicine), which meant, of course, another move (TEXAS--cause everything's bigger in Texas!), and for our family, another surprise baby, a 4th little girl!

A year here, a year there, babies all born in different states, tends to be the life of a military family. And although it can be fun and exciting to see and experience new people and places, it can also be exhausting and disruptive to be hopping around from place to place, and living in a constant state of resettlement. Finally, however, it looks like we're going to have a little regularity and consistency in our lives, at least in the moving department. We just found out that we will be stationed for 3 years where we are currently living and own our home. Hurray for good news! The girls will be able to stay in their same school, and go to the same church, and have a lot of those other stabilizing factors that are so good for children.

With that all said, I'm going to bring this little rant back to my earlier question: who am I besides a mother to my children, and a wife to my military man? What is there, if anything, about me that sets me apart from others, that makes me special, that I am proud to call "me" or my own? It's a good question, isn't it? The answer is, I don't really know anymore, because my days are so consumed being a wife, and a mother, but . . . I'm determined to find out. I want to rekindle the inner woman hidden inside me. I don't think my pursuit will require a great deal of effort or even time. I think more than anything, it's a state of mind, a way of viewing myself, clarity of perception. So, more than anything, it'll just require a bit of thought and pondering--time spent remembering who I was, and modifying that with how I've changed over the years.

This is what I know so far that gives me peace and security: I know that I am a daughter of my Father in Heaven and that He loves me. I have a Savior who died for me and who lives for me now. I have two wonderful earthly parents who raised me well, who also love and support me. I am also blessed with 7 brothers and sisters who will always have my back, although distance and time separate us. I have great in-laws, and extended family, who also care about me. And, although I am quite terrible at maintaining friendships these days, I do have a hand full of amazing people that I consider great friends. Last, but not least, we can't forget my 4 beautiful and creative daughters, who although they can be challenging at times, love me and look up to me for comfort, and guidance.

All in all, I'm a pretty lucky girl, who is very blessed. There's just that little part of me that desires a touch more pride and confidence in my own abilities and accomplishments. I don't need to be a famous author, talk show host, super mom, amazing blogger, or even a u-tube celebrity, I just desire that added bit of satisfaction that I am who I want to be, and that I'm doing enough, well enough. It's a feeling that's already starting to come slowly, and gaining a little strength each day. I think I mostly have my Heavenly Father to thank for that. I've shared with Him my feelings of insecurity, and my desire to feel a greater sense of accomplishment and pride in my everyday life, and He has responded to my prayers with a feeling of peace and gentle encouragement. I love prayer! Iit's SO amazing what a few simple words expressed heavenward, while on one's knees, can bring to pass. And . . . I think I'll close this blog post on that uplifting and positive note. 'Till next time . . . (expect pictures, for REAL this time!)

No more excuses, it's time to start blogging again!

2010-10-21T12:30:00.000-05:00

With how much I LOVE to blog, it's pretty ridiculous how little I do it these days. Who cares that I have four children and a house to maintain, blogging is important for my emotional and social well-being, so blogging here I come and HOPE I'm here to stay. There are so many pictures to post and things I think of to ramble about--in fact, it's quite silly how often I think about blogging: things I'd like to say, events I'd like to document, pictures I want to post, topics I'd like to open for discussion, all without any product to show that they ever existed. So, I've decided that I need this outlet to feel more complete as a person and whole as a woman. My first goal is to do a little picture, and important event catch-up, then to move on with more day-to-day stuff. I think I can do it, and if the laundry needs to stay undone a little longer, or the toy room a little messier than normal for it to happen, I think I deserve a little "ME" time. It's been said that, "No one can pour from an empty vessel", and blogging has this magical way of helping to fill mine, so it is now moving from the bottom of my to do list to the top 5 . . . yay, I'm excited!!! I'm going to go hit the digital pictures, then I'll be back, okay. "I'll see you soon then" (can anybody name that movie?)

Peaceful Parenting: Following Your Instincts

2010-09-11T15:24:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I just read this amazing post off a new blog that I found on my cousin-in-law's blog roll (whose blog I also found and read for the first time today, thanks to facebook). The author of the blog's message really struck to the heart of my core feelings about being a mother (at least the one I strive to and desire to be). Soooo, I decided that it just had to be shared with you all. Here is a direct link to her blog "peaceful parenting" peaceful parenting: Peaceful Parenting: Following Your Instincts. The comments are fabulous too, so don't forget about those. I'm tempted to copy and paste the whole blog post, comments included here, but I won't. Instead I'll just share my favorite quotes.

"In all my time and effort spent researching the best ways to mother, I have come full circle to realize that in almost all cases, the best choices for the health of children and mothers are the ones you would make if stranded on a deserted island and forced to follow your instincts. Trust birth. Breastfeed. Keep your baby whole. Sleep by your baby. Wear your baby. Communicate with your baby. Listen and respond to your baby's cues and cries. --Jennifer Coias

"Gentle parenting...is not some prescibed method or program of raising children. It is not about following books or doing what the experts' tell you to do. It is not a box that you need to try and fit into, or checklists you need to cross off in your parenting journey. It is not about following the latest trends that...other's make fashionable. And it is not about feeling guilty when mistakes are made along the way (we all make them). Gentle mothering - primal parenting - peaceful parenting, ...is about listening to your heart, your instincts, and your baby. Really getting to know yourself as a mother or father, and the little one whose life depends on you. Putting this before all the other hoopla out there. It is when we know our baby and our child's cues well, and when we respond to them in a manner that is consistent with our primal nature as mammalian mothers - to protect, to love, to answer - that we can feel confident we are doing our very best at thee most important job we will ever in our lives have."--okay, so I promised I wouldn't re-type the whole blog post, but I couldn't help myself, because I just LOVED every word!

And then I also really liked Emma's comment: "...I couldn't agree more...all these books about how to raise a happy, confident, smart, sensitive, creative child simply confuse new mothers and create doubt, anxiety and competitiveness. Throw them away people and follow your instincts."

I don't know if I could properly descibe in words the way my heart leapt and almost skipped a beat in excitement upon reading these messages. Through the past 6 years, 7 including my first pregnancy, I have wanted nothing more than to be the BEST parent possible. I thought that meant reading ALL the books and somehow pulling out the best methods and mixing them all into one perfect approach or way. Okay, so I quickly learned that, that was IMPOSSIBLE!!! There was NO WAY that I had the time, energy, or even desire to read ALL the books or research--as a Child Development major, I read a lot of that! So, I was left confused, and unsure if I was ever doing it right. My oldest daughter came and I was anxiety ridden, because I wasn't ready for her (in my mind) because I hadn't read it all, or prepared just perfectly myself or the environment in which she'd live. Before I knew it daughter #2 was here, shortly followed by numbers 3 and 4. I'd had 4 daughters in 6 years and I still lacked confidence in my parenting...it didn't make sense to me that I couldn't state with conviction that I was a good mother or that I knew I was doing what was best for my child, because I didn't know and I wasn't sure. There were just too many sources (books, research, other moms, etc) telling me that their ways were the best ways, meaning that mine was sub par, or flat out wrong. I didn't like that feeling, but for some reason I couldn't escape the anxious unsettling feeling in the back of my mind that kept telling me their was a better way and that I wasn't doing it. All of this combined, left me feeling like a failure, but only in my mind. Reality told a different story, the one of how I was really doing as a mother. But in my mind (a very strong world we all live in), reality was distorted my the thousands of outside influences that can affect all mothers. and I was left feeling confused and over-whelmed. Thankfully, however, I feel like my little Abigail (daughter #4) was my secret ticket to peace and serenity. It wasn't until I had her (and even then it took a couple of months), that I was FINALLY able to grant myself the credit I think I've been due these past 7 years. This credit, had been stollen from me by my own mind, because I wasn't what I call a "book mommy" (meaning I'd read all the books and was following the best advice or research out there). The funny thing is that, I own, and have even begun reading most of the modern-day parenting books. But because I'm a mother of 4 young daughters, I never had (or took) the time to finish very many of them. Maybe it's because they weren't that captivating to begin with, you knows? The point is, I am doing a decent job as a mother and although I slip up, make mistakes, and fall short all the time, I am doing the best that I can! I do listen to my baby's cues, I do snuggle, and love, and listen to my children. I pray for my girls daily and try to parent them as I believe my Heavenly Parents did. And, of course, I have two wonderful and caring parents who were, and still are, fabulous examples to follow. For all this I am grateful and can grant myself credit! : )

School Girl Days!

2010-09-10T10:08:00.000-05:00

My two sweet girls, Sarah (6) and Rebekah (just recently 5), are just growing up SO fast! Sarah started 1st grade and Rebekah began Kindergarten exactly one month ago (August 10th) at Barker's Mill Elementary. Although I miss them, it is AMAZING having only two kids at home during the day (Emily, 2- almost 3-years and Abigail nearly 6 months old). It's SO much easier to get things done and to go places with them, especially grocery shopping. The older girls seem to really be enjoying school. We're lucky that it's such a GREAT school with a wonderful atmosphere, which comforts me knowing that they're in good hands. Both girls are still adjusting to an earlier bedtime and getting up and ready for school, but I'm hoping that we'll shift into a nice, fairly smooth, routine soon.

We're within walking distance of the school, so carting all four girls to and from can be a little interesting sometimes, but we like to change it up to keep it exciting (e.g. take the wagon one day, stroller the next, bike the third, then walk with umbrellas in the rain--like we did today, etc). I've noticed that we get a fair amount of attention en route to school because we have SO MANY girls SO close in age. Sarah and Bekah often comment that the other moms and dads look at and smile at us, or laugh to themselves, as we pass. I just tell them that it's because they're so beautiful or because they're having so much fun. The funnest traveling days are when I take just Sarah and Bekah (when Blaine's home a little later and can stay at home with the younger two). in the wagon and I RUN down the big hill on our way to the school. They think that it's pretty fabulous, and excitedly call it the "roller coaster". They even put their arms up and shout "who hoo or weeee". I have to admit, it's pretty funny and seeing them have so much fun on a 7 minute walk to school, even makes me smile.

Well, that's all I have time to say for now. I'd LOVE to post some pictures, but that involves finding and unpacking the box where the camera cord is. Hopefully, that'll happen sooner than later. Other than school, our days mostly consist of every day routine mixed with box unpacking and re-settling to do's--like ordering a trash can, transferring medical coverage zones, finding doctors and dentists, and re-involving ourselves in the neighborhood and at Church. I have to admit, it's wonderful coming back to a place that we've already been, because it fabulously eliminates the need for so many "new-s", such as finding a place to live (we're back in OUR house, which is SO comforting), figuring out how to get anywhere without getting lost, finding friends--one can always find more, but it's really nice to have some already that you can call if you need anything, and to go places, like Church, where people know your name (doesn't that makes you think of the old "Cheers" TV show theme song?). Anyway, all in all, life is good and we're settling in quite nicely. Now . . . if I could just get these last 10 boxes or so unpacked and find places for everything, life would be GREAT! So, I'd better get back to it. It's good to be back online and blogging again. I've really missed it! : )

'Till next time, when you can expect pictures . . .

Abigail Ruth's Baby Blessing

2010-07-26T13:09:00.000-05:00

Our little "Pioneer-looking" bundle of JOY!!!

Abigail Ruth McGraw, Born: March 13th, 2010

I love the bonnet, don't you? This blessing outfit was a Christmas gift from Grandma Pope (and Grandpa too!). They purchased it in New Orleans during one of my father's business conferences that they attended together last year. It is made from antique tablecloths and the set includes a bonnet as well as matching bloomers--I think it's my favorite blessing outfit yet! We now have four, thanks to my parents--aka Grandma--who has graciously, and lovingly, searched for and purchased one for each of our daughters, over the past six years. Aren't Grandma's great?

Here are some of my favorite family pics from little Abby's baby blessing, which happened on her 3-month birthday, June 13th, 2010. My mother and little sister Anna, plus David (18-mos-old), were able to make the LONG trek over from Phoenix, AZ! It was SO great to have them, even if it was only for 3 days! It's thanks to them (Anna the photographer, using my mother's digital camera) that we have these pictures. I have a lot more that I'd like to post, but the baby's hungry again, and I have no idea what her three older sisters are up to downstairs, so I better go and resume my post for now. 'Till the next time I have a free, focused minute . . . Julia :^)

The best one of all of them looking happy and forward!

Emily (2 1/2 yrs) sitting next to little cousin David (18 mos). I love the passy grin!

Sadly, the family photos of all 6 of us didn't turn out well at all; so, I decided that this is my favorite. Sometimes, the prep-work pics. make the best ones, I think. Who said we all have to be smiling, happy, and looking forward to take decent family photos? Atleast, this one's more realistic, right?

Sometimes, the best one's are the silly ones! Don't ya think?

Time, Time, Who's Got the Time!

2010-07-16T05:09:00.000-05:00

Maybe she's the reason why???

Why is there never time for blogging anymore? Oh, how I miss it! Caring for 4 little, munchkin-ettes round the clock, with a VERY busy, often gone, husband (gotta love P.A. school--he is at the top of his class however, which is nothing to shake a stick at) leaves little, to no, time for my favorite things ("rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens", etc). Blogging, most definitely, is on that list for me. One of these days I think I'll re-write that song for modern days, maybe I'll even have two versions: a kid-version and an adult, mommy-version. We'll see. It all comes down to time, or the lack thereof of it.

Before little Abby arrived--oh wait, my blogging audience doesn't know about her yet. Opps, I ruined the surprise, darn it. Oh well, now that the cat's out of the bag, daughter #4 decided to join the fam on March 13th of this year. We named her Abigail Ruth and she's truly becoming quite a little good-natured sweetheart. She wasn't that way when she first came out, it took a couple of months for her to get used to her new little body, but now she's quite delightful. She just turned 4 months old on Tuesday of this week, and has all the grins and giggles to show it. Here are a couple of pictures of her in her newborn IPAP (Interservice Physician's Assistant Program) onesie--frustratingly, I can't get them to post right below this paragraph, so instead you see them at the top of this blog (which is silly to even bother telling you, 'cause you've already seen them by now, but I wanted you to understand my formatting troubles--I'm sure you've all been there. Blogger is great, but far from perfect). I figured I better take a couple before she completely grew out of it--if you can't tell, it's a little snug already. I have tons more adorable pictures of her, but they'll have to wait for another blog, another day.

Life here is busy, busy, busy. It seems lately like we can't get a break from illness or doctors appointments and it all just makes me tired. Summertime is supposed to be about relaxing and enjoying the sunshine, but since I became a mom, particularly a mom of 3, and now 4, those days truly transformed into busily moving from one task to the next, trying desperately to stay above the grind. Home and child maintenance take up a significant portion of my days now. Believe me, we still have fun and make wonderful memories together, it's just that now we do it while working. My kids seem to be having a fairly splendid summer, minus the illnesses, which I think are mostly behind us now (except my current cold). I've taken some great pictures of their summer fun that I'll have to post soon, but I'm not quite sure when I'll have the time. The doctor, dental, etc. appointments still fill our days and the BIG MOVE back to Clarksville, Tennessee (Fort Campbell, Kentucky) is just around the corner, at exactly 3 weeks from today. Then, the girls start school at Barkers Mill Elementary (Sarah--1st grade, and Rebekah--Kindergarten) that following Tuesday on August 10th. So life is busy, busy, busy, and a bit too stressful for my taste these days, but I'm hoping to catch a break (at least from illness) in the near future.

Well, I'm going to leave you all for now, even though my stronger desire is to keep blogging (for I so desperately want to catch up and post pictures from the past YEAR--can y'all believe it's been that long?), but responsibilities are calling and dentists don't like to wait. So good bye for now...'till next time.

Yours,
Julia

Okay . . . So, My Catch-up Method Needs Revision

2010-06-18T05:13:00.000-05:00

Hey Y'all (Texas is really getting to me)! I've so desperately wanted to start blogging about what's going on now in life, but I feel like I have to back track before I can move forward. However, with the current state of things--4 children all out of school for the summer and a husband who's almost never home, I feel like I have to be a little more flexible with myself. I don't have huge chunks of time to sit down and cruise through 100's of pictures to choose my favs for each big event that happened in the past year, but I also don't want my blog to get too out of order date-wise. So, I've decided that I'm going to title and save empty blog posts for all the big events for 2009 and 2010, and when I have to time, I'll go back and fill in all the pictures and descriptions I desire. That way, I'll stay in order yet still be able to continue on blogging about everyday things including my daily thoughts about life, love, and child herding or should I say mess-making (sometimes I like to think of my children as little sheep who struggle to follow the Shepherd-ess--the female version of shepherd, right? ha, ha; I have no idea what I'm talking about sometimes). Anyway, coming back from that tangent, just expect to see lots of new blog posts, all of which will be empty to start, but will hopefully slowly and surely fill in over the next little while. In the meantime, I'd also like to blog about other stuff--posts which will have words and maybe even pictures too! We'll see. I don't want to set up all y'alls for disappointment (or myself either, for that matter). 'Till next time . . . I'm looking forward to reviewing Christmas '09, in particular. Who says we can't have Christmas in June (however, it'll probably be July before I get that far)..."I'll be seein' you" (didn't y'all LOVE the movie "Dear John". I sure did; I needed a box of Kleenex though).

Blogging Again!

2010-05-31T02:11:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all, as the Texans like to say. It's been far, far, FAR too long! I've missed this, blogging that is, so I've decided it's time to jump back on board. I'm going to try and do a quick picture update for the past 10 months--wow, it's hard to believe that it's been that long--and then it'll be the mood of the day blog (as in, whatever I feel like blabbing about).

Well, that's it for now; I just wanted to announce my blogging return to y'all (I had to say it again, just in case you forgot in the past 10 seconds that we're in Texas ). In the meantime, I'll be seeing you . . . "in all the old familiar places" (I love the movie The Notebook, that song started going through my mind as I typed "I'll be seeing you"). 'Till next time--be excited, they'll be pictures, and lots of them!

Moving MADNESS

2009-07-08T11:27:00.000-05:00

Hey Folks! I know that it's literally been FOREVER since my last post, but boy have I been BUSY!!! I had forgotten how much work getting ready for a move was (it's been about 2 1/2 years since our last one from Columbus, Georgia to Clarksville, Tennessee). You'd think by now that I would have figured it out (being military and all), but nope not yet. Moving is one tough thing to plan and prepare for; and regardless of how organized, or on top of things you are, there are always boxes labeled "miscellaneous" by the end. Moving just requirs SO much time, energy, and thought process that I believe it can burn out even the most energetic of people.

Well, as far as plans go (or went) the packers came a week ago last Monday and the movers came the following day on Tuesday, and man are they efficient. Four people came each time and they were in and out of there amazingly fast--on Monday they arrived at 8 AM and were gone by 2 PM, and on Tuesday (once everything was already boxed up) they were there at 8 and gone by 11. It was a pretty stressful process, particularly on Monday, because I hadn't quite gathered everything I needed and set it aside so that they wouldn't pack it. So, I was running around all morning long snatching things I needed, wanted, or had yet to still organize by the basket-fulls and shoving it into the office (which we decided to pack ourselves). We also decided not to have them pack the garage, our laundry closet (including our washer and dryer), and our upstairs attic space bonus room. All of those we will pack and move ourselves--it's called a partial DITY (or Do It Yourself ) move and they pay us to do it, so it usually proves profitable.

Now, still ahead of us we have the rest of the organizing, sorting, packing, and labeling of the remainder (about 10%) of our belongings. Then, we plan on picking up our Penske truck on Monday the 13th and driving away from beautiful (albeit humid) Clarksville on Wednesday the 15th. We'll take atleast 2 days to drive to San Antonio, Texas (about 14 hours of straight driving time, minus stops). Our house On Post (oh, did I mention that, we got a house ON POST--we're SO excited. It'll be our first time ever living on the Military base--and we got a good one: 5 bedroom, 3 bath, 1,600 sq. ft.) won't we ready until July 31st, so we'll just kick it in a hotel room (the Military pays for a 10 day stay, so we'll be sure to get one with a pool, and a yummy breakfast) until our home is ready. Instead of renting a storage unit for our Penske truck full of stuff we'll just keep it and pay for a few extra days. Once we can get into our house, it'll be a quick move in 'cause Blaine starts his Physician's Assistant (PA) program on August 2nd.

Well, that's the plan for now--busy, busy, busy, but also an exciting transition. If, and when, I have a free minute I'll add all of the pictures that accompany our weeks (some past and some yet to come) of Moving MADNESS.

Now, it's back to my lovely and exciting world of organizing, sorting, packing, labeling, and child herding. I'll miss y'all in the meantime. 'Till next time . . . most likely from TEXAS (Go Cowboys)!

Who needs a RADIO when you've got, what? . . . BLOGGING, of course !

2009-05-12T14:17:00.001-05:00

Recently, I've been enjoying the TUNES on my Friends' Blogs. Here are a couple of the one's that I've been ROCKING OUT to lately Hopefully, they don't mind me posting their blog sites here--better to ask FORGIVENESS, than permission (or so I've heard). I guess that we'll find out., right?

Thanks for your AWESOME BLOGS girls and for sharing the

GREAT TUNES!

*I keep finding more and more great blogs with awesome music, so I'll just keep adding them as I find them, k? So, just plan on there being more to come . . . can you tell that listening to music has been my thing lately? I've found it to be very THERAPEUTIC. I call it MUSIC THERAPY and have found that it helps out a lot with STRESS, Anxiety, Insomnia, etc. (y'know, all that really fun stuff that many of us deal with these days)!

NOW . . . ON TO THE LIST

1. Karena (Sis-in-law): http://mcgrawland.blogspot.com/

2. Kaylea (Friend): http://sillylittlefrog.blogspot.com/

3. Terri (Sis-in-law): http://popehalfdozen.blogspot.com/

4. Shelly (Cousin): http://jeffandshelly.blogspot.com/

5. April (Army Wife): http://transtrums.blogspot.com/

6. Holly (April's Sis): http://thedippolds.blogspot.com/

AND

http://day2daywithhollyj.blogspot.com/

**NOTE: There are a few other PLAY LISTS that I really like too, but they're on private sites, so I only listed the public one's here. ENJOY!

LET GO, LIVE FREE, ENJOY LIFE, AND . . . SMILE!!!

Before I was a Mom . . .

2009-05-09T22:24:00.000-05:00

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her/him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom .

--Author Unknown

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERYONE . . .
Especially you Mom!
Thank you and I love you!

Re-Kindling the JOY of Motherhood

2009-05-06T12:58:00.000-05:00

Hey Y'all (Texans here I come on. July 7th is now our hoped for outta-Tennessee-and-off-to- Texas Day)! I know I've been absent from the lovely World Wide Web for about a month now. It was quite the change of venue for me, seeing as I had something crazy like 30 posts during the month of March. If you couldn't tell by that number alone, I recently learned what a passion I have for blogging. I always knew that I loved to write, but blogging is a whole new world--a wonderful combination of journaling, scrapbooking, venting, joy-sharing, friendship-building, and information-sending all rolled up into one splendid wrap. Blogging, oh how I've missed thee and am thrilled to have re-joined with thee again . . .

Well, I only have a few short moments right now, because the munchkins are calling and it's meal-time again, (which I'm sure many of you mamas of young kids can relate to), but I just wanted to say "Hi" and let y'all know that I am happy and well. I took a break from blogging, facebook, e-mail, etc. to re-focus on family. I even had the thrilling privilege of seeing many of their beautiful faces, during an 18-day trek out West to CA and Utah. It was busy, and I didn't have nearly the time I wanted to do all that I desired, but it was just enough of a sampling to make me even more eager to return this December for the Christmas holiday. (I'll post some blog entry's and pictures of our trips--including Easter in VA--during the next few weeks).

Okay, enough explanation and on to the point of why I sat down to write this afternoon. I was just feeling a boost of mommyhood and wanted to remember, and share, the feeling. Sometimes the drudgery and monotony of motherhood gets me down and causes me to wonder what happened to the bright-eyed 18-yr-old girl that I still feel buried inside me. But the truth is, she's still there, and she's not all that different--just 8 years older, and hopefully a whole lot wiser. I still have all the passion that I had back then, it's just been refocused on being a good wife and the best mother that I know how to be.

It's hard when we let ourselves down, by not being as good as we know or think we could (or should?--this one's up for debate) be in all our different roles in life. Mine include: wife, mother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, cousin, niece, friend, and neighbor, just to name a few! :-) It's difficult to accept that we haven't become who, or what, we thought we would. But the truth is (and I have to keep reminding myself of this): IT'S O-K-A-Y to make mistakes and fall short of the/our mark, because . . . this life was meant to be a work in progress--a life in which we were intended to always be learning, growing, and becoming! It was our loving Father in Heaven who saw the master in His plan to send his spiritual sons and daughters to earth to gain mortal experience, to be tested and tried, AND (hopefully) proven. So that we too may become like Him (our Heavenly Father AND Mother) and join Them, our families and our Savior Jesus Christ at the end of our mortal missions. I pray that I don't let Them down as often as I let myself down. I often feel Heavenly reassurance as a pray and am grateful for the Hands of Heaven extended in my direction.

Motherhood is a journey, as is life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to take the ride and do the best that I know how. And when I fall short, I know that I have a Savior--a spiritual Elder Brother--to turn to for my sustainment, support, encouragement, and Salvation. I know that He lives and that He loves me. For this knowledge I am eternally grateful.

And that is all I have to say for now.

The End (or Amen, whichever you prefer).

P.S. Just a little something that happened while I was typing this blog post.

Opposition and balance in all things, right?

The Uselessness of an Emotion We Call ANGER!

2009-04-02T13:45:00.000-05:00

**This blog post is becoming quite the essay in my mind, so I will leave it "to be continued", until I have a chance to do a bit more reading (research) on the topic. Thanks for your patience. Hopefully, it will become something worthy of reading when it is finished.

Hey y'all (preping for Texas here)! I've just been thinking a lot about anger recently. What is anger really? --and does it do us any good to really express it? So, I looked it up on dictionary.com and according to that site, anger is, a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility. Then there are more severe forms of anger, such as rage and fury which imply intense, explosive, and often destructive emotion. Does any of this sound good to you? It sure doesn't to me. I mean, honestly what good can come from using anger to accomplish our goals, express our feelings, communicate our frustrations, etc. Who really listens anyway when they're being yelled at. I certainly don't. I might let it sink in later as I attempt to process the message received through harsh words, but during an angry lecture or out burst by others, what I mostly feel is defensiveness, frustration, and a desire to retreat. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I just don"t respond well to anger. It just doesn't motivate me to change or better myself in any way. Sometimes I even feel a desire to do the opposite when I'm being yelled at--a psychological principle called "oppositional defiance" . . .

. . . Emily just woke up from her nap, so this post will have to be: To Be Continued . . .

LOOK AT ME . . . I'M "IN-FAMOUS"!

2009-04-01T07:14:00.000-05:00

Gotta love the "Three Amigos", he, he! Okay, so I'm not "infamous", I'm just famous--or, at least that's how I see it, kinda--okay, not really. But, I definitely feel special. And the reason why . . . (drum roll please, j/k) . . . I just saw my blog listed on "Mormon Mommy Blogs" (see button on right).

I'm listed under the category, "Military Blogs". Check it out and see for yourself! [Make sure that you scroll all the way down. The Military Blog category is sandwiched between "Blog Designers" and "Scrapbooking, Card Making, & Digital Design"]. ENJOY!--there's also lots of other great Mormon Mommy Blogs listed that are probably worth taking a look at. I haven't had the chance to do it yet, but am looking forward to it, when I have the time. :^)

P.S. And No, this is not an April Fools Day joke, it's for real. Speaking of April Fools Day though, has any one master-minded any great pranks today, or been the brunt of any? Feel free to share! I thought about telling everyone (parents and in-laws included) that I'm pregnant AGAIN, but then I reconsidered thinking that it might send my hubby off the deep-end :^) [3 girls in 3 1/2 years has been enough for him--having at least a 3-year-gap between our baby, Emily (17 mos) and hopefully our BOY (fingers crossed) is a much needed break for both of us]. So, to make a "short story long", I decided against it. I haven't come up with anything else good yet--big or small. So, if anybody has any ideas, let me know. I still kinda what to do a little something, but I'm not sure what yet. I dunno, maybe no one's really into this holiday anymore. I've been out of school so long, and my kids are all still so young, I feel out of the loop of things and it's hard to know what's "in" anymore.

Rainy Day Fun!

2009-03-30T08:14:00.001-05:00

The sunshine has turned into rain again and the weather has chilled a bit, but my girls still find ways to have fun!

Rebekah stopping in puddles

Sarah trying to stay dry

Emily--how does this thing work again?

I tried to keep her hood on, but the girl just can't stand

having things on her head--she's a silly little thing!

Adventures with Sewage and Spiders

2009-03-25T12:53:00.000-05:00

Oh, the joys of home ownership--Blaine and I recently had a sewage line break. I know, ewe, gross, and absolutely disgusting!!! Fortunately, it was under the kitchen sink, so most of the leakage under the house was kitchen sink and laundry drainage, rather than bathroom (can you imagine?).

Anyway, it took us a little while to figure it out--a few weeks, in fact. We began smelling a yucky smell that appeared to be coming from the garage at first. However, I also smelled it under my kitchen sink, and on a rare occasion the smell wafted throughout the kitchen, much stronger than normal (looking back, I think these were the times that I had just done laundry AND dishes at the same time). You can imagine all the water, etc. pouring out of the broken pipe and into the ground (rocks and dirt) beneath the kitchen. I'd been telling Blaine for a few days that I thought the smell might be coming from an animal that crawled in the dryer vent and died under the house. Of course, I consider this all to be completely his responsibility to deal with--he's my man; it's his job, isn't it? I had no plans to crawl under the house Army-dead-man-drag-style alone, just little ol' me--NO WAY! Unfortunately, however, when he finally decided to check it out, I was recruited to assist (as usual).

I was very hesitant at first. I wasn't very thrilled about crawling under pipes and around air vents down there with all the spiders and webs (who would be?), but I braved it. I was slightly relieved to discover that it was not quite as disgusting as I had imagined, but all things considered it was still quite gross. Well, we crawled under the house together to discover that it was NOT a dead animal after all (which you already knew), but a broken sewer pipe. Blaine gathered all of the pipes he needed to replace the broken section (fortunately, he had them all on hand, from previous plumbing jobs), and only had to run to Lowe's to buy some plumbing glue (his had dried out). We were back under the house in a flash and completed the job in about 15 minutes.

The funniest part is that we couldn't find any working adult flashlights and, of course, it was very dark under there, even in the middle of the day. So, instead we grabbed the girls' kid flashlights--a hippo and a cow.
The best part were the animal sounds that they made every time we turned them on--and, of course, they automatically turn off every 3 minutes or so, to conserve the batteries. So, there we were, down under the house--amongst the grossness, smell-age, and spiders--"mooing" and hippo "laughing." The whole thing was pretty hilarious, and sufficiently unpleasant, all at the same time. It was definitely a memory not to be forgotten.

Returning to Our Nation's Roots

2009-03-24T20:20:00.001-05:00

I noticed this sign while biking the other morning to one of my favorite parks--Billy Dunlop. Yes, it was without my children--and it was fabulous! My husband had the weekend off (Fri-Mon) so I took serious advantage of the freedom of exercising in the early morning hours, without my children in tow (speaking of towing, I've considered investing in one of those handy bike trailers for kids, as well as a bike car seat, so that towing my kids behind my bike is option; I think they would get a kick out of it as well).

Anyway, back to the sign. I don't know if you can tell the location of this sign very well from this particular zoom in, so let's zoom out a bit and see if the scene becomes a bit more clear.

Can you see it now? This is a trailer, if you can't tell. Seeing this sign, this particular morning, in this very location, got me to thinking. First off, because of where it was placed--a trailer, or the more classy version: a manufactured mobile home. I don't know why signs placed in locations like this seem to touch me deeper than if I were to see them proudly displayed in front of a small mansion, or in another fancy, well-to-do neighborhood. Maybe it's because it appears that family's who live in mobile homes are down on their luck (I've discovered that there are many war veteran's who live in mobile homes). However, I know that this is not always the case, because I lived in a trailer. Yep, that's right. My hubby and I proudly purchased a 1972 manufactured mobile home the first year that we were married. We paid $7,000 for it. 2,000 of which came from my personal savings that I brought into the marriage and the other $5,000 was a loan from my Dad. We were SO proud of our home-ownership (that is, if other's acknowledge that trailers qualify as "homes"--unlike homes who usually maintain their value, trailers depreciate, like cars).

We invested about a solid month (outside of work and school of course) on spiffing the place up. Okay, maybe "spiffing" isn't the proper word, truly it was a complete overhaul of the place in order to get it to pass code, so that the city of Provo would let us live in it. There were many late nights spent with me huddled up next to the camping lantern (our only source of light) snuggled up in a sleeping bag trying to stay warm in the dead of Winter (January), when I was too tired to help Blaine rip out carpet, lay linoleum, or replace bathroom fixtures anymore. We were staying with my brother Curtis, his wife Terri, and their three children up in Lehi during the renovation period. Sharing our one car was a bit tricky with Blaine working and me going to school during the day (especially after such late nights in the cold), but somehow we managed, and I even got straight A's that semester.

The point is, our trailer became our pride and joy. We put many hours into fixing it up and making it as nice and beautiful as possible. We were very pleased with our efforts and everyone who came to stay with us seemed quite impressed how open and spacious even a trailer can be (ours was a large one--about 14 ft. x 70 ft.). We cut off the hitch, replaced all of the skirting, built a new deck, painted the exterior, planted grass, hung curtains, etc, etc, etc. It was a lovely place to live and we were very happy during the year and a half we lived there before selling it for $10,000 to another young couple, also attending BYU. [Side note: these pictures are of what our trailer looked like last summer--5 years after we sold it. It is now on it's second owner since we left--supposedly a Chinese family with three young boys (whom I've never met). Sadly, they have not kept it up very well. I wish I had digital pictures of what it looked like when we lived there, but that was back before we had a digital camera and we don't have a scanner good enough to do a decent job if I scaned our printed copies in--maybe someday I'll get them up on here].

Well, I've gotten a little sidetracked with talking about our early marriage trailer adventure, but it all ties in. My original thought with this post was remembering God--"We all need God in America again"--as the sign on the fence outside the mobile home said. It's so true! It's not just the poor who need God, it's not just the rich who need God, and it's not just America who needs God. We ALL need him. Now, more than ever! He is slowly being removed from everything--the schools, the government, and so much more. Our Founding Fathers, built this nation upon God. And isn't that why they came to America in the first place--for Religious freedom from the Church of England. So they could worship their GOD how, where, and what they may. Yes, I understand the importance of the separation of Church and State, but "separation" doesn't mean that one (State) smothers the other (Relition--like taking the oxygen away from a flame) in a so-called fight for "equality", "justice" and "civil rights". We are supposed to be, "One nation, under GOD, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"--it's in our Pledge of Allegiance (which I used to recite everyday in Elementary school. It's stamped on our dollar bills. It's also in our national anthem, particularly in the fourth verse (yes, there are four--our Hymnal omits one of them, you'll see why below): "Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the HEAV'N rescued land Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto, "In God is our trust!"

Here are the lyrics to all four of the verses, for those of us (myself included) who have never had the honor or reading and/or memorizing them. My husband grew up near Washington D.C. in Maryland and had the good fortune of memorizing all four verses. I on the other hand--a born and raised Northern-Californian--did not have that same great opportunity. It's my husband who believes that the first verse (almost always the only one ever sung) is the worst of all four, and wishes that instead either, all four were sung, or at least one of the latter verses. I now understand why.

The Star-Spangled Banner
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,

In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:

'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore

That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,

A home and a country should leave us no more!

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

How is it that we/America can forget Him now? How devastating will surely be the result if we let Him slip too far from our grasp. It is only through God that our nation can be saved. I pray that all Americans, and all inhabitants of the world, return to their roots--to the Foundation upon which we were built--and remember their Maker. And not just those in desolate circumstances, but all men, women, and children everywhere, of all nationalities, races, countries, and religions. May God bless our land now and always and may we all recognize our need for God in America (and in the world) again. This is my prayer this morning.

Last summer, while my husband was deployed to Iraq, I visited the trailer park (Lamplighter Estates) where we lived in Provo, Utah and took some pictures to remember it by and to show my husband how things had changed. I was very moved by the display of Patriotism that I saw there. Here a just a few pictures that I took:

GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Notice the flags in the hitch on this one below--many trailer owners turned their hitches into potters for plants, flowers, etc. Fortunately, we had the resources to have ours cut off (a much prettier look, as far as trailers go).
Many also flew flags in their yards, or attached them to their homes.
This one's proudly displayed in the front window!
And then--here's the funnest part--I found my Grandma and Grandpa Cropper's (my mother's parents') trailer. I've been told that it was much prettier back then (1970's), but here it is today:

The paint color wasn't the only thing to change over the last 40 years, notice all the beer can boxes in the trash can?

And the laundry room, where my mother had several of her favorite dresses (that she hung to air dry) stolen:

That's all for now. I hope those of you in the Cropper family enjoyed this little blast from the past.

We All Need Chocolate Sometimes

2009-03-21T19:01:00.000-05:00

Emily Susan--Our climber, Little Cougar (Go BYU!), and I guess now our brownie lover too!

I came into the kitchen and just found her like this. Her sisters had obviously been the first ones to help themselves, otherwise the chair wouldn't have been so perfectly positioned. I thought that it was too cute. Of course, I had to run and get the camera before I got her down and put the brownies out of reach.

If Anyone Even Cares . . .

2009-03-20T06:49:00.000-05:00

. . . Here are the results of our Pictures and a Little Quiz we (Thanks Karena!) did recently. You can click on any of the blog titles and it will take you directly to the original post. (FYI: these are just the posts that I added pictures to, not all of the posts that I have ever written. For that list see my Blog Archive at the bottom of the page, on the righthand side). Feel free to leave new comments if the mood strikes you. Maybe it can be kind of a game for me trying to find them all.

Check Back, There's More!
1. Rainbow Landscape

Pictures and a Little Quiz
1. Pencil and Quiz
2. Winner!!!--who is KARENA, by the way! Thanks for attempting this ridiculous feat! You're awesome!!!

The Great Balancing Act We Call Life
1. 4 Chinese Acrobat Pics (I decided that these were kinda silly, so I minimized it to 1)
2. Old Fashioned Weight Scale
3. Teeter Totter

Wanna Be My Follower
1. Holding Hands

Jesus Went Down the Drain
1. Baby Jesus in Manger
2 Picture of "the abyss of grossness" (our broken shower drain)
3. Jesus with the woman at the well
4. Jesus coming out of the scriptures

A No Fun Car Accident
1. Car Crash Cartoon
2 Driver's License (Thanks to Tanner and Julie for helping me to black out all personal info)

The Kid Next Door
1. Neighbor's Backyard
2. Red Vines
3. Statue of Limitations Cartoon

More From Dick & Jane
1. What About Mom? Blog Header

The Kid Next Door
1. Neighbor's Backyard
2. Kids playing in the sand box
3. Children playing Ring Around The Roses

'All The Juicy Details"
1. "Desperate Housewives" Advertisement Poster
2. What About Mom? Blog Header

Scissors: Friend or Foe?: Let's Ask the Hair?
1 Scissors

Validation . . . Do We Really Need It?
1. "Do you deserve a pat on the back?" poster
2. Baby patting mommy's back
3. What About Mom? Blog Header

Even Faulty Camera's Are Better Than None
1 Kodak Easy Share Digital Camera

Technology . . . Do We Love It or Hate It?
1. Kodak Camera
2. Orange Extension Cord

I Figured It Out . . . Yay!
1. thecutestblogontheblock.com website header

Butter, Markers, and the Baby
1. Butter
2. Markers
3. Emily in the Tub

The Glue on the Wall Catastrophe
1. Crayons
2. Children (not mine) Coloring
3. Wood Glue

Discovering New Backgrounds
1. thecutestblogontheblock.com web page header

It's About Time . . .
1. Picture of Earth with a Question Mark

Taking It Easy
1. Outdoor Lounge Folding Chair

The Tease
1. Picture of Iraq with an Iraqi flag
2. Me and my girls in Utah before R&R Leave with Daddy

Reunion Time!
1. "Photograph Currently Not Available. Check Back Soon For Future Updates" (picture to be uploaded when I find my husband's misplaced camera)
2. Another photograph of R&R Leave that still needs to be uploaded (again, when we find the hidden camera)

Saying Goodbye to Utah and Hello to My Husband
1. Map of Utah
2. U.S. Flag
3. Blaine in Iraq

This Opinion vs. That
1. Debate Cartoon
2. Be True to Yourself poster

Silliness in Overdrive
1. Happy Face
2. Picture of our Clarksville, TN House (right after we bought it, notice the "For Sale" sign still up?)
3. Picture of the state of Texas and star

Let's Get Together . . . Yah, Yah, Yah!
1. Poster of the original "Parent Trap" Movie

Well, that's all. Looking back, it was a bit silly to add so many Internet pictures, but I had a really great time doing it, and I worked on my patience at the same time (it takes a while to find and upload pictures). I also learned the ways of blogger picture arranging--some I taught myself and the rest I learned from others. It kinda felt like a school project, and believe it or not, I really miss those. I never realized how much I would miss school when I wasn't in it anymore. Mommyhood is great and has taught be so much about life, but there's something so stimulating and exciting about learning new things in a classroom setting. Who woulda thunk it, that I'd miss school, even though I could hardly wait to be done. Lucky for me, I still have 2 classes to finish my Marriage, Family, and Human Development Bachelor's Degree from BYU. And believe it or not, I'm actually really looking forward to it. It will be so fabulous to have it done and be an official college graduate (even if it is 5 years late--I was supposed to graduate in Spring of 2004, but having Sarah--whom we love, by the way--kinda put a wrench in the gears)!

God Bless America!

2009-03-19T02:08:00.001-05:00

I needed to change my blog background because St. Patrick's Day was over, but I was having a really hard time finding a Spring or Easter one that I liked, so I decided that I was going to go Patriotic! Now I'll be good through at least July, if I don't change my background again.

One of the best things about being in the Military is that you are allowed to decorate with Americana ALL YEAR 'ROUND!!! And Blue and Red are two of my favorite colors--how perfect is that! Gotta love the Army and AMERICA for that matter! I love this great nation and pray that God will truly bless America now and always!

Happy Anniversary To Us!

2009-03-17T06:50:00.000-05:00

Always Near

There were times in my past

When distances vast

Were measured in miles of the way.

And time was a thing

On a linear string

Of seconds and hours of a day.

But now this pleasant thing

Called the present

Is changing my point of view.

No matter the time

Or distance between us,

I am always with you.

Time itself

Seems to rest on a shelf

When we are sitting together

For now we don't deal

With minutes or years;

Now we deal with forever.

At times I can hold you tight in my arms,

Sometimes just tight in my heart

But always I feel you, see you, sense you,

And love you with all of my heart.

By: Blaine McGraw

Written for: Julia McGraw

June 2001Temple Sealing Announcement Pictures, October 2003

It's the big number 8 for us today (and yes we are both wearing green)! I can hardly believe that it's been so long. The eight years I spent before I met my husband, were going to school 5th-12th grade. Looking back, I remember feeling like that was a REALLY long time. Well, eight years have past again and it feels like it flew by in the blink of an eye. We've made tons of mistakes, grown up A LOT, and learned a whole bunch since we 'wee babies' met (I was 17 and he was 22). We now have three beautiful daughters, two homes, an amazing career (Go Army!), and lots and lots of MEMORIES! I am so glad that Blaine is my man and has stood by my side for these past 8 years. I look forward with hope and excitement toward the endless potential that is our future.

I love you Blainey!

Love Always,
Your Julia

P.S. Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!!!

"How Firm A Dalmatian"

2009-03-16T02:01:00.000-05:00

My sweet girlies, Sarah and Rebekah, performed with the Primary children in Sacrament Meeting at Church yesterday. They sang "How Firm A Foundation", and both did a really great job. It was so sweet to watch them up there and I felt SO proud that they we my munchkin-ettes. Little Sarah even knew all of the words, and I think that Bekah knew most of them (I'm not sure though, I couldn't see her quite as well).

After we got home from church, I asked Sarah what her favorite part of church was today. She said, "singing the Dalmatian song!" At first, I had no idea what she was talking about, but then I put two and two together and realized that she meant the "foundation song". I thought it was too darling. I explained to her the real name of the Hymn, and then we both had a good laugh over it!

P.S. Doesn't this Dalmation look "Firm"?

Blossom's AND Snow!

2009-03-15T13:40:00.000-05:00

Yep that's right, we had a total snow storm here in Clarksville last Friday! Who would have thought, snow in March?--and after having such beautiful, warm weather in the 70's. Mother Nature seems to be toying with us. : )

The craziest part was the snow-covered blossoms on all of the trees. Sadly for the girls, the snow came and went far too quickly for their tastes', but I did get a chance to snap a few shots before it all melted away. They only include one of my three munchkin-ettes, but hey, that's better than none, right? Anyway, here's sneek peek of the fun:

The Night Before--don't you love the snowflakes?

Check Back, There's More!

2009-03-14T05:40:00.000-05:00

Well, I sucked myself into this silly picture adding process and I think I'm addicted (or should we call it obsessed?). No, not really. But it has been a lot of fun! Patience inducing too--all the waiting for pictures to upload and re-positioning them through the post entries to get the spacing right, etc. And once I did it to a few of my older blog posts, I felt like I couldn't leave all of the others lonely without colorful pictures to spruce them up too, so I kept going.

Well, the Picture Finding Challenge is still on for anyone who wants to participate. And for everyone else, I hope that you at least enjoy the colorful additions--they're all throughout my entries from July 2008 to today--March 14th, 2009. Have fun!

And just so we don't leave this post pictureless, he's one of natural color and beauty. This one reminds me of Tennessee in the Spring. It's so beautiful here.--lots of hills, trees, farms, open land, and sunshine!

Pictures and a Little Quiz

2009-03-12T11:28:00.000-05:00

Well, I decided that my blog needed a little sprucing up, so I went through and added a bunch more pictures--especially to the posts that didn't have any. Some are from my computer and others from the Internet. It took forever to do, but was a lot of fun! So, here's the trick, each of you now have the blessed opportunity (if you choose to accept this challenge) of going through my old posts and seeing if you can find all of the new pictures that I added. Whoever can list all of the new pictures by blog title is the WINNER! The race is on . . . so have fun!

P.S. Feel free to make comments on the older blog posts. They're always SO much fun to read!

P.P.S. If you'd rather not do this because: 1) you think it's stupid 2) don't feel like it or 3) you wouldn't know how to pick out the new pics from the old, that's okay. You can still comment if you wanna about what ever you want to (i.e. you're not excluded if you don't have the quiz answers and we'll still be friends afterwards).

P.P.P.S. I couldn't just stop with two P.S.'s. So, what to say?, what to say? . . .Oh, how 'bout this: don't y'all think that blogs are more fun with lots of pictures (maybe it's just the kid in me). I admit, that sometimes when I'm in a hurry, the pictures are the only things I look at on people's blogs (of course, I typically go back later and read the rest) and pictures are always the first things that I notice. Anyway, maybe it's just me, but pictures make everything more fun, and definitely brighter, and more colorful!

P.P.P.P.S. This post needs a picture. Let me see if I can find one!--TA DA! I found two. Enjoy!

P.P.P.P.P.S. Just kidding . . . he, he!

The Great Balancing Act We Call Life

2009-03-11T06:49:00.000-05:00

Isn't this picture pretty amazing? Don't we all feel this way sometimes in our attempts to try and balance everything in our lives--figuratively, of course (it's obvious right? I mean, how many people can actually do this? Not many, is my guess).

Speaking of balance, I've been thinking a lot about priority and balance in our lives lately. Sometimes, it is so hard to always put "First Things First" as Steven R. Covey teaches us. Whether it's the distractions of life, the pull of the world, or my own laziness, I find that it's just easier to take it easy sometimes--blog, get sucked into Facebook, watch TV, read, or just generally lounge. And then there's being out, about, and on-the-go too much (running errands or having fun!), which can also pull us away from our priorities.

The Church has thrown around the word "idle" or "idleness" for years now, and, of course, it is not absent from the scriptures. The first thing I thought of when idleness came to mind was one of my mother's favorite scriptures (and probably every mother's for that matter), found in the Doctrine and Covenants Section 88, Verse 124 (D&C 99:124): "Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful;' retire to they bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated." After looking this up in my Index early this morning (after having gone to bed at a reasonable hour--yea for me!), I found myself wanting to know more, so I kept reading.

I found another great scripture that I liked in D&C 60: 13 ". . . wherefore, I give unto them a commandment, thus: Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known." That last part surprised me, but it also made me think; if any one is idling away their time, they are not using it to develop and share their God-given talents. And there's one more.

D&C 68:30-32
30. "And the inhabitants of Zion also shall remember their labors, inasmuch as they are appointed to labor, in all faithfulness; for the idler shall be had in remembrance before the Lord.
31. Now, I , the Lord, am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness.
32. These things ought not to be, and must be done away from among them."

Of course, there are many other great scriptures about "idleness", but I will leave it at that for now. I apologize if I have totally bored you with all of this so far, but it has just been on my mind as of late as well as many times in the past.

There is a line in my Patriarchal Blessing (hopefully it is okay that I am sharing this) that says "As you diligently carry out your day-to-day assignments, exercising enthusiasm and discipline in your learning and conduct, your way will be lighted." And one more (last one), "Your challenges will erode rapidly through your faith and energetic effort." The "challenges" and "day-to-day" tasks referred to in my blessing make me think of housework (among many other things, of course) and the mundaneness of the everyday chores that need to be done by someone--that someone usually being the mom. There are times for me when household chores feel like complete drudgery, but others when I really don't mind them all that much and quite enjoy the finished product when I am done.

So, trying to pull this full circle back to the idea of "priority" and "balance", I find myself torn between what needs to be done in a day and what I want to do. I find blogging--writing, reading, AND COMMENTING-- and connecting through other means on the Internet (Facebook, E-mail, etc.), to be very exciting, refreshing, and validating; but, is it okay for me to leave a sink of dirty dishes or laundry baskets full of unfolded clothes sitting in the next room while I'm piddling around on the computer? The truth is, I don't know. Sometimes I'm okay with it, other times I am not.

So, there's my dilemma. How much is too much leisure/idle time? Steven R. Covey puts it in the "Not Urgent-Not Important" category. So, is it okay to put blogging, e-mail, Facebook, or social time in general on my "To Do List", or are those things only saved for when my To Do List is complete? For some reason, it feels wrong to me to pencil them in. However, I know that I'm going to do them anyway (even if they're not scheduled or officially planned for), so if I added them to my list, I could at least have the satisfaction of checking them off everyday, right? I find myself feeling so bogged down by chores at times, that it never seems like there's any time left for fun and leisure, unless I ignore them for a while (the chores that is), and go have fun anyway. Don't get me wrong, I actually do quite enjoy cleaning and organizing (well, some of the time), but it's just the everyday repetition that gets to me. With so many household tasks, it feels like the very moment you're done, you just have to turn around and start all over again. Do the laundry and dishes ever end???

Well, I feel like I'm starting to lose where I was headed with all of this. My main point was (we'll put it in the form of a few questions), how do I prioritize my life--all that needs to be done AND all that I want to do, fun stuff included--so that I (and my family, especially the hubby) feel balanced and happy at the same time? (notice the teeter toter picture--the children are both unbalanced and unhappy--the very thing I want to avoid). And put a little differently, is it really feasible to get done all the 'must do'/'should do' "To Do's" and still have time for all of the 'I want to' things OR . . . am I forced to choose between FUN and DRUDGERY? I grew up in a family that taught "work first, play later". But sometimes, it feels like I never get to the "play later" part because there is ALWAYS so more work to be done.

Princess Dress-Up Days!

2009-03-09T19:54:00.001-05:00

Pretty much every day with my girls is Princess Dress-Up Day! It's just that today I took pictures of it. It was a beautiful day outside, so we enjoyed the sunshine as well. See the pretty blossoms on the tree? It's so exciting that Spring is almost here.

Fairy Princess Bekah

Cinderella Bekah--a little squinty-eyed because of the sun

Sarah and Bekah by the blooming tree

Belle Sarah with a funny ballerina pose and a drive in the car

Sarah saw an airplane (I love the wink--it was really sunny today) & Bekah always loves the sand

Both girls together having some little side-by-side chair time

And, of course, we can't forget about little Emily. I actually took these yesterday; she was napping during outdoor princess time today

I Told You It Was Worse Than It Looked

2009-03-09T17:54:00.000-05:00

Here's my poor sweet car again. We had a huge rain storm last night that pulled the bumper back down and supposedly blew my "God Bless America" front plate away. See, I told you it was worse off than the previous pictures showed.

Front View

Side View

Hopefully, this sad little guy (or should we call it a girl?) will make it to the shop tomorrow for an appraisal and some much needed body work. I'll cross my fingers that they can take her, so I can get her back on the road and us out of the house. The weather's so beautiful now; It'd be nice to enjoy the sunshine somewhere else than our backyard and the little playground down the street. Here's to hoping.

Wanna Be My Follower?

2009-03-08T20:20:00.000-05:00

A slightly altered take on "wanna be my friend?" (of course, modified for this blogerific world we live in). So, for all of you faithful commenters, regular readers, casual browsers, and silent lurkers: what do you say about becoming my follower? Just click "Follow" in the 'Followers' section, found below my 'Blog Archive' on the right hand side. I can't wait to see who's out there reading.

And, just for fun, here's a great quote from one of my cousin's blogs about blog commenting:

"Please, please delurk.* I have validation issues.

*{delurking} v. The act of desisting in reading blog posts regularly without leaving comments."

On the topic of friendship: if anyone wants a good read on the difficulty of making 'mommy friends' check out another one of Jane's greats, "She's just not that into you" (just click on the words in red--except this one--to see how handy I'm getting with my hyperlinks, if that's even what they're called? A fellow mom taught me in the ways and I'm enjoying my new found discovery. Isn't technology fun?)

"Jesus Went Down The Drain"

2009-03-06T23:44:00.000-06:00

Another bath story for ya (don't worry, this one's not nauseating, like "Poop-Covered Raisins"--see post below). Sarah was taking what we call a "private bath"--wherein it's just her in the tub, rather than having at least one, if not two, of her sisters crowded in next to her. Without my knowledge, the girl's snuck a few of their Little People into the tub. Actually, these one's were imitation Little People--a nativity set that my mother-in-law gave us the Christmas before last. I don't like them to have Little People in the tub, because they too have little holes in the bottom that suck up water (similar to the one's that are now decomposing in our trash can--see the post titled, "Bath Toy Funeral" for more info). However, you can't squeeze, or even really shake, the water out of them; so like all great things that get left in the water too long, they get moldy. I really like Little People, so I don't want them to join their rubbery discarded friends. Okay, back to the story.

Sarah was done with her bath time and so naturally she pulled out the drain plug (our drain plug broke recently, so it no longer stays attached and pushes up and down to drain or hold the water in, like it is supposed to. Rather, it comes completely out exposing a drain-sized hole, where very small toys can, and have, easily slipped through down into the abyss of gross-ness below). Well, sweet little baby Jesus--swaddling clothes and all--had made his way into the bath water. He happened to be just the right size and, before my four-year-old could prevent it, he was in a swirl and then out of sight. I heard her say from the bathroom, "baby Jesus went down the drain Mommy." Words I never thought I'd hear her say. But it kind of made me start to think. . . .

(No, I did not attempt to clean this in anyway before I took this picture, I wanted you to get the full effect of the "abyss of gross-ness".)

. . . First off, I thought should I even keep the Nativity set. Jesus was gone, and isn't that what it's all about anyway? I mean, everything within a Nativity set physically surrounds the baby Jesus. If He's gone, then it's just a barn with some people in it. One of the wise men as well as one of the shepherds were now water-filled as well--even more incentive to just toss the set. Then my thoughts moved to the deeper meaning that can be found in the phrase, "Jesus went down the drain," and my mind came up with a series of questions.

Do we, as adults, ever let "Jesus go down the drain", so to speak, or let Him float out of our lives before we can catch Him? Is something in our lives broken (such as a bath tub drain) that allows Him to simply slip away almost without notice, or be thrown out with the rest of the bath water? Are we being slothful about our worship or our willingness to follow Him? Are the everyday, mundane tasks, or minor frustrations of our day taking all of our time and leaving none for our Lord and Savior? Do we take time to pray, time to serve, time to become as we should be--like our Elder Brother? I asked myself these questions and pondered them for a time. I decided that my efforts were not up to my standards and that I needed to recommit myself to spiritual things.

I think that we all have times like this. Times when our spiritual voices, or the voice of the Holy Spirit, are quieted by the busyness of our lives and the distractions that constantly surround us. I pray that we may all take the time needed to quiet our minds, and truly search for the peace and guidance that only our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, can provide.

It's funny that such a small and simple thing, as my daughter accidentally letting baby Jesus slip through the drain, can be the very trigger needed to rediscover a need for the Savior and to recommit to follow Him even more closely. How grateful I am to know of His existence and His love for us.

For more information about religion and the Savior see: http://www.mormon.org/ or http://www.lds.org/

A No Fun Car Accident

2009-03-06T18:28:00.000-06:00

This caption is HILARIOUS! I hope that you can all read it. I know it's pretty small, but well worth a strain (for the eyes, that is). Enjoy! Yep, that's right I got into a fender bender today and it was totally my fault! NO FUN! I was driving behind a dry cleaning van on my way home, when it felt like all of a sudden he was driving way slow and I wasn't (I was going about 45 mph). I hit my brakes, prayed that I could stop, then WHAM, I slammed right into the back of him. Apparently, the light had just barely turned yellow and he decided to stop rather than go through--I'm sure we both could have made it. The force sent his vehicle skidding into the intersection. Fortunately, he was fine. There were no cars in the intersection yet because their light hadn't even turned green. He quickly drove out of the intersection and pulled over, and the one car that the light changed for, turned left. I then crossed over too and pulled up behind him to assess the damage and swap information. It was bad, at least for my poor mini van. Here are some pictures:

The van I hit. I took this picture through my windshield as we were driving away. You almost can't even tell he was just hit. I only bent his back bumper down a little bit.

Then there's my car--poor thing : (

Here's a side view

And the other side--a bit worse.

It doesn't actually look quite as bad in these pictures as it is in real life. All of the headlights were smashed (I pulled out most of the pieces before I took this picture), the hood pushed up, the grate destroyed, and the bumper almost falling off, especially on the left side--this you can't tell very well from the pictures either, because I had to prop it up so that it wouldn't drag on the road as I drove home).

It seemed like it took forever, but the police finally arrived. I hesitantly handed him my registration, insurance information, and expired driver's license. Yes, that's right, I am very ashamed to admit it, but I let it expire and haven't re-newed it yet. So, I received a citation for both the accident and the expired license (if you look closely AND have REALLY good eye sight, you might be able to see the experation date. For those of you who can't, I'm not confessing). I'm supposed to pick up the accident report next week from the Police Department and I have a court date in April. I think that I might be able to go to Traffic School so that it doesn't go on my record, but I'm not sure. I'll have to call to find out.

Well, that was my catastrophe for the day. If you have any that you would like to share --car related or not--feel free to tell the tale. I'm always up for a good story.

The Kid Next Door Cont...

2009-03-06T17:18:00.000-06:00

The neighbor girl (lets call her "Penelope") just left and I find myself feeling extremely relieved . . . sigh. Things were a little better today, although her visit was--once again--unwanted and uninvited (by me, that is--I really had/have a lot to get done). The truth is, my girls actually really like playing with Penelope most of the time.

We were just getting home today when the Penelope drove up in her driveway, so Sarah ran over to say "hi". Before I knew it both girls (Sarah & Penelope) were running inside together. Sarah's very social and it wouldn't surprise me if she invited Penelope inside, but no one asked me. I tried to be cordial about it, and for the most part things were okay.

She hadn't eaten her after-school snack yet, so of course she wanted to eat our food. I put my foot down though, and encouraged her to go back to her house to eat her snack. She grabbed two cookies and came right back--ugh. Now, my girls wanted cookies. Penelope said that they were the last two. I thought that she was just going to continue eating them in front of my girls, and was very surprised when I saw her break one in half and give half to Sarah and the other to Bekah. Wow, something encouraging.

But then, she caught a glimpse of a tub of Red Vines that I had on top of a shelf and really wanted some. I told her, "not right now, maybe later". She continued to beg for a little while. Tired of telling her the same answer over and over, I told her that if she kept pestering me, that she wouldn't get any. Then, I cleverly mentioned that usually Sarah and Bekah have to do some chores before they can have a treat. I told her that if she were to help clean up out back that she could have some. That worked really well and I was very proud of myself for coming up with that idea. They needed a little help being thorough outside, but overall they did a pretty good job and I was pleased with their efforts.

I then told Penelope that it was about time for her to go home, because I needed to go work on the computer in the office. Before I knew it, she took off, and ran across the street to play with a different neighbor girl--one actually her age. I was relieved, but now my Sarah really wanted to go over and play too. I told Sarah that it had to be okay with the girl's mommy for her to go over. Eventually, both Sarah and Bekah ended up across the street in the neighbor's yard. Fortunately, the mom was really sweet. After the girls played for a little while, I popped over with Emily to check on things. We chatted for a bit with Petunia's (another pseudonym) mom and we got to know one another better. It was actually nice. I didn't want to impose upon her though, so I encouraged the girls to come home after about 20 minutes.

I thought we were good to go, and that I could finally start getting some work done. To my dismay, however, Penelope ended back up in our yard. What the heck? I thought I told that girl to go home. So, once again, I had to tell her that the girls were all done playing with friends today, and that they needed to come in and clean their toy room. She begged to stay, saying that she would help them clean. I told her no (just like I had yesterday and the day before that), because the girls still hadn't finished cleaning it up and they aren't allowed to have friends come up until they're all done. Then she tried the 'tear-method' and whined that she'd be all alone and have nothing to do at her house. I told her, and I quote, "I'm sorry sweetheart, but it's not our job to entertain you. I'm sure that you can find things to do at your house." After a few more tears, several pouty looks, and a little more begging, she eventually went home. Before she left, she kept asking if she could come back when the girls finished cleaning. I had to tell her "not today" a few times over. I said that the girls were done playing with friends today and, even if they did finish cleaning, they couldn't play any more today. It was frustrating, but I am very proud of myself for being firm.

I feel tired over the whole matter, but hopefully we can work out some sort of system soon. I should probably go talk to her mom, but I don't know her very well and I'm kind of nervous about it. Thanks to all who offered advice. If you have any other ideas, keep 'em coming. This is no where near resolved yet.

More From Dick and JANE!

2009-03-06T07:50:00.001-06:00

Jane, my new favorite blog mom, recently wrote about the power of blogging--"the writing of a little personal blog in a small corner of the Internet". Once again, I loved her stuff and wanna share a little snipit here. See http://www.whataboutmomblog.com/2009/02/14/three-degrees-of-separation/ for the complete post. She says:

"Motherhood (and perhaps especially, stay-at-home motherhood) can be so isolating. Our modern lives, where we move several times for work or family [or the Military], can be so socially fragmented . . . Sweet people who comment or email, make me feel so ding-dang chirpy I could break into song in a flowery meadow right next to the Mary Poppins penquins.

Being connected to you-all makes me a happier mother, is what I’m saying. It makes me a saner person, a healthier wife with more realistic expectations. Sometimes it’s frightening or disappointing or embarrassing, to expose my flaws and express my insecurities.

But it’s always worth it."

Well, that's all I want to share from Jane for now. I'm sure that I'll find more great stuff as time goes on. And to all my readers (as few as you may be), thank you for the validation that your comments provide. Some days it's the very boost I need to "keep on keeping on." Thanks a million!

Julia

Poop-Covered Raisins

2009-03-05T19:59:00.000-06:00

Yes, that's right! It's exactly as gross as it sounds. Today the girls were taking a bath all together and sweet little Emily pooped in the tub . . . ewe, gross, I know. After Sarah made the announcement, I quickly hauled all three of them out, sanitized them quickly, then attended to the little floaties that had contaminated the clean bath water, and cut bathtime short. Well, Emily had some raisins as a snack today, and apparently she's not a super great chewer, so what do we have? That's right "poop-covered raisins". Fortunately, I caught it in time before Emily popped one of those suckers right in her mouth. Can you imagine? Gross, Gross, Gross, and Gross! I am proud to announce that I DID NOT take a picture to remember this by. I didn't want to make any of you visually nauseous (or is it nauseated, I can never remember).

Anyway, I know that this is like my fourth post today, but believe it or not I've actually gotten quite a bit of housework done, including dishes AND a whole lotta laundry--yeah for me! See, here's a picture of my sink--before & after (this is a picture worth sharing, at least I think so).

Ahh, so refreshing!

The Kid Next Door

2009-03-05T18:06:00.000-06:00

We have this little girl that lives next door who wants to come over and play ALL THE TIME! She's six, almost seven, years old (2 years older than Sarah), so fortunately she goes to school for most of the day during the week. But once she's home, she wants to be over here playing with my girls. She never really asks to come play, she just hops the fence and then she's over here. Anyway, it's starting to get a little obnoxious and I don't really know what to do about it.

A picture of her backyard. Taken from my deck.

Her mom works, so it's just her older sisters who watch her until dinner time. When she's here, she comes in and out of the house as she pleases, is always asking for snacks and drinks, and basically wants to be entertained by us. Her attention span is very short, which makes things tricky. We'll pull out a game, or start some activity, and within minutes she says she's bored and wants to do something else. My girls, on the other hand, are still happy doing the first activity, so it feels like I'm just accommodating her.

She also likes to be in charge and gets frustrated when the girls don't want to do what she does. She's the baby of her family, so she's used to getting her way. She doesn't really listen to "no" either. Rather she tries to manipulate her way into getting what she wants, by either going through my kids and urging them to ask me, or asking herself again and again--thinking my answer is going to change or something. Then she turns on the 'water works', especially when it's time for her to go home. It's so fake, and obviously the method in which she gets her way at home. I don't let it phase me, but it is really obnoxious to deal with. I also don't want my girls learning that kind of manipulative behavior from her. I have enough on my hands with just my girls, and adding her on top of it, is just too much sometimes. I feel like I have a fourth kid, with no authority to parent her. I have to monitor them extremely closely (way more than when it's just my girls),because I don't completely trust her, which really disrupts my afternoons when I'm trying to get things done.

My kids are still so young, that I'm not use to having neighbor kids just pop over whenever they feel like it. Rather, I'm use to planned play dates together with kids and their moms, and organized babysitting where I swap with another family. Is this what it is like when your kids get older? I feel bad for being so annoyed by it, but it's really starting to bother me, and disrupt our lives. I don't mind her playing with my girls on occasion, especially if she were to ask, but everyday is just too much for me. I'm not quite sure what to do, she lives next door. I could talk to her mom about it, but I really don't want to make it a big deal. So, I feel like the only thing we can do is move, which seems ridiculous.

Basically, I'm wondering if I'm the only one who ever feels this way, and if any one has any ideas on how to deal with it better. So, please share your wisdom.

3/13/09: I just found a website that talks about dealing with neighbor kids. It's funny, I just kind of happened upon it by accident. Maybe I'll actually start looking for answers for real and find some new ideas to help me with "Penelope" next door. We'll see. Anyway, here is the site for the little Q & A about neighbors that I stumbled upon: http://homeparents.about.com/cs/parentingtips/a/k6_neighbor.htm

P.S. NONE OF THE CHILDREN ABOVE ARE MY CHILDREN OR ANYONE WE KNOW--just pictures off the Internet.

Bath Toy Funeral

2009-03-05T12:57:00.001-06:00

Yes, that's right, we said good bye to several of our bath toys today. I decided that I was done with all of the ones that have holes in the bottom and suck up water. They're such a pain to squeeze out and they all just get moldy eventually. Don't worry, the girls aren't toyless in the bathtub or anything. They still have cups, little fishes, a swimming mermaid (those of you from Christmas will remember this one), etc. Anyway, this is what my trash can looked like after the ceremony. Okay, we didn't actually have a ceremony, but the girls saw me throwing them away and asked why. I simply told them that they got all yucky and moldy so we had to throw them away.

Girly Dress-up Fun!

2009-03-05T08:54:00.000-06:00

My girls absolutely love playing dress up. Surprise, surprise, what little girl doesn't? Anyway, here are a few of their more creative get-ups. Little Emily kept bringing me random items of clothes that she wanted to put on, so I obliged and kept layering them on. In this picture, she has on a long-sleeved, hooded shirt and jeans, a flowered rain coat, and one of Sarah's church dresses. If you can't tell, she's dancing. Sarah just popped into the office with her ensemble right before bedtime. She is sporting one of my sweaters, daddy's tie and a BYU cap. Go Cougars!

Just this morning, I found little Emily trying to put on some neon green dress-up high heels. I had just taken her out of the tub, so I hadn't dressed her yet. With a little help, we successfully put the high heels on and she had a blast walking around and dancing with them on. Of course, she needed a phone to go with the shoes. It was too cute!

My first attempt at uploading a video. Lets see if it works. Although I wish I could hide it, or photo shop it away, you'll notice: the laundry on the couch that still needs to be hung-up; the abandoned--but not put away--Monopoly game on the floor; and all sorts of random items that need to be fished out from under the couch.

Then we found some rain boots. They were a little heavier, so Emily just stood in these and chatted away on the phone--gotta love the gibberish. Then, after a few more dresses (she's wearing two in this picture--I usually have them wear shirts underneath so that they are more modest, but it's hard to keep up with it at home with them changing so often) . . . Emily is loving her dolly. The way her thumb is positioned almost makes it look like she's letting the dolly suck her thumb. I thought it was cute.

It's funny that I don't have any recent one's of Bekah. She's my queen dress-up girl. Some days I swear the kid changes clothes like 20 times, and it's imperative that she always has a dress on. She doesn't love the camera though, so it's much harder to get good pics of her. I guess that she's just too busy living life to stop and pose.

'All The Juicy Details'

2009-03-03T23:54:00.000-06:00

I just discovered a new blog that I love. It's written by someone that I totally don't know, but she's a friend of my cousin's so she's not a complete stranger, right? Anyway, she's an aspiring writer who's just too funny. I haven't had a chance to read all of her blog entries, but the few that I have read have become my new favorites. I've already stolen one of her blog entries ("Why Comments Matter"--for my complete post see "Validation...Do We Really Need It?" below), so I don't think she'll mind if I steel yet another. Maybe she'll even appreciate it. Ooh...I know what we can do. Everyone who responds on my blog can respond on hers too (just copy and paste your comment). What do y'all say? Sound even just a little fun? Here's Jane's blog link: http://www.whataboutmomblog.com/

I've always wondered . . . how other women spend their time at home . . . how clean their houses really are . . . how much their laundry actually piles up before they wash it . . . their secret guilty pleasures (i.e. romance novels or TV shows like "Desperate Housewives") . . . whether or not they ever spend all day in their jammies . . . their secret hiding places for chocolate . . . etc. You know, the good stuff; the stuff that no one else will ever know unless they tell us. So, with that in mind, here are a few direct questions, compliments of Jane (I added a couple--3a. and 6a.). Feel free to answer anonymously if you like.

The Questionaire--"Be Honest" (Courtesy of Jane)

1. How big is your house? How many peoples do you have living in it?

2. How many hours a day do you spend cleaning?

3. Do you work for money in or out of the home? Do you clean more/less if (now that) you have a paying job?

3 a. Do you have kids? How many? What ages? Do you clean more or less now that you have kids?

4. Are you successful at getting hubs or kids (what age?) to help? HOW?

5. Do you clean frantically before guests (your mother-in-law) come?

6. Does housecleaning/house-messiness/housecleaning-inequity affect your daily contentment?

6 a. Are you comfortable having people in your home, even if it's messy? If so, do you find that you clean while you visit, or just sit with the mess now that they've already seen it?

7. Have you discovered how effective blogging is at procrastinating/blocking out messes?

If you don't feel like answering these questions--I know it takes a bit of time, you should just leave a comment with a confession--a guilty pleasure that you are willing to share.

Scissors: Friend or Foe? Let's Ask The Hair!

2009-03-03T11:19:00.000-06:00

Every mom's worst fear--walking in on their little girl, scissors in hand, with a butchered new do. Yes, it happened to me too. Back in October, during Blaine's deployment, he and I were talking over web cam. I thought that the girls were at the table still coloring where I had left them. To my dismay, I came out to a horrific scene. There, on my living room floor, was a pair of scissors and several small clumps of thin blonde hair. I ran upstairs to the toy room (where the girls were now playing), and sure enough there was Sarah with a huge chunk missing from the left side of her hair. She proudly announced that she had cut her hair and Bekahs' too! My heart sank, my precious little girls and their beautiful blonde hair . . . I was in shock; how could this have happened? If only I could reverse time just long enough to undo this catastrophe. I was completely devastated, but also very upset. Sarah and Bekah both knew that they were ONLY supposed to cut paper. I had made a very deliberate effort of teaching them that, in an (obviously futile) attempt to avoid this very situation.

I quickly snatched Sarah up and began scolding her as I carried her down stairs to the bathroom. My mind was racing, trying to figure out where to go from here, and how in the world to fix this. I thought, I better at least even things out. So, I too grabbed the scissors and cut a chunk of Sarah's beautiful blonde hair, in an attempt to match the right side with the left. She now had two large check-bone length layers (almost like bangs that were growing out, even though she's never had bangs). It looked terrible to have such a gap between the length in front and in back of her hair, but I wasn't ready to part with the length and the curls in back. So, I left it like that, for now, and moved on to Bekah.

Bekah's hair cut was a little more thorough. Sarah had cut small pieces all throughout. I figured that I better let a professional attempt to fix that. So, off to the hair salon we went. The "hair cutting lady"--as the girls called her--cut a bit of the length off of both Sarah's and Bekah's hair and added layers all throughout, in an attempt to even things out. She had to be careful not to thin it too much though, because both girls have such fine hair. The hair cuts helped a bit, but the only true thing that was really going to help was time to let it all grow back.

The girl's hair has now had a few months to grow since October, and although it's still not quite as beautiful as it once was, things are slowly improving. Yesterday, with a little urging from Blaine, I finally decided that I was ready to part with Sarah's length, so we made another trip to "Fantastic Sams". Here are the before and after shots that I took. (I wish I had some from back in October, but I was too heartbroken and in 'busy fix-it mode' to take pictures).

Sarah Before

Sarah After

Sarah After--a little bit a curl

Bekah Before--after a little bit of curling

Bekah After--one without curls & one with

Bekah After--front & back with curls. Not a huge change, but it's a little less scraggly. I counldn't bear to chop off any more, so for now the mullet stays.

Sarah: A few more dos

This one's curly style (with a little bit of gel and scrunching by Mommy). Does any one else from the McGraw/Engberson family, think that she totally looks like Martha Engberson in this first picture? Maybe, it's just me.

Sarah's Key Look: Curly w/ponies (as we call them)

Christmas in July? No, February!

2009-03-02T11:30:00.000-06:00

This weekend the girls found some old Christmas dresses that I once purchased a LONG time ago during an after-Christmas sale. At the time, I thought that I'd have pictures taken of Sarah and Bekah in them--never happened though. So, since then, they've just been collecting dust in the closet. After excitedly finding them, the girls decided that they wanted to be "Santa Clause". Unfortunately, the dresses were way too small, which apparently is not much of a deterrent for determined little girls. I snapped a few pictures while they were all 'decked' out.

Sarah--my best poser

She hit this one all on her own--doesn't she look totally Elf-like?

Bekah--gotta love those Elfin ears

Doesn't the scraggly hair make it even better, especially with the hat pushing out her ears like that.

Emily--I don't want to be an Elf!

SO sad, but look at those ears!

Yes, those are real tears! Poor baby. I know I'm such a bad mommy for putting her through such torture. It was bedtime, but I couldn't resist getting a picture before I put her down.
No more, please! I can't believe that you're making me wear this ridiculous hat!

All Cheered Up! I think these cloud pjs are just too cute.

Halloween, where did this one come from? Yes, another costume the girls found in the closet. This is a newborn pumpkin suit. Sarah really wanted Emily to wear it. It also comes with a hat, but as you can see (above) Emily's not too into having things on her head, including hair. I don't know if you can tell, but her legs aren't even in the costume.

Maybe now I should post pictures from our "real" Christmas back in December. That's still on my to do list. Speaking of to do lists, maybe I should should stop blogging and get back to cleaning my house. It's a toughy . . . blog or clean? Hmm, I'd love to say blog, but if I want a happy husband I'd better say clean. 'Till next time . . .

What Kind of Blogger Are You?

2009-03-01T20:46:00.000-06:00

I've had a lot of fun blogging lately--writing my own and finding and reading others (especially family members). As I've done this, I have thought to myself, what kind of blogger do I want to be? The truth is, I don't really know yet; I can't quite decide. On occasion, I come across blogs that receive as many as 29, 30, even 40+ comments, and I think to myself, "Wow! They're really popular." Then I begin to wonder, what it is about their blog, or that post in particular , that received so much attention. Part of me thinks, I wish that were me, but then I think of the reality of being that kind of blogger--it probably takes a ton of time and I bet readers get a little irritated if you take a blogging hiatus. So with all that, I find myself stuck in the middle between wanting to have a personal news/family picture blog and an opinion blog--you know, the kind that even strangers read because you're just too funny and entertaining (I don't know if I qualify), or have something thought-provoking to say. So here I am, undecided about where to take things next; What kind of blogger are you?

Validation . . . Do We Really Need It?

2009-02-28T13:45:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally started blogging again (as all of you know) and I've been really proud of myself. However, part of my happiness has been diminished a bit by the lack of comments that I have received on my blog. Silly, I know. Comments aren't the reason I blog, at least I don't think so. Rather, it's purpose is to share news and updates with family and friends. It's also a great form of journaling and record keeping. That being said, I hope that you know this isn't a guilt trip for all you readers out there. So, please don't feel pressured to start commenting, just because I'm saying this. Truth be told, I've actually received quite a bit of feedback, but through the form of personal e-mails rather than directly on my blog. I don't know what it is, there's just something exciting and validating about scrolling through my blog roll and seeing 6 comments vs. 0. It's really more about me. So my questions for the day are: Why do I feel this way? Is it okay to feel this way? Do I really need feedback? Am I the only one who feels this way? The answer to that last question is, apparently not . . . phew! I was reading one of my cousin's blogs the other day and I came across a post that I really liked. I'm so glad that I stumbled across it, because it answered a lot of my questions. I would really like to share here what she wrote. I hope that is okay with her. I have a feeling that it might be because she actually copied it from one of her friends blogs. My cousin's personal comments are in brackets. For my cousin's post see: http://recoveringidealist.blogspot.com/. For the original (extended version) see : http://www.whataboutmomblog.com/2009/01/29/why-comments-matter/

Here's what she/they wrote:

"Why Comments Matter"

Because I already have one job that often lacks in external validation. Blogging is similar to...motherhood in some...ways. [M]otherhood, is, at times, unsatisfying because it doesn’t always seem like a real job. It’s the same with blogging. Which is why...bloggy friends to talk with...are important. (And why the lack [of comments] can be...discouraging).

How Stay-at-home Motherhood and Blogging are Similar

9. No paycheck....[Not in money, anyway. See #3]

8. You’re never finished. In motherhood, you might count successes like when your kid [shares instead of blames and tattles, or reads "Sign of the Beaver" and loves it. And then 10 minutes later you're shaking your head as he whines and throws a fit over doing his normal chores].... Setbacks and progress are hardly linear. When do you know you’re patient enough, creative enough, wise enough, loving enough, to be a real mother [or blogger]?....

7. There’s no promotion....

6. You can be as serious as a heart attack or as casual as a Facebook friendship. You can dabble in your blog on weekends or you can set aside two hours every day of sacred writing time.... With motherhood, [the casual is as important as the moments of substance; and sometimes laughing over funny u-tube videos with your kids is what they remember, rather than the detailed family night lesson on the importance of spending time together as a family. Plus, if your kids feel comfortable talking to you about trivial things, they will feel more comfortable opening up to you about true trials/triumphs/fears/hopes in their lives]....[With motherhood, I also feel like when you have 'bad' days, repentance is a marvelous thing. You can always try again tomorrow to be better, and sometimes it's ok to take a day 'off' and read so that you can be a better mother the next day]

5. And worst (or best) of all, you can be purposeful one week, and a complete slacker the next.

4. You can do both in your pajamas.

3. ...[E]xternal validation is important.[It doesn't have to be much]; one comment from a reader or one smile from a baby [is] enough....

2. [Y]ou ...don’t have total control over the outcome [scary!]. Your blog may be fantastic but just not fashionable [or just not what someone needed on a particular day]. Your mothering may be splendid, and your kids could still turn out to be like Eve’s [darn that agency!]....Doing a good job, a fantastic job, as a mother or a blogger is important, but in the end, it’s up to other people (your kids or your readers) to bring back a verdict. [With motherhood, b]e purposeful; read and talk with other people about how to do your very best work.... Focus on what you love about the job, and arrange your life so there are more of those moments.... [I actually think this is where motherhood and blogging are different; #5 & 6 for me as a mom are guilt-ridden with goals to be better, but as a blogger I feel like it's a marvelous no-pressure freedom]....[T]he give and take, the conversation, (and the writing) are what I like best about blogging.

And because there’s one other big way that motherhood and blogging aren’t your typical job:

1. You keep doing it no matter what, because you love it!

Even Faulty Cameras Are Better Than None

2009-02-27T12:09:00.000-06:00

Here are a few of the moments I captured yesterday of our three munchkin-ettes. Just a typical day at home with me and my girls. We wish that Daddy could have been there too, but the poor guy has been working like 16 hour days. When he returned home from deployment he became the new Battalion S-1/Adjutant. Don't worry if you have no idea what that means, 'cause I didn't either. I'm still even a little hazy about what keeps him busy for so long everyday, but I know for sure that he's not at work playing solitaire. He works like a dog from the second he leaves home until the moment he pulls back into the driveway (sometimes as late as 10 pm). To sum it up, Blaine, or should I say Captain McGraw, is in charge of the personnel and administrative aspects of the Battalion. Anytime a soldier arrives at or leaves the Battalion he handles the paperwork, including orders, evaluation reports, new officer positions, etc. He also organizes and plans award-giving ceremonies and other important Battalion events. He works directly with the Battalion Commander and Executive Officer and has his very own S-1 team. It's a very prestigious position, and Blaine's definitely a great man for the job. Anyway, back to the original purpose of this blog--THE PICTURES!

LUNCH TIME

Spaghettios anyone? Emily really enjoys feeding herself.

Rebekah's lunch time pose

Sarah's turn--gotta love the scraggly hair! I know it's a little blurry, but I thought it was a sweet picture.

Silly Faces!

More Silly Faces!

OUTDOORS FUN!

It was a beautiful day out (nearly 70 degress) so we headed to the backyard after lunch

Here's Bekah on her new bike

Emily in the Little Tikes Car

Who doesn't love sand?--Rebekah doing one of her favorite things.

Sarah twirling Emily in the swing. They were having so much fun.

BATHTIME--GETTING ALL CLEANED UP!

Emily helping herself to a little drink.

Sweet bath time kisses.

Rebekah enjoying the water.

There were three in the tub and the little one said "I'm crowded"

All three girls enjoying a game of peek-a-boo with the shower curtains.

Technology . . . Do We Love It or Hate It?

2009-02-27T00:51:00.001-06:00

Well, my camera's on the fritz and boy is it frustrating me. The darn thing won't charge and I have no idea why. I did discover, however, that I can take pictures if I plug the camera into the wall. That gives me about six feet of flexibility from the outlet register (I think that's what they are called) to attempt to capture 'post-worthy' pictures of my girls.

Today, I wanted to take pictures of the girls in different natural settings, so I pulled out my damaged camera multiple times and moved from outlet to outlet trying to get just the right angle. It was much harder than I imagined. Especially when I was trying to take outside shots. Now that I think of it, I guess that I could have used an extension cord, or two, or three for that matter. That would have made things a lot easier, but compared to what I'm used to, and the "cordless" world that we live in, it felt extremely inconvenient and I was quite put out about the entire situation.

When did we become so spoiled by all of this technology? Can you imagine living in the days of 'still photos' and 'operator switch boards'? My grandmother actually did that--she operated a telephone switch board. We have become so dependent on our technology that it seems we are almost incapacitated without it and life comes to a screeching halt when we are experiencing 'technical difficulties'. We either love it or we hate it, don't we? Well, I don't hate it right now, but I am certainly irritated with it. We'll see how long I tolerate it, before I break down and buy a new digital camera (or beg my husband for one). In the meantime, don't be surprised if you see me with a large, orange extension cord trailing behind me and my spastic camera (I don't blame it, the poor thing's been dropped far too many times).

Gaylord Opryland in Nashville

2009-02-26T11:23:00.000-06:00

Over Valentines Day weekend, Blaine's sister Melissa invited us to go to Nashville with her, her husband, and their two boys. Their boys are very close in age to Sarah and Rebekah, so when we get together they always have a great time playing. On Friday night, we stayed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel which is quite fancy--with indoor gardens and waterfalls. On Saturday, we enjoyed the Opryland Mall. We had a lot of fun. I should have taken more pictures, but here are a few snap shots that I did capture (except for the ones of the hotel--I got those off of their website).

Fun at the Indoor Swimming Pool!

Sarah Ellen

Rebekah June

Emily Susan with Daddy

Gaylord Opryland Mall

Carousel Rides!

The Roller Coaster Simulation Ride!

My Little Ballerina

2009-02-26T11:01:00.001-06:00

Emily: A dancer and a climber--what a combination!

I Figured It Out . . . Yay!

2009-02-25T11:49:00.000-06:00

I am so thrilled! I just figured out the problem I've been having with my blog background. I recently posted a blog about the fun I was having with discovering new backgrounds on "the cutest blog on the block" website. I loved the backgrounds, but was having trouble with the location of the website's logo being in the wrong place and covering my most recent blog title. I started inserting several lines at the beginning of my post title (like this"________"), so that my title could at least be read. Than today I came across a fortuitous discovery. I realized that I was adding the gadget (the link for the new background) in the wrong location. There are two places that you can add a gadget when modifying your blog layout--one on the left side (the one I was using) and one at the very bottom (the one I should have been using--and just barely discovered). I know it's like the smallest thing in the world to be excited about, but it really made my morning. What simple and ridiculous things do you get thrilled about? I think it's these little things that can keep us moms going sometimes.

Butter, Markers, and the Baby

2009-02-24T19:04:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I had another fun clean up adventure. This one involved the littlest munchkin, and fortunately was not nearly as disastrous as the most recent 'glue incident'. Once again, I was busily occupied at the computer while Sarah and Bekah colored happily at the table (they really love to draw). The girls decided that they were hungry and in need of a snack to munch on while they colored. Sarah thought that bread and butter would do just the trick. After receiving permission from me, they pulled out a loaf of bread and the easy spread "I can't believe it's not butter, light" from the fridge and proceeded to make their snack. With only a little help with the butter spreading, they did a great job doing it all themselves. I told them to put away the bread and butter when they were finished and hurried back to the computer to finish the Relief Society invitations that I had been working on for church. I was close to finishing, so when Emily woke up from her nap I simply took her out of the crib and put her down to go play with her sisters, so that I could quickly finish up what I was working on. Well, as we all know, children don't always follow up on what they are asked to do. The girls had not put the bread or the markers away, and in fact, had taken off upstairs leaving the baby unattended with the butter and the markers. To my surprise when I came out to check on the little monster, I discovered her sitting on the table as happy as can be, covered in butter with handfuls of markers. The table and every marker was covered in greasy butter. I really did not feel like cleaning them all off and they were all fairly dried out now (from little fingers forgetting to promptly return the caps), so I decided to just throw them all away. Phew! It was such a relief. It was also a good teaching opportunity. I told Sarah and Bekah that when they forget to put their things away, that sometimes they lose them. Well, the markers were situated happily in the trash, but I still had a buttery baby and table to clean. I grabbed Emily, stripped off her clothes, threw them in the wash, and plopped her in the kitchen sink. I soaped her down to remove the grease and let her play while I wiped down the table. It was another fun adventure. Sadly, the camera was still dead, so again no photo memory, but I just put it on the charger so next time I can catch the little buggers in action. Isn't motherhood fun?

The Glue on the Wall Catastrophe

2009-02-20T17:05:00.000-06:00

Today my creatively artistic daughters, Sarah (age 4 1/2) and Rebekah (3-years-old), decided to surprise me by displaying their afternoon art projects on the living room wall. This is how the event played out. While I was working on the computer, the girls were happily occupied at the kitchen table. They had a stack of plain white paper and a small box of colored markers. After finishing their lovely drawings, they really wanted to display them on the wall. First, Sarah (as the spokes-woman for both herself and her younger sister Rebekah) asked for some tape that she saw on the office desk. I told her "no, Daddy doesn't want us to use tape on the wall." Then she asked if she could use stickers to attach the pictures. I replied with "no, Daddy doesn't like us to do that either." Then, still really wanting to somehow attach their pictures to the living room wall, the girls discovered the location of some wood glue on the bookshelf in the Den and decided that they would use that to display their artwork on the wall. They did this without asking or disturbing me in any way, probably because they were discouraged by the fact that I kept saying no, and figured that they could find a different solution on their own. So, of course, I didn't know anything about this until Sarah, with Rebekah at her heals, came to me proudly to announce that the two of them had glued their pictures to the living room wall. At first, I didn't believe her, but when she reassured me that, that was what they had done, I frantically ran to the living room to discover the horrific truth. I then ran back to the office, scolded them both sternly, and sent them to their room for a lengthy time out (I was pretty upset). I then returned to the disaster on the living room wall.

I quickly removed the pictures, without even taking a second to admire what they had drawn, in order to assess the damage below. Large globs of yellow wood glue sat in 5 large spots on the wall. First, I grabbed a roll of paper towels to wipe off the excess undried glue. Unfortunately, there was still a decent amount of glue remaining on the wall that somehow needed to be removed. I proceeded by running to the laundry closet and snatching the Goo Gone from the shelf, hoping that it would make a deeper impact. I attempted to clean the glue by rubbing paper towels soaked with the product on the wall. Again, not much of a change. I retrieved a plastic spatula hoping to scrape the glue off of the surface of the painted wall. This only resulted in me making a few small accidental gouges on the defaced wall (which my husband won't be too thrilled about--good thing we plan on painted soon). I then thought that maybe I could just sand the rest of the glue off, since it was mostly dry now. I retrieved a sponge-sized dry wall sander from my husband's work area in the garage. All this really did was make the yellowed glue spots smoother. Desperate to find some solution to this cleaning dilemma, I simply grabbed a bottle of 409 and a wet kitchen sponge. I sprayed the product and began scrubbing the glued areas. Surprisingly, this seemed to work quite well. Of course, a small amount of the cream-colored paint came off as well, but along with the culpritous (if that's a word, which I don't think it is) wood glue. At last, I had found relief to this unpleasant cleaning dilemma. Now all I have to do is wait to see how it looks when it dries. The entire event was a bit of an ordeal that I'm extremely glad to have behind me. I would have taken pictures to document the catastrophe, but my camera was dead and there was definitely no time to charge it before attempting to clean up the unpleasant mess.

Well, that was my afternoon. How was yours?

Discovering New Backgrounds

2009-02-09T17:58:00.000-06:00

I really enjoy glancing at other people's blogs and seeing the different backgrounds they use and how they change over time (e.g. seasonally). I'm fairly new to blogging myself and I wasn't quite sure how they did it. So, today I decided to find out how. I began by playing around and experimenting with different backgrounds that I found at "the cutest blog on the block" website. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to get their logo off of the title of my most recent blog post. Other bloggers who have also downloaded backgrounds from this same website have their logos in the very top left corner of their blogs, but I'm not quite sure how they did it. If anyone knows I'd love to know the secret. In the meantime, I think I'll just keep experimenting. I haven't really found a background that I love yet. There are so many to choose from.

She's bald, but isn't she cute?

2009-01-25T17:32:00.001-06:00

Here's our sweet little Emily. She's now 15-mos.-old and as bald as can be. She's such a little character. She finally started walking about a month ago and she's still quite the climber, so you can imagine all that she can get into. She loves playing with her sisters Sarah and Rebekah most of the time. She can definitely hold her own around them, especially if one of them is attempting to take away something that she wants. She doesn't say a whole lot other than Mama, Dada, and "that" or "want that"(at least that's what it sounds like when she reaches for something while opening and closing her outreached hand). So, unfortunately she's begun screeching, squealing, and/or screaming when she either wants or doesn't want something. I've heard some refer to it as the language of grunts and clicks. She even seems like she might be on the verge of throwing little tantrums when she doesn't get her way. We're working on her vocabulary so that we can quickly eliminate that. Overall, she's a very happy little girl and a complete joy to be around.

A Day At the Zoo

2009-01-25T17:11:00.000-06:00

Here we are at the Nashville Zoo. We went back on October 3rd, 2008 to celebrate a cousin birthday (Benjamin Smith--the son of Blaine's younger sister Melissa). All the kids had a great time.

Missing Daddy in Iraq. The Camels were a big hit and made us think of Blaine.

Rebekah, Sarah, with cousins Joseph and Benjamin Smith

I thought that this was too cute of Sarah and Bekah. Bekah's not a big picture taker, so it's rare that you get her actually looking at you during the picture, and even rarer that she smiles at the same time. Here she's at least looking happy and pleasant.

Saying Hello To Daddy Again

2009-01-25T16:50:00.000-06:00

The first reunion with Blaine after deploying home from Iraq. They had a big ceremony and all the soldiers marching in formation. It was a neat experience and we were SO GLAD to have him home! These pictures were taken November 25th, 2008.

Halloween 2008

2009-01-25T16:34:00.001-06:00

Look I'm already starting to back track. Here are my three little BYU fans. Aren't they cute little cheerleaders? It was near impossible to get them all to pose and look happy at the same time. In fact it never actually happened. Blaine photo shopped Emily into this photo from another one that he liked better of her. I bought the outfits this last summer at the BYU Bookstore when I was living in Utah and attending BYU to finish my degree while Blaine was deployed to Iraq. I was also a cheerleader in High School, so it was extra fun for me. The girls had a great time trick-or-treating around the neighborhood and collected a ton of candy. It was a fun night!

It's About Time . . .

2009-01-25T16:17:00.001-06:00

I know, I know. I've fallen off of the face of the earth when it comes to blogging. I got out of the habit, and then I got so behind with all of the things that I wanted to post, pictures in particular, that I felt I needed to back track and catch up before I moved forward with my posts. Well the pile of posts I felt I should make (major holidays, such as birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) just got larger and larger so I continued to procrastinate posting anything. Looking back that was pretty silly, but for some reason I had it in my mind that I either needed to blog the right way or not at all. It's since sunk in that there is no right way to blog. I've decided that when I want to (that is if I ever can with three kids 4 and under) spend a large chunk of time blogging I'll fill in the blanks. Otherwise, I'll just move forward and blog whenever I can or want to and not worry about the rest. So, basically I blogging today to say hello again from the long lost land of procrastination. I hope that everyone out there is doing well. I'll try to keep you all more informed about the five of us McGraws out here in Tennessee.

'Till Next Time . . .

Taking It Easy

2008-09-29T12:00:00.000-05:00

Well, there's not much to report here on the home front. We've been taking it easy and life's been pretty laid back lately. I realize that it's been a month since my last post, so I thought I better at least check in so you all know that I'm still alive and well. The time 'till my husband returns is fortunately passing pretty quickly and the kids are weathering it well. For that I am grateful. We look very forward to reuniting with him around Thanksgiving time. We can hardly wait. Well, the girls just escaped into the backyard without permission and I need to make sure that they didn't take their little sister Emily with them. 'Till next time...

P.S. I have this chair! In fact, I have two of them. My husband got them for my birthday last year. I love them; they're GREAT!

Family Picture

2008-08-30T09:44:00.000-05:00

Here is one of our best attepts at taking our own family picture. We used a tripod and the handy timer button on our digital camera the day Blaine left. It was taken at the Fort Campbell, Kentucky Military base at one of the Memorial sites. It was a bit sunny, hence the squinty eyes, and fairly windy--a few of the other attempts show that well--making it tricky to get a good shot. In this one we're lucky that we're all looking fairly happy and in the same direction, When it comes to pictures, however, I say it's better to have something than nothing. So for now, this will have to do.

The Tease

2008-08-30T08:27:00.000-05:00

Well, my hubby has now returned to "fight the bad guys" (as stated by my oldest two girls). I, however, like to think of it more as helping the good people in Iraq. It involves less danger when I think about it that way in my mind.

Our short 18-day visit felt like it was here and gone again all in the blink of an eye. I titled this post "the tease" because I just learned from one of the wives of my husband's co-worker that some women call R&R Leave that. And I have now learned first hand that, that's exactly what it is. The Army brings the men home long enough to have a brief honeymoon period, settle in a bit, get used to one another again, and then pulls them right back out of the equation just as the two of you and the kiddos are establishing a new routine. Don't get me wrong, I love the Army and Army life, but I guess just like any profession and family life, it has both it's pros and cons.

Well, things are a bit lonely here on the home front. It's just me and the kids now . . . . . . for 3 more months. I should be unpacking my garage full of unopened boxes, finish signing us back up for local necessities, like phone service, Directv, etc, or even just scour the house to remove the inch of dust, and lingering soap scum, etc. from all surfaces, but today feels like it should be a true Saturday--like the ones we has as kids and adolescents. You know, I real day off from work and responsibilities--a day for fun and relaxation (remember Saturday morning cartoons)! That is until our parents cracked the whip and Saturday chores were enforced. It's a foggy day outside and it will most likely rain, so that may be exactly what I treat myself too--a rainy day in, filled with movies, popcorn, hot chocolate, and candy (oh wait, that would involve a trip to the store, maybe I'll just forgo that, the candy that is--it's better to avoid the resulting weight gain anyway). It's possible that responsibilities may weigh me down enough to consequently motivate me to pitch in and get dutifully busy tackling the never ending "to do list," but for now I'm sticking to the first plan. 'Till next time...

Reunion Time !

2008-08-13T07:22:00.000-05:00

Hey Y'all (see my incorporation, once again, of my new Texan word)! I'm here in Gatlinburg (Dollywood, Smoky Mountain area), Tennessee with my husband. Yes, I said 'with', and we are, in fact, together again--Yea! I think I'm still a little surprised every time I see him and realize that we're actually both in the states again; and even better in the same room together.

Things have mostly been wonderful, but sadly marriages do have both great, as well as challenging moments/discussions. Because we live life, and not a fairytale, we've had a few of those slightly less than wonderful moments, but overall it's been fabulous to reunite. I'd I look forward to every moment of the remainder of our 18 days together.

The kiddos are still with my mother- and father-in-law and are still in transit from Utah to our home in Clarksville, TN. If all goes well, and no major catastrophes occur, the plan is to meet up at our place this evening. It'll be wonderful to reunite the girls with their "Daddy". They are such daddy's girls--it's been hard for the older two to be apart from him, but they also appear (even in their young ages--4 and 2 years) to be very proud of their Soldier Daddy. I'm also thrilled about this opportunity for little 10-mo.-old Emily to get to know her daddy. She's just begun her "stranger anxiety'" phase, so I hope that she'll warm up quickly. The two haven't seen each other since she was 11 days old.

Well, my hubby's almost done with his shower and we're off to Dollywood today, so 'till next time . . .

Saying Goodbye to Utah and Hello to my Husband

2008-08-08T06:34:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm down to one more day in Utah and I have mixed feelings about saying goodbye. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to see my husband after such a long separation, however, I am sad to part with my family, new friends, and the overall community of "Happy Valley" here in Utah. Moving is hard, but I guess that it's the life I signed up for when I said "Yes" to my husband 7 years ago.

I claim ignorance though on the difficulty of moves. We've been in the service for four years now and I'm still terrible at moving. It's a good thing I have a husband who's awesome at it and government paid professionals who know what they're doing. I only wish that they would un-pack for us, as well as pack. Oh well, I guess that it's good for me to do that much at least, especially if I care how my new home looks. It's not only the moving of our belongings that's difficult; it's the saying goodbye to our old home and hello to a completely strange new world. It's excited to experience new places and meet new people, but hard to be so migratory. I guess that there are pros and cons to most things, Military life included, so I will try to focus on the pros and do my best to weather the cons.

There are so many positive things that I absolutely love about the Military and the Army, such as less expensive, and one-stop shopping. The Commissary (grocery) and the Post Exchange (PX) are awesome! The PX is a lot like a mall, with a little bit of everything in one huge Department Store, and discount prices on name brand stuff! No complaints about the amazing, Free, health care either, or the great retirement coverage when we hit the 20-year mark (I hope we make it that long). I also love that there are so many Nation-wide Military discounts on things like hotel rooms, admission tickets to places like amusement parks, etc.

What else do I love? I love the other Military wives. They are incredible women with amazing life stories, who appear to me to be able to do it all. They are so strong and capable, yet tender and loving to everyone at the same time. I have already learned so much from the women that I have met and become friends with. I look forward to being with them again this fall, when my husband returns to Iraq after his 18 days of R&R (Rest and Relaxation) Leave. Among many other things that I love about Military life, I love the Patriotism for our Country. Americana designs are used year-round, and not just in the month of July to decorate the outsides and insides of many Military homes. They, and the spirit that accompany's "red, white, and blue'. are wonderful reminders of the sacrifices made daily by volunteer Military men and women who promote freedom and liberty world-wide and keep us safe here at home.

So, although I am sad to say goodbye to Utah, I am excited, and look forward with great anticipation, to say hello again to Tennessee and Ft. Campbell, KY, and of course my dear husband.

This Opinion vs. That . . .

2008-08-06T23:42:00.000-05:00

I have had several thoughts on my mind concerning differences of opinions lately and decided that blogging about it might help me sort out my own ideas, while receiving helpful feedback in the process. So, here it goes.

I am a very opinionated and vocal woman; to say it in somewhat a less flattering way, I am blunt and outspoken, which I don't always think is a bad thing--however, sometimes it backfires and I end up with my own foot in my mouth. At times I placed it there myself, and other times it's placed there for me by others. No matter the source, it's hard to butt-heads with others on the issues that are important to us., especially with those we love and care about. So, here's my question, when is it appropriate or necessary to take a stand and when is it best to just step back and keep our mouths quiet and our tongues bit for peace's sake? And how do we make those quick-second decisions correctly, in a way that doesn't infuriate others, whether it's our family, friends, neighbors, etc.? In other words, how do we stay true to ourselves and still keep the peace, when it comes to controversial topics?

I personally have no problem with confrontation, whether that's a positive or negative attribute, I haven't yet decided, but I am what I am (at least for now). I also really quite enjoy a good debate (some may call these arguments, but they don't have to be) now and again, especially the researched kind, where each party has lots of academic/empirical studies and findings to support and back up their stances. Others, I am learning, however, do not always enjoy these same kinds, or styles, of discussion, and I often find myself in trouble publicly, whether it's in Church and my Sunday School Teacher senses a "power struggle", or on the Family Website and I discuss a topic that's a little too controversial, where many strong parties have varying, and opposing, opinions.

How do we talk about things that matter to us without always offending those we love? Is it really okay to be ourselves, or is it necessary--for peace's sake--to modify our behavior (particularly temper it politically, religiously, or morally) depending on whom we are with? I understand the importance of picking and choosing one's battles, but are we really staying true to ourselves, when we're spending so much time censoring and pre-critiquing our own words, or the words and behaviors, of others? I swear I go a little bit crazy sometimes just trying to please and avoid upsetting everyone. And even when I go to so much trouble to say and do things, just the right way (according to me and my past experiences with others, of course), that, my actions and statements backfire, and then I'm left doubly perterbed. So, then what? I recognize the need for social politeness and etiquette in all settings, but when, and with whom, is it okay to be the pure, unadulterated, versions of ourselves?

And lastly, what happens when we are true to ourselves, and allow ourselves public vulnerability by putting ourselves out there opinion-wise, and others are upset about it or get mad at us because of it? Do we coldly, and/or insensitively, just say, "that's the way I am deal with it;" do we apologize, and attempt to take the controversial or upsetting statements back; do we loose closeness and security among our relationships with people whom we disagree; or any combination of the three? I'm asking because I really don't know or have the answers, so please feel free to share your opinions and thoughts here. All thoughts are safe on this site, so respond away. I think that a discussion of this nature may have the potential to help all of us figure out our feelings about life, love, and the opinions and beliefs that we hold most dear.

Silliness in Overdrive

2008-08-06T07:52:00.000-05:00

Hey Fellow Bloggers! I hope y'all are doing fine. Did you love the "y'all"? I need to start incorporating it into my vocabulary now because come next summer, Blaine (my husband--for those who don't know), my kids and I are going to be Texans--yehaw, okay, I have no idea how to spell it (I better find out before I have a paint a banner for the county rodeo). Back to the reason for yet another move. We're military, that must be it, right? Nope, this one's actually voluntary. Blaine applied for, and was accepted into, the Military's Physicians Assistant program in San Antonio starting August 2009--Yea! It's what we've been hoping for. However, I openly admit that I'm not very excited about, yet, another move. In fact, I'm in the process of moving right now--packing up from Provo, UT, and heading to our current home in Clarksville, TN. In fact I should probably be packing right now, I leave on Friday. Heck (can you tell I've been in Utah for the past 8 mos.), blogging's important too, right? Or is it venting, whatever we call it, it's psychologically healthy, isn't it? And while I'm talking about health, I might as well say that I my doctor recommended I blog for my mental well being, therefore we must draw the conclusion that without this blog--a form of homeopathic medicine--I would be mentally unwell. To sum it all up, I have a newly found condition, diagnosed by a medical professional (me), that I must blog, or is it talk--how 'bout both. To say it more bluntly, I have a strong need to talk, whether verbal or written, it's a big must for me. In fact, I joke about coming out of the womb talking. I don't think my mother would even disagree with that, especially if we add about 2 years onto the equation. With my hubby half-way 'round the world, in Iraq, these past several months, talking has taken a bit of a hiatus (unless you count holaring "No, please don't do that" and "stop hitting your sister" as part of talking satisfaction). And if you couldn't tell by this "chatty" blog entry, I'm in talking deprivation mode here. My silliness has crept in too, if you missed it a few sentences back when I was rambling on about medical mumbo jumbo. Okay, on to something that makes sense . . . Long Pause . . . I'm drawing a blank here. It must be because there's not a whole lot on my mind that's not full of silly nonsense right now. Oh well, 'till next time them. Y'all Have a good, and silly, day now. And for me, back to packing.

Let's Get Together . . . Yah, Yah, Yah!

2008-07-25T19:17:00.000-05:00

Seeing as we can't always be together in person--which of course is the best--I'm attempting the technological version of togetherness--blogging, right? I'd love to promise regular blog postings, but we all know that sometimes life happens and hopefully it's our blogs that get ignored and not our kids or our husbands. So, let's get started. 'Till next time . . .