So, if you look to your LEFT <----- you'll see an ADORABLE little button that says 'Funniest mom blogs", so I'm asking you from the heart of my bottom (because my butt is SO much bigger than my heart), can you PLEASE hop on over there for 2 seconds and vote for lil' 'ol me? I'd REALLY appreciate it and I might even send you cyber cookies. Just tell me what kind and I'll get right on it.
Thank you kindly!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
'Bunny Hops' of Faith
"28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus." Matthew 14:28
A lot of times when people talk about Peter the disciple, they laugh and mock him for all his seemingly unintelligent things he did. One such thing was his well known "failed" attempt at walking on water.
What those people -who are so quick to judge- fail to acknowledge, though, is that Peter was also full of trust and faith in his Lord.
I don't know if you realize this, but if not, let me enlighten you- did you know that humans sink? Its true! Throughout the ages, mankind has struggled with the inability to keep afloat solely (get it?) by standing on the water. I'm not joking- these are pure facts, people!
Also, did you know that, when men go off on fishing boats, they generally go out to an area where they can't see the ocean floor.
I'm astounding you with these tidbits, I know.
So, let me play this out for you: Peter- a man- was out at sea- deep water where more than just lil' fishies live- and he saw Jesus, walking on the water. He knew WHAT he -himself- was and WHERE he was, but more importantly, he knew WHO Jesus was. He knew that, sure, man shouldn't be able to walk on water, but he knew that if Jesus told him to, he could.
And, here's the thing- he DID. Jesus said to come, and Peter hopped out. He was walking on the water because Jesus had it all under control. He was walking on the water while all the others on the boat- who hadn't had the guts to attempt what Peter did- stood watching.
It wasn't until he took his eyes off Jesus and started staring at his, by all accounts, impossible situation, and started sinking.
Sometimes God will give you a sign as big as a billboard on the side of a freeway. It'll have huge neon letters, flashing lights, and sirens to ensure you won't miss it. Sometimes, however, it just takes a leap of faith that He won't allow you to get in over your head- especially if its something that you know He would want you to do. The key is to keep your eyes on Jesus and not on your situation.
My little family isn't rich. I'd complain more, but God has always given us enough to get by, and while we struggle financially, we have a marriage that I pray my sons will have with their spouses when they grow up. I'll gladly trade riches for a happy marriage.
The thing about a lack of money, though, is that you really start to analyze what you can and can't spend money on:
Food? Can.
Candy? Shouldn't.
Gas? Need to.
Toys? Probably not.
When it comes to the things God wants you to have or do, though, God will always make a way. All lights will be green, all roadblocks removed. If its something you want and its in His will (meaning, its not something the Bible says is a no-no), then God will give His blessing.
Like I said, our pockets aren't deep, but when it comes to the things God wants for us, we've always gotten it. The funny thing is, when we do what God asks of us, we're usually blessed with even more.
And, the times when its scary (especially financially) to do what we know God wants, we ask for His strength and we keep our eyes on Who we're doing it for. Yeah, it can be terrifying- the water is deep, the storm is raging and what we're about to do seems like it can't be done- but its only truly terrifying when we take our eyes off the One we're walking towards.
So, we make a leap of faith.
Well, ok, its more of a bunny hop. Leaps can happen later- after we've gotten our feet wet.
Hey, Peter didn't RUN on the water. A bunny hop is more than some people make in a lifetime.
Besides, we're only human.
A lot of times when people talk about Peter the disciple, they laugh and mock him for all his seemingly unintelligent things he did. One such thing was his well known "failed" attempt at walking on water.
What those people -who are so quick to judge- fail to acknowledge, though, is that Peter was also full of trust and faith in his Lord.
I don't know if you realize this, but if not, let me enlighten you- did you know that humans sink? Its true! Throughout the ages, mankind has struggled with the inability to keep afloat solely (get it?) by standing on the water. I'm not joking- these are pure facts, people!
Also, did you know that, when men go off on fishing boats, they generally go out to an area where they can't see the ocean floor.
I'm astounding you with these tidbits, I know.
So, let me play this out for you: Peter- a man- was out at sea- deep water where more than just lil' fishies live- and he saw Jesus, walking on the water. He knew WHAT he -himself- was and WHERE he was, but more importantly, he knew WHO Jesus was. He knew that, sure, man shouldn't be able to walk on water, but he knew that if Jesus told him to, he could.
And, here's the thing- he DID. Jesus said to come, and Peter hopped out. He was walking on the water because Jesus had it all under control. He was walking on the water while all the others on the boat- who hadn't had the guts to attempt what Peter did- stood watching.
It wasn't until he took his eyes off Jesus and started staring at his, by all accounts, impossible situation, and started sinking.
Sometimes God will give you a sign as big as a billboard on the side of a freeway. It'll have huge neon letters, flashing lights, and sirens to ensure you won't miss it. Sometimes, however, it just takes a leap of faith that He won't allow you to get in over your head- especially if its something that you know He would want you to do. The key is to keep your eyes on Jesus and not on your situation.
My little family isn't rich. I'd complain more, but God has always given us enough to get by, and while we struggle financially, we have a marriage that I pray my sons will have with their spouses when they grow up. I'll gladly trade riches for a happy marriage.
The thing about a lack of money, though, is that you really start to analyze what you can and can't spend money on:
Food? Can.
Candy? Shouldn't.
Gas? Need to.
Toys? Probably not.
When it comes to the things God wants you to have or do, though, God will always make a way. All lights will be green, all roadblocks removed. If its something you want and its in His will (meaning, its not something the Bible says is a no-no), then God will give His blessing.
Like I said, our pockets aren't deep, but when it comes to the things God wants for us, we've always gotten it. The funny thing is, when we do what God asks of us, we're usually blessed with even more.
And, the times when its scary (especially financially) to do what we know God wants, we ask for His strength and we keep our eyes on Who we're doing it for. Yeah, it can be terrifying- the water is deep, the storm is raging and what we're about to do seems like it can't be done- but its only truly terrifying when we take our eyes off the One we're walking towards.
So, we make a leap of faith.
Well, ok, its more of a bunny hop. Leaps can happen later- after we've gotten our feet wet.
Hey, Peter didn't RUN on the water. A bunny hop is more than some people make in a lifetime.
Besides, we're only human.
***If you liked this post, then post the button!***
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Saturday Shout Out: My Nuggets of Truth
I wanted to use my Saturday posts to highlight some great bloggers out there. This week's feature blogger is wonderful and I hope you love her as much as I do. If you'd like me to highlight you, just send me an email at asoto0703@gmail.com.
~Your name: Erin Patrick:
~Your blog's name w/ link: My Nuggets of Truth http://mynuggetsoftruth.blogspot.com/
~Type of blog it is: Inspirational
~Tell us a little something about yourself: I've raised 6 kids and the grandkids are starting to come now! My passions are writing, photography, gardening, and my girlfriends. I have this amazing husband who encourages me to shine and to go after my dreams. I desire, for my blog, to help people realize just how valuable and precious they are and that they are a dream come true to God.
~If you had only 1 wish, what would it be and why? It would be that we would see people through Jesus' eyes. Because all the rest of the "stuff" would work itself out if we looked at people that way.
~What's your favorite thing about where you live and why? People in Tulsa are warm and giving. A study was done and homeless people actually love to come to Tulsa because they know they will receive love and a hand up!
~What's #1 on your 'Bucket List'? Go to Italy
~3 words to describe yourself would be...? compassionate, tenderhearted, gullible
~1 little known fact about you is...? I'm extremely insecure about my photography
~1 vice of yours is...? Watching reality TV with my hubby: Pawn Stars, American Pickers, Diners, Drive Ins and Dives
~Why did you start blogging? I started blogging after my mother passed away and I wished that she had left me some snippets of her great wisdom. I wanted to make sure that my children have something that they could always look to that reminded them of who I was and what I stood for.
~What's your favorite thing about blogging? Receiving wonderful comments from the most amazing people who read my blog.
~What do you think makes for a successful blog? In order to be successful, you have to write about things that grab the attention of the reader. I don't "sell" anything on my blog, so I have to write about struggles and issues that I have in life that I think others are dealing with. You must be genuine and real.
~3 words to describe your blog would be...? inspirational, encouraging, uplifting
~What's 1 blog (besides yours) that you think everyone should check out? I Live in an Antbed http://www.iliveinanantbed.blogspot.com/
Saturday Shout-Out
~Your name: Erin Patrick:
~Your blog's name w/ link: My Nuggets of Truth http://mynuggetsoftruth.blogspot.com/
~Type of blog it is: Inspirational
~Tell us a little something about yourself: I've raised 6 kids and the grandkids are starting to come now! My passions are writing, photography, gardening, and my girlfriends. I have this amazing husband who encourages me to shine and to go after my dreams. I desire, for my blog, to help people realize just how valuable and precious they are and that they are a dream come true to God.
~If you had only 1 wish, what would it be and why? It would be that we would see people through Jesus' eyes. Because all the rest of the "stuff" would work itself out if we looked at people that way.
~What's your favorite thing about where you live and why? People in Tulsa are warm and giving. A study was done and homeless people actually love to come to Tulsa because they know they will receive love and a hand up!
~What's #1 on your 'Bucket List'? Go to Italy
~3 words to describe yourself would be...? compassionate, tenderhearted, gullible
~1 little known fact about you is...? I'm extremely insecure about my photography
~1 vice of yours is...? Watching reality TV with my hubby: Pawn Stars, American Pickers, Diners, Drive Ins and Dives
~Why did you start blogging? I started blogging after my mother passed away and I wished that she had left me some snippets of her great wisdom. I wanted to make sure that my children have something that they could always look to that reminded them of who I was and what I stood for.
~What's your favorite thing about blogging? Receiving wonderful comments from the most amazing people who read my blog.
~What do you think makes for a successful blog? In order to be successful, you have to write about things that grab the attention of the reader. I don't "sell" anything on my blog, so I have to write about struggles and issues that I have in life that I think others are dealing with. You must be genuine and real.
~3 words to describe your blog would be...? inspirational, encouraging, uplifting
~What's 1 blog (besides yours) that you think everyone should check out? I Live in an Antbed http://www.iliveinanantbed.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Just wondering...
I was thinking about changing over to wordpress and possibly getting my own .com- does anyone know how that would affect this blog? Is there a way to transfer all these posts or would I just be SOL unless I did it manually? PLEASE help a bloggy mama out!
Monday, August 22, 2011
The heart of the matter
This is my Sunday devotional. Yeah, I know its not Sunday, but I've been holding the littlest one so much lately that I'm lucky to have use of my arms, let alone, the ability to FINALLY have time to write my entry. So, here it is.
A man's heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19
Somebody once told me (or maybe it was something I heard in church? Dang 'Mommy Brain') that who you are in the dark is who you really are. In other words, who you really are, is who you are when you think no one sees you. Its what lies deep in your heart.
Its also called character.
There's a quote by Ralph Waldo Emmerson that goes like this
"Sow a thought, reap an action." It all starts with your heart. What's in YOUR heart? If all your thoughts were to suddenly be put on a loudspeaker, would you be ashamed? Embarrassed? If so, THINK about THAT. When you think about something long enough and enough times, its only a matter of time before you follow through. Ever notice on a woman's post-partum visit questionnaire that it asks if she ever has thoughts of hurting her baby? If thoughts never led to actions and if they weren't a problem, would they still ask that question?
"Sow an action, reap a habit." If you've ever talked to a Life Coach or a personal trainer, then I'm sure you've heard that it takes around 21 days to create a new habit and roughly 6 months for it to become a regular part of your lifestyle- give or take. Every time you make a choice to act on a thought, you're working on creating a habit and affecting your lifestyle.
"Sow a habit, reap a character." You can adamantly deny that what you do is who you are, but actions speak louder than words, and by this point, your actions are telling the world,"Listen up! THIS is who I am." Regardless of whether or not you meant to come off that way, if it walks like a duck, has webbed feet, a duck bill, and feathers- does it really matter if you're trying to call it something else?
"Sow a character, reap a destiny." From the time our kids (or from the time we ourselves) were little, its always been stressed that in order to make a good life for ourselves, we need to get good grades and continuously work hard because it won't be handed to us on a silver platter. Everything we were taught- everything we've taught our kids- is that you need to work on who you are now because your future depends on it.
Everyday we sow seeds that contribute to our character. We water them through our habits, our actions and our thoughts- and it all comes to fruition when God either says,"Well done, good and faithful servant" or "Depart from me- I never knew you".
And it all begins with the heart.
If you liked the post, the please post the button!
A man's heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19
Somebody once told me (or maybe it was something I heard in church? Dang 'Mommy Brain') that who you are in the dark is who you really are. In other words, who you really are, is who you are when you think no one sees you. Its what lies deep in your heart.
Its also called character.
If you knew you'd NEVER get caught, what would you do? What would you attempt?
There's a quote by Ralph Waldo Emmerson that goes like this
Sow a thought, reap an action;
Sow an action, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a character;
Sow a character, reap a destiny.
"Sow a thought, reap an action." It all starts with your heart. What's in YOUR heart? If all your thoughts were to suddenly be put on a loudspeaker, would you be ashamed? Embarrassed? If so, THINK about THAT. When you think about something long enough and enough times, its only a matter of time before you follow through. Ever notice on a woman's post-partum visit questionnaire that it asks if she ever has thoughts of hurting her baby? If thoughts never led to actions and if they weren't a problem, would they still ask that question?
"Sow an action, reap a habit." If you've ever talked to a Life Coach or a personal trainer, then I'm sure you've heard that it takes around 21 days to create a new habit and roughly 6 months for it to become a regular part of your lifestyle- give or take. Every time you make a choice to act on a thought, you're working on creating a habit and affecting your lifestyle.
"Sow a habit, reap a character." You can adamantly deny that what you do is who you are, but actions speak louder than words, and by this point, your actions are telling the world,"Listen up! THIS is who I am." Regardless of whether or not you meant to come off that way, if it walks like a duck, has webbed feet, a duck bill, and feathers- does it really matter if you're trying to call it something else?
"Sow a character, reap a destiny." From the time our kids (or from the time we ourselves) were little, its always been stressed that in order to make a good life for ourselves, we need to get good grades and continuously work hard because it won't be handed to us on a silver platter. Everything we were taught- everything we've taught our kids- is that you need to work on who you are now because your future depends on it.
Everyday we sow seeds that contribute to our character. We water them through our habits, our actions and our thoughts- and it all comes to fruition when God either says,"Well done, good and faithful servant" or "Depart from me- I never knew you".
And it all begins with the heart.
If you liked the post, the please post the button!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Do you hear that?
Oh, you don't? Well, you should- its the sound of yet another fabulous blogger giving my blog props! Yay! So, right now, I'd like to give a BIG thank you to Amy at From the Heart for nominating me for the
She's been feeling a little under the weather (like me), but after antibiotics and a whole slew of other things, she's starting to "feel almost human again". Go head on over and check her out- she was nominated for 'Parent's Magazine's Funniest Mom Blog', so I KNOW you'll find her entertaining; and maybe tell her to get well soon, cuz the Blogaverse is better when she's a part of it.
Well, Amy told us not to feel that we have to follow any "rules" this time around, but I always look at them as more like "guidelines" anyways, so I've never actually felt any pressure. But, since we're doing things a little differently this time, why don't I tell you 7 things going on at my home this morning? That should make you breathe a little easier about your life and cause you to shout out a big 'thank you' to God this fine Sunday morning. And, you know how I love it when people are thankful, so here it goes:
1. My baby- Nicholas- is screaming at me from the under the desk where I'm sitting. I had been holding him while checking email, but when he chose to hit 'send' on something (not really sure what it was) and I saw that message had been sent (not really sure to whom), I decided it was time for mommy to have her arms back. So, if you got an email from me that seems like its gibberish- I did not have a stroke; I have a baby.
2. Its 10:05 a.m. and I've yet to make coffee- THAT is how tired I am. When exhaustion keeps me from even wanting to stand at the coffee maker, there's an issue.
3. Jacob is playing with a toy dragon that -when you push its tail down, its mouth glows and it makes annoying dragon-y sounds. Think growls, hisses, smashing noises, etc. Nothin' like ushering in a new day with the soothing sounds of screeches.
4. Camo is watching Prince of Persia... with surround sound. Such a LOVELY accompaniment to the dragon noises.
5. My two older boys have just decided that fighting is more important than breathing- literally. I'm pretty sure I hear both of them gasping for air which means that one has the other in a head lock. And, as I've said before in THIS entry, I wouldn't put it past Jacob as being the victor.
6. My living room looks as if an earthquake, a tornado, and a hurricane all touched down here. Oh, wait- they did.
7. It has taken me an hour and a half to get this far in my list due to all of the above going on. I still have dinner to get prepped, my Sunday devotional to write (it'll be up later), and I STILL need to get ready for the day since time seems to really fly over here and we've got church tonight. With that being said, I'll have to post my nominees for this award with my devotional later.
Thanks again for the award, Amy!
Well, Amy told us not to feel that we have to follow any "rules" this time around, but I always look at them as more like "guidelines" anyways, so I've never actually felt any pressure. But, since we're doing things a little differently this time, why don't I tell you 7 things going on at my home this morning? That should make you breathe a little easier about your life and cause you to shout out a big 'thank you' to God this fine Sunday morning. And, you know how I love it when people are thankful, so here it goes:
1. My baby- Nicholas- is screaming at me from the under the desk where I'm sitting. I had been holding him while checking email, but when he chose to hit 'send' on something (not really sure what it was) and I saw that message had been sent (not really sure to whom), I decided it was time for mommy to have her arms back. So, if you got an email from me that seems like its gibberish- I did not have a stroke; I have a baby.
2. Its 10:05 a.m. and I've yet to make coffee- THAT is how tired I am. When exhaustion keeps me from even wanting to stand at the coffee maker, there's an issue.
3. Jacob is playing with a toy dragon that -when you push its tail down, its mouth glows and it makes annoying dragon-y sounds. Think growls, hisses, smashing noises, etc. Nothin' like ushering in a new day with the soothing sounds of screeches.
4. Camo is watching Prince of Persia... with surround sound. Such a LOVELY accompaniment to the dragon noises.
5. My two older boys have just decided that fighting is more important than breathing- literally. I'm pretty sure I hear both of them gasping for air which means that one has the other in a head lock. And, as I've said before in THIS entry, I wouldn't put it past Jacob as being the victor.
6. My living room looks as if an earthquake, a tornado, and a hurricane all touched down here. Oh, wait- they did.
7. It has taken me an hour and a half to get this far in my list due to all of the above going on. I still have dinner to get prepped, my Sunday devotional to write (it'll be up later), and I STILL need to get ready for the day since time seems to really fly over here and we've got church tonight. With that being said, I'll have to post my nominees for this award with my devotional later.
Thanks again for the award, Amy!
Friday, August 19, 2011
TGIB (Thank God I'm Back, lol)
Well, its been a little while, but that's what happens when you tell your body with the autoimmune disorder,"Hey! You know what would be really just SUPER neat? If we could push you to the max and see how long till you break." I'm not the type to really slow down, so I'm guessing that's the point where my body just said,"Yeah, ok. You do that...I'll be lying on this here bed, though, so let's see who gets their way."
Well, obviously you can understand- me being me- I had no other choice but to prove my body wrong. The problem is, though, that only left me with the choice of "out of body" experiences, since my body was on strike, and there's only so much you can do with those.
So, I took some time off. It was probably for the best; although, its not like I had any REAL choice in the matter, but whatever.
But now, I'm back! Yay me! And to celebrate this fantastic occasion, I'm breaking out the awards!
No, not for you- for me! Sillys. Before I went MIA, 2 terrific blogger buddies -whom I love- bestowed awards on my awesome butt.
(Well, not my BUTT- that'd just be weird. To my knowledge, neither one of them has seen my butt. However, you get the picture.)
So, here it goes.
First off, I'd like to thank the amazing Miriam at Golden Butterflyz for nominating me for this fancy lil' number:
Isn't she a sweetheart? I'm betting that right about now, you're going,"Ohhhhh... so THAT'S where the smoke was coming from!" Yup- it was from MY blog. I'm on fire. :-b She has graciously had me guest post on her blog before- and now this! If you don't go and check her out, well, your loss cuz she's kind of awesome.
And now, the rules. Always with the rules.
#1- Link back to the awesome bloggy buddy who gave me the nomination. (check!)
#2- Give you 7 insights into lil' 'ol me.
#3- Give the nomination to 10 other fire-y blogs out there.
How INSIGHTFUL
1. Since I mentioned it in the beginning of this, I have an autoimmune disorder that the all powerful doctors USED to think was Lupus and now we call 'Bob' because Bob doesn't sound evil or scary and its a whole heck of a lot less wordy than 'Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder'.
2. Yes, I have 3 boys. No, we will NEVER try for 'that girl'. Twins apparently run on my side of the family and my husband is the only one of his brothers to have boys. Ergo, we'd end up with twin boys if we tried for a girl. And God would laugh.
3. I like lists. I'm quirky like that. I like being able to cross things off on a list- it makes it feel like I've accomplished so much more.
4. I walk to lose weight and to help me fit back into me "pre-Cameron" pants.
5. I eat items I've made from my breadmaker because I don't want to make losing weight too easy on myself. Apparently.
6. My hands turn purple when I get too cold- another side effect from 'Bob'. They're my temperature gauges.
7. My almost 8 month old is almost walking. I know that part wasn't necessarily about ME, but the fact that I'm that much closer to losing my mind sure is.
10 Fire-y Bloggy Buddies
1. Fun on a Dime
2. Taylor @ Duely Noted
3. Kathryn @ The Dragons Fairytail
4. Janie @ Hoo Goes Where
5. Shannon @ Coupon Saving in the South
6. Erin @ Dinner Dishes and Desserts
7. Ziggy Blogs
8. Mandy @ Atlanta Military Mom
9. Melanie @ Here's Livin' the Dream
10. Lisa @ Brain Drops Keep Falling
And (as the great gal who gave me this award so perfectly put it) for more proof of my awesomeness, I'd like to thank Lisa over at Insignificant at Best for nominating me for
Please, please- hold your applause. I simply would not be where I am today if not for the little people.
So, before I get on with the rules for this award yet again, let me implore you to go check her out. She's a great person and a great read, and (if I wasn't sure), I would think that we were kin- if not separated at birth. We have THAT much in common.
And now, for the rules:
#1- Give credit where credit is due (in other words, link back to my nominator).
#2- Share 7 tidbits about myself.
#3- Award 15 other bloggers.
1. I want to travel- man, how I want to travel. Germany, Israel, Ireland, France- you name it. This bird wants to fly! And, if I have to, I'll take my kids with me.
2. I love french fries, but I'm not a big fan of ketchup. And PLEASE do not ever ask me if I want ketchup on a Braut *shudder*. That's akin to murder in my book.
3. I take so long to post comments sometimes because I actually check back on each person who left it for me, and try to respond to them directly. Call it part of my OCD, but I feel off when I don't do it.
4. I REALLY don't like Vanilla or Rose "perfumes". They always smell wrong to me. Fake. Not right.
5. I have a book of recipes that I've put together and NOTHING goes into it unless I feel its worthy.
6. FYI- tonight's Roast Chicken went in it. :-D
7. I have a million interests and no money to pursue any of them. Except writing. I have the money to do that... cuz it costs nothing.
And my 15 nominees are...
1. Kitchen Singer
3. The Billhime Clan
4. Jenn @ The Coolest Family on the Block
5. Changing Diapers and Taking Names
6. Heather @ Basil Momma
7. I've Become My Mother
8. Not So Silent Mommy
9. Collisa @ Susanna's Apron
10. Becky Jane @ Rise Above Your Limits
11. Mommy Lady Club
12. Danielle @ Life With 2 Boys
13. Five Feet of Fun
14. Life...Just Saying
15. Jill @ Thy Word is a Lamp to My Feet
Well, that's it. I hope that the fact that this entry is so long makes up for the fact that I've been MIA. So, I've given you 25 great new blogs to read (27, when you count the 2 sweet bloggy buddies who gave me the awards)- don't say I never gave you anything. Just say thank you and get to reading!
Well, obviously you can understand- me being me- I had no other choice but to prove my body wrong. The problem is, though, that only left me with the choice of "out of body" experiences, since my body was on strike, and there's only so much you can do with those.
So, I took some time off. It was probably for the best; although, its not like I had any REAL choice in the matter, but whatever.
But now, I'm back! Yay me! And to celebrate this fantastic occasion, I'm breaking out the awards!
No, not for you- for me! Sillys. Before I went MIA, 2 terrific blogger buddies -whom I love- bestowed awards on my awesome butt.
(Well, not my BUTT- that'd just be weird. To my knowledge, neither one of them has seen my butt. However, you get the picture.)
So, here it goes.
First off, I'd like to thank the amazing Miriam at Golden Butterflyz for nominating me for this fancy lil' number:
And now, the rules. Always with the rules.
#1- Link back to the awesome bloggy buddy who gave me the nomination. (check!)
#2- Give you 7 insights into lil' 'ol me.
#3- Give the nomination to 10 other fire-y blogs out there.
How INSIGHTFUL
1. Since I mentioned it in the beginning of this, I have an autoimmune disorder that the all powerful doctors USED to think was Lupus and now we call 'Bob' because Bob doesn't sound evil or scary and its a whole heck of a lot less wordy than 'Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder'.
2. Yes, I have 3 boys. No, we will NEVER try for 'that girl'. Twins apparently run on my side of the family and my husband is the only one of his brothers to have boys. Ergo, we'd end up with twin boys if we tried for a girl. And God would laugh.
3. I like lists. I'm quirky like that. I like being able to cross things off on a list- it makes it feel like I've accomplished so much more.
4. I walk to lose weight and to help me fit back into me "pre-Cameron" pants.
5. I eat items I've made from my breadmaker because I don't want to make losing weight too easy on myself. Apparently.
6. My hands turn purple when I get too cold- another side effect from 'Bob'. They're my temperature gauges.
7. My almost 8 month old is almost walking. I know that part wasn't necessarily about ME, but the fact that I'm that much closer to losing my mind sure is.
10 Fire-y Bloggy Buddies
1. Fun on a Dime
2. Taylor @ Duely Noted
3. Kathryn @ The Dragons Fairytail
4. Janie @ Hoo Goes Where
5. Shannon @ Coupon Saving in the South
6. Erin @ Dinner Dishes and Desserts
7. Ziggy Blogs
8. Mandy @ Atlanta Military Mom
9. Melanie @ Here's Livin' the Dream
10. Lisa @ Brain Drops Keep Falling
And (as the great gal who gave me this award so perfectly put it) for more proof of my awesomeness, I'd like to thank Lisa over at Insignificant at Best for nominating me for
And, by little people, I mean my kids.
So, before I get on with the rules for this award yet again, let me implore you to go check her out. She's a great person and a great read, and (if I wasn't sure), I would think that we were kin- if not separated at birth. We have THAT much in common.
And now, for the rules:
#1- Give credit where credit is due (in other words, link back to my nominator).
#2- Share 7 tidbits about myself.
#3- Award 15 other bloggers.
So, here it goes. Again, lol.
Tidbits 'bout me...1. I want to travel- man, how I want to travel. Germany, Israel, Ireland, France- you name it. This bird wants to fly! And, if I have to, I'll take my kids with me.
2. I love french fries, but I'm not a big fan of ketchup. And PLEASE do not ever ask me if I want ketchup on a Braut *shudder*. That's akin to murder in my book.
3. I take so long to post comments sometimes because I actually check back on each person who left it for me, and try to respond to them directly. Call it part of my OCD, but I feel off when I don't do it.
4. I REALLY don't like Vanilla or Rose "perfumes". They always smell wrong to me. Fake. Not right.
5. I have a book of recipes that I've put together and NOTHING goes into it unless I feel its worthy.
6. FYI- tonight's Roast Chicken went in it. :-D
7. I have a million interests and no money to pursue any of them. Except writing. I have the money to do that... cuz it costs nothing.
And my 15 nominees are...
1. Kitchen Singer
3. The Billhime Clan
4. Jenn @ The Coolest Family on the Block
5. Changing Diapers and Taking Names
6. Heather @ Basil Momma
7. I've Become My Mother
8. Not So Silent Mommy
9. Collisa @ Susanna's Apron
10. Becky Jane @ Rise Above Your Limits
11. Mommy Lady Club
12. Danielle @ Life With 2 Boys
13. Five Feet of Fun
14. Life...Just Saying
15. Jill @ Thy Word is a Lamp to My Feet
Well, that's it. I hope that the fact that this entry is so long makes up for the fact that I've been MIA. So, I've given you 25 great new blogs to read (27, when you count the 2 sweet bloggy buddies who gave me the awards)- don't say I never gave you anything. Just say thank you and get to reading!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Sorry...
I've been a little sick the last couple of days. I have an autoimmune disorder and sometimes it causes me to feel horrible. I know that I have blog hoppy people to get back to, and I have comments to acknowledge, but I'm just feeling a little yucky (yes, its a technical term).
I'll be back probably tomorrow- complete (hopefully) with posts to make up for this weekend. Until then, I hope everyone is having a great weekend.
And, btw, if you're in the So Cal area, tonight is the last night for the Harvest Crusade at the Angels stadium at 6p.m. Lots of great music and a terrific message. You can even watch it online (the archived ones from Friday and Saturday), so if distance is an issue, check it out.
I'll talk to you guys tomorrow!
I'll be back probably tomorrow- complete (hopefully) with posts to make up for this weekend. Until then, I hope everyone is having a great weekend.
And, btw, if you're in the So Cal area, tonight is the last night for the Harvest Crusade at the Angels stadium at 6p.m. Lots of great music and a terrific message. You can even watch it online (the archived ones from Friday and Saturday), so if distance is an issue, check it out.
I'll talk to you guys tomorrow!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Thankful Thursday Blog Hop
I'll be posting my ACTUAL post later- I just couldn't wait to post this. Thanks, Lexie, for letting me co-host!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
School days, school days...
As I glanced around me, the faces on each individual held expressions that you could only expect on a day like today.
Well, today and MAYBE if the newspapers that morning had run an announcement about impending Armageddon.
Glazed over eyes- some red, some watery, some a little of both- with a painted on expression of calm, (purely for the sake of the kids, of course) but any other parent knows that simmering just below the surface raged fear, terror, sadness, and just the slightest hint of nausea.
Welcome to the first day of school. More importantly, welcome to the first day of kindergarten., where the recruits are pint sized and the basics of survival include writing your name and knowing your colors.
Yes, I'm comparing kindergarten to the military. Even though the little guys (and gals) aren't very imposing -with their baby faces and backpacks half their size- taking a look around the orientation room, you'd think we were sending our babies off to war.
Parents drifted in and out of consciousness, only occasionally showing signs of life, wringing their hands, tapping their feet, and continually checking their watches, trying to pass the time til we would be allowed to rejoin our little kindergarteners back in the classroom.
Suddenly, we were given the “GO” to head back.
Like runners at the start of a race, many parents jumped up with a speed that Flo Jo would have envied.
As I made my way to the door, I heard one mom say,”...she was never in preschool, so she's probably shell-shocked and wondering where I am. I wouldn't be surprised if she's in tears.” I can see her nervously laughing, but her eyes give away a wild kind of look- like a mother lion rushing to get back to her cub before poachers take it away.
The last one to file into the classroom, I almost burst out laughing. None of those kids missed us. They were sitting on their colored carpet squares, listening to 'The Kissing Hand', and playing with their neighbor who was sitting closest to them.
Of course, despite their content children, the nervous, frantic look the parents wore made me wonder whether or not they were going to give themselves 40 lashings for letting their tiny tots out of view.
I know I come off as sarcastic and a little mean (I wouldn't be me if I wasn't), and I get it. Its scary to see your baby grow up- I'm not denying that. I remember being new at the whole “first day” thing. I laugh because it just hit me what I must've looked like.
Of course, that was when my little guppie was entering a puddle.
Today I let e guppie go and watched as my oldest went from puddle to pond- Jr. High.
But, I have to tell you all- I was brave. I wasn't like the rest. I was a pro. No tears here. I took my mandatory “first day of school” pics and waved to him as he headed out the door with his friends.
I only hugged him once...
twice...
ok, so it was 3 times.
I was totally and completely in control of my emotions as I asked him over and over if he had everything he needed , and I think I did a pretty good job at hiding fear when I reminded him to call me right after school.
Yup, I kept it cool as a cucumber.
Up until I saw that it was 1, realized that he'd had a half day and was supposed to get out by 12:55, and ended up calling him...
...during his last few minutes of school; frantic, wondering if he had been swallowed up by a larger fish.
FYI- your clocks at home DO NOT necessarily reflect school time.
You know- in case you were wondering.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Pardon the dust...
I got bored, so I started to revamp my look and time slipped away. My blog will look pretty again soon. It just takes a while to get it to where I want it... without paying an arm and a leg.
And a toe.
And a pinky.
And I really like my pinkies, so I'm doing this *sing with me!*...
All by myse-e-elf. I'm doin' it... all by myself. Yes I am.
And, yes, I'll work on my singing in the meantime too.
Thanks for your patience.
And a toe.
And a pinky.
And I really like my pinkies, so I'm doing this *sing with me!*...
All by myse-e-elf. I'm doin' it... all by myself. Yes I am.
And, yes, I'll work on my singing in the meantime too.
Thanks for your patience.
Monday, August 8, 2011
K.O.
First of all- I'm excited. I reached 100 followers! Yay! Go me- and you, lol. I wouldn't have made it to 100 without you. So, yeah- thanks!
'But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.' 2 Corinthians 4:7-8
Looking back, I'm pretty sure that 2009 was the worst year of my life:
~lost 2 babies
~lost the home we were living in
~our car finally completely died
And that was on top of all the other daily stressors that make you want to bang your head against a wall.
In church, we always hear our pastor say,"If you aren't going through a tough time, you're about to. If you aren't, ask yourself why not." It isn't because you aren't so morally untouchable that the devil is afraid; its that the devil is probably looking at your life and sees you as a minor threat- if a threat at all.
Now, I'm not going to get all up on my "morality high horse" and tell you that the devil must've seen me as a major threat and that's why I had the year -literally- from hell. I won't because the devil doesn't- CAN'T- do anything in the life of a Christian without God's say so.
I can practically hear skeptics everywhere saying," So, you're saying God did it?" Not necessarily. I'm saying that God ALLOWED everything that happened to me and my family for a specific reason.
Maybe it was to make way for something better. After we lost Christopher and the other baby after him, we got pregnant with Nicholas. I miss my babies more than anyone could possibly imagine, but I'm thinking that God must have something pretty special planned for Nicholas, and that's why we needed him. After we lost that home, we moved into a better one where we -Corey most of all- aren't as stressed. And after our REALLY OLD car died, a friend came forward about how she needed to sell a car she had- which we got for a pretty great price with a pretty great payment plan.
Or maybe God allowed all of what happened to get me to a point where I'd finally start relying on Him more. Sometimes the only time we seek God to lift us up is when life has pushed us to our knees.
Or, maybe God allowed it all because He knew that I could take it; that I would be able to walk away from the situation stronger for it. That I would be 'struck down but not destroyed.'
Not a lot of families- marriages- can survive what we went through and come away from it stronger, but I'm not going to say that we did it through our own shear willpower. Absolutely not. That would be a lie, in all honesty. There was one moment, after we lost our second baby, that I was standing in our living room, crying to my mom, and asking her why God hated me so much- what did I do that was so bad that this was my punishment? That if He didn't love me, then I didn't want to love Him. And after we lost the house and our car went to that big car lot in the sky, I wrote to my pastor and asked Him why God had it in for me, and that if God did anything else to me or my family, that I'd stop believing in Him.
Does any of that sound like someone who's strong enough to get through things on WILLPOWER? Yeah, I don't think so either.
Humans- we're weak. Much like a clay pot, it isn't until you put it through the fire that it gets stronger. God made us this way so that we can't boast of our own greatness; so that when people look at us, they don't see how strong Amber is that she made it through all that unscathed. He made it so that when people look at me, they see that what I went through was an impossible situation to have come out without His help and they see the scars left on my life and they ask me where I got them.
So that I can point them to The One who got me through it.
If you liked the post, then please post the button!
'But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.' 2 Corinthians 4:7-8
Looking back, I'm pretty sure that 2009 was the worst year of my life:
~lost 2 babies
~lost the home we were living in
~our car finally completely died
And that was on top of all the other daily stressors that make you want to bang your head against a wall.
In church, we always hear our pastor say,"If you aren't going through a tough time, you're about to. If you aren't, ask yourself why not." It isn't because you aren't so morally untouchable that the devil is afraid; its that the devil is probably looking at your life and sees you as a minor threat- if a threat at all.
Now, I'm not going to get all up on my "morality high horse" and tell you that the devil must've seen me as a major threat and that's why I had the year -literally- from hell. I won't because the devil doesn't- CAN'T- do anything in the life of a Christian without God's say so.
I can practically hear skeptics everywhere saying," So, you're saying God did it?" Not necessarily. I'm saying that God ALLOWED everything that happened to me and my family for a specific reason.
Maybe it was to make way for something better. After we lost Christopher and the other baby after him, we got pregnant with Nicholas. I miss my babies more than anyone could possibly imagine, but I'm thinking that God must have something pretty special planned for Nicholas, and that's why we needed him. After we lost that home, we moved into a better one where we -Corey most of all- aren't as stressed. And after our REALLY OLD car died, a friend came forward about how she needed to sell a car she had- which we got for a pretty great price with a pretty great payment plan.
Or maybe God allowed all of what happened to get me to a point where I'd finally start relying on Him more. Sometimes the only time we seek God to lift us up is when life has pushed us to our knees.
Or, maybe God allowed it all because He knew that I could take it; that I would be able to walk away from the situation stronger for it. That I would be 'struck down but not destroyed.'
Not a lot of families- marriages- can survive what we went through and come away from it stronger, but I'm not going to say that we did it through our own shear willpower. Absolutely not. That would be a lie, in all honesty. There was one moment, after we lost our second baby, that I was standing in our living room, crying to my mom, and asking her why God hated me so much- what did I do that was so bad that this was my punishment? That if He didn't love me, then I didn't want to love Him. And after we lost the house and our car went to that big car lot in the sky, I wrote to my pastor and asked Him why God had it in for me, and that if God did anything else to me or my family, that I'd stop believing in Him.
Does any of that sound like someone who's strong enough to get through things on WILLPOWER? Yeah, I don't think so either.
Humans- we're weak. Much like a clay pot, it isn't until you put it through the fire that it gets stronger. God made us this way so that we can't boast of our own greatness; so that when people look at us, they don't see how strong Amber is that she made it through all that unscathed. He made it so that when people look at me, they see that what I went through was an impossible situation to have come out without His help and they see the scars left on my life and they ask me where I got them.
So that I can point them to The One who got me through it.
If you liked the post, then please post the button!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Saturday Shout-Out: Real Army of Moms
I wanted to use my Saturday posts to highlight some great bloggers out there. This week's feature blogger is wonderful and I hope you love her as much as I do. If you'd like me to highlight you, just send me an email at asoto0703@gmail.com.
~Your name:Michelle de Guzman
~Your blog's name w/ link: Real Army of Moms http://realarmyofmoms.blogspot.com
~Type of blog it is: I would call myself a humorous mommy blog. But I have done reviews and I will be doing a give away in September For Blog O Rama 2011.
~Tell us a little something about yourself: Well, if you have read my blog you already know that I have ADD and that I am living in denial over my age. I have three boys 9, 11 and 45. They keep me on my toes while I try to brainwash, I mean train them to be polite young men who flush and wash their hands. What you don't know is that I have lived in 5 countries on 3 continents and no, I am not an army brat. My dad flew helicopters for the oil companies. I have also lived all up and down the coast of California. My hubby and I met right after I graduated from college and he is a local boy so my vagabond days were over. I have a Degree in Mathematics from Cal State Long Beach, and my real job is as a financial adviser. I use humor to get through the rough stuff. And frankly being a mom has been pretty rough. I had always done well in everything I tried until becoming a mom. When my first son let out his first cry I became a mess of insecurity and doubt. I hope I can help other moms get though it by giving them a laugh too.
~If you had only 1 wish, what would it be and why? I wish I could fly. I mean with out an airplane. It has always been my one secret wish...someday I may jump off a building and people will say "Well she always wanted to fly."
~What's your favorite thing about where you live and why? I love year round summer. I keep threatening to leave California when my husband retires but I have to say I will need another place of sunshine to really thrive. I hear West Texas is nice. ANY suggestions will be appreciated.
~What's #1 on your 'Bucket List'? Ahh I don't have a bucket list. I am still in denial about being over 20.
20 year olds don't have bucket lists. But I love to travel and I really want to take the whole family to Italy to see where I was born.
~3 words to describe yourself would be...? Crazy, Loyal, Funny
~1 little known fact about you is...? I am hard on people around me. I expect that people be honest even about short comings. I try really hard to admit when I am wrong and apologize. I wan those around me to do the same. Some times that makes people uncomfortable.
~1 vice of yours is...? Caffeine. I don't drink coffee. Not because I am better than you, but because I don't like the taste. I love the smell. I dig hanging in coffee shops but I don't touch coffee flavored anything. I also have not had a soda in like 6 years. That IS because I am better than you...LOL Just kidding. I am allergic to Equal. It gives me migraines so I had to cut the diet soda out of my diet. And regular soda has WAY too much sugar so I only drink tea. But MAN can I put it away.
~Why did you start blogging? I wanted to help other moms to know that almost no one feels confident in being a parent. And it is OK. And that there are others out there that will help you, even if it is just having someone to relate to and Laugh.
~What's your favorite thing about blogging? The comments. I write about my LIFE. And I always think that I am the only one out there messing up. So when I get comments that say hang in there sister, or I know just what you mean, I feel like I am gonna be ok and my boys will not grow up to be axe murderers. I could be wrong about this but It is what I like to believe.
~What do you think makes for a successful blog? Relateablity. A Blog is like a friendship. I am putting myself out there, warts and all, and when someone else reads my blog and feels like I am their friend I have been successful. All the other stuff, Alexa ratings, traffic. etc that all comes from connecting with other people. If I am doing that then I think I am successful. And if there is another blogger doing that then I am going back to their site pretty often to hang with my new friend.
~3 words to describe your blog would be...? Funny, truthful, sometimes inappropriate.
~What's 1 blog (besides yours) that you think everyone should check out? Oh that is a hard one. There are so many that I go to daily...Hmm I would have to say it is http://sharon-moms-madhouse.com/ . She has 5 boys and 1 girl. She cracks me up and makes me feel like " well she can do 6 I can do 2." But It is a really hard choice there are like 10 that I go to almost daily.
Saturday Shout-Out
~Your name:Michelle de Guzman
~Your blog's name w/ link: Real Army of Moms http://realarmyofmoms.blogspot.com
~Type of blog it is: I would call myself a humorous mommy blog. But I have done reviews and I will be doing a give away in September For Blog O Rama 2011.
~Tell us a little something about yourself: Well, if you have read my blog you already know that I have ADD and that I am living in denial over my age. I have three boys 9, 11 and 45. They keep me on my toes while I try to brainwash, I mean train them to be polite young men who flush and wash their hands. What you don't know is that I have lived in 5 countries on 3 continents and no, I am not an army brat. My dad flew helicopters for the oil companies. I have also lived all up and down the coast of California. My hubby and I met right after I graduated from college and he is a local boy so my vagabond days were over. I have a Degree in Mathematics from Cal State Long Beach, and my real job is as a financial adviser. I use humor to get through the rough stuff. And frankly being a mom has been pretty rough. I had always done well in everything I tried until becoming a mom. When my first son let out his first cry I became a mess of insecurity and doubt. I hope I can help other moms get though it by giving them a laugh too.
~If you had only 1 wish, what would it be and why? I wish I could fly. I mean with out an airplane. It has always been my one secret wish...someday I may jump off a building and people will say "Well she always wanted to fly."
~What's your favorite thing about where you live and why? I love year round summer. I keep threatening to leave California when my husband retires but I have to say I will need another place of sunshine to really thrive. I hear West Texas is nice. ANY suggestions will be appreciated.
~What's #1 on your 'Bucket List'? Ahh I don't have a bucket list. I am still in denial about being over 20.
20 year olds don't have bucket lists. But I love to travel and I really want to take the whole family to Italy to see where I was born.
~3 words to describe yourself would be...? Crazy, Loyal, Funny
~1 little known fact about you is...? I am hard on people around me. I expect that people be honest even about short comings. I try really hard to admit when I am wrong and apologize. I wan those around me to do the same. Some times that makes people uncomfortable.
~1 vice of yours is...? Caffeine. I don't drink coffee. Not because I am better than you, but because I don't like the taste. I love the smell. I dig hanging in coffee shops but I don't touch coffee flavored anything. I also have not had a soda in like 6 years. That IS because I am better than you...LOL Just kidding. I am allergic to Equal. It gives me migraines so I had to cut the diet soda out of my diet. And regular soda has WAY too much sugar so I only drink tea. But MAN can I put it away.
~Why did you start blogging? I wanted to help other moms to know that almost no one feels confident in being a parent. And it is OK. And that there are others out there that will help you, even if it is just having someone to relate to and Laugh.
~What's your favorite thing about blogging? The comments. I write about my LIFE. And I always think that I am the only one out there messing up. So when I get comments that say hang in there sister, or I know just what you mean, I feel like I am gonna be ok and my boys will not grow up to be axe murderers. I could be wrong about this but It is what I like to believe.
~What do you think makes for a successful blog? Relateablity. A Blog is like a friendship. I am putting myself out there, warts and all, and when someone else reads my blog and feels like I am their friend I have been successful. All the other stuff, Alexa ratings, traffic. etc that all comes from connecting with other people. If I am doing that then I think I am successful. And if there is another blogger doing that then I am going back to their site pretty often to hang with my new friend.
~3 words to describe your blog would be...? Funny, truthful, sometimes inappropriate.
~What's 1 blog (besides yours) that you think everyone should check out? Oh that is a hard one. There are so many that I go to daily...Hmm I would have to say it is http://sharon-moms-madhouse.com/ . She has 5 boys and 1 girl. She cracks me up and makes me feel like " well she can do 6 I can do 2." But It is a really hard choice there are like 10 that I go to almost daily.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Friday's Writing Prompt: My son's heroes
Mama's Losing It: 1.) Write about a time you or someone you know saved the day!
he·ro/ˈhi(ə)rō/Noun
1. A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities.
When you're young, teachers will sometimes ask you to write about your hero.
For some, that hero might be a professional athlete. For others, they might write about police and fire men and women. Some might even write about all those men and women overseas that are putting their lives on the line to maintain our freedom.
I've met firemen and women, police men and women- I even have people near and dear to me that are off at war right now.
And, while I question idolizing athletes and calling THEM heroes, I think its safe to say that a hero can be found almost anywhere...
...I just never thought that I would be considered a hero.
When my oldest son, Cameron, was a toddler, we went to visit my parents after church one Sunday. I remember that my mom hadn't been home, but my dad was there. I was actually really happy about that because my husband and I had just gotten a new computer and I wanted to tell my dad -a computer know-it-all, in my eyes- all about it.
When we got in the front door, I set Camo on the living room floor and went to talk with my dad who was near the kitchen. I couldn't see Camo (there was a couch in my view), but considering that we were in front of the door that led out to the back yard, I wasn't worried. I laughed to myself that the most he would be able to do is destroy their TV equipment.
I thought.
I was just responding to my dad's question about RAM when we couldn't hear Camo anymore. We weren't worried- like I said, we were in front of the only accessible door to the back yard- but we just wanted to make sure he wasn't destroying a bit more than TV equipment.
When we couldn't find him in any of the bedrooms, we got a little worried, but we weren't panicking. Like I said, we were in front of the only accessible door to the back yard, and my parents room had been closed to keep him out.
After rechecking the rooms, though, my dad asked me if I thought he could have gone in the back yard. How, though? He rushed out to the backyard while I rechecked their room which had a door to the backyard.
Nope- the slider and the curtain covering it had been closed. Wouldn't he have left the door open if he had gone out that way?
That's when I heard my dad scream my name.
He was pulling Camo out of their fishpond.
Ya know, when you take CPR courses, you never ACTUALLY think you'll have to use them. Most sane people only take them 'just in case'. That was the day I found out that CPR really does save lives.
While my dad called 9-1-1, I continued to try and get my baby to breathe. He finally did right before the paramedics showed up.
So, that day, there were actually quite a few heroes and angels in the mix- my dad and I were just a couple.
Some people might chastise me by saying,"Well, you and your dad wouldn't have had to save your son if you had kept a better eye on him." Maybe that's true.
And, maybe we should have expected a 1 1/2 year old to be able to open a closed door EVEN THOUGH he was always too lazy to even look under a blanket for his shoes.
And, maybe we -I- shouldn't have assumed he hadn't gone into a room simply because the door had been closed- ALL the doors had been closed- leading out to the back yard, EVEN THOUGH he had never closed a door a day in his life.
And, maybe my parents were stupid and foolish to have a pond in their back yard knowing full well that they had a grandson EVEN THOUGH hundreds and thousands of adults buy homes SPECIFICALLY looking for homes with pools EVEN THOUGH kids have DIED in pool related accidents over the years and I don't see anyone saying that those people are fool hardy.
(And, FYI- even if your pond/pool is above ground, did you know its still a drowning hazard? Its true! Trust me- if a 1 1/2 year old has the piece of mind to cover his tracks and close all the doors behind him, then they can DEFINITELY climb steps/ stairs/what not to get into it. Just a thought.)
So, what could most definitely have turned out to be a tragedy, wasn't, because -with a few angels watching out for us- my dad and I became my son's heroes that day.
Too bad he doesn't treat me as such anymore, but whatev.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Thankful Thursday Blog Hop #5
I have a LOT to be thankful for, so I decided to start just making a list of 10 things every Thursday. That way, on days like today that make me want to scream and shout- and NOT in a good way- I can force myself to calm down and relax and think of at least 10 reasons why I'm actually NOT cursed by God to live in a miserable existence.
I'm kidding! I don't think that.
Usually.
So, here it goes- my list of 10.
1. Coffee. Yes, its numero uno on my list because my kids are being mean and my husband has left me to go to work. The lucky devil. Coffee will never leave me, though.
2. My kids. Even though they make me search the internet to see if it actually IS legal to sell them via Craigslist, I love them.
3. My husband. He turned 31 yesterday and on his birthday, he decided to help me with the kids, make dinner, and -most importantly- didn't run screaming when the kids chose to turn into demons.
4. Earplugs. Never underestimate the power of good, quality earplugs.
5. Bedtime- theirs, not mine.
6. Blogging. Without a place to vent my frustrations with The Natural Disasters, I might possibly burst.
7. Cake. My thighs aren't thankful for this one, but I haven't really heard them complain about it, either, so who cares what they think?
8. PJs. I can't wear them right now -we're heading to a place soon where you APPARENTLY need to be dressed- but I'm looking forward to the moment when I can put on my soft PJs.
9. Locks. You know- the kind that keep children out. None of those namby pamby ones that only need a small screwdriver to do the job, either. Nope. I like a nice lock that the kids can't figure out... because they're smart. Like the raptors in Jurassic Park.
10. Wine. A nice merlot- even a crisp white. Heck, even a bottle of Two Buck Chuck will do nicely. Ask yourself this: after a couple of glasses, will it make me see my kids as sweet creatures that I don't want to sell on the black market? If your answer is 'yes', then I want it in my glass.
So, here are the rules- well, not RULES, persay. They're more like GUIDELINES:
1. Don't follow me unless you really want to. I don't want this to be purely about getting new followers- I'd really like to see people flooding the internet with "Thankful" posts. If you'd like me to follow YOU, though, let me know.
2. Please post the button somewhere in your entry- beginning, end- doesn't matter. It'll help to grow the hop. Also, I'm planning on using new co-hosts for the hop in the future, and to be considered, you must have the button up. If you post the button and would like to be considered for co-host duty, send me an email @ asoto0703@gmail.com
3. You can link up blogs, facebook and twitter accounts - just be sure to specify what each link is.
4. Hop around and find blogs that you enjoy. Be sure to tell them you are following them from Thankful Thursdays Blog Hop so they can follow you back!
And #5 and most importantly, HAVE FUN.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Wordless Wednesday
(If I were to title this "Wordless Wednesday", it would be called "Please, Mini-Master- let mommy and daddy sleep just a few more hours"... or, would that be too long of a title?)
Monday, August 1, 2011
Oh, so tired...
(This was SUPPOSED to be published YESTERDAY, so sorry for the delay.)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Its days like today that reading something like that really speaks to me.
If you've ever traveled Stay At Home Rd., you know how exhausting it can be. I remember working at one of those jobs where you put on grown up people clothes and you get in a car to go there; and when you got there, you'd speak to other adults! Sure, some of those adults had less commonsense than my 7 month old, but they had considerably larger vocabularies, so that almost made up for their VAST stupidity. The fact was, I had conversations with them that allowed me to flex my grey matter and practice synonyms- like dimwit, stupid, blockhead, bonehead... you get the picture.
And just as I was about to bang my head against a wall until everything was fuzzy and less complicated, it was time to go home. I'd clock out, get in my car, and head to the place where there was peace... to a degree.
And, when I got tired of home, well, you see how this goes.
Working away from home gave me a change of scenery and a change of frustrations. No matter how hard I had it one place, I was able to escape shortly.
The fact is, when you're a stay at home mom, you LIVE with your most annoying, clingy, bossy, horrible customers. There's no escaping...
(Well, there is, but we'll get back to that in another entry I think I'll title: "Running toward paradise".)
But, when you're a responsible parent, there isn't any other option but to stay and take it.
Today, I dealt with an 11 year old child that doesn't QUITE get the fact his birthday is only supposed to be ONE day.
Not 2.
Not a week.
In fact, if he would have REALLY analyzed the situation, he would have grasped the fact that he was only having a birthday because of ME, therefore, I'M the one who should have been celebrated.
But, no. My sweet, little, ungrateful, entitled newly 11 year old son thought that not only could HE fight with me, but that he would bring in his brother and 2 of his friends to back him up in certain conversations.
Did I mention, I had just baked my gorgeous, highly selfish son cupcakes for his birthday?
How dare I, though, suggest that we should do anything but what HE wanted to do.
Ok, so there was my rant.
After all that, though, I still had a ton of other items on my mile long to do list. To be perfectly honest, I was near my breaking point.
How did I get myself into this mess? WHY did I get myself into this mess? I'm just SO TIRED...
Come to me... I will give you rest.
Its funny how sometimes I'll be in a particular situation and something will jump out at me or creep into mind to remind me that I have another person that knows what exactly I'm dealing with. And, no, I'm not talking about my husband. He's probably going to be the co-writer on that other entry I'm thinking about writing.
Its nice to know that when I'm ready to give up, there's Someone who's willing to take it from me. When I'm ready to collapse, there are arms outstretched that I can collapse into that won't let me go.
Arms that will give me rest.
***If you liked my post, then PLEASE post my button!***
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