New Year, New Focus!

What is 2010 going to look like for you? What do resolutions mean if they can’t be kept? What is ingrained in us that makes us have such a desire to do something different and rarely follow through with it? We have such a desire to do what society thinks we should do and we lose focus on what God wants us to do. Do you have a clear picture of how your next year should be spent AND is in line with what God wants for you? Granted we don’t know what the path we will follow will be BUT we can choose to make the path a scenic one along the way.


During this year, I resolve to document SOMETHING about every day that passes. It could be a silly comment from my children that I don’t want to forget, a new recipe I’ve tried that will become a family favorite, a song heard that inspired me, waking up to a beautiful sunrise, or watching snow fall peacefully to cover our earthly treasures.

This year I will slow down, even if just for a moment, and try to see things with a different perspective. Trying not to get through my day and try to get everything done only to know that I will wake up the next day and accomplish the same tasks over and over again. The life of a stay at home mom can seem bleak at times but I have the power to make it a new experience everyday.

None of us know the path that God will lead us on but one thing I know for sure is that we can make the path a scenic one. Those scenes may not always be pretty and inspiring, but we can choose to make the path a one of learning who we are and who God wants us to be.

Will you make sure that the path you are traveling is a scenic one where you can stop and see something in everyday or do you want to go through another year and not really know where the year went? It’s easy to remember the monumental things that happen in our lives such as births, weddings, and summer vacations but how awesome would it be to be able to look back on your year and read how you have documented it with words or photos and realize that you have truly been blessed all year and learned more about yourself through the process. Doing this for a year will surely make it a habit.

Take the journey with me, will you?!

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Parker,

Happy Birthday to you!!

My little man turns one year old today!  I thank the Lord for the blessing he has been and the joy that he has brought to our family.  WE LOVE YOU!!!

Favorite Holiday Pics of the Kids

We didn't get an annual Christmas card done with our picture

so here is my favorite one for each of the kids.

This was Alysia making her usual face to the camera.  It's difficult get a real smile out of her!



I think James is adorable with that little mole over lip! Him and his sister were playing their new Uno Spin.



And who could forget precious little Parker! The look on his face is PRICELESS!! That warms my heart :)

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and everyone here in Kansas was able to dig out of the snow to spend time with family and friends.

Welcome the Newest Addition to our Family

This Christmas James adopted a German Shorthair Lab.

Here is a lovely pic of our gentle-mannered, Dixie!!

This is going to be one BIG dog!  I have never owned a big dog so this is going to be an adventure.  Now "I" will start the potty training...

The Best Gift Ever!

This Christmas I received a gift that literally brought tears to me eyes!  It was the most amazing and thoughtful gift ever.  To this I owe a HUGE thanks toErick, Tressa, Chelsea and Ericka!!

If you had read this blog any at all you will know that earlier this year I lost all of my data on my computer when my hard drive crashed which caused me to lose about 3000 pictures.  I was completely devastated at all of the special memories that I had recorded that I could no longer get back but the most important was the birth of my son Parker.  He will be 1 years old in four days and I didn't have any pics of his arrival to complete our family.  My brother-in-law took lots of pics on that day and so I have been trying to get them from him.  He brought his camera over to my house one day so that I could download them but for some reason his camera takes a funky SD card and for some reason I couldn't get it to work.  He was then going to bring me the cord to his camera so that we could do it that way.

Almost five months later and I still didn't have any pics.  On Christmas Day I opened a photobook that had been speciall created for me by my brother-in-laws family that consisted of all the wonderful pics from that special day!!  I literally cried when I opened it.  I was so shocked that someone took the time to realize the importance that those pictures were to me.  It was something that could have been lost forever but thanks to my extended family they made sure that didn't happen.  Please forgive me; the pics didn't turn out well.  They even left room for me to journal so that I could personalize it the way that I want. 

THANK YOU SO MUCH ERICK, TRESSA, CHELSEA, and ERICKA!!  There couldn't have been a better gift.

Mary Did You Know?!

This is by far one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time.  This is an amazing video and I pray that it helps everyone remember what the meaning of this season is all about.

Merry Christmas to Everyone!!

Tis the Season!!

I have got to get in the Christmas spirit considering it is the week of Christmas.  Here are some pics to help...

Merry Christmas to all of you!!!

To Regift Or Not To Regift - what do you think?

I am meeting so many wonderful people through Blogland that have the same interests and desires as I.  I absolutely love it.  I am beginning to realize that my chaotic, unorganized life is somewhat normal. 

In light of the season I thought it would be fun to start a discussion.  To regift or not to regift.  Have you ever regifted?  Have you ever caught someone regifting something that you gave them?  What have you regifted or WOULD LIKE to regift?  What gifts have you received that you absolutely have no idea why you received it?

This post is simply to encourage comments and discussions.  I don't want anyone feelings hurt in this process so please don't name names.  This is supposed to be a light-hearted discussion and I hope that you enjoy.

I can't wait to read all of your comments!!

Merry Christmas or Bah Humbug!??

It's the most wonderful time of the year...there will be much mistletoeing and hearts will be glowing when loved ones are near......WAIT!!!  Back up just a minute!

Hearts will be glowing when loved ones are near?!?!?  Not in my family!!  This doesn't seem to be the year that this is the scene for our Merry Christmas.  I am sure that by now we have all come to the realization that no one's family is normal.  So how do you, and I in particular, deal with those idiosyncrasies at this time of the year.  I've decided that "Normal" is a relative term.  Do I sit and let this raw emotions control how I will celebrate with my immediate family that means the most to me or am I supposed to be a "big girl" and move on in life.  It's pretty hard to move on in life when you feel as if you've been ambushed and don't know where things went wrong and you have no way of fixing them.  Sometimes people want things to be the way they are no matter what the outcome.

So I am trying to apply the following things and know that this is a constant struggle for me EVERYDAY.  I am not perfect in anyone's eyes and I have never claimed to be.  So this is how I will be TRYING to deal with these issues.

1.  I need to normalize my expectations.  I need to realize that our family is messed up, but so is everyone else's.  Mixed feelings, resentment, and emotional baggage are typical issues of all families.

2.  Accept my lot.  Extended families idiosyncrasies aren't intended to make my life miserable even though it may feel that way.  Even though I may disagree, I need to have compassion.  Acceptance takes friction away, or at least most of it.

3.  Practice proven coping techniques.  I can't pick my relatives and I can't change them either.  The only thing I can control is my reaction to behaviors that drive me crazy.  The more I pick up that rope, the more I fuel a situation.  There are times I want to YANK that rope so hard and prove that someone else is wrong but it doesn't work.  It only makes things harder.

4.  Avoid embarassment.  The less I say the better.  Someone else's actions are not a reflection of me.  

5.  Help myself through humor.  If I wasn't laughing most times I would be crying.  Silent humor is a great tension release that helps me feel adult and powerful rather than trapped and powerless.

There you have it.  What I consider to be CRAP and almost impossible to accomplish.  Even though I know it may be the hardest thing to do, I know that this is best thing for the situation.  I am sure through this process I am going to learn a lot of things about myself and most importantly to stop worrying about what others think or feel.  It is very important to take others' feelings and emotions into consideration but when it comes to the expense of your own you have to pray and do what God tells you.  I just have to know in my heart that the things I am doing are right with me and God.  That is ultimately who I have to answer to and no one else.

Pray for me in this situation and hope that this is a Merry Christmas with or without loved ones.

"There are better things ahead than any we leave behind"

I have a dear friend who writes The Sweet Life and I read whenever she posts.  She has lots of recipes, crafty projects and overall goodness.  After reading her post today I sent her a comment expressing how much I enjoyed reading her posts.  I received an email from her stating her gratitude and at the bottom of her email was this quote by C.S. Lewis.  "There are better things ahead than any we leave behind."

I feel that as I go through like I learn more and more that things happen for a reason.  I beleive that I was meant to see this quote on this particular day.  I have been going through some extended family issues and understanding how to deal with it can be a challenge.

So where do I go from here?  I must continue doing what I feel in my heart is right and not let any outside influences affect me or my actions.  This can be very hard to do when you are deeply invested in a particular situation, and trying to remove your feelings out of it can almost be impossible.

I must have faith that every road that we are on is the one that God intended for us to be on and truly beleive that "there are better things ahead than any we leave behind."

Thanks Alisa for the encouragement I needed today!

The Comeback of the Apron!

I LOVE aprons!!

I have a weakness for them and I want to own several to match special occasions, holidays, seasons, etc.  Aprons seemed to be so much a thing of the past but they seem to making a comback in today's society.  I made my first apron a few years ago because I was tired of ruining my shirts while cooking, baking, and cleaning.  The original purpose of the apron is what inspired me but it has since evolved into another way to express myself.

I plan to expand my apron wardrobe in the next year so that I have an apron for everything.  I do tend to prefer the full body aprons simply beucase I am messy and I need something over my shirt.

Searching to the land of Blogosphere I have come across some absolutely amazing designs and creations for aprons.  I don't know where to start.  My original idea was to make another one of my own but there are just too MANY cute ones out there that I might just have to buy one from a fellow crafty blogger and help their addiction as well. 

Here is a pic of an apron design that I absolutely love.  I love the coordinating colors also.  $30 just seems a little steep for my budget.

Maybe I can just leave some OBVIOUS hints to my husband since it is the holiday season.  If you are looking for apron inspiration you will not find a shortage on the web.  A great site to browse is http://www.girlyaprons.com/index.html

Elf on the Shelf - Nicholas

This is something that I had never heard of before but after Brian's cousin in the Ozarks started it for her children, Brian's mom bought one so that we could start the tradition here.

Nicholas (this is what we named our elf) comes around Thanksgiving time and stays until Christmas Eve where he goes to the North Pole until next year.  You place the elf on a shelf, mantel, in the tree, where ever you think of so that he can watch over your children.  Every night the elf goes to the North Pole and reports the days findings to Santa Claus.  Then when the children wake up the next morning the elf has taken residence in another spot to keep an eye on them for the day.  There is a book that goes along with it so that the kids know exactly what to do.

There is only one rule: children can not touch the elf.  This will make him lose all of his magic.  Now I must say that when we got this and James knew he couldn't touch it, it devastated him.  He cried so hard because he didn't think that he could resist and he didn't want to be the reason for the magic being gone.  We assured him that all would be well and the elf just has to make sure that he is in good hiding places that are well out of reach.

I have to admit that this is neat for the little ones.  James might be getting a bit old and next year we might not be able to pull it off but it will be a lot of fun when Parker and heaven forbid grandkids come around!

Ramblings...

**Today is a snow day and the kids are home from school.  James had a friend come and play and this is not turning out to be the quiet day that I had planned.  Maybe I can sneak in a nice bath this evening but I doubt it.  Everyone has tried out my new bath but me.

**I am blessed to have the wonderful home that I do BUT having a hill for a driveway makes getting into the garage a booger!  I didn't succeed last night after many attempts so my car was left out in the cold.  I am going to have to buy stock in rock salt so that I can park inside on nasty days like these.

**The other day I was cleaning the garage to make room for my car and I noticed mouse droppings on some of our furniture.  I haven't bought any mousetraps yet.  Today my son goes to the garage to get his boots on and they found the little rat inside of the dog food bag.  That would have scared me to death but my children want to adopt him as a pet now.  I guess I shouldn't take them to the store with me when I buy the mouse traps.

There you have it, the reason for my moodiness lately.  Hopefully tomorrow will turn out better.

We had a busy, fun-filled weekend.  It seems I haven't posted in forever but it just seems that the month of December seems to fly by in a wink.

Friday night Alysia was in the Madrigal Feast with her choir.  The entertainment for the night was wonderful and it was well worth the $15 ticket.  This is a big production that the high school puts on every year and I am sure that it is one that I will be attending for the next few years.  The yummy food consisted of wassail, DELICIOUS homemade whole wheat bread, ham, almondine green beans, fried potatoes, and spiced apples.  The dessert was a strawberry tart.  From what I ate of my meal it was yummy.  My daughter didn't get to eat before hand though so she kept coming up to the table as she was serving and getting bites of food for her and her friends.  The choir teacher's eye caughter her once but she survived the evening on little food and lots of singing.  Her friends were glad I was there too to share the food.

Saturday I spent the day cleaning the house and runnign some errands and then had the company of Ashley and Brenna that evening.  Brenna brought over a gingerbread train for them to do and I bought a gingerbread house.  There were a lot of laughs for sure.  The train ended up crooked somehow and my chimney kept falling off my roof no matter how much icing I used to try to get it to stay.

Today I spent the day cleaning up from the mess we made last night and then did some more Christmas shopping and clothes shopping for our Christmas card pics.  It is my goal to get the pics of the family done this week so that I can get the cards done and in the mail.  I'm just trying to decide on the best spot to take them.  We are going to take them at our new house and I am deciding on the front porch, although I need it to look a little more Christmasy or in front of the tree.  We may do both and see which turns out best. 

It looks like this week will prove to be busy like the past few.  We have a birthday party to plan for a 15 year old and all of the other obligations that seem to pop up during this month.  Somewhere in there I'll get some baking done.

Happy Holidays!

This Is The Only Wire Hanger Allowed In My House, Seriously

I am sure that all of you know the famous Ms. Crawford  thanks to "Mommy Dearest".  Call me a little crazy but I have to admit that I really liked that show when I was little.  Maybe I see a little of her crazy in my when I don't take my little white pill :)  To this day I DESPISE wire hangers and my daughter never understood why until she watched that movie.

Anyways,  I found this Eddie Ross wreath thanks to a friend of mine's blog and I have to make it.  I think it is adorable and seems so easy to make.  Go to http://www.eddieross.com/eddie_ross/2008/12/no-wire-hangers-well-maybe-just-one.html for the instructions

I am going to go to the local Dollar Store tomorrow and attempt to make one.  I will post a pic of mine when I am done.  I only hope it turns out like this pic!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

This has been one long day.  We bought a 12', yes a 12' Christmas tree last night from Hobby Lobby.  They only had one left and it was the display so that is the one that we got.  We brought it home and got it up and there were some electrical issues with it and not all of the lights would work.  I'm not kidding when I say there were about 50 that were sporadically burnt out.  So we decided, after a lot of contemplation to take it back and get another smaller one.  There was another one that we really liked but the kids and dad REALLY wanted a BIG tree.  So this is the tree that we ended up with and I have to say that I couldn't be happier.  This picture does not do the tree justice!  It is absolutely beautiful and it isn't even decorated yet.  It has real looking snow on it with berries and pine cones.  I absolutely love it!!!  I can't wait for Santa to visit!!

Lollipop Lollipop!

I couldn't resist posting these photos of Parker trying out his very first sucker!  I was very cautious with this with him being in his high chair with me RIGHT beside him.  He absolutely loved it!!  Parker doesn't eat candy so this was his first taste of heaven!  My oldest son eats too much candy and so I have made it a point to limit what Parker has.  It's hard to break once they are addicted.  None the less a lollipop every now and then never hurt anybody!!

Thankfulness - My Cup Runneth Over

WOW - our family has had an amazing, crazy, busy two weeks.  First we started with the selling of our home and our move into our new ABSOLUTELY, FANTASTICAL, WONDERFUL home!  Can you tell I love it?  Brian has said soooo many times how comfortable he is in our new surroundings.  After having him fight a move out of Kansas City and into Tonganoxie for a long time, those comments are very accepted by me.  I am relieved that he is as happy as the rest of us.  First off my drive to take the kids to school couldn't be any easier.  We are only two minutes from the schools.  No more driving for 20 minutes each way.  I will have so much more time to do other things during the day.  We are so thankful that God blessed the selling of our other home and the purchase of the new one.  I don't think the process could have been any smoother.

Our daughter Alysia has been practicing her little tush off for the Beauty and the Beast play at school.  They have been practicing for 6 weeks sometimes until 10 or 10:30 at night, almost every night of the week.  I even think James was beginning to miss her although he wouldn't admit it.  This past weekend all of the kids' hard work paid off in four performances.  I must say that the kids of Tonganoxie High School are a very talented bunch.  I give kudos to the drama department for putting on such wonderful plays and also to the students!  They put in hard work but had a blast putting it all together.  Alysia is sad to know that she will not get to hang out with her new "family" after school anymore.

My hubby has had an amazing week to say the least.  He has been reunited with his long lost daughter whom he has never met and is 16 years old.  She pursued looking for him and his family and succeeded. Needless to say Brian has been on cloud nine.  He has waited for this day for so long and it seems Brenna has too.  I am soooo thankful that they finally got to meet and pray that their relationship continues to grow.  She seems like an amazing young woman and I can't wait to meet her also.

Parker is a little fire ball that is always on the go.  He is so close to walking I know it will be any day.  He has been such a happy baby lately and I love how he can make himself laugh.  The other day when he was playing by himself, he would fall back and hit his head on a pillow and crack up.  It was one of those moments though where I didn't get my camera quick enough.  Hearing him laugh brings a HUGE smile to my face.  I can't wait to see his personality emerge as he grows into who he will become in the next year or two.  They change so much during this time and I can't wait to cherish each moment as it comes.

Poor James through all of this has been fighting sicknesses.  When we moved he had a fever of around 102 for about three nights straight.  Crazy thing; it was only at night.  During the day he was completely fine and there were no other symptoms.  Then that got better and then he started having to use his inhaler because his asthma started acting up.  He hasn't had complications with that for a couple of years so that caused some concerns.  A trip to the Dr. showed that he was fine though.  Then when the kids were out of school last Friday, poor James was home vomiting all day long.  He laid on the couch and didn't do anything for 2 1/2 days.  I didn't know my cannon ball could sit that long and sleep so much so I knew that he was really sick.  He missed school yesterday and I think enjoyed hanging out with Mom and Dad that this morning he tried to pull the old "my throat still hurts" line.  Needless to say he is on the mend and back at school hanging with his buddies as we speak.

There you have it; an update since I haven't been on in a couple of weeks. The next few weeks will prove to be more exciting as we move through the holiday season.  Brian and I will be having Thanksgiving at our house this year with the family and I can't wait!

Need Some Extra Christmas Money?!

I get a lot of people that ask me about what kind of work I do out of my home, therefore I have posted the links on here to direct you to some of the work at home sites that may or may not be hiring.  I have been doing transcription for about three years now and I love it.  There is no medical transcription that I do but if you have experience in that field then there will be more demand for your services.  It provides a little of the extra income I want or more that I may needed depending on the situation.  I can work as little or as much as I want.  It truly has been a blessing for me and I encourage you to check it out if it is something that you may be interested in.

Each of the links to the right that lists work at home sites are legitimate.  They have all been researched and I have applied for many of them myself.  My advice would be to apply to as many as you can.  When you start getting calls or emails back you can see what fits your schedule the best and decide who to contract with.

Best of luck and if I can answer any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

You've Seriously Got to be Kidding!

Did you know that there is a movement among psychiatrists to recognize internet addiction as a mental disorder.  Well haul me away to the psych ward then because I have a full blown case of it!

In today's age many people look to the internet for a million things.  Let's see what I use my handy dandy computer for.  I'll give you clues and you can decide if I have the "INTERNET MENTAL DISORDER" (said in a deep voice).  It's like we'll be playing Blues' Clues except there will be waaaaaayyyyyy more than three clues and I will be using this computer as my Handy Dandy Notebook.

(By the way we don't watch TV on the internet so by me knowing what Blue's Clue's is about shows that I am not on the computer all the time).  Okay, shall we proceed.

• Of course we have the proverbial Facebook whom almost EVERYONE is on.  This is how I connect with people simply because talking on the phone with a baby, a 6 year old and a teenager around isn't necessarily practical at all times.  Besides if I want to talk, I can and if I don't want to be bothered then no on bothers me :)
• Online banking and bill pay - need I say more!  Who wants to sit down every payday and write checks to a million different companies and then have to get stamps to mail them and get them to the mailbox and HOPE that they get there on time.  Remember I am a stay at home mom so MANY times I pay those things on the day they are due.  I say online bill pay saves my sanity!
• Read the news - who has time to sit down and read the paper only to throw all of it away.  I get to read what I want and there is no waste.  I am being environmentally friendly here.
• iTunes is the only source I have for music.  I love to have music playing in my home all the time and having iTunes (or Limewire - but shhhh...I don't want the internet police on me now) gives me the ability to get any music I want in all different genres without having to buy a CD where I will never listen to any of the other songs.
• Google - remember when you were younger and you had encyclopedias?  Well that is my Google!  I search for anything and everything on there and no it does not take away from me knowing how to spell and look things up.  I am perfectly capable of doing that!  Google has not contributed to the demise of incompetent children.
• Scrapbooking - I love doing all of my scrapbooking and purchasing of my photos online (just remember to save them to an external hard drive - read prior post).  I cherish my photos and having the ability to do even more with them is awesome!  My kids will appreciate it someday.  They won't have to look back like I do at pictures of people I don't even know from who knows when.  Heck my parents can't even remember what the pictures are sometimes.  How does that tell your story to your future generations.  Scrapbooking on the computer is also a lot CLEANER than buying all of the stuff and doing it manually although I do make a random manual scrapbook every now and then.
• The fun one that my teenager hates is that I can check on her school work at practically any point in time and know what is going on.  I am not one of those parents who is ever surprised by anything that may, or may not, come home.  The administrators provide this as a resource to us so by golly I use it to the fullest.  If you're not, you're a fool!
• I also work at home on the computer.  Being a stay at home mom I get to set my hours and work when the kids are at school or they are sleeping.  Granted I love typing but what better way to make a little bit of spending money to make the hubby happy and be able to do it in your PJ's.  Seriously!!
• Blogging - okay so there are a million blogs out there but this is my outlet.  I enjoy it and you can't take it away from me.  If you don't want to read it, just move on but don't tell me that I am looking for something to fill a void.  Are you kidding me!  Can't I just like to write and share?!?!

Okay, there you have it!  A condensed list of everything that I do on the internet or computer.  Now you be the judge!  Is it an Internet Mental Disorder or me just being a normal person looking for better ways to be a better wife, mother, friend, daughter, and sister.  Take it from me, I have learned some amazing things from doing what I do AND it's a lot cheaper than therapy!!

Happy Surfing!!  See you around on this information highway!  I'm not pulling over anytime soon....

Wordless Wednesday

This is Alysia and I on one the rare occasions that she gets along with her mother.

These are few and far between during the teenage years!

Artist In Training

I am really trying to come up with the best way to do this blog since there are so many things that I want to do here and not enough time.  Bear with me as I decide what my plan of attack will be in this endeavor.

I have been a stay at home mom for about 6 years now and have been in the rut of just doing what needed to be done to get by.  It's so easy to just let the children entertain themselves while you get everything else done that needs to be done.  My purpose in being a mother is spending quality time with them and my 6 year old son convicts me of that the most.  So tonight when his little brother was asleep and his older sister was rehearsing for a play, I took the time to sit down with him and do some painting.  This was an idea I found on the internet and decided I would do it with him.  He thought it was the coolest thing.  Just spending alone time with him with no other interactions made him the happiest kid on the block.  I have to admit that I enjoyed the stillness in just not worrying about anything other than what color to use next.  These simple things are so easy to forget in our daily lives but yet so easy to do.

I am vowing to try to make more time with each of my kids so that they know how special they are to me and they never to a back seat to anything else that I am doing.

I started out by tracing some circles on a piece of paper with a cup.  James wondered what I was doing at this point and kept asking what we were going to do.  When he found out that we were going to do watercolors he was so excited to be able to do his and show his art teacher at school.

James thought that the water in the cup looked really neat so he insisted that I take a pic.  He kept trying to put red in there because it looked like "blood".  He is such a boy!

Save Your Sanity and Your Money

My greatest weakness is going to Walmart or Target "with a list" and coming home with a million other things that I never had any intention of buying.  I IMPLUSE shop to the greatest degree anyone could.  If my husband is with me he makes me stay to the list as best I can but I still HAVE to have one thing!  I don't know what it is but I always get more than I came for.  I am sure that a lot of people deal with this to some degree but it is a great weakness for me.  My husband could kill me sometimes because of it.

So I came across this site called http://www.alice.com/ and I think it is sooooo cool!  I joined - it was free by the way - and I stocked my shelves with stuff that I normally buy by the brands.  They had everything that I could need.  You can log in when you need your items and they will ship them to you AND it's free shipping.  So I am not spending any gas AND I am not buying anything extra hopefully.

You can set it up so that it reminds you when you might be running out of products so that you never run out.  You set up when you want to be reminded.  How much simpler can this get?

Check it out if you can and sign up.  We can save money and our marraiges together!  The less I go into a store the less money I will spend.

WARNING - Don't do what I did!

Okay, so two days ago while working at 10:00 at night my computer kept locking up on me.  I was so frustrated so I ran a disk utility on it and it told me that I needed to reinstall my operating system.  Okay.  So I went through the boxes I have packed so that we can move and I found the disks to reinstall it.  Not a problem.

So I insert the disk and it warns me that I need to back up all of my data or it will be lost.  It tells me how to stop the installation so that I can do that.  Went through the steps that it told me and then it proceeded to not want to do anything.  At this point it is about 11:00 at night and so I call Apple and they have the audacity to be closed at night.  I can't believe they aren't open all hours of the night so help me when I need it.  Go figure that they need time off.

So I went to bed and called Apple the next day.  They walked me through about three different ways that I could get my computer started to no avail.  They told me that it was a hardware problem and that I needed to call a technician.  AT LEAST I bought the three year Apple care protection to protect me!! 

So I called and found a guy that could come to my house that was authorized by Apple.  I have to use the people they want since it was under warranty.  Anyways he couldn't get anything more than I had done to it and told me that it was probably my hard drive that went bad.  So he took it back to his office and ran diagnostics on it and said that he could see all of my data and so he would install a new hard drive and then just migrate my data from one to the other.  AWESOME!  This was starting to look like it was going to turn out okay.

In the meantime I had to use my hubby's laptop while he went out of town so that I could finish the work I had in order to meet my deadline.  He was not happy about leaving it at home.  I thank him soooo much for that.  Now her just gives me a hard time because he thinks that I really bought him a computer just so I would use it.  Not!!  I actually love my computer and prefer to use it rather than his laptop.

So toda my computer comes back home all new and the technician proceeds to tell me that he couldn't get any of my data!  I swear I thought he was joking!!  What - - 4000 pictures, GONE!!!  I can deal with the music I don't have and work but the pictures I can't ever get back!  Four years down the drain!!  I am sick!!  He said that he could see all of my files but when he actually went in to recover my data that there was in the files!  ARGH!!!!!

SO....I got my computer back but now I have to spend a lot of time getting it back to where I want it installing all of the programs I need, etc.  I lost all of my email account addresses, the 100's of websites I had on my favorites menu, just to name a few.

So what did I learn this week that you can learn from me..

GET AN EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE!!  No matter how much it costs it can save you a lot later on.  Don't learn the hard way like I did.

Don't have your home office in the same room as your dryer!  The whole reason that this happened in the first place was because of my dryer.  You see, my computer desk is always dusty and I never thought anything of it.  Well seems that the dryer creates dust in the air even though it is vented well and so where can that duct go other than in the back of the computer wherever there is an opening.  Every where there was a vent fan was an entry point for dust, and lots of it!  The technician said that he literally had to vacuum out my computer because there was so much dust in there.  Go figure!  Who would have guessed that having it in the same room would have created a problem like that.

Last but not least, if you do chose to not follow my advice, make sure you buy a warranty of some kind if you are getting a new computer.  That was my only saving grace during this whole ordeal.  $100 a year and a half ago when I got the computer is paying off right now.  I didn't have to pa a dime for the service or the part.  That's good considering I am going to be paying for a long time coming because I don't have my cherished pictures.

What are you eating?

Do you ever have days where you hear the dreaded question "What's for dinner?" only to remember that you don't really have anything planned so you throw something that isn't the healthiest meal you could have planned if you only took the time to do so.  Another option might be to just go out and grab something to satisfy your hunger because nothing was planned or you have a million other activites to do so there isn't time to cook dinner at home.  These nights are PERFECT for pulling the slow cooker out!  There are limitless recipes on the web anything you are looking for.  Whether you like making things from scratch or quick dinners; taking the time to do a little planning will save your sanity, checkbook, and the mindless nights of trying to figure out what you are going to do.

First and foremost you need to tailor your grocery list based on the weekly circulars.  This is where you will get the most bang for your buck.  Combining coupons with the circulars will put even more money in your pocket!!  Check out http://www.couponmom.com/ for tips and tricks on getting the most out of your shopping trips.

Here is a list of what I plan on making for the next couple of weeks.  I encourage you to take a look at what you're making too!  Post what your plans are to help other people get out of the rut of making the same old thing.

Potato Soup
Fish Tacos
Meatball Sandwiches
Creamy Chicken Casserole
Carbonara - this is Alysia's pick.
Chicken Quesadillas
Enchiladas
Bacon, Chicken, Tomato, Alfredo Pasta
Salisbury Steak - this is James' pick.
Talapia
BLT
Sauerkraut and Polish Sausage

What do you have planned for your upcoming menu?

Thank You Dear Jesus!

Some of you may know that we are going through the process of selling our home and buying a new one.  This can be a very trying time for any family and I just pray that this is a smooth transition for us.  I want to show my great gratitude for the work that the Lord has done so far.  Having only had our house on the market for three weeks, we have been blessed to come into contact with a realtor who has a home that we love and it just so happens that he is looking for a house for his mother-in-law and thinks that ours would be perfect for her.  We signed a contract today.  He gave is the amount we were looking for and it couldn't have worked out any smoother.  Although he is a realtor, since we did all this as basically by owner we still didn't have to pay any realtor commission.  That saved us about $5000!!  Our current home loan is a VA loan and so we had to be out of that loan before we could move into a new house.  I don't know of any situation that could have flowed smoother and worked out better.  PRAISE THE LORD!

Our tentative closing date is set for October 27.  We are going to keep praying that all goes well between now and the time we close.  We pray that God will continue blessing this process.  We look to him for answers and guidance.  We are going to be getting into the Christmas season and we would love to be settled in our new home celebrating the holidays.

Thank you all that have been praying for us and we ask that you please continue to do so.  We are all very excited about  this move and hope that our family will greatly benefit from it.

Here are some pics of the new house!  I hope to be able to get some pictures with us living in it soon!!

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY September 25, 2009...
Outside my window...the sun is shining and the weather is perfect for jeans and a t-shirt!
I am thinking...how to get the most out of my day and be productive.
I am thankful for...the quiet times that I get.
From the kitchen...busy spot later in the day!
I am wearing...Jeans and a t-shirt.
I am creating...my blog.
I am going...to search for an apron pattern.
I am reading...Skinny Bitch.
I am hoping...that the weekend is beautiful and enjoyable with family near!
I am hearing...birds chirping outside my window.
Around the house...all is quiet with baby sleeping, older kiddos in school and hubby on a train.
One of my favorite things...the feeling that fall brings!!
A few plans for the rest of the week:  whatever comes my way
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

This is a picture that was taken when I was on a garden tour a couple of years ago in someone's back yard.  Take a moment today to stop and listen to nature!  Thank God for all the beauty that he has given to us!


http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

What's Going On Here?

Well as you can tell I am doing a little housework on my blog to get it where I want it.  I hope that the finished product is something that you will enjoy and where you can learn new things as well as stay up to date on my family.

To the right, there is a section with websites that I frequent.  I would highly recommend that you bookmark some of them if you want.  They are great.  Many of them cater to moms but there are some that don't.

Also under the website section there are two work at home sites that I posted.  For any of you that know me you know that I do transcription out of my home when I find the time amidst being a mother and a wife.  I have people ask me all the time how they can get started doing what I am doing and so I have made it easy to have this information at your fingertips at all times.  These are legitimate sites in which the companies hire real work at home people like me.  Please don't hesitate to ask me any questions.  I enjoy making the extra money and I am sure you will too.

There is also a section to the right about books that I love.  I have included the titles as well as a link that takes you to Amazon.  You are certainly welcome to buy the books from Amazon, as I have never been disappointed, but this was mostly so that you could see the book and what it is about.  I have HOPES to be able to maybe talk about each of these books in future posts so if you don't have time to read or the money to buy, maybe I can give you some tidbits from each one.  If you want more, you have to buy though.  I don't think the authors would like me putting everything on here.  They work hard to write these books and it only seems fitting for one to buy it if they see an interest after reading what I post.  I will try to add to this list as I read but with three kids and my addiction to the Internet, my book reading time seems to be cut short more often than not.

Last but not least, I like to be able to see what my fellow bloggers are up to so I would love for you to become a follower.  There is a link on the left hand side where you can do that.  I would love to have you visit more often and promise to come to your neck of the woods!

I think that's about it for this post.  Stay tuned for more updates and goodies.

On The Move!

Okay, so I had to post a couple pics of my precious Parker learning how to pull up on things now.  He is going to be walking before I know it, although I don't think he'll hit the nine month mark like James (maybe that means he will be my calm boy, maybe not).  Anyways, he loves crawling over to the back door and looking out.  These are just some shots that I got and had to pass on to you!

Isn't he just ADORABLE!!!!  Now I just have to baby proof EVERYTHING...

Beth Needs

This little narcissistic activity can turn out to be kinda hilarious. You Google your first name followed by the word "needs" i.e., "Beth needs" and see what results come up. A few of mine were not family-friendly blog-worthy, but here were some of the ones that were:

• Beth needs some love here.
• Beth needs structure and parents who will teach and promote responsibility (WHAT?  I'm a parent myself and hope that my mother would have already taught me responsibility?)
• Beth needs a new home (Is that cool or what considering we are in the market for a new home when we sell ours!  Maybe it's a sign.)
• Beth needs to realize she has a problem (Any ideas on what that could be?)
• Beth needs a considerable raise in salary (I'm game for this one anytime!!)
• Beth needs to look within about what she is believing about her weight (Hmmmm......another one that makes me think.)
• Beth needs your help!
• Beth needs a good kick!
• Beth needs to look at the program as a whole.
• Beth needs to focus on her flat and screechy vocals (What??)
• Beth needs to learn humility (WOW - now that's deep!)

This was pretty funny at some of the things that came up that I couldn't post.  Try it yourself.  ENJOY!

You Know Me But Do You REALLY Know Me?

In an attempt to get better organized at life and be accountable for my actions, I have created this blog so that my followers can see what I am doing and where I am at in life. Along the way I hope to post tips and tricks that may help you along your path too! So you're here, now what?

Let me tell you more about me!

1. My favorite color is red - I seem to be pretty passionate about things that I care about so it seems fitting.

2. My favorite season is fall - I love the crispness that you can feel in the air. A close second would be spring - seeing everything come to life after a long cold winter gives me faith that we can do whatever we set our mind to.

3. I am addicted to Cherry Dr. Pepper! I have tried to give up pop soooooo many times and fail everytime. If this is the only addiction I have I have settled with the fact that it is not a bad one.

4. Granite City is by far my favorite restaurant. I LOVE their Asian Chicken Salad!

5. My goal for this year is to follow a schedule in our home so that we actually accomplish things instead of letting the TV dictate what we do. That doesn't mean that I won't watch my favorite shows though - DVR will just be my friend!

6. My greatest weakness is money - it burns a hole in my pocket before I even get it! That makes it really hard to be the budgeter in the family - I am working on this one everyday. There is always something I "need". Maybe I need to figure out the difference between need and want, you think?

7. Prefer cats over dogs. The only reason I don't have more is because of my hubby. He "lets" me keep the one that I have.

8. I have never broken a bone - knock on wood!

9. My toothbrush is pink.

10. My first car was a Honda Civic.

11. The first person I call when I am having a bad day is my best friend! You can't replace them!!

12. The first thing I wash in the shower is my face.

13. I have broken the law a time or two in my life - Mom, don't ask!

14. I have been baptized.

15. I love the sound of babies laughing!