Cozy Feeling

I am at home for the week, between visit to family for all the holidays. I had a wonderful visit with my family over Thanksgiving and I am looking forward to my visit with Steve's parents for Christmas. Yet I am SO glad to be in my own little home for a few days. Tonight it finally dropped below fifty degrees and it was very blustery outside so the kids and I decided it was soup kinda weather. I made Chicken Tortilla Soup with Quesadillas, and for dessert I made muffins:)

So as for the title of my post:Tonight after dinner, but before the muffins were done I went to my outdoor storage area to rummage through the Christmas stuff for my kids Christmas DVDs. While out there the wind was whipping, so I hurried and grabbed the rubbermaid and headed back inside. When I stepped in my kitchen I was just hit with a sudden wave of coziness! The house smelled good like cooking and baking, the heat was humming and my kids were laughing. Really if that's all I get for Christmas I think I could be pretty satisfied with it. Of course Steve and I snuggling up together watching Home Alone would be better, but a girl will take what the Army will give her:)

Hope you Have a Cozy Christmas Season!

I'm Ok, just Busy!

I know I haven't posted in awhile, and while I still really don't have to much to post on I didn't want anyone to worry! I have just been really busy. A friend of mine moved this week and I helped her out with that. I have been spending a lot of time with my friend Anna which is kinda a retreat for me because our kids adore each other, and she always feeds me:) I am trying to plan a yardsale for this weekend, and then I get to count the days till Clare comes next week! SO between that and just trying to keep up with the house and the usual errands I haven't to much exciting going on to post about.

I have talked to Steve quite a few times and he seems to be doing fairly well. Keeping so busy helps him and I to whittle the days away. So if my post are few and far between just assume I am traveling or am busy trying to keep busy so the days will pass. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers-keep 'em coming!

$2.13

So I figured since I am always jealous of all the little mentions of fall like weather I needed to make myself feel better about living in Texas. So here is what I came up with: $2.13, that is how much a gallon of unleaded fuel is right now. So while our coolest day yet may be a sunny 68, I paid a paltry 38 dollars to fill up my mini van! So I guess according to my budget I should never move, but according to my heart I would love to live in Spokane! It has been thrilling though to watch the price drop. I promised Steve that if it dropped under $2 I would take a picture of the sign and post it for him. So be on the look out, gas has been dropping here at a rate of at least a penny a day!

FYI

Ok so after much contemplation I finally thought of 6 things that most people wouldn't know about me but that I wouldn't be to embarrassed to admit.
The are in know particular order of importance or insanity:

1) I relieve stress by rearranging the furniture in my house. I just redid the living room and dining room this week, if you would like proof of the validity of this statement. This particular habit came into play the night before Gillyan was born and I took upon myself to rearrange our entire living quarters:)
2)I absolutely abhor talking on the phone! Especially if someone calls for no particular reason, they just "want to chat". It isn't that I don't want to keep up with you or all your going ons. I just prefer them in writtern form (blog, email, SOS whatever!) So please don't take it personal when I don't answer your calls, just leave me a message and if it is valid I will call you back:)
3) I am beyond Obessive Compulsive about matching. I am not talking just colors, I am discussing all aspects. Here are few examples- All spices in my cupboard are McComick brand, I won't buy anthing else. All cereal in my pantry must be by the same Manufactor, say I bought Cherrios this pay period, that would mean all other cereals in the pantry must be General Mills. This one is a great source of stress to my husband! Another example that isn't food is clothing, especially the childrens. I want the outfit they put on for the day to be all one brand, say Oshkosh, or Sonoma, or even Target. It just must all come from the same place.
Even my house some what follows this theme. All the rooms in my house (except the childrens) are either a color scheme of Black and neutrals, or a blend of Red, Green & Cream. The last peek in to my disorder is my need to have even my toothpaste be the same brand as my toothbrush. There now you know my deep dark secret!
4) I prefer things in even amounts, odd numbers are for odd people:) Even are kids hopefully will end up in even amounts. We would like 4. That number was arrived at by a little division. Steve is 1 of 2 children, I am 1 of 8. Four seemed like a fair amount:)
5) Salty over Sweet. If you want to tempt me off a diet offer me popcorn or chips (especially if there is dip!). I do enjoy dessert, but I would forgo it for another helping of mashed potatoes!
6)I always wanted a different name. Growing up I dreamed my last name would be Williams( I was to young to realize who that would reflect!) I am more than blessed though to have married a man with such a terrific last name and can't think of any better.I also always adored the first name Amy and would probably have changed my name to that if it weren't such a hassle!

OK, so now that you know not to call me and that I secretly go by Amy, you can come to my house and mis match my Tide detergent with Bounce softner to really drive me crazy!

Every Moment

This week has been a roller coaster of emotions as we truly begin the countdown for Steve's departure. I think my sister wrote about this when her husband left, but I wanted to reiterate it. How sad it is that when we begin to count down the moments and day, is usually the only time we decide to make moments "count". I wish it weren't so, I wish I could look at everyday as if it were a countdown to a separation. But so often I just get caught up in surviving, that I forget to see the beauty that is routine in my life.

My sister Clare and I have made an unofficial pact over our hubbies deployments to not only survive but to THRIVE. Does this mean that we won't cry, or that some days wish that we were the one thousands of miles away? NO! However we are going to make a dedicated effort to make each day count, not just count the days:) Not only for our own sakes but for of our kids. Please pray for us as we work on this all year.Bear with us as we have down days, and remember to send us your happy thoughts to brighten the boring days. We love all of you and couldn't even consider doing this with out the network that is our family and friends.

Steven Curtis Chapman has this song called Miracle of the Moment if you have it or can figure out how to listen to it on line for free please do it and think of me. I cried about this song the other day, not that it takes much lately to make me cry however I found it so fitting. Here is a link for a youtube video that plays the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rResKXjKqjQ I suggest cutting and pasting it into your browser bar, But I am including the lyrics incase like me you are electronically challenged and can't watch it:)

It's time for letting go
All of our "if onlies"
Cause we don't have a time machine

And even if we did
Would we really want to use it
Would we really want to go change everything

Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

Chorus:
So breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

There's only One who knows
What's really out there waiting
And all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He's out there waiting
To Him the future's history

And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

[Chorus]

And if it brings you tears
Then taste them as they fall
Let them soften your heart

And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go
Let it go, yeah
You gotta let it go

And listen to your heartbeat

[Chorus]

And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now (here and now)
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle
Of the moment

Tooth Video/Pics

Photobucket Album

Gilly Loses her 1st Tooth

Gillyan officially turned 6 this month, see earlier blog, and just proceeded to lose her first tooth yesterday! It was big stuff for the whole family, her dad especially was glad to get a chance to be part of it before he leaves. So I have included a video clip ( a really BAD video clip) or the short experience and a few shots of Gilly before and after the big event.

Rain Rain DON"T Go Away

It's raining here, not just a drizzle and not sheets. A very pleasant steady rain. Here in the beloved state of Texas that seems to be as close to fall as we can manage, no matter that the temp is still 74 degrees! So while some may be grousing that it is yucky and dreary outside, I will gladly take the rain. Here in my house with the AC on AND the window open, I can close my eyes and pretend that it is fall outside. So I think I will go start a pot of chili and whip up some pumpkin cookies, cause what says fall more than those two thing?!
Here is a Pic of my front garden getting some much needed rain:)



P.S. My online devotion today was on rain, I found it so fitting I wanted to share it with you.
http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/

Sorting it All Out

Today is Monday, a day that usually brings me such pleasure. However my world seems to be turned upside down in preparation for my husbands deployment. I am one to find a routine and stick to it, however he is making my schedule topsy turvy. I think the Army is cruel to decide that right before we take your spouse away for year we will allow them to be around as much as possible so you can suffer with the effects of their absence even more once they are gone!

So all that to say that my tidy little home, and my happily followed routines and schedules have been tossed to the wind the last week or so. Which I was trying to be OK with until this morning when I found Mt Laundry in my Laundry room! I almost dissolved into tears on the spot, because my normal agenda allows me to do 1 load a day and I am ALWAYS caught up this way. But as I said normal has been an ugly word around here, so the laundry had been allowed to slide for the last few days. But instead of weeping, I decided to that we had to have clean towels so I would at least put those in, so as I am throwing towels in the washer I start throwing other things into like piles (most people would call that sorting but it wasn't on purpose so I don't think I should:). And as I reached for the last towel I realized something- I only had about 3 loads of wash! I had truly made a mountain out of a mole hill.

I think my lesson from all this was how often I with "Eeyore" syndrome as my dad calls it, make much out of not much. Very often I am sure. So I think from now on when I start to feel the world caving in on me, I am going to attempt to sit down and "sort it all out" and see if it is really the huge traumatic issue I am trying to make it.
So along those lines I think I will sign off and go enjoy my family while we are all still together, remembering that Mt Laundry after Steve is gone may very well be all I have to do!

My Mommy Heart

My mommy heart is a little heavy tonight because my son is sick. No he doesn't have anything life threatening, it doesn't seem to be major. None the less I am sad because he is not himself. If you know me at all you know that I don't tend to be a tenderhearted pushover, however when they are sick at all I want to fix them. I want them to be back to their normal little selves.

Today part of me wanted to hold back from cuddling and fussing, I felt that in someways Gideyon brought this on himself. He refused to eat lunch today (leftovers;) and all he had for breakfast was a bowl of cereal. So when he complained of a headache this afternoon I brushed it off as him needing to eat. Then his well meaning father was rough housing on the bed with him and knocked his head. So his headache got worse and we decided to try and feed him. While in the midst of that he went ahead and threw up. So now I am wondering does he have a concussion, is his blood sugar so low he puked? I am starting to worry so I call the best nurse I know-my mom:)She advises crackers and a close eye and sure enough he seems to perk up.

Later tonight he started to droop again, and I thought he may have been running a fever. So I give in to my maternal instincts and babied my baby. And as I did it, I couldn't help but think: how often does God hold me and say "I love you, I want to make this better". I know though that often I am like Gideyon and it is my own stubbornness or maybe even what I consider helpfulness that has hindered my "recovery".

Regardless I am glad God isn't like me and doesn't hold me at arms length at times saying"You brought this on yourself!" So tonight I will mimic my heavenly father and hold my baby and wish I could take away his suffering

Bean's Birthday!

Yesterday Gillyan turned 6! Steve and I are both in a little shock that our first "baby" is in school, having loose teeth and turning 6. If you know me well at all you probably know that birthdays are BIG are my house. You are King/Queen of the Castle for the day. What ever you say goes from what we eat to where we go. Gillyan took full advantage of this for the first time this year. In previous years she was to young to realize the full power of "birthday girl" but made up for it this year!

She started her day off with breakfast in bed, a beautiful tradition started by my mother. We (her dad, brother and I) entered her room with this tray singing Happy Birthday.

The pink enevlope on her tray was a princess card from her great-Grams and Gramps and had twenty dollars in it! She proceeded to clutch it and dance around the room singing! Gillyan then informed us that her plan for the day was to go to Target so she could spend her money at the dollar spot:) She then put on one of my least favorite outfits and I bit my tongue as she put on shoes that didn't match and insisted I not do her hair, after all she was the birthday princess. Then we headed to Target. To give her a little credit she didn't spend all her money on "junk", she bought something for her brother and then bought a barbie. However to give you idea what she will do if you if you send her money I have included the following pic of her treasures from the dollar spot.
After spending some of her cash we headed to her choice for lunch, Whataburger. Then we were off to shop some more(are you noting the Riddle gene here:). Then we headed home for a little while and rounded out the day with presents from her dad and I and ice cream at Dairy Queen. She would rather have ice cream any day than cake! She was thrilled that her last present of the day was a card from Grammy and Grampa Doc that had a Target gift card! She was bugging us already after church today to go to Target so she could "use her debit card from Grammy".


Here are a few more pics of Gilly Beans Big Day

My Artist/Jedi

I have not gone into a lot about my kids, probably due to the fact that most of my life revolves around them and it was kinda a nice change of pace. However my mother pointed out that I could print out my post as a journal of sorts and I am sure one day I will want to look back and remember cute things they did or said. So today I am going to give a short blog on Gideyon. Gideyon is our 4 1/2 year old son, who is all boy! If boys do it, Gideyon has or does it-runs everywhere, talks at abnormally loud decibels, makes messes everywhere he goes, constantly looks like Pigpen from Charlie Brown etc. However he is his fathers child which makes me smile just by looking at him!

For the last couple months he has been slightly obsessed with Star Wars, he tends to phase through stuff but this one has been more fun for us due to his father's lifelong goal of being a jedi:) So with Gideyon as the Padawan learner and Steve as the Jedi Master we have learned to control the galaxy at the Goodman house. Except for when Mom goes to the Dark side and has to bring everyone back to earth:) No really, Gideyon knows enough about Star Wars to play trivial pursuit in a competition which makes Steve the proudest dad ever! So today my little Jedi sits at the table and colors picture after picture of his favorite Star Wars "figgers" as he calls them. So above I have shown you what I consider the best likeness of Yoda ever. I will also give you my favorite Gideyon Star Wars quote to date: "Mom how do you spell R2D2?" If that doesn't strike you as funny try saying it outloud!:)

Yeah It's Monday!

I am probably one of the few people in the world who's favorite day is Monday. I love Mondays they allow me to get back on track, to right all the chaos the weekend has wrecked. I feel ready to tackle most weeks after spending Monday morning with my kids readying our house and setting up our schedule. I print out new chore charts and plan my kids school lessons. I don't do menus because that is on Thursdays but that's a whole separate blog:) I love how every Monday I get the chance to start fresh, last week may have been hectic or messy but this week I get another go. So happy Monday to everyone, I hope yours is off to as fresh a start as mine!

One Car Countdown

So if you have read my previous post you will note that our family is currently down to one vehicle. I do acknowledge that plenty of people manage to get along fine with one car, and some with no car! However our family has had two cars since forever so we are a little spoiled. Add to that the fact that I jam packed my schedule so the kids and I would have plenty to distract us after Steve deployed and then they postponed his date 6 weeks! So my very full calendar and his work schedule have required some serious juggling. In the spirit though of my never ending quest for contentment, I have come up with what I consider the top 5 benefits to sharing a vehicle.
1)More family time! Every time DH needs dropped off or picked up the kids and I drop what we are doing, grab our stuff and spend 15 extra minutes with Dad we would have otherwise missed.
2)Evaluate Schedule-Do I really have to run that errand? Can I combine any of our trips on and off posts. Can I schedule that appt for another day? All the things that I once just closed my eyes and planned I now think through a little more objectively.
3) Save Gas! Oddly enough we seem to be saving gasoline. I am guessing that all those days that he keeps the van and I am grounded at home are days I would have normally run around town (probably for no good reason!)
4) Better Schedule- Since we have to drop Steve off most mornings, we are getting in the routine of all getting up a little earlier, getting dressed, having breakfast as a family and heading out the door. As soon as the kids and I get back, we start right in on our daily schedule since we are already dressed and ready for the day!
5)More time at home- This kinda goes with number 2, but I just have been amazed at how freeing it is to be home bound. On the days Steve keeps the van, I know that I can really spend time that day on housework, the kids schooling, or even baking without fear that I will have to hurry to make it to the next deadline event. Why this week alone the kids and I have done school every day (which honestly since they are in kindergarten and preschool is alot!), I have baked an apple pie to surprise my honey, I organized a couple of closets and cabinets, and rearranged and spruced up Gillyan's room.
OK, so that is like my longest post to date but who doesn't like a countdown!

No place like home

Today I hosted a home show at woman's house whom I just covet! And after I got home I was in a little bit of a funk from being the green eyed monster. But you know what I decided? My home reflects me and yes there are a lot of things I would like to change or add if I had the funds, however I am sure that will always be the case. It isn't always clean and we don't eat as many meals as I would like there. However it is where my children want to be whenever we are away for a significant amount of time, it is where I get to sit and relax with my husband,it is where we do sit at a table and share meals, it is where I teach my children schooling, social graces, and biblical values, and most of all it is what God gave me. Now don't get me wrong plenty of yelling and fighting and messes go on in our home, but overall my house gives me a sense of satisfaction. So in my continuing effort to be content, I looked at my home through other eyes. And guess what.... There is No Place like My Home!

Bye Bye George

So for today's saga....
No really last week was hard and this week was peachy in comparison, however today did prove trying. Last week one of our hardships was that my husband truly got in an "accident" with our little Geo Metro. If you know us very well you know that "George" was more a pet than a car, so it was a little hard to take. So here we are this week adjusting to being a one car family and mourning the loss of George, when today our new van gets hit! If you are thinking you would like details, well so would I! It was a hit and run, I am guessing in the parking lot of Wal-mart(maybe there is a lesson there about to much Wal-mart) and I only noticed the damage once I was home and unloading. Needless to say I have made the claim and we are awaiting further word. I think maybe I am supposed to be learning something about staying at home more, but I am SLOW learner;0

What I Need

So I never cease to be amazed at how God knows what I need, even when I don't have a clue.
For those that don't know last week was one of the hardest weeks I have had in probably years. I won't spell out my sob story, but suffice it to say if it could go wrong it did! So that brings me to how God is so good. I am taking a Bible study on post called "Calm my Anxious Heart" and I have to be honest I signed up because I am somewhat of a control freak and because a friend that I just adore is teaching it. However when I actually got into that study I was astounded because it is talking about Contentment! Well that has been an area I have struggled with for years, and I just know God is going to use this book to teach me a few things about not always thinking the "grass is greener". We had our first class today and I took such a feeling of peace away with me today. I also was convicted that I need to pray for a "battle buddy" someone here in my area that can connect with me in only the way another Army wife can while Steve is gone. So please add that to your prayer request.

Everybody is Doing it!

Ok so I have to be honest I must be subject to peer pressure, because once I found out my Aunt, my sister, and most of my friends had blogs I had to do one too! Now mine is sure not to be as witty as my aunt's or as eloquent as my sister's, but I thought it would be fun anyways. Oh and to warn you I guarantee there will be grammar and spelling mistakes galore, so NO grades please!
Unfortunately I don't have a lot to put in tonight as it took me the computer genius an hour to set up my blog and profile. But hopefully I will having something more fun to report soon:)