Rain Request

Hello All 3 of my faithful readers:) I don't normally do unusual things on my blog, in fact I don't usually even blog! However we have received three straight days of rain including today and my heart is full over it. I simply love the rain, it doesn't make me sullen, nor do I grouch when I have to go out it in. I just revel in the fact that God sent it to me. So that is where my unusual request comes in. I have been looking out my window this morning wishing I knew some verses that pertained to rain so I could pray them. Would you all be willing to look up one verse about rain and send it in your comment so I can refer to them? Thanks I would really appreciate it! I look forward to what you all come up with.

Proof!

I have always feared in my heart that my children hate me, in fact sometimes I think they get together in the middle of the night and plot ways to make me crazy. The past few days have given me concrete proof. Proof you say? Yes in the form of..... CONFETTI & GLITTER! Yes you read that right I have decided that the way my children want to make me commit myself comes in a form most people sprinkle for decoration.

See it started innocently enough, someone gifted my daughter with some body glitter and a scrapbook kit complete with confetti. And at first the confetti on the table was annoying and then trying to wash body glitter out of her hair made me mad, but then they took it to a whole new level. Yesterday I walked in to my son's room and what looked like a Libby Lu party gone wrong (if you don't know what a Libby Lu store is consider yourself blessed!). When I asked why there was glitter and confetti from here to kingdom come they politely explained that they had simply been playing Peter Pan and that you can't fly without Pixie dust! OK, so I guess I can do a little sweeping in the name of imaginative play, however today I changed my mind. As I vacuumed all 6 rooms in our home and the hallway I kept finding the dang stuff! And NO people even my dyson is no match for the plague that is glitter. I tell you every single room and each carpet that is in my house had some form of shiny substance on it. Not happy Bob, Not happy!

All this is just to vent a little and keep from making threats to my children that I don't intend to keep past their 8th birthday. Just in case though you should take it in your head to send me a card in the mail, do me a favor and send money not confetti!

Behavior Board

So as most of you know, my husband is currently out of the country. This leaves me for the time being as a single parent. Now that has been going pretty well until recently. Within the last two days my fairly obedient children have become whining, fighting, fussy, lazy, talking back little beast! I tried all my usual tactics without success: time out, revoke privileges, etc. I was at my wits end yesterday and sent them to bed early, praying today would be better.

So as for my solution (besides giving them to their Grammy:). I went to the dollar store and gathered some supplies and came up with this board:

The idea is that everyday of the week except Sunday they start out with 4 sticks. You lose a stick for bad behavior along with a punishment. Each stick has a specific punishment, for example lose the first stick go to bed 1/2 an hour early. In addition at the end of the week if you have more than 20 sticks total you are allowed a special privilege such as going to get donuts, extended DS time, or play a board game with the family. I am hoping this system of punishment and rewards will grant me at least a week or two of peace. I will try to keep you posted as to the effectiveness, however if you don't hear from me more often assume the board was a bomb:)

Lack of Winter Blues

So I know that people get the winter blues, however I am sure I have the LACK of winter blues. The weather here in Texas has been an average of 70 all week. So while I have enjoyed throwing my children in the backyard as much as possible, I am crabby that I can't wear any of my winter clothes! Not only that the dumb weather wrecked havoc on my menu plans, I mean how much fun is it to eat beef stew or chicken chili with the air conditioning on. So for those of you that know and love me please pray for cold. I not talking a snow storm or anything (although I would take that!) I would just be pleased if the temp dropped in to the 30's. So if you are complaining that you wish the sun would come out, or that it is no fun to run errands in the snow, just remember the grass is always greener in Texas!

Home Again, Home Again

Well Folks I finally made it home and hope to manage to stay here for more than two weeks this time:)

No really I loved seeing everyone, and I know that keeping busy was the only way I made it through the holidays without Steve, however I truly am content to be home. The kids are a little lost without so many people and so much activity, but I am sure that soon enough we will fall back into routine. I have been really yucky sick with sinus junk and such, so I haven't quite got back into my groove yet. On top of that I had like 4 appts my first week home, and then car issues! However all that chaos serves to remind me that there really is no such thing as routine or normal.I am expecting company already tomorrow, so I am sure that next week will prove to be a little busier than usual. But all these distractions and dates to look forward to allow the time to speed by somewhat faster as I count the days.

My Birthday is this week, and I both look forward to it and dread it. Not just because I am getting older, but because birthdays in our family are the most special day of the year. And I had finally "trained" Steve in almost all our traditions and he won't be here to help make it special. In fact that night I have a mandatory Town Hall meeting to attend, how un-birthdayish is that? Oh well next years is a big one for me, so hopefully Steve will be home to make much to do about it:)

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!