It's ALIVE!

Oh it's been a long week + !!!

I'm back! The computer LIVES! (Significantly reduced my files and I had to start from scratch, but hey... it's a computer again!)

Happy day!

Death of a computer

Having to rebuild the computer after it's untimely death.
Haven't been able to do much of anything online for almost a week.
Can't check email or my Reader 100x's a day and it's driving me crazy.


Someone send a new mother board.

*sniff*

Totally Random

Found a few pictures on the camera that I wanted to remember.

First up is Jordan. I was taking some pictures of the snow outside and he opened the window to say "hi". Jordan is every one's buddy... you can't get very far away without him tracking you down.


Next up we have the ever fashionable Reagan who has taken to dressing herself in the morning. Reagan is sporting her purple leggings, her sisters pink shirt, a lovely multi-colored headband and, as a fashion statement, her high heel red shoes. (Thank goodness we were staying at home this day because she would have insisted on wearing this in public.)


Finally we have Jordans lunch. I work really hard to make lunches that I know the boys will eat. The junk they serve at school scares me. The reason I took a picture of lunch this day was to get opinions from everyone who might read this. You see... Jordan thinks I'm the worst mom on the planet. He thinks that I should pack Taylors lunch (since Taylor likes my lunches...) and let him eat school lunch.


I've explained that school lunch is unhealthy and expensive. He still thinks I'm a big old meanie-head for making him eat such things around his friends. He eats almost all of what I pack everyday... but maybe there is this stigma attached to non school lunches in the first grade.

So, let's vote people! Am I mean for making the kids eat this???

When you stab your brother with a pencil...

You get your fanny sent to time out!!!

I had to take these photos. She was sitting there sobbing like the world was ending. Hello! YOU stabbed HIM with a pencil! Not the other way around! You can cry like this, *girlfriend*, when it's YOU that get impaled with a sharp object!

(love that she's like... you know... almost posing for the camera here...)

(It's so painful sitting here in the time out corner! Whaaaaaaa!)

(Oh man... I stinkin' LOVE the "fake cry" at the end...)

Nobody call CPS on me, k? She was out of time out and promptly gave Jordan an apology. I just had to share a little bit of our "drama". (Oh she's the QUEEN of drama recently!!!)

Catching Snowflakes

Our 44th President of the United States

I didn't think that I would go "political" on my blog this morning, but since my blog is a journal of sorts, I thought it would be important for my children to look back at my thoughts on this history making election.

Barack Obama won the election last night to become our 44th president elect of the United States.

To my children:

This election has been something to behold. We had so much time to make the decision on who we wanted to vote for to be the next President - it was not a matter that I took lightly. I read everything I could about ALL the candidates.

I made the decision to NOT vote for Obama for a number of reasons. I do not believe he has the best intentions for our Nation.

However: The majority has spoken, and that is how the voting process works.

The President of the United States of America holds the highest office. Whoever is in office deserves our support. We may not like all the decisions that are made, but our family will respect the office of President. We will pray for our President, his Vice President, and ALL those men and women who are running our country.

I feel that there are different times ahead. There is quite a bit of uncertainty. But something I've learned over the last few months: Faith and Fear cannot co-exist. Our FAITH is stronger than what it is we need to fear. We will stick together as a family - we will be happy - we will be prepared - we will be loving, giving, kind and charitable. We will cling not only to our Faith, but to the words of our Constitution - for those words were written by Men who sought inspiration from God. We live in a blessed nation.

If we remember this, all will be well.

I love our Country! I'm grateful for the opportunity to make my voice heard through voting. Not only is it a privilege, but it is our duty to cast our vote for those men and women who we feel will do the best for our State and our Nation.

It's okay that my candidate didn't win. It's not always about winning. Your future is bright because of what our family believes - because of who we are! Never turn your back on your Faith - it's what will see us through!

Love you kiddos!

Mom

I finally did it!

I made my own laundry soap!



And so far, I *love* it!

It was easy, cheap, and it smells so wonderfully CLEAN! (Huge thanks to my "laundry soap buddies" that walked me through!)

I'll post the "recipe" later when I make sure that this combination is the right one for "me". :) (Because I know you ALL want to try it... RIGHT?!?!?)

Halloween Goodness

The School Parade was a whirlwind. Like... there was no chance to get photos of the boys walking through because the pace was just too fast! All the parents wanted to see costumes and were yelling to the teachers: "SLOW DOWN!!!" the entire time.

But a bit of Halloween Goodness comes at the tail end of the parade when Taylor's class comes in. Taylor had gone in that morning and told his teacher that his sister was really part of his costume and could she please walk in the parade with him.

So when Taylor came walking in, he ran up to Madison, grabbed her:

and took her in line with him.


All the parents sitting behind me were saying "Oh my gosh! Look how SWEET! He just came and took his little sister with him! And he's HOLDING HER HAND!!!"

Madison LOVED it. A few of Taylors friends said to him "hey, nice lady you're with" and she thought that was AWESOME. This morning even she said: "Taylor taking me in his parade was just WONDERFUL, don't you think? Just WONDERFUL".

To get just a little mushy for a second... I am so *beyond* grateful that the relationships my children have with each other are POSITIVE. They love each other SO MUCH. Truly. They love to spend time with each other and I'm so proud of them for having such loving feelings towards members of their family. Taylor and Jordan wait for each other after school. As I go and pick them up, I see other children running away from their younger siblings... telling them to "leave them alone" and "go by yourself". My kids never leave each other. They protect each other and honestly consider each others feelings. (Not saying it's always perfect, but for the HUGE majority of the time, they are so kind to one another.)

I sat in that fast paced auditorium, shed a few tears, and was so THANKFUL that Taylor would have such a big heart to include is "little sister" in HIS Halloween parade.

I love them. I LOVE THEM!!! And their actions are sweeter than any candy they came home with Halloween night!

Weekend Discoveries

I have realized after this weekend that I don't have near enough of these:

Or THESE:


The "flu bug" hit our home and has decided to give it another round it appears. Reagan is on her 2nd go around now, and I'm STILL trying to catch up from "Halloween Puke Madness".

After I have some fun with this:

AND this:

I'm going to dive into my fabric scraps and make some EMERGENCY QUILTS so we don't freeze our patooties off when the you-know-what hits our bed. (Always MY side of the bed too... what gives?)