Completely Twisted

A month ago my step-dad had an accident and died.  Exactly what happened, no one really knows.  All I do know is that his spleen ruptured and then he suffered and died from massive internal bleeding. 

A woman that he worked with called an ambulance and then took him to the hospital.  Hours passed and it wasn’t until the hospital staff suggested that his family be notified she did not call my mom.  Later after this psycho woman threw herself over my stepdad’s dead body and she told my mom that she wanted to become her best friend just so she could remain close to Ronnie’s spirit, we found out that they had an affair.

I am angry.  It is hard enough to watch my mom mourn her husband’s death but equally hard to watch my mom live through the hurt of finding out about his unfaithfulness.  I didn’t respect Ronnie even before his death.  I avoided him but I also accepted him because he was the person that my mom chose to spend her life with.  He was a mooch.  My mom worked and paid for everything, supporting Ronnie so that he could do what he enjoyed.  She wanted him to be happy.  He enjoyed finding treasures and collectibles and reselling them at Flea Markets.  My mom paid for all the items, bought the buildings and stores to house the things, bought him many vehicles and paid for his gas. 

Now my mom is having to pay this woman to get her out of her life.  Ronnie was helping support HER.  It is such a mess.  Karen, the mistress, was stealing the merchandise from the flea market while my mom was busy making funeral arrangements.  The insanity just keeps going on & on.

Now my mom’s world is more than a bit upside down.  My heart is breaking for her.

UPDATE (or rather explanation): Right after Ronnie passed away, we let HER (the mistress)  run the store while funeral arrangements were being made, family was arriving in town, and people were coming over to pay respects.  We weren’t sure if the rumors were actually true at this point.  We had already been to the store and taken a visual inventory.  It wasn’t until a few days later when my sister walked into the store and witnessed her changing the tags on the merchandise that we became aware that she was stealing.  She was claiming that she was Ronnie’s business partner and so she was going around adding a “k” stating that the item was purchased together and she was entitled to half of the profit. 

By this time, unfortunately, the matter had become a “she said/she said” issue and it was just one person’s word against another.  So it quickly was escalated to a legal matter.  Since we couldn’t prove that it didn’t happen the way she claimed, and we couldn’t prove that she wasn’t a partner we had two options: (1) to buy her out or (2) to let her stay and continue hurting my mom and stealing (adding her initial to the merchandise tags). 

What Makes You Smile

Thank you DAD! 

My father is one of those men that is not only my father, but also my best friend.  It speaks pretty loudly to the kind of man that he is because I am not his only child to call him their best friend.  Actually, six of us do!

He is an amazing man that encourages us all to continue growing stronger and learning in all areas of our lives.  After all, God didn’t put us here to become stagnant.  And despite what Lauren thinks, no one knows EVERYTHING.

We’ve all experienced not-so-enjoyable moments and stressful situations in life.  It’s almost inevitable, but it’s how we respond to those situations that define the kind of person that you are.  These are all situations that we can learn from and our responses should get better each time and hopefully grow more mature as we learn.

One of the best bits of advise that he’s given me is to be kind, be strong, and always forgive.

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:32

Although, we are human!  It’s not always as easy as it sounds, right?  Well wrong.  We are in control of our thoughts.  We are capable of choosing to go walking around pissed off, with a chip on our shoulder, or feeling like a victim.  Then again we are also capable of taking control of our outlook on life and choosing to be positive.

My dad shared this knowledge by telling me one of his college stories. 

No it’s not that kind of college stories… Goodness, what did you do in college?

He conducted an experiment.  He would take his subject talk to them about something that really upset them.  Sometimes, it would take a bit… but, soon he would find their button and the subject would open up and share about whatever it was that upset them, it be their job, school, professor, husband/wife, boyfriend/ girlfriend, kids, or parents.

After he encouraged them to talk about the negative subject, only re-upsetting themselves as they retold the stories.  He would wait until they were apparently upset and then hand them a piece of paper and pencil and then ask them to list things that made them happy.  As he handed them the paper, he would begin timing just how long it took for them to change their mindset and begin to think of things of a positive nature. 

As he explained this to me, he made me realize that we all have a switch and that we are in control over that switch. 

Can you instantly begin thinking of things that make you happy?  How long does it take you to be positive after focusing on negative thoughts?

Some people may take seconds, minutes, hours, days, and some may not be able to begin thinking of “happy thoughts”.  As we mature and gain control of our mindset then it is much easier to truly be kind to even the person that is creating those negative emotions.  I always try to remember that God created them too, and that He made us all.  Who are we to chose to be rude to one of His creations?  We are ALL human.  We ALL make mistakes.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. - Colossians 3:13

Baseball Forever

Recently my dearly beloved husband celebrated a birthday.  In case anyone was wondering he turned 21… again.  Don’t worry honey I wouldn’t sell you out.  And yes, in case anyone was wondering, I did rob the cradle. 

To celebrate my hot younger husband, I bought him tickets to the Cardinals / Cubs game.  He went with Evan (our son), his dad & brother & his son, Jett. 

The ballgame was quite an experience for the two young boys.  Jett has been to baseball games, but this was a first for Evan.  (I was praying that he wouldn’t drive the guys crazy before the game was over). 

After driving six hours, watching batting practice, and all the pregame festivities this little man fell asleep during the first inning and slept throughout the entire game.

And then there was Evan… my little energizer bunny.  He was bouncing off the rails, literally.  He had numerous root beers and ice cream.  The little boy was in HEAVEN.  I think that Corey created a lifetime baseball fan. 

If anything baseball crosses Evan’s line of sight, a huge perma-grin grows across his face.

 
 

 

Are We There Yet

 

(Photo taken from our trip last February.  Corey was not going to stop under any circumstances to let me get one this time.  Clark Griswald, I mean Corey, had a schedule).

During a recent trip to Table Rock in Missouri, Evan (aka "Repeat") was in rare form.

(I was trying to get a cool picture to celebrate our fun day at the park, but little man had a different pose in mind.  “Mom take a picture up my nose and see if I have any boogies!” God bless him). 

I have to admit this was only because Lauren (aka "Pete") was catching up her beauty sleep.

(No, we don’t usually let our kids lay down in the street.  But her legs have a tendency to stop working when she doesn’t get her way.  I’m still looking for the medical term for this ailment.  However, I was extremely pleased to get such a pretty picture out of the ordeal).

My husband on the other hand was in not-so rare form. He was teasing and flirting and making me laugh. (He was harassing me endlessly).

(In this photo, Corey is pleading with me to never take his photo again.  Of course, my response is “Me no speak Ingles.” Sorry Corey, I love you too much to not ever take your photo. LOL)

So I lovingly helped repeat out and redirected Evan's focus to Dad... All I had to do was ask Corey once, "Are we there yet?" and for the next ten minutes that's all that we heard from Repeat. Each time made me giggle and laugh. Paybacks baby.

 

Our friend’s beautiful home.  Thank you for showing us such sweet hospitality. 

Still ornery,

J

-- Post From My iPhone

Coming Home

Ahh!  The feeling of coming home after a vacation is one of the best. 

Corey & I had an amazing time in Mexico and I really enjoyed Los Cabos. 

The water,

 

the mountains,

the beaches,

the critters… it was an adventure.  One that I would recommend to anyone and everyone.  We had a great time with our friends. 

 

Although after a long weekend, I couldn’t wait to get back to my kiddos.  I missed them so much.  And worried about them.  And missed them some more. 

Although, it did feel good to get away and spend some time with Corey.

 

That quality time is good for every relationship. 

As Corey & I landed in Texas we both jumped on our phones and began reconnecting to the real world.  One of the many delights of returning home was to find that I had won an honorable mention on the I Heart Faces website.  I had scheduled a few posts for this blog while I was gone and it was great to be greeted with your comments as I came back to the US.  I loved it.

Such sweet & simple pleasures!!

Love you all,

Jess

Don’t Tickle My Feet

After taking the dogs outside and letting them walk through the wet night grass, I brought them inside to go to bed. Lucy ran straight to Corey to love on him. She adores him so much and the feeling is mutual. He wouldn't let any other dog on our furniture, on him, or let any other animal kiss him. I think this was the moment they fell inlove.

Or maybe it was here…

As I've said before, I love to tease. That's a slight understatement... I live to tease Corey! So of course, I couldn't resist.

I waited until he let her jump on the furniture, then watched as she climbed into his lap and put her paws on his chest and began nuzzling against him. Her paws were just a bit damp not quite wet but enough that I knew he could feel the moisture. I began walking out of the room and called back, "Now Lucy, don't get on the couch you just walked through your own pee."

At that moment, I swear the song, Scat man, started playing and Corey was scrambling so fast that he was moving double time to the music while trying to get off the couch & get her off too. I kept trying to tell him that i was kidding him but I was laughing too hard. I couldn't speak, I could barely catch my breath. It honestly took three attempts before I finally was able to tell him that I was just joking.

When I walked up to him I could still hear his heart pounding. I was just thankful that he was too tired to chase me down. He laughed with relief when I told him what I had done.

Now I'm telling you this so that if you see me walking down the street and I look like Smurfette then that means Corey probably put Kool-Aid in the shower head and got me back.

By the way, how long does it take for the blue to wash off your skin & out of your hair? Does anyone know?
Honestly this was paybacks for tickling my feet, but that's an entirely different post.

Technorati Tags: Funny,Revenge,Dogs,Boxer,Puppy Love,Puppy

A Peak Into A Child’s Mind

This video makes me laugh so hard.  Mostly because I have a little nephew that is so intelligent and inquisitive, and his little brain doesn’t take breaks for breaths.  He sounds so much like Mrs. Lewis’ son, Desmond, that I can’t stop laughing.  I absolutely love every chance that I get to watch Jett, because I just sit back and enjoy his constant thought processes.  He cracks me up with the way that he comes up with different solutions to problems and most of the time, his solutions are better than those that some adults can offer.  So enjoy the video and welcome to peak at our world.

Jett has a similar response to trucks (of any kind), especially monster trucks. 

Technorati Tags: Lebron,Kobe,Puppet Commercial,Nike,Mrs. Lewis,babysitting,Desmond,children,talkative,video

Watch out! She just might explode.

So often you meet those people that seem to have it all together.  They appear to have the perfect marriage, the perfect kids, the perfect well… everything.  For me, it’s those people that I second guess the most… I mean seriously if someone is trying that desperately to cover up the imperfections then I can’t help but wonder how bad it really is.  My heart goes out to them and I want to comfort them.

Then there is the other extreme, just throwing out all your dirty laundry for all to see.  While that can cause some complications on its own, I can only imagine that it would be therapeutic.

My husband is the first type and I used to be more of the second type.  However after almost five years of marriage, I probably fall in the middle.  I don’t blog about my marriage unless it is good and paints him as a saint, but all the rest is out there for all to read.  Out of respect to him, those are the boundaries that I have chosen.  I am not trying to be misleading, but there are some things that should stay behind closed doors (good and bad)… so to speak.  I have had a few anonymous emails lately with questions regarding my relationship with Mr. Incredible, and I will answer all questions with these statements.

He is the man that I chose to marry, the one with who I want to spend my life!  I was very selective about this choice.  I dated, and searched for “Mr. Perfect for Me” for years.  I dated many amazing men, but it was only him that convinced me that he would be the husband I wanted, a good father to the children that I wanted to have, and a friend and partner for life.

To sum up the answer to three other questions, yes, of course, there are days that I feel hurt and alone.  I also know there are days that I know that I get on his every nerve… I can tell by the way his eyes are rolling in the back of his head as I order salad instead of lasagna or pasta while trying to watch what I eat.  And of course, we get on each other’s nerves. 

There are times I think that he has driven me insane and times when I think that I’m about to drive him just as crazy.  It isn’t always “perfect” but it IS always real.  I would much rather have a REAL relationship with someone and know that they love me for me and know where things stand than a superficial one and always have to play a guessing game because my other half won’t tell me what is really going on with them.

However, at the end of the day, we love each other and wouldn’t want to live without each other.  I am not here to paint an unrealistic picture of my marriage.  Just like any other marriage ( I assume, this is the only time I’ve been married), it takes work on both parts to have a successful marriage.  Just like any relationship, friendship, or job, you have to invest time, energy, and thought into your marriage to strive for success. 

Most importantly, for me, it takes a lot of prayer.  Prayer that I make the right choices, that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing to be a good wife (after all it is my actions that I am responsible for…  not his), and prayer for perspective… I pray that God will show me the perspective that he wants me to see.  When upset, I know that it is hard to see your spouse as a good & loving person, but when you ask that God reveal your spouse through his eyes then you are able to see them in a completely different light and sometimes it will remind you just why you fell inlove with them in the first place. 

So the answer is, “Yes we do have a REAL marriage, with ups & downs, and I love him more today than I did the day that I said “I do”.

Forwarded Email

I feel like it has been FOREEEVVVVEEERRRRR since I have connected with the Internet.  I have missed you.  I have still been reading your posts via Google Reader on my phone even though I haven’t been faithfully leaving comments. My bad :-).  Please forgive me.

Today I received a forwarded email from a friend and thought that I would share it with you.

This explains why I,(We) forward jokes.

A man and his dog were walking along a road.  The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.

He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.  He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road.  It looked like fine marble.  At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight..

When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.  He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'

'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered.

'Wow!  Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.

Of course, sir.  Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked.

'I'm sorry; sir, but we don't accept pets.'

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed.  There was no fence.

As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

'Excuse me!' he called to the man.  'Do you have any water?'

'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in..'

'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog.

'There should be a bowl by the pump.'

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog.

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.

'This is Heaven,' he answered.

'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said.  'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'

'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates?  Nope.  That's hell.'

'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'

'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'

Soooo...

Sometimes, we wonder why friends keep forwarding jokes to us without writing a word.
Maybe this will explain.

When you are very busy, but still want to keep in touch, guess what you do?  You forward jokes.

When you have nothing to say, but still want to keep contact, you forward jokes.

When you have something to say, but don't know what, and don't know how, you forward jokes.

Also to let you know that you are still remembered, you are still important, you are still loved, you are still cared for, guess what you get?

A forwarded joke.

So, next time if you get a joke, don't think that you've been sent just another forwarded joke, but that you've been thought of today and your friend on the other end of your computer wanted to send you a smile.

You are all welcome @ my water bowl anytime!

God is GOOD! (an update & kudos)

An Update:

I just wanted to share with everyone that helped pray for health that the prayer was answered!!

The doctor gave us a healthy report and now I am happy to give God the glory. I am so thankful that I can honestly say that I am speechless and sitting here with a perma-grin spanning from ear to ear.

Bloggy Kudos

My marriage to my husband has brought me two beautiful children, two goofy puppies, and a lifetime with an amazing man. He has also introduced me to some great friends. This blogger is someone that he grew up with and I believe they even went to prom together. She is a wonderful mom and a beautiful lady. Her posts and her Lessons From God have definitely been encouraging during the last few weeks.

Apple Slices: So simple and Soooo True.

Everybody Poops: What can I say... I married Corey.  All conversations with him lead to this topic at some point. It's not just me... all conversations with almost everyone. :-) He makes me laugh.

Big Brother: I love the reminder of innocence. if we could only bottle this up and encourage our children to drink it again when they are sixteen... or whenever that rebellious age may be.

These are just a few of her recent posts. I hope that you take the time to enjoy her blog.

Technorati Tags: God,Faith,Family,Bloggy Kudos

One hand tied behind my back

At this moment, I should be working on my client's book! But I can't. Yesterday was so much fun and my mind keeps drifting to all the silly things that the kids said and the funny things that they did. I had a house full of kiddos under the age of 4, and by house-full... I mean six (6) kids under 4 yrs old. It was hilarious.

My little niece & nephew came over to spend the day & play while mom & dad were working. We all love company, and Lauren & Evan adore their cousins.

Baby Taylor, she's kicking back & soaking up the sun rays. Don't let this picture fool you, she is the most smiley baby ever. She was just a bit concerned when my head disappeared behind the massive black camera. However, she does need to come with a warning. Babysitting her will make your insides tingle & give you the desire to have three more kids just like her.

It was such a beautiful warm day that we were able to spend most of it playing outside. I broke out a few bubble guns and bottles of bubbles for the bigger kids and we all had a blast. Jett enjoyed showing us all the "correct procedures" for operating the bubble gun. After we all graduated from his class we were allowed to play at our own will.

Everyone take note of this child. He will probably be one of our future presidents!!!

This picture makes me laugh so hard. Not only is it a cute picture of Jett but if you look in the background, this picture also BUSTS Evan. He was dumping bubbles in the dog's water bowl. (So they could all wash their hands... of course).

If we lived in a house that had VERY VERY soft water this boy would be in heaven. He loves that soft sudsy feeling on his hands.

Yeah, he knows that he was caught in the act. This cute little look gets him off the hook EVERYTIME. Especially when it is followed with " Mommy, I wuv you SOOO much, can I have a kiss pwease." Hook, Line & Sinker.

My sweet little Angel taking a break from playing in the mud to blow bubbles. (Don't all little angels play in the mud). While Evan loves washing his hands, if I gave Lauren a mound of dirt for her birthday she would be on cloud nine. I would get 4 best mommy awards for that!! (I get best mommy in the world awards for "fun days" and gifts... or just giving Lauren her way. This child is something else. Full of entertainment.)

We also had more cousins join us. This is sweet little Hayden, she is 1 and 1/2 going on 13. Since day one she has been the most motivated child I have ever known. She has always known what she wanted but would get so frustrated that she couldn't get it herself & communicate what she needed. Once she began to walk, her entire world & disposition changed because she could FINALLY meet her own desires & needs. She is always a blessing to have around & I LOVE LOVE that she makes her mom bring her WAY out to our house to play. She will wake up saying my name over & over & over until Kristen finally packs up the car & says ok, we'll go see Aunt Jessy. I get the giggles EVERYtime I think about her doing that to her mom. I love harassing & teasing my sister, and the fact that my little niece helps is the best gift that she could ever get for me. Plus I get the bonus of spending the day with all of them too. What more could an aunt ask for?? Little does Kristen know, but Hayden & I talk on the phone everynight planning this out. Kristen just THINKS Hayden is asleep in her crib. LOL. (Truthfully Hayden has me wrapped around her finger & she knows it)!

Now this little charmer is Koah. She is only two months old. Her mom, Kristen, feeds her buttermilk (not really), she is growing so fast and is so strong that it's hard to believe that she is so young. When I stuck the camera in front of my face she began posing for me. It was absolutely hilarious. I hadn't seen a two month old do that before. Her little personality was shining through. She is definitely going to be a little ham.

It was an awesome day. Kristen & I enjoyed watching the kids playing & having so much fun. I'm sure that Corey regretted having to go to work and missing out on all the entertainment. I'm sure of it.

They are having a BABY!!

I am so excited! My sister-in-law just announced that they are 11 weeks pregnant. During the last few years there has always been at least two sisters pregnant at the same time. (We buy Ozarka water... so beware). And it seems that the pregnancy epidemic trend has not been broken. We thought that Kristen was going to have to be pregnant alone, but Karyn has come to her rescue. (Danna & I have are out of the game).

My Baby Brother

His Beautiful Family

Little Baby Dodson will be my 11th (yes, you read the correctly, eleventh) niece or nephew. The oldest kiddo is 4 years old. I love that they are all so close in age and that we all live so close together. We now have enough cousins to have an official soccer team!!

Farewell 2008

I am still a baby blogger ( I have only been blogging for a month and a half ) so I don't have many posts to choose from, but Lauren & Evan helped me choose a few favorites this morning. Looking back at some of these has reminded me just how lucky I am to have these two amazing kids that keep me laughing everyday.

The Pregnancy Epidemic
"About six months ago... It's a question that every parent fears. "Where do babies come from?" For me, when the question arose it felt like something out of a horror movie. My heart began to pound like the hooves of a racehorse ..."

What A Day
"Every day is definitely an adventure with my little ones. I never know what to expect next, but I can always count on being amused by them. Today was a typical ..."

Aquaphor, The Cure All (Another Funny)
"As always when we go anywhere, it seems we found a line. Lauren doesn't mind this, she enjoys meeting new people and looks at these lines as a great opportunity. I was proud... they were actually behaving in line today. After a few minutes, the man standing in front of me ..."

We Are Not Worthy
"A few nights ago, the moon was so breathtaking and bright that the night sky was a beautiful blue. The roads were busy with people traveling home from work but ..."

Our Football Fans
"However, every time a touchdown was scored Daddy (Grandpa) jumped up, scooped up Lauren & babies, and did his victory dance. After the fourth touchdown in the first third of the game she has given up on "house" and broke out the mardigras beads..."

Let's Make A Deal
"Don't get me wrong, this IS an everyday occurance but today her reasoning and excuses are catching me off guard and making me laugh more than normal. I have ..."

12 Days Update

Our family had a bit of a late start due to Evan being a bit sick but we are back and making up for lost time. We do know how to count in our household but we are going to be skipping around a bit.

#5. After digging through the attic (this will be a future Tackle-It-Tuesday project) and finding the coats that I had set aside last winter. We made the drop off, the kids are really getting excited about helping others and I am thankful because I have been trying to REALLY build it up for them.

#6. Well each time we pass a bucket we give change... Lauren & Evan love ringing the bell. We usually let them ride the pony at the grocery store but throughout the holidays they have chosen to give their pony-money to others. (My hand is over my heart & I am teary-eyed.... because yes I am THAT proud).

#9. We have been doing quite a bit of "free" babysitting but it hasn't been limited to just the neighborhood and due to many people that I know traveling, no one has needed anyone for the full week.

Internet, Tomorrow we will be passing out dinners and I will keep you posted about the outcome. Happy Holidays.

Flashback Friday

It all started last year, she was only two years old and loved everything princess, doesn't every little girl? So we bought her a Disney princess movie and were excited about... well let's face it... how excited she was at the time. Life was good.

Later that evening, Dad just got home and we were sitting down eating dinner together. It was all quite cozy and then it happened... the sun went down immediately, the lights flickered, and then out of her mouth came THE WORDS... "Dad, you are ruining my life," and then she covered her eyes with her tiny hands and then exasperated, she slammed her head & hands on the table. What was dear old dad doing to RUIN a 2 yr old life, you ask... he simply told her to eat her vegetables. I had to cover my face with my napkin & then step out of the room to hide my laughter. Normally I wouldn't think this attitude was funny but well let's face it... it wasn't directed at me and it was over veggies. Once she actually tasted them she ate all of them but we did have to deal with the drama first. After things cooled down, he came back to the table and my poor bewildered husband asked where his innocent little girl learned such a hate-filled statement.

I hated to deflate our balloon full of happiness but I had to be the bearer of bad news... it was Disney. I'm not knocking Disney, after all they have made some of my all-time favorite movies. But as we both already knew our daughter was in the middle of her "Mimic" stage, she would repeat everything she heard and saw throughout the day. She would take it all in and then apply it within the next few days... it was always easy to tell what those around us were up to just by watching our daughter. She was amazing. So like she did with everything else, she watched the show then played it out. I had to explain to Corey what happened in the movie; Miss Princess wasn't allowed to marry the one she wanted because he wasn't a prince, so she told her dad that he was ruining her life. As I was replaying the movie for him, I was still laughing and enjoying myself a little too much. I explained to him, hey we gotta give her credit she totally used it in the correct context .

We still watch Disney, but we decided to shelf the princess movies for a few years. We aren't ready for the drama, the temper tantrums and ughhhh... the whining. The Princess movies have great moral stories to teach but for now we'll find another way for her to learn them, without the baggage.

Luke

Each day Evan had a routine, he wanted to look at images and videos of dogs (boxer and golden retreiver puppies) for HOURS on the computer. He never seemed to get tired of it. I thought that if we spent time online watching the dogs that he would get bored and that would save me from sleepless nights of potty training and house-breaking a puppy. It didn't. After nearly six months of watching videos we met Luke, this sweet boxer puppy, and I couldn't stop thinking about him.

I thought Evan was too young for a puppy. I tried to resist... but both the puppy and Evan could easily see the "SUCKER" tattoo that I have on my forehead in large bold letters. Enough of the right statements and sweet little snuggles (from both Evan & Luke), I couldn't say no. It only took spending twenty minutes with Luke, Lauren & Evan playing together to convince me.

As we walked away from the puppies (yeah, I actually walked away... I couldn't believe it either), I knew the real challenge was ahead of me. I wasn't sure how I was going to talk my husband into having a pet. Daily, I had been trying to talk him into a family pet for nearly a year but he had a great argument; we were already trying to potty train two beings, why would I even think about bringing another into the house. And the simple little fact... he doesn't like dogs!

After nearly a week of expressing how I couldn't live without the puppy, he once again was the family HERO. He contacted the woman selling the puppies and arranged to surprise us with Luke. We had the happiest little BOY ever. Evan, 2 yrs old, has been great at helping me train Luke, feeding him, and letting him out to go to the bathroom when Luke rings the bell. It has been a great learning experience for Evan, teaching him responsibility, and such a joy watching their friendship grow.

Then we have Lauren... I thought it would be my son that I had to worry about, but no. Lauren loves to hug, kiss, and wrestle with Luke and is soooo rough. I have to admit I was relieved when Luke started growing and quickly getting bigger. (At least then he had a fighting chance against her). Now that the playing field is even, life is good and we can't keep them seperated. If she had it her way when Luke is outside, she would be out there in the dog house too... as happy as she & he could be.

We have learned to compromise with Dad, Luke gets to play inside and hangs out with us during the day, but when Dad comes home he goes outside until bedtime. The length of time that Corey tolerates Luke being in the house in the evenings is getting longer & longer, but I still wouldn't quite label him the Dog Whisperer just yet.

Normally I would advise anyone that asks to wait to get a puppy until after their kids are out of diapers but I have to admit, like most things in life, the reward has definitely been well worth the work.

Always aiming to please

I recently found an old notebook with a few stories of funny & cute things that the kids have either said or done. I hope that you enjoy them. Here's one:

Evan was thirsty and asking for some juice and after hearing the request Lauren agreed that juice was a great idea.

My leg was cramping from running with the kids earlier (My body is trying to tell me that I am getting old). So I pleaded with them to "Just give me a minute please, then I will get juice & pineapples for both of you". Also secretly hoping that the idea of pineapples would buy me a few more seconds to rub the cramp out.

Lauren jumped up & exclaimed, "I'll get one for you." I assumed that she was still talking about juice, so I said again "Just a minute please."

So she walks over to Daddy who was watching basketball on TV and asked him, "Daddy will you get Mommy a minute so she can get us some juice."

We both started laughing and enjoyed her sweet heart and loved that she was so eager to help in any way that she could.

I Appreciate the Flowers!!!

Isn't it amazing how something so simple can alter someone's mind. There's no wonder why people send flowers when someone isn't feeling well or just to say that they care. This simple gesture can so easily and quickly change your attitude. It is difficult to have a bad day with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in front of you.

My aunts sent these to me after I was Totally Mummyfied. So girls, I hope you are all reading this and know that I am very thankful!! (If not reading this, you will be getting your thank you notes soon). :-) They are beautiful and brighten my day over & over again. Thank you.

CNN Hero of the Year

A MOXIE MOM'S HERO
Seriously, if I had only known that this contest existed I would have nominated my husband. He really is an amazing man that gives lots of his time & resources to helping others, everything from buying groceries, paying their bills, yard work, helping pay for their cars to be fixed, moral support, and even helping them rebuild their home when someone was living in an unsafe environment. He really does a lot for others and for our community and I love that about him. I do believe that we are all supposed to take time and give to others whether it be time, friendship, moral or financial support, but what my husband is best at is giving others hope and happiness. He is great at making others smile and helping them enjoy themselves (much of the time he makes them laugh at his expense). I'm only sorry that I wasn't aware of this contest in time consequently, I'm announcing the WINNER of A MOXIE MOM's Hero of the Year Award:

Congrats Corey. We love you!!

Now, as far as CNN is concerned they are putting together their own contest. These men & women are wonderful applicants (I still think that Corey would have won), so choosing just one may be difficult. I really enjoyed reading about the wonderful things that they are all doing!!!

I'm a strong believer in "paying it forward". I want to say a special thanks to any and all of you that aren't on the list that donate your time and your efforts to helping others in need, thank you for sharing the love!!!

Here's a list of the TOP 10 Heroes with details about why they are being considered for this honor. I'm not campaigning for any particular person so here is the why & who so that you can make your own choice.

Top 10 List

All those listed have taken the time and put forth lots of effort to help others in need to make our world a better place. Please take a LITTLE moment to vote. Most people do these wonderful deeds out of the goodness of their hearts I think that honoring them is a nice way for us to say that we appreciate them (and hopefully motivate more people to think of other's needs).

Vote Now