Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Whew!! What a weekend!! LOL :) Actually, it wasn't too bad...Thursday afternoon we left here & around Marion, OH got caught in a VERY SCARY thunderstorm...we weren't too far from where King had wanted to stop for the night (my little computer geek had searched for a hotel online, and figured out almost exactly where "half-way" was!! LOL What a sweetheart). Anyways, we had just passed one of our favorite Cracker Barrell stops, and after driving about 5 miles, decided we didn't want to get caught in this storm (weather advisories were saying there was a tornado watch, and we were afraid by the looks of the clouds above us that it would turn into a warning before our very eyes!! It was a very scary storm, I'm tellin' ya!! LOL) Anyways, we decided to head back to Cracker Barrell, but by this time, it was getting later than we wanted to sit & wait to eat, then head back out & find a hotel, so we decided Steak N' Shake was a good "sit-down-but-fast" compromise. It worked out well!! We were back on the road, and the storm had gotten some headway from us!! We did catch up with it, though, and when we pulled into the hotel parking lot, they had lost electricity!! So, that was kinda scary, but it turned right back on when we walked inside. SO, we did get to swim in the pool!! It was SO much fun, and Princess isn't as afraid of if anymore!! YAY!! :) I'm keeping my eye out for a kiddie pool, maybe a bigger one that I could sit in with her, because MAN is it hot!! We had a very nice stay, and a very nice room (I think they were pretty empty, and gave us a suite for the price of a regular room :) VERY NICE :) )

So, we got up, ate breakfast, then headed over to the Prime Outlets at Lodi (Lo-die). We walked around, bought a few things, then ate lunch & Princess fell asleep before we left the parking lot!! LOL That was all part of the plan. We reached the inlaws around 4ish, so we made pretty good time, too :)

The weekend was OK :) I didn't commit any murders or lose my temper (although with his little brother, I would've been justified giving him a spanking on more than one occasion). He's such a BIG baby...seriously, I'm not even exaggerating...He's 25 going on 3...But, other than that, it was OK...I met a very neat young lady named...um, Nigeria (because that's where she's from). She's an international student, and is staying the summer with one of King's Aunts & Uncles (cousins, think King's Best Man & His wife, & ring bearer...who is 10 or 11 by now!!). Anyways, she was VERY easy to talk to, and we had a very nice chat...we just instantly clicked, ya know? It was fun...and we found out we share the same Birthday!! :) Although, she's 6yrs. younger than me...whatever :) LOL

It was a pretty easy-going Saturday, and Sunday was church & a big family cook out at the inlaws place. It was fun!! I learned how to play Bochie Ball (I have no idea how it's spelled, but that's how it sounded to me!!) It's kinda like lawn bowling...I missed the cornhole game, though...I guess they're not redneck enough for that...

Well, I'd better go. Oh, our drive home on Monday went well, and we finally got to eat at Cracker Barrell!!

Oh, I forgot to say that I've also been addicted to Mt. Dew this past weekend, too...I try not to drink it, but I just couldn't help it.

Well, I know there was other stuff I wanted to mention, but I can't remember them all right now...Oh, please pray for Daisy...we think there's something wrong with her gallbladder...she's in some terrible pain, and Urgent Care gave her a prescript, but she doesn't see the dr. until tomorrow, so just keep her in your prayers. I know she's hating this, and I can't blame her. She's staying at Mom & Dad's right now so they can help her with SweetiePie :) Speaking of SweetiePie, she is growing like a weed!! She's starting to really smile & coo at us, now!! So sweet & so exciting!! :)

Better go...I finally got back to the gym today, and now I'm all stinky...time to hit the showers!! :)


Thursday, May 25, 2006

Off to PA...

Hey, everyone, I just wanted to pop in here & say "Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend!!" We're heading to PA for our annual trip to visit the inlaws...Please cover me with prayer!! :) LOL

We're stopping half-way tonight & staying at a hotel, and Princess is all excited to "go swimming!!" I hope she doesn't get scared, cause I think we can have fun with her in the pool if she's not too scared to get in :)

Oh, and did I mention...



TAYLOR HICKS IS THE AMERICAN IDOL!?!?! WOOOHOOOO!!
SOUL PATROL!!

I'm just a *little* excited about that!! LOL There might've been a lot of girly-squealing at Mom & Dad's last night!! LOL Daisy & I might've acted like a couple of teenagers!! LOL

Well, I'd better go...I still have to finish packing (I say finish because I don't want to put any of you organized people into an attack because I haven't got ANYTHING in a suitcase yet...LOL Now, BREATHE!! LOL)

Okay, I'd better go...I hope you all have a great weekend with your families & friends!! Talk to ya later!!



Friday, May 19, 2006

Ahhh, what a good day so far...I've been watching SweetiePie today, and she's been one happy baby!! It's really not been as difficult as I thought it would be (with 2 kiddos). She's down for a nappy nap right now (and Princess is up from hers already...) We're watching Noggin right now...

Tonight I was going to go scrapbooking at the Scrapbook Cafe, but then last night my cousin MathShopper called & invited us to Fuddruckers for supper for her hubby's birthday. He's just a couple of weeks younger than me :) That should be fun, though. If we're not out too late, I may head over to the Scrapbook Cafe anyway, since they're there until midnight anyways, but I doubt it...I've already cancelled my "seat" so maybe that's not an option...

Anyways, I've REALLY had the bug to scrapbook lately...I've been watching lots of DIY Scrapbooking and have all these great ideas to catapult on...lots of variations I can picture in my head...

Well, I'd better go...Princess is too quiet!! LOL

Oh, wait, I never mentioned what I got for Mother's Day!! First of all, King left in the middle of the day Sunday to go to the "grocery store." Well, when he got back, and Princess got up from her nap, there were mysteriously cards there that hadn't been there all day :) LOL So, after I got Princess primped a little bit, we headed out the door to visit with Grandma & Ollie & Daisy...well, after we ate & came home, we put Princess to bed, and after a little while I walk over to the fridge to get something to drink, and "AAHHHHH" I saw under our kitchen cabinet a CD player/radio under-the-cabinet duo :) SO SWEET!! I think I had just casually mentioned wanting one of those things, and he never gave me reason to believe that he might be sneaking that!! It was such a thoughtful surprise :) I've been loving it this week!! Oh, and a cool feature, there's a remote that's a magnet so it sticks to the fridge!! LOL :) So cool :)

Anyways, off to check on Princes...maybe I'll put some pics up later...

Ahhh, what a good day so far...I've been watching SweetiePie today, and she's been one happy baby!! It's really not been as difficult as I thought it would be (with 2 kiddos). She's down for a nappy nap right now (and Princess is up from hers already...) We're watching Noggin right now...

Tonight I was going to go scrapbooking at the Scrapbook Cafe, but then last night my cousin MathShopper called & invited us to Fuddruckers for supper for her hubby's birthday. He's just a couple of weeks younger than me :) That should be fun, though. If we're not out too late, I may head over to the Scrapbook Cafe anyway, since they're there until midnight anyways, but I doubt it...I've already cancelled my "seat" so maybe that's not an option...

Anyways, I've REALLY had the bug to scrapbook lately...I've been watching lots of DIY Scrapbooking and have all these great ideas to catapult on...lots of variations I can picture in my head...

Well, I'd better go...Princess is too quiet!! LOL

Oh, wait, I never mentioned what I got for Mother's Day!! First of all, King left in the middle of the day Sunday to go to the "grocery store." Well, when he got back, and Princess got up from her nap, there were mysteriously cards there that hadn't been there all day :) LOL So, after I got Princess primped a little bit, we headed out the door to visit with Grandma & Ollie & Daisy...well, after we ate & came home, we put Princess to bed, and after a little while I walk over to the fridge to get something to drink, and "AAHHHHH" I saw under our kitchen cabinet a CD player/radio under-the-cabinet duo :) SO SWEET!! I think I had just casually mentioned wanting one of those things, and he never gave me reason to believe that he might be sneaking that!! It was such a thoughtful surprise :) I've been loving it this week!! Oh, and a cool feature, there's a remote that's a magnet so it sticks to the fridge!! LOL :) So cool :)

Anyways, off to check on Princes...maybe I'll put some pics up later...

Thursday, May 18, 2006


Hey, Everyone :) Remember me?!?! LOL I'm that girl that sometimes acts like she knows what a computer is!! LOL Actually, I think I'm a lot like my brain twin when it comes to the computer...There are times when I'm absolutely obsessed with checking my email, checking a couple of message boards I visit, and of course you fellow Journal Goddesses!! Then there are other times when I'm REALLY not...nothing personal, but it's just my "do it all or nothing" part of my personality...And now I'm feeling really guilty for not being a very good journal buddy...

Anyways, interesting few days and Mother's Day weekend here...it was a little bizarre, but that's okay...I'm a little bizarre...But, it just was different...I "wrote" it all out once, so here's that transplanted here...I shared this with one of my msg. boards I fequent, and wrote this out Sunday afternoon...

//Good Morning!! What a loooong day we had yesterday...it started off with the very exciting H&R Block end-of-year luncheon...the food was cold, and it was BORING (and there was nothing I could do about it but sit & wait for it to be over!! LOL I did doodle up my program, though.) It was nice to sit & chat over lunch with the H&R office people, though. Since it's been a couple of weeks they were talking about things other than taxes!! LOL I've known most of those people since I was little when Mom started working there, and they even came to my & my sister's weddings (we were both receptionists for the offices before, and our Mom's the Office Supervisor)...so it was nice company, BORING program... I guess there's just no way, really, to make those kinds of things fun...but I could've had a worse afternoon, I guess :lol3

My sister watched Princess for us!! So, she had both little ones, and she said that it went very well...Funny thing, though...they were watching the Wizard of Oz, and I asked if Princess got scared when the witch came on (she had before, but it's been a few months since we've seen it)...Anyways, Daisy said no, she wasn't afraid at all until they came up to the Emerald City doors & the "wizard" pops out & asks their business!! She was afraid of the old guy!! :lol3 Of all the things to be afraid of!! :laugh

So, after we picked her up & I finished feeding my neice :laugh (I just had to hold her, ya know?) we went to the mad house...I mean the mall!! LOL We were there for FIVE hours!! Bless his heart, King never complained once :awtg, but he was starting to not feel well...We did run into my friend English & her family, and Skinny Cousin & her family...It was worth the trip :) I also discovered that I HATE trying on clothes right now...and to never do it during TOM...SO uncomfortable!!

Anyways, we got home late, but I still hadn't gotten Mother's Day cards, so went to Target & finished up my MD shopping...Came home, and went to bed!!

We've skipped church this morning (TOM & he wasn't feeling well, still, and Princess wasn't up yet, so we thought it'd be nice to let her catch up on her sleep some since she's been waking up WAY before usual the last couple of days...So, it's been a nice, easy morning...We'll go to Grandma's, my Aunt Ollie's, and my sister's houses to give them their cards & gifts after Princess's afternoon nap, and then maybe go to dinner somewhere tonight (I REALLY don't feel like fighting those after-church MD crowds, and it usually lightens up after a while...) I've never been to Smokey Bones...hmmm...\
So, if you're still with me, we didn't end up eating anywhere really nice Sunday...we ate at Burger King (you're jealous, aren't you?!?! LOL) Anyways, we ate there, and decided that we'd go somewhere else this week...and we did, last night we went to Smokey Bones!! It was pretty good. Not nearly as good as Montgomery Inn ribs, but not bad. I'll probably get BBQ chicken next time, though, their ribs were a little tough & not falling off the bone, ya know?

Anyways, that's what's been going on here...OH!! Tuesday I got to watch Sweetie Pie!! BB took Daisy out for Mother's Day (to Montgomery Inn...we should've just went with them!! LOL). But, she was SO good...she slept the whole time!! LOL I get to watch her tomorrow & Monday, too...and that reminds me, keep Daisy in your prayers...it's her first day back to work tomorrow, and she will absolutely be emotional...BB's bringing Sweetie to me, though, so at least I won't have to witness the tears!! Just keep her in your prayers...she's really not wanting to go back at all, but because her insurance is through her job, she has to go back, or pay the hospital bill!! So, she's going back for a little while, then I think she's gonna get started on the Med. Transcripting thing from her home...SO, just keep them in your prayers...Oh, and for those of you who think like me, she can be put on BB's insurance :) I believe that Sweetie already is, but I'm not sure...

Okay, like you care!! LOL :) I'd better go...I've gotta check my email (it's been a few days)...


Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Here's a picture of SweetiePie from Easter (in her Easter finery :) Isn't she a doll?!?! I agree, she does look like her Daddy mostly, but there are faces she makes that is totally George!! LOL And, there's a "floating head" pic of my Mom when she was a newborn that REALLY looks like SweetiePie...Again, not denying the Daddy resemblance, but there is some of her Mommy in her, too!! LOL Think the "George Open Mouth Stare" LOL

I think she's just adorable :)

Anyways, what else is going on? OH!! Last night's weigh in wasn't too bad...I lost 1.4lbs!! :) That's WITH eating a piece & 1/2 of Birthday cake, and a full steak dinner, and I don't even know how many of those Logan rolls (JJ, I agree, they're the bomb!!)

The boys (BB, King, & my Dad) are going golfing this afternoon, so they'll be done late...I'm thinking of calling DaisyGeorge to see what she's planning on doing...maybe we could hit Frisch's for supper? Or maybe we could sneak a trip to Logan's again!! LOL :)

I'd better go...Nothing much else going on this week...I think we're celebrating Mother's Day on Friday because Mom & Dad leave Saturday for their cruise...I think King's talking about getting me some outside furniture for Mother's Day :) I would LOVE that...I can't wait to have a place where Princess can do messy crafts (I'm still nervous about paint & my new flooring in the kitchen!! LOL). Anyways, it'll be nice to have a "messy" craft area, and a place to have picnics :) I think Princess will think it's neat!! :)


Monday, May 08, 2006

Really, I meant to come post a thousand times since my last post, but just didn't happen...

Last week was a lot of down time :) It was nice :) Thursday nite a few ladies from praise team took one of the newer ladies (she's playing the piano for us now) to dinner. She's not brand new here, just pretty new :) She's going through a VERY VERY tough time right now, so prayers for her if you think of it. We'll call her Opera Singer (she's a professionally trained Opera singer from Canada)...

Anyways, that was Thursday...Friday, we went straight to Pizza Hut for supper as soon as King came home from work. That was fun!! And VERY yummy...then we went to Sam's Club (I FINALLY ordered my contacts!! I can't wait 'til they're in!!), and just looked around for other stuff (ended up spending way more than we meant to!!LOL) Then, we stopped by K-Mart on our way home, and checked out their kid furniture...there's this set that's REALLY pretty, and we ended up getting Princess's toddler bed for $40!! It was on sale this weekend. Mom said that they'd buy the armoire for us, because they were planning on buying Princess's big girl bed, but since we got such a great deal on it, she said they'd get the armoire :) I CAN'T wait!! It will be so nice to actually have matching furniture in her room :)

Saturday was my Birthday!! :) We won't discuss my age...I'm just getting closer to the 30 mark, and that's not too fun to think about...We hung out here & ate KrispyKremes for breakfast (we bought them at Sam's the night before), and fresh balogna sandwiches for lunch (VERY good fresh...sometime's ya can't beat 'em LOL)...then we met Mom & Dad, Daisy & BB & SweetiePie at Logan's Steakhouse for supper (WOW, we will definately go there again :) VERY GOOD, and pretty reasonably priced, I thought). After we stuffed ourselves, we went to Mom & Dad's (Mom baked me a small cake, and we had ice cream, too :) ). A very good Birthday :)

Yesterday was church, and we just kinda hung out afterwards...oh, we did eat at Cracker Barrell (I LOVE Cracker Barrell...). We didn't go anywhere else all day. We ate bologna sandwiches on our back porch last night, for supper, since we ate such a big lunch, and it hit the spot again...I'm tellin' ya, sometimes, there's nothin' can beat it...only fresh from the deli, though, not those pre-packaged things. Those are gross...

Anyways, that brings us to today...we didn't do much today, either, except get dressed & went to the license bureau (we had to get something notarized), then I browsed the Scrapbook Cafe next door & spent some of my Birthday money :) Very nice day so far...Tonight's weigh in, and I don't know what in the world to expect...Oh, well...we're gonna start walking instead of having a meeting every Monday night...hopefully that will bring in a few more ladies who maybe wouldn't normally come to a weight loss group. We'll see :) I think it'll be nice to get out & chat with the ladies...

Okay, I'd better go...supper's ready, and it's almost 6p.m., and group is at 7!! :) Good think we live less than 3minutes from church!! :)

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Don't Faint Away From Shock Because I've Posted!! LOL


This is a pic of the ladies I sat with at my Women's Retreat this past weekend!! What a group of ladies!! :) There was a lot of experience sittin' at that table!! LOL They were a hoot, and they were just exactly what I needed!!

The whole weekend was about a "faithlift." It was really great!! There was a lot of breakthroughs, and a lot of bonding...something that the ladies at my church have just been SO honken' hungery for!! It was just an awesome experience all the way around...

Let me start with the first exercise. Our speaker (a guest speaker, not someone from our church) really just shared bits of her life...She started out talking about her growing up years, and then had us write in our booklets a life continuum (basically a line, and then you "decorate" it with all the ups & downs of your life, spiritually, emotionally, etc...) Then we were supposed to share with the other ladies at our table (the guest speaker is the one who assigned us our tables...she said she prayed over each name place card, and just set them around the room). Anyways, after we kinda wrote things down, we were to share our life continuums with the group...I really learned a lot about these ladies, and I have to say, before this past weekend, every one of them at our table were just "Hi, how are you, Have a great week" ladies at church, and now they are so much more to me...

One of the sessions was about choices, past, present & future...When she first started talking about it, immediately going back to school came to my mind...I've been struggling with the specifics of this...I've shared here, even, that I know I'm supposed to go back, I just never really knew when...this has really been a struggle for me!! I've felt like I've been tugged in 2 different directions. There's this part of me that feels really confident in my choice to stay home with Princess & whatever other children we're blessed with in the future, and to be a stay at home mommy. I've always felt that calling on my life, not just a "want." But then there was all that stuff with going back to school, and I just got really confused, because I still feel the call to stay home with Princess, too!! Do you understand where I'm coming from? Both of these callings are real, and I've just struggled with the technicalities, I guess you could call them...Anyways, it boils down to 1. Money. Money for school, money for gas & childcare, money for our family...2. I don't want to "gyp" Princess out of anything that my calling of staying home with her would bring. I just didn't see how the 2 would mix...

Then, I stopped talking, and the lady sitting directly across from me gave me this analogy/metaphor/whatever you wanna call it. She said what she immediately started thinking about when I started talking was when a farmer has a seed, and he plants it in the ground. He has to know when to water, when to fertilize, let the sun do it's thing...it doesn't immediately happen, but when the time's right, he knows it. When she said that, it was like a light bulb went off in my head!! Then, another lady (the one to the right of me, and in the picture), said, "You will never regret your decision to stay home to raise your babies." Let me tell you what a confirmation & peace that passes understanding came over me...I'm right on the path He wants me to be...the schooling will happen, but in His timing, and not compromising my current call to stay home with Princess. And, I've come to understand, it is a calling for me...He's got me home with her for a reason. Yes, being a teacher is a calling for me, too, but it's not time for that one to come to pass, yet...it's all about waiting on His timing...and we'll know when that is :)


"The labyrinth is not a maze.
Unlike a maze that is designed to confuse you
and is full of dead ends and obstacles to overcome,
a labyrinth is designed for you to find your way
with no wrong turns or dead ends."
Now, let me share with you my labryinth experience...At Maria Stein Spiritual Center, it's not as big as some labryinths are, or even as complicated as some. It's just a very narrow gravel path someone made in the front lawn...and in the center is a little bench. First of all, all of the front lawn is really striking. There's a small bridge that goes over a deep little mote, and on the "island" there's a bunch of rocks holding up a big wooden cross. There's a crane that lives there in the mote, and he's really something :) There are small benches & even a very nice little swing that overlooks the cross & "mote." Things from the weekend were winding down, and there were lots of people packing up stuff from the retreat, and all weekend I'd been trying to make my way to the labryinth, but had been sidetracked for some reason or other. Well, it was now or never, so I "asked permission" and just went off by myself. I met up with a couple of other ladies there, and had a great little talk with one while the other walked the labryinth herself. When she was done she came back over, and she was saying how it was really neat, and how at some moments, just looking down following the path, it could get confusing, and we started saying how much like life that really can be, sometimes. So, I started walking over to the labryinth, and one of the carpooling minivans pulled up & hollered out the window, "Your group is looking for you!!" and were all giggles, it wasn't harping or complaining at all, just in fun...but, since it was at the very end, I hollered back, "Well, I guess it was just the way to the labryinth that I was supposed to have this time." Then, someone in the van calls out, "GO!! Walk the labryinth!! It won't take but a few minutes!!" We all laughed & I said, "Thank you!!" So, I started quickly over to the little gravel path. I started praying that the Lord would speak to me whatever He willed....I was listening....I can't really put into words what happened next, but I'll try :) LOL My life continuum from the day before came to my mind, my heart, and I just felt this overwhelming wave of love wash over me. I'm not trying to be overdramatic, this is just the closest I can say to sharing it with you...I started crying. There was a little bit of a small wind blowing, and there was the cross in the distance. With each twist & turn of the labryinth one of those milestones on my life continuum sheet came to mind, and I understood. He didn't just start adoring me lately...He's ALWAYS adored me. He's always loved me, and loved me beyond anything I can comprehend here on earth. Sunday, all I could say was, "I saw Him." I saw Him in all the good times, I saw Him in all the bad, ugly times. When I reached the center of the labryinth, it was like I had finally reached Him!! He absolutely used the labryinth as a metaphor for when I finally meet him...it was like He was sitting there on that bench just waiting for me to come & sit next to Him so He could put his arms around me...what an awesome moment...and for those that know me really well, I was bawling the big fat tears...I went into the ugly cry!! LOL :) I just can't explain how much joy & love I felt...and to think, now, even, as I've had time to contemplate all this a little more, how that isn't even the full extent of what it will be when the time really does come to meet Him face to face...it's staggering in it's awesomeness!! :)
So, I wiped my face with the back of my hands, stood, and took a deep breath, and walked back out of the labryinth, and with every step, a new kind of confidence & peace settling over me...it was awesome...
So, that's what I did over the weekend :) LOL I know it's been a while since I've posted...I don't really have any excuses...I've just been reading A LOT...it all started a few weeks ago when I watched "Pride & Prejudice" (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), the new one, and it got me to thinking about "Mr. Darcy's" first name, because I was sure that it was in there somewhere, but they never seemed to mention it in the movie...and so I had to start reading it again, of course :) And, I was right, she does mention his name...once, in a letter he wrote to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bennett...See, I was really just putting off revealing to you all what a big honken nerd I really am...although, brain twin might have just read this book, or seen an older movie, or both, like me :) LOL
So, reading that just made me hungrier for reading more...and more and more and more....then it got me thinking about writing something of my own...that's always been a dream of mine...
Anyways, I'd better go...I think King wants to get to bed pretty soon...and I'm starting to feel tired...
I promise to not stay away for so long, again!! :) It hasn't been intentional, and I have been thinking about you all very much!! :)
Okay, serioulsy...