Thursday, September 28, 2006

Yes, it's been awhile...and, yes, I've been very busy...I haven't been online in weeks!! I feel so disconnected. I feel kinda weird.

So, this is what I've been thinking about the last few days. Busy-ness. And, why I feel like I need to be busy. I'm afraid I've got so much going on that I'm setting myself up for failure & burnout, but I have this need to be busy right now. I think it's a SAHM thing. I really feel sometimes that I don't do anything "worthwhile" with my days. So, hey, we need a Sunday school teacher at church...I can do that, right? So, I teach Sunday School. Well, that's great, but it's only one day, one class, not very many kiddos. Well, I stay at home with Princess, shouldn't I be able to do more?!?! So, hey, there's no women's ministry at church right now (I know, wierd, right?) Well, I'd love for there to be a women's ministry!! Why don't I get that started?!?! I don't do anything but stay home with Princess, right? Well, there's a few other ladies that are going to help with Ladie's Ministry, so that takes some of the pressure/responsibility off of me...besides, all I do is stay home with Princess, so surely I could be doing more...So, hey, now's the time to start thinking about a Christmas play. I only stay home with Princess, so surely I have time to be in charge of that, right? So, there's a Craft Bazaar meeting this week. What are you making for that, Mandy? You only stay home with Princess, right? So, WAIT A MINUTE!! We don't have any clean underwear!! AHHHHH!!

I have a secret to share. I feel guilty. I feel guilty for not doing enough at church; I only stay home with Princess, right? I feel guilty for not doing enough with Princess at home; I'm only doing a few things at church, right? Then, there's family stuff!! I don't want to miss out on any of it!! I really feel like the driving force for all these "commitments" is my guilt for "only staying home with Princess." Like that's not important enough to really do, or something. I LOVE staying home with her. I love being available during the day (except between 1-3p.m. for Princess's naptime!! LOL). I love piddling around the house, and I love cooking dinner for my family. I love being a SAHM!! :) But, I feel like I'm not doing enough. I feel guilty for not doing stuff at church & with family because "all I am is a SAHM." So, I over-commit. Then, the laundry doesn't get done (see last 2 sentences of the previous paragraph!! LOL), things get piled up from our mad dashes between this place & that, and when things slow down again, I have an even BIGGER mess to clean up right before we start all over again with the craziness.

Guilt is powerful.

Okay, enough of that. I was just thinking about it. I was pondering over all these commitments I have, and had a eureka moment when I thought about my feelings of guilt & fear of being labeled lazy because I don't "do" enough. So, sorry if any of that was incoherant, but I didn't make you read it!! LOL :)

The Office & "Earl" have started back up again!! LOL They're hillarious!! I love NBC Thursday's again :) Oh, and Smallville started back tonight...and have you heard?!?! 7th Heaven is back again this season!! YAY!! Those are my 4 shows I DVR all the time, and watch later after Princess is asleep :)

Oh, I wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU to Bethany Praise Team for coming & sharing with us this past Saturday night at PraiseFest!! Ya'll were awesome!! We REALLY enjoyed having you guys!! Even though it was hotter'n Hades in the sanctuary!! Thank you for bearing with us!! :)

I'd better go. I still have to watch tonight's Office & Earl. I might be a little obsessed...

Love you guys :)

Friday, September 01, 2006

Wow, I didn't realize I left such a cliffhanger the other day!! :) hehehe

Princess has been doing AWESOME with the potty training!! Something just clicked last Monday, and she's even TELLING us when she needs to go potty. Sometimes I still wonder if it's not a ploy to not stay in bed at night or whatever, but she's doing REALLY well!! I'm such a proud Mommy!! Now, she still has accidents & stuff, but not all the time, and we've gone full days without one, so YAY!! Okay, that loose end is tied :) LOL

The Vow Renewal ceremony was only a surprise for the bride!! :) Their 10th anniversary was Wednesday, and they had always talked about wanting to renew their vows on their 10th anniversary, and a lot has happened to them, really, so it was a testimony for them, too. Anyways, her husband had emailed all of us church people that he would like to surprise her, because she didn't think they could afford it, but he did, so he wanted to surprise her. He did!! :) We normally have potluck & praise on the last Sunday night of the month, and after clearing it with PastorP, he invited everyone to be there BEFORE 5p.m. (normal P&P time), and he would get her there around 5p.m., and just walk her down the aisle...Well, everything went SO smoothly!! I think I mentioned that I had been there since 3p.m., along with another lady, and we got it all ready. I even sang a song with Worship Minister ("I Will Be Here") while they lit the Unity Candle (and that was SO last minute we didn't even practice first...we should've, I wanted to at least go over it once...but it was a song we both have sung/sang in 1,000 weddings each (hehehe), so we thought we'd be OK, and we were for not having run through it first...not too bad for no practice...Anyways, my friend (the Bride) was SHOCKED!! She had no idea!! And the little touches that we decided last minute to do (cake cutting/feeding each other, a toast with sparkling grape juice, the song during the ceremony) was just a surprise for both of them!! :) It was a lot of fun to make it into more than even the groom anticipated :) So, wasn't that sweet of her hubby? The only thing, and this is just a hubby-thing...we got to talking beforehand about what (I'm gonna give Bride a name) CoolCat would be wearing. CoolCat's hubby had told everyone from the get-go that it was to be VERY casual, to not even THINK about dressing up!! LOL But, we got to talking, wouldn't you want to at least wear a dress or skirt when you renew your vows? LOL Or at least know to look a little nicer than usual? LOL Such a hubby thing to NOT think about :) LOL As women, we were kinda concerned for her :) LOL But, she wore jeans (and she did say that while they were repeating their vows she thought, "I'm renewing my vows in my jeans!!" LOL), but she had on a dressy-with-jeans shirt, if that makes sense, so she looked very nice...but had she known, I know she would've been in a skirt/dress!! LOL :) It was fun :) Loose end tied :) LOL

Was there another loose end? I forget...

Yesterday I FINALLY got my pedicure :) Mom had gotten me & Daisy a gift certificate for Mother's Day, and I FINALLY cashed it in :) Mom went with me, actually, and we got one at the same time...Oh, my goodness, it was AWESOME...If you're ever wondering about a gift for me, there ya go...wonder no more :) LOL I REALLY LOVED IT :) I'm kinda wierd about feet, too, so it was a little wierd for someone else to be cutting my toenails, but overall it was SO NICE :) Then, we went to Wal-Mart because I needed to get another thing of hair color...

So, I had this bright idea last weekend that I wanted to color my hair dar red again (that's not a new thing with me...I love coloring my hair!! LOL) Anyways, I decided on a new shade...Spicy Salsa...Well, I colored my hair yesterday afternoon, and WOAH!! It was VERY red!! LOL Not a "dark auburn" like I usually like...I've never had an experience like that one!! Very weird color...So, I went to Wal Mart last night & got another box that WAS dark auburn, not "spicy salsa" (which is just BRIGHT ORANGE RED, kinda like salsa!! LOL) Anyways, so I colored my hair again last night, and now it's more of a dark purple red...I'm hoping the color will not be as intense this weekend.... LOL

Well, I've got a LOT to do today...Pack, for one...I think we're leaving here around 9/10a.m.ish...we want to get down there early enough to play in the pool before we have to go to Wal-Mart & head to the hill. Tonight, though, we have a Birthday party to go to at Marion's. English's daughter Brilliant turns 4 today!! :) I can't believe it!! :) It'll be 4 years this October/November that I had my 1st miscarriage...I remember English bringing Brilliant to Mom & Dad's while I was recouping after my surgery, and she was such a sweetheart & such a blessing for me to hold...Anyways, didn't mean to get all maudlin on ya :) LOL Anyways, Princess & Brilliant have gotten to play with each other a lot this summer, so it'll be fun tonight to see how Princess handles Brilliant getting to open all her presents :) LOL And Princess not!! LOL :) I think they'll have fun :)

Okay, better go, and get started packing!! :) Tomorrow is Reunion Weekend!! :)
This is Princess & King in front of the Weiner Mobile at the Ohio State Fair AFTER the SCC concert :) I have no idea what Princess is doing :) LOL


This is Princess with Papa & Mammy waiting for the Train Ride at the Columbus Zoo :)

Thought you might enjoy some "mini vacation day" pictures of Princess ;)