The snow is REALLY pretty!! :)

I am not feeling very Christmassy right now...I'm just having a "down" day...we've got a lot of stress right now, with King's school, finances (that's a big one for us right now, but I know we all have struggles with this at different times...), and, UGH!! my weight!! bLaH!! Just self esteem issues, along with my regular struggle with the scale & eating...same ol' same ol', but it's just all got me down today...I'll get over it, but your prayers in the mean time would be wonderful!! :)

I have not even STARTED Christmas shopping, yet...King gets paid this week, and we'll probably go this next week or so shopping...it's been really hard to hear about all the sales & stuff, and not being able to take advantage of them...

I know, it's not like no one else has this stuff to deal with, it's nothing new to anyone, I've just been really down about it today...

Okay, that's the end of my sob story!! LOL I really don't like to talk about money, because I know we are so blessed, and there are always people who are worse off than us...it's been weighing on my heart today, along with all that other stuff I mentioned earlier...I'm a Debbie Downer today!! LOL :)

Okay, I'd better go...maybe watching "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown" will cheer me up!! LOL :) That's kinda how I feel today!! LOL :)

Hope you all are having a great one!! :)

Hmmm, guess it's been a while, huh? LOL I've been busy every day this week, and haven't really been online much, if at all, this week...So, let's see...Last time I journaled was Dec 4th...was that Sunday?!?! Geesh!! It HAS been a few days, huh? LOL

Well, Monday Princess and I just kinda hung out...I got the house straightened up a little, and King didn't get home until around 9p.m. (it's Block time again...blah...nice money, but bLaH!! LOL)...anyways, Tuesday, I got up early (before Princess, even!! I was shocked!! LOL), got dressed, and did some more "straightening up" and then dropped Princess off at my 'rent's house, and headed to X to get my hair cut (I REALLY got it cut this time...I'm lovin' it, cause it's quicker to fix, and gives me an excuse to King so I can buy my Paul Mitchell Freeze & Shine hair spray!! LOL I love that stuff...and pomeade (sp?) just doesn't work on my hair...I know, I know, if you're a hairdresser out there reading this, you're probably flipping out, but it just doesn't!! I don't get the hold I need with that gooey stuff, and believe me, I've tried!! LOL) Anyways, Daisy met me at the hairdresser's after she got off work, and then was going to get her brows done, then meet me at the 'rent's so we could go out to eat...we ate at Fricsh's :) Cheap, but sit down, leisurely dining :) LOL We had a good time chatting and stuff...then it was back to the 'Rent's house to pick up Princess who was exhausted after playing with Papaw all night!! LOL :) She went right to sleep after we got home :)

Then, yesterday, King had free tickets to WSU basketball game, and had invited my Dad, Daddy Mac, and Uncle Daredevil came, too!! :) Mom and I got our eyebrows done (Carrot does our eyebrows...she's one of Mom's long-time circle of friends!!LOL, and she used to date Uncle Insociable, if you can believe that!! LOL) Oh, she went on one of the cruises with the "Cruise Crew" a long time ago...ANYWAYS, after that, Carrot came to dinner with Mom, Princess & me (we went to Cracker Barrel, for those of you who were wondering!! LOL) Then, Mom, Princess & I went to Wal-Mart :) We didn't have really important stuff to go for, so it was a "fun" trip to Wal-Mart as opposed to a "necessity" trip...

Then, we went back to Mom's house, where the boys were already home...Today, my job is to "write" the church Christmas play, and let everyone know about that at PT practice tonight!! LOL Nothing like last minute...We're just going to recite scripture, and have a "live" nativity while someone sings a song...not hard, and just a reflective night...I think we'll start off with some carols, and the kids singing a couple of songs, then the lights will go out, and the Live nativity will begin (We'll have a "Narrarator" who will just be reading the Christmas story, then when he's finished with each "section" we'll have a live nativity & a song going on at the same time...sounds complicated, but it really isn't...)

Well, I'd better go...I'm procrastinating, if you haven't noticed!! LOL :) That's the outline of it, though...so I've got that done!! LOL :)

Have a great Thursday, everyone!! :)

What a long day...

I went to the loooooongest Baby Shower EVER!! LOL It was just SO long, and kinda dragged, and we didn't really know everyone...it was just kinda weird...Anyways, I'm glad I went, though, because I like the person the shower was for, it was just a little awkward because it was at a fellowship hall (that's what we hicks call the banquet room, or whatever you fancy people call it where the church keeps it's kitchen for things like that, and potlucks and stuff...) Anyways, it was at this church that had kinda split recently, and a lot of people who would've been there before the split weren't, and those are a lot of the people we knew...it was just different...long story, and I don't mean that the honoree had anything to do with the split at all, she doesn't even go there, it was just an awkward kind of day...

I did, however, LOVE the sleeping in this morning!! LOL :) Princess stayed with Mom & Dad last night, and we slept in until around 10a.m.!! :) YAY!! :) That was awesome!! :) Our small group last night was really great, too...If you get the chance, please read "The Blessed Life" by Robert Miller (I think that's his name, I'll have to get back to you on that...I know the last name is right, anyways...) It's just been great. We've got a very diverse group (young & old & in between lol), and it's been great getting to know a few of the new people in our congregation :) I truly believe, also, that this material should be an on-going class or group topic at our church, and King and I agree that we would be more than happy to host it... It's mostly watching a video (only 4 sessions!!), and then group discussion, and then we do prayer requests/prayers...of course, there's always socializing before & after, and that's fun, too...but this material is GREAT!! It's really changed my perspective on not only our finances, tithing, and giving, but has kept the question in my heart, "Who's really first, Mandy?" So, it's been great for me so far :)

I'd better go...it's late, and it's "Church Day" tomorrow :) LOL We were going to go to the Chinese buffet last night, but it kept getting too late, so we're going tomorrow after church :) I LOVE Chinese :)

Hoping you all have a great time of Praise & Worship & Learning & Refreshing tomorrow...Who's really first in your life?

Hmmmm, I am here in our house ALL ALONE :) I can't even THINK of the last time I was REALLY all by myself in our house :) It's VERY nice :) Princess is staying with my Mom & Dad tonight ;) We've got small group @ 7p.m. but I think we're going out on a date before (I think we're hitting the Chinese place!! I haven't been there in a long time, too!!) Anyways, I am SO not used to having all this time on my hands, I don't know what to do with myself!! :) LOL The house is *somewhat* clean...I really do need to straighten up our bedroom, but I can do that tomorrow morning after I sleep in!! LOL :)

I am hoping Sara (A New Beginning) is OK!! :) I haven't heard anything from Missy since she posted about the C-section at 1:30...SO, I'm hoping everything went ok...

I'd better go...I don't want to "waste" this time all to myself!! LOL :)

Have a great evening!!! :)

It's too late...

for a very long post, I just wanted to share this link with you all :) I know some of you have heard of Lisa Weilchel (sp?) from The Facts of Life (she played Blair)...anyways, she's got a great website for women, and I get monthly emails from her, and it's amazing to me how the Lord will use someone else's experiences/trials/tests, to help them speak to MY heart :) This certainly did, and I'm claiming these promises!! :) Ever since Princess was born, the enormity of my responsability as a parent, and teaching her the way to the cross, has hit me straight in the heart. I found myself, especially in the beginning, waking up in the middle of the night with this enormous burden, and would stop and pray until I would fall back asleep...Can you believe I haven't shared that with more than King & one lady from church who I really trust? She totally understood where I was coming from, but I was just wondering...does anyone else feel the same way, or am I just a nutcase?!?! LOL :) Okay, I know I can be a nutcase, but does anyone else feel the same way? (lol) Don't feel like you HAVE to answer that, but feel free to, if you want :)

Anyways, that fear was back again this week...Maybe it's just something that all mothers & fathers feel...anyways, Princess was taking a bath yesterday, and I asked her if she wanted to sing...she said, "Yess." I asked her what she wanted me to sing, and she said, "Ummm...Jesus!!" I knew she meant she wanted me to sing "Jesus Loves Me." It melted my heart, and I about bawled my eyes out and about climbed in the tub hugging her!! LOL :) At least I felt that way, but I smiled, and started singing :)

Anyways, here's the link to the email that was sent out... http://www.lisawhelchel.com/letter/p_v.php?mi=21&nl=1&ei=ff Her kids are older than Princess, but I could TOTALLY identify with everything she talked about...even the financial part!! ;)

Okay, like I said, it's bedtime for me...