Vacation, The FlyLady, and The House Fairy...

Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted on here in so long!! Vacation was almost a month ago, now, and I haven't been on here much at all!! Facebook is quite addicting, and I have a few things to share with you...

First off, Jodi already shared with you about the "towel" incident at the hotel...That lady...ARGH!! My Dad was ready to pick up & leave that night, and I did in my principles, but we had basically moved in...we had a pack n' play, 4,000 suitcases, a cooler & our snackies...practicality won out over principles...But my Dad was HOT about it, and even spoke with the officers that night while they were there, and also, while they were there, he walked up to the counter & asked (in front of the police, mind you) for some towels...and got them!! I don't think this was lost on the officers. Dad said all they told him was, "Hey, we're just the messengers..." I don't think they really believed her, either...

Anyways, we had fun...Reunion was great, although my very easy-going baby boy got very overheated right after dinnertime & was basically DONE being outside...He was crying inconsolabely, and we just had to go back to town...Abbey & Steve went to the pool, and I gotta tell you, I wasn't hating that air conditioning!! LOL Eli was a different baby after a good nap & laying down in a cool room :) We headed back out around 5/6ish & he was good the rest of the time :) Abbey LOVED digging in the dirt with all her cousins!! I think she dug in the dirt more than anything else, actually...

Vacation was SOOOO nice!! :) We had a great time, except for wanting to beat the tar out of Abbey!! (don't call child services, we did not actually beat our child!! Actually, we probably went too easy on her during vacation, because, God love her, she was a spoiled little Diva that week...There's something to be said for nap times & low blood sugar levels...). Anyways, Monday night we ate at Calhoun's (which was pretty good) & settled into the condo, then went for a night drive in Gatlinburg...it's so pretty & vacationy looking at nighttime :) We always remember Dad telling us a story of when he & his family took a rare vacation down there once after a reunion. You have to drive through part of the National Park between Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg & it's so neat...well, Dad's always told us that when he was little, he always wanted to stay in that little hotel/motel right as you enter Gatlinburg because when he was little he always thought it was so neat to come straight out of a forest & then POW!! there's a neato swimming pool!! I'm sure that when he was little, it was a pretty neato hotel, but I'd be afraid to guess at what's inside that place now!! LOL :)

Then, we went to Krispie Kremes...

Tuesday was a little bit of shopping...We did eat at a new (to me) breakfast place called Flapjack's...Pretty yummy :) We hit Lil' Dolly's, then dropped the girls off to Dad & Steve (who went golfing) to swim, then we took Baby Boy shopping...I have to say, Eli was the best behaved child we had along with us!! LOL :)

That night we ate at Huck Finn's fish place...YUMO!! We also took Katie & Abbey to this little tykes amusement park thingy...SO cute!! You can really start to see Abbey & Katie's different personalities...Abbey was afraid to go on much more than the train, the merry-go-round, and the swings, and Katie would've done every ride there if we had enough tickets!! LOL Just neat to watch them, ya know? :)

Then, we went to Krispie Kremes...

Wednesday, we all went to The Pancake Pantry for breakfast (YYYUUUMMMMOOOOO!!!), then met up with Jodi & the rest (LOL) @ The Aquarium...But she told you about that already!! :)

After that, Steve kept Eli, and Dad took the girls to the pool, and me, Mom & Chelle got to actually shop by ourselves for a while!! :) It was heavenly!! LOL We met up with them at the Applebarn for dinner (AGAIN, YYYYUUUMMMMMOOOOOO!!)...Here's something a little funny...We wanted to shop at the Applebarn before the gift shop closed, and then head to the farmhouse to eat...Well, to get to the Christmas store there, it's easier to walk through their Winery...And this lady at their wine-tasting bar stopped me (I really tried to walk fast & not make eye contact, but I wasn't about to be rude!! LOL) I told her I didn't really like wine...She says, "Oh, yes you do!" LOL That was a new one!! LOL I told her I was more of a frozen daqari kind of girl, and she says, "Then, you like wine!!" She got this frozen daqari mix they had & they mix it with their Apple Strawberry wine, and boy, it's yummy!! I almost bought me some!! She said, "See? I told you you like wine!!" LOL So, I kept walking & caught up with Mom & Chelle at the Christmas store...we browsed there a bit, then walked back through the winery & this guy stops us (the lady who had previously served us wasn't there anymore). So, we all 3 tasted enough wine to relax us a bit...he was very generous, and we tasted, like, 6 wines!! Chelle did buy her mil a bottle for Christmas, and if I had it to do over again, I would've bought a bottle & that daquari mix...It was delish!! :) We were laughing at ourselves because we are obviously not big drinkers, and I think the guy knew that...Actually, I think anyone who glanced our way would've known that!! LOL :)

We ate a very nice dinner, went to THE Incredible Christmas Store & got our ornaments that we get every year...Abbey & Katie loved that store!! :) I LOVE that store!! :)

Then, we went to Krispie Kremes...

We came home Thursday, just like Jodi & Jimmie, and have decided that next year we're going to try & stay through Friday or Saturday because we're tired of just hitting the highlights & not being able to do those "what we'd like to try sometime" things, ya know?

Anyways...we've been home for a few weeks now, and I just put away our last suitcase today!! LOL I've been getting back in touch with the FlyLady...and she introduced me to The House Fairy (www.housefairy.org). Abbey was pretty impressed with her!! :) So, we're having her start to visit our house...

I'm sure I've left LOTS out, but then you would be unbelievably bored instead of just bored!! LOL :) I'm sure this is a long post, but I had a lot to catch you up on!! LOL :) I'll have to share more about church, & other stuff like that next time, I guess...

Love you all, and am thinking about you!! :)

I just got word yesterday evening that my friend (I might've mentioned her earlier) is miscarrying a surprise & very wanted baby...My heart aches for her.

That, and reading Jodi's blog, brought this song to mind, and heart.

Like I commented on her blog, it's funny what God uses to touch, heal, speak, love, move us. When I first heard this song, I was at a pretty dark place after our 1st miscarriage...I was mad at God. He's bigger!! And, He's compassionate... He is just awesome...Anyways, I hope this song blesses you like it did me, and if you're not at that place to hear & let the message wash over you, that's okay, I'm not posting it to be "holier than thou" or insensitive to wherever you are...It was just laid on my heart to share...



When Steve & I started attending COTC (that's our church) we took a "Finding Your Spiritual Gifts" small group study...and I learned a lot!! Great study!! I'll have to find the "official" name of it to pass on to you all...ANYWAYS, through that study, I "found out" that one of my top 3 strongest gifts is faith...And I have to tell you, that's no lie!! Through everything I've experienced, the good, the bad & the ugly, I've never doubted that God is who He says He is, and that Jesus is always there for me, that He loves me... Not that I've always understood the depth of His love & grace (I don't think anyone can really comprehend that this side of heaven), but I've never doubted Him...

But sometimes knowing who God is, and that He is who He says He is can be confusing in the midst of heartache & despair...Because knowing He is and was and is to come, has the power of life everlasting, and knowing that He loves us so much, it just doesn't jive with the heartache & despair...I forget that He isn't heartache & despair, but the enemy is...Sometimes I mix up who to blame, who is really responsible for the heartache. I don't understand why God lets him, but I know heartache isn't of God...I know He grieves with us...He cries with us...He ministers to us any way He can (and that's a lot!! Thank you, Holy Spirit, for working through an animated movie about Joseph!!).

I've still got a TON to learn, a ton to work through here, and like my Dad says, the more I read the Bible, the more I realize I don't know diddley squat!! LOL :) But take this little grain of rice (actually smaller than that) that I do know, in the Spirit in which it was meant...Just to love ya, girlies!! :)

Christmas in July, a funeral, Pennsylvania & REUNION/Vacation

That is what has been, and what is to come!! :) First of all, July was fun!! We actually "celebrate" Christmas in July, and this year Abbey invited her friends Mackenzie & Maguire, & her cousin Katie. Well, okay, so we Mommy's wanted to get together to "celebrate," too :) We had a GREAT time!! :) I pulled my little Christmas tree that I keep up all year round by my front door & put some ornaments that I bought last year for Abbey's room tree on it. I baked Christmas cookies (sugar cookie snowmen & hearts), made special sandwiches (YUMMO!! cream cheese, sliced strawberries, & strawberry preserves...DELISH!!) Anyways, I also made hotdogs in crescent rolls. We played Christmas music, had Christmas movies on for the kiddos, but they mostly played outside & in Abbey's room, and we Mommy's mostly talked about this & that...It was really nice!! :)

Then, the following Monday we had a family funeral. Maybe some of you locals have heard the 2 brothers shot in Trotwood... Those brothers are my, Jodi & Missy's cousins... I never really knew Jimmie (the one who was shot & died) that well, or at all, really, but Tommy (was wounded...shot in the chest & "just" nicked his lung...he's since been released & is healing). This whole situation is weird & I'm not even sure if I could repeat the story without confusing all the details...Anyways, VERY VERY sad...What struck me, though, while at the funeral was how many people don't know Jesus...The preacher did an excellent job, I thought. They also played the song, "Cry out to Jesus" by Third Day & I thought that was an awesome pick, whoever picked it...That's all the preaching some people hear, and to hear the truth in a loving, caring way was a breath of fresh air. Anyways, as I was standing there during the service I just prayed & prayed that hearts would be receptive to Jesus...I just felt this urgency to pray that, so I went with it...

After that, it was nice spending time with some of my family at Lone Star Steakhouse!! :) Jodi & Jimmie were having lunch on their way back to KY, so a few of us joined them...It was nice to be with everyone, since, like Jodi says, we don't really do that very much anymore, and I miss my family, sometimes...But, reunion's coming!!!!

Before Reunion, though, we're heading to PA. We thought Steve's parent's feelings might be hurt if we went on vacation (after Reunion we're going to the Smokies!! :)) before we brought Eli to their place, so the last weekend in August was the only weekend that worked...We're going up on Friday, back on Sunday... Then, I'll have a week to do our laundry, then re-pack everything, then some, and we're off to Somerset, KY on Saturday. We like to get there a little early on Saturday so Abbey can swim some before we head out to the shelter (where the pre-reunion is on Saturday nights before THE Reunion on Sunday). We were going to leave Sunday and head down to the Smokies, but the price of the room on Sunday night compared to the rest of the week was OUTRAGEOUS!! Sickeningly so, actually. So, we're going to stay the night in Somerset again on Sunday night, as usual, then leave for the Smokies early on Monday.

We're staying at the same condo place that we stayed last year...it's SUPER nice...Steve's coming this year, too, but Matt's not...Matt's mom & dad aren't coming this year, either...WOOHOO!! Bless their hearts... It's just more stressful, more work, more awkward when they come...So, we're looking forward to vacation!! :)

Our VBS was last week...and I wasn't in charge!! I missed it a little bit, but it was nice to not have to answer any questions!! LOL :) Although, the first night, everybody came up to me like I was in charge & asking questions!! LOL I thought that was pretty funny...I kept saying, "I seriously don't know...All I'm doing this year is the painting!!" LOL Abbey loved it...They did Power Lab & it was very cute...

Anyways...that's it for me right now...Eli's crying...he's fighting sleep already...I hate when babies do that!! It's hard on their Mommy's!! :)

Love you all!! :)

WowieKazowie!!!!

It's really been a LOOOOONG time since I've posted, huh? I feel like it, anyway... Those first weeks after Eli was born seem so long ago already...Time sure doesn't stand still, does it?

We've kept pretty busy so far this summer...I knew that with a newborn, we wouldn't be able to do as much as I would've liked to do this summer, but we pretty much did nothing last summer, so I feel like we should attempt more this year. We've been to the pool once...I wanted to go more, but I can't always count on Mom to be able to watch Eli, but Abbey LOVED Kett. Rec!! I did, too, for that matter!! We want to go to Splash! Moraine before summer's out, too. I'd love to go back to Kett. Rec, again, too, maybe one day my Aunt has Missy's kiddos there...

Anyways, I'll do a Missy-style recap!! :)

Steve~ has been doing pretty good!! He's taken his last finals this week & is done with school until October!! WOOHOO!! And, he's only taking one class that semester, and then he's DONE!! I'm thinking of having a Graduation-type party for him, maybe at Marion's or something, to celebrate. I don't think he had one when he graduated from business school, and I want to do something to let him know without a doubt that I'm proud of him!! He's pretty busy, still, with his church commtiments. The difference in our church committments is that his involves a lot more meetings...mine will, eventually, but not as often as his are. He said he's thinking about not being Church Clerk next year, but he's only mentioned that once, so we'll see. He's on the Stewardship Committee, too, and I know that makes him frustrated, for more reasons than I can barely grasp, really, let alone share with you all!! LOL To put it as simply as I can, it's not just financial stuff that's frustrating him, but the lack of organization & lack of protocol that has him fired up...Actually, our church could really use your prayers in this...Sometimes that kind of stuff can feel like such a huge problem, and it's not just a problem with Stewardship, it's in every ministry...it doesn't feel like we're working together, it feels like we're working separately...Maybe that doesn't make sense to you, but just keep us in your prayers that we, as a church, would work as a team, instead of individuals... ANYWAYS, I'm very proud of him for being so involved & caring so much about where our church is going, what we need to leave behind, etc...

Abbey~ She's "graduated" from "Princess" to "Diva"!! LOL Ever since her very first sleepover at Missy's house, she's been into Hannah Montana!! LOL We don't really watch the show much, although I was flipping one night & stopped on it because Dolly Parton was on it!! LOL :) It was a cute episode... Anyways, I digress... She's SO into glitter & lip gloss!! She's also into her sandbox!! That's been her favorite thing to play in this summer!! One day I had Katie while Mom & Dad were on vacation, so we filled up her kiddie pool & had the lid to the sandbox open, and in 30 minutes I was wondering which was the sandbox, and which was the pool!! GROSS!! But, they had fun, and took REALLY good naps that day!! LOL She had some kind of viral something a couple of weeks ago, and that turned into an ear infection...She was put on antibiotics & is fine, now...We've actually been celebrating Christmas in July this week!! :) Not really doing much of anything, but we've listened to Anne Murray, and were supposed to have some friends over tomorrow for a party of sorts, but that's been rescheduled til next week...as a consolation prize, she got to spend the night @ Mammy's house tonight!! LOL I bought her a cute little cheerleader outfit @ Target (it was clearenced!! WOOHOO!!) as a little "CIJ" gift, and will give it to her tomorrow...I was starting to think I was really doing this for me until she asked me today, "Mommy, is tomorrow Christmas in July?!?!" When I said yes, she said, "YAAAAYYYYYY!!!" So, she's excited about it, and it's fun...it's our little thing :)

Eli~ What a sweet baby!! He's a WONDERFUL nighttime sleeper!! I couldn't have asked for a better night sleeper!! After that first dr.'s visit we haven't woken him up for one feeding, and he's steadily slept longer & longer!! :) He averages between 6-8 hrs. a night!! Again I say WOOHOO!! :) During the day is a little different, although he's getting a little better about that... He's a cat-napper during the day, which means I don't really get any housework done until late at night when they're both in bed...but that's okay, because once my head hits the pillow, I am OUT!! :) He's also smiling & cooing!! A lot!! He's just stinkin' adorable!! :) Mom was feeding him today at the mall & I looked over at him while she was burping him & just about burst with love!! He was looking right at me, and he was just stinkin' adorable!! :) He visited Dr. Matt on Monday, and weighed in at 12.2lbs!! I didn't get how long he was, but I'm sure he's a whopper!! LOL :) He's growing so fast!!

Me~ I guess I've kinda filled you in on me as we went, huh? LOL I didn't mention, though, that I'm planning an "event" for Christmas this year @ church. I think I mentioned it last year some, but we're actually doing it this year, "A Night in Bethlehem." It's an awesome community outreach, and that's where our church's focus has been shifting lately...Let me tell you, we've been VERY tempted to start going to the Vineyard in Kettering with Mom, Dad & Chelle, but we know that that's what we want, not where God's leading us right now. I think that would be the easy way out, not necessarily what's right, ya know? ANYWAYS, I've decided to stop complaining about procedure because I can't control what others do, only what I do. And if I want things to change (and they HAVE to change, or else we will leave, I can tell you that much), then it has to start with me, and that means no more griping (to myself or anyone else) about how bad things are, and start making decisions about the way things should be...**officially off my soap box** :) Actually, that statement up there came from my Dad...He was my Sunday School teacher for most of my teen years & those kinds of things just stick, ya know? :)

Alright, I'd better go...Thinking of you Sara & Kelley!! :) Has Sara had Baby Boy, yet?!?! I saw her last post about it, but didn't know when "Baby Day" was, officially...

Okay, love you all!! And, hope you all have a great weekend!! :)

ER, Birthday Party,Girl's Night, and other exciting stories...

Hello, Strangers!! :) haha :) This is the first chance I've had since my last post to get here & actually post again, but the last time I checked, I'm not the only one!! LOL (meaning my cousins!!) Anyways...

So, THANK YOU all very much for your prayers over my ER incident. I don't know what my Dad told you, Missy, but I didn't have chest pains, but my legs were still SuPeR swollen (and my dr. thought one was more so than the other) and that, along with my 'breathing' problem (I would wake up in the middle of the night & couldn't "catch my breath"...it was always worse in the middle of the night...) Dr. H sent me straight to the ER in Kettering (and now I know it was the Wed. before Brian went there, too...so we kept 'em busy that week!!) That was around 3:30/4ish & we didn't leave there until midnight...

While we were there, I had a ginormous migraine. It was seriously the worst thing I've ever experienced. I had been fighting a bad headache since that Monday (Memorial Day) and the 800mg motrin I was taking was just dulling it, not really getting rid of it...While we were waiting at the ER my meds wore off & I experienced the Migraine from you-know-where...seriously, I don't use that term very often, so you know how bad it was!! So, while they ordered a chest scan to check for possible blood clots, they ordered a head scan, too...

LOOOONG story short, everything came back normal, and they sent me home (Oh, yeah, after they gave me one awesome muscle relaxer for my headache...FINALLY!!) They also gave me lasik (sp?) that removes any *extra* kind of fluid anywhere in your body, so my ankles looked better than they did in 9mos!! They never actually told me why I was breathing funny, if it was wierd congestion, or what I think happened, a hyperventilating situation (anxiety attack...never had one of those before...pretty scary...) ANYWAYS, like I said, I'm fine, and have started feeling better ever since (so the swelling was probably not a good thing, either).

So, fastforward through some short nights, post-partum blue days (it was worse this time than I remember it being with Abbey), and we come to my "surprise" party...it kinda was a surprise...until Friday night before...He started acting really weird about dinner. We were grilling out, actually earlier than normal, and I decided that as a side-dish we use the new pan he got for Father's day & roast some potatoes for dinner with our hamburgers & hot dogs...Well, when the burgers were ready (he forgot the hot dogs, which I didn't think anything of), he hurriedly took the potatoes off the grill & threw them in a serving dish...I asked if he had tried one, he said no (also not weird) & so I tried one...it was still pretty raw...so full of frustration he took them back out on the grill & we just ate the burgers while we waited...Then, he goes out & brings 'em in, I tried one, still pretty raw, Abbey's only eaten 1/2 of her burger & he hasn't eaten any, and he says, "Come on, Abbey, let's go to the store..." I said, Steve, it's only 7p.m., there's time to go to the store later... He says, this store closes at 8p.m. (I'm thinking Hobby Lobby, maybe?) So, they hop right out of there...then I get a call around 10:30p.m. saying that they're almost done at the store, and what are they building by your Mom & Dad's house? DUH!! :) I had pretty much figured out by this time that they weren't just "going to the store" & that there were bigger plans going on here. When Abbey came home (around midnight, btw) she says, "I saw my Mammy!!" Steve said, "Abbey!!" She says, "I didn't say anything!!" LOL I said, "Abbey, do you & Daddy have secrets?" She says, "Nope, a Surprise!!"

I met with my share group that morning, went to the church car wash (I didn't wash cars!! LOL) and then we went home & got ready for *a-hem* Young's Jersey Dairy (which was code for "PARTY") Anyways, we got there, I wasn't expecting it to be where it was!! LOL & had a great time!! That kareoke equipment was AWESOME!! :) I wish I had some at home!! :) It was so much fun!! We took it over to Matt & Chelle's the next night (we got it all weekend!! because he rented it on Friday, but they're closed the whole weekend, so didn't have to return it until Monday) & had a blast!! :) That was lots of fun!! :)

Then, by Tuesday I was ready for a girls' night out!! Chelle, Amy & I saw "Made of Honor" with McDreamy, and it was very good...then we went out for dinner & ice cream at Friendly's...I was just in some MAJOR need of no-kids-allowed time, ya know? I love my kiddos, but I've been going a little crazy, especially on Mondays when Steve doesn't get home until 10:30 or later...Plus, I just hadn't had girl time & was ready for girl talk...they understand how I feel about being a Mom better than Steve!! LOL

Anyways, that's where I'll end it, and if you've read til now, go you!! LOL :) There was lots in there, and of course it's been so long, so I've left LOTS out, so for that, you're welcome!! HAHA!! :)

Love you all!! :) Here's a few pics!! :)