Halloween/birthday

So today I turned the big 3 0 and I'm not upset about it at all. I am actually excited to see what my 30s bring! I went to Bible study this morning, it was funny one of the ladies prayer request was for me not to have a hard time turning 30 years old today! Another lady bought me a gift, very sweet. After study Peanut and I met my dad for lunch at the mall. Then we went shopping, my dad kept wanting to buy the kids stuff, to which I had to remind him it was MY birthday! I got 6 new shirts 3 long, and 3 short sleeves, and then I got a new pair of jeans, which is what I was most excited about. My dad is so good to me. I got several calls from friends and family throughout the day also got lots of cards to open this morning. J got off of work early so he could get the kids from school to give me more time to shop with my dad. When my family came home each of the kids gave me a rose and then J came in with a dozen white roses and a snickers bar, my favorite candy. Shortly after that my wonderful friend Kristin knocked on the door with a present for me. She got me the most beautiful charm bracelet. I love it Kristin! Then it was costumes on and out the door. We went around our block grabbed a bit to eat and then headed to church for Trunk or Treat. I have pictures but I am too lazy right now to upload them. It will probably be Sunday before I have a chance. Tomorrow we are off to meet my mom and grandma for the day and then J and I are going on a date tomorrow night!!! I love birthdays :) I forgot to mention that J bought me the Love Dare book from the movie Fireproof. I'll just say it was a really good day. And I'd turn 30 again in a heartbeat ;)

Photo Contest!

5 Minutes for Mom is having another photo contest about FOOD! How fun. Here is my entry. This was the night we each made our own pizza's for dinner. This is my favorite picture from that night!

Pumpkin Carving!

We did this Tuesday night but I'm getting time now to upload the pictures! We had a lot of fun :)
I took way more pictures but these are some of my favorite ones!

Just because she looks so HAPPY here!

Red sticking his hand in the goop for the first time. I love his face!

He had success and he was excited!

Monkey getting his pumpkin started!

GG showing us she is hungry! She is so funny :)

Peanut touching the inside for the first time. I think she liked the feel and she kept wanting to eat it. Gross!

Has her hand on her pumpkin to make sure everyone knows it's hers :) She did very well with the activities of the night and I was very glad!

This is the first year we let Monkey and GG carve their own pumpkins. I think they did a really good job! This is Monkey hard at work I love the look of concentration on his face. Priceless.

This is GG carving her pumpkin. I think she made the coolest eyes! I loved watching them work so hard at accomplishing this task.

Here are the kids with their finished pumpkins...

Here they are in the dark with candles. From left to right
Peanut, GG, Red and Monkey

Hope you enjoyed our pumpkin carving experience in pictures!!!

Somewhat Wordless Wednesday!

What happens when I leave my one year old in the living room while I go to the bathroom?

I come out of the bathroom hearing her cry...and this is what I find her doing!




She got up there all by herself because once I took her off she went right back on the chair and stood up. Silly Girl!

Busy Week

I have a pretty busy week ahead of me. I actually opted out of last night girls night out and snuggled on the couch with my hubby and watched a movie. It was the first night at home since last Thursday. Tonight we are carving pumpkins with the kids because J is busy every other night this week. Wednesday we have Awana at church. Thursday is a pretty big homework night because the two older kids have tests on Fridays and J has a meeting. Then Friday, I have Bible study in the morning, meeting my dad for lunch and to go shopping for my birthday, pick kids up from school, get them home and changed, trick or treat around our neighborhood, and head to church for trunk or treat. And somewhere in there we have to feed the munchkins! Then Saturday we are meeting my mom at our half way spot which is an hour drive for us, better then the two though. Spending the day with her and then heading back home to go hang out with some friends from church in their parents hot tub. The husband's birthday is 3 days after mine so we are going to celebrate both our birthdays. Plus, I still have this stupid cough so annoying. I'm also a bummed because I never sent out an email for this weeks playgroup because I needed a break but wish I would of because Red needed to play with friends today. I have a doctor's appointment today with a specialist and I'm a little nervous about it. I've had this appointment for 6 weeks. I just want my stomach issues solved and be in no more pain. I just want my words to be clear and concise as to what is going on with me so that he can accurately help me.

Church family

I have been thinking about this the last few weeks. I have had a few different conversations with people about God and church. I believe they were both family members but not sure. Anyways, one conversation started because of school choices. They send their oldest to a private christian school. I asked if they go to church too. They told me that they don't believe it is necessary to go to church that they pray with their kids at meals and such. Not that that is bad in anyway. But that statement made me think and it also made me sad. I love my church and the people in it. They are like an extended family. I am at church 3 times a week. Then I started thinking about last winter and all the help from the people in our church. The women who made meals for our family, came over to help with the kids as I laid on the couch in pain, women who drove me to doctor's appointments while J was working and the people who called and sent cards. Being a part of a church family can be one of the biggest blessings of being a Christian and having faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. It just makes me sad that not everyone is plugged into a support that a church can create. I think about when Peanut was born and the four/five meals a week we got for 3 weeks straight, what a huge help for J! Then there are things as simple as I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon and a girl from church is coming over to watch Red and Peanut so I can go without dealing with them at this appointment. To the Bible study that I am in on Friday mornings with the mom's day out afterward. We are having a girls night out tonight. Now I do know and understand that you don't have to be apart of a church to be able to do some of these things but being in the company of like minded, Christ centered people just does something good for my soul. Also the reason I love the fact that my kids go to a Christian school. My school mommy friends are equally as awesome! I think I got off track :) I am just writing this post to encourage you to get plugged into a church if you aren't and you will be blessed. And by getting plugged in I don't mean just go, you need to get involved in the ministries of the church invest in relationships with other members. Ok getting off of my soap box. But before I do I just really want everyone to experience the blessings that I have with my church. K, I'm done.

Late Night!

We didn't get home until after 11pm. It was way past my bedtime. ha! We had such a great time. The main band playing Building 429 is one of my favorite bands and it was really cool to see them live. The band that played before them was Addison Road and I had heard a couple of their songs on K-Love and they totally rocked in concert. The lead singer announced that she is 3 months pregnant and her husband is in the band with her. It was really cool. I left with Addison Road's cd (I wish I would of opened it and asked them to sign it, oops), J had already pre-ordered the new Building 429 so we should be getting it soon. They played a few of their new songs and needless to say I'm excited to get the new cd!!! In between bands I walked out of the room and saw Jenny (lead singer of AR) standing there and I went up and talked to her. I gave her a hug and told her congrats on the baby. I told her I had 4 kids and she was shocked and said, "I have hope. You are tiny." I thought that was pretty cute. We talked a little bit and then I went back in. I told J I talked to her and he said, "Did you give her your blog address?" I said, "No, why would I do that?" He said, "Because it's cool." He is so funny sometimes. Well I have taken the liberty to pull one song from each of this bands so you can get idea of why I really like them. You can also check out their websites. Addison Road and Building 429.

Resolved for now

The money has been returned to GG and an apology given. However the bullying stuff hasn't been even talked about. I am trying to figure out where to go from here. I don't want my daughter to stop playing with this little girl completely as it is obvious she needs a good friend. However I don't want this friendship to be one of do this or I'm telling on you. Apparently yesterday at school she told another one of her friends that she couldn't play with Rachel because she stole her money. And in a way it was a great starter for a converstaion about how this Rachel needs grace, mercy and love. How GG could show her those and be her friend but that if she is going to bully her into doing something then she needs to speak up and tell her to stop. Then tell the teacher what is going on. Also about how telling the other girl was wrong and she shouldn't have done that. Her teacher talked to her about it today as well so hopefully she learned that lesson! If anything major happens I'm sure I'll be blogging about it.

So tonight is the concert and my stomach is so sore from COUGHING! I tried to get a nap today but Peanut fell asleep on the way home from Bible study and only slept 30 minutes once we got home. I'm praying that I will be non grumpy at the end of the concert!!! But I'm also really looking forward to spending some time with my hubby even if I'm still sickly.

Saddened

I have to say that this morning has to be the worst day ever as a parent. It all started yesterday after school when I picked the kids up. GG came to the van crying. I asked her what was wrong and she proceeded to tell me this. *I have changed the name of the girl*

GG: Rachel stole my money.
Me: What money?
GG: The money that Monkey gave me.
Me to Monkey: Where did you get money from?
Monkey: My friend
Me: Ok so what happened?
GG: Rachel asked if she could put her snack in my lunch box because she had a paper bag for lunch. So I let her. When I was in the bathroom she went into my locker to get her snack and she took my dollar too.
Me: Why didn't you say anything to her or the teacher?
GG: I didn't know she took it until after school when I went to get something out of the vending machine and it was gone. Mom she took it. I know she took it because at lunch there was this little first grader getting something out of the vending machine and her dollar wasn't going in so Rachel helped her. The little first grader got a bag of chips that cost 40 cents and Rachel gave her a dime and kept the 50 cents.

I get home and call her teacher to tell her I will be coming in to school tomorrow to talk to her about it. Then J comes home I tell him what happened. The first thing we talked to the kids about was not taking money from other kids. If Monkey wouldn't have taken the two dollars from that boy then this wouldn't have happened. We explained to the kids that the money their friends bring to school is really their mom and dad's money and not their friends to be giving away. We asked Monkey if he asked for the money and he said no the friend just gave it to him. Which is nice but still not appropriate for first grade. As we were talking to GG on the way to church it came out that this Rachel is bullying her into doing what she wants to do. For instant at recess if GG wants to play at the playground and Rachel wants to jump rope she will say jump rope with me or I'm going to tell the teacher on you. This just breaks my heart. This girl was in GG class last year and we had problems with her doing these same type of things which the teacher was made aware of and it was handled. She has changed her angel this year though. It is very frustrating.

This morning we go in and the teacher didn't get my message so I have to explain everything that GG told me. Then GG came in and the teacher asked her questions and she answered them honestly. Then her teacher said something about talking to Rachel's mom when she got there and GG started to change her story. She said, "I didn't see her take my money so maybe she didn't" Where as yesterday she was sure of it. I could see the fear come across her face that her friend was going to be in trouble for stealing money from her and the first grader. Which this morning came out that GG show her take the 50 cents and that Rachel was bragging about taking the money from the girl. GG started crying because Rachel is friends with her best friend Crafty which is Rachel's only other friend, wonder why? She told me that Rachel wasn't going to let her play with Crafty if she gets in trouble. Both me and her teacher told her that Rachel needs to have consequences if she did steal her money and that GG was doing the right thing. I walked out of the school today wanting to bring GG home with me but I know she needs to be at school. She is a strong girl. Her teacher told me that GG gets along with everyone in the class and she has lots of friends. Her teacher was very great this morning and so kind and caring with GG. I really appreciated that.

On a lighter note: I was sitting on the couch typing this post and I noticed Peanut having the I'm pooping face. I grabbed her pulled her diaper off and put her on the potty where she pooped and peed! It was too cute I had to take pictures. I have not decided to start potty training her but I would like to get as much of her poop in the potty as possible so it doesn't stink up the house! Here are the pictures I took of her being a big girl :)

Isn't she cute?! She started peeing when I took this picture :)

Want to scream...

Before I get into that I wanted to say that I have no idea how the boy on Sunday is doing, I have prayed for him often. I didn't know his name and even if I did I could call the hospital because they couldn't tell me anything because of privacy laws. The first thing the kids and I did when we pulled up and J jumped out was to pray for his recovery.

The part that makes me want to scream is the way I feel. Last night after I put the kids to be at 6:30pm, yeah J was out of town and I just couldn't handle them anymore. J left for WIU at 5:30am Monday, at which point woke me up and I couldn't go back to sleep. NOT happy about that. I got the kids ready took them to school and went grocery shopping. I should of known something was wrong with me because my grocery bill was really low, that always happens when I'm not feeling good and I just want to get it done. Though at this point I didn't really feel that terrible just tired, with good reason. So after all kids in bed I laid on the couch watching tv and that is when I started feeling achy and just not good. I was trying to wish away any sickness that might be trying to inhabit my body but this morning and right now tells me I lost the battle. I think part of the problem was GG slept in my bed with me last night. She woke up at midnight declaring she hadn't fallen asleep yet. I tell her to lay down and go to bed. Then again at 3:20am replay the midnight scene. And once again at 6am at which point I am up for the day. I can't fight off sickness if I can't get sleep people! **Note to self next time J leaves town don't invite another kid to sleep in your bed :)** I did go to playgroup this morning so that Red could wear off some energy. Then we came home for lunch which I didn't eat. Peanut feel asleep in the van so I laid her down gave Red something to eat and then went to lay down with him for naptime. As soon as I started to drift off she was awake. Oy. I brought her out to the living room still determined to get a nap I put her favorite 30 minute movie on. Didn't work too well but I did just get to lay and rest. The only bad part is that J won't be home until around 8pm so I am on my own for homework, dinner and bedtime again tonight. When he gets home I am making a rule that he can't go away during school time until the baby is at least 3yr but I would prefer 4yrs old.

So here is the most important part of the post. I need some tricks ladies as to how to get better fast. On Friday J and I are going to a Building 429 concert for my birthday. I'm going to go either way but I would love to be feeling better. Any remedies that you swear by? I take a probiotic daily, women's vitamin, and last night I took a B vitamin complex with extra vitamin C hoping it would help. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!

Weekend Highlights.

I think I am going to use bullets for this post!

• We if you missed it check the post below about the pumpkin farm we went to.
• After church we went out to eat at this really yummy Italian place.
  
• On the way to my in-laws we witnessed a 14 yr old get dragged under a car. We didn't see the impact but we saw the tail end of the lady dragging this poor boy about 20ft. My wonderful hubby pulled the van up and jumped out to help. He was the only one on the scene that had any experience with being a first responder. It was a really scary situation but watching J in action was really cool. He totally took charge. He held the boys head still and was talking to him to keep him conscience while waiting for the ambulance and fire to come. The kids eyes were rolling in the back of his head and his body was shaking. There was no blood so that was good. My kids were really freaked out and it was a good lesson to show them why we wear helmets when we ride our bikes.
  
• GG lost her 4th tooth at G & G house. Now she has no top front teeth. The bottom front have come in completely. My sis-in-law took a video of her tooth wiggling and her pulling it out so when I get it I will post it. It is kinda funny. She was really scared to pull it for some reason.
  
• I got tagged by my friend Julie. The only problem is that we are to show the inside of our purse. I don't own a purse. I have a diaper bag but that usually stays in the van unless it needs restocked with baby goods. Thanks for tagging me Julie! If I come up with a fun twist to the tag I will do it and let you know.
  

Pumpkin Farm!

Today we (Aunty Becky came too) went to a pumpkin farm near our house with people from our Sunday school class and their families. It was a lot of fun and the kids got to play with their church friends. The weather was gorgeous. We started out eating our lunch we brought. Then the kids played.

The girls

Red on the circus train...right where he belongs :)

Aren't they cute?

The kids with their friend A.

The kids with their friend W. A and W are cousins!

Big Girl playing.

Proof that I was there. Ha!

She was loving the pumpkins.

Riding the ponies.

My cowboy. Such a natural.
GG was in heaven being on the pony.

This is one of Peanut's church friends N and sister to W.

This is the last of 5 pictures I took of the girls and Peanut is really cheesing for me so I'll stop taking pictures. I must mention there were two other people taking pictures of these two cuties.

A Video Friday!

Don't mind my back side and just watch Peanut!

Helping a friend out!

Remember the contest I entered about sleeping angels? Well we were not chosen as a finalist but one of my bloggy friends was! Here is the picture of her cute little boy sleeping. Isn't it winning worthy??? I think so! Please vote for her picture titled Sermon on the Mount of Laundry...I believe it is the third one down...go here to vote thanks so much :)

Wordless Wednesday ~ Shaving Tradition

Find more WW pictures Here!

I added the follow our blog on the sidebar so if you would like to track along with our craziness you can easily :)

Could anything else go wrong?

We've been having some really nice weather and last night it was really warm in the house. Before we went to bed we turned on the ceiling fan. In the middle of the night I woke up feeling warm and the fan wasn't running. My first thought was that J had turned it off then I heard a buzzing sound and realized that it stopped working. Great another expense.

Then this morning as we were getting ready for school. The fuse in the kitchen blew. Not helping my desire to move. I really love the location we live but the house notsomuch, it works and I WILL make it work for at least 3 more years, but that is all I'm going to say about that.

Then tonight as the kids were taking showers the drain wasn't draining fast enough and the tub was filling up. J had a meeting tonight so he wasn't able to fix it before he left. I really hope that he can fix it because we really don't need another thing needing money especially this time of year.

On the happy side of today, when I pulled out my pants for the day I had $11 washed dollars in my pocket! Score :) And I did get to spend the day with one of my friends and her little boy who is Red's age. We hung out at our house and then took the kids to Chuck E Cheese. And that is my day.

I've been told...

that I'm slacking on the ole blog. Yes it is true. Last week Monkey and I were a bit under the weather so it was a very low key week. Everything seems to be ok this week so we'll see as it unfolds. Peanut has started taking more steps and getting daring enough to let go of furniture to walk. I think her most steps is something like 12. She's getting it! Of course, though she would rather cruise around the furniture, less scary that way ;)

Today while the kids were in school, yes they had school today, J and I went out to eat for our weekly date. We went to PF Changs, so yummy but a bit on the pricey side I realized today. We've only eaten there twice so no big deal. Then we decided it was so nice out to go get ice cream from DQ. J didn't have any schools in session except the one our kids go to so he had a very relaxed day.

So my birthday is coming up and it is fastly getting packed with celebration. My dad is taking the day off to spend the afternoon with me and Peanut. That night we are going to church for Trunk or Treat. Incase you didn't know my birthday is Halloween. On Saturday my mom is coming into town for the day. That night we are getting together with a couple who's husband's birthday is the 3rd to celebrate both birthdays. And J is looking at buying concert tickets for Building 429, really excited about that. Speaking of concerts there is a David Crowder Band concert coming up and he asked if I wanted to go and I told him to take Red. Every time we get in the van Red wants to listen to Crowder Band, so cute. The funny thing was that J's first thought when he heard about the concert was that Red would love it so when I told him to take him it was like we thought the same.

So how is that for a post? Did you follow? Did you make it all the way to the end? Thanks for reading this rambling...

What's the deal?

I've almost been married for 9 years and tonight was the first time I burnt dinner. I was making manicotti for the second time and I forgot an important step in the cooking of it. To cover the pan before it went into the stove. Bummer. All the prep work and then stuffing the shells and it is not even edible. Little Ceasars to the rescue tonight, yum crazy bread!

Election

I'm not going to talk politics because I just really don't want too. I am just taken aback by how my people in there 60's and 70's that don't and aren't voting in this election. Those are the people we need to be voting because they have been here a lot longer then most of us voting and their opinions and votes count. I don't even care if they vote for the other person that I'm not voting for, I'm not telling because I don't want to start a debate :) I'm just sitting here saddened by this fact. I've talked to at least 4 older generation people who aren't even registered to vote. When I asked them why there aren't voting they said that they will be gone soon or that their vote doesn't count. Oy. What a stubborn generation those grandparents are! I did talk to my grandparents today and they are voting...I was very happy to hear that.

I'm so not a boy...

On the way to the movies J and I were talking and all of a sudden he says, "Push Butt. Rub hands gently under arm. Stop auto at ally." I was like what are you talking about? Apparently in the men's bathrooms they rub off letters on the automatic dryer to say the above. It should say Push Button. Rub hands gently under warm air. Stops automatically. Weirdos!

Then the other day the kids were watching the Swan Princess and there was a kissing scene and J said something to the effect of don't watch. And Red says, "Why dad they are kissing." The babysitter says, "You know what kissing is?" Red says, "Yep, it's cooties" It was just priceless. Do you think he will think that when he is a teenager?

Weekend Recap

Saturday: We went to Barnes and Noble because Curious George was there reading to the kids. I got a few Christmas presents while I was there as well. I really need to get on the shopping thing! Then I came home with the kids to get naps in. J worked the Barnes and Noble thing it was a fundraiser/promotion thing they were doing there that J was helping with. He got home around 5pm and we ate dinner and then one of our sitters came over and we went to see the movie Fireproof. Let me just say that was the best 18.50 I have spent to see a movie. The last time we went to an adult movie we had our heads turned for most of it because of the nakedness. We would of walked out and asked for our money back but we had gone with another couple and felt kind of trapped in that horrible situation. I would highly recommend seeing this movie. At the end there is a website that you can visit for the book/challenge in the movie.

Sunday: Church in the morning. Then we came home and ate a quick lunch and headed to our friends Hair Saloon. She was doing $5 hair cuts, $5 manicures and $5 messages for Breast Cancer awareness month. I have been wanting to get GG's hair trimmed, she hasn't had a cut since she donated to Locks of Love in May of 2007 (17 months ago). Her hair looks so healthy now and I didn't have to fight with her to sit still so I could cut it and it only cost $5 :) J and I each got massages (the lady doing them gave the kids each a free 2 minute massage) and GG also got a manicure. She was the pampered queen for the day! Oh and I won in the raffle, score. We might be going to night church tonight but we haven't decided yet.

Friday Field Trip!

Yesterday I went on a field trip with Monkey's class to the Apple Farm. I was told I would have 4 students, I thought easy I have 4 kids. Well I get to school and I had 5 kids and all boys. Wow. I was the only mom with all boys so that was kind of interesting. Because the one mom who had 4 had her son and another boy and then two girls. Her son kept coming to my group to be with Monkey. Another mom had 3 girls and one boy and her boy kept coming to my group as well. I had with me between 5 and 7 boys! My 5 boys were very well behaved and several of them kept holding my hand, it was cute. Here's Monkey ready to go on the bus.
The first thing we did at the field trip was eat lunch. We left school at 9:15 and we got there at 11:30 so the kids were hungry :)

We got to see a movie about apples and honey and the importance of bees with both of them. Then we took a hayride to the apples. Our tractor driver was an alumni of the kids' school, so that was pretty cool.

Then we picked 5 apples each. Now I have 10 apples and they are nice a BIG! After we got our apples we had a snack of apple cider doughnuts and apple cider.

Then the kids got feed for the petting zoo. They had a blast feeding the chickens, goats and other animals.

Then they played at this huge play area with a firetruck, car, boat and different little houses. It was a bit tough to keep track of the 5 boys I had. Here are my 5 boys...

Here is Monkey's 1st grade class all together! 18 students.
It was a great day, beautiful weather and a very fun time. I'm so glad I got to go on this field trip. I'm so blessed. I must mention that my friend Melissa watched Peanut all day for me. She has 4 boys and her youngest will be one in December and she has a set of twins so she did great with the two babies!