last day of the month

wow I can't believe I did it. I posted what I was thankful for 30 days. I think it has changed my perspective on a lot of things. Because I will be having a bad day and then I get on here to post what I am thankful for and feel like I have nothing but by God's grace I have found something to be thankful for each and every day this month! I don't think of myself as a downer but these dark days certainly don't help with my mood. I miss summer :( Moving along tonight the kids had their Ark performance. It was the first time Monkey had a speaking part and GG had a bigger speaking part. And it was the first time Red was in it. So that was really fun to watch! I also had my Bible study this morning and I am SO thankful for this group of women. I have grown so much during this study. It has motivated me to really learn what the Bible says instead of just reading the Bible. Sure when I do read the Bible I get something out of it every time but digging deeper into each verse has just opened my eyes to things I've read so many times but never really understood. I just love it. We are studying Daniel which is closely related to Revelations and the end times. It is so exciting and scary at the same time. Exciting that His return is very near with each passing day but scary because I want my family to be with me in heaven. Though I know that when that time comes I won't be worrying about them I will be in awe of Christ. It is just so hard for me to wrap my brain around. What we think and how we act are not how we will be after the second coming. It is really confusing to me but very fascinating too! I'm ready for the rapture but not really, there are more people I want to know about God. I am thankful for learning and growing more in my faith and in the knowledge of the Lord. As next month comes and we celebrate Christmas I want to focus more on the real reason we celebrate. The birth of the pure spotless lamb who came to cover all our sins. Thank you Jesus for the best gift ever = salvation.

catch up

Today was my catch up day on all the errands that got neglected while the kids were home last week! Peanut and I first had to get do a few things at school. Then it was off to Whole Foods to grab some sunflower oil for my experiment I'm doing. Just not sure I'm ready to share with the world what crazy thing I am doing now to help improve my overall health! But if you see me go ahead and ask because I love to talk about it in person. Then we went to the chiropractor which I haven't been to in about 3 weeks because I needed a break from going and also our wallet needed a break from paying for it. I am seriously thinking of making this my last 12 weeks there. I was not happy leaving there today after the doctor made me feel horrible that I pulled my kids out of care. Hello it is expensive and we just can't afford it right now so make me feel like dirt, not cool. After that we headed over to Toys R Us to pick up the cyber Monday deal I got yesterday. And then got a few more gifts for Peanut making her done and a few more gifts for Red making him done now! Marking off people from my check list and it feels good. Our first Christmas get together is on Dec 10th so I need to get the gifts ready for that next but that isn't hard because it is only 2 gifts. Then I think we might have another Christmas on the 17th and then for sure on the 18th. And I am hoping the 24th with my in-laws after church and then our Christmas on the actual day. That makes me tired just thinking about it. Whoa I totally got way off track here. Our next errand was to get groceries. My goal was NOT to shop at all last week though I did end up going grocery shopping twice. ugh. Once all the groceries were put away it was lunchtime and then school time. Then I realized that GG was going to be needing some stuff to finish her project due tomorrow so we went to wally world (walmart) because it is seriously 5 minutes from our house. I got the stuff I needed and a few more family gifts for Christmas so I am totally and completely done now, ha. Oh yeah and I paid the mortgage. Then I came home and made an appointment for family pictures and ordered my present online, which I am super excited about! Today I am thankful for the energy to get all the above done and not be pooped by 8pm. Uh oh I just yawned I think I have been sitting too long better get up and get moving...

Back to school they go...

Man was this morning hard to get moving which is weird because I woke up at 5:15 and couldn't fall back to sleep though I did just lay in bed until my alarm went off. I just felt so yuck this morning. Not sure if it had to do with the food we ate last night for dinner, we went out with my dad or the lack of sleep I got because my body didn't want to go to bed before 11pm and then woke up at 5:15am. Though one night during break I got woke up at 12:30am and then again at 6:30am by phone calls. It was black Friday and people were calling to see if we had this or could I get this! But I was able to go back to sleep until I felt like waking up...such a difference. Only 3 more weeks of school and then the kids are off for 2 whole weeks. Man are we going to be in trouble. Anyways...I was a good girl today and only looked at a few stores for the Cyber Monday deals and ONLY bought the one item I had planned on buying for Peanut's Christmas present and I got it at a great price, score. I did see some great deals but if don't need them or can't use them are they really that great a deal..ahem extreme couponers comes to mind...moving along. I worked today and I took the kids to the children's museum and met another mom who nannys. She has 4 kids and they are from 3 different families. Though she has 7 kids of her own but they are either off to college or in school. It is funny to me when I take the 3 kids to places like that because to me it is easy peasy only have 3 and one in a stroller. But there are moms that without fail ask me how I do it with 3. You should see the look on their faces when I tell them that I have 4 and explain that I am watching the two and how much easier it is to have these 3 then my 4, ha! Then tonight GG had her second game cheerleading. Poor girl didn't feel very good this morning but I wasn't feeling the greatest so I just figured it was something we ate or the fact that we were both tired. She was waking up at 9 each day during break! At the game she said she had a headache but cheered anyway. Then about halfway through she came over to me. I talked to her and she wanted to stick out the game. I think she just didn't eat enough food today and was feeling weak. She didn't eat breakfast because her tummy was funny feeling and then she said she didn't eat much of her lunch. And she hadn't eaten dinner yet. I hate it when she doesn't feel good. I feel so helpless especially when she won't eat. I just pray hard against an eating disorder because I know how much I struggled with food when I was in high school and I don't want her to be the same way because it royally messed me up. What I am thankful for today is a God who I can cry out to about these burdens or issues and rest in the peace that only He can bring. I know my daughter is in the palm of His hand. I am just so thankful that he cares for me and each one of us so intimately. What an amazing and wonderful God we serve.

A good feeling

Today Jeff and I got to go on a quick spur of the moment Christmas shopping trip. It was a lot like a date, so nice. We stopped at Walmart and got a few gifts, then headed to Game Stop and got a few more gifts, then we went to the Family Christian Bookstore and got two things none of which were gifts, then to Target and we got a few more gifts. I am happy to say that the two oldest are DONE and the two little ones only need one or two more gifts. Such a nice feeling! Now I just need teacher gifts and some extended family gifts and we'll be completely done. I will say that I am usually completely done by now and it has been a very weird feeling to still need to get stuff. It is almost like panic mode now since it is less than 30 days away. I am thankful for the alone time I got to spend with Jeff today. We had a good 3 hours just the two of us and we got to have fun like we used to before kids came along!!!

Overtime

These posts keep getting later and later. Monday is going to be killer to get up to get the kids to school! Today I am thankful for all the overtime Jeff has been getting at work. Sure it isn't normal hours (11pm to 7am) and he does have to sign up for them but it is still extra money to help cover the cost of the bathroom remodel and the impeding Christmas shopping that I still haven't really started yet. The goal is to get it all done next week while the kids are at school. We shall see if that happens. Anyway, I am thankful for his willingness and the availability of overtime. For awhile the department cut all overtime and the only way to get it was to work a detail which he would always get bumped from by someone with more time on. Now he can do some of the bumping which is nice. I better get to sleep or Monday will be even worse than it already is. And wondering if any one had a good recipe for turkey chili using already cooked turkey? I am making Turkey noodle soup tomorrow for dinner but that is only going to use a 4th of what I have left over. Needing some ideas!!! Thanks :) 

Christmas

It is only 30 days away! I haven't even started shopping for it. I just don't know what to get these kids anymore. But I am really excited for GG as I know one of her presents she is getting from her grandparents. She is going to FREAK. I'll give a hint it is a book lovers dream present ;) Anyway I really need to get on the ball with gifts. That is my goal next week to get most of the shopping done. I really only have to get three kids pj's for Christmas Eve, one more stocking stuffer, and then one gift for each because we are getting them a big joint present of either a trampoline or ping pong table. Oh what I am thankful for today is that I learned I am NOT a black Friday shopper. I went out this morning at 7:30 and returned home at 9:45am. I only went to two stores and the first one I walked out with nothing. The second store I saved a TON of money at. I bought two books (one for a baby shower and the other as a stocking stuffer for Peanut) than I got two really cute summer dresses, a winter outfit, and a t-shirt all to go with the book for the shower. When I sat down to look and see how much I really saved I saved $80 and spent $28. I was happy about that. I am thankful for the experience of today but glad I will not be doing that again!

Thanksgiving!!!

Today was another adventure in the kitchen for me! When I got up this morning the turkey was not completely thawed. I took it out of the package and started picking off the ice. Then I began the water thaw. I was able to get it in the oven by 9am which I thought was pretty good albeit half an hour later than I had planned. I am thankful for the fact that Jeff forgot to turn off his alarm and I was awoken by 6:45 this morning. I had set my clock for 8am and if I had slept that long that turkey would not of gotten in that oven by 9am! I know it is a funny thing to be thankful for but I am thankful that alarm didn't get turned off ;) Any other day I would of not been happy. We had such a HUGE amount of food today. Before the big feast we had appetizers of carrots and cucumbers with dip, cheese, crackers and summer sausage, shrimp and dip, strawberries and cantaloup and chex mix which was a pretty nice spread in and of itself. In addition to the food I listed yesterday my mom-in-law brought cranberries and sweet potatoes and Jeff had bought some ice cream for the dessert! It was some good eatin'. We ate around 3pm and then we let our tummies settle. We were ready for dessert around 4:30ish/5 and we told the kids it was their dinner. Red was so excited. Then the we missed Charlie Brown on tv which really bummed us all out. On all the commercials it had 9/8c and then the website said the same thing but when I turned the tv on at 7:50 it was already playing. The kids were in tears so I am going to have to borrow it from some friends. GG is sitting here reading everything I type and she informed me that SHE was NOT in tears...so I must correct my earlier statement with *most* of the kids (the two youngest) were in tears. It was a great day spending time with family. I hope everyone else had a great Thanksgiving. Only 6 more days of this month...

Ahh

We finally picked a color! It is a shade of purple :) So thankful for that decision being done. Today I'm thankful for enjoying cooking. It makes tomorrow so much better than if I hated to cook, you know? I am a little freaked out about tomorrow though to be honest. My mom-in-law picked out the turkey and it is 22lbs. I have never cooked a turkey that big before. I just hope it turns out good or we will just be eating sides and getting the meat from Boston Market or somewhere else like that. So far this is what is planned to eat tomorrow. Things could change!

 Turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes, (though I would of loved to try mashed cauliflower, heard they were super yummy), homemade apple sauce, stuffing, pumpkin seeds, cheesecake, and pecan pie. We should be eating good tomorrow!

Coming along...

A guy came over and fixed all the walls in the bathroom today and now we have to pick out a paint color! That is the hardest part so far in this process. Jeff and I have such different taste on what the color should be. But we really need to get it painted so that we can keep moving on it. After painting is the floor and then everything else goes right in place! It will be no time once the floor goes in but we need to paint first which requires getting a color :) Anyways, I am thankful for handymen who come in and do a good job at a reasonable price! I'm getting excited to get that extra bathroom back. I have come to like having the master bath as Jeff and I's only. But the kids do need to shower and use the potty so they have been invading our bathroom. And I am ready for it to be only ours again! That doesn't really sound thankful more like selfish, ha.

Today

Let's see what am I thankful for today? Today I am thankful for friends in our lives. Monkey is having a friend spend the night tonight and that always brings a level of excitement in the house. Monkey has always been really good when he has a friend over in letting his siblings play with them and today was no exception. His friend has one sister who is 4 years older than him so I bet being in our house was not normal for him and having all of Monkey's siblings want to play with them. The last time GG had a sleepover with her bff she ended up getting a migraine that put her in bed for most of the night. Her friend who also has many siblings played so great with Peanut. I think Peanut thought she was having the sleepover! So I am thankful for friends who fit so well with our family and that make life exciting. Though not thankful for the lack of sleep sleepover induce...it is 11:45pm and none of the boys are sleeping yet and I think the girls finally fell asleep about 15 minutes ago.

Thanksgiving Break

I know I just said how much I love the kids school but I have to admit I get really excited for their school breaks. There is something about being together for a week or two to reconnect. The last couple of weeks it seemed like all the kids did when they were with each other was fight with car rides being the worst! Just like the last few Thanksgiving breaks we got a puzzle to do over break. Well we pulled it out yesterday to start it and GG and I were having such a good time together that we finished the 750 piece puzzle in ONE day. She must of gotten her love tank filled because today at grandma and grandpa's house I walked in on GG snuggling with Red. And Monkey sitting right next to them. I haven't seen her be that tender with Red in a LONG time. It brought warmth to my heart. We really needed this break to reconnect. I am thankful for bounding. I hope these bonds last a lifetime.

Leaders

I am thankful for all the leaders I had in my youth group when I was growing up. They poured so much time and energy into me in Jr. High and High School. Now as I am doing the same for this next generation and I finally understand just how much time and energy those people used to minister to me as a youth. I am so forever grateful for those wonderful people. They were so patient, loving, caring, and attentive. And at a time when I really needed it. Those are some really rough years especially junior high. Jr. High can be brutal at least my experience was. Some of my leaders I am still in touch with through the wonderful world of facebook. I just hope I can be used of God like my leaders were. I am thankful for all the people who do sacrifice to work with youth...nursery age all the way up to college age. I'm also thankful for the wonderful people at our church who have poured into the lives of my own kids. And not to mention the leaders in our church the pastors, elders, and adult Sunday school teachers.

Thanksgiving Break

I am thankful that next week we will get to have a lot of family togetherness. I look forward to working on the puzzle we bought for our break, having the kids help make our Thanksgiving meal, sharing a meal with extended family, and putting up our Christmas tree. I wrote on my facebook status a couple days ago that "I really do love my life and the people I am surrounded by!" I really truly am blessed beyond measure. My life isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I choose to look at all the things that I have been blessed with instead of the other stuff. 

Our school

Today I am thankful for the school my kids go to. I absolutely love it. There is just such a great sense of community. My husband had won a free lunch for 6 people in town. I was able to invite some mom friends from school. Then tonight was GG's first basketball game that she cheered at. Being at the school and seeing all the parents in her class there to support their kids in their activities was just so great to see. That does not happen at every school from my experience. My brother and mom-in-law also came to watch GG cheer. 

Mom's Night

Tonight was Mom's night in Boys Truth and Training at church. Each of the boys made their moms a turkey (hand) and on each finger was what they are thankful for their moms. It was really cute and sweet the things my Monkey wrote. What I am thankful for today is the ability and the health to go to the Mom's nights for each of my kids and participate in the gym games. Not all moms can and so I am so very thankful that I am able attend and be active in my role. There was a time in my life that I thought my health was not going to improve so it makes me even more thankful for these times in my life because I do have good health now. 

Job

I have a very part time job nannying. I work one or two days a week and sometimes it is only for about 3 to 4 hours. Yesterday though I was there for almost 10 hours. I like this job for now because it gives us a little extra "fun money" which has come in handy for GG's new cheerleading endeavor, it is NOT cheap! I also like it because I get to play with a baby and they have a daughter 11 months younger than Peanut so she gets to be the oldest when we are there. It has been a great learning experience for her. It is almost like counter acting the fact that she is the "baby" of our family when I watch the kids. The girls play great together which is just another added bonus. I am thankful for this family too. They are good friends of ours so it is fun to be able to watch kids that I love like my own. We get to see them outside of "work" at church and other social things. I know that in a few years I am going to actively seek out a real full time job to keep up with our growing family...food and activities. But for right now I enjoy the very part time "job" I do have. 

Monday Menu

Today I am thankful for food. We never go hungry and eat three meals a day and also get to have snacks throughout the day as well. Not to mention clean water to drink. I know this could be debated but for the most part our water will not kill us to drink. I decided that I need to write out my meals planned for this week because I like being able to look back and see what we have eaten. There are only two days that I know for sure what we are eating because I work those days and need meals that can be done before hand or crock pot cooked :) Our meals for this week are: Tonight we will probably have some gluten free pasta and salad, Tue (I work) we are having Turkey meatloaf and green beans, Wed is church dinner, Friday is beef stew, other meals this week are sausage, potato and kale soup and chicken stir fry, and sausage zucchini bake. I will say one of these meals will probably get eaten next Monday because Sundays are usually breakfast for dinner! I am very excited about making my own turkey sausage for the two sausage meals. I hope they taste good and I can keep making my own because it is cheaper and healthier!!! I'll let you know how it goes...

blessings

This morning before church we shared with the kids about last night and getting to meet the band and how Leeland had red hair like Red. But the best part sharing with them was the little girl we are sponsoring. GG was so excited. She wants to start writing to her...like NOW. But we haven't figured out how to write her just yet. All of them want to meet her too. It just blessed my heart at how excited and joyful the kids were about sponsoring this little girl. I am thankful for the many blessings we have and being able to bless other people even people we don't know like this little girl. I am also thankful for my children's hearts and their excitement in sharing God's love in this way.

My charming life :)

Today I am thankful for family who watches our kids for us. Tonight I am especially thankful for Aunt Becky...she watched the kids while Jeff and I went on a date. I am thankful for our date tonight, they are so few at this point in our life but we hope to improve that soon! When GG can sit that will be SO nice. Tonight Jeff and I went to see Building 429 they are such a great band. Leeland and Royal Tailor played before them. I had never heard of Royal Tailor but they put on a pretty good show. I really LOVED watching Leeland. First of all the lead singer was a REDHEAD! He had such spunk like my Red I could imagine him up there singing! Also they had a girl bass player, how cool is that?! Super cool. Then Building 429 came on and played some of my favorite songs. I was SO happy. I absolutely LOVE this song...check it out here and they played it! Then we got some VIP passes to meet the bands after the show. It was so nice to meet them. We got to ask questions and then got autographs. The last question of the night was Jeff's for Building 429 and it was such a great question that the guy had all the bands answer it. Well except Leeland he somehow got skipped. You want to know what he asked don't you? He asked them what their first concert that they ever went to. There was some pretty interesting answers!!! As we were in line getting autographs they asked for help with tearing down the set so the band could get to their next show on time. They offered free tickets to Chris Tomlin for anyone that helped. So Jeff and I helped but we can't go to the concert. It is on Wednesday night about 2 hours away. But we know someone who is going to school where the concert is so hopefully she will be able to use them! It was just such an uplifting night. I wasn't going to share this because I'm really not looking for people to think I am so great but I just feel like it was such a God thing, I just have to share. The band's tour was called the Hope Tour and they were supporting the organization Food for the Hungry. The lead singer of Building 429 was talking about sponsoring a child and I just really felt called to take one of those kids so I kept looking at Jeff to see if he thought it would be ok. He didn't look at me or say anything while the guy was talking. As soon as he was done talking he asked for people to raise their hand if they wanted a child. Jeff immediately put his hand up and he gave us a child. I almost started crying when we turned it over and saw a girl in 5th grade just like our GG. Of all the kids we could of gotten we got one the same gender and age as one of our own children.

Veterans

On Veterans day it is only fitting to be thankful for all the men and women who serve our country to protect us all. I am especially thankful to my dad who served in the Air Force and my older brother who is currently serving in the Air Force reserves and in the last 10 years has been deployed 2 times. Our soldiers and their families give up so much to keep us safe. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

Naps

I am extremely thankful for NAPS!!! I got to have one day which doesn't happen as often as I'd like but when they do they sure do feel great. I feel so refreshed and ready to get the kids from school and finish up our day strong. It also helps that I got to snuggle I 4 year old while napping. One the days I don't nap there is one person in our house that is napping and I have to say that when she is sleeping it is heavenly! I love the alone time. I am wondering how long naps are going to last in our house?! I think this might be the last year for them?!?! We'll see.

My youngest!

I know two posts in one day but I just have to document her today. On Wednesday I help in the cafeteria at school. I was working and Peanut says she has to go to the bathroom I asked her if she needed to go pee or poop to which she said she had to poop. Ok, she knows where to go so I told her to go ahead and go potty and I would be in in a few minutes to wipe her. I also told her not to scream for me because I won't hear her but I will be in when I am done working. Usually my kids are like 20 minute poopers. Well I guess not today! After about 2 minutes of her being in there I noticed girls where coming out of the bathroom laughing. Then the janitor told one of the cafeteria helpers there was a kid in the bathroom calling for their mom. Um yeah, that would be MY child. I go in there and she locked the door so she had to get up and let me in. Well as she was waiting for me she decided to fill the toilet up with toilet paper. As we were washing our hands we were talking and this was our conversation.
Me: Were you in here screaming for me?
Peanut: Of course I was!
Me: Do you remember mommy asked you NOT to scream for me because I couldn't hear you?
Peanut: I forgot. I just needed you to come in and wipe my butt. I was talking to a lot of the girls while I waited for you.
Me: You did? What did you talk about?
Peanut: You know...stuff.

Oh my goodness this girl is just something else! And I think I need to start working on teaching her to wipe herself. I just think I do a better job of getting her clean and she is with me all day so why worry about teaching her that skill yet?!?! Well it looks like I need to. My baby really is growing up. Next she won't need me to help bathe her...

bathroom

Well after months of talking and planning and buying we started work on our bathroom. On Saturday my in-laws came over and Jeff and my father-in-law demolished the bathroom. I am thankful for how handy my father-in-law is and that he is willing to come over and help Jeff do stuff in our house. (And that my mom-in-law comes with the dogs for the kids to play with.) He has helped Jeff lay the hardwood in the living room and dining room. He is going to be helping us lay the tile in the bathroom once everything gets ready. I am also very thankful for how fast we are moving on this project. When we started we both expected it to take about 6 weeks but as fast as everything is moving along it looks like it is only going to take about 3 or 4 weeks. The plumber is finishing on Sunday and the tub will be installed. Then we have to get a dry wall guy in to do the walls. Next is painting which we will do our selves. Then the floor installation then the fixtures; toilet, vanity, mirror, lights, etc. We have most of the stuff bought and in the spare bedroom just waiting. I think lights and towel racks are the only things needed to be purchased. Very excited about a non-leaking bathroom!!! I truly am blessed with some great in-laws and I am so thankful for them :)

honesty

Today I am having a hard time finding what to be thankful for. My kids decided that they were going to play in my room instead of getting ready for school like they were suppose too and in their disobedience broke a compact florescent light right above my bed. Great nothing like getting out of the shower for a little mercury vapor inhalation, ugh. I have to be honest I was livid. They weren't doing what they were suppose to be doing and in doing so made a HUGE mess of my room not to mention a toxic one at that. What I can't wrap my brain around is why my 10 year old was standing on my bed swinging her arms around when she was still in her pajamas. Yes folks you read that right my OLDEST broke the light. WHAT was she thinking??? Thankfully (oh good I found something to be thankful for) my hubby was still home and he was able to help with the quick clean up. All I could do was bump up the air purifier, get dressed and run out the door to get them to school. I didn't even grab everything I needed! I was able to get back to the mess about 2 hours later and looked online on how to properly clean up one of those bulbs. Yep really didn't do what they recommend. GREAT! I re-vacuumed the room and found more pieces of glass and then stripped the bed. I have the door to the room closed and our window open slightly because it is raining outside. I moved our air purifier into the girls room and turned it on in there because the house was closed up for 2 hours after the incident I want to make sure the air gets clean. Besides my husbands help I am thankful for the internet that I could look up how to clean up the mercury filled bulb properly because I'm sure they were be more broken lights. Though when the kids get home they will get to see for themselves why we don't want these bulbs broken in hopes they will be more careful. Fun times. Can you tell I'm still mad?! It really irks me that it was broken where I sleep. I wouldn't have been as upset if it had been in the basement. Still wouldn't have been happy but at least it would of been far from where we sleep. 

My Dad

Today is his 55th birthday so I thought it would be appropriate to be thankful for him today! Let's see I am thankful for my dad because without him I wouldn't be here and secondly he helped shape me into the person I am today, along with other people in my life. He has always been there for me when I was little and now as an adult. I love when he takes me out on dates just the two of us, those times are very special to me in so many ways! Right now he is having a blast at Disney World so I won't get to see him until after Thursday when they get home. We called him this morning to wish him a "happy birthday" and Peanut told him we were going to Disney in a "few days" so sad that we really aren't.

Monkey

Where to begin?! I love this boy more than words can explain. He is so much like his daddy that it warms my heart and drives me crazy at the same time. He last two teeth recently and they are in the funnies spots! The first tooth is the front top tooth on the left and the second tooth lost is on the bottom next to the front tooth on the right! I really should take a picture because I think it is just too funny :) Monkey is my cuddlier we can often be found on the couch together under a blanket watching a movie or tv show together. This makes the other kids quite upset but we both just gravitate toward the same spot on the couch! The others (mostly Peanut) do try and sit on my lap because they say it is unfair...haha. But as much as he is like his dad he is very much like me too. I can just look at him and know how he is feeling or if something is wrong at any given time, I'm a lot like that too. I am thankful for how helpful he is around the house and especially with his little sister. Those two have a really cool bond and I love seeing it in action. I truly am blessed to have him as my son! I love you buddy boy. 

GlamorGirl

Woohoo she made the cheerleading team!!! She came home yesterday with her uniform which we made her try on for us. SUPER CUTE! I can't wait to sit in the stands and watch her. I am thankful for her love of reading even when it drives me completely nuts. I really love her fashion style and have really started to enjoy taking her clothes shopping. So thankful for her reasoning when buying clothes she will pick clothes out and decide after trying them on and LOOKING at the price tag to see what the best deal is, what 5th grader does that?!?! But she gets more clothes this way so she really is one smart cookie. I never tell her the spending limit but when she might go over a few dollars I will just go ahead and get it because she was being very considerate in her choosing...shh don't tell her that :) I love watching her grow up and feel so blessed that God gave her to us as our oldest. I love you sweet girl.

Peanut

She is my little buddy. She goes everywhere with me and I love the company. For instance the other day I had to go back to the oral surgeon to have them take a look she was with me and just chatting away with the doctor. So cute. Today she had gymnastics and I have to say that I absolutely love watching her run around and do the things the teacher tells her to do. The one thing that I have noticed with her that didn't happen with the other kids is I forget she isn't a BABY. When the other kids were her age they were so much more independent in ways that she isn't (chores) but she is also much more independent then they were in other ways (she takes charge of them). I am loving the fact that my youngest (baby) is 4 years old because our family can do more things now. I am thankful for Peanut's sweet little smile and her very fun very much like me personality. I could go on but I won't bore you. She totally completes our family and I am thankful for her in every way. I love you my baby girl.  

Red

I know you thought I was going to go in order...but I'm NOT! Today Red is home from school. He has had a cough for the last week or so. It gets better and then he eats candy and it gets bad again. It is been keeping him awake at night which means he isn't get the sleep his body is used too so he isn't getting a 100% better. Having him home with just Peanut today made me realize how much I miss having him home for half days like he was last year. I loved getting that one on one time with him while Peanut was sleeping and the other two kids were in school. I am thankful for Red's sweet spirit. If I am in the kitchen cooking or doing something around the house if there are little arms wrapped around me I know they belong to Red! He is such a rough and tumble BOY but still so loving at the same time. Today I am thankful for my little 6 year old who brightens my day with his hugs and kisses! I love you Red. Thank you for being YOU.

Thanfulness

November is the month was celebrate our thankfulness so I thought I would post every day this month of things I am thankful for. So far I mentioned my church family. Today I am most thankful for my family. I am really truly blessed with such a sweet family. I am going to use the next few days to expand on what I am thankful for each member of my family! I will start first with my wonderful husband. He so patient and kind towards me especially when I don't deserve it. He provides for our family so that I am able to stay at home with our non-school aged kids. He makes me feel special every day and encourages me when I feel down about my abilities. I love how he leads our family to follow God and to serve others by being a servant himself. There are days when he goes to work at 6am and gets home after 5pm and then proceeds to help around the house. I know I am usually exhausted after a long day working but he does it to help me. I just love him. I realize how much he really does help when he leaves on trips!!! I am so glad that we met 15 years ago this past July. My world has been better because of him. He is truly my best friend. I am SO very thankful to God for him and all he means to me, his children, his parents, siblings and friends. I love you Jeff!

*I felt a little like I was writing an obituary which is really creepy. He is still alive! 

Costumes...

Well I guess I should share the extremely CUTE (that is what everyone on facebook said about them) costumes my kids wore this year. I LOVED seeing them together.

 

 See aren't they just adorable?!?!

I just wish someone would come and take all the candy OUT of my house because I keep wanting to eat it and I have and then it doesn't make me feel very good. Oy. Here are some of my other favorite picture of the night! We went to our churches Trunk or Treat...

The Trunks

 Friends

 The Band

 The fire for marshmallows

 GG drinking hot apple cider

They also had popcorn, a photo booth for people to take pictures in and a contest for the kids! Always a fun night at church.

I'm thankful for a wonderful church family!