It's a MIRACLE!!

Ryder is completely potty trained!! As I previously posted, I let him know that I didn't have any diapers left and he was wearing underwear. He stayed dry but ofcourse had the other issue. **Issue no more!!** On Friday he was finally able to do it all and with the baggie of M & M's firmly in his grasp, had a yummy celebration!

Let me just say I had nothing to do with this amazing transformation. I mean this kid went 0 to 60 in basically a day. It was prayer, people-and lots of it. The credit goes completely to the Lord on this one, I'm not even touching it. Which is why, after Ryde did the big number, he ran around the room saying "thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus!". Some people might find that inappropriate with regards to the potty, but I think it's such a great opportunity for the kids to see Him working in the "small stuff". And honestly, it was good for me to see too!

So, Thank You Jesus!!

Outside!

Ashlynn & Toad


Gage Enjoying the lawn


Ryder and his toad

With the nice weather, we've been outdoors just about every waking moment of the day. Ryder and Ashlynn caught their very first toads (yes, they are two different ones!) out front this evening. Ashlynn stated, "maybe they are husband and wife", it was very cute. Ryder had the bigger toad and was getting a little panicked as it tried to jump out of the net. Thanks to Auntie Paula for the nets, they finally were used for their actual purpose instead of as a toy carrier :-)!!

I set Gage on the lawn and he LOVED it! He just kept running his chubby little fingers through it like "what's this mama? I like it!".

Who does number two work for??

Well, we are attempting potty training again. Yesterday morning I told Ryder I didn't have any more diapers for him and he was going to wear his Lightning McQueen underwear. After an initial resistance and some begging for a diaper, he actually went on the potty.
He managed to remain dry for the ENTIRE day with the exception of numero dos. Seems he has a fear of using the potty for the big job. He held it in all day until we put a pull-up on him at nap time. Poor guy, the last thing I want to cause is a "back-up", but I can't go and throw the whole thing out. We'll work on number two, you can bet on it.

Last night after I tucked him in to bed he proceeded to get up about five times with the "I have to go potty" excuse. I had forgotten this dreaded stage in the game. Having to go to the potty is the best excuse invented to delay the bedtime ritual. "Can you put the potty in the family room so I can watch American Idol?" Here we go.

Today he has done pretty well, with the exception of one accident. Apparently I left him alone playing in the basement too long, away from my constant asking "are you staying dry, buddy?". He is napping now, so we'll see if we can pick it up again.

Wordless Wednesday... Turkey Watching: Serious Business

I have an addiction...

This is not your "run of the mill" type addiction either. It's a big problem though. Are you ready? Here it goes....I am addicted to the grocery store. There I said, I feel better, well almost.

See, most people who know me, know I am very frugal. But, at the grocery store, I lose all self control. I really do try to stick to my list and buy only what I need, but I fail, and I fail often. In my mind I justify things that are "healthy", "on sale", or "a fascinating must try" (did I just use the word fascinating in regard to groceries?!?).

You'll see me stressing about about spending twenty dollars on necessary items not related to food, but I have no problems throwing down from forty to eighty dollars a trip (or more) at the grocery store-two to three times a week!! Last week I had to run in for just a "few things" (baking powder & eggs) and found myself perusing the aisles and filling up my cart with copious amounts of odds and ends that certainly were not needed.

And let's not even get started with Costco. When every employee knows you and your kids by name, you start to figure you should own stock in the joint. And seriously, when I don't have my kids with me, they ask where they are and how they are doing! I have tried to convince myself that I am not buying anything that won't be used or isn't nutritious in some way, but do I really need it? That is the question I must answer.

Even as I write this, I am thinking about the raspberry thumbprint cookies Nicole told me she made yesterday. Well, what I am really thinking is "I need to run to the store, I don't have almond paste and I can't make them without it". You know what would really happen though, I'd walk out with a minimum of forty dollars in those plastic bags.

So what can be done? Is there a twelve step program for grocerholics? Do I dare send Randy with a list; I'm afraid I'd wind up with several calls from the store "avocados-firm, but give gently to pressure?; you want me to smell to cantaloupe?; jelly 100% fruit-read the label?" Ok, maybe that won't work. If anyone has any advice to offer in an effort to control my "problem" I would welcome it. Thanks :-)

Words a woman never wants to hear.

Paula mentioned she needed a new mouse for her computer Friday and since the kids and I were already out, I offered to pick it up for her. Since she has a Mac I had to go to what is probably considered a techies paradise. I mean this place was BORING!! No offense to the tech folks, but I am what would be considered technically challenged, so it was not really my cup of tea. Rows and rows of hardware (not the kind we used to sell at Alpine Lumber, either!!) and software that gives thrills and chills to the modern age computer genius. The kids were even trying find something interesting about the place too and eventually settled for the drinking fountain :-).
I hurried to the specified Apple corner and after several minutes and phone calls to Paula, we had the mouse in hand and proceeded to the checkout. Did I mention this place was full of men? Very technical looking men, busy getting there technical stuff. So, I finished paying and was headed for the door when Ryder spotted the gumball machine. As I was nicely explaining to him that we were not getting the giant, break your teeth, ball of sugar, an employee walking towards the front exclaimed as loud as he possibly could: "mam, you have something on the back of your pants between your legs". Can someone say "horrified"? As every guy in the place turned to look at me and what might possibly be on my pants, I quickly looked down to see I had a receipt (with one of the kids stickers on it) stuck to my leg just below my backside. A flood of relief washed over me; even though I am nursing a child and am not dealing with those particular female issues right now, the thought still crossed my mind with such a loud announcement.
With the gumball debate ended, I quickly exited the store, vowing to never return.

More Pics....well I tried anyway.

So I attempted to post some more pictures from our trip to Mimi & Papa's last week and blogger is apparently on the fritz again. Sorry, will try again tomorrow!

Yesterday was a non-stop busy day. Ashlynn had preschool at nine, then it was off to Sam's office with the two boys to get some insurance stuff taken care of. Seeingashow I hadn't been to the office of my former employer for over a year, we spent a good deal of time there playing "catch up" on each other's lives. It was good visiting and the boys behaved in a reasonable fashion, Ryder with his giant Lightning McQueen car (and all the noises that go with it :-o) and Gage happily sucking his thumb and smiling at all of the ladies flocking around him. We then raced back to p/u Ashlynnie and from there to buy some ballet slippers for her increasingly spendy dance class (the recital costumes. tap shoes, the recital fee, the class fee, it never ends!) We left the shoe shoe store with one pair of ballet slippers, one pair of Strawberry Shortcake flip flops, one pair of sparkly orange sandals, and one pair of Lightning McQueen light-up tennis shoes (it was Payless people, all for under forty bucks!).

This is starting to feel like a run-on paragraph, so take a breathe or maybe, blink, and keep reading...if you are really bored.

We headed straight to the grocery store. Since we'd been gone a week, we needed a few things to fill the fridge. Did I mention sweet little Gage had not slept a wink to this point? Every time his eyes would start to get heavy, we made another stop (I had the birdbrained idea to switch him from the infant car seat the day before). Sorry buddy, evidently you are learning how to keep the pace around here. We grabbed some groceries, raced home, made some sandwiches, attemped to put Gage down for a nap and realized it was time to go to dance lessons. Dressed Ashlynn, loaded the kids back up in the car for the tenth time and headed to dance. From dance we went back home, changed clothes and went to Dale and Linda's house for dinner. Randy was on shift, so it was nice to get a break from making dinner and always good to be there!! Auntie Coleen stopped by as well, so we had fun visiting. The kids played with Grandpa outside (Ryder especially can't resist playing in the dirt and "helping" Grandpa with his excavator) and were nice and dusty when we left.

This is taking forever, I know, but this is the story of my life :-).

We got home around eight and I got all of the kids bathed, jammies on and in bed by nine...or so. the house was pretty much picked up, with the exception of the kitchen. I quickly made an executive decision to leave it until the morning (something I rarely do, but i was just too tired!). And now it is Thursday and I didn't leave the house, or take a shower, or brush my teeth for that matter; I'm still tired though, so it's off to bed.

A Good Shot

Well, Randy was blessed on his birthday! He managed to get both Gobblers with one shot! Good job, babe....that's what I call "free range" turkey :-).
We had a great time at Mimi and Papa's, I'll be sure to add more pictures later tonight.

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Ran! I have known you for thirteen of your thirty-three years and I treasure every moment with you, my very best friend! Thanks for working so hard and giving me the opportunity to stay home with our kids. They are so blessed to have such a loving daddy who makes them feel like the most special kids around.

Hope your day is filled with the sound of turkeys and blessed with a really good shot :-)!!

We love you babe!

Wordless Wednesday: Still missing NYC.....

Time Square


Me & Bekah


Grams & Mom

Easter

Well my sisters, Nicole and Bekah, are way ahead of me with Easter pictures on their blogs. So, just for you Nicole...



Gage getting curious


The kids with their baskets


Auntie Coleen with Gage and Ryder


Ashlynn on the hunt


Ryder with his loot

Our church had an egg hunt as well, so the kids had twice the fun (forgot the camera for that one!). Ashlynn and I had been talking a lot about the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross and she seems to grasp it really well. In Sunday school they showed them a film about it (a kids version of the Passion) and she was full of more questions, including wondering where Jesus' actual scars were. Apparently they nailed his wrists in the film and that confused her from our earlier discussions of His nail scarred hands. Kids don't miss a thing!

I hope everyone else had a fabulous day and thanks for sharing all of your pictures!!

The "wisdom" of my children

The other morning Ryder and Ashlynn came into our bedroom, each with their own announcement. They had both been getting sick and confirmed it with the following:

"Mama, I got the snots" proclaimed Ryder (Don't know where he came up with that one!). Followed sweetly by Ashlynn with "Mommy, I have the bless yous" (yes, it was said in the plural form).

My life today...

Ok, so the potty training thing is not going so well. Seems, just because mom is ready doesn't mean boy is ready. That's all I can comment about that right now.

Our neighborhood had a little egg hunt for the kids today and our church is doing one tomorrow, which translates to one thing-confiscation. Yes, I am the candy police. I confiscate any and all candy the kids receive via Valentine's, Halloween, Birthdays, and any other candy giving Holidays. Some of you are probably thinking I take it and eat it, but I do not. Instead, I put it in a bag on top of the fridge, where it sits until I clean off the top of the fridge (anyone who owns a refrigerator know that's like once every five years). It's then I discover the forgotten candy and finally decide to throw it out. Mean isn't it. I do let the kids have a couple of pieces before I make it disappear, but it ends there. The nutritional wasteland must go.

It's freezing here, by the way. So much for March being the lion and April the sweet little lamb. My Easter attire consists of short sleeves, a skirt and open toe shoes (they are super cute, thanks Paula), but I figure I won't be the only freezing fool tomorrow, who has the time or the money to find something else anyway? Thank goodness that's not what it is all about!!

Have a wonderful Easter Celebration! I am so grateful for Jesus!!!!

Wordless Wednesday: Missing NYC.....

Potty Training

We are attempting with this guy today, need I say more...........

Happy Anniversary!!!

Seven kids, eight grandkids and THIRTY-SEVEN years later.............

Happy anniversary mom and dad-we LOVE you!!!!