Ahhh...

I finally began catching up the photo blog. Look for more tomorrow. Now, excuse me while I do the happy dance...

Excuses...

Have I ever mentioned that I. Heart. Guh-raffes? Because, I do. Really. Heart. Guh-raffes. Anyhoo...in case you are asking yourself why a random photo of Sophie appeared at the top of the last blog post...and in case you are currently wondering if this post will be about

Guh-raffe love...let me help you out. My little husband and my favorite sister and others who shall remain nameless *cough* Amy *cough* have mentioned (complained, whined, nagged about) the lack of pictures appearing on the blog. In an effort to please the readership...I am working on posting more pictures...even if said pictures have absolutely no relevance to the topic at hand.

*I chaperoned two field trips this week.

*Chaperoning threw off my schedule and I haven't quite caught up.

*The digital display went out on my camera and I am in denial about it.

*My allergies are going nuts.

*I honestly haven't a two hour stretch of downtime this week. Okay, I did have a two hour stretch and I spent it napping...see the first two.

*Procrastinating is HARDWIRED into my DNA.

*I lost the cord to my scanner...I placed it somewhere safe and convenient so that I would remember...and promptly forgot.

The good news...I pinky promise that I will update at least 10 days on the photo blog...and I will do a post of "Way Back" pictures...

Tomorrow.

A few things that...

are making me happy:

*the sound of Forrest playing "Wish You Were Here" on his acoustic guitar

*sunshine streaming in through the family room windows

*knowing that I am FINISHED with Chloe and Cammie's clothing fiasco

*reflecting on the fantastic bible study at church last night

*A t-shirt that Forrest designed that says -I Mosh For Jesus- seriously, it cracks me up

I am looking forward to:

*a Saturday with NOTHING on the calendar

*cleaning our Hannah and Sophie's closet...seriously

*planting flowers around the pond

*weight loss/fitness contest at the gym beginning on May 1st

*a day at the spa with my oldest friend (Carrie) to celebrate her 31st birthday

I am not looking forward to:

*making myself update the photo blog...I will be happy when I am finished...but I am sooo behind

*painting the powder room

*cleaning out the laundry room

*replacing the family room carpet

are stressing me out:

*the digital display on my camera has gone out (shucks, guess I'll need a new camera...hahaha)

*my puppy that likes to dig up the plants around the pond

*my other puppy that likes to chill in the pond

*updating the photo blog

are on the agenda (feeling inspired):

*scrapbooking

*printing off TONS of pictures

*writing poetry (Did you know that I wrote tons of poetry when I was teenager?)

*redoing Hannah and Sophie's room

Lists...

Yesterday I:

1.brought all of the hand-me-down totes out of the attic...I think there were 5 plus a large bag.

2. brought half of the hang-up hand me downs from the attic... (I have a 12ft rod hanging in the attic *crammed* with hanging clothes in various sizes...6ft worth made it down)...I also found some charming photographs of myself...coming soon.

3. sorted all of the fall/winter clothes into different "categories" (I am all about the categories).

4. caught up Quicken.

5. went to church early to make visitor follow-up calls...it felt very satisfying and I loved it.

6. locked my son out of his room...yes, he is grounded from his room...Yay teenagers!


Today I:

1. signed up to chaperon two field trips next week...Zoo on Tuesday with Chloe and Discovery Center on Thursday with Cammie. (I am not known for my patience with squealing children...so I will be driving my truck, not riding on the buses...and taking lots of deep breaths).

2. burned 278 calories in 40 minutes with my trainer.

3. was treated to a 20 minute hydro-massage because I am the "client of the month".

4. came home and folded 3 loads of laundry because I would really like to be more domestic. Really.

5. decided to take a two hour nap because I felt like jello from the massage, tired from the work out and proud of the three loads of laundry I folded. (I lead a charmed life, I know).

This evening I:

1. am going to spend time (lots of time) making my reluctant younger daughters try-on lots and lots of clothes.

2. will menu plan. Seriously.

3. will be making a grocery list. Honestly.

4. will pay the bills. Wooohooo! Not.

5. will feel accomplished in spite of my two hour nap.

update: 9:30pm
I spent three more hours on the closet fiasco, then paid the bills. Grocery list and meal planning will take place in the morning. I feel accomplished.

Things I am currently procrastinating...

1. uploading, sorting, editing pictures

2. updating the photo blog (see #1)

3. meal planning (hahahahaahaha), grocery list making

4. grocery shopping (see #3)

5. going through the kids closets, dresser drawers, hand me down totes

6. putting away the laundry (see #5)

7. cleaning out my closet

8. making 3 phone calls

9. catching up quicken, paying the bills

10. thinking about the things I am procrastinating- DONE

Just listing them all out is enough to have me scurrying back under the covers for a day of rest.

A few things...

1. There will be no "Way Back" post this week. I have been busy...and I need to get a tote full of incriminating photos out of the attic...I promise to make up for it...I'm thinking a picture of me with black dreadlocks would be worth the wait...then again, maybe not.

2. Spring Break-Take Two...has been rather uneventful. Although, the following conversation took place...

Scene: Looking for yard sales with Chloe, Cammie and Sophie (we had an hour to kill while Mark was finishing up a men's work day at church)...

Cammie: When I grow up, and I'm a mom, I'm gonna take my little girl to yard sales so she can spend her two dollars.

Chloe: Me too.

Sophie: Me too.

Cammie: If I'm gonna be a momma, that means I have to have a baby, right?

Me: Yes. (Clueless to the conversation that is about to open up).

Cammie: And that means (this is where realization dawns on me....here we go, another V-word phobic talk)...that it will have to come out my.....????

Me: We've talked about this already. (Internally praying that we stumble upon a yard sale...pronto).

Cammie: I know, but I don't think a baby will be able to come out of either one of those places.

Sophie: What places?

Chloe: Your tutti.

Cammie: Or your booty.

Sophie: WHAT?!?!?!?!?! A baby comes out of your tummy.

Cammie: So which is it...the tooty, the booty or the tummy?

Me: Definitely not the booty.

Sophie: I think they CUT it out of your tummy.

Cammie: I am definitely not gonna be a momma.

Chloe: Me either.

Sophie: Me either.

Does anyone know of any good detailed books? I need to educate these poor children.

3. I realize that I am way behind on the photo blog...what else is new? I have taken the pictures, I have a list...update coming soon.

4. The pic of the week and the photo blog will be up next week...tomorrow morning we leave for the farm for our family's Easter gathering. Woohoo for piling 7 people and 2 ginormous dogs into the truck for a 90 minute drive, woohoo for target practice, woohoo for egg hunts and bonfires, cousins and crickets, 4-wheelers and creeks.

5. Pedicures rock. Seriously.

On parenting...

Most days, I pray that God's grace is enough to cover my inadequate parenting...especially in the teenager parenting arena.

Occasionally, one of the kids or the teenager do or say something that gives me a glimmer of hope that they will indeed turn out well.

Conversely, there are times that the kids...especially the teenager...does something or some things that cause me to scratch my head (more like pull my hair out of my head) and think to myself...surely I am not doing this bad of a job am I???

On those days I pray that God's grace will (A) help me to not beat the living day lights out of the teenager, and (B) help me make it through to the next glimmer of hope.

Seriously, whoever said that being a parent is "the most rewarding job one can have" was either a liar or suffering from delusions.

Time Travel Thursday?

Umm...it doesn't have the same ring to it, does it? Way back Wednesday definitely sounds better...but today is Thursday...and I allllmost typed "Way Back Wednesday...on Thursday" but I knew that I would be setting myself up for many more posts titled "Way Back Wednesday...on some other day".


I decided to open my oldest digital file to find a photo for today. This picture was taken with my very first digital camera...(until this point I had been a photography "purist"...a picture just wasn't a picture unless it was captured on film). There are very few digital pictures until 2005...I held out as long as I possibly could.


This one was taken on November 3, 2001...the day we brought Chloe home from the hospital.


I loved this gown and hat.


I loved this car seat (it had giraffes (pronounced: guh-raffes) printed on it).


I loved her little squishy face. (I still do).