A Quickie!

I only have a second to post this: yesterday I decided that I wanted to take the kids to Daytona Beach, Florida. I've never been there before, but some good friends of ours go every year and they have such a great time. I called to see if any rentals were still available the same week their family would be there, and guess what? They had a condo just 2 doors down from them! Yay! So anyways, the reason I am rushed is because we will be leaving as soon as the kids get up from their naps...in about an hour. I have most of the truck packed and just have to make a few calls before we sail outa here! I am so excited to go, even though I blogged about a week ago that I didn't want to travel out of town with the tots! Hopefully it will go smoother this year than last year. The only day I am dreading is the day we drive home...without stopping...8 hours...2 kids in seat belts...whining...AHHH! I'll update when I get back!!! Later...

Memorial Day Weekend and Misc.

I took this picture of the kids this morning after a big dump truck came and dropped off this HUGE pile of sand for their new sand box. Savannah thought it was so cool and it was all I could do to get her to finish her lunch before we all headed outside to play in the pile.

As I'm typing the kids are both sleeping and there is man out side putting the sand in the actual box. I think Savannah will be slightly disappointed when she finds out she will no longer be able to "climb the mountain". :)

On another note, this past weekend was Memorial Day. At church Sunday there was a local man who spoke briefly about his son who died last August in Iraq. It was very touching. It helped me remember what this holiday is all about. Not going out of town, not grilling out, not heading to the lake. It's about the people who have died for me. Who don't even know me! So I can live in freedom and without fear. I realized that I don't have that kind of courage. And I also realized what kind of genuine respect they deserve from me.

Floors and More

I just got done cleaning my floors. It is the job I put off the longest because I really, REALLY hate doing it. First picking up toys then moving furniture and rugs. Removing pieces of food too large for the vaccum to pick up, and the things literally STUCK down that need steaming hot water to detach from the floor surface and make me wonder "how long has that actually been there?" Then and only then can I begin to vaccum, followed by mopping.

The task in itself is quite time consuming, but if you factor in breaking up 2 childhood arguments (complete with 1 timeout), changing a terribly messy diaper, and picking up more toys as I go along because I just can't get my 11 month old to sit and watch TV until I'm done (is that really asking too much!), we are looking at a job that can last all morning.

As I was cleaning up under the kitchen table and high chair my mind started grumbling. "Look at all this food under here! There is enough to feed another child! It's such a pain now that Emery is feeding himself and flinging food all over the place in the process! What a sticky mess! And Savannah's 'helping' is not much help at all! She spills crumbs everytime she brings me her placemat and here they are! And what is this??? Jello??? Why is it hard???" grrrrr...

Then God spoke to me...Jodi, your babies won't be babies very long. Soon enough you will not be cleaning their messes off the floor. Soon enough they won't even be living under your roof. Then will you be happy?

Ahhh, convicted! Lord, thank you for my beautiful, wonderful children. Their smiles bring me so much joy. I am thankful for every day You give to me to spend with them. I apologize for my bad attitude. Help me to remember each day is a gift, and a few hours spent cleaning the floors is nothing in comparison to the many hours I will have with them this afternoon. Amen.

Easy 10 Grand

Where is a guy with a video camera when you need one? If someone would have captured me today, trying to kill the spiders that have webbed condominiums on our screened in porch, we would have won $10,000 on America's Funniest Home Videos.

Let me start this story by saying how much I detest creepy, crawly bugs. I know some are good for the environment, ya da ya da ya da, but they scare me and I do not want them anywhere near me or my kids! And I really don't know why they feel the need to build their homes on MY HOME. Serioulsy, Bugs, we have 3 acres out here. Can't you find ANYWHERE else to catch your dinner? When I wander through the woods and run across their nests I realize that I am the intruder and go the other way. Spiders are not so considerate!

So the other day I bought some spray lovingly called "Spider Killer" and got it out this morning to rid our porch of these unwanted house guests. I instructed Savannah to stay inside because of all the warnings on the can. After reading the directions 3 times (just to be sure), I began to spray.

When I was about half done I got to the part of the deck that is not screened in. I left the door propped open as I went out because I have seen the spider who lives out there before. I thought he might give the "Spider Killer" a run for her money and I needed a way out other than jumping off the deck which is on the 2nd story of our house!

I began fogging the web and got more than I bargained for. Not by Mr. Creepy Legs, but by Mr. Red Wasp, who apparently resides BELOW the deck right where I was spraying!!! At first I thought he might just be flying by, but it didn't take long to realize he was in hot pursuit of me. You know the phrase, "mad as a hornet"? Now I know exactly how mad that actually is!

I turned around to run back through the screen door. I thought the door was farther away than it really was and I ended up slamming my right arm into the door frame. Between the adrenaline and sheer panic I had quite a bit of momentum, so when I crashed into the right side I literally knocked myself over to the other side and banged up that arm too. Then I stumbled, got my balance and peeled around the corner in an effort to fling open the kitchen door and get myself in the house without any trailers. All the while screaming, "OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH!"

I really hope my neighbor was not outside trying to enjoy her morning cup of coffee in peace and quiet. She may have gotten more than she bargained for too!

A Bit of Torah

From my dear friend Amy: "Our inner happienss depends not on what we experience but on the degree of our gratitude to God, whatever the experince." Albert Schweitzer.

Cricket? No Cricut!

Today I bought myself the coolest little gadget to support my scrapbooking addiction. And in my defense of such a luxury item I just want to say that I have refrained from purchasing the ever popular Sissix cutting system for 2 WHOLE YEARS, despite the best efforts of my good friend Lisa notifying me of every sale on said product within a 25 mile radius!!!!

So anyways, check this bad boy out: "Cricut cartridges put hundreds of fresh shapes, letters and phrases created by leading scrapbook designers at your fingertips." I am getting goose bumps just thinking about it!!!!

I would write more but every word I type is keeping me from experimenting with my new toy for just that much longer! Now I remember what it was like when Santa came to visit me!!! :)

Vacation (noun):

1. A period of time devoted to rest or relaxation, especially with pay granted to an employee. 2. A period in which activity or work is suspended.

Whoever coined the phrase "family vacation" was either, A.) a man or B.) someone whose children were grown. We went on a such a "vacation" last summer when Savannah was 2 and Emery was 5 weeks old. Let me just assure you, it did not even RESEMBLE either of the two definitions above. So I think we should just call it what it is people: a "family relocation".

Jeremy and I were talking about taking the kids somewhere this summer, but we can't decide what we want to do. He basically left it up to me to decide. Any suggestions? I really prefer it within driving distance since we would NEVER be able to carry all of the stuff I would pack on a plane!!! The beach was fun last year, although in August, it was really too hot to have the little ones outside between 11 am and about 4 pm. And this year, I would predict Emery trying to eat the sand rather than play in it. But Savannah would have a great time!

I was thinking of maybe planning a few family outings around this area instead of traveling. The new Georgia Aquarium might be fun or Imagine It. There are plenty of things to do around here. I don't know why I feel like we are "supposed to" go someplace in the summer time. It should really be about spending quality time together where ever we are.

So with the pressure off, I propose we postpone the family relocation until next year. The only way around it will be if Savannah earns her promised trip to Disney World, and as you can tell from the previous post, it's not looking good for anytime this year!

Pooping, Pull-Ups, and Profiteering!

I never thought I would have so much to say about this topic! As a matter of fact, it wasn't so long ago that if something HAD to be said about the subject, I would have averted my eyes and used words like, "#2" or my grandma's favorite term, "BM". But as with so many things that have changed since having babies, I don't think a day goes by without talking about poop at least once, if not more! I am no longer ashamed.

The reason for this post is because I was thinking today about how long it is taking to get S out of Pull-Ups. Her dad and I are partially responsible for the delay. She was totally into her potty chair when she turned 2. But between age 2 and 2 1/2 we managed to move twice AND give her a new baby brother! All the books said don't try potty training during any type of change in a child's normal routine. Well, I tried it anyways. I mean, c'mon! I was desperate and about to have TWO kids in diapers!!!

The begging, pleading, and crying (mine, not hers) were not enough to entice her to the big potty before the age of 3. Once SHE decided to wear panties all the time, there were very few accidents, even at night. But she did not want to poop in the potty. And still doesn't.

I am baffled by this and I am sure tired of buying Pull-Ups for this one purpose. It's not like she doesn't know what to do. When she gets the urge, she very politely says, "Mommy, could you give me a Pull-Up please? I need to go to the Poopy Corner".

I have had some ideas that I thought were quite brillant, starting with the day I told her we just didn't have any more Pull-Ups. "Now she will HAVE TO use the potty". Oh, not so! She held it. For 5 days. At that point I began to wonder how traumatic a trip to the hospital would be for her and after weighing my options, gave her a Pull-Up that I just happened to "find".

Around this time we went for her yearly check up and I asked the doctor for advice. She suggested putting her on the toilet with a Pull-Up on or bringing out the little potty chair and putting that in the Poopy Corner. Both of those options caused hysterics in my daughter.

As her language skills have progressed, I have continued to probe her for information. This week I hit a gold mine!!! She and I had a chat in the Poopy Corner and she revealed that the reason she likes to use Pull-Ups is because they have princesses on them!!! You have got to be kidding! This is too easy!

The next time I went to Wal-Mart I bought her some new Pull-Ups. But not the princess ones. I was looking for Pull-Ups only a boy would be proud to wear to the Poopy Corner. Woody and Buzz? Nope. Bob the Builder? Ummm...not quite. Then I saw him...oh, yeah...Spider Man! Perfect!!!!

After breakfast the next morning she told me it was time for the Poopy Corner. I gave her good ole Spidey and calmly explained those were the only Pull-Ups left at the store. The look on her face was PRICELESS (I am talking Master Card commercial here). With her nose turned up and her forehead furrowed she said, "This is spiderman". "Yeah", I answered. "I'm sorry, that's all they had". Then, she actually glared at me! "These are for boys!"

I had to turn around and walk away to keep from laughing out loud. "Well, you don't have to use Spiderman. You CAN go directly into the potty", I reminded her. It got very quiet in my kitchen for several minutes, then I heard the words I never thought I would hear. With a big sigh and a breathless voice she shouted, "I LOVE Spiderman!"

I give up! I am completely out of ideas. Her Daddy has taken a completely different approach. Rewards. BIG TIME REWARDS! The first was a night out to Chuck E. Cheese. And she actually did produce something in the toilet not too long ago that we felt deserved the CEC award. We invited family and friends and made such a HUGE deal out of it we just knew she'd give up the Pull-Ups for good. Didn't even last a day.

Since then Daddy has promised her a trip to Disney World and a kitten. So far she's not biting. I can't help but wonder if she is playing with us. Seeing how much she can rack up by the time she's 4. How big do they make Pull-Ups, anyways? Is there any possibility of her getting a car out of it? Nah, certainly not! :)

Fun in the Sun

The weather has turned warm here, I think low 80's today. After lunch we put on swimming suits and headed outside to soak up some sun. I lathered the kids with sunscreen and myself with baby oil (I know, I know, but old habits die hard)!

I turned on the sprinkler and both of them had a good time playing in the water. S kept letting the big purple bucket get full, then they would splash each other and put "fish" (leaves) in the water to swim. Right now both kids are the perfect age to take outside and play without me wondering where they are. S is too scared of bugs to wander very far away and E is not yet walking, so he is still within reach. I'm sure by the end of summer this phase will be over, so I will need to get my suntanning days in now!

At one point I was debating moving the sprinkler and I looked down at little E and he was covered in goosebumps! He was sitting right in a big puddle, with water splashing on his belly and had the biggest grin on his face. It reminded me of times when my sister and I were young and playing in some kind of water, whether it be sprinkler or pool or whatever, and we would be so cold our teeth would be chattering together, but we still didn't want to get out either! Sun, water, and kids...ya just can't get enough!!!

School's Out for Summer

This morning I woke up completely refreshed at 5:45 (must have had something to do with that extra large dose of Nyquil I took before bed last night). I quickly got up and had my quiet time. After fighting a nasty cold for the past week, it felt good to wake up before the rest of the house and have some time to get my thoughts in order before the day began. We've had a lot going on the past week or so, and today there was nothing on the calendar. Yea!

The kids were playing in the living room while I cleaned up the breakfast mess, and as I walked by S she asked, "What are we doing today Mommy?" I gave her an excited look and said, "Nothing today, Baby. We have the whole day to ourselves! We can stay in our jammies and play games. Mommy has some laundry and cleaning to do. Won't that be fun?"

She paused. Then asked, "What about Pre-school?" Oh my gosh! What day is it? Let's see...church last night means that was Wednesday, so this is Thursday...Oh No...it's the 18th... today is the last day of school!!! What time is it??? Can we still make it???

We did have enough time for S and me to get dressed. I don't think little E minded keeping his pajamas on for the ride. I shudder to think what time today I would have actually realized it was Thursday and S was supposed to be at school. I am blaming the complete and total brain fart on the combination of histamine blockers, cough suppresants, decongestants, expectorants, Tylenol, and of course, my drug of choice, Nyquil.

I John 5:14

Weekly memory verse: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to God's will, he hears us".

Girls Afternoon Out

I took S to get her first manicure and pedicure today. She was really something sitting in that big chair, just chatting away with the girl who was painting her nails. She told her all about her baby brother, what kinds of things were in her room, and about her trip last fall to Disney World. When given the choice of color, she chose bright, bright, bright...orange! :)

Time for Dinner...Again?

This the only type of work I enjoy doing anymore in the kitchen...baking! Especially if it involves licking chocolate covered beaters and spooning the last bit of icing right from the tub into my mouth. Mmmm...yumma-good!

There was a time in my marriage that I enjoyed cooking. I liked trying new recipes and buying fresh fruits and vegtables every few days from the store. I bought cookbooks about healthy eating and learned how to substitute heart friendly ingredients for their high fat, cholesterol raising, artery clogging couterparts. But that was in 2002 b.k.

Before kids I had time to sit down and think about our meals for the week. I could make out a grocery list and leisurely stroll down the aisles, picking up just what I needed, sometimes splurging on a nice bottle of wine and thinking that J and I might eat by candlelight that night.

Now I dread going to the store. The only objective is to get in and out as fast as possible, finding as many "bogo" items as I can, praying we are able to leave without using the public restroom, and hopefully, as we leave, I am still talking to my children in a normal voice and not one that is coming from behind clentched teeth and involves the words, "just wait until we get home".

I don't start meal planning until I am putting the groceries in my pantry. It is only then that I realize I now have 6 cans of peas, but no corn. My potatoes have sprouted. The Diet Pepsi fridge pack on the floor is actually empty. And the things I bought don't exactly go together for any kind of gourmet meal.

Besides pre-planning, the other reason I do not enjoy cooking these days is that by 5:00 I am tired. I've already cooked for these little people 3 times and cleaned up 3 messes. The dinner meal usually provides an even bigger mess, takes much more time to prepare, and cleaning up can go into the night at times. This is also E's favorite time of the day to want Mommy. The meals I have fixed since he's been born are done so either while carrying him or as he is crawling around under foot, whining, and holding onto my leg.

Luckily J is not a man who expects dinner on the table when he gets home. Although I do think he rather enjoys it when I have something ready to eat, he does not make a big deal about it. I feel a little guilty for not putting more effort into meal planning, so I will try to be better about that. Until then, this Bible verse will be my defense: Proverbs 17:1 "Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife".

New Friends

The kids and I spent today with my new friend, Michele, and her daughter, Jenna. We went to the Build a Bear store and Jenna got to "build a bear" as a reward for using the potty and wearing big girl panties! Way to go, Jenna!!!

After getting the girls out of the mall, we headed over to Chuck-E-Cheese for lunch. CEC is the last place I want to be on a Friday or Saturday night, but during the week, and especially at lunchtime, it's a great way to feed the kids then wear them out, all without having to cook or clean up. They had a great time and Michele and I actually got in a little girl talk.

As I stated earlier, Michele is a new friend of mine and as we were talking I admitted something that I thought she would either agree with or think I'm a terrible mother. What I've learned about being a Mom is that people have very strong opinions about how we should act and think. Different attitudes towards parenting can cause hard feelings, but the words flew out of my mouth before I thought about the repercussions of such a statement.

We were talking about how we celebrated Mothers Day and although I DID have a wonderful day Sunday grilling out with mine and J's family, while I was doing the 2nd (yes, SECOND) batch of dishes after everyone left that night, I got to thinking "shouldn't this day feel different?" It was at this time in the conversation that I said it. Only words a Mother who doesn't love her children would say..."Next year for Mother's Day I want to be by myself. I want to go to a spa or go shopping or something. For the whole day. Alone." (gasp) Did I say that out loud????

Thankfully Michele didn't even hesitate to agree with me. She knew just what I was talking about. (whew) And better yet, I know she is a good mom who loves her kids, so maybe I'm not so wierd after all.

Coming Soon...

to a computer near you! J surprised me with my own dot com address for Mother's Day. I really have no idea what this means for me as I am not very computer savvy, but I think it's cool and I like that he came up with the idea on his own! :)

He has asked me for some ideas for the layout and told me it will be a month or so before it's available online. Until then you can check out the page as I opened it yesterday morning at www.jodiyork.com. How sweet! Thank you, Honey!

So Much for Good Intentions

This morning started with such good intentions. I was studying Praying in Faith in my quiet time and as always, asked that the Lord be with me today as I mothered my children. To give me patience and wisdom and all those wonderful qualities that perfect mothers have, of which I seem to be lacking! And I prayed in FAITH!

Well apparently God had other plans for me. Somehow I missed it on the syllabus for my life, but I had a test today. No, more like a FINAL EXAM! I had all kinds of temper tantrums, misunderstandings, food strikes, drama performances, and my personal favorite, WHINING episodes that I could handle. And that was all by 9:00 this morning!

The testing continued through lunch and my attempts at reasonable forms of discipline gave way to a couple of spankings and the one thing I do that I hate more than anything else: yelling. Ugh! I loathe writing that word!

I bought a book the other day just because I liked the subtitle: "Surviving Your Child's Early Years with Your Sanity AND Salvation Intact". When I got home, I read the introduction as my daughter was jabbering nonstop about what size poopy she thought she had in her pull-up and my son had attached himself to my leg. I cried. This woman was speaking my language!

I have only read the first few chapters, but so far it looks like I too will survive the toddler years. Today was a horrible day for S and me, but tomorrow offers hope and reconciliation. Thank you, Jesus!

(On a more positive note: a very Happy Birthday to my cool, awesome, beautiful, fun, hilarious Sister, Jessica!!!!! You're the Best!!! I Love Ya!!!!)

"Idol" Frustration

Just for the record: I am soooo disappointed that Chris Daughtry was voted off American Idol last night. I have mindlessly sat on my couch for 1-2 hours, 2-3 nights a week, for the past, I don't know, 3 or 4 months, watching every episode. Chris had THE MOST talent. All of the final 4 contestants last night have amazing voices. But Chris knows how to put music together and make it his own. My absolute favorite song he performed was his version of Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line". It was awesome!!! You can listen to it here.

Psalm 1:2-3

Weekly memory verse: "His delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by a stream of water which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers".

Anybody Hungry?

The kids and I were running errands this morning and as lunchtime approached, I had a decision to make. Get groceries then go through the drivethru and let S eat lunch on the way home (this keeps her awake in the car, thus assuring me she will take a long nap when we get home), or eat first and go grocery shopping without children whining because they are hungry and seeing all the food is making them (and then me), crazy.

I opted for option #2. This was the first time I had taken both of them inside a fast food restaurant by myself. The problem is hands. Specifically, not enough of them. I carry a diaper bag on my arm and the baby on my hip. Usually my other hand is holding onto the 3 year old who no longer walks anywhere, but jumps and insists that she is Tigger (or a kangaroo if she is wearing pants with pockets on them. For her "joey", she explains). When the nice lady behind the counter hands my order to me on a tray, I have no way of taking it from her.

We arrived at Wendy's at 11:30 and I was pleasantly surprised to see the lunch crowd had not arrived yet. There were only 3 people in the whole place. Our first stop was the bathroom. I would blame this on S who has only been fully potty trained for about 6 months and has introduced me to restrooms all over town, but I have to admit it was me. As we walked down the hall my cell phone rang. Normally I would let it go instead of digging around in the diaper bag to answer it, but it was SO LOUD! As it was going off I remember that E had been playing with it at home and turned the volume all the way up! People were staring so I got down on one knee and started rooting for it. When I found it and said, "hello?", I looked up to see S walking into the men's room! "No, No, No"!!!

After I confirmed my appointment with the Picture People for tomorrow, we all went in the correct bathroom and into the only stall big enough for all of us...the handicap one. Here comes a dilema that I have faced before: what to do with E while using the toilet? I had to help S with her pants and then up onto the stool. Meanwhile E is crawling around on the floor. A PUBLIC BATHROOM floor. Gross! When S is finally wiped off and pants up, it's my turn. It is not easy to pee while holding a 10 month old who is kicking his feet and flailing his arms. And all the while, S is taunting me saying "I'm going to open the door now, okay, Mommy?" Thank God we were the only ones in there!

When we stepped out of the bathroom I noticed a little line had started to form. S waited until we got up to the line to announce "Mommy didn't wash my hands". Oh Lord. She was right. If nobody would have heard it, I would have let it go. But I wondered what would people think of me, and since I didn't have the hand sanitizer with me, back down the hallway we went.

Turns out the bathroom was the biggest obstacle I had. I ordered lunch and while they were putting it on the tray, I got E in a highchair and told "Tigger" to sit with him and wait for me. By the time I got back to the counter, the tray was ready and we all sat down together for a nice lunch.

Maybe I'll try it again sometime! :)

Lesson Learned

S has asked me the same question every morning for so long that I can't tell you when it started. "What are we going to do today?" By asking that simple question one would get the impression that we are constantly on the go. Not so. Today I gave her my usual Monday response of: "Laundry". I am such a creature of habit that I actually surprised myself when, after putting E down for his morning nap, I popped in Mulan and sat down with S to watch the movie. Normally I would consider that too much TV for 9:00 in the morning, but what the heck, I can be a "fun mom", right? And hey, I was able to fold clothes and watch at the same time! :)

After the movie and a phone call from Aunt Jess, I decided we could take the kids to Borders for some new books. What's the big deal, right? Well, in order to go and still get back in time for dinner meant that neither of my children would get their usual 2 hour afternoon nap. Okay, now I'm living on the edge!!!!

They both had a little catnap and we all had a good time at the bookstore. I bought S a new little critter book, "Just a Thunderstorm" by Mercer Mayer (I love those books!) and one about a little boy who doesn't want to go to bed (too familiar here lately!).

Then we called Daddy to see about dinner but he was going to be working late. So we headed over to Nanny and Grampa's house to eat and play and find out how their vacation was last week. Both of the kids were wound up TIGHT and had a great time! And both kids fell asleep before I got back to the house.

Leason Learned Today: My children and I will survive if I decide to step outside the schedule I have carved in stone in my mind!

Awards Night

This afternoon we went to an awards banquet at our local high school. J had generously offered a $10,000 scholarship for a student pursuing a career in home building, residential or commercial development, architecture, interior design, or a similar field. This was the same high school he attended and graduated from.

I just want to take this opportunity to brag on my husband. I am so proud of him for all he has accomplished in the 6 years I have known him. I am constantly amazed by his ability to lead people and the respect that he so easily gets from others around him. I think he is a brilliant business man and I cannot even imagine what he\we will be doing 10 or 15 years from now.

But even more than that, I am just so impressed with his generosity. The scholarship is only one example. The list goes on and on with everything from fire alarm covers at S's preschool (well, she DID pull the alarm, I guess it's the least we could do!), to an entire wing at our church for the children. He has shown me the true meaning of the phrase "you can't out give God".

Everytime God tells him to give, J does not hesitate. I am always the one biting my nails and wondering how we will pay our bills. J's faith is strong. He works hard and his heart is pure toward giving. It's just awesome for me to be a witness to his tremendous testimony.

Thank you, J, for being a Godly leader in our home and showing the kids and I how to live out our faith each day in everything that we do. We love you and respect you for providing such a wonderful life for us! You are definitely God's best for this family!!!!! MmmWwwaaahhh!!!!!

Mission Accomplished

People kept asking me all day how I liked being in the office this week. Truth is, I loved it. The people at our office make up a great team and I miss that feeling of accomplishment that comes when a task is completed.

As a stay at home mom I rarely feel like anything is completed! There are always clothes to clean, food to buy, toys to pick up, children to bathe...etc. I know that being a mom is a very, very important job and I take it very seriously, but the hardest part for me is waiting for the results. At work, I saw results in a matter of weeks or months. There was closure! With the job done I knew if I did it well or needed to change anything before the next go 'round. As a mom, I am constantly making an impact in the lives of my kids, but won't know for years if I have screwed them up for life!!!

I am not complaining about being at home. It was my choice. I worked when S was a baby and I didn't feel like I was giving 100% to either work or home. Now I definitely give all I've got to mothering.

So many moms struggle with these same questions. To work or not to work? I hate to hear any woman critizing another for the choice she makes. Assuming they have the option, it's strictly a personal decision. Every mom I know does what she thinks is best for her family, and nobody should second guess that.

For me it all boils down to making the decision and just sticking with it through the good days and the bad days. Not second guessing myself. And remembering that although I will not see the final results for many, many years, if I look closely, my kids give me little glimpses each day of the character J and I are encouraging in them.

Ten Months Old

Loves to dance
Crawling quickly
Trail of drool
Four teeth.

Plays with toys
They are Sissy's
She will yell
"No Sir!"

Moving on
Always grinning
Slide the gate
Climb stairs.

Look around
Mommy's running
Up the steps
Big sigh!

Seven thirty
Warm milk
Where's blankie
Night, Night.

Baby boy
Full of life
We love you
Ten months old!

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Weekly memory verse: "All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work".

Workin' For a Livin'

Today I am in the office. I haven't worked since a week before E was born. At that time I was handling payroll and any HR stuff J's office needed done. I did most of it from home which was very nice. As my due date with little E came (and went!) I gave instructions to the office on what to do until I came back. And then, well, I just never reclaimed my position. Which is totally fine with me because I have all I can handle at home with the tots!

But this week our Director of Finance is on vacation and there are some money things that need to be taken care of. I will be in today and Thursday too. I am enjoying being here, sitting at a desk, listening to music (which doesn't contain lyrics about body parts, silly noises, or the alphabet), and having complete thoughts! Shocking!!!

'Tis the Season

For Weddings and Proms, that is. We had a busy weekend. We attended a wedding Saturday morning at 11:00. It was a small, cozy ceremony in a little chapel in Snellville. My babysitter canceled at the last minute and I was nervous about bringing the kids, but they did great! J did have to take E outside towards the end, but S was just in awe over "all the princesses" and she stayed pretty quiet. Many congratulations going out to Tiffany and Jon!!!!

Saturday afternoon I took S to a book fair at our local library. She picked out a book titled "Daisy the Doctor". After reading it a few times over the weekend she has taken a new interest in her doctor toys. Everytime I turn around she is giving someone (or something) a checkup.

After the book fair she and I headed over to the Vines Botanical Gardens where my friend Velvet's son would be going to have his picture taken with his girlfriend for prom. I just love the grounds at the Vines and I am always looking for an excuse to use my new camera, so I told her I would meet them there and snap a few photos.

As I was watching the prom-go-ers I couldn't help but think back. Things had certainly changed since attending my small town prom...16 YEARS AGO!!! Oh man, has it really been that long? Our prom was on a Friday. After school! If you were lucky, your parents wrote you a note to get out of school early so you could get your hair done up. We didn't get taken out to a fancy restaurant in a limosuine before dancing the night away in some luxury hotel. Our school rented a dance hall and they served us a buffet dinner. Ahhh, the good ole days! :)