I just spent some time perusing some very conservative blogsites. I'm realizing I don't like rules. Perhaps, because if rules are out there, I feel totally obligated to follow them and not fail (hence the nightly recurring dreams of not living up to teacher's expecatations in high school.... Heather, you were in last night's - got to visit your family.....) OR, the other available option in my personal life is to somehow claim the rule is not worth following and personally make issue as to why that is the case. Of course, that second option is not at all appropriate. It is its own form of judging - and there you can go round and round - judging the person you think is judging you because they make rules in their life that you don't feel are necessary to follow.
So, is it bad to set up rules? No - I think some people need them. In fact, we didn't even kiss before we got married because that was something John felt needed to be a limit. But, should it be a limit for every engaged couple? Oh, no.... I could give several arguements against that belief. But, I'm glad we stuck to the rules we set, because they were necessary in John's life. And, I bet if we were all truly honest with ourselves - we would all be better off with self-imposed limits set in each of our lives, areas we knew we are weak in and/or need to avoid. However, I think Pastor Brett had some great words Sunday about the innacurate impression we can portray to non-believers if we live a life in which it appears that the rules we are following are more important than the relationship we have with Our Savior.
Despite the "razzing flack" I got in the Comments a couple of posts ago, I feel the need to re-iterate once again that I never intend to use this post as a back-door attack at readers who I would have issues with. So, please don't ever read anything I write that is slightly controversial and believe I'm talking about you - I wouldn't do that! Yes, that is a rule.....
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Tribute to My Commenters
I just love coming to this blogsite and finding comments. Perhaps that's why I will continue to scour any resource for cheesy questions to ask so that you might be interested to add your two sense.
For those who aren't yet to the point of knowing how to comment, I'll try to walk you through using my mom as the guinea pig. I went back and tried to sign out and come up with a new name for her to comment with. So, I signed in as a NEW USER and it had me fill in information as if I was trying to come up with a blog of my own. You'll be asked to fill out a USER NAME (Mom - everything is lower-case... I picked your first and middle name altogether) - then, you'll enter a PASSWORD twice (Mom - the name of the first horse you owned, lower case) and then, a DISPLAY NAME - which is the name as it will appear when you comment. (Mom, if you choose to use the set-up I created, you'll be "twinsmom"). It will then advance you to creating your own blog - I actually backtracked from here and it still kept all the information, so it's nice to know that in order to comment you don't need to create your own blog. That's all there is to it!
In terms of tribute - I thought it would be neat to use two words that came to mind to describe each of you, as many of you don't know each other. So, here goes - and by the way - HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLIE!
Literary Girl: compassionate, seeker (of truth)
HollieHobbie: "HOME"-maker (in the truest sense of the word home), laughter
Susan: strong, inspiring
MrsQuigs: enjoyable, encouraging
Chele: "womb"-mate, genuine
Hharwood: courageous, perservere
Colie: vibrant, enthusiastic
Stephietoo: huge-heart, "family"
For those who aren't yet to the point of knowing how to comment, I'll try to walk you through using my mom as the guinea pig. I went back and tried to sign out and come up with a new name for her to comment with. So, I signed in as a NEW USER and it had me fill in information as if I was trying to come up with a blog of my own. You'll be asked to fill out a USER NAME (Mom - everything is lower-case... I picked your first and middle name altogether) - then, you'll enter a PASSWORD twice (Mom - the name of the first horse you owned, lower case) and then, a DISPLAY NAME - which is the name as it will appear when you comment. (Mom, if you choose to use the set-up I created, you'll be "twinsmom"). It will then advance you to creating your own blog - I actually backtracked from here and it still kept all the information, so it's nice to know that in order to comment you don't need to create your own blog. That's all there is to it!
In terms of tribute - I thought it would be neat to use two words that came to mind to describe each of you, as many of you don't know each other. So, here goes - and by the way - HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLIE!
Literary Girl: compassionate, seeker (of truth)
HollieHobbie: "HOME"-maker (in the truest sense of the word home), laughter
Susan: strong, inspiring
MrsQuigs: enjoyable, encouraging
Chele: "womb"-mate, genuine
Hharwood: courageous, perservere
Colie: vibrant, enthusiastic
Stephietoo: huge-heart, "family"
What He Hopes to Find in His Easter Basket....
Two front teeth..... (but it sure is cute, in a kind of silly way....)
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Warning: Swim at Your Own Risk
It's been another family weekend - glad to have Sydney recovered so that Bogey, Travis and Steph could finally come over again on Friday. I'm certainly realizing I'm quite happy to be a home-body.... with the activities we are invited to do, or have the option to participate in, John and I so often find ourselves so excited just to get home and relax.
Saturday night was one of those scenarios..... Both John and I woke up not feeling 100%. John was dealing with a head cold and I had caught a friend's stomach bug, so the idea of going to Brayden's soccer game and then a party at the local wave pool less than thrilled us. In fact, by the end of the soccer game, John and I were both spent. We decided to skip the party, but upon hearing the kids literal cries of sadness, we told them we'd see how we were feeling after a nap. Perhaps due to their prayers, we were feeling better enough to attempt the adventure.
Boys parties always bring out the elementary school teacher in me. The chaos, lack of following directions, and general little boy crudeness sets me in high tension mode, this one was no exception. Feeling sick enough to know not to eat, but hungry enough to want all the pizza there, didn't help either. Oh well - Brayden's turn is coming up in about a month, it will be my chance to manage the show then. Perhaps, my real tension lie in the fact that I knew I was supervisor of both kids in a huge wave pool as John wasn't willing to suit up feeling the way he did.
Here comes my opinion in this post - do not try this feat by yourself. Brayden is an okay swimmer in a calm pool, but put him in waves in a depth above his head and you have disaster. And, of course, Mikayla doesn't stand a chance. The kiddos were allowed to just go, and apparently, the other parents had more trust in their children's talents than myself. That made Brayden MIA immediately as I had to change with Mikayla. Fortunately, he was off to the slide, but that left him virtually invisible when we were trying to find him. (Yes, John was patroling from the deck). I'm glad we made our promise good with the kids, but even they were ready to leave after an hour as Brayden proclaimed he "drowned" in the big pool while trying to get back on an intertube (I was at his side, but between Mikayla in my arms, jumping the waves, and manuevering the tube - Brayden was sucking in some water....)
So, that was our Saturday. Sunday has been much tamer as we've cleaned out closets and finally fixed the top bunk of Brayden's bed.
I planned on writing more about the power of suggestion, but I need to get Brayden some mac and cheese. Perhaps tomorrow.... Hope your week begins in a wonderful way....
Saturday night was one of those scenarios..... Both John and I woke up not feeling 100%. John was dealing with a head cold and I had caught a friend's stomach bug, so the idea of going to Brayden's soccer game and then a party at the local wave pool less than thrilled us. In fact, by the end of the soccer game, John and I were both spent. We decided to skip the party, but upon hearing the kids literal cries of sadness, we told them we'd see how we were feeling after a nap. Perhaps due to their prayers, we were feeling better enough to attempt the adventure.
Boys parties always bring out the elementary school teacher in me. The chaos, lack of following directions, and general little boy crudeness sets me in high tension mode, this one was no exception. Feeling sick enough to know not to eat, but hungry enough to want all the pizza there, didn't help either. Oh well - Brayden's turn is coming up in about a month, it will be my chance to manage the show then. Perhaps, my real tension lie in the fact that I knew I was supervisor of both kids in a huge wave pool as John wasn't willing to suit up feeling the way he did.
Here comes my opinion in this post - do not try this feat by yourself. Brayden is an okay swimmer in a calm pool, but put him in waves in a depth above his head and you have disaster. And, of course, Mikayla doesn't stand a chance. The kiddos were allowed to just go, and apparently, the other parents had more trust in their children's talents than myself. That made Brayden MIA immediately as I had to change with Mikayla. Fortunately, he was off to the slide, but that left him virtually invisible when we were trying to find him. (Yes, John was patroling from the deck). I'm glad we made our promise good with the kids, but even they were ready to leave after an hour as Brayden proclaimed he "drowned" in the big pool while trying to get back on an intertube (I was at his side, but between Mikayla in my arms, jumping the waves, and manuevering the tube - Brayden was sucking in some water....)
So, that was our Saturday. Sunday has been much tamer as we've cleaned out closets and finally fixed the top bunk of Brayden's bed.
I planned on writing more about the power of suggestion, but I need to get Brayden some mac and cheese. Perhaps tomorrow.... Hope your week begins in a wonderful way....
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
A Couple of Questions VI
This follows a little bit of a theme.... As I was irked that the noise level on the tv was too high, it inspired question #1.
1. What traits of your mother do you find yourself adopting/becoming?
2. What was one of the most common meals put on the dinner table for your family growing up?
1. What traits of your mother do you find yourself adopting/becoming?
2. What was one of the most common meals put on the dinner table for your family growing up?
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Super Scrabble and Super Daddy
One thing I absolutely adore about my husband is his delight in playing with our kids. It has become a nightly tradition to participate in "Daddy time" in which John, Brayden and Mikayla scamper around the house shrieking in delight. This could be due to: hide and seek, being chased, throws in the air or onto the bed - or in subdued occassions - puting together puzzles or in this picture's case - Super Scrabble. I was so excited when Brayden asked if he could play it - and Daddy said, "absolutely". Daddy helped Brayden put together some of his words, but Brayden certainly worked on the spelling and adding up the points. It was so rewarding to watch. So, "Yeah to Daddy Time" - and while they actively participate - "Yeah, to Mommy Personal Time!"
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Deep Thoughts
Often times, prior to going to sleep, I'll think about things that I could write about here on my blog. Last night was full of deep thoughts, life lessons that I've discovered over the last year through my own experiences and those of my friends. Here are a few that I came up with:
- I hate to admit this, but we couldv'e probably saved ourselves over a thousand dollars over the past year and a half if we had chosen to close the damper on our fireplace. Glad we decided to start using that device during the coldest stretch of the year, but I have to wonder what I couldv'e done with that $1000 that went to EWEB instead....
- A friendship that is continuously caught in a rut cycle of guilt then resentment/bitterness should be re-examined by both parties. That is not healthy and one should determine what the foundation of the friendship is really based upon.
- Seeking to please everyone else first can have very detrimental effects on your family life
- When a dog has her ovaries and uterus removed (spayed) it is normal for them to be lethargic and nauseous the next day, and one shouldn't worry that they'll never recover
- In a group of Christian women, I find it interesting the number of people who take objection to watching the tv show, "Ellen", because the host lives a private gay lifestyle, but do not worry a bit about supporting Brad Pitt's career when he has recently divorced his wife and got a woman pregnant out of wedlock..... which leads me to the point that we ALL have our issues and sins, private or public - whether that be envy, gossip, sexual struggles, addictions, anger, etc. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones... (or something like that)
- If we were to be given advanced knowledge of the struggles and hardships we would be facing in our life, many of us would be admitted to the Johnson Unit in fear, dread and depression. There's a reason we don't have "pre-knowledge", but miraculously many of us our surprised at our capacity to handle these things as they come. We endure, we pray for help, and we get through, though the grace of God.....
- Based on the above, if there were awards given for: "Making the best of what life has given you this year", many of my best friends would be top merit candidates
That's it for now.... (and as Jodi has pointed out on her blog before - nothing is written here that is taking aim at any of the people I know currently reading my blog....except for the complimentary stuff!)
- I hate to admit this, but we couldv'e probably saved ourselves over a thousand dollars over the past year and a half if we had chosen to close the damper on our fireplace. Glad we decided to start using that device during the coldest stretch of the year, but I have to wonder what I couldv'e done with that $1000 that went to EWEB instead....
- A friendship that is continuously caught in a rut cycle of guilt then resentment/bitterness should be re-examined by both parties. That is not healthy and one should determine what the foundation of the friendship is really based upon.
- Seeking to please everyone else first can have very detrimental effects on your family life
- When a dog has her ovaries and uterus removed (spayed) it is normal for them to be lethargic and nauseous the next day, and one shouldn't worry that they'll never recover
- In a group of Christian women, I find it interesting the number of people who take objection to watching the tv show, "Ellen", because the host lives a private gay lifestyle, but do not worry a bit about supporting Brad Pitt's career when he has recently divorced his wife and got a woman pregnant out of wedlock..... which leads me to the point that we ALL have our issues and sins, private or public - whether that be envy, gossip, sexual struggles, addictions, anger, etc. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones... (or something like that)
- If we were to be given advanced knowledge of the struggles and hardships we would be facing in our life, many of us would be admitted to the Johnson Unit in fear, dread and depression. There's a reason we don't have "pre-knowledge", but miraculously many of us our surprised at our capacity to handle these things as they come. We endure, we pray for help, and we get through, though the grace of God.....
- Based on the above, if there were awards given for: "Making the best of what life has given you this year", many of my best friends would be top merit candidates
That's it for now.... (and as Jodi has pointed out on her blog before - nothing is written here that is taking aim at any of the people I know currently reading my blog....except for the complimentary stuff!)
Saturday, February 18, 2006
"Better Together"
This was in this month's GOOD HOUSEKEEPING magazine and I thought it was cute. Their quote was "certain things in life are just meant to go hand in hand. Check out our favorite pairs." They listed 54 - here are my favorite 30.
1. Peanut butter and jelly
2. Baseball games and hotdogs
3. Little girls and velvet dresses
4. Ballet flats and capris
5. Laptops and Starbucks
6. Big brothers and little sisters
7. Treadmills and iPods
8. Wet grass and bare feet
9. Santa Claus and chimneys
10. Sunglasses and covertibles
11. Coffee and the Sunday paper
12. S'mores and campfires
13. Stars and stripes
14. Porches and rocking chairs
15. Cotton candy and carnivals
16. Airplanes and magazines
17. Grandma and Grandpa
18. Cupcakes and sprinkles
19. Teddy bears and toddlers
20. Tomato soup and grilled cheese
21. Snowy nights and fireplaces
22. Yearbooks and memories
23. Burgers and milkshakes
24. Swimming pools and fluffy towels
25. BBQ and fireworks
26. Daddies and daughters
27. Ocean breezes and open windows
28. Oreos and milk
29. Popcorn and movie previews
30. Hugs and kisses
Do you have any personal favorites to add to the list? This list gave me a case of the cozies.... Enjoy your weekend!
1. Peanut butter and jelly
2. Baseball games and hotdogs
3. Little girls and velvet dresses
4. Ballet flats and capris
5. Laptops and Starbucks
6. Big brothers and little sisters
7. Treadmills and iPods
8. Wet grass and bare feet
9. Santa Claus and chimneys
10. Sunglasses and covertibles
11. Coffee and the Sunday paper
12. S'mores and campfires
13. Stars and stripes
14. Porches and rocking chairs
15. Cotton candy and carnivals
16. Airplanes and magazines
17. Grandma and Grandpa
18. Cupcakes and sprinkles
19. Teddy bears and toddlers
20. Tomato soup and grilled cheese
21. Snowy nights and fireplaces
22. Yearbooks and memories
23. Burgers and milkshakes
24. Swimming pools and fluffy towels
25. BBQ and fireworks
26. Daddies and daughters
27. Ocean breezes and open windows
28. Oreos and milk
29. Popcorn and movie previews
30. Hugs and kisses
Do you have any personal favorites to add to the list? This list gave me a case of the cozies.... Enjoy your weekend!
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
A Couple of Questions V
Happy Day after Valentines Day! Hope it was a fun one for you. John and I enjoyed a night out - dinner at the bar at Applebee's (kind of different for us), shopping at Ross and TJ Maxx, and a private night at The Valley River Inn. It's definitely the most extravagant celebration of Valentines Day we've ever done. I figured with this being 10 years of marriage, we ought to do something a little special.
How 'bout that snow? I told Mikayla that it was God's special Valentines for us - all lacy and floating from the sky - too beautiful!
Here's this week's questions-
1. Describe your favorite Valentines Day.
2. What's your favorite memory involving snow?
Monday, February 13, 2006
A Very Family Weekend
Sorry the posts have been so few and far between lately. I'm confined to using John's computer, and he didn't have the power source all weekend. So, we found other things to do - here's an itinerary of our weekend:
Friday
7 pm - Brayden with Cameron playing basketball, Mikayla napping - Mommy on her way to Dinner Club
9 pm - I return home, watch Opening Ceremonies with kids and Travis and Stephie
Saturday
11 am - John takes kids to All That and More as a reward for something Brayden earned
12-2:00 - John stays with kids at Skateworld, lots of video games, falls, and treats
11-12:30 - Mom FINALLY completes laundry that's piled up all week
2:45 - We take Brayden to indoor soccer and watch him play
4:00 - We take a family field trip to Walmart Super Center, Home Depot, and Hollywood Video
6:00 - Kids watch Barbie and The Magic of Pegasus, Space Jam - Mom and Dad watch olympics - family falls asleep to Barbie movie again
Sunday
11:25 - Kids con us into staying with us at church - special, but not something soon to be repeated
12:45 - Head to Dairy Queen - have picnic at Brayden's school - play a game of family soccer (happy to not have Sydney puncture the soccer ball when she chose to join in)
3:00 - Family nap time
6:30 - Steph leaves yet again for another girls' dinner night out
9:00 - Steph returns home to kids and Dad still awake waiting for mom......
It was a really cozy family weekend.......and the kids should be doing NO whining about Mom and Dad taking off for a romantic night at a local hotel tomorrow night. We deserve our date night!
Happy Valentines Day everyone!
Friday
7 pm - Brayden with Cameron playing basketball, Mikayla napping - Mommy on her way to Dinner Club
9 pm - I return home, watch Opening Ceremonies with kids and Travis and Stephie
Saturday
11 am - John takes kids to All That and More as a reward for something Brayden earned
12-2:00 - John stays with kids at Skateworld, lots of video games, falls, and treats
11-12:30 - Mom FINALLY completes laundry that's piled up all week
2:45 - We take Brayden to indoor soccer and watch him play
4:00 - We take a family field trip to Walmart Super Center, Home Depot, and Hollywood Video
6:00 - Kids watch Barbie and The Magic of Pegasus, Space Jam - Mom and Dad watch olympics - family falls asleep to Barbie movie again
Sunday
11:25 - Kids con us into staying with us at church - special, but not something soon to be repeated
12:45 - Head to Dairy Queen - have picnic at Brayden's school - play a game of family soccer (happy to not have Sydney puncture the soccer ball when she chose to join in)
3:00 - Family nap time
6:30 - Steph leaves yet again for another girls' dinner night out
9:00 - Steph returns home to kids and Dad still awake waiting for mom......
It was a really cozy family weekend.......and the kids should be doing NO whining about Mom and Dad taking off for a romantic night at a local hotel tomorrow night. We deserve our date night!
Happy Valentines Day everyone!
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
A Couple of Questions IV
1. What is a tradition that you have created for your family that is different from what you or your spouse grew up with?
2. Describe one of your best high school days or memories.
Enjoy the sunshine. The long term (15 day) forecast shows lots more sun with below freezing night time temperatures. The last day listed shows a chance of snow. Don't count on spring having sprung yet!
2. Describe one of your best high school days or memories.
Enjoy the sunshine. The long term (15 day) forecast shows lots more sun with below freezing night time temperatures. The last day listed shows a chance of snow. Don't count on spring having sprung yet!
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
"Four"
Courtesy of Jodi - I've been "tagged" and thus requested to supply the following information. Fun to think about....
FOUR JOBS I'VE HAD
- "hand-jiving waitress at The Ford Grill"
- cafeteria cook at Yellowstone
- painter for the local school district
- baby nursery worker at a day care center
FOUR MOVIES I CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER (I'm going to try to span the movie genres)
- Chronicles of Narnia
- The Incredibles
- Miracle on 34th Street
- The Wedding DVD John put together last Christmas
FOUR PLACES I'VE LIVED
- Kisumu, Kenya
- Springfield, Oregon
- Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
- Independence, Oregon
FOUR TV SHOWS I LOVE
- Gray's Anatomy
- Lost
(and from the archives:)
- Lois and Clark
- Scarecrow and Mrs. King
FOUR PLACES I'VE VACATIONED
- Aruba (before the scandal)
- Jackson Hole, WY
- Maui, Hawaii
- Breckenridge, CO
FOUR OF MY FAVORITE DISHES
- chicken enchiladas
- chili
- crispy chicken
- bbq with baked beans
FOUR SITES I VISIT DAILY
- hotmail
- literarygirl.com
- my bank
- weather
FOUR PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
- Breckenridge, CO
- Disneyland
- Maui
- Discovery Cove, Orlando (perhaps more on that on a future post)
FOUR BLOGGERS I'M TAGGING
- Colie
- Heather H
- Chele
- Stephietoo (you and Chele, feel free to use my comments to respond)
FOUR JOBS I'VE HAD
- "hand-jiving waitress at The Ford Grill"
- cafeteria cook at Yellowstone
- painter for the local school district
- baby nursery worker at a day care center
FOUR MOVIES I CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER (I'm going to try to span the movie genres)
- Chronicles of Narnia
- The Incredibles
- Miracle on 34th Street
- The Wedding DVD John put together last Christmas
FOUR PLACES I'VE LIVED
- Kisumu, Kenya
- Springfield, Oregon
- Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
- Independence, Oregon
FOUR TV SHOWS I LOVE
- Gray's Anatomy
- Lost
(and from the archives:)
- Lois and Clark
- Scarecrow and Mrs. King
FOUR PLACES I'VE VACATIONED
- Aruba (before the scandal)
- Jackson Hole, WY
- Maui, Hawaii
- Breckenridge, CO
FOUR OF MY FAVORITE DISHES
- chicken enchiladas
- chili
- crispy chicken
- bbq with baked beans
FOUR SITES I VISIT DAILY
- hotmail
- literarygirl.com
- my bank
- weather
FOUR PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
- Breckenridge, CO
- Disneyland
- Maui
- Discovery Cove, Orlando (perhaps more on that on a future post)
FOUR BLOGGERS I'M TAGGING
- Colie
- Heather H
- Chele
- Stephietoo (you and Chele, feel free to use my comments to respond)
Monday, February 06, 2006
Is There a Doctor in the House?
We had a wonderful time this last weekend in Sunriver. Great sledding, hot tubbing, cozy TBS movies, and good food that derailed my efforts since New Years. Back to salads again.
A few things I did learn:
-if winds are predicted to exceed 70 mph, heading to one of the highest elevations in the state is NOT a good idea. We could barely see the car in front of us. Back to the Sunriver ampitheater for sledding, vs. the Lodge at Bachelor.
-When making brownies, don't forget to use the high altitude instructions in Sunriver.
-If the above mentioned brownies get burned, do not use a large knife to pry the burnt portion out of the pan. One might end up with a stab wound in their palm! I was so thankful Dr. Mark was one of our buddies in the house. While cradling the blood pooling in my hand after the tip went quite deep - I pounded on their bedroom door to have him come inspect the damage. Thankfully, the bleeding stopped quickly, supporting Mark's belief that stitches wouldn't be necessary. Pretty ugly, though. I have to bandage my hand because the band-aid won't stay stuck, and for a girl who's never liked band-aids, this is a little bit of an issue for me. Lesson learned.
-Also, on a final sad note - do not use your laptop next to a four year old drinking out of a water bottle. A very costly lesson - it will cost almost as much to fix my laptop as to purchase a brand new one. Boo-hoo.... I'll be using John's in the evenings until we feel like we can budget that expense (we just had to pay for brand new brakes in both of our vehicles....don't you just hate unexpected expenses?)
Talk to you in the evenings.....
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Offline
Sadly, last Thursday, Mikayla let water spill all over my laptop. It's taking some time off for some TLC at the local Apple Store. We hope for it's speedy recovery. Until then, The Cozy Corner will be taking a little time out. Hope to be back soon!
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