Have you ever...

...been done with Christmas shopping a full week before Christmas?

Yeah, me neither...until this year! Woohooo! We are done! We are done! We are done!

I hope....

Oh and I wanted to give you a heads up if you are interested. I decided to blog about SPD and my awesome daughter. If you want to know what's going with her and what we've been dealing with for the past year or so, my story will be on here starting (yes starting -- this is a long story!) on Monday. See ya then! (or maybe sooner if I have some fun stuff to share with you this weekend)

Have you ever...

...read this book?

We did! Yes in my last post this was in fact the book that I was reading to my children (thanks Kim). A book about animal poop. Of course we'd read about poop!

We also own this book. It's about a little mole who got pooped on and his journey of discovery as he asks all the farm animals if it's their poop.
And who can go through life without reading this one? Another one on our poop reading list.
Seriously. I bet you wish you were around our house during reading time!

On another note, we planted our vegetable [and one fruit] garden today. I'm praying like mad that they'll live. I'm concerned about deer, bugs, rabbits, cats, dogs and children. If my tomatoes, cucumbers, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, yellow peppers and strawberries live this year you will be able to hear my screams echoing off the La Plata mountains! Be sure and listen carefully....

Tomorrow is another busy day. I am speaking at our women's ministry prayer breakfast and helping throw a going away party for our friend Jinny {who's moving to Nebraska so she can meet her a cornhusker-man -- ok not really. Going to be a children's pastor at the Rock church -- but maybe she'll meet her a big-strong-cornhusker-man -- just sayin'}.

Sunday is church, meeting after church, and book club Sunday night. Then sports camp starts. Sports camp is a really great children's program that our church does instead of VBS. Kids come to the camp each night from 5-8 and learn sports like soccer, basketball, football, cheerleading and volleyball and of course hear about Jesus. Kale did it last year and has been counting down the days to this year's camp. He loves it.

So yet again we are busy little beavers - who pray for our garden to live!

Have you ever...

...rototilled any part of your yard? I was working outside today and felt like a burly mountain woman....until I looked down at my arms and saw them flapping to the rhythm of the rototiller. I so got over myself.

Have you ever...

...heard this song. I love it. The music is awesome - a bit of an 80's sound - but the lyrics are amazing. Such the song of my heart. To be face to face with Jesus. Unashamed. Innocent. Beautiful. If you have 3 minutes, listen to the song [the YouTube video is just the song]. If not just read the lyrics. So beautiful.

When the first light brighten the dark
Before the breaking of the human heart
There was You and there was me
Innocence was all I knew
'Cause all I had to know was You
We were running underneath the trees

I wanna see you face to face
Would be in your arms is the permanent state
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden

I remember how'd You call my name
And I would meet You at the garden gate
How the glory of Your love would shine
And I remember when the stars were young
you breath into my lungs
Oh I never felt so alive

I wanna see you face to face
Would be in your arms is the permanent state
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden

To be naked and unashamed
In a sweet down pour of innocent rain
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden

Where my eyes can see the colors of glory
My hands can reach the heaven before me
Oh, my God I wanna be there with You
Where our hearts will beat with joy together
And love will reign forever and ever
Oh my God I wanna be there with You

I wanna see you face to face
Would be in your arms is the permanent state
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden

To be naked and unashamed
In a sweet down pour of innocent rain
I want it like it was back then
I wanna be in Eden

Have you ever...

...driven somewhere with your kids only to discover half way there that one is not buckled into their car seat?

Yes people. This mother of the year did just that. A few weeks ago my good friend Kim was just coming home from the hospital and I was taking dinner to her family. Mark wasn't quite home yet so I got the kids in the car. Jack's car seat had recently been moved so I had to move it back to it's spot. I put him in seat and set his blanket on him then strapped in the car seat's latch system. Buckled in Kate and took off. About 3/4 of the way down the highway (speed limit 60!) Kate says to me "MOM! Jack's climbing out of his seat."

"What?!"

Sure enough. Jack had wiggled up and was trying to look out the back of the car. Oh my. Obviously I couldn't slam on the breaks to save him. And there wasn't a place to pull over. So I kept going and pulled off at the nearest place I could. Taking corners was so much scarier! I didn't want to fling him onto the ground!

Apparently I had gone through the motions of buckling the seat to the car but not Jack to his seat and because his blanket was on top of him I didn't notice. So thankful that nothing bad happened!

And because I missed thankful Thursday yesterday I'm thankful that he's safe. Also thankful for my sister - and great friend - Meghan. Her birthday was yesterday. She's still such a youngin' :) Love you Meghan!

Have you ever...

...misplaced breakfast? I bought a box of strawberries and cream oatmeal for Kale. He'd only had a few packets out of the box. Yesterday we couldn't find the box. Anywhere. It vanished. I know we didn't throw it out because it wasn't close to being gone. My guess?......Jack....the oatmeal packet - and now box - thief!

Have you ever...

...had a conversation like this one with one of your children?

I took Kate to her allergy doctor appointment {and boy was she a stinker but that's another have you ever post!} the other day so it was just her and I in the car on the way home. We were in our Honda Civic which is a rather small car and the speakers are only in the front. The music is on quietly and we were discussing her behavior at the Drs office.

Kate: Mom, can I have a treat.

Me: No honey. I am not ok with how you behaved. Maybe next time we can do better.

Kate: Ok. Can you turn the music up?

I turn up the music. Then 30 seconds later...

Kate: MOM! MOM!

Me: [turning down the music] Yes Kate.

Kate: How do they make castles?

Me: I don't know. Probably out of stones...

Kate: And paint!

Me: Probably.

Kate: Can you turn up the music?

I turn up the music. Then 15 seconds later...

Kate: MOM! MOM!

Me: [turning down the music...again] What?

Kate: Why do you say what?

Me: Because you're talking to me.

Kate: OK. Can you turn up the music?

Me: Kate I'm not going to keep turning up and down the radio. If you want to talk we need it low so I can hear you. If you want to listen to music you have to stop talking {!}.

Kate: OK. I want to listen to music.

I turn up the radio. Then 3 minutes later....

Kate: MOM! MOM! MOM! MOM!

Me: [turn down the music and am clearly frustrated!} What!

Kate: I'm going to hold onto my seat belt the rest of the way home.

Me: {picture me safely banging my head on the steering wheel.....}

Have you ever...

...been woken up early in the morning by a deer slipping and sliding on your deck right outside your window? I promise this happened to me after the last big snowfall! I heard a crazy noise outside my window and saw that a deer had gotten up onto our front deck (remember the snow was 3 feet high) and couldn't keep upright because of the slick surface. So hilarious! {once I realized what it was of course...}

Have you ever...

...done your children's laundry and noticed that the amount of dirty clothes far surpasses the amount of dirty underwear? Meaning your children have not changed their underwear near enough? We had a little talk about how often to change our underwear...I'm sure no one else has experienced that!

Have you ever...

....had a conversation with a child and thought for sure one of you just got off a spaceship from another planet? I had one of those last night.

I was getting the kids ready for bed (Mark was at practice) and the big kids and I were in the bathroom brushing teeth.

Kale asks me "Mom what do you use croutons for?"

Me: Croutons? You eat them. On salads and stuff.

Kale: You eat them?!

Me: Yes you eat them. What else would you do? You put them on salads. They're yummy.

Kale: You eat them?!

Me: Yes Kale, what's the deal? They're little squares of dried bread and they have seasoning on them.

Kale: No! I'm talking about the croutons in the bathroom. You know, the long, skinny things?

Me: {lightbulb!} You mean tampons. Not croutons Kale. And no you don't eat them....

Have you ever...

...seen this commercial?! Are you kidding me? If Mark got me this for Christmas I'd kill 'em!

CLICK HERE

Have you ever...

...wanted to throw a temper tantrum and get away with it?

Have you ever...

...been trying to make an important decision {either for your house, your children, your job, your ministry etc} and felt overwhelmed with information? TMI! {too much information!}

I have. This past couple months with Kate have been a challenge in this area for me. I want to make the best choices for her and her health. If I look up one point of view I can find a hundred articles agreeing. If I look up the opposing view point I can find a hundred more. It is so difficult at times to feel like you are making the best and safest decision. I think it's more overwhelming when you have children because you are responsible for them. Ultimately God is responsible for them and I absolutely have been challenged more and more to put them in His hands and trust Him.

I just don't like that when I'm trying to make an informed, wise decision I feel overwhelmed with opinions. What exactly is the truth and who is telling it?!

TMI!

Have you ever...

...really, really, really, really, really not wanted to cook dinner? I cook almost every night. I realized that the reason I love to eat out is because I don't have to cook it, clean it or hear complaints about it. If only it didn't cost so stinkin' much! I honestly don't mind cooking but there are days when I wish I had the luxury of feeling like this:


However in light of my post yesterday, I am thankful for my kitchen, the food in it, and my wonderful family to feed. See?! I can still find good in the middle of my whining :)

Have you ever...

...hung out in the bathroom just a little bit longer because you were enjoying your alone time a little too much?

Have you ever...

...eaten the rest of the pie {ice cream, cookies, cake, candy bag etc...} just because you didn't want it to keep tempting you to eat it? Makes sense to me!

Have you ever...

...wondered what happens to children between the hours of 4 and 6pm? Mine disappear and are replaced with crazy little people! They return right after dinner and are usually wonderful until bedtime. But between 4 & 6? Man oh man....

Have you ever...

...taken a 1 and 3 year old to Grease Monkey and waited over an hour to get the oil changed {when they told you it would only be about 15-20 minutes}? Are you that crazy? I am! And boy was it a blast! (please note dripping sarcasm in that last statement). I spent an hour in a 20ft by 4ft waiting room with said children, an older gentleman who read a book and tried his best to ignore us {if that was even humanly possible}, and a worker lady who kept coming in and out and one time asked her co-worker why the community dog bowl {yes, we do live in DOG-rango...} was up on the counter to which I replied "I put it there because my one year old was getting ready to play with all the dead bugs floating in there and I wasn't sure I was fast enough to stop him..."

By the end of the hour Kate, Jack and I were standing on the back of the chairs looking out the window at the cars passing by and playing I-Spy [different cars - some of whom "disobeyed" and whipped a U-e right in front of us and the no U-turn sign...shoulda called the cops for some more entertainment...]

Have you ever...

...stuffed kleenex up your nose just to give your poor honker a break from all the wiping and blowing? My nose gets so red and sore from blow after blow after blow that I just have to stuff stuff up there to catch it. My family loves the look...

Have you ever...

...washed a spray bottle with your laundry in the washing machine? Apparently there was a spray bottle in the boys clothes hamper, tangled up in their dirty laundry. Sparkling clean now! Thank goodness it didn't go through the dryer. Might have melted...