De-weeding

To say our life has been jam packed busy lately would be a major understatement! A couple weeks ago I went out to check the mail, and got side tracked by the massive amount of weeds in my flower beds. It occurred to me that I haven’t pulled weeds from the flower beds at all this spring. So, I sat down and started pulling weeds. As I was pulling, I started thinking.... This flower bed is much like my own life-- full of weeds, and not looking so pretty at this moment.

That isn’t to say that anything going on in my life is bad, there is just alot of it. And, sometimes when we don’t have the sense or courage to say no, our lives fill up with weeds that after time will choke out the beautiful flowers. Too many commitments, too many projects, being too many things to too many people. You have probably heard it said this way, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” I was coming to realize that I was trying to do so many things that I wasn’t able to do any of them well. So, it is time to start pulling some of the weeds out of my life.

Deciding to do something is the easy part, following through is where life gets hard. Like my flower bed, there are different types of weeds in my life. First, the easy ones are the big clumps of grass. Easy to see as something that doesn’t belong, and thankfully the roots aren’t very deep, grab them by the bottom and a quick, swift jerk will remove them. Second, are the small individual blades of grass or weeds. Like the big clumps, the roots don’t run very deep, they are easy to pull. However, it takes forever to pluck those guys one by one. These guys not only covered my flower bed, they cover my life. I see these as the little social calendar events that I have committed to that we don’t really want to do, small little projects that I said I would handle but really shouldn’t have, and the general busyness that I often fall victim to. All of it fairly easy to deal with, you just have to take them time to consider each one and let it hang out a while longer or yank. The third weed is those stubborn, thorny, vine like weeds that have roots of steel that run deep. To be honest, getting rid of them is difficult and down right hurts sometimes. I see these as my bad habits that I have developed that affect my life in a negative way, large commitments that I have signed on for, a few “toxic” relationships that I need to avoid. I know, the last one seems a bit harsh. But, let’s be honest here. There are some people in our lives that we have tried to “minister to” or befriend that just flat out drag us down. Not to say that we can’t be Jesus in skin to them, but maybe we don’t need to so absorb them into our lives. My mom used to tell me “one bad apple will ruin the whole bunch”.

So, I came to the point that I knew I had some gardening to do.... what did I do? Nothing immediately. I just went inside with dirty hands thinking about the next project that I had coming my way. I had 10 days to take and pass my broker’s exam or have to retake my classes. So, I didn’t have time to de-weed; I had to study! That is a whole other concept, but those of you who know me well know that taking standardized tests is probably my single greatest fear in life. I would rather sit in an open room and write you a 300 page essay about what I do know, than be forced to sit in a small cubicle with a tiny computer screen and click on boxes with a definite answer that will tell you what I may not know. Well, I took the test last Thursday, and I passed. Great news, project complete, big clump of grass pulled. Kinda.... just opens a new era of weeds that have to be dealt with.

Thursday I came home from the test, I walk back into my house, look around, and completely freak out! My kids are wild, my house is a nasty wreck, and laundry is every where. Again, those of you who know me well know that I like my house straight and clean; laundry is always washed, dried, folded and put away on Mondays; my meal plans are established weeks in advance; and I expect my kids to behave. I start thinking, I don’t remember the last time I picked up the house, I haven’t scrubbed the toilets in months, and those pop corn kernels in the floor have been there at least a week, and my kids have been jumping off the back of the couch at least 2 weeks now, because I haven’t had the energy to tell them to stop. I AM DONE. This has to stop, I have to rest and regain control. I MUST DEWEED MY LIFE, NOW!

So, I have spent the greater part of this weekend in bed. Not just in bed, but with 4 books beside me. I have been resting, studying God’s word, and praying about God’s plan for my life. I figured before I started yanking weeds out of my life, I needed to see what God’s idea was....

Times change

I remember the day when I dropped Lexi Kate off at school and she cried, I mean bawled for hours. You would have thought they were killing her in there. Yesterday, I had to pick her up from school 5 minutes early so we could leave before traffic and take Sam to the doctor. She bawled! She even told me it was the very worst day of her life. Why? Because she wasn't ready to leave school. She wanted to spend the rest of her minutes with her friends and teachers. Wow, how times have changed!

Christmas around here was chaotic, but simple. The kids got way too much stuff, and have already broken some toys and forgotten about others. It really makes me sad how little the realize how blessed they are. I don't want to say they are ungrateful for what they have, because I am not sure they even know what that means. And, they both say thank you, and feel they truly mean it, for their presents. What makes me sad is that I want them to have all these fun things, and I have set a terrible example of what they should expect to get. My house is almost twice as big as the house I grew up in, and it is overflowing with stuff. We have got to get control of this before we have 2 grown spoiled kids that have a messed up reality of what to expect out of life.

Life around here is crazy again, I guess it is just the way my life is meant to be. In addition to working for Jeff, doing real estate, and taking back my consulting job, I have started another business with my friend. My new adventure is the kind of work that doesn't seem like work- creating fun things with a friend. But, it takes time. I have also started my final class for obtaining my broker's license. I had an unrealistic reality of how much time this class was going to take. I do most of my classes via home study, and can complete them in about half the time they say. Well, it looks like this one isn't going to be that way. I thought I could complete 2 units a week, in about 4 hours each week. I spent 5 hours last week, and only finished 1 unit. :(

So, if you don't hear from me much in the next few weeks, it is because I am a book worm again.

Happy Birthday Jesus Cake

Lexi Kate loves to help me in the kitchen and she loves to help me decorate and get things together for parties, she especially loves to help me bake. She is also very perceptive at this age, and understands a great deal about Jesus and what actually happened at Christmas. So, I decided to start a new tradition this year to further instill what all the celebration is about this time of year. Today, we made a Happy Birthday Jesus cake. My "plan" was to use the original story of the candy cane to talk about the cake we were making. So, we did a strawberry cake to represent Jesus and the blood He would eventually shed to cover our sins. Lexi Kate was okay with that choice, but was especially excited because strawberry is her favorite cake. I tried to get her to focus on the story, but I must remember she is only 4 and we are just planting seeds here.... We used white icing to represent the purity of Jesus, the plainness of his birth and lifestyle. My intention was to keep the icing plain white, simple. Then, just write "Happy Birthday Jesus" in green. I wanted to use green to symbolize new growth and hope we have in Jesus. Lexi Kate talks alot about being ready for spring to see the fresh green leaves and pretty things growing, so I thought she would get this. Lexi Kate was good with that. However, she was not good with the plain white icing being it. She insisted we add sprinkles to the cake. I went back over why we used plain white. But, she kept insisting that Jesus was the greatest person ever, and He certainly deserved sprinkles on His cake. And, she wanted to make His cake super special all by herself. So, I let go of my need to control the situation, and decorate the cake myself and handed her the jar of Christmas Sprinkles. She was so proud of herself. She was so proud, she insisted I set the cake on the floor and let her take the picture herself.

Happy Birthday Jesus! Thank you for giving us the greatest gift we will ever receive. We hope you enjoyed the worship we put forth in making your cake. I know we will enjoy the cake. And, Lexi Kate says you may get a little sick in her heart because she plans on filling you up with that cake she puts in her tummy. (Again, remember she is 4- but she is precious!)

Day 1 = Success!

After everyone constantly telling us we should sell our stuff or do this for a living- we have taken the plunge! Lanesia and I have created Our Swanky Designs and our now customizing products to sell. Making a living may be a stretch, but at least we are making money. So, be on the lookout for more information.

Today was our "first official day" and we made 2 sales. Woo Hoo! We will be customizing a facebook and blog page, so keep your eyes open- and tell your friends.



You can see more of our creations on facebook.

Two's company, three's a crowd

After today, I have decided this statement must have been first stated by a mother of 3 children. I kept my 5 year old niece today. So, that made 3 kids that wanted to play. Guess what happened- someone was always left out, and that someone was always pitching a fit. It wasn't the same one all day, but no matter what was going on someone didn't have a partner.

So, my advice for mom's of 2 children considering having another- make sure you have twins. Life is much easier when everyone has a playmate. On second thought, if you already have 2 kids- maybe you should call it a day. Four kids is alot of racket, and poop to clean up. I have friends that can attest to that.

Surely, Mary Didn't Know

"Mary Did You Know"
[Originally written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene]
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?
Mary did you know..
The blind will see.The deaf will hear.The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.The dumb will speak. The praises of The Lamb.
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am.

One of my favorite Holiday songs is "Mary Did You Know". I think I first fell in love with that song when one of my best friends sang it at a Christmas program in high school. I have always thought about the words, and whether or not Mary knew anything related to her baby boy at all. For example, how many times in your life have you known God was calling you to do something, and you followed through with the action, but you really didn't understand what all was involved and how it would turn out in 10 years....

Well, now that I am a mother, and more specifically a mother of a baby boy born at Christmas. I have to believe Mary didn't know. I think we would all like to claim that we would have faith like Mary, surrender to the virgin birth process, and raise a son surrending him to Ministry, and maybe be willing for him to save our sons and daughters. But, here is where I have to aruge Mary didn't have a clue. Becuase, as a mother I am here to tell you there is no way a woman agrees to carry, deliver, and raise a child only to watch him be crucified to save us from our sins. If God was to tell me that in order to save ME, You, your sons, your daugthers from going to Hell; I would have to watch my Sam die on a cross. Guess what- we are all aboard the Hell express. I am not kidding, not even remotely trying to be funny. I would not have bothered getting pregnant and delivering that precious child, and raising him for even 15 minutes if I knew I had to watch him die, especially hanging on a cross.

I hate to say that, but I am human. And, Mary was human too. The minute Jesus, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, was delivered from her uterus she became an earthly mother. And, you haven't seen fight until a momma has to protect her baby boy- even if he is 33 years old. Let me just tell you, starving momma bear watching someone trying to capture her cub hasn't got anything on me if you come near my Sam, my baby boy, with a cross. As much as his daddy would love for him to be a Marine, I am going to be just like Jeff's mom and fight like hell. I don't want to risk him dying in battle, even to protect our country. Mother's, even Mary, couldn't knowingly do that.

That makes this story/song even more precious. Because, as much as NO MOTHER IN THE WORLD could watch thier baby boy be crucified; Mary did it. She may not have known what it all meant when that angel first told her that she was going to have a baby boy, but she delivered. She gave up her son for us, each one of us. If there is ever a time to believe in Christ, Christmas is that time. We get all wrapped up in buying the perfect present, wrapping it perfectly, and having the perfect meal. We don't deserve a bit of that.... we were given the only gift we will ever need thousands of years ago.

Mary, you didn't know. But, I do know. What you did was amazingly remarkable. I have no idea how you brought yourself to watch your son be crucified. I have to believe that God gave you a supernatural peace about what was taking place; but, I still don't think I could have done it. Thank you for that gift! Thank you Jesus for being that gift, that ensures I need nothing more in my life. And, thank you for my children, that helps me understand even better what an amazing gift we have.

Choo-Choo Sam is turning 2!

Because in my infinite wisdom and serious planning, we had a baby the day after Christmas. Great, convenient idea, right? Well, let's just say I wouldn't reccommend trying it on purpose. But, we are very thankful for our most precious day after Christmas present ever.

But, for convenience sake, we decided to celebrate his birthday a little early this year. We had Sam's 2nd Birthday party at Peek A Boo Playtown in Cool Springs on Saturday, December 4. It is a fun little place for the kids to play, but if you are planning a birthday party there, I highly recommend you paying the extra money to rent both rooms and have a totally private party. Sam loved playing with all his friends, the only problem was gettting the kids to stop playing and come have cake and pizza.

Sam loved all of his presents. His favorites have seemed to be the remote control car and tricycle.

A few things I learned today

1)If your 23 month old sleeps 2 hours later than normal, it is definately too good to be true.

2)If you have a baby sitter coming & a day packed full of things that must get done, above 23 month old will probably be sick.

3)If your 23 month old starts puking at breakfast, it totally changes your entire plan for the day.

4)It only seems like a good idea to hang Christmas lights by yourself with a 23 month old & 4 year old running around outside.

5)I am not very good at hanging outside Christmas lights. I am even worse when doing it with 2 small children helping me.

6)There is no good way to hang Christmas lights on a 7 foot holly bush.

7)It may look a little red neck for my neighborhood, but the ridicule of the neighbors is worth the excitement from my kids when they saw the tree house decorated with garland and lights. Don't get too worried- plain green garland and white lights.

8)Customer service is an industry of the past. I ordered Sam's bedding- it came in without the pillow sham. They sent me a new pillowsham- that doesn't match. But, they want me to pay to ship back the pillow sham that matches their discontinued bedding....

9)My laundry does not fold itself, depsite me doing my best nose wiggle and wishing all morning.

10)My husband thinks I am a super hero wife when I just take the time to give him a kiss & fix his lunch in the middle of running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I should probably stop and pay attention to him a little more often.

11) Sometimes it is worth getting a runny nose- the kids & I had a blast running & playing outside, then having a picnic on the back porch. Probably a little cold & windy, but I bet they will live.

Daddy knows the Po-Po

For those of you are my friend on facebook, you probably saw my post this morning. But, for a little more detail on the story.

We were eating dinner at CiCi's pizza last night, and Jeff at random decided to take LK to the 7:00 movie to see Tangled/Rapunzel. I was a little unsure with this being right before bed, but I decided to live a little and let them go. Well, all 50ish people in CiCi's pizza knew within 30 seconds that she was going to the movie. I love her enthusiasm. So, Jeff dropped Sam and me off at home and they went to the movie.

I enjoyed a quiet night at home and put the little man to bed early. I was in bed stuffing Christmas cards in their envelopes when I heard them come home. LK immediately came running into the room to tell me she had so much fun. When I asked her to tell me about the movie, she said, "Well, first let me tell you what happened after the movie.... We were almost home and Daddy had too much gas in his foot. We saw some blue lights and they made us get stuck on the side of the road. The officer came up to our window and gave daddy a yellow piece of paper. But, Daddy didn't get a ticket because Daddy knows the Po-Po." I couldn't help but bust out laughing! Praying that daddy really didn't get a ticket, because I have much better uses for that $150. LK eventually told me about the movie, but she was more excited to tell me about daddy getting in trouble.

Turns out, a fairy tale type movie isn't a good idea before bedtime. LK wasn't really scared, she just kept waking up asking questions about it. She is SOOOO stinking smart. Concepts that other kids wouldn't even catch on to, she totally processes and wants to get to the very bottom of it. I don't know if I should be thankful or terrified....

Count your many blessings, name them one by one

Just realized this didn't get posted on Thanksgiving...
Count your many blessings, see what the Lords hath done. This is the chorus from one of my very favorite hymns. And, it always seems to be stuck in my head this time of year. But, I don't know how often I set down to actually count my blessings and name them one by one.

1)I am thankful for Amazing Grace, for the birth of Baby Jesus, his Father's compassion for me, his death on a cross, and Salvation through that grace.
2)I am thankful for the best Mom in the world. She taught me how to be a wife, how to love my husband, that it was important to take time for your marriage, and then how to be a great mom. Loving my husband is the greatest gift I can give my children.
3)I am thankful for growing up in a small town and experiencing family traditions.
4)I am thankful that God didn't give me what I was looking for in a husband. That he had a plan perfect for me. I am thankful for Jeff as the spiritual leader of our family and that he loves Christ more than he loves me.
5)I am thankful for 2 healthy children who love Jesus.


6)I am thankful for an amazing Mother-in-Law. She has often times been the secret to my sanity. I am especially thankful that she has a servant's heart and she does my ironing. I am thankful for the example she sets for loving her family and her community.


7)I am thankful that my Dad and step-Mom have taken an active roll in my children's lives.
8)I am thankful that God had a plan in where we bought this house and chose to raise our family. My neighbors are amazing. I am thankful for the kind of neighbors that you can walk into thier house and ask if your clothes match- and they tell you the truth, thankful that you can walk into their house and borrow stuff-whether they are home or not, thankful that someone has the ingredient that you realized you forgot in the middle of dinner, thankful that someone will watch your kids when you have an emergency right now, thankful that noone will be at my house uninvited without someone asking what they are doing there, thankful that they just take care of things-even when you forget to ask them to, thankful that I get to share life with these sweet neighbors.
9)I am thankful for a church family.
10)I am thankful that my babies love to rock and cuddle.
11)I am thankful that I can stay at home and raise my babies while earning a living at the same time.
12)I am thankful that God has provided immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine this year.
13)I am thankful for friends that probably understand me more than I understand myself.
14)I am thankful for an amazing baby sitter that loves my kids and fold my laundry.
15)I am thankful for The Little School Mother's Day out program, especially the teachers that love my kids so much and have left a lasting impression on them.

There are so many more things that I could name and count, but one of my great blessings is calling my name...

Food time

I love making food, any kind of food. I especially love making cakes for kids I love, and love having people over my house to eat.
Yesterday, I got to do both. I made cupcakes for the kids to take to school, made a birthday cake for my next door neighbor, and had 30 youth from our church over for Thanksgiving Progressive Dinner. Loved it. I will admit, I do not love cleaning up any of it.

What a difference a day full of randomness can make

As my last couple of post pointed out, I have struggled with knowing what I should be doing with my life and being truly thankful for our current set of circumstances. Well, today was a great day for snapping my head around and shedding some light on both. And, it was a very random day.

It all started yesterday afternoon as I was baking cupcakes and a neighbor called to say that hadn't been able to find her little boy for over half an hour. Obviously, I went running out of my door forgetting about what was going on in my kitchen, not even thinking about whether or not I was appropriately dressed. I had just promised my neighbor and one of my best friends that WE WOULD FIND THAT CHILD! In less than 5 minutes of knocking on doors several neighbors were out searching and that sweet child was back in his momma's arms. It wouldn't have mattered if it was 2pm or 2am, my neighbors are AMAZING! We are a true community. I have to truly believe that when we started looking for houses 6 years ago, God alone put a special tug in my heart for this neighborhood. It wasn't the exact house I wanted, it was way more money than we planned to spend, and for heaven's sakes there is no community pool. But, what we have is so much more. The neighbors in our cul-de-sac are truly my very best friends. We would drop anything for each other. And, the other neighbors of all ages truly care about each other. Not everybody can say they have more than a house on a collection of streets. What we have here is something very special, and for that I am VERY grateful.

This morning I started our day by taking the kids to deliver a Thanksgiving gift to one of my clients. I am very thankful for these particular clients because of the ministry I feel I was able to serve, and that they boosted my real estate business to my first million dollar month. (Not that I made a million dollars, I just sold that much in property.) I may not have 20 listings going at one time, but I can truly see that God places each of my clients in my life for a very specific reason, at a very specific time. I will be more honest than my husband would like for me to be at this point. The week before I got a contract on the above mentioned house, we met with a banckruptcy attorney. He told us to quit paying our bills and call it game played hard. We planned to bankrupt Jeff's construction business and personally file for bankruptcy. I got the contract, it was a quick close, we have yet to miss a single bill payment, and Jeff's company is still open- busier than he has been in some time. God KNOWS our every need. Sometimes He just waits to see if we are going to trust Him. Granted, I wish He wouldn't wait so long sometimes, but He ALWAYS delivers. I was able to talk with the wife and encourage her this morning, that God is with her, will carry her, and fulfill her during this very difficult time in their life.

Afterwards we came home and had lunch with Jeff. To watch him love my kids is amazing! Yesterday, I really wasn't sure I even liked him. He did something really stupid, and I didn't have any desire to talk to him for at least a week- or until I wanted to spend some of his money. :) But, he manned up, asked for forgiveness, which I really wanted to hold off on giving.... But, just to watch him with the kids melts my heart everytime. I am thankful for a husband that is an amazing father.

It is the end of November, but it was over 70 degrees outside today. I was able to play in the street with my children and 10 other (all under the age of 6) kids after lunch. What a blessing to have the time to play with my kids. And, to spend time with my best friends. All while the most of the world is working. I know there are millions of moms who wish they didn't have to work and could spend these days in the street with kiddos. And, on top of that wish they lived in a neighborhood where it was safe to let your kids play in the middle of the street. I am truly grateful for a career that allows me to also raise my children.

This afternoon I went to give blood. Today marked my 1 gallon blood donation. Not really a big deal to most people. But trust me, if you had ever sat and watched someone you love literally be saved my the multiple pints of blood they had recieved, you would give blood too. I am thankful for having O- blood, and knowing today that I saved at least 6 lives by giving just 30 minutes of my time, and a pint of fluid.

After giving blood I went to meet another client. We walked into the house he bought and has just rented out. He stopped me in the hallway, grabbed my shoulders, and looked me right in the face. He said Misty, I can't tell you how pleased I am with how this all worked out. Thank you for the job you did. I am extremely happy and excited. Seriously, this was my easiest customer EVER! He found the house himself, made an offer sight unseen, we went to see the house after the fact, and he was a dream to work with. And, might I mention this deal came through when I had no other leads going, and we once again needed some cash quick and in a hurry. In less than 3 weeks, I had made enough money to pay our bills for over 3 months.

My next stop was my preacher's house. Once again, just delivering a Thanksgiving present as a way to show my appreciation for their business. This is thier retirement home, the chances of them ever being a customer of mine again are very slim. But, the joy of serving my minister is great. And, they were so expressive of their thankfulness of the job I did for them. I don't care what profession you are in, everyone enjoys hearing that you have done a great job.

I got to come home to the 2 cutest kids in town. I could hear them chanting mommy as I was walking onto the back porch. They were fighting over who was going to hug me first and the longest. You have to be dead for that not to make your heart happy. And, I am thankful that tonight those 2 kiddos had cupcakes and sugar cookies for dinner. And, guess what- they are going to be okay. Tomorrow, we will have a well balanced diet, but today we had fun.

I finished my day working on a train birthday cake for my neighbor. I am thankful for the talent God has given me in creating yummy and beautiful food and fun party ideas. I think it is going to be a memory that lasts my kids and others a life time. If He could just heal the arthritis in my hands, we would really be in business.

So, now it is time to go to bed. Tonight, I am most thankful for all the things God used to day to remind me that I am blessed and helped my heart feel very thankful. And, thank Him for clarifying that my number one priority is being a AWESOME mommy. But, on the side he has provided a successful real estate career to support our family.

I wish my heart could feel what my head knows

I usually try very hard to focus several weeks around reminding my family HOW MUCH we have to be thankful for. I know in my head that we are exceptionally blessed, and if you asked me I could name no less than 50 things we should be thankful for right off the top of my head. But, for the better part of this year, I just haven't been feeling it. I know it, I just don't feel it.

I realize most of you who know our life circumstances are probably wondering if I could possibly be any more ungrateful. I honestly ask myself the same thing on a regular basis. I have been blessed with great health; two healthy, happy, beautiful children; I have a wonderful husband who loves me and is committed to our family. I am blessed to live in a nice house in one of the wealthiest counties in the nation. But, this year has been physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually HARD- and I am not sure that I am thankful for that. Yes, I am thankful for all the many ways God has provided in times we just didn't think was possible. But, I am worn out from it. And, I think if I were truly thankful, I would be willing to go through it all again. Well, let's just say I had rather not.

This morning I did receive a humble reminder of how much "worse" things could be. I was on facebook and was reminded of a friend who lost her husband a few months ago. She is now a widowed stay at home mom, without her best friend, without her financial supporter, and she is some day going to have to explain to her sweet child how a good God could let this happen to them. Another friend was talking about being away from her family while she is having radiation done to treat her thyroid cancer; that same friend has a daughter who has been fighting a serious battle with leukemia over the past 18 months. Yet another friend lost their infant son this year. All of these friends are still thankful and praising God for blessings in their life. Really? Or, are they like me and KNOW they should be thankful and just keep saying it to hope their heart will some day believe it.

So, no I am not at all ungrateful. I KNOW I am very blessed. But, I also know my God created me, and he knows my personality. He knows I am not good with situations that I CANNOT CONTROL. So, for whatever lesson He is trying to teach us through this trial, I really wish we could move it on along. But for now, I will go on knowing I am thankful, praising God for the many blessings in my life, and continue to expect my heart to pick up on it all and once again FEEL truly thankful.

A few pictures of the kids

Can't believe our little guy will be 2 in just a few weeks


Who is this beautiful girl? Is she really already 4?


My sweet family. I wish I could freeze time.

Living in too many worlds

This isn't a new idea for me, and it isn't the first time I have had this revelation. As a matter, of fact, I can't keep up with how many times my mother told me this when I was in high school & college and how many times Jeff has told me this since we have been married. I TRY TO DO TOO MANY THINGS, and I EXPECT myself to do them ALL PERFECTLY.

Today I came to the point of realizing I have got to find time to sit down and reprioritize my life, because I just live in too many worlds to accomplish anything PERFECTLY. For example, got up at 5:30 to fix lunches, get myself ready, play with the kids, and take the kids to school. Came to the home office- worked for Jeff's company for awhile, did some realesate work, worked on Christmas presents. Went to pick the kids up from school and had to run errands. Came home, played with the kids, cooked dinner, then went grocery shopping for the following events I will make food for, cater or entertain at my house in the NEXT 4 DAYS: company coming for dinner tomorrow night, international missions banquet at church Sunday night, making a birthday cake for a friend Tuesday (also serve as the trial run for Sam's cake), kids Thanksgiving feast at school Tuesday, and hosting the Youth Progressive dinner at my house Tuesday night. After I got home from shopping, I cleaned up the house, again; put the kids to bed, and started working on getting the rest of my stuff together for Sam's birthday party in 2 weeks.

So, what is it that I want to do perfectly: be a good wife, be a good mother, be a good employee, be a good business owner/realtor, be a good cook, be a good entertainer/hostess, be a good cake decorator, be a good party planner.... The sad thing is, I really enjoy doing ALL of it. But, the combination of having to do it all at the same time is about to drive me crazy. Not to mention that I have to finish a 30 hour brokers course and set for the state board exam to get my broker's licenses in the next 6 weeks.

I love my life, every element of it. But, I really need some clarity on which things I should focus on doing well. Jeff and I have really been convicted to start leading a couples Bible study again. But, the thought of that really wants me to jump over the edge, when in my day am I going to prepare for that?????

So, the moral of the story, is pray for me to be wise in choosing how I spend my time. May I remember above all else to serve the God who has blessed me richly, and take care of the family He has entrusted to me.

Why being a stay at home mom is the hardest job I have ever had

I just ordered my Christmas cards, and I put our blog address on them. So, I figured I had better get myself together and blog a little before people get those cards. So, in effort to jump start the process, I am borrowing a post I put on facebook.

I have a blog, but I don't have time to update it. As I was tripping over toys in the flloor, running my tongue over my nasty teeth that I haven't had time to brush since 5am yesterday, I got a wiff of my dirty self that hasn't showered since 6am yesterday. Then it hits me.... I decided I was going to take this new full time job of being a stay at home mom because it was going to be so much easier than holding down a regular full time job. Well, let me just tell you if you are considering it-- being a stay at home mom is the HARDEST JOB I HAVE EVER HAD.

So what is a typical day like in the life of a stay-at-home mom.... woken up at 1:30am by the nasty breath of a 4 year old who has been snoring, now hovering over my face to tell me that she has to go pee and there is no toilet paper in her bathroom. Instead of just using my bathroom she insists that I get out of bed and put toilet paper in her bathroom. Now that she is finished, she thinks she heard elves in her closet and she is too afraid to go back to her bed to sleep. It is 1:45am and I don't really care where we sleep, as long as I get to go back to sleep. So, off we go to my bed. Again, I am awakened by said 4 year old. This time, it is because her rear end is on top of my head. I move her, and she proceeds to tell me that I am taking up too much of her space.... yeah, we are in MY KING SIZE BED!!!!

5:35am human alarm clock Sam goes off.... MOOOMMMMAAAA!!! Haaa Miiiiillll (Hot milk). I stumble to his room, taking his prized hot milk. And change his diaper. As we are leaving his room, I attempt to stop in the kitchen and start my coffee. He says, "No, mommy rocky Sam now!" Sure, since my superiors tend to be little people I will just put everything on hold, go rock.... Trying to catch a couple of minutes of the news, orders are barked out again to turn on Hot Dog, Hot Dog... AKA Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

I manage to get my coffee going and hear a shout from upstairs, my oldest child, my husband, is wanting to know if I am cooking breakfast since I am already up. And, by the way, it would be helpful if I could fix his lunch today. Sure.... no problem. But, if I don't get some coffee in this cup it is going to be a bad day for everybody!

It is now 7:15 and Sam has suddenly decided he will not be wearing a diaper. Awesome! Please do not pee or poop all over my floor. In addition to being a stay at home mom, I also do the books for Jeff's construction company and own my own real estate company. So, I try to come upstairs to our office and get a few things done while the kids are watching tv and playing with toys.

I come down about 7:45 to discover that the house I spent 2.5 hours cleaning yesterday has been completely trashed. It is amazing how fast a 2 year old and 4 year old can empty every toy in the house. Not to mention the roughly 175 books that were in Sam's book case that are now scattered all over the floor. Yes, EVERY SINGLE BOOK is off the shelf and in the floor.

I set down to eat a bowl of cereal, because unlike everyone else in the house, I have not had breakfast. Eating my cereal, Sam comes by to wipe his GREEN snotty nose all over my pants leg. Then, LK decides she would like a bowl of cereal. So, I get up and fix her cereal, then set back down to finish my cereal that Sam now has his hands in my bowl. You know, I don't even care, I just eat it anyway. After I finish my bowl and put it up. LK informs me that she is going to finish her ceral and "Have a big fat tummy, just like mine." Great, thanks for the reminder that I am no longer the 115 pound hotty I was at age 21.

So, it is now roughly 9am. No shower, no teeth brushing, all of us still in our pjs. I go upstairs to put paper in the fax machine that is going crazy because it is out of paper. Only to realize we are out of printer paper. Good thing I took the time to do an office supply order yesterday... paper will be delivered by UPS sometime today.

I decide I will make the beds, because at least one part of my house needs to appear that I have tried to clean up. I also realize I MUST take my Dyson apart and clean the filters, because all that crud in the floor no longer gets sucked up. I thought they said the Dyson never loses suction--- Bologna! So, I am rinising out the vacuum and nasty murky water is shooting everywhere. Don't I have a husband to take care of this kind of thing? Oh, I forgot.... the economy sucks right now and he is working 2 full time jobs to make sure he can keep all of his construction guys employed and still pay our bills.

Kids are fighting and crying. I just pretend I don't hear it. That is until Sam screams like his head had been chopped off. No, not disconnected, just a huge pump knot and LK confesses that she slammed it into the coffee table b/c he took her blanket away. Oh well, he will sucker punch her shortly to pay her back... Now we are playing tents. Which means EVERY blanket in my house is now in the middle of my living room, draped over couches, chairs, coffee tables and anything us that can serve as a tripod. Then, Jeff calls to inform me that his cousins who haven't been to my house in roughly 3 years will be spending most of the day with us tomorrow. I glance around the house, great news!!! And, I am sure I was supposed to be fixing a meal as well.

Tent game is boring, time to build a castle. Four year old dumps the 30 gallon rubbermaid tote of those stupid cardboard blocks that I thought were a good idea a couple Christmases ago. LK is trying to build a castle, and the wrecking crew comes through. A fight breaks out.... and then. The kid who has refused to wear a diaper shouts, "PEEE PEEE time." Running over hurdles, I grab him just in time to perfectly position him to pee all over his sister. Yeah, she probably shouldn't have slammed his head into the table. Because, i am pretty sure he thought peeing on her was the greatest accomplishment ever.

10:30am and I have got to get out of this house. So, we go to the post office to see if any of our customers decided today would be a good day to pay us. Out the door, still in my pjs, no shower, no teeth brushed. I really didn't care until I am standing in the middle of the post office and realize I forgot to even put on a bra. Oh well, at least I have on shoes. Or, actually, I still have on my house shoes. Then I start to wonder exactly what these people starring at me are thinking. Not that I care, I just wonder.

Next stop, McDonalds drive thru, because the mess of fixing lunch is more than I can tolerate this moment. Only to pull up to the window and realize that someone has been playing hide and seek with my wallet and it isn't in my purse. Awesome!!! Two kids expecting burgers, one Hispanic lady expecting $6.60, one momma with $2.35 in change..... Lexi Kate, Sam.... where is mommy's wallet? Back home, run in get the wallet, and back to McDonalds. We get home, kids start eating lunch, dog jumps up on the table and takes Sam's burger. Now, I have a screaming 2 year old, still refusing to wear a diaper, screaming hysterically that the dog has taken his lunch. I WILL NOT GO BACK TO MCDONALD'S FOR A THIRD TIME. So just deal with it and eat faster tomorrow.

So, it is now 11:30.... and I have not acccomplished ANY of my required job duties. I have 7 loads of laundry that need to be done, bills I need to pay, a birthday party to finish putting together, grocery list to make, coupons to cut, dishes to wash, dinner to cook, meal to plan for tomorrow, and a house that is an absolute disaster!

So, yes this is the hardest job I have ever had, but the pay is OUTSTANDING! I get to spend my entire day with 2 little people who think I am the greatest thing ever. They will be grown one day, and I will long for the days they spent driving me crazy. And, for those of you who really wish I would take a shower, get dressed, and brush my teeth before going out in public.... I will try to do better tomorrow.

Update on that particular day: It gets better.... First of all, no today is not a bad day. It is actually a better day than most.

And, to add to my day. I finally get the kids down for a nap (or so I think) and decide to take a quick shower. Shortly into my shower Sam co...mes walking into my bathroom with poop running down his legs. Two things- yes, he is still in a crib. And, yes- I was smart enough to make him put his diaper & clothes on before he went down for his nap.

So, at this point I try to decide what has happened: 1) He took his clothes & diaper off before hand and has pooped all over his crib, and decided to crawl out once it was covered in poop 2)He pooped, didn't want to sleep in it, crawled out of his crib, and undressed somewhere between there and the shower, probably leaving a trail of poop all through the house. 3)He pooped, took his diaper off, then crawled out of his crib getting poop in his bed and all over the house.

Regardless of what has happened. My nice peaceful shower now has a poopy 2 year old in it. So much for my fifteen minutes of relaxation.

And, for those wondering where the diaper was-- best possible scenario, in my bed room floor. Shortest trail of poop possible. Thanks son.

Lexi Kate is 4!

I had great plans for my post today. I have thought about all week the things I was going to post about what is going on in our lives, and details about Lexi Kate's birthday party yesterday. Then, reality sets in. I have 2 kids downstairs to take care of, I am trying to complete 83 more hours of continuing education, and pass my brokers exam before December 31, baby shower next week, bridal shower in 3 weeks, planning for Sam's birthday party, Christmas shopping, all while working. So, my blog time is limited. Let's just say that things are going well, Lexi Kate had a fabulous birthday party, and I will return to blogging when I have fewer things that are on a serious time deadline.....

Time got away from me again

I really have great aspirations of keeping up with a blog. And, there are so many things I want to blog about, mainly so I don't forget them; but also to share some of the insanity that takes place at my house so that you know there is a slight justification for the fact that I am just about completely nuts by now.

Sam was 18 months old June 26. I cannot believe it! Time went by pretty quick with Lexi Kate, but I was able to cherish more of it and slow it down a bit because it was just me and her. It has flown by with Sam. There are 2 other kids and 4 part time jobs competing for my attention now, and I feel like it has just flown by. Sam's 18 month check up was pretty routine. He weighed 25.25lbs. and was 31.5"; which both are in the 40th percentile for his age. Everybody talks about how big he is, but really he is a little guy for his age. He has the most beautiful curly hair and long eyelashes. I secretly wished Lexi Kate would have that hair, but I guess God knew she had all the beauty that she could handle and gave the curls to Sam so he could be a lady killer. The only "major" concern at his checkup was his speech development. We discussed starting speech therapy, but decided to wait and see if he picks up more when school start. The main concern was him not putting 2 words together. Well, let's just say we have moved on from that. Two days after his checkup his shouted, "MEAN Mommy!" in response to me jerking dominoes out of his mouth before he choked to death. I am amazed at how much his speech has improved in 2 weeks. I guess he understand Dr. Carr saying he needed to get with it. His favorite phrase right now is "Free Ooh One Blast Off!" So, it isn't perfect, but I will take it. He now counts to 2, sometimes 3. I try to get over the fact that LK could say her entire ABC's and count to 10 at 18 months. But, Sam can throw & catch a ball, and use his utensils much better than she can, so I guess his fine motor skills make up for his verbal skills.

Lexi Kate had 2 days of dance camp this week, and she LOVED it. I hate that she missed the rest of the week due to Hand, Foot, & Mouth disease. Or, "tickle spots" as she called them. She had the worse case of her and Sam. I hate it, but I am really kind of thankful that hers was the bad one. I don't know if Sam could have dealt with the blisters in his mouth. I am pretty sure we will start LK in dance lessons this fall.

Jeff has officially started his second full time job. I have NO IDEA how we are going to make this work. I so admire him for doing EVERYTHING in his power to support our family. There are so many people out there that aren't willing to work 1 job and he has 2 FULL time jobs. I am helping run the company as much as I can while he is travelling with his other job. We are going to give this a go until December and re-evaluate the whole situation. Ideally I think he would like to pass on the daily operations of his company and just have his new job. But, there are alot of details to work out with that. I just hate that he feels such a heavy burden, but blessed to have a husband willing to bear it.

A Lesson in Faith

I know it has been over 3 months since I have updated the post, and at this point, it is doubtful that anyone is still reading this blog. If you are still reading, you had probably rather be seeing stories and pictures about my kids. Unfortunately, this one is about me, and one I didn't really want to share, but felt like I needed to in the rare chance that someone reading this needs to hear the way God spoke to me yesterday.

I was up early and usually go walking with my neighbor. She couldn't go because her baby had been up sick all night. Instead of going back to bed, I opened my Bible and decided to spend some much overdue time in the word. Everything I was reading was about celebrating each day, living stress free, completely trusting in God, and being thankful for your circumstances no matter what they were. This is the point when I began to throw a fit, much like the ones my 18 month old has starting throwing. I flat out told God I was tired of it. We have been waiting and trusting for over a year now. Yes, God has provided every week, but I just didn't see how it was going to happen any more. We are literally at the end of the rope. Jeff's is super busy right now, but we had gone so far backwards, he still isn't able to pay himself. We have gone through all of our savings, cashed in our retirement, started using credit cards, and doing just about anything we can to make ends meet for our business and personal finances. I am wore out! I stay at home with my kids, but have 4 part time jobs. I told God I thought I had spent enough time learning how to trust him, and what was important in our lives. My house is for sale, we are willing to give up everything we have built here, just do it already. My pity party went on for several minutes and I finally closed my Bible and told God, "I have no money in my savings account, our checking account is overdrawn, and I have $7 in my wallet. I don't know how we are going to by groceries this week; much less pay the mortgage. So, if you want me to keep trusting you, I need you to do something about all of the above, TODAY."

Telling God what He needs to do and is going to do, is probably not one of my smarter moves. But, I was just being honest. So, here is why I am sharing this story. God is faithful, he provides all we need, just when we need it. I took my car in for a warranty service, they told me about a recall on my car. How crazy is this... there isn't a fix for the recall, so they are just disabling the feature and going to send me a check for the loss of the feature. Okay God, I got it! I will just keep on trusting and resting in the fact that you are our All in All. And, I will be thankful for this opportunity to trust completely in You.

Sorry

Let's just say busy & stressed out is an understatement.... lots going on, too tired for the details. Good busy is that I have 2 serious real estate transactions going on expected to close in 2 weeks, and 2 other deals in the works. I miss my kiddos working long days this past week, and I think they kinda missed me.

Here are some pictures of the last few weeks....