Family Pictures

While we were in AR, my sister and I decided that we needed to do some family pics for the grandparents.  Plus we just like torturing the hubbies like that.  They turned out super cute!  My sis is sending me the CD with all the pictures, but here's a little preview...

I am sure I will post more when I get the CD, but that's it for now.

These fabulous pics were taken by Aubrey Hammer. 

Yay for Tuesday!!

Yes, I'm still in the middle of moving.  I cannot wait to say that I am finished with the whole mess.  We will be heading down to Texas later this week and finishing up the move.  Yay!  Anyhoo, it is Tuesday and that means I get to be totally random...

**Moving sucks.

**My FIL has a rule that dogs aren't allowed on the couches.  Our dogs don't understand that so they keep getting in trouble.  He's not here right now so they are napping on the couch.  Honestly, I don't have the energy or desire to move them.

**I have come to the conclusion that I will never again do a major family event with both sides of our family.  From now on, birthday parties, holidays and whatever else will be divided.  Yes, I know that means that I'll have to do two of each.  But I just can't take the freakin' drama of it all anymore.  If you haven't figured it out, certain members of the family got a little bent out of shape at Baby Girl's birthday party.  Oh well.

**I think my iPhone may be the greatest thing ever.  I love it!

**Hubby and I are going to have another nephew.  Pretty exciting!

**We stayed last week at my parents' house.  Ever since we left, I keep trying to find things, then freak out that I left it at their house and text my dad to find it.  Of course, thrity seconds after I send the text, I find whatever I was looking for.  I kinda feel bad that my dad has to deal with my ditziness.

**It is really windy here today.  I'm not impressed.  I just hope the wind isn't blowing too hard on Friday when we're driving across west Texas because that really sucks.

**I cannot wait to see the house we're going to be living in.  Well, part of me is super excited and the other part of me is hoping that it lives up to the expectations I have of it.  But still, I can't wait to see it.

**Only in Arkansas will you here the following on a radio ad: "We're gonna be having a four man scramble out there at the golf course this weekend.  Come on out and join us."  Uh, yeah, I'll get right on that just as soon as I figure out where "out there at the golf course" is.  Give me a hint: which golf course you talking about?  It's not like there is only one in the area.  I love my hometown!

**I really do love it here, but I'm not ready to be back here permanently.  Maybe by the time hubby retires, I'll be ready for the whole live-in-the-same-place-for-more-than-three-years commitment...

**Middle kiddo has no filter on his mouth.  He informed my mom that she is a "dangerous driver" and my FIL that his driving isn't too great either.  Yeah, I love him.

Well, I really ought to get back to catching up on my homework.  Hopefully by next week, things will be settled down and I can get back to my regular blogging.  I miss my bloggy peeps (you know, the normal people in my life, even if you do live in my computer)!

Random Catch-Up

I am so far behind on the my blogging.  Sorry.  I have been busy hanging out with the family and being fed constantly.  I thought I'd throw out some random bits for your reading enjoyment.

**The trip from Kentucky to my parents' house is about nine hours.  It took me 12.  There was rain and wind all the way across two states.  Then there was thick-as-pea-soup fog for the last couple of hours.  The fog freaked me out.  Seriously, there were moments that I wanted to pull over but I couldn't see the side of the road.  Luckily, my kiddos were good on the trip.

**Baby girl's first birthday is only days away!  I've got her party all planned out.  I can't wait for the cake :)

**I am gonna need bigger pants when I leave here.  My family has been feeding me constantly.  However, I didn't get the last cupcake...I even stuck my finger in the frosting to mark it as mine...my mom ate it anyways.

**I'm still half-heartedly looking for a job.  I'll step up the search when we actually get down to Texas and settle in.

**Ever notice how people on House Hunters complain about everything?  It drives me crazy.  Where do they find so many whiney-ass people?!

**Ha ha ha....the guy on tv just said "do-able"...yes, I giggled...yes, I might have the maturity level of a twelve year old...but, I am exhausted.

**I'm going to get a pedicure with my sis tomorrow.  Yay!  Pedis are the most amazing way to spend kid-free time ever.

**I haven't gotten much school work done here...I'm so behind...not cool.

**I have the most adorable neice and nephew ever.  Seriously.

I will try to post more again soon.  Please tolerate my moving madness and rest assured that it will end soon :)

Oh...and has anyone tried the Blogium app on the iPhone?  I'm thinkng about getting it, but it's not free so I'm not sure...

More Random Tuesday Thoughts

It's time for some more Random Tuesday Thoughts. Sit back and enjoy!

**We got the baby a big girl car seat yesterday. I figured since her feet were hanging over the end of the carrier and she's nudging up against that 20 lb weight limit that it was about time. She loves it.

**Oldest kiddo lost another tooth last night. He was crying and screaming while hubby was trying to pull it. The minute it came out he starting dancing around cheering about how he was gonna get more money.

**The tooth fairy is gonna be broke real quick if that kid doesn't stop losing teeth.

**I'm gonna be an auntie again.

**Why do husband ask 50 times if you are ready for bed, but don't lift a finger to help out with all the things you have to do before going to bed? I mean, if they washed the bottles or picked up the 2000 miscellaneous shoes around the house, we might could get to bed a little earlier. Sitting there playing with your Facebook zoo and asking me when I'm gonna be ready for bed doesn't get us there any quicker.

**Ever notice how people drive like morons in parking lots (well, that's not really limited to parking lots...) and then blame everyone else. If someone comes inches from backing into you, it is certainly not their fault. Sure, they didn't look before backing out of that spot, but you shouldn't have been driving down that aisle. Duh.

**Hubby is a Vikings fan. I'm a Cowboys fan. It was a rough weekend around here.

**The kiddos brought home their school pictures back around Thanksgiving. I still haven't sent them to the grandparents.

**My 10 year high school reunion is this year. I'll probably miss it though because all the people who still live back there think it's a good idea to have it after school starts.

**Speaking of high school...I'm amazed at how many people never left. We were a big class (600+) and from what I can tell on Facebook, many of them are still there. Not that it's a bad place...I plan to move back when hubby gets done playing Soldier, but I just thought more people would go away...maybe that was wishful thinking...

Alrighty, well, the randomness has been fun, but I have to catch up on homework now. Go visit Keely over at The UnMom for some more brilliant randomness.

Please Pray for My Sister

I just got off the phone with my mom and my little sister. My little sister and her family came home tonight to find that their home had been broken into. While they are still evaluating what has been taken, it is obvious that all of their big ticket items are gone. I feel horrible for them and so helpless at the same time. No matter how old she gets, I still feel very protective over my sister. While she was putting on a strong front, I could hear in her voice that she was devastated. On my 10th birthday, our home was broken into. Luckily, my grandfather stopped by before the man was able to take anything more than my father's wedding ring and some small things that fit in his pocket. But I remember the feeling. It's an indescribable feeling of being violated. I hate that my sister and her family are having to feel that way tonight. I'm thankful that stuff can be replaced and no one was physically harmed. I don't do this often, but I tonight I am asking that you please say a prayer for my sister and her family. Pray that they can somehow feel safe in their own home again. Thank you so much!

My Roots

I come from a very interesting combination of people. My grandfathers and great-grandfathers were all very strong, hard-working men. Each of them have had a very significant thing in common. They were all married to wonderfully strong and independent women. All of these women were very different from one another. Each had her own strengths and weaknesses. As I look at myself, both my appearance and my personality, I can pick out each of them in me. I feel like I've been blessed with a little piece of them all and hope that I make each of them proud. I want to tell you a little bit about each of these amazing women.

Granny Lynda is my mom's mother. She is a soft-spoken, tiny woman with beautiful eyes and an infectious smile. Many people often think that she is oblivious to the world around her. However, I know that she sees and understands the world around her, but she chooses to not let that get her down. She sees the best in everyone and never utters a bad word about a person without blessing their heart. From her, I have learned that the world is often beyond my control but I can control how I respond to it. I also smile like her.

Granny Shirley was my dad's mother. She had piercing blue eyes. She was brutally honest. Her opinions were never a mystery. Granny Shirley has some very rough relationships in her early life which made her a little hard. This was something that I didn't know about her until I was in high school and it shed a new light on so much. I know she loved me, I know she loved others. However, sometimes she struggled with expressing her love and sometimes she came across harshly. From her, I learned that honesty is the best policy. I also learned that we don't always know what a person has been though so we should not judge them too harshly. I also have eyes that are very much like hers.

My great-grandmothers were all interesting women, as well. Grandmother Eliott got a college degree in 1924. She worked with the state extension office and visited women on their farms. Part of her work with the extension office consisted of starting a rest camp for farm wives. Talk about progressive, right?! In the 50s, she founded an arts & crafts fair that continues to this day and is a major contributor to the local economy each year. Although I never met my Grandma Clardy, I'm told that she was fiesty and had a sense of humor quite similar to my own. My Grandma Elsie was a woman who chose to spend her life taking care of those around her. She was an excellent cook. When I was about 4 years old, she taught me how to make apple pie. She was a very patient woman, and I swear she was probably a saint. My Gran-Gran moved to a nursing home when I was very young. Every time we visited, she gave us candy bars. Turns out, she was excellent at Bingo and cards. Each week in the nursing home, she cleaned up at the games so that she would have enough candy bars for each of us great-grandkids. She was witty and thoughtful. From these 4 women, I learned that getting an education is possible even when the odds seem to be stacked against you and that achieving whatever you want takes a hard work. I also learned the importance of family.

The person that I am is a direct result of these 6 women. Each of them passed along unique traits to me. I am blessed to come from these women and I love them all very much. I only hope that I make them as proud of me as I am of them.

Breast Cancer Awareness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I could pelt you with a bunch of statistics about breast cancer, but the subject is so close to my heart that simply throwing a bunch of statistics out just doesn't cut it. Eighteen months ago, my grandmother passed away as a result of breast cancer. It was her second bout with the disease. She had been experiencing symptoms for about two months before she went into the hospital on Christmas night and was diagnosed. I firmly believe that she knew what she had and just feared the confirmation. Very early on Easter morning in 2008, she passed away. I was very close to her. The loss still hurts. My daughter is named after her. To this day, I still catch myself picking up the phone to call her. But, I can't; she is gone. My other grandmother has beaten breast cancer twice now. However, she had to have a mastectomy. My hubby's grandmother just beat breast cancer as well. As you can tell, my life has been greatly impacted by this horrible disease.

Early detection is one of the best measures you can take in fighting breast cancer. Get checked and do it often. Be vigilant about monthly self-exams and report any changes to your doctor immediately. I know that it can be scary. If you are in a position to make donations to organizations that support breast cancer research, that is wonderful. We make a small monthly donation which is deducted from the hubby's paycheck. However, I firmly believe that one of the best things you can do is encourage all the women in your life to always be watchful of their breast health. Don't put it off ladies!! Also, don't forget to practice what you preach!

I'm Back!!

Woo hoo, I'm back from vacation! The trip was lovely, but it is always sooo nice to come home again. In celebration of my return (and the fact that I can't focus on any one thing for very long right now), we're going to have some randomness...

**The school supply list from my kiddos elementary school is absolutely ridiculous! What would a 3rd grader do with 48 pre-sharpened pencils and why do kindergartners not need a pencil at all?! The thing is seriously out of whack...

**I saw these guys on Fox News a little bit ago. Love this idea!

**I passed out 3 times this morning trying to make a bottle for the baby. Not sure why, but I feel fine now.

**The hubby loves lefse so much that we had to stop at the store before leaving MN and spend over $30 on the stuff. Me, I'm not a big fan, but whatever floats his boat (and keeps him quiet for more than 2 minutes)...

**In the last week, I have finished reading Angles & Demons, started and finished Choked, and am now reading The House of Mirth. When I finish it, I am going to read The Plague of Doves. I heart reading!!

**The boys start school on Monday! I'm excited; they're excited. Although, I'm a bit sad that my little boy is off to kindergarten. They grow up too quickly.

**I flew a plane. Yes, you read that right! I flew a plane while we were in MN. The hubby's grandpa has a little two-seater plane. He talked me through the taxi, the take-off and the first few minutes of the flight. After that, I realized that I was flying, freaked out and made him take over the controls.

**My boys must be on a mission to give me a heart attack. The oldest one rolled an old lawn tractor and middle kiddo tried to drown. And here I thought vacay was supposed to be relaxing! Silly me!

**I have to quit writing so I can fix my hair and then take the boys to get haircuts. Fun fun!

**My hubby is so cheap that he wouldn't stop at the World's Largest Truckstop because the place across the street had gas for 2 cents less.

I totally missed all of you, my little internet friends...all 5 of you :) Hope you are enjoying this lovely summer!

Fragile, Handle with Care

Well, I had planned to blog about how I am cursed when it comes to growing tomatoes (and I still will at some point) but I have something that seems a little more important. This afternoon, my mom called to tell me that a man we know was killed in a car wreck late last night. He wasn't anyone that was a close friend of the family or anything like that, but we have known him for a number of years. He and his wife were out of state, we're guessing from where they were that maybe they were going to see the Razorbacks play today. They were making a turn and were hit by a truck. The tragic news just reminded me of how fragile and fleeting life really is. I think that we get so caught up in our day to day routines that sometimes we forget to slow down and enjoy life. When it comes down to it, which is more important: spending hours not talking to your significant other in order to prove that you were right about something or just getting over it and spending those hours enjoying one another's company? Making your kids spend hours cleaning their rooms or taking a few minutes to help them and then playing outside with them? At the end of my life, I guarantee I'm not going to say "Gee, I wish I'd spent more time cleaning" or "Gosh, if only I'd worked more". And I hope that I'm not left saying "I really wish I hadn't missed so much with my kids". In all honesty, I think we'd all be a little better off if we kept in mind just how fragile life is. We have never been promised tomorrow, but we do have today. So take some time and enjoy it. I promise, it's worth every minute!

(And I promise, my rant about those cursed tomato plants is coming soon!)

Positive TV

These days you can't flip through the channels without coming across at least a dozen "reality" shows. I'll admit, I tend to watch them. The drama of America's Next Top Model and the various Housewives of Wherever shows fascinate me. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a special fascination with the Duggar family.

At first, I thought these people were crazy for having so many children. I've even been brought to doing math to figure out just how crazy it is. For example, if all 18 of their children have 18 kids of their own, that comes out to 324 grandchildren for Jim Bob and Michelle. How are they going to keep up with all of them? But, lately I have realized that we might just be able to learn (or remember) some of life's more important lessons. The Duggars have very conservative values that many people don't adhere to. However, regardless of whether you share their same values or not, I can't help but be impressed by just how much they hold on to what they believe. So many people are wishy washy, but these people are a true example of standing up for what you believe in and not letting others sway you from that. I am also amazed by how non-judgemental the Duggars are. Yes, they live their lives in a very conservative manner, but they do not pass judgement on others who are more liberal. They also seem to be avid learners and always eager to soak up new knowledge. From watching their show, I am also reminded that children learn their behaviors from their parents. If you freak out about everything, that is the example set for your children. If you are kind to others and strive to do good for your community, your children will generally follow that example as well.

By no stretch of the imagination do I believe that this family is perfect, and from what is portrayed they do not believe that either. However, I do believe that they strive to always do the best they can and just wish to encourage others to do so as well. In a time when there is so much negativity and so many reality dramas on tv, it is refreshing to watch a family that truly loves one another and exudes such positivity.

Randomness and Stuff

Yay, it's Tuesday again! In celebration of that, here is some randomness...

**Today is my 8 year wedding anniversary...I got the hubby nothing...He doesn't need anything and we don't need more crap in this house.

**I hate how my puppy barks at stupid stuff. She's got that obnoxious little dog yip and it pisses me off every time I hear it. I know, my own fault for having a little dog.

**Note to self: don't forget to let the neighbor's cat out.

**Julia Roberts really doesn't look like Erin Brockovich at all.

**I love making summer pies with cool whip and other yummy ingredients. They are cool and cheap.

**Getting ready to go pick up the pictures for my dad's father's day gift....it is awesomely cute!

**I finally got my baby girl an appointment for her 2 month check-up. I can't believe she's 2 months already!! Time flies when you are sleep deprived.

**I'm taking a load of stuff to Goodwill and might do some shopping while there...does that defeat the purpose?

**Pretty sure that I have decided to get rid of the Blackberry and return to a normal phone.

And that wraps up Random Thoughts Tuesday. I'm off to enjoy my anniversary! Have a wonderful day!!

Cleaning-Shmeaning

Well, my father-in-law is coming to visit this weekend. He'll be here in a few hours and of course my house is a disaster. So I am diligently cleaning it, right?! Wrong! The internet has distracted me yet again. I swear, internet, we are no longer friends! Here's what I've done instead of cleaning...



Yeah, so I guess I really will go attempt to clean the house now. Please don't hold your breath for it to really happen because you'll turn blue and blue is really not a flattering skin color for anyone who isn't a smurf...Which reminds me...If a smurf holds his breath for an extended period of time, what color does he turn?

The Sun is Shining!!

Woo Hoo! The sun is shining! In celebration of this fabulous (yet, of late, very rare) occurrence, I decided to make a list of other things that make me happy...

--My kiddos! They crack me up everyday and keep me from taking life too seriously.

--My hubby! (Get your mind outta the gutter...) He lets me do whatever I want (aka doesn't complain about my shopping habits) and even cooks dinner on occasion.

--Books...one can never own too many, nor can one ever read too many.

--Cooking...it is so relaxing and is a great creative outlet. I love spicing up old favorites and discovering new recipes for the fam.

--My crock pot! Ok, it probably really goes with cooking, but I love it soo much that I'm making it a separate item on the list.

--Whatever, Martha! Love, love, love this show! How can you not love it?!

--Coupons...OMG, I cannot even begin to explain how much I love a good coupon! Is there any better feeling than whipping out that dollar-off coupon or checking your commissary receipt for how much you saved?!

--Patio plants...I just love growing tomatoes, peppers and other veggies in little pots all around the lanai. Seriously, I would cover it completely with plants but my kids' bikes and the plants seem to be mortal enemies.

--School...Really! I love learning new things. The hubby is actually a bit afraid that I'm going to become a professional student and never get a real paying job.

I have so many things that make me happy that I could just gone on and on forever but I'll stop there. Hope you all have a wonderful day and get some sunshine too!

Coming Soon...

Well, I had an appointment today and I have to say that I may be in love with the doctor now! He came into the room and the first words out of his mouth were an offer to induce labor on Friday morning. YAY! So, I am checking in at 9 am on Friday morning to get the process going. Hopefully it won't take too long and little Kacey Jane will make a quick arrival. Now that there really is a light at the end of the tunnel, I have been thinking a lot about my little girl and the great-grandma from which her middle name comes. My grandma passed away a little over a year ago from breast cancer. She was an amazing woman without whom I would not be who I am today. Granny Shirley had a tendency to be brutally honest and had an incredibly tough exterior. But, under all of that was a woman who loved her family very much. Granny had her fair share of heartache in her life which I think led to her hiding a lot of her softer emotions. If I learned one thing from this wonderful woman that I can pass on to the little girl who will share her middle name, it is that no matter how many times life knocks you down you just have to get back up. That and how to fill out a NCAA basketball bracket :) I really miss Granny but I have a feeling that little Miss Kacey Jane is her way of reminding me that life goes on.