Scandalous!

Y'all make me laugh!

Thanks for having fun and playing along with my little poll. My blog certainly got a lot of traffic over the past couple of days. I think many of you were as curious as I was. Isn't it funny how we all have questions that we don't want to ask? Well, don't worry, I don't mind asking them!

Some of you were rather shocked that I would post something so scandalous on my blog and that makes me laugh!! Seriously, if any of you know me at all you wouldn't be surprised in the least. I'm all about livin' on the edge! Others of you wanted to know what Joseph's reaction was to my blog. Well he was furious and totally embarrassed that I would write such a personal thing about our lives. He couldn't believe that I would share such information with you all and was shocked that I would make such private matters public.

JUST KIDDING!! Did I have you?!?!? ;)

Actually he finds me quite humorous. Come on now, he's so used to me that not much shocks him anymore. Tehe. I remember back when we first started dating and he used to get so embarrassed by my antics! I love to sing at the top of my lungs out in public (and that almost always requires an invisible microphone), and when I laugh it is from the bottom of my belly, is super loud and draws attention, and he never used to like it when I would grab his butt in public. Well, now he has gotten so used to those things and just rolls his eyes. Personally, I think that he loves those things now. Okay, love may be a strong word. But he loves that that is how I am. Joseph is so different from me that he would never do any of the "embarrassing" things that I do. He doesn't like to draw attention to himself and wants to blend in. Totally opposite of me. So, yeah, my blog didn't shock him a bit. It made him laugh and he was checking my poll way more often than I was.

And I'm glad that he got to see the truth...Life is not a Lifetime movie! Most women aren't walking around their houses half naked and ready to make out at any moment!

We have two thumb suckers!

When Caleb and Luke were babies, I always wished that they sucked their thumbs. I had hoped that at least one of my children would suck their thumb. And now I have two! Both of the girls suck their thumbs. Lily found hers first and then a couple of days later Ella found hers. Lily really likes her thumb and so does Ella, but Ella also will try other finger combinations too. I have to admit that it is really nice to not have to deal with pacifier drama. Especially after Luke the Pacifier King.

Some of the content in this posting may be sensitive - Readers Discretion is Advised

Below is a scenario that I heard about once. (Names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent!)


One November evening, after making a WW comment to his wife earlier in their evening, a man named Joe Cool was lying in bed flipping channels. His stunning, intelligent, svelte, charismatic, funny, thin, trophy wife named Margarita, comes in the room and starts to get ready for bed. Joe Cool looks at her while she pulls her jammies out of the dresser and says, "You're not going to wear that are you?"
"What?" replies Margarita as she hold up her old night shirt that she stole out of her moms dresser. "What's wrong with this?"
"Hold that up. Does that thing scream wild night of sex?" Joe Cool says. "Why must you wear that when you have a whole drawer full of lingerie?"
Margarita stares at him like one does when they see a roach slipping out of their peanutbutter cup blizzard and says, "Life is not like a Lifetime channel movie. Women don't wear lingerie every night to bed and make out all night long every night of the year. I bet I don't have many friends that wear lingerie to bed every night. Actually, I bet I don't have one!"
Joe Cool looks at her faded flannel night shirt while fighting bouts of nausea, "I bet you have a friend who wears lingerie more than once every 3 years."


Well, after I heard this story, I decided to find out if Margarita was right. To the right (above our profile) you will find a poll. It is anonymous and if it doesn't make you blush 1000 shades of red, then I would love it if you would play along. And please don't over inflate your answers to make me Margarita look bad!

While we are on the topic...

...of Weight Watchers my amazing, brilliant, wonderful husband made a huge faux pa last evening when we were out with some friends.

We met some friends at the park and had a picnic with Rudy's BBQ (YUMMY!!) and then let the kids play. It was a beautiful evening and to top it off we decided to go to Dairy Queen for some ice cream. As I am shoveling a Reese's Peanutbutter Cup Blizzard in my mouth my husband says:

1. "Wow, sweetie, you worked so hard cleaning the house today you deserve every bite of that. And go ahead and eat mine too!"
2. "A small blizzard? You look so good these days, you really do deserve a large."
3. "Uhh...what's up with Weight Watchers?

If you guessed option #3, please stand up and take a bow, I'm applauding you right now.

The real question is, was I more embarrassed that he mentioned this in front of friends or that he made me think about WW, while I was thoroughly enjoying my blizzard, thereby sprinkling my almost perfect evening with guilt? If you know me at all, you know the latter answer is definitely the correct one. Embarrassing me is very hard to do!

Oh, and by the way, I might be offended that my amazingly, not-always-so-brilliant husband would mention my weight to me if I didn't know that this man adores the ground I walk on, tells me daily that he thinks I'm gorgeous and cannot keep his hands off me (thus the 3 pregnancies in 6 years business)!!!

These are the days of my life...

I need a alarm on our food pantry. Actually, it's not the entire pantry - just the huge Halloween candy bowl. When I even glance at the bowl I need the alarm to go off and say, "STEP AWAY FROM THE CANDY IMMEDIATELY!"

Which brings me to my next point...Weight Watchers. Yeah, not going so well. It would be going really well if I were actually counting my points, but I'm not. I need to get more motivated. The good news is that I'm not gaining any weight back...yet. If I don't stop with the Halloween candy though...

Let's move on to exercising so that I can continue to write about my failures since I am already on the topic of my weight loss program. The good news in this department is that I joined a gym that has childcare. Bad news is that I go maybe once a week and have no desire to take the kids. The girls are just way too young for me to take and the boys... Yeah, I have no excuse for that one. Once again there is a motivation issue. And a time issue. There just isn't enough time in the day to get all the things that I want to get done, done.

The story of a stay-at-home-momma's life.

I need to get organized. And make priorities.

Until then, let me go and finish off that Halloween candy so that it is no longer a temptation!

Ain't she sweet?!?!

Same old tricks!

Matthew 4:1-11 was my quiet time reading the other day. After reading it I read Ken Gire's take on it in Moments with the Savior. I particularly love this passage in his book:

A strategic time to strike, thinks Satan, as he steps from the shadows. His movements are wary, for he is unsure whether he will end up as predator or prey. He takes a tentative step forward and grows bold in seeing how thin and frail his opponent has become.

"If you are the Son if God, tell those stones to become bread."

The temptations is not to make Jesus doubt himself but to depend on himself. Since the Father hasn't lifted a finger to alleviate his suffering, why not take things into his own hands? Afterall, it's been forty days. Who would blame him?

But Jesus doesn't take the baited hook. Instead he answers, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Regardless how consuming his hunger, Jesus would rather be fed with the smallest crust of his Father's word than with an entire landscape of fresh bread from anywhere else.

Satan steps back to plan his next move. A change of strategy might help. And a change of scenery. He brings Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and prods him with the blunt end of the very weapon Jesus used against him.

"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down . For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' "

In the first temptation Jesus answered Satan by affirming his dependence on the Father, so this temptation Satan pushes that dependence to the limit. If you really believe God will take care of you, reasons Satan, let him prove it, and prove it publicly, so everyone can see it.

The temple was the center of the religious activity for Israel. The jump would be seen by all the key leaders. And the rescue would convince them that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. In a single act he could win over every sceptic and avoid years of conflict with the religious establishment.

A tempting offer.

But Jesus sees through it, realizing that such a test would not be a confirmation of God's care but a calling of his care into question. Without hesitating, he replies:

"It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test."

Such a test would say to God: "If you really care about me, prove it." The challenge does not demonstrate faith in God's care; it demonstrated a doubt that needs some tangible proof before we will be convinced.

Rebuffed, Satan steps back and regroups. He then takes Jesus to an even greater pinnacle, for an even greater temptation. As god of this world, Satan has the earthly kingdom in his pocket. He digs into that pocket and counts the change. He makes a final offer.

"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

These are the kingdoms the Father has promised Jesus. These are the kingdoms he would someday possess. That someday could be today. And all of tomorrow's suffering could be avoided. All he would have to do is turn his back for a moment and merely bend a knee in Satan's direction. That's all.

But it is who he would have to turn his back on that keeps his knees locked. His own Father. His Father who loves him and delights in him. How could he bend even a knee, even for a moment, in betrayal of such a relationship?

Jesus takes the loose change and throws it in Satan's face.

"Away from me, Satan!" For it is written: 'Worship the Lord you God, and serve him only.'"

The words snap like a whip. Satan recoils, his lip wrinkled in derision, and turns to leave. He leaves, Luke tells us, until a more "opportune time," a time when Jesus would be weaker, more vulnerable, a time when his suffering would be more intense-a time he could have avoided, if only he hadn't taken sides in that desert so decisively, and resisted so resolutely.

In the Jordan, Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit and approved by the Father. In the desert, he appeared abandoned by both. Every trace of God was swept away by the wind or buries by the sand. There was no affirming voice. There was no attesting sign.

All Jesus heard from heaven was the hollow whistling of the wind, All he saw when he looked up were vultures circling in ever-narrowing patterns.

Yet still he trusted.

Still he obeyed.

And only afterwards did angels come.

Isn't that awesome? It totally reminded me that Satan still uses those same attack methods on us today! Depend on yourself, don't believe that God really cares about you & bow down, just put something else in God's place for a moment, and you can have it all. And Jesus was ready, in his moments of physical weakness, for the Prowling Lion. We need to be too!

Already up to no good!

There are lots of super fun things about having twins! Lots! One of my favorite is when one twin grabs the others hand and starts to suck on it. It is so cute! I also love it when I find one twins hair totally soaked because the other one was sucking on her head. They also do things that aren't that funny (to them), but I still chuckle. When they are playing on the floor together, and I hear one crying, I will go to check and sure enough her sister usually has a hand full of hair in her fists. And sometimes after their nap I will hear one of them crying in their cribs and find that one of them (usually Ella) has kicked her legs over to her sister and is kicking her. I would be sad too if I was trying to nap and someone was kicking me!

Below are some pictures of the girls playing on the floor and Ella eating Lily Kate's foot. I wasn't the one who found them in this position - Caleb did. He called me over, laughing really hard and saying, "Mom, one baby is eating the other baby's foot!" I think it's funny that the boys find these moments so hysterical and that they still can't tell the babies apart.

"Mommy, please put the camera down and do something about this girl eating my foot!"

"What foot? I'm sucking my fingers!"

Rumor Control

Alrighty, alrighty...

There have been many rumors springing from my last post and while I am still not ready to reveal my super HUGE news, I am ready to dispel the top three rumors.

Rumor #1: No, I am NOT pregnant! Some of you are crazy enough to think that is my big news and I just have three words for you - ARE YOU NUTS?!?!?! In case some of you haven't gotten the memo, I just had twins less than 6 months ago! I know I'm a little whacky, but that is insanity! Work with me people.

Rumor #2: We are not moving. Not yet anyway. I'd like to move, but we are once again waiting for the military.

Rumor #3: This one is good...that we got another animal. There 2 people standing between the dog, that we have, and Craigslist. One is in training to be a doctor and the other is always in camouflage...neither clean up after the dog. Titan is the best thing ever, except for the fact that he is a dog. Doesn't know how to use the bathroom, toothbrush or vacuum. If only he could babysit for me... Maybe if I teach him to dial 911

People, please don't get your hopes up that this news is exciting for anyone other than me. I fear that you will be sorely disappointed! As soon as I am able to utter the words, you my friends (and lurkers) will be the first to know. Feel free to keep guessing...your guesses have been making me laugh!

(BTW-there is a clue in the dispelled rumors above.)

Gotta love it!

The last 4 days have been some of the best in a long time! Today was the best day I have had in a super long time. The best. But we will get to that in a second...

Joseph's sister, Hannah, is here and has been giving us lots of "date" time. Gotta love it! In addition to giving us date time she has also been shopping with me, helping around the house and doing some baking. Gotta love it! Then icing on the cake was when she took me to a day spa today for a stone massage! It was seriously amazing. Amazing.

And that was just one of the amazing things that have happened today...the others, I can't bear to reveal yet. They're HUGE! But I just can't bear to reveal it yet. Maybe tomorrow...Maybe?

Two Words - GIRL HAIR!

Happy Birthday Joseph!!

Joseph's birthday is today and in honor of it, I have decided to write down 29 things I love about him. I have to whittle the list down because there are way more than 29 things, but here are my 29 favorites!

1. I love to listen to Joseph sing and pray with the boys at night before bedtime.
2. I love that whenever Joseph and I go out to eat, if I don't like what I ordered he always offers to switch with me.
3. I love that if the kids are fussing in the car Joseph will offer to let me drive while he deals with the drama in the back.
4. I love that Joseph can fix cars, things around the house and almost anything I want fixed.
5. I love how brilliant my man is.
6. I love watching Joseph wrestle with the boys.
7. I love that Joseph always wants to spend time with me.
8. I love that when we go to bed at night (sometimes hours after) and I asked him if he's locked the doors, he will say yes and then go and double check to make me feel better.
9. I love that when I don't understand something in the bible, Joseph will explain it to me.
10. I love the example Joseph sets for his boys and they want, so much, to be like him.
11. I love that Joseph will load everything for the kids and the kids in the car and then wait patiently for me while I finish getting ready. He never honks the horn or gets upset with me, he just waits.
12. I love how humble my man is and that he is almost always the first to day that he is sorry. I want to be more like him.
13. I love that Joseph honestly thinks I'm beautiful and tells me all the time.
14. I love that Joseph has more integrity of any person I have ever met.
15. I love falling asleep in Joseph's arms while he is praying for us.
16. I love that Joseph really enjoys doing things as a family.
17. I love watching Joseph eat sunflower seeds and sing (off tune) to country music.
18. I love that Joseph would rather me rest, while the kids are at school, instead of clean house or do chores.
19. I love that Joseph always puts the clean sheets on the bed because he knows I hate doing it.
20. I love that when Joseph is home he does all the work and lets me relax.
21. I love that Joseph is always willing to open our home to people and that he helps me get the house ready when we have company.
22. I love how proud Joseph is of his kids.
23. I love that Joseph is one of the few people in my life who is willing to put me in my place if I need it.
24. I love how Joseph leaves little notes all over the house when he has to go out of town. He leaves sticky notes everywhere (in drawers, on mirrors, inside the fridge!) for the boys and I to remind us that he loves and misses us.
25. I love that Joseph and I talk about any and everything.
26. I love that Joseph tries to spend time in God's Word daily.
27. I love that my man enjoys being physically fit.
28. I love knowing that Joseph prays for me.
29. My most favorite thing in the world about my husband is that he loves God with all his heart and desires to be a man after God's own heart!

Joseph, we love you so much and pray that you have a Happy Birthday!

Annual Pumpkin Carving!

I am finally getting around to posting some pictures of our annual family pumpkin carving extravaganza! This is something that we have done every year since before Caleb was born and is getting more fun as the kids get older. This year was the first year that Caleb carved his own pumpkin!! He did an awesome job and really got into it.

Here is Luke, sure that we are going to let him carve this huge pumpkin. He was so excited as you can tell by the look on his adorable little face. The reasone for his excitement can be summed up in two words: carving tools!

Caleb had been looking forward to this day for a while. I LOVE traditions and that this is a time he looks forward to spending as a family!

Joseph, intense about his pumpkin!

And we wonder where Caleb gets his intensity from!

Luke with carving tools - he is sure that he knows what he is doing!

The boys with our pumpkins!

Our pumpkins on Halloween night!




This year we did something a little different. I found this poem and prayer that we read as we carved pumpkins and it opened up some really great dialogue about God and sin. Caleb asked some awesome questions and I love any opportunity to share our faith with our babies. Below are the poem and prayer that we used:

I am a Jack O' Lantern

My light will shine so bright
For I am a Christian pumpkin

My symbols tell what's right.
My nose is like the cross on which our Savior died
To set us free from sin

We need no longer hide.
My mouth is like a fish

The whole wide world to show
That Christians live in this house

And love their Savior so!
The story starts at Christmas

My eyes are like the star
That shone on Baby Jesus

And wise men saw from far
My color it is orange

Just like the big bright sun
That rose on Easter Day

Along with Gods' own Son.
And so on Halloween

Let's set our pumpkins out
And tell the trick or treaters

What Gods' love is all about!
Author Unknown

The Pumpkin Prayer

Dear God, As I carve my pumpking help me say this prayer:

Open my mind so I can learn about You; (Cut the top of the pumpkin)

Take away all my sin and forgive me for the wrong things I do. (Clean out the inside)

Open my eyes so Your love I will see; (Cut the eyes out in heart shapes)

I'm so sorry for turning up my nose to all you've given me. (Cut a nose in the shape of a cross)

Open my ears so your word I will hear. (Cut the ears shaped like the Bible)-we did rectangles

Open my mouth so I can tell others You're near (cut the mouth in the shape of a fish)

Let Your light shine in all I say and do!

Amen. (Place a candle inside and light it)

When Caleb saw all the insides from our pumpkins he said, "Wow, that's a lot of sin in there!"

More pictures from Halloween...

Our Halloween night began at....CHIPOTLE! One of our favorite places. It was funny, when we walked in some guy walked up to Joseph and asked him if he wanted some foil to be a burrito. Joseph just looked at him like he was crazy and then he found out that if you put foil around you, in some fashion you got a free burrito. Free is quite exciting to this family, so Joseph and I both put foil on our heads and got our free burritos. Free and Chipotle - my 2 favorite words!

I didn't get pictures of Joseph and I with the foil on our heads, but here are the boys impersonating us! Knightly burritos!
Here is Mrs. Kellie with her new haircut. Super cute don't you think?!? I may just trade in my mullet for this 'do.

Our little princesses in their carriage!
We went to our friends, the Lams, church for their Fall Festival and it was really fun. They had games, food, plays, hayrides and it was all free (that word again!) and fun. The games were awesome for the kid's ages. Above is Luke at the bean bag toss. Both Joseph and I noticed that Luke has a really good aim for his age!

Caleb and his loot!
My man is so cute!
After the Fall Festival we came home to do some trick or treating and to meet up with Joseph's gandparents. Here is Ella with Great-grandma Carol.

Happy Halloween!

Lots of excitement around here today! I have been going since early this morning and am now exhausted. It was a fun, full day. We had bible study at our house this morning, met our good friends for dinner, went to a Fall Festival at the kids school, came home for some trick or treating and then Joseph's grandparents came to see us. We haven't seen them in 3 years!

I have pictures for many of the last couple of days, but will just put up some pictures of the kids in their Halloween costumes for now!

Here are some pictures of my oh-so-cute kiddo' s

Here are my knights and princesses. Caleb and Luke are wearing the Armor of God and my sweet girlfriends are wearing tutu's that were made by their momma.

I am so sad to say that I have no idea which twin this is!! I am so sad! I really think that this is Ella, but I'm not positive...

Here are my adorable princess girls. They loved their tutu's and kept trying to eat them! At the fall festival we went to, we couldn't get 5 feet without someone stopping us to "oooh & gooo" over them. One lady cracked me up. She said, "I hope you have some pictures documenting how cute they are." Lady, seriously, I have more pictures than you could ever imagine!

My little men. They are something else! There was more drama with their costumes than any year yet. When Caleb saw his little friend in her army costume he no longer wanted to be a knight, but instead he wanted his BDU's. I tried to explain to him that he wouldn't be dressing up then since he wears that everyday of the year! We couldn't find Luke's breastplate and he wanted to wear his shield on his back. Oh man....what a day!

What to do with a boy named Luke?

Luke better be glad that he is cute and very funny... Those qualities are his saving grace most days. Here is one of my favorite Luke quotes from the past couple of days:

Nana (my mom): Luke, don't you want to go pee in the potty like a big boy?
Luke completely ignores her.
Nana: I'll get you a big suprise...
Luke excitedly jumps up and says, "You want me go pee or poop?"

What is that?!?!?!? Can perform on demand for gifts?! This child is making me crazy! I repeat, he better be thankful that God created him cute and with tons of personality!

Safety First

Caleb is really getting into climbing trees. His personality is pretty cautious, so he is always concerned with (and I quote) "safety first". What other 5 year old boy has a "safety first" motto? We'll see if this is still his motto into his teens! One, named mom, can hope!

Here is Caleb in his safety gear. Helmet - obvious reasons, goggles - not too sure why, bandanna - the dust was getting in his mouth, 1 glove - because he couldn't find the other and his BDU's - in order to be in camo so that I can't see him.
Oh, and you can't see it well, but he put his Daddy's shoulder boards on his BDU's too. For those of you who aren't military, shoulder boards signify what rank you are. They are supposed to be worn on a completely different uniform, but Caleb likes them barely hanging on his BDU's.
He is hilarious (sometimes) with his uniform. He always wants to wear it, hangs it up and is always asking to iron it. I draw the line at ironing! I barely iron my own clothes!!

Here Caleb is planning his attack of the trees.

I thought this move was pretty cool! Little spider man action.

Almost conquers the tree...barely hanging on. At this point he starts yelling for help in full panic mode.

Speaking is overrated!

I still have no voice! And my family is handling it in their own ways...

Joseph was excited at first but then very quickly realized that he would have to pick up my slack and speak at least 2,000 more words than he normally does, so it quickly became burdensome for the man. Heaven forbid we should burden him with having to speak. A man of few words doesn't like to add more!

Caleb is being sweet and more helpful than usual.

And Luke, well Luke cracks me up. When I am talking to him in a whisper, he responds back with a whisper. And he is finding that it is harder to throw a fit, after all since Mommy can't speak over his fit she just walks away. When he is screaming he has to stop so that he can hear what I'm saying.

Lets recap - Joseph has to do most of the parenting, Caleb is sweet & helpful, and Luke... yep, I may never get my voice back!


On another note, we got back earlier this afternoon from our long weekend with the grandparents and it was super fun! The kids were wonderful, well-behaved and delicious! They all did awesome on the car ride and slept like babies in their new rooms at their Nana Bear's house. Travelling is certainly becoming easier. Or maybe the more kids I have the more relaxed I'm becoming!

F-L-K

Joseph told me something today.

Something that he has never told me in the 6 years that we have been married. I am told we have more conversations than most couples, but apparently there are still things that we haven't discussed. But don't worry (this means you Lovey!) I will make sure that the rest of our weekend is filled with lots of conversation. And now that I just typed that I realize that once again you are off the hook Lovey Mad - I HAVE NO VOICE! Yep, much to the happiness of the men in my life, I have lost my voice. But I digress....

Joseph told me that I was a FLK. You are probably asking yourself, "What's an FLK?" I asked that same question. Lovey's response, "Funny Looking Kid."

Can you believe it?! I have been walking around for at least the past 20 years thinking that I was a super cute kid! I look at old pictures and think to myself, "yep, those were the good 'ole days." But apparently not.

I think I have to let this one sink in before I find out what other things that man has been keeping from me!