Happy Birthday Love!!

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
you smell like a monkey,
and live in a zoo!

In honor of your 30th birthday, I am writing 30 things that I love about YOU!

1. I love that when you walk in the door, the house gets even more chaotic because the kids are so excited to see you!


2. I love your sense of humor.


3. I love that you never let the kids get away with talking ugly to me.


4. I love going to the gym with you and working out together.


5. I love that you have more integrity than any person I have ever met.


6. I love that when I hear a noise in the night (and you KNOW it was nothing) you will get up and check the house for me...


7. and that you never get upset because by the time you are back to bed I am already back to sleep!


8. I love that when I am all worked up and telling you a story, you calmly and analytically correct the most minor details and completely miss what I'm being dramatic about. (Okay, I don't always love that, but it is so YOU that it makes me laugh...just not at the time!)


9. I love that you love to go on dates with me.


10. I love that you find joy in the small and simple things in life.


11. I love that I can talk to you about Jesus and my relationship with Him and you "get it".


12. I love that you will take all 4 kids to the grocery store for milk so that I can have 20 minutes of silence.


13. I love that when I have a "great idea" you only roll your eyes for a second before going along with my idea even if you don't "get it".


14. I love that you are so predictable and dependable.


15. I love that you will get everyone ready on Sunday mornings (I know, I know - as long as I pick out the outfits!) and wait patiently in the car while I finish getting ready.


16. I love that even though you aren't a "gusher" you gush over the girls! Girls need a gushing Daddy!!


17. I love that we don't speak the same language, but are always saying the same thing.


18. I love that you always let me have your pickles. It's especially sweet because you like pickles!


19. I love that you are so different than me.


20. I love that a great Sunday afternoon for you would be watching football, eating hot wings and drinking a beer.


21. I love that you always want to be better at everything you do (being a doctor, being a husband, being a dad) and that you never settle.


22. I love that you will watch my dumb DVR shows with me and try to keep your comments to a minimum.


23. I love hearing you talk in bible study and always think that you are so brilliant and have such wisdom. (Just don't try to use that on me at home...kidding...sort of!)


24. I love how you don't sweat the small stuff with the kids.


25. I love that when we are watching a movie, you never get mad at me when I ask you 1000 questions because I am confused - okay, so maybe you do get irritated, but you at least try not to let it show!


26. I love that I know how much you love me.


27. I love that when I ask you where you want to eat, you always pick places that you think I want to eat at.


28. I love listening to you sing in church. The noise itself isn't that great, but the devotion behind it is amazing.


29. I love that you know so much about all the things the boys are interested in.


30. I love being married to my best friend!!!

FROM CALEB
What would you to say to Daddy on his birthday?
I think Daddy's the best Daddy because he teach me lots of stuff.
Like what?
Like he can do lots of things with me, he loves me very much.
Anything else you want to tell Daddy?
Like he's the bestest Dad ever.

FROM LUKE
What do you love about Daddy?
I love that he tickles me.
What else?
When he rolls me and makes me laugh and sometime he plays the wildebeast game with me.
Is that all?
And that he likes Anakin.

FROM LILY KATE & ELLA (and Mommy's imagination!)
What do you love about Daddy?
We love that he tells us how pretty we look in our dresses.
Anything else?
And that he treats us like princesses and spoils us. Oh, and he gives us lots of kisses!

We love you!
Happy Birthday!!

The end is in sight!

It's late and I'm blogging. Never a good combination.

I am so thrilled that this election is almost over. T-H-R-I-L-L-E-D!! I am over all the candidates and am voting down the line on principle only. I have no strong convictions (about these candidates), only principles. I am sick of hearing about Mavericks, the economy, global warming, Rev Wright, Sarah Palin, terrorists, ACORN and I hope I never hear a politician say the word "change" - ever again. Because we don't know for sure who is going to win, this is what I know for sure:

The God that changed my life, doesn't change. He will be just as powerful tomorrow as He was today. Regardless of who is elected.

And that is what I'm hanging my hat on. Not J-Mac or OB, instead JC as in Jesus Christ, baby.

My name is Sab Mad, and I endorse this message.

Weekend Recap

Friday: Trick or Treat action...all WELL documented!

Saturday: The boys went with The Love and my stepdad to the air show! Super fun, and very anticipated event for all of them. The were there for almost 6 hours - a long time for the boys, but it sounds like they all had a blast. The boys each got overpriced souvenier airplanes (from their grandpa!) and lots of free air show stuff.

Poor Joseph, when he goes anywhere with the kids, I always want the play-by-play of everything that happened. Here is my favorite story of the day: By the end of the air show, the boys were wiped out from the heat and all the walking. So my stepdad (known as Geepa) put Luke on his shoulders. While up there Luke says, "Geepa, you have a hole in your hair!" Geepa responds, "Yep, I lost all my hair there didn't I?" Luke was quiet for a second and then excitedly said, "Nope, I just found one!"

While the boys went to the air show my mom, the girls and I went to the outlets for some shopping. I refrained from getting much for myself because I have high hopes of losing more weight. So the kids got stuff instead. It was fun to spend time with my mom and the babies. We had a good time and the girls were pretty good.

The top 3 questions I was asked at the outlets:

1. Are they twins?
2. How old are they?
3. What were they for Halloween? (very few people were impressed with the Ewoks!)

Sunday: I took the kids to church this morning while Joseph went to work and my parents went home. I'm really liking our church more and more lately. Then when I got home I did more laundry than any human should have to do. And I am currently sitting on the porch, enjoying the weather and waiting for my man to come and rescue me from my little Darlings! He is watching our 4 kids and my friend, Jacque's, 5 kids while we go out to dinner!! Isn't he the best?! It was his idea. Her hubby is deployed for 5 months and he thought she may need a break. I really love my man! He has worked all day and is going to come home and take care of 9 kids. See why I am always say he's a Rockstar?! And he's so brave!!

I'll let you know how it goes...

Happy Halloween

Caleb and Ella...
Lily Kate and Luke!
My babies!

And here they are dressed and ready to go! We have Anakin, Obi Won, and two little Ewoks. I could not for the love of me get the Ewoks to cooperate for a photo! So, you may not be able to tell what they are. If I let them stand they would walk away...ugh! It was frustrating. And of course The Love had to work tonight, so he was so bummed to have missed this! This is probably the last time that I will be able to do a group theme costume... and I worked hard on the little ewoks costumes...eh, you win some, you lose some! I think I needed more of the force...!

The great pumpkin carving extravaganza!!

My super cute Joe O' Lantern

Luke did a pretty good job carving his pumpkin!! I was super impressed!
My boys INTENSELY at work!
Luke with his finished pumpkin!

Things are getting trickier to do this year with Joseph's schedule. It was hard to find a day we could go to the pumpkin patch and hard to find a time to carve pumpkins. Both things are yearly traditions, and while we didn't find the ideal time to do either, we still made time!

For pumpkin carving, we decided that it would be way easier to do when after the girls went to bed. Way easier! The boys did fantastic and Caleb carved his whole pumpkin by himself!! Unfortunately I do not have a picture of his finished product, but trust me when I say it was pretty impressive!

This year The Love carved the pumpkin while I read the following poem:

"Pumpkin Prayer"

{cut off top of pumpkin} Lord, open my mind so I can learn new things about you.

{remove innards} Remove the things in my life that don’t please you. Forgive the wrong things I do and help me to forgive others.

{cut open eyes} Open my eyes to see the beauty you’ve made in the world around me.

{cut out nose} I’m sorry for the times I’ve turned my nose at the good food you provide.

{cut out mouth} Let everything I say please You.

{light the candle} Lord, help me show your light to others through the things I do.

Amen
By: Liz Curtis Higgs

I'm glad that we used that poem because I later heard Caleb explaining what our pumpkin meant to one of the neighbor kids. A couple weeks ago, Caleb asked me if Halloween glorifies God. Man, while I am so unprepared for him to ask such thoughtful & insightful questions, I LOVE that he asks them. It keeps me on my toes and makes me think!!

Last year we used the following poem:

Jack O’ Lantern Poem

I am a Jack O’ Lantern

My lights will shine so bright

For I’m 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 God’s own Son

And so on Halloween

Let’s set our pumpkins out

And tell the trick or treaters

What God’s love is all about!

A visit to the Pumpkin Patch!

Every year we go to the pumpkin patch and this year was no exception!! We went with some of our favorite people to a pumpkin patch that is about an hour away. They have a hay maze, pumpkin painting, fun sing-a-long, tractor rides, petting zoo, pony rides and more! The day that we went, it was a brisk morning and absolutely beautiful! We had an awesome time!

Here's some documentation of our fun:

Daddy holding his Beauties at the sing-a-long!
Aren't the sisters cute?! I made the girls (and boys!) shirts and got the idea from Family Fun. They came out pretty cute if I do say so myself!
The kids all waiting, with instruments, for the sing-a-long to start.
Lily Kate is cracking me up with this little snarly face. She was making it all day long and I captured it in almost every picture!
Scarecrow Caleb
All our friends (minus Miss Lees). In this photo there are 2 Caleb's and 2 Luke's!! To think that when we picked out our boys names, we knew NO ONE with the same name!
Our family photo!!! People, this is as good as it gets...

Mama and her Pumpkins! The boys painting their pumpkins.

This shot of the Twinkies cracks me up! Ella slept most of the hour that it took to get to the pumpkin patch. Lily Kate sang for a good 30 min and slept for maybe 5 minutes. So she was very tired after we had out picnic lunch. I laid her in the wagon and she stayed there the rest of the time and didn't move. I thought the wagon was big until Ella wanted to lay down too. They're a little cozy, but luckily don't mind that at all. (I promise, Lily Kate is squinting from the sun not because her sister's feet are in her face!)
Ella wanting to get IN the petting zoo!
Caleb's baby chick!

And this is what the girl's did on the way home!! This is the best picture I could get because I had to take the picture while driving because Joseph was asleep next to me. My man took one for the team - he worked all night the night before and came straight from the hospital, so that we could go to the patch with our friends. By the time we drove home his lack of sleep had caught up with him!

It was truly a great day!

WW Friday

Happy Halloween!!

So this is going to have to be quick because I am so excited about Halloween I can hardly stand it.

I weighed in this morning and lost .2 pounds. I'm thrilled I didn't gain after a week like last week and figure a loss is a loss. I had 3 kids with fever, I was sick and I had a monthly visitor that brings me nothing but the desire to eat chocolate, crabbiness and weight gain! We ate out a lot last week and I didn't do a great job sticking to WW. Yeah, it wasn't a great "eating" week.

As far as the exercise front, that wasn't so good either!
Saturday - nothing!
Sunday - nothing! (the girls and I were sick!)
Monday - lifting chest/triceps, but no cardio (still felt crummy!)
Tuesday - ran 6 miles!! (terrible time though - couldn't get under a 9:50 mile)
Wednesday - lifted back/biceps, no cardio (still felt crummy and got to the gym late because Luke had fever!
Thursday - ran 5 miles (much better time - 9:11 mile)
Friday - class at the gym

I hope to have a better report next week! But just remembered that I probably won't because my parents are in town this weekend and Joseph's birthday is next week! We'll see...

WW Friday

Good News this week!

I am 1.2 pounds lighter!!

And while I am excited, I am also frustrated with the s-l-o-w progress. I'm running 15 miles a week, lifting 3 days a week and tagging 30 min of cardio on the end of my lift days.

With that said, I must confess that I also splurge on the weekends and eat whatever I want. Hmmm. Yeah, I should be thankful that there is weight loss instead of whining that it's not enough!

I have noticed significant changes in my body. The Love has as well. Oh, has he noticed.

All in all, a loss is a loss and I'll take it!

1000th post!

This is my 1000th post!! Amazing. I'm amazed that I have thought of 1000 things to blog about. Okay I'm not that amazed. Actually I'm not amazed at all. I was the girl that through my entire school career got a minus (as opposed to a check, or better yet a PLUS!) in the 'Talks Only with Permission' category. Hmmm. Who would have thought that would come in handy someday?

I digress.

This month is also my 3 year bloggy-versary. 3 years of blogging is pretty much a miracle for a girl that has serious issues with follow-through! If there would have been a 'Follows through with everything she starts' category, I would probably have gotten a minus as well...hmmm.

So, in honor of my 1000 post, I thought that I would write 1000 things about me.

SIC!

I seriously would never bore you with that. I'm not that egocentric cruel. I am, however, going to bore you 100 Things About Me. I never did that little right of passage when I did my 100th post, so I thought I'd do it now. I just hope I can think of 100 things.

Here goes...

1. I have never broken a bone...
2. Unless you count my nose which my mom says I broke when I was a baby and fell out of my crib. Lots of people don't count the nose because they say it's cartilage - tomato, tomato?
3. I digress all the time. It drives, The Love nuts!
4. When I was a child I wanted to be a truck driver.
5. I am obsessed with cleaning...
6. and 409 is my favorite cleaning product...
7. followed closely by the magic eraser.
8. My parents divorced when I was 5.
9. When I sleep at night, I have to sleep with a fan on.
10. My favorite food in the whole, wide, world is pizza. Love it!! Could eat it every day.
11. I bungee jumped when I was 18.
12. I would love to go sky diving someday.
13. My dream vacation, for just The Love and I, is Tahiti. I want to stay in a bungalow, with a glass bottom, that is perched above the water.
14. My dream vacation, for the whole family, is to take a year off from life and travel all the continents together.
15. The first dream vacation will happen, the second one will probably only be a month or two and through Europe - says The Love. I can compromise...sometimes.
16. I'm neither a night person or a morning person.
17. When I was in 5th grade I sang, "Thy Word" in front of my entire school and pee'd my pants.
18. After my 3 pregnancies I have cut my hair off and given it to Locks of Love.
19. I never finished my degree...
20. and have no regrets about that.
21. I bite my fingernails and find that absolutely disgusting.
22. I love to go to the gym.
23. I was adopted when I was 3 months old...
24. and am CONVINCED I'm my mother's favorite!
25. When I was a child I took ice skating lessons for many years.
26. I scrapbook in the evenings...
27. and am currently working on the girlies scrapbooks.
28. My first kiss was a boy who had braces and I was terrified our braces would get stuck together. They didn't.
29. I do not want to be cremated when I die - Did you hear that Love?!
30. I am terrible at returning email.
31. Colorado is my favorite state.
32. I have vivid dreams that I typically remember.
33. I LOVE Halloween and costumes!!
34. Someday I want to have a house in the mountains.
35. And one by the sea.
36. I was 1, of about 35, chosen out of 800 applicants to open a Planet Hollywood in St. Louis. (It was pretty spectacular and about as close to be a celebrity that I will ever get. I know, pretty pathetic!)
37. I have a 110 pound dog named Titan.
38. I love John Denver.
39. I eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day for breakfast.
40. I used to be a voracious reader.
41. While I don't have much time to read anymore, I still manage a book every couple of months.
42. My favorite author is Ken Gire.
43. When I was a kid we didn't have a tv.
44. I have the worst memory when it comes to movies. I can never remember what a movie was about.
45. Except for the Sound of Music. It's my all time favorite movie!
46. I was voted 'Most Outgoing' for my Senior class and tied for 'Best Dressed'.
47. I have very eclectic taste in music.
48. I make up the most odd nick-names for my children.
49. I love commas and overuse them all the time.
50. When I met Joseph I knew he wanted to be a doctor...
51. I just didn't really know what that meant!
52. I love school supplies.
53. I crave depth & authenticity - in relationships, conversations..
54. and I have a hard time with surface - relationships, conversations, ect.
55. Target is my favorite store.
56. Followed very closely by White House Black Market.
57. Joseph and I want to do medical missions some day!
58. The Hills is on my DVR - so embarrassing to admit!
59. I'm faithful about going to the dentist every 6 months.
60. And I like to start my kids early and am faithful about their appointments.
61. I would consider myself shy. I really am an introvert stuck in an extroverts body!
62. I love to make lists.
63. I watch Super Nanny to feel better about my parenting skills.
64. I once received a $100 tip!
65. Since being in the military I have always been a part of a Spouses Club.
66. Christmas music makes me happy.
67. I have a tendency to take on leadership roles.
68. I grew up going to church...
69. but never really encountered The One who changed my life until I was 22.
70. I love reese's peanut butter cups!
71. If I had to get a job, I would want to be a real estate agent.
72. Until I was about 12 I believed there were unicorns.
73. I take care of all the monthly finances in out house...
74. and hate it!
75. I drink (minimally) 2 quarts of Christal Light a day. (there are probably carcinogens in it that will kill me when I'm 40!)
76. I always considered myself to be a free spirit...
77. until I had kids. Now I am a total control freak.
78. I have a really hard time hanging up on telemarketers.
79. One of my all time favorite verses is Micah 6:8.
80. I'm really proud of myself for being able to run 5 miles...
81. and hope that I can increase that without injury.
82. I like pretty note cards.
83. I've watched the entire series of Dawson's Creek. And cried when it ended!
84. I don't have a lot of holiday decorations...
85. but wish I did.
86. When I was 10 my dad took us on a 3 month vacation around the western part of the US..
87. Then the next summer we did the eastern part.
88. If I didn't open the mail in our house, no one would.
89. When I make dinner, I like for all colors to be represented.
90. I like coach purses.
91. I tell Joseph the same stories over and over because I forget that I've told him.
92. I wish my hubby had a job where he made $200 a year and never had to go to work.
93. I use the Max Lucado bible for my quiet time devotions.
94. I am the complete opposite of a pack rat.
95. I slept in Denali National park while I was 7 months pregnant...
96. while sharing the tent with a 2 year old.
97. I have been within 20 feet of a wild bear on several occasions.
98. I really, really, really like jewelry.
99. I love to organize things.
100. I'm shocked I came up with 100 things about myself!

Whirlwind Weekend Report

Weekends around here are full and fun! This one was no exception.

It began Friday afternoon when my mama arrived full of energy and excitement to see her "babies". I think she was here for a total of 7 minutes before The Love and I said bye to the kids and went out on our date! It has been a couple of weeks since we had a "date night" and that is a week too long for us. There are a few new restaurants that I have been wanting to try out, but we were short on time, so will be trying those out later. We ended up eating at Carino's for their 2 can Dine for $19.99. How can you really pass that up? Soup/salad, bread, main course and dessert! YUM!

After our dinner we went to our first small group bible study at church. Our church just started these and we are badly in need of a small group to join. We had been attending a couples bible study, and while we really love all the people, it was pretty heavy & intense on study and too light & weak in fellowship and application for where we are in life right now. So these small groups from church came just in the perfect time. I was hesitant on whether or not we should go, but was thrilled when we left. It was awesome! Heavy on relationship building and accountability and biblical application. We are really excited!!

Saturday arrived with shopping, garage selling, soccer games, rearranging the boys room, and volunteering at Luke's school! What a day!! I'm thankful that my mama was here because I'm just not sure that I could have done it all solo.

This morning we went to church and afterwards, went to the church picnic where Joseph got "bath-tized" (as Luke calls it!) He was baptized as a child and decided that he wanted to be baptized, by immersion, like Jesus was.

Great end to a great weekend!

WW Friday

So let's just cut to the chase, here is the not-so-skinny:

I gained .6 pounds.

Yep, it's true. And my reaction to the news? No big deal, not too concerned.

It has been a yucky week. I missed a couple of days at the gym because I felt awful all week. Even today I'm still not feeling back to normal. Out of desperation I have even taken drugs. And not just 1 drug, but 2!! NyQuil and Sudafed. Those of you that know me, know I must have been close to death to take medicine. And those of you that know me, know I must also be very ill not to go the gym. I did try one day and ran 2 miles before I felt like I was dying and had to quit and go home! Yeah, I was sick.

When I weighed in this am at my WW meeting, I was more than half way through my 32oz. bottle (I drink minimally 3 a day!) and had a full (seriously full) bladder. I'm sure that didn't help my weight loss. At least I am consoling myself with those excuses.

So, all in all, I'm going to label this week - CRAP and have much higher hopes for next week!

I spy

I saw gas today for $2.63 today!!

What is it in your neck of the woods?

Rambling Tuesday

Happy Day after Columbus Day. I knew it was a holiday yesterday, but it wasn't until later in the day that I asked Joseph what holiday it was anyway.

Yesterday I had my first quarterly parent/teacher conference. It went well and Caleb is doing excellent. His teacher said that he reads beyond the level of anyone else in the classroom and often reads to his friends during "free time". So cute! He also mentions that he likes to talk a lot. Hmmm...not even remotely a news flash for me!

Caleb has been driving me crazy lately. While I am thrilled with his love of learning there are more than a few moments in the day where it makes me nuts. He is in this spelling mode right now. He LOVES to spell out everything. When he calls for Joseph or I, he will spell out, "M-O-M" or "D-A-D". He will follow me around the house spelling things. Sounds innocent enough right? WRONG!! It is so annoying when I have one 16 month old pulling everything off the dining room table, another 16 month old armed with a marker, and a 4 year old sitting on the toilet yelling, "Mom, I went poop. Come wipe my bottom!" and he is following me around spelling, "m-o-m-w-h-e-n-a-r-e-y-o-u-t-a-c-k-i-n-g-m-e-t-o-s-k-o-l?" Inevitable there are a few words spelled wrong and then there is the fact that I can't concentrate on what he's saying long enough to answer him, so he will repeat it over and over. It's chaos. Maddening chaos!

*************************************************************************

We were also supposed to go to the pumpkin patch yesterday, but the rain (that almost never happens in our area) thwarted my plan, so we began rearranging the playroom and too the boys to Chucks for lunch. They love going with Daddy and we all had a good time. Even the girls like going to Chucks. They haven't seen the big rat yet...

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We recently decided that it was time to move the boys out of the playroom and into their rooms. I'm tired of trying to patrol the Legos, markers, and million of other small dangerous pieces that the girls are drawn to like magnets. And now that all the boys toys are out, the playroom looks so bare! Poor little Darlings don't have much in way of toys. I can't wait to get them a doll house (or 2, or 10!) but for now it is going to have to remain bare since we are funneling all extra money to all the new storage that we will have to buy for the boys room. Have no fear though, my mom is coming this weekend and won't let her babies go without! Between this weekend and in two more weeks when she comes for our girls trip to the outlets, I have no doubt that the girls will have plenty soon!

**************************************************************************

The weather here is finally getting cooler. And I am so thankful for that for many reasons, the main one being that my kids spend significantly more time outside when it's not in the 90's out! Yesterday afternoon they were out for 5 hours playing with the neighbor kids. My kids are outdoor children and I am definitely an outdoor mom. Except for when it's hot. The bad thing is that while I needed a nap, I didn't want to be sleeping with the kids outside. I got a lot done, but no nap.

But all that is about to change since the Darlings are back at school today. It's 12:38pm and all will be quiet in my house for another 2 hours and 45 min, so I think I'm going to take that nap. A long, long nap.

What is a Military Wife?

I got the following in an email today and thought it so true!

What is a Military Wife?

They may look different and each is wonderfully unique
But this they have in common: lots of moving ---
moving far from home, moving two cars, three kids and one dog - all riding with HER, of course
moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house
moving curtains that won't fit
moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours
moving away from friends
moving toward new friends
moving or storing her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories

often waiting ---
waiting for housing
waiting for orders
waiting for deployment
waiting for reunions
waiting for phone calls
waiting for the new curtains to arrive
waiting for him to come home dinner.

They call her 'military dependent', but she knows better:
She can balance a checkbook,
handle the yard work, and fix a noisy toilet.
She is intimately familiar with drywall, anchors,and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes, sell a house, buy a car, or set up a move--all with ONE Power of Attorney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
Reinvents her career with every PCS;
locates a house in the desert, the arctic, the deep south or overseas and learns to call all 'home.' She MAKES them all home.
She is fiercely IN-dependent.

Military Wives are somewhat hasty---
They leap into decorating, leadership, volunteering, career alternatives, churches and friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other. They connect over coffee, rely on the spouse-network, and accept offers of friendship and favors and record addresses in pencil.

Military Wives have a common bond---
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands.
His commitment is unique. He doesn't have a job, he has a 'mission,' he can't just decide to quit.
He's on-call for his country 24/7 but for you, he's the most...Unreliable guy in town...
His language is foreign: TDY, PCS, OPR, ACC, BDUAnd so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long-distance link to keep them informed; the glue that holds them together.

Military Wife has her moments---
She wants to wring his neck, dye his uniform pink, and refuse to move to Siberia.
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days, a travel brochure, a long hot bath, a pledge to the flag, and a wedding picture.
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man who puts duty first,who salutes the flag,whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military husband,
She will remain his Military wife.

What you won't read on CNN's ticker...

If you aren't watching the new, let me sum it up for you:

The Dow is dropping.
Interest rates are rising.
Financial security is plummeting.
Everyone is in jeopardy of financial crisis.
The political zoo is heating up.
Yada, yada, yada..


Here is some news that's not making CNN: I have some numbers for you - 2.4 & 6.8 - That is, 2.4 pounds I lost last week and 6.8 pounds I've lost in the past 2 weeks!! WHOO-HOO!

I joined Weight Watchers 2 weeks ago and am attending the meetings. I've done WW off and on for the past year, on my own, with very little success. So I decided to attend the meetings and see if that helped. And it has!

So, today I got my 5 pound sticker (indicating to all that I have lost 5 pounds) and I got a "bravo" sticker because my WW leader thinks it's amazing that I get to the meetings (kids in tow!) and that I have 4 kids, 6 and under, and that I get to the gym at least 5 days a week. People are funny. Little do they know that, as far as kids go, I am status quo for my circle of (well, Minot) friends!! And I go to the gym so much because it is a great place to take the kids when they are making me crazy they need to run off some energy. Not exactly amazing, but I'll keep my bravo sticker!

In other news, did y'all notice that I put a new little gadget on the side of my blog? I put a little weight loss ticker there. I figure that it will hold me accountable to know that the 5 people that read my blog may check to see how my progress is coming along.

If you feel so inclined to, check out that ticker and feel free to hold me accountable every now and then! I need it.

The Mad Divas

The Beauties favorite activity (aside from tearing apart my house) is going for a walk in the wagon. They love it! Here are some pictures of their first time in the wagon. Oh, and they love to wear sunglasses! Such Diva's!!
Lily Kate holding Mama's hand.
Adventurous Ella!

Got my butt kicked today...

...and loved it!!

My trekking class at the gym is hardcore. Remember I told y'all about it? Well I have been going for the past couple of weeks and am AMAZED at the improvement there has been to my running. Last Thursday I ran 5 miles in less than 50 minutes! 5 miles!! Remember when I thought this was a big deal?

Today our instructor must have woken up feeling a little sassy because she was...something. We ran 4 1/2 miles of HILLS. H-I-L-L-S, people. And if that wasn't enough, after each mile she made us run sprints (3times), do (30) pushups, and then spend 3 minutes moving fast on the stair-stepper. The the first minute back on the treadmill we did shoulder presses with 15 pd. weights. Then it was time to run hills for another mile so we could do it all over again. Craziness.

I have never sweat so much or worked so hard. Or felt so good...afterwards.

Are there any good options out there?

I had HIGH hopes for Sarah Palin, remember my excitement for the lady? Now, I'm just disappointed. Don't get me wrong. I think she's adorable and funny and I'd love for her to be one of my BFF's. I just haven't heard enough substance to say that I would want her as Vice President of this country!!

After her Katie Couric interview, I can understand why they aren't letting her speak to the media, but come on...I'd like to hear her speak, unrehearsed, some time before the elections. It makes me really nervous that she isn't doing interviews. And then when I do hear her speak I really don't love the junk that she is talking about: Obama in cahoots with terrorists (puhleeeze!), Reverend Wright (old news) and if I hear the word "maverick" one more time...

Yeah, I'm not sounding very loyal. I agree. I'm just disappointed. And irritated. And annoyed. And I don't like either the donkeys or the elephants much these days!

Soccer season is here!!

Yep, it sure is! The boys look forward to soccer season all year long. And they are excited it is here! Both boys are playing and they have practice on different days of the week, but games on the same day. Here are some pictures of their first game day:

This is Luke's favorite pose...1 leg on the ball.

His coach is the guy in white and is really good with the kids.

Luke was impressive! Last year was his first year playing and it was...interesting. I wasn't sure if he would ever understand that we signed him up for soccer not rugby! This year he looks like a pro out there. He scored 2 of the teams 3 points!!

And then he needed a break for some Micky D's hash browns. Poor kid didn't get breakfast! Hey, it was all I could do to get 4 kids (plus I was also watching the neighbor's kid too) out the door and to the soccer fields by 8 am sans Lovey. He was working the night shift and was able to at least meet us there to see some of the game!

Luke in action!

This picture cracks me up! Luke's team is the Tigers, so after the game they put their hands together and yelled, "Go Tigers!" The rest of the day he kept telling people that, "He was on the orange team and his teams name was 'Go Tigers'!" Adorable!

Luke is super excited this year because one of his best buddies, Drew, is on his team! How fun is that?! Drew's mommy and I are really good friends too, so that is fun for me too! Before each game they do a good sportsmanship pledge with the players and their parents. Here are Caleb and Daddy.
Poser!
An action shot of Caleb. This is the year that they start to teach the kids positions and have them stay in their positions. I wasn't sure how Caleb would like that, but he loves it. His coach is a yeller. I hadn't met him, but after the first practice Joseph came home and warned me that the coach was nice but he only had 1 volume level and it was LOUD! And boy was he right. It perturbs me, but it doesn't bother Caleb, so I'm trying to overlook it. It's hard.
Here is a picture of the Love and I before we got into our HUGE fight. Part of the problem was that I had a long, exhausting day and had only slept 5 hours the night before. I had no break all day and was completely worn out. Lack of sleep + single parenting + no personal time all day = BAD combination.

Good news is that no matter how bad the argument we are still in love at the end of the day! I heart that man!!!

Public Serive Announcement

FYI - Tomorrow, October 6th, is the last day to register to vote!! Get on out there people!!

What's going on at The Mad House?

Craziness, thanks for asking!

I have been a bad blogger because in my very limited spare time I either want to sleep, catch up on my dvr shows, sleep, scrapbook or I'm on stinkin' facebook! Facebook is really the culprit of keeping me away from my little blog. FB is really a very odd thing. I find all these people that I want to be friends with, but a. I have no idea if they will remember me (even though I have been told often that once you meet me it's hard to forget me - not sure if that's a good or bad thing!) b. IF they do remember me, what if they don't want to be my friend, c. do I really want to be friends with all these random people that I will probably never talk to again (on FB or any other venue). So, while it is fun watching my number of very random friends grow, FB is also making me feel like I am back in 9th grade,the new kid on the block and bringing back some really silly high school insecurities. But it is really fun finding old friends... And therein lies my love/hate relationship with FB. I really need to get a life!

But, I do have one that is keeping me very busy, just not busy enough to ward off the lure of FB. Here is a quick update on the past week at The Mad House:

Lovey: has been on nights for a while. I don't mind them so much because I have no boundaries and when I really miss him I will "accidentally" wake him up. It's been nice because he usually wakes up shortly after the boys get home from school and the girls wake up from their afternoon naps. That is the time in this house when there is mass chaos. A good time for him to be awake. He's in the ER this month and loves it! I'm glad too, because I would really be sad if we went through all this work and he didn't like what he was doing! Do you like how I say "we"? Hmm. One word: I-wonder-why-I-always-make-it-all-about-me?!

Caleb: LOVES school. Loves it! And I am happy for him. He got off the (very posh) school bus yesterday and (before even saying hi) says, "Can I use the phone? I need to make a phone call. Oh, and do you mind if I borrow the laptop? I need to use the computer too." Um, hi, I missed you too. Aren't you in kindergarten? Who in the world do you need to call? Yeah, he's definitely enjoying the social life of school. He told his papa and I yesterday that the girls chase him on the playground. And then once they get him, they hit him and act all weird. Papa Bear told him to get use to that one...women act weird a lot. Hmm. I don't think he's speaking from experience...?

Luke: loves school too. And is doing really well. I don't know if it is his age or his new school, but he's really into 'learning'. He likes to color and is spending lots of time these days doing little coloring projects. A little different for the active child who for the longest time would only use black crayons (and only use black paper, markers & paint!) and his desire to color was for a very short span of time. I'm really glad we are out of that stage. I was terrified that 'goth' would be in my future! Luke really loves his teachers, Ms Lawhorn and Ms Pope (he calls them "Miss Longhorn and Miss Poke!) and knows everyone in the class by name. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that they know him by "Luke". I was dropping him off the other day and as I was leaving his class, one of his classmates dad called out to me and said, "Is your son the one that likes to be called Anakin?" Um, Yeah...how did you know?! "Oh, my son comes home and talks about him all the time. He says that your son will only answer if they call him Anakin or Young Anakin." Hmm. One word: at-least-he's-not-using-black-crayons!


Lily Kate: is still not walking. And it's totally NOT because she doesn't know how. It's because she is in a hurry, doesn't like to fall, and can get where she needs to go by crawling. This is completely indicative of her personality. I have fear that she is going to be a Type A/Perfectionist. Just like her biggest brother and Daddy. Lily Kate is my girl that is very particular, likes to be held, whines when she doesn't get what she wants and when she smiles she crinkles her nose - it is THE cutest thing ever - and melts hearts! Melting hearts = getting her way. Hmm. Can you say, "M-a-n-i-p-u-l-i-t-i-v-e!"


Ella: is everywhere and into everything. She goes from room to room all day, dismantling or moving things. Things are rarely where they belong anymore and it is all due to her handy work! Ella is curious, adventurous, easy going, clumsy, and adorable! She is more "tomboy" than Lily Kate, but still loves shoes, purses and her clothes. Hmm. Can you say, "Like-mama-like-daughter?"


The twins: are becoming a LOT of work. Up until now they have remained fairly contained, but we recently opened up their boundaries and let them off the carpet. I am regretting that decision. They are keeping me busy. And making me exhausted. They are also getting more aggressive towards one another. When they fight, they have no problem hitting or pulling hair. They are vicious! But they like to kiss and make-up too!! As much as they are work, they are fun too! They love to sing, kiss, dance, laugh with each other, eat and are often getting in trouble together. The boys love their little sisters and celebrate any new thing that they learn. Luke, who up until recently has shown little interest in playing with the twins, has been making up little games to play with them while Caleb is at school. It's pretty stinkin' cute! I am so thankful for my kids and their love for one another!!


I have been busy doing... I don't even know! I feel like I should have all this free time since I have one child in school full time and another part time, but instead I just feel like we are busier than ever. It's not a bad busy, just an at-the-end-of-the-day-I-am-exhausted-and-I-can't-figure-out-what-I-accomplished busy! I have been going to the gym and trying to lose weight. Last week I joined WW and am going to the meetings. I have been excited by my progress thus far: I lost 4.5 pounds last week!! Very excited. I am working out a lot too and able to get to the gym at least 5 days a week! And loving it. My last run (Thursday) was 4 miles at a 9 minute mile pace. Not breaking any world records, but I am thrilled with my progress and have definitely caught the running bug! One word: obsessed!

I am also thrilled to announce that I am almost done with Luke's scrapbook!!! I have been working on it a lot over the past couple of months and all I have left to document is his first birthday. Then it's on to the girls!! One word: YEAH!

Whew! Are y'all still reading? I just wanted to give an update on the Mad House. Sorry it turned into a novel!

Ten Things Tuesday!

1. Brisk Fall mornings!
2. Second chances, Third chances, Okay most of the time fourth chances...AND the One who gives them!
3. Date nights!!
4. People who inspire me with their amazing stories.
5. Clean vehicles...
6. and the healthy, little people that make them so messy!
7. Soccer season. And good friends on the team.
8. Exercise. Okay, maybe not exercise but the way I feel when it's over!
9. The 2 1/2 hours of complete silence that happens in my house everyday...
10. and the sound of complete chaos when all my babies have returned home to me!

Thanks to our great hostess Mrs. Brownstone for giving us weekly opportunities to be mindful of all that we have to be thanful for!

On today's agenda...

1. Shower! (RARELY the first thing on the list!)
2. Luke to soccer practice
3. Rush home to make lists and prepare my sisters for watching all 4 kids by themselves for 5 hours (there is a lot of work that has to be done in order for me to leave the kids, without either The Love or I, for that long!)
4. Go scrapbook for 5 uninterrupted hours, free from my Darlings
5. Rush home and quickly pack
6. Drive 3+ hours to my parents
7. Put exhausted-past-their-bed-time-excited-to-see-grandma kids to bed
8. Fall into bed completely exhausted!

What are you doing today?

Reader Problems!

People, I am so not tech savy. Joseph has to put songs on my ipod for me (which is why I only have 27...the man doesn't have time for that!) and the fact that I can post a picture on my blog, or that I even have a blog, makes me techy in my world!

So, I have a problem with my blog's feed. (I'm really clueless about feeds and am thrilled that google makes it really easy to subscribe to them because I wouldn't have any idea how to do it on my own.) I think that I fixed it, but really have no idea what I am doing. I really just kind of guessed and pushed some buttons. Add a little banging and that is how Joseph fixes things around the house!

Anyway, thanks to my friends Anna and Melonie for letting me know there is a problem with my feed. Please let me know if I fixed it!

Eye of the Tiger

I've been going to the gym for a couple of months and am completely addicted. I love going. Love it.

For the past couple of weeks, on my running days, I have watched this trekking class happening just a few treadmills down from me. I've heard them talk about training for a half marathon, their long runs on the weekends, and I always think, "These ladies are serious runners. I want to be like them someday." The instructor that leads the class is hardcore and pushes her hardcore class to the limit. I've watched and watched for weeks.

Then today, I got up the nerve to join the class. Oh yeah, baby, you heard me. I walked up to the instructor, looked her in the eye and confidently said, "I'd like to join your class today."

"Well, we actually have a full class today. You have to sign up for the class ahead of time..."

Completely relieved I quickly said, "Oh, I totally understand! That's fine, maybe another.."

She interrupted me, "But we'll make room for you. It shouldn't be too difficult because today we are actually going to be doing run/bike intervals. It'll be a great work out! Hop on a treadmill and start warming up."

WHAT?!?! Seriously. I think that I must have paused too long because she said, "Don't worry, it sounds worse than it is."

I tried to make some more excuses, but she was having none of it so I got on the treadmill and thought, "Why do I get myself into these situations? Ugh. I'm going to get my butt kicked and fall off the treadmill. I hate the bike! These ladies do yoga, eat edamame and drink soy milk - they are real runners. I'm...an eater! Oh, Lord, please don't let me die!!" (I wonder where my kids get their flare for drama?)

So we start.

And I shocked myself.

I not only kept up, but smoked the lady next to me! Alternating between the bike and treadmill, we biked 3 miles and ran 3 miles...in less than 45 minutes! And I seriously felt so good that I really think I could have kept going!

It was awesome! And I am so proud of myself. Afterall, I am the chica who thought that running for 4 minutes straight was miraculous.

I first, give thanks to God and then to my ipod! Without you two, I would not be able to run! ( I kid you not, I have Eye of the Tiger on my ipod and don't think that I don't picture myself in Rocky - running up those steps in Philly!)

Ella Update!

So, I still can't figure out what Ella's deal is. At 10:15 last night (15 minutes after Joseph left for work - isn't that how it always happens?!) I heard Ella crying. I gave her some meds, and some milk and she was quiet for a while. And then at 10:30 I heard her crying again. I got her out, held her and she went back to sleep. That is, until I tried to put her in her crib. I wanted to see if she could soothe herself back to sleep, but after 20 minutes of off and on crying (and waking Luke) I grabbed her and put her in my bed.

I held her until she fell back asleep and then for the next 15 minutes, I inched my way to laying her down so that I could get some sleep. By this time I was exhausted, my back was killing me and I was praying that she wouldn't wake again.

And that is how we slept. Her 2 foot tall/20 pound body right in the middle of the bed and me, balled at the foot of the bed and terrified to move for fear of waking her. She woke up off and on all night, but wasn't too difficult to calm back to sleep.

It wasn't good sleep for either of us.

She seemed fine all day, so I still have no clue what her problem was. I called our doctor (also known around here as 'Daddy') and he wasn't impressed that it was anything I should rush her to his ER for.

This morning Caleb came in and found us both sleeping in bed. He woke me up to do his quiet time and said, "Ella is sleeping with you! She looks so cute in your bed!" And while she certainly did look cute, I have no desire to do that again tonight! Please Lord...

Sweet Mama Moments!

Ella has been so sweet this weekend. Just a little sweet pea! I am smitten with her. Completely smitten.

(One of the hard things about having twins is that when I say something sweet about one, I feel obligated to say something about the other sister. So, let me get that out there so that I can finish talking about Ella. I love Lily Kate and think that she is gorgeous, just beautiful! Okay, now on to Ella...)

Ella really is so cute and has the cutest personality. I love her "toddle" walk. If you are a mama, you know the one...wide legged, like a drunken sailor, with that big "diaper booty" that comes in handy when she falls on her bottom! Love it!

And I love when she babbles and looks right at me. She'll throw in "mom-mommy" every now and again just so that I know she is really telling me something!

Ella is the one that is most adventurous, she tries hard to sing B-I-N-G-O, loves to be chased and swung around in the air, always messes up her hair and pulls her hair tie out, likes to wear necklaces and carry a purse, but at the same time is also rough and likes to wrestle.

She is just a little baby doll that is always on the move! (Although, if you are sitting on the floor and she wants to sit in your lap, she will back up and sit on you!! One word - adorable!) So because she is so active when she sits in your lap for longer than 5 minutes, it's special. With that said, you can imagine how special it was when Ella fell asleep in my lap at the dinner table tonight. While I hope she isn't sick (because seriously, this is very rare) I was thrilled that I got to hold that sleeping baby! *BIG sigh* So sweet and melts my heart!

I really love my kids!

Snapshots of the week

My poor little neglected blog...how I've missed you! Life has been so busy and you my little blog have had to suffer. I am going to try harder. I promise.

Since I have done such a poor job documenting life here, I thought that I would provide you with some snapshots of The Mad House:

• I still have Ike evacuee's at my house. One of my sister's and my brother left Thursday and two of my sister's stayed. It has been so fun to have them around and the free babysitting has been fabulous! F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!!
• I have gone to the grocery store at least once a day since the siblings got here.
• Neither of my parents in Houston have electricity and haven't for the past week.
• My parents that live in Seabrook had 3 feet of water in their house. They have been working since Tuesday to get the carpet out and clean up. They're still not done.
• The Love's schedule this past month was wonderful!! We saw him lots and had a lot of fun family time together. We even cleaned out the garage the other day...it was way past time! Last night, The Love started his month of nights. He was zombie-like this afternoon, but I have high hopes that it will get better in a couple of days. I hope they aren't too high!?
• I have already started shopping for Christmas! Seriously, what is that about?
• Caleb is loving school. I'm not sure I'm loving his school.
• Because the weather has been so delicious out lately my kids have been spending LOTS of time outdoors. I don't think that Caleb watched TV all week...love that!!
• I went to a super fun luncheon today and was reminded how proud I am that my husband has chosen to spend the early years (and at the rate we are going the later years will be included at some point too!) of his career in the military. It was so nice to be on base and with other wives that take pride in their husbands careers and want to get involved with the many amazing military service organizations. I met some new friends and had a great time!
• The little Twinkie girls are getting too big, too fast. I absolutely adore them and really want another one (or two!). Shhhh...don't tell The Love. He loves the idea of baby making, but isn't too keen on the idea of baby havin'! How's that for TMI?!
• I went to this party this week where these ladies were selling vinyl lettering that they make for home decor and am now addicted to putting phrases all over my walls. Seriously, addicted.
• I have been scrapbooking at night and watching way more Disney Channel than anyone over the age of 14 should ever have to watch thanks to my sista's! I had never seen Hannah Montana, Suite Life or Life with Derek until this past week and I hope I never see them again!!
• When my sisters learned that I couldn't send a text message, they were completely shocked and amazed! (How in the world have I gotten this far in life without that important skill!?) So, while talking to me like I was a 65 year old grandma that had never heard the word "email" they taught me. I am still no where near as fast as they are, but at least I can send a "text"! Now they are disturbed that I only have 27 songs on my ipod, that holds like 2000, and I have no idea how to use itunes. I am so not cool!

Well, friends, that about sums last week up. Yeah, I agree, you didn't miss much! Thanks for checking in with me and I would love to hear from you all - even you stalkers blog watchers!

Ten Things Tuesday...a day late!

So, I meant to participate int Ten Things Tuesday yesterday, but life got in the way. Not just any life, but this amazing, blessed, fabulous life that I have the pleasure of living! With that said, better late than never...

1. I am thankful for a husband that ran with me (even though I am way slower than he is he still was so sweet and complimentary!) yesterday and encouraged me during the terrible hills!
2. I am thankful for my siblings being here and all of the many hours of free childcare that they really love playing with my kids.
3. I am thankful for the fun memories that the kids are getting to build with their aunts and uncle.
4. I am thankful that my parents house is still standing and that they have such a good attitude despite their not-so-great circumstances.
5. I am thankful that The Love's schedule has been so amazing for the past month and will be for many to come!
6. I am thankful for my friend 2 amazing friends (one in Minnesota and one in North Carolina) and how much they love me and let me call them when I am in crisis and talk all about myself.
7. I am thankful for cooler weather where I can leave my windows open and enjoy fresh air.
8. I am thankful that I have stayed relatively injury free despite my many hours at the gym.
9. I am thankful for all the scrapbooking that I have been able to get done in the evenings and all the memories that we have been able to capture, by photograph, over the years.
10. And last, but definitely not least, I am so thankful for my Love and the four little Darlings that we call ours!

To see what others are giving thanks for head on over to Mrs. Brownstone's place!

Hurrican Ike and Teenagers

Well my friends, life has gotten a bit busier in the past couple of days. I got a call from my stepmom late Wednesday afternoon saying that they thought that the hurricane would be headed that way. My parents live in a little suburb of Houston called, Seabrook and their house is less than a mile from Galveston Bay. I offered to come and get my siblings (ages 11 - 19) and have them come and stay at my house until the storm passes.

My stepmom thought that would be a great idea and I planned to drive down there Thursday morning to get them. By Thursday morning they were under a mandatory evacuation and my little brother decided that he wanted to make the drive here with my other siblings. Both of my parents work at a hospital and their hospital was being evacuated and they weren't allowed to leave the hospital until the last patient had been evacuated.

My siblings got here Thursday afternoon and I'm glad they came. My parents evacuated early Friday morning to my Uncle's house in north Houston and saw the water coming before they left the house.

I talked to my stepmom this morning and she was, understandably, completely overwhelmed. They don't have power and the roads are blocked off by down power lines. They have a generator that gave them power for a little while, but that was dying when I talked to her last. They heard on the news that all of the roads leading to their house were submerged under water, which left her feeling hopeless about the state of their house.

So, I am now caring for 8 kids, ages 1-19. Other than the fact that the teenagers are eating us out of house and I may have to take a second mortgage to afford groceries, we are having fun! My kids are getting lots of attention and I am getting some help around here. Here are a few observations I have about teenagers:

• They eat A LOT!!
• They are on the computer A LOT!!
• They must have really good muscles in their fingers because they use them to text , A LOT!!

While our house isn't big enough for 8 kids we are all making it work and enjoying the time together. Please send some prayers down to Houston and all those that are affected by Hurricane Ike.

I'll try to blog an update when I get one, but remember my computer time is being taken over by teenagers, so I may not be blogging as frequently as usual.

Works for Me - Teaching babies boundaries

Before I go into my "What works for me" I want to say a few things. When I first had Caleb, and he was still a baby, I was so judgemental of other moms. I clearly remember seeing a child screaming and kicking his mother in Target and was sure that his behavior was due to a complete lack of parenting on the part of his mother. "My kids will never act like that," is what I told myself (and others!) And then he turned 3. And I was humbled beyond belief. Many times over. Many, many, many times over!

So my philosophy on parenting goes like this: if you are training your child, seeking God's wisdom and it works for you - GREAT!

I know that what works for me, may be what you want to do (and vice-versa) and that is fine with me. With that said, some of you have asked me about 'carpet training' or 'boundary training' so I will share what works for me. I am NOT telling you what you have to do OR that you are a bad mother if you aren't doing it!!

Got it? Good! Now that we have that out of the way...

We teach our children boundaries at the early age of...when they can crawl. And one of the methods that we do it, is by teaching them to stay on the carpet in our house. Most of the things that are off the carpet in our house are things that I don't want the kids into anyway, so this works on so many levels for us. Here is what we do:

Once our kids are able to crawl we don't let them crawl off the carpet. If they do we redirect them back onto the carpet. It takes a lot of work and patience, but the payoff is so worth it (for us). Since this usually takes place around the 6 month age, we use redirection not discipline.

Here are the reasons I like to 'carpet train' (I really don't like that term because it sounds like something you do with 4 legged furry animals, but I guess that babies are kinda a 4 legged...I digress...):

1. I don't have to chase my baby (or babies) all over the house and wonder what they are getting into.



2. It teaches boundaries at an early age.



3. When we go to anyone's house they stay in one spot and look to me for guidance on where they can go.



4. It allows me the opportunity to expand their boundaries as they get older instead of restrict them.



5. The 'carpet' can also be a blanket when we are outside and I don't want them roaming around.

Now here are some commonly asked questions/misconceptions:

Baby's learn by exploring...how do they get to explore if confined to a carpet?
I don't want them exploring the bathrooms, kitchen, stove, pantry...and other areas that are usually not carpeted. The space that they are confined to is large and has lots of toys and other age appropriate things for baby's to explore.

What if I have a 12 month old...can I go back and teach them to stay on the carpet?
Yes, but it's a LOT more work than if you start when they are young and they never know there are any other options. It also takes more time and patience.

When do you let your baby off the carpet?
As they get older we allow for more freedoms. My girls are 15 months old and still on the carpet.

My little Mikey/Janey is really strong-willed. He/She would never do that.
I have 4 kids, all with very different personalities, yet all train-able.

How do I know if my baby understands what they are supposed to do?

When your baby starts to put their hand off the carpet, only to look back at you first, you know that they get the concept of what they are supposed to be doing. It's been my experience that they understand it very early on. Way earlier than I would ever give them credit for!

Do your kids ever get off when they aren't supposed to?
YES! I have a child (or two!) that love to test the boundaries. So we redirect (or discipline when they are older). And in that they learn a lesson on consequences.

Alrighty, whew that was a long one! As an end note I want to reiterate that this is about what works for me. If it doesn't work for you...I'm okay with that! To see other ideas, check out Rocks in my Dryer.

And how could I forget this one?!?!?

11.) I am SOOO thankful that (as of this morning) I have reached my goal of running 3 miles!!! I am so proud of myself! I can remember back to when I was able to run for 4 minutes straight and thought that was a miracle.

Now the big question is, will I be able to keep on to the half marathon?!?...

Ten Things Tuesday

Some of my friends have been joining in the 'thankfulness' over at XBOX WIFE and I thought that it be fun to jump in this week! There are so many times that I get caught up in the, "if I only had..." game and in truth, we are so blessed and it's nice to have that reminder.

So here goes:

1. I am thankful that my husband took care of our kids so that I could run, go to my bible study and have lunch with some friends today.
2. I am super thankful for the group of friends that I have here! They are an amazing group of Jesus -lovin' women whose friendships bless me beyond belief.
3. I am thankful that Caleb loves his school where he learns about Jesus.
4. I am thankful for moms that meet together to pray over Caleb's school, teachers and the students. And I am thankful for the opportunity to join them.
5. I am thankful for friends that want to swap freezer meals and for all the new recipes that we will get to try (that I won't have to slave over!!!!!).
6. I am thankful about a great gym to workout at and awesome, loving childcare workers who take care of my kids while I workout.
7. I am thankful for a husband that loves his job and finds fulfillment and satisfaction.
8. I am thankful for friends that hold me accountable and ask me the hard questions.
9. I am thankful that my parents live close and we get to see them, at least, monthly. That is so rare and precious for a military family!
10. I am thankful for my gorgeous Beauties and my adventurous Jedi's! Oh, yeah, and that I am married to a ROCKSTAR!

That's what I'm thankful for, what about you? To see what others are giving thanks about go here.

We won't be hanging this sign on the door!

Caleb is really loving school. I did, however, catch him in his room crying on a Saturday morning because they aren't doing math yet. (Soooo, not my child!!) Outside of that little mini-drama he has loved school. Loved it!

School has been motivating Caleb to start trying to spell out words that he doesn't usually try to spell on his own. Before church yesterday he came up to me with a sign that he made. When I figured out what he was trying to spell I laughed. Hard. And so did Joseph when Caleb showed it to him. Take a peek and see if you can figure it out:

Let me translate for you:

Restroom

Men and Women