Football Boys!

FOOTBALL

Baylee and Collin love football. They practice hard and play a good game. The 6th grade team has won all but one so far. I love to watch and support the kids in all sports. I must admit football isnt my greatest sport. I am not real good wih the rules of the game. I just watch and take as many pictures as I can. After the game I tell him how great he did. Isnt that what counts anyway? Some parents go on and on about the plays and what they could or should have done. I am the greatest fan but couldnt replay a moment of the game if I was asked to. I am the mom watching the pile on the field wondering which kis is mine. They look all alike in the uniform with helmets covering the heads. I will admit I sometimes watch a player snapping photso only to find out later it wasnt my son..

I know we all do it! Its the love you have for your kids which makes the game so much fun to watch! keep playing hard and I will be there inthe stands watching you and snapping the photos of the moment.

Reading obsession

Many people made this reading goal at the beginning of the year. Some said they wanted to read 50 books this year. My goal was to slow down a bit. I read so much it really is an obsession of mine. When I start a new book I always have the next one after it ready to read. I love to find an author and read every book they wrote. I love all books and can’t read enough. My purse must be large enough to hold the book I am currently reading. Some go for looks or brand name but my criteria are size! I go in spurts with the type of books I read. I love romance. This week I am reading the Twilight series. It is very good and a bit drawn out at times. I am on the last of the books and am looking forward to the end results of if she turns vampire or not! I really like the wolf, Jake. I am sure before the book ends he will find his mate. I love my friends to talk about books with me too as I get so involved in the plot that I sometimes forget it isn’t real. You mean men aren’t as romantic and loving as my books portray them to be?? Geez! My husband laughs as he knows what type of book I am reading by my mood. If the male character in the book; is good or bad. LOLMy family laughs at me as i can read anywhere. Mowing lawn, taking a bath or standing in line. It is always good for spare time. I can say i am never bored.I have so many great book buddies that exchange books with that is a very cheap hobby to have. My bedroom has become the library of the house and one whole wall is book shelves with my favorite book and authors. They are "MUST READS." Which is books I have read and read again. Keeping a book journal is the best idea I have come up with. I log every book I have read by author and date it. This way I know what I own and what I have read. You won’t believe when I re-arranged my books how many copies of the same book i had. I also help for me to know when to re-read those books. About every two years.So i know I sound crazy but everyone has a hobby and mine is like a trip around the world. Sometimes I am in Rome with the Greek Gods and others I am on a Ranch with the cowboys. It is always on adventure and great entertainment. And yes, my library card is well used!

BIG FISH STORY

You have heard of the fish who got away.

We were at the Fox River resort down by the river. A lady was fishing and caught this big Carp. Anyone who fishs must know they taste awful. So kaleb volenteered to toss it back into the river for her. kaleb had quite the hold on his fins and tried to toss him in and he slips out of kalebs hands and drops to the ground. He was big and heavy. It was so funny to watch kaleb pick him up. He was very nervous at first touching this large fish. Collin was happy to stand by and watch. After two tries kaleb managed to get the big fellow in enough water he could swim away. true story with a picture to prove it!

Stephen and Michela

My Stephen has found a nice girl with a crazy sense of humor. Michela is always laughing and bring sunshine where ever she goes. They make such a cute pair. She is really my sons sweatheart. It is such a wonderful feeling knowing my son has found some one to warm his heart and make him feel good and happy. As parents we all want the best for our kids. Partners who are good for their self esteem and make them truly happy! She is a loving christian girl and is beautiful inside and out. I am so happy for them both.

AMBOY CLIPPERS

Collin is now a football player. His postion is lineman and his goal is to gaurd the ball by blocking anyone in his way. His first game was great! They won and he played Awsome! Baylee had a touch down! GO Clippers! It is a big commitment and lots of running. It is a bit tough with practice everynight. Collin has done great and is really getting into shape with all the conditioning at practice. I am so glad he found a sport he really enjoys. I love being a football Mom!

Zoey

The tragic story has come to an end with sad results. Collin’s little kitty traveled to work with me in my car with out my knowledge. She ended up surviving the 14 mile ride to work and wandering the parking lot of my work place. A couple of employees found her and brought her into the building to find the owner. Several people were willing to take her home until her owner was found. Unfortunately I did not know she was found at work until Saturday when I posted a note on Face book that she was lost. Several notified me she was found at work and took home by a fellow employee. Collin was so happy he would get back his kitty.

This kitty is named Zoey and has the best personality. She plays in the house with Woody, our big tom cat. She runs the house all day and is so playful. She naps with Collin is adorable with her blue eyes.

When I arrived at work on Monday the person who took her home would not give her back. She said she fell in love with her and could not part with her. This became an issue with me. I was dumbfounded someone could be so cruel and keep a Childs pet. She was very adamant that it was her kitty now and would have a better home with her. She was attached and that was the end of it for her. So I went to HR to see if they had any influence over getting this kitty back for my son. Unfortunately, they had no better luck than me in persuading her to do the right thing. My next step was to call the Peru police to see what my rights were. The police department was very friendly and said they would call her as this was a civil matter but they would try to make her do the honorable thing.

Once again we were disappointed as she refused the suggestion to return the kitty to Collin. I can not believe there is such mean people in the world and would purposely hurt a child to keep what is rightfully not there’s.
She told the police if she lost something she would expect to get it back but this situation is different because she is in love. She doesn’t consider the kitten is so sweet because my child has poured loved and attention on to her daily for the last 3 weeks of having her. This was his birthday present from a classmate and it is a sad ending.
I am told what goes around eventually comes around and I would like to think that the world is fair and everything happens for reason.
I pray Zoey will have a nice home with this person and grow to be an old lazy age like our cat Woody. Love was enough to get her and let her go..

Our Soliders

At my place or work, tons of magazines float from one desk to another in the building. I have become a fan of the outrageous gossip and love to see the photo or write up about the rich and famous. I hardly ever buy a one myself but the need to read is in my system. As viewing many magazines last week; the largest and only track of discussion was directed to the death of Michael Jackson. Many were titled “the tribute” or the “death of the Pop king.”(not that I didn't like Michael Jackson...I used have a Thriller poster hanging in my bedroom along with several of his albums) but I felt this coverage was too much for one person. Although I read them all as I feel this ridiculous need to see what's going on in the world, I also found it sad as the focus was directed only on Jackson.
Someone pointed out that since Michael Jackson's death that 20 U.S. soldiers have died but that none of them are being featured in any magazines. These are the brave men and women who are risking their lives to save our country and not one word did I read.
This terrible feeling stuck with me all day and rest of the week when Jackson was plastered on tv’s and news stands.
While weeding through my email I came across an email that was forwarded for tribute to fallen soldier, Sergeant First Class John C. Beale from Georgia. We had another fallen solider closer to my home town in Ottawa this same week. His name is Spc. Chester Hosford who also was killed in Afghanistan.
I have a strong pull to read all of these emails as my son was in the National Guard for a year before he fell sick before his graduation from basic training.
Anyway this email contained a tribute to all of the soldiers. It is very emotional to see each one fighting and giving everything for us. The conditions they serve or lack of while the country mourns the singer; who mourns theses fallen brave men? If you have a moment, watch the attached link and listen carefully to the words. Taps always makes me cry.
Here are the lyrics from the first song:
Oh, and I don't want to die for you,But if dying's asked of me,I'll bear that cross with honor,'Cause freedom don't come free.
God bless all the soldiers and the families of the fallen!
A tribute to Sergeant First Class John C. Beale

The water fights at Buffalo days were a blast!

We had a good time. We walked away loosers but we gave it our all.

I dont look too bad in a fire suit! lol

SNAP IT

Stacy, Steve, Julie and Jill


Alyssa and Aunt Julie

Snap...

Julie, Stacy, Jill

Photography is very popular with the young and old. Cameras range from the super fancy to the throw away cheap ones. I love to take photos and scrap them. My kids know that I always have my camera ready for that special moment. Although I am quite the picture girl, no one compares to my sister.

Jill loves to snap photos of herself and anyone close to her. I don’t mean people have a special meaning, I mean distance. If you are standing with in reach of Jill, you will be forced to smile for a picture. She then views the photo on her digital camera and if it is good of her; you’re done. But if the photo is not up to her liking; another photo will be taken. You do not get the option as she only truly cares if she looks good. Very true and we all love her for her honesty. She then will post them on face book for everyone to view. But don’t worry as it is a private site where only her closest 500 friends can see them.
So when you hear the famous saying “a picture says thousand words” this could be absolutely true if that snapshoot wasn’t so great of you! So beware, if you see Jill, get ready to smile.

Can you say NO..
I have been swamped in every direction with questions I want to say NO to but hesitate and then guilt myself with why I should or shouldn’t do it. I beat myself up and ponder it over and over. Some things should be easy to say no to. But I am a pleaser by nature and it comes by very hard to do.
Remember when you were little and asked for something and your mom said, "We'll see," it was always better than a flat out, "No." Much like “maybe” it feels like it could happen. “I will think about it" gives you hope when you ask for something.
These types of responses are a nicer way of saying “No” and are easier to hear than the actual thought going through your head. It is hard to say no, and much easier to brush off the question with a maybe.
I am a MAYBE abuser. I use it all the time. My son pointed it out to me this week that I never say YES right away. It got me thinking why I do this. Is it that hard to say No or Yes to a direct question??
As a mom, my kids are always asking questions which in return would make me add more to my to do list, so I find myself using theses responses instead of simply saying NO. I want to be involved and please them but time is a huge factor in today’s time or lack of time. My schedule is already so packed with the activities there is no room for much more…
I hate to hurt my kids feeling and make them feel bad! It is also reality (Larry’s favorite word) that we cant say yes to everything but using these push off responses gives them time to forget the request or desire. lol
Being an avid book reader, I found this book by Mary Byers, "How to Say No ... And Live to Tell About It." I haven’t started to read it yet but I hope it can teach me something. She is a great author and very funny. I see her at a Christian concert in Wisconsin a year ago.
I will let you know how it goes. But until then I will try to be more firm with my answers…doubtful!

Little bunny Fo Fo hopping through the forest….

Collins class trip was in Princeton was to the conservation center on the out skirts of town. Actually they should have told us it was swamp land and we could have come prepared with old shoes or boots on. This took place in a large pasture adjacent to the woods. After 3 days of non stop rain the place was a mud pit! Of course when you put 500 kids in the mud you get muddy kids! They were pushing and stomping through the mud and it was quite the scene. Not one of us came home untouched or clean.
The sun came out and started to dry things up a bit.

The presentation for the day was wonderful. The kids learned about wild life, natural habitat, fish, turtles, mud, types of dirt and electricity. There was an art center where they made necklaces out of wood and rolled acorns in peanut butter for the birds.

Recycling and the Teepee (Indian facts) were the last events of the day. The kids love the races with garbage and the facts about Indians. They got to hold and pet baby wild life. Collin fell in love with the bunnies. The possum was a bit disturbing as it crawled on the handlers neck and licked her.. Uugghh… Way to friendly for me! But the facts were enlightening and who couldn’t love a baby coon? They were adorable.

The day was a bonding experience with my son and his class. The kids were all well behaved and enjoyed being away from school. Actually they probably learned more this day than they did all last week in school combined. Fun facts are always better to absorb!

Field trips are so much fun they should have them a few times a year!

5Th grade class photo

Take 10 minutes out of your day and do
something childish... immature... impractical.
Here's to the kid inside of all of us."

Party Time!

The Fireman draw down was Sat night and we all had a very good time suportting the cause. Jill brought her camera and snapped several shots all night. Some good some not so good...

We all had way to much fun and suffered some ill health the next day for our over indulgence. The band was great as SLOW TUESDAY entertained us with music.

It is good to kick it up every once in awhile to prove to yourself that your not to old to dance and laugh it up.

Our Anniversary

March 24th 1990 we married.
This year was our 19th anniversary. Happy Anniversary to Us!
One more year of ups, downs ins and outs…And here’s too many more…

I made a promise, before God and men, that I would love you through thick and thin. For better or worse, comes blessing or curse, to have and to hold, and together grow old. I loved you then and I love you still. I promise again: I always will..


FUNNY THOUGHTS AND JOKES ON MARRIAGE

Marriage is a three ring circus:engagement ringwedding ringsuffering

The honeymoon is over when the husband calls home to say he'll be late for dinner and the answering machine says it is in the microwave.

Men who have pierced ears are better prepared for marriage.They've experienced pain and bought jewelry.How do most men define marriage?A very expensive way to get your laundry done free.

A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?"His father replied, "I don't know, son, I'm still paying for it."

Love is blind, but marriage is an eye-opener.
Before marriage, a man yearns for the woman he loves.After marriage, the "y" becomes silent
The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once

Words to live by: Do not argue with a spouse who is packing your parachute

Marriage is grand -- and divorce is about 20 grand.

Married life is very frustrating. In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens. In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens. In the third year, they both speak and the neighbors listen.

When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing: either the car is new or the wife.

A guy went to a party without his wife. He heard another guy say to his wife, "Pass the sugar, Honey." and "Pass the honey, Sugar." He thought this sort of speech is a good idea.The next morning when he and his wife are eating breakfast, he said to his wife, "Pass the bacon, Pig."

A couple came upon a wishing well. The husband leaned over, made a wish and threw in a penny. The wife decided to make a wish, too. But she leaned over too much, fell into the well, and drowned. The husband was stunned, but then smiled, "It really works!"

Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, He goes Fridays.

Getting married is very much like going to a restaurant with friends. You order what you want, and when you see what the other person has, you wish you had ordered that instead.

Love is one long sweet dream, and marriage is the alarm clock.

It's not true that married men live longer than single men, it only seems longer.

Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about something you said.After marriage, he will fall asleep before you finish.

Explorations

Spring is right around the corner. I can’t wait for good weather. I can’t truly state that I am sick of the winter and cold weather.
I took the boys to Pizza Hut this on Saturday for the “all you can eat buffet.” I am telling you this is the way to go when taking boys out to eat. I met my sister Missi and her husband Barry for lunch. Little Philip is getting so big. I spent more time playing with him then I did eating.
After lunch we ventured to the Red Covered Bridge in Princeton to check out the creek and see how high the water was. The water was moving quickly and was high but not over the bank at this time. The boys enjoyed exploring the area. It was evident that the creek had been over the bank recently as the ground was still soggy and debris was everywhere. As they checked out the creek and it gave me a great opportunity to snap some photos. It is hard to believe how fast they have grown and how big they are getting. It is so fun to look back a year ago pictures to see the change. I mailed off a few pictures to Stephen to keep him up to date on his brothers. He would have loved to navigate this exploration with his brothers. After all pictures were taken and the boys completed there hike we headed back home to relax and enjoy a movie.
Nothing beats relaxing weekends with the boys.

Happy Birthday Kaleb

Kaleb turned 13th on March 3rd. He is now a Teenager! He is pretty excited about that fact too. He is now hoping to get taller so he is not the shortest in his class. He has started weight lifting so when Stephen gets back he can show off his muscles. I think he believes this will help him gain muscle and make him look bigger. We have marked a growth line on the kitchen wall to measure his height over the next year. We are thinking positive! Overall Kaleb is very healthy. He is also doing much better in school. He has made a huge turn around this last nine weeks with his attitude and motivation to get his work done. Growing up is a big responsibility!
We went to the Fox River resort for Kaleb’s birthday. We stayed in the condo and the boys had a blast. Kaleb brought 3 friends with him to celebrate the event of turning 13! (Leo Lopez, Julian Gonzales and Preston Powers) Collin also was allowed to bring a friend so he would leave the older boys alone. He invited Andrew Lopez. It was a very fun weekend swimming, playing video games and hanging out. Larry and I relaxed and enjoyed watching the boys play. The indoor pool was a huge crowd pleaser. They played hours of football in the pool and other various games, which included dunking each other and racing across the pool.The weekend was chilly but that didn’t detour the boys from taking walks and having fun.
On Saturday the Boys Scouts had a hike at Starve Rock and Larry accompanied Collin on the hike. Andrew went along for the hike and fun. They hiked 7 miles and then cooked over an open fire. Collin completed many of his requirements for “tender foot”. It was a cold weekend but they survived and seemed to have a good time.
I have posted a few fun pictures I took while we were at the resort. The kids truly were very good and had a great time.
A big Happy Birthday to Kaleb our Teenager!.

Another update

Stephen called home on Monday night to let us know he is on the mend. He has finished his meds but is still using the inhaler at times. He says his strength is coming back and he isn’t as tired. He definitely feels much better.
He is back to doing full days of training and is healing well. He really likes his new platoon and the guys in it. He says they all look up to him for support and advice. The sergeant also puts Stephen at the front of the lines for leadership. He thinks it is definitely easier the second time around. He likes his new barracks as he is in with 14 guys and getting to know them well. His last unit he bunked only with one solider as the big room was filled up. He says this makes a big difference how well you get to know your platoon. God is working in his life and scheduling things according to his plan. Stephen has accepted the delay in graduation and is enjoying the extra experience and training.
He says to let everyone know he really appreciates the letters and the prayers. He wishes he had time to write everyone but time is so limited. Please continue it keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you everyone!
New Address:
PV2 Cromwell
C CO 3-10 INS BN
4th PLT
495 Iowa Ave Unite 35
Fort Leonard Wood Mo 65473

Stephen’s Sunday call finally came yesterday! We have been very worried, as we have not heard from him since Feb 17th when he called to say he was ok and wasn’t one of the infected soldiers who died of meningitis on his base last month.
Yesterday he informed me he has been in the hospital fighting double pneumonia. He has been very ill and has not been able to call home. Of course he was very upset and still sounded sick. He was worried as the two who died last month on his base of meningitis both had pneumonia as well.
He had more upsetting news to share; Due to his illness and missing almost two weeks of training he will not be able to graduate on March 18th as planned. He will join the platoon behind him and start training with this new unit. This will put him at graduation on May 7th. He will have to complete much of his training over to graduate on the next available graduation date. This is disheartening and he is disappointed as he was doing so good and looking forward to seeing everyone this month. He has started training again this week but for only ¼ of the day until he is cleared by the doctor.
He is having a tough time with this and needs our prayers and support.
His new address is listed below. Cards and notes are much appreciated.
PV2 Cromwell
C CO 3-10 INS BN
4th PLT
495 Iowa Ave Unite 35
Fort Leonard Wood Mo 65473


Thank you for your support

UPDATE on Stephen:
For those of you who have been praying for Stephen and keeping him in your thoughts, thank you! He has been writing a few letters when possible and calls every Sunday for a few minutes to chat.
His phone call this Sunday was good and lengthy. It was hard to believe how deep his voice was and how far away he sounded. There was no laughter this week in his words and he sounded so serious. He let us know he had just returned from a week stay in the woods. This is where they learned more survival tactics and practiced with their guns and grenades. (Makes my heart stop a beat thinking about it)
He said he is well used to the routine and is doing very well. Stephen said that he loves the excitement of the adventures and skills he is learning. So far he has been issued his rifle, which he names Haley. Learned how to administer an IV and stop a gun shot wound long enough to get medical attention. He has passed the gas chamber test, which is described as horrible intense pain, in which he has never felt so bad. (He bought the tape of the ordeal so we can view it and he can keep it as a souvenir of his survival.)
Stephen has spent much time doing a lot of exercise; running, doing thousands of push up and sit ups, climbing the tower wall and running the obstacles. He loved the obstacle course as he said it was very challenging and fun. He is in the elite group and leads the Platoon on many exercise missions. He sounds strong and more mature.
He said many soldiers have been caught with contraband or illegal items they are not allowed. Such as gum, candy, smokes and chew. Thankfully he is following rules and avoiding trouble.
Last night Stephen called home which was a shock as he never calls during the week. He said he called to let us know that there were two guys on base who had died this week due to meningitis. All soldiers were calling home as one name had not been released yet. He said it is scary! They are taking precautions and reminding the soldiers not to share personal belongings and to wash their hands a lot. I was very nervous after our conversation and researched this on the internet. The article stated it was non-contagious meningitis, which is conflicting information as two men died within days apart on the same base.
So please keep Stephen and the others in your prayers! As a mom I am very concerned and wishing he was home. 27 more days until he graduates and we can see him before his leave to Arizona.
Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

CREEPY!

Everyone is afraid of something. There are many phobias in the world. Some people are scared of the dark, of being alone or of different kinds of animals. I have a very common fear myself. I have a fear of snakes which is called Ophidiophobia. The more general term is herpetophobia, which means fear of reptiles. Actually I am scared to death of them! I don’t like looking at them on TV or in a zoo behind 5 inch thick glass. The farther away they are the better. Some think they are beautiful with all the colors and markings.. Not me! I think they are creepy!
A couple years ago Stephen found this salamander camping and decided to bring it home as a pet. He bought the fish tank and fixed it up. He kept it in his room. He had it for about 7 months before it died. He then replaced it with another type of salamander from the pet store. This one lasted about 6 months and also died. I didn’t mind these slow moving lazy creatures so much. They stayed in his room and just laid in the tank soaking up the heat. They were not aggressive and didn’t move much. And I didn’t have to feed, clean or worry about them. Last Christmas Stephen’s girlfriend Haley bought Stephen a new tank, two very fast moving lizards that fly through the tank at rapid speed and eat a lot of crickets. They scare me. They are creepy….
This brings me to my current dilemma. Stephen is gone and the tank needs cleaned! The tank stinking up his room! I have been buying the crickets while Kaleb or Collin feed and water the lizards. I haven’t had a need to go by them until Now. So, I here I am with this task at hand not a clue how to go about it. Did I mention they are fast! I have no idea how to catch them or contain them while I clean the tank. UGGGH. I do not look forward to this project. I am thinking I might have to bribe the boys or nephew to help with this issue. Stephen calls on Sunday and always asks how his little pets are doing and if I am buying the crickets. Who would think that lizards eat so much??? They consume 2 dozen crickets a week. And pooh everywhere in the tank.. yuck….
Wish me luck and if any of you reading this want to come and help me.. Please do…

39 Years~~39 favorites

1. My boys

2. Laughing so hard my face hurts.

3. A hot shower.

4. childhood memories

5. My Family

6. Taking a drive on a pretty day with the windows down.

7. Country music

8. Warm sunny days

9. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

10. Strawberry milkshakes

11. A bubble bath with a good book.

12. A good long back rub.

13. My kids laughing

14. bon fires /smores

15. A good movie

16. A great clearance sale

17. Being told your beautiful

18. My best friends (Jill and Stacy)

19. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.

20. Late night talks

21. Hot buttery popcorn

22. Someone playing with my hair.

23. A love note / card

24. Hot chocolate with marshmallows on a cold day

25. Road trips with no destination or time limit.

26. Journaling my thoughts

27. Cheesecake!

28. Making cookies with my boys.

29. Sharing secrets with my hubby

30. Taking that perfect photo.

31. My dog!

32. Knowing that somebody misses and loves me.

33. Sunday afternoon naps

34. Gardening.

35. My kids thinking I’m the Best Mom in the world.

36. Reading a great book

37. Fresh bread

38. walks in the park

39. Being a mom and wife!

Lazy Days...

I find myself yawning all day. I have no energy and I have been very tired the last couple of weeks. I have to drag myself out of bed in the morning after hitting the snooze button several times. After an extremely long hot shower, I can somewhat function long enough to make it to work on time and manage to get through the day with out falling asleep.. Is it possible that sitting at a desk and staring at a computer all day could be part of my lack of enthusiasm and energy? Or not getting enough sun could be another huge factor of lacking the energy needed to get through day. Does anyone else have this issue?
Seriously I am not a person who self diagnosis herself with all kinds of illness or made up diseases.. But I have heard of this thing called Seasonal Affective Disorder! It is a person who suffers through the season. It makes a person depressed, tired an want to eat.. Hey that describes all my symptoms! So I looked it up online and it says: Insufficient exposure to sunlight has been associated with low levels of melatonin and serotonin, carbohydrate craving, weight gain, and sleep disturbance.
So I thought… Maybe I have this…It certainly describers my symptoms! If I understand this correctly; it is kinda like how a rainy gloomy day makes us tired but a sunny bright day has us all happy and geared up.
It has been a very long cold winter and it isn’t close to being over and very little sun for these last few months. So I have been taking vitamin B to help boost my energy level on top of drinking lots of hot water and orange juice. What happens, I wake up with a huge canker sore in the back of my mouth. I guess I have had too much orange juice…that citrus acid thing…go figure. I try to feel better and only get worse. What is wrong with this picture??
So I look forward to brighter days with sun filled afternoons! I promise not to complain that it is too hot or humid out! lol
So to all of those who suffer this SAD problem, join me in celebrating the news that winter is only 6 more short weeks. We can hang in there as I look forward to seeing the green grass and sprouting flowers in my yard.
So I believe this would be a good time to curl up with my book until I drift off to sleep… Goodnight…


"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself." --

Everything Changes...

Today in the life of the Cromwell Household, money has been very tight and bills are being separated and paid by the importance factor. The lack of unemployment is hurting us and we are faced with change - all of it driven by the worldwide economic crisis. In our defense to control our budget and bills we are facing major decision making challenges.
In this world change should be common and easily adjusted to; as everything changes so quickly. Technology has driven our wants and needs to where we are accustomed to upgrading and moving on quickly. We flip a switch and we’re now using a new system. We push a button and our favorite program is saved to watch later. Then painfully a announcement of layoff is declared and we stop moving forward. Now is the time to reverse the upgrading and determine what needs to change so we can continue to survive.
The change is not so much the issue. The issue is the psychological and emotional process that we go through in transitioning from the way it used to be - with which I am very comfortable - to the new way. (or the more economical way)
So I sit down with the monthly bills and start to categorize the needs! After many piles and rotations of change we determine we really can’t change too much of what we already have. But we can learn to live better with in our means.
So I start to make the little lists of what we all can do to help save money. So my list looks like this:
· Shutting off the tv, lights and radios when they are not in that room.
· Conserving the water usage by not running water while doing the dishes.
· By taking shorter showers. (This is my huge down fall)
· Combining large loads of laundry for fewer loads.
· Making more meal at home, no eating out.
· Change out the light bulbs for the energy smart ones.
· No more shopping for un-needed items.
· Cut back on groceries a week by making a list and sticking to it.
· Turning down the furnace when leaving and sleeping.
· Changing out the furnace switch to automatically switch temperatures.
· No more shopping.. (did I mention that already)
· Change cell phone plan to lower costs.
· Home phone, local calling only. (saved $60.00 a month)wow
· Turn down the water heater temperature.
· Limit trips to town to save on gas
· Change Dish-Net to general package and cut out all extra packages.
· Coupon clipping (saved me 11.50 cents this week)

These changes will save us a couple hundred dollars a month and was not as difficult to endure as I thought. Little changes in life are actually not too bad; it’s the big ones that really scare me. It doesn’t matter what the change is. The issue is not the change. The issue is the emotional turmoil, chaos and confusion we go through during the transition from the old to the new.
Change is inevitable. There is no choice, it just happens. Things that happen to us are sometimes out of our control. Like loosing a job! Very Stressful on everyone.. But how we make the transition is always a choice. And that choice makes all the difference as to whether the change creates havoc or livable results. Saving money is exciting and the new way of living will take time to adjust but eventually things will go back to normal and the new habits will still remain. Life is a roller coaster with no promises. We need to hang on tight and enjoy the ride as it comes.

Winter Fun

Don’t be fooled by the cute smile as the bone chilling temperatures were below 0 and the smiles were really frozen in that place. No seriously the weather was a mite cold for skiing but the boys were dressed and bundled warm and ready to give it to try. The boys Scouts planned this trip and the kids had the option to ski or tube. This year our boys were skiing. They were so excited for this new experience. The first step was to get the ski boots and skis and head out for the beginner lessons. The lessons were great and they learned the basics of skiing and most importantly the stopping part. They began on the bunny slope and all did great on there many runs. They soon became bored with the small challenge and were ready to jump to the more difficult hills. I will admit I was surprised how well they all did. Only a few minor mishaps to begin with. Collin fell once trying to get on the escalator that brings them up the hill.
I was frozen to the bone after watching the lessons and trial runs. I headed inside to warm up while they all headed to bigger and more challenging slopes. I was not the smartest spectator as I didn’t wear snow pants! Big mistake! I really should have broke down and invested in a pair. As I was warming my frozen limbs, I was alerted that Colin had crashed on the slope. I hurried to his rescue! I found him upset, but not harmed, well maybe his pride. He had fell and was upset that no one would stop to help him up. I explained that it is almost impossible to stop and rescue at the speed those kids were coming down the hill. His skis needed tightened and his pants were avoiding the process. We found a larger pair and fixed him up, boosted his self esteem and pushed him back out to play. Jill was lucky enough to score a pair was ski pants in the lost and found bin.
So I appointed her to help Colin. She sure earned her wings that after noon. She not only took some great photos, but helped Collin up after a few spills, and out of the bushes that got in his way and literally pulled him up one hill after he crashed. She was his angel. She was also very tired and sore. Collin had a good taste and decided after 3 hours he was done. Kaleb, Brandon and Baylee were still flying up and down the slopes. They had come in the lodge once to warm up and then headed back out to endure more. Kaleb had one mishap on the ski lift that left him a little dazed. His ski came up and kicked him in the head. He held his balance but received a small wound to prove it. The boys skied until 8:30pm. Then we packed up and went to Happy Joes for Pizza. Skiing is a great experience and proved many great lessons.
You can over come the cold if the fun you’re having is more important.
You can survive many falls and get back up! Right Collin?
You can get kicked in the head and still keep your balance in the air. Kaleb?
Your nose still runs in 0 degree weather but freezes before it hits your lip.
The nose is the coldest part of your body.
Gloves are warm but “Hot hands” help a lot!
After 3 hours in the cold you stop feeling your legs. (My testimony)
Snow pants really do keep you warm.. (Jill)
Sudden stops Hurt!.. a lot!
At the age of 39 you can still walk back wards, up hill pulling 80 lbs. (Jill)

Anyway, the Ski trip was worth the time and energy. Everyone came home in one piece and had a great time. The laughs and memories are worth a million and more!

WBS (Write Back Soon)

Back in school we had pen pals as it was part of our English lessons. At the end of each letter I would write WBS (write back soon). Nothing feels better than getting a real letter in the mail. With techology everything is zipped through the internet and it within minutes you can have a reply. Email is great but nothing beats a letter in the mail to offset all those nasty bills or junk mail. I love to send cards! Especaily funny; laugh your guts out, bring tears to your eyes funny! laughing is good for the soul and lifts your spirits up. So if you have a minute send someone a card today to make them smile.

In my last post I forgot to list Stephen's Address:

PV2 Cromwell
A CO 2-10 IN
1st PLT
Fort Leonard Wood
MO 65473

SURVIVING

I have made it through three whole weeks with out Stephen and have suffered from stress, fear anxiety and worry. As the controlling paranoid parent that I am, I worry about his safety, health and if he is getting enough food and keeping warm. It’s the small stuff that keeps us up at night and worrying. Silly, I know; as he is a grown man now, but the mother in me can’t quite let go.
I finally got to talk to Stephen on the phone Sunday for the first time since his departure. His letters have been trickling in but hearing his voice was indescribable.
A mother knows the sound of her Childs voice and can tell if he is being real or covering. He sounded good! He talked quick as there is a strict time limit for the personal call and he had to squeeze a call to his girlfriend too.
He said he is warm enough, eating good and exercising like mad. He said he loves the mail, so keep it coming. He tries to make time to write but it is hard and he does it mostly when he should be sleeping. He asked me to mail him cough drops, knee high Nylons and stamps. (I never envisioned shopping for pantyhose for my son.) That was it. Time was up! I sent my hugs and kisses with tons of love before we hung up. He said to tell everyone thanks for the letters and keeping him in your thoughts & prayers. He was in good spirits!
So I left home to go shopping to Wal-Mart for the things he listed. As the mail takes 5 days to reach him, mostly because they take forever to sort it at the base and delivery it. I wanted this package to arrive this week. Stacy went with me and we had a hoot trying to find the perfect size of knee highs. It is hard when your son has a size 12 foot. Most knee highs are meant for smaller feet. The time he puts them on, they will be anklets. So we went with thigh highs. (No guarder belts needed) I am sure when he opens this package he will be laughing! I bought lip balm, lotion, germ x, hot hands and tons of nylons. I hope out of all of the choices one will fit.
He has been training hard and running a lot. They want these boys fit and in top shape! He still has no facial hair but he shaves every day. It’s a rule. In his letter he said he received his M16 riffle, his chest vest and where ever he goes his riffle goes with him. He was left 6 miles from camp and had 2 hours to find his way back. He had his 50lb pack and full uniform, along with his riffle. He made it! He also conquered the obstacle course and loved it. Lots of rope climbing and muscle work. He has experienced the gas chamber and said it was horrible as his throat, eyes and skin burned and he couldn’t breathe. He stayed calm and survived the ordeal. Some didn’t and threw up, freaked out and those soldiers will have to repeat the chamber again. He bought the video! Why, I don’t know. Maybe his medal to prove he made it through the torture, but I know I wont be able to watch it! At this time, he is safe and sound! He is surviving the training and I am surviving the separation. This world is full of survivors!

Now I am focusing on planning the trip to attend his Graduation on March 18th.
I am getting ready for another roller-coaster ride of emotions and stress . . . but on this ride there’s a wonderful light at the end of the tunnel. I get to see by solider graduate!
I will write more, when I get more info!

MAKE A WISH…And CELEBRATE LIFE!

Today is my birthday! Yippee! No worries here, as I am happy to be alive, breathing and part of the everyday chaos! Everyone always dreads their birthday and wants to skip over it. Not me! I enjoy the day that reminds people I am here, a part of their lives and loving every minute of it! It is a day that makes you feel important and that you accomplished one more year of living. These days that is a huge achievement.
Some one asked me today if I hated sharing my birthday with Jill, my twin sister. Absolutely Not! I answered them quite simple. First~ it is one person who will never forget me and second; I will always have someone to party with. No seriously, I can’t believe people are so narrow minded and would even consider being that selfish. Today I can have my cake, eat it too and share it with Jill. OH,, I guess I will be eating her cake as no one in my house bakes! Thanks for sharing Jill. We enjoyed our lunch at Applebee’s today. They have really good food and such a great selection we had to have the waitress come back until we decided. Everything sounded so good! After lunch and fun conversation, we had to go back to work and finish out the day. Not so bad. Our lovely team mates pitched in and gave us each an $80.00 gift card to Wal-Mart. Yes, they know we love to shop and we spend many lunch hours in Wal-Mart doing just that. This is another great reason to not want to skip over the special day! Gifts! The lovely expression of wishing some one a great day! Tonight I will have the gift of dinning with my family and sharing the time, laughs and food. (does it sound like my birthday revolves around food?) Of course it does!
This is the only day you can have your cake and eat it too and get away without feeling guilty! So to all my friends and family, thank you for the birthday wishes and wonderful thoughts today! I look forward to another year of loving, laughing and living.



The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. - Lucille ball

Time Management

New Year, New Month, New Week, New Day and New President! Looks like the time for changes. I can't control some things but I can control my attitude, my exercise and my eating. This month I'll turn 39 and quickly approaching the next decade of my life....Oh Boy!! The best is yet to come. That is why they always put dessert last on the menu, right! As my children get older and more independent I have more time and energy for myself and my interests. The choices I make with this time will shape (literally!) me. This is the time to take care of myself and try to focus on being healthy. This does not mean this is my New Years Resolution, as those "promises" fade and disappear before the months end. This "Healthy living" is something I want to incorporate with my daily routines and habits. This only proves that the older I get the more I notice how little time I have had to truly take care of myself. I have been so pre-occupied with the kids, housework, school work, my job and schedules, I literally lost track of taking care of me. I am sure many can relate to this. We promise ourselves we will stop at the YMCA after work to exercise for an hour. We get all pumped up, thinking this is the week I will start improving my health. Until the phone rings and it is the kids stating they need a ride somewhere, or the game got rescheduled for tonight or will you please take me to my friend’s house…. Sound familiar??? So as the wonderful loving mom’s we are; I say sure! I will be right home.
Darn, I guess I will stop at the YMCA tomorrow….
This is where my down fall is, I never put my appointments or schedules on the calendar. Super Mom can do it all for everyone else but forgets to make that time for herself! Not that I am blaming anyone for my lack of fitness! That defiantly is my responsibility, so with the New Changes of the year, I thought this would be a perfect time for making some changes in my personal life too. Scheduling time for ME is the first! Time for the exercise I have been pushing aside because if I continue at this rate, by my 40th birthday I will be no longer have a defined shape, unless we can count Round as my figure…. LOL
That saying " Live Life to the Fullest" does not mean your waste line. So let's make some time for ourselfes so we feel good. You know what they say; when mom is upset, no one is happy! Here's to a healthy New year!

P.S. the new font size is dedicated to my blind sister..

Yum Yum

I wish I had the gift of creativity in the kitchen! Not sure where I got this recipe, but I am totally content following someone else's recipe. And boy this is good!Warning: These are finger-licking good so don't try to eat while you're scrap-booking or journaling. Always, always wash your hands before handling your pictures. AS there is nothing worse than a chocolate finger prints on the photos to plan to scrapbook. (like I would know)LOL



Chex Muddy Buddies1 tsp. vanilla1 1/2 c. powdered sugar1/2 c. peanut butter1 c. semisweet chocolate chips1/4 c. butter*9 c. Chex cereal (any variety)Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in 1-quart microwavable bowl, uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into large plastic food-storage bag; add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

SNOW DAY

Today the winds are blowing, snow is falling and the magic of the winter storm has beautified the trees and our surroundings leaving piles of snow everywhere. With anticipation of 4-6 more inches yet to fall. Yep, this is the perfect time for a snow day! The kids are happy to be able to sleep in, enjoy the day as they choose with no teachers or home work. Unfortunately many of us have to attempt the drive to work as the faithful employees that we are! Here we are risking our our life and limbs for the jobs we so desperatly need. I give my promise to stay at work as long as the roads are clear enough to travel back home. Life isnt always so kind when Mr. Winter wants to show his power and work demands our presence. I know I was praying for a snow day! As I get older my body can not tolerate the chill that the winter wind brings. I dress in layers and still am chilled to the bone!

I remember when I was much younger bundling up in a snow suit and spending hours outside building snowmen, tunnels in the huge piles of snow dad would pileup for us and building forts. We would stay outside until we couldnt feel our fingers and never think twice about how cold it was. The worst part was submerging ourselves in the warm bath water mom demaded we take. The coldness in my limbs would hit the warm water and shot streaks of pain into me. Now when my kids are outside playing, I am inside making hot chocolate watching the clock to know when to make them come in and warm up. Then send them back out again to play. Today might not be one of those days as the tempatures are to reach below 0 with wind chills of -10 and winds of 20 miles an hour. Wow, Just thinking of the cold makes me want to cuddle up in my blanket, sip a warm cup of hot choclate and put in a good movie to waste the day away watching.

So wahtever this days brings you, may you be inside keeping warm.

Welcome 2009

Hello and welcome to 2009
I hope you had some of that sit-down peace and appreciation in the past few days, and I hope New Year's Day has brought you a bright beginning to a year full of God's love in ways you never expected. I know it's traditional to make resolutions at this time of year, but I gave up doing New Year's resolutions. I'm old enough to know they are futile for me. But what might pass for a resolution is an old activity I'm re-starting. Journaling! Now that Stephen has left for the Service and the house has an empty spot. I thought to journal something every night about the day’s activities, a blessing, a funny thought or statement the kids made for that day or just a prayer. In years to come, I can sit back and read an insert and smile while I reflect on the memories.
The boys are growing so fast and changing before my eyes. Stephen left on January 4th for basic training. He was intended to go to South Carolina but plans changed and he is at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. This is a blessing as the location is much closer for us to be able to attend his graduation in April. We await his fist letter with details and his address so we can send encouraging notes and cards to uplift him during these next months. Please lift him up in prayer and keep him in your thoughts.
Kaleb and Collin are doing well but miss their brother very much. Winter has been so brutally cold they are confined to indoors tend to get bored and on each others nerves. Go figure, brothers arguing! The Christmas presents are being well used; as Kaleb listens to his IPOD and Collin focused playing Star Wars on his PSP, the house is quiet and peaceful. Thank goodness for technology!
As the cold winds blow and bring the chill to our door, May you and yours be huddled together keeping each other warm with love and good wishes for the New Year!