Hitting A Wall...

Ugh. What a day. Have you ever 'hit a wall' where you just have NOTHING left for energy? I tell you what...that's exactly what happened to me at the grocery store today. I got there with all the gusto necessary to get things done but as I hurried through the aisles my motor ran down. By the time I was in the cracker and cookie aisle I could've literally laid down and taken a nap!! The problem is that I still have LOTS to do before I can close my heavy eyelids. I think my whole plan for getting things accomplished today got tipped of its axis when I worked an extra hour this morning - spent a half an hour shovelling the incredibly heavy mountain deposited at the end of the driveway - lay in a comatose state for another 15 minutes trying to recover - and then hurried off to piano lessons, which I had forgotten about, taking another hour and a half out of the afternoon. I also won't tell you what my dog - who is apparently not done with her stomach issues - left for me to clean up in the family room (on the wood floor, thankfully)!! Biiiiiggggg Sigh. However, instead of making myself grouchy with thoughts of what must be done RIGHT NOW, I've simply decided that I just won't work tomorrow morning if school calls and asks me to. I will get my things done then - while my beautiful children are at school, before my parents get here, later, not tonight. Tonight I will SLEEP - after I go spend some fun time with the girlies before they are off to dreamland. Ahhhhh...

Just Babbling On...

It's snowing - AGAIN. It's beautiful, light, fluffy snow. I love how it sits on the branches of the hemlock tree in our backyard. I don't love how it covers the driveway and the road, and then the snow plow comes by and dumps snow boulders in the driveway and, and, and.... Okay. I think I've said before that I don't mind shoveling - I really don't. It's a good excuse to get outside and burn some calories and once you get moving it doesn't even feel cold out! At least it isn't freezing out like it has been. I think we'll be in the mid-twenties today. (How warped is it that I don't think mid-twenties is that cold!!!)

I went to the dentist yesterday - a new dentist. While I didn't enjoy it, I will say that it wasn't too bad. The hygenist was awesome and the dentist is a black lab owner so how could I go wrong. I even made appointments for the girls to go there. Their current dentist is nice enough but it feels a little bit like an assembly line when we go there. There are at least five chairs lined up one after the other and the dentist literally goes from chair to chair to examine teeth. It hasn't really bothered me until I went to this place and had such a positive experience. And they told me that I can keep my wisdom teeth if I want because they aren't creating any problems for me -- gotta love that!

My parents are coming down for a visit this weekend. We are looking forward to seeing them! Thankfully, the weather is looking good for travel! Allison asked me if her Uncle Robby and Sara were coming too - she LOVES Sara! She was sad when I told her they aren't coming! She loves Uncle Robby too, of course, but Sara is so sweet with her and she plays with her and she's young and pretty - you know how it is.

Ed is reading The Shack now. See the link over there somewhere --->. I'll let you know what he thinks of it. I don't think he'll be disappointed - it's just awesome!

Time to start the day! Happy Wednesday!

Another 'DUH' Moment...

You may have noticed some changes here on The Blog. Some of them good - some of them irritating! Like the fact that none of my posts have had dates on them or comments! I tried and tried to change settings to fix the problem, but nothing worked! Finally, last night in a rare moment of clarity I realized that I had set my font color to be the same as the background color! No wonder things weren't showing up! DUH! Problem solved, fixed, and otherwise remedied! YAHOO! By the way, the picture at the top of The Blog is of the mountains around us. Aren't they beautiful!?

My dog has some sort of intestinal problem...Can you say GROSS! Not sure what's caused it. Doesn't really matter, we just want it fixed! Other than some disgusting trips to the backyard she is acting completely fine. Which is why she hasn't gone to the vet. I did a bit of reading online to see if there were some remedies I could try at home. She's on a rice and beef diet mixed with 2 tablespoons of canned pumpkin. We also gave her a couple of doses of Pepto. Don't ask me about the pumpkin - I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it. A can of pumpkin and some pepto bismal costs a whole lot less than a trip to the vet! We'll see if things improve!

Must go fold some laundry! Happy Monday!

Shack Talk

Please notice the link I added over there ---->> for The Shack. Not often do I come across a book that I feel quite so strongly about. But this one is just too amazing not to mention it AGAIN. Honestly, this book changed how I think about some things - in a very good way. It was difficult to get through because parts of it are sad, but plugging through those difficult passages was SO worth it. I will read this book again - and maybe again! because each time I know I will gain some insight into things I didn't understand before. Really, read it.

Other than my endorsement for The Shack I don't really have too much to report today. It is finally above freezing for the first time in at least 2 weeks! Snow is actually melting and we can even see some of the black driveway! WaHoo!

Did you watch LOST Wednesday night? Are you hooked already? I'm already counting down the days until next week! Goodness but those writers are crafty! The way things are interwoven and relationships mix together and time dimensions keep changing - so cool. American Idol is pretty boring at this stage - at least I think so. We've tuned in a couple of times but for me it doesn't get interesting until Hollywood week. And I have to mention The Biggest Loser - fantastic as always! That's pretty much what we watch.

Time to meet the bus! Happy Weekend!

Our Boy From Ghana

We got a letter from our Compassion sponsor child yesterday. It was the best letter we've ever received from him! Why? Because he wrote it all by himself! A couple of things he said were priceless! "I pray that Allison's teeth would come fast so that she can chew fish well. To Becky and Katie, I say hello. Hi Lucy, stop being lazy. I love everybody...I love you." He included drawings, as he usually does, on the back of the letter, but this time they were labeled! Anyway, I was really proud of him for writing the letter himself and we all just loved the way he related to what we wrote him about. It made our day to hear from him. It's amazing how a piece of paper from a boy whom we've never met bring us such joy! As Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing..."

The Shack

If you haven't heard of or read The Shack you must run to your local library or bookstore and retrieve yourself a copy. It's absolutely amazing. I will not do it justice so click here to see what it's all about. It's on the New York Times bestseller list - for good reason. It will amaze and delight. You'll laugh and cry. But mostly you'll gain insight into things in ways you never imagined. Do I have you curious yet? This book came highly recommended to me and now I'm highly recommending it to you. Seriously, check it out here to see what it's about then go get one to read!!

Ed Lost His Pants...

Well not really... This morning when Ed was getting dressed he couldn't seem to find the dark blue pants he was looking for. He rummaged through the hanging clothes in the closet but they weren't there. Hmph. One more look through things and he found a pair of brand new pants with the tags still on and everything. Weird. Then he remembered returning a pair of pants to the store last weekend. Only, he didn't return the brand new pants that didn't fit. He returned the dark blue pants that he wanted to wear this morning on accident. The man returned a two year old pair of pants by mistake! They weren't even the same color as the pair he meant to return! How does someone DO that? How does a salesperson NOT NOTICE? Granted, the pants he returned did come from the store he returned them to BUT... My man makes me chuckle and shake my head MANY times each day - that's why I love him.

History and Stuff

How come oil prices are down to less than $35 a barrel and gas prices haven't budged? Hmmm... I do wonder about these things.

I also have to admit that even though I didn't vote for Barrack Obama, and I disagree with some of his views, I am getting a bit caught up in the inauguration excitement. It's a very historical event - our nation's first non-white president... Many historical events - the ones I remember - from my lifetime have been sad... 9/11, the Challenger exploding, etc. This one is positive. I'm glad about that.

Shop Talk: For the first time in a long while I sat down at the computer and typed the beginnings of my latest attempt at story telling. I'm trying very hard to be patient and not rush it. I usually hurry with my details but this time I want to be careful. I want to create characters, scenes, dialogue, and conflict without skimping. My goal is to have something to submit to my critique group next month. I think I'll be ready. It may a VERY rough draft that my ladies get but at least they'll have lots to comment on! It's also time to think about attending the writer's conference I went to last year. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think I want to go again. Last year it was overwhelming and nerve wracking, but this year I know I'd feel much more prepared for being there. We'll see.

I just spoke with my brother on the phone. He cracks me up - not for any specific reason, he just cracks me up. I definitely appreciate him more than I ever did when we were growing up. He's a good guy and his girlfriend is super sweet too.

I'm a little confused by claims that global warming is some sort of problem for our planet. It is most certainly not any kind of warm here in New England! As I type this it is -1! And that doesn't include the wind chill factor. Yowza! Stay warm everyone!

Pretty Boring Stuff

It's Friday. What can I say? It's been a pretty slow news week in our house. Everyone is healthy - YAY! I haven't forgotten any special appointments this week, like basketball or piano lessons. My house is clean...pretty boring stuff around here. I will say that I'm getting a bit tired of the cold and snow. I know, I know, it's way to early to be complaining about it! It's only January after all and winter in New England lasts a LONG time! I guess I haven't settled into the winter routine yet. Do you feel like January is kind of a tough month? I mean, the holidays are over, it's cold, it's snowy, warm weather is far away still...and there's 31 days of it!! Yeah, January is tough. On the other hand. I love the evening time when we all hang out together in the family room. Sometimes we are cozy under a blanket watching a show or reading a book. Sometimes the girls are running around like crazy people. And sometimes everyone is doing their own thing in the same room. We don't hang out as much when it's warm out. We DO stuff. Soccer in the front yard, go for a walk or bike ride, play with the neighbors. So I guess I like the down time of winter.

Becky lost her boots yesterday. We thought she left them on the bus but I checked with the bus driver this morning and - no boots. I told her to check at school, again. She does have her pair from last year which I will bring to school in a little while. But they are tight on her toes. If we don't locate her new boots she'll be getting another pair of new boots. That's one thing we can't live without is BOOTS. And in all fairness I should say that the missing boots are LL Bean hand me downs from Katie. So technically Becky didn't get brand new boots this year. No one did actually. We had hand me downs! And Katie's feet haven't grown so she'll be wearing her boots until they need replacing! No one needed new winter coats either. That was nice on the pocket book! That's how I justify spending a little extra on good winter outerwear. I figure it'll last and we'll be able to pass it down! That's one of the many great things about my children all being girls!

Time to get somethings accomplished! Happy Weekend!

Wednesday News

Allison has a new friend. She moved into a house across the street, and she's in Allison's kindergarten class at school. Her family just relocated back to the states after four years in New Zealand. This little girl, being barely six years old, has the most adorable accent you've ever heard! We arranged a playdate today because the kiddos had a snow day, and all of this newly relocated family's belongings are en route to the U.S. and therefore they are living with rented furniture and NO TOYS for the children. Just a few things. This made a playdate very important! Allison was quite distracted over the fact that her new friend has no toys. I assured her that the toys were on their way. So Allison and her new friend spent no less than FOUR hours in Allison's room playing Little Pet Shops and Barbies. I had to go check on them to see if all was well because they NEVER CAME OUT of the room! They did break for a QUICK snack and then right back to playing. By the way, I spent a little while visiting with the little girl's mom and she seems like a really nice person. I look forward to getting to know them all!

I worked with Buddy yesterday afternoon. He was a bit out of sorts but once we settled into our time together we had a nice day. I think working with some of our school's special needs children has made me more patient as a parent. I'm so thankful that my girls are all healthy and without the challenges of a disability - I definitely appreciate that more than ever. Another thing I realized is that I want very much to see these kids smile or hear them laugh or anything that shows they 'get it'. It's kind of like trying to make an infant smile. We work so hard to get that little face to light up into a grin and when we do it's just -- awesome. I think that's why I like working with Buddy. He giggles, he smiles, he gives high fives, and he talks to me - which is a pretty big deal, trust me. It's rewarding in a way I didn't expect. And of course, getting to see my girls during the school day is one huge bonus!

Shop Talk: I haven't contributed to my shop talk section in a LONG time. Honestly, writing got shoved onto the back burner - the WAY back burner. Lots of projects are needing some revision and then I'll send them on their way into Slush Pile Land. But more importantly, I've got a story idea rolling around in my head that is starting to come together in a tangible way. I can actually see the pieces of the story fitting together. It'll be geared at young teens and I think I'll tell it from my protagonist's point of view. I have to submit something to my critique group in early February so I'll need to get writing SOON. Now that the holidays are over I WILL pay more attention to this venture of mine.

Did you watch the Biggest Loser last night!? Good Grief!! What a season it will be. There are some BIG people on this time. It will be quite inspiring to see them transform their bodies and their lives, I'm sure. Tune in Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. and check it out!!

I think it's time to get things settled down for the evening. Showers, stories, and bedtime are right around the corner.

A Wild Turkey Slammed Into Katie's Bus...

That's right. A wild turkey - in flight - slammed into the passenger side of Katie's bus yesterday morning. The bus was on its way to school - before it got to our stop - when the turkey hit it. Apparently the crazy, kamikaze, bird managed to crack the windshield and everything. So, due to the damage caused by said turkey, the bus had to pull over and wait - with children on it - for another bus to come and pick up the kids and take them to school. Standard operating procedure I guess. The turkey, bless his little heart, ran into the woods and wasn't located after the accident. Some coyote enjoyed a late Thanksgiving, no doubt!

We have a new family member. I can't believe I keep forgetting to tell you! Becky bought herself a HAMSTER (with permission, of course!)!! His name is LUKE - funny name for a hamster, huh? And he is a Roborovski hamster. He looks like a Siberian dwarf but the Robos have been bred to reduce BITING! So far the little bugger won't let anyone pick him up but we have been able to pet him a bit. Lucy tried to taste him through the glass of his little home, but she has since lost interest in him and his hamster antics. He's awfully cute and Becky loves him.

I get to work with Buddy this afternoon! I'm so glad. I hope he is adjusting to Back to School well after such a long Christmas break. We'll see. I can put up with anything he dishes out for 2.5 hours!!

We are supposed to get another Winter Storm tonight into tomorrow. This one will start as snow and change to sleet and freezing rain, then back to snow. Fun!! That's when it gets tricky to shovel!! That's right, I said shovel. The snow blower has been on the fritz since last winter and they are just too EXPENSIVE to go out and pick up another one. So we shovel - I say we but I mean Ed. Sometimes I shovel but only if it isn't too deep or too heavy. Katie shovels too. She's actually quite good at it and if she isn't careful it could become her permanent JOB!!

Happy Tuesday!

Weird Dreams and More Budding Photographer Pics

I had a weird dream last night. I'm a little embarrassed to even tell you about it. But because I aim to entertain my little audience I will. I think I was at Wellby's drugstore - remember I worked there in high school. It was where Hannaford is in downtown Brunswick. Anyway, I think I was standing inside the front door there. I'm also pretty sure that at least one of my children were with me. The part I do remember clearly is the pink turtle -- that flies. At first, in the dream, I thought it was a bug, but as it flew closer I could see that it was a turtle. Its shell was pink and it seemed kind of like a ladybug but with a turtle head and snapping mouth. I was worried that it would get in the store and bite the child I was with. Fortunately I woke up before the pink, snapping turtle sunk its jaws into anyone. Weird, I know. Please don't think less of me because of my strange sub conscience...

I scored bad mommy points AGAIN yesterday. The day was going fine. We got up and went to church. Then came home, had lunch, and sent Ed, Becky, and Allison off to Allison's 1:15 basketball game. I was bringing Katie to the youth group Christmas party. Ed left....and came back. I'd gotten the time wrong and Allison completely missed her game. What a dope I am!! Then at around 2:20 I was cleaning out Allison's school folder. I found a couple of Christmas pictures that she'd done at school along with a birthday party invitation...for Sunday at....2:00!!! I blew it again! Twice in one day, with the same child! Good grief. I felt horrible. She didn't seem too bothered about either thing, disappointed but not TOTALLY BUMMED. Bad, bad, mommy points...

We did make it to Becky's basketball game on Saturday. Allison wanted to take more pictures. They crack me up. I thought you might get a kick out of them too...

This is Allison's little dog dressed as Underdog!

This is Allison's hand posing as a SPIDER!

And some self-portraits...What a clown!

It's a little quiet in my house today with everyone back at school. I volunteered in the library for a little while earlier but now I'm using the time to catch up on some housework and other things I've put off. I even turned down the chance to work with Buddy again this afternoon. I'm pretty available the rest of the week so I don't feel too guilty for saying no. Now that the holidays are over it's time to hunker down and settle in for the LONG winter! I'm sure I'll have plenty of other days to work!

Happy Monday!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone! Time is just trucking along, isn't it? 2009. Yowza! I remember when we were all worried about Y2K. Remember that? Seems silly now but WAY back then it seemed like a real possibility that computers everywhere would cease to function normally when the century turned from 1999 to 2000 causing wide spread catastrophes world wide --- wow, that was a looonng sentence. Anyway I hope 2009 is off to a great start for you all.

We got a nice surprise today. Ed's father and his wife were on their way through town after visiting family in Missouri and they stopped by for a visit. They couldn't stay long but it was nice to have a little bit of time with them just the same.

Ed, Becky, and Allison enjoyed their camp out in the family room last night. Here's a picture of their makeshift tent. Well, there would be a picture of their tent except that Blogger seems to be having some technical difficulties. Go figure.

So. I already told you that I don't do resolutions. However, I've been thinking back on 2008 and the things that shaped the year for our family. Here's a few highlights:

* My first born became a teenager... That's pretty huge -- trust me.
* The article I wrote about sweet Lucy was published!
* We went to New York City for the first time and had SO much fun!
* Allison graduated from pre-school. (sniff, sniff)
* My father turned 60!
* We spent Fourth of July celebrating with friends and family in Maine - a true highlight of our summer!
* Katie and Becky enjoyed a week of summer camp with their best friends from Maine. It was a great week.
* My baby girl started Kindergarten. That's a biggie.
* Katie was homeschooled and then not homeschooled. A tough decision but one I am still confident was the right decision.
* I went to work outside of our home for the first time in nearly 14 years!
* Katie had a 'star' moment at her soccer tournament where she scored the game winning goal.
* Becky grew like four inches between September and December!

So those are some significant events from last year. Some of those things represent things that brought me closer to my God. Some of them just represent fun times spent with the people we love and care about. And some of them are just things. It was a good year. We were all healthy. Our family was healthy. My husband has a job; we have a roof over our heads and plenty of food to eat; we live in the most wonderful country on earth. 'Nuf said.

Happy 2009!