YIP YIPS

Do you remember these guys? Every time the boys watch this they CRACK UP! They have decided they want to be these guys for Halloween. Anybody know a good seamstress that can help me out here?

NOBODY TOLD ME THERE'D BE DAYS LIKE THESE.

FROM GREAT HIGHS (PREVIOUS POST) TO NEW LOWS! HAVE YOU EVER HAD ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHERE YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, "MAYBE I'M JUST NOT CUT OUT FOR THIS."? THAT WAS ME LAST NIGHT. LET ME SET THE SCENE:

MARK IS WORKING HIS FINGERS TO THE BONE. HE LEAVES THE HOUSE AT 7:30 TO GO TO WORK. HE GOES DIRECTLY FROM WORK TO THE OTHER HOUSE TO WORK UNTIL ABOUT 11:00 PM EVERY NIGHT EXCEPT WEDNESDAYS WHEN WE HAVE AWANA AT CHURCH. ONCE HE GETS HOME, HE HANDLES OUR FINANCES AND DOES THE OTHER NECESSARY WORK TO ORDER SUPPLIES FOR THE HOUSE OR RESEARCH SOME OF THE TASKS THAT HE IS WORKING THROUGH AT THAT TIME. THIS IS LEAVING ALL OF THE HOME & PARENTING RESPONSIBILITIES TO ME...AND RIGHTLY SO RIGHT NOW, HE'S SPENT.

THE PROBLEM IS, I AM THE...HOW SHOULD I SAY IT, MORE HIGH STRUNG PARENT. WHEN I START TO GET OVER MY HEAD AND FED UP, HE INTUITIVELY STEPS IN AND HELPS ME KEEP MY SANITY. THIS WEEK IT HAS BEEN EASY FOR ME TO GET OVER MY HEAD. I HAVE PRESSING DEADLINES AT WORK THAT I AM WORKING TO MEET KNOWING I HAVE HAD TO LEAVE WORK EARLY EVERY DAY FOR DENTIST APPOINTMENTS, MASON'S VARIOUS PRACTICES,ETC. THAT MEANS I AM WORKING ON THESE PROJECTS AT HOME IN THE EVENING TOO. USUALLY THIS IS JUST FINE BUT NOT THIS WEEK WITH DADDY OUT OF THE EQUATION. ALL OF MY PARENTING BUTTONS WERE PUSHED AND LAST NIGHT I BLEW.

I HAD TOLD THE BOYS I WAS GOING TO LAY ON MY BED FOR A BIT BECAUSE I WAS NURSING A 3 DAY OLD HEADACHE. I JUST NEEDED SOME QUIET AND DARK. I TOLD MASON HE COULD PLAY Wii FOR 30 MINUTES, BUT HE THEN THEY BOTH NEEDED TO DO THEIR CHECKLISTS TO GET READY FOR BED. OF COURSE THE QUIET AND DARK TIME WAS NOT REALLY ACHIEVED. ANDREW WANTED TO PLAY LIKE HE WAS FISHING OFF OF MY BED SO I HAD TO REEL HIM IN A FEW TIMES. I THEN ASKED HIM TO GET READY FOR BED...I ADMIT, WE SKIPPED THE BATH, I JUST COULDN'T DO IT.

WHEN I FINALLY DID GET UP ABOUT 8:30 TO GET THEM TO BED, I FOUND THE HOUSE DESTROYED. TOYS EVERYWHERE, TRASH STREWN ACROSS THE KITCHEN AND HALLWAY THANKS TO THE DOG, AND MASON JUST HAPPILY PLAYING Wii. I SCREAMED AT THE DOG AND LOCKED HER IN HER KENNEL AND GOT AFTER MASON FOR NOT TAKING THE TRASH OUT LIKE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. I THEN PROCEEDED TO HAVE A TANTRUM AND TELL THE BOYS THAT MOM AND DAD WORK AND WORK AND WORK AND THE LEAST THEY COULD DO IS THEIR CHORE LIST ONE NIGHT WITHOUT MOM HAVING TO READ IT OFF TO THEM (ANDREW'S LIST IS DONE WITH PICTURES, NOT WORDS). I MEAN REALLY, DO I NEED TO TELL A NINE YEAR OLD TO TAKE A SHOWER, BRUSH HIS TEETH, LAY HIS CLOTHES OUT FOR TOMORROW AND PACK HIS BACKPACK EVERY NIGHT! I TOLD THEM THEY WERE BOTH GROUNDED FROM THE TV AND VIDEO GAMES FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK UNTIL THEY EARN THOSE PRIVILEGES BACK BY DOING THEIR JOBS WITHOUT HAVING TO BE ASKED. THEY TOOK IT WELL BUT I KNOW THEY WERE SAD, NOT AS MUCH ABOUT THE LOST PRIVILEGES, BUT AT MOM HAVING A BIG FIT.

I WENT TO BED FEELING DEFEATED AND SAD. THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF MOTHER THAT I EVER ENVISIONED I WOULD BE. I JUST KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE THE MOM THAT WOULD TACKLE A CAREER AND THE HOME WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT, BECAUSE AS A GIRL ISN'T THAT WHAT WE WERE TOLD WE COULD HAVE? WE COULD HAVE IT ALL. THE PROBLEM IS, SOMETIMES I THINK MY PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT HAVE GIVEN ME SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE, MAKE ME A FAILURE AT HOME. I CAN BE A PERFECTIONIST AND I DON'T SAY THAT WITH PRIDE. AT WORK IT MAKES ME SET A HIGH STANDARD AND USUALLY MEET IT. BUT IN REALITY IT IS A TERRIBLE THING TO ALWAYS NEED THINGS TO BE BETTER. BECAUSE SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS ARE PEOPLE. I DON'T WANT MY KIDS TO THINK THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO "BE BETTER" FOR MOM TO APPROVE. I EVEN HAD THE THOUGHT, "ARE YOU REALLY CUT OUT FOR MOTHERHOOD?" I CRIED. I CRIED BECAUSE I LOVE NOTHING MORE IN THIS WORLD THAN MY FAMILY. I SEE MOMS THAT HANDLE EVEN THE MOST TESTING CHILDHOOD BEHAVIOR WITHOUT EVER RAISING THEIR VOICE. PATIENCE JUST COMES SO NATURAL TO THEM. I DON'T REMEMBER ANYONE TELLING ME THAT MOTHERHOOD WOULD BE SO INTENSE. MAYBE THEY DID BUT I WAS TOO BLISSFULL TO HEAR THEM AT THE TIME. IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE HARDEST, BUT MOST REWARDING JOB IN THE WORLD. DID I JUST MISS MY PLACE IN LINE WHEN THE MATERNAL GIFT OF PATIENCE WAS HANDED OUT? BECAUSE WHEN MY PERFECTIONISM IS IN HIGH GEAR, I REACH IN MY POCKETS AND CAN'T FIND IT! BUT WHAT I CAN FIND IS MY LORD. HE IS REMINDING ME THAT HE HAS EVERYTHING I NEED AND ALL I NEED TO DO IS COME TO HIM. HE WILL PROVIDE ME THE WISDOM AND PATIENCE I NEED AND IS MOLDING ME TO POSSESS THOSE TRAITS AS I GO THROUGH THESE TRIALS.

THE HOUSE WILL GET FINISHED AND THE STRESS LEVEL WILL GET BACK DOWN TO NORMAL SOON. I APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS AS THIS FAMILY WORKS TOGETHER TO CARRY THE LOAD FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. I ALSO PRAY THAT I HELP THE BOYS LEARN TO DO THEIR JOBS WITH JOY AND LOVE, NOT BECAUSE MOM WILL GO BALLISTIC AGAIN.

IT'S OFFICIAL

I AM THE BEST MOM EVER! ALL BECAUSE OF THIS...

WE TOOK THE BOYS TO AN ARENACROSS RACING EVENT. THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! I HAD SO MUCH FUN SURPRISING THEM WITH THE BIG NIGHT OUT. I TOLD THEM I HAD A BIG SURPRISE COMING UP AND THEY KEPT TRYING TO GUESS WHAT IT WAS. MASON GUESSED GOING TO THE MOVIES. ANDREW GUESSED GOING TO MICHAEL'S (HIS COUSIN IN OKLAHOMA) OR CHUCK E. CHEESE. WHEN I FINALLY TOLD THEM A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE THE EVENT, YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THEIR EYES POP OUT OF THEIR HEADS. THEY WERE SHOCKED THAT MOM WOULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING SO COOL. I KNOW DADDY REALLY ENJOYED THE RACES AND I MUST ADMIT THAT I DID TOO. IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING TO SEE THESE GUYS RACE THESE BIKES ON A SMALL TRACK AT HIGH SPEEDS AND MAKE THIS LOOK EFFORTLESS...IN BETWEEN THE PRO RACES, THEY HAD SOME AMATEUR RACES FEATURING KIDS AS YOUNG AS 4 YEARS OLD TO ADULTS RACING. MY FRIEND APRIL IS THE ONE WHO TOLD ME ABOUT THE EVENT. HER HUSBAND RACED AS AN AMATEUR AND WON HIS EVENT. THE BOYS HAD SO MUCH FUN CHEERING FOR HIM. IT WAS LOUD, DIRTY AND SMELLED LIKE EXHAUST...WHAT MORE COULD A BOY ASK FOR? THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THE BOYS WILL TALK ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME. THANKS AGAIN APRIL, FOR GIVING ME THE GOODS SO I COULD SNAG THE GREATEST MOM TITLE...UNTIL THE NEXT TIME I TRY TO TAKE THEM TO THE THEATER OR THE BALLET :-)

LITTLE BOY

I found a new children's book that I absolutely love! It is Little Boy by Alison McGhee and Peter H. Reynolds. It is a precious little poem about all the simple things that are special to little boys. The illustrations are simple and captivating. I decided to give it to Andrew in is Valentine's goody bag from Mommy and Daddy. Every time we read it together I love it even more. I just have to share it here.

LITTLE BOY, SO MUCH DEPENDS ON...
YOUR YELLOW CUP,
A SERENADE TO WAKE YOU UP,
SUN THAT SLANTS ACROSS THE RUG,
THE WINGS ON THAT ASTONISHING BUG,
AND...
YOUR BIG CARDBOARD BOX.

LITTLE BOY, SO MUCH DEPENDS ON...
A PUDDLE TO JUMP,
SAND TO DUMP,
TRUCK DOWN THE HALL,
PENCIL LINES THAT MARK HOW TALL,
AND...
YOUR BIG CARDBOARD BOX.

LITTLE BOY, SO MUCH DEPENDS ON...
A BLUE MIXING BOWL,
A BALL IN THE GOAL,
THE TREE THAT FELL,
THAT WET DOG SMELL,
AND...
YOUR BIG CARDBOARD BOX.

LITTLE BOY, SO MUCH DEPENDS ON...
ANIMAL CRACKERS ON THE COUCH,
A BAND-AID FOR AN OUCH,
SHOES THAT TIE,
WAVING GOOD-BYE,
AND...
YOUR BIG CARDBOARD BOX.

LITTLE BOY, SO MUCH DEPENDS ON...
YOUR STARSHIP PAJAMAS
THAT STORY ABOUT LLAMAS
THE WAY YOU DON'T WORRY,
THE WAY YOU WON'T HURRY,
AND...
YOUR BIG CARDBOARD BOX.

LITTLE BOY,
YOU REMIND ME HOW
SO MUCH DEPENDS ON
DAYS MADE OF NOW.

Deep thoughts, by Mason...

Mason has learned many things from his responsibility to take care of his dog, Sadie. He has the primary chore of making sure Sadie gets taken outside frequently. Needless to say, he spends quite a bit of time waiting for her to do her "business" outside. I guess this quiet time gives opportunity for deep thought because tonight while I was tucking Mason in at bedtime he shared some of his revelations with me.
Sadie laid her head on the edge of his bed waiting for a pat on the head. Mason leaned over to pet her and she started smacking her jowls and licking her lips. The conversation went like this:

Mason: "Sadie licks everything"

Mom: "I guess dogs just do that"

Mason: "Do you know how God made dogs different from people?"

Mom: "They have 4 legs."

Mason: "Besides that...their bottoms don't itch if they don't wipe good, well, they can't wipe... and their lips don't get chapped."

Good observation son. All true, disgusting, but true. How do you top that? He was totally serious. I CRACKED UP LAUGHING and made him laugh. Good night son.

Check out more funnies at Mary's Tiny Tot Tuesday's

FAITH, HOPE & LOVE

I WATCHED THIS STORY ON A DALLAS NEWS STATION AND JUST CRIED. IT IS THE MOST INSPIRING STORY. I WAS REMINDED OF IT TODAY IN THIS POST FROM ONE FABULOUS MOM. PLEASE WATCH, ENJOY AND BE INSPIRED TO SHOW LOVE AND GIVE HOPE TO SOMEONE TODAY.

I AM SORRY I COULD NOT GET THE VIDEO TO LOAD TO BLOGGER SO YOU WILL CLICK THIS LINK BELOW.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqQXJ1RxG5U

That Lovin' Feeling.

My husband lovingly jokes with me about being the most unromantic woman in the world. It's not that I don't enjoy the sweetness of romance, I'm just not one to be caught up in the whirlwind of that loving feeling. It's not that I am "above" all of that, it really is that I am much simpler than all that stuff.

Love to me, is not shown with a dozen roses in a fancy package but the yard full of beautiful blooms he works so hard throughout the year to cultivate for spring.

Love is not a dinner at a gourmet restaurant (although I do enjoy my food!), it is the pancake and sausage dinner that my boys and I look forward to him cooking for us.

Love isn't a romantic weekend getaway, it is when he meets me at the car after I have been away on a business trip and he hugs & kisses me and carries in my bags.

Love isn't an expensive and beautifully wrapped present, it is the daffodil he picked for me and brought to me while I slept in this valentines morning...the chocolate donut kicked it up a notch!

Love is not in a fancy new home, but in the old "yucky house" that he works tirelessly to make into our home.

Love does not come from my man telling me "you are so beautiful", it comes from us growing together in the Lord and him encouraging me to reveal the beauty of the Lord within me.

Happy Valentine's Day to the best husband this woman could ever have asked for. I was richly blessed when the Lord gave you to me.

ONE OF A KIND WORDS

AFTER SHARING WITH YOU THE WORDS THAT ARE LIKE FINGERNAILS ON MY CHALKBOARD OF LIFE, I FEEL I SHOULD NOW SHARE WITH YOU THE WORDS THAT ARE JUST THE SWEETEST MUSIC...

1. MOMMY - NOT MOM OR MOMMA, ALTHOUGH THOSE ARE GREAT. THE SOUND OF THOSE LITTLE VOICES CALLING ME MOMMY IS JUST WONDERFUL. MASON HAS GRADUATED TO REFERRING TO ME AS MOM ABOUT 99% OF THE TIME WITH THE OCCASIONAL MOMMA REFERENCE (THAT I WILL TAKE AS A SECOND TO MOMMY).
ANDREW STILL CALLS ME MOMMY MOST OF THE TIME BUT TRIES TO BE BIG LIKE HIS BROTHER AND CALL ME MOM OCCASIONALLY.

2. I "WUV" YOU - WHEN MY BOYS WERE JUST STARTING TO TALK AND MAKE SENTENCES, THIS WAS THE SWEETEST. IT WAS BITTERSWEET WHEN THEY STARTED TO PRONOUNCE LOVE CORRECTLY.

3. SNUGGLE BUGGLE - THIS IS WHAT ANDREW SAYS WHEN HE WANTS TO CUDDLE FOR A BIT. HE IS FULL OF ENERGY SO IT IS NOT THAT OFTEN THAT HE SLOWS DOWN LONG ENOUGH FOR SNUGGLE BUGGLE TIME BUT WHEN HE DOES I AM ALWAYS READY. THAT IS MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT FRIDAY MOVIE NIGHTS.

4. SHUBUBBA AND HARDWORK STORE - THANKS TO MASON WHEN HE WAS 2-3 YEARS OLD, SCREWDRIVERS WILL ALWAYS BE SHUBUBBAS AND THE HARDWARE STORE WILL ALWAYS BE THE HARDWORK STORE IN THIS FAMILY.

5. CLAUDIA - THIS IS MY FIRST NAME THAT I'VE NEVER THOUGHT VERY FITTING BUT LOVE BECAUSE IT IS MY AUNT'S NAME. I LOVE IT EVEN MORE NOW THAT ANDREW LIKES TO USE MY FIRST NAME IN STORIES WE MAKE UP AT BEDTIME. HE GIGGLES EVERYTIME HE SAYS, "ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL NAMED CLAUDIA". AGAIN, IT IS BITTERSWEET THAT WE HAVE GROWN OUT OF "A LITTLE GIRL NAMED MOMMY"

IT IS FUNNY HOW THESE LITTLE MISPRONOUNCED WORDS OR MADE UP PHRASES JUST BURN A PLACE IN YOUR HEART. MY PREVIOUS LIST WAS FUN TO WRITE AND LAUGH ABOUT BUT WRITING THIS LIST MAKES MY HEART FEEL FILLED TO THE BRIM!

STRANGE WORDS

SOMETIMES I AM HAUNTED BY WORDS. NOT ON AN EXTREMELY DEEP LEVEL LIKE AN EDGAR ALAN POE WRITING, JUST A STRANGE SURFACE LEVEL. SOME WORDS OR PHRASES IRRITATE ME BECAUSE PEOPLE CONSTANTLY MISUSE THEM, OTHERS JUST SOUND GROSS.

1. "I COULD CARE LESS" - OK, THE PHRASE SHOULD BE, "I COULDN'T CARE LESS"...HENCE THE NEED TO TELL SOMEONE. IF YOU COULD CARE LESS, WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE? THE PHRASE ONLY MAKES A POINT IF YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY CARE LESS ABOUT THE SUBJECT AT HAND. YOU CARE THE SMALLEST AMOUNT POSSIBLE SO THE PHRASE SHOULD BE "I COULDN'T CARE LESS". MY SWEET HUSBAND LOVES TO REV ME UP ON THIS BY CONSTANTLY SAYING HE "COULD CARE LESS" UGGGG!

2. BLOATED - THIS WORD IS GROSS. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT IT JUST SOUNDS DISGUSTING. IF YOU ARE BLOATED...DON'T TELL ME.

3. MAKING THE NAME OF A SPECIFIC PLACE PLURAL - e.g. "I'VE GOT TO GO TO WAL-MARTS". REALLY, HOW MANY ARE YOU GOING TO? PLEASE, I KNOW INTELLIGENT PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE THAT SAY THIS AND IT MAKES ME NUTS. IF MY KIDS DO THIS, I MAY WASH THEIR MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP! THIS IS ON THE VERGE OF PROFANITY TO ME!

4. IRREGARDLESS - REALLY SHOULD NOT BE A WORD...DOUBLE NEGATIVE. IF YOU WANT TO USE THIS WORD, JUST SAY REGARDLESS. I HEAR PEOPLE USE THIS WORD IN BUSINESS MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS AND I AM EMBARRASSED FOR THEM. I JUST WANT TO WHISPER IN THEIR EAR, "HEY, DON'T SAY THAT. IT MAKES YOU SOUND STUPID WHEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU ARE VERY ACCOMPLISHED OR YOU WOULD NOT BE HERE."

5. "WE WAS" - LIVING IN THE RURAL SOUTH, THIS LITTLE GEM HAS TRIED TO CREEP INTO MASON'S VOCABULARY AND I JUST GET CRAZY. HE WILL SAY "WE WAS AT THE GAME..." I CUT HIM OFF IN MID SENTENCE AND MAKE HIM CORRECT HIS GRAMMAR. I THINK I HAVE FINALLY BROKEN HIM OF WANTING TO USE THIS "COOL SLANG". SINCE WHEN DID SOUNDING LIKE AN IDIOT BECOME COOL?...OR AM I REALLY THAT BIG OF A NERD?

6. PHLEGM - IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SOUND YOU HAVE TO MAKE TO PRODUCE IT...NASTY. USE ANOTHER WORD LIKE SALIVA, MUCUS, OR SPUTUM. THEY STILL SOUND A LITTLE GROSS BUT NOT QUITE AS BAD.

SO THERE IS MY LIST OF GRAMMAR/VOCABULARY OBSESSIONS. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE SOME TOO...ADMIT IT. YOU JUST MAY NOT BE A BIG ENOUGH NERD TO DO A POST ABOUT IT.

FLASHBACKS

MY BOYS HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED PRETENDING AND THIS ALWAYS HAS REQUIRED CREATIVE COSTUMES THAT THEY COME UP WITH ON THEIR OWN. HERE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITES OVER THE YEARS.

MASON LOOKS LIKE HE IS PLAYING COWBOY IN HIS "LONG HANDLES" WHICH WERE REALLY HIS FOOTIE PAJAMAS. ANDREW IS JUST ALONG AS HIS SIDEKICK...MAYBE HE'S THE PULL UP KID.

ANDREW WAS A FOOTBALL PLAYER HERE. HE PUT A PLASTIC BALL IN EACH SLEEVE OF HIS SHIRT TO HAVE "SHOULDER PADS".

MY FAVORITE...MASON'S NASCAR DRIVER GET UP. HE TRIED TO FIND ANY CLOTHING HE HAD WITH WORDS AND LOGOS TO ACHIEVE AN AUTHENTIC NASCAR LOOK. I LOVE THE GOGGLES WITH THE BATTING HELMET. NOW THAT IS A PRETTY GOOD USE OF IMAGINATION!

SUGAR OVERLOAD

OK, LET'S MAKE COOKIES.

I BETTER MAKE SURE THIS ICING IS GOOD BEFORE WE START.

ONE MORE TASTE...JUST TO BE SURE.

MY SNOWMAN NEEDS EXTRA SWEETNESS.

A LITTLE MORE.

GOOD JOB, MASON. I'LL SUPERVISE THE TASTE TESTING.

THIS GINGERBREAD MAN NEEDS MORE ICING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS FACE...

WHAT! I CAN'T EAT ANYMORE? WHY NOT? SUGAR MAKES ME CRANKY, YOU SAY? WHATEVER GAVE YOU THAT CRAZY NOTION!

WHOO HOO!

THIS!
THEN THIS!
WHAT A GREAT GAME TO WATCH. IT WAS JUST EXTRA GOOD IF YOU ARE A STEELER FAN :-)

NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS IS ONE HAPPY HOME TODAY.