Welcome to Oklahoma… ice storms last week, tornados yesterday.  Wonder what I’ll do today? Sunbathe?  Seriously, I’m watching the news this morning and seeing all the damage done to houses.  I really hope that Izzy’s therapist Camilla’s home wasn’t affected.  When we left school yesterday the word was the storm was very near her home and today they are showing homes in Edmond… The tornados stayed just west of us for the evening, thank goodness.  Matt drove through a terrible hail storm and saw cars spinning and hitting the center median.  He was a little nervous from that when he came home last night.

What’s up with the peanut butter?  I make Bailey a pb&j for his lunch most days (unless they have pizza at school).  I have felt okay with it because I have been using a jar of peanut butter that I know hasn’t made anyone sick.  I had to buy a new jar this week and spent time on the world wide web searching for evidence that this was safe for him!  I feel about 99% sure that it is safe based on what I read it is the paste or peanut butter sold in large quantities to schools, and facilities or to make products like cookies or crackers.  What’s next?  Shopping for food is becoming a game of russian roulette.  Let’s see … it was green onions, spinach, then salad in general, there was skippy peanut butter for a while, tomatoes… now peanut butter again.  Come on!  I just wish they would produce food in a safe and clean way so that these recalls weren’t necessary.  It grosses me out to think about the reasons why the food is recalled. bleck.

FLO went great last night.  Unfortunately I did not win the $100 gift card to the Melting Pot.  (sadness) … Or the pedicure… or anything!  But it was a good night and there was a good turnout in spite of the weather.  At one point the thunder was very loud.  I texted home and asked for a weather update to be told that the satellite was out from the weather.  So I decided not to worry about it…. and it was fine .

Ramdom thought:  I wish I had a donut. Or two.

Valentine’s Day is Saturday! I heart Valentine’s Day!  I think it’s my favorite holiday. 

Random thought 2: I’m out of gum.

Have a great Wednesday.

 I mentioned I challenged my teen girls to read their bibles daily following a “read the entire bible in one year” schedule.  I printed one week on thick paper and cut out bookmarks for them.  I was showing the site to matt and realized I could simply click on the day and it would display all the reading for that day.  Then I saw there was a mobile version.  I entered the url on my blackberry and voila!  I had the entire text for the day right on my phone.  I’m pretty excited about this.  Bailey was happy to see he could also follow along on his ipod touch.   

I finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  It was such a good book.  A big thanks to Camilla for the recommendation.  If you know Karen (praying Karen) who used to blog … now I catch up with her on FB.  She was born and raised in Guernsey.  Pretty neat!  Next on my nightstand is a book Gail recommended “Uncharted.”  I am going to start it tonight.  Next will be a book my friend Laura got me for Christmas by Letter to my Daughter by Maya Angelou.

 Whew… I was typing this post and my IE just died.  Out of nowhere.  Not like I had typed a ton but it’s still frustrating.  Luckily it was saved. 

Did you watch Patrick Swazye?  Sad. 

Izzy’s day at school went well today.  She is having more “episodes” this week.  We always tell her that it is her brain making connections… and tell her teachers and therapists not to be upset or worried.  She is truly God’s little girl and I know that she will be fine.  She is taking her toys from Christmas to school.  One a day.  Yesterday she took her Poingo reading system from Nini.  Today she took the wooden magnetic “paper dolls” from Gram.  The therapists all are using her toys in her therapy.  She went to the library today and checked a new book out.  We were supposed to get the kid walk today but the equipment co. made a mistake and ordered the wrong size… we’ve only been waiting since June 08.  I guess a week or two more won’t hurt.  They have ordered the correct size with expedited shipping.  Things always work out for a reason and I have to believe that it will work out well. 

I’m so excited that Judi (doodlebug designs) is starting to work on my blog again!  I heart her.  I can’t wait to see what it looks like!  You should check her out.  She does such good work and is a sweetheart too.

First I have to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Julie!  Julie and I have been friends for about 14 years… since the births of her first child and my second.  Some of my favorite memories of Julie are running around with our babies in tow, cutting class at UCO to eat yummy food, hanging out and listening to music or watching movies… and Victoria’s! Yum!  I wish she lived in OKC rather than Dallas, we’d definitely be going to have lunch at Victoria’s to celebrate her birthday.  Julie and I are sharing a recipe blog now, which is fun.  I know we’ll be lifelong friends because we’ve been through so many things together.  Happy Birthday Julie.

I saw the “these are a few of my favorite things,” challenge and decided to play along on my sidebar… I enjoyed the thanksgiving challenge so this will be fun to pick out something about Christmas I heart every day.  If you want to play along visit Sheila at Gim’me memories!

Kat has passed along this special award.
I am to list five favorite things. I have so many favorite “things” that vary from day to day… but here are five for now:

~~~

coke with sonic ice (of course!

Christmas lights

keeping up with people on fb

my new cellphone

searching for a perfect present for the people I love.

~~~

I’d like to pass this along to YOU! If you leave a comment. (that’s what Kat did and it sounds good to me ).

Well, Izzy didn’t sleep AT ALL Monday night.  Not at all!  Did I mention she didn’t sleep?  Okay, just checking because she didn’t and as a result neither did Matt and I.  She wasn’t unhappy or anything so she’s fine, but thankfully she did sleep last night and so I plan to take her to school today.  I went to Jill’s yesterday for my hair do.  Had brown added in for the season, and had it trimmed.  I haven’t taken a picture of it yet.  I did, however, take a picture of her rotating tree which I loved!  I always hide the ornaments I don’t just love in the back but I think I would enjoy the rotating.  I know Izzy would!

Well, I’m going to start some spaghetti sauce for dinner tonight (yes it’s only 9 a.m., but it gets crazier as the day goes on!)  and then will take Izzy to school later and meet my brother in “town”…  I have to do a post on Orovo detox

One last thing..

I saw a bow technique on my friend OHAmanda’s blog so I tried it.  What do you think? (go look at her’s, she’s better at it and shows step by step how to)

Have a great Wednesday!

I had a busy day yesterday getting ready for FLO and trying to make some dents in holiday decorating…  I had 15 more bookmarks to get made and gift bags to assemble and chocolate to buy for the bags etc.  I am happy to say I got it all done!  You know what the good news is?  I made too many so if you would like a beaded bookmark (I will try to post a pic), I’ll send one to the first five commenters.

FLO went well, it was Christmas FLO so we sang Christmas songs and Santa passed out the gift bags to each of the ladies there.  The lesson was about the personality profiles that we’ve been doing.  It is interesting how some people are so much one personality (choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine, or melancholy).  I am a mixture of three.  It was a fun evening!

I got this coupon in my email today for a free item (up to $13 value) with any $10 store purchase at Bath & Body.   You can click on the link and print it.  I went the other day and bought several hand soaps.  I heart them.  Especially the peppermint twist & vanilla bean they have for the holidays.

There are several things on my to-do list for today!  I made some progress yesterday but there is still a lot to be done.  I am so thankful for online shopping!  Is it just me or is Amazon.com the best?  I have ordered several gifts from there and I really like that the prices are great, the shipping is free (if you order early enough to have enough time to do the slow shipping) and they have so many things there.

It’s December 3.  Already.

That’s all I have.  It’s early and I’m off to fold a load of clothes and start getting everyone out the door… one by one!  Have a great Wednesday!

HappyThanksgivingEve!  My day will be full and busy… more than usual.  I have all the ingredients to make a triple batch of spinach dip, and some casseroles to take to Tulsa tomorrow.  Bailey has a friend over (spent the night)… the kids are out of school until Monday.  I am planning to get a picture for Christmas cards today!  I got an email from Dayspring about Christmas photo cards you design yourself.  The email also had a coupon to  Save 25% on Your Order!
Using Promo Code studio25.  I have mine all ready!  Just need the perfect pic of the four kiddos.

So… more good news about Iz.  She did standing with Camilla yesterday and did great. Camilla and Melanie commented that her head control has greatly improved since the Summer.  She was dangling her legs while sitting on a table and kicked her legs when asked by Melanie.  Doesn’t sound like much but with the high tone in her legs for her to be able to relax and kick each leg is a big deal.  We are just building towards the kid walk.  I can’t wait to see her in it.

My new cell phone came Monday! I was so excited.  I’ve been dealing with that stupid phone that I dropped in my drink for weeks and the buttons wouldn’t work so I couldn’t call a number unless it was stored and couldn’t text.  My new phone is WONDERFUL!  It has gps and a cool camera with a flash… and a full keyboard and a cool trackball and the buttons all work and it is great!Did you know you can buy cellphones on Amazon.com and use your upgrade (mine was ATT).  This phone was .01 cents!  That’s using my upgrade.  On the ATT website the upgrade for the same phone would be a LOT more!  I am going to be using Amazon for all my future upgrades, it’s a great deal!  Not a refurbished phone or anything either.  It came with all the cords and even a case. I need a memory upgrade.

I got some great ideas for new books to read.  Gail and Susanne both mentioned “Uncharted,” by Angela Hunt.  I ran by the library yesterday and got that one to have for the weekend.  I really hope to have some time to read it!  Camilla mentioned a book called “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.”  I am going to read that one next!

I took Izzy to the orthotist yesterday.  She gained five degrees in her feet.  That is right on our goal mark.  The orthotist said that we could hope for 2-3 degrees per week and after two weeks we have five!  She is still only tolerating the afo’s about three hours at a time, but it’s working so that’s good!

Isn’t she adorable in her little hanna andersson outfit!

 I mentioned the doll Emelia and I worked on Sunday afternoon.  Here she is!  She was made from a $1.00 pair of gloves found at Walmart and her dress and bow are a mismatched baby sock we found.  We will probably stitch over the markings for her face.  Emelia wants to make more, now that we know how to do it they should be pretty easy.

Bailey has insisted on having long hair for a couple of years now.  His hair has some natural curl to it and it has gotten harder and harder to fix for school.  He was finally fed up yesterday and asked me to cut it all off.  I couldn’t have been happier as I sprinted for the scissors!  Now I’m off to get some horse supplies. I heart my horse Pinky!

Remember in grade school every Wednesday the teacher would say it’s humpday!  I wonder if teachers still say that? I wonder if the word humpday would suggest things that we didn’t even think about when I was in grade school… the good old days.  I still think of Wednesday as humpday and that means that it’s a downhill ride to the weekend.  Although being a SAHM the weekends mean less than they did when I was in school longing for the day to sleep in and not have to go to school for two whole days.  I grew to love school the older I got but in the first few years I only wanted to be home.  Or not at school.  I think the thought of a downhill slope to the weekend now makes me think that another week is about to be over.

Yesterday is a blur of craziness… Got the usual things done, got izzy to school… did mom’s hair and helped her rearrange a bit to accommodate a new find at the antique store.  I suggested that she get rid of the things that she doesn’t just love to make things less cluttered.  She did and it looks very nice.  I baked my cake for FLO while working on her hair and then had to leave to pick up Isabelle.  Amanda has applied to OU now officially and is sending her transcripts in.  She frantically texted me in the middle of the hair and furniture arranging to say that her transcript would not print at the college she is taking her concurrent enrollment classes because she owes tuition and a hold has been placed on her transcript.  She had gotten a letter awarding her a scholarship for academics when she first enrolled there and it read like it covered all tuition.  Guess not.  So today I’ll be handling that to get her transcript so she can get it mailed with her HS transcript.  I can’t believe she is old enough to be going to college.  She’s already thinking about her dorm room!  I’m holding off any sappy sentimental sadness until the very last second possible.  But ugh!

We had the FLO service last night and I think it was a success.  There was so much food.  And so many turkeys!  Bailey and Preston (my friend Miki’s son) collected and distributed turkeys.  I have a pic of them in front of the turkeys that I need to upload.  Gina made baked spaghetti that was so good!  I almost inhaled my serving for two reasons.  1. I had not eaten all day and was hungry! 2. We were told that the ‘team’ needed to have finished eating and be at their ‘posts’ by 5:30 and I arrived at 5:25 because Matt was running late yada yada yada…  It all worked out.  There were so many desserts that I (unfortunately) brought home almost an entire cake.  This is good only because breakfast is now covered and bad because now breakfast is covered. With cake!  Gina also packed up a plate of her spaghetti to send home with me since I only had time to eat a few bites.  That may be lunch   Today’s shaping up nicely…

Camilla and I agreed that the AFO’s appear to be helping already.  We both think that we have achieved at least the minimum we had hoped for for the week.  The orthotist will verify this Monday.  But so far so good and she did wear them longer yesterday than before.  They celebrated Veteran’s Day at school and so most of her afternoon was spent in the gym.   When I arrived to pick her up the usual four or five teachers/therapist were surrounding her.  Camilla at her feet, ranging her legs and ankles.  Margaret at her head, pushing her to make sounds.  Melanie at the other side… providing support and song.  Michelle behind her ready to help out with anything needed.  She never lacks for attention.  Never!

Last but certainly not least I want to thank my sweet friend Jodi for this award…

Thanks Jodi!

Have a great humpday Wednesday!

Emelia came home from school early today.  She called from school because she had a temperature.  She ended up sleeping almost all day.  I had a weird piercing sinus headache and Izzy didn’t seem like herself either.

Amanda is all signed up and scheduled to take her ACT in December.  She was very sick the day she was supposed to take it.  She has decided to apply to OU and is planning to room with her friend from school.  I like this friend and they are both very studious so I think it’s a good plan.  Senior year is crazy!  Yearbook $80.  Each ACT pop is over $50.  Cap and Gown $200.  Senior pics $100 so far.  College Apps. $40 and up.  It’s something every few days!  Better get started on a post for promotional pens.

We had a meeting last night about our monthly “for ladies only” service.  This month we’re giving away turkeys to single moms.  So we discussed collecting and distrubuting the turkeys.  We serve dinner to any ladies (and their kids) who attend the service.  I look forward to it every month.  Bailey is going to help collect turkeys and then carry them to cars for the ladies.

I’ve been really touched by BigMama’s posts from Dominican Republic.  She is with the Compassion team.

I’ve picked a little six year old girl from Haiti to sponsor.

It is seriously raining like crazy tonight!  Even some hail.  Great sleeping weather.

Good night…

Whew… what a week, or half a week.  Saturday night Emelia came into my room about 3 a.m. and touched my feet to wake me up, she was sick.  I had taken half a muscle relaxer because I woke up Saturday with a really bad backache (in my lower back).  I was in and out all night because medicine makes me so sleepy (I rarely take any).  So Isabelle is sick too that night.  Twice.  She had been running fever Saturday and slept all day.  Sunday we were all wiped out from no sleep etc. so we stayed home all day.  Emelia slept most of the day and Isabelle ate normally which made me realize she was just having issues with congestion.  So… Monday Emelia went to school for the afternoon and I kept Izzy home to make sure she was well.  She again slept most of the day.  Tuesday I decided to take her to school.  She slept soundly as I got dressed.  I took her anyway, thinking that she would wake up.  She slept through most of the afternoon.  At school.  Getting her in and out of her carseat was a painful experience for me.  I winced in pain and blinked away tears.  Stupid back.

Sweet Melanie ran out with a “for no special day present.”  I am so dingy I thought she was singing something about a snow day present?  I have no excuse…   She is Izzy’s teacher and at the pumpkin patch I remarked about the beauty of the white pumpkin.  The kids couldn’t choose a white pumpkin, and even if they could we would have to hike a fair distance to get one.  Anyway, we stopped at her house to see a pond that she had installed recently in her back yard (it was very pretty!) and she had a white pumpkin on her porch.  I joked that I was going to swap Izzy’s green pumpkin for that white one … I didn’t.  But she brought me this (Isn’t it cute?)!  It’s the pillow with a white pumpkin on the front.

My friend Kari sent me a Fall card (that she made) and then a Halloween card (she made it too!)  I told Amanda yesterday I need to buy a homemade card to send to her and Amanda suggested I make one.  I guess that’s an option but compared to hers I’m not sure… Haley also sent me an adorable Halloween card and Emelia looked at it and can’t remember where she put it.  So it’s not pictured.  But thank you Kari and Haley!  You guys are so talented and so thoughtful.

It’s really raining this morning.  It’s also thundering loudly!  I love it.  I am really enjoying the Fall preview with cooler weather.

When I picked Isabelle up yesterday (from school)… Camilla put her into the car for me.  So sweet.  She even emailed her cell phone number to me so that I could call her when we arrive so she could help get Izzy out and into her stroller.   Aren’t they just the best?  I am so blessed to have these friends at Izzy’s school.  I am seriously praying that my back gets better today.  I have to admit I had to fight back tears this morning when I realized it was still hurting.  But I won’t be defeated and I am speaking against the pain!  (and have an ice pack on my back as I type…)

Hope you have a great Wednesday.

p.s. I blogged on the internet cafe yesterday.  I forgot to tell you.  Sorry.

Today is day one of Fall break.  It is a perfect start to the Fall break… it was 53 degrees and rainy when I left home at 11:30 a.m. to get my hair done.  53!  Love the cooler weather.  Of course I dressed appropriately in shorts and a t-shirt… and flip-flops.  I wanted to really FEEL the cold weather.  I felt it.   So yeah, I got my hair done.  Just more blonde highlights and trimmed.  Nothing major.  I’ve been clipping on my bangs so it’s good to have them done right.  It’s hard to cut your own bangs, or it is for me anyway.  I have trouble doing it in the mirror and have trouble taking the scissors the right direction.  Scary!

All the kids were home all day.  Matt went to work.  We stayed in except for my solo trip to do hair.  It was just too cozy inside to go anywhere and we have food so no reason to make any food runs.  Emelia helped me make a huge batch of tuna salad.  8 cans of solid white tuna (can’t stand the other stuff… although I don’t eat it much anyway), a dozen eggs!, a small jar of sweet pickles, mayo, mustard, onions (dried), dill weed, salt & pepper.  Emelia chopped boiled eggs and pickles.  She likes to be a helper.  She also made earrings for me.  She likes to make jewelry.  They are pretty.  But really heavy black beaded hoops.  I tried to explain that they were dragging down my earlobes but she didn’t agree.  She thought they were light enough and is insisting I wear them to church tonight.  I’m hoping she is distracted in the next hour and forgets.  I think I would have whiplash.

I went to FLO last night.  The Biggest Loser didn’t record on TIVO.  Matt says he didn’t cancel it.  I am trying to believe him.  I heart that show so I was dissapointed this morning.  I watch the shows that record the night before early in the morning while I am feeding Izzy breakfast.  Today we had to watch the news.  Funny, none of “my” shows recorded last night!   Speaking of believe… my secret sister (from church) gave me a big believe stamp and stamp pad.  So cute.  Anyway, dad was here while I was looking at it so when he leaned over the therapy table to kiss Izzy I stamped him.  Right on the back… so my daddy has a believe tr@mp stamp.  Then I got Emelia and Amanda.  It’s washable. Chill out.  Emelia laughing said, “well if I lean over at school and my shirt comes up a little at least they’ll get a message.”  I’ll be having fun stamping “believe” all over the place.  BEWARE