A Matter of Time

angelatrent.com

2012-01-29T22:42:00.000-08:00

I have my own website! Well, sort of. It's actually a Wordpress blog, but it's serving as my "official" author site. It's nothing fancy, but I think it's worth the big bucks I paid for the domain name ($25). Now I just have to publish a book and make at least $25.

http://angelatrent.com/

The Times Tables Strike Again

2012-01-17T19:36:00.000-08:00

I'm often amazed at how some things change drastically over time while other things don't change one bit. Mason's struggle with the multiplication tables (third grade...ugghh) brings back memories of my own battle with the same thing. It didn't take me long to realize that the flash card method of memorization would mean months of dedicated "drill and kill" (fancy education terminology) on my part if I didn't find some other tool...fast.

Flashback to a third grade version of myself sitting in a wooden rocking chair, listening to multiplication songs through gigantic black headphones for hours on end. I hated those songs. But I do know my multiplication facts now (most of them) so I guess they helped.

I couldn't find the exact tapes I listened to as a child, so I had to find other methods of torture...err...help for Mason.

Timez Attack - A video game download complete with fantasy worlds and levels that have to be mastered before moving to a new one. It was really hard in the beginning because Mason couldn't type in the answers as fast as the game wanted him to. I had to sit with him sometimes and type in the answers as he dictated. I also had him write down some of the ones he just couldn't remember after millions of repetitions. Then he had his own cheat sheet to use on the "tests." Now he plays it 30 minutes a day on his own - it's been a lifesaver!

YouTube Videos - When he just couldn't remember several facts in a set, like those pesky 6s and 7s, I found annoying songs on YouTube for him to listen to several times in a row. He likes them about as well as I liked my tapes, but they do seem to help with retention...which is the goal afterall.

My Cornbread Recipe Creation

2012-01-16T19:25:00.000-08:00

I'm so proud of myself! Jas wanted me to make cornbread for dinner - something I haven't made in years (if I've ever made it at all). I had cornmeal with a recipe on the package, but I didn't have baking powder - at 6:30 p.m. So I got creative and decided to try pancake mix in place of the flour, sugar, and baking powder the recipe called for. I added in everything else as directed, and voila! Seriously delicious cornbread!

Super Easy (probably not healthy) Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal (I used Bob's Red Mill medium grind)
1 cup buttermilk pancake mix
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter (softened)

Preheat oven to 425. Stir dry ingredients in a bowl. Add egg, milk, and butter. Beat until smooth, about one minute. Bake in a greased 8-inch square pan for 20-25 minutes. Serves nine.

The Family that Hunts Together...

2012-01-16T18:47:00.000-08:00

Mason and Jas got up before dawn yesterday to go hunting with Jas's uncle, Rocky, and his cousin, Hunter. Yes, that's a dead duck Mason is holding. Jas has been trying to rope me into joining him in his new hobby/obsession, but he's seriously barking up the wrong tree. I don't like guns. I don't like being outside - especially in the cold. And I can't stand the sight of blood, guts, or dead animals. I am, however, looking forward to future hunting trips that involve all the boys in my family being gone for a few days at a time. I'm already planning the craft projects and girls night out activities I can do then...in another three or four years. Something to look forward to.

Christmas Fun, cont'd

2011-12-15T17:40:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention the Rhema lights on my list of Christmas cheer. I took the boys for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It was amazing! Definitely a must see at Christmas every year.

And this book. It belongs on the list, too. I checked out the audio version from the public library. Funny!! The characters made me laugh out loud, but the mystery plot was intriguing.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

No one is going to confuse me with Martha Stewart anytime soon, but I'm happy with my Christmas decorating attempts this year. Okay, so I still have two wreaths and a roll of ribbon sitting on the floor, silently waiting for some attention. And there aren't actually any presents under the tree yet. But we have enough garland, lights, and ornaments to give the place a holiday feel.

Other holiday elements that have fueled my Christmas spirit:

Operation Shoe Box and Angel Tree shopping
Studying the book of Luke to remember the real reason we celebrate this season
Ornament exchange and fellowship with the girls from church (It's actually called the Women's Ministry, but that sounds like a bunch of ladies with orthopedic shoes and shawls.)
Christmas radio on pandora.com
The Nutcracker movie - pretty cheesy, but it held the boys' attention for at least 15 minutes
Other Christmas kids movies - Netflix has TONS of them
Peppermint hot chocolate at Panera or Starbucks - not a bad way to drop five bucks
Christmas cards in the mailbox. I debated about sending any this year and finally settled on boxed cards from Walmart with a picture of the boys placed inside. I took hundreds (okay, maybe tens) of pics of the boys in front of the mantle before I got a decent one. I had to bribe them with candy to get them to quit tickling each other. Here's the one I finally chose. It's a little blurry, but I think it's a pretty cute shot of my two favorite boys.

Fun Day...Before the Bicycle Wreck

2011-12-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun day with the Drake family at their new house a couple of weeks ago (yes, this is a very belated post). Mason was in outdoorsman heaven with his outdoorsey friend, Kaelan - wading in creeks, "hunting" squirrels, "trapping" raccoons. Carter wasn't allowed on the Survivorman expeditions, but he had Kolson and Kendall to play video games and tire swing games with.

The day would've been perfect if everyone had decided to stay on the tire swing, but they decided to ride their bikes instead. Carter thought it would be a good idea to pedal as fast as possible down the steepest hill he could find...with obvious results.

Five stitches. Very traumatic experience with a very large needle. But two weeks later, it's all better. Lesson learned.

Our First Earthquake

2011-11-06T19:29:00.000-08:00

We've had two earthquakes in Oklahoma in the past few days. Everyone in our family slept through the first one, which was at about 2:30 a.m. on Saturday. But Jas and I felt the second one last night at about 11:00 p.m. I don't think I would've known what was going on if there hadn't been a quake earlier that day. The walls swayed, there were rattling noises, and I felt a little motion sick. It was very weird!!

For the first time in my life, I have some decisions to make. I have to decide what our family earthquake emergency plan is (after I figure out what the heck you're supposed to do during an earthquake). I have to decide how much earthquake insurance to add to our homeowners policy. And should I add "first earthquake" to the boys' baby books?

Cheapo Depot Costume Queen

2011-11-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

Now that it's November, I can admit that I'm not a big fan of Halloween. I feel obligated to find something resembling a costume for my kids every year, but I really hate spending any money at all on it. Thankfully, Mason has never cared about dressing up. He actually prefers to wear the same costume multiple years in a row. I think he was Thomas the Train for three years. Unfortunately, Carter loves dressing up. And he has expensive taste in costumes!

Mason wearing the consignment store leopard costume

Carter wearing the hand-me-down, consignment store leopard costume. At least I added face paint this to make it a little different. (I think it was actually eye liner from my makeup bag.)

Trick-or-treating in the consignment store (WAY too big) Incredibles costume

Incredibles costume (for the second year) and a fireman outfit borrowed from FBC preschool

The borrowed sheep costume only lasted 30 seconds. (Notice Jas's hand in the background telling me to get the sheep head off the baby so he'll stop crying)

Somewhere I have pictures of Mason's two years as Superman and three years of Thomas. I'll add them when (if) I ever find them.

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, and More Pumpkins

2011-10-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

A totally staged shot of the boys picking pumpkins. We didn't buy any of those.

Entering the hay maze. I got claustrophobic and backed out, but the boys LOVED it.

Smiling just long enough to snap a picture.

The hay ride (Really just a tractor ride in a circle for 2 minutes, but you know what I mean.)

Pumpkins in the sun...pretty!

Gourds in a basket. I have big plans of printing and framing 8x10 seasonal pics that I can switch out each season. Probably won't happen.

I always dread this part, but it's really not that bad.

Mission completion!

Fall Flowers...Finally

2011-10-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

After the crazy hot summer killed most of our landscaping, our house had a sort of "desert chic" curb appeal...or lack thereof...for a couple of months. Not anymore! We have baby bushes growing in the garden, a new tree that should live longer than the little spruce we lost, and gorgeous mums on the porch. My favorite is the pumpkin spider, though. How adorable is that?!? (Pretend Carter does have shoes on and isn't doing the peepee dance, and this is a perfect picture.)

Thoughts on Soccer

2011-09-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

I've decided that little kids' soccer is much more interesting to watch than real soccer. There are no goalies, and none of the kids know how to stop the ball from getting in the goal. So somebody scores every few minutes.

Most of the kids don't have a clue about how to play the game. They just know that you're supposed to kick the ball away from everyone else and into the goal. Carter and his friend Cole (pictured above) are on the same team, but they spend most of their time kicking the ball away from each other.

Of course, there's the kindergarten drama to add even more chuckles. Crying is pretty common. Pushing, grabbing, and kicking each other. All a part of the game. I think I'll be a little sad when they get better and figure out how to be real soccer players. The games won't be nearly as much fun to watch.

Labor Day Fun

2011-09-05T09:37:00.001-07:00

We went to Norman for the first OU game and then followed Mimi to Guthrie for some fun on the farm. Thanks to Uncle Rocky, Aunt Laurie and Hunter, the boys had a great time playing with Bubbles the pig and “riding” Elmo the horse. Mason found a new best friend – Lucy the golden retriever, who was completely worn out after playing fetch for hours. Jas got to show off his shooting skills – he killed a lot of poor, innocent clay pigeons. Even Mason got some gun safety instruction and practice. He managed to hit his target a time or two. Carter was happy to spend his time boxing with his cousin Asher. The inflatable boxing gloves were a big hit…no pun intended.

Chef Mason

2011-09-05T09:03:00.001-07:00

022, a photo by macyjayne24 on Flickr.

I've been meaning to post this for a few days now, but I haven't had as much time to blog since I've started a long term substituting position at the middle school. Mason makes eggs every morning before school. Now he's advanced to omelettes with ham and cheese.

The Wonderful World of Sports

2011-08-27T19:45:00.001-07:00

I vaguely remember saying, when the boys were babies, that I would NEVER let my schedule be dominated by kids' sports. Add that to the list of nevers that have been unceremoniously thrown out the window (right along with never letting them wear character clothing and never letting them eat junk food). We have, at least for now, kept their sports schedules to one practice and one game a week...multiplied times two kids, of course. I've discovered that, at least for now, the practices and games are actually kind of fun. There are usually other moms to chat with, and the boys love getting out on the field.

Mason has a knack for throwing the football. He's enjoying being one of the quarterbacks this year. He says he's "the boss," which is right up his alley. Carter has only had one soccer practice, but he super serious about that soccer ball when he's on the field. Don't tell him it's little league soccer - he thinks he's working for the World Cup.

Day and Night

2011-08-25T11:51:00.001-07:00

As my kids were telling me about their school day yesterday, I was reminded how incredibly different they are. I picked up Carter first, and he wouldn’t say anything for a few minutes. When he finally talked, he said, “Noah made me hit him.” I asked if he got in trouble, and he said no. He eventually admitted that he had. His chin quivered the whole time, and I thought he was going to cry. It wasn’t until bedtime that I finally dragged enough details out of him to put together what might have happened. He would answer every question with silence, followed by a few mumbled words. Bottom line, he was playing too rough and got in trouble.

I went to the other end of the school to pick up Mason, and he ran to meet me as soon as he saw me. He started his story before he even reached me. He gave me every detail about the lockdown they had that day…how he knew it was bad when the teachers were screaming in the hall…how everyone in his class was terrified, except him…and so on. Of course, the ‘screaming teachers’ detail was later retracted when I questioned him about it. But he quickly moved from that topic to the drama of third grade recess. Play-by-play descriptions of who said what and how he reacted to every word.

It’s so funny to watch them grow into the personalities that they’ll have as adults. I’ve already told Mason he should be a trial lawyer. His opening statements are very convincing…and he can argue like nobody’s business. Carter, on the other hand, may have a career in espionage. He practices by hiding in the pantry to eat forbidden snacks. Only time will tell!

Back to School

2011-08-24T19:39:00.000-07:00

I’m a few days late blogging about the first day of school…it’s actually the 6th day. Mason started 3rd grade, and Carter is a big kindergarten boy this year. This school year is a whole new world for me. I’m not teaching…and the boys are at school. I’d like to say I’m sitting on the couch, missing them terribly, crying, and looking at their photo albums. Umm…no. Although I love them dearly, I have to admit that I’m enjoying my freedom! I actually went to the store without children yesterday. It’s amazing how fast you can zip through the aisles when nobody is hanging from the basket or begging to push it.

I’ve also transformed myself into a dedicated writer. Unfortunately, no one is paying me for the hours I’m slaving over the computer keyboard. But I have a writing schedule now, which includes daily blogging and a word quota for my novel. If I finish the first draft by the end of September, I may try e-publishing by December or so. I love a new challenge! (if I can just follow through this time…)

Notice the forced “Hurry up, Mom!” smiles.

What a Week!

2011-07-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

We started Jas's vacation week with a road trip to Gigi and Grandad's house in the Texas Panhandle. It was HOT and DRY, but we had a really good time. We celebrated Mason's ninth birthday with cake, ice cream, and a new Flip camera. Jas and I also celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. After all the trials we've been through with our marriage over the past couple of years, we no longer take anniversaries for granted. God is still in the miracle business, and He gets the glory for holding us together "in good times and bad." Our anniversary outing was at the Hudspeth House bed and breakfast in Canyon. I think I liked the Texas musical better than Jas did, but we both loved the breathtaking views of Palo Duro Canyon. After all of that, we came home to prepare for Mason's tonsillectomy. He did great, and is now on his third day of recovery. It's been a very full week! The only regret I have, now that I'm looking at the pictures, is that I neglected to put self-tanning lotion on my legs. Those are some seriously white legs! Oh well.

River Country Water Park

2011-07-11T18:14:00.000-07:00

The boys and I had such a fun day at the water park in Muskogee. It's the perfect size for a five-year-old and an almost-9-year-old. There were just two pools and a lazy river. I stayed near the kiddie pool with the slides that were Carter's size, and Mason ventured off by himself to the slightly larger pool (3 feet deep) with two slightly larger slides and an obstacle course. We all took a few trips down the lazy river together - even though the first trip was a total disaster, with a screaming Carter clawing at my arms. Once he got his life jacket on, though, he was hunky dory. It's too bad the park is in Muskogee - an hour from here. Maybe they'll build one closer someday. Maybe...

Thank Goodness for Bunk Beds

2011-07-11T09:33:00.001-07:00

This "fort" project has kept the boys busy all morning. They set up the portable DVD player in there, and I haven't heard from them since.

We had a great weekend with Gigi and Grandad. The highlight was a trip to the REAL movie theater (rather than the free summer movies we usually go to) to see Mr. Popper's Penguins. Great kids movie! The low point was the dead battery in Gigi and Grandad's car when we came out of the movie theater. Thank goodness Jas stayed home to rest instead of going with us to the movie! He came to rescue us...and to take us to eat at Abuelo's...yummm.

The 5th of July

2011-07-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

Carter has decided that every day in July deserves the same distinction as the 4th. He refers to the rest of the days as the 5th of July, the 6th of July, etc.

On this particular 5th of July, we're resting from a fun-filled Independence Weekend. We went to a good old-fashioned fireworks display in Kiefer on the 3rd. Our photographer friend Emily took some amazing pics. We spent the 4th with the Spangler family (great name for the 4th of July). We ate Jas's grilled delicious creations and shot off the fireworks that Mason has been begging to shoot off every five minutes since the day we bought them. Thank goodness they're gone! (The fireworks...not the Spanglers)

Today Mason went to his first day of baseball camp. He wasn't very happy that the coach told the older kids to shut up or that he called Mason "Manning" because of his Colts hat. But he did learn to spit on the ground and kick dirt over it. Tomorrow is batting practice...should be interesting.

Gomstomper Races

2011-07-03T07:19:00.001-07:00

The boys wanted to make a marble racetrack out of a pool noodle - something they saw on FamilyFun.com. Our version doesn't have the fancy "Start" and "Finish" signs because the boys were too excited about the races to stop and make signs. We didn't have marbles, so we bought a box of Gobstoppers to use instead. Carter tries really hard to say Gobstoppers, but it comes out Gomstompers every time. Of course, the fun only lasted so long - it eventually morphed into all kinds of fights over where to put the track, how high, whether or not to hit each other with it, etc. It was fun while it lasted!

Our Summer Routine

2011-06-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

* Breakfast
* Keyboard lessons (Speed Boat and Hot Cross Buns so far)
* Educational computer games (No, Carter, miniclip.com is not educational)
* Fun math activities :)
* Even more fun reading activities :))
* Journal time (complaining time for Mason and scribble time for Carter)
* Healthy lunch (or chips and brownies - whichever sounds good at the time)
* Free time - pool, library, snow cones, dollar movies, etc.
* Dinner
* Water the lawn and the kids at the same time

The Big Move

2011-06-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

Three moves in four years. I know it's not a record, but it's a lot of packing and moving for one family! We moved from the Tulsa area to Plano two years ago, and now we're back "home." We love our new house, and we're having the best time reconnecting with old friends. It's kind of like we never left...kind of.

The jet tub is the boys' favorite feature in the new house.

Big Boys and Baby Boys

2011-01-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

Mason and Carter now have five cousins....ALL boys. I hope there are other families bringing girls into the world - because our family is just adding to the "snips, snails, and puppy dog tails" population. They're all adorable, though - even when they don't cooperate for the group picture :)

The Most Wonderful Gift

2010-12-28T13:40:00.000-08:00

Mason and Carter have had their three present-opening ceremonies this Christmas (our house, Mimi's house, and Gigi's house) and they have loved every single toy, game, book, and Southwest Airlines giftcard (Mason's #1 request). But the gift that won their hearts more than any other was....drumroll, please.......the Dollar Tree squeeze guns that shoot foam bullets.

Merry Christmas Eve!

2010-12-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus
About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him. As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!

Holiday Fun

2010-12-23T16:44:00.000-08:00

We've had such a fun week off from school. Gingerbread houses, Christmas goodies for the neighbors, ice skating at the Galleria. What more could you ask for? The ice skating was a bit more of an adventure than I bargained for, though. Jas had to work, but we were in the Galleria area for Mason's cardiologist visit today...so I decided to take two boys ice skating for the first time by myself. Maybe not the wisest decision. I've only been one other time when Jas and I were dating. I got a little nervous when I stepped on the ice and immediately slipped. Carter was happy as a lark with his skates on - until the blades hit the ice and his feet went flying all around. He screamed and cried and begged to go home for at least 10 minutes. Mason was less than steady, but he took off by himself and did fairly well. Carter eventually quit crying long enough to skate some, and even smile once or twice. As we were leaving, I asked them if they had fun. Carter didn't answer. Mason said yes, but quickly and loudly said NO when I suggested skating again sometime. Good times. Good times.

Little Fishies

2009-05-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

Mason and Carter started swim school last night... a first for both of them. Mason loves it. He even went under water several times tonight, which is a HUGE accomplishment for him. He says he can be baptized now :)

Carter, on the other hand, may be expelled from swim school. He's terrified of the water - just like his older brother was until VERY recently. He screams so loud that the owner of the school offered to give me my money back. We'll try one more lesson tomorrow, but I'm betting he'll end up a swim school drop-out. That means my 40 minutes of peace and quiet may be a thing of the past. Darn! I had just gotten used to listening to audio books on my new little pink iPod (my Mother's Day present). I knew it was too good to last!

A Picture's Worth 1000 Words

2009-05-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

Here's what I see when I look at these 2 pictures I took on Monday:

1. The sun does shine sometimes in our backyard (couldn't tell it today).

2. Girls eat much slower than boys. (check out their napkins)

3. I need to do a better job of teaching Mason to put his shirt on the right way.

4. I LOVE having a patio table on the deck. (when it's not monsoon season).

5. M and C love playing with their "sisters" Kaylee and Destiny in the backyard.

6. Mason carried his Gideon Bible EVERYWHERE the day after he accepted Christ as his savior. (see it on the table?)

7.They were all playing "boat" on the deck, but Mason was a pirate, Carter was a shark, Kaylee was Nemo, and Destiny was a mermaid. The Nemo and Mermaid version of the "boat" game didn't really mix with the pirate and shark version. The pirate and the shark had to sit in time out several times for attacking Nemo and the mermaid.

Must be All the Rain

2009-04-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

I guess the cloudy, rainy weather has affected our mood around here. Mason woke up spouting hateful words, and Carter...well, Carter just threw his usual 25 fits that he throws every day. Carter's consequence is easy...I put him on his bed until he quits crying. Mason's, however, is a bit more of a challenge. I finally resorted this morning to the June Cleaver style lecture. "Now, Beave, you can't go around telling people you hate them. It isn't kind, and you're a kind boy. Run along now and remember the golden rule." Okay, so it wasn't quite that hokey, but it was close. And it obviously didn't work because he told our friend Kaylee that he hated her on the way home from school. SO I skipped the second lecture and made him pick out some "treasures" from his room that he could wrap and give to her as an apology gift. (His future wife can thank me later.) Then I picked out the next two things that will become apology gifts if he should decide to tell someone else he hates them. And should the trend STILL continue, he gets to use his allowance money to BUY apology gifts. Something tells me that Bill Cosby would be very proud of me.

Forgot to mention: Carter has started imitating me when he gets mad. He wrinkles up his nose and says, "I not very happy wif you!" I don't laugh, but it's really funny. Those are the things you wish you had on video to laugh a later...when it's not a discipline issue anymore!

Sweet Dreams

2009-04-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

I just rocked Carter to sleep. He usually goes to bed by himself, but he was extra tired and clingy tonight. So I held him and patted his little baby back for about five minutes before he was sound asleep. I could see the clothes hanging in his closet while I was rocking him, and they looked so small. He seems much bigger during the day when he's demanding his way and playing like a big boy. But at night, he's my baby for just a little while longer. (And, no, I still don't want another one :)

Invasion of the Killer Worms

2009-04-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

Every time it rains, we have slimy little earthworm friends who come in our house. I don't know if we need more weather stripping, a new door, or what, but I can't keep the creepy crawlies out of my living room! This morning there were three...yuck!!

Quirky, Rainy, Awesome Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

Today I..
..woke up early, but not early enough.
..ironed Easter clothes because I forgot to do it last night.
..made muffins so my family wouldn't have to eat cereal on Easter.
..watched Carter tear into his Easter basket.
..left the kids with Jas to go sing with the choir in the 8:00 service.
..was late to the 8:00 service and didn't sing with the choir.
..LOVED sitting in the service alone with no distractions.
..got a call from Jas saying the Trailblazer tire was flat.
..went to Sunday school (alone) and met a super nice girl who was visiting.
..sang with the choir in the 10:45 service.
..shook like a leaf all the way through my solo (why do I do that?!?).
..LOVED sitting with my friend Christina during the second service.
..fought the urge to lean over and whisper the endings to Pastor Steven's stories.
..picked up Jas and the kids in the car with 4 good tires.
..met the McAbee family for lunch, where our party of 11 waited for an hour to be seated.
..thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship while we waited.
..came home and crashed on the couch...really tired...and really happy :)

"...I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10

Good Friday at the Mall

2009-04-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

Jas, Carter, and I braved the mall tonight so that I could look for an Easter-y, springy outfit of some kind that I can wear in the freezing cold, rainy weather we're supposed to have on Sunday. I think Oklahomans should abandon the idea of Easter dresses and bonnets, and adopt the much more practical idea of Easter sweaters and earmuffs. I'm not complaining, though, because I haven't been to the gym enough times to feel comfortable in spring dresses yet, anyway. So I'm kind of grateful for the excuse to wear my comfortable black pants and my new white blazer that I discovered at NY & Co., paired with a turquoise shirt for extra springiness. AND the blazer was 15% off because I'm a AAA member...who knew?

Carter thoroughly enjoyed the experience because he got to ride in the race car stroller that you can rent for a ridiculously high price at the mall. He also made a friend at the kiddie playland. He found a little girl who liked to play chase and make "scary" monster faces as much as he does...what luck! Mason, just for the record, was playing at a friend's house. So a good time was had by all...except maybe Jas, who got dragged to the mall to Carter-sit while I shopped. He was in good company, though. The kiddie land was full of dads, and there were an unusual amount of men pushing race car strollers tonight.

Perfect Weather + Restless Boys = P A R K

2009-04-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

We stopped at the park in the Spangler's new neighborhood after picking up Mason from their house. It was the perfect size for him to run off his after school energy and for Carter to follow along like he's been at school all day, too.

Carter is having an issue with the word "stupid." He can't quit saying it. Unfortunately, his favorite movie, Game Plan, has this toddler curse word in it a few times. And the other favorite movie at our house, The Little Rascals, has "suck" and "bite me." Ugghh...why do they have to put those words in kids movies?!? We may have to stick to the black and white Little Rascals movies to avoid modern day foul language.

I Wanna' be a Rock Star

2009-04-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

We went to a super fun, super loud rock concert for kids today at church (right before the super windy, freezing cold Easter egg hunt). The Crosscut band played praise music that the kids...and adults...could get up and dance to. Yes, I said dance...in a Southern Baptist church. I had this amusing vision of my little Baptist grandparents sitting on the back pew with disapproving looks on their faces. Who knows, though, Grandad Roye might have joined in when we sang "My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save...forever, author of salvation..He rose and conquered the grave...Jesus conquered the grave..." Grandad Roye loved God with all his heart for most of his 99 years, and I think he might have just belted out the words and raised his hands in praise if he had the chance. It was definitely an amazing time of worship. Even Mason sang the songs, and he never sings in regular church worship. He brought the band's CD home and listened to the songs over and over. Carter, however, wasn't thrilled about the loudness of the concert. He watched the show with his hands over his ears and a pouty look on his face. He must be the only real Baptist in the family :)

Pictures to follow when I figure out how to get them off my phone...

Much More Fun Than Work!

2009-04-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

I am officially procrastinating. I need to write 2 articles today, but today doesn't actually end until midnight. So I'm playing on the internet, and I've found a couple of really cool things:

AudibleKids - Kids' books you can download to your mp3 player. Put to music and read by celebrities, these books are super cool! They seem to be a bit pricey, but I see a link to a $.99 sale. I'll be trying this out today. More on how it goes later...

31 Awesome Birthday Cakes - I don't know if these are as easy as they're supposed to be, but they're really cute. Trains, castles, ladybugs, dump trucks, you name it...they have it. I love the monkey and lion faces!

Operation "No More Fits"

2009-03-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

It just hit me yesterday that Carter is getting in the habit of throwing some sort of fit...hitting, yelling, screaming, throwing objects, etc...WAY too many times a day. I wouldn't say that I've exactly enabled him to do it, but I haven't been consistent in trying to stop it. So I'm trying to be more alert to the fact that he's spitting at me or throwing his shoes at me (yes...I can tune these things out...it's called survival), and then give him an immediate consequence. I'm not expecting instant results. I still remember Mason's 3-year-old tantrums and behavior issues. He's lucky he stayed alive long enough to turn 4. I hope I can at least turn back the tide, though, so we might could go to a restaurant without everyone in the room staring at us, wishing we would take our screaming kid home. I'll post a screaming Carter picture as soon as he gets mad again...which should be any minute now.

Q.T. Pie Isaac

2009-03-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

Our little nephew/cousin Isaac, who just turned 3 months, is getting cuter every day. Here he is in one of the gorgeous knit creations from his grandma Linda. She's a master knitter who has made him absolutely adorable hats, sweaters, booties, blankets, etc. Lucky kid!

Out with the old...

2009-03-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, so God reads my blog AND my mind. I hadn't even blogged about my new novel yet, and He's already sending me a very clear message about staying focused and finishing the darn thing. Our Sunday school lesson this morning was about the perseverance of Nehemiah. He stuck with the project God gave him, building a wall around the city, even though he had distractions, naysayers, and even death threats. Writing a novel sounds trivial in comparison, but it's the project that God has given me...if only I could stick with it!

I made the executive decision to abandon my first novel because it has serious problems in the first couple of chapters that I can't figure out how to fix. I've been avoiding the issue for months, and I decided last night to just start on my second novel idea and quit worrying about the first one. Here's my storyboard...yes, the main character looks a lot like Scarlett Johansen. And a couple of the other characters resemble soap opera actors. It helped me write chapter 1, though, so it's doing its job so far.

Sidenote: I created this on scrapblog.com. It was really fun and easy. I haven't had a chance to explore it much yet, but it looks SUPER cool! I may have found my new distraction. Maybe I shouldn't visit the site again until after I've finished writing my novel.

It's Not April Yet

2009-03-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

We went from flip flops to rain boots to snow boots in three days. Typical Oklahoma spring weather, I guess. After a LOT of rain and some slightly severe storms, it started snowing this morning and hasn't quit. We even had thunder while it snowed for awhile - I love it when that happens!

The Facts of Life

2009-03-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

Ya' take the good ya' take the bad, ya' take 'em both and there ya' have the facts of life...the facts of life...

It's my theme song for the evening. I can't explain why...it just is.

In my last post I was complaining about a lot of things that have now been resolved. Funny how I can be so frazzled one day and wondering what the big deal was the next day. Carter's ear infection is gone. We found a great car to buy. And we have a new fish named Max to replace our beloved Binky, who went on to the great lake in the sky. I think he may have died of complications due to fishy obesity. We fed him at least twice a day, and our new beta fish instruction page says to feed him no more than two or three times a week. Oops!

Speaking of fish, check out Carter with his new "Nemo" that Gigi and Grandad bought him at the aquarium. Notice how he takes off running as soon as I tell him to say cheese. It's one of his new, three-year-old personality quirks.

Oh Great!

2009-03-24T05:06:00.000-07:00

Mason's fish died at some point yesterday, and I didn't notice it until bedtime. I remembered the lesson I learned from the dead snail and decided not to tell Mason until after school today. Now I get to dread it all day. Great!

Carter woke up at 4:45 a.m. crying and saying his ear hurts. Great!

We're in the middle of fixing the van/buying a new car/living with one car and I have to beg a ride if I need to leave the house. Great!

And I have no groceries. Great!

I'm claiming this verse to make it through today: "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say Rejoice" Philippians 4:4. Luckily, there's a catchy little song to keep it fresh on my mind today when I want to scream, yell, and cuss at some poor, innocent person...or at Jas.

UPDATE:
Jas is taking a sick day today to help with Carter's medical issues and to solve our car dilemma (a TALL order, to say the least). I just got back from the pediatrician, and Carter has a full-blown ear infection - a first for our family.

I opened my daily devotional email a minute ago and ran right into this verse:
James 1:19-20 "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."
I guess God read my blog post today. There are also some great tips for keeping my kids from inheriting my short temper...or at least helping them deal with it better than I do sometimes. And to think I almost deleted that email before I read the lesson.

Movie Date

2009-03-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Gigi and Grandad came to town this weekend, much to Mason and Carter's delight. They took a trip to the aquarium and had a movie night at home while Jas and I went on our once-a-quarter date night. We ate at Outback ....again... where Jas made sure his seat was facing the basketball game on TV...no comment. And then we went to see Knowing. Very creepy, very weird, but somehow very good. It was a well written science fiction/fantasy/action plot that kept me on the edge of my seat...literally. I started getting suspicious of other movie-goers who walked up the stairs and sat behind me. Even Jas kept glancing back at a guy who walked by us with a hood over his head. The eerie whispering voices coming out of the surround-sound speakers were a little disturbing. I'm not usually a fan of science fiction or movies that end with (spoiler alert) some sort of space aliens, but this movie was very well done...in my opinion.

The Great Outdoors

2009-03-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

This is the first week in a long time that we've spent more than 5 minutes outside. Mason and Carter loved the old west town at Heritage Park. It's such a unique place to play...although it always seems sunnier, hotter, and windier than any other spot in town. The kids had a great time, though, and were not happy when it was time to go home. The next day, we spent some quality time with a bottle of bubbles in the backyard, followed by lunch and games at Chuck E. Cheese's.

Spring Weather for Spring Break!

2009-03-16T22:47:00.001-07:00

Today is the first day of Spring Break, and the weather is cooperating nicely! We took a picnic lunch to the park today and had tons of fun in the sun with the Drakes. Tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer, and we have another picnic-at-the-park playdate with the Circle of Friends group from church. I'm trying to keep our social calendar booked this week...idle kids at home on break are known for driving their moms crazy (not that my kids ever drive me crazy :).

Totally Unrelated Sidenote:
I checked out a book from the library the other day for the first time in over a year. I lost the last book when we went to Dallas for Mason's surgery, and I can't bring myself to fork over the cash to pay for it. AND I really haven't felt like I have time to read. I really wanted to read The Boleyn Inheritance, though, so I checked it out with Mason's library card. I read some this weekend and almost all day today...when I wasn't at the park or on "mom duty"... and finally finished it just after midnight. It was very interesting, but now I'm going to have nightmares about beheadings on the Tower Green. Nice.

Georgie Porgie

2009-03-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

Mason and his friend Shawn have been playing cops during recess, but Mason told me yesterday that they've changed their game. Now they're chasing the girls.

One of the girls they're chasing is Brianna, who Mason says he's going to marry. I asked him if he was going to marry her because she's fun to chase. "No," he said, grinning, "I'm marrying her because she doesn't like me."

Happy 3rd Birthday, Firefighter Carter

2009-03-07T09:31:00.000-08:00

Our resident firefighter turned 3 last weekend with a fantastic fire truck party...on a miserably cold day...the day after he stayed home from school with a fever, cough, and tons of snot. It's taken me a week to get the post written because I caught his cold, and then Mason managed to catch the flu AND strep. Needless to say, it's been a fun week.

What was your name again?

2009-02-27T07:36:00.000-08:00

I've always said that I have a bad memory, but I'm realizing that's not quite true. My brain is just very selective. It holds onto useless pieces of information I'll never use again and lets go of all the important stuff.

Things I can't remember without LOTS of help:

Names of people I see and talk to regularly
Birthdays of friends and family members
Appointments
Commitments
State capitals
The current day or date

Things I can't seem to forget:

The French names of all my friends in high school French class
Random "beauty" tips from teeny mags I read in the 7th grade
How to ask where the trashcan is in Spanish
Way too many facts about the history of the British monarchy
A squared * B squared = C squared (who cares?)
The lyrics from every song in Phantom of the Opera and Les Mis (okay, and Annie, too)
The plots (but not the titles) of just about every short story I ever had to read in lit classes
Commercial songs and catch phrases from past decades (Where's the beef?)

Joining the 21st Century

2009-02-24T14:35:00.001-08:00

Until yesterday, I had an old-fashioned, antiquated cell phone (2 years old) that couldn't do anything but call people and take pictures. I thought that was all I needed, but now I know better. I need a Smart Phone that can accommodate my unlimited texting, function as an mp3 player, check my email, update my Facebook status....and call people and take pictures. Of course, I can't figure out how to get the camera feature to work, and I may have to fork over more cash to download the Facebook application. But I love my cute little green Palm Centro. No condescending remarks from all you iPhone addicts. There ARE other cool phones in the world.

It's Not About Me

2009-02-18T20:29:00.000-08:00

I love it when I make myself do something that I don't want to do, and then it turns out to be a totally fulfilling experience. I've been avoiding Awanas at our church for over a year and was (honestly) not happy a few months ago when I got roped (guilted) into helping. It was a nightmare for a few weeks, but we kept going because Carter absolutely LOVES his Puggles class. He knows that Wednesday means Puggles, and he's not a happy camper if he misses. Long story short...I really like helping in Mason's Sparks class now. And I love seeing him get excited when he learns new Bible verses. Just goes to show how much God can accomplish in our hearts when we get out of the way and let His will take over.

Galations 6:9

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

O'er and O'er Again

2009-02-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

I'm looking into hiring a staff for the following:

- Laundry
- Sweeping cereal and rice off the kitchen floor

- Cleaning the toothpaste out of the sink after Carter "washes his hands" (?)

- Buying new toothpaste

- Picking up Hungry Hungry Hippo marbles off the floor

- Wiping little, lotion-y handprints off the TV screen

- Retrieving sippie cups from under the couch and dumping out old juice/milk/etc.

- Reminding Mason that "But I was just..." IS arguing

- Reminding Carter that he can't sit on the TV cabinet to watch TV

- Pushing in the bottom drawer of Jas's dresser

- Turning off every light between the living room and bathroom

- Throwing away empty boxes that have been left in the pantry

- Cutting the boys' hair and clipping their nails

- Putting on Carter's Pull Up and pajama pants ten times after he gets out of bed to "go potty"

- Laundry

Applicants should send a resume and references to my email address
(Note: The list above is not a complete job description, but a small sample of required duties.)

Let Me Hold You Longer

2009-02-16T12:05:00.000-08:00

When I was strolling through Drug Warehouse today, I discovered the poem I was trying to describe a few posts ago. Actually, Carter discovered it when he reached out and grabbed a children's book by Karen Kingsbury...my favorite Christian contemporary author. The book is called Let Me Hold You Longer, and in usual KK style, you can't read it without a box of tissues handy. Here's page 1, courtesy of Amazon.com:

Long ago you came to me,
a miracle of firsts:

First smiles and teeth and baby steps,
a sunbeam on the burst.
But one day you will move away
and leave me to your past,
And I will be left thinking of
a lifetime of your lasts.

Sniff, sniff...

Here are some pictures of our memories (hopefully not "lasts") from the past few weeks.

(a) Mason and Carter on Valentine's Day before school

(b) Carter and his super cute friend Jordan on her 3rd birthday

(d) Kaelan, Mason, Carter, Kendall, Kolson, and two of Kendall's friends at Bounce U during one of the snow day bounce sessions - a HUGE lifesaver on the third day in a row that the kids were home from school because of icy roads

Bad Boys

2009-02-12T13:57:00.001-08:00

When Mason got in the car today after school, he was bursting with excitement about a new song he learned on the playground. He couldn't wait to sing it for me.

Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna' do?
Whatcha gonna' do
When they come for you?

He had to sing loud, though, because Carter was telling me over and over again that he wanted to go to "Ma Mart" and get some "Rice Christmas Trees." We didn't go to Wal Mart to get Rice Krispies, but I did laugh out loud at my 6-year-old singing the Cops theme at the top of his lungs, like it was the latest cool hit song.

Beauty from Ashes

2009-02-05T19:19:00.000-08:00

The boys and I traveled to Borger for Gran Hanna's funeral and just got back yesterday. It always amazes me how God can take a sad day and turn it into a blessing. It's hard to say good bye, but it's good to see loved ones that we never get to see. Carter couldn't get enough of his Grandad, and he was not too happy when Grandad paid attention to Baby Isaac. I got to spend some quality time with Isaac -what a sweet little guy! Mason made fast friends with Grandad's super cool cousin, Priscilla, also known as Ooh Hoo. It's a good thing she has grandkids because she was our housemate for 3 days. Anyone who's not used to kids would probably opt for a hotel room instead. I have pictures to post...just as soon as I find my camera...

I Had to Try it Once

2009-01-27T12:28:00.000-08:00

Tofu nuggets...

The first recipe from the Deceptively Delicious cookbook

that I've HATED.

After taking the time to

cut the tofu,

dip each tiny nugget in broccoli puree,

roll them all in a breadcrumb mixture,

and fry them in a pan,

I ended up putting the whole mess down the garbage disposal.

Luckily, I ate one before I took the time to fry the second batch.

It was...well..how to describe it.......squishy-slimy-bleckkk-YUCKY!

No more tofu in my grocery cart...ever....again....

If I'd Known It Was the Last Time...

2009-01-26T11:36:00.000-08:00

I read a poem one time that was about how we celebrate our children's "firsts," but the "lasts" tend to go unnoticed. The last bottle, the last time Mom was "Mommy," the last hug from chubby little arms. I don't remember what it was called or one single line from it, but I remember crying my eyes out and making a point to record every-day occurrences a little better before they become the "lasts." It's part of the reason I started blogging. Here are some things that are a part of life at our house...for now...

Mason's obsession with football (but complete lack of understanding the game itself)
Carter's obsession with fire trucks
Driving by 2 different fire stations every day to "see if the doors are open"
Two antsy little boys eating Goldfish in the double-seat cart at Wal-Mart (before they start arguing and kicking each other)
The Wii...Backyard Football, Bowling, Tennis, Baseball, Wii Fit
Movies...The Grinch, Game Plan, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Firehouse Dog, Journey to the Center of the Earth
TV...Scooby Doo, Franklin (before school), Caillou, Fireman Sam, sometimes Diego
Books...Narnia Chronicles, Junie B. Jones, Goosed, anything about the Titanic for Mason, anything about fire trucks for Carter
Mason's paper, tape, and staple creations...wallets, rockets, telescopes, doghouses, etc.
Carter's happy chattering from his room...where he plays with his fire trucks

Pray for Our Nation

2009-01-24T06:38:00.000-08:00

As King Obama quietly reverses the ban on abortion funding on day 3 of his reign, I'm saddened by the prospect of more atrocities to come. I'm also baffled by the fact that so many Christians in this country are willing to look past an evil agenda and support a man because of his skin color. As we embark on a new era of liberal agenda, consider the following:

1. "Jane Roe" Norma McCorvy, of the famed Roe v. Wade case, has been a Christian pro-life activist for several years and now admits that she lied about being raped. Her child, incidentally, was born healthy and given up for adoption.
2. "Jane Doe" Sandra Cano says that her case, which before the Supreme Court along with Roe v. Wade, was based on "lies and disinformation." She has tried to get the ruling reversed, but apparently The Court isn't interested in the truth.
3. A nation that grows callous to the murder of unborn children will soon accept the "mercy killing" of others whose lives are deemed invaluable. The elderly, the terminally ill, the severely disabled. It's already happening in the Netherlands.

"What an irony that a society confronted with plastic bags filled with the remains of aborted babies should be more concerned about the problem of recycling the plastic"... - Winifred Egan

R.I.P. Mr. Snail

2009-01-23T14:26:00.000-08:00

Mason is having a hard time dealing with the loss of his pet snail today. I get the loser-mom-of-the-year award for telling him about the tragedy before school this morning. It didn't occur to me that he would get teary and try to convince me that maybe it was just asleep. He was definitely in denial because the poor little thing was hanging out of its shell and obviously no longer with us. Anyway, his teacher called to assure me that he seemed to have recovered by the time he got to school. He was already making plans to pick out a new mollusk friend. He had a slight relapse when he got home and saw the snail in the bowl...still dead...but I think he's okay now.

Not Every Day Can Be Hunky Dory

2009-01-22T15:06:00.000-08:00

5:06 p.m. - On hold with AT&T....again...for at least 30 minutes...still waiting as I type...kind of feel sorry for whoever finally picks up my call

5:00 p.m. - Obama on the news. He sure is a big talker. Not sure how he expects to "win this war (on terror) on our terms" while closing detention centers where terrorists are held. But, hey, some people think he might be supernatural, so who am I to criticize...

4:45 p.m. - Received an email outlining the new president's moral agenda, copied directly from the White House website. Stem cell research from live embryos, unlimited abortion rights, etc. Seriously? We have that much apathy about the sanctity of human life now?

3:15 p.m. -Took my kids to the park to enjoy the GORGEOUS 70 degree weather and left 15 minutes later, trying to teach Mason about how to deal with bullies. I watched 2 boys about his age flat out, no-holds-barred bully my child. They were trying to intimidate him into giving him one of his Rolo candies, even after he had finished them all. They worked tag-team and would back away to laugh and point at him in between threats. We were at the nicest park in town, and the bullies were clean-cut kids wearing Ralph Lauren shirts. It was the best opportunity in the world for me to talk to Mason about bullies, though. And, yes, I gave him full permission to turn around and give them back whatever they're dishing out.

We were also late to Mason's school this morning, and my day at the preschool was less than fabulous. SO...I'm not cooking dinner. We're going to Chili's.

Underwear Update

2009-01-16T20:50:00.000-08:00

48 hours in big boy underwear
1 poopoo on the potty (only a tiny bit on the floor before the mad dash to the potty)
1 fire truck prize for going poopoo on the potty
2 peepee accidents
0 packages of Pull Ups in my future (hopefully)

Thoughts of the Week

2009-01-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

On Laundry:
1. No matter how cost conscious you are, don't even think about washing used Pull Ups in the washing machine. They just end up weighing 10 pounds, bulging with water, and still slightly yellow in the front. And the rest of the clothes in that load end up with a hint of a urine smell.
2. It's kind of sad to see the clothes in my laundry getting bigger - and I'm not just talking about my own jeans. Mason and Carter's clothes are no longer "baby clothes." (No, it doesn't make me want to have another one.)

On Words:
1. Mason's new word is "dude." He starts every sentence and comment with, "Dude!" He no longer refers to me as "dude," though. We have a strict "no calling moms, teachers, or any girls 'dude' " rule at out house.
2. Mason's other new word - and I debated about admitting this on the internet - is "ain't." I can guarantee with 100% assurance that he's never heard that word at home. I'm guessing it's an unpleasant side effect of living in small-town Oklahoma. He seems to be saying it much less, though, since I started taking toys out of his room when he slips. It really only took one lost toy to solve the problem...for now...
3. Mason's new experimental "shock" word is "bebe" or "boobie." Both words refer to the same part of female anatomy, and he says it with a mischievous giggle. It's particularly annoying when he says it during the prayer in church....for no apparent reason. This one is new as of today, so I haven't devised a remedy yet...probably the toy removal plan that worked so well with "ain't."

The Spirit of Christmas Future

2009-01-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

With all the technology we have, you'd think someone could invent a virtual Christmas Tree that looks beautiful when the projector is on and disappears when that projector is off. You could even decorate it by selecting lights, garland, and ornaments from a menu. Of course, there would also be several toppers to choose from. If I ever see one of those for sale, I'll be the first in line to buy it. My bet is on Nintendo to get that on the market.

Our Christmas Future will include these ideas:

Three gifts per child - one to play with, one to read, and one to wear (thanks to KJ for putting this on your blog)
Mason and Carter making each other a gift to exchange on Christmas Eve
Making ornaments for the grandparents to put in their M & C ornament boxes (both of which I still have for some reason, but they will go to the Gigi and Mimi next year).
Reading a page from Just 25 Days 'Til Christmas each night starting Dec.1
Adding one piece to the nativity scene each night (M & C loved looking in their stockings every night to see which piece was in there)

Christmas at Gigi and Grandad's

2008-12-29T16:41:00.000-08:00

We drove into town on Friday and went straight to the hospital to see our new little cousin/nephew, Baby Isaac. He's the cutest little thing, and we can't wait to see him again on Wednesday.

Once we got to Gigi and Grandad's house, Mason and Carter ran in and found their presents under the tree. Carter's eyes got huge when he saw what was there. "WOW...COOL...a TRAIN!" Then he saw his present behind Mason's train and he gasped, "AND a FIRE TRUCK!" We didn't even have time to unload the car before they were playing with their toys. Mason was beyond thrilled with his electric train, Webkinz puppy, and Titanic toys. Carter crawled in and out of his fire truck toy box, and he pushed his fire truck scooter all over the house. I was pretty happy, too, with my new Wii Fit and food processor. Mason is trying to convince me that the Wii Fit is for the whole family...I don't know about that...

I've also had a fabulous time catching up with old friends. Becky and I spent an afternoon going around town taking pictures of the things that make Borger special/unique/nostalgic for those of us privileged enough have lived there. Then our good friend Luisa stopped by for a chat...just like old times...very old times :) I couldn't ask for a more perfect trip home!

Footballs and Fire Trucks (and a puppy)

2008-12-25T20:06:00.001-08:00

Three Christmas celebrations down - one to go. On Christmas Eve, we started at our friend Wanda's house to admire at her vast collection of Hallmark ornaments and exchange gifts. We brought a tiny one and left with 2 really big ones. Carter got an enormous fire truck, and Mason got Lucky the Wonder Puppy that obeys commands. I think they actually would have been happy with just those presents for Christmas, but there were many more to come. Later that evening, I let the boys open the present that they made for each other. I had this brilliant idea for a new Christmas Eve tradition...except Carter didn't understand the concept of giving away something he worked so hard on. He wasn't happy when it came time to exchange presents and give away "his" hand-painted red train. He got over it, though, when he saw the coloring book and crayons that Mason had made for him. He still thinks the red train is his, but he doesn't try to steal it anymore.

Christmas morning came quietly. Mason is a late sleeper...even on Christmas. Once Carter and I woke him up, though, he was by the tree in seconds. He got, among other things, a box of football shirts. He didn't look thrilled when he saw the shirts, but he didn't say anything. Later that morning, he asked me why he and Carter got shirts for Christmas. He did love his Wii football game, though, and Carter spent most of the day in his fire truck bed tent. They were even more excited when Mimi, Grandpa, and Betsy came with stacks of presents. Mimi slipped in a box of clothes, too. It must be a mom thing.

Now we're all packed and ready to leave for Christmas celebration #4 in good ol' Borger, Texas. We're hoping for a new baby cousin when we get there. He was due Christmas Eve, so our chances of seeing him this week are good. This could be the best Christmas ever!

Christmas Party

2008-12-18T14:50:00.000-08:00

Mason was kind enough to let Carter crash his class Christmas party today, and we all had a great time. The kids had centers where they could make bead necklaces, cardboard candy canes, and ice cream cone Christmas trees. Somehow I missed the memo about bringing a book to exchange...it looks like I'm going to be one of those parents. Maybe by the time Mason's in 5th or 6th grade I'll have my act together.

Just Call Me George

2008-12-17T19:48:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I had a few George Bailey moments this weekend. I haven't been close to jumping in a river, but I have thrown a few "pity party" temper fits because things aren't going my way. And I might have snapped at my kids a few more times than they deserved. So God decided to put It's a Wonderful Life on my TV today. I've never watched it as an adult, and I don't even think I've watched it from beginning to end. Here are some things I noticed:

George's friends and family prayed for him at the beginning - maybe the last time that sincere prayers were included in a Hollywood movie.

There were some risque innuendos - like the man who decided he needed to go home to see his wife after watching a blond bombshell walk down the street.

The black housekeeper was treated like a precocious child - and sexually harassed by the younger brother.

Young George's boss beat him, causing his ears to bleed, and still remained his boss - not sent to jail.

Alcoholics were funny and smokers were cool.

The teenagers looked more like 40 somethings, and their parents looked like they should be in a nursing home.

Okay, so I might have missed the intended point of the movie. I did take the hint, though, and decided to find ways to solve the problems that have really been eating at me. The main issue is the unorganized state of my house, which leads to maddening searches for keys, shoes, coats, etc. several times a day. So I started the quest for organization today by straightening my desk and hanging a key rack. That's not going to help me keep Carter from losing his shoes, but it's a start. Maybe by the new year I'll have the entire house and both cars organized from top to bottom - like that Kate chic with 8 kids. If she can do it with 8, surely I can do it with 2...right?

Weekend Pics

2008-12-16T05:03:00.000-08:00

The Glenpool Christmas Parade was this weekend. Mason was on the FBC Awana float (that won 2nd place), but somehow I didn't get a picture of it. Carter and I (and Christina, Tabi, Ben, and Cooper) watched from the side, trying not to blow away in the gale force winds. Notice the horses and motorcycles. No small town Oklahoma parade is complete without horses and motorcycles. The other essential factor is the local news anchors and weather people riding in convertibles. Didn't get pics of them, either.

Mason is quite the inventor. This is his telescope, made entirely of tape and construction paper. He eventually decided it didn't work and started using it to hit Carter. But it was clever while it lasted.

I'm not sure what Carter was thinking with this look. The fireman hat/pajama shirt/backwards underwear/high heels getup looks like something straight out of a parade in San Francisco. The fireman hat, by the way, is a permanent part of his wardrobe these days. He insists on wearing it to school, church, the store, etc. People around here don't recognize him without his hat.

Christmas Letter 2008

2008-12-15T15:18:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Hope this Christmas greeting finds you happy, healthy, and surviving the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. We’re enjoying a wild and crazy December with two little boys who are begging for every toy they see and waiting very impatiently for Christmas to come. With 2008 coming to an end, we thought we’d send our own version of the year in review.

2008 started with plans and preparations for Mason’s mitral valve repair surgery. It was scary and stressful for sure, but we had a ton of support from our loved ones. Thanks to your prayers, cards, and generous giving, we’ve never felt so loved or so blessed. By the time March 11, the date of the surgery, rolled around we had that “peace that transcends all understanding” that Philippians 4 talks about. The surgery was a huge success, and Mason is a much healthier kid now. Even his pulmonary problems, which had been diagnosed as asthma, have almost completely gone away.

Later in the spring, we decided to put our house up for sale, which is an adventure in itself. We spent the weekends painting and cleaning, trying to make it look like HGTV says a house should look when it’s on the market. Of course, they have a staff to make that possible – and no kids around to undo what’s been done. Thank goodness we sold the house fairly quickly. And, just for the record, the house was a total disaster the day we showed it to the people who ended up buying it. We had moved the furniture to paint, and the buyers showed up on our doorstep asking to look at the house. So much for HGTV and their “staging” theory.

In September, we closed on the house and moved three miles away. The moving process was just as busy and hectic as everyone says it is, especially with a two-year-old around. Carter was really good at unpacking boxes – while they were still at the old house waiting to be moved. Hopefully we won’t have a toddler the next time we move. It’s not good for a person’s sanity.

In the midst of all the selling and moving chaos, Mason started first grade, Carter started his class at the Jenks FBC Preschool three days a week, and I started working across the hall from him in the three-year-old class. I also started a freelance writing career from home, which keeps me busy when I’m not at the preschool. Jas finished German I and German II in the spring, officially fulfilling all of his degree requirements for his BA from OU. He’s also working on a “Jewish Roots” Christian ministry and should have a blog up and running soon.

In hind sight, 2008 has been a turning point for us in many ways. We look forward to discovering what God holds for our lives in 2009 and beyond. There’s never a dull moment around our house! We wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope you’ll drop us a line to let us know how you’re doing!

Love,
Jas, Angela, Mason, and Carter

Holi-daze

2008-12-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

Every December I flounder through the holidays, trying to get everything done, observe as many fun traditions as possible, and appreciate all the little moments with my kids. And then every January, I vow to do a better job with the process next year. Just for the record, this December is no different - no more spectacular or more organized or more enjoyable - than any other year. There have been a few highlights so far, though.

Christmas Pictures: My ever-so-kind friend Wanda helped me orchestrate a photo session for Mason and Carter. I was nervous because my kids and portrait studios do not go well together, but it was a huge success! I have the pictures ready to post, but I'm trying to decide if I should post them before or after we give the framed copies to the grandparents for Christmas (shhhh...don't tell).
The Tree: We left our tiny, old tree in the attic of our old house (on purpose), so Wanda gave us one of the many trees that were hanging out in her attic waiting for a new home. The only problem is that she forgot to tell us it used to be one of the White House Christmas trees - it's HUGE! Luckily, this house has 20 foot ceilings (just an estimate - maybe an exaggeration) in the living room, so it fits perfectly. I'll post pictures once I get my camera working (Is anyone getting me a new camera for Christmas?).
The Nativity Scene: I bought a book with daily family devotions that center around the birth of Jesus, and it suggested putting one piece of a nativity scene in the kids' stockings each night, starting December 1. So we've been doing that, talking about each person/animal/manger and stable as we put them in the scene. Mason and Carter loved it! There aren't anymore pieces left, but Carter still begs me to take "his" sheep down and put it in his stocking so he can pet it and place it lovingly in the stable - again.

Minding Our Ps and Fs

2008-11-30T11:41:00.000-08:00

Carter is starting to outgrow one of his cutest habits. He's always "pingers" instead of "fingers" and "pire pighter" instead of "fire fighter." But this week I noticed that he's starting to correct himself and say it the right way. Probably a good thing so the kids don't make fun of him at school, but still a little sad...

Speaking of Fs, Mason announced yesterday that he was going outside to play the "f word."

???

Football. He went outside to play football. I encouraged him to call it by its name and not refer to it as the "f word" outside the house.

The Great Outdoors

2008-11-26T06:23:00.000-08:00

Mason, Carter, and I have been taking advantage of the warm weather in the afternoons by playing outside. Our new house has a two-level deck that Mason calls the "boat deck." Mason and Carter think of all kinds of adventures to pursue - playing football (Mason's made-up rules, of course), hitting things (anything but a ball) off of the teeball tee, making teepees out of sticks, digging holes (Mason says they're fire pits - whatever that means). I even found my own workout routine that I an do while they're playing. It involves jogging laps around the yard (front and back), and step aerobics on the steps of the deck. Okay - I only did that one day. The rest of the days I sat in one of the patio chairs, working on my computer.

Check out Carter's new Mater shoes. He can put them on by himself (which is why I bought them), and he's very proud of his "race car shoes." And they're fleece-lined, so he can wear them all winter.

I Want That!

2008-11-23T12:09:00.001-08:00

Carter's asleep, and Jas and Mason are driving back from Norman. So what do I decide to do with my "free time" (Not actually free when there's so much writing and housework to do, but a girl's gotta' rest...and it is Sunday, after all!) I made a delicious lunch of Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry, sat down on the couch to flip channels, and stopped on an infomercial for a mini-grill thing that makes all kinds of yummy-looking food. In five minutes, the show's host made at least ten different meals, snacks, and desserts. At the risk of sounding like my kids - I want that! If anybody is still looking for a Christmas present for me, get me the GTXpress 101. (I promise not to put it under the counter and forget about it like I do with most of my other kitchen gadgets.)

Totally Unrelated Side Notes

2008-11-21T19:18:00.000-08:00

On the Economy: I keep seeing all these news stories about people having to "cut back" and "spend less" during these "hard economic times," and I'm a little confused. I always have to cut back and spend less, so maybe everyone else's economy just came down to the level where my economy has always been.

On Christmas Shopping: Done. Thank you, Mr. Internet! Carter has been looking at the same fire truck bed tent in the Lillian Vernon catalog for weeks, so I ordered it for him. Mason has a hand-written Christmas list this year (with invented spellings - so cute!), and I ordered the first thing on his list - sort of. He wanted the John Madden football game for the Wii, but I ordered the Backyard Football instead. Somehow I don't think John Madden created his game for 6-year-olds. The grandparents took care of the other things on his list (Titanic and polar bear stuff - ??)

On Potty Training: If I only had to train for going #1 on the potty, I'd say the job is near completion. Carter climbs up on his stool and goes all by himself. He tells me he has to to potty, and then he says, "You stay here, Mama. I go myself." Going #2 on the potty, however, is another story. That one could take awhile.

Confucius Say...

2008-11-20T20:31:00.000-08:00

I'm not big on Chinese proverbs, but I saw a good one while I was researching today. I can't remember the exact wording, but it went something like this:

"Anxiety is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are."

Very true, very true! My favorite Bible verse is about anxiety, too (Phillippians 4:4-9). I wonder what that says about me.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Potty Boot Camp

2008-11-19T07:12:00.000-08:00

Today is Carter's first full day in underwear - or at least that's the plan. Of course, that means I have to stop what I'm doing every 30 minutes or so to take the little munchkin to the potty. We tried underwear for a few hours on Monday, and we went through 4 pairs. Should be an interesting day!

Totally Unrelated Side Note: I'm intrigued by a new show I happened to run across today. It's called The Doctors, and it looks like it might be the best thing since WebMD. I'm an avid self-diagnostician, so I'll be recording this show to watch after the kids go to bed.

Boot Camp Update: No accidents! He even stayed dry when I put a pull-up on him to go to the mall (I'm not THAT brave). The only problem is that he's still waiting for his naptime pull-up to go poo. I even made up a cute little song - and he sang the song with me - but still no poo on the potty. Here's the song: (To the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It)

Going poo poo on the potty i-is fun,
Going poo poo on the potty i-is fun,
'Cause we get to wear our un-der-wear,
Going poo poo on the potty i-is fun!

6 Decades and Counting

2008-11-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

Gigi and Grandad came to our house yesterday and were met with a surprise 60th birthday party. Now we're enjoying a nice weekend together in our warm house...avoiding the ice cold winds outside.
Totally unrelated sidenote: I went shopping for jeans today (and decided I'm going to have to hire a tailor to design a pair of jeans for my body), and I heard the following conversation in the dressing room:

Little Boy: (very loudly) Eighteen!?! Mom, do you weigh eighteen pounds?
Mom: (very quietly) That's a size, not a weight.
Little Boy: (even louder than before) Is your body an eighteen?
(Long Pause)
Mom: Unfortunately, yes.

In-Your-Face Evangelism

2008-11-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

Mason came home from school yesterday and immediately got out a piece of paper and a pencil. He started asking me how to spell the words from John 3:16. So I obliged...F-O-R G-O-D S-O L-O-V-E-D....all the way to L-I-F-E. When he finished he asked for a piece of tape so he could make it into a scroll. "It's for Jasmine," he said. "It's her last warning." I'm not sure if he's witnessing to her or threatening her. Maybe it's time for a lesson about compassion before he gets sent to the Principal's office for smacking around his classmates with scripture scrolls.

Awesome Sunday

2008-11-10T20:15:00.000-08:00

After we got off to a late start yesterday and missed Sunday School, it ended up being a blessed day. Pastor Steven's message from James about avoiding faith failures was just what I needed to hear. Favorite quote: "The only thing worse than being disappointed with God is being disappointed without God."

Before the message, though, (and after I muddled my way through a choir song I was supposed to know but didn't) six teenagers, who had given their lives to Christ at a youth gathering, were baptized. It was really neat to see that, but I had a sobering realization as I was watching. I realized that God gives me chances every day to join in his blessings and be a part of his plan. And even though it's such an invigorating experience when I obey and do His will, for some reason I still stubbornly disobey and miss out most of the time.

One of the girls who was baptised was a girl that God put in my path months ago and very clearly told me to invite her and her little sister to church. They were at the park, and her little sister was playing with Mason because they know each other from school. As the older sister was talking to me, I knew without a doubt that God had brought them to the park so that I could invite them to church. I almost did, but for some reason I never got the words out. Two weeks later, I was greatly humbled when I saw the girls with their brother and sister in the balcony at church. They had walked. They reminded me of the Herdman family from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - not exactly your typical "church kids." Anyway, I took the hint from God this time and offered them a ride home. Since then I've been their chauffeur on Sundays - except when the youngest one decided to "break up" with Mason (who probably didn't even know he was her boyfriend) and refused to ride with us for a few weeks. I've really enjoyed it and feel kind of disappointed when they don't need a ride. When the oldest girl got saved last week and baptised this Sunday, I was so proud of her. I couldn't help but feel ashamed of myself, though, for not joining in God's plan for her life sooner. It showed me that God's will is going to get done with or without me. He wants me to be a part of it, but I can choose to miss out if I want to. I don't think I want to miss out anymore.

Inspiration

2008-11-06T21:53:00.000-08:00

Kay Weidner shared this with us at the Ladies' Ministry dinner tonight. She took the apron email that's going around the net and wrote a second part to give it Biblical meaning. She was kind enough to let me reprint it because I thought it was so inspiring.

The principle use of the apron was to protect the dress underneath, but, along with that, it served in lots of other ways.

It could be used as a potholder to remove hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children’s tears and on occasion for wiping a child’s dirty face or cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, baby chicks and sometimes half hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when unexpected company came, you would be surprised at how much furniture it could dust in a matter of seconds.

And when the weather was cold, grandma could even wrap it around her arms.

Those old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over a hot stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields. Dinner meant the noon meal. We had breakfast, dinner and supper back in those days.

I’ve seen my Mother shoo flies out the back door by waving her apron. I’ve seen her wipe her floury hands on her apron after mixing up a batch of biscuits.

I’m sure that young women now a days would go crazy trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

Reading this about the apron, I wondered if there were anything to compare to Grandma’s old apron. After thinking about it, I decided, that indeed, we could compare it to the Bible and our quiet time with the Lord.

As long as we read the Bible and spend time with the Lord, He can keep our heart clean underneath just like that old apron kept Grandma’s dress clean.

He can cool things down for us when things get too hot or help us to handle them just as Grandma would use the apron to take hot pans from the oven.

And just as Grandma used her apron to wipe a sweating brow, God will use His love to wipe our troubled brow.

Certainly, He can dry our tears and even teach us how to dry someone else’s tears. Nothing like spending time with Him to wipe away a dirty thought, just as Grandma wiped a dirty face.

Carrying eggs or baby chicks would have taken a light and caring hand just as God carries our burdens and troubles with a light and caring Hand if we let Him. He will help us follow through with those half hatched plans, too.

He’s a good place for us to hide behind when “company comes”. As a matter of fact, if we have on our “apron” we never have to worry about company coming. The old dust of the day will stay cleared away by His guidance.

Spending time with Him will warm our hearts just as that old apron was sometimes used to wrap around cold arms. We can feel his arms around us and warming us with his love.

Many needful things were carried in that apron. Kindling, wood chips, apples, vegetables, the daily needs of the time. If we spend time with the Lord, he will carry and give us those daily needs. He promised that He would. He told us to ask for it when he taught us how to pray. Give us this day our daily bread.

Just as a wave of the apron signaled “time to eat”, a good thing for hardworking men in the fields, a quiet time with the Lord can signal good things and times for us and it filters right down to our families.

And just as the apron could “shoo away” pesky flies, being read up and prayed up can shoo away undesirable things such as gossip, unkind thoughts, apathy.

As for trying to figure out how many germs there are on an old apron that was used everyday, I don’t remember ever getting sick from Mother’s old apron. Matter of fact, it may have made us resistant to certain germs. Just as staying close to the Lord will make us resistant to certain temptations.

Grandma’s old apron was able to do all these things for her because she used it EVERYDAY. The good things it helped her do, of course, filtered down to her family. That makes me think that if we use our quiet time with God EVERYDAY, it too, will filter down to our families.

Do You Know More Than a First Grader?

2008-11-04T15:40:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Mason was asking me why centipedes have something on them that can burn your skin. I answered that that's how they protect themselves. It's the same answer I've given about wasps, bees, etc. This time I ended my confident, parently explanation with, "God gave every living thing, even bugs, a way to defend themselves." He quickly replied, "What about ladybugs?" I told him I'd have to get back to him on that.

I Voted!

2008-11-04T14:54:00.000-08:00

I asked around and discovered that I could vote at my old polling place since I forgot to re-register in our new town. I planned to go this morning between dropping off kids and going to work. Ha! I've never seen so many cars and people at the Glenpool Library. So I went at 2:30 and got right in. Mason voted at his school in a mock election. He tells me he voted for McCain.

Junior Firefighter

2008-11-03T17:16:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our friends Christina, Joe, and Fireman Keith, we got a personal tour of the fire station tonight. It only took Carter about 3 minutes to warm up and start running around the trucks yelling, "Woooo Wooooo Wooooo HOOOONK." Mason had been before with Christina and Joe, but this was Carter's first visit. He was in Heaven! (except when he thought the sirens might turn on)

October Outings

2008-11-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

Pic #1 - M & C at the pumpkin patch
Pic #2 - Mason and Jas roasting hot dogs at the Sunday School class get together
Pic #3 - Our family at the SS class hayride and "bonfire"
Pic #4 - The cutest little fireman
Pic #5 - M & C at the Boo Ha Ha on Brookside. They dressed up twice for pre-Halloween celebrations, so Mason decide he didn't want to trick-or-treat on the real Halloween night. We went to a football game instead.

Rambling at Midnight

2008-10-29T21:37:00.001-07:00

Can you be a prolific painter?
How do you spell Chattahoochee?
Is there a hyphen between high-maintenance? low-income? fast-paced?

These are the kinds of questions I run into every five minutes when I'm writing....which is why it takes me so darn long...because I have to Google everything...and then I have to blog about it to relieve my frustration...okay, back to writing.

Fair Pics

2008-10-27T07:04:00.001-07:00

Pic #1 - This ferris wheel was scary! I had a curious 6-year-old and a wiggly 2-year-old in an open bucket with no straps, handles, or safety bars AT ALL. The metal gate in the front didn't even close all the way. A mom's worst nightmare!

Pic #2 - The petting zoo was a big hit!

Pic #3 - Mason rode all of the kids' rides over and over, but this airplane was the only one I could convince Carter to ride. He whimpered and clutched my arm the whole time. That was the last ride of the day for him (except for the deadly ferris wheel)

Pic #4 - The Just for Kids building kept them busy for hours. Carter rode little cars in the Little Tykes Land, and Mason built this tower all by himself from the ground up. Of course, he had more fun knocking it down.

Pic #5 - M and C got to milk a pretend cow, gather plastic eggs, and pick plastic fruit to earn money for the Country Store. These little farmers bought bags of chips with their earnings - the only free food at the fair!

Prince of Egypt

2008-10-24T17:21:00.000-07:00

Mason wanted to watch the Prince of Egypt movie that we stole from Mimi's house last weekend (ummm...Mimi...can we borrow Prince of Egypt?....Thanks :) It's not the mindless entertainment that I was hoping it would be for a restful, relaxing evening. I've seen it several times, but never with a curious 6-year-old. So far I've had to come up with explanations for Egypt, the Hebrew people, slavery, pyramids, the Sphinx (and why his nose fell off), mass infanticide, the burning bush, plagues, Passover, children dying, lambs dying, blood on doors, the parting of the Red Sea...and the movie's not over yet. I love the movie, the story, the message, and especially the music. But I think I'll make sure Jas is home the next time we watch a historically-based movie.

Victory!

2008-10-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

I know I'm obsessing about the healthy family dinner thing, but I can't help it. I have to record the fact that Carter ate every last bite of his spaghetti pie...with hidden broccoli and carrots...AND whole wheat pasta. Mason wasn't as enthusiastic, but he warmed up to the dish when I threatened to take every snack/dessert item out of the house for a month if he didn't start eating meals at dinner time. He's getting into the habit of eating as little as possible on his plate and then asking, "Did I eat enough to get dessert?" Of course, "dessert" is usually something like cheese crackers or a couple of whole wheat Fig Newtons, but it's still a bad habit.

The little goof is also reading food labels to see how much fat and sodium it has. I didn't teach him that...must have been something they did at school. Here's how it goes:

Mason: Carter, let me see those Cheez Its to see if you can have some.
Carter: Okay. (hands him the box)
Mason: Oh...nope...they have too much trans fat and sodium. Sorry. (puts the box back in the pantry)
Carter: (breaks into screaming fit and tries to climb the pantry shelves)

Of course, Mason never lets the amount of trans fats or sodium in his snacks stop him from eating them. He just likes to be the nutrition police for everyone else.

Smells Like a Wasp in the Refrigerator

2008-10-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

I think I'm losing ground on the quest to add veggies to my family's diet. Mason is starting to reject the healthy versions of the junk food that I've been making with pureed veggies. This morning I made sweet potato pancakes with cinnamon, flax seed, and whole wheat flour...they tasted much better than they sound. Mason sat down in front of his plate and wrinkled up his nose. "These smell like a wasp is in the refrigerator," he said before he took a bite. I'm guessing that in 6-year-old logic that means they smell bad. He took a few bites of pancakes drowned in syrup and then declared he wasn't hungry. Carter didn't do much better.

Despite their stubbornness, I still plan to keep adding veggies to their food. They're bound to get used to it one of these days. Here are some of the super easy "recipes" I can usually get away with:

Ramen Noodles - Add squash baby food, small bits of chicken or frozen shrimp, and finely chopped, frozen carrots. The frozen shrimp cools off the soup and adds protein. I do usually thaw the shrimp and carrots slightly. Carter LOVES this and drinks the broth (with the squash) through the straw in his special "straw bowl." I need to find a lower fat low sodium version of Ramen noodles at some point.

Mac-n-Cheese - Add squash baby food to boxed macaroni and cheese. I think I went overboard on how much squash I added a few times, and the boys wouldn't eat it. The key is to start slow and gradually add more over several months- something I'm not very good at because it requires patience.

Hamburger Helper - Add sweet potato or carrot baby food to lasagna and other tomato-based Hamburger Helper mixes. Add squash to the others, like the ranch one that is Mason's favorite. Once again, I have to be careful not to add too much.

Canned Spaghettio's and Raviolis - Add carrots or sweet potatoes. I need to see if Wild Oats has a healthier version of these fattening favorites.

Grilled Cheese - Add a little bit of squash baby food to shredded cheese and mix with a pat of butter. This works with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, too.

I Luv Junie B. Jones

2008-10-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

Mason and I abandoned the Narnia Chronicles several weeks ago in favor of the much lighter Junie B. Jones series. Narnia was giving me a headache. You can't just read it as-is to a 6-year-old...you have to paraphrase and do LOTS of explaining. And I don't even like fantasy. So we started reading the Junie books that Mason checked out at the library. I read it in her voice, and I do a great imitation of a bratty first-grader, if I do say so myself. Here's a passage we read tonight about Junie's boyfriend, Ricardo, breaking up with her:

"Because, Ricardo. Because I am your girlfriend. And you are my boyfriend. And boyfriends and girlfriends are only allowed to chase each other. That's how come."

Ricardo's face turned very glum. "But I like chasing new Thelma," he said kind of whiny. "It's fun."

I patted his arm very understanding. "Yes, well, I don't make the rules, Rick, I just enforce them," I said.

Ricardo didn't talk for a long time. Then finally he stood up. And he shook my hand real nice. "Junie B., it's been fun being your boyfriend," he said. "But I think it's time we started chasing other people." After that, he waved good bye. And he ran off to chase new Thelma again.

It won't be long before Mason realizes boys don't read these kind of stories - I'm just enjoying it while it lasts.

If Obama wins by one vote in Oklahoma...

2008-10-13T08:10:00.001-07:00

...it will be my fault. I missed the deadline to register in the city we moved to. I did at least think to call the election board to find out if we needed to re-register, even though we just moved 3 miles down the road. AND I informed Jas of the situation - he made it in time. I just forgot to go to the DMV before Friday to fill out the form - because I had a few other things to think about - like a screaming toddler who makes it hard to think when I'm running errands. Sorry John and Sarah!

Blogger's Block

2008-10-12T19:36:00.001-07:00

My best friend Collyn (since the second grade) reminded me tonight that I haven't blogged in a week. I think I have a case of writer's block. I also have a case of cleaner's block and decorator's block where my house is concerned. I have chef's block in the kitchen and gardener's block in my very small, very dry garden. I just can't find my "get-up-and-go" this week. Next week is Fall Break - maybe I'll get motivated to quit being a slacker mom then. For now, though, I'm super sleepy and can't write type another word before I go to bed.

Freakin' Fabulous

2008-10-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

I'm watching TV while I'm "working" on my writing projects for the day. My favorite fashion guru, Clinton Kelly, is on Today (which I usually can't stand to watch because Kathy Lee is just as annoying as she was with Regis 20 years ago). I'm learning a lot about being Freakin' Fabulous (the title of Clinton's new book). Apparently, I need a new wardrobe, a more modern haircut, a set of wine glasses (even though I don't drink), and fresh flowers in at least one room of my house every day. Every day? Seriously? Who does that? I think I'm happy being Freakin' Unfabulous, but thanks for the advice, Clinton.

Totally unrelated side note: I have pictures to post of our State Fair outing, but I can't find the box where I packed the camera's USB cord. I stayed SIX hours at the fair with the boys. Jas abandoned us after an hour - he had to leave for work. I was determined to get my $80 worth if it killed me. Yes, I spent $80 at the fair. And I was trying to be frugal! Next year, I'm going to rent a booth and sell t-shirts that say, "Tulsa State Fair - Expect the Expensive." Maybe I'll earn enough to cover our expenses.

Cracking up!

2008-10-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

Check out my yearbook photos from yearbookyourself.com. The big hair one from 1994 is dangerously close to my senior picture from 1992.

P.S. Jas's pictures were laugh-out-loud, tears-streaming-down-my-face funny, but he won't let me post them.

Top 5 and Bottom 5

2008-09-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

Best moments of the day:

Getting Mason to school on time despite a crazy morning
Carter wearing his fireman's helmet to take Mason to school
Getting my calendar, bills, writing schedule, and bookmarks organized
Having fun at a baby shower that I dreaded all day
Bedtime hugs from chubby little arms

"Not so best" moments of the day:

Running late again with my morning routine
Carter throwing his shoes and fireman's helmet at me on the way home from school (luckily he has really bad aim)
Getting behind on my writing by spending too much time organizing
Cleaning pencil marks off the wall (Carter) and attempting to tape my broken glasses back together (Carter)
Mason's drama/complaining/whining about being sent to his room (for throwing slices of bread at the top of the refrigerator, trying to knock down a toy that I had taken from him, for throwing it across the room, after I told him not to....there's more to the story, but my blog space is limited)

Portrait of a President

2008-09-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

I'm watching Diane Sawyer's interviews with McCain and Obama, and they're very interesting. Putting my political views aside (for once) I'm intrigued by the life stories of these two men. I almost cried when I saw the picture of 10-year-old Barak clinging to his father's hand the one and only time his father visited him. And I loved the story of John McCain standing up for the Filipino cafeteria worker when an upperclassman harassed the guy. And, of course, his POW experience was incredible...especially the fact that he had a chance to be released before he was tortured, and he refused because it wasn't his turn. Above all, though, I think they both need to be thankful that their mothers chose to carry them to term and give them the gift of life. I pray that Obama will have a change of heart about the live-birth abortions he supports, and I hope McCain will learn a lesson about the sanctity of life from his running mate. (Did I say political views aside? Oops!)

I wrote this!

2008-09-24T22:33:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the writing projects I'm most proud of. It's fun to see my words on professional websites.

New York Dog Tours - I felt like I was a New Yorker for a week, researching and writing about Manhattan.

Childcare E-Book - You have to pay to read the whole book, but some of the paragraphs are on this intro page. I probably won't do another e-book. This was a TON of work, even with my own home daycare experience and a file box full of childcare manuals and state documents at my fingertips.

Art Pottery - I'm learning to love the history and culture of art pottery as I write for this blog.

Womb to Bloom - This site hasn't launched yet, but I loved writing "girlfriend to girlfriend" articles about maternity and newborn topics.

Real Estate - I now know more than I ever wanted to know about Alabama, Connecticut, Minnesota, and 21 other states, thanks to this project.

A Big Night

2008-09-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

We finally made it to the Big Truck Event that Mason's school has every year. It was BIG fun!

Highlights of Mason's night: "Driving" the ski boat and getting M&Ms from the ambulance.

Highlights of Carter's night: Getting up in the fire truck 15 times and "riding"the school bus.

Highlight of my night: Talking to Mason's teacher about how sweet he is in class. You never know how your kids act when they're away, so I was thrilled to hear her gush about him. She also told me that he started a small prayer group in the library the other day. He was waiting with a few other kids in the library while the rest of the class went to the restroom. One of the kids said, "Well, what do we do now?" and Mason answered, "We could pray." So they all bowed their heads and prayed for their friends and family. We may have to change his name to Mason Graham :)

OH...and I got roped into attending my first PTA meeting after the Big Truck Event. It was a little scary, but I survived. I thought I might get trampled by the parents of the kindergartners when the kids sang at the end. People rushed to the front, some even standing on chairs and tables, to get their cameras and video recorders in a prime location for the perfect shot. I'll find out if kids are performing before I attend another meeting!

Experiencing God

2008-09-22T04:51:00.000-07:00

Jas is going through the new version of the Experiencing God Bible study, and our discussions are reminding me of how much I loved that study in college. "Seeing God at work and joining in..." is the message in a nutshell. It's given me a new appreciation for people who consistently share God's Word with everyone they meet...that takes such a love for people and a dedication to stop thinking about yourself and minister to others. SO much easier said than done.

Case in point: I saw a local news story last week about the old Lucent building in OKC that was "being prepared" for hurricane evacuees. I didn't know until this weekend that it was the Oklahoma Baptist volunteers running the operation - giving their time, energy, and money to fill a need in people's lives. There are Southern Baptist groups that are first responders to major emergencies across the country, but you never hear their names in the news. One name in this story I recognized - Chris Wall - the husband of a friend from OBU. It's so good to see familiar faces, as well as faces I don't recognize, of faithful people who just want to share God's love with people who need it. They inspire me to look for ways that I can do that on a daily basis.