10/09/2014-- Day 31-- Rainy day

Today was one of the rainiest days I have seen since we left Korea.  One night about a month ago it just poured, but that didn't last very long, but today on and off we had a pretty good rain.

a real alligator!

Poor little Pepper had her field trip today--which made for a kind of cold soggy day for all the kids, but she seemed to enjoy it anyway. They went to the alligator farm and the airport--she got some cute pictures.  While she enjoyed her field trip I was a little frustrated.  Our play date got cancelled cause of the rain, but hopefully it will be rescheduled, but I didn't get done what I was planning.

feeding the alligators

I wanted to work outside this morning, but it just wasn't going to happen.  Plus with all this rain I didn't want to move boxes back and forth, so my to do list didn't get as done as I hoped, but I did score a toddler bed for FREE!

Albino Alligator-I guess very rare

It was awesome-I drove by a house and there was a perfectly (although very pink) toddler bed.  I am sure the lady thought I was strange when I knocked on her door and asked for it, but she seemed happy to get rid of it.  She even offered a mattress, but I already had two (one for the crib and one for the toddler bed), and since I don't have issues with needing to horde stuff I polity declined--yay me!

My little Pepper of course found this machine very interesting and has about 3 pictures of this from different point of views--my little tom boy!

Tomorrow (and every Friday) my kids don't have school--I love it!
Honestly we get so much done on Fridays-and tomorrow is NO exception.  I hope it is sunny cause we will work on the house in the morning and get that cleaned up pretty quick and since the ground will be perfect for pulling dead flowers and weeds we will work on that in the afternoon.


Tonight all the kids are in my bed watching a movie while I try to button up a few things before heading to bed.

10/08/2014 -- day 32 -- My Firecracker!

Today is my lovely little Pepper's birthday!

She joined us 7 years ago and was a crier.  She cried a lot.  I don't remember her crying, but my husband said she did.  Funny how we forget things.

So fun facts about Miss Pepper Faye!
 
She has a temper and is easily embarrassed.
She gets really angry when she is embarrassed, but she has a soft soul and never wants to disappoint anyone. She has a smile that melts hearts.
She loves bouncy balls.
She wants to be a monster truck or race car driver.
She is happy to just go along, but has plenty of ideas herself.
She loves to be with dad in the shop.
She loves to be with grandpa in the tractor.
She loves a good footbath.
She has beautiful brown eyes.
Her favorite food is ham, potato, cheese soup.
She is helpful to those younger/weaker than herself.
She is a great sister.
She is really good at saving money.

I love this girl and she brings so much happiness to my life!

I am proud to be her mom - I pray and hope that I will be the best parent possible to this amazing soul and that she is able to always shine as brightly as she has these past 7 years!

10/7/2014 -- Day 33 -- Stolen bikes

yesterday I heard Pepper come home from school before I saw her.  She was BAWLING!

I thought she was hurt and had wretched her bike, so I was really confused when she said something about her bike, but she looked fine.

Finally I understood what she was saying

"My bike was stolen!  It is gone!"

Poor girl was heartbroken!

This bike is sentimental to both her and her dad.  Lucas put this bike together from pieces of old bikes his cousins and grandma had one summer.  He worked hard to put it together as a young boy.  This summer he and Pepper worked together to put new tires and stuff like that on it.

I thought, looking at it, no one would ever steal it.  We live in a small town--I haven't really seen any of the other bikes locked up so I thought theirs (being some of the oldest/not nicest bikes) would be ok--  I guess I was wrong.

Sedona thought she had an activity at the church (it is on Wed.) so she gave Pepper her bike to ride home--and she walked across the street to the church...only to figure out it wasn't today, so she started walking home.  She found the bike stashed behind a tree on the way home.

Pepper was so happy!  Life is good and the girls won't be riding the bike till I can find the lock we bought for it in the first place.

10/06/2014--day 34 -- birthday

Today is my incredible husbands birthday!

He is 35 and still a total hottie!  His hair is grayer (but longer), but his body is still almost the same (if not better) than when I met him.

Not only that but we have learned to live and let each other live so we can be happy.  Let me tell you that has taken me (and him) a LONG time to figure out.  It didn't come easy and life was not always happy, but now it is beautiful.

He is really is amazing.  Before I started seriously dating (ok, so maybe Lucas was the ONLY guy I only seriously dated), I wrote a list of 100 qualities I wanted in a man.  Lucas met MOST of them--maybe he didn't love musicals, or he couldn't play the piano while I sang, but I knew some of my list was negotiable.

BUT some things weren't.

I wanted a man who loved God and Jesus more than me, but not by much.  While he isn't the most 'churchy' he is way more spiritual than most people know.  He has a strong understanding of who he is and isn't willing to compromise that for anyone.

I wanted a man who was a good father.  While he parents VERY differently then me, he is an amazing parent.  He is consistent, has high expectations, and loves the kids so much.  He is a great example to me and how I can be a better parent every time I watch him interact with them.

OK--I could go on and on, but as you noticed I have missed a few days -- these days have been very long--nothing bad, just I am very prego and they have been busy so I am worn out!

See you tomorrow.

10/3/2014--day 37 -- life style of the rich and fabulous!

When I was young I wanted to be famous.  I wanted to be an amazing actress that lived a glamorous life.

What I didn't see is how much happier I am NOT rich and famous.  I can wear the ugliest pok-a-dot pants and mustard stained grey shirt out and about in my yard without worrying about who might be hiding in the bushes photographing me.

I am not watching every bite that goes into my mouth because I can't gain any weight or I will have to have my head shots retaken, or possible loose my job.

I don't have to paint my nails, wash my hair, put on my make-up, or do anything I don't want to because the only people I am trying to impress are God, me, my hubby, and at times a few other people.

So next time you are day dreaming about being wonderful and famous just remember everything comes with a price.

Models worry about gaining weight so much they make themselves sick and/or do drugs to keep their figures.  Movie stars worry about aging until they distort their faces so much--they look fake and plastic.

Anyway this post isn't amazing or anything, but the truth is I have been out of town since yesterday so I scheduled this to post while I was gone so people wouldn't know I am not home--not that anyone actually reads this, but better safe then sorry!

10/2/2014--day 38 -- I'm Sorry

I loved this video.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzL-vdQ3ObA

can't figure out the link--just copy and paste or look up Not Sorry Pantene

My sister in law said when she first started watching it she felt her guard go up cause people should be polite, but after watching the WHOLE video (it isn't that long-l minute) she liked it.

I totally agreed with her.  I felt the same way the first time I watched it.  While I am not a fan of "sorry-NOT sorry" and would never use that phrase (I bet I start using it now), I do like the way it shows women being strong, still polite, and not looking so weak.

I tried very hard today to not use "I'm sorry" unless I really needed to--like when I hit my Little man in the head with my belly causing him to fall (I didn't know he was right behind me and this belly sticks straight out) that does get an I'm sorry--stuff like that.

My Little Man apologizes all the time already. He is 3.  He has no reason to apologize most of the time he actually does.  It actually makes me a little sad to see him do it, cause I can see how people must perceive me a little more.

So this week is the end of the I'm Sorry's and the start of embracing stronger language--oh man, that doesn't sound right, but you know what I mean--Sorry!  ;)

10/1/2014--day 39 -- mean mom and minimal living.

Last night we had a freeze.  So it was cold this morning.  What did I make my girls do?  Walk to school. Yep, I am a mean mom.

Before you call child services on me--we live literally two blocks from school.  I told my kids if it wasn't raining they could ride their bikes.  Everyday for 2 weeks they begged me to ride bikes, so finally I let them and now they don't want to ride them cause it is to cold in the morning.  By the afternoon it is perfect bike riding weather.

I will say that I have to find their winter coats today cause it is getting colder.  I remember walking to school lots.  I remember mom picking us up and that was always a pleasant surprise, but not expected.  I walked way further than two blocks to elementary, and twice as far to middle school, and if I missed the bus, or didn't have a ride even further to high school (maybe a whole mile or two!)


Also since I finished the bulk of canning yesterday (I did pick some squash and a few peppers that i need to take care of), I have been dreading cleaning my kitchen.  Before cleaning my kitchen easily took 2-3 hours to get it livable, but since I have stopped living in excess I can now get my kitchen 80% done in about an hour--if even that long.  I can get my house picked up in about half an hour--I am LOVING not having all that STUFF in my house.  BUT the problem is that it is still all in my garage!  You don't even want to see the garage.

My husband asked if we could please try to park at least one car in the three car garage this winter.  I am not sure if that is going to happen.  (actually we have one truck parked in there, but we don't use it, so we do have ONE truck in there--does that count?).  One of the other parking spaces is taken by our lawn equipment--Lawn Mower (one riding, one pushing), a lawn sweeper, and stuff like that.  So really the boxes and junk only take up one parking space :)  How is that for justifying?

While I did get ride of 1/3 of our stuff in the first yard sale (which I thought it was more)--I feel lighter and cleaner and not so weighed down.  It is amazing how our junk can weigh us down.  Mentally, physically, and emotionally it really does take a toll.

If you don't believe me think of something you don't want, but can't get rid of, how do you feel about it? Does it seem to take mental focus away from what you want to really be thinking about?  Maybe something your grandma gave you before she passed, or something a friend thought was perfect for you, but you don't really like.  Every time you see it -- it brings you down.  If you were to just give it away (or throw it away) your life would be lighter--you would feel bad for a week maybe two and it maybe uncomfortable when your friend asks where her gift went (you can always say you put it in a safer place, or tell the truth *Gasp*--that while you value her friendship the item wasn't something you loved so you gave it someone who would love it.)--BUT in the long run letting go of things weighing you down will make YOUR life so much better.

OK--I can write a book on clutter, organization, and stuff like that, so I will just end it here!