Treat Day!

We LOVE Friday's at my house. It is treat day. The TV can go back on (it's off all week), the x-box and wii can be used, movies can be watched and the kiddos get to pick either a treat or what we have for dinner. It was an absolutely splendid treat day today. Started off a little foggy and cold and developed into a gorgeous afternoon.

We made a fun trip with the preschool to the pumpkin patch which included a nice long hay ride to the picking patch, a hay bale maze for the little kids, a huge corn maze, corn cannon and rubber ducky races. All these after a first ever bus ride. I think maybe she was more excited about the bus ride than the field trip itself, until we got there. We almost forgot to go to gymnastics today but my little monkey made it. We grabbed a quick and I mean really quick bite at the Dream, printed off pictures from the field trip for the moms that couldn't make it then headed back to the school to pick up the bigger kiddos. For treats today, Hasty Freeze was enthusiastically chosen. Slushes and french fries and onion rings, Oh My! What a wonderful treat.

Now it's off to playing with their buddies for them and High Ho, High Ho, it's off to work I go. You know the drill. Dishes that didn't get washed last night because I was too exhausted from hauling beef around all day and cleaning out my freezer (NOT that I'm complaining, what a blessing to have my freezer full!), but I was wiped out! I can imaging the piles of laundry that have accumulated in the last few days. Not to mention that it seems like this week my house has just been a pit stop. Drop off a pile and head back out the door to come home with another pile that just gets dropped off. UGH! What exactly is the pay for this job? Heehee

Have a blessed weekend!

LOVE YOU!!!

Lovely day!

What a gorgeous day! The sun is shining, the air is cold and crisp. LOVE IT! So far it has just been a blessed day. I have been worshiping with Phil Wickham's Cannons and rocking with In the Name of Love (all Christian artist doing U2! greats) today.
My 4 miles flew by. The friend I run with and I usually talk for about the first mile or so then crank up the tunes and just jam for the rest. Today however, we talked the entire 4 miles. It usually starts to hit me about the 3 mile mark that I'm tired, but today I felt like we could run forever, talking no less. LOVE those easy days. They are few and far between. I'm usually dragging myself out the door to start and groaning to stop at 3 miles. We tricked our bodies today! In the midst of our talking about Halloween, costumes and the Harvest Carnival, she told me she had just gotten her girls some brown leggings at Kohls. Perfect! I needed some for Trin's costume. It's a bit on the skimpy side and she would freeze her buns off without leggings and a long sleeve tee.
We finished our run and I had just enough time to go get some for Trin. I got the last pair her size!!!!! YIPEE!!!!!
Picked up my peewee and stopped at the consignment store on the way home. I scored a few things to sell, I hope. The best part was that I had store credit that I was not aware of and got it all for .35 cents! I haven't been in there for ages and ages but we had some extra time and was it ever worth the stop!
I need to get the few things I have up and going to have some mad money to, I don't know, go to a movie or dinner with my BFF! Sounds pretty overdue to me. I have some dishes to do, shower to take, kids to pick up, dinner to make, basketball practice and on and on it goes.
Church this evening. Can't wait. I need that mid week refill so I don't become Lion mom. You know how lion cubs will chew on their mom's until she just can't take it anymore and she gives them a good snarl, maybe a bite and then swats them away. That's me without the two weekly doses of fellowship, worship and teaching.

Day's like today are a gift from God to help ease the pain of the messy life I have.

Get Bloggin' Girl!

LOVE YOU!

Colors of Fall

You'll have to excuse the raindrops on my lens, but this was the day I remembered to pick up my camera and of course it was raining. I had to capture some fall colors before they are gone completely.

Ever feel like you have so much to do and you just don't know where to begin. I'm there. I try to keep up with the daily things and it seems like I can never get to the projects. Today however, I did manage to get a few extras done. Got my DMV trip out of the way, only to find out the Salem court had already cleared the problem up so I really didn't need to go sit there for half an hour. I went and got the Velcro to finish Chloe's hood on her bunny costume. The fluffy white tail is in the mail, so I will get that on when it arrives. Otherwise, my day has been filled with much of the same as always. I did some dishes, picked up and put away some misplaced items around the house, made two trips to the school, went to Target with Chloe to see if they have any white footless tights for gymnastics. They don't. Now I'm off for another trip to the school, homework, dinner, soccer practice, basketball practice, bath and bed. Dodging raindrops all the way. Love you!

My Little Soccer Poser!

Printer Problems

Ugh! Couldn't post because my printer was wiggin' out. I asked at least ten times for someone to take a look and fix it. Finally after a grueling two minutes and much annoyance at my persistence, it was fixed. So here are the pixs from Thursday, Twin Day and Friday was Grandparents Day.

We had a big program for the grandparents and only half day! YIPEE! After what were the cutest performances ever, we headed to Izzy's for a quick lunch and then straight off to gymnastics. I just shake my head. She is such a character. I'm so in trouble. No one can say "no" to that sweet little one of mine. She totally ran the class and inevitably got her way on what they were going to be doing. And listening, what's that. Oh my!

Today was a total soccer day. We spent the night at mom and dad's, so we had to get up pretty early to get to the first game, but it worth it. REALLY needed it! We had lots of fun and RELAXED! What's that? OH, Bonus!!!!! I got an early Christmas gift from mom and dad!!!! PERFECT!!!!!! Caleb got to be Captain today with his little friend Davis. I actually got an action shot of him today. Trust me, they are rare! Trin at Caleb's Game, hers was early. Think she's bored?

Thanks for the encouragement! Love you!

There Will be a Day

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that trys to grab
The many trials that seem to never end,
His word declares this truth, that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew
But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings

That there will be a place with no more suffering
There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face But until that day, we’ll hold on to you always I know the journey seems so long

You feel your walking on your own
But there has never been a step
Where you’ve walked out all alone
Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting
I can’t wait until that day where the very one I’ve lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery this is why this is why I sing….

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face There will be a day,
He’ll wipe away the stains, He’ll wipe away the tears, He’ll wipe away the tears…..there will be a day.

I'm Trying

It is so difficult to stay afloat. I feel like the spirit is being taken right out of me. Today I had to give up yet another piece of myself, again. I had a long awaited hair appointment today. I was SO SO excited to get a fresh cut. A cut and color always makes me feel like a new woman. I was so looking forward to it. It has been so long. I'm shaggy and without a style and I HATE it. I have this horrible, sun faded, orange tinted, literally striped (from being up in a pony all summer) not to mention thinning hair. I haven't had it cut in months, let alone colored. I cant go shopping for any new clothes or shoes, a cute scaft or hat. This is who I am, how I express myself! Not that I want it all. I don't. But I can't even get my haircut! I have nothing in my wallet. ZERO. I cant even get a coffee. It is just dragging on this way. I know, I know I'm so spoiled to live where I do, I have so much. Again, I just crawled back into bed and slept the morning away. Better to not think about it. Nothing like getting humbled, right? Sorry for the sob story whining, I love you!

Hat Day!

Get Along Little Doggies

Western Day! YeeeHaw!

We have a winner!

Trin won the first place dress up prize for the First Grade!!!! Did I mention that I LOVE that they have fun dressing up. It paid off for her today. YIPEE!

Crazy Sock and Shoe Day!

It's spirit week at school this week so we get to have fun dressing up! Today is Crazy Sock and Shoe Day. Looking a little tired, but in the spirit of things, they are ready to go. I LOVE that my kiddos are into participating in the fun activities at school. I love that they have the confidence to have fun, be silly and not take things too seriously. More great pics to come!

My sweet Star of the Week too!

Today was Fall!

To me there is just nothing like a gorgeous fall day. The chill in the air. The beautiful blue sky. It was just the perfect fall day today. I love to bundle up in a hat and scarf. I love a scarf anytime, but I really love it when I actually NEED it.

We had soccer today and it was great. It was our teams turn to travel over to Lebanon to play, so I had to miss Trin's game, which is a bummer. We have had lots of time conflicts this season. Trying to be in two places at once. Trying desperately to watch both kids at different fields. I've had to just take turns and watch some of both. Caleb's game was fun today. They played a team that didn't have enough players, so we rotated two of our boys on the other team and the boys on our team got to play positions they very rarely get to play. He was placed on a really talented team this year and has learned and improved SO much. He still doesn't like it, but he has gotten so much better. His coach is very intense and hard on the boys. He is not mean or angry about it and they really respond well to him. I'm not thinking Caleb will continue on in the Spring season though. We missed basketball sign ups for him, which I was really frustrated about. They didn't even send home any notifications that it was that time. Oh well. He is happier to be back in the pool next week. Two weeks of overlap with swimming and soccer for him. Trin starts basketball practice on Wednesday and Thursday this week. She will have two weeks of overlap too. SO SO busy. I wasn't sure how it was going to go with sports this year after the tough year we had last year with schoolwork. UGH! This year, so far, is as far removed from that as we could be though. Caleb has all A's in his classes so far and we are having little struggle, if any with time spent on work, homework or reading. What a change! Trin is doing awesome too. It is so funny to have her with the same teacher Caleb had for first grade and to see the difference between the two kids. It all comes much more easily to her. I remember with Caleb thinking, "How am I going to get him to read four books and take four AR tests for the quarter?". We are halfway through the quarter and Trin's already read maybe ten or twelve books. They are so different and so precious in their own ways. Chloe is the STAR of the week in her class next week. I have been rounding up pictures and and answering questions for her "About Me" poster and getting together fun favorite things for her to share with her class next week. She's really loving it. Most of the time. Every once in a while she pulls my heart out and gives me the, "I want to stay with you Momma, Please!". So hard to say "no" to that little one. I have managed to this point not to give in to her sweet begging, but I give no guarantees for the future. Her teacher is such a gem, love her, and she has nothing but praise for Chloe everyday.

I'm off to make sure my sweet littlest one is in bed. Caleb spent the night at grandma and grandpa's (after much thought) He was supposed to be making a "movie" with his best buddy today, but he decided on grandma's instead. Trin is at a friend's house and Chris is playing poker. (Don't ask!)

Can't wait to get a refill in the morning!

LOVE YOU!

Good Day!

Today was a good day!

I haven't really had too many lately. I haven't posted in eons either and that in itself is a sign I'm in a bad way. Having no change, no money, no treats, being discouraged and despondent, not wanting to get out of bed in the morning........! I know all the right things to think and to say. I know what the Word says and what God expects of me, but it has been a bit of a down time. I can't say that all my time has been filled with such, but it has been the down time and the saying "no" to so many things. That is the struggle. You know when you are in one of these times, inevitably a temptation of some sort sneaks out at you. Major or minor. It will sneak out and try to see which way you are going to go. I am very pleased to say that I actually responded correctly this time. Even in the midst of a major funk. I still responded correctly. I guess God really is making some headway in me. Here is a lyric from a song I LOVE, it fits so perfectly, "Even when I feel nothing at all,... I will believe!" Not always about how we FEEL.

Today though was a joy! We had a field trip with Trin's class to EZ Orchard in Salem. It was a beautiful and chilly fall morning. I had Trin and her BFF Josie and two very sweet (and obedient) little boys in my group. We took a hay ride, went on an orchard tour and got to pick an apple, went over to the pumpkin patch and picked out the best pumpkins, wound our way through a wonderful (and informative) corn maze and last but certainly not least, we enjoyed a warm apple cider donut and a glass of fresh apple cider. We had so much fun and took tons of great pics. Just a bit more about the maze. It was so great! It was a map of Oregon. It uses cities, towns, major highways and landmarks as directions in the maze. The signs throughout give a short bit of info on the town or landmark, all the while directing you through the maze. SO fun. After the maze it was a whirlwind of petting zoo and snarfing down some lunch so we could get back on the bus to head back to school.

Chloe had gymnastics today too. I picked her up at the school right when we get back from the orchard. We headed straight over to the gym at OSU for class. She LOVES it and has so much fun. I LOVE seeing the joy in her.

Proud moment! The pink bunny costume is finished!!!!!! Can you believe it? I did it. I wasn't sure given the afore mentioned funk, if it would get done or not. The pattern got layed out and cut out relatively quickly. Then it just sat there for a good week or so. i finally hit a manic enough stage that I, with much motherly guidance, got it busted out in a couple days. It is just too cute on her. And I did it. WOW! (In the nicest possible loving way, hush up miss crafty. I can hear you saying, I told you so all the way from here!)

I hope I'm far enough removed from the funk that you will hear from me on a much more regular basis again. (S- I love you and miss you! I've tried to call)