10 Minute timer... here I come!

I just decided I didn't have enough to do already, so I typed out a giant to do list.... I realize that it is nearly impossible to get it all done before Christmas, so I am going to set my goal to be first week in January.

I want to spring clean and purge. I have decided to get back into my 3x5 card cleaning routine and in doing so I want a fresh start in all my closets and rooms.

So to begin I have listed every room, shelf, closet, drawer on a master check off list. I am going to go through and get as much cleaned and organized before I start school again the second week of January.

Well of course once I typed it all up and set it all to order in my mind, I became distracted by FB, and blogs, and moms groups and emails etc. etc. So I am getting my old faithful timer out and starting that way... hoping eventually I just keep working past the timer.

Christmas is almost here....Are you ready?

I would like to say I am ready. That my presents are all wrapped and sitting neatly under my gorgeous giant flocked tree. I would like to say that I am completely done shopping and am able to just sit around with the kids decorating cookies and gingerbread houses, sipping on hot cocoa.... I would love to say we are done with school until January and that all is perfectly in order in my house....

As you can guess from what I would like to say to what my actual reality is.....

Just last night we picked up stuff for stockings, a few gifts for the family, and birthday stuff for David who turns 4 in 5 days.

We are hoping to have a spare moment to get it all wrapped and ready for our Christmas celebrations which beging on the 23rd of Dec.

We used to drive up to Rob's parents on Christmas Eve after all of our church's services. Then we would wake and have Christmas with them, then drive home and have Christmas with my parents after that... Our kids never really got to open or play with anything because we were opening up presents, then packing them up in the car to move on to the next place. So rather then make everyone else change their plans for us.... we s

tarted our own tradition of Christmas Eve Morning.... we wake up, the stockings are filled and the kids get to open them. We make a big breakfast then open our presents together. We get several hours of playing in before we get all fancied up for our Christmas Eve services. Then we have Christmas as usual with all of the family. Last year I added the tradition of new pajamas the night before our "Chrsitmas Eve Morning" and so now we open new pajamas and take a picture together.... Its fun, I love it, and it takes the stress off.

Our tree.... well When Robert was about 4 we discovered he was very allergic to Christmas trees.... He had horrible golf ball sized hives all over his body. They left horrible bruises and it took over a month for them to fully go away. It was then we started the fake tree... Which is beautiful and I love. Well then we had the year of David... I was on 9 weeks of bedrest and then he came 4 weeks early on Dec. 20. So we downsized

our tree that year and it has stayed that way for the last 4 years.... It is white, about 3 feet tall and has none of our personal ornaments from Rob growning up, or the kids past Christmas. Maybe next year we will have the big tree again.....The presents under it are gifts Abigail picked out and bought with her own money for her family...

My first time... not the last!

I spoke with the headset on and everything at our Women's outreach... Ok it wasn't my first time on stage or with a mic, but it was my first time preparing a study and teaching it to ladies from the pulpit. Last year I prepared a study and taught a roomful of young girls at a purity outreach our youth did, but this was my first at a womans thing. 125 ladies!!! Ranging in age 13-80.

It was a really great night. The worship and special christmas music was outstanding. My sister in law Paula, gave her testimony, and I taught. It was sooooo neat. I was blessed, I know it won't be my last time.

http://www.mvcf.com/ministries/women/womenMinistry.php

If you want to listen....

It's time.....

October 2010

November 2010

June 3, 1995

Last Friday I joined WW (weight watchers). I hate dieting.... I hate exercise..... However realizing I was officially 100lbs heavier then the day I got married really hit home for me. I have many excuses, some valid, some not. I have had 5 children, many medical issues and the medicines that go with them, lots of stress, heartache... moment's of boredom. I even have the excuse of a failing thyroid. However none of them matter to me anymore... I really want to have a vow renewal celebration for one of my anniversaries. I really really want to wear my wedding dress one more time before I pass it on to my daughters.

I have been watching Biggest Loser for the first time ever and it has totally shocked me. I really thought it was going to be making a bunch of fat people do things they can't so that everyone can make fun of them. However it isn't that at all. It is very inspiring!!!

So thats all I have to say for now..... I will let you know how it goes if you like... so far it has had a few hard moments... but I am beyond committed this time... NO QUITTING!

We got haircuts!

I took the doggies for their first haircuts. Try and try as I did to brush out and bathe them regularly, I couldn't keep up with Sparky's tangles. Dixie's hair just didn't seem to tangle as easily. So we decided to just cut them short. Oh my did they look even tinier. We had to buy them little sweaters to keep them warm.