A tiny bit of bragging...

So my super new friend Sara over at Domestically challenged posted on her blog today about her non-hunting husband and how "weird" he is considered up where they live. Well that got me thinking about my would rather be out on the lake fishing then having to do lame things like shopping or watching girly movies or changing dirty diapers outdoors loving husband. Ben is actually consider weird around these part for his lack of interest in the "art" of fly fishing or for not really wanting to go salmon fishing. Ben is a bass fisherman and has serious hopes to someday make a living doing it. Which is fine with me as long as we don't end up living in a car at some point during that process of achieving said dream. No that would never happen to us. Mostly for two reason, First Ben's work ethic is beyond normal. The man doesn't know the meaning of only doing something part way. He excels at everything he does (um did I mention he was the #1 weapons officer out of all of the weapons officers on submarines out here before he left the boat?) and sometimes even without trying. The second reason would be that he's a pretty dam good fisherman. He doesn't like to take a lot of credit, but he is and I thought it was about time I put that out there. Its his thing, his peaceful place as it were...

I don't understand it and I personally don't really enjoy the whole fishing experience myself, but boy he does. Everything from actually being out there one a boat catching fish to actually being out there on a boat and not catching anything. He is only out there for the sport, so it is strictly catch and release on his boat. So thankful I have never had to have the discussion about putting something like that on my walls (which I would never do in a million years! hello people I'm going to school to be an Interior Designer) and I even know he would never ask. So here he is in all his glory. Great job honey! Keep up the good work!

I also wanted to mention that I am in a class right now with the wife of a very famous (in Ben's world) fisherman. Isn't that funny? Ben's mouth actually hung open (only very quickly) when he found out. Funny how the world works huh?  Here he is enjoying his "special" fishing kayak that we bought for him. He just loves this thing and for the two months out of the year that he actually get to use it up here in the only tempered rainforest in the world he does a pretty good job of putting it to good use. You should see how he has that thing all pimped out. You truly are a rock star honey! I love you!

Who knows what the future holds...

So I have heard many times about parents seeing traits early on in their children's lives that continued into adulthood and was a real part of who they would become in later years. You always here about the Moms of the superstar singers that say stuff like "Oh she started singing when she could barely talk." Or "Little Tiger was barely walking when he hit his first golf ball and we just knew it would be his passion." I to see these things in my children and wonder if it will someday make an impact on what they will do with their lives. You know that child that always liked to cut open her dolls just so she could preform surgery on them and then mend them back to health, did she or will she on day actually be a doctor? Or how about the one that could spend all day out in the woods rolling around in the dirt looking for interesting bugs to read about and tell everyone (that will stand still for longer then ten seconds) how awesome they are and more facts about creepy crawly things then you ever really wanted to know. Does that child continue to  dream about one day working in the ecological field? All I know is that as adults and even more as parents we tend to think so. Even as we speak I have Carolina enrolled in art classes because behind all of her messiness she is really an artist at heart. I have said on more then one occasion what I think my kids will grow up to be like, just by seeing they way they do things now and the things that interest them now. 

But today, well today was different. I saw a whole new side to George and his potential future today and I don't really know what to make of it. I guess no matter what he does in the end, as long as he is truly happy, then that is all that really matters. And if working at a job as say a dishwasher or any other form of work that requires you to wear a white plastic hair net is his thing. Well I guess that what makes him happy.  

To be honest I know this is not a sign of what George will really grow up to do with his life. But gosh it was a cute photo to post of him.  He even asked Ben if he liked his new hat... No one can say that my children aren't creative. I love you George and I thank God for the wonderful blessing that is you. You make me smile daily...

tick, tick, tick

That my friends is my maternal clock ticking away. I know what you're thinking "But Mandi, you already have three kids."I know, crazy right!!!  Its really a strange feeling and most days I don't understand it. I always thought we would have three or four kids. Well I always thought that until I had two little ones at home that left me feeling completely overwhelmed. I will even go so far as to say that finding out we were pregnant for the third time wasn't the most exciting news at the time. The strange part is that having Laney and bringing another person into our family is actually what "planted the seed" as it were to having another one. Laney was only a couple of months old when I told Ben that I wanted to have another baby. At first he was really convinced that I was joking. My pregnancies were not easy, preterm labor started around 31 weeks with all of our children. I would spend the last six to seven weeks of each pregnancy on lots of meds to stop the contractions that came every 3-5 minutes. Then after many trips to the hospital they were all born at 37 weeks. Ben seems to have a much better memory of how miserable I was in those last few weeks before my babies were born. I on the other hand, seem to forget almost everything within weeks of giving birth. 

I am almost 100% certain that I will not be having anymore babies. It would take an act of God (which was pretty much what Laney was, so I know they happen) for me to get pregnant again. But my whole life I have thought that I would be one of the lucky women that adopted a sweet baby into my family. Its something I have talked about since Ben and I got married years ago. I'm pretty sure that he thought it was something that would go away after having our own children. But it hasn't, quite the opposite has happened. My internal nudge has been growing for some time now. I am lucky enough to have friends that have recently gone thru the international adoption process. They're beautiful son Josh is home with them now after a very long three year process. I feel like everywhere I turn God is reminding me that this is the path he has chosen for us. I don't know when our journey will start (some time after Ben actually has a new job) but we know now that it will. So for now the waiting begins, not because of any government agency (not yet at least). But just waiting for when we are where we should be in our life to start our adoption pregnancy. 

So for now... tick, tick, tick... I continue to listen.

The end of an era...

Some days it feels like our time in the Navy is flying by. Other days, well not so much. But this past weekend was on of those times that reminds us that it will all soon be over. Every year for the past 7 years Ben and I have been going to the Submarine Birthday Ball. Its kind of a big deal for us submariners. It gives us a chance to get really really dressed up and drink really really expensive drinks while enjoying a lack luster 75.00 meal. Now you would think from all this that we dont enjoy going, but did I mention that we get to get all dressed up? This year was better then some. Ben is no longer on a boat, so its not near the fun that it used to be. For the most part being on a boat is a lot like belonging to family and just like families, some wardrooms (what the group of officers on a submarine are called) are better then others. 

Being on shore duty left us with only one other couple to hang out with. So the evening ended kind of early. Which was fine since my camera battery died ten minutes before the whole thing started. Thank goodness some one asked if Ben and I had gotten a picture together yet. We got three and that was the end of picture taking for the evening. I would have been really bummed if it would have been a super exciting evening with no pics to show for it. Leave it to me to just have to have an extra battery and then forget it at home. Oh well, I did remember the camera! 

I guess next year I'll have to come up with a new reason to buy a fancy dress and new shiny shoes! 

PS. Sara if you thought the red ones were high, you should have seen the silver ones! Oh how I love shoes...

I'm George, not Georgie Mom!

So my baby boy is now 4 years old. When did that happen? I look at these pictures of him from when we first got out here and have no idea where the time has gone. He was only 3 months old when we moved into this house. He has learned how to crawl, walk, and talk in this house. He went from a playpen (which the poor boy had to sleep in for like two months till I found the "perfect" crib), to a crib (one I settled on from Wal-Mart after the "perfect" one never showed up) that would soon become a toddler bed because he hated being confined to a crib and now to his really big boy bed. He loves everything sports or race car related. Not to mention the wicked straight fastball he has been able to throw since he was about 18 months. Ben and I have both suffered a couple of ping pong size balls smack between the eyes. That hurts, really hurts. 

Now he is ready to go to school, loves wearing his crocs and will not go to sleep at night without me tucking him in. Some nights it would be nice to not have to be the one to do it. To just be able to take a break from the whole bedtime routine would be so nice, but then I remember that all to soon he will be slamming his door in my face and telling me that he cant stand me. 

So for now, I love my little cuddle bug and it will tuck him and let him carry that stupid whoopse around for as long as he wants. I love you Georgie. Oops, he just reminded me again "I'm George not Georgie, Mom." 

Things they are a changin...

Sorry about all the changes guys, but everyone thought my blog name was "Life is just a bowl of Cherries". That just came with the last header, so I thought I would change things up a bit. New beautiful pics of the kids coming soon!!!!

In search of a prince...

Carolina has always been an animal lover. I am completely confident that she will one day have a job in either the environmental/zoological fields. She loves to be outside and she loves everything from Roley-pollies to earthworms. There is no such thing as to gross to touch, believe me if you have been reading my blog for long you know there is NOTHING to gross to touch in the animal world. If you haven't been keeping up with our blog check out this post to see what I mean. 

So when Lina told us she had found a frog we weren't surprised when she said she wanted to keep it. The frogs around here are tiny and fast so they are pretty hard to get your hands on. Well I guess for anyone except our little reptile whisperer. Carolina actually has a history with frogs. When she was 9 months old we had just moved into our house in GA, I mean really just moved in boxes every where just moved in. Ben had to go out to sea so I decided to take Carolina down to see my Grandmother. I put Carolina in her room with the baby gate up so that I could load the bags in the car. As I was walking back and forth past her room I noticed her chewing on something. At the time she loved to pull the paper tags off of anything and eat them. She was a paper eater to the max!!! I couldn't keep it out of her mouth. So I just assumed that she had found a tag and was eating it, I wasn't concerned. When I went into get her I decided it was time for her to spit it out. So doing like she was told she spit it out right into my hand. Only it wasn't paper... IT WAS FROG JERKY!!!! All we could guess was that when the movers brought the boxes in it must have been stuck to the bottom of one of them! OMG it was so freaking gross. I immediately called the Doctor (who laughed at me) and told me she would be fine. Then I called my mom (who laughed at me) and then told me that it was really gross but that if the doctor said she would be fine she was sure she would be fine. Then she processed to call her froggie for the next two years!

Here she is showing her love for the reptiles once again. I guess you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find Mr. Right. Hopefully we have a decade or two before it works. 

We have found a home...

Okay, I know what your thinking and no we have not been looking for a post Navy house and already found one. That would be silly we still have 192 days to go (not that we're counting or anything) before we can tell the Navy goodbye. But after 4 very long years of trying to find a "perfect" church fit and feeling very much outside of the fellowship we so desperately needed, we have found one. There have been many things working against us up here. Ben and I enjoy a more contemporary church which tend to be more nondenominational. Also the Navy hasn't made it easy on us. Getting three kids up and dressed and out the door on Sunday morning is a task with two people, let alone when Ben is out to sea and I have to do it myself. Its even harder to motivate yourself to do when you don't really feel that "click" with the church you are going to. Add to that a very anti-social baby and you have a recipe for disaster. Laney has always had issues with social situations and church was a bad one. Even as a baby, there was no "getting over it" she would just scream and scream until she was back safely with Mom or Dad. We now think that things might be improving because she usually has either her brother or her sister in the room with her. We started at Cornerstone on Easter Sunday and loved what a small quaint church is was. Laney made it through the whole service so I decided to try out a bible study the following Wednesday and she did great!!! Either that or the women in the nursery can see that I need a break to be in the word and are lying in to me ;) We have been back two times since then and even got to go to a welcome lunch to meet almost everyone from the church. It was awesome and a new peace seems to be placed on my heart. We have tried so hard to nurture our relationship with God even without a home church, but hearing his word and sharing in it with other Christians really has been something that has been missing in our lives. I'm sad to say that it is just another thing we will be leaving behind up here. But I must say that as always God's timing is perfect. There couldn't have been a better time in our lives to lead us to this new place of worship for Him. I feel so blessed to see miracles by Him all the time and I really do feel like He wanted to remind us that He is watching out for us in this time of huge changes in our lives and that He is in control of everything. We are so blessed to know His love!!!! 

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 'I will be found by you,' declares the LORD...

Jeremiah 29:11-14

Its that time of the week again.

I am way behind on my posting and reading up on blogs. I would love to tell y'all a really funny great story about how super busy I have been, but to be honest besides going to see Beth Moore this past weekend (which was awesome by the way and will be covered in another post) I haven't been up to much. My drawing class keeps plugging along, slowly... I had to draw a large piece of furniture and I decided I might try my hand at a drawing the large leather chair in our living room using only the charcoal stick. I tried the charcoal stick in one of the other drawings and didn't really like it, but I think I've finally figured it out. 

Anyways, since I posted my other drawings I thought I would put this one up here to. Let me know what you think! 

Fwd: My must have post

So here is my post for the spring fling! This is from Tiffany at Paging Mommy Doctor, where she is not a doctor but with kids these days, what mom couldnt bee purely from life experience. Enjoy! I would be lost without this particular girlie product:  elastic, rubberband, hair bow, hair tie, scrunchie, ponytail holder, hair thing-a-ma-bob, pull back... whatever you may choose to call it, I can't live without it!  I have long hair.  Really long hair.  Hair past my bra strap long hair that has been known to get caught in my underarms when I am blowing it dry.  (By the way, I am getting a MUCH needed haircut next week!)  What is a girl to do with all this hair you may ask?  Pull it back in a ponytail and go.  I very rarely wear my hair down anymore... it tends to get in the way when I'm chasing my three year old around.  I mean, who has time to worry about styling their hair anyway?  Anyone who knows me would tell you that I always have my hair up and out of my face.  It could be in a nice stylish ponytail or haphazardly tied into a knot, but I am never without my above mentioned hair things.  (Why do they have so many names anyway?!?)  99% of the time, I'll have one in my hair and one around my wrist.  Because what could be more stylish than a cheap hair tie for a bracelet, people!  Fashion experts from around the world try to contact me daily to see how it is I can come up with such original ideas!  But seriously, I always have a spare in case the one in my hair should suddenly fall out or disappear.  I'm a little bit OCD in that way.  So yes, my "must have" may be simple, but trust me when I tell you I would be lost without it.  (Like really lost... not being able to see out from behind all of this hair lost!) Tiffany @ www.knoppfamily.blogspot.com

way to tired...

I'm pooped and way to tired to go into detail in a blog worth reading. Plus I totally forgot my memory card at home, so I cant even take picutres. I am so bummed. I hope to find a little store in the morning that has some. If not, oh well I guesss. Not much I can do about it. See you tomorrow guys and maybe with some pictures.

Mandi

Right brain vs. Left brain

Well I made it to Portland, OR by 2:30pm today and checked into the hotel that I had reserved. It is pretty nice and even has valet parking. Which I would have totally used if I hadn't let my inner Ben (or left brain as one of our favorite comedian likes to call her husband) tell me what to do. Yep, just as I was about to turn in and hand my keys over by my keys I mean Ben's truck keys, since he has the car seats in the Suburban my mind stared barking orders (not that Ben ever barks orders) to suck it up and park it myself. I'm who knows how much valet will be compared to parking yourself and you don't have that many bags. I'm sure they have an elevator, your not even wearing heels for Pete's sake. (see Ben even when your not with me, your still with me) 

Anywho, I drove around to the other side of the building and found the entrance. That should have been my first clue that this was a bad idea. The clearance above the roof of the truck was seriously maybe six inches. Then of course I had to drive thru the whole thing to find said elevator, which of course you had to have a key to open. Undeterred I drove on looking for the perfect spot, it wasn't full so finding one wasn't hard. I know now that it probably isn't full down there because most people with any sense in their head drove right out of there and went back to have the valet do it for them. Not me though, I was going to be able to tell Ben that I parked myself! First I tried to back into a spot, which was much harder then I thought it was going to be. I mean really people my SUV is just as big, if not bigger then Ben's truck. Its not like I don't know how to drive a large vehicle. Once I realized that I was not going to get backed into that particular spot I just decided to pull straight into the less then perfect spot in front of me. What I didn't notice about that spot was that the truck in the next spot over had its front end sticking over the line. So as I pulled oh so smoothly and straight into the spot I also clipped the front of this other truck! So begins my funny mommy-cation!!! Then I get to call Ben and say "Guess what honey, I parked myself and ignored the valet! Oh and by the way while I was parking myself, just like you would have done, I hit another truck. Sorry about that, I did manage to save us $5.00 though!"

That's right valet parking was $5.00!!! All this for 5 bucks and being the good person that I am I of course left a note on the windshield of the other guys truck. So now not only did I "put a ding" ha ha in my day, but I messed up someone else stay too. Crappy I know! Oh well no use crying over spilled milk or even chipped paint, nothing I can do about it now. At least it gave me a story to write about on here and that's the important part right!

Here is the swanky hotel I am at tonight.

 Its historic I think (either that or just really old). 

But really nice on the inside.

7 million dollars in recent renovations it should be really nice on the inside

Another week another drawing!

Well I figured since I put last weeks drawing up I should put up the next one. This is actually only the first of two that I have to do this week and this one took some serious motivation on my part to get it done. The funny thing is I sit there for like ten minutes in a complete panic attack thinking I have no idea how to even start and then I do. And I just keep drawing and shading and drawing and adding details. Then I look up and I've been at it for two hours and I kinda like what I see. Nuts I know! For those of you that don't see my facebook page regularly I am constantly gripping about this class. Its been a lot of work and sometime I don't know if it will really pay off in the end. But I guess in the end at least I'll be able to say I've did it and I didn't suck as bad as I thought I would!!! Enjoy and be nice with your comments, I'm a bit sensitive about this whole drawing thing.

Smile, those were expensive!

So I did something I almost never do, I ordered some hair bows for Laney online. Not that I almost never order hair bows for Laney online, I almost never order anything online. Actually I have been quite impressive recently ordering almost all of Carolina's Easter stuff online. Anyways, if you ever go over to McMama's blog you see these super cute flower bows in Small Fry's hair all the time. Really cute hair stuff if kinda hard to come by up here. I think the crunchy people like to stick with twine and scrapes of yarn to tie back their kids hair around here. So its nothing like back home in TX where you can go to just about any kids store and have your choice of big bows, little bows, flower bows, bow holders and even headbands to attach bows to for your not so hairy newborn. So when I saw these I decided what the heck my little girl is not going to be so little for much longer, I'm buying the cute (albeit pricey) bows! 

So we finally got them in the mail and of course being Laney she wanted to put them all in. So I did and she loved them. She kept telling us she had "fawers" in her hair. Then I broke out the camera and everything just went downhill quickly. These are two of the better pictures I got of her, before she threw the real fit. I even tried to bribe her with avocado, which she took huge mouthfuls of between sobs. Oh well, at least she likes them and is willing to wear them. It could be worse I guess, hairbows make it all of about an hour in Carolina's hair and then magically disappear. I mean really disappear, the child can put a bow in her hair and never leave the house and its never to be seen again! I learned a long time ago, Wal-Mart only bows for her. But she's not much of fix her hair kinda girl anyways. 

What is a girl without her red heels???

One of the other blogs that I check out, way to often when I can, is Domestically Challenged and she is doing this great merry go round like posting this week about what a girl cant live without. I wrote this post that I will email to her and then she will email me a post that someone else emailed her and I will post it on my blog. Then I have to go thru the other blogsites to find with one posted mine. Its a great way to poke thru some new blogs, which is how I've found almost all of the blogs that I read these days. To check it out or to be a part of the madness check out Sara's blog at here.  

It didnt take me long to figure out the one thing okay there are many things couldn't live without. My red heels are the answer to almost any getting ready question. 

• What would make my butt look better in these jeans? 
• What would go great with this dress?
• This outfit feels boring, what would make it feel sexy?
• Honey what shoes do you think I should wear?

Of course the answer to all of these is this:

These are my super sexy Nine West heels. I love them and have worn them so much that they are actually gasp comfortable! I would were them all the time if I didnt think it would make me look like a cougar. Okay maybe not all the time since I dont think i could live without my crocs either. 

Spring has sprung!

Well at least for the next couple of days it has. It was so nice out
yesterday, not really warm but sunny. Pretty much anything that
involves sun around here is considered nice. Even highs in the the
high 50's and a bit of a breeze. You can always tell when it is
actually pretty nice outside by the way Bella acts when you put her
out the backdoor. If she decides that its not quite warm enough to be
out there she barks (and barks and barks oh and barks) until you open
the door to let her back in. But on nice warm days, she heads straight
out for the patch of sun under the swing set and soaks it up.

Ben and I planted bulbs last fall and we are finally going to enjoy
all our hard work. Okay so it wasn't really hard work planting a
couple of bag of bulbs. Here is the fruit of our labor. Our first
tulip!!!

Drawing!?

As some of you have heard me complain know my class this quarter is drawing. I can not even pretend that I am the least bit excited about this. I don't enjoy drawing or doodling or sketching or pretty much anything that has to do with using my hands to put a picture on paper. I don't even attempt to play around with drawing. I mean why would I when I have seen what I can do and seen what my 5 year old can do and well its not pretty. Not that I don't encourage my children to try new things, you'll never know if your good at something (or even if your not really good at it, but if you enjoy it) if you don't try. But believe me people I have put a pen to paper on more then one occasion and it doesn't end well. Mostly because it leaves me feeling a bit untalented. I mean we would all like to have a God given talent for these things right? Isn't that the only way to be good at something? You have to start good and then just get better. I am ashamed to admit that deep down inside this is how I feel about most things. Not towards other people, because I am for the most part a cheerleader. I believe that my kids and my husband and for that fact anyone I know, can do anything if they try hard enough and believe in themselves. But that only applies to other people. I have to be perfect the first time I attempt something or its just not something I should be doing. So I have to say that when I turned in my bio for this class I made it very clear that I was "unteachable" as far as drawing goes. 

Well I'm two assignments in and its been hard! I am really having to work and then work some more to do these. But the weird part is I think I might be getting better! Not "Oh my gosh, your an artist" better, but wow that second one looks better then the first better. And the second one didn't leave me feeling like a complete failure. (I had a pretty bad taste in my mouth after the first, especially after Ben told me "Here let me show you how to do it." and then proceeded to draw a perfect strawberry, making mine look like something you would hang on the fridge) But here I am, two drawings in and I feel good enough about the second one to blog about them. What do you know, hard work might just pay off. God and his stinkin lessons he has for me. 

Well here is the "strawberry" and I use that term loosely. They said draw something from nature and I did, well sort of nature. This strawberry is actually from the basket of strawberry potpourri in my family room. What! It was all I could find while I was watching TV, its not like I was going to go outside and look for something!!! lame I know...

This is the one I turned in today. Not the greatest thing ever put on paper, but I must say it looks better then the strawberry in so many ways. Am I improving at something I have never had a desire to attempt? I will be happy if I can walk away from this class hearing, well your better then when you started. 

Are people really this stupid?

The answer is yes: Navy Supply Chief Charged in Theft February 12, 2009Virginian-Pilot NORFOLK -- A Navy supply chief was charged this week in federal court with stealing more than $366,000 worth of computers, televisions and other items using a government-issued credit card. Chief Petty Officer Antonio L. Allen, 36, of Chesapeake, was arrested Tuesday and released on $5,000 bond pending arraignment in U.S. District Court Wednesday. He was charged with conspiracy, theft of public property and making false statements. A federal indictment unsealed this week accuses Allen of using a Navy credit card as if it was his own, buying hundreds of items, some for himself and some that he sold to others. A co-defendant, Yokeia M. Gibbs, who worked under Allen's supervision, previously pleaded guilty to related charges and is serving a two-year prison term. Soon after taking over as supply chief at the Norfolk Naval Station bachelor housing command in summer 2005, Allen began using a government credit card for his own benefit, the indictment says. Items such as big-screen HD televisions, computers, camcorders and digital cameras were purchased on the credit card, delivered to a Navy warehouse and removed by Allen or others, the indictment says. He would allow petty officers to remove beds and other furniture from the warehouse without authorization, according to the indictment. In 2006, the indictment continues, Allen used the credit card for thousands of dollars in fees for real estate investment seminars. When confronted with the allegations in 2007, he lied to Navy investigators about the unauthorized purchases, the indictment says. Allen could not be located for comment .

You are my sunshine...

So I feel really bad that its taken me so long to get this post out. I have started it three or four times now and just havent been able to devote enough time to get it finished. To make matters worse Ben bought me a fancy new camera a couple of weeks ago. Since then I have been a bit picture happy and because of my new classes that I'm taking I have also been a bit editing happy too. So sorting thru 200 some odd pictures and then editing said pictures has been a bit labor intensive. The funny part is its been seriously fun!!! I am loving taking pictures of the kids and then making them look great. I know its no where near what it could be (and will be with practice and some classes I am planning to take) but please be patient with me over the next few days while I get my backlog on the blog and then try my best to keep up the steady pace I had before. 

Here is a little peak at my new toy and some of the resulting pictures. I know Lina has a bruise that I could have so totally removed. But I figured that I would get them on here instead of spending any more time tinkering with them. More pics to come over then next few days.

George decided to attempt the jump picture that I got of his sister. We didnt really time it right the first time around, but that was the only chance he was willing to give me. Much more important things to do, like picking dandelions. 

Everyone is happy when the sun is out around here. Its amazing what a few hours in the sunshine will do for some grumpy preschoolers. It even makes them bring me "bootifull" flowers.  

Here is my beautiful Carolina enjoying being in front of the camera. She really was enjoying the weather and her attitude showed it.

I tried my hand at making some hair bows the other day. It wasn't quite as easy as I thought it was going to be and each one took much longer then I thought it was going to. Making things isnt really my "thing" and I lose interest quickly (no say it aint so, Mandi lose interest in something). Anyways I was able to get three or four made before I decided I was done with that little task. The kids were getting up from naps and hot glue gun + preschoolers didnt sound like a good idea to me. The moment Laney saw all the new bows she wanted them in her hair, all of them in her hair. The last two pictures are of what happens now when Laney says "CHEESE". I can feel the picture revolt coming soon. All of the kids got to the point where letting me take cute little pictures wasnt fun anymore and sitting still and cute wasnt an option any longer. 

Oh please baby girl... Give Mommy just a few more months. You are growing so fast and I feel like its just another thing that is slipping away from your baby days. Slow down baby girl...

It has been a really crazy week (as in week since Ben left last Wednesday) and I am so very glad that Ben will be home tomorrow. It has also been a very beautiful week. God must have heard all the whining I have been doing the past couple of weeks months about the weather. It has been warm and sunny for the past three days. Okay, so today was not quite as warm but the sun was out and that was enough for me. 

Today in a nut shell...

Things that have happened today:

• The kids got up at 7am
• George smacked Laney in the head with a toy car (huge bruise coming I'm sure)
• I burned the muffins for breakfast
• I burned the pizza for lunch
• Laney ate some toothpaste
• Laney ate a tums (one having nothing to do with the other)
• George ate nothing, even after asking for pizza for lunch
• Laney pooped a bright green (st patricks dayish) poop
• Laney said "love you Mommy" (awesome)
• Talked to Granny, she sounds better
• Kids destroyed the family room (on a whole new level)
• we played on the Wii, meaning I played on the Wii
• I slept zero hours last night, seriously couldnt sleep at all! Went to bed at 2am and laid there for 5 hours!
• now I'm sitting inside on the nicest day we have had in months!

My Beautiful Granny

My granny is doing well. I heard from my mom this morning and she has been moved to a regular room and has had her chest tubes removed. She has been up moving around but isnt to happy about it. I guess I wouldnt be either with two broken ribs. She will be spending a few more days in the hospital and then home to finished recovering. I havent heard when they plan to start the chemo, which is really the next big step, but for now there are lots of people down there loving on her. I plan to go down as soon as I can without having to take the kids. Showing up with our three kids isnt going to help anyone get rest.

So today I thought I would post a couple of picture so y'all could put a face to the person you have been talking to God about for the past two weeks. Thank you to all of you for the extra prayers and for all the sweet words. Y'all are the best.

P.S. That super cute baby in the picture is me y'all!!!

Mandi

Update: George is still alive!

Some how last night in all the madness that was getting the kids to bed, George ended up going to bed in his underware. I'm not really sure how it happened since he isnt one to let you over look things like putting on a pull-up. I mean its just one more step that keeps us from getting to bed, so of course it cant be forgotten! But last night (of all nights) he did and guess what! He was totally dry this morning! Got right out of bed and went straight to the bathroom. I asked him if his pull-up was dry this morning and he told me no. I was already with my "WE DONT POTTY IN OUR PANTS!" speech when he interuped me to by saying "I slept in underware last night mommy of course I'm dry."

I was dumbfounded. To be completely honest I didnt beleive him and walked over the check that he had indeed slept in underware. And he had!!!

I know that everyone has an opinion about spanking and I dont think it is the answer to everything, but every once in a while ITS WHAT WORKS. Or at least I hope so. Who knows I could be writing again tomorrow to say its all started all over again. But as of 4pm today we have had no accidents and I havent had to tell him to go potty once. Its been a much better day!

Some one please help this child!!!!

Seriously people George is playing Russian roulette with his life these days. The child has decided to start pooping and peeing in his pants again!!!! He gets up almost every morning with poop in his pants and has peed in his pants three days in a row. Only he pees in his pants steps from the bathroom and always on the carpet. Then he comes to us and says "Oops Mommy I think I peed in my pants." Its not just him getting busy and forgetting to go to the potty. Sometimes we tell him to go potty and he says he doesn't need to and then moments later he pees in his pants. He is not sick in any way, so I am almost certain that it isnt a bladder infection or anything like that.

We started with "talks" about why we don't pee in our pants after we start wearing underwear and then moved to timeout. He has now done it so many times that he is now getting spankings for going in his pants. Actually to be totally honest he got his first spanking this evening, so I guess we will see if it does any good. He has been pushing a lot of buttons lately and I feel like this is just another one. So we are standing out ground and HE WILL NOT WIN!!!!

I didn't think it was appropriate to post a picture of him standing around with pee in his pants or of me spanking him. So no new pics for this post.