I've Been Tagged!

By Shawna of Scrappin' Snappin' Mama


5 Things I was doing 10 years ago…
Lets see, I was 17...
1. Just wrapping up my first quarter of my senior year
2. Skipping most classes to hang out in the art room
3. Captain of the volleyball team
4. Attending football games on Fridays
5. Hanging out with Jenifer or Janell


5 Things on my “To-Do” list today…
1. Dishes - wash and put away
2. Laundry - sort, wash, and put away
3. Call insurance company
4. Make dinner
5. Watch my kids play


5 Snacks I enjoy…
1. Chocolate
2. Bagels and Cream Cheese
3. Chocolate
4. String Cheese
5. Chocolate

5 Things I’d do if I were a Millionaire…
1. Pay off our house
2. Pay off school loans
3. Buy homes in the Seattle area and in Oregon
4. Put funds away for the kids to go to college
5. Have Troy and I each start our own businesses

5 Places I’ve Lived…
1. At home w/mom and dad
2. My first apartment in Everett
3. The eastside in Troy & I's first years of marriage
4. With Troy's parents
5. Spokane, WA

5 Jobs I’ve Had
1. Supervisor at Michaels
2. Intra-day Management Coordinator at Verizon Wireless
3. Stay At Home Mom
4. Associate at Mervyns
5. Extended Care Teacher at NWCS

5 People I Tag
1. Melissa
2. Samantha
3. Valerie
4. This place reserved for YOU!
5. This place reserved for YOU, too!

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you’ve answered the questions on your blog.

What You Think You Know

It amazing how sometimes the things you think you know are so very far from the truth...

Yesterday I thought I knew what Miss K was doing while I was working on a few chores. I thought she was in the office with her brother watching him play games on the computer. This was far from the truth.

A few minutes into vacuuming she came out to ask if "I liked her hair?" At first, in my busyness, I didn't notice - then I did a double take - my heart sank into the pit of my stomach. Miss K, while in the office, had found a pair of scissors. With the weapon-of-mass-destruction she attacked her hair. That's right, she cut her long, beautiful, blonde, locks. She bobbed the sides right off.

She was sent to her room, while I cooled down. She was so proud, yet I was so upset. While logic told me that it was going to be alright - almost every kid has done this & it WILL grow back - my emotion got the best of me. I was devistated. The tears began to flow. I called friends and family to seek affirmation that it was in deed going to be okay.

Once I was calmed down it was off to the hair dresser. It needed to be fixed. The good news was that she had what would normally be "bangs" pulled back into a ponytail. The cut she gave herself wasn't as much of a hack job as some horror stories I've heard. So, although we had to bob off the rest of her hair, we were not forced to cut bangs as well. Now, our little girl looks older with this more mature haircut. I have to admit, she DOES look pretty cute.

Moral of the Story: You don't always know what you think you know OR make sure scissors are always properly put away.

Still a little sad,

Wordless Wednesday: Fall Fun

The Cold and Flu Days of Winter

During the summer we often refer to the long, hot days, that nearly unbearable as "The Dog Days of Summer." At the oposite end of the year we meet another kind of day, yet still just as unbearable: "The Cold and Flu Days of Winter".

Late fall into winter always presents a challenge in our house. Our kids are constantly (or so it seems) plaugued with some sort of leak at any given exit point of their body. Tissue always on hand. Antibacterial spray at the ready. Reminders of sneezing into elbows and not hands given.

After chatting with my friend, Melissa (who has two and a half times as many children as we do), I got to thinking about all the things we can do to keep our families as healthy as possible. For the record, she and I have this conversation every year. It never has lost its importance. In fact, it becomes more and more relevant as we have more of our children going off to school.

So in no particular order here is the "to do" list I've come up with:
* Eat Well - balanced meals that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
* Wash Your Hands - this can not be done enough.
* Get Plenty of Sleep - finda routine that works for you and your body and stick to it!
* Take a Multi-Vitamin - I'm guilty of not doing this regularly, how about you?
* Get a Flu Shot - I've seen this work for some and have miserable outcomes for others. Do your research and do what's best for you.
* Avoid Sharing Objects - cups, food, utensils, pens, pencils, etc.
* Avoid Touching Your Nose, Mouth, and Eyes
* Reduce Stress
* Avoid crowds and keep your distance from people whom you know are ill.
* Exercise Regularly

What's on your list? How do you go about keeping your family healthy during the winter? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

In the meantime, I pray that each one of you stay healthy this season!

Always,

10 Things Tuesday

XBOX Wife posted a "yet I" list. What a great idea! Despite the things in our lives that tend to bring us down - what a fun challenge to find the silver lining. Yes? So, here we go...

• Mornings are brutal, yet I love a good cup of coffee.
• I miss my family, yet I am thankful for the time I got to spend with them this weekend.
• It's getting very cold in the Inland Northwest, yet I was able to find a fuzzy vest for Kailey for $2- she is now warm and stylish!
• Most days I feel out of control, yet I know God is the one in control.
• Our vehicles constantly have a to-do list about them, yet I have a vehicle that gets me from point A to point B.
• DH is still going through a transition phase at work, yet I (we) are so thankful that he still has a job.
• The new life group/class we are in at church will last until the end of March, yet I am thankful to be given an opportunity to fine tune my parenting skills and learn to "Grow Kids God's Way".
• My coffee cup is now empty, yet I know there is more where that came from, for that I'm thankful!
• I love to read blogs. I would love to post to mine regularly, but I don't - yet I know when the mood strikes me there are manly lovely ladies out there to inspire me to think.
• Although I just saw my parents and brother 2 days ago the 300+ miles seems like as eternity away, yet I know it's only 6 weeks until they visit us - and we celebrate Thanksgivingmas (we are combining the two major holidays this year)!

10 Things Tuesday

I've been on the hunt for something to jump start my blog again and I was directed to this challege: 10 Things Tuesday. 10 Things Tuesday encourages you to write 10 things you are thankful for. Thank you to XBOX WIFE for this inspiration!

10 Things I'm Thankful For:

1. The birds have finally discovered my bird feeder and are willing to brave eating out of it despite my bird-hunting cats. They [the birds] are so much entertainment to watch.
2. God is good. He has provided so many blessings to people close to me [my family included]. I praise all of His works.
3. Little Man is enjoying school. On days that he's not feeling well he says, "school will make me feel better."
4. I've been given a job that lets me bring my kids with me and bring additional, valuable, income into our household.
5. My in-laws came to visit this weekend and we were able to enjoy the last few beautiful sunny days of summer/fall together.
6. My mommy is flying in on Sunday. She will be here to celebrate Little Man's 5th birthday with us.
7. My DH's still has his job. His company recently was bought out and that kind of shake up always causes a stir.
8. I have amazing friends who are beautiful inside and out.
9. My children express love towards each other and mean it.
10. God always knows what doors to open and which to close.

Having a thankful attitude is contagious - what are you thankful. I encourage you to recognize the things in your life that you are thankful for and share them with others.

Building Your House

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. Proverbs 14:1

What does your house look like?

Is it just a house. Does it have four walls, a roof, and few items here and there? Has it always remained just a house or have you built it into a home? A place where anyone can walk in and know that life happens there.

Building a house is not just about structural integrity, but about the life, love, and lessons that come out of it. The four walls of a house eventually become the vessel in which a home is held. Proverbs 14:1 says "the wise woman builds her house." We build our homes by:

• Keeping our homes out of CHAOS (visit FlyLady to find the definition of C.H.A.O.S)


• Creating a sanctuary, a place of refuge


• Molding the hearts of our children


• Encouraging our husbands


• Opening our homes to friends, family, and everyone in between


• Making Christ the rock in which our home stands - a firm foundation

Our lists go on and on. Building a home is an unending process. It takes constant care and tending to. The opposite can be said of the rest of Proverbs 14:1 where it goes on to say, "the foolish one tears hers down." Doesn't it seem like tearing something down comes so much easier than building it up? It does for me.

Just today (and the past week for that matter) we've digressed in the potty training department at our house. Miss K has done a 180. Just when we thought we were over the final hurdle and on to diaper freedom she is back to having several accidents a day. My gut human instinct was to be upset and discipline her (read: tear her down) for the accident. After all, she knew it was bad, right?!? Then I stepped back and realized that I wasn't building her up and being of encouragement to her. Would it have been easier to get angry? Yes. However, she and I sat down and talked about her body queues, how big she's getting, and how proud her daddy and I are of her.

This is not to toot my own horn, because let me be the first to admit - I've taken the easy road of tearing down many a time. This is to say, however, that I've been there and if I can stop myself in the midst of tearing something down in my home - so can you!

What areas do you struggle in building a home? Encouraging your husband, teaching your children, the laundry, the dishes, the meal planning, the errands, the budgeting, etc? I encourage you to identify your thing and do a 180 with IT - make it your hearts desire to have that be an area of strength in your home and family, not an area where the structural integrity is compromised.