Best e-Mail of the week

I want to thank my dad for sending me this one. It is another of those "so true" e-mails. Enjoy everyone!!!!

*****

THE GEOGRAPHY OF A WOMAN
Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa, half discovered, half wild, fertile and naturally beautiful!

Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe, well developed and open to trade, especially for someone with cash.

Between 31 and 35, a woman is like Spain, very hot, relaxed and convinced of her own beauty.

Between 36 and 40, a woman is like Greece, gently aging but still a warm and desirable place to visit.

Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain, with a glorious and all conquering past.

Between 51 and 60, a woman is like Israel, has been through war and doesn't make the same mistakes twice, takes care of business.

Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Canada, self-preserving, but open to meeting new people.

After 70, she becomes Tibet, wildly beautiful, with a mysterious past and the wisdom of the ages...only those with an adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual knowledge visit there.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF A MAN
Between 1 and 80, a man is like Iran, ruled by nuts!

Love really does come in a yellow envelope

I have to admit that January 2009 started out with a dark cloud permanently hanging about. It seemed that no matter what I tried there was this sense of impending doom.

So how does one combat that?

Well first you turn to your family that is looking at you for the prompt on our families mood, I had nothing to give, so that was a dead end. Then you call your friends and hear that they are in the same fog that you are in, no help there, but still good to comiserate together. Then you turn to your bloggy friends and see that so many are in the same boat as you are. So one day in my funk as I perussed the many posts of so many, it became painfully clear that we are all in the same dilema and all asking the same question, "How do we get through the job loss, the lack of a buyer for our home, the health issue, the deaths, the never ending turmoil around us." I have tired to change the tempo in our home by using that much cherished Christmas money towards fun and not bills. Going to Chuck E. Cheese, FatCat's and even taking Drama Queen for a much needed Mommy-Daughter pedicure. But still it was not enough to truly shake the almost sadness that had found a home in my soul. Then I went to this site and read this.....

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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Deep thoughts by me, The Motherboard.
Recently, I have been watching someone I love go through a very difficult thing. My heart aches for her, as we sit and talk, and run the "what if's" over and over. My heart hurts as I watch her struggle to make sense of her new reality.As this trial for my loved one has unfolded, I have found myself reflecting on one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament, the story of Shadrachm Meshach, and Abed-nego.

I love this story because of 3 little words...

But if not...

The 3 amigos, as I lovingly call them (please don't thrust me down to hell for that one...) refuse to bow down to the kings idols. He is angry, and tells his servants to make his fiery furnace 7 times hotter than usual-- so he can burn these guys alive. The King mocks them, and says that if they didn't fall down and worship his idol properly, he would thrust them into the fiery furnace and they would burn to death, and really, who did they think would deliver them? Not their silly God... he, their king, was the one with all the power.

I love love love this next part... My 3 heroes say: "17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to a deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not a serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up"

I love that whole but if not part. Because that is where our faith comes into play.

But if not... Essentially they were saying that they know that God could deliver them from the Kings hands, but if not, they would never stop believing in their God, and they would never turn their hearts from Him.

We are all faced, at various times, with things we wish the Lord would take away... Things that we would rather not have to deal with or even experience. Sometimes we can pray and pray and pray, and nothing seems to change. Our trials do not go away... they are still there. Some would find themselves wondering where God is? Why is he not answering my righteous desire? That's where that whole but if not phrase comes into play.

Sometimes we have to do hard things. We can go to church, read our scriptures, pray, and those hard things are still there, every morning waiting for us. No matter what we do, they just won't go away. That is when the but if not phrase comes into play... "Lord, I need you take this trial from me. I can't do this anymore. But if not, I will still be true and faithful to you." It's how we react in the but if not part that Lord is interested in seeing. And I think, that's the hardest one to give.

I mean, who doesn't want to have their trials removed? I know I do. But if not, I will stand firm. It will be hard, but I will not waiver. I know, just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego did, that the Lord is perfectly capable of delivering us from our own personal "fiery furnaces", however, sometimes he doesn't. And the whole but if not part means that even if my crappy stuff is still here in the morning, I will be steadfast and immovable in my commitment to Christ.

Sometimes our faith is pushed to the very edge, and we have to rely on that but if not principal. We have to trust that even though things aren't turning out the way we want them to, God is still in control, and aware. We know that Heavenly Father will not try us beyond what we can handle, and further, we know that these trials are what make us not only a better person, but also one step closer to being more like Him.

We have to have faith that God will deliver us from the trials of teenagers going astray... but if not...

We have to have faith that God will deliver us from the trials of sick children... but if not...

We have to have faith that God will help our home sell... but if not...

We have to have faith that God will deliver us from a wayward spouse or a difficult marriage... but if not...

We have to have faith that God will deliver us from the trial of not being able to have children... But if not... We will still believe in God and we will still press forward in Faith.That is the test that God has sent us here to perform. He wants to see what will happen when we are faced with that but if not part of our faith.
*********

After reading her words it was like a 2X4 to the forehead. I had lost my faith, but I am happy to say that I am finding it again. I am finding it in the small and simple things of the smiles of my children. I am finding it in the delight of an impromptu dinner with The Man. I also found it in the most unusual place, a small yellow envelope from Ohio.

A dear bloggy friend (Heather) that took it upon herself to not just send thoughts of hope to me over the internet but took time from her busy life and made, handmade, the most beautiful cards I have ever seen. They arrived today and I was so elated to get them. Especially since all the other things in the mail were bills it was so nice to recieve something made out of the hope that their arrival would bring a smile to the recipients face and it did!

Thank you Heather for your kindness, these works of art have truly made my week.

♥♥♥♥

I also need to thank Motherboard for her post. She had no idea how much her words stirred my soul and helped me to find my faith again.

Things that make me go, hmmmmmm

A sign that we found at the dollar store that is so perfect for my DQ. It is on the fridge as a gentle reminder to B.E.W.A.R.E. Sweet-boy has been dying to go to Chuck E. Cheese's so we were off for the adventure. This was the best thing they could have invented, a soft cage for kids. I loved the idea and thought about my high ceiling in my garage and a pully system for when the kids need a time out.

Does this really qualify as child abuse if the kids are smiling? He was in there for such a long time that I began to wonder if this would truly be a punishment or just another cool place to play.

It was a crazy place, Saturday insanity, but also supper fun to play video games and be with my best boy. I love first grade but not having my little bud to run errands with me is some times very lonely. I am glad that he still wants to go with me when he is home, even if it was going to Chuck E Cheeses'.

Not just clothes in my Dryer

There are times when I wonder why I get toys for the kids when major appliances are just as entertaining.

****

This morning I hear the whimpers of someone, who could it be but Sweet-boy. He has set up quite a little comfy place in the dryer and of course he wants his sister to come and see what he has done. Drama Queen of course has to have a turn and a photo op.
Yes, I was tempted to shut the drawer and push "ON".

Now both in there, I really did not think that it would work but there they are.

Now the great challenge to get out at the same time. Next holiday and birthday I am going for new appliances that they can enjoy, no more toys that annoy me or that are not played with.

Try-It-Tuesday except it is Wednesday

Since we are coming up on Love-Love Day it is time to start thinking about great finger food that also makes you feel loved while you are indulging yourself.

My personal favorite is chocolate dipped strawberries. These beauties were at the store and the perfect shape for dipping.

Wash and dry your strawberries.

In a glass dish slowly melt milk-chocolate in the microwave. The slower the better, use defrost and do not melt all the chips, get it melted and then let the heat melt the rest.

When your chocolate is cooled, dip strawberries by stems and place on waxed paper to set.


Don't those look yummy.


Set them in the fridge to set up and then enjoy. The hardest part for us is making sure that you get more then one - Drama Queen loves these.

Enjoy!!!

Fun - Uncle Mo Style

I have a brother that has the art of FUN down to a daily must!!!

Where they live it snows alot and the snow plows are not as diligent about clearing the streets. Their lane turns into the best snowmobiling, sledding and 4-wheeler paradise. We visited recently and once dinner was eaten it was time to play and play hard. Mo hooked up the sled (I really think this was a dog-sled at one time) to his 4-wheeler and took the kids for the ride of their lives. In the neighbors yard the snow had been piled high and that was their first experience, flying over the hill on the sled.The kids were holding on for dear life and laughing and screaming the whole time.
More cousins get on and it is over the hill again, this time faster.

Of course I had to get on and enjoy the ride, I hung on for dear life as I am sure my brother was trying to throw me just like in our younger days. It was a riot. I had snot across my face and tears coming from my eyes, and my screams could be heard all the way to the state-line but it was the best fun.

Once the sled got boring all the kids loaded onto the 4-wheeler and hung on again for dear life as Uncle Mo spun doughnuts on the icy roads.

Everyone see what I want for Mother's Day, my Birthday and every other holiday between here and next Christmas? Yep, I gotta get me one of those 4-wheelers - now that is what I call fun!!!

FrontRunner Wahoooooo

One of our favorite things to do is enjoy a ride on FrontRunner. It goes past our local haunting grounds and has really made commuting a fun experience. We met up with one of our favorite Uncles' for a round trip on the train. Uncle G loves trains as much as Sweet-boy does, so they were both in train heaven.We got off the explore one of the stations but did not make it very far, the cold wind drove us back to the warmth of the train. But we had to have a picture in front of the train that Sweet-boy says he is going to drive one day.
Uncle G did not have a hat and Sweet-boy helped out by covering his bare head with his arms.

Drama Queen in a precious moment, she is smiling and not mad at me for making her pose for mom and her new camera. I love this picture cause it is what I see even when she is yelling at me.....

One last photo and then back on the train for the return trip. Thank you Uncle G, for the great day. We miss you!!!

If you are close to FrontRunner and have not gone, it is really a great time and fun for the whole family......especially a stop for hot chocolate at the Mom & Pop diner that serves HUGE scones.

Another great day!!!!

Late-Overs', Birthdays' and Pizza

We celebrated a wonderful birthday for Drama Queen - she turned 11. She is growing up so fast but tells me all the time that she is the smallest kid in her class. She is very petite and I tell her that she will love that she is so dainty but I can tell that right now she wants to be a big girl and have buttons. That is fodder for another blog. At school they have the birthday lunch table and what would that be without lunch from somewhere other than school with your friends.Sweet-boy won a free pizza for reading so much, so he took Dad for pizza and some guy time.
Drama Queen got to have a late over.

She invited Miss M to come and hang out for the night. They got pizza, watched silly movies, I even laughed at the one Miss M brought and then what would a night be without sliding down the basement stairs on the mattress.

All I heard all evening was silence and then loud cackling. It was fun and something that Drama Queen wants to do every Friday night.

Ah, the silliness of girls........

I have returned!!!!

There are some of you out there that are certain that I have disappeared, no such luck. But I did need to take some time to myself, after two weeks with my family I needed some just me time. Do you ever get to the point that you cannot remember what you did yesterday, last week or for that matter remember if what you did had any significance? That was where I was people, kind of a living, barely functioning blob of a person somewhat resembling the person that I remember. So I needed to go deep, within and find "ME" again. I am not there yet but we are progressing and needless to say that the cop that pulled me over and accused me of speeding really "SHOCKED" me back to me. I am sorry that my kids had to see me arguing with a cop and I am sure that it really made all his compassion for me go out the window, but when I am wrong I will take the ticket and go on with my day, but when I was not even going the speed limit, well you have just opened a can of you-really-do-not-want-to-go-there.

So I got up this morning, cracked open a can of Pepsi, opened up the blinds, turned up the tunes' and finally downloaded the software for my new camera, that I am still trying to get through the "How to operate correctly" book. I keep falling asleep while reading it and I figure that is why they have the delete button anyway..... But I like the black and white option or was this the color option, anyway I had lots of willing models to try things out on.

Since I am so behind the times I will not bore you with all the things that we did involving Christmas, however, I do want to hit upon some highlights that I found rather funny. These are not posed, although I am beginning to think that Drama Queen has no other face then this one for when I pull out the camera, but it is rather amazing to see the eyes rolling back in the head, or bulging again and again and again.

I am glad that I have kids to help me laugh and to remind me that alot of my pictures when I was much younger looked like that too.....

But what would the holidays be without a trip to "Build-a-Bear" to get new members of the family and then to go show them off to G&G. I now have more names of things to remember and I have called Sweet-boy the new bears name too many times for me to not consider getting Ginkoba.

So there you go, we had a great time and now that I have seen the pictures and re-lived those memories I have a smile on my face.

Great Tuesday to everyone!

Laughter as per Wikipedia

Laughter is an audible expression, or appearance of merriment or happiness, or an inward feeling of joy and pleasure (laughing on the inside). So for the weekend I wanted you all to get a good laugh. I do not know this kid but I laughed at this cause it was such a reminder of times I had with my kids when they were finding their giggle.

Enjoy!!!

January Blahz

I know that the new year is here and that I should really be greeting it with much more enthusiasm, but I. Just. Can't!

It is almost as if the Christmas hoopla took too much and now I am drained. I have nothing to give, I am running on barely reserves, I feel like Wall-e after he was crushed and in bad need of a return trip to Earth for spare parts or in my case a serious re-charge.

Does anyone know what I am talking about?

2008 was really something that we barely survived, gas prices so high that we did without everything just to fill the tank, then indecision that cost us dearly financially and emotionally (yes I am being non-discript on purpose) and now the possibility that our house might finally be sold, but at a financial loss for us. Then blooms the new year and with it the change of my husbands compensation plan, I dread that day. It is the day the we find out how badly they are NOT going to compensate the man for all his hard work, quota goes up, salary goes down and territory gets cut again. I am trying to be positive and be grateful that he has a job, but I am having difficulty slapping a fake smile on my face. I know this is truly a depressing post but it is what it is......or could it be that I have shoveled my driveway three times today and it is still snowing?

Give me some time, it is like my approach to mornings; I dread the alarm, stumble through the routine, crack open a Pepsi and by say 10am or in this case March or April I might just be energized and ready to face the day/year again with vim and vigor.

Things are fuzzy.....

Happy New Year every one......

I am slowly re-emerging to the outside world and am having a hard time focusing after all the chocolate, the late nights and too many toys that make noise. Give me a few more days to re-acclimate and then we will be back to business.Ready or not 2009 is here.