Finally...

After 2 loooong years of waiting... and wishing... and praying... and hoping....

I FINALLY have myself a nice, beautiful, wonderful dSLR camera!!! And, boy... is it a beauty! GI Joe agreed that it was finally time to buy a new camera!

Last night I finally took the leap(Even though GI Joe gave me the OK a couple months ago... it took me this long to get the courage to actually spend that much money on a camera! lol) and bought a brand spankin new AWESOME Canon Rebel T1i. Let me just tell you how superamazingterrificalicious this thing is!

I will be posting LOTS of pictures in the near future, you can bet on it! ;)



Here is a little taste...

Why Is It...

....that big crazy thunderstorms happen at like 5am? Late enough that my kids have slept a while and aren't in that deep-deep sleep anymore? But way too early to get up? And then I have 3 kids crying, in my bed, and I cannot go back to sleep at all due to the nursing a fussy baby and telling my 4 year old to stop moving around.

...that my husband always calls at the most inopertune time, like when all the kids are on crack and a tornado seriously ripped through my living room and it was apparently covered in peanut butter?

...that cars always break down, kids always get the stomach flu and unexpected bills arise always when my husband is deployed?

...that I always forget to take the trash can down to the curb on trash day only when it is REALLY full?

...that all the kids grow into new size clothes at the same exact time?

...that we run out of every cleaner and toiletry and paper product at the exact same time also?

...that I always forget to bring my cell phone in the bathroom with me while I am taking a shower until I am already sopping wet, so then I have to get out and leave wet footprints through my bedroom?

...that on days where I really need the extra sleep and Bitty is actually sleeping well I have deployment insomnia?

Status Update

Wow I hadn't realized it had been almost a week since I had blogged! I suppose "real" life has caught up with me. I have been actively trying to spend more time with the kids doing fun stuff, rather than studying, homework, housework, etc. So we have been playing outside a lot, riding bikes and going places.

Over Memorial Day weekend, we had an awesome chapel service at the local lake, where about 10 people were baptized. It was so stormy, but God showed His awesomeness again, and allowed the clouds to part for a few hours so the serivce could go on as planned. Even the Chaplain said during the sermon that he was "one of little faith" because he didn;t think we would be able to have the outdoor service with all the severe weather. But it was so beautiful, special and meaningful. And we even had a chance to go swimming in the lake after that for a couple hours. The kids loved it... even Bitty! Poor guy is so chubby he was too big for his brand new 6 month swimsuit and rash guard. So I had to go buy him a TWELVE MONTH one! The boy is only 3 months old! :) And of course I forgot the camera. I know. I have already scolded myself lol!

Then on Monday, the pools on Post opened for the season so we were one of the first families there! We all had a great time! I was suprised at how calm and easy it was with 3 kids by myself sans GI Joe. It was nice because my friend and her 2 kids were there also, so it was nice having another adult there to supervise during potty breaks, nursing Bitty breaks, changing Bitty breaks, etc etc etc.

So I suppose my status is:
-Spending more time with kids(Which will hopefully equal a tan for my pasty legs)
-Algebra OVER! I pulled an A! YEAH!(Now I just need to pass Govt 2...)
-GI Joe doing good. (He needs me to send him large paint brushes to clean his weapon??? lol)
-Kids doing well and getting bigger by the day
-House getting cleaned as soon as I am done with this post because my mom is visiting tomorrow! MUST HAVE HOUSE SPOTLESS. LOL :)

Food Friday: Meatball Cheeseburger Casserole

Yay look! I included a picture! :)

This is a delicious easy cheesy casserole. Not only did my kids gobble it up, but I had seconds! It really is so easy and delicious!

Meatball Cheeseburger Casserole

1 1/2 cup bow-tie pasta
1 can (14.5 oz. size) diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained
1 can (10 1/2 oz. size) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup water
1 package (16 oz. size) frozen cooked meatballs
1/2 cup diced cooked bacon
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 onion, chopped

1. Heat oven to 350F. Spray 9x12 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta.

2. In baking dish, mix tomatoes, soup and water. Stir in meatballs, bacon, onion and pasta.

3. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake 45 minutes.

4. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted into delicious goodness.

Simple and Easy Artwork Hanger

Now I know you all have had the same problem I have, especially if you have a little kid in daycare/preschool/kindergarten. The absolute ABUNDANCE of art projects, drawings, paintings, etc. What to do with all of them? My fridge gets absolutely covered in them, but there just isn't enough space. If I have one of The Girl's pieces of art on there, The Boy gets mad and wonders why his isn't on display. Well, I have a solution for you!! All you need is a blank wall(or a portion of a blank wall) and:

About 7 feet of ribbon(whichever kind you'd like), 2 thumb tacks and some paper clips.

First, tie a bow on one end and attach it to the wall using a thumb tack.

Then, do the same to the other side. make sure the ribbon is taut and the thumbtack is attached to the inside part of the ribbon, where the long piece comes out of the bow. (It looks crooked in this pic but I assure you it isn't lol)

The attach the artwork with paper clips and voila! A cute, inexpensive and super easy way to display the kids' artwork. You can change these out as often as you like, ans they will inevitably bring home piles more every week.

Just One of Those Days....

Today was a hard day. Just one of those days that I really miss my husband. Someone to lean on. Someone to give me a backrub after a long day. Someone to commiserate with. lol

Bitty has been extra fussy the past few days and today was the epitome of that. I spent a totaly of 8 hours trying to get him to nap and fall asleep today. I am exhausted, physically and mentally. It's one of those days where you make ramen for the kids for dinner, don't brush your teeth until 4pm and snap at your kids because you literally have no patience left.

I love the little guy, I do. He is one of the sweetest things ever. His sweet smile and little asian eyes just make my heart melt. But he really is a high needs baby sometimes. He thrives on a schedule and it is so hard to keep him on one when I am a busy, involved temporarily-single mommy of three.

And just typing out that he is difficult makes me feel like a terrible mommy.

But thanks to a few very special friends, I feel a bit better about saying that. So here is my shout out to Kristy, Karla, Celia and Vera. Thanks for cheering me up ladies. :)

So Bitty is finally sleeping. For how long, I have no idea. But I am off to head to bed and try to get at least some semblance of a night's sleep. I'm leaving the dishes in the sink(shhh don't tell FlyLady! lol) and leaving the laundry in piles on the floor of the laundry room(and my bedroom... and the hallway....) and I will get to that tomorrow.

But for now, I am off to kiss my babies to sleep and tuck myself in bed.

Goodnight room. Goodnight moon. Goodnight cow jumping over the moon...

Overheard

The Girl and The Boy were watching TV this afternoon. Some cartoon comes on about outer space and aliens and all of that. The Boy starts asking me questions.

The Boy: Where is that water on tv?
Me: It's just a cartoon honey, there isn't any water in outer space. All the water is here on Earth, in the oceans and lakes and...
The Boy: So what about the aliens? What do they drink?
Me: Well, there is no such thing as aliens honey. At least the astronauts haven't found any that are anywhere near here.
The Boy: I know where the aliens are. Kansas.

Best Shot Monday

This was take a few weeks back at my dad's house up in Kansas. The Girl decided she is now taking on the hobby of tree climbing. I took this when she was hard at work.

Head on over to Tracey's to look at other great shots from this week!

Not Me Monday

Hi there! Back for some more honest-to-goodness things I did NOT do this week. Head on over to MckMama's for more Not Me Monday fun!

-I most certainly did NOT let The Boy pick up and eat one of his Chicken Nuggets off the ground just to prevent a tantrum from him because he was so hungry. YUCK. I would never let my kid do that.

-I also did NOT wipe Bitty's boogery nose with his blanket and then forget I did that and wrap him up with said blanket. Then when I picked him up I did NOT get boogers all over my forearm. That would be disgusting!

-I also would NEVER let The Boy drink 3 Capri-Suns and eat 2 GoGurts just so he would stop bugging me while I was trying to take a nap while Bitty was sleeping. That would just be wrong!

-I also did not doodle my full name about a bajillion times while talking to GI Joe on the phone. And doodle his name. And then draw little hearts everywhere. That is so juvenile.

-And of course I would never quickly chew 3 pieces of mint gum on the way to Bible Study to try to cover up for the fact that I left the house after forgetting to brush my teeth. I am always so well organized and never would forget something like that.

-And finally, I did NOT spill my soda all over my front porch while walking out the door this morning. And then while trying to pick up the empty can I certainly did NOT get my heel stuck in the mud and then stumble onto the sidewalk while juggling a purse, diaper bag, keys, cell phone and car seat. I am a lady of course, always graceful and poised. ;)

Sheep or Goat?

Happy Sunday to you all... it was especially happy for me since Bitty actually SLEPT last night, PRASE GOD!! lol 6.5 hours straight. But of course deployment insomnia struck AGAIN and I was up until 1:45am. I literally laid in bed staring at the ceiling for 2 hours. Oh how I wish I had the flexibility to kick myself in the head because my newborn was sleeping soundly and I could not fall asleep! Oh well. I eventually got about 7 hours of broken sleep. That's all I need to function lol.

I attend a non-denominational Chapel service on Post here. Which let me tell you, is AWESOME. I was raised Lutheran, but now I consider myself just a plain ol' Christian. I am a lover and follower of Jesus, not a denomination or "religion." (Oh how I dislike that term...)

But Chapel today was great! It started off by us arriving 10 minutes early. YES! Score one for the temporarily-single Mommy of 3 young kids! In the parking lost was a big white bus AKA Soldier-Mover. When i got inside the Chapel, I saw about 30 soldiers dressed in ACUs(Army Combat Uniforms) sitting in the pews. A lot of them looked younger, and most were lower ranking. I wondered why they were there... maybe a break from a field exercise for service? I dunno.

During the service the Chaplain asked who were newcomers and who was about to be deployed. Well all these soldiers raised their hands that they were about to go to Iraq. We as a congregation, prayed for them. The sermon was about Matthew 25:31-46.

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

He posed the question... which are we? A sheep or a goat? Are we REAL Christians or just fakes? Or have we turned our back on God and tried to run away? Or have we just never really known God?

Then the worship team started singing. And those soldiers started praying. And weeping. They came upto the alter by the dozens. Kneeling at the foot of the cross. Laying all their worries and fears at his feet.

I had goosebumps.

The sight of these young soldiers, brave and honorable, about to march off to war, afraid of what the future holds for them, now kneeling to our King and giving their fears and uncertainties to Him, was just overwhelming to me and many of the other Army wives in attendance.

They made their choice. Today, those soldiers made a decision.

They want to be sheep.

I want to be a sheep.

Unquestionable

I spoke with a good friend of mine tonight and she had a bit of a WWYD situation. I won't go into the details, but it was basically about saying no to another friend because 1) she felt uncomfortable about the situation and 2) she felt like God was telling her to say no. She told me that she didn't think the other friend would be understanding about her feeling uncomfortable, and she wasn't sure if she would understand the whole "Well God spoke to me and told me that I shouldn't do this" type of thing. She knew her friend would question her feelings about being uncomfortable, saying she was overreacting, but she wondered if she would question what God told her. She posed a thought-provoking question to me... Can anyone question what God has told you? I mean, someone can question what WE say, or what someONE else has told you. They can say we are overreacting, being silly, crazy, stupid even. But can another person really get upset over what God has spoken to you? It's not like they know what exactly has been spoken between you and God. Or what your relationship with the Lord is like. And we all know that He is without fault, so everything He says is Perfect Truth, no falsehoods. So how can anyone question that or question what you have heard from Him?

This reminds me of a conversation that I once had with GI Joe. He is a very new Christian, a Seeker. And PRAISE GOD for that. If you would have told me a few years ago that I would be attending church with my husband every Sunday(when he is here lol), I wouldn't have believed you. I remember many a Sunday for YEARS of getting myself and the kids up and dressed and heading out to Chapel while GI Joe caught a few more ZZZzzz's. I would ask him every week if he wanted to go, and always let him know how badly I wanted him there. How much I needed him there. A marriage thrives on spiritual continuity between the spouses. But I digress...

GI Joe attends church with me every Sunday. But during the Praise and Worship time, he doesn't sing. And it's not like he doesn't like music. I have caught him many a time jamming out to his iTunes. So I asked him one day after church why he doesn't sing. We got into a big discussion, ahem, about praising the Lord and how important it is. I, being the imperfect one I am, got all over him about the biblical reasons behind his wrongdoing! Well let me just throw stones from my glass house LOL He then gently and lovingly explained to me that no, he wasn't spacing out during those times thinking about the football game on TV later... he said that was his special time to speak with the Lord. Ok God... I WAS CONVICTED!! LOL Ever have those moments?? Insert foot in mouth. The Lord gave me a metaphorical "Booyah! In your face!"

So who are we to question what God has spoken to each other? And for those of you who are reading this thinking... how can I get God to speak to me? ASK HIM! You will be amazed at his response.

My old Pastor once said that he had a lot of people say to him, "God feels so far away." And he would reply, "Well, who moved?" How true that is. God promised us he would NEVER leave us nor forsake us. No matter what we have done, what we have gone through or will go through. He is the same yesterday as He will be tomorrow. And in this crazy chaotic everchanging world that we live in, that is one thing we never have to question. Because when He speaks to us, that is one thing NO ONE can question.

Food Friday: Creamy Ranch Pork Chops

YUM-O!! This is a super delicious and EASY PEASY recipe that you can whip up in 30 minutes. There are only 6 ingredients to this entire meal! Enjoy, because I know I do... and my kids actually ask for SECONDS!

Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Rice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 boneless pork chops, 3/4" thick
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 soup can milk
1 package (1 oz.) ranch salad dressing mix
2 cups rice

1. Combine the rice and half the ranch salad dressing mix. Cook as directed on rice package.
2. While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a skillet. Add the chops and cook, turning, until browned on both sides.
3. Add soup, milk and remaining salad dressing mix. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 15 min.
4. Place rice and pork chops on plate. Pour the sauce over the rice and pork. It is creamy and oh so yummy!

(By the way... I think i need to start adding pictures to these! LOL next week, ok?) ;)

What My Life Consists Of At The Moment...

LOTS AND LOTS of This:

And then I came into The Boy's room after doing above and found my lovely older children had dubbed Bitty "The King" and had created a throne around him:


This is what my day encompassed. (Along with laundry, dishes, cooking, taking to and from school, changing diapers, nursing, cleaning up play-doh, a board meeting for my women's group, a luncheon, etc... God help me to BE STILL and hear you in the silence...) I'm excited to see what tomorrow holds. LOL

Some Roses are Red, Some Roses are Orange...

I got a package in the mail today from GI Joe. It was my Mother's Day gift, arriving slightly belated. It was 2 dozen orange roses. Beautiful really(except for the fact he also bought me chocolates which turned into one ooey gooey mess in the box in the FedEx truck in the hot Texas sun all day... and if you read my Not Me Monday post, you also know that I came about this close to still eating them lol) and after I rearranged them, they looked great. I used to be a florist way back in my pre-mommyhood days. I knew those random skills would eventually come in handy. As I placed them on the dining table and admire their beautiful orange color, I started wondering...What do orange roses mean?

I know that red signifies romance, yellow is friendship, but what is orange?

So I did some research and here now, for your reading pleasure... everything you ever wanted to know, and more, about various rose colors and what they symbolize.

Rose Colors: The Definitive Reference Guide - From 1-800-Flowers.com

RED-This rose's color symbolizes one thing above all else--love. For hundreds of years people have chosen one color of roses above all others to convey their most heartfelt feelings (experts believe that the red rose first became a symbol of love around 1800). When the message you want to send is "I love you," it's always red roses. So for occasions like Valentine's Day and a wedding anniversary, there is simply no other option.

WHITE-If you're looking for a flower that's the right fit for a bride at her wedding, the right rose colors are white. The same reason the bride wears white is the same reason the roses are white. This flower symbolizes purity above all else. Keeping with this, white is also the appropriate color rose for a confirmation or any occasion celebrating a new beginning.

YELLOW-Yellow is perhaps the color rose with the most diverse history of meanings. Over the centuries, they have been given to convey everything from "welcome home" to jealousy, of all things. Today, however, rose colors in any and all shades of yellow embody friendship more than anything else. Best friends, new friends, old friends--they will all understand your message of everlasting friendship when you send yellow roses.

ORANGE-If you're fired up about something or someone, orange color roses will let them know. Enthusiasm and desire are the primary meanings of orange roses. And while colors like red and white may symbolize everlasting love and pure love, respectively, it's orange that says burning love. However, as with most rose colors, there are other occasions where orange is the right fit; Halloween, for example, and to express feelings of admiration or pride in another.

PURPLE-Purple, or lavender, color roses are just right for love at first sight. Purple has long been associated with passion, luxury, and even magic, which makes this rose's color just right for expressing all the enchantment that only new love delivers. Additionally, purple represents royalty, so if you want to make someone feel like a queen, there may be no better rose.

PINK-While yellow may be the color rose with the most diverse history of meanings--though today, they primarily mean friendship--it's playful pink roses that have the most diverse meanings today. Admiration, appreciation, joy, thanks--roses in any shades of pink say it all. There is a happiness conveyed by pink rose colors that is simply undeniable and always appropriate.

PEACH-While appearing only subtly different from orange roses, peach color roses send an entirely different meaning. Typically, peach colored roses are sent to communicate appreciation, sincerity and gratitude. They're ideal for business gifts or as gifts for Teacher's Day, for example.

So, GI Joe has a hunk-a-hunk of burning love for me, does he? How many more months do we have left of this deployment??? He better hurry his little booty on home to me ;)

And I love the *disclaimer* they place at the bottom of the page:

Remember: when you send roses, you're not just sending flowers. You're sending a message, and the rose color your choose can greatly and easily impact your message. We hope our guide will help you send the exact message you want your flowers to convey.

Ah, words to live by...

A Conversation with GI Joe

I got to talk to GI Joe today online. It was nice because lately he has been going on all sorts of missions that occupy a lot of his time, and then in his downtime, he is always so exhausted. So it was really nice to "hear" from him today.

As we were about ready to sign off, I reminded him that today used to be our special day. 11 years ago, we were talking on the phone late at night(shhh don't tell my parents I was up late talking to him lol). He asked me to be his girlfriend. So cute huh? I remember it like it was yesterday, yet it seems so long ago at the same time. Funny how that happens.

Well, GI Joe then said, no, it was ME who asked him out. Oh uh-uh. I did no such thing! I am a lady, for goodness sakes! ;) The conversation then went like this:

GI Joe: Well, you are the one that called me first.
Me: Well yeah, but not that conversation, you had called me.
Gi Joe: Well the first time we talked, you called me.
Me: Well yeah, I got your number from M(my BFF.) I thought you were cute. So sue me. lol
GI Joe: Nah, I'm married to you. That wouldn't work.
GI Joe: You stalked me.
Me: Oh I did, did I? So you like stalkers?
GI Joe: Only the pretty ones.

♥

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to my first Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Now on to some things which I most certainly have NOT been doing this week...

-I definitely did NOT sit here last night and devour half a bag of semi-sweet chocloate chips, all the while still on my Operation Lose-The-Baby-Weight plan. Nope. I would never think of doing anything like that.

-I did NOT hide said bag from my children when they came looking for me so they wouldn't eat any of said chocolate chips. Not me.

-And I would never forget that my hand was covered in melted chocolate from said bag, and rest my chin on my hand. And then head to bed before I realized I had chocolate on my face. Never!

-And I never get all emotional and start crying over little things. Especially not my children bringing me a flower that they give out at the Mother's Day service at church. Or while driving past the field all decorated in about 500 flags for a Welcome Home ceremony. Nope. I never turn into a blubbering mess like that in public.

-I would not wait until the last minute to complete my online Algebra class. I am always on top of everything and never procrastinate. And definitely not wait until the last 2 weeks of class to complete the ENTIRE course. Who would do such a thing? Not me!

-And finally.... as a mommy to 3 young kids, the littlest still being a newborn, I would never get all gooey and sentimental and a bit envious of my pregnant friend and miss being pregnant. Nope, that would be crazy! I am NOT ready for a 4th yet. And GI Joe and I are certainly NOT planning to get pregnant right away when he gets home... Nope. That would be just insane.... Not me!

Overheard

The Scene: Driving home from picking up The Girl from school.

Me: So, baby girl, what did you do at school today?
The Girl: We watched bamboo.

(I begin to think maybe they are doing some sort of spring plants/growing unit and they learned about how bamboo grows etc.)

Me: Bamboo? Oh yeah? What did you learn about bamboo?
The girl: You know, the one with the deer.

(I'm a little puzzled, and then I realize what she is talking about)

Me: Ohhhh no sweetie, that is Bambi, not bamboo.

Food Friday: Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Happy Friday everyone! It's time for another yummy recipe. If you have been reading along, you saw that last week I told you to check back for an aditional recipe to go along with what you have leftover from your Whole Chicken. Well, here it is... yummy creamy homemade Chicken Noodle Soup! It is so easy and well worth the effort. So lets use up every scrap of that chicken and save our moeny and make a delicious nutritious soup with mor ethan enough for the whole family!

Creamy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

4 cups cooked chicken, chopped(or whatever you have leftover from your whole chicken)
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrot, diced
4 (14 ounce) cans low sodium chicken broth(or make your own by simmering the carcass of your leftover chicken for 8 hours with some herbs and veggies! it freezes well!)
2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 teaspoons fines herbes (chervil, chives, parsley, and tarragon)
salt and pepper, to taste(be generous)
2 cups egg noodles, cooked


1. Remove skin from the chicken and chop the meat.
2. Put the chicken into a slow cooker with the onions, celery, and carrots.
3. Stir in broth, mushroom soup, and fines herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours.
5. When soup is finished, stir in egg noodles.
6. Season to taste and serve. Enjoy!

Overheard

The scene: I was on the computer paying some bills online when Bitty Boy started to cry. He was in the swing, woke up after a 5 minute nap and I was going to let him fuss for a couple minutes to see if he would go back to sleep. The Boy was playing with playdoh at the table behind me. He gets up and walks over to me and is very serious.

The Boy: Mommy, Bitty is crying.
Me: I know sweetie, he is fussy. He needs to go back to sleep.
The Boy: No Mommy, you need to get him. I just can't deal with him right now.

God's To-Do List

I am such a daydreamer... a thinker, a planner, a wisher. I remember many night my very best friend M and I would stay up late as kids planning our futures together. We would go to college and share an apartment. We would have the cutest bathroom and paint the walls to look like the outdoors. We planned to get married at the same time, have our kids at the same time, do everything together. (By the way she just called and told me TONIGHT that she is getting married!!! I told her maybe she can have her first kid when I have my 4th, so we could still experience that together lol) Many many hours we would plan various things. Plan how I would get the nerve up to call GI Joe and talk to him for the first time. Think about how we wanted to create our next silly home video. We would get so excited about just the thoughts of these things, that sometimes the actual doing came second. Sometimes we were too tired from creating our screenplay that halfway through filming, we decided we were done and we were on to planning the next thing.

I also LOVE to fill up my time and my calendar with things to do while GI Joe is gone. I have meetings, playgroups, activities, school, appointments, bible study, scrapbooking club, bunco, and everything else you could imagine. It makes the deployment just fly by for me. It also drains me and exhausts me. Brings me to my breaking limit even. But even while I am doing all of these "things," more opportunities to get involved arise. More ministry options, more volunteers needed to do this and provide that. And I just yearn to say yes to everything.

But sometimes I just need to sit back and say no. Maybe no, not never, but at least no, not right now.

God has really been teaching me that I need to really try to focus on what He should have me do, and not what my selfish wishes are. What things does He want me to have on my to-do list today.

But MarriedtotheArmy, how do I know what God wants me to do? Does God even care about what small things I do in my day to day life?

YES He cares. Just ask Him to show you. Ask Him to lead you down HIS path. You will be amazed at just what He lays on your heart and what opportunities are presented to you.

Very recently I have taken up a new ministry opportunity. I am very excited about what God has in store for me. I am very sincerely praying that I have a genuine humble heart and want to do His will and follow His plan. He has been working so incredibly in my life over these past 2 years that I am so eager with anticipation to see what is in store next.

I am going to keep focused of following God's will in my life. Praying and seeing what He wants me to write on my to-do list everyday. What is essential and what is frivolous. What is nourishing and what is draining.

And don't get so wrapped up in the details. Don't worry so much about the planning of every little thing. Sometimes God wants to surprise us. Follow His to-do list and not our own. After all, He is our Father, He knows what's best for us. :)

Happy Cinco de Light on the Mayo

So today was Day #2 of Operation Lose The Baby Weight.

Ah, yes. I have been here before. I have successfully lost over 40 lbs twice before. This time, I only want to lose about 35. I will be pleased with 15, happy with 25 and ecstatic with 35. I know I can do it, it's just that darn willpower and self-discipline issue(God please help me with the fruits of the Spirit!) I used to be very athletic my whole life. I played sports my entire life and I was even on the Varsity Volleyball, Soccer and Track teams in High School. (Track team is even where I met GI Joe. He was so good looking, funny, super athletic and he was checking ME out... what girl could resist that?!) But I am NOT good about eating well. I love me some chocolate, ice cream, ranch dressing, cheese and of course, sour cream. I'm a sucker for snacks. A fool for food. A chump for chow.

So yesterday I began the hopefully not-so-long journey of losing weight, eating healthier and actualy fitting into some of my clothes. I figure fitting into the ones I already own is way cheaper than going to buy new ones(which I have been guilty of doing... oops) So I went grocery shopping and spent an insane amount of money on healthy foods... fat free yogurt, fruits and veggies, low-fat versions of all my favorite foods. I don't want to starve myself or forbid myself from eating certain foods, I just want to eat more sensibly. I know I am nursing so I need extra calories for that, but at least they can be GOOD calories and not fatty greasy calories... oh how I love me some greasy fatty calories... *sigh*

Yesterday I worked out for 30 minutes and today I did my Pilates DVD. For those of you who have never done Pilates, go do it right now. It's awesome. It tones so up like no other. I did it both times I lost weight and it really helps you slim down and get lean muscle. (By the way, it is pronounce Pill-LAH-Tees for those who don't know... I used to think you said it Pie-Lats lol)

So off I go on my voyage, hopefully leading me back into my size 7 jeans.... If you have any tips for squeezing in exercise or a yummy healthy snack, please let me know!

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Today was a beautiful day, excluding the fact that it was incredibly humid. But, instead of having the kids cooped up at home all day,(in the AC, where I belong... the humidity and I are not friends) I decided to meet up with one of my friends and her kids at the local HUMONGO park. I amazingly had never been there. It was like the Disneyland of neighborhood parks for kids. It was right on Post(thats the Base for you Navy/Marine Corps peeps) and the kids LOVED it. It had about 10 different huge climbing structures, monkey bars a-plenty and the entire ground was soft foam rubber. It was all enclosed with a fence also! Ah perfect. We took some chairs and sat and enjoyed the briefly overcast sky until the sun came out and made everyone super sweaty.

Well, right next to the playground was a skate park. Where tons of sk8r bois were hanging out. Due to the increase in sunny-ness(yes, I also like to make up words... GI Joe is rubbing off on me after 11 years), one teenage boy decided to take his shirt off to beat the heat. Watching this whole scene is The Boy and his 3.5 year old friend J. The two little boys think this shirtless skater is amusing and intriguing and begin calling him "The Naked Guy." Now this would all be just fine and dandy, normal preschool humor, except for the fact that "Naked Guy" decided to come skate right next to the playground, WELL within earshot of the two boys. As soon as the skateboarder rolls closer, they say:

"Hey, look at Naked Guy."
"Wow. Why are you naked, Naked Guy?"
"Hi Naked Guy. Whatcha doing Naked Guy?"
"Naked Guy is skating. You're naked."
"Look at him be naked."
"Naked Guy. Guy guy guy. Naked naked naked."

Meanwhile my friend and I are trying not-so-successfully to stifle our overflowing laughter and look away so Naked Guy doesn't see us laughing at him. I think every muscle in my upper body cramped up from laughing so hard. *Note to self-- need to work out ASAP*

The little boys just went on and on like this for a good 10 minutes until Naked Guy finally got the hint and decided to don his shirt once again. I love childhood innocence and candor.

Food Friday: Crockpot Whole Chicken

Hello out there... yes it's Friday again. Whew. What a week!
This week I am bringing you a delicious recipe for whole chicken in the crockpot... so easy! AND so inexpensive. You can get 2 meals out of this also(check back next week to see what you can make with the left over chicken... it's so yummy and easy you don't want to miss it!)


Crockpot Whole Chicken

4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large roasting chicken
1 cup onion, chopped

1. In a small bowl, combine the spices.
2. Remove any giblets from chicken and clean chicken.
3. Rub spice mixture onto the chicken.
4. Place in resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight. (I usually skip this step because I'm always in a hurry or I forget lol).
5. When ready to cook, put chopped onion in bottom of crock pot(again, I love my onions so more is always better here...)
6. Add chicken. No liquid is needed, the chicken will make it's own juices.
7. Cook on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours. Be sure to use a thermometer or a pop up timer to judge doneness. You do not want your chicken to be raw. Bad bad things can happen. GI Joe used to be an Army food inspector before he switched to full GI Joe-ness. I know about these things...

And thats it! I usually serve with roasted potatoes, a yummy veggie and some fresh bread. Or Pioneer Woman's Cheese Bread. You can never go wrong with that. Just ask my Aunt Marlene... she fell in love with it about a week ago and we haven't been able to keep her away from it since. j/k ;)

ENJOY!