Monday, January 31, 2011

More Christmas Pictures Part 2

I told some dear friends recently that I wasn't going to post my thoughts or talk about my thoughts at all anymore, only quote God's Word directly, but I lied. I can't help myself. It's what I do. Post my thoughts, I mean, not lying, although I might do that on occasion. I hope not. I try not to. I certainly wouldn't lie intentionally, but I guess that's called a "mistake" not a lie, right? Well, this is not the most attractive picture of me, but as my dear "friend" Beth Moore says, blogging is not for the perfect, it's for the honest, or something like that. It can't be any worse than my last post, right :) I don't really remember what was in this present, but since no one in my family who likes to buy me polyester in my family is living anymore, I can promise you I had no complaints about my Christmas presents, although my mom did get me a sweat suit which makes me wonder if she's hinting :) Of course, there was an X in front of the L and it fit, which definitely disturbed me!!! Um, I'm guessing this is me trying to figure out exactly how you open a present??? Really?? Had it been that long since I'd gotten a gift?!?!
Awww, her first boyfriend! Isn't that cute?! Next we'll be training her to look for her dates outside the family!! No looking for dates at the family reunion honey!

Well, from the smile on her face, she definitely approves of the packaging, now let's see if what's inside is just as good! Maybe even better!!!


I think my dad is yawning. That is the least disturbing of the options I'm considering here. I'm not even going to mention the other possibilities! On the left as you're looking at this is my brother-in-law, John, and on the right is my brother, Adam.





My kids with their cousins (my nephews) Cody and Chance.















Go ahead, choose whichever one you like best and stare at it for hours. I know they're beautiful!!!







Ummm, Santa lost a lot of weight and got a sex change?!!!








Again, the handsome man on the couch!....Oh, yeah, and then there's the tree. Totally fake by the way. All my family members cheat these days!










Sunday, January 30, 2011

What Happens When You Can't Take Any More

This is what happens when God gives one woman way too much to handle.

More Christmas Pictures

That interesting looking creature with no hair except on his face lounging on the couch would be my husband! He looks good lounging! With two jobs and a wife who can't work, he doesn't get to do that much. Again, my daughter. I'm thinking she must be standing on something. She can't be that tall, can she?! Actually, I'm not sure she is standing on anything! How did she get that tall?!


Saturday, January 29, 2011

My Apologies And Angela, Again!

I know, I know. I'm trying to satisfy your curiosity with yet another picture of my beautiful daughter, but again it's the weekend, everyone's home and so it's hard to focus enough to write to you about what's been going on in my life. And I'm very mindful of the fact that I haven't finished telling you about the delightful weekend I spent with my friends! I don't know how the week always gets away from me like this. Well, this week, come to think of it, I know exactly how it got away from me. Three days of one daughter vomitting and one day of the other one with a nasty cold! Ugh! Hopefully, they'll all be healthy this week and we can get back to normal life, whatever that is!!!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Angela's Dress

I know I haven't been on here in a while. Sorry! I've been busy playing with my new iPad :) Anyway, this is a picture of my 10 year old in the dress she bought herself for Christmas!


Saturday, January 15, 2011

Presents under the tree at my mom's house!
I found this reindeer at the Hope Center before Christmas and knew Chloe would love it! I didn't wait for Christmas to give it to her, though. In fact, she was with me looking for something for a gift exchange when I bought it!
I promise I'll get back to writing about my weekend away, but right now it's the weekend and everyone's at home and trying to sleep. I'm sure my husband would like for me to quit typing and turn off the lights.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Prequil To The Ladies' Retreat

Okay, backtracking a little! I wanted to explain why our ladies retreat was called "Mythbusters." The theme was "Mythbusters: Exposing The Lies, Embracing The Truth." If I'm remembering correctly. So the idea behind the "words of affirmation" bags was "mythbusting." Learning positive truths about ourselves! Yay!!

And I also wanted to explain about the snowflakes. We had cut out snowflakes, snowflakes on our nametags, and snowflake rubber stamps. I went with the snowflake rubber stamps after my first hideous cut out. I also used glitter glue to try and make them real pretty and sparkly! I love sparkles! I'll bet that doesn't surprise those of you who know me well! Anyway, I've gotten off track. Of course, there were snowflakes outside, too! Yay!!! The reason they went with snowflakes is because snowflakes are beautiful and each one is unique, just like us! I thought that was cool!

I'd write more about my weekend, but my daughter's at home with a hurt toe and we need to go to the store in a few minutes, so I'm a little distracted. So, I'll see you again soon!

Monday, January 10, 2011

The First Night and Breakfast At "Mythbusters" Ladies Retreat

I'm going to apologize in advance, because this post is going to be very unorganized, because I have so much rattling around in my head and don't really know how to say it all. I feel I have to say it now, though, while it's still fresh on my heart. (If even that makes any sense!)

I spent this last weekend at a little lodge just an hour or so out of town. Actually, quite close to Camp Grizzly where I spent last summer and will be spending this summer, again. I was there, because my church was holding a ladies retreat and this year I was able to go. YAY! It couldn't have come at a better time for me, since I had been very discouraged after spending most of Winter Break with very negative people. I have never loved my church ladies more in all of my life. As one of my friends said at the end, and if you read this (you know who you are) and I misquote you I apologize: "I've never thought that any of you have it all together." That says it all. They are godly on so many levels, but they are also incredibly REAL! Can I say it enough?! I LOVE my church!!!!! I truly loved many of the ladies who were there and don't go to my church regularly as well. They occasionally visit, but they go to other churches. Loved all of them!

I rode up on Friday night with my friend and neighbor, Genevieve. It started snowing on the way there, which made me really excited! As if I wasn't excited enough already! When we got there we found our rooms and threw our stuff in there. Gathered what we thought we might need for the evening and headed upstairs to find the ladies. About half of us were there at that point. They were making little bags for themselves with their names on them. They involved snowflakes. I tried to make the cut out kind, but it was very traumatizing for me! (I remember that being a lot easier when I was a kid.) Guess I haven't had enough practice with scissors and folding paper lately. The bags were for "words of affirmation." My love language! This made me even more excited! We were to write words of affirmation on little notecards to each other and put them in the person's bag they were intended for. I enjoyed doing this and I very much enjoyed the one's I received! But I'll tell you about that later! We also had some finger foods! Some of the ladies brought some VERY delicious things!

Then, we enjoyed some games designed to get to know each other better. The first one I found really fun, even though at first I didn't like it. We each had to draw a letter out of a bag or a box or something. I don't remember what it was. That's not important anyway. I drew the letter A. Then, we had to think of words beginning with that letter that described us. In a very short amount of time. Have I mentioned on this blog that I don't work well under pressure? Well I don't. We could also use the first letter of our first name. Phew! A was an impossible letter! Thankfully S is a little easier. Under that amount of pressure, I only came up with three words and none of them began with A! They were Sanguine, Silly, and Saggy. I got a lot of laughs on that last one. I hope I don't have to explain what I mean by that. They didn't all have to be flattering. The last one definitely wasn't. My friend, Cami, suggested after that an A word for me could be "adorable" and an S word would be "Sunny." She told me that's what she thinks when she thinks of me! Boy, was this weekend filling my love tank! Words of affirmation, anyone!!! I thought of short and sassy, later, also. Again, I had a lot of trouble with A.

After that, we had free time and I finished my bag. Others worked on theirs as well. I enjoyed some wonderful conversation and then went to settle into my room. I had great roommates! We were perfectly suited for each other. All night owls to some extent, me being the most extreme (what else is new)! And also, all liking a cooler room to sleep in!!!!! Yay! The result was, I actually slept that first night! I never sleep when I'm away from home! We read and giggled a lot before we went to sleep! What could be better! I love my girlfriends! One of those roommates was also Genevieve! Love her! Neighbors, and now roommates! She lives very close! I carried my luggage to her house to load up in her car. I can see her front porch from mine!

I enjoyed sleeping in the next morning! It was fantastic! Breakfast wasn't until Nine! This whole weekend was really, truly, made for me!!!!! They had my favorite breakfast! Biscuits and gravy and eggs! They even had Salsa for me to top my eggs with! Be still my heart! I think I'll wait and share the rest of my weekend later!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Chance Cooking, Angela Being Angela, and Dave

This is my nephew, Chance, also helping with dinner, Believe it or not this kids only eight years old! The same age as my daughter, Chloe!
My older brother Dave, and yes the view behind him is the view I woke up to every morning growing up and never appreciated as much as I do now! I'll show you some better pictures of the Wallowa Mountains soon. Keep following my blog and you'll see lots of very cool things! I think my brother is pretending not to notice me taking his picture. Notice how hard he is concentrating on the book he is reading or looking at! Not really sure what kind of book it is.
Back to the Drama Queen! The Drama Queen of drama queens! Trust me! Only five minutes after meeting her while she's awake you'd totally agree with me!


Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Angela the Diva and Jeremiah "Cooking"

Angela, being her usual Diva self
Again




Jeremiah helping with Christmas dinner. Amazing! I practically have to twist his arm to get him to do anything at home. This is my Mom's house.



Monday, January 3, 2011

Last Of The Pics

Me getting my nagging pins for Jeremiah making his Second Class rank! I hope I don't have to explain why I call them nagging pins! I'm sure most mom's totally get it!
Chloe after swimming at Camp Grizzly!

A silhouette of Angela after swimming at Camp Grizzly!


Another pic of Angela after swimming. These are the last of the pics I have on the computer currently! Who knows how long it will take for my newer pictures to make there way from my camera to the computer. As simple as it is, my husband only spends his time at home playing video games, watching movies, and yelling at kids.