Points of Observation

Number one:
Blogger has completely revamped their dashboard and well, pretty much everything else. It's gonna take me a while to figure it all out. I like changes, though, so it'll be fun to see what cool new stuff they've added.

Number two:
Children are hungry and cranky after a day spent at a theme park.

Number three:
The Steel Eel is among the top 5 best roller coasters I've ever been on. Maybe even top 3. That first drop was a pull-you-up-off-the-seat kind of drop. We were in the last row... the best row for that kind of coaster, imo. I had fun riding it with hubby.

Number four:
Riding on a roller coaster by yourself isn't as bad as I thought. Of course, I don't mean I was the only one on the ride... I just didn't know anyone else on the ride. The Great White was an awesome ride even though I didn't have anyone with whom to share the experience. Well, I chit chatted with the guy next to me while we waited 15 minutes for a little girl to be taken off the ride. He was a rather pleasent fellow.

Funny Face Friday

 

 

 

 

Heard 'round the House

Buddy: Can I have my drums?
Me: No. We just finished cleaning the playroom. Again. You can play with the toys that are already down.
Buddy: CAN I HAVE MY DRUMS? CAN I HAVE MY DRUMS? CAN I HAVE MY DRUMS?
Me: No.
Buddy: CAN I HAVE MY DRUMS? CAN I HAVE MY DRUMS? CAN I HAVE MY DRUMS?
Me: Buddy, I heard your question and my answer was no.
Buddy: But my answer was YES!!
Me: But my answer was no and I'm the Mommy.
Buddy: That wasn't your question and I'm the Buddy.
Me: No, it was your question. And my answer was no.
Buddy: CAN I HAVE MY DRUMS?


Michael was teasing Nora and this was her reaction:
Nora (holding a fork): Do you want me to kill you? With my fork?
Michael: Um, no. I do not.
Nora: Cause I will try. If you don't stop.
Michael: I don't think you should.
Nora: OK. But I will.
Michael: OK.
(He quit teasing her.)

Buddy was on my lap while I was sitting at the computer. He saw Dad's picture:
Buddy: That's Pawpaw!
Me: Yup. It is.
Buddy: Maybe he wants some candy.
Me: What kind of candy?
Buddy: Big candy. Not little candy. Big, blue candy.
Me: What does blue candy taste like?
Buddy: It tastes like yummy.

This one was in the car:
Buddy: My wanna cracker! (points to the floor)
Me: Your what?
Buddy: My wanna cracker!
Me: You want a cracker? It's on the floor? We don't have any crackers.
Buddy: YES!! My wanna cracker (still pointing to the floor)
Me: (thinking, thinking) Oh, wait. Your happy meal toy was a bird. Is it a pirate bird?
Buddy: Yes. My wanna cracker.
Me: You want your "Polly wanna cracker" bird?
Buddy: YES!
(I'm glad I finally figured that one out... it took me a while to put it together!)

Nora: Daddy, where are you going?
Daddy: To the gym.
Nora: To work out your muscles?
Daddy: Yup.
Nora: Can I see your arm muscles?
Daddy: (flexes)
Nora: Wow! I can't even skwoosh them!
(She is so good for his ego!)

Gettin' Ready

The cupcakes are baked, as are the cookies. They're in the fridge waiting to be filled and frosted on Saturday. About half of our stuff is packed. I'm gonna finish that up, feed the kids, clean up the kitchen, hang the diapers up outside and hope they dry in time, clean out the van, take a quick trip to the library and grocery store, load up the van and wait for Michael to get home!

Hopefully we'll be in the hotel pool by 6:30 tonight! :)

First Beach Day of the Year!

(or, Cory's First Time at the Beach!)

This is the beach bassinet that Michael's parents got us when we had Nora. It's super handy!

I had the worst smudge on my lense! And since I couldn't see anything with the bright sun I couldn't tell that there was a smudge there. :(

Darn smudge! But it's still a cute picture of Cory at the beach!

It was a red flag day, so the waves were very large. There were quite a few surfers our there.

She's my brave child, though, so the large waves didn't scare her a bit!

But even the sea weed scared Buddy. (You can't really tell, but that's a mound of sea weed that was about as tall as Buddy and ran the entire length of the beach.)

We had a blast today (or, as Ashley would say, we had a blasty blast!)... but it was challenging. The sea weed was piled high because it's not summer season yet (they don't really start clearing the sea weed off the beach until the summer tourists arrive). And that meant little to no sandy area and LOTS of sand bugs. And they bite! I normally let the kids run between me (a few feet in the water) to Ashley (on the beach) but that wasn't possible with the sea weed. Since I couldn't hold Cory AND both kids' hands, Ashley had to sit on the blanket with Cory... in the sun... with the bugs. We only stayed an hour!

It was also a red flag day, which made the waves larger than normal. Combine the large waves with the sea weed wall and the tide coming in and you get a not so kid-friendly beach. I only let go of Nora's hand for a few seconds when there was a lull in the waves. The rest of the time I had a death grip on her and Buddy (I held him for the most part). The waves would crash into the sea weed which put the water up to the kids' stomachs in the shallowest area. We didn't go out far but it was pretty deep. Nora kept asking to go out further but without Michael there to help me she had to settle with only going out a few feet! They can't wait to go back, though! 

Neither can I!

Egg Hunt

It wasn't easy to get pictures of the kids. Buddy's first few eggs were covered in ants and he started flipping, out... so we had to fix that. And by the time that was all settled Nora was off in another part of the property. Buddy, of course, went the opposite direction. I took a few pictures of Nora and then tried to get some of Buddy... but neither of them were really interested in smiling for the camera. They had eggs to hunt!

Nora and Isabelle took a second from hunting eggs to take a quick picture. They're too cute, huh?

Things to Do, Places to Go, Money to Save

I got 4 packages for Zyrtec, Schick Hydro Razor Cartridges and Colgate toothpaste for FREE tonight! I also got some much needed concealer and powder for $8 each. I rarely buy make up but it's been so humid that my foundation has pretty much melted off my face whenever I get the time to put it on... hopefully using just powder will help. And the bags under my eyes have increased in size. They're like suitcases instead of bags! Cory has increased the number of overnight feedings so I don't see the luggage under my eyes going away anytime soon. Anyway, I saved about $39 tonight at CVS.

I'm going to try to make it to Target this week for some deals, but I don't know if it'll happen. Since we're leaving on Thursday to go to Sea World and the cake auction is on Sunday, I have to bake the cupcakes on Thursday morning before we leave and then fill and frost them on Saturday when we get back (I've already made and frozen the fillings and frostings).

I've been hearing the call of the waves and sandy shore so we're going to the beach tomorrow afternoon. And, of course, church is tomorrow night. That leaves no free evenings or afternoons for couponing this week. At least I was able to squeeze some time in tonight between Michael mowing and then going to the gym. But I'm now home. Alone. Well, I've got 3 kids who are all crying. And I'm trying not to think about the dirty dishes that are in the sink. I really should quit procrastinating and go wash them... oh, and the laundry. It needs to be put in the dryer. Ya. I should go do that, too. Have I told y'all how much I'm looking forward to Sea World? 2.5 days of no laundry, dishes or crying kids. Hmm... maybe that last one is stretching it a bit far! But a girl can hope!

Siblings

This is pretty typical of the 3 kids playing 'together'. I put Cory in his jumper or bouncer and the other 2 bring their toys around him and play. He gets a kick out of watching them!

And sometimes he even joins in... although, I don't think he was happy to be crowned the King that day. He kept fussing at Nora when she would put it on his head!

It was clean...

This was Wednesday afternoon. After we had cleaned it that morning. 45 minutes to clean it. 5 minutes to destroy it.

At least the living room wasn't too badly destroyed... I guess they were too busy in Nora's room!

I have, by the way, cleaned up the living and the bedroom again. As well as the playroom, my room, the bathrooms and the kitchen. :) We're having company tonight, so the whole house is cleaned at the same time!!

Joyful Expectations

I read Psalm 126 a few days ago and, as usually happens with these sorts of passages, I have to dissect the passage and re-orginize it in my mind to even begin to understand the meaning. After dissecting and studying the verses I found that they are filled with joyful expectations and hope.

The first couple of verses say that the Lord saved Zion from captivity and the people were amazed at what had happened. So amazed and joyful that their 'mouth filled with laughter'. I love that verse. Their sorrows were so cast aside, their crying so put away from them that their mouths were FILLED with laughter! Even the heathens were astonished at what good things the Lord did. Then, in verse 4, the author asks the Lord to again turn them out of captivity.

The Psalmist then writes about those who are reaping with tears-- they will sow in joy. And those that go about weeping with precious seed-- they come again with joy and sheaves. Their sorrow will not last.

So, are we to take this literally or figuratively?

Literally, they have once again been taken captive by their enemies and are in need of salvation from the Lord. The author says that while they are weeping now, they will soon be rejoicing. Their bondage will not be indefinite... the Lord has turned them out of captivity before and He will do so again. They remember the past and have comfort in what the Lord can do.

Figuratively, while the Lord saved them from their captors, they are still held captive by this sinful world. The Lord has promised to be true and they have seen this promise fulfilled. Therefore, they know that their trials and hardships in this world will one day be taken away just as He promised they would be. The Son will come and set them free and they will join Him on Heaven's shores.

Literally or figuratively, this passage speaks of hope and expectations. Expectations of a day free from sorrow and bondage! Just like the author and his people, we know that the Lord has promised to free us from captivity (theirs being either literal or figurative). Our sorrows and weeping will, one day, become joy and singing. But why wait? Because we expect what the Lord has promised us, we can NOW sing with gladness and joy! And the unbelievers around us can see what the Lord has done in our lives. They can see what joyful expectations we have in this sinful, fallen, desperately sad world and be amazed. They can see that, though we have trials, we have hope in the Lord and rejoice in that hope.

How fitting for Easter weekend? Our sin caused our captivity. But His life, death and resurrection gave us joyful expectations!

Here's the full Psalm:

1 When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.s3 The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.4 Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Jam!

I had some frozen strawberries that needed to be used and I found some pectin on clearance at Walmart... so I made jam! I have some in the freezer and some in the fridge for the strawberry jam cake that I'm gonna make tomorrow. Mmmm! I think I'll make some more while fresh strawberries are in season. It lasts in the freezer up to 6 months! :)

Flash Mob in Houston

A few days ago, 2000 members from Second Baptist Church of Houston gathered together for a flash mob. It was a "Resurrection Sunday" flash mob and they left shoes behind to donate to those less fortunate. I, personally, enjoy watching flash mobs and thought I'd share it with y'all!


(If you're not interested in watching 2000 people dance, then just skip over this post!)

Pulling Up

He's been pulling himself up on us and now the couch. He was sitting on the couch with Michael when he turned himself around and pulled up. He might be a light-weight on the percentiles, but he's a strong little guy! I still can't believe that he started crawling so early... and now pulling up. He's really keeping me busy!

He's been chewing on everything again....
I think we'll have a new tooth soon.

 

The Scion: Updated

It's been a great, fabulous, wonderful little car. It was perfect for us when we were 4. And now it's perfect for a going-to-work car for Michael. It needed new tires and, since we no longer take road trips in it, we decided to go with used tires. It saved us about $300. Awesome!

It also needed an alignment. The used tire shop said they'd do it for $50. About $100 less than any other place quoted us. Awesome!

They messed up the alignment. The Scion has some sort of... alarm... thing. I really have no idea. But Michael said the car was almost un-drivable this morning so he took it to a shop. The shop said that you have to use some sort of... special... computerized... thing. I really have no idea. But now we have to take it to a Toyota dealership and have it calibrated. Then re-aligned. Awesome. :|

Hopefully it won't cost an arm and a leg. But, hey! At least we saved money on the tires... we'll need it to get the Scion drivable.

**Update**
As it stands right now, it'll cost $100 to fix the Scion... what a relief! We were anticipating the cost to be much higher. Hopefully this will indeed fix it and we won't have to put anymore money towards the problem!

Puffs

 I finally remembered to buy puffs for Cory. They aren't the Gerber puffs, though... I bought the walmart brand. But Cory doesn't seem to mind! He gobbles them up! As do Nora and Buddy. I keep telling them that they are Cory's snacks. They keep telling me that Cory has to share. Hmm...

Year of Joy!

141. Fans.
We were able to buy some fans for the living room and bedrooms. Well, we moved the one that was in the living room into our room and then bought a new one for the living room. It's reached the low 90s a couple of times this month so we really needed the fans! I don't want to turn the AC on until sometime next month.

 

142. New Thesis Advisor.
While the reason to find a new advisor does not bring me joy, finding one certainly does! I've never met him but hopefully he'll be easy to work with. I'm relieved to have found someone.

143. Low-fat Cheesecake.
There's a recipe that I found on foodnetwork.com for low fat New York cheesecake. I tested it out and then made one for the tea that we had a few weeks ago. And I made another one for the workday on Saturday. It's so yummy and creamy. And low-fat!

144. Adventures in Oatmeal.
It's Marian Ward's blog. She's witty and kind. We agree on (most) music, politics and religion... what more could ya want? She's been a very good friend and I enjoy her blog. Check it out if you have time.

145. My Niece.
I have one now! Her name is Emma Grace and she's busy growing in her Mommy's tummy. But she'll be here soon and I'm gonna love on her and steal away lotsa cuddles! Nora and I are so very excited about having another girl in the family! We love the boys, but we needed another girl.