My new discovery…..

First of all I want to start off by saying how much I love my husband!  God knew what he was doing when he had Andy slam the door in my face on that cold day in February 11 years ago!  I am truly blessed! 

I work the first four days this week and then am off till after the first of the year.  Hubby has these whole two weeks off so while I work this week he and the kids are just home.  I walked into my home yesterday and the heat from the wood stove and the smell and heat of the pork roast in the oven greeted me.  Along with my happy children.  The floors were swept and some were mopped, dishes done, laundry done, house picked up, children bathed (did I mention they were happy?).  I loved the atmosphere I walked into, very peaceful and happy!  Within 20 min of me being home, supper was on the table and I didn’t lift a finger!  I had the luxury of cuddling with my 16 mos old and listening to my 7 year old tell me about his day.  We had a wonderful dinner together as a family.  Afterwards I helped clear the table and then did the dishes (it was the least I could do!)  Hubby and children were in bed by 9 and then came my discovery….

All day a nice hot bath was sounding wonderful!  This is coming from someone that really does not care for baths at all.  I think the most baths I have ever taken were while I was in the end of my pregnancies and was trying to alleviate some of the aches and pains.  Other than that, I don’t care for them.  Hubby on the other hand really enjoys them, especially in the winter.  This weather reeks havoc on his skin; especially feet so the nice, warm bubble bathes help soothe them.  Anyway, I decided, since the house was quiet, I would give it a try.  I lit some candles and turned the lights off in the bathroom and drew a nice, hot bubble bath and then I sank into heaven!  J Not really but oh my goodness, I don’t know if it age or what but I have been noticing lately that there are things that I treasure or things I value or desire that was never there before and baths is now one of them!  I loved it!  It was like everything just melted away!  Very peaceful…  It will definitely be something that I make time for in the future.  I have been thinking of things lately that would add more “me” time to my schedule b/c I feel I am lacking that majorly and I feel it is important to regroup and for me to be the mother and wife I need to be.  I think late night baths might be something to invest in!

So sorry for my rambling on about baths, it was an exciting day for me J  Hope everyone is enjoying their CHRISTMAS season!  ( I think we might go tobogganing on Friday, I will keep you posted!)

Help!

Just real quick.... I don't know who all looks at this or reads it but I am hoping that within my "chosen few" there are some ideas or resources you can throw at me.  I am wanting to come up with a different/better way to maintain household duties/chores while working full/part time.  When I am working part time, I am able to keep up quite a bit but still not to my satisfaction and would just like some feedback/ideas on how I can better my system.  With me working full time for the time being, I feel like things spiral out of control very quickly, especially during this season.  When we do have a little time at home, I am so exhausted, the thought of tackling the mountain of work seems impossible.  I know doing a little everday is the trick but so far I haven't came up with a system that I can maintain that mentality.  I read something today while searching on this subject and it said you have to create a habit to replace one.  I know it is very true but I guess i just lack the "umph" to do that.

Anyway, any and all help would be appreciated!

Twas the month before CHRISTMAS....

*Twas the month before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*

*The reason for Christmas – no one could say.*

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*

*It might hurt people’s feelings, the teachers would say*

* December 25th is just a ‘ Holiday ‘.*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*

*Something was changing, something quite odd! *

*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*

*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*

* At Lowe’s the word Christmas – was no where to be found.*

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny’s and Sears*

*You won’t hear the word Christmas; it won’t touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*

*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*

*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*

*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*

*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*

*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate ‘Winter Break’ under your ‘Dream Tree’*

*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

not Happy Holiday !*

Christ is ‘The Reason’ for the Christ-mas Season!

Luke 2:1-19

Weekend Update...

Well I can officially say the weekend is over.  It was a long, exhausting one but so good!  It was such a wonderful thing, watching my sister walk down the isle at her winter wonderland wedding to become Mrs. Joel Reavis.  The day went wonderful, everything on schedule and went smoothly.  My hubby did a wonderful job marrying them as well!  Joel's brother was unable to make, got caught in the wicked (but so pretty!) snow storm :(  But other than that, everything went and was beautiful!  Here is a family pic we snapped after the wedding....

The Saga continues…

Ok, here is an update as far as what has been going on lately.  So I thought I got the flu bug last week and was done for the season….wrong.  Woke up feeling yucky Tuesday morning along with hubby.  Both tried going to work but ended up at home by midday, hubby in the bathroom every hour and me on the couch….  We drug ourselves out of the house to get the kids and then were home the rest of the night.  I picked up chicken noodle soup and tomato soup at the dollar store and that was supper, first thing I had eaten all day.  Next day woke up feeling some better but not 100% but made myself go to work.  Sipped sprite and ate some oatmeal and by noon was feeling a lot better.  Went and got Jocelyn from sitters after work and her eyes were all gunky and matted.  They said green junk poured out all day and she acted blah.  In the meantime hubby never went to work, still having stomach issues.  By the time I got home Jocelyn was sleeping (only slept 45 min all day) and her eyes were matted shut.  Andy washed them out with a warm wash cloth and I decided to go ahead and take her to after hours clinic before it got too bad with the wedding and pictures this weekend!  They diagnosed her with Acute conjunctivitis and prescribed eye drops for the next 7 days.  Today hubby is doing better and went to work, except for he went to get in the car this morning and it wouldn’t start L So now we need to figure out if it is just the cold, dead battery or something further…  It is 7 years old so I guess it is probably time for a new battery and probably a tune up along with my car when we have the extra money. Ha!

In the mean time, we are now 2 days away from the wedding, pretty much everyone in Manchester has been sick one way or another, my mom’s washer finally quit (it was one that we had given her that Andy used when he first moved out on his own that was given to him by his grandparents.  It was ancient!)  So they are in the middle of trying to figure out what they are going to do while they have 9+ people living there this week!   Also my sister’s fiancé’s brother and his wife are on their way from Washington for the wedding, got to Montana last night, hit ice and totaled their car!  Thank God they are ok but are stranded in Montana in a hotel, no clue how or when they will arrive here and he is the one and only best man/groomsman!  So needless to say there is a lot of stress where that is concerned.

Whew!  I think that pretty much covers it.  I really want to sit down and blog more, I have so much going thru my head and so many ideas but time seems to be racing…never enough of it!  Hopefully when January comes things will slow down a bit and I can regroup!  Hope all is well out there!

Winter cooties...

Yuck, i think i have them....  I was home last week with what i thought was the stomach bug but woke up this morning with a queasy stomach again...  I guess it is that time of year but it is still no fun especially with the wedding this weekend and then next weekend starts our big line of Christmas's.  I guess it is better to get it now though....

Well that is all for today.  When I feel better, I will have more to say.

Come and see what's happenin...

This is one of the songs that our choir is singing for our Christmas program.  I really like it.  The Gaither Vocal Band sings it if you want to look it up.  If you would like to come to our Christmas Program, it is Sunday December 19th at 6 pm at The Church of Jesus Christ in Pierceton.  Come see what's happenin!


Come and see what's happenin' in the barn!
I've seen nothin' like this since I've been on this farm!
Those strangers that camped out there have a baby in their arms
Come and see what's happenin' in the barn!

Must have been sometime `bout close to midnight
A big ole' guy came knockin' at my door
He said his wife was `bout to have a baby
And she just couldn't travel anymore.
I said the rooms had all been rented out
But they'd find shelter out there in the barn
They could throw some blankets in the stable;
At least, they would be dry and safe from harm.

Sometime before dawn I was awakened
Light was floodin' through the windowpane
A star as bright as moonlight was a shinin'
And pretty music I could not explain
I ran downstairs to have a look around
I tell you I could not believe my eyes
A crowd had gathered all around the manger
And they were talkin' `bout God's big surprise.

The shepherds said that they'd been on the hillside
Tellin' stories just to stay awake;
The baby lambs were sleepin' near the campfire,
The ewes were huddled by the stone fence gate.
And then the sky just seemed to open wide
With light and sound that they could hardly bear
And what they swore were angels sang in chorus,
"You'll find the new Messiah over there."

"Go and see what's happening in the barn"
There's been nothin' like it ever happened on this farm!
The strangers that camped out there have a baby in their arms.
Go and see what's happenin' in the barn!