Random Updates

Not much to say but will give some updates as to what has been happening this week

Ugh…. The last couple of weeks have literally drug!!!!!!!  I have no motivation, hence the lack of posts.  I have no desire to do anything.  My house always seems like it is in shambles anymore and I don’t even care!  I will get this urge to clean and get it cleaned up but the min it starts getting messy, I have no desire or energy to stay on top of it!!!!!!!  Isn’t that horrible!!!!!  I am hoping it will pass soon and I will regain some energy.  If anyone out there knows some simple tricks for a working mom, let me know!

Jocelyn was diagnosed with bronchitis on Monday this week.  So it was back to breathing treatments and the Z-pack!  I was actually amazed at how quickly she cleared up (Full nights sleep the last 2 nights!) but the doc did say she was in the early stages.  It hadn’t fully settled in her chest yet.

Corbyn has had only one day of school this week!!!!!  At this rate we are already going till June 9^th I think.  It is actually ridiculous.  They have closed a lot this winter when there was no reason but oh well, out of my hands!  We have had some nasty weather this week.  A bunch of snow earlier this week then ice in the middle of the week and then got another 4-6” last night.  Definitely ready for spring around here!

On a happy note, I finally made up my mind and took the plunge with ordering my very first OWN laptop!  I am so happy and excited to play with it this weekend!  I got a really good deal on it; it is a lot of hard drive and memory for the same price as the smaller machines.  I am very happy that I held out, did my homework and shopped around!

Been looking into some different ideas on budgeting lately.  We have been doing so well lately and I am very proud of us but would like to work towards being debt free and building up a savings.  I know this is a personal topic and don’t want to get into numbers but if anyone has any tips that are helping you or suggestions, I am all ears.  If you would rather not, I completely understand!

Trying to figure out some menus for this weekend, I really just want a day to just be at home in jammies all day tomorrow but have a feeling, unless I can talk hubby into doing it after our plans tonight, I will be getting out to get some groceries.  Some things on the mind: potato soup, loaded baked potatoes, French bread pizza, ham and homemade mac and cheese, nachos, hot fudge pudding…. IDK, I will see what I come up with!  Hope everyone has a good weekend and maybe I will get on to load some pics with my new computer this weekend ;) J

Weekend Recap and Laptop Shopping

Wow, it has been awhile since my last post!  Nothing major going on here.  The last few weeks seem to have DRUG so bad!!!!!!  I hate weeks like that, I have no motivation, it seems like the weekend never gets here and then it is gone just like that, basically just a blah feeling.  Oh well, Spring is just around the corner and I know everything will kick into overdrive at that point so might as well enjoy the down time, which I do love btw!

This weekend was a good weekend!  We had dinner with some friends from church Friday evening and then Saturday Andy and the kids got up and I slept in for a little.  They left the house and did some running and I took a shower and got ready and then did up the dishes, swept floors, cleaned the bathroom, etc…  It was so nice to do all of that in peace and quiet!  Then my mom and her boyfriend came and picked me up and we headed to Ft. Wayne to do some belated birthday shopping!  It was a really good day!!!!!  I got some new shoes (1^st pair of Pumas ever!), a few new shirts, a starbucks, lunch and then bought some material at JoAnn Fabrics to make Jocelyn and her friends some skirts out of jeans.  All in all it was a good day! 

Yesterday we went to church and had a really good service!!!!  Then went to Golden Corral for lunch.  Came home and Jocelyn and I laid down to watch a movie and took naps then went back to church last night and had another really good service!  Hubby preached a really good message on how important having faith and trust Jesus Christ is.  Afterwards we went to the store and got a few things.  Came home and Andy and Corbyn made some hot ham sandwiches before bed and Jocelyn and I had popcorn and orange floats!  Yum!

Then the coughing starts….. ugh, I feel so bad for Jocelyn. She has had this cold/cough for a week now and it just won’t go away!  We ended up giving her a breathing treatment at 3 am cause she was really starting to wheeze and rattle.  Hubby decided to take at least the morning off and take her to the Dr. to see if there is anything more we can do for her.  She isn’t running a temp but she is drinking a lot and doesn’t hardly eat anything of substance anymore….  Hopefully we can get it solved!

Now my big challenge I am dealing with…..buying myself a laptop!!!!!!!  Ugh, there are so many brands and kinds.  So many options and prices.  I am so afraid of making the wrong decision.  Oh well, I will keep shopping I guess.  If you have any suggestions or if you have a laptop and want to give advice about it, I am open to anything!  Thanks and have a good week!

I Refuse <------ CLICK FOR VIDEO

I woke up with this song on my heart this morning and thought I would share.  It is by Josh Wilson and is a very powerful song with a powerful message!  Enjoy!


Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone's alright
When I know they're not
This world needs God, but it's easier to stand and watch
I could pray a prayer and just move on
Like nothing's wrong

But I Refuse


I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I refuse

I can hear the least of these, crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet of You, oh God
So if You say move, it's time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
And show them who You are

I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I refuse

I refuse to stand and watch the weary and lost cry out for help
I refuse to turn my back and try and act like all is well
I refuse to stay unchanged, to wait another day to die to myself
I refuse to make one more excuse

I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I refuse

Valentines Weekend and Anniversary Plans

Can’t believe it is Valentines already!  Seems like we just celebrated Christmas!  Anyway,  just curious what, if any, are your plans for Valentines?  Do you do something special every year or is it hit and miss?  We used to never really do anything major, especially since our Anniversary is in the beginning of March but a couple of years ago, we found that a semi-local Christian radio-station puts on a Valentines banquet every year.  It is really neat, lots of people dress up like prom dressing up, tux or suit and tie and very nice dresses!  Some even arrive in limos!  They have appitizers and punch fountains in the lobby and kinda like a social hour.  You can also get your pic professionally take for free!  The backdrop is all done up for Valentines, etc….  Then when they open the doors, you go into the ballroom which is decked out, lights dim, tule draped everywhere, black and red décor,  you find your table number that you were assigned on your tickets (135.00 per couple but well worth it).  The tables are round with seating for 4-5 couples.  Everything is set fancy down to the butter for the rolls which is little heart shaped molds, almost looks like mints!  You first start out with rolls and salad and tea or water.  After that the main course is either chicken and rice or beef and red potatoes (your choice when you purchase tickets) and then they give you some fancy veggie. And finally  the dessert is some kind of cheesecake or a yummy choc cake!  The whole evening takes approx  5 hours.  The whole time you are eating all your courses, there is either a concert and/or comedian show going on on stage.  It is so nice to be able to dress up and do this , just you and your spouse!  And the best part for us…. There is no alcohol!!!!!!!!  We do not drink nor do we go places that serve so our nice eating out places are very limited which is fine but once in awhile it is nice to have a luxeray feeling meal! 

This year, we however, are not going.  We didn’t really know the singer and comedian that was going to be there and some other things ended up coming up when we needed to purchase the tickets so we decided to skip this year which I am a little bummed but it is ok!  We are going out for a Valentines breakfast Saturday in Valpo with some people from our church in the Portage area.   We may hang around for a little afterwards and then that eveing we are coming home and my sis and her family may come up for games and munchies.  Sunday we will be getting up pretty early b/c my husband is going to be preaching at a church we have in MI which is about a 2 hour drive so we will be there on Sunday.  Monday, back to work!  Corbyn is having a party at school however so that should be fun for him!

One thing I am looking forward to is our Anniversary getaway this year!  It isn’t much, we are just going to Ft. Wayne on Friday for the afternoon/eve/night and then the next day we are meeting up with my mom and her bf to go to the Home and Garden show!  Yes I am very excited about it!  Next year will be our 10 year so we are planning something really special!  When we got married we couldn’t afford a big Honeymoon at the time so we just went to a small town around here that has a resort in it that is on a lake.  B/c we got married practically in the winter, no one was there so we ended up basically having it to ourselves!  The rooms are either 1 or 2 bedroom, we had the 2 bedroom.  The second bedroom is in the loft with a big Jacuzzi in it and it also has a living room, fireplace, kitchen, the works!!!!!  We loved it!  Were there for 2 days.  On our 5 year we ended up going back and fell in love with it again!  So I don’t know if we are going to do that for our 10 year as well or not.  We know for sure that we are getting new rings.  Hubby hasn’t been able to wear his since our first year of marriage.  He put a nail thru his finger and they had to cut the ring and bend it in the ER so it was destroyed…. He doesn’t want just some plain cheap one so decided to wait till we could get new sets!  I am so siked.  I am getting a princess cut on silver or white gold which is what I have wanted for years!  His will have diamonds on it, ‘cause that is just him but other than that, he really isn’t sure of the design.  We also talked about taking a trip to Maine or Denver, CO, those are places we both would like to go, so we will see!

Well I think I have bent your ears long enough!  Lol!  Love is in the air!  J

What are your plans?  Do you plan something special for Anniversaries?

God bless!

A good weekend and a Packers win!

Hard to believe it is Monday already!  Seems like it was just Friday.  We had a really good weekend though!  Friday I picked up my daughter then went to Aldies to get a few necessity items then I met my husband at home who and picked up our son and went and got my youngest brother (17) for the weekend.  We headed back into Warsaw for their Fire and Ice show and to eat at a really good Pizzeria!  The ice show was really neat!  It was a bunch of huge ice sculptures randomly placed throughout downtown on the sidewalks.  Some of them were hooked up to propane to where the tops of the sculptures were lit.  It was really neat!  The pizza place was PACKED but it was so good!  After that we came home and just relaxed the rest of the night.  Saturday we slept in, had breakfast and then I took a pair of cute jeans I had gotten at goodwill for Jocelyn and split them and made a cute long jean skirt (we don’t wear pants).  It turned out really cute!  I am thinking I might make some more in the future when I can find jeans on sale or at Goodwill.  I even thought about cutting the legs off the pants and attaching a skirt to the bottom.  Idk, I will just play around and see what I come up with.  It is so hard to find long enough skirts anymore for her.  For the winter that is fine, I just put leggings or tights on her but once warmer weather comes, I want her to have modest length clothes that don’t consist of all dresses (even that is hard to find long enough anymore).

Anyway, Saturday afternoon we had a birthday party to go to for my niece that turned 7 last week.  (hard to believe, I babysat her when she was first born till she was 1.5 and it seems like just yesterday!  I miss the cute little baby crawling after me calling, “Mama”.  No she wasn’t confused, She knew who her mom was, I was just Mama Steph.  Too cute!)  But she has grown into a beautiful, smart , admirable young lady!  I am so proud of her!  Our gift to her was the box set of the full color Laura Ingalls Wilder books!  I think I was just as excited for her to get them as she was when she opened them!  It brought back a lot of memories.  I used to have them growing up and read them several times over.  She has grown to love the TV show that they have now and so thought it would be fitting to get her the books.

After the party we came home and just relaxed.  Hubby did some major rearranging with his fish aquariums.  (We are getting ready to do some major remodeling and moving our bathroom and so there is a lot of rearranging stuff that needs to happen over the next few weeks).  I took the kids upstairs and went thru and cleaned out their dressers and put a bunch of laundry away.  I was trying to keep my daughter preoccupied since she has grown into quite the “daddy’s girl” and it is hard for him to do big stuff like that with her around getting into everything.  The kids played very well!  It is so cute to just sit and watch them sometimes!

Yesterday we ended up have one mid-day service due to the weather that we got Saturday and the weather that they were calling for last night.  So we were able to lay around a little in the morning and then after church, an elderly couple that Andy helped them put up a shed last fall, took us out to eat as a Thank You gift.  So nice and generous of them!  (It is not cheap for a family of four to go out to eat anymore!  So when we are able to, it is a special treat!  That is the way it was growing up!)  Last night we once again came home and were lazy.  I did some dishes from the weekend (sometimes I sure do miss having a dishwasher) and Andy played with his digital pic frame I got him for Christmas, loading it up with pics so he can take it to work.  And then I think I did a first!  I sat down and watched a whole entire football game from beginning to end!!!!!!  It was sweet too!  I was rooting for the Pack and they pulled it off!  Very exciting!  Even my son who I had to send to bed at the end of the 3^rd quarter was happy!  I promised him I would wake him if the Pack won and when I did, he was still sleeping but mumbled “Go Pack Go!”  Too cute! 

Hope everyone has a good week and God Bless!

Snow Days

That is exactly what we have had the last couple of days!  Until this morning, I had not been out of the house since I got home Monday night from my mom’s.  It actually was kinda nice.  Tuesday they closed school, I am assuming in anticipation of the big storm.  No one was available to watch my son (babysitter had dr. appt and back up babysitter had to work.  Tried a couple others but nothing seemed ideal.) so I decided to take the day and stay home.  Almost like that was what I was supposed to do, you know?  Anyway, it turned out to be a really good day!  Since me and my son were up and ready to go before we decided that is what we were going to do, I started my day then and he started his!  Here is what I got accomplished for the day:

Washed dishes and cleaned kitchen (3X)

Started fire in wood stove

Brought wood in (2X)

Swept all the floors

Did several loads of laundry and folded

Spot cleaned the bathroom

Layed down with my daughter for naps

Read a some chapters of the book I am reading

Put a roast and potatoes in the oven

Made a garden salad

Gave Jocelyn a bath (she had ravioli for lunch and it was quite a sight!)

Cleaned my spice cabinet

Then yesterday there was no getting out of our drive for me (didn’t plow our road till about noon!) so I was home again with the kiddos.  Didn’t accomplish as much but here is a list of what I did do:

Started a fire again in the stove

Brought wood in again

Made Choc Chip brownies (sugar free and with whole wheat flour)

Made 2 loaves of wheat bread

Swept kitchen, dining and fire place room

Did a couple loads of laundry

Gave Jocelyn another bath (scalloped potatoes this time)

Took a nap with Jocelyn

Did dished and cleaned kitchen (3X)

Made chicken fajitas for supper

Oh and shoveled the walk to the garage!   What a job!

I have actually enjoyed the last couple of days but it was nice to be able to leave the house today.  I don’t like getting too used to being at home like that when I know it isn’t possible for me to do full time just yet.  Maybe one day!  But I cherish the time I am able to be at home and be the one that cares for my children, build memories and take care of my home, able to put a hot meal on the table at a decent hour.  Very special.

They cancelled school again today so hubby said he would stay home and then go into work for a few hours this evening after I get home.  So, we will see what his accomplishments are for the day!  HaHa!  No really, I am sure the kids will enjoy their time with their dad today.

God Bless and Stay Warm!

Monday's frustrations and blues

I was very leery to write this morning but then was thinking, I created this so I could have a place to write my thoughts and feelings, good or bad, so decided to write some things down.  I am just very hesitant to write negative thoughts and feelings cause I don’t want anyone to get the impression I am not grateful or unappreciative.  Just woke up not feeling the best, nothing in particular just normal blues that I am sure everyone wakes up feeling every once in awhile.  Today just happens to be my day I guess.

First of all, I am so tired of the “Me, Me, Me” attitude.  It seems that anymore people only care for themselves.  They don’t go the extra mile of anyone unless it benefits them somehow.  Constantly asking or taking but never giving or offering.  I am one of those people that constantly get taken advantage of b/c I love to give and do for others (without expecting something in return).  And while I love it and can’t imagine turning my back or not doing when I know someone needs it or it would make their day, it gets tiring when you feel like nothing is appreciated.  Don’t get me wrong, that is not why I do for others, I don’t need the recognition but when you feel like they expect it from you and are upset if you can’t do for some reason, it gets old and tiring. 

Second, I am so tired of feeling like I have to defend myself when it comes to they mother/wife/housekeeper that I am.  I am not saying that people do it on purpose or with the intention of making me feel that way but anymore I feel like I am constantly justifying my actions or my children’s actions.  I hate that!  My children are who they are, no they are not perfect, but who is?  They have their moments, they fight, they are disobedient, they cause scenes, act ungrateful, and the list goes on…  But they are also sweet, loving, cute, and smart and the best kids I could ever ask for!  I love them so much and feel so blessed!  So why do I feel like I have to justify them?  I am not a perfect person either.  I have many flaws.  But I feel like I am the best mom I can possibly be to my children.  I think given the fact that I work full time and lead a busy life outside of work (family/church/etc...) I don’t do too badly.  No I don’t get everything done, not everything is in its place, my kids don’t have everything, I am not able to go to every school function, I can’t just sit and play when we get home, and the list goes on.  I can’t be superwoman!  I feel like I am constantly trying and never measuring up.  It is so tiring and frustrating.  And then the times I do mess up or don’t handle a situation the best, I feel horrible, like I just failed a huge test and have a big red X next to my name.  I am so tired of that feeling.  Never measuring up.  The problem is, I don’t know how to get rid of it.  How do I get to a place where I am happy with what I do for others regardless of their response, that I am happy with the wife/mother/housekeeper that I am and know that my kids are well cared for and know I love them without feeling like I have to justify and defend every move I or they make?

Ugh…. So sorry for my rambles and complaining.  Hopefully it didn’t depress anyone too bad!  I just wanted to get it down on paper and somewhat off my chest.  Tomorrow is a new day and I am sure will feel so much better!  Sometimes life just gets the better of us but no matter what, GOD is still GOD and He is very much still on the Throne!