crossRhoads

Just some randomness from the last few weeks...

2010-04-28T09:42:00.000-07:00

Yes I know, I should be finishing all the fine little details I have left... well I don't really have very many really. But I can't do it! I am suffering from ADD today! As you will soon see by reading this blog of randomness! What's the deal? Every time I think "Oh my! Only T minus 17 days and counting!!!" My stomach does flip-flops! And I loose focus!

I'm sooooo ready to get this show on the road! lol It seems like we've been planning wedding stuff for years! (Well, ok actually for 15 months now, but hey that can seem like forever to a girl!).

So my wedding shower was great! I got to see some wonderful friends I hadn't seen in forever! And my awesome family! And soon to be family (well, they already feel like family).

We got lots and lots of great stuff including this beautiful picture frame! I LOVE it!!! Can't you tell?!?!?

My personal shower was fun as well! I haven't had a night out with girls my own age in ages! It was such a blast! My wonderful Matron on Honor Heather got us a hotel suite and we had a nice time out but in. :)

Yes this is me photo bombing Heather while she finished up her makeup. I just know she will love the fact I chose this picture to post on my blog for the world to see!

And this beauty is my bridesmaid Traycie a.k.a. my ex-sister-in-law. I kept her and got rid of her brother (for those of you who are trying to figure that one out!).

It was kinda like a sleepover but I got the king size bed all to myself! lol

On Friday was the iShine concert with my oldest Emilee! It was her first concert and she and I went all alone. I think she really enjoyed her Mommy & Me time, I know I did! We had second row seats and got to be up front for all the action! It was nice to have some one on one with my first little baby. She turned 11 on the 13th... wow she's getting so big so fast... someday soon it will be her wedding I'm helping plan! It better be at least 15 years from now!!! :)

Ok well that's my last few weeks in a nutshell... I guess I really do need to give in finish up all these little things! Hopefully my ADD will subside and allow me to finish it all with plenty of time to spare!

Our little Angel in Heaven

2010-04-13T05:56:00.000-07:00

8/18/09-4/09/10

http://www.edmondsun.com/obituaries/x1612535097/Trevor-Max-Heidling

The joy this little boy brought to our family will never be forgotten. His smile and laugh still echo in my mind. He was healthy and happy and should still be here with us.

April Showers...

2010-04-07T06:46:00.000-07:00

Well, not really in the literal sense. My whole month is full of showers, baby showers and bridal showers! And one of them is mine!!! (bridal not baby!) I can't believe it's all coming so fast now! I'm so excited!!!

Everything is set and ready! I finished my gifts for my bridesmaids, all my flowers have been arranged. All my alterations are done, we pick out our cake on Friday (YAYAYAYAY!!!) and then were are just left to sit pretty and wait!

I think the hardest part for me has to be the waiting! I've waited my whole life to find this man and marry him. I've never felt love like this before. I know cheesy, but hey, when you have it you know what I'm talking about. I could never imagine my life without him. I can barely remember my life before him.

Yes, the hardest part is waiting, waiting to finally, officially be his wife.

My #1 Justin Bieber Fan

2010-04-06T11:59:00.001-07:00

Yes I know she's the youngest but oh my! She's already ready to change her last name! To Bieber that is! For those of you who aren't familiar with Justin Bieber he is a little tween sensation, and apparently toddler sensation as well!
This video was taken on Easter morning on our way to church. She was really getting into it until she noticed I was taping her. She gets sooooo shy! lol

40 days and 39 nights...

2010-04-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

Until Lovie and I are married! I can't wait!

I know I've been MIA for a while now. Just adjusting to my new "at home" life. I'm SOOOOO happy spring is here and soon summer! We've had so many trips to the zoo and so many more to come :).

We had a wonderful Easter with some of my aunts and cousins and even my brother! I was so excited! The girls had so much fun hunting for eggs and eating all the candy that came with them. I'm sure there is a dentist out there waiting for me to call in the next few weeks.

Well I'm still in the middle of wedding stuff but I wanted to pop in and post a pic of our Easter fun!

Our beauties

Other than Lovie continuing to talk during the picture taking (like always!) This would have to be one of my favs! :)

I'm back... kinda...

2009-12-08T07:01:00.000-08:00

So yes I know its been forever! But sadly my old computer has been laid to rest :( it was DOA after my last post.

Of course now that I have all this time (ha ha) since I've been staying home and so much to blog about! And no way to get it all out! Ugh!!! My hands have just been itching to type, so I'm going to try this with my thumbs.

So here goes a small list of projects I've been up to- painting the girls bedrooms and bathroom, as well as my bathroom! Yay! (Pics will be posted as soon as I'm finished :))

I've also decided I can no longer accept my Lovie's organizational skills in our attic. Boxes and things place where ever how ever. No my OCD is on over drive!

We did get our tree up and our lights on the outside... And against my suggestion Lovie decided to staple them instead of using the handy little clips that I bought for them... So now we DO have lights up, but they don't light up :) he saw that 'I told you so' coming Ha!

We have also had a tiny addition to our little family! Lovie got me a little shihpoo I named Abigail! I just love her!!! She is the sweetest little thing ever. The girls love her too. I never thought I would ever be one of those people who dresses their puppy but here it goes - My name is Terra and I love to dress my lil pookie baby poo in adorable little outfits and take her everywhere with me!
OMG yes before you say or think it I realize that she is my surrogate baby :) and there should probably be meetings for people like me!

Well I'm off to finish painting!

Praise the LORD!!!

2009-10-08T14:39:00.001-07:00

We WON! We were awarded SOLE custody of the girls!!!! I'll update more later!!! Sorry I have to go celebrate with my little ones!!!

My little angels...

2009-10-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

These are all of our little angels... we are praying that today the Judge will keep our family together... all of our angels together.

So please keep us in your thoughts and prayers today... it has been a very trying week but we have faith in Jesus and we are placing it all in His very capable hands.

Isaiah 41:1010-
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

Heaven Bound Hero...

2009-10-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

So, I'm not even sure how to start this blog entry... There are so many words I want to say and they all keep getting jumbled in my mind. So let me just start with the beginning...

My daddy passed away when I was only two, and the man that I have always looked up to in so many ways is and always will is my Grandaddy.

He drove my mother and I home from the hospital after my birth, some 29 years ago... He taught me how to blow into my straw at Happy Burger Drive-in to make it sound like a flute... I used to sit on his lap and watch TV drinking my tea and trying to keep him from spitting in it!... He would tease me relentlessly about my preschool boyfriend who I broke up with because he "fawded" at nap time... He took me fishing for the first time when I was four and had to catch the pole before it went into the pond after a fish had nibbled... He would take me to feed the cows and ride Dick the little Shetland pony my grandparents had... I would drink my little mug of coffee milk with him in the mornings and sit on the porch of the same house I came home to after my birth... I would always beg to ride with him in his yellow Jeep and was never allowed to because it didn't have doors... He was there to watch me at my ballet recitals... I loved going with Mom to take his lunch to him when I stayed the summers... He was there to watch me graduate from Basic Training for the Army, to tell me how proud of me he was... He was there my senior year when I thought I was grown up enough but wasn't... He listened to me gush and sometimes whine about boys and even drove me to dances and dates... He taught me how to drive and even allowed me to drive part of the way to the house in Sea Drift, TX (talk about brave!)... I used to hang out at the funeral home with him and ride in the limos and occasionally a hearse... He was there the day I got married and there for me when the marriage ended... He was there the day my first daughter was born... And he was there for Jordan to ask him and my grandmother for their blessings before he proposed to me... and he was there for everything else important in between.

He is and always will be my best friend, my hero. And I will forever be his shadow.

He has suffered with cancer for the last few years. He has been so strong, a strength that I hope I have inherited. But the time has come for us all to say our good-byes... even though I know it's not a forever good-bye it doesn't hurt any less. I'm selfish, I want him forever...

In a way I'm thankful that I've had this time to spend with him to slowly let him go. The Lord works in mysterious ways. After loosing a parent so young I know about loss. It doesn't make it hurt any less or prepare you any more... But I am finding the inner strength to let him go be with the Lord, and my daddy and all of the other loved ones who have proceeded us...

My heart breaks not only for myself, but for my grandmother. Mom, as all of her grandchildren know her as, has been a rock. She hasn't stood by and watched, she has been in the pits and trenches of all of this with him. She has been a devoted loving wife for over 50 years. She has cared for him with such love and devotion that it breaks my heart to see her have to go through this. I am hurting for my own reasons yet hers are so much deeper.

I watch her with him and know that one day this could be me tending to Jordan. And I am able to feel her pain on a level that could swallow me.

Please keep us in your prayers. While I am selfish I don't want him to suffer. I want him to be at peace and I know he will be waiting for all of us one day with open arms when we can all be together again.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. John 14:1-4

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.1 Corinthians 15:42-44

No more 9 to 5...

2009-09-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

So I did it! I put in my two weeks! I'm so going to miss all of my friends at work, but it will be so much easier (and cheaper) for me to stay at home!

I was a little afraid that my boss was going to bar the doors and never let me leave, but he "said" he understood... lol

So now I have to train my replacement... it's so weird to think I won't be driving here in just a few short weeks...

Well I'm off to my second (non-paying but SOOOO worth it) job! HA!

xoxo

OH fall! How I loooooove thee!

2009-09-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

So I can't really tell you what it is about fall that I love so much! Is it the crisp clean air? Or the color of the trees? Or the really awesome frizz free hair days? Yeah it's probably that last one!

I know a lot of people would love to live on a sunny warm beach year around, but if I could bottle up fall weather and keep it year around it would be like Heaven! I love the warm colors all the wonderful smells! I bought my first fall candle this weekend and have it on my warmer at home! I just love coming through the front door and smelling the pumpkin and spice!

The girls have all but decided exactly what they want to be for Halloween... they keep switching back and forth back and forth at a dizzying pace! I told them yesterday they need to put the for sures on it already so I can get to sewing!

This isn't "our" Halloween this year :( but I still want to do all the fun stuff with them anyway! Plus I'm sure that Torrie and Maryiah's costumes will fall on us anyway since Ex-BM (you can think BOTH meanings on this one...) still hasn't said anything about even taking them Trick-or-Treating...

We also have Lil Miss Joycie's fifth birthday to plan!!!! We are going to have a costume party this year!!! (Anther reason on the rush for the costumes!) We are going to have all kinds of games, like putting your hand in different boxes trying to guess the gross stuff inside! YAY! Best Costume and making Carmel apples to name a few! I'm so stoked for this! I swear I wish we had birthday parties every month!- Oh wait! We kinda do! Ha!

Another fun fall thing is the fair!!! I HEART the fair! I love eating my way (and weight) through the fairways... and then rolling all the way home! I'm hoping that everything works out to where we can take all the girls! Last year it rained on the day we had planned to go and six wet whinny wittle ones is no fun! So I'm hoping this year everything works out! Of course it's gonna cost an arm and a leg just to get us all in there! And I hope everyone is well rested cause we are going to get our moneys worth! :)

Happy Fall to All!

XOXO

Another week another $3?!?!

2009-09-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

So Lovie and I started looking at our finances... which I do all the time since I'm the bill payer in the house, a.k.a The Banker, but we wanted to look at our debit to income ratio and low and behold after daycare, my land payment and gas to get to work I bring home an estimated $3.00 a week... yes, that was not a typo let me spell it out for you THREE DOLLARS A WEEK, which it $12 dollars a month... WOW! So rich! :)
So we've deiced to sell the land (know anyone who might be interested???) and I'm going to stay home! YAY! It just seems so moronic for us to pay a thousand dollars a month for someone else to watch our children! I know that seems cheap for six, but trust me when you have parents who don't pay support like they are court ordered to do, it is NOT an easy feat! Some people seem to forget that you also must FEED your children!
Also another issue we have run into is sick days... When you have one or two children sick days can often take a toll on your income, but let's multiply that by six. Because you know illness is like a domino affect in a home with children. Maybe one will end up with a little tummy bug and by the following week everyone around them is dropping like flies! And by the time I get it my sick days are way long gone!
So we have been praying about the whole situation and we are hoping to be able to make this life change by the end of the year! I haven't been a stay at home in about 7 years so it will be a big change for me! I'm a very social person and will probably end up talking lil Katie Bug's ears off all day long! Or calling all my besties and bugging them every second!
But I am so excited to be able to get ready to go back to school! I'm hoping to be able to have more time to apply for scholarships and grants! By next fall Joycie will be in Kindergarten and Katie will be ready for Pre-K!
So keep us in your prayers!
xoxo

Ramsey is HERE!

2009-09-23T12:22:00.001-07:00

My beautiful, wonderful "little" cousin Megan is a mommy!!! YAY! She has waited patiently for just the right time to plan and have her perfect little baby and here she is!!!

Mommy, baby AND daddy are all doing great!!!

Ramsey Katelyn Hurt

8lbs 6oz

21"

Miss Megan is the one who introduced me to the world of Blogging! So you all have her to thank! :) Here's the link to her blog http://hurthomesweethome.blogspot.com/ (I'm not sure how to do all those cute little hidden links!)

Thank God for all his beautiful miracles he gives us in life!

Dressin up!

2009-09-22T13:38:00.001-07:00

So tonight we have our annual Employee Appreciation Banquet. And I'm super excited to get to dress up! The theme is 50's Homecoming. So we bought these really cute dresses to fit the theme! Mine is black with black polka-dots and I even purchased Bump-it's! It's going to be fantastic!
I can't wait to get all dressed up and put all those 50's beehives to shame!
Sadly my lovie has to stay at home with the girls since it is for employees only :(... but he will get to enjoy my "homecoming" later tonight! LOL
I'm so excited that I can't even begin to stay focused today! I swear I need a job that is full of fun and exciting things everyday! :)
Where oh where is THAT job?!?!?!

For shame....

2009-09-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

OK so sorry it's been a crazy week but I wanted to update you with what happened last week... well I'd actually LOVE to update you with something but there is really nothing to update :(. We go back October 8th and our lawyer will finish his line of questioning with her, which is where it was left off...
So until then no news is good news I guess... right? Well she has still stopped paying child support so that should be a feather in our hat (I hope!)...
And nothing else has changed with her behavior towards the girls either which is sad for them :(
Oh on another note she has been looking a little round in the middle if you know what I mean... guess we'll see if there is any news on that one in a few weeks.....

Praying for a good out come...

2009-09-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

So some of you know the whole sorted story of Jordan and his ex wife... some of you do not. I don't really want to go into much detail so I'll give you a small condensed version, and yes this IS the condensed version...

Ex had an affair (moved a guy in) while Jordan was serving his country in Iraq and became pregnant, all unknown to him (they were still happily married or so HE thought) and assumed when he came home all would be the same...
Well of course it wasn't.

She gave her last baby up... well more like gave it to a couple she knew... no legal adoption or guardianship or anything, in hopes Jordan would change his mind and trust her again (which obviously didn't happen). And no baby's daddy has no idea she even exists, go figure.

Jordan immediately got a house when he returned home and got the girls from Ex. There they had beds and rooms and everything a little girl needs. She on the other hand was at this point sleeping on her mother's couch and the girls were sleeping on the floor... all because she didn't make a house payment for an entire year and the house went back to the bank... oh... yes she is that special...

Jordan filed for divorce and full custody of the girls and things were fine...

Until, after a year and a half, (and only after child support was garnished from her paycheck) she decided she wants custody of the girls! But the kicker is that she only wants "joint custody with primary care"... and why you might ask? Well because she can apply for Section 8 and food stamps and all of the other wonderful things our government set up with the intention of helping people in need... not really for allowing them to just live off of it for the rest of their lives.

So here we are the day before court and still running around gathering more stuff! Wow you would think since this whole fiasco has been on going since February we would have all of our stuff together but it seems like more and more stuff is coming out even now at this late of a date.
Bless his heart Jordan is so nervous! :( I hate to see him so anxious, but then so am I. I truly think that the judge will see everything for what is honestly is. I just can't bare to think of losing our girls! :(

We are all such a perfect fit... and it breaks my heart to think of them having to live in the same situations they were put in three years ago. No child should ever have to live like that. Ever.
So please pray for us! I think we are going to have the out come we've been praying for. We have so many in our community on our side, our pastor, teachers, old neighbors (from their old neighborhood), doctors and police officers (who had to go to the old house and pull out a convicted felon) friends and family and even the girls themselves.

I know we have done everything in our power to make sure that we have everything to prove that the girls are right where they belong. But I still can't help but to worry...

**Of course I did receive a message today that my aunt passed The Bar Exam!!!! So I guess if this becomes an even bigger issue we may just hire TWO lawyers!!! :) Way to go Cindy!!! (:

Lazy days....

2009-08-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

I LOVE days when I have nothing to do! Don't you agree? We have planes later but for the next 6 hours I have nothing on my to do's!
Jordan is on Drill this weekend and only Katie is here this weekend. So I am unusually left with nothing to do! And I just don't know what to do with myself!
I've completed my house work in record time- it IS quicker when you aren't picking up after as many little ones as I normally do! And now I'm left here sittin around twiddling my thumbs!
So I thought I'd blog.... Sorry these are going to be very random mumblings...

The girls are getting geared for school and Torrie and Taylor will start soccer in a few weeks.
Emilee will be in 5th grade! I can hardly believe she is getting so big! All of them are.
For instance Miss Katie! We babysat little Rylee last night (you know I never get tired of babies!) and she was such a big helper! She loved helping feed and make Rylee smile! She was so upset when she woke up this morning and the baby was gone! She said "I want her back!" She is too cute! I think she's going to be an awesome little momma one day-20 years from now!
On the subject of school I'm going back! I think I've finally figured out what I want to do! My passion has always been art and children- so why not teach art? Its a combination of two of the things I love most!
I've been getting all of my stuff together-like I don't already have a lot on my plate! But I am fortunate in that I come from a long line of student/mommies! My grandmother entered and completed college while raising 5 small children to earn a teaching degree as did my Aunt Gina with her 4 children (she was pregnant and then taking care of a newborn)! Then there is my Aunt Cindy, mother of 5, whose youngest is 10, and she's a grandmother of 4, who just completed Law school!!! My Aunt Cathy went back to school and graduated while her children were in high school with a degree in business!
So you see a have many awe inspiring mothers around me who I know will support me and sympathize with me at the same time!
And I'm sure I will need a LOT of both!!! HA!
I'm excited! :)

My girlfriends back!.... well ALMOST!

2009-07-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

Yeah!!! My bestie is coming home!!!

First let me give you a little history on my bestie: her name is Mandy or Mandilynn as I have always called her! She is the beautiful mother of two awesome kids, William and Sadie. She's been married to her high school sweet heart 10 years now (OMG we are gettin OLD!). And she has been my best friend for longer! :)

We met the summer before our senior year after I moved in with my grandparents in the very small town of Depew, OK... google it- it's tiny!

So anyway, taking a step back in time! I had just finished boot camp and moved to this little speck of a town in Oklahoma. I knew no one! It wasn't a new thing for me, I've actually moved around a lot during my life, I went to seven different schools from K-12, so I was used to being the newbie. But this was by far the smallest town I had lived in... there isn't even a stop light!

So I started going to church with my aunt and started meeting kids I would go to school with. Sadly (please don't kill me!) I don't remember where I met Mandy for the first time, it could have been through my grandparents who knew her grandma, or through friends I met at church... whichever we became fast friends! :) We hung out for the rest of the summer, going to the beginning of school bonfire and shaving cream fight (that stuff is NOT meant to be put in your mouth! HA) and all kinds of other "cool" teen things! lol

We were total BFF! I LOVED going to Mandy's and hanging out, or going to the movies! She was my date to every school dance we had, except prom... and maybe she should have been then too! lol We were always the first to get on the dance floor! She was the first person I would call when I was upset. We cried about boys stupidity and laughed at them too. We loved going to the "city" aka Tulsa and shopping at the mall!

Her mom gave me one of the most horrific highlight jobs of my entire life, and I still love her too! So I think you get the picture!

We were (and still are!) Soul Sisters!!!

Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure! :)

Ok so this is a really old pic and it's the best I could find! I have to work with what I have!

This is our graduating class... I'm serious! I'm fourth from the left and Mandy is fourth from the right...

OK so that's some back history without going into anything that would incriminate either one of us! So we've been friends FOREVER! it seems! :)

So Mandy married Steve, who has been in the military since he graduated from high school the year before us. And they have moved all over the place in the last ten years. Washington State, Florida, and now Hawaii (the last being my favorite!). I got to visit her June '07 and spend a week in the sunshine and on the beautiful beaches of Hawaii. It was Heaven!

This is us 9 years later after a day at the beach!

And here we are hanging with the sailors!!! :)

But now they've gotten their new orders and she's coming home!!! Well Tinker anyway! But I'll take a two hour drive over 12 hours of travel time any day! Even if the end result was Hawaii! We can see each other all the time now! I soooo can't wait!

Yes they are giving up the warm winters and beaches of Hawaii to come back to the Great State of Oklahoma!!! Thank goodness!!!

We are both feeling sorry for Jordan and Steve who are going to have a lot of alone time for the next few months while we catch up! But we know they love us and they will learn to deal with it! :) Right honey??? LOL

40 Questions I just know you were all dying to know the answers to!

2009-07-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hi my name is Terra and I'm a survey addict! lol jk... ok sadly not...

OK so I took this from my wonderful cousin Megan! It's a cloudy rainy day and I would rather be in bed... but that's not gonna happen so I guess I'll complete this for all of your enjoyment! (Plus the fact that I am a survey Queen!!!!! I HEART THEM! I really do!!!)

Here we go!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 4:30 am... a girls gotta run!
2. How do you like your steak? very medium rare
3. What was the last movie you saw? G-Force with Jordan, Joyce and Katie, it was cute!
4. What is your favorite TV show? I have a list of about 20 that I DVR!!!
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Right here!
6. What did you have for breakfast? Peanut butter toast & a smoothie yum!
7. What is your favorite cuisine? All of it! Have you folks seen me??? lol jk
8. What foods do you dislike? read above... it will give you a clue!
9. Favorite Place to Eat? please refer to 7 &8....
10. Favorite dressing? Asian Toasted Sesame!!! YUM!!!!
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? Ford Expedition (or the baby bus as I sometimes call it!)
12. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Any beach anywhere! (ditto Megan!)
13. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Over flowing!!!!
14. Where would you want to retire? Again...any beach anywhere! (again ... I have to ditto Megan!)
15. Favorite time of day? Early morning when the house is quiet!
16. Where were you born? Tulsa Regional (where my mother and my first daughter were also born!)
17. What is your favorite sport to watch? UFC!
18. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning! I have a hard time making it to 9:00 pm! lol
19. Do you have any pets? uh just a few.... we have Maximus our "son", who is a german sheppard/lab mix, two guinea pigs Chubb-Chubb and Calico, two cats, Callie & Lillie, Mojo the fish, and two hermit crabs Biggs and Littles.
20. What did you want to be when you were little? a mommy! (Bet that's a shocker!)
21. Are you a cat or dog person? Either I guess!
22. Are you married? not yet but very very soon!!! (number 2 & LAST for both of us!)
23. Been in a car accident? Yes a few!
24. Any pet peeves? people who leave cabinet doors open when they have gotten what they need... those who will walk past something on the floor twenty times and never have the thought to pick it up... ok so just pure laziness!!! On a side note Jordan does not do any of these! :)
25. Favorite Pizza Toppings? canadian bacon!
26. Favorite Flower? Gerber Daises!!!
27. Favorite ice cream? Chocolate almond
28. Favorite fast food restaurant? N/A- are you surprised??? HA!
29. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Zero times!
30. From whom did you get your last email? from Jordan!
31. Do anything spontaneous lately? I have to many kids to be spontaneous!!!!
32. Like your job? Well I won't lie, I'd rather win the lottery and quit! HA!
33. Broccoli? Love it!
34. What was your favorite vacation? Two years ago when I went to Hawaii to visit my bestie Mandy all by myself!!! YAY!!! (of course that was before Jordan because I would have LOVED for him to go too!!!!)
35. Last person you went out to dinner with? Jordan, Joyce and Katie! (Joycie wanted Chinese food and only ate the grapes and watermelon! kids!)
36. What are you listening to right now? my fingers typing on he keyboard
37. What is your favorite color? I don't have just one!
38. How many tattoos do you have? Zero.
39. What time did you finish this quiz? 11:30
40. Coffee Drinker? Not often

So there you go! I know you were all just hanging on to each answer! :)
Have a happy Wednesday!!!

Super Mom!

2009-07-24T07:21:00.001-07:00

Well I'm going to do it! I'm tired of always talking about it and starting and stopping with excuses! I have always been a fit person and I'm proud when people look at me and can't believe I've given birth as many times as I have and am only 2 sizes bigger than high school! Not to say everything is still in the same place... ha ha.

And not to say that my weight hasn't fluctuate a lot in the last ten years... don't worry there will be no photo's to confirm this! But I'm ready to get back the body I had before babies! And since... sigh... there will be no more little ones now it the perfect time!

So.... drum roll please.... I'm going to do the Tulsa Run!!! It's a 5K and you know 10 years ago I could do this in my sleep... and honestly I did during basic training for the most part! lol I'm no stranger to physical training and mental readiness for sure- raising children is no minor feat in itself! I've done 12K's in my past and I know I can do this too!!! Even though it's been years! I'm ready! Well... getting ready!!!

I'm doing this not only for myself but because I want the girls to see that no matter what you can do anything! Because GIRLS ROCK!!!

You know I've never been the type to let someone tell me I can't do something... that usually just makes me more determined! (Just ask my grandparents!) Like the time I put the girls play set together all by myself while my friends and family all stood idly around waiting for me to break down and cry uncle. But did I??? NO WAY! Because I think it's important for us to show our children that no matter what we can rely on ourselves for more than we can from anyone else! And plus it was way cool for them to tell all of their friends their mom totally put it together by herself while their dad stood around watching! HA! It took me 3 weeks working until dark after work sometimes in the snow (I'm serious!) but I did it! It was no small play set, one hundred steps and about a thousand pieces- literally!

And I'm just as determined now to do this! So here I go! Resetting my alarm for 3:30 am instead of 5:30 am... but it's going to be worth it! That's what I'm telling myself!

So am I a glutton for punishment? Probably! But that's ok! I'm looking at this opportunity to get in great shape for my wedding! I want to look better than I did for my first one (which couldn't be to hard considering I already had a bun in the oven! LMAO) So keep me in your prayers!

My motivational mental picture of my goal is all of my little angels at the finish line watching and waiting cheering me on!

Babies Babies EVERYWHERE!

2009-07-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

OK... so yes I realize that we already have six children... it doesn't take a mathematician to give me this total. But I have had baby fever like mad for the last few weeks! It seems that everyone around me is pregnant or has had a new bundle of joy in the last few months! And I'm getting to the age where my biological clock is ticking... and unfortunately the alarm will be set on silent. But it's still ticking none the less... I realize I sound crazy! I mean I already have more than enough children, right?

But does that make it lessen? No! All of my babies are growing up!

No I am not wanting to compete with the Dugger family by any means but I just absolutely LOVE babies!!! And all of the little clothes and accessories! Awwwwe! I just can't help myself!
;-P

I swear babies are invading my life! I dream about them every night! I can't help but to want to hold them when I'm around them! And I've become obsessed with television shows about pregnancy! "I Didn't Even Know I Was Pregnant", "16 and Pregnant", "A Baby Story" and "Twins by Surprise" are all shows I record religiously on my DVR!

Yes I realize I need help! lol And my poor Jordan never says anything about my babymania. I think he realizes it's hopeless!

This precious little beauty is my friend Andrea's little one! Isn't she just too cute!?! My girls and I love to hover over her and fight over who's turn it is to hold her! Oh we just LOVE her! :)

And here she is visiting her Padg's (Grandpa) work! I think she should turn in a resume! Who would turn her down?

With little cuties like this around who wouldn't want to have another one???? Right? lol

Well we obviously won't be adding to our family anymore :( But thank goodness I have babies all over the place to try and appease my longing!

And if that doesn't sooth it then I'm getting a puppy!

HA!

Our girls are back!

2009-07-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

Yeah! The last few weeks have been really upside down and backwards for us. We have had weeks with two girls, or four and then a week with none! I am sooooo happy to have all my little duckies home where they belong! Yes mornings have been a lot easier! I can't lie, but still!

I didn't realize how quite the house gets when it's just Jordan and me! To come home to one (very small) load of laundry and cooking for only two every night is so strange! No fights to break up or booboo's to kiss... I guess I just never really thought about how much our lives really do revolve around the lives of our children.

I know I asked at least 3 times a night..."I wonder what the girls are doing?" or "I wonder if they've eaten dinner yet?" "Let's call them just to say hi!". LOL I'm sure I'm going to have a house full of puppies or other small animals to occupy my time when they start leaving the nest! HA

I just know I drove Jordan crazy! He's probably happy to have the girls home just so I'll stop driving him crazy with questions about them! :)

We met Jordan's parents (who had the girls for the last week) at the park by their house, in Arkansas, where the fireworks display was. As soon as the girls saw us they came running and scramming! I started crying because I was so happy to see them! I got enough hugs and kisses to make up for all the ones I had missed over the week. I'm sure all of the girls were counted by all of our fellow park goers. And I'm sure it was over whelming to most! They probably thought we were the Duggar family! lol

So we are home! All silly, wacky, eight of us!!! And I wouldn't want it any other way!

Because she said so....

2009-07-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

Remember be careful what you ask for... lol

So I realize that I have been a very bad blogger... shame on me! And have been so incredibly tied up at work and home (even though the girls have been gone all week) and neglected my blog! I know how much of a let down this can be for those who want to read all the latest! :) (I only say this because while my beautiful cousin Megan was on vacation I longingly looked everyday for a new post to no avail... until her recent return!)

So because my wonderful Mom told me on Wednesday that I wasn't being a responsible blogger (not really the words she used but very close!) I decided that I should post!!!! And I know that she will be reading this an chuckling to herself, so this one is for you Mom! :) XOXO.....

There really has been quite a lot going on that I could blog about all day long... let's see...

Last Thursday, Emilee and Taylor both spent the day at work with me, well part of the day. And they were so excited! You know how kids are they think going to work is the greatest thing in the entire world... well give them 10 years and I'm sure they will be whistling a different tune! HA Anyways! I'm off track... lets see... where was I.... Oh right, girls at work! lol

We had a really great morning, they felt very grown up getting to spend the day at work... in the break room watching movies. When it came time for lunch one of my great friends/co-worker Andrea grabbed the girls something from McNasty's (note: McDonald's) and they were able to get the eating out of the way so that we could do some shopping on my lunch hour!!! (WE LOVE SHOPPING!) We decided to visit this used bookstore that is close to my work since the girls love to read (and so do I).

So below is a picture of the girls on our lunch hour adventure!

Yes... that is the Incredible Hulk... And why is he in a used book store you might ask? Well for the amazing price of only $250.00 this life size replica could be yours! (Seriously) And we saw a photo op that just couldn't be missed! I truly love the look of terror on Taylor's face... I think she was making sure no one was really around to see her act like a fool... And Emilee is completely into it! LOL

Later that day I received a phone call from Emilee's fourth grade teacher saying that my wonderful, beautiful, smart and witty ten year old first born daughter is going to be published!!! I was so happy she was there so her teacher could tell her first hand! She was so excited!!! We can't wait to get our copies of the book so that we can see it for real in print!

Emilee's class had entered a creative writing event and their work was submitted to the Anthology of Poetry, Inc for review. Emilee's poem was chosen and will be in the 2009 edition of the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans!!! I know you can't wait to run out and get a copy of your very own!

So as you can see it was a busy wonderful Thursday! :)

For the weekend we were kid free! That doesn't happen very often for us... at ALL!!! So we acted like kids ourselves and went to a 10:30 PM showing of Transformers at the IMAX! OK, just so you all know I am not a night person at ALL! And usually if we watch a movie that lasts past 9:30 PM there is a really good chance I'm going to fall asleep no matter HOW good the movie is! But away we went! I went home after work and picked Jordan up, who had to shower and get ready. We went to dinner and SHOPPING! since we had a few hours to kill! And my dear sweet lovie did the respectable thing and held my purse and bags for me at all the right times and even went into the jewelry store and shoe store where I proceeded to shop my bad week away! :) (On a side note: the jewelry store is the $1 Jewelry Store and the shoe store is Shoe Carnival!) But to me it could have been Moody's and Nine West! HA I just wanted to get out and do something grown up! I love all of my children but sometimes I just never get any Terra time...

So Friday night was awesome! We got home at 1:30 AM... I don't even get up at 1:30 AM to use the bathroom! I covet sleep! But we did, and I passed out pretty much as soon as we walked through the doors. Poor Jordan had to work Saturday so he only ended up with around four hours of sleep! Now I remember why responsible grown ups don't do this sort of thing! (I'm sure he is remembering too!).

So Saturday I stayed home and cleaned... not fun... and when Jordan got home and showered we went to the movies again!... FUN! We saw The Proposal and LOVED it!!! I just love romantic quirky comedies! After the movies we decided to go bowling!!! I haven't been bowling in FOREVER! But sadly I was wearing sandals and no socks (of course!) SO we decided to go to Wal-Mart and pick up a pack of socks... only Jordan and I being the goof balls we are decided to have a race walking contest. He is always making fun of me for walking so fast and I'm always teasing him for being so slow!

And so we were off! I was in the lead cutting between the ladies department fully camouflaged and Jordan was out in the open when he saw me reaching the sock department he broke out in a full fledged run! I started giggling as this rather large older woman sitting in the dressing room area started getting on to him like she was scolding a child!!! Well that really set me to laughing and stopped him dead in his tracks and I the triumphant speed walker took first place and won!

We had a great time bowling. I won two out of the three games we played! I'm rather competitive if you can't tell... I'm sure it isn't obvious at all. And were home by 10:30 PM... much more my speed! :)

It's her party and she'll cry if she wants too!

2009-06-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

Well not actually... Miss Katie did have a moment before we left for her party, but once we arrived and she set her eyes on the pool all was forgotten! We had so much fun with the family! Aunt Rananda and Uncle Cameron made it as well as Uncle Chris and Aunt Melinda (with little Trevor!). Aunt Sydney of course, and Lauren were there with several other family members who wanted to gather for our Birthday/Daddy day celebration!

And I would say that after the 25 hamburgers, 12 bratwurst and 20 hot dogs and 3 pitchers of pink lemon aid- the food was a big success too! Yay to Chef Jordan! I was definitely kissing the cook!!! That is HOT work! lol

Here he is with his Daddy's day gift from the girls! He is a true kid at heart!

And he is such a keeper! :)

Katie loved all of her gifts and surprisingly it wasn't her swimming baby or Dora trike that was her most prized gift, but a pack of watermelon gum that I put in her gift bag... if you look closely you can actually see the package in the basket of her bike!

Kids... go figure!

Growing pains...

2009-06-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

Oh yes the Oklahoma summer time is upon us! And that can mean only one thing! It's Katie Bug's birthday! She is going to be three! I can hardly believe it! It seems like just a few weeks ago that I was bringing her home from the hospital! Wow... time so flies!

Last week I was thinking about how old all of the girls are getting and how my baby isn't really a baby anymore! How she is more self sufficient and wants to do practically everything on her own and never asks for help even when she really should. And how wonderful it is to be able to tell her something and she understands! And then... she had a complete emotional breakdown on the way to Wal-Mart. And it only confirmed my thought, plus forgotten memory (probably for sanity reasons) on how much harder the third year is than any other year I've ever encountered! You always hear everyone talk about the terrible twos and oh how hard and difficult they can be. Well let me tell you about the terrible threes!

(Those of you who have no children or if you do and they have not made this major milestone we call being three please be forewarned!)

I think I would rather deal with a defiant 16 year old than a ranting toddler. At least at this age you know when you tell them something they truly understand the consequences of all of their actions! lol Plus the likelihood that a teenager will drop to the floor in a public place with rag doll syndrome screaming bloody murder is beyond very slim! Let's face it, to a teenager embarrassment is the plague!

I think the reason no one likes to talk about how close to a demonic possession it seems to be is because before you have children, no one wants to shatter your image of this perfect little carbon copy with your beautiful mouth and eyes and nose (awe!) that will one day screech and scream throwing arms and legs all over the place with snot running down their little tear streaked faces and there is nothing you can do!

So yes Miss Katie Bug has entered into this joyous year of THREE! And fortunately for parents around the world (including me!) it is only a twelve month process! And thankfully it is only an occasional melt down! :) And this brings the answer to why parents will have second third and so on siblings for this precious little one! (I mean those who don't conceive before their first child reaches year three). Because it is all totally worth it! When they wrap their little arms around your neck and say "I love you the mostest!" it is all worth it! Every single embarrassing trip to the store!

So for her precious third birthday we are having a Dora party, which I'm starting to think is the standard for all three year old little girls right now! And My Aunt Sydney is gracious enough to allow us to use her home for the party and most importantly her POOL!

The girls are very ready for this cool down party! Well I may be more than them, considering I don't have weekly field trips to the rec center pool! HA HA

So tonight I have to make the cupcake-cake! And of course it will be adorned with Dora, who else? Then there is the mad midnight wrapping of gifts! (Which reminds me I need to buy tape on the way home... seems our last roll was used in a recreation of making a mummy... well a sticky mummy).

I can't wait to see my little Katie Bug's face when we wheel out her Dora Big Wheel! She may give up swimming all together! But then again, probably not! The Big Wheel will may make a swim itself :).

On a side note, in a few weeks we will be taking all of the girls on a camp out to Sulphur Springs! Yay! I can't wait! I'm so ready to hit the road and have no where to be or anything to do for a whole 10 days! Double YAYAY!

Of course I'm sure that our excursion will have tons of hilarious moments that I will have to share! LOL

Life with children is never dull, that's for sure!

Oh the joys of motherhood!

2009-05-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

Being the mother of six beautiful little girls has its challenges let me tell you! Let me start by giving you a little info on each of the girls...

Emilee Ann- she is our little momma. She loves each of her little sisters with everything she has! And while we have to reminder her that she herself is still just a kid- she is still always the life of the party! She has one of the most hilarious senses of humor I have ever seen in a child! And yes she is my first born and she is in so many ways just like me that I know it will only cause us tiffs in only a short few years... Oh how I pray it won't! lol Emilee is a natural on the softball field. She has played since first grade and would play in the snow if there was a winter season! She is a tomboy at heart, never wears dresses and doesn't fuss about her hair except in wanting a pony EVERYDAY! lol She is turning into a wonderful young lady, that like all of us is learning from life experience.

Taylor Morgan- she is the judge! She will tell you the rules and look at you expectantly wondering when you lost your mind and forgot them! The looks she gives her sisters crack me up beyond her words! She is a witty eighty year old woman trapped in the body of an eight year old child! I truly believe she must have been a school marm in several of her past lives! If ever anyone is doing wrong you can trust that Taylor will set them right! She is a pleaser and loves to be a helper. She is a natural on the soccer field (not softball like her big sis). And loves playing outside in all weather! She is kind hearted and with a stern look she will burst into tears :( Oh she can break my heart!

Torrie Jordan- she is Toto-riffic! She always has a smile on her face! She is such a happy little girl! She can find fun in anything! She like Taylor is a pleaser and loves to help in the kitchen. She is my little chef in the making! Her favorite thing to help me with is homemade donuts! She is so smart and loving! She is also one of my cuddlers! Torrie is her daddy's little clone (good thing her middle name is after him!). Looking at pictures of Jordan when he was little you know exactly what she will look like when she is older-only hopefully more feminine! jk She is a girlie girl, she loves skirts and dresses no matter the weather and LOVES shoes!

Maryiah Lynn- she is the type of kid that nothing ever gets to her! She lets it all just roll off her back and goes on with it! When things are "boring" as some of the other girls will say, you will find her happily playing on her own finding her own "little world". She is such an innocent. She has one of those faces that can melt your heart in a minute! And it's always so hard to scold her! She is such a joy to be around and her laugh is one of the cutest I've ever heard! She is also a cuddler and if you are sitting she wants to sit on you! She is goofy and we love her for her quirkiness!

Joyce Robin- she is the most intelligent four year old I have ever met in my entire life! She excels in everything she puts her mind too! She is sometimes to smart for her own good!!! She also has a complete will of her own, and since her birth I have learned that if I make her think we are doing things "her way", she will do them! I know it is horrible to think you have to out wit a child but with her you do! Joycie has been a challenge in that she has this stubbornness about her that I don't understand. I have always been an easy going person, non confrontational so I know she didn't inherit this trait from me! This child stands up for herself and is afraid to fight no one! And I mean NO ONE! lol And all of her sisters are very aware of this!

Katie Don- is and always will be the baby! She is not a morning person at all and on several occasions I'm tempted to just dress her the night before so I can just pick her up and put her in the car ready to go! haha She is the funnest little thing I've ever seen! Her little personality. She will play with Jordan with him being the "baby" and no one is allowed to touch him! She is talking more and more everyday and the things she says are just hilarious! She is a cutie and she knows it! She will tell you so! And when asked her name it is "Taytee Bug" as she says... too cute!!!! I just love this little gal to pieces!

So as you can see they are all so different! It's hard to believe they are living in the same house! But let me tell you an afternoon with them will have you cracking up! They all enjoy playing games and watching movies! They love to have "girls night in", where we kick Jordan out of the house and stay up watching movies making cookies and doing makeovers! And let me tell you I've never explored styles with makeup in so many ways before! Like Katie's love of using lipstick as eyeshadow... or Torrie's love of extra extra blush! :) Oh yes I look quite beautiful after one of our girl's nights... I'm sure Jordan just can't wait to come home and see just how things turn out!

They are all great, wonderful, beautiful, loving and kind little girls, who I know one day will grow up and be great, wonderful, beautiful, loving and kind mommies too!