Renaissance 2008!

Note: You can click on picture to see larger view.

Here are some pictures from our yearly visit to the Renaissance. The boys of course had their Knight costumes on and this year they picked out the axes for their new weapon of choice. It was truly a beautiful day for us and it would have been even better if I didn't have the flu! I was having bad fevers while we were there but I tried really really hard to keep a good attitude and not complain. Because it was so windy though, it made the flu much worse so the next morning I had to go to the hospital. Other than that, I wish circumstances had been better because there was just so many fun things to do! :) Ivy didn't care to see the joust though so that's the picture you see of her by herself below. I was following her around while the boys were watching the event. We really love visiting each year and playing in the events. Next year will be much better though, I'm sure, and everyone will be healthy! :D

Happy Easter!

Note: You can click on pictures for a larger version to see them better.

I hope you all had an awesome Easter! Charles and I were a little caught off guard because I miscalculated and thought Easter was the next weekend! So we ran off literally the night before and tried to find some Easter stuff. I think because we had been sick for two weeks with the flu, we were kind of out of it with all the dates and stuff. Ha ha! Anyway, so we rushed off and of course couldn't find any good Easter baskets at 10pm at night. Soooo, we decided to make them. This time though, we wanted to be practical. We thought, "what do they really need, but would also love"? Right then we walked past a bunch of kid's beach towels. We got them each their favorite characters. Had to run to different store to find chocolate bunnies and candy, and we were set. They LOVED it! They absolutely love to swim at The Lakes in the heated pool where my mom lives, so they are excited to use them. Since they are starting swimming lessons soon, it's perfect timing. Good for us too, that they loved it, because there were no more good Easter baskets at the stores! Ha!

(Pictures of kids in the morning before church with their Easter baskets, and later at Charles' aunt's house. Pic is of him and his grandma).

Influenza Type B

I disappeared on my blogging because I got so incredibly sick that night after Amazing Jakes. I felt it in my chest that night and it just went downhill from there. In and out of the hospital I found out I had caught the Influenza Type B bug. It was horrible! My husband had gotten us tickets to the Renaissance on a Saturday and I went because I thought maybe I just had real bad cold at first. I had already suffered constant fevers for two days nonstop and it was really foolish for me to go! I didn't want to let anyone down so I went. There, I could hardly breathe and it just got worse and worse. I had to keep sitting down because fevers were making me so shaky. My husband eventually had to put me in a tepid bath late at night to cool me down. I asked him if he would read his bible to me while I lay there so he did. Eventually, while reading about Jesus, he got real bad hiccups. Everytime he said "Jesus", he did a hiccup and would make him sound like he's yelling His name real high pitched! It was so funny. He was tired and grumpy though so he didn't have much patience for my giggling. Finally, he said, "if you laugh one time, I'm out of here." So, sitting in the tepid water (cold to me), I lay shivering trying my hardest not to even smile. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and let out giggle. Charles took off. After he left, I just let all my laughter loose until I was wheezing. I really lost that battle. Eventually, the pain in my chest was so bad I had to go back into the ER. Finally they gave me Vicadin and an inhaler. By the time I drove home, I was crying because I just wanted to be home in my bed and I was gone at the hospital so long waiting for help. I begged Charles to get me my medicine and mercifully, I fell into a deep sleep. I woke up with all my pain gone for the first time in 5 days. I just smiled and fell back deeper into my pillow. It was such a relief. For several days I just slept and slept while, thankfully, my husband cared for me. Thank God he was there for me. Constantly trying to cool me down because fevers came and went for so many days. Finally, on the 8th day, I had no more fevers. Then Charles fell ill and had to sleep right along with me. It was hard! My mom, on the worst days, had my younger two so my older boys were able to care for themselves. Thank goodness! As soon as I could, with my kids now suffering fevers, I went to church. I was so weak I could hardly push the gas petal. I made it though and sat down hard into my seat at church. It took all my energy to get there, but it was good to be in God's house. I've been having to sleep a lot at night and take naps in the day but hopefully my energy needed will come back soon.

The few times I laid awake in my bed while sick, I reflected on my daily tasks I was used to doing. I thought, "How in the world will I ever get back to that? How in the world did I have all that energy to do all that?" I started to get depressed just thinking about. Yesterday, I was feeling so much better but I couldn't do more than just sitting on the couch with a blanket. I longed to see the sunshine and the hills. This morning I cried to God for His strength. I asked Him to help me in such a weak time of my life. I sang songs, read His Word, prayed to Him. I knew now how much I really really needed Him. I know I can't do it without God. I realize how weak I am and how much Greater is He. I tend to rely on my own strengths, my own ingenuity, but God is the giver of Joy, of real peace. Nothing in this world is as fulfilling or as satisfying as serving Him. I hope soon to be back to my normal pace because I am falling really behind in their homeschooling. The doctor said the Influenza Type B is a Respiratory Virus so it really sets you back for awhile and makes you tired a lot...but eventually it'll pass. I hope so! I hope to be back to my high energy days. For now, I'll sit back, relax, and sip some hot tea and watch the sunset. :o)

Amazing Jakes!

I've been wanting to take the boys for awhile to Amazing Jakes so we chose last night, on Family Night, to go. These are some pics from being there. I would of loved to have played also but I was keeping little baby Ashley with me! LOL! What an absolute great place to have a party. There is just so much stuff, it's crazy. The pics show Ivy who loved the train. I asked her if she wanted to ride the teacups with me but she said, "mommy, I too scared!" So she kept going back and forth from the horses to the train. Was so cute. Chaz and Ryan mostly cared about the Lazer Tag and Race Cars. Kyle is in love with Thomas the Tank Engine so he of course constantly rode the train with Ivy. (He even has Thomas underwear, hee hee). Anyhow, for as much as it costs just to go there, I stayed as long as I could!

Battle For Minds In California

"Christian radio station 90.9 reported this morning that a California district court ruled on February 28th that children cannot be homeschooled unless the parent has teaching credentials. They reported that there are 166,000 homeschooled students in California."

I heard about it today on the radio. It is so wicked that they would do this to our children. In California, I know that there were parents who were pulling their kids out of school since homosexuality was being put into all the textbooks. It even more sad now that the government is fighting back by banning homeschool all together. Tom Horne, in our state, said that there is no such proposal here to ban homeschooling. Nevertheless, don't be fooled, it could come soon. They tried to do it in 1991 but thankfully it was shot down. I pray that this won't come into Arizona. Or at least any time soon. Some times when things get passed in a state, other states will follow suit. Whether we decide to have our children in a public, private, charter, or schooled at home, it should be our choice as parents. Regardless of what they say, it is our right.

Zoo Again!

My friend and I have a membership at the Phoenix zoo so we like to visit as often as we can. We never get sick of it.

I know there are no pictures of animals but you already know what an elephant looks like! Haha! Ruby (the elephant) pad is under construction. I did get to pet a stingray and I have to admit... it was absolutely disgusting and I'll never do it again. I know, I know, it must be a girl thing. But I was seriously grossed it. Yuck. Okay, now that the experience is behind me, I won't be visiting that section again.

And more painting...

So I have been painting more and bought some more curtains at IKEA to match the other ones in my dining room. There is cute little Ivy playing on her brother's laptop. You can't have a pic without at least one kid in it! LOL. I will show more pics when bathroom is done. :0)

Pains of Painting

Okay, so I've bought like 7 gallons of paint to paint inside my house. Of course I didn't think about how the color tends to come out darker than the swatch says. Sooo, this is what it looks like. It turned out okay though. It's called "Old Gold 5". The other two walls I'm going to paint "Pale Gold 2" so that the whole room isn't dark. Plus I will follow that color into kitchen and hallway. Except for the one red wall I will have in kitchen. Phew, this is a big job. Lets hope I do it right. I'm glad I have a great sis who can send me suggestions. She's really good at this stuff. She lives all the way in South Africa so It's not like I can just have her over and take over for me! (I wish). I have to just try my best because decorating is hard for me. This pic is taken at night so room is kind of dark.

Good Times!

(Picture is of my little girl who just passed out on couch)

Hey guys!!! I've had a nice break from blogging and surfing the internet. I really felt like I needed a time to focus on God and not so much on the others things that were crowding in on my life. My kids and I have really tried to change our layout of the day starting with bible study in the morning before Homeschooling time. We have really loved it. Also, in the meantime, I bought an acoustic guitar and have been learning some songs and such! It has been really fun! I really wanted to be able to play guitar while my kids sang in bible study. It's been really neat seeing my boys get closer to God and asking more questions. It has been a great time! Now we are heading closer to Spring cleaning time so I am gearing up for that soon. We really need to declutter (once again). I have no idea how we get so many things. It's truly amazing. It just multiplies so quickly! LOL! So, I'll be happy once we get through with that. Right now I am looking outside and I can see that my boys have put blue tape all our great dane. It's completely wrapped around him and up his tail. You know, tape for paint prepping? Hmmm... interesting.

Doing Great!

I am sending this from my email.  Since we have mostly cut off the internet, we have been doing great around here!  You would not believe the change in our kids especially!  I am just so proud of them.  Not to mention how much it has helped me.  I felt like I was just spending too much time on the internet, and although I don't have a TV, it was quickly becoming one for me for entertainment.  Since then, the kids and I have had Bible Study every morning, then homeschooling, and working out at the YMCA.  My kids don't talk about games all the time anymore and they have been playing together more.  They got all their games off the internet because we don't have regular video games for them.  I think they just get too addicted!  I also breezed through this incredible book called, "How To Be a Hero To Your Kids" by Josh McDowel.  It was amazing and helped me so much!  Sooo, I am extremely impressed with the change in things around here.  I feel like as a family, we have all gotten closer together and closer to God.  :)

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Internet Break

My husband and I decided that for awhile, we are going to cut off our internet. The reason being is that we would like to focus our attention and time to other things right now. Our kids especially just spend way too much time playing on it. My husband said he would love if we just cut off anything thats a distraction for a little bit so we can focus on God and each other for awhile. Although its kind of tough, I agree with him! So I will only update my blog from a library or someone's house. After awhile I can do it from home. This is something that I need to support my husband in so I will gladly do it. I guess I'll be trying to visit the library more often! LOL! So, it's a good thing. Love-Virginia

Flagstaff Vacation!

Click here to view photos!

We tried to head out Friday night to Flagstaff but wasn't able to so we took off Saturday and spent the night till Sunday morning. On the way up, we were all so excited, the kids don't mind the long drive, they were excited to finally see snow other than in a story book! We realized partly up that we hadn't bought a snowboard so we went into Costco and got such a cool one. Unfortunately we couldn't find snow boots anywhere because places were sold out! Once we got into Flagstaff we knew right away we needed to find a hotel. We were lucky to get one because most places were booked. The one we finally got had just one bed but we were just happy to have a warm place to sleep! The kids were all so hyper and excited that I tried to put on some cartoons to get them laying down and relaxing. It didn't work. Ivy and Ryan were the most awake and stayed up till 4:30am. Believe me, I never learned so much patience before. I was incredibly tired and they were so awake. Ivy kept getting up to turn the lights on and play. Finally at 4:30am when they passed out, so did I! I got up 3 1/2 hours later because I hate to waste a day. After I woke everyone up, I dragged them downstairs to breakfast. They said they were grateful later because they wanted to see snow. :o) After being outside in the cold, we found out we needed something to protect the kids from letting moisture in their jackets so we bought Nike outfits to put over their other stuff. Then we bought a thermos so we could have hot cocoa in the snow! Once we got to playing in the snow, since some areas were coming up to my knees, snow was getting into our shoes. All four kids started crying because their shoes were soaked through and we had to carry them back up hill along with the carrier. So we decided to take a break inside a restaurant and then go buy them some more warm socks. Later we headed to a different area where the snow didn't come over their shoes. They had much more fun then. :D We so wanted to be in church Sunday night so we tried to head back. The snow started getting really heavy then so we stopped in a certain area where we could use the restrooms and such. The kids played for another hour in a big open field. They had such a blast. We found out that not only will the snow not be letting up, it was quickly turning into a snow storm so we just had to head out. We could barely see the road and we were seeing lots of accidents a long the way. I was glad we made it back safely! It was a blast and we plan on heading back in another week or so. It definitely was a winter wonderland and nothing is more enjoyable and satisfying than vacationing with little ones. :D

New Years Survey

New years resolution: Lose like at least 15 lbs. Yeah!

1. Who was the first person you talked to in 08?
My husband. We were both on computer, looked at each other and said, "oh, Happy New Years!"

2. The first person you hugged?
I think it was my little baby Ashley. It's so hard not to hug her.

3. The first person you called?
Gosh I don't know. I hate the phone so that's a hard one.

4. The first person you texted?
Don't text.

5. The first thing you drank?
Probably Diet Coke. I don't drink so that's out of the question.

6. The first person that called you?
Probably my dad! He always calls.

7. The first person that texted you?
no body

8. Have you talked to all of your top 8 yet?
?

9. Any of them?
?

10. Who was the 1st person to hang up on you?
nobody

11. What was the first thing you watched on TV?
Do not have TV

12. Who was the first person you thought of?
Nothing really. Didn't really think much of the new year. Just another day on my calendar. I know I'm a party pooper!

13. What was the first thing you ate?
Probably Captain Crunch cereal.

14. What where you wearing at midnight?
The works of course. Cute jeans with an adorable top, with high boots with high heel.

15. First kiss?
my hubby. Duh.

16. First fight?
NOne

17. First laugh?
Always with my husband. We have fun together.

18. First person you said 'I love you' to?
I'm sure my husband, otherwise to my kids.

19. First stupid thing you did?
Gee... that's not hard to know. I completely wiped (again) in front of my husband and fell hard on tile. I could hardly stop laughing.

20. First thing you bought?
Clothes!

Aerobics Class

Oh man, I went to my aerobics class this morning. I was kind of bummed because at that time there was only a Low Impact class but I figured it was better than nothing. Plus, I've just had baby and everything. Should ease back into. Sooo, I went into the class just feeling great. I got at least 5 hours of sleep so I really felt hyped. Well, I was in the back so I was able to really see everyone in front of me. As we started to move, I noticed this lady, oh about in her early 60's, going really fast. I mean, if we were doing toe touches, she was practically doing jumping jacks. Everything we were doing, she was magnifying it by like 10. She was crazy! I mean, it was good for her but man did she really mean business. I figured she would eventually run out of steam. Noooooo.... she was like that for the full 1 hour and 15 minutes in that class. It was like someone doped her up on Starbucks, wound her up and let her loose. I was in awe. That woman had some serious energy. She hardly had a sweat. Wow. I do aerobics 5 times a week now so I only have that particular class twice a week and Total Body Conditioning the other 3 days. I look forward to watching the Energizer Bunny again though. Pretty cool.

So busy!

Sorry it's been so long that I've made an entry.  The holiday season has just got me behind on lots of stuff for sure!  Baby Ashley is just doing wonderful.  We actually got her ears pierced on New Years Day.  The boys are loving being homeschooled.  Kyle and Ivy are little boogers as usual seeing what they can get into at every moment of the day.  LOL.  I hope you guys all had a wonderful Christmas!

Animal School

This clip is amazing. I have thought about this often. Now I pray that God will give me wisdom in training them that together we can be successful. I need His guidance.

Yahoo Answers

I like to go into Yahoo Answers and look around at questions people ask. This was one I ran into. Had to answer it. I am copying here in case anyone runs into my site and might wonder the same. :o)

If it's human nature to sin, why does God get all bent out of shape about it? After all, he created us... -Giovanni

My Answer:

You're missing it! Remember, God created Adam and Eve. They were deceived in the garden and chose to disobey God. Because God loves us so much, He gave us a free will. However, He cannot allow sin in Heaven. We choose who we want to serve. Some don't believe in hell. But even if there was only a 5% chance there was a hell, it is in my best interest to avoid it. But! Remember, sin always comes with consequences. Yes, we have the free will to sin, but we must also accept our consequences from it. If sin was such an "okay" thing, why does so much heartache come with it? Face it, the pleasure of a certain sin is only temporary, then you usually have to move onto something more, and more, and more..... Instead, see it that God loves you so much that He gave His only son. That way you HAVE a chance to be redeemed. NOT ONLY THAT! But to live a life free from the consequences of sin. Sin paints such a pretty picture. But it'll never show you the other side. God loves you so much He'd rather spare you than have your life down spiral into sin. Think of it like that.

("The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord") Romans 6:23

("All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God") Romans 3:23

Sister in Town!

My sister and her family are missionaries in Capetown, South Africa. They come back every two years for a visit so they just took a 28 hour flight in to visit for a month! We are just so excited and we can't get enough of them. We met at Sweet Tomatoes just after they got off the plane. Dan is still there because he will only be visiting for two weeks. I will share some funny stories with you soon when I get the time!

On the left is my mom, me, my nephews, my niece, my cutie pie Charles, my kids, then my dad, some more of my nephews, my sister Tammy, and then Jodee (being silly) who is visiting from South Africa. Her kids are mixed in with other kids at the table. She has four. :o) Click on picture for better view. It's cute seeing what all the kids were doing. Trust me, going to Sweet Tomatoes with 11 kids all under the age of 10 is not an easy thing. ((Chuckle))

New Homeschool, New Schedule

Okay, I am writing this for my friend. ;), who wants me to update.

Yes, I am homeschooling now with my 6 and 7 year old. I was off to a rough start because we have all been very sick the last month between flus and colds. On top of it, my newborn hasn't been sleeping well because she has a stuffed nose and tries to breathe out of it. Last night I finally found my "booger sucker" and was finally able to help her go to sleep around 4:30am. The other night my son woke up shaking violently with a 104 temperature. It was the middle of the night so I made a tepid bath for him to cool him down and gave him medicine. That quickly put his temperature down by 2 degrees. Then I laid on the floor next to him for the rest of the early morning so I could keep checking on him. By morning, his fever was gone. Sooo, things have been a little rough around here. As I was starting the homeschool process, I hadn't realized that it would take some time for the books that I ordered to come in. Once it came in, my computer started to act up. Thankfully it is all working now. My only thing I am working out now is how to set up my schedule. I am finding that I might need to wait until the little one's naptime in order to really be able to work with the boys well. Either that, or split the work up throughout the day. Any advice is helpful! I truly am happy with our decision but it'll just take some time to work out what will work best for our family. :)

Oh, by the way. I am not a "quiverfull" mom. For those who don't know, that's a mom who lets each baby come as God allows. Actually, if I did that I would have one baby every year because I am so fertile. I did that before which is why I have a 6 and 7 year old. Hee, hee.... But actually, I have a lot of work to do with my kids such as disciplines and behavior so I really want to focus on that for awhile before I welcome in a new one. :)

I hope all my blogging friends are having an awesome Christmas month!

Everything Breaking?

This pic is so cute. It's my mother-law, and my cute husband with his little sister Melanie.

Man, this has been a weird month. My family has been getting sick like crazy and our fridge is dying and our van is having problems. Sheesh-la-weez! But, you know, instead of freaking out, I have to remind myself that life happens and sometimes when it rains it pours. I was not feeling good today and I could hardly stand. After running into a couple of walls because I couldn't keep my balance, I admitted that it was time for me to go lay down. You have to know me, I rarely sit down unless I'm at the computer. Even when I eat, I tend to stand up. So, I finally went to lay down (sorta fell down into couch) and crashed with my son on top of me and my little girl next to me. Anyhow, my sister is as I write this, heading on a plane from Capetown, South Africa and the family will be visiting for one month. Then they will return back there for another couple of years. Boy, do I miss her!!!!!! It's a 22 hour flight so they will be in around evening time on Monday. Can't wait!

Tell Me About Yourself

These are fun. Let me know if you do one too on your site!

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name:	Jenny (or Virginia)
Birthday:	June 14th
Birthplace:	Globe, Az
Current Location:	Not telling dork
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	Blond
Height:	5'5"
Right Handed or Left Handed:	Right
Your Heritage:	Irish, German, English, and Cherokee
The Shoes You Wore Today:	None, love to be barefoot at home or else heels
Your Weakness:	Stylish Clothes (Even though I'm a homemaker) Love to stay cute.
Your Fears:	Losing a loved one close to me
Your Perfect Pizza:	Hawaiian
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:	Homeschooling with success
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:	LOL
Thoughts First Waking Up:	Need some coffee
Your Best Physical Feature:	Hmmm.... Everyone says my legs. /always has.
Your Bedtime:	Around midnight
Your Most Missed Memory:	The three days my husband and I spent when dating walking downtown just talking and holding hands
Pepsi or Coke:	Coke (Not really. Diet Dr. Pepper with Cherry and Vanilla
MacDonalds or Burger King:	McDonalds
Single or Group Dates:	Single dates all the way.
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:	Lipton
Chocolate or Vanilla:	Totally Chocolate!
Cappuccino or Coffee:	Coffee
Do you Smoke:	No way
Do you Swear:	No, I'm a Christian
Do you Sing:	Yes, on stage at church
Do you Shower Daily:	Duh
Have you Been in Love:	Of course. Love can hurt sometimes. But can't live without it.
Do you want to go to College:	I would love to go to chef's school. Mostly though, just want to help people in need or lonely
Do you want to get Married:	I am so married. 9 years.
Do you believe in yourself:	At times. I really am hard on myself. A lot people said I'd never be a mother. Now I'm a mom of five. I love it.
Do you get Motion Sickness:	Yes!
Do you think you are Attractive:	Somewhat. Not crazy attractive though. Just get by.
Are you a Health Freak:	Not a health freak food wise but an exercise nut.
Do you get along with your Parents:	With my mom sometimes, with my dad, all the time.
Do you like Thunderstorms:	NO! ((Scared))
Do you play an Instrument:	Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Piccalo, flute, and some piano
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol:	No way. Christians don't drink. So no.
In the past month have you Smoked:	No. Although I admit I like the smell of it. Would never willingly kill myself for it though
In the past month have you gone on a Date:	Yes. Due for another
In the past month have you gone to a Mall:	Yes, bought a cute shirt at my favorite store Charlotte Russe
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos:	Ummm... well, it's sitting right here next to me. The mint ones. (I am so caught)
In the past month have you eaten Sushi:	No way. Try to. Doesn't work for me.
In the past month have you been on Stage:	Oh yes, all the time.
In the past month have you been Dumped:	No. Um, that's not supposed to happen in marriage but unfortunately there are selfish people out there.
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping:	Uh no. Used to but I got delivered from that. Thank God! Oh the wild days.
In the past month have you Stolen Anything:	No, just maybe a chocolate from kids halloween bin
Ever been Drunk:	Oh yes. Easily. But don't drink anymore.
Ever been called a Tease:	oh yes. Not while married though.
Ever been Beaten up:	Almost lots of times. hated school. Girls always wanted to beat me up over guys.
Ever Shoplifted:	oh yes. Thankfully I am clean of that!
How do you want to Die:	given a chance to tell friends goodbye and make sure heart is right with God.
What do you want to be when you Grow Up:	Like, uh, I am so I guess what I am now. A homemaker and a loving wife.
What country would you most like to Visit:	France. Not so much. I am very happy here.
In a Boy/Girl..
Favourite Eye Color:	Green
Favourite Hair Color:	Looooove Dark Brown. Never blond hair on guys.
Short or Long Hair:	Short. Nice and clean cut.
Height:	6 foot or more
Weight:	whatever, just not obese
Best Clothing Style:	American Eagle
Number of Drugs I have taken:	never
Number of CDs I own:	I don't know. Just love praise music
Number of Piercings:	just one in each ear
Number of Tattoos:	None
Number of things in my Past I Regret:	Here, now? Hold on, I have to count... could be here awhile. Gee, a lot. I hurt a lot of people in my past. Sadly.
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!

YES, I'M A BAD AMERICAN

(This is so awesome!)-Virginia

Am I a bad American????
YES, I'M A BAD AMERICAN
By: George Carlin

I Am Your Worst Nightmare.
I am a BAD American.
I am George Carlin.
I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not some mid level governmental functionary be it Democratic or Republican!
I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way!
I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything.
I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac, do it in English.
I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want to.
My heroes are John Wayne, Babe Ruth, Roy Rogers, and whoever canceled Jerry Springer.
I don't hate the rich.
I don't pity the poor.
I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about it.
I've never owned a slave, or was a slave, I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and neither have you!
So, shut up already.
I believe if you don't like the way things are here, go back to where you came from and change your own country!
This is AMERICA.
I want to know which church is it exactly where the Reverend Jesse Jackson preaches, where he gets his money, and why he is always part of the problem and not the solution.
Can I get an AMEN on that one?
I think the cops have every right to shoot your sorry rear if you're running from them..
I also think they have the right to pull you over if you're breaking the law, regardless of what color you are.
..and, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my drivers license. I think it's good..... And I'm proud that 'God' is written on my money.
I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years
I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me stuff or trying to guilt me into making 'donations' to their cause.
I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two parents.
..and what is going on with gas prices... Again?
I believe 'illegal' is illegal no matter what the lawyers think.
I believe the American flag should be the only one allowed in AMERICA!
If this makes me a BAD American, then yes, I'm a BAD American.
If you are a BAD American too, please forward this to everyone you know.
We want our country back!

We NEED GOD BACK IN OUR COUNTRY!

Sore Loser

So now that my baby is 3 months old I've been wanting to jump back into my exercise routine. I've loved working out ever since I was a teen. Although back then, it was more for just toning. Um, now it's for serious toning. Yeah. So I attending my first TBC class (total body conditioning). I thought, "oh man, I am seriously out of shape". Man, what one pregnancy can do in just 9 months time. So, in order to do some serious repair work, I am going three times a week. So I wake up this morning and I am so sore I can hardly bend over. I mean, it really hurts. On top of that, I only slept maybe 4 1/2 hours. In the middle of the night my 2 year old wanted water so I got up to give her some. The problem with that is sometimes when I get up like that, I can't go back to sleep. So I was awake for an hour before I could fall back asleep. Yikes. Then I realized my little 3 month old needed a diaper change. Just as I was going to start falling asleep, she woke up hungry. (Chuckle) That's how it is with a newborn! All in all, this has been a sore day for me but I will do it again tomorrow! Then be sore Thursday. Then workout again on Friday.... until I get used to it again. Hopefully with all this workout, I will also be a sore loser. (As in losing weight.)

True Meaning of Thanksgiving

Today some schools are teaching children that the pilgrims gave thanks to the Indians and thats why we have Thanksgiving. Sadly, the schools teach this because they don't want the kids to know that the purpose of Thanksgiving is that pilgrims gave thanks to God. Learn The True Meaning of Thanksgiving so that you can also teach your own children!

Christmas Tree Fun

Tonight was our Christmas tree fun decorating with the kids! The kids really loved it and although Charles and I have of course done it for many years, this is a tradition the kids are newer to and will look back on it for many years! Right away the kittens have had fun with the ornaments. But... have no fear. We have shatterproof ornaments. Yes, this idea comes from my smart in-laws. So, now I don't have to come running in from another room 10 times a day to see who just shattered another one. Ahhh... relaxing. :o) The next best thing is reading next to the tree with a good book and sipping hot cocoa. All I'm missing is a fireplace! I know there are some lucky ones out there with one! Even luckier, those who have snow. Don't worry, we're gonna take the kids out this year for the first time to see snow. Yay!

Forgot to mention...

Do you see how late my post is? That's how freaked out I'm in about almost getting killed on the road. I am so shook up.

Also... my son Kyle has been waking up so early. This morning he woke up at 4:30am! He was just all ready for the day. Ready to play and eat. I kept telling him to go back to bed but he just layed awake next to me and then played in the playroom till I woke up. Talk about an early bird. Sheesh.

Night Out

Anyhow, since that last post was so down, here is the highlights from tonight. :) My dad took Ivy tonight to spend some time with her and had her play in the snow. Also, when he came back with her she spent some time with my mom and my mom put this hat on her that has a wig attached underneath it. So funny! Looks like she has long blond hair. The other pic is of me and my dad after I got back from the dinner. The one on top is at the dinner with my husband's company. I couldn't get the whole table in it though.

Tough Day

This has been a really rough day for me and I am just so shaky from it. Tonight was my husband's office party night at a restaurant across town. Well, I asked my husband where it was but somehow I didn't listen close enough. I just started driving to where I thought it was and there was horrible traffic. Along the way my husband and I just kept seeing horrible accidents and it was raining on top of it. Really bad accidents. We must've seen at least 10 tonight. We started at 4:30pm driving to take kids to different babysitters (the boys and a friend's, and Ivy at my moms). We didn't expect such bad traffic all the way there. So, I finally get there and it slowly dawns on me that I was on the wrong side of town. I mean, WRONG side. We were already 10 minutes late for the party. So we headed to the other side of town and it took 45 minutes. We got there an hour late! We sit down and have a nice dinner with presents and bonus checks. When we go to head home I give Charles the wrong directions out of the restaurant. I got mixed around. So then we had to find the freeway and once I did, I went the wrong direction. We went even further into the next town till I realized my mistake. We had to turn around and drive REALLY far back to my friend's house. After we left, we were sitting at a stop light waiting for it to turn green. When it turn green, for once I was just relaxed so I took off slow. All of a sudden I heard Charles yell at the top of his lungs STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I slammed on my brakes in time to see a large tow truck barrel right past me. He had ran a red going extremely fast, way over the speed limit. Also, he was driving erratically like he was drunk. If Charles hadn't of literally screamed at me, I know we would've been dead because he was that close. If I had not been relaxed, starting to edge out slow, and then slammed on my brakes fast, he would have broad sided me. I was so shaky I pulled over to where I saw a cop and told him what happened. He then went after the guy to catch him before he could kill someone on the road. I was going to go to the store but we just went straight home. By just 6 that evening there had already been over 15 accidents on the road. We just want to be safe inside. Scary night.

Beginnings of Homeschooling

Well, I've officially started homeschooling. I have never been busier in my entire life! Whew! I mean, I literally don't have much time for cleaning so it is essential that we learn how to clean as we go along. Pick up after ourselves. I think I literally have the laziest kids on the planet. (Except for my middle son Ryan). I mean as soon as I say it's time to clean, they go from playing to lying on the floor saying that they are just so exhausted they can't even stand up. Sooo, I tell them to get their so called tired butts off the floor and help out. :D We are a family so we work together. Three times a week we go to the YMCA so I can attend my aerobics classes. Although I've never been busier, I am truly the happiest I've ever been. I love staying busy. I can't stand being idle. I know my parents (who remember my teens so well) might fall over from that last statement but it's the truth. People do change! LOL! Between lesson plans, cooking three times a day, cleaning, nursing, errands, laundry, and running to that darn phone, it leaves little time for free time. Which.... I might add.... can actually be good thing. I spend my free times after 7:30pm when kids are in bed. That's the, "Let's kick on the music, eat some snacks, and lounge around time." Fun! LOL! Thank you to my homeschooling friends for being an encouragement to me and helping me to see that it is possible. :o)

Our 9th Anniversary!

I am now 28. I got married when I was 19 to the sweetest guy I've ever met named Charles. He is the most thoughtful and fun man to be with. Get this. My husband loves go shopping. Even if it's just to window shop. He helps me pick out my clothes. He always wants me to try on stuff in stores that he thinks is pretty. He changes diapers without asking. He lays down the kids every night. He encourages me to take nights off with my friends. He gives me back rubs whenever I need it. Draws me a bath when I'm tired. How could I have ever gotten so lucky searching on my own? God brought him to me and I am so grateful for him. Doesn't mean everything is always perfect but that's what love is about. For better or worse. Whether you're rich or poor. Sickness and in health. Till death do us part. The world may be able to brush aside their vows over trivial things. But as Christians, we cannot. Thank you God for being the glue that holds us together. :o)

Elf Yourself!

Hey, I just made a total elf of myself. Check it out by clicking here. . Hee, hee...

Mud Mania!

(1. Chaz getting mud out of hair, 2. Ivy staying clean, 3. Chaz, proud to be dirty, 4. Alexandra and Ryan, 5. Ryan after the soap slide.)
I never got to post this awhile back because I was waiting for my friend to email the pics. My kids really loved attending Mud Mania this year. There is just so much to do and they just love getting dirty. However, Ivy wouldn't go near the mud and stayed clean all day. It's just a huge event. Chaz surprisingly loved getting dirty, and Ryan loved the soap slide down the hill to get clean. In one pic, Ryan is with his little friend Alexandra on a rocking horse. It was a great family day out, that's for sure!

Funny Questionaire

You Are a Christmas Sweater!

Over the top, colorful, and totally flashy. You're not afraid to be a little tacky.

What Crappy Christmas Gift Are You?

100 Things About Me

1. I have 5 kids. Three boys and two girls.
2. I have been a Christian for 14 years.
3. I was raised in a Christian church since in my mom's tummy.
4. I am married to Charles. (Sweetest guy on earth!)
5. I've always wanted to have a large family (like at least 7!)
6. I was born with blond hair and had it all growing up but now I have to highlight it to keep it blond! Argh!
7. I look terrible as a brunette.
8. I have blue eyes.
9. I am terrified of Alligators (and snakes) and will not look at them at the zoo.
10. I was blessed to have parents who have stayed together my whole life.
11. My mom was a homemaker and still is!
12. I love to sew. (Although it's hard to find time for it. I love sewing parties.)
13. I love country music but usually don't listen to it because of the immorality in it. Every now and then I find a good song and then I just belt my heart out!
14. I love praise music more! (I love to sing to it while cleaning house.)
15. I thought I was 5' 7" for years. Come to find out I'm 5' 5". It was just my heels I wore. LOL
16. I love to shop. (Duh. I'm a girl. I don't blow money though. I'm a good girl!)
17. I have a best friend Brianne. Although we are opposites in many ways and even have some different beliefs, she is dear to my heart.
18. I long to be my pre-baby weight at 125. (Who doesn't?)
19. I love God with all of my heart. Although at times I've walked away from him, He has never left me.
20. I love dogs. I have a beautiful Great Dane.
21. I used to have cats till they kept peeing in my laundry.
22. I love birds but since I can't keep them alive in my house... well, I keep my distance.
23. I don't really like going to people's houses that don't have a fence around their pool. It is most unrelaxing worrying about my kids.
24. I looooove Christmas time because it is so much fun giving and baking cookies. It's cold and we have to bundle up. I love the music and Christmas lights.
25. My anniversary is in December.
26. I was born on Flag day, June 14.
27. My nationalities are Irish, German, English, and Cherokee.
28. I have a french last name because of my French husband who is Hungarian and French Canadian.
29. I own a home with 4 bedrooms and big back yard!
30. When I was single I supported myself on $5.75 an hour and only made $600 a month.
31. I felt like I was gonna starve to death. I was way underweight at 110 lbs.
32. I had no car and would take the bus to my job at JCPenney.
33. I love being pregnant but hate the very beginning and the very end!
34. I love giving birth. It is such an exciting experience. With or without the epidural. (Even though it hurts like crud!)
35. I love the zoo. I'm just an animal lover! Although I'm not a weirdo about it. I don't knit clothes for the poor giraffe's in the winter.
36. I met my husband at my sister's church where her and her husband pastored. Thank goodness they found him for me! LOL!
37. I think homemaking at least while your children are young is so important. (It meant a lot to me!)
38. I love to cook.
39. I love even more to bake. I love to make the cake but not to eat it. I'm not much of a sweets person.
40. I hate doing dishes.
41. I love doing laundry.
42. I love new technology. I want the new Scuba robot that mops your floor.
43. I loooooove my laptop. It's my baby and I love having Wifi.
44. I have a hard time making friends after being betrayed so many times. Who hasn't? But I'm trying to come out of my shell. There is no life in unforgiveness. But it is a true fear I have, making friends.
45. When I was a teen I seriously battled depression.
46. I am completely free from that. I think the teen years are very rough and would never want to go through them again for nothing.
47. I love my elementary school years until my parents moved. Then I disliked school every since.
48. I never finished high school. I got my GED and then a certificate from courses I took in College.
49. I was terrified of high school because girls threatened to stab me there. I eventually pulled myself out and went to work. I tried homeschooling myself but couldn't afford the cost.
50. I love to sing. I sing on the platform at church for song service. Not for reason's people think. I only love to sing praise songs to God. God loved David's songs to Him.
51. I love the colors red and black.
52. I've always wanted a red convertible.
53. I think the love of money really is the root of all evil (as the bible says).
54. I love the mall and so does my husband. Just to walk around and window shop.
55. We own a red minivan although I long for an SUV instead.
56. As of December 5, 2007, my husband and I will have been married for 9 years.
57. I am 29 years old and my husband is 31.
58. Between my 5 kids, I've had 10 babyshowers. Such a blessing!
59. I hate talking on the phone. I'd rather email or IM. I think it's so rude that people will call just because they're bored! Why should I stop what I'm doing because they're bored?
60. I always love talking to my dad though.
61. I attended teen bootcamp in New Mexico every summer 6 different times.
62. I have dimples. (How come none of my five kids do?)
63. I played flute for concert band in school.
64. I played alto sax and tenor sax for Jazz band in school.
65. I was 4th chair in honor band once but hated it because girls were snobs. (So weird).
66. My sister and I got to cheer lead for The Suns on court once for the half time show when I was little.
67. I love pink roses.
68. I love pink sweaters.
69. I love shoes that have a high heel on it. (That explains why I thought I was 5'7" all those years!
70. I absolutely love homemaking. I feel like I'm living my dream I've always wanted since I was a little girl.
71. I am now homeschooling my children.
72. I love to swim.
73. I love snow but have to travel to see it.
74. I hate mopping but my husband loves it so he took over that chore for me. Wow! What a man.
75. I love to ride horses and also day dream about living on a farm. (But still close enough to drive to a city).
76. I love Bookstores!
77. I am the youngest of three daughters.
78. I lived a sheltered life growing up which I am very thankful for. My husband quite the opposite.
79. I absolutely LOVE Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry and Vanilla soda. Yummm...
80. I had braces when I was a teen.
81. I learned how to drive on a stick shift first before an automatic.
82. I hate horror movies. They are so evil. What is the point? "Yay! Let's scare ourselves to death. Fun!" Not like I own movies or a TV anyway.
83. I love middle eastern food like crazy.
84. I am terrified to go camping. Afraid to get robbed or shot.
85. I love taking pictures! I've always wanted to be a photographer.
86. I dislike confrontations. I can't see why people seem to seek them out at times.
87. I can play piano but mostly by ear. That's what makes it fun for me.
88. I am a major beach girl. Love the beach but don't live by one.
89. I know all the states and all the books of the Bible by heart.
90. I love Rocky Road and Mint chocolate chip ice cream.
91. I hate stuffed animals. What's the point? They clutter the place.
92. I'm in love with Girl Scout's Thin Mints. When I see a girl scout, I practically chase her down.
93. When I can't find a girl scout, I settle for Mint Oreo cookies with milk only.
94. I can make killer cookies, pies, and cakes. Only if not in a rush though.
95. I love to read.
96. I was raised without a TV and I don't have one now. Time waster!
97. I love to play volleyball and basketball. (Played basketball in school).
98. I got to play one and one basketball with Meadowlark Lemon (Harlem Globetrotters). He trained me how to play.
99. I love board games such as Guesstures, Risk, Clue, and Scattegories.
100. I love going to bed with peace in my heart knowing if I die I'll make Heaven my home because I have a relationship with Jesus Christ. The bible promises me that!

Whew! That's a lot!

Fun Diet

Yes, I have found the perfect diet. So called. Well, as soon as I had the baby and I had recovered (which is always right away for me), I went to the usual place I like to go to monitor my eating habits. Sparkpeople. Well, I signed into the section for moms who are breastfeeding so I can make sure I get enough calories each week to keep my milk coming. Well, they said I need to have 2200-2500 calories a day. So I thought, great, no problem. I'll just start tracking my calories now so I can lose some weight. Welllll.... come to find out, I don't eat enough! My daily intake is about 1500 calories a day and they are telling me that if I don't start eating more I could lose my breast milk! THIS EXPLAINS WHY I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BREAST FEED FOR VERY LONG WITH MY OTHER ONES. I never eat enough. In these last few weeks I just would write down what I ate for the day in Sparkpeople without even watching what I was eating. I WASN'T trying to eat less. Charles always did say I didn't eat much. Okay, so if I wasn't nursing, actually 1500 is great. But not good if I want to keep my milk. So I'm like 1000 calories under my daily intake. So, now I'm going from trying to scale down... to looking in my fridge to force myself to eat more than I'm used to. This is really weird. I have no choice in the matter since I always have trouble keeping my breast milk. I guess this is what you call a fun diet. I've even gone to Mcdonalds just to cheat to add up the numbers quicker. Like getting a 500 calorie double cheeseburger. Sigh. So much for losing weight this way. I guess I'll go back to my aerobic classes again. Those are always fun anyway. Especially when the grannies are quicker than me.