AND I DO QUOTE:

The cross is the greatest example of humility and devotion in the universe. Jesus put your needs ahead of His own. He considered you more valuable than Himself. - Chip Ingram

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Dancing Toilet Paper



HA! I bet that title caught your eye!

This past weekend was a VERY interesting weekend at our house. Firstly, Paige had her Sweetheart Dance. It was a full day of primping and spending Dad's money! She went to the mall and had her hair, nails and make-up done. Then, after a quick change at home, we picked up Erin and we were off to the school to decorate. There really wasn't too much decorating to be done! We had balloons and streamers in pink and red.

I loved both Erin and Paige's dresses!

Did you ever wonder what a Junior High Dance looks like? Notice no one is really dancing? HA..They really did dance. It just took a while to warm things up!

When we arrived home, Austin had a house-full of boys (approximately 20 in all). They played poker, pool, video games and watched movies. Apparently, some of the girl softball players found out about the party and decided to toilet paper our house. They also decided to use shaving cream and lipstick on the cars. Yep.....messy. I came home to several of the boys trying to clean off their cars in the driveway and toilet paper in the pines around the basketball court. Soon thereafter, the boys were plotting their revenge!

Sunday, we had volleyball.....again! The team placed third in the gold medal round. They played about the best I have seen them play this year. It was so fun to watch all of their games!

Fast forward to yesterday! Wasn't the weather great? After we arrived home from school, Trent wanted to play basketball. Lately, he has been playing with this darling little boy in the neighborhood, Connor. Connor is a few years younger than Trent and a bit of a natural athlete. Well, Connor is running over to our house (across the back yards) and Trent runs into the house asking for his Browns Jersey because he can see Connor is wearing a Pittsburg Stealers Jersey! HA! So, Trent puts on the jersey and peeks out the window. NOW GET THIS! He says "AWWW man, his jersey says Roethlisberger on the back! It should say WORTHLESS BOOGER." WHAT? Where in the world did that come from? (Of course, then I had to burst into laughter.) Trent is LOYAL, LOYAL, LOYAL to all of his Cleveland teams (possibly to a fault)! AND apparently, he now takes after Austin. Austin would have TOTALLY said the same thing. Anyhow, Trent got a small lecture on how those things don't need to be shared with Connor. He is too young for "smack talk." BWHAHAHAHAHA! It gave me a tickle!
Have a fun day!

Friday, April 4, 2008

They are looking...



When You Thought I Wasn't Looking


(Written by a former child)





"A message every adult should read, because children are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.








When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.


When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.


When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."

One of the Painful Parts....

I have discovered (and yes, it only took 45 years) that there is ANOTHER painful part of being a girl. This painful part is shopping. Now, I know....many of us LOVE shopping, as do I. BUT, I had to take Paige shopping for a dress for the dance this weekend...and it was PAINFUL! Of course, it wasn't painful due to anything Paige had done, but it was sooo difficult to find a dress that covered...anything! Most of the dresses look like lingerie! Of course, for a mere $175.00 it would have been EASY to find a dress for my daughter to wear for two hours at the dance. Uummmm.....no thanks.

In addition, Trent (aka.."the trooper") had to tag along on our shopping expedition. I think the bribery it took for me to lure Trent MAY have been more expensive than the dress. He would sit in chairs outside the dressing room in a lump. As Paige gradually tried on dresses he would slither and slide down the front of the chair until he was a heap on the floor! I found myself saying things such as "I will give you a package of football cards if you make it to one more store without whining!" And to tell you the truth, I wish I could have whined. AND, I think Paige would like to have whined too!

In the end...WE. FOUND. THE. DRESS. BUT, I won't do the big reveal until after the dance on Saturday. MAN, I am hoping this dance goes well. If memory serves you, this is the same dance that Paige went to last year when her hair was dyed BLONDE the morning of the dance. Uummmm...yeah. We won't be doing that this year. ALLL lessons learned!

Hugs,

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Ducks On A Pond!

Well, here come the signs of Spring! Do you know Bruce Drennan (I hope I spelled that correctly)? He is a baseball announcer and he always uses the phrase "ducks on a pond" (spoken in a gruff voice) to describe the baseball players on base. My husband always imitates him! Anyhow, how funny is it that...on the same day the Indians had their home opener, I looked outside to see this.....................................

"Ducks on the Pond! Ducks on the Pond!" BWHAHAHAHAAH!
On another note: Do you remember the movie ET? I LOVE that movie. It is a classic! Anyways, do you remember when ET was dressed up in a wig and dress and was hiding amongst the dolls and stuffed animals in the closet? Well, I have my own, personal version of ET. The only difference is that our extraterrestrial is hiding amongst Trent's webkins!


I can't resist my old dog. He can barely hear and his eye sight is going, but he is the SWEETEST thing walking on this planet.
Hugs!

The Things I Wish For You


Paul Harvey Writes:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches.
I really would.I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.
And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.
When you want to see a movie and your little brother wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him.
I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.
On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.
If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.
I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.
When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.
I hope that when you talk back to your mother that you learn what IVORY Soap tastes like. May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle. May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.
Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.



Couldn't have said it better myself.