Amen!

This past Sunday we had this gentleman lead worship along with Roanoke Praise.  Go ahead, check out his page.  I’ll wait.

The video clip on their site for “Jesus Can” does not even begin to do it justice.  Our congregation tends to be mild mannered.  Occassionally we’ll hear an ‘Amen’ or see one hand quietly slip up during a moving worship song but in general we’re a quiet flock.  Not his past Sunday!  Oooooh boy.  It was so much fun to see our church wake up and celebrate God in a big way.

I think that all churches should have African American choirs.  (I don’t mean to be stereotypical.)  Their joy and excitement is contageous.  You see their emotion, feel their love and catch their beat when they lead worship.  I love it!

Is it too soon to call it a success?

Remember that problem I had?  The one where I couldn’t keep Beans in her bed long enough to fall asleep?  Seems like it was just yesterday….. HA!  Now it’s more like it was the day before yesterday because yesterday I had success!

All I had to do was to think back to the last time I wanted her to do something and how did I convince her?  Think back…. way back…. potty training!!!  I tried everything. 

Don’t wet your new undies./This is the last time I’m going to cover you up.  Didn’t work.

Here are some new books to read on the potty./Here are some new books to read in bed.  Didn’t work.

Putting her on the pot every 30 minutes./Putting her back in bed repeatedly.  Didn’t work.

If you go in the pot instead of your undies I’ll give you MM’s./Stay in bed tonight and you’ll earn a star.  Five stars gets you your own MM’s.  WORKED!!!!

<doing the happy dance>  She stayed up without so much as a whine.  This morning the first words out of her mouth were, “I stayed in bed!  Where’s my star?”  And, as an added bonus, because she actually got enough sleep last night she was much more pleasant this morning and she dressed herself!  <still doing the happy dance… until…>

My two older kids leave for their bus about 20 minutes before Beans has to catch her bus.  They typically load up their backpacks, get their jackets (yes, we still have to wear jackets here.  shut up.), and then they let themselves out the front door.  This morning I heard them open the door and then “MINI!  Oh, no.  MAX get back here!”  Sigh.  The dogs.  They ran.  Again.  Keep in mind that they need to leave to get their bus, I’m still getting Beans ready and I don’t have any shoes on.  I sent them on their way to their stop, gave Beans instructions to finish breakfast and brush her teeth, threw on my boots, grabbed a leash and ran out the door.  (i remembered to grab a jacket too.  i’m a wimp.)  Thank goodness for all the kids gathered for the bus!  The dogs were literally leaping with happiness at all the kids to lick.  I was about 1/2 a block away when the bus pulled up and Max decided he should get on the bus and lick all of those kids too!  Really, it was funny.  I couldn’t get a leash on him fast enough.  The walk home was quite fun with two danes large enough to draw and quarter me if they so decided.  But they knew they were busted and they were trying to get as close to me as they could.  Nothing like being in a dane sandwich.

Yeah, so I’m going to go get coffee with my girlfriend now.  I’m choosing to celebrate my victory and hope the caffeine high will help me forget the dog fiasco.

Here’s to Spring!

I grew up in Phoenix.  I’m used to three seasons; Wimpy Cold, Hot and Hotter.  You don’t get a lot of fluctuation in the weather.  One day it’s hot, the next day it gets hotter, then a little hotter, maybe lots of clouds and two drops of rain, then right back to hot.  It’s predictable. 

That’s been the hard part about living in Virginia.  We can go from winter coats, snow boots and scarves to shorts, t-shirts and flip flops in one week.  And then back again.  Oh, wait, just kidding… it’s warm again.  Now it’s windy.  Let’s add some rain.  Sunshine!  Confusing?  You betcha!

This picture was taken out my back door in the beginning of March.

A couple weeks later and here we are with a gorgeous spring day.  I found it to be a little deceptive.  I was prepared to work in the yard wearing capris and a t-shirt but I quickly found it that it was still a little too chilly for that.  The kids were fine in shorts but I had to switch back to my trusty jeans.  Doesn’t matter what I was wearing – we got a lot done!  The kids pruned two big bushes and helped dig holes for the new flowers.  My hubby installed 6 solar powered lights along the walkway.  We also cleaned up the planter next to the porch and planted some wildflower seeds.  I can’t wait to see those grow.  Now this is what our front yard looks like.

As long as we don’t get any surprise snow we’ll be good!

Thursday update

Now that my hubby is back to his regular schedule Thursdays have become kind of blah.  As much as I hated to have him leave every week it was fun to anticipate his return on Thursday afternoons.  I would spruce up the house, dab on some perfume, put on my pearls and high heels…. ok, so just kidding on those last two – no ‘June Cleaver’ here.  But it was fun to create a relaxing sanctuary for him every weekend.  I may not get butterflies in my stomach every Thursday afternoon but I get still get my coffee fix in the morning!  (thanks to my weekly girlfriend coffee date!)

I am so grateful that my hubby has a secure job – and that it’s a job that he really enjoys.  His immediate supervisor is out on FMLA with his new baby.  My hubby got a call yesterday from his district super letting him know that he is the interim supervisor for his team!  Woo-hoo!  It’s great that the “powers that be” see that my hubby is working hard to move up in the company.  I believe it’s some time this summer that they will be adding another team and he has his name in the hat to be the super for that team.  It would be a boost in his career and only one step away from where he wants to be.  So awesome!

In other news, my parents should be here early next week.  They’re currently driving cross country – stopping first in Arkansas to be at my Grandpa’s wedding – then continuing the rest of the way here.  It’s fun knowing that they’re driving the same route we took to get here two years ago.  (So hard to believe that in June it will be two years.)  I wonder if they’ll notice the same things and if they’ll stay in the same cities.  I’d love to sneak in their car for the ride back to AZ!  Maybe for Christmas…

Enjoying my son

A few snippets of The Boy….

We stopped for some tacos at Taco Bell.  While we were eating the kids noticed the random little saying that they have on their taco sauce packets.  A bit after that my son starting playing with two packets as if they were soldiers.  He would have one packet confront the other and then get shot and fall off the table.  (complete with sound effects)  When he noticed that I was watching he said, “What?!  It says ‘Aaaaaahh we meet again’ on the sauce packet.”  He totally cracks me up!

I recently downloaded some Crazy Frog music.  The Boy didn’t realize that I was watching him out of the corner of my eye.  He was doing a slow motion robot dance.  I was amazed at how well he did it – of course when he caught on that I was watching him he stopped doing it.  I asked him if he would show his dad.  He was a little embarrassed but he did a little bit for him.  He also added a wave and some other crazy dance moves.  I think he might enjoy a hip hop class.

Nothing worse than being irritated

…unless it’s being irritated and wet!!!

You know these dogs of ours?  The ones that have chewed on things…. the ones that are racking up the vet bills…. yeah, those dogs.  They ran away this morning.  We were getting ready to go walk out the front door when Max decided to bolt out the door.  Not to be left behind – Mini quickly followed suit.  I yelled after them and my hubby whistled.  Mini looked back but Max checked her with his shoulder (as if to say “C’mon!”) and the both of them took off down the block.

Oh, did I mention that it was raining????  My hubby took off after them and I rounded up the kids and got them in the car.  I caught up with the hubby 2 blocks down and we stopped to listen… sure enough you could hear the neighborhood dogs all barking.  Following the sound we went down another street and began to cruise.  Chickie and Beans each watched out their windows and not too far down Beans spotted the dogs. 

The hubby grabbed their collars and started walking them home.  He said he got about 4 houses away when he let go of their collars and told them to “GO HOME!”  By the time he got to our house they were both cowering on the porch.  All I can say is hip dysplasia or not…. that girl can run!

Houston we have T – 35 hours…

<Disclaimer:  I am appreciative that my hubby has a secure job.>

But.  The last 6 weeks have not been fun.  The team that my hubs works on is responsible to set up new displays in the stores and to make sure that each department is set up the correct way.  Year round it’s a steady job that he loves doing.   Twice a year – spring and fall – they have to do a massive re-set to get all of the new seasonal products displayed.  In order to get this done in a timely manner all of the district teams work together going store to store until they’re all complete.  His district includes a few cities here in VA and a few cities in NC.  Which brings me to the not-so-fun part of the last 6 weeks.  Each week he worked four 10 hour days and then had a three day weekend.  He would leave Sunday night and the kids and I would see him again sometime Thursday evening.  In theory it was nice that he had three days with the family but in reality he was so exhausted that he slept quite a bit of it away.

This is the last week!!!  Today and tomorrow he’s actually in a neighboring town so he is able to come home at night.  I am so glad that the light at of the tunnel is only a step away now!!

I’ve learned a few things…  First, I hate being a single mom and I have a whole new appreciation for single parents who have to do this 24/7 365 days a year.  Second, I get a lot (and I mean A LOT) more done around the house and it stays a lot (A LOT) cleaner when he’s not here.  Hmmm… guess I can’t blame it all on the kids any more.  Finally, nothing outside gets done without him here.  I’m willing to pitch in and help with the yardwork but I’ve discovered I’m not one to jump in and do it myself.

I’m glad it’s over and I’m not even going to think about the fall re-sets!  (at least not much)

Poor poochie

Our male great dane, Max, has had a limp in his front leg so when Mini, our female, started with the same limp we weren’t too concerned.  Our vet had informed us that great danes grow quickly (uh, yeah) and that it can cause some limping.  As long as Max continued his regular activities we didn’t need to be too concerned.  The vet also suggested that we add glucosamine and chondroitin to help with his joints. 

It was until she started limping in her back leg that we decided that she needed to see the vet.  I also noticed that when she was laying on the floor her back leg would twitch.  Her solution was to sleep on her back right next to the couch so her leg was wedged into the couch.  The extra pressure helped calm her leg.  She had some very expensive x-rays taken this morning and the results aren’t too great.  The examining vet believes that she has the beginnings of hip dysplasia and possibly some other unpronoucable thing that means she has inflamed bones.  We will know more when our primary vet is back in town on Wednesday and can review the films himself. 

In the meantime they have given her some anti-inflamitory drugs that seem to be working pretty good.  She’s limping less and much more active.  She’s also managed to put on 4 pounds in just under a week.  Considering that it took her 7 months to gain 7 pounds… this is great news!  She’s been Skinny Mini for too long!!

It appears that Max has outgrown his limp – unless he plays too hard for too long.  He hasn’t had a problem putting on the weight.  He’s a moose!  In some respects he’s still very much a baby.  He wants to be loved on and spoiled.  But he’s also become a stubborn teenager – testing his boundaries and bullying anyone smaller than him.  They both still chew on forbidden things.  It doesn’t seem to matter how many toys or chew bones they have… some things are just irresistable and they just – have – to – nibble!  We have found one new toy that amuses Max to no end.  The laser pointer.  He pounces like a cat and in general just goes nuts.  (Our cats on the other hand are not amused).  Mini looks at the dot on the ground, then up to the pointer in my hand and then looks to me as if to say, “yeah, so you made a red dot.  what am i supposed to do?”  She inherited the brains.  Max is just the ‘hired muscle’ to help her carry out her sneaky plans!

Magic changing act

Have you seen those quick change artists?  The ones that can throw confetti up in the air and before it all hits the ground they’re in a new outfit?  Or they wave a scarf in front of their assistant and suddenly her skimpy glittering two piece is a full length ballgown? 

I need to learn their secrets.

We started this week with snow.  Enough snow to close the schools for two days.  The last of the snow and ice in my yard melted Thursday afternoon.  Just a mere two days later and we’re all wearing shorts and t-shirts.  Today was beautiful.  It was the perfect day to be outside.  Not too hot, not too cold, just a light breeze…..

I’m not complaining about having to dig out shorts today but I’m leary of putting the winter coats away.  I’m afraid that as quickly as we were blessed with warm weather it will be snatched away and I’ll be crying about the cold again. 

Not only do I need to adapt to this strange weather…. tonight is daylight savings…. What is up with that?!  I like AZ’s take on it.  Just leave the darn clocks alone already!  I use my cellphone as my alarm clock so I won’t need to figure out if we’re going forwards or backwards or sideways.  I won’t even have to set the clock at all.  The only reason I have to even remember that it’s daylight savings is because there is now a THREE hour difference between me and all of my friends and family in Arizona.  Bleh.  Why don’t you all get off your lazy bums and reset your clocks so we can stick with a two hour difference?!

Dear Zanne…

Loved your last post…  I’m wondering if the same hold true for me…  If I post will it have the same domino effect?  Will my blogroll actually update their dusty blogs? 

I really shouldn’t complain.  Most of my favorite you-don’t-know-me-bloggers do update their blogs daily.  But I really enjoy the posts from friends, from the people I care about and want to know what’s going on in their lives, want to know what they’re thinking or working on or reading.

So what are you all still doing here?  Go update your blogs so I’ll have something to read later!