Super Bowl Plans??

We aren't big sport fans. Honestly, I only watch the SuperBowl for the commercials...and the food.

Logan has expressed interest in watching this year. His concern is that if he doesn't watch it and learn about football and he grows up and has a son that is interested in football..he won't be able to teach him about it! SO..Kyle is going to rectify that and teach him the ins and outs of football tomorrow.

Who's doing the half time show? (I get sidetracked easily)

I can't decide what kind of food to have. In all honesty, I should stick to my diet instead of having a "cheat day" as planned. I'm going to have to weigh in early this week because I *think* we are heading to TN at some point. So..I might just make a pot of chili or taco soup and be done with it. But I really have a hankerin' to make Pioneer Woman's Mexican Layer Dip. Who knows.

Of course it all depends on me getting to the store today. Kyle is working (and he has to work for awhile tomorrow) and Dylan has just started throwing up--this is the same sickness Logan had earlier this week. (PLEASE God...let it skip me!!!). So..I'm not sure how I am going to get to the store with all that excitement! Let's just hope I get there and I'm not forced to watch the SuperBowl while munching on fish sticks and oranges..because that's ALL we have to eat in this house right now.

Little Puffs of Love

If you have a Denny's near you, you MUST..MUST MUST MUST head there NOW and try their Pancake Puppies!!!

I had some this morning (diet..schmiet!!) and OMStars were they heavenly!!

Seriously...go....NOW!!

Menu Plan Monday

In an effort to get myself a little more (ok a LOT more) organized I am joining Menu Plan Monday. My menus will be WW friendly! You can see more menu plans at orgjunkie.com. Without further ado....



Monday--Chicken Sandwiches & Fries

Tuesday--Grilled Fish, Baked Potatoes & salad

Wednesday--Baked Chicken Breasts, Hashbrown Casserole, corn

Thursday--Chicken Stroganoff, Noodles, peas

Friday--Taco Soup
Saturday--dinner out

Paragraphical Errors

Guess what I just realized?!?!?

My blog doesn't show paragraphs.

How does ANYONE read my posts when they look like one big huge long run-on sentence?

Huh? I ask you..HOW?!?

Stupid Blogger. I WILL figure this out.....

UPDATE:

Ok...well...it looks like all of my older posts have space between the paragraphs..so the problem is this one and the one before it. I think the problem is that I did these 2 posts in center aligning and used color and size differences on some of the words. Not sure why that makes a difference....but, apparently it does. hmph!

E-I-G-H-T-H

8th!

Logan's District Spelling Bee was today and he came in 8th! Not TOO shabby for a 2nd grader...especially a 2nd grader that did not study the word list!!

THE word was frying. Pretty easy, eh?

Apparently not!!

He spelled it f-r-i-e-i-n-g...and INSISTS he has seen it spelled that way. ah well. He was really ok with it..and is ready to try it again next year. He's a good boy! :)

In other Bee news...I found out last night (after Kyle read the note sent home a month ago--it was attached to the non-studied words) that he could only have ONE visitor. HMMPH! He asked Kyle to take him since Kyle never can go to school stuff since he works..and I already saw him in his school Bee.

So..off they went and Logan REALLY enjoyed being with him and him alone.

Dylan slept in until almost 9 so I had some alone time this morning and then some quiet time with only 1 boy--which was nice. Then Kyle and Logan brough home lunch. Gotta love a quiet morning and lunch that requires NO effort on my part!!

Chores

As you well know..cleaning the house and keeping the house clean are not 2 of my strong suits! I am self admittedly LAZY and tend to get overwhelmed easy...I sit around and look at all that needs to be done..and don't know where to start so I usually end up doing nothing. Well, not NOTHING..but definitely the bare minimum. One of my goals for the new year was to keep the house cleaner and more organized. Yeah..that's not going so well...

I have been thinking about making up a chore chart for myself...but again with the overwhelmed/lazy blah blah blah.

Well, guess what? I was reading Lindsey's blog today and she mentioned a chore planner at motivatedmoms.com . So..I went and checked it out!! I am SOOO glad I did!! Why? because it clearly states what my daily chores should be: make the beds, do the dishes, clean the sink, etc etc..but it also has extra little chores for every day. That way, you get your stuff done and can have time for yourself. And by doing a little every day..it's never overwhelming..and you don't have to feel guilty!! This is very doable stuff and doesn't have me feeling overwhelmed and like a failure the way Fly Lady did.

The planner is an e-book for $8 you can choose whichever style you want..I chose the full size planner..it has a week on each page. You can see samples of all the styles there at the website. Anyway..I'm just excited and wanted to share. If you're curious you can

Click here to view more details!!

I'll keep you posted on how it's going for me!!!

Inauguration...

Today is Inauguration Day. Barack Obama is our 44th President. I didn't watch the swearing in..I recorded it to watch with the boys. While I did not vote for him and do not trust him and do not agree with some of the things he stands for. The act of swearing in a President and the peaceful change of leaders is something to be very proud of...and I want to share that and the significance of this very historical event with my children. I am VERY proud to be an American.

I DO think the 2 day party leading up to this historical event is a tad overkill. It seems like people are worshipping this man...and that is bothersome to me. I can't even imagine the money that has been spent on special news casts, televised celebrations, etc. When the economy is so horrible and things need to "change".

One last thing...I saw this on Laura's blog and wanted to post it here as well since it is something that touches my heart so deeply.

Baby, it's COLD outside!!!

wow! it is SO cold here!! School has been closed for 2 days-kinda cold! Don't go outside without a coat on or you will die--kinda cold!!

When Kyle left for work this morning, it was -14 and the windchill was -30!! That kinda cold is crazy!! Tomorrow should be warmer--thank Heavens!!

In other news, the new truck either needs a new battery or a new alternator. yay! Dad took Kyle down to autozone to get a new battery last night and the autozone people checked it and said the battery is fine. Kyle is not convinced it is the alternator and apparently the only way to know for sure is to take it out and test it. So..he is hoping to nurse it for the week and then work on it next weekend, when 1) it will be warmer, 2)we'll have money to pay for it and 3) he won't be on call. all good things!

Tomorrow I go for my weigh in at WW. I am excited. I have done SO well this week. Go me!!

I'm glad it is the weekend again. I am NOT glad the kids have been home for 2 days and will be home for 3 more. I am kinda tired of them and their nonsense and fighting and gross-ness. I think I just need a break.

Weekend End

It's the end of the weekend and that makes me sad. I love our weekends of being home together.

Friday night we went to Kyle's cousins going away party. We didn't know anyone there, save him and another cousin so it was kinda awkward. We didn't stay long, but it was nice having a short "date".

Yesterday I went and joined WW and then I came home and picked up K and the boys and headed out the TGIFridays for lunch. It was SO good. I had this new macaroni and cheese thing with grilled chicken. It was wonderful! After lunch we went to Best Buy for the kids to spend the gift cards they received for Christmas.

The whole BB thing was kind of a fiasco..asking my children to make a decision is like pulling teeth. Well, no wait, Dylan made a very quick decision and was fine. Logan on the other hand was having a hard time and then freaked out because I suggested something different. In the end they each got a DS game and then pooled their money and bought a Wii game. of course mom and dad had to chip in $15...but that's alright.

We had a quiet evening at home...lots of video game playing!

This morning I ran out to get us McD's for breakfast and then finished up some paperwork I have been putting off. Kyles mom left the boys some money so I had to get all those papers filled out..had to find a missing birth certificate, etc. And then I had to fill out all the papers for re-enrollment for the kids school for next year. I can't believe it's time to do that already. Well, it's a little early but they were having an early bird special. If the packets are turned in before 1/16 we get a $25 discount per kid. Sounds like a good deal to me! I'm such a procrastinator..so I am pretty proud of myself. yay me!

Now, the boys have been fed and showered and jammied and are playing more of their wii game before bed. Actually, I just remembered Dylan has homework...so I better get him started on that.

I made my grocery list for tomorrow and will go get all my "diet" foods after I drop the boys at school in the morning.

No big plans for this week...aside from starting the diet and exercising. I also get to work too!

Two toys for you...and you

I took the boys to McDonalds today as a treat for not acting like complete little idiots when I took them to my work for a few minutes to drop some papers off.

As we were sitting in line waiting, I noticed a sign that says Happy Meals come with 2 toys now. I told the kids and Logan asked if it was 2 of the same toy. I laughed and said, "NO!"

So...2 happy meals later we are on our way home. We get home and look in the bags and........you guessed it! 2 toys, but they are the SAME TOY!! So, now we have 4 of the same toy!!! Who needs 4 of the same crappy McDonalds toy?? Not this house!!!

I was trying to figure out WHY they would do that. Is it an economic thing...like if you have 2 kids you only need to buy the one overpriced meal for the toys and then you can buy the other stuff "a la carte" and that somehow saves you money???

Or...what???

I checked out the McD's website and no mention of it there....hmmm. I'm very perplexed.

Anyone out there wanna enlighten me??

Undershirts

When Logan was a baby he was so "hot blooded" the ped. told me to not put him in a onesie and then his clothes..he was breaking out in heat rash! Poor baby! But how was I to know? I was a first time mom and it was December and I just thought that's what you did..put a baby in a onesie and then clothes.

So, when I had Dylan in June, I just decided to forego the whole onesie nonsense.

8 years later Logan says, "mom, some kids at school wear these white shirts under their regular shirts..what is that?" (deprived kid, right??) So, I explained that they were undershirts. Then I bought him some for Christmas.

The kid is in LOVE with undershirts!! I bought him the normal short sleeved ones and then I bought him the "wife-beater" type. He looks so cute with the white undershirt peeking out from the collar of his school uniform and there is NOTHING cuter than a little boy in boxer briefs and a "wife beater". ;-)

He is getting SO grown up.

Tater-Tot Casserole

I have never made this before but found this recipe and HAD to have it. My sausage is browning now. I'm excited!

Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients

2 lb. ground pork sausage
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I used cr. of chicken)
tater tots
2 + cups sharp cheddar

Cook sausage and drain grease. Stir together with soups. Place in bottom of greased 8×8 pan. Place tater tots on top according to what you desire. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Take out. Turn up heat to broil. Put under broiler for 2-3 minutes - watch carefully. Enjoy!


Edited on 1/7 to say:

I thought this was ok but I didn't LOVE it...until I had it the next day for lunch. OMG it was awesome! then I had it last night for dinner. SOOOO good. I think the next time I make it for dinner I will make it a day ahead and then reheat it for dinner.

The First Day

Today is the first day of 2009. I hope to make it one of our very best years. I don't usually do "resolutions" as I tend to live in a state of "everything is FINE" AND...I don't really like feeling like a failure when I don't uphold those resolutions.

However

I am thinking this year is going to be different....rather than "resolving" to make things different..I am going to set some goals to make changes in my life.

These are my goals:

As a Christian: I want to read my Bible more, pray more, find a good church and GO.

As a Wife: I want keep our home more clean and organized, make sure we go out for a date at least once a month and have more "play time" *wink wink*, manage our money better.

As a Mom: I want to be more fun, yell less, laugh more, talk more. Teach my boys better manners. Spend more time with each boy individually--and make sure they have more one on one time with Kyle. Take more pictures.

As a Daughter: I want to be more of a help to my mom regarding my brother--invite him over for the night, etc to give my mom a break.

As a Blogger: I want to post more...maybe even daily..definitely weekly and in that realm of posting I want to keep track of those things I am grateful for.

Just for Me: I want to lose a good amount of weight. It's been a long time coming and I plan for this year to be IT. I want my motto to be "lose 109 in 2009" Yes, I am that fat..and yes..I need to lose that much.

I think this is a good start. I'm looking forward to all the good things I believe 2009 and will bring.

2008 Year in Review

If you want to do this Year In Review too, just go into your archives, find the first post for each month, and copy the first sentence (or two.)

January--Seems I've gotten a wee bit behind in my blog posting. Not sure why...sometimes I just get too lazy to type. I think that's what happened this time too.

February--My first week..well not week really I guess...6 days, went well. I have lost 4 lbs and am really enjoying it.

March--I'm SO excited--I remembered and it's only 9 pm. LOL I usually remember 2 days later when I read Laura's blog.

April--You might remember this post from last year. I got new to me funriture and was oh so excited! Less than a year later...I am so oh so not thrilled with it!

May--Long time no post, huh?

It's been so long I don't even know where to start an update. LOL

June--Logan's first official day of Summer break was yesterday. However, he missed the LAST day of school due to throwing up and the Big D! He is very well now and thus, Summer vaca has officially begun!!

July--1 more day until swimming lessons.

August--I had a nasty run in with the neighbor yesterday and it has really upset me. I could NOT sleep last night because I kept replaying the whole thing in my head.

September--It's been awhile since Kyle and I have been out on a date. A few weeks ago we made plans to go out to a Mexican place I wanted to try.

October--One month and no new blog posts!! I should be ashamed!! and I am...I yam!!

November--Since my last post, I have turned 34, we have a new President Elect, we got a new (to us) tv and I added roman blinds to my living room windows!!

December--I can't believe it! My first born is 8 years old! How can it have been that long since I first held him in my arms?

------------------------------------------------------------------

Hmmm..I need to have better leading sentences to my blog posts!! LOL


2008 was a good year and a sad year. I'm excited to see what 2009 brings.

Happy New Year!!!

The Day After

Christmas has come and gone and it never really felt like Christmas-time to me. I think the whole death/funeral stuff put a damper on the holiday season and it just never felt "right".

Of course we plugged along and bought gifts and decorated and went through the motions..but I never felt that big excited "I can't wait" feeling. It was really odd. And by the time I DID start to feel it..it was hear. So...I guess the anticipation was missing.

Regardless...we had a wonderful day yesterday and my boys are thrilled with all they received.

We had a family party on Christmas Eve at my Moms. We were there and so were Mom and Tony. Tammy, larry and Shelbea. Dad, Lola and Amelia. We ate: chicken salad and tuna salad on croissants, vegetable pizza, cocktail weenies, cocktail meatballs, spinach dip, stuffed mushrooms, banana pudding, cookies, and lemon pudding. It was all very yummy and we will enjoy the leftovers for the next couple days!!

Christmas Morning after we got up and opened gifts, I made breakfast--sleepin' in omelet, breakfast pizza and cinnamon rolls and mom and tony came down to eat and exchange gifts with us. Once they left we had a pretty lazy day of doing not much of anything. We did watch A Christmas Story and K and I took a nap and then we went to Bill and Sally's for dinner.

So...even though the "anticipation" was missing. We had a very couple of days.

AND...I'm thrill that K had been off work since 12:30 on Christmas EVe and doesn't go back to work until Monday! yay!!

Logan is 8!!

I can't believe it! My first born is 8 years old! How can it have been that long since I first held him in my arms? I swear it feels like it was yesterday. I want time to slow down just a little...he is growing up way too fast!

We celebrated with the family on Sunday afternoon. Poor kid..still has yet to have a party with friends...maybe next year. He doesn't really mind though..he's a great kid. :)

We were going to go out to dinner tonight..but the weather is crappy and the roads are slick. So, we'll skip it. He got some new games so we'll stay in and play those.

Peggy Ann 1944-2008

Peggy was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday Nov 18 for dehydration. She had had diarrhea for several days and was very sick.

On Friday morning (nov 21), they moved her to the ICU as they were unable to keep her BP and blood sugar stable. I spoke to a nurse who told me that she was moved because in ICU they could give her medications that they couldn't on a normal floor because she would be constantly monitored in ICU. I called back later that afternoon and was told that her BP was getting more stabilized but that she was a very sick woman. I asked if she was so sick that we should be there. The nurse said it was up to us..and that she would come if it was her..but if it was going to be a problem with work that we could probably wait. At that point Kyle and I thought we would wait until the next morning and then go down. This was at 3:30 or 4ish.

At 4:30 Kyle's aunt Sally called. She was there at the hospital. She said she had just talked to the dr. and he said Peggy was toxic and would not make it through the night. that all of her organs were shutting down. She had to repeat the info to me 3 times. I could NOT wrap my head around the fact that she was saying peggy was going to die. I immediately called Kyle and told him we had to go to TN right then. He said he would be home as soon as he could. I started packing.

At 5:00 Kyle got home and made a few phone calls...to his dad and his siblings as they still had no idea what the dr. had told his aunt. He then called Sally again...and ended up talking to one of his uncles. While he was on the phone, the nurse came and got the family because Peggy was fading fast. Kyle stood in the kids bedroom and sobbed.We hugged and cried together. Then he got his tools and started fixing something on the backdoor so it could be locked easier since my mom would be taking care of the animals. Certainly not something that HAD to be done. But I assume it was something he could control at that point so that's what he did. I continued to get our things together.

At 6:00 Kyles uncle called and told him Peggy was gone. He leaned over and rested his head on the kitchen counter and bawled. Big tears fell from his face and pooled on the kitchen floor. I stood behind him and rubbed his back. When he stood up, we hugged and cried and the kids did too. Logan ran to his bedroom and I took Dylan to the couch where I could hold him better. Kyle finished fixing the door. I found Logan in his room rocking and crying and praying. Then he ran around the house crying and punching his fist saying he was SO MAD.

It was so heartbreaking. Kyle and I managed to settle down enough to talk to the boys and get them settled down. We then loaded the car and left. At this point the kids were much better and back to their laughing and fighting selves.

The next few days were a whirlwind of activity and decisions. Peggy had pre-arranged her funeral as far as the casket and the funeral home..and paid for it. So that part was taken care of. but we had no idea where to bury her, etc. The services were Tuesday and I swear it felt like it had been 2 weeks since the day she died when it finally arrived.

It ended up being a very lovely service and I think she would have been very pleased. It opened with a favorite song of hers (Most of All by the McGruders), then Kyles cousin's husband, Jay did an opening prayer, read the obituary and read a scripture she wanted read (Psalms 118:5). He also said some very nice things about her. Then, the congregation sang "Amazing Grace". Then the eulogy was given. Then Rick, Angela's husband (kyles sister) read a poem he wrote about a "Godly Mother", then there was a slide show with pics of Peggy through her life, then Lee's (Kyle brother) wife read a poem titled "The Best". One more song Peggy loved--I can't remember the name of it, but it was sung by Wendy Bagwell. Then the services were over and we headed to the cemetery.

The graveside service was nice--short and sweet as they usually are and then it was over. We each took a few flowers from the casket arrangement and then headed back to the house.

The house was a flurry of activity with all the family coming there. Thank God the church had brought food--I couldn't believe how fast everything was eaten. As it turned out none of us "kids" got a chance to eat and had to make a Sonic run later that night.

Life goes on...

As I finish writing this, tomorrow will be 2 weeks since she died. Amazing. I was getting dressed last night and was thinking about the kids pictures with Santa and thought, "I should send one to Peggy" then I remembered. I wonder if thoughts like that ever stop?

Kyle is doing well, as are the kids. They are sad, but we can talk about her and laugh about good things and memories. I think they'll be ok.

Death

What a sad month. 1st, my great aunt died, then Dylan's teachers Mom, then my mother in law and then my aunts boyfriend. The sad news just keeps on coming. Hopefully no one else dies for a long time. Not sure I can handle the sadness of it all.

About God...

In the last few days I have come to an incredible realization about God.

I was talking to Cindy the other day and I was depressed and feeling down and she was talking me through it and at one point I said that I feel like I have failed God. She said, " Oh Tricia! you know that's not possible. You may be a little off track, but He still loves you." (or something to that effect).

And the truth is. until THAT moment. I didn't know that was possible. I mean, I knew it was possible..and I believed that for OTHER people, but I didn't believe it for ME. If that makes sense.

I have always had this feeling in me that if I am not doing what I should---going to church, praying, reading my Bible--I don't really have the "right" to ask God to help and I certainly didn't EXPECT him to. I would pray but in the back of my head would be this thinking of how he wasn't really hearing me because of the way I was living.

And the other day when I had this realization it became SO CLEAR that even though I SHOULD go to church and even though I SHOULD pray daily and even though I SHOULD read my Bible, because I LOVE HIM and want to honor HIM and it pleases Him. The fact that I have strayed away from doing the things I SHOULD. Has NO bearing on how much He loves me and takes care of me and provides for me. None at all. I am His child and He loves me.

And I think back to all the times I have given God credit for things in my life but really in the back of my head thought that it wasn't REALLY God because how could it be when I was failing him so miserably?

It sounds so stupid, I know. I'm sure some of you are thinking, "of course God loves you no matter what, duh!" It's just been a long time coming for me. I think a lot of it has to do with the church I was raised in and the beliefs we had and it has taken a long long long time to get past some of that thinking--which is the reason we don't currently go to church--because I can't figure out which one is "right". Maybe I need a non-denominational church.

Anyway, I feel SO GOOD that I have realized this and I have prayed more in the last few days than I have in a LONG time..and I know that He is hearing me..because that's what He does.

Dylanspeak

Since I am a horrible failure of a mother and did not keep a babybook for baby #2 and stopped recording anything for baby #1, I need a place to put the things I do not want to forget. You're looking at it! lucky you!!

Recently we were in the car and Dylan started singing a song he learned at school. It went like this:

This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine, don't let Santa blow it out, I'm gonna let it shine!!

He sang it repeatedly and never thought that he was singing the wrong word. LOL I thought it was SOOOOO cute! It really tickled me. He has sense figured out his mistake and won't sing it the wrong way anymore! hmmph!

A few days later he was wanting to measure something, he said:

"Mom, where did you put that garden stick??" hahahah

I LOVE that boy!!!