Hiatus

Good morning, friends!  Not sure if you've notice, but lately I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping up here on the blog.  It's been really crazy busy, and to be honest, because this blog doesn't require clean clothes, need baths, follow me around and beg to be fed, and want me to play with it, it is one of the things that get put on the back burner.  

I'm sure you all can empathize with this.  I'll try to do better, but I make no promises, because even though the holidays are over I'm still a Mama and that will never change.

Have a happy New Year!
Ms. T   




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Purpose

*Fair warning*  This post may make you uncomfortable.  I'm sorry if it does, it will not hurt my feelings if you don't want to read it, or you can't finish reading it.  I'm getting ready to be very blunt.

This last Sunday we had a substitute Sunday School teacher, Mr. J.  I have heard him speak before, and I always enjoy his lessons.  He brings the word.

Unlike what I was expecting, Mr. J didn't do a lesson on the Christmas story.  Instead he asked our class if we could go to heaven right now, in this moment, would we choose to do it?  Of course there were those that would and some that were not so sure, because it might mean leaving family behind.

Mr. J made the point that if we can still be useful for God's purpose here on earth then we need to be able to stay.  This point really hit home to me. (this was not even close to the main point of the lesson, but it really struck me.) 

 It hit me hard, because, as many of you know I struggle with depression.  I'm in a constant battle inside my own head.  One of the things I've dealt with in the past are thoughts of suicide. Now, please don't freak out on me.  I had those thoughts at my worst moments and since then I've gotten medication and I'm regularly seeing a doctor.  So, no freaking out. Also, if you know me personally, please don't treat me any differently, or look at me with sad puppy dog eyes, because now you know how I struggle.  Everyone deals with their own garbage in this life, and unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?) this is the bitter cup I've been dealt.  I say maybe fortunately, because there are so many worse things than what I struggle with.  I'm saying all this not to get attention, or sympathy, because honestly, those are some of the last things I want in reference to this, but I say it to put myself out there.  That is what I use this blog for to put down my thoughts.  And as regular readers see my thoughts are crazy, hair brained and scattered, but more importantly honest.

 Moving on, I sat there in class tearing up at the thought that if I had taken my own life I would have been cutting short the mission God has given me.  Namely, my children.  If I took my life I would be robbing them of a life with a Mommy.  How could I possibly even think of doing that to them?  I know I'm not a perfect Mommy.  Sometimes I get frustrated and snap at them, or get aggravated when they spill something etc. But I am thier Mommy.  No one else could possibly fill that role.  Others may try, but no one could possibly love them like I can.

In those moments in Sunday School class, it's like God was talking to me through Mr. J, saying, "Ms. T, I know you struggle, but you still have a purpose.  I'm not done with you yet.  Trust me."

See, I told you I was going to be blunt! 

Have a great day!
Ms. T




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Programs

Last night was Firecracker's last Christmas Program he has to perform in this year.  Praise the Lord! He's done!  He has done 4 in 4 days.  By last night Firecracker was sick of them.  On the drive to last night's performance he said, "Mommy, do I have to do the program?  Because, I don't want to."  Poor kid!

Don't get me wrong, I've loved watching my little man in all of these programs.  He's so adorable, who wouldn't love it?  But Firecracker is burnt out.  He's over it.  But that's ok, because now he doesn't have another one for another year.  That should give him plenty of time to recuperate.  ;)

Merry Christmas!
Ms. T 




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Oh, Oh, We're Half Way There!

Ok, we have been potty training Sweet pea now for a little over a week.  She is doing soooo well!  I'd actually say she's more than half way there, but I couldn't resist using Bon Jovi's lyrics ;).  I'd say she's probably about 95% of the way there.  

Oh I can't wait for the day I can walk by the diaper isle in the grocery store and raise my hands and say, "Praise Jesus, I don't need anything down that isle!"  Seriously, do you know how expensive diapers are?  They're not the cheapest things even when using coupons.  So yes, I'm excited about this.  Merry Christmas to me!!

Merry Christmas,
Ms. T 





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Seriously Behind

I was thinking about it, and I realized that I haven't shared hardly any of my pictures lately.  I haven't even showed you the Halloween pictures and here it is nearly Christmas!! 

So without further ado I give you our pictures!

Sweet pea feeding the ducks

silly duck ran away!

the one day we got to go outside for a few minutes at Grandpa's house

playing at Chuck E Cheese, because it was too cold to play outside! (still at Grandpa's house)

The bounce house place had this car that went down a slide and drove across the floor.  Firecracker spend a lot of time on that =)

Sweet pea chillin' on a rockin' fish at the bounce house.

  

I'll have to share the trick or treating pics later.

Have a great day!
Ms. T 


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Hustle and Bustle

Let me start this post off by saying, "Merry Christmas!"

Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year.  I just love it.  I have many great memories of Christmases through the years.  Plus I love all the joy that seems to emanate from people this time of year.

This year though, I'm having a much more difficult time.  Christmas doesn't seem like it's only 9 days away.  It feels more like it should be a month or so away.  With Firecracker being in school this year, we are facing a whole different set of obligations that we have ever had.

We have Christmas parties, Christmas programs, and other things all piled on top of all the regular hustle and bustle of the season.  I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by it all.  And Sweet pea isn't in school yet!  Oi vay!

I'm digging out my favorite Christmas cd today and I'm gonna pretend like nothing is stressing me out and take a deep breath and enjoy the season.

Have a relaxing day!
Ms. T.  




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Good Manners or Confusion?

When we went to the Hub's Dad's house for Thanksgiving my FIL's girlfriend was there.  Her name is Diane.  Sweet pea to her right away.  She wanted to play with Diane and sit with her.  (now mind you Sweet pea doesn't usually take to people like that.  Sure she'll be sweet, but if the Hub's or I are in the room she will want us and no one else, with the exception of my Mom.  So this is a very rare occurrence.)  

Throughout the week, Sweet pea followed Diane around the house.  Talking to her in that special Sweet pea language that few understand.  Sweet pea was having such great manners.... or so we thought.  Whenever she wanted Diane she would say, "excuse me __________" (fill in the blank with whatever she wanted.)  It was making me feel proud that Sweet pea was having such good manners.

Then about Thursday, Diane had stepped out for a little bit.  Sweet pea was running through the house saying, "EXCUSE ME!"  Then asking everyone, "where'd excuse me go?"  At that we all had a good chuckle.  So Sweet pea wasn't having exceptionally good manners, she thought Diane's name was Sweet pea! Hahaha!  My kids constantly amaze me (and 98% of the time make me chuckle).

Have a great day!
Ms. T  


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Villains

Have you ever noticed that most classic Disney movies have horrible, scary villains.  I mean think about it.  Aladdin= Jafar, Snow White= Scary Queen, Sleeping Beauty= Malificent (evil witch/ dragon), Little Mermaid= Ursula etc. etc.  Not really suitable for kids.  At least not ones that get scared.  

Also, it is obvious that within the last few years Disney has been making movies to try and rectify the villainy.  Now let's think about more recent movies.  Cars= no villain, Planes= no villain, Nemo= no villain etc.  Sure 2 out of 3 of these movies have characters that you love to hate, but they aren't scary.  

Thank you, Disney, for making newer movies that my kids can watch without waking me up in the middle of the night with horribly bad dreams!  

Have a great day!
Ms. T

P.S. there is a special place in my heart for those older movies that I grew up on.  LOVE me the original Disney movies, but they're a little too much for my kiddos.     




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Happy Birthday, Hubby!!!

*Ehemena* years ago today my wonderful Hubs was born!!  He's such a gift from God.  And I just have to brag on him and how much I love him for a few minutes.  I know he'll be all like, "I don't know who that guy is you're talking about" and "I wish you wouldn't say that kind of stuff about me, because I don't want you to get your expectations too high".  (I know you don't know him, but this is the kind of stuff he says when I praise him.  He always tells me, "if you have low expectations then you won't get disappointed").  

All this aside, the Hubs is such a wonderful Husband, Father, Son-in-law and Brother.  He would give the shirt off his back to someone in need.  He makes me fall in love with him all over again.

Happy Birthday to the best Husband ever!
Love,
Ms. T 




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Bounce House

I mentioned the other day that while we were at my Father in law's house the kids were trapped inside.  It was exceptionally cold and rainy outside most of the week.  I'm talking down into the teens!  For this southern girl that's way too cold!  

We were forced to be inventive when it came to helping the munchkins get their energy out.  Thankfully there is a consignment shop a few miles away from my FIL's house, and inside they have a back area that is a play center for the kids. In that area there are bounce houses.  Oh praise the good Lord for bounce houses!!  They saved us this trip.  We did a few other things too, like go to Chuck E. Cheese (which Firecracker kept referring to as Chuck Cheezits).  But it was the bounce house that we used the most.

Have a great day!
Ms. T  




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Car Trip with 2 Kids

I mentioned yesterday that we went on vacation   to visit the Hub's Dad.  Well, what I didn't tell you is it is a 12 hours car ride.  Yes, 12 looooooooonnnng hours in a car.  I am a terrible car rider.  Once you get past the 5 or 6  hour mark I start getting antsy and just want it to be over with.  So I feel bad for my munchkins, because I too hate driving such a long way.  It's totally worth it to see my FIL though.  He's awesome.

Anywho, the kids really were great travelers.  They were awesome on the way up.  The Hubs and I had bought new coloring books for them as a surprise, we brought the portable dvd player and I brought my kindle.  Not to mention all the little toys that constantly roll around in our van.  The stuff did distract them quite a bit and they were awesome.  I was proud of them!

It was the trip home that was the night mare.  They weren't terrible, but they had been cooped up all week inside because of bad weather so they were already wound up tight.  Then add a 12 hour car trip on top of that and what have you got?!  Fighting, and misery.  

On top of all that wonderfulness (read with sarcasm), Sweet pea leaked through her diaper not just once, but twice on the way home! The second time she did it she started screaming and crying.  Of course it was in the middle of nowhere.  Literally nothing but road and cow pastures.  And it was pitch black outside.  I tell you what my friends, you've never lived til you've changed a diaper in the middle of a 4 lane highway (yes, we had to pull into the middle because we couldn't pull off on the side), in complete darkness.  

Let's just say, it is extremely good to be home!! =)

Have a great day!
Ms. T
 




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Forgetful Much?

We went to visit the Hub's Dad's house for the week.  I was (as usual) in charge of all the packing.  For some reason I was much more scatter brained and stressed out than usual when packing us up.  Once we got to Dad's we realized that I forgot the Hub's deodorant, the kid's gloves and hats (necessary since the weather was in the teens and got as high as 45!), and a few other small items.  

I was frustrated with myself, but it wasn't that big a deal.  We went to the store and bought the items we needed and the week went pretty well.  We enjoyed our time, we do not get to spend nearly enough time with my FIL.

So we just got home on Saturday from our trip to visit the Hub's Dad.  On our way home the Hub's Dad texts us and says, "you forgot one half of your baby monitor".  (Yes, I still use a monitor.  Especially when we are going to be sleeping on the opposite end of the house from the kids, which is the case at the Hub's Dad's house.)

Crimeney!  I can't believe I forgot that!  Oh well, it wasn't worth it to turn around to go back and get it.  So on we went on our merry little way.  We got into our driveway and once again received a text from my Father In Law.  This time he says, "hey, thanks for all the nice clothes!"  Yeah.... We forgot to get all of the Hubs and my hanging clothes......  UGH!  Frustrating!!!!!!

Oh well, it's just stuff right?  It's not like I forgot one of my kids...... I don't think....  Hahaha!

Have a great day,
Ms. T 




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