Job update

We asked a lot of friends to pray about the job situation and Donnie's interview. 

We are both confident that turning down the job offer was the right thing to do. It was hard to turn down being paid, however, it would not be fair to take a job knowing that we would still be actively on the hunt for a better full-time job, especially because that company needed to pay for a security clearance for Donnie. 

So hard.

Donnie's interview went well. He knew the answers for what they asked him. He is an expert on their trouble area, but he is inexperienced in another area, but an area that they admittedly do fine on. He can learn it easily. He gave them free advice in his area of expertise, and he made them laugh a couple of times. It was his second interview. They said they will be calling about a third interview if he makes it in about 2 weeks. 

Two weeks! That nearly sent me into a panic attack! 

But, we will make it. Tax return time is right around the corner, just when we run out of moolah. So, we'll be good. 

Do I dare make another poll?

I do, I do. 

So, Donnie and I are sitting at the boys' swim meet. Me in my awesome new stadium chair so that my butt doesn't get sore and my back is at least less sore. Donnie on the bleachers in pain. 

Oh, wait, that has nothing to do with my story or poll. 

We were sitting there talking about how we would never have thought that Cody and Devon would share a major interest or sport. Now they are on the same team. They are both swimmers. It is pretty cool, and it cuts down on the amount of sports we are forced to sit through get to go to. 

It suddenly occurs to me that here we sit, with our very strict Christian beliefs in modesty, watching our two sons in the most naked legitimate sport there is. Well, Donnie thinks that Sumo Wrestling is more naked than swimming. Well, technically, you may be able to see their back cheeks, but they are wearing more fabric than the swimmers, especially the divers in their skimpy Speedos. Donnie thinks that if you measured out material verses how much actual skin is showing, that even then Sumo Wrestlers would win as the most naked legitimate sport for guys. For girls it is probably beach volleyball. 

So, what do you think? Is Sumo Wrestling or Swimming the most naked legitimate sport? 

Don't you just love a good dilemma?

Donnie is going to get a job offer today. We don't know the exact amount, but we do know that is about $20,000 a year less than his former salary. (before his overtime, even)

It is a job, and it will help greatly rather than the very small amount that unemployment would bring. (we haven't gone that route yet) 

However, Donnie also had an interview today with a company that is at least going to pay close to what he was making. With some belt tightening we could make it work. Serious belt tightening, to be sure. 

We have to decide to take the lower paying job just in case he doesn't get the other one, and then what? If he does, do we turn it down since he committed to the first job, or bail on the first company? Or do we hold out in case he does get the better job. 

Fun stuff, huh? 

They both have benefits, so that isn't an issue. But, Donnie would not enjoy the job he is for sure getting an offer from. They are customer service, which he just left and doesn't want to do again. The second job he would LOVE and would pay enough. But they are not that close to a decision. If they go forward with him, there is still another interview to go through, and then who knows how much longer. 

I am at a loss. Lots of prayer, my friends.

A BRight Idea from Baskin Robbins

Baskin Robbins is promoting their new BRight Choices line of ice creams and sorbets. You can get sugar-free, dairy-free or light choices in many great flavors. 

Many people have made a weight-loss resolution in the new year. Don't we all? But giving up ice cream? That's harsh. Now it will fit along with your calorie plan when you make a BRight Choice selection. 

And, if you want it FREE, you can do that! One day only, though. 

Baskin Robbins is having BRight Choices Day on Jan. 15, 2009. On BRight Choices Day, participating Baskin-Robbins shops nationwide will offer a free BRight Choices scoop to any customer with proof of a gym membership. BRight Choices flavors are indicated by a pink star decal. 

See ya there? 

Boys are so gross!

I bet you think this is going to be another story about Sam and his poop. 

I could write one, but it was so bad I couldn't even clean it up. So I'm not blogging it. 

The other day, Donnie and I were leaning on opposite ends of the couch. The house was cold in an effort to save $$$. Donnie felt that my feet were cold and started rubbing them with his feet. I suddenly shrieked because his feet were so scratchy they reminded me of Spiderman's little hairs coming out of his skin on the movie, so he could climb walls. 

Yes, we need a humidifier, it is DRY in our house. 

So Donnie asks Cody "Hey Cody, do you want your back scratched?"

Cody jumps on the opportunity, as he actually has an itch that needed to be scratched. 

Donnie starts scratching Cody's back with his FEET. 

Cody says 

"Owww!!! But Ahhhhhhhhhh!"

Such weirdos.

I was going to blog it the other day but Donnie said "You are not going to blog my feet!" Yes, I am. 

Have you ever wished you had a camcorder running?

We've been Rock Band 2 maniacs this Christmas break. I can't tell you how many times we've played Eye of the Tiger or Livin' on a Prayer. 

Last night when I was putting the little two to bed Trinity asked me

"Mom, can we play Rock Band when we get up? I am going to kick your butt at singing."

I replied

"You can't even read. I am going to kick your butt."

She replied

"OK, you will kick my butt. Whoooaa livin' on a prayer, take my hand, we'll make it I swe-ar. Livin' on a Pray-er." 

Yes, she knows the words. 

So this morning she does play and Donnie lets her sing against him. Now, Donnie can sing pretty good, me, not so much. He got 99% and she got 68%. That is pretty good. 

Well, later Cody was playing guitar to her singing and he kept messing up. There were some words thrown around and pretty soon we had him in a sing-off with Trinity. We told him that she would beat him even if he were on easy. He said that wasn't possible, he would NOT be beat. 

So Trinity goes on Medium and he goes on Easy. Trinity, who can't read, against Cody, who is in the middle of puberty (voice changing). 

The first line of Eye of the Tiger gets on his scroll and he says "I can't read it!" Hello, Trinity can't read at all. 

She wasted him. 

The tears were rolling. It was so funny! 

I just heard, he finally beat her. (probably a narrow win, lol)

Dating vs. Courtship

People tend to get their panties in a bunch over this issue. What is dating and what is courtship? How can you not "date" and still find someone you love? You have to kiss to see if there is any chemistry!

Those are all things I have been told or asked.

What I mean by dating is going out places with someone, typically just the two of you, in order to pursue a romantic relationship. With or without the intent to find a spouse. With or without the readiness to be married, support a spouse, care for children as a result of the marriage. But most especially if the intent is to just play around and have fun dating several people over the years knowing that you probably won't marry the first person you date. Dating to "see where it goes." Many people do not have boundaries for dating, like making it only in groups, or having a physical limit set in stone for yourself. Mainstream dating especially is what I mean when I say "dating." The kind of dating I did in high school. It was fun. Having a boyfriend. Then dumping him, having a new boyfriend. Finding someone cuter and moving on.

By courtship I mean not dating for "fun" although it is fun, but with the purpose to marry. It isn't not going out together, but it is with boundaries and goals, not just frivolous fun. You both know you are looking for a spouse and have known each other long enough to know that you are both spiritually on the same plane, in agreement with most things, like each other as friends without a romantic relationship, and that you both are looking to get married.

By the time you get to courtship you are very good friends who are drawn to each other and both have prayed about it and feel that God wants you to pursue marriage with each other. Then you go out with the intent to build up a romantic relationship and head for marriage.

You most certainly can get there without "dating." You don't need to kiss to see if you are compatible. Believe me, marriage is about way more than physical chemistry, because sometimes chemistry goes flat. You can't judge a relationship on that. You have to be able to love each other even as that comes and goes through the years.

Boundaries are very important. You protect the physical boundaries with care and love for the other person. You take care not to create an emotional intimacy too soon because if you were to break up it would be heart breaking.

Many people who practice courtship deal with their attraction to the opposite sex by praying and asking God to take away that desire until the right time and the right person. I have read about people struggled greatly with that, but they pursued purity for their marriage one day. In the end, they knew when God was directing them to the right person at the right time, and it is beautiful. Neither had heartache or regrets and went into marriage with such a love that it amazes me.

Do courting couples "date?" Some do. Some do go out alone after they are "courting." That is a person's choice. Some people take courting very seriously and they are never fully alone. They may go sit outside the house in full view so they can talk privately, but they don't go off alone. In a car, to the movies, etc. They stay in groups.

Some people are strict about physical boundaries and make a plan not to have more than normal physical contact. They don't hug, hold hands, put their arms around each other, and do not kiss. They seek to protect purity. Others who court protect that until they have made the commitment to marry, then they will allow hugging, hand holding, kissing maybe. That is between the couple and God.

So, when I say I don't allow dating, I don't mean that my kids can't go out and do things with people they like, I mean they don't go out alone and they don't pursue a romantic relationship while they are clearly too young to be marriage minded. They are allowed to pursue friendship and go out and do fun things with a group that includes someone they like in order to grow the friendship and see if they are compatible and if God draws them closer over time.

I don't lock them in a windowless cell. I don't distrust them. I don't fear that I so poorly raised them that they shouldn't be allowed out of the house. I completely trust that God has provided a good foundation.

I also KNOW that hormones are raging and good judgement flees. You don't throw a lit match in a garden shed of dynamite and shut the door. The Bible says "The heart is deceitful above all things." You can't trust what your heart is telling you. You need to trust what God is telling you. I do not believe that God very often tells people in high school that they are ready to pursue marriage. I also do not for one moment believe that there is any Biblical backing for dating to find the right person.

Do I think it is a sin to date? No.

I do know that my husband and I prayed and sought God's will in this area for our children. We are confident that God does not want our children dating, as the mainstream version of dating goes. This was not our decision, this is something that God put strongly on our hearts and has not changed our hearts on. We cannot NOT do this, it would be directly telling God that He doesn't know what is best for our kids, WE do.

So when someone says that we are not trusting God and how we raised our kids if we don't allow dating, they are telling us that God doesn't know what He is talking about. They are telling us to disobey God. That we are crazy for obeying God. That we are causing our children to sin by obeying God.

You can't force someone into sin. People choose to sin. My children have the choice to obey God, and us, or not. Dating is not the sin, disobeying us, and therefore God, is a sin. We have to discipline them, not change the rules when God has led us to make them. If we don't discipline the sin, then God will discipline us.

Who doesn't sin? I do. Of course my kids are going to sin. They are human. You don't stop sinning because you have been raised in church, or by good parenting, or by being saved. Having rules does not cause my children to sin. Following their heart to do what they "feel" instead of choosing self-control and obedience causes them to sin. Just like the rest of us. We choose to do what feels good/right at the time instead of using self-control and obeying.

Being under parents authority is practice for obeying God. We know better than our children, and make the rules. God knows better than we do, and He makes the rules. They are not always fun, but they are always for our good, or someone else's good.

Even if you think that dating is fine, what harm will come from refraining from dating until you are ready for all that it brings? Will you really be harmed if you wait to date until you are in the position to handle marriage and children? Could you be harmed if you don't wait?

Giving your heart to someone is a big deal. You don't get it back.

I am getting more and more optimistic!

I am just about to start month 4 on Sensa in a couple of days. 

Here is a refresher of what it is and what is happening with me: 

Sensa is a program where you sprinkle tastants on your food, one for sweet one for salty. The tastants trick your senses causing you to feel full faster, meaning you eat less. You do not deprive yourself or avoid any kind of food. If you want it, you eat it. The ingredients are not harmful and have no side-effects. There is no msg or gluten. There are no meetings to attend, points to track, diets to follow. Both men and women lose and average of 30.5lbs in 6 months.

Month one I started out pretty skeptical. But I have a free 6 month supply to review, why not? I checked the ingredients and I would actually still use this even if I were pregnant or nursing. Very safe, but they do not recommend using it while pregnant or nursing officially, that is just me. 

The first week my mouth would go a bit tingly and numb after using it and I ate a bit more because I mentally worried that I was going to be deprived. But after a week I was too full to eat my normal amounts. Not just not having seconds, I couldn't eat my normal first plate. I did not WANT to eat it. Wow! 

At the end of the first month I had lost around 5lbs. 

Month 2 and 3 I had been hovering over 4-6lb fluctuations. (plus, Queen size nylons no longer stay up!) I was definitely eating less food. And I lost my desire for sweets almost entirely. Even when I eat them I am not excited about them, they just don't appeal to me so much. Amazing! Normally I can pack away a lb of chocolate a day during PMS. Not interested now. 

Even the massive salty cravings are greatly diminished. Though I do still get them. At the very least I still enjoy them a lot. 

Now that month 3 is about over I weighed myself on New Years Eve and was happy to see that I had hit the 6lb mark! I was thrilled! I rewarded myself, too. 

But I didn't gain weight! 

Today I am proud to say that I have hit the 11lb mark! Three days later, I went from a 6lb loss to 11lb loss. I am not sure what I am more excited about, losing 11 lbs or actually being under 190. I started at 201.5 lbs and today I am 189.8. (believe me, I weighed myself 8 times this morning, because I can't believe it!)

I don't know why I can't find the information, but Sensa has shown that with women they tend to go slowly until after the third month when the lbs start falling off quickly. I kept hoping that was true. Now we are about to find out. 

If you would like to try Sensa you can get 15% off and free shipping with the code ROCKETXL.

Daddy, a snake!

Donnie was trying to run a bath for the little kids tonight but the tub was draining slowly and he wanted to unclog it a bit first. So he told Cody to go get the snake for him.

Sam left the bathroom, too, and came back saying Snake! Daddy, snake!

He was holding a rubber snake!

Unfortunately it didn't help unclog the tub, though.

Only Nuns Change Their Habits Overnight

Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight by Karen Scalf Linamen
I was really interested in this book because I would love to make some changes in my life, and adding humor helps them go better. Karen Scalf Linamen is the author of Chocolatherapy, and with a name like that, it has got to be a good book. So I am very interested in reading more books written by her.
I haven't been able to get through the whole book yet, as I have some habits that can't be changed overnight to accommodate reading quickly. But the book is not only funny, it does help you find what is preventing you from being able to change, and stay that way. But it also sets realistic goals so that the average person isn't overwhelmed.
I am looking forward to seeing some personal change as I learn more about myself and why I can't seem to move on and change.

Summary: Every woman longs for change in some area of her life. Unfortunately, fear, fatigue, adversity, heartbreak, past failures, and even the choices of other people get in the way and make lasting change seem out of reach. Having been there herself, Karen Linamen knows exactly how to take readers from where they are to where they want to be.
In Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight, she examines 52 powerful actions readers can apply to any change they long to embrace. Her insights apply to career, finances, personal health and fitness, relationships, faith—in fact, every facet of a woman’s life.
Blending laugh-out-loud humor and sage advice, Linamen shows readers the link between dissatisfaction and transformation, how to remodel habits, the little-known truth about procrastination, how to generate the energy they need to pursue the life they desire, how to benefit from options and resources they never dreamed they had, and much, much more!

Author Bio:
Karen Linamen is a popular speaker and the celebrated author of ten books for women, including Due to Rising Energy Costs the Light at the End of the Tunnel Has Been Turned Off and Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt. She has been featured on more than one hundred radio programs, including FamilyLife Today. Publishers Weekly describes her as “funny, forthright and unforgettable.” Linamen lives with her family in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Visit her website at www.karenlinamen.com.

Wanna hear me gripe?

Good, because I am going to go off a bit. 

I like to order my prints from Walmart.com. I upload them online, and have all the time in the world to pick out which ones to print and what size, how many, etc. It is great! Then I pay right there, they print them and send them to my local Walmart to be picked up. Normally they are ready in 5 days or so. I go to Walmart enough, and if not, Donnie used to drive by twice a day so he could pick them up. Very convenient.

So I decided to order family pictures and senior pictures for Christmas. I placed my order on December 16th. They sent me a confirmation email, as always, and it said that they will send me an email when they get to the store. Sometimes they call, too. AFTER I placed the order, they informed me that the pics will be done somewhere between the 22nd and 26th. Great, it is going to take a week longer than normal? Not happy. 

I kept checking for an email from them. Nothing. I stopped into the store on the 21st and 24th. They weren't in yet. I was hoping they would be early, but they told me they are running a couple of days late. Perfect. I guess I am not giving out pictures for Christmas. I already paid, so I am not ordering the 2 hour now. 

The 26th comes and goes. Nothing. I keep checking online and the order is listed as "processing." We hit the 28th, 29th, 30th..... still processing. Finally I am ticked off. So I call them on the 31st. Online it still says processing. On the phone, after 4 minutes of the phone ringing in their department (yes, I timed it), they answer the phone and say my pictures are there. I told him how they are late, and that I haven't gotten an email about them, etc. He doesn't even apologize. "Well, they are here now." Seriously! 

I go to pick them up and on one of the packages it says that they called me on 12/18. I said that the did no such thing, I have caller ID, and I know how to use it. Besides, if they were in on the 18th and they called, why weren't they in on the 21st and 24th? Huh? Tell me that! The girl says "Sometimes they put them under here to keep them safe." Safe from what? Being picked up?

 Then I take a look at the pictures to make sure they are right. The 8x10 of Kaytlin has the top of her head chopped off. Maybe if it was already in a frame and that much was off, it wouldn't look too bad, but add matting and a frame and it would be half-way down her forehead! Apparently they cut off parts of the picture. So I refuse the picture. 

Yeah, not that easy. They want a receipt. Hello, I paid online, I don't have a receipt. (turns out it is IN with the pictures, and you would think the idiot working there would KNOW that.) Well, they don't know what I paid for it, so they can't help me. What? It is your stupid JOB, and you don't know what it costs? Seriously? They say I have to go to Customer Service. 

Not one apology for anything. 

I am TICKED. 

So Donnie calls and I am outside the bathrooms in the back of the store waiting on Hope-Anne and I am telling him how ticked I am and that the picture is not usable and the people were rude and didn't even apologize.... I was on a rant. 

A lady interrupts my call and asks "Are you mad at Walmart?" Umm, Yeah. 

So I get off the phone to see what her problem is. She is not dressed in Walmart blues, so I don't know why she is interrupting my phone call. 

I tell her what happened and show her the picture and she goes in the back and brings me CASH for the picture. I don't have to stand in line at Customer Service! She apologized and was so nice. That is great customer service. If only it could spread to the photo center. 

Then this morning I find that even the wallets I ordered of that print have Kaytlin's head cut off. Great. 

Walmart Photo Center, you have become my new McDonald's. 

Then I went to a New Year's Eve party and all was right with the world. 

Wordless Wednesday ~ Only in my family

I have to say, they did this because their last name is Wiener, but still, only in my family. The soap is made by a cousin of mine.

Thank you, Sensa!

I am nearing the end of month 3 on Sensa. 

Feeling full doesn't come from your stomach being full, it comes from your satiety center in your brain. Sensa tastants trick your satiety center into feeling full. You can eat all you want, any foods at all, but you will feel full faster and eat much less food. 

I promised to give this a try, and I am halfway through. At this point I would not say that there is a huge weight loss from using it, I am stuck at the 5lb mark. However, I am NOT GAINING WEIGHT after Thanksgiving and a zillion Christmas parties! Sensa's track record with women shows that the weight loss starts going faster after month 3. I am excited to see if that happens. 

But I am very thrilled with a different effect that I have had after using Sensa. 

Thanks to Sensa, I Queen size nylons FALL OFF OF ME! 

I can feel bones that I didn't feel before. Like my cheek bones and my hips and ribs. I am just amazed when I put my hands on my hips and feel bone. I don't know how the inches are falling off but not the pounds. My jeans are getting pretty loose. I have been known to sport a plumbers *ahem* lately. My other pants are starting to feel comfortable. 

I really am so much less hungry now. There are days when I do feel hunger, and I eat then. And big events can be difficult. It is hard not to sit and snack while playing cards with my family or at an event where we are all snacking. Even though I am FULL. That is my issue, though, because Sensa has made me feel full. When I think about it, I am easily able to get a grip on that social eating. 

I also have lost my desire for my weakness foods. I really don't care about cheesecake, candy, etc, nearly as much. It is rare that I even want it, much less can eat it. 

I am leaning on the side of Sensa working well at the half-way mark. The pic of me in red is before starting Sensa, and the other one is me after almost 3 months. I am not sure if you can tell, but my face is a bit smaller. I will have to get a picture of me in the red shirt and white capris for a better comparison soon. (like when I feel like doing laundry)

 

Clarification

I re-read my dating post and I wanted to clarify something that I wrote that sounded different than I meant it. 

I said that I don't think Shelby is the one for Drew.  Then I went on with some things about them. But those had nothing to do with why I say that. I had felt that way before meeting her. I know that I am going to "know" when it is right. God has blessed me with that gift with my kids. I just KNOW when something is good or not good with them.  So I am assuming I will know when it is the right person. (I haven't been wrong yet on the wrong people for Drew and Devon!) 

After I met Shelby, I would love it if she was the one, it just didn't change my gut feeling. After talking with Shelby about things I didn't know, and were none of my business, I am even more wishing I didn't feel that they are not the right people for each other. 

If they prove me wrong, I won't complain. After they grow up a bunch and become equally yoked. After all, it isn't every day that you come across a girl who isn't afraid to have a bunch of kids. You need a brave one to attempt life with Drew with his mom and all her friends praying Drew will have 7 daughters. 

My Controversial views on Dating

I seem to have very, um, different views on my children dating. It is very hard to find parents who feel the same way, and even more difficult for my children to have friends who practice our ways. They sort of feel freakish sometimes, I think.
I believe they would feel better about it if they were fully on-board with our views, but they are not. Or they are until hormones kick in, then they get very secular all of a sudden. LOL

We do not feel that they should date in high school at all. There is absolutely no call for it. Dating is to find a spouse, and they are not ready for a spouse. I know that many people think it is just fun, but it isn't. It isn't "fun" and it isn't "harmless" in our opinions. And I don't believe that God thinks it is harmless, either.

I won't pretend to think that I know when God is going to bring the "right person" into one of my children's lives, because I met my right person when I was 14. We were definitely too young to get involved, though. However, I think that the kids should remain friends only with people until they are ready to commit to marriage. Then, they should ask God to show them when they are ready and who to look to get to know better and who to stay away from.

They should NOT be kissing and testing the waters before they are ready for a commitment, or at all before they are committed.

If they submit their love lives completely to God, and only follow where He leads, they will have a good life. Not one without hardships, but one where they KNOW they have a partner with the same views and goals, and they can get through anything.

They should never seek a relationship with someone who is not equally yoked spiritually. Period. The Bible says it and I know it to be true.

My prayers and dreams for my children are for them to seek to serve God above all else, and to submit to His time and His will for a spouse. To keep their hearts pure and protected from harmful relationships so they can walk into a marriage with every piece of their heart intact and ready to truly love someone as God would have them do so. That their spouse would also put God above everything else and love my child with the love of God.

A secondary prayer is that they save their first kiss for their wedding day. What an amazing moment that would be! I wish I could change my life and have that.

My children do not like my rules. At all. They don't think it is fair or reasonable to not be allowed to ride alone in a car with someone of the opposite sex, or to have unlimited and unsupervised texting and IM'ing with the opposite sex. I don't allow dating or kissing, they think I am crazy. Well, Kaytlin doesn't completely, but she will date, ride in cars, etc when she has found the guy that God gives her the thumbs up about. The kissing remains to be decided.

Now, every thing that I have forbidden for the reasons I have forbidden it has been broken by Drew, and some by Devon, and I have been right on all of it. They have been hurt, they have hurt others, they have found the intimacy of unsupervised texting leads to trouble, etc. Yet they keep on arguing that it is OK. They know it isn't, but the heart is deceitful.

I am very proud of where Kaytlin is in this area. She has come to the decisions on her own to not date until God tells her that this is the guy she will marry. She very much so likes a guy who is of the same mindset in so many things, yet they are choosing to remain friends for a long time. They want to do nothing that friends would not do. Eventually they will be ready for a commitment, and either they will know it is right, or they will know they are not right for each other and will not go to the next step. No heart breaking.

Drew and Devon fight us on this. Just about every bit of it. Drew has chosen now that he is out of the house to go ahead and ride alone with girls, date, kiss, etc. Devon would make that choice now, too, if we let him.

Drew has a girl in mind. I don't know what is going on there, but she wanted to date, then wants to wait (with a reason I don't know). I don't know. I like her. She fits in with our family and I think we've got a lot of the same humor. (mean, lol) However, I just don't think she is the "one." I don't think she is equally yoked with Drew. I haven't talked to her about her spiritual walk, but I just don't feel it. I would love to see her commit herself to God and then maybe she and Drew would be a fit. It would never be dull with Shelby around, I know we'd have a lot of fun. She is also way too young for a commitment right now, at only 16. Drew isn't really ready for a commitment, either, he just always has desired one. Thankfully he didn't pick a crazy person this time, and she is quite a qt, too. Time will tell what happens here. I'm not closed minded or against Shelby, I just don't think she is the one for Drew, or at least not NOW. (correct me wherever, Shelby, just leave a comment)

Devon has also gone the unequally yoked path. She has broken his heart big-time. I haven't met her, though.

Lesson? Boys, listen to your mama. She knows.

How is this going to help me?

I got an email today from a Dr. Suzanne Gudakunst. I am sure it was an attempt to help me, at least if I read the email right I think it was designed to help me. Or maybe it was to sell some kind of book or product. I didn't click the link because I didn't want to find out the "disgusting truth" that she said she would reveal to me.

The subject line of the email said it all: This is why you are fat‏
Wouldn't you be excited to open that email? And to click through to find out the "disgusting truth" about why I am so fat? Oh, but she says I should always know that it is not my fault.


What is the craziest junk mail you have gotten?

The last Christmas party of the year

We had Christmas at my dad's house this weekend. We haven't been hitting Christmas eve or day much lately because my step-mom works and we need to work around her schedule, so it has actually worked out really well in order to have all the grandkids around. (a few have to work around two sets of parents and that can be hard)
Samuel actually did really well without his Batman most of the time we were there! We only had to pull it out just before we left to make him calm. He was a turd and into trouble, but thankfully not like he gets into at home, lol.
Drew did bring his friend, Shelby, to dinner. She survived. Actually she fits right in to my family. That is scary. (Hi, Shelby!) Just as she walked in the door she met my brother, Rick, who introduced himself by saying "Run! Run as fast as you can!" But she stayed. And figured out that that was the guy we warned her about. I'll blog about Shelby another time, though.

Preparing food for 24 people is quite taxing on a person. Especially Klub (giant, gray pototo dumplings with ham in the middle), which is nasty, but it takes a long time to make it. Then getting everything ready with grandkids everywhere, adult kids play arguing, some pushing and bumping, and even a knife fight in the bathroom, well, it is a bit stressful. My step-mom was alternating between snapping at people and loving on the grandkids. It was a bit like she was bi-polar at times, lol. (love you, Ma!) So, later in the evening when we were playing cards and getting some leftovers together for supper, my brother Chris and I both wanted mayo with our ham sandwhich instead of butter. Ma said "If you want mayo you can make your own bleep sandwiches." A few minutes later she was telling Sam no to something and Chris turns around and says "Hey, May, when you see the Wizard are you going to ask him for a heart?" Let me just say that it is a good thing I had nothing in my mouth at that moment. We about died laughing. She was ticked, but really it was funny. She did make Chris his sandwich, though. I didn't get one, so I stole part of his.

Ma and Dad also decided that next year instead of getting each other Christmas presents (well instead of them getting US presents, we are still allowed to buy for THEM) that we would just take the money and buy for a needy family in the area. Chris wasn't taking that so well (in jest) and I piped in "Yeah, well if Donnie doesn't have a job by then, we could be that needy family." and she answered "You don't live in this county." I replied "If Donnie doesn't have a job by next Christmas, we'll be living right here in this house." You should have seen the look on her face! LOL

It was a fun day. We are all kind of mean in our humor and I love it!
Here are some pictures of our day. See if you can find The Grinch in these pics. I think she is wearing a flowered hoodie, lol. (my sister Liz)

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Striding Rite along in style

Having many young feet to care for over the years, I have been tempted to just buy used shoes because the kids go through them so fast. They wear them out, grow out of them, lose them. I hate spending a lot of money on shoes.
But children's feet need to be cared for and nurtured so that they do not grow wrong and cause problems with their backs or their posture.
One of my favorite types of shoes, for the early walkers especially, are from Stride Rite. You know that you are getting well-made, and well-researched shoes for your little one's feet.

From their website:

Natural Motion System - In 2000, Stride Rite® unveiled a major
innovation, the Stride Rite® Baby Natural Motion System™, which encourages and
enhances baby's natural stride path. Recent research, conducted jointly with the
medical community, confirms that barefoot walking is beneficial for baby, but
little feet still need protection. The Stride Rite® Baby Natural Motion System™
provides the closest choice to barefoot, in both traditional looks and
contemporary looks.
Toddler Tech - In 2001, Stride Rite unveiled Toddler Tech, we understand that toddlers are not only walking, they are zooming, leaping, climbing and stomping. That's why Stride Rite developed a technology specifically designed for the non-stop movement of an active toddler. The result is our ground breaking technology centered around our Natural Cushioning System™.
Kid Tech - In 2002, Stride Rite's latest research found that children at this age participate in a multitude of different activities, and therefore place extra stress on their shoes. Parents are faced with replacing their kids shoes more often and are looking for benefits such as durability, fit and value. The result is our latest innovation for kids, Kid Tech with Ultra Durability System™, which was designed to withstand the extra wear and tear kids place on their shoes.

Not only are the shoes perfect for little feet, they are gorgeous! You don't have to give up style to have a pair of shoes that is made correctly.

Stride Rite makes shoes from pre-walker size 1 all the way to a child's size 12.
They have the fun new Superball shoes, dress shoes for boys and girls, and even boots.

You are so Uneak

I got a great new shoe for Samuel and I wanted to tell everyone about it because they are really uneak. Yes, I know that is spelled wrong, lol. That is the brand of shoe, Uneaks. I like the novelty of the shoe, you change the sock and the shoe is now different. But I also like how durable the shoe is. It is firm and stable, perfect for young walkers. The socks are very unique. They have a different design on each side and that makes each pair of socks like two pairs because the designs show through the sides of the shoes. Very cool!
On to the tough part: getting a picture of a shoe on a 2 year old who LOVES the shoes and how they sound stomping through the house.

You get the idea.

Sam loves the shoes. He walked in when I was opening the box and took one look at them and knew they were for him. I don't know how he knew, but he claimed them and insisted on wearing them right NOW.

He wore them around and stomped and stomped and stomped. The noise was not so fun, but the bright side is that we finally found something that he will leave on. And I'm not talking just shoes here. I spared you all the pictures of him wearing nothing but the shoes.

Aren't the socks just adorable! I love the camo/checkers socks. I think Sam likes the Alex from Madagascar socks the best. There are several styles of socks based off the Madagascar 2 movie.

The shoes come in 3 styles for boys and 6 for girls. I know, it seems unfair, but you know it has to be that way, girls need more styles than boys, lol.

Uneaks are very good shoes and I really love everything about them. The construction is well-made, the styles are trendy and fun, and they are easily paired with almost any outfit with just a change of sock. I am very pleased with these shoes.

And Sam will wear them!

Pledge~ Review and Giveaway

I recently received a can of Pledge Natural Beauty to try out. I have a lot of wood in my house! My house is almost entirely wood floors, and wood furniture is such a natural accessory to that. But dust is also a natural accessory to wood floors and furniture.
I am allergic to dust mites, so I have a thing for getting rid of dust.
Pledge has a natural dust repellent that helps your furniture stay dust-free longer. It also removes up to 84% of allergens from dust mites and pet dander! A double help for my allergies!
Even though there is no waxy build-up from Pledge, it still manages to help protect against water spills. stains and every day wear. I love the shine it leaves behind, and the fresh lemon scent.



I have a can to give away to one of my readers.
Leave a comment telling me one of your cleaning woes. If you don't have a cleaning woe, then I don't like you and you don't need a can of Pledge.
You must be a US resident to win.
The giveaway ends January 5.




"This post was written for Family Review Network as part of a program by SC Johnson, who also supplied the product for review and giveaway."