There's an app for that!

You hear that a lot "There's an app for that!" on commercials. But did you know there really IS an app for THAT?
I have been telling Donnie I want a little more romance in the fun department. So he says "Should I turn on some music and light some candles?" I asked him where he was going to get candles, we didn't have any in our room, "Is there an app for that?" I said with some sarcasm. When he was done finding a good music channel on the satellite TV he DID find an app for some romance, lol.


So we had a romantic fire in the "fireplace" on our headboard. Every time I looked at it I had to giggle. Ok, so maybe it isn't actually romantic, but it is really funny.

Never challenge a man with an iPhone.

Only at my house!

Drew and his wife, Jannessa, are visiting our house after Kaytlin and Peter's wedding. So we had a lovely dinner together of meat cake, and even Grandpa joined us for dinner.
While we were enjoying each others company Cody mentions that he has always wanted to play the game from Scrubs where Turk and JD drop their pants around their ankles and the first person to get embarrassed and pull them up loses.



The boys all said they would do it and wouldn't get embarrassed. They were so cocky that I goaded them into actually doing it. So Drew and Cody stand up and drop their drawers AT THE TABLE. Poor Grandpa! They sat back down and started eating. Jannessa was dying, she was right between the two pant-less guys.
Then, out of the blue, Sam stands up and drops his drawers, too! There were a LOT of tears of laughter by this point!
Grandpa didn't take his eyes off his plate anymore, lol.
But then Sam took it to a new level and I had to tell him to put it away, because no one else had that hanging out.
After supper the boys realized that they were both equally matched and it was boring in the house. So Drew and Cody went outside to do yard work with their pants around their ankles. Not. Even. Kidding.
Finally they agreed neither would get embarrassed and pulled them up at the same time. Leaving Sam as the winner, since he still has not put his pants back on!

Another tax deduction bites the dust......

Those were the words that my husband uttered to me the morning after Kaytlin's wedding as we were laying in bed absorbing the quiet after the busy weekend.

I really don't know how we would have ever managed to have such a beautiful wedding if we didn't have so many great, supportive and hard working friends. It wrecks me in the most beautiful way to know what great friends we have!

Kaytlin and Peter are finally married after 2 years of the most beautiful example of purity for their friends and siblings. They shared their very first kiss on the altar! I have never forced that choice on my children, but I have prayed that my kids would have that experience, and God provided a man for Kaytlin who wanted to give her the very best, more pure husband he could give.


They are absolutely gorgeous! (and I can't wait for grand babies with Kaytlin's good looks and Pete's brown eyes! I will be mush!) Their wedding was gorgeous! Their honeymoon is a bit rocky, with a bunch of delays and a car breakdown and 3 days later haven't made it to their honeymoon destination, but they will have great memories.

I am very proud of them, and so very thankful to our amazing friends.

I will post all the fun wedding planning disasters and other pics as I get them loaded on a computer that has internet access.

Happy Mother's Day!

Today my day was made complete when Trinity said the prayer for our steak lunch. Her grandma gave her a book of prayers and she has been reading them and praying. So today she wanted to say a prayer and she picked The Lord's Prayer, which she read with her head down and hands folded.

"Our father who art in heaven, hollowed be they name
They kingdom come, they will be done,
on Earth and as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tree passes
as we forgive those who tree pass against us.
Lead us not unto temperation and deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen."
We all giggled and covered our mouths through the whole thing! Totally made my day!

Let the wedding preparations begin!

This weekend my friends threw the first of Kaytlin's bridal showers. It was so much fun! Kaytlin was amazingly blessed, with over 30 friends and family coming along side her to congratulate and encourage her in her upcoming marriage.
I am starting to even get excited rather than dreading the whole wedding prep stuff. It is a LOT of work and a lot of money, but it is also a lot of fun. It has only been a little over 9 months since Drew got married, and I was not ready for another one, but what control do we have over that? LOL
I made Kaytlin's bridal shower cake. It was French Vanilla cake with lemon buttercream icing and raspberry filling. For the first time I actually LIKED the taste of the cake. :) I am not a cake eater normally, but I would actually eat a small piece of this. Had there been any left, lol. Which there wasn't.
I am really happy with the way it turned out. Sorry about the quality pics, I took these with an iPhone.

Sam, Sam, Sam

I wonder if Sam will ever stop cracking me up. All the kids did and said funny things when they were little, but I don't remember laughing so much with any of the other kids. I think it is in his name, Isaac. Isaac means laughter. And Samuel Isaac brings much laughter to our lives.

Last night he noticed I was wearing nylons and he was fascinated with them, as is normal. He rubbed my foot and ankle for a good minute and then looked at me and told me how soft it is. No, that isn't funny, but it sure is sweet, right?

Then suddenly he turns around and starts rubbing his bare back up and down my leg like a bear scratching his back on a tree! Just too funny! His little facial expression of sheer joy was just hysterical!

But then, in walks the CAT, who is softer than my nylons........ guess where it went from there?

He pinned the cat to the bed, flipped over and started rubbing his back all over the cat while the cat's expression did NOT reflect sheer joy. I don't think the cat thought it was all that funny, really. I did, but I took pity on the poor cat and put a stop to it.

I bought the movie Tangled last night and let the kids watch it before bed. I just loved listening to Sam laugh at all the antics of the horse and other funny things. His sense of humor is just too cute!

I don't want him to grow up! I love his giggles and joy. I hope he never outgrows those.

Scenery pics from Florida

My Florida Trip

In January I took a week long trip to Florida with my friends Anna and Jody. We stayed in a condo in Daytona Beach, right on the beach! It was a wonderful, relaxing and fun trip!

Here is a short picture show of our adventures:

We took tons of pictures on the beach. And I mean TONS.

We played miniature golf and laughed until my diaphragm hurt.
We had Sex on the Beach on the beach.
We went on a boat ride and spotted dolphins in the wild.
We played a lot!
We took a wild life tour and saw the light house.
We even went to Sea World one day!
We played in the water a little bit.
Anna and I pet the sting rays.
We played trivia with the retired people at the condo and finally won 3rd place! We will forever be remembered as the blue shirt ladies.
I can't wait to go back some day!

My Grandbubble

Recently my daughter-in-law came to visit and Donnie and I picked her up from the bus station. When I saw that gorgeous baby bump and rubbed it, I just cried! That is my little grandbubble in there! I was overwhelmed with love for an unborn baby that isn't even in MY womb!
It was just the weirdest thing. I knew that I was going to love being a grandma, and that I would just love my grandchild, but I had no idea I would react to Jannessa's growing belly. Just amazing!
Drew and Jannessa are going to be fantastic parents! They are both in the top part of the sibling chain, having many younger brothers and sisters each, so they know what to do. Jannessa is already a good little mama to my little kids when she is around them. I am so excited to see them parenting.
I think she's having a boy, but I sure hope she has a girl. :)

Stop the train!

I feel like my life somehow ended up on a train going at high speeds. The weeks literally fly by. I can't remember things anymore, even if I make plans that day, lol. It's all just going too fast.

Nothing is too bad, but it is all so much.

I am now the care taker for my father-in-law. He is doing well, but there are some issues that he needs help with. He was recently hospitalized and the hospital had a "misunderstanding" and inserted a feeding tube into his abdomen against his wishes. He doesn't use it at all. So far we haven't gotten a lawyer to take the case.

I am still homeschooling 2 different grades. Those are going OK. For some reason Trinity doesn't comprehend writing the alphabet on lines correctly, but neither did Kaytlin. She'll get it someday. I hope. At least she is reading really well!

We've had some issues with one of our kids that concerns us, and it is a constant battle to deal with things, but I know God is faithful and things will turn out fine in the long run.

We also allowed a couple to move in with us to protect his children from being abused. They have been returned to the mother for now, and the man and his fiance still live with us. It's stressful at times, but they are nice people.

Then we also are on the launch team for our new church. That used to take a TON of time, but it is much more manageable now. Still, we are working each Sunday. Good work, and it is refreshing to serve!

We are working on a peace making effort with our former church. That is very stressful. We only got involved in order to protect the congregation, but the team isn't out to discipline, so not sure why we are even doing it.

On top of all that we are planning for Kaytlin's wedding in the middle of May. It is coming FAST! Her dress is gorgeous, our photographer is a surprisingly amazing talented 13-14 year old! Things are falling into place nicely and I am excited for it.

Maybe I will even start blogging again. It has been rough. We buried Aksel in February, and that really sent my emotions reeling again. Between that, and Phillip's hospital "mishap" we have been crazy busy and emotionally drained.

I need to start getting my stuff out here on the blog again. It helps me deal. :)

Guess what I got for a late Christmas present?

Jannessa sent me a text message with a picture of a big blue plus sign! I'm going to be a grandma in the fall!
So, my little grand-dog, Chloe, is going to get back seat.

Whoa! That's not good! haha

I was cooking lunch today and Trinity touched the crockpot and asked why it was hot. So I explained it was cooking the ham for supper. Then she asked why it had a whole in the top. About that time Sam walks in the room and I answer her "I melted the cap."
Sam became very upset. "You melted the cap? You melted the cap? Why you melted the cap? "
I tried explaining that it was just an accident.
He settled down and then asked me why we don't have a kitty anymore.
"Sam, we have a cat, we have Lexx."
"We have Lexx? Lexx not hurt?"
What??? OHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Sam, I melted the CAP, the LID on the crockpot NOT the CAT!"

Bwahaha!

A little funny to bring some cheer!

AN OPEN LETTER TO MR. JAMES THATCHER BRAND MANAGER AT PROCTER & GAMBLE.

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your Always maxi pads for
over 20 years, and I appreciate many of their
features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core ™ or
Dri-Weave(tm) absorbency, I’d probably never go
horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I’d certainly
steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight,
white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your
revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only
company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that
maxi pads be aerodynamic.

I can’t tell you how safe and secure I feel each month
knowing there’s a little F-16 in my pants. Have you
ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever
suffered from “the curse”? I’m guessing you haven’t.
Well, my “time of the month” is starting right now. As
I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently
surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now,
my body will adjust and I’ll be transformed into what
my husband likes to call “an inbred hillbilly with
knife skills.” Isn’t the human body amazing?
As brand manager in the feminine-hygiene division,
you’ve no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what
exactly happens during your customers’ monthly visits
from Aunt Flo.

Therefore, you must know about the bloating,
puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our
intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control
behavior. You surely realize it’s a tough time for
most women. In fact, only last week, my friend
Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her
boyfriend’s testicles into a George Foreman Grill just
because he told her he thought Grey’s Anatomy was
written by drunken chimps. Crazy!
The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that
America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in
capri pants.

Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last
month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I
wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus,
I opened an Always maxi pad, and there, printed on the
adhesive backing, were these words: “Have a Happy
Period.”

Are you kidding me? What I mean is, does
any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really
think happiness – actual smiling, laughing
happiness-is possible during a menstrual period? Did
anything mentioned above sound the least bit
pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you’re
some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be
anything “happy” about a day in which you have to jack
yourself up on Motrin and Kahlúa and lock yourself in
your house just so you don’t march down to the local
Walgreens armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy
plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man. If you
just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad,
wouldn’t it make more sense to say something that’s
actually pertinent, like “Put Down the Hammer” or
“Vehicular Manslaughter Is Wrong”? Or are you just
picking on us?

Sir, please inform your accounting department that,
effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in
monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad
business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss
your Flexi-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your
brand of condescending BS.
And that’s a promise I will keep – Always.

Best Regards,
Wendi Aarons

Why we didn't send out Christmas Cards This Year

Facebook Follow Friday!

Great way to get more Facebook followers for your blog's facebook account!

1. Add your Facebook Link, when you add it, it will automatically appear on everyone’s page that posts this Linky so you do not need to add it more than once.

2. Click on the Top 3 and like/add them: The first one will be me, Shining2Save and every week I will pick 2 more randomly. Please also follow the two people above you if you would like so everyone will get at least a couple new followers. You can leave them a comment letting them know your following from the Friday Facebook Hop.

3. Add/Like as many people on Facebook as you like.

4. You do not have to make a post to join: but it is always a plus if you do so everyone else can see and join in on the fun.

Help spread the word and add this Linky to your blog! The more we spread it the more followers we will get!

Below the Linky box, you will see see “What is a blog Hop? Get the Code Here" Click on it and just copy and paste that code into your post and the same Linky will appear. Your blog visitors can add their Facebook URL to your list and it will show up on all lists!

Feel free to copy and paste these instructions or just post the button and link back to me.

Please only add your Facebook url.

Team Real Tree's Viotory

We inadvertantly ended up with a feud in our house. It didn't start out that way, but it has become the norm every year at Christmas time. Should we get a real tree or put up our 18 year old fake tree?
Team Real Tree obviously wants to go hunt through the cold freakin' snow and cut down a big, stinky, needle-shedding and probably prickly as can be tree that will drip sap on my wood floors that will never come off.
Team Fake Tree wants to skip the freakin' cold, the outdoors, the tree smell, the stupid sap that won't come off the wood floor in 4 years, and sweeping up pine needles for 3 months, and put up the dusty fake tree that is FREE!

This year I let Team Real Tree win. It was so important to their leader, and I wanted to submit to him. I also want the kids to have memories of happy things in their childhood. So, not only did I cave in, I also WENT WITH THEM this year.

Found the perfect looking tree, but mom requires that it not be pokey because pokey ones fall down twice a day and HURT to put back up. So they are checking it out and it is soft, a great height, and filled out nicely.














Then comes the sawing of the tree. Donnie does that. And he wisely wears the warm clothing needed for laying on the ground sawing away while everyone else hangs around and talks.















And then there is Cody, who currently refuses to wear a coat. I mean, gees, mom, we only live in Minnesota, it isn't like we live in Canada or something.















"Who you takin' pics of?"















The little ones trudged around through the snow banks, while I sat in the van taking pictures through the window.















None of the kids were bothered by the cold that sent me back to the van.














This is one of the first years in a LONG time, if ever, that Donnie took part in decorating the tree. He likes to come in at the last minute and put the star on the top. That's it. The part everyone wants.



















Even the big kids helped decorate this year. Which was fun, since our decorations disappeared. Gone. I stole that garland from a box my mom left here. I also found about 10 ornaments from our Christmas banquet table from last year, so we have 10 ornaments, and 2 boxes of candy canes, along with the lights that normally go outside on our light pole.















But the tree looks nice and that is all that matters!

STC ~ Senior Texting Codes

Since more and more Seniors are texting and tweeting there appears to be a need for a STC (Senior Texting Code). If you qualify for Senior Discounts this is the code for you.

ATD: At The Doctor’s
BFF: Best Friend Farted
BTW: Bring The Wheelchair
BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM: Covered By Medicare
...CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center
DWI: Driving While Incontinent
FWB: Friend With Beta Blockers
FWIW: Forgot Where I Was
FYI: Found Your Insulin
GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!
GHA: Got Heartburn Again
HGBM: Had Good Bowel Movement
IMHO: Is My Hearing Aid On?
LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out
LOL: Living On Lipitor
LWO: Lawrence Welk’s On
OMMR: On My Massage Recliner
OMSG: Oh My – Sorry, Gas.
ROTFL – ACGU: Rolling On The Floor Laughing… And Can’t Get Up
SGGP: Sorry, Gotta Go Poop
TTYL: Talk To You Louder
WAITT: Who Am I Talking To?
WTFA: Wet The Furniture Again
WTP: Where’s The Prunes?
WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil
WMDP: Where’s My Damn Phone?
GGLKI:Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking In

Pledge Gift Basket Review and Giveaway

As my daughter was dusting in my living room the other day the smell of the Pledge reminded me of growing up. Saturday cleaning days, often times I had to would get to do the dusting. I actually enjoyed dusting! I like the lemon fresh scent. Memories!

Pledge is not just for your wood. It works on all sorts of surfaces: Leather, Stainless Steel, Granite, Marble, Laminate and Wood.

We mostly have wood, and we use Pledge to polish up our coffee and end tables, desks and even our dining room chairs! I am even planning to use it on my dining room table before Christmas.

Pledge is giving one of my lucky readers a Memories gift set which includes a can of Pledge, a microfiber towel, a gift basket (so sturdy and well made!!!), a deck of cards (to make memories!), a set of coasters that you can put pictures in to remember things, and a photo album.

Also, to celebrate all these surfaces that Pledge can clean for you, Pledge® is hosting the “Pledge® to Love Your Kitchen” Contest in partnership with Jyl Johnson Pattee of MomItForward.com.

About the Contest:

The contest offers moms the chance to win $15,000 in gift card(s) to a major home improvement retailer to help update their kitchen along with a year’s supply of Pledge® to make it shine. For all the details and official rules, go to www.MomItForward.com.



About Pledge®:

This holiday season Pledge® is empowering moms to put a new twist on their family’s tried and true traditions. One easy way to do that is to make all areas of your home shine. That’s right – that trusted yellow can under your kitchen sink can be used to dust, shine and protect a variety of household surfaces:

Leather
Stainless Steel
Granite
Marble
Laminate
Wood

Check out more information at www.Pledge.com/DoMore.

The Memories Gift Set giveaway is open to US residents and ends January 5th, 2011.

Mandatory entry: Leave a comment on what surfaces you would use Pledge on or what surprised you that you can use Pledge on.

Extra entries:
(leave a separate comment for each entry)

1. Be a Google Friend follower of my blog.
2. Follow Our Seven Qtpies on Facebook.
3. Follow Qtpies7 on Twitter.
4. Sign up for my emails. (3 entries)
5. Blog this giveaway linking to this post and to “Pledge® to Love Your Kitchen” Contest. (5 entries)
6. Share this on Facebook and paste the link in a comment.
7. Tweet this giveaway once a day and paste the link to the tweet in a comment.
(to paste links directly to comments and tweets, click on the time stamp of the comment)

I was given a gift set of Pledge to facilitate my review, I was not monetarily compensated for this post.

Jingle bells!

Ok, well, we aren't all that jingly over here, but Christmas is coming anyway.

Christmas can be such a depressing and hopeless time of year for people. I know it really stinks when you are beyond broke, and add to that this economy and so many, many people out of work.

I am not depressed, I just don't get all that excited about Christmas. It is just all so....... unnecessary. Jesus doesn't instruct us to remember his birthday (which didn't happen in December anyway) and He certainly wouldn't want it to be about THINGS. So it kind of turns me off a bit. I love giving presents to people, don't get me wrong, I just hate what it has all become about. Buy, buy, buy. Spend, spend, spend. Decorate, spend, buy, eat. Just so much of that and so little of Christ.

So, I really just don't pay too much attention to it. I buy the gifts we need to buy (this year I have WON a ton of my gift list!), and enjoy the important parts: spending time with family and giving to people who need. (because you need to take care of their needs so they can know how much you care) Jesus wants us to care for the poor and broken.

All that aside...........

We have a long-standing Christmas feud in our house. Team Real Tree against Team Fake Tree. Team Real Tree are the dreamers who love Christmas. Team Fake Tree are the ones who see wasted money and pine needles to clean up. This year I bowed my wishes to make my dreamers happy. Memories are worth more than the money, right? So Team Real Tree won this year. I'll have to post pics, I even went along to get the tree this year. And I never do that!












Then we went to decorate. Where are the decorations? Seriously, where are they? No idea where they are. We have a closet for them, but they aren't there. No lights, no ornaments, no STOCKINGS. Our tree has some stuff I stole from my mom's Christmas stuff, a garland, our outdoor lights, and candy canes! But it is still pretty.

My manger and nativity set did get put away correctly so that is set up. I worried about the kids breaking it because it is the only thing I have from my grandma. But Donnie threatened them with their lives and they only point, never touch. Sam says that Joseph is God, and there is just no convincing him otherwise. You can confuse him a little and he will call Jesus God and Joseph Jesus, but he won't give up that Joseph is Joseph. Cracks us up!












Kaytlin is home from college for a month. Not that she is ever HOME, but she sleeps here. Hopefully we'll find time to do some wedding planning and maybe order wedding invitations now that we have a place and date for both the wedding and reception. The cake is being planned, but will be a HUGE challenge to me. Chocolate sides. Chocolate hates me.

















Drew won't be home, but he will be around New Years, and plans to be at the grand opening of our new church campus!

That's what's up here! I'll sign off with a little conversation I had with Trinity the other day when she overheard me say something about being fat.

Trinity "Mom, you are NOT fat!"
Me "I'm not?"
Trinity "No, you are just thick."

Hmm, that IS a little better sounding! lol

Midweek Mingle!

Welcome to Our Seven Qtpies!
Head over the the Mid Week Mingle sight to find everyone else, but please follow me while you are here. If you leave a comment, I will follow back!
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Let me know and I will repeat the favor!