Hello

Hello Everyone,  I know I have been gone a LONG, LONG time and I am sorry.  We have just had a lot going on.  We have had our fair share of illnesses and been busy with school. Seems we get really busy this same time of year every year with doing things. 

I have been spending a lot of time with my camera :).  A friend of mine in Feb. took me and the boys to take pictures of this one park that had flooded and then iced over.  I got some really great pics :). 

The boys with their friend 

bridge near the park

I have many more cool pics of this park but maybe I will show those another time :)

Also in Feb. the boys had Science Club within the MOMS Club®

Then of course we have been doing school work as you can see it’s not the most fun thing for the boys LOL.

Then in March I played more with my camera….

Can you tell they are getting sick of me taking pics?

Also in March we went to the Natural History Museum.  The boys had a lot of fun looking at everything!

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Then this past weekend (March 21) we had a birthday party for both boys.  Since Jarod’s birthday falls so close after Christmas (Jan. 3) we decided to have a combined party for both boys.  Poor Jarod has never had a birthday party because where his birthday falls and we just don’t have the money at that time.  But he and Chord had a lot of fun this year with it!  They had it at our local bowling alley! My Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law bought the cake but decorated it themselves (aren’t they awesome?!)

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Then today was Chord’s official birthday!  Can you believe he is nine years old now?!  I still can’t figure out where the time went.  Anyway we took the boys to the Zoo today.  It was a bit chilly but so worth it because there was hardly anyone there :).  So we didn’t have to rush through it like in the summer months.  We also got to hear an elephant trumpet a little and one of the Lions roared at us LOL.  Well I wouldn’t say roar exactly it was more like it was calling or something.  It scared Jarod though LOL.  But it was the coolest thing to hear.  Usually they are sleeping on the other side of the Rock so we can’t see them but this time one of them made an appearance.  I only wish I took a video of it instead of just pictures.  Anyway here are some zoo pictures!

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In other news, Harlow has decided to not continue with the schooling.  He was having a rough time with it and it wasn’t making him happy and his negative attitude about it was rubbing off our family as well.  So he is now not going to school but still getting unemployment and actively looking for a job.  Even if he has to start from the bottom he is willing to do it.

Please pray that he can get into a Rest Area which would be a State Job.  His friends brother works there and he told Harlow there will be an opening there soon.  So pray that there is an opening and that he does get the job. Even if he starts off at a low wage it’s a state job so it will have good benefits and in the long run he will make better money down the road.  So please keep thinking of us :). 

I am sorry I have been gone so long.  I also wanted to thank all of you who have commented or emailed me wondering how I have been.  I really appreciate it :).  At least I know I was missed a little LOL.  I hope everyone is doing well!!!

Just My Ramblings

Still not much going on here lately.  Just the usual day to day things. So I seem to be in a rut to blog about.  The only thing I really did today was go to a Calendar Planning meeting (for the MOMS Club for next month) and go grocery shopping. 

I did see an old co-worker I used to work with while we were out grocery shopping.  I remember when I was pregnant with my oldest she and another lady would always bring me food LOL.  She at one time brought me cactus to eat (without the thorns of course LOL).  It was actually pretty good.  Then again food seemed always taste good when I was pregnant with Chord LOL.  What's really funny is I craved healthy things with Chord like Salads and veggies!  Not that I have veggies when I am not pregnant but it's not my favorite things to eat LOL.  But with Chord food was just so good LOL. Probably the reason I gained so much weight with him LOL.  Well that and he was a big baby (10 lbs 7 oz and 23" long).  Anyway I kind of went off the topic.  But it was nice to see my friend.  It's been a very long time since I seen her.  She was always so sweet to me.

I can't believe next month Chord will already be nine years old!  Boy does time fly by.  I think I will have to give up blinking so as not to miss anything any more LOL.  It just really does seem like that it was only yesterday I was in the hospital holding him and looking at him thinking how beautiful he was!  Now he is going to be nine.  What will I feel like when he is a teen or an adult.  Where is the pause button when you need it?  If anyone knows where it is please let me know LOL.  Not that I want to keep them little forever but I want it to go just a little slower.  Just a little.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Just My Blathering's LOL.

The last couple days we have been busy.  We got some gift cards from a family that wanted to help a family have a nice Christmas and our Pastor and his wife thought of us and we were very blessed.  We got them yesterday and I have to say I am in awe.  It was a lot more than I had thought it would be.  So we dropped the boys off at my moms and went Christmas shopping. 

We didn't know what all to get the boys so today hubby took them to Toy's R Us so they could pick out some thing for now.  Kind of like early Christmas presents.  Hubby and I also got some new shoes and a couple other things we were needing.  The boys just got new Shoes from Grandma not too long ago so they weren't in need of new shoes.

I am just so thankful that this other family wanted to help us out so the boys could have a good Christmas.  I know the boys would have been happy with the little we had for them and what their Grandma is giving them but it's so nice to give them a little more.  The boys are so loving.  They love their toys and stuff sure but they also love giving and helping others. I so want to be just like them when I grow-up! :).  So to be able to get them some things they wanted makes me so happy!

I remember Chord at three years old helping me go through his toys to give to another family that was having a hard time.  We went through his toys and he gladly gave some  that he didn't play with.  (I remember when I was young I was so not like that.  I was the complete opposite and very selfish if I do say so myself LOL.) then at the age of five he demanded that he use his own birthday money to buy his brother a bike. Even though we had told him we would do that.  So he bought his brother a bike.

Jarod loves to share his toys with others.  He too has gone through his toys to give to another child.  He also give the gift of himself :).  If he see's another child crying he feels their sadness and will do what ever silly thing he can do to make that child feel better!  He has this energy about him that you just have to pay attention to him.  Not in a selfish look at me kind of way but a hey look at me so I can make you smile kind of way.  He seems to have away of commanding peoples attention but at the same time making it about making other's happy and not about himself.  He can sure make people forget about whatever they are worrying about and make them smile if even for just a moment!

Both boys are very compassionate.  I have seen them both cry for someone that was hurt.  I have seen them go to prayer when they know someone is struggling or hurting.  They will defend the little guy if they seem him/her getting picked on.  They will open doors for people and they will comfort the sad. 

I can't say that they are that way because of the way hubby and I have raised them.  Sure that might be part of it but it really is who they are.  Of course they have days where they misbehave or fight.  They are human you know LOL.  But I am continually amazed on who they have become and who they are becoming. 

All that just to say I feel so blessed to be able to give them a few good presents for Christmas because they truly have it down what Christmas is all about and not just a once a year thing!!  I am a blessed mom to have the boys I do.  They help me grow up a little more and show me what I need to be like :).  So to whoever it was that let us give he boys this I really do want to say Thank You for such a blessing.  I know the boys will be thankful too.  Not just for the  toys but of the thought behind it all. 

Sorry if this is incoherent and hard to follow LOL.  I am tired and maybe a little (or a lot) emotional :).  Please forgive me :D.  God Bless everyone and if I don't get on to blog before then I wanted to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!!!!

Laundry, Bunk Beds and Stress

Not much going on today.  Hubby went with us today to the Laundromat because he had to go to Michigan Works to update a few things so he can get his extension on Unemployment. 

While I was folding laundry he helped with school work by having Jarod read to him.  Jarod did really well.  He's really coming along in his reading.

When we got home we finished up school work and cleaned the boy's top bunk.  See we don't have a lot of room and the boys don't have a closet in their room.  So some of their big "Star War" ships were up there.  The boys have shared the bottom bunk for a while now.  Even when it wasn't all full of stuff they liked to sleep in the same bad. 

Hubby bought an extra bin to put at least most of them in and the rest on top of them (these are big ships.  Got them on E-bay :) ).  So now they have the top bunk again.  They were really excited about it now though.  I think they are getting older and need their own space.  I am glad we cleaned it up for them. 

Jarod is now sleeping on the top (he really wanted to LOL) and Chord is sleeping on the bottom bunk (Which he prefers anyway).  Besides they are both getting to big to share one twin sized bunk LOL.  Nice to have a little more room too I think.

Friday is the MOMS Club® Membership Meeting so once again I am having to get the Newsletter ready for print.  We are still working on it but this month I am not getting stressed out about it.  I figure I am doing what I am supposed to be doing.  So if it doesn't get done they can't really blame me for it :P.  I am learning not to stress the small stuff (really trying anyway LOL). 

So how about you?  Do you get stressed easily? (Oh I sure can on certain things). What is something that really stresses you out? What do you do to chill out? LOL.  I was just curious to see if I am alone or not LOL.

My Babbling's

It has been a busy couple of days.  Yesterday was Bible Study with the MOMS Club®.  We are still studying Joel Osteen's book Become a Better You .  Bible Study was canceled for one reason  or another the last couple of months.  So it was nice getting back into it.  I love our discussions too.   I always fell energized after having fellowship with other Christians!  Boys went with me too so they could play with their friends!  So  it was good for them too.

The friend that took us to Bible Study also took some of the toys (actually quite a lot) that I went through and was going to give away. So that is one less thing I have to worry about yea!!!

Anyway after Bible Study we went to the Library.  Me being goofy forgot it was Columbus Day so the Library was closed.  Thankfully I wasn't the only one who forgot though LOL.  So I just dropped our books in the drop box and I took the boys to play at the park right next to the Library for a while.  They had fun and immediately made friends with a couple of other kids there LOL.  They get along with everyone.  It really amazes me on how quickly they become friends with other children.  They don't care how old you are or what you look like.  All they care about is if you will play and talk with them LOL.  I remember being so painfully shy growing up.  I had a hard time making friends.  I don't know if that was because we moved around so much or because I got picked on a lot.  Maybe a combination of both.  I am just so thankful the boys aren't as bashful and shy as I was.

Anyway I got off track again LOL.  That was my day yesterday.  I don't think I actually got to sit down much till after five p.m. so I was pretty tired last night.  Thus the reason I didn't blog yesterday.

Today was Laundry Day.  This time I had quite a bit too since going through all the boys clothes and getting out all the fall/winter clothing and putting away all the summer clothes.  Surprisingly I didn't spend as much as I thought I would.  The washers work great there so they aren't too wet when they get to the dryer.

After going to the Laundromat we finished up school work and went back to the Library because I had to pick up a few books.  Chord wants to learn a bit about architecture and he picked out a few books to read.  He asked me how many he could get LOL. Like I was going to tell him he can only read a few books LOL.  He ended up getting four.  He wants me to read one or two to them too though.  So it's all good.  He has started reading the Magic Tree House books and he is really liking them.  He was reading the Andrew Lost books but he has read just about all of them now.  I am so glad he likes reading as much as I do. 

I also got a couple books for Jarod to read.  Well I help him but he's been doing well and I don't have to help him as much as I have had too.  I hope he learns to love reading too :).  I can't imagine not loving to read hehe. 

I also picked up a couple books on some history topics we are going to learn about.  With their History we mostly just read together about whatever it is we want to learn about.  I figure this way they will be more interested in what they are learning.  I remember being board to death in History/Civics classes.  Now I love learning about the past.  So far the boys like hearing about the past too so I hope this helps them really love to learn.

I guess I have babbled on enough and sorry if I have board you to death LOL.  I hope everyone is having a good week so far!!

Friday was the Calendar planning and that went well (for the MOMS Club®).  Saturday we went to my moms for a visit.  Sunday was Church.  Today not much going on.  Was supposed to go to a MOMS Club® board meeting but that got canceled and rescheduled for tomorrow morning.  I won't be able to go to it though because I have to do laundry at the Laundromat. 

It rained a little here and now it's pretty humid ugh.  It was good to have a bit of rain though.  Not much else going on lately.  I still have things I want to blog about but I just haven't gotten to it yet LOL.  I hope everyone had a good weekend!

This and That

Today the boy's got to spend more of the money they got from Grandpa today. They also made some Thank You cards to send to Grandpa in Arizona. They loved making them. Jarod even wrote in (with me helping him spell the words since he is only five and still learning to read) his card. I know my dad will love them!

Tomorrow I am going to meet up at a coffee shop with some of the MOMS Club members and just talk about raising kids and what not. Should be interesting. I'd like to see how other's deal with things. Never know I might learn something new LOL.

Well I still haven't figured out my computer problem. I still can't seem to download the Adobe Flash Player no matter what I do. I have tried all th suggestions but to no avail. Hubby is going to try to see if he can do something. He probably can't (I can pray though right? LOL) but he said he would try.

Sunday, is the boy's play they are going to be in at church. It's supposed to be a snow storm though so we shall see if they will cancle Church or not. They have once before when it was really bad out but hopefully it won't be that bad.

I don't really have a lot to post about today. I think I am just tired from this busy week LOL. That's ok though because sometimes it's good to be busy and I have been keeping God as my focus now too so that helps. I hope everyone has a great weekend!