30 posts in 30 days

Last month my friend, Silver Valley Girl, over at Silver Valley Stories set a goal of 30 posts in 30 days and made that goal. When she posted her accomplishment I thought I can do that. I've been trying to be a more active blogger and so I set that goal for myself. Well I did it.



I wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year. Kimmie has a cousin sleeping over tonight so we will be having a little party together. We may head to church for the party they are having there.

I hope 2009 is blessed and healthy for you and your families.

Daniel Fast and New Year Goals

Many in my church are participating in a 21 day Daniel Fast starting on the 1st. So today I'm going to sit down and make up a menu for myself (because I'm sure my hubby won't be participating. So the start of my year will be with that, reading more of my Bible and prayer.

My other resolutions, I hate to call them resolutions because that word just seems to invoke failure to me. I mean how many people really follow through with the resolution they set for themselves. So instead I'm going to call it New Year Goals.

1st ~ My goal is to get closer to God and put him 1st. I am going to spend more time on him. And try harder to give up my control and let him lead me where he wants me to be.

2nd ~ Getting out of debt. We have about $15,000 worth of debt that I am going to get paid off before the end of 2009. This includes my car that has 30 payments left on it. My goal is to pay off all our debt, pay all of our monthly bills ahead and get money in savings.

3rd ~ My goal is to be healthier, lose weight and get in shape. I would like to walk in Bloomsday again in May and I would like to be in better shape and a smaller size by my birthday in July.

I think that as long as I put God first as in my 1st goal for the new year that the other 2 will follow right into place.

"But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." —Matthew 19:26

We're all in this together

I just saw this commercial and had to share it. Incase you haven't seen it, it will definately touch your heart.

My 100th Post

It's after 9:30 in the morning and Kim is STILL asleep. I'm going to really have to play hard with her today to get her to go to bed tonight at a decent hour. I have used the morning to give my blog a fresh wintery look. It was time for something new.

Today we are planning on meeting my cousin for lunch. She lives in Boise and I haven't seen her in forever. Actually I think that last time we were able to get together was for my babyshower. How could that happen? That was over 4 years ago.

It's a little sad to see how life and our own families have spread all of us apart to the point that we rarely see each other. There are 12 of us (cousins) and as we were growing up we spent so much time together. There was atleast one day a month that we all got together at Grandma's house for the family birthday party or holiday. Then there was all the time we spent back and forth between eachothers houses. Now we rarely see each other. So Jana and I will just have to catch up today and enjoy the time that we have.

A blessed Christmas

I hope that everyone had a blessed Christmas. Our family had a wonderful day together. Christmas Eve I went and spent time at church with others at 11:00. We sang some carols and had communion together. It was a nice time. Pastor Carey was asking when our favorite Christmas was.

I would have to say that my favorite Christmas was in 2004. It was Kimmie's 1st Christmas. We were living in Republic and our whole world had changed. We now had a baby and we were living in a town where the only people we knew were those from a lifestyle that we no longer lived. Money was tight and we really had nothing to do any shopping for gifts. Although I squeezed out a little to get a Teddy Bear for Kimmie's first Santa present. Our Christmas dinner was tacos, certainly nothing to get excited about. But I had everything I could have ever asked for.

I had a warm home, food to eat, and the most wonderful gift I could have ever received. On Christmas morning when my sweet girl woke up and I went in her room to get her out of bed. I said "Merry Christmas Beautiful" and her response was her beautiful smile. What better gift could a new mom receive.

That's my favorite Christmas and not because I got some wonderful gift that my husband bought at the store or because we had this amazing meal but because it was my most blessed.

I would love to hear about your best Christmas.

Siesta Ornament Exchange

I recently joined an ornament exchange over at Siesta Fiesta Blog. I was so excited to get the mail today and find a wonderful package from Lavonda in Georgia. She sent this beautiful glass ball with a red ribbon and a red "L" on it. She also sent a gorgeous sand dollar ornament with the legend of the Sand Dollar on the package. It has been years since I read that legend. It was nice to refresh my memory of it again.





She also sent some lovely postcards of Georgia, I would love to go there someday. And a great little nativity craft project for Kimmie and I to do together.

Thank you Lavonda I love the ornaments and have really enjoyed getting to know a new friend.

A New Favorite Song

On Sunday mornings when I get to church they have this video playing of JesusCulture in concert. This song plays every Sunday and I am absolutely in love with it and the group. I love Kim Walker's voice and her energy. I am definately in the market for more of their stuff.

2009 Calender

Every year I make a new calendar for Kimmie's Grandmas for Christmas. I usually take each month and put in my favorite picture from that month. This year I really had a struggle getting my creativity flowing so thanks to the help of my wonderfully creative friend we got it done. Actually I have to admit that she did most of it and I am so grateful to her for it.

Oh the weather outside is frightful......

We got a bit of snow last week and then the temps dropped again to those dreaded subzeros with those bone chilling winds. So now we have drifts of snow blowing everywhere.

We were watching that movie The Day After Tomorrow last week and I was thinking how badly that would suck. Larry commented that you would get used to it if an ice age hit us. I really don't think so. I really don't think that I would ever "get used to the cold" if there seemed to be no end to it. I'm quite partial to Summer and the hot weather.

Today I also have to get my last package out in the mail for Christmas. I'll have to do that at lunch. I need to get one more roll of wrapping paper to wrap the things that will be from Santa. I normally wouldn't wrap Santa gifts but Kim informed me that he wraps all the little stuff that isn't to big to wrap. Not sure where she got that but I guess I can go with it.

She did it.

This morning I got up and got ready for church. Kim said she wasn't going with me so I didn't bother trying to get her to get dressed. I was getting ready to leave and I asked our nephew (who spent the weekend with us) if he would like to go with me. He said he would and suddenly Kim wanted to go. She said she would go but she was just watching the program. Fine with me.

We got to church and settled in our seats, Pastor Carey came over to say good morning and asked if Kim was going to be part of the program and to my suprise she said YES. So we hurried down stairs to her classroom where she got her angel costume on with the rest of her class.

She did it. She sang her song and did everything she was supposed to do and had fun. I was so proud of her. Unfortunately I didn't take my camera with me because I didn't expect her to do it. So no pictures to share but atleast I have the memory of it.

Tonight she's supposed to go spend the night at my mom's and make ginger bread houses with her cousin and my Grandma. So I'm going to take advantage of the free evening to get the household chores caught up and the rest of my wrapping finished up.

Only 2 more days of work and then I get a 12 day vacation. I'm so looking forward to sleeping in on Wednesday and spending the day kicking back watching movies, baking Santa cookies and going to the library for story hour. We will have a friend of Kimmie's over for the day as both her mom and dad have to work and they needed somewhere for her to go, so that will be nice.

Well atleast the day wasn't a total loss

We got up this morning and we were supposed to go to dress rehearsal for the Christmas program. Kim was all for going and being an angel until she got out of the shower. Then I had to do some bribing and begging to get her to go. We got to the church and then she decided that she wanted nothing to do with it again. Not only did she not want to be in the program she didn't want to behave either. So we left and came home. I'm so disappointed in her. In her behavior and that she is refusing to be part of the program.

So I needed a break from her and my sister wanted to take the kids to get pics with Santa today. I told her that it was probably a lost cause but if she wanted to try to go ahead. So off they went. She took my mom with her to help with the kids and they got dressed up at the mall.

They were gone for a while when I got a phone call. Much to our suprise Kim jumped right up on Santa's lap and happily told him what she wanted for Christmas....A Cinderella Polly Pocket...and they took the picture. It's not the most perfect picture but getting 3 kids to sit, smile and look at the camera all at the same time is most impossible.



So I guess the day wasn't a complete loss. We'll just have to see how things go tomorrow. Maybe she'll be part of the program but I'm not holding my breath on it.

Our First Official Snow Day

It started snowing here yesterday afternoon and hasn't stopped yet. If there's not a foot of new snow out there it's darn close to it. So school is closed and we are taking our FIRST official snow day. So I'm letting Kim sleep, she'll be excited when she wakes up.



Today is my day off and it lost it's zest for being a "ME" day since Larry is home sick. So we're having a family snow day.

So the plan for the day is now to shovel the drive way (for the 3rd time since yesterday), then head in for my hair appointment. Then if we can make it out we need to head to Walmart and pick up a few gifts that Kim needs to pick out. Then practice at church for the Christmas Program this afternoon.

We also need to get new snow boots. I've been needing to go get her some but I hadn't had the chance to take her with me. And I'm not buying shoes for that kid without her being there to pick them out and try them on. We have enough shoe battles with the ones she has picked I'm certainly not picking for her myself.

Count Down to a much needed break

I've had a count down to Christmas break now for over a month and it's finally almost here. I have tomorrow off then work on Friday, then work Monday and Tuesday. Starting Wednesday I have 12 days off. I'm so excited. The company I work for opts to take Christmas Break off instead of having a holiday party. We would all so much rather have the vacation then a party. And we all look so forward to it. So Wednesday Kimmie and I are planning on sleeping in, making cookies for Santa and going to the library in the afternoon for story time. We may have a little friend come over and share the day with us because her daddy has to work. We'll throw in a few Christmas movies and just make a girls day of it. I can't wait.

Breaking through a wall

For the past month and a half I have been struggling to get over a plateau and finally I broke through it. I was so excited to get on the scale and see another 2 pounds gone. After being stuck at 5 1/2 pounds for so long. It's only 2 pounds but it's still something. It's not coming off as fast as I would like it to but I guess the reality of it is that I didn't get this way over night I can't expect it to come off like that. So I'll take every little step in the right direction that I can get.

A wonderful gift

I had a nice weekend even with it being SO DARNED COLD that you can't breath when you go out. I received a nice note in the mail from Pastor Carey. It really made my day just to know she was thinking about me.

Then Sunday I went to church (by myself again as Kimmie decided to stay home) and before the services started Pastor Carey gave me a new Bible. She said it was one that they had handed out at the beginning of the year to everyone and she thought I should have it. It's a One Year Bible. Divided up so that the entire Bible can be read in 15 minutes sections each day in one year.

I was very excited about it because though I know the basic stories in the Bible I have been feeling this desire to know more. But at the same time reading the entire Bible seems so daunting and where to start. So now with it being so unbelievably cold out I have something to curl up with a warm blanket and read.

Do you know how to track Santa's trip on Christmas Eve?

I do. I'm really excited to share this with Kim this year. She's really excited abotu Santa coming this year. She even told me all about her plans to hide in the corner behind the tree so she could see him. When I told her that he would know she wasn't sleeping and wouldn't come she informed me that he wouldn't even know she was there.




So if your kiddo's are excited about Santa's visit this year then they are sure to be excited about watching his trip progress around the world till he gets to your house. Just go to this link to Track Santa.

Dealing with a bully

It breaks my heart to think that at 4 I have already had to have the talk with Kimmie about how to deal with a bully. But I did this morning. There is a little boy in her class at school who is farely new to the class. Every day when I pick her up she tells me about how he hit her or pushed her or pulled her hair. Wednesday when I picked her up from school he hit her and she was upset about it I told her to tell her teacher (thinking that she would do something about it). All she said was "Tell Kimmie you're sorry". Last night in the middle of her program he hit her in the forhead. Ruining her show in the middle of it for herself. I sat down with her this morning and talked to her about it. I'm just furious that this little boy is bullying my sweet girl and nothing is being done about it, really. Obviously "tell Kimmie you're sorry" isn't working to get him to leave her alone. So I told her that it's not ok to fight with someone or to hit them just to be mean BUT and I mean that as a big BUT if he doesn't leave her alone she has every right to defend herself and if she feels like she needs to punch the little punk in the nose then she better do it. I told her that I'm sure she'll probably get in trouble with her teacher but she won't be in trouble with me because he has it coming. Today when I pick her up I'm going to have to tell her teacher about our talk. I do want her to have fair warning that Kimmie may take it upon herself to tromp that little brats butt if he doesn't leave her alone. I do hope that she doesn't have to resort to that but if it comes down to it he may need it. I would hate for him to think that it's ok to treat others like that and in preschool he certainly shouldn't be getting away with it. That's just setting him up for more trouble later and more kids to be hurt by him as well.

The Big Story

Tonight was my little girl's first Christmas program. The performed "The Big Story". The whole school was involved. That sounds like it was a BIG production but really there is only 35 kids in her school. I had a battery panic attack before the show started. I took one picture of her and the battery light flashed on my camera. I had to make a 911 call to my sister who was on her way to stop and grab a package fore me. We had a few melt downs prior to the performance starting but once the kids filed in and got on stage she settled in and did great. She was really focused on that microphone. In the end she was very tired and very ready to go home but she did great. I am so proud of her and was so excited for her. It was a great night and we topped it off with dinner at McDonald's and then story time at home.

Update to my day yesterday

I got up and took Kim to school. I really should have went to Curves but I wanted to get started on my projects. I got almost everything I wanted to get done done before noon. My friend came over and we had a nice visit with some lunch together. Then I went and picked Kim up from school. We had a nice couple of hours to ourselves. We went to the library and then came home to some hot cocoa and nice quiet time together. I love when we get time at home and it's just us girls. Then Larry came home and the day wound down. I did get some time in last night to work on my calendar. I think it's done but I'm sure I'll end up tweeking a few things on it before I get it printed next week.

Now it's back to work today. Just 9 more work days till Christmas break. That's going to be a wonderful 2 weeks.

A day to myself

Today I will be having a day to myself for the first time in almost 5 years. Things at work have slowed down so I am taking a day off a week. Larry will be at work and Kim at school so I will be totally alone. If I didn't have so much to do still to get ready for Christmas I think I would be lost.

My plan is to drop Kim off at school and get my work out in at Curves. Then I will be coming back home, cranking up the music and tackling house. I have already moved through her room and the computer room in the past couple of evenings. So on to the rest of the house. I'm going through everything/ Closets, dressers, storage.......everything. I always think this is a good time of year to do such things. Get rid of the old before bringing in the new.

I usually have a lunch date with a friend on Tuesdays so I invited her over to my house for lunch. I'll have to make us up something yummy. I think a nice turkey sandwich and some pasta salad.

If I can get through my house this morning then I'll have a few hours this afternoon to work on my calendar for 2009. I put together a calendar every year of pictures of Kim for my mom and a few others as Chrismas gift. This year however I haven't felt very creative and have only been able to get 1 page done myself. Thankfully I have a wonderfully creative friend who has been kind enough to help me out with it. She's gotten almost the entire calendar finished for me. I have one more month to get together.

A friend asked me why I don't take the day and be lazy but I think instead I'll take advantage of the time to get ready for Christmas. Then I'll be able to spend some days by myself soaking in a hot tub with a good book.

Public Humiliation as Punishment

This morning I was on my way to the office and I past a young man standing on the corner. He was probably about 12 and was wearing a sandwich board sign that read "I'm a liar, a theif and a bully and I don't care about anyone but myself." I was shocked to say the least. And I found myself thinking about it all day.

I wonder what it was that this young man did to get himself into trouble? And did his parents try other means of punishment and this what they felt they had to resort to?

I have to admit that my first thought was "Oh my who would do that to their child?" and then I had to thought "whatever he did I bet he won't do that again".

You have to wonder though if that would really work or if this young man was already calloused enough that it wouldn't matter. Kids now days can be like that. And it makes me sad. They have formed the opinion of "so what are you going to do about it, huh". Parents have offered no real consequenses for the child's actions. Is that the case with this young man? Did they not discipline him until now and this was the form of punishment they chose? I guess I'll never really know the thoughts and reasonings.

What do you think? Do you think that form of punishment would be ok?

Ever get a song in your head?

For over a month now I've had this song in my head. Thankfully it's not one that I'm going to complain about. I wake up hearing it and go to sleep hearing it. I sing it at the top of my lungs when I'm alone in the car. But for over a month now there it is every day. I remember singing it during worship service at CLC when I was a kid.

So here it is so it can get stuck in your head too. It's really not a bad thing when you wake up and go to sleep Praising HIM.

A Baby Changes Everything

Today Kim decided she wanted to stay home and spend the morning with her dad instead of going to church with me. When I got home they were gone. They'd made a trip to the transfer station to get rid of some garbage that wouldn't fit in the can and then went for a little drive. So I came in and turned on the music station (such a nice break from NOGGIN) and started to clean up a bit. This new Faith Hill video came on and I had to stop and sit to hear it. I then went straight to You Tube to see if I could find it and listen again.

What a beautiful and powerfully moving song. The last verse says "My whole life has turned around...Once was lost but now I'm found...A baby everything.." There are no truer words the those in my life.

So if you haven't heard it yet here is it and even if you have enjoy it again.

Birthday Parties

My little girl seems to be a very popular kid. I think she's invited to a party atleast once a month. Last night she went to her friend E's party. They are friends from Kim's old daycare and have said they were best friends since they were 2 and could talk good. They are so funny together. It makes me a little sad that they don't get to see each other very often since we changed Kim's daycare and schools.

So this was the 2nd party that I've just dropped her off at. She's so excited about me leaving her at a party to be by herself. And suprisingly when it's time to go home and I get there to pick her up she's happy to leave too. No battles about her wanting to stay longer. I think she's enjoying her new found freedom as well. She actually thanked me for leaving her at the party by herself.

I guess the new indepences is always a little bittersweet. I love that I'm getting back more time for myself but it's also a little sad that she doesn't need me so much anymore. I'm sure that every other mom I know feels the same way.

Did Mary Know?

I was in the car this evening on my way to pick Kim up from a birthday party and on the radio they were talking to the man who wrote the Christmas song "Mary did you know?" I love that song. I could listen to it over and over (and I have even when it's not Christmas time). They asked him where he got the idea for the song and his answer was that when he was a child his mother said something to him about wondering if Mary knew all the amazing things that her son would do. Walking on the water, raising the dead, giving site to the blind, etc....

We know that she knew he would be the savior of man but did she really know all the wonder and amazing things he would do? We all as mothers have dreams and wonder what our children will become. She knew her son was the Son of God and was our Savior. What kind of dreams could she have had for her child with that kind of knowledge?

So here I wanted to share this song with you. I love the version that Kenny Rogers and Wynona Judd does the best.

Relay Bake Sale

We had a bake sale today to kick off our fundraising for 2009 Relay for Life. We set up a table in front of Indelible Tidbits. We had cookies, breads and jars of cookie mixes. Everything looked very yummy. We asked people to just make the donation that they felt was good for them to give. The weather wasn't bad. It was cold out but atleast it wasn't raining. We were there till 3:00 and we made $80. I think that's a pretty good start for our fundraising.

Baking for Relay

Last night I spent the evening baking away. Chocholate chip and Peanut Butter Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Banana Bread and Lemon Almond Biscotti. I even packaged them up on nice little trays. Boy did I get ambitious or what. I really should have had it all done last weekend when I had 4 days to get it done. But no not me. I seem to be the queen of procrastination lately. But it's all done.

So this afternoon my sister, myself and hopefully some others from our Relay for Life team are going to set up a table on the side walk with holiday goodies and hot cocoa and spiced cider. It's Yulitide festival in town this weekend so hopefully we'll get lots of traffic and sell our our goodies.

This is our first fundraiser for the 2009 Relay and we are hoping it goes well. 2008 our team raised a little over $2000 and I think we can do better then that. My hope for our team is to double that. So if you're in Wallace this weekend stop by and grab a cup of something hot to warm up with and a tasty treat to enjoy and you walk about town and enjoy the holiday festivities.

My Favorite Christmas Movie

This time of year I am truly a kid at heart. I love all the old movies that are on every year. I get excited about sitting down and watching the same shows that were on when I was a kid and now I get to share them with my own. Rudolph, Frosty, Santa's Coming to town. But my all time favorite will always be A Christmas Story. My family laughs at me because I watch it every year. Over and Over. It's not unusual for it to be on ALL DAY on Christmas Eve when they have the Marathon of it for 24 hours on TV.

I'm can't imagine that growing up there wasn't something or some family in your childhood that isn't represented in this movie. I just love the Bupkiss hounds, the Red Rider BB gun, the deranged Easter Bunny costume. And who could ever forget the Chinese turkey and the major award in the form of an elicit leg lamp. And of course what kid wasn't involved in some way or another in a dare to stick a tongue to the flag pole. We all know someone that did it....at least once.

I even bought my self a copy of it DVD just in case there comes a year that it's not on. I don't want to be caught without a chance to enjoy that movie come Christmas Eve.

Christmas Traditions

I was reading today about some peoples Christmas Traditions and it got me thinking about some of ours. Every year as a kid we got new pajamas and we got to open one gift on Christmas Eve. Funny that gift was always those new pajamas. My Mom said it was so that we looked decent in the morning for our "opening presents photos". I have carried on that same tradition with Kim. She gets new Christmas jammies and I have added a new book to the tradition.

The book started with her first Christmas. We were in Republic and I was really having a hard time. Being away from home with a new baby and not knowing anyone. So minister for the church lived behind us and she invited me to Christmas Eve service. So I took Kim and enjoyed the service. For the service they read a wonderful story called the Christmas Bell. It's a great little story about a little girl who finds a silver bell and decides to give it to baby Jesus. After the service was over and we were heading out the door Pastor Barb handed me the book. Now every year since I have picked up a new book for Kim that's not about Santa and presents but instead about the real reason for Christmas and God's love.

So far we've gotten

Mary's First Christmas
The Tale of Three Trees
Room for a Little One
God Gave us Christmas

and this year we are getting Alabaster's Song.

I love being able to sit back and read these wonderful stories with her. And doing it every year makes it even more special.

So what are some traditions that your family enjoys every year? I would love to hear about them

Amazing Grace

I got the pleasure of hearing this at work yesterday and wanted to share it with you. So turn up the volume on your speakers and sit back and enjoy. All I could say was WOW! What do you think?

My sweet little girl

I'm in such awe at the tenderness caring my sweet little girl shares with the world. My Grandma was telling me yesterday after church about a moment last week when that sweet little 4 year old offered to share what she had with her. My Grandmother has arthritis and has been having some trouble with a knee bothering her. So she went to the doctor and was given a couple of different prescriptions. One of them was for this new "athletic" tape that has some medicine on it. Must be some kind of anti-inflamatory. When she went to fill the prescriptions the pharmicist told her that the tape would be over $200. Well of course she said "No thank you" she didn't have that kind of money to fill that one. My darling little girl over heard the conversation and pulled a $1 she had been saving in her pocket to get herself a treat and handed it to my Grandma saying "Here Grandma you can have my money so you can get your medicine."

It really made my heart swell to know that this sweet little girl who had her heart set on spending her money on something she wanted was willing to give it to make sure that someone else got what they needed. One of the things that I have always felt was important for her to learn is that no matter how much or how little we have there is always someone out there who has less. And we help those in need with what we can. It's nice to know that those lessons are getting in there. Of course my Grandma didn't get that prescription filled but it made her proud to know that her Great Granddaughter was willing to give what she could. I will say it over and over I just love that little angel and I thank God everyday for the blessing and opportunity he gave me when he chose me to be her Momma.