Good Questions, Peeps!

Emily asks, "What is your husbands best trait. Also, what would he say YOURS was. :)

This is really funny. Well, it's not but it is. Before I get to the funny part, I'll tell you Josh's best trait. And I don't think I can list just one.

Josh has the most amazing work ethic. He's usually the first to arrive and the last to leave. He works hard. And his hands show it. He's the first one called, whether it's my family or his that needs help with something. Like exit numbers. My sister Megan called and got herself lost a few months ago, she called Josh and explained to him where she was. He knew exactly where she was and gave her the exact exit number she needed to take to get home. A couple years in a semi and I guess you just remember all the numbers. He's kind and considerate. He's the most amazing daddy ever. I really like the guy.

As for the second part...what would he say mine was. I said to him last night, "Emily wants to know what my best trait is." His response, "Hmm, yeah, I don't know." I'm gonna let him off the hook and say that there are just so many that I have, he couldn't think of just one! :)

Amber's questions. Or...Amber's daughter's questions.

What's google? (love that she can read) Ryleigh, Google is the place your Mommy goes to when she doesn't know where I am. Like the other night, with Francine Rivers, she googled 'er and found out where I was going. Your mom's quick like that.

Where's Josh? Josh is at work...sigh...

Do you have a brother? I always wanted one but was stuck with two sisters instead. :) My dad bought me a boy cabbage patch doll so I could have a brother. Really I think he bought it because it looked like him, dark curly hair. Except the cabbage patch doll didn't have a mullet.

Kristie's questions, which cracked me up, were...First of all (said in my mom voice) why are there three blogs and I only know of two? Second, who did you vote for?:)

I meant there were three posts I had started, not three blogs. Sorry, my bad. :) You know of both of my blogs! I promise, mom. ;)

As for your second question, I voted for McCain/Palin. I sent my ballot in as soon as it came. This is the first time I've really gotten into an election. Up until a few nights ago, I've been worried sick over the election. Helllooo, I just need to trust Jesus about this. He's gotta plan! I think my pastor's wife said it best a couple weeks ago at Bible Study. She didn't say names, but ya knew who she was taking about. She said something along the lines of, "if one of them gets in, that Jesus will just be coming back four years sooner. And that if the other gets in, we're given four more years to get our country back on track to have revival in our land." I will be on my knees on Tuesday, November 4th. I hope everyone of you are, too!

Barb's questions Did I miss a post about "decisions" in 6 days? And are you having another baby soon? ;)

Nope, you didn't miss a post about those decisions. Josh's company hasn't said one thing about his contract being up. We're okay with this at the moment. He can leave if he wants, so that's what we're excited about. He still has a job for the moment, so we're excited about that, too. :) The other day Josh and I were listening to the radio at the same time and heard a pastor on CSN (calvary satellite network) what he had to say was very encouraging. Think I'll post about it next week. For now though, Josh is staying put.
And another baby?!?! pffft. :) Alison will be six months old next week. Is it normal to have days where you want to put that lil white jacket on so you can hug yourself but also think you want more kids? That's where I am right now. I don't want to say no to having more, but some of these sleep deprived days make me wonder...

Wow. This was a long post! Didja make it through?! Thanks for giving me something to write about. I 'preciate it.

I need a favor.

Please.

I'm going to give you a link to a website I love. I posted it last week, too. But I'm posting again, it's that important.

Please go to this website and follow the super simple favor Amy Beth asks. It's a Microsoft download. And if you don't like it, you can uninstall it, easy as that. Just downloading it helps out Amy Beth's ministry for young girls.

And if you do it, leave a comment on her post. You'll be entered in to win a $25 Starbucks gift card. Don't like coffee? Then use it as a Christmas gift for someone.

Like me.

Here's the link.

Me? Without words?

I've started three separate posts. None of which make any sense.

Blah blah blah.

I'm in a blogging funk.

I hate that.

So, let's play the game we played before when I went through this.

You ask me questions. I answer them. Ready. Set.

GO!

Because I'm Lame

So tonight I got to meet the Francine Rivers. No, really. I did!!!

Erica and I get there and we realize she's signing books.

Duh.

Except that I didn't bring any of her books with me to sign. I couldn't justify buying one of the books I'd already read just to have her sign it. However, if the funds had been present in my wallet, I so woulda.

But they weren't.

So, Erica being the brilliant girl that she is decides we should have Francine (yeah, first name basis) sign our tickets.

We get in line. I'm considering putting my hands under my armpits, 'cause that's what everyone does when they get nervous, right? It's almost my turn. Oh, man.

And then it's my turn and I don't know what to say and all that comes out is, "Hi, I'm lame. I only have my ticket for you to sign." She smiled. Signed my ticket. And I'm sure in her head she's thinking I'm a real winner.

Why do I post for you to see my retardness? I don't know. See how much I love you guys?!

And a couple more pictures

The boys with their girls.

Alison and me by the bridge that made me want to vomit. Hate bridges! Alison doesn't look like she's too thrilled with them either. :)

Thank you, Denise, for emailing me pictures!

Did I tell ya that I get to see Francine Rivers tonight?!

She's the author of some of my favorite books. Mark of the Lion trilogy. Redeeming Love. The Atonement Child.

I can't wait!!! She's the speaker at a benefit I'm going to for Life Options.

4 and a half hours!!!

Unrealistic Grocery Expectations?

Maybe.

But that's what makes it all the more fun.

Josh got paid today, thank You, Lord! and so I'm going to be spending it all on coffee, lots and lots of coffee.

Scratch the last bit of that last sentence.

Ahem.

I'm in the process of trying to make out my menu and my grocery list. I've gone through my freezer, fridge *shiver*, pantry and cupboards. I know what I have. It's pretty easy since it's just about nothing. And I know what I don't have. Which is mostly everything. :)

Of course it's come down to us being out of all the big stuff like laundry detergent, diapers, toilet paper...all that jazz. Just that stuff alone at Costco would cost me around $70 bucks. Yuck.

Where can I cut back? What can we go without?

I've tried making my own laundry detergent, I think Josh just gets too dirty at work for that stuff to work for us, I didn't feel his clothes came clean. I don't know what to do different there.

Diapers, I'm thinking after she dirtys (dirties?) one, I'll just rinse it and wring it and slap it back on 'er. Whaddya think? Dialing child protective services as we speak, huh? I buy diapers at Costco. They cost me $40 and the box lasted her about a month and a half. Thinking I'll just continue to get them there even though it's a big expense. She'll be crawling soon, I'll put her to work to earn those diapers!

Toilet paper...it seems like something we can't go without but Josh's nana said they used to use corn cobs. What makes our behinds so much better that we have to use soft fluffy paper? Maybe this is something we could go without. Can you start sending me your corn cobs? Thankyousomuch.

My "plan" is to get my groceries for two weeks worth of food for $60. Then the other junk for about $40-60. All in all spending around 100-120 on food and diapers. Dumb dumb diapers. We'll be eating more beans and rice in the next coupla weeks than we have in awhile. You may not want to visit for a bit.

I'll letcha know when the coast is clear. Coast/air...whichev.

I think I'll keep her 'round.

My recent favorite sayings from my favorite three year old.

While at a wedding last weekend, she's sitting on Josh's lap, I have the baby...

"Mommy, can Daddy hold Ali, so I can hold you?"

While in the kitchen, coloring at the table...

"Excuse me, sir, Alison is crying."

It's naptime, I tell her to go potty...

"But I just went yesterday."

Today, she was sitting in her little chair and she asked me to sit on her lap. I sat at her feet instead; laid my head in her lap and she just ran her little grubby fingers over my face and in my hair. Then she tells me, "Mommy, I love you, too."

Oh, sweet girl, how did you know I was thinking it?

Miracles still happen

This may seem so trivial to some but that's okay, I'll share anyway.

Our last paycheck was on the 10th. 12 days ago. It was one of those paychecks that as soon as it was in the account, it was gone. Dumb mortgage anyway.

We've been trying so very hard to not go into our overdraft and just wait until payday for the stuff we need. Like diapers, butter, milk, gas...you know the stuff. Actual needs. Not just Starbucks. :)

Last weekend we left town with 27 bucks in cash. My SIL drove, so we didn't have to pay for gas right then, and I'd already set aside money for our motel. We got coffees and some candy while we were there and some french fries a salad and some sodas while we were gone too. We came back with four dollars in cash.

My van has this nifty little deal that tells you how many miles you have until empty. This morning as I drove to my doctor's appt. it was reading "0 Miles to Empty."

Bugger.

Josh told me to go put a few dollars in. I cringed. The 7 bucks in our account I wanted to save until payday, just so I could say I went an entire week without coffees or any other spending. But I'm just so obedient to my husband shud it that I was headed to the gas station. The needle under the red line. The little display thing still reading, "0 Miles to Empty." When I hear a ding. I look at my gas gauge. The light has gone off. And the display reads, " 41 Miles to Empty."

Seriously.

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the gas gauge told me so.

S'all Good

Results were clear. Thank you for praying. :)

I'll go in again in February and at that time it'll have been two years since my surgery. Crazy that it's already been that long. Once I hit the two year mark I only have to go in every six months. That'll be nice.

I saw my third grade teacher in the waiting room. She came up to me and said, "hi, Sarah! My, you look like you have your hands full." Guess the three year old and 5 month old gave me away.

But what I want to know is how, after 20 years she still remembers my name? Have I really not changed at all?!

Our Weekend

Love that her tongue is sticking out!
Yep, that's the hotty husband.
My sisters-in-law. They are barefoot. I'm in heels.
The four of us!

It's for a good cause...and because I'm in desperate need of coffee!

On my sidebar is a link to Amy Beth's blog. If you haven't been over to her blog, you are missing out.

Missing.

Out.

This girl is amazing. She's young and she's talented. She's beautiful, inside and out. She has a love for all things pink and Shamu. And in the last few months of reading her blog I'm inspired by her passion for young girls.

She has a ministry called Starlite. Right now she's trying to raise fundage (yes, a made up Sarah word) for Starlite and processed nacho cheese.

Please check out her post that lets us know how we can help. And after you do all that you can to help and really it's a super easy way to help, lurk her archives and you'll fall in love with this girl and her ministry too.

Yes, there's something in this post for me. I'm now entered in to win a $25 Starbucks gift card!!! You can be, too. Head over there. Hurry. Now. Do it! Don't like coffee, don't like Starbucks, that's okay...if you win, you can give it to me. I'll letcha.

Lab Work

You'd think after a year and a half, I wouldn't get all nervous like. But I do. Gives me chills. I go in tomorrow for my routine lab work for the 'ol cancer screening.

Wouldja mind prayin'?

The Redneckishness never ends

So a couple weekends ago, we decided to try to up our redneck ways.

My husband had a birthday. His 31st. Don't tell him I told you, he's a lil panicked about the whole ordeal. If you ask his age, he'd like to tell you 17 but he'll probably tell you 25.

We had almost as many people over as Josh was turning in years. We were one short.

30 peeps.

Thirty.

In my house.

I have a couch, a chair and another chair. Not so much on the furniture for people to sit. Oh, how the husband had another lightbulb moment. Not a bug zapper moment but close enough.

If you've been reading for long I think I've posted about some leather furniture we own. And some cloth furniture as well.

Deep sigh.

Josh decided we should bring our other furniture upstairs so our guests would have places to sit. So...this is where I'm totally embarrassed...he brings up the leather seat, out of a '72 Cadillac and another bench seat out of a GMC and yet another bench seat out of our '85 Suburban.

Out of 30 people I believe 10 of them were children.
This would be our leather furniture. Our friend Carlos, Josh's brother Caleb, Caleb's wife Denise and their sweet little girl.

And the seat out of the GMC with Dale, a family friend, Dale's wife Mandy and their son. If you look closely, you can see my aunt is buckled in for safety. It's that wild at our house.

And because I don't talk or post about her too often...a picture of my sister Megan and me.

Isn't she pretty? I love her. We won't talk about the fact that she's six years younger and way taller than me. :)

Some blatherings, more so than normal.

Dear Diary is on hiatus, did you notice? Didn't think so.

At this very moment my baby girl is sucking on Shadow's paw. Uh huh, she is. Stop her! Naaa, dirt builds immunities. We like immunities.

I lay her on one area of the carpet, turn around, and find her completely across the room. Five months old and already on the go. I really love this baby. She brings the most amazing joy to our family.

Our sweet older daughter...oh my goodness. This girl. Still, mouth wide open for pictures. I have a love/hate for the pictures she's been taking lately. I know she'll grow out of it. I know I could tell her to smile nice. But part of me, the part that wants to just let her be a little girl, says what the heck...just let her smile like a moron. I mean that in the most loving motherly way, of course. There's the part of me that just wants the nice picture though!

As I type, Shadow has moved away from the baby and has decided to roll around the way the baby does. I think he knows I think she's cute and he wants to be cute too. Dorky dog. I do love him but his hair drives me up the wall. It's all over. I love to vacuum but I used to do it every 3 days, now I must do it every gosh darn day!

My husband's contract with his company is up in 6 days. The manager of the store believes they'll come to him with an offer. Josh is trying to decide if he wants to stay there or not. We just have other aspirations. I guess we'll see in six days.

The colder weather is welcomed. It's weird to wear socks and tennies and not my flips. My feet almost didn't know what to do being all covered up. The thing about Fall that I don't enjoy-we have trees. Trees with big leaves. Big leaves that like to fall out of trees. That part blows. hehe I don't enjoy the raking of leaves. "In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. Find the fun and snap! the job's a game!" Ya gotta love Mary Poppins. Guess I'll try to make leaf raking fun.

The Lord has been speaking to my heart in the last couple of weeks. Josh said to me a couple of days ago that I haven't been myself lately. I don't know how to describe it. I was trying to tell my SIL about it some but the words just don't come out right. I'm slacking in many areas of my life. My faith, my wifely-ness, my mothering and my relationships. I am an all or nothing kinda girl. Mostly nothing. Seriously. I get on these kicks and I'm totally stoked about something and if I fail at whatever I'm trying to do, whether it be daily devotions, making breakfast for Josh, consistent parenting, being a good friend...if I slip, I want to give up trying altogether. What's the point of doing any of it, if I can't do it all? And especially if I can't do it all perfectly. Thus, is the way my thoughts tend to go. It's not right. I know that. But it doesn't change that that's where I am.

I was up at 1 a.m. this morning. Up as in, out of my bed, sitting on the couch up. Bible in my lap. Asking the Lord to just show me. Help me. Something.

Nothing.

Or maybe I just didn't hear. I don't know. So, I go back to bed. Tossed. Turned. And realized, I haven't repented. I haven't asked Him to forgive me in the areas I'm slacking. So, I did. I just laid it out there. I fell asleep quickly.

The next three hours were pretty good hours of sleep. I woke up excited. I'm going to try again. Try harder. And try with His help, His strength. His strength is made perfect in my weakness. And oh, how I'm weak.

My posts may be more sporadic as I figure some stuff out.

Stick with me, I'll be around.

Fruit fly update because I know you're all dying to know who gets the gift card

No one seemed too excited about the Starbucks gift card, I must be the only Starbucks crazed chick around these blogging parts.

Thank you to all of you who commented or sent messages to me via MySpace. ;)

So far, the cone seems to be working! Thank you, Jeana! Sadly, I had to have her pretty much draw me a picture of what she was talking about. I need pictures, I'm not very good at following directions written down.

I have about 8 of those little nasty guys that have found themselves inside of the trap. I have six or seven more just lingering on the cone. They will go in, they will!

zI tried the apple cider vinegar with plastic wrap, they loved it. But I think I must have some really smart lil fruit flies because they just decided to hang out and chat. They never went in the holes. So, I made the holes bigger. Nope, no work-y either. This cone deal seems to be the trick.

Jeana, if you aren't afraid to receive yearly Christmas cards and chain letters about sending 10 dish towels and receiving 37 in return, email me your address and I'll send you the gift card. Thank you for the emails...with pictures. :) I double stuff pink puffy heart you at this moment.

Oh, and you also get this award. No need to thank me.

Fruit Flies, they bother me

I'm embarrassed to even write about this but I'm hoping that in doing so, someone, one of you blessed peeps will be able to help a sista out.

My house, mainly the kitchen, is fruit fly infested. Tons of them. All. Over. The. Place! Going crazy. Not sure what to do. I went to the local farm store here and bought a fly strip dealie thinking that might take care of my problem. Eh...not so much. It did attract a few of them but certainly not enough!

So, anyone out there with some amazing remedy for me?

Let's make 'er interesting. The person who leaves a comment with the most amazing, best working solution...Starbucks gift card. For an entire 5 bucks! Hey, it's one free coffee and all ya gots ta do is tell me how to effectively get rid of these dumb bugs!

in case you don't get your comments via email

Lately I've been lurking some "friend's" archives (Corie) and wasn't sure if she (you) were getting them.

I know that when I started my junk blog I wasn't getting my comments emailed to me because I forgot to set it up. So.

If you check your blog to check your comments, there's an easier way, folks! (Thank you, Kristie, for teaching me how to do this a coupla years ago.)

Go to your dashboard.

Go to settings.

Fourth tab over should be Comments.

Scroll to the bottom and it says Comment Notification Email.

Put in your email address and BAM! Your comments will be sent to you.

Another feature I really like is when a commenter has an email address. If they comment, it's sent to my email and then I can see their email address. Some folks don't have this set up, either because they don't wanna (I can understand) or just didn't know thatcha could.

So, if you're the latter....

To have your email address visible and mind you it's not visible on the comment page just when the comment is sent to the blog administrator, in this case...moi.

Go to dashboard.

Edit Profile.

3 boxes down should say Show my email address. Check it.

Save.

Now JSYK (just so you know)...your email address will be visible on your blog, if you have one.

This has never been an issue for me with anyone. I've not had any freak-o's or whatev. But I understand if someone doesn't want to do this. My experience with it has been great. There are some folks that when I left a comment on their blog replied to my comment through an email. Also, there are times I don't want to take up someones entire comment page, so I'll just send an email.

I like it. It's worked for me. And maybe it's something you wanna do. Anywho, just thought I'd pass that on to anyone who might be just as computer illiterate as me!

Loves!

She didn't eat it!

In the past month I've witnessed a 9 year old pick and eat her boogers.

In the past month while driving my car I've witnessed an adult male pick and eat his boogers. No joke, man, no stinkin' joke.

In the past month I had a friend tell me about their child picking and eating her boogers.

In the past 20 seconds my little girl says, "ew, uh boooooger!" she holds up her finger and is panic stricken.

I tell her to get a tissue and wipe it off. She walks to the bathroom with her finger held out in front of her.

Proud moment. It really was.

*Wiping a tear*

Pictures from our Trip to Portland

Jaylee was very close to throwing Treena the normal 3 year old smile she's been so good at lately.

I love him. After 12 years of being together, 10 of those being married years, I just really really like him.


I can't get enough of her cheeks. Love 'em.
It only looks like Alison was drinking Josh's coffee, she wasn't really. I promise. We're going to wait til she's at least a year before we get her addicted to that. :)