Fairy Tale Landing

Frustration

2006-08-29T15:17:00.000-05:00

Well, because I have tried all day to get back in here and post another post only to be availed with numerous messages about not finding blogger dashboard, I have decided to try out typepad. The address you can check it out at is http://mothergoose7.typepad.com/fairytale_landing/

I'm only on the 30 day trial right now, but I'm thinking that I will probably make the move. So, unless I decide to stick with blogger, I won't be posting anymore on this particular site. You'll have to check out the new one to see what we are up to!!!!

Thanks for understanding, I hope to see you in typepad!

It's Corn Roast TIme!

2006-08-29T09:36:00.000-05:00

One of our friends hosted a corn roast Saturday night at their place. We had a great time eating roasted corn on the cob, visiting, and of course as pictured here~roasting marshenfellers. If my memory serves me correctly, there were 24 kids (6th grade and under), about 6 teens, and about 17 adults there. What a party!! It was fun to have great Christian fellowship with friends and family. Thanks O and L, you are such great hosts!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

2006-08-26T15:48:00.000-05:00

......Happy Birthday to my wondermous brother Dan today! Hope you are having a happy day!! Can't wait to see you~the girls ask daily when you're coming home again! Love ya.

This one is for Uncle Dave and Paul

2006-08-10T08:37:00.000-05:00

I ran across this quote on the internet the other day and pertnear bust a gut laughing. Primarily because it was the day after I talked to my mom in Michigan and she told me that she actually went golfing and had fun!!

"Man blames most accidents on fate, but feels a more personal responsibility when he makes a hole in one on the golf course."

There you have it~

Life

2006-08-08T08:04:00.000-05:00

You know, it's funny. Here I am, checking the blogs that I read almost daily looking to see what's new with all my friends, and I go for a week with nothing. If you have been checking in looking for updates, sorry. It's been busy, and I haven't had anything to say really.

Like I said, it's been busy! With what? I don't know really. I had to do an informative speech last week for my schooling. I had a couple of my most gullable friends come over and listen to it. We had a good time laughing and laughing some more. I did my speech on creating a scrapbook page. That was fun!

I did the speech thing Thursday, and then Friday I got old! I really felt it this weekend too!lol! I was serenaded by my children singing "Happy Birthday to you, you're a hundred and two." This lasted for an hour! They were playing upstairs and singing to me at the same time. Do you ever wonder where they come up with this stuff?? I don't ever remember being that evil! Okay, so maybe I was, but is that any excuse for my kids!!! My hubby called from work to make sure the kids remembered (which they did!), and asked Katie what she thought we should do. She thought I should go to Econofoods(the local grocery store~not necessarily known for exquisite cusine!) for my birthday supper! What's sadder? I did go to Econofoods for a frozen pizza for supper!

Sunday, we went to the lake with my brother and his wife. Thanks Autumn for the nummy cake! The girls tried their hand at waterskiing. Mandy made it up about 10 times, but the boat was uncooperative, and cut out every time she got up. What a trooper she was to keep trying. Every time she got up, she asked what she was doing wrong. She REALLY wanted to stay up! Maybe if Grandpa Goose give the boat a little TLC we can go this weekend and try again!

Now, my really big news! THIS is exciting. I have two weeks of speech left, and then a month of English Literature. THAT is it!!!!!!!!!!!! Ready for more???? I can walk the graduation ceremony if I desire in January. I desire!! Graduation is in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Need I say more??? Orlando is on the way/we told the kids someday.....! We have to make a decision here in the next couple weeks, so pray. The wants and desires are exceeding the means. I know God can provide the means for this trip if it's His will for us to go. We are going to leave this in His hands and wait for His answer. Boy, that's hard!

Boy, for not having anything to say, I really racked it up here! Sorry 'bout that!

Oh it's HOT HOT HOT

2006-07-31T16:15:00.000-05:00

My thermometer said 104.8* this afternoon at 3:30. Now, is it just me, or is this just plain too hot for Wisconsin?! Needless to say, we have pretty much been house bound bums today. Yes, we are too chicken to brave the heat outside! The little princesses are a wishin' their parents would have gotten the pool put up before yesterday! 18'x4' full of icy well water is a bit extreme even for 104 degree sunshine! I've heard a lot of "aw comon mom" today along with "we won't be cold". Yeah, right! I think perhaps we'll make a trip to the lake tonight. As long as daddy doesn't feel too icky.

The Digital World

2006-07-29T12:57:00.000-05:00

Okay all you digi scrappers~how do you do this stuff? This is my first shot at this world, and it wasn't too bad, but I'm not sure how you add your own features to it. This was a template on my Picture It software. Fannie, I really wish you were closer to show me this stuff! I think I would really get into it if I had a clue what to do!

2006-07-27T18:29:00.000-05:00

The blue ribbon winners!

Another blue ribbon winner!

The other two doing what Mom and Dad wanted to be doing!

Recovery

2006-07-24T14:29:00.000-05:00

Well, we finished the county fair yesterday! YEAHHHHH! We had a good time, and the girls did marvelous with their projects. I have been attempting to upload pictures, but am not having an ounce of luck with that today. My servier is slow or something. Anyways, we will put up some pics as soon as we can.

Today has been spent recovering. We have had a pretty lazy morning and afternoon so far. They are just wiped out! Ironically, it's the one who actually had nap every day who is the crankiest! Go figure!!

Fairtime!

2006-07-22T00:04:00.000-05:00

We have been busy at the County Fair this week, so I haven't had time to put anything in. I just finished up my Computer Class test, so thought I would let you know how the girls are doing so far. Katie has 1st Blue on her heifer, blue on her tied-fleece blanket, and red on the scrapbook page of her cake. Mandy has 2nd blue on her heifer, blue on her tied-fleece blanket, and red on her page of the cake. So far they have done super! We aren't tooooo bored in the barn yet, and overall it has been a fun week. Courts and Toad have their "show" tomorrow with their babies. Technically, they are too young to show them so Dad and Mom are supposed to. I think the 2 older girls will get to do the honors! Well, it's late and I think the laundry is ready to switch so I can get a couple hours of sleep tonight! I will post pics and more info AFTER the fair! Come see us if you can!

Interview update

2006-07-19T08:59:00.000-05:00

Well, I can breath now! My first professional interview is now complete. I managed to keep my head above water I think! I was grilled by the nurse manager, the medical assistant leader, and the physician's assistant that has the job open. 2 out of the 3 were really pleasant, the other(which is not the PA) was less than friendly! I think she's okay once she gets to know you, but boy that ole first impression was not the prettiest. The PA came in the room and announced right away that we shared something in common. The way she looked, I thought maybe she had a big family or something, but as it turns out, her husband is a dairy farmer. Mine is a wanna-be farmer at this moment, so therefore we share a commonality. She is very nice, and I think she would be easy to work with. At this point we just wait and see what God has in store! Thanks for praying~I needed it!

Little Sluggers

2006-07-14T08:54:00.000-05:00

Last night was the end of the summer softball madness! The girls had their last game for the school league and for 4-H. They won the last one! They had a good year with both teams. Most importantly, they learned a little bit about softball and had fun doing it. Can you guess who is who? They are the ones in the green shirts!

4-H Cake Revue

2006-07-14T08:46:00.000-05:00

With all of the excitment the last few days, I forgot to post pictures of the girls with their cakes they made for 4-H. Mandy made the bonnet, and Katie made the ladybug. This was their first year in the cake decorating project, and they did quite well. Katie recieved a blue ribbon and Mandy got a red ribbon. They were both pretty excited! The cakes actually tasted good too~BONUS!!! I may have lost that job in this home!

Interview

2006-07-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

I am soooo excited!! I got a call from one of the places that I have applied for a Medical Assistant job to do an interview! Please pray for me Tuesday, the 18th that God's will be done there. I am excited to possibly have an opportunity, yet a bit nervous about the drive. It would be to Ladysmith and back. BUT....it's a starting point. The reality is starting to set in that I am almost done!!!!! YEAHHHHHH!

Cousins galore!

2006-07-12T08:35:00.000-05:00

On the go!

Building the fortress!

We had the most fabulous day yesterday! Of course, we are all red to prove it too! We spent the day at the lake with cousins from the cities and Vermont. There was a total of 11 kiddos splashing around in the lake, tubing, boating, you name it! The girls had so much fun getting to know everyone. They made sand(stick)castles, collected rocks, snail shells, and even a clam.
The shot of them all climbing out of the boat is actually mild compared to what it was out in the lake. Every time they stopped to change tube riders, the whole crew would jump out every angle like a can of stuffed sardines! And to think, they were all so worried about not knowing anyone!!

She's 3!!!

2006-07-10T09:49:00.000-05:00

Miss Priss and her cake(that her cousin made for her special day!

She decided that she would take a ride on the Scooby tube for her birthday fun!

I can't believe how fast the past three years have gone by! It seems like she was just born not that long ago! It seems that our little oops was worth it all. Even the pain part!lol!

Happy Birthday Princess! We love you!

Garage Sale

2006-07-05T12:34:00.000-05:00

I am having a garage sale this Saturday along with some of my friends. I know some of you up in our neck of the woods who read this...

You stamp! I am weeding out my stamp sets (mostly Stampin' Up) and have them priced CHEAP!!! I am taking Everything to Goodwill when done Saturday, so if you are interested in any of it, you can contact me for the location of the sale. I am having it at my brother's in town.

Now, I am going to go get ready!! Argh, it's a lot of stuff in my house!

The Farmer In His Corn

2006-07-05T12:21:00.000-05:00

The monkeys minus #4 in Daddy's corn. The Toady Lou had gone home from the parade with Grandma Goose, so missed this photo opt!

The farmer and his corn! The old adage says that if your corn is knee high by July 4th, you will have a decent crop. Well, by old adage standards, we aught to have an awesome crop! Look at that grin!

The 4th of July!!

2006-07-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

This is what the kids go to the parade for right!!

We came home with loads of good stuff to eat!

Waiting for the fun to begin!

We had a very busy yet fun Fourth of July! We started the day at the Parade in Chetek. The highlights were the planes, the miniture pony, the Camp Chetek horses and cleanup clowns, and the candy.

After the parade, we went to Grandpa and Grandma Goose's for picnic and to hang out for a while. After eating special potion chicken, we took the kids up to the lake to swim untill fireworks.

The fireworks were awesome as usual. Cumberland does a great show. We succeeded in putting both number 4 and 5 to sleep during the fireworks. (This is a phenomenon to me~# 5 is deathly afraid of the loud noise, yet falls asleep!) A great time was had by all, but a normal schedule is good too! Hope y'all had a great 4th as well!

The Simpler Things of Life

2006-06-28T07:23:00.000-05:00

It seems that life gets so busy in the summer doesn't it? Between running kids here and there and everywhere! I got this shot of Short Stuff playing on the swing set. Enjoying a free-handed down pile of metal that goes back and forth! Thank you Farkleberry's for the hours of enjoyment!
The kids are lovin' it, and I am lovin' their ability to stay entertained!!!

Boy, If This Doesn't Summarize Life

2006-06-27T11:31:00.000-05:00

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still intheir pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappersstrewnall around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as wasthefront door to the house and there was no sign of the dog.

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had beenknocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In thefrontroom the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family roomwasstrewnwith toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filledthesink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door wasopenwide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under thetable,and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles ofclothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she may be ill, or thatsomething serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of waterasit made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wettowels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toiletpaper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror andwalls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in thebed inher pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and askedhowhis day went?

He looked at her, bewildered, and asked, "What happened here today?"

She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come homeandyou ask me what in the world did I do today?"

"Yes," was his incredulous reply.

She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."

Is this not normal? Only for me, I would have to insert school book for the novel. Maybe someday I'll have time for novels again!!

What a Celebration!

2006-06-24T07:34:00.000-05:00

Grandma's funeral was yesterday, and oh how wonderful it was! Don't get me wrong here~ there was plenty of tears for everyone, but what a beautiful service it was. Down to every detail~it was Grandma. The flowers reminded me of her gorgeous flowers that she kept around her house. It was just like seeing Grandma's gardens surrounding her. She looked absolutely radiant and so peaceful. The music my cousin sang was beautiful(and hard on the tear ducts!) The message that Uncle from Michigan gave was awesome! It was just all so her.

The one thing from yesterday that stood out to me and just has me in awe is how much Grandma prayed for everyone~literally! I have always known that Grandma was a prayer warrior, but I hadn't realized the magnitude of her prayer life. With all the time she spent in prayer, it's amazing to me that she had time to teach us anything else! I find comfort in knowing that she is still praying for each of us! And hey~she's right there with Him~how much better can it get!

Thank you to all who have been praying for our family. I know there are magnitudes of you and I don't want to leave anyone out, so

THANK YOU!

You are a blessing to us.

To said Uncle above~Thanks for reading the thing I wrote about Grandma. I am glad "I" could tell how she impacted my life.

I couldn't resist!

2006-06-22T06:40:00.000-05:00

BRAIN CRAMPS(On September 17, 1994, Alabama's Heather Whitestone was selected as Miss America 1995.)Question: If you could live forever, would you and why? Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever,"--Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest.

"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff." --Mariah Carey

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life,"--Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for fede ral anti-smoking campaign.

"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body," --Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward.

"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country,"--Mayor Marion Barry, Wa shington, DC.

"That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it,"--A congressional candidate in Texas.

"Half this game is ninety percent mental."--Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."--Al Gore, Vice President

"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix." --Dan Quayle

"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?" --Lee Iacocca

"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein." --Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.

"We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people."--Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instrutor.

"Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas."--Keppel Enderbery

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances."--Department of Social Services, Greenville, South Carolina

"If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, whenthey wake up dead, there'll be a record."--Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman

Feeling smarter yet? Send it on to your brilliant friends. I just did!!

Home at last

2006-06-21T12:03:00.000-05:00

Grandma went home to be with the Lord this morning about 9. Although we rejoice in her happiness with her Saviour, we mourn our loss. It is hard to let her go, but we know without a doubt that she is so much happier now with Jesus and Grandpa.

Camp

2006-06-19T09:28:00.000-05:00

Off to camp we go...

The clothes are washed and folded neatly into the suitcases.(This shall last maybe today!)
The toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, comb are all tucked in neatly.
We have swimming suits and towels ready.

Now, all we need is for Mom to say it's time to go. We have been ready since 7:30 this morning!!!

Yes, it's time for the two eldest to go off to camp for the week. The house shall be quieter!!Hee hee!

More Grandma

2006-06-13T14:34:00.000-05:00

Both Aunts and Uncles are now here. I haven't seen the one from Georgia yet, but will soon. They moved Grandma from a tiny little room to a hospice room that is bigger and has a couch, more seating, etc. It also has a gorgeous view of their garden. Not a lot of change other than Grandma decided yesterday to eat!! She actually ate half of her cereal, some juice, and a little applesauce. Today she decided to eat 1/4 of her cereal. She must have been getting hungry! I'm hoping to get in later and see her, but we'll see. I have Zoes for the day and we have softball tonight as well. Right now the 4 oldest princesses are SUPPOSED to be cleaning out the van. I think I hear more giggling out there than picking up, but at least they aren't fighting at the moment! That seems to be the trend of the week so far!

Well, I'm off to the chair to do algebra~Unless~someone wants to come do it for me!!

The New Us

2006-06-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hey, what do you think?

I was bored with the pink, so here we are.

Update on Grandma:
Aunt and Uncle from Michigan arrived Saturday night. Yesterday I thought she looked even weaker. Dad's other sister and her husband are on their way from Georgia. Should be here sometime later today I think.

It's all in God's hands and time! We are just praying that she isn't in pain and is comfortable. The girls made her cards that we took in Saturday. The innocence of children~"Grandma, I hope you have fun in Heaven. Well, you probably will." "Good luck in Heaven." "You won't forget who we are right?" (This one was followed by a listing of all our names so that she could look at the card and remember all of us.)

Grandma

2006-06-10T19:06:00.000-05:00

What my Grandma means to me~

Loving,
Caring,
Sweet,
Kindhearted,
Humble,
Giving,
Prayer warrior,
Hard working,

LOVING!!

All these things describe my grandma. I wish to honor her with this post and to tell all of you how wonderful she is. Grandma has taught me so many things over the years. She has taught me how to bake, how to quilt, how to pray, how to be faithful reading my Bible, how to embark on the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians. There are so many things that I am so thankful to her for.

The one thing that Grandma taught me that will affect my eternity is how to trust in Jesus as my Saviour. I will never forget the night when I was 7 that we sat at a service at Camp and Grandma asked me if I wanted to ask Jesus into my heart. I am so thankful for God sending my grandma that night to help me have courage to walk in front of all those people. She lovingly and kindly showed me the scriptures that tell us how God sent His Son for us. The verses she showed me were Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth His love towards us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." and Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The last verse she showed me was in Ephesians 2:8,9 "For by GRACE are ye saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works lest any man should boast." She taught me that no matter how many good things I would ever do, the only way I could have a life in Heaven with Jesus was to trust on Him.

I am thankful for Grandma teaching me this, because now, I have a great peace and hope that I will see her again. I am also thankful that God has a place for her in Heaven where she can be reunited with Grandpa. As these are probably her last days, I wanted to write a tribute to her.

Vacation Bible School

2006-06-10T18:57:00.000-05:00

We just finished an awesome week of Vacation Bible School at church this week. I had the privilege to teach the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders everyday, and what a blessing they were! We had a great time learning about Saul and how he came to Jesus, changed his name to Paul, journeyed throughout the land telling people of Jesus, and his frightful voyage across the sea.

Every year we have a memory verse contest in my class, and this year was no exception to the rule. The kids said about 100 verses total!!! The numbers were lower this year than in previous years, but I also had younger kids this year. The two top memorizers were Katie and another Katie. The stinkers thought it would be funny to tie and make me come up with two prizes!! It worked!!

The highlight of the week for me was the program last night. One of the gals that was in my very first class about 15 years ago has dedicated her life to doing God's work. She is a missionary, and presented her ministry for the Lord last night. Her sister is also a missionary who is training to go to India right now. I am so proud of these girls and their decision to serve the Lord. It has been an awesome ride watching them grow and mature as people and as Christians. It was neat for the other kids to see someone who grew up in our area decide to make the committment to God and others.

So, there ends yet another year of VBS.

More pics from Jellystone

2006-06-05T07:45:00.000-05:00

Look mom! I'm a drowned rat! Arghhh~ I am dreading trying to comb out that hair today!!

Can you see the shreeek? I think a lot of ears were cleaned out in that facility! Notice the dry hair~this would be a photo before my battery died!

The fire hose was a fun water fight feature! The kids had contests to see who could shoot the water the farthest.

More pictures from Jellystone! They had both an indoor and outdoor waterpark. They had the same features except the outdoor one we played in didn't have waterslides! After talking with the kids, it seems that the slides, waterfall, and water wars(water balloons) were the favorite features. It took until yesterday afternoon for Eryn to get brave enough to run under the water sprinkles. From that point on she was a dare devil!

So, there you have it. We didn't really do much other than swim! That's what the kids wanted to do!

Jellystone Adventures

2006-06-04T21:48:00.000-05:00

I smell trouble lurking under that mushroom!!

Sploosh!

Who? Me? Okay, I'll smile!

We had an awesome weekend at Jellystone Campground/Resort. The cabin we stayed in really isn't classified as camping, but it was fun anyways! The place has really changed in 10 years! The last time we were there was when Katie was a 3 month old baby, and we came home early because she had ear infection. No infections this time! We had a great time~sleeping in late, swimming all day, teasing Daddy, enjoying camp fires! It was very relaxing!

Ahhh, yes, back to reality tomorrow! Work for Daddy, VBS for Mommy and kiddos! Back to the fast lane!

Graduation Day!!

2006-06-01T15:41:00.000-05:00

Here she is!!! Jody is now officially done with preschool. The PTO paid for caps and gowns that the pre-kindergarten program will use from year to year, and the kids got to keep their tassles. They did a nice variety of songs and dances. They did a very nice slide show of the kids from the year. They have grown into quite the liittle ladies and gentlemen. This here grin tells it all. A year well worth the half days of bus rides and classes.

Congrats Toady Lou! We love you!

Mandy's field trip

2006-06-01T09:46:00.000-05:00

The favorite exhibit at the zoo was the giraffes. With a close second to the polar bears. (Who were, I might add, a bit on the nervous side!) They did a lot of pacing back and forth sniffing the air for delicious 3rd grade victims!
The Minnesota Science Museum is a great activity! That was the first stop of the day. We did everything from step on musical steps, to the omni theater, saw the mummy (YUCK!), explored the human body, saw a demonstration on cyrogenics (very cool), and saw the dinosaur fossils. Here the group of girls I was with are sitting in a huge drum that is the approximate amount of food and drink that fit in the (longneck) stomachs of the biggest! I don't do well with dino terminology here, so bear with me! I tried to get a picture of the kids in front of the dino, but I couldn't fit it into my camera! Very awesome to see these massive creatures that God created!

We all had a good time (minus the wild bus ride), and were totally exhausted when we got back home. Someone should've warned me on the screach level of third graders~WOWOW!!!!!!!!

Memorial Day weekend at the lake

2006-05-31T06:59:00.000-05:00

We had a lot of fun in Cumberland and over at Camp Chetek with the boat this weekend. On Sunday afternoon, we took the boat over to Eagle's Point in Cumberland with PJ and Autumn. The kids had a blast in the very cold water on a very hot day!! Eryn finally decided that this was the year to not only go in the boat willingly, but to try out the tube as well! Very proud of the little braveheart~I am!!

On Monday afternoon, I took the girls over to Camp and we went boating with Brian, Carolyn, Dad, Mom, and Zoe! Grandpa and Grandma came over from the cities to have a ride as well. The girls took turns riding the tube again, and of course we had fun just splashing around! What better to do when it's a 90* weekend?!

It was a fun, relaxing weekend!

2006-05-25T20:33:00.000-05:00

While there have been times in my life that I have truly marveled at God's grace and goodness, I will be honest and tell ya~ I'm not sure I'm at a "marveled" state with this one quite yet. Kristin got her wish today~at least that's what we are assuming for the response that was displayed. I no longer have a sister. One that I prayed for, one that I loved dearly, one that I could have good times with, one that I fought with. It's all gone now. Vanished in 15 minutes like it was a decision of what kind of bread to buy. Or what kind of luncheon meat to put on top of it. I know that this was a decision on her part to take the easy, non-convicting way out of truly seeing her wrong doing. So, this is good-bye to her~she no longer wishes to be part of the greatest family on earth.

No more tears~after all, God is in control!

Our "puppy"

2006-05-24T23:11:00.000-05:00

Chester was feeling left out of all the photo fun, so we have to add him to the mix as well!

Smile pretty Chester!!

It's hard to believe that he was only 17 pounds a year ago!

2006-05-24T23:01:00.000-05:00

Caught ya!

Katie and her friend hangin out having fun!

We did a modified party this year! 1 friend and only 1 instead of 11! Oh yeah~ mom had her brain about her this year! They had a fun time playing, and opening presents was fun as always too! It was a good day!

A Happy Milestone

2006-05-24T06:56:00.000-05:00

Today is the day! We have moved into double digits!! YIKES

10 years ago this morning we gave birth to our eldest daughter. Katie has been a blessing over and over to us. She is a great girl who has a heart of gold! (She must get that from her daddy!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE!!!!

We love you! (Kiss)

Generic update!

2006-05-23T19:54:00.000-05:00

Well, I only have 3 more days of my externship left! It has gone by really fast, and I have really enjoyed the experience. I will be glad to have a bit of a breather here, but I am hopeful as I have applied for a position at the clinic. This week has been a rollercoater emotionally for us. We just learned today that my sister has the hearing to basically divorce us on Thursday. I don't know what God has in store, but honestly, I'm not sure if I can handle His answer at this point anyways. I guess I have a little more growing to do!

The other thing that has been happening is that Grandma is once again in the hospital. I have heard either pneumonia or conjestive heart failure. She is a dear, sweet woman that is struggling. She misses Grandpa so much! Today she told me that she is waiting for her dear Lord to take her home. I know she longs to go to heaven, but I'm not ready to give her up yet. Like I told her today, she still has a lot to teach me.

Well, that's life here at Fairy Tale Landing!!! Not much of a fairy tale right now huh?

"I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" This is a promise that I'm holding Him to!!!

Family

2006-05-20T09:52:00.000-05:00

Due to some circumstances this week that have me worked up, I feel the need to express in writing what FAMILY means to me.

A FAMILY is traditionally a dad, mom, and their children. Now I am aware that families come in all different shapes, sizes, and configurations. That is just the way our society is. The part that I was not aware of, or chose to be nieve in, is the fact that it is so seemingly easy to give up on the family. It is abnoxiously easy to claim that your family "didn't treat you right", so therefore I am going to give up on that family. I ask you good people, where are we heading today? If one can turn their back on the group of people who loved, nurtured, cared, and supplied every need: WHERE ARE WE HEADED?

The Bible is clear on the subject of family. God's family can never be changed. Once we are God's child, we can not lose that status. My friends, does not it seem that once we are born or adopted into our earthly family it should never be changed? Once we are born into our heavenly family we have the peace of knowing that our family will be there eternally. I have peace that I have both a family here on earth, and an even more awesome Father and family waiting for me in Heaven.

Dear sister of mine~it isn't that easy to give up those who love you and cherish you. You will always be loved here. Don't let Satan gain complete control. It can only get worse if you do! I love you and pray for you daily.

Hanging out

2006-05-17T19:03:00.000-05:00

This would be the tomboy! It's not the clearest picture in the world, but this is Manda in the maple tree in front of our house. She absolutely loves climbing this tree, and each time she goes a little higher! This mama has a lot of faith and trust that God is watching her and will return her safely to ground each time she goes up! What else can a mama do?!

A much needed blessing!

2006-05-17T18:47:00.000-05:00

What an enormous blessing it is to not have to "Dodge" mud puddles! No more sqeaking, squealling, calls to Dad to put a belt back on, stops at the parsonage to hang out while it waits for a new belt, or any other such nonsense!! It is a '01 Dodge Grand Caravan that is totally decked out and so much fun to drive! Eryn's favorite feature is the automatic door on the pasenger side that she can push a little button to open...

It was an awesome answer to prayer to find this deal!

Obsession!

2006-05-12T18:40:00.000-05:00

I along with 95% of Western Wisconsin went out to Woodbury, Minnesota today for their big garage sale weekend event. I LOVE this Friday of the year!!!! This year was no different from any other in the fact that I walked away with more than will fesibly fit into our dresser drawers. The little treasures to be found! My best bargains were an Operation game for 25 cents, and a pair of work shoes for my daughter to show calves in for $1. The thing that struck me most this year (aside from the freezing rain!) was the obsession people have at these things! It amazes me that garbage sales are such a competitive thing! I literally saw people pushing each other out of the way for someone else's garbage! What have we come to? ~ Normal Americans that are just plain obsessed with a good deal! I hope all you other happy garbage salers from our region had a sucessful day. I hope you all froze to death as I did as well!!!!! (smile!)

Untill next year.....

2006-05-04T17:24:00.000-05:00

Here's something for you all to giggle about~someone actually told me today that I should write a book! Now that's funny!! Actually a few have told me that, but don't get too excited. It probably won't happen! I usually don't have my thoughts organized very well, and have been known to babble a lot! For instance~today while I was eating~I was accused of talking too much! Can you imagine that? I certainly can't!!! By the way~have you ever had a Monday on Thursday? It has been one of those days around here! But~I can still spell phlegm even on a Monday!!!

Okay, now for the serious part of the conversation here. Pray for God's will to be done in the life of my neice. There has been another kink in the road. My mom and dad have temporary placement of her untill Monday. There have been developments that I'm not free to reveal, but my family and I would covet your prayers. It's a constant reminder to me that God is in control and has a reason for what seems to me to be insanity. I can't wait for his plan to be revealed!!!

Have a spectacular evening!

Remember when

2006-04-29T06:47:00.000-05:00

In response to Cartoon Living's post about remembering when...

I also was in fifth grade when the Challenger exploded. I was in English class and an announcement was made throughout the school. Every classroom that had a TV was filled and everyone just watched it over and over again. It was a very earie feeling to have that image go through my mind repeatedly. I remember crying for the astronaut's families and feeling especially bad for the kids who lost parents. A year or so ago (can't remember the date) when the shuttle (Columbia I think) burned on re-entry all the memories of Challenger came back instantaneously.

Of course, September 11, 2001 will forever be etched in my memories as well. As Jodi remembers being pregnant with her daughter, I remember my Jody being almost 1. I had gotten up with Katie and Amanda to get them ready for school. I got them out the door and the phone rang. Mom told me to turn on the TV and watch. At that time we didn't have satellite, so the pictures I saw were fuzzy, but so clear at the same time. I remember wanting to shelter all of our girls and not let them out of our nest. I had similar thoughts to Jodi~wondering what kind of world we had brought these precious gems into. Wondering if even rural WI was going to be safe enough. At that time, we were employed by a wonderful Menonite family, and I was actually jealous that they were "cut off" from the real world. As they don't have radio or TV, they have no idea these things happen untill they hear about it. It was a very historical moment in our country's history, but they didn't have a Kindergartener and 1st grader come home from school that day crying because planes flew into buildings. That was a conversation that I won't forget~trying to explain to my daughter who is more sensitive than even I am why it happened. Reassuring her that she was safe here~although secretly inside I really wondered. I remember watching the sky more closely at the barn that night. And who could forget everyone rushing to town to get all the gas they could possibly get before the prices hit "unaffordable" prices! Guilty!! We drove to town after milking that night to fill up the cruiser, and the stations were packed! This is 11:30 pm! Who ever thought that a few years later the high prices are normal? The one thing about that day~I think we all have more time for our loved ones~especially when you consider the alternative of not having them.

Does anyone have any other memories of these days? My friend Jodi is interested in writing a book about these memories, and I would love to read it!! If you have any interesting tidbits, you can leave comments here and she will get them.

The week's adventures

2006-04-27T08:49:00.000-05:00

As I turned on the computer this morning, it dawned on me that I was going to be a faithful blogger this week~well, don't hurt me for trying! I have missed a couple of days, but I've been busy. That's my reasoning anyways! This is a brief overview of my week "off".

Monday~child 4 and I had physicals~yeah...not!
Tuesday~laundry, cleaning, spending time playing with 4&5.
Wednesday~stamping with a friend, CPR class from 6-10pm
Thursday~babysitting in return favor of a dear friend, CPR class from 6-10 again! Supposed to have done games for a baby shower tonight also~not making it to that!
Friday~meeting with the school rep to go over said child above's Kindergarten screening papers (A special thank you to Grandma Goose for taking said child to screening while I was playing nurse!)
Saturday~Spring Fair in RL with my Mary Kay stuff

Honestly, when the week started on Sunday, I only had things planned for Monday and Saturday! Somehow that never seems to stick! Oh well, the 2 youngest flock and I have had a fun week together. The said child above has made more than one mention of missing me being home. It's awesome to be needed and wanted! This week is slipping by too fast. I miss being somewhat normal too. Someday.....maybe......

Excuses for lack of posting lately!

2006-04-25T11:15:00.000-05:00

Here's the list of excuses:

1. Too tired
2. Gone all day
3. Kids
4. Husband
5. Lack of anything smart to say
6. No comments on 5 please!!
7. Life
8. Time (or lack thereof)
9. Purchasing vacation on radio auction!!!!!!!!
10. Spending my first day of spring break at the clinic!

Okay, enough whinning now. Actually, we have been quite busy with getting kids here and there, dairy judging, chores, work, etc... I can't wait for the fun to begin!!

7 Steps Around the House

2006-04-25T10:57:00.000-05:00

Does anyone else remember playing "7 steps around the house"?? These are pictures I captured of my cousin (the one with red hat) and the kids playing this spring. This was one of the kinder games we used to play as kids during syrup season. Anyone remember some of the others like~Kick the can, American Eagle, Raise the Flag??? Those were the more vicious games played!

It's so fun to be the mom watching and remembering playing just like that!

Prince Charming and Snow White

2006-04-25T10:36:00.000-05:00

Oh, the life of Daddy and Snow White! I'm dreading the days without these pleasures!

What better way to get your situps in? Good exercise for both of them!!!

Napkins

2006-04-19T22:21:00.000-05:00

A coworker of mine shared this little tidbit with me today. I thought it was worthy of blogger world.

There was a lady that was always honest with her children. So one day, when her little boy was exploring under the bathroom cabinet, he came across a box. Curious to know what the box contained, he promptly asked his mother. Her reply was, "Oh, those are just some napkins." The little boy wanted immediately to know why they were not kept in the pantry with the other napkins. To this the mother replied, "They are for special occassions."

Some time went by and the conversation was forgotten. The mother had invited company for Thanksgiving dinner. She gave special tasks to her children, and this particular child's task was to set the table. Like a good little boy, he didn't forget that those napkins were for special occassions. He immediately set out for the box in the bathroom and went about his chore.

Time passed and the company arrived. They were shown into the dining room. The lady gasped when she looked at the table and then let out a giggle. The bewildered mother looked, and asked her son, "Why did you put those on the table?" To which he replied, "You said they were for a special occassion. Isn't this special enough?"

Maybe, just maybe it pays to be totally honest!!!

Milestones

2006-04-12T21:25:00.000-05:00

We have hit a milestone around here! Snow White has decided that she is now a big enough girl to attempt to stay dry with underwear!!!!! (Whoooohoooo!!!) Yesterday she managed to keep the same pair dry and clean from morning to night! I'm rather proud of the little gal! Today was a little rougher, but hey, you can't expect perfection immediately right?

A neighbor of mine and I have decided that we are going to rise early in the morning and walk untill we meet and then walk home again. It will total out to be approximatly 1 1/2 to 2 miles every day. I'm so glad that the weather is nice enough to be able to do that. I think spring is here. We (the kids, Prince Charming, and myself) went out to the woods tonight and pulled all the spials and bags off the maples. Such sweet sorrow to see the end of my favorite season!

Please forgive the wierdness and lack of organization of this post. I'm on some new pain meds that I think are making me a bit loopy. (Dad B. no need for any extra comments here!) I'm hoping that these meds work. It has been a bit rocky for my back the past couple of weeks. I'm hoping and praying that the meds work so I don't have to revisit the pain clinic. They just require too much moola! A friend commented today that he is glad I'm not milking anymore. I really beg to differ the difference at this point! Hopefuly the walking will make a difference too.

Okay, I'm going to say toodle loo now as I really am making no sense at all! Just thought I'd pop in and let you all know that we are still kicking over here!!

Toodles!

Phlegm or Flem????

2006-03-29T21:02:00.000-06:00

Okay, it's like day 3 of my externship right?! I am supposed to be this "intelligent" student that has been well educated and has a hint of a clue as to how to work for a doctor. That being said, I had the most embarrassing incident at the clinic today. I really could've crawled under the counter except for the fact that I was laughing hallariously.

I had this patient come in that was sick and coughing. You can probably guess what type of symptoms were happening here. I was writing her stuff down on the chart and getting her vitals...you know all those fun things they do to you when you feel disgusting....!!!

So I write all this down including the fact that this poor woman was coughing up green "flem". I knew it was spelled wrong, but I couldn't think of the right spelling. So I write it down and make a mental note to go back to it after I went out of the room and correct it. I forgot!!!

Totally sidetracked, I went on to something else after I placed the chart in the box and forgot all about my spelling problem. After about 2 minutes I hear this noise that is quite difficult to describe other than HA HA HA!!!

Lori I hear

Yes.

There's something you should know about the medical field.

What did I do wrong? (Totally forgetting about the error)

Well....how do you spell f..l..e..m?

Under my breath....Oh, shoot!

Phlegm is spelled out on the green paper for me..."you probably want to learn this word!"

Oh man, I could've died! Fortunately it was good 'ole doc S. who knows me maybe too well and just couldn't resist the teasing! I guess I'll remember how to spell that word!

The moral of the story is this:

If one is going to make a mental note, one should remember that mental note!!!

Happy Birthday to you!

2006-03-27T18:24:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to my friend Fannie today! We love ya! Hope you are having a happy day!!

Out of the mouths....

2006-03-22T20:20:00.000-06:00

Mother Goose babysat for me yesterday while I was doing school hours, and these are a couple of the funnies out of Sleeping Beauty and Belle.

While getting ready for the bath Snow White exclaims that there are frogs in Bama's tub. Belle says, "Yeah, we get to take a bath in the pond!"

Later in the day, Grandma sends Cinderella over to great-grandma's to borrow an egg. As Sleeping Beauty is sitting at the table doing homework, she pipes up. "Grandma, it is impossible to borrow an egg. You can use it, but you can't give it back." Pretty good for the blonde of the family!! Former nick name for this child was "Duhhh" She's quite smart with books, but sometimes the other stuff just goes way beyond....

A quick update on my sister...
We have gotten some correspondence from her at boot camp. She seems to be doing well and enjoying it(Goofy kid!) Mom and Dad both got letters asking them to pray for her as she is starting to realize the errors of her ways. So encouraging!!!!!! Short stuff(Zoe) has been such a joy to have around. She is a little sweetie that needs everybit as much prayer. Her mommy has requested that we pray for her and her baby girl. I figure it's the least I can do, and the most I can do as well.

Getting there

2006-03-17T22:15:00.000-06:00

If it wouldn't have been for that snow storm Monday, the kids would've made it to school all week!!! Yippee! The sickness has left the building with the exception of a few straggling coughs and sniffles. For this we are all very grateful.

I have finished yet another week at the clinic. I have had the opportunity to learn so much! It really has been so much fun. I also have gotten "reacquainted" with a high school friend of mine. We have had so much catching up to do during lunch breaks. One more week of my last lab class and then we are on to the 8 week externship process. I'm a little nervouse about that because theoretically speaking I am supposed to know the ins and outs by then......well.....that's not going to happen! But, every day I learn more and more.

It has also been a good experience at the clinic for me to realize that some of my idiologies are just that...IDIOT OLOGIES!! I have gained trust and confidence in some of the providers that I really hadn't given the time of day before! Maybe it's that whole humbling experience of realizing that they are human too. Maybe it's just getting over my stubborness. What ever it is, I have really had a good time getting to know them all.

All boxed up

2006-03-13T16:18:00.000-06:00

Snow White thought she was pretty funny with these boxes last night. Truth be told, we all had a pretty good laugh over it!

AAAHHHH!!!!

2006-03-10T21:17:00.000-06:00

We are getting better--I think! Only Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are left to get this aweful crud! Over half of Cinderella's class was gone from school the beginning of the week, so we're pretty confident that we caught it at school! Some would say this is a good reason to homeschool, and you are probably right!! However, that also requires patience!! Something I don't seem to have an abundance of!

Well, I think it's safe to explain Prince Charming's dillema now. He has come to a decision. He was offered two different jobs that he had to make a decision regarding. The first one was about the same distance that he is driving now, and the second was twice the distance that he is going now. They were both pretty good job offers and were awfully tempting. They would've meant about half the overtime that is currently a huge problem, but there were some drawbacks as well. The furthest one away was the most tempting, but he didn't relish the idea of driving 45 min. one way. After making the drive on Sunday afternoon in that awful weather, I didn't relish the idea of worrying about him every day!! (I know, I need to work on that worry factor!!)

He talked to his current boss the other day, and basically came away with the opportunity to set his own job description at the current job. This is a blessing because there is so much room for advancement and carreer development along the way. The down side is that it means one more spring and summer with a ridiculous schedule. We are putting a few demands in there like "NO SUNDAYS" and we'll see where that leads! Continue to pray as the general manager still has to sign this "contracted agreement". Hopefully he will stick to his end of the bargain!!!

It's Official Now

2006-03-07T22:05:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm not sure what happened here, but if this is a repeat, sorry. I thought I posted and it said it published, but I haven't a clue where the text went!

Cinderella broke the streak of non-serious illnesses this winter. She was in for an ear infection a couple of weeks ago, but for us that's fairly normal! This morning she had a 104 fever with major headache, coughing, and ect....

If you think of us during your quiet time with the Lord, pray for Prince Charming the next day or so as he has a major decision to make that would affect the whole family. I'll update you when I can, but for now.....pray.....thanks!!

Well, I'm going to give this another shot and see if it sticks this time!

Sledding fun!

2006-03-07T07:46:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago, we had a sledding party for our Kings Kids club. These are some fun shots from the day! Note the serious and fun faces!!!lol
They had a very fun afternoon in the sun and snow!!

The Reason for Lack of Posting

2006-03-06T16:43:00.000-06:00

SAP BAGS!!!!

THIS is the reason I didn't post pics of my new toy before now!! (Besides wanting to play instead of sit at the computer!) Tis the season to start thinking mud, rain, sap, and syrup!!! With the forecasted weather this week, it won't be long before I maybe am able to catch some pics of the guys trying to fudge their way through the muddy woods! I LOVE this time of year!! Syrup season is always a fun time with the family. I really miss the ole' wood burning evaporator that we roasted hot dogs in. I can't say as though I miss the hot dogs though:) or the burnt fingers!!

Yamaha Clavinova Digital Piano!!! Yipppeee!!

2006-03-06T16:18:00.000-06:00

Here it is!!!! YEAHHHHHHH!!!!!

So Biff, my toy has piano and percussion!!! Prince Charming especially likes the button that makes it goes boooiiiiinnnngggg whooooop! I (I mean we) are loving the new piano. Of course there have been many fights over who gets to practice first! Usually I win! The girls are having a blast with it playing "more complicated" pieces. It has built in songbook with play along songs. The lights above the key light up when you are supposed to play that note. They have mastered "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" "Amazing Grace" and "Polly Woodle Doodle"

There are sooooo many different things I have to read the manual to learn about it. I started to read it this afternoon and fell asleep doing it! :) Ooops!

Now......if it would only help my performance!!! Man alive, did I ever murder "Wonderful Grace of Jesus" yesterday morning!! HELP!!!!

Waiting....still waiting.....

2006-03-02T16:07:00.000-06:00

What dissappointment! The piano movers called last night and said it will be Friday before they get here :( I have to wait another 24 hours now!!

For those of you who wonder how we went from torture to glee in less than 24 hours, here is how it played out:

Tuesday morning before Prince Charming left for work, I asked him if he was going to give me an answer or not on the piano. Well, he figured he'd leave me hangin' a bit longer. That very afternoon, the piano store called. I answered the phone and the guy says he has good news. They were going to be in our area delivering either Wednesday or Thursday, so did I have a chance to talk to my husband? Well, I had, but he wasn't giving me a straight answer. Well, he says, if you want us to deliver it when we are in the area it will be cheaper! What a way to win over a woman's heart!!! Well, I told him I wasn't sure, but if we were going to take it I'd call him back. The following is the conversation with Prince Charming. It starts with me talking:

"Hi honey."

"Hi."

"How's it going?"

"Good. What do you want?"

"Schmitt music called and had good news about the piano."

"Oh yea, did they knock off I pile on the price?"

"No, but they are delivering in the area this week and it will cost us less than half if they deliver more than one in a general area at a time."

"Can't we go pick it up?"

"Yea, but you would have to help me assemble it."

"Call them and tell them to bring it up!! I don't know a thing about putting a piano together!"

"Okay, not a problem!!!"

As you can see, he didn't really have to convince me too hard to call them back! I really wasn't tortured all that long either! I just found the piano on Saturday! Between the store doing setup and the fact that it comes with headphones for quiet practicing, I'm guessing he figured it was a pretty good deal.

New additions

2006-03-01T07:27:00.000-06:00

The newest member of the family is due to arrive tomorrow evening! Yes, the torture is over and I just have to patiently wait another 34 hours or so!! I certainly will post some pictures of the new addition when I can.

Ta ta for now.....

The torture in my life!!

2006-02-28T08:07:00.000-06:00

Well, how's everyone doing? It's been a bit since I've been here, but here I am! Happy to report that all ear infections, wierd eyeballs, and such are cleared up now! (Prince Charming had a eyeball to scare all at the end of last week!)

I am so excited! Tonight I get to go to a coffee/tea tasting party! What could be better for chillin' other than drinking coffee with good friends? I couldn't think of anything either!!

My other excitement in life is that Prince Charming told me I could get a new piano! I am so grateful for the big ole honkin' thing I currently have mind you! For only $40 it has well served its purpose here! I am however, looking forward to all of the keys working! (Not to mention sounding good while working!!!) I have a couple picked out, and waiting for the final word from the boss! Honestly, I think he's got his mind made up and is driving me nuts with the suspension!!!! Some of you will laugh and think he's not capable of such torture, but ohhhhh so wrong you are! Just this morning, he so seriously (ha!) said, "Oh, I think I'll hold out on an answer for a couple of weeks." TORTURE--PURE TORTURE!!!!!

Cheesy jokes

2006-02-22T12:26:00.000-06:00

Knock, knock...

who's there...

woodyha....

woodyha who.....

woodyha believe we broke the streak???

OKAY, it's cheesy, but hey who said I had to have true humor?? We did break the streak of no ear infections. Cinderella had to go to the doc this morning and get her usual prescription filled. BUMMER!! All in all we have been so healthy this winter that I really can't complain at all.

I think we have found a new normal around here. I still feel like I'm going to forget to do something like comb my hair before I leave in the mornings, but life is getting there. We had a Walmart break-through the other day. Snow White made it through the entire store without throwing her usual massive tempertantrum. Praise the Lord!! Either she's learning or was in an extremely good mood. I'm hoping it was both!

Grandpa and Grandma Goose had our other little sweetie of the family for the last few days. The girls got to hang out with Grandma and the little one yesterday and had a marvelous time! She is getting big, and has PER_SON_A_LI_TY!!! Keep praying for her mommy. She is waiting to start basics. We are hoping that God will get a hold of her heart and help her see what a precious gift He has given her. It would be so wonderful to have the family "together" again!!

Have a great sunshiny day!! It's awesome here with the sun and warmer temps!!

Knock on wood

2006-02-15T09:51:00.000-06:00

Yesterday while at work I realized how good God has been to us this winter. Snow White has only gone to the doctor once for bronchitis. No one has had ear infection or strep throat. Colds have been minimal, and the kids only had a brief bout of stomach flu. Hallelugia!!!

Work, Valentine's and such...

2006-02-15T09:39:00.000-06:00

Some of you may wonder why there aren't many updates on this thing very often. Well, between school and the family I haven't had much time to do it. I am having a blast with my schooling right now. I am still doing hands on classes through the end of May. I have found joy and excitement in the different aspects of the job I am training for. I'm almost done with the second month of 40 hours. It's on to month 3 of that in a couple of weeks, and then in April and May I have to work 40 hours a week all month. That being said, I have developed a profound respect for those mommies that work full-time with young children! It's really hard on these little princesses to understand why they have to go all the time. What's it going to be like when they have to go to the babysitters every day, all day? I'm sure they will live, laugh, and have a blast!

Did anyone do anything fun for Valentines Day?? We went to a basketball game for the girls--yeahh! Only one more to go-phew! I had a flower and balloon sent to the girls at school. They thought that was pretty cool! I may as well skipped the flower with Snow White and just went with the balloon. She really didn't care about the flower too much. I told her to smell it because it was pretty, and she looked at me with her huge blue eyes and said, "WHY MAMMA?" I guess her future beau won't have to go to the expense of roses for her!!

The Ultimate Plan

2006-02-12T07:56:00.000-06:00

I am posting this really in essence to remind myself that God is bigger and more powerful than I could ever dream of being. There are a couple of issues that my family is dealing with right now and although it seems that things aren't fair, or the feeling of wondering why. God really is in control and has a plan. That is an awesome realization. I just wish that I could conquer those why's!!

What's in a day?

2006-02-06T16:50:00.000-06:00

It's funny. Every day there are things to do, places to go, people to see, etc....

I think Fannie had a post similar to this a while back, but here's my take on it.

Run....
Run....
Run.........
Is that what life is comprised of? The girls are only 9,8,7,5, and 2 for crying out loud!! Tonight is poms, Wednesday is poms and basketball, Friday is poms, Monday next is poms and 4-H, Tuesday is basketball (and hearts day!), Thursday is stamping party, Friday is basketball some more, and on it goes.....

Oh, what ever happened to get up, go to school, come home, go to bed???? Sadly, I think those days are long gone. The real question is--is it sad? I think it's sad and happy at the same time. It's exciting to see the girls grow and do new things. It's sad that they aren't babies anymore!

So, you are asking, what's with the title of this silly thing? I am just convinced that although I have been home all day and have gotten tons of laundry, dishes, and misc. stuff done that I haven't accomplished a blasted thing! Oh, the blessings!

I hope you have had a profitable day! Till later....

Daily funnies

2006-02-02T15:41:00.000-06:00

Another day! A beautiful day at that!!

Happy Birthday to Grandpa Goose today! Hey, by the way, did ya see your shadow?? Forgive me for not saying Happy Birthday to you on the phone earlier. Lost my brain at work I guess.

For those of you who know my grandma, please pray for her. She's back in the hospital again. Not really sure what is wrong. I'm guessing that maybe just a bit nervous after the last go around, but non-the-less she's there temporarily. She was having some pain in her chest again.

I went in to see her before I left this morning. I asked her how she was feeling.

"Well, not really sick enough to be here." Me speaking-"Well, what are you doing here then?" Grandma-"I don't know. But, they are taking really good care of me!" Me-"Have you had anymore pain?" Grandma-"Yea, it did hurt once but, well, I didn't call the nurse because I didn't want to bother her. I wasn't sure if I should." Me-"That's what they get paid for Grandma! Maybe next time you should call. Afterall, that's why you're here!" Grandma-"I suppose you're right."

Oh, Grandma, you still have it in you don't ya!! Love ya dearly!

Do I have any hair left?

2006-02-01T21:30:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had one of those days where it seemed like you did nothing right all day? Today was one of those days for me. What is with 2 year olds or any age olds for that matter? One minute you think, "maybe I'm too hard on her." the next minute you think, "man, am I strict enough?"

Hey, if anyone has any ideas of how to break the will, I'm game! We fought for one whole hour at the school with a tantrum. All those years I swore no kid of mine would act like that! HA! Here we are, full fledge.

Tomorrow will be better, right?!

Life's experiences

2006-02-01T08:08:00.000-06:00

So we are fixing to leave my parents home the other night after a birthday party for my sis. (Happpy Birthday a bit late to her!!) "Grandma Goose" makes a comment about needing to go to the doc the next day. Of course, I can't just be nice and not mention that I am working in the lab that very same next day!!! After much laughing and joking, I assure her that I'll let one of the other gals do the poke.

The next day arrives (yesterday). I get up and get to work. Sitting around waiting, waiting, and waiting some more for some gullable, unassuming people to come and get "practiced" on! Well, wouldn't ya know it, Grandma Goose comes at the very time that the other drawing gal went on break. I'm really not sure which is the worst position: the one with the needle, or the one about to be poked by her daughter! First intuition would say that I had the advantage here. Reality said, "SHE'S YOUR MOM!!!!!!!! BE CAREFUL!!!!!!" Oh yea, that was a stressful moment in time!!

Ahh, we both lived. She even called me later to let me know Grandpa Goose had a good rolling laugh over that! And no bruises! (brushing off shoulder here!)

Hey, by the way Biff, where's the photo evidence???? I'd really like to see that one! Although, judging by the progression evidence that I witnessed the other day, I'd say roughly 8 years should take care of it on its own. Don't you think so Fannie??

Fun in the Water

2006-01-30T16:07:00.000-06:00

Here are the promised pictures from the Kalahari. We had so much fun!! The girls did nothing but play in the water all day both days. It was well worth the trip down there. We only had to utilize the life guards once. Rapunzel thought she could swim a bit better than reality proved. Other than that it was relatively normal. We rate this resort very high!!

Update

2006-01-25T17:40:00.000-06:00

Man o man! What a week or so it has been!!! I finished 40 hours of clinicals in the past week along with everything else! I am sooooo ready for the Kalahari!!! Yea, we are leaving in a little bit. It will be so nice to be able to relax.

Thanks to those of you who were praying for Grandma this past weekend. God has been so wonderfully good to us in keeping her going. For those of you who didn't know, she had a pacemaker put in on Saturday morning. She has got more spunk than most of the rest of us put together.

Well, we are getting ready to head out soon, so I'm going to sign off. I'll post some pictures when we get back!

Blessings and Prayer

2006-01-16T16:12:00.000-06:00

Well, after many, many phone calls, the clinic has finally gotten my contract out of the legal department!! THAT, has been a saga in and of itself, but alas, I can start to "practice". This is very exciting, but pray for me because I have to fit a whole month of hours into 7, yes I said 7, days.

The other happy news of the day is that we get to take the girls on a mini-vacation next week! Prince Charming's boss has a room for us at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells for a confrence he has to attend. This means that the girls and I will get to soak in the waterpark for 2 whole days!! Anyone jealous yet?!?!?!?!?! It's been something like 6 years since we have gone to do something like this so we are excited!!

On a sadder note, please join me in praying for the Farkleberry family. They have had a rough weekend/week and really need to be lifted up in prayer. God has a plan in store, but in the meantime there are sure to be questions. The only thing I can think of to do is pray, pray, and pray some more.

Quotable quotes (or not!)

2006-01-14T12:08:00.000-06:00

Some humor for your weekend! Warning, this may cause blushing for some!!

I had to run some errands yesterday. While I was out and about, I went to JC Pennys to see what they had on clearance. As we (Myself, my mom, Belle, and Snow White) were walking through the undergarment section, Snow White says, "Bama, look at these scoosies!" We had a riot listening to her awe over scoosie bras throughout the entire section. Oh, to be young and innocent again!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

2006-01-10T09:31:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to Fidget Farkleberry today! Hope you have many more happy birthday's!

Love,
Fairytales

Play it safe or gifts?

2006-01-09T07:28:00.000-06:00

Good morning to you all! Yesterday at church I was extremely blessed by the sermon that Bob Winter gave. (I think that's his name) In the morning service he talked about the tribes of Isreal going into the Promised Land and how they didn't follow God's orders to completely destroy the inhabitants of the land. He talked about the tribe of Dan and how chicken they were to claim their land that God gave them. They decided to play it safe in the mountains instead of fighting for what was theirs for the taking. It made me think about how much God has put in front of me that I have "let go" because I didn't want to "fight" for what is mine from Him. I think of the many blessings that I have forgone because I didn't want to offend someone or put myself in danger of scrutiny. How selfish is that!

A story that he left us with goes something like this: I don't remember the man's name, but it is a true story.

This man who I think was a John, worked as a bridge lifter. His job was to lower the bridge over the river when he heard the train's whistle so the train could pass over the bridge. One day he took his 3 year old son with him for a picnic by the river. He heard the whistle, and told the boy to stay right there, he would be right back. He climbed up the bridge to the control area, and just before he started to pull on the gear, looked down and saw that his boy had followed him and had fallen into the gear. He had to make the decision to save his 3 year old son or a train full of people. After praying for a minute, he closed his eyes and pulled the gear lever to lower the bridge. As the train passed by him he saw men reading the paper, women knitting or visiting, and children running up and down the isles. He yelled out, "Don't you realize what I just did to save you! Don't you understand I gave my son so YOU could live!"

How often do I get caught up in my life, opinions, and SELF that I forget what God has done for me on Calvary. How often does He sit in Heaven and yell at me that I don't realize what He did for me?

Clinicals!?!?!?!?!?!

2006-01-05T20:00:00.000-06:00

Ikes!! Well, this is the month that I start my clinicals for my Medical Assisting degree, so watch out all of you vulernable people!! My advise would be not to come to Barron for any blood draws!lol! That is provided that I can get through my 1000 page text book!! Okay, enough whinning for now, I just thought I'd warn you all.

Wow, can you believe that almost a whole week of 2006 has gone by already? Where does the time go? Well, I could probably list a lot of places, but where does the time go profitably?? Beats me! Happy Friday tomorrow!!

God is so very good

2006-01-03T23:26:00.000-06:00

What an evening it was!! We went to Menards to get shelving for the princesses closets. They have gone almost two years now without organization in the closets, and it's driving me nuts!! Well, the van doesn't hold 48 feet of shelving, so we took the truck. The only problem is that they don't make trucks with 7 seat belts. Thus saying, we double buckled Rapunzel and Belle in the middle back. On the way home from our excursion, we were stopped by a cop. Thank the Lord that He helped the girls sit still and quiet. The guy never even looked in the back seat. What a major blessing!! By the way, did you know that when you purchase a vehicle you don't necessarily get a full year of registration?!? We thought we had one more month to get it registered and lone behold, we were supposed to do that in November. He must of felt bad for us to only give us a warning. Another blessing! Boy, we are 3 whole days into the new year and already God has been so good!

A Happy New Year

2005-12-31T22:38:00.000-06:00

Well, it's 10:30 New Years Eve, and my family is sleeping soundly. I thought I would take advantage of the quiet time to catch up on some "journaling". As I sit here reflecting on the past year, so many things have happened. Some good, some bad, but changes non the less. One change that has been a tremendous blessing to me is the confidence God has given me to return to my piano playing. No, I'm not quite proffessional, but God has given me a talent and a deep desire to use that talent for Him. As I reflect on that blessing, I am reminded that it was one year ago that I took that leap of faith. So many wonderful things have happened as a result. It drew me closer to my dear friend Fannie. I am so wonderfully blessed to have such a dear friend in my life. Her encouragement and prodding helped me to continue on and not give up. Another HUGE change around here is that I am a full time medical student trainging to eventually get my RN. It has been one of the greatest highlights of my year.

All of this blabber is to say that I have a few goals for 2006. First and foremost is to continue to have the desire to serve the Lord and give back to Him through the talent He has given me. I can't think of anything more rewarding than the joy in your heart knowing that you are serving the Lord. The second goal is to continue having a blast with my husband. After almost 12 years, I love that man more than I ever thought was possible. I also hope to do more with the girls. They grow so fast, I can hardly believe it!

Most of all, I want to continue growing in the Lord. Some things that have happened in the last couple of months have made me realize that it's not just about us. It's what others perceive about us. I am no longer content just to float by in my Christian life. I want to KNOW God and to better understand what He wants for my family and I. I am striving not to be the perfect Christian(haven't met one yet!!), but rather to constantly be growing and striving. I want God to keep me content in Him and to give me a sweet spirit that is encouraging to others.

Okay, so this isn't the most grammatically correct post! Those of you who know me, know that this is the sincere me. As crazy and mixed up as this may seem, if it was proper, you would've wondered who replaced me!!

Happy New Year to you all and may God greatly bless you and your family in 2006!! Much love, Lori

Scrapbook clips

2005-12-30T14:27:00.000-06:00

Here are three of my favorite pages that I did today. They are out of the book I finished for Mom and Dad for their Christmas present. Sorry about the glare on the first one, but that's my dad with my niece Zoe and mom with all the granddaughters. The second spread is Zoe's spread in the book. Can't wait to see what everyone else does!

Laundry?

2005-12-30T14:19:00.000-06:00

All 2 year olds must love to sit in the laundry basket!! I remember my brothers doing the same thing! Of course, I was photographed doing other stupid things that we won't mention!! Snow White was having fun with Prince Charming draging her around!!

Family pictures

2005-12-28T11:25:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures that were taken of us on Christmas. Thanks to Prince Charming for the cool camera so I could do this!

By the way, check out the tie!!!

You wouldn't believe what we had to go through to get Snow White to smile three times!

Christmas rushing

2005-12-28T11:18:00.000-06:00

We, like all other "normal" people, seem to have to rush constantly for Christmas. I was thinking about that this morning and it dawned on me that we miss so much of the true meaning of Christmas. I've known that for years, but for whatever reason, it hit me this morning. It is all about the presents, and food, and parties, and shopping. What are we thinking? The food and parties with presents are fun, (I'm not sure about the shopping!) but we miss the reality that Joseph and Mary couldn't even find a decent place to stay for the birth of our King. In Sunday School this week we all brought a thought that meant something special to us regarding the Savior's birth. Someone mentioned that we wouldn't settle to give birth to our children in a barn, yet that's exactly where the One who should've had the best was born. Another thought that was mentioned is the correlation between Jesus being the great shepherd and the shepherds being the first visitors. After 30 years it clicked!!!!

This is fun!

2005-12-28T10:44:00.000-06:00

Thanks to fannie for getting me into this blog thing! I'm excited to be able to post my thoughts! Why is it so much easier to type them instead of writing them in a diary? Welcome to my life, I hope you enjoy it!