Friday Faves~TV shows

I really don't watch much TV, in fact, I never turn it on, DH does! But, if I remember the night and time...my favorite TV show is SCRUBS!!! I love Dr. Cox, he is awsome! The humor in this show always gets me laughing. I try to get each season on DVD since I usually miss them on TV. I have 1, 2 and 4, searching for season 3!!!



On a side note: We recently watched a newly released movie called KNOCKED UP! I haven't laughed sooo hard in, like...FOREVER! I never watch a movie twice, but we plan to watch this one again, it was that funny!

Our Family

I saw this in a few other blogs, had to do it too!

What's in a name?...INSPIRED

When I was pregnant with my son, I knew deep down, he was a HE! I had no problem finding his name either. It had to be Beau. I chose this name for it's rarity and meaning. Also, our last name being of french origin, I wanted his name to be of the same.

Beau~

from the beautiful mountain, handsome, beautiful

My husband, mind you, would say to me, "No boy cares what his name means!" I beg to differ.
I sing to my son, I love this boy. I tell him what his name means, over and over, he wants to know this, he loves hearing it. He will say, "Mom, sing the handsome song!" This boy could be none other than his namesake. BEAU MICHAEL JOSEPH.


MICHAEL~ who is like God
JOSEPH~God will add, increase,multiply

'I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of HIM' 1 Samuel 1:27


Now, tell me DH, again, that a boy doesn't care what his name means???

SATee's Contest!

Great contest over at DE REVIEWS by Drea & Elizabeth...darling little tee up to win!
Wish I had this idea! I would pick this tee *left* DILATORY meaning TENDING TO CAUSE DELAY...which absolutely depicts my sweet Leah! For her, I must always say I will be somewhere with an extra 1/2 hour added in for the 'just in case' scenario, which always tends to occur!

You can view the entire collection of tee's HERE!

Here we go again...

Gonna be a busy one tonight again! Drew soccer practice 5:30, had to ask another Mom if she could take her since I have to have Grace to her volleyball game 30 minute drive max by 5:45, game is at 6pm, hope it's over by 7:30pm, (they play 3 games actually). My Dad is picking Drew up at 6:30 and bringing her to the volleyball game with him. Thank the Lord for able grandparents!

I spent the day cleaning out and organizing the girls' room! Man, are they pigs! I had no idea it was as messy as it was. I took out 3 garbage bags full of random broken toys, and pure garbage that they neglected to toss out properly! Candy wrappers, crumpled paper, old food...Gross! How it got this bad, I have no idea! But...they will be keeping up my hard work on their own, or I will blow up next time!
Now you can actually SEE the floor!!!

When it rains...it pours!

Just a quick run down...
Had to buy a new camera about 2 months ago, mine broke and repairs ended up totalling $113.00!!!
Bought a whole new set of tires for my van just less than 2 weeks ago, mine were all at the wear bars.
NOW: My vaccum has been making terrible terrible sounds, and I finally took it in to see what the heck was going on. Well, turns out to be some $100+ repair...translation: NEW VACCUME MUST BE PURCHASED. My husband says to me, "Just look on craigslist." WHAT? Sorry, but for me, buying a used vaccume, is like buying used underwear? I just would never do it! I would have no recourse should anything happen to it, and then I'd be right back in the same boat I'm in now. I JUST SIMPLY CANNOT LIVE MY LIFE WITHOUT A VACCUME CLEANER! Actually, being OC, I could never live without a vaccume regardless of having kids or not! Any other mom's to many know what I mean??? Life with toddlers, well, it just requires that you have a vaccume handy in working condition! The cracker crumbs are making my skin crawl as we speak...

As if I didn't already have enough laundry and cleaning to do:

Beau has been having to have multiple bed changes due to completely overflowing and saturating during the night...after so many weeks of being dry all night long!

Leah somehow took the juice pitcher out of the refridgerator and dumped the whole thing upside down onto the living room carpet!!! STICKY STINKY APPLE JUICE IN A PUDDLE ON MY CARPET! AUGGGHH!!! You don't even want to know how angry that made me, finding it as I was rounding them all up to take the girls to practices.

Drew, for some absolutely unkown reason, had an 'accident' last night. ANOTHER LOAD OF LAUNDRY! I do not understand this one, and I hope it doesn't happen again.

Lord, please humble me during this trying time!

My Sweet Leah

Leah has been presenting with somewhat of a cold this past few days. She's not eating much at all, she doesn't even drink much. I have also caught her sucking on her thumb, and fingers many times. I suppose she may be teething. Funny, with my oldest 2 daughters I documented every new tooth until they had a mouth full. But, being so busy just caring for the basic needs of the last 2 babies, I could not tell you when any tooth came in after the 1st or 2nd ones did. And, I could not even tell you how many teeth are in Leah's mouth right now. Sad, I know. She is probably cutting molars I assume. Poor baby. She is very quiet, not too busy, more cuddly, a bit of a fever yesterday, and runny nose.
She will frequently ask for gummy bears and juice, but I have been trying to get her to drink more water. She fights it. But, I figured, ice is just as good, so as she pleaded with me for some juice the other day I told her, "No, but I will give you some ice." Leah: *whining*"I don't want some ice." Mommy: "Sure you do, ice is yummy, dinosaurs eat ice, they go *chomp chomp* and eat it all gone!" Something clicked with her then, and she said, *with excitement*"I want some ice!" I once saw a parent do this with some kids in the child care co-op I worked in during college. They got a whole table of kids to eat broccoli by pretending they were dinosaurs eating trees. Kids are so funny that way. Sometimes, things like this work with Leah too. She ate 3 cups of crushed ice after that. Got some water in her afterall!

Ouchie! & Outrage

Leah took quite the fall tonight when she was helping me water the flowers with her little water can, she tripped and scraped up not one, but both of her little knees! Ouch! She did cry, but not a lot, I quickly got bandaids, and gave her the beloved 'boo boo buddy', which in and of itself would have completely calmed her. Then, Beau kept saying to her over and over, "Honey, are you okay? Are you okay, Honey?" He is such a wonderful brother, they are so close. Unlike Beau, who walks ever so carefully or limps, or hops on one foot for days whenever he injures his leg or foot, Leah acted completely normal the remainder of the evening. She just would not take a bath for fear of her bandaids getting off, or water touching her 'owie'. I wonder how long she will insist on keeping those band aids on?

On another note: Grace completely and utterly infuriated me this evening! I allowed her to stay over at a friends house last night, go to a dance, and then had told her to be home today, not too late. She knows I expect her to call if there are any plans being made. Well...7:20 pm this evening, she finally calls me. Giggly, saying her friends Mom just wanted her to call me to let me know she was okay. Well...that's great, but she wasn't HOME. She proceeded to tell me she would be home tomorrow, 2nd strike, I said ONE NIGHT, NOT TWO NIGHTS! She never called me all day, home or cell, yet proceeded to emphasize upon the fact that she called at 11am, well...I was not home, no messages, no call to my cell. So, in my book, SHE DID NOT CALL. I told her, "If you do not talk to someone, that someone being me or Dad, then you did not call." Then, she kept making all kinds of excuses..."Well, we were riding bikes, we weren't near a phone." Then, you get to a phone, you call BEFORE you bike ride, and YOU CALL ME ON MY CELL PHONE IF THERE IS NO ANSWER AT HOME! NO EXCUSES! I repeatedly have this little problem. I don't think it is a problem with the clarity of my rules, then haven't changed, I expect a phone number to call when I need to get ahold of her, a phone call from her should she be planning something the next day BEFORE NOON, and I expect that if I say ONE NIGHT, then I mean one night. DO NOT ASK TO STAY ANOTHER! Also, be home no later than dinner the next day UNLESS YOU CALL ME AND ASK TO STAY FOR DINNER. She did none of those things this time. It's NOT just about obedience, but safety! So...rules are now:
1. PHONE NUMBER AND ADDRESS FOR FRIEND BEFORE SHE IS ALLOWED TO GO.
2. NEXT DAY IF OVERNIGHT, PHONE CALL OR HOME BY NOON. WHICHEVER COMES FIRST, IF NO PHONE CALL BY NOON, I EXPECT HER HOME BY NOON. IF SHE ISN'T HOME, I'M COMING TO GET HER.
I find her behaviour to be completely and utterly, not only disrespectful, but irresponsible. She is 12, she wants a little more freedom. I understand this, and I am trying my hardest to give it, but when she does things like this, I become so livid, so disgusted, and I just put her right back in her place. She WILL follow the rules, or she will do nothing. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. She's gonna have to learn.
(*I am fully aware there are Mom's that may find this rant ridiculous, you have the right to your own opinion, as well as your own child rearing technique, just as I to mine*)

Random...

Saving my day: I am loving the beat to this song and choreography in the video, 1234 by Feist, check it out!

Random day...pay back for long day yesterday...due to lack of sleep, Leah was rotten, Beau was fiesty, Drew's devil horns were poking out! Leah woke up 4x in the night!!!
Typical day...groceries, laundry, dishes, cooking...cleaning! Hmmm, how did they splatter toothpaste dots ALL OVER the bathroom mirror? MY GUESS: NOT AN ACCIDENT!
Oh, and poop talk...starring Beau Michael Jophes as he proclaims to everyone he meets...

I caught him standing in the bathroom staring at his poop today...I can't even fully remember what he said it looked like, but I was informed that the clouds in the sky today...

get this...

looked like his poop!
WHAT?

What a day!

Today I spent the day taking the youngest two to the library for storytime, which we barely missed! Then out to the park, a park we rarely have time for, but it is so fun for them! It has 4 areas all around in a huge circle, one has an old steam engine to climb on, another 'dinosaur bones' to climb inside and onto, a toddler playset, then an old school big kid playset, not to mention the few covered, and uncovered areas to have a party or picnic, and a few hills and trails to run down! It's great! So, they kept busy for an hour. It was a nice crisp, slightly windy but sunny day! It was just beautiful!

CRAZY: Tonight coincided Drew's soccer practice at 5:30-6:30, and Grace had a volleyball game across town to be at by 6:15. So...I dropped off Drew, stayed a few minutes to talk with another Mom, and then ran Grace to her game, dropped her off so I could go back to pick Drew up from practice, which ran over by about 20 minutes, and then drove back across town to WATCH Grace's 3 games that started at 6:30 (I obviously had to miss some of it!) and didn't get over till 9pm...whew! LONG DAY! TIRED KIDDOS!

A NEW DISCOVERY FOR BEAU: Beau is really taking after Daddy, in that he has become extremely interested in knowing from Dad all there is about hunting, fishing, etc. They talk hunting. He wants to know everything! Well, I told DH to show the boy his goose/duck calls, and well...long story short...the boy can almost make them sound off better than Daddy now! He is addicted...he has begged nonstop for me to get them out again! That boy is for sure A BOY.

GIRLY GIRL: Leah has definitely taken on a personality all her own. I felt with her, as a baby, I had a hard time finding who she was while also caring for my son, still a baby, and two older girls at that time. She has broke the mold, in that she is quite the opinionated little thing. She will outright refused to get dressed in clothes, or in pajamas, unless she picks it out, and even then, it's often a struggle. Even, picking the right diaper! Drives me nuts! She loves to play 'pretties' when Grace paints her toe nails, and puts 'lips' on her. She's like a little princess, in her own little kingdom of all those that cater to her every whim...NOT. But, you gotta admit, it's funny how a boy takes on the manly character, as Beau, and yet as much as they are around eachother day in and day out, Leah is quite the opposite...such a little girly girl! Point proven in this photo of her playing the girls' old game PRETTY PRETTY PRINCESS, purple painted toenails, scraggly early morning hair, and all!

More pics from Walk in Woods

On our 'walk in the woods' the other day, we came across this small area where there was a huge fire pit and some little buildings, run down, but they were cute, and Beau and Leah were running around pretending, Leah kept saying, "Beau, come on, we on a mission!"

This area was also an old military training base, and so this broken down brick building is remaining, there are a few of them about the area in different spots, but this one they could climb around, on and into! They had a blast!

Walk in the Woods

Beau feeding this wild turkey his apple. Below: Leah trying to do the same, but the turkey's hard peck scared her bad enough that she dropped the apple, you can see it falling! LOL!

TAG-Your Favorite Recipe

My husband loves to go deep sea fishing, and when he does go, I love it when he is able to bring home fresh halibut and sea bass. We learned how to make fish tacos a year or so ago, and it is so good, here is how you do it:

Deep Frier
2-3 lbs halibut/fish meat (you can use ling cod or sea bass too! NOT tuna or salmon)
Flour
PanKo bread crumbs *found in the asian food isle
3-4 eggs, beaten
Oil, we use canola 1-2 average size bottles
1/2 green cabbage
1/2 red cabbage
cilantro
2 limes
Small Flour Tortillas
Grated Cheese *optional

After cutting the fish into thick strips, like you would chicken strips, you roll it in the flour, THEN the egg, then the panko bread crumbs, place in deep frier till crisp, be careful not to get frier too hot.
You will also need to cut cabbage into very thin strips, chop up cilantro fine, and slice the limes into quarters or smaller if you wish. Place in bowls.
Once fish is done cooking, place 1 or 2 pieces on a tortilla, top with cabbage, cilantro, and squeeze lime juice over the top! It is so good, and you won't even taste the fish flavor!
*Best part, my kids will eat it too!
If anyone tries this, let me know how you like it!

Mom, I tag you, email me yours, and Jess, you too! Susie I tag you!!!!

Aquarium Pics...finally!

That Boy!

I was swinging Beau and Leah really high, they were cracking up and having a blast this afternoon! I mentioned to Beau, "Have you been checkin' the strawberries?" Then, I started over to peek at them in the garden and Beau must have tried to jump from the swing 'cause next thing I knew he was flat on his belly crying! He got up, I dusted him off, hugged him and he said, "I wanted to check the strawberries with you!" I told him I was not going to do it without him, but he kept crying a little, then once he recovered, we picked some strawberries, and he loves them with whipped cream, so we headed back to the house, and he says to Leah,

"Weah, I can't walk so well 'cause I hurt my feelin's! I fell off the swing and I hurt my feelin's!"

Is that cute or what?

Read a book?

It has been years since I read a book that was the slightest bit geared toward anyone else but a small child. I have started, and am trying to find spare time to continue reading A Purpose Driven Life...I saw this in a magazine, and decided I want to read it. If only I could find a tiny little hole to hide...

Shuckin' Corn!

A Perfect Evaluation!

I received my 1st real sit down face to face evalution at my work last night. I am astonished to find that in every category they had rated me as PROFICIENT! I received a perfect evaluation! I could not believe it! I am so pleased, I was almost in tears as the RCM said, "Well, here it is, basically, WE LOVE YOU! We can't wait till you can work more, full time!"
Ahhhh! I am meant to do this work. :)

My Middle Name is Marie!

I'm taking a Meme from Donna's blog...
Post these rules before you give the facts. You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. (If you don't have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.) When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post and then choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don't' forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

My middle name is MARIE:


M~Mommy, I am and very much absorbed by being a Mommy!
A~Type A personality, very ANAL
R~Rich in Life, by this I mean, I am blessed. I have 2 parents, married for 31 years, never divorced, I have 4 beautiful children I adore and that adore me back, a faithful, loving Husband...I have a job I love! God has given me all I could have asked for!
I~Intense, I sometimes am so absorbed by what I am dealing with that I am seemingly unapproachable/unfriendly...a misinterpretation.
E~Efficient...Emotional

If your reading, I tag...Susan, Angela *do it on your myspace, Cheryl, Jessica my Sister...that's all I have to tag!

My Boys

What a deal!

I found the greatest deal tonight at ROSS! I love Ross! I have been wanting to get Beau the pirates bedset from Olive Kids but it is sooo expensive I would never pay it. Well....I found the comforter at Ross tonight for...drum roll please...$14.99....at OliveKids.com, it's $59.99!!! I am so excited, we don't have a twin bed for the boy yet, but now I can look ever more aggressively! That boy is gonna love it! It is soooo cute! It has rope for trim on the comforter, and it is two sided, with a navy blue printed fabric on the back. I'll just have to keep my eye out for the sheets and pillow cases, and maybe even the pirate&treasure chest pillows!

Game on!

Drew had her first Soccer Game of the seaons yesterday, the 8th, and she took off like lightnin' scoring 2 goals right off, then another later in the game. She played all 4 quarters, splitting a couple with another girl that got hit in the nose with the ball, then Drew got jabbed in the neck with some other girls' elbow *OUCH!*, so she came out once too. Game tied in the end, but this year is already looking much better than last!

They are desired...

I adore my children, they are my obsession. I wanted every single one of them more than anything. I am very blessed to have them, I thank God every day. I could not imagine life without them.

I love this verse from the bible...

"More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." ~ Psalm 19:10

Christians

By Maya Angelou

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not shouting "I'm clean-living'."

I'm whispering "I was lost,

Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

And need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed

And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible

But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I still feel the sting of pain.

I have my share of heartaches

So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner

Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Toddlerisms

Funny how toddlers talk, how they repeat something in such a strange way, makes you wonder how they hear it coming from you. Wonder what I'm talking about?
Leah says..."smashmallows" for marshmallows
"cornernuts" for pistachios/nuts
"eguck" for yogurt
"starberries" for strawberries
Beau says..."bandy corn" for candy corn
"feather catcher" for dream catcher...makes sense though doesn't it?

I remember when my oldest dtr was about 4, she went on a road trip with my parents, and they could not figure out what she was saying when they heard her repeating "ook at the poke in the cheese!" She was saying..."look at the smoke in the trees" Or, the song 'Fly like an Eagle', she would say/sing 'Fly like Peagle'...lol. Kids are so funny!

Mama Loves Giveaways

Yet, another contest I will try my chances at winning...
Pinks and Blues blog is hosting a Hanes Kids Back to School Giveaway .
Check it out! You could win too!

Infuriating!!???

I have only a few pet peeves, one of them being interrupted while on the phone. Today, Beau Michael, not once, not twice, but 4 TIMES stood at my feet as soon as he noticed me on the phone, important calls, and pleaded over and over to talk thinking it was Grandma every time! I absolutely lost it with the last call! I was trying to talk to Drew's soccer coach and that boy stood there hitting me over and over on the leg, hollering! So...I sent him to bed without a book. It was already 8pm anyway, which is the youngest 3's bedtime now that school has started back up. It takes 30-45 minutes to get them settled in...brushing teeth, vitamins, last diaper change and potty...etc...I just cannot stand when he does that to me. Am I alone in this? I don't think so. It is so utterly disrespectful. The girls know, if I am on the phone, you must wait to talk to me. NEVER INTERRUPT...unless it is ofcourse very important, or an injury. I just needed to vent on this one!

1st day 7th Grade...Random Thoughts

Gracie's first day of 7th Grade was yesterday, the 5th. She looked so pretty, so grown up! I really love how her hair is now, and she made the choice all on her own! She missed the bus, had to take her to school, they changed the bus pick up time, it was 7:10am, now 6:56am...isn't that terribly early!!!??? In her words...
"My day was wonderful!" She has had a struggle with a close friend, turning out not to be a friend at all, and quite frankly it's for the best...dare I say?...She is making many more new friends already! She loves her teachers, and seems to be very focused. I just love my Grace!
A coworker of mine has a daughter Grace's age, and whenever she comes to work she is ranting and raving about how terrible her daughter is. She has to send her to a sitter (she works NOC shift) so she won't sneak out and stay out all night long at only 12 years of age! She has caught her smoking, doing drugs, and drinking alcohol. She's not sure if she's promiscuous or not, but speculates that she is. She is always worrying, and expresses her lack of control constantly. She has said that she can't even trust her dtr to stay in school all day long, and that she cuts up and destroys every piece of clothing she gives her. It definitely makes me feel exceptionally lucky, but at the same time, how does such a young girls behaviour become so erratic, so out of control? This is when I stand firm in my beliefs of punishment being ever so important for a child. Constant follow through is pertinent. I am hackled at times by other parents, saying I'm so over the edge, so overboard with my punishments, but am I? Really, I expect my children to follow my rules, behave appropriately in company of others, be kind, respectful, they have chores. I REFUSE TO GIVE IN. I think something must be said for those parents that persevere, and never give up. It's a very sad thing to see so many parents following the lead of the child.

*A LOVELY FIND! One Zinnia discovered amongst my Tomatoes and Nasurtium in my garden. I had planted 2 entire packets of Zinnia seeds, 2 seperate times, and I had given up, nothing happened. But, then yesterday I find this!

Baby Leah

Something for fun. I was browsing my picture files, and looking at baby Leah pics got me reminiscing. I miss having a baby around. She was such a lovely baby, so beautiful. Enjoy Mom and Dad!