I am thinking cold thoughts...brrr...it's so chilly out. I better take my jacket.

by teresa

As tired as I was yesterday...my mind couldn't get to sleep until 3:00am this morning. This time I didn't make the mistake of just laying there in bed...tortured and awake. I came downstairs and watched movie after movie until I could no longer keep my eyes open. Have you ever seen The World According To Garp? What a freaky movie! I also watched a bunch of Dirty Jobs (with Mike Rowe on Discovery) that Nick had DVR'd.

One thing that contributed to my insomnia...was the warm room temperature blah of my house. When we arrived home from VBS it was to a humid home. Long story short...a pipe to the water heater thingy was frozen because I am a slack butt and forgot to change the air filters this month. They were all clogged...and that caused things to go wonky. After changing the filters, shutting down the ac...turning on the fan...and waiting it out for three hours....it finally defrosted and I was able to cut the ac back on again. (man...that was a long sentence)

It took until about 1:00am to get my house back to the frigidliciousness that I know and love.

Praise the Lord for ac. Seriously...I praise the LORD for A/C!

Lauren had some errands to do today. FedEx her broken phone back to Verizon(they already sent her a replacement), pick up her books from the ODU bookstore...and buy a parking pass for this next year of school. She was fretting all morning. Mom...are you coming with me? Uhhh nope. How will I know where to go? Uhhhh you ask someone. Fret, fret, fret. She was finally ready to leave...with the book receipt I printed off for her...the directions to the pack-n-mail I gave her ...the money for the parking pass(you don't even want to know how much they charge to park there) and her baby brother Ben. Yep....she took Ben with her for support. Good thing she didn't want to look foolish. An eight year old on campus shouldn't draw any attention to her. NOT! What a dork!

Before I head off to do...what I do...I wanted to tell the MIL Jackie....Welcome Home from her mission trip. Also...Happy Birthday. Can't wait till Saturday nights party.

I will leave you with a funny picture from the closing of last nights VBS. Remember I told you guys about the offering contest? And the one with the most money getting pelted by water balloons (by ever single child in attendance)? Well...all three adult (our pastor, a deacon and teacher/coach) were good sports and let the kids soak all three of them. Even though it was the deacon (SAM) who actually won(or lost...it depends on how you look at it).

After half of the children tossed at them...and them still not being very wet.....one of the men decided to take matters in his own hands. They had me distract them with a photo pose...while he doused them with a cooler filled with water and ice. Brrrrrrr!

Poor Kathy seemed to get the brunt of it. You can't even see her face in the picture. I love how Sam on the end...is still smiling right before it reaches him. And how pastor (on the left) is just feeling the power of the cold as the picture is snapped. The things we do to make our children happy.

One more thing. This is strictly for Mary and Eric (Joshs' parents). They live in No.Va. and read the blog (as do some people from Mary's office...hello everyone). I'm sure living three hours from you first grandbaby is torture. I took some pictures of Maya last night and thought you would like to see some. Enjoy and be blessed!

I think I need some clairol.

by teresa

I'm tired.

This week has been exhausting....and it's only Wed.

Tonight is the last day of VBS....so things will be much tamer after today.

I've had a good time...and the kids have been truly blessed by the songs, skits, stories, games and praise.

One thing they have enjoyed the most is an offering competition. Three adult leaders in the church have an offering bucket...and the one who has the highest total gets soaked by water balloons tonight. My kids have been scrapping and searching for pennies everywhere in the house and my car to add to the buckets each night. I wouldn't volunteer for that in a million years!

Our little border from church went home last night...since his mother was returning from Costa Rica. He asked his father if he could stay for a few more nights. Ben and him really got along well. But I was glad to not be up till midnight last night trying to shush them. Ben and Nick were out within minutes of laying down.

Today is the last day of our out of town family(cousins on my moms side) visiting too. We will head to the pool for day four of swim fun. The kids are so tan...and I have about 200 pool pictures.

Chris came home last night for Atlanta...and left this morning for Durham. We stayed up late last night chatting and watching a little tv (DOG the bounty hunter).

I hear Ben getting up now. So I guess I should go fix his oatmeal. That is all the child will ever eat for breakfast. Sometimes he has it for lunch and dinner too. He loves it. Nick and Lauren wouldn't touch oatmeal with a ten foot pole. Nick is a cereal man(cheerios)...and Lauren will eat whatever she can grab from the fridge first. No preparing...no warming...just something straight from the fridge. Grab and go. Always on the run.

Speaking of on the run. My daughter didn't even come home last night. I last saw her after church and she told me about heading to a friends apartment. This morning when we woke up Chris looked out front and said...where's Lauren's car? I called her and she said....oh...I thought I told you I was going to spend the night. Sorry. College starts in 12 days. With her job and classes...she won't have too much time to run amok anymore. :0)

She is adding gray hairs to my head as we speak.

And Ben loves pointing them out.....in public.

"Hey mom....you got lots of white hair sticking out."

How sweet of him to notice.

I think I will go to Walgreens and pick up some color.

Maybe I'll just do it big...and go blonde.

Our weekend...in pictures!

THE KIDS IN THE POOL

KADEN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

We had a nice weekend. Out of town family visiting and tons of things to keep us busy. Our churches VBS began last night....so I was up at church Friday and Saturday preparing all the snacks for the week. Mom also hosted a cookout/pool party and the temps. were actually pleasant enough for all to sit outside and enjoy. On Saturday we all headed to my sisters for Kaden's birthday party. We had it a week late since her brother and sister were out of town with Katy's ex. It is so nice to sit and watch the kids having fun. Cause when they are happy...we are happy. Chris' dad surprised Nick with a trip to the movies to see the Bourne movie....which Nick couldn't stop raving about. And I can't believe this....but today my niece Maya is a month old. Time sure flies! We have a boy from church spending the next two days with us. His mom is in Costa Rica on a mission trip till Tues. night (so is Chris' mom Jackie)...and his dad needed a little help. Ben is pleased to have the company. After finally recovering from his WV air travel disaster last week...Chris headed out for Atlanta this morning for the next three days. I hope this trip is uneventful.

Today the kids and I plan to do the pool, CiCi's pizza and VBS. Hopefully I can wear them out so they will go to bed good tonight. Last night they were chatting and giggling till 1:00am. Have mercy!

BE BLESSED!

When I say…”I’m 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!

I have a dream....

by teresa

I had a dream last night.
It was crazy.
I put Ben to bed in a bathtub filled with water....and little bugs.
He didn't complain....he said he like to look at the bugs swim around in the water.
He also like the way they tickled his skin.
He was blue from the coldness of the water...but Chris wouldn't let me take him out when I complained.
I walked away...and when I came back he had fallen asleep and was slouched under the water level.
I yanked him up...and he woke and coughed up water and cried.
I tried to take him out but Chris wouldn't let me again.
I woke up.
My heart was hurting from the sad I felt in the dream.
I gave Chris a nudge (kick) with my foot....and went to check on Ben.
He was smiling about something he was dreaming about.
So bizzare huh?

I usually don't have scary dreams like that.
One dream I do have alot is that I am in high school again. Not a teen...I am my age but at school. Maybe I wanted to return for the free food and Jamestown fieldtrips. Anyway...I don't know where any of my classes are and I am running around frantically looking. No one will help me. Also...I can't remember my locker combination. In the dream I am sooooo mad at myself for not writing it down.

My mom said I used to sleep walk as a child. One time she woke and found me on the porch. Sitting there in my jammies...eyes open...asleep. Bizzare.

Speaking of my mom...she used to have a recurring dream that she cold fly. Not far up in the sky.....just about an inch above the floor. I guess that is more of a hover than a fly. And she would wake up flapping her arms. I love that!

Did you dream last night? Tell me about it...or whatever you most memorable dream was.

Still Here

By Chris

It's 5:50 a.m. and I'm still in WV. Had to stay at the lovely Holiday Inn Express for literally just a few hours. Flight finally canceled . . . no agent ever showed up at the gate. Saw it on the Internet, and went to the front of the airport . . . Was like, uhhh, you might want to tell the rest of the people back there the flight is canceled. Uggghhhh. So, it was a day trip, and I packed nothing. 24 hours later .... same clothes . .. yuck. Brush? Nope. Toothbrush? uhhh, no. Deodorant? Ha! Available toiletries at H. Inn? None. Stores open in Charleston late at night that sell suff like that? Nada. A way to get there even if there were? ... There was a washing machine in the hotel, which in my tired state I consedered using . . . but do the math. One outfit . . . washing machine in a public area. What was I thinking I was going to wear while the clothes were being washed. Duhh. I'm supposed to be on a 6:20 ... to PITTSBURGH!! Then eventually home. Sometime before noon, if you're reading at home. My weird re-ticketing on another airline must have put me in a suspicious category, because I got "selected" for the advanced screening. "Good morning stinky man in clothes from yesterday. Let me get real close to you and pat you down." I bet he really enjoyed the shoeless feet vacinity with my now not-so-fresh socks (I did put them in the sink and blow them dry . . . but still).

It's Different Here

By Chris

Clearly, I've grown bored in my commitment to always blog from the road. I'm sitting in the Charleston, WV airport now waiting on a plane. It's an interesting place to fly in and from. A runway on the top of a mountain looks really weird for a sea-level oriented guy like me. I've learned not to look. It's a pleasantly small airport too. Security dude was reading a newspaper waiting for someone to walk up. I was so taken aback I wasn't ready with my ID and boarding pass . . . usually I do that while waiting in a line. That was nice. Not so nice is the fact that there is no electronic display at the gate with the latest information coming up about your flight. We're 20 minutes from takeoff, the flight's not on the board and there's nobody from the airline at the gate??? The security guy assures me I'm at the right gate . . . as there are only two more flights leaving tonight and they are from here. He also says don't worry about the board because it's only right about "50 percent of the time." More funny stuff (and this is not a knock on West Virginians, because uhhh. ... silly people are everywhere.:

- Security guy tells lady behind me: "You can't bring no liquid substances through here." Lady says, "This ain't liquid it's soda."

- Sitting at the gate, a young man is out cold sleeping on the floor. Now he is snoring. And I mean loud snoring. Made me jump when he started. I know I snore, but not in public. Poor guy.

- Neat sign I saw: Coonhound Park

- Trusting rental car return: You just drive up, put it in any old spot and turn your key in, tell them the miles and assure them you put gas in it. They believe you and say thank you. Sweet.


UPDATE: It's takeoff time and still nobody from the airline in sight. Some people are using their phones to call the airline's toll free number. They are saying it's on time. This could be a long night.

sweltering heat, paper cuts and blueberry dreams

by teresa

What does this song (Blueberry Hill...in case I changed it before you read this) make you think of?
It makes me think of Happy Days...and how Richie Cunningham used to sing it when he liked a girl. I loved that show.

It is so hot here.
I took the boys over to mom's pool yesterday...for maybe ten minutes.
I could take the heat no longer than that.
The kids were miserable even in the water.

They ate a couple of freezie pops (those things are great) that melted before they could finish the whole thing...then they asked to go home.
100 + degrees.
I need fall to happen quickly!

I took Nick to his schools' library last night. He took four book tests and aced them all. Now...before school even starts...he has met his reader points for the first nine weeks. Yippee!
Now he has the reading bug. He started a new book last night about ogres, trolls, vikings, castles,etc. I finally made him go up to bed after midnight. The book was apparently so eerie...he was too chicken to go upstairs by himself. So funny. I do admit that I may have (by accident) cut the light off on him and ran ahead to freak him out.

I am spending today cleaning out our files and organizing our office closets. Once done I will be able to restock the shelves with this years school supplies (that I plan to buy this weekend). And with the files cleaned out I will be able to easily slide new info in...without permanently injuring my hand cramming papers into too full folders. Have you ever had a file folder paper cut? It hurts.

My final task for the day is to update my calendars for the new school years commitments. I have scraps of paper tucked here and there with dentist appts. and other important dates. I also have two calendars (a purse and a desk on) going on at the same time....and I need to make them both match. Don't want to forget anything...right?

As I was sitting here typing Nicky came in and asked if he could bake some muffins all by himself. Uhhhh...duh....of course! He got to work right away....and there are heavenly blueberry scents coming from my kitchen.
Don't be jealous.

Here's a picture of me reading in my new chair. I love it!

Bliss

by teresa


Spending the day reading with your son. Him sitting on the edge of his seat (literally), craving that next sentence. Crying together during a moving passage. Sitting and talking about the book after finishing....reliving the memorable scenes(this from a kid who hates to read). And him initiating a prayer...for the things that happened in the book...to never happen again. In case you are wondering the book was Night by Elie Wiesel(Nobel peace prize winner). It is a true account of his life in Auschwitz. Very moving.


We also read and finished a book called My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. He was enthralled with this story of a boy (his own age) making his way on his own in the wilderness of the Catskill mountains. The ways he learned to trap food, make his own clothing(deerskin), and build a home out of a burned out tree. I could see his eyes light up as if he was thinking..."I could do that!"


Tomorrow we are going to read The Red Pony by John Steinbeck. A classic. Nick will love it.
The deadline for his schools summer reading program is tomorrow night at 6:00pm. So we are trying to get the most out of these last 24 hours.



"So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall." - from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", by Roald Dahl

To infinity, and beyond!

by teresa


Nick spent the night out with a friend from church. He went home with them from church...and later arranged for an overnight. So we had to take his clothes out to him. After a nice visit with the parents we headed home with Ben, who was very jealous of Nick's plans (the boy has a Wii...which Ben wants more than anything else on the planet). The thought of his brother getting to play it all day is all he can focus on. I think I see a Wii in our Christmas future.


So did any of you venture out in the massive crowds to buy school supplies or school clothes over the tax free weekend? I had planned on at least getting Ben done....but just couldn't do it once I saw the parking lots. It was seriously ridiculous. Like Christmas eve ridiculous. A $5 savings is just not worth the hassle to me. I think I will wait a few days to go now...so the stores have a chance to restock and reorganize. Is there anything worse than a ravaged store? Empty shelves...or piles of mixed up stuff laying about?


I need to find a new book to read. I just finished A Long Way Gone....and it was a great. What is the last book you read? Tell me...and I'll check it out.

A commercial for a new barbie just came on....and all I have to say is THANK GOODNESS I HAVE NO YOUNG DAUGHTERS. It is called Top Model Barbie....and she looks a bit trashy. Take a look at these pictures and see for yourself.

That is alot of makeup! Lauren used to have every Barbie made. She would yearn for any new dolls that came out. All the pretty clothes and neat shoes. She also loved to cut all their hair off. Funny. I too looooved my Barbies...and my dream house with inflatable furniture and pool. It was the best (and most memorable) gift I ever received. But these new dolls....hmmmmm. What accessories do they come with? Birth control pills and a fake ID? Maybe?

Boys are so much easier. Matchbox cars...and Buzz Lightyear. You can't go wrong there.

hammers and drills and saws...oh my!

by teresa

Up late again....nothing new about that.
Actually, I am pretty tired. I just can't drag myself out of my cozy new reading chair I purchased at a second hand store yesterday. I bought two chairs...and a cute round table to fill our naked office. Well...it was completely naked...it did have an entertainment center, bookcase and desk....just nothing to sit on. So that room has been uncomfortable for a long time now. But not anymore. Now it has two cozy seating areas....and my seat(butt)....has been planted in these areas for the past 24 hours. I love it! I will post pictures later so you can envy my awesome bargain shopping expertise.

I also wanted to share with you a wonderful thing that has happened to our family. My sister's boyfriend (Maya's daddy...and hopefully Katy's future husband *fingers crossed*) is a jack of all trades. Painter, carpenter, construction,etc. Do you know what that means people? That means I now have a handyman at my disposal. Thank you Jesus! Cause we all know the hubby(although a man) isn't very handy. Josh is coming this weekend to build us a new gate...and repair our front storm door. I love him already!!!! Katy better not let him slip through her fingers...or I may have to arrange a marriage to Lauren just so we don't lose him.
Now my dad (our #1 handyman) can get a little peace. With him "not getting any younger" we don't like asking him to do more than inspect a situation...and report what we need to get someone to do.
*funny update*
Chris just went outside to change Lauren's burned out headlight.....and my daddy (who was watching from his front window) came out and took over. hee hee He can't stand to see someone struggling with something. The bulb had melted into the socket...and Chris was not getting the task done without help.
Thank you daddy.

Happy 2nd Birthday Kaden...our sweet niece. We love you to the stars and back!

Is it pathetic that the most exciting part of my day was running out to buy a new mop?

by teresa

Yep. I thought so.

I can't wait for school to begin. Not just to resolve the boredom induced sibling squabbles....but to get me working again. I know, I know, I don't really work cause I get no paycheck. But my many volunteer activities keep me busy...and being busy makes me happy.

Cleaning, laundry, groceries, cooking...not so much with the happy.

Okay....I admit it. Buying that new mop did make me a tiny bit happy.
I spent the past two days cleaning my house like crazy. Cah-ray-zee! Closets, drawers, bathrooms, etc. I have mopped, vacuumed, dusted and organized from top to bottom. Chris asked me if I was nesting or something. Now that the house is spic-n-span....I think I will take the boys to do something fun tomorrow after VBS. Maybe a movie....or bowling....or both.

I also need to run to the library...to pay a fine. I know....how unlike me. I owe a whopping 60 cents....so I must go pay and clear my good name.

Don't go in the water

by teresa

My boys have been in such a frenzy in anticipation of this week. Why, you ask? It's the discovery channels annual...SHARK WEEK! They can't get enough of these shark shows. Hours after hours crammed with useless shark knowledge. How long do they live, what do they eat, can they eat a whole person, how many teeth, what's the biggest, what's the smallest, blah, blah, blah? Enough already....I'm over it....and it's only day two! As I'm typing this Nick is yelling for me to "COME HERE NOW MOM...AND SEE THIS COOL SHARK EATING A DEAD WHALE!" Lord help me.

Ben attended VBS at a neighborhood church today. He had a great time, saw tons of school friends and is excited to go back tomorrow. He has been performing the songs/dances and memory verses non stop since returning home. I can't wait till our churches VBS (Aug. 12-15). It's a water park theme(Take the plunge with Jesus). We had the meeting at church last night...and it sounds so cool. I will be the snack shack lady, Chris is on the cooking team, mom is running the kiddie pool (the nursery), Lauren is working with preK & K and Nick is on the teen praise team. It's a regular family affair! If you are reading this...and in town...please sign your kids up too.

Before I run off to whip up dinner for the fam....I thought I would post some pictures I snapped of Maya yesterday. She was two weeks on Friday....she weighs 8lbs6oz and is now 21 and a half inches (she grew and inch and a half in two weeks).

Anybody have Super Nanny's number?

by teresa

Nick's back from camp. He had a great time...but was glad to be home. He was very sweet and huggy with me.....and wasn't home an hour before he was napping comfortably on the couch. Home sweet home!

Mom took me and Katy out to lunch today...with Kaden, Maya and Ben tagging along. We were entertained (embarrassed) by Kaden as she threw crayons, ripped the dessert table display in half, screamed, repeatedly tried to tip over her high chair , reached over to poke Maya with a fork(twice) and grabbed her macaroni with her bare hands and put it in her hair. Two year olds(next Thursday)...ya gotta love 'em!

Ben has been super annoying lately too. What happened to my sweet little baby? I think he is having Kristian and Kai withdrawals....and it's putting him in a permanent bad mood. They are gone for two weeks (a week in NC and a week in Ohio) with their other grandparents. He has been very bored and does not act nice when he is bored. He keeps saying rude things to us like..."you sure have a chubby face mom....NO OFFENSE." or "you have a weird laugh dad...NO OFFENSE." When we fuss at him he gets all offended(breaks down in hysterical tears) and says..."I said no offense....why are you picking on me?"
Eight year olds....ya gotta love 'em!

Why am I up and blogging after midnight?
Two words.
Diet Coke!
I need to go caffeine free.

The only thing wrong with doing nothing is that you never know when you're finished.

by teresa

Everybody who reads our family blog knows Chris, my husband is awesome. Super dad. Super spouse. Super boss (from what I hear). Super funny. Super smart. I love him....and he is liked by anyone who meets him.
But......yesterday.....Superman had a brain fart.
Do you want to know what he called me?
Lazy.
That's what the hubby called me yesterday when I asked him to fold a tub of clothes(while I was lying across the bed with a tummy ache). He reminded me that the day before I had asked him to clean up an accident the dog made. He said ....the house is your responsibility. He did a little giggle and some back pedaling after he said it(no doubt caused by the look on my face). But it was still there.
Lazy.
Maybe I should give him a little taste of lazy....
What do you think ladies?

Mom....no need for you to comment because I know you adore your son in law....and he can do no wrong in your eyes. If I were to go on strike you would come over and bring him home cooked meals , keep him supplied with ice cold diet cokes and pick up his socks from the spot on the floor where he tosses his clothes and rush them to the washing machine.

Where'd I put my conair foot massage thingy?

by teresa

Preview is over...and I am beat. Hurt feet, achy back and my mind is spinning from all the info that has been crammed in these past two days. Chris says I'm a big wimp. Whatever! I can still say I've had three human beings cut from my belly and he whines over a hurt toenail.

Ben is tired too. While we were at preview...he was at Katy's with Kristian and Kai. And from the way he is laying comatose on the couch right now, I think they must have played hard the entire seven hours each day.

Nick is off to another week of church camp...which was very convenient for our busy week. He came home from camping at 4:00pm Sun. night and left for camp at 7:30am Mon. morning. That was some super speeding laundry/packing service on my part.

Talk may be cheap but intelligent conversation is very expensive these days. Ask anyone with a kid in college.”

by teresa

Chris and I are getting ready to leave for day two of Freshman Preview.
Yesterday was a big information day. I think we listened to twenty different speakers. Half of them were telling us to cut the apron strings....and the other half were telling us to cut the check. Lauren (and the other 250 newbies participating in this session) got to spend the night on campus. I heard one of the orientation leaders saying something about showing them campus life, getting them used to walking from here to there, and a pajama dance party. Sounds like fun. of course when Lauren heard this she freaked as she had packed some ratty old gym clothes to sleep in. So the three of us ran over to the bookstore and picked out some cute, pink ODU jammie pants and t-shirt. She was happy about that. She also met with a rep. from a neat sounding sorority (Alpha Xi Delta) that she is excited about. They do all their fundraising and outreach to the benefit of sick children(Ronald McDonald House charities). They took her info....and are supposed to email her. The three of us will meet back up with her this morning and after a couple more lectures....she registers. I can't wait to see what and when her classes will be. We keep telling her....NO 8:00AM CLASSES. But who knows if she will listen to us.