Full Time Job

Long Time No Write!

2011-11-07T14:54:00.000-05:00

Hi all! Yes, it has been an incredibly long time since I last posted. I have just really not been in a "blogging" mood for the last couple of months. But, I decided that it was time to get back on the horse so to speak. I miss writing so here I am.

It is November and on Facebook, I like to post at least one thing that I am thankful for every day. I usually end up posting more than that, but I think it is a great way to remind myself of the awesome blessings I have in my life. I think what I am going to do is expound on those blessings here for all of my (couple) of readers to enjoy!

November 1st-This day I was thankful for my family. I am so blessed by my wonderful husband, 3 beautiful children, my parents, my in-laws, my wonderful cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. I am so blessed.

November 2nd-This day I was so thankful for the amazing women on my MOPS steering team (leadership team). They are incredible. They are strong, awesome, faithful women and I learn so much from them every day! I was also thankful for amazing time with my mom that day. We really enjoyed time together just the two of us, which we don't get a lot of now with the kiddos.

November 3rd-That morning I was thankful for 15 minutes that I got to spend with my kids while we were all hanging out in my bed. It is so much fun when they play together and all leap on mommy! I was also thankful for sweet moms that help out other moms. A friend picked up L and brought her home for me and it was a great help. I was also thankful that my sweet friend Carli taught me how to knit. Knitting is my escape and I would be lost without it.

November 4th-I was thankful for childcare at a local church so that E and I could have a little time to ourselves. We went grocery shopping together by ourselves. It was fantastic!!

November 5th-My children took sweet pictures on this Saturday so that we could have a nice picture for our church directory. They didn't even throw ANY fits! It was fantastic! I was also so thankful for sweet little kid voices praising God at church. I am really enjoying being the children's choir director!

November 6th-I am thankful that I am able to sing. I love that I can use my voice to praise God, to sing my sweet children to sleep, or to just enjoy myself.

And today, today I am so thankful for my sweet babies (who aren't really babies any more!). They are my angels and I am blessed to be their Mommy!

So, that is my catch up on thankfullness! What are YOU thankful for?!!?

Have a great day!
Love,
Theresa

Super Quick 5QF

2011-06-17T22:18:00.000-04:00

This is a super quick Five Question Friday as I am tired and need a shower before heading to bed. Feel free to join in!!

1. What is your favorite summer time activity?

Eating grilled food!! I also just like sitting outside and looking at the fireflies.

2. Do you have one laundry soap you stick to, or do you buy whatever's on sale?
We use Purex (I think that is what it is called!).

3. What is your favorite dinner to make in the summer?
Grilled steak, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob with some light summery dessert.

4. Do you have any talents?
Yes, I sing, I knit, I sew, I am pretty creative, I write, and I can make lots of different voices while reading stories to the kids. Oh, and I can usually remember the majority of lyrics to songs after hearing them only once. My dad once told me if I applied that to studying, I would probably graduate from Harvard. I didn't, so I didn't. :)

5. If you could instantly be an expert in something, what would it be? Why?
Physical training. Then I would hopefully be better at keeping myself motivated in the gym and out of the kitchen!

Have a great weekend!!
With Love!

5QF

2011-06-10T13:58:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday!! Ready for a little Five Question Friday over at My Little Life? Want to join in? Go over and grab the questions and make sure you link up!!

1. How close to your childhood dreams is your life now? No where near! I wanted to be either a meteorologist or a genetic engineer. Now I am a wife and mom. Kind of different I'd say.

2. What is one must have item for the summer? Cute Sandals and SUNSCREEN!! The cute sandals should be obvious if you've read the blog at all...I love me some cute shoes! Sunscreen is a must. I have already had some malignant spot scares (luckily none have been!), so I try not to forget it. My kids almost always have it on. They don't really like it, but I wish I knew then what I know now!

3. Do you have your kids stay up on school stuff during summer vacation? (Or, if you don't have kiddos, did your parents make you keep up on school stuff during summer?) My kiddos are still pretty young. L will be going to Kindergarten in the fall, so we really haven't figured out what kind of things she needs to "stay up on". However, we are working on reading some more and trying to make sure she knows things that she should when she goes to school, like making sure she knows how to write her letters and tie her shoes.

4. Do you can or freeze fresh produce? Nope. This isn't my kind of thing. I wish it was though.

5. Do you get ready for the day first thing in the morning? It totally depends on what we have going on that day. If I have to be some place, then yes, I get ready first thing. If not, then I will usually hang out in my PJ's.

Have a great one!!
With Love!

I Saw God Today

2011-06-07T13:34:00.000-04:00

Last night on my way home from Knittervention, I was listening to the radio. George Strait's song "I Saw God Today" came on and just about made me cry. I decided that as part of my big life makeover, I am going to make sure I see God everyday. Whether it is something big or small, I will see those things that prove God is in our lives and sometimes whispering and sometimes SHOUTING at us to see him. I will make sure I acknowledge what I see and give thanks to HIM for those moments.

Today, I was at the gym with J and M (L has been at Vacation Bible School this week). It is very warm here right now and I didn't relish the thought of taking the little ones out to the park in the heat. So, I took some soccer balls and we played in the gymnasium at my gym. I watched J and M play with each other and run around chasing the soccer balls and these bean bags that have been left (I threw them and they would go get them and bring them back). It was nothing exciting, but the way J laughed and giggled, you would have thought we were at Disney World. She kept saying "I've got it." or "I'll get it Mommy!" or "M keeps kicking my ball!" (well, not all moments are perfect!). I just reveled in her speaking so well. Last January (2010), her vocabulary consisted of the word "mommy" and of screams. Now, she is speaking SO incredibly well. Then we went and picked up L from VBS. On the way home, I had the CD of the music for L's VBS playing. Both girls were sitting in the back singing to each other. Very clearly, I could hear J singing "Big Apple Adventure; where faith and love connect, Jesus directs my future." Hearing my sweet J giggle and laugh and sing words that most 3 year olds might not be able to say, let alone ones that have been through speech therapy; Yeah, I Saw God Today.

With Love!

A New Thing Here: Make Over Monday

2011-06-06T15:09:00.000-04:00

I have been trying to make some changes in my life. I have talked about most of them on here several times. When it comes to how I look, I have struggled for a very long time with accepting myself. I wrote this post back in March about really trying to accept who I am. I have been doing a lot better. I really have. Then there is my faith and I am SO happy to be back on the path I know I need to be on: God's path. I know he's always been there waiting for me, but it has taken me some time to find my way back to him. But, I know I am where I need to be now.

Over the weekend though, I gave some thought to what I was doing in my life. I am happy, but I think there are ways I could make my wonderful life better. So, for that reason, I have come up with a new thing here on Full Time Job. As of today, Mondays will be known as "Make Over Monday". Mondays are going to be the day in which I post about the work I am doing to make over my heart, my soul, my body, and improving on my faith. I am hoping that by doing this, it will help make me a better woman, a better wife, a better mother, a better friend, and a better child of God.

I am participating in a Bible and book study on Facebook about the book Do You Think I Am Beautiful? by Angela Thomas. I am hoping that this study will help me with the heart, soul, and faith make over.

I'm still working on ways to make myself a better mother. Any advice there is appreciated!!

In order to work on the body makeover, I have recommitted myself to the gym and to eating right. I worked so hard last year and this year I have really not kept up with it and gained some weight back (yes, I know I have mentioned this before and I need to get over it.). But now, I am truly motivated to get the weight off once and for all and to be a good example of healthy for my children.

So, I will be posting here about what I have been up to and how I am progressing on my make over. And yes, for the record, when I have hit a certain point (and I'm not really positive at what point that will be) I plan on getting an actual make over. I'm thinking a new hair color and some knew shoes. We'll see though.

Right now I am going to finish reading my chapter for Do You Think I Am Beautiful?. I hope you all have a wonderful day!!
With Love!

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-30T15:03:00.000-04:00

Today is Memorial Day, but in our house, it has been FAMILY day. We have had an absolutely wonderful day playing together as a family. First, we all slept in a little bit. Then, after doing some things around the house, we all got around and got dressed and headed out the door. We surprised the kids with a trip to our local zoo, the Columbian Park Zoo. It was VERY busy, but so fun. We saw lots of animals, like wallabies, monkeys, tortoises, bald eagles (only appropriate on this Memorial Day). We also saw a very pretty llama that made my heart hurt for it. Someone really needed to clean the shavings out of the poor animal. He (she?) was so soft though and had such kind eyes. I have a soft spot for llamas since people make yarn out of their fleeces. I actually asked the zoo employee what they do with the fleece when they shear the llama (yes, I am a nerd, but come on you knew that already!). For the record, the shearer takes it. The kids really liked the butterflies and the goats the best I think. The girls enjoyed looking for prairie dogs in their tunnels, but we didn't see any today. Maybe next time. Here are some pics of the kiddos at the zoo:

After the zoo, we watched the Memorial Day Parade. L asked why they were having a parade. We explained to her the reason we celebrate Memorial Day. We told her it is to thank those that have served in any of our armed forces, our police, and the fire department, or anyone who works and serves to keep us and our country safe. She has been asking questions about death (I think this has something to do with the funerals I have been singing at), so we had to explain to her that we particularly want to give thanks for those that have died while serving our country. She said she understood and we watched the parade. Afterwards, we were driving past a cemetery and there were a lot of American flags posted at the graves. She asked, "Is that why we celebrate Memorial Day?". Yes L, yes it is. She is so smart.

Then we went to McDonald's for lunch. We even went inside. This is an exciting thing for my kids because we RARELY go inside when we get McD's. If I am by myself, it is just too difficult for me to handle all three of them. I would rather go through the drive-through and bring it home. Anyway, we had lunch and then treated the kids to ice cream cones. The evidence is below!

We decided to make a list of things we want to do as a family this summer. Then we will see how many of them we can get done before Labor Day. Our list is already pretty long. But, we are open for any ideas you have!

Everyone but mom is napping now, but after the Diet Coke from McD's, I'm a little wired. I am going to knit a little while watching the Cubbies play Houston. Trying to come up with more things to do with the kids when they wake up. What a great day it has been! I hope that your day has been wonderful too.

Before I go though, I want to post a big, huge, gigantic THANK YOU to all of our service men and women; past, present, and future. I know that our freedom isn't free, and I appreciate so much the price you are willing to pay to keep us all safe. May the Lord be with all of you. Thank you.

With Love!

Getting To Know You Sunday

2011-05-22T16:03:00.000-04:00

I am joining in on MannLand5's Getting To Know You again. I'd love for you to check out my answers and then do some of your own. Make sure you link up and let me know so I can check your answers out too!

The Questions:

1. What's your favorite rainy day activity? It should come as no surprise what the answer to this question is. But, for the uninformed (just kidding!), my favorite rainy day activity is knitting. I also love to read and take a nap if I am able!

2. What time do you go to bed? I think I answered a similar question on Friday. My bedtime completely depends on how I feel and what is going on the next morning. Sometimes I got to bed at 9pm when E does, and sometimes I stay up until midnight or so. It also depends on what is on TV and what I am doing. If I am knitting something really fun (and let's face it, all knitting is fun!), then I tend to get sucked in and stay up to finish "just one more row".

3. How many magazines do you subscribe to? Let's see, I have a subscription for "Family Circle" and "Taste Of Home". My wonderful hubby bought me a subscription for "Interweave Knits". So, three subscriptions. I think that is it. I might be missing one.

4. Did you sell all your belongings because you thought the world was ending yesterday? Uh, no. I did not at all believe that the world was ending yesterday. I know that when that time comes, I can't take anything with me, except for the love I have for my family and friends and the faith and love I have for God.

5. What's your beauty obsession? I don't know that I really have a beauty "obsession", but we will go with shoes. I LOVE my shoes.

6. If you could only wear one designer/brand for the rest of your life...what would it be? I seriously have absolutely NO idea. I am not a designer shopper and have never really stressed about what the labels on my clothes read. I remember once my grandparents very kindly bought me a pair of GUESS? jeans (am I totally dating myself there?). They weren't very comfortable to me, so I returned them for 3 pairs of jeans that were really comfortable. Comfort is much more important in my eyes.

7. What's your summer must have? Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!! I have had a couple of skin cancer scares and I am a big believer in sunscreen. I make sure the kids wear it too!!

8. Do you make weekly dinner menus? I don't really make an actual menu, but I do try and think ahead of what I'm going to make for the week.

I also have a little favor to ask of you. My sweet friend Natalie over at Mommy On Fire is in the running for the Circle of Moms Top 25 Faith Bloggers. Check out her blog and if you like what you read (which I KNOW you will), click on this link: HERE and vote for her. You can vote once a day! Thank you so much!!!

Have a great day and a wonderful upcoming week!!
With Love!

Grandma Visits & A Little 5QF!

2011-05-20T20:42:00.000-04:00

Today has been a wonderful day in the life of me. My mom is up visiting and we spent a wonderful day together yesterday and today. She came up yesterday and went to the park with me and all three kids for L's very last day of pre-school. Then we went to L's last soccer game of the season and my aunt, and my cousin, and her husband, and son (my godson) came and watched and then after running over to L's Kindergarten for a couple of things, we went to dinner. We had a large group at Pizza Hut, but it was a lot of fun. Once home and after the kids were in bed, my mom and I went for a 3.5 mile walk and stayed up chatting until late. Then today we went shopping some and had lunch with my aunt and cousin. She has decided to stay another night and will leave in the morning, but it has really been a great day. I have really missed her a lot and have truly enjoyed this visit.

Now, how about a little 5 Question Friday? If you want to participate, head on over to My Little Life and get the questions. Answer them on your blog and make sure you link up!!

1. Do you and your spouse go to bed at the same time? We sometimes go to bed at the same time. It depends on how tired I am. My hubby gets up pretty early, so he usually goes to bed early. If I am sleepy, I will go to bed when he does. If not, well, then I tend to stay up too late!

2. A question for the ladies...What kind of facial hair do you like on your man? My hubby has no facial hair and I like that. But, I LOVE it when he grows out his goatee. He rarely does this, but I absolutely love the look on him. I know it is a lot of maintenance though, so I understand that he doesn't want to wear it that way usually.

3. What's the worst vacation you've ever taken? I don't know that I've ever taken a "bad" vacation. E and I have only been on one real vacation and that was our honeymoon. We might have gone on a bad one when I was growing up, but I don't really remember. Is there even such a thing as a bad vacation? I could use a vacation so bad right now, I think I might gladly take a bad one!!

4. What's the first-ever blog you followed? I am pretty sure that I first started following The Yarn Harlot. I didn't really get into blogs too much until I read hers. Then I really got into it. She is HILARIOUS!! As a knitter, it makes me feel better that I am not the only one that may let the dishes slide just so I can finish "one more row"!

5. Do you enjoy amusement parks? I do enjoy amusement parks. But, that is mainly because I LOVE and I do mean LOVE roller coasters!! I am a coaster fanatic. I haven't been on one in a while, and I am really jonesing for that rush. I might have to figure out to save up some money so E and I could take a trip to Cedar Point or Kings Island and ride some good ones. Yes, we are closer to Indiana Beach, but I said I want GOOD coasters.

I hope you all have had a great week! Happy Friday!!

Pre-school Graduation

2011-05-18T15:56:00.000-04:00

I can not believe the time has come that my beautiful L has graduated from Pre-School. The past 5.5 years have gone SO fast. She was very cute today as they sang songs and received their "diplomas". L received an achievement award for being a "Terrific Helper". I am very proud of her!!

I also wanted to let you know about a contest my sweet friend Natalie is doing over at her AWESOME blog Mommy On Fire. Natalie is an uber-talented writer and is incredibly inspiring. She has been a wonderful support to me as I have found my way back to my faith. I really just can not say enough wonderful things about this kind, sweet, beautiful woman. She cares so much for the people around her, she is a wonderful mother, and she is an incredibly strong believer. I adore Natalie. So, I really really think you should go check out her blog!!! Besides, she is giving away a $20 gift certificate for Dayspring. There are some seriously cool and inspiring things for the home there!! Again, it is Mommy On Fire!

Have a great Wednesday!
With Love!

When Kids Are Sick...

2011-05-17T09:39:00.000-04:00

I had some amazing women over last night to knit and have some girl time. It was so much fun and I had some great conversations. I didn't get much knitting done, but that was all right. I just really enjoyed the time with friends. Three of us hung out until about 11:30 discussing our Faith and what it means to be Catholic. We talked about seeing God everywhere and how God gives us what we need when we need it. I really enjoyed the time.

I ended up getting to bed pretty late and then couldn't fall asleep so I read for a while. Once I finally got to sleep, I heard L crying about 2 o'clock this morning. I went in to check on her and she said her head hurt. I gave her some Tylenol and sent her back to bed. Then, I stayed up for about another two hours worrying about her. She has been coughing for a couple of days, so I was worried that something more was wrong. I still don't know what was the matter with her, but she woke up feeling much better this morning. But, as I laid in bed last night, I couldn't help thinking, "What if it isn't just a head ache?" and "I hope it isn't strep or something." And, I won't even go into the worst case scenario thoughts that float through my head. I know that as moms we are hard-wired to worry about our children (well, most of us, I'm not going to get into the moms that don't take care of their children, that whole situation just makes me super sad), but is there anyway to turn off that little voice in my head at 4am? I really couldn't go back to sleep until about 4, when I went in and checked on her and she was snoring. I finally was able to fall asleep, but as soon as I heard her cough this morning about 6am, I was wide awake scared that something was wrong. Once I calmed down and thought I'd go back to sleep, M woke up and I was up for good. But, that is what being a parent is, isn't it? We put their needs first and that is the way it should be. That said. I am exhausted today!!

I hope you all have a wonderful day. And, for me, well, for me I hope I get a nap later!!
With Love!

Getting To Know You

2011-05-15T20:21:00.001-04:00

Happy Sunday!! I am getting in on MannLand5's "Getting To Know You" BlogHop. Want to join me? Well, read my answers, then head on over to MannLand5, get the questions, post and answer them on your blog and make sure you link up!!!

The Questions:

1. Have you ever gone to see a movie by yourself? No, but I would have no problem doing it. I would actually LOVE to go to the movies by myself. It would be awesome to sit and watch a movie and knit. Yes, I knit during movies. It is not difficult, promise!

2. Would you rather go through a tornado or a hurricane? I've actually been through 3 tornados in my life. Once my mom and I couldn't get to the basement fast enough and we watched one go across the back yard. Then the next summer I was visiting my aunt and uncle and we were in the basement watching out of the little windows and we watched one come up and go right over the house and then a few minutes later, another one came and went right over the house. But then again, come to think of it, I was in Florida when Hurricane Erin went through Florida. To be honest, I really would rather avoid any and all weather related fiascos. I hate and I mean hate and am severely scared of bad weather!!

3. Have you made summer vacation plans? We probably won't do anything special this weekend as we are trying to save our pennies. But, hopefully we can get in some fun mini trips and some trips to grandma and grandpa's house!

4. What's your favorite accessory? My shoes, most definitely my shoes. Hands down, no questions. Well, wait. I forgot about my hats. My shoes and my hats. Yes, my shoes and my hats.

5. Have you ever been thrown a surprise party? My mom through me a little one on my 16th birthday, but it was just family. It was fun though.

6. Are you friends with your neighbors? I am friends with my direct neighbors, the ones on either side of our house. But that is it. I know no one else on our street! That is sad, yes I know, but some of the people in our cul-da-sac seem to be a little sketchy so we tend to avoid them!

7. What's the last movie you saw in the theater? We went and saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. A sweet friend watched the kids for us. E and I have seen all of the HP movies together in the theater. I even had to get special permission from my OBGYN to go see The Half-Blood Prince since I was on bed rest. I can not WAIT for Part 2 of The Deathly Hallows to come out! There are a TON of movies I want to see this year though. I'm sure I will wait until some of them come out on DVD, but we will see!

8 What's your favorite food network show? I guess Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. My favorite food type show though is Man Vs. Food, even thought it is on the Travel Channel. It makes me super hungry every time!!

Well, I hope you all had a great weekend!

With Love

Five Question Friday

2011-05-13T14:31:00.000-04:00

It is Friday, so here are the answers to "Five Question Friday"! If you want to join, click on the link below, go get the questions and put them on your blog. Make sure you leave me a note and let me know so I can check you out too!!

1. Tube socks, calf socks, crew, ankle, none? It depends on what I am doing. I prefer "no-show" socks while I am working out. But, my favorite socks are Knee-high ones! I LOVE them!!

2. Was your child's (children's) name a mutual decision or was it a debate? If you don't have children, do you plan on giving your spouse a say, or do you have a name you MUST have, regardless if your other half likes it or not?! There really wasn't any debate about our names. I had knows L's name for a long time. I think the only debate was about M's middle name. I originally wanted Jesse and E wasn't thrilled about it with the name M's name. Then, we both decided on George kind of at the same time.

3. What is your favorite type of weather? Fall, hands down. I love it when the weather gets cool enough to wear jeans, sweaters and knee high socks (see question #2) and most importantly, boots!!

4. If left to your own devices, what time would you wake up every day? If I didn't have to wake up with the kids, I would totally sleep until I absolutely had to wake up!!

5. Have you bought your cemetery plots yet? No, I have no intention on being buried in the ground. I have a serious fear of spiders and worms and even though I know people are buried in "insect-proof" caskets and all, I shiver at the thought. It's weird though, because I'm completely piro-phobic as well, but for some reason that doesn't bother me. I plan on being cremated and having my ashes spread at my parents' farm.

With Love

My Man

2011-05-13T13:59:00.001-04:00

I sang at a funeral this morning and I got a lot more emotional than I thought I would get. The funeral was for a gentleman from our church whose wife used to sing in the choir. I had only met him once so I figured I would be OK singing and wouldn't get too teary-eyed. I was wrong. I watched this man's wife walk up to the pew, being supported by her children. She had tears flowing throughout the entire mass. As I watched her from the the front of church, I felt tears spring to my own eyes. I thought about what she must be thinking. She and her husband had been married for 54 years. That's fifty-four years of love, laughter, and I'm sure even some tears. As I watched her I thought about my wonderful husband. I thought about how our life would be in 47 years when we celebrate 54 years of marriage. I thought about our marriage and our life right now. Our marriage is by no means perfect, but I love that man with all of my heart. And, really, what is the fun in perfection? I mean, how can you get to the fun of making up if you don't fight occasionally. I love that E knows when I really need a hug. I love that he flirts with me even though we've been together for almost 10 years. I love to watch him read to the kids and play games with them. I love that he works so hard so that I can stay at home with our children. I love watching him help at L's soccer games as he helps "corral" a bunch of 5 and 6 year olds. I love when he wraps his arms around me squeezes me tight. I love him. I love that man with all of my heart. I thank God every day for having him walk into that bar almost 10 years ago. By watching a woman grieve for the loss of HER husband, I think I fell in love with MY husband all over again

With Love

When Did I Become My Mother?

2011-05-10T21:19:00.000-04:00

I love my mom dearly. She is one of my best friends and it is rare that we go more than a day without talking. Sometimes I really struggle when she goes on trail rides down in Kentucky or Tennessee because there is no phone service in most of those places. I enjoy talking to my mom.

That said, when I was growing up, sometimes things between my mom and I were a little tense. My mom was a teacher, so she dealt with obnoxious teenagers all day and then had to come home and deal with one. I can not imagine that was fun. There were times that we would get really frustrated with each other, especially when it came to sports and school. I always remembered thinking, "If I'm ever a mom, I'm never going to say that to my kids." or thinking that I would never get so upset with my kids if they don't perform perfectly. I know I'm not the only one here. As parents, don't we all think that? We say that we are never going to be our parents.

If my mom reads this, she is going to shake her head and laugh. Because, I have totally become my mother. I watch my children, and I just completely hear myself saying things that she used to say to me. Whether it is with L playing soccer or telling me about her day at school. Or J not listening and me having to repeat myself 18 times. Or M getting into everything. The things that come out of my mouth are things that my mom totally yelled at me as a kid. At L's game on Sunday, I yelled something out to her and just started cracking up. I completely sounded just like my wonderful mother.

As I think about it, I realize that it is a good thing I have become my mother. My mom was and is a wonderful mother. She has taught me what it means to be a good mom, to have my children respect me, to have them respect others, and to respect themselves. I can teach my kids to do this because she taught me to do these things. She taught be to have a good relationship with God and even though I struggled for some years, she was right there beside me to help make sure I could find my way back. I know that I can be there for my children as the learn about their faith. She taught me to love myself (and we know that is a never ending battle) and how to be a positive woman. I know that I will be able to teach my girls to be positive and have respect for themselves and I will be able to teach M to be a positive young man and for him to respect any young women he encounters in life.

Please do not think that I think I am a perfect Mom. I know I am not, I struggle daily! And as much as I love her, I know my mom isn't perfect either. But, she is strong and has taught ME how to be strong. I think having a strength in faith, a strength in oneself, and a strength of the heart are some of the most important things, especially when it comes to parenting. After all, if you don't have the strength to believe in yourself, how on earth are you going to teach your children to have strength in themselves?

I know that this post about my mother is a little past Mother's Day, but I have been trying to phrase it in my head about how I wanted it to go. I just want my mom to know how much I love her and how much I appreciate all that she does for me and all that she has taught me. She has taught me how to be a parent. I pray that one day, my children will be saying the same thing about me. And, since she taught me so well, I know that they will.

Thank you Lord for the wonderful mother you gave me. You couldn't have done better. Thank you mom for everything. I love you. You inspire me daily.

Before I started this post, I had a little writer's block and my wonderful friends on Facebook gave some suggestions and I said I would discuss them. Here you go! Enjoy!

1.) "Does Man have Free Will or is he merely a series of learned responses to environmental stimuli?" I have no idea, but in my mind, it is like this: God has a plan, but he also gave us Free Will. He knows our hearts and knows what will happen, but He allows us to make our own mistakes.

2). "A peanut is neither a pea nor a nut." A peanut is in the legume or bean family.

3). The Spring that disappeared into 86 degree weather. I live in Indiana. One of the great things about Indiana is the beautiful change of seasons. Apparently this year though, someone missed the message. We have completely skipped Spring. It went from cold and wet and frosty to hot and humid. It is crazy. I like spring, I don't know what happened to it, but I know that in a couple of months, Indiana better not forget Fall!!

4.) Did chicken or egg come first??? I heard this joke not too long ago. Be warned, it is a little racy!! The chicken and egg were laying in bed. The egg is relaxed and almost asleep. The chicken is irritated and upset. The chicken says, "Well, I guess that answers THAT question!". I hope I didn't offend anyone there! It is just a joke!

5.) Did the taco or taco salad come first? I am going with the taco. I do not think that you can really have a taco salad without first having a taco. Great. Now I want a taco.

6.) Why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway? I have absolutely NO idea. Oh, the things we ponder!

Thanks to my Facebook friends for the questions. Pretty humorous!! I hope you have had a fantastic day!!
With Love!

5 Question Friday

2011-05-06T09:19:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday! This week has been a pretty busy one for our household. It isn't over yet though, we still have a lot to do. So, I'm going to take a moment and do My Little Life's "5 Question Friday". If you want to participate, read through my questions, then go check out Mama M's site, get the questions and link up. Let me know if you do so I can check out your blog too!!

1. Have you ever had roommates? Yes. I have been very lucky. I have only ever had one bad room mate (my freshmen year in college). The girls I was lucky to share a dorm room or an apartment with have been fabulous. Stacey, Jen, Tracy, Jen, and Lisa, I love you all!

2. How many names do you/your children have? (i.e. Prince Charming William Phillip Arthur Louis John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt) All three of our kids have a first, middle, and last name. That's it. What I think is neat is that all three of them have 2 "L"s in their first name and 2 "E"s in their middle name. All their first names have pop culture origins, although that wasn't really our plan, it just sort of happened that way. L is after a song, J is after a popular physical trainer, and M is after a character on a TV show we love to watch. All three of their middle names are after their grandfathers or great-grandfathers.

3. Did you watch the Royal Wedding? No, I really had no interest in watching it. Also, it was on at 4 am here and there was no way I was waking up that early!

4. What is the messiest room in your house? Currently? Either the toy room or the girls' bedroom. I try and keep those clean, but it is a losing battle.

5. What is your ideal mothers day? For me, it would be not having to cook and getting a lot of time to knit and read, but also lots of time to just play with my kiddos. This Mother's Day, I will be singing in 2 masses and watching my oldest "play" soccer.

With Love

Random Wednesday

2011-05-04T11:29:00.001-04:00

1. I sprained my knee Friday night by stepping into what was probably the ONLY hole in a parking lot. I'm guessing wearing heels did not help. It still hurts.

2. My children are chasing a jump rope around the house.

3. I have a very busy day and the rest of the week ahead.

4. I have been in a major reading mood lately, I just can't get enough books. It has gotten so bad it has taken over knitting time. Wondering if something is wrong with me.

5. Today is "Star Wars" Day...May the Fourth Be With You!

6. I'm hoping my voice will survive the next couple of days. I have rehearsal tonight, a funeral tomorrow, mass on Friday, and 2 masses on Sunday. Oof.

7. Catching up on "Castle" and Nathan Fillion is such a cutie.

8. There are "baby" blankets strewn throughout my house. Each of my kids have pulled them out of the blanket chest and have left them throughout the house. Just more things for mommy to clean up I guess.

9. My laundry has over flown. Anyone want to come do it for me?

10. I want a lemon shake up. I think I'm going to go make one. :)

Exciting blog post today huh?!

With Love

Getting To Know You

2011-05-01T19:21:00.000-04:00

Happy May Day! I hope you have all had a great weekend. We have had a really nice one. E did a great job in his marathon. He was a little over this goal time, coming in at around 4 hours and 38 minutes. His words about the experience: "That was the hardest thing I have ever done. What the f*** was I thinking?". I am so very proud of him. I do not think that he will ever do another full, but I think he is glad that he did it.

We are having a movie night as a family here and getting ready to watch "Despicable Me" so I am going to make this short.

Really quickly, here is my contribution to MannLand5's "Getting To Know You" page. Want to participate? Go on over and get the questions and link up. Let me know if you do so I can be sure to check your answers out!

1. Did you watch the royal wedding? No I didn't. First off, it was on at 4am here and I was alseep at that time. Secondly, to be honest, I wasn't all that interested. I remember thinking when they got engaged that the wedding was all we were going to hear about. I am really just glad for it to be over.

2. Tea and crumpets or coffee and a scone? I prefer tea and scones. :)

3. Who's cuter..prince William or prince Harry? Prince William

4. Can you speak in a English accent? No. I CAN pull off a southern accent and a valley girl one, but that is about it.

5. Do you own a fancy hat? I own lots of hats. I love them. My favorite is my new fedora that is black and has hot pink netting on it with pink sparkles. However, I do not own any "fancy" hats like what you might see at the royal wedding or at the Kentucky Derby. Believe me though, if I ever go to the Derby again, I am SO buying one of those hats!!

6. Would you rather live in a castle or an English cottage? Can it be the cottage from the movie "The Holiday" with Cameron Diaz? That cottage is adorable!! But to be honest, as long as I have someone else to clean it, I would LOVE to live in a castle.

7. How old were you when prince Charles and princess Diana got married? were you even born? I was 1 1/2. I don't remember it at all obviously and maybe that is why I didn't care much about William's wedding.

8. Have you found your prince? Absolutely. Although, sometimes he may seem more like the court jester! Just kidding baby! Love you!!

With Love!

Run Eric, Run!

2011-04-30T09:21:00.000-04:00

I am so very proud of my wonderful hubby. Right now he is participating (and hopefully finishing) his very first FULL marathon! For those that don’t know, a full marathon is 26.2 miles. Yep, you read that right: Twenty-six point two miles. I think he might be a little crazy! He has already completed 5 half-marathons, but that is only 13.1 miles (Only! Yeah right!). He is hoping for a finish time of 4 hours. That is about 9 minutes per mile. Like I said, crazy! But, I am immensely proud of him and can’t wait to be there when he crosses that finish line. I will repeat again, just in case you missed it the first time. He is RUNNING 26.2 miles right now. You might think about saying a prayer for him. I know I am! Oh, and L is very excited that daddy will be bringing home another medal for her. She doesn’t quite get that the 5 medals he has are NOT exactly hers. Crazy girl.

You might be wondering what I am doing while he is running. Well, right now, I am in a Starbucks on the campus of the University of Illinois. I had to walk about 2 miles to find ONE coffee shop! That is crazy! At Purdue, there is a coffee shop on just about every corner it seems. But, I have my knitting, I have WiFi, and I have movies. I am set for the next couple of hours! Yeah Me Time!!

So, we are trying to potty-train J. You would think that this would not be a difficult thing as we have done it before with L. Right? Uh, no. She is the most STUBBORN little girl. She says she “wants to be a baby like M.” I asked her if we needed to get her a bottle and if she needed to go back to sleeping in a crib. She said yes. How do you use reverse psychology on a kid like that? We are slowly getting there I guess. She has been using the little potty one or two times per day for the past week. She just doesn’t understand how to hold it until she can get to the potty. I’ve even tried the bribe that she can go to Vacation Bible School with sissy if she learns to use the potty. No luck. Any advice here would be much appreciated.

L did MUCH better at soccer practice Thursday night. As long as she figures out to take her hands out of her pockets while she is running, she’s going to be just fine. She still isn’t really aggressive, but for the most part she isn’t really an aggressive person. In fact, we are working with her on standing up for herself. There is a little girl in her pre-school class that has been pulling her hair and spitting at her. L says she has told the girl she doesn’t like her doing it, but the girl continues to do it. I think I am giving it the week and if she can’t get it to stop, I may say something to the teachers or the girl’s mom. I’m torn though. I don’t want to fight L’s battles for her, but she doesn’t understand how to fight them herself. We told her if she tells the girl she doesn’t like what she is doing and would she please stop and the girl WON’T stop, THEN she needs to go talk to her teachers. What do you think? Should I just let L handle it or should I step in? This little girl isn’t this way with JUST L. She has this aggressive behavior towards a lot of the other children in L’s class, but L seems to catch a lot of it.

I don’t know how it is where you live, but here in the fabulous state of Indiana, we are considering building Arks. I’m not even kidding the littlest bit. We have had so much rain. I am pretty sure it is the wettest April ever on record. As a farmer’s daughter, I learned a long time ago, you NEVER ask the rain to stop. However, a pause would be fantastic. I guess we did get that yesterday and today as it was absolutely gorgeous outside yesterday. It was about 62 degrees and sunny. It is a little cooler today and the sun isn’t out, but at least it isn’t raining…yet. But, there is water standing everywhere. It is times like these that I am really glad my hubby works at a lumber company. Anyone have any blue prints for an Ark? How about a canoe? Any type of water craft?
Have a great weekend!
With Love.

Missing Grandma

2011-04-27T19:26:00.000-04:00

Five years ago today, we said good-bye to a very special member of our family. My grandmother (my mom's mom) passed away and went to join my grandfather in God's loving arms. My grandfather has been gone since December 12, 1990 and my grandmother had been alone for 15 years. They had been married for 45 years. Can you imagine being without your other half for that long? I can not even fathom it, nor do I ever want to.

Grandma Helen and Grandpa Phil were blessed with 5 children on their farm in Winamac, IN. They sadly had to learn what it was to lose a son in 1976 to a semi-truck accident. They loved their children and their 9 grand-children so much and taught us what it meant to work hard. Grandpa had been in the ARMY and Grandma had been a nurse, both during WWII. Grandma continued her nursing working as a labor and delivery nurse and then later as a hospice nurse. She cared greatly for others.

Man, my grandma could COOK too! Most of my greatest memories of grandma take place in her kitchen. She made awesome cinnamon rolls, incredible potato soup, amazing Reuben sandwiches (especially at midnight!) and my favorite was her Polish Perogies. NO ONE makes perogies like grandma did. Luckily she did teach me how she made them. Hopefully one day they will be as good as grandma's were. They were so good and I haven't made any in a while. I might have to change that very soon! I remember many visits waking up at midnight and having grandma in the kitchen making rolls for the next morning or frying up a Reuben sandwich for us.

Now, I know grandma wasn't perfect. Like anyone, she had her good points and not so good points. But, the woman knew how to love and she loved us all with all over her heart. She kept us busy (you didn't DARE comment that you were bored in her presence), but was always quick with a smile.

When she died, we had been waiting for the moment. I remember my mom calling me and I knew before I even picked up the phone. I had just left the hospital and came home to make sure L took a nap (she was only about 6 months old). I picked up the phone and just started crying. I remember putting L back in the car and heading back to the hospital. I remember E meeting me at the hospital and hugging me tight. I remember L having a complete blow-out at the hospital and trying to change her through my tears. I remember going into her room and holding her hand and just telling her I loved her and would miss her, but that I was so happy she was with Grandpa now.

I have NO DOUBT that Grandma and Grandpa are in God's Kingdom. They were both strong Catholics and loved God with all of their hearts. I can easily picture Grandpa meeting her at Peter's Gate with open arms.

I miss Grandma very much. And as much as I know how much I miss her, I know my mom misses her even more. I wish I knew what to say to her. She seemed so sad when I talked to her yesterday. She was a little better today, but I know she misses her mama. I can only imagine how she feels knowing how much I would miss her if she were gone. We both know that grandma is in a wonderful place and is healthy now. We know she is with her true love again and will be there to welcome us to heaven when our time comes. We miss you grandma. God Bless. We will see you again!

With Love,
Theresa

The (Wo)Man In The Mirror

2011-04-26T13:53:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about making changes in my perspective of the way I see myself. You can read the post here. I really had been trying to look at myself differently, but not sure I really was. Then, two weeks ago, I really gave myself a good shake. I don't remember what I was wearing, but my wonderful husband told me I looked beautiful. Then my sweet little J told me, "Mommy, you look so pretty". How could I ignore those compliments? So, the next morning before I got dressed, I looked at myself in the mirror. And I mean REALLY looked at myself. I looked at my body from the front, side, and back. I looked at the lovely zit on my chin. I looked at my eyebrows that are in desperate need of some wax. I looked at the belly that is covered with stretch marks (aka battle wounds). Then I started to notice other things. I looked at my muscled quads. I looked at my bright eyes. I saw the definition that my arms have. I looked at my self from the side and realized there is a lot less there. I saw that my hips are not as "cushy" as they used to be. I REALLY looked at myself.

And, in that moment, I realized something. I really do not look bad. I don't. For almost 20 years, I have looked down on myself. I have thought badly about myself. I have compared myself to other women and always found myself coming up short. No longer. As I looked at myself, I came to the realization that all the stress about how I looked was just continually making me stress even more about it. My husband thinks I'm beautiful. My daughter thinks I am pretty. What else do I need? I have come to the decision that I am simply going to rock what I've got. Sure, I would still like to lose a little more weight and tone up some areas, but I am no longer going to let this action of putting myself down rule my thoughts anymore. I have to tell you. For the past two weeks, I have felt like I have had a one hundred pound weight lifted off of my shoulders and my heart. I am seeing myself differently. I am seeing myself clearly.

I'd like to think that part of my new thinking is my re-found relationship with God. I know that he loves me and cares about me, no matter what I look like. I would like to think I am FINALLY seeing myself through His eyes. Now, I know I am not perfect and that I will surely have days where I will get down on myself and start to feel negative again. But, I vow that I will NOT let that way of thinking rule me. I will OWN who I am. Again, I will "ROCK WHAT I'VE GOT"!! How about you? Can you look at yourself honestly and see yourself for who you REALLY are and not who your negative thinking THINKS you are?

Have a great day!
With Love!

Five Question Friday

2011-04-22T18:11:00.000-04:00

I just did a post and then realized I forgot to do 5 Question Friday from My Little Life. I really like doing these so I am going to really quick. If you want to participate, click on over, copy the questions and link up. Don't forget to let me know so I can check you out!

1. What is your favorite Easter tradition? I have hosted Easter Sunday lunch here at our house since E and I were married. I LOVE it! IT is really fun to have everyone here. A couple of years ago we started doing Easter Egg Hunts with the kiddos and it has been SO cute. This year all 5 of the little ones will be participating which should make for an interesting hunt! We are also having some friends come this year because they are living here in our town, but there family are all back in Pennsylvania where they are from. Our kids love Matt and Julie so it should be a great day!!

2. Are you a "shower" or a "long, hot bath" kind of person? Although occasionally I do like to take a long, hot bath, I am WAY more of a shower person. I do like to take long, hot showers though! Not much feels better than having incredibly hot water pounding on sore muscles!

3. Can you parallel park and if so when is the last time you did it? Sort of?!?! I haven't parallel parked in so long, I'm not sure if I could do it any more. I wasn't great at it when I first learned and haven't had to do it much, so I doubt I have gotten better. I would LOVE it if my van had the "park itself" feature! I get very nervous trying to find parking places downtown and will walk further if I can find a spot that I don't have to parallel park in!

4. What is your favorite Easter candy? All of them? :) No really, it is a 4 way tie. I can not decide between the 4 and I doubt I ever will be able to. I LOVE (in no particular order): Reeses Peanut Butter Eggs, Cadbury Creme Eggs, Cadbury Chocolate Eggs with the hard shell, and black jelly beans. Mmmm...now I really want some!!

5. Easter: do you go all out with the Easter Bunny or focus on the religious part of the holiday? We do both. L has learned the reason for the Easter season and why we celebrate. The Easter Bunny is like Santa in our house. The kids get Easter Baskets and will have an Egg hunt (see question 1), but I also talk about Jesus with them and make sure they understand it isn't all about the candy!

Have a great one!
With Love

Moved

2011-04-22T17:52:00.000-04:00

Today is Good Friday and although I have been through 31 Lenten seasons in my life, I don't think that I have ever felt quite so moved as I did today during Mass. This entire Lenten season has really gotten to me like no other has, but today was even more so. It really started with the opening song. We sang "The Old Rugged Cross" and I really listened to the words as I sang it and really felt it. Then the Gospel reading of the Passion of Christ was just absolutely haunting and beautiful at the same time. It was "The Passion Of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John". Towards the end of the reading, John tells of how Jesus looked at his mother Mary as he hung on the cross and said, "Woman, behold, your son". Father's Homily then went on to discuss how he really likes this version of the Passion because it shows Jesus as a real person with a real Mother who had to watch him be scourged and beaten and abused and then hung on the cross to die. I don't know why, but I have never really thought of it that way before. As a parent, it made me really understand what Mary may have been thinking as she saw her son dying there. I pray to the Lord that I never have to know that pain of watching my child suffer in any way. Needless to say, I was in tears, which may not have been a big deal, but remember I sing in the choir, so I sit at the very front of the church. Oh well, hopefully I was not alone. It got worse during the Veneration of the Cross when I went up and kissed Jesus's feet on the cross. But, I found they were tears of sadness and pain, but also of comfort. I've known that Jesus died for my sins and I have believed that. But this year, I truly FEEL that. I am so grateful for the gift of grace that Jesus bestowed upon me when he died. I thank you Lord and pray that I can live in your word and teach my children with the grace that you have given me.

With Love

Getting To Know This Soccer Mama!

2011-04-17T17:53:00.000-04:00

Well, it is absolutely official. I AM A SOCCER MOM!!! I NEVER thought that would be the case! But, L had her first 2 soccer games this weekend. Yesterday's game was rough. She has inherited my fear of failure and cried a LOT yesterday. She cried because she was cold. She cried because a boy took the ball from her (never mind that this little 5 year old boy was EXCELLENT, I mean like AWESOME!!). She cried because she was hungry. Did I mention that she cried? I think she only played for about 15 seconds total (her choice, not the coach's). We had a discussion about it after the game and told her that we didn't care if she made mistakes. We just wanted her to try. Today was MUCH better. She discovered that she really likes playing defense. E says she just doesn't understand yet how to be aggressive and the pack of 5 year olds running around chasing the ball is a little overwhelming for her. But she really did well on defense. She stopped 3 people from kicking the ball towards the goal and then stopped 2 kids from scoring when she played goalie. I am really proud of her regardless, no matter how she does. But it is a lot easier to be proud of her when she tried hard! Good job L! Go Flames!

Now, for a little Getting To Know You from MannLand5. Feel free to join in, just head on over and link up. Let me know if you do though so I can check your answers out too!

1. what's something you've eaten and liked, but didn't think you would? I am not really a picky eater. The only things that I really do not like are mushrooms, it isn't so much the taste as the texture...yuck. The only thing I can really think of is asparagus. I didn't love it, but liked it better than I thought I would.

2. plastic surgery..yay or nay? Of course I would love to say no, but come on. I have carried 3 children in this belly and nursed them all too. You can be sure that if I ever win the lottery I am going straight to the plastic surgeon's office and signing up for the tummy tuck and the boob lift. I don't want them bigger, just back to where they used to be!!

3. 2 things you love about spring are.....? Well, I already said I love being able to wear less clothes. So 2 other things are the sandals that I get to pull out and the pretty pink toenail polish to go with!!

4. when's the last time you went on a picnic? It has been a while. The kids and I would have picnics a lot last summer for lunch. We would take all the food outside. I never really thought much about it, but L loved it and asked for a picnic every day!

5. what's your favorite app? Pandora radio. Hands down!!

6. who does the grocery shopping in your house? E and I have grocery shopped together since we started dating. Now, we just do it with 2 carts and 3 kids. That is Friday night family activity. We are an exciting group, aren't we!?!?

7. would you rather take a spin class or zumba? I would LOVE to take a zumba class! My gym is supposed to be getting it this summer and I can NOT wait!! I thought I would like to take a spin class, but my butt gets sore sitting on the bike seats when I am just biking. I don't even want to imagine how sore it would be after sitting on the spin class bikes that have absolutely NO padding!!

8. how often do you go out to dinner? We don't go out to dinner very often, the budget doesn't really allow it too much. Before children we went out a lot. Man, I wish I would have cooked more often then and saved the money. I didn't realize how good I had it only cooking for 2 people!

I hope that you have all had a wonderful weekend!!!
With Love,
Theresa

5 Question Friday

2011-04-15T14:49:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday all! It has really been a nice day. We had a wonderful visit this morning with J's original speech therapist. She came over to visit and brought her baby girl with her. It was fantastic to see her. She couldn't get over how much J was talking and how well she was doing!! Then L had a little friend come over and they have been playing. Right now they are watching "Despicable Me" and eating their second bag of popcorn! It is very cute!! This movie is so fabulous!! Love it!

Well, it is 5 Question Friday. If you are interested in participating, head over to My Little Life and link up!!

1. What is your favorite sign of spring?
My favorite sign of spring is when the winter coats get put away and we can just wear jeans and either a T-shirt or a long sleeved shirt or a sweater. I can still wear hats and wristers, but don't have to be completely bundled up. Of course I find all the flowers pretty, but that is second in my book to the no winter coats!

2. What was your best birthday ever?
I have had some great birthdays. I always had great ones growing up so it is difficult to choose the best one. My 21st was fabulous (what I remember of it!) with my wonderful friends. My 31st (most recent) was really great too. My parents came up and took us all out to eat at Red Lobster and I know E took me out to dinner, but I can not remember where we went (that's bad, huh?). Then a couple days later, my dear sweet friend Casey took me out to a karaoke bar and we had a BLAST!! I am really looking forward to my 33rd birthday (2012) as my bestie Carli will be home from Ireland and I will be able to go out with her and Casey, my 2 closest friends.

3. What is your favorite dessert?
I LOVE anything with chocolate in it. But, my most favorite dessert doesn't actually have chocolate in it. My favorite dessert is the Bread Pudding from Nine Irish Brothers. Oh My Goodness!! It is so absolutely fabulous, it makes me drool just thinking about it!

4. What is the best excuse you've ever used to get out of a ticket?
I was pulled over once while attending Purdue University and I was driving WAY too fast down one of the main roads (Northwestern for the knowledgeable) on my way to Purduettes. I was going to be late and I would have been in TROUBLE big time!! I was about in tears when the officer pulled me over, but didn't want to cry my way out of a ticket. So, I was just honest with him. I told him I was a Purduette and would be in massive amounts of trouble if I was late. I promised I would NOT speed down Northwestern again if he just let me go. His niece happened to have been a Purduette and he understood. Thankfully, he let me go. I still never speed down that road!!

5. Do you wake up before your alarm, with your alarm, or after hitting snooze several times?
I do not set an alarm unless I have too. I have 3 little alarms that usually get me up when I need to. If I DO need to get up early, I usually hit snooze a couple of times.

Well, that's it for today! I hope you all have a fabulous day and weekend!!
With love!

Blessed

2011-04-14T17:03:00.000-04:00

I feel very blessed today! There were several good things that happened today and I want to tell you about them.

1. I got to do 30 Day Shred without a 30 pound resistance (that means M wasn't "helping" me workout!)
2. I had L's Parent/Teacher conference and her teachers gave her glowing evaluations. They said she was absolutely ready for Kindergarten that and she does SO well in school. She is a leader and a good friend. She watches out for the others in her class and is always one of the first ones to want to jump up and help. They said they will really miss her when school is over.
3. I was able to run/walk outside today! It was absolutely beautiful! I did 3.6 miles and it really felt great!
4. The kids and I went out to play and it was a blast! We ran and ran outside and the kids rode their bikes and we just had a lot of fun.
5. I got to sit here on the computer for a bit while watching M play (since he refused to take a nap).
6. My very kind neighbor brought me some chocolate!
7. The original show "V" is on TV right now (why yes, I am a huge nerd...have we not already established that!).
8. I felt happier today then I have felt in a while. While I was running, I felt a lot of peace. Thank you Lord, I know it was from you.

I hope that your day has been blessed as well!!
With Love,
Theresa

Why Is There No...

2011-04-11T15:01:00.000-04:00

Chocolate in this house?
Beer under this roof?
Ice cream in the fridge?
Macaroni and Cheese in the cupboard?
Cashmere in the yarn closet (yes, I have a yarn closet...don't seem so shocked!)

And while I'm at it...

Why isn't/aren't there more...
Money in the bank?
Sleeping at naptime?
Yarn in the yarn closet? (There is NEVER enough of that!) :)
Quality comedies on TV?
Self-cleaning houses?
People who care about other people?
Love and kindness in the world?

Mostly right now, I'd settle for the chocolate!!

With Love!

Getting To Know You Sunday!

2011-04-10T16:32:00.001-04:00

Happy Sunday!! It has been a very busy day here in the our household. I got up early and did Day 2 of 30 Day Shred (read about my challenge to myself here) and then got the kiddos around with breakfast and everything. Then got ready and went to church. L had Sunday school and I had to rehearse what I was singing for mass. Mass was excellent. Our priest really is inspiring. This morning, the gospel was about Lazarus and Father talked about death and funerals. I know his words were much better, but to sum up a point that he made that really spoke to me was this: To live a happy life, look at your life backwards starting with your funeral. Who do you want there? What do you want to happen? How do you want to be remembered? Live your life accordingly! It really made me think. Am I living life how I want to end it? I have an amazing husband and three beautiful children. I have a wonderful family and incredible friends. I like to think that when it is my time, people will remember me fondly. They will remember that I am kind, I love to laugh and will start singing spontaneously. I hope that they will know that I am always there to lend a helping hand when I can. I know they will remember that I will and do knit just about everywhere and I'm sure some will find that funny. I pray that they will know and remember that I tried to be the best Christian I could be. I am not always perfect in that endeavor and it has taken me some time to find my way back to church, but I have always known that God was there waiting for me. I hope no one has to find out any of this anytime soon and that I have a long time left on this earth, but I like to think I am happy and that when my time comes, that will be evident.

Today we went to the Purdue University Spring Fest/Bug Bowl. What an experience!! I never got to go when I was in college because I seemed to always have a different commitment that weekend. We went with some friends and really had a fun time. L "learned" how to rope a cow and rode a peddle tractor, we watched a cricket spitting contest (Our friend Matt spit one over 40 feet!!), M LOVED his balloon and kept trying to catch it, and we even got to see a rocket launched! For me one of the biggest things though was J. She has in the past been TERRIFIED of animals. She would see a dog or cat and absolutely start shaking and crying. At my parent's house with the horses, she was scared to go out to the barn. She did better last time we were there and actually sat in the saddle atop one of the horses. Well at the Spring Fest, she pet 2 dogs, 3 bunnies, and a piglet!! She wanted to pet the sheep too (as did mommy), but couldn't get to them. Every animal she saw she wanted to pet. She really loved the bunnies and REALLY wanted to pet the 2 week old lamb. It made me SO happy to see her starting to get over this fear. The only thing that bummed me out was the garbage can full of wool that they had thrown away after they did a shearing of a sheep. I almost cried at all that wool in the trash. What a waste!!

OK, so now onto Getting To Know You Sunday! If you would like to participate, go over to MannLand5 and get the questions and link up! Leave me a link below in the comments too so I make sure I check you out!

1. Do you watch/read the news? Sometimes. I try and catch the 12 o'clock and the 5 o'clock news if I can. It isn't always possible, but I try. If something comes up on my MSN homepage that looks readworthy, I will read it. I usually have E keep me informed about the world news that I need to keep up on. No, not the most socially responsible way to get my news, but at least I am getting it!

2. How would you describe your "look"? Ha! This makes me laugh a little. I don't know that I really have a "look" really. I really don't care what is "in style" right now. I wear what is comfy to me. I see some styles and I like them so I will go with them. If I don't like them, I don't wear them. Skinny jeans took me a while to come around to, and I don't wear them that often, but I do like them. A lot of it depends on what I am doing as well. Most often you can find me in workout gear with a bandanna in my hair and sneakers on my feet. If it is something that I get to dress up a little more, I do like to be a little funky, maybe pairing things that other people wouldn't think of. My friend Casey says I have style, so maybe I do. But, it is my style, not what Cosmo says I should wear!

3. Did you play sports in high school or college? I did play sports in High School. I played volleyball, basketball, and I threw shotput and discus in track. I LOVED playing sports and am so excited that L is starting soccer!! I am super competitive about it though and struggle already to remember that she is only 5. I would have loved to play volleyball in college (and actually had some interest from some schools), but I wanted to sing at Purdue, so I became a Purduette instead!

4. Would you rather give up lipstick/gloss or high heels? I'd give up lipstick/gloss in an instant over my heels. I will never get rid of them. I will be the stooped over 80 year old tottering around in heels, I guarantee it! I love my heels. I may be 6 feet tall, but I married a 6 foot 5 man for a reason!! Love them, love them, love them!! Besides, I have zero arch in my feet and wearing heels pulls my arch up and makes wearing shoes much more comfortable than just a pair of flats.

5. What's your favorite show to watch on TV? I don't even know where to begin with this list!! I don't think I can narrow it down to just one, so how about my top 5? I love LEVERAGE, True Blood, Sons Of Anarchy, Army Wives, and Modern Family. Seriously this list could go on a lot longer!! I do not do reality shows except The Biggest Loser though.

6. Would you rather bake or cook? I absolutely LOVE to bake. I really like to cook too. I don't bake a whole lot though because then I have the baked goods here at the house and I just want to eat them which doesn't really aid in the weight loss progress. I just wish I could have someone else clean up the mess.

7. Shorts or skirts? Skirts. I do not like to wear shorts and it is a rare occasion for me to be found in them. I'll wear skirts over them every time. In fact, I actually only own 3 pairs of shorts and they are all gym shorts, one for occasionally working out in and 2 for wearing around the house.

8. What's your favorite scary movie? Scary movie or horror movie? I think they are two different things. I do not like horror movies. You know the kind I mean, where someone is always chopping up someone else. There is always that madman (or woman) like in Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or Halloween. I just don't dig those, well with the exception of the Scream series, those I like. Now scary movies are different to me. Scary movies can be thrilling without being terrifying or vomit inducing! I LOVE vampire and werewolf movies (and I'm not just talking Twilight here people!). I like murder mystery type movies too. But my favorite scary movie? Hmm...Silence Of The Lambs!!

Well, that is it for me today. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend!!
With Love!

My New Challenge

2011-04-09T13:39:00.000-04:00

It has been no secret that I am on an adventure to get fit, lose weight, and look HOT. But, unfortunately, I have really hit a wall. So, I knew I needed to make a change. I love my Body Pump class, but I have decided to skip it for the next 2 months. Instead, I have decided that I am going to complete Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred in 30 consecutive days and then follow it up with her Ripped In 30 in 30 consecutive days. This is something I have never done. I have completed the Shred before, but I was never able to do it in 30 days straight. I was trying to do it while doing Body Pump too and I have come to the conclusion that my knees just won't take doing both of them. I am really excited about this challenge and have even recruited a couple of other people to try it with me. I started it this morning and was so glad when it was over!!!

Add to it the fact that I am still trying to complete the Couch To 5K program and to continue to train for the Bumble Run 10K in September, and I am one tired mama already today. But, I know that this is a good thing for me. I am making very positive changes in my life and am excited about it all. I know it isn't all about the number on the scale and I think that after my Biggest Loser contest is over, I may only step on the scale about once a month. I get to stressing about it and it would be nice not to do that anymore. Bottom line is I want to be healthy and be a good example for my children. Oh, and I want to look HOT! ;)

I hope that you are having a great Saturday. The sun is finally out and the kids are cleaning toys. Not a bad day!
With Love,
Theresa

Stress

2011-04-05T17:23:00.000-04:00

Stress just comes at the wrong time doesn't it? Not that there is ever a good time for stress, but it seems like when it rains it pours. There is a lot of stress going on in this house. I don't know about you, but stress just makes me want to eat and have a drink, I mean LOTS of drinks. Or, it makes me want to shop, which I can't do because that costs money and we are really trying to save our pennies. So, how to deal with it? Honestly, I don't think I handle it well. I am ashamed to say that I fear the kids catch the brunt end of the stress. I try really hard not to yell and get upset with them, but it is difficult. Then, on top of it all I think I have some hormone imbalance going on and I don't think that is helping my case. Without getting to graphic, some female things are kind of crazy and then my weight is up and down, up and down. Sucks.

Oh well, here is a pretty picture to remember why I do the things I do.

With Love

5 Question and A Little Fill In The Blank!

2011-04-01T15:52:00.000-04:00

It is Friday!! We just had a great week at my parents' house. I completely cleaned out my grandparents' kitchen on Wednesday. Talk about a lot of work. It was worth it though. I hope that it really helped them!!

So, here is a little

1. Have you ever had surgery? Yes, 3 times. The first was an ACL reconstruction on my right knee in '94. The second was another knee surgery to remove a screw from my knee in '01. Then the third was my emergency appendectomy in '09.

2. Ever ride in an ambulance? Yep. When I worked at a summer camp, one of the kids hit her head on the bottom of the pool and she was really dizzy and going in and out of conscience. So, she had to go to the hospital in an ambulance and since I was in charge, I went too. She was OK.

3. How are you in a medical emergency? Panicked? Calm? I think I am pretty calm. L busted her head open a couple of years ago and for the most part I was pretty calm. I think as a mom, you don't have the luxury of being panicked in an emergency.

4. Do you have a garden? Flowers or veggies? I attempt some plants every year. But, I do NOT have a green thumb. I get some flowers and some green tomatoes to fulfill my cravings. That is about it!

5. When did you move out of your parents house? I moved out when I went to college. I lived at home the summer between my freshman and sophomore year and then again for a couple of weeks after I graduated, but that is about it.

No, a little Fill In The Blank...

1. The best prank I ever pulled was none. I haven't ever really pulled much of a prank. I'm not really a prankster.

2. The best prank ever pulled on me was apparently unmemorable. For some reason, I just don't remember any pranks that have been played on me personally. I do remember the best prank I have ever seen though. My junior year in HS, the senior class put a porno on the morning announcements. My speech class was in charge of doing the announcements. So, it was quite a surprise when there were naked people there instead!

3. A day without the beautiful music my children make is a day wasted.

4. The most important things in life are the tiny little moments that make you smile and let you know God is there. The toothy baby grins, the sweet giggles, the hugs, the smiles, the laughs, the songs, watching the kids pick up a bug and be so excited about it, the kiss my husband gives me when he comes home at the end of the day; THOSE are the important things!

5. I dream of what my little ones will be like when they get older, what E and I will be like when we are my parents' age, and about my own little craft room when we build our house. :)

6. I dread the day I have to say good-bye to my parents.

7. A discovery I made this week was that my children are very brave. J has been terrified of my mom's horses, but she sat on the biggest one twice yesterday! L sat on him too and learned how to get in and out of the saddle. M even pet him and laughed and giggled the whole time. It was awesome to see!

Well, that's it for today. I hope you have all had a great week and have an even better weekend!!
With love!

Fill In The Blank Friday

2011-03-25T16:56:00.001-04:00

TGIF huh!??! I sure mean that this week. It has been pretty rough, but I am feeling a whole lot better and am so happy. My wonderful Mom came up and hung out with me last night and today so that has been really nice. It was a lot of fun. Thanks mom!!

I usually do 5 Question Friday over at My Little Life, but she has a super sick kiddo so I don't think putting together some questions was top on her priority list, as it shouldn't be. So, instead I found Fill In The Blank Friday at The Little Things We Do. I hope you enjoy it as much. Feel free do to your own and then go link up! Have a great weekend!!

1. My most prized possession is a glass vase that my cousin Greg gave to us for our wedding. He had it custom blown just for us. It is beautiful and means so much to me. I have many things in my house that I treasure and other than my family and pictures and stuff, this would be one of the first things I would grab in a fire.
2. If I could be one age for the rest of my life, I think I would pick right now. I really like my early 30's. I am comfortable for the most part. I don't have the craziness of college or the newborn babies I had in my late 20's. I like the 30's. I'll stay here. Thank you!

3. The best way to spend a weekend is with my family, football, pretty weather, and then some knitting time built in.

4. My outlook on life is that it doesn't hurt to smile at someone. You never know who's day you just might make a million times better if you just smile at them. This world would be SO much better if we were just kinder to each other.

5. If you want to annoy me, tell me I do not have a job and that I don't work. I might not talk to you again.
6. I am completely defenseless when it comes to pretty yarn and chocolate. I have to be very disciplined around either! That said, I did buy some yarn today. But, I had a gift certificate for Hobby Lobby from my beautiful cousin Ashley. That's like free money, right? Right?!?

7. When dressing for the day be comfortable. Even if you are dressing up, at least be comfortable. And if you aren't really sure if an outfit works, throw on some hot shoes. No one will care about the outfit!!

With Love!

A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss...

2011-03-23T16:06:00.000-04:00

But one stuck in the bladder causes a lot of pain! The first question I always get when I mention I have a kidney stone and that I have a history of them is "Is it worse than childbirth?". I always want to laugh. I have pretty much lost count of the number of stones I have passed in the past couple of years. When pregnant, I apparently am very subject to them and now I have the experience of getting one while not pregnant. It is not fun. This is the longest I have ever had to deal with one and I have had it. I am tired of feeling bad and not being able to do the things I am used to doing. After 2 1/2 weeks of travel, the stupid thing has settled in my bladder and is now stuck. I am trying awfully hard to pass it here at home as I have NO desire to go to the doctor's office or the hospital. But, if it hasn't passed by tomorrow, I might be left with little choice. The pain is awful and I'm not sure how much more I can take of it.

So, to answer the question, "Is It worse than childbirth?" Yes, yes it is. And coming from someone who has had them DURING childbirth, I feel that I am experienced enough to answer that question. At least with childbirth, you can have an epidural and at the end you get a cute little baby to take home. On the other hand, with a stone, no one spits up on you and there are no diapers to change. Hmmm....Nope, stone's still worse.

With Love.

2011-03-21T11:39:00.001-04:00

When kids get sick, we all suffer! Yesterday M got took a 3 hour nap. E went in to wake him up at 5pm and he was just lying there. He asked him, "You OK bubby?" M shook his head no. E picked him up and M promptly barfed all over him. I don't know which to be more thankful for, the fact that he threw up on E and not me or that E kept the vomit from getting all over the floor! If M had thrown up on me, there would have been a whole lot more to clean up, I can tell you that for sure. I do NOT do well with throw up. Grandma always wanted me to be a nurse, but between the sympathetic puking and the passing out at the sight of blood, I don't think I would make a good one. Well, anyway, the poor little man had a fever and slept through the night pretty well last night, although I was scared to death to leave him alone in his room. He still had a fever this morning, but has finally been able to keep some tylenol down so the fever is almost gone and he is eating and drinking again. He must be feeling better as he and J are wrestling each other all over the place!

Where am I going with this? I am SO tired. I don't even think I can comprehend how tired I am at this point. I just don't sleep well when my kiddos are sick. Does anyone? Why is that? I mean, our bedroom is right next to the kids. I can hear just about every noise they make. Yet, I lie there scared to death that I am not going to hear the one noise I need to hear. It is just so scary being a parent. I hope that all I am doing is what the kids need done. Are any of us ever doing this right? Am I the only one that feels this way? Please tell me I'm not alone here!

Getting To Know You...Is Back!!

2011-03-20T14:18:00.000-04:00

After taking a bit of a hiatus, MannLand5's Sunday's "Getting To Know You" is back and I am very happy to take part!! :) Feel free to join in. Read my answers and then go see her to get your own. Make sure you link up!!

1. if you won the title of Miss America, what would your platform be? I think it would depend on the point in my life. If it was when I was younger and actually eligible for Miss America, it probably would be something like World Peace. But, if it was now and they changed it to Mrs. America or something (seriously, where is THAT title?), I would say my platform would be implementing a tax break for families with a stay at home parent. I'm not much for politics really, but this is something that I can see myself getting involved in one day.

2. outdoorsy or indoorsy? It really depends on the weather. I don't like to be too cold or too hot. Considering what the weather is like in Indiana, it completely depends on the day. I do love spring and fall and really enjoy being outdoorsy then! Especially if we can add a football game in there!

3. pajama's out in public..classy or tres tacky? I wouldn't exactly call it "classy", but I don't think it is necessarily "tres tacky" either. I think that if you are wearing stretchy pants and a T-shirt or something that is OK. However, thread-bare pajama pants, a T-shirt that you can see through, and slippers...not my idea of a good look!

4. what's your favorite room in your house? I'm sure someone will laugh at this, but usually the bathroom. If I get the chance to go by myself, it is the only place that is quiet. If E is home, I have no guilt about spending more time in the bathroom than I really need, just for the peace of mind!

5. nook, kindle, or book? Book, all the way. I love the way a book feels and smells. It is something that I can relate to people a hundred years ago. As much as the idea of carrying several books around in one convenient spot (on a nook or kindle), I just can't get into it. Now, if someone wants to buy me one to prove me wrong, I am very willing to put it to the test! :)

6. would you rather wear the same outfit for a week or not brush your teeth for a week? Wear the same outfit for a week. I'm a mom, there are plenty of days I have worn the same outfit in a row, making it a week wouldn't be too much of a stretch! :) I think my teeth would feel like they have grown fur if I were to go that long without brushing them! Eww!

7. what's your favorite blog at the moment? I love the Yarn Harlot. She cracks me up so much. The only things we really have in common is a love of knitting and 3 children, but she is hilarious. I check her site every day for a new post. Her books are awesome too and have read them each a couple of times. Her talent for writing is only outdone by her talent for knitting.

8. lately I've been daydreaming about.........? Our eventual new house. How I want things to look, the colors I want, what kind of style I have/will have, what kinds of knitted things I can have there, what kinds of sewn things. I have a lot of ideas on this matter! :)

I hope you all have a great weekend and a wonderful Sunday with your family. We had a WONDERFUL birthday party yesterday for J's 3rd birthday. It was a super fun day and I think all three kiddos had a blast!!

With love!

Five Question Friday

2011-03-18T14:26:00.000-04:00

It is time for Five Question Friday from over at My Little Life!! Yay!

1. Have you ever testified in court? For what? No, I haven't. I prepared to testify if I was needed in a child neglect case, but was never called.

2. Do you still have your wedding dress?
Yes, It makes me happy that it is too big. :) I don't know what to do with it. Any suggestions?

3. Is there a special place you like to go when you're happy, sad, stressed, etc.? Happy-with my family just about anywhere. Sad-curled up in my chair after the kids are in bed with a heavy blanket and my knitting. Stressed-Nine Irish Brothers with my friends for Stitch and Bitch (and my knitting of course!)

4. If you have kids, do they sleep with you? If you don't have kids...will you let your kids sleep with you when/if you have them? Yes I have kids, and NO, they do NOT sleep with me!! The only time they were allowed in our bed was when they were babies and I was nursing. As infants, they were in co-sleepers in our room, but as soon as they were moved to their room, that was it, our bed was ONLY for nursing then they went right back to theirs.

5. Do you watch late night TV? As in Letterman or Leno? No, I don't. Now if I am up I do watch TV late at night, but not late night TV.

So, that is a little about me. Do some of your own and go link up!! :)

Have a great one!
With love!

Can't Help Thinking About Me

2011-03-16T17:58:00.000-04:00

I had a lot of very positive response to this post, Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of your support and encouragement. It makes me really happy that it touched some of you and let you know you are not alone!

So, since some of you read the last post and might read this one, I issue you a challenge. Tell me 5 things you LIKE about yourself. They can be ANYTHING that you think is great about YOU! If you are reading this on Facebook, please feel free to post a comment. That is one thing I figured out a couple of days ago. We focus on the negative too much. Let's focus on something positive. The only ground rule is this: It MUST be about you!! We all know you love your family and friend and if you are a Christian, I am very glad that you love God. But, I want to know what other things you like about yourself. Make sense? List Away!

Here are mine to get you started!

1) I love my HEIGHT! That is one thing about myself that has never changed. I absolutely love being tall. My husband is tall and I've always had a thing for tall men. I enjoy being one of the highest people in the room.

2) I have a pretty good voice. Whether it is singing in the choir at church or my pretty much once a year trip to the Neon Cactus to see Bruce Barker, I LOVE getting up and sharing my vocal abilities with others. There may be a pretty big difference between "Silent Night" and "Me & Bobby McGee", but I love singing both with all my heart!

3) I am strong. I didn't appreciate this when I was younger. It has taken me being an adult to learn that it is a cool thing for a woman to be strong. I love that I can hold my own in the weight room.

4) I really am glad I have an ability to easily make friends. This is something that has always come easily to me. My dad used to joke that we could go anywhere I would know someone. He was almost proven right when on two different family trips, one to Cedar Point and one to Disney World, we ran into someone I knew. I know that I am very lucky in this, as not everyone has this gift. It is one I treasure!

5) I really love that I have an artistic side. I know I mentioned the singing, but this goes beyond that. I knit and I write and I love all things "artsy". I really enjoy writing this blog when I have time, but I also write a lot on my own. One day I really hope to have a novel published. Obviously, most of you know how much I knit. It is one of those skills I am SO glad I learned and hope and pray I never get arthritis in my hands!

So, there are mine. What are yours? There is no shame about being proud of yourself and liking things about yourself. I love this quote, it means a lot to me and I hope you will take something from it!

"When you give yourself credit for something, when you take pride in what you do, that doesn't mean you think you're better than someone else. It just means that you value who you are and you send that message to the world." -Jillian Michaels.

Just FYI: "Can't Help Thinking About Me" is a song written by David Bowie in 1965 and released as a single under the name David Bowie & the Lower Third. This was the first single released after he changed his name from David Jones to David Bowie. The single was the first David Bowie record to be released in the US.

With Love!

My Angels

2011-03-16T13:37:00.000-04:00

Children grow so quickly don't they? I know it is totally cliche, but it really does seem like just yesterday I found out I was pregnant with L. And now, I have this beautiful five year old who is so smart, funny, entertaining, compassionate, empathetic, and kind.

Our baby boy M, well he just keeps growing and growing. He is a bulldozer who is a little detective, finding even the smallest toy in the house. He is quick with hugs and kisses. He is already speaking more than his big sisters did combined at this age. He is a loving boy and I am so happy that God saw fit to bring him to us.

In between those two came our little J. She has come so far this past year. When we figured out that she wasn't speaking as well as she should be for her age, we started her in Speech Therapy and she has just flourished! J is so smart. When she was evaluated for acceptance into "advanced" speech therapy, the evaluator was asking questions to determine how much language she was understanding. I thought the questions seemed a little difficult for a 2/3 year old. I asked and she said that she was asking J the 6 year old questions. She finally stopped after the 7 year old questions so she could move onto the other sections of the evaluation. She even did really well on the section to determine how much language she was saying. She did qualify for extra therapy, but it was only because of her pronunciation on words. She is very funny and caring. She is so close to both L and M. She is quick with a hug and a smile. Mostly, my favorite things about J is the JOY she finds in life. I often joke that if you looked up the word "joy" in the dictionary, you would find J's picture. You can simply look at her face and see her eyes light up about all the little things in life. She turns 3 on Saturday and I just can not believe that! She is very excited about having a "pajama party" and wants blueberry cake (muffins) and Ding Dongs instead of an actual birthday cake. I will gladly have them for her. I can not wait for those big green eyes to light up when she sees her present, a big doll just like her big sister has.

I really love those three angels. I look at them and see myself in them so much. And, not just me. I see E, and my mom and dad, and his mom and dad, and my grandparents. It is so amazing when L says something just like my mom would say, or J laughs and has the same smile as E, or I see the 18 cowlicks on M's head just like every male on my dad's side and I just smile. Our children really truly are such a mix of all of the wonderful things in our family members. I can not WAIT to see who these little people become as they grow up. I pray that I am raising to be the best adults they can be. I pray I am raising them to be good Christians who care about all those around them. I pray they will grow to continue to show true compassion for our world and those in it. I pray all three of them will learn to love their neighbors, be kind to their enemies, and always remember that daddy and I love them no matter what. Nothing they could do in life would ever take away that love.

Take a moment and think about what YOU love about YOUR children. Say a big Thank you to God for allowing you to have them in your life. I have a couple of friends that have been trying to have a baby (you know who you are, and if you are reading this, know that I am praying for you daily!). I constantly pray for them to know the joy I know. It isn't always easy, but it is always wonderful. God Bless.

With Love,
Theresa

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2011-03-14T12:50:00.000-04:00

I have decided that I need to make some changes in my perspective of myself. I don't think it is a secret that I am working really hard in the gym (this past week excluded, but give me a break, I have had a kidney stone). I have been trying to watch my diet. I try to be a kind person, a good mother, a great wife, and a constantly learning child of God. But I realized something about myself yesterday. I was determining my self-worth by my appearance. I can not even begin to express how much this bothers me. I have 2 daughters and I do NOT want them to determine their self-worth by the way they look. I have a baby boy that I do NOT want to him view a woman's self-worth solely based on her appearance. I know that if I am viewing myself this way, then I am just teaching them that it is appropriate. This is absolutely NOT okay.

Yesterday, I completely broke down on my mom. I started crying and told her how I was feeling and the I just was so tired of stressing about how I looked and what I weighed and I just don't understand why it had to be this difficult. She lovingly reminded me that I am a kind person, a wonderful mother, a good wife, a great daughter and granddaughter, and that everyone likes me (these are her words, not mine). My mom is a pretty blunt individual. She doesn't lie. If she feels that way, I know that that was how she felt. Well, I then had a 2 hour drive home while the kids watched movies and slept to think to myself about what I was doing. I thought about my diet, my relationships, and myself. I came to these conclusions:

My diet is just not working. I think the biggest problem is that I am working out so much and I am just NOT getting enough food following Weight Watchers. Also, to be honest, I HATE counting all the time. I have become obsessive about it. And I find ways to cheat. I don't like that because then I feel badly about myself. SO, it is just not working. I couldn't sleep last night once I got home. I broke out my South Beach Diet books and gave them a read through. I remember why I LOVED the SBD. It was easy, I didn't have to count anything, it got rid of the belly fat us moms have problem with, and I got to eat meat and eggs. Those are two of my favorite things and I miss them. I can also drink milk, which I love. The only things I really missed on it were pasta and sweets, but you just find other ways to eat them. I decided that I am going back to it. So, starting tomorrow (I have to get to the store tonight to pick up some things!), I will be back on it and I am really excited. Besides, it could be my body needs a jolt because it is just used to the Weight Watchers and the food I eat on it.

My relationships don't really need work, but I really don't think that I enjoy them as much as I should. I have an amazing husband, incredible kids, and wonderful friends. I need to revel in them, enjoy the time I spend with them more. And although my relationship with God has improved SO much, it can always improve and I am very excited to work on this. I am using the Lenten season to help me with this.

Now myself, I think my view on it could use some work. I need to give myself some slack. I am what I am (Did anyone read that as Popeye? Because I certainly said it in my head as Popeye!). I need to learn that that is OK and good enough. Not that I can't improve, but I need to be happy with what I have and what I am. I am NEVER going to be a size 2. It is just not going to happen. I am never even going to look like my mom. I am built like my dad, I just need to get over it and be happy with who I am. I am never going to be a genius, I'm just not. I am never going to be the world's best cook. I am most likely never going to be a marathon runner. I have the goals I have and those goals are OK. I might be a knitwear designer one day. I might be a published author one day. I might be a size 8 one day. I hopefully will be able to run a 10K one day. I will enjoy my friends as we transition together from mommy, to mother, to mother-in-law, to grandmother, and hopefully great-grandmother. I will hopefully watch my children graduate and then eventually walk down the aisle toward the love of their life. I will hopefully enjoy my grandchildren the way I know my parents enjoy theirs. I will hold hands with my amazing husband until the day God calls one of us home. I don't have to be perfect. I'm the best that I am. To quote my mother, "I am a kind person, a wonderful mother, a good wife, a great daughter and granddaughter, and that everyone likes me."

To anyone that reads this, I am going to pay this thinking forward. Be happy with who you are. You are wonderful! God loves you. Your family loves you. Learn to love yourself!

With love,
Theresa

Random Monday

2011-03-07T12:20:00.000-05:00

1. Had a great anniversary with my husband yesterday. We went to dinner Friday night so yesterday was pretty uneventful. But, it was a great day together with our kiddos. Happy 7 years my dear!

2. M has green sludge coming from his nose. It is gross.

3. I have a kidney stone moving I think. It sucks. It hurts. I feel like throwing up.

4. Started a hat for myself yesterday. It is going to be too small. I guess one of the girls will get to enjoy it.

5. I'm not seeing a workout in my future today. Weigh in is tomorrow, but a last chance workout is not looking like it is going to happen.

5 Question Friday

2011-03-04T10:58:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I've done one, so here you go: 5 Question Friday over at My Little Life. Check out my answers then go do your own! Make sure you link up!

1. Have you ever forgotten your child in a store or at school?
Not Yet, but it won't surprise me when I do. Three kids is a lot to watch after. I really hate taking them to stores by myself.

2. Where did you go on your very first date? (Like...first first, not first with your spouse or current significant other!)
Hmm...I'm trying to remember. I remember WHO it was with, does that count? I think we just went to dinner and maybe a movie. Nothing spectacular. He was a nice guy though.

3. What's your "silly" fear? (We're not talking water and heights.)
Spiders. Insert full body shiver here!

4. Confrontation: do you cause it, deal with is as it comes, or run far far away?
It completely depends on the situation, but most often just deal with it as it comes. If it is with my children though, I try and get on it quickly. I used to run from it, but figured out that that doesn't solve much!

5. Wood floors or carpet?
Both. Wood floors in the great room, linoleum in the kitchen and carpet in the rest of the house.

Safety

2011-03-03T07:58:00.000-05:00

Normally I do not forward on forwards (sorry all those that forward me things.). I usually read them, but do not pass them on. This I felt was worth another read. But, I didn't want to forward it, so I am posting it here. Thanks mom! I hope you get something out of it!

THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..

5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door - understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.

12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it athttp://www.faketv.com/)

8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again... If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.

4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows.. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.

8. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California, and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runshttp://www.crimedoctor.com/and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job

Protection for you and your home:

If you don't have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's evil plans for you. (I guess I can get rid of the baseball bat.):

WASP SPRAY

A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead.

The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection... Thought this was interesting and might be of use.

FROM ANOTHER SOURCE

On the heels of a break in and beating that left an elderly woman in Toledo dead, self defense experts have a tip that could save your life.

Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School . For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door or bed.

Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."

Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says, "spray the culprit in the eyes" It's a tip he's given to students for decades. It's also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for protection, Glinka says look to the spray.

"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out."

Maybe even save a life.

Put your car keys beside your bed at night

Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your Dr's office, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around. After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

P.S. I am sending this to everyone I know because I think it is fantastic. Would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone. My Mom has suggested to my Dad that he carry his car keys with him in case he falls outside and she doesn't hear him. He can activate the car alarm and then she'll know there's a problem.

Take It Off Tuesday

2011-03-01T17:45:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted one of these in a while, but thought I would let you know. I think I have mentioned that I am running a Biggest Loser contest of Facebook. Well, so far in two weeks, I have lost 9 pounds (6 last week, 3 this week). Not bad. I feel better, and my pants are fitting good again, so that's nice. I can look in the mirror and feel like my body is reconfiguring itself if nothing else. I need to take some measurements so I can see what I am losing inch-wise. I think that will make me happy even on weeks when I don't lose much weight wise.

This contest has been really great. I am enjoying the discussions going on on our Facebook group and everyone has been super supportive of everyone else. It's a contest, but a real morale booster too! If any of you are reading this, thank you so much for participating!

Since my last post was pretty negative (although I was glad I wasn't the only one with some of these pet peeves!), I decided to do 5 things that I find super helpful in my battle against the bulge! I hope you find maybe one thing that helps you.

5. Hershey Bliss Dark Chocolates. They really help keep my sweet tooth at bay. One piece is one point and I make sure I save a point for the end of the day!

4. Brooks Tennis Shoes. They rock! I do like Mizunos too and have went back and forth. But, right now I am wearing Brooks.

3.Progresso Soups. I really like soup as it is and these are low in calorie and they taste excellent. I really like the Vegetable Barley and the Santa Fe Chicken.

2.Pandora Radio. So awesome! As much as it pains me to admit, I put it on Christina Aguilera station and workout until I am exhausted.

1. Jillian Michaels. Ok, did anyone really not know I would put her first?!?! Seriously? I LOVE her, she inspires me so! I really dig her 30 Day Shred and her Yoga Meltdown. Thanks to the wonderful generosity of a friend, I received Ripped in 30 today in the mail. I can't WAIT to give it a try!

What are some of YOUR favorite things to fight the battle with?

With Love,
Theresa

My Pet Peeves

2011-02-21T13:37:00.000-05:00

This may not be the most positive post in the world, but it is one I have been running through my mind the past few days. I decided to go ahead and write it. This is my Top Ten Pet Peeves!

10. Yarn skeins/balls that have a knot in them where the manufacturer/ spinner broke the yarn and simply tied it back together. This is especially annoying when it is a yarn that has a repeating colorway.

9. When my 5 year old doesn't flush the toilet, especially after going Number 2. Seriously, SO gross!

8. Sponge Bob Square Pants & Miley Cyrus...enough said I think.

7. When the plastic bag rips while carrying groceries, and it never fails that that bag contains the pickle jar. Does anyone else's heart stop just briefly as they grab the bag to make sure the pickle jar doesn't fall? I guess this just means I should switch to fabric bags.

6. Having to turn socks right side out after doing laundry. Now I understand why my mom would get mad at me for leaving them inside-out. Sorry Mom!

5. Walking through the house and stepping on Cheerios. They inevitably stick to the bottom of my foot and I carry them elsewhere throughout the house. It doesn't matter how often I vacuum, they are everywhere!

4. Walking out of the house, thinking I look at least decent. Then I get to where I am going and look down and see a big slime of snot all over. GROSS!

3. People that cut me off in the grocery store. I try to pay as much attention as I can while shopping to other people around me. If you cut me off, at least take the one second it would take to say, "Oh, I'm sorry." Do NOT just stare at me like, "What the hell are you looking at?". Really, what happened to old fashioned common courtesy?

2. When you smile at someone and they do not even acknowledge you. This drives me insane!! Even if you are having a bad day, how difficult is it to just tip your head as if to say, "Yeah, I see you. Thanks for the smile. I'm not having a great day, but I appreciate your trying to make it better."?

1. People that ask me, "What do you do all day?" or "You don't work?" or another question of that nature when they find out I am a Stay At Home Mom. This seriously pisses me off. Just because I do not bring in an income doesn't mean that being a Stay At Home Mom isn't a MAJOR job.

Okay, I feel better now! What about you, what are YOUR pet peeves?

One Hot Mama

2011-02-18T14:39:00.000-05:00

I know that I have totally discussed this subject before, but you get it again because I am frustrated at myself and it's my blog, so there (Imagine me sticking my tongue out and stomping my foot). Okay, now that I am over the 2 year old tantrum (I am surrounded by them daily!), I will explain. I know that society expects women to be a certain size, look, etc. I know this and although I am constantly comparing myself, I REALLY try not to. I really do. But it is difficult. But, I am a mommy. I have born and nursed 3 children and my hips and boobs are the evidence of that (never mind the loud little kids running around the house!). In my mind I know this, but when I look in the mirror, it is VERY difficult to remember. I don't have a personal trainer. I don't have a private chef making me perfectly nutritious meals. I don't have a nanny that can take care of the kids so that I can DO those prior things. I am just a regular mommy. Again, I KNOW this. Why can't my brain accept it? I know I have mentioned it, but I have gained some of the weight that I lost last year back. It is really difficult for me. I am doing the Biggest Loser Contest and when I stepped on that scale on Tuesday morning, I PROMISED myself that I would NOT berate myself, no matter WHAT it said. Well, I kept that promise, but I seriously about fell off the scale. I just can't believe that it went that far. I made myself make a promise to myself that I will NEVER ever weigh that again and that I WILL be happy with what I see in the mirror. When I see my hips, I will look at my beautiful children and smile. When I see that my boobs aren't exactly up as high as they used to be, I will remember those little faces buried into my chest. I have to learn to be confident. I HAVE TO!! What kind of example am I setting for my daughters when I feel badly about myself? I want L and J to be confident about themselves. I WANT that for them. So, I will learn to be confident in my appearance. I WILL. I want that for my children, for my husband, and for myself; especially for myself.

So, in that mind, this morning when I was working out, I was listening to my Blackberry and the song "One Hot Mama" by Trace Adkins came on. I've heard this song I don't know how many times. But for some reason, this morning, the lyrics REALLY actually made sense to me. I have decided that this song is going to become my mantra. I have to learn to believe this. The link to the video is here. And the link to the lyrics is here. I think that any mommy reading this should really check it out and start to live by it. Remember, we are ALL "One Hot Mama"s!!!

Sorry for the rambling that totally went on here. I just had a lot of rambling in my brain!

Humble Pie

2011-02-13T20:56:00.000-05:00

This morning was an example how one experience can make you feel so many emotions, it is difficult to even comprehend them all. My beautifully talented daughter, L, sang at church this morning with the Little People’s Choir. They do this twice a year, at Valentine’s Day and at Thanksgiving. It is about 10 kids all under the age of about six standing in front of the altar singing their little hearts out and doing a little sign language. What they lack in music ability, they make up in pure enthusiasm and volume. It is just about the most adorable thing you could think of! L stood up there before mass and sang “Jesus In The Morning” with a huge smile on her face. Then after Communion they sang “His Banner Over Me Is Love” complete with arm motions. It is so cute! I was lucky enough to be able to cantor this morning as well. I really enjoyed it; the music selection our choir director came up with was great. The “Allelujia” was particularly fun, as it was very soulful and I was able to play with it a little bit. My cousin and L’s Godmother came to mass with her family to watch L. It was great to see them. Well, the homily this morning was fantastic. I have typed and re-typed trying to explain as Father did, but I am really unable to do it justice. Just know that it was very moving and inspiring. Well, I stopped into the Sacristy to tell Father how much I enjoyed mass and particularly his homily. He thanked me and then gave me one of the best compliments I think I have ever been given. He told me that he truly enjoys my singing during mass and finds it inspiring. WOW! For a Priest to find something I do inspiring was both humbling and flattering at the same time. Then L stuck her head in the door and Father told her what a great job she did singing too. He told me what a beautiful family I had and he was so thankful that we belonged to the church. Seriously, I did not think it was possible to feel so humble, flattered, proud, and inspired all in one morning. I truly felt God’s presence this morning and am grateful that I have found my way back to the church.

It has really been a wonderful weekend. Yesterday, we went to my niece’s 4th birthday party. It was a lot of fun. We went to a skating rink and everyone had a great time. E and I even got to skate hand in hand. Yes, it was completely corny and cheesy, but so fun. It brought back a lot of fond memories of skating parties when I was younger. We even put L and J in skates! They weren’t really sure the first time around, but started enjoying themselves once they forgot about falling and just tried to enjoy themselves. Then we went to Mass this morning and afterwards L and I went to WalMart for a couple of supplies. She asked me if I would make Banana Pudding for dessert tonight. After her wonderful performance this morning, how could I even refuse? After we got home I did some computer work and then we cleaned the house. The toys are all in their boxes and the laundry is all done. It’s been a good day!

The computer work I did today was to get a Biggest Loser Contest set up. I really didn’t expect it to be huge, but seriously, we are talking about a lot of people! I am so excited. The winner of this contest is going to win a lot of money. I am going to quite literally work my tail off to give myself the best shot possible to win. I started gaining back some of the weight I took off last year, and I just refuse to let it go any further. I want to hit my goal! I am seriously excited about this!
With Love,
Theresa

Back To Blogging

2011-02-11T11:21:00.000-05:00

I am seriously so excited! I now have a fun new little toy that will enable me to blog much more often and should make it much more convenient to do so! I am very excited about this. In case you can't figure it out, I just got a new computer. Be patient with me though as I am still trying to figure out the new bells and whistles! :)

So, you are probably wondering what has been going on? A lot of course! The kids are crazy and we are all super tired of this weather. Last week it snowed and iced and we couldn't really get out much. Then, to top it off, L had Strep. This was our first experience with the dreaded sickness. I really felt bad because apparently she had had it for a week and I wrote all her symptoms off as the stomach flu. But, she tested positive for it and we got her on anti-biotics and she is doing MUCH better now! Back to her normal self and eating us out of house and home. I swear the kid has a hollow leg!!!

J is doing OK. Speech therapy is going very well and she is doing great! I am trying to get the paperwork in order for her to get going with GLASS where she will actually go to Pre-school anywhere from 1 to 3 days a week for therapy. She really is speaking so much better though. The other night at dinner, she said a full prayer. I was so happy, I had tears coming out of my eyes.

Our Captain Stinky-pants, aka M, is getting so big. He is just a big bulldozer. I'd call him a bully, but he's so sweet about it I just can't. He gives these huge open mouthed smooches that are just adorable. He is starting to say many words too. He is saying "mama", "bye", "cracker", "tractor", and "boo". It is very cute. If you ask him where people are he will point to them. He loves to play with his basketball goal and throw everything like it is a ball.

Things in my life are OK. I have been trying to get back onto the weight loss track, but I just have no motivation. Actually, let me clarify that. In my mind, I have the motivation, but am having trouble making actual progress with it. I have decided to start my own Biggest Loser Contest on Facebook and hope that that will help with the motivation, since it did at this time last year.

I have been doing a lot of knitting. I hope I can get some pics up of things here shortly. I have had a lot of people ask me to make things for them. I just have trouble pricing myself. There is NO WAY to actually get paid for the actual work I put into them, but I would like to make a LITTLE money. I am trying to do some research to figure out how to better price myself. Anyone have any other advice?

I have been reading a lot this year. I need to fix my list at the right of the books that I finished in 2010. I also have a list to put up for 2011. It seems like I am reading a lot of Para-normal fiction recently. I just finished Kitty Goes To Washington by Carrie Vaughn. I did enjoy it. I like how the books take a different perspective on the genre. It seems that most of the para-normal fiction genre revolves around a main character vampire with werewolves in the background. Kitty in these books is a werewolf and the books are all about how she struggles to keep her human life in balance with the Wolf inside of her. I am currently reading Kitty Takes A Holiday and am enjoying it too!

What else? Well, I am super duper tired of this weather. I want spring. I know I live in the WAY wrong state for not liking cold weather, but I can't help it. Actually, I don't mind a little of the cold, but this is getting ridiculous! At least I have pretty and fun knitwear I can use!

Finally, just in case you were wondering, my grandfather is doing okay I guess. He fell earlier this week so that set him back a little bit. He is okay, just a little sore. We are hoping that he will be out of the hospital and home by the end of the month. Thanks for all of the prayers!

I hope that you all have a wonderful day! God Bless!
With Love,
Theresa

Drama

2011-01-19T13:03:00.000-05:00

Seriously, there is just WAY too much drama in my life right now!

My grandfather is sick and is in the hospital. He had his carotid artery cleaned out last week and apparently had a stroke on the table. Well, they didn't know this until Monday after he ha been home for 4 days. So, I am really worried. He is doing well, but he is not a spring chicken. I am super close with my grandpa and am just so worried.

Then, there is drama going on in my family. I don't really want to get into details in case any of the involved parties would read this, but let's just say it is giving me indigestion!

My best friend flies back to Ireland on Friday. I keep telling myself that she is only going to be gone for 11 months and then will be HOME for GOOD! We figured it up and that is only like 331 days. I can handle that right? I love you Charger! December better hurry!

Then, on top of it all I got sick yesterday. YUCK! So, not much to say today because I could really go off about some things and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I will just say, God Bless, pray for a little patience and go on with life!
With Love,
Theresa

I'm Here, I Promise!

2011-01-14T13:08:00.000-05:00

So, I have been TRYING to blog every couple of days, really I have! But I have been having computer and phone issues and it just hasn't happened. I apologize. Hopefully it will all smooth out! So, wondering what has been going on?

Well, my first cantoring experience was AWESOME!! I loved it! I'm really just so happy that I did it. I just felt like it was what I needed to be doing. I received a lot of compliments too, which I have to admit made me feel pretty awesome, although I completely realize that is NOT the point! At the end of mass, Father told everyone to go in peace, I started announcing the closing song, and he realized he had forgotten something, so he had to interrupt me. But, no biggie, everyone laughed and we went on. It was an experience though that I will most definitely repeat!

We got a lot of snow this week. L actually had her first snow day on Tuesday which she was SO NOT HAPPY ABOUT! We stayed in and watched a movie and had popcorn. It was fun! We are supposed to get more snow this weekend. I went and bought a pair of snow boots. I have not had snow boots in SO long, so long in fact I don't remember when I last had a pair. They are pretty heavy but are warm and fuzzy. I think I like them. Come on, they are shoes, of course I like them!

Right now I am trying to get the house in order for the family get together tomorrow. Technically it is supposed to be pretty low key, but I still worry about the chaos in my house. I really don't know how my aunt Terri did it when we were growing up. She had 3 kids in the house that were hers, and me there pretty much 24/7 and her house was ALWAYS SPOTLESS!!! I wish I could hire her to come and just keep my house clean! :) But, alas, that is not possible. So, I'm going to get busy again and try and get my house to look as good as possible. Hopefully no one will judge me and we can just have a great time!

I hope you are all having a great day!!
With love,
Theresa

Happy Tuesday!

2011-01-11T21:22:00.000-05:00

Leap Of Faith

2011-01-07T14:16:00.000-05:00

Wednesday evening, I took a very big leap in my faith. Back in September, I joined the choir at my church. I started going to canto practice a couple of months ago, but wasn't really ready to be a cantor yet. I firmly believe that if you are a leader in church (a lector, Eucharistic minister, cantor, etc) then you should have a firm grasp on where you are in your faith. Now, not completed in your journey, because I don't think we ever actually do that, but just a good idea of what you believe, why you believe it, and where to progress. I'm not sure I am quite there. I had been away from the church for awhile, but since being back, I am really starting to "get it". L asks questions and I feel like I am a little better equipped to answer them. She started going to Sunday School this fall and her Pre-school is faith based, so she is learning so much. I wanted to be able to keep up. But, I haven't really been sure I was ready to cantor yet. Wednesday night, our choir director realized she had no cantor for Sunday morning mass. Something inside me volunteered. I'm not even really sure where it came from, I just found myself saying, "I'll do it!" So, I am preparing. I am nervous. Not really nervous about the singing part, but the timing and the leading. I was telling my mom this and she told me she felt the exact same way when she became a Eucharistic minister. She discussed this with the Sister at church. Sister told her that it was better to be humbled by the experience than to feel that you deserve it. So, I am extremely humbled to become a cantor. I just pray that I can praise God in the best way possible with this voice he gave me. I have to admit, I may be extremely nervous, but I am super excited too!!!

I want to remember those that aren't with us anymore!!! We love you and miss you!
With Love,
Theresa

New Year, New Goals

2011-01-03T15:21:00.000-05:00

Hi All! Long time no read, huh!?!? Well, it is now 2011! 2010 went so fast, but it was a fantastic year! But, I am ecstatic to be in 2011! There are many things I plan on doing this year! I have come up with 11 GOALS for the year. I am not making resolutions as I think resolutions kind of set you up to fail. So, these are gals and I am determined to finish them all! They are as follows:

1. Hit my goal weight of 170 pounds and maintain that within 5 pounds. I got on the scale for the first time this morning in a while...SCARY!!! But, it was a good wake up call. Watching what I eat will be something I will have to do my entire life. I just can't splurge for months and not expect to live with the consequences. I know it is going to take a lot of hard work. But, I am really looking forward to the work. Exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins are like a drug and I am thrilled to be getting a regular fix again!

2. Be able to do 30 CONSECUTIVE push ups on my toes. No knees allowed here.

3. RUN the Bumble Bee 10K in September. I did complete it last year, but this year I want to RUN the entire thing. I'm very excited about it!

4. Learn continental, fair isle, intarsia, and thrum knitting. These are skills I believe every knitter should have and it bugs me that I don't know them.

5. Design and knit Snowflake Shawl. I have a shawl running around in my head. It will be BEAUTIFUL and I can't wait to see it come together!

6. Learn to throw a football spiral and a baseball curve ball. I want to know how. I never learned how to throw a football correctly and as a shot putter, my baseball throwing skills are rather lacking!

7. Read Pride & Prejudice. I have started this book about 3 or 4 times. I have NEVER finished it. So, I WILL do it this year!

8. Blog 3-4 times a week. I obviously got away from blogging and I really miss writing so much. So, I will do it more!

9. Organize all of the photos in the house. They are everywhere. In boxes, bags, books, drawers. It is ridiculous. So, I will organize them this year!

10. One day a month, we will shut off all TVs, phones, computers, etc and I will spend the day just simply playing with the kids! I am really looking forward to this one!

11. Redo the kids' rooms. They are getting older and should have rooms that match them. M needs a boys room. L and J need a girls room. My mom has offered to help paint and such. This should be a lot of fun!

So, there you have it. 11 Goals for 2011! How about you? What are YOUR goals?

With Love,
Theresa

Five Question Friday!

2010-08-13T14:56:00.000-04:00

Hello Friday!

It has been a wonderful week. I turned 31 yesterday and had the best birthday! I had a great lunch with my family (including my parents) and got some great shoes and a little quiet time. It was a wonderful day!!

It is time for the Five Question Friday over at My Little Life. Read my answers, then go do your own. Make sure you link up!

1. Have you ever visited another country? Yes. My hubby and I went to Jamaica for our honeymoon and I have also briefly been to Canada.
2. Where is the strangest place you have ever been? Los Angeles!
3. What is your favorite season? Fall: Cool weather, hats, and football...doesn't get much better!
4. What one song will always cheer you up? Me & Bobby McGee By Kris Kristofferson (SP?) sung by the one and only Janis Joplin!
5. What Disney character do you resemble most? I have NO idea. Wow...that is tough. I'm going to say Nemo's Daddy (I can't remember his name!). I would go anywhere for my kiddos!

Have a great day!
With Love,
Theresa

Tuesday Three

2010-08-10T18:03:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have already posted once today (about 20 mintues ago actually), but I was catching up on some other blogs and saw this bloghop and thought it sounded fun and easy! :) So, Check out this one and do it yourself!

3 Things that Make Me Happy (my husband and children are not included in this, of course they make me happy..usually!)

1) Finishing a kntting project. And starting a new one. I LOVE the feel of completing one item just to cast on another!

2) Getting a phone call from the library telling me a book I had on hold is in!

3) My dad...I LOVE it when my dad calls me and we chat. He and I are very close and have gotten even closer as I get older. He is a wonderful carng man! I love ya dad!

Have a great one!!

Jinkies...It's A Clue!

2010-08-10T17:41:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday everyone! It has been a very frustrating day with 3 crabby and unlistening children, but made a little better by L running around yelling "ZOINKS!!" and trying to solve a "mystery" with J's help! It is actually very cute, my little Shaggy and Scooby Doo!

As it is Take It Off Tuesday, I will fill you in on the weightloss journey. This week I worked super duper hard. I lost 3.2 pounds!! That brings my total to 64.6 pounds. My original goal was 70 pounds by my 31st birthday. I have since changed that to 80 pounds by Thanksgiving, but it is pretty cool to be so close to my original goal. I'm hoping I can really kick some arse tomorrow (and the rest of today) and maybe get another .4 pounds off to make it an even 65 pounds on my 31st birthday (which is Thursday). I would be pretty darn proud of that!

I did do the newspaper article for our local paper. It should come out on Sunday the 15th. I will share a link if I can find one when it comes out. I was pretty nervous about doing this. The article was a lot more about Obesity in America and how that effects my area. I HATE that word, Obesity. Yes, I know that it is a problem, but it is such a negative word and makes people feel ashamed when they have weight to lose. The journalist that interviewed me said they were having a difficult time getting people to interview, especially women. So, I sucked it up and decided tat if sharing MY story could help even just one person, then it was my responsibility to share it. I hope I didn't sound like a complete idiot and I hope the picture they took of me is at least remotely decent. I guess we will see come Sunday huh?

I am super tired today so I am going to go for now. I've finished 2 books since last we talked so I have a couple of things to share tomorrow! :)
Have a great one!
With love,
Theresa

5 Question Friday

2010-08-06T14:40:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday!! It is Friday...here are some things you might not know about me! Read my answers, go to My Little Life and get them for your blog. Don't forget to link up!

1. Are you a neat sleeper or a messy sleeper?
A little of both, but more of the neat sleeper. I do usually kick off the comforter in the summer though.

2. Fill in the blank. I wish I was more ________________.
faithful. This is something I am working on right now. I'm getting there.

3. What is something that you wish you had been warned about?
How hard it is to be a mom. It is NOT all sunshine and roses. It is a difficult job!!

4. What was the best thing you ever found at a garage sale/flea market?
I have no idea, I really don't. I can't think of anything. I don't do a whole lot of garage sale shopping or flea market shopping.

5. If you could have any meal brought to you right now, what would it be?
My Grandmother's peirogies

With Love,
Theresa

What To Wear Then??

2010-08-03T15:21:00.000-04:00

OK, I have a RANT!!! I am sick to death of the fashion industry!!!

I am a 30 year old woman (let's forget that I turn 31 next week, OK?). I am a Stay At Home Mom. I spend a lot of my time at the gym, at home, or on playdates with friends (both with my kids or without!). I know that I am not the world's most stylish person, I admit that fully. However, I like to at least look decent, even if not wearing the latest fashions to show on "Project Runway".

Now, I have lost weight, that isn't a secret (I'm down another 2.2 pounds this week, but gained 2 last week somehow, so no biggie. I'm down 61.4 pounds total). I won a MACY's Gift Card through my Biggest Loser contest and went to the mall to see what I could find. NADA. Seriously. It is SO frustrating! I am too old to shop in the Juniors section, but too young to shop in the Misses section. I don't want to look like a teenager, but come on! I don't want to look like I'm 50 either! Now, I don't normally shop too much at MACY's because it is usually out of my price range, but I figured I would see if I could find anything. I found a few cute things, but just felt they made me look too young, too old, or just too dang goofy! Or, the few things that looked decent were WAY out of my price range or I just wasn't willing to spend my free $25 on them.

So, my question is this...WHY CAN'T THE FASHION INDUSTRY DESIGN THINGS WITH THE 30 YEAR OLD MOM IN MIND?????? There was a joke among my friends that we need to have a "Forever 31" store instead of "Forever 21"!!

Bottom line, I just wish SOMEONE would design an AFFORDABLE line of clothes with Moms like me in mind!!!

OK, done. How are you today??
With Love,
Theresa

Getting To Know You...

2010-08-01T14:28:00.001-04:00

Getting To Know All About You! :)

It's Sunday, so today's Meme is from MannLand5! Check mine out, go to her page, get the questions, answer them on yours and don't forget to link up! Leave me a comment though so I can visit you!

1. If you were to win an award today, what would it be for?
Best In Ignoring a Meltdown? J had a huge meltdown right at naptime because she wanted to play and not sleep (shocking huh?). I just stuck her in her bed and ignored her. At first I thought this question asked which award I would want to win...but alas, that is a question for another day! :)

2. What is your shoe style?
OMG, I LOVE shoes! Love them love them love them! Unfortunately I mainly wear sneakers right now just because I am usually at the gym at least once a day so I stay in them the rest of the day. But, if I have a choice, I wear heels. I love heels. I do not care that I am 6 feet tall and heels only make me taller. I married a tall man for a reason!!

3 Does your car reflect your personality?
Mini-van...reflect my personality? Probably not. Although, I love my swagger wagon!!

4. If you could take over someones body for a day..whose would you choose?
Who's Bruce Willis's significant other these days? If not her, than I choose Reba McEntire. She seems like she has a fun day all the time!

5. Love or be loved?
Both really, but I choose Love. Sometimes it is more difficult to BE LOVED than it is to love!

6. If you were on death row, what last meal would you choose?
Fried Green Tomatoes to start, Peroigies, Fettuccine Alfredo, Garlic Bread, Steak (rare), Corn On the Cob, My grandmother's cinnamon rolls, cheesecake, and chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. Yes, that is a lot. But, it is my last meal, I don't care about carbs, and if I'm not going to be around after this meal, then who cares how stuffed I am!!

7. Have you been on vacation this Summer, if so where?
The kids and I went to my parents' house. Not so much a vacation, but a visit. Besides, in the immortal words of Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen from Modern Family on ABC), "I'm a mom, it's not a vacation, it is a business trip!"

8. What is your favorite food related guilty pleasure?
Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, fried green tomatoes, cheesecake, oh my, the list goes on and on. But, probably chocolate and fried green tomatoes mostly (not together...ew!)

Have a great day!!
With Love,
Theresa

Hoping To Get Back To The Grind!!

2010-07-30T13:32:00.000-04:00

Wow! Is it really Friday? As crazy as this week has been I have to admit that I can't believe it is Friday already! Some part of me find it a little sad that this SAHM looks forward to Fridays so much. I mean, it isn't like my life changes at all on the weekends. I still have to get up with the kids since E runs both Saturday and Sunday morning. I still do all my mommy duties on the weekends. But, I look forward to Fridays so much. Part of it is that we do our grocery shopping on Friday nights. Many people find this very odd, I know. When E and I were dating, we grocery shopped together, we continued this after we were married. When L, then J, then M came along, we just continued all going together (granted, we have had to add a second cart to our trip!). Friday nights usually aren't quite as busy so if the kids throw a fit then I don't feel like they are disturbing that many people. And it has really just become part of our routine. The kids know that Friday nights are for groceries. Now, if we have something else come up, we are flexible, but I have to admit it completely throws off my weekend if we have to go Saturday morning!

Boy, that was exciting information about my family wasn't it? :)

So, what else has been going on? I don't have a whole lot to report, we've just been busy. Last week we went to my parents' house for a couple of days and had a great time, but were ready to get home. It is always fun to visit with Grandma and Grandpa (aka Pappy). L got to ride a horse and all 3 played in the baby pool.

On the weightloss front, I lost 4 pounds last week, then this week I GAINED 2 pounds. I am giving up trying to figure it out!! Seriously, it is getting ridiculous! I am chalking it up to hormones and bigger muscles, but I really feel like I take 2 steps forward and 1 step back every other week. I know that it will all get off eventually if I keep working like I have been, I just have to keep having the faith in myself. One neat thing about this through, is I might be in the newspaper. One of the managers at my gym called me yesterday and asked if I would be interested in being in an article about working towards my weightloss goal! She said the newspaper asked for suggestions and she instantly thought of me since I have been working so hard and am having good (usually) success. I haven't heard from the writer yet, but still, pretty neat to be considered for it.

Books to be reviewed? You betcha!

I have finished 3 books since my last Book Worm review. Here is what I thought!

The Accidental Demon Slayer & The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers both by Angie Fox were both pretty entertaining. They are about an ordinary girl who finds out on her 30th birthday that she is in fact a Demon Slayer by birth and now that she is 30, she has duties to fulfill. And if she doesn't fulfill them then all of hell is going to be gunning for her. I had been eyeing these books in the library for a while and am glad that I was finally able to get them read. I enjoyed them. They didn't take a lot of thought and were pretty easy reads. I just checked out the newest in the series of 3 so far (sorry, I can't remember its name!). I will read it soon as soon as I get some others marked off!

The other book I finished was Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke (you can find her at http://www.murdershebaked.com/- isn't that the neatest website name?). I LOVE these murder mysteries. They are all about Hannah Swendsen who has a bad habit of finding dead bodies. She is a baker and owns a Cookie Store in Minnesota. Each book has a ton of recipes in them. They all sound so yummy. I think this Christmas I may try and check some out to make some new cookies for Christmas!! This book is great, as are all of hers. They are NOT difficult to read, don't take a lot of thinking (which is what I am looking for in a fiction book!) and are enjoyable. The only bad thing about these books...they make me hungry!!

I do have some knitting done, but do not have pictures of them so next week, I will make sure I indulge you all with some fiber therapy!

So, it is Friday. I am really enjoying these meme's about Getting to know you and other varieties. Today is from "My Little Life" at http://www.fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/ (for some reason my link button is not working, hence giving you the addresses!). As always, read mine, go to her site to get the questions, write them on your blog and leave me a link so I can check yours out! If you don't have a blog, leave me your answers in the comments!

1. Did you have a favorite blanket or toy as a kid? If so, do you still have it? Yes, I did. I had a piggy blanket. This wasn't a blanket with pigs on it, it was a blanket in the shape of a pig. Unfortunately, I don't have it anymore, but I REALLY wish I did!
2. Do you dream in color? Yes, I think so.
3. How tall are you? Do you wish you were shorter or taller? I am 6 feet tall and I love it! I have always loved my height. To make it even better, I love to wear heels, the taller the better! My friends hate it when I do, but I married a 6'5" man for a reason!
4. If you could have anyone's (celeb or other) voice as the guide on your GPS, who would it be? I am going to say either Sean Connery or Gerard Butler. Gotta love those accents!!
5. Do you return your shopping cart to the corral or leave it wherever in the parking lot? It depends. I would love to say that I ALWAYS return them, but that would be a lie. If I am not alone or am parked near a corral, I return it. But, if I am by myself with 3 kids and the corral is not right next to me, then I put it in the "median" area of the parking lot in front of my space (if I can). I do not just leave it wherever though. It is just too difficult to try and get 3 kids in the car and then try and find the corral. I do try very hard to park next to the corral though so I can avoid leaving the cart out, even if we have to walk a little farther!

That is me...how are you doing?

Have a great one!

With love,

Theresa

What A Bad Blogger Am I!

2010-07-28T13:10:00.000-04:00

I am sorry I am such a bad blogger and blog follower right now. Life has been crazy. I am hoping to be back tomorrow!
With love,
Theresa

Getting To Know You

2010-07-25T12:27:00.001-04:00

It is time again for MannLand5's Getting To Know you! Check out my answers, then go do your own. Don't forget to link up!

1. Thong or Granny Panties?
Do you really really want to know this? Seriously? Ok then, I guess I will tell you. We will just say, it isn't granny panties! :)

2. If you see a guy with his fly down, do you tell him?
I don't know if I ever have seen some dude walking around with his fly down, but yeah, I think I would tell him.

3. Spanx or no Spanx?
On a normal day, no spanx, but if I am dressing up or the outfit demands it then, yes. Absolutely Spanx (well, generic Spanx, but spanx-ish)!

4. Do you sleep in your sheets?
I'm not sure I understand the questions. Yes, my bed has sheets on it. Yes I sleep between them. This question is confusing. I am going to answer yes, I do sleep in my sheets.

5. What is your favorite Disney character?
Nemo. He is cute, determined, and sweet. I like him.

6. Dream vacation spot?
Can I go back to Jamaica please? No? Well, how about Cancun or Bermuda? Some place warm? Oddly on the flip side, I would love to go to a cabin in the woods and just hole up for a week with the hubby, good food, good alcohol, good books, good movies, and LOTS of knitting!

7. What is your dream job?
Lounge singer! :)

8. Who is your hero and why?
I think I have heroes for different aspects of my life. My overall hero is and has always been my cousin Jennifer. My "mommy" heroes are my good friends Natalie and Casey (who has a blog, but I don't know the address...Case, send that to me!!). Both have little children and seem to handle them with grace and patience. I strive for that daily! My knitting hero is The Yarn Harlot. My music heroes are Janis Joplin and Garth Brooks. Finally, I'm sure someone will say I shouldn't have my hubby as my hero, but I do. E works very hard to provide for the kids and myself. He is patient, sweet, and kind. I love him very much and I know that he loves me. He is most definitely one of my heroes!

I will be back tomorrow to actually write a bit more. Sorry I have been a little MIA. Life has gotten kind of crazy!!
With Love,
Theresa

5 Question Friday

2010-07-16T10:38:00.000-04:00

I have decided to join in on this meme too. It is Five Question Friday over at My Little Life. Enjoy!! Oh, anyone visiting from Follow Me, Chickadee-WELCOME!!

1. Do you collect anything?
Yarn? Fabric? Not what you meant huh? I actually collect bells. I have bells from just about every place I have ever been. I have bells from other countries that people have brought back for me. One of my favorites is from Germany! I have bells for holidays and just random ones too! I have these great little mini ones that a friend got me for my bridal shower, they are super cute!

2. Name 3 celebrities that you find good looking.
Bruce Willis

Vince Vaughn

Gerard Butler

Vin Diesel

(Yes, that is 4, sue me!) :)

3. Do you have any scars? If so, what's the story behind it (them?)?
Uh, Yes. I'm a klutz! Let's see, the main ones: 2 on my knee from 2 knee surgeries (one ACL repair and one to take a screw out from the ACL repair), 4 orthoscopic ones on the knee too from the first surgery, 4 appendix scars, 1 in the head from cousin hitting me with a baseball bat, 1 one on my back from having a mole cut out. The rest are from being a klutz and falling down a lot!

4. What is a food that you like to eat, but others might think it's gross or weird?
Fried Green Tomatoes! Can't wait, the tomato plants are just about ready. These are the entire reason I plant them!!!

5. Have you ever seen a tornado in real life?
3 actually. When I was a kiddo, I was staying at my aunt and uncle's house and watched 2 go over the house from the little windows in the basement. I also watched one go across the back yard when I was younger because we couldn't get to the basement fast enough. Needless to say, I am a little skittish when it comes to storms and tornado weather!

Here is the badge for Follow Me, Chickadee if you are interested!

With Love, Theresa

My Twilight Thoughts

2010-07-15T12:44:00.000-04:00

I know that today is Thursday and that usually means Fiber-therapy, but I don't really have anything to post. So instead, I thought I would write about my feeling on what is apparently a slightly touchy subject, The Twilight Series.

After I went and saw "Eclipse" last night, I got to thinking about the series. This morning I posted this on Facebook:

Twilight question: Do you love it? Why or why not? If you don't like it, have you actually read the books/seen the movies or are you just tired of the hype? Just curious! This popped into my head last night as I was trying to go to sleep.

Was I ever surprised at the response! There are several people that apparently feel VERY strongly about these books/movies either positively or negatively. There were responses ranging from critiquing Stephenie Meyer's writing ability to praising her connection & insight into the Young Adult crowd. Critiques about how the movies compared to the books. There were critiques involving the actors and their portrayals of the roles and also just their acting ability in general. It seemed the biggest point of contention was whether or not it is weird or gross for women over their teenage years to find the actors/characters "hot".

Do you want to know my thoughts? Well, I'm guessing you do since you are reading my blog and if you don't, well, tough, it is my blog and I am going to write what I want. :)

Also, from here on out, unless I say a specific book, when you read Twilight, assume I am talking about the entire series, not just the first book. :)

The first time I read the books the 4th wasn't out yet. I really didn't like them much, although I felt like "Eclipse" was the best of the first 3 (I still don't really like "New Moon" as much). Now, once I start a series, I usually have to finish it or it will really bother me. So, when "Breaking Dawn" came out, I re-read the first 3 to remind myself of what had led up to that point. As I read, I actually started to enjoy them more and more. As I read "Breaking Dawn", I started to understand the hype. It isn't that they are fantastically written, because truth be told, the actual writing is only so-so. But, I think Meyer brings the vampire genre into more of a "real world" thing instead of scary, creepy, & super-natural. I read a LOT and actually read a lot of vampire/werewolf fiction. These are by no means among the best I have read, but I think that among the young adult books of this genre, they are better than most or at least those that I have read, and yes, I HAVE read others. These were NOT meant to be scary. They are a love story, and everything, even the super-natural parts revolve around that. As a woman, I think many (not all) of us are pre-programmed to look for the love story in things. THAT is where Twilight delivers. Above all it is a love story, a modern day Romeo & Juliet (before anyone comes down on me for that comparison, I am not saying Twilight is in league with R&J, just that it is R&J-esque in that it is about star-crossed lovers!) The famous love triangle, almost ANY good romance is based around that theme. Twilight is no different.

I did enjoy the movies ("New Moon" movie was WAY better than the book in my opinion) though, and really enjoyed "Eclipse" last night. I am not really a huge fan of Kristin Stewart,

but feel that she plays the completely un-selfaware character of Bella well. I am anxious to see how she portrays Bella in "Breaking Dawn". Throughout Twilight, we see Bella as weak and slowly growing stronger. At the end of "Eclipse" she shows strength as courage as "the third wife" (you will have needed to read the books to understand this). SPOILER ALERT!! "Breaking Dawn" is all about her courage, especially her courage as a mother. The Pro-life/pro-choice debate comes out a little in "Breaking Dawn" and the question is brought out in whether or not Bella will keep the baby. Her courage and strength will also be HUGE in the remaining story. So, I am curious to see if Stewart can pull it off. I don't consider her a really strong actress so I REALLY hope she can do the part justice in the final installment.

I do think that Robert Pattinson

may not have been the best fit for the role of Edward, but I really can't come up with who would be better in the role. I haven't seen much of an example of his acting ability though. He was good as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter, but I haven't seen "Remember Me". I will give him credit though for having the "broodiness" of Edward down well. That was even more apparent in "Eclipse" last night.

My favorite character is Jacob. I love his smart-ass attitude toward Edward and how he loves Bella so completely, faults and all. His character is easy to love though, as I would consider him the underdog of the love triangle, and who doesn't love the underdog? I admit fully that I LOVE Taylor Lautner as Jacob!

I know this is a HUGE source of contention among fans and critics. Is it OK that women who are NOT teenagers are fawning all over these guys? Do you all remember when Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen from "Full House" were not quite 18 yet

and men everywhere were just waiting for the day that they would be legal (I remember there being websites with countdowns on them!!)? I HIGHLY doubt that the majority of these men honestly thought that they would have a shot with Mary Kate and Ashley once they hit 18, but they still looked forward to the day. Why? My opinion is so that they wouldn't get knocked on for thinking these girls were hot. At age 18 they are legal, plain and simple. At the time I remember thinking, "Seriously guys? This is ridiculous! You have LITERALLY watched these girls grow up!" I still think that since we all watched MK & Ashley since they were babies, it may be a LITTLE more of a creepy situation than with Taylor, but it is similar. The only other movie I have seen Lautnor in when he was younger was "The Adventures of SharkBoy & Lava Girl. Taylor has grown up into a very fine looking young man. I get that he is only 18, okay, but he is extremely good looking. Now, if I ever met him, it isn't like I'm going to drool over him or anything, or fall at his feet pledging my eternal love, he's just pretty to look at, & is it really that bad to appreciate how he looks? My friend J.S. had this to say and I think it is brilliant: "I don't think for a lot of ladies that they're really into a 17 year old for their current-day middle aged self, but at least to me it's surprisingly easy to fall back into the 17 year old version of myself." I totally get that J.S.!! Personally, I actually think that Emmett and Carlisle are probably the 2 best looking of the group.

Aren't they yummy? :)

I do think the hype is a little crazy, but it is no different than Harry Potter (although those are far superior books). My Facebook friend A. said it well, "its pretty cool to see kids so fired up about BOOKS!" I agree! I think that kids today do not get fired up ENOUGH about books. I love that teens lined up for these books the same way adults did for the new IPhone!

Edited to add:
Now, on the issue of sex in this story. Vampire genre is all about sex. Drinking blood and sex often go hand in hand & in many books/movies the very act of drinking blood is sexual in nature. Sex is obviously VERY prevalent then in most vampire tales (if you don't believe me, watch an episode of "... See MoreTrue Blood" on HBO!). Now, remembering that these books are written for a TEENAGE audience, I found the lack of sex to be refreshing. Sex is everywhere & teens are pressured with it everywhere they turn. It was nice to see a character have the restraint. Watching the third movie, I remember thinking that I was going to be upset if they defied the books there & had them have sex.

I will say this though, think that we really need to make sure that any young girls (& boys) that read these books/watch these movies know some important things though:

1. It is NOT OK for them to have a boy-friend/girl-friend in their room without permission.

2. Just because you love someone does not mean you have to feel like they are your only life and without them, you can't go on.

3. Just because you have a boy-friend/girl-friend does NOT mean you drop your other friends and never spend time with them.

4. This is FICTION!!! (I actually think it would be good for adults to remember that too!). It is NOT real life!!

I am a firm believer though in making sure you KNOW what your child is reading. I haven't had to worry yet as "Cat In The Hat"

isn't really all that scandalous. But, I plan on reading the same books my kids do as they get older. Parents need to KNOW what their kids are reading. That way when questions and situations come up that the kids don't know how to react to, the parent is clued in and can discuss them with their child! Know what your kids are reading people!! If you do have a reading teen check out THIS website, I haven't really used it yet too much, but it might help you!

I would love to hear what YOU think! Obviously, people tend to get a little testy when it comes to defending their opinions. Please remember that these are MY opinions and I promise to respect yours if you respect mine! To each their own!

OK, I'm done now. I hope you enjoyed MY opinion of the series! I know there is more that I think and my brain is blnking, but I think you probably get the gist of it right? Bottom line, I'm hooked and proud of it! :) Have a great day!
With Love,
Theresa

Books, Movies, Like Borders Without The Music

2010-07-14T16:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Wednesday! I LOVE Wednesdays! I do I do! My In Laws are here and they let me leave the house! It was fantastic! I only went to Walmart, but I walked all over the store, just looking at things. I had headphones in and listened to music so I didn't have to talk to anyone. It was FABULOUS!!

It has actually been a good week so far. I am only frazzled because of poor M. His teeth are HOPEFULLY coming in and the poor kid has been screaming his head off for 2 days! I wish I could just magically make them come in for him. But, I guess that is part of being a parent huh?

Monday night I was blessed to spend the evening knitting with my wonderful neighbor and 2 friends at Nine Irish Brothers (a fantastic Ireland themed bar!) It was so much fun. My neighbor and I taught my friends Melissa and Casey to knit! I think Casey is HOOKED! She actually came over the next day and the kids played together so we could knit together some more! Why else did she come over you might ask? Well, she hadn't seen Twilight: New Moon yet and she needed to see it! Because....WE ARE FINALLY GOING TONIGHT!! I am SO SO happy!!! I have been waiting sort of patiently on my friend Jaeneen get home from vacation so we could go together. They say this one is awesome! I can't wait! I've had my movie knitting ready to go for 2 days now. Yes, before you ask, I DO knit during the movies. If it is a simple pattern, it is an easy and fun thing to do.

I tried a new class at the gym today. Cardio Box. It was actually REALLY fun. I was pretty proud of myself, I never had to quit because I was out of shape. I didn't totally get all the moves and probably looked ridiculous, but who cares! I would FINALLY get the routine and the instructor would switch it up! I really felt like Tea Leoni

in "Fun With Dick & Jane" as she tries to teach at her gym. Too funny! I think I will try it again to see if it gets easier.

Just FYI, since I didn't post yesterday, I gained a pound this week. I'm not stressing about it. I think either I've hit the point where my body is trying to hold on to the fat because of nursing, or it is just yo-yoing a it. There is NO way I ate enough/didn't exercise enough to gain a pound, so it can't be a stresser. It will all work out.

So, would you like a book review? I finished Moon Spinners by Sally Goldenbaum last week, but I didn't get it reviewed, so here you go. :)

I enjoyed this book. It is the 3rd in a series about knitting mysteries, but unfortunately I have not read the second one. I apparently missed that one on the shelf. I've read enough mysteries that I usually don't have too much problem figuring out who done it. This book kept me guessing. I thought I had it figured out and then thought I didn't. I really did enjoy it. I have the 2nd one that I missed on hold at the library so I look forward to reading it and maybe figuring out a couple of the references they made in Moon Spinners to it. If you like knitting mysteries, go for it!

Now I am reading The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox. It is kind of corny, but not a bad read so far.

I am VERY excited by a find at WalMart though. I found this:

for $5! I have LOVED this movie since I was a little girl. Whenever we used to have slumber parties, we ALWAYS rented "Adventures In BabySitting" and "Can't Buy Me Love" (Hello, Dr. McDreamy!!). Now, if I can find it, I will be ecstatic!!

I'm sill working on my 101 things. Any other suggestions?

So, it has been a good day. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE MOVIES TONIGHT! Okay, I'm done.

How has your day been?
With Love,
Theresa

Getting To Know You

2010-07-11T18:53:00.000-04:00

It would be Sunday, and that means it is time for Getting To Know You over at MannLand5! Check out mine, go over there, get yours, and then link up! Simple huh?!

1. What is YOUR definition of sexy?
Tall, confident, funny

2. Would you rather clean up puke or change a poopy diaper?
Oh, Poop, all the way. I HATE puke! Whenever the kids get sick it takes all my self control to not throw up too. I am not always successful! Come to think of it, I'm the same way with blood. Ugh!

3. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Total Extrovert. I am WAY social, probably to the point of annoying. I married a real introvert so sometimes that is interesting. I've learned really quickly how to introduce myself at social functions, because I know that E isn't going to do it!

4. If you had to give up one of your 5 senses for a year..which one would you give up?
Man, that is a difficult choice. At first I was going to say hearing just so I wouldn't have to listen to my children whine. Then I realized I would miss all the laughter too. Sight is most definitely out, I need that. Touch you've got to have, think of the snuggles you would miss (not mentioning the feel of yarn. No way I'm giving that up!). I wouldn't want to give up taste, as I would miss chocolate too much (although, the pounds would probably come off quicker that way!). I am going to go with smell. I wouldn't have to smell any of those aforementioned poopy diapers that way! My aunt has no sense of smell and she seems to be getting along fine!

5. Cake or Pie?
Uh, Cake! Cake cake cake! Well, maybe pie. Hmm...I'm not sure I can choose that! If I HAD to (and I mean HAD to) choose, then I will go with cake. As long as it is chocolate with chocolate frosting (and chocolate ice cream while we are at it!)

6. If you could play any character on TV (old or current) who would you play?

Jennifer from WKRP. She was hot, was technically a secretary, but other than answer phones, she didn't seem to do much except add eye candy to the studio. She got to work with Johnny Fever and Les Nessman! Sounds like a dream job to me!! :)

7. My favorite website is.....?
Ravelry...Duh! That's a shock huh!?!?! (The irony here is that I actually typed "sock" instead of "shock" and thought it looked right for a minute. Sorry, knitting humor!)

8. The highlight of my day is....?
Bedtime. I know how bad that sounds, but that is the only time of day that I can spend with just the hubby and myself. Even if we are just watching TV or something it is comforting to just be with him. I do love my children, but I don't get a whole lot of hubby time with them around (and I don't mean that way! Get your mind out of the gutter!!)

Hope your weekend was fantastic! Have a great rest of your Sunday!
With Love,
Theresa

Randomness, Complete Randomness

2010-07-09T10:37:00.000-04:00

Sorry for being MIA the past couple of days. The computer has been a real Pain In My Butt and keeps freezing up on me. It is getting SO frustrating! So, where was I?

I didn't miss much on Wednesday I guess. I didn't have a book finished. I do now, but I think I am going to make you wait until next Wednesday to hear about it. Sorry! :)

Fiber Therapy Thursday about broke my heart! I had been working on a log cabin baby blanket for J's Speech Therapist. Well, after thinking about it and being realistic, I decided there was NO way I would get it done in time. She is leaving at the end of August so I would have to have it done by then...I'm NOT that fast of a knitter! So, I went with a different plan and decided to make a baby sweater. I have always wanted to try the Baby Surprise Jacket designed by Elizabeth Zimmerman. Now, what is special about this jacket is that apparently you knit this random wonky somewhat rectangle and then fold it origami style into a sweater. I decided to go for it! All was working out fine, I was about half way done. Then I REALLY looked at it and saw that I had ROYALLY screwed it up. I mean BAD! So, instead of going insane, I mean trying to figure out my mistakes, I just ripped it all out. So, I am back to where I started. I cast it on again last night and can hopefully figure out what I did wrong last time. The problem for me is that Zimmermann's patterns are written more like stories and not like patterns. They are a little difficult to follow the first time. I am going to sit down I think and actually write the pattern out for myself, maybe that will help.

Random Friday stuff:

1. Still working on my 101 things in 1001 days. I would like to start this on August 1st, so I am trying to come up with my list. This is a lot more difficult than one would think it would be. I'm really having to think carefully. This isn't a life bucket list. There are several things that I would REALLY like to do in my life, like go to Alaska or Europe. But, in reality am I going to be able to do those things in 1001 days? In a word, NO. So, I have to think of things that are going to stretch me as a person, but are not out of the scope of reality. This is much more difficult than one would think it would be. Right now I am at 12. I've got a while to go, huh?

2. Watched Lady Gaga

on the Today show this morning. I've not really been a huge fan, but have respected her musical talent. I have to admit, she was pretty fabulous this morning. She has this really amazing low deep voice and as an alto I totally respect that! She plays the piano amazingly too. I just don't get the craziness. But, I guess it is really no different than what KISS did, is it? KISS wore crazy make-up and had insane show antics, and they are awesome. I guess I just find it a little sad that it seems her actual musical talent is overshadowed by all the craziness and theatrics!

3. I'm tired of picking up toys! Seriously, I have picked up toy after toy in this house, even after having the girls pick up toys. It is getting ridiculous! I think we are in for a good toy clean out!

4. Am majorly annoyed at people thinking a Stay At Home Mom doesn't work all day. Even more annoyed at the fact that sometimes it is previous SAHM's that seem to think this.

5. SO excited about FINALLY getting to go see Eclipse next Wednesday!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!! Did I mention that I am excited about this?!?! :)

OK, well, that's all for today. Have a great day everyone!
With Love,
Theresa

Day Of Success!

2010-07-06T17:18:00.000-04:00

What a day it has been! The best news of today?? My bestie had a new little baby boy this morning!!! I can not WAIT to see him! Granted, he is in Ireland and I will have to wait until December to actually see him in person, but still, I can't WAIT to see his pictures at least! Baby C made his grand appearance at 6:45am Ireland Time this morning. He weighed in at 6 pounds 15 ounces and mommy and baby are doing great!! Assuming she gives me the go ahead, I will post some pics when I have them!

Also good news is that I lost 5.4 pounds today! Seriously! Apparently gaining a pound last week helped get me over the stupid plateau I was on. I am glad. It was nice to see a good drop this week!

I've been seeing a lot of other bloggers have been doing a "101 things to do in 1001 days". I tried to find a single link to this, but all I could find was this. I don't know if this Day Zero actually started this idea or not, but I think it sounds like a lot of fun. So, I am making my list of things to do. Once I get them done and posted, I will make sure to put up a page so you can see how I am doing. Anyone else doing this? Leave me a note in the comments so I can check your 101 things.

Not much else today. I hope you all had a safe and fun 4th of July!
With Love,
Theresa

Getting To Know You

2010-07-04T11:46:00.001-04:00

It is Getting To Know You Day over at MannLand5. I hope that you all have a wonderful SAFE Independence Day!! Never forget the soldiers past and present that allow us this independence! God Bless them all!

1. What do you look forward to the most on the 4th of July?
Probably just the family time. We haven't been to a 4th of July party for awhile.

2. Are you a hugger?
Uh, Yeah. Big Time!!

3. What is your favorite BBQ'd food?
Pork, Beef, Ribs, Chicken...really? I have to pick? I LOVE BBQ!

4. Do you like to watch parades?
Not really. I just don't think it is that exciting. The only exception is the Macy's Thanksgiving parade on TV, but who DOESN'T like to watch that?

5. Who has stinkier farts..boys or girls?
I'll say boys, but girls can too. At least in this house they do!

6. Vampires or Werewolves?
I am a vampire girl, however, werewolves have there place. Especially if they all look like Jacob! :)

7. Do you read your horoscope?
If it is right in front of me, I don't go looking for it though. I am a Leo by the way!

8. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Ha! Seriously? Uh, you want me to PICK one? Yeah right! OK, I guess any kind that has chocolate in it (DUH!). One of the best I have ever had though is called Amaretto Chocolate Cherry at a shop here in town. SO FREAKIN' GOOD!!

Thursday Five

2010-07-01T14:31:00.000-04:00

Happy July Everyone! Can you believe the year is half over? It has really gone quickly hasn't it? Here are my Thursday 5 from MannLand5!

1. I am HAPPY that J is doing so well in speech therapy. She hit her first goal for the program! Now we are going to work on getting up to 100 words!

2. I am GIDDY that L seems to have an interest in knitting. She watches me and you can tell she wants to learn. I plan on sitting her down this weekend to show her and to see what she thinks!

3. I am JOYFUL I got a chance to visit with my friend Darci and her kiddos while they were visiting from Connecticut. We went to the zoo on Tuesday and then they came over here yesterday. What fun! We miss you guys!

4. I am EXCITED that Eclipse has come out. I am bummed that I am waiting until the 14th to see it, but I promised a friend I would go with her. It is a good thing I like you so much Jeaneen!

5. I am SO APPRECIATIVE of my friends and family and the support they give me in all my endeavors. The support for the whole weight loss/life style change has been emmense, but just support in general makes me so humble in how blessed I am! I love you all!

Have a wonderful day everyone!!
With Love,
Theresa

Book Worm Wednesday!!

2010-06-30T13:20:00.000-04:00

First Off, can I just say how blessed I am? I received such an outpouring of support from friends on Facebook regarding my post yesterday! I am just FLOORED! I was NOT expecting that. I had had a few people ask for pics, so I just thought I would oblige. Thank you all SO much for making me feel so wonderful and beautiful! You have really inspired and motivated me to hit my goal. So, I am back at it! Again, thank you. You are wonderful friends!

I haven't been to the gym since Sunday though. I threw my back out somehow on Monday and it is still pretty painful. I am hoping that I will be able to get back to business tomorrow though!

I did get a book finished! I just read Dead Until Dark By Charlaine Harris.

This is the first in the Southern Vampire Series featuring Sookie Stackhouse. I really enjoyed this book. I know shocker, it's about vampires...why wouldn't I like it?!?! I have to admit though that I think the MAIN reason I enjoyed it was because one of my favorite shows is based on these novels. The show "True Blood" on HBO is based on these novels. The first season of the show was pretty much this book. But, I enjoyed it none the less and really look forward to getting the rest from the library. I may have to wait though until the newest season of "True Blood" is over though because I kept getting things confused! :) The only thing I didn't like about it is that Sookie's Best Friend Tara in the show is NOT in the book. This is NOT a huge deal obviously, just something that bugged me.

I am currently reading Moon Spinners by Sally Goldenbaum.

This is a knitting mystery and the 3rd in this series. Hopefully I will have it done next week to review!

Have a great day everyone!
With Love,
Theresa

What I Look Like On My 100th Post!

2010-06-29T14:09:00.000-04:00

This is my 100th post for Full Time Job!! Granted, for the first 2 years, I wasn't a very good poster and have only really been a decent poster in the past couple of months, but it is still my 100th post, so GO ME! :)

So, today is Take It Off Tuesday. I promised that I would be honest in my postings, so in the attempt to be honest, I will tell you that I gained a pound this week. I was prepared for this. I was SO tired of counting POINTS and stressing about it all that I took the week off of counting. I tried not to go overboard, but did enjoy myself a little bit. I ate more than I should have, but life moves on. So, I was prepared for a pound this morning. I started counting again this morning and feel more motivated already! The only problem now is I threw my back out yesterday and haven't worked out since Sunday. :( Hopefully the back will be better tomorrow. As I type, I am sitting with the hot pad on it, so I am hoping that helps! My plan is to work really hard this week (as soon as I can!) and REALLY watch my POINTS so hopefully I will have a big loss this week!

I've had a lot of people ask to see what I looked like now that I have lost over 50 pounds. I was able to get dressed up over the weekend had got a couple of pictures taken. So, I will share.

This is me before. This pic was taken at M's baptism in December 2009 (sorry it isn't a great pic, but it is all I've got!):

This is me now:

This is me and my hot hubby!

Thank you so much to everyone for being so supportive of me throughout my weight loss journey! It means so much. I am re-motivated and ready to hit my goal!

With Love,
Theresa

Brownies? Heck Yeah!

2010-06-28T17:14:00.000-04:00

So, I really waned brownies and I had heard about Black Bean Brownies from some other people, I thought I would give a try. Well, let me tell you,they were frickin' awesome!!! I don't even know how to describe them! I couldn't taste the black beans at all! The only difference was a bit of cakier texture, but I like cakey brownies. I had to restrain myself! Well, I didn't do a very good job of that today (I'm not counting POINTS again until tomorrow), but will if they last very long. I found a lot of different versions online, but here is what I did. It was stupid easy and quick!

Black Bean Brownies

1 box brownie Mix
1 15 oz. can black beans

Preheat oven to 350. Drain and rinse the beans. Put beans back in the can and fill with enough water to cover the beans. Pour beans and water into a food processor or blender. Warn children that the noise will be loud! Puree the beans. Mix into brownie mix. Pour into a greased 11x7 pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Cut into 20 squares for 2 POINTS each.

Here are a couple of mine:

Then I did this:

AWESOME!!

Getting To Know You

2010-06-28T09:46:00.000-04:00

It is Getting To Know You time again over at MannLand5. Check out my answers and then go over to her blog and get them yourself. Make sure you link up and leave me a comment and let me know so I can go check you out! :)

1.If you had $5000.00 to spend on plastic surgery what would you have done?
As much as I hate to admit it, I would get my boobs done. I don't want implants really just to have them moved back up to where they were before I had and nursed 3 kids!

2. Do you watch Soap operas and if so what is your favorite and why?
I don't watch afternoon soap operas, no. I do watch prime time ones though like "Desperate Housewives" and the such.

3. Favorite clothing brand?
Walmart? I like Old Navy and Target. I am pretty low maintenance so I tend to buy inexpensive things. I am looking forward to buying some "Flirt" jeans from Old Navy once I am done losing weight! Apparently they are supposed to make almost any figure look fantastic!

4. An afternoon shopping spree at your favorite store or maid service for a year?
That would completely depend on how much money I have to spend. My favorite store would be a yarn shop. I could rack up some expenses in that time! :) The maid service for a year might be cheaper for whomever is footing the bill! OK, actual decision, I would have to say the maid service...I would have a clean house and time to knit!

5. Would you ever vajazzle?
Uh, No.

6. Favorite Disney Princess?
Probably Mulan (see #10 on Friday's Post here). She's really the only one that is strong, and doesn't rely on the prince to save her! She does the saving! Now every other female in this house would say the prize goes to Cinderella! My friend Amy has a great post about Princesses, here, and about Princes here.

7. Last movie that made you bawl your eyes out?
Is it so sad that I cry so much at movies that I am having trouble figuring out the last one that made me do it? I really can't pinpoint the last one that I bawled at, seeing as how if there is ANYTHING remotely emotional about it, I will most likely cry. E tends to find this hilarious!

8. Have you ever broken any bones and if so what?
No, I haven't broken any bones. Ripped some ligaments, but nothing broken. Considering what a klutz I am, I consider this a pretty big miracle!

Big Thanks MannLand5 for doing this meme as my mind is in a fog today due to a RAGING headache and I don't think I really could have come up with something to write about!

With Love,
Theresa

Random Things About Me!

2010-06-25T14:35:00.000-04:00

Hi all! I have been sitting here trying to figure out what to blog about today. I was coming up EMPTY!! And I do mean EMPTY! So, I am going to cheat and tell you 10 things about myself. I have already done 25 of them that you can read here.

1. I LOVE Janis Joplin!! Seriously, for a woman whose voice really was not very musical, she sure could wail! (I am not even going to tell you how many times I had to type wail to get it spelled right!) And speaking of...

2. I am a HORRIBLE speller! (Have to add that after I hit spell check, I discovered I had spelled Horrible wrong!) Thank goodness for spell check! I was a great student in school and it was a good thing I have a good memory and could memorize things because if I don't pay attention, I can't spell crap! C-R-A-P...huh, I guess I can! :)

3. I have become a HUGE Sci-Fi Nerd! I'm not sure when this happened, but I just can't get enough Star Trek, Star Wars, and the like. Maybe that is why I like the whole vampire/supernatural genre so much too. My name is Theresa and I am a nerd!

4. I am a Pack Rat! Now, I don't think you will see me on "Hoarders" any time soon, but I really am. It comes honest, both grandmothers are/were. I keep the most random things too, you never know when you might need them! I am trying to do better, but I have the hardest time throwing things away!

5. I can type VERY fast! My mom was a typing teacher so I learned how to type at an early age. This was a HUGE blessing in college as it helped when having to type papers in the wee hours of the mornings! Also, occasionally paid for some beer when I typed papers for others.

6. I get super-duper excited when I see that someone has sent me a Facebook message or left me a comment on here. I mean, probably stupid excited! Want to guess how happy I am when I get snail mail?!?

7. I have all these plans of crafts that I want to do, things I want to make, new things I want to try. How much do I get done? Not much...3 kids take a lot of my free time. Geez. :)

8. I took piano lessons from the time I was about 5 or 6 until I was 12 or 13 (I don't really remember exactly when I started or finished, but it was about 7 years!). I used to be really good. I haven't played in a long time and could probably till read the music just fine, but I have a feeling it would take me a while to get through any songs. L really wants to learn. Whenever the time comes that we build a bigger house, the first thing I want to put in is a piano. I'll probably just go with a standing one, but would love a Grand Piano! Oh to dream!!

9. I've never really gotten into Halloween. I don't know why...I LOVE to dress up. I would love to act You would think that would be a natural transition!

10. The Disney Princesses annoy the crap out of me! I realize in this house, my two darling daughters would say that is blasphemous, but seriously! All this having to be rescued by a man...it gets old! The only one that doesn't drive me completely up a wall is Mulan, mainly because she does most of the rescuing! That said, I will sit down and watch them though. At least the songs are enjoyable! :)

There you go. 10 things you maybe didn't know about me! Now, aren't you glad you didn't ask and now know me JUST a LITTLE better?

Have a great weekend everyone! I get to wear my sexy black dress and go out with my sexy husband (we have a wedding to go to!). I can't wait! Maybe I'll try and get some pictures, assuming I can get E to stand still for them!

With Love,
Theresa

Thursday Five

2010-06-24T16:20:00.000-04:00

I have been participating in this meme over at MannLand5. Check out my answers and then go check out Keely's. Then, go ahead, do them on your own blog. Make sure you let me know about it! :)

Things today that have made me feel...

1. HAPPY...having a great cook-out lunch at my hubby's work. It was with a bunch of contractors, but still a lot of fun!

2. DELIGHTED...to have M's eyes still be clear this morning. Seriously, it is so great to see his pretty eyes...did you know they were blue? Huh. Weird.

3. GRATEFUL...to have family and friends that I love so much, that love me and support me. You know who you are.

4. TOTALLY STOKED...that I got to watch Jimmy Kimmel's Twilight: Total Eclipse of the Heart special today after DVR'ing it last night. I was afraid the storm would interfere with the signal, it only did a little at the end so I got to watch most of it. I can't wait for Eclipse to come out...I am such a nerd!

5. THANKFUL...that my friend Jen is doing better and will hopefully come home from the hospital soon!

Oh, and how about a little Fiber Therapy today?

I just finished these up last night...

They are a surprise for someone...SSHHHHHH!!!! Tigger is DIGGIN' his new hat...and Gary the giraffe? Well, I promise he is there, I didn't behead him!

I finally got the ends woven in on this shawl last night too. I have to block it tonight so that I can wear it Saturday night to a wedding.

This is the start of the log cabin blanket for J's speech therapist. They are Chicago Bears fans and are NOT finding out the baby's sex, so I am going with Blue, Orange, and White. I have 9 of these to do and this one isn't finished...Lord help me!

This is my mom's scarf. Want to know how much I love her? Well, around 8 feet of 1x1 ribbing should tell you! For you non-knitters, this is a LOT of back and forth and back and forth. It guess it is better than 2x2 rib though, that you actually have to pay attention too!

Sorry for the crappy pictures...for some reason, my computer is not recognizing my actual camera so I am taking pics with my phone. If I can get the real camera to work, I'll take better pics!

Have a great day!
With Love,
Theresa

Wednesday Catch Up

2010-06-23T12:45:00.000-04:00

Does anyone have an ark we could borrow? The animals are starting to come out 2 by 2! Seriously, this rain is ridiculous! And even when it isn't raining, there is a constant threat, so it makes planning outdoor activities such a pain! Here are some pics my hubby took yesterday around our town...crazy huh? And to be honest, we haven't been hit near as hard as some others!

I didn't get a chance to blog yesterday so let me tell you how my weigh in went. I lost 1.2 pounds this week. I am struggling to remember that the smaller I get the slower the weight needs to come off so that it STAYS off. Anyone else have trouble with this. I feel like I am working so hard that it should still just be melting off like it did in the beginning. I'm also hitting that point where I don't want to count POINTS or calories or anything. I just want to eat what I want to eat. But, I know that is what got me into this situation in the first place so I need to stay strong, but it is difficult!

I do have some book reviews for you! I just finished the last of the 3 Fat City Mysteries by Kathryn Lilley. Now, I have read a lot of mysteries. I've read enough of them to know how mystery novel writers write and can usually tell you "who dun it" by about 3/4 of the way through. I have to admit that with these, I was somewhat stumped. They were very well written. I really enjoyed them. The books are Dying To Be Thin, Killer Workout, and Make-overs are Murder. For a brief summary of the books go here. With all of the weight loss and exercising that I have been doing, these book totally fit right into my life. They really were good. I enjoyed the main character Kate. She was interesting and was easy to root for. I suggest them if you are looking for something new to read!

If you have read much of my blog, you know that I enjoy the good vampire or supernatural tale. I LOVE the show True Blood on HBO and have just started reading The Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris starring Sookie Stackhouse. The first one is Dead After Dark and so far I am really liking it, even though it is pretty much the first season of True Blood. But, I am enjoying it so far, I hope I will continue to do so. I'll let you know!

Have a great day!!
With Love,
Theresa

Getting To Know You

2010-06-21T13:13:00.000-04:00

Once again, I am taking part in the Getting To Know You Meme over at MannLand5. Read my answers and then go over to MannLand, grab the questions, link your blog and let me know that you did it so I can read your answers! :)

1. While at the beach, pool, etc..Do you cover up your assets or show them off?
I cover. I am just now where I feel somewhat comfortable even IN a bathing suit. I am NOT going to be flaunting the girls or the thighs!

2. Road trips or Plane trips?
Depends on where I am going. As long as I don't have to drive I am fine being in the car. As long as I would be able to take my needles to knit, I am fine being on a plane. Can I just go SOMEWHERE? PLEASE???

3. I can't stand it when...?
all three of my kiddos decide to throw a fit at once. Seriously, what is with that? I can handle a lot, but it is really difficult for me to keep my cool with 3 kids yelling their heads off!

4. Have you ever gone topless at the beach?
Uh, no. I've nursed 3 kids. 'Nuff Said.

5. How many blog carnivals do you do a week?
What is a blog carnival? I'm going to have to research this. Are there Elephant Ears there? What about Corn Dogs? Snow Cones?

6. My favorite thing about the weekend is...?
Sleeping In? Nope, don't get to do that. Not dealing with my children? Nope, still have to do that. Let's go with, spending time with my hubby.

7. Pancakes or waffles?
Depends. At a restaurant, pancakes all the way. If at home, I am a waffle girl.

8. Water Park or Amusement Park?
Amusement. I am not a HUGE water fan as it is and I LOVE LOVE LOVE me some roller coasters! I haven't been on one in a while, thinking a trip to Kings Island or Cedar Point may be in order! Maybe next summer.

With Love,
Theresa

My Favorite Things..

2010-06-18T15:29:00.000-04:00

Today I want to tell you about one of my favorite things, my minivan.

**I found this picture online. It isn't my actual minivan! :)

WHAT? A MINIVAN? Yes, my minivan. I can't believe I am even saying that. I swore I would NEVER be a minivan mom. I didn't want one and at 2 children, I thought I was safe. Then we shockingly got preggo with baby number 3! I had NO choice! So, off to the minivan store we went. I was SO negative about the whole situation. I just did NOT want to be that mom! Can I just tell you how happy I am that we have one?!?! It is such a life-saver!

I'm not sure what is my favorite feature. I LOVE the automatic doors. I LOVE the 2 DVD players. I LOVE all the room! Seriously, as much as I did NOT want one, I am so grateful for one!! It makes trips SO much easier. The kids like it, the hubby likes it. What more could a mommy want.

If you think you are NOT a minivan mom, check this video. It makes it MUCH cooler! :)

Have a great one!
With Love,
Theresa

Thursday Five

2010-06-17T17:07:00.000-04:00

Last week I started participating in this meme over at MannLand5. Read through mine, then go and check her's out, then by all means do your own! (Don't forget to link yours up!)

1. I am HAPPY that tomorrow is Friday. Seriously, this has been a heck of a week!!

2. I am GRATEFUL that God is so good and my friends are all slowly hopefully going to be OK!

3. I am JUBILANT that I was somewhat pleased with what I saw when I looked in the mirror today. This is a day to day thing for me and today was a good one!

4. I am ECSTATIC that right now my house is clean(ish). I know it won't stay that way for long, but it is nice to have it clean for a bit!

5. I am THANKFUL that I have so many wonderful people in my life. I put out a request for prayers for my friends and that is what I got. I needed someone to vent to and that is what I got. I needed someone to make me smile and that is what I got. I am a VERY lucky woman!!

Have a great day!!
With Love,
Theresa

Thanks and Catching Up!

2010-06-17T15:02:00.000-04:00

Thank you so much to everyone for all their prayers for my friends. Both are still hanging in there! Jen is actually slowly waking up as I type this! It just goes to show that God is Good and that all these people praying DOES make a difference! Thank you!!

I need to play a little catch up here if you don't mind. This week has been a little chaotic, but I am trying to get back on track!

TAKE IT OFF TUESDAY: This week was NOT so great in the weight loss department! I only lost 2 tenths of a pound! I was REALLY upset about this until I realized a few things. First, that is 2/10ths that I will NEVER see again! Secondly, this has been a MAJORLY stressful week and stress and weight loss do NOT go very well together, plus I tend to stress eat and the kids' animal crackers are KILLING ME! Next, I have started to notice some major definition in my arms which means more muscle and less fat. So, 2/10ths isn't so bad. I can deal with that!

BOOK WORM WEDNESDAY: I do have a book t0 review, but it is the first in a series and I am on the second of the series. There is one more and when I am done with it, I will fill you in on all three. They are actually pretty good!! Hopefully next week, I will be able to review all three of the Fat City Mysteries for you!

FIBER THERAPY THURSDAY: I gave my MIL her hooded scarf yesterday. She seemed to really like it! I am SO glad. I was a little worried! Here is a pic of me wearing it:

Right now I am working on a couple of things: a baby blanket for J's speech therapist a shawl for me for this wedding we are going to (I only have to weave in the ends and block i though), a scarf for mom, and I am getting ready to start her hat. I'm sure there are more things though, those are just the REALLY current ones!

So, that is it for today! I hope you all have a wonderful day and thanks again for the prayers!
With Love,
Theresa

Prayers are Needed BADLY!

2010-06-14T09:25:00.000-04:00

I have 2 people in my life that are in desperate need. If you pray, please pray. If you think, please think. These are important people in my life and I hate that this is happening to each of them.

The first is a man I have known my entire life. He is in the hospital fighting, but it is scary. I just keep praying that he will be OK. I also feel so bad for my dad. He lost his best friend last year and now the man that would probably be his second closest friend is lying sick in the hospital. Neither dad nor I do well with not being able to do anything!

The other is my good friend Jen. She is a sorority sister, but so much more. She was my Big Sis in the house, and just a big part of my life. She is a kind soul who would do anything for anyone. She has a beautiful daughter that is the same age as J (2) and a wonderful husband. She was pregnant with their second baby girl and due in August. Jen had gastric bypass a little over 5 years ago. Well, Friday night, she started having some pain, so they went to the hospital. The doctor couldn't find a heart beat; they had lost the baby. They took her back for surgery and discovered that 90% of her bowels were not getting any blood. They had to keep her sedated and went back in again yesterday removing the majority of her bowels. It is a very touch and go situation. She has had 2 good days and had a good night last night. The surgeon judged her healthy enough to have the 3rd surgery that she needs tomorrow to finish fixing her bowels and then to sew her up. Assuming all goes well, they will start to wake her up after that. We have a lot of people praying for her and her family, but it just sucks to not be able to do anything else for her. I have been in contact with her husband and have become the spreader of the information, finally getting er husband's permission to post it on Facebook. So, we are all trusting in God to take care of her and being grateful that Jen is a fighter. It is just difficult to not be able to do more.

So, please please please pray for my friends. They really need them. Thank you!!
With Love,
Theresa

**This post was edited by me...sorry.**

Getting To Know You

2010-06-13T13:31:00.000-04:00

Going to join in again this week on the "getting To Know You" over at MannLand5. Check out my answers and then go over to her blog and get the questions for yourself! :)

The questions..
1. If you could have one of Superman's, powers which one would you want? Superhuman strength..Flight..Superhuman speed..X-Ray vision..etc

I think I would want Superhuman speed.

2. The best thing I ever won is....?

Technically I didn't win this, my hubby did, but we won a 49" Flat Screen TV! Unfortunately, it is still in the box!

3. Have you ever skyped with a bloggy friend?

Nope

4. What is your favorite Summer month?

August...my birthday is the 12th!

5. Pool, Lake, or Ocean?

Pool. I'm not huge on the water as it is. But, I've been in the ocean and in lakes. I prefer the ocean...it was warmer!

6. One of my favorite Summer memories is.....?

Playing baseball with my cousins. Didn't get much more fun than that!

7. What's your favorite secret bargain?

The Children's Place or Hobby Lobby (as long as you have coupons!)

8. Do you plan on or have you been watching the World Cup?

Yes, hubby watches it, so therefore, so do I!

Thursday Five

2010-06-10T20:16:00.000-04:00

MannLand5 has some great meme's. I am joining in on another today. I am excited! Check her out!!

I am BLESSED to have such an amazing husband that works so hard so I can stay home with our children. He loves me for me and makes me feel sexy and beautiful no matter what I look like!

I am DELIGHTED that J is starting to say more words. She actually said "Up Please" today at the park when she wanted to get into the swing!!

I am JOYOUS that I am getting so much support in my weight loss adventure.

I am CHEERFUL that L is starting to take an interest in cooking and helping get things ready for dinner.

I am JOLLY that I got a full night's sleep last night. Oddly, I am even more tired today. Weird!

Have a great one!
With Love,
Theresa

The Video Says It All!

2010-06-10T16:40:00.001-04:00

After my post on Tuesday, I have been trying to not play the comparison game, but unfortunately not with much success. I just can't help it. I've always thought I have a lot of self-confidence, but now I am not so sure. Not if I can't even make it through a 60 minute Body Pump class without comparing myself to all the women in the room, including the 15 year old in just the sports bra! Isn't there something wrong with that? It has been 15 years since I WAS 15, besides, I'm pretty sure I could NEVER pull off the lone sports bra look (and see, there I go again!). But this afternoon while searching around on different blogs while the kiddos were asleep, I came across the blog Formerly Hot. I figured out, that is how I feel, I feel formerly hot! To be honest, I'm not sure I was ever hot, but now I sure do formerly that way! Well, this wonderful blogger had a video on her blog. After watching it several times and laughing so hard (I was glad I was not drinking anything as I probably would have drenched and fried my already struggling computer!) I knew I HAD to repost it. I don't even know how to describe it! It was perfect. I'm not really a Lady Gaga fan (a post for another day), but am SO loving this parody! Check it out and then head over to Formerly Hot and see her too!

I have decided that I am Formerly Hot and working on becoming a MILF! Does that work?
Have a great day and a good laugh!
With Love,
Theresa

Why Do We Do It?

2010-06-08T12:59:00.000-04:00

OK ladies...why do we do it? Seriously, why do we do it to ourselves? What am I talking about? I'm talking about comparing ourselves to others. Every woman does it. If you sit there and say that you don't, well, you are lying to everyone, even yourself. We all do it. We can be completely happy, and in the time it takes to watch a TV commercial or even take in a breath, we are comparing ourselves to the woman next to us, or the woman on that commercial. Where is this coming from you might be asking, well let me tell you.

I lost 2 pounds this week. I am EXTREMELY happy about it. I am. I have come to terms with the fact that the more weight I lose, the slower it will come off. I know that is a good thing and it means that the weight will hopefully stay off. So, I am happy with the loss, that was until I went to the gym. I didn't even get into the door before I did the comparison game. Another mom walked in at the same time I did with 3 little ones as well. Hers were a little older than mine, but that wasn't really the point. The point in my eyes was that this mom looked phenomenal!! I mean really great: very thin and muscular, tan and really pretty. She was all of those things that every mom wants to look like after having kids. Then during class I got to talking to a mom that has 2 girls the same age as mine and a little boy that is 4 months old. She looked great too! Seriously great. It just really made me start to get down on myself. Yeah, I've lost over 50 pounds, but still have so much to go. I don't look like that. My belly is not flat and doesn't seem to be shrinking. My arms are still big and since they are WAY muscley (yes, I make up words!) always will be. It just made me sad. Isn't that ridiculous? I should be so stinking proud of the work that I have put in and the results I have gotten. I should be shouting from the roof tops because as of this morning, I am the smallest that I have been since before E and I got married. I should be VERY proud. And, in some respects I am. But it is difficult because I don't see it. Obviously I know that I am smaller, I am in smaller clothes, therefore, I MUST be a smaller person. But I don't see it. I still see that fat woman that is 50 pounds heavier if not more. I don't see that my waist is really getting smaller and my curves are "bangin'". Why don't I see that?

Because I don't look like this:

Or This:

Or This:

(Yes, this is 2 months AFTER her son was born!)

Those are what society tells us we moms should look like. Well, society, you have my apologies, but I don't look like that. Most likely, I never will. I don't have someone to cook and clean for me. I don't have someone to watch my kids for hours at a time so I can have a trainer work me out and help me get cut (before anyone comments yes, I take my kids to the gym for 90 minutes almost every day, but I think you get my meaning here, right?!?!). Society, THAT IS NOT THE NORM!!! Can we say it again? THAT IS NOT THE NORM!!!!! Every day women do NOT look like that. Should we feel bad about it? NO. We shouldn't. Do we? YES we do.

It is so frustrating to me. I WANT to be happy with what I see. I have 2 beautiful daughters that I want SO badly to grow up with a healthy body image. I have a son that I want to grow up to appreciate a REAL woman, not some plastic bimbo (I am not calling Jennifer Garner, Rebecca Romijn, or Heidi Klum plastic bimbos here. They are BEAUTIFUL women and I celebrate them for their accomplishments, I'm just saying again that they are not the norm.) that he has plastered up on his wall. I don't want my daughters thinking they have to look like Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan to get a boyfriend. I don't want M to think his woman has to look like ANY of these women. I want them all to respect themselves and the women around them. But, how do I do that when I have a difficult time doing it for myself?

I need to get over it. My body is strong. Those hips...yeah, they birthed 3 beautiful babies. Those legs...they walked many laps around the nursery and have ran after little ones running away in delight. Those arms...they have rocked 3 angels to sleep. That belly...well, it housed the 3 best things I have ever done. My body does what it is supposed to do. I should revel in the fact that it is healthy and not bring myself down for the fact that it doesn't look like any of those other women. E loves me for me, curves and all. I need to love me for me, because I AM THE NORM!!

OK, I'm done. I hope you all have a wonderful day. Celebrate yourself! You deserve it!
With love,
Theresa

Yellow Chicken?

2010-06-07T19:20:00.000-04:00

That was the color of our dinner...bright yellow! It tasted really good though, so I am going to share the recipe with you!

Lemony Chicken
4-5 Chicken breasts
lemon juice
lemon pepper seasoning

Do NOT preheat your oven yet!!! Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Place your chicken breasts in it. Take a fork and stab the heck out of the chicken, both sides. Go on, get all your frustrations out on the poor bird! With the bottom sides of the breasts up, poor some lemon juice over them. Flip the breasts over and poor more lemon juice on top. I really didn't measure here, just eye it...you want some to pool in the bottom of the dish. I probably used 1/2-1 c. Then heavily sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until about 30-45 minutes before ready to eat. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook chicken until a thermometer reads at least 165 degrees. When done, pull out and let sit for 5 minutes (you should do this with most meats...it seals in the juiciness!). Serve. I found it even better once the chicken was cut to spoon a little of the leftover lemon juice in the pan over the pieces....YUM!!

My first weigh in for this contest is tomorrow...wish me luck!
With love,
Theresa

Getting To Know You...

2010-06-06T12:48:00.000-04:00

I found this at a MannLand5, a blog I like to read. I hope you enjoy learning some more about me!

1. If a person has a booger in their nose. and you can see it, do you tell them?
It depends on who the person is. If it is someone I know, then yes. If it is a stranger, than probably not. I might try and do the discreet rub by nose and try and get them to realize it though!

2. What are you passionate about?
Well, my family of course. But other than that, Knitting. If you have read this blog at all, you probably already know that.

3. How long have you been blogging?
I really do not know the answer to that. I have had a website of sorts since 2005. I started this blog a year ago, but didn't do as much as I wanted until recently.

4. What is your favorite "summer" drink?
Beer or mojitos or lemonade.

5. What is your favorite type of music?
Country or Classic Rock. I really like just about anything except gangsta' rap. It is just so violent. Not my idea of good tunage!

6. Something I do before I go to bed is......?
Play on my BlackBerry. I am a dork.

7. My Summer vacation plans are...?
Probably visit my parents a couple of times and go to see my BIL in tractor pulls. Nothing too exciting!

8. My favorite must have, can't live without, beauty product is?
Tinted moisturizer...if nothing else, I have to have that!!

Have a great Sunday!
With Love,
Theresa

Wednesday and Thursday Combined

2010-06-03T12:34:00.000-04:00

I started to post yesterday, really I did, but the stupid computer decided that freezing up was such a better idea! So, I didn't get very far. I will make up for that today as I have both a book review and some fiber therapy for you! :)

I FINALLY finished Chasing Harry Winston, written by Lauren Weisberger. You can read a description here. I really enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing by this author, but I think this was my least favorite of the 3. Honestly, it was pretty predictable. The writing was very good and the plot had the potential to be great, but it just sort of fizzled out. It felt almost like her publisher told her she had went on too long and had to stop, and then she did. If you are really into Chick Lit like I am, then by all means, check it out. Maybe you will have a different opinion than I did. If so, let me know what you thought!

I started reading a book called Wicked which is a combination of two books, Witch and Curse. Unfortunately, I do not remember the author, honestly, I could only get through about the first 30 pages. I try to give any book the first 30 pages before I decide if I just can't read it. This one I just wasn't getting into. Odd, since I really enjoy the whole supernatural genre of literature, but apparently, not this one. Maybe I'll try it again some other time, but not right now. Instead, I switched to a book called, Dying To Be Thin by Kathryn Lilley. Here is a summary. It is pretty funny so far. With all the dieting and exercising I have been doing, it is fitting right into the theme of my life!

And now for a little Fiber Therapy...Presenting my ABSOLUTELY beautiful Norther Lights Shawl!!!

Isn't it GORGEOUS!?!?!? I love it. I have absolutely NO idea where I am going to wear it, but who cares! Everyone needs a little glamour in their life, don't they. I just wish the people at WalMart would properly appreciate it!

I am almost done with my MIL's scarf too! I am very excited...I feel like I have been knitting on it FOREVER! I hope to have pictures next week. I made myself promise that I wouldn't start anything new until I finished it, so I can't wait to get it done!

I hope that you have a wonderful day! See you tomorrow!
With Love,
Theresa

Weight Loss Contest Take 2

2010-06-01T12:36:00.000-04:00

Today is the start of my second Biggest Loser Contest a friend of mine runs. I am really excited about it! I am hoping to lose at least 20 pounds this time around. As of right now, I am over 50 pounds less than when I started this journey on January 26th. That's right, you read 50 POUNDS!!! To be honest, I feel fantastic! I am in a lot smaller clothes than when I started, I feel better, I have more energy (well, as much energy as one can have with a 7 month old that doesn't sleep!). I am stronger and more fit. I feel like I can chase the kiddos around a little easier. I just overall just feel better! So, my goal for the contest is 20 pounds, but overall I think I would like to lose a total of 30 more. That would put me at minus 80 pounds which would really be kick ass! I can't even imagine how good I would look and feel if I were to hit that!

I was able to try something new at the gym too. I have REALLY bad knees (2 knee surgeries and arthritis at 30...it sucks) so I have never been really good at Stairmasters. But, I thought, that I am 50 pounds lighter, I would give it a try on Sunday. I only did it for 15 minutes just in case my knees exploded on Monday. It felt really great! I am excited! I can add something else to my workouts. I don't want to get bored. I have to keep adding/trying new things. I tend to plateau really easily and doing different things usually helps keep those at bay! So, tomorrow, going to try for 20 minutes on the Stair climber machine. Today I went up in weight at Body Pump. Probably not the best idea seeing as I am REALLY tired, but it still felt great! There is just something very satisfying about upping the weight and feeling that good tired feeling. Plus, I LOVE doing bicep curls...instant gratification, especially now that I am getting trimmer, those biceps really pop!!

I really missed writing last week and over the weekend. I'm anxious to get back into the swing of things!

With Love,
Theresa

MIA This Week

2010-05-25T18:13:00.001-04:00

I just wanted to let you know that I will probably be MIA this week. My dear hubby is on vacation and I am trying to spend time with him. I might try and sneak on sometime though. I'm thinking I might have to do some sort of contest...hmmm....what to give away? Suggestions?

With love,
Theresa

Things I've Come To Realize

2010-05-21T12:24:00.000-04:00

I found this on one of my new favorite blogs to read, This Chihuahua Bites. I hope that you enjoy learning a little more about mt. If you use this meme (anyone know why they are called this? Because you learn more about "meme" perhaps?), leave me a link so I can check it out!!

I’ve come to realize that my body is strong, but hour-glass shaped. It has taken me a long time to accept that, but I am and now I'm TRYING to dress for that shape.
I’ve come to realize that my job is so unbelievably difficult. I wish someone would have sat me down and said, "Look, this job can really suck! Being a mom is NOT easy and anyone who tells you it is is lying."
I’ve come to realize that when I’m driving I look in my rear view mirror probably way more than I should, but I want to make sure the girls aren't killing each other!
I’ve come to realize that I need a night out every now and then! Really need a night out!
I’ve come to realize that I have lost myself, but I am determined to find me!! It is difficult NOT to lose yourself when you become a Mom. Your needs automatically become a back seat and it is a struggle to find time for those things that make you happy.
I’ve come to realize that I hate it when my daughters do not share. J screams bloody murder and L makes this weird guttural noise. I've started taking things away when they can't share them just because I can't stand those noises!
I’ve come to realize that if I’m drunk I become VERY "friendly"!!! ;)
I’ve come to realize that money is always on the lacking side and it sucks!
I’ve come to realize that certain people have no respect for anything. There are so many murders and crimes against man-kind that it make me very sad.
I’ve come to realize that I’ll always remember singing on the stage at the Grand Ol' Opry. There was no audience (except for the tour group that I was with), but what an experience!
I’ve come to realize that my sibling(s) have come in the form of my cousins, amazing In-Laws and wonderful friends. As an only child, I had to find siblings in other forms. I have been very lucky to find some amazing ones!
I’ve come to realize that my mom is an incredible grandma! She didn't think she would be a good one, she is a great one!
I’ve come to realize that my cell phone is addicting! I love you my wonderful Blackberry! I would have never thought I would become a "texter", but I am! ;)
I’ve come to realize that when I woke up this morning, I was SO not ready to get up, but already running WAY late!
I’ve come to realize that last night before I went to sleep, my eyes were shutting before I even laid down!
I’ve come to realize that right now I am thinking I need to go pack the girls to go to grandma's!
I’ve come to realize that my dad is incredible!! We've always been close, but have become even closer a I have become an adult. He taught me to drink Mr. Jack Daniels and encouraged my love of reading and music. Today is his birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPPY GEORGE!!!!
I’ve come to realize that when I get on Facebook, I get sucked in!!
I’ve come to realize that today has gone too fast. I've been going since waking up. Looking forward to sitting down to rest for longer than it has taken me to type this.
I’ve come to realize that tonight should be so much fun. We get to hang out with some friends of ours that we rarely see!
I’ve come to realize that tomorrow comes too fast!
I’ve come to realize that I really want the best I can give my children, whether it is experiences, education, or needs. I want them to have the best I can give them.
I’ve come to realize that the person mostly likely to repost this is Miss Carli.
I’ve come to realize that life goes by way too fast and way too slow all at the same time!
I’ve come to realize that this weekend should be a good experience for E. He is running his 4th 1/2 marathon!
I’ve realized the best music to listen to when I am upset is My lady Janis Joplin or a little Black Crowes.
I’ve come to realize that my friends help keep me sane (or at least some semblance of it!). They are wonderful and I am so very blessed to have the wonderful friends that I do. I love you all!
I’ve come to realize that this year is going by VERY fast. Is it really almost June?!?!?
I’ve come to realize that my husband is an amazing man. I love him so much. He is my rock and my partner. He makes me laugh and he makes me think. He challenges me to be a better person, wife, and mother. I love him so very much and I thank God so much that he loves me.
I’ve come to realize that maybe just maybe I might get to sleep through the night again at some point!
I’ve come to realize that I love my children with a fierceness I would not have thought possible.
I’ve come to realize that I don’t understand how some people can be so cruel to their children. Those people should not be parents.
I’ve come to realize my past is over. I need to do a better job of letting go of the things I regret.
I’ve come to realize that parties are fun but quite a pain. I do love to throw them though. I'm thinking I might have to get around and have one soon.
I’ve come to realize that my life may seem like the same thing day in and day out, but I don't know that I would have it any different. I really do love my life: spit-up, screaming babies, poopy diapers, and all.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
With Love,
Theresa

Everywhere An Oink Oink!

2010-05-20T09:49:00.001-04:00

It is Thursday! And that means it is time for a little Fiber Therapy! I have been busy working on lots of different projects in my incredible amounts of spare time (excuse me as I take a 20 minute break to laugh my head off here!). Before I show you what I have completed, let me explain a little something about knitters.

There are 2 different kinds of knitters: process knitters and product knitters. A process knitter pretty much knits for the relaxation that is knitting (usually). They enjoy the repetition of wrapping the yarn, the feel of the yarn sliding through their fingers, and the clickity-clack of the needles (assuming they use metal needles as I usually do) or the soft warm feel of bamboo needles. These are knitters that finding themselves stranded on a deserted island would simply frog (also known as rip out) whatever completed product they have just to knit it again so they can continue knitting. Product knitters are the opposite. They knit for the end result. They want something tangible at the end of their hard work. Product knitters want to put that hat on and wear it proudly. On an island a product knitter is going to finish their project and then go in search of grass or fronds or something else to knit another project with. (I can't take credit for the island references. I read them in a book by the Yarn Harlot, but unfortunately can't remember which one. But, I read it and it stuck with me. If you have to know which book, check them out yourself. They are great reads!!) Which kind of knitter am I you might be asking yourself? Well, I am mainly a product knitter, but with a little bit of process knitter thrown in. I live for the end result, which is why I don't do socks...they take too long, you have to do 2, and I like a little more instant gratification. Now that doesn't mean that I won't knit something with smaller needles or thinner yarn, because I will, I just make sure that I have smaller projects always going on so I can still have my finished projects.

There is also another way to categorize knitters. Some knitters are monogamous, meaning they will only have one project on needles at a time. They finish a project before they start a new one and rarely every "cheat" on a project. Then there are what I call ADD knitters. ADD knitters have many projects going on at a time, rarely less than 3. They commonly fall prey to "startitis", an affliction that is made worse by an addiction to Ravelry (see my post here about the wonderfulness that is Ravelry). Now me? I am an ADD knitter!! I admit it proudly. I currently have 6 different projects on needles, 2 that I am in the final process of finishing, and another that I will probably Cast On (aka start) for today. I jump from project to project depending on my needs at that moment. Sometimes I need to just get something done. Sometimes I need simple knitting for TV/Movie viewing knitting. Sometimes I want a bit of a challenge or something that I actually have to pay attention to (lace and cables are good for that!). Sometimes I need something portable (Which is why I ALWAYS have a hat on needles. Some people use socks for this purpose, but as you probably know, I don't do socks!). Sometimes, I just get sucked into something and can't take my mind off of it. And sometimes I get an idea for someone else and just have to make it right then and there.

That was the case this week. My friend Mary put a post on Facebook about needing to find a pig nose for her son's performance as Wilber in his school's production of Charlotte's Web. The catch? She only had about 2 days and would have had to pay big bucks to have a $2.50 piggy snout shipped to her in time. After reading this, I remembered a pattern that I had seen on the aforementioned addiction Ravelry and told her I could knit one up for her. This is an instant gratification project PERFECT for an ADD Product knitter like myself!!

Project: Adapted Swine Flu Mask or on Ravelry here
Made with Caron Simply Soft, Soft Pink and Black
Size 7 needles
WAY easy!!

I hope to have pictures of her son wearing it soon!! Hopefully she will let me post them as I would love to see the "Oink Oink Here" Nose in use!!!

Well, the sun is shining, birds are chirping, and children are running wild. We are going outside! Have a great day!
With Love,
Theresa

FINALLY A Book! (Book Worm Wednesday)

2010-05-19T15:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, you read that correctly! I FINALLY have a book review for you! I actually finished this book about a week and a half ago, but I haven't been able to blog about it yet. Now, as you should know by now, I LOVE vampires. I'm a dork and I love it! This book is from the wonderfully creative series "Real Vampires" by Gerry Bartlett.

Real Vampires Hate Their Thighs was really funny! As a curvy girl, I can relate to the main character Glory St. Clair and her frustration of having a little more of herself to love. I can imagine have to be frustrated by it for all eternity though! At least my curviness is starting to be less curvy, but that is exactly what this book is about. Facing an eternity of being heavier than she wants to be, Glory is offered the chance to lose that weight. Who wouldn't take that opportunity?!? Well, of course there is a catch, which I will let you discover for yourself. As for a review, I really enjoy this series. If you like this genre, you should seriously check these out. I have laughed out loud in just about all of them. They are a little bit of a lighter take on vampires, but still quality vampire fiction. I HIGHLY suggest you check them out!! Let me know what you think!!

Right now, I am working my way through Chasing Harry Winston by Laura Weisberger. It is pretty good, but I am not having as much time to read as I would like. I have been so tired lately that I just want to sleep at night as opposed to staying up reading! I just got some new books from the library today though so I will try and get a little more "literature" on here.

Have a great day everyone!
With love,
Theresa

Check Out These Cupcakes!!

2010-05-18T10:54:00.000-04:00

What? Two posts in 1 day you say? Why not!! You HAVE to check out this post over at Skip To My Lou for the most AMAZING looking cupcakes!! I can't wait to try these with the girls!

How To Make Rainbow Colored Cupcakes

I mean really!! How awesome!! They just look so yummy! I've got to get me some Wilton colors...I think they are on sale at Hobby Lobby and Jo Ann's this week (Unfortunately, I am not paid to advertise there! Oh well!).

If I can get them made some time soon, I promise to post pictures!
With Love,
Theresa

What A Crazy Week This Has Been!

2010-05-18T10:06:00.000-04:00

I'm really not doing very well here with this blogging the past 2 weeks, am I? I apologize, life just has been crazy as I am sure it is for all of you!

Last week was the week of doctor appointments in this house! M had an ENT appointment, L and I had eye doctor appointments, and M had an eye appointment and had one eye probed. Then this morning, he had tubes put in his ears. Crazy huh? Good news is that L's eyes are fine and she doesn't need glasses. I am getting new specs and can't wait for them to come in!! They are extremely cool!! M is doing well now, he is resting comfortably in his room and hopefully will be feeling great when he wakes up (doubtful, but one can hope!) He still has to have the other eye probed, but that will be in June. So, after a stressful week of appointments, we can rest a bit!

It is Tuesday and I do have some weight loss to report! Technically this week I lost about 6 pounds, but not really. Remember? I had gained 3 at my mom and dad's house over last weekend, but I'm not really counting those. So, I really lost about 3.2 pounds. In total I am down 48.8 pounds!!! I have hit my 4% goal for in between Biggest Loser contests. The next one begins June 1st. I know that I most likely won't win it, but I am going to use it to help me get the next 20 pounds off! I would love to ht my goal before the end of it!!

I know I have missed the past 2 Munchy Time Mondays so you are probably really wanting a recipe huh? I know you all just crave my wonderful culinaryness (no, not a word, but one I will use anyways!). So, I have given this some thought and decided on Chili Parmesan Chicken and Cake Cookies. The chicken is SO good and moist and the cookies are a very easy recipe that always gets RAVE reviews!! I could sit down and eat them all by self! Not that I would mind you as that would be bad. Nor have I ever done that, nope not me, not ever! :) Okay, maybe once! :)

Chili Parmesan Chicken
(from www.kraftfoods.com)
1/4 c. KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 rs. chili powder
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Mix cheese and chili powder in pie plate. Add chicken, turn to evenly coat all sides. Place chicken in shallow baking dish (spray first!!). Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Cake Cookies
(origin unknown)

1 box cake mix (I've tried these with just about ANY kind, lemon though are my favorite!)
1 egg
2 c. cool whip
powdered sugar

Mix first 3 ingredients. The mixture will be dry...do NOT add more Cool Whip, trust me on this!! Shape into balls, roll into powdered sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes in 350 degree oven. Let cool on pan for about 2 minutes, move to wire rack to finish cooling (assuming they last that long!) Makes around 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

I hope that you enjoy these recipes as much as I do!!

Have a great day everyone!
With love,
Theresa

And The Days Go By...

2010-05-11T15:29:00.000-04:00

I'm so sorry I've been MIA for a week! Last week got really busy and so far this week shows NO sign of slowing down! It is doctor appointment central this week, seriously!!

Today is Take It Off Tuesday and I am supposed to tell you about my weight loss. Well, huh. I weighed myself on Friday morning because I knew I was taking 3 days off from exercising and from eating as I have been eating because I was going to visit my parents and I knew it would be a glutton food fest! We went to Red Lobster on Saturday for my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. That's right, I wrote 60! Isn't that amazing? It is just so inspiring to see 2 people still so in love after all those years. They are so cute together! Anyways, I ate WAY too much! Then my aunt made breakfast for everyone Sunday morning and it was awesome! So, I was really feeling it come yesterday morning. This morning, I got on the scale, knowing full well that I was going to have to accept the damage I did over the weekend. Well, I GAINED 3 pounds since Friday!! Yes, I know that some of that is water weight and I am feeling a little PMSy too, but still! Wow! So, I really worked my tail off in the gym today. Let's hope that I can get that off soon. I really would like to hit 50 pounds in the next 2 weeks! Wish me luck!

I am finding though that this will forever be a battle. I just love to eat. The thought of not counting points now really scares me. I only have so much self control. If the bad stuff isn't around me, I do okay, but when faced with it directly, it is very difficult for me to walk away from. I dream of ice cream and cake and pizza and steak. I just love food! I think I could have been a foodie, but when it comes down to it, I'm really not all that particular. I just really like to eat. So, once I hit my goal, I am probably going to have to work even harder just to keep it off than I did getting it off. Anyone else have experience with this? Any advice?

I hope that you all had a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday! I did. We didn't do much, but it was really nice. I did get two beautiful pansies in pretty pots painted by my adorable girls thanks to my wonderful neighbor! They are very cute! What fun things did your family do?

I hope that you all have a wonderful day!!
With Love,
Theresa

Another One Bites The Dust!

2010-05-04T16:40:00.000-04:00

Another pound that is! I weighed in this morning and now my total is 43.6 pounds!! YAY!! It was a little weird to see only a loss of 1 pound after all the big numbers I have been dropping, but I know that the weight loss needs to slow down if I want to keep it off. I also have been lifting so much more and muscle weighs more than fat. I MUST remember that! I went to Body Pump this morning and we did a new track (#71 if you are familiar). WHOOO! Killer! I upped my weight a little in the upper body too so that even made it more killer. But, man do I feel good about it. It is that good kinda sore, where you know the benefits will SO be worth it! I have my friend Casey going with me. It is a blast! LOVE IT!!

OK, so my complaint for the day...This old woman in Hobby Lobby! Now, let me preface this by saying that I truly respect my elders. I think older people have a lot to teach us and I have so much respect for the lives that they have lived and the knowledge and experience they have gathered in that life. That said, this woman, seriously! Here's what happened. I took the 3 kids to Hobby Lobby. Sometimes they can be good, but today was NOT one of those times. By the time we got to the check-out, I had had about all I could take. There was only one lane open and the line was long. There was another family in front of me (a woman, her hubby, and their 2 kids). This elderly lady got in line behind me with what I am going to assume was her middle age daughter. It had to be very obvious that I was barely hanging in. L kept touching everything even after repeatedly told not too, J kept TRYING to touch everything, and M was crying. I was trying to handle it, but it was quite clearly NOT going well. Another cashier FINALLY came up and opened another lane. She said quite clearly, "The next person in line please step over here." Well, the next person in line was the family in frontof me. The mother though took one look at me, and said, "You go ahead hon." I smiled and told her thank you. I started to head over to the other lane when the old lady behind me seriously cut me off and went instead. I was FLABBERGASTED!! What made her think it was her turn? I mean, had she been by herself and was having a hard time, I probably wouldn't have thought anything of it, but she wasn't. She had help. I did not. I ALWAYS try to let older people go ahead of me if I can, always. Would it have been too much to ask for her to let 3 kids and a very flustered mommy go so we could just get out of the store making EVERYONE's shopping experience better? Seriously? No? Well, I guess not! Ok, done complaining!

I voted today. I didn't really feel like I was prepared to go vote. Is it better to vote somewhat uninformed or to just not vote? Well, I firmly feel like if you don't vote, you shouldn't bitch about the government. I want my right to bitch so I went and voted. Luckily for all but like 4 positions, there was only one person running, so that made it all easier. And the 4 positions with more than one person...well, I think I voted OK. If you haven't voted yet, get out there, you still have about an hour!!

Don't forget to go vote for my friend Natalie at Mommy On Fire. Click here for the details!

Did you know that today is Star Wars Day? MAY the FOURTH be with you! :)

Have a great one!
With love,
Theresa

The Never-Ending To Do List!

2010-05-03T14:58:00.000-04:00

Do this, do that, do this, do that...Does it ever feel like that list ever ends? Mine doesn't. It seems like every day, that list just gets longer and longer! Laundry, dishes, laundry (5 people, lots of laundry!), pick up toys, clean out closets, make dinner, vacuum floors, wash floors, make sure kids aren't killing each other, and that is just normal mommy stuff! I also need to hem the sleeves on 4 shirts for my dad, finish my commissioned knitting, and find time to make it to the gym almost every day! I know all moms go through this, just sometimes it feels like so much. And there are plenty of days when all I would really like to do is sit down and play a game with my beautiful daughters! I have a hard time remembering that the chores will always be there and the kids will only be this little for this long. I MUST do better to remember that!!

So, what IS for dinner tonight? Well, dinner is being made courtesy of my good friend Natalie over at Mommy On Fire. After M was born, she brought us this AMAZING buffalo chicken. I LOVED it so much and have been craving it. Well, found out that she has the recipe posted on her blog. So, Check out her recipe for Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches!!

To thank Natalie for supplying this recipe (although she doesn't actually know that I linked to it...oops!), I want to encourage everyone to do something for me. She is up for a BLOG award at I AM MOMMY. So, please, please please go check her out. Scroll down to "Most Inspirational" Blogs and click on "Mommy On Fire". You don't have to join anything to vote, just go check her out and PLEASE vote for her. I would love for her to win this. Natalie is an UNBELIEVABLY strong woman who inspires me greatly. She is a wonderful writer, and even better friend, and a beautiful beautiful child of God!

Well, gotta get to that To Do List while kids are napping! Have a great day everyone! See you for weigh-in tomorrow!
With Love,
Theresa

Thursdays are Rough (but a little Fiber Therapy Helps!)

2010-04-29T14:45:00.000-04:00

Sigh...Thursdays always seem to be rough days. I'm not really sure why. They are just extra long and tiresome. I think part of it is that my IL's, the wonderfully amazing people they are, come on Wednesdays and spoil the kids (which is what grandparents are SUPPOSED to do!). The only problem with that, is that it makes Thursdays just a little bit of a challenge. But, it is one I will put up with as I enjoy the Wednesday freedom too much!!

I apologize for being MIA the past 2 days...I have had very little time to myself. Let's catch up..shall we?

I weighed in myself on Tuesday and I had lost another 3.4 pounds! That makes the total weight loss 42.6 pounds!! One thing that I have been working towards with this weight loss adventure for is to fit into a dress. Not just any dress either. About a nine months after L was born, E and I lost 50 pounds each. I bought this ADORABLE dress from Target. It is an Issac Mizrahe design that was originally $70. I got it for $10. It is so cute! It is a black strapless dress with a fitted waist and an A-line skirt. Well, unfortunately, I never got to wear it. In fact the tags are still on it. Well, my goal for has been to wear that dress out for my birthday. i haven't tried it on. It wasn't going to fit, I knew it wasn't. Well, my friend Casey encouraged me to try it on. I put it on knowing that there was NO way the thing was going to fit. Well, apparently, I was WRONG! It totally fit!!! My boobs are a little big yet, but with nursing, that is probably to be expected. Hopefully when I stop nursing here in the next couple of months, it will fit FANTASTICALLY!! So, to celebrate how excited I was, I went shoe shopping!!! I used some of my winnings from the contest for these kick ass totally impractical shoes:

I also found 4 very cool new scarves at the mall for 99 cents each! I couldn't knit them for that!! They are really cool!

Speaking of knitted things...Here are some pretty pictures of my Northern Lights Shawl:

And to end: Gratuitous cute shots of my beautiful children!!

Have a great one!!
With Love,
Theresa

Lasagna City

2010-04-26T20:21:00.000-04:00

It is almost 8:30 at night and the kids are in bed. I am pretty tired, so I am going to post this really quickly. I have had some requests for my lasagna recipe and for the WW version of lasagna my friend Erica game me. Here you go:

WW Lasagna:

1 bottle of Vodka Sauce
15 oz. Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
10 oz Frozen Spinach, thawed/drained
1/2 c. low fat (or 1 c. fat free) shredded cheese
1 egg white
1/4 t. nutmeg
9 no boil lasagna noodles

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ricotta, spinach, egg white, and nutmeg. Spoon 1 c. of vodka sauce on bottom of 11x7 pan (spray pan first). Layer as follows: 3 noodles, half the ricotta mixture, 1 c. sauce, 3 noodles, rest of ricotta, 1 c. sauce, 3 noodles, remaining sauce. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, bake 5 more minutes. Cut into 6 servings (6 POINTS each).

My Lasagna:
12 no boil lasagna noodles
15. oz Ricotta Cheese
1 egg
4 c. shredded mozz. cheese
1 T. oregano (or Italian seasoning mix)
garlic powder
1 pkg provolone cheese
1 pound ground beef (I usually use angus or sirloin)
2 jars spaghetti sauce
3/4 c. water
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pkg. of sliced pepperoni
1/2 c. parm. cheese

Heat oven to 375. Brown ground beef (I'll often cut up an onion and brown with beef and throw in some garlic too!), drain if needed. Add one jar of sauce and water to ground beef. Stir in the pinch of nutmeg. Mix up ricotta, egg, 2 c. mozz. cheese, oregano, and a good sprinkle of the garlic powder. Spray 9x13 pan. Pour 1/2 of other jar of spaghetti sauce into bottom of pan, spread around. Layer as follows: 3 noodles, 1/2 of ricotta mixture. 1/2 of provolone slices, and 1/2 of pepperoni slices, 1/3 of beef and sauce, 3 noodles, rest of ricotta, provolone, pepperoni, 1/3 beef and sauce, 3 noodles, rest of beef and sauce, 3 noodles, other half of second jar of sauce. Sprinkle with 2 c. sauce and 1/2 c. parm cheese. Cover tightly with double layer of aluminum foil (tip...spray foil, cheese won't stick!). Bake for 60 minutes (take off foil for last 10 minutes of baking). I HIGHLY suggest you put a large cookie sheet under the pan to catch spills...my oven is a MESS! Take it out of the oven and let sit for 10 minutes to set. ENJOY!

I hope that you enjoy these! Let me know if you have any questions. For the record, MY lasagna is SO NOT DIET WORTHY!!!! But, it is OH so good!!! Have a great day everyone!
With love,
Theresa

Free For All Friday!

2010-04-23T10:06:00.000-04:00

Today is Friday! Yippee!! This has been a REALLY long week and I am glad to see Friday be here. I have a lot of randomness today, so let's get started!

First off, the results are in on my Biggest Loser Contest. I got 2nd place!!! I am very happy about this. I did everything I could and quite literally worked my arse off. The woman that got first place beat me by over 2%. It would have been very difficult for me to get that extra 2%. I did what I did and did very well. I lost almost 40 pounds and gained almost $100! Not a bad job! I am even in my "skinny" jeans. I bought some jeans when I was at my thinnest after L was born. I haven't seen them since I got pregnant with J. Well, they fit and I am wearing them. This makes me SUPER happy!! Great job to everyone that participated! We all did great!

Laundry...UGH! Does anyone else hate this chore as much as I do? I did about 4 loads yesterday and have already started the first of at least 2 loads that I am going to have to do today! It just never stops! And then on top of it, L is not quite potty trained at night. She is working on it, but still struggling. She is fine during the day, but not quite there at night. Well, I have to wash her sheets about every other day. It gets tiring. And then there are the dishes. I don't even want to go into the dishes. UGH. Okay, done complaining. Sorry, just got a little household chore overwhelmed!

I know that I have missed a couple of days this week blogging wise. I am still plodding my way through a book, hopefully I will have a book review for Book Worm Wednesday. For Fiber Therapy Thursday, I am working diligently on my BEAUTIFUL Northern Lights Shawl! I love it so much!! Hopefully I will be done with it by next week and can show it to you! It is so soft and smooshy. I hope that I will enjoy wearing it as I can see lots of wraps and shawls in my future! :)

My friend Natalie blogs over at Mommy On Fire and today's blog was pretty neat. She talked about scents that she thinks candle makers or other companies that make good smelling things should make. That got me thinking about what scents I would want to have made. Read her post here. So, here are a couple of scents that I would like to have!

1) yarn (shocker huh?) But, wait you might be saying, yarn doesn't smell. Oh, I disagree! Natural fiber yarn (wool, alpaca, etc...) does most definitely have a smell. My favorite is Malabrigo. It is soaked in vinegar and that smell combines with the wool and it is just YUMMY! Every time I go to the yarn store, I take a BIG whiff!

2) freshly cut wood, especially cedar.

3) That new car smell (does anyone know what actually makes the new car smell so good?!?!)

4) Animal Cookies. The smell really really good!

Thanks for the idea Natalie!

What else an I blabber about today? Ooh, how about a Song To Live By?

"I Need A Miracle" by Fragma
-"I need a miracle, it's more than physical."
There are more lyrics to this song, but this is the only one that applies for me right now. So, why is this song on my live by list? One reason only...it is the song that plays during the lunge section of Body Pump Class. Through the whole time doing those stupid things, I can't help think how appropriate the song is. I need a miracle to get through the whole thing!!

Well, I have 3 kiddos wanting my attention. I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!
With love,
Theresa