Home Sweet Home

Ah! Home Sweet Home. Well ... not yet anyway, and not if I have anything to do with it. I can't even begin to see this as a fixer-upper. Nope, not even . Marlboro Man's eyes lit up like diamonds in the night sky, and he looked like he'd struck gold when we drove past this beauty.
See, we're in a dilemma. A big one. We live on the edge of our county and we want the Little's to go to school in a different county. The county we live in, they'd have to be bussed a long way on a very busy highway and hundreds of semi's and coal trucks speed up and down it.

Instead we want them to go to the quiet little school a couple of miles from our house. It has a wider variety of activities and a better curriculum. But we don't reside in that county, so we'd be ousted. The Principal has already questioned my morals when I called to ask the rules. I was trying to be honest and do it the right way.

Granted, we own farmland in that county and pay taxes in in, but since we don't live in it, we can't utilize their schools. Have you figured out where I'm going with this? The man has gone half-nuts I do believe.

Marlboro Man thought this could possibly be our part-time home. On the lake and in the right county. Mrs. Dairy Wife and her children think he's done gone and lost his marbles and any bit of brain cells he has left.

Maybe MM can live there ... all by himself. Just think, he'd have a wonderful view of the lake looking out the end of the trailer. Literally.

Don't worry. It's not going to happen. Not even in his wildest dreams!

Be Blessed Everyone.

The Simple Things

It's really funny how kids see things. It's always entirely different than how we as adults view things. These are just empty jugs .... just worthless plastic that hadn't made it out to the "recycle rope" yet.

But through my Little's eyes, they didn't see trash. They saw these as something to treasure, and they saw these as something new, something that came in three's, and something that is for boys and something that is for a girl. I have to sit here and smile as I think back to last night and the things I heard them say about these jugs.

Marlboro Man picked the kids up from his sister's house last night about 8:00. She's been so good to keep them the last two evenings since I've been sick. So when they walked in the back door, the first thing they spotted were these empty fabric softener bottles.

Sam was first to grab them, and as the "leader" he gave each of them a jug. He handed Jay a blue one and a Meg a pink one, and he kept a blue one. The boys were so excited to have a new colorful jug, even though they didn't have a clue what it was. They had so much fun throwing them up in the air and were talking a mile a minute about their new found treat.

With wide eyes, Megan instantly grabbed her pink bottle, hugged it to her chest and exclaimed, "Oh-My-Goodness! It's Pink. Did you buy it for me Mommy? Just for me?"

I sure did Meggie .... just for you, just because it's pink.

Such simple things .... just melt your heart when you're a Mom.

They Know What Love Is ...

Tonight, I turned around and I saw these kids differently. I saw them no longer as my babies, but as little kids. They talk to me and they talk to each other with meaningful conversations and they mean what they say ... to me and to each other.

All about Sam!

He's the sweetest little guy and he's a leader. He's the quickest temper and he's the softest heart. He loves his animals as if they were real. He cuddles them and holds them and strokes their faces and kisses them. He loves them. He loves me. He tells me so. He rubs his cheeks on mine and tells me, "we're so soft." He feels his love in his heart, and he talks about it. He knows what Love is ....

Megan. Her voice is so sweet. She tells me that mine is too. She says that she is my baby, and that she loves me so much. I love her too. It's been so many years since I had daughter this young. I almost forgot how sweet it is. She talks about love, and girl things and how we'll go shopping and be the bestest of friends together and forever. How can she know this at her age? She knows, and she knows what love is ... So do I. I feel it in my heart.

All about Jay.

How lucky can one Mommy be. He's tender. He's sharp. He's quick. He wears his heart on the outside and we watch it softly beat. It beats with love for his sister and his brother, and he's always ready to take care of them when they hurt. He loves them. He tells them so. He loves me too. He says it every time the thought enters his mind .... and it's often. He smiles all the time, he's happy and winks at me like he has a secret. ... and he does. He knows what love is.

It's so wonderful to watch these kids grow. I sometimes wonder what did I do to deserve this. This opportunity doesn't come along very often in a woman's life to have this kind of love in triplicate. I'm so very blessed ... and so are they.

Be Blessed Everyone.

~ One Dollar ~

One Dollar. That is all it takes to make this little girl the happiest person in the world.

I buy her girly scrapbooking paper and stickers at the Dollar Tree and she spends hours and hours sticking the stickers on the paper ... and the whole time, she's telling what a Princess she is, and how much she loves her make-up.

She was hiding from the boys so they couldn't get her stickers. I think Mommy's bed was a good place to be this time. She spreads everything out all over the bed and has so much fun all-by-herself!

What cheap entertainment when you have three, three year olds! One down .... two to go!

Be Blessed Everyone.

"Don't wake up Tom"

This is sad. I really shouldn't even begin to tell this story. It makes me morbid or "sick" or downright weird ... but, I have to. I have to share this. I have to put this down in writing so that when the littles are all grown up, they'll have this to talk about all of their lives. .... and I know this will become an "inside" joke and they'll laugh, which makes me even more weird.

My Uncle Tom passed away three days ago and the funeral was today. We took the little's with us for lack of a babysiter and the fact that it was in my home town, and I wanted to stay and visit with all my out of town relatives after the funeral.

We went through the receiving line without a hitch. The kids were absolutely perfect, well behaved and looked like classic triplets, all dressed up and on display.

We went a few pews back, sat down and quietly chatted with everyone around us. THEN Jay, who was too short to see into the casket earlier, spotted Uncle Tom up front, laying in his coffin. Jay curiously said, "somebody is up there asleep." Mr. Dairy Wife looked at me and I looked at him and we made a couple of winces and a few silent eye comments to each other, and decided that there was no way to explain to him and make him understand. He's just three years old. So we just said, "kinda like that" and let it go. Jay wouldn't let it go, and he had sparked the interest of Sam and Meg.

Jay, half-standing on his Daddy's lap, pointed to the front of the room and said it again, "Daddy, somebody is asleep in that there bed." This wasn't said quietly either. Sam then scrambled up to get a better look, said, "Who is that Daddy? Is ... he sick?," and Daddy quietly said, "It's just Tom." Meg piped in and said, "He don't feel good?" .... and at this point they erupted into a full blown loud chatter about the bed, who Tom is and how sick he was, and the fact that he was asleep in THAT bed.

After a five minute discussion about Uncle Tom and how he is now in Heaven, and now we have to sit down and be quiet and listen .... Megan very loudly and very sternly, in her high-pitched three year old girly voice, said, "Ja-ayyyy! Be quiet. Don't wake up Tom! He's sleee-epppping!"

Oh, the joys! .... and Oh, the embarrassment. No one actually snickered or commented ... they were too busy laughing. And they laughed some more. And, at the dinner afterward, they continued to laugh. I don't know how many times I heard, "Don't wake up Tom!"

Poor Tom! If only he could have heard. He would have laughed too!

Be Blessed Everyone.



P.S. One more thing, what's your opinion on a husband that is watching the kids while you're getting ready for a funeral, and he sits the "all-ready-to-walk-out-the-door-white-shirted-kids" down at the table to color ... and it's way too quiet, and you have N.E.V.E.R. been able to achieve that, so you know something is just NOT right. Then you walk into the dining room to see what is going on and he's furiously pulling wet wipes out of the container, trying to wipe the black permanent marker off their hands, faces and the table. What's your opinion. I'd really like to know. Do you think he needs another course in "Parenting 1-0-1?" .... or would you just kill him? We'll discuss this in the comments section ... okay?

A Star is Born

Meet Sam. Super-Star Sam. He's a basketball star. All thirty-five inches and twenty-eight pounds of him. He can slam dunk his "Pooh ball" right along with the best of them. He's got it going on. Notice the hands? Right in sync with the dunk!
He know just how to slam em. He also is a "ball hog." He won't share and makes his team mates cry. But he's talented. He can dribble like a pro!

He's so good, he just rises on his tip toes .... aims and shoots, and it's a two-pointer straight down the middle. Wilt Chamberlain didn't have anything over on Super-Star Sam.
Just like a celebrity .... he stops and poses.

Ball in hand .... he's going to pivot and shoot! Up in the air he goes. He's off the ground and he shoots!
.... and he scores!

Sam's Umple Darrel came over this evening and played basketball with Sam. Umple Darrel was trying to show Sam a few moves ... but Sam already knew them. Umple Darrel has to bring his own Winnie the Pooh ball next time ... cause Sam don't share! Cause he's a Super-Star!

Be Blessed Everyone.

It's My Job

yesterday afternoon when Marlboro Man went to milk his lovely cows, I bundled up the kids and headed off to visit my son Josh. I got about half a mile down the road and I called him and told him I was coming. He wasn't home, and was on his way to the hospital to visit Carter.

As it ended up, I met up with them and loaded Luke into my car and took all four three year old punks to the Mall. By myself. Holding hands, we ventured to the new little play area. I had to be some where they would all be contained ... and this was the perfect place!

They had so much fun running and climbing, so we stayed until we shut the mall down. I had to line up all four kids on the bench and put on all their shoes and coats and keep them all corralled.

Wouldn't you know it ..... Jay had to pee. It was me and them and the Mall restroom with twenty stalls and it was closing time. I peeked into the ladies restroom and no one was in there, so I locked the big door and locked us all in. Brilliant I think! I lined the kids up on the wall and they pee'd one at a time and didn't touch one thing. Just washing their hands took fifteen minutes. They were infatuated with the water turning off and on by itself. The joys of modern technology ... Ha ~

We decided to take the kiddo's out to eat, and instantly Luke turned into a turd. He has a tendency to do that when his Mom and Dad are around. He got as far away from me as he could and said, "Grandma, I don't like you." That would be because Grandma is "zero tolerance" in the minding department.

Then he grinned, and my heart melted, and he acted silly and I kept taking pictures. The whole time ... Sam, Jay and Meg sat there and watched me undo every single thing I've taught them about sitting down and eating and being good in a restaurant.

But that's okay .... because I'm the Grandma, and it's my job to pay back Luke's Daddy.

This kid (Josh, who is Luke's Daddy) said to me .... "Mom, you're nuts. I wouldn't take four kids anywhere. Ever." I think he must be remembering the stunts he pulled twenty-four years ago when he was three years old.

Once when he was little and wouldn't sit still, back in the day when you could beat your kids in public .... we were at Pizza Hut and I threatened him. He purposely fell off his seat onto the floor and started thrashing around and loudly yelling, "Mom ... don't hit me Mom ... oh Mom, please don't hit me." Then he grinned that evil little grin. The same one that Luke has. So it's my job to pay him back.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Late Night Visitors

This woman and her child comes knocking on my door frequently. And frequently, it's late night. This woman is a "night owl" too. Tonight she came ready for some Mommy & Kelcie pictures. Kelcie didn't cooperate as well as we'd have liked her too ..... she's at the stage where she wants to pose and do the "Cheesy Smile" thing.

This late night visitor, my daughter Juli, and I were talking and laughing about an incident that happened this fall. She had come to the city and met up with me for lunch, and to give me Kelcie for about an hour, because she had an Doctor's appointment.

Kelcie and I were going to meet Juli at Kohl's. I got there first, probably about three minutes before Juli, and decided to go on in and wait for her at the door. Juli walked in just a few minutes after I did, and I said to her, "Where's Kelcie?" It took Juli a long few seconds to sort it all out. Then she said, "You have her Mom!" At that moment, I realized I'd left her in the car. Juli and I both ran out to my car, and Kelcie was sound asleep in her carseat.

Juli was even parked next to me and didn't see her either. That was very scary for both of us. When I look back on this .... it's hard to believe that I really did that, and it made me realize that accidents happen this way and it could have been a bad outcome! Months down the road we can chuckle just a little bit ... but from now on, I'm writing myself a note .... that is if Juli ever lets me take her again.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Salad World

Beef Fajita Strips .... ready made! Seasoned and perfect. Mouth-watering. Visions dancing in my head, and I could taste them just like I was sitting at Hacienda. Wow, these looked good the day Marlboro Man and I went grocery shopping!

This diet thing is killing me, plus it's costing a small fortune. I've ate enough salad to clean the gut of five large men, and it's getting me no where. See, I don't just like plain salad. I like tomatoes, real bacon bits, cheese, eggs, a little ham (a lot of ham), a few black olives, and anything else I can throw on top.

So I started thinking, "okay Tan, you need a variety .... how about a little Mexican salad? Spice it up Girl!" Then I bought the grilled chicken strips too! .... and the buffalo chicken strips. Then I got real creative! I got some Mandarin Orange slices and hunted down the makings for a Asian salad, and everything for a Taco Salad. This diet thing is going to be fun! I'm turning into a regular "Salad World."

The whole time Marlboro Man was pushing the cart down the aisles, he kept telling me that it's going to take more than a salad to lose weight, but I wasn't hearing him .... I was looking for Crouton's ... three different salad dressings .... and the lettuce (4# shredded bag). Do I want Bleu Cheese? Uhhhh, I don't think so, so I passed on that thought.

By the time we got finished with my diet foods and checked out I was exhilarated! I was on a roll and all pepped up to lose some weight. Total Diet Foods: $245.00.

I am SO SICK of salads now I could just puke ..... oh, and the Fajita strips, they taste like raw rubber! Maybe I'll try Chicken tonight or stop by McDonald's on my way home from work this evening!

Be Blessed Everyone!

Seeds of Life

Seeds Of Life . . .

Two seeds lay side by side in the fertile spring soil……The first seed said; I want to grow! I want to send my roots in the soil beneath me, and thrust my sprouts through the earth’s crust above me….I want to unfurl my tender buds like banners to announce the arrival of spring…I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the blessing of the morning dew on my petals.And so she grew……

The second seed said; I am afraid if I send my roots into the ground below..I don't know what I will encounter in the dark. If I push my way through the hard soil above me I may damage my delicate sprouts…what if I let my buds open and a snail tries to eat them? And if I were to open my blossoms, a small child may pull me from the ground. No, it is much better for me to wait until it is safe.And so she waited….A yard hen scratching around in the early spring ground for food found the waiting seed and promptly ate it.~ Unknown

MORAL OF THE STORY… Those of us who refuse to risk and grow get swallowed up by life.

I read this written on someone else's blog this morning and wanted to share it. Go visit Krisscop, she really has a lot of good things to say.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Happy Birthday Jared!

Dear Jared,

Today you're twenty-three years old. You were my baby for twenty years. Then you became my middle child in the course of three minutes. How blessed I am to have you.

As I sit here writing this birthday letter to you .... I smile. For I know, that you know, how much I love you. I am your biggest fan and one of your best friends, as well as your Mother. I'd go the extra mile for you and more. Beyond all limits, because I am your Mother ... and you are my son.

You came into this world in a blinding blizzard. You came easy and quickly, and were so beautiful and perfect. Except for the last three years, you have always been my baby. That was special to me. Although I love you all equally, you were special because I believed in my heart, I would never have another child.

As you grew I couldn't have ask for a better child. You caused me no worries and I have always been so proud of you. You didn't give in to peer pressure and you chose your path wisely. Now you're a teacher of man. I'm proud of that. You followed the path of education. .... and you chose to educate children.

As I sat here last night thinking of what I would write to you .... I thought of several things. I was reflecting back on your love of life. I remember how much you nurtured the animals in your life. How very much you loved them and had a bond with them. A wonderful light would shine in your eyes and your heart was so full.

I thought about the Mother's Day that you all bought me a bicycle. You were still a little boy, and way too small to ride such a big bicycle. I turned my back for one brief moment and you manged to hop onto that bike. How you kept your balance I'll never know. Time stood still for me, and I know I didn't breath, as I ran after you down a steep brick lined street. The crash at the bottom of that hill, at the time, was the worst thing I'd ever experienced in my life. The car shreeched to a halt at the same time you crashed the bicycle. From my point of view, I thought the car had hit you.

I'll never forget the feelings I had as I reached you laying unconscious on that hot pavement. I'll never forget the fear that washed over me when I couldn't wake you up. Standing there frozen in fear, I thought I had lost you forever. In my panic, I could only stand and scream, and make sure no one touched you until the ambulance came. But you were okay. A pampered night in the hospital and you were as good as new with only a few scrapes and bruises.

I learned in those few moments that life is precious, and in a heartbeat, it can be gone and change your course forever. We were lucky. God chose to keep you here and keep you perfect.

Now after all these years, I want to apologize for something I did to you. At the time, I thought it was funny ... and on occasion, I still do. I'm sorry for "zip-tieing" your arm to your bicycle in the garage. I made you cry and I laughed and took your picture. It was all in a joke. You thought so too until I wouldn't cut the strap and set you free. For that, I'm sorry. But I do have to tell .... you asked me to show you how that zip-tie worked and thought you were Houdini. Ha ~

Now you're a married man, much in love, and live in Mississippi. I miss you being physically close to me, but no matter where you are .... you'll always be right here in my heart and a phone call away.

I'm happy for you Jared. You're doing well in your life and again, I have no worries. Thank you for that.

Love always,

Mom

Caught a Mouse last Night!

As usual, it's very difficult to catch all three of these kiddo's at the same time and herd them into their bedroom at night. Last night was no different.

As soon as we hit the top of the stairs, they scatter and hide from me. This is turning into a nightly ritual. They love to play "hide-and-seek." They're just too cute! Jay slid under an old antique dresser that we have in the living room upstairs. Of course his head was peeking out and he was giggling at me. Meg ran into her bedroom and hid in the corner with her pillow over her head. Sam leaped over the side of the sofa, ducked behind it and crawled along the wall until I could see him. Of course I could hear him too. "Jay .... hide Jay .... giggle-giggle-snort-laugh-giggle!"

I pretended to not find my little darlings and looked high and low and called out for each one of them. They stayed put and giggled and yelled out to me that they were hiding! Sam especially stayed put. He was stuck! Stuck. Stuck. Stuck. Stuck to a sticky glue mouse trap. Both feet firmly planted onto that little trap that was hid behind the sofa. He couldn't move his feet.

Mr. Dairy Wife had to air-lift him straight up and over the back, and rescue him! Needless to say, we couldn't pull the glue trap off of his pajama's with him in them, so we shucked him right out of them just to salvage the kid! His cute little pajama's weren't salvaged. I couldn't get the glue off of them. Any ideas anyone?

Those little mouse traps are STICKY!

Be Blessed Everyone.

Happy Birthday Joey

Dear Joey,

Today is your birthday .... and you're twenty-four. It's hard for me to believe that you're a man, yet to me, you're still my little boy. Not only are you a grown man now, but you're a man of God. As a young man you found God, and he has changed your life in so many ways. Of all your many accomplishments in your life, I know that this was your destination. The place that you were meant to be. The paths that you traveled to get there were not hard for you, and I especially love it that you found him when you were young. He will fulfill your whole life in so many ways. Of course, you'll still have struggles, as we all do, but you have the strength of God standing behind you and lifting you up in your life. You're a lucky man.

Joey, we've never talked about this, me and you, but I feel in my heart that God has a plan for you. One that you don't even know yet. I feel that your mission will be to speak to the poor, and your voice will change the lives of many young people. I feel that there will be times in your life that you will be hungry, for you will do without, and give to the needy. I know that you know that God will see you through. I feel that there will be many times in your life that you will be poor on this earth, but so very rich in spirit, and I know this will happen because it will be your choice.

Over the past three years as I've watched you grow in your love for God, I used to think that you were moving away from me, that you were somewhere above me, but I know that you know my heart and I know that even if you're away from me in miles, you're always right here, just a phone call away and you'll always be with me no matter where you are.

My fear used to be that you would move far away, to another country even. I feel it in my bones, that you'll live where you're needed, somewhere that isn't the home you know. We've always been so close, and it's hard as your Mother to let you go, but I know in my heart that you're already gone. There are others in this world that need your presence, and the gifts you have, more than I do. But I also know that I am your Mother, and you love me very much. I'm very proud of you and the choices you've made in your life.

Joey, you're going to be an awesome Minister and I hope that through the course of your walk, you'll find, and lead, many to walk along beside you. Remember to hold their hands, for if they fall, you'll be there to help them back up. Your strength will be like that mighty Oak tree that we've both searched for in the bible, and can't find, the one that must have been in my dream for you, many years ago.

Happy Birthday my beautiful son, and I love you very much!

Mom

Sam's Club

You all know that I've posted before about my blog visitors, but this is a new twist. I love to see who all visits me, so I have my little "visitor counter, see who was here thingy" on the side. Sometimes I just want to yell out, "Hello You!" or "Hey ....you didn't stay very long" or "You left me to go there!", but today I think I just got my goose cooked, or at least put a kink in my Sunday dinners! Now I'm probably going to have to start cooking more! No more freebies of the best Sunday samples in town.

This evening after work, I ran into the house to see who all had dropped by my blog. The kids know how to open the door now, so I just left them outside, and they followed me in. Thank goodness we weren't having a blizzard or something, because I had a "feeling" that there would be something ~ really ~ good on my blog!

They calmly took off their coats and shoes and ask for dinner. I on the other hand, was way too busy checking out my visitor log. They helped themselves to a box of crackers, and each kid took a whole pack, but I can clean the mess up later because this is definitely worth it. Jay turned on "The Best of Elmo" and they all sat down on the couch and smashed up their crackers and watched TV! Oh well, I have a Dust Buster and a Dog!

Lo, and behold .... someone from Bentonville, Arkansas, probably a CEO or the VP or someone with power at Sam's Club Corporate office had been reading my blog. They got clued in that I take my kids to Sam's for lunch almost every Sunday. Furthermore, I had posted here exactly how I do it. I got caught and gave away my best kept secret!

If they stop my free lunch/sample Sunday day at Sam's, I am going to be so mad. I think I'm going to drop them a email and tell them that it was just a joke, and if they don't believe me ... then I'm going to tell someone that while they were here, they read a lot of other posts too, and probably on company time.

I did a Google search and my blog and this post both came up under Sam's Club. I think I'd better plan on lunch both Saturday and Sunday this weekend before they shut me down!

Be Blessed Everyone ..... and make sure you go get your free Sunday dinner at Sam's Club this weekend before it ends! .... and I'm so very sorry to all of you that depend on Sam's for lunch too! It will be missed I'm sure! Don't hate me. Okay?

~ Cowabunga Boots ~

Cow Boots! Just perfect for a Cow Farm! They got these boots for their birthday last month and would not wear them. Would not put them on .... not one time! They didn't like 'em, and all it takes is for one of them to "not like something" and everyone "doesn't like something." It's a triplet thing!
They were bored today and picking at each other and fighting, so Marlboro Man nonchalantly said, "I think I'll put on my cow boots and go outside and pick up that wood pile." Instantly, all three of these little curtain climbing yard-apes ran and got their "cow boots" and their Carhartt coats. Instant love affair with the new boots! Why didn't he say that a month ago .... ha ~

They helped push the wheelbarrow to the wood pile and proceeded to work like little slaves! I don't know if I ever told you all that we assigned farm chores for them when they started walking about two years ago! Next year the boys are going to start milking the cows. You believe that?

They huffed and puffed and worked like crazy and filled the entire wheelbarrow! Three pieces at a time. Everything happens in three's around here! Three times the fun.
Then they pushed it all the way back to the house! These "cow boot wearing farmer kids" are hard workers. I'm going to have to think of more jobs for them.

By the time they got everything situatated and back in the house, lunch was ready and on the table and they all told me how hard they worked and how they picked up the wood and how they got cold and it was warm in the house, and they "like" their new cow boots! They each brought in a small piece of wood to help MM put on the fire!

Moral to the story: work 'em hard .... nap 'em good! More blogging time for Mom!

Be Blessed Everyone! ~