Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

{give thanks with a grateful heart
give thanks to the Holy One
give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

and now let the weak say i am strong
let the poor say i am rich
because of what the Lord has done for us}

{give thanks}
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
With Love,
Daniel, Jennifer, Sophie and Grace

Sunday, November 23, 2008

greetings from t-town

well, dan , grace and i made it to tulsa just in time for a delicious home cooked meal from mom... ham, mashed taters, sweet potato, green beans, corn, rolls and apple pie. it was yummy and it was great to see our sweet sophie girl. she has had a good visit here at neena and grandpa michaels. she got a cool "hello kitty" electric toothbrush with her goodies from neena. she has been brushing those toothers non-stop! last night was a little hairy since all four of us where in one room. three in the king sized bed and grace in her pack-in-play, well some of the time. that little love bug woke up 3-4 times last night to eat. SOMETHING HAS GOT TO CHANGE! i think i am going to try and find a baby sleep book today so we can maybe figure out a plan to help her sleep through the night better. dan and i are pretty exhausted.

but, we are SO thankful for pur awesome parents that help us so much and give us opportunities to SLEEP when then keep our little ones. THANKS, YA'LL!!

now we're up and ready for some more HAM. i love me some ham! we are going to hit a few stores on the way home including Bass Pro Shop. they have a very neat "winter wonderland" set up in there store that i think the girls will really like. and i know dan will be so happy to have his favorite people with him in one of his favorite places... the outdoor store! but, first he has to humor me by going to target, jo-anns, and/or michaels... the craft store... my home away from home. :)

happy sunday to you all!

Friday, November 21, 2008

A FULL NIGHTS REST



is coming my way.

HAAAALLELUJAH! HAAALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!

HALLLLEEEEELLLLUUUUJAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sophie and grace (the one who wakes up at least twice every night to eat) are with their grandparents tonight.

it has been a super long day and i am so ready to crawl in bed and sleep ALL night!

{this is how happy i am! oh yeah and i got a hair cut a couple of weeks ago}

{{*photo by sophie... our budding photographer :)*}}

Monday, November 17, 2008

Saturday, November 15, 2008

the Quiche-miester

this morning dan and i feasted on some yummy green chili quiche and coffee with some new chai spice creamer. yummy. i've become quite the quiche connoisseur lately (ha ha ha). two weeks ago i tried this broccoli & cheese one and grandma june loved it. i think it was my fave too. nothing like a yummy quiche and a fresh side salad with ranch dressing! {quick quiche tip- coat the top of the pie crust with cheese. it makes a barrier for the liquid so the crust doesn't get so soggy!}

sometimes i'm hit with a dose of delirious love for my husband and children. this morning is one such time. sure they woke us at 7 am on a saturday morning. sure i was up at least twice in the night feeding grace. sure it is difficult to keep the house clean for very long at a time and sure two little girls make for lots of laundry...

BUT, they sure are sweet and smooshy and SO kissable and sweet and loving and smart and HILARIOUS!

so, i'm just enjoying this saturday at home with the fam cleaning, reading, laughing, watching interesting hunter safety videos, nursing grace, do laundry, dreaming with dan, planning times together with friends and family.

later on i get to go out alone with the laptop and my Christmas planner and make some workable lists. (i'll post some great planning and gift ideas soon. seriously the info is too good not to pass on!) dan will also get some time to go put out his new deer stand. please pray that this boy gets a deer this year! i really believe he has one coming! :)

we might also get to meet a certain young man named william sundance... "sunny d" for short who has his eyes on a certain younger sister of mine. *wink *wink!

better go tackle the play room first. sigh. :)

Thursday, November 13, 2008

The state of Sophie

Some older, very common Sophie phrases... Some are sweet and some are sassy!

"let me alone"
"i see you to-mor-ee-o" or " i see you saturday" or "i see you thursday"
"you come back see me soon" or "you come back and see me nother time!"
"i busy right now"
"i so happy to see you!"
"i got to get back to work" ("on what?," i ask. "bills.")
"i pray for you" :)

Some new ones...

1- Really good ole ______________.
"But mom, I need my really good ole....... bear or lipstick or apple or whatever!" This phrase cracks me up! It was esp. funny when she used it during the middle of a crying fit one night and she needed her "really good ole" bear!

2- Actually
"Actually, I... " It's so funny, but she always uses it the correct way!

3- Appreciate it.
Recently in addition to saying thanks or "hanks" she says "appreciate it" So cute!

4- My personbality
But mom, I need my "personbality!"

5- Imagination
Anytime she uses shapes or pretends she lets me know that she is using her "imagination!"

6-Arron's House?
A couple months ago, I told her we were going to run an "errand" and when we left the public building she called it Arron's house. I told her it was an errand and today we were at the same building and she remembered it was Arron's house. :)

Recently, Sophie was in the car with Mammy, Pappy and Sarah Jo. Apparently there was a discussion between Sophie and Sarah. Sophie said "You're not the boss! I not the boss! They're (pointing to mom & dad) the boss!" Right on, Soph!

Lately she is stuck on LIPSTICK (well, she has been for the last two years, but now she has her own and she always wants it near by!) Her purse and it's contents are very important to her! She has a great memory. She still loves gum! She has also learned about the traffic lights and she tells me from a distance.... "Red light. STOP!" or Green means GO!" or Yellow light means SLOW DOWN!"

Her favorite songs are Take Me Out the Ball Game, Jesus Loves Me and Happy Birthday. She always says "blow out the candles" and then blows hard three times! She still loves to watch the Waltons, "John Boy" and her latest fav movie is "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." She sings Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Truly Scrumptious and Toot Sweet often.

I love listening to her talk to her friends and play. She loves learning, crafts, baking, sweets, reading. Lately she asks me to "forgive her" a lot and "oh, sorry" too much! (I need to not say this so much too!)

Her expressions are hilarious and life would be so dull (and quiet) without our Sophie girl! She is precious!

Here is a video of her singing Happy Birthday to Dad last month.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Perfect Melancholy

Perfect Melancholy: Quieter, deeper, more thoughtful. You strive for perfection in your life and are often disappointed and tend toward depression because perfection in life is rarely if ever attained. Your catchphrase: "If it is worth doing it is worth doing right."

This is SO me. I guess this would be my main temperament?

Powerful Choleric: Can be bossy and short tempered. But on the positive side, you are goal oriented, highly organized, a high achiever and very outgoing. You're catchphrase: "Just do it!"

My minor temperament?

What a combo!

This week I am feeling the "tendency toward depression" I guess because I am so tired and have realized that I can't do it all. I love going and doing and planning and events, but I have had one right after the other the last month and half and I am t.i.r.e.d! Last weekend we went to Branson and Grace did not do well. My sweet, mild mannered, easy going little baby girl turned into a screaming, hurting, mad and very difficult young lady. She had another tooth break though and a severely runny nose. (The kind that cakes on to your nose and won't come off no matter how many time you wipe it!) I guess when you add that to a severe disdain of her car seat, stroller, car ride and outlet mall shopping, it's a recipe for disaster. (I really thought going into it that it would be better or I honestly wouldn't have tried to go.) She still isn't totally herself, but it is amazing how much better she is since we have been home. I can safely say that shopping isn't her thang! :)

SOO, this week I have moped around. So tired, sore (from lugging her so much), and sad. Things are beginning to look up and will continue to CHOOSE to have joy and to take delight in my life, my husband and my children.

I have been fortunate to have some time off from work to take care of my runny-nosed girl. Today I got out and about and it felt good! Then we came home and both of the girls napped at the same time and that felt REAL good!

Tonight, Dan had a Church Council meeting and I am home with the girls. They crack me up! Grace is in to everything (just like her big sister)! Heaven help me!! Today Grace destroyed my bathroom by pulling everything out of my toiletry bag, dumping the trash can, and smooshing muffins all over the place (it's a long story!) and tonight Sophie covered the front bathroom with Dan's shaving creme. Lovely! (I can't find my camera or I would have definitely photographed these whopper messes!)

I guess I better get off here and get to cleaning before Dan gets home!

Anybody else out there a Melancholy gal?

Friday, November 7, 2008

and we're off!

to Branson! for a girls weekend to laugh, eat, talk, shop, laugh, eat and shop some more!!

woo hoo!!!

have a great weekend!