Oh no.....here's another one

I stole this.....flat out stole it. And I didnt even have the decency to remember who's blog I stole it from. It wasnt one that I have ever seen before....I was blog-hopping. So the chances of them ever seeing this is slim to none. Ok, here we go....(and feel free to steal it from me)

What is your salad dressing of choice?
Ranch

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
DiPaolos Italian Kitchen

What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it
Chocolate

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
meatball and bacon (yum!!!)

What do you like to put on your toast?
butter

How many televisions are in your house?
3

How many phones are in your house?
3 and 2 cells

Are you right-handed or left-handed?
right

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
tonsils, gallbladder, lymph node, a small piece of my ankle bone

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
my kids

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
nope

If it were possi​ble,would you want to know the day you were going to die?
No

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I love my name....so I wouldnt change it

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
I would do my best

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
just one

Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
Got a ticket about 12 years ago

Last person you talked to?
My mom

Last person you hugged?
R

Season?
I love spring and fall

Holiday?
Thanksgiving

Day of the week?
Sunday

Month?
June- usually go on our first camping trip that month

Flower?
duh! Sunflowers

Missing someone?
Yes

Mood?
aggitated

What are you listening to right now?
My playlist....Chris Cagle "Chicks Dig It"

Watching?
nothing

Worrying about?
not at all

First place you went this morning?
bathroom

What's the last movie you saw?
Juno

Do you smile often?
Yes

Do you always answer your phone?
almost always

It's four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?
Stupid facebook....they send messages SOooooooo slow

If you could change your eye color what would it be?
no thanks, I will keep my green eyes

What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic?
never been to Sonic

do you own a digital camera?
Yes

Have you ever had a pet fish?
yes

Favorite Christmas Song?
O Holy Night

What's on your wish list for your birthday?
Comment love!

Can you do push ups?
nope

Can you do a chin up?
nope

Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
neither....it will get here when it gets here

Do you have any saved texts?
yes

Ever been in a car wreck?
not more than a fender bender

Do you have an accent?
No....everyone around her talks just like me (the rest of them have accents)

What is the last song to make you cry?
Because He Lives.....its a hymn that makes me cry everytime

Plans tonight?
go to bed

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
yes

Name 3 things you bought yesterday?
nothing...yay me!

Have you ever been given roses?
yes....I love roses. Hubby gives me rose bushes instead of bouquets so I can have them all summer.

Current hate at the moment?
nothing

Met someone who changed your life?
Yes. My husband and Jesus

What song represents you?
wow...gotta think about that awhile. I dont know.

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
Thats a toss up. There are times when I think I would, but then again I am very happy with my life. So if I went back I would only tweak things a bit, not really change anything.

Have you ever dated someone longer than a year?
yep

Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
ears pierced and one tattoo

Will you be in a relationship 4 months from now?
Um...yeah. LOL I dont think that question applies to married folk.

Does anyone love you?
yes

Would you be a pirate?
no way! Im scared of boats

What songs do you sing in the shower?
I dont usually sing in the shower. but I do sing everywhere else in the house.

Ever had someone sing to you?
My daddy always sang "You are my sunshine" to me.

When did you last cry?
a couple weeks ago, in the van

Do you like to cuddle?
absolutely

Have you held hands with anyone today?
yes...Hubby and J

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
the kids

What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school?
Bruce Springsteen....and anything else my dad listened to

Are most of the friends in your life new or old?
old

Do you like pulpy orange juice?
yes

What is something your friends make fun of you for?
Forgetting everything....and being a push-over

Have you ever ridden an elephant?
Ew, no

Do you like to play Scrabble?
no...but I kick butt at Candyland

What are you saving for?
groceries

When is the last time you ate peanut butter and jelly?
a few weeks ago for lunch

What song do you want played at your funeral?
Because He lives

What were you doing at 12 AM last night
reading blogs....yes, I have a problem

Days of Grace

Today I found grace in....

- the smell of little boys after a bath

- seeing C pull in the driveway

- a good laugh with Amy on the phone last night (Im still working on Friday night! Dont give up yet!!)

- Planning Februarys Meals out with just what we have on hand....woo hoo!

and mostly....

- Knowing that Baby Tuesday is safe in the Arms of our Heavenly Father

Please pray for Tuesday's Family

Tuesday Fiona Whitt
October 11, 2006 - January 30, 2009


Rest in peace little Tuesday, Rest in peace.

Flylady would be proud....not really

Flylady would be so proud of me... look at my sink! Shiny and clean. But PLEASE Flylady DON'T turn around and look at the rest of my kitchen. And don't look at my feet either because I just cant handle the "dress to the shoes" thing. Honestly, now as I am writing this my sink no longer looks like this, since it is full of dinner dishes just waiting for attention. It never ends. Babysteps I keep telling myself....babysteps.

And LOOK! See the happy bubble face that was in my pasta water tonight. Yes, the pic is upside down but so was the face. So I turned it so people wouldn't think I needed psychiatric intervention for seeing things that aren't there.


Still don't see it? Ok....look here....


Now that you all think I'm crazy....I will move along to my Days of Grace

- a much needed nap

- cookies

- C's weekend

- living room being picked up (even if it only lasted 15 minutes)

- more cookies

Friday fill in

1. I'd really like a Vacation right now.

2. Ow! is the word you'd most often hear me say if I stubbed my toe.

3. Possession is MINE!

4. Who is (just kidding) Captain Jack Sparrow.

5. Marshmallows and fire go together like Me and Chocolate

6. Pray on and on.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to C's visit, tomorrow my plans include baking cookies and Sunday, I want to watch the Superbowl!

One Word

Not as easy as you might think! Now forward, change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers.

Where is your cell phone? Chair
Your significant other? Work
Your hair? Messy
Your mother? Friend
Your father? Awesome
Your favorite thing? Sleep
Your dream last night? None
Your favorite drink? Water
Your dream/goal? Heaven
What room are you in? Living
Your hobby? Blogging
Your fear? Loss
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here
Where were you last night? Home
Something that you aren't? skinny
Muffins? Cheese
Wish list item? Jewelry
What did you do last night? Hurt
What are you wearing? Jammies
TV? On
Your pets? None
Friends? BEST
Your life? Blessed
Your mood? Sad
Missing someone? Always
Drinking? Water
Smoking? No
Your car? Van
Something you're not wearing? Socks
Your favorite store? Target
Your favorite color? purple
When is the last time you cried? Awhile
Where do you go to over and over? couch
Five people who email me regularly? Friends
My favorite place to eat? DiPaolos
Favorite place I'd like to be at right now?Camping

Thursdays Days of Grace

I dont know where to start. I was going to blog about how rough my day was....the boys were trying to see who could misbehave the most, etc, etc, etc and then I read about Little Tuesday on EM's blog. Please go HERE and read her story...and PRAY like you have never PRAYED before.
I went back and read this blog from the begining, well at least the begining of the bad stuff. I also found out today that a close friends Grandmom has breast Cancer again. Right now I am so down and sad and worried. So I gotta dig deep and figure out how to find hope after that bad news.

-Lets start with Trusting God. Trusting him to know what is best and leaving him to do his Will. We may not understand but we need to find Hope and have Faith that he is watching over all of us.

-Two sleeping (FINALLY) little boys.

-This is my weekend with C. Cant wait to see him tomorrow night.

-My 5 year old J, after seeing the blog about Tuesday and asking about her, automatically starting to Pray for Tuesday to get better. That child never ceases to amaze me.....how does a 5 year old know to pray like that? He also prayed earlier for me to feel better so that I could play with him.....how cute is that?

-May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the Holy Spirit.Romans 15:13

Days of Grace

I am currently reading the Grace of the Moment Daily Bible. I have tried several times on my own to read the whole Bible but I get lost, confused, etc. But not anymore, this book is just perfect. Each day has scripture from the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs and the New Testament. I am really enjoying it and finding the stories facinating and enlightening. Yesterday's Old Testament scripture was from Exodus. As I was reading I started laughing out loud. God is talking to Moses and showing him Miracles. He turns Moses staff into a snake and then back again. He aflicts a skin disease on him and immediately removes it. Amazing stuff. Stuff that should make him (and all of us) stop and go "Ok Lord....I'm all yours! What do you want me to do??" But this is not what Moses does. No, he all but begs God to leave him alone and ask someone else to do this task. God says everything he can to give Moses the confidence to speak to the Israelites. Moses still complains. Then God did something that I find myself doing often. He got tired of fighting with Moses. He says Fine! We will do it your way. He told Moses that his brother Aaron could do the talking for him. Wow. Moses must have been the most stubborn man EVER. (Exodus 4:1-17)
Anyway....I found grace in this passage from Exodus. I even read it to Hubby today but he wasnt as amused as I was, lol.

Here is the rest of my list....

- I got my copy of The Love Dare in the mail today. Cant wait to start reading it (and watch the movie Fireproof)

- Pulling out some old pictures of friends and scanning them into Facebook. Lots of fun memories!

- More great news about Harper....we all keep praying and she keeps getting stronger. Thank you Jesus!

- Chocolate cake for breakfast (and snack of course!)

Dear Family...

Dear Family,
We have know one another for a long time now. Please understand that just because I live in a home surrounded by males...this does not make me a male. Please take the time to realize that the only week during the month that I bother to close the bathroom door...it is more for your benefit than mine. Also, when that week is upon us please realize that I find you all truly annoying. Seriously. The other three weeks a month you are all cute and adorable, even when your misbehaving. But this week....you're not so cute and adorable. And how can you not notice when to be on your best behavior? Why do you insist on saving your worst behavior for the time when I have the least patience? Is that an over-sight on your end or what? It is as simple as basic math...bathroom door is closed= be good around mom. Or face the consequences. I yell quicker, louder and more often. And if it seems like I am ignoring you during this week....believe me, it is much better for all of us this way.

Just saying.

TT and Days of Grace

Today is Tribute Tuesday which means I get to pick someone or something that I feel deserves to be put on a pedestal and a big bright light shined on. After much deliberation I choose the Common Cold. Yes, me and this monster of a virus are very close. You see this unwanted germ has come to visit my two youngest and decided to set up shop and stay awhile. Oh the joys we have been having! The snot, the coughs, the restless nights, and don't forget the vomit. Oh yes, R is so congested that he actually threw up his lunch....ON. THE. TABLE. disgusting! (but I got off easy on that one, I cleaned HIM up and Hubby cleaned the table) So back to my tribute. I am not putting you on this pedestal to adore you or bring you fame....no, I am hoping that you are afraid of heights and hate the hot spot light. Then you can pack up your slimy, snotty bags and get the heck out of here!



Besides wiping snotty noses today, we also took the boys for haircuts. Then to surprise the boys I made dinner and served it on the Living Room floor like a picnic. We pretended we were camping and talked about all the fun stuff we did that day at the campground. It was so much fun. I can't wait to do it again soon.




This is our plates filled with picnic yummys....popcorn chicken, french fries, apple slices and a fig newton

Now for my Days of Grace list. Today I found Grace in....

- Talking with Hubby for 30 minutes about "nothing". Nothing about anything important, just a nice talk while cuddled up on the couch.

- A winter picnic!!

- Finding an old friend on Facebook that I havent talked to in 15 years!

- Volunteering to be a Twitter-er (or Tweeter??) for ExemplifyOnline.com

- Philippians 4:6 Don't worry about anything, Instead pray about everything, And thank Him for His answers.

Oh...one last thing.....check out At the Well. They are having a fabulous giveaway (that I want to win!!) so hurry over there and enter.

Monday....and Days of Grace

It's 8:30 on Monday night and I haven't completely my To-Do list today. And I feel guilty because I only got around to reading a few blogs today...and didnt get to comment much. Hopefully I will have a chance to catch up tomorrow. For as busy as today seemed, I dont have much to show for it....the dishes are done, kids are in bed asleep and I have a toothache. Oh, and I still need to mop the dining room. But that will wait until after Jon and Kate plus 8.

Days of Grace for today

-More God=Less Me I am loving this blog. So many messages are hitting home with me right now. Especially the verse in her blog header. He must become Greater; I must become less. John 3:30 Seriously Awesome!

-Good news from Kelly's Korner about Baby Harper. Great things happening over there....go check it out.

-My old house. We drove past it today and it made me think about how far I have come and how much better my life is now. That house was a dump. It was actually a second floor apartment. The roof leaked, it was falling apart and a drug dealer and prostitutes lived across the street. Scary and Awful. But it gave us shelter when that was all I could afford.

- Hubby is working TONS of overtime this week. I dont like it because I miss him but we really need the money so it is a blessing.

- Cuddling with R most of the day. Poor little guy is sick with a fever and a cold.

Lets talk about Giveaways.....

First I want to tell everyone how excited I am to win a copy for Fireproof from Dawn at Because I said so. I can not WAIT to see this movie. And I will post my review as soon as possible.

Now on to other giveaways. Entering giveaways has become another obsession for me. Especially since I have won a few things in the past few months. This only feeds the fire and makes me enter more and more. Today I stumbled across Bloggygiveaways.com and it is incredible. They have a Mr. Linky with over 400 blog giveaways. And yes, I am entering tons of them. So go....run.....enter your name too. Because I would love for all of us to be winners.

Ugh

Well, we didn't make it to Church today. R is sick with a fever and a cough. So we spent most of the day cuddled up under a blanket. Hubby took J with him to the farm for lunch. Then Hubby went to work and I have the kids watching a movie with a big tub of popcorn. Does anyone know the difference between how a cool mist humidifier and a warm humidifier helps? Our pediatrician recommends the cool mist but ours is broke. We do however have a warm humidifier and that is what I am putting in R's room tonight. It is better than nothing, right?

Here is the recipe from the stuffed chicken I made last night. It was super easy and super yummy. I got it from the All You magazine, but I couldn't find it online either.
Ricotta and Ham Stuffed Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 cup grated Parm cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 think slices deli ham
salt and pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted butter.
1. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, basil and garlic.
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut a slit along thick edge of each breast half, forming a pocket. Open breast halves like a book and lay once slice of ham in each.
3. Spoon 1/4 of ricotta mixture on top of each ham slice, then close chicken over filling and fasten with toothpicks.
4. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken on both sides with flour until well coated. Discard remaining flour.
5. In a large skillet, warm oil and butter over medium-high heat until butter melts and begins to foam. Add chicken to pan and cook 5 minutes; flip and cook on second side for an additional 5 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink inside (cut to test).
Serve hot.

Ok, I did tweak this a little. I was out of Parmesan cheese so I added a pinch of salt and also Oregano to ricotta mixture. It was super yummy.....J was eating it right out of the bowl before I stuffed the chicken. Plus, I used 2 pieces of ham instead of one for each breast. And since I don't measure when I cook....I know I used more than a 1/2 cup of ricotta. But I'm one of those people who think more is better, especially when it comes to cheese. Trust me.....this recipe is a KEEPER.

Days of Grace

Today I found Grace in.....

-A nice sunny day

-Hubby doing the grocery shopping today

-Quiet moments between coughs

-R having only a low temperature tonight

-Sunflowers


Now I need to medicate my son, turn on the humidifier, mop the kitchen and watch the Duggar wedding tonight. I hope everyone has a wonderful start to their week.
(BTW Rebecca Jo....these thin mints aren't from last year....hubby got the just this week. But I STILL have half a box. That's a huge accomplishment for me! LOL)

Saturday Ramblings

Today flew by so quickly. Nothing big happened, we didn't even leave the house but it still seemed to fly by. This morning I did the usual Blog stalking and kitchen cleaning. After lunch me and R took a nap. He started with a cough this morning and sounded terrible by lunchtime. Then after we got up from naps he had a fever. So I started giving him Motrin and making sure it didn't get higher. I made a new recipe for dinner..... Ricotta and Ham stuffed Chicken Breast. The recipe was in this months All You magazine. Let me tell you.....this recipe is AWESOME! Even my 5 year old cleaned his plate. I made glazed carrots and biscuits to go with it and we all left the table with full and happy bellies.

So now I am curled up on the couch after a much needed shower. The boys are asleep and we are watching the NHL All Star Skills competition. And I just finished eating Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies. YUM.
And no...I didn't log my food today. Go ahead....scold me. I deserve it.


Wow...I almost forgot my Days of Grace for today.

- A nice evening with Hubby. This is is first and only day off this month. He has been working so much and I feel terrible sitting here blogging when I could be rubbing his feet or something. Ok, not really but it sounded good.

-R's fever came down....and he is sleeping comfortably. Please say a prayer that he doesnt get sicker and doesnt spread any germs to the rest of us.

- Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies

- Hubby is considering going to church with us in the morning.....fingers crossed and prayers said.

- John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

AMEN!

Everything You wanted to know but were afraid to ask

I got tagged by Young Momma at Perfect pen. And I'm really glad because I didn't have anything to blog about this morning...Perfect timing!

Rules: Post the list on your profile replacing my answers with yours. Tag 25 people to do the same. Don't forget to Tag me back.If I tagged YOU, it's because I want to know more about you.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
I don't think so. I know my brother was but can't remember being told anything about where my name came from, so I guess my parents just liked it.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
In the van a week and a half ago.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
NOPE....too sloppy

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Cheese, lol....I could go the rest of my life without lunchmeat

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Three boys

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Yes I would

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Sometimes

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
No. Had them out when I was 4. And I was so mad at my parents that I wouldn't talk to them for awhile. I wouldn't eat either. Not until Dad made a cake and I got to lick the beaters.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Heck No!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Blueberry Mini-Wheats

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Never


12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Moose Tracks....but I'm really not that picky, I will eat any kind of ice cream

13. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
If they seem happy or not. For some reason I worry about people who don't seem happy, and it is my nature to try and "fix" them. Even though I am starting to realize I cannot make anyone happy but myself.

14. RED OR PINK?
Purple....OK, alright....If I HAVE to choose then I pick pink

15. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My eating habits.....you know, the cookie binges

16. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
C, I really wish he could be around more.

17. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST??
It would be nice :-)

18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Navy blue sweats and bare feet

19. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Disney Channel commercials and J blowing raspberries

20. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Purple

21. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Food. Chocolate, Lasagna, Cookies, Bread, etc.

22. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My mom. I talk to her several times a day on the phone and on instant messenger

23. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO POSTED THIS NOTE?
Yes, I do

24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Nascar....call me a Redneck (please see EM for a definition of Redneck)

25. HAIR COLOR?
Golden Brown....at least that is what the box calls it

26. EYE COLOR?
Green....like my Daddy

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Yes, but only when I go out. Around the house I wear glasses.

28. FAVORITE FOOD?
Chocolate, duh!

29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
I'm not much of a love-story fan, I would rather watch a nice, gory, slasher movie.

30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Juno....That's funny, Young Momma have the same answer again! I watched it last weekend when we had a free HBO preview weekend.

31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Off-white with an Amish quilt picture

32. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer....so we can go camping

33. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs

34. FAVORITE DESSERT?
anything with Chocolate

35. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
I'm cheating and not naming others....so no one

36. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
same as 35


37. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Daily Blessings Daily Bible

38. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
No mouse pad, I have a laptop

39. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Howie Do it and Tonight Show

40. FAVORITE SOUND(S)?
My boys playing nicely and laughing

41. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Neither....but if I had to pick it would be Rolling Stones

42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Arizona

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Sleeping....well, napping actually. I am really, really good at Napping.

44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Delaware

45. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
see 35

46. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER? While I was working at the Cable office, he would come in every month to pay his bill.....the rest is history

Now I'm going to be terrible and not tag anyone. This was fun to do and anyone who wants to do it can just grab it and go. Sorry I'm not following all the rules.

Days of Grace

I was getting ready to turn my computer off and head to bed but I remembered that I didn't write my list for today. And I couldn't forget that! Here are the things I found Grace in today....

-Amy doing a great job in court today. Way to Go Amy! I'm proud of you!!

-Finding a HILARIOUS website. Jackass Letters. I have been laughing all night reading the letters this crazy man has written. Oh...and he follows me on Twitter now...lucky me (-:

-Listening to my little boys saying their bedtime prayers.

-Psalm 11:7 The Lord does what is right, and he loves justice, so honest people will see his face.

-And......he loves me, he really, really loves me......Hubby brought back these beauties from his Walmart trip today!!!

Friday fill in and what I need

1. Oh, I am so Hungry!

2. Temperature changes, big and little.

3. During Sleep, I drool. (gross, I know. Sorry TMI)

4. Playoffs; are you kidding me???

5. Right now I'd like to be camping.

6. My cellphone is my favorite gadget.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to lasagna, tomorrow my plans include nothing and Sunday, I want to go to church!

Last night I was wasting time on the Internet and remembered something I read awhile ago. It was a blog that mentioned to google your name+needs and see what you get. Here is what google says I need.....

Denise needs her mouth wired shut! Wow, really? I didn't think I talked that much and I surely don't have a broken jaw. Hmmmmm....

Denise needs fame & glory, thoughts & memories, family & friends, and ignorance & confidence and then her life will be complete. Well, this person sounds like they like me.....or think I'm a total loser.

Denise needs a professional profile on Linkedln. WTH is Linkedln? I already have a myspace and facebook....so I can't keep up with another profile. Sorry.

Denise needs a steel-belted bikini. This was my favorite answer. There is no way I could wear a bikini unless it was steel belted. Sheesh.....how did they know?

Denise needs to potty train her mouth. Apparently they think I say Crap and Darn it too much. Sorry if I offended anyone :-)

Denise needs as much money as possible! Oh yeah! Now we're talking!!

Denise needs to stop using kids for photo ops. So what if the paparazzi thinks my kids are cute....don't judge!

Denise needs prayers. Oh yes I do....lots of them.

That was fun.....now it's your turn. Go ask Google what you need.

All about my day....and Days of Grace

Happy Thursday. I hope you all had a wonderful day. I had a very laid back and unproductive day. As usual. After breakfast I vegged out....oh wait, I DIDN'T veg out today. I colored, played with the remote control trains, played with the regular trains and then had a pretend picnic with the boys. Then I did the dishes and vacuumed. Yeah, I know....that's more than I have done all week. After lunch I took a 3 1/2 hour nap. I know that was way too long but Hubby and J went to run some errands and then stayed outside to change the oil in the van. So R and I slept and slept and slept. It was NICE. After our nap, the boys played outside while I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (and yes, I logged my calories!) and dinner.

Now the boys are in bed and Hubby is getting ready to leave for work. That means I can stalk all my blogs in peace and quiet. Yay! Now on to my Days of Grace list for today.

- a very long nap. It was WONDERFUL !

- New magazines that came in the mail (I love mail!)

- A friend making me laugh

- Actually making a few dollars on my ads

- Reading a vacation brochure. Sure it isn't as nice as taking a vacation but it is nice to read about them and dream.


Oh, one more thing. Rae Ann updated my blog button....so grab the new one and put it on your blog if you want. It would make me very happy!

Let's get this party started....

Funny Stuff & Myspace layouts

OK. I'm throwing it all out there. Making myself accountable. You know, all that healthy crap. You see a few years ago I lost weight on Weight Watchers Points. Then gained it back. Then lost it using www.myfooddiary.com and then gained it back. Well, I need to lose it again...and hopefully not find it. And after these two successful times I realize that I cannot actually diet. I cannot give up any particular food. I do well when I just track what I eat. It makes me accountable and makes me think long and hard about what I want to eat or not eat. If I want chocolate I will eat chocolate but that means I will have to make some adjustments at a later meal. Good think I like veggies. With the way our budget looks, I cannot join WW and cannot afford my old website but I did find another similar site that is FREE. Yep, you heard me.... FREE
www.dailyplate.com
So I'm making myself accountable starting today. I will log anything and everything that passes these lips. Even if Hubby breaks out the deep fryer....I will log it. I just need to figure out how much fat and calories are in deep fried oreos?
So wish me luck, and push me forward. Because I know me well enough to know I will jump ship the first chance I get.

Todays Days of Grace

I wont lie. I am not completely devoted to writing this list right now. In fact, I am barely looking at the screen as I type. You see....LOST is back on. And I am watching it. Right. Now. And yes, I could wait and type this later but I dont wanna....I want to watch Lost then head to bed to dream happy thoughts.....

So here we go with my half-brain attempt at a grace list.

- LOST is back on. yep. I find grace in that.

- Ice cream. The kind I just ate while I am watching LOST

- Being done my dentist appointment. Cause I HATE going to the dentist.

- A big plate of yummy lasagne. I made it yesterday and we had it for dinner tonight. And there is enough leftover to have it for dinner again this week. Yeah! For cooking once and eating twice.

- The boys are asleep. They were loud today. And I needed a little bit of quiet. You know....to watch LOST.

I thought he was on MY side.

Are there times when you kids totally rat you out? Hang you up to dry? Well, that is what J did to me yesterday. TWICE! Both times were at dinner, and thankfully Hubby didnt mention them at all.
First....
I dont even remember what we were talking about but after I said something he rolled his eyes at me. Automatically I snapped that he is not allowed to do that and I never want to see it again. That is where I should have left it but I didnt. I push on. When I asked him where on earth he had picked that up he calmly said "From You". WHAT?!?! When??? Oh crap! He learned it from watching me? I didnt know I even did that....how can I scold him when I dont even know that I do that?

Second.....
Hubby is a card-carrying member of the Clean Plate Club. I am not. This causes problems. J said he was full before he had finished his sandwich. Hubby tells him he is NOT getting up until he finishes his sandwich and that we are not throwing it away. So he manages to eat two more bites. Then Hubby gets up to use the bathroom. I pick up J's plate and throw his sandwich in the trash. J spends the next 10 minutes asking me if I was ignoring what Daddy said and why I didnt have to do what he said. He would not stop talking about it.
So much for being nice to the kid.

Major Disappointment

I'm a little disappointed.
OK, I am alot disappointed. I took this quiz to see how "addicted" I am to Blogging and I only got a 67%.
67%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating

Are they serious? How much more addicted could I be? I forgo housework and sleep for it. I dream about it. My whole life is now consumed with looking for what to blog about next. I am constantly reading other blogs and following new people. I have tried to hang out on Twitter, only to be drawn back to my blogger to see if anyone else has posted since the last time I checked. So how could I get such a low percentage? I can only imagine this is what a crack whore would think if her pimp told her she wasn't "whorish" enough. Wow. What a slap in the face.

Now on to my days of Grace
- A nice long nap
- Another Chocolate Lovers Pie (sorry Em!)
- a pan of lasagne
- Little boy kisses
- A visit with Poppop

Tuesdays Tribute

Today is Tuesday. That means Jay and Deb will be watching to make sure we all write about other people or things today. They want us to take a step back, look around and find something, besides ourselves, that deserve attention. So as I lay here awake (because my Advil PM is mocking me tonight) I am trying to think of something to write about. I had a few ideas ranging from one of my kids, to my laptop (because it is keeping me company while I fight off this bout of insomnia) or facebook. But no, I will keep those topics for a later date and choose my Hubby instead.

And just to clarify WHY I am choosing him, he went above and beyond for me on Monday. Let me explain. I have a totally irrational fear of catheters. Not the normal human aversion to them but a FEAR. You see, I had 5 bladder operations as a child and have one too many scary memories of being held down by numerous adults while I was catheterized. Scary stuff when your a kid and that type of fear seems to creep into your bones and doesn't leave. About two weeks ago I had to have a Urodynamic test. It was horrible. And I was alone. Hubby was with the kids. So when I got scheduled for my cystoscopy I volunteered him to go with me. And he agreed. He could see how rattled I was after the last test, even though he wouldn't admit it. He is not a sympathetic man. Not at all. But even though he isn't sympathetic he can still support me and help me in ways that never cease to amaze me. What could he do to ease my nerves while facing another scary procedure? Make me laugh. And he does it well. We laughed and laughed as we waited for the Nurse Practitioner to come in. Then after she gave me numbing medicine, he continued to make me laugh while I waited for the Doctor to come in and perform the scope.
Wait...it gets better. We stopped at the store afterwards for a few groceries and he got me a Chocolate Lovers Tastykake Pie (FABULOUS!!), then he made a wonderful dinner of venison fajitas and THEN....while we were watching the Devils/ Predators hockey game he switched channels. Let me explain. We are Huge NJ Devils fans. And way back when, Jason Arnott was a player on the Devils but got traded and moved around and now he plays for Nashville. So when I say he changed channels I mean that he changed from the NJ broadcast to the Nashville Broadcast. Just to give me a better chance to see my Hockey crush. How sweet was THAT?!

Mondays Days of Grace

I have had a very long day. And I am completely exhausted. The kind of exhausted that only comes after being completely tense before facing something you dread, head on. Well, that was my day. I went for my second (hopefully LAST) insanely torturous bladder testing. OK, this time was WAY easier than the last but still.....and now that it is over my body has decided it wants to quit for today. So I will do my best to get through this list, then head to a nice long slumber.

Here is my list for today...

- Finally being done these tests....at least we hope.

- My kids being good for Mommom today while I was having my test.

- Hubby going with me for this one. He kept me laughing so I didn't fall apart from nerves.

- Getting to go to bed in a few minutes...and not sharing the bed tonight. Hubby is working overnight. (yes, I miss him but I love spreading out in the middle of the bed)

and finally....

- Snow. Mostly I don't like it but it is pretty. And today we had the best kind. The kind that falls and melts! No cleanup involved.


And please remember to keep these in mind. My friend Amy is still accepting Donations for her Polar Bear plunge. To donate click HERE.
And please pray for President Elect Obama. Even though we may have wanted McCain to win (or not) we should still stand behind our new president.

Prayers for Obama

I just saw this on the website of Max Lucado. He is my favorite author and makes huge contributions to the Christian community. Right now he is trying to build a huge prayer chain for President-elect Obama. I signed up. Whether or not I agree with his politics I still feel the need to pray for him. To pray for his cabinet and to pray for his family. He will be our country's leader. We all, regardless of whether we like him or we dont, need to get behind him and support him. The BEST and easiest way is through prayer. So click on the button above, sign up and PRAY. The world will be better because of it.


Pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can
have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God.
(1 Timothy 2:2)

I miss you Pantene

I'm a stay at home mom. That means I haven't earned a dime in almost 4 years. Because of this lack of funds, I have had to cut back in many areas. Unfortunately shampoo and conditioner were on the hit list. I used to switch back and forth between Pantene and Dove. Now I use one of those cheapy dollar brands....you know, the ones who have commercials saying that they work as well as the more expensive brands. And that you wouldn't be able to tell. WRONG! I have never been "happy" with my cheap brands, but they get the job done and my hair gets clean. That is as far as I can go. They do not make my hair silky and soft. They do not even smell that great. Yesterday I got a free sample of Pantene in the mail. I love freebies! This morning I used my free Pantene shampoo and conditioner and I quickly remembered why I loved them. Even before getting out of the shower, I can feel the difference. Soft, silky, smooth. Yep. There is something to be said for $4 shampoo and conditioner. I can only imagine what those really expensive products do....even though I will never find out. Back to my point....those cheapy brand commercials LIE. I can feel a difference, both while using the products and after. So there. I proved them wrong. Now if I could only get Pantene to send me free products all the time I would be in heaven.
Hello....Pantene.....are you listening?


Now an update on the wild elephant situation. So far, so good. None have made it in the house. J told me that we still need to be on the look-out. I guess those signs are working. Now if I could get him to make a no Bills sign....that would be helpful.

Sunday Day of Grace

Just a little warning. Apparently J believes there is an outbreak of wild elephants running around. So to keep us all safe, he has put these No Elephant signs all over my home. And I mean ALL OVER.
Do elephants really pay attention to signs?
and isnt this the CUTEST elephant you ever saw?!?!?!

Oh, I have been thinking and thinking and finally came up with my Days of Grace for today. I hope you enjoy it....

-The childrens sermon in church today. You see, every week a child is picked to take home "the box". Their assignment is to put something in there that will stump the pastor. J had the box this past week and was so excited. After the pastor figures out what the item is (which he always does) then he gives a small childrens sermon about it. I think it is awesome how he can come up with ideas to share with them so quickly. Anyway, back to today.....J put a train signal in the box. Pastor Don gave them a message about signs from God and how we all need to look and listen for them. I am a firm believer that God gives us signs so I loved todays message.

- Hubby making dinner. He is in the kitchen right now making stuffed peppers. YUM! I cant wait until they are done and ready to scarf down.

-A nice weekend with C. Even though I wish he stayed longer, I understand why he went home today instead of tomorrow. Have fun at the mall!!

-My boys being big enough to play in the family room without constant supervision. I am typing this while listening to them play with their trains. Awesome!!

-Flight 1549 . Wow! Who didnt find grace in that?!? God blessed those people and everyone who was touched by that story. See....God does still perform miracles.

So there is my list for today....I hope you all enjoy it.

and Enjoy your Sunday.

Days of Grace

I know I havent been doing the Days of Grace like I promised....but I will just do my best. OK?

I know I wont be on here later (unless I sneak out of bed again, lol) so I am doing todays list now.

1. Kristina P's secret sharing blog....it made me laugh and it made me feel sad. I also felt good knowing that we are all ok. Really, we all have issues and shouldnt feel bad.

2. Spending last evening watching a movie with C. Just me and him. He laid on the couch and I kicked back in the chair and we hung out just like we used to.....and it made me happier than I have been in a while.

3. Naptime and Bedtime. I love my kids but I love it when they sleep too. So quiet, so peaceful.

4. A nice long heart to heart "talk" with God. I talked, he listened. Try it....it will make you feel better too.

5. Amy's new furniture. I am so happy for her. And it isnt just about furniture. She is enjoying her life and it shows. She deserves all the happiness she can get.

Happy Saturday Everyone!

Run away!

Shhhh.....don't tell hubby you saw me, OK?
I almost hate to admit this but I just waited for him to fall asleep then snuck out of the bedroom so I could come check my blog. I am SO embarrassed. But I just HAD to do it. I didn't get any computer time this afternoon or evening. I really don't think I could have fallen asleep if I didn't come down here.
Which brings me to my point of this post... If you are new to blogging or new to reading blogs. Stop right now and click on your homepage. Get as far away as you can from this and any other blogs. They will SUCK you down! Your housework wont get done, your kids will lose a playmate and you will end up like me (and all of my fellow bloggers...don't make me point fingers because we know your all in the same boat that I am) checking your blog after your significant other falls asleep. Seriously Run.....fast. and don't look back.

Don't blame me. I tried to warn you.
...
....

......OK, are you still here?Good. and Thanks. I hate being alone. Now I am off to check my facebook and myspace.
Dont judge.....you know you do it too!

Happy Friday

Yesterday afternoon C got his license. It is a very strange feeling to have one of your children gain that independence. After school today he is driving here to spend the weekend. He will have his Dads vehicle and then drive himself back and forth to Robotics and then who knows where. Remember back when you got your license? I do. I wanted to GO. It didn't matter where, I just wanted to go. To get out of there, to assert my freedom. Head to the mall, to a friends, anywhere. Just sitting in a vehicle alone was an awesome feeling. For the first time ever, you felt free. You felt grown. And I am sure that is how C is feeling right now. Congrats C! You make me proud.

Now on to my day. I have wasted all morning online. Well, that isn't completely true. I did throw in some laundry, feed the kids and play with them for awhile. But that big stack of dirty dishes is still sitting there....and the bananas are still waiting for me to squish them into banana bread. And my plans to make cookie dough got pushed aside too. So now I am going to sign out....and pretend to be domestic for awhile. Then take a nap *wink*

Twinkle Twinkle

Sorry the sound quality stinks....I took this with my cell phone.

This is J....he is so proud of himself because he knows the words to the WHOLE song, lol.

New Award and Im a slacker

Young Momma gave me this super-cute award. I love it! She is awesome and you should stop by and give her some love (and some prayers so her earache gets better).

This award is given to you in appreciation of your lovely and witty comments and for always knowing the right thing to say at the right time....

So now I get to pick 10 Bloggers who show me love....and even if they already have this award, Im still passing it along to them. So they know I love them and their comments.

1. Young Momma.....your always there for me. And always comment, which I love, love, love.

2. Deb......my funny friend. I look for your comments more than any other (except my moms comments)

3. Kristina P....the funniest Blogger EVER! And a very devoted commenter (to help me feel like a whore! I love it!!!)

4. Ca-Joh....thanks for all the Male input. It is nice to see things from the other side.

5. Eudea-Mamia.....Your like a member of the family....and I always feel like your so close when I read your comments. So either you like me, or you want me to send you Tastykakes. LOL

6. Jillene....I can always count on seeing your happy comments and they mean alot to me :-)

7. Amy.....because we go WAAAAAAAYYYYYYY back and I love you.

8. Samkay......C's other half. You always comment and that makes me very, very happy.

9. Mimi.....You and I are walking the same path.....and I can count on you for awesome comments.

10. Last by not least......I am giving my mom one of these awards. She always comments and leaves me love.....even though she doesnt have a blog to put it on, she still deserves to get it.

Now...to the slacker business. I have dropped the ball and left everyone hanging. I didnt do my Days of Grace for the last 2 days. Let me explain. Hubby is on day shift this week. I usually dont come up with my list until later in the day but then I cant post at night because I am spending time with him. So I am posting my list now....it is covers the last two days and today. Please dont hate me.......

1. God answered my prayer and helped me to get a bad situation fixed. I wont go into details but he allowed me to get my Enbrel for free, instead of the $800 that they wanted at the pharmacy. Way to to God!!! Thank you!

2. No temper tantrums for a few days. And I hope I am not jinxing it, but I needed to list that one.

3. Speaking of tempers, Hubby has been in a good mood all week. He even is talking about making some weekend-getaway plans.

4. R's bowel issues didnt turn into the flu......thankfully.

5. Deuteronomy 10:21 He is your God, the one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done mighty miracles that you yourself have seen.

So there you go.....now I have to go and wont be back on until tomorrow morning. It's a busy, busy week. Oh! One last thing......C goes for his driving test today. Please say a prayer for him during the test and for driving in general. I want him to be safe and stay safe while he gains more independence. Thanks!!

I cried last night....

I cried last night.
It was a quiet cry. No one noticed. I didn't want anyone to see me. Hubby isn't the sympathetic type. Just the opposite. He would have told me all the reasons it was wrong to be upset and to be crying. So I stared out the window of the van, into the dark, and cried. Then I composed myself before anyone could ask questions.
I was crying because my weekly visit with C consisted of a 15 minute ride home from Robotics. And it wasn't enough. You see, C is a very busy 17 year old. He is busy with school, busy with learning to drive, busy with after school activities, busy with a girlfriend and busy being on the Robotics team. That doesn't leave much time for me and my silly Mommy needs. I am still pretty new to the visitation thing. Up until this past August he lived with me. For 16 1/2 years I had him near me for all the free minutes he had. No, those free minutes aren't much but they are much more than I get now. Even though he is a normal teenage boy who would rather be alone with his cell phone, computer and TV....I still felt content knowing he was here. I could go see him anytime I wanted. I knew he was safe and sound and I could check on that anytime I felt the need. But now its different. Now I only see him every other weekend and every Wednesday. But lately that isn't even true. He is so busy.....and those times have become less and less. I understand that it is normal. A part of growing up. But it still hurts. My heart hurts because I miss him so much. He goes for his drivers test on Thursday and I hope he comes to see his poor pitiful mom more. Just because he can....and maybe because he misses me too.

I can hope.

Tuesdays Tribute

A Jay and Deb Production.

Tuesdays Tribute is about shining a light on someone or something that deserves a few moments (or more) of our attention. For today's tribute I choose my Mailman....or mail woman, or mail lady or mail person.....well, anyway....I want to honor her today.

My Mail lady supports me in my mail addiction. Come rain, come snow, come sleet, come hail....she is there. Most days she is here by 10am. How cool is that?! I can hear the loud muffler of her mail truck before it pulls down our street.
I know that she is coming and some days I rush out to meet her at the mailbox. Plus she waves to me. I stand in the window, waiting for her to bring my precious delivery and she waves to let me know she has delivered. She is like a super nice drug dealer who doesn't make you pay. My dad shares this addiction with me, in fact I believe he is the one who got me hooked on the rush of mail. Many people don't understand, including my mom. Silly woman! You have to find the joy in the little things in life, even if they are just catalogs and bills.

OK, back to my mail lady. I love her. I love her loud truck and I love how she visits me everyday but Sunday. Oh how I wish she would visit on Sundays too!

Now it's your turn.....go visit Deb or Jay and send out a tribute too!

Moms gonna kill me.....LOL

Yes, my mom will not be happy that I am posting a 3rd post in one day. Sorry mom! But I have to show everyone my new Button I got from Rea Ann at Critical Mass.


So, what do you think? She did an awesome job. If you want a super cool button head over to The Button Box. Thanks again Rae Ann!!!!


Yesterday I skipped my Days of Grace post but Im back with it today. This is day 10/365 and here are the things that I found Grace in today....

-No major temper tantrums

-My Mom is feeling a little bit better today after being sick all weekend.

-C is also feeling well after his procedure Friday

-A nice long phone conversation with a friend

-Verse from Isaiah 41:10
Dont be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious hand.

Delurking Day '09

Tena at My Therapy posted today about Delurking Day. Wow! I had no idea that existed. But I am glad it does. I love comments....and I love followers. It makes me happy. I used to aspire to be a great mom and wife, now I just aspire to reach 15 or more comments per post. Sad, I know. Blogging is such a strong addiction I think Blogger should make you sign a waiver when you sign up. Seriously.
But back to the Delurking Day......today is the day when you HAVE to comment. If you read it, you must comment. Its the law. Really...I didnt make that up.

Monday morning post

Today is Monday. And so far it has been a good Monday. When the boys got up they wanted to cuddle with me in my bed (Hubby left for work before 5am)and I let them. But I also did something I rarely ever do....I turned on the TV in our bedroom. They watched PBS while I got another hour of sleep. Why haven't I thought of that before? Then after breakfast I signed on and found an email from Rae Ann at Critical Mass. She is making a button for my blog and sent one for me to check out. I love it and can't wait until she finishes it up so I can add it to my blog and share it with everyone. Then I started reading some of the blogs I follow....and found some pretty funny ones. Here are some of the ones that made me laugh this morning. I hope you enjoy them too.

Not me Monday by Lana at The Kids did WHAT?
Find your J-Spot...an interview with Jay at Cookies, Chaos and Conversations.
The Meme of PMS by Anna at Life Just Keeps Getting Weirder
Weekend Recap by Melissa at Stretch Marks
Not Me Monday by Blueviolet at A Nut in a Nutshell
Target and Stinky Pee by EmmaP at Musings of the Mindless Banterer

I also have a cute story to tell. One of the ladies in church told us that her Niece is pregnant again. Then she told us that her Niece's son (I believe he is 4 or 5) told his mommy to open her mouth so he could breathe a kiss on the baby. I thought that was an adorable thing for him to say. Especially on a day when there was nothing adorable about my own 5 year old. But today is a new day, and so far he is better. I've decided that I cannot fix him and his inability to control his anger.... so I am giving it to God and asking him to heal J. I would appreciate any additional prayer anyone wants to send our way. Thanks!

Happy Monday :-)

Is it over yet?

I quit. Im waving the white flag. I just cant do it anymore, at least not today. It has been an all day battle with J. And he seems to be winning. He is fine. Smiling, laughing, like today was just like every other normal day. I, on the otherhand, am emotionally exhausted. It all started this morning. Hubby was working overtime on the dayshift today. So I got up at 7, got breakfast for the boys and got them dressed for Church. J was arguing with me over every little thing. I threatened to stay home from church but he assured me he was going to be good. How dumb am I? Anyway, my mother in law picked us up and we all went to church. Our church has a childrens sermon and then the kids go down to room where they have a small lesson and color or do a craft. This is nice because it allows the adults to pay attention to the sermon, rather than making sure the kids are behaving. Half way through the sermon J (with little brother R in tow) comes back into the sanctuary and announces that all they were doing was coloring and he didnt want to color. I attempt to let the boys color quietly at the pew, between me and my mother in law. That lasted about 3 minutes. So I walked both boys back to the childrens room. J refused to go in, and R didnt want to go without J. So I went in with R and left J in the hallway. This constant fighting with J is really testing my nerves and patience. After church at my mother in laws house J threw a full blown temper tantrum complete with screaming, kicking, laying on the floor like a rag doll, more screaming, more yelling, yeah....you get the picture. Nothing I did, nothing my brother in law did and nothing my mother in law did worked. We finally left him alone in the room to scream out his aggressions. At this point I think he either needs to find a pre-school anger management class or we need to call a priest to give him an exorsism. Or we could send him to boarding school. I am open to all three options right now. Have you ever been so upset and drained that you couldn't even cry? That is me right now. Ugh.

Im taking a break from my days of grace today. Sorry. But my brain and heart are just not into it tonight. I will pick up where I left off tomorrow.

Boring Saturday

Nothing even remotely fun or exciting has happened today. *SIGH* We got up and hubby made pancakes (guess what kind?! Yep...candy pancakes....yeah, I didnt even have them today, instead I ate them with bananas). Then I read to the boys, played store (I was the cashier today), read the new book I got in the mail from paperbackswap.com (90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper) then helped hubby make lunch. He breaded some chicken breast strips and (guess again?!?!) deep fried them while I roasted some Rosemary Potatos. Then he was off to work and me and the boys went down for a nap. Only J wasnt in the napping mood and bugged me if it was time to get up every 15 minutes. Ugh. The only thing worse than missing a nap is having an interruptted nap. After naps I turned on a movie for the boys and sat down with my laptop to read some blogs. So there, thats my whole day. BORING. I dont even have any cute pics to share or anything. So I will move along to my Days of Grace list....

Day 8/365

-Reading to the boys. I love glancing up to see their faces while they are listening to the story.

-Tonight will be an early to bed night. Hubby has to double back in to work dayshift tomorrow.

-Getting emails from my BFF. I havent talked to her in a few days and miss her. We have both been super busy but seeing her name in my inbox brought a huge smile to my face. (Love you Val!!!)

-My MIL agreed to pick me and the boys up for Church in the morning as long as it isnt snowing (hubby will be at work and I needed a ride)

-Psalm 34:1-4
I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are discouraged take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness;
let us exalt his name together.
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me,
freeing me from all my fears.

Friday fill in and Days of Grace

1. It's January; and I hate winter.

2. Nutella is what I crave most right now.

3. Cork and wine go together like Deb and Jay.

4. Chocolate is so nourishing. (really, it is!!)

5. Let us dare to Nap.

6. Please clean my home.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to TV, tomorrow my plans include dyeing my hair and Sunday, I want to sleep late!


Well, crap! That was the lamest attempt at one of these fill-in's EVER. Sorry to make you waste a minute or two reading that crap.
I should really be punished for that.....so I am going to punish myself by vacumming and folding laundry.
Right after Oprah.
I promise.


Days of Grace....I was going to post again later, but I wasnt sure if I would make it back on here today. So here is my list for today.

1. Hearing the story of Navy Petty Officer Mike Monsoor. Mike died saving his comrades by throwing himself on a grenade. Not many people would give their lives for others. But he did. And we should all take a minute to let his story Grace our lives.

2. Getting the call that C was home from his procedure today. I am glad that it is over and just pray he is comfortable and wont need any more procedures.

3. The boys quietly playing. It doesnt matter what they were playing but I found Grace in how nicely they were playing together.

4. A few quiet minutes I was able to spend alone. Priceless!

5. And today I want to put my list on the list. Because having to think about writing Graceful things everyday has really changed my perspective.

Alphabet Game and Day of Grace

Em at Life, Liberty and the Pursuit gave me the letter "W" to work with. So I have to list my 10 favorite things that with the letter W. Oh Crap! This is going to be hard....I bet I could come up with "10 things I dislike that start with W" alot easier. You know, like worrying, whining, washing, work, weight-gain(from deep fried oreos!)


1. Winning the lottery. OK, I haven't ever won the lottery but I am guessing that I would like it enough for it to make my top ten list.

2. Water. Drinking it, bathing in it, playing in it....how could you not like water?

3. Wyatt...I love this name and if we had had any more sons that is the name I would want for him.

4. waffles. Smothered in strawberries, bananas and whipped cream. Or ice cream. yum!!

5. wedding cake- OK, actually I like every kind of cake. I'm not picky.

6.Whiskey. No, I don't drink it but it makes Hubby happy. Very Happy.

7.Whiz....as in Cheez Whiz. I love it on saltines and cheese steaks.

8. Wilderness. Even though the campgrounds we go to aren't technically the wilderness, I will pretend that they are so I can use that word :-)

9. Wireless Web....you know, wireless Internet that lets me sit my lazy butt on the couch blogging.

10. Worship. Because I love the Lord!

Whew! Glad that's done. Now on to my Days of Grace...

1. Discovery Kids Channel. J has been sitting and watching intently for almost 2 hours. and on commercials he is telling me all the stuff he is learning. That makes me feel less guilty about parking him in front of the TV.

2. My headache is finally feeling a bit better. That is always a blessing.

3. Can you find grace in a fried oreo? Just checking.

4. Sunshine. After the yucky rain we got yesterday I was very happy to see the Sun shining in the windows this morning. Seeing a bright sunny morning gives you a cheerful start to the day.

5. And I found grace in the following passage. Matthew 6:33-34
Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well. So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have it's own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

He must like Fat girls

I dont know whether to kiss him or choke him. My hubby has sabatoged all efforts I have made to eat right. Not only did he make Candy Pancakes for breakfast....oh no! thats just not enough, he had to go and make these.....

In case you can't tell, they are deep fried Oreos and Milky Way bars. Yeah. He went there. In case anyone wants to know how he made them, he started with this...

and some of this....

then dipped these in the batter....

And ended up with these....


It is no wonder I cant lose weight....how do you turn down a deep fried Oreo? Seriously? At this point I am just praying I dont gain another 10 pounds. Wish me luck.

Gotta dig deep......

Well, today was long. And by long I mean hard. And by hard I mean that my 5 year old acts like the spawn of evil. I have never seen or heard of a child that acts like J. Mostly he is an adorable, loving, smart, beautiful child who wants nothing more than to make you laugh and smile. He can win you over in one cute conversation, he is everyones best friend. But then there is a dark side to him. He has the temper of a rabid pit bull. He also has some severe control issues. How on earth can a 5 year old feel the need to always be the boss and always be right? Can you really be born with that ingrained into your personality? Ugh. So anyway, today he was a challenge. A big, scary, make-me-want-to-drink challenge. So I did what any reasonable parent would do.....I ate a half of a pan of rice krispie treats and washed it down with sangria. I am not a drinker so that one glass of wine relaxed me very nicely. The rice krispie treats were just an extra treat. I am a professional emotional eater....oh yes I am.

Alright now that I have that off my chest I can move along to my 5/365 Days of Grace....
Today I found Grace in

-8:00pm bedtimes for the boys. I can finally try to relax after my stressful day.

-A visit to see Poppop at the Nursing Home. He was having a very good day and we talked about old times. I cherish any and all time that I have with him but the days when he is mentally good are the BEST!

-A man picking up trash on the side of the road. I was really impress especially since we were having some pretty heavy rain. He must be very dedicated...or crazy.

-A nice conversation with an old friend

-And I saved the best for Last....Psalm 4:6-8
Many People ask, "Who will give us anything good?"
Lord, be kind to us.
But you have made me very happy, happier than they are,
even with all their grain and new wine.
I go to bed and sleep in peace,
because, Lord, only you keep me safe.

4/365 Days of Grace

Today I found Grace in.....



Laughing, wrinkled little boys

10 for $10 Sales that provide my boys the next best thing to a Happy Meal
The new Season of Nip/Tuck starting (I feel dirty including this in a Grace list, but since it is making me very happy then I feel graced that it is happening today)

How many was that? 3, ok....2 to go....

The current book I am reading is providing me with lots of Graceful moments.....When Christ Comes by Max Lucado. You CAN NOT go wrong picking one of his books, they are all awesome.
And finally....thinking about my childhood. Yeah, we had ups and downs but for the most part, it was fantastic. Thanks Mom and Dad!

What do you mean It's not about me?!?!

Yet Another Jay and Deb Production.

Ok, ok...I can post about other people. Honest, I can. Hey...just yesterday I posted about my Amazing Friend Amy and her fundraiser for Special Olympics. But today is a new day and with it brings Tuesdays Tributes and that means I gotta pick a new person to highlight. Hmmmmmm.....who or what should I choose? How about Uniqua from the Backyardigans?
She is one tough cookie. She can sing and dance and isn't afraid of anything. I believe she may even be tougher than Pablo, Austin and the moose (who's name escapes me at the moment). Hands down she is the best Backyardigan. I mean come on.....Tasha is, well....how do I say this nicely?....a little bit chunky and slow.
Seriously have you ever noticed that all the shows where there is any effort exerted, Tasha is watching from the sidelines? The race around the world episode she sat at the start/finish line doing nothing. I honestly cant remember if Uniqua was even in that episode...so I guess that was a bad example. And dont get all huffy-puffy with me. I am not against chunky and/or slow people...in fact I myself am chunky and slow. So I am qualifed to say that Uniqua is in fact better than Tasha. Anyway, I think everyone should take a moment to appreciate Uniqua in all her uniqueness.....and then pray I come up with someone or something better to write about by next Tuesday.

10 Guilty Pleasures

Ok, I admit I stole this idea from someone else. But I like it so Im running with it.

1. Chocolate, of course


2. Ice Cream. And no, my whole list will not involve food.



3. Camping trips. Anywhere, anytime. We love our camper and even sleep in there on weekends when we aren't camping (only during warm months)



4. Visiting the NJ or OC, MD Boardwalks. Fudge, Funnel cake, Caramel Popcorn, Salt Water Taffy, Tram cars, Warm sea air....oh, this list could go on for miles. As long as our visit doesn't involve this.



5. Warm, soft, fuzzy sweaters



6. Mail. Ok, dont laugh. I swear it is genetic. My dad and I both attack the mailbox as soon as the mail comes. I can not rest with mail in my mailbox...it haunts me. And finding out what came in the mail everyday is one of my FAVORITE things. Goofy, I know but it is me. (and no...this is not a pic of me...I only WISH I got this much mail)




7. Anything that comes from Sephora. Enough said.



8. Reality TV....Jon and Kate plus 8, Dirty Jobs, Bizarre Foods, Deadliest Catch, etc. I love them all!



9. Jewelry....especially Emerald Cut diamonds, emeralds or tanzanite. (P.S to Hubby...this is my DREAM ring, just in case we ever win the lottery)


10. Sleeping late...and I dont mean 9am. That is nice, but not late. I want to wake up AFTER lunch!



So...how'd I do? I feel like Julie Andrew's singing "A few of my favorite things". I can think of many more guilty pleasures but didnt want a list that was too long. I hope you liked it.....let me know some of your guilty pleasures??