Monday, December 31, 2007

2007: A year in review

So the year is almost over. I thought I'd list several things we did (survived) this year...

*5 surgeries (2 tonsillectomies, hernia repairs, a hydrocele repair, & ear tubes) We spent every last penny of our health care spending account!
*A stress fracture (Megan's track injury)
*A 22 hour drive to Colorado with all the kids towing a small trailer. We had to drive home also..we had no choice!
*I also have a new job starting January 14th. The surgery center that is 2 minutes from my house is letting me work 2 days a week!
*Somehow I managed to read 59 books. Yes I keep track of how many books I read. I started this after reading Nicholas Sparks' website. (He reads like 200 books a year!) I thought I read a lot!
*I also learned how to make laundry soap (even though my dear brother-in-law makes fun of me). When I do something really cool with all that money I save, he'll be jealous!

Here is what we have planned for 2008...
*potty training twin boys (I know you all are jealous!)
*4 of us are going on a mission trip to Mexico in March (The twins are staying home with my mom. Maybe that's when they'll get potty trained!)
*Megan graduates in May! (I met Megan when she was 6 years old! The past 11 years have flown by!)
*And I'm sure there are many surprises in store for our family!

I am working tonight. The last holiday I'll have to work because my new surgery center will be closed on holidays. I pray you all have a safe and Happy New Year!

Saturday, December 29, 2007

My son makes me laugh

Last night at Target, I used their restroom and wouldn't you know it I picked the stall with no toilet paper! (Luckily I had lots of kleenex in my purse) When I got out to the car, I told the boys about the Seinfeld episode where Elaine has no toilet paper and asks, "can you spare a square?" My 6 year old thought that was hilarious! All day he's come up to me and said, "can you spare a square?" He even had a square of toilet paper in his hands at one point.

The second thing my son does to make me laugh is dance. Their is a really annoying Kia commercial where a car salesman dances all over the showroom floor to the song "Maniac". My son has memorized the dance and will randomly start dancing for me. It is very cute, but he is a maniac maniac on the floor....

Friday, December 28, 2007

Bye Bye

We had a great time with Patrick and Heather over Christmas. Here is a picture of them with the kiddos.

They are on their way back to Florida. If you're wondering what we did while they were here, this picture sums it up.

Just kidding. That's not all we did. I just thought is was a cute picture. I walked in the room and saw 4 laptops & everyone concentrating!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Rotovirus?!?

So Christmas Eve day, I'm at work and my stomach starts rumbling a little. I go to the restroom and literally explode! (if you know what I mean) I spent the rest of the day (& night) in the restroom. You could hear liquid moving through my innards from across the room. I couldn't stand up straight because of cramps! I did make it to the Christmas Eve service to chase my 2 year olds. I didn't know how fast I can run, but chasing a 2 year old up an aisle can make me run pretty quick.

Luckily I woke up feeling like a new woman. I could eat and drink and stand up straight and not run to the bathroom every few minutes. I made my Christmas morning french toast, my family came over in the afternoon, we had a great meal, then my parents stayed with the kids while Steve, Uncle Pat, and Aunt Heather, and I went to see National Treasure 2. It was a great movie! Definitely worth seeing!!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

All I want for Christmas is my Family to be Healthy...

We have been sick. All of us. It started Tuesday with my 6 year old and slowly made its way through the whole family. Snipe had to go to the doctor Friday. He got antibiotics for bronchitis. He is much happier. Moose got a bad case of diarrhea..it's still lingering. Megan had to fly to New York Friday (to see her mom) with the runs! Poor girl. So seriously all I want for Christmas is my family to be healthy! No Pukey laundry. No raw bottoms. That would be the best gift for this momma!!

Uncle Pat and Aunt Heather made it safely to our home. The boys are enjoying showing off for them. They are so entertaining! I have to work tomorrow from 7-3, then we'll have dinner, go to Christmas Eve service, then enjoy the night.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Christmas is in 6 days...YIKES

Last night, my husband payed our daughter (very well I might add...it's finals week) to babysit. So he and I got to go shopping by ourselves. We rarely do these days. I forgot how enjoyable it is to go to the store and be able to just browse. These days we tend to dash in, get what we came for, and quickly leave. Usually at least one of our kids is crying by the time we exit the store. We get LOTS of attention as we leave. One of our last stops last night was Paradise Bakery & Cafe for cookies and coffee. It was a great time!

Today my mom & dad have the twins out at the library and McDonalds. So it's cleaning time! I've mopped the kitchen with my new swiffer wet jet I got at CVS. And I've cleaned two bathrooms. Next is vacuuming and who knows what else. We are getting ready for Steve's youngest brother and his wife's visit. They will be here Saturday. We haven't seen them in 6 (I think) years!! The twins have never met them. We are so excited about their visit.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

SNOW

This weekend brought us lots of snow! Of course this was our busiest holiday weekend also! We had a dinner at some friends Friday night. It was very fun, and I won the card game we played. I am seriously not competitive, but it was fun to win! Then on Saturday we had lunch at my sister's house with my mom's family, a wedding, then a MOPS Christmas party. It snowed all day Saturday. My husband is the chief snow remover at our church.

So with the 3:00 wedding on Saturday, he spent a lot of time outside. Then this morning he spent more time outside. He does it all with a happy heart! We spent the rest of the day trudging through the snow and cold. We did make it to Walmart, and I finally got my cards! So now I must go and work on them so I can mark another thing off of my to-do list.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Christmas Card Update

So the two times I went to Walmart was a fiasco. The 1st time I had the wrong picture copied on the CD. I thought for a brief minute to just use the bad picture, but it was really bad! So I decided I'd try again later. The 2nd time I went there was a man editing all 600 pictures he had taken. Seriously, he would pick each picture, try to edit it by chaning the color, then go back and pick his original picture. This went on and on. Finally I had to ask him if he was going to go through ALL of his pictures. My husband was waiting in the car with 3 kids. So that was when I left Walmart the 2nd time.

So in my case the 3rd time was a charm! I zipped into Walmart (after all the kids were safely in bed), there was no one in line, I had the right picture with me, and I totally ordered some cards! I will pick them up tomorrow after work and get busy!!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Christmas Picture


Twice I've gone to Walmart to try and order Christmas cards. Twice I've left empty handed. I don't know if I'll ever get cards. So for now, here is our picture. Merry Christmas!!

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

My Tuesday

Here is what all I did today!!

*got up at 6 am
*Hubby & Moose (twin #1) went to hospital. (Moose had a hydrocele & hernia repair..ouch)
*Got Noah on the bus
*Made 4 dozen cookies for a cookie exchange tonight
*Got myself & Snipe (twin #2) dressed
*Went to church to set up for rescheduled MOPS brunch
*Went to hospital to see Moose
*Stayed at hospital until we were released
*Came home & held Moose most of the day
*Went to Walmart to get Moose a new sippie cup & milk
*Picked 2 friends up & went to cookie exchange

I am now in a cookie-induced coma! I ate a lot of yummy cookies & a few buckeyes! I'm glad I got milk earlier! Tomorrow is another fun-filled day with the MOPS brunch. This week is going really quickly!

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Bye Bye Cribs!

It's been a rough few days here at our house. My twins have decided they no longer need naps. While they are supposed to be napping, they very quietly take off their clothes & diapers, use their sheets as a diaper, climb out of their cribs, then dump the water out of their vaporizer. All this in about 15 minutes. After 3 days of this, I am at my wits end & tired of all the laundry!

Tonight we went to Walmart (for the 3rd day in a row) and picked out toddler bed sheets, got the beds out of the attic, and set up their new room. So now my two little boys are asleep (finally) in their new beds! I doubt they will take a nap tomorrow (although you never know!). But at least they are closer to the floor and less likely to get a head injury.

Silent Night. Holy Night. All is calm.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Back to Reality!

We had a great time in Hawaii! It was so much fun spending time with just my husband. We met lots of cool people in Maui. I really miss the weather and Hilo Hattie (our favorite store...they give you a shell lei when you walk in the door. I think we came home with 12!).

Today we got our first snow. Along with the snow came a 2 hour school delay. So our MOPS Christmas brunch was cancelled. All the kids got to get out in the snow for a little bit. They loved it! It's time for a family trip to Walmart! It's always a good time for everyone.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Departure Day

Tomorrow morning we leave for Hawaii!! I'm very excited. Here's what I have gotten accomplished since Thanksgiving:
*made 5 freezer meals for my mom to make while we're gone
*caught up all the laundry
*cleaned the house
*decorated for Christmas (including 2 trees!)
*I even got a little Christmas shopping done

I'm (almost) all packed and ready to go! I know this week will go super fast. I just hope I am able to relax, take a deep breath, and take it all in. And I pray my mom (the "saint") is able to survive a week with my children.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A Thankful Heart is A Happy Heart

If any of you watch VeggieTales, you'll recognize that title!

I AM THANKFUL FOR...

Eternal Life (I am working on the whole eternal perspective idea)
My husband
My great daughter
My 3 boys who make me laugh...a lot
My twin's birth mother who chose life for them
My church
MOPS (we have a meeting today!)
My parents (My mom watches my kids every Monday & will be with them all next week).
My very flexible job
Dark chocolate (I love it!)
Coffee with flavored cream
Friends
Good Books
My newest addiction....blogging :)

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

My Clog Story

Have you ever wanted something very badly? This time last year I found a pair of Clarks Artisan clogs in a magazine ad. I loved the clogs. I had to have the clogs! I researched the clogs. I looked for them on Ebay. I signed up on Shoebuy.com to get a discount. I had to have the clogs!! I looked for stores close by that sold Clarks, and I called to see if they had the clogs. I looked at several different shoe websites and found the best deal on the clogs. I had to have the clogs!!! (Yes, I became obsessed).

So I finally bought the clogs from Shoebuy (with my 10% discount, of course). I think I spent around $75. Way more than I spend on shoes! When I finally got the shoes I was so happy I couldn't wait to wear them. I even loved looking at the clogs. After wearing them, I didn't love them as much. They were a little tight, my ankle turned easily in them, and they weren't nearly as cute as the picture. Slowly they made their way to the back of my closet. I got them out last week and wore them to church 2 weeks in a row. After church last Sunday, my back was killing me! I wore them mid-week, got home and my back was killing me. I wore them to church today, and my back is now killing me! Common thread to the back pain??? My beloved clogs!!

This is so typical with my life. There have been things I have begged and pleaded God for. But God knows. He knows what will give me pain. And he decides what is best for Denise. I pray I will be able to listen when God says, "No, Denise, you don't need (fill in the blank) because it will cause you pain or suffering or heartache and you are My child and I know what is best for you!"

Thursday, November 15, 2007

You never know...

It's amazing how you never really know what's going on in other's lives. A couple from our church, whom we don't really know all that well, have been communicating with my husband and myself. They are definitely being added to my prayer list. It breaks my heart to hear of struggles and hard times. I know no marriage is perfect, and we always put our best "faces" on for church. This just serves as a reminder that my marriage should not be taken for granted, and I need to be constantly relying on God.

I just got the book "It's All About Him" by Denise Jackson (Alan Jackson's wife). The Him she is referring to is God, not Alan! I can't wait to read it. That is my weekend project.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

My Husband

My husband and I have been married 10 years on November 29th. We are going to Hawaii for a week the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We did not go on a honeymoon 10 years ago, so this is our anniversary gift to each other. My mom is staying with the kids while we are gone.

My husband has been a minister at our church for the last 5 years. I did not marry a minister. I married a construction worker (or so I thought). When we lived in Colorado (1997-2002) I didn't want him to quit his construction job to start working at the church we attended. When we moved to Indiana, he started working for our church. I am so thankful he listened to God and not me this time! We are blessed to be a part of an awesome ministry.

5 things I love about my husband:

1. He can fix anything (seriously!)
2. He is an awesome dad
3. He is a follower of God
4. He makes me laugh
5. He lets me ride on his motorcycle

Saturday, November 10, 2007

What's on the Menu?

Tonight we are having some church people over for dinner. I am making meat lasagna, chicken lasagna, salad, cheese bread, brownies, and a pumpkin dessert. None of which I've started...yet. My husband (who stayed up until 1 a.m. working on the neighbor's truck) is going squirrel hunting with my 6 year old! So the twins and I will be cooking and cleaning today!! Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Tuesday

My interview went well. But it was a little awkward being interviewed by a former employee at my current job. They will make their decisions by Thanksgiving. So it will be a while before I hear anything. I have not been on a job interview in over 5 years. It's a little intimidating and I definitely felt like I was out of "my boat". If this doesn't work out, I plan on just hanging out at my current job.

Last night, twin #2 went #1 in the potty. Then today he went #1 & #2 in the potty. (Twin #1 went #1 on the kitchen floor.) We definitely celebrated. Tomorrow is our MOPS meeting, so we won't be able to work on more potty training. I have lots of potty training days to look forward to!!

Monday, November 5, 2007

Step Out of the Boat

Today on my way to work (a 25 minute commute), I listened to a highly recommended sermon by Danny Curry (a minister at our church) that I missed a few weeks ago. His message was all about getting out of the boat (your comfort zone) and walking on the water (like Jesus did). I haven't felt a calling on my life recently. I don't feel like I'm getting ready for anything big or earth shattering. But I want to be open and willing to do what God calls me to do.

As I was walking in the door after being gone for 13.5 hours (I work a very long day on Monday), my husband was talking to the human resources department for a new surgery center I applied to work at. I have an interview with them tomorrow! This is definitely out of my comfort zone (I've been at my job over 5 years), but I am willing to take a shot.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Halloween Recap

We had a great time last night! We went to our church for trunk or treat. The trunks were "dressed up" with some sort of Bible theme. There were lots of whales (& Jonahs). The kids got more candy than they will ever eat! I have a large bag to take to work on Friday. (all the chewy bad for your teeth candy that my guys don't need!) My husband left for Colorado today for a men's retreat with our former church (Temple Baptist in Pueblo, CO). My mom picked up the twins to take them to story time. So my house is totally quiet now!!

Here's what's on schedule for the rest of the day: haircut, post office, bank, Bath & Body works for hand soap, Teacher conference for 1st grader, wedding shower tonight. This day will go by quickly.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

New Addiction

I am totally addicted to the Fall Y'all Giveaways!! I can't stop entering the contests. I must step away from the computer!!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Twins Anyone?

I am looking for fellow bloggers who have twins (particularly boys who are 2 1/2 years old), but I would love to talk with any twin moms! I am gearing up for potty training and need any and all help! One of my twins was born with imperforate anus, so potty training may be a bit difficult for him. His general surgeon has been encouraging us to try and see. So we shall see. And pray. And hope.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

It's Almost October!!

I cannot believe how quickly this year has flown. My motto for the rest of the year goes like this:
"BOO BOO! GOBBLE GOBBLE! HO HO! HAPPY NEW YEAR!". I will blink and it will be 2008.

My twins have explosive diarrhea. We drove to Brown County yesterday for a fun hike. We forgot to pack extra clothing. So my sons got to hike without pants on. We had 2 blow outs before we even got to our destination. I'm sure people thought we were really weird, but we had fun nonetheless. Every time something crazy like this happens, I become a little less judgemental of others. Because you never know what's going on! After all, it could be worse!! ( A lot worse!)

My husband is a Broncos fans, so today the boys wore their Bronco jerseys to church. We got lots of razzing.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Sunday, September 16, 2007

MOPS

I am in a Mothers of Preschoolers group at my church. I have been in MOPS for 5 years now and I love it! This year is my first position on the leadership team. I am the hospitality assistant. Our first meeting is Wednesday, we have to set up for it on Tuesday, then on Thursday I leave (with 6 other MOPS moms) for Orlando, Florida for the MOPS convention! I am so excited and a little nervous. This will be a very busy week before I leave. And this will be the longest I've been away from my kids in 4 years. My 1st grader, Noah, I think will have the hardest time. He's had a very rough start to school this year. His separation anxiety has gotten very bad. But I am trusting in God to take care of him.

I started a new Bible study at church today. We are doing the Love and Respect study. I am looking forward to learning. I read 1/2 of the book a few years ago, but am really going to finish it this time. I am praying I learn how to be a better wife and in turn a better Christian!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

No holes in Jeans

Today I started my day with an argument with my dear 17 year old daughter. She is a senior in high school. At the beginning of the year parents got dress code notes saying "There will be no holes in jeans permitted". Twice now my daughter has tried to get out of the house with holey jeans. Everytime she gets caught it's drama drama....you're ruining my life....thanks for ruining my day! She tries to make valid points like: the holes are below my knees, everyone does it, all the teachers like me, the principal loves me, etc....But I have stood my ground. Hopefully this is the last time. I went to a very conservative Christian high school (skirts below the knees, hose required, etc...) so this is a far cry from what I tolerated when I was 17! Or maybe I'm just getting paid back like my mom always said I would :) Anyways, my day got better after all that, thankfully.
The twins and I went to story time at the library and they were little angels. I was so proud of them! Hope you all have a great Thursday!
Denise

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

9-12-07

I am very new to this whole blog thing. As you can see I tried to do a little bit this summer, but now I am going to try and remain more consistent. If I have comitted any blogging faux-pas just let me know! My 2 year old twins need my attention right now, so I'll do more later!

Saturday, July 7, 2007

07-07-07

Today is my mom's birthday. We met my whole family and went out to lunch. It was a nice time. I found out I'm going to be an aunt again. My brother and his wife are expecting a baby in January! We are now home for nap time, then headed out to a party for a friend who just graduated from police academy. There will be lots of little kids around. So I'm sure everyone will haved a grand time!!

Thursday, July 5, 2007

5th of July

We had a very nice 4th of July. We went to a friend's house for swimming, eating, and fireworks. There was rain in the forecast, but luckily it didn't start until fireworks were almost over! So we got to be outside all night. The boys had a great time running around on the deck, throwing rocks, and being the center of attention. I often feel like we are our own parade when we go places!

I'm really tired this morning, but I have to do laundry. Then we're off to the library and lunch out somewhere. Once a week, we eat lunch out and the kids live it!! Have a great Thursday!

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Going to the Drive-in

Tonight our big plan is going to the drive-in to watch Transformers and Evan Almighty. Noah is so excited he can hardly contain himself!! My wonderful mom is coming to stay with the twins. They will be in bed before we even leave for the movies! We are going over to some friends to swin and eat on the 4th. Stay safe!

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Collections...

I have been collecting stuff for years. I am proud to say my years of collections are coming to an end! It started with a candle collection when I was in grade school. (My grandma was more into this than I was) Over the years I've also collected sunflowers, apples, boyds bears, longaberger, Noah's ark items (my 1st son is Noah), nurse things, & labrador dog things! We had a garage sale last weekend and I got rid of lots of things! Sadly this is usually where my collections end up! I have also been selling on ebay, but this takes a lot of time!

My goal is to be collection free! If I had all the money I've invested in all these years, I would propably cry!! It's time to get the kids some lunch! Have a great Sunday.

Denise