California

Wow 2 weeks have lapsed since my last post. I'm surprised anyone is still reading. I can't not say I have much done in decluttering... because we have been having fun in the sun in California! The bad news is I still have allergies there. I was able to avoid my Zyrtec and I did not take any inhalers...but needed to resume back here. I am considering this a blessing however, I now know that wherever God places our family....it will be the right place and I don't need to to wonder if the air is better in the Southwest.
Well on to CALIFORNIA. It was so nice to make memories with my daughter. We loved touring 2 zoos at a 4 year old speed, shopping for girly things, playing at parks and spending time with our good friends who we have not seen since May. MG loves playing with her little friend ...now known as "High School Musical 2's biggest fan" or "HSM fan". She gave MG a shirt with 3 friends dancing under the title "Best friends". One was even looked like MG. They named the girls "HSM", "MG" and "Spunky Girl".

We loved worshipping with our friends.....and seeing how God has blessed them in their temporary placement. It is perfect!! We miss them, but know that God is working wonderful things through them all.

The best part is the beach!!!! I love the water and so does MG!! The first picture is her first step in the ocean!! She still keeps talking about the moving water. We had a bonfire on the beach until far after the sunset and made wonderful memories!

This post is sooo long. I should try posting more! Now on to declutter my scrapbooking closet. Wish me luck!

Blessings, Patty

P.S. Thanks for your prayers... Shark Boy has needed them. The timing of this trip couldn't have been worse...but I had to use the tickets. He is doing better...but still struggles to fall asleep without fears.

War on Clutter

Wow! My first post of 2008 and only 4 days late! Perhaps regular blogging should be on my resolution list. But that would just equal failure in '08. Maybe next year!

We are down to less than 6 months before big changes in our life. Thus far it has been fun to watch the count down....now it's time to get busy. Thus my plans are -
declutter--- perhaps this will help. http://www.flylady.net/pages/FlyingLessons_Declutter.asp I visit this site often and even have someone named Skipper sending me emails every day to get a spotless house and remain that way in 30 days. Yeah...... Skipper's email is deleted most every day. I do have a plan. Starting on Tuesday -- Goodwill or our favorite campus store will get some of our treasures. My first version of this sentance said "may get some of our treasures". SHEEESH!!!! I wish I knew why I remain such a pack rat. Maybe there is a magic pill or fairy that can make this problem vanish. Last night, I was dreaming of my house looking like it could show on HGTV. So starting on Tuesday --- the bags and boxes come out. I have broke the house down into do-able areas. I have "Clean Sweep" and "Misson Organization" on DVR as motivational encouragement. I have the box tape, labels and an area to place boxes of mementos that we do want to move around the country. I want to win this battle!!! I have learned 2 pieces of advice in a book I've read recently. One reason houses stay cluttered is perfectionism......... Crazy enough.....I can understand this. If I don't have the emotional or physical energy to complete the job and not make mistakes.....I will never start. Another piece of advice is not to look for big areas for storage...... i.e. a smaller bookcase is just a good as a huge one. I buy the big bookcase....and just keep 4 times as many books!! Wish me luck!!! So off the computer now to help Mermaid Girl collect her 10,000 barbies and accessories that took a journey around our house today while Mommy was at work!

Thanks for keeping Luke and Caleb's family in your prayers. Luke is doing much better. I know Monday will be hard, especially for Caleb's brother and family.

Prayers needed

I am wishing checking in to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I am not ringing in the new year tonight as I was asked to switch from working today until tomorrow morning. That worked out fine because Shark Boy was in great need of a "Mommy-Luke" day. His good friend died on Saturday. I am at a loss on how to best comfort him. He did seem to enjoy bowling with his mom. I know I am holding both of my kids much tighter the last 2 days....and am so sad for Caleb's family. His family was on the same journey we are and I can not imagine their sorrow.
Please keep Jerry, Gretchen and Noah in your prayers. It may be selfish...but please keep Luke in your prayers. Monday, he goes back to school and his class, teachers and school are grieving as well. I am so grateful there will be counselors available to the children and a special portrait of Caleb and Jesus is being prepared for the classroom.
Thank you,

God's Blessings,
Patty

Christmas

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. We did many times over. We enjoyed 3 family Christmas' and received an overflowing van's worth of gifts. But the best part was celebrating Christmas eve with a young church that we helped to start about 5 years ago. 5 years ago, there was not enough members to do a Christmas eve service so the church was used by another denomination who was in the midst of building a church. We attended that service with a tiny baby....dressed in her Christmas finery. This year there was almost 100 people in the congregation. 12 children performed the initial singing and there was a beautiful candle lit "Silent Night" near the Christmas Tree. My tears would not stop flowing....with all the hope there is for this wonderful congregation. Even if we are not to be members....we love this young church. We praise God for blessing this congregation. They are soon to ask for chartership and a good friend is finishing his schooling to help lead them.

I am waiting for pictures from home as I forgot the camera.....Can you believe it? ...but my family took lots of pictures for me to scrapbook! Aunt M. can you send me the one of MG in her pink cowboy boots and santa dress?

We were very blessed to slip into our hometown between snow storms. Although we missed an uncle and cousin, we were glad they stayed safe. Since Christmas, I have been working lots to try and get a little extra money for a trip to CA. Yes!! 12 more days to see good friends, D & M and their little girl K aka __????__. MG is coming with me and is SOOOOO excited to see K. We are not doing much tourist activities or Disney, because of the cost. But especially because SB is not coming and I would be the worst mother in the world if his little sister saw Disney, the ocean and had a plane ride before he did! She will take a plane ride and see the ocean...but he was ok with this because he want's to see Owen's new home this summer. 4 year girl fun bores him crazy anyway! We will love to see our friends...but the real reason we are going is to see how I react to an arid climate. Dr. Cooper even said I could "trigger" my sinus' into behaving. I have no medical rational how this would work...but I'm all for the idea!!!

*I need to think of an aka for K. "spunky girl" is already taken! I have writer's block -- even with the thesaurus!! I need to get to bed. Today must have been more stressful than I thought. I even had the hardest time remembering my password --- and it's my old favorite. GOOD NIGHT!!

Blessings, Patty

My favorite gifts

I just recieved my favorite Christmas gifts. I don't think anything can top these! We did our little family gift exchange and nativity read tonight as we are leaving tomorrow to go home before the snow and ice start. My best gifts are hand made by my children:

Shark boy's poem (spelling not changed)

Oh Santa, you are much to fat.
You should do some exercises on a mat.
You will have to go to the Hospital.
But I think that it's imposable.
But finally on Christmas Day.
You will be able to fit in your sleigh!

(Shark Boy clarified that it is impossible to go to the hospital because Santa wouldn't fit on the stretcher)


Mermaid Girl's book all about her has interesting facts and pictures all about her. I LOVE IT!!!
But, as usual Mommy Guilt creeps in. What must her teachers think?

page 5: My favorite thing Mom does.....play on the computer!
My favorite thing Dad does...... make supper!

I could read into this soooooooo much!! Although I think it's great B likes to cook so much -- I wouldn't want to mess with that one!

Page 3 makes me laugh!!!!!

People who live in my house. There are nice faces drawn for.....

Mommy Daddy Shark Boy Mermaid Girl and the baby in Mommy's tummy!!!!!

The teacher wrote down these descriptions for MG!!!
Time for the diet!!! Weight Watchers here I come!!! Maybe I could be less practical and just wait for a sign that this may be fulfilled.....I do believe in Miracles!! But ...best get to Weight Watchers or Mommy may always appear to have a baby in her tummy!

I love these kids!!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Memories

I should be doing a million other things to get ready to go home in 4 days ...for 4 days!! YEAH! But I have a poor memory especially during busy times and I wanted to remember this.

The holidays are a great time for me to witness my children's growth and maturity. Last year MG was HORRIFIED that "Grandma got run over by a reindeer"!! Of course, we had to call her Grandma and confirm that Grandma was OK....and even then MG had to see her in person to confirm that there was no permant harm! On Saturday, MG was watching the Christmas Classic and I asked her if Grandma was OK....she rolled her eyes at me and gave me a very dramatic- "That's Jake's Grandma....not mine"!! Grandma S. was very happy to hear she was safe from Santa's reindeers this year!!

MG has discovered Clifford the Big Red Dog. S.B. loved the series (was far less interested in Max and Ruby...Ruby and Max... That song gets me everytime....I hear it so often!). Anyway, S.B. had a million Clifford Books and all of the stuff animals. When his cousin had a bad MRI report, he decided to send all of the stuffed animals to her...Clifford, T-bone, Cleo and Max. The books went into storage for baby sister to enjoy later. Anyway the books came out of storage and I had a hard time relearning the names - because S.B. at the time loved renaming characters and had just had a new baby sister so.....Emily Elizabeth was read as "Maleah Martha" and Clifford was "Luke" and T-bone was "Owen" and Max was "Wyatt" and Cleo was "Tasha". I became so good at improvising....all these years later they are still the same to me. M.G. just looks at me like I have numerous screws loose!! Maybe I do!!

Well off to accomplish a million thing today by 3!!! Wish me luck!

Blessings!
Patty

For Spunky girl

Here you go Spunky Girl! Maybe Mommy will print it off for you.