Posted in Happiness

Phew.  After a 10 day whirlwind trip to California we are HOME!  Actually we got home late late Sunday night (just in time to ring in the new year) and spent yesterday unpacking and sleeping.  I am not nearly as tired today as I was yesterday, that's a good thing!

To keep you up to date here are two photos we had taken while in Cali.  We had huge family photos made for my MIL, meaning our family of 6, Mike's sisters family of 4 and Mike's parents.  I won't include that photo, just the ones of our immediate 6, because I don't want to post photos of others without permission.

Mike and I above.  We have not had a photo made since our Wedding day! I should upload that one, or our engagement photo (as it's nearly the same pose) so you can see how OLD we have gotten in 15 years!

And there is our beautiful family!! Aren't they all precious!  (Mike included!)

Posted in Happiness

Because I WAS mad.  In fact, I was fuming and tearing up.  We are so broke it's not funny.  Not even a tad bit.  But when my husband took D to Scouts the other night do you know what  he did? He went shopping.  He went out and bought Cars.  On a credit card.  And came home with a sneaky guilty look on his face.

I have long ago stopped scolding him.  I just sighed and said "Okay" as my mind wandered to how we were going to pay that bill...which I had just paid off and  have managed to run up again.  I finally just said to myself  "God will help us." and tried to walk away from the anger.

This morning I sat eyeing the movie, which was on top of the fridge where my husband hid and said 'Do what you will with it Mama"...meaning "Use it any way you please, set it aside for Christmas, use it as bribery, whatever works for you".  So I sat, stared at it and sighed again.  Then I sat down at the table and systematically set up a scavenger hunt.  With each word I wrote "Starlight, starbright, be the first to turn on the hall light", the anger began to work it's way out "Shh..quiet as a mouse, sneak up to the kitten's ______", and I started to smile a tiny bit, "Too get the dust  up off the floor you must use to broom behind the laundry room ______", soon the heaviness of my heart lifted, the greyness, "As Grey as that elephant's ears" began to lift.  I breathed in.  I set out 15 clues.  Some were easy "D..put the lid down!!", some were not "Think "Cappucino"", all were planned.

I sat at the table. I called out "Who wants to do a Scavenger hu...?" 

Before I finished the last word the first clue was snatched out of my hand and I watched my four children bolt from room to room...outside, inside, upside down...grabbing clues, screaming out the answers and rushing off to the next clue. 

The final clue came up.  My 6 year old picked it up. "Chill out"

"What's that mean?"

"It means your cooling something down"
"The freezer!!"

"No, the fridge!"

To the fridge they ran, pushing, laughing, giggling. 

G-6 spotted it first, in a bag, in the bottom of the fridge.  He jerked the bag out, M-9 yanked the bag off and all four children SCREAMED at the top of their lungs "CARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and threw their arms around me yelling "Thank you thank you!" between kisses and squeezes.

And I cried.  Because I nearly let than anger destroy a moment that they will remember forever.

1 Thessalonians 2:7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.

Posted in Happiness

other than I can...

They are, in no particular order: G,6; E, 4 TODAY!!; D, 11 (12 this month though!); and the girl of the bunch M, 9.

Gee...they don't look alike at ALL do they? HA!

1 Thessalonians 2:7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.

Posted in Happiness

It's official, we are in Fall! It's so cold at night.  I remember back in highschool cheering at football games and huddling around a cup of hot cocoa and thinking that it was cold.  I'll tell you, the cold in California was nothing like the cold here in Oklahoma.  It's biting.  It's bone chilling.  It's down right teeth chattering!

In honor of our first hard freeze last night:

Homemade hot cocoa.  (I believe I found this recipe at the frugal homemaker):

2 c. non fat dry milk

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. cocoa

1/2 c. non dairy creamer

dash salt

Mix all ingredients up in food processor (or just mix in a bowl), use 3-4 T. mix per cup of cocoa.  Add hot water.  Stir and enjoy.

Angel Muffins (Named by my daughter when she was 3)

1/3 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. sugar

dash salt

Mix all ingredients well.  Pour into 12 muffin tins.  Bake at 400 about 15 minutes.  While hot dip in melted butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture.  OR toss a handful of chocolate chips into the mix.  OR some craisins and orange zest.  OR some cheese and cooked sausage.  This list could go on forever.  I use the basic recipe (above) and then toss in whatever I have that sounds good that day!

Posted in Happiness

It occurred to me several years ago how far a little kindness goes. 

There was a particular instance that I realized this (Not that I didn't know kindness went far, it was something else that suddenly registered in my brain.)

I suppose you would say I am a pretty needy person.  When I get dressed I WANT someone to say "Oh you look nice", after blowdrying this huge mass of curls and trying to get them to fall into some semblance of order I like to hear "Your hair is cute today"...basically I LIKE to get compliments. Hey I admit it.  But truly, who doesn't like to hear they look nice, or are nice? 

So I made a point a few years ago to make sure I complimented people often.  If I ran into my friend in the mall I might say "Gosh! You look so GREAT!"...seeing my mom got a new haircut I would be quick to utter "Wow! Look at your hair! It's so sassy!"

And you know what...when you randomly compliment people their eyes light up, they kind of shrug their shoulders and smile from ear to ear...and maybe I just made their day a little brighter.

Posted in Happiness

1.  Send kids to bed

2.  Wait until they start to doze off

3.  Stand in the hall with a cast iron skillet and a metal spoon and bang like crazy.

4.  When the kids come out into the hall staring at you like you are insane, tell them to GET IN THE VAN!!

5.  Hop in the van with them and drive 20 miles to town.

6.  Pull into Sonic and let them order any icecream treat they want

7.  Watch their smiles and wide eyes

8.  You must be willing to trade icecream with whichever random child ordered something you knew he/she wouldn't like, so order something you are sure he/she will like.

9.  Drive home while singing "You're the one that I want" at the top of you lungs.

10.  Tuck kids into bed with dreams of ice cream and Grease filling their minds.

Posted in Happiness

While we were launching sponges E noticed Mike pulling out the tractor, and of course, wanted to drive for a while.  Mike lets E do all of the steering,until they get too close to trees...

Posted in Happiness

D and M were invited to a birthday party tonight.  In fact so was Mike!  They are all currently heading to Laserquest to play for a few hours.  That leaves me and my two youngest at home.

Earlier today M had baked a cake and frosted it (The frosting was added while the cake was hot, so it turned into glaze LOL).

So, after everyone left for the party G, E and I had a WONDERFUL unbirthday party.  E insisted I sing the "Very Merry Unbirthday" song, and we all blew out the candles!!

Smiling pretty for the camera

E clapping his hands, he's SO excited about the "unbirthday" cake!

G was a much better blower outer than E. (At least according to G)

Posted in Happiness

I talk about my nearly teenager alot.

There is a reason.

With E...I have already had 3 go through the terrible 3's.  Although he's quite the original, I have seen most of what he can dish out.  I DO find him terribly adorable.  It's just that very little about him shocks me.

With G, I've been down the path of 6 twice already.  Again, he's of course, very different.  And I love watching him grow and change.  I love seeing things click, but, as I said, having seen 6 before, I don't have that overwhelming "Oh my gosh! So this is 6" feeling.

With M, I've certainly seen 9.  In fact, I remember I HATED 9.  In fact, I remind myself of it daily.  That we just have to "get past 9".  Being that she's the only girl, things are a bit different (Obviously D didn't need certain undergarments), but still, a lot of 9 is just that...NINE.

But with D...EVERYTHING is new territory.  Every move he makes causes me to sit back and go "WOW!! So this is 11 years, 9 months, 17 days"..."WOW! So this is 11 years, 8 months, 17 days and 42 seconds" 

Right now D is trying hard to find himself.  Heading off to Youth Group he has found he is the ONLY homeschooled child in youth group.  He says he can't wait until next year when his friend Josh is in youth group, so he's not all alone.  But for now he's forging  all new territory.  And as a result, he's changing.  His brain is running a little differently.  He thinks things through a little more.  He is starting to pick up some jargon from the teens.  He usually tries it out once, and then you see his face kind of crinkle up, as if he's saying "Well now, that just sounded stupid", and he lays it aside, never to pick it up again. 

And I think, right along with me, D is saying "Wow!! So this is 11 years, 9 months, 17 days, and 59 seconds!"

Posted in Happiness

Barb, over at Chelsea Morning, wants to know how we met our honeys.

Now, you may be wondering how this is school related,well because we met in college...OF COURSE!

You remember college (I know, think hard, it was a while ago!), it was a little like highschool in that the first few months you walked around trying to find your niche, but you found it much more quickly than highschool.   And you pretty much remained there until you were done. 

The first time I got a glimpse of Mike I was in my 2nd year of college.  I was giddy with excitement of the life that I was looking forward to.  I was confident.  I was all smiles.  So, when I waltzed into Sociology of Mass Media and called out "Hey Vargas!" to the teacher, Mike immediately noticed me.  He saw the way I turned and laughed with my friend. Saw the teachers interaction with me.  And then he saw me sit down in the chair right next to him. 

Out of the corner of my eye I glanced at him.  I followed a pair of black shoes up very very long legs, enclosed in black denim, to a rayon shirt.  I tipped my head, just a little, to see big brown eyes hidden behind a pair of tortoise shell glasses, and what appeared to be a great smile, peeking out from under a moustache.  (Now I must say in my 19yearoldness (Yes that IS one word) I thought "Wow! A moustache...too bad, he'd look better without it").

A few moments later Vargas called me to the front of the classroom.  "Sheri, I need your help!"  I stood up and started toward him, asking what he needed.  He pointed toward the windows and stated that I needed to help him tape paper up on the windows.  I looked at him, eye to eye.  We were both only 5'2".  I snorted.  (Oh so lady like) and turned around, placing my hand on the desk of who I was now referring to as "Tall guy", I said calmly, "Get this guy, he's tall!" I looked at him.  His brown eyes opened in shock, my blue eyes met his daring him, taunting him.  "You ARE tall aren't you?," I questioned.

And he stood up.  WAY UP.  Oh my, he WAS tall.  As he unfolded his 6'2" frame out of the desk I got another glimpse of him.  Hmmm...he had potential.  With a backward glance at me he walked over to help Vargas.

We sat, side by side, for 3 months.  On occassion talking to each other, but not anything in particular, more of a "Hey, tall guy...I skipped class two days ago, what happened."  I didn't realize that the whole time he was watching me.  Then one day in December I threw on a pair of jeans and a concert Teeshirt and drove down to the local video rental place.  As I walked in I pulled my long hair back into a scrunchie and started looking at videos.  My brother tagging along with me.  We walked toward the counter and there, in all his long legged glory, stood Mike.  I stopped.  I reached up to tuck an errant hair behind my ear, and I looked at my brother and said "We are going NOW!" 

We left.

Mike watched us leave.  And he noted what my brother looked like.  The next time my brother was in the store Mike pulled up our information and got our phone number.  But he never had the guts to use it.

Still with me? It gets better.

One day, still in December, Mike walked into the library to see me talking to Loren.  Now Loren worked with Mike at the video store.  That night at work Mike asked Loren if I had a boyfriend.  Loren smirked at Mike, "No".  Mike kind of shrugged and tried to play it off, "okay".  THEN he left town.  While he was out of town Loren called my friend Tammy (Oh man,still with me?) and Tammy called me and asked if I would go out with Mike.  (Remember, Mike had not put Loren up to this).   I said "Yeah, I could do that."  Then Loren called Mike, only Mike was out of town,so he left a message with Mike's mom.  The message was this:

"Tell Mike, "It's a go"." 

I am sure his mom wondered what sort of encrypted message she was handing off to her 22 year old son, but she called him that night, and Mike zipped home the next day.

This is truly a long story.

Mike came into class the after Christmas break and said "HI" to me.  I, not-so-calmly, noted that his moustache was gone.  OH MY!! And that his big brown eyes were no longer hidden behind glasses, he had gotten contacts.    We chatted a bit.  I tried to focus on what he was saying. He asked me out.  I said no. 

Mike called my work one night.  His voice was so smooth.  I tried to focus on what he was saying.  We chatted a bit.  He asked me out.  I said no.

Mike called my house one night.  I sat picturing him.  We chatted a bit.  He asked me out.  Guess what I said.  Yep, I said no.

But he didn't give up.  He decided to give it one more shot.  He called me, I DID focus on what he was saying, he asked me out.  I said YES.  Then I called him to cancel, but he wasn't home. 

So, that's at least part of the story of "How I met my Honey".  I must say, his perserverance paid off.  We've been married 15 years this year!  I love you honey! And if you asked me out today, I'd say YES (the first time!)!

Posted in Happiness

 I bet you think I am neglecting you huh? But I'm not...

Nope, I'm not.

See, my inlaws are visiting and that takes up time.  And then I have to clean the house, and that takes up time.  It's the little things. (Like the things I am selling on Ebay, that takes time too). 

But last night, there was so much more.

See, we sat in the peaceful back yard (on the porch) listening to the frogs croak at the pond.  And the crickets chirp.  It was so peaceful.  And then, as if Tinkerbell herself has sprinkled some magical fairy dust the fireflies began to appear in the trees and all around us. 

The kids all bounded with glee.  You know what, so did I.  There is nothing so beautiful as fireflies on a peaceful black night. 

Posted in Happiness

I'm trying to pick up the happiness thread I have on my other site and get it going here, kind of hard to keep two blogs up at once! But I really want this to be more of a family/homeschool focus.  The other blog is more about me goofing around.

So Happiness is....hearing my husband vacuum the other room right now! I wonder if I stay back here long enough if he'll load the dishwasher too...one of those things that make you go hmmmmm...

Posted in Happiness

Waking up and realizing you made it through the entire night without any child needing a drink of water, a walk to the bathroom or having a nightmare...and that you didn't hear your husband snore one time.

Posted in Happiness

There was a challenge on the internet to post something that makes you happy everyday of the month of August, so here is my contribution:

Seeing D come home from a sleepover and E running yelling at him and hugging him.