Who's in charge of Mother Nature?

It's COLD here in Alabama!  And the sky is gray to boot...I'm slipping back into my Seasonal Affective Disorder.  This morning, my precious (and quite hilarious) Annie was giving me a lesson on how Mother Nature controls the weather.

"That's why it's cold Mommy, cause Muddah Natah made it cold.  She's in charge of the weddah.", she explained.

"Well, who's in charge of Mother Nature?" I asked.

"Justin Bieber!" she replied with all the confidence of JB's #1 fan.

I fell out laughing and she quickly changed her answer, "I mean Jesus!"

At least I know that the child loves Jesus.  Why just the other day on the way to school she asked, "Mommy, what if Jesus only made Jeeps?" 

By the way, and not to leave the Beebs out, but our little Annie had quite a week last week. 

She graduated from preschool.

She made her first goal in soccer.

And, she got an iPod shuffle for graduation.

(yeah, it's my old one, but she thinks it's new)

 

I'm thinking the iPod is the reason for the constant Justin Bieber noise in my head...Annie sings JB really loud and constantly.  I am singing Runaway Love right now.  And, I know every word.  I might be Steven Tyler...Does the noise in my head bother you?

Pasties, the new Lieutenant Dan and a little help from a little friend

I know the title of this post is a twisted one, but...welcome to my world!

Have I told y'all that Annie has an obsession with band-aids and tattoos?  Well, she does.  Last week her buddy, T, was over playing and she had just gotten some new tattoos.  I think she must have given T at least 6 tattoos.  Guess where she decided two of them needed to go?  Yep, she made pasties out of them!  Then last night, she got into the shiny silver Band-aids.  Guess where she decided two of those silver stickers needed to be?  You guessed right again, she made pasties out of them.  Daddy and I were on the deck and here she came in her Hello Kitty panties and shiny silver band-aid pasties.  Yes, I said on the deck...meaning outside!  And then I said to Daddy, "Honey, she's made pasties out of Band-aids."  There's a sentence I thought would NEVER cross my lips...

Lt. Dan...Annie flipped the Beebs off the hammock onto the ground the other afternoon...here's what followed in the next 2 hours...

"Mommy, Daddy, I can't walk!  Both of my legs are broken!"  This in her best "working up the tears" whiny voice.  She dragged herself up the stairs from the backyard without using her legs, just her arms.  See, Lt. Dan.  Can't you just visualize it now.  She laid on the floor of the deck fake crying the whole time.  That is, until, Daddy turned off the grill, got Annie out of the tub and said, "Mommy, get your purse, we're going to the hospital to get a shot!"

Then, she was up and at 'em, running like Forrest!

On a serious note, we have been praying for all of our neighboring cities and counties that were hit so hard by last week's tornadoes...

My Beebs made fliers ("Raise money to help hurt people!") and she and her good buddy, EG, collected $19.50 to send to Pleasant Grove.  They also had a lemonade stand last weekend to raise even more money.  I would love to show you a picture of the poster they made for that, but the dog peed on it:).  The final count on how much money she raised there is still out (she hasn't counted it yet). 

Zook and Jesus

Can you tell I'm ready for summer?  Yes, I changed my picture to one of my angels jumping into the pool!  My brain is gearing up for my "blog season".  I think winter gives me writer's block!  I log in and start to type, but it's just a sad jumbled mess!  Have I mentioned lately how I despise cold weather and nightfall at 4 p.m.?!!?!?!

On to Zook (actually Zoosk)...I was on the phone with my sister the other night and we were discussing her recent break up with the worst boyfriend ever, and my Beebs was sitting right beside me, of course, eavesdropping.  She immediately perked up and said, "I have an idea!  Nahnie should join Zook."

"Join huh?" I said.

"You know, Mommy, the place on the Internet where you can meet nice dates."  Watch TV much Beebs?  And what channel is she watching to see Zoosk commercials!?  Yep, Mother of the Year right here;).

Lots of my posts deal with Jesus...or should I say, Annie has lots of Jesus questions.  The girls and I went to church without Daddy on Sunday.  It was Palm Sunday and Communion Sunday.  After a brief description (for the 50th time) of the Lord's Supper in the best whisper I could muster up, the Elders distributed the "bread".  Now the bread in our little Chapel is made of Pillsbury Pie Crusts which have been rolled out on a cookie sheet and brushed with butter.  I know, YUMMMMMMMYYYYYY!  My kids love, love, absolutely love Communion because of the "bread" and they get grape juice too.  Beebs went so far as to take two, yes I said two, pieces of the bread from the serving plate.  But I digress.  Right about the time we got our tiny grape juice and Annie spilled a little because she had to get the fullest tiny cup on the tray, she looked over at me and said, "Mommy, did Jesus get married?"  Where in the world did she come up with that in the midst of all the chaos.  It was such a sweet question, but really?  It's Palm Sunday.  Jesus is about to die on the Cross for our sins and then rise on the 3rd day, and you want to know if he got married? 

Lord help me...

Focusing on God during Lent...

I read this Lenten Devotional last night that was included in our church's weekly newsletter and it set the right perspective for me for Lent.  

This year I am giving up something that has been a part of my life for too long and putting my full faith in God that he will carry me through.  I will direct my eyes to Him...  

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. ~ Psalm 51:1

By: Henri Nouwen

Our temptation in Lent is to be so impressed by our sins and failings and so overwhelmed by our lack of generosity that we get stuck in a paralyzing guilt that leads to introspection instead of directing our eyes to God. It is guilt that becomes an idol and form of pride.

But Lent is precisely the time to break down this idol and to direct our attention to our loving Lord. The question is: “Are we like Judas, who was so overcome by his sin that he could not believe in God’s mercy any longer and hanged himself? Or are we like Peter, who returned to his Lord with repentance and cried bitterly for his sins?

“You are dust, and to dust you will return.” This ancient formula will be heard by millions of Christians all over the world this Ash Wednesday as the sign of the cross is made in ashes on their forehead. This symbolic act is both a solemn reminder and an invitation to renewal.

Lord God, this Lent help us to do our best to keep our minds fixed on you and your Kingdom.

Ya gotta love...

when your baby (actually not so much a baby anymore, but my baby) falls asleep trying to finish reading "Ramona the Brave"!  I went in to kiss her goodnight and she begged me to let her finish it since she's had it checked out for, ummm, 3 weeks I think!  She only has 5 pages left, but she just couldn't make it.  Maybe during independent reading time tomorrow before library time?  I mean, she's read 177 pages in three weeks!  She's only in 2nd grade!  That ROCKS!!

when Annie poops in the potty 4 times in one day.  I told y'all she was full of it!  I made the rule that she cannot go on the playground at school with her friends until she poops.  Worked like a charm!  And, I made the rule that she can't play outside at home until she poops.  Worked like a charm...except that it didn't all come out when she was sitting on the potty!  Score: Mommy 5, Annie 2!  I'M WINNING!

when your best friends create the best birthday party ever for you!  My Chickens (official shout out to my angel girlfriends) are truly my sisters!  I love you G & D!  Y'all more than rock!!!  And, all my favorite girls  (Anna, Susan, Dana, Leigh and Emily) and fav hubby's of my fav girls came too!  Even my nephew and his precious angel girlfriend (Emily) came. 

Even though D spied on what I was wearing and decided it would be best if she wore the SAME EXACT shirt, I don't mind...

40 and rockin'!!!!

Things I've learned, things I know to be true, and whole lotta nothin'...

In 40 years...I'm feeling nostalgic this week.  Like the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.  Like I need to go have my roots done real quick.  Like maybe I should do a lot of things different.  I think my next decade will be one of accepting my faults.

I have learned that patience are hard to come by.  It's okay to not act your age.  I have learned how to say no to my kids.  I like vampires named Edward Cullen.  The dollar movie is not all it's cracked up to be even though it's only a dollar.  I have the best husband in the world.  I am not sure how I got so lucky, but God and fate brought us together after 8 years of friendship, 2 years of dating and 14 years of marriage.  I have learned that being married to your best friend makes life way easier and way happier.  I have also learned that marriage takes a lot of teamwork, a whole lot of give and take and sometimes it's best to bite your tongue rather than say what's about to cross your lips!  I have learned to thank God every day for my Mom and to apologize to her every chance I get.  I have also learned that you truly do reap what you sow, so watch out.  I have learned that getting pregnant can take years, being pregnant sucks, giving birth is pretty easy (after the first one that is), and that raising kids is a lot harder than I thought it would be.  Being a Mommy, though, is the only job I ever wanted and it is the most precious job I've ever had.  I know that God intended for me to be the Mommy of girls, my girls, because I wouldn't know the first thing about peeing standing up and playing ball.  I have learned that 40 isn't old at all, it's a little wiser than 20, sounds more fun than 30, and it's right around the corner.

Poetry makes me happy; both writing it and reading it.  Barbie clothes laid out to dry on the bathroom counter crack me up!  I know I never would have made it as an elementary school teacher, which is what I aspired to be my entire life.  Instead, I take care of 1 person who really needs someone to care for him.  Caring for those who really need it is easy.  Having sympathy for those who bring the trials of life on themselves is really hard.  I think it is impossible.  Being grown up is not acting your age, rather taking responsibility.  Each time you buy a house, the mortgage gets a little bit higher.  Eight year old girls are competitive.  Who knew?  Four year old girls still have nap mat fits.  So do 40 year old girls, just not as often.  Sometimes the thought of one more chore is a chore to think about.  Mad Men is an awesome show!  Vacuum cleaners don't last long in my house.  The scent of lemon pine sol is much better than the original scent.  Having candles lit in your home is only for when adults are there.  Carpets should be cleaned once a year.  Toilets should be cleaned once a week or more.  Sheets should be changed once a week or more unless you weigh 40 pounds and sleep on 1 square inch of the bed.  Pets are a precious part of life.

I think it is hilarious when people pronounce words the wrong way and call things the wrong name.  You gotta laugh at something.  Being a smart-ass makes me who I am.  It's part of my coping ability.   I think that families should live close to one another.  Did I mention that I have an amazing husband?

It is very important to work as a team and listen to what others have to say.  Your way is not always the best way.

There are way more (hopefully) things that I have learned and that I know, but right now, what you see is what you get.  I do know that as I put my babies to bed tonight, I made sure to tell them that the two of them and their Daddy are the best people that have entered my life!

I know at 40 I am the luckiest GIRL in the world!!!

The Nanny McPhee Pirate

Yes, THAT TOOTH is loose in my Beebs' head!  This week she has been Nanny McPhee, what with the tooth and all...

Don't you love the mole!?!?!?!

The pirate look comes in because this afternoon as she was sprinting home from the neighbors house, she fell on a stick that poked her in the eye.  The cold washrag (always a cure-all) HAD to be tied to her eye with a rubberband!  Her always resourceful Mommy (patting self on back) of course found a nice elastic headband that works great for that pirate patch (not so much for the hair, but great for the pirate look)...

A pirate in the making!

You know, if that tooth is still hanging on in about 5 weeks, she could really be Nanny McPhee for Halloween!