We Interupt The Disney Show Currently In Progress...

Decision, decision....
Should Sophie be our own little 'Lady?'If she went as this monkey, I would put bows on the ears. This one would also work for next year.She could be Minnie, but is that too obvious for our family? Again, this dress will work next year also.Isn't this the cutest little pink leopard you ever did see? This one would keep her nice and warm tonight.This one accenuates her Princess dimeanor. She wants something... she wants it now... no questions or hesitation please!! Do any of you recognize this one? It also has a pink pointy princess hat.We've come to the end of our Halloween costume fashion show and I know that my little unhappy love bug is relieved to be done with it!

Let me know what you think! We have an idea of what she's gonna be, so let's see if you get it!

Disney- Day 2

We got up early the next day and headed over to Hollywood Studio's. We didn't think we would spend almost the whole day there... but that's exactly what ended up happening!

We went and rode the newest ride, Toy Story Mania.
Sophie slept through Toy Story Mania, but had fun with some of the 3D glasses when she woke up!
We also went and caught a showing of the Playhouse Disney Show that features Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, Little Einsteins and Handy Mannie! It was great!All my kids loved it! But Ava Sophia was transfixed!She wanted to get up and walk up on the stage. We had to get creative to keep her close to us without getting her diva attitude on!

We also hit the Star Tours ride, and Bryant wanted to see the Movie Car Stunt Show, but Tres didn't. So I took Soph and Tres over to a the nearby Bug's Life playground while Dad took Bry to see the cars.Tres is such a helper with his sister. So is Bryant for that matter... but Tres seems to take pride in helping her learn and try new things. Just like this slide! It was small, but a big accomplishment to our little sweet pea!We met a lot of our favorite characters at Hollywood Studios, too!Bryant actually waited in line for Buzz and Woody but at the last minute decided not to get a picture with them. And Sophie wasn't exactly thrilled to meet life sized Disney characters.Even Bryant liked Lightning McQueen, though!

We ended up our day over at Epcot. We did a few of the easier rides with minimal lines, like Nemo and the Three Cabineros. We also did Turtle Talk with Crush. But the lines for everything else were so long, we decided to go to Downtown Disney and let the boys play at the Lego Store.
They always love this store!! The last couple of times we've gone to Disney, we'vr told them that they are allowed to get one nice souvenir at the end of the trip from Downtown Disney (where you can find everything that would be in the parks). This helps us keep down spending in the parks and keeps them from asking for stuff! When we finally left there, it was after 10 and we were all pooped!

Disney- Day 1

We left Grammy and Pop Pop's house before the sun came up and made it to Disney around 10 am... after a breakfast and gas stop. It was kind of rainy weather, but not enough to stop us from having fun!Right away, we see that all the princesses are holding court in front of the castle and giving autographs! Since Sophie is much more animated and visually stimulated this trip, we knew she needed to meet another princess!Then we begin hitting some of the kids' favorite rides!Bry and I rode the Barnstormer in ToonTown. It's the shortest ride I've ever been on, but a great intro to roller coasters for kids and Bry just loves it!We watched a parade, and while it looks like Sophie didn't like it... she really did! She was enthralled the whole time! I can't say the same about Bryant. He watched from the safety of the stroller, and only came out to wave to Donald... from a distance. He was better about the characters this time, but still not brave enough to get pics and autographs!

Nevertheless, we all had a long and fun day! The boys took a spin the teacups...... and a ride on the Juggle Cruise... Then we introduced Sophie to the Buzz Lightyear Spin. We closed the park down, then went and checked into our room.

Mickey Can You Hear Us?

We will be in Disney tomorrow!

After we deposited both kids at school and Hank was at work, I spent the day literally running around our house packing, folding, checking things off our list for our trip. Then I got it all loaded in the van just in time to pick up Bry. Then I took care of finances and things.

We decided when we started planning this trip to make it a surprise for the kids.... and they are so excited and thrilled! We told them both when we picked up Tres from school.

So we'll be in the most magical place on Earth and not available to blog.

It's A Done Deal

I just scheduled a surgery for myself for mid-December. I wasn't too sure I was gonna post about it, but I figure, what the heck. I went to the doctor not long ago cause I was having some pain. Come to find out, I need a partial hysterectemy. So, that's what I have scheduled. I had to work it into our calendar after my homeschool class ends and before another one begins. Since we are spending Christmas at home this year, and since the doc told me the surgery recovery time is about a week, I felt like I could make it happen if I knew enough ahead of time to get stuff wrapped and ready for the big day!

I am hoping this gives me the boost I need to start loosing some weight. Since Sophie weaned herself, I've noticed that I gained about 5 to 10 pounds... yuck. I've thought about looking into some of the top diet pills available... but I really want to try and do it without that kind of help. The nurse that called said that I don't need that kind of thing in my system before the surgery though, so maybe after.

I'm Tying A Ribbon Around My Finger

I just want to remember these moments before they slip away forever.

Bryant answers most questions with a "Yes, yes!" I know to most people it's not all that interesting, but it makes me smile every time, and I don't want to forget it.

After soccer the other night, Tres pointed at the sky and said, "Mom! Look! Stars! We need to make a wish!" Then he got a little pensive and pouty and said, "None of my wishes ever come true." I was laughing on the inside cause he wishes for giant bowls of ice cream and a visit from Superman sometimes. Then Bryant turned his big brown eyes on me and asked, "Do wishes come true, Momma?" And without hesitation and I looked at two of my three greatest wishes in the eyes and told him, "Yes, baby. Wishes DO come true."

Tres asked me to take him on a date soon. He says he wants some 'Mommy Time.'

Extention Please!

I have had the following people sign up for the 'My Favorite Things' Swap:

Crystal
Nicole
Dana
Lisa
Valerie
Becca
Staci
Sarah
Kelly
Mandy

How would everyone feel about extending the sign up by one week?

That would mean, that anyone can email me (jamleah@yahoo.com) their address by Sunday, October 26th.

Then we will give everyone a full week to get their package together.

If you haven't posted it on your blog yet, DO IT!! Let's get a bunch of ladies together so we can for sure pair people that don't know each other and maybe make some new friends!

I'm looking forward to this and have changed my mind about what to put in mine about a hundred times already!

Unscathed? Not Quite...

We almost made it through another action-packed weekend with no causalities! Hankie and his parent's cheered Bama on in Tuscaloosa against Ole Miss to squeak out a win. Hank said it wasn't pretty... but it was a win. I don't think I've watched more than 30 minutes of football since the season started, what with soccer, volleyball, church and everything else that goes on. So, I'll just take his word for it!

Yesterday morning I made it over to the last day of Kids Market. Most everything was 50 % off, so I got Tres jeans, pants, shirts, and sweaters. Then I headed over to see what I could get for Sophie... I have winter stuff but not small enough for my Itty Bitty (another nickname I use on her). I got her a couple of sleepers, some little baby jeans, and THE CUTEST little Christmas outfit! I averaged $2 on each item! Good times.

Then the kids and I headed over to Tyler's third birthday party.I could not get Tyler to pose for a picture, though, so I just settled for this group shot! He made out like a bandit! He even got a Smart Cycle... and my boys looked at me accusingly when he opened it, cause they've wanted one for a long time! So can we come and play, Tyler? Tyler is such a fun little boy and my kids love playing with him! They had a little playground area set up outside, and a bubble blower going, but the piece DE resistance was the giant monster truck inflatable bounce. Sophie got to experience it for the first time!By the time she did her inaugural bounce, she had already been given cheese puffs, so she was nice and messy! She loved it, she would try to bounce, then take a few steps and fall. Then she would get up and clap and say "yeah!"

The boys were in hog heaven! They ran around outside, got loud, and had fun! They even saved the world from the evil bubble blowing machine......while the royal princess looked on from her throne!

After the party, the kids and I headed over to my friend Mandy's (new blog alert!) house so that she and I could put together baskets full of CVS stuff for Pastor Appreciation Sunday. We beat Mandy to her house, so used the opportunity to take some pics of my kids!She's a poser, this one! "Cheese!" That little sweater I got at Kids Market for $1. My little brown-eyed boy. It was a gorgeous day, and I couldn't let the autumn setting go to waste!This was Tres earlier in the day at Tyler's birthday party (sporting a long sleeved Disney polo shirt I got at Kid's Market for $2 and a pair of jeans we got for $1.50). He was having fun and lively! But by the time we got to Mandy's and he had got in a short nap, I noticed he was starting to seem a bit off.He sat in the car while I took pics and Bryant ran around in the back yard. I did get them to all pose together, but this was the best I got.

This morning, I got up early to make pigs in a blanket for Pastor Appreciation. While I was getting them ready for the oven, I hear Tres calling me. He was in the bathroom and it was locked. I told him to unlock and he says, "Mom, I have to warn you. I had a really big accident!" He wasn't kidding. I spent the next 45 minutes cleaning him and the bathroom. And just when I thought I had it all done, he had another accident IN the tub. So I got the tub cleaned and them him again.

Anyway, I called the church and told them I wouldn't be there, but Hank rode his scooter over to deliver the pigs in blankets and a few other things. I hate to miss church today. But not only was Tres not up to it... but Sophie has been sleeping restlessly for the past 3 nights. Have I mentioned that she has a single ear infection (only the second of her life) and Bry has a double (the bizillionth of his life). And last night was no different, but she woke up so mad and nothing satisfied her, so we made the call to keep our kids at home.

Just Say No To Drama Queens!

In the last week or so, we have noticed that our little princess has developed quite the dramatic flare! Whenever we tell her 'no,' she... well take a look and tell me what you think...


She's definitely not a wall flower! She sat like that until we quit telling her 'no.' Of course, we told her 'no' several times just to get her to do it for your viewing pleasure! Notice she's wearing a shirt that says 'Playpen Prima Donna.'

Raindrops On Roses...

Okay, so here are the details on the 'My Favorite Things' Swap.

1- We will open it up on other blogs, so post it on your own and let's get some more participation!

2- We will leave it open until Sunday of this week.

3- Have them email me with their address.

4- I will pair the participants up on Monday by pulling names out of a hat! I will do my best to make sure that participants that already know each other really well are not paired... like Crystal and Vickie.

5- You then have until the following Monday, October 27th, to put together a care package of your favorite things. It can be anything that makes your life a little bit happier! Foods, comfort items, hobbies, etc.

6- Because I'm sure we are ALL working on a tight budget, let's give this swap a money limit of $20 or less... and you don't have to spend money, ladies! Be creative!

Let's make this fun, ladies!!

My Favorite Things Swap

So, ladies do you want the 'My Favorite Things' Swap to be just us, or do you want to spread the word on your blogs? Tell me whatcha think.

Ghouls, Gobblins, and Cookies

In case some of my readers don't know, I participate in a recipe blog. Check out the side bar for a link. We are always looking for new recipes! Anything from soups to cookie recipes. I love living in the internet age where I can say... "I wonder how to make [fill in the blank]?" and go punch it into google and find it so quickly!

I need some ideas for cookies for school Halloween parties, though. So I did a quick search for new cookie recipes. Check these out:I thought they were cute, but slightly inappropriate for four-year-olds. I also found some chocolate spider web cookies that I think I'll tackle!

I'm Ready!!

I'm ready for 2008 Black Friday... Are you? This year, we plan to have Thanksgiving with Hankie's family. It never matters to me what holiday we are there... either Thanksgiving or Christmas... just as long as all the ladies do the shopping the day after together! I just love it! For some reason, their high, constant energy is contageous. And they are ALWAYS so well informed about what sale items are where and what times the stores open...

This year, I thought I was gonna have to be in one of those long lines waiting for a Wii... but I was able to find one last week. So I can check that off of my list. I think the Wii is still gonna be a hot ticket item, so it's a relief to have found it already!

Check 'em Out!

When I worked for my Dad, his version of employment screening was calling the applicants previous employer. That didn't always work out, cause in the plumbing business, it's a possibility that that employer is no longer a business!

I always felt that Dad should have implemented a standard drug test and physical before he hired anyone. That way he knew what he was dealing with. High blood pressure, diabetes, or worse yet, a drug or alcohol addiction.

They do that kind of screening for insurance... and you're paying to be insured. Why not do it if you are planning to hire someone and pay them to work for you?

Car Riding Activities

Hank and I are about to head off with the family on what looks like might be our last trip to Disney this year. I know, you're all shocked. Here's my dilema. I usually ride in the back with the kids so I can change out DVD's, feed Miss Priss, and stretch out a little. Last time, I took bows to make.... I can do that again, but I' not sure I want to. I could take my coupon book and catch up on clipping... and I seriously need to, but who wants to do something you NEED to do on a vacation. So I thought about getting a couple of downloadable audio books in our MP-3 player. I really love reading, but usually don't have time for it. If it just involves my hearing I could still be hands free to help. THe more I think about it, the more I like the idea!

That Loving Feeling

I came home from seeing the late showing of Fireproof with my friend Kelly last night and headed straight into bed.

When Sophie woke up around 3:30 crying, I went into the kitchen to get her a little tylenol and orajel and found this.

As I'm sure a ton of you haven't seen this movie yet, you might not understand why I stood there dumbfounded in the kitchen holding a whimpering one-year-old while I cried.

Your marriage needs this movie. This reminder of what marriage is and should be, and Who the love that is the anchor for this marriage should be. If you aren't married, go and see what it's all about. I promise you won't come away empty handed.

Hankie, I love you. Thank you for loving me even when you don't feel like it. And thank you for buying me flowers and completely surprising me! God made you do it! Ha!

Bad, Bad Mommy

Tres was named Star Student of the Month last week at school, and came home proudly wearing a blue ribbon pinned to his shirt. He kept it on all weekend. I meant to, but never did take a picture of him with the ribbon... and now, well, let's just say that the ribbon fought the washer, and the washer won.Bad...bad mommy.

I Have An Idea!!!

Okay, ladies and gentleman... I have an idea! It involves all of you and I think it will be super fun if we get some good participation.


Is anyone interested in a 'My Favorite Things' swap?


Here's how it works.

If you are interested in participating, you would email me your name and address.

Then I would pair you up with someone. Doesn't just have to be people in 'blog land' either.

Then you must send them three of your favorite things!

Whatcha think?

A Visit with Friends

Over the past football weekend, Hank's best friend from high school, Danny, came into town with his wife, Jackie, and their two kids, Morgan and Luke. Danny LOVES the University of Kentucky and was thrilled to come in and go to the UA vs. UK game, even though they got beat. The guys had a football filled time, and Jackie and I had a good time with the kids! We got Jackie's haircut, and visited the mall, then we came back home and dyed Jackie's hair and then when the guys got home, I took Jackie with me to introduce her to CVS. She was intrigued! Saving money intrigues everyone, huh? Here are a few pics from the weekend... of the kids of course.Here's Luke. He's 7 months and bigger than Sophie! He is a happy little boy and such a charmer!
And Morgan is the sweetest little thing! She has her own language. Sorry the video is turned sideways, I guess I just picked up the camera and hit record without thinking, but it's cute just the same! We get to see them again pretty soon, and I know it will be just as fun and chaotic! Good friends are hard to come by and we feel blessed that Danny and Jackie are in our lives.

Yee Haw, Little Lady!

Ava Sophia has pretty long hair, so I decided the other day to try out pig tails.

They turned out so stinkin' cute!! She kept them in pretty much all day. We stayed that particular day at my Mom's house all day, so we didn't try it out in the carseat or anything. But she left them alone, she didn't pull at them.

We've tried it again since then and it did not withstand the carseat. She wallows a bit against the back of the carseat when she's tired, and that screwed up the whole look of it, and when I tried to get them back in she wasn't having it!
Don't worry though... such cuteness will be repeated! I will keep trying.

Bryant's First Field Trip

Bry got to go on his first field trip a couple of weeks ago! He was so stinkin' excited about it! Hank got to take him, which was one of Bry's requests. His class went to the Children's Theatre and saw 'The Country Mouse and the City Mouse.'
Here he is on the way. My child is to reserved.Hank said he was a little hesitant at first with some of the characters (people dressed up like animals, which we all know can be a little creepy!) But he warmed up to the story and still talks about it weeks later!

After the show, Hankie brought him to eat with me and Soph, and my dad, Matt, Kayla, and Tyler and Brody. It was fun stuff.

Just Another Alabama Football Weekend....

Yeah right! After my home school class on Tuesday, two soccer practices, filling in at the shop for the past two days, and a billion other things that took place this week, I now have one day to get my house in shape before my in-laws and a couple friend of ours and their kids get here tomorrow! That includes grocery shopping and cooking! It's doable. We've barely been at home, so it's a little messy but not too dirty. And I've managed to stay on top of laundry somewhat. Go me!

I've got some pics to post... maybe tomorrow.... my bed (and the heating pad for my neck!) is calling my name.

Shifting Sand...

Lord,

This last week has been a bit of a frustrating, hassle filled, kink-in-my-neck, mess of a week.

I keep singing a song in my head... "On Christ the solid rock, I stand. All other ground is sinking sand..."

Just when I feel like I'm settling into our busy day-to-day normal, the sand shifts, and normal is redefined.

I'm tired and even though I would love to crawl into bed and sleep for a week, life moves on and alarms go off... so I get up and trudge on. I'm not complaining, I just explaining.

Today, two times, I was driving here and there and everywhere and was pondering some changes, and I saw a church marquee that said, "Put Your Faith In Me - Jesus." It startled me each time. Because I felt like it was exactly what I should have been doing.

Thank you, Lord, for a literal sign. Sometimes, I think You have to bonk me on the head! I love you, and trust you completely, my Savior, my Rock. No shifting sand can change that.

Amen