Dreams

My kids love to roller blade. So much. This information is important later.

Yesterday we had plans to attend a skating party. A party they had been looking forward to since Christmas when they received brand new roller blades.

Early in the morning I was awakened suddenly by a loud crash outside. I got up and discovered a big wind storm was blowing stuff around outside (AGAIN). I battened down a few hatches and hurried back to the warm nest on the couch (which is where I had been sleeping while Hubby was out of town).

Another big gust rattled the windows and suddenly I could hear Jordan whimpering and scrambling out of bed.

I called her to me and snuggled her little body, quaking with fear, under my covers with me.

"I'm scared!" She whispered.

"Why are you scared? It's just windy."

"Because what if the house falls down and I'm at the front of it?"

"That won't hap...." I trailed off because she was still talking.

"What if it falls on our roller blades and makes them dirty? Then we can't go to the skating party because the wheels will have sticks poking out of them and we would trip everybody!"

This is so not where I imagined this conversation would end up.

"If that happens, I will clean the dirt and sticks out of your roller blades."

Her little body immediately relaxed. Good has been done here.

Fingers and Toes

The other day, Hubby and I were having a conversation with Jaycob on our bed. I can't remember exactly what we were chatting about but the flow of our conversation eventually led to Jaycob asking why they are called knuckles while he fiddled with the ones on his toes.

This is one of those moments where I become a moron and realize it far too late.

Because I said...

"They should call the ones on your toes, 'tuckles'".

Oh no. No! No! NO!!!

He held out his hands and wiggled his fingers. HIS FINGERS. Are you with me here?

I tried to salvage the situation before it spiraled though I knew it wouldn't work.

I said, "and the ones on your HANDS should be called 'huckles'!"

He shook his head, looked at me like I was an idiot (WHICH I TOTALY WAS! HELLO!"

And then he said it. The thing we were all thinking. His sweet little nine year old lips, so precious and innocent, dropped a big whopping EFF BOMB.

I reacted as you might expect. I giggled. This is the part where I am a huge moron times a thousand. Because I KNOW that if he gets a laugh, he repeats whatever earned him the chuckle.

So he said it again.

And I giggled more.

So he said it again.

And as I laughed uncontrollable at his complete cluelessness, Hubby took the situation in hand and sent Jake on his way.

I received a well deserved eye roll and was shoved off the bed. Still giggling.

This is a Test

A couple of weeks ago, my Blog told me that in order to add more photos, I would have to PAY to upgrade.  Needless to say, I stopped right there and didn’t blog for awhile.

I’m not going to pay to tell the same stories I already tell for free on Facebook.

Today I decided to try again.

Photo loaded no problem and nobody asked me to pay anything.  I suspect that perhaps I had exceeded my photo allotment for the MONTH last month and that December started fresh and new?

Who knows.

My babies preparing to walk out the door for a day of learning.

My ABC's

A friend posted this on her blog last month and I stole it.  Pretty sure she stole it first though.  Pretty sure you’re supposed to steal these.

A. Age: 35  What. THEHECK.

B. Bed size: King.  Someone gave us a king sized bed once (prior to that we were queen people, when we first got married we shared a twin!) The gifted king was old so we decided to go back to a queen and went shopping at Costco.  We stared at the queen and realized there was no way we’d both fit on it.  Amazing out perspectives get skewed in such a short amount of time.  So we bought another king.

C. Chore that you hate: Unloading the dishwasher, picking raspberries, putting away laundry, feeding the horses...I’m stuck in a childhood flashback that I can’t get out of right now.

D. Dogs: I don’t like indoor dogs.  They make your house smell.  YES THEY DO!  And they shed on the furniture and then the hair gets all over your clothes and in your kitchen and in your food.

E. Essential start to your day: Getting out of bed.  Honestly, if I didn’t do that first, I’d stay in bed all day.

F. Favorite color: Green.  Happy, cheerful, just-mowed-lawn-smell, green!

G. Gold or Silver: Silver.  Gold makes me think of the eighties.  And not in a good way.

H. Height: 5’9”  Just tall enough to never have to wear heels and just short enough to not be “that really tall girl."

I. Instruments you play: I played the clarinet in 5th grade.  I fiddled on a piano for a minute once.

J. Job title: Ninja.  Super clumsy, super loud, super awesome, ninja.

K. Kids: Three.  In a row.

L. Live: Alaska.  Sigh.

M. Mother’s name: Joyce.  She’s awesome.

N. Nicknames: Snoozer.  Refer to “E”.  And Wife.  My husband calls me Wife.  And now, a lot of students at his school also call me that.

O. Overnight hospital stays: Three.  They made me take a baby home each time.

P. Pet peeves: Doors shutting over and over and over and over and over.  Also, a lot of things my husband does.  Just kidding!  No I’m not.

Q. Quote from a movie: “WEEEWEEEWEEE, pfffbbtttt, oooiiiyyyyeeeee” - Jim Carrey in Liar, Liar.

R. Right or left handed: Right

S. Siblings: Four awesome brothers.

T. Time it takes you to get ready: I wish I cared enough to take longer because then maybe my husband wouldn’t arch an eyebrow at my jeans, hoodie and pony tail when I visit him at work every day.  My theory is this, if I spend an extra, I don’t know, say twenty minutes?  Two hours?  The improvement won’t be significant enough to warrant the extra effort and time suck.  BECAUSE I’M ALREADY ALWAYS FABULOUS.

U. Ultimate Vacation: Disney World!  I’m hooked.

V. Vegetable you hate: Onions.  I don’t like the way the linger for hours.

W. What makes you run late: Not caring if I’m late.  Also, always telling myself that the clock is a little fast, even if it’s actually a little slow.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Several on my teeth, one on my neck after a football injury.

Y. Yummy food that you make: HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!  Cereal.

Z. Zoo animal: Hippos.  I love round things.

Fail

Well. I failed miserably at the 30 days of thankfulness project. To be honest, 13 days is better than I thought I would do!

Thankfulness Project - Day 13

I am thankful for Anchorage Christian Schools.

Because this is where my husband works and has an opportunity to impact youth for Christ and to help encourage them to always try to do more, help more and be more.

I am thankful that my kids have an opportunity to attend school here.  I’m glad they are being taught by amazing teachers that I call friends.  I’m thankful that they are learning in a manner that coincides and doesn’t contradict the values that we instill in them at home.

I’m thankful that I can swing by and have lunch with my kids and then my husband on any given day.

I’m thankful that I never get in trouble for parking in the no-parking zones.

Thankfulness Project - Day 12

I am thankful for books.

Because they take me away.

Even cheesy teeny bopper romance novels.  

Especially those.

Thankfulness Project - Day 11

Thankful for the United States Military

Because they are awesome.

Thank you veterans!

Thankfulness Project - Day 10

I am thankful for family time.

Today I went shopping with my best guy.  Then I went shopping with my favorite girl.  Spent a lot of money and made memories in the process.

Now we be chillin’

Thankfulness Project - Day 9

I am thankful for laughter.

‘Cause it’s hilarious.

What did the 0 say to the 8?

nice belt.

How does anything every get accomplished at a bubble wrap factory?

Source: nickmom.com via Rachelle on Pinterest

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Source: amazon.com via Rachelle on Pinterest

Source: tumblr.com via Rachelle on Pinterest

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Source: digdang.com via Rachelle on Pinterest

Source: rottenecards.com via Rhoda on Pinterest

Thankfulness Project - Day 8

I am thankful for ninjas.

Because they’re so quiet.

Source: funnyordie.com via Alyssa on Pinterest

Thankfulness Project - Day 7

I am thankful for K-LOVE radio.

I love that whenever I get in my car, the perfect song is playing.  Kind of like when your pastor preaches directly at you on a Sunday morning, God uses the perfect Christian song at the perfect time, every time.  And I love love love when my babies are singing along in the back seat.

And how awesome is it that it’s commercial free?  Always amazing, uplifting music, all the time.  

Except when the pledge drive is on.

KLOVE Radio Listen Live

Thankfulness Project - Day 6

I am thankful for America.

The other day, two days before daylight savings time ended, a friend posted this status on Facebook.

“Don’t forget to change your clocks this weekend.  And your president on Tuesday!”

I've done my part!

Thankfulness Project - Day 5

I am thankful for friends.

Over the years, the Lord has blessed me with the most wonderful friends ever.  EVER.

 

Thankfulness Project - Day 4

I’m thankful for quiet time (and coffee).

I’ve recently started getting up an hour (or more) before my kids each morning to quietly sit and enjoy my coffee, listen to pod casts, edit photos or WHATEVER I want.  It has had the fabulous effect of getting everyone’s day off on a better start.  No rushing, no grouchies, just efficient and calm readiness for school and work and life.

Thankfulness Project - Day 3

I am thankful for photography.  

I am thankful that I get to DO photography.  I’m grateful that I have a creative outlet that actually brings money into the household rather than take it out.  I’m grateful that my husband allows me time to pursue my hobby/career and that I get to do it with one of my favorite girls ever, Tracy.

I’m thankful I get to photograph amazing people, create memories for them and create art for them.

I’m thankful that I get to photography proposals, engagements, weddings, babies and families.  All of life’s most awesome moments happen in front of me all the time.  At times I’m asked to photograph sad moments as well.  I’m thankful that people trust me to do so with compassion and professionalism.

 I’m thankful that I get to love on babies.

 And send seniors off on their next chapter.

 I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to take amazing photos my own babies.

I’m thankful for new chapters.

And hilarious moments.

So so so  thankful that Tracy is my partner.  I wouldn’t get even a quarter of the enjoyment out of it if she wasn’t laughing, whining, crying, and talking about poop with me every step of the way.

Thankfulness Project - Day 2

Today I am thankful for these jokers.

I don’t deserve to own the cutest kids on the planet, but I do.  My life is just awesome like that.

They are messy, and mouthy and they fight a lot, but they are so cute that it makes it all worth it.

Thankfulness Project - Day 1

For the month of November, I am going to be thankful for something every day.  Well, I’m always thankful for something each day, usually coffee, but this month I’m going to write about something I’m thankful for every day.

In no particular order.

So that means, don’t judge me because I’m not choosing to write about being thankful for Salvation on the first day.  I’m thankful for that every day.  I just don’t happen to have a really cute picture of it and that’s really the driving force of this blog project for me.

Day 1.

I am thankful for my husband.

This guy is a solid rock to lean on when life get’s overwhelming and I get all girly and emotional about something.  He calms me.  Usually after he looks at me exasperated and tells me to stop being a baby.

This guy is always up for an adventure.  He’s the “idea guy” which is why we have a shirt business.  And live in Alaska.  And own a ghetto-fabulous RV named Rory.  And he built a treehouse.  He built part of a treehouse.

He plays with our kids.  He gets down on the floor and plays cars or army guys or Legos or WHATEVER.  All the the things I hate doing (and don’t do because I’m awesome like that).

He lets me buy lots of decorative pillows and throw blankets.  He hates them and complains and throws them at me, but he lets me buy them.  Er, he doesn’t make me return them.

Sometimes, just for funsies, he buys me my favorite crumbly Hostess mini donuts.  Because sometimes that’s what I need in my life.

He likes my wild and crazy naturally curly hair and my toe thumbs.