Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Aftermath

This is what the house looks like now. :( It was a two story to begin with. 

Monday, February 27, 2012

Hey Hey Hey

The girls taught this song to Bentley. It's so cute. 
T

Embarrassing

Yesterday during Sunday School a man was reading some passages from the scriptures and I was in la-la land thinking about something else and at the end of the scriptures he read "Amen" and I very verbally said "Amen" out of habit as if someone just ended a prayer.

I haven't felt that flushed and embarrassed in a long time. haha I was hoping others who heard me just thought I was strongly agreeing with what the scripture said (which I could have because it was on grace- I know that because I went back and re-read it quickly after I said Amen to see what I just agreed to) but NO, I was totally checked out and thought we ended a prayer obviously.

Good times.

Moments of Impact

If any of you have seen "The Vow" lately with Channing Tatum you will know what he was talking about when he says "moments of impact". He talks about how one moment can change your life forever. We saw a car on fire on Saturday night down in Kemah that helped me keep my ticket in perspective but what happened the following day was completely humbling. I was getting ready for church as I heard a siren go by our back window. When a second one went by I decided to see what was going on. I opened my window to see a huge amount of black smoke billowing up behind us from our neighbor's house. There ended up being 16 emergency responders on the scene and took almost an hour and a half before the fire was completely put out. These pics were taken from my bedroom window.


As we were watching a couple things happened. We met this single old lady who lives a couple blocks away. I've noticed her before as she was out in her yard. She is trying to sell her house and I've seen her working out front a time or two and "noticed" her. She walks slow. She looks frail. I remember thinking that the first time. She struck up conversation easily and it turns out she has buried two sons and a husband all in the last four years (a 3 year span) and lives by herself, with no family around. :(!!! She was crying as she was telling me about her losses. My heart instantly sank. I don't think moments of impact are random or coincidental. 

As we told our new friend we would visit her soon we came back "home" to normal everyday life and had lunch. WE HAD A HOUSE TO COME HOME TO. Do you ever think "life's not fair"? On Saturday I could have easily thought that exact thing. I woke up and did service that was completely hard and inconvenient. I had a MILLION (and five) other things to do but I chose to do what I felt was right and that same night I got a ticket for registration that was late, not because I wasn't responsible enough to pay it on time but because I didn't have the extra money in January. That could have been unfair. The truth is I had broken the law. I was in violation of having expired tags. You wanna know what's not fair? Out of our entire neighborhood yesterday only ONE FAMILY was without a home. Only one family was left standing on a street in their pajamas while EVERY OTHER FAMILY went back home. That isn't fair. Life is very hard. I remember one thing very clearly about growing up and my mom would always tell me "life's not fair". Since I've become an adult I've added a phrase to the end of that sentence "life's not fair; but eternity will be". I know our Heavenly Father puts people in our paths for a reason. I know HE is aware of this family and how devastating this fire is for them. I feel helpless. I'm grateful for the power of prayer. 

You never know what will happen. 

Saturday, February 25, 2012

It's Me Again

I forgot a few things this week. Here are some randoms over the chaos of this out-of-control week.

This morning I went to put my contacts in and since I ran out of solution yesterday I grabbed a new bottle out of the closet my mom had given me. I put some solution on the contact and put it in my eye and BURNED the heck out of it. I have never gotten a contact out so quickly. I tossed it out to rush my eye under the water while trying to keep my composure since Bella was freaking out that I was hurt (and I was). I swear I heard the sizzle come out of my eyeball!! As I rushed back over to see WHAT I just ushered into my eye I realized I put a soak and cleanse solution on instead of a multi-use. Who would have ever known it would chemically burn your eye. It's been red all day. Noticeably so.

This week has been so stressful and my body has been hurting everyday. Like I'm 60 or something. It's been hurting so much that I dreamt a couple nights ago that I was in an exercise class that consisted of all stretching and I remember in my dream that it felt so good. I woke up and realized I must need to stretch or something if I'm dreaming about it. My poor little limbs.

I could blog about how stressed out I was that twice this week when the wind blew over the garbage can and the next day our neighbor's garbage can right in FRONT of my driveway and I had to get out and move the can that I FREAKED out because it was one more thing I had to do... but I won't go there because you all may think I've lost my mind. Two days in a row there was a garbage can blocking my driveway! Would that push any other person over the edge? I think I need a vacay...

Irony

I love how you can wake up one morning and give service for a very large amount of your time and in the very same day you get pulled over and receive a ticket for expired registration and a burned out headlight. Especially when the registration payment was sent off two weeks ago and you haven't received it and you've been driving around town with the replacement headlight for weeks unable to change it out because you don't know how.

Isn't that fantastic!! Yay Kemah Policewoman.

At least it wasn't our car that was on fire down at Kemah today. It can always be worse. I do mean that.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Losing My Validity

I have told my girls so many times this week that I'm close to having a nervous breakdown that I don't think they believe me at all anymore. I think I've lost my validity. Crap.

This week has been WAY too much for my liking. I am losing my mind. Every single day I've woke up with something major that is super demanding. I just want to talk about the week so far and vent.

Monday night we did our Science project that took forever. Tuesday all day I worked on the R.S. boards for the church activity. I was so thankful it all worked out. We cut 75 boards and did 75 vinyl decals for them. I ran out of 4 colors of vinyl and re-ordered two which arrived at 2pm that day. I pieced  together the other two colors. Not smart. It's been too busy to be well prepared for things like that. I was exhausted thoroughly on Wednesday. My body shut down but I had to make it keep going to finish Cali's Science Fair board. (thank you Dr. Pepper and chocolate). I just want to state I think Science Fair boards are a huge waste of time. I think it's something our society has adapted but it's kind of pointless in my opinion. I'm all for the projects and learning involved. Just hate the whole board display. Especially when there was no real FAIR and they were just put up in Cali's classroom for Open House. (point of project- never buy Huggies!)



Wednesday night there was a lot of running kids around for church meetings. Then Survivor (that's always fun though). Thursday I had an hour and fifteen minutes to find Bella some khaki pants for her choir concert that night. We had a khaki skirt but her teachers told her she needed pants to match everyone else. ugh. I went to Target, Wal Mart and Ross in this hour I had free and by free I mean not really... and none of those stores had what we needed. NONE. I wasted an entire hour on nothing. I went visiting teaching then met with a customer for an order. All afternoon I was behind on everything. I picked up all the kids on the kids run and then took Bella to two more stores still not finding what we needed for the khaki pants. Finally I paid WAY too much for some we found because we were about an hour and a half until show time at this point and we still had to eat dinner. Saving grace- we found a childrens resale store on our drive home and went in and found some pants that were really nice for $3.50. I now get to add "return expensive over priced khaki pants back and get my refund" to my new "to do" list. We did choir, Open House and ice cream last night. Today is Friday. What is on the agenda today? Campout for Brae and Ken tonight. Gather flashlights that we don't have and sleeping bags that we don't have to my list to get ready. I had to make foil meals for each of them. I'd never done that before. I am excited to have learned something new today. I think they turned out ok. I feel bad to experiment on them while they are away from home but it's the best I can do. After the girls get  dropped off in a bit for their campout I have to take Bentley downtown to meet his dad then Bella and I are gonna hang out and do something fun. I have no idea what because I am so fried on planning this week. Cali is going with a friend. Been to Wal Mart three days in a row now. Got a call today while at Wal Mart from Kensi. She left a homework assignment at home that is already late and needed me to bring it to her in an hour from the call. I was beyond done with frustration. Have I even mentioned the financial pressures of this week by chance?



Tomorrow is a service project in the morning, Brae's birthday, and she and I are celebrating with a friend tomorrow afternoon/night.

Sunday is church, a birthday dinner for a cute little friend and a fireside.

I am drowning. I need a life jacket but I don't have one and if you make me go back to Wal Mart I am going to scream.

On a side-note. Bentley has been throwing massive tantrums this week in public and his 3 hour naps have dwindled to 1.5 hr naps the past two days. And I keep finding him in his bed nude. Oh happy times. Happy times. :D

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

P.S.

P.S.
A service project Saturday morning and a Fireside I'd like to attend Sunday evening.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

I Know I Need Help...

Just what I KNOW I will have this week. Oh, good grief!!!

*Cali has a Science Fair Project we haven't even started yet (due Thursday)
*I have 30 pieces of vinyl lettering I need to have printed by Tuesday night for a Relief Society activity. I am currently waiting (hoping and PRAYING) for the vinyl and supplies to arrive via UPS by Tuesday (if all goes well). So, I will have a few hours Tuesday to finish printing bc I ran out of vinyl.
*Cali and Bella have Activity Days after school Wed as well as Brae and Ken having mutual Wed night. Brae needs supplies to sew skirts and bonnets that night. I think my good friend has me covered in that dept but I need to double check nothing more is needed
*Thursday night Bella has a choir concert. She needs certain pants that I don't think she has! ugh
*Friday night Brae & Ken are going on a campout for camp certification. They each need supplies that we don't have. I need to make sure they are prepared for that.
*Saturday is Braelyn's birthday and party.
*Sunday we have a little birthday party to go to in the evening.

All this on top of choir practices & band practices after school and staying on top of my orders! I feel so worn down. I hope I wake up and feel enabled. The Lord is always so good to me to help me. This week I NEED HELP!

Benjamin Button

Sundays are usually a day full of pondering and soul searching. There's a lot in my life that I'm trying to overcome. I have many struggles and weaknesses. Today in church a speaker said something and it was made very clear to me how special my situation is. He was talking about how he wishes we could live life backward like Benjamin Button did. He said how amazing it would be if you could live life already having so many experiences and how that would alter your choices because of all the knowledge you have at the end of your life.

hmmmm....

I've been receiving feelings already about how a future marriage is what I choose it to be. I have the power to choose what situation I want to be in (future) when choosing a spouse. I've been thinking a lot lately about how many married people are in unhappy and struggling marriages. And though I know that's a natural challenge to the institute of marriage itself, you can reduce a lot of the hardship by choosing someone who will be the "best" choice (good, better, best) in having a happy life. Someone who is happy on their own, who is driven the way you are, who are already doing those things that are important to you.

Today was a confirmation of what's been revealed recently in that I am Benjamin Button. I have gone through so much and have learned priceless lessons (the very hard way) and now can choose, having a lot of life experience already. And hey, the good news since I'm Benjamin B. is that I'm aging backwards and will soon look like I am 25. Great skin, great body, and really knowledgeable. My future is bright!

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Valentine's Day

We got these cool ideas from Pinterest. We had fun and think they turned out SUPER cute! :D




Bentley's had a sucker in his right hand. He was so great and had a 
double punch!! 
Kensi's sucker was at the end of this stick! 
Haha She's so funny!! 

This Week Sucked

There's been A LOT out of the normal this week. None of it being great! 
You see the cute little guy two pics down?? Do you see the pitchfork in his hand? Yeah...
He broke my laptop Monday night... Happy Valentine's Day to me! 
To have it repaired was between $300 and $500. I can't do that. So, I had to rig it. I was all over Houston Valentine's Day trying to get it all figured out. :( ugh! 


This is driving me crazy!!! I have major OCD and the wires are everywhere!! I am seriously having a hard time functioning in this office. I feel closed in. I have my laptop under the desk plugged into the monitor and the keyboard and mouse need to be plugged in as well as the usb hub with the printer and hard drive. CRAZINESS!!! Ahhhhh! 
On Thursday morning at the serious butt crack of dawn I made my way to the airport to drop Bentley off with his dad to take a trip to CA. While we are dropping off this little dog was out in the drizzle and was looking for food. He was very friendly and I just couldn't leave him there. 
No one makes it easy to do something nice for a stray dog anymore. I called the SPCA which had a 30 minute wait. They referred me to the City of Houston animal shelter or the Harris County Shelter. Harris County (where I live) referred me to City of Houston which just happened to be closed THAT DAY! I fed him (with food I had to get) and bathed him (with soap I had to get) and he was covered in fleas so that made me nervous to have him around the kids at all. He was a sweet pup but I felt so overwhelmed with adding something else I had a hard time getting anything done. Friday I was trying to clean up the garage from where he poo'd and while he was in the back yard he escaped. I got him back for him to slip out of the garage and I knew I couldn't take anymore. I took him down Friday to the Houston shelter and sat for TWO entire hours just waiting for them to take him back and interview me. Two hours to try to help a stray. The drive itself was over 45 minutes. My entire day was gone. 

It's been a super frustrating and heart-breaking week. Financially & emotionally. Tomorrow is Sunday and I hope a new week will bring better times. 
:( 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Our Little Buddy Turns Two

Mees at 1 yr old 
Mees at 2 yr old :D 
We are crazy about this one! It was so fun to visit and spend time with your family Nynke and Mel. Thank you for having us! We love you!

Star of Hope

We volunteered at Star of Hope on Friday night. It's a transitional home to keep people and families off the streets. We had heard about it from a friend in League City who volunteers there monthly. She was going on Friday night with her family and I wanted to join them with my girls. I didn't really know what to expect. We knew it was cookie night and there were possibly going to be 225 residents who attend. Becky, my friend, asked if I wanted to bring bottled water and she would bring the cookies and juice. As I picked up the water I picked up a couple boxes of Chips Ahoy to take as a backup. I thought the facility was providing the main dessert (cookies) and the volunteers were helping provide them. What I came to find out is the residents get only what the volunteers bring.

We left in plenty of time because I wasn't sure how long it would take us to get to Medical District in rush hour on a Friday night. The greatest challenge on the way there was overcoming all the contention in our own car. UgGH!! :D We got there and found out that my friend was stuck in traffic. Good ol' Houston traffic (www.ihatehoustontraffic.com)! She told me there was a big back up on 610 and would be running a few minutes late. We found our way in to the main lobby and was quickly and without much direction showed into the cafeteria to set up. The man was abrupt and quiet and told me to set up and asked if I brought paper goods (paper plates, napkins) for the cookies. I was so dumbfounded! Ahhhh! I had nothing. I told him I did not to which he brought out napkins and told me to set up and get ready. Sooooo, we put out about 225 cheapie cookies out on napkins and hoped Becky would arrive soon. :D The residents showed up sooner than we hoped (bc Becky was still in traffic) but they came in and it was mass chaos. I had no idea how it worked but they came in and the kids played with my younger girls and they seemed to have fun. My greatest hope was to share with the adults that the good cookies were on the way! Becky arrived about 15 minutes in and we were SO glad to see their family. The entire cookie night lasted about 40 minutes then we swept up and left. As we drove home we were stuck in construction traffic because someone for some reason thinks it is a good idea to shut down the north freeway on a Friday night at 9:30. My kids were bickering like crazy. Let me recall exactly how it went so I can share. Brae and myself were up front. Ken was in the way back and Cali and Bella were in the middle seats. Mind you traffic was pretty much at a stop while everyone was merging. Kensington was SINGING everything she wanted to say. Cali was SCREAMING for her to stop singing and Bella was crying because (honestly, I have no idea why Bella was upset. I think it was because something on the radio said a word that she didn't like). 3 of us had to pee and all Brae and I could do was laugh. It was so ridiculous to have come away from a very chaotic service project where we felt like we didn't really do any good to a car full of noise and craziness! I know when our car was hopping with noise I told Braelyn I was sure I would never find a husband! Who in their right mind would want to ride with that! haha I didn't want to ride in that either! ;'D

The morning after I was reading in my journal and came across a quote about how the atonement truly means "one" and is all about helping just one person. As a couple days have passed I can see the good we did by going. It wasn't at ALL how I thought it would be. It was PLAN B. We met a nice woman who lived there who was really special you could tell. Her name is Laura. She was bright and hopeful and faithful and sweet. She and I talked for awhile. We met a birthday boy who was turning 15 who was cute and nice and I knew he didn't want to be there. We met some friendly momma's and some loving kids. My kids chased the kids around outside. They laughed. 3 of my girls want to go back. 1 isn't so sure. I know we will go back to give it another chance. I think knowing in advance what to expect makes a lot of difference.

I wish I had more power to do more good.

opposition in all things

Ok, I understand there is great power in opposition. I know it's a tool needed to teach us gratitude and about good and evil and about ourselves. It has been effective in my life lately to help me truly appreciate some of the luxuries in life and not take the little things for granted. 
I'd like to take this post to write about my mop. You know that old saying, 
"sew it up, wear it out, make do, or do without"???
That's kinda how I dealt with my old mop. I just made do through a few months where money was tight.  It kinda did the job. 
Last week I decided it was time to spend the money and get a new mop. 
WOW!!! What a difference. I didn't even know what I was missing out on. 
Check this beauty out...
hahaha
It actually cleans the floor. 
Honestly though. I was surprised by how the new mop did the job better. I appreciated the job it did. How much easier it was on me with the new mop. 

I know this makes the topic light to write about a mop but I know opposition is real and vital for our growth. If we never went without, we'd never know with

Punishment

My punishment was being in the car (yet again) with a group of cranky kids but that's not what I'm writing about today.

My girls in the back seats were bickering badly and it had been going on for a few days. I said to them, "If you don't stop fighting I am going to give you an extra chore or something else that I don't know what yet, but that you won't like!"

Bella: "Oh, you mean like a wedgie"??!!

Huh. I'd never thought of that but I'm open to it! :D

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Good Communication

Communication is the key to every good relationship. I'd like to think & hope I have that with my children. Even Bentley now, at 21 months, is communicating with us. It's fantastic.

Loved this today in the car riding home from school...

Braelyn: "Mom, my friend was telling me something horribly sad today. She said her neighbor's Pit-bull ate 3 of her kittens."

Me: while patting Braelyn, "thanks for that sad story."

Cali: from the back seat "what? Someone's pimple ate three kittens?"

yeah. Doesn't get much better than that in the game of telephone. :D haha

Do Better

I have spent the last couple hours reading this blog and have been dying! I have cracked up and have been touched by my life. I am going to do much better to document my daily life because in a couple years down the road I may need a good laugh or two!

I love my life.

Limits

I am very limited though I wish I could do all I desire.
I tried hard but I can't change the dead battery in the fire alarm (thank goodness the beeping finally stopped!!)
I can't replace the headlight in my car though I have the part to do so. 
I can't be in two (or more) places at one time though I am often demanded to be so. 
I am very much human. 
:)