Laundry and Groceries

Well, my house is a wreck, but I've gotten so much done in the last few days that I can't possibly feel guilty about it. I've been going thru every single drawer, cabinet, and closet in our house and throwing things away. The trash dudes more than earned their paycheck at our house yesterday. I think we had 12 bags of stuff out there, and there's more in my van waiting to go to goodwill. Then two days ago, I started my washing machine and it sounded like it was gonna take flight. I'm afraid to run it because I'm afraid it'll overheat and start a fire, so I went to the laundry mat yesterday afternoon. I figured that way I could also get caught up with the nightmare that was Mt. St. Laundry in my basement (at least I now have a basement to house the mess away from sight). So 16 loads and $41.00 later I have no dirty laundry, except what we've worn today, in my house. Did you know that laundromats don't use all quarters no aways, at least not ours. You put cash into a machine and it spits out a card with the money on it to insert in the machines to start 'em up. Pretty cool! The cool part? I got 16 loads of laundry done in less than three hours!! Yes, it's rather embarassing to actually admit to all of blogdom that I had 16 loads of laundry, but oh well, most of you don't actually know who I am anyway, and if you do, then you hopefully love me anyway, despite my many opinionated quirks!

I went grocery shopping today, as the cupboards and the fridge were nearing empty. Shopping for me this time of the year is dangerous. I come home with things that I would normally frown at and never, ever buy. For example, currently living in my freezer are two boxes of Blue Bunny ice cream sandwiches...one egg nog flavored and one peppermint flavored. The boys each had one, different flavors, and I tried each one of them, yum! Then of course there's the ingredients for the peppermint hoho cake that I'm making for this weekend at our toy drive and for two weeks from now when Smart Guy's family is coming to our house for Christmas. There's also ingredients for two pans of gooey butter bars (chess bars for my southern girls) with the addition of walnuts and milk chocolate chips in them, scotcheroos, sopapilla cheesecake. I also discovered Starbucks earlier this week. Yah, I know, most of have already been doing the Starbucks thing for years now. Personally I feel so guilty spending the money that I've always steered clear of the place, but the other night after Prophets dentist appointment and D.K.'s swimming, the five of us met at Starbucks for a treat. Prophet got iced coffee because he thought that would feel good on his numb mouth. D.K. got an eggnog-latte, Smart Guy got something with hazelnut in it, and Bee and I got a peppermint mocha to share. Yes, I let my children all have coffee that night. Anyway, the peppermint mocha is awesome, so I came home and recreated it here. So, I bought all that stuff today and I now have the ingredients for that in my kitchen too. Oh, and I bought a new coffee pot! The one we got the day Smart Guy moved into married student houseing almost 14 years ago, is huge and not welcome on my counter top anymore and the one I got for Smart Guy a couple years ago that has a water- thingy on the back of it to make one cup at a time, leaks all over my counter, so it's also been banned. So, I bought a little 4-cupper to sit on the corner of my counter top. I also have 6 boxes of candy canes awaiting the Christmas tree and too get crushed up on top of the peppermint hoho cake.

Well, we are expecting some snow late this weekend. Probably nothing like Inkling, Ang, and Temera seem to be getting, but something at least. We've got a very busy Saturday planned... pictures with Santa, council meeting, toy drive, and something that's escaped me at the moment. I hope everyone's having a good holiday season so far! Later!

Where Are Our Priorities?

My hubby came home so incredibly frustrated yesterday. He attented a meeting yesterday to discuss how we can overcome the poverty we have in our town. There were approx. 80 people there. There were social agencies, community leaders, and a few churches respresented at this meeting. BUT, the only youth pastor was my hubby. While frustrated by this, it's nothing new, pretty typical.

Then after the meeting he went back to his office, and sitting there in his inbox was an email from one of the youth pastors at one of our larger churches in town addressed to every single youth pastor in town. It was concerning "The Golden Compass". This youth pastor wants everyone to boycott the movie and to call the theatre in town to tell them not to bring it here. He wants everyone to call for a boycott of the movie from the pulpit.

Hello, anyone there.... you mean to tell me that there was a major meeting concerning how we can quite possibly elimate poverty in our beautiful town and you're sitting at your desk in your comfortable office writing an email (to go along with the other 100's of emails and blogs ) warning about the dangers of a stupid movie to all the other youth pastors who also didn't attend the meeting.

Wow! This is one of those things that I just don't understand guys!

BTW, I'm currently reading the books and we totally intend to see the movie and take the teens to see it and then go out for coffee to discuss it. My hubby has already done a lesson about it on Sunday. I completely plan to make my own decision regarding the movie and the books, and not be led by someone else to tell me what to do with my faith!

Bee's Gymnastics

I know this one is funny lookin', but I love the smile on her face. You can tell she's having fun!!

Wonderful Time in Atlanta

Hey there! Well the National Youth Workers Convention was, once again, an amazing weekend! The worship was great, Chris Tomlin and David Crowder were "the bomb". The fellowship was relaxing and renewing. The speakers were awesome. And the nights back in the hotel room, alone with my man were.... nah, we won't go there!!!!

The highlight of the weekend was a speaker by the name of Phyllis Tickle. She is a 73 year old woman with more knowledge in her head than most of us combined. She spoke about how every 500 years Christianity as we know it reforms itself thru a series of years and events, and how we are currently in the midst of what is being referred to as The Great Emergence. Amazing! Everything she said is what I've felt my faith going thru the past couple of years... my desire to totally leave any one religion behind and just see Jesus for who he is and what he does and did and my desire to love all people no matter what they believe. Many, many of us were in tears by the end of her session. Those that weren't in tears were offended by things she said and therefore didn't really listen to most of what she had to say. The poor lady was actually verbally attacked by a man who "heard" her say something that she totally didn't say. Mark-O, the president of YS, actually had to call the guy off of her. Amazing and ridiculous. Of course anytime that anything with a word sounding anything like the word "emergent" or "emerging" is brought up in a room full of Christians these days, there's gonna be trouble amongst a group of them.

The Family Force Five concert. I tried to get other concerts too, but the lights from this one showed up the best.



Dinner at Ted's Montana Grill with fellow Youth Ministry Exchange forumites. I totally enjoyed my bison meatloaf and mashed potatoes!!



Shot from the top of the escalators! 5500 people is alot of people to go up one set of escalators!

Busy Life

Well, it's been a busy day. Smart Guy left for the airport at 4:30 this morning to fly to the Youth Specialties conference in Atlanta and I'll be leaving tomorrow morning for the same place. So today I've been running around trying to get everything ready for a weekend of four different people caring for our children. I've still got laundry in the washer and I've got food cooking on the stove so my MIL can just love on her grandkids while we're gone instead of cooking.

I can't wait for the conference. It's the best youth ministry conference in the world. The worship is like no other you'll experience elsewhere... 6,000 youth workers being lead in worship by Chris Tomlin or The David Crowder band for 7 General Sessions during the weekend, and countless workshops to choose from on any topic you may want to learn more about. I have to admit I'll probably steer more toward the Emerging Church workshops more than anything. Of course the best part of the weekend will simply being able to be with my Smart Guy with no children. Every other time we've been to the YS conference together we've had a group of youth sponsors with us, and we slept girls in one room and guys in another to save the church money, but this time I actually get to share a bed with my honey. Yeah!!!

BTW, I've been meaning to mention that Cleanin' Cuz had her baby last week. I think she was 7 pounds 4 oz and 19 1/2 inches long if I remember correctly. Please pray for them. As anyone with more than two small people knows, that third one can make a big difference in the beginning while you're still trying to figure out the ropes of a life that's no longer a one to one parent/child ratio.

Well, much to do, so goodnight friends!!

They Say Everyone Has A Twin

My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when I saw this little girl at our trunk or treat...



...because she looks just like the little girl in this picture.



The little girl in the bottom picture is my cousins little girl. The top picture is a little one from our downtown crew that walked to our Trunk or Treat. Bee actually ran up to me yelling with excitement about her thinking that our little cousin was there.

*I just realized that the outfit my cousin has on is a hand-me-down from us. Cleanin' Cuz handed it down from her little girl to Bee and now we give all of our stuff to her. Very cool to se it worn again!!

D.K. and Mommy At It Again

These pics are of myself and D.K. playing around. The child is dillusional if he thinks he can beat me. Actually, if I must be honest, there are times he can nearly take me down right now. He's getting so big. Take note of the height on that kid and keep in mine that he's only 8 years old. D.K. is a big teaser, which he gets from his mother, which I inherited from my mother. We play like this all the time. He's a rotten little turkey is what he is, but then again, he learned from the best!!!


"Wet Willie" anyone?


You may be almost as tall as yo' momma, but buddy, I can still whoopp your little bahooney!!



Can anyone say "girl fight"?

Even More Pics

This started out as Prophet wanting a picture of himself jumping off the "stage" in the family room and landing on the pillow in his hands as if it were a skateboard. It ended up being a "watch this Granny" fest! I promise no children were harmed during the making of this photo session.

More Pics

Bee... I think she's licking the cream cheese and sugar goodness off the spatula after helping me make sopapilla cheesecake.



Prophet.


Prophet and Bee.



D.K. in serious need of a haircut.



Prophet, D.K., and Bowzer the Beast relaxing in front of the television.

Our Halloween

Yah, these are a little late, but better late than never I suppose. It's driving my grandma nuts that I haven't been on here for three weeks. So, Grandma, this is just for you! Enjoy!!
Our Jack o Lantern.





Bee and Granny modeling their matching Halloween shirts.




Bee wathcing a game at her Halloween party.


Our little strawberry lovin' Bee. I made this costume for her in 2004, and she's worn it every year since. We've gotten our money's worth out of that felt and those pompoms.


Me putting on Prophet's zombie makeup.


Good friends at trunk or treat. The one in the middle with the mask on is our senior pastor. He's a freak!!!


Prophet (zombie pirate) and D.K. (vampire)


Smart Guy and Prophet.


Bee and Smart Guy!

BTW

Please do not incorrectly assume that because I'm against this war, that I don't support our troops. They signed up to defend their country and when they did that they also agreed to take orders no matter what they may be. I pray for the soldiers and their families daily. My heart breaks everytime I hear or see another story about a family torn apart by this horrible thing.

Already?

We have snow flurries.... yes, snow flurries. That's what happens when you live so close to a body of water... lake effect snow! Yeah! It's so exciting! I have Christmas music going and candles lit.... ahhh, so calming.