Rock Star

Is this Chunky or Elvis

Chunky starting a dance craze at the laser light show!

Having a great time as usual at the laser show!

Last night our local library put on a laser show. I went there not expecting too much, but I was very wrong. They hired a professional laser show business to come in and they put on a non-stop 45 minute show. Of course, I was nervous about how Chunky would act, but he had a great time! He even led the crowd to perform sound effects. During one part of the show, they put on some techno music with lasers. Chunky jumped out and yelled to everyone "get up, lets dance!" What followed next looked like a techno rave of preschoolers. I now know for sure, that I have a leader, not a follower on my hands (also a hard core rocker). Oh well, here is to many more years of a loud house! In other news......WE WON THE HOLIDAY PHOTOS MEMORY CONTEST!!!!!! A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO VOTED EVERY SINGLE DAY! Look out for Chunky's winning photo in the newspaper in the next few weeks! Thanks to all of my friends and family that voted! I know we will have a great time at the water park and hotel! Everyone have a happy and safe new years eve tonight! Will post my resolutions tomorrow!

Merry Christmas

Chunky looking cute in front of the tree!Favorite gift this year, real working kid's microwave!Batter Up!Leaving cookies and milk for Santa!Police Officer Chunky!  Stay clear of the roads!

We just need a house!

Like A Kid In A Candy Store!

Chunky in front of McCord's Candy Store

Picking out a mint meltaway!

Final choice, cherry hearts! Yum!

Ending the candy theme day with a exciting round of Candy Land!

I really enjoy the Saturday mornings that I get to spend with Chunky for my date! McCords is a local candy store that had a really nice soda fountain and tons of candy. They make the best cherry coke and jordan almonds! They also specialize in homemade candy canes which were good, but not worth the $1.5o for one. Oh well, another local tradition tried and out of the way! This month has been filled with Christmas events and I will have many more post soon! Blessings!

Thanks Santa!

The first year Chunky was born, I got the cute Santa holding baby pic at a local grocery store for pretty cheap. He was about 6 months old. The next year, I decided to get the pic taken at the mall with my friend Jessica, who helped me pick out the outfit....and we got the whole "who is this fat guy holding me look". Fast Forward to year 3 (age 30 months) and you get the whole "child is screaming so loudly and his silly mom just paid $15 for this pic" photo. Last year, I decided to skip it and this year we just passed by Santa. Chunky said "Hi" from a far distance and was done. We tried to visit Santa on "The Polar Express", thinking we had a better shot at a cute pic being that he was so happy to be on a train...not quite. Moving right along....today at school, call it peer pressure, Chunky was all about talking to Santa. What did he tell Santa that he wanted? "A surprise for mommy and daddy!" How sweet is that? Santa must have been listening, because 1 hour later, I found out that I won a $200 gift certificate to Schylling Toys (online toy company). My random entry was picked out of the 502 that entered! So, we have his 5 yr old birthday and next Christmas covered! Speaking of great gifts, do you remember the special baby that I mentioned that was coming into my life and who would be blessed by such a awesome Godmother? Well, I guess the baby figured it would need to share the love and decided that it would be a twin! Yep, two new godchildren that I get to spoil! I know they are only 8 weeks in utero, but is it too early to buy matching outfits?

Shake Me!

Snow Globe Toy & MySpace Layouts at pYzam.com

The Polar Express

Chunky waiting to get on the Polar Express Train. I love the excitement on his face!

Quick family photo before departing!

Listening to see if he could hear the bell. He did and loved it!

Waving goodbye to the North Pole!

Getting off the train and making plans for next years return!

Last night, we went to The Polar Express Train in Fishers, IN. This was sponsered by the Indiana Transportation Museum. When we got there, we saw a slide show with live voices of the famous book. Next, we hopped aboard the train for a 1 hour ride to the North Pole (Also known as Noblesville, IN), passed by Santa's house, drank hot chocolate, ate lots of cookies and candy, sang carols, and had a live visit with Santa and the Mrs. It was so much like the movie. I loved watching my little boy's face and found the visit to be well worth the money and drive! I can't imagine what it would have been like if my favorite movie turned into real life when I was 4 years old! We even got a Christmas ornament and conductor's hat for the memories. We can't wait to go again next year! We finished off the night by driving through the Frankfort, IN park which was filled with thousands of lights! It made for a great finish to a perfect night!

Let It Snow?

You know that we are quickly coming to the end of times when it snows 8 inches in New Orleans and not a drop in Indiana. The last time it snowed in New Orleans, was on Chunky's first Christmas day (see pic above) and when I say snow, I mean small snowflakes that did not really even stick to the ground. Before that, I was around 7 years old. And in other news, Chunky keeps arguing with me that my mom's dog Tia is a boy. After telling him several times, that she is a girl, I finally just said, "She is not a boy, she does not have a penis!'. His response...."Oh no!"(As if to say, it must have fallen off!) Enough said!

Weekend Winter Wonderland

I always find it amazing how just a few simple details can make something so perfect!

The table decorations at a dinner I went to over the weekend.

Chunky and his grandma getting ready for the first big plunge. I was at the bottom, not quite sure what to expect.

He survived the trial run! Time to see just how much weight this sled can hold!

Chunky ready to repeat the ride again, and again, and again...........

READY FOR MORE SNOW!

Everyone Out Of The Kitchen!

So, this morning, my mom watched Chunky for me. He loves her so much and she wants to spend some time with him before he goes to school next year. This morning, he asked if he could bake his "cupcakes" in the oven. She saw no harm, since the oven was off, and wants to encourage his love for cooking! Needless to say, several hours later, while Chunky was napping....my mom forgot that he was cooking cupcakes and turned the oven on. Several minutes later, a oven full of smoke, and the nice aroma of burning plastic......she remembered! All of the plastic molded onto the oven rack. Lets not forget last week, when she was cooking him pizza, he told her smoke was coming from the oven, she did not believe him, and low and behold, smoke was coming from the oven. I am thinking when Chunky grows up he will be a fireman that really know how to cook! Everyone loves a man in uniform who can cook!

Giving Thanks

Today, I give thanks for my husband. We have been together for 15 years. That is half of my lifetime! I am grateful for all of the good things that he brings out in me!



Today, I give thanks for my son. The beautiful gift that God gave to me. He makes me laugh and keeps me young. I am also grateful that the banana that he stuck in the ceramic Christmas house was easily removed this morning. Again, he keeps me on my toes!

Today I give thanks for my mom, who kept Chunky occupied while we cooked. I am also glad she lets him do things I would never let him do, like make deviled eggs or do the dishes.
Today, I give thanks for having food to eat. Especially toasted marshmallows! I am also happy to have a clean kitchen after 2 hours of doing dishes. Now, if only I could get the rest of my house clean.

Today, I give thanks that my good friend Kelly is picking up her new little boy in Columbia. She is there meeting him now along with her son and husband. I pray for a good transition and their safe return back to America.

Today, I give thanks to God for having the best of friends (old and new), a home to share with my family(even though it looks like a tornado has been through it), a job where I can share God's word(even amongst the 11 screaming kids) and to be surrounded by my family today to share a wonderful and quite filling meal. Leftovers are the best!

I also have a prayer request for everyone who reads my blog. There will be a very special baby coming into my life in about 8 months. (No, I am not pregnant.) However, this child will be my godchild and I love him/her already. I know that God has big and glorious plans for this child. I have vowed to pray for him/her everyday as well as his mommy. Please keep them in your prayers.

For my love

Hey baby! I am so proud of you. Your love! (Posted by the hubby)

Are You Kidding Me?

This is what happens when your child does not have any car roadblocks. He makes them out of gumdrops. I gave him 10 points for creativity!

This is what happens when you leave the room for a few minutes. It must be stressful being 4 years old. Sometimes you just need to steal mom's new blanket and turn on the foot massager! What will he do when he is 5?

The Farmer VS The Donkey - You Could Learn Alot!

Not sure who wrote this...but it is pretty darn funny!

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway;it just was not worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing.

He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred - Forgive

Free your mind from worries - Most never happen

Live simply and appreciate what you have

Give more.

Expect less.

NOW...........................................................................

Enough of that pretty stuff....The donkey later came back, and bit the farmer who tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:

When you do something wrong, and try to cover your (@ss), it always comes back to bite you.

You Know You Have A Small Child When.....

1)You reach in your purse for your keys, but instead pull out a batman car.
2)When you go to sleep, their is usually a little car, phonics toy, or if you are lucky, a book on your pillow.
3)If you look in your CD player, you will find Veggie Tales or a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse CD.
4)There is always a surprise in the fridge, could be a magnet or could be a toy from Easter last year.
5)Your house is never clean, and there is always something on the floor.
6)You always keep candy in your purse for the moments you want to avoid a melt down in public places.
7)You consider french fries and pizza as 2 major food groups.
8)After all things listed above, you can look at your cute kid and still smile!

Wordless Wednesday

Funny Food and Other Stuff

Good morning! It's a beautiful Sunday. Have you said good morning to God yet?
Can you guess what holiday is coming next?

Chunky "rolling" in candy!

Firefighter Chunky to the rescue!

Chunky's first attempt at roller skating. Lasted 15 minutes. More interested in video games!

Apple day at school gone bad!

The past few weeks have been very busy! I am still much more productive without cable. In fact, I have not even been watching TV on the internet! In other news, I finished my Christmas shopping yesterday. But now I have to go back and return a few things because I found several things cheaper at other stores (like a $10 difference for 1 toy - Toys R Us was cheaper than Target). I also voted yesterday at Payless on Beck and was amazed that I could just walk right in , only had to wait 3 minutes, and then vote! I am sure that Tuesday will be much busier! I am so glad that both the voting and the shopping are done with! By the way, I got the idea for the turkey at a great website with tons of fun stuff to do with the kids. The site is http://flipflopsandapplesauce.blogspot.com

About Money

So for the last several weeks I have been taking a Money class at a local church to improve our finances. I am so grateful that the people in this community care enough about others, to take their time to teach this class for free, while providing a free dinner, and free childcare for 12 weeks long. Along with this wonderful service, I also have my own personal money coach who is a wonderful caring woman with a new baby who has been so helpful and encouraging and even has the "call me anytime if you get stuck or need anything" rule. For this I am truly grateful to God for answering my prayers in time of need. We have also been blessed by receiving help from a family friend who has been a true accountability partner regarding finances. I recently found this short blog on one of the emails I get from the site "Living On A Dime". This is a wonderful site, with wonderful tips and recipes, and many ways to save money. I just thought this was a good reminder to me! And by the way, last month we decided to cut out our cable due to the ridiculous cost and I have gotten so much more done! It is amazing how much time we will sit in front of the TV and let our precious time pass us by!


If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy ."

"And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity. "

"If you woke up this morning with more health than illness .. You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day ."

"If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation .. You are ahead of 700 million people in the world.

"If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world! ."

"If your parents are still alive and still married....you are very rare ."

"If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair."

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a great day and remember to thank God for all of the blessings that you do have!

A Sunny Sunday!

Chunky playing peek a boo!

'The kids trying to find "balance" between work and play!

"Look mom, it's raining leaves!"

Proof that God exist. Who else could create such perfect colors?

Future artist needing to get a new canvas!