Pre-Valentine's Day...

I would like to start by saying that I am not one of those people that thinks Valentine's Day is a really important holiday. I like getting presents for any reason or no reason at all, but the hubs and I don't wait for days like this to say how we feel.

In preparation for Valentine's Day though....

we had steak, the hubs choice...and it was a good choice...


and sauteed mushrooms...yummo!

We have planned a lunch date and a movie together for our actual Valentine's Day...but this is really only because we didn't do anything for our Anniversary a few weeks ago.

It is true love. True, True, amazing love! I hope you have it, and if you don't, I hope you find it someday!

Hmmm....

I don't know whether I have too much to say or nothing to say! My mind is racing with so much. Between school, which is just busy, busy, busy. Work, really busy and crazy! And home, which is just home sweet home with one crazy two year old, one aloof 12 year old, and the hubs....they all keep me hopping. I have just spent three straight days home with Clark thanks to the RSV bug he had. Then my babysitter, the only non-family person that I have ever entrusted with my child tells me she is moving at the end of the school year.

A moment of silence please...

We will miss her and her wonderful family. And we will now have a good excuse to go the Lake and play this summer. So that is the way I will think of it, only the positive. But dang, I am sad.

I have learned through many friends that my prayers are just what they should be, which makes me feel good.

And I am looking forward to a Valentines Day with the hubs. My parents are taking my kiddos to a Disney show on stage so that the hubs and I can do something special. His first idea was to take me to the deer hunting lease to fill up the deer feeders. I promptly suggested that he do that the next day with his buddy! So now I am not sure what we will do. It would be nice to do something different that we have never done before, but that would probably require more time, money, and energy than we have. So a movie and a meal sounds real nice to me! I hope you all have a great Valentines Day!

And I would like to say a quick thank you to Survivor for not only coming back on the air...but also for bringing back Boston Rob! He is the best player ever in the history of the game...and I am addicted!

i ♥ faces Photo Challenge

This week's challenge is in preparation for Valentine's Day. It has to have a KISS in it. I wish I had a picture of KISS, that would be cool! I will tell you that they (KISS) were in my town a few weeks ago and they were at a school in the school system that I work for...I didn't get to meet them :( so sad!

Anyway, here is my Photo for the Challenge. Clark was getting mighty bored at his sisters birthday party, until he discovered this friendly dog (statue) on the front porch of Nana's house. Even now, almost two years later he still kisses that dog goodbye every time we leave her house.

Love it!

I am submitting this [these] photo[s] into the I Heart Faces logo photo contest. By entering, I am granting I Heart Faces LLC permission to consider my photo for use in the marketing and promotion of their website.

I...

Where do I start? My Love Dare Journey is harder than I thought it would be. Why? You say. Well, a lot of the days involve praying for my husband. For his peace, for his soul, for his part in our marriage, for our marriage as a whole, for everything! I will admit right here and now that I am a believer. I pray here and there.

So here it is.

I have prayed for help with this and now I am asking for your help. Any tips on how you get used to setting a time during your day to vigilantly pray. Any books or videos that have helped you on your way. Any thing. Throw me a bone here people! I have been halted by this process. The process of making me stop in the middle, or the beginning or end, for that matter of my day and pray. I know it is important and I have the desire. So why am I finding it so hard to do?

So, can you help me?

Photo Contest

This picture is for a photo contest to celebrate Mandy's birthday at http://www.mandysphotoblog.blogspot.com/ I hope you had a great birthday Mandy!



It was Clark's first birthday and he had played around with the cake for awhile, picking at it here and there...then finally he got a chunk of it.

This is the only time he has ever done this, he actually isn't a big cake eater. So I was so happy I got one of him on his first birthday.

Snow, Snow, Beautiful Snow!

I will be the first to admit that I don't always believe the weather men in our area. I mean it is Oklahoma and as the saying goes "if you don't like the weather, stick around for a few minutes". It is constantly changing, never predictable weather. Cold winters could last into March....Hot summers could last into October. You just never know. But man did they predict it this time. Sleet and then snow. I think we have 1/2 an inch of solid ice under the 6 inches of snow. It has been coming down hard since yesterday afternoon. The last time they said this, I didn't believe them and we had the first blizzard in the history of Oklahoma. That is when I learned that to be a blizzard, it has to be 35 mile per hour wind. They did say it could be worse than the Ice Storm of 2007, which was horrible. In the middle of the night our power went out. I woke up for some reason and being a) half asleep and b)a sleep deprived new mother, I thought I was blind because I couldn't see anything. It was seriously the blackest black I have ever seen. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. The hubs still likes to make fun of me for this. I had a nursing infant and an eleven year old daughter. I had to leave our house when we lost power and take all my stored breast milk with me. I first went to my in-laws, the closest family with power. Then they lost power and I went to my parents. Then they lost power and we all went to their friend Becky's house. We stayed there for a week I think. My hubs stayed home prepared to shoot looters (I think he was hoping for looters). Becky's daughter enjoyed our visit so much that she is continually asking if we have lost our power this time.

Here is a shot from the "07 Ice Storm"


So far we still have power, we have plenty of food, we have a gas oven and range and a gas fireplace...we are prepared to stay home this time. But I really hope we don't lose power. Skylar has a friend spending the night and I am prepared to enjoy a relaxing weekend, with power! Have I mentioned I really hope we don't lose power?

Anniversary....

The perfect day was finally here. My wedding day to the love of my life.

David and I have known each other since the sixth grade. In my little fantasy in my brain, I actually remember saying "I'm gonna marry that boy someday". But, I don't think I really did. I first saw him jumping off this HUGE cement block in front of the school. He was doing some very impressive karate move. Super cute. I won't say we were friends. We never "went together", or anything like that. Until high school, when a mutual friend of the families set it up for us to both help a family that needed help. I was to watch their son and David was to take care of their horses while they were out of town. It was winter and we were at the Winter Dance at school. He asked me to dance, we talked about the fact that we would probably see each other...

One day at the house he came in for a "drink", very smooth! He kissed me, the nerve of that boy! But, then he asked me out on a date. He picked me up, we went to a movie (Wayne's World). Oops, I just seriously gave away how ancient we are. We shared Starburst...still one of his favorites. And Skittles, still one of mine. He paid. It was great. The rest of the night was mostly uneventful, a girl never kisses and tells!

We were friends after that, we spoke at school, we hung out sometimes...never ever went on another date. We danced at dances, proms, etc...then we graduated. Married other people. I had a daughter...

We each found ourselves single again, years later and we found our way back to each other. The rest, as they say, is history.

I have always loved him. Ever since that first dance. He was an only child, like me. Cocky and very sure of himself. He exudes charm and sucks you into his very being. Well, maybe that last part is just me. He is a great man, a good, decent, well raised man. He protects me and our family. He comforts me, holds my hand, and my very favorite thing about him...he will stop our moving car and get out to help little old ladies with their groceries! I am completely smitten!

Tomorrow will be our four year anniversary. It has been so wonderful to be married to my best friend. To see my daughter have the dad she deserves. To see my son, so much like his dad, grow into a little man with his own amazing personality.

I will take time tomorrow to sit back and appreciate all that I have. To thank God for giving me more than I could have ever imagined. And tell my hubs, Thank You for being the best Husband a woman could ever ask for.