Thursday, May 26, 2011

Terror a la toilette

Picture it.....it is the afternoon hour, my main man and protector is at work, the children are taking a nap (at the same time, PTL), and I have a few quiet moments to myself. There are many things that a mother could be doing at this time


take a shower (nah- no where to go)


read a book


laundry (nah- too much and it smells like wet dog)


clean kitchen (no way could wake up the sleeping children)


I could rest (why ever would I do that, I get so much rest as it is...HA)


So, I decided to read a book. I settled into the ever so comfy green rocker, and began to rock and read and then sip on my orange soda (ummm orange soda). Before I knew it, I was halfway through the book of Romans and on my second glass of orange soda (I say once again- umm orange soda) and I made a choice to use the restroom (normally I would hold it, but since having children I am no longer able to do so- Do your keegles! I did not- I hate to exercise! TMI, I know, but for women who want to be mammas in the future it is just something that women do not talk about- ya can't always hold it after babies!) Back to the story. Yes, I had to go to the bathroom, and it was a choice that would have the most unpredictable outcome, and that will forever change my future bathroom experiences.


I must stop any of you from reading if you have issues with the following things....


stories that involve another person going to the bathroom (what? some people are uneasy about bodily functions!)



    if you have a fear of things that creep and crawl


If you must stop reading...have a wonderful day! Love yal! Caryn


If you can continue the story...read on!


So, I walk into the guest bathroom of our house. It is not used so often as I do not like to clean more bathrooms than necessary and well the door does not lock that well. The only people that use it are company. I turn on the light (PTL, I did that). I look at myself in the mirror and smile at myself (love the look of slightly colored orange teeth) and then I give my best blue steel pose....


Embarrassing (I know)

Then I pull down my skimmys and begin to pee (then I look at the dust that has collected on the shelf in front of me (cleaning lady is so fired!)... then I feel a little bit of a tickle tickle crawly crawly thing on my leg.......


YIKES! I know.... a spider. It was a cross between a tarantula/ brown recluse/ black widow/ non poisonous house spider the size of a healthy jellybean. Terror!! It was waiting for me (its prey)! It had been resting ever so nicely on the side of the la toilette (heck, maybe it was under the seat) I have no idea (but it was not welcome for front row seats of my restroom escapade... shivers!


Whatever could I do, but SCREAM SILENTLY! Remember those children were napping- I DID NOT want to wake them! It woulda been not only terror a la toilette but terror a la naptime! I could not jump up and do my there is a spider on my leg terror dance (I woulda gotten the pee on the floor (that woulda just been something else to clean up!!) So, I swatted the beastly spider off of my leg and that swat would be the end of his days.


RIP spider


Needless to say... I need an exterminator in this crib PRONTO.




What have we learned from this experience friends.....


search before you sit
and SEARCH before you SIT!!


I hope that you all have a wonderful day! Love your faces!!


Caryn

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

My ahh- ha moment

First of all, everyone please say a prayer for all of the people in Joplin, Missouri. With this horrific tornado they have lost loved ones, their homes, their things, it is just so unbelievable. My heart breaks for them and the struggles they will have to overcome in the following days. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.


It is Tuesday, and each Tuesday I attend a women's Bible study at our church. We are calling this time of fellowship together, Testimony Tuesday, Your Story For His Glory. Each week a woman in our church will stand before us and give her testimony. This is such a powerful and amazing time to hear stories of women who with their faith and their love of God have overcome such obstacles that I could never imagine. Each week has been such a blessing to hear these speakers, and I always walk away from the group feeling so much stronger and so on fire for the Lord (He is SO GOOD, and I know this by all of the things he has done for me and my family, and my friends)!



Today, an amazing woman gave her story for Gods glory and she read the below poem. Much of what she said today will stay with me, but this poem was such an ahh-ha moment.



Please Read (the poem is in black and I totally had to write my own notes in blue, most of all read the poem that Roy Lessin wrote, it will bless you)!!!



Continue On


By: Roy Lessin


A woman once fretted over the usefulness of her life.




(I am constantly worried about me staying home and not bringing in an income and when I am able to go back to work will I have the knowledge and know how to do a job that I once did. I hate that my husband is constantly working overtime for me to be able to be at home and raise our babies. When we Finally got pregnant with Sophia, we knew this was the RIGHT choice for our family. We wanted to be the ones to raise our children. We may not be able to go out and have fancy dinners or go on weekend getaways, but I know that this time is precious and very necessary for me to be here with them)




She feared she was wasting her potential being a devoted wife and mother.



(What is my purpose? Do I do enough? Am I supposed to be doing something else?)



She wondered if the time and energy she invested in her husband and children would make a difference.


(Am I doing a good job at the wife and mommy thing? I look at other women and they seem to have it so together. Clean house. Dinner on the stove at night time. Time for cultivating their friendships. It seems everyone else can fit everything in. Am I doing enough for my family, are they happy?)


At times she got discouraged because so much of what she did seemed to go unnoticed and unappreciated.

(I do laundry, the dishes, sometimes the cleaning, I am the snot wiper, drink fetcher, paci finder, and desitin applier, I do not get a lot of thank yous when I change a diaper or feed a baby at the midnight hours, I usually wear clothes that were worn the day before or have spit up or baby food on the sleeve.)

"Is it worth it" She often wondered.





(Yes!!)

"Is there something better that I could be doing with my time?"



(No!)





It was during one of these moments of questioning that she heard the still small voice of her heavenly Father speak to her heart.


"You are a wife and mother because that is what I have called you to be.



(ahh ha moment. God has appointed me to this great position.)




"Much of what you do is hidden from the public eye. " But I notice.




"Most of what you give is done without remuneration. "But I am your reward."



Your husband cannot be the man I have called him to be without your support.






Your influence upon him is greater than you think and more powerful than you will ever know.



I bless him through your service and honor him through your love.




Your children are precious to me..




Even more precious than they are to you.




I have entrusted them to your care to raise for me.





What you invest in them is an offering to me.





You may never be in the public spotlight,




But your obedience shines as a bright light before me.



Continue on.



Remember you are MY Servant.



Do all to please me.




Ahh ha moment.



Caryn

















Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Vacation for 10 please!!

The time is quickly approaching! Look out, cause we are going to Orange Beach or the "redneck riviera"!! We love the area, and go there every year! Fun times with this bunch!


Can ya see it? The group above, 9 (maybe 1 more if KG takes a buddy) crammed in 2 cars (Tahoe and Jeep), 14 hours of fun filled driving, 2 car seats, 2 children under the age of 2, multiple bathroom breaks, camera and video camera charger, a buncha snacks, each person gets 1 bag (packed with their drawers and a swimsuit, you have to pack light), some sort of video player for Sophia, 2 boxes of diapers and wipes, bumbo chair with tray, pack n play, beach towels, baby pool, coolers (with wheels), fun time reading (yay), beach toys and non beach play toys, food and drinks for the car, bottles and formula, golf clubs, a griddle (hello- 10 people, waffle Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, ect. we need a griddle), Mickey Mouse Clubhouse movies- cannot forget those or the ride to and fro could be DOOMED!!, SUNBLOCK (have you seen me and my children we need SPF 100), hats and sunglasses, must have my ipod with Wilson Phillips Hall and Oats and Celine Dion tunes (no one will want to ride in my car!!), cell phone to call into radio shows (this helps with the entertainment in the car (last year little bro called into a radio show and it was too FUNNY!!), Happy box of fun stuff for Little Miss, board games, waffle maker, baby monitor......the list goes on and on. We may look like the Clampetts!
Seriously, Daddy and Momma have been working on a list and I do believe that it may take up 2 pages. We may need a UHaul or maybe the Clampetts will let us use their sweet setta wheels!!!
It sounds like a pain getting it all together, and we may not be able to move around in the car very much, but once we arrive it is heaven!
Ahhh! The Turquoise Place
The beach! I can hear the waves now (okay, can't hear the waves but Sophia's snoring sounds very similar! odd- I know)
The balcony, there is even a hot tub


The pool. The lazy river. A children's pool! Happiness.




So ready to go, really want to start packing now!



Do you go on a family vacation? Where do you venture off to?



Love yal,



Caryn




Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Sweet Friends

I think these two will be such sweet friends. Each day, while I am making a meal, I place Brayden in his chair on the table and Sophia sits in a chair in front of him. The next thing I hear is him laughing and cooing and Sophia's gibberish (gagabla-Mommy-bu-drink BuBu).

I love these moments.


I wonder what our lives would have been like if these two angels had not come into them.


We are so lucky.


Caryn






Monday, May 16, 2011

Wacky Weekend

As for me and my house...we are worn out from this past weekend. It was filled with a BIG date, some cooking, a bridal shower, baby visiting, laundry, and more cooking. So today we lounge!!!!



On Thursday night I was feeling the power of the cooking goddess....(wait for it)....

Ree, the Pioneer Woman. ( Love that I am on a first name basis with the woman, we are so BFF) Over the past week I have made a few of her recipes (chicken spaghetti, the meatloaf, some cookies, and du..du...duuuuu


cinnamon rolls. House smelled heavenly, wanted to bottle up the yummy smell. Batch 1 not so tasty, did not cook it long enough and it was a mush mess. Batch 2, little better. Batch 3, super. There could have been a batch 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 but I did not have the strength to keep baking. I was worn out and ran outta pans. There were rolls everywhere!!

I knew it was time to stop making these when I actually spooned up some of the icing (OMG it was deliiish....) Before all of the P.W. cooking week I weighed 110 pounds (okay that's a lie, I weighed 115, 130, okay okay 145) and today I weigh 110 pounds (like I am going to write that down, but I do weigh more because my pants are a bit snug and I know they fit last Sunday).

On Friday night, Aron and I went on a date. Our church hosted the last parents night out before the summer time, so we took full advantage of it. We went out BIG! We went down the street to our local Las Fajitas (hey, hey big spender) then we just went home to catch up on laundry, wash bottles, and watch The Fighter (uuuuhhh Mark Walburg (insert dreamy school girl sigh here) I so love his face...). Be jealous ladies, when my man takes me out we go BIG and then just go HOME!!


Then on Saturday, yal hopefully already saw the beautiful shower for my girl Erin.


Saturday night I cooked two chicken pot pie casseroles, no bake cookies, and some rolls for my BFF Kim. She had a baby this past week. Harper. Yal, she is just precious! We went to visit them at their home and take them a meal... I melted just holding her. Then I opened my BIG mouth while Aron was holding her and I said, "Aron you sure do look good holding that baby." Well, needless to say the poor guy is trying to stay away from me, afraid another baby could be on the way in 9 months if I let him get toooooo close.


Sunday...we slept. Then we got dressed. Then we laid in the bed. No, seriously.. here are the children.



O- my they are mighty precious. They were holding hands watching Winnie the Pooh.



This is just a funny thing....but have yal seen these?



the diapers that look like blue jeans. That's right, I bought some. They look like baby booty shorts! Too funny!





Happy Monday!





Caryn

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Happy Bridal Shower Day!!

Happy bridal shower day to my sweet friend Erin!! We have celebrated all afternoon, in just a few weeks, my long time (like since we were Cub Kickers in junior high school) girl friend, Erin is going to be married!! Woo-hoo! Momma and I hosted a bridal shower for her today. The street was filled with cars (some that were parked illegally, but o-well- Sorry B-town police department), the house was packed with women, and Erin's little hands were unwrapping sweet gifts (for at least an hour, yes, she was very meticulous and tried to NOT break any bows- 1 gift kept her busy for about 4 minutes (not that I was counting)!!

Here we are with the bride!

momma getting ready for the party!
The food was so yummy! We had chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, Waldorf salad, carrot salad, pineapple punch (OMG-coulda licked the crystal punch bowl it sat in, someone loved it so much they took my full cup- hope they do not catch a cold from me!) We also had petifours and COOKIES! I love me some cookies! My wonderful and amazingly talented friend Robin crafted these little yummies- yal should totally check her out you would not be disappointed! http://allaboutthecookies.blogspot.com/
Aren't they precious! wedding dresses, rings, flowers, and wedding cakes!!
I was also able to get the bride, mommas, and grandmothers corsages from a local florist, Shirley's (they were so pretty and springy (is that a word??))
Vicky and Maxine (grandmother) It is also her b-day!!

Erin, the bride, and Brittney (not only will Erin be married but she will be mommy to this sweetie pie!
The gifts! O- the gifts!
friends

The mommas of the bride
did I mention the gifts?

visiting friends
o- the talking!

Erin and Billie
bride with her maids (missing a few)

Marilyn (grandmother) and family friend
What a happy day we have had! So excited for the upcoming wedding!







Love yal!


Caryn