And then I dont feel soooooo baaaad.

We have an ant problem...but only in the winter months. I thought ants were a summer problem, but apparently that is not the case and every winter these little creepers march into our home and try to feast off of our crumbs. One particular colony (we have a couple colonies, I KNOW, its gross) likes our bathroom. Why? I don't know. I promise you I DO NOT eat in our bathroom. Maybe the little guys are thirsty and this is the only place they can find water. Perhaps they like hair and dust because that is really all there is on our bathroom floor. (Don't act like your bathroom floor doesn't have hair on it). Usually there are not a lot of ants. Maybe like four or five just kinda wandering around. They seemed lost and perhaps a little desperate.

To take care of the problem I bought some ant traps and strategically placed them in their path. Soon there were a bunch of ants feasting on the poison and you know what...I felt bad.
You see, I have this way about me...I talk to animals like they are people (see this story). I used to try to save spiders instead of kill them until this happened.
As I was watching the little buggers march in and out of the bait trap I imagined what those ants must have been feeling.

After weeks of sending scouts in search of anything to feed the family in the bathroom (eye roll) they were about to lose all hope. Then one scout comes back with great news...FOOD!!! This scout was the hero. He saved the colony! It's going to be the best winter ever. Come on everybody lets go! Follow me!
And so they march...find the prize and bring it back to their queen.

The rest is history.
I don't know how much they have to eat to die from the poison or how long it takes. All I know is that it will only last for about 3 months. Then we have to set a new trap. Why is that you think? I could Google it, but I don't feel like it.
I think only the living ants die (redundant I know) and the eggs live. And when they hatch, there are a bunch of little Orphan Anties (see what I did there).  And then the cycle continues. That is until summer, then they make their way outside again. 

I think I need to stop imagining the ants are like this:

pic from Disneys Bugs Life. Please dont sue me.

And imagine them more like this:

Walking Dead mob o' zombies

Ants are not cute little Pixar characters that have inter-species friends that break out in song occasionally.
NO! They are mindless consumers with a mob mentality.
After I follow my  rabbit trail of thoughts,  I don't feel so bad for poisoning the little creepers and leaving their offspring orphans. 

                        

The Space Between...

I don't know about you or most people but I get the post-Christmas blues almost every year.
I really enjoyed Christmas this year despite our lack of space.
We have a new little babe and a fun little tot whom was able to appreciate all things Christmassy this year.
Perhaps Ill post pictures...but that is a lot of work...Trust me it was fun.
So after much planning and prepping I feel relief and enjoy relaxing the days following Christmas.
Then I feel kinda like "eh".
I feel itchy for something new and exciting but I also feel unmotivated.
I want to move someplace warm or have some sort of adventure or just SOMETHING special happen.
There are a ton of DIYs I want to try and things I want to blog...BUT at the same time I just don't FEEL like it.
So like before, I just keep on keeping on.
And I pray and try to be thankful for all that is around me.
I have a lot to be thankful for.
I figure in a week or so Ill snap out of it and get back in a groove.
On that note, tomorrow I'm teaching children's church.
The funny thing is the lesson is about peace and I'm really sweatin' it. Figure that one out :)

It will be fine, I'm sure. If not...its only a little more than an hour :)
On a different note: The following made me giggle...enjoy.

My new saying. "So it has come to this."

If I dont see ya in a couple days HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Brain Storming...Storm Braining

3 Hurricanes, an earthquake and one wicked storm.

I lived in Guam and Hawaii as a kid for a combined total of five years. 

Guam is located in Typhoon Alley and gets hit by some extreme storms. Not while we were there though.

Just before we moved to Guam, Typhoon Roy hit and it was big one. Winds reached 110 Mph. I don't know too much about it except that my mom got an awesome yellow tee that said "I Survived Typhoon Roy". Its easy to survive a happening that you aren't present for. I later stole borrowed indefinitely this Tee when I left for college...ironically the tee was stolen from me my Jr. year. Somebody on our floor was breaking into rooms and stealing random things like jeans, T-shirts, books and movies.

Who steals T-Shirts from 1988?

 Anyways if you see this shirt on anybody...

This is drawn from memory but pretty accurate.

...feel free to make a citizens arrest and immediately strip them of the shirt and contact me ASAP. 

Later we lived in Hawaii. We were a Navy family. Hawaii actually doesn't get hit by too many dangerous storms. Just the occasional shark attack and lava overflow. While living there we were hit by hurricane Iniki, which did cause a lot of damage but to a different island than the one we lived on. Not a lot of people know about Iniki because it was immediately after hurricane Andrew that hit Florida a couple weeks before. 

We didn't get any cool Tees from this storm. Although we did film it on our video camera, but then left the VHS in a car rental. 

So if anyone invites you into their home and wants to show you a home movie of Hurricane Iniki on VHS...make a citizens arrest, strip them of said video and contact me ASAP. 

All this to say we were spared from some very dangerous storms. 

Then I moved to a suburb of Philly. 

You would think the worst weather I would see are some rain storms, some snow storms and some hot weather during the summer. 

Since moving here I have "survived"...

Floyd

A rumored tornado

An earthquake

Irene

and now Sandy...

Weird right?!

1999-I was in college when Floyd hit and 4 of us were driving to Maine to a wedding and got stalled a bit in Point Pleasant NJ for several hours because we weren't allowed to go any further. I remember feeling the water rushing under the floor of the car. Eventually we made it to Maine in time for the wedding. 

2006-We had a wicked storm hit the area. Trees that were probably 200+ years old were broken in half. People had tree limbs fall on their cars as they were trying to drive home. I don't know if it was ever confirmed that a tornado touched down, I just heard rumors. I do know it was like driving in a safari to get to work and we were without power for 3 days. And it was during a heat wave. Good times. 

2011-An Earthquake...What the What!!! Here...Yes...

I was working from home and heard a rumble and saw my lamps and mirrors shaking and thought to myself  "What in the world is she doing up there?"

I thought my upstairs neighbor was moving a grand piano around up there with her 500lb friends. I went outside to see if I could see what she was doing and that's when the other Stay-At-Homers came out and said "I think that was an earthquake!" I was sooooo excited. I started jumping up and down like a little kid in my living room and turned the news on to see if it was an earthquake and indeed it was! 

  

2011-Irene..."Come on Irene, Too ra loo ra too ra loo ra yea" What those arent the words!? Another hurricane? Seriously? 2011 is known in these parts as "The Year of he Hurriquake." We survived! 

2011-Halloween Snow Storm- I just have fond memories of this one because I was our church secretary at the time and there was a wedding at our church and the power went out and so me and few others ran the show. 

2012-Sandy...Oh Sandy...you came and you're here and your windy. And then you blew me away oh Sandy...What those arent the words?! 

So here we are, in the safe land of PA experiencing the 5th or so "Storm of the Century".

Maybe I should move some place safer, like Tornado Alley or Mt. Everest. 

Just Brain Storming here. 

Beth Moore Conference

I really enjoyed and have been enlightened and changed by the ministry of Beth Moore. I have done a few of her Bible studies and have learned so much about myself and God and overall about Gods love and goodness.
In September I went to the Living Proof Ministries simulcast event.
I thought I would share some of what I took with me from the conference.
The text she used was from 2 Kings 4, which tells the story of a poor woman and a rich woman and the miracles God did for both.
Here are some of my favorite points from the message:
1)Personal desperation can jar us out of 2nd hand stories. 
   Basically, when we are so desperate for something in our own lives, we stop living through others stories        and our living our own.
2)God didn't call us to fine, he called us to faith. 
    This is one of my favorite points. We were asked a question...Do I want a miraculously filled life or a humanly explainable life. I want a miraculously filled life! As scary as it seems to have to need a miracle...because that means there is a need...but I have let go a lot of my fears and have learned that God is indeed good. I have learned these things and have grown to love and trust the Lord so much in 2012.
Beth Moore also so said that NEED is an invitation to supernatural provision from the Lord. I have been praying for a specific need for over a year now, especially during this past year. Waiting and trusting is hard, but the Lord has spoken to me so much during this time that I am happy for this time that the Lord has used to bring me closer to him. I don't think a year ago I imagined I would feel the way I do now.
She went on to say that if "You got everything you need, you need a bigger life" The rich woman in 2 Kings 4  felt as though she didnt need anything else and Elisha said she will have a child. This seemed to frighten her. She was afraid of having a risky life and being disappointed. So she was settling for a "fine" life.
3)Faith faces the fact the fact that there is no formula. 
I KNOW that there is no formula in my mind and heart. But I often, or at least used to keep trying to figure out what God is doing, why he is doing it and what can I do or say to get God to finally say okay to what it is  that I want. And then if I got what I wanted how can I apply what I had done and learned and thought to the next situation. I am FINALLY stopping this type of thinking. It is actually quite freeing! I don't have to figure it out for the next time. I just need to trust and obey NOW. God is in control. His ways are good. That is enough for me...most of the time ;)

There were quite a few other points during the simulcast, but these points spoke to me the most.
I do feel like I have a specific calling in my life right now. I am praying for Gods provisions to make it happen and am trying hard to trust Him that I am called and He will provide. Trusting in this is a very intentional thing I have to do daily. And that is what God wants. An intentional and personal "on purpose" relationship with us. He loves us!

Beth Moore Simulcast

Lots and lots and lots of women eating lunch during the break. There were women EVERYWHERE!

One of my favorite Scriptures. src

Where I have been...just waiting

Its been a little bit since I last posted, I haven't gone anywhere, I'm here, but just waiting.
Waiting for baby numero dos.

Got a week or so!

Waiting to finish a few last DIY projects I have in my head or have barely started.

DIY Onsies

Waiting for something to post a little more meaty than my latest DIY project.

My Bestie remarried her husband. More pics coming soon.

Waiting for God.

We went to a Beth Moore event that was simulcast. 

Waiting Waiting Waiting Waiting.

The Only Pants that Fit

I think I would like to keep things uplifting here on my little corner of the web...real, but not uber-negative, but I have had some grumpy pants on as of late. They are the only pants that fit. ;)
So with that I lead into this...

I am so tired of CHEVRON!

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Maybe I am on Pinterest too much (that is where I see it most), which I have taken a little break from since I have a lot on my to do list already. But, yes...Chevron is EVERYWHERE and I am officially bored with it.

I dont want to see this necklace anymore!

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This bubble necklace is featured on many fashion and beauty blogs and giveaways and Polyvore and of course Pinterest...(again another reason why I need to take a break from the site). There is nothing wrong with the necklace, but it has gone from fun to trendy to obnoxious. Kinda like that Carly Rae song Call Me Maybe. 

My intolerance for lactose has gone from a little annoyance to official and it makes me a little sad.

I like my ice cream, cereal and  creamy creamy coffee...sigh. All staples in this pregnancy diet. Hopefully its temporary.
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Okay I am done with those little vents...Now for something a little more positive.
My Bible App You Version had a verse of the day last week.
Romans 8:32

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 

This verse has helped me get over my grumps and it helps me if I refer to it several times a day. I am going to post it in all different places in my house and maybe make a little print for myself to hang up.

Well folks. I hope your Labor Day is super, even if it is raining and I hope you find some encouragement as well :).

You Don’t Know!

In about 6 weeks we are having a girl.  I am pretty positive about that since that is what the doctor said after looking at our ultrasound. It is pretty cut and dry right? Either something is there or nothing is there…right?!
Sunday morning I woke up and felt extra sausagy, meaning I felt like I grew overnight. I felt more swollen and a lot slower and could really feel the weight I am carrying. I retired my wedding bands to my necklace and stopped wearing my hair in a bun because I felt like a looked like a chubby samurai. It was a good start to the morning.
That same day I had an older woman tell me that she knows I told her that I am having girl but because of the way I am carrying she still thinks that I am having a boy. I just say okay and smile and go on about my day. My sausagy feeling kinda day.
I later go to the grocery store and am REALLY taking my time in the dairy section because it was so refreshingly cold there. A woman of the same generation as previously mentioned (slightly younger than the Queen) approaches me and said… “Oh, Let me guess, You are having a boy!” I smile and say no, but that she is not the first person to say that to me today. She said she thought that because I am carrying only in the front and really low. I really should have worn this shirt.
Something about pregnancy makes people feel like they can talk to you even if they don’t know you. I usually have a McKayly Maroney type of face when I am doing my thing. Kinda meanish even though I might not be thinking mean thoughts…yet.

I apparently left my McKayla-ness at home because a few aisles later I discover that I have a little 4 year old stalker and I look down and say “Hi” and she says “You’re having a baby and it is going to come out soon!” I just say “You’re right I am”. She says more stuff, but it was something along the lines of how when I eat, the food goes into my belly and the baby eats it…I just laugh and move on.
In the parking lot, I am loading up my car and a man’s voice from behind chimes out and asks “When are you due?” I jump and tell him that he scared me. He should know that. I have a thing about solitary men talking to solitary pregnant women or women with children. See here. He seems to get the message sort-of and keeps walking, but still talking. He asks when I am due again, and I just say September.
“Oh that is any day now!” Its August 12th.
“I hope not!”
“Oh…Well I hope you carry to the due date.”
“Thanks…” and I get in my car and drive away.
If I took signs from the universe and kept tabs or felt that the people in my smallish town knew everything, then after today I would be sure that my doctors are wrong and that I am not having a girl but a boy and any second now.
Good thing I don’t, except…
I went to babycenter.com and took the babygender predictor test and it said I was having a boy! Gah!
Now if it turns out I push out a little boy instead of a little girl I know I wont care and I’ll be happy as long as the baby is healthy…blah blah blah blah…Lets be real. If I have a boy after thinking that I am having a girl for 20 or so weeks I will be an emotional wreck! I have done NOTHING in prep for a boy  a new baby at all because I have the girly baby stuff already. I have been thinking the person that has hijacked my body as a girl. I’d have to shift all that thinking and I don’t imagine that happens immediately. We have zero boy clothes, zero boy anything! And I am not a gender neutral kinda mom.
Also I’m not ready to have this baby 6 weeks early. I don’t think my baby wants to be born 6 weeks early either. So I’m just going to mentally prepare myself for strangers telling me whatever it is that they want because they obviously know everything and move on and do my thing. Whatever that is.

Want some sausage?

A Little Inspiration...at least for me.

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Hey Yall! 

Just a little inspiration...at least it helped me.

Also I hope to add "Part 3" of God is Good soon...Still learning and praying and hoping ;)

I'm Sorry if I Judged You...

Parents that leash their kids. Its true, if I saw a kid on a leash I would make a quick judgement about the parents. Like "Wow, they cant control their kid..." or "How lazy is that?" That was before I had kids. Or kid. Or Flight Risk. Basically my tot likes to run. And she LOVES to run away. She thinks it funny and knows that I am a lot slower these days and she takes advantage for sure. We cant really enjoy the little bit of a porch we have because girlfriend wants to run in the grass, then down the sidewalk, down the stairs and far away. She has escaped from me out of her stroller at the mall, and not just any mall, I am talking one of the biggest malls on the East Coast. She has ran away from me in the parking lot while and at the doctors office. I took her to a little amusement park and I wrote on her arm her name and our phone number in case she ran away from me. She just loves to run! She runs around after church saying "Running!!! Excited". It must be so freeing and fun...for her.
All this to say that I WANT to leash my girl, but I'm afraid of what people will think.
You might say "What about a stroller?" Well lets be honest, a stroller is a form of leashing your kid, except they are seated and you push them around. But Em often cries and begs to come "OUT?!" or "DOWN PLEASE!?" I don't give in on most cases, but I would like her to be able to walk next me, safely. And there has been a time or too when it was just too much hassle to get the stroller out for a quick run into the store. And then there was the time the stroller was left in the other car.
If I had a leash or could tether her somehow, she would have the freedom of walking/running, but right next to me at all times and I wont have to worry about chasing her or losing her because I am too pregnant and slow to catch up.
However, the leashes out there are still a little to "doggy" for my liking.

Child Leashes

Some are made a little more child friendly looking. like a monkey or lady bug backpack. Im sure the reasoning for the current models are due to safety. They just look so contraption-like.
Then there is this...

The Fanny Pack Child Leash

This reminds me to much of an umbilical cord and a Fanny Pack...REALLY! No Thanks.

Then there is the wrist leash...

Wrist Leash

This option is the most appealing to me. It seems less "doggy".
But I'm too chicken to do it and will deal.
I say that now, but when our second baby arrives and  is coming soon, I might give in.
Yeah, probably not ;)
Even while just grabbing these images I see comments people are making and they are just so mean!

Either way, to leash or not to leash, I am not as judgmental anymore and I sympathize with the folks that choose to leash and even give them kudos for their bravery. And we all need a little less judging right?!

God is Good... Part 2

This is a continuation of another post God is Good? Part 1. 
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Psalm 119:68

You are good and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. 

...During this same week I received a video sermon from my friends church.

The sermon was about prayer.

The sermon can be found here . 

 It is only 37 minutes long. I listened while I did the dishes and made some dinner.

 I HIGHLY recommend it! 

The Pastor/Guest speaker brings up the Bible verse 1 John 5:13-14, and how there seems to be catch in praying to God.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

IF it is according to God’s will THEN it will happen...

So is the stuff I am praying for not God’s will?

He goes on to say that if we take pleasure in pleasing the Father he will implant His desires in my heart.

Are the things that I currently desire NOT God’s desire too?

Then there are the purposes of God…Which are scary…

What if God wants the EXACT opposite I want, because it will glorify him?

And how do I know what God’s will is for my life?

Our purpose can be found in Romans 12:1-2

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The Pastor said that our purpose is to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy pleasing to God, this is our true and proper worship and purpose THEN we will be able to test and approve what God’s will is.

...His will that is good, pleasing and perfect.

There is that word again…GOOD.

So, Gods good may be different from my good. It is good to him if it glorifies Him. It is good if it is the purposes of God.

So What are Gods purposes that are good?

The Pastor went on to explain…

He wants me to know who he is. (This is a main teaching in the Beth Moore Breaking Free Bible study).

And when we have trials (and we will) it has a purpose and if I know God then it will be well with my soul…despite how my emotions feel. My soul will be well.

So can I trust God that his goodness is good for me?

To be continued...

God is Good? Part 1

This particular post might seem a little long and it is only "Part 1". My additional posts regarding this topic will be and are smaller. I feel like I am in the middle of learning something that can change my life and I really want to share it...Thanks :)

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Psalm 119:68

You are good and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. 

Earlier  in the year I posted about my greatest fears and my fear of irony. My Biggest Fears and How I Fight Them. 

Later I posted how I am learning that God hears our prayers and they are validated and all the good things promised to us aren’t just for heaven.

But what is “Good”?

It seemed to me lately that my definition of good is way different than God’s definition of good.

My definition of good is basically anything not bad. It’s good to have a job, house, food, resources, fun, friends, family, health, and all those other things that make you feel, well…Good!

I was feeling pretty positive about life and our circumstances until one particular session of the Beth Moore Breaking Free study.

It was during the video session where she explained we cannot avoid fiery trials.

I already knew this to be true, but I did not want to be reminded of it!

Here are some verses she used:

Job 4:4-5

4 Your words have supported those who stumbled;

you have strengthened faltering knees.

5 But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;

it strikes you, and you are dismayed.

Acts 14:22

22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

1 Peter 4:12

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

Ugh!

And WHY do we have to suffer through trials?

1 Peter 1:6-9

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

So that God is glorified.

Oh…

I don’t feel better knowing the reason why.

But I accepted it and tucked it away and continued on with my duties as a mom and wife.

Now lately, I have not been able to sleep through the night. For one reason or another I wake up, whether it is for my nightly bathroom trip, or Em cries and wakes up, or it is just so dang hot I cannot sleep.  Whatever the reason why it is that I woke up, the problem is I can’t get back to sleep.  My brain has turned on and now it won’t turn off.

I start thinking about our own personal un-answered prayers.

And those old fears resurface. The ones that I thought I had conquered.

So we all suffer fiery trials… It is inevitable. The worse is going to happen to me.

I try to pray to ease my mind and after an hour or two I finally fall asleep. But it just happens again the next night and the next.

One particular night, I was very hot (we don’t have central air) and I was trying to get comfortable and cool and I was thinking about the Breaking Free video I watched earlier in the week. 

I was praying and I told God, but in an angry fashion,

“Fine…take everything I love away from me, if that is “your will” and its for your purposes and glory than I will just accept it and be fine with it all.”

Not that I was challenging God, but more like angrily surrendering my fears.

But then another thought came to me. It might not be God’s will for me to experience my greatest fears. What if it is his will to just keep my current prayers unanswered?

Well that just ticked me off. What if God doesn’t want things to change for us? 

What if it is God’s will for us to just remain where we are, where things are not changing? 

This made me really angry! 

I was mad at God that I was so hot and that I couldn’t sleep and that he wasn’t answering my long-standing prayers and that he lets faithful people go through terrible things and times of long waiting but we are supposed to be okay with that because it is all for his glory.

I was mad at God and I told him. Then I finally fell asleep. 

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I will Post Part 2 soon. I don't stay angry very long :)

Google, God, Posts, RLS and Smoky Vehicles

I have lots of things I want to post this week. Hopefully I will be able to get to them.
I really want to share what God has been teaching me the past week or so. The hard part is where do I begin and how long do I want those posts to be. My circumstances haven't changed but I think I am learning a lot.
I also worked on a couple DIY projects, they were MOSTLY successful. :)

But here is a little something,
Last night I had jitters like CRAZY! It kinda felt like Restless Leg Syndrome but all over my body. They were so bad that they woke me up from sleeping. I woke myself up because I realized I kicked Husband. Its  a really uncomfortable, nervy kinda feeling. I felt like the spider in Harry Potter that Mad Eye Moody was forcing to dance.

That's not this scene, I just like it ;) Ron and I feel the same way about spiders.
I was just kicking and wriggling and felt like I couldn't breathe enough air and that I wanted to crawl out of my skin.

I did a Google search and most things led to anemia, which the Glucose test confirmed in me a couple weeks ago. So I took a couple Flintstone vitamins and finally fell asleep on the couch. The bummer part of it is, I knew I was going to be tired in the morn and wouldnt be able to catch a nap, because the tot has been skipping her naps these days :( PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let this be temporary.
We went to a dollar movie with some friends to see RIO and I was surprised with how much they actually watched before demanding that we leave. About 30 minutes or so.

This is supposed to be a pic of the sea of Minivans at the movie theatre. Its more impressive in person. 

Here is a pic of Em and her little friend in the movie. What? You cant see anything? Oh yeah, its dark in the movies!

This is after about 30 minutes or less of movie watching and we decided to name all the colors of the candies. That is way more fun than watching a movie. 

Then on the way home I saw a little puff of white smoke coming out of my steering wheel column!!!
I was so startled by this I missed my turn and ended up taking a way longer way home. Which is of course the PERFECT time you want to be in the car longer...when its about to catch on fire right in front of your face!
So I prayed and prayed while driving and made my way to a technician by my house and they told me to call a dealership. I call a dealership and they told me that I should wait until it happens again and THEN bring it in! WHAT!!!
No, I am not going to do that.
So I got out my handy-dandy Google and found what I think is the problem and I am going to print it out and take it to the dealership hopefully soon.
I just don't like that I have to drive it to get it fixed.

Long story short...when in doubt Google it and don't take pictures in the dark. It doesn't work.

Things that are pup in the night

I dont sleep well. I blame our bed. But getting a new mattress is on the same list as "laser eye surgery" and "Mediterranean Cruise". Luxury Items.
I was laying awake in bed and I heard a noise...It was like a thump or something falling.
     If you have read my blog before, then you might be thinking "I've heard this one" BUT WAIT, this time it is  different I promise. 
I get up and use my iPhone as a flashlight. I tiptoe around the house and see that all is safe. I check on the baby and get back into bed. I'm not sure how much time passes, but I hear the thump again and then I hear a little voice say "I See You" (shudder).
I knew the voice immediately. Its Emily's Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Puppy. 

 Any parent that has this dog knows how obnoxiously sensitive it is. You look at it sideways and it will sing or tell you it loves you or even worse "I see you" .

I wake up the husband and tell him that I heard a noise and Emilys toy go off. He does his husbandly duty and ventures to discover the disturbance.

More time passes, a few seconds, a minute, I dont know, its dark and Im tired. I dont hear any wrestling so I follow him.

Nothing...there is nothing...But I heard the puppy!!! So I have to know what made it go off. I search around for it and it is on the floor between the base board and Emilys tent. There is no way anything touched it! What happened! And why of all the 20+ phrases this puppy says, did it have to say "I See You!"
I may never know.

I figure when I cant sleep its because the Lord wants me to pray. So I prayed. And I also came up with another solution...

If puppy is going to be creepy and wake me up at night, I'm putting it to work.

If anyone tries to come in uninvited in the middle of night...Puppy will let me know.

Sloman Shield aint got nothing on this dog!

The Ripple Effect

I am kind of a believer in the Ripple Effect. 
How one decision, choice or path, effects the next one and the next one and the next. One good decision can effect others in ways you cant imagine. One bad decision does the same, and it goes on and on and on. 
I also believe that God uses what was meant to be bad for good as well. God Trumps the ripple effect. 
Looking back on my life, I can see how many decisions that I made have created a trail to where I am now. (this blog illustrates that well IMO)
For instance, my choices to stay up late, every night, really effect how I function the next day. This is a bad habit that I really, REALLY need to break. 
I stay up late, I dont get enough sleep, Im slower and grumpier in the morning, which leads to less time to do things that need to get done and a path is carved out. 
I KNOW I need to change this about myself...but I really like staying up late. Ive been this way for as long as Ive been allowed to make my own bedtime. 
When will I change? I dont know. 
BUT, God uses this bad habit for his good from time to time. 
Thursday, I stayed up late to watch the World Series. 
Friday morning, Im tired, I got to get to church ASAP. I get there as soon as I planned to be. The copier-man I was supposed to meet is late because of a Ripple Effect in his life. I dont get as much done as I want because 1)Im chit-chatting with others while I wait. 2)Copier-man meeting takes some time, but he fixes what needs fixin'.
Now it is several hours later and Em has had enough. 
On a normal Friday I would put Em down for a nap at church, but Im over tired too from staying up late. So I tell myself that I will finish this later. 
I work from home the rest of the day and decide that I will make my copies on Saturday. 
Saturday. The Halloween Nor'Easter has arrived...(this is from another Ripple Effect, global warming, butterflies in Africa, etc etc) I get to church to try to get all my copies done before the wedding scheduled for that afternoon. 
I get all my copies done, AND Im able to assist here and there while I wait for copies. 
I pack up my copies and get ready for some sortin' (Im feeling country today), and the power goes out! At church! Where there is a wedding and reception in a couple of hours! So, I help gather flashlights and batteries. 
The big industrial flash lights dont work because they arent charged...due to some other ripple effect. 
I gather as many candles as I can. And the church has A LOT. I run home and get more candles and flashlights. (This leaves my family in the dark later...OOPS)
We set up the candles and light them up and despite this power outage, everything is still beautiful. 
I offer to help as much as possible. I am then assigned the job of directing guests after they arrive after the ceremony starts. I wasnt planning on being at a wedding, Im wearing holy jeans, Teal rainboots, and am looking pretty grubby in my ponytail, with no make-up. 
I call my Bestie and ask her to bring me clothes ASAP! Since she is the best bestie, she brings me a fabulous outfit right down to the stylish pointy toe boots. (Her best friend duty creates a ripple in her day, but Ill let her blog about that some day ;) 
Another friend/co-worker/secret blog reader brings more candles and some Snickers since Im running on coffee. 
The ceremony starts and ends, the reception beings, its getting darker outside as the day goes on, we help serve cake and what not, now its time to clean up...in the dark...with no lights...in the dark. 
Its REALLY hard to clean in the dark! Have you ever tried it? Try it? Its hard, trust me. This takes FOR-EH-VER (say that like squints from The Sandlot).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0H6R7xRytk

My Husband calls to remind me, "Hey you took all our lights", So I drive back home, still snowing, trees hanging out on power lines and broken stop lights. 
    BTW, fun Tiff fact #22 (there are a lot of fun facts about me), I hate the winter. HATE IT! And now Im driving back and forth, back and forth in a weird-freaky Halloweeny Wedding snow storm. I Get back to church and it is pitch black inside now. Everyone is gone except for the lovely janitorial staff and they help with as much as they can. I shove everything in the kitchen and leave an apologetic note. 
Im really REALLY sweatin' how the messy kitchen is going to go over the next day and I get about 3 hours of sleep, on an already sleep deprived person because I DONT GO TO BED EARLY! WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF! 
So all this to say...Go to bed early so you dont procrastinate and have to help others.
OOOoooooooor, I could say that the Lord knew I was going to procrastinate and that he used my procrastination for good so that I can serve and help others in their time of need and help their special day go a little more smoother. I am choosing the latter. 
So last night, what did I do? I went to bed even later than usual....sigh. I'm so tired. I may never change. 


There is still some residual wedding day, Halloweeny Nor'Easter things that need to be taken care of (bloody toes from awesome pointy shoes, a lot of stuff that still needs to put away, follow up paperwork, the list goes on). The Ripple is still moving and in effect. Stay tuned! 
(  (  ()  )  )   those are ripples

Tinkering Around

My 31st birthday came and gone without any fan fare. Just the way I like it. 
I did get some awesome teal rain boots from my husband.
 Im loving teal these days. In case you couldnt tell by my blog layout. 
I got some flowers and cookies and from friends and I finally got my hairs did by my European hair dresser at a local salon in Phoenixville.
My Besties got me a gift card to Fossil and I got this sweet little dress. It has POCKETS! I love pockets in a dress. 

In addition to getting older I've been putting together a little online portfolio. Its not much now, but maybe, in time, it will become slightly impressive. :)
Em is getting older and the weather is getting colder. Im starting to look into pre-schools for her. I wanted to be a work from home mom for my babies, but I do not have the discipline to provide crafts or activities for my tot. 
She is only 16 months now and doesn't get too bored yet. But the time is coming where she is going to need a more structured, stimulating environment. 
Plus, I LOATHE being cold, so this makes it difficult for me to play with Em outside. A nice pre-school for a few hours a day for a couple days a week might be perfect her. 

Im not going to get into the thousand other thoughts this leads to, like money, work, future babies, a house, etc  etc etc. 

So yes, Ive been tinkering around. 

A Glimpse of Things to Come

So I took Em shopping today. She has a ton of dresses, but she needs some winter accessories to make those dresses wearable through the seasons.

So we went shopping for tights, shoes, cardigans and hats.

We were down to one wearable pair of shoes and then we lost one of them last night. I searched EVERYWHERE. No idea where it went.

While shopping I discovered that just moving one section over from baby to toddler items, the  prices are practically doubled!!!

A glimpse of things to come I’m sure. I imagine things will just cost more as she gets older.

Despite the price jump, we I had a lot of fun trying things on Emily.

Looking at her facial expressions, I think she was having just as much fun as I was…

Again, another glimpse of things to come and shopping with mom.

These aren’t even all of the hats I tried on her…I ended up buying a cute one from H&M among many other cute things.

We will let dad decide which GAP hat Em will don this winter.