Confessions of a 3 yr. old!

So I was trying to vaccuum.

My underwear clad sweetie was tattling on brother.

Why don't you go sit on the toilet and go potty.

I go to check on him as I hear a bang.

It was the vent cover. What are you doing?

Can you guess what is next??

He's naked and pointed at the vent. The floor is wet.

Did you go potty in......? "Yes."

Where do you go potty? "in the toilet?"

"WHY did you go potty there? ? ? ?"

The most famous reply ever, "cause I can."

Then real quick he adds, "Sorry, mommy."

Grief and Mourning

There definitely is no cookie cutter design for grief and mourning. We've been asked quite a bit lately how we are doing.

I definitely feel we have had God's hand on us and moving us through this process and gently and lovingly as possible. Those closest to us know the challenges we have faced this last year and are facing in the near future and His blessings just continue to pour forth on us. His timing has shone on all that has transpired and I keep trying to rest in His palm.

We definitely miss Mom, Gayla, Grandma. Moments will come and pass when we grieve more than others. God comforted me with a passage from 2 Samuel 12:18-23 this week. Sometimes I think I don't grieve like I should. This time, I have struggled with why I am not more emotionally grieving as maybe I should.

This passage was a tremendous comfort to me, cause I think it sums up where we are at right now as a family. Next week may be different.

2 Samuel 11-12
David had sinned.
He had an affair with Bathsheba and had her husband Urriah killed in battle.
Nathan rebuked David. David repented and asked forgiveness. However, there are always consequences for our actions. In this case, David's son was stricken with illness by God.

Now up to this point, this story doesn't have anything to do our loss of Gayla.
However, David's response was amazing. While his son was sick he fasted, prayed and grieved. Why?
(David) answers, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? (This is what struck me the most)Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

So for now, I will rest in this passage. We will go to her one day. Where she is at is better and I look forward to the day we are all in His holy presence. We will miss her, the house will be emptier and quieter without her. It is just for an ever so short amount of time...

Zoo Reflections!

I took my youngest beasts to the zoo today. They deserved to get out and have some fun with mom. It is no fun watching mom teach all day and say leave him/her alone...they're doing school. So off to the zoo....

N-"I don't want to go to the zoo."

D-"I do." (Just to do the opposite..actually they both like to be opposite of one another.)

N-"I am not hungry, I don't want McDonald's"

D-"I do, I do."

N-"I want to go home!"

at the zoo,

N-"I want to see the snakes!"

D-"No, the hippos!"

"birds! (aka Flamingoes)

Yeah! ! Running fun! They forget to annoy one another

Snakes, frogs, alligators, lizards, dragons (Komodo dragon),

The jungle..birds, fish, bats, vampire bats...

N-"I gotta go potty!"

This is when all things fall apart.

N won't go into the ladies with mom. He is used to always having a bigger guy around so he can go into the men's restroom safely. He takes off. D goes in the other direction! I have a hold of one and have to try and catch the other. People are coming, lots of people. Now I really have to keep the two close and they divide and run on me. I start thinking National Geographic, I understand why some species of mothers eat their children. Oh and did I mention all this potty talk has made mom need to go...

So we leave.....
and as we walk out I hear..."I don't like you!" I don't like anyone but dad!"
I couldn't resist, "hmmm, wonder if you'll be saying that after you get home." Cause did I mention I had dad on the speaker phone....(I forgot I had him there) and he heard every bit of what HIS boys did to their mother. D just starts kissing my hand and telling me he loves me.

I get D buckled up and he asks if we can leave N at the zoo. Hmmm, can I leave both of them?
We're home and Pappa Bear is not happy! He roars and growls but he doesn't eat them.

Laundry adventures at Beach Gardens

I love my washing machine ! ! Love it, Love it! ! Imagine the amount of laundry a family of seven can generate. Imagine the youngest potty training! Then imagine 12 days of no washing machine! I know God was looking out for me cause it was Sat. night, Jan 31 the last load of laundry for the weekend. Thump, thump, thump during dinner. I thought, hmm the washer is unbalanced, that is strange. I open the lid and oh! no! The tub is tilted and not suspended anymore. Not good. But it was during the rinse/spin cycle. It was the last load for the weekend. Sunday, sweet sister-in-law that she is, I went over and finished the rinse cycle of my clothes which equaled 2 loads at her house. I have a mega big wash tub on my machine. A king size comforter will fit in it! When our washer went out 2 years ago ! I bought the biggest, baddest of all machines that was a top loader. I am not for bending over anymore than I have to for laundry. This is my baby...

She was pricey. I also bought the extended warranty. She came with 2 yrs. and I added 4 years onto her. I knew we averaged 15 loads of laundry a week. At least. Often times more.
Blessed warranty...her repairs were covered. However, they didn't have the part in stock, so they must order it. Big Sigh! So one week later I go to the laundry mat to do a week's worth of laundry for 7 people. It can't wait, family is coming into town. My mom was a dear and was in town helping me get ready for the family that was coming. She stayed with the kids while I did laundry. 2 1/2 hours and $24 later the weeks worth of laundry was washed and all but 3 loads had been dried. I dried the remaining 3 loads after I returned home.

$24 for a week's worth of laundry. No sheets, no blankets, no BDUs (my husband's work uniform). 52 weeks a year, that would be $1,248 minimum to do laundry a year at a laundry mat! That is about what I spent on my baby. She is paid for and then some. I no longer wonder if I was crazy to buy this big ole' washing tub. She is worth every penny and then some.
She was fixed 6 days after my trip to the laundry mat. And this is what I had waiting for her, minus a load.... I had to get this maid back to work cause she had plenty to do!

The whole family was excited for laundry to be done. They had to wear, oh my!, something other than their absolutely favorites of favorite shirts! Now they would be able to go back to wear only their favoritest clothes.

Gotta love my Man!

And not just because it is Valentine season!

He spent the afternoon and evening hanging with his brothers and Dad and sister-in-laws and the kids. I stayed home and caught up on laundry...another post. Then I went to BINGO! Hmmmm, Bingo is how we pay for hockey. Dear husband normally works 3 nights a month at Bingo. However, this month he wasn't available for 3 nights. Since we needed the hours I had them put me on the schedule...

Oh how I hoped my night in shining armor would rescue me tonight and not make me go. Alas, I knew his time with his family was important... So I went. Oh how I love my son and appreciate my husband and all the work he does for us. Bingo isn't extremely hard, it is just tiring. I walked and walked and walked on hard tile floors all night. My legs are sore. Soon I will snuggle down in the covers for the night.

I have only worked one other time. This time was much easier. I wasn't nearly as overwhelmed as before trying to keep up with all the new lingo. But I am still amazed at how much money people spend on BINGO! Holy Cow! I am grateful to them....they are financing my son's passion for hockey.

Goodnight, I am off to sing B-I-N-G-O till I fall asleep.

A dozen roses and more at Walgreens!

So I made a late trip to Walgreens tonight. Hubby isn't going to be available this weekend to stay with kids and ummm, I don't like to take all of them to Walgreens. My oldest groans if I ask her to sit while I am at Walgreens. She knows with a list like tonight it is going to be anything but in and out. My only groan is I forgot to use the in-ad Q for the Progresso soup so I spent $3.50 more than I planned. ERGH. But I am not going back in to the store just to fix $3.50.

Cause I got all this pictured above for $67.54 oop.

I am going to get $17.60 back in Walgreen rebates ($26 + 10% for putting it on a gift card)

I still have $12.00 in RR from the Gillete Razors.
I bought 9 in total.
Received $54 in RR. And used $42 for my last purchase.

So overall I saved $174.11.

If I adjust the 67.54 - rebates 17.60 = $49.94
$49.94 - RR left $12.00= $37.94 is what this trip cost me.

Now in case you are wondering about the dozen roses bit.......
I found "dozen roses" in the Valentine Candy section. In a little mesh baggie were a dozen chocolate rose buds for a buck or two. Got a set for hubby and a set for me.
Just might be my favorite kind of roses. They smell good, don't die and taste yummy!

Gayla Clark

As I was working on Bday posts for N we received the call.
Gayla is now in the presence of the Lord. She is pain free. She is able to sing and hear the music she has not been able to hear for years.
She passed at 10:00 am on Thurs., Feb. 5 with her husband by her side and at home. Which is what she wanted.
As things are settled I will return and finish posting birthday pictures.
Gayla Foos Clark
1941-2009