Nov. 15th bout time for a post huh

My life is fast paced, so this will be short. Let's see what's in the bags this week-

we are redoing our kitchen and flooring throughout the house after Christmas (hopefully to be done by end of March) so I have been pricing, measuring, meeting with contractors, getting bids, etc . I am excited but this is going to be like moving- yikes

my kids performed for the first time on stage this morning- Cady would have a great career at stand up comedy if she knew how funny she was off the cuff but she doesn't pine for the stage. Silas loves the stage, he played an original piece on guitar and was a werewolf in a group act. This is all part of 4 H which is a new activity for my kids this year. It has proven to be a lot of fun.

Charis is into climbing onto everything. Cody had her 3 hours this morning and she wore him out. She's still into toilet water.

Cody is cooking chili for his man night of UFC with all his buddies. We've been busy in an exciting way at church with lots of salvations, new faces and renewing spirit of God moving in people's hearts. Our marriage has never been better, still laughing and having fun together.

I've begun Christmas prep. Hopefully I'll get it together this year...last year was a little weak.
I am really trying to keep it simple. All the while thanksliving this month.

Blogation, I have to fix dinner. Let me wrap this up while Charis is bonking her head for the 100th time....I am dreaming of art and theatre camps for the summer??? Lots of talent around here. I was inspired last week by a music therapist. Music is awesome! Speaking of dreams, I had such a disturbing one last night I had to check online to make sure it really hadn't happened. I know stange huh.

My Week

Let's start with with last Sat. Oct 25-

wake up to Charis coughing like a seal

5 calls to the three of our closest family for a get together for Charis' birthday

Burn CD for friends having to work the weekend

ice Charis cake and cupcakes

drive to Duncan, trick or treat on main street

take Cd to friends

birthday party with cousins

Walmart run with 3 kids- yikes

Oct. 26

Charis' 1st birthday! we made it! yea!!! still coughing

make a bow for the cute birthday dress

sunday school, coffee, nursery duty- cupcakes with toddlers????what was I thinking???

gifts from our church family, they are so precious to us

the first cake devouring with dad
nap for Charis, mom reads her new Kingsbury( I actually finished 2 books this week)

ga's, ra's women's bible study- I love my traveling buddies (week 5 stepping up, beth moore)

Oct. 27

Shyann here by 7:30,

kids out the door by 8

piano lesson by 9

on our way to norman for dr. apt. by 10:30

Dr. Fox affirms my diagnosis - Charis has croupe, gets on steriods - yeah

check on Cody's Christmas present, it's not going to work- argh!

head home , girls sleep, I council a friend about a family situation and a different friend about her daughters interest in heaven's actual place in the universe

3:30 kids home, lessons start preparing for a recital- calling all kids/parents/etc.

4:00 Shyann gone home

6:00 chips and cheese for dinner, dad's away at a conference

7:00 we are practicing guitar and reading books , no tv!!

8:30 time for some kingsbury- fame I think was the book

Oct. 28

with Shyann and Charis we hit duncan for a car load- envelopes for my dad, 30 pumpkins for Wed. night, walmart trip (of Course), all the while talking on the phone!

one lesson at 5, Cody comes home, not too happy to see a house full of neighborhood kids

make 6 dozen cookies for church the next night

I have visions of cleaning my house but my feet can't seem to move once I put the kids to bed

Oct. 29

meet other moms at 8:30 to unload pumpkins and set up for that night

work on info sheets for family night at church, we are sending packages to orphans in India, wrap a shoebox, find newspapers, knives, all the while on the phone (Kathy -sorry if the minutes go over this month, people are in need)

3:30- 6 students, 3 kids, 1 shyann, 1 husband at one time- what to come over???

5:00 last student, cook dinner (fish sticks and mac and cheese) while listening to the looney tunes theme song- she nailed it!

6:00 head to church for a family night and pumpkin carving

8:30 wow, what just happened? 25 families came and had an awesome time- parents and kids are getting saved- everything went smoothly

we go over it with the fam while watching the pumpkins shine

Oct. 30

Recital day, shyann's back (the almost 2 year old I keep)she sleeps from 7:30-noon, working all day on recital programs, putting youtube videos with the kids songs for a multimedia theme song recital

11am boy Charis is quiet- omg, the worst mess of all 3 kids- purple food coloring paste all over her and the kitchen floor! I'll laugh one day

at 2pm I walk with my favorite neighbor and we catch up over our lives (much to talk about)

3:30 kids are back for lessons

5:30 make shift dinner and parent teacher conference

6:30 hit the church for the recital to find many already there, so much for practicing before

check the technology agh, we had all the videos preset and had to refresh theme....5 guitars to tune, pre performance jitters, the people kept pouring in.....had a great recital! I love my students, thank you Cody for watching the kids

8:30 time for more kingsbury- on forgiven by now

Oct. 31

sleep in , day off? really ?

7:30 dad calls, when ya'll leaving? did you the envelopes? where are we going to meet

8:30 on the road to Cody's mom's surgery in Edmond ( north of OKC) reading kingsbury , it's getting good!

10:30 visit with nana pawpaw and their friends (ours too) kids get tired of the hospitol

11- lunch with my parents for mom's birthday (monday) dad finally gets those envelopes

12:30 hit lifeway, wow Charis is doing great, she's such a go with the flow kid

1- back at hospitol, chase Charis around the waiting room, get word nana's good head to Lowes, check prices on wood for a project we are sponsoring in the morning

then we check at a smaller store....

4:30 are home and Cody wants t o go to duncan and trick or treat at the churches- get kids dressed up, I guess we'll have candy for dinner....( boy did the hotdog at Bethel hit the spot)

fyi walmart on halloween is empty- great time to shop

8pm home boys go the the home football game, girls in bed, mom takes a bubble bath and finishes another book , I think I'm addicted

and then Saturday Nov. 1st

how did we make it though this week? only by the grace of God- I spend some time telling him how much I love him, he tells me about himself as well

cereal, cartoons, clean house? nah, we'll put it off another day

9 am head to a local widow's home to put in a porch- I organized it for our ladies Bible study mission project, we got the guys there and they did most of it , we painted, moved lumber, got drinks, food, supplies and put in an shower wall.....God bless Sylvia and all those cats...

2pm wow Charis is a good baby, done more mission work in her first year of life than most of our church members- oh our car wouldn't start, just an inconvience....

3-4 try to relax a bit

4- trick or treat party at friends house

5:30 trick or treating in our town- a big deal, hundreds of kids

7:30 the party moves to our house for some football, go sooners!

9 pm who would believe this kind of week? I must write it or I'll forget it all! I love my life, don't get me wrong but I need some r & r.....see ya

I apologize for the space but after this week and spending the last hour trying to upload the same pictures, I am fed up with blogger.com and publishing no matter what it looks like - argh!

October's post

Well I have gotten busy, God's at work here, no time to play. He really is and it's so exciting. Parents of kids in my kids classes that have been praying for for years are coming to Christ, being baptised...we are praying for deep roots in these new believers. We love you guys!



I am waiting on my husband to finish watching UFC so we can go to bed. Seems like I get to write once a month lately hence the post's name.



I wish I were writing more, but I keep a little girl still 40 hours a week on top of my real job - teaching music, I mean my real job- managing this household.



We got the coolest thing today from my cute mail deliver (Cody)...a package with Charis' trick or treating costume ( we are all going to be star wars characters)

Toteing Charis Around the United States

I wish I had a pic of us in the airport last week, I had her in a front carrier, a backpack and a pull suitcase, they charge now for checking in bags so I took ours on the plane and since I was by myself I could pull a bag and push a stroller. Luckily she still fit in the carrier. We were quite a sight I am sure. Charis wasn't feeling well most of the trip but still was a great traveler. We really felt blessed to go, the Lord provided work so I could afford to go. I love my family so much, I am glad I got to go be a part of Deb's newest adventure. I also got to see her school and hang out with Nate's cool family. We swam, watched a lot of movies and played the wii, I scored 569 on power bowling.

Couldn't resist posting my care bear in this toy tote.
My sis and her new baby Judah Brenton, why we went to FL

In other news- I've added a new Bible study to the church tote, Stepping Up by Beth Moore- it's on the psalms. Good so far. She's got us on our faces each day before the Lord, literally. It should be good discipline.

I am still keeping Shyann during the day, she had a good week.

My lessons are going well. I have 11 paying students (4 guitar, 4 piano, 2 piano but want to be in voice) and 3 non paying, my 2 kids and a sitter swapper (she takes voice and is a God send) . God is so good to always provide for us no matter how much I fret.

My totes are full, coming and going as always.

I have to add one more non tote picture. my kids are in a small town school and everyone goes all out for homecoming, today's theme is I wish I were.... So I pulled together a Jedi knight costume for silas and Cady was really on her own. She is Barbie. A cute one huh.

Joy found!

I found it here in this tote of all places, it's what I carry my Bible in. I have tried to minimize and just carry a Bible to church but the teacher in me needs pens, highlighters and notebooks so I have this tote. Suits me. Yup I don't know why I look in all those other totes for happiness and satisfaction when a good "coming to Jesus" was all I needed. I will say this that that other tote of the new day time child has provided new perspective as well. She cries all day for her momma. Still to be determined if it's going to be a fit with our family, I don't even like my kids crying. And all she wants is her momma. But I am now treasuring this time with my arms full of little ones to love.

Well the kids are back in school, my lessons are getting started, a schedule has begun again. So here are the new lunch boxes. In these totes holds the key to an okay mom and a great mom- notes and Reeces cups.

I forgot about showing you these new totes. Is there a theme here? Black is very versatile. The top left is my out and about purse, you know when I get to go out without kids. I paid 50 cent for at a garage sale. I have yet to use it.

The top right is a cool Old Navy bag. It's Charis', has front pockets for bottles/etc. and I am doing well not to over pack. ( you know totegirl is synonymis with pack rat) Again 50 cent at the same garage sale.

The one on the bench is my sleek computer bag, except the laptop I have (cody's old one) is too large for the padded section, it works though. $3 at yes another garage sale. I love a good deal! This bag is the one I take to church and it gets crowded quick.

Joy's missing- Check the totebags

Well I have been at my current job a little over 8 years now and I don’t know about the rest of ya but I guess it’s normal to get the same ‘ol job blues. Long hours, low pay, momentous tasks, same faces, same places, yadayada. In addition to my full time job I have been working part time as a music teacher. I also volunteer a lot, I make time for it I guess between the full time and part time but looks like with additional responsibilities to the full time job the volunteering is going to have to cut down sadly. I have been giving up my tv time at night to pursue a book dream. That fit’s into the dream category, not work.
At times it’s a little hard to stay focused and here lately I’ve lost the joy I used to know at this kind of work. I have no intention of quitting this job, 9 years ago I so desperately wanted it and my knees shook when I got hired. I do want the joy back though so I am on a journey to find it. Meanwhile God let me know what he thinks about work, he’s so faithful to help me out even in this hard place I’ve found myself in.

1 Sam. 26:23 The Lord gives his own reward for doing good and for being loyal
Colossians 3:23 Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though working for the Lord rather than people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward
1 Peter 5:2 Care for the flock God entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly-not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
Titus 2:5,7 Live wisely and be pure, take care of your homes, to do good and be submissive…then you won’t bring shame on the word of God…you yourself must be an example by doing good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching

We’ve had a new addition to the day crew at my work. She’s 19 mo., cute with big brown eyes and curly blonde hair and this is her tote. Charis enjoys getting into it. This has been an interesting 2 days she misses her mama pretty bad..

Well......

In the last month....

We've gotten pretty lazy, though the older kids are sleeping in and I am usually up with Charis by 7. I have been trying to eat healthier and exercise but boy it's hard to get motivated.

We welcomed family and friends around the fourth of July

Cady's booming salon business gets a new customer- my good friend Kasey Parr

The cousins on my side of the family, we call this the Hallelujah picture, Charis was sleeping..

Well I considered going back to work at the Duncan Middle School but as far as I can discern the will of God I am going to remain where I am, teaching at home- the three kids God's blessed me with and the students God has placed in my hand to train. I am excited about a new year. My middle school student show new potential and drive. I have an 8th grader and a 7th grader.

Then we got sick...the stomach thing, it messed with our get a way to Ft. Worth. Nausea and 100 degree temps don't mix well.

Then we did Bible School the last week in July. Pretty awesome, several kids interested in salvation. We wrapped up Wet and Wild Wed. (my creation, my first book idea too, one of these days I hope to finish it) And the first of Aug. we started Bible Olympics on Sunday mornings. This has fueled my desire for all things China, esp. adoption. While my husband says we can't I am praying for a friend to- (it may be you!).

Lest I forget the annual Velma Picnic that first weekend in August too. Rodeo, carnival rides and food...hanging out with the locals...this was our sixth year to attend. It usually messes with my anniversary but not this year. Sat. they had a pee wee rodeo and of course who but me dragged her kids out in 105 degree weather to compete? Cady ended up winning the goat feeding contest ( they say she'd had practice with Charis but I think she just happen to find the hungriest goat). Silas while never winning an event place well enough in each one that he actually won more money. Yes there was cash prizes and that is why we stayed 2 and 1/2 hours out there, Charis knawled on ice to keep cool. Anyway the boy came home with 18$ and Cady 12$, Cody says that's more than he's ever won at the rodeo. He didn't get to compete this year. As many of you know he is desparate to win an event at this thing. And we are praying he does just that - and better sooner than later.

So now we find ourselves in Tulsa with my parents for the week hoping to get away before heading back to school. We always like to get away for our anniversary and since Charis and I are still "attached" we found this to be the only option. One of the things about having a baby is lack of travel. We were getting pretty spoiled to the big kids and our mutual love for the road trip. Now we have new one to train.

gas to tulsa- $120, hanging out with parents- interesting and 0$ , steak dinner $50, a few new nice things- $75 ,celebrating 12 years of marriage to the one man who can still make me laugh- priceless. ( I love you Cody!)