Dawn's Daily Life

Food 4 Thought Friday

2008-09-05T10:08:00.004-05:00

Breakfast~Do you use a day planner, calendar, notebook, computer program, PDA, lists on some random piece of paper, or just totally wing things to stay organized? I use Amy Knapp's Family Organizer, and I sing it's praises often. There is a spot for me to plan my menus, and the boxes are usually big enough for me to write everything.

This magnetic calendar shown below hangs on my fridge. Well, one just like it. In the first column, I write the kids activities, the 2nd column is devoted to me & Jeff, the 3rd column shows everyone in the house what we are having for dinner, and the 4th column is titled "Misc." This is how I keep the family organized. Well, try to at least! ;-)

Lunch~What is something that you have too much of? Time. I have so much time on my hands, I hardly know what to do with myself. Okay, I am so totally joking!!! I probably have too many cookbooks, but that's what happens when you collect something. I know I need to get rid of some of the ones that aren't so great, but that is just really hard for me to do.

Dinner~What is one of the most important qualities you need in a friend? Loyalty, honesty, devotedness, acceptance....shall I go on? I can't list just one! It's really important for me to be able to be myself around my friends. I don't like to be fake or put on airs. Also, it is important for me to have friends that will last for a very long time. In college, I had friends that came and went, and that was fine...then. I prefer to have friends forever. Sure, the friendship may change as we change, but I like to know that no matter what we will always be there for each other.

Midnight Snack~Describe yourself using only three adjectives.
1. Loyal...I think I described that above.
2. Friendly...I try to be friendly to everyone, but I am sure I don't always succeed.
3. Busy....I have a lot going on in my life, and I like it that way...usually.

Recipe for this Week (instead of your recipe for life - what is it for just this week?) Just remember that "This too shall pass." It has been my moto for the week, becuase Meghan has been a handful, Ali has been a tad (only a tad is good for her) sassy, and Josh has been a completely different child, which is so not a good thing. I just keep telling myself that this season of my life will pass by, and then I will wish I had it back. Although, I find it hard to believe, but from what others say I do know that it is true.

Come dish with us at Beacon of Hope.

Know & Tell Friday

2008-09-05T08:44:00.003-05:00

1. Do you live for the start of college football? professional football? Does anyone in your house? Do you know anyone who does? My husband occasionally watches football on tv, but I think he was more into it when he played back in high school. Nowadays, I see him get more revved up over baseball than football. I personally don't like to watch football. Maybe it's because I don't really know what the heck is going on. To me it is just a bunch of guys running around chasing a ball. Did I just sum up the game?

2. Did you go to college? If so, what was your mascot? Was/Is that your favorite team? If not, what was/is your favorite college team? I did go to college. Of course, it took me quite a while to earn that degree, but let's just talk sports instead of my dreadful academic history. ;-) I went to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Go Salukis!! Here is our mascot.
Actually, he looks a little scarier than I remember. Yikes! I've probably never seen our mascot while I was sober, so before he probably just looked a bit fuzzy to me.

3. Have you ever embarrassed yourself at a sporting event? Have you seen someone else embarrass themselves at a sporting event? Amazingly I have not embarrassed myself at a sporting event. At least not that I remember. However, I have seen a whole team embarrass themselves. The Salukis haven't always been known for winning. LOL!

4. What is your favorite spectator sport (the one you love to watch live)? At this point in my life, that would be anything my kids are playing. I am just not a huge sports person.

5. Do you have a sports hero? If so, what makes them special? None really. I am a sports lame-o!

6. What's the most memorable sporting event you have ever watched on television? watched live? I can't think of any. I'm really just not that into sports. Please don't hate me! :-)

7. If you have kids or grandkids, do they play sports? My kids don't really play sports...yet. Well, my daughter dances. Can that be considered a sport? Please? If so, that would be one I love to watch. My son has been talking about football a lot lately, but he is only 4, so he has a couple of years to go.

Join in on the Know & Tell fun by clicking here.

Friday Fill-Ins

2008-09-04T20:39:00.003-05:00

1. If I was to walk into your life, would you even open up the door?

2. Catch a bright star and place it on my back. Maybe the heat and "magic" of the star would fix my achy breaky back.

3. And you can send me on a vacation. That would be great!

4. I often try not to remember things about my past, but I'm dealing with a memory that never forgets.

5. I'm the innocent bystander / Somehow I got stuck dealing with all the crazies in the world. Or maybe I really am one of them!! ;-)

6. What's keeping us apart isn't selfishness, it's plain ol' common sense.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to having a scrapbooking group at my house, as well as sending my oldest off to stay at Grandma's house, tomorrow my plans include absolutely nothing and Sunday, I want to go to church and then to a cookout with my small group!

Get in on the action here!!

Thankful Thursday

2008-09-04T20:38:00.000-05:00

First and foremost, I want to praise God for the cooler temperatures we have been experiencing the past couple of days. Heck, I even praise the rain we have gotten all day today. Doesn't bother me...I love it! I don't think I could have handled much more of that crazy hot weather. Well, without turning on my air anyway.

I am also thankful for our church's Women's Bible Study group that started back up today. I had a fabulous time today, and I am looking forward to seeing what group I am placed into. I love that the group is a mix of older and younger woman. I pray that God really works in me during this study, which is the Experiencing God study by Blackaby & King.

As I write this, I am also thankful that all of my kids are in bed. Is that bad?? My son has been trying my patience lately (Dear God please help me in this area), and I just really need this quiet time right now.

Join in on Thankful Thursday here.

Thursday Thirteen~Letter E

2008-09-04T06:43:00.001-05:00

13 Things About Me (& My Family) Beginning with the Letter 'E.'

1. Engine~Did you know that no oil in an engine is a bad thing? Oh yeah! When I was 18, I blew up the engine in my 1984 Chevy Cavalier Convertible. Totally my fault! I was such an idiot back then. Of course, it didn't actually "blow up", it more cracked...or something. All I can tell you is car engine - oil = lots o' money.

2. Early Years~I recently found this photo, and I have dubbed it "Jeff and Dawn--The Early Years."

This picture was taken the very first night that we told each other we liked each other. We had been friends for over a year, so I guess it was time to step it up a notch. Never mind the beer on the table. ;-)

3. Elmo~Of course, after the "Early Years" came marriage and babies. For our son's 1st birthday I made him an Elmo cake. Check it out...

4. Eating Out~I admit that our family does an awful lot of eating out. This is mostly out of convenience, and partly out of laziness. ;-) I can't even say that I have a favorite restaurant, because it really all depends on what kind of mood I am in. Right now I am in the mood for Red Lobster. Yum!

5. Earrings~I got my ears pierced for the first time when I was 5, and I had the second hole done when I was 8. My rule for my girls is they have to be 5 and actually want them. I remember really wanting mine, and I just think it would be a shame to torture a child like that if it wasn't something they desired. So, when Ali turned 5 she chose to get hers pierced. She was such a brave girl!

6. Evanovich~Janet that is. I absolutely love her Stephanie Plum novels, and I am anxiously waiting to check out her newest one from the library...

7. Emma~My Aunt Emma is the one that got me hooked on the Janet Evanovich novels. She also got me hooked on Nora Roberts, but that will be reserved for the letter R. I adore my Aunt Emma!

Speaking of Emmas, I also have a niece named Emma. She is cute, sweet, spunky & fun!! The other day I was watching her, and I asked her what she wanted to eat for lunch. She told me she wanted cookies. I told her cookies were for desserts or snacks, so she said, "I just want a snack then." LOL! Here is a pic of that fun girl...

8. Easter~We used to go to Jeff's Grandma Rose & Grandpa Jack's house for Easter, but his sister Abby (Emma's mom) has taken over for about 3 years now. Last year we had a great time eating good food, playing the Wii, and laughing a ton. I look forward to this year! Here is a picture of Meghan Rose & Grandma Rose...

And here is the black eye that I was sportin' last Easter thanks to little Meghan Rose...

9. Elephant~Ali & I got to ride on an elephant back when she was 2-years-old. This wasn't my first ride ever, but it was Ali's first (& only so far) ride.

10. Employee~I have not been an employee anywhere since May of 2001. That feels kind of weird. I won't say that I am a die hard workaholic (because I don't want to lie to y'all), but I have usually had some kind of job since the time I was 15. I actually remember having to go get a work permit to get a job at age 15. My last job was working at a bank as a teller, but then I moved north to get married and student teach. I have not been gainfully employed since then, but I still work quite hard as a mom and wife.

11. Engaged~Jeff and I got engaged over Labor Day weekend in 2000, and we were married in June of 2001. So, we were engaged for about 9 months. We got married, and about 10 months after that we were parents. Funny how things happen!

12. Explorer~As in Dora the Explorer. Ali & I went to see Dora Live in August of 2004. It was her very first time ever wearing pigtails. :-)

13. Eager~I am eager to start our church's Woman's Bible study today, which is entitled Experiencing God by Blackaby & King. I am also very eager to start a scrapbooking group at my house, which begins tomorrow. Yahoo!! So much to look forward to.

Join in on Thursday Thirteen, and don't forget to check back next week when I look at the letter 'F'...it should be fabulous! ;-)

Thursday 3

2008-09-04T06:23:00.000-05:00

I have always been a card person. I love to send cards, receive cards, and lately I love to make cards. Here are 3 cards that I have recently made.

1. This one was for Yvette, who is in a 'Good Mail' group that I joined up with. She has a turtle collection, which is why there is a turtle on the card.

2. This card was for my friend Jen. I sent her a little bit of fall in a box, because we are both in the mood for fall.

3. This card was for Jen's kids, because I had to put a little something for them in the package. Just wouldn't be right to leave them out! Of course, I left her husband out. Oops! :-)

Well, that is my Thursday 3. How about you?
Head on over to Bold & Free and share a bit with us!

I Did It & I Admit It

2008-09-03T11:50:00.003-05:00

Watched (the new) 90210 that is. I am reserving judgement as of yet. It's really hard for me, because I was a die-hard 90210 fan the first time around. Although I am a tad bit older, just a tad I said, I really want to like it this time around too. I am a teenybopper at heart! :-)

Of course, during last nights episode, I kept trying to find glimpses of the old 90210. For example, I did notice that Andrea Zuckerman's daughter was a student at WBHH now. And Kelly Taylor was an obvious blast from the past, but I was left wondering what she has been doing all these years, as well as who is her baby's daddy. I admit I will probably stick around a bit to have these questions answered.

So, did anyone else watch? What did you think? Let's Chat!! :-)

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-02T22:52:00.003-05:00

This picture was taken 7 months ago, and I really miss the days of Meggy falling asleep in her high chair. All of my kids did this, so I am guessing that eating is just too much work at that age. Really tires a person out! Too bad it didn't work that way for me, because I might be less fluffy. LOL! :-) Have a wonderful "Wordless" Wednesday everyone!

Josh Goes Back To Preschool

2008-09-02T15:39:00.000-05:00

This is Josh's 2nd year in preschool, and he was extremely eager to go. Ali has been in school for about 2 weeks now, and he has been a bit irritated that he wasn't in school too. So, as of today, they are on equals in Josh's eyes. Of course, he only goes to school 3 days a week for 2-1/2 hours, while Ali goes to school 5 days a week for 7 hours, but he doesn't care about all that.

Here is the picture we snapped before we got in the van. Please do not comment on his hideous haircut! I took him yesterday to get his haircut, because he really was starting to look like a shaggy boy, but I think I prefer shaggy to dork. :-) I don't know what she was thinking when she cut his bangs.

Here is the cool dude waiting to go into the school building. There is a red sign up at the front door, and we have to wait for it to be flipped to green.

Here is Meghan waiting for it to be time to pick up Josh. We went to McDonald's so I could get a Large Coke, and Meghan was really enjoying sharing that with mommy. :-)

All in all Josh said it was a good day back at school. He was happy to see some of his old friends again, and I know he will make friends with the new kids quickly.

It Is Hot, Hot, Hot!!

2008-09-01T22:13:00.003-05:00

I know that it is still summer, but in my mind it is totally fall. I was doing just fine pretending it was fall too. I almost had myself fooled, but then the heat wave struck.

You see, we have been having beautiful fall-like weather here in central Illinois. Most days it was high 70's or low 80's, but the humidity was fairly low (bearable at least!), and the feel of fall was most definitely in the air. However, yesterday it was 88 degrees, and today it was 90. Yowza! Oh, and let's not forget to mention that it has been humid as all get out here. That is, after all, what makes it truly unbearable.

Seriously, it has just been plain miserable! Why so miserable you ask? I mean surely we have our air conditioning on, right? Oh no my friends!! I turned that off weeks ago. Why? Well, for starters because I like the feel of fresh air. I love to have a breeze blowing through the house. I enjoy being able to hear the kids playing in our front yard, as well as all the neighbor kids zipping by on their bikes. Plus, I got my gas/electric bill, which was right at $250. I am just too cheap for that.

Don't get me wrong, I am usually not cheap. I love to spend money. Just ask my hubby. (On second thought, don't ask him....please!) The problem is that I don't like to spend money on outrageous gas/electric bills. Or maybe the problem is that I can actually remember when it was much, much cheaper than this. I mean back in August of 2004 it was only $120. I want that bill back!! The $130 that I could save if I had that bill back, would pay for my son's preschool for a month.

But, alas, I can't get that bill back. Nope! I am stuck paying $250 for a month of gas and electricity. Fine! I'll pay it, but you can't make me use that darn air conditioner that probably dates back a good 15 years. No sirree! I'll just sit here and sweat my balls off. Well, if I had balls anyway. ;-)

Heads Or Tails

2008-09-01T21:47:00.003-05:00

This week we are to...

List three things from any category

So, for the category, I picked flowers. Here are 3 flowers that I love.

Blue Delphinium

Blue Phlox, Wild Sweet William

Purple Coneflower

Aren't they all just gorgeous? I love wildflowers! What is your favorite flower?

Oh, and if you want to join in on Heads or Tails, and you know you do, you can click here.

Laborious Labor Day Meme

2008-09-01T14:22:00.004-05:00

Shannon from Rocks In My Dryer started this meme all about, well, Labor. It is Labor Day after all. ;-)

How long were your labors?

Kid #1/Ali, 16 hours
Kid #2/Josh, less than an hour
Kid #3/Meghan, less than an hour

How did you know you were in labor?

Kid #1/Ali, I woke up at 2 in the morning with horrible pains that wrapped around from my back to my stomach. I knew something wasn't right!! Then when I finally got to the hospital, at about 9 in the morning, I thought I peed on the floor, but it turned out my water just broke. How embarrassing!
Kid #2/Josh, This one was a scheduled c-section...
Kid #3/Meghan, And so was this one.

Where did you deliver?

In a nice comfy hospital with doctors, drugs, and nurses to tend to my every need...and want.

Drugs?

With #1/Ali my poor mother-in-law was in the room when I screamed, "I want an f*@%ing epidural now!!" She had never heard me speak like that before. Thankfully they finally came in and gave me the epidural. Looking back, I wonder if I should have endured more pain before I got the epidural, but I really DO NOT like pain.
With #2/Josh and #3/Meghan it was a given that I would get some kind of epidural/spinal, since they were both scheduled c-sections. However, with #3/Meghan it took an unusually long time to get the epidural in place. I remember my Dr. getting a bit irritated. At one point he said something like, "Let me know when you finally get this done," and he walked out of the room. He said later that he had never known it to take so long, and he felt so bad for me. The nurses kept saying that they felt bad for me too, but I just kept saying, "I am only enduring this through God's help, because I absolutely hate pain." I also kept whispering to myself, "I will see my baby soon!"

C-section?

Yep, all 3 were c-sections. With my first, our daughter's heart rate kept fluctuating too much. At one point she was in distress, and I couldn't believe how many people rushed into my room. Somebody asked who my dr. was, and this one dude who I had never seen before ran in yelling, "I am." He just wanted someone to take care of the situation pronto. Well, thankfully he did. Ali's heart rate went back to normal, but then my body quit progressing. So, off to an emergency c-section I went. We just went ahead and scheduled the next 2, because the thought of a VBAC intimidated me a bit.

Who delivered?

The same Dr. delivered all 3 of my children. I loved him! He rocks! If I were to have more children, which I won't since he tied my tubes in c-section #3, I would make sure to see him again for that pregnancy.

Do you want to share your Labor Story? Just click here!!

Monday Morning Meme

2008-09-01T09:37:00.002-05:00

1. If you mixed up the letters in the name of your blog, what new name would you come up with? (Anagram fun website - http://wordsmith.org/anagram/) Now take your favorite anagram and tell us what sort of blog it might be based on that title.

Well, when I typed it in, my favorite was Wily Salad Fiend, which to me would be a blog about a health nut’s life. She (or he I suppose) might post lots of salad recipes. :-)

2. What three sounds do you love? Okay, now tell us WHY you love these sounds.

1~I love to hear my kids laugh when they are really tired. They get silly, wonderful giggles that put a smile on my face.

2~I also love to hear my husband tell me he loves me. He isn’t one to vocalize his feelings often, but when he does I always know he is truly meaning it rather than simply spouting off a rehearsed line.

3~Quiet…at the end of the day I love to hear quiet. With three young kids running around the house, it can (and does!) get very noisy. At the end of the day, when they are all in bed, I just love to savor the peace and quiet for a little bit. It is especially nice if the windows are open and I can just hear the stillness of the night.

3. What is it about you that makes everyone want to know you? Wait, you’re not done yet. Now tell us WHY that one particular thing? What makes that element of yourself so special? (Come on, don’t be shy. This is your opportunity to write about something positive about yourself).

Ugh, I don’t do positive about myself. It’s very difficult! I think one thing that my friends appreciate (is that the same thing??) is that I am honest. Not brutally or anything, but they know that I am not going to pretend to be or feel a certain way. If we are close friends, and possibly just acquaintances, I will do my best to always be real with you, which I think is rare in a world of superficial and artificial things all around us.

4. What is the oldest thing you own? What is the newest?

Hmmmm, I think the oldest thing I must own is some stuff from when I was a baby…a blanket my grandmother gave me, some baby silverware, and some baby jewelry. The newest item is much easier to remember. :-) The other day at Hobby Lobby my mom bought me a pilgrim man and woman. They stand a bit over 3 feet I believe. They are made out of wood and metal, and they look really rustic. I am looking forward to setting them on each side of my fireplace this Thanksgiving.

You can play along too. Just click here!

Our Menu For 9/01/08-9/07/08

2008-08-31T22:38:00.000-05:00

Monday~Brats on the Grill with Potato Salad
Tuesday~Ham, Macaroni & Cheese with Applesauce...This was Josh's pick, since it is his first day back in school.
Wednesday~Mustgoes
Thursday~Mustgoes...seriously, our fridge needs cleaning out!
Friday~Cheese Pizza
Saturday~Gnocchi with Garlic Bread
Sunday~Cookout with our small group from church

~~~Food Holidays~~~

This week:

September 1st~National Cherry Popover Day

September 2nd~National Blueberry Popsicle Day

September 3rd~National Welsh Rarebit Day

September 4th~National Macadamia Nut Day

September 5th~National Cheese Pizza Day

September 6th~National Coffee Ice Cream Day

September 7th~National Acorn Squash Day

Next Week:

September 8th~National Date Nut Bread Day
September 9th~Weinerschnitzel Day
September 10th~TV Dinner Day
September 11th~National Hot Cross Bun Day
September 12th~National Chocolate Milkshake Day
September 13th~National Peanut Day, Snack A Pickle Time
September 14th~National Creme Filled Donut Day, Eat A Hoagie Day

Week In Review...8/25-8/31

2008-08-31T22:12:00.003-05:00

Week's Weather~The weather has been pretty nice this week; mostly low 80’s. However, the humidity level has been a touch too high for my comfort level. I am looking forward to the cooler months ahead.

Sunday Sermon~Today we had a pastor from India come speak to our church. He mainly talked about how the money we give has really helped them, and it was very interesting to hear him speak.

Life lessons~It’s good to be a giver!!

Favorite Meal(s)~My favorite meal was the Hamburger Chop Suey with White Rice & Fortune Cookies that we ate on Saturday night. The only problem was the kids weren’t very well behaved at dinner, so the meal could have been much more enjoyable.

Treasured Moment(s)~Meeting Ali’s 1st grade teacher and hearing that Ali is a sweet girl, watching my niece Emma, and playing dolls with Meghan.

Talked With~My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, as well as several of my friends.

Impacting News
· National~Vice President nominations were made this week.
· Personal~I actually stuck to a schedule pretty well this week. That is newsworthy!

Things I Read~I FINALLY finished Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels. It’s not that it wasn’t a good book, because it was, but I just have not been able to find much time to read.

Movies We Watched~Raise Your Voice with Hillary Duff, In Her Shoes with Cameron Diaz, & What Happens In Vegas with Cameron again and Ashton Kutcher

Places We Went~Josh, Meghan & I went to Josh’s preschool orientation, Jeff & I went to meet Ali’s teacher and then out to dinner afterwards, my mom, the kids & I all went to Hobby Lobby, and we also went to church on Sunday. Sunday afternoon/evening Jeff went to the boat, so my mom and I took the kids out to dinner at Logan's and then to WalMart. She also took them for a walk around the neighborhood while I researched PMS stuff.

Budget Savers/Busters~A saver was that I didn’t need many groceries this week. Yahoo!

Blessings~Ali seems to have a wonderful teacher this year, which is such a blessing. Plus, Josh will be starting speech through the public school system soon.

Challenges~Well, I have been on my period this week (since Wednesday), and that has been a HUGE challenge. I have been tired, sore, grouchy, and battling some bowel issues. I hate periods!

Accomplishments~I managed to clean my house this week, as well as keep up with my daily schedule…for the most part.

Family Happenings~My sister-in-law, Abby, had her birthday this week. Happy Birthday, Abs!!

Photos~

Ali took this photo of me & Megs. it is a horrible shot of us, but I had to share since Ali snapped the photo. :-)

How was your week? Tell us all about it here.

The Saturday Special

2008-08-30T08:40:00.002-05:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Words Ending in TER ~ I Say You Answer~

1. CompuTER...A computer can be a blessing because you can keep in touch with others, blog, read fun stuff, and research interesting things. A computer can also be a curse because it can consume all of your time, crash, and just be darn frustrating from time to time.

2. Body of WaTER...I would love to see a very blue body of water with white sand someday!

3. Kitchen DisasTER...I once made the mistake of using baking soda in a dish that called for cornstarch. Talk about a very upset stomach after eating that. Ugh!

4. Letter WriTER...I think it is important to write letters, instead of just sending emails all the time. Letters are far more intimate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Join in on The Saturday Special!

Saturday Photo Hunt~Beautiful

2008-08-30T06:45:00.001-05:00

This isn't just beautiful because it is a rose.
It is beautiful because it was a gift from my husband.
:-)

Click here to see what others think are beautiful or to share your beauty.

What Were You Doing When...

2008-08-29T10:47:00.002-05:00

I found this meme over at tollesons4him's blog, and I thought it was an interesting one. Let me know if you play along too, so I can come check out your answers. :-)

Princess Diana’s death - 31 August 1997~~That was Labor Day weekend, and I had a bit of a break from my college classes, so I drove up to the Chicago 'Burbs to spend time with my family. I remember sitting in my cousin Joe's living room with he and his wife Julie when the news report came on.

Attack on the twin towers - 11 September 2001~~I was student teaching on that day. I remember being grateful that I wasn't the "head" teacher, because I needed some guidance in answering all of the kids' questions. I was also pregnant with baby #1, and I remember thinking that I was crazy for bringing a child into this world. Thankfully I don't still think that way, and I have brought 2 more into this world since then. :-)

Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster January 28, 1986~~I was in 6th grade up in Rhinelander, WI. I remember they let us come home early that day, and I ate grilled cheese and tomato soup. Why do these details stick with us, and yet other more important things escape us??

Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster February 1, 2003~~This one escapes my memory. I don't think I even knew about it until later in the day. At the time I had a 9-month-old baby, so I was probably too wrapped up in my own little world. How sad is that?

The Oklahoma City Bombing April 19, 1995~~I don't have a vivid memory of where I was when I found this one out either. I remember that it happened in the morning, so I was probably either in class or sleeping off a night of partying. Those were college days, and they are a bit blurry...thankfully!

Know & Tell Friday

2008-08-29T09:05:00.004-05:00

1. How far in advance do you start getting ready for back-to-school (whether for your own kids, or for yourself when you were in school)? Generally about the end of July or beginning of August is when I start buying supplies and clothes for the kids. So, about a month in advance.

2. Do you have any picky eaters who need special considerations for lunches? What does a typical bagged lunch look like in your house? This is our first year of even eating lunch at school, since Ali was only in half-day kindergarten last year. I made a deal with Ali that she had to at least eat at school 2 days a week, and she has actually chosen to eat there much more than that. Today is actually her first day of eating lunch at school, and I packed a peanut butter & butter sandwich, string cheese, cheez-its, and cookies. For her drink she has a water bottle flavored with grape kool-aid. She seems pretty excited about it. :-)

3. What school supply items do you skimp on and what are you willing to shell out the big bucks for? We couldn’t really skimp on anything, because the list was brand specific. I was willing to pay more for her lunch bag, because I wanted to be sure it was one that was well insulated. No food poisoning for my baby! Okay, I realize I am a dork….no need to point that out. LOL!

4. Do you get your kids up, or do they get up on their own? Any snooze-hitters that have trouble waking up? How about the opposite, any kids that are up at the crack of dawn? Most mornings Ali is up before 7, but if she isn’t I go in and wake her. If she has gotten to bed at a decent time, we don’t usually have too many problems waking her up. However, if she didn’t sleep well or get to bed early, she can be a real bear in the morning. Now, my son Josh loves to get up early. It is not uncommon for him to be up between 6 and 6:30, but thankfully he respects that mommy still needs a bit of sleep. So, he should be easy when he starts pre-school next week.

5. Any cafeteria horror stories? Is school food as bad as they say? Ali seems to really be enjoying the cafeteria food. The only food she has openly complained about are the french fries, and I think that is because they cook them in the oven and she didn’t have any ketchup.

6. How important is it to you to make sure your kids have the latest styles and trendiest accessories? Okay, I am a sucker! I want my kids, within reason, to be wearing and sporting the latest styles. I want them to have “cool clothes.” I know clothes don’t make a person and they shouldn’t matter, but I just don’t want my kids getting picked on for their appearance. I will do my darndest to not let that happen!

7. Remember the movie Kindergarten Cop? If Arnold Schwarzenegger was your child's new kindergarten teacher, how would you feel? Scared!!! I would want my kids kindergarten teacher to be a kind, soft-spoken, older woman. Ali’s last year was kind, and while she is nearing retirement age she didn’t seem older to me at all. She was wonderful with the kids, and I am so sad that this is her last year at the school, because Josh enters kindergarten next year and will not have her. :-( Anyway, I am sure I would warm up to Arnold eventually, but my first reaction would be a bit fearful. I’d just have to volunteer in the class a whole lot more than usual, so that my fears were put to rest. LOL!

Come on over to Crazyville and join in on the Know & Tell fun!

Food 4 Thought Friday

2008-08-28T22:02:00.000-05:00

Breakfast~If you were given one extra hour everyday - how would you use that time?~~I like to think that I would use that time to spend with Jesus. I am always searching for extra time to pray, read the Bible, do a Bible study, or simple just be in His presence, but I can’t ever seem to find the time. Well, not much anyway.

Lunch~What is your favorite season and why?~~Without a doubt that would be Fall!! I love the changing leaves, cloudier days, beautiful breezes, crisp feel to the air, and the wonderful smell that permeates the air. I also love celebrating Halloween and Thanksgiving. I can’t wait!

Dinner~Are you a tight squeezer, a delicate hugger, a back patter, a hand shaker, or a hands off completely person?~~That definitely depends who I am dealing with. With my family and good friends, I am a tight squeezer. For people I know well but not extremely close with, I am a delicate hugger. For people that I really don’t know well, I am either a hand shaker or a hands off completely. It just depends on how I feel in the given situation.

Midnight Snack~Have you ever gone skinny dipping? If so where?~~I have been skinny dipping several times, but that was back in my late teens and early 20’s. You know, back when I had a decent body!! :-) I did jump off a bridge naked, but I didn’t stick around to actually swim. Don’t worry I wasn’t alone. There was a naked male friend on each side of me. I used to be much wilder back in those days! Thankfully my life has changed tremendously. [Angela, I was not going to post about the bridge, but I remember you telling me that I need to spice up my blog. Plus, we always talk about how I try to be me & real on my blog. Well, I think that spiced it up a bit, and that most definitely is real. ;-) ]

Recipe for this Week (instead of your recipe for life - what is it for just this week?)~~I think this week I have learned that there are some things that our children have to learn & do on their own. We can’t help them with everything. Ali is having a hard time overcoming her shyness at school, but I am learning that she has to do this on her own. I just need to be there to provide her with love and kindness along the way. This is very hard for a mom, because we want to take care of our babies and shelter them from the world.

Join in on the Food 4 Thought Friday fun over at Jodi's blog.

Friday Fill Ins

2008-08-28T20:38:00.003-05:00

1. When I'm sick I'm a big baby that just wants to sleep and be left alone.

2. When I take a walk, I think about the things going on in my life. I don't walk often, but when I do, I use it as a time to pray to God.

3. Money can't buy happiness but it can provide comfort. Let's face it, with money you can have a nice home in a safe neighborhood, a dependable car, warm clothes, delicious food. You can take care of all of your needs with money, as well as most of your wants. That may not provide happiness, but it will provide you with a comfortable life.

4. Cotton makes me feel all cozy and leather makes me think about my dad, because he loved the smell of leather. If he saw a leather store, we would often have to stop in to just have a look around and take in the smell. :-)

5. The strangest person/character I've had lewd thoughts about was __________. I honestly can't think of anybody. I think the word 'lewd' is throwing me off. LOL! The only person that comes to mind is Tyler Florence. I used to tease my husband that he had some competition there, but I don't feel that way anymore. ;-)

6. My favorite color these days is blue because it makes me feel calm and happy. Not to mention it makes my eyes stand out when I wear blue.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to hanging out at home with my family, tomorrow my plans include going grocery shopping and Sunday, I want to go to church and possibly Wildlife Prairie Park!

Who's Your Man?

2008-08-28T07:37:00.004-05:00

I saw this meme over at Annie's blog. I just had to do it. :-)

1. Who is your man?
Jeffrey

2. How long have you been together?
We met in 1997, but we didn't start dating until January of 1999. So, we have been together for 9 years.

3. How long dated?
2-1/2 years

4. How old is your man?
36

5. Who eats more? Sadly, I probably eat more than him, which is why I am as fluffy as I am. ;-)

6. Who said “I love you” first?
I think he did. I remember when he said it, but I don't remember if I ever said it before him. I probably did. I know I was more certain of my feelings than he was.

7. Who is taller?
Him, not by much though… ;-)

8. Who sings better?
I don't really know. He sings pretty good, and while I like to sing, I don't have the best voice in the world.

9. Who is smarter?
I have to say we both have some brains, but we are smarter about different things. He is very smart when it comes to business, but I am pretty smart when it comes to how to take care of a house and family. So, I guess in society's view he is going to be considered smarter. That is just fine by me, because that makes me one smart chick for picking him for my man.

10. Whose temper is worse?
Hands down mine is worse. It takes a lot for him to blow his top, but it doesn't take much at all for me. I hate that about myself.

11. Who does the laundry?
I do...When we got married, he brought 6 loads of laundry to our new home. Six! We got married in June, and there were hunting clothes from the winter before. Slacker!

12. Who takes out the garbage?
I do...mostly.

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
I never know if this means the right side as you look at the bed or the right side as you are laying in the bed. Yes, I am a dork! If you are looking at the bed, he sleeps on the right. Of course, that is when he actually sleeps in the bed. He seems to prefer sleeping in his recliner.

14. Who pays the bills?
I do.

15. Who is better with the computer?
That would be me. Jeff is not much of a technology guy.

16. Who mows the lawn?
Are we supposed to mow that? It hasn't been mowed in about a month, and it will continue to go unmowed until he does it. I just don't do yard work.

17. Who cooks dinner?
I do. Well, if cooking gets done, it gets done by me. There are nights we fend for ourselves, which means ramen noodles or cereal. :-)

18. Who drives when you are together?
He does. Nobody seems to like my driving. LOL!

19. Who pays when you go out?
Jeffrey

20. Who is most stubborn?
That would probably be me.

21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong?
That would also be me.

22. Whose parents do you see the most?

Mine. My mom comes over quite often.

23. Who kissed who first?
It was a mutual thing.

24. Who asked who out?
I just remember saying, "I like you," and he said, "I like you too." The rest is history!

25. Who proposed?
He did...he asked me to be his wife, lover & friend forever. How could you say no to that?

26. Who is the most sensitive?
Me....I am not sure he has feelings. Just kidding! He just doesn't like to show his feelings.

27. Who has more friends?
Me. I have more of a need for that social outlet than Jeff.

28. Who has more siblings?
Technically that would be me, but since mine are half-siblings we should go with him on this one. He is the oldest of three, and he has two sisters.

29. Who wears the pants in the family?
We both wear pants! ;-) I never liked this saying, but I would have to say he "wears the pants in the family." He is the man of the house, and I believe in submitting to him. However, this saying always makes me feel like they are saying someone dictates and bosses the other person around. It is not like that at all!

30. How did you meet?
Through our mutual friend Rob. I stopped by Rob's place to see if he wanted to go do something, but he had company. I left there wondering who the dirty guy was in Rob's recliner. Yup, that dirty guy was Jeff. He worked at a lumber yard back then, and he went to hang out at Rob's after work.

Please Pray For Baby Jake

2008-08-28T07:28:00.002-05:00

Jan's great-nephew is undergoing a kidney transplant surgery. The little guy is only 3-years-old, and he and his family could use our prayers. If you would like an update on his progress, please click here. Thanks everyone! :-)

Thursday 3

2008-08-27T23:48:00.001-05:00

3 Holidays To Celebrate In September

1. 7th~National Grandparents Day...they most definitely deserve to be honored!
2. 19th~International Talk Like A Pirate Day....argh! Me thinks this one is self-explanatory Matey.
3. 22nd~Family Day...a day to eat dinner with your children.

Click here to join in on Thursday 3.

Thursday Thirteen~Letter D

2008-08-27T21:19:00.000-05:00

13 Things About Me (& My Family) Beginning with the Letter 'D.'

1. Dinosaur~I once made a dinosaur cake for my son's birthday. actually it was for his last birthday when he turned 4.

In January it looks like I will either be making him a Spider Man or Power Ranger cake. :-)

2. Dawn~Well, that's my name....Dawn Marie. I have never loved the name Dawn by itself, but I do love it paired with my middle name. I'm odd! Of course, when I think of what they planned to name me, Twila, I feel fortunate. It's not that Twila is a horrible name, but it just doesn't seem to fit me at all. Dawn Marie fits me!

3. December~What isn't to love about this month? Well, besides the unpredictable weather here in the Midwest. LOL! I love everything about Christmas...decorating, baking, buying presents for others, and the feeling of goodwill that is all around. Here are picture of my kids from last Christmas.

4. Decorating Style~I can't really decide what "style" I fit under. I like a little bit of everything, which I guess would make me eclectic, but yet that doesn't seem to define me either. Hmmm?? What a conundrum! According to this quiz, my style is 'Classic Country.' It says..."You take the inspiration for your home from the surrounding countryside. And why not? The country cottage look has been, and continues to be, the epitome of what a family 'home' should stand for: warm, welcoming, cosy and comfortable. There's nothing at all pretentious about this style, just a love of the good, simple pleasures in life." That sounds about right!

5. Dishes~The pattern for our dishes is Naturewood by Pfaltzgraff. I got the majority of our Naturewood stuff as wedding or shower presents, and 7 years later I am still in love with all of it. Here is what it looks like..

6. Drums~Growing up I had to listen to my dad play the drums. He was good. The only problem was they were loud! From the time I was 5 until I was 10 we lived in a very small trailer, and the noise in that small space was horrible. You could hear him playing all the way over at my friend Rita's house (our neighbor), and she lived a good distance away. Now I miss hearing him play those drums. Maybe he will jam for me when I get to heaven.

7. Dessert~I love dessert! Who doesn't? Right now I could go for a slice of Jeff's Grandma's Pecan Pie with a dollop of Cool Whip on top. Yum! I can't wait for Thanksgiving so I can have some.

8. Detective~I love detective (murder mystery) type shows. I am not ashamed to say that I used to watch 'Murder She Wrote' back in the day. :-) Oh, and I used to love the Encyclopedia Brown books when I was a kid.

9. Dreams~I don't know why, but I have had dreams about tornadoes since I was a little kid. I hate these dreams! I wake up in a panic, and I feel as if I actually just survived the darn thing. Thankfully I haven't had one of these dreams in at least a year. Hopefully typing this doesn't cause me to have one.

10. Drafty~Our front door needs to be replaced...or fixed. It is drafty, and in the winter months the howling we hear makes you feel as if you are in a 150 year old log cabin in the northern woods of Wisconsin on a bitter cold winter night. I am not kidding. Just hearing that sound makes me cold. Burrrr!

11. Diapers~I am sick of changing them! Yep, plum sick of it. I haven't had a break from diapers in 6-1/2 years. My best guess is that I probably have a good 9 more months of diaper changing. Of course, if Meghan is as stubborn as her brother and sister were, I am probably looking at closer to 15 more months. Ugh!

12. Dork~I am a self-proclaimed dork. In our home dork is a term of endearment, and I have actually dubbed us "The Dork Family." We are proud to be dorks. ;-)

13. Depression~I have been known to be depressed from time to time, but the worst was when I got Postpartum Depression about two months after I gave birth to Josh. That was the most horrible feeling ever.

Join in on Thursday Thirteen, and don't forget to check back next week when I look at the letter 'E'...it should be excellent! ;-)