Soli Deo Gloria

Culprit #2- I think (?) it is good that I know how to take apart toilets?

2012-01-30T18:43:00.000-06:00

Playing zoo

2012-01-30T17:49:00.000-06:00

Levi's hands

2012-01-30T17:20:00.000-06:00

2012-01-29T15:29:00.000-06:00

One of the best parts of my day

2012-01-27T22:06:00.001-06:00

Hearing my daughter sing in the shower. I don't dare tell her or it may stop. My blog is safe...twitter and facebook are not.

2012-01-27T20:43:00.000-06:00

One of Mark & Kim's sweet puppies

2012-01-21T23:12:00.000-06:00

Favorite folks

2012-01-21T20:35:00.000-06:00

E pity them to bed

2012-01-19T18:40:00.001-06:00

2012-01-15T17:38:00.000-06:00

He thinks he is wearing Mickey ears

2012-01-11T16:03:00.000-06:00

Abigail's artwork

2012-01-07T12:00:00.000-06:00

I couldn't draw the seaweed.

He likes the hammock

2012-01-01T17:15:00.000-06:00

Boo boo

2012-01-01T08:31:00.000-06:00

Fell yesterday :-(

Twinkies

2011-12-31T09:06:00.000-06:00

Twinkies

2011-12-27T11:04:00.000-06:00

Wasn't sure what I'd get when I held up my phone to take a picture behind me... Noah drinking sprite, Isaac with DS, Abigail texting, and Levi with his fingers in his ear listening to himself make noises...

2011-12-26T14:31:00.001-06:00

Sweet tired boys

Levi

2011-12-26T13:42:00.000-06:00

He told me to get him a blanket, pillow, and to turn out the light. Can you say naptime?

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T09:06:00.000-06:00

2011-12-23T21:42:00.000-06:00

Best friends and their Christmas presents

2011-12-23T21:35:00.000-06:00

2011-12-21T13:55:00.000-06:00

2011-12-20T10:25:00.001-06:00

I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar

2011-12-14T12:52:00.000-06:00

Today, I took apart a toilet, snaked out a fisher price policeman, and put it all back together. All. By. My. Self.
Someone sing me the proud song.

2011-12-13T10:57:00.000-06:00

This just made me smile. I took my class to the computer lab so another teacher could watch them. I had to take Isaac to the Dr (he's fine). They all started out trying to find a computer. It was funny to watch them b/c it forced them to all be apart with the computers around the perimeter of the room. But then a couple turned their chairs around and it was like a magnet pulled the chairs all together. So cute. They are 9th-11th graders and they don't run in the same circles... so it just made me smile that they all wanted to sit together like that.

See why I love this machine?

2011-12-10T17:02:00.000-06:00

special foot that does a rolled hem. You thread the fabric thru the front, it rolls it as is passes, and is then stitched down. Love it.

2011-12-07T08:07:00.000-06:00

2011-12-06T08:25:00.000-06:00

Love this thing

2011-11-30T07:36:00.000-06:00

No plastic parts or computerized functions in this baby

Chandelier

2011-11-29T08:20:00.000-06:00

I'm not a fan of all the brass in this house, but it IS a rental and we DO fit, so I'll not complain :) I'm grateful. But, I have not enjoyed this chandelier. Our tree is overrunning with ornaments. When David and I first started dating, we bought each other CHEAP ornaments for Christmas. That started the tradition of doing so every year... only the next year, there was a diamond ring attached to the ornament :) Our first Christmas, we couldn't afford ornaments for the tree. I cross stitched one as a gift for him and bought a box of mini ornaments figuring having a lot was better than having big ones. The tree was pitiful. We passed the tradition onto our kids, buying them an ornament every year. I want them to have a box of decent ornaments for their first tree... something with memories attached. Last year I bought each of them a "USA" themed nutcracker b/c it was the year David entered politics.

But back to the chandelier... due to the abundance of ornaments that comes along with buying them every year for ourselves and 5 children... some get put on the dining room light fixture. I think it improves this one so much that I just might have to find some clear balls to hang on it year round...
((will change the stuff under it... want to get a white poinsettia))

Nativity

2011-11-27T07:33:00.001-06:00

I'm loving this little $7 nativity from Oriental Trading.

She likes it

2011-11-26T21:26:00.000-06:00

2011-11-26T19:54:00.000-06:00

One more pic :-)

2011-11-26T19:35:00.001-06:00

2011-11-26T19:29:00.001-06:00

Better pic

2011-11-26T17:56:00.000-06:00

Will redo once I get chalk paint pens

2011-11-26T16:50:00.001-06:00

2011-11-26T16:49:00.000-06:00

2011-11-26T16:47:00.001-06:00

My best friend's son and Isaac

2011-11-26T16:00:00.000-06:00

My eclectic tree

2011-11-26T14:56:00.000-06:00

2011-11-25T12:43:00.001-06:00

Noah's Diary of a Wimpy Kid book

2011-11-25T12:42:00.000-06:00

The blonde is gone

2011-11-23T19:15:00.000-06:00

He thinks he looks like a cowboy....

2011-11-20T09:05:00.000-06:00

Someone wanted to sleep in the toddler bed

2011-11-10T22:54:00.001-06:00

And he went right out!

2011-11-08T08:47:00.000-06:00

Watching Wizard of Oz, David & Noah watching football upstairs

2011-11-06T19:28:00.000-06:00

2011-11-03T08:12:00.000-05:00

sorry it is upside down :( He was so proud of his "toast in a basket" that he carried to the bedroom to show me. Then he saw the basket was broken and said he'd kiss it.

2011-11-02T16:59:00.000-05:00

LOVE how the choir shirts turned out. Same design as last year's but on a heather navy and 2 colored instead of just one. The "Arkansas Baptist Choir" was open... like the clef... in last year's shirt.

Spiderman

2011-11-02T16:27:00.001-05:00

2011-10-30T16:52:00.000-05:00

Note to self

2011-10-30T16:11:00.000-05:00

Do not let two yr old out of sight when drying blankie

2011-10-30T12:26:00.001-05:00

2011-10-21T08:16:00.000-05:00

He set these up like this himself

Guess who is two today?

2011-10-13T07:44:00.000-05:00

2011-10-11T07:16:00.001-05:00

excuse typos-typed with swype

2011-10-02T16:44:00.000-05:00

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2011-10-01T14:41:00.000-05:00

Tossing all the ol accompaniment tracks

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2011-10-01T14:39:00.001-05:00

I think Christmas is about baby Jesus dying on the cross. -Abigail, age 5

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2011-10-01T10:21:00.001-05:00

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Say cheese

2011-10-01T08:50:00.000-05:00

Say cheese

Happy E

2011-10-01T08:46:00.000-05:00

Happy E

2011-09-25T14:00:00.001-05:00

Sheldon

2011-09-11T11:17:00.001-05:00

This one did a little better... except it looks like just a regular ol braid

2011-09-09T07:09:00.000-05:00

2011-09-07T15:13:00.000-05:00

Banana and a haircut

Hamburgers

2011-09-06T15:46:00.003-05:00

I was looking for a post that had this already typed up so I could "pin" it but couldn't find it... so I figured I'd best share how I make burgers so you all could be enlightened.

I buy one of those big 5 lb "sausage" packs and slice it right thru the plastic sleeve. There are usually lines on the package. I cut about every other line to make big thick burgers and remove the plastic ring.

I sprinkle it with some kind of seasoning. I'm not married to any particular kind. I've used Old Bay, Emeril's, and combinations of my own. Whatever I have.

I use a charcoal grill. Can't get the same flavor out of a gas grill... but whatever you have, get it hot. It needs to sizzle.

Put the patties on the grill and leave them alone. Flip them til they are cooked halfway through. They will be firm when you flip them. If they want to fall apart when you start to flip... they aren't cooked enough.

It is best to flip them once. Cook all the way through... and don't smoosh them! There shouldn't be much give when they are cooked. If they squoosh in the middle, they aren't done. Takes about 5 minutes, but I've never been very good at timing... probably b/c I use charcoal and the temp isn't consistent :)

I take one off and cut it in half to be sure it is done... I split them for the little ones anyway.

And that's that. Saves a ton of time by not having to make patties.

2011-09-05T17:31:00.000-05:00

What's for dinner?

2011-08-30T15:35:00.001-05:00

finding quick things to make for dinner during this "rush home and rush out" phase of life isn't easy, but the above is a real pleaser... and cheap. A pound of lean meat (so you don't have to drain it) cooked in a bit of water (breaks apart better if cooked in water), can of drained kidney beans (optional, but good for you and cheap), can of rotel (juice and all), and about 1/4c of taco seasoning... more or less depending on your fam's taste buds :)
the rest is rather obvious... put on tortilla with cheese and roll it up. Less mess than tacos, NO CHOPPING :/ and since I'm having to leave the house picture perfect 24/7... it works for me!

2011-08-28T15:52:00.000-05:00

6 earrings, 6 necklaces, 1 bracelet, 3 hair things, 1 clutch, 1 dress $38 with tax!

LRFBC 11 am today

2011-08-28T10:27:00.001-05:00

The new Connection Point Service at LRFBC

11am every week.

excuse typos-typed with swype

2011-08-27T19:21:00.001-05:00

Picture day

2011-08-27T19:19:00.001-05:00

My boys

He got them all by himself....

2011-08-27T17:59:00.002-05:00

Levi's new favorite character is Micky. He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. LOVES And he only wants to wear Mickey shirts. Thank goodness Walmart had several on clearance. Notice the one he's wearing above... it was Mickey shirt #1 he found at Target. Had to find more b/c he only wanted to wear that shirt... never wanted to take it off!

He saw these guys at Target. He was so cute lining them all up talking to them.

2011-08-27T07:52:00.002-05:00

Never too early for play dough...but next time I make it I'm gonna have coffee first!

I've tried a couple home made types... but so far they are either too sticky or too crumbly :/ I'd stick to the store bought kind except I seem to forget to buy it and run out. Elijah LOVES play doh.

Out!

2011-08-26T15:06:00.001-05:00

But has to wake up cuz mama has a meeting :(

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Is it a masterpiece? No, but free and fits the bill works for me.

2011-08-20T16:39:00.001-05:00

Whew!

2011-08-16T18:05:00.003-05:00

I've had whirlwind weeks before, but the past couple of weeks have been all out hurricanes. One right after another. Right after finding out we have to move, in service started. Which means I get to be a full time employee for a week even though I get part time pay. It is one of the not-so-fun aspects of my job. I hate it. But on top of the usual "I hate this" I had to leave my house spotless every day just in case it showed. Which, by the way, it didn't. Still hasn't. Try getting all 7 people out of a house at 7:30am and not leaving any part of a trail behind. Makes for one crazy mama. And I do mean crazy. I thought I'd lose it on several occasions. The evenings were spent painting clearing stuff out, painting, packing some things, painting, organizing, and painting. And I'm still painting. Every time I turn around I see something that needs to be touched up... and I may have already touched it up, it just has another pencil drawing on it to paint over... It is SUCH a fun time to be trying to sell a house. OH MY

Did I mention it hasn't shown? Not. once. So depressing. Realtor open house tomorrow, I'm hoping that will help. If not, THEN I will *start* to stress a bit. Until then, I'm ok. The stress is from it having to be perfect all the time, not from worry about whether or not it will sell in time.

School is good. My classes are great. We sang a ridiculously difficult piece on day one in advanced choir. My seniors had done it when they were in the 9th grade and remembered it well. Love the piece. We'll sing it at this year's Madrigal Dinner. Intermediate is doing wonderfully well too. There is talent I am excited about. I wasn't sure what I'd have after my seniors graduate, grateful that there are going to be kids able to fill some seriously large shoes.

The other massive change is Levi's care. It ended up not working out to keep him at church like last year. I would have ended up paying twice the cost of full time care for part time care. Just couldn't do it. It was GREAT care, but financially, can't do it.

Took Levi to his new school yesterday. I walked out of there feeling awful. He of course cried. I felt so bad leaving him with complete strangers. I vowed to give him a week and if it was still bad, I'd somehow make it work at church. But, he'd stopped crying before I'd finished turning in all his paperwork. Thank goodness. It was hard to get through the day as it was... I am so glad I didn't have to walk out with him still crying!!! I don't know that I would have been able to. He cried today too, but I expect that. He cries sometimes when I leave him at church . He cries when I leave him at home with family too... anything that isn't me can make him cry... but he always stops quickly.

SO, I think he'll be ok. I don't like it as much, but when we move, it will be easier on me. It will be closer to where we will live. I was going to have to drive 10-15 min to church, then come right back down toward our house to go to school. His new place will be a couple minutes away and on the way to school. That will be nice. I drop him off and he gets to go outside to play. He LOVES to play outside. He comes in for lessons and then lunch... then he naps, and i pick him up soon after waking up. Always hard on a mama, but at least he is older now and does enjoy other kids. Not like it would have been this time last year when he wouldn't have cared diddly about other kids. I'm grateful for the year he had at church with "Ms Mona." And he still sees her when he is at church on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Huah

2011-08-07T15:42:00.001-05:00

In the words of John Brummett

2011-07-26T21:58:00.001-05:00

I never seem to explain things right, so I'm going to let John Brummett do the talking for me. This is his Sunday column and explains things a bit on why we are moving.

Former columnist zapped from on-high

Posted on 24 July 2011

By John Brummett

It seems that state Rep. David Sanders of Little Rock may have written one column too many in his days as a pundit here at our Arkansas News Bureau.

You remember those happy times when the dapper David was alleged to be the conservative counterpart to my perfectly moderate self.

Here’s the one-two-three-four of what seems to have happened to Sanders, the quintessential Republibaptist, now a citizen politician whose day job is raising money for the private school at the First Baptist Church in Little Rock.

1. Through a strange set of circumstances, Sanders got out of the column business and into direct electoral politics. He got himself elected to the state House of Representatives in the tea party tidal wave last year, representing a district extending from west Little Rock into Saline County and Hot Springs Village.

2. The decennial U.S. Census required the state Board of Apportionment to redraw legislative districts this year for the next election cycle, and that board consists of Gov. Mike Beebe, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel and an outnumbered and irrelevant Republican, Secretary of State Mark Martin.

3. That is to say that a confluence of factors provided that Sanders’ district would get redrawn by two people, Beebe and McDaniel, about whom, in his column days, he had written essays that were personal and, I can tell you, resented by the subjects.

One suggested that Beebe’s boy got a shale-drilling job because of the gubernatorial connection. Another called into question the forthrightness of McDaniel’s running for attorney general and, soon after getting elected, divorcing his wife.

Let me tell you about politicians generally: They do not like criticism, period, but they especially don’t like it when it extends to their personal family lives.

It’s as if I were in the Legislature and, oh, Tim Hutchinson got to redraw my district. He’d draw a straight line from my house to Harrison and over to Bella Vista.

4. Beebe and McDaniel unveiled a House redistricting plan last week that dips into Sanders’ existing district to extract his house and immediate neighborhood and jerk them into a new district that is majority black, thus Democratic and thus not naturally amenable to your every-day Republibaptist with tea party inclinations.

“What do you think?” Sanders replied when I asked him if he thought this was personal.

I think I answered that in my one-two-three-four.

Sanders doesn’t want to blame those personal columns. He wants to cite his arch-conservative legislative record, including his vocal opposition to early versions of Beebe’s prison reform bill that led to a little public set-to between Sanders and the governor, and the governor’s press secretary, near the Capitol tunnel.

Sanders is — how shall I put this? — the kind of guy who can draw attention to himself and get under one’s skin, even, over the years, mine a time or two, though not lately.

For example: It’s not enough for Sanders to be an arch-conservative Republican. He has to go and pen a public letter pleading with that odd Texas governor, Rick Perry, to run for president, and then get a bunch of his kook caucus colleagues to sign it.

In the end Sanders will be merely inconvenienced, not undone, by this personal slight from on high.

He has a family of seven in a house comfortable for a family of five, and he was figuring to move anyway. He can relocate by a mile and be snugly back in his safely Republican district. He intends to do that.

Beebe and McDaniel did much this same thing to state Sen. Jason Rapert, Republican of Bigelow, and, oddly, some kind of distant relative of Sanders.

Rapert’s neighborhood got jerked over into a Conway-based Senate district. But he can win there, most likely, or he can take an apartment in western Little Rock, a part of his original district, and get re-elected.

How do I adjudge this personal redistricting by Beebe and McDaniel?

It’s tacky, yes, but all they accomplished was to expedite one guy’s move and cause another guy to think about moving as one of two viable options.

Sanders’ kids will appreciate the additional space.

2011-07-25T18:58:00.001-05:00

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Where'd he go?

2011-07-25T18:57:00.001-05:00

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Walmart cart ride

2011-07-25T18:56:00.000-05:00

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Vacation

2011-07-19T22:43:00.003-05:00

The Go-Gos song rings thru my head whenever I hear the word "vacation" even though the song has nothing to do with the Destin beach kind that we so enjoyed. We've never gone on a REAL vacation since having kids. We've taken the kids to Branson a couple of times, and we all went to Greensboro NC as SBC messengers the summer we celebrated 10 years of marriage. That's it. We had Disney on the horizon 5 years ago, but then came Elijah and that all changed... and then Levi too. Then David ran for office. It just wasn't possible. We finally did it and I am so glad.

We had the best time.

We left at 6am. Got there about 6pm. We were making great time. The drive was going extremely well. I was thinking "why don't we do this more often?" but then toward the end of the drive, right when there was no place to turn into... Levi explodes. His diaper had worked its way into a wedgie so that the elastic was right between his cheeks. There was no hope. Abigail being the oldest of 5 who sat between Levi and Elijah in the way back, calmly said "there is poop on my leg. Levi exploded." She didn't freak out at all. I climbed back there and did the best I could with a package of wipes. But OH MY. It was not enjoyable! We finally made it to the Florida welcome center and everyone felt the need to get cleaned up whether contact was made or not!

Traffic hit us the closer we got, but we were able to avoid most of it by following David's gut. The mid-bay bridge was jammed full, that was the big wait, right when the kids were going crazy wanting to be there. But even with all that... it really wasn't bad. Of course, I brought throwback headphones that blocked out most noise and listened to "The Help" through much of it. If you need an audio book... that one is awesome. The accents the characters had were absolutely perfect. I read that in the book the white ladies don't have a "written" accent like the black ladies do, but in the listening one... they very much have SU thuhn accents. Great great book. Highly recommend!

We got there early enough to throw our suits on and hit the beach. The condo was right on the beach. Elijah was timid. Levi liked to stand on the chairs that we put at the edge. he liked the water to come up on his toes. He would go out without complaint, but he didn't love it. Elijah really didn't want to have much to do with the water. He'd play in the sand and ask to go to the pool. The older three loved it. They boogie boarded and acted like fish thru all that seaweed that wigged me out a bit. The water apparently is filled with seaweed in July. Didn't bother the kids one bit. I still went out (and once you got past the seaweed stuck in the surf, it was clear) and boogie boarded as much as I could, but Levi didn't like it when I left him.

Ron and Kathy came down Monday night through Friday morning. Levi was more tolerant of me leaving him when Papa was there. I got to play more then :) David and I also went to Stinky's all by ourselves one night. That was nice. We usually grilled there at the condo.

It was a great week. I had to clean the place the last day there. I didn't love that. I suppose we did that to save money, I don't know b/c I didn't handle that part. David rented it thru a friend who owns it. I didn't think I'd mind cleaning, but it pretty much sucked up the last day for me, then we had to go out to eat b/c I didn't want to mess the place up. I went out to the beach in the morning, then came in and cleaned the rest of the day. I didn't let anyone go back out in the afternoon like they did all the other days b/c they had to shower after that morning and then not again or I wouldn't be able to clean it. Elijah finally decided he liked the water the last day! We actually took him out in it that morning b/c he threw sand on Levi. I took Levi out to get cleaned up and told David he should take Elijah out too in order to teach him not to do it. He didn't like going at first, but then he loved it! stinker And it was right when I was going in to clean so I missed most of it!

Had to change the sheets before leaving... and when you leave at 6am, that is quite the chore. SO, I know I will never do THAT again no matter how much it saves!

In spite of that, we had a great time. It was nice to get away and not think about redistricting for a week. Maps came out today, but THAT is a separate post :)

2011-07-10T13:28:00.000-05:00

Sittin on the balcony eating my lunch

2011-07-07T15:58:00.001-05:00

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Lake Ouachita 4th of July

2011-07-05T14:24:00.003-05:00

We had so much fun at the lake yesterday! When David told me a fellow state rep (Bruce Westerman) invited us to spend the day with their fam at the lake, then their house for dinner, then fireworks that night... I thought they were crazy. No one invites us to spend a FULL DAY with them. I mean, there are SEVEN of us. And for most folks, that is a lot to take on. But when David said they had 4 kids of their own, I thought "well, they know what they are in for..." and then he said they had a 15 year old boy, 12 year old girl, 10 year old boy, and 9 year old boy. Not positive I got all those ages *exactly* right, but three of their kids matched my older three: it would be fun for them and I figured I could deal. To my surprise, it was a fairly relaxing day. We beached at a little area that E swam in like a fish. He's yet to do that. He's fairly scared when we're at the pool. Will not go in alone and fights going in with someone... wearing a lifejacket. He was convinced there were sharks in the lake and even said he would die at the lake. Did not want to go. Levi doesn't like the kiddie pool. Not even the one in our backyard. And then there is napping...

BUT

Elijah swam all over the place (in a lifejacket of course). By himself. Happy as a lark swimming along the shore. Didn't care to go in the boat. I'm sure he would have but since he was having so much fun, I figured we'd not chance it... and there were plenty of kids wanting to go in the boat. Levi LOVED the boat. He even fell asleep riding around in it. So the older three tubed. David was on the boat most of the time with Levi. Levi was in the water with me some, but was great. We had wonderful grilled burgers. They both fell asleep when riding back to their house. The tough time came when they woke up before dinner (shishkabobs and twice baked potatoes- my fave) and then waiting to leave for fireworks. It wasn't too bad though.

We left for the Balboa fireworks early hoping they'd fall asleep again... but nope. They were fine though. Levi didn't love them, but didnt' cry. He'd clap for them when everyone else did, but he still wasn't so sure he should be excited about it. Elijah loved them... and of course the others did too.

Didn't get home til after 11. Levi didn't fall asleep in the car either... but unlike last year... didn't cry at all. He watched Hi-5 DVDs with tired eyes.

I told David on the way home how much fun I had and how surprised I was it went as well as it did. But I told him the TRUE test of how well it went was what THEY thought. Ha And unfortunately, an extended invitation to our house would not be nearly as exciting. They have a boat, lake, and live out in the country with cows and chickens. We have a house with a small yard and an 18 inch plastic kiddie pool.

one more lake pic

This pic was taken the night before at David's parents house.

Ain't she purty?

David's brother and fam came up for the weekend. They stayed with us Saturday night and his parents Sunday night. Always good to have them here. Just wish they lived here!

Sunday David and I sang a song I'd never heard but liked. I didn't like it at first... but it grew on me :) Our friend videoed on his iphone. Not my best... totally oversang the congregational songs before this one :)

2011-07-02T10:43:00.001-05:00

Finished bathroom! I put the cabinet together and hung it on a 1x2 that I screwed into a stud... all by my lonesome. Yey me.

excuse typos-typed with swype

New Bathroom pics coming soon...

2011-07-02T07:46:00.004-05:00

I want to paint just about every room in this house. I love the Rainwashed color we used when we painted the kitchen/family room/hall a few years ago. If we were to ever move, I would use that color again. This blog post has some great pictures of it: http://www.houseofturquoise.com/2010/05/beloved-rainwashed.html

The kitchen was red (family room and hall were a light yellow). Sherwin Williams Red Bay to be exact. It's a great red. But I was tired of it. The bathroom was also red. I have always wanted a gray bathroom. Not my house... but this is Red Bay.

I started painting the downstairs bath a few weeks ago. . I'd gotten a free quart from Glidden years ago but haven't had time to attempt to paint. Things are finally starting to calm down a bit so I thought I'd give it a shot. I hated the color. It was supposed to be dark gray, but it looked almost navy blue for some reason. My mom painted her bathroom a lighter gray and had some paint leftover so I tried that. Love it. Got it done quickly with Abigail's help. Still have to hang the cabinet. Will post a pic once that is done.

The dining room is still red. We were able to choose 4 colors when we built and they were Red Bay, Relaxed Khaki (our room, office, downstairs bedroom, upstairs hall), Cucumber (kids rooms)... and I don't remember the light yellow I had in the family room/hall and still have in the kids bathroom.

I want to paint the dining room a color like this:

Our floors are dark wood like in the pic. I also like this:

SW Tea Light

Then the office and back bedroom... and then upstairs. Maybe in 5 years I can have it all done and I'll be ready to start again...

2011-07-01T21:18:00.001-05:00

I wore this dress when I made top 10 at Miss Arkansas... 1996. I got married 6 weeks later. I can't believe Abigail is big enough to wear it, and I can't believe I was ever that skinny.

Mr Big Head

2011-07-01T19:22:00.001-05:00

Top of the chart for head circumference. Just like his dad. Ha

All Region Music

2011-07-01T09:07:00.005-05:00

Disclaimer: Posting info here for my students... everyone else... SKIP

I won't have the music til August, but here are the titles.

Junior High auditions are Oct 22. Click on the title to hear an example. All are choral examples except for Esurientes... couldn't find a choir singing that one.

The Cloths of Heaven (SATB, Stroope, Colla Voce, $1.65)  The Elm Tree (SSA, Rentz, Carl Fischer, $1.80)  Esurientes Implevit Bonis (SA, Vivaldi / ed. Stultz, MorningStar, $1.70)  Jubilance (SATB, Spevacek, Hal Leonard, $1.80)  Softly As I Leave You (TTBB, de Vita / Shaper, arr. Simmons, Alan Simmons, $2.00)  Swell the Full Chorus (SATB, Handel / arr. Leavitt, Hal Leonard, $1.80)

High School auditions are Oct 29. Found an example from the 1989 Arkansas All State Choir for one of them. Seniors, you'll recognize the last one :)

Ascribe to the Lord (Common Region, SSAA, Powell, Hal Leonard, $2.25)  Music, Spread Thy Voice Around (Common Region, SSATB, Handel / ed. Herrmann, Hal Leonard, $1.80)  O Clap Your Hands (Common Region, SAATB, Rutter, Oxford, $1.95) Zion's Walls (Common Region, TTBB, Copland / arr. Koponen, Hal Leonard, $2.50)  Os Justi (SSAA, Daley, Alliance, 1.60)  Ubi Caritas (SATB, Gjeilo, Hal Leonard, $1.90)

And here is y'all singing it in 9th grade:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBKb3qYU6-c  There is that one chord that we never could get...

You'll be able to pick up music/CDs August 5. Downloading good examples on your ipod/phone now wouldn't be a bad idea though. Get a head start :)

Asleep at the Bar

2011-06-29T12:58:00.001-05:00

I've been pushing his nap as late in the day as possible. It makes him less grumpy when he's forced to be out in the morning and unable to nap. It also makes my life easier if all the kiddos can eat lunch at the same time.

excuse typos-typed with swype

Brotherly Love

2011-06-23T18:39:00.001-05:00

Playing in the pool

Got this sweet pic as they were coming in.

Sent from my Samsung Captivate(tm) on AT&T

New Orleans

2011-06-23T09:03:00.001-05:00

David received an impromptu invitation to speak at the Republican Leadership Conference. Did he do well, or what?

Thanks to the extended warranty....new tv. Other one blew.

2011-06-22T21:29:00.002-05:00

Our TV blew out about 2 weeks ago. One night David was watching it after we'd all gone to bed and it popped. Poof. No TV. We had the extended warranty so we weren't too worried. The Geek Squad came out and determined the screen was cracked (we didn't know, very hard to see the crack) and said that that voided the warranty b/c cracks are caused by impacts. We are feeling very "had" at this point. David insisted there was no impact and wanted to talk to someone else. Dude said he'd write it up as cracked screen-no impact... but he didn't. He wrote it up as impact. The crack started at the edge, behind the frame of the TV. As you can see, it is up above our fireplace. There is no Wii hooked up... no remotes to accidentally go flying... nothing hit the TV. It made a big "boom/pop" kind of sound, and that was that.

David talked to several more people. Called Panasonic... who was helpful, but what did they have to lose? It wasn't their warranty. Finally got somewhere with Best Buy after the Panasonic people told him they could tell if crack was caused by impact if they took the TV apart and looked... so David pushed for that. They eventually decided it wasn't worth the effort and replaced the TV with a comparable model.

And yey for me, I like the comparable model much better. I hate having a massive TV. Only agreed to the first one b/c we got such a good deal. This one looks slightly less obnoxious with the smaller frame and since it is thinner, it is closer to the wall.

2011-06-21T19:34:00.000-05:00

Sent from my Samsung Captivate(tm) on AT&T

2011-06-21T19:29:00.001-05:00

Sent from my Samsung Captivate(tm) on AT&T

2011-06-21T19:28:00.001-05:00

Someone is happy to have his sissy home