12 Whole Years Ago....

...I got hitched to my best buddy.

Lots has changed since then, but one thing for sure hasn't changed.  He's still my best buddy.  He's still the crazy guy I want to spend time with and share things with (as long as that thing isn't a York Peppermint Patty or something...then I'm REALLY SELFISH!!!  =O).  He's still the one I want to be by and the one I want to hold hands with.  He's still the one who's stories I want to hear.  He's still the one who makes me laugh.  He's still the one who's voice I can hear above a crowd.  He's still the one I can tell what he's thinking often without him telling me.  He's still the one who I prefer to do things with.  He's still the one.  I love you, David Karl!!!  Thanks for putting up with me all these years!  Be my hand holding buddy for another 12 years? 

Things I never said before moving to the desert....

Today, I gave Lynnie a little pat and was greeted with a poof of dirt.  She informed me that they had played "dust storm", which I can only assume means coating-your-siblings-very-thoroughly-with-dirt.  So, I had to inform the kids that "dust storm" is probably not a good game to play.  No WONDER I can't seem to get the dirt out of this house!  It blows in through the windows and doors and then the kids carry it in all over their bodies.  I miss clean floors!!!

Isaac's Songs....

Found a scrap piece of paper laying around today on which David had written two of Isaac's original compositions a few weeks ago - at Isaac's request.

"Jesus is like a machine.  He takes away all my sin and He helps me throw them in the deepest ocean."

"Jesus, please turn on the switch.  Please turn on the switch and take away all my sins.  Please turn on your other switch, your number two switch and help me give away all my sins so I can go to heaven."

Isaac still has a love for machines.  And Jesus.  =)

Just a few Kid Quotes....

Yesterday Jadelyn was cuddling/doing "kanastics" (gymnastics) with me.  All the sudden she busted out with something like, "I'm smelling your arms.  Yuck.  I like it!!!!!"  Nice.  Wasn't too long ago she was telling David that he stinks and she likes smelling me better.  Or something.  Crazy Lynnie.

Cut the boys' hair yesterday.  Isaac's wasn't really too long, but David's was looking bad, and I cut 'em at the same time...you know, to cut down on repeating the haircut mess more than I have to.  Was mentioning to Isaac how his hair didn't look too long, but Daddy's did.  "Maybe because he's going bald some", Isaac surmised.  (Something like that).  It's crazy true, but since there's so little hair left on top, for some reason it looks REALLY BAD when the sides grow out so much.  Bless David's sweet balding self.

Okay, need to go paint.  Someday this remodel will end...just not sure WHEN.

Scorpions...

Was reading a book about scorpions to the kids today. We have to get educated on things like that, you know...for safety sake. Near the very beginning I gave a little run down on if they see a scorpion they get away from it and tell me. So, as I'm reading, Jadelyn keeps interrupting with suggestions of what she can do with a scorpion. "I can catch one in a jar and bring it in the house." "No. You need to stay away from the scorpions". "I can chase it and scare it away...." "No, you need to stay away from the scorpions." "I will just touch it with my finger to see how hard it is". "No, you need to stay away from scorpions". "I will wear a glove and make sure it is dead before I touch it." "No, scorpions sleep during the day and you might think it's dead and it's just sleeping. You need to stay away from scorpions". Finally, I had to tell her that if something happens to her, I've done my due diligence trying to save her life. =P    One of the scorpions that can kill a person resides in our area, but the book assures us that nobody in the U.S. has died from a scorpion sting in 30 years (with the help of the antivenom made out of goat's blood and scorpion venom). I'm not sure how much reassurance that really gives me since Jadelyn is determined to check those nasty things out. Tonight at supper she was again talking about how she can catch one in a jar and bring it inside and poke holes in the lid so it can breathe, but she'd wait 'til she was a grown-up to do it. Ruby then piped in, "You can't bring it in the house, 'cause you want to live with Mom when you're a grown-up". And Jadelyn was silent. Miraculous...why didn't I think of that?!?!?!?

Date nights....

So, in the past few months, I've started having a monthly date with a kid.  Tonight's date was my little man.  That kid.  We'd probably only driven 1/4 of a mile from the house when he was exclaiming how "fun" this was.  So easy to please.  We went to the library and sat on the floor in an aisle picking out 24 books.  Yes.  If there hadn't been a limit of 25 there's no telling how many we'd have brought home.  I THOUGHT we picked out 25, but somehow I miscounted.  I'll blame it on the Mommy brain.  ;)  He was so excited to check out his books on his OWN library card.  Though he's had one before.  He just gets excited. 

Then, we left and headed to a little park to eat supper.  It was dark already, so we ate in the van.  He got to eat UP FRONT with me which seems to be the highlight of dates...at least for the girls, so he was excited about doing it, too.  We saw a train go by, which, of course, he loved, and we even got to feel the vibration.  He has REALLY been wanting to know where the sensors are that make the arms go down over the road and the lights blink at the RR crossings.  We thought maybe we saw the light for the sensor so drove down for a look.  Not thinking it was really the sensor, but we'd have to check it out in the daylight sometime. 

Then we went to Family Dollar for him to pick out our dessert.  But first he HAD to show me where Daddy-o buys his deodorant.  And where he gets his foot cream.  And where the girl's got their headbands.  And where they got the Vitamin C.  He was so showing me his turf...I'd never been there before!  Ha.  So, then, we get to the candy aisle and he's talking about what candy he wanted.  He wanted to make sure he got a kind he could share with the girls.  And then he was thinking about getting Twizzlers 'cause they're David's absolute favorite, but he settled on Circus Peanuts instead because we were guessing that those were cheaper per ounce.  And yes, Isaac was asking about that - not those words, but the gist of the idea.  Must have an accountanty father.  Or a nerdy mother.  Or both.  Poor kid doesn't stand a chance.  He thought that the whole Family Dollar thing was such a "special treat".  Once we got out to the van he was second guessing himself and said he should've gotten the Twizzlers. 

Then, when we got home, he said, "I wish we were just walking into the library", since that was the start of our date.  And he wanted to sleep in the van or library or just somewhere special and out.  Crazy kid.  I love you, Isaac Karl.  Thanks for the date!  Love, Mommy

Errand Day...

So, David and I were talking the other day, and realizing that each time we move we get further and further away from civilization (i.e. Wal-Mart).  Battle Creek, Mena THE BOMB DIGGITY (okay, we were probably closer to Wal-Mart in Mena than Battle Creek - I mean, we COULD walk there =O), Cicero, Crab Orchard, Grand Junction, Crab Orchard (okay, those last two were about the same), Arizona land.  Wowzers.  We got ourselves a drive here, Buddy!  =O

So, the kids and I headed off on our big town adventure today.  We got to town at 9:30am, but got lost trying to find Lowe's, which we finally located around 10:10am.  Don't be TOO jealous of my navigating skills, okay?  ;)  Anyways, we were in the fun land of Lowe's (the kids said upon entering, "this is a FUN STORE!!!") for about 3 hours.  And I'm not sure I have exactly what I need to attempt to texture the ceilings in the new house.  Oh.  Did I mention that our abode is a TRASHED MESS?  Yes, indeed.  SO FAR above my skill level.  I have a LOT to learn.  =O  Anyhow.  We got out of Lowe's by 1:11pm.  Yes, I notice these things.  Say 3 letters with me - O.C.D.  There.  We said it.  =P  So, we swung by Panda Express for lunch.  Because A. it was close to Wal-Mart, the next stop, and B. I was being adventurous.  Upon entering, I could not locate what their entrees were on the menu, and I wasn't sure of serving sizes and it looked like it could get expensive to feed the masses.  So we exited.  To be fair, "A" was the main reason we went it.  =O  So, we headed out to find another place.  And located Wendy's.  Tried and true.  I ordered 4 baked potatoes, 4 side salads, 1 large fries, and 1 medium Frosty.  And all but 1/2 or so of one salad and about 1/2 a potato were eaten.  Incredible.  Then we ventured to a VERY LARGE (for small town folks like us) Wal-Mart, which, alas, has no fabric section to be found.   =(  We survived the trip, but by the time we got out to the van at 4:14pm or so (okay, so those times are when I started the van and could check the time, 'cause my watch literally fell off my wrist on some day we were driving out here), I had some tired kids.  TIRED.  They really did well for such a long day.  By the time I looked in the rear view mirror 8 or so minutes later, they were konked right out.  Sweetie Pies. 

And that is the summary of my day.  Except for the couple stories that I got on here to really write about.  Here they are:

Ruby's favorite moment of the day had to be when I let her go potty by HERSELF at Wendy's.  She came out of the restroom with the biggest, CHEESIEST grin on her face, 'cause she did it ALL.BY.HERSELF.  Oh, the simple pleasures.  Cracked me up.

Jadelyn has become a Pharisee.  "Do they sell MEAT here?  I'm glad WE didn't get MEAT." and on and on.  And then, as we were leaving, a sweet 79 year old lady named Pat stopped us on the way out to ask if my Dad's name was Danny, I think.  Nope.  But it DID open the way for Jadelyn to practice more Phariseeisms.  "Why are you wearing earrings and jewelry?  Why do you have the look at mes?  Why do you have 3 rings?" and on and on and on.  Ai yai yai.  I'm glad that Pat's hearing seemed to not be super.  =O  Then at Wal-Mart, we were checking out, so she says to the cashier, "Why did you paint your fingernails like that?"  (Side note, the lady did NOT paint them like that.  She glued 'em on.  ;) )  CHILD, STOP IT!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and one more Jadelyn gem.  Oh, wait.  Two.  As we were driving to town, we were having worship, 'cause we were late like that.  We're in the midst of it, and Jadelyn is like, "remember how our cat died?"  Random.  And then, as we're getting out of the van to go to Wal-Mart she says, "Mom, boogers keep crawling up your nose and you have to pick it out."  I'm assuming she was referring to herself as the "you".  Good grief.

And with that lovely note, I bid you goodnight.  =P