Monday, June 30, 2008

We're not in Kansas anymore...

Not a lot of time but I needed to post something so...we had a great time in Kansas. Met lots of family, added a niece and a sister-in-law after a sweet wedding ceremony, DID NOT see a tornado but DID see some nasty storms in the distance (speaking of distance...Kansas is the flattest place I've ever seen. We could see towns that were more that 8 miles away...really!), played in a creek, rode a few horses, saw combines cutting fields of wheat, met REAL cowboys, and enjoyed the slower pace of life in the country. It was a great trip! Everyone...even our "city"fied kids had a ton of fun. Here is a picture of my kids on the plains of Kansas.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Just turn your chair around!

I have a new motto..."just turn your chair around!" Wonder where it came from? Well...my friend and I were at her neighborhood pool on one of the 1st days of summer. My son, is 14 and her's is 12...but Harrison is much bigger than her little guy and for those of you who have younger kids the rough-housing in the pool can be extreme and loud! Well, this particular day...I couldn't take it and I kept say, "stop, leave him alone, don't splash him in the face, (you can add your own direct order that WILL NOT get followed here)" As the frustration was mounting...Beth very calmly said..."I think you need to turn your chair around!"



Well...it really stuck with me. Life is all about perspective, right? And sometimes we "just NEED to turn our chairs around." So today...when the stress is too much...just turn your chair around!"



Many blessings.



(pretend that there is a picture of a chair turned around on my deck and I am in it!)--I haven't figured out the picture posting yet!

Friday, June 13, 2008

What size do I wear?!?!?

This morning while folding another load of laundry I came across a very small shirt. For many of you this is really no big deal because you have small kids...well, my kids are 17, 14, and 13 (and all past the 1/2 way point to the next age...which I'd rather not talk about!) So back to this little shirt. I begin folding this little shirt (have I said little yet?) and was really taken aback by the size...to the point that I went and got a tape measure--oh yes, and you should know that it was a size MEDIUM, a medium in the junior department not the kids! At the bust...the shirt measured 14"; at the narrowest part of the waist 12"; and from the top of the shoulder to the bottom of the shirt a mere 20". If that is a MEDIUM...I don't think I want to know "what size I wear?!?" Just a thought!

PS- no wonder kids think that they are fat!

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Get up out my grill...yo!

Well...my more than monthly post. It has been almost 2 months and I was told for the 2 people that check this blog that it is annoying checking a blog that is never updated so...here you go.

This past Saturday my son, step-daughter, and I headed out to where...the ballfield of course for a tournament game. As we were leaving the neighborhood I noticed what looked like a pretty long snake in the road. I did what any good boy mom would do...I turned around to get a better look. We stopped the car...and of course kept the doors closed for safety but got nice and close to the 3-4 foot long black snake. (it wasn't poisious and I know because I got a nice close look at his head) Well...the snake began to slither under the car so I told Harrison to go back to his side and tell me when the snake came out the other side. I hate running over animals and the thought of snake guts in my tires freaks me out. Well...Mr. Snake never came out the other side...so I prepared myself for the squish and pulled forward to turn back around and head to the ball field. I even lifted my feet as I drove over him. We got turned around and there was no snake. I thought...man that is a fast snake and then I thought--OH NO! He's under my car. Which by the way, my dad said could never happen. So after screams from all of us and laughing we were on our way because I snake can't get stuck under your car, right. As we continue driving Harrison says, "wouldn't it be cool if the snake slithered up the windshield?" To which I answered, "NO! I would wreck the car." A few more miles...I finally shook the he-be-ge-bes! What should slither out of my grill onto the hood of my car---YEP! Snakes can get under your car and go for a ride. I started screaming, crying, laughing, kicking my feet, shaking my hands, and did I mention screaming. A black snake flapping/slithering in the wind on the hood of my car! Finally after lots of screams (and a few gags--really!) the g-force wind took Mr. Snake on the flight of his life. It was crazy...I still can't believe that it happened.

To make matters worse...I went to my mom's tonight and what was sitting by her car when I pulled up? You guessed it...another snake...this one, black and white--still with a skinny head. I still moved in close to look at him. Kind of like the horror films when the girl always goes outside when she hears something and the scary music starts. Yep...that was me with this snake. I watched him slither under my mom's car and we never saw him again. Maybe mom will experience the snake ride tomorrow?!? "Get up out her grill-yo!"

Now for the spiritual twist to the snake ride...obviously snakes in the bible are pictures of Satan, sin, etc. In life I am going to stumble upon sin. I'm human, it happens. I can be going on my normal path, doing the right things, and there it is. But I have a choice, I can pass it by or I can stop...stoop down...really get a nice good look...then leave. But the problem is...I spent too much time with the sin. I needed to flee and because I didn't flee...it will rear it's ugly head again. Just like the snake...and when it does--being level headed and making wise decisions definatley becomes blurred and emotions will get the best of you. So...watch for snakes in your road!

That really is what I thought as I praised the Lord when Mr. Snake went flying. Can you tell I minister to teenagers??