tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73307827335650940852024-03-13T13:18:13.332-04:00Faith.Love & InsanityA Day In The Life of Michelle . Leo. Madison . Caden . Alanna . Molly . CainMichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.comBlogger149125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-48213110524486052672013-10-11T20:38:00.000-04:002013-10-11T20:38:32.734-04:00The Yell Jar and Consequence Jar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I will be the first to admit, I am not perfect. I know you're shocked, but it's true. In fact I often regret some of my parenting choices. The main one is yelling. I yell....a lot. That's just what I do, when the kids are not listening...I yell. When the kids push my last button...I yell. When Leo doesn't take out the trash...I yell. I know, I know. I'm not proud of it, but I do it.<br />
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It's one of those things that I want to change but always fall back into the habit. And of course since I yell, the kids yell. Madison has become pretty bad with it and I have decided we needed a redo. So I have decided to start a yell jar, it's sort of like a swear jar but for yelling. If we scream or yell we have to put a quarter in it. That goes for Leo and I as well as the kids. I chose a quarter because the kids don't really get an allowance yet. Realizing that they don't always have a quarter, they can choose a slip of paper from the Consequence Jar instead. They have to fulfill whatever they choose like clean your room, clean your siblings room, wipe down the counters and table, sweep the floor, ect. I color coded them for each child because obviously there are things that Madison can do that Alanna cannot, so I made each of them age appropriate. So far we have $.75 in the yell jar, this will also be a good way to save up some money too! *Fingers crossed* this will help out with a decimal level around here. I guess we will find out soon!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-58555980171052751122013-10-07T20:13:00.000-04:002013-10-11T20:21:24.037-04:00Happy Birthday Madison!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I became a mommy for the very first time 9 years ago today. We celebrated her party with a sleepover, which I swore the last time I would never do again, but it wasn't so bad. We had a "Royal Sleepover." Everything was pink and girly and the girls had a blast, even if they didn't go to bed until 4am. Needless to say, I wasn't very pleasant the next day from my lack of sleep. But she had a great night so I guess it was worth it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the beautiful birthday girl!!</td></tr>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-31810377373695666342013-09-22T19:54:00.001-04:002013-09-22T19:54:11.665-04:00Embarking On A New Journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When Alanna started school this year I decided it was time for me to go back to work. After considering my options I decided to go with a passion instead of a job. This weekend I attended a Doula Training workshop. It was crazy long days but it was simply amazing!<br />
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On our first day I went in completely clueless as to what I was about to learn. I saw a bunch of "hippie" chicks who were all about natural home births. Coming from where I am, I was immediately defensive. Having 3 cesarean births, I felt judged. How dare she, ya know? Boy was I wrong. Of course it was all in my head and I let my junk (that I didn't even know I had) get in the way. However I learned a lot. It was all about the basics of childbirth and an intro into the Doula world. It was such a long day I came home with a complete brain overload, completely self conscious that people didn't like me, and crashed. I was exhausted.<br />
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Saturday I had to get up at 5:30 to be there by 7:30, but I was so excited about digging into the Doula stuff that I didn't care. After about half the day learning techniques and positions and exploring situations, we got into the reality of it. We talked about the emotional side of childbirth and really that's what it's all about. Loving on the mothers and helping them to bring this miracle into the world. It didn't matter how and there was no judgement. It was amazing and so therapeutic. I left late and cried all the way home and I had no idea why.<br />
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Today was super emotional and I think today is really what tied us all up together. We were in a safe place. We could share our grief and experiences and we connected on a deeper level. We embraced each others differences and experiences, we learned about about each other. It was amazing. I feel like I've grown as a person, as a woman, and as mother. I learned so much about myself and about caring for others. It's more then just assisting a birth, it's about loving people. I really feel like not only did I learn about a really terrific program that I am looking forward to turning into a career, but I gained an entire support group of really amazing women!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-41204466356765611442013-08-29T23:19:00.001-04:002013-08-29T23:54:25.479-04:00Alanna Goes To School<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The time has come for my sweet little baby to start school. That's right my youngest, my little one, the baby of the family, has started Elementary school. I know, I'm in disbelief too. We have what's called a gradual entrance program. The Pre-K goes for an hour with a parent, the next day they go and hour alone, and then they start their normal schedule. So today was her first day with a parent. While I was getting her ready, Alanna told me she was so excited to go to "big kid school" all by herself. I had to burst her bubble and tell her that I was staying with her today, and she immediately followed with a noooooooooooooooooooooo. I couldn't believe that she didn't want me to stay with her. When did my 4 year old become so independent?<br />
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Now granted, she has always been pretty independent but not so much that she didn't want me around at all. When we were walking into the school she said "Are you sure this is a good idea?" I tried to stifle my laugh and asked her what she meant, she replied "You know...holding my hand while we walk into the school." I couldn't hold it back anymore, and I couldn't help but laugh. My sweet, little sassy 4 year old didn't want me to hold her hand in front of her new friends. I thought I had at least 5 or 6 more years before we hit that faze. Needless to say I think Miss Alanna is going to give her teacher a run for her money. She's pretty witty and asked her teacher at least 20 questions in the first 10 mins of class. I have a feeling that I might be at school quite a bit this year. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-0sDgR0A68/UiAOmk-5I3I/AAAAAAAABds/uPLNxUUzr-A/s1600/IMG_7978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-0sDgR0A68/UiAOmk-5I3I/AAAAAAAABds/uPLNxUUzr-A/s320/IMG_7978.JPG" width="240" /></a>It's pretty cool to see just how different my kids are. I <i>know</i> they are different, but when are in school, you can see how they react and behave. It's more noticeable. Maddie is the talker, but she is really smart. She reads well above her grade level, as where Caden is more shy and quiet. I mean, if you <i>know</i> him, you know that is not really the case. But when it comes to school he is more laid back and go with the flow (<i>which has always been his personality. </i>) And well, Alanna, she's the boss. She's sassy and she is <i>not </i>shy by any means! She was the first person to raise her hand and introduce herself, she asked a million questions, and she instantly made friends. I think she will be my social butterfly. I'm interested to see how things will go this year but I know that Alanna is ready to go without hesitation. I on the other hand, am not ready for her to be such a <i>big</i> girl just yet.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little after the first day of school lunch at Chick Fil A</td></tr>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-66207373600086616442013-08-27T21:15:00.002-04:002013-08-27T21:15:39.284-04:00Back To School <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has arrived! The kids went back to school on Monday. ::<i>sigh</i>:: Madison started the 3rd grade and Caden the 1st. I'm really not sure how they are old enough to be in 1st and 3rd grade but it is here. Alanna starts Pre- K on Thursday. PRE-K....my <i>BABY! </i>I don't know if I am ready for this, but I know she definitely is! When we went to meet her teacher on Monday she cried because she didn't want to leave the class. She's really excited to start "big kid school." I have mixed emotions about it.<br />
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On the other hand I have some exciting things coming up in the next few weeks. With Alanna starting school now, I had to figure out what I am going to do with myself. I've spent the last 7 years as a Stay At Home Mom, just taking care of kids, cooking and cleaning. On top of mine I had my 3 nieces most days while my sister in law worked. Now all of my kids in school and my brother in law is baby sitting my nieces so I needed to make some decisions. I work part time for a Caterer but it's just a few hours a week. Before I decided to stay home with my kids I worked in banking. I mainly did member services and loans. So I figured I could always go back into that, but honestly, I just didn't like it. I'm not good with numbers and I hated getting up in the morning to go to work. So after researching and reading, I have decided to get my <a href="http://www.dona.org/mothers/" target="_blank">Doula </a>certification! I am so excited. If you don't know what Doula is, basically it's like a birthing coach. They are there to support the mother before, during, and after labor. It's perfect for me! It's something I love and fascinates me. I am also going to take a lactation class so I can help those moms who are having a hard time breast feeding. When I had all of mine especially Madison, I had a very hard time with it and gave u pretty early. It was hard because I didn't have the proper resources to help me, so it's important to me to help other moms that are going through what I did. And I just can't wait to get started. I registered to start classes on September 20!! So lots of exciting things are to come within the next few months. Stay tuned!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-4718117744931296832013-08-25T20:09:00.000-04:002013-08-27T20:33:21.647-04:00Slacking For Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's that time of the year again! The summer is over and school is getting ready to start tomorrow. I just can't believe how fast this summer went, and I have been a slacker when it comes to keeping up on my blog. So here is a quick recap of our relatively uneventful summer.<br />
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We did hit the beach for a weekend with my best friend and our families in June for the kids to play sand soccer but it rained the entire weekend so we only had a few short hours to enjoy the beach.<br />
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and how we spent most of the trip...</div>
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For the last 10 years I have been working at a performing arts camp at our community center every summer. We teach dance...<i>or I teach dance rather</i> , music, and theatre and at the end of camp the kids put on a performance. It's something I love and have been passionate about since I was a child, and now my kids are doing it. This is Madison's 3rd year and Caden's first, they start at age 6. This year we did The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (<i>it's like the knock of children's version of The Wizard of Oz.</i>) Madison was a lead monkey and Caden was a rapping munchkin. It was adorable. We also went on some pretty awesome field trips this year to <a href="http://portdiscovery.org/" target="_blank">Port Discovery</a> and the <a href="http://www.lyricoperahouse.com/" target="_blank">Lyric Opera House. </a><br />
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<br />And Maddie the flying monkey..........<div>
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and a poppy</div>
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And now the Summer is coming to an end and school is getting ready to start. I'm usually that parent who is counting down the days but honestly I'm just not ready for school to start just yet. I've enjoyed having the kids home with me, even if it means having a messy house. The price we pay to sleep in for just an hour. Now it's back to the hustle and bustle of the school year.</div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-28780885272276255242013-06-12T23:41:00.000-04:002013-06-12T23:41:22.970-04:00A Birthday & A Graduation<br />
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Four years ago today I gave birth to my sweet blonde hair, blue eyed baby girl. I have watched her grow into a super sassy, crazy haired four year old. Alanna has always played up the "baby" role of the family. She decided she didn't want to walk until she was 16 mths old....I mean would you if you had a big brother and sister to do everything for you? She also has daddy wrapped around her finger (Don't try to deny it, Leo.) But she is a beautiful energetic little lady ....and I use that term loosely since she always has her dress pulled up over her head. She loves all things pink, frilly, and princess, but equally will get down in the dirt and be covered in mud in an instant. God has surely blessed me with my little monster and I feel so lucky that He chose me to be her mommy.<br />
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<i>Happy Birthday Sweet Pea! Mommy and daddy loves you so much and we are so thankful to have such an amazing little girl.</i><br />
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As well as celebrating Miss Alanna's birthday, we celebrated Caden graduating Kindergarten! Can you believe my little man is going to be a first grader?! </div>
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<i>Hey time, can you please slow down?</i></div>
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They had a little program today, which was ridiculously adorable. So of course I will share one whenever youtube lets me but until then here are some pics.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caden with his teacher Ms. Hoffman</td></tr>
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-39986811046498022502013-05-02T22:36:00.000-04:002013-05-02T22:40:50.886-04:00Turning Old To New <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When we bought our home 2 years ago, I had big plans. I was so tired of renting because I <i>hated</i> plain white walls. So when we moved in I just couldn't wait to start painting, then life happened. Soccer practices, dance classes, working, and everything else just got in the way. The only room that ended up getting painted was Alanna's room because we switched her into a big girls bed. I still plan to paint but who knows when I will get around to it.<br />
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So this spring I have decided to start on the outside. We have a big yard and nothing to keep the kids busy. My plan was to get all different play things for the kids but it hasn't happened yet. So I've been scoping out some "online yard sales" on Facebook and I found this old Little Tikes playhouse that someone was selling for $15. Now I am a <a href="http://pinterest.com/mrschelle/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> junkie like everyone else and I saw that someone had repurposed a little picnic table. So I decided to clean and paint it for the kids. All I can say that I am more than pleased with how it turned out. The kids are super excited to finally have something to play with and so am, I because they keep using beach shovels to dig holes all over my yard. My next adventure will be a swing set and then my flower gardens. I am hoping by Summer the outside will be how I want it, then we will tackle the inside.<br />
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It was relatively easy to do, but a lot of work. First I took it apart and scrubbed it with a scrub brush and hose. Then I used <a href="http://rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=178" target="_blank">Rust-Oleum</a> Indoor/outdoor spray paint and let it dry. It took about 2 days because I let it sit and dry but it didn't take that long to dry.</div>
<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-72664565244453613422013-03-29T17:23:00.000-04:002013-03-29T19:13:11.949-04:00How To Make Resurrection Rolls & Teaching The Kids about Jesus' Story<div>
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Last year I found the idea for Resurrection rolls online. I thought it would be a cool way to show my kids the story of Jesus, and start a new tradition. What better day to make them then on Good Friday, right? Most people have heard of The Easter Story, or some variation of it. It's something that is important to us and something that we want to instill in our children. Easter isn't all about the candy and a giant bunny but about Jesus and what he did for us. He was beaten and hung on a cross so that we can be forgiven. So today we sat down with the kids and my nieces and told the story and let them each make their own roll.<br />
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<u>What you will need: </u></div>
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1 pack of crescent rolls (the linen they wrapped Jesus in)</div>
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big marshmallows (Jesus' body)</div>
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1 tbls of melted butter </div>
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2 tbls of cinnamon and sugar (the spices they used when they wrapped Jesus)</div>
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First preheat the oven to 350 or 375 according to what the package says. While you are waiting for the oven to be ready read<b> John 19</b> (we use a children's Bible)</div>
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Once the oven is ready let each kid take a marshmallow. We explained that Jesus never sinned but He died on the cross for us because we are sinners. The white marshmallow represents His body without sin.</div>
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Then they dipped each marshmallow in the butter and cinnamon sugar to represent the spices they brought to wrap Jesus' body, and wrapped them in the crescent rolls.</div>
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Once the rolls are done we put them in the tomb (the oven) for 11-13 mins and while they baked we read <b>John 20:1-18 </b></div>
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When the rolls are finished cut open the roll to see that the marshmallow is gone! Jesus has RISEN! </div>
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The kids loved making them and they were really yummy too! </div>
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We finished up with reading 1 Thessalonian 4:16-18</div>
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<i><b>For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him shall not parish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. - John 3:16-17</b></i><br />
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-44957855208598512952013-03-25T23:32:00.000-04:002013-03-25T23:32:38.600-04:00Getting Organized, One Day At A Time <br />
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My life is pretty chaotic between dance classes, soccer practices, church events, and birthday parties I'm lucky if I can remember what day it is. So for the last few weeks I have been trying to organize my life and I started with this......<br />
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It's our family command center. I'm obsessed with it and I can't begin to tell you how much of a life saver it has been. I need notes....<i>everywhere</i>.....to remind me of <i>everything</i>. I'm so forgetful and since I've had the kids I swear I have lost even more of my short term memory. So this was exactly what my chaos needed. The whole thing cost me about $25 including supplies to decorate the kids chore charts and I bought everything at Walmart and the dollar store. The first thing I got was the <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Quartet-Magnetic-Combo-17-x-23/17165729?findingMethod=Recommendation:wm:RecentlyViewedItems" target="_blank">split cork/whiteboard </a> ($9.97) and the <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Quartet-Magnet-Combo-Planner-17-x-23/17785507" target="_blank">whiteboard calender </a> (also $9.97) Now, we have had chore charts for quite some time but like everything it was put on the back burner and forgot about. So I decided to revamp them and make it fun. I used 3 baking sheets from the Dollar store and I bought some foam letters and squares to cut the stars out. I already had a sheet of magnet that I cut and put on the back of the stars. And I bought the Family decal at the Dollar store also. </div>
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I decided to try a point system in our house, if you get up and get dressed and ready for school without being told to get your shoes on 100 times (<i> let's face it, we all deal with that</i>) then you get a point. At the end of the day if all of your chores are completed, you get another point. And if you do something without having to be told , ie: clean off the table, wipe off the counter , ect , then you get another point. You can also lose points, for not following directions or misbehaving. All we have to do is say we are taking away a point and they usually stop whatever they are doing at the time. So far I can say it has worked great! The kids are excited to do their chores and move their stars, they are eager to help around the house and they are even getting up and getting out the door in the morning without a fight. Not to mention the kids are starting to take on some responsibility, which is awesome.<br />
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Overall I can say this has been the best $25 spent, and my sanity is slowly coming back (<i>yea right!</i>)</div>
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I also made this magnetic behavior chart for my nephew. He's been having some trouble and I thought it would be helpful if he had some positive reinforcement. Everything I used for this came from the Dollar store as well. Like with the chore chart, I used the metal baking sheet and put stickers on the pieces of foam and added a magnet so they could be moved. Because let's face it, those printable sheets are time consuming. Oh and I used command strips to hang everything, <i>those things are amazing</i>!</div>
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Happy organizing!</div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-46528867492813753512013-03-19T13:47:00.001-04:002013-03-19T13:47:45.282-04:00Perfect Parenting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday I was insulted and called a bad mother and a few other ridiculous comments, not by anyone of importance, and it was by a person that I have less then <u>zero</u> respect for. So I wasn't really hurt by his ignorance, and anyone who knows me can attest that this isn't true but it has made me think.<br />
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Before you have children you think you know it all. You say my kids wont do that, they will never behave like this. Man, you get a wake up call when that time actually comes. Truth is you have no idea what is in store for you and how your life will change. When I had Madison, I was barely 20, and clueless. Of course I <i>thought </i>I knew what I was doing. I baby sat most of my teens and I knew it would be different but not <i>that</i> much different. Boy, was I in for a wake up call! What I wasn't prepared for was a newborn waking up every 2 hours to eat, be changed, and tended to. I wasn't prepared for living like a zombie for the first 6 months of her life, not remembering if I had eaten or showered half of the time. I was not prepared for the terrible twos to start at 13 months, and I surely had no idea what was in store for me when I added another newborn into the mix. To say that Maddie was a handful was an understatement. I have some stories...but that's for another time.<br />
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I remember sitting up at night and crying because I was so overwhelmed. I wanted to be a mom so badly and yet I cried every night. I just didn't know what to do. But we took it one day at a time and made it through and things got easier. I got older, I learned patience, and understanding. I learned to deal with things differently. Now don't get me wrong, there are still days where I sit and cry because I am overwhelmed. There are days that I look forward to bed time because the kids are diving me crazy, and there are days that I think I have no idea what I am doing. But at the end of the day, when I am tucking my kids in and saying bedtime prayers, I am thankful. I love being a mom, and while I may not do it right all of the time, I am still learning.<br />
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By no means am I perfect. I am not a perfect person, wife, and definitely not a perfect mother. I make mistakes. I yell too much, I overreact too often, my house is often messy (you try keeping a spotless house with 6 kids everyday.) But I am learning. I have come so far in these last 8 1/2 years of motherhood, and I still have a long way to go. Truth is, no one knows what they are doing. It's easy to sit on the sidelines and judge others. To see a messy house and make a comment about how dirty it is. To see a child throwing a tantrum in the store and quickly say, "if that was my child they wouldn't act like that." It's so easy to cast judgement on others (<i>I am also guilty of this</i>) but you don't see the big picture. My pastor was speaking on Sunday about Life Application. He was talking about parenting and living your life with love. He said if you do one thing different today and yesterday then you are making progress. And I try to apply that to my life. I may yell, and overreact, and be in a bad mood but I am learning. I am growing. I apologize when I am wrong. I admit when I make mistakes. And I am learning to live my life with love. So think twice before you quickly cast judgement on others, because we are all learning and growing, and striving to be the best parent we can be.<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-84872225258467768442013-03-16T22:00:00.000-04:002013-03-26T00:28:31.706-04:00Happy Birthday Caden!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My little man turned 6 today! I can't believe how fast time flies! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was giving birth to my little 8lb 6oz little boy. And now he is SIX! We had such a busy day, we celebrated his birthday at Skateland (Pirate themed) with some of our friends and family. In spite of a few bumps and bruises he did really well out there on the floor, and he had a blast! After his party he had a soccer game, and then he went with Leo to see the Baltimore Blast Championship game. It was quite the day!<br />
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<i>Happy Birthday Caden, you are my pride and joy, and I love you more then words can express! You make my life so much brighter and I love being your mommy! I hope you had the best birthday ever!</i><br />
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Here are some birthday pics:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday boy & Daddy eating pizza<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Caden's awesome Birthday cake that his Godmother made</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for cake!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caden , Alanna & Maddie</td></tr>
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-52578931653324396852013-02-18T23:57:00.002-05:002013-02-18T23:57:50.063-05:00Judgmental, Bible Thumping Christians<br />
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I don't often speak about my faith or beliefs unless it's with close friends. I've always been afraid to rock the boat. I've always been open that I follow Jesus but I never wanted to come across as an <i>uptight Christian</i>. It's one of those things that I chose not to bring up because I am not a theological person and I can't always back it up with the word of God. It's something I have always struggled with, and I've always lived life on the fence so to speak. I have my <i>church friends</i> and my <i>other friends, </i>and I have a hard time sharing my faith with my other friends. If they ask I will gladly talk about it, but I never brought it up. I have been asking God in my own time with him to really just open me up. I don't want to be one of those hypocritical, bible thumping, judgmental Christians, but I want to share his love with all of my friends. I want to do it in a real way. Not preaching, or throwing scriptures in peoples face, but in a real, one on one, friendly conversation. It's something that has been weighing on my heart for a while but I just don't know how to execute it. I see so many of my Facebook friends posting about how God isn't real, I even see people who used to be Christians and are now atheists. They post so openly about their beliefs, so why is this something I struggle with?<br />
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My Pastor showed a video of Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller. He's an open atheist and he made a video blog where he shared a story of a man who gave him a Bible. He said that the mans realness, and love touched his heart more then anyone ever has. He also made a statement that has stuck with me he said "<em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.71875px;">How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate someone to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?"</em><br />
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I can't seem to shake that. How much do I hate the people in my life not to share everlasting life with them? I want to be real, and I want to be honest, and I want to give people hope. How can I do that if I don't open up and walk across the room and share my heart? Our Pastor has been talking about sharing your story and so I will leave you with this. This is my story.<br />
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I was raised in Sunday school. My parents took me to their Methodist church from the time I was a baby. I learned about Jesus in Sunday school but I never <i>knew</i> him. I had my first real encounter with Christ when I was 14 at our summer church camp. I went every year with my friends and had an amazing time. I learned about Jesus, Christian music, and that it was OK to have blue hair, tattoos & piercings and still know God. It was honestly life changing. I will hold those memories with me for a lifetime and I made some amazing friends there. I went to camp until the summer I turned 18, but when I was 16 I started dating my ex husband and started to go to his church. It was a whole new world, it was Pentecostal, but the crazy hair, tats and piercings were HUGE no no's. That was a sin. They were very strict and I often felt like I played church just to fit in. I don't think I had a real relationship with God because I didn't know where I stood. I had sex, I drank, I did things I shouldn't have, then I went to church and cried and asked God to forgive me. It turned into a ritual. A few years later I was married and I still struggled with who I was in Christ. I was so depressed, in a terrible relationship, and I hated myself. I wanted to die. I cried myself to sleep almost every night, but I was trapped. I began to pray more, but not really asking for help, I asked him why? Why would you allow me to live like this? How could you leave me alone? I was broken and empty and defeated. And then my life started changing. I know it sounds cliche but it's true. God started to pull me out of it. My ex husband and I split up, Leo came back into my life after many years and things were brighter. It took a while to shed my insecurities and heal all of the broken pieces, which I will admit comes back on occasion when I least expect it. And here I am 5 yrs later and it feels like that was a whole lifetime ago. I sometimes think back to those times and it just doesn't feel real. I closed that chapter in my life and I feel like a new person. People who knew me before can attest to this too. But my point in all of this is I thought I was alone and I thought my world was shattered but God had bigger plans for me. I wouldn't be who I am today without being broken. I wouldn't appreciate my amazing loving husband, without all of the heartache. God knew what he was doing and I need to start sharing his love. I am thankful for all He has done in my life and the best way to share that is to just be there for someone else. I want to change that persona that Christians are judgmental, bible thumping, hypocrites and just be real. And that is my new goal.<br />
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I'm going to add the video that I referenced so you can watch it for yourselves.<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-45874942251290966792013-01-16T23:49:00.001-05:002013-01-16T23:49:19.866-05:00My Healthy Eating Baking Mishap <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I have been doing pretty well with my dieting and eating healthy. I have found some great recipes, and have overloaded on the fruits and veggies. I'm down 5 lbs so far! woohoo!<br />
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So the other day a friend posted a pic of some very yummy looking <a href="http://www.delightedmomma.com/2012/05/flourless-zucchini-brownies.html" target="_blank">Paleo Brownies</a>. She has lost over 100 lbs (don't quote me on the exact number, but it was a lot and she looks fantastic) You can check her Facebook page out here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThisMomIsLosingIt?fref=ts" target="_blank">This Mom Is Losing It</a>. Anyway, back to the story. I was dying for some chocolate and decided to pick up the ingredients that I needed and give it a try.<br />
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I merrily mixed the ingredients, filled my brand new Pampered Chef brownie pan, and then stuck them in the oven. About 10 mins later I start to smell something burning. It smelled like burnt marshmallows, so I hurried to the oven only to find that my batter exploded everywhere! My square brownie pan looked like 1 giant pan covered in tar. It was all over the pan, my oven racks, and the bottom of my oven. So I pulled it out, wiped out the oven, scrapped the mess off so you could see the squares and stuck it back in. I figured it was worth a second try, right? Well needless to say every time I checked on it, it looked like bubbling tar. I asked my sister in law, who was here at the time, if brownie batter was suppose to bubble and she informed me that in fact it is not. So much to my dismay, my brownies turned out to be nothing but sticky chocolate tar (<i>which you can see at the top. The Left pic is my friends delicious looking brownies, and my tar is on the right.)</i> Moral of the story....brownies are not suppose to be healthy. I will stick with the box kind from now on and have a cheat day once in a while.<br />
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<i>Side note: She did make me some and is sending them via mail. I can't wait to try them.</i>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-14943443658292947362013-01-11T19:03:00.000-05:002013-01-11T19:03:45.999-05:00Standing Up For What You Believe In<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I met these people when I was 12 at The Sky is The Limit Theatre. We became family, we grew up together, and as you can see they are still here through weddings and kids and everything in between. Without this theatre I would not have had so many wonderful memories, had my children , or even indirectly met my husband. Love you guys!</td></tr>
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In the beginning of December it was announced that our community center was to be sold. This was all done backhandedly by our local councilman Kevin Kamenetz and put in the paper for all of us to find out. There was no community input and they didn't even contact any of the programs that are housed there. We have at least 10 programs that work out of the building, including an indoor soccer arena and a 650 person fully handicapped accessible theatre.<br />
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I was raised in that theatre, I started when I was 12 and continued until I got pregnant with Alanna. Now Madison performs there. Out of it I have learned tolerance, acceptance and ultimately they are family...in more ways then 1. haha. Madison and Caden were both practically born there and I was even performing when I was 4 mths pregnant with Alanna. Not only that Caden plays soccer there as well.<br />
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So once the word got out I hit the ground running. I refuse to allow the politicians to just come in and tear down our community....our home. I started a Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SaveTheNorthPointGovernmentCenter" target="_blank">Save The North Point Government Center</a> to let our voices be heard. I've also sent a ton of emails which very few were responded to. As of now we are at over 800 Likes and we have a community meeting set up for tomorrow and a picket next week. We are not going down without a fight.<br />
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What I don't understand is how people can be so ignorant to everything going on. People are commenting about tearing it down. "There's nothing over there" "We are wasting our time" People are so blind to anything that does not directly effect their own little bubbles, their own little world. It's pathetic People are willing to just roll over and allow the government officials to come in to our community and do whatever it is they want to do. How can people just accept it? This is our community, our families, our lives, and I am not about to allow some well paid money hungry politician to come into our community which they consider the "dumping ground" of Baltimore County and just tear apart our community. We have so many vacant stores in this area and this is just going to end up another vacant building to add to it, but the problem is now our children will be the ones left without all of the activities.<br />
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-39598372346945200992013-01-02T19:36:00.000-05:002013-01-02T20:45:07.150-05:00Happy New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year everyone! Leo and I rang in the new year with our lovely group of friends, which ended with an engagement! So that was exciting.<br />
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As I sit here reflecting on 2012 I realize that it was a pretty great year. My best friend got married and I was her matron of honor, I was also a bridesmaid in another wedding for a close friend. I helped plan our 10 year high school reunion. I celebrated my 3rd wedding anniversary and went to my first Raven's game. I also survived 12/21/12. Overall I'd say it was a pretty good year for me.<br />
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This year we have family resolutions on top of my own personal ones.<br />
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<li>Eating clean. </li>
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<i> I went through the house and tossed all of the junk and processed foods and went shopping for lots of veggies. I have to lose this weight, I am at my heaviest right now and that needs to change. So Leo and I have decided to get serious about our health. I know this is everyone's resolution but it's not my resolution as much as a life style change. It's also so much easier when my husband is involved as well. Our biggest problem is eating out and that will go hand in hand with our budgeting .</i><br />
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<i>I am going to organize my life. I live in constant chaos, and it starts as soon as the kids get out of school. Homework, trying to prepare dinner, dance, soccer, theatre. Not to mention trying to keep up on laundry and housework. Starting yesterday I am in the process of meal planning for the weeks and setting up a better routine. </i><br />
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<i> The biggest problem we have is saving money. I'll admit , I'm a spender. I love to shop, and not just for me but for anything. Kids stuff, house stuff, it doesn't matter I love it. We also love to eat out. But I found this great easy to use free app for my phone called </i><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/budgets-for-ipad-free/id400848995?mt=8" target="_blank">Budgets</a><i> . My goal is to set my monthly budget and put money in my savings each week and stick to it!</i><br />
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A few of my personal resolutions are:</div>
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I hope everyone has a fantastic year , I am looking forward to all of the awesome things to come!</div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-57258719531689233492012-12-27T03:05:00.000-05:002012-12-27T03:05:36.550-05:00A Series Of Unfortunate EventsTwas the day after Christmas and the house is a wreck. Not a creature was stirring except for the kids....which decided it would be a great idea to wake up before me and Leo and open every single gift under the tree and throw the boxes and paper everywhere. Which of course when I woke up was less then pleased. After deciding that I was not cleaning today because it was snowy and dreary and I wanted to be lazy, I went back to bed leaving Leo to deal with the kids and the mess.<br />
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Well that was just the beginning.<br />
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Once Leo left for work I made the kids go clean their rooms to make room for all of their new stuff, while I ordered pizza. Once the pizza got here I went to get money from my wallet only to realize I was missing $30. Once we all finished our pizza I went up to the kids rooms to inspect and help set us some of their new things and the dogs jumped on the table and ate an entire pizza. Awesome. Since they ate all of my pizza, I let them out and they decided it would be fun to take off and tour the neighborhood....in the dark....in the rain. So I had to chase them through the neighborhood, at least this time I had shoes on. Once I finally caught Molly I had to carry her 25 lb butt back home and my head is pounding. Skip forward a few hours, the kids are sleeping in the basement and I hear a crash. I go downstairs to see my basement window laying on the floor, which of course scared me to death and I called 911. The police came out and looked around, they said that the dogs barking may have scared them off if someone was out there. Once I calmed down my headache became worse and as I was getting some migraine meds I stepped on a thumb tack. Seriously? I think it's time for me to go to bed!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-70009691089892179752012-12-15T00:35:00.001-05:002012-12-15T00:35:07.639-05:00A Horrible Tragic Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm sitting here at a loss for words. Tears continuing to stream down my face. My stomach is sick, and my heart is broken. I can't seem to tear myself away from the media. I need to know what is going on. I need to understand why. I guess in my head I am waiting for the reason. I just can't comprehend it all. With the history of tragedy's that have effected our country, aside from 9/11, I think this one has hit me the hardest. As a mom and as a human being. I keep thinking of those 20 little children, scared ,screaming and unaware of what is about to happen. And then the tears start flowing again, when I think of my own children. That could have been us.<br />
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This morning, those little children woke up, excited for school. Excited for Christmas coming. Excited about Santa. Those little ones packed their book bags, kissed their parents and went into school. A safe place. This morning parents packed their lunches, hurried to pack up their bags, find their shoes, brush their hair and kissed them goodbye as they dropped them off to a place that you expect that your babies will be safe. And in the blink of an eye their entire worlds crashed down. You never expect it to happen to you, I would never in a million years think something like this could happen...and then it does. How do you recover from this? As a nation we have been so deeply effected, as a parent even more so. So many of us with small children of our own. Caden is 5. He is a Kindergartner. He is the same age as most of those little ones. The thought is gut wrenching and sickening to think just how easy that could have been us. How do we get through this? How will we ever feel safe sending our children to school again? It took every ounce of my being not to go pick my children up from school. I have been crying all day and I held my children a little tighter tonight as I am sure the rest of this nation has. How quickly our world can change!<br />
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As a Christian, the first thing I did when I heard the news was pray. It really is the only thing I could do. I was sitting in traffic, on my way home from work, in tears and crying out to God. <i>WHY?</i> I don't understand. Why would He allow all of those precious little children be viciously murdered? And to be honest I didn't get an answer. I probably never will but I still have faith. Otherwise what is left? We live in a horrible, broken, ugly world. And in all of the darkness He is the light. We have to lean on Him for peace. Though we may not understand it, He is here. Through all of the brokenness, He is here.<br />
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So tonight, as I am glued to the endless media coverage of this terrible tragedy, I snuggled my babies a little tighter, held them a little longer, and prayed. I pray for peace, I pray for comfort, and I thankful for my children. Things like this puts life into perspective, we hustle and bustle around. Especially this time of the year. We complain when our kids are whiny, or getting into trouble, we often look forward to bedtime (I am guilty of this too.) But what we can take away from all of this is to slow down. Enjoy life. Enjoy your children. Make every moment count. Be there in every moment. The little things matter the most. The random hugs, the kisses goodbye, the little pictures from your kids, and the I Love You's. You don't know what tomorrow may hold so make today count!<br />
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<i>Many prayers go out to those who are effected by the horrific event. I pray for peace that passes all understanding and an overwhelming comfort to everyone.</i><br />
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-22632485511865351062012-11-30T18:30:00.001-05:002012-11-30T18:56:07.025-05:0030 Days of Thanksgiving: Alanna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is the last day of November. I can't believe how fast this year has flew by! But on the very last day of November I am thankful for my baby. Alanna. She is such an energetic, smart, and funny little girl. With her wild hair and enthusiasm she keeps us on our toes!<br />
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-64286910102436904212012-11-28T16:48:00.000-05:002012-11-28T17:01:55.682-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness: Caden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I am thankful for my son Caden. He is smart, and crazy, and loves to be the class clown. He loves to write and drawl, and he loves soccer. Everyday he surprises me. </div>
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-32943539260022193172012-11-21T14:16:00.001-05:002012-11-21T14:25:13.451-05:0030 Day's of Thankfulness: Happy Birthday Dad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h92ce8J3U5U/UK0nMM9zTCI/AAAAAAAABM8/Q9AgcOJoe_g/s1600/dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h92ce8J3U5U/UK0nMM9zTCI/AAAAAAAABM8/Q9AgcOJoe_g/s320/dad.jpg" width="320" /></a>Today is my dad's 89th birthday! And I am SO thankful to still have him around! He is healthy (for the most part) and he still gets around pretty well. I am blessed to have an older father, he was 60 when I was born and retired right after. My dad will do anything for anyone, he would even drive me to school across the street and he made my lunch everyday until I graduated high school! My dad is what you would call the jack of all trades. Even at 89 he can fix just about anything, he cooks dinner every night just the same as he did my whole life (I don't even know if my mom <i>can</i> cook) and he is the smartest man I know. He only went to school until the 6th grade but he is well educated and self taught. He was raised poorer then poor, with no shoes or food to eat but he worked hard everyday to get everything he has. He set the example of the type of man that I should marry, he has always been hard working, unselfish, and I never saw my parents fight. They set the bar on marriage and are still going strong after 32 years. He is such a wonderful man and an even better father! Thanks daddy for everything you have done and still do for us. Without you I don't know where I'd be. Happy Birthday and I wish you many many many more! I love you!<br />
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-38479709565191330812012-11-20T20:17:00.000-05:002012-11-20T20:33:23.620-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness 2012 :Madison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I am thankful for my daughter Madison. Maddie is beautiful, smart, entertaining, and talented. I am thankful that 8 years ago she made me a mommy for the very first time and there hasn't been a dull moment since. She is my mini me in every sense. She looks like me and acts like me.....which isn't always a good thing lol. She is quite the drama queen, although I have <i>no idea</i> where she could have learned that. But I thank God every day for her.<br />
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-47907071781347184872012-11-13T18:07:00.001-05:002012-11-20T20:33:49.799-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness 2012 : Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I am thankful for my wonderful husband. I am grateful to have a partner that I can share my life with. He works so hard everyday so that I am able to stay home and take care of the kids. He is an amazing father and person and I love that about him. These last 4 years together have been incredible and I fall more in love with him every day!</div>
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-39421523389171454062012-11-11T23:51:00.001-05:002012-11-20T20:34:13.003-05:0030 Day's of Thankfulness 2012 : Happy Veterans Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know I missed a few days but the last few days have been so crazy and I was to exhausted to write anything. Since today is Veterans Day, I am thankful for all of the men and women who serve and have served our country and especially those who have laid down their lives for our freedom! Thank You!<br />
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Here is a pic of my favorite vet, my dad. He served in World War II in the Navy and this pic is from 1944.<br />
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Happy Veterans Day Daddy!</div>
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<br />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7330782733565094085.post-63090275057235301302012-11-07T23:22:00.000-05:002012-11-20T20:34:29.805-05:0030 Day's of Thankfulness 2012 : Faith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well the election has ended and Obama will remain for another 4 years. I can't say that I am happy but I know God has greater plans. And today I am thankful for my Faith. I am thankful to have a loving God who is forgiving and loves unconditionally. I am far from perfect and I stumble more then I stand but God has always been right there waiting for me and pulling me up when I fall. He has carried me through so much and welcomed me with open arms when I walked away. So I am thankful for my personal relationship with Him., and I know he has big plans for my life!<br />
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<span style="color: #100028; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 34.53333282470703px;"><i>In a world that’s still trembling in the wake of the fall, our hearts are desperate for hope.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #100028; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 34.53333282470703px;"><i>They’re hungry for freedom.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #100028; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 34.53333282470703px;"><i>They’re longing for redemption.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #100028; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 34.53333282470703px;"><i>And here’s the good news.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #100028; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 34.53333282470703px;"><i>In Christ, we have all three.</i></span></span></div>
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</span>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909807769679805713noreply@blogger.com0