Fun Grocery requests

You hear how some kids ask for candy, sugar cereals and other junk food while you shop in the grocery store. Well, the last three weeks Asher has joined the request line, but this is what he was wanting. . .

Red Bananas from Costa Rica. They are different but equally

as good as yellow ones.

I love to be stretched by my kids in this way and so excited to

have another kid that enjoys trying new things. And, NO SUGAR added!

They Huffed and They Puffed. . .

. . . and the blew our electric out for three days. High winds were the cause many in our area to loss power and over 100,000 homes are still out of electricity today, Friday, and the storm was on Sunday! We had 50-60 mph winds with gusts up to 80 on Sunday and my daughter played soccer during it. I really wished I'd brought my camera. They had to hold onto a neighboring goal so it won't blow across the field and hit people. Here are some shots of what we did. We had minimal damage with our trees and lost a few singles but all in all we just enjoyed our time living as Laura Ingals did in her day. And my kids enjoyed finding stuff and extra stuff to wear to clean up the yard.

We as a family played football in the yard in the dark, we worked together, grilled everything in our freezer including frozen veggies, we brain stormed things, listened to the radio and stories on tape and my husband and I looked each other in the eye and talked by candle light. Life was good and it still is. We had the township deliver free ice to us at 9:30pm one night by driving up the street and using a bull horn to announce their arrival. My kids will never forget this experience. We have had amazingly wonderful weather to make the experience so much easier. Praise the Lord for He blessed us.

This was a good reminder for us to keep praying for the people in Texas who will be out of electricity for over 6 weeks with HOT temperatures, bugs, no ice and limited food and gas. I can't truly imagine it all although I have a small insight into their situation. It also freed us from some of the things that we let hold us captive like our computer and tv. We spent our days outside and even into the night. We had a neighborhood smore night and talked more with my neighbors than I ever do. We checked on each other and just took the time! Very meaning full to me and I really want to find ways to "take the time" from here forth.

So on Wednesday when the electric came back on, Caroline was disappointed and I have to admit I was too, but just because we have power doesn't mean we have to go back to ignoring one another and taking things for granted. That is my prayer for our family and I'm sooooo thankful - the lights went out!

Ice delivered in the middle of the night. Didn't

have enough coolers for it.


Team work!
Strong guy!

This neighbor was out of town and had a big
tree in the front and one in the back yard.

Fashion Plates! We took a bike ride and ran into some

friends who appologized for their looks and I said - No

apologizes needed just look at us!

I even did laundry and hung it on our back porch to dry.

Do Something today

I got this from a friend of mine. Thanks Heidi, what a great idea. So many of us want to do something but feel limited in time and money. So sit at your commuter today and DO SOMETHING

1) goodsearch.com - Each time you click, the charity of your choice will receive 1 cent. I know that doesn’t seem like much, but consider how much you google stuff each week. See? It can add up!
2) thehungersite.com - So, there are different buttons for different donations, and you can click the buttons to have money sent to different needs… While you’re waiting for your favorite youtube video to load, park it at this site and click away!
3) ripple.org - Ripple works in the same way that thehungersite works… You just click and money from tasteful advertising goes somewhere to somebody in need. You can even install a ripple searchbar or put a button on your blog.
4) freerice.com - Test your vocab skills while you donate rice to those in need. The more right answers you get, the more rice goes to someone else.
Here’s the challenge: Bookmark one (or all) of these links in your browser. While you’re waiting to kill some time, take a moment to click.
Your clicks can change someone else’s life.

Anyone seen this commercial?

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Has anyone seen this Walmart commercial. Ok, really KT this is for you! Would you like to set up an arrange marriage with Hannah now?

Potty Training! UGGGHHH!

Well, we've started the journey to the rite of passage of using the facilities. It is sooo much harder this time around and I think it is because I don't have the luxury of being home ALL day long. I really need to be but I have a jr higher and other older kids that need to get out for activities. We are having some funny moments and I've tried to capture some on film and video. So enjoy! If you are past this stage you can look at this a say a prayer for Asher to be productive and for me to be patient. If you haven't gotten there yet then laugh along and just wait till it's your turn. Please share your great stories with me in the comments. It will help this process seem at least a little lighter! :)

Asher with a reward - a blue M&M

One afternoon, I heard a trickle sound and was sooo excited

thinking that Asher had taken the intiative and and gone
to the potty by himself.

Only to find him dumping his juice bag down the toilet. Ugghh!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

When asked who was teaching Asher to be potty trained . . .

This was his answer! He was listening when I read him that book.

Atleast I got some credit!

Labor Day Weekend Fun!

As much as a love a long weekend, I sometimes have a hard time enjoying them. They should be relaxing and fun, but it's hard to find the balance with those two. Here is what I mean. . . We had a sick child for the first two days of the weekend, the rest of the family went to a football game on Friday night and my awesome husband made it home from being out of town for four days on business just in time to take them. Saturday, we went on some errors, patched some dry wall holes, watched the OSU game, went to a local water park and watched a movie as a family in the evening. Sunday we went to church and brought two side dishes to participate in the church picnic afterwards. Also this is about when the allergies hit for two of our family members. We then came home and all went separate ways for the afternoon. We then went out to eat and and took a bike ride. Monday came and some went bike riding while Dad took Caroline and a friend canoeing. We swam all afternoon at Grandmas and had dinner with her before coming home to get ready for bed and to start the school/work week. It was a fun weekend, but I am tired and realize the more I get old that fun and relaxing don't always go hand in hand.