Wow, has it really been 2 months since my last post? Either my life is really busy or just super boring- I'll leave it up to you to decide :)
Since I've been on a blogging hiatus recently, I'll keep it short and sweet- a little update to ease myself back into the blogging world...
Christmas is almost here and I am so excited for everything that means. God has truly been working in my heart this Advent season to remind me why I have such a huge reason to celebrate. I don't have a nativity scene up in my house, mostly because I have yet to find one (that I can afford) that I feel truly captures the beauty of what happened on that night 2000 years ago. I feel so blessed this season, so thankful for where God is taking me and my family, so excited to see what he has in store for us this holiday season and into 2012.
Our trees (yes, trees, 3 to be exact) are up and decroated. Since I once again changed my color schemes this year, I feel like they look a little bare, but hopefully I'll stick with this scheme next year and little by little they will fill up. My two golden angels, Faith and Hope, are hanging side by side on our living room tree to remind me of my two sweet angels up in heaven. Not a day goes by that a part of me doesn't long for the day when I can hold the both in my arms and tell them how much their mommy loves them.
Benton. Is. Oerney. I love him, but today he flooded my bathroom for the upteenth time and all I could do was thing, wow, this child must take after his father :) He is loving the Christmas season and almost every day tries to convince me to let him open presents. (Is that supposed to start this young?!?) He also loves showing off the tree in his room to EVERYONE who comes to visit.
I hope this season is finding your family as blessed as ours. In case you don't hear from me again for another two months: Merrry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Divine intervention
My mind likes to play silly little games with itself, especially when I'm bored. One such game is trying to make words out of license plates when driving down the road. This probably stems with my insistance on figuring out what word/phrase people are trying to convey when they have personalized plates.
Today, I was driving down I-35 on my way to work and I drove up behind this vehicle:
It hit me like a ton of bricks. BSTL. Without a thought, my mind read this as "Be still." One of my favorite bible verses flooded to mind: Psalm 46:10 "Be Still and know that I am God." I've written in previous posts how much I love this verse. I don't tend to think about real life hit you in the face miracles happening in our day and age. I rely heavily on coincidence to explain why things happen, but my heart knew this was no conincidence. This was a message just for me. Be still. It was the reminder that my heart has been waiting for, needing.
Over the last several weeks, my spirit has felt very unsettled. Between all the things already going on, plus the recent illness (and eventual loss) of my grandfather along and our news about the house (more on that to follow in a later post, once I have a better idea of whats going on), to say that I was feeling like I'd hit rock bottom was an understatment. My hope was running on empty and my emotions were ranging from extreme anxiety to total dispair. Tonight, however, I was renewed. I was reawakened to where I've come from and where God has yet to take me.
There truly is a time for everything, and this season will pass before my eyes. In the meantime, I hope to rest in the promise that my soul can just be still and wait, patiently, on the Lord.
"Go on waiting calmly, my brothers, till the coming of the Lord, like the farmer waiting for the good fruit of the earth till the early and late rains have come." James 5:7
I long for the rains of mercy that are sure to come, but I am overwhelmed by the peace that a simple semi truck brought me tonight.
Today, I was driving down I-35 on my way to work and I drove up behind this vehicle:
It hit me like a ton of bricks. BSTL. Without a thought, my mind read this as "Be still." One of my favorite bible verses flooded to mind: Psalm 46:10 "Be Still and know that I am God." I've written in previous posts how much I love this verse. I don't tend to think about real life hit you in the face miracles happening in our day and age. I rely heavily on coincidence to explain why things happen, but my heart knew this was no conincidence. This was a message just for me. Be still. It was the reminder that my heart has been waiting for, needing.
Over the last several weeks, my spirit has felt very unsettled. Between all the things already going on, plus the recent illness (and eventual loss) of my grandfather along and our news about the house (more on that to follow in a later post, once I have a better idea of whats going on), to say that I was feeling like I'd hit rock bottom was an understatment. My hope was running on empty and my emotions were ranging from extreme anxiety to total dispair. Tonight, however, I was renewed. I was reawakened to where I've come from and where God has yet to take me.
There truly is a time for everything, and this season will pass before my eyes. In the meantime, I hope to rest in the promise that my soul can just be still and wait, patiently, on the Lord.
"Go on waiting calmly, my brothers, till the coming of the Lord, like the farmer waiting for the good fruit of the earth till the early and late rains have come." James 5:7
I long for the rains of mercy that are sure to come, but I am overwhelmed by the peace that a simple semi truck brought me tonight.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Reflections and ramblings
I've spent a lot of time this week traveling back and forth between the hospital in Hays and my parents house to visit my Grandpa. We've spent lots of hours by his side, trying to spend as much time as we can with him, since these will likely be his last days. When you know someone close to you is nearing the end of his/her life, it really makes you (or at least me) think.
I've had lots of flashbacks to times with my grandparents: holidays, summer vacations, etc. The more I reflect, the more I wish I could remember. I wish I remembered all the jokes and stories my grandpa would tell. I wish I remembered the taste of the doughnuts we would go get when we went to visit my granddad. I wish I could remember going to the "River-less Festival" with my grandma. I know we did it every year, but I just can't seem to find the pictures in my mind.
It makes me sad to think about all the wonderful things in my life now, things I swear I'll remember forever. Things that I'm sure to forget in the next 3, 5, or 10 years. And what about Benton? What will he remember? How do I make sure it's the things I want him to remember? Like how he is a beautiful creation, so perfect in God's sight. Like how much he will always be loved, no matter where life takes him. I suppose as parents all we can do is remind our children daily who they are and how much they mean to us.
Ah well, I suppose this is a rambling post headed nowhere, but to remind myself of a lesson learned today, may I not forget it tomorrow.
Ah well, I suppose this is a rambling post headed nowhere, but to remind myself of a lesson learned today, may I not forget it tomorrow.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
*Untitled*
Don't tell me bad things happen to good people. I'm tired of hearing it. Another lame attempt at empathy from someone who doesn't know what else to say.
Don't tell me everything happens for a reason. Unless you can tell me the reason, this logic is of no use to me.
Don't tell me it's all going to be okay. You don't know that. You don't have a crystal ball.
Don't tell me you understand. You don't. You couldn't possibly. I don't pretend to know what it's like to walk in your shoes, so don't pretend you can walk in mine.
Unless you can tell me WHY, until you can tell me WHEN, if you can't tell me HOW, then just don't TELL me.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Lost in translation
**YAWN** Okay, I guess I'll come out of blogger hibernation for a new post on a subject that I've been thinking of writing for a week or two now.
I'm assuming most of you reading this are close enough to Chris and I (or at least you read my blog enough to know) that we have been trying for another baby for quite some time now (over a year an a half, to be more exact). You also may know that I am the Google queen. That is to say, when something piques my interest, in two shakes of a lambs tail you can often find me jumping to my laptop, the nearest computer, or my smart phone to "google" the subject.
What movie did that actor get his big break in? Google it.
What's the Ohio state bird? Google it.
How many people have truly died of water challenges? Google it.
You get the idea. Well, it should then come as no surprise to you that, within a few months of Chris and I unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant, I began to SCOUR the Internet for tips, tricks, and all things related to infertility. It didn't take me long to realize that if I was going to keep up with the message boards, blogs, and various websites, I needed to learn a whole new computer lingo, and yet I had the hardest time finding one place that broke down all the various acronyms. So here it is, your first lesson in "Infertility Computer Linguistics". I doubt many of you will ever have a use for this, but who knows. At the very least, you might get a chuckle out of a few of them like I do. (Disclaimer: this list is not all inclusive, there are many more acronyms out there but, to be honest, I feel weird writing about some of those things in such a public manner)
First, here is a sample paragraph I made up similar to one you might find on a message board. If you can read this with perfect understanding then, congrats, you are finished with the lesson and may go back to real, important things.
"My DH and I have been TTC for a while now. We BD often and Ive use OPKs for a few months. I chart my BBT from the time AF arrives. I keep ending up with a BFN on my HPTs. Now I'm 8 DPO which came CD15 and tired of the 2WW. If I use my FMU can I POAS now? I just hope I get that BFP! Babydust to you all"
So did you catch all that?
Let me break all those down for ya. As previously stated, there are WAY more out there, but these are the most commonly used.
DH: Dear/darling husband
TTC: Trying to concieve (trying to get pregnant...duh)
BD: Baby dance, aka sex
"OK, it only saves us one letter to use this acronym"
OPK: Ovulation predictor kits (they help couples know the best times to do that baby dance)
BBT: Basal body temperature (Some very devoted ladies take their temp, ahem, down south, and chart it daily. It provides basically the same info as the OPKs, but is free, lest the cost of an additional thermometer. At least I hope you aren't using the same one you stick in your sick babys mouth. Ugh, Andrea, stay on track)
AF: Aunt Flo (Now I must admit, I thought EVERYONE knew who "Aunt Flo" was, but after talking about it with a coworker last night, I learned that this isn't, in fact, common knowledge. So, just to really break it down, Aunt Flo is your period, women.)
"aka your nemesis"
BFN: Big Fat Negative (This means you are NOT pregnant, at least according to the pregnancy test)
HPT: Home pregnancy tests (the pee sticks that you can buy for about $10 at WalMart)
"Everyone's favorite kind of peestick."
DPO: Days past ovulation (When trying to concieve, it helps to know that AF arrives 14 DPO *almost*always, so HPTs are often not accurate until then)
CD (insert any number here): Cycle day. (Day one is when AF arrives)
"When TTC, your mood and what you are doing with
your free time is often dependent upon your CD"
2WW: the 14 days between ovulation and the first day you can expect an accurate pregnancy test reading
FMU: first morning urine (it is recommended that you take a HPT when you first wake up in the morning. This becomes less important if you are a few days farther into your pregnancy than 2 weeks)
"Liquid gold for peestickaholics"
POAS: Pee on a stick (take a HPT)
Babydust: Evidently, if you sprinkle enough of this virtual love, the baby gods will bless you (or the people reading your post?) soon(er?).
Well, there you have it folks. Hope you now feel a litte more educated on a topic you likely wanted to know nothing about. If you read this entire post, you get an A+ :)
**Quotes from http://www.peestickparadise.com/ttc_acronyms**
I'm assuming most of you reading this are close enough to Chris and I (or at least you read my blog enough to know) that we have been trying for another baby for quite some time now (over a year an a half, to be more exact). You also may know that I am the Google queen. That is to say, when something piques my interest, in two shakes of a lambs tail you can often find me jumping to my laptop, the nearest computer, or my smart phone to "google" the subject.
What movie did that actor get his big break in? Google it.
What's the Ohio state bird? Google it.
How many people have truly died of water challenges? Google it.
You get the idea. Well, it should then come as no surprise to you that, within a few months of Chris and I unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant, I began to SCOUR the Internet for tips, tricks, and all things related to infertility. It didn't take me long to realize that if I was going to keep up with the message boards, blogs, and various websites, I needed to learn a whole new computer lingo, and yet I had the hardest time finding one place that broke down all the various acronyms. So here it is, your first lesson in "Infertility Computer Linguistics". I doubt many of you will ever have a use for this, but who knows. At the very least, you might get a chuckle out of a few of them like I do. (Disclaimer: this list is not all inclusive, there are many more acronyms out there but, to be honest, I feel weird writing about some of those things in such a public manner)
First, here is a sample paragraph I made up similar to one you might find on a message board. If you can read this with perfect understanding then, congrats, you are finished with the lesson and may go back to real, important things.
"My DH and I have been TTC for a while now. We BD often and Ive use OPKs for a few months. I chart my BBT from the time AF arrives. I keep ending up with a BFN on my HPTs. Now I'm 8 DPO which came CD15 and tired of the 2WW. If I use my FMU can I POAS now? I just hope I get that BFP! Babydust to you all"
So did you catch all that?
Let me break all those down for ya. As previously stated, there are WAY more out there, but these are the most commonly used.
DH: Dear/darling husband
TTC: Trying to concieve (trying to get pregnant...duh)
BD: Baby dance, aka sex
"OK, it only saves us one letter to use this acronym"
OPK: Ovulation predictor kits (they help couples know the best times to do that baby dance)
BBT: Basal body temperature (Some very devoted ladies take their temp, ahem, down south, and chart it daily. It provides basically the same info as the OPKs, but is free, lest the cost of an additional thermometer. At least I hope you aren't using the same one you stick in your sick babys mouth. Ugh, Andrea, stay on track)
AF: Aunt Flo (Now I must admit, I thought EVERYONE knew who "Aunt Flo" was, but after talking about it with a coworker last night, I learned that this isn't, in fact, common knowledge. So, just to really break it down, Aunt Flo is your period, women.)
"aka your nemesis"
BFN: Big Fat Negative (This means you are NOT pregnant, at least according to the pregnancy test)
HPT: Home pregnancy tests (the pee sticks that you can buy for about $10 at WalMart)
"Everyone's favorite kind of peestick."
DPO: Days past ovulation (When trying to concieve, it helps to know that AF arrives 14 DPO *almost*always, so HPTs are often not accurate until then)
CD (insert any number here): Cycle day. (Day one is when AF arrives)
"When TTC, your mood and what you are doing with
your free time is often dependent upon your CD"
2WW: the 14 days between ovulation and the first day you can expect an accurate pregnancy test reading
FMU: first morning urine (it is recommended that you take a HPT when you first wake up in the morning. This becomes less important if you are a few days farther into your pregnancy than 2 weeks)
"Liquid gold for peestickaholics"
POAS: Pee on a stick (take a HPT)
"Peestickaholics consider peeing onto anything
other than a stick to be a waste of perfectly good urine."
other than a stick to be a waste of perfectly good urine."
BFP: the one thing every blogger on the boards (including me!) hopes for someday...a BIG
FAT POSITIVE (on that HPT)
"Baby jackpot!"Babydust: Evidently, if you sprinkle enough of this virtual love, the baby gods will bless you (or the people reading your post?) soon(er?).
Well, there you have it folks. Hope you now feel a litte more educated on a topic you likely wanted to know nothing about. If you read this entire post, you get an A+ :)
**Quotes from http://www.peestickparadise.com/ttc_acronyms**
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Bahama Mama!!!!
Here's a math equation for ya:
2 overtime shifts at work this summer
+ 1 Hard working husband about to finish training
+ 1 Momma who really wants to be care free for a week
= One Bahama cruise booked!!!!!!
So on October 8, 2012 for our 5 year anniversary we'll be boarding the Norwegian Sky for a few days in paridise.
Here's our itenerary:
This is the boat we'll be on:
And then we'll spend a few days doing this in Miami :
I CAN'T WAIT!!!!! Well, that's all my exciting news for now. I had to rub it in someone's face. After all, whats a vacation if you can't make someone jealous that you're going on it :) JK! But seriously, be jealous :)
Monday, July 4, 2011
Lessons from the 4th
We decided to keep the 4th of July nice and simple this year. We bought a few ground fireworks like fountains, smoke bombs, and lotus blossoms, as well as the kid necessities (sparklers and snappers).
Here's what I learned:
If you light a firework and it makes a loud noise, it will scare your 2 year old and make them cry.
If you light a firework and it does something unexpected that makes you jump, it will scare your two year old and make them cry.
If you light a tank and it starts coming your direction, it will scare your two year old and make them cry.
If you scare your two year old and make them cry enough times, they will run inside to the couch and hide under the pillows until you PROMISE not to do any more fireworks for the rest of forever.
If you give your two year old a sparkeler and let them wave it around, it will likely be waved a little too close to you. But, I guess that's what you get for making them cry.
Here's what I learned:
If you light a firework and it makes a loud noise, it will scare your 2 year old and make them cry.
If you light a firework and it does something unexpected that makes you jump, it will scare your two year old and make them cry.
If you light a tank and it starts coming your direction, it will scare your two year old and make them cry.
If you scare your two year old and make them cry enough times, they will run inside to the couch and hide under the pillows until you PROMISE not to do any more fireworks for the rest of forever.
If you give your two year old a sparkeler and let them wave it around, it will likely be waved a little too close to you. But, I guess that's what you get for making them cry.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Musical moments
My AH-MAZE-ING sister recently burnt me a new cd introduced me to some new music. Since I'm always the last person to hear about the newest hottest band/artist/song, I love that I know a bunch of songs that no one else has ever heard of. Makes me feel cultured or something.
Lame. I know.
ANYWHO...
Ever hear a song and feel like it has put music to exactly whats going through your head/heart? This song has been on repeat in the shaggin wagon for, oh, 2 weeks now. Love it. Lots. Listen. You might like it too. PS the music video is kinda lame, but the music is great.
*In case you don't really know how to use a computer, click the underlined words -->*Dancin in the Minefield by Andrew Peterson- Music Video
PS I'm not sure if posting this video is legal. If not, please don't turn me in. I can't afford to get sued. Or go to jail. K? Thanks :)
Lame. I know.
ANYWHO...
Ever hear a song and feel like it has put music to exactly whats going through your head/heart? This song has been on repeat in the shaggin wagon for, oh, 2 weeks now. Love it. Lots. Listen. You might like it too. PS the music video is kinda lame, but the music is great.
*In case you don't really know how to use a computer, click the underlined words -->*Dancin in the Minefield by Andrew Peterson- Music Video
PS I'm not sure if posting this video is legal. If not, please don't turn me in. I can't afford to get sued. Or go to jail. K? Thanks :)
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Benton's Owie :(
I used to think the worst feeling ever was being gossiped about. Or being stuck at home alone on a Friday night. Wrong and wrong again. I now know that the true WORST feeling ever is seeing your little one hurting, and knowing there is NOTHING you can do to make it feel better.
My mom came to town this week while I had some medical tests run, and on Tuesday we decided to hit up the Legends. We were so excited to take Benton to eat at T-Rex (think Rainforest Cafe, but with dinosaurs) for the first time. You know how restaurants really love to install big fancy, very heavy glass doors? Well it just so happens that T-Rex had such doors. Benton was holding onto the hinge as it was closing and, lo and behold, his ring finger on his right hand was caught. I noticed JUST BEFORE the door closed all the way. I pushed open the door, took one look at his hand, and went into PANIC mode. Literally, I screamed "MOM, WHAT DO I DO?" Yeah, me, the girl who can handle a patient coding without breaking a sweat. Smashed finger when its my own kid and I'm hysterical, as was he. And who could blame him, the poor thing!
After about 15 minutes, he stopped bawling, and we thought for a few minutes maybe he would be fine. But I decided I would feel better if we took him to Children's Mercy Hospital, just in case it was broken. They took an x-ray and decided his finger is really too tiny to tell, but most likely based on the damage to the finger nail it was. Ugh. My stomach churns EVERY time I think about it, and I keep re-playing the image of him standing there looking at me with his finger caught in the door in my head.
I'm looking forward to receiving the "worst mom of the year" award for this incident. I've already begun preparing my speech:
"Well you see, I decided that since he's left handed, he really didn't need that finger. And I wanted the door propped so that I could feel a slight breeze while I waited to be seated. And he's just 2, so it's not like he'll remember it when he's older..."
Okay, I know it was just an accident and these things happen. But my heart still hurts thinking about it. Ahhh, the first of (I'm sure many) injuries I'll get to experience while being the mother of a boy.
All fixed up, with all his stickers from the various nurses, whom he wooed with is love for bubbles and fish :)
My mom came to town this week while I had some medical tests run, and on Tuesday we decided to hit up the Legends. We were so excited to take Benton to eat at T-Rex (think Rainforest Cafe, but with dinosaurs) for the first time. You know how restaurants really love to install big fancy, very heavy glass doors? Well it just so happens that T-Rex had such doors. Benton was holding onto the hinge as it was closing and, lo and behold, his ring finger on his right hand was caught. I noticed JUST BEFORE the door closed all the way. I pushed open the door, took one look at his hand, and went into PANIC mode. Literally, I screamed "MOM, WHAT DO I DO?" Yeah, me, the girl who can handle a patient coding without breaking a sweat. Smashed finger when its my own kid and I'm hysterical, as was he. And who could blame him, the poor thing!
After about 15 minutes, he stopped bawling, and we thought for a few minutes maybe he would be fine. But I decided I would feel better if we took him to Children's Mercy Hospital, just in case it was broken. They took an x-ray and decided his finger is really too tiny to tell, but most likely based on the damage to the finger nail it was. Ugh. My stomach churns EVERY time I think about it, and I keep re-playing the image of him standing there looking at me with his finger caught in the door in my head.
I'm looking forward to receiving the "worst mom of the year" award for this incident. I've already begun preparing my speech:
"Well you see, I decided that since he's left handed, he really didn't need that finger. And I wanted the door propped so that I could feel a slight breeze while I waited to be seated. And he's just 2, so it's not like he'll remember it when he's older..."
Okay, I know it was just an accident and these things happen. But my heart still hurts thinking about it. Ahhh, the first of (I'm sure many) injuries I'll get to experience while being the mother of a boy.
All fixed up, with all his stickers from the various nurses, whom he wooed with is love for bubbles and fish :)
Monday, June 20, 2011
Arts and Crafts
So lately, I'm been trying to do more arts and crafts projects with Benton. For the most part, he loves them. Especially if they involve stickers or painting.
Here are a few of Benton's recent works of art. I know, future VanGough on my hands :)
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Here are a few of Benton's recent works of art. I know, future VanGough on my hands :)
(A picture for nana and papa)
"alien costume" we made out of a paper bag. Benton painted most of it, I put on a few finishing touches. (Please ignore that he is in his underwear, ha)
Shhhh, artist at work :)
The littlest Jeska
In case you haven't stopped by the house recently, or noticed the pics I posted on facebook, as of May the Jeska household has a new family member!
Meet Roscoe, a four year old, four pound little bundle of Yorkie cuddles. He is the sweetest little guy and has made a great addtion to our family.
Meet Roscoe, a four year old, four pound little bundle of Yorkie cuddles. He is the sweetest little guy and has made a great addtion to our family.
Roscoe is the biggest little cuddle bug you could ever meet! Every night (that I'm not working) he jumps (way up) into bed with me, burrows under the covers, and curls up right next to me. He's gotten me throughy many a lonely night this summer. Stop by soon and meet him, you'll be in love!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Minor, err, major kitchen makeover
Well, as promised, I'm finally getting around to posting the results of the kitchen makeover I we (but mostly I :) ) did. Granted, we only changed one thing really. Hence, a minor makevoer. However, I think the new backspash makes such a statement that for me it feels like a MAJOR transformation. I went from feeling BLAH about this space to LOVING it. Loving. I actually WANT to clean it becuase I love it so much. It's still small, but I love it. It makes me happy. Okay, enough said. Here we go:
First, a reminder of what my kitchen looked like before:
Okay, I'll be honest, this isn't MY kitchen, its a pic from another townhome down the street thats for sale. But, I promise, colors and everything are exactly the same. I just forgot to take a "before" picture. The only one I had didn't really show much at all.
It took me about 17 trips to Home Depot (not literally, but close), a total of somewhere around 10-15 hours (I'm guessing, I didn't really keep track), and around $150 (TOTAL! Including the tools I didn't have!).
And this is what I ended up with:
As usual, I apologize for the crappy pictures. Ever since I lost my camera, I'm stuck with relying on my phone anytime I wanna snap a pic. As a result, these pics REALLY don't do the final space justice.
The acutal paint color is:
Saffron by Martha Stewart Living in semi-gloss. (I was SO nervous about buying anything but Sherwin Williams, but the sheen and cover was actually excellent!)
My inspiration came from Thrifty Decor Chick's blog
She also has a great tutorial on caulk and spackle (which I used TONS of for this project) here.
I've been SO obsessed with beadboard lately, I'm already searching for other places to put it. (Hint: the downstairs bathroom cabinets got a smidge of a wainscot facelift too :) )
I can't say enough how pleased I am with this project. Now, if I could just get those awful faucets changed out, I think I'll be in *tiny* kitchen heaven :)
First, a reminder of what my kitchen looked like before:
Okay, I'll be honest, this isn't MY kitchen, its a pic from another townhome down the street thats for sale. But, I promise, colors and everything are exactly the same. I just forgot to take a "before" picture. The only one I had didn't really show much at all.
It took me about 17 trips to Home Depot (not literally, but close), a total of somewhere around 10-15 hours (I'm guessing, I didn't really keep track), and around $150 (TOTAL! Including the tools I didn't have!).
And this is what I ended up with:
As usual, I apologize for the crappy pictures. Ever since I lost my camera, I'm stuck with relying on my phone anytime I wanna snap a pic. As a result, these pics REALLY don't do the final space justice.
The acutal paint color is:
Saffron by Martha Stewart Living in semi-gloss. (I was SO nervous about buying anything but Sherwin Williams, but the sheen and cover was actually excellent!)
My inspiration came from Thrifty Decor Chick's blog
She also has a great tutorial on caulk and spackle (which I used TONS of for this project) here.
I've been SO obsessed with beadboard lately, I'm already searching for other places to put it. (Hint: the downstairs bathroom cabinets got a smidge of a wainscot facelift too :) )
I can't say enough how pleased I am with this project. Now, if I could just get those awful faucets changed out, I think I'll be in *tiny* kitchen heaven :)
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Another little update
Once again I find myself feeling the need to apologize for my lack of fun, quirky, or unique posts for my blog, time and inspiration have both been my enemy over the last two months. I do promise, however, a blog soon with pics of my kitchen revamp that is *oh so close* to completed! (And looking amazing, I might add) Also, once I'm a little farther in (and hopefully not as stiff as a board) an unbiased review of the "Insanity" workout program will be posted. For today, another quick update on the goings-on in the Jeska household.
My two year old (well 2 and 1 month) is potty trained!!!! *BIG SIGH OF RELIEF* Okay, so we are still using pull-ups because he has occasional accidents but, for the most part, he's been staying dry all day and night over the last several days. The best part? He practically trained himself! Seriously, other than remind him throughout the day to use the potty (and reward him when he did) I have had very little to do with his success. I am SO proud of my BIG BOY! Ahh, little successes like these make being a mom totally worth it.
And speaking of being a mom, there is finally some news on the baby making front. Good? Well...ehhh....depends on how you look at it. Not in the sense that I'm pregnant, but yes in the sense that we are finally on our way to answers. I saw my doctor today who has scheduled Chris and I for several tests over the next few weeks, and referred us to an infertility specialist. Not all these tests seem like they will be very fun, and seeing the diagnoses "infertility" written down on paper was definitely a punch in the gut, but it still feels so good to not just be sitting around playing the waiting game.
Chris is still doing well in Oklahoma, he had his first test in his non-radar module and got a 100%! He showed me what his test was going to be over and all I can say is, wow! There were so many numbers to memorize, I don't see how he did it, but I'm so proud of him that he did! We got to see him this last weekend while we were in Minnesota for a couple days. It was a short (and very busy) visit but of course I'll take what I can get.
Speaking of Minnesota, Benton and I had a great visit. It's always wonderful to be around family and friends. Chris's cousin Erin got married and the wedding was beautiful, she was a stunning bride. I can't believe how fast all our cousins on that side are growing up! The only downside was the 8 hour drive with gas around $3.75 per gallon, yuck! But, overall, worth every penny.
Welp, that's my update for tonight. I'll post more when I know more. Maybe. :)
My two year old (well 2 and 1 month) is potty trained!!!! *BIG SIGH OF RELIEF* Okay, so we are still using pull-ups because he has occasional accidents but, for the most part, he's been staying dry all day and night over the last several days. The best part? He practically trained himself! Seriously, other than remind him throughout the day to use the potty (and reward him when he did) I have had very little to do with his success. I am SO proud of my BIG BOY! Ahh, little successes like these make being a mom totally worth it.
And speaking of being a mom, there is finally some news on the baby making front. Good? Well...ehhh....depends on how you look at it. Not in the sense that I'm pregnant, but yes in the sense that we are finally on our way to answers. I saw my doctor today who has scheduled Chris and I for several tests over the next few weeks, and referred us to an infertility specialist. Not all these tests seem like they will be very fun, and seeing the diagnoses "infertility" written down on paper was definitely a punch in the gut, but it still feels so good to not just be sitting around playing the waiting game.
Chris is still doing well in Oklahoma, he had his first test in his non-radar module and got a 100%! He showed me what his test was going to be over and all I can say is, wow! There were so many numbers to memorize, I don't see how he did it, but I'm so proud of him that he did! We got to see him this last weekend while we were in Minnesota for a couple days. It was a short (and very busy) visit but of course I'll take what I can get.
Speaking of Minnesota, Benton and I had a great visit. It's always wonderful to be around family and friends. Chris's cousin Erin got married and the wedding was beautiful, she was a stunning bride. I can't believe how fast all our cousins on that side are growing up! The only downside was the 8 hour drive with gas around $3.75 per gallon, yuck! But, overall, worth every penny.
Welp, that's my update for tonight. I'll post more when I know more. Maybe. :)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Jeska family update
Sorry I haven't posted a while, life get's crazy when you are "living" in two states at the same time!
Benton and I (and Isaac!) got to spend 8 days last week in OKC with Chris, and it was by far the most wonderful 8 days I've had in a long time. It was so great to just enjoy being together as a family again, and I LOVED having Chris get home from work every day almost 2 hours earlier than he used to! We spent lots of time at the lake, the library, and feeding the ducks in the neighborhood pond.
Everyone is asking how Chris is doing with his classes and I am so PROUD to say that he's doing GREAT! He just finished his first class with flying colors and only has 2 more "module" (classes) until he gets to come home in August. On every test he scored the class average or better (always an A) and had no problems with the final exam either.
He's very cautiously optomistic, on the day of his final for his first class he heard of a few students in the class ahead of them who were on their last day of the final module that failed the very last final exam and were sent packing. He said these were good students who had done well on all previous exams and, unfortunatly had just enough slip ups on the final to be told they no longer had a job! HOW SCARY! On the other hand, his teachers have told him that they think he will do great and get through OKC training just fine becuase he is such a hard working student. I know he can and will succeed. Like I said, I am just SO PROUD of him!
Benton is doing great too, I think we are going to start potty training round two in a couple weeks...eek! Not so excited about that, but looking forward to having that stage behind us. I LOVE seeing all the new things he's picked up in the last few months, such as coming to me to give me a big hug and a kiss out of the blue (without me even asking!), singing "Deep and Wide" (with the motions!) and saying "EWWW" when he has a dirty diper (can we say "time for potty training?")
As for me, I had a really rough patch in the weeks leading up to and following Easter, but I've been doing a little better since we went to OKC. It helps knowing we are already one month down. I've started casually looking at various adoption websites and blogs. While making that decision will not be anything that happens anytime soon (we are still going to try testing/treatments starting in August before we give up on getting pregnant again) it is already starting to intimidate me to think of all the things (including $20,000+ in costs) that go into that. If any of you know of any good resources send them my way!
Well, thats life for us in a (rather large) nutshell. Still wishing on a star and praying for some miracles!
Benton and I (and Isaac!) got to spend 8 days last week in OKC with Chris, and it was by far the most wonderful 8 days I've had in a long time. It was so great to just enjoy being together as a family again, and I LOVED having Chris get home from work every day almost 2 hours earlier than he used to! We spent lots of time at the lake, the library, and feeding the ducks in the neighborhood pond.
Everyone is asking how Chris is doing with his classes and I am so PROUD to say that he's doing GREAT! He just finished his first class with flying colors and only has 2 more "module" (classes) until he gets to come home in August. On every test he scored the class average or better (always an A) and had no problems with the final exam either.
He's very cautiously optomistic, on the day of his final for his first class he heard of a few students in the class ahead of them who were on their last day of the final module that failed the very last final exam and were sent packing. He said these were good students who had done well on all previous exams and, unfortunatly had just enough slip ups on the final to be told they no longer had a job! HOW SCARY! On the other hand, his teachers have told him that they think he will do great and get through OKC training just fine becuase he is such a hard working student. I know he can and will succeed. Like I said, I am just SO PROUD of him!
Benton is doing great too, I think we are going to start potty training round two in a couple weeks...eek! Not so excited about that, but looking forward to having that stage behind us. I LOVE seeing all the new things he's picked up in the last few months, such as coming to me to give me a big hug and a kiss out of the blue (without me even asking!), singing "Deep and Wide" (with the motions!) and saying "EWWW" when he has a dirty diper (can we say "time for potty training?")
As for me, I had a really rough patch in the weeks leading up to and following Easter, but I've been doing a little better since we went to OKC. It helps knowing we are already one month down. I've started casually looking at various adoption websites and blogs. While making that decision will not be anything that happens anytime soon (we are still going to try testing/treatments starting in August before we give up on getting pregnant again) it is already starting to intimidate me to think of all the things (including $20,000+ in costs) that go into that. If any of you know of any good resources send them my way!
Well, thats life for us in a (rather large) nutshell. Still wishing on a star and praying for some miracles!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
From worst to best, in one shopping trip flat!
Okay, for all you out there who HATE Wal-Mart with a passion, I can totally relate. They used to be one of my least favorite places to buy groceries because: A: it's almost always packed, B: it never seemed to be as good of quality as Target or the regular grocery store, and C: I always seem to find an extra $50 worth of junk to buy that wasn't on my list.
However, I had recently read some acticles on Walmarts updated price matching policy and I decided to give it a shot. Suddenly, I think I'll be shopping at Walmart a LOT more often!
Here's the srategy that worked great for me:
First, I sat down at home and scanned all the local grocery ads for the week (the ads have to be local in order for them to guarantee price matching). I made a list of the things in the ads I wanted to buy that looked something like this:
Buy 4 Less deals:
Wonder Classic White Sandwich Bread- 1 loaf $1.19
Red Strawberries- 1 lb $2.39
Homeland Grocery deals:
DiGiorno pizzas 24-31 oz: 2/$7
Etc.
You have to be a little detailed becuase the item in the store has to be the same as what the ad lists. For meat and produce, it has to be sold by the same units (such as $2 per pound ) so if Buy 4 Less is selling apples by the pound and Walmart sells them as a price per apple, you won't be able to use that deal. Also, Walmart won't match "buy one for x, get one for y" type ads. However, pretty much anything else goes. They also honor deals that other stores require a "frequent shoppers card" for. Also, you no longer have to bring the ad with you. Stores are now responsible for keeping all local ads on hand and if they don't have them, too bad for them!
So, like I said, I made my list so I would know exactly what I needed to tell the lady at checkout, and also added on the things that weren't on sale already somewhere.
Next, I headed to the store. I didn't want to be one of those people who goes during the busiest times and holds up the line for 20 people, so I went about 10 in the morning when there were no lines. When I got to the store, if there were some things that Walmart was already selling cheaper than the deal on my list, I crossed it off so I wouldn't get confused at checkout. Then, when we got to the front, I put all the things that were going to be price adjustments at the end of the black rolling counter (what the heck are those things called, anyway?) I told the lady I had a few price matches and she didn't even roll her eyes at me!
When she got to those things, I just told her who had that item listed and for what price and she adjusted it right there, without even looking it up, so it only took a couple extra seconds per item.
Here's the kicker, between that and a few coupons, I saved over $30 on our $70 grocery bill! THIRTY DOLLARS! And I probably only spent an extra 15 minutes between scanning ads and the extra time in line!
I know, its nothing compared to the people on those "Extreme Couponing" shows, but I was still pretty excited about it, after all, thats an hour less of work, or a meal out one night!
Well, I guess thats enough about my grocery habits for one day. Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you about how I got a new dress and shirt at the Gap for $15 :)
However, I had recently read some acticles on Walmarts updated price matching policy and I decided to give it a shot. Suddenly, I think I'll be shopping at Walmart a LOT more often!
Here's the srategy that worked great for me:
First, I sat down at home and scanned all the local grocery ads for the week (the ads have to be local in order for them to guarantee price matching). I made a list of the things in the ads I wanted to buy that looked something like this:
Buy 4 Less deals:
Wonder Classic White Sandwich Bread- 1 loaf $1.19
Red Strawberries- 1 lb $2.39
Homeland Grocery deals:
DiGiorno pizzas 24-31 oz: 2/$7
Etc.
You have to be a little detailed becuase the item in the store has to be the same as what the ad lists. For meat and produce, it has to be sold by the same units (such as $2 per pound ) so if Buy 4 Less is selling apples by the pound and Walmart sells them as a price per apple, you won't be able to use that deal. Also, Walmart won't match "buy one for x, get one for y" type ads. However, pretty much anything else goes. They also honor deals that other stores require a "frequent shoppers card" for. Also, you no longer have to bring the ad with you. Stores are now responsible for keeping all local ads on hand and if they don't have them, too bad for them!
So, like I said, I made my list so I would know exactly what I needed to tell the lady at checkout, and also added on the things that weren't on sale already somewhere.
Next, I headed to the store. I didn't want to be one of those people who goes during the busiest times and holds up the line for 20 people, so I went about 10 in the morning when there were no lines. When I got to the store, if there were some things that Walmart was already selling cheaper than the deal on my list, I crossed it off so I wouldn't get confused at checkout. Then, when we got to the front, I put all the things that were going to be price adjustments at the end of the black rolling counter (what the heck are those things called, anyway?) I told the lady I had a few price matches and she didn't even roll her eyes at me!
When she got to those things, I just told her who had that item listed and for what price and she adjusted it right there, without even looking it up, so it only took a couple extra seconds per item.
Here's the kicker, between that and a few coupons, I saved over $30 on our $70 grocery bill! THIRTY DOLLARS! And I probably only spent an extra 15 minutes between scanning ads and the extra time in line!
I know, its nothing compared to the people on those "Extreme Couponing" shows, but I was still pretty excited about it, after all, thats an hour less of work, or a meal out one night!
Well, I guess thats enough about my grocery habits for one day. Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you about how I got a new dress and shirt at the Gap for $15 :)
Monday, May 2, 2011
When God is quiet
"I believe in the sun, even when it's not shining;
I believe in love, even when I am alone;
and I believe in God, even when he is silent."
-found inscribed on a wall in a Nazi concentration camp following WWII
Throughout the last several weeks of lent, and the week following Easter, my heart has been in a battle.
I've spent weeks asking God why, what now, why, how long, why.
Every time I ask, I get the same answer.
Silence.
I've cried out to God for peace, screamed at him for answers, pleaded with him for blessings, shouted at him for a sign.
I keep getting the same answer.
Silence.
I've bargained with God, trying to use every chip I can come up with; I've searched the Word looking for hope, in my darkest hours I've threatened to take my own life.
His answer?
Silence.
But today, on my drive home from work, I remembered this quote I had come across a few years ago, "...and I believe in God, even when He is silent."
I don't have the answers I want, I don't have the peace I'm craving, I don't have the hope I once did, but I still believe. I still know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is up there, hearing every word, every shout, every teardrop.
This morning a song entered my head, and it's been stuck there for a few hours. It's by Joy Williams and the chorus says:
"It's okay to answer me with silence,
It's okay if you don't say a word,
'Cause you're testing me to trust you'll be faithful in this quiet,
So okay, answer me with silence."
I'm suddenly renewed in the fact that I will get through this time, I will come out a stronger woman, a better mom, wife, and follower of Christ. But for now, I'll just have to live with
SILENCE
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Benton's Birthday Party
Finally, 2 weeks later, I'm getting some pics up from Benton's birthday!
We went to Branson for the weekend, along with both sets of Benton's grandparents and his aunt Amanda and Uncle Isaac.
We went to Branson for the weekend, along with both sets of Benton's grandparents and his aunt Amanda and Uncle Isaac.
On the train ride wearing his conductors hat
Party time!
Almost time for food!
Cute decorations I ordered from "Parties by Hardie" Etsy shop
The water bottles said "chugga-chugga" and the napkin rings said "chew-chew" :)
Mazzios wins some sort of best pizza award from this family!
The cake was AMAZNG! (It was strawberry and came from Sugar Leaf bakery)
Loving having everyone sing to him
Finally into opening presents this year!
The "party" was a train ride through southern Missouri into Arkansas (since Benton is LOVING trains these days, as you all know) and then some pizza and cake back at the cabin. He loved every minute of it, as did all of us! But I still can't believe I have a two year old! He's growing up way too fast, I just want to hold onto every moment.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Today I just really, really, really, REALLY, really really really miss my husband. Like crazy. I really don't know how I'm going to get through 3 1/2 more months of this. Hey, at least I don't have to say 4 months anymore, right? Ugh, this is going to be the longest summer EVER! (And not in the way I used to dream about summers lasting forever)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Happy {Belated} Birthday, Benton!
I can't believe I'm the mother of a two year old! It makes me feel so...old! Benton had a WONDERFUL birthday and birthday party weekend, I'll post about that once I get the pictures on here. For now, here's what's been going on with Benton now that he's two:
Benton is ALL boy, through and through. He is definatly a little ornery (he get's that from his grandpas :) ), but mostly he LOVES to be silly. He has this deep belly laugh that melts my heart, it is just so sweet! Benton's favorite food these days is: cereal! I think he'd eat it every meal if I'd let him. The upside is that he's getting to be really good with grown up utensils.
Benton is learning new words almost daily it seems like. Most of them are what I lovingly like to call "Benton-isms," such as "Mimi" for Thomas the train, "Wee" for park/slide, and "Dee" for cookie. I have no clue how he comes up with them (well, I get the wee one) but I'm learning his language and trying to teach him ours. He knows all of his body parts and most of the animals. He really is a smart kid.
Benton's favorite toys are his Thomas trains, but Thomas books, movies, his Thomas tent, etc all come in at a close second. He also loves Buzz Lightyear a lot. My favorite thing is when Benton comes to me and gives me a big hug and kiss, without me even asking. It is the sweetest thing!
Benton is still a little small for his age, but I'm in no hurry for him to get big. Small is just fine with mommy! Most of his teeth are in and he LOVES to brush them with his Cars toothbrush.
Benton is loving getting to hang out with his Uncle "I" (as Benton calls him) while Chris is gone, but his face really lights up every time he hears his daddy on the phone or gets to talk to him on Skype. I can tell he misses him.
I adore every ounce of two year old Benton, and seeing him grow every day is the best part of being a mom.
Benton is ALL boy, through and through. He is definatly a little ornery (he get's that from his grandpas :) ), but mostly he LOVES to be silly. He has this deep belly laugh that melts my heart, it is just so sweet! Benton's favorite food these days is: cereal! I think he'd eat it every meal if I'd let him. The upside is that he's getting to be really good with grown up utensils.
Benton is learning new words almost daily it seems like. Most of them are what I lovingly like to call "Benton-isms," such as "Mimi" for Thomas the train, "Wee" for park/slide, and "Dee" for cookie. I have no clue how he comes up with them (well, I get the wee one) but I'm learning his language and trying to teach him ours. He knows all of his body parts and most of the animals. He really is a smart kid.
Benton's favorite toys are his Thomas trains, but Thomas books, movies, his Thomas tent, etc all come in at a close second. He also loves Buzz Lightyear a lot. My favorite thing is when Benton comes to me and gives me a big hug and kiss, without me even asking. It is the sweetest thing!
Benton is still a little small for his age, but I'm in no hurry for him to get big. Small is just fine with mommy! Most of his teeth are in and he LOVES to brush them with his Cars toothbrush.
Benton is loving getting to hang out with his Uncle "I" (as Benton calls him) while Chris is gone, but his face really lights up every time he hears his daddy on the phone or gets to talk to him on Skype. I can tell he misses him.
I adore every ounce of two year old Benton, and seeing him grow every day is the best part of being a mom.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Poor teens....
For all of you out there who haven't seen this yet:
LHC Youth Sponsers: Big Bibles
Yeah, becuase we are just THAT awesome :) Go ahead, be jealous of our awesome dance moves.
LHC Youth Sponsers: Big Bibles
Yeah, becuase we are just THAT awesome :) Go ahead, be jealous of our awesome dance moves.
My partial facebook fast
Dear fellow facebookers:
While I seem addicted to loging on to facebook with you 3, 4, *cough* 27 *cough* times a day, I've decided enough is enough when it comes to this self destructive behavior. I'm breaking up with you, our facebook relationship must come to a close. It's not you, it's me. Maybe we can still see each other from time to time as friends.
Love,
Me
Okay, so I'm not totally giving up facebook altogether. I may still post a status from time to time, and I'll log on every so often if someone sends a message or an invite. Mostly I'm giving up the news feed, primarily because just about every time I log in it loves to flood me with reminders of how about 95% of my friends are pregnant and I'm still not. I know, I can't live in a bubble. But I also don't need to torture myself very time I have nothing better to do than see what every acquaintance I've ever known has been up to lately. So, I may be out of the loop next time you ask me if I heard the latest news or saw so-and-so's latest status. But I think this will be a good thing for me. Until I have some good news of my own, or I'm better at dealing with things, you'll just have to tell me in person what you think of the weather or how your lunch with your mom was.
While I seem addicted to loging on to facebook with you 3, 4, *cough* 27 *cough* times a day, I've decided enough is enough when it comes to this self destructive behavior. I'm breaking up with you, our facebook relationship must come to a close. It's not you, it's me. Maybe we can still see each other from time to time as friends.
Love,
Me
Okay, so I'm not totally giving up facebook altogether. I may still post a status from time to time, and I'll log on every so often if someone sends a message or an invite. Mostly I'm giving up the news feed, primarily because just about every time I log in it loves to flood me with reminders of how about 95% of my friends are pregnant and I'm still not. I know, I can't live in a bubble. But I also don't need to torture myself very time I have nothing better to do than see what every acquaintance I've ever known has been up to lately. So, I may be out of the loop next time you ask me if I heard the latest news or saw so-and-so's latest status. But I think this will be a good thing for me. Until I have some good news of my own, or I'm better at dealing with things, you'll just have to tell me in person what you think of the weather or how your lunch with your mom was.
Monday, April 11, 2011
I left my heart in Oklahoma
Well, here we are: the first day of Chris living in Oklahoma and me being here. Last night, while I was doing some packing to head home and Chris was getting ready for his first full day of class I was doing great. I was pretty sure that he would be the one to really have trouble because he kept saying "It's going to be so weird coming home to an empty apartment." I kept reminding him of how much he can get done and enjoy quiet time, something that I now simply dream about. This morning as I was driving home, I kept thinking of how quick the next 4 months was going to go, and how I was looking forward to this weekend when we will see each other in Branson for Benton's 2nd birthday party (AHHH, I have so much to do still!!!) Mostly I was just feeling excited about everything.
Then I got home. Waterworks. It's just me and little B. For four months. How am I going to do this? How am I going to keep a "normal routine" for my two year old with all the craziness? How am I going to stay sane? And my house? Yikes, it's bound to soon become a dump.
The only upside right at this second? It's the 11th, which means we only have 3 months and 30 days to go.
Then I got home. Waterworks. It's just me and little B. For four months. How am I going to do this? How am I going to keep a "normal routine" for my two year old with all the craziness? How am I going to stay sane? And my house? Yikes, it's bound to soon become a dump.
The only upside right at this second? It's the 11th, which means we only have 3 months and 30 days to go.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Oklahoma City, here we are!
Well, we made it down to OKC without a hitch.
Oh yeah, except for the fact that I've been bedridden for 3 days with the stomach flu.
Oh, and that Chris's classes are on hold while we wait for the government to decide wheter or not its going to shut down tonight.
And that this apartment seriously has a funky odor to it.
Otherwise, life in OKC is just dandy :)
Oh yeah, except for the fact that I've been bedridden for 3 days with the stomach flu.
Oh, and that Chris's classes are on hold while we wait for the government to decide wheter or not its going to shut down tonight.
And that this apartment seriously has a funky odor to it.
Otherwise, life in OKC is just dandy :)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Gearing up!
I've got some CRAZY days ahead in the next few weeks, I can't believe I have so much going on in such a short period of time. I'm working three days in a row so that Friday we can leave for Spring retreat with the teens (can words express how excited I am? I think not!) Benton is coming with us, which I'm actually really excited about becuase I think it will be great for him to spend lots of extra time outside. Then I come back and go right back to work for 3 more days because as soon as I get off Wednesday morning, we head to OKC to get Chris all moved into his new apartment. I'm excited that I get to stay down there a few days, but I'll be on my way back Monday to work 3 more days before Benton's birthday and our trip to Branson for his party. So basically, I won't be home for the next 3 weeks unless I'm working that night and as a result I may or may not be updating my blog.
Lots of stuff is going on so keep us in your prayers. I know I say that a lot, but this time we REALLY need it. AND if you ever wanna come spend a night with my little buddy Benton, I'm looking for LOTS of help this summer while Chris is away on the nights that I work.
Lots of stuff is going on so keep us in your prayers. I know I say that a lot, but this time we REALLY need it. AND if you ever wanna come spend a night with my little buddy Benton, I'm looking for LOTS of help this summer while Chris is away on the nights that I work.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
all I have to say is....
Spending two days with my family was so good for my heart. And a night at the Hyatt?!? HEAVEN!
Then it was over and I had to come back to work tonight.
I cried.
The end.
Then it was over and I had to come back to work tonight.
I cried.
The end.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
"Story of a Girl"
Anyone remember this song? Popular in the late late 90's or early 2000's? I don't remember all of it, but I remember this line:
"How many days in the year, she woke up with hope but she only found tears?"
Feels like my theme song some days, days like today. Days when I know that all my prayers and hopes and trying went unanswered again this month.
*SIGH*
"How many days in the year, she woke up with hope but she only found tears?"
Feels like my theme song some days, days like today. Days when I know that all my prayers and hopes and trying went unanswered again this month.
*SIGH*
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tiny Tillia is HERE!!!!
Two posts in one day, CrAzY, right? This is a rare occasion. But I really had 2 things I wanted to post about and they were totally unrelated so, why not?
So, here I am writing post numero dos.
As most of you know, I started selling Avon last summer when I was trying to buy some skin so soft spray (which my pediatrition had recommended to use as bug spray on small kiddos) and couldn't find anyone I knew, or even a friend of a friend, who sold it. I decided, gee, if it's this hard to find somone who sells it, I might as well sell it myself. Unlike Mary Kay, there is virtually no startup costs at all, and unless you're really trying to make a profit, there's not much time involved either. I mostly just do it becuase I LOVE their beauty products, when I can get for a fraction of the price that I would pay at just about anywhere else. In the last few months I haven't been doing much selling (in fact, I haven't ordered any brochures since around December) just becuase I got out of the habit and never quite got back in it. THEN I found out Avon was launching a new line: Tiny Tillia, a whole line of baby products. Now, I don't exactly have a baby at the moment (although I hopefully will before long) but I still LOVE looking at baby stuff and with all my friends who are preggars or just had babies I was so excited to see what the new brochure had. I finally got my first set of catologues in the mail and I am SOOOOO excited! Not only was the baby stuff precious, but there are a few things in there that would be great for Benton too!
Here is a sneek peak at what's inside:
Accessories for mommy!
Yummy scented bath and body products for baby, plus lots of clothes, toys and other items, many of which can be personalized for just a few dollars more! There's even an entire nursery bedding collection!
So, here I am writing post numero dos.
As most of you know, I started selling Avon last summer when I was trying to buy some skin so soft spray (which my pediatrition had recommended to use as bug spray on small kiddos) and couldn't find anyone I knew, or even a friend of a friend, who sold it. I decided, gee, if it's this hard to find somone who sells it, I might as well sell it myself. Unlike Mary Kay, there is virtually no startup costs at all, and unless you're really trying to make a profit, there's not much time involved either. I mostly just do it becuase I LOVE their beauty products, when I can get for a fraction of the price that I would pay at just about anywhere else. In the last few months I haven't been doing much selling (in fact, I haven't ordered any brochures since around December) just becuase I got out of the habit and never quite got back in it. THEN I found out Avon was launching a new line: Tiny Tillia, a whole line of baby products. Now, I don't exactly have a baby at the moment (although I hopefully will before long) but I still LOVE looking at baby stuff and with all my friends who are preggars or just had babies I was so excited to see what the new brochure had. I finally got my first set of catologues in the mail and I am SOOOOO excited! Not only was the baby stuff precious, but there are a few things in there that would be great for Benton too!
Here is a sneek peak at what's inside:
Accessories for mommy!Yummy scented bath and body products for baby, plus lots of clothes, toys and other items, many of which can be personalized for just a few dollars more! There's even an entire nursery bedding collection!LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it! So let me know if you want a catolog, I can start placing orders for the new line on April 12.
Bad Dogs!
Dear dog owner at 545 S Woodson Ln:
Your dog's suck. And right now I kinda feel like you do too.
Sincerely,
Mitsy's mom
I really want to go post that note on her door RIGHT NOW, but my inner conscience is (fortunately) winning the argument.
After I woke up this afternoon, I was going to take Mitsy (our 4 year old puggle) for a nice little stroll along the path behind our townhouses. We were almost to the end of path so I decided to turn around and start heading back the other direction. Just as we were getting going (it can take dogs a while to get turned around ;) ) I look up just in time to see a woman letting her two dogs out her back door. They were clearly going CRAZY, and she was attaching their collars to the long tie out ropes they had in the backyard. Nothing wrong with tying your dogs out, right? WRONG! At least when the tie out reaches the PUBLIC path that runs behind your home and you have GIANT EVIL ATTACK DOGS! The dogs barreled straight over to Mitsy as soon as she let go and began to, no exaggeration, ATTACK! I started SCREAMING "STOP STOP, MAKE THEM GET OFF HER!" I had no clue what to do, do I intervene and get my own hands chewed off, these dogs don't know me from the mailman? Finally, after what felt like FOREVER (but was probably less than a minute) the owner comes over and pulls the dogs off. During the course of the attack, Mitsy had wiggled out of her collar so as soon as the dogs were off her she started running as fast as her short stubby legs could carry her. Fortunately, she ran straight home so she was easy to find. Two or three minutes later, after I got her inside and checked her over for life threatening injuries, I decided to go back to the other dog's home to talk with the owner, make sure the dogs shots were up to date and such before I tried to take Mitsy to the vet. I knocked on that door and rang that door bell for no less than 5 minutes. The woman didn't even have the nerve to come answer the door!
UGH I WAS LIVID! What kind of person is this?!?!? My dog did not so much as growl or bark at your dogs, she wasn't even standing in your yard, and you can't even come to the door and muster up an apology? An "is your dog okay?" Nothing?
I decided to go ahead and call animal control, they came over to get a detailed report and then said they couldn't really do much unless the dogs were repeat offenders. Really? I mean at the very least you would hope they would make her shorten her tie out. Nope. Nothing.
So here I am, home and frustrated that my poor Mitsy is nursing her little battle wounds. Thankfully, she does seem to be fine, albeit very shaken up. Mostly scratches under her coat and on her tummy.
If you think of it, say a little prayer for her that none of them get infected, which would mean another vet visit and antibiotics.
Here's a couple pics I took of my little trooper:
Your dog's suck. And right now I kinda feel like you do too.
Sincerely,
Mitsy's mom
I really want to go post that note on her door RIGHT NOW, but my inner conscience is (fortunately) winning the argument.
After I woke up this afternoon, I was going to take Mitsy (our 4 year old puggle) for a nice little stroll along the path behind our townhouses. We were almost to the end of path so I decided to turn around and start heading back the other direction. Just as we were getting going (it can take dogs a while to get turned around ;) ) I look up just in time to see a woman letting her two dogs out her back door. They were clearly going CRAZY, and she was attaching their collars to the long tie out ropes they had in the backyard. Nothing wrong with tying your dogs out, right? WRONG! At least when the tie out reaches the PUBLIC path that runs behind your home and you have GIANT EVIL ATTACK DOGS! The dogs barreled straight over to Mitsy as soon as she let go and began to, no exaggeration, ATTACK! I started SCREAMING "STOP STOP, MAKE THEM GET OFF HER!" I had no clue what to do, do I intervene and get my own hands chewed off, these dogs don't know me from the mailman? Finally, after what felt like FOREVER (but was probably less than a minute) the owner comes over and pulls the dogs off. During the course of the attack, Mitsy had wiggled out of her collar so as soon as the dogs were off her she started running as fast as her short stubby legs could carry her. Fortunately, she ran straight home so she was easy to find. Two or three minutes later, after I got her inside and checked her over for life threatening injuries, I decided to go back to the other dog's home to talk with the owner, make sure the dogs shots were up to date and such before I tried to take Mitsy to the vet. I knocked on that door and rang that door bell for no less than 5 minutes. The woman didn't even have the nerve to come answer the door!
UGH I WAS LIVID! What kind of person is this?!?!? My dog did not so much as growl or bark at your dogs, she wasn't even standing in your yard, and you can't even come to the door and muster up an apology? An "is your dog okay?" Nothing?
I decided to go ahead and call animal control, they came over to get a detailed report and then said they couldn't really do much unless the dogs were repeat offenders. Really? I mean at the very least you would hope they would make her shorten her tie out. Nope. Nothing.
So here I am, home and frustrated that my poor Mitsy is nursing her little battle wounds. Thankfully, she does seem to be fine, albeit very shaken up. Mostly scratches under her coat and on her tummy.
If you think of it, say a little prayer for her that none of them get infected, which would mean another vet visit and antibiotics.
Here's a couple pics I took of my little trooper:
Some of the scratches on her tummy
Curled up in a little ball, looking sad :(
Friday, March 18, 2011
Hip Hip Hooray!
It's here! It's here! It's finally here!
Spring has officially sprung in Kansas City and I am LOVING it!
No more snow, no more freezing, no more staying inside ALL WEEK LONG!
To celebrate, the Jeska family has been enjoying lots of long walks, trips to the park, and indulging in a little more ice cream than any couple who needs to lose some weight probably should. But I don't care at all, because its BEAUTIFUL outside!
Since it's spring break week, Chris and I have gotten to enjoy lots of extra evenings together during the nights we would normally have church stuff going on. We love all the things we are involved in, but the extra time as a family has been wonderful. On Wednesday we had a picnic at the lake with our good friends (and Benton's God-parents) Matt and Quinn, and I broke out the ole camera to try to capture a little bit of the fun.
Spring has officially sprung in Kansas City and I am LOVING it!
No more snow, no more freezing, no more staying inside ALL WEEK LONG!
To celebrate, the Jeska family has been enjoying lots of long walks, trips to the park, and indulging in a little more ice cream than any couple who needs to lose some weight probably should. But I don't care at all, because its BEAUTIFUL outside!
Since it's spring break week, Chris and I have gotten to enjoy lots of extra evenings together during the nights we would normally have church stuff going on. We love all the things we are involved in, but the extra time as a family has been wonderful. On Wednesday we had a picnic at the lake with our good friends (and Benton's God-parents) Matt and Quinn, and I broke out the ole camera to try to capture a little bit of the fun.
Mmmmm, fried chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, chips, a good old fashioned picnic!
Enjoying some beautiful weather with my hunny
Awwwwww
My poor attempt at capturing the beauty of the night, AHH it was georgous!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Life as of late
What a week it's been.
While to an outsider it would probably seem life in the Jeska house is going on as normal, there have been some big changes. Our routine hasn't changed. Our belongings haven't changed. Over the last several days, it's my heart that has changed. The season of Lent is upon us and God has been using this time to bless me and my relationship with Him. I am re-learning what it truly means to love God and have a heart that beats for Him. Even in this time of great uncertainty, I'm feeling more sure of the direction our life is headed then ever before. For the first time in a long time, I truly trust that God has us in His hands and is guiding us down a road He has prepared for us.
With that said, I do have a few updates/prayer requests to throw out there:
1. Chris' job situation: I'm sure most of you remember several months ago when I blogged about Chris's application status with the FAA and his plans to go, and then not go to Oklahoma City to start his training. About a week ago Chris got an e-mail from the gal in charge of scheduling classes for new hires telling him they have a start date for him: April 8. This would be his first day of classes in OKC and he would finish on August 10. This gave us almost exactly 30 days to put all the plans in place including finding a summer apartment, figuring out childcare, and trying to rearrange my work schedule so that we can be together as much as possible. Now that we've finally gotten most of this figured out and Chris's office has even already hired his replacement, we are waiting to get all the final confirmations from the FAA. I'm feeling a lot of anxiety after what happened last November, especially knowing that if for some reason his start date gets put off again, he will be out of a job. Please pray for this situation, that God helps things fall into place.
2. This is the first month since our miscarriage that the doctor has given us the "go ahead" to try again for another baby. We've felt a lot of heartbreak over the last year; 11 months of trying, finally getting pregnant, and then losing the baby just under 2 months in. I'm so full of fear that it will take us several more months to get pregnant again, which is so hard when you've wanted something so badly for so long, especially when you feel like its come so easily for everyone around you. Please pray for us first and formost that God blesses our efforts, and secondly that if His timeline is a lot more spread out than we wish it was, that we can accept his plan with humble patience and trust in His timing.
I felt like post needed to end on a fun note, and this little guy is the most fun I know! Going down a 'weeee!' (That's what he calls a slide, or the park in general, so cute!)
While to an outsider it would probably seem life in the Jeska house is going on as normal, there have been some big changes. Our routine hasn't changed. Our belongings haven't changed. Over the last several days, it's my heart that has changed. The season of Lent is upon us and God has been using this time to bless me and my relationship with Him. I am re-learning what it truly means to love God and have a heart that beats for Him. Even in this time of great uncertainty, I'm feeling more sure of the direction our life is headed then ever before. For the first time in a long time, I truly trust that God has us in His hands and is guiding us down a road He has prepared for us.
With that said, I do have a few updates/prayer requests to throw out there:
1. Chris' job situation: I'm sure most of you remember several months ago when I blogged about Chris's application status with the FAA and his plans to go, and then not go to Oklahoma City to start his training. About a week ago Chris got an e-mail from the gal in charge of scheduling classes for new hires telling him they have a start date for him: April 8. This would be his first day of classes in OKC and he would finish on August 10. This gave us almost exactly 30 days to put all the plans in place including finding a summer apartment, figuring out childcare, and trying to rearrange my work schedule so that we can be together as much as possible. Now that we've finally gotten most of this figured out and Chris's office has even already hired his replacement, we are waiting to get all the final confirmations from the FAA. I'm feeling a lot of anxiety after what happened last November, especially knowing that if for some reason his start date gets put off again, he will be out of a job. Please pray for this situation, that God helps things fall into place.
2. This is the first month since our miscarriage that the doctor has given us the "go ahead" to try again for another baby. We've felt a lot of heartbreak over the last year; 11 months of trying, finally getting pregnant, and then losing the baby just under 2 months in. I'm so full of fear that it will take us several more months to get pregnant again, which is so hard when you've wanted something so badly for so long, especially when you feel like its come so easily for everyone around you. Please pray for us first and formost that God blesses our efforts, and secondly that if His timeline is a lot more spread out than we wish it was, that we can accept his plan with humble patience and trust in His timing.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Happy Birthday, Dad!
March 3, 1959. The day my dad was born. Hooray! I better be pretty stinking glad about that, becuase, lets face it: if he wasn't born, I wouldn't be either!
In honor of my wonderful dad's 52nd birthday, I've compiled a short list of some of my favorite memories of him:
2nd grade: Our assignment for music class was to build a musical instument and bring it in the next week so we could all play together. Most kid's parents used a shoe box and rubber bands or a tin can and beans. Not my dad: my dad got out his wood and tools and built me a beautiul little musical box with guitar strings. My teacher was wow-ed to say the least.
My great grandmas funeral: The only time I've ever seen my dad cry. This is the day I learned that real men DO cry, even if it's very rare.
High school graduation: My mom and dad were going to buy me a ring as a graduation gift: I had my heart set on a beautiul white gold ring with 4 small princess cut diamonds. I knew it was more than they were probably wanting to spend but when my mom talked to my dad about it, he said "Let's get her the one she really wants." I still wear it every single day.
Summer after my freshman year of college: My parents came up to visit after I had just gotten back from Europe to bring me my car they were going to get fixed while I was gone. My dad gave me my keys and asked me to grab his sunglasses that he accidently left in there. When I went out to the parking lot, I couldn't find it. The he pointed to a NEW car and said, "There's your car, right there!" I may have peed my pants a little that day.
My wedding day: My dad danced with me. I don't remember ever seeing my dad dance with anyone, so this is a moment I will NEVER forget.
The first time he held Benton, a few days after he was born: I could see his heart melt before my eyes, and I knew he was going to be just as good of a grandpa as he was dad, maybe even better.
RT graduation: My dad told me he was proud of me. Maybe because I know my dad doesn't lie, and doesn't hand out compliments just for the sake of being nice, or maybe it's because I think so highly of him. Either way, both then and now I still consider this the biggest compliment I've ever recieved.
So there they are, my faves. Love you daddy, always will! Happy Birthday!
In honor of my wonderful dad's 52nd birthday, I've compiled a short list of some of my favorite memories of him:
2nd grade: Our assignment for music class was to build a musical instument and bring it in the next week so we could all play together. Most kid's parents used a shoe box and rubber bands or a tin can and beans. Not my dad: my dad got out his wood and tools and built me a beautiul little musical box with guitar strings. My teacher was wow-ed to say the least.
My great grandmas funeral: The only time I've ever seen my dad cry. This is the day I learned that real men DO cry, even if it's very rare.
High school graduation: My mom and dad were going to buy me a ring as a graduation gift: I had my heart set on a beautiul white gold ring with 4 small princess cut diamonds. I knew it was more than they were probably wanting to spend but when my mom talked to my dad about it, he said "Let's get her the one she really wants." I still wear it every single day.
Summer after my freshman year of college: My parents came up to visit after I had just gotten back from Europe to bring me my car they were going to get fixed while I was gone. My dad gave me my keys and asked me to grab his sunglasses that he accidently left in there. When I went out to the parking lot, I couldn't find it. The he pointed to a NEW car and said, "There's your car, right there!" I may have peed my pants a little that day.
My wedding day: My dad danced with me. I don't remember ever seeing my dad dance with anyone, so this is a moment I will NEVER forget.
The first time he held Benton, a few days after he was born: I could see his heart melt before my eyes, and I knew he was going to be just as good of a grandpa as he was dad, maybe even better.
RT graduation: My dad told me he was proud of me. Maybe because I know my dad doesn't lie, and doesn't hand out compliments just for the sake of being nice, or maybe it's because I think so highly of him. Either way, both then and now I still consider this the biggest compliment I've ever recieved.
So there they are, my faves. Love you daddy, always will! Happy Birthday!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
I am a shopaholic.
There, I said it.
Whew, that's a weight off the shoulders.
But seriously, I love to shop. I don't mean love in the way I love Starbucks or Francine Rivers books. I mean LOVE in the way that I want to do it all the time. I crave it. It excites me. Online, in stores, garage sales, flea markets, Ebay, and on and on and on! I could do it EVERY SINGLE DAY! And I'm not exaggerating. But I don't JUST like to shop. If I just liked to shop, we wouldn't have a problem. The problem is, I also like to BUY. In fact, I don't even like going shopping if I don't have something I'm looking for to buy.
Buying things, in and of itself, is not a problem. However, buying things you don't need, just because you feel the need to buy something, anything, is a big NO NO! And yet, I do it. Well, did it. No, do it. I've curbed the habit a LOT in the last few years. My self control has been forced to grow as I'm learning to budget for a whole household and not just a single college girl living in dorms. Despite that I still find myself waking up in the morning and thinking to myself, hmmm, it sure would be fun to go shopping today....what do I need..... and then I slap myself across the face (figuratively).
I found myself in Walgreen's yesterday, yes, Walgreen's, the lamest store on the planet, waiting for a prescription to be filled browsing the aisles to see what else I needed. And truth be told, if it weren't for the fact that I only took inside my flex insurance card, I probably would have ended up with 5 or 6 items. And I would have justified it by saying "ooh, this would look nice on my dining room buffet that I plan to have in the next 5-7 years, ohhh Benton would LOVE this for his 17th birthday, surely one of my friends will be getting married in the next few years that would love his and hers Snuggies" See what I mean? Its a sickness. His and hers Snuggies, really???? Come on, Andrea!
Okay, you caught me, I didn't really almost buy those, but I wouldn't put it past me.
So, I'm going in to start my own BA club (buyers anonymous. Although its not really anonymous because I just told you, I'm the buyer.) The only rule for my club is that members must keep track of all EXTRA things they buy (not groceries, underwear, shampoo, just extra things like bookends, snuggies, and that 68th bottle of nail polish we buy because we just don't have THAT shade of red.) Then, at the end of the month you have to look at your list of all the things you bought and ask yourself if you really needed them (just to give yourself a reality check). The next month, your goal is to cut the number of items down by two. Keep cutting and within...a lot of months...maybe your list will be 0!
So, who wants to join my club? It will be lots of fun...we can hold our meetings at the mall. Ahem, I mean at the library. LOL.
No, but really, I think I am going to give this a try, I'll let you know how it goes. Feel free to join me!
There, I said it.
Whew, that's a weight off the shoulders.
But seriously, I love to shop. I don't mean love in the way I love Starbucks or Francine Rivers books. I mean LOVE in the way that I want to do it all the time. I crave it. It excites me. Online, in stores, garage sales, flea markets, Ebay, and on and on and on! I could do it EVERY SINGLE DAY! And I'm not exaggerating. But I don't JUST like to shop. If I just liked to shop, we wouldn't have a problem. The problem is, I also like to BUY. In fact, I don't even like going shopping if I don't have something I'm looking for to buy.
Buying things, in and of itself, is not a problem. However, buying things you don't need, just because you feel the need to buy something, anything, is a big NO NO! And yet, I do it. Well, did it. No, do it. I've curbed the habit a LOT in the last few years. My self control has been forced to grow as I'm learning to budget for a whole household and not just a single college girl living in dorms. Despite that I still find myself waking up in the morning and thinking to myself, hmmm, it sure would be fun to go shopping today....what do I need..... and then I slap myself across the face (figuratively).
I found myself in Walgreen's yesterday, yes, Walgreen's, the lamest store on the planet, waiting for a prescription to be filled browsing the aisles to see what else I needed. And truth be told, if it weren't for the fact that I only took inside my flex insurance card, I probably would have ended up with 5 or 6 items. And I would have justified it by saying "ooh, this would look nice on my dining room buffet that I plan to have in the next 5-7 years, ohhh Benton would LOVE this for his 17th birthday, surely one of my friends will be getting married in the next few years that would love his and hers Snuggies" See what I mean? Its a sickness. His and hers Snuggies, really???? Come on, Andrea!
Okay, you caught me, I didn't really almost buy those, but I wouldn't put it past me.
So, I'm going in to start my own BA club (buyers anonymous. Although its not really anonymous because I just told you, I'm the buyer.) The only rule for my club is that members must keep track of all EXTRA things they buy (not groceries, underwear, shampoo, just extra things like bookends, snuggies, and that 68th bottle of nail polish we buy because we just don't have THAT shade of red.) Then, at the end of the month you have to look at your list of all the things you bought and ask yourself if you really needed them (just to give yourself a reality check). The next month, your goal is to cut the number of items down by two. Keep cutting and within...a lot of months...maybe your list will be 0!
So, who wants to join my club? It will be lots of fun...we can hold our meetings at the mall. Ahem, I mean at the library. LOL.
No, but really, I think I am going to give this a try, I'll let you know how it goes. Feel free to join me!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Love is in the air
I had an incredible revelation yesterday.
Yesterday was by far the best Valentine's day I've EVER had! And I've had some good ones! I remember the first Valentine's that Chris and I were dating, the year that we were engaged, our first one as a married couple (which, was probably one of the hardest ones), the year that we were expecting Benton, last year (rather uneventful with a baby, we MAYBE went out to eat). And of course there were many Valentine's days before Chris came into my world, but honestly, how good can that day be when you aren't with the love of your life??
Maybe it's because our love has grown so much over the last year, or maybe its because we are such different people than we have been in years past, but something about this year was extra special. I can't say it was the gifts or the cards, we didn't really exchange gifts. I can't say it was the fancy dinner: we had a combination of home cooked and take out Chinese. I think it was just having a whole entire day to spend as a family with no goal other than loving on each other.
The night before V-day I was asking all my co-workers if they were excited, and most of them rolled their eyes at me. One even made a comment along the lines of "How can I be excited about a holiday that requires me to give diamonds as a gift just to keep my girl happy."
So here it is, the revelation: Valentines is an amazing holiday, sans gifts, sans fancy restaurants, even (dun dun dun) sans chocolate (large gasp). Its a holiday to just be reminded and remind those around you that you are already giving (and getting) the greatest gift you have: LOVE. Don't say to me "Andrea you are being cliche". This is the first year I haven't gotten roses or chocolates or some sort of jewelry and it was, still, the best Valentines ever. EVER!
Thank you, God for reminding me what's real this year. And thank you even more for the amazing blessing you have given my, a heart full of love and a family to share it with.
So, since I took them, I guess I might as well go ahead and share a few photos from the day yesterday
Yesterday was by far the best Valentine's day I've EVER had! And I've had some good ones! I remember the first Valentine's that Chris and I were dating, the year that we were engaged, our first one as a married couple (which, was probably one of the hardest ones), the year that we were expecting Benton, last year (rather uneventful with a baby, we MAYBE went out to eat). And of course there were many Valentine's days before Chris came into my world, but honestly, how good can that day be when you aren't with the love of your life??
Maybe it's because our love has grown so much over the last year, or maybe its because we are such different people than we have been in years past, but something about this year was extra special. I can't say it was the gifts or the cards, we didn't really exchange gifts. I can't say it was the fancy dinner: we had a combination of home cooked and take out Chinese. I think it was just having a whole entire day to spend as a family with no goal other than loving on each other.
The night before V-day I was asking all my co-workers if they were excited, and most of them rolled their eyes at me. One even made a comment along the lines of "How can I be excited about a holiday that requires me to give diamonds as a gift just to keep my girl happy."
So here it is, the revelation: Valentines is an amazing holiday, sans gifts, sans fancy restaurants, even (dun dun dun) sans chocolate (large gasp). Its a holiday to just be reminded and remind those around you that you are already giving (and getting) the greatest gift you have: LOVE. Don't say to me "Andrea you are being cliche". This is the first year I haven't gotten roses or chocolates or some sort of jewelry and it was, still, the best Valentines ever. EVER!
Thank you, God for reminding me what's real this year. And thank you even more for the amazing blessing you have given my, a heart full of love and a family to share it with.
So, since I took them, I guess I might as well go ahead and share a few photos from the day yesterday
Cookies I made for Benton's party at daycare
My little show-off, so proud of the crown he made at daycare!
Benton's classmates. How cute are they?
Dinner...yum! Crab rangoons, wonton egg drop soup, lo mein and general tsaos chicken. I made some of it, but have yet to master crab rangoons and lo mein, so we picked some of it up from our favorite takeout place too.
Chowin down on his crab rangoons...I think he likes them as much as Chris and I do!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Valentine's box tutorial
I don't know if you can really even call this post a "tutorial" since it was SO easy. Maybe more like a "step by step" guide? Or is that the same thing? Either way, I just fnished making Benton's valentine box for school and, I must say, I'm pretty sure he's going to have the CUTEST one there. I was just going to buy one at Target but, have you seen those things? I was not about to pay $7 bucks for a tacky cardboard box plastered with pictures of Spongebob Squarepants, I'm just not. So, I made my own. I didn't make this one too Valentines-y so that after his party I can use it for something else, like cut a hole in the top for a piggy bank or just fill it with keepsakes. I haven't yet, but I'm going to use some of the extra red paint to put a handprint on the bottom and write "Valentines 2011" so that I'll remember what year I made it. Here's how I did it:
What you need:
Cardboard mailbox (available at your local Hobby Lobby for only $2.99)
Acrylic paint (I used silver and dark red)
Paintbrushes (at least 3 small cheapo ones)Scrapbooking stickers (or any stickers I suppose, but the scrapbooking section has a huge selecton of really cute ones in just about any theme)
Small bottle Mod Podge (Get the one that dries 
glossy, not matte)
glossy, not matte)Paint the mailbox and flag with a few coats of acrylic paint, allowing 15 or so minutes to dry between each coat. I put a piece of paper between the flag and mailbox while painting the flag so I wouldn't get any red on the silver.
Next add your stickers. I used more 3-demensional stickers for the letters of Benton's name and the other stickers were in all in a single pack of sticker borders. (Of course, they had to be trains)
Finally, coat with a layer of Mod Podge. I put a little beneath some of the stickers that seemed like they wanted to come up, and made it extra thick around the letters as well...this gives it a nice shiny overcoat as well as cements everything in place. Put a layer on the flag too so that it has the same glossy appearance.The finished product:
Side and back view
Front and other side viewLastly, fill with customized Valentines cards and send to school! (Sorry they are a little blurry. I am no photographer and couldn't figure out how to get the front and inside in the same picture without something being blurry)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Ode to Chris
In honor of my wonderful husband's 26th birthday today, I've come up with 26 reasons I think he's the greatest man I've ever met...in my LIFE!
1. He makes me smile every single day.
2. He eats my cooking, even when it's not very good.
3. He has a beautiful smile (when he keeps his silly mustache shaven so I can see it :) )
4. He loves Benton as much as I do.
5. He likes my friends, and I like his.
6. When he looses bets, he keeps up his end of the bargin (Can we say 'no cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming for me for a while month,' LUUURVE IT!)
7. He works hard for the things he wants.
8. He teaches me things about myself.
9. He's a bit of a hopeless romantic, just like me.
10. He makes homemade bread (FROM SCRATCH!)...how many of you can say that about your husbands???
11. He loves God, a lot.
12. He makes sure things are done EXACTLY right when following directions, and as a result the things he builds for us are very sturdy.
13. He doesn't make me watch action movies (or any other lame boy movies)
14. He's (sometimes a little over-) protective of me.
15. He shovels other peoples driveways even when the weather is freezing and we want him to come inside and drink hot cocoa with us.
16. He LOVES to dance!
17. He has a pretty great family...which gives me an even bigger pretty great family.
18. He has never once forgotten to kiss me goodnight.
19. He puts up with my mood swings, my music, my chick flicks, and my shopping sprees.
20. He has a huge heart for every living thing.
21. He likes the JAYHAWKS!
22. He's actually a really good cook, when he wants to be!
23. He listens to me.
24. He likes jigsaw puzzles.
25. He's cute :)
26. He loves me for me, despite all my flaws and imperfections. And I love him for him.
Next time you see him, give him a "Happy Birthday" hug, cause I think he's pretty awesome and deserves it :)
1. He makes me smile every single day.
2. He eats my cooking, even when it's not very good.
3. He has a beautiful smile (when he keeps his silly mustache shaven so I can see it :) )
4. He loves Benton as much as I do.
5. He likes my friends, and I like his.
6. When he looses bets, he keeps up his end of the bargin (Can we say 'no cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming for me for a while month,' LUUURVE IT!)
7. He works hard for the things he wants.
8. He teaches me things about myself.
9. He's a bit of a hopeless romantic, just like me.
10. He makes homemade bread (FROM SCRATCH!)...how many of you can say that about your husbands???
11. He loves God, a lot.
12. He makes sure things are done EXACTLY right when following directions, and as a result the things he builds for us are very sturdy.
13. He doesn't make me watch action movies (or any other lame boy movies)
14. He's (sometimes a little over-) protective of me.
15. He shovels other peoples driveways even when the weather is freezing and we want him to come inside and drink hot cocoa with us.
16. He LOVES to dance!
17. He has a pretty great family...which gives me an even bigger pretty great family.
18. He has never once forgotten to kiss me goodnight.
19. He puts up with my mood swings, my music, my chick flicks, and my shopping sprees.
20. He has a huge heart for every living thing.
21. He likes the JAYHAWKS!
22. He's actually a really good cook, when he wants to be!
23. He listens to me.
24. He likes jigsaw puzzles.
25. He's cute :)
26. He loves me for me, despite all my flaws and imperfections. And I love him for him.
Next time you see him, give him a "Happy Birthday" hug, cause I think he's pretty awesome and deserves it :)
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Tax season
Have I ever told you how much I LOVE tax season. Every year I get that W..something in the mail and start planning what I'm going to buy with the big return that year. This year was no different. I filled out one of those tax estimators online and imagine my disappointment when the dumb thing told me I was going to OWE $800. Big bummer. I took all my tax docs to my wonderful mother, who made me promise I wouldn't let it ruin my weekend if we got bad news, and she worked them up for me right there on the spot. And guess what? We are once again getting close to $2000 back! So, in true form, I've already started planning all the things I want to do with that $2000 (which I'm sure will go faster than I want it to.)
Here are a few things on my list:
Buy all the goodies I need for Benton's 2nd Birthday party, including some of these custom decorations from WH Hostess. Also, buy the train tickets, cake, and put our deposit on the cabin in Branson for his birthday weekend.
Redecorate Bentons room with, you guessed it, trains! He is SO in love with Thomas and all things trains right now, I can't help myself! Also, its time for some new furniture including a big bed since he keeps climbing out of his crib, oy vey!
And maybe set some money aside for a new one of these tables to put on those new floors we worked so hard on all summer!
Here are a few things on my list:
Buy all the goodies I need for Benton's 2nd Birthday party, including some of these custom decorations from WH Hostess. Also, buy the train tickets, cake, and put our deposit on the cabin in Branson for his birthday weekend.
Redecorate Bentons room with, you guessed it, trains! He is SO in love with Thomas and all things trains right now, I can't help myself! Also, its time for some new furniture including a big bed since he keeps climbing out of his crib, oy vey!
And maybe set some money aside for a new one of these tables to put on those new floors we worked so hard on all summer!
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