Halloween Pics 2009

Here you go Emily!

Reasons I hate facebook.:.
1) Provides a slight attention deficit disorder for all users (FADD) [aka homework doesn't get done and neither does my photography editing etc on my computer]
2) It stole my favorite blogger

Sincerely, Emily B.
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O.K. I got this message from an obviously talented, witty, and well-read stranger. ;) I'm really trying to get back into blogging but most days fb wins. I find myself thinking in status updates instead of blog posts. It fits my writing style; heck my personality. Get in, get out, be quick, be funny. Here are the other top five reasons I haven't blogged lately:

1. This rainy, cold fall weather is sapping my wit.
2. I am volunteering way too much in my children's classrooms. I was on the PTO board for the past three years (yeah, I'm not your typical PTO mom) but now I get to be a little more hands on. However, I did have another mom tell me she hasn't seen me around school very much this year and actually said, "It's like you've faded into oblivion." I just googled that word to see if she used the right one and this is the definition, "the state of being completely forgotten or unknown." Wow ... thanks lady. Let's do coffee sometime.
3. I'm doing homework sheets with my kindergartener every night. Yep, not every other night. Every night. Darn school district with high academic standards.
4. I'm driving my kids to soccer all over the city of Grand Rapids. Three kids + four fields = two months of no Saturdays.
5. And finally, can one blog about laundry too much? Because I think I do, or did, and probably will again.

Stay smart Emily and I'll try to keep blogging.

Where'd these little girls go?

Zach Man

While eating breakfast the other day Zach asks me, "Mom, does God talk to you?" Well buddy, that's some light conversation to start the day with! After launching into a mini-sermon about how he talks to me through prayer Zach stopped me to add something else to the conversation. He said, "God talks to me. He says, (now he's whispering),'Hi Zach.'"

Alert the media. I think we have a modern day prophet on our hands.

Blog On!

I would consider one of my vices to be sour gummy bears. And now that you know this personal information about me you can choose to find this either oddly endearing or slightly immature.

I will read a book in a day if it's good. And yes, I don't intentionally skip words but probably do on occasion. I really do remember a lot of what I read.

My children are the best parts of me and my husband. Oh, and sometimes the worst.

I don't like beer. Gosh, I wish I did because it's a much cheaper alternative when out at a restaurant or bar.

I mow but I don't blow off the driveway or use the trimmer. I don't want to emasculate my man by taking over all the outside chores.

Speaking of my man, there is nothing sexier than a man who cooks. He was rolling meatballs last night at 10:30 p.m. Hubba hubba.

If my backyard neighbor moves, I might have to quit baking. Seriously. That woman provides me more vanilla, eggs, brown sugar, flour, and baking soda than Meijers.

I have three kids in soccer this fall. One is a great at defense, one is great at offense, and one is great at making dust clouds on the dry fields.

Goodbye Summer

This is an ode to the summer of 2009. The summer of sweatshirts, running the air-conditioning only a handful of times, and to one that did not require me to move the sprinklers around the lawn all day.

Goodbye summer. Goodbye to lazy mornings, severe tan lines, freckling noses, and the swirl of sand in the laundry wash-tub. Goodbye to camping with friends and family and eating way too many amazing fire treats like "dough-boys", s'mores, and the infamous biscuits.
Goodbye weekly laundry loads of bathing suits and towels and sniffing to see if they could be used just one more time.
Goodbye to the neighborhood kids calling or just showing up and announcing that they could stay for lunch. Yippeee!
Goodbye to caramel frappacinos (I never seem to order these in the winter) and picnic lunches and visiting playgrounds, beaches, and pools daily.
And finally, goodbye to no agendas or appointments, no team practices, no piano lessons, and no over-packed schedules.

J-O-B

I get to raise these three kids with a loving husband and a Lord and Savior who loves me. How blessed am I?

July Camping Trip

Music is by Michael Gungor. Song is entitled, "I Will Never Stop".