A Thorn Among Roses

my questions for b-ster...about me: {how enlightening} what is something i always says to you? mmm...popscicle. pick up. love you. what makes me happy? for me to have clean. what makes mom sad? when we don't behave. what do i do to make you laugh? tickle me what i like as a child? big fat meany head. how old am i? a big pickle head. at least 9. how tall am i? fat what is my favorite thing to do? say i love you. what do i do when you're not around? sit around and make baby sounds. {ah, how she knows me well} what am i really good at? popscicles. a good cooker. nothing at all else. what am i not very good at? bad at cleaning the turkey cause they are gross and dirty and they spit. what do i do for a job? pick up everything. {oh how true that is} what is my favorite food? chocolate {yep, she's so right} what do we do together? draw pictures. and put poopy diapers on our heads {giggle giggle} and don't wanna say any more. i quit. here's a picture brooke took of me w...

sometimes i think it's comical...how different my girlies are in life. when it's time to "relax", jada grabs the chair and daddy's sprts illustrated and reads... {do u love the trash can bacground or what?} brooke is all about the motion...and grabs the skates and gear and is on the go... {dress, tights and all...you have to love that} i'm slow today, so i'm trying to relax...chill, if you will. so i'm doing my own thing. drinking some coffee, cuddling my kiddos, staying in jammie pants. head over to angie's ...more ww!!!

a little shout out today for... lipstick!! when the girlies wanna feel extra special, i just add a dab of lipstick. preschool drop off you say??? that lipstick adds to my fab sleep pants/hoodie/pony tail outfit. lipstick makes anything look a little more fancy!! and check out b's pucker...apparently it also brings great joy {and puffiness} to lips of young and old. so to you, lipstick, today, i raise my tube and praise you for all you do. {commence with the singing of "i love my lips" by larry boy}

please go and pray for the freeman family... HERE kayleigh has fought a very hard and long fight...and is still trying her best, and they could really, really use your prayers and support.

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this week... b and jk DID NOT put my dad, papa, in time out for forgetting to put on his seat belt before the car moved on friday. {rules are rules, i guess, even if ur papa} p DID NOT play 2 softball games this week and earn the game ball in the second game for two ROCK STAR catches! wooo hoooo!!!! weather in indiana this week was NOT hell on earth. it DID NOT sleet and snow and rain cats and dogs...then end up in the 80s in the SAME STINKING WEEK! i DID NOT sit and giggle out loud watching PENGUINS with b in bed on sunday morning while the ryan and s and jk were at church. PENGUINS is NOT a super duper cute show...dvr, here we come! ryan DID NOT go to steinmart to save some money buying a new pair of jeans and call me saying he DID NOT buy a new pair...so proud he got an "off brand", lucky brand dungarees. seriously...even when the guy is trying to not have uber style he does!!!! i DID NOT open up the starbucks on saturday morning....

"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." – Mother Teresa

when we were on vacation  years  two weeks ago, i came across some very serious belly busters... one of the things about hubs is he's super cute and sexy and a great hubs, and def "flighty"...he prefers not to be called a.d.d., but we got him this shirt anyway {he was not thrilled, btw} don't like to poo in public or only at home?  get some good old fashioned poo-pouri.  the bottle says spray a little dash before you go and "no one will ever know". this might be my new life sentence, but i'm not sure yet! and this, well, it's def the way i feel most days. and bc i am washing my mouth out with chocolate, this will def apply... it's sad, but true...i am an 80's teen, that is recovered, but still loves to poke fun at mullets...and i never dated a guy with one even then!!! i'm not even sure about this today, bc i'm sporting a black hoodie with i i keep threatening the kids with making them wear these teeth for our fam christmas shot this ...

those stinking kids of mine keep sneaking snacks... and they think i don't notice... but then....the deal is up!! and, to be honest, it's hard to get too upset when they are sneaking dehydrated apples and pears...(thanks to jen !!) oh well, i guess i won't be hiding any of my good candy there. {tip: underwear drawer...best place to hide candy from the kids...what kid wants to touch their momma's underwear?}

they always start out all lovey and sweet... and then, the games begin... along with smiles and giggles {and blurry pics bc of moving heads} go and see angie for more wordful wednesday's ...

there's a weird way how the blog world has given me some of the most dedicated, loving and supportive peeps in my life!  and one of the bestest ever is tabitha from a five oh 4 uplifting. just look at her beauty...and you haven't even seen her heart. tabitha is full of joy...full of life, and the best part is, she never keeps it to herself.  she spreads it all around.  see, tabitha was born with some birth abnormalities {no right arm and at 9 months her left leg had to be amputated} and spent the first 3 years of her life in hospitals.  no time for pity here...just glory and passing along some love.  listen to her words,  " I would no longer allow the lack of compassion of others to stop me from doing what I was destined to do" this tabitha is more full of life and joy and faith than most of us have in our pinkie finger.  she is stinking amazing.  i have been honored to work so many times with her in the past year on projects and i have so come to love her gift and go...

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this week... i DID NOT feed b and jk octopus cereal (generic marshmallow cereal) for dinner on wednesday night for dinner bc they asked and i was NOT too tired to even argue. sofie DID NOT learn to say "uh oh" this week...and we DID NOT continue to drop things to get her to say it so we could laugh. i DID NOT get a package full of delightfully fabulous dolls that shellie generously made my girlies {all 4 btw} out of the kindness of her heart.  she DID NOT personalize each doll for each girlie...and my girlies were NOT oozing with joy! i DID NOT have the following conversation with b in the car: b: mom, i want to go and spend the night with molly when school is over. me: yes, that's a really great idea. it's hard when school is in session to do that, huh? b: for the love of pete, mom...i said AFTER school was over. were you listening at all? i DID NOT get a note from b's teacher on monday after spring break saying that they h...

just thought i'd try...but she's even cute as a cartoon!

{...with sincerest apologies to sponge bob} now that's a lot of bubbles being blown thru that screen!!

my girlies are sisters...so they fight ALL the time. {i swore at one point this week i was going to make them hold hands and sit on the couch until they could get along and not fight.} in spite of their love for each other, they get all "she did" and "she said" on each other and just can't stop. this picture gives me a glimpse into those small, infrequent moments of pure silence and delight that they have with each other. it's a concrete vision of them just taking time to enjoy each other and the splendor of things around them. Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

i am ever so thankful for my hubs...and his commitment to our family and our faith. so when he had to travel to france on p's bday, he sent along this pic for her, which is uber cute and thoughtful... and bc i'm a dork and have major love for fun architecture, he sent this along too, just for me. rennes, france, i will see you first hand some day!!! and to make sure that there is no doubt he's praying...we're praying...he wouldn't want to leave out stellan in rennes, france. tbhe best description of hubs comes from romans 12:9-17... "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; m...

i'm opting for pics this week, because there's so much to be seen in the unseen. the beach is beautiful, but there's so much hidden beauty as well... indian pass, florida vacation april 2009...best place on earth, i'm sure! and this week, i'm looking on finding all the hidden beauty in my every day life. angie's got some great wordful wednesday's at her place...head on over. all the cook kids are doing it!

my tribute this week...is to kristen's custom creations . i have to admit i'm one of those girls...you know, that i look and look and think i will buy the jewelry, and i don't. i have major etsy love...and i have been drooling over kristen's momma necklaces. i just won't buy the things for me...i'd rather buy the kids a cute toy or something. then, i got this...in the mail...and i fell in major love. my mommy necklace... with all my girlie pies names and birthstones! {{and a huge, monster thanks to jay for his giveaway...which enabled me to win this baby}} i am so in love i am blushing! you have no idea!!! so thanks kristen, for sharing your fab art and handiwork...and you all have to go and see her stuff. it doesn't just look good, it IS good. well made and beautiful... {and look at how cute my pbjs are...they deserve cute and beautiful, don't you think???} go on now, look at kristen's stuff, HERE . a few of my fav's are def her 'forever...