Blogs of Old....

Wednesday, June 03, 2009 [Image]Emma's TAKSEmma scored 40 of 40 correct (100%) on her Reading TAKS test, 40 of 42 correct (95%) on her Math TAKS test, and 28 of 28 correct (100%) on her Writing TAKS test!!!!! Doesn't get much better than that!!! WE ARE SO VERY PROUD of her hard work in Math!!!! GOOD JOB EMMA!!!!5:58 PM 1 Comments(Add Comment) |0 KudosTranslate Edit RemoveFriday, March 27, 2009 [Image]FaceBook
Current mood: [Image] chipperJust an FYI for those of you who enjoy checking out all of the pictures I post here on my MySpace page:

I'm more than likely not going to be uploading to this page anymore. Facebook has a program for Macs that allows the uploads of photos to be so fast and easy, its just hard to justify spending all of the extra time uploading to this page.

So, if you like checking out how darn cute my kiddos are and what my family is up to, get on Facebook and start your page...

All the cool kids are doing it! LOL!!!!!10:40 AM

Here's to hoping I won't be BIG, much longer!!!1:14 PM 0 Comments(Add Comment) |0 KudosTranslate Edit RemoveMonday, January 05, 2009 [Image]Post Secret Idea
Current mood: [Image] aggravated
Category: Goals, Plans, HopesI love Post Secret!!!! I have all the books and I read it first thing Sunday Morning when Frank posts the new secrets on the Post Secret Blog. For those of you who don't know about it, you should really check it out. It started for a great reason, and it always makes me feel so good when I see someone else has a secret that I too keep to myself!

POST SECRET WEBSITE: http://www.postsecret.blogspot.com

Sometimes the secrets are a little shocking, sometimes they are incredibly sad. I've not yet sent in a secret yet, because.... Well... I guess because I'm not ready... And sometimes i feel a little inspired or I get an idea!

Anyway, the point of my blog is that I read a secret a while back that gave me an idea. It said something like, "I always put things on my to do list that I've already done, so I always feel like I have accomplished something at the end of the day."

I did that today. I actually hadn't done it, but I was already doing it when I wrote out my to do list, so I knew it was going to get done! I think from now on, I'm always going to put something on my list (because I ALWAYS have a list) that is already done! It does feel good to mark things off that darn to do list!!!

Hopefully I'll be more productive today and I'll mark off a few things!

Go check out Post Secret, you'll like it!!!!![Image]Currently listening:
Loose, Loud & Crazy
By Kevin Fowler
Release date: 2004-08-037:33 PM 1 Comments(Add Comment) |0 KudosTranslate Edit RemoveSaturday, January 03, 2009 [Image]Christmas NOT X-Mas...
Current mood: [Image] inspired
Category: Religion and PhilosophyAs many of you know I'm not a greatly religious person… I'll leave it at that… My oldest daughter, however, has a deep yearning to learn about the Lord, and live a life that is right in his eyes. Where she has learned this, I'm not entirely sure. We do not attend church as a family, we do not pray before our meals or otherwise, nor does our extended family.

I'm guessing that she has learned most of it from school… and if those are the kinds of things she's learning from school, you should all be jealous that Weatherford has such an outstanding school system! While I know many people are not religious, I think that most cannot doubt that the morals and values taught by biblical stories and lessons are ones that anyone might want to uphold!

Emma asked last year if she could start attending church with one of her girlfriends from school. I told her of course that would be fine. She went a few times with the girl's family, but summer came and you all know how young friendships fade with the summer months. She's gone with our neighbor a few times, but the age difference between Dalton and Emma is becoming more and more of an issue as time passes…

Anyway, religion, God, Jesus, Church… it has found it's way into Emma's life and it leads her. She studies the Bible on her own and looks things up on the internet from time to time to gain greater understanding of the things she learns in the Bible. She in no way has a conventional following, but she is VERY passionate about it.

Gosh…. There are so many things I want to say about Emma right now. I am losing track of where I was originally going. One more thing, and then I will get on to my point. If you have not had the opportunity to meet Emma, you may not understand what an amazing young lady she is…

I know… I know… I'm biased, but she has this one particular quality that she DID not get from me, and she certainly didn't get it from her father… You see Emma is an incredibly compassionate girl. She is patient, loving, and tender. I'll give you an example.

We have a neighbor and they have a daughter, her name is Monika, who is mentally disabled. She 20 years old, but she functions on a 4 or 5 years old level. She has limited speaking ability, and many health problems, but for the most part she can communicate and do a fair amount of things for herself.

Monika LOVES Emma… and amazingly, to me, Emma LOVES Monika. They met when Emma was about 6 almost 7. At that time, they were on a similar level… but even know Emma maintains their friendship. She takes her time with Monika. If she wants to play a different game every two minutes and having a screaming fit, or if she just stops communicating all together, Emma maintains calm. She will speak softly to her, and be patient with her. She ask her questions tenderly, to calm her, and make things better.

I'm sitting there watching all of this, thinking I would have pulled my hair out all ready, been annoyed. I don't know… something… (Maybe I'm just a horrible person…) But I'm certain I would not be the perfect angel friend that Emma is to Monika. It is truly amazing, and it fills my heart with so much pride to think of her wonderful, kind spirit.

ANYWAY... to get on with my original point that this whole blog post is supposed to be about!!!

I've never even given this any thought before, but out of the blue my 9 year old enlightened me…

I was making some notes the other day about Christmas, and Emma was sitting at the table with me, I used X-Mas instead of Christmas in my notes. Emma looks at me very seriously, and asks me if she can ask me a question. "Of course," I say…

She then says, "Why do people use x-mas?"

I explained that it was an abbreviation, a type of short hand, so one can make notes faster or what not.

She then looks at me and says quite frankly, "Well, I DO NOT like it. It's like everyone is X-ing out Christ in Christmas."

I just sat there dumbfounded… I had never thought about it. Probably, because I do not practice religion, but it was just an amazing thing to come from this little girl, who seems to be so much wiser than her short 9 years. Of whom, I have never impressed a great significance in religion, God, Jesus or Church.

She's just such an amazing little girl, and I love her so much!!!

Listen to your children!!! They will teach you things you didn't even think you needed to learn or hadn't learned!!![Image]Currently listening:
Kidz Bop 14
By Kidz Bop Kids
Release date: 2008-07-292:02 AM 2 Comments(Add Comment) |2 KudosTranslate Edit RemoveFriday, August 29, 2008 [Image]Musicians...
Current mood: [Image] jubilant
Category: MusicI LOVE Musicians!!! This might help explain why I stayed with one for so very long... Musicians are actually like Magicians.... They have this power over me... When I listen to music I have so many emotions flow through me. Music has a magical effect on me. It can change my mood in a heart "beat." (pun totally intended) Good to sad, good to seriously nostalgic, crappy to so very, truly happy! It really is MAGIC MUSIC!



The greatest thing to me is that I love so many different genres of music. I actually love a little bit of everything. Heck, I even cry and commercial jingles once in awhile... Yes I do tend to be a bit of a cry baby, but that is utterly besides the point! Of course, I don't listen to everything, because I have morals and values and as much as I love music I will not separate my values from the music I choose to put in my head, because it can literally & 100% completely engulf my head, where I think of nothing else. It is amazingly wonderful, when I can let myself go into my music!



If you're a music lover like me, go ahead and post some comments, tell me what you think, tell me what music does to you. Can you relate???



And to that musician I devoted so many years of my life to... THANKS!!! Thanks for leaving. It was the best thing you could have ever done for myself and Emma.



And to all my fellow music lovers: MUAH!!!![Image]Currently listening:
We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
By Jason Mraz
Release date: 2008-05-139:19 PM 2 Comments(Add Comment) |2 KudosTranslate Edit RemoveWednesday, July 02, 2008 [Image]My daughter... My music....
Current mood: [Image] jubilant
Category: MusicI cannot even begin to tell you all how much my heart is soaring right now!!!! My daughter... MY DAUGHTER!!!! She loves music! She loves music the same way I love music. It is the most amazing thing. Music brings so much into one's life. It is such a gift to have in your life. I think you don't understand if you are just a listener... You have to be a music LOVER.

And it is so apparent that Emma is a music LOVER. I can see the way that music fills her heart when she hears a song that she loves. The way she tries to sing each word with as much meaning as it was written to have. The way she perks up when that favorite song comes up next on the ipod... Of all the things I would want her to have / learn from me.... This is one of the best things I could give her. I'm so very excited and proud. I love you Emma!!!! You are such an amazing young girl and I'm so proud of you for so many reasons... This is just the icing. THE ICING!!!!3:40 PM 0 Comments(Add Comment) |0 KudosTranslate Edit RemoveTuesday, July 01, 2008 [Image]First words...
Current mood: [Image] fabulous
Category: LifeSo something happened the other day... A great thing, that broke my poor little mommy heart!!!

It was June 25th to be exact. The evening of the 24th, we noticed that Elliot had a diaper rash. Every time she gets one I get pissed off and upset because I change her all of the time, and I just don't understand why it happens. (well now, after doing some research, I understand why it happens, but it still makes me upset.)

Anyway, one way that we clear up diaper rash in a jiffy is to leave Elliot without a diaper on her precious little hiney. Since it was bedtime and she typically does not make a poopy at night, we decided to put her to bed sans pamper. I was a little concerned about her getting cold from wetting herself and then having wet covers around her, but Cameron said not to worry and that she would be fine...

So... We put her to bed... I was still pretty uneasy with the idea, worried that she would be cold, and I slept very lightly that night. Around 5 a.m. I heard Elliot stirring. Certain that she was wet (and cold!!) I hopped out of bed immediately and headed for her room to clean her and her bed up. I picked up my sweet little angel and headed down stairs.

I was just finishing up her clean up, when I heard Cameron moving around upstairs. (he says he was coming downstairs to help, but I think he just needed to make some pee pee...) He did go to the restroom, and as he was coming out, I had just lifted Elliot off of the changing table. She was looking over my shoulder towards him. I felt her body become rigid with excitement, and I heard the sound that broke my poor little mommy heart... "DaDa!"

Undoubtedly, she said the sound and knew what it meant... She said, "DaDa!" WHY... WHY... WHY... Why "DaDa?"
I'm I not the one who is always getting up with her in the middle of the night... Am I not the one who feeds her every meal... Am I not the one who changes almost every diaper... Am I not the one who is down on the floor playing with her every single day??? Not that Cameron doesn't do things too. But, by far, I dwarf the time he spends with her, with the amount of full-time Momminess I provide!!

All of my effort... One would think that it would be acknowledged, rewarded even, with a simple, smiling face saying, "Ma Ma." But no, she said, "DaDa." I'm not so upset about it anymore... (Well maybe a little) I know "d" is an easier sound to make than "m," but it still stung just a little, (okay a lot in my case...) I might recover as long as the next word she says is "Ma Ma" and not some derivative of "Emma." She really loves her sister, so it is a great possibility... Only time will tell...10:05 PM 2 Comments(Add Comment) |2 KudosTranslate Edit RemoveTuesday, July 01, 2008 [Image]What Would Reagan Do...
Current mood: [Image] awake
Category: News and PoliticsWhat did Reagan do to bring down gas prices?

"By deregulating oil we've come closer to achieving energy independence and helped bring down the cost of gasoline and heating fuel."

Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress Reporting on the State of the Union
January 26, 1982

http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1982/12682c.htm11:15 AM 0 Comments(Add Comment) |0 KudosTranslate Edit RemoveSaturday, May 17, 2008 [Image]Things I’ve found myself doing with my Wii Remote on...
Current mood: [Image] aggravated
Category: Games1. Make a drink2. Change diapers3. Cook Dinner4. Get the mail5.Go to the bathroom6. Write a note7. Take the dogs out8. Make a bottle9. Feed the baby10. Sweep11. Brush Emma's hair12. Eat a snack13. Go next door14. Use the computer15. Doing the Laundry Let me know what you've found yourself doing with your Wii remote on... I think its funny when I look down and I'm still wearing the silly thing! LOL!!!