Family Entertainment

I am a stay at home mom, but it is by choice to sacrifice. (Does that make sense?) It really irks me when people say, "That's nice that you're able to stay home." I honestly believe that if they were in our shoes they would not see themselves as "able" to stay home. However, I know the Lord has blessed that decision, and I'm thankful for that. I'm not writing this to get sympathy or anything like that, but would just like to pass along a few ways we entertain our family. Our kids call it "Family Fun."
1. Use cash-it keeps you from overspending. This is something we try to do with all of our spending.
2. Check out movies from the library.
3. Since we use cash, we take the change and put it in a jar. When it builds up, we have it changed to dollars and do something for family entertainment.
Tonight our change had added up and we went to Coldstone Creamery. Instead of buying four small cones for four bucks each (16 bucks for those of you slower than me on math), we got a half gallon for nine bucks. Not like that's cheap, but.........we had saved our pennies and it was cheaper than buying four cones. Did I mention the free T-shirt that came with it? It said, "Friends don't let friends eat grocery store ice cream."
4. Sometimes we have a picnic at the park.
5. Get out the kids board games and play with them.

One thing we've found out. It can be a lot of work to have fun with your children. Spencer does better at it than I do. The kids love chasing him and climbing on his back for a horse back ride. The other night he picked up all three of them in his arms and ran with them through the house. He was huffing and puffing when he let them down. Brittany said, "That was a lot of hard work we did-all three of us riding in Daddy's arms." It was hard work--for him.

So, what do you do for entertainment?

Shopping Like a Man

I now have great sympathy for any guy that goes shopping with their wife and does not particulary like it. As most of y'all know, Spencer went to school for computer programming, and he actually loves anything to do with computers. Of course that means if we go to an office supply store, we have to look at all kinds of software programs, hard drives, modems, wires, cables, routers, keyboards, etc, etc. It bores me to almost tears. All I see are a bunch of boxes with words on them they are of no value to me. I try to understand and be excited about it, but if we are not actually buying it for our computer, it's hard to get excited. I guess that's how guys feel when girls go window shopping.
Now, for my second experience. The other day, I went into one of our two local sports stores to look for some soccer shorts for Zach. I spied the rack full of black shorts in all sorts of styles and patterns. I had just started looking through them when one of the all male staff approached me and asked if I needed help. I told him what size I was looking for. He proceeds to pull out one pair and expects me just to say, "OK, thanks" and be done with it. Now as a girl, I would like the option to look at a few varieties of shorts, so I say, do you have any other ones? (I know he does 'cuz I see all the different ones right there.) He pulls out just one more pair and hold them up. Not wanting to inconveniece him, I take the second pair. He then asks if I need anything else, so I tell him I need some socks. He says, "What color? I say, "Green." He walks over to the sock rack, but I can't see the choices. He say's, "Light or Dark?" Now Zach's soccer shirt is not a light green, nor is it a really dark green. It's the green you get in a crayon box. I say, "Dark" because I'm picturing something like mint green for the light color. He grabs the socks and checks my items out at the cash register. As I walk out of the store, I see the "light" green socks and see that they are actually the same color as Zach's shirt. I think "Oh well." When I got home to Zach, and had him try on the shorts, they were so thin that he looked like he needed a slip or something under them even in my kitchen. I took everything back the next day, however, I was rushed for time. I had confidence that I would be able to get in and out in record time, and I did. I went back to the same guy and told him I needed to exchange what I had from the day before. He went back to the shorts rack and pulled out the first pair of shorts from the day before, and I did not argue. He then went and got the "light green" socks and stuffed them in the bag, and that was that. I was in and out for what I needed-just like a man.

Chiropractic Controversy

I mentioned before that my mother-in-law is down on her back. She woke up in pain one day, and it progressed over the next two days to the point that she was in a wheel chair, and she could only stand that long enough to watch her grandkids play soccer. (A grandmother's love, huh?)
She went to immediate care where they gave her a shot that did nothing for her, and they made an appointment for her to see some specialist. In the mean time, she went to one of the chiropracters here in town. It is amazing to see the way people react. One of her sisters (who has had back surgery and is none the better) became angry, while another sister went with her to one of the chiropractic appointments. One lady at church literally turned up her nose while others from our church visit the chiropractor regularly. Another person we know cannot go anywhere because of severe back pain, and cannot get a doctor's appointment for two weeks. Spencer's dad was able to get him a free appointment, and the man still won't go. So, what is the big deal? Why are some people all for a chiropractor and others wouldn't give one the time of day? Is it because medical doctors do not want competition? I don't know? I know a nurse who sees her chiropractor all the time. I also met a nurse whose daughter married a chiropractor. Personally, I would much rather go that route, than to be cut on or to suffer in pain because I can't be seen by a doctor. The water massage tables are a plus too. :) Spencer's mom is doing better even though she has a ways to go. She is getting around on one crutch now and has been able to make it to church the last few times.
I know chiropractors cannot cure everything, but let me tell you why the chiropractor we see became one. Dr. Kurtz is from Canada and was studying to become a medical doctor. He became injured while playing hockey one day and could not walk. He went from doctor to doctor for help and none could help him, so he gave a chiropractor a try. After three days, he was up and walking around. Hence, he became a chiropractor instead of a medical doctor.
Soooooooo, what do you think about chiropractic medicine? I bet I hear from both sides of the coin.

Small Talk

Last night, Spencer and I went to an appreciation dinner put on by the nursing home where our church holds services. To be honest, I do not like going to the nursing home because I hate the smell and the people can be a little scary. It's one of those things I've hated since I was a kid. However, it is not half as bad for me as it used to be...and our kids do enjoy it. Well, about this dinner......usually it is at a restaurant somewhere around here, but last night it was held at the nursing home dining room. I was NOT looking forward to it. Spencer wasn't either when I told him where it was. He was like, "Can we eat outside? I hope they don't feed us the same food they do the patients, and they better have disposable cups 'cuz I just can't drink from one of those from there. Have you ever seen one of those patients hock a loogy (however you spell that)?" I was like OK, let's not make this worse than it is. We even had some disposable plasticware in the van that he was going to take in with him. Well, it turned out to "exceed his expectations" as well as mine. There was no smell-thank the Lord, and the food was catered. It was actually quite good. Did I ever tell you how much I like banana pudding? Also, I didn't have to cook supper last night. Yeah!!!!

Our kids at Easter 

Nothing Going On!

Haven't written anything because my life went back to the "boring" I thought it was. We went to a revival one night last week and out to Olive Garden another night. As is often the case around here, we ran into someone we knew. We have gone to Tennessee on vacation and run into people we knew from here. A couple years ago we all went to Disney World and Spencer's dad ran into someone he knew. I guess there's limited entertainment around here. Other than that, haven't done much. Mowed our half acre yard with a push mower. I AM SO SORE! We have a riding mower, but those of you who know my graceful skills would not be surprised to find out that I run over a lot of things that I'm not supposed to when I use the riding mower.....NOT a good thing when you have rocks used as edging. Anyone have any suggestions on how to mow under a big trampoline? I did it on my knees. Spencer said I was crazy.
Went to Zach's soccer practice last night. He's doing much better keeping his hands off the ball. During his first game, he kept the ref's whistle in working order. That thing was blown about every thirty seconds. Things were much better when they made Zach goalie. He's pretty good at it too.
Got a couple of soccer pictures to post, but ...... having technical difficulties. What's new!
Brittany has only had orientation so we haven't had the privilege of seeing her soccer skills in action. Finally found her some cleats her size. She was so excited, she wanted to wear them to bed. That option was ruled out......we didn't want Sierra waking up with cleat marks all over her.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR US and Tax Day For You

How did I meet my husband? The short of it is- we met at church. The long of it is- I was told there were no guys here in my new town, and that was fine with me. I had been at PCC where there were a whole lot of guys and didn't meet anyone there for me. However, when I started attending my church, there was only one girl and a whole lot of guys. I was not really comfortable with that scenerio either. My sister, Revka, came up because she and her fiance broke up. She ended up staying up here. One weekend, I went to PCC with my fellow teachers for a seminar, and Revka-still here in town went out with everyone our age at church. She met different people and wanted me to go out with them after church the next time. She had noticed this interesting guy named Spencer. I was glad that she picked someone that was not a geek like her former fiance. Well, Spencer's parents started asking me and Revka to go out to eat with them after church every once in a while. Not too long after that, I found out that Spencer was interested in me! I did not want to be in a love triangle, and I did not like Spencer. I wanted someone who was older than me-not 2 1/2 years younger. To add to discomfort, people at church would try to push us together, and Revka would be right there. Then there were other people at church who would try to put me and this other guy together. It was the most match-making place I've ever been to.
All of us around the same age kept going out to eat after church, and would get together at different people's houses. By that time, Revka had been asked out by another guy named Robert, and she really liked him. Spencer would always pick on me and make me really mad sometimes, but one night I made him apologize for everything he said-he'd been really mean. Robert said, "You might as well go buy her some flowers." Then they started talking about how Spencer would always be apologizing to his wife if he ever got married. He got the most sentimental look on his face, and said, "No, I'm going to spoil my wife." I don't know why, but that started me being interested in him. We became friends, and after I gave up all hopes of him asking me on a date, a military guy asked me out in Spencer's and his family's eyesight. His dad told him that if he didn't ask me out, he was going to lose me. That got Spencer to ask me out the next day, and we've been together ever since. We got married nine months after Revka and Robert. They wanted to have a double wedding, but weren't ready for that step yet.
After all was said and done, Revka and I found out that one night when she and I had walked into church, Robert and Spencer were standing together, and Robert said,"I got the piano player." (That was Revka at the time.) Spencer said, "I got the other one." That's how it turned out too.
By the way, Spencer does spoil me most of the time:) Maybe that has something to do with the fact that he got mixed up on his words at our wedding and took me to be his "awful wedded wife." I don't have to live up to anything do I?:)
That's it for now.
Sho

Davida, you asked for it! Here's your picture. Those boys sure do look guilty. For those of you who wonder what I'm talking about, see some of the last comments under "Where, Oh Where Has My Sweet Tea Gone." 

Beans, Beans

You know that infamous little rhyme? Well, Spencer (to keep me on my toes) taught it to the kids in a changed form. Lately I've been eating a lot of beans because it's the one thing allowed on my diet that will keep my blood sugar up. So what do I hear all the time?
Beans, beans, good for the heart.
The more that you eat, the better they are.
In about three days they won't have a reason to say that for a while. I HATE beans, and it'll be good riddance. Spencer won't have a reason to call me his Beanie Baby anymore either.

Thank you, Spencer

Last night, I was trying to get the table cleaned off and the supper dishes done. Spencer was folding laundry, and the kids were being pretty rowdy. I told Zach and Brittany to go help fold clothes, and Spencer said, "No, y'all go clean your rooms, and don't come out till they're done." To be honest, I did not have a saintly attitude (actually I was quite ticked) when he said that because their rooms were like war zones and I knew they could not clean them up by themselves. That meant I would have to stop the cleaning I was getting done to help them and then come back at who knows what time to finish what I had started. However, I did not say anything because I don't want them to get the idea that we are working against each other. So I stopped what I was doing and went to help Brittany. Three hours later. Brittany and Sierra's room was spotless, and their drawers and closets had been cleaned out even though I felt like I was stuck in a dungeon the whole time I was doing it. In the mean time, I found out Zach COULD clean his room by himself, and the rest of the house was magically clean. Spencer folded and put all the clean clothes away, cleaned the kitchen (dishes, stove, sink, floor, everything), and the den, and gave Zach a bath. I guess I should not have gotten so upset with him, huh? I'm glad I have such a great husband.

Our Sweet Angels

Spencer's mom is really down on her back-literally. She cannot walk, and can only sit up for a little while. That being said, Papa was left in the main charge of watching our children while we were doing things for church. Things were a little wild last night. Granted we had to be at church by 5:00 last night because Spencer had a deacon's meeting, and he also had scheduled choir practice at 5:30. That is a long time for little children to be at church, but imagine my amazement when the choir was beginning it's special for church, and I looked up from the piano and saw Brittany standing up there on the front row with the ladies. I'm not exactly sure when she made her grand entrance 'cuz I don't remember anyone walking past me. My amazement started turning to chagrin when she went back to the men's row to get a book, and then I turned absolutely red when she decided she was tired of the choir and just walked off the platform. Good thing she had to walk right past me, so I made her stop in her tracks and wait until the choir came down and the church was shaking hands. Needless to say, my playing wasn't exactly top notch right at that moment. I'm not really good at playing and talking at the same time. While Brittany found her way to her seat. Zach came up to me and said, "Mama, when can I be in the choir? I said, "Brittany was not supposed to be up there, and you'll have to wait until you're a little older." Zach then proceeded to "help" me play the piano. Of course all you hear is this BONG, CLASH, CLANG until I showed him one note that would go along with most of the song I was playing. At least everyone was up shaking hands at that time. Anyway, Zach got back to his seat in time, but he and Brittany left me with frazzled nerves. I know Sierra is not far behind them, because everything is a big joke to her.
Oh yes, Spencer came in the nursery during the middle of service and dropped off a noisemaker. When we got home, he told me that right in the middle of the pastor's prayer he heard this "BONG-A-BOING-A-BONG. He said he thought,"Please let that be another little kid making that noise when I turn around!" Well, it wasn't. Zach was staring right at him when Spencer turned around. (Zach, Brittany, and Sierra usually sit right behind us with Papa and Mema.) Spencer said he did not even bother to put his Bible down, but just stood up and walked out with the toy. While he was walking out, the toy decided to sound off again. Poor guy-he was embarrassed. He was really upset when I told him that Brittany had been in the choir. He was so busy making sure he led the music correctly, he did not even see her up there.
I must say, our children sure keep us in the story telling business.

Sweet Tea Again

Spencer likes to get Zach's thoughts on what he wants to do in the future. He likes to ask Zach about his job, wife, kids, etc. Last night they were discussing all that stuff and talking about where Zach would live. Zach couldn't decide, and Spencer said "Just don't live north of the Mason Dixon Line 'cuz they don't have sweet tea up there." Zach hung his head like a whipped puppy dog, and when he looked up, he had tears in his eyes. Spencer and I were rolling. Poor kid. I told Zach that he could make his own sweet tea if he lived up there, and Spencer told him that he should live wherever God wants him to.

Brittany

Sometimes when I exercise, Brittany does it with me. The woman on this one video, uses all kinds of words for your rear end-I guess for variety. Anyway, Brittany thinks that one word in particular is especially funny. So, last night I was teaching PeeWee club a song called "The Gratitude Attitude", and I was having the class repeat the words after me. All the sudden Brittany blurts out, "I know another name for your hiney. It's tooshie! HAHAHA!" Of course everyone starts laughing, and then another kid said, "I know another name for your hiney too." We quickly got back to learning our song.

Competitive

I have a child (no name to save the identity of the other child) who is very competitive like their mother. This child was goalie at soccer practice last night. After practice, I asked why they were wet. They said that they had wet their britches 'cuz they were goalie, and they did not want that other kid to get the ball in the goal. Instead of taking a break, just save the game, huh? Too bad it was just practice!
By the way, both of my older children are playing soccer.

Bad, Bad Dream

Last night I went to bed early with the intent to stay up after Johnny got here in the morning. I like doing that 'cuz I at least get my Bible read that way. Well, I have an aforementioned potty trained child who does not like to act like they are trained. About two thirty las night, I dreamed that they were in bed yelling, "POTTY! I NEED TO GO POTTY, MAMA." Talk about an adrenaline rush. I rolled over to jump out of bed and realized it was a dream. I had such a rush, I could not go back to sleep and stayed awake til 5:00 this morning. On top of that, I have some allergy issues that are causing a pounding "face ache." Needless to say, I did not stay up after Johnny got here this morning.

Ever seen a pine cone on the beach? Now you have. 

Soccer is for Sissies

That is what Spencer always says. He thinks football is what guys should play.........So why is he being the substitute soccer coach tonight????????? Can he just not tell people, "No", or is he turning into a sissy?

Welcome Home, Mom

Had a great time in Myrtle Beach. It wasn't so much what we did, but what we did not do. There was no laundry, no dishes, no wet beds, no dirty floors, and no children yelling, "Mama!" in a chorus. It was so nice. We walked on the beach a little bit--it was still a little cool to go swimming. We ate at a huge seafood restaraunt. I've never been in a restaraunt so big in my life. Anyone like Alaskan King Crab Legs? We also went to a neat outdoor mall called Boardwalk at the Beach and almost got an old timey photo done of us, but we just didn't get around to it.
On our way home, we stopped at an outlet mall and looked all over for soccer cleats for Brittany. We finally gave up and started on our way. On the way we stopped at the battleship USS North Carolina. That was neat. I sure would hate to be stuck on one of those things for a long period of time though.

We picked up the kids from their Papa and Mema's house and headed home. We had not been in the house for five minutes when one of my dear unnamed children wet my nice, clean floor. And the laundry, dishes, dirty floors, etc. have not slowed down since.