So much happening and so little time...

Wow... I haven't been logged in to my own blog in forever! So hello, blog. Did you miss me? Well, I have been so prioritized lately I haven't had time to blog! Time to update. Pics later... such a procrastinator I am. We have been birthday partying with K's friends, Easter egg hunting fun, playing outside- what beautiful weather lately-, doctor visits (ob-gyn), big tennis- Boardwalk Invitational- so proud of my husband for pulling that off, playing at the boardwalk, riding bikes, NAPPING (mostly me), EATING (mostly me), working on K's 1st year baby book(I would like to finish before #2 comes along), spending quality time with family.

I had to see if my fingers could still do the talking! I've still got it, so see you again soon!

Share your Gift.

Have you ever been to a party or shower for someone and you can't wait for them to open your gift... not because you want to show-off, but because you think they will love it. You took great time and pride in picking it out, wrapping it up, writing a special card to go with it and you just can't wait to see how happy you make them.
Now, have you ever been sitting there and the person opens it and just barely says anything and puts it back in the box? You don't know whether they liked it or not? It makes you a little sad that they are not sharing it, because that means they probably don't really like it or appreciate it.
Now, if you are a Christian, did you ever think God might feel that way? He has given us the most special gift in the world. His Son, Jesus.... If we hide our gift away and never share it, I can't imagine how He must feel. We should be so excited about our Savior that we can't contain it.
Others need to have a chance for this gift... so, again... if you're a Christian I encourage you and myself... Share the Gift! Acts 8:35 "Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus."

Tornado Damage

Please keep the people affected by the tornadoes in your prayers. It turns out that my dad had to hold his door shut all night. My cousin who attends Union University, had glass cut into his back and leg and had to get stitches. That is a blessing! To view Union's site click here: Union

SALE!

For those of you who love to get things on sale, I'm having one! I'm selling all of my Mary Kay products at 30% off! Place orders through the end of the month and get it all for 30% off!
When you visit my MaryKay website you will see the regular price. At check out it will say, the estimated price, but it will always allow me to overwrite the price after I get the e-mail that you have placed an order. Your card is not actually charged until after I get an e-mail, I check the order, I put in the adjusted 30% off amount and then confirm. I will then contact you and set up when and where to deliver. Don't worry, I mail products no shipping charges!
You can also shop online, and email me a list of the products you want if you don't want to purchase on the website.
Is there a product you used to love, but it's discontinued??? rmarrie2000@yahoo.com E-mail me as I have many products instock.
Now go have fun shopping!

De-Clutter Challenge

Oh what fun! Seriously. I LOVE cleaning out something when I can see the end clearly. I am good with zones, one at a time. I have to be focused on one or I'll get overwhelmed and resort to drinking a cup of coffee and eating... or blogging.
So. I was excited when a friend, Holly, challenged me to tackle something and take control of it.
Here is one drawer in my kitchen I had already tackled the day before, so I didn't get a 'before' pic. But just imagine cups, mugs every which way but upright.
And now This- a happy home for Nemo and his friends!

The next place I'm tackling is my pantry! Since we moved in the house it has taken over me and now I plan to take it back! Here's the before:

Keep watching for the after! I'm not sure how long that will be, but once I do start, I will have to finish it that day.

robynsfotos

I have made a new blog site for my photos. The link for it is on the sidebar at the top, robynsfotos. Hop on over and check it out for updated photos. Thanks to my friend, Holly, for the idea! She's definitely my new blogger guru icon!

Does Soap Get Dirty???

Yes, the burning question of the day... can soap get dirty?
I was refilling my soap dispenser with blue soap. It had a little of the green soap left over and I really liked the blue color I just bought. So I decided to empty out the green first. I couldn't just dump the green down the drain so I put it in a little bowl. Later I dipped my fingers in the green bowl and then was going to wash my hands. Then it got me thinking... is that sanitary? My fingers were dirty before putting them in the bowl of soap. So- did I contaminate that bowl? That's why I have never liked bar soap, by the way. A pump or some sort of dispenser is always my friend. This time I was just trying to not be wasteful... so what do you think???

37 and trying to spoil a SURPRISE!

Pat just turned 37. We had a birthday party planned for just a few family members over for some hotdogs and cake! Kamri of course helped me with EVERYTHING! The cards, the cake, some more cards.... I had to come up with thing to keep her busy, because once you tell her a birthday is coming, she thinks it's supposed to be 'right now'.

She was really excited when I busted out the icing! Her finger somehow kept swiping it and ending up in her mouth. I know, unsanitary. But I tried to watch it and scraped her part off with a knife. She got smart... instead of sticking around... she swiped some and ran off... I literally could not find her for about 5 minutes! But eventually... there I saw her little feetsies sticking out from under her umbrella chair in her room. I hurried up and quietly came back with the camera! Gotcha! Ha,ha!

So on to the present...
1st. A little background info. My husband has got to be the hardest person to buy for in the world! He doesn't claim to want much, but at the same time, he is not easily pleased with gifts. Just because I like it doesn't mean he will. I can't even pick out clothes for him half the time. So this year I asked him while back what one thing he wanted that he didn't have since we moved in our house. Well, he mentioned the glider/recliner casually. But in my mind it was like a fire engine siren. I planned to get it. Well, one word- PROCRASTINATION. ok. so I didn't get it in time. 2 days before the party I was searching the internet, found it, but also couldn't get it till 3 or 4 days after going to the store 45 minutes away to purchase it. So I decided to put a picture of it in an envelope to have him open... then we'd get it next week.
Now. David and Lyndsey have a truck which most likely we would borrow to pick it up.
Now. Yesterday before the party. Pat says casually, "I saw David and Lyndsey earlier on the road." To which I reply,"ok... and...did you wave?" Pat-"yeah...(pause).... they had some big box in the back of their truck."
So there you have it! My husband tried to pry a look out of me to see if I would blush or something if he had guessed the present. Well, I got him back because, they didn't have the chair. remember, I had only a picture of it! ha. You should have seen his face when they pulled in for the party... with nothing in the back of their truck. Pat was the one blushing then!
But he was wished happy birthday later with the picture and we'll get his chair this week!
Happy 37th honey! Can't surprise you can we!

Any of you have someone like this... difficult (in the nicest sense of the word)? What do you do? Any ideas? I am a prankster by nature and after almost 8 years of marriage I have lost some of it due to th fact that I can't trump him! So any thoughts that would help me to "get" him. You know... Valentine's Day is coming up! HELP! (and this time it has to be cheap!)

Soup Swap

Last week we did a Soup Swap! It was so much fun and so easy. Making one big batch of the same thing is much nicer than having to cook several different meals with different ingredients. Then you leave with 1 of every one else's soup. I recommend it to anyone! Besides the good food you get to have later, the fun with girlfriends can't be beat!
We all introduced our soup, where it came from and it's ingredients and that was a special part too.
So I look in my freezer about every other day and say mmmm.... can't wait to use (the next soup)... but I save them for days when I am rushed for time and just thaw & heat! Ahh... how nice!
Thanks, friends!

Sentimental about wood.

Sentimental... excited... exhausted. Just 3 of the many emotions I felt today as my husband started the destruction of our old house to make it into a garage.
Since we moved into the house in 2001/02, I have never thought I would feel sentimental about this day. It was to serve its purpose as our 1st little house and then its destiny was to be a garage when we built our dream home.... that would be that and I would be more than ready.
Well, we woke up this morning and the task began. I was cleaning out the closets so they could be torn out, opened for the garage. Pat was sawing out sheetrock and ripping down walls. I was on a mission most of the day and didn't even think about it being sentimental....
Until... I walked in and could see all the way through from the kitchen to Kamri's bedroom with only a few studs separating us. I started tearing up. I realized that the place we were holds so many memories and now they would only be upheld by pictures and not walls. First of all, the fact that my dad and my husband built it with their own hands and now remembering them nailing each piece of would together and it being torn away, just gave me chills. I can't go back. Second, it was "Our 1st Home"... made up of so many memories (some good and some hard), nevertheless MY memories and I wouldn't trade them for anything! Third, it was the place our 1st (and only right now) child was raised her 1st 2 years of life. Which brings me to my next topic.
Children's emotions. Kamri has been sentimental about the old house since we moved into the new one. When we walk over there once in a while to get something, she say's "but, this is where we're supposed to live." Although she has embraced her new pink room, she hasn't completely given up the thought of being in the other room. I think it was like a comfort to her... small, cozy, familiar. So today, she just looked like, "Dad, what in the world are you doing tearing up our walls?" So we all sat down in the midst of the sheetrock dust (bad for the health I know), and had a pow-wow about it. We explained to her that when it's pouring down rain outside and we have to run to our car getting soaked and cold, that we and our car would be much happier to have a dry place to get into. That was the best I could come up with at the moment. She seemed to understand and went on playing. All day she kept coming in saying, "Daddy, is the garage ready yet?"
Well, it'll be a few days, but it's coming.
Writing is healing. I feel much better having written down my thought of this day. Now I'm really ready for my garage!
Have you ever been sentimental about a place in your life?

What do Daddy's know???

We went to lunch today with my cousin, her husband and 2 kids, and Kamri. My cousin said her husband came home yesterday with a cheeseburger for the 2 year old. When she questioned why he had a cheeseburger for the 2 year old, he said, "He said that's what he wanted."
She went on to explain we (mom's) do not ask what a 2 year old wants, we just know. And many times they do not know what they want, they just say something and then won't eat it. Besides the fact that a 2 year old has no business eating a cheeseburger.

So to that my husband says, "We just treat them while yall (moms) are trying to raise them."

Let that statement soak in... read it again. "We just treat them while yall (moms) are trying to raise them."

How profound and true and wrapped up in a nutshell. Somedays it's like we work so hard to enforce manners and good habits, and then the lock on the door turns, "Daddy's Home!" and it's all undone!

I have to say, my husband has so many good qualities and I guess I'm not perfect! All in all daddy's do know a lot, but there is definitely a real thing called "mother's instinct" that we are blessed with!

SHARE....

It was easy to pick my word for 2008. For a while now, I have been planning to SHARE more. I have started already and it is so much fun... little by little, even though it puts me out of my comfort zone for a short time, it's worth it knowing I am being pleasing to my savior.
So, what do I want to share???
My faith with others. I will share the love I have in my life because of Jesus. I will share what I am learning from the Bible with others.
Also: I will share nail polish, rings and necklaces with my little girl. I will share lunch with friends. I will share with friends how much they mean to me. I will share time... with others.... TIME is the most important gift I will share.
I WILL GIVE UP BUSY-NESS TO SHARE TIME with MY LITTLE GIRL, MY HUSBAND, MY MOM, MY MEME, MY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AND MY FRIENDS... AND MOST OF ALL, MY JESUS. I will use the time He gives me and Pay it Forward to others and Back to Him.

Stolen Identity!

Ok... so I had forgotten my password for a while and it was very frustrating. I could read but not write on my own site. It was like I could not be me and journal what I wanted. I finally got it today! Now on top of this...

Last month, I had my identity stolen, social security card (I know, I know. I wasn't supposed to be carrying that.), along with credit cards, bank cards, bank statements, a gift card to Pier 1, a gift card to Starbuck's, money, checks, receipts... this list could go on and on.... One of the most dear things they stole from me was something I can't replace... pictures! My digital camera with my card in it, which contained over 80 pictures on it... our first Thanksgiving in our new house, etc. That is one lesson for me... download often and backup! And journal, in case pictures aren't around, I will have my memories.

So for the past month I have still been trying to get everything straightened out with the credit card companies, banks, credit bureau, etc. I almost have it all done... It all came during the holidays and such a busy time that it was hard to get it all taken care of, and I'm a girl who doesn't like taking care of this kind of business at all!... so it takes me even longer than most people to get to things like this.... believe me, a 3 year old girl doesn't like making a bunch of trips to the bank (inside) either. But the policeman was there to help- that's another story.

I am still waiting for my license to come in the mail... hey, I'll get a new picture- yeah! I waited 2 hours in the line... it better be good!

So all that to say.... today when I got this password figured out again... I felt like a new woman. So much has been taken from me this past month and now I am getting me back!

Enjoy life, be cautious, know who you are in case someone tries to take YOU, download often... and only carry a few things with you!... and by all means, if you forget your password to blog, you can get out the old pen and paper! Yes, journaling on pen and paper is still allowed and quite comforting too! Love who you are and BE!