Fasting isn't for Sissies

Fasting isn't for sissies.

Chad and I are fasting for a "Biometric Screening" for our health insurance.

It'll add a hundred or two dollars to our flexible spending account if we both participate.

I drug my feet but finally agreed.  (I'd settle for just one hundred dollars if just Chad did it!)

So......

We have to fast for at least 8 hours before.....our 5:15 appointment.

That's right.  

Fasting during the day.

Fasting at night while you're sleeping isn't so bad.

But....during the day.

And I had to grocery shop.

And I had to feed the kids lunch....without licking the peanut butter knife.

Or eating their leftovers.

It's hard to even type.  I'm so HANGRY!  (That's when you're so hungry you get angry!)

You know in the cartoons when they imagine that things are a big piece of roast beef or a whole chicken or something because they're so hungry.....

We're there.

Zoey is looking tasty!  

Mommy Humor

Here is some good, clean Mommy humor.  

This was played during my Friday MAPS (Mothers And PreSchoolers) group.  

It is hilarious, but I'm sure would be even more hilarious if I'd have seen "Footloose."

I'm happy to admit I was too young to see it!

I was not cut out for big girl stuff.....

Okay, so it's 11:00 and I'm wrapped up in my polygamy book.  (It's a true story and for some strange reason, I find polygamy intriguing.  I mean, who wants to share a man?  And what man wants more PMS and stuff in his life?!)

I'm rolled over reading on my side and I see a something move across the carpet.

I didn't have my glasses on, so I thought it was a cricket.  It quickly ran under the brown curtains facing North in our room and I didn't think too much about it.  (Like I said, I didn't have my glasses on.)

Then I heard a bang come from somewhere, got my big girl panties on, and went to investigate.  Josh was up getting a drink.  

But that's not the AGGGGHHH part....

I decide that I needed to put my big girl girdle on and take care of that damn cricket.

Well, I decide to put on my glasses so that I can appropriately annihilate this motha and......

THERE'S A BROWN RECLUSE ON MY CURTAIN! 

WTH???  WTF????  WIC????  (WIC is Where is Chad?!?!?)

So I pick out a heavy shoe from my closet, decide that if I break a window while whacking it on the curtain, I'll pay for it and......

Now it's in a baggie waiting to be positively identified in the morning when the man of the house returns.  

Until then.....

I'll be awake.

Personal Victory!

Ok.  So some of you may or may not know......I might have an anger problem. 

And the one place where I absolutely H-A-T-E to have it show up is with my children.

There is no worse feeling in the world to lose your temper with your kids-especially over trivial stuff.

BUT........

I didn't!

Let me explain.....

Josh has been a doll lately trying to "make good choices".  One of the things he's picked up on (mostly on his own) is setting the table.

He gets his stool out, gets the plates for everyone, and then gives everyone their silverware.  And he does it without complaining!  (Wonder how long this will last.....)

Well, today we got home from preschool and he knew it was lunch time.  While I was changing out of my good clothes, I heard some banging and asked what he was doing. 

He said he was setting the table.

I had this feeling in the back of my mind that I should stop him, but I told that ol' hag to shut up.  He was helping and I wasn't about to squash that!

Then....

BANG, KA-BAM, BONG, BANG!

That's right.

He dropped a plate from the cabinet, onto the granite countertops, then on the floor.   

Bazinga!

He brought it to me, said sorry.  It was an accident.  

I NEVER LOST MY COOL!

It honestly wasn't a big deal!  I DID GREAT!

Did it have anything to do with the fact I was listening to a Rick Warren personal-help CD about controlling your anger on the way home......who knows!  Who cares!  I rocked it!

GO ME!!!!

My Shutterfly Project

5x7 Folded Card

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5x7 Folded Card

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Is it Illegal.....

So.....

it has occurred to me that the Duerksen children's schedule is filling up fast.  

Well, Josh's schedule.  Poor Macey's just along for the ride.  

But I think she likes it that way!  She's just happy to be invited!!!

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we make the L-O-N-G trek to the big city to go to PreSchool.  

(By the way.....Josh loves his teacher, Miss Patti!  Yeah!)

Then on Tuesdays, we go to a moms group here at a local church.  

Thursdays are my only 'free' day and usually when I grocery shop-at least that's the plan now.

And while we're in the big city on Fridays, Macey and I will be attending another mom's group!  

It sounds busy because it IS busy!  

And it sounds as though I need a lot of Mommy reinforcement time......which I do.  

I don't know a Mommy that doesn't!  

And if she says she doesn't need Mommy time.....she's LYING!!!

So........

with all this hustle and bustle, my question to you is......

is it illegal to make kids sleep in the car so you're not late?!?!?

A Beautiful Day Outside

After nap we went outside to play.  It was gorgeous out!  I think it never got above 75 here.

We stayed well hydrated.  Especially Macey.

She loves to drink thru a straw out of someone else's drink!

And boy, can that kid hold liquid in her mouth.....FOREVER!

Josh drove his monster truck all over.

And the helmet from riding his scooter just stayed on.

It was easier (and safer) for all that way.

And of course we had to stop and pause for a picture.

(Check out the abs on that boy!)

Then we switched to the wagon.

And he wiped out.

And then he REALLY wiped out.

He went down the hill by our driveway.

Really?!?!?

And wherever Josh went, Macey wasn't far behind!

She loves him so much.  

And he's gunna have to get a whole lot faster for her.  She won't ever let him get one up on her!

Go Mace!

And then Dad built a Bug Hotel.  There have been a TON of bugs around our house.......caterpillars, grasshoppers, lady bugs, crickets, etc.

There for a while I felt like a Biblical plague.  Every time I'd look out my back door or my kitchen window, there would be at least one grasshopper on the screen or on the post on the porch.

What a good dad he is!

Here is one of the many caterpillars we found.  

It took a while, but here's a great pic.

Then we had to do some singin'. 

She loves to do "Deep and Wide". 

 And now she's finally doing 'deep' correctly!

And then she figured out she can watch herself in the reflection in the window.

It was a great day to be outside!

The State Fair

OK.

Before I blog all the cuteness and happenings of the Duerksen family at the fair, let's do a little "Fair People".  

Or in the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy.....


 "You might be at the State Fair if you see....."

Someone who is wearing tight clothes and stuck in places they don't belong.

(The second picture I think she knew I was taking her picture and was doing a little dance for me.)

 "You might be at the State Fair if you see....."

Someone wearing something that they are WAY too old to be wearing. 

(THis atleast 65 year old woman was wearing T-I-G-H-T printed pants.)

 "You might be at the State Fair if you see....."

Someone in a motorized scooter walking with someone in overalls.  

(This is a double whammy.....overalls and a scooter!)

(Seriously people.....there were probably more people with scooters than there were people walking.)

There was MUCH more, just couldn't play paparazzi more. 

Had to steer the stroller.

Lost my husband to lawn mowers.  

(Again...seriously?  We come to the fair to shop for lawn mowers?)

Rolling Hills Zoo

A Saturday or 2 ago, we went to Rolling Hills Zoo in Salina.

We got to see lots of animals, but most were just hot.

Honestly....is this what lions do in the wild?

Every SINGLE STINKIN' time we go to a zoo to see the lions, they lie around.

Seriously?  Maul something!!!  Eat a child!!!  Anything!!!!






















And this poor cute bear was so stinkin' hot! 

I'll bet he even had crack-sweat!!

Pictures after this point in the trip to the zoo dropped off.

It was so hot and HUMID all I wanted to do was to finish looking at the animals in a timely fashion. 

The kids were hot, but not that bad because.....

they were chauffeured around in their very own chariot!

It did cross my mind more than once to hope in the wagon, unnoticed, and have Chad pull me.

Then, at the very end, we found an indoor learning room.  

The kids liked the puppets, the books, etc.

It was a nice zoo, but glad to be in the AC!

It's 9:18......

It's 9:18........

Josh needs a bath.

And I need to do a load of muddy laundry.

What have YOU done by 9:18?

Pray For Your Sins.....

Sometimes Josh just amazes me at what he understands and comprehends and 'gets'.

Chad read one of my books, and it has inspired him to start reading out of the Bible.  WORD-FOR-WORD.  And then he'll summarize the meaning of the passage they read.  And then he'll do a little salvation talk.  

Very simple.  

Very age appropriate (for the most part).  

And as illustrated below-VERY EFFECTIVE!

Chad was getting Josh a banana off the counter, but it caused a chain reaction.  The banana bumped the cantaloupe, the cantaloupe hit the plate, the plate hit the floor.  And broke.

After confirming the plate was broke, Josh immediately said WITH A STRAIGHT AND SERIOUS FACE

"Dad, you better pray to God for your sins!"

Maybe it was just one of those 'had-to-be-there moments', but it was hilarious!

I had to remove myself from the situation and giggle in another room.

He gets it! 

Even if a little TOO literally.

My Big Boy......in PreSchool!

My big boy is now officially in preschool!  It has taken a lot to get to here, but he's finally in preschool.  

Unfortunately, SOME of us decided too late that preschool was a good choice and so our first choice (in the town we live in) was full.  

Shocking! 

One week before preschool starts its full?!  No way!!

Anyway, I had the paperwork all filled out at 10 o'clock Sunday night and called first thing Monday morning at the preschool at our church to see, if possibly, there was a spot for Josh in our preschool.

God knew it was coming........AND THERE WAS A SPOT!

God also knew that I couldn't make up my mind if he should go T/TH in the afternoons or M/W/F in the mornings.  One meant more driving, but one also meant that with the less driving that I would have a toddler (Macey) without a nap or a poor one, at best.

So he made it easy.  There was only spots left in the M/W/F morning program.

SUPER!  THANKS GOD!

And God also knew that it would financially strap us (not that it couldn't be done) to drive to the Big City 3 days a week for preschool on one income, so he provided that too!   

So, the morning that I called to get Josh enrolled also happened to be the day of Meet Your Teacher and Open House for the parents!  Aggghhh!
.  
Josh and I quickly got ready and headed to the Big City.  

After meeting his teach, Miss Patti, we went to WalMart to pick out his bookbag.  I told myself that WHATEVER bookbag he picked out (within reason), I would let him get.

He immediately spotted a Lightning McQueen bookbag that had a couple of lights that lit up and was done.  It literally took all of 2 minutes.  Typical male.

What took longer was making him pose for picture for Mommy!

Then we treated ourselves to a lunch out-----just Mommy and son. 

We went to Spangles.  It has yummy grilled cheese, good fries, and KILLER ice cream.  

It was a stressful morning and ice cream would help Mommy Josh.

He's such a hambone!

So....that was a week ago Monday.  He was to start school the last Monday in August, but unfortunately, his teacher's sister passed away, and the first day of school for Josh was moved to Wednesday.  

I'll admit....my attitude/heart wasn't in the right place when I first heard of this.  Josh was 'missing' his first day of school like all the other M/W/F kids.  I was quickly reminded (thank you Universe) that Miss Patti would've much rather been at PreSchool than a funeral.  And my attitude was WRONG!  I had become one of those mothers!  For Shame!

Anyway, the waiting was harder on me than Josh.  He was totally chill.

I made sure and got up EXTRA early the first day to make sure a play paparazzi to Josh.  

I decided to do it on our back porch because our front porch is directly facing the rising sun.  I'd really rather not fight Josh (NO SQUINTING JOSH) more than I have to.  

Then I realized that my reflection was in the door and that the back doors don't exactly lend to a great background.  

So we moved our photo shoot to the grass.

Mimi made the board he's holding.   Thanks of course to Pinterest.  The black hole of the internet.  

Wednesday morning came and he walked right into Miss Patti's room like he'd done it a thousand times before!

Small snag.....Mommy was so excited for him to go to Preschool.......

I FORGOT THE DARN BACKPACK!

It was left hanging at home.  

Preschool's gunna be hard on me!