God's Promise

A Feel-Good Post is coming your way.

I know the last one about me ranting might been a bit much for some, but ....

A few days ago, we had some slight storms roll through righat about bedtime.

We went ahead and put the kids to bed, fully knowing that they might not fall alseep right away. 

Our kids are in bed at 8, but that doesn't mean we expect them to be asleep at 8.  We just expect them to calm down, listen to some good stories with good music and a great message.

What we didn't expect was for Josh to come out of his bedroom so excited about 15 minutes after he went to bed and say, "Mom, Dad-there's a great big beautiful rainbow outside."

Great Josh.  Now go back to bed.

Never mind the fact that you shouldn't be looking out your window. 

Go to bed.

So Chad walks over and then he's excited.  He say, "You really do have to see this.  It really is quite a rainbow."

So I walk over to the front door, open it and see....

A gorgeous double rainbow. 

Perfect in every way.

Perfect arch, bright colors, and you can see both the beginning and the end.

It really was great to see.

So what does my brilliant hubby say, "This is God telling us that H town is the perfect place to live and as close to heaven as we're going to get."

It's A GREAT Monday!

No no.  You haven't gone to the wrong blog.  

That's right.  I said it's a great Monday.  

With enthusiasm!

With umpf!

I'll shout it from the rooftops....

MY MONDAY ROCKS!!!

Now, let me just say that I was NOT thrilled to have to wake up at 6 am to make sure that I had myself ready by the time the kids needed to be ready so that we could leave on time by 7:45.  

This week is VBS at our church.  It's Josh's first year to actually participate and not just be in the nursery.  

Even though its at least a 45 minute drive, there's no way my kids are missing this!

I get up on the 2nd snooze alarm.  Drearily decide to take Zoey out.  I toyed with the idea of letting her go out on her own (not on a leash) because Chad said that he heard skunks travel over a 20 mile area.  He was sure that the skunk was gone.

I.....just wasn't willing to have to spend most of the day bathing a dog, having the windows on the house open to air out, etc.  Whatever might be the ramifications of being too lazy to take the dog out.

Put Zoey on a leash, walk down the stairs on the back porch and stand waiting for that stupid dog to find just the right spot to pee.  Really?  Just any ol' piece of grass won't work for you?!?

As I'm getting ready to turn and go inside, I remember that we had the trap out there.

Chad moved it by the wood pile.  (This is the view from our back porch.)

I remember thinking......'yeah right.  That's hidden by the wood pile.  What dumb thing won't we catch there?'

Well..........

We got him!  And yes it's male.  I'll explain why later.

I hurry inside, squealing quietly with delight trying not to wake the kids-it's 6:15 am afterall!

Grab my camera.

Go back out.  Slightly saddened by....

the cockroach on the ceiling of the porch.

But nonetheless......WE GOT HIM!

Then as I'm snapping a couple pics, I see something moving behind the wood pile.

Son of a monkey's uncle...............It's his Mama!  Or Aunt!  Or Sister!  


But is sure as heck better not be his girlfriend!  (This is how I know it's a male in the cage.  The female's smart enough to get the food not in the cage!)

No skunk breedin' round these here parts!

Heck no!

But there's TWO!  Holy batcrap batman!

One in the cage and one out!

So exciting, yet so frustrating!

So, I call Chad to tell him.  

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "These skunks must've went to Harvard!"

They ALWAYS know when Chad's not home. 

I was telling Chad about it and asked him if he put that piece of leftover sausage in the cage.  He said he didn't, but that Saturday night he dribbled a little bit of leftover yogurt in the cage. 

Well well.  We have a mighty fine foodie skunk. 

The skunk likes Yoplait Light Key Lime Pie yogurt.

Whatever.....

So I go inside and try to focus on getting ready.  SLIGHTLY deterred by the whole ordeal, but pull myself together.

I go to curl my hair and my expensive curling iron isn't working.  

Great.  Must be the plug-in.  Try another plug in.  Nope.  

Expensive curling iron down, but that ain't gunna bring me down.

I got myself a skunk!

Dinner with Mimi

Had to run to the big city to get some stuff.

Mimi treated us to dinner at Freddy's.

The kids loved it!

When we asked Josh what he wanted for dinner, his request was "Grilled cheese, french fries, ketchup and pop."  (All things that are either not at home or in limited availability when your 4.)

We tried to get him to do something else, but it was a no-go.

He's showing off the 5 fast cars Mimi bought him.

Love that girl!

Notice how she has a ketchup mustache.  She said screw it and started eating out of the ketchup container after her hot dog was gone.

After a while, once she knew I was on to her, she just quit trying to even hide it.  She didn't even pretend anymore to be dipping a fry.

It reminds me of something out of the Gracia Burnham book.  They were missionaries to a country in Asia.  Her husband flew stuff to villages.  He said that he had to make sure the ketchup got there or the kids would starve.  Ha!  Kids put ketchup on everything!

Ok.  You can see behind Josh that we were sitting by where they call out the number orders when they're ready.  

We got dinner and a show!

The kids were in ABSOLUTE AWE of how he could call out BIG numbers and people would understand the numbers and come and get their food.

And boy, he did love hearing himself yell those numbers.  I'm sure he moonlights as a DJ or voice-over guy.  But......gotta do something to make a job interesting sometimes!

And of course, you can't go to Freddy's without getting something for dessert!

The kids both had chocolate shakes.  

I thought that would be less messy than just ice cream in cup.

WRONG!

Still trying to get the stains out of Macey's dress......and underwear.

Say what?

That girl loves her food.

Takes after her Mama!

We had a great time!  Thanks Mimi!

Where the *&%#$@ have we moved to?!?!?!?

Where the #*$&*#$& have we moved to?!?!?

As you may or may not remember, we've been welcomed to our new house by ants, cockroaches, wasps, birds, raccoons, skunks, and that's just what I can remember!  (I told Chad the other day-its like living in Texas.  Everything is bigger and peskier here!)

Last night, I took Zoey out for one last potty before bed and just as I stepped out the backdoor, I SWEAR it smelled like there was a herd of cattle crapping in my backyard!!!

It was so bad I couldn't breathe through my nose!

And of course, this is the night that Zoey decides to take her sweet time pottying.

Seriously?

So then this morning I take Zoey out for a small walk with Macey.  

Overhead I see a black bird the size of a small airplane (ok, maybe a toy one, but MUCH bigger than a robin) circling within about 50 yards of us.  

YOU CAN'T MISS THIS BIRD he's so big and circling so much.  (Did a little research and I'm pretty sure it's a turkey vulture.)

So I keep one eye on the bird and one eye on the dog.  After all, that's what I thought he was circling.

I've heard of birds of prey picking up small dogs never to be seen again......

NOT ON MY WATCH!

Boy......you gunna wish you were back in your nest with yo Mama!

I'll unleash a fury of mama rage on your winged butt!

Boy-didn't you heard about the raccoon?  Bring it!

(No, I don't have pent up anger.  Why do you ask?)

Then that son-of-a-monkey's cousin came up and was right overhead.  I promise you, if I would've had a pistol, he would've been MINE!!!!

Then he left.

But while he was circling us overhead, he was gliding in the wind.  Just circling and gliding thinking, "MMMmmmmmmmm Lunch!"

IT WAS FREAKY!!!!!!!

Then on the way back up to the house, it occurred to me, 'What if he was eyeing Macey instead of Zoey."

New To Do List-
#1 Take Conceal Carry Course
#2 Buy Huge Gun

Warning.........

OK.  So if you know me, I MAY have a tendency to have a bit of an attitude problem with a slight hint of an anger management problem.  Some days.  Only days that end in -y.

Found this on the internet. 

Warning-there is language I don't agree with, but the sentiment I do.  If you are offended, someone hacked my account and posted this.  

Laugh out loud funny.

My Son....the Killer Bugger

So this morning, I have absolutely no motivation to do anything. 

I despise sweating, so going outside for a period is O-U-T. (Cuz I took the dog out this morning to potty and felt like I got a sunburn from just the 5 minutes that I was out!)

Doing any craft is not an option because both kids woke up early and that means they have no ability to follow or listen to directions.  (Sometimes, ya just have to know your limits.)

Finally decided that going outside wouldn't be so bad if I was in the shade.  

And Josh was BEGGING to go outside and build another trap.  His traps go between wanting to trap a skunk and trapping ants.

He has his toolbox out-which at the moment consists of a tape measure (real), wrench (real), hammer (plastic-what you thought we'd give this kid a real hammer!), and a screwdriver (plastic).

Macey brought out Doc McStuffins.  And wants to see the pictures I take.  That's what she's screaming in the photo above.

Then I hear, "Come on out Mr. Roly Poly!!!!  I'm Josh the Killer Bugger!!!!"  

And while trying not to laugh, I hear his 'evil' laugh.  It's quite a good attempt.

And yes, that is him whacking the bug with a yard stick.

Here's what's left over from his skunk trap from yesterday.  It involves a dust pan, a dirt 'clop', play dough with a plastic knife (that was added this morning without my knowledge), and a vacuum attachment.  The only thing missing is the broken necklace as the trip wire.  (Got taken away this morning.....shocking!)

All smiles cuz she knows she's not supposed to have Mommy's phone!

And then I could hear Zoey whining at the front door.  She knew she wasn't invited to something.....she could hear us!

So Macey decided to walk her.  She LOVES to walk Zoey!

And then the technique of killing bugs got more sophisticated.  He would find the bug.  Place it ever so gently on the cement, then put the yard stick on top of it, then whack the yard stick with the hammer.  

Oh bugs.  RIP.

After coming in, we quickly ate lunch.  While eating lunch, Josh matter-of-factly asks, "Mom, if life rough?"

Say whaaaaaa????

I asked him to repeat his question again because I'm SURE I didn't hear him correctly.

Nope, I did.  He repeated it, "Mom, I said, is life rough?"

Oh great.  I really try to keep my sayings to myself, but maybe Josh overheard me say my favorite one, "Life sucks and then ya die." one.  Oops.  

I told Josh, "Yeah, sometimes life is rough and sometimes its easy.  But God always helps us."  

I know.....like really lady?  A Sunday School answer?  Well, it always is true, but it always makes Josh quit questioning things.  Because God is the ultimate answer.

Dinner with Friends

Chad has a childhood friend that lives here in town.

They were kind enough to invite us over for dinner.

Dinner was fantastic.  It was something that I wouldn't normally cook for myself, but that's why I loved it!  

Isn't that what makes a good dinner for you?  One that's yummy and you didn't cook?

R and T have 3 kids.  The oldest girl is about 8, then a boy, then the youngest is a girl.  The younger two are about as old as our kids, give or take a few months.

It worked out perfectly!

The oldest was willing to help with the younger girls and the boys ran around and played well.

Here are the girls coming down from playing dolls.

And then off to play dress up.  Macey heard the word "shoes" and was off! 

Then before we decided to call it a night, we went to the local park.  

The dads stood and pushed the younger girls while talking.

Here is the older girl showing her tricks.

And of course a good one of smiley.

The boys, of course, were very attracted to the water.

And then the boys got permission to play in the muddy water. 

Yippee!!!!!!

What good moms T and I are.  We let our boys get filthy.

And look!  Mine is even in a white shirt!

GO ME!  Oh how far I've come.

Well, I know the kids had fun and so did I.  

Happy Kids + Relaxed Mom = Good Time

However, T and R won my kids over with ice cream with sprinkles for dessert and dress up shoes.  

It was in the bag!

Well, I hear my washer finishing.  

I wonder how many times it'll take to get Josh's shirt clean.........