25 things

I got tagged from Erin and like her have seen this on facebook, but have refused to do it!
So 25 things about me....
here it goes!
1. Vance and I will be married for 10 years this June. That baffles me...how could 10 years go so quickly? I was engaged before I was 18, and married right after turning 19. I knew EVERYTHING....now I look back and I knew nothing!
2. My dad is 20 years and 2 months older than me!...I will never forget his age.
3. My dad, grandpa, and best friend, Corin all share the same birthday. How strange and cool.
4. I had Colby exactly 1 week before my 22nd birthday and Emma a short 20 months later!
5. I am certified to teach children birth to 6th grade and am scared to death that someday I might have to teach 6th grade....ewwww!
6. I had over 800 hours of student contact when I finished my degree!
7. I had an uncle that was only 1 year older than I was...we were great friends. He died in a car accident. Sometimes I'll see someone walking down the street and think it looks like him.....strange, I know. I also wonder where he would fit into my life right now.
8. I secretly (not so much now) hate these new fangled text abbreviations. I get some of them like brb (be right back) or ttyl (talk to you later), but some of them are just dumb. roflol makes me crazy. Who actually rolls on the floor. I also think lol is highly overrated, but oh well. I only use it when I actually LAUGH OUT LOUD! Whew...I feel better now.
9. I am the world's biggest NOT a MORNING PERSON! Ask anyone....Bree, Corin, Jenn, Mom, Lauren....Vance:) It's not pretty. But if I am up and going, I think everyone else should be too!
10. I have HUGE feet....size 11.
11. I am an impulse shopper....the worse impulse shopper you have ever met! If it's a good deal, I can't pass it up....even if I already have 3 in the pantry!
12. I love being outside, and can't wait until summer. I hate the air conditioner...and it won't come on until at least July. I love the smell of the outdoors.
13. I was my dad's "boy." I guess that's why I would rather be outside. I love it when my mom will say, "Someone needs to watch the cookies, or go help your dad move the cows." My shoes are already on and I'm headed out the door before she even finishes her sentence. Me + Cookie Baking = Burnt!
14. I got in spurts of home vs. on the go. I love being at home, but after the summer of being there everyday, I'm ready for things to start back up soccer, school, sonlight. I'm not sure how this summer will go with Emma and Colby both playing ball on different teams.
15. I wish my kids were toddlers again, all the time. No I don't want more kids, just the ones I have to stay little.
16. I love having a sister 10 years younger than me, but I'm so glad I don't have kids 10 years a part....I hope God doesn't get a sense of humor in 3 years!
17. I just had a crazy thought that Colby will be 10 in 3 years! Ahhhhh.....
18. We're planning a trip to Disney this fall. I always said I wanted to wait until Emma and Colby were older so they would remember/enjoy it, but I want Emma to go while it's still magical. I'm excited for her to meet Cinderella and see the excitement through her eyes.
19. Even when my family was the poorest of the poor growing up, we ALWAYS went on a family vacation. I'll treasure those memories forever, and feel VERY fortunate to have them. We went many places on a shoestring budget. Good job, Mom and Dad!
20. After moving from Kindergarten to 1st, sometimes I think I would like to be one of those teachers that stays with a certain group of kids for a couple grades and then starts again. I think it is beneficial to really know those kids.
21. I have a slight fear of the things that go bump in the night. I think it's from reading to many scary books.
22. Speaking of reading....I can take home a Wal-Mart sack of books from the library and finish reading them over the weekend.
23. I can't believe that the real feel temp. tonight is -6 and the high on Friday is 51! That's insane!
O.K. I'm going to have to leave it at 23 today, or you guys are going to start getting some babbling. I'll think of a couple more tonight!

Devastation

I don't think any of us understand the severe devastation that the ice storm in Southern MO left behind. I was kind of peeved the first couple of days, b/c my husband was not eating hot food and did not have a warm place to sleep. Now, I'm starting to understand.....there was no power...ANYWHERE! I don't think our WHOLE town has ever been without power. The ice storm of 07 left a lot of people chilly, but I never lost power. Yes, I lived NEXT door to a substation, but nevertheless...my bed was warm. I asked Vance why nothing was turned on yet, and he so patiently reminded me that the subs don't even have power! Wow...I didn't think about that!
So an update on his status: He works from 3;30/4:00 a.m. until 9:00-10:30 at night. Last night, he was actually back in the hotel by 9:00! An early night for him! The only hot meal he gets is in the evening from the hotel. Everything else is sack lunches. They set 25-30 poles a day, sometimes climbing everyone of them! He said that it would be a month to get the whole area back on. He's expecting to be there anywhere from 7 to 14 days. If he's gone for 14 days...V-day will be a great time!
So pray for the workers, volunteers, and victims. As lonely as I am, I can't imagine sleeping in a shelter every night and eating what someone else cooked for me.

A Recap in Pictures

Wednesday night: Sonlight....pajama night, Emma and Sylvia had matching p.j.s....couldn't resist a picture.

Thursday: get a call that Vance is leaving for an ice storm. We hurriedly packed and then took the kids to family fun night. They had lots of fun experimenting, making crafts, and socializing.

Colby making a snowy picture!
Emma and one of her many masterpieces.

Mrs. Yearns was giving away puppies....a great source of entertainment, even if we didn't bring one home!

Friday: I got up at 6 and took Vance to town to leave, got the kids off, went by and played with Natalee until her morning nap and then went shopping with Bree. I found many unnecessary good deals and upheld my crown of the #1 impulse shopper/buyer. I got my kid's Easter outfits, new shoes, and various other "to good to pass up" deals. I also got a call from the school nurse saying Colby was sick. I really didn't believe her, but sure enough he was. Mom took him home for me until I could get back and BOY was he sick. I've never seen my son so sick, he would literally hang over the trash can/toilet. I felt so bad. He spend the evening on the couch and me on the recliner. Restful....let me tell you.

Saturday: much better for Colby. We went to the church's prayer breakfast, where my kids participated in Miss Lynne's prayer/praise message. Emma did a great job, Colby smiled from the background.

Saturday noon: Emma had a birthday party with Sylvia. Hair/makeup/nails.....a little girl's dream. A good time was had by all. I had lunch with Corin and scored the second season of Gilmore Girls!

Finished product!
Sunday: Church, Mom's for lunch, and home again, home again. I had an offer for a super bowl party/get together, but I wasn't feeling very sociable. I miss Vance, no other words to sum it up. It seems like when you're "other half" isn't there, everyone else's is. I know it sounds corny, but everyone else is holding hands, smiling at each other, or there is a sappy love song on the radio. I will forever hold those that deal with this time after time for a much longer period of time in my thoughts and prayers. It's lonely at night, when the kiddos are in bed or even sometimes when they're not. They play so well, as they do when Vance is here....we would watch something together, talk or not....it doesn't really matter what we would do. It's just the fact that it would be an option TO do something. So, here's to 7-14 of the longest days of my 2009!

1000 Words Thursday!...a trip down memory lane!

Last week was such fun....going back through my baby books and scrapbooks. I couldn't wait to do it again. I thought I would take you guys down memory lane. It has made me realize how many things I have forgotten already!

At my bestest friend, Corin's, wedding....a short 3 months after I had Colby. Ahhh...those were the days.
My babies at 1 month old. I was very excited to get both of them "smiling" in their pictures, b/c everyone told me I wouldn't be able to do it.
They loved each other right off the start.

One of Emma's many excursions with boots and a dress. They were/are so happy and smiley!

Look at those chubby cheeks! I took these pictures at a Day out with Thomas in Boone IA. It was an awesome trip! I would go again in a heartbeat!


One of my favorite pictures of Emma.

And Colby with his ever present puppy. He still packs this thing around.
Hope you enjoyed....I sure had fun!

Picture Perfect

Some random pictures I need to post.

Emma on our date night. We had a fun time. She kept saying, I really like date night mom. I told her I did too. When it was all said and done and we were headed home she goes "Mom, Can we talk about my day now?" What? What have I been listening to for the last 5 hours? Anyway, she came away with two new leapster games, two new shirts, a dress, slippers, pretend eggs, valentines, and hopefully lots of memories. I came away with a sad feeling b/c my "baby" can no longer wear toddler clothes. That totally stinks, b/c Target toddler clothes are MUCH cuter than the "big" girl stuff. It was a very sad realization.

This is Emma helping Colby make his lunch. I've put him in charge of the making of his lunch and he does a pretty good job. He ALWAYS takes a honey mustard sandwich. As you can see....he likes LOTS of the honey mustard. He also likes for Emma to help.

Funny story....the other day he brought home a picture (see below) of what he wanted to be when he grows up. It's a darling drawing and I love the spelling of electrician. So, I was thinking...if Emma would draw one I could put them on the wall together. Emma wants to be a animal doctor...aka...vet. Colby asked her if she knew how to spell vet. He proceeded to sound it out /v/ /e/ /t/. "Do you know those letters," he asked. Emma guessed f for v, which I thought was pretty close. She didn't have a guess for e and Colby was disgusted b/c that starts her name. By the time he got to t, he looked at me and said, "I think you need to work with her." Thanks for the advice, Colby!

Vance bought this gorgeous bench to sit on our front porch. Now he thinks it's too nice to put outside, so it's in our living room. It is quite pretty!

Need a laugh?

Bree turned me on to her, with her funny story of her daughter and her vibrating phone.
Annette pointed out her post about colonoscopies (sp) like no other has posted before.
You MUST go and read it today. It's hilarious! Click here and enjoy!

It would be crime to not celebrate....

CHOCOLATE CAKE DAY!
According to Corin it's the official Chocolate Cake Day, so first I'm going to my mom's for my favoritest meal in the whole world: fried chicken, mashed potatoes, white gravy, and if I'm lucky....coleslaw. Then, I'm going to try this from Stacey and Ryan....thanks guys!
5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE'' 1 Coffee Mug
4 tablespoons flour(that's plain flour, not self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
some nuts (optional)
Small splash of vanilla
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well .
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT!
I'm thinking a little hot fudge will also be in order!
Happy Chocolate Cake Day!