Friday Five: Five Things I Know for Sure (updated)

Last week I asked for the five things YOU know for sure...here's what I've gotten:
1) It's always easier than it looks.

2) If a drink doesn't taste right, add pink lemonade.

3) Fruit punch is the cure for a bad mood.

4) It's always okay to admit when you don't know something. That's how you learn.

5) Cakes/brownies are always done when the edges pull away from the pan. Always.

1. A baby's laugh can smooth the edges off of the roughest day.
2. Some people are simply miserable and will do anything to bring you down with them. It is okay to let these people go from your life.
3. Doctors are wrong a LOT.
4. Liking your spouse is at least as important as loving them.
5. Wintry Sunday nights are best done up with a long-sleeved nightgown some soup, hot tea (or cocoa) and a movie or a good, scary book.

1. If you find out all the facts instead of assuming, problems can be avoided 99% of the time.

2. You can always count on your kids to love you unconditionally. The love of your kids is something that never dies no matter what the circumstances. And that is also true for a parents love for their children.

3. I am always right! LOL Kidding. I am quite often wrong about things and know from experience that it makes things so much easier if you just admit it when your wrong.

4. Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming, "WOO HOO, what a ride!"

5. When your kids think about their childhood they are not going to think about all the material items they have or how clean the house is...they are going to look at how much love, attention and nurturing they receive from their parents.

1."all I know is that I know nothing". Socrates
2. it's not WHAT you know, it's WHO you know
3. my wife is the most important part of my life
4. my taxes will be due April 15th
5. sometimes you're the tiger, sometimes the tiger devours you


Feel free to add more if you think of them! Great submissions everyone!

Thankful Thursday

Happy turkey day! Of all days of this year, we're supposed to be incredibly thankful for what we have...and I am.

In no particular order, things I am especially thankful for right now:

-A yummy Thanksgiving dinner with family.
-My 4 month old boyfriend Logan. He's a flirt and Aunt Chrissi loves it.
-A new house that our children will grow up in and Geo and I can grow old in.
-Geo. I'm seriously so thankful for this man; we've had our ups and downs but he's an amazing person, husband, and father. He works his butt off to provide for us and I couldn't get any luckier if I tried.
-Gabe and Bits; they drive me insane but my god do I adore them. I'm thankful for Gabe's cheery disposition in EVERYTHING and his great sense of humor and I'm thankful for Bitsy's charming personality and her quick thinking mind.
-Our friends; unfortunately some things have happened in the past few months that have shown us who our true friends really were; those who've always had our best interests at heart--and those who did not; for those who always have our back, I'm so thankful and for those who have proven themselves to be selfish and hurtful, I'm thankful for you too, because it put things into perspective for us.

There are so many other things I could write for this list; my parents, my siblings, Geo's family, Gabe's teachers, our amazing medical family, etc etc but it's late, I'm tired and I have a ton of packing to do in the morning. Good night and I hope you're as thankful as we are this Thanksgiving!

Wordless Wednesday: STRIKE!

Happy Birthday Hunky Hubby

*whew* I made it! A very happy birthday to my very own hunky hubby Geo today! I'm pretty much the luckiest girl in the world to have you for a hubby...here's to many more happy birthdays together! Love you!

The Season of...

Tis better to give than receive...
The season of giving...
It's the thought that counts...

These are things that we drill into our childrens' heads year after year at Christmas time. Parents have been doing it for generations and will probably continue to do it for generations after my children are grown. I have said these things to Gabe and Bits and my parents said them to me, etc etc.

BUT all of this is just talk. Most people do NOTHING to back up the words they spew to their children; it's almost like second nature to say "oh honey, Christmas isn't about getting gifts, it's about giving gifts/spending time with family/whatever"

We like to back up the "season of giving" with actions; each year we do the best we can with what we have to do something for someone else who may not have the means to enjoy the holiday. This year is no exception, as always, though, money is short (let's be realistic, when ISN'T it? haha) but we have plenty of time. Gabe has an entire week off for Thanksgiving this year sooooooo

we're going to be Salvation Army Bell Ringers! We're going to dress up head to toe in warm clothes and ring bells and be obnoxious and loud and wish everyone around us happy holidays, merry Christmas, blah blah blah whatever we want...and why are we doing it? Because Gabe and Bits need to KNOW that when mom and dad say something like "tis better to give than receive" we mean it. We are going to be giving OUR time to help others in need. We are going to lead by example so they realize (maybe not in the moment or even in the near future, but at some point) that we feel good when we do something for someone else and that's what the holidays SHOULD be about; happiness.joy. friends. family. love. peace. giving. caring.

Not gimme gimme gimme gimme. Not "oh my god, I have to have the 'insert trendy toy here that will break in a week' or I will diiiiie" Not anything except peace on earth and goodwill toward others. I'd like to challenge all of you to back up your words with actions this holiday season. Don't just say it DO it. Put those words into action....your children will ALWAYS remember that you were a person of action, not just empty words.

Friday Five: Five Things I Know for Sure

Today's Friday Five is a bit different, it's interactive-I'm going to list five things I know for sure (five truths, five observations, whathaveyou) and you, dear readers are encouraged to do the same in the comments section and then next week I'll share them with everyone. Sounds fun, right?! RIGHT!

Here we go:

(In no particular order)

1. You should never turn down a chance to use the bathroom

2. Sometimes it isn't about YOU and the other person really just needs their space without you projecting your issues onto the situation (actually, I find this to be more that sometimes true, lol, I find it to be true 99% of the time)

3. You should strive to learn something new every single day, even if it isn't life changing knowledge, learning something new every day is a GOOD thing.

4. Listening is more important than talking, as the old cliche goes, we have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

5. No one is perfect, not even you, so try to give the benefit of the doubt when dealing with someone or something frustrating.

Now it's your turn...

Thankful Thursday: Babies

I'm thankful for babies today; this morning at 2:39 Cooper James came into the world; he's the newest edition to our family, belonging to Geo's cousin Matt and his wife to be, Anne. Baby and momma are doing well which we are thankful for as well! Welcome to the world Mini Coop, we're so glad you're here!

Wordless Wednesday: Have a Laugh or Two

Just One More Book

Gabe is a reader. This is a well known fact. He reads constantly and will read pretty much anything he can get his hands on. It's both endearing and frustrating. Tonight at bed I told the kiddos they could only read one book before bed, so pick one and hop under the sheets. Bitsy picked a Simpsons comic book (whatever floats her boat) and Gabriel the little smart alec picked a jet and plane encyclopedia Grampsey gave him. No joke, the book is easily three inches thick. He said "well you did say just one book Mom"

Indeed I did, Gabe, indeed I did. Gabe 1, Mom 0

Thankful Thursday: Veteran's Day

Today I'm especially grateful for our military vets. We have a lot of them in our family and in no particular order, I'd like to acknowledge and thank them for their service to our country.
Great Grandpa John-USMC
Great Grandpa Harvey-USAF
Cousin Steve-USAF
Grandpa Pop-USMC
Aunt Faith-ARMY
Uncle Levi-ARMY
Great Grandpa Bob-NAVY
Great Grandpa Siens-USMC
Great Grandma Siens-USMC
Uncle Bob-NAVY

and to all the other vets out there, known or unknown to us, we thank you for your service to our country.

(and today, is, of course, the Marine Corp birthday-Semper Fi!!)

Wordless Wednesday: Make Yourself Comfortable

Feeling Generous? Feeling Thankful?

My friend Yvonne is momma to three delightful children, her youngest was diagnosed with cancer in 2008 and the wonderful folks at St. Jude's Childrens' hospital took great care of their whole family. He is now cancer free for TWO years and they're all so thankful for that...On November 19th, her family will be doing the St. Jude Give Thanks Walk and her team is raising money for the hospital. If you're so inclined, please check Yvonne's Page out and read their story and donate whatever you can and if you are NOT in the position to donate (which is okay too) please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as well as other families who are in the same position but are still battling cancer and other diseases that no child should have to deal with...and be thankful for the healthy children in your life too!

Playing in the Leaves

Friday Five: Stick it to the man

1. What kind of magnets do you have on your fridge? All different sorts; letters, shapes, words, pictures, you name it we have it.
   
2. What’s your preferred type of glue? good old elmers white glue
   
3. When is it good to feel sticky? When you're having your eyebrows waxed
   
4. What was the last thing you wrote upon a Post-It? A recipe
   
5. How much pancake syrup do you put on your pancakes? A TON

Thankful Thursday

Sometimes when it seems like everything all at once is going kind of crappy, it's a good idea to sit back and really be thankful for what you have...

I've been to the dentist twice in three days over one stinkin' tooth, rather than dwell on it, I'm thankful that we have EXCELLENT dental care and immediate access to a dentist so that I can have it taken care of.

The trunk lock on the car is stuck shut and not only is there a brand new bottle of antifreeze in there that we need, there are three giant pumpkins the kiddos didn't get to carve because they're stuck HOWEVER I'm thankful that we have a car that runs well, keeps us warm in the winter, and cool in the summer.

Geo is working 12 hour shifts overnight, we aren't seeing him much lately but I'm so thankful that in this time of economic hardship for SO many people that Geo is working and able to provide for us.

A lot of my friends are struggling right now, whether it's emotionally, physically, financially, what have you-while simply being thankful won't make these things go away, they will help ease the burden, so I'd like to encourage you to be thankful and MEAN it-make a list of all the bad crap and then next to each awful thing, put it into perspective and say something you're thankful for.

Halloween Hangover