Back when my kids were little!!!!!!!!!!

DREA is doing a give away here for a WRAP - that is a Baby Wrap - not food! Check it out!

Okay I know every generation comes up with newer - better - sharper things for babies. Some of them I think are just another excuse to get parents to spend money! Others like this I think MAN what I wouldn't have given to have that when mine were little!

How perfect is it that you can carry along your child's favorite toys and give them a safe/clean place to play all in one! I hate to think of the thousand of times my kids played on the floors of airports/hospitals/doctors offices/parks/ yards/ or even friends houses, while they were kids. I love the ability to gather the toys without too much effort.

What is your favorite "new" invention for babies?

New Couch Pictures as Promised.

28 is Super GREAT!

On Saturday - September 15th, Randy and I celebrated 28 years together...in honor of that I am listing 28 speical moments or memories where he showed his LOVE to me. (Not necessarily in order by date or even by priority - just putting them as I think of them)

1. He gave me a dozen Yellow roses the night before our wedding - first dozen I ever received and YELLOW my favorite at that. Continued to give me roses every anniversary until I was pregnant with Shawn

2. His not giving me roses anymore because watching them die - depressed me GREATLY and he didn't want to make me cry. (He did send them again on our 25th anniversary since he wasn't in the STATE for it!)

3. He gave me a marble box from MEXICO - he bought without my knowledge on a trip we took to Jauarez (sp) for my first married birthday. He placed it on the bed beside me (BOY WAS IT COLD!!!!!!!!)

4. One Christmas he surprised me with a birthstone ring - Opal in the middle (my birthstone) surrounded by Saphires (his)

5. Going on a double date (me dating his best friend and he was with another girl from school) TALK about Jealous! I broke up with his BF the very next day and started a 6 month persuit of him.

6. His stopping and picking up this elderly gentlemen who had broke down and was walking in the snow back to his daughters house (3 miles in the opposite direction). Even though it meant we were WAY late to his mothers for Christmas lunch. Because I asked him to.

7. His cooking dinner for me and bringing it out on the back porch because I had morning sickness so bad that if I smelt food cooking I would toss.

8. His babysitting not just our 3 kids but my friends 3 also - so we could have a girls night out.

9. His attending parties because he knew I thrived on LARGE GROUPS, where he did not. I would look up and he would be leaning on a wall nearest the exit trying to avoid the crowds.

10. His willingness to avoid parties now if I'm feeling anti-social because he doesn't want me to feel uncomfortable (he now LOVES things like this....wow things really change)

11. His trading sandwiches with me @ Jack in the Box in California because I didn't like what I had ordered and was very close to losing it anyway so he just hugged me and suggested we trade. My dad gave him a hard time about "I would have made her eat what she ordered" Randy just said "It's okay". Was one of the best Hamburgers I've ever eaten because it was sprinkled with LOVE!

12. His bringing me a plant and Nyki a Teddie Bear on the day she was born, telling her how special she was to him.

13. His bringing Brittney a teddy bear on the day she was born, kissing it and placing it in the crib with her and then kissing her.

14. His bringing Shawn a teddy bear on the day HE was born and telling him how it did not make him girlie to get a bear like his sisters.

15. His NOT bringing a teddy bear when each of the grandkids were born because that is a Daddy's right not a granddaddy's. Even if they choose not to.

16. His not blaming me when I knocked Shawn off the back steps and giving him a Concussion at the age of 2. (Explains a lot about Shawn doesn't it!)

17. His FREAKING out because he came home and Shawn was in a PINK SLEEPER at 9 weeks old. (Shawn had thrown up all over all 15 of his sleepers and just grabbed one of his older sister's old ones....Daddy would rather him freeze than be in pink - hehehe)

18. His holding me when I cried because Nyki was getting married and nothing would be the same......ditto Brittney.......ditto Shawn - even though his heart was breaking just as much as mine.

19. His walking out of a church with me after I lost my temper at the pastor and turned in all my keys in a fit of rage due to an injustice. His patiently looking for a new church while trying to make sure it was Contemporary enough for him to like and for me to feel comfortable.

20. His being the primary cook for our WHOLE MARRIAGE - and an exceptionally good one at that!

21. His laughing at my jokes no matter how stupid they are - his not laughing at me no matter how stupid I am.

22. His spending hours with me looking for a new couch and buying me one - just because I pitched a hissy on this blog. (pictures coming soon)

23. His using his frequent flyer miles to fly our friend Mary to meet her husband when he got back from Dessert Storm instead of her having to wait for him to meet her in Dallas. The ones he was saving to go visit his brother in California.

24. His always remembering to call and let me know when he gets where ever he is traveling to that week because he knows I worry.

25. His babysitting the grandkids so that Brittney and I can go shopping - play bunko whatever!

26. His watching stupid chick flicks because I want to.

27. His losing weight and taking care of himself after the cardiologist told him he needed to. (Didn't know it would become a new EXPENSIVE hobby but......if he enjoys bike riding and it makes him live longer then I say PARABOLA!)

28. His flying in on Friday night and out on Sunday just so he will be here for our 28th anniversary.

Now y'all know what a great Man I married........you might want to remind me to read this when I'm gripping about him in the future (because we all know I will be :) because that is who I am!)

Here's to another 28 years - clink clink!

REMEMBERING

September 11 Last Year I posted what I was doing on this NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN DATE:

Go back and read it if you would like I'll wait....just click on September 11 above.... there you go.

This year I was thinking as I was driving in about how much LIFE as we know it has changed in the past 6 years. The DJ on the radio this morning referred to it as "The Day our Innocence was Lost Forever" I'm not sure if that is a good description but I can't really say I disagree with it completely either.

I was thinking earlier about the things (little things) that it changed:
1. My grandchildren will NEVER know you could go to the gates and wait for people to come off the plane.
2. I will never just assume that all planes will land safely delivering me or my loved ones to their destination. I will always Thank the Lord to be on the ground again.
3. I have learned NOT to make assumptions about people by their clothing. Not every person I see in traditional garb are out to kill Americans because we are AMERICANS and not every person in western style clothing are Patriotic.
4. I always thought all religions NO MATTER what their belief was made someone a better person because they believed in a greater being - Myself believing there is but ONE TRUE GOD - but even those that did not share this belief with me I thought were better Humans because of their belief - I had NO IDEA that some religions taught HATRED of mankind.

These are just a few......so what has changed for you big or little due to this fateful day - 6 years ago?

Blog on Demand - I aim to please :)

So my DIL wants an update......so here you go.

WARNING WARNING UPDATE WILL REFLECT MY MOOD THIS MORNING WHICH ISN'T GOOD SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO STOP READING NOW....

Okay if your still with me then you get what you get! No complaining to me!

I've had a really down week - nothing I can point at that says this is why I've had the "Don't give a Damns" but I have had them BIG TIME!!!!!! Here's a mix up of what has gone on in my head (is going on in my head)

1. Why do I "sacrafice" something I want for someone else .....do it willingly and then resent the HELL out of it? Some examples......
a: Randy got a road bike - I swore I wouldn't buy him another thing for his biking HOBBY/Obsession until I got a new couch. We've been looking - a bunch at couchs haven't found one I like enough to commit to for the next 10 years (at least my current couch was given to me by Mom who bought it in 1974.......that is a long time to see the same couch....up until about 2 years ago I couldn't reasonably justify getting a new one because this one is built to last and was still in good shape......this is no longer the case - it is VERY UNCOMFORTABLE!) Since he is riding across the STATE on his bike it wasn't a hard decision to say let's go ahead and buy the road bike NOW since you need it and I haven't found a couch I/we like. Now I get pissy about it.
b: I buy things that the kids/grandkids need - to make their lifes happier and then they don't use it or sale it in a garage sale or whatever and I think - Crap I should have just gotten that *** fill in the blank for myself, at least I would still be enjoying it. Understand, when I give it to them as a gift it is their's to do with as they please.....if they want cool bedding for their children and then decide to never make the bed to show it off it is really really none of my business....I know this but does it keep me from resenting it? Do I beat myself up afterwards for resenting it - YES should I resent it NO.......

2. What gives other people the right to make decisions that effect ME and then dump it on me? Point in hand is that our church does a production every year in October. This year we are selling the actual building where we host it. The couple that is normally in charge are retired and traveling a BUNCH so Randy and I and another dear couple are "producing" the production. We the four of us - put our heads together and decided to postpone the production until we see our new digs and have more time to focus on it.......like March of 2008. Pastor and the couple that is actually in charge didn't agree with us. So we are going ahead with the production 2 weeks earlier than usual but the decision to go ahead was made about 2 months later than usual. Original couple is out of town until the Sunday before dress rehearsal. The other couple that are helping us are going through some bad times...personal tragedies, new school year (both are teachers) etc....... Randy is traveling a BUNCH and so it all falls on my shoulders........and I HATE IT! I have even thought about just changing churches to walk away from the pressure, but I am not a quitter, and can't stand the thought of what everyone would say about me afterwards.

3. My job still hasn't improved - I can't bring myself to look for another one for the following reasons.......
a. I'm fat and wouldn't want to hire someone that looks like me
b. I will lose vacation time (I currently have 4 weeks a year)
c. I am not a quitter and can't stand the though of what everyone would say if I walked away
d. I like for the most part, the people I work with and would miss them.
e. I've been here before and having plowed on through was the right decision and would be again I'm sure!

So here's the question for you..........how do I change my attitude? How do I either stop being self sacrificing or stop resenting it when I am? Anyone, Anyone - oh yeah y'all quit reading with the warning.