tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41079554113412781772012-02-19T05:41:27.203-05:00Keeping Up with the JonesesMy thoughts on our family and faithSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.comBlogger1961100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-72304525398379121932010-07-11T17:17:00.004-05:002010-07-11T17:26:06.612-05:00For All the SaintsFor all the saints who from their labors rest,Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest: Alleluia, alleluia!Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;And Thou, in darkness drear, their one true light: Alleluia, alleluia!O blest communion, fellowship divine!We feebly struggle - they in glory shine;SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-362964013241222152010-07-08T20:56:00.003-05:002010-07-08T21:06:21.628-05:00Random cutenessH told us that her favorite part of getting her hair washed is at the end when I put the "air conditioning" in. On the long drive back from Grandma's this evening, I let the kids watch a DVD, "Elmo visits the Doctor." I could hear it, but couldn't see what was on the screen. At one point I asked H if the doctor was a real person or a puppet. She answered, "It's a puppet, Mommy. They're all SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-59601106456720008622010-04-22T18:20:00.003-05:002010-04-22T18:55:13.200-05:00Happy Earth Day! <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-81665128010036203272010-04-03T14:14:00.004-05:002010-04-03T21:52:46.844-05:00Resurrection Sunday - Sweet memories of the past and hope for the future This is our first Easter without my Dad. Every time we pass one of these milestones, it brings a wave of emotion. I have lots of good memories of Easters with Dad. When I was living at home, we took spring vacations at Easter many years. Dad did a lot of traveling working for Ford and accumulated plenty of frequent flier miles and free hotel stays. We reaped the benefits of that during our SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-28633879339154688472010-04-01T03:16:00.003-05:002010-04-01T08:17:59.578-05:00"April Fool" from your Government<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-39325577116522926552009-12-01T21:26:00.000-05:002009-12-01T21:26:11.331-05:00Body by Mom6 months old and (at least up to the point this picture was taken) every bit of nutrition he's received from the moment he was conceived came from Mommy. Pretty awesome privilege.Plus, that's a good 16 pounds worth of calories I've gotten to eat without having them stay on my body!SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-27950860638500158112009-11-29T15:45:00.003-05:002009-11-29T16:22:06.803-05:00I look in the faces of my children and I know that God is good.There are few things I've found greater pleasure in than being a mother. I loved feeling the little pitter-patter of a little one growing inside me while I was pregnant. I love snuggling a sleeping baby in my arms. I love seeing them smile or hearing them giggle in their sleep. Even with my fussy ones, I felt pleasure at the fact that I had the skill to soothe them when no one else could. I got SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-27659788584003441732009-11-24T21:37:00.004-05:002009-11-24T22:33:00.273-05:00I did not know that in KindergartenI don't have a lot of memories from kindergarten. I remember one day being reprimanded for coloring something orange when it was supposed to be brown. I used the burnt sienna crayon. It looked brown to me before I started coloring with it. It looked orange on the paper.I remember one day when one of the elementary school kids came to read to us. The teacher told him to slow down showing the SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-40174809707826032652009-10-11T20:15:00.003-05:002009-10-11T20:48:45.737-05:00How many surgeons does it take to change a light switch?The answer is one - but it might take her all day.My dad had been working on a few projects around our house which he never got a chance to complete. My wonderful cousin Keith, an electrician, came over last month and finished them up for us. One of those projects was installing lights under the kitchen cabinets. He installed a switch to go with them, but it was white. The rest of the switches inSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-56207099208660937782009-09-29T11:25:00.000-05:002009-09-29T11:25:00.288-05:00A well-timed blessingOur littlest member of the Jones family is four months old already. I'm overwhelmed at what a blessing he's been in our lives in such a short time. The Lord knew back in August 2008 when he placed little D inside me that I would need some joy in my life come May of 2009. His timing was perfect.My Dad died suddenly and unexpectedly just 9 days before D's due date, two weeks before he was born. I SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-74973282562250320692009-09-28T20:40:00.001-05:002009-09-28T20:45:05.174-05:00J's preparing to be a Russian President for Halloween. SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-1617297828980360202009-09-22T17:05:00.003-05:002009-09-22T20:33:55.744-05:00Why doesn't she just leave him?You frequently hear that question asked about women who are victims of domestic abuse. If it were really that simple, she would.Today there was a tragically vivid example of how it's not that easy. Patricia Williams was shot to death by her husband in the parking lot of the Canton Public Library in Michigan. You can read about it here.The woman was a Detroit police officer for 15 years. She was SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-29229196902472277042009-09-22T15:49:00.002-05:002009-09-22T17:03:24.664-05:00Baucus ProposalIn case you're interested, here is the response to the latest Senate health care reform proposal from the American College of Surgeons along with approximately 20 other surgical organizations.Letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max BaucusThere are several concerns raised in the letter, including:In 2011, without further legislation to correct the problem, physician payments from Medicare SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-4152905537906798722009-09-21T20:04:00.004-05:002009-09-21T21:20:16.004-05:00You've got mail!So, Chris Tomlin never responded to my open letter, but Steve Green responded to my daughter's email rather promptly. H and I wrote to him on Saturday. He wrote back today. No, really, Steve Green himself wrote an email to my 3 year old daughter.Seriously!You see, H really, really wanted to send Mr. Green a message this weekend. (Mr. Green, not Steve Green - because when you're 3 you shouldn't beSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-60008741141168513702009-09-02T20:47:00.002-05:002009-09-02T20:51:54.737-05:00Practical TheologyProverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."Seek God's face. Understand His character. Pursue knowledge of Him, for apart from the 'fear of the Lord' and 'the knowledge of the Holy One' we have no hope for being a wise mother, sister, wife, or friend."--Wendy Horger Alsup, Practical Theology for Women, How Knowing God Makes a SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-79174844405413237752009-09-01T18:00:00.004-05:002009-09-01T21:39:57.075-05:00Random thoughts about our dayToday was my first really light day since I've been back to work. I was able to be home by 10:00! We gave Grandma the day off - a much deserved day to herself.I had hoped to be really productive around home, but felt paralyzed by the sheer volume of things that need to be done around here. I never seem to catch up. I did manage to accomplish a few things. I now have one seriously clean bathroom. SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-44869561675784901612009-08-26T15:13:00.004-05:002009-08-26T15:35:25.619-05:00You say Verrucous, I say VaricoseWe have wonderful staff in our office. I wouldn't trade any of them. Our reception ladies are friendly and efficient and attentive to details. They know how to use the computer and answer the phones and file and schedule tests and do all sorts of things that we couldn't run an office without.They aren't, however, trained in medicine.Most of the time they get it right, but sometimes it makes for SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-86828172947428387642009-08-14T12:16:00.000-05:002009-08-14T15:00:40.689-05:00I have a theory. . .I think that babies must prefer chubby mommies. I don't know exactly why. Maybe it starts with wanting more padding while they're on the inside. Maybe it makes them feel more secure. Then once they're born, who wants to snuggle with someone bony? Cushy is probably preferable to those little ones.Whatever the reason, they have a master strategy to meet their goal. It starts with the whole SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-49381991134765675692009-08-12T19:53:00.005-05:002009-08-12T21:40:10.905-05:00Let's disagree over things that are real, indeed!In a recent town hall meeting in New Hampshire, President Obama decried his critics' "wild misrepresentations" of his proposed health care overhaul. He denounced their efforts to "scare and mislead" people and urged, "Where we do disagree, let's disagree over things that are real."The President should take his own advice.I don't know whether he is intentionally misrepresenting the facts or if he SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-35450380719126475172009-08-02T21:59:00.004-05:002009-08-02T22:33:33.921-05:00The DentistJ had his first trip to the dentist last week. Yes, I know it's a little late to be starting that, but we tend to follow the "If it ain't urgent, it ain't happening" principle around here much of the time.When I told him I was going to take him, he was very excited. He wanted to go right then. It was a big letdown when he found out we had to make an appointment. He could hardly wait until the bigSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-83975955576075429572009-07-27T18:14:00.002-05:002009-07-27T18:42:51.170-05:00I Heart CVSIt's been a while since I've shared any CVS deals. That's partly because I've been preoccupied with other things (funeral, baby, surgery, for instance) and took some time off from bargain shopping. It was also because the deals were a little slim at CVS for a number of weeks.Well, the past two weeks, CVS got back in the game, and so did I!Here are last week's winnings. I got Huggies wipes, SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-55317354830943580542009-07-26T16:20:00.002-05:002009-07-26T16:24:19.588-05:00Overheard this morningH to J: "Let's play Tom and Jerry. I'll hit you with a shovel and then you hit me with a shovel."Perhaps we need cut back on the electronic babysitting.SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-90219775953979691072009-07-10T15:40:00.002-05:002009-07-10T15:54:29.176-05:00Summer Beauties SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-10593788493928790652009-06-21T21:15:00.003-05:002009-06-21T21:36:37.450-05:00Father's DayI participated in several writing contests during my years at college. I never considered myself much of a writer and certainly never had any expectations of winning. I did it as more of a self-improvement project. They were the sort of competitions where you showed up, they gave you a topic, and you had an hour or so to write about it.One year the subject was "What is your favorite holiday and SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-62176861888491968932009-05-03T19:49:00.002-05:002009-05-03T20:12:55.907-05:00An Open Letter To Chris TomlinDear Mr. Tomlin,I have been blessed by many of your songs, and appreciate your ministry. I particularly like your reworking of the hymn "Amazing Grace." On more than one occasion I've been moved to tears as I meditate on the the overwhelming thought that my God, my Savior has indeed ransomed me from the chains of my sin.But there's something about the third line of the chorus that distracts my SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-14571248053990279072009-05-02T15:22:00.002-05:002009-05-02T15:24:01.997-05:00Friends don't let friends drive pregnant SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-27850936410956957022009-04-12T06:00:00.001-05:002009-04-12T06:00:01.160-05:00The Power of the ResurrectionChrist's resurrection isn't just a historical event that occurred millenia ago. It's an event with eternal significance for those who have put their trust in Him.What if it never happened?I Corinthians 15:17-19"If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, weSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-70660917477264652572009-04-09T21:05:00.003-05:002009-04-09T21:19:11.343-05:00A Good Month for Ice CreamIf you love ice cream and love a bargain, you'll enjoy this month. Here are the highlights:April 15: Free scoop at Maggie Moo's (my all time favorite ice cream ever!)April 21: Free cone day at Ben and Jerry'sApril 31: $0.31 cone day at Baskin RobbinsSee you there!Highlights from Free Cone Day 2008 SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-77519313183448006132009-03-13T19:19:00.003-05:002009-03-13T19:25:58.133-05:00If you want something done right. . .H seems to have finally given up hope of me producing a little sister for her. She's decided that since I have baby brother in my tummy, she has baby sister in hers. She'll stick out her belly and say, "Shh. Baby Sister is sleeping in there." I guess she's already figured out that if you want something done right, you should do it yourself.She is still very sweet to baby brother, however. SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-20489909158992343882009-03-11T17:45:00.002-05:002009-03-11T19:52:12.695-05:00Special DayAt J's school, they don't celebrate birthdays in class. They've decided that since not everyone has a birthday during the school year, they'll assign each child a "special day" instead. Yes, I know it sounds a little corny, but when you're 5, it's pretty awesome. Today was J's much anticipated turn to have a special day.I've been preparing for some time for this big event. One of the special day SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-47505297397849373242009-03-01T20:26:00.003-05:002009-03-01T20:35:04.526-05:00Toddler HumorI've always thought my kids were funny (in a good way), but little H really outdid herself this morning in the "making mommy laugh" department.Last week she wanted to take her little purse and some toys to the nursery at church. When I picked her up, she told me one of her friends was sad because she wouldn't share the toys she'd brought. We had a little talk and I told her if she wanted to bringSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-63649196038081536092009-02-12T06:00:00.000-05:002009-02-12T06:00:00.627-05:00About a GirlHere's an update on our sweet little H:One of her favorite games to play is football. She's quite good at throwing, catching, and kicking!She loves to play outdoors, especially if she can dig in something.She's opinionated about what she wears. She really enjoys picking out her outfits for the day and what jammies she's going to wear to bed. Most of the time she's pretty good at it, but some daysSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-67749818304421845372009-02-11T09:04:00.001-05:002009-02-11T09:04:01.435-05:00About a BoyHere's a random update on J for those who haven't seen us in a while:He's doing very well in school. He's in a Montessori preschool program and is learning lots. He particularly impresses us with his reading ability.He loved going to school at first, but the thrill has worn off. I suspect it may have something to do with the fact that Papa has been coming over more often lately. He'd much rather SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-74742360328506253082009-02-09T06:00:00.002-05:002009-02-09T06:00:01.051-05:00Jones JargonI confess, I'm one of those parents that tends to think most everything her children do is cute. I find their jokes funny. I laugh at their antics. I find their mispronunciations endearing. For that reason, I've never been one to correct them when they say something wrong. They always figure it out eventually. Usually, sooner than I'd like. In the meantime, I enjoy their charming kid lingo. In SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-79653143490394782312009-02-06T20:15:00.003-05:002009-02-06T20:53:06.565-05:00Uterine Steal SyndromeI haven't been very inspired to blog lately. I suspect it's partly due to Facebook destroying my ability to describe life in anything more than one-sentence status updates. It's probably also in part due to the fact that J is growing up (sniff, sniff), and while he remains wildly entertaining, he doesn't say as many goofy things that lend themselves to funny blog posts anymore.But I think the theSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-89764392556113379402009-01-15T01:00:00.000-05:002009-01-15T01:00:00.281-05:0013 Things I found while Cleaning Under the Couch this WeekI haven't done a Thursday Thirteen in a long time. I'm not sure it even officially exists anymore. This seemed to lend itself to a TT post, though, so I'll carry on the tradition anyway.13 things I found while cleaning in or under the couch this week:1. Oreo Cookie (still fresh!)2. One Little People Shepherd3. One Little People Mechanic4. Little red mouse (cat toy)5. Countless crumbs from SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-51224500881256866492009-01-14T17:02:00.000-05:002009-01-14T17:02:55.188-05:00Is this the same kid? Day 1 4 months First ChristmasThis ChristmasJ has pretty much looked like just a little bigger version of himself as he's grown over the years. H, on the other hand, keeps looking like a totally different child to me. I see her old photos flash up on my screen saver and think, "Wow! Did she really used to look like that?"She started out as a medium-sized dark haired newborn - progressed into a SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-39848900235635427972009-01-10T16:40:00.004-05:002009-01-10T16:51:02.839-05:00This week at CVS and KrogerI braved the weather to visit CVS for a few items. They didn't have everything I planned to get in stock, but it was still worth the trip.Garnier Fructis Shampoo1 pack Orbit gum2 packages of medicated item I tend to need toward the end of pregnancy (Trying to spare you too much information. You're welcome.)Candy bar (needed a filler item to use my whole Extra Buck coupon)Used 3 manufacturer's SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-86520806346286250232009-01-09T21:08:00.004-05:002009-01-10T09:59:05.986-05:00Words of Encouragement?I was playing Legos with J this afternoon. I admit, he's much better at it than I am. He does love the company, though. I was making an addition to the house he was building (per his request) when I made one whole wall cave in.He reassured me, "Don't worry, Mommy, someday you'll learn to be a big helper..."Then, under his breath added, "...Hopefully soon."Meanwhile, H was playing in the next roomSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-72552442820970180352009-01-07T17:24:00.005-05:002009-01-09T21:26:33.759-05:00Ultrasound Yesterday was the big day when we found out what Baby #3 is. We made it a family affair with Grandma, Papa, and the kids all coming along to share the experience. It was almost like being at a theater with everyone watching on the big screen.H was less than impressed, I'm sorry to say. We had explained to her that we were going to see the baby. J is experienced enough to understand what "seeing SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-45314527998071532312009-01-06T19:57:00.007-05:002009-01-06T22:07:39.610-05:00The Billboard Saga continuesThis is probably the last time I'll be mentioning "the billboard" (no promises, of course). Apparently the font is so small that even people who know an Ellie fighting a brain tumor are confused about who is really on the sign. I learned this through Ellie W's caring bridge site today.The billboard, it turns out, is actually an ad for St. Jude Children's Hospital and the child is Ellie Bouchard. SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-12888268773152165002009-01-05T20:01:00.005-05:002009-01-05T20:38:31.135-05:00EllieEllie and her sister Christmas eve 2007Ok, so I didn't exactly get the information the way a billboard normally communicates, but indirectly it worked. I complained about seeing the sign with Ellie's picture on it, but not being able to make out anything other than her name and the fact that she had a brain tumor. Someone who knows Ellie stumbled across the post and gave me the details. I thoughtSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-22230658535691382012009-01-04T14:00:00.001-05:002009-01-04T14:05:41.247-05:00This is not what they were sentenced to!Hebrews 13:3 Remember those in prisonas if you were their fellow prisoners,and those who are mistreatedas if you yourselves were suffering.This has been an issue for decades. The U.S. Department of Justice sued the Michigan Department of Corrections in the 1990's over it. They were cited by Amnesty International for their systematic violation of the human rights of the women in their charge. It SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-31225360318904139222009-01-02T21:36:00.000-05:002009-01-02T21:50:53.997-05:00Great is Thy FaithfulnessLamentations 3:22-23 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.It's a familiar passage, one I've know and loved for years. I love the song based on it. This past year was a year where those verses in their context became more meaningful.2008 was not all I'd imagined or hoped it would be. I'm sure SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-77469357957241427972009-01-02T14:07:00.003-05:002009-01-02T14:11:03.733-05:00Say what?J, as he spread out his new Mickey Mouse blanket made by Grandma: "You know, Mickey Mouse is really a bad show. It's only for evil kids who don't trust in God."As someone who is trying hard to raise loving, non-judgemental children - and who took her children to see Mickey not once, but twice this year - I have to ask myself, "Where in the world did that come from?!"SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-88596220963658157012008-12-29T21:20:00.003-05:002008-12-29T21:56:42.954-05:00Billboards for DummiesWe've been driving back and forth to my folks' house quite a bit this past week. It's about a 45 minute drive along a major interstate highway, and it's given me a lot of time to ponder billboards. There are a lot of really bad billboards out there. Not bad in the moral sense (although there are plenty of those around as well. My feelings about that whole Vegas ad campaign could fill more than a SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-91382752692392006762008-12-15T20:40:00.004-05:002008-12-15T21:09:07.086-05:00Christmas Sneak PeekWe had a little taste of Christmas early this week. J went to a birthday party for a friend from school last week. I left the wrapping paper lying around and J put it to good use wrapping "presents" for H. They had been sitting under the tree until Saturday when he could wait no longer to give them to her. It was really a touching moment. He started by reading the card he'd made for her. It read,SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-8896030793608777002008-12-15T20:21:00.004-05:002008-12-15T20:40:05.217-05:00I'm Back!With baby on the way, bargain shopping got put on hold for a while. Frankly, all I cared about for most of September through mid-November was keeping dinner down ("morning" sickness hits me hardest in the evening) and praying desperately for some sleep. (Insomnia - which I hadn't had since I was expecting Hannah- was one of my clues that perhaps I wasn't just 10 weeks late after all.) Well, I'm SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-41913837155427479082008-12-10T20:44:00.003-05:002008-12-10T20:50:08.723-05:00"Me-dee Chris-maaaas!" to you from the JonesesSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-59532382232170828662008-11-16T11:22:00.002-05:002008-11-16T11:27:37.648-05:00ReminderA few minutes of peace and quiet from your child is not always a good thing! SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-67524814462672943892008-11-10T16:17:00.003-05:002008-11-10T16:34:48.063-05:00Politics for PreschoolersOk, it's been almost a week since the big quadrennial voting event. I've been intentionally avoiding any newscasts or news papers for weeks, because I got to the point where I would become physically ill when I heard words such as "election" "Obama," or "McCain." Two years is far too long for any campaign to last, in my opinion. I'm hoping that Congress will finally make themselves useful and SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-1115580931716612352008-11-08T19:53:00.003-05:002008-11-08T20:03:28.881-05:00Brilliant IdeasJ is full of good ideas lately. I'm not sure where he comes up with them, but I like the way he thinks.We did Halloween this year for the first time. I bought the kids pumpkin buckets to use for their treats. I explained to them what we were going to do with them. J suggested that instead of going out, we could hang the buckets on our front door and people could come and put money in them. Let's SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-1157430862744863122008-10-18T19:59:00.005-05:002008-10-18T20:25:19.325-05:00Pumpkin carvingJ's been wanting to carve pumpkins for some time, and this week we finally got around to it. J designed the first pumpkin's face on the BHG website. He did a pretty good job, if I do say so. He picked the second design out of the book of templates that came with our pumpkin carving tool set. It was one of the only 2 in the book that wasn't completely gorey. (Guess I didn't look at that very SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-56936007817880715392008-10-01T20:09:00.003-05:002008-10-01T20:18:03.766-05:00Proud MamaIf you're a relative, head over to facebook and watch my latest video. J can read! If you're not a relative and you've got nothing better to do for the next 3 minutes, you can go too. I'm so proud!SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-48701000175020450092008-10-01T19:43:00.004-05:002008-10-01T20:04:32.060-05:00Clemency RallyRemember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3The annual Battered Women's Clemency Project Rally is Friday on the capitol steps. I'll be attending for the second time. This year we actually have a clemency to celebrate - Three cheers for Governor Granholm finally doing the right thing!Go read about SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-30535429446042317922008-09-25T21:34:00.004-05:002008-09-25T22:07:13.404-05:00This week at CVSIt was a good week at CVS. Not my best ever, but certainly nothing to be ashamed of. All of this cost $1.49 out of pocket. Here's how. . .Transaction #1Adidas deodorant 4.99Speed stick 24/7 deodorant 3.99South Beach Living granola bars 2.50Coupons: $2 off $10 purchase, $1 off Adidas, $1 off Speed Stick, $2 off SBL barsSubtotal: $12.16Paid with $5 of Extra Care Bucks (ECB) and $0.60 out of SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-77128299954963605282008-09-20T19:25:00.003-05:002008-09-20T19:41:34.850-05:00In Praise of NapsJ is learning to read and write. He's very much into writing words. He likes to copy words and sentences he sees written elsewhere. He also likes to ask us how to spell things so he can write them. Yesterday, he asked me how to write a song he'd heard.J: "How do you spell that nappy take song."Me: (Silent, confused look)J: "You know, that nappy take song from church."Me: (Even more confused look)SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-13859154843499511182008-09-16T07:06:00.002-05:002008-09-16T07:11:29.475-05:00That's some old hairOverheard this morning while I was combing J's hair:J: Hey, I can see the skin on my head!Me: Do you know what the skin on your head is called?J: What?Me: Your scalp.J: Yeah, and you have fossils on your scalp!Me: You have what?!J: Hair fossils!Me: Oh -- you mean follicles!SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-72575433018052483272008-09-01T18:00:00.004-05:002008-09-01T21:03:31.120-05:00So THAT's where that went!Yesterday after church, the kids were admiring the steeple from the backseat.J, with all his 4 year-old wisdom, explained to his little sister, "H, the place where Jesus died was called Calvary."I thought this was shaping up to be a theological discussion.He continued, "After they took Jesus down from the cross, they built Calvary Bible Church."Well, yes, technically that's true. A couple SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-33680495499996078282008-08-30T22:02:00.008-05:002008-08-30T22:40:56.489-05:00This week at CVSThis was one of my most gratifying weeks for CVS shopping. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Here's a photo of the spoils:4 boxes of Kelloggs Mini Wheats (I eat this for breakfast almost every day. BOGO sale, plus $1 off coupons for each one = $1.10 per box)3 boxes of tampons (Free with coupons)Kotex pads (They paid me $1 after coupons)2L Sierra Mist (Free)4 12 packs of Pepsi (This was the big expense SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-75333613511379500632008-08-28T10:55:00.002-05:002008-08-28T10:57:55.655-05:00PSA #4 Wear Your HelmetSomeone else did the work for this PSA. It's one of my favorite commercials. It was made in 2002 by the Brain Injury Association. I've watched it dozens of times, but the ending still catches me by surprise each time. Enjoy!SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-81003725740234528562008-08-25T17:12:00.002-05:002008-08-25T21:15:47.827-05:00Disney's PhotoPass - The ConclusionRead Part 1 here or Part 2 here.The next day we traveled home. Papa picked us up at the airport when we arrived. J was so excited to tell him about all the wonderful things we'd done. I was listening as I helped load the luggage in the car. "We rode Dumbo and Peter Pan and there were Pirates and flying carpets and we got a balloon. . ."And then I overheard him say, "And we got a little card with SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-1765714106784476932008-08-22T23:30:00.001-05:002008-08-23T20:48:04.775-05:00Disney's PhotoPass - Part 2See Part 1 here.The last morning of our trip we went to the Animal Kingdom. The batteries in both Grandma's and our cameras happened to die at the same time that day. On our way out of the park for our mid-day break, we stopped by to meet the Winnie the Pooh characters. Wouldn't you know, H picked that time to really turn on the charm with them. I'm not sure if she had just gotten used to the SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-38222421096316240472008-08-22T23:10:00.003-05:002008-08-22T23:16:08.797-05:00Kid QuotesH, while riffling through my purse this morning, pulled out a piece of paper, held it up and exclaimed excitedly, "I got a coupon! I got a coupon!"That's my girl!This evening, J and I read the story of Noah's ark. We talked about how all the people who weren't on the ark died in the flood. J explained how he escaped:"I didn't get flooded because I was still inside your tummy."I do have a birthdaySJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-72991970298348670982008-08-21T19:14:00.005-05:002008-08-21T20:34:36.285-05:00Disney's PhotoPass - Part 1The folks at Walt Disney World are always looking for ways to keep more of your money when you visit. Apparently the two weeks' salary it costs just to get your family through the gate isn't enough. One such way they've come up with is the Disney PhotoPass. It's a service where they have photographers stationed all throughout the parks. They'll take your family's pictures in front of Cinderella'sSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-79528246170166142382008-08-21T18:56:00.003-05:002008-08-21T19:02:32.782-05:00Breakfast with the stars We didn't do any of the "Character Breakfasts" when we were at Disney World earlier this month, but we had our own private version at home this morning: Breakfast with Dora. Here's H sharing her scrambled eggs with her.J won Dora for H at the fair earlier this week. He did some super baseball throwing! Dora's been H's little sidekick ever since.SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-63015532796401298692008-08-18T19:25:00.008-05:002008-08-18T21:14:39.676-05:00My Frugal JourneyI had a good laugh when I read this post today. I'm sure my husband could have written it. The coupon box, the stockpile, CVSing, the adrenaline rush as you plan and execute your shopping excursion--it's all stuff I can relate to.I started getting in to the whole "frugal" thing more than a year ago. It was a gradual process that started after H was born. With two children, I desperately wanted SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-31661885260477503152008-08-16T10:40:00.005-05:002008-08-16T11:05:43.914-05:00It Snowed in AugustYesterday was a work day at the Jones house. I had the day off and stayed home with the kids. I was determined to get caught up on as much around the house as I could. In the morning, I grabbed all the dirty clothes hampers from the bedrooms and sorted as quickly as I could.That would later prove to be a mistake.I carried on with my other projects - tidying the garage, weeding, cleaning the SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-88939373057443660522008-08-03T20:32:00.002-05:002008-08-16T11:07:40.384-05:00What were they thinking?!I happened to read the care instruction label on J's bathing suit when I was doing laundry today. It includes the statement, "Warm iron if necessary."Excuse me?Do the people at Gymboree actually think there has ever been a mother so caught up on her housework that she would entertain the idea of ironing her preschooler's bathing suit?!That'll be the day!SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-56855325188754776502008-08-02T19:14:00.003-05:002008-08-02T19:23:56.405-05:00Comedy on the RoadWe just got back from a fabulous family vacation to Orlando. It was our first vacation since H was born (not counting visits to family). We all had a great time. I'll probably write more about it sometime, but I had to get up a couple of classic H quotes while I'm thinking of them.We rented a house for our stay. It was nice, but the houses in this neighborhood were very close together. The next SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-87690202953925195592008-07-24T08:40:00.000-05:002008-07-24T21:12:51.437-05:00PSA #3 - Clean Your NavelYou shower regularly. You don't smell. You're pretty clean. But have you looked in your belly button lately? You may be one of the millions of Americans who are walking around with years' worth of fuzz and debris in that little dimple. It doesn't get clean by accident. You have to probe the depths deliberately to get out the crud. It's just too good a hiding place otherwise.I never gave it much SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-5572858561202438902008-07-22T13:33:00.003-05:002008-07-22T13:45:39.077-05:00Overheard recentlyI'm able to pull up radiology studies on my computer at home. A while ago, I was reviewing someone's films. J came up and asked what I was looking at. I explained that it was a CAT scan and pointed out a few of the structures he was familiar with. A few months later, I was looking at another study at home. J walked up and said, "Mommy, are those the cat's kidneys?" I think of that every time I SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-431295893503599802008-06-29T21:21:00.002-05:002008-06-29T21:39:28.776-05:00Weekend VisitorWe had another pet for a few hours yesterday. Papa found it in his yard and brought him over for a visit. "I wonder what's in the box." Working up the nerve to touch it. "Anybody in there?"Tickling his belly The dog does not approve."Nice turtle" SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-73805161663550461232008-06-29T19:09:00.004-05:002008-06-29T21:31:46.127-05:00Friday FreakoutI took the kids out for a drive Friday afternoon. H was having one of those days, and I hoped the change of scenery would do her mood good. We brought the dog along (we're babysitting) and set off. Our first stop was the gas station. We're weren't going to get far otherwise.When I finished pumping and went to hop back in the car, I made a horrible discovery. The dog had jumped up on the driver's SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-13991937853584403852008-06-20T22:06:00.003-05:002008-06-20T23:07:19.351-05:00100 Things You Can MakeCrystal, the author of my favorite frugal mommy blog, linked to Deborah's list of 100 things you can make yourself, complete with instructions. I found it fascinating to see what you can make at home if you've got the time and inclination.Here are the things I've made from the list:1. Applesauce - I learned while I was in Armenia from Mrs. Dreisbach. It's really quite easy and very good.2. SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-3762009456244166022008-06-20T19:13:00.002-05:002008-06-20T19:34:18.275-05:00And would you like some potatoes with that?J's not the only little guy who makes me laugh with the funny things he says. Last Sunday one of the boys in my Sunday School class was trying to act macho. He puffed up his little 4 year-old chest, clenched his fists, and strutted around saying - in his best New York accent, "Do you wanna piece a' meat?! Do you wanna piece a' meat?!"It's funny how kids (and adults too, I suppose) hear something SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-41308996490415670332008-06-16T20:31:00.001-05:002008-06-16T20:33:25.684-05:00See you there!SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-24049227570812877322008-06-03T19:26:00.002-05:002008-06-03T19:39:50.725-05:00Cheap DateTuesday night is date night for J and me. He goes to kids' choir practice on Tuesdays. We go out afterward for a special treat. The first time we went I told him we could go wherever he wanted to go.Anywhere at all.Where'd we go? Wendy's.He's a pretty cheap date. Which worked out especially well tonight. We were running a little late. Not so much because we left late, just because traffic is verySJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-32039231627300541042008-05-30T19:24:00.002-05:002008-05-30T19:39:30.524-05:00Christian EducationI've mentioned before that I teach the 4 & 5 year-old Sunday School class at our church. J's a part of the class. I like to ask him about the lesson afterward to see how good a job I did communicating. Earlier this month, we were sitting around the table with my parents after church. Our story had been about Passover that week. I tried to keep it simple and non-graphic, given the audience. I SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-71497584022447270772008-05-30T19:14:00.003-05:002008-05-30T19:24:22.989-05:00English 101I'm convinced the English language would be much simpler to learn if they'd just consulted a few more children when coming up with the rules.Here are a few contributions from our kids:H: "I've got my hammer. I'm hamming!" Well, you wash with a washer. You mix with a mixer. Why wouldn't you ham with a hammer?J: "Daddy, would you plug in my night light? I'll plug it out later."SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-49567488179196543592008-05-25T21:30:00.002-05:002008-05-26T09:14:45.486-05:00Whatever it takes to get through the storeWarning: If you do not happen to be my son's parent or grandparent, and are therefore not naturally inclined to find everything he does cute, save your time and go do somthing else.I, however, found these hilarious. J joined me on my weekly trip to Meijer yesterday. I shelled out a dollar to rent a video cart to help keep him amused. The space for groceries in those carts isn't quite as large as SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-19145541012443949772008-05-25T20:14:00.000-05:002008-05-25T20:53:29.331-05:00Moses' PrayerMoses was tending his father in law's sheep. From what we can tell, he seems to have been comfortable with that. It wasn't glamorous. No doubt it wasn't what he'd dreamed of while he was growing up in Pharaoh's palace, but he'd had to flee Egypt in fear years earlier. He'd seen his people being horribly abused there. He killed a man in anger, and then he ran to hide from the consequences of his SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-44801567232808802602008-05-12T19:15:00.004-05:002008-05-12T20:14:14.906-05:00Confessions of a Speedy MomI'm not Catholic, but I did do a little confession at church yesterday.At the end of the service we were having the typical honor-the-mothers thing that churches like to do on mother's day. They didn't give flowers to the woman with the most grandchildren, the newest baby, or the most children. This year they got a little more creative. There were categories honoring a mother who had been a SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-15528629131963256132008-05-09T21:21:00.003-05:002008-05-09T21:29:35.736-05:00Free PhotosWant a whole bunch of free photos? Head on over to the CVS photo center. If you open a new account, you'll get 20 free 4x6 prints. Enter your CVS card number and they'll throw in another 30 4x6's for free. Don't have a CVS card? Well, you should, so go here and get yourself one of those first. While you're ordering, pick out a 5x7 and 8x10 print as well. Enter "Enlarge" in the promotion code slotSJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-86730400671549338942008-05-08T20:09:00.005-05:002008-05-07T21:53:19.793-05:00PSA #2 - Hold On TightThis is an especially important message, near and dear to my heart. Heeding it's advice will save you (and whatever doctor is on call the night you didn't do it) a lot of grief.If you for some reason, any reason, feel the need to stick a foreign body into any one of your orifices, for Pete's sake DON'T LET GO! Maintain firm control of at least one end of the object at all times.I mean it.I SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-90064896717503612722008-05-05T21:29:00.005-05:002008-05-05T21:57:06.988-05:00No,in fact, I didn't know thatJ (pointing at the two pink circles on his chest): Mommy, do you know what these are called?Me (while pretty sure that they're called nipples, yet curious to hear what he would say): What?J: Pepperonis!He didn't disappoint.SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-49538552505768101542008-05-05T21:20:00.001-05:002008-05-26T09:15:10.409-05:00That Was Fun! I just got back from CVS-ing. I got 2 bags of cat food, foundation, nail files, face powder, and 10 4x6 prints. I spent $1.64 out of pocket and got $10 in Extra Care Bucks back. I think that's enough to make even Crystal proud.SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-81251967669922485312008-05-03T22:03:00.004-05:002008-05-03T22:17:22.130-05:00There's no free lunchBut sometimes there's free bowling. We were blessed to get some today.J woke up this morning with a hankering to bowl. So, after I finished at work we met at the bowling alley near the hospital. The bad news was, we just happened to walk in as they were getting ready to lock up. They're hosting the after-prom party tonight and were closing early to get ready.The good news was, the very kind lady SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-49543008603624424832008-05-01T19:38:00.005-05:002008-05-01T20:08:19.897-05:00PSA - Quit blaming your Mother's doctorI've decided to do a series of public service announcements. I feel it's a contribution I can make as a good citizen to share some of the knowledge I've gleaned from my years in the medical profession. Don't worry, it won't be anything too boring or technical. There are some common misconceptions that need to be corrected and some common mistakes that need to be prevented.So here's my lesson for SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-3741503036558095952008-04-29T17:50:00.002-05:002008-04-29T17:54:27.308-05:00Free Cone Day! Waiting in the very long line. It looked intimidating when we arrived, but didn't take long at all. It's amazing how much more quickly they can move a crowd through a store if they don't waste time ringing people up! Cherry Garcia and Yellow Cake Batter - Well worth the wait. Sucking out all the yummy goodness Good to the very last biteThanks, Ben and Jerry! And thanks, Eddie, for the heads up SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-19502685738107361312008-04-22T19:27:00.002-05:002008-04-22T19:31:11.157-05:00Favorite J quotes for today1. Mommy, your glasses don't work. When I put them on, all I see is blurry stuff!2. Mommy, after my magic school bus story and after we pray (parts of our usual bedtime routine), would you snuggle me in the chair and sing to me?Aww. Anytime, buddy. Anytime.SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-23921662608016214302008-04-21T20:36:00.003-05:002008-04-21T21:06:27.813-05:00Keeps Me Singing H is our little music lover. This is one of her favorite pastimes - sitting on the bed looking through the hymnbook. She calls it her Bible. She not only likes looking at it, but she has a few favorite hymns she likes to sing and hear. When I'm putting her to bed I usually rock her and sing to her for a while. For a long time, she's been in the habit of calling out favorites and then singing SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-12972129197934321832008-04-20T21:09:00.004-05:002008-04-20T21:14:54.919-05:00Do what I mean, not what I sayThis morning while loading up the car in front of the hotel:Me: Don't get in your seat yet, you need to go potty one more time before we leave.J: OkMe, hearing a funny sound behind me and turning to see my son with his pants around his ankles, watering the flowers right in front of the windows where the other guests were eating breakfast: Uh, that's not quite what I meant.SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-83140380677815931002008-04-20T19:51:00.002-05:002008-04-20T20:00:34.977-05:00Home againWe're back from our trip south - at least most of us are. B went immediately over to IL for a conference. My dad met us in Toledo with the car to save him some driving time.Our trip was wonderful. There are few places as beautiful as the Carolinas in the springtime! The new masthead is a picture of my brother's backyard. Not a bad view, eh?Not counting quick trips, I spent about 29 hours in the SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-58315067950758131412008-04-12T19:30:00.003-05:002008-04-12T19:53:04.835-05:00Spring?I've been thinking that I really should change my picture sometime soon, now that spring has been here for more than 3 weeks and all. However, they're calling for snow tonight, so I'm not all that out of date after all.We are heading to the Carolinas tomorrow, so it can snow it's heart out here for all we care! (Sorry, to the locals we're leaving behind!)I'll work on an update when I get back .SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-10724849701996048212008-04-11T19:22:00.004-05:002008-04-11T21:05:49.479-05:00It all depends how you look at itThis was a pretty rough day. I was grumbling to myself about it this morning when I felt convicted about my attitude. There's always a reason to rejoice in the Lord, regardless of the circumstances.I ran home from work last night about 6:30. I had about an hour to eat dinner and help get the kids off to bed before running back out to go to a funeral visitation. I went right back to the hospital SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-11391234298669485492008-04-11T19:08:00.003-05:002008-04-11T19:22:03.472-05:00BrainwashedAs we were driving today, J asked (quite out of the blue), "Mommy, do you know why your computer is so slow?""No, why?""Because it wasn't made by Apple. Daddy told me so."The kid has not only joined the Cult of Mac, but he's out preaching the good news to others.SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-68744476305525157712008-04-04T20:40:00.000-05:002008-04-04T19:37:40.110-05:00J's eye viewI never know what I'm going to find when I download the pictures from my memory card. They often include some of my son's photography work. He likes to take the camera and capture our home from his perspective. Sometimes it's video. Usually it's stills.So here, I give you a tour of our home from J's point of view: The front entrance Daddy's trumpet and one of daddy's favorite pastimes Doggy SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-71627379400070366072008-03-23T21:20:00.000-05:002008-03-23T21:21:04.801-05:00I'm Dreaming of a White Easter SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107955411341278177.post-87673579331888332772008-03-22T21:23:00.001-05:002008-03-22T21:25:29.844-05:00Baby's First Trip to the Day Spa She does love girly stuff!SJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971930100283290184noreply@blogger.com1