Alex lost a tooth

Today was so exciting! Alex has been showing me several times a day how cool it is that her tooth could lay out completely flat. She would giggle wildly when she would gross me out and go on to show me again. At dinner, as she, Lauren and I were preparing to eat our oh so bad for us, Taco Mayo quesadilla's, Alex pulled out her bag with the toy inside to rip it open. You know how important it is to get the toy out immediately. The food just doesn't taste as good looking at the toy thru the bag. Anyway, she decides to use her teeth to hold the bag as she pulled hoping to create a hole to pull the toy thru. Instead, as she put it, "the tooth just popped out right onto the table!" Let me tell you how yummy my quesadilla was looking about then. :-(
The very best part of it was the look on her face. It was a combination of shock, fear and excitement rolled into one. I couldn't tell if she was going to cry or laugh! Took me back to the time I tied a string to my tooth and then to the door knob and chased the door as it closed. Yeah- that method never worked for me. Alex was so excited she called her daddy and then her brothers. She couldn't wait to get home and put the tooth in the bag that came with her special tooth fairy book from her Gramma and Papa. I am off to read that book to her now!

challenged

At church on Sunday our pastor asked us to challenge ourselves to give more to God in terms of prayer and time and fasting. He asked us to fast from "something" and come face to face with our true feelings and realities. I have been trying to come up with something to give up during this series. I did promise myself and God that I would read from the bible daily(Still haven't read the whole book-far from it) and pray for family and friends and my own improvement as a mother and wife. So far I think one of my biggest things to get better at is parenting. I stink at being consistant. I constantly say one thing and forget what I said and fall face first. Then I wonder why my kids behave the way they do. For example, Alex thinks every time we go to the store...ANY store, that I should buy her something and if I agree, she then keeps asking for more during the same shopping trip! It's exhausting and it sure is waking me up. I know we have created this monster behavior. We ourselves are impulse buyers and come home with things we want but don't need.When I had very little money it was easy to say no. Now- because I can buy things, I do. I am praying God will help me to go back to the sensible behavior of saying "no" simply because it isn't a need. Of course, from time to time you say "yes" and that's what makes those moments more special. I remember as a kid asking for stuff and my mom would say, I don't have any extra money. We would say, "yes you do!" and point to the coins in her purse. We had no idea what things cost. We just wanted "something". Then we would have a trip to the store one day and mom would get us some candy and we'd think we were the luckiest kids on earth. We appreciated it so much more. So- my job as a mom is to teach my kids to have what you need and only occassionally get something you want as a treat so that you truly appreciate it. I have decided to give up 'yelling" at the kids as my main thing. I am so bad about letting them get me riled up and yelling to be heard. I know I can effectively scare my children to death by reacting calmly and just executing the punishment. Sounds fun....ha ha. Pray for me!

Happy Birthday Blake

Today is my 2nd born son's 13th birthday. Happy Birthday to u! It's another reminder of how fast time goes by. Blake is and always has been adventurous and funny. He's been exploring his surroundings since he was able to walk and to this day he still wanders off in search of cool stuff to do. I remember the day when Brandon and his friend Shawn said they wish Blake were there because he comes up with all the best games to play. It's fun to watch his brain work. He and I like to "make things" together and I truly love when he builds something. One day he used parts of one of his building kits and with string and key rings, he made a pully to turn on or off his lights from his bed so he wouldn't have to get up. It was really cool and I was impressed. I wasn't even upset that he had screwed stuff into the wall without asking. It lasted a while until the strings broke so I might just get some heavier string and reconnect it for him. Thanks Blake for putting all the "needs assembly" stuff together for us. You know how much Pappy LOVES screwing stuff together...NOT! I love being a mom and being Blakes mom is a blast! Love you Blake! Have a great birthday.