Halloween '08

It seems every time I sit down to write this blog I want to let out a big sigh. Hence, the title of my last post.

Tonight was Halloween and we went everywhere. There's a retreat center down the street that does a mild haunted house. Creepy yet the little ones could stand it...they also have a route around all there cabins that are rented out by local businesses and they hand out candy. They also have a game room where they can win candy. We walked around (without Vance) for almost an hour.

Then, we went up to Vance's sister's neighborhood and dropped of Tristan at their house. I thought he would sleep, but it turns out she ended up having to hold him for 45 minutes while we were out trick or treating. Sorry, Valerie :).

Each of these places was very tiring because the twins walked so extremely slow. Both of their costumes hindered their movement. But, they were so cute. Just about everyone stopped to say so and some took pictures.

Our next door neighbors and dear friends invited us over for dinner. We arrived over an hour late. The dinner was excellent and the kids had a blast playing with their kids.

Finally, we got home and everyone was in bed at 10pm. I hope this means I get to sleep in tomorrow morning, but I doubt it. That's ok - I'm still young :).

Enjoy the pictures.

They all gathered round to see me carve a pumpkin in less than 15 minutes. A new record. We copied uncle Stephen's pumpkin. He sent us pictures from Germany.

Glen was a cowboy, Ryan -Zorro, Will - a fire fighter, Rachie and Morgan were both princesses and Kael was a puppy dog. All of these costumes were hand-me-downs. I didn't spend a penny this Halloween. Woo hoo!

This is Vance trying to keep Morgan out of a strange person's house.

**sigh**

So...I've had a few people ask me, "What's going on? Are you alright?" It's been two weeks since I've posted anything. It's been busy, busy, busy. I almost can't tell you why. I look back on the last two weeks and try to remember what I've done and I can barely think.

To start, Vance, Glen and Ryan were away on a hunting trip. That was hard. Thank you, Mom for helping. I think I would have gone crazy without you. I don't think I'll approve my three biggest helps leaving all at once again anytime in the near future. I think that was a run-on sentence :).

They got back on Tuesday evening. Wednesday we had a couple of dramas one having to do with missing men from the hunting trip and the other having to do with an email Vance sent out to put someone in their place. No one died in either event. That night I had choir practice, which I prepared all day for and very few showed up.

Thursday I prepared all day - cleaning and cooking because we were expecting friends who we've been working through some life issues. They didn't make it.

Friday I prepared all day for a dance class that I was substituting for that evening. Saturday and Sunday I was on worship. I got to church at 2:30 on Saturday and basically got home at 2:30 on Sunday. Then I got everyone ready for AWANA at 3pm. Pick up everyone at 5pm then had a little birthday party for Rachie with Mom and Pops. Trying to fit nursing an infant on this day was tricky.

I thought Monday would start a much easier week. Since I didn't have anything "planned" I thought I would start a few projects at home. The boys had off the previous week because of the hunting trip and all the neighbor kids on fall break. So, I wanted to make sure they got a lot of school work done this week. We did pretty well. I also had about 10 loads of laundry waiting.

Vance worked late every night. I had a meeting at Chick-fil-A on Tuesday morning which gave me an ulcer. Trying to talk to someone while watching 9 kids between us didn't go too well. I called in sick on Wednesday :). Thursday I prepared the house and the meal again. This time almost all of them made it. Friday was my first time out to eat with couples - date night - in 8 weeks. This was actually fun.

8am Saturday morning I taught a cycling class. My first since having Tristan. I was dying through the whole class. I ran a bunch of errands immediately after the class. Sam's was the first stop, then Goodwill to drop off stuff, the bank, the post office, Albertson's for stuff you can't get at Sam's then home. I took a two hour nap. When I woke up everyone, but the twins and Tristan were gone. I took some Tylenol and went to work on finishing my projects.

Today is Sunday again and I finished several of my house projects. We had another meeting cancellation so that will free up time to watch the World Series. Today was dress up like a Noah's Ark character at AWANA so that took some preparation. Along with helping Glen make up a board game and practicing verses with Will, Rachie and Ryan. Vance gave me four estimates and four invoices to type up...

...and that brings you up-to-date.

Now, I'm sitting here typing this blog. The twins are napping and Tristan is telling me he's hungry.

Here are some pictures. Enjoy.

Princess Sisters

I'm Back!

I'm so glad to be back! So grateful to my new dear friends Darryl and Sherri. If it weren't for their generosity and their time and Darryl's expertise I would have had an heart attack and in the market for a new computer. I would have lost almost 5years worth of precious pictures.

You know how people say in the back of their minds "That will never happen to me"? Usually, this refers to car accidents or crime, but I think I had this mentality with my computer. So many people talk about getting viruses and their hard drives being destroyed. I thought I was so smart and so careful. Let this be a warning to all. Get good virus protection - I've been told the mainstream ones like McAfee and Norton, etc. are NOT good enough. Then, back up your computer. Put your pictures on disc and back up your hard drive to something external then store it off site. You can bet this is what I'm doing now.

On another note...I've started a new blog. It's called http://www.bepatientwitheachother.blogspot.com/.

Quite a mouthful, no? I've noticed A LOT lately that people are just rude to each other. I could never be rude, even if I tried. Especially to a stranger. I suppose I'm rude to my husband sometimes *smirk*. So, every time I notice someone being rude I thought I would blog about it and offer up a more courteous solution. Maybe it could become a mantra people could have in the back of their head "be patient with each other". I've been saying it to myself every time someone cuts me off while driving. What do you think?

A kink in the works

Well, it's been several days and I haven't been able to blog because I wiped out my computer. My Internet was running weird and I ran a program that was supposed to fix it, but when I pushed the "cancel" button the whole computer went down. I have a friend who said it was probably a virus. He said he's 99% sure he can fix it. I am eternally grateful that he's even willing to look at it.

So, I've been working off my laptop and off the computer at Mom and Pop's house (which is the one I'm on now). You may not hear from me for awhile. For some reason, blogger will not let me post from my laptop.

It's funny, I love the computer and the Internet, but I know just enough to be extremely dangerous and costly. I should be banned until I take some classes.

Unusual Terry Terminology

I think every family has their own words for things. Such as, binky, potty, etc. But, the Terry family has a few unusual ones. We've made our children into human remote controls so we've taught them how to push the play button of the DVD player. Somehow button got shortened to "butt". So, now when we ask anyone to push play we say "Will, go push the butt."

When the twins want a fork or a spoon to eat with they say over and over "wee-o, wee-o, wee-o." I have no idea where that one came from.

I had a few others, but I've forgotten them. Oh well, I'll just create a label for "unusual terry terminology" and post back whenever they come up :).

Have a GREAT day. test

Piles of Balls

http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-pilesofballs/index.html

I was searching the internet for math games that would help the boys have fun with what we're learning in math and I found this site CoolMath.com. They absolutely love it. It has multiplication, division, geometry, etc.

Unfortunately, I've gotten addicted to a game called Piles of Balls. I think it's good for my slight OCD. You get to put all these different colored balls in the right place. Vance thinks I'm absolutely crazy. But, what else am I going to do when I'm just sitting down and nursing. Check it out, but don't stay longer than 15 minutes. I warn you.

BTW - I've made it to level 10 :)

Firsts

Can I just say, "I'm tired." I've been feeling better than I can remember in a long time, but today I'm very tired.

This weekend has been filled with "firsts". Friday was my first work out since Tristan. Last night we took the entire family out dinner for the first time. The look on the hostess' face when I said "Two adults and seven children" was priceless. Chili's isn't really large family friendly. And, today was our first time back to church since Tristan was born. It takes 15 minutes to get everyone in their perspective classes.

After all of that we had AWANA and Sam's and I'm beat. Now, we're starting another week and Vance will be preparing for another hunting trip. Lord, I'm asking for an extra measure of strength.

There's lots to do this week. My brother Jonathon has a birthday and I'd like to get him something and actually mail it this year. I've got a bridal shower on Thursday and a couple of church meetings on Wednesday.

I had to remind myself again today why I home school. I start thinking about how they might have more fun at public school and how they offer all those reading programs and you don't have to figure anything out on your own. I think about how they'll miss prom or other events like that as they grow older. Then, I immediately remembered the Father Daughter Purity Ball and how the boys could take their sisters and how much better a life lived first for God and His Kingdom is so much better. We'll do things differently than the world does them and so what if people judge us.

I've just got to remind myself every day that I do not need to compare myself or my family with anyone in this world. I know God has called me to be a good wife and help mate to my husband and mother, nurturer and teacher to my children. The grass is not greener. Why is it that I have to remind myself of this constantly?

BTW - to my friend, Alexis: I love reading your blogs and I've copied your idea of blog-a-day for Blogtober. I've seen Nicky do this, too. We'll see if I make it :).

Pumpkins

We went to Sam's the other day and got these HUGE pumpkins. I love fall. It's becoming my favorite time of year. Summer used to be, but without the beach nearby it's not the same.


The trees are changing colors around here and it's absolutely beautiful. We're fortunate to have mild weather, too. Usually, Halloween brings snow. Either right before or right after. We're reading Spookley the Square Pumpkin and watching It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.


I remember one year we went to Illinois to visit friends and we went to a farm with a pumpkin patch. They had this wonderful barn filled with seasonal decorations (mostly Christmas) and they had cider bubbling. You could smell cinnamon and eucalyptus. There were Christmas trees and pumpkins and everything else you could imagine to decorate your home. It was filled to the rafters. Every fall I think of that place and how rustic and beautiful it was.


Slowly, but surely, I'd like to make my home look like that for all the holidays starting with Halloween.


Here are some pictures of the twins right after a bath with those HUGE pumpkins.

Biden vs. Palin

I watched most of the debate last night and am very relieved that Sarah Palin, for the most part, handle herself well. I was annoyed, a bit, that she kept using her "Gosh darns", "you betchas" and the "Say it ain't so Joe." I didn't like that she kept referring to the "diversity" of her family with a smile. Other than those little things she answered all the questions well. She didn't have any "ums" or "uhs" that I recall and Biden did. Although, Biden seemed more experienced that Palin - which he is - and that always comes across more professional.

Please take a look to the right at my blog links and read the Jeub family blog. There is some great stuff there about what is happening in our gov't today.

An ode to Tristan

The things I love about Tristan are broad and a little weird. Some of the obvious things are the cooing sounds he makes - his little feet (I love to kiss them) and little hands. I love to nurse him because he loves to nurse. He knows when I'm around and turns his head toward my voice. It's funny - I think he likes it when I shout.

I love the smell of his poop - I can just imagine your faces as you read that one. It's sweet and almost smells like popcorn. I love to change his diapers.

I love the way his arms pop up and straighten when he feels a little insecure. Like, when I put him in the water at bath time or lay him on the floor.

I love to kiss his little mouth - his breath smells sweet, too. Like a better version of the poop.

He's started to really focus on my face now. I can tell he's trying to smile, too. I want to record every smell, every expression and the feel of his soft feet and his little cheeks.

He's such a good boy. I hope I can remember everything.

$700,000,000,000?

This is a very important time in our nation's history. Our voice should be heard and each person should take personal responsibilty toward this future.

Read Dave Ramsey's three steps in regard to the $700,000,000,000.00 bail out (just look at all those zeros). Below...

We are at a crucial time in our country's financial history. Congress defeated the $700 billion bailout plan on Monday. However, they are revising it and trying to push it through again. Dave is supporting an alternative plan that will keep our nation from going even deeper in debt. We need everyone's help! Here are 3 steps you can take to change our nation's future:

1. Pray for them to resist a spirit of FEAR and to embrace WISDOM. Even if you don't like them or agree with them, pray for them and tell them you are praying for them. There is a spirit over this problem that must be broken. Also, most of the media personalities are afraid as well and that is affecting their reporting. Pray for fear to be removed from them; they are making this worse.
digg_url = 'http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/fed_bailout/index.html';

2. Send The Common Sense Fix to your Representatives and Senators and tell them how you expect them to vote, and that if they put this nation in $700 billion of debt, that you will vote them out. It's their job to listen to us! (Whichever presidential candidate or political party that champions this plan from their leadership down will likely become the next president. That is because this plan fixes the crisis while going along with the wishes of the vast majority of Americans.)

First, read this page (PDF)
Next, copy the info on this page (text file)
Then send it to your Senators and representatives by copying and pasting the text in the web form you're sent to.*Note: If their websites are down, that means we're making a difference! Keep refreshing the page until you get through. You can also go through Congress.org, though we don't endorse this site.

Send a link to this page to everyone in your address book and tell them to urgently follow these 3 steps TODAY. The more people we have supporting this and contacting their elected leaders, the more likely we can turn our economy around!

More Info:
Share your thoughts and read other's comments
Get a list of Dave's media appearances this week
Find out how your state reps voted for the $700 billion plan
Hear Dave rant about it

This is an Advertisement

I know there are a few people in California and Texas and maybe a few other places that read this blog so I thought I'd put this out there.

We own two weeks in Vail/Beaver Creek area and we always use one of them ourselves. Sometimes we trade the other in for points, but this year we thought we'd try to rent it out. We absolute love this area and I think it's the best skiing anywhere.

Sheraton Mountain Vista is a five-star resort at the foot of Beaver Creek Ski Resort. We've reserved the week of February 8-15. I've included pictures. Email me if you're interested.

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