Wish me luck!

Ok, not really, but I kinda stressing out some with this Halloween Party on Wednesday night. I am pretty confident that it will be great, and lots of fun, but I am worried that there will not be enough food. I went to Sams today and bought some extra chili. I have people bringing chili, but just in case there wasn't enough. Lauren carved her pumpkin tonight. I should have gotten one for Kayley & Jacob, but honestly I didn't even think about it until I got home with the one for Lauren. She asked; no one else did. I told Kayley that she could decorate the cupcakes for the cupcake walk. She is excited for that.

Let me go make some cornbread so it can be done. I've already done 2 pans of brownies. I need to get dishes done too before heading to bed.

I hope Joey stays asleep the whole night...LOL! He is such a stinker! I bought him some cute fleece jammies tonight so maybe if he is warm all over he will stay asleep. I got 6/9 months even though he is more into 12 months because the 12 months looked huge! If by Christmas they are to small, I'll give them to Jared. They are soooooooo cute! I love Sams with all their cute Carters stuff. These have puppy paw prints all over, and just so dang adorable.

Feeding the Elders

Doing that tomorrow night. Our mission has a rule where only 1 set per house per night. We have 2 sets, and I feel bad that we don't always get to feed them as I like because we live so far out. Well, they had extra miles so both sets are coming...one set is going to "eat" with the in-laws, and one set with us, but we all going to eat at my house. LOL!! I am making pulled BBQ beef, potato salad, and a bun-Ta (My Big Fat Greek Wedding...say it like that) German Chocolate Cake (so good!) so far. I think I will do a fruit salad or something else along the lines of that. Not sure yet.

New jeans

I'm not going to take a picture of them, but I got a pair of new jeans last night. So much better then those maternity ones. When I posted about them, they were still "tight" some for not having been worn for a while. Well, after a few hours, they weren't staying up good. Little big! Which is good, but not so good since I couldn't get my pre-pregnancy ones on. :-( But this is a recent picture taken of me from the other day. Yes, I have a double chin. Yikes-o-la!

10 inches GONE!

Yep...after threatening to do it for months, I did it! I took Lindsey in on Friday and got 10 inches cut off! We were going to do 12 inches because I think that is what Locks of Love needs, but I was to scared to do that much! I didn't want it that super short. When the stylist chopped off the first pony, I about cried! I mean, she has only had 2 small trims in 3 3/4 years! That is almost 4 yrs of long hair! She loves it though, and we are thrilled with it. I still have the 2 ponies, and I am going to send them to Locks of Love if they'll take them. If not, I'll put them in her baby book. They are so cute. Little ringlets. Waaaaaaaaaaaaa! Now I can't believe I did it!!

Ashdown has moved up in the world!

I called my mom today to tell her that I was very emotional at the moment...

I just walked into our new Super Wal-Mart here in Ashdown. I was almost crying it was so exciting!! LOL!!

It's a small Super Wal-Mart, but it's nice. I am pleased with it. Many people hate Wal-Mart, but seriously...how can one live without? I am sure there are ways, but I'm not changing! I love it. Only thing I do not like is the produce section of any Wal-Mart. I will continue going to another grocery store, Brookshires, to get my green leaf lettuce there, and other stuff that isn't pre-packaged like at Wal-Mart.

I rather have fresher then Brookshires, and this summer when we had out garden, it was awesome! I love fresh veggies. Unfortunately, because we had such a wet wet summer, we didn't get a lot. Some of our tomato plants died too. There isn't a Farmers Market close by that I know of, but there may be one in Texarkana. I just need to check it out.

I am going back this afternoon when Jacob gets home from school. His birthday was on the 14th (He is 9!), and we went to the old Wal-Mart to get a bike for him, but they had already had sold out of them. I told him the day the new Wal-Mart opens I would take him to get his new bike. This morning he was excited about his bike.

How embarrassing!!!

This is Red Ribbon Week at the kids' school. You know, anti-drug week? Anyway, so each day this week they have a certain way of dressing. Monday was Red Day...wear something red. Tuesday was Camo Day...so the kids wore some of the hundreds of camo stuff we have around here. So when today Kayley said it was crazy hair day, I figured it was for all the schools like everything else was. Kristen announced she wanted like 6-7 ponytails in her hair, as well did Kayley. So, I put them in their hair. Had Kristen's all cute as it could be with 7 pony's, 2 with clippies that had "Kristen" on them, and a band that wrap around her whole head. Pictures will be posted soon.

I didn't have much today for lunch for Kristen to take, so I told her I would bring her lunch to her. I get there, and noticed that NO ONE had crazy hair. But I saw different colored socks, and crazy-looking socks. I asked her teacher, and she said it was crazy sock day. I was like OH NO!! I AM SO EMBARRASSED!! I tried to get Kristen to let me take her hair out so I could redo it, but she said no. Tomorrow is crazy hat day, so I will make sure she has a crazy hat.

Maternity Jeans

I put them on today. No, I'm not pregnant (seriously, I'm not) but because I am fat. It was chilly here today, so I needed some pants to wear. All I have are capris. I tried on my pre-pregnancy jeans...LOL!! Yeah, so I tried on the maternity ones again. :-( I bought them last November when it turned cold here and I was needing a pair to last me for the last 6 weeks. I am determined more then ever before to get out there and walk & diet some. They really don't look bad. I had to buy a large (12/14), and I have had to stretch the adjustable belt to really tight to keep them on, so that is good. But the fact that they are maternity jeans. Kinda sucks. I am wearing a regular shirt, but I am still fat. Did I tell you that?

My role models are Hilary & Kenna at this moment, especially Hilary. Are you at 100 pounds lost yet? That is sooooooo exciting for you!! I have 75 more to go...

Guess those 2 chocolate covered donuts w/coconut I ate this morning, and the 3 chocolate covered ones and 1 glazed one I ate yesterday aren't helping much. But I don't think the calories count because I had 4 diet DP too, and those take off the calories, right? LOL!!!!!

Is there anything else I can do for you?

I am a sucker for saying no. I have a really hard time telling people no when they have asked me to do something, especially at church. I can tell my kids no all the time, but when it's adults and even Josh, I have a hard time saying no. I complain to my mom about it, and even practice with her what I am going to say, but then I always give in and say yes.

I am doing the Ward Halloween Party. The activity chairperson moved in August, and a new one has yet to be called. I said yes.

I am the Ward Music Chairperson. My choir director also moved in August, and another one has yet to be called. So until I can find someone quick (I hope), I said yes to the Sacrament Meeting Choir Program (I did in in 2005 too). Funny thing is, I don't read music and I can't sing. But I said yes, and I will make sure we have a choir & program on December 16th (or 9th).

I am the Relief Society Secretary. Part of my calling for this stake is to make sure that the Elders get fed. I was asked to start doing the calendar (long story of why they weren't doing it before) again. I said yes. Then I got home and freaked out some. When do I have time to be worrying about that? I guess I could. I discussed it with the RS President, and she told me to get a sister at church to do it under my direction...I said yes I would get someone.

I should be more thankful...

Sometimes I sit here in my house, feeling sorry for myself because I live in Arkansas and that it really sucks, and all that. Last night when I was awake for the 3rd or 50th time...I loose count after so many times Joey wakes up (he is a horrible sleeper), I was thinking that I need to be more thankful for things. Maybe it was because I was thinking about the upcoming holiday and that.

Even though my house is not completed, and probably won't be completed for another 1-2+ years, I am thankful that I have a house. It's paid for, it's big, it's (going to be) nice, and it's perfect my family.

Even though Shawn has to leave at 5am on the days he works to get to work by 6:45am, he has a job. And it's a good job. It has great insurance too, and we just found out that we are actually paying a lot less for it then with the insurance we had in Bryan. Shawn is gone a lot, but that's okay. He is home more with this job. He is spending more time with the kids, and really enjoys being here. Just wish that I did (opps...complaining again!).

Even though J. hardly sleeps all night (been a few times this past week that he has), he is so sweet, and it's so worth it. Just being next to him at night time, just makes me so thankful to my Heavenly Father for these sweet children that he has allowed me to raise.

I don't have time to do the rest, but I will later. I am thankful for all my kids. Even if they do have a smart mouth, or is moody, or whatever they may be like, I am so thankful for them. I don't think my life could be complete without them.

In Relief Society this past Sunday was the lesson on Women in the Church. What a powerful lesson!! And then the VT message quoted Spencer W. Kimball about the noble woman part. I mean wow! Go read it if you haven't. It's powerful, and so inspiring to read.

The JOY of a get-a-way

I have a friend who has a husband who actually bought her a ticket to visit her sister, and told her to leave! I mean how cool is that? I have to almost beg, but at the same time I'm not begging, but am...KWIM? The last weekend of September was coming up, and I really wanted to go to my mom's for just the weekend. I was just not liking where I live at the moment, and I really missed being by my mom and family. I do miss my dad too, but he is actually in KY and was there when I went. So I looked at Shawn's schedule, and saw that he had 4 days off. I was taking a big "chance" of "asking" since October 1st was the opening of deer season. Anyway, he told me to go, and have a great time. I actually left a few instructions about Jacob, and told them to call me if they needed me ONLY with Jacob. Joey & left, and it was a good visit. I was sad to have to leave on Monday, but I plan on going back again without a baby. Since Joey has no desire for food right now, I think I am stuck with a nursing baby a bit longer then a year. Oh well...they are only babies once, right? I have to keep reminding myself of that too.

So I leave, and Shawn decides that our computer needed an upgrade. So he did it. And lost my checking. Now, I already don't do bills great (see post below), and now to have my Money File gone...vanish...not a trace of it! So, needless to say, it's been almost 4 weeks and I have yet to start another checking ledger, EVEN THOUGH I have gone to the bank to sign-up for on-line checking, I have yet to start that too. As I sit here typing this, I have made a list of bills that I need to pay by the end of this week. Such a pain. I have to have a day where I know I have nothing to do except stress for 4-5 hrs over checking! Geez!

Shawn was nice though and saved my hundreds of pictures to a CD, and I have yet to see if those saved. If they did not, I have no birth pictures of Lindsey, or actually really any pictures of the kids from 2003 to present. I have had a new 35mm camera for almost 2 yrs now, and have taken 1 roll of film with it...at Joey's birth when my dig. was broken. I took the 35mm with me this summer to my parents house, but I couldn't get the film loaded, so I didn't taken any pics, and the unloaded film still sits in my 35mm, on my nightstand. Pretty sad actually.

And he saved my email addresses. Which I think he knew he better because I still thinks he remembers the yelling I did when he lost them before back before 2002 or 2003. So, he was lucky there, but I don't know about them pictures...I am kinda scared to find out because with my luck, they will be gone!

But he couldn't get the computer to do right. So, he bought a new one while I was gone. Yes, a "new" one from eBay, and it sucks ever now then before. It's sooooo slow. AT&T has said that we should have DSL by 2010. Dial-up sucks.