Clinging to our Guns & Religion

We had a blast this weekend! So many things to blog about but I couldn't help but put this one on first! We went to the Prairie Peddler Festival this weekend and the girls had an absolute blast! They took pony rides, made candles and homemade soaps, saw some really cool little bluegrass bands, and watched some woodcarving. So Cool! We were in this awesome little small town close to Mansfield and there were tons of people out supporting these hometownn artists. A tradition we have started and will continue for sure!
The girls had to have these pop guns from the festival. They saw some kids with them and heard them all thoroughout the booths so we hunted to track them down! By far the favorite possession brought home from our little trip! Gracie and Shiloh were running all around popping these guns tonight after we returned and I just couldn't help but think about that whole Clinging to their Guns and Religion thing! Clinging for SURE! Just not bitterly!! Gracie's face is priceless-she was feeling it definitely!
I thought you all might enjoy that-all you other clingers out there!!

REUNITED!

Reunited and it feels so good! Do I have you all singing right now??
Today is dedicated to Gracie and Jake! They are reunited and they are feeling good!
Last night after dinner Gracie, Shiloh, myself, and Jake(Gracie's favorite stuffed dalmation dog) went to the Library to exchange our movies and books! We went through the doors of the Gorve City Library with backpacks on ready to look for some great new reading material! I glance over at Gracie and specifically make this comment. "Gracie, I wish you wouldn't bring Jake in places because I am really feeling like he is going to get lost one of these times." Gracie then replies that she won't lose him mommy-she would never lose Jake! I then proceed to the counter to explain that we have abused one of the books we had checked out. Lets just say it was well loved by Shiloh and the cover seemed to have gotten ripped. The ladies at the desk were wonderful! They let me slide even though I offered to pay! Maybe it was the fact that Gracie was doing her latest gymnastics move with Jakey in the middle of the floor and Shiloh was trying to stick her head down the book return! Maybe they could see I was in a strugglefest and showed a little mercy!! Well we get passed that part of our time and head on back to the kids section. I remember it very clearly-Gracie had pulled Shiloh over to the puzzle table while I was hunting for some good finds and I heard her manipulating her little sister. Gracie-"Here Shiloh, you can hold my Jakey. He loves it when you hold him!"
I knew this was a bad idea but it happened. That was the last we saw Jakey!
Before Gracie went to bed we started looking for Jake. We looked everywhere. 20 minutes later it hit me that Jake was at the Library. Boy the tears started flowing and it took some major strategic talking to get her through it! She was desperate for that dog. That bottom lip could not have stuck out any farther and I thought I was going to start crying. I felt every problem solving strategy I possess well up inside of me! You all know what I am talking about, it was hurting me that I could not just jump in the car and race over there. I am just as attached to Jake as she is-SERIOUSLY! I then went on to tell Gracie that Jake was having a sleepover with all those other stuffed animals we saw sitting on those shelves. She started calming down-I had her with the sleepover thing! Yeah Gracie he was probably popping some popcorn, chilling with that crazy lion we saw. I really got her with this next one-Gracie-Jake is so lucky, he gets to read every book in the library tonight and use that scanner all by his bigself. She was still upset but loving all of Jake's options!
We made it through the night only on the promise of being at the Library first thing this morning to rescue Jake. This was daddy's task-he was there waiting at the door at 9:30 with the girls! He said Gracie's face was priceless when the lady behind the counter held him up. You see that is kind of a whole other blog because I asked Nic to take my camera and document their search efforts. Of course-he forgot! I can't fault him too much-I mean he did rescue the family pet. Probably the only family pet we will ever have and momma is just fine with that!!
Here is Gracie with her sweet Jake cuddled up in my bed! These picture still pretty much tell the story of Gracie and Jake reunited and feeling good!

Ashley Keepin' it "Reale"

Todays little Blog is dedicated to my lovely cousin Ashley who married a man with the last name Reale. So she is now Ashley Keepin it Reale! Just needed to give you that background so you don't wonder what the title is about! Ashley is currently doing her student teaching so she can earn her art teaching license. I have always been so impressed with her talent and so proud of her. I have a beautiful rose painting in my house that she did! With all of that said about her talent-I do have to say that she is definitely one of the clumsiest people I know. Now I know I am clumsy myself-don't see me judgemental here-I am just calling it like it is! A couple weeks ago sweet little Ashley had a cutting board accident while at school. I mean she cut like 1/4 inch off her thumb!

Now this video is not of the actual accident but it is kind of graphic. You see, bad things happen when artistically talented people get behind a video camera at the doctors office. This video cracks me up for several different reasons-but only because she is okay now.

Reason #1-The music (her husband Andy chose quite a hit here to sequence the events-where do you hear songs like this?) For everyone who doesn't know him-he is a skinny, little, white Christian boy

Reason #2 - The cutting boards flashing at the beginning and then the old school red flash around the thumb-Crazy!

Reason #3 - I think my serious first thought when I saw this little video was- what is that cat going to do when she has a baby? I will make it my personal mission to STOP HIM!! All you other mothers out there have my back on that one!!

Reason #4 - How pretty she looks in her misery!!

Andy-you are a talent pal and Ashley-you are a real trooper for putting up with his talent!!


Before you hit play for the video, you will have to pause my sweet selections at the very bottom of this page so you can hear Andy's tunage!!

Happy Birthday Girl!

Happy 31st birthday to the best sister ever! You Rock Jackie!!

Having a sister has always been a blessing to me! I am so glad my girls get to have a sister to do all the fun things that we have done together. Here are some fun memories for you girl:

*Saturday morning chores with New Kids on the Block "Oh, Oh, Oh,O-h, the right stuff"

*Hey Jackie, did you know trash men make a lot of money? (Jackie-But they only work one day a week! ) I LOVE THAT ONE!

*That crusty Ford Escort with the best turquoise paint job on the block!

*Wild Hearts Can't be Broken - We sure loved that movie with good old Sonora Webster. They sure don't make a good movie about diving horses anymore, do they?

*Fights that always ended with one person pinned and the other letting the drool fall. Why did we do that? I do have to say that you definitely got more of my spit on your face because of these long grasshopper legs.

*MASH(Mansion, apartment, shack, house)- We loved that game! Played it like it was truly real! I mean, how upset did we get every time our count landed us on shack?

*You with your light issue! Dad taking your light bulb wattage down because you refused to turn your lights off when you were finished. Your light just got dimmer and dimmer and finally you ended up in the dark to learn your lesson. You would bring your little clothes into my room in the morning and have to turn my light on when I was still sleeping to see if you would match or not! SAVE ENERGY!

* Putting together Ashley's Graduation slideshow when we had to time that music just so to flip those pictures. Things are so much easier now, aren't they? We practiced that thing 100 times or more. I will never forget the song- "I see your true colors shining through. I see your true colors and that's why I love you!"

*Being pregnant together! That was crazy! But hey, misery does love company!! I will never forget us waddling around places together and poor Nic having 2 pregnant wives while Josh was off at war. What a crazy nine months that was. Too many memories to post here!

I can still see us now sitting at Tuttle Mall near the Coldstone sharing a bottle of water. We talked that whole mall sick as dogs with those killer headaches until finally, I decided drinking some water actually might give us some relief. Notice how it was my idea to get the water. We sat and drank that water like we had never had water before. It was like an epiphany or something. Like hey maybe we do need water to make these bodies function properly!!

WELL I hope you all enjoy these fun memories and maybe you think of some own from your families!! I could go on for days listing fun memories Jackie and I have shared but the best thing about her is that she is such a great giver, she has a beautifully kind heart, and she is so good at teaching me how to relax! She always knows how to calm me down when I get in my Crazy Mode! God sure blessed me with a great sister and he blessed Natalie with a great Mommy!

Happy Birthday!

We have got to get one of these!

This whole blogging thing is so fun! What a great way to be reflective and keep track of some great memories!! As I was driving the girls home from a very full day I was able to just smile at all the great things Gracie thought up to say today! Here are some really fun things she said that I thought you would all enjoy!

1. "I am really having one of those wedgies under this brand new leotard mama." Today was a gymnastics day for Gracie and I found her a "brand new leotard" from once upon a child that she absolutely loves. She now fits in with the other little girls in the class! Daddy taught her that lovely wedgie word and she used it oh so appropriately.

2. "Hey daddy, we are going to go see Papa Vic and Mama Linda's new little baby!" The reason that is so fun is obvious-not many kids get to go see their grandma and grandpa's brand new baby! Yes, Gracie has 2 aunts younger than her! So fun!

3. "Oh, I love that little baby!" The reason this one is so cool is because it is awesome when you here your 3 year old baby say something so adult like!

4. After Gracie held baby Jazzlyn Rose she was all about her every little move. Jazzlyn is a beautiful baby! I can't believe I forgot my camera or her picture would be posted!! Gracie kept kissing her and holding her little hand. I loved every minute of it. Life is awesome and babies are just the BEST!! After all the caressing and loving and holding of hands Gracie turns to me and says, "Mama, we have got to get us one! Mama, can we take her home, please just take her home with us?"
I know Gracie-I did want to take her home.

5. "Mama, can I give the baby an M&M-she would really love it"

6. "Here little baby-do you want this blanket?" Baby Jazzlyn obviously no response. "Oh mama, she doesn't have very many words does she?"

Just a few fun words from the beautiful little mouth of Gracie Bella. She keeps me well entertained. It's days like this that make you just sit back, smile and thank God for this amazing life!
We have a sweet, beautiful little addition to our family! It was so great just cuddling her up for a little bit today! Welcome baby Jazzlyn-you are blessed baby girl! You have a rockin family!!

WIND STORM

We had a blast in the wind storm today! Maybe it isn't the best motherly choice to take your babies out in the windstorm but they sure loved it! We all made it back in safely!!

I know Gracie was out in just a t-shirt, with undies all exposed, which also probably wasn't the mother of the year thing to do but once again, WE HAD FUN!

Here are some fun pics from our time outside!

Am I the only?

Just some random thoughts here! I know I am not the only one for all of these but somethimes I wonder????
Am I the only one who........
1. Enjoyed ear candle-ing-Yes I loved it-I loved cutting the candle open and seeing the goodness pulled out. I still would participate if I had any patients!! If you don't know about ear candles-just ask-I am the expert!

2. bakes a cake-thoroughly enjoys a slice-and then leaves it to sit untouched for far too long before scraping it in the trash. Yes I leave it there to haunt my mom and mother-in-law when they watch the girls. I know I am not the only one on this because Nic doesn't eat it either. No-it isn't that the cake is bad!

3. has to count back the days to see if I need to wash my hair or not. No-I do not do that task everyday-sometimes every couple! I would have afro-puff of the year if I washed it everyday!

4. puts lotion on my hair after a fresh wash, dry, and flat iron. Yes lotion-good old Suave! Sorry Jackie!!

5. picks! Not my nose but everything else. Zits, scabs, toe nails, fingernails-you name it! That is gross isn't it? I know my good friend Kristen C. is a picker too so I am not alone-She has to be worse than me!! Sorry girl!

6. checks my breath by smelling in my hand. No I am not the only one-I have seen people doing this one! It is not an adequate test for breath smell!

7. holds up a $10 shirt for myself that I think is really cute and I know would fit and I still take 10 minutes to decide if the purchase is a good choice for me. Why is that? Now if somebody asked me if they should buy that $10 shirt for themselves-I would be all over it. Of course you should buy that great shirt for that great price. Why can't I do that for myself? I need help!

8. goes straight to the children's department in every store-really every store! It has magnetic force on me.

9. wiggles the doorknob multiple times before going to bed to make sure it is locked-multiple times. Nic says, Erin if was locked 5 minutes ago it is still locked. You just never know!!
I learned that one from the best-that is definitely a David (Dad) OCD trait.

10. has to leave food on my plate. I mean even if it is one bite-it messes with me if I don't leave food. Nic says it is more than just food. I don't finish sodas I open, candies, bags of sncaks like goldfish(if there is a small amount of goldfish in one bag and a brand new unopened bag, I have to go for the fresh and leave the old. Something always has to be left.

11. smells like a regular coonhound-no I don't mean I smell like a dog but I have the ability to smell or sniff out things like a dog. I guess a coonhound smells well. I just asked Nic and he just dismissed my question. That is a whole other "am I the only one" thought.
I seriously catch all smells always. I mean I just sniff it out and smells affect me differently than anyone else. I can get sick in an instant because of a smell.

12. makes their husband fast from all onions-they make him smell so bad-back to number 11. I try not to be mean about it and I don't go all nazi on him. we just have an UNDERSTANDING! All you married couples know what I am talking about. The onions don't just make his breath smell-they makehis body stink. I smell onion coming off his arms. He knows I am a pro at sniffing it out. I can tell if he has induldged!

13. talks to their husband-asks many questions-even when you know they aren't listening. I just keep talking-WHY???
You guys-I went to the store last night to get some lat minute items-just down to the local CVS. It was probably 9:30 and I told Nic I was leaving. I got back around 10:00, walked thorugh the front door and Nic just looked at me like I was a ghost. I knew he had no idea I had left. I knew he hadn't even listened to me.
He is rotten sometimes but a sweetheart mostly!!

14. goes to sleep with an agenda in my head for the next day?

15. has a hard time not laughing or smiling when I am not supposed to? That was worse when I was younger!! You can all think of a time in church when the giggles caught you. Unfortunately, I am the worst at this one!!

This is probably enough to get you all thinking! I will have to jot down my quirks and keep this updated!
Leave me a message with some of your quirks if you dare!!!

Balls and Dolls

So Nic and I are playing on a co-ed softball team together down at Berliner. This isn't the first co-ed league we have played in together-but the first since I have had the little gals! We had our first game Friday night and by goly-we WON! I was a little nervous going to the game because I was pretty much meeting everyone else on the team for the first time and Nic ever so sly told me the day before that he would really like for us to go to the batting cages before the game because HE DIDN'T WANT TO STRIKE OUT! Now, we all know what that really meant. Nic doesn't worry about striking out-he worried about me striking out. This put me on the defense and heightened my worries about playing on the team. Men have a way about them-don't they? We are both so stinking competitive that I really don't know if this was a good choice or not-we will see as the season unfolds!!
So our team name is Balls and Dolls or maybe Dolls and Balls-I can't remember. What I know is my team shirt is very reflective of the oh so creative team name-you would all laugh! Not necessarily at the shirt-but at the fact that I wear the shirt!
Okay so we won the game but the coolest part is that I made a beautiful catch from left field. I was running in-can you picture it?-I spotted the ball (even at night with the stadium lights on) and I got my glove open. I heard someone yell that they thought it was foul but I was committed. I had to catch that ball-mostly for Nic-I had to do it. Picture the movie Sandlot when the little boy stood with his glove up and eyes closed. That was probably more of what I looked like-but I felt like I looked much cooler. The ball hit perfectly in my glove. I was pumped! I caught that ball and got the last out of the inning. I ran back in to Nic who was smiling. He did say good job but had to go and ruin it by asking,
"Hey Blue-Would that have been foul?"
Blue-"Yeah it was foul"
In this league you get one pitch-a foul is out.
I caught that flippin ball for nothing!

"Where is it going?"

We had an absolute wonderful long weekend! I had no school on Friday or Monday and the weather was beautiful! We started our weekend out on Saturday with a fun monkey business party at Gracie and Shiloh's cousin Liv's birthday party. All of the girls had a blast sliding down a water slide at Livi's house. Triston, a.k.a. Bubba Joe, wasn't feeling the fun. It must have been a girl thing! Sunday was Natti's birthday party at Marmon Valley Farms. The kids had so much fun feeding the deer, taking a hayride, and riding ponies! Shiloh got right on that horse and held on tight. She didn't want a thing to do with petting him but she sure knew how to get in that saddle! It was just an awesome time for the girls-just enjoying life! We left the farm on Sunday with our hands full of cake, cookies, and balloons. Gracie and Shiloh love balloons just like most other kids but what they love most about helium filled balloons is letting them go. We traveled all the way home from past Marysville with 2 balloons only to get home and let them go. Balloons in the car in the hands of a 3year old and 16 month old are never a good idea. We couldn't get home fast enough!
Anyways, we got home and the girls had to have a release party. We prepare for the lift off and Shiloh is so excited she squeals and Gracie is jumping around to see these balloons travel away. It was a rocky start because the helium was wearing off a bit so the girls had to start clapping and cheering for the ballons-as if that was powering them. Well Mama cheered too because it wouldn't be a ballon lift off marty without the mama cheering! Finally, the wind lifts them up and they take off. After they were in the sky a bit we just stood there watching them travel away and get smaller and smaller. I asked Gracie where she thought they were going to. Gracie told me that Shiloh's balloon was going to China (you can tell what we loved watching just recently). I thought that was pretty cool of her but then she got even cooler and said,
"mine isn't going to China Mama-My balloon is going to worship Jesus!"
That rocks Gracie!!
Makes sense-doesn't it?