Calling My Name

Okay so my dishes are calling my name, but I will pretend that the blog called first. I received a call from the lab this morning that my results were in, so I loaded up the kids and we retrieved them. I have to take them to my doctors office now. I looked over them. Everything seems to be in balance. A few levels were low, but not sure what it all means. I also need to check out my glucose and make sure all is okay there. They told me when I was at the ER last month that my levels were high- but I don’t know what the number was. SO I need to track down those test results so my doctor can compare to see if they’ve dropped or remained the same. I can’t imagine life with diabetes and giving myself shots every day or pricking my finger! I pray that I am able to overcome these higher numbers by being more active and cutting down the fat and sugar! I am still in the normal range, but its on the high end. I want to get the numbers down LOWER. My thyroid was fine- it was right in the middle. So that is what my obgyn wanted to test. So that was good news. I’ve had it tested before and same results came back. So good thing it’s working! After we left there I went to the church to work a few hours. I normally work 3 hours a week- or at least that is my goal, but some times I need more time. Pastor said I could work 8 hours each week, and it will probably be that starting in mid-October. I have a lot of “clean up” to do and once we get our systems in order, then it will be easier and quicker to work. I really need some software for my work, but not sure what just yet. I might have something there and don’t even know it yet. I have yet to open all the drawers and doors! There are doors upstairs and no one has keys to them (that we know of!) So who knows what we will find if we break open the locks! I worked until 5 and then came home and threw supper in the oven. I had prepared some food yesterday so that I wouldn't have to do anything today. After we ate we headed to the pier. It’s really nice. Chris had been down there, but none of us had. It’s open 24 hours a day, so that is nice.  So now I need to empty the ole dishwasher (thankful for one!) and put the dishes in from supper and go to bed. We have the awesome privilege of going to WIC in the morning! EEEEK. We have to be there at 8:30 with ALL THREE kids. So I asked Chris to take of in the morning to go with me. I know I will stress out. I hope I have everything I need for it! not sure if we will even qualify here- but it’s worth trying!

So that is my update for the day… what did you do today?

Emotional

It seems like lately I’ve been very emotional. I can’t seem to control when the wave hits me but when it does its like a flood! I suppose it’s a compilation of living in a new city and my grandmother being sick. I just want to be home with her, I can’t make my life STOP here to be with her and right now it breaks my heart. Its times like this I wish that Mississippi and North Carolina were sister states- side by side. If I could swap MS with SC that’d be great! But of course it doesn’t work that way. I went to church on the verge of tears, and had to teach the elementary age class and I was anxious about how they would listen. Well they ended up being great! We talked about sanctification and I think that the faith fact really stuck. I also had the normal problems with the 11-12 year old boys who think that they are exempt from all the rules- and so I am hoarse from talking over all of them, but over all it went great. I drove home with great peace about my situation and I think I will rest well tonight. I have a lot of my plate right now, and I need to make better use of my time. I hope to get things figured out before I’m too old to enjoy it all! LOL. I am ready for a bedtime snack and then for my head to hit the pillow…

Testing Testing 1,2,3…

I went and had my blood drawn for my doctor. I decided on the “wellness” package. This way I could get results for 37 other test that I need to keep in check. It was MUCH cheaper then going through the doctors office- but it was still $100. I have already spent Chris’ paycheck that he will get today! Yikes. Money burns faster than it use to! Chris is able to stay home on Wednesday mornings so that is a blessing. He will be going in at 3 and then of course will be there until 9 pm. I go around 5 pm and then leave about 8:30. I have to wait until Friday for my results. I hope that everything is in check. The lab tech said you really need this wellness check at least once a year- if you don’t have a regular doctor that you see. So I’m glad to know where I can go. I remember in Texas Chris use to give blood every few months, and they’d send us a report with his cholesterol. It was a nice way to get free results back!

Random

I'm so tired right now, but since I finally have Internet at home I want to start blogging more often! So I thought I'd post some thoughts and other things!

Ladies Nightover:
So I attended this Ladies Nightover with a few ladies from my church and there were several things that were TAUGHT there that rocked my boat a little. Not sure if it was out of conviction or what but I'm trying to process it all. I felt a little shaken by it all, but I need those times so that I get in and dig for myself. Some times we can get so use to the BIBLE that when someone questions why we believe what we believe you have to sort through all the things people have taught you and what the WORD really says! Anyway- I'm glad that I went, and I hope to go back again and do a youth girls night over in January!

WALMART
I bought the new Febreze:Cinnamon Sugar- it's delicious! I mean I didn't eat it, but I could! I normally don't like things that smell like food, but I am using it in my kitchen and laundry room area- so it's a nice compliment to my already good smelling kitchen!

I also bought $100 worth of groceries bleh- I hate spending money! I enjoy making money but when I have to spend it on consumable products I get ill! It's been several weeks since I've stepped foot in Walmart, so I had the spirit of SHOP fall on me! I bought lots of "Snacks" for the kids- They snack me to death every day! So I bought several items to create fun snacks. I'm also putting together a SNACK list for each day of the week. They will no longer get to CHOOSE from the pantry their snacks, it will be a limited variety and quantity! I am so over being asked for snack. Even as soon as I clean up from a meal they are asking me for snack!


GYNO
I went to the Gyno today- what fun. I was a ball of nerves before I went. I don't mind the exam as a WHOLE I just don't like getting new doctors! Even if it were a normal family physician doctor I'd be nervous! My doctor in Texas really set the bar for me when it comes to what an OBGYN should be and so they all have to live up to that standard. I've had One doctor that I went in Gulfport in 2000 and then one in Waxahachie, TX in 2001 and then starting in 2002 I went to my doctor in New Braunfels and then in NC I had to find a new one, so in 2008 I went to one there. I'm not a person that will try out different places. I have no insurance so when you are self pay, you don't have to go with a certain doctor- but you can't just try out several either! You run out of money! Today I paid out of pocket $311 for my female exam. The wallet hurt more than the exam. Crazy how after having three babies a pap smear is not even felt! LOL. It hurt worse for her to push on my stomach then to do the pap!

When I first got there I had to wait 30 minutes in the waiting room. There are some doctors worth waiting for, and some that are NOT! This one was FOR SURE WORTH the wait. They came in and talked to me first, with my clothes on (so much nicer than being nakey!) And then the exam begin later. The only bad part was the fact that they had gowns that wouldn't have even covered a small woman! I am glad I'm not overly sensitive about my body or I would have wanted to curl up and hide! Thankfully they gave me a sheet (disposable) to cover up with. They had a lady there who was training to be a PA and so she was in there along with the doctor and the nurse. So it was a houseful. Well since I've got some "extra-ordinary" circumstances with my bottom (A Cystocele cat 2 of 3, tmi I know) the doctor asked if she could use me to teach the PA! LOL- I said SURE why not! So she had me do a few things to show the girl in training. So I contributed to society today! Ha! All four of us were laughing through some part of my exam. They said I fit in perfect there- I felt so too. I still have to have some blood work drawn- and thankfully they sent me to the lab directly- so I could get a better price. I'm glad they were looking out for me! Unfortunately when I went to the lab they had just closed so I will return in the morning to have some blood drawn. I did ask about the surgery to repair the damage done during my pregnancy/births and she said it's best to wait until I finished having kids because it will tear back open during labor. So with that being said- I will wait! I have gotten rid of almost all my baby items and have said that we are "finished" for now- but I'm not ready to just close down the entire shop. So anyway- time will tell! I'm just glad that I like my new doctor!


FOCUSED:
I have this running list of things that I need to do, and I am always so scattered! I really need to sit down and FOCUS more and get things finished! I don't know why my mind is scattered all the time, but it is. Right now I am blogging but I need to be making my list so I can start marking things off!

CHURCH
Last week and this week I am teaching the kids at church as the sub. I don't know what to think about it all. I really thought that last week was going to go so smoothly. I was excited about the lesson and really excited to see how they would respond to me changing things up a little. Well the girls like what I did to the room, but the boys were just as wild as ever. I can't seem to get them to 'get into the lesson' like I want them to. Even if I use them as helpers they still are rowdy. I want to take them outside this week, and do some of the lesson out there. I have a DVD that they are suppose to watch, but I'm thinking about not using it and just using the book. That way I can teach it and if they want to see the dvd at the end of class they can, while they wait for their parents. The teaching is a bit hard for the kids, but it will prepare them for learning at a higher level. I will be glad when the teacher is back. The class is only 12 weeks and we are in week 8. So I guess next month she will be finished. Not sure who will take the class then. It seems like people get burned out fast with this group of kids. The kids are ages 4-12. So there is a HUGE span!

Fun Fact
For the first time in my life I bought Midol. LOL. Ever since May I've had much heavier and harder periods. So I figured I'd give in and buy some. Well it made me laugh when I read the box. First off- Midol is for period releif, and only women have periods... but on the back it says if you have problems urinating due to prostate problems then don't take this. Um- last I check only Madea had a prostate! LOL (from the movie Madea Goes to Jail)

Oh DSL.
We did get our DSL and I've spent more than 4 hours trying to get the thing connected to the router so we can be wireless in our home, but it's not working! I had it working for a few minutes and then the dsl server kicked in and booted me out! UGH. Not sure who to call. It took me 30 minutes to get it going alone- so maybe I will do that and then call ATT (oh JOY) and get them to walk me through the next step.

New Phone- AGAIN.
I've gone through three new phones in about a months time! It's silly know. but ATT lets you "use" a phone for 30 days and if you aren't happy with it then you take it back and try out another- or cancel the contract. So The first phone was just not for me. I didn't like the slide out keyboard, I used it for 15 minutes and knew it was a flop for me. So I took it back. Then I got a great phone- it's everything I wanted in a basic phone ( I've wanted a Smart phone since MAY, but I've held out) SO this was doing it for me, but then a few weeks it, the Internet quick working on the phone. So after being on the phone for HOURS with ATT I finally took the phone back and got a smart phone- the HTC Aria. I really like it, but it only rings 2x before it goes to voicemail! Strange- and my data plan is not big enough. SO I am hoping to take it back soon and cancel my contract with ATT altogether and open one with Cellular South. They seem to offer a better deal and they have an UNLIMITED plan! So I'm excited about that, and a buy one get one free plan for the droid phones! YAY so Chris can jump on board the Driod Train! I love all the cool Apps for the droid and they have SO many FREE one's! So super cool. I've had fun playing with my phone. My mother in law is going to get one too- so we will all be droids before the end of the month (hopefully!)

Texas Bound!
I'm going to Texas with the kids for a wedding and to spend some much needed time with FRIENDS also known as TEXAS FAMILY!!! I am glad we only live 9 hours from our old home there! It will be fun to go see our old house and be in the town that we gave our hearts to! We still have HUGE hearts for TEXAS.... I'm excited about our trip!

Our VAN:
Well it's still kicking, but there seems to be a leak in the radiator? I think Chris is suppose to get that looked into this week! I'm hoping its an EASY fix and not a costly ONE!
I really am praying that the Lord will provide for us a newer more dependable van so I can take road trips whenever I want too and not have to worry about making it!

Well that is it for now! I am fading fast and I need to read over my lesson again and clean off the table so it will be ready for family breakfast in the morning. Thanks for reading and Keeping up with COOKS!

My favorite window at my house :-) I love looking out the window in the dining area!

New Discovery!

I'm not sure if this is a new discovery or just a product that finally worked! In the past year I've noticed advertisements for beauty companies selling serum instead of creams. I know that vitamin c serum is more effective then a lotion or a cream. If you can get the nutrients and vitamins in a serum they are more direct and proven to work faster! I used a serum offered by my beauty company and it feels so much better on my face than the other products. If felt like silk! Have you tried any serum products? I don't know that the results were as promised, simply because I didn't keep up the regime like I was suppose to, but I do know if felt great!

FAT BURNER!

I could really use a thermogenic fat burner to help me burn some unwanted fat! It sounds like a painful machine but actually its an ingredient in most diet pills! I would like to have something that I could put on my food that would take the fat out! Wouldn't that be nice! I'm sure that in the years to come they will invent such things, but right they aren't safe or legal! So if you are looking into buying a diet pill, make sure you get one that has proven results and has a great thermogenic fat burner review on them! No need in putting things into your body that aren't going to benefit you!

Camping

One thing I love about the Fall is the idea of going camping. I didn't say going camping, but the idea! Getting there is a lot of work, but every now and then we are invited to tag along and boy do we enjoy it. If we ever get the chance to take a trip around the USA and tour it via camping we would do it. I would love to take an entire summer and just travel all the way as far as we could stopping along the way to visit the great states of our beautiful country! I don't know that we would ever buy a fifth wheel, but I could see us renting one! We could rent one or an RV and travel. Reminds me of that movie with Robin Williams- where they rented an RV and everything with CRAZY! I would hope that we would not go through what they went through. We would have to make sure we had insurance or warranties to cover all of that, like a rental truck warranty and 5th wheel warranty. I'd rather pay up front a little bit of money then to pay out of pocket a TON of money! Do you dream of traveling on the road? Doing a big long road trip with the people you love? A few weeks ago I watched a Lucy movie- "the long long trailer" it was so funny. Hard to imagine a couple going through all they went through- but hey it was Lucy! What do you expect! I was nervous for Ricky, or Nicky as he was in the movie, when he started to pull such a big trailer. I've driven a few 15 passenger vans in my day and pulled a trailer behind one but it was not near as big or as heavy as that big Ole thing! Great movie though- if you haven't seen it, then catch it sometime on TMC. It's a great one!

My Friend Alyssa

I have a dear friend Alyssa that use to work with me. We were brought together first by our job, then our moms and then our friendship took off from there. We both Love the Lord and are passionate about many things. One thing she is passionate about is Horses! Before meeting her I never knew enough about horses to really be able to tell you what a horse tack is or even what the word Equestrian meant! She rides often and it is her love. I asked her once about what kind of job she would be willing to take after she finishes her degree, and she said "as long as my horse can go with me it doesn't matter!" Now that is love! She even took her horse to college with her! They had a barn that she could keep him in! Isn't that neat? I grew up with horses, and until I was five everyone in my family rode. I have a deep respect for the horse, but have no desire to ride. I watched both of my parents get hurt from riding/working with horses and had a fear of them for a long time. Eventually the fear turned to respect. My sister has a horse right now, but he is not ride-able, he is aging and in pain, so he's a field horse now. He just enjoys the pasture and looks pretty in the field! He had a field buddy named RED for a few months, but the owner found him another place to graze. I always thought that her horse was happier with a friend in the field. I'm sure he gets tired of the goats!

An Extra Hand...

When I had my first child, I decided then that when you give birth you should grow another arm. Granted with would all look entirely too silly to be called HUMAN it sure would help with it comes to carrying everything you need for a child and the child! I know that even when I've tried to decorate my house, I could have used an extra hand to hold something from time to time, a nail or the hammer or something! A new way to view clamps would be just that- an extra hand. Think about how many times you've used a clamp. My most recent time would be on a table, to clamp down a table cloth to keep me from having to hold it! My father in law works as a mechanic and I'm sure that he would use them at work quite often. He works on helicopters! Such a cool job. I'm sure he has thousands of uses for clamps!

My Job

Some of you have asked me about what I do for work these days. I am currently working just 3 hours per week at the church where my husband is the youth pastor. I only work ONE day, usually Thursday or Friday. I enjoy my work. I do some organizing, and make copies, create the bulletin, and work on the finances for the church. It takes me right at 3 hours each week. I enjoy my time up in the office. I've always enjoyed office work over retail work. I worked retail for my first job and didn't enjoy it like I did my customer service representative work . I have more experience in that field than any other. Unless being a mom counts as experience! I guess childcare would count for that! I am blessed to be able to work a few hours each week. I love being home with my children, but don't want to get rusty on doing jobs outside of the home! That way if and when I chose to go back to work I will not have a large gap of years that I didn't hold down a job.

Do you Fall for Fall?

Do you fall for Fall? Or do you crush on Winter or spring? Does your heart beat for the Summer season? I like certain things about each season. For instance, I like the flowers in the spring, and the signs of new life. I like the leaves changing in the fall and the cooler weather. I like the long days of summer where the sun sets after 9 pm. And I love the SNOWY days of winter! Before I had children I LOVED snow days. Now it's different. They are little and don't want to play outside in the snow all day long. They have no desire to use snow sleds or snow tubes or go snow skiing. NOT YET that is! I look forward to the days when our kids are old enough to ASK to go skiing! Now that we live in South Mississippi we will have to TRAVEL to find snow, but that makes it all the more special and fun! So what is your favorite thing about FALL since it's on the brink of our days? When do we Fall back? I am ready for cooler weather and the smell of pumpkin pie!

Vacation

When do you start planning your family vacations? We usually start in January. This year I'm looking ahead of time simply because money is tighter so I have to make better choices when it comes to how we spend our vacation and our money! Each year we plan just by what we know, but it's good to go online and search for vacation packages too. I always forget about this until it's too late! So this year we will search sites that can offer you better deals then if you just do it all yourself. Some times its cheaper and some times its not what it's cracked up to be. So if I were planing a Branson Vacation, I'd talk to my friend's who've bought Branson vacation packages so they could tell me what I need to make sure we do while we are there! If we do Disney, then I need to look up Disney vacation packages. You just never know what deal is out there waiting to be found! I know before I die I want to go to New Zealand! So I will have to do some research for years before we just hop on a plane and go! That's a long ways a way to just 'wing' it!

Mickey Mouse lives HERE?

When we went to visit my husbands grandmother last November, I made the mistake of telling Chloe my three year old that Mickey Mouse lived in Florida. Well we were five hours from Disney World and had no intention of visitng there. Once she started talking about it, it was hard not to resit fullfilling our little girls wish, to see Mickey Mouse's HOUSE! We called, but same day tickets were high, and there was an 80% chance of rain. So we told her that we would start to save our money and plan out a great vacation. Once we got h0me from our road trip, I begin to search Disney vacation packages. My dear friend Sheryl had just gone down there, and told us how great it was! She also said she'd go back in a flash! Of course our kids are still in diapers and strollers, and need naps from time to time. And lots of snack and drinks! So we thought we might wait a few more years before we head down to the most famous mouse of all times! Chlo never asked again about, that is the joy of having a three year old! But every time she sees the "Cinderella's Castle" on a Disney movie, she says "Mommy me go there some day?" I say YES BABY we will go there some day. I was 15 before I ever went, and I wanted to go from the time I could say Mickey Mouse! I loved Disney themed stuff! I was a kid at heart through most of my teen years and even now I still enjoy the Disney store! I'm glad I can shop for my KIDS in there now. *Wink Wink* I still enjoy it myself. I would LOVE to take a big vacation down there with several groups of friends and stay in a Disney Resort that we can go back and forth to through out the day. We can always DREAM right?

SO CUTE~

I think these Bailey button ugg boots are simply A D O R A B L E!!!! I would love for Chlo to sport a pair of these fashionably cute shoes. She would love them too. She loves shoes! Now that we live in South Mississippi, on the coast, I'm not sure that we will have a need for such warm boots. I also don't know what the school code is around here for shoes. I know that next year she will be in uniform, wherever she attends school. Some schools are funny about the shoes kids wear too! I guess we will cross that bridge when we get to! I still have here with me for 8 more months! Do you own any Ugg Boots? I only know one person that has REAL UGGS. Would your daughter like these?

B o X e S be gone!

I am having a yard sale in the morning. I am hoping that after this weekend I can pack up the
box cutter, and packaging supplies, and everything that has to do with moving! I will be cardboard free! With the exception of my livingroom closet. Still not sure what to do with my Lucy Collection! It's just boxed up. I am hoping to transfer it to storage totes after things settle down. I think there maybe a few boxes in the kids closet too, but for those I can deal with for now. I need to purge Chloe's Closet and get some of her baby room items out of there- just hard to part with! I know they would sell! Just sad that we didn't get to use them for very long! Well here's to a GREAT yard sale!

For Crystal

 

zipper pocket on the outside

 

other side of the bag, open pocket on the outside.

 

inside look

 

two pockets, inside

 

inside zipper pocket (to hide personal items!)

  

flat, only thing inside are the pads.

My Day

Wednesday night I came home from church and did my normal routine, all week I’ve had headaches but  nothing out of the norm. I sat down at the computer and started working on my thirty-one order. Out of no where I got dizzy and told Chris I needed to lay down. He asked if I wanted to go to the bed and I said no that I’d rather be on the floor. So I laid down right there by the table. I was there for about 30 minutes and then I started getting cold sweats. I was hot and then cold and I got so sick to my stomach. I knew I was about to vomit. I had Chris bring me a Wal-Mart bag, I threw up several times. The whole room was spinning, and wouldn't stop. I got scared. I told Chris that I felt like I was dying! I was not joking, I was scared. My body was all over the place. I tried to get up and it just made it worse. Eventually I made my way to the bathroom and then to the bed. I was determined to make it threw the night without having to to go to the doctor. We don’t have insurance, so just going to the doctor is a big deal. Much less the hospital. I laid in the bed and a few hours later I woke Chris up and told him that I had to go to the ER, I couldn’t stop the spinning in my head and I just kept throwing up. So we loaded up the kids and my husbands niece said that she could keep the kids for us, so we headed to Gulfport. We dropped of the kids and then went to the hospital. I was in so much pain, the sunlight was terrible to my eyes and so I kept my glasses on. I couldn’t even sign the paperwork, or look up at the ladies that check us in. The doctor had me open my eyes for a second and they just watered. It was terrible. Once they got the IV going I started to feel better but I still left in a wheel chair 5 hours later. I couldn’t walk without support. I came to my in-laws house and slept from 4 pm until noon the next day. I still have a headache over my right ear, but not sure what that is from. makes me nervous. We all slept here at my in-laws house and are still here. I don’t feel good about going home yet. I want to make sure I am good with the kids before I up and leave. Chris will have to go clean the church at some point before Sunday so I will have to either go along or stay here at his parents house. Either way I hope to feel better soon. I’ve eaten just a small bowl of chicken noodle soup since Wednesday night. I’m not a bit hungry, but so weak. Pray that I recover soon!!!! I can’t be off my feet for too long!