Man, I am a TOTAL slacker!

Wow, it has been almost 5 months since I have updated this....could I be any lazier about this??

So, in a nutshell, here is how our lives are going now...

Callie is potty-trained, and almost off of the "baba" (pacifier). She jabbers quite a bit, and sometimes I am the only one who understands even part of it (and that is on a good day, most of the time, I feel as lost as the next person, haha!). She has been having a blast swimming at my Aunt Sandy's house..."Tasey" is her new best friend! We are trying to get swim lessons lined up for her, figure we better get on it while she is still enjoying going in the pool, since last summer wasn't too good for that.

Work is busy for me, as usual, although I am trying to get some time off scheduled. I just can't wait until November to get away--although I am very much looking forward to Lauren's wedding in Mexico!! I have started Weight Watchers and also a kickboxing class, both of which seem to be working, so far. I am totally LOVIN' the kickboxing, Buddy better watch out! I am not one to usually enjoy sweating my tushie off, but it is so fun, and I think I am actually sweating my tushie off, haha!!

Speaking of, Buddy is doing well. He is playing in the Highland Muny Band again this summer, so that is where we spend our Friday nights, and it is a great time. Other than that, he is just staying busy, working, keeping up the yards at our house and his mom's, etc. It is so cute to see him and Callie wrestling around on the living room floor in the evenings--Callie loves to spend that time with her dada!

Well, until next time...which hopefully won't be 5 months from now....take care and God bless!!

Slacker!

Okay, so a friend brought it to my attention that I have neglected my blog lately (thanks for the cyber-kick in the tushie, Michelle, lol!!), so I am on, albeit ever so quickly, to do a quick update.

This is the time of year that work gets crazy busy for me, so many things suffer in my life at this time, including my health. I am (finally) on the downside of a nasty case of sinusitis & bronchitis, along with either pleurisy or strained muscles from the coughing spells--not sure which, but it was incredibly painful either way!! Callie has also been sick, poor girl. She has been doing an insane amount of sleeping the last few days...seriously, like over 40 hrs of sleep from Friday night until this evening!! Other than some major clinginess & crankiness on Saturday, her mood hasn't been unusual, though. Not sure if her body just needed the rest to try to recuperate from the cold, or if is a growth spurt, or what.

I had a Miche Bag/Homemade Gourmet party this past weekend, which was nice, and I added three more Miche shells to my repertoire, which was also nice, lol! Buddy and I had a low-key Valentine's Day, although we did go to a Trivia Night on Saturday night (something I think I enjoy just a tad bit more than him). We didn't win, but we weren't in last place, either, so all in all, a good time!

Well, I had best get back to work, there are always more deadlines coming up to meet! I will try my hardest to get an update on here before Callie's birthday, lol!

*sigh*

How is it, that just 2 1/2 short weeks ago, I was all gung-ho about being grateful for my blessings, and now I can feel just so...ho-hum. I feel like I would make Eeyore look like the life of the party! How can I, just one day after returning from an incredible 4-night (childless) vacation with the hubby, feel so blue? How can I have a life that is so full, and yet feel so empty?

My husband often chides me for not feeling more satisfied with my life, and he is right. I know this is not a feel-good, lift-you-up kind of blog topic, but it is what is on my heart right now...not even the Christmas carols streaming on Pandora are cheering me up today. My problem is, and I know this (in part thanks to my husband's aforementioned chiding), that I count on the things in my life to make me happy--which can never truly happen. I allow the circumstances of my life to control me, dictate how I feel. And, the more I allow the circumstances to control me, the things that I think I want & need to fill my heart with sadness, the less I allow God to control my life and the less I allow his peace to fill my heart with joy.

I know it isn't time for New Year's resolutions, yet, but is there ever a bad time to resolve to improve your life?? My resolution is to let God control me, not my circumstances or situations, and to let joy, His joy, fill my heart, not sadness and dissatisfaction. Do you have any resolutions that you would like to make in your life? If so, please share!

Thanks...

Wow, Thanksgiving is tomorrow already?! Where does the time go?

I used to always think of Thanksgiving as the start of Christmas, the gateway to the holiday season. Now, though? Now, I am trying to be more thankful, more aware of the blessings in my life...and what would those blessings be, you ask? (just pretend for the sake of argument that you asked) This is my beautiful baby girl's second Thanksgiving with us. We have wonderful family who love us and who we enjoy spending time with. I have a stable job and I love what I do. My husband has a stable job, and his back has been holding out lately. We are able to enjoy nice family vacations, as well as an extended weekend trip (no dear child along this time) in a few weeks. We have a nice home, a gorgeous new car, and all of the toys we could really want. My mom watches Callie every day, giving us great relief knowing that she is in great hands while we are working. My brothers adore my daughter, and my daughter adores them! Our families are close by and we can see them very often. My mother-in-law takes great care of us, feeding us all every night practically. I am thankful for my game-playing family that loves to get together as often as we can and just be crazy & silly. Our church family is so loving and supportive, we have developed great friendships that I pray last for eternity. Callie has little friends in the nursery that she will get to grow up right alongside of, learning from, teaching, fighting with and loving--the fighting part was in full force this weekend, as she spied Paige sitting on Momma's lap, which started an all-out squealfest until I cleared the infringing party from her position on my legs and placed Callie there instead! Oh, and did I mention, my most wonderful blessings--a child who loves me so much that she doesn't always want to share me with the world just yet and a husband who loves me despite my shortcomings and tries to encourage me when I am down!

Life is good and God is great!!

What are you thankful for? Take this time to realize the blessings in your life and give thanks for them. We can so often get caught up in the bad things happening to us and around us that we fail to realize how blessed we are.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Where has the time gone?

I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is only two weeks from tomorrow! I don't even have all of my Halloween decorations put away (they are assembled in a "nice" pile in the kitchen, awaiting packing & transport back to the basement). I also need to get rid of the pumpkins and mums outside--anyone want any mums? I won't be planting them, but I sure do hate to just get rid of them. I am so excited to do my Christmas decorations in two weeks! If you have never seen my house at Christmas time, it looks like a Snowbuddy factory exploded in my living room...not sure how the village is going to work this year with a toddler running around, though.

I am very much looking forward to Black Friday shopping--yes, I am one of those people, lol! Even my mom, who never thought she would do it after her years of working at Wal-Mart, enjoys it. The deals are great, but for me, mom & Pam, it is more about the "tradition", the fun of doing it together. And my poor, dear husband asked me, "you're taking Callie with you, right?"...*sigh* He is such an innocent and naive soul, but I love him dearly! Thank goodness for back-up babysitters--Casey, you're the best!!

There just seems to be so much to do for the next two months--Thanksgiving dinner at church this Saturday, travel to Springfield for two days of firm CPE next week, practice for the Christmas program at church the following weekend, two days of tax school that next week, work one day, then Thanksgiving & shopping, more play practice, Christmas with visiting family on the 5th, cookie exchange with family on the 6th, play practice on the 8th, some sort of vacation for Buddy and I the 9th through the 13th, holiday party on the 15th, Christmas program on the 16th and the 20th, and then Christmas!! Whew...I think I need a nap! Hmmm...I am sitting at work all alone right now...maybe I will just lock the door and catch some ZZZZ's....g'night all!

Slacking already!

Okay, so I am already slacking off at this blogging "thing", lol!

If I can figure out how to post video, I have got to post a video up here for you to check out. My daughter is, ready for this?...freaked out when people blow a bubble with bubble gum! Yep, you read that right, she about jumps out of your arms if you are holding her and attempt to blow a bubble. It is the weirdest, and funniest, thing I have ever heard of a child being freaked out by! I really think we should enter it into America's Funniest Videos or something...I mean, have you ever heard of such a thing?!

So, last night, Callie and I were asked to participate in the Christmas program at our church. After I got off the phone, I looked at Callie and asked her, "Are you ready to make your theatrical debut?", to which she enthusiastically shook her head yes, as if she understood me. Then, when I informed her she was going to be an angel, the sweet, precious, adorable child gave quite a devilish little giggle. I suspect she will be an angel in costume only, with an attitude that will be quite un-angelic! Oh, Lord, please pray for those in charge of this thing, because they may need it, especially since her nursery cohorts in crime are also slated to be angels (Paige, Gavin and Callie?--oh, my!). What were these poor, innocent ladies thinking?!

Speaking of costumes, here is a pic of Callie from Halloween this year...

There's no place like home...or, at least, Grandma Ginny's house, in this case.

She isn't too into this trick-or-treating thing yet, the smile was not there by the end of the night! But we ended up at Grandma & Grandpa's house, so it was all good, lol!

Had a great time!

Well, almost through the first week back from our cruise...we had a great time! I will post more info later, as well as try to get a few pics up on here (I have some on my facebook page, if you want to check them out).



Callie had a hearing screening this morning, and the results were normal, no permanent nerve damage. As long as we can stay on top of the ear infections, her hearing should be okay and her speech development normal. Now, if only we can get the paci fairy to take all her paci's away, without severe trauma, things would be great, lol!!



I can't believe how chilly it has gotten here--guess I better get baby girl a winter coat, and soon! Good thing I picked up that jean jacket at the MOM sale a few weeks back, at least that is working for now. Okay, back to work, short day today (after working 36 hours in three days--geesh!!).