Life as we know it...

Really... I mean well.

2011-03-02T21:24:00.001-07:00

I do, I really do. I mean well... but with Facebook and all the microblogging going on there. It seems like a lost cause to update a blog too! Specially one about family when all my family is on facebook!

Sheeeeeesh!

So... I think this is going to go down in history. There were good posts. But I can't commit to it anymore. So instead of wasting space in the blog-o-sphere... I will delete.

Any final requests?

Nah, I didn't think so. See you on Facebook!

Well Hello again...

2010-10-27T22:08:00.000-06:00

Seems I got sick... and promptly fell off the wagon. Hummm, if I had to fall off a wagon... I guess I am glad it was this one!

Ethiopia goals are looming. I have 60 days until I leave... 30 days until all my money needs to be in. If you are thinking of helping out in the fundraising... now is as good of a time as any ;)

I still need about 625.00 in funds and while it doesn't seem like a lot... it's a whole lot for this family. I know God will do it and I know he will prompt people to give... I just hope they are listening ;)

ANYHOW... Things are well over here. However, I still don't have a job which has made things difficult. But God will provide. We are hoping for something soon... when that something comes into play, we will let you know!

But for now... we are just hanging in there. Pics of the kids coming next post! :)

All better...

2010-09-20T20:04:00.000-06:00

Amazing what a few days will do... and some antibiotics. ;)

Things are well around here... I will update soon! Must get the kids to bed ;)

sniffle

2010-09-19T11:18:00.000-06:00

I'b sick.

That's all.

Back to the regularly scebjelled blogging soon.

Pneumonia bytes.

Week two at Options...

2010-09-07T09:03:00.000-06:00

And the kids are still loving it. In fact, they all complained that there was only one day this week (because of labor day) instead of two! You'd think they liked learning or something! ;)

So let's see... it's been five days since I blogged but nothing too life shattering has happened.

The cats have kennel cough, which Pepper picked up from DFL during her short stay. Tells you something about that place... I have to call to see what they can do about it. Apparently they will pay to treat them? I hope so, cuzz its sad hearing the cats sneeze so much! Lucy just isn't acting like herself. Not sure if Pepper is acting like herself... since she is new to the family.

Getting along yet? Well, dunno. Lucy has been not feeling well so she has been in out room hanging out. Pepper is roaming around and we found her on the frig last night... Yes ON the frig. Haha...

In other news, I am going to my first writers conference. I am excited and scared. But that is pretty normal ;) It's this weekend... A good friend is flying in from KC to attend too, so it should be a blast.

My Ethiopia trip is slowly coming along... I am way behind on my fundraising now but I am hoping that will pick up soon! God has a plan! Right now I am more then $500 behind my goal... And I am less then 4 months away from leaving! How cool is that. I am going to Ethiopia!

Well, I gotta go.. :) Must get some stuff done with my quiet hours the kids are at Options.

Hello September, wasn't it just April?

2010-09-02T08:51:00.000-06:00

Seriously.

Seriously?

Seriously.

Dang, where did this year go? It's September 2nd and I am still dealing with April in my head! I mean seriously?

Apparently it's very serious. School has started, kids are whining, you know it's definitely not April.

So now that it's September, a whole new set of issues come into play. Like Birthday's, Christmas, School time... Oy vey. They only good news here is that school seems to be going well for us.

I did enroll the kids in Options at Platte River Academy. It's two days (Day one 8:30-2:30, Day two 8:30-12). There first day of school was excellent. They loved it and made new friends easily. Well except for Toby. The majority of the kids in his small class are girls.

Even though the teachers didn't work with Toby and his reading or writing, this seems to be JUST What Toby needed to turn the corner with his desire to do such. The first day they had a free writing period and they had the prompt, "What makes me special?" And you just had to fill in the blanks. The excellent news is that these teachers don't care about correct spelling at this point, just phonic spelling! But still, Toby just sat there with his name on his paper and doodled. The teacher told him he would do it tomorrow, but my Mother Hen, Iona saw his paper on his desk and took it with her home. So then we did it at home. Took us an hour to write "I can ride a 2-wheeler bike" and "I can play drums" but he did it. Then we brought it back the next day (where I learned that Mrs. Bacon was going to do it with him...) and I guess she praised Toby up one wall and down the other. Because when he got home that afternoon and I set him to work writing, he did it and enjoyed it!

The next day he was writing sentences without help from me and then drawing pics to go along with it. He was so proud of himself!

Yay, for Toby!

Where does the time go...

2010-08-31T18:48:00.000-06:00

If you figure it out, let me know. One minute I am updating the blog with the news of a Saturday... the next minute it's Tuesday! TUESDAY!

Oh well, I tried. Failed. But tried.

But you know what they say... the difference between a wise man and a foolish man? The foolish man admits his failure and weeps about it... tells others... moans... complains... throws ash on his head. The wise man admits failure and tries again.

I be wise. Eh?

Ahem, Anyway. Options went great for the kids! Like really really! They loved it. LOVED loved loved. :) They are excited to go back again.

The cats still dont like each other much...

The world is still revolving... and I am still tired.

See, I is wise. ;)

It's late... but I made a promise...

2010-08-28T21:27:00.000-06:00

A promise I will not break. And that is to post more often, if not every day... if anyone is reading. If not, it will be therapy again. It used to be... then my life went whacky and well... let's move on.

So... Toby is still hacking up a lung but he is not nearly struggling to breath as much. I hope that means he is getting better. Ugh.

Tomorrow, Iona is leading worship with the youth group for the family service. Hooray! I will try to get a pic... specially since I will have my camera on me to take Ethiopia pics of my team.

Gabriel went to the skate park today with Jake (who is now sporting a sunburn.. no shade) and had a great time learning his skating better. He is doing really good. I will take more vids of him.

Me... well I went to bed at 2:00am... got up at 7:30... and am seriously tired right now. I am trying to wear myself down to actually sleep. Cuzz something is screwy.

Oh and we have a new cat. Did you get that message yesterday? Well she isn't new... It's Heather Wilson's cat Pepper. Another friend had her and... well long story shorter... we have her again! She is precious and loved and here in our home... safely tucked away from Lucy until they can kiss and make up ;)

Okay, off to bed... I think ;)

Sleep, where art thou?

2010-08-27T11:38:00.000-06:00

I think I need to see someone about my sleep. When I Go to bed at 11:00 and am still awake at 2:00 then at 4:00 again for a while... I think that means there is a problem. Ya think?

Coffee is in the IV ;)

Oh but I guess I should update about Sicky Boy... He is sick... and a boy. Yesterday afternoon he was breathing strange... a little tugging in his chest. So I called and they saw him post haste. It was as I suspected, the Nebulizing we were doing at home wasn't working. He was running a 102+ fever and was in bronchial distress. He said pneumonia was on the horizon so he gave us steroids and antibiotics... with the understanding we are to come back today if he isnt acting better. SO far so good. He is being pretty normal. So hopefully we missed the bullet on this hospital stay.

Today, to-do list... Presentation Club. Iona is doing her presentation on Tricky Videos... ;) Gabe is doing his on The 39 Clues... Should be fun for them. :)

Oh and we will be going to PRA Options on Monday, as long as Toby isnt still struggling with Respiratory stuff. That basically means that the kids will get some extra enrichment in the core subjects like Math, History, etc.

Fun stuff ;)

Someone sound the alarm...

2010-08-26T10:45:00.003-06:00

I am posting AGAIN... GASP!

Well, just in case you missed my facebook status update... the alarm already sounded. And it was loud... and rude... and at One-freaking-A.M. in the morning. Scared my poor grandmother half outta her wits. Dang batteries. Why do they go off in the middle of the night? Not the middle of the day when we won't be woken up in a panic?!?! STUPID THING! And ours is soooooo loud, ear piercing even. It's unbelievable.

But, I think I have an answer as to why they go off in the middle of the night instead of during the day. Someone on twitter figured it out... It's cuzz the battery cools down and gives less voltage. I like that answer... I am using it.

In other news, Toby is still off and on with a fever. If he doesn't make a little improvement today he is really going into the Dr tomorrow. I hate that. Not the doctor, I just hate that he is sick.

Oh, and in other other news... We recorded a YOUR KIDS CAN COOK last night. Iona made Jake his favorite birthday meal EVER, (only he had never tasted it before) and she is currently editing it for your viewing pleasure. :) Yay for new brains. ;)

And in other other other news... I might enroll the kids in an enrichment program across the street at Platte River. It's one to two days a week and costs nothing. Basically it's ONE DAY of school for them... we will see how that goes.

So yes... I was serious about posting more often. SEE!

Energized... after a cup of coffee.

2010-08-25T10:09:00.002-06:00

Yeah, so I printed out our school schedule yesterday and amazingly enough I feel energized about our school year.

Two of the three kids are working on their last years work (didn't finish it all) and the other is working on math stuff. The good news is that it doesn't matter what they are working on, because that is the joy of homeschooling. I choose their levels and as long as they do 172 days of 4 hours... they completed their year.

BUT they will finish their last years studies and then move on to this year this month. We never start this early, so they have plenty of time and technically we are still in LAST year if we go by last year's start date in October.

All very complicated I know.

Poor Toby is suffering with respiratory sickness right now. The moment we drove into Colorado he started reacting and last night he had a fever. So we have been nebulizing him for a few days and while he is sounding better this morning, I am just praying I have seen the worst. I am wondering if this is a shadow of what is coming this winter... makes me nervous. Cuzz Toby used to get pneumonia everytime we turned around. I soooo don't want that this season. I am going to remain proactive and help him through this...

Oy vey... Okay. Off to have my coffee and continue my energization ;) Feel free to use my word... :)

Update time!

2010-08-24T18:57:00.003-06:00

Wow, the days just seem to be flying by! I can't believe summer is already over. The children around us are heading back to school and we are starting our year all over again! Really, the world needs to slow down a little.

Sorry, sorry for not posting for a while.

I am going to give a short update and then promise to blog again. I am just going to blog the everyday stuff to get back into the swing of things.

We spent a few weeks in California and it was awesome. It was just the break I needed to be able to jump into my school year again. YAY! The kids have already started too. We started Monday August 23rd... err yesterday I guess that is.

The first day was hard, Toby was everywhere and disruptive... but today we gave him a dose of caffeine and things went swell! This is our natural remedy to ADHD ;) And it works... he did all his math papers and didn't disrupt the others so they got their things done too. Today was a good day.

Tomorrow I am hoping for the same.

Also today I went out and "sold" my jam and salsa for donations for my Ethiopia trip! Woo hoo! Both families who bought LOVED their Jam/Salsa and are already asking for more. I guess I should go into business ;) Haha ;)

The summer in all went by way too quick. The kids went to Texas for Uncle Gards wedding... Jake took them while I stayed here and worked (this is quite the change from other trips where usually its me leaving while he works! The kids liked it okay, well apart from Toby who had to come home). Iona went with Dana and her family to AZ for two weeks then joined the rest of the Gardner clan up in Iowa for the family reunion. Gabe stayed with Jake's mom and dad for the two weeks (and Aunt Brigitta too) and then they all met up in Iowa too. Toby, of course, came home. It was a little too overwhelming for him. Maybe next time there is an opportunity like that he will want to go.

Ethiopia will be hard for him, he has already told me that he doesn't want me to go. Hopefully he will change his mind come Christmas!

I finished a novel while everyone was gone in Texas. In fact, that same novel is out right now with an agent... hoping to get signed. That would sure be a blessing.

I also have my women's fiction novel that is being edited right now that I will start sending out soon. And then two others that I am debating with. So yes, I've been busy.

A vast change though from last year... I have no extra children amongst my four walls. I quit babysitting before I left for California and will be trying to find another job a couple nights a week. Should be interesting... specially in this job market. But I have to try.

Well, until tomorrow... :)

Updates! Updates!

2010-06-09T22:05:00.002-06:00

Meike emailed me on facebook and said WHAT GIVES?!?!

Oops, Thanks Meike for the reminder that people DO in fact care about what is going on in the Neff world on a daily basis.

Well, for the past week, if I was to have blogged every day, you would have found it very very boring. The kids are gone with Jake to Texas for his brother's wedding... which just leaves me. Just me... and no one else. I could blog about myself and the idiotic things I am doing or not doing... but there is no real wit in that. ;)

BUT there has been some moments... like when Toby calls for the fourth time in the day just to see how I am doing... and what I am doing... and to check on his garden. Yes, no... he really did. Four times.

And yes, he planted a garden in our backyard and things are sprouting... he is so proud ;) I sent him pics so he could show them off ;)

So, yah... I am watching the plants sprout over here. Well, okay I am writing too, and it's been a good wake up to writing "FULL TIME" for a few days. In less then two weeks I started and am about to finish my mid-grade novel. Woot! Niiiiice! Now if I could sell it... Hmm. Anyhow.

On the school front, we are almost done with our year... we are a little behind because of this trip to Texas and the fact we didnt start till October... But we will catch up pretty quickly. The big news is that the kids MIGHT MIGHT be enrolling in a charter school for next year! *gasp* yes... WE will see how it goes. They are "intent to enroll" right now. Sooooo, its a possibility... not probable tho since the lottery was already run for the school. BUT we can pray for God's will.

Why are they enrolling? Well, Gabe and Iona really want to try it out... Toby would rather just stay home.. but if one go all three will go. HOWEVER, I am in need of a job so this is the way we are heading right now.

Kinda sucks... but we are having a very very hard time making ends meet right now and I have to do something more then babysit. So, it's sad but I am giving my children back to their parents (the ones I babysit) and finding work outside the home.

SIGH SIGH... but what can ya do? God is in control... I know this. And it will be okay. Really it will... I just hope it all works out before the first day of school if they are going. ;)

Anyhow... I will try hard to post more often... but like I said... this week... totally not a good idea unless you want a picture and update of the garden getting greener ;)

Ethiopia 2010

2010-04-01T11:51:00.003-06:00

I announced it on Facebook, I guess I should announce it here too... hehe :)

I am going to Ethiopia!

It's funny how God sets you up for something way before you even realize he is prepping you for it. Yup, this is what happened. Even more so then I realized before I posted my story on the other website.

So, a lot of you know we moved churches. The main reason was to be closer to home and closer to an unchurched friend who said she would come to church with us if our church was closer. Fabulous! We will move, we felt the tug anyway.

We tried out many awesome churches in our area... and one we even thought maybe was "IT" because it had all the right elements... but something was missing (for us). We couldn't put our fingers on it... but neither of us felt like "this was home".

The morning we decided to try out Living Way Fellowship it was literally a last minute decision. No one wanted to go to Mission Hills (where we thought we should be going) so I said, "Fine lets check out this one down the street-- 5 minutes from the house-- and see what we think." I googled the map while we drove, found out the service started in 5 minutes and we arrived in time!

First of all, we were greeted and they knew we were new. Even showed us around... Score! And well, without going into further details... this is the church God would have us go. We all (including the kids) felt like God wanted us here. Hooray! Big homeschooling community there too... the creator of Son Light goes there! *shock*

Still better yet... unchurched friend's house is within WALKING distance of this church. Literally one block away.

Score, score, score... for the win!

So... we have been going now for 10 weeks, I think? It's been a great transition, not totally plugged in yet but its been going well. We are growing and loving it.

A couple weeks into our visiting, the pastor showed slides of Ethiopia. He has been there a couple times and I thought... "wow wouldn't it be cool if they did a trip to Ethiopia? I could go see Aliya our sponsored child and minister to her community!"

Fast forward 4-5 weeks... what do you know. They announce a trip to Ethiopia.

God, you are a funny God. Love ya man...

See, I had never considered EVER going to Ethiopia before about a year ago. Then a desire started to grown in me... And now, here is the chance. And I am going!

Funniest part... the day after I went to my first Ethiopia meeting... my unchurched friend who lives a block from the church sends me an email that says, "I'm MOVING!!!"

Hahaha, really God? Okay, however you need to get us to where we need to be... it's just funny.

So the friend whom we partially moved churches for... is now moving 25 miles away... Hahahahaha. But we still know that God wants us at Living Way.

Funny Funny Funny...

So with a Mission trip comes the financial aspect. There is a long drawn out story on my "other me blog" if you want to see it send me an email and I will send you over a link. But the jest of it is this...

The Cost: around $4000 for everything.
When: December 26th but $400 increments are due each month.
Where: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Who: A team from Living Way
What will we do: Build phase 2 of a school/orphanage, bring supplies, ministry to the children
How you can get involved: I need 125 people to commit a one time gift of $30 (or more) so I can go on this trip!

For more information: Please contact me at hsneff @ gmail . com or call me! Gifts are tax deductible if you write the check out to Living Way and put Ethiopia in the comment box (without my name anywhere on the check)!

This economy...

2010-03-16T08:44:00.003-06:00

A lot of people have wondered why we haven't been anywhere since we moved to Colorado... I would love to say that we are just so darned busy that we can't get away. But that isn't a fact. Though, we can make ourselves busy here if we need to. There is always something FREE to attend here in Denver.

But the fact is, we don't have the money... period.

Coming from military life to civilian life brought challenges, ones we were ready for but I guess we didn't ready ourselves for all the challenges. Like not being able to travel, ever again.

In the military we had our housing, utilities and health care paid for. Soo very nice. No need to worry about how life is or isn't going... The only thing we needed to pay for was food and activities. Totally doable. In fact, I have friends who complain about the amount of money they get on the inside of military life... and I would GLADLY switch paycheck/bills with them and be happy ;) They get paid a lot more then they think they do. All the little things add up.

Like insurance. Holy Peter Paul and Mary... Jake just got a merit increase... yah, well it didn't even pay for the increase in health care costs. So instead of making MORE this year... he actually takes home less. Fun times!

Not that we aren't surviving... things are fine here. But there is no extra room for wiggle. Jake is fabulous with our budget, but we just have a hard time squeezing anything out that we don't have to.

Which means, no travels for us. :( I haven't been back to California in 3 years... which is very odd for me. We haven't been to Texas either... for the same 3 years.

I have been back to South Dakota twice... First because my aunt Staci (who is stationed in Germany) was going to be there and I hadnt seen her in like 4-5 years! And the 2nd time it was paid for by my passenger! Can't beat a free trip to catch up with my friends!

So, if you are wondering why you haven't seen me in CA or TX... this is why. The economy just stinks and we have to live off it. :(

If I become independently wealthy anytime soon, I will be seeing ya ;)

The long update...

2010-03-04T07:56:00.002-07:00

So... umm since November. Gosh, well...

I will just do my best.

I have finished a novel since then... It's a snarky one that is Religious Fiction. It's fun. Right now its just in the wait phase... because time makes everything taste better ;)

I got to the second round of a fiction contest on Amazon... March 23rd I will find out if I get to the third round :)for the novel some of you have read.

I was approached by the CEO of a major pub house in Colorado... he asked me to submit stuff to him, so I did! Waiting on that... patiently. :)

Written some more of the true life stories from the unseen perspective. That has been very cool too.

And ummm, well just trying to hang in there. I am still watching the boys (N&S) and I now have a 5 month old as well... we call her Cinderella ;)

I have some other news too, but I can't share THAT for another 4 weeks... no I am not pregnant. No I am not anything... Just 4 or so weeks before I can share cuzz of the nature of it. You'll see... I say 4 or so.. well because it really depends on something that i have little control over LOL

Ahem... Umm Kid news.. They are all fine. LOL

Gabe is growing again... I bought him PJs at Christmas... they dont fit anymore already. I asked him if he could stop growing PLEASE... he says, "I tried! It doesn't work!" Bless his heart for trying ;)

Well kids need me... so tootles!

November... REALLY?

2010-03-03T21:14:00.001-07:00

I am so sorry... Umm Thanks Robin. I guess I didn't realize it had been that long!

Okay so a brief update... I must get to bed. I am soo tired. I promise to update a long one tomorrow.

Things are going well with my writing... :) Like really well. I can't be specific because I am trying to keep the two personalities separate for the sake of my family and privacy... BUT things are well. I will tell you tomorrow tomorrow.

Gosh, I am sorry its been so long! Are people still even reading this???

*blushing*

God is so good...

2009-11-10T11:04:00.003-07:00

All the time.

So I have this friend... she is awesome. She doesn't read my blog so I dont have to worry about embarrassing her... but I know one of you that reads knows her... maybe two ;)

She is a fellow fantasy writer who Jake calls, my "Fantasy Friend"

LOL

Anyhow, she heard that my first query letter got rejected and asked me to bring it with me when there was a "get together" at her church for football last night. So I brought it and we went to the other room to talk about it and then... we prayed over the letter.

Awesome.

Prayed that God give me clear guidance about where to spend my time. How much time. What to spend my time on (even if it's not writing) and on and on...

Wow. Just wow... that was an awesome gesture! And it really made my night.

So, we are believing that God is going to direct me in the right places for a publisher... and well just generally EVERYTHING! :)

Curse you Aqua Scum!!! (again)

2009-10-29T15:13:00.002-06:00

Got my first rejection letter...

My socks are wet...

It snowed FEET in the last two days...

I crave everything and can have nothing...

I don't want to cook dinner...

My socks are still wet...

I am tired...

The house is a wreck in the wreckiest form...

I hate wet socks...

More then that, I hate when I step in snow puddles INSIDE my house in new WARM socks which then are not warm anymore but wet... and I hate wet socks.

Really?

2009-10-20T09:26:00.002-06:00

Well, humm. I guess I will just try to post more acceptably. Cuzz I just seem to lack time to post these days.

It's probably due to school time being increased with a 5th grader now... Dang how did she become a 5th grader! CRAZY!

In news regarding her... we scrapped the 5th grade LifePac History & Geography. She was failing it... the sections were fine but testing was out the window! She got more wrong then she got right. She says it was because she can't remember the answers. Well obviously! So we are trying something new. She is going to read Historical Fiction books and some Non-Fiction books to see if she can retain a bit more. And instead of testing and doing Q&A she will write me a paper or do a lap book (her choice). We will try this out this month and see how it goes.

On the positive side, she was really excited about it and begged... no PLEADED to go to the library last night to get some of the books. I grabbed that enthusiasm and ran with it ;) So she now has 20 books (not all Historical but some are her own chosen fictional readers) to get started with. Let's hope this works.

Ahhhh!

2009-10-19T16:14:00.000-06:00

So, the week came and went... And boy was it too quick! We love seeing family but we hate when they leave! Pooey!

But it was great. If you are a FB user... you have no doubt seen some pics.

But here... Gosh this is lacking. Really, I think I am going to take it down. Is everyone on Facebook? Cuzz if you aren't I am not sure what to tell you. LOL!

Let me know... soon! Cuzz I think Life as we know it... is being relocated to Facebook ;)

Curse you Aqua Scum!!!

2009-10-06T09:21:00.002-06:00

Soooooo we might be exposed to something. Pray PRAY PRAY that we aren't. Dana and the kids (is Matt coming?) are suppose to be heading out way in just a couple days and it would completely suck to have to cancel due to a bug running amok in our house!

S threw up on Sunday... then came to us on Monday. N threw up on Monday night at home (thankfully)... but then their mom, K threw up on Monday night/Tuesday morning... which means SHE has something. Prayerfully its just something they "ate" but I dunno if I am holding onto false hope. 3 pukies in 3 days... I just pray we didn't get it.

So Pray with me... PLEASE?!?

I mean, we have had some sorta ick in our throats/heads (between Iona, Jake and I) for over a week now... but it wasn't the pukies. Gabe started coughing this morning... but if it's just this crud, we know its just a normal fall bug not a pukie thing... Ahhhhhhhh!

Just pray.

Testing the waters...

2009-10-04T15:26:00.002-06:00

We are testing the waters around the area for churches. We tried out Mountain View CC on Saturday night and Cherry Hills CC on Sunday morning.

Two churches with two TOTALLY different feelings!

First, Mountain View's first impression was good. We were greeted right away. Asked if we were new and everyone got to their classes well. The kids didn't really like the kids programs though. They said they were boring and didn't really care to go back. Okay, well maybe it was a bad day. We could always try again.

The service, well the worship was good. The pastor, well, I am just not sure what I thought about his message. It was very people oriented. I am not sure if I know how to explain it. Also, he wasn't very engaging. In other words, I was a bit bored. (sigh)

So on to Cherry Hills we went this morning. We met Kari J, and her family in the foyer area and she helped us get checked in to this ENORMOUS church. 6,000 or so people in attendance today. Yes, ENORMOUS!!! But with little effort we got our kids checked in. Iona went with Kari's DD and Toby and Gabe had to go by themselves... Toby went in fine... Gabe RAN into his class and exclaimed THIS CHURCH IS COOOL!!!! And I must admit, his classroom was COOOL. COOOOOOOOOOOOL!

The worship was good, I would assume... I heard it but didn't get to see much as I was stuck in the bathroom (long story). But when I did make it in... WOW there was a 100 voice choir!!! And they were BEAUTIFUL!!! Their voices were awesome and gave me the chills.

The associate pastor was speaking on encouragement and mentoring and had a great interactive text time. Not once did I find myself bored! What a good thing :) I mean it wasn't over the top exciting but it was a good service.

I panicked a little when Kari had to leave early wondering if I could maze my way around the campus again to find the kids! But that proved a worry not worth anything. We found then just fine AND ran into a couple of people that used to attend Waterstone. What are the chances of that?

So if I put the two churches on a complete scale, I would have to say CHCC is tilting further towards the "will try again" area.

There is another church we want to try out called Grace Chapel, again, it is an ENORMOUS church close by. But we will try it too and possibly one called Horizons.

Now I am off to Awana... though I am not sure how long that will keep 2 of my 3 don't want to go anymore. *grumble*

Boycotting Presents...

2009-10-01T10:05:00.002-06:00

WHAT?! Boycotting presents?!?!

Oh yes, this year we aren't doing presents in our house (for Christmas).

WHY?! I may hear you scream... because gift cards are better ;)

We told the kids they would still get stockings (those who believe in the big red guy stop reading now) and still get a santa gift... but the rest is going to be in a gift card that they can spend ANY way they want. That way, I don't have to wrap and if we end up going anywhere... I wont have to pack the car with gifts that they are to open.

The kids think its a good plan... okay all but Toby. I don't think he understands the concept of getting to pick whatever he wants from the store... Maybe it will sink in by Christmas.

I haven't completely 100% decided this is for sure the way to go... but I am 95% sure.

I was doing good...

2009-09-30T14:38:00.002-06:00

Until the other day...

What happened? Who knows.

Well, I went to meet Jen Yates of CakeWrecks.com yesterday... Got a book signed... Laughed A LOT... it was pretty groovy. I stayed up WAY too late watching Jake and the kids crack up over the cakes... that sight was worth every cent I paid for the book! We skipped a few middle pages... PG-13 or so... but they thought it was hilarious!

I updated my author blogs today... I actually wrote in the two of them... Intelligible things! Imagine that ;) The one blog should be super exciting. It's called... well I can't tell you... I dont want people to accidently happen upon THIS one and not that one. But it's a blog of one of my main characters... if you have read the book, you know that she hears voices... and this is her journal entries of those voices. SHould be quite schitzo! ;)

The other is just a more serious blog using my fav things in the world... ellipses ;) Anyway, if you want the addy's let me know.

Otherwise... be on your merry way! I am off to break up a "NO I HAD IT FIRST" conversation!

Sick... blah!

2009-09-27T19:49:00.003-06:00

I hate being sick. It really bites! But thankfully it's just me! And I can pin point when/who I got it from... but unfortunately I can't complain. It was my dumb mistake... I fed a baby from my fingers... and then ate something myself. And no it wasn't MY baby S that I watch... it was another... and his brother DID have a cough, so really, it's my fault. Blame lies with me.

ANYHOW... I stayed home from church today because I thought I could possibly have Strep. Now I am not sure. My throat is definitely feeling better then yesterday after drenching it with liquids for 24 hours and then having a humidifier on in the room. So hopefully it's just a regular cold and nothing is going to come of it... NyQuil has been my friend ;)

In other news... God is leading us to another church. Strange but true. For a while he was kinda hinting at it... but neither Jake nor myself really wanted to listen. I have family that attends Waterstone... well not true family but close enough ;) and leaving just felt like something neither of us wanted to do. But without typing the whole story out here (some of you know it) God is DEFINITELY leading us elsewhere. Ministry calls... and when God calls you go. When he opens doors for ministry, you have to go that direction. So for now, this is what God wants. And we hope we can just hear his voice and do his will.

What church... well we will start with Cherry Hills. And see if that is where God wants us. If not, we will look at the smaller (less mega) churches in the area and see if they fit our ministry needs. Then go from there.

Prayer accepted during this crazy transition time.

In still other news... the novel is done and people are reading it. No one has gotten back to me yet... which is unnerving... BUT eventually they will. I heard a great comment recently that said, "The worst thing for an author is for you to say nothing... " ouch that is soo true.

Anyhow.. off to watch the Bears.. then get to bed for some more recovery.

Homemade Gourmet

2009-09-26T18:29:00.004-06:00

A friend of mine had a Homemade Gourmet party recently... I had heard of the company but never bought from them because I didn't really care for their prices. But to help my friend, I decided to go and buy... and I did buy things we would use. Fajita mix, Fried Rice stuff and Beef and Broccoli stuff.

When they arrived I was very underwhelmed by the amount of product I actually got in comparison to the price I paid.

The fajita and beef mixes were about 2-3 tablespoons of seasoning and 1 "steamer" bag... The Fried Rice Mix was uhhh terribly small; about 1.5 cups of rice with dried stuff inside it (certainly not enough to feed my family).

I paid how much for this? Hummm... Oh well.

So they sat on my counter for a week... or more... got shuffled around the counter really. Finally tonight I decided to make the fajitas! Yumm, we love fajitas.

The directions are on the flap... I googled a picture and LOOK there is the exact one, so you know what I am talking about!

The fold is where the packaging is sealed around the plastic and the directions are under the flap... behind the red logo and the nutritional information...

That bottom tear off tab is pretty inventive. The other side has a shopping list of what I need for my meal. Though there are two ingredients... not like someone couldn't remember chicken and veggies ;) LOL Anyhow...

But now we come to time to make the meal...

Only microwave directions... what the?! No where on the package does it say that it's only for the microwave but okay... we will deal.

So go to read the directions... And some of the directions are SEALED into the packaging. I can't read it no matter how hard I try. Tear the top off to possibly get to the directions that are sealed into the fold... didn't work. Oh well, surely I can figure them out with out this one or two lines... Nope. It didn't make ANY SENSE!

Off to Google I went... to LOOK UP the directions online... and as luck would have it... I found it... but they are COMPLETELY different then the directions on the package... but they are from the company. IN FACT they are MUCH easier to understand... MUCH easier to tell what needed to happen. It was like the directions on the package were written by a monkey and the ones on their site a human.

And you think I am kidding?! I am not. *sigh*

Ahem...

Okay, now that I have non-monkey directions that are complete I am off to make the meal. But then I see... It's only suppose to make 6 fajitas! Ahhhh! Great. Press on Heather, press on.

I put the frozen cooked chicken into the steam bag. Poured my 3 Tablespoons of gold... I mean seasoning into the bag, sealed it and then stuck it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Easy enough. After 3 minutes added my veggies, shook the bag, and put it back in for 3 minutes. Then shook again and another couple minutes until everything was hot and mixed.

A+ on ease of preparation once I had non-monkey directions! I was impressed with how EASY & QUICK it was... now comes the taste. For this price it should be FABULOUS! Right?

I served everyone... trying to be sparse because it only makes 6 remember?

Here we go... let's eat... Hummm this is... uhh... what is this? Oh Fajitas right... So it umm... it doesn't taste much like anything. I mean I can tell it's fajitas... but for 50 cents at Walmart I can get a similar fajita mix (with the same amount mind you!!!). So I paid how much for "eh okay" fajita mix? And I seem to remember Walmart's Fajita mix being yummers... and not laced with gold.

Kids verdict... "Can I be done?" (less then half way thru-- from all three), Sleepover kid ate her whole thing.

Jake's verdict... After drenching it in salsa, sour cream and cheese... "I like it!"

Mom's verdict... Ehh.. Okay. I would never buy it again for THAT price. I will stick with 50 cent seasoning at Walmart, thanks.

So yup, it made 6 fajitas... no one ~~wanted~~ had seconds. Not even "I like it" man... Hummm.

Overall Scores

Packaging: F

Directions: D

Ease of Preparation: A+

Time spent in kitchen: A+

Flavor: D

Price: F

Total Price for Meal per serving: F

There is my review... I would NOT buy it again.

Nope, I did not...

2009-09-25T09:59:00.002-06:00

Dream of coffee... Instead I was woken up at 2:45 by someone outside... their car... I am not exactly sure. I thought it was the neighbor going into labor... so of course I popped up to peek... It wasn't. It was the neighbor across the way coming home at 2:45... which is only slightly annoying... because afterall, he is a firefighter! So he must have been at a call... Hope whatever it was turned out okay!

So in other news, my SIL Dana and her kids (possibly her husband too) will be coming for a visit the first part of October! How fun! We are so excited!!! I can't wait! CANT WAIT! :)

You know you need coffee when...

2009-09-24T07:15:00.003-06:00

You dream about it... Yes really.

So in my dream I went to Starbucks and stood in a long line while Esther (my SIL) and Jake and a bunch of kids waited in an over crowded car. But I was driving from San Fransisco to Ukiah and I NEEDED that coffee. Told the lady what I wanted... after a 30 minute or so wait... got it and then laughed. It was wrong... so I tried again. And it took her like 30 more minutes to make a Vente, Whole milk Latte, with Sugar Free Caramel NO FOAM!

I was a bit worried about Jake and Esther in the car... but figured they had no where else to go and they would wait for me.

Finally it looked like the dingy barista got my order right... so I took it and left only to find out it was SOY!!!!! I threw up my hands in disgust and frustration and just headed out the door to find Jake and Esther.

Then I got hit on by someone at someones work... or rather... I thought I was getting hit on..

"Nice phone!" was the line... My reply, "Give me a break, everyone has one. Use another line." TO which the person replied, "No really, I like your phone..."

Anyhow... needless to say... when you dream about coffee... you got it bad! It's in the pot now.

More ponderings...

2009-09-23T14:11:00.002-06:00

Why is the sad cebu sad? Is the canoe wood, or aluminium?

Really, the things that we ponder during our daily lives.

What shall we do? Where shall we go? What is the square root of 5million?

All valid questions to ponder... Really.

But the better question would be... Why is Starbucks so yummy? Why don't we have unlimited cash to splurge on it every day? AND WHY FOR GOODNESS SAKES IS THERE NOT A DRIVE THRU ONE IN HIGHLANDS RANCH?!?!?

Ahem... I digress.

Today, I didn't make myself coffee. And today, I feel like a train has hit me square in the face. I was sitting on the couch reading with Toby and it hit me...

No, no not his breath... but that was pretty rancid too... it was the fatigue. And the fact I didn't have coffee, screaming in my head.

Or I suppose it could have been the Krispy Kreme donut that was causing a carb induced coma... hummm... I think it was the lack of coffee.

I really just want there to be a drive thru Starbucks around here... I had 6 kids... and It was cold outside... and I don't leave kids in the car, even for a quick run into get life saving Elixir!

So really... Why, oh why... Is there not one in Highlands Ranch?? There is one on the very WEST side of HR... but nowhere NEAR me... and while it would be a good use of time to drive all the way over there to get a cup of coffee... I didn't think I could keep my eyeballs opened that long to make it there in one piece!

Ahh well, note to self. Make coffee tomorrow.

So just Marsi reads... Awesome!

2009-09-21T08:18:00.002-06:00

;)

Well, Marsi agrees... maybe I should just leave it up for a sounding board. When I really need to vent or something. I dunno, just feels so neglected that Larry and Bob...

In other news... I think fall arrived this morning. It's rainy and cold and there are yellow leaves on our little tree! Just like that.

What happened to the nice gradual change of weather?

Oh, that was in CA ;) 110 down to 90... to 80... to 70 where it stays all winter ;) LOL I miss those cold days!!! ;)

Holy Smokes!

2009-09-19T11:26:00.001-06:00

Really, blogging seems to be going the way of the dinosaurs for me. Maybe I am just so busy that I just forget... I am quite busy these days... but not too busy to Micro-blog (aka Facebook)... so maybe it's time to let THIS blog go? Maybe? I mean I think all who read are on Facebook right?

I dunno, sometimes this is a nice sounding board. But I am just not finding time for it anymore.

Blah! I dunno!

What do you think?

*tapping fingers*

Three day weekend... ahhhh!

2009-09-04T07:36:00.002-06:00

Well, it's coming, we have a three day weekend coming up.

I dunno who is more excited me or the rest of the world?!? I am so ready for a break this weekend. I feel like I have been moving non stop since February... Oh wait, I HAVE! And this is my first (and only) weekend that I have off. Sweeeet!

I am hoping to get thru my novel... not hoping, but longing really. I really need to do it.

So ask... ask me how its going... spur me forward... after I have my coffee.

Missed another one...

2009-09-03T11:09:00.002-06:00

Drat!

Well, every other day just might have to do. I seem to have less and less time on this contraption these days. What with the kids schooling and me watching other people's monkeys.

I am planning (in my head) the architecture of the pirate ship cake... should be interesting... Maybe I will just make it flat not 3-D... no idea.

Been working on looking for a dining room table... that has proved frustrating. Either too expensive or too junky (craigslist) and then there are the jerks. Yah, encountered one of those too.

I am looking forward to my three day weekend. Planning to do next to nothing... So if you need me. I will be here.. hopefully reading my MS and getting that out of the way ;)

Sept First... why are you here?

2009-09-01T10:23:00.003-06:00

How on earth did THAT happen? September 1st... really?

Ohh goodness. I think someone set the world to spinning faster then usual and now... now it's September! It's that whole time space thing... I just know it. Someone pushed fast forward and forgot to turn it off... if I find out who...

Anyway, things are moving along here. The house is getting together, if not already together. Still searching for "the right table" for the front room. That is a task in itself because we aren't independently wealthy! Ha! Tables can be grossly over priced! It's nutty!

Hoping that I hear back from one on Craigslist... just the right color... chairs... we will see. And way under retail... WAY! ;)

Things are going well here though. We finally planned the boys birthday... a few (okay okay 6) months later then their actual birthdays. BUT I think we are going to do this forever. Summer birthday's are much more fun then dead of winter ones. ;) So we are doing a Lego Pirate party for them!

Should be a lot of fun!!

PL or artypay itelay....

2009-08-31T08:49:00.001-06:00

(Read that in piglatin! can't use the REAL word! ;))

I love candles... I am running out of candles...

So instead of giving someone else the money... I am going to start up as a hobbyist again.

I am not going all out and striving for the top! EVER again unless I have no children left to deal with... cuzz its too much work. But I am going to sell again and give away free candles ;)

So if you want to have a show... let me know. Otherwise, you know where to get your wax fix once again ;) :-P

Crikey!!

2009-08-29T21:01:00.002-06:00

Boy I am great at blogging everyday, huh?

Sheesh! Well uhh lots to say... Too little of a keyboard to type it out ;)

tomorrow... Bears game!!!

Depression and other things that cause your brain to cease...

2009-08-27T09:14:00.002-06:00

Like death... No, no we won't go morbid here... ;)

But I am talking about depression and other stuff at the moment.

I have friends who struggle with depressive sides of life... and some family. Some of them are openly admitting to their needs and that is fabulous. Others, not so much. Then there are those who just allow life to cause them to be "depressed". They DECIDE to let their circumstances rule them. Which in turn, makes them upset and then "depressed".

Those with chemical issues, can't help it. They take meds, do their best to stay "happy" and healthy... but sometimes it's just not enough. I have some very good friends (and family) who struggle (like I said) daily with depression... so I guess I have a somewhat small grip on it.

However, I really struggle with the people who pull out the WHOA IS ME card when their circumstances just aren't the happiest. That is not depression... that is life. And sometimes life that WE create for ourselves... outside of God's will... outside of what is RIGHT for our families etc.

When I am in my funks... I won't call them depression because frankly I am not clinically diagnosed as such and there is no reason to claim such unless I REALLY AM... I think people use it too loosely like LOVE and HATE...

Ahem... Rambling now...

When I am in my funk, I usually keep to myself... don't want to burden others with my "issues". Sometimes this results in people feeling ignored by me... but when I have to get thru my funk... who wants to be around that? Certainly not me... but I have to. So why subject others to it. Ya know?

When some other people have these "issues" they need to deal with, they desperately need people to surround them. But what happens when I am going thru issues of my own? What happens when my friends (or family) are dealing with something the same time I am? I am a isolation person (when I deal with these issues) which means I try and deal with them on my own and not to burden others. But then the opposite person feels neglected and says such and makes me feel guilty... Oh yes... Guilt again. Only mine to own, I know. But when I am made to feel guilty, when I am going thru my own "issues", it's not fun. And it's a hard line to balance.

Do I drop everything and race to my friend's (family's) rescue?

No. I tried that. Makes me even more "issued" then before because I am not taking care of me!

So what on earth is this all about really? No idea... just had to get that all out.

Yes, I am going thru something. No, I don't need your help... Just Jesus.

Table searching...

2009-08-26T21:24:00.002-06:00

So there is this SPOT in my front room... that needs a table... ;) So I went looking for one at ONE store tonight (Renee the same one I looked at before) and NOTHING in there made me go GOTTA HAVE IT! In fact, I think it was the same set of tables that we saw last time we were there... wasnt that almost 2 years ago?!?!

Anyhow... I hate furniture shopping... really. It's tedious! But it must be done if I want a table that seats more then just my family and one guest (well and a baby in a high chair) ;).

Any ideas? I would shop online if I knew they would ship and not charge me my child... though I can think of one today that I would gladly give up as payment. But that is another ball of wax.

*sigh*

I am exhausted. I went to bed at 9:30 (Let me rephrase that-- was asleep before the clock hit 9:30) and slept until the alarm woke me at 7:00... and then didn't want to get out of bed. Hummm, I have a feeling my iron is all outta whack again... partially due to that monthly visitor women have... she came days early (AGAIN) and he is mad as fire... what did I ever do to piss her off? Sheesh if I knew, I would totally repent... but alas I think it's just the Gilhooly curse...

*sigh again*

I guess I am headed to bed... cuzz I could sure use some more sleep...

Tables... I will dream of tables...

Jimminey!!

2009-08-25T07:55:00.004-06:00

I missed a day already???

Sheesh I am hopeless ;) the good news is I realized I missed it only after one day not twelve.

In my defense, it was a really busy day of kids, meal preps and then I went to Nichole's fora food show! I got home around 9:30 did a few things then crashed! I was on my feet so much yesterday that I had Charlie Horses all night.. So i know it was a long day!!

And today.. Well it promises the same! But less food prep..

I got this "great" cookbook called "The Everything Meals for a month cookbook" and let me tell you... It makes me want to write a Real Moms cook ahead once a month cookbook... Cuz making 3 of thier "easy" meals took about 3 hours!!! When I can usually make 10-12 in three hours!!!

Part of the reason ppl cook ahead is because they need more time in thier days! This was insaine!!!

They may taste better... Maybe but I am not sure it is worth it!!!

Sunday Summary...

2009-08-23T21:07:00.002-06:00

Well, today was a good day.. but boy am I tired now. It's probably carry over from yesterday's events... Moving Jessica, going to a few stores and going to the Rockies/Giants game. It was a good day, mind you, just it took a lot of energy... which I didn't realize until today when I crashed and actually napped.

**GASP**

Yes, I -- Heather S. Neff -- napped. Mark it down people. This only happens twice a year on the rare occasion (Christmas and New Years).

So let me rewind a bit... We went to bed late... late late... then got up late late late and was LATE to church (by 5 minutes--- even without kids!!!). Then we listened to a great teaching on compassion. And then heard our pastor sing "Jesus Freak" by DC Talk... LOL... then came home and did the nap thing after a free lunch at KFC. ;)

Free Lunch was due to the KFC Grilled Chicken giveaway from months ago... they finally made good on their rain checks! And it was good.

Then I slept-- for only an hour, but I slept--

Then we headed off to Kick Off Night for AWANA... where they had a Master Illusionist, Hunter James. Who as luck would have it, is headed to YWAM next month! For those that remember, I am a YWAMer... so I really had wished I had more money in my wallet to give him... but he was soo good. Gave a testimony about the Lord and it headed to a wonderful experience in Australia with YWAM. We plan to write and encourage him while he is there.

Anyhow... while I was at church waiting between Awana stuff and the Illusionist (who only 18 and was excellent by the way!!!) I checked my email on my phone... it's been a few days since I checked my email...

I got this odd email that I just glanced over... a post from 2007 when I had just moved to Littleton... someone commented on. Hummm... with the glance... it seemed like the person who was "anonymous" was being rude. I thought about deleting it but decided I needed to sit and read it and see what they had to say.

So I get home tonight after the great Illusionist (that had Toby completely SHOCKED!!!!!) and sat down to check my emails... and read the original post FIRST then read the "anonymous" persons response.

And I am glad, glad, glad, I didn't delete it. He wasn't being rude... he was being frank. And for me, I think that was needed. He said some true things... not rude at all. He said them in love. He is right... who was making me feel guilty about that situation... it was me! And his post, may have just helped heal an old wound.

Weird how it works that way. Some Anonymous person over the net... used the Jesus Salve of wisdom... Nice.

Now I am going to bed.

Blogging from the iPhone...

2009-08-22T10:43:00.002-06:00

Blogging from the backseat of jake's car!

Helping Jessica move! Then headed to the game!!

The boys are at Nichole's & Iona is with Krista! We have the night off as parents! Woo hoo! But we have plans... The game ;)

It counts...

2009-08-21T07:45:00.000-06:00

Let's do a sound off today... Who is still reading blogs these days?

I hung up the curtains in my room yesterday! The bright morning sun has been waking me up waaay earlier then my alarm! I couldn't figure out why... The it hit me... Literally!! A reflection from across the street that is!

This morning when my alarm went off and woke me.... Ahhhh the bliss!!

We are helping a friend move tomorrow then off to the game!! Yeeehaw!

I resolve...

2009-08-20T08:33:00.002-06:00

I resolve to start blogging daily again...

Not only because I miss my vent sessions... but because I bet my family and friends are wondering "Where in the world is..." well... Carmen definitely is not here... but we are!

So much going on... where to start...

We made our big move... Saturday the 15th... 13 miles across town to the most beautiful house on the planet... well at least it's close. ;) The owners are heading overseas in September and we were humbled and blessed to be asked to take over the mortgage while they are gone. I burst out in tears when the realization hit of how blessed we really are.

A few days before we moved I had this feeling that the FIRST THING we needed to do was pray over the house and take communion dedicating our lives and service in this house to the Lord. And also pray over the owners as they venture into the unknown for Jesus. So we did! It was awesome... the owners wife and I both cried as we prayed... and we shared the Lord's supper. Remembering that this is all possible because he loves us and sent his son.

*misty*

So yes, we are moved. If you need a new address let me know!

On other fronts... I am hoping this new move will end some stress for me. It's really stressful to anticipate a move and then do it! I have been recluse-ish lately because of various reasons... one of them being that I was stressed about the pending move. Cuzz it was up in the air for a while about specific dates and whatnot. So I am hoping to get back to "NORMAL" again soon.

I also could blame a bit of my spider tendencies on the fact that it was summer and I didn't get to see my parents. They came out last summer/fall and we weren't able to make our normal trip to California YET AGAIN due to the state of the Union. So I am trying to make it back from Christmas but again... I just hope that it can happen. Makes me get all worked up thinking about not being able to make it again! So I am really going to try to cut all corners and get out there.

School for the kids is getting underway again... I am a bit freaked out that Iona is in 5th grade now... how on earth does that happen?!? Wasn't she JUST in

1st??? Yikes... It's really a crazy thing. Gabe is in 3rd... going to play football again if we can find a team that is closer then his last one (13 miles away)... and Toby is in 1st! Schooling three grades... I must be crazy ;)

Oh and lets add in the preschoolers I have... N, B, & J... They are preschooling 2-3 times a week with me... CRAZY!!! Though N is so smart, I think I am going to let him do some of Toby's work.

This week though, to ease into it... it's mostly just art fun. We are learning the "Rules of the House" in relation to God's word... and we went over Rule 1 the first day. "We obey the Lord Jesus Christ." which really means that all other 20 rules are redundant because that incorporates ALL of them... BUT kids don't realize that.. yet!

So yes, schooling will be an awesome challenge. I was going to enroll the kids in HOPE this year... but I think I decided against it. Iona REALLY wants to go.. but I am not sure how I can make it work with the other kids. So we will pass this year.

Anything else brewing? Hummm... Going to the Rockies Giants game on Saturday... that should be awesome. We have seats right near the foul pole... which means we have opportunities to catch fly balls! Woo! ;)

We are going to the Bears Broncos game on the 30th... that should be the highlight of Jake's life if Cutler can make it happen!!! We are hoping so anyway. It will be fun to see Orton again too.. tee hee... specially when we can be excited he is stinking so badly ;)

Not much else on to report... just trying to let the dust settle here at the new house... get some decor up and then take some pics for all to see.

TTFN!

HeavenFest!

2009-08-09T09:40:00.001-06:00

Wow, what a great day. I was sad I had to miss my Uncle Jake's wedding... but this was a good alternative. Definitly want to go next year... armed with chairs and a softside cooler... ;) It was good :)

Oh boy am I tired..

2009-08-05T08:48:00.002-06:00

I wish I was still sleeping... It's almost 9:00am but yet I am exhausted. How on earth does that happen? I think I got the right amount of sleep last night... Oh well. What can ya do, I am up now.

The packing is going... well... it's going. I am starting to get stressed out because we have a few friends coming into town this weekend... and the house is torn into bits. I hate having a dirty house and when you are packing, it's like you just can't help it! Stuff is everywhere!!

So the next two days before she gets there... with her 3 kids... I will be cramming... How does one cram for packing/cleaning... LOL ;) I dunno entirely... but we will find out. ;)

If you need me... I will be here... popping the tums... packing boxes... cleaning things... having a ball.

Take me to my leader!

Update of the massive kind... I think

2009-07-22T09:04:00.004-06:00

Ok, so as I start this, the thoughts are that it's going to be a long, long, LONG update on what has been going on and pics and all that good jazz. But I have a sinus headache, so we will see what we get.

So we headed to South Dakota... and we did in fact play the license plate game all the way... I think we only did not see a few states... like New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Seems those people in those small states think they have to take STAY-cations and just hang out at home. ;)

We saw all provinces of Canada, Mexico and the rest of the states. Yes, I am sure you wanted to know that. But we wrote them all down, so we have to share them someplace! ;)

So South Dakota was good. We saw my Aunt and her family there. We did lots of fun stuff and then headed out to Rapid City to see my Ellsworth gang. That was a blast too! We had a ton of fun, even if we were missing a few of our "gang".

It was such a SHORT time in SD... I wasnt able to see everyone I wanted to see. It was way too short. I felt bad for not being able to see everyone but what can ya do? I can't stop time!

So then we came home... dragging Aliegha along with us! She will be here until we move. Travis and Wenona and the other two girls will come down and help us move on the 15th... Hooray! One more box carrying body ;) (You want to help? Let me know!)

Only 3 days after we got home, we headed off to camp in the Pike National Forest. Looking thru my pics, I realize that we didnt take a pic of "camp" but it was a pretty nifty set-up. The only campsite that would and could hold two tents. Right on the Platte River... it was great. Cold at night, but great! The kids have had sooooo much fun! Jake, uhhh, not so much. He is not the camping type ;)

So then we got home and us adults were ready to fall down dead exhausted. But the two girls got invited to go camping again! And they went! In a cabin this time, and up in Golden Gate State Park (north of Golden). I talked to Iona yesterday and she was having a blast!

My bet is that they will collapse when they get home ;)

So, now I have been packing since I got home. We are moving down to a friends house August 15... and we are supposed to be camping a week in there... so umm I have like 2.25 weeks to pack this house... and clean it. talk about pressure!

Which means, my time on the net or my blog will be very very limited. I have to get stuff completed. Or else Houston has a problem ;)

Ummmm, I think that is all. It wasn't epic like I thought it might be...

Oh novel update... Jake has like 70 pages left in edit mode. Then I reread it... change a couple things... and out it goes... Weird but true.

Off to pack!

Exhausted...

2009-07-19T21:31:00.001-06:00

South Dakota... then camping... I am done for. I will post more tomorrow. Need to sleep.

Three by three

2009-07-13T17:16:00.001-06:00

Helecopter parade today!

Gabe's foot is infected!

2009-07-13T08:38:00.001-06:00

A trip to the ER confirmed it...

Road Work

2009-07-11T08:29:00.000-06:00

Road work had slowwwwed us in Wy.... 20 minutes later we are still here.

Here we go again

2009-07-11T06:36:00.000-06:00

Ouch

2009-07-10T14:51:00.000-06:00

He might need a tetnis shot. Big ugly rusted pipe did this!

2009-07-04T20:39:00.000-06:00

Happy fire...

2009-07-04T19:45:00.000-06:00

I mean fourth of July!

Prayers for Dale

2009-07-03T10:47:00.004-06:00

My Aunt Staci's Father-In-Law, Dale, was diagnosed with cancer about 5 months ago... He has stage 4 melanoma on his liver. How that happened is pretty easy to explain. He had it on his back and it traveled through his blood stream and attacked his liver. He is in the hospital this week with some unexplained bleeding. He was supposed to get home the day we got here but they aren't releasing him yet. They have had to give him a blood transfusion and all sorts of other stuff. Things are just not looking well.

If you would keep the family in your prayers that would be excellent. It's a tough time right now and they just aren't sure how long they have with Dale.

Lots Pics!

2009-07-02T21:18:00.006-06:00

So, as you can tell by the pages of pic posts... I am posting a lot of pics... Lol

thank you captain obvious!

But what is my reason? Well ATT in SD sucks! If I hold my phone just so and tilt my head then wave my hand in the air when the signal comes by... Then maybe I will get service... Maybe!

But with pics, it's just an email which sends in it's own time! So enjoy the pics.. I am sure there will be more tomorrow!

Farm= Fun II

2009-07-02T18:55:00.000-06:00

XTRA the calf

2009-07-02T18:48:00.000-06:00

Farm = Fun

2009-07-02T18:47:00.000-06:00

Iona, #43 and XTRA

2009-07-02T18:46:00.000-06:00

Cow kisses

2009-07-02T18:43:00.000-06:00

The actual anchor

2009-07-02T13:44:00.000-06:00

The steering wheel

2009-07-02T13:30:00.000-06:00

These are the actual pieces of the boat!

Model

2009-07-02T13:28:00.000-06:00

Info about USS SS BB -57

2009-07-02T13:26:00.000-06:00

USS South Dakota BB-57

2009-07-02T13:25:00.000-06:00

Capt'n Iona

2009-07-02T13:23:00.000-06:00

2009-07-02T13:22:00.000-06:00

USS South Dakota BB-57

2009-07-02T13:21:00.000-06:00

Gabe picked this up a CEC

2009-07-02T13:19:00.000-06:00

Rest stop teepee!

2009-07-01T15:44:00.001-06:00

Loving this humidity! No really! Ahhhhhhhhhh I live it!

Rush hour in Sioux city!

2009-07-01T15:04:00.000-06:00

In Iowa?

2009-07-01T13:44:00.001-06:00

Luchtime

2009-07-01T11:05:00.000-06:00

Stopping for a break and lunch!

Archway monument in NE

2009-07-01T10:30:00.000-06:00

License plate game...

2009-07-01T08:43:00.001-06:00

I wonder which plates we won't see today on 80. We have seen Ontario,
TN, NM, IL, AZ, MI, WI, CA, NE, OK, TX, IN and we have on been on 80
for 20 minutes.

Sent from Heather's mobile email on the iPhone!

Van bs Car

2009-07-01T08:19:00.001-06:00

Yup, I took the van..more gas but less stress... It was a last minute
choice!

Sent from Heather's mobile email on the iPhone!

Nebraska

2009-07-01T08:15:00.000-06:00

I dunno if you cam see it... But the sign tells us so!

And we're off!

2009-07-01T05:24:00.000-06:00

Clocks don't lie...

2009-07-01T04:35:00.000-06:00

And we are... Up anyway. A little earlier then expected. That's a
different post... LoL

Heatherbucks is ready...

2009-06-30T22:03:00.001-06:00

The coffee... Err latte... is ready fir the trek tomorrow, yes I think
I will drink it all ;)

2009-06-30T14:15:00.001-06:00

The posts start now...

2009-06-30T14:03:00.002-06:00

Documentation of our small road trip to SD... First Sioux Falls the Rapid City! Taking pics and whatnot all the way!

Tomorrow we leave at dark thirty... So I will post pics then too... Gotta figure out how to mobile upload lol

I will try now... It will be a frazzled pic of me needed to get a ton done... Instead I am blogging.

Dedication!

I will admit...

2009-06-25T17:40:00.003-06:00

I have fallen off the blog-wagon a bit... I attempt to re-board... and then fall off again. I think it has something to do with the fact that the computer is waaaay down stairs... and I am usually up stairs!

But, God has welcomed me to the next century with a new iPhone... which now means I can read blogs, post, check email, etc while waiting in line at Starbucks; Waiting in a traffic Jam; in dark places; at a friends house for the afternoon; and much, MUCH, much more!

So my confession... if you have a blog... I probably haven't read it in the last 2 months or more... Please don't unfollow me! I have a new application on my phone that shows them to me now and I can read them with ease! Ahhhhhhh!

I can't wait to catch up... I started already with a few of you... the rest of you... keep your knickers on, I am coming!

iPhone...

2009-06-24T00:03:00.000-06:00

I got one... and I *heart* it!

That is all for tonight ;) Must sleep ;)

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10---how many?

2009-06-18T22:22:00.000-06:00

We came home from Elitches tonight and had... more then a dozen moths flying around the house. Where on earth are they coming from? And who authorized this? Yuk!

We did have fun at Elitches... we made (forced) Toby to go on the Twister Rollercoaster... he was whining at first but I made him suck it up... now he says it's his fav... what a nerd.

The "I told you so" came out in full force after that one ;)

I was going to post about something else... but I cant remember what it was... Maybe I might remember in the middle of the night... again... maybe.

So mental...

2009-06-18T10:01:00.001-06:00

I posted on the 6th that it was 2 years ago... Uhhh no... make that 3. Sheesh I am mental! LOL

06-07 1 year

07-08 2 years

08-09 3 years...

Yup, I am losing my mind.

3 years... yup.

I didn't mean it!

2009-06-14T22:15:00.004-06:00

LOL

Okay, well I guess my post about TNL got passed around... and around... My bad ;)

Jake wants to make sure everyone knows HE LOVED IT and is all upset if my post will "make it change" cuzz honestly he loved it.

However, I did discuss with him the fact that if we had a small baby this wouldn't be okay... to which he agreed. We also discussed that it wouldn't be okay for an older person, to which is also agreed.

BUT he loves the loud... really he does.

I said, "Well loud but less loud would be okay right?"

His response... "Uhhhhhhhh...."

LOL

Men ;)

Bolt, the superdog!

2009-06-10T23:07:00.002-06:00

Today was a long... long day. I watched a few kids, then a few more and tomorrow promises to be the same! Just different kids ;)

The highlight of my evening was bringing the Tankersley boys back home to their house and telling them they were going to watch Bolt... Cuzz *I* had never seen it. With all the technology in the Tanks house, yes, I chose to watch Bolt with the boys.

15 minutes into the movie... not 1, not 2 but indeed all 3 boys had crashed, dead asleep on the couch and chairs.

I knew they had played hard at my house... trampoline... water gun fights (but shhhh don't tell Robin, she doesn't like guns... LOL 00h, Hi Robin! ;))... running (literally) around the outside of the house finding the MAGIC door to the backyard... more running... tons of pizza and then get them here and CRASH! They are out for the count! AND a full hour or more earlier then expected!

Hummmm ;)

So after they crashed, I did what any person would do... I finished watching BOLT!

Yup, I could have gotten up and did something else... instead I listened to Miley Cyrus and John Travolta speak to life-- Penny and Bolt... and let me just say...

I cried.
I did.
I admit it.
I am lame.
But I cried.
And I loved it!

And I am glad I chose to waste my precious time on the boob-tube with that movie. Cute.

TNL - Tuesday Night Live... or The Next Level

2009-06-09T22:40:00.003-06:00

We were invited to attend a Tuesday night church service of a TNL or The Next Level Church by the new pastors that were hired there this spring. Debra and Chip also homeschool, which is how we got talking about church and that they are now in this position God led them to out of Oregon.

Did that all make sense? I am tired.

ANYHOW, Deb and Chip invited us to come and we went tonight.

Holy Peter, Paul and Mary... It was loud. Not just loud. But L-O-U-D! She warned us it was loud... but I had NO idea just how loud until we were in it...

And it was great! ;)

Definitely not for some people... def. definitely! Jake and I named a few as we drove home. But definitely a place for Jake! Geez it was loud!

And the message was challenging! Really made all the different levels of churched and unchurched think about what was being said. It was good. The 8 week series is called Redemption, Hope and Healing. And it was good. I think I already said that though. ;)

We will visit again!

What to post about...

2009-06-08T21:05:00.002-06:00

What about the weather?

5 Tornados touched town in Colorado on Saturday... Some minor damage... and some great pics... not taken by me though, thankfully they were not around my area but about 20 miles east! It was crazy!

This is a pic taken just outside my friends house. Eeerie!

What about sports?

Today we had another wonderful Homeschool Day of Soccer. 13 kids showed up and we ran around like crazy people in the coolness of June... I think it was only 68 today! Crazy! I got to play on the RED team... but Gabriel had already scored 8 goals for the blue team before I joined the Red... LOL Yes, he is that good. But it was fun :)

What about moving?

Why, yes! We are moving... eventually... someday... just not sure of the day yet. Could be in 15 days... could be in 60 days... no idea. When will we know? Well, the LL of this house is still making his decision. He can't be rushed, cuzz this is his investment ya know? But it is a bit unnerving. We did go over to the "new house" today and plot out where our stuff would go. Took some pics... I dont think I have enough stuff to fill this new house (LOL)... Oh well... Maybe I need to go to the Stuff-Mart.

What about summer plans?

I am heading to South Dakota for a few days to see my Aunt and have a Doctors appointment there with my original Doc... that will be fun to see them again. Both the Doc and my Aunt and her kids! LOL!

We aren't going anywhere else though... the only reason I get to go to SD is beccause of the Doc... it's a two fold trip... I need an EGD and I only trust Dr. Harris.

What about life?

It's life as we know it. What else.

10:44pm... I didn't miss it!

2009-06-06T22:43:00.001-06:00

Today we went to Elitch Gardens to see Relient K.... and I almost slapped some teenagers... but that is another post. I am tired and not wanting to rehash that again tonight... I will probably dream about decking some little snag of a teenager... Ahem.

BUT Today... 2 years ago... my life changed forever. Happy Anniversary to me... the day I went THRU with the decision to get healthy and stay that way.

Here is to 50 more! :)

Now I am going to bed...

My heart is heavy...

2009-06-02T09:22:00.002-06:00

A good friend of mine, Mel in Australia, and her husband Darrin lost their baby, Ian, this morning. He was only 48 hours old... He had complications that were probably onset at conception. But they aren't sure.

Please pray for Mel and Darrin (and big brother Caleb). I can't imagine the heartache they are dealing with right now.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow...

2009-06-01T17:06:00.001-06:00

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

He is faithful... Royal Family is completely funded.

Praise the Lord.

Update on Royal Family!

2009-06-01T09:02:00.003-06:00

Praise the Lord, they only need about 800 more dollars to have camp completely funded! Praise the Lord.

Prayers for a dry week next week are welcomed. Who wants to be at camp with all that rain ;)

As for me... I am doing okay. I am sick. Yes, very sick. I had/have a sinus infection that is turning to something else... so off to the Doctor I will try and convince myself to go.

Though this morning, I was feeling like I felt a bit better... but that could be the calm before the storm. I used to get sick and have it last 4 weeks (No, really...) when I was 19 or so... it was miserable! And this is week #2 for this crud... I am sooooo not looking forward to week #3!!! So pray that this is the LIGHT at the end of the tunnel not another round of CRUD for my lungs...

In other news... I got 90 pages done on my weekend... I had a ton of titles to do still (cuzz those who know me know I don't do titles right away which helps me to get my pages down. I did 40 of those titles yesterday... Ha! I love my Silhouette SD! ;)

Anyhow... off to blow my nose... yet again..

Headed out of town for a couple days...

2009-05-29T06:56:00.000-06:00

See ya on the flip side!

Royal Family Kids Camp

2009-05-21T09:36:00.015-06:00

Who is Royal Family Kids' Camps?

(http://littleton.rfkc.org)

The nation's leading network of camps for abused, neglected and abandoned children.

Annually, 3.6 million cases of child abuse, neglect or abandonment are reported in America.
One of these victims dies every six hours due to that abuse*. But you can make a difference — through your support of Royal Family Kids' Camps.
Royal Family Kids' Camps, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity. Donations and gifts are tax-deductible, as allowed by law. Royal Family Kids' Camps, Inc.'s Federal Taxpayer I.D. Number is 33-0380021.

What can YOU do to help the local Littleton Chapter of RFKC??

My friend, Heather T, is the director of the Littleton Royal Family Kids Camp and they are in desperate need of donations... $5, $10, $20 or $100! It costs $650 per child to send them to camp. Camp is in TWO WEEKS! And they are without sponsorship for about 7 of these precious children!!!! Can you give ANY donation to RFKC Littleton???

You can use the Littleton RFKC donation link located at the top of their page or you can mail the check to Heather T or to me and I will get it to them. Paypal is also an option.

Camp is only two weeks away!

Please pray that people feel the need for these kids. This is some of these children's only opportunity to get out and be treated with the love they deserve!

If you think your church would be willing to help these foster children out, we can get a formal letter to them... but we need help ASAP!

Please, please, please, pray about supporting these 24 kids to get to camp... PLEASE!!!

(I am not in any way shape or form related to the Royal Family Kids Camp Littleton, I just feel their burden and share friendships with many of the counselors and the director!!!)

Bermuda, Bahamas... Come on pretty mama...

2009-05-18T21:41:00.003-06:00

Bermuda shorts are IN!

Well on really... on my body! Sorta. Well, okay so they aren't actually on ON my body right now, but they are in my lap. That counts.

"No, it counts!"

So yesterday I did the ultimately mortifying thing and went to try on bathing suits... Good friggen gravy I am paying how much for that small of a piece of cloth? That doesn't cover the parts that need covering and the bumps that need hiding? Uhhh no.

I honestly thought I would die trying on those suits. Even the ones with the cute little skirt... the tops let your boobs fall out... well okay maybe not YOURS but certainly mine... if I twisted... just... so.

Anyhow... so we checked out just with hair bands for Iona...

Cashier: "Is this all for you?"

Me: "Yup, I came to find a swim suit."

Cashier: "Oh, you didn't find one you liked."

Me: "No, I didn't find one that hid of the things that needed to be hidden."

Cashier Chuckles: "You don't look like you need to hide anything."

Me: "You have nooooo idea."

Yes, my clothes hide my flaws... Major flaws.

Cheesy Elephant Legs... ones that would land me on Extreme Make Over if they caught sight.

Arms that would make Batman Proud to be in my company.

A stomach SANS a belly button and with tucks and pits everywhere from that friggen hernia repair.

And lets not forget the scars that stick OUT of the sides of the swimsuit whose bust cover (bandaids) don't completely cover.

Am I missing anything?

Oh yes, I forgot... adequate chest support... I am not a freaking teenager anymore... even then I needed more then adequate (thus the reasons for the scars).

*sigh*

So I said all that to say... I have resorted to men's swim shorts. I saw them ALL over Elitches last year... and for the last couple years. Cutie Patootie girls wearing these boys shorts with girls tops... So I am doing it... I bought some red shorts... and I have a great black shirt(TIGHT in all the right places so nothing spills over into anywhere) that will work beautifully for a swim shirt.

I won't be the most attractive chick on the block, but I will be covered!

Well... uhh...

2009-05-15T21:47:00.003-06:00

No friends.

I had one family for dinner... and I have a cat to prove it. Then they left... But I totally understand wanting to get back on the road to get to family at a more decent time tomorrow.

Long story... for a different medium. ;) But alas, no friends here.

In other news... the cat almost died at the hands of Lucy (our cat)... well okay, maybe DEATH isn't the right term... but it was a "cat fight" that is for sure. ;) So we are keeping them separated for the time being... until they can be supervised in close proximity! The one cat was just sorta... dropped onto the others territory ;)

Pepper, the new cat we are watching, is as sweet as pumpkin pie... and so is Lucy... but they just weren't so sure about each other ;) And one has claws, the other does not!

And now, since I have a free weekend I wasn't expecting... I guess I will go to bed early and sleep... then scrapbook some more.

Did I tell you my goals? No?

Get all caught up by the end of May... We will see how that goes. But it's my goal ;)

Life as we know it...

Really... I mean well.

Well Hello again...

All better...

*sniffle*

Week two at Options...

Hello September, wasn't it just April?

Where does the time go...

It's late... but I made a promise...

Sleep, where art thou?

Someone sound the alarm...

Energized... after a cup of coffee.

Update time!

Updates! Updates!

Ethiopia 2010

This economy...

The long update...

November... REALLY?

God is so good...

Curse you Aqua Scum!!! (again)

Really?

Ahhhh!

Curse you Aqua Scum!!!

Testing the waters...

Boycotting Presents...

I was doing good...

Sick... blah!

Homemade Gourmet

Nope, I did not...

You know you need coffee when...

More ponderings...

So just Marsi reads... Awesome!

Holy Smokes!

Three day weekend... ahhhh!

Missed another one...

Sept First... why are you here?

PL or artypay itelay....

Crikey!!

Depression and other things that cause your brain to cease...

Table searching...

Jimminey!!

Sunday Summary...

Blogging from the iPhone...

It counts...

I resolve...

HeavenFest!

Oh boy am I tired..

Update of the massive kind... I think

Exhausted...

Three by three

Gabe's foot is infected!

Road Work

Here we go again

Ouch

Happy fire...

Prayers for Dale

Lots Pics!

Farm= Fun II

XTRA the calf

Farm = Fun

Iona, #43 and XTRA

Cow kisses

The actual anchor

The steering wheel

Model

Info about USS SS BB -57

USS South Dakota BB-57

Capt'n Iona

USS South Dakota BB-57

Gabe picked this up a CEC

Rest stop teepee!

Rush hour in Sioux city!

In Iowa?

Luchtime

Archway monument in NE

License plate game...

Van bs Car

Nebraska

And we're off!

Clocks don't lie...

sniffle