need.sleep.please.

So what is up with my insomnia?

I don't really have any particular area to be stressed about....but for some reason, I cannot turn my brain off and just sleep through the night. Not that I have ever been a sound sleeper, but the few times I wake up, I normally have no problem falling right back into la-la-land. I haven't slept well for the past five nights and the bags under my eyes are becoming like a full set of luggage.

So this is just an example of what I was thinking about for the 7 random times I woke up last night.....in no particular order:

• My recently enclosed entryway/deck needs to be cleaned out, painted and furnished this spring. Right now it is like a drop-zone for what ever crap I don't want in my house along with winter garb. So, what color should I paint the walls? Do I want a rug? Can we put a TV out there?
• What else can I add to N's lapbook on plants? Oh, just an FYI.....I am now completely obsessed with this lapbook concept I was introduced to last week. It is so much fun to incorporate with your homeschooling. I found a few helpful sites, Lapbook Lessons and Free Homeschooling Lapbooks, and if you Google "lapbooks"....you will see so many resources for them. I am using it with Science this year, and next year our whole Bible study will be utilizing them.
• I need to get on the treadmill every day this week......not only to make up for my laziness this last year month week.....but to eradicate the platter of nachos I chose to make and eat four out of the past six nights. eek. (*now wondering if they might have something to do with the insomnia.........nahhhhhhhhhhh, I've inhaled many platters before bedtime all these years....so scratch that theory)
  
• my hair really needs color and a cut. I am starting to resemble Rosanna Rosanna Danna. It is not pretty. It's like the painter's house that needs painting. I work part-time as a hair stylist, yet it's been over 10 months since I've cut my hair and I've been coloring it myself. I can only imagine what the back of my head looks like....oh well, I don't have to look at it.
  
• Oh crud, did I blow out those candles in the living room before bed? Even though I remember specifically pulling back the said-frizzy-hair-that-would-go-up-like-a-haystack when I blew them out.....I still got up to double check.
• My blog even popped in my mind......I am gathering addresses today for my book giveaway and Pay it Forward players.
• Why do I let Mufasa, the 115+ pound "puppy" beast, sleep in our room when he is quite possibly the most disgusting creature God has created? He has the most foul, awful smelling farts.....and let's them rip all night. gag.
• what can we have different for dinner this week?
• Should I have grabbed that other curriculum at the CBD warehouse sale I went to on Saturday? Which btw.....I don't know if you have ever been to a sale like this.....but let me just set the stage. There was about 2500-3000 people at this warehouse......with approx. 10000000000000000000000000000000000000 books strewn on tables with no rhyme or reason to it all. I have a hard time finding a book at the library so you can imagine how I was functioning in this chaotic madhouse. Again. It wasn't pretty.
  
• Did I send in our balance for Soulfest camping that is due April 1st?
• Should I call and make my mammogram appt. that is due in July?
• Josh needs new sneakers.
• I need new sneakers.
• when should Lili and I send in that Amazing Race application?
  
• we need a new rake.
• is N's sandwich still in the living room? nah....Mufasa must have chowed that down.

So yeah, welcome to my world. This was just on the surface as to how my brain is when it's in my normal unmedicated ADD state. And that is just what I can remember this morning as I sit in a fog.

I was almost at the point of tears. I could NOT fall back asleep......I was flip flopping like a fish and knew it was a matter of time that I would wake up Josh. Not that he would deserve it with his snoring that is yet another thing to keep me awake. The only reason I let him sleep is so that our children will have at least one parent who is coherent in the morning.

So it finally dawned on me to do what I should done in the beginning. I just focused on Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

* I feel the need to announce that when I quote Scripture.......I do not just know these verses off the top of my head.....Bible Gateway is one of my favorite friends!

I just kept repeating the gist of the Scripture in my head over and over......at this point, I was almost demanding that God "hook a sista up" here. I was pleading with Him to cut me some slack knowing that 5:30 was approaching quick and that alarm clock was just waiting to ruin my life day. OK, so maybe that is exaggerating a bit.....but anyone who is sleep deprived can see where I am right now. I also included another prayer for Stellan and his mama. I cannot imagine the physical, as well as emotional strength this is requiring to press through these days.

So, we do serve a faithful God and I did fall back to sleep somewhere around 4:43....with that trusty alarm clock (that felt more like a taser on my skull) going off what seemed to be seconds later.

And here I am.
I am awake.
I have a pulse.
I am alive....that is a good thing.

I.just.need.a.nap.already.and.it's.only.7AM.

So, feel free to give me any suggestions on what you do for a good peaceful night's sleep.....I promise I am listening, even if you catch my head nod down or you hear a little zzzzzzzzz.

xox
*~Michelle~*

P.S. I love you

.....no, not the movie......although I thought it was really good, and this is coming from a non-chick flick kinda gal. (I watched it, ironically, on Valentine's Night with my mother-in-law while Josh was at work)

No...I was reminded last night on how important it is to say these three special words all the time.

So I like to read at least one book each night to N. We usually take out about 10 story books from the library and she just grabs one each night. I am finally figuring out that taking out this many causes me to constantly pay late fees as we don't get through all of them by the time they are due back....hence me trying to make this a short post so I can return the stack and pay my $2.35 today.

Last night, she chose an Angelina Ballerina book......and when I opened the cover, there was a label/sticker that brought me back to a sad time. The sticker read:

Donated in Memory of
Kaitlyn Dawn Rogers
2003

(I changed her last name to protect their privacy)

Katie was the older sister of my son H's friend, Adam. She was about 12 years old, if I remember correctly. She had a case of the flu and wasn't feeling too well one week. Her mom decided to take her into the hospital when it was going on 3 days of constant vomiting and other flu-like symptoms such as dizziness and headaches. Her mom feared dehydration and was advised to bring her in. The hospital was treating Katie for the flu and administered fluids. I believe they ran some routine bloodwork as well.

This was a Friday.....early evening.

Sunday night, Katie passed away.

Apparently, she had a tumor in her brain that was pressing on a certain area causing the dizziness and vomiting. This was only discovered with an autopsy. There was no way anyone could have guessed this and unless they would have ran MRIs or CT scans. I just don't want to turn this into the "should've, could've, would've" issue. This was clearly an unfortunate situation where it all happened so quickly, it was hard for even the doctors to process.

My heart was broken for Katie's family. I cannot imagine this happening. Parents are not supposed to outlive their children.

What broke my heart even more was that her mom, Gail decided to go home on that Sunday afternoon, just to get a change of clothes and take a shower. Something strange happened when her mom was heading out the door.....Katie told her that she was afraid for her to leave. Of course, there was no reason to believe that Katie was in any danger or dire situation and Gail reassured her that she would be back within the hour.

During that hour, Katie slipped into her fatal coma.

I am not sure what exactly happened that Sunday evening....I never really felt comfortable asking Gail the details. She told me that as soon as she walked through her door at home, the phone rang and it was the hospital telling her of Katie's unexpected spiral downward. She called her husband who was working to meet her at the hospital and told Adam he needed to come with her as well. I can envision the whole family surrounded her bedside and telling her many times how much they loved her. I am sure they told her many things that they wanted her to know. I am quite certain many prayers were said in that short time. But it was time for Katie to go to Jesus.

H tried to spend as much time with Adam following Katie's death. They had recently moved here and Adam didn't really have too many friends. I know he confided in H a few times about how he felt horrible as Katie and he had their share of normal sibling riffs. He felt guilty for the mean things he said that past week to her. He wished he could take it all back and have her around.

I won't claim to know why God chose to take Katie home at such a young age. I have no idea on why He chose to have it happen so quickly. All I can say, is that God has a reason for everything. God knew when Katie was going to die. I believe that He has everyone's life written in His Book. I believe that we die, when we have served our purpose here on Earth. It may not make any sense to the people we leave behind, it may leave us angry, hurt or with feelings of guilt...

....but it will all be explained to us when we meet Him.

So....I just felt compelled to remind everyone, including myself......that it is so important to tell your family and friends how much they mean to you......every day.

And something that *I* really need to work on.....

When we have our arguments and spats with spouses, children, family (and we all will).......
choose being kind over being right.

Think before you choose words that will be hurtful/negative.

Be slow to anger.

Be quick to forgive.



Have a blessed weekend~
*~Michelle~*

Three Things This Thursday....(a giveaway and my mind is blown away)

1. LOST.

OK, I woke up with a cramp in my jaw from sleeping with it dropped open.

My brain is on overdrive trying to figure out how young Ben could possibly been killed and how the story line would plan out or exist for that matter. I will admit that I even had dreams of chaos.

So because I have no clue about how this possible play out in this story....if Ben didn't exist in the present day.....how could all the events have played out. I am just going to take the simple route and believe that young Ben does not die and that the island heals him. That is how he is deemed
"Special" and becomes the leader eventually.

We def. saw character parallels with Sayid and Ben.....both growing up with not so healthy father figures. They both have this dark side to them......still trying to figure out which one thrives with the darkness and which one is fighting it.

There also was a parallel with another character who was one of my favorites. Mr. Eko. Remember how he killed that man for his brother when they were young? I hope he visits again with Charlie, Boone, Libby......hey wait! I seriously just thought of something. Maybe this whole young Ben dying and altering the future would explain why dead people are still hanging around and visiting. Like they are in limbo land or something......hmmmmmmm.

It's totally apparent the young Ben sent that bus blazing for distraction.......(funny line when Sawyer mumbles to Jack about it being three years with no burning buses, ya'll back for one day.....)

Guessing that the woman who is taking Sayid to "Guam" was really duped and hired by Ben to get Sayid on that flight. I just don't think she knew about what she was getting into by the way she reacted when the plane crashed. Or maybe it was Charles Whidmore who hired her?? *sigh* I cannot figure this out. These writers are GOOD.

not that we don't have the ultimate question about how this is going to affect the rest of the story.......but here are a few others to ponder.

• how did Sayid get his butt whooped by a girl?
• is Sawyer "re-born" in his new LaFleur life and will he stay loyal to Juliet?
• with Sawyers love of reading......I wonder.......did he start the "Others" Book Club?
  
• speaking of books....not that I remember my middle school days, but my husband and son are seeing "A Wrinkle in Time" thing going on.....
• Is it just me....or is Radzinsky (paranoid Dharma dude) is probably the most annoying character yet?
  
• will somebody please find Daniel Faraday to at least explain stuff to me?!?

OK, that is enough for me....I am seriously going to try not to decipher any more of this as it is making me crazy....hopefully it won't bring back the nosebleeds!

**jumping back in here....after reading some others' thoughts on Rocks in My Dryer.......it's quite ironic on how young Ben trusts Sayid, only to have him shoot him....as John Locke trusts Ben, only to be murdered by him. hmmmmmmmmm?


OKAY...........Onto two other things this Thursday~

2. This just popped into my head so I have a random offer for anyone who wants to "play".......I have been doing spring cleaning and I am purging stuff. I have a brand new paperback copy of The Shack that I am never going to be able to read......(remember that I couldn't get passed the second chapter......). I was going to drop it off at GoodWill....but I thought it would be a good giveaway if anyone wants it, I would be happy to pass it on.(I must be still in my "Pay it Foward" mode, still chance to get in on that too.)
So......just leave a comment and I'll pick a winner over the weekend. If you feel like following my blog, leave a second comment/entry! ;) Speaking of books, I am going to the Christian Book Distributors warehouse sale this weekend! WOOT! I have never been, but have been told that you can score some fantastic deals there. I am going to try to score the curriculum(s) for next year as well as a new Bible for G. He had the coolest Bible and it has been missing for the past month...I also would like to pick up that Love Dare book from Fireproof.

3. And certainly not in the order of importance.....please continue to pray for sweet Stellan.

OK friends.....time for me to start my busy day! Hope this finds you smiling.

Please leave a link to your LOST thoughts or Three Things you want to share!




peace and love~

*~Michelle~*

Prayers, Works for Me Wednesday....plus an AWARD!

Before I get into the WFMW, I would like to take a moment to ask that you say a prayer for Baby Stellan....

If you click on his photo, it will bring you to McKMama's blog and you can be updated on his condition. If there ever was a testimony of keeping the faith during the trials in this life....this is the place to read about it. It reminds us of Who is in control, Who we serve.....and Who we need to completely trust in everything.

So I wanted to jump in on the Works For Me Wednesday fun over at We are That Family's place.....and I thought it would be a great way to see if anyone wanted to join in on the "Pay it Forward" fun I talked about Monday.

So scroll down to Monday's post or click here to see if you'd like to check it out! :)

And another thing that "works for me" this Wednesday.....

I got my first second blogging award from my blogging buddy Karen! WOOT WOOT WOOT!!! (apparently I completely goofed because sweet Tiff gave me my first award....I have to blame it on a long week even though it's only Wednesday) I have been practicing my parade wave and I have a special tiara that my friend Amanda sent to me from the Pay it Forward fun. I am planning on snapping a pic of that later today (after my dready hair is tamed down and I make sure I have nothing stuck in my teeth)

The rules say I have to list 7 things I love and then pass it on to 7 bloggers I love. No problemo...


1. Of course......#1 is Jesus. That goes without saying!

2. My bestest friend in the whole world, my husband Josh....we have been together for 18+ years and are stronger/happier than ever. We have had our share of valleys, but have risen up even higher on the mountain each time. I think one of the main reasons we have been able to get this far is the gift of laughter. We still crack each other up. I always tell my kids that the secret to knowing if someone is "The One" is if they are your best friend and can make you laugh. And of course I can add my children on to this one.....my family is my life!

The next three are in no particular order and need no further explaining.

3. nachos

4. LOST (which is on tonight and always includes a platter of #3)

5. taking a hot bath with candles burning on a winter night and then jumping into warm cozy flannel sheets.

6. gardening (digging in the earth soothes the soul)

7. bargain shopping, thrift stores, yard sales. I even have a little song I sing in the car along the way!


So now I am going to pass this award onto 7 blogging buddies who I love to pop in their world......I know there are more than 7, so I am just gonna do a random off the top of my head and please keep in mind that this is 6 AM and I am only on my first cup of coffee.....so don't be offended if I did choose you.

Tiff (4under3)
Amanda
Big Mama
Lyndsey
Brandi Wilson
Catherine Wheels
Hurricane Heather
He + Me plus 3

ooooooops, that is eight.....oh well, I told you it was too early for me to think straight.

So all you need to do is let people know who gave you the award.......*batting eyelashes*.....and pass it along to 7 other blogging friends who make you smile. :)

Have fun and think about joining in on the Pay it Forward fun I am trying to set up...


Peace
*~Michelle~*

You are worth it!

.....God's grace and favor that is. Not sure who needs to hear that, but sometimes we all get in a rut thinking that only "other" people deserve God's blessings......or God has more important plans than our needs/prayers.

But the truth is.....we all are benefactors of God's inheritance when we accept Christ. An inheritance that includes unconditional love, peace in our hearts and eternal life. We receive the fruits of His Spirit which include love, joy, patience, forgiveness, faithfulness and self-discipline. These gifts give us the power to fulfill the destiny that God has planned for our life. They are what God places within us to draw others closer to Him.

He loves us all.....individually.

He knows the number of hairs on our head! So yeah, I'd say that He cares about every little detail in our lives....and wants to be part of every bit of it.



So I don't have a particular reason for posting all that....it just poured out for some reason. Maybe God knew someone might be popping in my world today and needed to be reminded of that. He loves YOU! Run to Him....He is waiting to bless you in more ways than you can imagine.

But I do have a reason for talking about blessings..... I want to have a little "pay it forward" kinda fun that my friend Amanda did on her blog. Basically, I will pick three people to send a little box of joy to.....it will just be filled with a few little trinkets to brighten your day (after all, everyone loves to get mail....well, except bills that is). The only thing you need to commit to is promising to have your own "pay it forward" fun on your blog with three more friends and note who blessed you (which would be moi!). You don't need to spend alot of money.....if you are crafty you can make something homemade....I am sure everyone will appreciate what you put together. Amanda sent me an adorable fabric bag, some cool stationary and some M & Ms (she even tucked in some extras for N.....thanks again Amanda!!)

So if you think this would be something you'd like to do.....leave a comment and say "I'm IN!" and I'll either use that random org. thingamajig to choose three of you......or put your names in a hat and let the kids pick. (you must be willing to give me your snail mail addy, of course.....I promise I am not a serial killer). I'll keep it open for a couple of days....

and even if you are not interested in the "pay it forward" game.....feel free to say hello and share what's going on in your world.

I hope your week is filled with happiness and joy.....I will be sharing the love with passing on an award that I was blessed with from Karen tomorrow! I might even snap a pic of me in the tiara that Amanda also included in my package.....

xox
*~Michelle~*

It's a Par-TAY!

So it's party time in the blogging world! And you are all invited!

The Ultimate Blog Party has begun and it runs from March 20th - 27th. It basically is a great way to find new blogs, make new friends and also win cool prizes......(I was able to squeak in donating one of my tees to add to the fun too!)

*if you are popping over from the UBP, please leave a comment and say hello! I'd love to "meet" you.....and just a quick little "about me" blurb~

I am Michelle, just your not so average modern day hippie Jesus Freak mama.....I love to babble about random thoughts, funny stuff that happens in my not so random life with a busy family of six....and most of all, I love to talk about Our Savior and all the awesome stuff that following Him can bring into your life.

OK, so now that we know each other....back to the par-tay:

All you have to do is go to 5 Minutes for Mom's blog and join in on the fun. They have all the details there......and one of them is to post what prizes you would love to win. I donated prize USC #64. There are so many to choose from. Knowing I am always up for some Tar-Jay retail therapy.....I guess I would pick

• The $50 Target gift card from Shoot Me Now
• Agoosa is giving away another $50 Target card.....so maybe I do have a shot at some Tar-Jay therapy??
• and guess what.....Beginner Baby is also giving away a $50 Target gift card!
  

We are supposed to list other preferred prizes......so that wasn't hard for me!

• You know my obsession with homemade soap......so I would totally love 5 bars from Goat Milk Stuff
  
• I would love #7 if I were blessed with another baby (Ergo Baby Carrier, front pouch and backpack.....value $163!)
  
• #56 – Surprise Box of Art Supplies looks cool
  
• #2 -I could totally find a bracelet that I like from Sydney Andrews jewelry
• This looks cool too #66 – Children’s “I’m An Author” Story Writing Kit
• International prizes have some cool things too.....INTL #15 and #30 have $15 Amazon e-gift cards.
  
• Seriously.....I would be happy with any of the prizes, it's just fun to win!....:)

So I think you should cruise on over there.....after at least saying hello to me first in my comments.....and get in on the fun! There is still plenty of time!

Well....I have some other fun stuff to share, but I won't cram it all in one day. I got my first blogging award from Karen today (I will indulge soon, but I will admit that I am already practicing my parade wave and doing a much needed conditioning treatment for my frizzy hair. I don't want my tiara to get stuck in the knots that I have right now). I also have a fun little "pay it forward" fun from another very cool bloggin mama that I want to see who is interested in playing. So y'all come back now, ya hear?

*funny thing about that southern little saying I felt compelled to write......if you ever talked to me, you would know there is no way I could pull of being a Southerner.....this Bronxy New Yahk accent with the raspy voice would never cut it. ;)

Hope you are enjoying your weekend....
peace and love~
*~Michelle~*

Ahhhhhh..... spring!

So today is "officially" spring...(at least I hope I am right and don't look like an idiot)

So many things pop into mind when I think of spring.

Baby chicks (which if our rooster, Strep, keeps up with his territorial attacks.....there will be no fertilization of our eggs going down this spring.....anyone up for a fresh rooster dinner?)

and flowers starting to pop up.....

For some reason, this story popped into my mind yesterday and I wanted to share it. It is just showing how God can speak to us in sometimes the most simple events, if we are constantly looking and waiting for Him. ;)

So let me set the scenario here....

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Clematis plant/flower.....I see them grace people's arbors or climb up and color the sides of their homes.....they are just gorgeous! My mother-in-law has the entryway to her home looking like a paradise with lavender blossoms surrounding her front porch. It's breath-taking (if you are into appreciating a great green thumb, that is)

I always have said that when I own my own home, I am definitely having this beautiful plant grace my home....something about having flowers and plants greet you when you visit someone's home makes me smile.

Anyway.....the first spring that we lived in our home, I dove into creating my garden. And one of the first plants I bought was, yes....the Clematis.

Well to make a long story short (and to keep you from falling asleep).....let's just say I did not have any luck with it. It looked decent for about a month, and then it wilted and eventually died. It never even got to having a bud........well I think I saw one bud, but it never got bigger than a sunflower seed. Then it shriveled up like a raisin and fell off. *sigh*

Frustrated, I picked my mother in law's brain and she just kept telling me that they require the perfect balance of sunlight, soil acidity and also they need their roots protected. So I tried different locations, different soils.....planting it near others to protect it's delicate roots then alone so it wouldn't be crowded. I planted one in shade and on in full sun....I tried every possible combination.......NOTHING. Not even one bloom!

I am going to guess that I have attempted/bought/planted at least fifteen or twenty in the past 10 years. And these plants are not cheap either btw.....like $15-20 a pop!

So yeah.....I just have no luck with them....they never took/rooted properly and I would lose them (can you see a little hidden message in here?)

I finally just accepted that I could not have one here.....it is OK, as I have tons of beautiful flowers in my garden. So one day last summer......N comes home from next door and brings me this GORGEOUS Clematis flower.....and I asked her where she got it, cringing thinking she plucked it off of my neighbors garden. She has been known to do this......one time, she came home with a nice bouquet of tulips.....bulbs and all. Needless to say, cranky Mrs. Credit next door was even crankier to us that entire spring and summer.

So I thanked N, gave her a huge hug and then nervously asked her where she got the beautiful flower .....she told me that she got it off the path. We have a little path (about 50-60 feet) between my other "friendlier) neighbors house that we use to go back and forth.

I asked her to show me where on the path and sure enough, a few feet in......there was a perfect Clematis plant growing amongst the poison ivy, brush and picky bushes. It had a new huge bud too, getting ready to open. Not sure if Clematis grows near you......but check this out!

Isn't it gorgeous??

We made a little trellis out of bamboo to support it's climbing vines. The other bud opened and stayed in full bloom for almost one month. I smiled every morning when I looked out my bathroom window and had a perfect clear view of it. I am hoping that it will come back again this spring/summer....but even if it doesn't......God spoke to me that day through this one flower.

He reminded me that He knows what it is my heart. He knows what I yearn for.......and no matter how much I labor and try to do things on my own....it is unfruitful. I just need to turn it over to Him and let Him take over, completely.

So yes.....I finally had/have my Clematis.....it just didn't grow where/when I thought it should.

I think we all have something that could be turned over to Him. Maybe it's control over your finances or job......control over an issue with your spouse or children.....or maybe something as simple as where and when you want your flower to bloom. ;) Feel free to share what might be relieving to finally let go and let God.

Trust me....He can do it so much better.

Happy Friday~

*~Michelle~*

p.s. I will be posting soon about a Blog Party I am participating in with a giveaway of my own and also the chance to win other great prizes donated by tons of fellow bloggers. More to come!

Three Things This Thursday.......(not so LOST now, fuzzy feelings and more)

1. *not* as LOST anymore!

OK, so last night, some light was shed on a few things....

• Amy's baby is the super creepy Ethan?? I was trying to figure out the year and how old he would be when the original Oceanic flight crashed and he seemed older than 30....didn't he? I guess that island isn't so kind with aging gracefully (think Danielle.....eek!) .....unless you are Richard Alpert, but he is a totally different story.....or time......or who knows what.
• We discover that Jack, Kate and Hurley are explained "when they are" and get integrated into the '70s Dharma Initiative.
  
• We see that Jack is not a fan of being told what to do. (not that we didn't know that already, but he is having a wicked time not being able to call the shots)
  
• Time travel can seriously affect your medical degree qualifications.....did you see Jack's face when he was handed the "workman" uniform (janitor) based on his qualifications?
  
• The small island is definitely current year......main island is 1977.
• We learn that Sun still has that eerie cold spot in her.....not a flinch from that woman when she whacks Ben and simply replies that she lied. But explains that it was definitely Lapidis and her who took the boat, leaving Ben who eventually ends up in the infirmary with the other injured passengers from Flight 316 (where John Locke tells Caesar that he is the man who killed him)

Questions:

• Where or when is Daniel Faraday......Sawyer, er LaFleur says that he is not there "anymore" when Jack asks about him
• What year is Sun and Lapidis in when they get to the main island and see our friend Christian Shephard? I am assuming it is current time as the buildings look run down/deserted and Christian tells Sun she has a long journey to get to Jin. So people are on the same island but experiencing different time lines??? Some people are saying that this might explain the "whispers"......fah-reak-key. (and not sure I can wrap my ADD brain around this, but I'll try)
• I was under the impression that Caesar and Illana knew each other prior to the flight. (the way they interacted when he was exploring Ben's old office a few weeks back) But when they crashed, that didn't seem to be the case. And have we ever been told about who she is and what the deal was with Sayid? She didn't look too freaked out when the plane started going down......now, the flight was on its way to Guam.....so I was assuming that she transporting Sayid to a prison there, but if she was "on" to the flight's real destination, why did she have Sayid? I dunno......I think I am missing something, please enlighten me if you know!
• If pre-teen Ben meets Sayid, Jack, and the gang.....and then ends up wiping them out when he flips sides with the Hostiles.....then does the Purge......is he trying to recify killing them, but then if he did.....how would they have ended up in 2004 on the Oceanic Flight? BAH! I am getting too confused now. So Ben is basically living in two timelines right now. As a gawky yet a little creepy boy on the main island......and a banged-out very creepy man on the smaller island.

Final collecting thoughts on this......First, I just have to say that minus the Hostiles, smoke monsters and the freaky experiments.....I would totally LOVE to be part of a little community on a tropical island back in the 70s.....now that is my kind of living. Oh, and I loved Kate's shirt. SO ME!
Second.....I am getting a little anxiety about the whole Jack/Kate/Sawyer/Juliet love rectangle. So many possibilities......and both Kate and Juliet can do some serious butt-kicking so I am betting there will be another brawl coming soon.

And lastly.....some of these message boards have people who are diving DEEP into this.....but for some reason it bogs down my computer and takes forever to get from post to post, so I am going to have to keep coming up with my own theories right now. If you have any cool place to dish LOST, please let me know.

Oh, and funniest line......Hurley to Jin.....Dude, your English is awesome!



OK, on to other things this Thursday.

2. I don't know about you.....but I get a warm fuzzy feeling inside when I see this. Well not necessarily a refrigerator that needs a little organizing and maybe some wiping down...but the fact that it is pretty full! Living in this house of six.....and being out numbered by bottom-less pit teenagers....this is one of those rare sightings. I can guarantee you that by tomorrow around this same time.....there will be 50% missing and most likely will def. need more than just wiping down.....but let me relish in this moment of feeling like a good mom and housekeeper with a fridge full of goodies. I felt like June Cleaver last night. Note that there are lunches already prepared......fresh fruits and veggies.......and my left-overs are properly packed up. If you look closely, you will also note the Nestle ready-to-bake cookie tub waiting for me spoon into often. I mean....of course,er.... to bake a delicious tray of cookies. I would never imply that I eat raw cookie dough or anything, especially with all those horrid warnings of raw egg/salmonella....nah, not me! ;)


3. Another warm fuzzy feeling was had by me when I came back from said grocery shopping trip to find this waiting for me........I scored the new Third Day CD with a *free* tee for only $13 with my last ChristianBook.com order. I needed to get N a new homeschooling worktext so I treated myself as long as I was paying for shipping, right? Is it bad that I grumble on $8 to ship one book and a tee/CD??? I searched everywhere for a free ship code or some sort of discount....nada. I do have a few other things to order if anyone has one to share (*hint hint, nudge nudge) Anyway.....I have this awesome CD and I cannot wait to blast it......somehow good worship music makes house-cleaning (and most certainly refrigerator cleaning) much more enjoyable. If you can use enjoyable and housecleaning in the same sentence.

OK.......so what do you have to share this week? What's in your head about LOST? Feel free to share your link here or leave a comment.....I wanna hear what you have to say!

I wish I had an extra two grand hanging around......

.....because I really would love to go on this Music Boat Cruise!

I mean, how awesome would that be? First....I have never been on a cruise, but I heard they are fabulous. Second.....did you see that line up of bands??? David Crowder Band......Toby Mac.....BarlowGirl.....Mercy Me.......Pillar.......Jars of Clay!!!! Is that not the ultimate? It would be like attending The Soulfest on a luxury ship.

From The Music Boat website: ".....Enjoy morning devotions, food at every turn, incredible speakers, a rock wall…and this is just scratching the surface."

So this has my name written all over it......even the rock wall. I would totally scale up that badboy if I had the opportunity......can you image the view being on God's open seas??

I cannot promise that the "view" would be as pleasing to the eye looking up at me so high up.....and I am not so sure that I would even care at that point. I am a nice shade of pale in my bathing suit so I would hope that the glare of my pasty white skin would blind people from my jiggly thighs.

I would totally drink all the fancy drinks with umbrellas......(non-alcoholic please...although being on vacation is a good reason to fall off the wagon). From what I have heard about cruise ships and food......would probably gain back all the weight (and then some) I plan on losing before getting into said bathing suit. WOW, I am actually talking like this is going to happen.

But alas.......even if we did have the cashola......Josh is NOT a cruise guy. And he is not a big vacation person.....so strange, because if anyone needs some relaxing, it is him.

So it ain't happening.....
.....unless I could swing a ticket for me AND my bestest friend, Lili. Then I would have my bags packed faster than you could say.....Hallelujah. I love Josh with all my heart and soul.....but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

You see, Lili and I are destined to take some sort of trip together in this lifetime.......and I am not talking about the "fun" camping trips we have in the past. No, this trip will not include giant mosquitoes that are the size of crows attacking our families....or making sure one of our many children does not venture off into some creepy run-down "general store" with the toothless man behind the counter selling stale penny candy. (I actually saw those candy cigarettes in the case.....great way to prepare a generation...."Come on kids! Until you are old enough to buy the real ones......practice with these fake ones!)

I am talking a trip of a lifetime kinda trip. After all, she does have the application printed out for The Amazing Race and is insisting that we get our video application recorded and send it in. She feels that two middle age hippie Jesus Freaks with almost a dozen kids between them will make for good TV......whaddya think?

Lili has been watching this show for a few years, and has been saying all along on how we are going to be on it.....so, I started watching the show, and it looks pretty cool.....and do-able. I finally told her that I'm in, hey.....you only live once. As long as she eats the gross stuff. I then had to commit to the being the daredevil and doing all the scary stuff like jumping out of an airplane or something insane like that (although sky-diving *is* on my bucket list)

So back to the cruise.....I entered the giveaway....but some other couple won instead....I am pretending to be happy for them, although if they really were kind and Christian-like, they would offer it to me instead. KIDDING! (but it would be nice, wouldn't it?)

But speaking of winning.......I did win this giveaway a few days ago! WOOHOO for me!
Now all I need to do is flip through all my Kodak Easy Share quality photos and see what would be worthy of enlarging to poster size.

I was thinking this would be cool.......my friend took it when she went to Malawi. She saw this little child with no shirt on.......so she gave him one of my tees. I had given her a bunch to bring to brighten up a few children's day (clean crisp clothes are such a luxury in most villages). Isn't this an awesome image?


Maybe I'll use this one.......this was when I was pregnant with N. I was relaxing at one of Josh's motocross races......E came over out of the blue and said he needed to tell the baby something. He was telling her that he loved her so much and couldn't wait to meet her. Hmmmmmmm, I wonder where all that brotherly love went???


So getting back again to the cruise.....if anyone has any ideas on how I could raise the $2000 ($999/person) to take this cruise of a lifetime, please let me know. Or if you are feeling generous, I can supply you with my address to mail your donation to. After all, it is a worthy cause! Think about all the great blog posts that will spur out of such a spiritual trip.

And I will leave you with a question.....what would you do with if someone gave you $2000 and you could spend it only on something luxurious for yourself? GUILT FREE! (no bill paying or anything practical like that) *I say "guilt free" because for some reason, I have this lingering guilt of wanting to take a vacation and spending the money on something that is solely for *myself* right now.....

.....is that normal??

xox
*~Michelle~*

Fireproof

So Friday night, our church was having a "Parent's Night Out/Fireproof" event. As I mentioned on my Lucky Friday post, you were able to drop off your younger kids around six....where they had all sorts of games, crafts, movies and ice cream sundae making planned. The movie was only being shown at 7:30 so that gave parents the opportunity to grab a bite to eat together or maybe just browse around a store for some quiet time. I chose the latter as Josh had to work. I was disappointed as I really wanted to watch this movie together, but I guess having the mortgage covered and food in the fridge is more important, huh? So I made the best of it and planned to wander aimlessly up and down the aisles of HomeGoods for that hour or so. Surprisingly, I didn't end up buying anything....the fact that I only had $7.75 in my wallet might have attributed to that. I did find some great ideas on how I'd like to decorate the family room that we are diving into creating from converting our garage this summer....more on that later. ;)

So I really liked Fireproof.....I will admit that I thought the acting was a little on the low-budget side. I was trying to rack my brain on where I knew the lead character from. I knew he was from my younger years of watching sitcoms as a kid, but couldn't put my finger on which one. Family Ties? no Who's the Boss? no.....it wasn't Facts of Life. I waited for the credits to roll and then I saw Kirk Cameron.....which did ring a bell, but pathetically I still couldn't remember the show. So when I got home, I went to my good friend Google and finally jogged my fuzzy brain and solved it for me. Growing Pains!

Now, I really enjoyed the message of the movie.....it had some pretty funny scenes and I will admit that I did need a tissue more than once. And not on all the *key* emotional scenes.....they show one shot of a large wooden cross, probably 15-20 feet tall.....the sun was peircing through the trees behind it......OK, that just chokes me up.

So back to my snarky comment about the acting quality. I felt guilty in a way after I found out that the majority of the cast/crew were amateurs. (like alot of the actors were from random churches and there were over 1,200 volunteers on the set). So for people who have not had any acting experience, they did a fantastic job.

And like who am *I* to judge.....and that I would have been able to do a better job?? HA! I bet if I was on a TV set, I would totally become like Cindy Brady, from The Brady Bunch, when she completely freezes up on that game show.....do you remember that episode or am I totally showing my age?

The most amazing thing, to me.....is how this movie has impacted so many lives and marriages. I have been hearing about the various Bible Studies based on this movie.......many couples taking The Love Dare......just knowing that God is being glorified through this movie makes it a winner in my book.

One other thing I found inspiring was Kirk Cameron's story. An atheist turned Christian (just that is enough to have the angels rockin out in Heaven).....but how he had his wife stand in for the last "kissing" scene. totally cool. Check out his site.....he and his wife are involved in some amazing ministries.

And lastly, it saddens me to hear reviews mocking how religion and big mainstream don't mix........but then again......we already know that.

Matthew 7:13

So I am anxious to hear your comments about this movie if you have seen it.....or the reasons you chose not to see it or didn't like it. It's all good....you don't have to always agree with me!

Lucky Friday the 13th!

So hello there! It's Friday the 13th!

OK, I am gonna lay it out.....I don't buy into the unlucky "Friday the 13th" shpeel......do you?

13 has always been fine with me......

I mean, it usually takes 13 steps to get up stairs (not that I am OCD and count or anything)....
a baker's dozen gives you the bonus donut (not that I ever eat donuts or anything like that)....
you are now officially a teenager at 13....and can finally watch PG-13 (of COURSE I am a fine example of a parent who abides by those ratings.....most of the time)
hey, the US started with 13 colonies (can you tell I have been brushing up on my history for homeschooling?)
There are 13 guns in a gun salute (I cheated and found this on Wikipedia...do you really think I would know this off the top of my head????)

So yeah, what's the big deal with this 13 being so bad?

I want to think it all started with some poor soul who woke up on the wrong side of the bed one day. It happened to be a Friday and happened to be the 13th of the month. Then he probably dwelled on everything negative and created his own doom and gloom that day.

But get this....I googled and look what I found at, again... Wikipedia

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. "It's been estimated that [US]$800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day"

I don't know if I am blown away by the 17-21 million people who actually are affected by this superstition......or that there is an institute who spent money researching it??!?!?

Feed the poor, cure the sick and give shelter to the homeless vs. spending money to study people who are avoiding walking under ladders or stepping on cracks on a particular day. Hmmmmm, prioritize much?

anyway.......I do not subscribe to superstitions....I don't give the term "luck" too much credit....I mean, I use the term, but in a casual way. I use it more with the reference of statistics, ya know? I always say that I don't believe in fate or coincidence either....in fact, those terms make me cringe.

I saw this one time on a church billboard and I loved it:

COINCIDENCE IS WHEN GOD DECIDES TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS

Isn't that great?

If you really want to dig deep...."luck" dates back to people who worshipped the Roman goddess Fortuna (guessing that is where Lady Luck comes into play).....but I won't get all biblical on ya....let's just say that I don't believe in blaming what goes wrong in our lives or activities to "bad luck" and I don't attribute our successes to "good luck". I feel that I am blessed with God's favor and grace.....not luck.

So today is business as usual....and I certainly am not going to allow some calendar date to be the overseer of my day. I am not going to let it speak negativity or paranoia into my mind. I have a much better Guide for my life. *wink

OH, and today I am getting the chance to bless someone with a little treat......it's giveaway time!!!

I got this groovy tip from Amanda who got the groovy tip from Miss Jill who has a fantastic blog with helpful hints and tips....who helped me pick a winner from the great bunch of groovy bloggers who entered my giveaway........and the winner is........... Condos Blues!

So come on down Miss Condo Blues and let me know what you would like from either business and I will hook-a-sista-UP!

Also on the winning subject.......I also was very lucky blessed that I won Amanda's giveaway yesterday! She was so awesome to offer a *FREE* three month membership to Jumpstart.com and we can totally incorporate this with our homeschooling......so YIPEEEEEE for us!!!!!!!

Another great reason that today is a good day.......is that tonight, there is a Parent's Night Out/Fireproof movie night. Although Josh is working (blah)....I am still going to go. I can drop off all my kids (and I am sure a few of their friends) at 6pm....the younger kids are going to have a night of gymnasium games planned as well as their own movie time and making ice cream sundaes. My older boys will be going to Ground Zero and I will have 1 1/2 hours to myself until the Fireproof movie starts. So it is a toss up between browsing through Target (could be dangerous on my budget)....or maybe hooking up with a friend for a quick appetizer at Chilis. Hmmmmm, decisons decisions! Either way.....we are all looking forward to tonight! :)

Well that's that....I hope you proudly and confidently stomp on those cracks in the sidewalk today!!!

Peace~!
*~Michelle~*

Three Things This Thursday

1.

No words.....
(N's latest craft for our David and Goliath lesson sums it all up for what I feel)

2. Josh and I did some serious spring cleaning this week. Well, we didn't actually set out to do it......it just kinda snowballed (or should I say, dustballed) into happening. See, we finally bought some new ceiling fans. Our old ones worked OK, but they didn't have a light, so only having one lamp in the living area....let's just say "we live in the dark" for the most part. It's OK with me, keeps our electric bill down and I love the look of candles instead. But it started to become a safety issue when company would come over at night and I needed to walk them over to the couch.
So our tax return came in.....and of course it would surely burn a hole in our pocket if we didn't start spending it. KIDDING! We do treat ourselves to a little home improvement each year with our federal check.....usually it isn't a treat, an appliance or something major lets go, just around the time the refund gets deposited. God is good like that. He keeps our accounting in check and always provides. (BTW, I am not kidding you....our microwave kicked the dust that evening)

So getting to the fans.......when Josh took them down, there was a dead squirrel on top of each of the blades. At least that is what it looked like. In my defense.......we have super high ceilings, I am afraid of heights.....and we don't own a tall ladder (we borrowed this one from my dad). So yeah, there was some dust up there.
After we saw what a clean house is supposed to look like how it brightened things up.....we decided to tackle all the beams around the house too. TA-DAH!!!



3. Total GoodWill score yesterday.

So H accidentally broke my crock pot lid.....and I'd like to mention that one oval tempered glass cover will explode into 1,564,762 pieces when it hits your tile floor.....in case you are wondering. Another little tidbit of information is that they do remain in perfect little cubes that resemble diamonds, according to N, who wanted to keep them in her jewelry box.
So being my frugal self.....I was am determined to find the lid somewhere other than EBay. Well, I did find it on Ebay here.....and it's only up to $1.26...my kinda price. But they are charging almost $17 to ship....no thanks. I'll hold out for yard sales, thankyouverymuch.

anyway.....I ventured off to GoodWill in search of this lid....no dice. But.....I did score a two piece Hanna Andersson coat with matching snowsuit/overalls for N! Sized perfect for next year.

So, I did my GoodWill routine inspection.

look for any rips. check.
zippers working properly. check.
then the scary part.....smelling it. no smelly mothball odor or mustiness. check!

Best part.....Wednesday is half price Family Day.
Final cost for set. ..........drumroll please..........$3.50!!!!!!!!

and slipping in one bonus "thing"......I'll remind you all, once again.....last time, I promise.....that you really should enter my giveaway.(picking winner tomorrow! :)

and one last other thing....... I am a little miffed at the LOST writers. Not only was I devastated that it wasn't on last night..... don't they know I base a good portion of my grocery list on my Wednesday night snack spread?!

OK.....so that is a wrap. Please leave the link to your blog here (or feel free to leave a comment).....you surely must have three things to be thankful for, brag about, make me laugh!

Works for Me Wednesday (free works for me!)

I didn't get chance to get my Works for Me Wednesday post ready because I got called into work last night (extra money=good thing).......but figured I would pass along my FREE giveaway to celebrate my 100th post from yesterday so I could still join in the fun!

You can win a new tie dye tee.....or grab a tee for one of your kids.......maybe you know someone who is having a baby soon! There is something for everyone!

And hey........*FREE* works for me!

Check out We are THAT Family's blog for tons of great ideas, resources and tips!


Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*

my 100th post......it's giveaway time!!!

So YIPPEE! My 100th post! Time to celebrate and have a giveaway! :)

So what's up for grabs you ask?

What's mine is yours....well, from either of my businesses.
that is.
You can browse around at Little Earth Angels and Hippie Love Child and see what you might like. I can create a custom tie dye tee in any/all sizes all you need to do is let me know what colors and patterns you are craving.



Little Earth Angels offers advocacy designs that promote natural parenting, peaceful Christian living and saving God's planet. We love attachment parenting styles and have designs that share the beauty of co-sleeping, baby-wearing and homebirths (we even have a new waterbirth design). Do you cloth diaper? Homeschool? I have some that I think you might like!

There are designs that teach tolerance in our world.....and also the importance of educating yourself about vaccinations.

I offer custom tie dye maternity tees, and I also have a new maternity line that I started last fall......"Make Babies, Not War" is the debut design.

Hippie Love Child is my all organic line of tees that promotes the importance of positive "labeling".

The winner will be chosen on this Friday .......the 13th.....are you feeling lucky???

Here is how you can enter.....leave a comment, feel free to let me know what you might like to choose if you won.

You can get a second entry when you add me to your blogroll and/or become a "follower" "subscriber" (I really don't like that term....hmmmm, if anyone has any suggestions for a better one, extra entry too! thanks Natesgirl).....and lastly......help spread the word with my giveaway on your blog and get another entry. :)

*Make sure you leave separate comments for each entry. (ex. you leave a comment "I think you are so pretty and look so young" "I really love the "spirited" tee, fits my daughter's personality perfectly!".... then leave another comment with "I added you to my blogroll".....and then another comment "I mentioned your giveaway on my blog".....that would give you three entries.

*Also, please leave your email address if you do not have a blogger account so I can contact you if you win. I am allowing anonymous comments for that reason. :)

Complimenting me in the comments does weigh heavily on being picked, btw. Well, OK.....that is a little fib.....I am going to use that random generator to choose, but it would brighten my day!)

**If you just cannot wait, or if Friday comes and someone else was a little luckier than you.....you can always use BLOGGING at checkout for 20% off any purchase for the rest of the month of March. :) (this excludes gift certificates and Mothering magazine subscriptions)



Oh, and I have one last BIG news to share......going well with a 100th post celebration.

One of my blog entries, Pass the Salt.....was chosen to be published in this month's Serious Life Magazine issue. How cool is that???

My entry is on page 118-119, but make sure you check out this FREE publication from cover to cover. There are so many amazing stories about families that you will fall in love with. So many testimonies of faith and God's grace. Brent Riggs, the editor of the magazine.....and also Abby's dad (remember sweet Abby who is still fighting leukemia?) is an amazing man of God. I encourage you to subscribe (it's FREE!) and check it out.


So there you have it......I would like you to imagine fireworks going off and maybe an explosion of confetti dropping down to give this a full effect today, OK?

Thanks!!

Peace
*~Michelle~*

just a little shot of me and my girl ;)

Rainy Monday

So I am not a huge Monday fan.....not sure how many people are. Maybe it's something about the drudge of getting back into the reality of responsibility, like logging into my bank account and cringing on the damage I might have done over the "non-reality" weekend. (still haven't perfected Operation Financial Freedom.....but getting there).

But they are certain to come around every seven days so I try to make the best of them.

I also am not a huge fan of rain.....but like Mondays....it is certain to come around. I do like a good summer night's thunderstorm, but other than that.....it can make for a dreary day with all it's damp qualities, right? It makes tons of mud, which of course ends up all over my floors and it frizzes my already frizzy hair. And if I have to go out, I always manage to step in a puddle and then I am stuck with the worst feeling in the world...wet socks.

So yeah....rain is necessary for life, of course. I get it. We need rain to sustain life. We need it for crops, the whole ecological balance depends on it.....yada yada yada. But let's be honest.....We don't always have to like what is good for us, though. Like vegetables, for example,.... we don't have to like them, but they are good for us. My friend Lyndsey shared a great Max Lucado story about veggies that is fun to read, pop over and check it out when you can.

Rainy days can reference to sad times....and we all go through rainy days or even seasons in our lives. I know I have had my share. But I also know and trust that God has a purpose for it all. And I have always came out of the rainy times cleansed and refreshed.

You know, on the flip side, there are many references in the Bible to rain being a blessing.

..... He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy~Acts 14:17

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; He supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. ~Psalm 147:7-8

And as a reward

I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. ~Leviticus 26:4

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ~Hebrews 6:7

And my favorite,....the rainbow (promise) that follows:

"Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind." ~Genesis 9:14-15

OK, so wrapping it up......we know we cannot escaping Mondays.....or rain, for that matter, but we can change how we approach it all. We can change our way of thinking. So today, I am going to try to remove the cloud of gloom and doom and add a silver lining. I am going to be thankful that I have been blessed with another Monday to make the best of.....even if it comes with the rain.

I am going to turn it around and think about how the rain is going to melt the rest of the snow from last week. I am going to remember that getting rain, instead of snow...signals we are coming into a new season....and I am going to be prepared with my hair already in braids so now frizz factor. I am going to put on some tall waterproof boots. Well I don't actually own a pair of tall waterproof boots, but I will make sure I am not wearing my Doc Martin sandals when I run out today. I broke out those bad boys this weekend with the 58 degree weather and it felt SOOOOO good. (now I revealed how much of a geek I am that I wear socks with my sandals)

So, I leave you with one of my favorite songs about rain. Mercy Me is awesome......(I have this as one of my ringtones.....don't forget to pause my music player)

Powerful line in the lyrics to embrace today:

You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me,
what's a little rain.

enjoy~






P.S. This is my 99th post......I will be doing a giveaway for my 100th post, so ya'll come back now, ya hear!!? :)

rest in peace Kyle Sweet

After a long courageous fight with cancer.....Kyle Rae Sweet (shown here with husband Michael)
has passed on, is now fully healed and with her Savior, Our Lord Jesus Christ.



"I have seen Kyle's heart, strength and determination in ways that I've never seen before. She's never complained and always brought joy to those caring for her and those around her. Surgery after surgery, treatment after treatment and feeling so sick for the past two years, she's been an encouragement and an example of faith to everyone." ~Michael Sweet

....read more of Michael words about Kyle on his website

If you are not familiar with Michael Sweet, he is the lead singer of Stryper. Stryper debuted in the '80s and brought tens of thousands of young people to Christ.

Please keep the Sweet family in your prayers.

*~Michelle~*

Perfect Timing

Just a quick little story (if there *is* such a thing with me) about how God has perfect timing.....and a sense of humor.

Sometimes on Friday nights, I stay over my in-laws house. It works out nice as Josh has to work until later in the evening so I am usually alone with the kids. And now that basketball season is dwindling down, the boys are going back to Friday night "Ground Zero" which is their youth service at the church. Our church is only a few minutes from my in-laws so it makes the drop off/pick up easier on my gas tank when I stay over too.

So last weekend, the night was winding down and it was time to hit the sack. N and I sleep together so we did our nightly brush teeth, pee on toilet and jump in bed. I have to mention that sleeping at my in-laws is a treat as she splurges on quality linens and has great pillows.

We settle in, fluff the pillow and I tell N that I love her very much. I suggest that we say our prayers and go to sleep as it was getting late. So I begin with:

"Dear God......thank you for this day,
Thank you for keeping everyone safe tonight,
Please keep Daddy safe driving home from work
(it was raining pretty hard and windy that night)
Thank you for keeping us all healthy
In Jesus Name~Amen"

I like to keep my prayers with N short and sweet.....and to the point.

I nudged N to let her know it was her turn.......she let out a little sigh and meekly mentioned that she was too tired to say them, and that she thought I did a good job for both of us.

Trying not to laugh and did something that I swore I would never do........

use the "guilt trip" tactic.

I simply said......OK, but I bet God would feel a little disappointed that you don't even have one minute to spare to let Him know how important He is.

Just then.....a huge gust of wind smacked a sheet of rain on the window (which was right at our heads) making a loud crash and shaking thing up a bit.

N grabbed my upper arm......pretty sure I still have the five bruise dots from her fingers and gasped......"What was THAT!?!?!"

Thankfully it was pitch black as I now had an even bigger smile on my face and said......"I dunno......Maybe God is really really really disappointed right now. You know He *is* in charge of everything, including the rain and wind"

She sprung up, clasped her hands together and shouted:

"Thank you Lord for everything, you are so important to me, AMEN"

.......she then dove under the blankets and stuck to me like a tick.

I hugged her tight......told her I loved her one more time......smiled believing God was laughing right along with me......and slept like a baby.


Happy Friday.....feel free to share a funny kid story with me! They are priceless.

Peace
*~Michelle~*

Three Things This Thursday.......(Lost thoughts, tips

So let's bang out these Three Things th is Thursday......of course, starting with Lost!

1. So who else was getting annoyed with the three year ping-pong game? Geesh! Just when you get settled into the storyline.....they time warp on ya. So let me get this straight....from this point forward....the island is somewhere in the late 60s/early 70s? Sawyer, Juliet, and all the ones left behind, let's call them Lefties.....have now merged into the early Dharma Initiative research team/compound and took on new identities pretty much.

Things we find out that women are able (at least at this time) to deliver healthy babies, but who is this baby that Amy delivers? He's got to play some role. We also see Charlotte as a young girl confirming that Daniel was the scary man who warned her about not coming back.

So a few questions......if/when Ben returns to the island.....will he see himself as a young boy or does the whole story change now?
Who else is anticipating Juliet getting dumped again for Kate? First Jack.....now I bet Sawyer. maybe not, but this love rectangle is crazy.

Ajira Airways Flight 316's crash is current time as far as we know.......right? Or is it? The confusing thing, is that when last week's episode was played last night with the "enhanced captioning".....it said that Caesar was in Ben's office. So they cannot be in the 1970ish timeline if Ben was still a child. ???

So here is a theory that is bouncing around (I've made the mistake of checking in on some Lost message boards...if you think I am into dissecting this show.....I look like a preschooler with this bunch!)....is that Ben is manipulating everyone to get back to the island so that they can change the course of events (being in charge) to prevent the "purge" (Hostiles/Ben wiping out his Dharma people) from ever happening.

Also......what the heck happened to Rose and Bernard? If they are warped back in time (assuming they are still on the island somewhere).....what was their fate? Here is one theory.....and it takes a moment to wrap your head around this one. Remember after the original crash the survivors went to the cave (2004 time) and found the two bodies they called "Adam and Eve"? Hmmmmmmmmm?

OK, I am too tired to figure out anymore.....this episode was a little hard to figure out as far as lining up the times and what affects what.

Funniest Sawyer reference.......calling Daniel "Plato".

OKAYYYYYYYY........onto two other "things" this week:

2. To Do List tip: I found this tip from another handy blogger.....a simple way for unorganized people like me to approach my "to-do" list without getting overwhelmed.

Two words, well one hyphenated word.

Post-Its

So you write each thing you need to do on a single Post-It such as bills that are due, phone calls to return, etc. I have them stuck on the inside of the door of my computer armoire. Then I take them down as I complete them. Great for two reasons.....one, for a brain on overdrive like mine (remember pinball reference?)....the single tasks rather than a long list of them is far less overwhelming. You get a sense of reward as you take them down. And secondly....I constantly LOSE my list or have random lists around the house.....so this system keeps it all together and organized.
Ironically, I got this random package in the mail yesterday that was addressed to my business......from Staples. There is a new store that just opened up so this must be one of their marketing techniques. Smart! In the package was a little pen, a $5 gift card and a small pack of Post-Its.

3. If you homeschool......or just like to add some learning at home.....The Dollar Tree Stores have TONS of resources such as workbooks, Bible sticker sets (they also have these full length Bible Story DVDs by Max Lucado), word strips, reference posters for time telling, math facts, etc......all for a dollar each. (hence the name Dollar Tree.....but some "dollar" stores, like Family Dollar are not all items a dollar, right? Which makes NO sense.....why call it that?! annoying.....anyway). I also scored bags of cat food, ceramic cereal bowls, body wash for the boys (they don't have my handmade soap addiction thankfully) all for a buck each. How can you go wrong?

So I thought I would pass that along if you haven't ventured in a Dollar Tree store lately.


OK......have a wonderful day.......Friday and the weekend are on their way~

If you feel like popping in with some Lost thoughts or maybe three random things......please leave your link below or leave a comment! :)



Peace~
*~Michelle~*