and so it goes....

ok, so i've been pretty negative lately, and that's not like me, really...

so, enough is enough...time to put on the happy face and hope it will stick.

Blessings thus far:

The Lord

Heathy Family

Wonderful Kids (most of the time)

Roof over our heads...

food in our fridge (and freezer Yeah!)

So MANY WONDERFUL friends

two jobs...when some dont even have one...

so many activities we actually have to choose what to go to...

and i could go on...

I guess i needed an attitude adjustment...thank you Lord for loving me all the while...in the peaks and valleys...and always picking me up!

I just dont get it....

You work and work, and scrape and scrape and where does it get you? I'm so down lately, and I look at my blessings and wonder how i can be down...but i can't seem to shake it. So many others have it so much worse, but here i sit wallowing in it.

I cant make the car payment, which is really bad...I'm already behind, what happens if they want it back?

I have no relationship with my mom, which is killing me...

I try to have a party (jewelry) and have had only 2 people respond...and it's tonight.

My kids keep wanting and needing new things for school and i cant provide them.

I hurt all the time, and the dr's cant seem to find out whats wrong...

I keep praying and praying...but i wonder if God hears me.....

I dont know what to do....

coffee time....

I was blessed to have coffee with a good friend yesterday. It was so nice to sit and chat...we were coming up with ideas for a float for our local parade this coming weekend.

I was blessed further, when stopping by to get a few things for our float, to see another friend...

God is good!!!!!

A wonderful day!

suprise, suprise!

Saturday night, we threw a surprise 40th birthday party for a dear friend....we really got her! The guests said all they could hear was...."Oh, NO YOU DIDNT" as my husband and hers had to push her in the door. It was a great night (until the owner got very upset with us....nothing bad, but what a jerk!)

It was a wonderful evening for a wonderful person!

now, i'm planning for a jewelry party, that i am so scared no one will show up for.....have had bad turnouts in the past!! But i'll keep hoping...

Church was wonderful yesterday, the entire family went and our friends all asked to sit with us at the hog roast after church....what a change....what a blessing!!!

Kids just left for school and i need to get ready for coffee time with a friend!

5 days till HOG DAZE 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to School

Back to school.....

such a bittersweet time for a mom...It's been a crazy summer...but a good one. Lot of fun times...

I hate to admit it, i'm enjoying the silence (for at least a little while) but, i miss having them here...makes no sense i know...but that's how it is....

I remember this poem, or letter, that explained exactly how i felt when my kids started school.

After some searching i found it...

Dear World,

My young son starts to school today...

It's going to be sort of strange and new to him for awhile, and I wish you would sort of treat him gently.

You see, up to now he's been king of the roost...

He's been boss of the backyard...

His mother has always been near to soothe his wounds and repair his feelings.

But now things are going to be different.

This morning he's going to walk down the front steps, wave his hand, and start out on the great adventure...

It is and adventure that might take him across continents, across oceans...

It's an adventure that will probably include wars and tragedy and sorrow...

To live his life in the world he will have to live in, will require faith and love and courage.

So, World, I wish you would sort of look after him...

Take him by the hand and teach him things he will have to know.

But do it gently, if you can.

He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, that all men are not true.

But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero...

that for every crooked politician there is a great and dedicated leader...

Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend.

Steer him away from envy, if you can...and teach him the secret of quiet laughter.

In school, World, teach him it is far more honorable to fail that to cheat...

Teach him to have faith in his own idea, even if everyone says they are wrong...

Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with tough people.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the bandwagon...

Teach him to listen to all men - but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and

take just the good that siphons through.

Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he's sad...

Teach him there is no shame in tears...

Teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success.

Treat him gently, World, if you can, but don't coddle him...

Because only the test of fire makes fine steel...

Let him have the courage to be impatient...

Let him have the patience to be brave.

Let him be no other man's man...

Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself.

Because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind.

This is quite and order, World, but see what you can do...

He's such a nice little fellow, my son!

Author: Dan Valentine

Family 2008

funny....

commercial
just click on the word above to see what i'm talking about


the other night, we were watching tv (go figure...) and the above commercial came on...

out of the mouth of our Scootie...after it was over, and we ALL sang along.....

"You know, that just never get's old".....

oh the wisdom of an 8 yr old.....

Long time.....sorry

It's been a CRAZY SUMMER! I cant believe it is coming to an end. :( I have a lot to blog about, but so little time...I'll start with June...work, cookout, work, sleepover, sleepover, cookout...baseball, baseball, baseball!!! That about covers it! (i'll add pics later!)

However, Baseball went so much better this year! T-man had a wonderful coach!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One that believed that kids only get better with practice! Go figure! He had so much fun even though we only won one game....oh well.....it is only farm league...right?

July was a whole other story...we were getting prepped for the craft fair that a friend and I were participating in. The 4th of July...nice day, but low sales for me...she did wonderful, but i just didn't have the $$$ to invest, so i only made a little. I'm happy for her and her girls who did so well!!! I'm working on speciality pieces, and leaving it at that...if only to find an investor :) dreams!!!! :(

I must add though, that on the 4th we went to a nearby town with all our friends, and my mom came which was wonderful, she is such a wonderful Nana, but the big shocker was that my DAD came too!!! There's a whole other story, but it was so nice to have him there too!!! My cup was overflowing that day for sure!!!






We also took a trip to some caves nearby (OK almost 2 hrs away) but it was great...until i decided to take scoot to swim under the waterfall...I've always wanted to do that, and my wish was about to come true....it was spectacular!!!! Until the trek back to shore...i slipped on the underwater rocks and felt myself go...i knew it was scoot or me, and i lifted her up with all my mom strength and took the brunt of the jagged rocks on my 40 yr old knees.....i looked like i had been in a fight...but luckily, we had a buddy that is a nurse and he taped me all up and after a couple weeks of healing, I'm good as new. At least i can say my dream came true.

So, it's been a great summer.....time to get back in the swing of things.....ready for school, practicing for mud volleyball, and preparing for the big Labor Day celebrations.....in the midst of planning a party for a dear friend(shhhh, it's a surprise) and getting ready for my first photography gig...life is good!!!!!

Busy, Busy, Busy

It's been a couple of busy busy busy weeks!

After Mother's Day...

the end of school business took us in a whirlwind.

First we took a trip out to my parents...always an interesting, somewhat depressing, visit....Long story, {sigh}

Anyway, the kids enjoyed themselves! I have such happy memories from when I was a kid, it's just the recent past that tends to catch up when we are there...and having a 30 yr old sister who lives at home and wont let us enjoy a visit without being extremely difficult...anyway I digress...


This is the tree where my mom and I used to sit and have lunch when I was little...we'd take nature walks when the area where they now live was just a huge pasture full of wild flowers and grass...





It's seen better days...but it's still special to me!



While we were there my tman learned to hit a golf ball.....and does it extremely well to my surprise, I told him we'd learn AFTER baseball season! :)

So after playing outside for a little while Scoot walked around to the back of the property where my dad has an old Minnapolis Moline grater for the drive way...and scoot pipes up and says:


"Nana, what is a Millapalis Moley????" My mom responds, "well I'm not quite sure Scoot".


So Scoot points to it, and gives us all a good laugh!"
(guess you have to be there for that one...but it is funny!)


Then came time for girl scout PA (program assistant training) for the teens


...it was a wonderful couple days camping in one of the most beautiful parks I've ever seen...and close to home...then only downside was it hit 35 degrees at night...and we all froze, but getting up early to cook and eat eggs in a bag (you put your eggs and fixin's in a Ziploc bag, put that bag in another bag and drop it into boiling water over the fire...it's yummy! We had a great weekend!



Ok, so after that it was concert time...first Band


and then Chorus...

It was wonderful!!!!! We are blessed with two very wonderful teachers in these areas...and I was such a proud momma!!!

I'm also in charge of the yearbook, so I had to get in front for pictures, so i sit down in the center aisle on my knees and get some great shots!!!!!!! It was all wonderful until it came time to get up! My 40 yr old knees didn't want to cooperate and I had to get help from a gentleman to my left...



It's heck to get old!!!!!!!







Then came time to mow the yard...a usually easy task, right???? Well not at our house! I went out to (what I found out later) our 30 year old John Deere to do the usual seasonal tuneups (yes, i know how to do that...my dad was a mechanic) anyway...after changing the oil, cleaning the spark plug, checking the hoses, etc. My new tires last year...had gone completely flat (fixed after 3 trips to the tire place-yikes!) so I go to pull the ripcord...and after 4 pulls, it BREAKS!!!!!!!!!!

So...call the John Deere Dealer...and told them to take it away and not bring it back until it ran! So, after 3 days, long grass...I was able to spend my time (4 hours) mowing the lawn (one of my favorite things to do...yes, i know I'm weird...but so what?) It's definitely old, but as they say..."Nothing runs like a Deere!"









Cock-a-doodle-do is right!!!!

4am Monday rolls around to us scrambling (mads and myself) to get ready to be at the bus at 5AM...for those of you who don't know me...I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON!!! But we made it and I arrived in downtown Chicago like a 2 year old at Christmas...

That city never ceases to take my breath away....


And yes...I did take that picture! It was so incredible!!!







We visited the aquarium and the Brookfield Zoo...Mads had such fun with her friends...It's really interesting to watch teenagers interact...













So, we spend the day in Chicago, and a friend of mine and I had to head back early for a function that nigh

So racing back to ktown.

...with a driver who had never driven in Chicago traffic! But i must say he did very well!

The evening girl scout function went really well...we have a beautiful park in our city and the girls were able to bridge over the beautiful bridge...it turned out perfect!

We ended the evening with the girls planting flowers to take home and had such a great time!

Yesterday was Track and field day.and quite chilly..and this year they changed things up to an all school (k-6) Olympic Day! Each class was a different country and the 6th grade were in charge of mascots and timing the events! It was an incredible day! They even released doves!!!! (ok, homing pigeons...but it was COOL!!!) and had a torch (our friends son, who won 7th grade state title for pole vault lit the torch!!!)

My Olympians.....

He's 10 and thinks he's a gangster...i keep telling him,

"if your mom drops you off at school in a minivan...you not a gangster...! But it could be so much worse... He's such a good boy!!! (for real, he is...)

and tman hanging out with his buddies!

and my mads...selling water for the music boosters..

So that brings me to last night! We were invited to go to a friends farm and go "shroomin'" It's a big thing here to go hunting for Morrell mushrooms.


I was victorious!!! I found a total of 2. Yes two...it's late in the season, but it was fun anyway! When we got back to the house, we were able to cut rhubarb and asparagus, and our buddy came out of the house with a big bag of the fungi for us to add to our measly 2. So tonight it's pork chops, fresh asparagus and fried mushrooms for supper!



Well, that catches me up to date...I am just so thankful for such a beautiful family and all the adventures we go on together! I did forget to mention, we flew kites and played catch in the backyard...since two of my three are playing baseball this summer!!! I cant wait!

memories.....

Today is Mother's Day and it began so wonderfully! I was awaken by my wonderful hubby and children with gifts of a gazing ball, a beautifully decorated box to hold my goodies (from Scoot) and a beautifully decorated box containing coupons from Tman...my wonderful Mads gave me a wonderful card with the most wonderful words a teenager could utter...:"even though i dont say it alot, i really love you mom and appreciate all you do...especially camping this weekend in 30 degree weather"...I am truly blessed.

Just a note on the MRI, it's amazing what happens when you give it to God, I havent worried about it at all...still no results yet, but whatever they may be I know God will get me through it....

Happy Mother's Day to all my wonderful friends!!!!

Update...

I havent blogged in a while so to keep up with my life I must add an update...

Since my last in depth blog, I found the courage to confront my issues (or the person I had the issues with)...and we cried, laughed, and cries some more. Another wise friend shared that we need to look within to see why we are doing something (i.e. being on a committee to help our kids) and I was being very prideful and not seeing the big picture...who cares who does what...as long as it gets done and the kids are the benefactors in the end...So, I have a new outlook on things...I reupped for another year, so we'll see how it goes, but I think it will be fine with this new attitude I have. :)

Tonight, I am heading out with one of my favorite friends to train a gaggle of teenagers how to camp and be program assistants...I love to camp, so it should be fine (as long as my back can take it); I am teaching knife safety again (hoping this time I dont have to demonstrate accidentally how to clean a knife wound...yes, i was actually giving a knife safety course and cut myself...what? it happens! I do put myself out there to help the masses :)) I am also incharge of teaching knot tying, which are two of my specialities as a girl scout trainer, so i am looking forward to it.

But most of all I am looking forward to hanging out with my oldest and getting that one on one time that is quickly becoming a rare thing...I just pray (daily) that I have done the right things with her and that she turns out to be an independent adult. From the looks of things, so far so good. She is such a blessing!

Lastly, I am trying not to overreact. I had an MRI yesterday and wont know the results till monday or tuesday, which makes me crazy...the not knowing part...when someone else has something, i can talk them through it and help them stay calm...but when its me...it's a whole other ballgame...

Lord give me strength...

Kittens!!!!!!!!

Meet Smokey and Midnight, the newest additions to the Nelson family...aren't they cute? (refer to the mouse blog) :)

Smokey has big blue eyes..courtesy of a friend from work...the kids are having so much fun with them, and I must admit, so am I. they are sequestered in the kitchen until it is certain they know to always use the litter box, and I am happy to report in the 4 days that we have had them they are doing great! The first night they fell asleep on my chest and slept there the entire night.

it's heck to get old...

I reember the days when we stayed up till 3 or 4 in the morning and slept and got up and kept goin...well those days are definitely a thing of the past...

Friday night my 13 yr olds scout troop had our annual sleepover at a church, i was doing fine till the other leader and I sat down, and i felt my eyes getting heavy, we were talking and next thing i knew it was morning....how embarassing, but to make it worse, when the girls woke up, they informed me i was "really" snoring...oh well...what do you do...

I was told I slept through a couple games of dance dance revolution and a new game called "snort" ...sucks to get old! But it was 10:30 and past my bedtime!

I've come to my senses...

ok, so I've been pretty negative lately, and all without remembering who is in charge...So, again as only He can do...he reached me through email...I get daily devotions from Proverbs 31 ministries...it said:

April 15, 2008

Reckless Words
Susanne Scheppmann
“A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4 (NASB)

Devotion:
“My daughter-in-law is a heathen dog!” stated the woman. She went on for fifteen minutes, berating her son’s wife.

I was standing in the church foyer with a group of women listening to her tirade. This woman had been a Christian for decades. We had all been in Bible study with her over the years. We had watched her sing in the choir. Now we watched in shock as harsh condemnation spilled from her lips against her own family.

She seethed with anger and accusations. Her tongue slashed the reputation of her daughter-in-law. The group stood in silence—we didn’t know the girl. The girl had never come to our church. Perhaps, if this woman had allowed her tongue to follow the advice of Proverbs 12:18, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing,” this girl might be attending church with her. Instead, she came by herself each week.

With sadness, I stepped away from the circle of women. This brief encounter affected me for the rest of the day. I hurt for the unknown daughter-in-law. I ached for the woman so full of venom that it spewed out uncontrolled.

However, it reminded me to keep watch on my own attitudes and words. I desire for my tongue to be a soothing tree of life. I am going to challenge myself to keep a tight rein on my wayward words. Would you like to join the challenge with me?

Dear Lord, forgive the reckless, hurting words I speak. Teach me the words to encourage others. Allow my speech, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a healing balm to those who have been hurt. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Susanne Schepmann’s blog

Perplexing Proverbs for Women Bible study by Susanne Scheppman

30 Days to Taming Your Tongue by Deborah Smith Pegues

Application Steps:
In today’s conversations, make it a point to speak kindly about people. In addition, determine to compliment three people whose paths you cross.

Reflections:
Do I think before I speak?

When do I usually speak in a negative manner? How can my words bring healing to others?

Power Verses:
Proverbs 15:2, “The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.” (NIV)

Proverbs 17:28, “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” (NIV)

James 1:26, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” (NIV)

Pretty Powerful huh? So, I reread the emails I had sent, and they were hurtful. I swallowed my pride and wrote an email apologizing for my hurtful words (including the above devotion) and explained how I felt. I dont know if it did any good, but at least I feel a little better. I wish I could take back the hurtful words, but I know I can't. I said a prayer for forgiveness and strength.

frustrated....

I havent blogged in a few days, i'm still getting back into the routine of working...

I am just so frustrated with events going on within a "supposed" group of parents, One mom is taking over, and when someone volunteers for a position you would think you'd be appreciated for your efforts, to say the least. But, in this case, this one woman is making it so unbearable, I am tendering my resignation. I am trying to be a christian woman and hold my tounge, but for Pete's sake, helping our kids, shouldn't be so difficult.

emails are flying back and forth and it is gettting to the point of being ridiculous. I'm just so tired of trying to have my efforts thwarted by those who have to be in "control" all the time. It sounds silly, but so true..."cant we all just get along?"

I'm going to take a long hot bath and go to sleep, maybe things will look better in the morning...

scootie says the cutest things....

we are on the way home...and we approach a train, a coal train...and it was long, like 150+ cars long, and we are quietly waiting for it to pass and from the far back of the van, we hear..."Wow!!! There must have been a lot of bad kids this year already...for Santa to be getting so much coal!!!"



Oh my precious girl...how sweet!

mice...

ok, i despise the little creatures, i do...sorry mouse lovers out there...



but they are little and have beady eyes and unfortuntately they like my house becasue i live on a farm...and for you city people, this doesnt mean my house is dirty, it means i live on a farm thus we have mice...

something like this...surrounded by fields...



ok, so this winter has been the coldest, nastiest, and weirdest (ok, i dont know if that is a word or not...but whatever) on record or at least for as long as i can remember...


anyway, so it's cold right, so we have a mouse every once in a while...they come in to keep warm...sooooo

That day, i had on my mommy hat and wanted to teach the children that we needed to be kind to God's creatures, even though they freak me out...so i first bought the live traps...and caught the little bugger on the first or second try right...so i make DH take it outside and let it go...BUT...I swear, he came right back like a little scary vacation for the little bugger...



so i explain to the kids that this didnt work and i was getting another kind of trap, aka: the glue trap.



The little buggers get stuck and that's that...except when i caught him...he was making all these horrible noises and DH said "ok smarty...you realize what i have to do now..." and no, i didnt realize this...he had to take it outside and SMACK IT on the pavement to kill it, then dispose of it...YUK! I was not witnessing this...




So, at least i got him right????? Oh no.......he has friends.....

...so i go to the store and buy at least 100 glue traps (ok, so maybe it was 10, but still) we set them out and in the morning...we were awoken by "MOMMMMMMMMMM....." OK, assumming we had caught one and Scootie saw it or something along those lines...but no, she stepped on a glue trap...and was TRAPPED!!!! or at least her sock was...so throw out the sock and wash her foot and begin plotting on how to do away with these little vermin.....

Dh and I discuss it at length and he decides (cause i'm not touching anything remotely having anything to do with a mouse) that he will go back to the tried and true SNAP trap...he sets it...and we wait.....

and wait

and wait.....

until, A LOUD SNAP...

Got him!!! and his brother, and his sister and i think his dad....4 in all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Victorious!!!!! Havent seen one since! I'll show those mices....:)


UNTIL.....

the kids come in and want to watch the movie.....You know the one...

AND NOW.....they want to have a funeral and proper burial for the entire "MICE" (mouse?) family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So i begin to realize the horrible truth... I am a mouse killer.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who knows that little cute cuddly little guy ...(or his mom or sister or dad) could have been a great chef....!!!!!

ps. They even named them...ugh!