Thursday, November 29, 2007

Thankful Thursday

Wow.... these Thursdays seem to come around awfully quick!Actually the days seem very long, it's the weeks that seem short. Does it feel that way to anyone else?
1. I am thankful we are going home for Christmas.
There is just something about celebrating Christmas with your dad & mom and siblings. I am NOT looking forward to getting there.... but this post does not cover the scope of things I am not looking forward to. That would be more like that topic for an entire weeks' discussion.

2. I am thankful for the friends I am going to see whilst I am home for the holidays.Oh yes, among seeing the family I will also be seeing friends. Woohoo!
3. I am thankful for the enthusiasm of children.
It is so refreshing and fun to witness the enthusiasm that my kids have for Christmas and everything that surrounds it. When we put up the tree it was "Mom, you are the best mom in the whole wide world". Last year when I put up the tree and turned on the lights, my oldest started praying right then and there thanking God for Christmas and the tree. My middle started singing "Happy Birthday to Jesus". They get so excited about the littlest things and I am so thankful for that!

4. I am thankful for water.
It's one of those things you take for granted, until the lake that supplies your water only has 132 days left of the wet stuff. There is a big emphasis on water rationing here in Georgia and we have been banned from outdoor water usage of any kind since summer. It's going to get to the point where I'm going to have to restrict my kids to one outfit and one pair of pajamas per week. (to save on laundry water) Actually, that might not be such a bad idea anyways................ We had some friend on Sunday who said they were going to Wal Mart to buy bottled water to go pour in Lake Lanier. We would probably join in except the water will just be sent down stream to keep endangered mussels and sturgeon alive.


5. I am thankful for ribbon.
I know... it's a little shallow... but hey, just keepin it real! I LOVE ribbon! All colors all sizes.... and for wrapping gifts I love wide satin ribbon or sheer ribbon or ribbon with wire in it. It's so fun to get a package with a nice big ribbon on it.
What are you thankful for?

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The Forgotten Boys

This story really touched my heart. I think it is worth reading if only to put perspective into life.

The Forgotten Boys

It is on a blog from a family who are adopting 3 children (I think) from Ethiopia. They are over there right now and just visited a home for older boys who are orphans. The orphange is home to about 180 boys ages 12 and up. Because of their ages these boys are rarely adopted.

The post is rather long because they go into great detail about the boys and the conditions they are living in but I think it was worth the read.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Ode to Petit St. Vincent




Tomorrow.



I'm sure the kids can fend for themselves.
I'm sure they can.


They know where the cereal is.
They know how to get water to drink.
They know how to work the dvd player.
They know what time bedtime is.


I'm leaving the country.

At this island...
there are no children....
there are no pagers...........
there are no phones.......
there is no tv........
there are no peanut butter sandwiches............
did I mention no kids........




You can do hiking, swimming, reading, relaxing, napping.....
A soothing massage or facial can be arranged in your cottage or on your patio on request.......Room service, lunch on the beach, whatever you want........


I could rest and relax here just fine.....
I'm sure I could.....

I would at least like to give it a try....


Okay, so maybe not this week.


But a girl can always dream...............

Venit, Vidit, Absentis

They Came, They Saw, They Left


They Came
at 11:00 am Sunday morning to see the house.
They called at 10:00am Sunday morning to say they were coming.
Who comes to see a house on Sunday morning?!?
Don't they know it's all some people can do to get
their kids fed and dressed, their hair done, their coats on
and out the door on Sunday mornings?
Why, oh why would they call Sunday morning
an hour before they come by?
They Saw
the house in disarray.
Oh yes they did.
We did not know they were coming.
The kids beds were unmade.
The doors to the rooms in the basement were locked.
The house was clean (swept, vacuumed) but not
entirely picked up.
Not "Southern Living could come take pictures
of my house clean".
I'm sure the tinker toy parts in the
front entry way tipped them off
to the fact that they were not expected.
I'm sure they were impressed.
They Left
We did not hear back from them.
Their loss.
Our house cleans up real well.
I promise!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving!


I am thankful for so many things on this Thanksgiving



Family I am thankful that I have had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my husband and kids and the they are all healthy and here.


Friends I am so thankful for my friends. They have been there for me and encouraged me and supported me through all sorts of issues I have had! :) Thanks y'all!


Rest
I am so thankful that we have a couple days of rest. My husband has been so busy with work and things have been so crazy with kids activities and showing the house (and keeping it clean) that we just have not really felt rested. Today we got up early to get the rolls started and to pop the turkey in and then we went back to bed and rested. It was SO nice!

Turkey
I am thankful we only had a 12lb turkey! Ha! This was my first whole turkey to fix and we brined it and cooked it this morning. It was a decent sized turkey, I'm telling ya, and it was one of the smaller ones! And we have plenty of leftovers.

Wal Mart Okay, so I know we all have a love/hate relationship with Wal Mart, but seriously, I am so thankful I live in a nation where I can drive 5-10 minutes to a store and buy anything I need and even some things I want! On Monday I went to Wal Mart and just stood there and watched all the people carting things out and thought how fortunate we are. There are so many people in this world who would give anything to have these convieneces.

I am thankful.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Thankful Thursday

I have many things to be thankful for.
It always helps me put things into perspective.

There have been many times lately when I just get worn out or frustrated with things or situations and I really just have to look at the flip side of whatever is getting me down and find what I am thankful for.

So Thankful Thursdays really gives me a day to sit down
and have an attitude check and get my perspective back where it needs to be.
1. I am thankful we have a vehicle for transportation.
My 6 year old and I had a 2 hour conversation on cars
and who has a car (me) and who does not
(him and people in India)(according to him)
(I have no idea where he came up with that one)
so we then had a whole conversation about
how we really need to be thankful because not everybody in
America has a car. And then I started thinking that I would not
EVER go ANYWHERE with my 3 if we had to walk there or
ride our bikes there. ANYWHERE...... EVER.......
So I am very thankful for our car!


2. I am thankful we have potential buyers looking at our house.
I'm glad but it is a lot of work. So I am focusing on the glad part.
Keeping a house "show ready" (and by show ready I mean
clean enough that Southern Living could show up
and take pictures for their magazine) (not that that my
house would even qualify, I'm just saying I would like it
to be that clean!:) ) with 3 kids 6 and under
gets to be just a wee bit stressful. Just a wee bit!
But I am glad we are showing it. We had a showing today
and one scheduled for tomorrow. It really throws ME off schedule
but, once again, this is the thankful game, not the Lori whining game! :)
Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho! He! He! Ha! Ha!


3. I am thankful for bloggers.
Seriously. I didn't even know what blogging WAS until just this last
May when my neighbor across the street told me she blogged.
There are some very funny, witty and down right hilarious
women out there blogging their little hearts out! When you are
a stay at home mom, with little kids running around all day,
it is just nice to know there are others out there fighting the
good fight and striving to raise their families and be good
wives and just being amusing in general.

4. I am thankful for music.
(I'm not talking about VeggieTales here)
Music just soothes my soul! Whether it is hymns, the
Sleeping Beauty Waltz, Christian praises
Christian pop or a little bit of Harry Connick, Jr. music just makes
me happy. I love having a song in my heart!

5. I am thankful for our fishing pond.
That's right. We have a fishing pond. Right down the street.
We can walk there in about 5 minutes.
It has TONS of fish and all you need is a pole, a hook
and some bread and you can pull a fish out every time!
My kids think it is great! I think it is free I mean great!








Have a Thankful Thursday Y'all!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The Recital

Last night was our first violin recital.
Ever.
My oldest has been playing for a year now and can actually play 5 songs with piano accompaniment.
My middle loves music and rhythms. He just started lessons in the summer.
My youngest is our performer and she desperately wanted to take violin lessons also.
She actually started this summer when she was 2.
What was I thinking?
Our violin teacher's daughter also teaches and she was available at the same time our oldest was taking lessons. I was going to have to do something with the other 2 anyways, and they both wanted to take lessons, so I said why not.
Here they are pre-recital.
You can tell they are excited and thrilled to have their pictures taken.


What if daddy stands behind me and promises you all lollipops if you smile?


That's what I thought.


Here is my oldest at the recital. Look at that confident stance!
He played "Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"
and "Song of the Wind" with piano accompaniment.


My middle played "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".
At least part of it.


We are not for sure what she played. But she did play.
Oh yes she did.
With all the flair and grandeur she could muster.


And then she took her bow.


The audience clapped.
The audience cheered.
She wanted to play again.
We thought we would never get her off the stage.

Monday, November 12, 2007

To See If She Could

So, I am fixing lunch. My 3 year old daughter who is somewhere on the other side of the kitchen says, "Mom, look at me!".

My spidey senses kick in as I turn around in slow motion.

She has a glass jar full olives and olive juice......

balancing.........

....on her head!

My 3 YEAR OLD!

After I recovered from passing out on the floor I immediately used every ounce of self control not to yell "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!!! PUT THAT DOWN IMMEDIATELY!" because in a moment of clarity and surprising sanity I realized I might scare her and she might actually drop the thing. So instead, I said "wow" in my happy voice and with lightening quick speed I closed the distance between the two of us and snatched the jar from her head. And THEN once all was safe and danger was averted I let her know that she is never again in this life time and under no circumstances ever again allowed to try that stunt again.

Amen.

Fashion Follies of the 6th Grade

So, this weekend I was flipping through a fancysmancy catalog and saw this.....


Are you serious? Is the flipped up collar on the polo really coming back in style? Because if it is I am all over it! Oh yes I am! Because this fashion wave rolled through our mid-west town when I was in 6th grade, and I was not cool enough to pull it off.

It's sad, but true.

I actually did wear my collar flipped up sometimes at home to impress my little sister and brother with my coolishness. And I would stand and look at myself in the mirror to see if I could get up the nerve to try it out at school.

But I just couldn't pull it off.

You see, in 6th grade, I was 6' tall and skinny as a rail. The closest 6th grader in height to me was a good 5 inches shorter. Many a time the boys would walk up to me and ask "How's the weather up there?" (looking back I think they were just intimidated by me but it sure is hard as a 6th grader to see that) My dad jokingly said I should tell them "It's raining" and then spit on them.

I never did.

But seriously considered a couple times.

So if the flipped up collar polo really and truly comes back, And it really is cool, I will so wear it this time around! And I know my kids (6, 4 and 3) will be so impressed with just how cool their mom is.
Because I am like, SO totally cool now.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Things That Make You Go....... Hmmmmmm

Friday, my husband decided to put these cool toilet bowl cleaner things in the tank so they are always smelling nice and fresh.

And blue.

Today, my 4 year old son ran into our room and said "I need to use your bathroom, the water in my toilet is blue".

(sidenote here: ALL the water in ALL the toilets in our house has been blue since FRIDAY)

My husband then replies "All the toilets have blue water. It's supposed to be that way. You can use your own toilet."

My son runs out of our room shouting "Yippeee, we can use the toilets! The water is supposed to be blue! Yippeee!"

So WHAT has he been doing?

Hmmmmmm.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

I Love Fall

Fall.
I just love fall.
I love jackets. I love flannel sheets.
I love Taco Soup and White Chicken Chili. I love pumpkin pies.
(and when I say pumpkin pie, I do mean equal parts pumpkin pie and whipped cream)
And I love leaves.
It is so fun to watch the ever changing colors on the trees.

Here is a beauty I found in my front yard. Just beggin to have it's picture taken.


Here is another beauty.
I really can't decide which colors I love the best.


And then I found this.


A pink blooming flower. In my front yard.
They are all over the bush.
Right now.
Mid-November.
I found out it is a Camellia. I LOVE pink flowers. But in November?
It's really messing with my whole "fall color theme"!

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Crazy Sewing

Okay, so there has been some crazy sewing going on here in the last couple days. I mean crazy as in... my husband is out of town, we've just listed our house on the market to sell, I'm trying to keep the house "show ready" with 3 small kids while also trying to complete school each day and also feed them 3 meals a day and get all the laundry done crazy. And I decide that my neice who is turning 1 needs a new birthday dress... and not only that.... it needs to be reversible....... crazy.

So here is the first side. It is a fine wale pink courderoy with her initials embroidered on it along with the cutest brown bows with pink polka dots! It turned out SO CUTE!







Here is where I got into trouble. This is the other side it reverses to. It has the cutest little birthday cake with chenille icing and very cute white bows.

The problem is that you could see through to the other side.

Ugh.

Learn from my mistake. Don't try this at home! Just go ahead and make 2 dresses if you must have both the monogram and the cake! It's just not worth all the tears and frustration and knashing of teeth! It's not. I promise. I had to try and "line" the middle of the dress and it just didn't work out so well. If you look closely you can see where the lining is in a big square behind the cake. It looked fine on the monogram side, but this side it shows through just a hint. It actually is not quite as noticible in real life as it is in the picture.

And don't even get me started on button holes. If I put a button hole in something, it is TRUE LOVE! I was doing just fine until I got to the button holes and if my mom had been living just 15 minutes away, I would have promptly drove to her house and through tears begged her to finish this dress for her youngest granddaughter. But she lives 2 days drive away. So I didn't. And yes, I did consider priority mail, but there would not have been enough time for her to finish it and take it to my neice. So I got out the sewing manual and figured out which foot thingy needed to go on and which setting it needed to be on and I got the thing done. But it wasn't pretty. Fortunatley the button holes are covered up by the cute bows. :) That worked out well!

Crazy sewing. That's all I have to say about it.

Monday, November 5, 2007

About Me

I'm the Daughter of the King of Kings.
Helpmeet to my husband.
Mother of 3 by God's Blessings.
Physical Therapist by Profession.
Stay at Home Mother by Choice.
Homeschool teacher by Determination and Patience.
Gardener and Photographer.
Baker, Cook, Seamstress and Homemaker.
Laundress, Maid and Chauffeur.
Avid Reader of Books.


Why Crazy Daisy?

Crazy....

because there are many days around here that just seem plain crazy. In February 2007 we moved from Oklahoma, where we had lived all our lives, across country to Georgia. In October 2007 we found out we would be moving to Texas in the next couple months. On November 5th of 2007 my husband started working in Texas while we were still living in Georgia. That was the day I started this blog. As of August 2008 we are now Texans.

Crazy

I'm crazy about my husband. He's a 6'3 tall, gorgeous, blond hunk of a man. He is the love of my life. He is passionate about his relationship with Christ and he is witty and brilliant.

I'm crazy about my kids. All 3 of them. They are the best. There are days they drive me crazy too. I'm talking about sitting under the kitchen table, sucking my thumb and eating chocolate kind of crazy. But I love them.

I'm crazy about Jesus. I passionately want to be more like Christ and live my life to the fullest for His glory.

Daisy.....

because daisies just make me happy. I love to garden. I love it. It brings me much peace and enjoyment. I love spending time in the beautiful world God created for us.


I love many other things, like photography, cooking, baking, sewing, and scrapbooking and most other things crafty. But if I had to choose, I would choose daisies. And so I did.

So there you have it.