The King, I mean Queen

The boys and I were at Petco the other day and saw this Elvis costume on clearance and I had to get it for Lola. As you know, we leave tomorrow for Graceland. Tanner loves Elvis! Anyway, the picture is dark and you can't really see the hairpiece with sunglasses and attached sideburns or the tuft of hair coming from the chest of the shirt. We got such a kick out of this! It was only $4 and well worth the entertainment! Poor Lola! For those of you who may not know (and I can't imagine there's many of ya'), Lola is my baby girl in my house full of guys. I'll have to post on her when I have more time, she commands an entire post of her own!
Well, thought this might hold you over until we get back with all those Elvis pictures! We're going to the Peabody Hotel, too, to see the ducks! Pray for our safety and sanity!
Until our return...

My Life of Crime!

Sometimes crime does pay!

I'm at a friend's house one day and am admiring a wreath she made for her front door. Nothing fancy, very simple but I liked it. I suggested many times how nice it would be as a house warming gift. We move in and no wreath. I then suggested how nice of a birthday gift it would be. My birthday comes and goes and still no wreath (though the cupcakes were delicious). Well, yesterday, I stole her wreath off of her door! I brought it home and put it on my door and doesn't it look nice (the picture is a little blurry)? She texted me and asked if I took her wreath. To which I replied "what wreath?" So, she said to bring her wreath back and she would leave mine hanging on her door for me! Sometimes, you just have to take matters into your own hands! :)

Thanks again, Katherine, for the wreath!

Receiving Is Good Too!

My 29 day giving challenge is up. I had hoped to finish with a bang by increasing my giving as the end neared. I may not have given much away but I still think I finished with a bang!
By my calculations, I had 10 days left of giving when I got sick. I got strep throat. My head felt like a bowling ball and my throat was so sore I dreaded each and every swallow. I laid around for several days trying to rest and heal. Needless to say, the only thing I could have given were my germs! As that got better, I got bronchitis! This went on for almost two weeks! Oh, the coughing!! Anyway, I kept thinking of how this was ruining my 29 days of giving and I was making mental lists of things I could give away when I was fit to re-enter society. As the days went by, though, it occurred to me how much was being given to me. Wait, I'm supposed to be the one giving! It was then that I realized the importance of being able to receive as well as give. I have never been comfortable with people doing things for me. When I had my knee surgery, a friend from church came and cleaned my house. That was hard to let her do. People cooked for me and came to visit. I appreciated it immensely, but it was hard nonetheless. But, as the calls came in to watch the boys for me and to bring me soup, it really got me thinking. My instinct was to say no thanks, I've got it. But this time was going to be different! I did let a friend come get the boys for the afternoon (I was able to get to the doctor while they were away), I did let another friend run an errand in town for me. I even called and asked someone if they could come by and pick the boys up to take them to class (our homeschool co-op classes) so they wouldn't miss it. They were also picked up for Tae Kwon Do so they wouldn't miss that and I was even texted a picture of them so I wouldn't feel left out! What special friends I am blessed with!
We can't do it alone. We all need each other. It is important to give and be aware of the needs of others. But, it is also important to be able to accept help when you need it. I think it's important to remember, though, that it's not about keeping score. I find myself thinking I can't ask her because she's helped me twice already since the last time I helped her. It has to be about the needs (of others as well as myself) and not the scoreboard!

Is It Just Me?

I'm back!! I have had strep throat (which thanks to antibiotics was brief) and what I think was bronchitis the past two weeks. I am still coughing but I think it's getting better.
Since I was not feeling well, I spent more time than usual laying around and watching television. This brings me to the topic of this post. This is officially my first rant (kind of, it's gentle)! Have you seen the Stanley Steamer commercial? The one that says your house needs cleaning because of kids, teens, pets and husbands? What about the Hotels.com one where the husband gets so excited over having 2 bottles of shampoo that he starts pouring them on his head? And let's not forget the one for Pepto-Bismol where the husband is compared to the dog he ate so much, including dog biscuits. What is with all the "stupid husband" commercials? I have never noticed there being so many. I realize there are commercials that portray women as less than intelligent as well as those with respectable men in them. I'm just wondering how these "stupid husband" commercials affect the way we see our own husbands. So many of the sitcoms center around the "got-it-together" wife who tolerates the shenanigans of this clown she lives with. In a society where half of our marriages end in divorce, this cannot be good for us. I think it's easy to say we know better, but when we're inundated with these images I have to wonder how much seeps in. I don't know about you, but my husband is far from these stupid portrayals. Has he ever done anything dumb? Absolutely, who hasn't? But, he works hard for his family and supports me in everything I do. I just wish more male roles would reflect the kind of husband/father he is and strives to be. I want my boys to grow up with the sense of responsibility to care for their family and not to think it's ok to goof off and expect their wives to hold the family together.
Chill out, you say. Get a life. I know, I know. It may not be quite as big a deal as I make it sound, but at the risk of sounding like a stick in the mud, it does concern me a little. What say you?



This post is dedicated to my sweetie: