I'll be back...

Quite possibly tomorrow. Today was a really hectic day. I actually missed blogging today, It has turned into my alone time. So, no time to myself today! That's alright though, I'll be back tomorrow, with lots to talk about! Tune in!

Chai latte anyone?

I can't believe it... IT'S 37 DEGREES OUTSIDE! I am so cold, I can feel it in my bones. I had to run out to the car this morning fifteen minutes before taking Amiyah to school to turn the heat on in the car, and also push the button, for the first time this season, to heat my leather seat. Leather, and cold... they don't mix very well. ooooh it was so warm and cozy. I know I have said before, that I love the cold weather, and I really do, but not when I'm unprepared. I mean, for today I would have needed ski jackets, gloves, and hats, just to make it from the front door to the car... I was so not ready for this. My poor kids, I kept throwing layer after layer of sweaters and jackets over them. I guess this is where a nice comfy set of long johns would have come in. That's okay though, I just kept Emilio's Batman pajamas on underneath all his layers... he was set. I'm home now with Caleb and Emilio. After a nice warm breakfast, I set the two of them up in Emilio's room watching, you guessed it... The Polar Express! I set just about every comforter and pillow I could find for them on the floor, along with some favorite furry friends, they look adorable, all snuggled up, no care in the world. I, however, am here at my computer wishing I was sitting in a nice cozy corner in Barnes and Nobles enjoying a grande Chai latte, and a slice of warm crumb cake. It's only warm because I make them nook it for me for about a minute, it tastes so much better that way. That's okay though, my hot coffee, and raspberry pastry will do just fine... for now. I think I need to have chai night with my ladies this weekend. I wish The One Way Cafe was open Sunday night's, their Chai... IS THE BEST! So creamy and delicious. My Jojo is a genius when it comes to making my chai... I heart her : )

Crayon in the nose

After breakfast this morning, Emilio and I started through our usual routine, brush teeth, wash hands and face, and change clothes. I gathered all the neccesary items for changing him, remembering not leave anything behind. Let me tell you, if I forget just one thing, he takes full advantage of the moment I have to stop what I'm doing to collect the missing item, to run off. I told him to lay down on the floor, and I proceeded to take off his pajamas. When I got to his shirt, I was just about to pull it over his head when I noticed something HUGE inside of his right nostril. I shrieked, " Oh my gosh!" I noticed that freaked him out a bit, so as to not startle him, I ran and grabbed a fruit strip for him to eat while I examined this wierd object up my sons nose. At this point I couldn't make out that it was a crayon, but it was big enough that I knew I could get it out with my tweezers, don't try this at home kids. I ran for my tweezers, raced back, and the Bean was sitting up shouting, " more peeeese!" The kid wanted another fruit strip, hey whatever would keep him still. I put him back down on the floor, straddled his little body, and held his little head tightly. I counted to three, and went for it. Next thing I knew, I had pulled out the tip of a pink crayon that was probably a half an inch long. How my child got the crayon in there exactly... I 'll never know.

She's gone!

I promised myself this season I would not watch the Bachelor. I just think it's hysterical how a group of women can pack up and leave their lives in the hopes of falling in love with some random guy they have never even met, in just a few short weeks. Well, as you can see, that didn't last long. My friend Lorraine asked me a few weeks back if I was watching it, to which I replied... "no." She told me, with much excitement , that I had to watch, " It's different this time, the guy is a single father. " After watching the very first episode... I was hooked. I don't watch it on Monday nights though, There is just way to much to do once the kids are in bed. I watch it the following Tuesday on ABC. com. So far Jason, the bachelor, seems to be this sweet, down to earth single dad, from Seattle. This week, he let go of Stephanie, a single mom who lost her husband almost four years ago. This comes as a shock to most, but I knew she was a gonner. There is no chemistry, no spark. Yes, they are both single parents, but honestly, that's about all they had in common. I was sad to see her go though, especially since I thought Naomi should have been the one to leave, she's a bit immature as far as I'm concerned. but let's just wait till next week.

Turning Two

Emilio will be turning two on the 18th of this month. Joey and I both cannot believe the changes he's made in just a single year. He's a total boy, climbing his sister's dresser, jumping off of beds, hanging from our GLASS dining room table... Yikes! And so much more. His vocabulary has improved quite a bit. He will have a lengthy conversation with you about anything and everything. Even though we can only understand half of what he's saying, he enjoys the fact that we sit and listen to him. His latest conversations are all about his daddy. When Joey leaves the house, at first Emilio cries, and says, "Mommy, car with daddy... PEEEEEESE! Then after a moment on the couch with him reassuring him that daddy will soon return, he turns to me and starts babbling about just how wonderful his daddy is. I know this because every other word is daddy. When daddy is home, all he wants to do is hug and kiss him, and tell him, " I da youuuuuu!" He has no clue his birthday is fast approaching. Amiyah has taken out the album from his last birthday a few times to show him the birthday cake, balloons... his favorite, and all the cool decorations. He already knows he's one, he'll tell you, and even hold up one finger. We have been trying to help him coordinate his little fingers to do two. If you ask him how old he is he'll say, "two" while holding up one finger... it's funny.
Oh my baby Bean, he's a big boy now. Exciting days are ahead. After his birthday, we start... POTTY TRAINING!

New camera... for Amiyah!

She just always has to get that close-up of her face.

Candy necklaces for her classmates.

Taken by Amiyah.

For Christmas Joey's parents got Amiyah a camera. After looking over the package, I came to realize... it wasn't compatible with our mac.
Today, while Joey stayed home, I seized the opportunity, and took the camera to the store to exchange it. I also got a little free time, which was nice. Yes, I know, it's February. When your lugging three kids around all day, with diaper bags, and toys, even the smallest of trips tend to take forever. I decided to save myself the hassle, and wait until I could go alone. I exchanged her other camera for a different one, it was $20.00 more, and I also had to get her a memory card.
The pictures above Amiyah and I took today while she was making her candy necklaces for her classmates. The last picture of me, that looks kinda crazy, was taken with the flash on. Ah well, not my camera of choice, but now she can do whatever she wants with it and I don't have to worry about her touching mine... that is, when I get a new one. I uploaded all of the pictures she took today in to her own folder in iphoto. i can't wait to teach her about blogging. She loves watching me do it.

It's cloudy outside!!

I know, it's a little strange that it being cloudy out would make me happy, but, I have to say... I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! I love the feeling I get. The feeling of, ah well, it's gross out, and I don't feel like doing anything exciting today. I love just laying around doing... well, nothing!
Since Black History Month is around the corner, Amiyah and I decided today, to catch up on some reading. We've started reading the biography of Rosa Parks.
I love the reactions on her cute little face when I talk to her about what a colored fountain was, and why it was that Rosa Parks was not allowed to sit anywhere her heart desired, on that bus.
The book, also includes many photos of Rosa, as a child, and all the way up to adulthood.
She especially enjoyed the picture of the actual bus Rosa Parks was on.
One day, when she's a little older, we'll have to take a family trip to Michigan to visit the Henry Ford Museum, in Dearborn.

What did you do on this cloudy day?

Now what do i do with myself?

The kids went down for naps, two loads of laundry have been ironed and hung, lunch mess
all cleaned up, and now I'm sitting here with exactly two hours to myself, before I have to
start my second shift. I have so many things I would like to do in these two hours,
but don't know which one to choose. I was thinking, catch up on last nights episode of Lost,
that I thought came on at 10. By the time my hubby and I got home from church, put the kids to bed and sat down to watch it, it was 9:45. I was like, Yes! I have a whole fifteen minutes!
The Hunster and I got cozy on the couch, ( he could care less about Lost, he watches it because he loves me. ) Turned the channel to ABC, only to discover...
IT ACTUALLY STARTED AT NINE!!!
I was soooooo unbelievably upset, words can't describe it. So I can either watch last nights episode, read the book my mom got for me called, The Shack, or I could wash my hair. Seriously, I need to wash it, haha. You know how you only here stuff like that in old movies, where some lady can't go out with her friends or something because she's washing her hair? Well that's me! So if you ever call me to hang out, and I say I can't because I'm washing my hair... I'm being totally serious. I'm not trying to avoid you. So, let me go and think about how I will spend this little bit of time I have left. Toodles!

What Will It Take?

What will it take to break my heart?
Inside, I'm so full of myself.
What will it take to break my will?
Maybe loss... A friend, or my health?
What will it take to turn me back?
I have wondered so far from him.
What will it take to give God all?
It's hard to see... the light's so dim.
What will it take to turn around?
I'm stuck inside a narrow rut.
What will it take to feel again?
My heart is steel, it won't be cut.
What will it take to spark a flame?
I once knew warmth within God's love.
What will it take to fear His name?
Fear... That's what my minds full of.
What will it take to die to self?
I'm holding on for all I'm worth.
What will it take to know real wealth?
I have lost the joy I found in rebirth.
What will it take to make Him Lord?
There is so much stuff that's in the way.
What will it take to cut sins cord?
I have lived a lie, it's time to pay.
What will it take to seek His face?
It's really hard, He sees clean through.
What will it take to honor grace?
O, God, I want to run to you!
What will it take to come home, Lord?
A broken heart, a humbled will?
What will it take to be restored?
'' Repent! '' God says. '' I love you still.''

* This is taken from an old journal of mine I found today while packing.
The restoration of Jesus Christ, is simply amazing! *

So true

I saw this on another blog, and absolutely fell in love with it.