PRAYERS

A friend and co-worker lost their house yesterday to a house fire. The house is a total loss. Her family made it out unscathed and for that we are so thankful.

Please keep the Lansing family in your prayers.

Public Service Announcement: the fire was caused by a Glade Plug-In air freshener with an attached electrical outlet. I removed all plug-in air freshener's years ago but if you have them I suggest removing them for safety.

HARLEY-ISM

"We've all lived together a long time. I think we need a break, it's getting a little boring."

Standing in His presence...

with Angels all around.

I was saying our nightly prayers with Adrienne. We said "Amen" and she looked up, gasped and smiled. Then started waving. She was so happy. She tapped my arm and pointed up so I could see too. I smiled and waved. And cried.

I couldn't see what she was seeing, but I saw it in her face. It was so beautiful.

FUNNIES

#1 - We were in dire need of a dryer. Ours was so ghetto. Everything had to be dried twice. The door was broke so it was propped shut with a shower curtain rod. Pathetic. I ordered a new washer and dryer (You have to buy them together, it's law. Look it up.) from Sears. Sears has gone down hill. They were terrible to work with and I cancelled my order. Snow and sick children have prevented me from really getting out to look. I couldn't stand it anymore and took all 3 girls with me last night to look for a new washer and dryer.

I went to ApplianceSmart. They don't have carts or anything to strap a 2 yr old in. I guess they figure you can't put a stove in a cart so why bother. I'll tell you why they should bother. Adrienne didn't want to be held. When I put her down she would either run or just lay on the floor. The floor wet from dirty snow. I quickly picked out a new set and we went up to the counter to set everything up. Adrienne was bothering the calculator, phone, whatever she could get her hands on. To distract her, I put her on my shoulders. She then grabbed my hair with both hands and yelled, "YEE HAW!!!!"

#2 - We’ve all heard/seen parents rolling their eyes, sighing and walking away. THIS is why we do it. I was reading a bible story to the girls before bed. It had Psalms 23 written in a kid-friendly way. I repeated it several times. I told them to close their eyes and listen to the words. They did. When it I was done Harley opens her eyes and says with a grin “wanna know what my brain was thinking the whole time?” Sure. “it was saying ‘I love chocolate. I love chocolate.’” Rolled eyes, sighed, walked away.

Little Diva is 2!

Can you believe it?

Seems like just last week it was only Vanessa and Harley. Now my BABY is 2.

LOVE IT!

So you'll understand when they commit me to an Asylum someday...

This was conversation with Vanessa and Harley. Try to follow along ;-)

Vanessa: Next Monday a president is going to have a dream!! Me: Um, his name was Martin Luthern King Jr. He wasn't the president. He gave a speech called "I Have A Dream". It's about boys and girls of every color getting along. Harley: I don't like red or yellow kids. M:Yes, you do. H: No, red and yellow kids would be weird. M: "red" is for American Indians. V: We're American Indians!! M: No, you're not. V: Yes we are! Are hats said so! M: that was your t-ball team last year, Indians. American Indians are like Pocahatus. Both: oh. M: "yellow" is Asian. Japanese, Chinese. Like Kai-lan. V: Harley, you love Chinese! H: yes, I do! I love Crab Rangoon! M: No, that's the food. V: It's going to be Martha Loufa King JUNIOR day! And they ran off. By the way...Harley was thinking of the actual colors of red and yellow. I have to agree, that would be kind of weird.

Fast-forward to Monday.

I pick up the girls from school everyday. Monday, Harley's teacher said she needed to talk to me about something Harley said. Oh no. I'm thinking back to our conversation. I hope she didn't say anything about not liking red and yellow kids. Oh no, this was worse.

Harley told a friend that when she and Vanessa are bad, Tony sticks their head in the toilet. Her friend asked if I knew about it and Harley said no, I'm not supposed to know. Harley's friend tells their teacher. The teacher pulls Harley aside and repeatedly asks her if it's true. Harley sticks with her story. The teacher then has to notify the liaison at the school. The liaison pulls Harley and Vanessa out of class separately and asks them questions. They didn't prompt Vanessa so she didn't say anything about toilets. The whole time Harley sticks with her story. (She's very persistent). Her teacher told the liaison that she talks to me everyday and is very comfortable with me and will talk to me about it.

After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I first assured her that Tony would NEVER do such a thing. Then I said I would know as soon as I saw them that their hair was different. Hair is a BIG deal in my house! (which she knew) I tried to figure out where she would have got such a story. It hit me in mid conversation............ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS! In the new movie the chipmunks go to school and the school bullies give them swirlies. We had just went to the movies the weekend before.

When we got home, first Harley is grounded. Then I explained to both Harley and Vanessa the dangers of telling lies. A lie like that could get them taken away from us. That made the both cry. After our talk, Vanessa ran and hid under the computer desk so they could never find her and Harley hid behind a door. I got my message across.

Harley has such a great imagination. She can remember lines from movies after watching them only once. I suggested we get a special note pad. She can draw out the stories in her head at home. Once she gets better at reading/writing then she can write her own stories. She really liked this idea. Who knows, maybe I'll have to buy a foo-foo Oscar dress someday because she won for Best Picture!

Whatever the outcome I just hope she stops the lying/story-telling.

THE BRUTE

I don't know that I have expressed just how much like Tony our youngest Adrienne (Mo) is. Well, she is.

To illustrate my point let me tell you a little story about Mo and the baby doll.

For Christmas, Mo got a baby doll that crawls. This baby was in her toy basket. When you got near the basket, the baby doll would start cooing and moving. I asked her to bring me the baby so I could shut it off.

Every time she got near the baby it would talk and move and she would get scared. Finally I said, "You're big and strong, get the baby." With that, she picked up her mallet (used to play whack-a-mole) and stood over the poor baby doll about to beat the doll to death.

I said "Nooo! Be nice to the baby." She put the mallet down, stuck out her lip and marched to the corner as if by not letting her beat the doll with a mallet I had seriously doused all her joy.

It's going to be an interesting ride....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

CHEERS!
Have fun, but stay out of the news!

(Relax...it's just apple juice. They wanted to drink out of my "pretty" glasses.)

A Few Pics...

School Christmas Party - Friday 12/18/09

Vanessa and her friend Kayla

Vanessa and Karl (isn't he just the cutest little nerd?!)

Vanessa and friends Kylie, ??? and Shamira

Maurice...sits at Harley's table in school. He is drawing me a picture.

Jeremiah, Harley's "boyfriend". He's all of 2 feet tall! So stinkin' cute!

This is Cooper. He also sits with Harley. He drew me 2 pictures and asked that I put them on my fridge. I hung them up as soon as I got home.

Harley...she was the only one in her class who knew all the words to "12 Days of Christmas". All the other kids just yelled "5 GOLDEN RINGS!!!!!"

Christmas Program at Church - Sunday 12/20/09

I was trying to find the setting on my phone to get rid of the border. It messed up the pictures. Sorry about the quality but you still get all warm and fuzzy with the pictures! :-)

The girls decorate their own tree. They are only allowed to hang ornaments has high as they can reach. It's getting higher every year....



Our regular tree with the baby gate. Mo managed to completely knock down the tree onto our TV and break the tree stand. The tree stand was replaced and the baby gate went up. The poor stuffed bears look like they are in prision.

You have GOT to be kidding me!

House panel passes college football playoff bill

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER, Associated Press Writer Frederic J. Frommer, Associated Press Writer – 26 mins ago
WASHINGTON – A House subcommittee approved legislation Wednesday aimed at forcing college football to switch to a playoff system to determine a national champion, over the objections of some lawmakers who said Congress had more pressing matters on its plate.
The bill, which faces long odds of becoming law, would ban the promotion of a postseason NCAA Division I football game as a national championship unless that title contest is the result of a playoff. The measure passed by voice vote in a House Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee, with one audible "no," from Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga.
"With all due respect, I really think we have more important things to spend our time on," Barrow said before the vote, although he stressed he didn't like the current Bowl Championship Series, either.
The bill's sponsor, GOP Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, said the BCS system is unfair and won't change unless prompted by Congress.

Seriously?! It makes me want to scream. They're worried about College FOOTBALL?!

SOME FUNNIES

As I was walking into the school yesterday to pick up the girls I saw a rainbow. On the way out, I looked and didn't see it. I said aloud "aww. The rainbow is gone"

Harley gets dramatic and cries "I NEVER get to see a rainbow!!!!"

Vanessa asks "What colors were in it?" (bless her heart)

I told Vanessa what colors were in the rainbow. The usual, ROY G BIV. Then she says "say it in Spanish." Umm, ok. I got them all but orange and purple. I can never remember them.
*************************************

Harley was in trouble last night. She was instructed to stand in the corner. At one point she turned around to me and said "My teeth hurt because you're making me stand in the corner!"

MY NIGHT...

First, I get a call from Tony that Mo did this:
Thankfully, no hospital trip. It looks horrible though. My poor little baby.

Then Tony wanted the McRib from McDonald's. I went through the drive-thru and they cashier asked if I wanted to donate a dollar to the Ronald McDonald House. I said 'yes'. Vanessa got excited because she thought that meant we were going to Ronald McDonald's actual house.

I explained to her what The Ronald McDonald House is and why they need them. Then she wanted to go visit the sick kids in the hospital (she's a very sweet little girl). I told her we couldn't just go visit random kids in the hospital, they don't allow it. So she says "We're random and we're kids!"

hahahahahahahahahahahaa

HALLOWEEN 2009

LET'S GO TRICK OR TREATING!

Here we have my Darth Vader girls and my Dalmation puppy.

Vanessa as Darth Vader. Awesome pose! I like to refer to Harley's costume as Mickey Vader. Mo as a Dalmation Puppy.

My nephew Tyler as a Ninja! Trick or treat!

She's got it easy!

Tyler, Vanessa, Emily (my friend's daughter. She is protecting her head from the lightsabers)

I don't know these boys, but when Harley saw them she said, "Look! They're dressed like ME for Halloween!!"

Office Halloween Fun 2009

My office decided to dress-up for Halloween today.

I'm OCTOMOM!! Melissa (in purple) is my baby #5.

The lips are FRIGHTENING!

We also had a pumpkin decorating contest. Here are the entries...

Buckeye Pumpkin

Graveyard pumpkin

Gypsy Pumpkin

Jimmy Buffett Pumpkin

Judge and Jury Pumpkin

Motorcycle Pumpkin

And my entry (along with Brandy's help!) ....

Pumpkin Spider

We are SO going to win for scariest pumpkin!


ADDENDUM : WE WON!

Mo at the Show

Because she is still too little to ride on rides (or camels!) I didn't get many pictures of Mo and the Pumpkin Show. This is one where she is displaying her exemplary drinking skills!

PUMPKIN SHOW 2009

The 103rd Circleville Pumpkin Show has come and gone. Til next year!

Dr. Liggett won again! 1635.5lbs! A Pumpkin Show record.

The girls met Ronald McDonald. Ronald commented to Harley that if she had red hair he would be out of a job! hahaha

Vanessa feeding a reindeer. The reindeer looked a little loco.
Kangaroo at the petting zoo.
Vanessa jumping. At one point she jumped in the air and said, "Hello Jesus!" She thought she was that high in the air. :-)
Harley jumping.
Our favorite float. Charlie and Chocolate Factory.
Vanessa riding on a camel.
Harley riding on a camel.
Vanessa hugging the camel.
Harley hugging the camel.
A camel kiss.