It seems I have taken a "blog vacation"!  My website and my blogs( there are several!) have been neglected.  This blog only has 2004 Archives. There are more 2005 Archives, but they are located under "Old Blog" on my Links section to the left. There just hasn't been anytime then whenever there is time, I keep changing the site themes! 
Sometimes I just get obsessed over something for a while then it burns out.  For instance, I recently rediscovered The FIRM videos and Fanny Lifter again.  I bought a set a few years ago off of an infomercial.  That was the first time I ever purchased from television.  The videos lasted for a week...or I guess I lasted for a week---not even that long!  Oh, and I guess my daughters rediscovered the videos.  The tapes were happily collecting dust on my desk before my girls plucked them from their comfortable existence.  I was happily collecting dust on the couch...errr...becoming a couch potato!  Monday, September 12, 2005 changed everything.  My three girls did about 4 workout videos(these tapes are 45-55 minutes long each) while I watched them sweat to the (oh that's Richard Simmons--we don't have his tapes!)  I tried to tell the girls that you only have to do 1 tape per day, but they were so gung-ho!  Anyway,  the girls stayed the night with their grandmother on Monday night while I went to work.  Tuesday, after I had my usual 4-5 hours snooze after working all night, I sat on the couch and began feeling guilty.  What kind of example was I providing for my daughters?  Do I really want to pass on the legacy of an overweight mom, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol?  I lost my mother at an early age due to her death...did I want my girls to grow up without their mother? Certainly not!  I can already see certain habits of mine radiating from them.  Well, I lifted my fanny off of the couch and worked out.  It was really exhilarating!  Even though I was about to fall out due to being out of shape---it still felt great physically and emotionally.
The FIRM website has video rotations to follow for different fitness levels. I exercised Tuesday, rested yesterday, and will exercise today.  I pray that I stick with it this time!

It's hard to believe that I haven't posted in a month!  I've tried to post a couple of times, typed a long entry, only to have tblog delete it when ever I tried to use emoticons in the BETA posting engine!  Needless to say, I was NOT pleased!  From now on, I will only use regular text or add my own html and not try to use anything from tblog...until I figure out how to post my blog on my on website!
Homeschooling has been going well...public school..so-so.  I can't wait to bring Haleigh home!
I'm at work right now feeling so stuffed!  We had the work Christmas party this afternoon and everyone made some wonderful food.  I ate too much. 8o~
Tony and I went Christmas shopping for the girls Thursday night and we pretty much finished.  There were absolutely NO Dora the Explorer Magic Hair Fairytale dolls in Hattiesburg so I went to Ebay.  I only paid $30 over the regular price!  CRAZY!!!!!  Well, my baby wanted it and my goodness...she is going to get it!  Now I am trying to find a Hair Beader for Hannah.  That must be the other hot holiday item this year!  I have all of Haleigh's!(applause)
We are still not finished with remodelling the attic into living space for the girls.  I am so ready to be done with it and get those children in their own rooms and in their own beds!  Maybe soon...
Points to Ponder...
I've considered changing the whole look of my website....can't decide.  Any suggestions?  I've even thought about changing the name!

Oh well...who knows when I will post next~

Merry Christmas just in case!

I had someone comment about what I meant on my last post and I thought I would share my response to kind of create a better picture of what I've been feeling...
"I was intrigued by something you said on your site...you mentioned something about backsliding, but I *think* I noticed you're Southern Baptist.  Did you mean this literally, or figuratively?  I only ask since most Baptists believe - and the church teaches - that you can't lose your salvation."
I do  believe that my salvation is firm and that I will not lose mysalvation.  It is God's wonderful gift to us, if only we accept it.  But~like some gifts that get unappreciated or tossed up in the closet, we can forget to lose sight of our salvation and and the price that Jesus paid for it.  What I meant was, God expects much of His children.  I've failed inhaving my quiet time with Him, I've allowed other things to come first when He should be first(for example this computer is one of my problems!)  I haven't lost my morals or values, I've simply lost perspective in life of what or who should be #1 in my life.  I know God should be, but I've lapsed in placing Him first.  It should be:

1.  God,
2.  My husband
3.  My children
4.  Everything else

God and my husband have been pushed on down the line.  I've also failed in turning everything over to God like I should and have tried to accomplish my problems or " wants" on my own.(Homeschooling, work, husband...)  I've prayed selfish prayers instead of prayers for God's will.  I know better than that.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says to, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path."  Yet, I'm still finding it hard to leave everything to Him!  I know Satan works harder on Christians than anyone else ..he has definitely been knocking at my door these days.  I'm sure he is having a field day! I'm sorry!  I didn't mean to "preach" a sermon!  That's just what I meant by backsliding--if I am not fulfilling my duties as a Christian then I am saying that Jesus on the cross didn't mean a thing!  I know it was an ENORMOUS sacrifice-that is why I've been brow beating myself over getting my priorities back in line.

Life is still a whirlwind at our house.  Work is fine.  Homeschooling is wonderful.  Friends...well, I've kind of let them slip away at the moment.  Everyone is so busy...I am busy...and I hate to disturb my friends' busy lives!  Does that make sense?  Maybe I am becoming unsociable at the moment...making excuses or maybe I just stay so busy I don't want to go ONE MORE PLACE!  I almost talked myself out of going to Bible study on Friday, but I went anyway.  I am so glad I did!  It seems to remind me of what my purpose in life is and that I need to remember to leave everything in God's hands.  Why is that so hard?  Sometimes I feel like I am just going through the motions of being a christian.  God sent His ONLY Son to die on the cross for ME I should be more revved up for God than I am.  Satan seems to be lurking around me...really trying to get to me these days.  He loves it when we backslide.  I need to fight it more by praying, worshipping God, and reading God's word more.  That's my goal for the new year...to be doing what God requires of us BEFORE the new year arrives!

Ok, enough about me, who wants to read all negative stuff!

My sweet, precious, nine year old daughter, Hannah, woke me up at 08:30 Tuesday morning and begged me to go into the dining room to see what she had done for me.  I had just got home from working a 12 hour night shift at 06:30 a.m. and accidentally dozed on the couch after I got the other two girls ready for school.  Hannah and I had not gotten our school work out yet.  She takes me by the hand and instructs me to close my eyes. LOL...I'm still a little groggy and keep tripping!  That baby had made me breakfast!  How sweet was that!  She had cleaned off the dining room table---that's the first drop off point when we get home---everything hits the dining room table!  She had cooked me scrambled eggs, peanut butter toast(that's her favorite kind of toast) and made me a bowl of rice krispies cereal!  She dug out a placemat that she had made me a few years ago that said, "I love you" on it and had all my breakfast on it with orange juice to the side!  My eyes filled with tears!  Then, she told me that she made breakfast for me to let me know how much she loved me and that she loved being homeschooled.(My heart is really pounding by now!) Oh the tears were falling!  I'm just amazed at the sweetheart...words just can't describe!

Just had to share!

Hannah and Holleigh are at Tony's mom's spending the night.  Haleigh had to stay home because she was being punished .  She's in bed...fell asleep after I read 4 chapters of, The Lion, The Witch. and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.  I was hoping she would fall asleep after about 4 pages!  Oh well...we enjoyed our time together--how is that for punishment!  We also went out to eat at The Catfish Wagon so she has done more than her two sisters and she was the one in trouble! lol

Hannah and I had a great school day.  I was supposed to work, but went to the e.r. and they sent me home...pink eye!  Yucky, yucky.  I've been washing my hands about every 5 minutes, but now it feels like I'm getting the crud in my other eye!  Usually, I pick this up from the girls.  None of my girls have it(YET) so I don't know where I got this mess. UGH!

My loss happened 31 years ago when I was 3, yet the pain is still unbearable when I think about it. I guess because it was so traumatic I have never begun to heal. I don't remember my mother, but I do remember when she died, not from what people told me. One day I described everything to my dad who couldn't believe that I knew the things I did. I guess trauma either sticks with you or you completely block it out. Well, I did not block it out! My mom was 25 years old, with three kids. My 2 brothers were 7 and 6 years old, I was three. My dad worked off shore and was off shore at the time it happened. My mom had been in the garden that day and complained of a headache to her best friend.( I was told that part) Anyway, I remember that afternoon when she laid down on the couch and we thought she was taking a nap. My brothers were old enough to fix cereal, so they fixed us that for supper, when we couldn't wake mama up. At bedtime, we still couldn't wake her up, so my brothers made a pallet on the floor, and I slept on the couch with my mom. The next morning, our neighbor lady (she used to check on my mama when daddy was gone, I guess because mama was so young and with 3 kids--whatever the reason, I am glad she did.) The next theing I remember is the ambulance and my mama was gone. I can describe the couch, where it was located and different other things in the room. My mother died due to blood clots on the brain. Daddy said I used to run around the house crying for and looking for mama and I couldn't understand why she wouldn't come. He did not let us go to the funeral or funeral home, so maybe I've never had closure. I always feel as if I am missing something, even though I know what it is. I hate that I never got to know my mother. That's the worst thing. If she would have died when I was older,(which that would be hard also) I would have at least had some beautiful memories of her rather than the ones of her on the couch. I've never had therapy, but think even to this day, I might need it. I've never gone for it, because you "just don't do that" in our family! My daddy remarried a year later to a woman he met at church. She is a wonderful christian woman and I call her mama...but I still feel empty at times.
I did not mention that my mom had 3 sisters, as well as my grandmother, with whom we lost contact after my mom's death.  Two of her sisters, I last saw in 1980.  I did a Google search on my mother's maiden name and found a newspaper article and an obituary on twol of her sisters.  One died in 1995, the other in 2003, and my grandmother died in February of  this year.  The last time I saw my grandmother was in 1986.  There was tension between my mom's family and my father, and my mom's family---from New Orleans were involved in a pretty rough lifestyle.(too long of story to tell here!) so mama's family never made any effort to contact us.  We always have made the efforts to try to find them...and of course I find out about their deaths over the internet.  Anyway, I still have one of her sisters still living. My father said that she and my mom were the best in character of all the sisters.  The last time I saw her was in 1988.  I've always wanted to know about my mom while she was growing up and have never had that chance until now.  On the newspaper article on an aunt that was murdered, her killer is being sentenced this month.  I emailed the staff writer of the article and explained that I was looking for my family.  I told him that in a sense, it was like being adopted and not knowing your family and how I felt I've needed closure to that part of my life. I asked for any information he might have...would he share it with me.  He emailed me back and told me that my aunt would love to hear from me and gave me her phone number!  (She never had any children and is now divorced...my brothers and I,  another niece and nephew, who she hardly knows, are all she has left) He faxed her my long email that I sent him.  She said she went around work that entire day telling everyone, "My niece is looking for me!"  She also said she cried several times during the day, too.  So...we have made plans to get together to try to create a family bond that was never allowed to grow...she is so lonely.  I hate that everything happened this late in life, but now, I can kind of get to know about my mom and her family.  "Happiness"  can't begin to describe what I am feeling!  Pray that we learn to accept each other with love and forgiveness and develop a special family tie.

My friend, Deva told me I needed to update my blog. I guess a month is a long time to go without posting!  It's late and I'm kind of tired, so this will be an overview of the things that have been going on at my house!

Well, it's obvious that we didn't get blown away by the hurricane.  We had one limb fall and that was when the sun was shining and the wind wasn't even blowing~just a dead tree limb! The only people that stayed in the basement was me, Tony, the girls, and Tony's mom.  Terry, Tony's twin brother, passed out on the couch upstairs.  Oh,the dog did not come inside either thank goodness~I got out of that one!

October 1-2- I was scheduled to go to Gulf  Shores, Alabama for an "Above Rubies" Ladies retreat, but it was cancelled also due to the hurricane damage.  Since I was broke from our trip to the coast, not much happened that weekend...stayed at home.

So that's about all, not much else exciting here.  Holleigh did get her ears pierced while we were on the coast.  I've been trying to get her to do it for 2 years now!

Homeschooling is going well. Haleigh still wishes I was homeschooling her...me, too!  She seems to be having some difficulty at school.   I feel like a lot of it is because Hannah is at home and Haleigh wants to be.  It breaks my heart to put her on the bus each morning.  Maybe one day she can be home with us.

Work is going good.  That's all I have to say about work.  Can't comment too much on here because you never know who's reading!

Tomorrow is Tony's birthday and being the wonderful wife I am...I didn't get him anything!  I guess the girls will make him a card.  We'll eat lunch at his mom's house tomorrow.  Besides not having the funds to buy something, I have no idea what to get him!  He usually just picks out what he wants and buys it.  He will be 37 years old.  We are getting old.  My life is flying by...

I need to start back with Weight Watchers and maybe start back at the gym.  My body needs to be in shape.  Those are some goals I plan to work on...eventually...LOL~

Here we are on today...tonight (as in Saturday night), some friends came over tonight and we grilled steaks.  I'm still stuffed!  It's so nice to be entertaining again.  This house is so upside-down right now with all the remodeling we've had going on.  It is so dusty.  I've been really embarassed to have visitors.  I can't wait until the house is completed.  The girls will be upstairs and maybe then I can find a place for everything.

Well, I think I am up to date on most everything.  It's time to sign off...

Good night!

Well....we've gotten the basement all cleaned out and all the outside buildings nailed shut so the doors won't be flapping in the winds.  I guess a couple of itty bitty nails will keep it all safe from the big, bad hurricane? LOL Tony has invited several of the neighbors shelter with us in our basement.  I'm thinking--Hurricane party?  Yeah right with a ton of kids there with us? LOl
We still have to fill the car up with gas, which I will do on my way home from work at 0600 a.m. this morning as well as a trip to Walmart.  We'll also have to get some gas for the generator.  Everything else will be okay I think!  Oh...
This stray dog has shown up at our house everyday.  It loves playing with the girls and has decided to make his home on our front porch. She even has snuck in the house a couple of times when the girls left the door open by accident(accident?  I don't think so!)  Anyway, they have not fed this dog, but have given it water and lots of playtime~~it won't go away.  The dog is in perfect health, shiny coat, not sickly looking so I believe it must belong to SOMEONE!  She does leave and come back, but mostly stays at our house.  She's great with the kids.  I think she has some Chow in her so that kind of worries me.  Anyway, enough background....
Hannah has been trying to convince me to allow this dog-(they have named her, "Candy" because of her red coat--what does that have to do with candy?)to stay in the basement while the hurricane is whirling through Mississippi.  I told her we could not allow Candy to stay in the basement with us.  Then Hannah starts crying worrying that she will die and going into full drama queen mode. THIS IS NOT OUR DOG!!!!  I try to tell her that the dog will more than likely head back to its original home although I think it has pretty much changed its address to our house.  I don't know what I am going to do and I hope-pray the dog will be fine or else Hannah will never forgive me!

Holleigh's birthday party turned out wonderfully!  & nbsp;The only glitch was that there were several other parties going on at the same time--with lots of BIG kids.  Big kids are scary on skates....they tend to almost run down the little kids!  We had several "near misses."  No major boo-boo's so that was a plus!
My three brothers showed up which was a pleasant surprise.   I never would have guessed they would be there.  I knew one would be at the party, but the other two completely blew my mind!  My little nephews were there and they were too cute.  My biggest shocker was my dad on skates!  I could not believe my eyes.  I bet he was sore on Sunday-maybe I'll call tomorrow and see if he is able to move!  He skated pretty well, but he said he was out of shape.  I find that hard to understand since he just retired from the military!
Holleigh had a ball and was tuckered out later that evening. She received a lot of nice presents and was so excited that her little friends were there. That girl loves to skate!  The only problem is--she wants me out there with her the ENTIRE time!  I have to admit I enjoy skating with her, but I was sore that night and all of Sunday.  Speaking of  Sunday...
Sunday morning, we missed Sunday School because we didn't get home until late.  After Holleigh's party on Saturday, we went back to Tony's mom's house and grilled steak.  This completely messed up my Weight Watchers points(I started WW on Thursday of this past week.).  We did make it to the morning service.  Actually, I missed the morning service because I kept the toddlers in the nursery.  Thank goodness I wasn't alone!  Those toddlers gave us a run for our money(oh--we didn't get paid!)  Sunday night, I kept the nursery during Discipleship Training.  Our friends' baby was the only baby I had.  I think he is about 6 months.  He was too sweet!  I was wishing for another baby of my own by the time I left!  Oh well....get that thought out of my head!

That's all for now.  I did remove comments from here.  I hate not being able to edit out the "bad" comments or links to another site, so I  deleted the entire option.  Sorry!

Guess I've been needing a break from blogging...appears that way since I haven't posted in a month!

Life has been a little busy at our house lately.  Between getting Haleigh to public school, Holleigh to preschool, and then trying to homeschool Hannah somewhere in the middle, I'm about to get dizzy!  The girls just started dancing and gymnastics this week so add that to an already packed week of me working and all these schools to attend to!  It's never boring that is for certain.

Haleigh is liking school and does well with her homework, but her tests grades have not been that good.  I'm really confused because she really does well in school(most of the time!) Holleigh is loving preschool and hasnt complained about the fact that she has to go to school everyday.  I, on the other hand, am having major problems with my baby being gone 5 days a week!  Speaking of my baby...

Happy Birthday, Holleigh! 

She turned 5 yesterday!!! She was born on 9/09.  We are having her a little skating party tomorrow on September 11.  I feel like crying.  The urge to have another baby has been strong lately, but it's not going to happen...and my heart has been breaking lately.  Tony didn't want anymore.  Oh well, that's another story...

I will be sore on Sunday from skating.  Pray I don't fall and break something!

It's getting late and my head feels like it wants to bounce off of the computer screen!  I am that tired!

Good night all~

Yesterday was the first day back to school.  I had to take Haleigh and it broke my heart to have to leave her there while I was keeping Hannah at home.  Haleigh wants to be at home, too.  She likes her teacher and thinks that she is very sweet.  It helps that we used to go to church with her....that way she is already familiar with Haleigh.  I think she taught Haleigh in Sunday School one year.  I've been working the night shift so I get home about 6:30 a.m. and then get Haleigh fed and ready for school. About 7:20 a.m., I drive her to school and walk her to her class.  I stay in her class until her teacher gets there and then I'm usually leaving by 7:45 a.m.  After I get home, I get the other two girls up to get them dressed, fed, and ready to learn.  Some mornings, if I notice they were a little messy while I was at work, I make them clean up first!  Mean mommy!

I'm at work right now and for the moment it has slowed down.   It's so hard to keep my eyes open!  I keep falling asleep at the computer!

Guess I better do something productive!

Maybe I'll post tomorrow,  These last few days have been the ultimate in CRAZY

The girls had a good time at the birthday party.  I think they went through a ton of bubbles!  The food was great and of course the cake and ice cream is always a hit.  The birthday girl(1 yr.) and her big sister(2 yrs.) had a ball with the cake and ice cream! They were covered in it from head to toe!  It was so cute! 

I also had the chance to meet 2 very nice&nbs p;ladies and their children from the Pregnancy and Beyond group...sweet ladies...very happy I got to meet them!

Tony and I went to Office Depot and bought an HP All-In-One 6110 ~printer, copier, fax, and scanner. I've been up pretty much all night playing with!  I'm so excited with my new toy!  Basically, it is for the business, but Tony isn't very computer literate so it is ALL MINE! heh heh heh heh :twisted:

The girls and I are  going to my friend Deva's little girl's birthday party today.  Bella is 1 year old!  The year has really flown by!  Afterwards, I am thinking of taking them to see the movie, "The Cinderella Story" with Lizzie Maguire(sp?)

I also need to try to find me a new dress for church.  I've gained more weight than I care to discuss and I need new clothes until I can get the weight off :(

I need to get up and get ready!

Start reading God's word everyday. Learn more about his will for my life.

Begin a regular prayer time...everyday. Have more than just candid, one line prayers...really talk to God and let Him know what is on my heart.

Follow Flylady's ideas more closely to keep my home more livable and lovable.

Spend more individual time with each of my girls...and maybe my husband, too!

Try to keep my cool during all this remodelling in progress :oops: