Bethany is an Artist!

Bethany (who is 7 years old) brought home some woderful art work a couple of weeks ago. I scanned them with my new scanner (which I love alot). This was on the same sheet of paper (front/back)

The first picture of is a portrait of her baby cousin MacKenzie and the flip side was a portrait of her toddler cousin Ethan. As you can tell when you look at these pictures they are both really happy to see her. Hee Hee

Wordless Wednesday

The Kirkland Family 2004

Row one: Christopher, Kelsea, Noah, Jackson, Bethany, Jonathon

Row two:Chris, Courtney, Nanny, Kayla, Andrew

Row three: Chris, Lynsey, Echo, Farrell, Grandpa, Pat, Amanda, Josh

Row four: Ben, Laura



I love this picture. When I look at this picture I can see two wonderful things:

1.) How much the Kirkland family has changed physically.

2.) How much the Kirkland family has changed emotionally.



Some for the good, and some for the bad.

Some we changed ourselves, and somethings were out of our control.

But in the end we are still an eternal family.

Bloggy Giveaway (Phonescam 2)

I am loving this Bloggy Giveaway Carnival. Yeah.
I don't know if I will have one everyday but I will have another today. In honor of the saying 'Tricks or Treats' I am offering a Tricks Giveaway.
Today I am giving away



Candy + Potter's 2nd Phone Scam CD will be released November 14th. "Most Elected" is a collection of your favorite Phone Scams from the Candy + Potter Show, along with other show highlights. And for the first time ever, the CD has highlights from the Scared Straight with Santa program!
http://candyandpotter.1079thelink.com/page.cfm?ID=186
I started listening to them when they first came to 107.9 the Link out of Charlotte, NC.
Knowing me and reading my blog you might ask yourself how it was that I came to find them?
Well the answer is the following,
When we moved into our new office a couple of years ago the location didn’t allow us to pick up any radio stations. So, I googled the Bob and Sheri show. That was the radio show that I listened to in the mornings on the way to work. Anyway, 107.9 the Link came up out of Charlotte, NC. After Bob and Sheri ended at 10:00am, Candy and Potter came on. I have loved their show from the very beginning. They are young, fresh, fun, and married to each other. I have even sent in emails that Candy has read on the air. Hee Hee.

They do Phone scams everyday and they are the funniest things ever. Last year I bought 2 of the phone scam cds that they sold for charity. I kept one and gave one to Leah. (Leah left it here in Georgia) I laughed my head off. Every once in awhile I break it out, and still laugh like I have never heard it before. If you get the chance you should totally listen to their show.

For this giveaway I will order you an advanced copy of the Phonescam 2 Cd and have it sent directly to you. It will be released on November 14, 2008. If you would like to enter this giveaway you must answer the following question with a yes or no in comment section:
Have you ever done a phone scam?
You will receive a send chance if the answer is yes and you describe your phone scam.

The winner will be determined by random drawing, and notified by email. Entries will be accepted until 9PM PST Friday October 31st. Also, don't forget to visit all the other great giveaways in the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival!The winner will have 5 days to respond to notification. Failure to respond will result in disqualification. Entries with invalid email addresses will be disqualified as well.
If you don’t win you can click on the link below the picture of the CD and purchase one yourself. (It is totally worth it.)

Bloggy giveaways (Call Me Irresponsible)

Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival (Fall, 2008) is finally here. I am totally doing this. I am going to be giving away a few of my favorite things this week. Good Luck!

I am starting by giving away my most favorite CD on earth. 'Call Me Irresponsible' by Michael Buble. For those of you who read my blog know that Amanda and I went to see him in concert earlier this year. He was dreamy. I want to stalk him. When my husband calls my cell phone I hear the song Quando Quando Quando, and think to myself whatever time you want. hee hee

I want to share this wonderfulness with the world so whoever wins shall win this wonderful CD.

Song List

The Best Is Yet To Come

It Had Better Be Tonight

Me and Mrs. Jones

I'm Your Man

Comin' Home Baby

Lost

Call Me Irresponsible

Wonderful Tonight

Everything

I've Got the World On a String

Always On My Mind

That's Life

Dream

Leave a comment telling me if you could give away a CD what CD would it be? Also, if you do not have a blog I need you to leave your email address.

That's it!

The winner will be determined by random drawing, and notified by email. Entries will be accepted until 9PM PST Friday October 31st. One entry per person please! Also, don't forget to visit all the other great giveaways in the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival!
The winner will have 5 days to respond to notification. Failure to respond will result in disqualification. Entries with invalid email addresses will be disqualified as well. Give Away is open to U.S. Residents 18+ only.

Tagged

http://gigigriffis.blogspot.com/ Tagged me.





I am honored. I don't really get tagged personally. So fun.


Thanks,





Anyway her is how is works.





1.) Go to your Pictures folder on your computer.


2.) Go to your 4th folder.


3.) Get your 4th picture.


4.) Tag four people.

Believe it or not this was the picture that was there. I bought 2 of these shirts at Walmart. One for Noah, and one for Jackson. Jackson never got his because Noah wore them both. I didn't realize he wore them both until I had washed them both. Then I felt bad because you could tell I had washed it so I didn't give it to him. Now I don't even know where these shirts are because they are red and I save all the red shirts to wash at once. I think they got ruined by a red rag being thrown on them and they got mildew on them. Whatever. Okay so I don't pay attention. I wanted to save them for vacation because I thought they were so funny. Sorry Jackson.

I wish I would have cheated on this post, but I didn't. Maybe I am not as thrilled about being tagged as I thought at first.
Then again I do like to see my name on someone else's blog. Hee Hee

I tag
Lynsey from http://lynseykirkland.blogspot.com/
Harmony from http://www.harmonyswaney.blogspot.com/
Courtney from http://crauscher.blogspot.com/
Ruth ann from http://myremodelednest.blogspot.com/

Photo Story Friday

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

This picture was taken at my house. This is our cat Bambi, and this was my glass of ice water. I remember when I took this first I was upset that she was doing this, then I thought it was funny and took the picture. However, after I shooed her away, and while I was dumping the ice water out I wondered to myself 'I wonder how ofter she has done that I and didn't know and drank out of the glass.'

Bambi is an outside cat now. No more pets in the house.

13 things Thursday 'Dream Vacations'

13 Dream vacations

1 New York- (and no I am not trying to be like Amanda). I would love to go to New York City. It doesn’t have to be with anyone particular. However, who ever did go would have to agree with the following list of things I want to do. I want to go two a couple of Broadway shows like, but not limited to: Legally Blonde, Les Miserables, Wicked, Grease, Chicago, Gypsy, I want to go see the Soup Nazi, Parsons, Mood, ride in a taxi, see people stand in line to get muffins, the statue of Liberty, Grand Central Station (my mom used to call our house that when I was a kid), Ellis Island (my Grandfather’s family records are there somewhere),


2 St. Augustine- On this particular dream vacation I would have Me and my kids, Harmony and her kids, Amanda and her kids, and my Karen and her kids. We would just hang out all week and swim, and cook, and laugh, and watch movies, play cards, and sun bathe, and do a whole bunch of nothing. And that would be the best.
http://www.daytonabeachrentals.us/Oceanfront-and-beachfront-St-Augustine-Vacation-Rentals.shtml

3 Vegas Baby- I would love to go to Vegas. It doesn’t have to be with anyone particular. However, who ever did go would have to agree with the following list of things I want to do. I want to go to see males impersonate women. I want to see some major concerts like Bette Midler, Celine, or Cher. I want to see Terry Fator’s show. I want to see big sand castles, and big colorful waterfalls. I want to go on a helicopter ride and see the Grand Canyon.

4 Niagara Falls- I would love to do this with anyone and my sister. I went to this years ago with my Grandma Leon, and my Mother. I would like to experience this again. I want to go on Maid of the Mist, and be like a tourist.


5 Boston- I want to go see Oprah. I am sure there is more to do but Oprah is who I really want to see. Also since this is my Dream I choose to see her show on ‘My favorite things’. I would also like all of my girlfriends to be with me.

6 Salt Lake City, Utah- I would like my husband and children to be with me on this vacation. I want to tour temple square.

7 Nashville/Memphis, TN- I want to go to Graceland. I want to see the Jungle Room. I want to sing karaoke at the biggest karaoke bar in Nashville, TN. I want to see a place like Tara from Gone with the Wind.

8 Branson, MO - http://www.titanicbranson.com/index.php I loved the movie Titanic and I want to see everything that has to do with Titanic. I wish there was an exact replica that I could actually sleep in, but this will do.

9 Pennsylvania - http://www.caesarspoconoresorts.com/suites/allsuites.aspx#apple I think that this would be the most romantic trip ever. So, for that reason I choose my husband to go on this trip with me. I know that it would be very interesting and we could never discuss it with anyone. Hee hee

10 Hawaii - http://www.gohawaii.com/maui/?/WT.mc_id=08_ps701 I know I want my husband to go there with me, but I would also like some friends. I would like to see a volcano, learn to hula dance, see a pig roasted in the sand, take a helicopter ride, and go snorkeling and find treasure.

11 Couples vacation – I would like to go on the perfect couples vacation. So in choosing this location I took my husband’s idea of a good time and my idea of a good time and mixed them together with couples who agreed. Ta Dah! I would invite us, Amanda and Josh, and Harmony and PJ. We would stay in a 3 bedroom cottage with a giant living room/ dinning room/kitchen. We would stay a couple of days. The guys during the day would hunt. I don’t care what they are hunting. I just know that they are hunting. We women will be scrapbooking, scrapbooking, scrapbooking. We women will be cooking only easy but nice meals. We will all eat dinner together each night and talk and hang out. There wouldn’t be any children. Adults only.

12 Girls weekend (scrapbook edition) - I would like to go on scrapbook vacation. I would need a really big house with a really big living room/dinning room that could fit me and all the girls I would invite. We will be cooking only easy but nice meals. I would invite me, my Karen, Amanda, Amanda’s Karen, Harmony, Beverly, Beverly’s Kathy, Jennifer, and Kathy Mills. This would totally be fun. No husbands and no children.

13 Girls Weekend – I would like to go on a vacation with just the girls. We would just hang out, eat, shop, play cards, and do nothing. There wouldn’t be any husbands, or children.
I would invite me, Toni, Harmony, Amanda, Courtney, Lisa, my Karen, Becky,….oh there is to many to name. Anyone can come as long as they don’t bring their husband or their children. Hee Hee.

What is your dream vacation?

My Dad

My Dad, and Cousin Dave

I am very excited yall. My Dad is flying in today to spend some time with us. He is going to spend the weekend in Flordia, but I will get to spend some alone time with him tomorrow. He leaves on Tuesday morning. So I will have Thursday, Sunday night, and Monday night with him. I haven't seen him since July, and it's been 2 years since he has been to Georgia.





One last thing before I go. I think this is one of the funniest things I have seen on the internet in awhile.

My name is Echo

For the first or last name of ‘Echo’

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

There are 3,055 people in the U.S. with the first name Echo.
Statistically the 3176th most popular first name.
More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Echo are female.

Last name of ‘Uphold’
There are 397 people in the U.S. with the last name Uphold.
Statistically the 66181st most popular last name.


Last name of ‘Kirkland’
There are 39,711 people in the U.S. with the last name Kirkland.
Statistically the 888th most popular last name.

****I don't know if this is even close to true, but I think it is very interesting.*****

Bethany's Delemma

Bethany Ah! Bethany what a pretty little girl. You see she is very prissy. Well maybe not all that. She can get down and dirty just as good as her brothers and boy cousins. BUT she sure does look like she could be prissy.

Although she is very pretty and likes girly things she has a big secret. I will expose this secret, and hope that she will not hate me forever. You see under all that prettiness there is something lurking that she is very embarrassed by, and I shall share it with all my blogging friends. Most of you are girls and will understand her shame.

(please click on the picture to enlarge to get the full effect)


I don'think this is the best picture to show my daugthers delemia, but I think it is good enough for you to see. She really hates her dark hairy legs. Poor thing. She wore a dress yesterday to school and wore her thick tan dance tights so you couldn't see her hairy legs. Now that autum has come is seems the hair is getting darker and she is really bothered by it. She said something to Lynsey the other day, and Lynsey agreed that they were getting worse. So they came to me and asked if she could shave which I said no. BUT after looking my heart wants to say yes.
I said Bethany I just think you are to young to shave, it could be dangerous. Lynsey said Meme I will help her keep her legs shaved. I said Lynsey stay out of it. Oh! I know she will be fine. I know the dark hairy legs won't kill her. We let Lynsey shave at 12, and Kelsea started shaving before 11. Oh the drama.

When I was a little girl I used to sneak my Mom's razor. I know that was before we moved into the log house. We moved into the log house before the 5th grade. So, it was before then. I used to pretend that my Mom didn't know, but how could she not? I just don't remember her ever saying anything. I guess I will have to ask her if she remembers?


When did your Mom start letting you shave? Did you have dark long hairy legs in the second grade?

The ABC's of Me

♥A is for age: I am 33 years old
♥B is for beverage of choice: water (I gave up diet coke)
♥C is for career right now: General Cashier, Mother, Wife, best Stepmom in the world
♥D is for your dog's name: Charly
♥E is for essential item you use everyday: computer
♥F is for favorite TV show: Fringe
♥G is for favorite game to watch: Soccer, Dance, and Karate
♥H is for Home town: Confluence, Pa
♥I is for instruments you play:the keyboard...computer keyboard that is
♥J is for favorite juice: I don't like juice
♥K is for a favorite keepsake: Pictures
♥L is for last place you ate at: Shane's Ribshack
♥M is for marriage: 8 years
♥N is for your name: Echo Eve
♥O is for overnight hospital stay: My C section 4 years ago
♥P is for people you were with today: Co-Workers, and family
♥Q is for what's your best quality: my sense of humor, my passiveness(is that a word)
♥R is for what are you currently reading: Re reading 'Butterfly' by Kathryn Harvey
♥S is for relationship status: married
♥U is for the type of underwear you have on: White
♥V is for vegetable you love: greens
♥W is for worst habits: That the people around me will find out that I am not as wonderful as they think I am
♥X is for x-rays you've had recently: Chest X Ray before my lap band surgery
♥Y is for something candy: Kit Kat
♥Z is for favorite zoo animal: Gariffe

I could just start crying

Something went totally wrong with my blog. I have fixed it, but now I have lost all of the bloggers I like to stalk. It took a really long time to get such a long list of people I like to read about. Just great. I don't have the list anywhere else. I know that I look at alot of sites, and they don't look at mine hence the word stalker. I don't leave comments so now they will never find me and I will never find them. I hate blogger right now. I could almost start to curse again.
I could almost punch my computer.


Between wanting to punch my computer and cursing like a sailor the other day I have had a bad week.

Yuck

Photo story Friday

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

My Dad had to have his right leg removed last year from below the knee. It has been a long tough road for him. His leg still has not completly healed. He has about a dime sized wound left to go. Like a said it has been a very long tough road for him. He has been a great example to me. I don't think I would have been able to handle it as great as he has. Now I know that dealing with it has been difficult, but he is carring on with his life. Go Dad Go!Anyway, last October my Sister held a benifit to raise money for a new leg for my Dad. We went to Pennsylvania to help. I was glad to have the chance to spend sometime doing something so important for my Father. These are some of the pictures I took that weekend. This is a picture of my Dad at the Turkeyfoot Fish and Game Club. We were getting ready for the benifit. He is in his early 50's, and yes he loves anything Camo.
This next photo was taken somewhere in West Virginia. There was a place to stop and look at the trees, and take pictures. (Kelsea, Lynsey, Bethany, Noah)



These next 3 pictures where taken while driving down the road. Chris was driving and I was taking the pictures. We were going about 65mph, but you won't be able to tell by looking at the pictures. (somewhere in West Virginia)




I grew up with mountain like these. Seeing the trees change colors was never exciting to me. However, now that I live in a flat, colorless city I get it. I get why every year the city people would come up to the mountains and drive slow and be looking and pointing and stopping to take pictures. Does this mean I am a city girl?

13 Thursday '13 reasons crashing your new van stinks'

Okay so Wednesday morning I was rushing around trying to get out the door in time just like everyday. Kelsea and I jumped in the new van just like every morning. That's when the craziness started. I started the van, started backing up, and crashed right into the side of the old van.

Drama everyday!


1 I just bought that van at the end of July
2 Because it is new, and they changed the model for this year you cannot go to the junk yard
to get a replacement part.
3 Chris just fixed the dent in the gray van, and I hit the gray van in the same exact spot.
4 Yes I know I have a TV in the front and a camera off the back and yes it was right there on
the screen (wish I was looking at it)
5 No the mirrors were not blocked, and they were adjusted to my height (I didn’t look)
6 No the widows were not covered with anything (I didn't look)
7 No the censor in the back was working, and yes it was beeping (I was just tuning everything
out)
8 No I wasn't concerned with the radio.
9 No Kelsea wasn't talking to me
10 No I wasn't concerning myself with my cell phone.
11 It's all my fault and I can't blame anyone else.
12 Instead of saying I am so mad I could curse I started swearing like a sailor. It just came out of
my mouth like it was my everyday speech.
13 The only good thing that has come of this is the following: At least I am the one who messed
up the brand new van. I don't want to be mad at anyone as mad as I was at myself.


I flattened the old van. I cracked the tail light on the new van. Chris thinks he might be able to hand buff out the rest. I mean I wasn't going fast.

If this was a Steven King novel it would have happened because the new van saw the old van, and the new van was teaching the old van a lesson. A lesson like get out of my driveway this is my family now.

But of course this is real life and what happened was 'I just wasn't paying attention.' I mean I could use alot of excuses like
I was running late
my mind was thinking about the million things a Mother's mind thinks of all the time
ect.
It just happened so fast.

Any stories you can share about hitting another car would help with my self esteem at this time.

Wordless Wednesday (Halloween)

Pandora's Box

Last Embrace

This is some creepy art work. I found these on the internet at http://www.laurielipton.com/

She has some really nice art, and some really creepy art. Different.

TMI Tuesday "Let's talk about sex baby!"

To Much Information

So, the other day I told a story about my 4 year old, Noah. He was talking about Emma from school and said ‘I am going to marry, have babies, do sex, I love her.’

I decided on Sunday night that I would talk to Christopher about what he thought sex was. After dinner Bethany and Noah went to the back to watch TV. Chris was working on the floor in the hall. Christopher and I were cleaning up the kitchen.

Me: So, Christopher I wanted to talk to you about what was said at dinner the other night.
Christopher: Uh?
Me: This is when I repeated the conversation from the other night.
Christopher: Oh
Me: I was wondering what you thought sex was?
Christopher: I I I I
Me: Listen it is okay for us to talk about this now.
Christopher: I don’t really know. It is having babies
Me: Well yes but what else do you know about sex?
Christopher: (he says nothing he is just looking way to shocked) then he says a person can get popped in the mouth for saying this kind of stuff.
Me: No one is going to pop you in the mouth. There is no wrong answer to this question. I just want you to be honest. Are you uncomfortable?
Christopher: Yes
Me: Would you rather talk to me or Daddy about this?
Christopher: (very quickly) you
Me: Okay I told you the other night that we were going to talk about it. So what do you think sex is?
Christopher: Well I know you have to get in the bed.
Me: Okay what else.
Christopher: I can’t say
Me: It’s okay go ahead.
Christopher: You have to be that thing that you are when you are getting your pajamas on.
Me: (looking confused) you mean naked
Christopher: yeah that. I can’t say that word.
Me: anything else.
Christopher: no
This is where I give him the following spill
1 Sex is something you do after you get married
2 it is not appropriate to talk about this at school, or to Bethany, Noah, Jonathon, Jackson, Madi, Emma Mae, Ethan, and Mackenzie.
3 any time you have questions you can talk to me or Daddy.

Okay?
Christopher: I am not talking to anyone.

After this went so well I decided that maybe I need to find out what Bethany knew about sex.
In comes Bethany to get her ice cream out of the fridge.
Me: Bethany I wanted to talk to you about a conversation that happened the other day at the dinner table. (I repeated the conversation from the other day) (When I said the word sex her eyes became as big as saucers.
Me: What I wanted to know today is what do you think sex is?

Bethany: (doesn’t say anything. She just looks at me like I am going to start flipping out any minute. She looks really scared.)
Me: It is okay you can tell me.
Bethany: (she whispers) sex
Me: Yes what do you think sex is?
Bethany: I don’t know
Me: Have you ever heard that word before
Bethany: yes
Me: did you hear it from me, or Daddy
Bethany: no
Me: did you hear it from one of the other kids?
Bethany: no
Me: It’s okay. Did you hear it from music?
Bethany: yes
Me: What song?
Bethany:When I Grow Up. (then she starts to quietly sing it) boys call you sexy and you don’t care what they say.
Me: Okay. What do you think they mean by that.
Bethany: I don’t know
Me: Well sexy is when girls don’t wear a lot of clothes.
Bethany: like when they wear their bra
Me: yes, sometimes they wear short skirts
Bethany: yeah and their butt is hanging out
Me: yes they are trying to be sexy.
Bethany: (standing with hand motions) sometimes they wear a dress and the whole back is gone and you can almost see their butt.
Me: yes. Okay that is sexy but do you know what sex is.
Bethany: no (eating her ice cream)
Me: Well it is when a boy and girl get in the bed naked.
Bethany: (eyes very wide)
Me: they do this after they are married.
Bethany: You don’t have to do you?
Me: No you don’t have to, but if you want to have babies you have to.
Bethany: eeewwww! You did that with Daddy.
Me: yes, you do that and then you have a baby. That’s how we have you and Noah.
Bethany: You know I almost died when I was a baby.
Me: yes I know. How did you think the baby got there?
Bethany: I just thought it grew in your tummy.
Me: Well it does but you had to do something to get it there.
Bethany: Mama eeewww that means Daddy did that with Kayla’s mom, Ms. Debbie, and Christopher’s mom.
Me: (shocked) yes Bethany it does.
Bethany: Daddy had 6 kids.
Chris: You don’t have a baby every time.
Me: Please Chris not now.
Me: Bethany now if you have any questions I want you to know you can talk to me.
Bethany: Okay, if you are not here can I just call you and ask you.
Me: No just call me and tell me you need to have a talk with just us.
Bethany: what if you are really sick?
Me: Well you can talk to Daddy.
Bethany: What if Daddy is really sick too?
Me: Well you can ask Lynsey, or you can talk to Grandma and hope that she doesn’t have a stroke.
Me: Bethany you can talk to Aunt Harmony, Aunt Amanda, or Aunt Courtney just make sure the other little kids aren’t around.


I really wanted to die. I don’t know how I got through this. With Christopher I think he knows more that he would say. I just don’t think he was comfortable. He’ll come around.
With Bethany I can’t tell her anymore right now because any vague information she will apparently put together.

I do know this. They both know that it is an open subject and they can talk to me.

I had the sex talk with Andrew when he turned 12. Chris and I took him to the temple for the first time. After the temple we went to the Olive Garden. I said I was going to order a grilled chicken breast, and he said I know what a breast is. Then most of the way home Chris and I answered questions about sex.
I have a open relationship with the girls and we have discussed sex a few times. A couple of times alone and a couple of times it was all three of us.

I remember when I got my first sex talk from my Mom. It was right after we found out one of the cousins were going to have a baby. I had some questions. She answered them. She wanted us to feel comfortable talking to her about those types of things.

A purse giveaway

http://www.handbagplanet.com

they are opening a new website and they are giving away 24 handbags in 24 hours.

check it out

it looks great

dumpr.net

Get your own sketch

Frugal Mom contest/giveaway

http://frugalmomreviews.com/2008/10/flip-digital-video-camera-review-and-giveaway/


I am so excited about entering this giveaway.

The problem is I don't think I am very frugal. So, in order to be in the giveaway I have to state something about what I do in order to live more frugal.
So, if I can buy generic then I buy generic.
When planning meals and cooking meals alot of the time I make way more so we can use it twice.
Example, If I make baked chicken I will make enough chicken for two meals. The first meal might be Tuesday night baked chicken with mac and cheese and corn. Then on thursday we will have BBQ chicken (using the chicken from Tuesday) with rice and greens. I feel like it helps me to be frugal with my money and my time.

My four year old wants to marry everyone, and it has nothing to do with being Morman.

My four year old wants to marry everyone!


I don’t know if you read my sister-in-laws blog or not. However, you should. While you are there check out this post.
http://amandakirklandlife.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-monkey-and-i-have-follower.html

Half way down the post she talks about Noah (my 4 year old son) wanting to marry a horse. Well, he wants to marry everyone, and apparently every animal.

Anyway.
Yesterday Noah’s nice teacher Mrs. Harden sent me some pictures of Noah on a field trip with his Pre-K class. (Thank you Mrs. Harden)

So, last night over dinner I asked Noah about his field trip. Here is how that conversation went down.


Me: Noah Mrs. Harden sent me an email with pictures of your field trip.
Noah: We didn’t go on a field trip.
Me: Noah you went to the library, and met firemen.
Noah: I didn’t go to the library.
Me: Noah, you had story time with a pirate, and she sent me a picture of you on the bus holding a little girl's hand.
Noah: Oh I did see a pirate.
Me: Who was the little girl you were holding hands with on the bus?
Noah: (with a big smile) That was Emma and I am going to marry her.
Christopher: Noah you are not going to marry anyone you’re 4.
Noah: (very fast and excited) I am too. I am going to marry, have babies, do sex, I love her. (at this point he puts his hand over his mouth)
Me: Noah James. We are not going to talk about having babies with anyone. (calmly) Noah what is sex?
Noah: Sex is having babies.
Me: We are not going to say sex, or having babies with anyone. Okay?
Noah: (sadly) Okay
Christopher: You don’t even know what having babies mean.
Me: (sternly) Christopher this is not proper talk for the dinner table. You and I will talk about this later.
Silence
Me: Okay?
Christopher: Yes Ma’am

Then we got side tracked with some other news we got which I can’t go into right now but will by Monday.

So, where did Noah hear the word sex?
How does Noah even relate having babies to doing sex?
What does Christopher think sex is?
How does he know anything about sex?

I think with the discussion with Noah I could get through without giving any information.
However, I do realize that depending on what Christopher thinks sex is and what he should know of sex …….
My life will never be the same.

****Disclaimer******

Noah covering his mouth is normal for him. Every time he makes an official announcement about marrying and loving someone he follows it with a covering of the mouth. Sometimes he adds a fake faint. (Drama King)
Just for the record Chris and I don’t walk around the house talking about sex. We sometimes make comments about sex but we don’t say the word. We substitute is with another word like candy, or private time, or something to that effect.
The boys watch a lot of TV but it is mostly the Disney channel, or Nick.
I just don’t know.

Just for the record.
I don’t think I am a bad parent.
I don’t think my children are bad.
It just sounds bad, or funny? I haven’t decided which.

This is Noah's Pre-K class.

This is Noah holding Emma's hand on the bus.

Cutest Pooper Scoopers Ever!

This is a picture of me and Tracy Hostetler as Pooper Scoopers for the Suds-N-Saddle riders in the Friendsville, MD parade. I think we were in Jr. High at the time. I am not sure of the year. However, I was really pleased when I opened my email and discovered she had sent this to me. If you do not know I am the one behind the wagon.

I hope she will send me more pictures. I also hope she wasn't upset that I posted this.

I am a Uniontown Red Raider

Well I received a letter in the mail last month addressed to Echo Uphold. Now I have been married for 8 years and it has been a long time since I have seen that name. Anyway it was a reminder that I graduated from high school 15 years ago. Could it really have been that long ago?

It is going to be November 22, 2008 in Uniontown, Pa at the Holiday Inn.
I am really excited about this. Doesn’t it sound like a lot of fun?

When I graduated high school I was madly in love with my boyfriend Brian Thomas. Hee Hee. We were so young and so stupid. We didn’t last but a few months after high school. He is doing really well now. He is getting married in November to a woman named Dawn. He seems happy. I have seen him on Myspace.

I didn’t go to college after High School. Oh well it just wasn’t in the cards for me.
I have had the same best friend since the 5th grade. Her name is Toni Clinton. We became friends when Laura, and Tabitha got the whole class to start bowing down to us and calling us princess’. Now I know that it sounds good but it wasn’t good at all. We were best friends forever after.

There are some kids that I started off in Kindergarten and stayed with until graduation. Some of them I was in classes with all through elementary, and middle school. I really took that for granted at the time.

I am going to take a walk down memory lane.

In kindergarten Rusty Leonard was my little boyfriend. He kissed me on the cheek. He also gave me some jewelry I think that he got from his sister. He got in trouble for this. Later in my life I was the DJ at his wedding. How life goes full circle. I talked to Rusty right after I got the letter in the mail. I hope he and his wife will be able to attend.

At some point Shannon Fisher was my boyfriend in elementary school. I have a picture of us as young as 4 with his arm around me with us both grinning from ear to ear. Hee Hee.
Years later I was the DJ at his wedding as well. He married a friend of Harmony’s. Her name was Dana Pritt. They are now divorced. I wish they were still married. I considered her a friend as well and I would love to see her. I will have to look her up.

Some other classmates from elementary that I would love to see are Stephanie Reckner, Jasper Monroe, Butchie Teets, Shawn Rishel, oh my how my mind is failing me right now. Some of the ones I would like to see from Jr. High is Karen Miller, Heather (darn it), Scott Lambie, Jason Rishel, Jennifer Freestone, oh I must get my yearbooks out. Some of the people I would like to see from High School are Stacey Trimmer, I swear it must be old age. There are so many people and I just can’t think.

After I got the letter I read over the missing person report and was surprised to see to boys on there that I knew very well and would love to see.

One was Donny Grothe, and the other was Justin Lawerance.

Just seeing those names made memories flood to my mind. So, I called Donny’s Stepfather and he gave me the information to get in touch with Donny.
It turns out that Donny is in the Navy and stationed in Hawaii. He is married to a woman he met in Virginia. They have some kids. He loves his career in the Navy. Have you ever seen the movie ‘Men of Honor’ with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Robert DeNiro? Well that is what he is doing. His title is what Cuba Gooding Jr. title was at the end of the movie. Thinking back on the conversation I asked him if he wanted to be Master Chief and I don’t think I really got an answer. Anyway he is doing great. We talked about all of stuff, old and new. I was friends with Donny for over 15 years before he went to the Navy. We exchanged info, and have emailed some.

Donny had the information I needed to get in touch with Justin. I called Justin. He is also married with children and he is in the Navy. He is more on the medical side of things. We talked for a long time. Justin and I were friends for 4 or 5 years before we lost contact. I was very interested to hear about everything that has been going on with him. He is in Pennsylvania. He said only a couple of hours from the home place. I hope he and his wife will be able to make it to the reunion.

Both of them had some really wonderful things to say about me. It felt really good. I know that I will keep in touch with them. I know that I will see them again and meet their families. Oh the stories I could tell of the two of them, but I will save it for another time.


My husband doesn’t really know that part of my life. It’s hard for me to explain it to him. After 8 years of marriage how do you explain it? Honey I had a life before you and these were all the people that were in it. Some of them I would like to keep in touch with. OK? Well I got a letter in the mail.

The pumpkin season is upon us!

Crazy weekend

Chris and Corey have been really busy this week trying to get things done at the house. They tore out the hallway and replaced the floor. Chris is going to put town press tile. Then they fixed the fireplace. Chris and Corey also finished up the lights in the kitchen. I can really see and the lights look great.

Nancy is coming to clean tomorrow. I will take pictures after she leaves. Hee Hee.

I wonder why Leah who was the winner of the 100th post contest never posted what she won. I sent her sunflowers. The arrangement was beautiful. It should have looked like this.





I sent her my favorite flowers. Maybe she isn't into sunflowers?


Friday night I went to Karen's and we stayed up really late and scrapbooked. It was fun. I love spending time with her. We had breakfast for dinner.
Saturday I took the girls for pedi's. Lynsey got her hair done for homecoming.
She was beautiful for homecoming. I will post pictures soon. Sunday I didn't do much of anything. I cooked chili, and made beans. Yummy.
I worked on the kids school pictures which are very cute. I want to hang all of them above the fire place.

Fun Fabulous Friday!! Anita Renfroe

I think that this is one of the funniest ladies I have ever heard before. I really think this first one is way worth your time. So Enjoy!!





If you loved the first one you will love the second.






After I saw the first two I couldn't stop myself. I had to keep going and so should you.

I am back and catching up!

I am back! It has been a long break, and I have been very busy. I am sorry that it has been so long since my last post. So, much has happened, but at the same time nothing important.

Some highlights:
I sent out a prize to Leah the winner.
We have gone to church twice since my last post.
My husband and I fought terribly but have made up.
My children have done some really gross stuff that I have cleaned up and I have forgiven them.

I am a lot nervous today for two reasons:
I have a parent teacher conference with Bethany's teacher today.
I also have a weigh in at the Doctor's office. (I have ate way to much, I know I have gained)
I really don't want to face anyone after the results but I need to pull my big girl pants up and just do it.

One last thing before I go-------

Something someone said on Sunday has been bothering me ever since. I don't remember exactly what she said so I will not quote her, but I can tell you exactly what she meant. She said something like we need to raise our children right because when they become an adult whatever they do is a direct reflection upon our parenting. Whatever!I agree we need to try and raise our children correctly, and we as parents need to do the best we can. I also believe even in trying to do the right thing. I even love the motto 'When we know better we do better'. However, you also know that even if you do everything correctly as a parent your children are going to make the choices they make. There comes a time when they are adults and it won't matter anymore.Sure as soon as you are done raising your children and you feel like you did everything right and all your children are doing fine - Then I am happy for you. However, there are plenty and I mean plenty of people who have tried to raise their children with values, and morals. They as parents tried to teach their children right from wrong, but when the children became adults they just made some bad decisions. Some decisions can be corrected. Some decisions are lethal. I don't mean to make it sound like the luck of the draw. What I want you to understand is that it is all based on choice. It is all based on what one wants to do with their free agency when they become adults. Look at my husband. He was raised in the church. He was taught good values, and how to be in good standing with the church. Now, to some he would be a complete failure, I am sure to the lady who made the comment he is a complete failure, but I know that deep down he is fighting with himself. Now my husband has not committed any type of crime, he has just committed sin. However, what he chooses shouldn't be a direct reflect on my In-Laws parenting skills. We live in a society where enough people go around blaming all their problems on what their parents did or didn't d ofor them while they were children.I have been honest with my children about what I would like from them in ways of the world. For the most part my children are pretty good kids.They have their moments but they are just kids. I don't know what they will be like as adults. I hope that they will be kind, loving, honest,and prayerful. However, they may choose a life of crime. I just don't think there are any guarantees. For those of you that would like to make a comment please do. I think the thing that bothered me most about what she said was that it was in such a holier than thou attitude.