Enough is Enough

OK, I try hard not to complain too much because I don't want to be "that person." But we can only take so much. We've had the craziest time lately with stuff. I'm going to go ahead and ramble about our adventures with appliances and vehicles. Back in April our gas dryer stopped working. We were able to convince it to work on and off, here and there for a little while after it smelled like a burned engine, but it finally gave up. We were very blessed to have some friends of ours give us a new electric dryer. I guess the people they bought their house from left it behind, and they had no use for it, so they gave it to us. It's only been used for about 6 months by that previous owner. So Mike got it home and the sister missionaries helped him take it downstairs in the basement and we found that the plug was a different shape than the outlet. So we called in the pros...Bro. Schneider from church. Well, long story short, we can't plug it in down there because there's no outlet, and we can't get one without replacing our entire fuse box, which is very expensive. His advice was to sell this electric one and then get a gas dryer. So, that's our plan. Meanwhile, I've been hanging the majority of our laundry on the clothes line, and we've done a couple loads at my in-laws house, which was great. So, I actually was trying to clean our house on Wednesday since it was the day before school and we figured it would be good to have a nice clean start to the school year, and the kids could keep up with their rooms, you know the drill. Well in the middle of vacuuming Brooke's room the vacuum caught on fire! There were actual flames and everything. Fortunately I was able to act quickly and turn it off and unplug it and I brought it outside (it was raining, so I figured the water couldn't hurt). I'm not terribly sad that the vacuum is broken, it's just one more thing if you know what I mean. So here's the fun part. A couple days ago we got a flat tire on our van. We really need to have a van because with 4 kids it's really the only way we can get our whole family any where. So Mike checked out tire prices in a couple places and found out that whoever put the tires on the van the last time put the wrong ones on. So we couldn't find a place to replace the blown tire because they can't put the wrong tires on, even though the difference is minimal. The fun part of that is that we can't just fix our flat tire, now it turns into a $250 job to replace all 4 tires. The debate begins. There comes a point in the life of every vehicle when you have to decide how much money is it worth putting into it knowing it's just going to die soon. There are some other things that we know we need fixed on the van, brakes, ball joint, now tires and we're over 105k miles. Mike and I decided it's time to suck it up and buy a new van, because that front end stuff could get pretty pricey, and it's not worth it. So we put the dummy tire on the van last night and drove around to some van dealers to get an idea of what's out there. We also did some research on the Internet when we came home last night. Our big plan today was to go to some more places and compare what we've seen. Here's the fun part, we decided to take the car today so we weren't stressing the dummy tire, so we loaded up the kids in Mike's car (McKee was at his dad's house, so we were able to squeeze the other 3 into the back seat) and took off. We had a couple stops to make before we got to the first dealership, and then we were hungry and it was lunch time so we stopped at the McDonald's drive-thru. Just after we got our food we noticed that it wasn't the van in front of us that smelled like burning anti-freeze, it was us! It was confirmed by the smoke that started coming up from under the hood. Mike parked us and popped the hood and sure enough there was "stuff" spurting out from the reservoir tank. At this point Mike and I just laughed. Here we were in our crappy car looking for a new van because it just keeled over, and now the car died too! It was pretty funny. The other funny part was that before we set out, Mike actually filled the gas tank on the car, he hasn't done that in a long time because he just takes it back and forth to work. So now we have a full gas tank on a car that really shouldn't be driven because it over heats. After talking to Damon (McKee's dad) he fixes cars and is pretty good at it, we came to the conclusion that there's a good chance that it's the head gasket which is a big job and can be pretty pricey. I think the whole situation is pretty funny. What are the chances of both of our vehicles dieing in the same 2 days? So the moral of the story is...don't do laundry...don't vacuum...and don't drive around! :) I'm just joking, but it would be nice if someone told me I didn't have to clean anymore! Does anyone have any suggestions for a type of van that you like. We're not looking necessarily at a brand new off the lot van, used is fine, but we're making an investment, so we're not looking for the cheapest thing out there either. We currently have a Plymouth voyager. Anyway, that's been our fun lately. Wish us luck and maybe wish us to find some money on the sidewalk or something! :)

Sniff...Sniff...

Ok, so I'm sitting at my computer at 11:11pm on a Tuesday evening and I'm trying my hardest not to cry. My first mistake is that I'm listening to country music, which always get me. Right now "My Wish" by Rascal Flats is on, I love them. My second mistake is that I'm reading random people's blogs and everyone has such awesome things going on, it makes me emotional. I just read one blog about a woman who had a baby a couple days ago, and he was in the NICU, and a friend of mine is having a baby girl soon, and her sister-in-law gave her all these clothes, and i was looking at someone's wedding pictures. And my third mistake is thinking about my children and the start of school. I don't know why it's killing me this year, but i'm so sad about my kids leaving me. McKee is getting so old, and is more than 1/2 way to his mission, and starting 5th grade. I just can't believe it! Seth is going to start school, and for as much as he's driven me crazy the last 5 years, I love him so much. I can still remember sitting there in the hospital right after he was born, just like it happened yesterday. I'm starting to get these overwhelming feelings of guilt and inadequacy. I'm sure that I didn't do enough with him before he goes off to school forever. I didn't take him to the zoo enough, or the beach or the park, I haven't read him enough stories. I didn't even nurse him long enough when he was a baby. My husband thinks I'm crazy! I'm trying to convince myself that maybe it just means that I love him alot! (It makes me feel better...a little bit) I've been trying to cram all of these fun things into the end of summer. We've really had a lot of fun. On Sunday we took a road trip to Dansville, NY to see the annual Balloon Festival. They launched about 40 hot air balloons from an airplane field. It was so beautiful, and the kids loved it! And then on Monday, Labor Day, Mike had to work all day, so I took the kids to the beach. They had so much fun, we were there for almost 3 hours! I need to make sure I take them more often, who knew they'd love it so much! A couple weeks ago we went up to Niagara Falls, they also loved that. I guess I need some advice on how to get over this emotional speed hump! I love these guys more than I could have imagined loving someone. Of course I love Mike, he's the best husband I could ever want, but the kids are a close second. I can only hope that they know and can feel how much I love them, and that someday it will be a strength to them in some way. And I hope they don't get embarrassed easily by their sobbing mother as they get on the school bus in a couple days! Brooke is starting her dance class on Monday, and preschool on Tuesday. She is looking forward to school so much that she's asking me just about every day if she has school. Tyler is turning 8 months old tomorrow already! I cannot believe how old he's getting, his little personality is coming out so much now. I love it! Before I know it he's going to be up and running around. He's eating tons of big boy food now! Ok, that's enough of my emotional instablility! :) Please enjoy the pics of our adventures from the last couple weeks!

Our Family in front of Niagara Falls

That is my kind of Hershey kiss! I love chocolate!

Dansville, NY Balloon Festival

McKee, Brooke, and Seth playing in the sand

Catching a wave!!!

Tyler is so cute! (And he wouldn't keep his hat on)

Brooke at her Dance Camp in August!

Strike!!!

Yesterday we went bowling with the kids. We got a coupon for free games in the mail and I thought they would love it! I was right. They had a blast. It was a special treat because we got to eat there too when we were done bowling. Brooke managed to get her little 6lb ball all the way down the lane except for one time. We had to call the guy over to get it back. I bowled my best game ever a 157 (we won't mention the bumpers were up). McKee and Seth did great! McKee even got a strike! They were asking when we get to go again. As part of their summer promotion they have scratch off tickets with free bowling games that they give out to everyone that bowls. We won a bunch more free games, so we'll have to go back again. We had a fun outing with the family. I needed it because I'm starting to hyperventilate about back to school and leaving my babies! More on that craziness later... Here are some great pics from bowling.

Invisible Woman

this pretty much sums up how I feel most of the time...

The Invisible Woman

It started to happen gradually. One day I was walking my son Jake toschool. I was holding his hand and we were about to cross the street when the crossing guard said to him, "Who is that with you, young fella?" "Nobody," he shrugged.Nobody? The crossing guard and I laughed. My son is only 5, but as wecrossed the street I thought, "Oh my goodness, nobody?" I would walk into a room and no one would notice. I would say something to my family - like "Turn the TV down, please" – and nothing would happen. Nobody would get up, or even make a move for the remote. I would stand there for a minute, and then I would say again, a little louder, "Would someone turn the TV down?" Nothing. Just the other night my husband and I were out at aparty. We'd been there for about three hours and I was ready to leave. I noticed he was talking to a friend from work. So I walked over, and when there was a break in the conversation, I whispered, "I'm ready to go when you are." He just kept right on talking. I'm invisible. It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more. Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please." I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going? She's going? She's gone! One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked downat my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that wasclean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you arebuilding when no one sees." In the days ahead I would read - no, devour – the book. And I woulddiscover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work. No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit thecathedral while it was being built and he saw a workman carving a tinybird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees." I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You arebuilding a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it willbecome." At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there." As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

I thought this was hilarious!

Annoying Things To Do On An Elevator
1) CRACK open your briefcase or handbag, peer Inside and ask "Got enough air in there?"
2) STAND silent and motionless in the corner facing the wall without getting off.
3) WHEN arriving at your floor, grunt and strain to yank the doors open, then act as if you're embarrassed when they open themselves.
4) GREET everyone with a warm handshake and ask him or her to call you Admiral.
5) MEOW occasionally.
6) STARE At another passenger for a while. Then announce in horror: "You're one of THEM" - and back away slowly
7) SAY -DING at each floor.
8) SAY "I wonder what all these do?" And push all the red buttons.
9) MAKE explosion noises when anyone presses a button.
10) STARE, grinning at another passenger for a while, then announce: "I have new socks on."
11) WHEN the elevator is silent, look around and ask: "Is that your beeper?"
12) TRY to make personal calls on the emergency phone.
13) DRAW a little square on the floor with chalk and announce to the other passengers: "This is my personal space."
14) WHEN there's only one other person in the elevator, tap them on the shoulder, then pretend it wasn't you.
15) PUSH the buttons and pretend they give you a shock. Smile, and go back for more.
16) ASK if you can push the button for other people but push the wrong ones.
17) HOLD the doors open and say you're waiting for your friend. After a while, let the doors close and say "Hi Greg, How's your day been?"
18) DROP a pen and wail until someone reaches to help pick it up, then scream: "That's mine!"
19) BRING a camera and take pictures of everyone in the lift.
20) PRETEND you're a flight attendant and review emergency procedures and exits with the Passengers.
21) SWAT at flies that don't exist.
22) CALL out "Group hug" then enforce it.-a website

Time to Post something

it's been a while since i've posted anything. my pictures are stuck on my camera because the drive on our computer is to full to save them to the computer. today mike gets home early from work and i'm hoping to be able to spend some time burning some pictures off the computer so we can fix that problem. we've had a lot going on lately, i'll tell all about it when i get some great pics to go with the stories!

6 months old!!!!

Tyler is 6 months old already! It goes by so fast. He had his checkup this past week and he's 18 1/2 lbs and 27 1/2 inches long. He's already wearing 12mos clothes! He's just getting cuter and cuter, if I do say so myself!