Another Slumber Party

NyCee had another little slumber party this evening. Her little friend Emily spent the night with us. NyCee is the youngest of all her friends, yet she is the tallest.

After dinner, the girls took separate showers and then climbed up on the couch to watch a movie. Of course we had to do manicures and pedicures.

God always answers prayers. This is what I wanted for my children when I moved back to Phoenix. A place to call home where they would make life long friends.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (New International Version)

20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Update

So, I am about a week away from returning to school and I am very excited about that. I needed the break. However, I ordered one of my books off of eBay and never received it. The beautiful thing is I will get a refund of my money. But I now have to do a rush order to ensure the book is delivered by the start of the semester.

My boss' husband was able to recover the pictures from my memory card. That is pretty fancy and awesome.

I almost called CPS on myself yesterday. I picked up the kids from the swim school and both wanted lollipops. (The school has a treasure chest filled with lollipops for the kids after their session.) Well, NyCee and Tyler decided they did not like mommy saying no to having lollipops before dinner so they decided to scream and have tantrums in the car on the way home. (I live less than 5 minutes away from the swim school.) But try to imagine a long day at work dealing with crazy people, then listening to the screams of my children over lollipops. Thankfully, I kept my composure until I was behind closed doors. I will just leave it at that. Needless to say, the episode ended very quickly and life returned to normal. Tyler still clowned a little but overall they calmed down.

Please keep my cousin Cari and her family in your prayers. Pray for God's comfort and peace during this time. Situations like hers are so hard to understand, but we must trust in God's sovereignty. When it is all said and done, He is still in complete control. Our finite minds cannot grasp or comprehend God. We shouldn't try. He loves us and there is a purpose to EVERYTHING. We must trust in that truth. Thank you for your prayers.

Ecclesiastes 3 (New Living Translation)
A Time for Everything
1 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.

365 Days Ago

So, it has been 365 days since the kids and I moved home to Phoenix and wow what a great year.

Today, was a great birthday. I turned 35 but look like I am 25. Which is an awesome thing. My co-workers decorated my desk and bought me a small bouquet of white roses (my favorite.)

Then my friend Lorie cooked a wonderful dinner. (She is an awesome cook.) We talked and played with the kids.

Right before cake is when things started to go down hill. Trying to delete a bad picture of my cake, I erased all the pictures on the memory card. And when you read the word All, I literally mean ALL! All the pictures of when NyCee and I lived in Michigan, Tyler's birth, pictures over the past year of him growing. Yes, all! But wait, there's more.

Tyler walks up to me, holds up his arms for me to pick him up. As soon as I do, I feel a warm sensation down my hand. Yup, you guessed, my son pooped all over my clothes so I spent the remainder of my birthday smelling like poop. Great!

However, on the brighter side of the day, I received an iPhone as a gift also. That thing is so awesome. I haven't even scratched the surface of its functionality. Today was a great day. I am excited about all the good things God has instore for the next 365 days.

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Psalm 91:14-16 (NLT)

Buzz

Little Fred aka Tyler, had his 1st hair cut today. He was about 5 months overdue. Part of that is because I wanted my dad to take him to get his first hair cut. Because we were not able to travel back east on the 2 different occasions we tried, I went ahead and took him to the barber shop this morning.

I met Shawn, the barber, through a co-worker named Greg. What's funny is when I showed up a the shop, there were two (2) other people from my office there as well.

Shawn was very kind and talked with Tyler while he was cutting his hair. The shop is named, Christian Cuts with a sign that reads, "No profanity, swearing, cussing, or whatever you call it - don't do it." I like that.

Shawn explained how all mothers like their sons' soft curls and have a hard time with the first cut. (Tyler had to get his hair cut because Olivia cut out two patches of hair last week.) He also explained the natural shape of Tyler's hair and told me how to brush it.

I scheduled Tyler's next hair cut for September. I told Shawn we will stay with him until he moves on to do other things. Tyler was a little irritated at first but then he calmed down.

NyCee did a great job waiting patiently in the chairs during Bubba's hair cut.

Hiding Place

Tyler had to find somewhere to hide after being surrounded by all girls last weekend.

Weekend

My friend Carole had to go out of town for the weekend on business. She asked if I would watch her six year old daughter Megan. Sure, why not? I already have two (2) kids, adding one more is no biggie deal. Well, of course, I had to include Olivia in the fun for the weekend. So Friday night, I picked up my kids and Olivia after work. Carole dropped of Megan and the party began.

After bath and before movie time, the girls had an evening treat. Peanut butter cookies and milk. (You have to love the toast.)

After nearly an hour of giggling, they finally fell asleep at 1100p. Megan was the first to give in to sleep. I think that is because she is in first grade and therefore does not have a nap time at school.

Tyler began running from all the estrogen. The girls kept trying to pick him up and carry him around. You constantly heard, "Come here Bubba. Let's play Bubba. Bubba, follow me."
The day started at 547a. Yes, you read correctly - 547a! All four (4) kids woke up at the same time. So I said, okay, let's do this! They wanted to get up that early, it was up and poppin'. After breakfast, we went to Bounce U. It's an indoor play area with inflatable bouncy toys.


Tyler was too little to get inside the bouncy house. But he had a blast playing with the balloons.

But surely, that could not be it. I mean, we were only at Bounce U for an hour and a half. It was only 930a. 2 hours until nap time. Onto the park. So I loaded the kids into the car and off we went. The park was only about 7 minutes from Bounce U.




At the park, they played on the equipment and of course at the splash pad area. Over all, it was a good weekend. Everyone behaved very well. The hardest part of the weekend was getting in and out of the car with four (4) kids in 100 degree weather. I was even brave enough to venture to Wal-mart and the Dollar Store with all four (4) kids.

Olivia left the group on Saturday night. Before church, everyone had to have baths because there were wood chips (from the play ground) and sweat mixed with sun screen lotion in unmentionable places.

Normally, I don't leave the kids at date night but I needed a couple of hours of therapy.

A Pretty Princess

NyCee's dance recital pictures from this year's performance came back from the photographer today. She looks so adorable.

Below is a picture of all the girls in her class. Aren't they just so darn cute?

NyCee started dance class again today and had a little bit of an "episode" about waiting her turn. She and I had to have a little chit-chat and now she understands my expectation regarding her behavior.
Age 2 was easy. I am praying the Lord helps me spare her life so that she can see age 4! The 3 year old year has been a little wild.

2 in and 3 out

Solve this riddle:
A woman walks into the store with her son who is wearing a pair of shoes. After selecting a pair of shoes for purchase for said son, the woman walks to the counter. Upon arrival at the counter, the woman has three (3) shoes: two (2) new shoes and one (1) old shoe. How did that happen?


This afternoon must have been exhausting. I arrived at Lorie's house to pick up the kids and found Tyler asleep, floating in the pool.

Classic!

What a day!

NyCee attended a friend's birthday party this afternoon at Michael's craft store. The party was a craft party where all the little girls made their own tee shirts. NyCee started out with an ice cream cone stencil. Well, after a couple of minutes she just went wild.

This is a picture of her masterpiece. I purposely printed the year on the shirt so that I can show this to her when she leaves for medical school.

The tee shirt will remind her she has a creative side but surgery requires precision and focus. HA! HA!

**As a side note: she starts swim lessons on Tuesday and I have been trying to find her a pair of goggles. But since it's "the end of summer," this is proving a little challenging. People, this is Arizona. The end of summer is October 31 - Honestly!

Dinner Party

Yesterday evening, I kept all four kids after work: Olivia, JD, NyCee and Tyler. While I must admit it was not bad watching all the kids, I NEVER want to be a stay-at-home mom again. I do not know how Lorie takes care of four (4) kids all day but God love her for doing it.



I have been thinking about my career path because of my children. More than likely, I will become a professor once my doctoral studies are completed. It will provide the flexibility to attend the kids' events as they get older.

Everything went black - briefly

So today I arrive at Lorie's house to pick up the kids. She (Lorie) greets me at the door and tells me NyCee received an "incident report" today. I asked "Where?" and she replied, "At church."

Lorie proceeds to tell me that NyCee called a child fat and when the teacher stepped into correct her, she (NyCee) called the teacher fat and then swung her arm as if she was going to hit the teacher. (Now do you understand why everything when black for about 30 seconds.) It is probably a good thing that Lorie did not call me at work to tell me this information because I would have left work, drove to the church, beat the living snot out of NyCee, and went back to work. I do not know where that behavior came from.

I am a firm believer of dealing with the infraction at the time. I was unable to do that but NyCee was not allowed to do anything this evening. No Dora, no treat, nothing. She is old enough to understand that behavior is unacceptable. She has never attempted to swing and hit me so I don't know where she got that. But she will be a different child tomorrow - guaranteed!

The Joy of Pudding

This is one is licking the bowl after eating all the pudding.

This is has pudding everywhere because his sister thought it helpful to put it on the tray infront of him so that he could feed himself.

Psalm 107:20 (New King James Version)
20 He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.

Do We Live in a Barn?

I told NyCee it was bath time and she took off her clothes, put them in the laundry basket and proceeded to the bath tub.

I walked passed the bathroom to go into their room to check on Bubba. When I glanced into the bathroom, my eyes gaze upon my daughter in a squatting position peeing in the bathtub! Really?!? Am I hallucinating?

I asked why she was peeing in the bathtub. She replied, "Because I had to go potty."
"Where do you put pee-pee?"
"In the potty mom." With a smirk on her face. It took all I had not to laugh.

Seriously, why would my DAUGHTER think it okay to pee in the bathtub? I half way expect my son to do that someday but not my daughter.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6 (American Standard Version)

Now You Can Feel The Love...

Despite the look on NyCee's face, she liked having her little brother lay on her lap while watching Blue's Clues this afternoon.

Can you feel the love?

Tadbit Toasty

113 degrees + a girdle = UNCOMFORTABLE AND SWEATY.

HA! Too Much Information I know. But this weekend has been the hottest part of the year so far. That's great considering it's the middle of July. The temps were supposed to reach 116 but leveled off at 113. Praise God for the 3 degree differential.

Psalm 150 (American Standard Version)

1 Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3 Praise him with trumpet sound: Praise him with psaltery and harp.

4 Praise him with timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and pipe.

5 Praise him with loud cymbals: Praise him with high sounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah.

Official Acceptance

I received my email acceptance from Argosy University for the Doctor of Education - Organizational Leadership program.

Dear Dayna,
Congratulations! On behalf of the faculty and administration of Argosy University Online Programs, it is my pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted into the Organizational Leadership - EDD, program at Argosy University Online Programs. Please consider this your official notification of acceptance, contingent upon your completion of any outstanding requirements.

I am very excited. Not too long ago, completing a Bachelor Degree program seemed impossible. Now, I am on path to complete a doctoral program. Just proves what Jesus said is true:

“If you can believe, ALL things are possible to him who believes.”
Mark 9:23 (NKJV)

This is What I Do Not Understand

He climbs up onto the chair with the sole purpose of...

falling off.

Really?!? I don't understand boys

That Didn't Take Long...

1. Drop toy on the other side of the chairs.

2. Look for an opening and proceed through it.

3. Wiggle through opening.

4. Walk up to mommy and smile as if to say"And you thought that would stop me. Really mother?"

4th of July Weekend

We had a quiet weekend. We enjoyed fireworks at church with friends. I joked with one of my mentors whom I have named, "Pastor Nana." It was nearly 110 degrees with humidity on Saturday and I proclaimed "I am not going to hell. It is hot." Pastor Nana laughed and replied, "I know that's right." By the time the fireworks show began, it cooled off enough where it was comfortable outside.

NyCee and Tyler sat quietly on my lap and watched the show.