love this poem!

*A Mother's Prayer*
Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day,
With little time to stop and pray,
For Life's been anything but calm,
Since You called me to be a mom -
Running errands, matching socks,
Building dreams with matching blocks,
Cooking, cleaning and finding shoes
And other stuff that children lose,
Fitting lids on bottled bugs,
Wiping tears and giving hugs,
A stack of last week's mail to read -
So where's the quiet time I need?
Yet, when I steal a moment,
Lord,Just at the sink or ironing board,
To ask the blessings of Your grace,
I see then, in my small one's face,
That You have blessed me
All the while -
And I stoop to kiss
That precious smile.

busy weekend....

but not much fun.... I got tired of opening cabinets and things falling out, I realized that all the stuff I use in my kitchen is at the top of the cabinet and being 5'1" that doesn't make much sense. so I got the bright idea to clean out some things and get more organized.

Yesterday I took everything out of our small bathroom and reorganized everything. I threw away a couple of bags of stuff and got a bag of stuff to donate. Then I decided to move to the kitchen. I took everything out of all of my kitchen cabinets- top and bottom!!! What a mess!! I should have taken pictures but it was just too much to deal with! Midway through I had to take a break and run to walmart for more stuff to use for storage in the cabinets. When I got back and saw the mess I couldn't believe what I had gotten myself into!! I got back to work and got rid of all of my non-Longaberger serving bowls, platters, plates. I got rid of tons of stuff! I have the whole back of my van loaded with stuff to donate and our trash can is running over, my Mom's is running over and trash day isn't until Friday so I've got to take a break on cleaning out stuff for a while.

the boys had a bit of a cold the past few days but seem to be doing lots better. We didn't go to Sunday school and church yesterday to be safe. After we played play-doh all morning the boys got cabin fever and we ended up going to lunch at Burger King and made a Sam's run to stock up on stuff. Frank had two days off in a row so the boys really liked that and I got a little time to do some cleaning that has been neglected far too long. I've got a Longaberger party here at the house Thursday so I've got to get busy cleaning up things that people actually see now! They are wound up about getting together to play with Ruben again soon. They say we might wake to snow so we'll see! ;) Marla

card from our vet...

We got a sympathy card from our vet's office today- signed by the vet and all the staff. they wrote that they were so sorry for the loss of both Bogie and Bubbie and they will surely be missed. Deepest sympathy in the loss of your beloved companions. I thought it was really thoughtful and they included a copy of an Ann Landers column with the following poem...

A Dog's Plea - Author Unknown
Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me.
Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I should lick your hand between blows, your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you would have me learn.
Speak to me often, for you voice is the world's sweetest music, as you must know by the fierce wagging of my tail when your footstep falls upon my waiting ear.
Please take me inside when it is cold and wet, for I am a domesticated animal, no longer accustomed to bitter elements. I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting at your feet beside the hearth.
Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst.
Feed me clean food that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side, and stand ready, willing and able to protect you with my life, should your life be in danger.
And, my friend, when I am very old, and I no longer enjoy good health,
hearing and sight, do not make heroic efforts to keep me going. I
am not having any fun. Please see that my trusting life is taken gently. I
shall leave this earth knowing with the last breath I draw that my fate
was always safest in your hand.

SNOW!!!!

We have SNOW!!!!!

The boys saw it at bedtime and begged to go outside and play but we held them off since they haven't been feeling great today. hopefully they will be feeling better tomorrow- and the snow will still be here! Check back and maybe I'll have snow pics to share! ;) Marla

Sad Day...

It's a sad day at our house. We just got home from the vet's office. We had to take our dog Bogie to be put to sleep. My Mom's little dog Bubbie has been sick so we ended up having to take them both in but they are better off now. Just sad... Marla

this is an old old 8.5X11 scrapbook page- one of my first so don't laugh at it. That's Bogie and in the window at Mom's house you can see Bubbie and Baby with him when we came to visit from San Antonio. We rescued him from the Animal Defense League in San Antonio in 1995 and he was like our first child.

Bubbie was also rescued- I sold a house for a family and the dog had showed up on their doorstep. they were going to take him to the pound and he was just too loving of a dog so I got a plane ticket and flew him home to my Mom and Dad. He was a sweetie and everyone who came to visit wanted to take him home with them.

We had to have Baby put to sleep on Mom and Dad's wedding anniversary last Feb. She had missed my Dad since he passed in 2001 so I guess now they are all together.

We don't have any dogs now so maybe we can take a trip to Florida to visit my Aunt and Uncle before Mom adopts another dog. I can't remember a time in my life that Mom didn't have a dog- at least an outside one. the first inside dog was Benji, a schnauzer we got when I was in grade school. Anyway, it's been a sad day.... Marla

Rain Rain go away.....

What a nasty day! The boys love to take me to the dining room window "To see the new pretty river that God made down in Granny's yard." Aren't kids amazing?! LOL! The other view is out the back door of the house- the pond is running over and we are getting quite a lake going!

We went back to the dr. this morning. I've had 5 rounds of antibiotics and two steroid shots and I'm still having terrible sinus trouble so they changed my allergy meds. Hopefully they will start working soon! KY is crazy this time of year! :) Marla

Happy Sunday!

Back to the Clarksville Musuem

Well, when the boys woke up this morning all they talked about was wanting to go to the museum again so Granny and I packed them up and took them back to play. We bought a family membership so we can go back often since it seems to be a hit. $30 for a year of unlimited visits, can't beat that deal can ya?!

We had thought about it might be busy since it was a Saturday and it was kind of drizzly outside- turns out the boys and two other kids were there!!! There was a little girl who had blonde hair and pink cowboy boots- Jake kept asking if she was Taylor Swift!!!

you might have noticed, Josh is still insisiting on wearing his Santa hat. It came with some pj's they wore when they were 2 so he's really stretched it out. He may still be wearing this thing come July, he really loves it and won't trade it for anything else!

We had a really fun time again today. The little builder's exhibit was still there today but they only played a few minutes then went right to the store. We spent a couple of hours in the store. Mom and Granny took turns running the register and restocking shelves. The boys kept us hopping!! We went to lunch at chic-fil-a after we played then we came home and took a nap- all of us! ;)

Our trip to the Clarksville Museum

We took the boys to the Clarksville Museum to the Little Builders Exhibit this week and they had an amazing time! They painted, watched the model trains, worked conveyer belts, experimented with all sorts of fun stuff. I thought the trains were there favorite part of our trip- until they discovered the grocery store!!! They shopped with the kid size carts, rang each other up at the register and had a blast!!!! We were having such a good time that I forgot to take pictures- gasp! ;0

The little builder exhibit closes this weekend but we'll definitely be going back to check out the new things they add and to shop again!