Our New Van

I am so excited. We got a van today. Since the bankruptcy we obviously don't have the best of credit so getting a decent vehicle I thought was not going to be part of our vocabulary any time soon but God has answered our prayers.

We have been continuing to make payments on the Honda even though it doesn't run and it's very frustrating. The Mazda runs okay but the window was cracked right in front of the driver and there was a hole in the exhaust so all the exhaust went right into the car (YUCK!) and the struts on the rear passenger side was bad and going to cost a good chunk of money to get fixed soon as it was causing the tires to wear out really quick. (The previous owner put new tires on in October of last year and we had to buy 4 new tires in July. So that was going to get expensive quickly.) We needed a safe dependable car with more room for times like today when we have more than just our two children.

So anyway, I have been trying to figure out how we could get a good running, dependable vehicle with little to no money for a down payment and one trade in that isn't running. Well Brad finally gave in to at least looking so we went yesterday to Wenatchee Family Auto Sales. They took the Mazda as a trade in and they guy we bought the Honda from is going to take it back. So we are now the very proud owners of a 2005 Ford Freestyle Van. It is so nice to have a vehicle we can be proud of again. The people there were awesome and got us financing so we can start working on our credit in a postive way and they did it with a very small down payment and got the monthly payments as close to our target as possible and a decent timespan for repayment. We are very pleased with the whole experience and would reccommend them to anyone. I will post pics as soon as possible. I am just so excited that I had to share. Now when I have to go get Cameron from preschool and I have Max, Cameron won't have to sit in the front seat. (Thank God! I hate him in the front seat. It makes me so nervous.)

Anyway, I will post pics hopefully tomorrow. And just a reminder of my Pampered Chef party on thursday at 6:30pm. Please let me know if you can make it. Thanks!

So Not the best pics since it was in the carport but will give you an idea.

Pampered Chef Party

So I am having a pampered chef party thursday Dec. 4th at my house at 6:30pm. I would really like as many friends to come as possible so we can all spend some time together so let me know if you can come and if you need direction just let me know. Later!

Comments

So I am a little disappointed in responses to my plea for opinions/comments/thoughts. I asked for everyone to give me their thoughts and ideas on the private school situation and I got one comment back. Albeit it was a terrific comment although I am not sure I would recognize God's answer even if it was right in front of me. So I just thought I would share with you all that I was bummed that when I needed responses I didn't get them. Oh well I guess we are all dealing with our own lives and I guess this is a subject that will have to be between Brad, the boys, myself and God. (I know that's how it should be regardless but the comments/opinions and thoughts of my closest friends matter to me too.) Anyway gotta go for now....P.S. Rachel, her kids, me and my kids and not sure who else are going to go up to the Ceramic place in chelan tomorrow around noonish and want to invite whoever wants to come to join us. The more people that come the more willing the shop owner is to accommodate on the day before thanksgiving. So let me know if anyone wants to go with us. Sounds like it will be really fun. So call me and let me know so we can let the shop owner know a rough head count. Later.

New Kids on the Block weekend

Okay so this weekend was a blast!!! We headed over Saturday morning and had a great drive. Stopped in Cle Elum and had lunch at Taco Del Mar. (It wasn't too bad.) We got into Tacoma and went to Nordstrom Rack and Lane Bryant. I got a cute pair of earrings at Nordstrom but nothing else. I resisted the urge to spend any money at Lane Bryant....I was very proud of myself. We then went and had dinner at Claim Jumper. We all three shared mozzarella sticks, zucchini sticks and chicken strips. It was sooo yummy. (Fattening but yummy!) After that we headed to check in at the hotel and drop mom off there. The hotel was really nice. So then Jennifer and I headed to one of the best concerts we have ever seen. We got there in plenty of time so we decided to get a glass of wine and sit down and relax before the concert. That was very weird feeling.....drinking wine while fulfilling a childhood dream....I felt like a teenager in a grown up body. SO anyway, the concert started with Lady Gaga, then Natasha Bedingfield (sp?) and then FINALLY New Kids on the Block took the stage and for the next 2 hrs they rocked the dome!!!! It was a great mix of old songs and new songs and even the old songs were slightly tweaked with more energy. It was an awesome concert. We had so much fun and screamed our voices hoarse. It was a truly surreal feeling to be watching the boy band that we had so much wanted to see 15 yrs ago. I am so ecstatic that my sister and I got to have that experience together and really I am glad we had to wait till we were adults because we are best friends now and we weren't back then. We got back to the hotel around 12:30am and then talked with mom until almost 2am. Mom and Jennifer woke up before 8am and so then I had to wake up apparently so we got up and got ready (slowly....three women all having to take showers and get beautified....yeah it was slow going) and went and stuffed ourselves at IHOP. YUM!!! After that we stopped by South Center and mom shopped for shoes and I went and picked up Garlic Pretzels from Auntie Anne's. Next we stopped at trader Joes and did some grocery shopping (I love that store) and then we headed home. The drive home seemed to take longer than the drive to but oh well we made it home and had an over all awesome trip. I am so glad I got to go and share the weekend with Mom and Jennifer. Anyway I gotta go get Ethan to sleep so will write again tomorrow and will post NKOTB pics soon as I know you are all dying to see them.

Which school to choose...

Okay so Brad and I are really kicking around the idea of switching Cameron to a different school for kindergarten. We still REALLY want him in a private school which really surprises me due to the fact that we both went completely through public schools and never even thought about putting our children through any type of private schools until it was time for Cameron to start preschool. But we really like the idea of smaller class size and better student to teacher ratio. Plus for him to learn about God is surprisingly becoming very important to Brad and I.

So here is our dilemma. We have been looking at Cascade Christian Academy (where he currently attends preschool), The River Academy (classical christian school) and St. Joseph's (catholic school). I have heard really good things about CCA and St. Jo's but not much of anything about The River Academy. Cost wise it would be cheaper per month for us to put both boys through St. Jo's and my brother in law and a friend both went to St. Jo's and totally recommend it. When I talked to Andy (my brother in law) about the difference between Catholic and Christian schools he said there is not really anything different that is taught.

I want to give Cameron (and Ethan too when it's time) the best foundation I can when it comes to school and his future. Not that public schools are bad but they have bigger class sizes and no biblical teachings. I like the idea of Cameron learning about God and the bible and biblical history and I look forward to the challenge of researching and learning with him when he comes to us with a question that we don't know about God or the bible. I want him to succeed and I want him to like school. I agree with Andy about sending the boys to public school once they get to the 6th grade so we are only looking at private school for K-5th grade for both boys. I want to make the right choice in Cameron's schooling (and Ethan's too when it's time) and I am so scared that we may not make the right choice in schools but how do we know? It feels like such a big decision and I don't feel like we get to know if we made the right decision or not until it's too late. Argh!!! Parenting is sooooo hard sometimes. I really want my boys to succeed in school and get good grades and not settle for barely passing like I did. I want them to feel like a 3.0 is barely acceptable not a 2.0 like me. I don't want them to struggle through school like Brad and I did. I want them to strive to be on the honor roll and be proud of their achievements and be popular and outgoing. I want them to like sports and do as many as they can through school. There are so many things that I regret about my school years and I really don't want my boys to have those same regrets. So how do I decide the best school to send them through to set them up for success? I look at my sister and brother in law and am sometimes jealous that they have Matthew's schooling already planned out for the most part and they aren't worried about their choice. He will be starting preschool next year at St. Joseph's and will continue there through 5th grade. He will then go to whatever middle school their house is in the zoning for and the same for High School. They feel it's the right path for them and Matthew (and any other children they may have some day).

Anyway enough rambling and venting.......the reason for this blog is I would like feedback from you guys PLEASE!!!!!!! If you would please tell me anything and everything you know about any of these schools or what you think about it all I would appreciate it very much. We are going to have to make a decision soon so we can get him registered and secure a spot in which ever school we decide on. So PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR FEEDBACK/INPUT.....Thank you.

I am getting so excited.....

The New Kids on the Block concert is saturday and i am getting so excited! And now I think mom is going to go with my sister and I so it will be the three of us. We had such a blast when I honed in on Mom and Jennifer's weekend when they went to the Rascal Flats concert I figured why not let mom tag along and have some time to herself while Jennifer and I are at the concert. I absolutely loved my alone time when Mom and Jennifer went to the concert. So I am even more excited now. I think it is going to be soooooo fun. we are planning on going early enough to go shopping and then have dinner at Claim Jumpers (I don't know if that's the right way to spell the name) and then Jen and I will go to the concert and mom can have some her time. When jen and mom went to the concert I went down and had a glass of wine in the lounge, sat in the hot tub, went and read my book and watched a movie. It was so fun and relaxing. So now I get to return the favor for mom. We are staying at the Raddison (sp?) and it looks awesome. And then Jen and I get to go see New Kids on the Block. AHHHHHHH!!!!! I am so excited. I really wanted to see them when I was like 10 but for one I was too young and 2 my parents could not afford to take us. So now that we are adults we get to take ourselves. Anyway gotta go feed my hungry kids. Most of you probably think we are insane but oh well that's just us! =)

I hate cold cloudy weather.

I hate the part of fall where it is too cold to enjoy being outside and worrying about if the kids are gonna get sick from being outside. Plus for the next three weeks I am watching a friends little boy Max from 10-11am. Which isn't long but it's right at the time when i really want to get things done and so far he doesn't think that's such a cool idea.

He's very cute and for the most part wants to just play with the boys until I start to clean or something and then he wants my attention or wants something to eat or wants his sippy. But we are learning each other so maybe by the end of the week we will have figured out a way to make us both happy along with my boys.

Friday's I will have him from 10-2:45 and then I go pick up his sister Ellie and have them until 5pm. Ellie is a hard one to handle. She thinks she knows everything and has a little attitude to match. And she argues with almost everything you tell her which gets really old really quick. But just like with her brother we are learning each other and thank goodness I only have her for a couple hours on fridays and only for 3 weeks and then they will go back to their grandma.

Now on to attempting to do something productive and useful.

Just a quick thank you...

I just wanted to take a quick moment and thank Brooke and Karalee for getting me started on this blog. I absolutely love being able to share my daily laughs, struggles, comments, ideas. Thank you to you both for giving me that push to start.

Tis the season and we've started it with a bang!

We are rushing right into the sick season and Cameron made sure we started it out with a visit to the emergency room and diagnosis of Croup. Tuesday night he sounded kinda croupy but not too bad. Yesterday he sounded fine with a small cough every once in a great while. But we had a feeling we would be seeing the emergency room either last night or tonight because of the way his croup has progressed the two other times he's had it. So by bed time he was coughing a little more and sounding raspy with strider (medical term for wheezing both on inhale and exhale). Well he went to bed at about 10pm.

He woke me up at 11:40 coughing hard, crying and struggling very hard to breathe. Well then he started coughing up blood tinged mucus. So I rushed out to the computer to call brad using Skype (he was in line at game stop for the midnight release of World of Warcraft Lich King) and of course last night i left my phone at my sisters so I had to use the computer to call Brad while Cameron is in the bathroom bent over the toilet.

So Brad rushed home and we loaded up the boys and headed to the ER. They were great there for a change. Got us right in (the admitting nurse wasn't even done with paperwork (and for those of you who went to WHS it was Jackie Kellums from attendance)so she brought it into the room for me to sign.) They took his vitals which he sat there like such a big boy and even let the RN take his temp with an under the tongue thermometer (I was floored. He didn't even cry once and last year he screamed bloody murder when they wanted to do that.)

The respiratory therapist came in right away and got a nebulizer treatment started and Cameron sat there and let brad hold the mask on his face without a fuss. (once again WOW! huge change from last year) Once that was done we had to wait 15-20 minutes for the RN to come back. He started sounding a little better by then. She came back with an oral medicine called Decadron which is a longer lasting medicine to help with the bronchial inflammation. He took it with no crying, gagging or puking. I was so proud of him. So then we had to wait another 15 or so min before the Dr. came in. He examined Cameron and said that since we live so close we could go home. Usually if you live further away than we do they keep the kids and observe them for 3-4 HOURS to make sure the kids don't have a rebound attack but since we lived so close we could get back to the ER quick enough if that happened so we got to head home.

So we went home and straight to bed. So far this morning he is still kinda raspy and his voice is a little hoarse but he feels fine. So now we just gotta keep praying that he doesn't have another episode tonight. Especially since Brad's insurance for the boys isn't in effect yet and the clinic insurance ended Oct. 31st so we have no insurance at this time. OUCH! But oh well I couldn't just not take my kid because we don't have insurance. So we will deal with that when the bill comes. But I am just happy that Cameron is feeling okay and I am able to be with him without jeopardizing my job. I love being a stay at home mom!

Please pray that Cameron doesn't have another episode like last night and I will keep you all updated. Hopefully his cough is gone by Saturday for his first horse show.

Getting ready for horse show saturday.

We went to appleatchee today and work with Poco and Topper. I rode Poco (it was so great....I haven't ridden in 8 years I think.) and ponied Topper after Grammy worked with Cameron on turning and backing on his own. So then we just rode around the indoor arena and him and I talked about the show on Saturday. It was so great. To share one thing I love with my son and for him and I to have time just the two of us was so awesome. A memory I wouldn't have had I not quit my job. Just one more blessing. To follow my statement from my last post....it was a moment that took my breath away. Cameron did great and Topper was a great sport too.

We were telling Cameron that he would have to tell the judge his name and age and his horses name and Cameron asks what his number is. So i tell him that we won't know that till Saturday and they will give us his number to pin on his shirt when we sign in. So he tells me his number should be 295 because he can say that and remember that number. I laughed and told him we would have to wait and see. I am glad he is excited for this show and so thankful for Susan letting us use Topper so Cameron and Matthew can both show. I will post pictures and let you know how it goes.

9 Years ago today....

I can't believe it has been 9 years ago that my daddy died. I miss him so much. I can't believe it's been 11 years since he first got sick. I miss his warm safe hugs that made me feel like no matter what was going on that everything would be okay. I miss the way he would walk by me when I was laying on the couch and he would squeeze my toes. I miss hearing him tell me " I love you wiener." ( that was my nickname and I have no clue how i got it and used to hate it and now I would give almost anything I have to hear him say it again.) Everyday I miss him but this day every year I replay in my mind that day 9 years ago when Brad, Mom and I spent all day at his side while he struggled to keep breathing. He was at Cashmere Convalescent Center and we had been there since about 7am and I was exhausted. . Daddy's status hadn't changed all day so Brad took me home so I could take a nap and then we would go back out there. We got home and I got laid down and the phone rang. Brad answered talked for a minute and hung up. He told me we needed to get back there that Daddy was getting worse. As we drove out there Brad said something to me that I will never forget and will thank him forever for saying it to me....he said "I want you to know that if your dad passes before we get back there that he did it on purpose. He didn't want you to be there when he died." At the time it just made me cry but it now gives me peace in my decision to go home and take a nap because by the time we got there daddy had taken his last breath and took God's hand. At the time I was so angry with myself that I wasn't there and felt so selfish for going home to take a nap. I realize now that daddy held on all day because I was there and before I left I told him it was okay for him to go now and he waited till I was away to take God's hand and exhale his final mortal breath. I don't know why he waited and I won't until I meet him in heaven but I just have to believe that is the way he wanted it. I miss my dad so much and get so angry that my children never got the chance to meet him and know him and I don't know why and may never know why. I try to keep believing that this is all part of a grander plan but dang it it hurts and there is times when anger is so much easier to deal with than heartache. I am blessed that Brad got to know him even those few months before daddy went into the hospital and our lives changed forever. I am blessed that my husband wants me to share my memories and my heartache and not be afraid to cry when i miss him so bad I feel like my heart is going to explode from pain. I am so thankful for my children who when i cried today told me it was okay and that they loved me "sooo much". I still don't know for sure how I will make it each day without my dad but I know I will figure it out and just have to keep waiting till that glorious day when i get to see him again. I love that Diamond Rio song One more day...

Last night I had a crazy dream
A wish was granted just for me
It could be for anything
I didn't ask for money
Or a mansion in Malibu
I simply wished for one more day with you--

One more day, one more time
One more sunset, maybe I'd be satisfied
But then again, I know what it would do
Leave me wishin' still for one more day with you--

One more day
First thing I'd do is pray for time to crawl
I'd unplug the telephone
Keep the tv off
I'd hold you every second
And say a million "I love you's"
That's what I'd do with one more day with you--

One more day, one more time
One more sunset, maybe I'd be satisfied
But then again, I know what it would do
Leave me wishin' still for one more day
Leave me wishin' still for one more day
Leave me wishin' still for one more day
With you--

I miss my dad so much and yet I don't wish for one more day for that very reason. It would leave me wishing for one more day. So for now I just have to bide my time on earth until I see him again in heaven. How fitting that today is raining though. I immediately thought of the song There are holes in the floor of Heaven by Steve Wariner. Anyway enough with my sad story. Today is another day for me to spend with my kids and no sense spending it crying.

We are home!

Okay so we are home from Malo. We had a terrific weekend and the boys did awesome. It was so great to get to relax and spend time with Granny and Papa Pete. We really missed them and it's been a long time since we got to go up there so although I was sad that I missed scrapbook saturday I really am glad we went up there. We didn't really do anything exciting we just sat and visitied alot and relaxed. We even got to spend part of Papa Pete's birthday with him. It was friday and unfortunately we didn't know that until Granny told us friday night. So that was pretty cool I just wish we had known prior to going so we could have gotten him a card or something but he didn't mind. He was just glad we were there to visit. Anyway gotta go do some housework and get back on track after our 3 day weekend.




Remember, Life is not measured by the breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away. So live breathlessly!!!!!!

Prayer Request

We are heading to Malo this afternoon and would like everyone to pray that we have a safe trip there and back on Monday. We will most likely encounter snow as we are going up in elevation and over Wauconda Pass. ( I don't know exact elevation.) So please pray for us to have good roads and that all the psychotic critters stay far away from the highways.

I hope my scrapbook pals have a terrific Scrapbook Saturday and I sure hope you miss me or at least pretend to.=) Anyway gotta go get Cameron and get back and finish getting the house cleaned up so we can leave. I have everything packed so now it's just cleaning house so it's acceptable when we get back. Love to all and will post when we get back.

My Bread Maker finally arrived

So I ordered a Sunbeam Bread Maker clear back on the 13th of October. I did the super saver free shipping which takes a few days longer which was fine with me. It was supposed to arrive on the 21st. So on the 25th I emailed Amazon because I still hadn't received it. They said to wait until the end of the 28th and then email if I still hadn't recieved it. They didn't want to send me a replacement too soon so I didn't have to worry about returning one. So I waited and waited and emailed on the 31st because I still hadn't received it. I got an email on the 3rd saying they were sending me another one and it should arrive on the 7th. Low and behold I received it this morning. I am so excited. Except....we are leaving for Malo today and won't be back till monday evening. Bummer!!!! Oh well, I will just take the book with me and learn how to use it when we get home. I'm just so excited I finally have a bread maker of my own and it is soooo pretty. Doesn't it look so nice on my counter. LOL

How I spent a little me time.....

SO since I had all day saturday to myself I did a lot of relaxing and not much else. By the end of the day I was feeling kinda frumpy and have been thinking about coloring my hair for awhile. Brad being the amazing husband he is told me to go get my hair colored and trimmed so I did. It was an enjoyable because for 3 hrs I had someone messing with my hair and then the head massage when they wash out the dye...Oh my heavens I love that part. So I really enjoyed my time and love my hair. I went way dark but am really enjoying it plus by the time it fades it should be pretty close to what I think ( emphasis on I think ;-) ) is my natural color but for now I'm loving it and so is my husband. Apparently it does good things to him when he sees me because he gave me a full body massage last night with massage oil (if you know my husband that is huge because he hates oils and lotions). It was so relaxing. He even lit candles. It was very nice. Anyway enough boasting about my husband scoring brownie points with me. I figured I better post a pic since I don't get to join my girls on saturday which I am bummed about but we REALLY miss Granny and Papa Pete and this weekend worked best because next weekend is Cameron's first horse show. So without further ado here is my pic for you. ( HA HA it rhymed. sorry a little bored.)