Numbers

A few numbers to know...


1 - The number of hours I typically watch tv in bed before finally falling asleep
2 - The number of years ago I was told there was a tumor found on my MRI, starting the journey that was
3 - The number of days until the kids go back to school (of course, now that were in a routine)
4 - The number of things planted in our garden right now (Snap peas and three varieties of lettuce)
5 - The number of times in a day I wonder why my kids want to eat so much (Seriously, whose great idea was it to have 3-6 meals a day?)
6 - The number of days until my next appointment with my oncologist
8-9 - The number of hours of sleep I need in a night to feel completely refreshed
12 - The number of loads of laundry I've done this week, just to get caught up.  
20 - The number of years it's been since I hugged my mom (Good Friday, 1992)
67 (billion) - The number of times I have to tell my dear small daughter to GO TO SLEEP
1,518 - Number of days (approximate) until my oldest child graduates from High School
5,535 - Number of days (approximate) until my youngest child graduates from High School (that's approximately 132,840 hours in case you wondered)

Q&A

Originated here, revised a little and posted on the M-LIFE blog.

1. What is your go-to meal to fix? 

PB&J for lunch (sad but true) and for dinner... something grilled

2. What piece of furniture in your home do you love the most?  

The corner of our sectional couch in our living room.  It might have my imprint on it.  I sat here a lot after having my third baby and after numerous surgery's since then!  My husband hates this couch for the very reason that I love it!

3. What is your favorite picture from last month {February}? 

4. What household chore do you dread doing? 

All of it.  Do I really have to pick one?  OK... probably laundry.  I am always behind on laundry!

5. What was your first car? 

An Oldsmobile Calais (similar to the one above) that my dad saved after my mom passed away.  Manual shift.  It was great!

6. What is your favorite bible verse or favorite quote? 

Multiple, but one of my favs is:

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Phillipians 4:7

7. Spring is coming.  What are you looking forward to most?

Ummm, Spring is HERE.  I absolutely LOVE having the windows open with fresh breeze blowing in... at night!

8. What's the last book you read? Well, I'm currently reading "You are Already Amazing" for an online bible study through (in)courage

Fundraiser for the DeVries Family

Click the above picture to find out more about a fundraiser that I'm doing to help out the DeVries family

The Great Shoe Debate

Last monday when the elementary kids didn't have school I decided it was time to get Bailey some new shoes, most of hers had holes!  So we headed to Rivertown.  She knew what she wanted:

I knew what I wanted her to have:

Neither one of was happy with the others choices, but I did let her try on the ones she wanted.  And then made her look into the mirror.  She decided she didn't love them either (these things were like wearing a brick on her feet, they were so large).

So, after visiting Dicks, Finish Line, Foot Locker, Pacific Sunwear, Younkers, and stopping to get some pretzels, then to Holland to check Target, Shoe Carnival and finally TJ Max...

Ponytail Kind of day

You know those days when you just want to throw your hair back in a ponytail and be done?

I honestly haven't had one of those in like 2 years!  Which is a good thing considering there was either no or very little hair to pull back.

But today, IT happened.  I've been a little out of sorts lately, just very very tired.  Not good.  Anyway, this morning with the whole time change and stuff we woke up very late and had to rush around and get ready... I knew there would be NO time for me to shower this morning.  I looked at my hair and considered plugging in the straightener or curling iron.  Or SOMETHING.  But really, inside I just wanted a ponytail.  So, I decided what the heck.  I'll give it a try!

Flipped on the headband and used a little bitty rubberband (I used to have to use 2 regular elastic bands to hold all my hair in place) and pulled back a little bitty bit of hair... and I was good to go.  Whatever!

YIKES, not my best look, but it was SO easy to do!

AND, I'm SUCH a trendsetter!  In the afternoon I had to run to Meijers to get a couple of things for dinner, you can see the shirt I had on, but there was also a tanktop under it (it's a little sheer).  After my trip to Meijer I walked into the house with my coat still on.  I was talking to Bailey a bit, she had just returned from school.  She looked at me and said "Why is your shirt rolled up like that?"  Sure enough, my shirt was half way up my stomach.  Awesome!  If only I would have gone to Wal-Mart, no one would have noticed anything at all.  But, now that  I've started that, don't judge if you see a bunch of people developing it into the latest style.  'Cuz you know it will happen!  :)

Joseph Kony - my thoughts

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Earlier today I had never heard the name "KONY".  But I saw it EVERYWHERE on facebook.  So I looked into a bit more and ended up watching this 29 minute movie.  Yup, that's a long time.  Now I know who Joseph Kony is.  And I don't like him.  I don't like what he does to innocent children.  Do you know who Joseph Kony is?  Check out the video and you will!

There is ALWAYS a flip side.  There are always questions.  My question... what happens if/when Kony is caught?  Who will take his place?  Because I'm sure there is some evil person just waiting to do it.

This was found on facebook, a comment from a facebook user on the Invisible Children facebook page...
Maybe check out this site before you believe everything a music video says. Invisible Children took in over $8 million last year, 68% of it was used to fund inner organization dinners, hotels, plane rides, parties, filmmaking and paying organizers, trustees and promoters. 32% actually made it to Uganda where it was then used to fund a militant army to fight Kony. Except that the newly developed teenage army has been raping, robbing and murdering the people they were supposed to protect. So although the video has promoted awareness of the plight of these children, it has manaipulated the facts and is in turn manipulating the public. Also, the US government has tried multiple times to capture or kill Kony, they are not "failures", they simply refused to shoot down in cold blood a wall of nine year old children being used as barricades to get to this man. They and the rest of the world are trying to rescue these children without killing hundreds more in the process. Sidenote: 5,800 innoncent civilians were killed under a Syrian dictatorship in the past year, 5 times what was killed in any one year under Kony. But because there was no music video made or merchandise available, the facebook public ignores it in favour of the most popular bandwagon to jump onto according to mass media. It is sad that people needed a facebook video to pay attention to what has been on the news all along. http://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/post/18890947431/we-got-trouble

I don't know how much of that is true or accurate, but it's worth looking into.

Also found this, here (part of a very long article written 5 years ago):
Perhaps you are now aware that there is a problem, perhaps you know that there is more to this world than just your country, your state, and your little hometown.


and, this was in the comments section of the above article:

So... there you have it.  My take on Kony.  And in case you missed what my take was I'll give it to you straight...  I'm undecided.  I plan to look into it more before I make a decision.  If nothing else, this video has made me aware.

Updated to add (3/8/12)

Just one more link... with lot's more links on all sides of the subject!  

Updated AGAIN (3/10/12)

From the perspective of someone who has experienced Kony

A new baby

Big event this week for our family!  We were joined by a new nephew!  Parker has a new big brother!  I have a feeling we may be spending a LOT of time out in jenison in the new future checking in on Archer and Parker.  Someone was immediately in LOVE, and he is ALL she talkes about now.  She was trying to convice us to go see hin again on the way out of the parking lot!
Bummer that she will never have a baby like that at our house.  Yup.  Bummer.  She will have to spend time with Josh and Bobbie to get her fix!  Bummer.  He is slightly cute and does make me want to snuggle with him!  Next step is to see Parker with hin!  Hoping we will be able to do that sooner than later!

Color makes me happy!

Just browsing over my pinterest page... in case I didn't know it already, I really really like color.  Just looking at the page makes me happy!

I'm not a neutral type of girl. 

One other thing I noticed... perfect homes.  I know they are out there.  In fact, I know a few of you who have a perfect home. 
I don't. 
For most of you this is not a revelation, you will not be shocked by that information. 
I lust after some of these perfect homes though.  I look around my living room right now and what do I see that wouldn't fit into that staged living room?  A coffee table that is in an awkward spot in the wrong living room, teeny-tiny scraps of paper all over the table, floor, couch etc because the little girl learned that she likes to cut paper recently.  A lot.  Cleaning up is not so much fun though.  There are games on the shelves, old magazines, DS's and games, Baileys randomly misplaced wallet (I bet she can't find it), a christmas picture, my desk which is currently unusable because it's covered with so much clutter, wires and cords from all the gadgets and gizmos that go with my computer, a storm trooper, a pair of socks and the cusions aren't all on the couch, or in the right spot if they are. 

I was watching a high quality show (like Wife Swap) this afternoon and one of the husbands was a slight bit controlling and overwhelmed by color.  He pointed out a small pile of three books (all navy, so they matched at least) on an empty table that really bugged him.  He called it chaos.  Keep in mind the rest of the table was empty.  It was a desk type table.  He also said his wife was welcome to paint any color she wanted in the house... as long as it was beige, everything else overwhelmed him.  Him and I... we wouldn't get along so well.  That might make for a good show!  :)

OK, enough nonsense for one day!

Almost enough actually.  Currently watching Hoarders right now... my house doens't look so bad afterall!

You are... {an inspired freebie}

After reading this post I was inspired to create the following fo rmy girls (and boys too I suppose)!  Thought I would share.  You should be able to click on the version that you want and it will take you to the file.  They are all printable up to 5x7.  "Should be" is the key word though, if you can't, let me know and I will try to fix it!  Happy day!

Pretty Ballerina

Notice anything about that cute ballerina?  She is wearing underwear!  We finally pushed just a little bit and she did the rest on her own.  She has been in underwear (no diapers, ever) for a little over a week now!  Yay!  No more diapers for the Bells!

Stupid Cancer {Fight Like a Girl}

Breast cancer has struck again... and again and again and again.  When will it ever stop? 

The fight like a girl t-shirts are available once again... this time benefiting Sandra VW, a mother of two who is currently undergoing chemo treatments for breast cancer.

I know that some people had asked about getting them again, and this is your chance!

Order forms can be found and printed by clicking on the link above.  Thank you in advance for your support, both of me in the past and of Sandra now.

Questions?  Email fightlikeagirl2012@gmail.com

All this pinning...

All this pinning has led to lot's of doing as well!  Here are a few of the things (recipes) I've done and the results:

Nutella Meringues.  Sounded GREAT, but super flop.  Pitched the whole pan.  That's a lot of wasted nutella if you ask me.  In defense of the recipe, I have never mixed egg whites into peaks and I may have failed miserably at that. 

Pizza Rolls.  Ah-Mazing!  Very similar to Pereddies, very very good.  My kids weren't thrilled with it at first, but after forcing them to take a bite they warmed up.  Super good, and very easy, these will be a regular on my menu!

Salty Caramel Oat Bars: These are probably my most favorite-est thing I've made in a very very long time!  So salty and so sweet!  Seriously, there are pretzels in the dough, it adds the perfect amount of saltiness! 

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls: Good, not amazing, probably will not be making this again.  I don't know why.  Just won't. 

Oreo Puddin Poke Cake: My timing was off and this was a disaster.  It was two layers, one cake, one pudding.  I started the pudding to soon and it was to set to pour over the cake and soak in, so... it didn't.  Probably very good when timed just right!

Greetings

Traditions

Crazy time of year!  Don't you agree?  I really have never felt as much pressure and stress caused by holidays.  Not sure why I'm feeling pressure this year.  I'm actually way ahead of the game... normally I shop the week before Christmas and wrap the day before, this year, I'm done shopping AND, everything is wrapped!  And, I actually remember wrapping them this year! 

If you have young(er) kids, I have a question for you.  Does Santa come to your house?  Does Santa bring different (as in not currently under the tree) presents?  Does Santa borrow your wrapping paper or use his own?  Do you or santa write the kids names on their gifts or do you have another system?

We've tried a combination of lot's of these systems, but haven't really settled into a tradition.  This year, I'm sure Santa will stop, eat the cookies and share the reindeer food, but he will not be bringing presents, at least not ones that are different from the ones under our tree.  It will largely go unnoticed I'm sure.  Just not that into it anymore!

I did have to code all the presents this year.  And last.  Last year I used the same number for each kid, I think it had something to do with their  birthday's... they figured it out.  This year, it's COMPLETELY random, I have it all written down, but there is NO WAY they will figure it out.

What other Christmas traditions do you have? 

We go to the Santa parade downtown Zeeland (weather dependant).
We normally go see Santa at some point, unfortunately it hasn't happened yet this year. 
I love to go to the Critter Barn for thier nativity scene... have to do that yet this year as well.
We always have Cherry Coffee cake for breakfast (at least that's what Bailey says... I don't remember it being a tradition, but I'll humor her).
We decorate the tree together and hang up all the old ornaments from when Matt and I were little, as well as the new(er) ones that have been purchased or made.  No, we don't have a "pretty" theme tree, but we have a pretty family tree... and I love it!
I typically wake up before the kids on Christmas morning!  I get so excited to see them open presents that I can't wait, and apparently my kids aren't quite so anxious.  I remember being up at 5am on Christmas when I was little... now I sleep in a little later. 

Do you do a lot of baking this time of year? 

I typically don't purposely bake for Chrismas, but this time of year makes me want to bake. Yesterday Elliot and I made Salty Caramel Oat Bars, which are seriously delicious.  I LOVE salty and sweet... put it all together - AMAZING!  We also made Chubby Hubby Bars - again, I highly recommend these, they are fabulous, but... they are very hard to cut.  I may try doing the carmel differently.  More like the Salty Caramel Oat Bars next time and just sprinkle the chocolate on top maybe?  Anyway... they are fabulous and will definitely be a staple in our house!  You know... as in one of the food groups offered on a regular basis!  :)

And, I leave you with a rather awkward picture of our family!  Crazy to see my hair getting so much longer... remember last year?

Some things I pinned recently that I really love!

From Life as a Thrifter
Love the pictures hanging from wooden hangers!  (I wonder if cheap plastic hangers would look cute too???)

From Jamie cooks it up

Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

From Snorgtees
Either you like bacon or your wrong!

From Domestic Reflections

Words to live by

From Dearlillieblog

Height measurer

I hope I left you with some inspiration today!

See more of my pinterest pins here