Get out those fingers, it's time to count blessings.

I just got an email from Byron saying it will be at least another week before we get our car. This means the girls and I will continue to be stuck at the house. It will give us plenty of time to polish and shine our shackles. Ha! This was very distressing to me because even though I'm a stay at home mom I like still like the option of leaving the house. Between this, no job yet in KY, and all the little annoyances of life that seem to sneak up at once; I believe it's time for a blessing count. Here we go.

1. We have a good car that can get Byron to work so he can keep his job.

2. We have great friends who offer rides or their cars when we need or want them.

3. Byron has a great job in a bad economy that provides us with enough money to live on plus a little to put back. (Even though we miss him because we don't see him much!)

4. We have a safe home and huge yard to enjoy even if we can't leave it when we choose.

5. Everyone is healthy. (minus the sniffles or a stomach bug here or there.)

6. In our job search, we've got more little projects done around the house preparing for possible sale, talked to more friends and family than we have in years, and got our money's worth out of our monthly Internet service becoming familiar with the tons of job search engines out there.

7. Chocolate, nuff said.

8. We delight in the fact that God is powerful and know how important it is to wait on His timing. Every time we turn down the easy path or a door to a path is shut, we know it is because He has better plans for us. We are happy to wait for the better stuff.

9. Family and friends that care enough to call or stop by and ask how things are going and give words of encouragement. My mom, dad, sister, and brother-in-law have practically bent themselves in two offering support, prayer, and the occasional job opportunity when it shows up. Thanks Dad for the US Bank info!

10. I guess the last blessing I have is the blessing of distraction. If you have a touch of OCD like me, you know what a blessing distractions can be. I can become super focused on a project and have a tendency to rush it along. I like to be in control and I like my list of things to do. Get married, check. Get a degree, check. Start a career, check. Buy a house, check. Have kids, check. Thank goodness distractions come along to pull me away from my list. I don't want to finish up too early!

Spring Break Conversations

Spring Break has been a wash weather and travel wise. The weather has been rainy and cold so we have not had much chance to play outside. The travel for the Halls is almost non existent because Byron hit a deer a couple of weeks ago and totaled his car. He is driving my van to work so the gals and I are currently car-less. All that extra time indoors has sparked some interesting conversations and/or saying between Kendall and myself. Examples are:

"Mom, every morning when I get up my eyes drool."

"Kendall, what kind of juice do you want?"
"I don't know, you disciple."
"I think you mean decide. Disciples are the men that were with Jesus."
"Oh, I guess it can mean two things then."

"Mom, guess what? We're going to play your favorite game. Twister!! Let's change the rules so it's harder for you." Umm..what? Harder! How about easier.

"Barack Obama is on TV again. He's the president. Did you know that? He talks a lot. I think he gives people money and builds stuff."

She helped me with some extra chores around the house and I paid her $5 for her time. "I think I'm going to save this money in my piggy bank, (long pause) or buy a sandwich."

I overheard this conversation and I'm not sure what it was relating to. "Maddie, I hate to tell you this but you're too little to know better. I guess you'll always be that way."

Talking to Grace after Grace had spent the night being sick. "Grace, you have ruined my day but that's okay. You can't help it. Sometimes you just got to throw up."

After forgetting to get something. "Mom, I guess I forgot. Forgetting things and remembering things and other stuff is all knocking and spinning around in my head. I can't get all those thingys out of there."

More pictures of outside

The blog only allows so many uploads per post. There were too many good ones to pick so here's some more.

Good Day Sunshine

I just had to post these pics of the little girls outside today. We are all enjoying the turn in weather and I forget what a wonderful mood lifter the sunshine on your face can be. I don't think it gets better than sun, outdoor screams, and tired dirty kids after a good day of playing.

Quiz time!

What do this plastic dog, blanket, and spoon have in common? No, they're not 3 things I pulled from between the couch cushions. Although that might be an interested blog topic to do. They are my three girls security items or lovies or whatever you choice word is for something your kid can't be without. The dog belonged to Kendall. She doesn't need it anymore but there was a time when that dog went everywhere with us. She never really played with "baby dog" but he was always at her side while she was playing, eating, or sleeping. I loved baby dog because he was small and easy to clean. He just got a bath the same time Kendall did. The blanket belongs to Grace. She drags that thing around the house and is never more than a few feet from it. It sits by her chair during mealtimes. It sits on the bathroom floor during bath time. She sleeps with it and it is almost impossible to get it washed due to the kung fu death grip she has on it. Unlike baby dog, Grace is not allowed to take her "nigh-nigh" out of the house. Can you even imagine the filth? The spoon is our newest security item and it belongs to Madison. I'm not sure how it got started, but Maddie now needs her pacifier and a spoon to sleep. She looks at it and sometimes she bangs it against the crib rails ala old prison movie style. She doesn't seem to need it outside the bed and I'm hoping to keep it that way. Can you imagine all the questions I'd have to answer about my kid that carries a spoon around?

The More Things Change...The More They Stay the Same.

That's a song right? I know it's a phrase too but I think some smarty capitalized on it and made it into a song. Ten to one says its a country song. Anyway......I was flipping through some old pictures last night and began to notice a pattern. I have captured my kids going through some of the exact same phases. I can't believe how similar they really are when on an everyday basis they can seem worlds apart. I have all 3 pictures of the girls being "naughty" and they are all around the same age. I guess kids really aren't that different.



Madison dumping out all the books in the girls room. She can sure move fast when I'm out of the room for 30 seconds.



Grace dumping out a ton of toys. (wait, she still does that)



Kendall getting into my make-up.