My Husband Rocks

Big Daddy is getting a shout out this morning...I would "bump fists" with him if he would let me...but he HATES that, so that would be a negative. But, out of my love and admiration for him, I did get up with him this morning at 4:30am and make him a hot breakfast and coffee, and then even stayed up and watched the news with him, while he ate it.

I am ever thankful for my husband who gets up, without complaint and goes out to provide for his family....in the harsh reality of 15 degrees with a wind chill in the single digits. And then, in the summer, he does the exact opposite by heading out at 4:30am when it is ALREADY 75degrees and on its way up to near 100degrees. All the while, without complaint. All he asks for is either a hot breakfast in the winter or a cool drink in the summer ...that is quite the trade off if you ask me.

So here is to husbands.

Husbands that get up early, and the ones that get home early.

Husbands that pull an extra shift for some extra cash, and the ones that turn down a shift for extra family time.

Husbands that make the big bucks, and the ones that make a big difference.

Husbands that are great bosses, and the ones that impress their bosses.

Husbands that went to college, and the ones that went to work.

Husbands that served their country, and the ones that serve their communities.

Husbands that love their wives as Christ loved the church, and the ones who try to.

Husbands who pray for the kids, and the ones whose kids pray for them.

Husbands who bring home the bacon, and the ones who cook the bacon.

Husbands who go to church, and the ones who need to go to church.

Husbands who have tea parties with their little girls, and ones who watch from from afar.

Husbands who send roses, and ones that pick them.

Husbands who kiss you goodnight, and ones who kiss you good morning.

Husbands who play sports with their kids, and ones that play video games with their kids.

Husbands who save money, and the ones who spend it.

Husbands that have been faithful, and the ones that have been remorseful.

Husbands that make you laugh, and the ones who hold you when you cry.

Husbands who lead, and the ones that listen.

Husbands that do everything right, and the ones who make everything all right.



I imagine that all of our husbands are as vastly different from each other as we are. So today, I celebrate them for whatever they bring to your family, the good, the bad, and the really good.

Now get off the computer, and go love on your man!!!!

I'm a little Pee-pot

Big Daddy, who has a lot of amazing qualities, also has a handful of annoying ones. For example....he can aggravate you in a heart beat....but the worse part is that he doesn't let up once your aggravated. Instead he just pokes and prods until you are ready to literally RUN AWAY. FOREVER!!! This was my perdicament the other night in the kitchen when this conversation took place.

BD: Come on Babe...I'm not that BAD
Me: Oh, yes you are. Leave me alone and get out of the kitchen
BD: Really, Babe....I just want to be near you...I've missed you all day(remember this is not sweet nothings...its the aggravation game...trying to not only "get my goat" but slaughter it as well)
Me: You know honey, I've been thinking
BD: what about darlin'?
Me: I once heard on a show about self defense that if someone is trying to abduct you, that you should pee on yourself because they wont want to take you anywhere if you just peed your pants.
BD: what does that have to do with anything?
Me: Well, I am thinking about peeing my pants just so you would leave me alone and let me cook dinner.

Note to Big Daddy

Dear Big Daddy,

Here is a review of your weekend activities:

Cleaning out my car...loved it!!!!

Mowing the grass....loved it!!!!!

Sleeping in with you Saturday morning....loved it!!!!

You washing ALL the dirty laundry....hated it!!!!!

Note for further weekend help....feel free to lend a helping hand whenever you feel like it. UNLESS, of course you ever feel like washing clothes again. There is no greater defeat for a Monday morning than a bedroom floor covered in CLEAN laundry.

While I appreciate "the Love", I can name a hundred other ways that wouldn't stress me out all day Monday.

Love you,

Hot Momma

Finally Truth

In an effort to NOT have every area of our life out there on the Internet I have been amiss in telling you that Big Daddy has been gone for THREE weeks!!!! I know, three weeks is a long time, but the Lord was faithful. He not only timed this trip perfectly as to not interfere with our upcoming NY/DC trip, but also provided it as a way for us to save some extra money for the trip as well.

While Big Daddy was gone, I was busy, like I shared with Spring Cleaning!!!! And let me just say, that Spring has officially Sprung!!!! It has been so nice to live without all that clutter and to have a place for everything and everything in its place. The other bonus, and hence another reason I have been absent from blogging, is that with the house in tip top order, I have had time to catch up on some reading.

The kids and I also did a whole week of immersion study, which basically meant that we set aside our normal studies in Math, Lang, Science and History, and focused on a few specific areas of study instead.

The holocaust was one of them. We will be visiting the US Holocaust Memorial Museum while in DC, and I did NOT want to just show up and my kids have no idea what it was all about, and then be both shocked and confused. Our time studying the holocaust, was breathtaking. Literally, it took my breath away both with its horror and with its hope.

We read many first hand accounts, watched The Hiding Place, and entered into great discussion about what happened, why it happened, and how it should alter our world view.

I was so pleased with all of the kids....and I felt like each one, on their own level, really gained a sense of the scope of the tragedy.

I have also been busy with choosing our curriculum for next year. Homeschooling is an evolving learning experience for all involved, and I go to great lengths to tweak our learning environment every year. This year is no different, and I am once again taking stock at what really worked for us and what needs to be altered.

One thing that we won't be changing is Math-U-See....we love MUS and I can with great certainty say that this will be our math text of choice for the years to come. It definitely took time to adjust because it is NOT like anything we had ever used prior, but the adjustment was well worth it and we are now converts.

Along with all of that I have also been busy planning our upcoming NY/DC trip. Our house is busting with excitement. The Beez spends hours looking at her American Girl catalogue trying to decide which one she wants...which changes daily as well as every time we read one of the books...I feel she is going to break the bank...but for a five year old, American Girl is probably going to trump any museum or memorial, and I am okay with that.

The boys are excited about the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center site, and Mount Vernon. All in all, I think it will be the perfect family vacation. Big Daddy wants to eat at some great hole in the wall diners with humongous hamburgers...seriously folks, like 3, 5, 8 & 15 POUNDERS!!!! And, me, well I am looking forward to the Statue of Liberty and a Broadway show.

Anyway, so there you have it...Big Daddy gone for three weeks, spring cleaning, reading, vacation planning and gardening.

What have you been up to?

Just Checking In...

Hello Blogging Friends

I have been so busy the past two weeks that I have not had time to update here on the blog....BUT if you Twitter, and you should, than you can always follow me that way. Of course my Twitter name is LaughingMomma, so you can look me up or just follow the link along the right side bar. I LOVE TWITTER because it is like miniature blogging, and is easy to do and updating is just a text message away!!!!

Anyway, the other reason I have not had time to be on the computer is that it is SPRING CLEANING TIME!!!! That's right, every closet, dresser, cabinet and nook and cranny is on the chopping block. And it feels so good!!!

I had been wanting to add some shelving to two of our closets that had wasted space and once that was done(I heart power tools!!!) the organization began.

Our house really had very little storage space with no hall closet or linen closet. It has always been necessary to stash sheets under our bed, and put towels in our closet. Not to mention suitcases and extra blankets under the beds too...it was a mess.

And don't even get me started on the amount of pictures I had stashed here and there and everywhere...oh how I love digital...and now with the new shelves in the closets I have EVERY photo in one location and I even have a shelf for my sewing machine and various notions and material.

Cracks room had a complete overhaul...the boy is growing so fast that I can hardly keep him in clothes. Which meant that every clothing item was gone through!!! I do not have time to share the grief I gave him over how the clothes that do fit were wadded up and shoved in drawers....or worse yet in box with Legos!!! I think my threat went something like, "If I find one shirt out of place than I will take every shirt, pant, short and even your socks and boxers...and you will have to do hard labor to earn each piece back...individually!!!!"

Anyway, his room is done, but poor Beez has not even been able to get in her room for a week...her closet got new shelves too...but she actually has two closets and I needed to switch her clothes from one to the other...which in turn meant that EVERY toy that was in the other one was put under the scrutiny of a mother on a mission....meaning that every toy was brought up on the witness stand to stand trial for the charge of "causing more clutter than joy." I am happy to say, that in the end, the guilty were weeded from the innocent and we are on our way "to a more perfect union."

In other news, basketball season has ended and been quickly followed by baseball...a last minute addition after we had previously decided against it since we will be going on vacation right in the middle of the season and then the boys have summer camp at the end of the season. In the end, I was over ruled and Big Daddy decided that Crack should play one more season. Which meant coughing up $100 for registration and $80 for cleats and pants....my checking account is about to start a revolt , I am sure of it!!!

The boys have also started attending Robotics Club....just typing that I am feeling stretched. I am a home body by nature and I make no bones about that I would rather be at home than anywhere else...but I am hoping that this will be both a good school activity and a good team activity for the boys....time will tell.

My garden got tilled yesterday...that brings joy to my heart...you really have no idea how much I love to garden...I love it. This year I will be adding potatoes, cabbage,pink eyed peas, tomatillos, strawberries and onions to my usual crop of tomatoes, peppers, squash, green beans, zucchini, okra and every herb under the sun.

For the first time I am green housing seedlings for transplant...I have 72 peet pots started, and even have 9 tomato plants green housing as well to get a jump even with the cooler weather still upon us.

Other exciting happenings in no particular order

• when kids play light saber in the back yard near a water faucet...one missed swipe can decapitate your said water faucet and create a pool in your back yard...unfortunately, not the kind that you could actually swim in.


• I had an amazing hair day on Tuesday...just thought that I should document that


• Snake went from footloose and fancy free to pneumonia in 4 hours flat last Friday....which translated into horrible night Friday night and all morning at the doctor Saturday


• when contract negotiations are going on at Big Daddy's work, and he is on a business trip, which means everything he hears is second hand, which means I am hearing it third hand....communication is sure to be a complete and utter disaster....no Laughing Momma that day.

And finally, I saved the best for last. Big Daddy has a lot of great qualities...but one of them is most assuredly NOT gift giving. Now, before you judge, let me say that I have examined this from both sides...and after considering that maybe the issue was mine, and that I might be a terrible acceptor of gifts, I have come to the conclusion, that indeed, this fault is mainly his, and his alone.

He does great with a list...in fact this year for Christmas I printed off copies of the gifts I would love to have and he choose great things .....from THAT list!!! And I was never happier. But to ever think that he would just be walking through a store and see something and think, 'Hey Hot Momma would really love that"...not gonna happen. And I am okay with that. He is a great provider and I want for nothing...well except for...(more on that later)

Anyway, a few weeks ago he said he was going to use our PayPal account to buy something and have it delivered here. When I asked him about it, he just said it was for my birthday and I was not to ask any more questions. To say that I was a little scared would be an understatement. This is a man who forgot my birthday once...this is how it went.

For those of you who don't know my real name is April....I know you are shocked that Laughing Momma is NOT actually on my drivers license, but anyway. You should also know that my birthday is in April too...I know that is such a stretch...but work with me folks.

Anyway, this particular birthday, when he left for work I didn't get a "happy birthday babe" kiss on his way out, and I had noticed that there hadn't been any behind the scenes action in the days leading up to my birthday either(you know when dad gets all the kids in the back of the house, they are all squealing trying really hard to be quiet, and he send on up front asking for tape and scissors...which you of course hand over without any questions, and then about an hour later they all emerge and chalk up the last hour to just "hanging with Dad"

Well, the entire day goes by, and nothing form him, absolutely nothing. I had to be at church earlier than he, and many of my friends had wished me well...and when arrives still nothing. As a matter a fact, I later found out that he didn't realize it was my birthday until he overheard someone else wishing me happy birthday...yes folks it was that bad!!!

To make matters worse when he finally did get to me this is what he said, " Look babe, I am really sorry I forgot about your birthday, but you have to know this....I didn't just forget that TODAY is your birthday, I was so not even close to thinking you had a birthday coming up that I guess you could say that I forgot you even HAD a birthday. I am so sorry babe."

After laughing my head off, I hugged him and told him he would never live it down...and he hasn't but remember this folks...my name is April, my birthday is in April, so you would think that somewhere in the course of life when the month changes to your wife's name...money says its time to by a card and get the kids in the back of the house :)

So, the box arrived while Big Daddy was still gone on business and I was sent away while Crack went out and met the UPS truck. The package was hidden and I thought nothing more of it. Well, a few nights later this is what I sound on my bed

That's right folks...a whole box of my favorite candy bar...Abba-Zaba....which is absolutely not available anywhere...at least not in Mississippi.

So, for me, this was the perfect gift on so many levels. First of it is not something I would ever buy myself...especially by the box and online. Somehow, whenever people talk about their favorite candy or candy bars, I always mention Abba-Zaba...but not in a hint dropping way, more in a I am totally bummed no one sells it way. And although buying a box of 24 seems over the top, it was not at all something that broke the bank...which the frugal part of me appreciates.(I am not one who would welcome a new car in the driveway with a big read bow...I don't want anything that we are going to have to keep paying on....now if you win a car and want to give it to me...my hand is out and waiting!!!!)

I guess a box a Abba-Zabs was the perfect gift because it was thoughtful, edible, and just exactly what I have always wanted!!!

Now, if we could just get Popsicle brand Big Sticks delivered I would be in heaven....

About Last Night 2/26/2009

It wasn't pretty.

Do you ever get tired of being under attack?

Well, I am.

It came from all sides and unfortunately Big Daddy got served from the "All is fair in War and Migraines" Buffet....and it wasn't yummy love and dessert I was serving, it was nasty, messy, worse than left-overs from the all night truck stop kind of messy.

What kills me, is that we are actually doing the "Love Dare" right now, yeah that's right, he is actually showering me with love, and I am giving back the worst of me.

It is like I am the grave digger, busy digging up ancient graves, instead of openly receiving the love he is giving.

None of which was helped by a horrendous migraine/sinus headache that took me all day to get rid of.

So, this is confession. I gave the worst of me to my love. It didn't really hit me how bad I was toward him until I realized that I did have some really great interactions yesterday. Not only did I pony up and put on a good front, I actually showed love and graciousness toward others. I also had some really funny moments that I shared on Twitter, that were not coming from the same "woman wronged" vantage point that I gave to my Beloved.

Of course, everything in my life is intertwined, and the Lord usually hits me from all sides since I am too dense to see the quiet subtle signs that should keep me in line.

Pete, posted about this very thing and linked, once again to a great blog, about the 8 things that can ruin even the best marriages. Whether you have the marriage you always dreamed of, or are dreaming of marriage other than the one you have, please go read the 8 things...it is very enlightening, and comes from a couple who has been in both places.

So, here is to communicating truth, receiving love, and living forgiveness.

Marriage...it's ALWAYS worth fighting for.

But fight the battles against what tries to destroy your marriage.

Don't fight each other.

Note to self: read and take your own advice!!!

Father Daughter Dance 2009

Big Daddy and The Beez went to their 3rd Father Daughter Dance tonight. The Beez was so excited about her red dress and red shoes AND about FINALLY getting her Daddy to wear a pink shirt.

I can not believe she is 5years old...were has the time gone?

And the Golden Measuring Tape goes to...

ME!!!!!!

Yeah for the Bloggy Awards!!!

Bridget over at Don't Blink gave a little blog love to me and now it is my turn to share it. First let me say that Bridget is who I want to be when I grow up. She is hilarious, beautiful, a little wacky, and a lot in love with Jesus. She home schools her kids, loves her husband, and doesn't take herself too seriously. Oh, and she lives in my home state of California, which makes it even better.

Now, on the the specifics. I have to do three things with this award.

First, I have to say something nice about my main man....okay, he is my ONLY man, but he is pretty great, so this is not hard. For a longer diatribe on husbands in general, read this from last week.

Here goes: Big Daddy, is all that. He is madly in love with me. He adores our children, and he is vested in the people they will one day become. He is the picture of hard work...but knows how to relax and enjoy things.

But my number one accolade is this: He loves my body. He loves it exactly the way it is. He has never suggested I diet, lose weight, work out, color my hair, do my makeup differently, nothing but "Babe, you look hot!!!" and he has even has gone the extra mile by telling me I am beautiful with NO MAKEUP and my hair pulled on top of my head, with pj's and baby spit up on the shirt that I thought was clean.

Now for those of you who do not "know" me in the flesh, but only thorough this blog, here are the facts. I am just shy of six foot. My skinny is a 14 long and an XL shirt. I am broad in every way. I not only have hips, but I have a butt and a gut. Yet some how, waking up with him next to me, reminds me that I make 200 pounds look good!!!

And while I may dream of a 12 long, it is my dream and not his. And that is a blessing that I never thought about when I dreamed of my dream guy, but boy is it a fringe benefit that I wouldn't trade for anything.

Off that soapbox and on to number two.

Second, list six ways in which I measure success.

6. Stewardship - Not how much money you have made, but what you have done with it.

5. Humor - Any level of success, comes with some degree of failure first. Most people do not share their failures, and worse yet, they have not learned for them. If we take ourselves too seriously, than we are missing the point. Laugh at yourself. Out loud if possible.

4. Goals - I find wisdom in planning. Everyone might have have different goals, but just having them means that you are trying to succeed at SOMETHING. And to me, that matters.

3. Journey - I am not interested in people who "have arrived" I am interested in those who are on their way, knowing that growth and character comes from the journey, not the destination.

2. Empathy - When I had kids, I was immediately burdened by raising empathic children, who would grow into empathetic adults. It does not matter where you are in your own life, if you can NOT understand where someone else is in theirs.

1. Love - Loving God and loving others is what it all boils down to. If you have all the other things, but lack love, than you lack the ability to reach people and to make a difference.

Third, I need to pass this on to someone else.

Brandi and Pete
Carol
Bridget (in OK not Cali)
and lastly to my Mom, who while new to blogging, will be wildly successful once she gets going.