FBC Rockwall’s Fall Festival

We went to First Baptist in Rockwall on October 26th to celebrate Fall.  The kids dressed up as Snow White, a Hunter and Spiderman.

They loved playing games, sliding, riding a hay ride and sitting in Cinderella’s carriage.

It was a fun night!

Pumpkin Patch Fall ‘11

I love taking pictures of the kids with pumpkins every year.  Unfortunately this isn’t my husband’s favorite adventure.  And in 2010, my mom went along too, and she wasn’t much help either.  If the kids are grouchy, then every one is grouchy.  This picture perfectly explains last years adventure.  (Mark – “Are we done yet”, Micah – “I am”, Sara & Caleb – “just take the picture already”, and Me – “I’m ignoring every one else’s bad attitudes and pretending this is fun”). 

But this year was a different story.  We had a great time.  Despite year’s past, everyone was smiley and fun.  I love my husband so much for enduring all my photo opportunities.  I know his family didn’t do this kind of stuff growing up, but he loves spending time with me and the kids, so he tries again every year, even if the year before was “a beating”. 

Here are my sweet kids:

Drum Roll please….this is my favorite picture of all time:

I wanted it on my Christmas card, but Mark said I need my picture on the card too.  Darn! 

Bucket List Giveaway

Here is my list of fifteen things I would love to do during my lifetime:

• Take my children on a vacation to Disney Land or Disney World
• Get back to my ideal weight 
• Go deep sea fishing and catch a HUGE fish.  I’ve been once, but we didn’t catch anything (so I don’t think that counts).
• Participate in a 5K or a triathlon.
• Buy a great camera and learn to take better pictures.
• Go overseas on a mission trip
• Take my kids on their first airplane trip
• See the Great Lakes and visit the north side of the United States.
• Learn to make an apple pie like my Grandma made
• Take a train ride with my kids
• Spend a weekend away with my husband – only ordering room service. 
• Catch up my scrapbooks
• Learn to walk in high heels.
• Have my bone marrow tested to see if I could be a donor for someone.
• Take counseling classes to learn how to help those who are wounded by their past.

This is my entry in the Just Ask Bucket List Getaway Giveaway. Just Ask offers a breast and ovarian cancer screening and is encouraging people to share 15 thingsthat I want to enjoy in my lifetime as a reminder to be aware of my health. Want to enter? Head over to TodaysMama.com to get the details.

Caramel Apple Making

Every year, we love to make caramel apples with the kids.  This year, for our toppings, we had Andes Mint chips, mini chocolate chips, crushed Reece’s mini pieces, coconut, Heath bits and crushed pecans.  I always forget to buy the popsicle sticks, so this year we used forks again (which works just fine).

Micah has decided that he doesn’t want to eat anything the last few days, so he just made one for the fun of it.  Since apples, caramel and all the toppings are yucky.  He says everything smells funny.  He even refused to eat his peanut butter and jelly yesterday because it “smelled funny.”  Really strange, but I’m sure he won’t starve before he starts eating again.

Sara’s friend Sarah Willingham was here visiting, so she made one too!  It was lots of fun, and they were delicious.  We may need to make them again before this fall is over. 

 

Why I'm speechless

About 4 months after my daughter was born, I became really tired. I was forgetful, dragging all day at work, and by the end of the day I just fell into bed. So I called in sick one day and headed to the doctor. When I got in her office, she asked why I was there. "I'm tired." Well that's normal for a new mother. "No I'm really tired." Of course she still thought it was normal, but being a great doctor, she ran some blood work just to make sure. The next day I got a call at work. My thyroid was low, and medicine would perk it right back up. Right around that same time, I became very hoarse. Well one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism is hoarseness, so not to worry, it would improve with the medicine. But it didn't. So back to the doctor I went. And she sent me to speech therapy. I could give you all the wonderful details of my days in speech therapy, but I'll save that for another day. But I finally gave up on speech and resigned myself to live with a messed up voice. I went to several ENT doctors over the years and nobody had an answer for what was wrong with my voice. And I had no desire to go back to speech, so I basically gave up. My voice was better at times, but some days were really hard. It even became isolating during the hard times since I couldn't even carry on a conversation with my husband. But when my youngest was about 1 1/2 years old, God decided to send me back to the ENT. Micah threw his head back and busted me in the nose (for no reason). I had a slight fraction and was sent to an ENT. My husband begge me to ask about my voice (again), and I reluctantly agreed. Amazingly, the doctor knew what was wrong - abductor spasmodic dysphonia. There isn't a cure, but at least I had an answer. And I can receive botox treatments in my vocal chords when it is giving me a really hard time. So that is the short version of why I am often "Speechless". God is teaching me to appreciate the words we use. And I dont' take for granted the joy of being able to read my kids a book or talk to a friend on the phone. There are so many things that we take for granted. I hope the voice I do have will be used to spread love and not hate or gossip.