WHEEL’S OF LIFE
My lovely in-law’s sent this funny cartoon to me. I laughed but then I really looked at it. I am in all the wheels of the first 5 vehicles. The sad part is there are only 4 more left to go!
What I want to know is, do you just add another one each time you enter a new phase or do you ever drop off some of the ones at the beginning??
So where are you at on this chart?
Here is an email that my Mom and Dad sent me from the ship. Thought I would share it with all of you curious friends!
Hi, How are things back in MO? Are you having winter weather or are the temps still above normal? We have been having lots of rain along the way. Some of the side trips were cancelled due to rain. No one has been able to use the beaches due to rain; also some of the beaches were ruined due to the hurricanes.
We visited a coffee plantation in Costa Rica yesterday. We also rode a bus through part of the rain forest—saw beautiful birds and the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen in one spot.
Our ship went through 3 locks of the Panama Canal today which is actually referred to as one lock. All of our guys went on about a 7 hour tour which took them all the way through the canal on a ferry and also saw some country by bus. Dad was real sick last night and this morning—don’t know if he had too much rich food to eat or a 24 hr bug. He didn’t know if he was going to get to go today or not. It was a long day for him, and he didn’t want to go to the dining room tonight. He is doing a lot better now. I think the other guys really looked out for him today, and I guess it was a pretty awesome tour. The other gals and I stayed here on ship—we played cards, hung out, then went on shore when we reached port. We hoped to do some shopping, but there really wasn’t much that interested us.
I tried to call you at our 2nd port. I put in your number, pushed call, and a recorded message came on. It was a woman’s voice speaking Spanish—I assume giving me instructions. Then the phone would go dead. I tried twice to call with the same results so I just gave up. I found out I could send you an e-mail for $2 so thought I would let you know a little about what was going on. Also if you want to respond to this, it will only cost me $2 to accept an e-mail. Use the address that I am using to send this to you. It would cost me 1.75 per minute to go on the internet to check your blog, so I am choosing not to do that.
We have been having a fun time–more so because of all of our friends on board. I think this would be a long 13 days without them.
I fell down the first night after the ship had started cruising. I got up out of an easy chair, my foot was asleep, the ship rocked the way I was moving and I landed in the floor. Isn’t that the story of my life. I landed on my tail bone—it is still somewhat sore, but it hasn’t kept me from doing what I wanted and doesn’t bother much now. I have been able to keep up with the gang—I think all are amazed at how well I have done so far.
I’ll keep you posted if I hear from them anymore. I am praying that the weather gets a little better for them. They sounded a little disappointed with all the rain.
Today, January 27th, is Evely’s first birthday! It was a little weird since we aren’t celebrating today – no party, no cake, no balloons. We are planning to celebrate next week when Mom and Dad get back from their trip.
Today in honor of making it through Evely’s first year, Julie and I went to Olive Garden to celebrate and have a fun lunch. I shared my Lasagne with Evely and she loved it! It was a lovely day to celebrate her special day. I felt a page turn in my head today. No more newborns, no more first year of all those “first’s”. I’m happy and a little sad all at once.
Here’s a picture of us on this memorable event. We look a lot different than we did one year ago today!
Us Girls!
Happy Birthday, my darling baby girl! You are so precious and so much fun!
The other day I caught one of those moments on my camera that you could only hope to have.
Jaden, for the first time, was pretending to be something in his imagination. Up until this point, he has been very good at playing with cars, trucks, trains and toys but I had never seen him just use his imagination without a toy. It was adorable.
I was folding clothes on the bed and he crawled up to snuggle in the pile of warm clothes freshly pulled from the dryer. He discovered the basket and immediately crawled under it and announced “Mommy, I a Tiger! Rrraaawwrrrhhh!”
The ferocious tiger!
I laughed outloud. We had just rented Two Brothers (A cute story of two tiger cubs separated when young, who eventually find themselves back together). He loved the movie and would ask to watch it over and over.
Good thing this mighty cat is caged!
I write this post after a long night of anger, frustration and sleep depravity. So bear with my jumbled thoughts and try to see what I am trying to say here.
To give a little background, my kids have been sick with a fever virus off and on for the past two weeks. So I have been up with sick children for days on end. I probably average about 5 hours of sleep per night and those hours are not continuous but broken up by crying children with matted eyes, stuffed noses and raging fevers. You get the picture.
So last night, I am at my wits end. I am exhausted and I have this urgent feeling of “get more sleep or someone’s going to get hurt!”. Evely’s fever had broke, Jaden is finally well and I’m excited to be getting into bed at 9:30 for a wonderful nights sleep. I had even taken a tylenol PM to ensure my blissful rest.
Probably at about 9:32, I am roused from my warm bed by the sound of vomit hitting the toilet and I get up to see Julian puking his poor guts up. He proceeds to puke off and on for the next few hours till midnight. Upon his last puke, the baby wakes up (from all the noise I am sure) and is AWAKE. I rock her, feed her, give her tylenol, slather her teething gums with medicine and put her back to bed. NO SUCH LUCK! She screams.
By this time my tylenol PM has kicked in full force and I am feeling like a mad lunatic that can’t focus. I keep going back to bed only to hear crying and I am just angry. Finally I wake Tom up and ask him to rock the baby because I am about to go get in the van and drive away. (I wasn’t kidding!) He willingly gets up and takes her. I lay down only to hear Jaden standing at his door knocking and crying. I about hit the roof!! I don’t really remember much about what happened after that. I only know that I went to bed at 9:30 and didn’t get to sleep until 2:30!! (Thanks, Hon, for rescuing me. Even though you had to get up for work at 5:00 am)
After all this complaining, I am still so thankful for my kids. At times like these cuteness still comes out of my children:
These pics were taken this morning after my horrible night. Don’t they look happy and well rested!
Look Mommy, I can medicate myself!
Here are some of the cute things they said in the middle of the night.
Julian says “Mom, I don’t think I should eat any more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I have eaten one too many.”
Jaden being rocked by Tom keeps whispering something. Tom says “I love you, Jaden”. . . Jaden mumbles. . . Tom says “I love you Jaden”. . . Jaden mumbles. Finally Tom says “what are you saying?” Jaden takes Tom’s face in both his hands and says “Sshhh, be quiet!”
Evely learned to say “boo” in her little girly voice and plays peek-a-boo with Tom at 1:30 A.M.
While taking her bath in the kitchen sink (above), Evely heard Tom’s voice on our answering machine and said “Daddy, Daddy” Too cute!
I once heard someone say that God made babies cute so that we wouldn’t kill them. I think there is some great truth to that!! It is sort of morbid, but every parent who has had sick kids can understand that!
Okay, the following video is just absolutely hilarious!! However, I must say that my earthy side comes out as I post this. It’s rude, crude and obnoxious. . .but guaranteed to make you laugh. Maybe it’s because I have two small boys who love to toot, run around naked and laugh at burps. . . makes me feel right at home.
Here are some reasons to laugh. Did you know this?
1. Laughter boosts the immune system by decreasing the body’s cortisol levels (an immune suppressor)
2. Hearty laughter speeds up the heart rate, improves blood circulation and increases oxygen consumption
3. Laughing for 15 seconds a day adds two days to a person’s overall lifespan
4. Laughter increases antibodies in saliva, combating upper respiratory infections
5. Laughing causes the body to secrete an enzyme that protects the stomach from forming ulcers.
Where do croissants come from??
Well, you probably thought I had fallen off the face of the earth as I haven’t posted for several days. It’s been a little crazy around here with sick kiddos. I had nothing worthy to write about except to complain – so what was the point.
I am excited to tell you all that Mom and Dad are preparing to leave for their Caribbean Cruise this week. I am so glad that Mom didn’t cancel their trip when she really wanted to a few months ago. We never knew if this day would come and now we can all rejoice with them that they are going to be on their way!
Yesterday I met Mom and Dad at Olive Garden for lunch. I think you can see the glint of excitement in their eyes. They had just come from doing some last minute shopping for the trip and I could just feel their anticipation.
For some reason when I tell people that Olive Garden is probably one of my top 3 restaurants, I get this funny look. I LOVE their food. Their salad and soup is wonderful and the Bellini iced tea is phenomenal! I never order anything but water in a restaurant – except for Bellini iced tea!! If you haven’t tried it, you must.
Zuppa Toscana, mmm mmmm good!
If you like sweet peach tea with fresh peach slices, you”ll love Bellini!
And of course Princess Evely was the star of the restaurant as she flirted with everyone within view of her sweet smile!
This trip for Mom and Dad is very special to me. On September 21st, when the rug was pulled out from all of us, we just didn’t know the future. All we knew was that God had really spoken to Mom that she would LIVE. We have clung to that and now that we are beginning to feel that rug beneath our feet again, we can truly praise Him for his faithfulness.
“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage…” (Psalms 27:13-14, NASB)
If you have any cruise tips for Mom and Dad, feel free to post them!!
“Anyone who uses the phrase ‘easy as taking candy from a baby’ has never tried taking candy from a baby.â€
As I read this quote this week, I laughed outloud because we are currently experiencing this with our two babies. Although Jaden is two, he is still a baby and then there is sweet Evely that has found her lungs and initiative this last week.
It’s funny how an eleven-month old baby can go from sitting on your lap and happily crawling around the house to standing, screaming, and taking over the computer (all in one week)!!
Evely has on occasion sat in the computer chair with one of the boys and watched them play their Reader Rabbit games. She loves it! The other night we suddenly realized, after a lot of commotion from the chair, that she had booted out the boys and taken over the computer. There she stood, pounding on the keyboard and pointing and squealing at the screen.
She is going to be able to hold her own when it comes to keeping up with the boys. I think she is already starting to boss them around! 
Throughout the holidays, we were going crazy like everyone else. Running here and there, buying last minute gifts, wrapping gifts, going to kids programs, candlelighting services, more wrapping, company, finishing our room addition, baking and more wrapping. You know how it was; I am sure it was the same in your home.
One of the things that I learned this Christmas season was to be like Mary. When she found out she was pregnant with Jesus, she just said “let it be done to me as God wants it to be” (Karen’s paraphrase). Instead of reacting she just reflected. She went through her life “treasuring up” in her heart all that happened. I really thought about this because so often I just react to all that is happening around me instead of stopping to reflect or treasure.
So this year, I did stop to treasure moments, looks on my children’s faces and being with family. I hope that I stored them well in my heart so that I can look back and remember with clarity.
Here are a few of the moments:
Cheerio Bliss
I found Evely sleeping peacefully in the middle of her cheerio snack after Christmas. Isn’t she adorable. You gotta be tired to fall asleep in the middle of eating!
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Out with the Old and In with the New!
On New Year’s Eve, Julian lost his first tooth (by natural causes). It was truly a momentous occasion that he was very proud of. He put his tooth in this baggy and wrote this note. In case you can’t read it:
Tooth Fairy
This is my tooth
Julian Shoemaker
He received a dollar from the tooth fairy, which he promptly spent on a bag of 50 balloons.
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An Armful of Precious
Two sick kids safe in Daddy’s arms.
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Moments of Joy
I got the Robin Suit!
Mom with us and doing well!!
Uncle Mike with us!
Our traditional Mexican feast on Christmas Day!
Kenny reading the Christmas Story
Male Bonding
So what moments of joy have you been treasuring lately? Feel free to share them!
Here’s a little winter humor for your January day.
Hope everyone’s New Years was wonderful. I keep telling myself that I am not making any New Year’s Resolutions, but then my mind says “I need to stop doing that. . .or need to start doing this”.
There is something about starting over, getting a new journal, a clean sheet of paper, a fresh start or a new year! It is a time for new beginnings.
So what about you? Are you making New Year’s Resolutions?
All Recipes
Dave Ramsey