My favorite thing right now...

is the "watch instantly" feature on my netflicks membership. I can watch movies and back episodes of tv shows on my PC anytime I want. Can I just say I want to lock myself in my office/craftroom and order up some shows and scrapbook all day. Too bad my kitchen is full of dirty dishes from the weekend and the laundry needs some attention today. Lets see chores or scrapbooking? I think we can all eat of paper today and I'm sure the kids have at least one more day of clean clothes.

Blessing Day!

Thank you sooooo much Kymberly for making this sweet little blessing outfit for Bodie. It was so special and everyone love it. I started to tear up when I put it on him. Thank you for such a thoughtful sweet gift.

The blessing was so nice. We had the family over to our house to bless Bodie. Maryanne and Rogers son Kitiona was blessed earlier at church. Anyways, I am exhausted because we have had family coming and going since Thanksgiving. We had an awesome day on Thanksgiving...good food, good friends and family and fun!

I've been tagged by Allison. She is in my side bar. I was supposed to follow some specific directions but I just want to get the seven random things about me down. I am trying to make them different from the 100 things about me from a few months back.

1. The strangest thing happens to me when I accidentally hit my head really hard on something or stub my toe...a naughty word just comes flying out of my mouth. It's not the same word each time, it just happens and for that few moments when my toe or head is just aching in pain I actually feel the emotion RAGE!
2. When I am working on something I don't like to get interrupted. Sometimes I don't start projects because I am afraid I will get interrupted and not finish them. (this tag for example)
3. I love to make lists so I can check off what I have done. It is the only way I survived taking 18 credits in college one spring. Sometimes I will add something to the list after I have done it just so I can check it off. There is a to do list waiting for me right now as I sit here typing these words.
4. People have described me as outgoing, bubbly, friendly, confident and all those words. But most the time a feel totally antisocial.
5. I could put butter on something every meal I eat. Therefore, I just don't eat it. I tried not to write about weird food habits but this one just snuck in there.
6. I have dreams about being an Olympic gymnast.
7. I like to watch documentaries about murders and how they solve them. I usually end up watching them when Ron isn't here and I end up going to bed terrified and scared out of my mind that the boogy man is going to get me and the kids. I have watched way to many of them. Even if I haven't watched one for awhile I still get creeped out at night in this big ol' house by myself.
8. Here is a bonus one...I just spell checked this and I think I misspelled over 10 words. I am the worst speller. My friend Nicole loves this about me...don't you Nicole! : )

Counting my blessings...

because in the last couple days I have had the following challenges:

1. I actually got lost on the way home from Dallas last night. Very strange thing, I actually missed the turn to our house...it was really foggy. I actually drove so far that I left polk county...after much prayer and a stop at a fire station we made it home. Yikes!
2. This morning with in five minutes of being out of bed I had been pooped on, puked on and I stepped in a puddle of pee on the bathroom floor. Joy!
3. The upstairs bathroom door got locked today and I had to play locksmith to get it open so Avery could take her bath. Oh boy!
4. Some guy took off with my car keys at the gym yesterday and I was in a panic for a few minutes before he came back! (Our keys look the same and he grabbed mine accidentally)
5. There is a mouse in our house. We brought some boxes in from the garage and he was in one of the boxes. I saw him scamper across one of our floors and then he disappeared. Amber, don't tell anyone what I said when I saw him!
6. I am currently typing with one hand because Bodie was hungry. It's not that hard.
7. I had a dinner date with a friend the other night and it was supposed to be just us girls and someone with testostone showed up...I had a great time Amber thanks for coming!

Basically I feel like the walls are closing in on me and I have to find a way to dig myself out! I am counting my blessings because I have sooooo much to be grateful for and I need to stop taking everthing so seriously.

Silly!

I was trying to get them loaded in the car and they were running around like this...this is all before having any candy at all....Yikes.

I am proud to say I didn't have any Halloween candy on Halloween. I know myself too well. If I have 1, I'll have 10 or 20. Plus I have lost 10lbs of the pregnancy weight since my 6 week check up so I want to keep up the good work with that! I'm thinking about starting a blog to journal my fitness goals but I don't have time for this one right now let alone another one.

Happy Halloween!

Avery wore her costume so many times by the time Halloween night rolled around that we misplaced her cat ears. She still looked like a kitty though with her nose painted and her little tail. I told her at one point during the week that she was the cutest little black kitty and she said "No, Mama I a scary kitty cat!"
Yee Haw! Rowdy and his little calf Bodie Man! Bodie took the longest nap on the afternoon of Halloween. I think he was just so comfortable and warm in his little cow suit all he could do was sleep.
Rowdy, givin' ya the saddle up pardner cue!

Snap Shots!

This is our new tractor! Rowdy was so excited when Ron brought it home. He sat on it a played for over an hour! Kim, this is the photo that I took that is similiar the Kim on your blog.

We have ladybugs in our house. Lots of them. The are cute and all, but one night I counted about 100 of these little ladies on our kitchen ceiling. I could stand it for a few days and then I finally called the bug guy. He came an sprayed our house and there is not so many now. He said they are trying to come in and get warm. Well the are not invited!
This picture does not do this sun rise justice at all! But this is what I saw this morning as I loaded up the kids to take Rowdy to school. It was breathtaking! The sun was visibly round and glowing red! I am thankful I got to see it.

My Three Kids!

Just a quick one. I don't have much time to blog lately. But here are a few of the kiddos. We are watching Keiana and Katie this weekend because Auntie Maryanne is being induced tomorrow. So we will be busy this weekend.

How nice!

Sister has been here! This little brown bear is Rowdy's but apparently Avery thought that Bodie needed a little company because she tucked Baby Bear right next to Bodie. I walked into the room and this is how Bodie sat and the sweetest part was Avery was nowhere in sight.

Just a quick post!

This is what I see out of the back windows of the house. Those are PUMPKINS!!!! I love it! When I stand at my kitchen sink and do dishes this is what I see.

Rowdy, Kip (white) and Ned (brown).

Avery running around the yard in her leotard after being a guest at a friend's dance class. Don't you love the underwear sticking out of her leotard.

By the way...huge news on the Shinkle front! Avery is potty trained! Yes! I only have one in diapers! After weeks of having her in big girl pants and lots of #2 accidents she finally got the hang of it. This was after much struggle but once we started to offer Rowdy a "dum dum" lollypop after he went #2 (for some reason I feel weird typing poop on my blog) she figured it out. Now, I need to get them to understand that we are not going to have a lollypop for the rest of our lives after we go potty in the potty. I feel so triumphent we really have been at this a long time and I was about to give up because after all we do have newborn in the house and I thought it was too much for everyone. But I am glad we stuck with it because it has paid off! Way to go AVERY GIRL!

Oh Alice!

Well, I can't say that I have made up my mind about this yet. Thanks for all of your input you guys brought up some really good points. Actually, each of you brought up some of the same concerns I have. For example, I don't want to be here when they come to clean. Also, I would feel like I would have to clean before they showed up (you know I all the stuff on the floor so they could vacuum) I don't want someone to pick up after our family. It would just be nice to have help with things like Nicole mentioned, window sills and things I don't get to ever!

The main thing that is bugging me is if we hire someone clean...I would feel as though I am not doing my job and I have failed as a stay at home mom! That is not to say that cleaning the house and keeping it tidy is my only responsibility. I just feel like one of my major tasks that I should be doing is not getting done and we need to hire someone to do it because I can't hack it.

Also, I kind of feel like it would be an invasion of my privacy. I just don't know if I could handle a complete stranger coming into our house to clean. Can you really trust them. I would just feel invaded. On the flip side I don't want anyone I know to clean my house because good grief I don't wish our cleaning toilets upon anyone. (I know who cleans your house Amber and I am sorry but I couldn't do it).

Like I said the jury is still out. I think I might be interested in someone coming maybe once or twice a month for a good deep clean. I think I could handle that and it would have to be a cleaning crew to tackle this big house.

Thanks again for all of your help you guys. You are the best!

I need your opinion...

If your husband said to you..."What would you think about hiring someone to help around the house so you have more free time to be with the kids and such?" what would you say.

What I am interested in knowing from you is, would you hire someone to clean your house? I have my opinion about it and I am wondering what y'all think? Amber, I am pretty sure I know how you feel but please comment anyway. If you only read my blog but have my e-mail address send me an e-mail.

Self Portraits

Doing absolutely nothing but sitting on the couch being potatoes.

Stop Drop and Roll!

Just like a pro!
He didn't even have to show her where the horn was she just blew it on her own!

Hi-five for a job well done!

We went to the fire station for a field trip the other day with Avery's preschool. She must have been paying attention to the presentation by Chad the fire fighter because all she's been talking about since we got home is "If your clothes catch on fire you "STOP, DROP and ROLL" and cover your face" and then she does a perfect demonstration. She also has been talking about if your house is on fire or you smell smoke you "STAY LOW AND GO". I am so proud of her. She has also been singing all the songs she is learning at preschool to me when we drive around.

Another Special Grandma

If you can't tell Grandma Linda is holding Bodie while reading a book to Rowdy and Avery. They love their Grandma Linda so much. She reads to them everytime they go over there...and she does all the funny voices for the characters in the books too! This a cherished photo!

"Berry" Special Grandma

This is a picture of my mom and Avery after they had picked some raspberries from our garden. Grandma Mickie is one of Avery's favorite people. She loves to visit grandma and call her on the phone. When grandma stays with us Avery has to sleep with grandma...they call it a campout. My mom has been here off and on since the baby has been born and it has been very helpful.

Getting to know Bodie!

This little guy is so nice. He sleeps most of the time. He loves to snuggle on our shoulders and snooze away. I have decided there is nothing in the world that compares to holding a sleeping baby and taking a snooze yourself. He is really strong. When he is awake he likes to hold his head up and look around. He eats well and is letting me sleep for three hour stretches at night (not bad). Ron usually takes a shift every night when I have already fed him and he won't go back to sleep right away. He loves his daddy's big strong shoulders to rest on. When he is crying for someone to pick him up, and we can't get to him right away, he gives you the nicest little thank you sigh when you do finally get to him and he immediately stops crying. Most of the time it doesn't even seem like there is a baby in the house because he sleeps so much. I am looking forward to him having more awake time to play. Rowdy and Avery are doing well with him. The give him the perfect amount of attention...they don't smother him but they are not ignoring him either. Avery is usually the first one to respond to him when he cries and Rowdy always wants to hold him and give his little head a rub. We love you Bodie!!!

Just an Update

I was just messing around with some photo program I have and noticed that I could brighten these photos a bit and get rid of the red eye! They look so much better. I was out in the hallway when I took them and was using the zoom so they were grainy. Thanks for looking...I'm off to bed!!!

Me cuddling with the boys! Rowdy just came up to Bodie and I on the couch and said "I want to snuggle with you"...oh it melts my heart! When he said it I could tell he wasn't sure what I was going to say because their have been lots of new rules now that Bodie is here. He looked so happy when I said get up here sweetie! I love me some snuggles!!!!!

A is for Avery!

I hope you are not sick of the first day of school photos yet! But today was Avery's first official day of Preschool. She was a little bit sassy this morning when we were getting dressed. But we made it there and I guess she had a good day. Circle Time is the first little activity they do to start the day. The Circle Time rug has the alphabet all the way around the outside of the rug. Well, Avery got a little bit upset when she saw another little boy (Josh, her cousin) sitting on the "A". On one hand I was proud of her for her letter recognition skills but on the other hand a little concerned because she was already asserting her "sassyness".
Josh did end up moving off the letter "A" but I have no idea if it was because of Avery.

She was showing the little boy next to her the little kitty that she brought for Sharing Time. I have to run for now everyone under 4 foot tall in this house needs me right now....Ahhhhh!!!!

My Girl!

Rowdy was off to his first day of Kindergarten and Avery had an orientation at Pre-school. We just had to stop by and meet the teacher and turn in some paperwork.

Ms. Dianna is asking Avery "How do you spell your name" and Avery quickly responded A-V-E-R-Y...I was outside getting something out of the van...so I missed it! But everyone said she just rambled it off like it was nothing! Wow Avery Girl...you are such a star!

This is the same preschool that Rowdy attended and we just love it.