Year Anniversary

Well, Steve and I made it to our one year anniversary...Yipee!! We went down to Savannah for the day this last Saturday and had fun roaming around River Street. I got to watch them pulling taffy at a candy store, we took a Paddle Riverboad tour and went to the famous cemetary from the movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" I was interesting looking at all those beautiful statues. We also went to the cemetary in the middle of downtown Savannah. I saw a plaque commemerating the first Newspaper publisher in GA. Alot of the graves were of people who died in the Yellow fever plauge (I think in the 1870's, not sure) but it was so sad to see all the markers for the children...it had their ages: year, month and date. We ended the day having a seafood dinner at one of the restaurants - very Yummy! Steve and I had a wonderful time looking for gifts for our loved ones.

Emilia had a great time staying at Margaret's house. She came home wearing a bow in her hair, which doesn't happen as often as i like at home. Oh well.....until next time.

Sickness

Man, it has been a while since I have posted. A lot of that time has been dealing with a sick child - Emilia. She was sent home from school on a Tuesday with a fever and was out the rest of that week and the following week with it. We thougth it was just the "flu" thing that was going around and I guess we will never know for sure, because she went to school on a Monday and was sent home with a fever again on Wednesday. Steve took her to the ped. and we found out that she has a UTI, poor thing. This is her fourth one. Tomorrow she is going into the hospital for a test they are going to put some dye into her bladder using a cathedar and see if it is getting into the kidneys. Margaret is coming with us to help keep Emilia calm. I am not sure what will happen if it is -- and it would definatley not be a good thing, but I don't want to get all freaked out, but I am worried.
Nicholas has lost both of his bottom teeth and the permanant ones are coming in somewhat sideways.....he will need braces/orthodontist work. He has been having alot of bad dreams lately, the other night he woke up and said a dragon was chasing him. He also wasn't feeling very well this past week or so, and Margaret mentioned it is affecting his schoolwork. But he was feeling better on Sunday, so hopefully it has past whatever it was.
Steve is doing good working hard and so am I. We are hoping to get a new car soon - but the kind we want (Honda Pilot) is expensive even the used ones. So -- who knows what we will get, probably won't even start seriously looking until summertime.....
bye

Organization

Uugghhh! I hate being disorganized, it seems that in our house the pile of stuff move from place to place, room to room creating chaos. At this point we just don't have anywhere to store most of it and I am reluctant to go out an buy stuff in the meantime, because I am not sure how I want it stored permanantly. For example, we have books, but do we buy small or large bookcases? Black, cherry or natural finish, what room are we going to put it in. I pulled a side table from the livingroom into my bedroom to serve as a dressing table, however it is a little to large and I have to squeeze by to get into bed, but I don't exactly want to go out an buy a vanity table. Plus, the fact that we are paying off credit cards and debt doesn't exactly allow us to go buy organizational stuff. We did buy some shelving for the Closet in Nic's bedroom, we are turning that into a game/craft closet, but as yet we have not put the shelving in --- why you ask, because I have to touch up the painting in that room. Along with the rest of the touch ups that I need to to in both Nic and Emilia's room. It is so hard to find the time to be able to take care of these projects. I know what I want to do in the main bathroom, but first I have to peel all the wallpaper off of the walls -- not going to be a fun task, and oh so messy! Steve and I just don't have any time together without the kids, and to be perfectly honest - right now we are just to tired to do all this stuff....but meanwhile I am going crazy.
Aren't people insane...can't stand the clutter and unfinished projects, but not willing to do something about it. Maybe I can win the lotto and let someone else do the work for me.....just a thought.

Managing Finances

Stevens Creek is doing a new small group series on "Managing your finances" It looks to be a great series to not only learn better ways to manange your money, but to do it also from a spiritual aspect. It helps you to realize that not just 10% is the lords, but all of it is. We have to start thinking about being responsible to the lord for all of our money and use it for purposes that further our spiritual selfs.
I am glad to know that we don't have too much debt. Both our cars are paid off, we have a little on credit cards, and I always forget about Steve's student loan from Utah. I hope within two months to have the credit cards paid off and then start working on that student loan. Hopefully except for the house we can be debt free within a short while.
We are also trying a new thing where we are going to do all our shopping for the entire month of Feb. We will have walmart cards for gas and cards with $10 a week for Milk and fresh produce. Otherwise we are not shopping (we hope). I have found it is too easy to go into walmart for miilk, bread and eggs, and come out with $60 worth of groceries.
Pray for us that we can stand strong in our commitments.

Tastebuds

It is amazing to me how your tastebuds evolve as you mature. I now eat things that I know I did not like growing up. My co-workers and I went to Augustino's for lunch today and had the pasta bar. You create your own individual pasta dish from a variety of choices and the heat it up for you.

Now as a kid - I would have had pasta, sauce, meatballs and parmesean cheese.
But as an adult I have learned to add to it: spinach, bell peppers, green peas, onions, garlic, sausage, chicken.

I still don't like brocolli and I won't eat it on it's own as a side dish, but will eat it in a casserole. And at subway I add more than meat and cheese to the sandwich.

The fact that I try new things and my taste's are expanding give me hope for my children.

Both kids are pretty good eaters, Emilia eats most anything and Nicholas does too...although he has a "list" which can only consist of 5 things that he does not have to eat. Margaret implememted the "list" and I think it is a good idea. I know that he has taco soup, onions, broccoli and spicy food on the list. he used to have mashed potatoes on the list but he eats it now. Steve has now learned that if you want the kids to try a new food, you get Emilia to try it first, otherwise, if Nicholas doen't like it Emilia won't even try it. But if Emilia likes it you are more likely to get Nicholas to try it. Our new rule when we go to any buffet is that they have to try one bite of something new. Just this last Sunday Nicholas and I tried Macaroni and Cheese Soup. He like it, but secretly between you and I - YUCK!!!


SY (see ya)

Boston and Concord

I am readying a news series that Steve found for me. It is about the "Winslow" family starting in England coming over on the Mayflower. I have reached book 5 bringing them to the American revolution.

This has all reminded me of a wonderful time in my childhood when my parents would take us to a park called "Boston and Concord" - or that is what I remember it being called. In the middle of the park was an island with a covered bridge leading to the island - the only way to get on it. They had a ship docked at the island that you could explore and I remember buildings that you could play in. Set up like the coloinal days. They also had a wooden thing in the square that people who were in trouble would be clamped into with their head and hands sticking through. I remember my parents sitting on a blanket at the front of the covered bridge, while we went throught and played on the island. It was such a fun place, but the best part is that we would go when we would pick up my (step) brothers and sisters. It must have been close to the place that they lived, because I don't ever remember going without them.

It is funny what we remember from when we were growing up.

Inspired Blogger

I have been inspired to become a blogger by a dear friend of mine Suzanne Bree. I love ready her blogs about her life and her memories of growing up. It is a nice way to get to know her better and hear about what is going on in her life.
I have felt for a long time that I wanted to communicate more with my family and friends but to email everyone that I want seemed like to tremendous of a task. So I am copying her idea of blogging...the wave of the future.
I hope that everyone would check back every so often and leave comments about their life. In this day and age we get so busy moving so fast that we forget to communicate with the ones we love, but don't live with. I hope to bridge the unseen gap between me and my family members/friend.

All my love,
Sharon