Goodness Gracious, my baby is 9 today!

I woke up today and realized that my baby girl, my little Hannah Banana, is nine years old! That's just one away from double digits!! This is the baby girl that was supposed to stay a baby for me. She was supposed to always toddle around my house saying, "I wuv you, mama" and I was supposed to fit her right in the crook of my elbow in the rocking chair and read Goodnight Moon and Make Way for Ducklings. Forever.

But, this morning I realized that she is taller, older, and not at all toddling around my house. More like skipping and singing hard songs with trills. She is reflective and thoughtful and asks the hard questions. (Like "What's a eunuch?" after a particular reading in Acts)

Somehow when you're in the trenches of stomach viruses and babies that cry all night, you forget how fast time is flying by. I forgot this week dealing with a dreaded stomach virus. The days lately have seemed very long. Until this morning. This morning I remembered just how short they are.

The days are long but the years are short.

Happy Birthday my big growny girl, Hannah Banana! I love you more than Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark!

The life of the non-sick

Kudzu Blog Kudzu Soap Giveaway!

Nothing beats the winter blues like a good Bloggy Giveaway!! Yes, it's that time again and I've got the most awesome giveaway for you! This year while Christmas shopping I came across a soapmaker and I feasted my eyes on this. Kudzu soap and bath salts!! How great is that?! And, appropriate too, don't you think?

I bought several soaps from her and I have loved them all. The smell is divine and it sings 'spring'! You don't want to miss this classic Kudzu Blog Kudzu Soap Giveaway! Simply leave me a comment to enter. Our contest will go through Saturday, January 31st at 12:00pm CST.

As usual, if you would like to be entered twice, become a Kudzu Blog subscriber! You can enter right there on the sidebar. If you are already a subscriber, just mention it in the comments and you'll be entered twice as well. We don't discriminate around here.

There are lots and lots of fabulous giveaways going on over at Bloggy Giveaway Central! Hop over and enter 'til your heart's content.

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Congratulations to Angela, our Bloggy Giveaway Winner! You will soon be basking in a hot bath with a little Kudzu Soap and Bath Salts!! I hope you enjoy them!

The process of sanctification

The Lord uses many things to bring about repentance and sanctification in my life. One of my least favorite tools He uses is the dreaded stomach virus. If you know me, you know that I loathe digestive illnesses worse than ANY OTHER CHILDHOOD SICKNESS ON THE PLANET! It's no small thing when someone in the family starts throwing up.

No. small. thing.

Ever seeking to grow and learn the lessons the Lord has for me, I'm trying to find contentment in this hard place. I'm also trying not to break out in hives or hyperventilate. Important goals.

I decided I would list all the things I'm thankful for today. This will hopefully generate a spirit of thankfulness and peace in my heart as opposed to the despair and the willies running up and down my spine. It's worth a try.

1) I am thankful for gallon bottles of Germ X. Only Wal-Mart sells it by the gallon and I have seven gallons currently stashed in my 'doomsday' supplies. Nothing says 'doomsday' quite like a stomach bug so I'm breaking into the stash and placing all seven gallons at strategic locations around the house. Like every five feet. Pass a bottle without applying germ gel and risk a hysterical mother. My children know this about me.

2) Garbage bag lined buckets. What did the pioneers do before they had disposable garbage bags?

3) Indoor plumbing. Again I wonder about the pioneers.

4) Phenergan. I am so thankful to the inventor of phenergan. I have no idea who you are but, sir, I salute you. You have served mothers everywhere in ways you will never fully realize this side of heaven.

5) Crushed ice. Another one of the super great inventions of the 20th century. Did they have crushed ice in the 19th century. I may have my crushed ice dates wrong. I'm just glad I have access to crushed ice in 2009.

6) Shop Vacs with wet/dry capabilities. That's all I'm saying about that.

7) Portable DVD players and Walt Disney. Walt Disney, you have made many a sick child feel better for decades. Nothing takes your mind off how many times your child has thrown up in the past hour quite like Lady and the Tramp.

8) Washing machines with sanitizer settings and nice hot dryers. Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize!

9) Lysol spray. I used a whole bottle last night. I'm not kidding. Whole bottle. I sent Flibby to the store at 8am to buy more bottles. One can never have too much Lysol.

10) Clorox. Lord, how I thank You for my Clorox! Clorox is king in this house!! And, will be for the entire weekend in which you will find me up to my elbows in rubber gloves, rags and Clorox.

After all a germ has breached the perimeter of my carefully constructed 'germ free' home. That germ will rue the day he messed with this mama! It's time for annihilation!

11) Hand lotion. When washing your hands 4,553 times a day in the winter, you would not believe what a blessing a good moisturizing hand lotion can be.

12) I am SO thankful we cancelled our trip to Disney World! If we had kept our plans, today would be the day we would have boarded a plane bound for Disney. What a disaster that would have been! ~shudder~

13) I'm thankful for the 60 degree day we are supposed to have today! Praise the Lord!! Not only will warm weather make me feel happy, even downright giddy, it will also allow me to open the windows and let in some fresh germ-free air! While letting out stifiling germ-filled air! I am looking forward to that!

Thank you Lord for this trial. I really do understand that this is for my good and Your glory. That doesn't mean I can't pray that this pestilence leaves my house post haste, does it?

What a difference a year can make!

THEN

NOW

I'm so thankful my girl is up and running again. She was not a happy girl this time one year ago. I wasn't a happy mommy either. If you recall, it happened during the Blizzard of 2008.

We were not and are not 'people of snow'.

Fifty-nine days until spring... and counting.

Those that have ears to hear...

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

~John Adams - 2nd President of The United States

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

~2 Chronicles 7:14

America has sold her birthright for a mess of pottage. May the Lord have mercy on our nation and our stiff necked generation.

Thank you, Mr. President

Dear President George W. Bush,

This is the last day that you will be my president and I couldn't let your presidency end without writing to you and thanking you for all you have done for our country. It has been 2,687 days since September 11th, 2001. After the attack on the U.S.S. Cole, the U.S. Embassy bombings in Africa, the first and second bombings of the World Trade Centers, and Osama Bin Laden referring to our nation as a "weak horse", you have managed to keep our nation safe for these last seven years. That is no small accomplishment. I have felt safer knowing that you were our Commander In Chief.

You have been willing to be vilified and hated the rest of your life to make the tough decisions and to do the right thing for America. You have shown honor, bravery and integrity in the face of vicious attacks on your character. Attacks which have been nothing short of shameful. I'm appalled and embarrassed at the way you have been treated. I'm so very sorry for all you have had to endure at the hands of your own people.

Though I have not always agreed with your policies, I have always admired your integrity, your faith and your honor. I am privileged to call you my president. The Lord placed you in this role for 'such a time as this'.

Thank you, President Bush, for your service to your country.

With sincerest appreciation and deepest gratitude,

Makes you wonder what color the sky is in their world, doesn't it?

Media Mudballs Unlikely For Obama Inaugural

■ 2005. Bush’s second inaugural was met with far more hostility, with reporters attacking the $40 million price tag as obscene. “In a time of war and natural disaster, is it time for a lavish celebration?” ABC’s Terry Moran doubted. The AP’s Will Lester calculated that the money spent on Bush’s inaugural could vaccinate “22 million children in regions devastated by the tsunami....Do we need to spend this money on what seems so extravagant?”

The day before Bush’s swearing-in, ABC’s Web site pleaded for tips of “any military funerals for Iraq war casualties scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20.” Sure enough, then-ABC anchor Peter Jennings got his wish to report how “just about the time the president was speaking, there was a funeral for a young Marine reservist: 21-year-old Matthew Holloway was killed in Iraq last week by a roadside bomb.” Don’t look for the networks to use such tactics to sour Obama’s celebration.

MRC's Bozell Slams AP for Bush vs. Obama Inaugural Double Standard

Four years ago on the eve of George Bush's second inauguration. This is the lede: "President Bush's second inauguration will cost tens of millions of dollars. Forty million alone in private donations for parties, balls, etc. Then it goes on to say, what else could that money buy..... Now, four years later, same AP news outlet. A story on Barack Obama. According to the Guardian newspaper, he could spend as much as $150 million. That would be three times more than George Bush spent. This is their [AP's] lede: "So you're attending an inaugural ball saluting the historic election of Barack Obama in the worst economic climate in three generations. Can you get away with glitzing it up and still be appropriate not to mention comfortable and financially viable? To quote the man of the hour, 'Yes, you can.' Veteran ballgoers say you should, and fashionistas say you must."

Obama hosting pricey party in a dicey economy

The price tag for President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration gala is expected to break records, with some estimates reaching as high as $150 million. Despite the bleak economy, however, Democrats who called on President George W. Bush to be frugal four years ago are issuing no such demands now that an inaugural weekend of rock concerts and star-studded parties has begun.

Let's see... in the spirit in which the AP listed all the ways President Bush's inauguration money could be better spent...

California controller to suspend tax refunds, welfare checks, student grants

The payments to be frozen include nearly $2 billion in tax refunds; $300 million in cash grants for needy families and the elderly, blind and disabled; and $13 million in grants for college students.

The suspension of payments is the latest radical move by officials to help keep the state from running out of cash as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature battle over how to avoid insolvency.

I think the citizens of California would like their tax refunds, Mr. Obama. I think the welfare recipients would like their checks. And, I'm pretty sure the college students would like their grants. I think they would like these things even more than seeing Bono and Beyonce bouncing around in their frenzied 'Obama worship' on some stage in Washington D.C.

Then again, maybe not. That would only apply if there were a Republican being inaugurated, right Babs?

“Barack has awakened in many of us the notion that we can again be hopeful, enabling us to believe that we are capable of lifting our brothers and sisters out of poverty, of providing quality education for all our children."

(unless we need that money for a glitzy inaugural party)

“He’s reminded us ‘yes we can’…we can make the transition from fossil fuels to green energy; we can take care of our elderly and make sure that good healthcare is not just a perk for a few, but a right for every man, woman and child,” she said. ”We are experiencing not just a presidential campaign, but a movement; a movement of inspired young people who have been cynical about politics for too long.”

(Yes we can spend wads of money while the economy is tanking. Yes we can because he is "the one")

Their hypocrisy would be almost amusing if it weren't so nauseating.

(emphasis mine)

Basketball just does something to them

My sweet little girlie girls. The ones that love their skirts, their hair bows and their earrings. The ones that love baby dolls and feather boas. On Saturdays in the winter, all of that girl stuff is out the window. My sweet little girlie girls turn into aggressive, ball hogging, competitive machines! It's quite a transformation.

Cindy Lou goes to war, I tell you, when there is a basketball in play. Even though her perfectly petunia pink nails would lead you to believe otherwise.

And, ignore the perfectly pink ponytail holder that she just had to have so it would match her nails. I promise you she was not thinking about that when she was out on that court. It was every girl for herself once she was out there. No holds barred and all that jazz.

She goes all out when that ball starts coming her way. You'd best make sure you don't get between her and that ball.

Even in competition mode, she can flash that dazzling smile when she sees a camera. The girl has her priorities.

She smiles especially big when she makes a shot, or when she elbows a player. She smiles a lot then. We're working on that.

Poor child. She didn't get the memo about getting between Cindy Lou and the ball. She didn't stand a chance.

Michael Jordan would be proud of my girl's jumping skills. She becomes an anti-gravitational machine when it comes to rebounds.

Then there is Hannah Banana. She is poised and graceful on the court. Always smiling.

Except when she's not. It seems she also has a touch of aggression flowing through those veins. They get that from their father.

But, Hannah has learned the fine art of disarming her competitor. She flashes them an award winning smile while skirting around them and stealing their ball. It's a gift.

She's small but she always come away with that ball.

Plus, she has elbows and she knows how to use them. I wish my calf muscles were that chiseled.

Other team, you don't stand a chance against my girl.

She's coming to annihilate you. But, you'll never know what hit you because all you'll see is that dazzling smile.

Ducking and weaving are her specialty. Even those blinding pink high tops didn't distract her from the task at hand.

If only I had that much energy, that much muscle, that much get-up-and-go. I would go places. Do things. Finish tasks. Have accomplishments.

If only.

(Photos courtesy of our own Grandpa Fred. Thanks, Grandpa Fred!)

Colder than a brass monkey!

I think I may die. Someone come thaw me out. Someone point me south toward sunny Florida. Someone bring me hot chocolate. And, a blanket. And, one of those lights they use in Alaska to ward off depression. The winter blues are here and I NEED A WARM SUNNY BEACH!

A bit of housekeeping...

As you may have noticed, I'm a bit of a political, economic and current event fiend fanatic zealot enthusiast. I tend to blog about these things a lot and with all that's going on in the world lately, I've been blogging about them more than usual.

Some of you may not be quite as obsessed passionate about these things as I am and you may be growing weary of reading about every little drop in the Dow. I have a feeling that after January 20th, I'll have enough blog fodder to start a separate political blog. But, I'm not going to do that. I don't even have enough time to keep up with this blog. I want to spend more time blogging about Cindy Lou's front teeth, potty training and chickens and less time on the cads in Washington.

Flibby to the rescue! Flibby has installed a feature in my sidebar called "Worth Reading" where I will link to all the articles or blog posts that I think are important, interesting and/or funny. I then have a space to throw out a description or a bit of sarcasm, my favorite literary tool. This will help satisfy my need to give my opinion about each and every little thing that happens in the world without turning my blog postings into the evening news. Not that Cindy Lou's front teeth aren't news... but, you know what I mean.

If something really important happens, I'll devote a whole blog post to it. But, if it's just regular ole "Liberals Are Destroying Country!" or "Economy Collapsing, Buy Toilet Paper!", you'll find the links and what I think about them in the side bar.

Now back to regularly scheduled blogging about crusty bread under the sofa cushions, teaching long division without losing your mind and where to find the best deal on toilet paper. Life changing information, to be sure.

A Cindy Lou-ism for your enjoyment

My sweet, charming, and thoughtful husband took his poor malnourished dieting wife out to lunch on Monday. A few of the children were with us since we had been to piano lessons that morning.

As I sat there eating the best grilled chicken salad EVER we began discussing our trip to Disney World that is not to be. You may remember that we had a trip planned to Disney and if we had kept our plans, we would be leaving next week. We are now sad and regretful of this decision since it will be a sunny 75 degrees in Orlando next week while it will be a bone chilling 35 degrees here. Boo, winter!

But, I digress. The reason we made the decision to cancel the trip was because it seemed imprudent to spend several thousand dollars on a week of vacation with the impending economic collapse and all. We decided to buy toilet paper and chickens instead.

As we talked about Disney and how nice it would be to be packing this very minute, Cindy Lou piped up in her most disgusted tone, "That Obama! He ruins everything!"

Yes, well. What can you say to that? The girl's got a point.

Apparently Cindy Lou has been reading my blog.

What keeps me warm on cold winter afternoons?

Just sixty-five days until spring! Not that I'm counting or anything.

It's Monday and it's cold

You might think this is about to be a whiny post from that title. Nothing could be further from the truth. The whiny post will come Friday when the low temperature is forecasted to be 0 degrees. And, that's not Celsius. I may DIIIIEEE!

But, really this is not a whiny post. This is a post to tell you that my baby boy talks in his sleep. Can you believe that an 18 month old would talk in his sleep? He talked about a "bite" and a "cracker" in the middle of the night. I have long thought the boy thinks about food twenty-four hours a day and now I have proof.

In other news, President ELECT Obama (Every one seems to think he's already president. Just let me enjoy my last few days of perceived liberty and freedom. Is that too much to ask, mainstream media?) has all sorts of mischief up his sleeve that I need to opine about. I continue to be amused at the uproar over Rick Warren's "prayer" at the inauguration. Did you hear Anne Hathaway was thinking of turning her back on him? Bwah ha ha ha haaaaa! Now that's funny! If a real minister of the gospel stood before that crowd I think we'd have a modern day stoning on our hands. It's true. I tell you. Then there is all sorts of other economic, corruption and lawlessness issues to discuss. But, I can't.

My brain is frozen and my energy is waning from this blasted diet and exercise garbage I got myself roped into thanks to Amy the Humble. I updated my progress for the week, if you're interested.

I'm cold and I want chocolate.

But, I am sincerely NOT whining. Just in case you missed that part.

I decided to go out on a whim because I haven't done one of these in forever...

Today's question: "What was your best birthday ever, and why?"

Flibby: "My 10th birthday was pretty fun; I had a huge ice skating party with all my friends."

Miss Poppins: "My 15th, because I got a trip to Florida for my birthday!"

(More to come later)

~Now it's your turn. Please leave your answer in the comments!~

Weight loss, anyone?

One of my favorite bloggers, Amy the Humble, has issued a challenge. Who am I to pass up a good challenge, I ask you? It wasn't just Amy. After all, I did mention in my New Year's Resolutions something about losing a pound or two. Remember?

Since January 2nd I have been braving the arctic predawn cold and dragging myself to the gym. To do hard things. Painful things. And, things that make me sweat. I don't like to sweat.

This all started because I joined Facebook. I found lots of old high school friends and I started looking at their pictures. That made me wonder what my old high school friends thought about me when they looked at my pictures. Eeek! It couldn't be good. I'm a tad heavier and 'jigglier' than I was at the age of 17. "I must do something about this!", I said to myself. Thus my new and improved self was born. Or the beginnings of her, at least.

About this time, here comes Amy the Humble issuing the most delicious challenge for the new year. I am so in! I love a good challenge! You can get all the scoop on the challenge and my weight loss/fitness program over at my healthy eating blog... you know the one I haven't dared write on because I've been shoveling chocolate bon bons in my mouth for the last several months? Yeah, that one. I revived it.

Health and fitness are back in the building, my friends!

Please tell me I'm not the only person on a diet. I'm looking for tips, recipes and moral support! Chime in and tell me what you're doing and how it's working for you. And, keep up with my progress over at that healthy blog I constantly ignore am so passionate about.

Massive garden remodel now in progress!

Some of us are having more fun than others. Some of us have nice supple feet from the healthy mud bath. Some of us are not afraid to get dirty. Right, Miss Poppins?

New Year's Resolutions

I love number 12. How that girl's mind thinks is a mystery! You'll also get a kick out of 19 and 21. I haven't broken the bad news to her about the banks yet. ~wink~

(click to enlarge)

And this girl is ahead of the game! Already thinking about everyone's birthday gifts. As you can tell from her list, she has birthday on the brain. Hers is not until June so I'm not exactly sure what brought this on.

My New Year's resolution is to get this girl some lined paper.