I needed this...

The Saturday that I was winging my way to Enid our local newspaper came to our group run to take pictures and do an article on Mitchell's Angels. I was busy being a mom. This Saturday one of our local news stations came to video tape our run and interview some of the Angels. I again was being a mom. I had to take McKinley to her Honor Choir and Shawn was at work. I grumbled about it to myself all day long. I couldn't believe I was missing out on the second oppurtunity to be recognized for what I was doing. When I went to lunch with my aunt and McKinley I saw the newspaper article that my picture wasn't in. I grumbled some more.

Tonight the story was on the news. I knew I had to watch it. I'm glad I did. It's not about the recognition. It's not about pictures, or articles, or videos. It's about Mitchell, John, and Tracy and preventing other children and families from living through what they did. I know that now. I think I just grew up.

Watch this. It will change your life. It did mine.

Red Hair?

So, back to the question, "Why Lucille Ball didn't have red hair on Halloween."

How many of you know that Lubbock is the home of Texas Tech? As an OU Sooner I was not happy about being in Red Raider country. Especially since they had a game that Saturday. I had to sit in a elementary pep assembly where they did cheers and people all around me were dressed in red and black. I got some strange looks for my loud booing and my arms signals spelling out 'OU'.

When McKinley decided on the Lucy costume my cousin Tyler and I left to run to the drugstore for some red hair spray. Three stores later I didn't know why we couldn't find any.

As I sat Saturday night becoming intimately familiar with the 'last' button on the tivo remote I figured it out. I was really watching the OU/Nebraska game but since I was in Lubbock I was switching over to the Texas Tech/Texas game. When OU was up by about 117 I decided to focus all my attention on the Texas' game.

I was in a house just a few miles from the stadium with six Lubbock residents who could have cared less.

I suddenly felt the need to become a crazy fan.

Imagine my surprise.

That's usually Shawn's job. I won't bore you with stats but if Tech won it would make OU look good. I was cheering for the underdog. They pulled out a victory in the final 2 seconds of the game and I was a little loud. As I calmed myself down I looked at the fans storming the field....the red headed fans.

After way too much time trying to find a picture of a Red Raider fan with red hair I give up! You'll just have to trust me on this. I'm sure there was a haze over the town of Lubbock that day from the amount of red hairspray used. So...poor Lucy, she was a brunette.

Who knows, maybe that was her real hair color.

Want to be my friend?

We are so blessed to be given most of the clothes that our girls wear. We don't mind hand-me-downs one bit. In fact, I usually thank the givers by telling them I'm so glad they have better taste then me.


Since we're given the clothes, I feel we need to pass them along to someone else. I was thrilled when our church hired a children's pastor who had three girls. I became their best friend.


I've spent today, not painting like desperately needed, but sorting clothes. Mainly because it was 50 degrees and raining this morning and Reagan wore capris and a t-shirt.


Enter guilt.


Since I've been painting I haven't wanted to dig into the attic and their closet and make the change. It's such a vicious cycle. But I did. And look at what our friends will be getting.

I've added two more bags since the picture. That brings the total to 13.

God help them.

Happy Halloween, again

Since Halloween life has been crazy! It's been so crazy around here lately that it's becoming our normal life. I hate that, but it's true.

Anyway...we were in Lubbock for Halloween with that crazy family that you may remember.
Did that hint help?

Yes, it's my uncle and aunt that took us to Disney World. They had a Halloween party for their younger two children and their classmates and we were invited! My girls were out of school on Halloween so we headed that way after school Thursday. 6 and a half hours later I pulled into the driveway with three sleeping girls who immediately woke up and were completely energized for the next two hours.

I had taken a few costumes of ours but my aunt's mom, Grandma Lou, has made them every year for Amelia and there were a lot to choose from! We ended up with Lucille Ball, Dorothy, and Mother Goose.

After some neighborhood trick or treating it was party time!

We had a little bit of everything.

Halloween Twister

Lots of candy and trick or treaters. Musical tombstones.
Science experiments.
Plenty of delicious food.
Hilary and Obama.
Wardrobe malfunctions.
Mummy wrapping races.
And quite a few messes.
And, have you noticed, a Storm Trooper. He just kept mysteriously showing up. He didn't speak but was definitely a presence at all times.
Okay, don't freak out! It's my cousin Chris. He made that costume himself. He's really smart. I feel like a 4th grader when I talk to him.

Okay, not really a 4th grader. More like 2nd.

But my favorite part of the whole four days we were there...

Cousin time!

Every minute was full of fun. Now back home we're slowly recovering from those four straight days of fun.

And I personally am trying to recover from eating all of my favorite candy from the girls haul.

I love Halloween!

Another story for another day...why didn't Lucille Ball have red hair? Anyone have any guesses? I'll give you a hint. We were in Lubbock, Texas. Hmmmm....

Well Howdy!

When I used to read other bloggers posts about lurkers I didn't really know what they were talking about. It sounded like they knew someone was stalking them. It kind of worried me. Now that I've discovered statcounter I understand everything. Well, not really everything, but I have reached the tip of the iceberg.

Statcounter is how I found out what people were searching for when they accidentally ended up at my blog. Now I know what they are!

I've recently stumbled across the 'Visitor Paths' area.

(Insert sinister laugh here.)

So now I get to say 'hi' to people I know are reading my blog.


-Claremont, Minnesota-71 visits
*I love Minnesota! Shawn had a great aunt that lived in Fairmont. It was the most beautiful town that had a picturesque lake in the middle of it. The homes were all big, old, and beautiful. I coveted them. Still do.

-Vienna, Virginia-99 visits
*I have to apologize. When I read the name of your town I think sausage. I'm working really hard to think 'Sound of Music' but...sausage. I'm working on it.

-Manchester, New Hampshire-112 visits
*E'llo govnor! That was my British accent. Did it come across in the typing? I need to work on that.

-Frisco City, Alabama-45 visits
*I was just in Alabama! The only town name that I can recall (I was in the car with 5 children after all) was Foley. That's because that's where Lambert's was. I must admit though that I kept saying, "Greenbough, Al-a-bama!!" Anyone know what movie that line comes from??

-Alexandria, Virginia-100 visits
*I have a beautiful cousin names Alexandria. She has always gone by Alex though. It makes me sad. Hope your town is as beautiful as the name.

-OKC, OK-255 visits
*Wow! Wait, that might be me. That's not my town though. Right state. But who else would have come here that often?? Well, maybe Grandma. Hi Grandma!




P.S. Just ran the spell check. Of course it stopped on my British accent part. I figured that. But surprise! It didn't stop on 'picturesque'. Who would have guessed that I would have spelled that right on my first try? Certainly not me!