Gingerbread Cookies

4th Annual Gingerbread House

Every year, since my son was 18 mths old we have made a Gingerbread house together. It's fun and we all look forward to it. We used a different brand this year and it just wouldn't stay together. We finally gave up and threw it away. We will look for our usual brand next year!!!

The Tea Party

Sadie & Molly

They love eachother. Molly wants to be like Sadie and Sadie treats Molly like a puppy. They play together all the time and Molly follows Sadie around. They can be seen sleeping together, too. Sadie "herds" Molly. Molly tries to chase the cat or bark at him...and Sadie steps b/t the cat and Molly and then uses her giant nose to steer Molly away from the cat. It is very sweet. I think Molly is good for Sadie.

Date night...shopping

Sunday, the 21st, Daddy took sweet flower shopping. They first played candyland, then they ate at Taco Bell (one of her favorite places) and then they went to Costco and Target. She had a lot of funny with her daddy. daddy learned a lesson. Never take a 4 yr old Christmas shopping if presents are supposed to be a secret ;-). She was SOOO excited about what she chose for me, that she came home and fixed up an envelope of doll clothes and accesories to give me for "my baby" she bought me. All week she kept telling me that I get to open my baby doll! So sweet. She also chose a cool Mega blocks castle for my sunshine. He LOVES it, although it will likely take us a year to build it. It was for 9-14 yrs of age.

While daddy was on his date. My sweet boy went to build an airplane with DeeDee while I went with my mom to find what she was getting for him. On the way home we stopped to choose a present for my sweet girl from him. He chose a jungle animals playset. They love to play with little animals...so it was a great choice!

Preschool Christmas Show

This was from Thursday the 18th...their preschool Christmas show. It was so sweet. I'm going to try to upload the performance...but I've never had luck doing it.

The trains at Northpark

My brother and his family came down from Nashville to visit the week of the 15th. The last day they were here we went to Northpark to see the trains. In the pictures, my 4 almost 5 yr old niece Cora, my 10 yr old nephew Ethan and my 11 yr old niece Zoe....who will soon be 6 ft tall :-).

Molly

I want a baby. I do, I have this strong feeling of wanting another baby. Well, it is no secret that the husband is against this idea. We do not have any maternity insurance, b/c we are self insured b/c his business is so small it is cheaper. We spent 5k each with maternity insurance to have each of our babies so far...so without insuance it would cost a ridiculous amount. I get it, I really do. I can't ehlp my feelings. So last Friday a lady at ballet had her little 2 mth old. I sent a text messgae to my hsuband's e-mail saying "I want a baby." His reply? "Get a doll." So Saturday comes around...aww yes. I got my doll. She breathes and eats and snuggles and thinks I'm her mommy. They even make little panties just her size...and her hair is long so she will be able to wear bows. Yes, I am crazy. We are hoping she will be a replacement for the need for a baby...and she is great entertainmet for our lab. She weighs an entire 1.4 lbs compared to Sadies 90 lbs. She is precious and already doing well potty training. Surprisingly my children are very gentle and maternal. They realize they can't play rough with her like they do Sadie. My kitty? He's a little mad, but he's let his guard down long enough to come and snuggle briefly. another week and he'll be all over me all the time again. He is a stubborn kitty.

My Girl

My sweet girl. She has an amazing sweetness about her...but not the kind that would make her a saint and seem really boring. She has quite the mischievous personality. She is in to hiding lately...use to when she would hide you could find her b/c of all the giggling. Now, when she hides she hides really well and doesn't make a sound. She won't come out when you call her frantically, either. Her little expressions and sweet little voice...you can't help but smile when she talks. She says things so matter of fact. She loves her big brother and smothers him with love. She has an amazing ability to look at something and know how many are there without counting. She's been able to do that since she could speak. Her math mind has no end...it just seems to make sense to her. She can add and retain numbers and answer math questions like it's no big deal. She is very maternal too. My Christmas present needs tons of Love and attention...and she just wraps it up gently and totes it around. She tells me that when I am old she will come to my house and brush my hair. Of course when she gets mad at me she tells me she's not going to do that anymore! She is a comic and lives to make my son laugh. She loves to make silly faces swing. She loves fruit and really isn't much of a sweets eater. She likes her share of candy and things...but typically won't finish it. I forot to add her dramatic side. The first time she threw a fit she wasn't even a year...and she was laying in the floor sobbing. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. I tried to pick her up and she was completely limp...I soon figured out she was having a tantrum! She screamed the 1st 3 mths of her life...just ask my friend Kelley. She was amazed I didn't lose my mind! Still, my sweet little angelc child who won;t utter a word outside of our home is a drama queen. When we get after her she cries as loud as she can like the world has ended. Some of this is my fault. She never really needed discipline...and so often I would answer her in vague terms, b/ she didn't rationalize the way my son always has. Now, I am paying for it. She is more sophisticated in her ways and so now I am havng to answer "no" more and I am having to deal with the fall out. Really she is sweet...she just knows that crying usally gets her hugs...and yes daddy is guilty of this, too. He would never brush her hair or anything, b/c it made her cry. She is a daddy's girl, although she has recently developed a HUGE attachment to mommy (finally). My sweet girl there is no end to the possibilities of what she may become...a doctor? A mother? A mathematician? I just don't know, but I know with her independent spirit, smart intellect, funny personality and kind heart she can be anything she wants to be!

My Boy

My son says he is going to be president one day and live in the White House. I honestly don't doubt it...he is an amazing child, very unusual (in a good way). He also says he's going to win a gold middle for swimming. He bought presents for orphans at church last week...and he was anxious to do it. He tells me all the time that he would rather give me a present than get one for himself. He gets tears in his eyes anytime there is a sad part in a movie or book...like a child not having parents or someone getting hurt...or not having enough to eat. He has a compassionate heart full of love already. He is a perfectionist and it shows. He is a rules follower, but not lacking in personality. He is mischevious and fun. He hangs on me ALL the time. He says he can't wait to be a teenager, b/c then he'll be big enough to start building his house right next door to me. I would like nothing better than to keep him forever! I realize when I want another baby...I want him again. We had such a blast that year before my sweet girl was born. My mom jokes that he was on my hip everytime I answered the door....he was. I vacuumed with him, I slept with him, I walked with him...He has always been attached to me and me to him. We were having full conversations by the time he was 18 mths old. He is a child God has placed here for some reason...All children have a special purpose, but he is unusual. I just want to hold on a little longer....don't grow up too quickly baby boy.

A Visit to Santa

He loves babies and babies love him. I just don't get why he cut me off at 2.

My too smart for his own good son said, "Those aren't really Santa's reindeer. You can't just go pulling Santa's reindeer out of the North Pole."

Every year we see the same Santa. We have a picture with him every year since Sunshine was born...and I LOVE that. Well, that Santa had moved to a new mall....and we HAD to check it out. Our friend's met us out there and the children had fun running and playing. We ended the evening by eating at a sport's grill where we saw Santa again! This Santa gave the children little treats...a matchbox car for the boys, a duckie for the baby, a purse and 2 books for my princess. SO sweet!

My sunshine and flower went to a Christmas Party at their preschool Saturday morning and mommy and daddy had a little date! We dropped them off at 9 am, early for a Saturday in this house. We headed to Corner Bakery for breakfast! I LOVED the oatmeal. It was YUMMY! I am anxious to return one morning. My brother and his family were in town, so we met them at a flea market...which may ahve been a huge mistake. My husband bought my Christmas present there...a picture will be up soon. At noon we picked up my sweet children from their party and headed home.

Christmas Survey I received via e-mail fom my old neighbor/friend Dawnelle

1. Real tree or Artificial? Fake...we're all allergic to real ones and fireplaces...even if it is not currently lit...if it's been lit recently I get an asthma attack...that stinks

2. When do you put up the tree? Thanksgiving...usually that Friday after

3. When do you take the tree down? New Yearsish...when I can bat my eyes and ask sweetly for my husband to...before he heads out of town again

4. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't know...probably a doll or something..I usually just wanted to play with my youngest older brother

5. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail...although they will likely be late, again. I am not hapy with the 1 photo we took.

6. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I am not at liberty to disclose that information in this e-mail;however it would involve a men's size small shirt (twice)...which was ugly and NOOOO way it would ever fit....and they had torn the tags off of one so it couldn't even be returned . Yes I should be greatful...I'm sorry :-(

7. Favorite Christmas Movie? IDK...We usually go see a movie at night on Christmas. It's fun

8. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Decemberish

9. Have you ever recycled/regifted a Christmas present? Nope...

10. Favorite Christmas song? Breath of Heaven & I am taking an extreme liking to my children's rendition of "No Room" (I don't actually know the title, that is what they call it)

11. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Eve...Santa comes on Christmas morning

12. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crowds

13. Favorite food for Christmas? My mother's cooking, cheese balls and spice tea, too.

14. What do you want for Christmas this year? eh...IDK. I do need a Nike chip for my running shoes. I'd also like to be able to run again soon (sick and asthma have kept me down for over a week :-( ). To slow time so I can enjoy my children longer...minus the whining ;-)

The Nativity Scene

My sweet little children set up our nativity scene. They look forward to it every year. This year they did it all...they put Jesus in the center and everyone gathered around Jesus. It's not esthetically pleasing, but it is precious. The Scene changes daily; however Jesus is always at the center. This morning I noticed something different....Jesus was wrapped in toilet tissue. I just love how sweet and Innocent their little hearts are. I will take a picture soon and post it!

Another Random Post

Our Christmas Pic we took a block from our house. It use to be a horse farm. Up until just a couple of weeks ago you could walk out there and feed the horses carrots (we never did...my neighbor did). We did walk out and see the horses, though. It will soon be yet another neighborhood and a shopping center containing a 'Super Kroger." Whatever that is. When we first moved out here the road by our house was 2 lanes. The speed limit was 60 and it felt like we lived far away from society. Now, we can hear tons of road noise (outside not when we're inside thankfully). The positive is we will soon be able to walk to get milk. We were very disappointed when we saw the farm sold. We thought we should have sold our house before that happened. I figure there will be plenty of people who want to be near shopping...and we have a large backyard which is hard to find around here...All is good.

I have made a decision. We are going to have to change our carpet. We will have to put in hardwoods or something. Why I saw hardwoods, is b/c we already have it in the first part of our house. It would look funny to sap down some laminate right next to that. With all 4 of us having asthma, we will have to make changes. I am also going to get back on the health nut kick. I need to do some research about diet. If we can cut out some of the asthma triggers it would be very helpful. We already buy as much organic as possible. We buy milk without hormones. I am vegetarian and so most of the time my family also eats vegetarian. frequently. I do try to make a point to put some meat in front of them sometimes...they do like it.

I am probably going to stop running for a bit, just until I can get the asthma under control. Without a rescue inhaler that works I am "hosed" to quote the doctor. My son still wants to be a swimmer and that will be good for his asthma symptoms. I am also going to ask their peditrician to switch them from Zyrtec to Singulair. Singulair can be an allergy medicine as well as a preventative medicine for asthma. I am encouraging my husband to do the same.

We haven't been diligent about taking our asthma medicine b/c it is insanely expensive. Last week I spent $147 on rescue inhalers for us. Advair, which my husband I are both supposed to take is $175 (times that by 2 every month). Singulair is expensive as well. The crazy thing is we spend $900 a month on insurance premiums and STILL have to pay that much per month just on prescriptions to keep us alive. I am thankful that we have the choice to go to the doctor when we need to go. I am thankful we can choose out doctors and insurance. I just wish medicines would be a little more reasonable priced. I DO NOT want universal healthcare. That would be a nightmare.

Anyway, I didn't mean this to turn into some random post about Asthma and medicine...That is what is on my mind these days. I am going to take action to try to prevent my children from having the same degree of symptoms I am experiencing now.

Frustration!!!!!!

So I am frustrated. I CAN NOT breathe!!!! I am taking Prednisone, Singulair and Advair. I am inhaling the c-r-a-p-py Pro Air inhaler and it is doing no good. Apparently alot of asthmatics are finding that Pro Air and the other CFC free inhalers do not work. My husband's asthma has also deteriorated since we had to switch. So they are killing people to save the Ozone...great. CFC's in inhalers can not be the main problem...I would assume the problem would be more likely cars....so get energy efficient cars and put the inhalers that work back on the market. I bet if the air were cleaned up then alot of people coudl breathe easier.

I am sitting up in bed right now. I have been unable to breathe now for about 7 hrs. I get a good breathe about every 5-10 min. I have kicked the dog out. I am determined to tear up all our carpet and get hardwood floors atleast in my room and family room..and eventually the rest of the house. I am considering heading to my mom's tomorrow. maybe I could breathe easier there. I don't know. I do know I am fed up. I am fed up with the weight I gained since I was sick 2 yrs ago and fed up that without being able to breathe I will be ale to do nothing about it. The prednisone will only increase the weight.

Yes I am in a bad mood. Being unable to breathe is miserable.

I feel REALLY c-r-a-p-p-y. Sorry...there is just no other way to describe it. I didn't realize how sick I was until I went to the doctor. Fortunately she told me and hooked me up. I am running a 100.2 fever WITH advil. I ache all over, my chest hurts, my back hurts, I am exhausted and FREEZING. Fortunately I have Singulair, antibiotics, Advair, prednisone, and it seems like something else. I lose track. I just take it. I am so glad I went. I thought it was just an asthma attack. I thought I would get a steroid shot (which I did) and some new meds and be all better. I didn't realize I am SICK!!!

So anyway...we will hopefully take family pics tomorrow if I can get the laundry done and everyone ready, Derek and I are going on a date, too...I hope :-). It's our last chance...my parents are booked the rest of the month.

My Son the cook

My Son's Pumpkin Pie Recipe:

1 pumpkin

1 apple

alot of orange juice

Pour into a pie crust and bake for 10 min. It will be ready when it burns.

Christmas

Christmas is my favorite holiday. The season is cool and crisp, the music is cheerful and happy. We celebrate our saviors birth. I have always dreamed of working in a soup kitchen or helping the poor in some way. I am trying very hard to instill a sense of giving into my children instead of receiving. We are not nearly as "well off" as we use to be...not that we were ever rich. We actually have to live on a budget now a days. My point is I am somewhat glad we live on a budget, b/c it makes our giving more meaningful...

This year we made Christmas boxes early in November for Franklin Graham's organization. We always give to our family whether we receive or not, because we WANT to give to others. We also get an angel off the Christmas tree. Usually we get 1 per child...1 boy and 1 girl. Then we shop for them. I remind our children just how fortunate they are. We talk about how some children don't have toys, food sometimes they don't even have a mom or dad.

Today's mission will be to go get an angel off the angel tree. I haven't decided if we will get 1 or 2. We'll see. I want 2, but it depends on what types of items they want....and how much I think we can afford.

My son is too skinny in my opinion. I do not want to make a huge deal out of it like the husband's parents did to him. He has some memories...anyway. I do want to be sure he take in some calories. My sunshine is much like me in that he doesn't like to eat necessarily (actually I wish I could get back there). Anyway, I bought Pediasure for him to take to school so atleast he will get some calories. I also bought him his own 1/2 gallon of milk. We drink fat free, but he needs some amount of fat the rest of us don't need. I know he will be skinny and he has the tiny bones from my side. My brother has teeny bones, but he is 6'2. Anyway, he will grow and be tall and thin...I can make sure he doesn't get too thin....I hope.

Tonight we dropped the husband at the airport and I asked them what they wanted to eat. My sunshine popped up with Texas Roadhouse...his favorite place to eat. So we went. It was yummy and cheap. With just the 3 of us I order a small salad and a sweet potato (plain) and they split a kids meal. Tonight it was a cheeseburger and green beans. My son ate most of his cheeseburger, 2 rolls and he nver stopped eating the peanuts. I was happy to put him to bed knowing his tummy was full. He ate more than my sweet girl. By the way she is so beautiful. She falls asleep in the car every afternoon...and she always has her little head tilted up and her mouth wide open. It's pretty cute!

You have no idea how much work it is to be a parent until you have a child. I worry and stress so much over my 2. Funny how your life suddenly becomes enveloped in 2 little people.

Christmas Lights

I always seem to forget to upload these the wrong way...so they are in reverse order....

So my sweet boy is 45 in and 39 lbs....you can see his sternum bone. I am VERY disturbed. My husband says he's fine...leave him alone no kid starves themselves (this coming from the man who remembers being held down and force fed). I refuse to force feed a child, but I am watching his weight. He's lost 2 lbs. Other than that he is reading well and has tons of energy. He is maturing and sleeping better.



My sweet girl is 41 in and 38lbs. I don't worry about her. She has slowed down eating, but she is still healthy looking...and I can tell how tiny boned she actually is.



We are back home for a while. The husband will be leaving for Montana Sunday. He's dreading the cold, but as of now the weather seems to be fine.



Thanksgiving was nice. It took us FOREVER just driving from Shreveport. I am glad we had driven as far as Shreveport Wednesday. There were 3 wrecks on I 20 yesterday and the interstate was shut down. We took a detour I knew....and then stopped off at a house we wanted to look at. We're looking for some acreage with a house to have as a weekend/summer house.



We finally made it home took everything out of the Hummer...changed clothes and left again for my parent's. Thanksgiving supper was yummy!!!! I heard my sister's nickname as a child (my dad made up)....and my mother made me swear never to tell!!! So, since this is a random blog no one ever reads...I HAVE to share. My dad nicknamed her "Pootsie Booger Bags" b/c ...well I am sure it is obvious why!!! I laughed SOOOO hard and I just wish I could tell her!



This morning it was so nice to sleep in my own bed...and sleep in! AWWW.



My sweet husband bought a new sweater for me and a pair of pajama bottoms. Tonight we went to 'Christmas in the Square." We didn't stay long...just long enough to see the fake snow, have some hot chocolate and decide we should have worn coats.



Now we're home. Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks :-)

Pictures are in the post below....

Because I am too lazy....

Here are links to all my recent photos. They even have nifty explanations...I just don't like sitting here and uploading...when it takes 5 seconds on Facebook. Most of my friends are on facebook anyway :-).

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30134703&l=95814&id=1446452737

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2009036&l=423c4&id=1446452737

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2009035&l=1b561&id=1446452737

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2009034&l=967f1&id=1446452737

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2009031&l=33210&id=1446452737

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2009029&l=a5332&id=1446452737

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008705&l=89db1&id=1446452737

What Your Height Says About You

You are a warm, outgoing person. You are a very social creature. You value harmony, and you often play the role of mediator. You are a very real and honest person. You know how to kindly tell people the truth. You crave love and approval. Luckily, you are a very easy person to love. You are about as tall as the average Australian woman.

What Does Your Height Say About You?

Last week we were in Albuquerque with Derek. We drove home Saturday night and left Sunday morning for Mobile, AL. Matthew woke up at 4 am throwing up. He threw up ALL over the bed. I used to couch cushions and a blanket from our bed for Sara and put Matthew in bed with me...with a trash can directly below him. He never did throw up. Actually last night was the 1st time he's actually ever thrown up in his life (since he's been eating solid food...there was plenty of vomiting with milk...he has a milk allergy).

Anyway...more abou Albuquerque and Mobile later. Now I need to get to sleep.

Sara's New 5 pt Harness Booster

I went a head and ordered my sweet girls new booster/carseat. It's the pink Britax Frontier. She is at 40 in and 38 lbs...so she needs to upgrade. Her carseat has been acting up lately for some reason. I figure now is a good time to upgrade before we head to Albuequerque. Hopefully I will not get into too much trouble the husband.

Here's the link:

http://www.hipmonkey.com/car-seats/britax/britax-frontier/prod_97.html

My son already has it in black and grey. he wanted red, but at the time they were backordered...and he was at 42 in and 37 lbs. We HAD to make the change. He just grew too quickly. I called around and found a Right Start store in Houston that had 1 in stock and the shipped it that afternoon. Then my sweet friend helped me install it, b/c I had never messed with a Britax before and I couldn't figure it out.

Atleast that will be the end of ordering carseats...atleast for these 2.

Funny story...when I went to Minneapolis St Paul to see my brother last month I could not travel with 2 children alone, luggage and carseats. It crossed my mind, but it would be VERY difficult. So, I rented a car with carseats...only I had to get just boosters. Neither of my children have ridden in a real booster....so they were both freaking out. Telling me to drive carefully. They didn't feel safe without being tethered, latched and harnessed. It was pretty funny.

You can call me paranoid, crazy whatever...but there is NO WAY I am going to take a risk by putting my child in a booster that has no tether, no latch and no 5 pt harness. They are small and relying on a seat belt alone is not enough protection. I know people like my sister would say well you have to trust God. Yes, but do we also skip medicine just b/c God CAN save a life? NO! We use what resources for protection and safety that are availiable. It doesn;t mean I have less faith. It means I use wisdom. It is not wise to put a small child in a car without proper restraints. I do understand some people have cars that are not latch equipped...I understand that. I also have side airbags...yet another reason we traded our SUV.

My Dog

We have now had our lab for a year. She is sweet and patient and loving. She is currently resting her large head on my shoulder. She adores me. She protects us and loves us. I think she may be the most patient one in our home. She has lost all her bad habits now, too. I think she knows she is in her home and is at ease...no more chewing up things or getting into trash...She is calm and settled. She has brought so much to our family, I can't imagine life without her.

So I bought several Magic School Bus books at the Library this summer. They were used, but were .25 c each. So, one f them is a Science activity book. We are using it as Science curriculm...since I am not truly homeschooling...only making sure my son is Kindergarten level (which I hear Kindergarten is pathetically easy). Anyway, we had fun today using rulers (Math, too) to measure and draw lines to compare how big the planets are. Then we filled in a chart with which planets are big planets and which are small...There are 2 more lessons on the Solar System which we will do this week. Then next week we learn about the Food Chain. They enjoy it and I can supplement with outdoor activities and books from the library. Either way they are being exposed to different things. The lessons that were already completed, I have used white out on. My sweet daughter read a "BOB" book to me today. I was VERY impressed! My son chose a "BOB" book that was a bit hard...especially since he gets all flustered and frustrated before he ever tries. He did pretty well...From now on I will choose which book he reads...then he will read with ease and feel confident. Something he really needs to succeed...and relax.



I am signing him up for winter swim lessons as well. He REALLY wants swimming to be his sport...so I suppose it will be! There is a swim team in our city he can join in a yr or so...I bet he will love that.

Something I received via e-mail

I received this as an e-mail and since someone feels the need to send anonymous gifts I thought I would post it.
I also need to say in case someone has not heard my stance...I believe Obama is our elected leader and therefore we should pray for him and for our country...we should also respect him as leader. That does not mean I will agree with his policies. I do hope I am worng about what he stands for, but I doubt it. As I said before time will tell....and in 4 yrs I will get another opportunity to vote.
Also, what people don't seem to understand is that the president has little to do with the immediate economy. He is 1 man....1 man can not perform miracles. If you are going to blame Bush for the past 2 yrs of the ecenomy, then you need to give him credit for the other 6 when it was good. Also who has been in charge of the house???? HMMM
Now for the e-mail I received.
I remember every event in this article and have been voicing it for nearly two decades. For some reason this doesn't mention Carter's gutting of the CIA's covert agents which we have been unable to restore as of today. He also dismantled some military units, including moth-balling aircraft and ships. By the way, the Panama Canal is now operated by the Chinese. Now we see how one president in four years can damage our country for decades, not mentioning nominating far left judges to the Supreme Court and placing these same types as Federal Judges to legislate from the bench.. Most historians quickly name Carter as the worst president of the US during the 20th Century, if not in our history. Wayne By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Posted Wednesday, September 10, 2008 4:20 PM
Jimmy Carter became our 39th president at the young age of 52. He was a one-term governor from Plains, GA, where he managed the family peanut farm and taught Sunday school. He was also a graduate of the Naval Academy and served seven years in the Navy, leaving as a lieutenant.
He came to power in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and the resignation of President Nixon. The public wanted change and someone new, and Carter was an ambitious, hands-on politician who promised better days. As good as his intentions were, however, the things he tried were not successful. In fact, he created far more serious problems than he ever solved.
The centerpiece of Carter's foreign policy was human rights, and he did achieve one noble success a peace treaty between Egypt's Anwar Sadat and Israel's Menachem Begin.
Unfortunately, that later led to Sadat's assassination at the hands of Muslim radicals.
Many people felt Carter was a good man who worked hard and meant well. But he was naive and incompetent in handling the enormous burdens and complex challenges of being president.
He wrongly believed Americans had an 'inordinate fear of communism,' so he lifted travel bans to Cuba, North Vietnam and Cambodia and pardoned draft evaders. He also stopped B-1 bomber production and gave away our strategically located Panama Canal.
His most damaging miscalculation was the withdrawal of U.S. Support for the Shah of Iran, a strong and longtime military ally. Carter objected to the Shah's alleged mistreatment of imprisoned Soviet spies who were working to overthrow Iran's government. He thought the exiled Ayatollah Khomeini, being a religious man, would make a fairer leader.
Having lost U.S. Support, the Shah was overthrown, the Ayatollah returned, Iran was declared an Islamic nation and Palestinian hit men were hired to eliminate opposition.
The Ayatollah then introduced the idea of suicide bombers to the Palestine Liberation Organization, paying $35,000 to PLO families whose young people were brainwashed to kill as many Israelis as possible by blowing themselves up in crowded shopping areas. Next, the Ayatollah used Iran's oil wealth to create, train and finance a new terrorist organization, Hezbollah, which later would attack Israel in 2006.
In November 1979, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other Iranians stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. Not until six months into the ordeal did Carter attempt a rescue. But the mission, using just six Navy helicopters, was poorly executed. Three of the copters were disabled or lost in sand storms. (Pilots weren't allowed to meet with weather forecasters because someone in authority worried about security.) Five airmen and three Marines lost their lives.
So, due to overconfidence, inexperience and poor judgment, Carter undermined and lost a strong ally, Iran, that today aggressively threatens the U.S., Israel and the rest of the world with nuclear weapons.
But that's not all. After Carter met for the first time with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, the USSR promptly invaded Afghanistan. Carter, ever the naive appeaser, was shocked. 'I can't believe the Russians lied to me,' he said.
The invasion attracted a 23-year-old Saudi named Osama bin Laden to Afghanistan to recruit Muslim fighters and raise money for an anti-Soviet jihad. Part of that group eventually became al-Qaida, a terrorist organization that would declare war on America several times between 1996 and 1998 before attacking us on 9/11, killing more Americans than the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
On Carter's watch, the Soviet Union went on an unrestrained rampage in which it took over not only Afghanistan, but also Ethiopia, South Yemen, Angola, Cambodia, Mozambique, Grenada and Nicaragua.
In spite of this, Carter's last defense budget proposed spending 45% below pre-Vietnam levels for fighter aircraft, 75% for ships, 83% for attack submarines and 90% for helicopters.
Years later, as a civilian, Carter negotiated a peace agreement with North Korea to keep that communist country from developing nuclear weapons. He also convinced President Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to go along with it. But the signed piece of paper proved worthless. The North Koreans deceived Carter and instead used our money, incentives and technical equipment to build nuclear weapons and pose the threat we face today.
Thus did Carter unwittingly become our Neville Chamberlain, creating with his well-intended but inept, unrealistic and gullible actions the very conditions that led to the three most dangerous security threats we face today: Iran, al-Qaida and North Korea.
On the domestic side, Carter gave us inflation of 15%, the highest in 34 years; interest rates of 21%, the highest in 115 years; and a severe energy crisis with lines around the block at gas stations nationwide.
In 1977, Carter, along with a Democrat Congress, created a worthy project with noble intentions-the Community Reinvestment Act. Over strong industry objections, it mandated that all banks meet the credit needs of their entire communities.
In 1995, President Clinton imposed even stronger regulations and performance tests that coerced banks to substantially increase loans to low-income, poverty-area borrowers or face fines or possible restrictions on expansion. These revisions allowed for securitization of CRA loans containing subprime mortgages.
By 1997, good loans were bundled with poor ones and sold as prime packages to institutions here and abroad. That shifted risk from the loan originators, freeing banks to begin pyramiding and make more of these profitable subprime products.
Under two young, well-intended presidents, therefore, big-government plans and mandates played a significant role in the current subprime mortgage mess and its catastrophic consequences for the U.S. and international economies.
Hardest-hit by the mortgage foreclosures have been the citizens that Democrats always claim to help most-inner-city residents who fell victim to low or no down payment schemes, unexpected adjustable rates, deceptive loan applications and commission-hungry salespeople.
Now we're having to bail out at huge cost Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the very agencies that were supposed to stabilize the system. In time, this should improve the situation. But the party of Carter and Clinton that midwifes our mortgage mess now wants to be trusted to take over and have the government run our entire system of health care!
And everyone is blaming Bush for our current problems

"God"

So my sweet girl chose a pink stetchy guy from Peter Piper Pizza about a month or so ago. It has long hair, he looks strong, a little skirt/shorts for clothes and his arms strectched wide. At first she said it was Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, then she said it was God. Ever since then she has called him God. It was a little hard for me to get use to at first....but it's her sweet little self having something tangible to hold onto as God. She dresses God, sleeps with God and take God everywhere along with Snow White. I will have to take a picture of "God."

This weekend we have gone bike riding in a new area they just opened up by our house. There was a farm to the right of us...it was sold and a new subdivision is going in. There are wide open streets, trees, sidewalks...and no traffic going through there. I expect that to change soon, but until then we go riding down the middle of the streetand having a good time. Part of the farm is still back there, so we also get to see horses up close. The horses expect carrots from us...so we will have to go buy some! We also get to trample down into the creek and woods to play. It's great fun!!!

My sweet little girl had a nasty cough for a week. She seemed to be getting worse...so I took her to the doctor Friday. I LOVE our pediatrician. He listened to her and recognized she was wheezing even though I had given her albuterol. He gave her some cough medicine to help her rest...and gave me a prescription for antibiotics to fill if she didn't improve over the weekend. Smart plan, b/c of course she has gotten worse. Now my sweet boy is starting sound the same. This is the time of the year that they always get pneumonia.

Something I wrote as a Journal Entry....

My son's Heart

Since the time he was just tiny M has been different. There is no other explanation. There is no real way to explain it. My mother use to call him a child prodigy, my dad said he was a true genius. Everyone who meets him is amazed by his wealth of knowledge. He hasn't proven to be so gifted that he was reading and writing at 3. In fact I struggle daily with getting him to do just that. He is a perfectionist, which is a true curse. The child won't color, b/c he can't color perfectly in the lines. He didn't walk until he could stand up and glide across the room with ease. He didn't do anything he felt would be watched or judged until it was a perfected move. So it is with reading and writing that I find he doesn't want to practice, b/c he has to practice. Although, we fully expect him to just start reading one day....he read a sign the other day (pronounced it wrong, but still read it) out of nowhere in an unguarded moment.Now, I am off topic. My point in this post is to explain M's sweet little heart. He has ALWAYS wanted to know about Jesus and to read stories about Jesus. When he was 2 he told me he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart. So, he prayed with me and asked Jesus into his heart. I don't know if that counts or what that means...but how precious. M has been asking for a cross for years as well. So when my parents went to Israel (which M begged to go, too) they bought a cross made out of Olive wood for him. He LOVES his cross. He has been a bit rebellious the past year, testing limits and such. He would say things like I don't believe in Jesus. Just to get a reaction. Of course, he would also always ask the same old questions he always has and we'd have a little discussion about it. Well, today on the way to pick up from preschool he asked me, "Mommy if I died and I didn't believe in Jesus, would I not get to go to heaven." I said, with great reluctance,"I suppose that would be right." Then he said where would I go? Would I just not die and stay on Earth? We avoid the "hell" talk..b/c we believe M is too young and doesn't need to have fear invoked into his heart. Searching for an answer I said, "Well God gave us a gift when he gave us Jesus. Jesus came and lived and died for us. If we refuse God's gift as a payment for our sins then we can't go to be in heaven with him. We would be telling God we're too good for his gift and we don't need him. I know I need him and so we accept his gift and show him appreciation through the way we live." M, says "Did Jesus want to call angels to get him off the cross, but he didn't? Did his feet hurt?" I said, "yes he was hurt. He might have wanted to get off, but he knew he had to die for us." Then I said something else (which just came to my mind)..."M do you know who Jesus was thinking about when he was dying on the cross?" He said, "no." I said, "he was thinking about you and S and mommy and daddy and nanny and papa and Gigi and DeeDee and ALL the other people in the world and who have lived or ever will live." He got VERY quiet as he processed that.Matthew has a heart so seeking after God and so seeking for truth. It has caused me to question my beliefs ALOT! It sounds so far fetched of a story as you explain it in detail. It sounds bizarre and out there. I have a hard time grasping what I am saying. I have always just taken the Bible at its word. I have heard the stories and never questioned. Now as I try to explain it to my child I find myself grappling with the issues. Today something seemed to click for both of us. I realized it is truth I am speaking, not just what I have heard or been told. I hope he had the same realization.

A week in the life of....

I didn't have any pictures...so here are some from The Pumpkin Patch last week. They're not the good ones, but I'll get the rest on here eventually!

Last night we went to the Fall Festival at my parent's church. It wasn't nearly as fun as the City thingy. My sweet little flower did get her hair painted pink, after I made sure it wash out of blonde hair. My sweet sunshine chose glow in the dark. He didn't wear his bat costume, he decided to be an astronaut this time. I was so worried about him, b/c his neck is still hurting. I am taking him back to the doctor tomorrow. I have the same antsy feeling I did when he was 18 mths old and ended up in the er. I have a very strong intuitive side....and fortunately my doctor thinks a mother's intuition is about as important as any medicine. Sadly, I was in such a rush I didn't take the camera. Even sadder is that I didn't take it today either.

This morning the preschool had a little festival. I volunteered to work the boothes. It was very fun. Fun to play with the children and not have to teach them. My son decided not to wear a costume (he was only helping with me anyway). Afterwards my son and I went to lunch with all the mommy friends plus 1 dad. It's so nice I feel comfortable there and I even have new friends through the preschool. Kelley is still a my best girlfriend, but she works :-(. I haven't been sipping wine, so I won't get all sentimental.

Tomorrow we have ballet where they get to dress up again. Then we are going to "Trick or Treat" at Toys 'r' Us and then daddy will be home early!!! Tomorrow night I think we will be going to Kelley's neighborhood to play! I think we (the mommy and daddy) will be dressing up too. SOunds fun, but a little out of our norm!

Some of the other fun we've had this week:
~Pumpkin ice cream (my son's fave)
~Carving pumpkins (yes plural)
~Flu shots (not so fun and daddy gets flu shot duty next year...or atleast I can dream)
~making Christmas boxes to turn into the preschool
~voted!!!!
~Lunch at "little Which Which" Again my son's fave
~Dr's app't for my daughter's allergy to insect bites Monday
~Dr's app't Tuesday for my son's neck...oh and then a nose bleed that he didn't tell me about. I just found blood all over his face. His response..."It's no big deal" as I am freaking out. That kid is so tough, yet so breakable. He holds it all in (like his mommy) until he breaks (hence the many tears when he hits the breaking point).
~Seeing Beverly Hills Chihuahua
~Reading the entirity of Alice in Wonderland in 2 days...all 186 pages. They enjoyed it very much.

We also had an "I'm not getting out of the car moment" after the flu shots. He was THAT mad. So, I finished unbuckling him (he is still in a 5 pt harness, latched and tethered...Britax Frontier check it out..http://www.hipmonkey.com/car-seats/britax/britax-frontier/prod_97.html.), I took my daughter inside, left the front door open and sat on the ottoman, waiting for him to decide to come in. It worked...I haven't had another "power struggle" since.

It seems like there is more...it's been a long exhausting week. I haven't been able to eat...no appetite, I feel like I have mono again. I figure I need to lose weight...so what's the harm??? We did go running without daddy to push the double jogger. I only did 3.2...and then I finished with 2.6 miles on the tredmill.

That was our exciting week. I suppose the mommy should go to sleep now or clean :). Which reminds me of something my mother said her mother said (she also had 2 just short of 15 months apart)...She said she always had a broom in 1 hand and a mop in the other. Somehow she managed to keep the house cook from scrap and sew all their clothes. Did I mention she had my mom then 5 yrs later had 1 uncle followed 15 mths later by another and just short of 2 yrs another....there were also numerous miscarriages and hospitalizations (she had a hard time having babies) in there. How did she do it? I am not that strong...Of course there weren't distractions like TV and internet :-).

Fire Safety Town Friday October 24th, 2008

Snow White and her Prince

My little bat kept sneaking candy

The Prince carried the very tired princess

Inside the pretend fire truck

The bat inside the pretend fire truck

Snow White in the pretend fire truck

The bat

Playing in the pumpkin patch

Waiting in line

The crowds

Waiting in line

My little bat

My Snow White

Waiting in line to get inside where we got to stand in more lines to "trick or treat." My little bat and sweet Snow White had a wonderful time. They said it was even more fun than the fall festival.