Great weekend, family, friends, basketball,... packing, lol.

Well, the weekend was mostly spent at home. Sunday had a nice change though. Chrissy asked us to lunch. She had our nephew, Andrew, sleeping over, so we met them at CBC, and headed to Steak and Shake. Bobby met us there! I was very glad to see him join us. He is doing well, getting his life in order, after the separation, and with the upcoming divorce. He found a nice apartment, and is moving out of the house this weekend. Sunday night, after church, Jeff, Gabey and I had our first, popcorn/movie night. lol. Gabey tried his first real popcorn. We watched 101 Dalmations, and he was mesmorized.
Yesterday, I packed some more of the basement, and hung around the house with Gabey. Winters are so depressing in Cleveland.
Last night, was the best! For Jeff's birthday, he got some tickets to the Cavs game against the Pistons. It was a wonderful gift from Ken. Chrissy came over and watched Gabey, and Jeff and I went to the game and had a really fun time. It stunk that the only players that were actually working were James, and Ilgouskas (sp). The rest of the team were totally lazy and made hardly any of their shots. It was a great game though, with a back and forth point war. We did lose though, and Jeff had to come home and play the NBA video game to beat the Pistons himself. lol.

Wonderful impromptu lunch with Angi

I had my physical therapy today, and I'll be doing that for another 4 or so weeks. She gave me some exercises to do to strengthen some of the muscles in my back and stuff to help support my shoulder joint better. In addition to these exercises, I really have to discipline myself to limit my computer time, and video game time. I think that's contributing to the shoulder tenseness and pain, wah. Mommy, do I have to?
Gabey and I were at Walmart, and we ended up in line one person behind my good friend, Angi, (subliminal addition here- go visit www.super-babies.com) and we went to McDonald for lunch and some great chat. Gabey had an awesome time with Angi's girls, Aryanna, and Justine. I was so happy that we got to hang out, what nice surprise.

Wrong is Wrong

My brother Joe, had this link on his blog, and I am so thankful to have been able to read it. I am linking it here, so you can read it. I haven't been able to read the entire article, but I bookmarked it, so I could read the rest.
http://www.oca.org/RHArticle.asp?SID=15&ArticleID=175
i truly believe that abortion is wrong on all levels. i can't possibly, as a woman who has carried a child, agree with anyone taking the life of a beautiful miracle that God has put in their care. Could anyone argue that if a child was left on my doorstep, I had the right to let it die, just because it was on my property? Could anyone argue that if I wanted to let my two year old die because he hindered my freedom as a woman, I would have that right? Why is it that the minute (no, not even the minute anymore) a baby is out of a woman's body they have their own rights, but not before? That's shameful. Everyone jumps on the minute cases of "what if", but we're letting the rest of the people slide by with MURDER on those little what if's. We're allowing ourselves to be led by the media, and pro-ANYTHING, and not by GOD HIMSELF.
Mark 10:14b"Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God."
Matthew 18:5-6 "and whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receiveth me. but whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea......10. Take heed, that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you. That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven."
Wrong is wrong. Abortion is wrong.
I took a sociology class, and an ethics class in college, and it bugged me so much that the Professors would teach the "oh well, this is justifiable under this or that circumstance". No, sin is sin, sometimes people do sin unknowingly, sometimes they do sin because they think they have to, or don't see any other way out, but it's still sin. God doesn't say, well, you stole x because you had to, it's not sin. God is just, and calls it sin no matter what the motive or situation. God is merciful, and will forgive sin, but we have to realize that it is sin, and turn to God for forgiveness.

Broke down in a Giant Eagle parking lot.

ok, this was us last night, sitting in the giant eagle parking lot, BROKE DOWN, lol. Jeff went into the store, and left the car part way on, I thought it was all the way on, the lights were on and stuff. I think he thought it would keep the heater on. Well, the battery died, and we couldn't get the to start. Luckilly, my dad in law was way cool, and came up and gave us a jump. I'm going to get the battery charger/tire pump, i saw in Fingerhut, so that doesn't happen again, lol.
Thank you, JoeDad!! :):)

new Bible

I had a really nice Bible for a few years, i was so proud of it, my sister got it for me for me, and had my name engraved. well, something happened, and it got all wet, and the pages were ruined and stuck together. i was so upset. so, my sister got me another Bible last year for my birthday, and for some reason the binding started going bad, and the pages were coming out. i stopped using that one, and was using my realllllly old one from highschool, which i've covered in packing tape, lol. i was starting to get really embarrassed. so i finally bought a new one. this one has a zipper, so the pages will be protected, and a pretty little tote to carry it in. hopefully this one will last a few years, lol.

Bubble Wrap Baby

I'm using tons of bubble wrap to protect the figurines i sold on ebay, and gabey got to the bag, and pulled it all out. he started playing in it, and squiggling around, and jumping on them. I got video and some pictures, he looks so cute. his hair is sticking up from the static. he laid on the pile and pretended to sleep on his "bubble bed".

president's day

it's been a lazy day so far. :) i didn't feel well last night, so i went to bed early and jeff took care of the baby, bless him. i woke up early and felt a lot better, so i went online to check some stuff out on ebay. i have some stuff up for sale... paulnsilas.... plugplug, lol. i finally got to sell the rest of the precious moments figurines, my friend gave me like 2 years ago. it's been way too long, and so i'm glad to finally be finished, and able to give her the rest of the money. they went for way less than they were worth, i'm sure, but that's the way with ebay, it's a huge gamble every time. but where else can a normal person sell stuff, you know? so far, ebay has been really good to me, i've been selling some of my packrat posessions. i can't believe how much useless STUFF i own! lol. so, i'm selling it off, and using the money to get some furniture we want for the house, lol.

i actually cooked again! can you believe it? i'm turning into quite a little homemaker, lol. NOT. if you saw my laundry pile, you'd know me. well, i made sunnyside up eggs, toast and sausage links for our breakfast. jeff got to sleep in for the first time in weeks. it's hard for him, because he works 6 days and then we have church on sunday. it's great when he gets to sleep in.

i'm going to be going to physical therapy this friday. i got my shoulder x-rayed and the joint is widening up by the collarbone. i'm not looking forward to the physical therapy, it's so painful just doing the normal everyday things (hence the laundry pile, lol). i can only imagine how i'm going to feel after the appointment. well, at least we've figured out what's wrong with it, and it's not just in my head.

word cloud

Love all year

Valentine's Day has come and gone, but I'm thankful to have the love of family and friends, and my wonderful Father all year long. I don't ever want to take this love for granted. I have both my parents, my step parents, and parent's in law living close by. I have the best sister anyone could ask for. She's my best friend, and has been my closest friend for years. I have an attentive husband, and a cuddly, loveable toddler right in my home to love and be loved by every day. What a blessed life I lead. I have the Holy Spirit in my heart to comfort me, and help me with the decisions of everyday life. I have Him to help me talk to God, and tell Him what I really mean to say. I have Jesus as my Savior, and friend. What more could I possibly need?

Our Valentine's Day was actually more like 3 days, lol. On sunday we went to the mall and looked at presents we wanted to get eachother, and ate at the food court. Monday, Gabey got to hang out with Chrissy, while Jeff and I ate at Red Lobster and bought eachother our gifts. I got him a game and he got me earrings. Tuesday, I went up and surprised Chrissy with a balloon and teddy bear, and Gabey and I took her to Boston Market for lunch. After that, I got stuff to make for dinner, and headed home. Jeff came home with a HUGE balloon and potted daisy plant for me (he knows i'd rather have a plant i can grow, and cut flowers that will die in a week). I made fettucini alfredo with asparagus, and homemade chocolate covered strawberries. It was a normal evening, but we had some gooood food. Jeff usually comes home really late on tuesdays, so we decided not to plan anything big.

i took my digital camera to Gabey's wellness exam so i can make a book for him, to prepare him for next time. he flipped out again the minute he saw the nurse. he remembered the shots she gave from over 6 months ago. lol. he did ok for the doctor, calmed down, she's wonderful. she examined him while he played with a truck on the floor. i was so glad. i'm going to get a dr. kit, and we'll play dr. with his bunny and stuff, and i'll keep the book handy. i don't want him to be hysterical every time we go. i remember being so scared when i was little. i want him to feel a little better. he won't be getting shots til kindergarten, so that will help.
our nurse giving gabey a sticker afterwards. she is a sweetie.

i am just so thankful for our doctor, i can't praise her enough. she is just soo easy to talk to, and listen to. it's funny, if she wanted it, i would totally want to be her friend outside the office. she just seems so sweet.

Laus Deo (taken from an email I received recently

Laus Deo
I thought that you and others may like to see this. One detail that is not mentioned in Washington, DC, is that there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument.
With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc... This is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this historical information.
On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington DC, are displayed two words: Laus Deo. No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less.
Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. But these words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched atop the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America
Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, un-noticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.
So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be to God!"
Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo ..........Praise be to God!"
From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with it's division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant...a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.
A cross you ask ? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on .. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice.
Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message. On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God!
When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy "One Nation, Under God."
I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on!
"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United states at large." And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Laus Deo!
When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look.
You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo", it's location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget it's meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1)

my sister is such a great coach! she just started this year, and her girls are just so fantastic! they are crisp, and their voices are powerful, they're together and enthusiastic. i had such a great time watching them.

Huge Update-moving out!

Big changes are in store in the next few months. My brother has decided to move out of our family house, and Daddy needs someone to rent or buy the house, or he will lose it.
Soooooo. Yippeeee. We're moving! We're working out renting to own.
Our lease is up at the end of March, so we'll probably be moving through March, cleaning, painting, packing etc. I'm going to try to take February to ebay some items that are cluttering up the place we have now.
Bobby was so sweet. He said "I'm leaving tons of nice things for you." thank you bobby! He's going to be moving to a little apt. so he doesn't need much, or want much for that matter. :) Pray for him, as he's going through an icky divorce. We're hoping everything works out with him and his son. He has a step daughter, a real sweetie, but she's 18 now, so she's allowed to do what she wants, lol. She's going to college in the fall, and so she'll be able to see Bob whenever she wants to. But, Andrew. Bobby wants to have Andrew with him, and I don't blame him. Andrew is a dollbaby. We want the kids to stay in our lives.

So! Back to the house! LOL! It will definitely need TONS of work. The bathroom needs to be gutted and redone. The kitchen needs major help. The rooms need to be cleaned top to bottom, and repainted. I'm not fond of the dark colors they chose for any of the rooms. To each his own.


Bobby made the yard wonderful, he's a great landscaper. This is a picture of how large it is. I was standing at the back of the garage taking the picture. The front yard is just like a professional landscaper did it, oh yeah, he is a professional landscaper! LOL!
We'll have to maintain that, as it looks fabulous. I would buy the house just for the yard alone, it's HUGE. I don't know what the basement needs, but we'd like to actually have it waterproofed and finished, so we can use it as a rec room, and play room. He's leaving the appliances, which is a Godsend for us, as we have a microwave, and that's it.
The driveway and the garage will need to be worked on. I'm so glad to have great people in our church that know about things like that. We'll be calling on a lot of people to help us.

The house is very close to highways, but we live on a nice little side street, so even though it's close to everything, our street isn't busy. There's a fantastic playground within walking distance. I know that will get used. I grew up in the house, and loved going to the playground. There is a major shopping strip just down the street with everything we'll need. I am very happy.

sleeping like a baby

It worked! baby Gabey binkie free!

(binkie free, messy shirt, lol)
update- day 4
no mention yet of the binkie! yahoooo.and he's teething, so he's not sleeping too well, but he's still not upset that he doesn't have the binkie. PTL!

yesterday morning, he woke up early because his teeth hurt, and he was half asleep and groping around his belly where the binkie used to hang on it's strap, but even then, he didn't look too long, and never mentioned it. i'm so proud of him. I'm glad we did it when we did, and the way we did. it worked.
so unless something happens, this is the last update.
all is well.

binkie award

we did it! i woke up this morning with a plan to get rid of the binkie, and we did it today!

i put them in a baggie inside a gift bag, and made up an award for gabey that said "I gave my binkie".
we went to the mall, and had mcdonalds.




i gave him the award, we took a picture, and i gave the binkie to a mom with a baby there. she was cool, and had her other kids clap, and give gabey high fives and cheer. he was ok, kind of whimpered a few times on the way home. he was like "binkie?"


at one point i put the sign on a coat hook on the car, and he held up bunny so bunny could see the award. later, he asked to hold it.




we got him a balloon that says "congratulations" on it. and when he saw it, he screamed, "BALLOON!!" and starting running around it in circles. i got video, but accidentally deleted it. lol.

he was fine until naptime, and then he cried for about a half an hour, and then we got him out, so it's 8:30pm and it's been a looooong afternoon for me. lol. jeff went to watch the ohio state game over his friend's house. gabey has been totally bipolar, lol, laughing and being giddy one second, and crying the next.
i'm not looking forward to tonight, i'm hoping he'll just be soooo dead tired, that he'll just drop off. here's to hoping. lol.

in between Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year

It's such an exhausting place to be in... right in the middle, don't you agree? The high from Christmas is wearing off, and the lull is a tad unsettling. The new year is looming, and with it all the resolutions that I dread making, because I know that by February, they will be just an uncomfortable memory of "something I should be doing, now what was it?"

We had the most wonderful Christmas. I just have to thank the Lord. He helped us have a fabulous family get together, that I know I'll remember. I made ham, that finally for the first time in three years, wasn't a disaster. (you ask... how do you mess up ham?! it's precooked! well, you have a point, but still, if something can go wrong with my cooking, it will. everyone has a talent, and cooking isn't one of mine. lol.) we all hung around in the living room together, talking and watching a christmas video, and then we read from the Bible, Isaiah, Matthew, and Luke about the birth of Jesus. we sang some christmas carols, and had a nice little talk. Such a warm time, so comfortable. we made it a point to make christmas gifts for eachother this year, just to help make the holiday more personal. my dad made a fantastic foot stool for under my sister's desk at work, my step mom made pillows and a photo album for my hubbie, my mom knitted pocket books for everyone, and a squishy ball for the baby, and my sister made a mother's bracelet for mom, ironed a nice snowman tote for me, and stained a little niknak shelf for my brother. :) i crocheted a wash cloth for my dad, a slipper tote for my stepmommy, a bookmark for my mom, a button towel for my brother, and a shawl and scarf for my sister's build a bear. it was soo great. i think i'll ask us to do that every year. boughten presents are nice, but handmade presents are so much better. you can see the love in them and the work.

so, now i just have to hang around and wait for the new year. and i just know it will be a great one.

quick hi before the holidays swamp us.

(GABE-ZILLA)


it's been a while since i've written anything here. i'm sure everyone else is as busy too, so you're probably not sitting around on your computer either, lol.
gabey keeps sabotaging the presents we put under the tree, so we finally put the presents all in garbage bags so he wouldn't open anything. lol. his back teeth coming in are giving him fits, he wakes up from every nap crying , and is waking up in the wee hours of the morning crying. i'm giving him advil, and that helps a little. we got most of our shopping done, except for our nephews and neice, which will just have to get checks. we went to the mall last night to get gift cards, and it turns out our card has been reported stolen, they flagged our account because there was a charge on it from BUCHAREST! um, no trips to bucharest lately, that i can recall! so we had to close the account, and we'll have to go to the bank branch to get another card. yicks. what a poopy thing to have happen just in time for the holidays, luckilly i had a little bit of cash, just enough to get the ham for sunday.
this weekend will be booked solid, so i probably won't even be on until next week. but then, i'll post pics and everything. update- we went to the bank, and cleared everything up, i love the USA!

Zippety Doo Dah!

Gabey sings
"Zippety Doo Dah!" it's so awesome, he says it really clear, and his voice goes up at the end like he's really singing it. what a ham!