Archive for category Current Happenings
Clumsily Green
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings on November 29, 2008
So, going green is all the rave and I’m in. I think it’s important that we are good stewards of our planet and not needlessly use up, waste or otherwise destroy resources.
The thing is, I’m very, very forgetful. And not that practiced in green living.
I’ve collected a rather impressive stash of reusable shopping bags. It took me several weeks to remember to bring them on my shopping trips. When I finally remembered to bring them on the trip, twice I left them in the van while I was in the store. Then I finally remember to bring in my shopping bags…yay! But I forget to tell the cashier I have them! Ugh! I didn’t remember until she had me all bagged and loaded into my cart.
I pulled out my shopping bags and said, “Oh, I forgot I had these…” and the look on her face told me I had not better request she take my bags back to be reused!
Yesterday, on my mega Black Friday shopping extravaganza, I forgot the bags…again. I did mostly request not to have bags when it seemed easier…like for my appliances I purchased.
Does anyone else out there do this? Have great green intentions but goof it up all the time?
Well, to help me redeem myself a bit, I also:
*have a clothesline
*am careful about lights being on (yesterday I was home alone and made sure I only had the light on in the room I was in…)
*have an energy efficient dryer
*plan on purchasing an energy efficient washer in the somewhat near future (Feb. or March)
*am changing light bulbs over to the energy efficient ones
*reuse, reuse, reuse (you know, all those plastic bags I have, and wipe containers, and frosting containers, and store bought cookie containers….)
What are you doing to be green? And any tips on how to freaking remember my reusable shopping bags?
Mishmash, Muppets, and Other Nonsense
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Out of the Mouths of Babes on July 1, 2007
Just the things running through my head…
Yesterday, my three year old step daughter was begging for dinner. Begging. She’d say she was hungry, and I’d say, “I’m working on it,” as I rolled out hamburger patties.
She’d say, “I want a French fry,” and reach towards the boiling oil with the potatoes frying in it. I’d stop her in the nick of time and warn her about burns.
“Can I have that bread? I hungry,” she says and I remind her that it won’t be long until dinner will be ready.
“I want Kool-aid,” she demands.
“Could you just hold your horses?” I finally say.
With a puzzled look, she holds up her hands in a confused gesture and states,” But I don’t have any horses.”
***********************************************************************
My four year old nephew has been sitting in church with us for a few weeks now. Just for some background information, my sister has been out of church regularly for several years. She has recently started attending church on a very regular basis. But, my nephew hasn’t been to that many church services.
My pastor, is a very serious looking man. He’s not very tall, at all. But he’s a presence still. Gray hair, glasses. Like I said, very serious.
In church last week, my nephew, Hunter, was sitting beside his mother when all of a sudden he asks, “Is that Bro. Bill up there preaching, or is that God?”
When my sister, trying not to laugh, tells him that is most definitely not God, but our pastor, Bro. Bill.
Hunter says, “I don’t know. Maybe it really is God.”
My sister says, “No, it’s not. It’s Bro. Bill.”
Hunter’s final reply is, “Well, he’ll just be God to me then.”
Oh my.
************************************************************************
Can’t get away from those Muppets. Thank you Mopsy.
When showing my six year old son this video, he replies profoundly, “Oh, I get it. It’s a nothing joke!”
Yes, Landon. It is.
************************************************************************
Out of curiosity, do any of you have words in your family that are inside jokes? We have this thing about the word nothing. Which probably helps explain why I think that last story was funny. For some reason, the word nothing is often used as a joke in our house. I’d explain it, but I doubt you’d think it’s funny.
Are we just weird?
Would you like to try a nothing muffin? Oh, never mind!
**************************************************************************
My husband’s birthday was Saturday. Happy Birthday Josh!
He’s gonna be 30 next year. It seems we are getting old. 
**************************************************************************
My 10 year class reunion was this past month. I was surprised to find that most people still looked great, maybe even better than they did in high school. I also think they were mostly nicer, or maybe it was just that I no longer care what they think of me. Out of all the people I saw, only one really creeped me out. I think that was pretty good! I graduated with some pretty cool people!
***************************************************************************
We bought a new chest freezer this weekend! Yay!
Disclaimer: I never said what I had to say would be interesting!
***************************************************************************
Shiloh made it back from camp, not only in one piece, but actually having had a great time. I feel better with her under my care again. What a heart wrenching week last week was.
******************************************************************************
Except for when I met up with a blogging buddy for a picnic at a playground. This is the second time Christy and I have picnicked. It’s grand fun having a blogging buddy in the neighborhood.
Who all knew picnicked was spelled with a k? I did not! Don’t you want me teaching your children?
************************************************************************
Sigh. Speaking of teaching. My summer break is half over. Half over! Not fair. Where has the time gone?
************************************************************************
Any cool ideas for packing lunches in a thermos? I’d love to hear them. Come on Beck, don’t let me down.
*************************************************************************
My Two Cents (well, not mine, really)
Posted by Bethany in Bloggity Blog, Current Happenings on April 27, 2007
I haven’t written anything on my blog about the shootings at VA Tech last week for several reasons. The first, and most obvious, is that blogging seems to be taking a back burner to life these days. I’ve thought about it, I have thoughts to share, I just haven’t had the time to invest in something meaningful.
Another reason, is that I don’t get a lot of media. We don’t watch television. I rarely check the news online. I rarely hear the news on the radio. If something major happens, like this, I generally hear about it second hand from my husband, mother or sister. They keep me informed. I may then look up information on the topic. Call me ill-informed, but I usually hear about things late. I rarely have lots of intimate details. Mostly, I like it that way.
But, the main reason, would be that so many other bloggers, better bloggers, who have written meaningful things about it, have pretty much covered the story. Often from a perspective I’d rather like to adopt.
One of those bloggers is Blest With Sons. Her post God Bless the Sheepdogs, does an excellent job of taking the attention away from the the perpetrator and focusing our attention on a hero.
76 year old Professor Liviu Lebrescu was a sheepdog yesterday, giving his life to save his students. I honor him with all my heart. We can’t always know by looking who are the sheepdogs among us, but thank God they are there.
And then Catez, of All Things 2 All, has a post, Will the Media Get Real, where she asks talks tough about the media’s handling of the video sent to them by the murderer. Very thought provoking.
If ever anything needed to be turned upside down it is this tabloid reality tv mentality, in which we the viewers are treated like voyeurs who will gasp and gape at the most insensitive and irresponsible fare served up to us under the guise of keeping us informed. We know that it only takes one. If another individual goes on to copy this and wreak the destruction of several lives in a distorted quest for fame, will the media wash their hands behind the excuse that they just do what is in the public interest? When faced with these questions will they evade their part and query back like Pilate, “What is truth?”
**While you are checking out Catez’s blog, why don’t you hop on over and vote for her at the Blogger’s Choice Awards. I can’t think of a better candidate! 
I’m all about babies
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings on April 6, 2007
I love babies. And this year I’m walking in the March of Dimes Walk America to help raise money to help prevent miscarriages and premature births.
If you would like to sponsor me, and help this cause, you can make a donation here, at my Walk America Personal Page.
Thanks! 
It’s a Jolly Holiday….
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Rambling in Progress on February 20, 2007
In honor of Mardi Gras, I’m going to repost my thoughts of Fat Tuesday from last year! Hope you enjoy!
************************************************************************
Today is Mardi Gras. The day before Ash Wednesday. In my neck of the woods, Mardi Gras is a much celebrated holiday. I got yesterday and today off from work just in case I had any inclination to join in the hoop-la that surely ensued.
But what is Mardi Gras? Where did it come from? Why should we celebrate it? Or should we celebrate it?
One parish web-site from Louisana has this to say:
The history of Mardi Gras began long before Europeans set foot in the New World. In mid February the ancient Romans celebrated the Lupercalia, a circus like festival not entirely unlike the Mardi Gras we are familiar with today. When Rome embraced Christianity, the early Church fathers decided it was better to incorporate certain aspects of pagan rituals into the new faith rather than attempt to abolish them altogether. Carnival became a period of abandon and merriment that preceded the penance of Lent, thus giving a Christian interpretation to the ancient custom.
This seems to have been the origin of several Christian holidays though. Christmas, Easter….they were all Christians adopting holy days of pagans and adding a Christian reason for celebrating.
I grew up being told that Mardi Gras was related to the Catholic holiday Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent. I grew up in a small town with a small Catholic population. I really only knew a few Catholics and they were not very devout at all.
Of couse, they celebrated Mardi Gras, but then, everyone else seemed to celebrate it as well. (Mardi Gras is huge along the Gulf Coast region with New Orleans being the Mecca of Mardi Gras….a mere hour and a half away from me!)
As I went to college, I met other members of the Catholic church, much more devout than the few I grew up with. I realized then that Mardi Gras was much more important to the frat boys on campus than the devout Catholic friends I was making. One friend of mine scorned it completey. She would have no part. And all this time I was convinced it was some Holy Day for Catholicism.
One other thing I realized as I grew older (I did figure this one out before college!) was that people everywhere did not celebrate Mardi Gras. In fact, it seemed that people in other regions of the country barely knew what Mardi Gras was.
If this is such an important day for Catholics, it seemed many were not celebrating….I began wondering. What is it about Mardi Gras?
One Louisana magazine has this to say:
South Louisiana’s first recorded use of the name Mardi Gras was in 1699 when Pierre le Moyne, Sieur D’Iberville, landed at the mouth of a small bayou along the Mississippi River on Tuesday, March 2, and named it Bayou du Mardi Gras. The people of this area have been celebrating Carnival in one manner or another ever since.
Which explains the geographical region of the Gulf Coast being Mardi Gras main stomping ground. But if this truly were a religous holiday, why would it not be celebrated everywhere Roman Catholics worship? Which, as far as I know, would pretty much be all over America….all over the world…
It appears that Chistians attempted to “civilize” this pagan celebration by tying it to lent. (This also from Slidell Magazine)
The Christians revived the original feeling of atonement in their spring rites of feasting before the Lenten Season of abstinence and contrition for sins. These Christians titled this celebration “carnelevare” or “farewell to the flesh,” because no meat would be eaten during the Lenten Season.
It seems that it only really became a hit as a big time of celebration in France:
The French gradually began celebrating the season and by the Middle Ages it was in full swing. They began masquerading at lavish balls and also introduced the “boe of gras,” a huge bull which was paraded through the streets. Their name for Carnival became the official title for the celebration all over the world, “Mardi Gras.” It means Fat Tuesday.
And as stated before, was brought to the Gulf Coast by the French explorer, D’Iberville, bringing Mardi Gras to the Gulf Coast.
I e-mailed a fellow blogger of the Catholic faith, just to make sure our version of Mardi Gras was not some twisted version of a real holiday. Although she wasn’t certain of the origin of Mardi Gras she definately does not celebrate it.
Which leads me to believe that Mardi Gras is not a Christian holiday of any sort. It is much closer related to the pagan holidays of ancient Rome as described here. (Still from Slidell Magazine):
The origin of Mardi Gras is in the pagan feast of the Greeks’ celebration for the coming spring. Evander, son of Hermes, was a mythical Greek king who settled near Rome and is credited with bringing this ritual to Italy. The Romans called it “februa,” which means “acts of atonement.” The spirit of contrition (carried out by naked people being whipped by a priest) was gradually corrupted by the Romans into public lewdness and debauchery.
Which is much like what happens at the Mardi Gras parades along the Gulf Coast. Although the parades here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast do not allow nudity, it seems that New Orleans parades aren’t as prudish. Generally, anything goes. Yet the theme of most parades, anywhere along the Gulf Coast tends to be to get as drunk as possible and collect the largest amount of beads, at any cost. Did I mention at any cost? (Disclaimer: there are several parades that try to be more family friendly and safe for kids….)
How do I know?
I must admit to having celebrated Mardi Gras, at least a little bit in my past.
I grew up in a Christian home where Mardi Gras was looked down on. As a child/teenager I was not allowed to attend Mardi Gras parades (even family friendly ones). I think I twirled baton in one in second grade but other than that I don’t recall ever going to a parade until I was in college.
My sophomore year in college I went on a day trip to New Orleans. It was a whole three weeks before Mardi Gras, at least. Yet we ran into a parade. We had a great time and wondered why we hadn’t participated in this all along. (And I didn’t see anyone flash the floats for beads.)
So, we made plans to attend several Mardi Gras festivities that year (believe me there were plenty to choose from.) So we spent the weekend before Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Mardi Gras day at several parades in Biloxi.
So yeah. The above quote about the ancient celebrations in Rome fit nicely.
So, should Christians have anything to do with a holiday like Mardi Gras?
My daughter asked me this year why we didn’t celebrate Mardi Gras. I guess I never really thought about it other than I didn’t want my children around all the wild revelry that accompanies the parades and balls. Her question was why we couldn’t go to some of the parades that were for kids.
This hasn’t really been something I’ve ever thought of before. That is why I asked my readers what their opinion of Mardi Gras was. (And because I wanted to see just how geographical the carnival was…and whether anyone saw any real religious significance in it). (I’m not gonna quote the people who really didn’t know anything about it. You can read all comments from What Are Your Thoughts on Mardi Gras here.)
So I want to share a few comments from my readers with my opinion thrown in….
Laura says:
Okay, here is what I know about Mardi Gras. It starts with something called Fat Tuesday (or does it end with it?); there might be something involving a King cake with a baby in it, but that might be some other occasion. What else… oh yeah, there is lots of drinking and cavorting, shiny beads which people want badly enough to flash strangers for, and lots of pick-pocketing. How’s that for stellar ignorance and stereotyping?
Not bad actually. Just about sums it up.
Mopsy says:
The first word that popped in my head was “hedonism”. Unfortunately. My only experience is watching glimpses on the TV news and everyone appears to be very intoxicated and half-naked.
Yep. They do appear to be that way don’t they? It’s probably because most of them are.
And from the recently moved from up north to the Gulf Coast mother, Princess Ruby says:
I had heard of it growing up in Michigan, but didn’t know what it was in the least. Not until I moved down here did I educate myself on it, being that it goes on and on for the longest time. There are millions of parades you can take your family to, every store has Mardi Gras stuff to sell, you see people’s beads hanging all over the place. It is ridiculous to me. We do not celebrate it. After I read up on what it is a bit more I thought it best to steer clear of it (and of course dh thought so too). Why go and sin on Fat Tuesday only to ‘repent’ the next day? Why take part in even a little part of it (say taking the family to a parade)? We will have no part in it. Having even a little part of celebrating such a ‘heathen holiday’ (in my mind) is like celebrating all of it. We’re supposed to have NO part of the world. To me, its such a part of the world. I think it sad to see so many Christians celebrating it. I think it is so wrong. That is just me though. Maybe it was began to mean well, I’m not certain, but it certainly hasn’t turned out that way now….Hope these thoughts make sense, I’m trying to steer my children in the right direction while I type my thoughts!
Must be culture shock to move down here and experience Mardi Gras for the first time! (If you are a Christian, that is…)
Now, from a reader of mine who actually grew up in New Orleans. Carol has this to say:
My enormous family lives in N.O. They all celebrate it and I grew up celebrating with them even though I’ve never lived in N.O. or anywhere close. We went in for visits at Carnival time. As kids, we had a blast watching parades and catching beads. The family always gathered at my aunt’s house – on the parade route – and did a huge crawfish boil, gumbo, etc.
It could still be a lot of fun if it wasn’t so heavily steeped in hedonism and debauchery and if I wasn’t a Christian. It’s funny how our perception of what’s fun changes once we surrender our will to His. Anyway, I’ve taken the kids a couple of times and still watch parades on my aunt’s front lawn, but it’s not like the revelry down in the Quarter; much more tame and family-oriented. (No clue when we’ll ever try to go back for Carnival under the circumstances.)
I usually do have a king cake sent from N.O. (not this year – just bought a local knock-off instead – it’s not very good) and I let the kids wear beads to school on Fat Tuesday. Half of everyone here is clueless about Mardi Gras and nobody celebrates it.
The reason I participate in this little way is to honor my heritage, however questionable. I think it’s important to teach my kids about traditions of their forefathers – but I make sure they know the downside as well.
And yeah, it makes no sense to engage in hedonism one day and go to confession the next.
I was so glad to have Carol’s perspective. Someone who grew up celebrating this holiday. And I can understand where she is coming from about passing on heritage. I think she made some great points (and King Cake is delicious…)But the key phrase from her comment was this:
It makes no sense to engage in hedonism one day and go to confession the next.
That is one of my biggest problems with Mardi Gras. The idea that you are about to have to give up something (for Lent) and so you better live it up on Fat Tuesday and enjoy all the things of the flesh before you become “spiritual”. And I’ve noticed that devout Catholics (or others who celebrate Lent, find no need for this feeding the flesh one last time….)
And Rev-Ed adds:
Great Lakes region. Nobody cares about Mardi Gras here unless they are looking for an excuse to get drunk. (The same people will also celebrate Arbor Day and Be Kind to Animals Week in the same fashion.)
The idea always seemed so ridiculous to me. The day before we give up certain things, we’ll go out and get so sick of them that we won’t miss them for the first week! Take some of that “religious edge” off the whole thing.
I’ve thought the same thing about the people who celebrate Mardi Gras here. Even though here more people do it, it’s not for any religous reason. It’s looking for an excuse to particiapate in debauchery.
So, my reason for not celebrating Mardi Gras, or even taking my daughter to one of the (few) child friendly parades….
I don’t want to be a part of celebrating a holiday that’s main point seems to be pleasing the flesh. Whether a small participant, or a big one, I feel like it’s something that Christian are best to steer clear of!
1 Thessalonians 5:22 states that we should:
Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Read the whole chapter here.
I’m pretty sure that would include Mardi Gras celebrations….
Now, feel free to comment and let me know if I’ve got this all wrong! Tell me what you think about Christians celebrating Mardi Gras (if you haven’t already). Or if you have something to add, well, feel free to add it!
And meanwhile, Happy Fat Tuesday.
Gender Preferences and Ultrasounds
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Family Matters, Motherhood on June 21, 2006
Just reading around the blogosphere one day got me to this post about people being upset when they find out the gender of their child at the ultrasound.
He tells a story about he and his wife finding out the gender of their child at the ultrasound. When they were excited to find out they were having a girl the tech mentioned some reactions she had witnessed from other couples who found out they were having a girl.
The sonogram technician told us that you’d be surprised at how many women burst into tears upon hearing the news, and apologize on the spot to their husbands or male partners.
and then….
Julie and I were astonished by this, and appalled. You hear of this kind of thing in China and India, where many people murder female babies in the womb, but I had not really expected that kind of prejudice to linger in our society. The technician indicated that it is a lot more common here than many people might suspect.
Although I find that a bit sad, I was surprised at some of the discussion that took place in the comment section about ultrasounds in general. Call me naive, but I didn’t know they were as controversial as they seem to be from this thread. I encourage you to read it (and I think if you do most of my post will make a little more sense….). I’m curious what other people out there think….
Do you see anything morally wrong with ultrasounds or other in vitro testing?
Now, I’m going to go ahead and let you in on my little secret. Not only do I not have a problem with ultrasounds, I’m heading out tomorrow, at three o’clock precisely, to find out the gender of my unborn child.
You see, we cannnot stand to wait for the “surprise”. I mean, if for some reason we do not get to find out the sex, we shall live. And the surprise later will be fun.
I have also found that ultrasounds are very effective in the pro-life movement. Most of the comments from the post I linked to, that were against ultrasounds, seemed to think they were harmful to the pro-life movement.
One commentor had this to say:
Why do people get sonograms, especially Crunchy Cons opposed to abortion? We’ve had seven children and never felt this procedure was appropriate, not to mention “necessary.” If anything, it certainly robbed the birth of the excitement attendant to proclaiming “what” the baby is..
And another had this to say:
…it gives you a chance to abort the baby if there’s anything wrong.
We turned down all the Downs tests because how in the world would that help if we knew?
I guess some people abort if they have a Downs baby? How sick is that?
My mother worked for several years in a pregnancy crisis center. It appears that if a woman can see an ultrasound the chances of her aborting her child are a lot less likely. Whereas, I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a story where a family decided to abort a child based on a gender preference. Although stories like that linked above make you wonder….tears and apologies due to the babies gender. Sounds silly.
My comment- (and to explain the blaming the father thing…well, it stems from the original post and several commentors were jokingly saying that men were responsible for the sex of the child…even though I really think all that a bit silly…God is the one who decides a child’s gender…..)
I don’t think people are actually blaming the father for the sex of the child. I’ve taken all those comments as tounge in cheek. I think most are apalled by the fact that there are apologies and weeping over the fact of NOT having a child of a particular sex. Babies of all gender are precious and wonderful.
Of course, most of us have a preference. That doesn’t mean we should fall into depression when we don’t “get what we want”. I wanted a daughter for my first child. Desperately. Would I have loved a male child any less? No. I have a son now as well. I adore that kid! I’m now pregnant with a third child. My husband’s fingers are crossed that it is a boy. My son and daughter are both hoping for a sister. Currently, I don’t care. I love both my children of each gender….but the “competition” going on in my house is kinda fun!
When we find out what we are having at the end of this month there will be much rejoicing, regardless of the sex of the child.
Why have a sonongram? Some people chose not to. No problem! I know several who like that surprise delivery room announcement. However, we are drooling over baby clothes and bedding in pinks and blues. We want to get ready.
I don’t think there is anything partiuclarly wrong with finding out the sex of your baby. Sure, it may turn out differently, but that really just makes great birth stories to tell your child later. “We thought you were going to be a boy and bought all this blue stuff! Boy did you suprise us! We had to take it all back!”
I don’t think sonograms are for people who would have an abortion. In fact sonograms are often used in convincing women that thier babies are “real, living babies” and not a blob of tissue.
So, for me, that’s why a sonogram. I cannot answer for Rob. But I think sonograms are helpful for the pro-life movement, not hurtful to it!
Congratulations Rob! Girls (as well as boys) are true blessings!!
I’m not knocking having a gender preference….
As well as having our curiousity satisfied, we have a few gender preferences around the house. My husband is hoping for a baby boy. My daughter is hoping for a baby sister. My son can’t decide from one day to another whether he would prefer a baby sister or a baby brother. My sister, mother to three boys, is hoping to have another neice to shower girlie things upon. And I truly don’t care one way or another except that there is more space for a crib in my son’s room than my daughter’s room…
Do I think this little preference game terrible? Are we all sexist bigots?
Nah. We are all just having a bit of fun. I can guarantee you that the outcome of tomorrow’s ultrasound will be cause for great rejoicing, no matter the gender of our unborn child. There will be no tears shed in this household because of the sex of a child.
But what do you think? Ultrasound or no? Why or why not? Did you have a gender preference? Ever?
I’m just curious!!
And to make this interesting…how about a poll? Do you think my child will be male, or female?
A Big Splash!
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Motherhood, Picturesque on June 10, 2006
Yesterday finished up our VBS program, which was a lot of fun. But it did wear us out, terribly. We had air conditioning problems all week, which are now worked out (finally!) so it was also a hot week! Did you know four kids can drink two gallons of Kool-aid a day? As well as some tea, water, and soda! We drank a lot!
We come home from VBS hot, tired and kinda on the cranky side only to see my neighbor is hosting the Royal Ambassadors party from church. This is for boys in 1st-6th grade. None of my children or step-children qualify. Which isn’t such a big deal except for the enormous water slide that has been erected in my landlord’s backyard….and my kids are hot…and they love water….and well, it just seemed a bit on the sad side. I was dreading keeping the children out of that party.
I mean, check this out! How fun does this look?
I began the speech. “Sorry, guys. It’s not our party. I know it looks like fun. Next year two of you will be old enough. We’ll do somehting fun inside” (Yeah, right! It’s 90 degrees inside….and cutting and coloring crafts were a pale comparaision to that huge monstrosity of a waterslide….I was even feeling the gloom. Hey…I like slides too!)
Fortunately, although obviously disappointed, the kids were quite adorable about it. They didn’t perk up or act happy, but they didn’t whine or try to invite themselves either. (I cannot stand when people invite themselves….so I was proud of them…cause it was a hard thing to do. Or to not do.)
Shiloh was helping me unload the massive amount of things I had dragged from the house to the church for VBS when our neighbor lady calls out, “Shiloh, you better get your swimsuit on!”
She stops and looks at me. “Can I Momma?”
I look at said neighbor lady and ask, “Are you sure that’s okay? I know this is an RA party. None of my crew are RA’s.”
“Let me ask my husband.”
So I caution Shiloh not to let the others know. I was afraid my neighbor was speaking out of place…she wasn’t really involved in RA’s, just married to the teacher. And although our neighbors are incredibly good about including us, I just didn’t know about this. I also reminded Shiloh that it still might not be okay. Not to get her hopes up….
“Okay mamma.” Yeah right. Too late!
Well, a few minutes later our neighbor came back to inform us that the RA party didn’t actually start for two hours. My kids were welcome to play until then and then the boys could stay for the party if they liked.
I felt like shouting ,”Whoopeeeee!” at the top of my lungs. Instead I calmly walk inside and tell the kids to put on their swimsuits. Hehe….don’t you love how well kids obey when you tell them to put on their swimsuits on? Why don’t they obey as happily when asked to clean their room? I don’t get it! I mean these kids were dressed and out the door in a matter of seconds!
Anyway…they had a blast. Except Shiloh caught an elbow going down the slide and has a pretty serious black eye. Ouch. She made me promise not to post any pictures of her black eye on my blog though. I feel bad for her but it is kinda cute. Once I got over being upset about it!
But all pictures posted below are pre-black eye….just so you know I did let her have her way on this particular isssue!
Whoa Bethany! Two posts in one day! And on a Saturday!
Anticipation….
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Family Matters on April 5, 2006
Ship Date: 2006-04-04 18:08
Shipping Method: UPS 2 DAY AIR
That is from an e-mail I recieved yesterday from B and H PhotoVideo
You know what it’s for? Huh? Can you guess?
This!
I’m finally getting a replacement camera for the one the one that was damaged during Katrina! And I’m even upgrading a bit!
Oh….I can hardly wait to see that box tomorrow.
Brown paper packages
Wrapped up with string.
I am a teeny bit excited. In case you didn’t notice.
Walks off humming Favorite Things….
I’m the Birthday Girl
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, Family Matters on March 29, 2006
Here are my presents….
An Alan Jackson Hymns and a Sara Evans CD from the kids.
And from Joshua, this pretty rose. He’s starting a flower collection for me….this is my second one!
He also got me a WillowTree figure….
My parents are building me three picninc tables over my mother’s spring break…so I don’t have those yet but will before Easter! And I’ve received several cards from friends….
A very nice birthday….never mind being sick! Hehe!
A Basketball Story to Bring Tears to Your Eyes
Posted by Bethany in Current Happenings, The Great Game of Basketball and Other Mediocre Sports on February 28, 2006
For those of you who really know me, you know it doesn’t take much of a basketball story to bring a tear to my eye. I love the game of basketball. I’m a former player and a current die-hard fan of the game. But this story will warm your heart even if you have no love of the game (God forbid!)
Here is a video clip of an autistic boy who was the manager of his high school basketball team. His coach lets him play in the last game of the season….click here to find out what happens! Such an awesome story!