Off to visit my parents

Well, I just got done packing my bags and I still have lots to do before we leave to go visit my parents tomorrow. I am quite excited because I don't get to see them too often or as often as I would like. My Mom and I are like two peas in a pod, from the same mold or I guess you could even say cloned. We are just so much alike that it is unbelievable. It is all a good thing!! We like the same things, think alike, act alike and we are just like best of friends. I talk to my Mom all of the time. A couple times a day and I enjoy it tremendously. It is hard for us to pass a day without talking to each other so, I guess you could say it is a good thing that we have unlimited long distance (lol). Anyway, we are taking out of here early tomorrow morning. We will probably get there around 9 am and visit with my Dad for a little bit and then we will leave for Amish Country. We normally eat at our favorite restaurant (yummy food I tell ya) and then we will hit the antique stores and of course the primitive stores. Our favorite store is Country Gatherings in Berlin, Ohio. They have some cute stuff and the amish made furniture is great!! My Mom had purchased quite a few pieces for me in the past, one of which is my cabinet in my kitchen. Look at "Some of my favorite things" post and you will see my black cabinet. LOVE IT!! Anyway, we always enjoy our time together and they are moments that I cherish and replay over and over in my head. I just can't wait to see them and visit and one of my favorite things is my Mom's cooking. Ah yes, there is nothing better then your own Mom's cooking. She is fixing homemade ranch dressing for my salad, her homemade lasagna and carrot cake. Yep, I think I will be in heaven!! So, what are some favorites that your Mom fixes for you?

Come on - share because I am all ears!!

Trick-or-Treat Night

Last night was a fun filled evening for all. We took Cameron Trick-or-Treating for the 2nd time since he was born. Last year he was a yellow duck (a cute one at that) and this year he was none other then the famous Mickey Mouse. Cameron is totally into Mickey Mouse so when I found the costume on E-Bay, I of course had to buy it. I lost so many bids and then I finally ended up with 2 costumes. Oh well, I will just re-sell them on E-Bay next year. Anyway, Cameron loved walking around to all of the houses. He wasn't into saying Trick or Treat and instead he simply stuck his pumpkin out and said "Candy Peese". It was so cute!! Everyone got a kick out of it and Shawn and I couldn't stop laughing. He is just too stinkin cute. I took some pictures of him and thought I would share them with you. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and don't forget we FALL BACK this weekend - YAHOO!!

Thankful Thursday

There are so many things that I am thankful for, but today I experienced some of the things that I miss since being a SAHM. Yep, believe it or not there are things that I use to experience that I don't get to experience that much anymore and today after a looooong time I was able to enjoy these simple things that I have missed so much. If you read my previous post, you know that I had a doctors appt today. Well, I ended up going by myself and to be honest it was quite nice to have some alone time..... something I don't get alot of anymore.

I jumped into my Honda CRV (totally miss driving it by the way) and off I went. The first think I am thankful for today is the sun that slowly started peeking up ahead of me as I am driving down the highway. It was a beautiful sight to say the least. The other thing that I am thankful for is the wonderful Contemporary Christian music that played on my radio. If I listen to music anymore it is on a CD and rarely have the chance to listen to my radio so I was very thankful for the music that moved me this morning on our local station. I also had the opportunity to sing like no ones business today. I turned up the music and I sang like some crazy woman. People passing me were probably thinking that I was some nut case, but I didn't care. It felt GREAT to be out of the house and by myself. I listened to Chris Tomlin, Natalie Grant, MercyMe, Nicole C. Mullin, Casting Crowns and the list went on. I was just so thankful for the time that I got to spend with God this morning. I enjoyed it tremendously and I am so thankful that I was able to experience that time today. You don't ever realize that you miss it that much until it is gone.

It seems as though since Cameron was born I don't have much free "alone" time anymore. I wouldn't change it for anything, but everytime we go somewhere in the car it is either Cameron and I or Shawn is in for the ride as well. There is just something about having that special one on one time with God, that alone time, that time to sing and worship God and thank him for all of the wonderful things he has done in your life. Don't get me wrong..... I thank him daily and it doesn't require me to have a ride in the car in order to do that, but today was just different. I felt so close to our God and it was a WONDERFUL feeling!! What a great way to start out the day!! So, what are you thankful for today?

My Urine Sample Adventure

I was up at the butt crack of dawn this morning....literally up with the chickens and roosters!! I had called my doctors office yesterday and explained that I needed to get in to see him. Some of you don't know this, but now you will. I am a diabetic and was diagnosed quite a few years ago. Unfortunately, it runs in my family so I was just one of those lucky ones to get it. Anyway, my glucose levels have been running awfully high, I have had no energy, very tired all the time and I guess you could say down right irritable. So, the doctors office got me in this morning. They changed my meds around, ordered bloodwork, took a lovely urine specimen and the list goes on. I told the gal that took my blood this morning that she was just in time for Halloween. I mean for Pete's Sake they took 3 large vials of blood and I am surprised they left me with any blood at all. I was done with that and then she gave me a small (wee little) cup to pee in. Ok, I wish I would have know that they were going to ask me for a urine sample because right before I went in for my appt. I had to go potty so I went potty. Have you ever tried to give them a urine sample when you don't have to go? Oh geesh, that was quite a chore. I sat in there for the longest time.....they probably thought I fell in. It was a good thing they had drinking cups on the wall because I partaked in large amounts of water in order to help me pee and I even ran the water thinking that it would help the urge to go. My Mom always told me to run the water because it might help me go, but unfortunately that didn't quite work for me this morning. Ahh, I was getting quite frustrated and nervous to say the least. I normally don't worry about what other people think, but I was in there for awhile trying to go and then finally out of no where comes a very small stream. OH, I WAS SO EXCITED!! I finally had urine...... it was like I hit gold (lol). Anyway, I was relieved to say the least that I was finally able to go and then what happens? Can you think of what happened next? Yep, you guessed right!! I pee'd right on my hand. Gotta love it. What should be a simple urine test turned into something so difficult and irritating to say the least. Why do us women have it so difficult when men just have to aim and shoot? Other then my lovely urine sample adventure, I have to have an ultrasound done on my gall bladder to see if some issues that I have been experiencing could be caused by my gall bladder. Afterall, everyone else in my family has had theirs removed so I am sure that I am doomed for that as well. Gotta love inheriting things from your family.....especially those not so good things. So, you wonder what is next on my list today. I guess we will take it as it goes and just roll with the punches.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

CAN YOU SAY SILLY?

Mommy loves to Brag

I know, I know, every Mommy loves to brag about their child or children. I had to brag today about Cameron and how smart he is becoming. Last night I cut Cameron's hair as well as Shawn's and afterwards I had to give Cameron a bath to get all of the hair off him. Before I forget make sure to check out my next week's Not Me! Monday posts (pretty funny). Anyway, let me continue on with the bragging. I was getting Cameron's jammies ready along with a diaper and off we went up the stairs. Every single time we go up stairs I always make sure to count with him and last night was no exception. The only difference is that he decided to start counting all by himself and Shawn and I were shocked by what we heard. We knew that he could count to 5, but when he started counting after that we were amazed by how smart he was. It is amazing when you see such a small child know so much. He is smart and he is learning more and more everyday. We sometimes think he is too smart for his own good, but that will be a positive for him as he continues to grow. I think every parents wishes only the best for their little ones and even though we love to keep them small, we still wish only the best for our children. Mommy is so proud of you Cameron. I love you more and more every single day!!

Pumpkin Carving Time

We had a fun time tonight. We promised Cameron that we would carve his pumpkin, so we held up our end of the bargain. I am sure he wouldn't know one way or another, but we always try to keep our word and we truly enjoy doing little things to make him happy. I am not sure that he enjoyed the pumpkin carving process. We tried to get him involved and allow him to dig into the pumpkin and feel the insides, but he wasn't too into that and we didn't force him. He was perfectly content just watching Daddy and I clean it out and then carve the face. He was pretty happy once the face was complete. Here are a few pictures that I wanted to share with you.

Writing to our local Congressmen

Well, I just got done typing a letter to our local Congressmen here in Ohio. I wanted to take some time to express my thoughts and concerns when it came to infertility coverage by insurance companies or I guess I should say the lack of infertility coverage. Did you know that back in 1998, the United States Supreme court ruled that reproduction is a major life activity under the "Americans with Disabilities Act." This ruling demonstrates the importance of reproduction and the impact that infertility, in which the ability to reproduce is impaired, has on the lives of men and women. Insurers have been arguing for years that bearing children is a lifestyle choice, BUT it is not a choice to have a disease that prevents a person from having the option to bear children. It is unfortunate to know that insurance companies do not provide coverage for treatment to overcome this disease, but single out infertility for exclusion. I find this to be discriminatory!! I just want couples out there like my husband and I to have the opportunity to experience the joy of parenthood. They shouldn't have to worry about going bankrupt in order to start a family or grow a family. Our voices should be heard and I am hoping that by sending a letter to a couple people in Congress, that it will help and hopefully encourage them to help us and many others as we struggle with this horrible disease.

I encourage you today to help others. Make your voice be heard and hopefully we can all help one another in this disease!!

Not Me! Monday

It's that time again to share some embarrasing moments with you from the previous week that I so did not do, would never do and would never think about doing. You gotta check out Mckmama and her site in order to participate and make sure you spend some time reading other posts as well by all the other guys and gals totally addicted to this fun game!!

1) I so did not try to get out of going with my SIL to Kings Island because I didn't want to be scared by the creepy people dressed up for Halloween. Nope, not me!

2) I did not and would never try to tempt my hubby with a sexy nightie with hopes that he would stay home with me instead of making me go and get scared out of my wits by the creepy and goulish monsters at Kings Island. I would never do such a thing...... no way!!

3) Oh no, I never get scared and I am not a scaredy cat. Nope, not me!!

4) I did not have to end up going to Kings Island because my hubby thought it would be mean to not go since my SIL bought the tickets for us for our upcoming anniversary

5) I so did not even joke with my SIL telling her that she could've given me movie tickets instead of these tickets to the amusement park where I would be scared while walking around

6) I so did not think I was young again and ride the Firehawk at Kings Island

7) I would never ever ride a roller coaster and scream the whole way through

8) I did not ride the roller coaster and almost mess my pants. Oh no, I am way too young to do that.

9) I did not dream about posting my Not Me! Mondays last night

10) I did not dream about my hubby eating a starfish fresh out of the ocean and get excited that I could blog about it. I would never dream about something so stupid.

Weekend Snapshot #1

Proud to be a Newbie at Weekend Snapshot. If you haven't checked out the site then be sure to head there after you leave your comment about my picture for the week. There are lots of great pictures taken by guys and gals. Below is my picture for this week.
This dragonfly was right outside our back door. I was so excited that I got some neat pictures of it and I thought I would share them with you. Pretty neat - huh? I love the detail that you can see with the wings. Have fun and enjoy the weekly posts.

What a wonderful hubby I have

We have really had an enjoyable weekend here in Ohio. Saturday night was quite exciting since we went to Kings Island and enjoyed some roller coasters courtesy of my SIL. Be sure to check out my Not Me! Monday posts about that. Did I say that I think I am getting too old for roller coasters? Anyway, it was alot of fun and I send out a BIG thank you to my SIL for taking my hubby and I and for buying the tickets. Awww, she is so tweet!!

Anyway, I decided to take advantage of the quiet time today and enjoy a nice quiet nap. Cameron was sound asleep in his crib and my dear hubby was watching football so I decided to go lay down in bed and take a nap. Ah, it was so nice to have a nap. I was worn out from walking all around Kings Island last night and we got in waaaaaaay past our bedtime last night (lol). Cameron and Shawn woke me up with some sweet kisses and Cameron of course had to open the blinds and jump on the bed (gotta love that when you first wake up). I came downstairs to a clean home. The laundry was all caught up, the toys were picked up and the dinner was already in the oven. WOW - what more could I have asked for when I woke up from a nice long and quiet nap? My hubby is so good to me and he was so my knight and shining armor last night at Kings Island. Gotta love him!!

Your Gonna Miss This

As Cameron grows bigger and bigger I realize that there are so many moments that I am gonna miss. I already miss the moments that he use to share with me as we snuggled on the couch when he was wee little. I can barely get him to stay on my lap for very long anymore. He is such a busy little bee and doesn't want to miss out on anything. Here is a picture that my hubby took of us while we were camping last weekend. Ah, I loved sharing that moment with him, even if he was asleep. He is such a sweet little boy and I can't help, but to want to hold on to him forever and ever. Anyway, here is the picture. ENJOY your special moments with your little ones and be sure to cherish them forever. I know that I am everyday!!

Another Award - I feel so loved

Awww, 2 awards in the same week. I LOVE IT!! This award was given to me by new blogging friend Mimi from He & Me +3. I love her site and if you haven't had the chance to take a look at it yet then I encourage you to. She is absolutely hilarious when it comes to her Not Me! Monday posts and you can tell that she loves and adores her family. So, go ahead and check it out and I will wait here.

Here are the rules 4 the Kreativ Blogger Award:

-Mention the blog that gave it to you
-Comment on their blog to let them know you have posted your award
-Share 6 values that are important to you
-Share 6 things you do not support. Grant the prize to 6 people.

I VALUE...

1. My Faith

2. Family

3. Friends

4. Honesty

5. Compassion

6. Loyalty

I do not support...

1. Lying

2. Abortion

3. Disrespect

4. Rudeness

5. Manipulation

6. Laziness

I wish I could pass the Kreativ Blogger Award onto 6 people, however I have so many blogs that I enjoy following that it is too hard to pick just 6.

A Friday Funny

A couple of my new blogging friends are sharing some Friday Funnies. So, I decided to share a Friday Funny of my own that has to do with my son Cameron. Take a look at the picture below and then I will gladly tell you the story behind it. Be sure to look closely at what he appears to be doing with the silverware.

I found this pretty funny. I hope you do as well. Just the other day I was cleaning out the dishwasher. I now know that I should empty the silverware out first instead of the dishes. Anyway, I was fiddling around with the dishes in the cupboard. I was trying to make room for my 9x13 baking dish and I hear Cameron messing around with the silverware holder. I turned my head real fast to see what he was doing and noticed that he was just playing with the silverware. I got done putting my pan in the cupboard, I turn around and there was Cameron taking all of the silverware out of the holder, licking each and every one of them and then putting them down on the dishwasher door. As you can see he licked quite a few of them, but didn't have a chance to get to all of them. I couldn't believe that he was doing that. I guess when I told him that we needed to clean some dishes he thought that they all needed to be licked clean (lol). Anyway, hope you enjoyed my Friday Funny!!

Now it is time to share yours...... go ahead and leave me a comment!! I can't wait to hear your story.

Thankful Thursday

I picked up this idea from a couple other blogging friends and thought I would try my hand at it on this cold Thursday morning. So, what are you thankful for today? Share it on your blog or feel free to leave a comment.

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Today I am thankful for many things. First of all, I am thankful that I have such a wonderful God. Our God is understanding and loves us unconditionally. I am not perfect, actually pretty far from perfect and I know that I have my faults and I know for a fact that I am not worthy of his love, but he loves me no matter what and I am so thankful for that and to him. Thank you God for loving me no matter what my faults are and for always encouraging me to be a better person. You have taught me so much about being a Mom, daughter, teacher, wife, sister and servant and I feel so very blessed to have you walk this road with me everyday. I know that I couldn't handle this all on my own and with you walking by my side every single day makes the journey that much more special. You truly are an amazing God and I love you!!

I am also very thankful for the family that I have. Once again God had his hand in making me a part of this family. I have wonderful parents that I love and adore and can't imagine life without them. I have a sister that definitely needs God in her life, but I still love her and offer her help and guidance every single day of my life. I have a husband that is absolutely wonderful..... he loves me for who I am and never looks down on me. He cares for my family as much as I do and that means the world to me. Shawn is my best friend, confidant and a wonderful father to our son. He is truly the love of my life and I am so happy that God sent him my way. It is neat to see how God works in your life. I must say that my Thankful Thursday couldn't be complete without saying that I am also thankful for my son Cameron. This little boy of mine brings so much happiness and love to my life on a day in and day out basis. He is a miracle and a wonderful gift from God. I knew once again that when I was going through the fertility treatments that I couldn't go through it alone. I had my husband and the support of my family, but once again.... nothing compares to the love, help and guidance from our Lord. I turned it all over to God and told him that I couldn't go on this journey alone.... I needed his help! I need him to take all of my burden, stress and worry and carry it for me. I knew that if I wanted to be a Mother then I had to rely on him to help me. After years and years of trying, infertilty treatments after infertility treatments, I was finally blessed with my precious little miracle. I couldn't believe it!! I was pregnant and I was so excited. My dreams of becoming a Mom were finally going to come true. We are blessed every single day that we wake up and see that precious smiling face. Cameron is our light in the darkest of days and God so richly blessed us beyond our imagination and for that I am VERY thankful. You often wonder why you have to walk the rough roads in order to get to a smooth one, but as time passes you will eventually see the reasoning behind it all.

I will leave you today with a Bible verse that really speaks to my heart and helps me through some tough times.

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Wordless Wednesday

The World Today As Most Of Us Know It

What a day it has been! I just got off the phone from talking with my parents and I guess you could say that they totally depressed me. My parents retired quite a few years ago after 35 years of working at Columbia Gas. They worked hard to retire at a decent age and they were quite comfortable when it came to their home, cars, living and spending. Well, I know that they aren't the only people that have lost money in the stock market, but I know that they have lost quite a bit and now they are freaking out. They have a condo that they live in now that is on a golf course and it has an absolutely beautiful view however they are currently trying to sell it. This condo has been on the market for over a year now and they just can't seem to unload it. They just found out last week that they lost a HUGE amount of money in the stock market and they aren't sure that they will be able to rebound from it. They are depressed and unfortunately I am the glue that tends to hold my family together and I am often called the peacemaker, but I am not sure that there is much that I can do to help them out in these hard times. I was talking with my Dad on the phone this morning and he started crying.... it broke my heart!! He told me that he thought that when they retired that they would be set for life, be able to enjoy life as normal retired people do however he is trying to cut corners everywhere, selling back their car that they recently bought and he can't help, but to feel depressed. I tried my best to get him to understand that money isn't always everything. I tried to tell him that I understand where they are coming from, what they are dealing with and told them that I would do anything I could to help cheer them up. Well, unfortunately I guess there is nothing that I can do to help or at least that is what he told me. Will they be able to rebound from such a HUGE loss? Will the stock market ever go up again? Will they sell their condo anytime soon? Will they be able to see some light at the end of the tunnel? These are all questions that we have, but don't have any answers to and times just keep getting worse and worse in the world today.

With the election coming up, it could mean better times or worse times for all of us. The gas prices are going down, but the stock market needs to be going up and which presidential nominee is going to make a change for us? Which man is going to help our economy and help the people of the United States? I myself am not sure that we have a man that can help us, that can turn the world around, but the time is growing near and we unfortunately need to pick the lesser of the two evils. It is a crying shame that Ronald Reagan isn't still alive and well today. I myself would love to see him back in office!! It is a scary time for all of us. Jobs are being cut by huge companies, the working world is dwindling and the news is just down right depressing. I myself try not to let it bother me because hearing about the bad news from my parents is enough. I try to be upbeat, positive and just let God take care of it all. I talk to my parents and tell them that they need to stay positive, to allow God to carry their burden, but it is hard for them to see especially when they are so beat down by all of the bad news that is going on in their lives and around them. I pray every day that things will get better for all of us, but it is really sad when you see two people age 62 that worked so freaking hard for practically their whole life and now they aren't even sure if they will have enough money to live on for the rest of their lives. What do you say to them? How do you comfort them? It is just a very frustrating time for so many people in this world today!!

Proudly Displaying My Very 1st Blog Award

WOW, I feel totally honored that I received my Very 1st Blog Award from "Smile! Its Becky!"
I can't say enough about her site other then me visiting it frequently and always getting a good laugh!! Thank you so much for passing it along to me.... I am so freaking excited!!

The rules say for me to post this on my blog. Thank the person who sent it to me. Nominate 7 blogs. I love all of the blogs that I follow this is a hard award to bestow....

1) Matters of the Heart

2) He & Me + 3

3) This IVFing Life

4) Grace Like Rain

5) The Two B's and Me

6) 4 the Love of Family

7) My Charming Kids

Fall Clean Up

I have big plans this weekend. We are going to cut all of my flowers back this weekend and pitch the dead. I love my flowers, but when Fall rolls around, I am ready to cut everything back and prepare it for another year. If you are interested in seeing some of my flowers then you should hop on over to my other blog site which is http://www.lisasohioflowers.blogspot.com
I love flowers and I love photography so when you put the two of them together you definitely get something beautiful. My Ohio Flowers blog is not only dedicated to my flower garden, but many other nature pictures are included in it as well.

It will be a busy weekend, but after everything is cut back for the year then we will be all set for next year and unfortunately the arrival of winter (UGH). Yep, I am not looking forward to winter at all. Are you?

Our Pike Lake Camping Trip

Our camping trip was GREAT!! We had a very well deserved break and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. We didn't shower all weekend long which was kinda awful, but it was truly a nice treat to come home and take a nice hot shower. Anyway, here are some pics of our camping trip. The scenery was absolutely beautiful and Cameron had a GREAT time!!


I LOVED THIS VIEW
WHAT A CUTE PICTURE OF CAMERON AND DADDY

OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME
A BEAUTIFULLY TREE LINED STREET
WOW, GOTTA LOVE ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL FALL COLORS!!
CAMERON LOVED THROWING ROCKS INTO THE LAKE
CAMERON AND MOMMY HAVING FUN ON THE BRIDGE

Not Me! Monday - Part 5

It is that time again.... Not only do I love Monday's because I get to share with you everything that I didn't do, wouldn't do, dare to do, or ever think about doing, but because I can hear all about everyone else and their stories. So, check out MckMama's site and take part in this carnival of fun which happens every single Monday. You will totally love being a part of the merry-go-round of fun. Here we go.....

1) I did not sit in my comfy chair for a week because I saw a spider fall off the ceiling and then crawl into my chair. Nope, not me!

2) I did not totally freak out over the spider and clean my chair with the vacuum attachments for about 20 minutes. Nope, I would never freak out over a spider! Check out the spider pic in a previous post. YIKES!!

3) I did not go camping all weekend long in a tent.

4) I did not go all weekend long without taking a shower because I was camping. Heck no, that must have been the people beside us...

5) I did not even use a porta-potty all weekend long because there was nothing else to use and then complain about the awful stench.

6) I did not even sleep in a tent in 30 degree weather and enjoy it

7) I did not get totally ticked off because I lost 3.5 lbs and then have AF arrive and gain all of it back except 1 lb. Oh, I just love Aunt Flo for doing that to me!!

8) I did not feel totally relaxed while camping, enjoy some yummy food over the fire, feel totally proud of myself for really roughing it while camping and most importantly enjoy a nice hot shower after I got home yesterday.

Off to go Camping

Quite nippy this morning, but that definitely isn't going to stop me from camping this weekend. We have the car packed and we are ready. Now we are just waiting for little man to wake up. We are trying to let him sleep as much as he can so he isn't cranky, but I don't think he could be cranky for anything. He is ALWAYS a happy boy!!

I finished baking my pumpkin cinnamon muffins last night and they were delicious!! I had to have one and of course Cameron thought it was cake so, he had to try some too. So, we all had a muffin and they were yummy!!

On Another note..... I woke up this morning with some cramping and I am SO hoping and praying that AF doesn't decide to join us on our trip. What more do I need then to have good ole aunt flo come for a visit. Hmmm, that would not be a good thing and I am hoping she decides to wait til our return home. Ughh, why is it that she always has to come at the most ridiculous times? I personally wish that she would stay away for another 9 months, but I know that probably won't happen. I am prepared for her visit just in case.

Well, I will leave you with a picture that I took of some trees at Pike Lake a couple years back. I thought the picture turned out neat. Hopefully I will have more pictures to share when we get home.

Some of my Favorite Things Around the House

I thought it would be fun to take pictures of a few of your favorite things "around the house." So, if you are up to joining in on the fun then be sure to leave your comment so we can check out your site. I am not sure how to do the Mr. Linky or else I would attempt my hand at it, but I am not super savy like that. Anyway, here we go......here are a few of "MY" Favorite things around the house. Have fun with this!!

MY FAVORITE "BOYS". My husband Shawn and my son Cameron.

What more can I say..... Sweet Memories of MY FAMILY!!

An Amish made cabinet that I just love. Definitely a favorite piece of furniture.

This is an old antique ladder that I hung from my kitchen ceiling and decorated with red fake berries, old antique kitchen utensils, Longaberger baskets and a few other items . I truly enjoy decorating around the house.

Here is Mr. Carrot Socks and a jar full of my Grandma's old buttons. Mr. Carrot Socks was a gift from my Mom and the buttons were something that my Grandma always collected. I proudly display the buttons in memory of my Grandma who passed away back in 2003.

These are my Grandpa's marbles that he use to play with when he was a young boy. He won quite a few contests and has since passed away. Definitely a favorite of mine that I proudly display in memory of him.

Here is another favorite..... my bellycast that I did when I was 9 months pregnant with Cameron. This is definitely something that I will cherish forever!! It was truly a blessing being pregnant and now having my precious son.

We are big Ohio State Buckeye Fans. We especially love Ohio State Football so here is one of my favorites in our home. It is our OSU Bathroom that is upstairs.

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So, join in on the fun and proudly display some of your favorites around the house!! I can't wait to see them. REMEMBER to leave your comment!!!!

Weather Change

I woke up this morning and rolled my butt out of bed.... I so could've slept longer!! I was sleeping so cozy in my bed and the alarm goes off. Yep, I was not ready to hear that alarm at all and all I wanted to do was pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep. I walked downstairs and took my shower and then went up to get Cameron shortly after that because he was already awake. What? My little man was already awake? Nothing like getting the day started super early!! We came downstairs and I changed his diaper, got him some juice and turned on Blues Clues. I took the trash out and noticed a nip in the air. Uh yeah, I think the temperature dropped about 20 degrees last night and it is suppose to stay this way all weekend. It is "the perfect" fall weather if you ask me. It is the kinda weather where you were the most comfortable jeans ever along with a sweatshirt. Yep, that would be my type of weather. So, to say the least I am getting SO excited about camping this weekend. It should be perfect and I am just hoping that the leaves are beautiful enough for lots of pictures!!

I have everything packed, we have all of the groceries we need and I think we are pretty much ready. We will take out of here tomorrow morning and head towards Pike Lake and I can't wait!! It will be nice to have a little retreat.... even if it is for just a couple days.

Wordless Wednesday

Banana Nut Bread

Well, my banana nut bread is complete and in the process of cooling. I must say that it is pretty tasty!! I tried a little piece with a little bit of butter and it was scrumptious. I guess I will just have to work out extra hard on that treadmill tonight. Here are some pictures as promised. Try not to slobber too much (lol).

Countdown to Camping & Baking

Our camping adventure is getting closer and closer. Shawn's parents left today and we will join them on Friday. I am really looking forward to getting away, but it seems as though it is going to be a bit chilly. I was watching the weather this morning and it looks like it is going to be in the high 50's Brrrrr. You never know what is going to happen here in Ohio when it comes to the weather. Today is suppose to be in the 80's just like yesterday and by Friday it is suppose to be in the high 50's. If I don't get sick from the cold weather then it will because the temperature is always rapidly changing. Gotta love Ohio weather!!

I am going to make some banana nut bread today and take that with us when we go. I am also planning on making my all time favorite cinnamon pumpkin muffins. I am telling you that these muffins are so freaking good that I could eat a whole batch of them. They are also so easy to make. I do however, need to watch what I eat seeing as though we picked the darndest time to diet (lol). Anyway, we need to take some goodies to share so that was my choice.

I am going to try to organize clothes today. I need to get some warm stuff lined up so we don't freeze too terribly bad. I also need to figure out what toys I am going to take so little man has something to play with. I personally don't think he will want to play with anything. I can see him wanting to explore which will be fine with us. I just love walking around taking pictures so we all should be pretty content. Well, it is pretty early and I still have alot to do so I am going to run and start my banana nut bread. If you are lucky.... I might post a yummy picture afterwards!!

I am sure it will make your mouth water. STAY TUNED!!

Not Me! Monday - Part 4

Well, it is time for another week of "NOT ME!" Monday. If you haven't been crazy enough to take part in this fun little game then you should definitely give it a try. Be sure to check out the gal that is behind the fun and excitement at www.mycharmingkids.net

1) I did not go to the grocery store this past week and buy *new* items that I saw on the tv just because I had to try them out for myself. Nope, not me!

2) I did not clean some of my cupboards out this past week and pitch some of the *new* items that I bought because I didn't like them. Nope, not me! That would just be too wasteful.

3) I did not go to a baby shower this past weekend and eat something that gave me food poisoning. Nope, not me!

4) I was not up all Saturday night sicker then a dog from the food poisoning. Nope, not me!

5) I was not in the process of puking Saturday night and got it all over the freaking bathroom and on myself and had to take a shower at 4 am. Nope, not me! That would be way to gross!!

6) I did not even have to clean that bathroom up the next morning after I started feeling better

7) I so did not even want my husband to clean it up because I was still not feeling up to par! Nope, not me!! That would be horrible to make your hubby clean up your mess.

8) I did not even start an exercise plan yesterday. Oh, heck no....that is NOT LISA LIKE at all.

Our Exercise Plan

Do any of you watch Biggest Loser? We watch it every week and don't miss a night of it. We love it and we love how it gets us so motivated!! So, without much further excitement, let me tell you that my husband and I have decided to start our exercise plan. We are going to start eating healthier and exercising every single day whether we like it or not. Our goal is to be healthier for ourselves, each other and most importantly Cameron. Well, tonight was the night when we put on our exercising clothes......ok, ok, they were just plain jane shorts, a t-shirt, socks and our good walking/running shoes that we bought back around tax time. The good news about our shoes is that they barely have any wear to them so, it is like wearing a brand new pair of shoes. Isn't that pathetic? We have these wonderful pair of Brooks shoes that we bought back around tax time and they are practically brand new!! I guess I was just waiting for that perfect moment to get started - huh? Anyway, we started off this evening by taking measurements. Oh boy, that was not pretty at all, but it was something we wanted to do so we could "SEE" our results. We also weighed ourselves and took real pretty before losing the weight pictures. Uh yeah, they were real attractive pictures and perhaps I will share those with everyone after I have lost the weight, but not until then. I don't want to scare anyone away!!

I thought I did pretty good tonight at walking on the treadmill. I started my Casting Crowns music, turned on the fan, dusted off the treadmill and hopped on to this machine that we have had any never used. I started out slowly and then increased my speed. I walked for 20 minutes at 2.5 miles and I was sweating like a COW!! I may have had sweat rolling down my face, down my neck, and my face was guaranteed blood red, but I felt good, real good about what I was doing and right now I just feel like I have so much energy. Energy is a good thing.... I can ALWAYS use more energy, but I am not sure it is a good thing to have this much energy so close to bedtime. So, we will keep an eye on that and see if we need to make any adjustments with when we exercise. My husband started after me and did wonderfully and now we are trying to decide when to take our showers or when to eat our next Twinkie (hahaha, just kidding, just kidding). Seriously, we do not have any twinkies in the house. Well, my hubby is done with his shower and I am going to take my turn now and then sit down to enjoy a nice cold glass of H20.

So, does anyone want to join our "BIGGEST LOSER CLUB"?

Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere

Today was an absolutely beautiful day here in Ohio. It was in the 80's and we thought it would be a great day to take Cameron to the pumpkin patch. The pumpkin patch that we have taken him to the past couple years is actually owned by a woman and her husband. They live there on the land which is not only a pumpkin patch, but is also a great place for corn during the right season. Anyway, we pulled up and Cameron just stood there at first. Once he got warmed up to the area, he took off and was exploring every single pumpkin there was to be found. He LOVED the BIG pumpkins, but they were $45.00 and we weren't about ready to pay for that so, he picked out 2 little pumpkins and of course a large pumpkin for Mommy and Daddy to carve at a later date. We then took him to the pumpkin patch and he had a ball. He ran out into the patch and said "Mommy, Punkins" it was pretty dang cute how he said it. Anyway, I attached a few pictures of our day at the "Punkin Patch" and I hope you enjoy them!!

The Gianna Jensen Story

Have you heard the story about Gianna Jensen? Well, let me tell you a little bit about her and her struggle for life.

Gianna's biological mother was 17 when she had a saline abortion in her third trimester. After being burned alive for approximately 18 hours in the womb from the saline solution, Gianna was delivered alive in a Los Angeles County abortion clinic. The procedure left her with cerebral palsy, which led doctors to assert that she would never be able to hold up her head, sit up, crawl or walk. However, Gianna began to walk by the age of three years old with the help of leg braces and a walker. Now, she runs marathons across the world. On April 30, 2005 Gianna completed her first 26.2 mile marathon after running just over 7 hours. On April 23, 2006 she completed the London Marathon.

Pretty amazing huh? A friend of mine passed along this information to me in an e-mail and it really struck a chord within me. I know that there are so many couples out there that want children and can't have them and to hear a story like this.....well, it literally gave me chills. I know that for awhile my husband and I were talking about adoption when we were having a hard time conceiving. To think that there are women out there that are aborting children just because they might be afraid, can't afford the child or for some other reason. They don't stop and think about the wonderful life the child could have if they were to allow a woman, a man or a couple that can't have a child, to adopt. I am not sure that they consider or even give it any thought that they could actually give this innocent child a chance.

Anyway, I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinion when it comes to abortion and I guess that since this is "MY BLOG" then I am able to voice my opinion. That is my view on this topic and if you are wanting to read up on it a little bit more then you can check out the following websites.....

http://www.bornalivetruth.org
http://www.giannajessen.com

Definitely makes you think!!

My friend Kelly and her IVF Miracle "Jimmy"

Some of you might be familiar with my good friend Kelly and her struggle with infertility, but if you are not you can always go back in my older posts and read about her own journey. I know it was always helpful to me when I can read different stories. Anyway, here is a very recent picture of Kelly and her adorable little boy "Jimmy". As you can see Kelly is as happy as can be and it looks like they are best of buddies. Isn't he just too cute? Well, enjoy the picture and remember that MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!

Countdown to Camping

I am not sure about you, but I can enjoy camping at times. I can enjoy it if the weather is perfect. Well, this year we bought ourselves a tent and decided to go camping with Shawn's parents. They have a camper, but unfortunately DH and I are going to rough it. Hmmm, I am not sure if that sounds like fun or not, but it should definitely be an experience. The one good thing about camping with his parents is that they definitely know how to cook while camping!! I love food so I should be pretty happy when it comes to that. Cameron is looking forward to going because he LOVES to be outside. He will also stay nice and warm in their camper. Anyway, the temperature is suppose to be in the high 60's during the day and in the high 40's at night so, we will definitely have to cuddle up to one another to stay warm. I don't think that will be too difficult : ) and it might actually be fun (hehehe). We made our grocery list last night and we are slowly, but surely getting prepared for a weekend of camping. My biggest issue is that there is no running water so, unfortunately I won't be able to shower. Many of you ladies out there probably experience this from time to time if you have short hair, but my hair tends to stick up all over the place when I wake up and there is really no way of getting that under control unless you wash it. Doesn't sound like that is going to be an option for me so I can guarantee you that I will be looking so fabulous while camping (lol). I guess I will just have to take all of the pictures that I want on the day that we arrive and that way I won't look too terribly bad.

It is funny to watch the expressions of some people when I camp. Alot of people in my DH's family as well as friends never really thought that I could or would want to camp, but I have proved them wrong. I guess that they thought I was too "prissy" to spend the night in a tent let alone step foot in the woods, but I actually enjoy it. I just always think that having a shower is a treat so not having a shower for the weekend will definitely be rough on me. I will probably be quite anxious to return home just for a nice hot shower. Next Friday is when we leave to go camping and it should definitely be alot of fun. I love FALL and I enjoy seeing the leaves turn colors so it will be great getting out and taking some nice pictures.

I attached a picture of our tent. As you can see it is rather large and will give us plenty of room. Shawn's Mom told me last night I should get a 5 gallon bucket and I said "what for" and she told me that I might want to use that as my potty during the night. I thought to myself "Oh great that should be quite interesting." I can see myself hovering over the bucket, peeing down my leg and my urine freezing in mid-stream. I am sure it will definitely be a moment to share with all of you. So from now until next Friday, I will enjoy the wonderful things like my shower, my toilet, my furnace and all the other things that we might sometimes take for granted.

Caught in the Act

I was in doing some laundry yesterday afternoon and I heard Cameron getting into something. I ran into the kitchen where he was happily getting into the snack drawer (literally). It really isn't the smartest thing for us to put all the snacks in a drawer that he can "get into" himself, but that is where they have been since before he was born. Here is a picture that I took of him as he was happily helping himself to some Teddy Grahams. Yep, he was caught red handed helping himself to some goodies. He is so funny and so smart!!

Sweetly Broken

If you haven't heard this song then you have to listen to it when you get a second. I added it to my songs for my blog site. Definitely a song that makes you think about whether or not you are truly living your life the way that God would want you to be. Here are the lyrics. Let me know your thoughts on it. I find it touching..... it gives me chills and lots of them.

Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of it's suffering I do drink
Of it's work I do sing
For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just
Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees,
and I amLost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered
What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified
You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled
Chorus:
In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

"Not me!" Monday - Week 3

Be sure to check out MckMama's site to see how this all got started and while you are there..... could you say a little prayer for little Stellan?

1) I did not chaperone a homecoming dance with my husband at his place of employment and watch some of the kids walk in and think to myself "What was she thinking wearing that?" Nope, not me!!

2) I did not go all day without a shower yesterday because I was too busy cleaning and doing laundry. Nope, not me! That would just be too disgusting!!

3) I did not get in the shower this morning and think to myself.... Oh, I should've showered yesterday because I stink this morning. Nope, that couldn't have been me.

4) I did not even get in a cleaning spree and clean out the refridgerator. No way, not me!

5) I did not have to stop going to the bathroom in mid-stream because my 1 1/2 year old son decides he is going to come into the bathroom and stick toilet paper in the toilet while I am using it. Nope, not me. Good thing I did those Kegal exercises when I was pregnant!!

Crafts with Cameron

Seeing as though Fall is here and Halloween is just around the corner, I decided to make something fun and crafty with Cameron. I always have lots of craft items in the craft box. I was looking in there, seeing what I had and decided to make some styrofoam spiders with him. I used 4 inch styrofoam balls, but you could use something smaller. I already had some googly eyes, black pipe cleaners and I went out and bought some Tacky glue. I spray painted the styrofoam balls black, glued the googly eyes on and then we put the pipe cleaners in for legs. I also had red paint so I put on a smiley face to finish it off. I thought they turned out awfully cute and wanted to share them with you. Here are a few pictures.

WWW.FREEPEATS.ORG

So, a dear friend of mine was blogging about a great new site where you can get gently used items for your child/children. You gotta check out this site and see if it is up and running in your area. Here you can get gently-used baby, kid, and maternity items like clothing, high chairs, bouncers, swings, bikes, and toys for free from other parents who have finished with them. It's also a way to get rid of baby cast offs without having to load up the car (and the kids) and take them to the thrift store.

Do you find yourself packing up stuff and taking it to the Salvation Army or Goodwill Stores? Well, this site will allow you to post items that are Free for the taking. If you are looking for certain items then you can post those out there as well. If you sign up soon then it is *FREE*. So, go to the following website and check it out ---->www.freepeats.org

I haven't found what I am looking for (yet), but I am going to keep checking back!!

A Sick Child = Sleepless Nights

Well, it was another sleepless night here in our home. Cameron has been sick with a runny nose, coughing and sneezing. He doesn't have a fever so that is good news however he isn't wanting to sleep worth a darn and he had us up pretty much all night. He woke up at 2:00 am and was screaming bloody murder..... I don't know what his problem was, but he was up for a long while. The only way that we could get him to calm down was to get him some juice and turn on Mickey Mouse. So, we had the portable dvd player in our bed and he was sitting up watching it while Shawn and I were propping our eyelids open with toothpicks. I woke up this morning with a pinched nerve or something like that in my tushie and let me tell you..... it feels great! NOT
It makes it quite difficult to walk or chase around a little boy with a runny nose all day, but I will do my best. Can you imagine me hobbling through the house, a tissue in one hand and trying to wipe the nose of a little boy that can't stand to have his face wiped, let alone his nose? Uh yeah, all he wants to do is run from me and then he decides he is gonna wipe his nose before I can get to it and then we have a real big mess. Ughhh, I am so ready for a good nights rest and a little one that feels better!! Well, I am off to get a little one dressed for the day and to rest my tush on a heating pad..... I am hoping that will bring some comfort to my pain.

I JUST LOVE FALL......

Worn Out Wednesday

Well, Cameron just came down with a cold or is cutting his 2 year molars. He hasn't been wanting to sleep in his bed for the past 2 nights and we are worn out to say the least. We have a king size bed so we have plenty of room, but when you have a little one laying beside you then you tend to allow them to have all the room and you not move an inch. Well, Shawn and I have been sleeping on our sides and on the very edge of the bed and Cameron has tons of room right there in the middle.

We put him to bed last night at 9:30 pm and he started screaming bloody murder at midnight so Shawn went in and got him. We laid him down between us after cleaning his nose and he went right to sleep. He was then up at 4 am and wanted to watch Mickey Mouse and have some juice. Shawn took him down to get some juice and they watched 1 episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and then we went to bed. So, to say the least we are worn out and hoping for a better nights rest tonight. We gave him some Motrin because he was chewing on his fingers so we thought that might help the discomfort if it was indeed his teeth, but I am not sure it helped. He hates having his nose wiped and all he does is sneeze and cough and of course his nose is running like a faucet....... Gotta love it.