You can't go home again...

So this past weekend we took a much overdue trip to the Cleveland area. While we were there we visited my grandparents (my grandpa is going to be 90 next month...WOW!!) and my aunt and uncle. It was so nice to visit and eat dinner with my extended family...and we got to eat at Red Robin which we've never eaten at before (none near us) and it was quite good. It was just nice to take the time out to visit, chit chat and enjoy family.

On Monday we got a tip that the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame and Great Lakes Science Center was having free admission that day...so we decided to partake of the "free day". Luckily we got to the Rock Hall early and the crowd really wasn't bad at all. I enjoyed the Rock Hall very much and the boys liked it some, they liked the hands-on stuff of course and were mesmerized by the wild outfits. They were most fascinated with the Michael Jackson display of course. By the time we were leaving the Rock Hall people were lined up outside to get in...which was CRAZY!! We decided to go next door to the Great Lakes Science Center...speaking of crazy...that place was a zoo. We only stayed for about an hour and got out of there because it was just way too crowded and the boys were getting cranky and hungry...and Colton was throwing a fit...lol! The boys were fascinated with seeing the frozen Lake Erie and the huge boats though.

We didn't stay in Cleveland long after that since we heard there was an ice storm on the way, though we did tool around long enough to see my childhood home, the house I grew up in from the age of around 2 to the age of 11, and then also seeing my old elementary school. The school hasn't changed much at all from what I remember of it. And though I know it's the house, it looks quite different to me. Maybe because it's white instead of the cute minty green that I remember...or maybe because it seemed bigger to me back then. The large pine tree that used to be in the front yard is gone as well as the huge hickory tree that used to be in the backyard. We also saw the old "Lawson's" building that I used to go get milk and bread for my mom was still there as well as Augie's pizza...unfortunately they were closed or I would have so waited for a pizza. They had good authentic Italian pizza...delish!!

Also saw the old mall we used to go to, Randall Park Mall, which I was extremely shocked to find it was boarded up and no longer in operation. This saddened me deeply...this was the place we'd go for something special to do...there was the big theatre...and all the shops...and at Christmas time it was absolutely magical. I loved that mall. There were times we would even walk to the mall...which was about a mile from our house...but it was no big deal to me...we were going to THE MALL!! So to see it all boarded up, vacant and dead was a sad sight. From what I understand, it started going downhill shortly after we moved....go figure.

Like my mom told me...you can't go home again....and not that I would want to go back and live in the Cleveland area again, but I think it's true...you can't go back to your past...you can only move forward in your Journey of life...so here's to moving forward and a great 2011!!

Here is a pic of my new necklace from Lisa Leonard Designs...I'm going to be doing the One Little Word Workshop over at Big Picture Classes hosted by the incredible Ali Edwards. My word for 2011 is "truth". This year I am seeking truth in my life...truth in myself, truth in those around me...just stripping away the fluff and stuff and getting to what is true. And I couldn't stop at just a word for this year...I decided to also include my life word. My life word is "journey"...which is also the name of my blog (and name of my favorite band, but unlike what my hubby thinks this is NOT the purpose of the word)...life is a journey...it is an adventure...there are great, amazing moments...there are potholes and there are detours. The journey includes joy and sorrow, but it IS a journey...not something to sit on the sidelines and watch, but something to be experienced and enjoyed...My hope is to enjoy my journey to its upmost fullest.

Happy 2011 to you all!

I can't believe it!!

Has it seriously been since May since I posted last?? Wow...all I can say is that life has been super super busy and no chance of letting up anytime soon.

Summer was a blur...June came and went pretty quickly...not really sure what happened with June....seems like forever ago.

July went just as quick...and cumulated in a 3 week vacation, a week spent cleaning and making some extra $$, over a week of that spent camping in Kentucky then the rest of the vacation cleaning up after the vacation....and needless to say after we got back home I wanted to go back on vacation...I LOVE camping! (There was a LOT going on as soon as we pulled into the drive it seemed...funny how life works that way...though it wasn't funny at the time let me tell you!) We went to Kentucky to see my baby brother get married...it was so sweet. Never thought he would do it...and they have such a pretty area where they live!

August consisted of pretty much getting things ready for school and just trying to get back on track sort of...I've decided to homeschool my oldest...it's going OK...we have our good moments and we've had a couple meltdowns, but overall I think it is working well...just trying to get into a routine that works for both of us. The other two boys are enjoying school. Brennan seems to be doing really well this year...and Colton...he's of course in his element with his friends and enjoying being the class clown :-)

I of course have come down with a cold...and not that I'm surprised...I've had a very awful time sleeping lately and I know I let my body get run down a bit...I've kind of gotten away from my workouts this summer..but I've been able to maintain my weight so I'm OK with it for now...but I do want to get back into a routine once life gets back into a routine...and I get over this blasted cold of course!

I know this is short for being away so long, but I have to help Austin with his Social Studies.

Have a good week!

Christmas Randomness...

So needless to say I've started to get into the Christmas spirit now...slow start but I think I'm getting there...maybe that means the Christmas spirit will last longer this year...always a thought...

Anyways...finally got our tree decorated...hubby and boys decorated it Sunday night...mine is still undecorated...I usually decorate my tree with my birdhouses I painted, but I just haven't felt like it yet, nor do I think I could get to the blasted things anyway....admist all this eBay I'm doing right now...God does bless in mysterious ways...Brennan the last few weeks had been praying that "Mommy would get more money", cute and silly prayer of an inoccent 8 year old, yet God has listened because there a couple ladies that hubby cleans cars for that have asked me to sell their antiques and collectibles for them. Has kept me quite busy I must say, but it has paid for a large chunk of the boys Christmas so Praise God for that!

On other things...I'm desperately trying to memorize lines for our Christmas play in a couple weeks...luckily I don't have as many lines as most, but honestly my brain is fried right now and the brain cells aren't remembering so much. The fun of the season!

We finally got TV back...as many of you know we have been without cable TV since August. Well we finally got Direct TV yesterday. Hubby is happy and scratching his head at the same time...let me go on...he gets home...asks me what I think of it...how does it work...I kind of give him the basics to what the guy told me..."So what do you think?" he asks...I told him...don't know...as soon as the guy left I turned it off. The story gets better...boys get home...tell them if they get their homework done there's a surprise for them...we reveal the surprise to the children (especially Austin) who hounded us about getting TV back...Austin proceeds to play on his computer, Colton proceeds to play on his Gameboy...Brennan is the only one somewhat interested in it and Hubby is left literally dazed and confused as to why he spent all the money...but hey he's at least happy he has TV back.

So on one of the blogs I frequent the lovely Stephanie asked to use a letter to describe your day today...today my letter is F. For Friends, Family, Fun, Frigid (lets face it...right now in Ohio its COLD!) Fabulous, and don't forget festive and food (that one's for you Dad). So what is your letter for today?!?!

I will be sharing over the next few days favorite Christmas songs...let me know what your favorites are!

Hope you are having a fabulous Feliz Navidad!

Now it's OFFICIALLY December

It is NOW officially December...why...because Saturday night we saw this:





Snow has arrived in Ohio...we ended up spending the night in Sandusky after visiting hubby's great aunt because the roads were a bit slippery and we where in no hurry to go home anyway. It was kind of nice to get away for the weekend, even if I didn't sleep all that well.

While we were at Aunt Thelma's Colton found a new way to play cornhole:
Why just throw that beanbag when you can crawl underneath it and catch those happy beannies!

Overall it was a nice, yet tiring weekend.

Still have yet to start my Christmas shopping. Hoping to get started this week...hoping.

Well I've got a huge to-do list and only a short time to do it so I leave you with this photo....

Have a great week!

The Reveal...

OK folks...the moment you've been waiting for. Take it these photos were taken before I've put anything on my counters, but you'll get the picture....still not totally finished but much better than before.





I feel so happy and grateful to have this done at least to this point anyway. I was able to make Thanksgiving dinner in my new kitchen! I love my new oven and stovetop and microwave too. They are so cool and amazing. They actually tell you when your food is done. Technology, it's so amazing! And my new sink...I could swim in this thing it's so huge and deep! Love that bunches as well! So all we have to do now is paint the backsplash...we are going to put an edge of brick along the bottom of the backsplash to kind of tie the whole room together and then also put some brick in front of the sink as a splash guard. Then the cupboard doors...which in all honesty I'm not sure I want to go there...the guy who refinished them for us did an awesome job....the doors were beautiful....unfortunately they were the wrong color. Why he didn't test one of the doors to see what we had and to see if we matched is beyond me, but my cupboards are more of a brown and his doors are more cherry red. We used the same stain, but I guess the stain on the exterior of the cupboards took a little differently than the veneer on the cupboards. He's going to try to make them more brown, and I pray that they turn out. I don't expect them to match perfectly, but I told him I didn't want red. I don't like cherry, even though the stain we used was an antique brown cherry...the stain he showed us on our cupboards appeared more brown when he showed it to us...for some reason his came out more of a red. I was so sick and upset by it...but I figure it will eventually turn out, God is in control anyway...just one more setback that's all. Just pray with me that they do turn out more of a brown than a formal cherry red...I'm not into formal.

Anyways...hoping your Thanksgiving was great. My Thanksgiving was wonderful...cooking in my new kitchen, had my parents and hubby's mom and step-dad over to eat with us. We had a great time, had MORE than enough food and great conversation and spoiling the grandkids was had by all. I love having family around me...it just makes everything feel like its meant to be. It makes me content.

So did you do the Black Friday shopping thing??? I'm not into getting up before dawn for ANYTHING, not even to save a few bucks. I think I'm going to do what I've done for the past several years...shop on the internet....for me it's just the way to go. No lines, no hassles, don't have to deal with people or get frustrated cause you can't find the right thing and drive all over God's green earth to find it. I can sit in my jammies, surf the net, and just order and have it delivered to my door. And many places offer free shipping too....how can you beat that?!?!? I know with three boys I sure can't.

Well I have to go finish helping hubby clean a car, finish some laundry, get dinner, then start selling some eBay so I have some Christmas $$ to do that internet shopping with ;-)

Have a great week!

New meaning to "stone washed"???

So hoping everyone enjoyed their weekend...our church had a family weekend this past weekend with a picnic at Brown's Farm on Saturday...lots of fun and good food of course. Here are some highlights of the evening:



The weather was perfect...and unfortunately the pictures I got of the sunset doesn't do it nearly even enough justice...it was beautiful...I had the opportunity to just sit and take pictures of the sunset and just thank God for his amazing beauty...it's beautiful things like a sunset that makes me wonder how anyone can question that there is a God....amazing!

So as you can see from this picture...or maybe not...my sons spent the last bit of their evening at the picnic picking up rocks and stuffing them in their pockets...I had to laugh because as a kid I was the one picking up rocks for my "rock collection" (forgive me mom)...These boys had enough rocks between the three of them they could have built a fort...ok...maybe not quite, but you get the idea...needless to say I made them pick only three rocks each and that's what they got to bring home. Needless to say...despite my best efforts while doing laundry today, I still found a few rocks in my washer...guess that gives new meaning to stonewashing, huh?? Just had to share that.

Starting a diet this week...hoping to lose 20 pounds. We'll see...it's a new diet based on the Bible...so far today has been OK...again we shall see.

Hope you are haviing a great week...

Happy Father's Day!

First of all I want to say ....HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, first to my dad...

and also to my 2 fathers-in-law...

So I'm updating a few of the pics from our Disney trip...these are the pics from the second day of our trip...we started at Downtown Disney and later to Magic Kingdom. As I said a few posts back it was kind of an interesting day since it was Gay Pride day, but we still had fun. Here's a few of the highlights...and yes mom & dad...the boys finally got to ride on the Dumbo ride...here's proof(I'm in the one with Colton of course and if you look two Dumbo's back you'll see Austin & Brennan):

Happy 60th Birthday Mom!

I know technically I'm a day late (hey I did call...that means more anyway right??)...but I wanted to put this on here yesterday but yesterday was just one of those days where I hardly had time to breath ;-) So I may be a day late but here goes:

Happy 60th Birthday Mom!!

Hope it was a great day!!!

Colton graduated from Safety City yesterday...he was so cute! Pictures forthcoming.

Well got bunches to do so more later.

A few more pics...

Here are a few more pics from our trip....these pics highlight our first day at MGM Studios...

Catching up on these photos from our trip plus catching up on things that I really needed to catch up on (church things, house things, cleaning out the house in hopes of having a garage sale soon).

Colton started Safety City on Monday....wow...I think I'm having a little bit of a hard time with these guys growing up so fast...I left Colton at Safety City Monday and he says, "Mommy you can't leave me". Luckily my nephew is a volunteer so he's with someone he knows and he's been doing great! He learned about gun safety, and fire safety (I listened to Stop Drop and Roll all day today). Today was supposed to be stranger danger and playground safety but a storm kicked up right when the class was starting so I don't think they ended up doing that. Can it be that my little guy is finally growing up??? I wish they'd stop that!

Tonight was so weird...Colton was at Safety City and the other two were at their cousin's VBS so it was just hubby and I...gave me time to catch up on some computer work, but the house was so quiet! I liked and didn't like that.

For those who have been asking, Brennan is doing better...hubby got him some ear candles and hope to candle his ears soon...I think that will help some. Right now I have a head cold...lots of sinus pressure...ready for itto be over...drinking lots of OJ and popping ZiCams like their tic-tacs...I can't afford to have a cold!

Well hoping I feel well enough tomorrow to go strawberry picking...want to make some freezer jam, and nothing beats local berries!

Until next time!

Party a success!

For those who have been curious....the surprise 40th birthday party for hubby was a success...though he thought something was a little fishy (so he says) he had truly no clue and not only that, he was impressed that I was able to pull such a feat off...which in all honesty is a feat since I couldn't send invitations through the mail for fear that he would find them so it was a lot of e-mail and phone calls as many of you know. Here are a few highlights of the day:

Boys are almost done with school...and Disney trip is in about a week...getting excited and extremely nervous...don't feel quite as prepared as I was for our last trip....hoping to spend some major time this weekend preparing and packing....boys are of course super excited....Colton keeps asking if today is the day we leave for Florida...so much fun!

Had a wonderful prayer and worship time this morning....really needed that today...Well I've run out of things to say at the moment...More later I hope. Have a great week!