Say Goodbye To January

What a way to say goodbye to January--snow! I woke up to my upstairs swaying with the wind again, as well as a blanket of snow on the ground. John left around 6:15 this morning in order to take off early and meet me at the gym before his class---but that plan was squashed by a 30 car pileup on I-40. He called at 7:15 and was still about 15 minutes away from his office (that would be the time it would take on a good day). He said I-40 was down to one lane and the access roads were packed as well. He then called me back at 8:00 and was only about 1/4 of a mile further than what he was before. He was able to see the actual wreck at this point, and he was upset to see AFD's Engine 6 flipped on its roof in the ditch. John just asked that we all pray for the people involved in the pileup (apparently there are several semi trucks involved and multiple cars sustained a lot of damage), as well as for the firefighters/paramedics that are trying to help. Everyone be careful and safe as you travel today!

Ahhh, the games we play

In our almost 10 years of marriage, John and I have had a lot of unspoken games that we've played. Some have been funny, but most have been extremely annoying--kind of like the one I'm about to share.
Every weekday, John gets up at 6am to get ready for work and I get up around 7:15 to get Caitlin ready for school. It's our routine to turn on the pre-set alarms (we have 1 alarm with dual settings) the night before, and really whoever gets in bed first is in charge of doing this. I don't like it when John gets there first, because my alarm always seems to get re-set to an earlier time then what I originally had it at. I am a super crab in the morning as it is, so if I don't get my extra 15 minutes of sleep, it's not pretty. John understands my need for the extra minutes, but he ALWAYS seems to cheat me out of them. Exhibit A: this morning. I noticed him being kind of suspicious with the alarm last night as we were getting ready to shut off the side table light. I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was adjusting his alarm to get up a few minutes early. That should have been my first clue. I barely remember him coming to kiss me goodbye this morning--yes, I'm that asleep. I do remember growling something about "be quiet so the baby doesn't wake up." I knew it was roughly 6:45am because I heard him close the garage door. Suddenly, I'm jolted from sleep by the alarm. I knew something was not right. What?!? 7am!!! Are you kidding me?? I quickly shut it off and prayed no one else in the house heard it go off. No such luck. There was stirring in Caroline's room. Then, I hear an obnoxious beeping from Caitlin's room. He didn't buy HER an alarm did he? Arggggggg!!! He did!! Now the baby was wide awake and talking. Caitlin stumbled into my bedroom wild eyed and fuzzy headed. She asked if it was time to get dressed. Ummm, no. According to my clock, I still had a good 15 minutes of sleep left. I made her go back to bed, allowed Caroline to play contently in her crib, and then laid there mad as a rat. Somehow, when I called John to give him a piece of my mind, he thought it was funny. Man, it is NOT funny to mess with a woman's beauty sleep. *insert grumpy face here* I am really thinking of investing in a second alarm--for myself--that sits next to my side of the bed. Or, I could set his for 4am and see if he likes that! *ornery grin* Note to self: hide Caitlin's new alarm.

Batten Down The Hatches!

There is 1 thing about living in the Texas Panhandle that is less than appealing--the wind!! I swear, it can get to hurricane force winds here overnight. It's so funny to hear of states like Florida talking about a category 1 hurricane with 60mph winds. Are you kidding me? That happens here about once a week! I am constantly chasing my doormat and flowerpots down the street. This would be one of those days---except I think it's in the neighborhood of 70mph winds. We even made the national news today with our huge fire danger wind day. How would I know how bad it is? Simple. If my 2nd story is swaying enough to cause me motion sickness while I'm trying to nap, it's bad. If Charlie hovers around the back door and there are toenail gouges in the concrete, it's that bad. If the wood floor downstairs cracks and groans, it's bad!When I was on the phone with John just now, I had to turn up the volume on my end and ask him to speak up, just so I could hear over the metal-banging racket coming from my chimney. Seriously folks---it's THAT bad. Living right next to a pasture doesn't help either. No wind break on that side at all. I'm actually trying everything in my power not to have to go anywhere today. I'm afraid we'd have a Mary Poppins-like situation, with me and the children blowing away! As I am typing this, I am positive I just saw a white cat blow by my front window...

Chillin' and Grillin'

I have been smelling the most delicious smell this evening as I have been getting the kids ready for bed. John pulled a bunch of his deer meat out of the deep freeze, and he has been grilling--yes, in the dark. There are bacon-wrapped pieces and regular chunks that have been marinating in the fridge all day long. I swear, that is the best meat you will EVER taste. Yes, I just had to sample them. :) He originally wanted to cook all of this batch up and have it to take as lunch or dinner all week, but somehow it's disappearing at an alarming rate from the cooling pan. I plead the 5th on this one. Also, this was an opportunity to play with my new camera in the dark!

Caitlin News

This is actually just to let Caitlin have a moment to shine. She had a poem assigned by her teacher that she needed to memorize. They have a yearly competition that is similar to UIL storytelling (if you public schoolers remember what this is) and they automatically get entered and have to recite their memorized poems/stories/etc not only in front of judges, but also for a test grade. Caitlin has been practicing for this since before the Christmas break, and yesterday was the big day. She didn't really want to participate. She was very nervous and frustrated at the thought of having to speak in front of judges--and do it loudly. Well, she did GREAT--she won in her division (poetry) and now gets to move on to the next round that will be held in the big town of Dalhart. She was so excited! She said, "Momma, I get to go to Dalhart! The best part is that you get to drive me there, and they have a Sonic where we can stop and get a treat!" Too funny!
One more thing: Caitlin made her 1st basket and 1st free throw in basketball games this weekend. She is really enjoying playing, even though her team has yet to win. GO CAITLIN!

We're Sorry Ma'am...

...but we can't seem to duplicate the problem. How many times have I heard this from the service center at my local Kia dealership?!? Too many. I love, love, love my Kia Sedona. Wouldn't trade it for a thing. Ok, maybe for a Volvo but that's another thought. For some reason, my van has things going on underneath and inside that just simply can't be figured out by the "trained professionals." Hmph. It's so darn embarrassing to take it in, pitch a semi-hissy fit about things squeaking, grinding, growling, etc. and then to get a call that all has checked out okay. I got the above mentioned call yesterday from the service center and they asked that I come down today and drive it around with one of their service guys in the front seat so he could listen and possibly hear what noise it was that I have been describing. I was on a mission now to prove that this vehicle's brakes do crazy things. The guy got in the car with me and I drove him up hills, down hills, around corners, over the river, and through the woods...nothing. Notta. I felt my face turning more beet red by the minute. "I swear it growls and squeaks! I'm not making this stuff up," I uttered under my breath. I got the look from the service guy---you know, the one that says, "man, this lady has some serious issues." Yeah, that one. I am almost positive I saw him roll his eyes. Whatever. I drove home even more ticked than I went in. I have 42,000 more miles before the warranty expires, and darnit, I will some day be vindicated!

Yeah! I've Decided!

I normally don't do a post a day, but for some reason it's been happening more and more lately. I guess I just have a lot to say...gee, go figure. :) I have really been searching my heart about what career path I should take, and I am proud to say I've decided on one. I have chosen---drum roll please---Nuclear Medicine Technologist. Random, I know. What's funny is that this was the very first thing I chose waaaaaaay back in the day. I started taking classes for it and then moved into Dental Hygiene. That was about 3 career choices ago. Anyway, for those of you who do not know what someone with that title does, here's the low-down:
Nuclear Medicine Technologists operate cameras that detect and map the radioactive drug in a patient’s body to create diagnostic images. After explaining test procedures to patients, technologists prepare a dosage of the radiopharmaceutical and administer it by mouth, injection, inhalation, or other means.
I have actually experienced such testing firsthand when I had gallbladder issues and ultimately had to have it removed. I won't be jumping in to the program right away, but I will try to finish within the next few years. My children are my priority right now, but I am excited to finally have something to look forward to. Ok, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Seriously, how can you teach this?

John and I are currently sitting at the dining room table, side by side, typing on our laptops. So much for a Sunday night around here. Anyway, back to the task at hand...
He is trying to prepare for his class on Tuesday, but he breaks out in laughter or shrewd comments every few minutes. Why you ask? Well, the slide show that he's reviewing has some of the funniest and strangest pictures (let me point out that he is teaching a Basic, Intermediate, and Paramedic refresher course). He really is having a hard time being serious about it all. Since I think they are just as funny, I'm going to post a sampling of them with the captions that are actually on the slides for your viewing pleasure. P.S.-what is written in parenthesis is my take on it all, as well as the caption on the last picture. I actually pity the students more than him on this.

Test for accomodation (or just see how hard you can squish your nose with a pencil--whatever works for ya) Inspect the tongue. Use gloves and gauze. (don't have to tell me twice)
Palpate the exterior chest for excursion (or be felt up)

Assess the hip abduction and adduction (uh-huh..sure..that's what you're doing)
And finally, when in doubt as to how much refreshing these students really need, post the ever popular picture of the anus just in case!

Let's Play Catch Up

This week has been interesting and busy around here.
John started his teaching job at AC on Tuesday, and he really likes it! The only thing is that he has to go straight from Pantex to the college campus, so there's no time to come home and chill with us. I guess that's okay though. He will be doing this same routine every Tuesday and Thursday from now through April.
Caitlin played her 1st Kids Inc. basketball game today. Her team is made up of brand new players, so there's not much experience to draw from. Unfortunately, the opposing team was not this way. I think the score was something like 36 to 10--and we were the lower of those numbers. :( I think it's a rude awakening for Cait, being as she's been used to volleyball where you stand in one place and do one thing. That running up and down the court is for the birds! I hope the rest of the season goes a bit smoother and she ends up having fun.
Christian continues to be his silly self. For instance, he requested cheese crackers for his snack this evening, and I tried to get him to have something else. After much debate, Momma gave in. As I was handing him the crackers he said, "Come on now, Mom...'cheese' Louise (instead of geez Louise, a saying I have for when I am annoyed)." He promptly laughed at his own joke. Oy!
Caroline is just--well--getting so big. She says so many things now. Her newest words are diaper, wipee, dog, no-no, mine (yes, she's got this one down pat), and ouchy (for when she's got a dirty diaper). Her hair is definitely growing, and I am convinced it's long enough for little rubber bands and bows. She pulls them out every chance she gets, and John thinks they look rediculous anyway. Oh well.
As for me, I finally recovered from a nasty stomach bug. It was very unpleasant I'm here to tell you. I was able to get back to the gym today, so that really helped. Thanks to Mom for coming over and wrangling the 2 smaller kids while I got some much needed rest!
There you have it...a complete rundown. I keep hoping life will slow down just a little so I can catch up, but I'm sure that's not happening anytime soon!

Happy Birthday Josh!

Today is my baby brother's 23rd birthday! Christian tried to call and sing to him, but instead he got the uncontrollable giggles and couldn't say a word. It was adorable! :) Josh, we hope you had a wonderful day--we love you!

Just a blog of fun pics

Cait is now playing Kids Inc. basketball. She got her 1st sports-related injury, a jammed finger. It's the middle one--can you see the swelling? Poor sassy frassy!! :(

Awww, such cutie pies! :) Can you tell who is not a morning person?

Christian and his friend Lainee at the new mall play area

Pappaw showing Caroline the fun of whipped topping

Caroline with our sweet friend Anna Christian wearing his firefighter shirt and fire helmet while playing with his gigantic firetruck. See a theme here?

Understanding

Even though it's just early January, the Haskell household is already experiencing many changes. I know we are on the edge of something spectacular--I can feel it! In the midst of the excitement and energy, I have been in a time of feeling completely drained. As I sat here this evening feeling blah and out of sorts, this passage came to mind, along with this picture (that I so conveniently found on the internet!). I hope it adds some encouragement to someone else in bloggerland.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones."
Proverbs 3:5-8

That Old Saying

You know that old saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words?" Well, this is one of those pictures. I was playing around with the camera while John was in the business office at AC the other day. The kids and I had to wait on him for a good hour, so they were in fine form. As you can see, Caitlin had had just about enough of her sweet little brother. I can't wait to show this to them when they are grown. :)

Things that make me want to pull my hair out...

Today has gone down in the book as the #1 most frustrating day in my adult life.
It all started when John got his VW Passat. It did not come with a switchblade key (which is what they ALL come with); instead, it came with just the valet key. He recently bought 2 new switchblade keys on Ebay, and he was told that a local locksmith could cut and program them for him. Nuh-Uh. Not that easy, my friend. We found out that only the VW dealerships can now cut and/or program keys. And just where is the closest VW dealership you might ask? That would be in Lubbock.
I made an appointment with the service department about 2 weeks ago to go down there this morning and have the keys cut and programmed. We had Christian stay with Mimi and Pappaw, and the girls came along for the ride. We arrived at the dealership 15 minutes early (thanks to the new navigational system John got for his birthday that we so kindly named Beatrice) and took our seats in the waiting area.
One hour goes by--nothing. Two hours go by--nothing. About this time, Caroline is antsy and fussy. While chasing her around the parts counter, I overheard two guys talking about the key cutting machine acting up. Oh great.
We are approaching the three hour waiting mark when John decided to go check on the progress. The service guy said it would only take a bit longer, so we had the shuttle man drive us across the highway to have lunch at a nearby Quizno's Subs. After eating, still no word from the dealership. We hopped the street and went browsing at Target (oh darn, an unscheduled Target run--whatever shall I do??) John FINALLY gets a call back, and the shuttle guy picks us up and returns us to the service bay--we are now approaching the four hour waiting mark.
This is when it gets ugly.....
The service guy proceeds to tell John that the keys we bought off of Ebay are no good. They are apparently made out of brass and they tore up the key cutting machine's bits. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! Out of total desparation, John asked if we could just buy a key from them and have it cut and programmed while we continue waiting. Get this----the "smarties" that were cutting the keys burned up ALL of their bits on that one "brass key" of ours, so now they have no machine to cut with.
So ladies and gentlemen, after four (yes, count them four) hours of waiting in a dealership, we drove home with NO new keys. Nothing, notta, zilch, zero. How happy is Melissa right now?!? Let's just say the General Manager of that VW dealership owes me a favor or two, and I plan to collect on them. :) To be continued...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

*singing*
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Biiiirrrrrtttthhhddaaaaaaayyy dear Jooooohhhhnnnnnn....
Happy Birthday tooooooooo YOU!!
Yeah!! John is the big 29 today (he's such an old man, I tell ya..ha!)! We love you so much and are so blessed to have you in our lives. Thank you for being such an awesome husband and daddy. Have a great day at work and hurry home...the kids are looking forward to throwing you a party!
Also, today is Phoenix Lindseth's 1st Birthday!! Happy Birthday to you too!! I can't believe you are already 1! Have a great day and be a good girl for Mommy! :)

Going Out Of Business Sale

I have made the decision to shut down my business, Tosslings & Things. This year is going to be one of change, and there's no better place to start. My ultimate goal is to go back to school and finish my degree, and I can't do that and run a small business at the same time. I will, however, continue to make all of my baby stuff for those who already know about it and ask me to do so. I just won't be participating in any more craft shows. That being said, I am having a "Going Out Of Business Sale" of sorts. I am going to clearance out the items I already have made, so this is a great opportunity to get baby gifts! :) The prices are as follows:

Tosslings (ring slings)
Solid Colors: Reg. $21.00, Now $10.00
Patterns: Reg. $25.00, Now $12.00

Warmlings (Car Seat Covers)
Reg. $25.00, Now $12.00

Coverlings (Shopping Cart Covers)
Reg. $35.00, Now $20.00

Breastfeeding Coverups
Reg. $15.00, Now $5.00

I still have my website up and will for several months. That way you can go online and see what I have in stock. I won't be buying anymore material, so if you see it and like it, GET IT NOW! :) The website is: www.tosslingsandthings.com
If you find something you want, please use the Order Form on the website to let me know. I can also ship items anywhere for $5.00.
This business has been a big blessing for me, but it's time to go forward and try new things!

The Jellybean Story

Yes, I am sure you are all getting very tired of hearing my little Christian stories---but what can I say? The boy cracks me up on a daily basis! What I share here is just a glimpse into his world. I really think I could write a book and fill it with JUST his funny stories.
Here it goes---story #2,892,167:

We were headed out the door to get Caitlin from school, when I discovered a small bag of jellybeans in the pantry (I was digging for after-school snacks). The jellybeans had come from John's Christmas stocking, and I figured the kids needed them more than I did. :) I gave 1/2 to Christian and put 1/2 in a bag for Caitlin to munch on during the drive from school to the gym. All went as planned, and Caroline even scored 1 or 2 through begging and screaming. Christian quizzed me about where the jellybeans came from, and I told him about them being a stocking stuffer and that Daddy was more than happy to share.
Now, let's fast forward to this evening:
We were on our way home from Joann Fabrics, and Caitlin said she was hungry. Of course Christian immediately thought he was too, so he began to plot what his before-bed snack would be. He piped up---"Momma, can I have some more of those jellyfish that Daddy got in his beanstalk?"
He settled for a cheese stick instead. :)

Resolutions Smesolutions

Let's just say that I am being a New Year's Resolutions grinch. I have been reading all of these great blog posts by my friends/fellow bloggers, and I am no where close to having a list that is as good as what they have done. I'm sure that's not the point, but you all know how it goes. EVERY year I struggle to come up with at least something that I want to make as a goal. Hmph. My mind is a jumbled mess of ideas that can't seem to make it out of my mouth or on to paper.
I decided to go about it differently now. Instead of writing what I plan on doing this year, I'm going to write about what rocked my world in 2007. That way, by the end of 2008, I can see how far I've come. Make sense? :)
In no particular order:

1. John's promotion--it was a huge blessing for our family in that it allows him to be home in the evenings and on weekends to help out and just to hang out
2. My new uncle, Bobby, and 2 new cousins, Alex and Sophia--although the children are actually my 1st cousins, they are the same ages as my children so it all works out great. Now at holiday get togethers, my children are thoroughly entertained!
3. New friendships through Bunko--thank you to ALL of the women from Plum Creek Fellowship for being so inviting and accepting me!
4. Finally finishing the remodeling of our house *wiping sweat from brow* :)
5. My new pair of running shoes and a personal trainer as a husband that has kicked my bottom and helped me realize that I am a strong woman, inside and out
6. Moms..ALL of them--for my mom, John's mom, Grandma, and all of the other moms that I hang out with. You are the best!
7. It took a childhood friend's death to inspire me, but I mustered up the strength to pull my violin out of its case and play again. That lead to the wonderful opportunity to play with the worship team at PCF. I am again making a joyful noise unto the Lord!
8. Going to Women of Faith in Oklahoma--amazing!
9. John's new (but used) VW Passat. There's nothing like having a 2nd car to fit all of the kiddos in, as well as it being a gas saver.
10. My new tattoo--I don't expect anyone to understand, but it's something I like to do

I am sure there were more, but those were the ones that stood out. Get ready 2008--here I come!

Mamma's New Toy

It finally arrived! I ordered a new digital camera and have been on pins and needles waiting for it to get here. I decided that I needed one that would take beautiful pictures in ALL lighting situations, as well as one that had a quicker flash. I spent about 2 hours last night reading all of the instructions and trying it out. It has so many gadgets and settings that I was overwhelmed! I am so impressed I could squeal with joy! :) Here is what my new baby looks like:

Just A Cute Picture

Alexis came to play for a short time this morning, and Caroline was totally thrilled!

I Hope This Never Happens To You...

My children are my pride and joy-no secret there. That being said, let's get on to what happened. Let me set the stage...
Yesterday was the best ever because it was super laid back. No plans, no demands, nothing like that. In fact, we ALL enjoyed a 3 hour nap! I was totally de-stressed from the holiday craziness and in a terrific mood. We went out to eat, putted around at Petsmart and Shoe Carnival just to have something to do. It was heaven on earth... until we had to make an evening run to Wal-Mart for food items for John, as he had to return to work today.
We finished on the food side of the store when I remembered I needed some stuff in the health and beauty department. I was browsing with Christian and Caroline and John had Caitlin on another aisle. I was having so much fun looking around at all of the hair care items, that is until Christian made his move. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him go to the back wall----where the big emergency exit doors are. It all happened so fast. Before I could get his whole name out of my mouth, he pulled the emergency handle. The sound was horrific. I have NEVER in my 26 years on this planet heard something that loud and obnoxious. It dropped the boy to his knees and he began to scream at the top of his lungs--I knew this because his face was red and his mouth was wide open, but it's not like I could hear him or anything. John came immediately, scooped him up, and tried to shut the alarm off. Not possible. In fact, the workers that showed up couldn't even get it to stop. Ooooonnnnn and Oooooonnnn and Oooooonnnnn......
We finally left the area, dazed and deaf. People all over that half of the store were running for cover and holding their ears. Many of them were yelling something about an idiot who set off the alarm. That's MY idiot, thank you---and he's a 3 year old little boy. Give the Momma some grace!! After literally 15 minutes of this, the alarm was turned off. We shuffled out the door quickly. I sat in the car frazzled and frustrated. From the back seat, a sweet little voice says, "Momma, I can't touch the door again right?" *deep sigh*

Resolutions

While trying to decide what my resolutions for 2008 will be, I Googled and found what the top 10 New Year's Resolutions are. I found them interesting, and I admit that the majority of them sound exactly like mine. Here they are:

1. Spend more time with family and friends
2. Fit in fitness (fit it into your schedule in other words)
3. Tame the bulge
4. Quit smoking
5. Enjoy life more
6. Quit drinking
7. Get out of debt
8. Learn something new
9. Help others
10. Get organized

My Googling led me to another discovery--a page with tips on how to keep those resolutions we make:

1. Aim low so you aren't doomed from the start
2. Don't overload yourself
3. Tell them to everyone you know so you have help if you need it
4. Reward yourself when you accomplish them
5. Wait until spring to start--May 1st is a great alternate date--since the change in the season can help

Alright, so with all of that said, I am still no closer to a complete list of New Year's Resolutions. I guess I'll be posting them sometime around May 1st then! Ha!