Confessions Of A Wahlberg Addict

     My name is Jenny.  I will be 34 years old on the 27th of December.  I am a child of God, a wife to Curtis, a mother of 5, and I suffer from an unhealthy obsession with Donnie Wahlberg.   

     The obsession began in 1989.  I was nine years old and my mom bought me the "Hangin' Tough" concert on VHS tape.  I watched and watched and re-watched that video until it was completely worn out and had to be replaced.

     That was 24 years and 3 video tapes ago.  

     My friends and I all had our favorite "New Kid." Amanda liked Jordan, Crystal liked Joey....but me?  I LOVED Donnie!  

     I loved that when all the others were dressed like your normal, everyday guy.  Donnie had holes in his jeans and wore a t-shirt that said, "Drugs Suck."

     I loved that while the rest of the band was singing and in the middle of their choreographed routine, Donnie was off by himself dancing, kissing girls in the audience, and making little girls feel like the only person in the room.

     I'm almost certain that it's all D-Dubs fault that I developed "a thing" for bad boys.  

     As my parents worried about this newfound fetish, I made it my goal to collect every magazine, pencil, ink pen, notebook, t-shirt, nightgown, poster.....that I could find with a picture of Donnie's face on it.

     My daddy did NOT approve!  I was raised in a conservative, Christian home. By a Southern Baptist preacher.  He said that "filth" didn't need to be in our house.

     So, from 9-5, while dad was at work, I was rockin' out to some NKOTB.  Mom always allowed it.  I now know, that it was because I came by my love for bad boys honestly.  I think she enjoyed it almost as much as I did.

     In 1994 when the boy band decided to part ways I, along with a million other "sisters" slipped into a deep depression. 

     In time the sadness faded, new boy bands came along, but one thing never changed.  I <3 Donnie!

     I watched his movies, continued to buy NKOTB cd's, watched my Hangin' Tough video, and longed for the day that they would reunite.

     It finally happened!  In 2008 they released a new album, "The Block."  Oh...My...Gosh!!!  

     If my dad heard this, he surely wouldn't approve.  But I was 28 years old and it didn't matter.

     Of course there was a lot of negativity surrounding their comeback.   "They won't do any good."  "This album will crash."  "They're too old to start again."  Blah blah blah!  But I knew better.

      The obsession grew!  My husband was so supportive of my Wahlberg addiction, that he made it possible for me to see NKOTB in concert this year.  

     When planning and getting ready for the concert, I was just certain that when Donnie layed eyes on me, this girl that had loved him for 25 years, he would instantly feel the sparks!  

     The concert was amazing!  I was a little, okay a lot depressed when it ended.    I went back home to my 5 children, my non singing/dancing husband, my 3 foot high pile of laundry, and sink full of dirty dishes.

     I've been on a mission since that day to get @DonnieWahlberg to follow me, @JenRCoffee on twitter.   

     I feel like, I've devoted almost 25 years of my life to this man.  The least he can do is click "follow."  

     So starting today, with your help, it's GOING to happen!  If you're on twitter, tweet a link  to this blog (www.chaoticcoffees.blogspot.com) to @DonnieWahlberg and title it "Confessions of a Wahlberg Addict." 

     Thanks so much for your help.  I'll keep you informed:)

     

     

Before Pinterest There Was Martha Stewart

     As I sit here cuddled up with my blanket by the fire place, sipping my pumpkin spice coffee, watching The Today Show, (sounds like a Christmas commercial, huh?) a thought crosses my mind.  How did I survive in this world before I discovered Martha Stewart?

     I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Martha Stewart is the Dr. Phil of home decor, cooking, and crafts.  Yes.  She's that good!  They should have a show together.  Just imagine, "She'll clean up your home while He cleans up your act."  Oh, consider the possibilities!

     I've learned so many things from Martha over the years that I feel like it would be a great disservice to her and to all of you if I didn't share some of those things.  So, here we go.

    I struggled for countless hours with the dreaded fitted sheet.  I finally got to the point that I would just, fold, fold, roll, roll, roll.  Then stick the fitted sheet behind the nice, pretty, flat sheet on the shelf.  Until...one day several years ago Martha done a whole segment on "How to fold the fitted sheet."  Oh...My...Wow!  I'm positive that I could now teach a class on folding fitted sheets and probably, no definitely be nominated teacher of the year!  Who knew?  Martha, that's who!

     Unless you're a penny pincher like me, this one probably won't be of much use.  But this is one I've shared with some of my friends over the years.  Did you know that when using fabric sheets in your dryer that half a sheet works just as well as a whole one?  Nope?  Neither did I until I heard it on The Martha Stewart Show.  So, rather than buying cheap, store brand dryer sheets that don't smell very good, cut your Bounce or Snuggle sheets in half.  Make them last twice as long and if you want to look at it this way, they're half price!

     We don't go on many vacations or weekend getaways but when we do, I learned a way to pack that saves room and keeps our clothes wrinkle free.  This is the easiest way for me with a big family and limited luggage.

     Pick out your outfit.  Example: Pants, dress shirt, under shirt, underwear, and socks.  Lay your pants out.  Fold in half length wise, then shirt, undershirt, undies and socks.  Starting with the end of your pants, roll whole outfit up in a tight roll.  This makes them easy to pack, saves room, and keeps them from wrinkling.  Do this for each day you'll be gone.  Then getting ready in the morning is easy.  You just reach in, grab a roll per day, and go.

     When I'm packing for my kids my O.C.D. kicks into high gear and I put post-it notes on the outside of each roll with the days of the week on them.  This helps prevent any unwanted chaos.  Lord knows we don't need anymore of that!  Side note:  Curtis loves it when I coordinate our outfits to match for the entire trip.  (hint the sarcasm)  He loves it even more when I refer to his clothes as "outfits."

     Okay, you all know I love to bake.  A lot if recipes call for "sifted flour."  So, I went to Walmart and bought the cheapest sifter I could find.  There's a reason it was so cheap.  It only worked for about five minutes.  Martha taught me that you don't have to have a sifter.  Just put your dry ingredients in a bowl and stir  them together with a wire wisk.  So easy.  Lumps gone.  Voila!

     Last but most certainly not least.  When baking a cake and the directions say to flour your pan to keep the cake from sticking, use cocoa powder instead of flour for chocolate cakes.  This will keep your pretty chocolate cake from getting all white!

     Before Pinterest there was Martha Stewart!  She has taught me so many things and the ones I've shared with you are just a few of my favorites.  But the most important thing she's taught me?

Never cheat the system.  And black an white stripes are only cute if they're in zebra print! 

Snow Day!!!

     No matter how old I am, when I get that phone call from the school or see our schools name scroll across the bottom of the television screen, the little girl inside of me screams with excitement!

     We lived in town, behind the Skyline Cafe, until I turned twelve years old.   Anytime somebody wanted to know where we lived, Mom or Dad just said, "Right behind the ole' Skyline."  Everybody knew where it was.  

     The minute it would start spitting snow, my brother Tim and me drove our mom crazy!  "Have they cancelled yet?"  "Can Dawn spend the night?"  "Let's build a snowman!" 

     As we watched the news and waited for the cancellations, the excitement built.  "Fordland cancelled.  Yes!  Oh, there's Mansfield.  If they aren't having school, neither will we." Salem, Sarcoxie,......SEYMOUR RII SCHOOLS!  Woo hoo!!'

     Every year without fail on our first snow day Mom just had to go "check" the roads.  So, after Dad was off to work, Mom, Tim, and Me (Jimmy wasn't born yet) loaded up in the single cab truck and went out for a drive.

     I soon learned that every road lead back to the highschool parking lot.  And that "checking the roads" really meant, being the first to cut cookies in the freshly fallen snow in the parking lot.

     Thinking back on it, at a very young age I was the voice of reason.  While we were spinning out of control, I was rolled up in a ball saying, "What if the cops come?  What if we go off the parking lot and hit the light poll?  If Dad finds out you're in sooo much trouble!"  

     During my moment of panic, Mom and Tim were laughing histerically!   

     Well, the cops never came.  Luckily we never hit the light poll.  And if dad indeed found out, Mom must not have gotten into too much trouble.

     During my 6th grade year, we moved to our farm on BB Highway.  Dad called it "The old home place."  That's where my grandparents raised him and his 11 siblings.

     We had not enjoyed a snow day until we experienced our first one on the farm.  We were surrounded by wide open space and huge hills!...Sledding hills!

     I believe it was our first winter there that Dad built us a wooden sled for Christmas.  It looked just like one that you would see in the movies.  It even had a rope in the front to steer it with.  He painted it cherry red.  The only bad thing about it?  It weighed a million pounds!  

Okay, maybe 30 or 40 pounds.  But that's really heavy for a scrawny little girl.  So, Tim had the job of dragging it up the hill over and over and over.

     We spent, what seemed like forever preparing for our sledding trip.  First we put on long johns, then came the sweat pants, then coveralls.  Two pairs of socks, rubber boots, stocking caps, and more socks on our hands for gloves.

     We had a blast!  And we knew it was time to go back to the house when we could no longer feel our feet and our sock gloves were frozen solid.

     Mom always had blankets warming in the dryer for us and Dad could build a hotter fire in our wood stove than any other dad in the world!

     I loved wrapping up in that staticky, brown and white striped blanket, and standing in front of the wood stove that was so hot it almost hurt, until my extremities were thawed out.

     So....today's the first snow day of the winter.  I woke up to about five inches on the ground and five very excited kiddo's.  

     They're scattered throughout the house.  Each doing their own thing.  

     Daymond's in the bedroom playing X-Box.  Devin is sitting beside me watching t.v.  Dustin's in the bedroom with Daymond.  Dani's tormenting the dogs.  And Dakotah is probably in the bathroom making some kind of mess.   While I just sit here, lost in the past.  

     I love my family and having lots of kids was always my dream. But what I wouldn't give to go back in time.  

     Just for one last snow day:)

     

      

The Things Nobody Tells You

     When I dreamed about having baby's I always thought of the pretty way they smell right after their evening bath.  How soft and kissable their little pudgy hands are.  How they cuddle and coo and look at you with such adoration at such an early age.

     Then when I thought on into their toddler years I couldn't wait to coax them into saying their first words, teach them to count (one, two, free), blow kisses, pat-a-cake...You know?  All of that adorable, important stuff that would keep the grandparents and aunts and uncles entertained for hours.

     A few years down the road would be the start of elementary school.  Oh what fun!  Cute clothes!  School programs!  Field trips!  Birthday party's.  The fun never ends.

     It would just get bigger and better from there.  

     Middle School was awesome for me!!!  I couldn't wait to go through those years with my kids!

     Basketball, baseball, football, track, cheerleading...Hanging out with friends.  Going to church.  Spending time with family....

     Ya know what?  All of those things are great!  And when discussing parenthood with friends, it seems that those are the events they tell you about.  

     I've had to learn the hard way, that there are sooo many other things that nobody bothered to tell me!  A little heads up would've been nice people!

     So that's why I'm here.  News flash!  It's not all bows and ribbons, cuddles and kisses, smiles and laughs.  

     Those commercials you see on t.v. with the perfect little family?  Mommy smiling at daddy adoringly, kiddos dressed in their nice, clean, suits and dresses.  Well behaved dog laying in front of the fire place (not pooping in the floor).  IT'S A HOAX!!!  

     The little brats are probably bribed with candy and trips to Disney Land to be good for the 30 second commercial!  And the dog?  I'm almost certain it's either stuffed or sedated until the job is done.

     I got my first reality check when Daymond was a baby. He was NOT a good sleeper so I decided an evening bath ritual would help.  So every evening, he got a bath in lavender baby bath, then rubbed down with baby lotion.  Ahh...he smelled so yummy.  For about 15 minutes!

      I'm not sure how Daymond grew to be as big as he is because I swear every time he had a bottle, it immediately came out one of the holes in his tiny little body. Ugh...The things nobody tells you.

     Daymond was 8 months old when I got pregnant with Devin.  By the end of my pregnancy, he was starting to talk pretty well.  

     I'll never forget trying to make little 16 month old Daymond, understand that he was going to have a new baby brother.  I must have mentioned the baby to him one too many times, because one day he pulled back his fist, and with the most evil look on his face said, "I kill you baby."

     My mom laughed!  Curtis laughed!  My dad laughed!  I was 8 months pregnant.  I did not laugh!  

     I took this as a sign.  He is going to hate this baby!  Oh my gosh, my sweet little Daymond is going to kill his baby brother!  I cried and cried.  I may have been a tad bit hormonal because looking back on it, it's a little funny.  Oh my...The things nobody tells you.

     Potty training Devin is a feat I was just sure I would never accomplish.  Daymond was a breeze.  I assumed they would all be the same.  Wrong!!!

     When I gave birth to my second child, Devin Ray Coffee.  I gave birth to the most disgusting child that would ever grace this earth.  

     When he was about 2 1/2 not only did he hide in the closet to poop, he also took his diaper off to do it.  Then said, "Stretch did it!"  Stretch was our wiener dog. Smart enough to blame the dog.  But not smart enough to poop in the potty.  Hmmm....I should've seen it coming right then.

     One day, after coming out of the closet (haha), Devin was naked and holding his hands up with what looked like chocolate pudding all over them.  I mean ALL over them!  I said, "Devin, don't touch anything!" 

     It seemed like everything started happening in slow motion.  I dropped what I was doing.  Ran toward him and just as I got to him, he smiled and stuck his hand in his mouth!  Yep.  He really did.  And not just for a second.  He sucked his fingers clean. 

     I was yelling, gagging, telling him to stoooooppppp!!!  While he stood there naked, smiling, with brown mush all around his mouth.  

     After Devin was cleaned up.  And his finger painting that I discovered in the other room was washed away.  Again, I cried and cried.  

     This time it wasn't hormones.  I was just devastated because I realized that I had a nasty, disgusting, abnormal child!  And that although I loved him with all my heart, wasn't quite sure how to deal with him.  Gag!...The things nobody tells you.

      Daymond was in pre-school the first, and hopefully only time he will ever have the cops called on him.   All of those cute little 4 and 5 year olds were lined up in the old rock building, waiting to go out to recess.  And Daymond was very curious about the little red handle on the wall.  So, he done what any other 5 year old would do.  He pulled it!

      He set off the alarms.  They had to evacuate the whole building.  The fire fighters came.  The police came.  Daymond  got "the talk" about that being for emergencies only.   I always hoped that when there was a story in the local paper about my kids it would be about something good that they had done.  Oops!...The things nobody tells you.

      I could probably write a book about these things that come as a total shock to you as a parent.  The very unexpected things that our innocent children do.  

     Like the first time Daymond, almost 3 at the time, saw someone of a different color.  He pointed right in their face, about 2 feet away and said, "Mommy, what color is that man?"

     Or the time Daymonds Sunday School teacher, Tina Terry asked the class if anyone had a song that they wanted to sing.  And Daymond raised his hand and requested, "She Thinks My Tractors Sexy."  NOT one of my prouder moments.

     Or when Devin was 4-ish and he was very shy.  When someone would talk to him in public.  Instead of responding with a smile or not responding at all.  He hissed like a cat.  Oh my gosh!  I have "the weird kid" that nobody wants to see coming!

     I didn't even know how to apologize for his behavior.  "I'm so sorry.  My kitty's having a bad day."  Oh my....The things nobody tells you.

     There's always the time that Devin peed in a Mt. Dew bottle and told 3 year old Dustin to drink it....and he did!

     Or when sweet little Gracie Ogle told Devin his hair cut was cute and it embarrassed him so he blurted out, "I think you're ugly!" I was just glad he learned to use his words instead of hissing!  Yaaay!

     Or the night I woke up to the sound of liquid running and one of my boys, I won't name names, was sleep walking and came into my bedroom and peed in my rocking chair. Because it looks like a toilet!?  Who knows?

     I haven't even started on the girls.  I caught Dani, 7 kissing our little neighbor boy, 5 through the fence in the back yard.  Who knew?  Oh yeah, I did.  But I want my kids to be different.  

     They're so curious at such an early age.  Dr. Phil says its "normal" and "natural."  I say it's creepy!...The things nobody tells you.

      I'm just giving some insight to those of you who are just starting down this path in life.

     Never ever say, "My kid will NEVER do this or that" because, mark my words.  They will poop, finger paint, then eat the leftovers!

     

     

    

     

The Coffee Filter

     We recently had Direct TV installed and I'm absolutely loving this DVR.  With a house full of kids there is nothing better than being able to pause, rewind, and fast forward live t.v.  With all of the advances in technology I've seen in my 33 years, I'm thinking that it's possible that in my future, I'll see the ability to pause, rewind, and replay my mouth.  What a concept!  I'm sure I'm not the only one in my family that feels this would be a great invention.

     While I view my being outgoing, honest, quirky, and somewhat off color sense of humor as being "good" parts of my personality.  I've been told that it wouldn't hurt to "reel it in a notch or two."  It can come across as a "little much."  And some people may not know how to "take me."

     There's a slight problem.  This is who I am.  I don't know how to be any other way.  For as long as I can remember, all of my friends have said,"if you want to know the truth, just ask Jenny."  I pride myself on that.  I don't tell the truth because it's mean or because it's the ugly thing to do.  I tell the truth because that's what I've been taught to do.  Problem is, sometimes I tell the truth when nobody ask for it.  Come to find out, that's not okay.

 

   I sit here thinking about all the times the "Coffee Filter" would've came in handy.  (That's what I would call the DVR for my mouth.  Pretty clever, huh?)  There are really too many times to count.  From the embarrassing, stupid things I've said, that I sooo wish I could take back and will never live down.  To the hurtful, mean things that I've said to the people that I love.  That although they may have been true, didn't always need to be said out loud.  To the extremely inappropriate jokes I've made in awkward silences to complete strangers.  Why?  Because that's just what I do.

     Where do I begin?  Might as well go back to my first recollection of my idiotic behavior:

     The year was 1998.  I was 18 years old.  A group of friends and myself went to the theatre to see the new Titanic movie.  We were all so excited!  That was a long time ago.  But as best as I can remember, we stood in line for at least an hour, maybe a little longer.  We were getting ready to give our tickets to the lady when a teenage boy ran out of the theatre and yelled, "Let me ruin it for ya.  The ship sinks!"  Everybody laughed, except me.  I didn't find any humor in it at all!  I...WAS...TICKED!!!  I said, "seriously?  Thanks a lot!"  I went on and on about how long we had stood in line and now we knew how the movie ended.

     Um...apparently I slept through that day in history class.  Or I was writing notes to friends or something.  Because I swear I had never heard of the Titanic in my life!  

     That story has given a lot of people laughs over the years.  At first whenever somebody brought it up, I almost cried.  It was so humiliating.  People that I had never met in my life would come up to me in public and say, "Seen any good movies lately?"  Good one.  Now, go pick on somebody your own size.

     Fast forward several years.  Curtis and I were visiting with some friends.  We were discussing the president, which was George W. Bush at the time, and his wife and their twin daughters Barbara and Jenna.  I made the comment that I never understood why someone would have twins and give one of them a really cute name, like Jenna, and the other one such a plain, boring name, like Barbara.

     We were eating.  And in between bites I glanced around the table and noticed that everyone was looking at me kinda funny.  Nothing registered and I kept talking.  I said, "I know Jenna is a lot like Jenny so I don't mean to sound conceited.  It's just a really cute name.  But Barbara?  Really?  It's an old lady name!  Can you imagine looking at a tiny baby and saying, "awwww, come here Barbara.  Goo goo gaa gaa!"

     I glanced around again and they all had their mouths hanging open, looking at me so strange.  Then I looked at Curtis and he was giving me that, "You're doing it again" look.  Then it hit me.  We were having dinner with Jerry and BARBARA!

     How could I dig myself out of this one?  I couldn't.  So I didn't even try.  For once, I just apologized and shut up.  

     I know my face must've been 10 shades of red but not quite as red as Curtis's.  I just then started to realize why Curtis liked to spend so much time at home.  I can't say that I blame him.  So, if you want to know what I think of your name, just ask me.  I'll tell ya!

     Working at McDonald's has been so good for me.  It's gotten me out and about amongst other adults and given me a chance to mix and mingle with people that otherwise, I would've never met.  I really enjoy it. 

     A few nights ago a man came in and ordered a Bacon Buffalo McChicken.  I told him his total was $2.16.  He said, "$2.00?  Man!  That's an expensive sandwich!"  I told him anything with bacon on it's going to be more pricey.  I ask him if he'd bought bacon lately and went on to tell him how expensive it is.

     He said "No." He hadn't bought any.  He'd been in jail.  "The only pig he'd seen were the cops."  Hmmm...that's nice.

     He changed his order to a regular $1.00 McChicken.  I put his sandwich in a bag.  And with a smile on my face said, "Enjoy your sandwich...and your freedom."  As an after thought, I yelled after him, "but not your bacon." He turned around and smiled and said, "Have a great night!"

     The working manager thought It was funny.  I was just glad the ex-con had a good sense  humor.

     I think I saved my favorite for last.  I can't handle silence.  Most people will talk about the weather, sports, their kids, etc...I'll just say the first random thing that pops into my head.  NOT always, or even usually, a good idea.

     One day last summer I was just getting home and noticed a middle aged man walking down the sidewalk, using a walker.  I thought it was so sad.  He was walking pretty slow and it was obvious it wasn't an injury.  He was crippled.  

     Then I noticed that the boys had left their homemade ramp in the middle of the sidewalk from the night before.  A couple of concrete blocks and a piece of plywood.  So I sat my groceries down on the porch and ran out there to move the things out if his way.

     I moved them, and said, "Have a good day."  Okay okay.  I wish that's what I had said.

     I started to move them.  And said, "Let me get these out of your way."  Then I had a better thought.  So...I put them back down and said, "Unless...you want to back up and ramp it?!"  I no more than had the words out of my mouth than I thought, Jenny, what in the world is wrong with you?  Who says things like that?

     Luckily it was well received.  He decided to pass on the stunt.  But said if he was gonna do it, he'd hafta get a better run at it.

     I kept this from Curtis for several days.  I get tired of "the look."  And boy did I get it when he finally found out.  Oh well, what do ya do?

     At the end of the day, I'm not perfect. Who knew?  

     Thank God, He's still workin' on me!

Say Cheese!

     Oh the dreaded picture day.  I can't count the times I've left the Sears Portrait Studio in tears.  Curtis dragging his feet and rolling his eyes behind me saying, "I just don't understand what the big deal is.  It's just pictures."  Just pictures?  Did he really just say that out loud?  Men are so brain dead sometimes.

     Mommy's spend weeks planning the perfect outfits.  Then days planning around colds, nap times, bruises, and bad moods.  And hours fixing hair and keeping little boys out of mud puddles...just to get that perfect picture.  THAT'S what "the big deal is!"

     The last time we had pictures done of all of the kids, Dani and Dakotah weren't even born yet.  Considering Dani is seven and Dakotah is four, we decided it was time!

     With six kids, you don't spend months and weeks planning.  We decided on a Saturday afternoon that we would take the pictures the next day. 

    I decided on black & white.  That would be easy enough.  I went through everyone's closets and found them a black or a white shirt and jeans. I stressed over and over.  "This is what you will wear to church.  Then right after church we'll take pictures.  DO NOT GET DIRTY!"

     Dustin, nine hated the shirt I gave him to wear.  It was "sooo retarded looking."  I told him to get over it and went on getting everyone else ready. 

     Church starts at 10:00.  At 9:40 I was still running around in my pajamas coordinating outfits.  Ugh...

     Dustin came in the back door from jumping on the trampoline with mud all over his "retarded looking shirt."  I may have overreacted, sent him upstairs to change, had a minor melt down, and while I was breathing into a brown paper bag, Devin came in and said, "Dustin did that on purpose. He said, if I roll in mud I won't hafta wear this stupid shirt."

     Breathe Jenny.  Breathe.  If Curtis hadn't been here to bring me back to reality, I probably would have taken the retarded, muddy, shirt, rubbed Dustin's nose in it, then made him wear it to church and for pictures.  It would've made a funny picture and story...eventually, right?

     Okay, picture time!  We have Kaya 14, Daymond 14, Devin 12, Dustin 9, Dani 7, and Dakotah 4.

     On our way rushing out the door, heading for two separate vehicles, because we can't all fit in one,  I said, "We hafta take Darli!" Curtis looked at me like I was from another planet. "Are you kidding? I don't wanna hafta keep up with the dog!" "I will. C'mon Darli!  Should we take Tyson too?" "NOOO!!!"  "Goodness, now who's overreacting?"

     There's a beautiful little park just a couple minutes from our house where we  went to do our family "photo session."  

     Curtis had lots of fun ideas.  We had everything we needed.  Camera.  Kids.  Props.  Sunshine.  Smiles.  Positive attitudes.  Nothing but time.  Let's do this!

     Kaya and Daymond, both teenagers were over this before it ever started.  So they were fairly cooperative from the get go.  I know they were probably thinking, smile and it'll be over before we know it.

     With Dani and Dakotah, all you have to say is, smile and strike a pose.  They love being the center of attention.  So they both done great.

     Then there's Devin and Dustin.  Wow!  Although the park is very pretty.  It also has a lot of distractions for little boys.  Streams, rocks, woods, bugs...

     Every time I snapped a picture they were both off and running like wild animals.  Jumping across the creek, climbing trees, rolling down hills, throwing leaves at each other. 

     I felt like a broken record.  "Devin stop.  Dustin don't get dirty.  Devin you're going to get hurt.  Dustin put the bugs down."

     We left the park Sunday with a total of 30 pictures taken.  Six grumpy kids, one angry, disappointed mama, and a daddy that was probably wondering what he was thinking when had the idea to do pictures. 

     After editing, we came out with ten amazing pictures of our beautiful kids.  And now that the anger has subsided, I can look at these pictures and laugh and say it was all worth while. 

     Don't take life too serious.  Lesson learned!

     Most well behaved of the day?  Definitely Darli!

     

     

      

     

     

When I Grow Up...

      I had friends and teachers growing up that always ask me the same question. When I was little the question was, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" In middle school they would say, "What are you going to go to college for?"  Assuming that everyone would go to college after graduating high school.  And in later years the question was, "What are your plans for the future?"  Wow, that's pretty deep.

     I noticed the people around me always answered these questions with things like; a doctor, a lawyer, a pediatric nurse...  I've always been the type, since a young age, that wondered, why doesn't anybody ever say, "I'm gonna be a trash man" or "I'm gonna work at McDonalds." After all, somebody has to do it. But the one occupation that nobody ever named, possibly the most important job out there.  A mommy!  Who do they think raises those doctors, lawyers, and nurses?  Hello?! 

     So, my senior year of high school, my high school sweetheart, with whom I had planned to spend the rest of my life, said to me one night, in deep conversation, "Jenny, have you thought seriously about your plans for your future?" My first thought was, here we go again.  By this point, I was sick to death if this question! I was also tired of critical eyes when I told people that it wasn't in my plans to go to college.  I had nothing set in stone.  So I made it very clear to him that I was put on this earth to be a wife and a mommy. That's all I had ever wanted and all I had planned for "my future."

     Guess what I got?  Critical eyes.  Needless to say, that was the beginning to our end.  He wasn't "Mr. Right" after all.

     I'm so glad I didn't conform to what someone else wanted me to be over what I knew in my heart, was the calling on my life.  I hate to think of where I might be today if I hadn't held on to the unseen hand of God.

     That was the hardest, saddest, most horrible breakup in world history!  I was just sure I was going to die.  I couldn't eat, I couldn't drink, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think, I couldn't concentrate on anything.  I pretty much walked around like a zombie, until.......

     August 26, 1998.  That's when I spotted him.  There he was, walking into the gas station.  Ahhh...could he be real or was he just a vision?  I must admit. I DO NOT believe in love at first sight.  But if I did, I would swear this was the closest that anybody had ever came to it in the history of existence.

     If it wasn't love at first sight what was it?  It must've been lust.  But it's over now:)  I'm not proud of this but that's the only explanation.  Lust it was.

     I noticed he was with a friend and his friend was pumping gas.  So, I took myself and my outgoing, unfiltered, personality to that friend and said "hi."  He probably thought I was hitting on him.  But I shortly followed "hi" with "your friend is really hot!"  He laughed.  Hottie came out of the store.  Friend introduced us.  And the rest is history.

     Hottie, a.k.a. Curtis, has now been my husband for fifteen years next month.  I would be lying through my teeth if I said we had been happy every single day of those fifteen years.  That would make a great story but a very untruthful one.

     After starting to date we learned that we both wanted a big family.  Cha Ching!!!  I hit the baby jack pot!  And I was thinking, "check this guy out.  We'll make some beautiful kids."

     It's true what they say. Whoever they are.  The first year of marriage is NOT EASY!  Immediately after saying "I do" those cute little things that Curtis said and done while we were dating...NOT cute anymore.  They were now ridiculously stupid and obnoxious, which lead me to feel many different emotions for him in that first year.  Aggravation, annoyance, rage, hatred...love?  Not so much.  Mostly I just wanted to kick him in the throat and run the opposite direction while he was laying on the ground gasping for breath.

     Now, almost fifteen years later, we realize where we were going wrong.  We had our priorities completely out of line.  First of all, we did NOT have God at the head if our marriage.  Without Him as the leader.  It will never work!

     Yes, we went to church on Sundays. We checked the "Christian" box on hospital papers.  But were we being "Christ like?"  Absolutely not!  It's a sad reality that I've recently learned, too many people think all it takes to be a Christian is to believe in God.  Darwin, the inventor of the evolution theory or the "big bang theory" believed there was a God.

     It didn't take us fifteen years to get our priorities lined up.  But it did take us longer than I like to admit.  God first.  Spouse second.  Children after spouse.  Then everything else.  Sometimes that's a hard pill to swallow.  But that's the way it was intended.

     Recently, after being blessed enough to be able to stay home with our children for fourteen years, I started working.  I'm constantly bragging on my sweetie to the ladies I work with.  I'm proud of my man!

     Three nights ago, I came home from work at mid-night and Curtis had bought me roses, a Caramel Milkyway (my favorite), and written me the sweetest card telling me how much he appreciates me.  Aaannnddd he rubbed my achey feet while I told him all about my evening.  It's the little things:)

     I know.  He sounds perfect, right?  He's not!  There are still times I'd like to kick him in the throat and run the opposite direction.  

     So, I don't have a college education.  I've never traveled out of the country.  I wouldn't know how to act at a five star restaurant. 

     But if you ask me thirty years ago what I wanted to be when I grew up, or twenty years ago what I was going to college for, or seventeen years ago what my plans were for my future.  I could've looked ahead to today and with perfect contentment said, "Yep."