A week in pictures....

I don't have much time...I am SUPER tired & it is already midnight!!! I have been working my butt off today & am still waiting for some laundry to dry so I thought I would sit down & post this weeks pictures. It was a good week...a LONG one. Our goats have said farewell...kind of sad. We are thinking of getting a cat to replace them. Brad has somehow decided that he is a cat person...RANDOM. Tomorrow I am going wedding dress shopping with my baby cousin....EXCITING!! Brad will keep the kids ALL day long!!! Wowsers!!! I need to go...laundry beckons...

We had to say Farewell to our sweet goats today...they are going to live on a farm with some new friends. They won't be too far away so Bish can go visit them...*sniffle*...I'll kind of miss my little Lady bug though...:( 

Goodbye sweet Tinkerbell & Tammy/Tommy...we will miss you!! 

I think this picture is classic...it shows our redneck ways:)! There is a kid on jacked up jeep, a man holding a naked baby, a goat, a septic tank...a trailor house...holy cow Jeff Foxworthy could have fun with this picture:)!! 

Who knew Baby Einstein could be so exciting?! 

This picture is for you, Mom...I knew you would love to see her in her little denim jumper:)!! 

A trip to the park for all...Shayden was ready to go!! 

I think she is having a good time!! 

Shayden chillin' with her boyfriend, Caden! 

My rough & tumble little man made it ALL the way across all by himself!! I was IMPRESSED:)!! 

Bishop got all the way across so DAD had to prove his manhood!! 

A good time was had by all...does this picture frighten anyone else?!?! 

Time for bed wee ones.... 

Fun times at the Baker household...yes, she is holding power ranger dolls...LOTS of them....here's the story:) 

"Look, Shayden...THESE are POWER Rangers...they fight forces of evil..." 

He is so sweet...he even shares his POWER RANGERS:)!! 

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things I want for Christmas!!

(Mom, Brad...take note:)

1. A new Coach handbag...wishful thinking I know...but I had to put it on here:)

2. A new microwave...I think we need more wattage...ours is ten years old (thank you Project Celebration:)!! It cooks VERy slow though...

3. A new wedding ring. I like my old one but I am ready for a new one...HEY, I think five years is a BIG accomplishment:)!

4. A new bedroom suit...wow...I am realizing that I have expensive taste...I'll try to tone it down a notch...:)

5. A new down comforter...mine is getting very thin...I think I have had it for 7 years. I love how soft it is now but it is not near as warm.

6. A Willowtree Angel...I think it is Willowtree...Willow-something. I like the family ones or the one with a mom & two kids. (You can get them at Mardel, Brad:)

7. An Ebay giftcard would be nice...I spend way too much time on there:)!!

8. Clothes are always GREAT...Brad, please don't pick them out yourself...a giftcard would be fine. Your mom, however, can pick out clothes for me anytime, ask her for help:)

9. A DAILY study Bible...I want one that gives a study guide daily. I need to be more diligent but I need help.

10. Random China dishes...you can pick these up at flea markets, garage sales, etc. I have a plan for them but I need more.

11. A cat...I think we need a cat. One without claws...I want to pick it out though.

12. More bath products from Victoria's Secret...I am almost out. I love pure seduction & love potion:)

13. Love, hugs, & wonderful times with family because that is what it is about. Celebrating the birth of our Saviour & sharing His love with one another!! I just want to spend time just hanging out & doing nothing. Eating, laughing, talking, even crying...just being together!! Man, I am ready for Christmas...:)

THURSDAY THIRTEEN
Thirteen of My Favorite Celebrity Guys

(they are all but a close second to my wonderful husband...)

1. Patrick Dempsey...a.k.a. McDreamy...those baby blues...I have loved him since he was a geek on "Can't Buy Me Love"

2. Matthew McCouneghy...can you say TRUE BLUE TEXAN?!?!? I love that he would rather live in his airstream trailor then in his Hollywood dressing room!!!

3. Vince Vaughn...he is not the best looking on the list but he is SO funny that I think I would laugh if he read me the phone book...& that IS hot!

4. Toby Keith...again...not the best looking...but he labels himself "White Trash With Money"...how can you resist that?!?! A redneck with MONEY...that could be wild!!

5. Nick Lachey...can you say, "TEAM NICK" I think Jessica Simpson has lost her mind...this boy gives new meaning to the word beautiful!! (And he sings too...HELLO!!)

6. Vin Diesal...YUM!! I had forgotten about him until I watched one of his movies this weekend...he is so cute & isn't all Hollywood.

7. Ricardo Chavira...think Carlos on Desperate Housewives...he is a bad boy with money...girls love that!!

8. Marc Cuban...can you say BILLIONAIRE??!? He is rich, cute, owns a sports team, has a big heart & is a smart mouth...he has it all, ladies!

9. Brian Austin Green...I had to include a 90210er...David was always the dorky sidekick but he grew up nicely:)!!

10. Chris Daughtry...another sexy bald man. He looks like my husband & he sings like a dream...what is NOT to love?!?!?

11. James Tupper...he is the new guy on Men in Trees & he is adorable...mysteriously handsome...that is a killer combo!!

12. Will & Mike Boogie off of Big Brother All Stars...they are SO funny...I fell in love with them this season. Ambitious business men with cash flow & charm...watch out world!!

13. Josh Duhman...VEGAS hottie...how did I forget him?!? He is tall, dark, AND handsome!!

My diva has big plans:)

  

Brad's new workout:)!

  

THAT makes a mom smile:)

  

And so it begins...another Binksie lover...:)

  

My Random Thought Process

I guess after you drive the same route home (there is ONLY one way:) EVERYDAY you begin to notice things. Like the Speedway cars...they often change directions or float to the edge. Sometimes one or two even disappear. People who drive by notice this...I am not the only one...I have asked around. The one thing that I have really been wondering about is the strange farm up the road. The farm's sign boasts about their cattle...yet the ornate decorations on the sign are horses. And I have NEVER once seen a cow on their land...a few horses & one donkey but NO cattle. That is goofy advertising but not what I have been noticing. Since I drive by at least once a day & pay attention to the donkey because he stands out...I have noticed that he stays close to this ONE horse. Everytime I drive by he is always standing next to the big,pretty, brown one. There aren't that many horses & the one he stays closest to is bigger than the rest so you can tell it is the same. I know why the donkey is out there...he has a job to do but I have to wonder why he stays closer to that one horse than the others. I have seen them locked in the lot together by themselves, away from the rest of the horses...do you think they formed some kind of bond?! I know this is a weird topic but it interests me. Any ideas, Linds?! So...there ya go...that is how bad I do NOT have a life...I am concerned about the horse & donkey that live down the road...God help me:)!
I hope everyone is having a FABULOUS Monday...due to illness I don't have many new pics...here is what I have!

FRIDAY FEAST One Hundred and Eleven

Appetizer ~ What was the very last song you listened to?.
"Buttons" by the PussyCat Dolls...I should be ashamed, huh?!:)

Soup ~ What is one company/store/corporation you would recommend that people stay away from?
I WOULD say Target because they have hugely wronged me but since I can't stay away I shouldn't tell anyone else to...

Salad ~ On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy having your picture made?
If I am having a good hairday...probably a 7...if it is humid & I look like a bush...-2

Main Course ~ Besides a bookmark, what is something you've used to keep your place in a book?
I am a book abuser...I FOLD THE CORNERS...I know...it's horrible:)!!!

Dessert ~ Name a food that you like that most people don't.
Lambchops...if cooked properly...YUMMMMMM!!!

THIRTEEN OF MY PERSONAL OPINIONS ON LIFE

(you don't HAVE to agree...it's MY blog:)!

1. I think being a stay at home mom is the hardest job on the planet....you think air traffic controllers have it rough...they should try to navigate a three year old & a three month old through an entire day...at home...when it is raining...& they are sick...HA

2. I think that there are some men out there who think they are quite charming but are really just annoying & rude. They should consider keeping their mouths closed & be careful who they repeat things to.

3. I think that kids will be kids....let them just BE kids.

4. I think that we should give control back to doctors & hospitals & take it away from insurance companies. My insurance company should not be able to tell me which doctor I can see or what medicine I should take.

5. I think that slice & bake cookies are better than my homemade ones:)!

6. I think that i have a somewhat bad attitude today because I am SOOOOOOO tired!

7. I think that people forget that marriage is a sacred covenant with God & it is not something to be just thrown away because it gets "hard." You don't quit work because it gets hard...why would you quit the person you made solomn vows to? (there are exceptions...please don't send hate mail!!)

8. I think that family is super important & they should get together as often as they can. Life is short...

9. I think that I am supremely blessed to have the friends that I have...each one brings something fabulous into my life. I love you all!!!

10. I think that we should not judge or condemn one another. It is all about loving EVERYONE. If we all loved each other inspite of our flaws & opinions, the world would be a much happier place!!!!

11. I think that Olive Garden has the BEST fettechini alfredo in the world...I LOVE it!

12. I think that my husband should do something special for me everyweek. I mean, I do take care of his house & raise his children. I think I need a little attention!!

13. I think I need a drink...at a bar...surrounded by my girlfriends...COME ON...let's pick a night already!!!!

Frazzled LaShawn

A poem...

"God Saw You"
God saw you getting tired
and a cure was not to be
So He put His arms around you
and whispered come to me.
With tearful eyes we watched you,
and saw you pass away
and though we loved you dearly,
we could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best. 

Mama

I have been putting this blog off but Brad told me that I had to clean off my desk so here goes...

Martha Elnora Kirk

(1931-2006)

Many of my friends who read this will wonder who Martha is. That is because she was known simply as Mama & it was a name that suited her. I know that she has been many things to many different people. A wonderful wife for 56 years to my grandfather. A mother who would do anything for her two daughters. A friend to SO many...she knew how to just listen to people. But I remember her as a phenomanol Mama. As a child I thought she was perfect...she spoiled me rotten & not just with toys & material things. Love just poured from her heart & even her home. She ALWAYS had time to play or take me to feed the ducks. She even tried to teach me about hard work by getting me involved with chores on the farm. I assumed that everyone had a grandma like that. As an adult I realize just how blessed I was to have this amazing woman in my life. She was the kind of grandma that sent me a card EVERY week while I was in college. She was the kind of grandma that sent my son a card every week just to send him a dollar & let him know that he was SO loved by his grandparents that didn't get to see him as often as they would have liked. She was the kind of grandma that wouldn't tell anyone she was sick so she could see her youngest grandaughter graduate from college & hold my daughter just ONE time. It has been a rough couple of months. I still drive down the road & out of nowhere the tears will begin to fall. For a while, I wondered why that happened. I mean, I know it is hard, but time should help heal. I finally realized just why it is SO hard to let go. We all recieve unconditional love from our Lord & Savior but we recieve it from very few people on this planet. I finally realized that I had lost someone who loved me unconditionally. And it hurts really bad to know that I have lost someone that could do that. Many have asked to read what I wrote for her funeral so here it is. I thought it would be a hard task but there were so many wonderful things I could say that it took less than an hour.

TEN THINGS THAT MAKE ME THANKFUL FOR MY MAMA

10. For always staying caught up on our soap opera's so when I got behind or confused she could ALWAYS answer my questions!

9. For taking me to the farm as a child & spending hours upon hours helping search for the elusive peacocks & helping me gather their feathers.

8. For the countless trips to Lon John Silver's when I stayed with her & Papa. They always let me wear the silly hat & ring the bell on the way out.

7. For always helping me pick fresh peaches off of the neighbors tree (thank you Keith & Judy!!)

6. For helping to keep Mrs. Baird's in business by taking me to the reservoir at LEAST once a week to feed those ducks. I assure you that when I was a child that those ducks NEVER went hungry;)!!

5. For taking me with her to church on Monday afternoons to collect the attendence sheets & allowing me to play the piano for just a second because no one was there to frown on it:)!

4. For teaching me that there was NO reason to learn how to fry chicken because there was a Kentucky Fried Chicken just down the street:)!

3. For reading, "How to Make a Paper Hat" so many times that we both had it memorized & for helping me make us our OWN paper hats & for even wearing one with me.

2. For sending her grandpuppy a birthday card EVERY year. She understood that he was my first baby & who besides MY Mama would do that?

AND THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT MAKES ME THANKFUL FOR MY MAMA...

For teaching me what it is to be a wonderful, loving, Christian woman. She has taught me what unconditional love is. Her presence at all important functions was a given..she never missed a birthday party or dance performance but it was the little ways that she showed love that I am most thankful. She always made sure there was a chicken casserole at every family dinner because she knew that I didn't like turkey or brisket. She made sure when I went to college that I had something in my mailbox EVERY week. She still sends me cards every week filled with coupons & things she finds in the paper that she thinks Brad or I might like to read...I don't think she ever understood how much I loved to get those. She showed me that we are to love EVERYONE by always buying extra food at the grocery store to go to the food pantry. She showed me that just listening to someone can show more love than you can imagine. She was a living example of how to go through life with beauty & grace. She showed the strength of ten men in the end & never once complained...she STILL just worried about her family. I could never explain the love & admiration I have for my Mama...I can tell you that Martha Kirk has taught me about the kind of woman that I want to be...just like her.

GOD BLESS THE USA

This is all I can say...

"Lord, I pray for all of the vicitms of 9/11. For the ones in the towers, for the heroes that lost their lives trying to save others, for the brave ones that took the last plane down in a field. I pray for their families...that in five years they have gained some peace. I know they will never get over it but at least help them to move on. I pray for the terrorists who did this, Lord. I pray that you can work in their hearts & heal them. I don't know why they think this is the way to change things but please erase the evil from their hearts. Please be with the people of America...let us welcome you back into our society & let real healing begin. Thank you for your amazing grace & mercy Lord. You are an awesome God.
A-men"

Feast One Hundred & Ten

Appetizer ~ Name 3 things that you are wearing today.

I am grungy today. I am wearing denim capris (from before Shayden:) & a ratty old Falling Jupiter t-shirt. I was wearing sparkly flip flops but I took them off because my feet hurt!

SoupWho was the last person you hugged?

Besides my immediate family...I hugged Jodi & Donald before they left last night. I will miss you Jodi!! We had fun though...

Salad What do you like to order from your favorite fast food place?

Hot wings, mashed potatoes & gravy & SWEET TEA:). I love me some Chicken Express!!!

Main Course What time of day do you usually feel most energized?

It depends on how much sleep Shayden allows me to have but usually in the morning & late in the evening.

Dessert Using the letters in your first name, write a sentence. (Example: Sweet unusual spaniels are nice.)

Santa hangs around northern air:)!!

Thirteen Things that I like about ME

(challenge accepted!!)

1. I am an original...there is no one out there like me. I think differently...I am fabulous:)

2. My eyes...they are unique. A strange color of blue but very striking with my dark hair and ghost white skin.

3. (Wow...I am already struggling...) My loving nature...I truly love everyone. I may not like a handful but it is my nature that they will never know it. I HATE to hurt anyones feelings.

4. I love to make people feel special...I think everyone should know that they are special.

5. The relationship I have with Jesus Christ...it makes me a better & much more happy person!

6. I am a good friend...I will stand by you. I will listen...I will cry with you...I will hold your hand or drive three hours to give you a hug.

7. I am a good wife & mother. Not perfect...not even great...I can accept good. I try my best to keep everyone in my home happy.

8. I like that I am getting better at speaking my mind. I ALWAYS try to do it in a way that doesn't hurt or offend but I am trying not to be so agreeable just to appease.

9. I am frugal. That is a nice way of saying I am cheap...but I like that about me. I want to believe that even if I win that $2,000,000 jackpot that I will still go to consignment sales:)!!

10. I am neurotic...I think it is charming;)!

11. My compassion for all people. I watch Oprah & cry for women on there. I have a deep empathy for people.

12. I am good about sending cards...I got that from my grandmother! Everyone loves mail so I try to send smiles through the mail!

13. My smile...it is nice!!! :) See..look at this blog...I am obsessed with smiles:)!!!

Bishop insisted on having his picture taken with Shayden...I suspect that it was because he didn't want to sit down but you see I allowed it anyways:) 

CONTEST...who can tell which child's eye this is? Comment with your answers...