Wendy's Amazing, Fabulous New Year

I am going to buy one of these this year with Troy's face on it!

I have never successfully accomplished a new year's resolution.  I have resolved that I am truly a new year loser.  This year I would like to set a few small goals for myself, like...eating a banana all the way through or cleaning out the dryer lint trap once a week.  In the meantime, I do have a lot that has to be done this year...I am asking for prayers as I tackle each and every milestone ahead of me...

1)  I will turn 40.  I will be graceful about it.  I will not try to lose weight or stuff myself into a pair of 20 year old jeans with diamond crosses on the butt and wear high heels with them.  I will go ahead and buy elastic waist band pants and loafers.   I will look at my older friends and be envious that they look so stinking good for their ages and I will decide that I am so much wiser than my younger friends and offer them advice that I am sure they will value and appreciate.

2)  I will have a high schooler.  I will decide to home school her and then at the last minute send her on out of the nest to the big, bad cesspool of criminal adolescents who will try to get her to pierce her tongue and get a tattoo that says, "Mom."  She will survive, I am sure and I will be the mom who shows up at lunch with a little picnic basket in hopes that she jumps with joy upon seeing my arrival.  I am after all...her best friend.

3)  I will fly to another continent and wear a fanny pack and a beret that says "Wendy" on it.  I will only take enough tranquilizers as to not drool on my mother who is sitting next to me.  I will carry an emergency "ocean" kit that includes a floaty, flares, and a bottle of shark repellent.  After I get through the phobia of actually getting to my destination, I will shop, take pictures, and try not to act like an idiot American tourist.  I will become a world traveler this year.

4)  I will take a test.  I will more than likely fail it the first time.  I will cry and then I will go home, study some more, and eventually become very good at what I want to do, which is burst the dreams of some little girls and help a few others in their challenge to become champions.  I am sure I will make more than a few parents mad but I will be kind, sweet, and encouraging along the way.

5)  I will read more of my bible and less of the .99 cent deals on Amazon.  I will watch movies and television that are encouraging and uplifting.  I will try to tear myself from the rabid obsession I have with Dance Moms.  I will watch more movies that are in black and white!

6)  I will be a gym mom for the first time in 10 years.  I will try not to coach my daughter from the stands and instead simply allow her to be what God intended her to be.  I will not throw hot dogs at other mothers and I will remember that she is a not a gymnastics robot and will make mistakes.  I will love her simply because she is not perfect but perfect for me.

7)  I will kiss my oldest even when she smells like horse poop.  I will try not to throw any more of her electronics in the washer this year.  I will make room for her moodiness and remember there is plenty of space for two witches to live in harmony in a small house.  We will cut our eyes at each other and argue about bed times and music selection, but at the end of the day, we will cuddle together, with hot chocolate and watch "You've Got Mail" and marvel at how stinking cute Meg Ryan is with that short hair.

8)  I will stand by my man.  I will not iron his pants and I will borrow his socks without asking.  He will get frustrated with me and stomp out to his "man" house to build something out of marital frustration.  He will undoubtedly make fun of me for turning 40 before him and I will plot an even greater event to make his 40th birthday party very memorable (I made him a cemetery plot cake for his 30th). 

9)  I will serve the Lord!  I will make crafts at VBS without complaining and I will teach Sunday School if needed.  I will read my bible not out of guilt or habit, but I will yearn for the words, the comfort, and joy that God has breathed on the pages.  I will share what I have read and I will love neighbors with all my being. I will give God my year and trust Him to securely tie each day up with a ribbons of purity and righteousness!

I pray each and every one of you has a beautiful, precious New Year!  God has some great things in store for His children who seek him!

A Blogged Christmas Greeting!

Merry Christmas!
It has been the most beautiful, imperfect year!  I wouldn't want it any other way.  2013 has been filled with closed doors and open windows, but as always, it has been an adventure...I pray God has blessed each one of you this year and you have experienced the glorious grace and mercies that our Savior has to give!

Let's start with the youngest of the bunch...Madeline spent 90% of the year in her nightgown.  Besides staying constantly cold and sleepy, she still had time to make her room into a glorified wreckage site.  We call her room "Area 51" since we know there are alien life forms that have yet to be discovered and identified.  We drew the line at allowing popcorn to remain behind the bed.  We struggled with Singapore math this year, but made up for any academic discrepancy by excelling in overdue and lost library books.  Madeline accepted Jesus into her heart..a move that not only delighted Troy and I but gave us encouragement that maybe, just maybe she does sometimes listen to our good advice.  She is cuddly and her cheeks are soft and she still wants me to hold her a bit....

Molly got taller this year, curlier, and well, just plain crankier.  We have decided that hormones are actually evil spirits that cause teenage girls to do uncontrollable actions like rolling the eyes, stomping feet, and slamming of doors.  No amount of slapping her upside the head and saying, "Spirits be gone" seem to have helped.  We pray for her a lot.  Molly started the violin this year...I have yet to the find the mouse that is living under the strings.  She stinks like a horse on most days, lives in cowboy boots, listens to country music, and hasn't had a good hair day (according to her) in over a year.  She is expensive and high maintenance, but her laugh is music to my ears and I have yet to see anyone's eyes sparkle with such life and joy!

Troy has decided to stay around for another year.  With much pleading, he committed to love us all for yet another hectic year.  He sits in my favorite chair and hogs the television, refuses to take ballroom dancing with me, and makes fun of me because my cholesterol is higher than his. After years of him accusing me of stealing his socks and using them to dust the house, I started just taking socks for fun to drive him crazy...one single sock at a time.  But, oh, how he loves his daughters.  He leads us to church every Sunday and prays with us and for us. The day I bent over and split my pencil skirt and started to cry, he hugged me and let me soak his nice Ralph Lauren dress shirt with my huge alligator tears.  He still loves me and I am crazy in love with him.

As for myself, I caught a dishtowel on fire when I laid it on top of a candle, murdered my 17 year old cat, and gained 2 lbs (I swear it looks like 10 and I didn't really murder my cat.  She was old and needed to go).
This is the first year that I sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies every time I get out of bed in the morning.  I drank somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 cans of sparkling water and ate at least 40 bags of those veggie straws.  They are so good.  I became addicted to Breaking Bad and found myself using words like glass and ice so I would sound really street-smart with my friends.  I bowled a few good games under the pseudonym "Cookie" and played a few killer hands of Rook.  Thank you Leigh Ann...you are the best partner ever.  I got to spend another year loving my sweet daughters and watching them grow into amazing young ladies.  I wouldn't say I am the best housewife but I sure can dance to Staying Alive and that makes me super awesome.

Oh, and Duncan!  He needs medication for anxiety but we love him and seems to tolerate us pretty well, too!

On my final note, I want to share some of the gifts I have gotten this year....My parents and Troy's parents...Thank you for loving us and claiming us as your spawn.  It must be difficult sometimes.  Family....same sentiment as above!  My fabulous "besties",  Kelley, Mandy, and Mary...love our coffee time each week.  What a treasure!  My darling Melissa....The sister I never had.  You have taught me more about Christ's love than any friend I have ever had!  Morgan, Chad (a.k.a, Laverne and Glenn) and Gracie Goose...Our little adopted family and bowling partners...Mrs. Sandy...if Molly has it her way, you will be the Mother of the Bride along with me at her wedding!  Thank you for helping me raise her!  The  barn family...No texting before 6am...EVER.  My wonderful, precious gym moms and gymnasts...You have loved and supported me when times got tough.  You are my cheerleaders (and you know how I feel about cheerleading!)  Leighann and Craig...we aspire to be such amazing parents...and you play some mean Rook, too! 

 MY SALVATION, MY SAVIOR, MY LIFE!

May God truly bless you and your loved ones this year!  God is so good to give us the greatest gift of all!  Praise Jesus, my wonderful Savior!

Murray State Show

We had a great time at the Murray Equine Center on Saturday...Molly did amazing...She placed 4th, 3rd, and two 1st places in her classes.  She ended up winning the trophy for high point reserve (second highest all around scores).  We are so proud of her...Here she is praying before the first jump!

Molly and her sweet horse Jester!

A White House Christmas

A White House Christmas

I am back!  I am going to try again and being a better blogger.  Don't have high hopes for me.  I know me.  My intentions are really wonderful.  My actual production is a bit like Lucy and Ethel shoving chocolates in their mouths as they fly by on the conveyer belt. 

Check out my newest creation on Teachers Pay Teachers....

Santa Letter from Teacher

I am an awful blogger...

Yates' girls all cleaned up for church!  Hope you are all doing well! I can't believe how quickly the holidays are flying by.  We had a lovely day at the Yates' house on Thanksgiving Day and are so blessed to have such a wonderful family.  Ate way too much but left plump and happy!  Didn't try to make it out shopping on Black Friday this year...there was really nothing I wanted this year.  I did go to Lifeway for a few deals but everyone was very well-behaved...no pepper spray!  Just celebrated Troy's birthday on Thursday.  He was at his Clarksville apartment so we had a party for him on Friday night.  Keep praying for all of us!  God is so good and we thank Him for the job but this split-family living is kind of tough.  But, we Yates' girls are pretty spunky and strong...we are up for the challenges in life and God gives us a pep-talk when we need it!

Will update this more this month since I am going to be a wacky, stage mother.  Molly sings the National Anthem on Thursday night for the Heath basketball game.  I will try to post a video.  Madeline is Clara in the Nutcracker so I will try to get that, as well.  Love to all of you and enjoy this holiday season!  We have been given such a beautiful gift from God!