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!

CaveGirl!

Middle School Halloween Costume Day!

Mothers who brag are annoying....

Does it really matter who's is who's????  Just proud!

My little bird soaring through the air....

Grandkids

All the grand-kids together 

makes a very happy Grandma and G-Daddy!

Luke, Madeline, Molly, and Lucy..

Look! The sky is falling!

Don't get me wrong...I don't want anyone to die...but I am really excited about this 1 ton, bus-sized satellite aimed straight for America.  I mean, really, how exciting can one Friday night get?  And, the best part, they can't pinpoint the location  until about five minutes before it hits so we all get to participate in the solar excitement of whom and where the fireball could land. This is better than anything I could rent from RedBox....Oh well, hope you all make it.  If I don't blog again, you'll know why....


Had an epiphany the other night that woke me up from a deep sleep and slammed me into a concrete wall.  Here I am, grateful, that Molly is still years away from driving.  After all, that is when the real worries start, don't they?  Until, I realized that for the past few months, I have been letting Molly drive without a seat belt on a large convertible with a tail.  Now granted, she is wearing a helmet, but what is a few inches of plastic between her and certain death?  Not a whole heck of a lot...Am I bad mother for letting my child be best friends with a 1,000 pound monster that drops almost as much poop a day as it's body weight?  The other night, she came home and told the delightful story of how Avante stepped down on her foot and pinned her for a few minutes until two other girls came and pushed the great beast off of her.  Dear God, I need a sedative.


Now, on to Thing 2...after going to the teacher a few weeks ago and asking her to increase her math workload, Madeline hit a road block.  She got back a math paper with four problems wrong.  She stood up, marched up to the desk, and according to her teacher, stated, "I am not the least bit impressed with my performance on this assignment.  If it is okay with you, I would like to redo it and improve my overall grade average."  What did I give birth too.....?  A politician?  Nothing like being up at the school and EVERY second grade teacher telling you the same hilarious story about your kid.  Yes, the Yates make life very exciting wherever they go...


Troy, poor, sweet thing...still on 5-10s right now.  Comes home in an exhausted mess to a manic, compulsive wife who is cranky from playing single mom all week.  I do try to make each weekend as peaceful as can be, but as life usually proves to us, this is an impossible feat.  Our goal for most weekends is trying not to leave a mark when we start throwing dishes at each other.  The kids love it when we fight...good family times.


God is so good!  We have all we need and so much more!  Praying for each of you as you go about your week!  Love to everyone!

September is NEVER going to end....

Yes, for those who have not picked up on my sarcasm and anger...I hate the last part of the summer with a passion.  Hell is nothing but one long September that you have to endure for all of eternity.  More of a reason for me to spend each day walking closer with Christ so I can be in a cool climate forever.  I dream of pumpkin spice cappuccinos from Starbucks, candy corn (the harvest mix, of course) and corduroy anything.  If I could wear corduroy underwear, I would.

So, with all that said, we are all trying to be patient as October peaks around the corner.  The girls are doing well.  Troy is working hard in Clarksville.  We miss him very much but he is coming home on Wed nights to visit with us.  I know that exhausts him but he says he wants to come and see us.

I hope each of you is doing well.  I will leave you with some chuckles....Every week, my youngest child gets snarkier and more sarcastic.  While I am deciding how many smacks she deserves on her backside, I hope you enjoy these Madelisms.....

To Mommy when I wasn't paying attention to her..."Hey lady, I am trying to ask you a question."

To Mom after dinner..."Can I go play in my room like a small child should?"

Conversation between mom and Madeline..."Why does Molly like to go to the stables?"  "She likes horses."  "Molly is a horse's butt."  

Madeline to her teacher, "You are not challenging me enough in math."

Mom to Madeline..."You are in my seat...do you mind."  "Nope, do you?"

Have a great week!

Joy Of My World!

September 4th, 2003:

I went to see Dr. Greene for a check-up.  I was 8 days over my due date and ready to internally combust.  So, I unleashed a monsoon of teardrops and my sweet doctor said, "Let's get you over to the hospital and get this little gal here!"  Praise God!  Within four hours, my darling, sweet girl was placed in my arms.  What a tiny piece of God's great glory and love!  I knew she had been hand-picked for me and that I had been equally appointed for her.  No day passes where I don't praise God for the great gift He has given me.  I love my Madeline and I know the rest of you do, too!  But, enough with the sentimental mommy honey-drip...Here's to 8 years filled with...

Sleepless nights, snorting giggles, 12-foot waves of baby spit-up, thumb-sucking, DeeDee holding, cartwheel turning, endless work on telling time, begging you to brush your teeth, tangled hair, cranky mornings, millions and millions of kisses, banging your arm on every door-frame, picking up the cat up by her hind legs, fears of getting to bed past 8, Pippi Longstocking movie marathons, dirty underwear folded up neatly in your drawers,   always wanting to be in my lap, screaming when daddy walks in the door!

I love your crazy ways and am excited about what your 8th year holds!

Love,

Mommy

Brandon Heath/Jars of Clay

Got free tickets on Saturday night to see Brandon Heath and Jars of Clay at the Carson Center. We got the tickets through the guitar player for Jars of Clay who is related to a friend of mine.  The concert was awesome and Brandon Heath was so down to earth.  He came out for autographs and instead of sitting behind a table, just hung out with the crowd.  He was super nice and oh, so very talented!  Check out his music if you don't know him already!

We girls said goodbye to daddy tonight!  Always difficult to do, but I lightened the mood for everyone by planking on the hood of his car!  He laughed himself sick!  Wish I had taken a picture.  Next week, I am going to owl on his car....Hee-Hee.  Look it up, people!

The week has been really rough with Madeline.  She seems to be doing better but keep praying.  If the tummy stuff does not resolve soon, we may have to take her to a specialist.  Trying to avoid that if we can!  Molly is doing well at school and seems to be settling into the middle school schedule.  I am getting ready to start Fall Festival at Concord.  I have been ticket chair for the last three years so September and October are always busy for me at the school.  

Thought the horrible heat was over but it is supposed to hit 99 on Thursday.  Uuuggghhh.  Make sure you laugh at me in January when I am complaining about the sub-zero temps!  Yes, I admit it...I am a Fall/Spring girl.  No extremes for me...!

Hope you are all doing well.  Got to skype with Grandma Carol the other night so for anyone else who skypes, give us a call!  Lots of fun!

Love to you all!

Holding my breath!

Could this be it?  Is today the last day of hell-fire and brimstone?  Weather channel says high of 98 for little, old Paducah and then it has the 80s for the next 10 days.   Hate to get excited.  I know September can hold quite a summer punch sometimes.  I know Fall is still a good 6 weeks away, but I am dreaming of pumpkins, crunching leaves, and cinnamon sticks!

Keep Madeline in your prayers.  This week has been very hard on her.  I accidently fed her something with milk in it on Sunday night after church and within an hour, she was screaming in pain.  It went on for a while.  Kept her home on Monday so she could be near a bathroom.  I thought it had passed but Monday night came and she had another violent episode of stomach pain.  I didn't know what to do...Troy was in Clarksville, Molly was upset...so, I asked her if she wanted to go to the hospital and she said yes.  We went to the ER and it was going to be four-five hours so I gave her another dose of phenobarbital to help with the pain and took her home to sleep.  The next morning we went to her pediatrician and he said the initial allergy on Sunday night, attacked her stomach and intestinal lining and it might take a week or two to feel better while it healed.  He put her on another medicine to help the healing.  Anyway, she is better today and off to school.

Anyone feel the big shaker yesterday?  We didn't but down here we are always in apprehension over the "BIG" one to come.  I know it is only a matter of time before the New Madrid opens up and swallows us all down....eeeeekkkkkk!  Come look for me, dear friends and family!

For those who have followed the drama, Troy and I had a big, black tumor removed on Monday.  Yes, who knew that a very nice black GMC Sierra could cause so much pain when you were carrying it on your back!  The economy pressing down on it made it much heavier, but alas we were unable to unload the monster and now we get to start afresh.  However, I know my husband misses his big man toy.  He has to share my car for a while...wonder how that will be:)  What we learned from the truck phase of our life....NOT ALL COMPANIES OFFER A CAR ALLOWANCE...so be careful!

Hope you are all doing well!  We love you and miss you and are praying daily for you!

Friday

Molly has made it through another week of middle school.  She is still stressing out about getting to class on time but I know this will get easier for her.  She was asked to try to sing the national anthem and has been practicing it here all week.  I am ready to stick the flag in my ears.  She is quite good and had the class cheering when she was done, but if I have to hear her belt it out one more time, my ears are going to bleed.  

Madeline loves 2nd grade...apparently, all the do is eat and go to recess.  I haven't heard about any school work.  I hope they are learning something.

Troy is home from Clarksville and ready to do a whole list of honey-do's this weekend.  It is hard being away all week and coming home to a cranky housewife!

Hope you are all doing well!

We Survived....

Yes, we are still alive!  We made it through the first week of school!  I am exhausted...the girls are exhausted...I think the dog is even tired!  Molly has to get up at 6:00 and catches the bus to the middle school at 6:40.  Classes start at 7:30.  Madeline sleeps in a bit and we have to have her at school at 8:40.  I had wanted to take Molly to school but decided not to for several reasons.  It is a good 15 minute drive for me to get there...(I will receive no sympathy from you city folk who have to drive longer to get places!).  But, to us small town people, I can usually get anywhere in ten minutes so driving out to Timbuktu for the middle school really starts my morning off with queasiness.  The other reason is sweet Maddi...what would I do with that girl from 7:20 until 8:40...shop at the mall????  I really think she needs her sleep so I pack Molly on the bus each morning and pray for her safety.  The afternoons are so much better!  Molly rides the bus home and gets here at 2:50.  We have about an hour together before Thing 2 gets home from the elementary school.  Great time to do homework or chat about the daily soap opera of middle school girls....

Molly ended the first week of middle school in a tirade of drama.  She walked in, dropped her backpack, fell face-first onto the couch and in a muffled voice, declared that she hated middle school.  Her locker is too high up and she is too short to get books off the top shelf, lunch is filled with gossipy girls, and she doesn't have enough time to get from class-to-class...Wow!  Doesn't this sound familiar to all of us???  Guess school never changes:)  

Madeline has loved every minute of second grade.  She has a darling teacher and already she is Madeline's favorite teacher of all time!  The first day of school, she came home with a yellow Positive Incident Referral card.  These are handed out to students who have fabulous behavior/manners.  Her's stated that she was a great listener.  Did I hear that right????  Madeline Yates?????  Do they have the wrong child????  I am positive that I have to ask that kid fifty time a day to clean her room!  Might check and see if there are two Madeline Yates in her class.  That has to be why!

Troy got home on Happy Thursday Night.  And, of course, we were happy!  He and I missed our 14th anniversary together so we spent Friday together without the kids.  Very nice to have him to myself!  We went to lunch together and basically came home to be lazy.  That's the best way to spend an anniversary!

Hope you are all doing well.  Have seen a break in the heat down here so we are enjoying the outside a whole lot more.  We love you all!

6:30 this morning!!!  Way too early for old mum but looks like little middle school gal is ready to go!  

My King...

Holy, Holy is my most High God...How I praise Him tonight for my blessings...my life, my children, my world...As I sit here typing, I am listening to the most beautiful praise music and wondering how life can ever be any better.  When I leave here, I will go to my sweet babies' rooms and lay my loving arms on them as they sleep.  I will be praying for God's protection as they begin school.  I pray for their hearts as they will most certainly be broken by others.  I pray for the decisions they make, that they may see the brightness of Christ as they decide where they need to turn.  God, even if they turn away, may the light be so bright on their backs that they feel the loving, warmth that you have to offer.  I pray for their daily protection, for their safety, for their health.  And, God, may their voices be heard.  May they NEVER be afraid to profess the name of Jesus and share it with others around them. Oh, Holy God, bless them as you have blessed me....

Each of you, my dear beloved family, pray for my darlings as they go to school tomorrow.  Pray daily and know that you, too, are in my prayers....