My trooper is sick

Adam is my trooper. He doesn't complain. He broke his leg when he was about 18 months old, and we don't even really know when, cause he never cried. He had to have 3 X-rays before we saw new bone growth to know it was broken! He once had a sinus infection and double ear infection so bad that gunk was coming out of his eyes, and never said a word. The way I know that he is sick is if he gets a fever. I looked at him this morning and even though he wasn't running a fever, he had that sick look through his eyes...so I decided to keep him home and try to catch it before it got worse.

His doctor agreed that it looked like a sinus infection. He's been coughing for a week, so he went ahead and gave us an antibiotic. We did do the blood test for walking pneumonia, which was thankfully negative...and I thought it might have been that, so I am glad we went ahead and tested. He is still going full force, even with his runny nose, cough, red and runny eyes, and sore throat with drainage!

So hopefully the antibiotics will set in and he'll be better in no time!

What was your favorite childhood pet?

I remember lots of pets! The first cat I remember us having was Missy, a Siamese. She stayed around for years! My first dog was named Hardly..because he had Hardly any legs! He was a dauschaund. I know that is misspelled, but I can't figure out how to spell it, so if that upsets you, just leave how to spell it in the comments and I'll fix it!
We had to get rid of Hardly after a while because he bit a church member (remember, my dad is a United Methodist minister) but a different church member took him, so I could still go visit him occasionally.

I had a Cocker Spaniel named Buffy, and my foster brother got a pomeranian named Tiny about the same time. Unfortunately, Buffy got hit by a car about a year later. Tiny we had for years! We called him a cat trapped in a dogs' body, cause he was so prissy! He passed away while I was in college.

When I was 13, we got my favorite pet, a boxer that we named Elijah. Oh, how I love that dog! We grew up together! He used to get off his run sometimes and I would have to chase him around town. He thought that being chased was a delightful game! I remember running through the streets of Big Stone Gap, Virginia in my nightgown one Sunday morning, and that time I finally had to tackle him! I could tell ya lots of Eli stories....but I'll save some for later! ;)

Our current pets are the cats: Francie, who I've had since before Chris and I met; Joe, who actually lives with the neighbors but sleeps in our basement during the day; and Gunner, who we adopted from the neighbors' grandkids. The dogs are: Sally, a Weimerainer mix who we got when we were engaged and Nixie, a Boxer who was the runt of the litter who we got free for promising not to breed her. And lots of fish!

Who was your first boyfriend?

I don't know what made this pop in my head! My first little crush was on Ronnie, one of my bestest friends' older brother, and I couldn't have been more than 4 or 5! I had a crush on Matt all through elementary school, and then the first little boy that I 'went with' was Stevie in fifth grade. The first boy I 'went with' for longer than a day was Brent, and we were 'together' most of my sixth grade year. He was my first kiss! The first little love of my life, though was Robbie. We 'went together' when I was in eighth grade, and he broke my heart by breaking up with me 2 months later. But we had a connection...he moved to a town about an hour away, but we still kept in touch. Then I moved to Chattanooga, but we still talked on the phone pretty often. We did finally go on a real date when I was a junior in high school, when he accompanied me to my junior prom! We had a blast! Strangely enough, we talked again after I graduated from college and was dating one of his friends. He walked in to the friend's apartment and heard a message I had left on the answering machine and asked him who it was...The other fella asked if he knew me, and he said, "Uh, yeah, we dated on and off for years!" That was probably stretching it, but still....

I haven't heard from him since then. Hey, it worked last time....Robbie Carroll, if you read this, I'd love to hear how you are! LOL

It's time for a giveaway!

*update* The giveaway is now closed! Check out later post for the winner! Thanks everyone for entering!

Are you ready for some fun and finding some awesome new blogs? Well, then you have come to the right place! It's time for the quarterly Bloggy Giveaways! Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer is hosting this again, and man...there are already 400 giveaways listed! UNREAL!

As part of the fun, I am offering the cubic zirconia gold plated ring pictured here!


Isn't it pretty? I hope that someone will wear it and enjoy! It comes from the online store of a friend of mine, Heidi's Kozy Kabin. Stop by and tell her Christi sent ya! The ring retails for $14.

Now for how you can win this sweet little ring! Leave a comment on this post between now and Friday, February 1 at 10 pm EST. I will post the winner by 4 pm Saturday, February 2, so be sure to check back then! Please be sure to leave me a valid address so I can contact you! Unfortunately, I'll only be able to ship to U.S. addresses.

So let the blog fun begin! Hope we can all make some new friends through this week of fun, fun, fun!

I've posted at my second blog!

LOL Yes, in less than 3 months, I'm so addicted I have to have more than one! I am reserving the 'other' one for Bible studies and such, but I think I'll let ya know if make a post over there on here, too. I am calling that blog "Blessings", and I actually won a header to go over it, but it isn't completely finished yet...hopefully I'll have that up soon!

So go check it out, and read what I'm thinking over today!

Edited to add the blog addy....you might need that!! hee hee

Blessings

January Pay It Forward winner!

Thanks to all who entered my giveaway, and I hope that I have helped to inspire you to offer your own Pay It Forward giveaway! Thanks again also to Overwhelmed with Joy for hosting this great giveaway!

My winner this month is Meghan, who said,

What a super idea.
I was an English major in college, so books & paying it forward with books are right up my alley!!!

Congrats, Meghan, and if you will email your addy to me, I'll get this right out to you!

Don't forget that Monday starts the very fun Bloggy Giveaways Carnival! I'll be joining in the fun, so check back to see what you can win!!

Losing teeth!

Isaac lost a tooth tonight! He isn't even sure when he lost it! We were all in the same building complex, but he went to the varsity boys' basketball game, which was going on in the middle school, while the JV girls' team played in the high school (smaller) gym. My niece was playing, so Chris, Adam and I stayed there. No worries, he wasn't running loose....he was sitting with the boys team. His best buddy is the coach's son, so he got to be a water boy!

So we get home and I'm saying prayers with him, and he realizes that he has lost a tooth. He immediately starts worrying that the tooth fairy won't leave him any money! So we got up and wrote a note that said,"Dear Tooth Fairy, Isaac lost his tooth at the ballgame and didn't even know it! His tooth is in the GCMS gym. Will you find it and give him the money for it? Isaac's Mom". That satisfied him!

Do you remember anything about losing your teeth? I remember that I lost my first tooth at my grandmother's house when she was living in Atlanta. I remember worrying that the tooth fairy wouldn't know where to find me! But she did, and I got a shiny new Susan B. Anthony dollar! Remember those?! I remember our family friend Bill pulled teeth painlessly, so he pulled a few of them. The first one, though, is the only one I remember specifically.

My niece's team won their game, by the way, as did the Varsity boys!

I've been tagged! and etc.

Ya'll know I love these things!

Someone 'tagged' me in a round of blog-tag. It goes like this:

Someone tags you, and you tag six more bloggers. That means that in your blog, you link to the blogger who tagged you, state six useless facts about yourself, and then tag six new bloggers by listing their blogs and leaving a comment on each. Christine at Mama's Musings tagged me. Here go the useless facts:

1)I am going on a cruise this summer with my entire family (mom and dad, sisters and their families) this summer! VERY excited!

2)I told my cat, Francie, that we (she and I) were going to marry Chris after our second date. She's sitting here beside me, and that is what reminded me!

3)We had a 1.5 hour delay going to school today and then dismissed 2 hours early! It was a great day! LOL

4)I am always on a search for the perfect mascara.

5)My sisters and I all wore the same wedding dress.

6)I bite my fingernails. I know, it is a disgusting habit, but I have yet to figure out a way to stop. Nor, honestly, do I wish to.

OK, so there are 6 useless things about me! But this time I'm not gonna tag anyone. If you feel like playing along, feel free!

And remember, tomorrow is the last day to enter for my Pay It Forward Book Giveaway! Next week will the be the Bloggy Giveaways, too, so be on the lookout for a little giveaway I'm doing with that! I can't wait!

Don't forget my giveaway!

Don't forget to comment on this post so you can be entered to win my "Pay It Forward" book giveaway!
Giveaway entries need to be posted by 11:59 on Friday, January 25!

TMI Tuesday

1. What was your favorite book as a kid?

Oh gosh, I had so many favorites! One that comes to mind is Tell Me a MitziI had the book and the record, so I loved to listen to it, and when I read it aloud, I can't help but copy the way it was read to me on that record!

2. If you were stranded on that proverbial desert island (again!), what book or books (up to 5) would you want to have with you?

1. The Bible
2. The Red Tent
3. Dixie Before Disney
4. Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself
5. The United Methodist Hymnal


3. What was the first "naughty" book you read and in what way was it naughty?

Forever, by Judy Blume. It was naughty because it talked about teenagers having S-E-X!

4. If you were to publish your autobiography today, what would be the title?


I like my boring life!

5. Would you rather look at nude pictures/pornography or read erotic fiction and why?

I think I'd rather read erotic fiction, cause I can create my own visual images!

and now, a word from Adam....

Scene: living room, as Adam watches Yo Gabba Gabba! videos online.

I'm sitting here thinking how ridiculous the things sound, singing songs like "It's fun to put on your pajamas!" and a song comes on that talks about how you need to think happy thoughts to help you get to sleep...


and Adam pipes up and says, "You know why he can't go to sleep? 'Cause he's FAKE!"

I literally laughed out loud! It probably isn't nearly as funny if you aren't here and don't know his plucky little personality, but it just totally cracked me up!

...and I didn't feel like I'd made a real post today just having posted my disclosure policy!

Disclosure Policy

This policy is valid from 21 January 2008


This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact Christi (christis at gmail dot com).


This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content will always be identified.


To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

Sunday Scribblings--Fellow Travelers

What to write, what to write....fellow travelers....

I haven't been traveling on the road of blogging very long, but I have been traveling in different neighborhoods of parenting message boards for quite some time. This time a year ago, I was going through a very depressing time because the site that I had loved and helped run for several years was falling apart. It fell apart totally, eventually and now I visit my friends that I met there in 3 different places. But it was not the first parenting message board I had visited or gotten involved in.

And the fellow travelers that I have met along the way in these message boards, they are many! I have made friends with people on the other side of the world, but these people have been there for me just as much as anyone I know in real life. I have also met, in person, some very dear friends online. I have spent the night in the homes of two wonderful, Godly women who are very dear to me, and again...if I called on them, I know that these two ladies would be there for me in an instant.

Now that isn't to say that I haven't met some strange ones across my journey! There was the one who, 2 or three years ago, used my login on our boards to impersonate me and cause allllll sorts of problems. I felt violated, I felt used, I was madder than a wet hen, and it certainly made me much more aware.

But all in all, I have made friends with some very wonderful people online. I have come to know people from all walks of life, and I believe have become a more open and understanding person with their help. I have had conversations about the Lord with people who could, even though they didn't know me in real life, could tell how very deep my faith runs, and how much the Lord means to me. I have drawn some 'real life' friends into some of these communities and have come to know them on a different level through them.

If you ever wish to join me in my online travels in the message board world, you would be very welcome! Here are the three sites that I frequent:

My Parent Connection
SpiffyMoms
Laundry Can Wait

What a blessing!

God works in such mysterious ways!! Here I was a few hours ago having my PMS induced pity party, and then this evening I open up an email from my favorite childhood teacher who had found me via a post I made in my blog about her! I am just dumbfounded here! I don't know if someone who reads this somehow contacted her family with it or what, but however it took place....I'm very thankful. I pray one day that maybe I might stumble upon something kind someone writes about me as a teacher.

What a small world the internet has helped make this!

Pardon my pity party

Everyone is entitled to these every once in a while. And here's mine.

It is freakin' frustrating when you have so many perfect people in your life.

First, I have my perfect (or so it seems to many) oldest sister, who has 4 kids and weighs 120. She looks like she's never had kids. She has beautiful legs. She is always cheery and peppy to everyone who she meets on the street, even though we, her family, sometimes have to deal with the not so cheery side of her. She is the ultimate sports mom, always there to cheer her kids on.

Then there is the other sister, who had to perpetually spotless house. She cleans it from top to bottom every week, without fail. Spiders tremble in her presence. And her home.....her home! They have added on a den, a sauna, and a dance studio for my niece, and most recently bought a hot tub, too. Her yard is tastefully landscaped, and everything everywhere is JUST. SO.

So enough to live up to the fact that I'm not skinny and always perky and don't have a fantastically clean home....but then you throw my sister in law in the mix!

She always has a card to you before your birthday/anniversary/every little unknown little obscure holiday takes place. She cooks plenty of food and has it to the sick and family of the dead the day before anyone else. She, too, keeps a spotless house, and has perfect children who are smart and well mannered. She teaches middle school, WELL, and my father in law (who is a Superintendent in another county) is always giving her accolades for her wonderful SOL scores. She also somehow managed to have the old granddaughter and the youngest grandchild, so they always trump us for Christmas programs and such.

So what do I do well? Well, I'm closer to my parents than both sisters because I was home alone with them the longest. I birth babies well with no complications. I must be doing something right to have taught first grade successfully for 10 years, and I can give a mean Children's Sermon at church. I sing well. So I know I am not all bad, but how did I manage to get the luck to have such perfect women in my family?????

Viral Linking meme!

Start Copy and Paste Here.This link loving in 2008 came from Liberty at Not Much More Than This.I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!)It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati

Authority increase exponentially!

The benefits of Viral Linking:
- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!
- Increase your Google PageRank fast
- Attract large volume of new traffic to your site
- Build your community
- Make new friends!

Add your blog url here...
The Strategist Notebook Link Addiction Ardour of the Heart When Life Becomes a Book The Malaysian Life Yogatta.com What goes under the sun Roshidan’s Cyber Station Sasha says Arts of Physics And the legend lives My View, My Life A Simple Life What Women REALLY Think Not Much More Than This Christie's Thoughts My Pretty Face BlahBlahBlog

Now, add/tag 5 of your friends blogs…


Robin
Amanda
Mary
Lori
SarcasticMom

EEK! I almost forgot!

I almost forgot to blog today! Glad that I remembered!

I've been tagged by two people for a meme, but I'll get into that tomorrow. Don't really feel like it tonight!

My friend Cookie and I have been talking about how we love to watch true crime shows on A&E like American Justice, City Confidential, and Cold Case Files. I really liked Growing Up Gotti and Dog the Bounty Hunter, but unfortunately those aren't on anymore.

One of my all time faves to watch is Law & Order: SVU. I'm watching an old episode tonight that I have seen at least once before so I totally know what is gonna happen, but I love it anyway! I want to BE Olivia, and yes, I'll admit it, I have a secret crush on Stabler! *blush*

We had about 4 inches of snow this morning! We took the boys out to sled and make a snowman, and have a snowball fight before it started melting. Yes, we were out of school, and are out tomorrow as well! Can't beat a 4 day weekend, can ya?

We finally took the Christmas tree down today! Yes, it was still up....I just hate taking it down! It is awful, I know.

And for those who are following along, there has been a positive development in the situation that has had me torn up over our church. So thank you for your prayers! I am certainly feeling them!

So there is today's random post!!

Ridin' along in my automobile....

How cool is this car?! Wouldn't your preschooler love it?


Well, you could win it! Just hop on over to 5 Minutes for Mom, who are giving away this cool retro Mustang! OR you can go buy it at Pedal Cars and Retro Collectables! Check it out...they have lots of cool stuff there!

We had such a nice night!

My friend Robin, whose birthday I blogged about the other day, had an evening out tonight! Boy, don't those make you feel so much better about life?! I feel SOOOOOOO much better about school, church, even about my bad dream that dh was leaving me! We went to a local Japanese restaurant for dinner, then we did our usual--drive around and laugh and gab! We stopped by Target to get a Starbucks (and I must say that the Carmel Apple Cider is tres yummy!) and were waited on by a wierdo--which is so typical for us, we must look like we're gonna be nice to you no matter what or something, cause we seem to attract them! Then we drove around giggling about the good ol days when we were college roommates, and for old times' sake we stopped by Krispy Kreme. I am stuffed still, but ahhhhh, it was so nice to get to laugh until I cried over NOTHING and just do something for ME.

Oh, and here is a question that came up...have you ever been to one of those Passion parties or whatever you call them? Have you hosted one? Have you bought anything?!
We want to have one but both our our houses are pretty small, so we're trying to think of someone else to host it! LOL

I did buy something at one called Pure Satisfaction, and it...um, works. That's all I have to say about that! :D

Ahhhhh.......

we had a blissfully BORING day at school today! Didn't know how nice those were til they disappeared there for a while!

Do you ever, when faced with a controversial subject or after having had some conversations about controversial issues, just get so tired that you can barely keep your eyes open? Or am I alone in this coping mechanism? I discussed some 'issues' concerning our church with my mom for about 30 minutes, and then discussed the same issues with my sister for 30 more minutes, and I am WORN OUT! I am physically drained!

And being that the situation is in the Lord's hands, we all need to stop rehashing things and go to Him in prayer. We need to trust that He has the situation in control and that in His time, changes will come. There is no MAJOR problem, but it is affecting my parents big time...things aren't being done the 'Methodist' way, and it is driving them bonkers. And because it is bothering them so, it bothers us, too. However, my goal right now is to pray instead of complaining and judging. I need to go to the Bible and to the Lord in prayer, and let God do what He does best!

Reminds me very much of the Serenity Prayer:
God, Grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Sorry if this seems vague and sketchy. I don't really want to go into more detail because a)I've already rehashed it for an hour and my eyelids keep wanting to close even thinking about it again and b)it is so...unexplainable, that when I try to explain it to someone outside my family, it doesn't make much sense. Does that make sense? Probably not, but thanks for reading anyway!

This first blinky is in honor of those of you that commented on my last post! LOL