Vacation

There are alot of things that I want to blog so here goes.....

1- I now know first hand why it is good to have an "emergency fund". Saturday when I was shopping in wal-mart (in Seneca) someone stole our luggage out of the tool box on the truck. This included everything that Zach owns, a few of Jospeh's things and three of my faorite pairs of shoes! We had everything packed because we were leaving from my parents to go on vacation (spring break). Lesson learned....next time I will take ALL of our things out of the car at my mom's no matter how inconvenient! I was very glad for our emergency fund, otherwise we would have had to cancel vacation and buy Zach clothes instead....I'm sure that the thieves were dissappointed to get a load of size 3t clothes!

2- We are on vacation in Washington DC and there is ALOT to do. The boys have had a great time visiting the museums and monuments. Today we may go for a ride on the metro....Zach has been asking to go on the train since we took him down to the metro station underneath out hotel.

3- I love $39 employee rates at Embassy Suites hotels! This is one reason I may never leave the hotel industry!

4- I have been wondering this week how we have advanced so far in this country but seem to be so far away from our Founding Fathers' principles and beliefs. While we have had a lot of fun and seen alot of cool things, I am dissapponted that evolution is the foundation for the educational aspects of the Smithsonian Museums and zoo. I know that we need to be tolerant and politically correct but why is it not politically incorrect to disrespect Christianity, all it stands for and the people who believe in it? What happened to the beliefs that started this country? There have been people from all over the US and other countries here this week...I wonder do they have respect and awe for our great nation or have we just become a tourist attraction?

5- Thanks, Keyonna, for dinner! It was fun to get to hang out with you and Sandy for a little while....too bad we couldn't drive around and get lost again!

6- I will confirm the known truth that men do not want to ask for directions....we have a Garmin GPS but it never failed that it would tell us to go one way and Dan would go the opposite or turn down the street before. I finally asked him why he even bothered to have me put the addresses in....I guess it's a man thing!

Bluetooth Technology

I just got a bluetooth headset and I love it! Not only can you talk handsfree but you can tell it to call people from your address book so you don't have to pick up the phone and dial. A much safer way to talk while you are driving. I didn't know what I was missing by not getting one sooner! So if I call you out of the blue, it is just because I want to use my bluetooth!

PS- here is a picture of the boys...I haven't posted one lately.

What's Happening Today

Well, Joseph has changed his mind about playing ball and I am glad. I am sure that I will be complaining about it half way through the season when we are running around like crazy people...everyone will have to remind me that I asked for it!

Today it has been snowing off and on all day. It has all melted here in Sevierville but it is coming down pretty hard again. Pigeon Forge is covered and it is so pretty! I'm not brave enough to drive to Gatlinburg in bad weather but I am sure that it is covered up as well. Too bad I am at work....I couldn't get any of my employees to play in the snow with me...I know Joseph and Zach have probably had a blast outdoors today....I did build a tiny little snowman at the Lazy Bear Inn when I went there earlier.

No More Baseball

Joseph has decided not to play baseball this year and I am very sad about it. He has played for 4 years and it is something that I have looked forward to. We have both made alot of friends through this sport, but I can't be selfish and make him do something he doesn't want to do. I actually could almost cry about it. But I am sure that there will be other ways for us (especially me) to connect with other friends.....maybe he will miss it this year and want to pick it up again next year.

The Gap barn jacket

Zach has a cute little coat from GAP that has become a tradition with my sister and me. However, the tradition ends with Zach :o(. My sister bought the jacket for my nephew Bailey when he was a toddler. It then got passed to Joseph. After that my other nephews, Chandler and Blake, got to wear it. Now it is Zach's turn. It is a little big, but next year it will be too small. This goes to show that sometimes it pays to buy name brands....this jacket has survived 5 boys. We have decided to "retire" the jacket after Zach so that we have this special memory from our boys!(I will post a picture later...I got up to take one and my camera battery was dead...)

Thanks!

Today I just feel like being thankful....believe me most of the time I have to work hard to conjure up the attitude of gratitude. This is something that the Lord has been helping me with. God is always good to me but this last week He has gone "out of His way" (so-to-speak) to remind me of some things He promised. As I think back to "places" I have been in my life, I am so thankful that I am long way from them. God truely has and continues to restore things in my life....I am very blessed!

Surprising Things

My children are so funny. I think that I know them pretty well but the last week I have been surprised at some of the things that they like. For instance, I came home one night and Zach was eating a mayo sandwich (????). I asked Dan what that was all about and he said that he was going to make Zach a grilled cheese but Zach wanted nothing to do with it and brought him the mayo (who would have thought???). For breakfast the other day Zach wanted a hotdog without a bun and mustard and mayo on his plate to dip it in. Does it make me a bad mom that I acutally let him eat that for breakfast???? As far as Joseph goes he only likes a few food items but I discovered that he likes alot of music that I wouldn't have thought he would like. He likes 80's (all types) and (I was very surprised) Elton John???? He even knows the words to a few Elton John songs...not sure where he learned them, though. And he likes James Taylor...he gets that from his dad.