Oops

So I didn't have time to blog yesterday so I didn't make it 30 days. It has been like pulling teeth trying to find time and something to write about. I have a lot to say, but just figuring it all out has been tough. I don't want to offend too much, I don't want to complain too much. Maybe it is the to give it all up.

projects

It's that time of year again, and I have been busy completing projects for Christmas gifts on Snapfish.  I have already made a Florida and Topsail album so now I am working on calendars for the grandparents.   As I am choosing pictures for the calendar I am also deleting and editing the photos from the past year.  I have a tendency to just upload pictures but not edit or delete.  Tonight while going through May pictures I stumbled upon this neat one that Lily took:

I knew she had my camera but I had no idea she actually took one when I was taking this one:

She's a creative one and a lot of fun.

Cats

A neighbor had 2 cats then being the irresponsible pet owner that he is, he let his 2 female un-spayed cats roam. As a result a tomcat provided 1 cat with 2 litters of 3 and then 4 kittens, and the other a litter of 3. So 2 cars turned into 12. At first the kittens stayed inside, but now that they are older irresponsible pet owner lets them roam and our yard is there litter box. So the question now is, round them up and take them to the humane society or file a complaint with the district court for nuisance feline. It is so sad how we can't play on our swinger without first checking for poop. Yesterday I collected six piles of it around our yard and all but one had not been there two days ago. I tried cat spray to repellent, but it doesn't seem to do anything unless sprayed daily and it stinks. So what can you so when over half a dozen cats have designated your landscaping as their litter box and how is it that this individual can be irresponsible and take away my right to enjoy a yard free of cat feces? I should note that he never seems to be home and probably not even properly caring for the 8 or so cars he owns (another neighbor has been feeding them). So here I am suffering the consequences of someone who is too irresponsible to spay or neuter their animal.

Disappointed

Not in the election results, but bad attitudes and negative comments from individuals who supposedly love God and love people. So much talk about wrath and judgement, and disrespect for our president. I may not always agree with our leaders and they may not always be right, but they deserve respect and it is sad how people don't respect leaders, authority, or one another anymore. We need to love more, in the last 24 hours, the Jesus and God so many believers have been talking about is small and hateful and judgmental and not someone I would want to follow. The hymn title " they will know we are Christians by our love" does not describe many Christians during and after this election. It just saddens me how much ugliness there is in our hearts.

things taken for granted

I get irritated at my children sometimes, who doesn't?  I get annoyed when they won't get dressed, or put on their shoes, or whatever task they say they can't do, but we all know they just don't want to.  Today the kids and I went to lunch and at a table at the restaurant was a child in a wheelchair who mother had to feed her, and wipe her mouth, and basically do all the things that I take for granted.  I realized that I so easily forget how blessed or how lucky I am.  I have two children who do have struggles, Lance especially with his speech and learning disability in school, but their struggles are so miniscule in comparison to the struggles that some parents face.  I feel like a spoiled brat after getting irritated at Lily for not getting her seat belt on in the car.  I need to remember the little girl in the wheelchair to keep me humble and thankful, because I have so much more than I could ever deserve and I need to always remember that.

As soon as its paid for

We paid off our Forrester last fall. We took it in to the dealer shorter thereafter and spent $600 on maintenance. Now a year later we have taken to a repair shop for an oil leak and looking at $750 worth of work for a new timing belt and gaskets to fix the leak and prevent more problems. You never get a break, you are either paying a car payment or maintenance. Which is worse?

Fall Back

Fall Back and Spring Forward are the worst weekends of the year.  The idea of an extra hour of sleep is a myth, at least if you have young children.  I have noticed that the first Sunday after the clock change seems to be the longest day ever.  This morning Lance was up at 5:30 (the old 6:30) and Lily was up at 6 something.  The morning and afternoon seemed to drag on.  I thought at one point it was the middle of the afternoon, like 3:30/4 and was surprised to find that it was only 2 o'clock.  We ate lunch very early for the new time, and was starving at 5 pm, but didn't eat until 6 (which is late according to our internal clock).  The kids of course were completely a mess by 7pm (the old 8 pm) and we didn't know whether to keep them up to hopefully help them adjust to the new time and get up later, or let them go to sleep and keep the early wake, early to bed pattern.  I hate that the sun sets at 5 now instead of 6, but then again I don't really like that if we didn't change the time it would still be dark at 7 am.  I just hate winter, I love summers with hot weather and long days.  I seem to hibernate in the winter, I lack motivation to exercise and I just want to stay in bed.  Maybe I need to move to South Florida where it is always sunny and warm. 
And that's enough complaining.
I am thankful that we were able to spend time this afternoon with family from out-of-town.  I am also thankful that we got to spend time together as a family, sometimes life seems so busy and we are just passing each other by.

hate politics

I can't wait for Tuesday. 
I am so sick of politics and political phone calls and political mailers.
I hate living in a so called "battleground state."
Today between 10:45 am and 6 pm we had 8 political phone calls.  8, that is ridiculous.
Thursday in the mail we received not 1, not 2, not even 3, but 5 political mailers. 
The Republican party is responsible for most of the paper in my recycle bin and the messages on my answering machine within those who support the right, its the NRA that has hounded me the most.  I have been getting at least 1 phone call a day from them. 
I am not a gun owner, I will probably not own a gun, and if you keep hounding me I will be sure not to vote for you endorse in the future. 
The NRA has WAY too much money to spend.
Also, on NPR yesterday they were talking about the Virginia Senate race and how 50 million dollars from outside of the state has been spent for the race.  50 million dollars, that got me thinking as to much how money has been spent all over the country for this election.  According to opensecrets.org, it is estimated that over 5.8 billion dollars has been spent.  5.8 billion, that is ridiculous. 
I can make a huge list of better ways to spend that kind of money. 
I thought this country was in a financial crisis?  
5.8 billion dollars, that could help a lot of people.  5.8 billion dollars could do a lot more good than it ever will going to a politician. 
5.8 billion dollars, that makes me just sick.
I am all about one-dollar-one-vote.  I don't know all the details, but if you can only donate one dollar I don't think I would get fliers or the phone calls or have to sit through political ad after political ad the few times I actually watch live tv.
Then there is all the pressure that you must vote a certain way if you are affiliated with a certain group of people.
I just want to say, God is not for one political party or another and I don't think God is going to hold me accountable based on who I voted for (a video I just saw on facebook)  especially since it is not laws that change people it is love, but that is a whole other story.
I could go on and on, but it is not worth it.
I just can't wait for the madness to end.
Change, is not going to happen until we start loving people and caring for one another and put our pride and selfishness away. 
I can't wait for this election to be over with.

missing Disney

So Snapfish is having a sale on photo books so I am now extremely motivated to finally get our Disney album done.  I have been putting this off for almost 8 months, I should have done it this summer, or even right after we went when my captions and descriptions would be more accurate and descriptive, but it is now or never.  With that being said, trying to narrow down over 700 pictures to 300 some and then organize them onto pages is quite a chore, but it makes me miss Disney.  I can't wait to go back, we have tentatively said that we will go back in 2015.  When we went this year, Lily was 3 and Lance 5 (almost 6), if we return in 2015 Lily will be 6 almost 7 and Lance will be 9.  I am already looking forward to going back because next we won't need a stroller, Lance will be able to ride practically everything (i think), the kids will be able to stay up a bit later and will not need as much of a routine as they do now.  Also, we also know that we love Disney Vacation properties and that the villas are perfect for us and worth every penny since we can make dinner at the villa and only have to eat at the park one meal a day.  One day maybe we can be Disney Vacation members, but considering how much it costs to buy in that might not be possible, but a girl can dream.  I can't wait to start planning this next trip, Disney is a magical place, there is just something about that castle and that little rodent that is magical.

it's been awhile, I can't even come up with a new title

It has been awhile.  Finding time to do anything extra seems impossible these days.  I keep thinking life will slow down.  Now that my children aren't babies and do not need constant attention I thought I would have all this time to do things like blog or read books, wow I was wrong.  I did not realize that I traded in diapers and breastfeeding for homework, cub scouts, dance classes, and volunteer hours.  I miss quiet afternoon filled with sleeping children taking naps, especially when I stayed up too late the night before watching Season 1 of The Walking Dead.
There is so much going on and I don't want to miss a single thing or forget a magical moments so I have committed like I always seem to for NaBloPoMo, in hopes of getting back in the habit of blogging.  So considering that I haven't blogged in months, blogging every day seems quite impossible, but here goes nothing.  Until tomorrow. . .