Grandkids are Better

So you always hear having grandkids is better than having kids.
I've been thinking about why that is true. I like having kids, I liked having little kids; don't get me wrong late nights, little sleep, attitudes, hormones, all of those things tear a parents sanity to shreds but I like being a parent.
So why are grandkids better?
Here are some reasons I'm discovering:
I am not her primary caregiver,
I'm not up in the middle of the night,
I only change diapers when I want to
and I have the joy of holding and loving a baby but not the responsibility attached to it.
I'll keep you posted on the why of this, until then.... pictures!
That's the other grandparent responsibility- pictures!

With her Uncle Scott, not my brother but Vaughan's best friend since elementary school.
And with her Papou.
What an amazing man I married, I mean don't get me wrong he drives me nuts many days but I can not think of anyone else I'd rather do this thing called life with.
He is a wonderful, husband, father and now grandfather.
Love my Hottie.

So now that I'm back to blogging I am also back to catching up on everyone's blogs. Slowly working on getting all the links up and if you blog and I don't know it- please let me know, one of the best things about blogging is watching my friends, near and far, past and present, live their lives in this bloggity good world!

Love in the new year,

Happy 2011- That Types Up Weird

*updated at bottom
I will be back- I promise!
Happy New Year to all,
I've just been spending less and less time around the computer, I wish that meant I was spending more and more time organizing and cleaning my house- but it doesn't.

Actually I'm not sure what I've been doing??

So perhaps I will go over all I've been up to.

I have watched a few movies and television shows on netflix, had an "inner-fit" that had my mind fighting against itself, luckily I won;
I attended an anniversary dinner and a candlelight memorial service for a friend of Justin's who died last Thursday.
We threw our annual New Year's Party, I took a long walk on the beach and held Illana not nearly as much as I wanted to.
I've also fooled around with a new look for this here blog.
So I guess I've been busy.

I've also been thinking, I know, scary; but I've been mulling over lots these last few days...
about dead fish,
one legged birds,
being obedient,
loving my husband,
living in an open field,
my household responsibilities,
managing my home,
studying the Bible,
serving the youth,
why people choose suicide
and most recently I've been thinking about where on my bosy I can wax next.
Yes, for Christmas I got a professional waxing system and let me tell you the pain of waxing your upper lip has nothing on waxing your own inner thigh.
Nuff said.
Good night.

So I got around to a new blog look, what do you think?
I still have some linking and tweaking to do so be patient, drop me some feedback- good and bad- and stop back by.

Hello Internets!

2010 has been quite a year.
Full of changes,
memories,
fun times with friends and lots of family visits.
My family has gone from four people to six and God has preformed miracles in my heart.
It's been the hardest year of my marriage and the best year of it too.
I've doubted my parenting skills more than ever
and
I've never believed in God my Father and His skills more than I have in 2010.



Christmas was a blast, how could it not be with this little button around:

I think I've gained about 10 pounds this last week.
I made a double batch of my Ribbon Cookies and I'm pretty sure I've eaten that whole extra batch. I'm not gonna even step on a scale, my work pants will tell the truth tomorrow morning and perhaps I'll start on some exercise routine.
I'd like to lose a few pounds anyway, I was thinking of it before this last cookie eating spree.
Well, at least it wasn't the gaining weight spree a few Christmas' back, resulting from a daily dose of Kahlua and milk- but that's another story, for another post. Who knew drinking too much milk could cause warm spots on a person's thigh?

So as I slowly ease my way back into blogging I'm not sure what to blog about?
Being a grandparent?
A parent of teenagers?
My day to day? I've been taking pictures like crazy so I could just picto-blog my life; but what fun would that be, it's kind of hard to use semi-colons with pictures and the beauty of words make me smile.

So now I will finish this Christmas weekend the only way I know how: folding laundry.
Only this time I'm doing it in my bedroom watching a chick-flick while part of the family watches Die Hard and the other Shallow Hal.

Sleep tight and may dreams of sugarplums always dance in our heads.
Love you internets!

Something I've Been Wanting to Write, Just Didn't Want To- So Here It Is!

It seems as though I will not be posting around here much more.
At least for this season in my life.
Not really sure why.
I like to write.
I like to journal my life and this blog has served as a scrapbook of sorts.

But for now I am stepping back, officially.
Who knows that may change, my life is changing so fast now I sometimes can hardly believe it myself.

So in a way I say goodbye,
but then again I could post tomorrow, but I doubt it.

Thank you all for reading and please continue to check back- I like the blog following- it boosts my ego :-)

Happy Thanksgiving if I don't get back here.
Love to you all.

I'm Back for a Second

Wow! Has it been 2 weeks already? It seems like a drop in the bucket of time. Tuesday night I wondered if I'd be able to write on here again so soon.

These past two weeks have been busy, relaxing, peaceful and fun!

This time of year is busiest at work with both our middle and high schoolers heading out to conferences within a month of each other.

We're also getting a prayer bookmark thing going with our Sunday School kids.

Tomorrow the last of the trips leave and March usually proves to be a little quieter; although there is a trip in March and another in April. Hmm... it may not slow down?

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend our church's women's retreat at Lake Swan. My favorite weekend of the year and this year didn't disappoint. (see above picture)

I spent some great time with Justin an took in a karate lesson of his more than I had in the months before.

I painted an entire room and have yet to put the room back in there. So my sewing room/den/office is spread out between the living and dinning room. It's not bothering me today. We better get some sort of new flooring down in there before the plus side of my B+ personality creeps in.

Let's see, what else happened. I finished another book. This time is was a light read: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

We visited a friend from high school at his parents retirement house 30 minutes away. he was a groomsmen in our wedding and a staple in our early years of marriage. It was neat to see him and his parents and have them meet our boys at this stage in their lives. (see above picture)

Well, tonight I'm headed to my friend's house to stay with her boys as she goes and has a baby tomorrow. They leave the house at 5am, so I figured I'd settle in tonight and get ready for a weekend with an 8 and 3 year old.

I hope to jump back on here, I've more to share.

I've gotten to spend some time with God and seeking Him and reading His Word, my heart has been changing over the past several months and years; over these past few days it's been yearning for more. I am excited to see what lies ahead.

Until I write again,

-Michelle

For Vanessa

This is for my new friend Vanessa.
It was this post of hers that inspired this post of mine (I'm even considering running a 5k this Spring thanks to her??)

I knew I liked her for more than her blogging and cool tatoo.
Anyway, I'll think of you Vanessa when I wear this t-shirt!
You, me and all the middle school girls !!

-Michelle

Was It Really 2 Weeks Ago?

So here we are,the 40 or so bloggers who gathered together at the Fickle Pickle to met face-to-face. It was somewhat weird, but mostly a bunch of fun! For the most part I think we all had a common thread of reading Heather and or Carlos' blogs. Personally I've expanded my blog world friends and have perhaps picked up a few readers as well.

Of course after I got home I realized we had some good food but no pickles?? What's up with that?

-Michelle

Blog Party '08

Here are the blog party pics. More on the actual road trip and the visit with my fam will come later.

Toughy and I before the dinner. I got the OK to go without eye make-up, see why I keep her as a friend, am I that much shorter than her?

Heather, aka Whittaker Woman, the hostess with the mostess.
Since H was feeling a little under the weather and her voice was going, her friend Stephanie did a great job at the giveaways, which I didn't win one single one of, sniff, sniff. Stephanie is not only married to a rock star she also owns a cute children's store on the square in Atlanta called the Pink Elephant. A must visit in the ATL area.

We had the privilege to sit across from Daley, the most amazing photographer. Check out his work. He's also a guitar player and did a good job hanging out with all the ladies.

Amanda and her sweets. Being pregnant she talked about dessert from about 4pm onward.

Mocha Princess and I. With 40 people in attendance there were only a few whose blogs I actually stalk, she is one of them. She has the cutest twins and for a brief moment all her children are separate by 1 year! Don't let me scared look freak you, check her blog out.

OK, so Steve really is fine with me stalking this guy. Carlos is H's husband and he was the only one who had seen the "take a picture of yourself" trick I used. It's a youth thing for me and a techie thing for him. He also graciously gave us each one of his Christmas Cds. Thanks Los.

Jacinda wanted in on the above your head shot. She travelled from Cali for the event.

Living not striving, Erica was one of 2 people who knew my blog. Take a peak at her place.

OK so when I met this lady and her husband I had no idea they would not only have family in the next town over from me, but that her sister and I are good friends. Crazy huh? Small world. Follow her adoption story over here.

So that's about it. A weekend that rocked with friends that rule.

Gotta love a road trip.

-Michelle

Non-Blogger Posting and Homeschool Stuff

For the 4 people who read this blog. You can now post comments, I've disabled the blogger only option.

For my own Treehouse Schoolhouse link: A Wrinkle in Time study guide to check out, here.