July 21st - 24th 2013

It's Sunday, one of my favorite days! So thanks to a friend we got a ride to church... I just love my church family, they are very supportive and nonjudgmental... Worship was incredible as always and I got to sit with some really good friends that I consider sisters... Pastor is doing a series on the parables of Jesus and he was talking about the seed and what the seed represented... After the service Pastor had an altar and healing call. For those who wanted healing were anointed with oil and prayed for... So after the service we got to connect with some of our friends and chit chat awhile... After that we got a ride home and had a nice lunch and then I relaxed while Avery watched a dvd... After I transitioned Avery for bed I finished reading the drivers manual...

On Monday, it was a day to get things cleaned up around here... I took the online practice test for the drivers test knowledge questions and got 9/10 correct on the first try!!! I am soo excited... Now if I would've even attempted to even do a practice knowledge test for driving I wouldn't have been excited.... Chances are I wouldn't of even tried... So God has really been doing some work in that area... I've been trying to include learning activities into Avery's routine.... So far it isn't a success... He is sooo set in his ways... It's time to get him unset.... Just trying to adjust to life, it seems it shifts differently everyday... We worked on colors and shapes... He did okay, just after a few minutes though he was out of there... I can't keep his attention long enough to keep him engaged... Kindergarten is going to be fun....

Tuesday was a roller coaster of emotions but it was a fun day non the less... So I went and got Avery's hair cut, and then we went to go to the theater and we watched Madagascar 3... He did quite well... The volume was a bit loud at times but I helped him adjust by just talking to him... He really enjoyed the movie... He saw that everyone was coming in with drinks, popcorn, and other food stuff and told me he was hungry... I told him he would have to wait until we got home to eat... He was very happy with that response, so he was a little distant... I could see the disappointment in his face... Then a screen came up and said that you could get a small popcorn for $1.75... So I asked him if he would like some popcorn, he had the biggest grin on his face and replied "yes momma!" with sooo much excitement it made my heart melt... So I went and got a small popcorn and some water in cups.... When I got back Avery said "mommy we have what everyone else has!" In that moment I figured out something.... When you go places, weather it's the theater, or any place kids like to fit in even at the age of 5... Now that doesn't mean we go to the store and Johnny so and so is getting big toy so I get Avery a big toy... It don't work that way.... But I will get my son a small popcorn so he feels like he's not missing out...After we got home I noticed I got some sun... So I put some aloe vera medicine on it... Hey at least my face has some color now, lol... Tonight was a really hard night... Avery has been asking a lot of questions lately about his poppa... I don't have all the answers and I did my best to answer the ones that I did know... It triggered my feelings of loneliness and sadness... I miss my husband and I would like for something to happen where we will be able to at least talk on the phone... The only way that will happen is if he gets a job and gets his classes going... I know God has a plan and that I just need to continue focusing on Him and TRUSTING Him to get us through this...I sure pray that he gets a job soon so we can begin the reconciliation process... Today was a very special day, our cat Buddy turned 9 years old! So we sang him happy birthday and gave him some wet food and called it good... Below is a picture of our part bob cat Buddy....

Wednesday was a good day, I got two loads of laundry done, my workout for the day and some extra squats! I also made home made chicken tenders, tater rounds, and peas for Avery and I had home made loaded chicken and potatoes and a nice salad to go with it... It was really yummy! Avery and I played a game "go fish" he didn't like it... So we tried to work on his numbers and it just didn't work... I got a lot of great ideas from my friends on facebook!!! So I am going to try some of the ideas tomorrow... I like the idea of focusing on one number at a time... He seems to get overwhelmed when you give him more than a number or two... I think I am gonna do that with letters as well... Avery had a couple of melt downs but I set the boundaries and wouldn't let him cross them and when he did he dealt with the consequences... He is loving brushing together... He won't help me brush mine but he'll now let me help brush his... His doesn't want cavity bugs in his mouth, lol... So that is working out great! Transition was smooth tonight... I actually have him on a schedule that he is complying with... At 7:30pm is when he goes in and cleans up any mess he has in his room and puts all his toys away if there are some out in the living room he takes them in his bedroom... Then we go brush our teeth and wash our hands, then we go in his room say prayers and talk a little and then say our good nights and I shut off the light and close his door... I've been doing this for about 3 weeks now and it has helped a lot!!! The only time we have issues is when we are at events that go over his bedtime... So it's been a great day and very productive as well!!! Praying tomorrow will be another productive day as well... This heat though is brutal, it makes me not wanna do anything.... Well that's about it, have a great night, sweet dreams, and God bless you & yours..... <3

Highlights and thoughts for July 15th - 20th 2013

Hello all, Monday was a day for unpacking some more boxes and getting some cleaning done... So I got five loads of laundry done, the kitchen, bathroom, living and dining room all done... But before I did all of that I did my weigh in and my measurements... I wasn't very happy about the weight gain but I was happy about loosing some inches... So this is the first day of doing workouts in our new apartment... I am going to loose this weight and be healthy!!!!! Avery sung Happy birthday to me, even knowing my birthday was the 12th, still priceless... I got a lot accomplished!!! I will be getting my new phone in the mail in 3-4 weeks and I accomplished my first workout in our new place! I felt energized afterwards... What a great day!!!

On Tuesday, some of us women got together at our church and did some artwork! It was a lot of fun and the Bible was incorporated into it! After that we went out to Subway for lunch... We had a great time fellow shipping with one another! After that our friend took us grocery shopping... After all that I was tired, so after I got everything put away I put in a movie for Avery to watch while I rested in the recliner. After about an hour I got up completed my workout for the day! Avery and I had a great night followed with a wonderful dinner together. I thought that was a good ending to a good day and then 30 minutes after I transitioned Avery into bed I went into check on him and he was covered with puke all the way from head to toe... I was mortified at what I saw... So I went and turned the water on to fill up the tub so I could give him a bath. He hated every minute of it and screamed bloody murder... I was shocked... All I was doing was trying to help him. So after that fiasco was over with I made a place for him on the couch and I went and grabbed some gloves and got to work cleaning up the mess... He wasn't put back into his bed until 11pm but he fell asleep on the couch beforehand. I finally was able to go to bed at 11:45pm...   

On Wednesday, Avery had his dentist appointment.. So for breakfast I cooked him 2 eggs, 2 hash browns, 1/2 of a banana, and 1 cup of milk. He ate every bite! It was quite interesting, I wasn't sure if we missed the bus so we just started walking. Then we stopped so I could look at the bus schedule and a friend from church asked if we needed a ride and I said "yes." So she gave us a ride and the bus was right behind us... How funny is that, so I guess we didn't miss the bus after all. God just had other plans! His plans are soooo much better than my own... He wasn't thrilled but the dentist assistant encouraged him that there was nothing to be afraid of... I really liked the assistant and the dentist they were very accommodating... He had no cavities and his teeth were great looking! He ended up getting a new green toothbrush, toothpaste, and some dental floss... He also got to pick a treasure from the chest and he picked out a bug so we can put it on each other to scare each other... So boyish, lol.... So we just relaxed for the rest of the day... It was nice to have no appointments for the rest of the day. Avery had a really good attitude all day, he brushed his teeth before bedtime with no issues and he transitioned to bed good tonight as well! Mommy had some "me time."

On Thursday, we had a nice breakfast of oatmeal with sugar free syrup, bananas, an slivered almonds with a glass of milk... Wasn't really Avery's favorite but he did manage to eat some of it... After that I got my prayer time, devotions, and Bible reading/study time done... Then it was time for our first appointment that was at our apartment. A nurse came out to do an assessment on Avery... The first assessment went real well, it was the second one that didn't go as well as I had hoped... Looks like he'll be having some speech therapy, and I have some things to work with him on... He scored low in some areas so further testing is being requested and she also wants him to have a hearing test. We could really use your prayers on this one... It is overwhelming but I know God has a plan! I have had concerns and now I find out that they are valid... This stuff should have been done awhile ago and because I wasn't able to make the decisions back then it wasn't... Now that I am able to make all decisions on what is best for Avery and myself, I know that things will get done... Not just get done but that they will be thoroughly done... I am all about what God wants and what is best for my son and I.... So after the nurse left and I made some calls, we got ready to go visit Avery's grandma... He loves his grandma and he was thrilled to see her! So I was able to visit for an hour and a half then I had to go to my appointment while Avery stayed with grandma.

I found out at my appointment that without shoes I am 5 ft 9 1/2 inches tall and with shoes I am 5 ft 11 1/2 inches tall.. The only problem with that was that I have been eating for a person who is 5 ft 11 1/2 inches tall. When I should've been eating for a person who is 5 ft 9 1/2 inches tall...  So now that I know that bit of information, it is fixed and I am eating enough food for a 5 ft 9 1/2 inch person... After my appointment I went back to visit a few minutes with my mom and picked up Avery and we headed to our church for a salad picnic and some swimming time at the pool! After everything that I learned today I soooo needed to be with my church women friends... They helped sooo much just by being an encourager to me... Avery wouldn't go swimming but I had decided to go swimming. Well I actually didn't swim because I wanted to keep an eye on him.. Avery did quite well even knowing he didn't swim...  I did get in the water and I did socialize with my lady friends... A friend dropped us off at home afterwords... It was a great evening!!!

So on Friday, it was a laid back day, well sort of... Our fridge parts came in so the fridge dude came and fixed our fridge! After that Avery and I worked on colors and shapes, some balancing stuff, and on drawing... Avery hated the drawing shapes and writing his name... Other than that we had some fun with some rocket balloons! Today for him was not a good day at all... He had trouble switching from one activity to another... I had to have him go to his room for a 5 minute timeout... He finally calmed himself down.. So we went to a group and all he wanted to do was sit underneath the table.. I finally got him to eat his dinner... I told him if he doesn't eat here that he wouldn't be eating when we got home... That did it, he ate it and I was happy that he did. He ended up messing his shorts twice and not to mention he took out the clean pair of shorts that I had in there so a lady at group had a pair and gave them to him... Needless to say I felt really embarrassed due to his behavior and the accidents... I wonder if I'll ever get him fully trained... He is potty trained now I just need the other to follow... Emotionally I was drained and struggling with guilt over having too high of expectations for my son.. What I mean is my expectations for him were for a normal 5 year old, well he is not normal and has some under developments so now I don't even know what kind of expectations to have for him until I know exactly what it is that he needs help in... This is another obstacle that God will help us overcome! I just need to keep putting one foot in front of the other and not looking back...

Today on Saturday, it was an overall good day... I woke up to the birds singing and the sun shining and to my son coming in and asking if he could watch his Bible stories dvd... Of course I said yes and then rested a bit and then said my prayers... We had a cold breakfast today so cereal was on the menu... Avery for once was thrilled with the idea of cereal for breakfast today, lol... After breakfast he continued watching his dvd and I went in and had my alone time with the Lord... For me that is a MUST!!! If I don't have that time I am not prepared for the day for what lies ahead... After that I planted my tomato plant that I got for my birthday from a really good friend! After that I watered it and then got my workout done for the day!!! Not just for the day but for the week!!! Avery had a couple of issues today but we got them worked out... Today I pointed to items around the house and asked him what color they were... He did quite well.... He asked if he could have mac n cheese for dinner and I made it for him...Avery also went poop in the toilet!!! He hates to sit on the toilet but I told him to and he contested a bit but he eventually complied. And he ended up getting a poop prize and he was happy that he accomplished it!!!!  I made my first ever chicken enchiladas and they were the bomb!!!! Not to mention I have leftovers for the next couple of days!!! A friend of ours is coming to pick us up for church tomorrow! I get to see my church family!!!! And I get to praise and worship my God!!!!! I know you don't have to go to church to do that... It's called corporate worship and I love it!!!! So now that I am all caught up, I am going to end this blog by saying that I pray you made the most of each day you've been given because not every day is promised... I pray also that God poured out His blessings upon you and your family and that you all had a wonderful weekend... Now my challenge for you today and/or tomorrow is to laugh... I mean belly laugh, after all it is good medicine to the soul.... Blessings....

July 13th 2013 Update

Hello all, today is a very special day!!!! It's Avery's 5th birthday and we are celebrating it at Chuck Cheeses', where a kid can be a kid! It's actually a combo birthday party... So on the agenda before the party is to pick up his cake and the ice cream! Here is a picture of the cake that was picked up!

Now before we took care of the agendas, we had to find the perfect outfit... We found it and he loved it! Thanks to his Auntie Lisa and Grandma Laura for buying it!!! Here he is ready for his party...

So we got perfect outfit for the occasion, the cake and the ice cream and were off to get the party started! So we got there and figured everything out and here is a display of the table arrangements...

 So here is a picture of the birthday kiddos...

So the guests started showing up, so there was meet and greet time....

After that it was time to eat and play..... And for Chucke to come out and play with the kids!!!!

It's cake and presents time!!!!!

And that is not all... After all of that excitement we had a ton of tokens to get rid of, so my friend and I helped Avery with that... All in all it was a blast and Avery is very grateful for everyone who came, for all the good presents, and for being able to have a wonderful birthday!!!! That's all folks!!!

July 11th & 12th 2013 update

July 11th was another great day, I received my award letter online... Wonder if I get one mailed as well... So I had to do the entrance counseling, and sign my promissory note... That took awhile on this computer... What a blessing is what comes to mind!!! God has taken such good care of Avery and I!!! I am so overwhelmed with gratitude towards Him, for everything He's done, for everything He's doing, and for everything He's going to do!!! As long as I give Him FULL control over my life and TRUST Him, I know Avery and I are gonna be okay!!! Tomorrow is my birthday and I get to celebrate it with a very special friend who I haven't seen in 2-2 1/2 years... I am so stoked!!!! Thank you Lord for another answer to prayer! Now because I am a new student they are having me wait 30 days from the term starts to receive my loans but I will get my grant when the term starts. So an added prayer is that there would be enough grant money to cover tuition and books and maybe some supplies... I know God has this so I am not gonna worry about it... So I'm calling it a night, sweet dreams, & God bless you and yours.....

July 12th was am amazing day!!!! My friend came all the way from Silverton Oregon picked us up and let us run a few errands! One of the errands was going to Wally world to get a few things... We were down the cracker isle and Avery hands me a box of graham crackers and says, "mommy lets get these graham crappers!" With excitement and a loud voice of course... My friend and I were were cracking up! Oh the things our children say to embarrass us and the ironic part is that they don't even know that they are embarrassing us, lol.... So my friend suggested these backed garden veggie chips that were the bomb!!! Between all three of us we finished the bag... So we ran all the errands and headed for her home in Silverton. The girls were there and Avery hit it off with the two youngest ones right away! He had such a blast! Avery and the youngest one were like two peas in a pod... My friend made me chicken enchiladas for my birthday dinner, they were delicious! She also made me a cake and got me some Hershey's Bliss dark chocolate and a purple journal!!! She also took some amazing pictures of Avery and I and some of the kids and with us as well... All in all it was an amazing day and we didn't get back until 10pm... So we had plenty of time to catch up and make each other laugh until our stomachs hurt!!!! It was just what I needed!!! So below are some of the pictures that she took, I edited them with frames but the backgrounds are original.

Well I'm off to dream land, so good night, sweet dreams, and God bless you and yours!

Is He speaking to you

Hello all, pray you all had a wonderful day and if by chance you didn't count your blessings! Today has been a rather slow day but okay... God has blessed me immensely!!! I have a handsome son who is going to be 5 on July 14th! I have my health & in two days I will be another year older! He has blessed me with a wonderful apartment with a private back yard! We have plenty of food, friends from church giving us rides to get our groceries and necessities... ALL the bills are paid in FULL! Money left over!!! A BRAND NEW FRESH START!!!! Just to name a few... I am not trying to brag about what I got or anything like that... And if I do brag it is not about me, it's about how great my God is and how He has provided for my son and I.... HE DID ALL OF THIS NOT ME!!!!

He took us from a ghetto apartment of 600 square feet box and gave us a 800 square foot "luxury" apartment... That's what I call it... He took us from struggling every month to pay the bills to the bills being paid in FULL and having some money leftover!!! He took us from an unsafe situation and gave us SAFETY!!! Daily He is showing me who He created me to be... He is stripping off all of the old mindsets, habits, and natures and He is helping me DAILY to put on NEW mindsets, habits, and natures!!! He is transforming me daily into the godly woman that He has called me to be!!! He is getting me out of the cage that I put myself in as well as the help of others... I am accomplishing many great things for Avery and I, not by any power that I have but by the POWER OF JESUS CHRIST!!!! Things I thought that I couldn't or wouldn't do have been accomplished through His power!!! The only thing I have ever done is ACCEPTED JESUS as my Lord and Savior and TRUSTED in Him and that He will take care of Avery and I... He did more than I ever could imagine for us... This year He took TRUST to a whole NEW LEVEL... I can TRULY say MY LOVE, MY HEART, MY PROVIDER, MY RESTORER, MY DELIVERER, MY HEALER, MY HEAVENLY FATHER, MY PROTECTOR, HE IS MY EVERYTHING!!!!

I know I have times where I do doubt and worry... I wasn't made to be perfect but HE is perfecting me every single day!!! My prayer is that you know Jesus and that you TRUST Him with everything... No matter what you've been through or are going through, He can and He will get you through it all... Every good gift comes from Him... Now the bad things that happen, well we know who wants bad things to happen... God wants to restore you and make you whole... He wants to take your life and turn it into something beautiful... For those who have accepted Jesus as your Savior, good for you I am glad to call you brother and/or sister! There are some people out there that have accepted Jesus but they are not TRUSTING Him to get them through what they are going through at this moment... I can only share my experience with you... My advice would be to start TRUSTING Jesus with whatever you are going through and even knowing that there are going to be obstacles TRUST Him with all you've got!!! He will carry you through anything and He will restore you, just BELIEVE that He will and that He can!!! He loves you friend and knows what you are going through... He's reaching out to YOU!!! Will you let Him carry you?

 These words came from my heart and I believe what was written wasn't just a coincidence... I just moved my fingers and words appeared... The Holy Spirit had a hand in writing this... Thank you Father that I can and am being used for your kingdom's work even in the midst of everything that has been thrown at me this year! If this has touched you in a special way, I would love to hear about it... Whether it be public or in a private message... Have a blessed night and I look forward to writing to you again soon... So gnite, sweet dreams, and God bless you and yours!!! 

July 9th 2013 Update

It was a rough night last night but I finally drifted off to sleep... Avery didn't wake up until 7:45am this morning which is better than 6am, lol... So I was able to gt my prayer time in before I made breakfast... After breakfast I let Avery watch a dvd while I went and had my alone time with the Lord... The birds were out singing today, even the crows, lol... If you've heard crows they can't carry a tune, lol... The woodpeckers were out pecking on the trees and the sun was shining brightly! Now that's a way to start off the day... I had to cancel Avery's counseling appointment today because I wasn't feeling any better, in some ways I felt worse... :( So we haven't gone anywhere these last couple of days.... I want to be out doing things but I have to wait because now isn't a good time to be doing too much... Well in about 3-5 days I'll be doing better! This too shall pass, yeah until next month, lol... You just gotta have a sense of humor otherwise you become too serious and I don't want to be too serious all the time....

Avery's had plenty of outside time today... Due to pooping in his big boy underwear and getting grounded from dvds and vhs'. Well something has to be done!!! I asked him when he did this and his reply was "when I was outside playing." My reply "why couldn't you just come in and go in the toilet and then go back out and play?" His reply "because I wanted to play instead." Very reasonable? I think not!!! So I figure if he knows when it started and just wanted to be lazy about it then he can have a consequence... This has to be fixed by fall so he can go to Kindergarten!!! He didn't like the fact that he can't watch anything but at least he's out there burning some energy and doing something productive!!!  He has had some outbursts but I have dealt calmly with them and they haven't been as bad as they use to be... There is a light at the end of this tunnel... I just have to keep being consistent!

So I made him a cheese pizza for dinner, at first he didn't want to eat it until I informed him that is what's for dinner so if you want to eat this is it... He ate it all... Then we had juicy watermelon for dessert, yum! The best dessert for summer!!! So now he's out there playing Narnia, lol... I just got the dishes put in the dishwasher and now they are being washed as I type, lol... I also got the counters and stove wiped and cleaned.... Yay me!!!! The part for the fridge came in so now it just needs to be put in... So far I haven't had anyone come fix Avery's closet door... If no one comes tomorrow I will call and see if they got the maintenance order that I sent... Usually things are fixed very fast around here... Of course we just got over celebrating July 4th so that could be why as well... I've been drinking plenty of water today, so that's good! After I get to feeling better I need to get back into an exercise routine... I have been walking so much that I haven't been doing anything else... I want to get back into something fun.. I was doing dancing but my living room isn't as big to do some of the moves... I am also thinking about trying Zumba Gold... Is there anyone out there who has tried it? I was told it's for the older folk and/or people who have disabilities who can't do the fast moves... I would love to hear what you thought of it, if you've tried it and/or doing it now...

I don't have any idea what my weight is and inches are at this moment but as soon as I'm done and the bloating goes away I will find out... Then figure out what I want to do to continue loosing weight and inches... I don't weigh myself too much because it can be discouraging.. I find that when I go by how my clothes fit is better... And my clothes are pretty loose on me... When I workout I like to have fun! If it's not fun then I won't stick with it... So that is a goal: to find something fun to do workouts to... Also I need to incorporate strength training... So I need to come up with a schedule for myself and stick with it! Now when school starts in fall, I will have to figure out a schedule for myself to stick with... I don't have a PE class so I will either be walking the track or some kind of cardio and then I am going to have to figure out where to fit in strength training... Boy am I gonna have a full schedule....

Well that's enough of me rambling on about exercise, lol... What are some of your goals? Right now Avery is in his room picking up his toys! Then it's time to brush our teeth and then transition him for bed... I haven't decided what I will be doing for my "me time" yet... All in all it's been a good day! So here's to a great night, sweet dreams, and God bless you & yours!!!!

July 7th & 8th 2013 Update

Well Yesterday was an early morning for Avery & I. I had praise team rehearsal at 8am, so we had to get up a little before 7am... It was a long night for me, I went to bed early... I just couldn't sleep real well... Anyways it felt great to sing for the Lord!!! I know I can sing anywhere to the Lord but there is something about singing for Him on praise team up on the stage... Part of it I think is because I am using my talent of singing for His Kingdom!!!! I just love mountain experiences and when I am up there singing to the Lord, it is like I am on a mountain singing praise to my Heavenly Father!!! Those are experiences that I cherish... It's the little things that mean the most in my opinion... What do you think?

So thanks to a good friend we got there for practice and had a great one! After that Avery went to his Sunday school class and I didn't have a class to go to so I fellow shipped with my friends that didn't have a class to go to either... It was a great time! I got to catch up with some friends about how their summer is going and how their 4th of July went... I miss my weekday groups that are taking the summer off and then in the fall I will be going to school so I am not sure if I will be able to continue my weekday groups. It was nice coming home having lunch and just relaxing... Avery and I watched Narnia 1 & 2, our favorite series.... We had a lovely evening... Avery enjoys brushing his teeth with his new toothpaste, so brushing our teeth last night was real easy and so was transition time! I got to talk with my mom for awhile last night, I was able to read my devotionals, my Bible and do some prayers before I went to bed...

Today has been quite a day, I haven't gotten much done today because I haven't felt real well today... I did have an appointment today but I had to reschedule it due to not feeling well... Avery has a counseling appointment so I am praying I feel better by then... Avery has had a real good day today! Sure he's had a couple of episodes and a couple of timeouts but he is learning that he has a choice and his choices have outcomes... Some good and some bad... He is learning that when he makes a bad choice that there is a consequence and that mom will do what she says... He's also learning that for the right choices he makes there are privileges and praises. For example when he decides to say positive words to his mom he can watch a dvd or vhs, if he does something that I ask him to do I give him a high five and say thank you... He is learning that he likes the praises, encouragements, and privileges, and he likes feeling good about himself for doing the right thing...

Being a single married parent is a big job and sometimes I feel like I am in over my head, but with Jesus I know He will help me... It seems that now he is turning 5 years old everything is coming together... The things I prayed that he didn't hear or pay attention to, well he did and so now I get all kinds of questions about it all and when I tell him no for good reason he tries to persuade me almost to the point where he is trying to use control... Not good but with God's help everything that needs to be fixed will be fixed by God and He will get all the glory and praise!!! There are times when I feel overwhelmed, discouraged, upset, hurt, and any other emotion that you can think of from all the changes that have taken place... But when I feel like any of those feelings I go to Jesus and read His word and I pray and sometimes I message or call a friend... Jesus never said this life would be easy but He did say "Take heart for I have overcome the world." So I have the over comer of this world on my side and He is carrying me & Avery through this!!!! So know that if you are going through a difficult time and you feel you have no one to turn to reach out to Jesus and He'll reach out to you my friend! He'll get you through anything!!!! I am a testimony to that, He's moved mountains for my family and He can do the same for you and your family if only you will just TRUST Him!!!!

Well that's it for today, have a great night, sweet dreams and God bless you & yours!!!!

July 6th 2013 Update

Another sleep in day, Praise The Lord!!!! Do you ever feel like on the days that you sleep in like you are dog tired? I sure did today... I don't think I like that feeling at all... So today was a very laid back day... It was also a very challenging day... Avery is having issues about pooping in his big boy underwear.. He has done it for the past 3 days... It's driving me batty..... Each time I have had him sit on the toilet until he goes in the toilet... Along with that I grounded him from dvds and vhs' for the rest of the day... I just don't know what else to do... So if anyone reading this has any tips on what they did that got their child to go poop in the toilet let me know... I am tired of buying big boy underwear.... So I told him that next month when mommy gets paid you will be getting a new pack of underwear instead of a toy... His reply "that's not fair! I want a toy!!!" My reply "well then quit pooping in your big boy underwear!!!!" So that ended that conversation...

So I took some pictures of Avery out there playing basketball and I got some pictures of our cat Buddy... I played some basketball with Avery for awhile and we also got to play some frisbee.... It was fun and a great way to burn some calories after eating a great dinner! We've had a lot of sparrows come visit us on our fence and below is a picture of one.... They are soo quick you gotta have your camera ready to snap a picture..  Avery loves his toothpaste and had no problems brushing his teeth tonight... Transitioning time went without a hitch tonight! So now I am listening to The Fish 104.1... So I did get a load of dishes going in the dish washer that are now done and I did mange to make Avery homemade chicken tenders for dinner so not a total non productive day... Well I'm gonna get off here, take care of some things before I go to bed... I have praise team practice at 8am tomorrow so I am gonna go to bed a bit earlier tonight... I love singing to the Lord no matter where I'm at!!!!! Have a great night all, sweet dreams, & God bless you & yours!!!

July 5th 2013 Update

Yes, I finally got to sleep in until 8am! A great way to start off the day... We listened to some uplifting Christian music and ate a hot breakfast... Avery loves hot breakfast over the cold ones... I like to alternate between the two... So Avery watched some veggie tales while I had my prayer, devotional, and Bible reading/studying time... After that I decided to unpack some more boxes and hang up some more pictures... I got some wall decals to put up too... Needless to say that at some point yesterday my son's closet door came apart... I don't exactly know what happened.. All I know is that my son is okay & he wasn't hurt.. So I put in a work order to get that taken care of... So I got a lot accomplished today! I just love productive days... I took Avery's sword away on Wednesday so you can imagine how he's handling that one... Well that's what he gets when he swings it at me in anger because I told him no... So tomorrow he will get them back...

He's been quite defying lately... To the point where he gets in your face... Not good, he's trying to be controlling and he doesn't even know it... I managed to deescalate him... Since he's started counseling I am learning a lot... Went to a Christian group tonight, seems to be okay... I'm just not sure if it's a fit for me... I guess I will find out soon enough... I thought it would be cool to take some pictures of the wall decals I put up, so enjoy... I would like to get some more... :)

Have a great night all, gnite, sweet dreams, & Good bless you & yours!!!! 

July 4th 2013 Update

Happy July 4th all, pray you all had a blast with your family and friends! I thought I was going to be doing my first BBQ today but God had other plans... It didn't matter what I did that BBQ grill would not light, so there must be a reason... So I used the oven and all the food came out great!!! I made homemade BBQ Chicken, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, homemade chicken tenders for Avery, although I cannot lie they were sooo good I had a few, lol... Also made a yummy fruit salad... All in all, I was stuffed by the time we were done eating... So all in all it was a very good dinner! The day was pretty good.. I played some basketball with Avery, we just took turns shooting the ball into the hoop... He really enjoyed it and so did I! I didn't feel emotional due to just relaxing and playing with Avery.. He keeps me busy which can be good sometimes, lol... I let him stay up until 9pm, we watched Jonah Veggie Tales style, lol... Those veggies are soo cool even for this 32 almost 33 year old, lol... The fireworks started at 9pm and lasted at least three hours, Avery was scared of them so I transitioned him for bed. Then it was me time!!!! Here is a picture of some of the food we made and ate, enjoy... FYI the BBQ chicken sauce was homemade as well....

Have a great night, sweet dreams, & God bless you & yours!!!!!!!!!!

July 3rd 2013 Update

Well I got 2 hours worth of cleaning done last night, yeah!!!! And I got a shower, talk about scoring!!! I went to bed feeling like I accomplished a lot and of course I was exhausted... I got up this morning at 7:30am, not by choice but lil alarm clock, lol... Yes my son decided he wanted to get up... So we had a nice hot breakfast, after that he decided to watch Narnia 1 while I went and had my prayer, devotional, and Bible reading/studying time... After that we got ready for the day and listened to some music... We had lunch then got ready to leave to go see my mom, Avery's grandma... He was excited to go see grandma and Uncle Randy!!! Uncle Randy got him a couple of Avenger figurines, lol... Captain America and Spider Man.. He was super excited to get those, lol...

So we went to Freddy's to get $10 worth of quarters for laundry... Well apparently they don't sell rolls of quarters... Last month I was sold a roll of quarters, so wow... I guess things change fast... So I bought a powerade and we left to go catch the bus. So we made it to grandma's place visited for awhile and then Avery stayed with Uncle Randy while Mom and I left to go to the Dollar Store... We stopped by Arby's for a drink... So we grabbed a booth and just caught up with what's going on in our lives... It was real nice, it reminded me of the times when I was younger and mom and I would just go for long walks and if we had any money you can bet we were spending it at a store, lol... I have really missed those times, so it was nice to have one... So we went to the Dollar store I got Avery some stuff for his birthday, a card, and a bag with some tissue paper to put in it... I also got some stuff for our home that was needed.. I spent a little more than what I wanted but I found some beautiful pictures with positive words that I just had to get for the walls... So now I will be figuring out where to put them...

After some shopping we came back, the boys were watching Spider Man 2 so I let him finish up the movie while I visited with my mom and Uncle Randy for a bit. Then we left to go home. Boy it was hot by the time we left... So finally we got home dropped everything off and decided to try the market because one of our neighbors told us we could get quarters there... So we went and I bought something so that we weren't just going for quarters and come to find out the guy wouldn't give me any quarters... I should've just left and not even paid for the powerade... All he wanted was to get me out of his store as soon as he could... Not good customer service at all... So after we got home, I took a mini break and then made dinner... After dinner we relaxed for awhile then got Avery ready for bed... So now I am listening to Brit Nicole's cd "gold" I recommend this cd to anyone who likes positive Christian music... My words "THE BOMB!!!" Lol... Yeah it's that good... So now I am just gonna relax and breathe...

Tomorrow will be my first time cooking a BBQ... Pray I don't burn myself... Oh which reminds me, I bought a oven mitt so that I won't burn myself... I was cleaning my electric can opener last night and cut my finger pretty good... So I put some triple antibiotic ointment on it and a band-aid... So for tomorrow's agenda... Yes, not going anywhere!!! Just going to relax with Avery, have a day of fun, hopefully sleep in till 8am? Sure hope so, lol... Were not letting off any fireworks off just watching people who light theirs off... Already heard 3 big booms tonight... Avery doesn't care too much for fireworks and I like the colors but just aren't into them like I was when I was a kid... Feeling a bit emotional since Avery and I will be spending yet another holiday by ourselves.... Yes we have God, but we do miss a part of our family, my hubby Avery's dad... But I know that this has to be for now... Things will work out the way God wants them to... Well that's it for today... I will not be posting an update tomorrow since it is a holiday... So Check back on Friday, have a blessed night all...

July 2nd 2013 Update

Well today has been another good day! I am so blessed to have such an incredible young boy in my life!!! I am just so thankful that God gave me the chance to have a child and to raise him! Now I didn't know that I would be raising him without his daddy, I thought we would always be together... I know God will work out everything in His timing... I just need to continue putting one foot in front of the other and not to look back... I also need to continue to TRUST in God and KNOW that He will take care of us... Sometimes when the road I'm on seems so uncertain and I start to doubt, I turn (or RUN) towards God!!! He is my LIFELINE!!! Without Him I wouldn't be where I am right now... He TRULY is MY EVERYTHING!!!!

So last night after he went to bed I set up his early birthday present from grandma, uncle Randy, and I. I got up at 7am and he got up at 7:30am. We had breakfast and then I grabbed my camera and headed outside... He asked me what I was doing? I told him I was stepping out and enjoying some fresh air and asked him to come out and join me... He came out and saw the basket ball set and says "is that for me momma?" I said "yes it is son, happy early birthday from grandma, uncle Randy, and I!" He had a big grin after he found out that it was his, lol... I captured the moment!!! So he shot hoops for awhile and then came in to play with his sword and shield...

So today I got some stuff done off of my to do list cleaning wise... I still have some unpacking and pictures to hang up but this weather drains me very easily, especially if we are out and about or have appointments to go to... So Avery had an appointment today and it went well... His highlight was that he got to play with the sword and shield that she had, lol.... It's all about them swords and shields these days, lol... He was amazingly good all the way until we got on the last bus... That's when he started to act up... When those times come I ask myself what is causing this? Well it was 90 degrees outside and it literally felt like 95... Yeah he doesn't do so good in the heat and neither do I. So we finally got home and had a snack... He put on a movie and I well just sat down and relaxed...

About an hour after we've been home Avery was having another episode... I don't know what caused it... I tried to ask him questions but he was just being very disrespectful and I had enough... So at first I put him in a chair facing the corner. He started kicking the wall and saying negative words, so I warned him if he said one more negative word or kicked the wall he would lose the chair and then stand in the corner... Well he decided to test me and see if I would do it... Well he found out real quick that momma isn't going to let him talk to her that way and that when momma says something she will do it... So I told him that his time wouldn't start until he was quite and if he talked his time would start over. He didn't believe me so he kept talking, so he stayed in the corner for about 15 minutes because he wouldn't stop saying disrespectful words to me... By the time he got out he got the point...

So after getting out of the corner he came over and told me he was sorry for being and saying disrespectful words. I told him that I forgave him and told him that there's nothing he could ever do that would change my love for him... He gave me a hug and a kiss and then he resumed to his activity... Some say that 15 minutes is too long for a 4 3/4 year old... I disagree, if he/she wants to keep saying or doing things that are unacceptable then there needs to be consequences... That is part of this generations problem.... Some are just too soft on boundaries, and some don't have boundaries at all and then wonder why they did what they did... I for one will not be one of those people.. I am setting healthy boundaries for my son and myself... I will not settle for less... I am going to have a respectful, gentle, caring, and balanced young boy!!! I want to have a son who respects women, loves them, honors them, and that any good woman's daughter would be proud to marry. Now I know that is way down the road... But it is my job to prepare him! And with God's help he will be that man!!!

So that was the only episode for today... We had an enjoyable dinner together and then brushed our teeth... Boy I've never seen him sooo eager to brush his teeth, lol... He really loves his new toothpaste!!! So now he is in his bed dozing off to sleep... And mommy is having some me time and listening to The Fish radio... I will be listening to my new cd in a few so I can get a few more things done for the night... The picture below is the captured moment I was talking about earlier in this post... PRICELESS!!!! Pray you all have a blessed night and I will write more tomorrow, blessings...

July 1st 2013 Update

Hello, I pray that you had a fabulous day today and stayed indoors if you are in an area that has a high temperature. Today was quite the adventure but before I talk about today, I wanted to talk about yesterday. So we weren't able to make it to church due to not getting hardly any sleep. I have found that for the last two nights I have had anxiety issues... Avery has been doing extremely well! Every since he got his toys back he has picked up every single mess that he has made! I don't even have to ask twice! Praise the Lord!!! So we had a Narnia day, yes we watched all 3 Narnia dvds... It happens to be Avery's favorite and mine too! I sure do wish they would hurry up and come out with a 4th one... Even knowing it is real cool in our home, I brought out the fan so I would be able to sleep better... So last night I prayed and I sung some songs to help with my anxiety. It worked! I finally got some sleep and the best part, God gave me peace!!!

Okay so now we are at what has happened today... I was up at 6:30am this morning and Avery got up at 7am. We had a wonderful breakfast, listened to some positive Christian music, and I was able to get my prayer, devotion, and Bible reading/studying done! After that we got ready for the day and walked quite a ways to where we needed to go, got some errands done and then headed to go visit grandma's! Avery loves his grandma and his uncle Randy! So we visited for awhile... Avery is doing real well on his potty training, everywhere he goes he lets me know now... It's nice to know that when you stick with something long enough you will see the results and I am seeing the results!!!! I bought him a new pack of big boy underwear today so that he has plenty... So we have had plenty of sun today, thank goodness I put sunscreen on Avery & I...

So while Avery stayed with grandma and uncle Randy, one of my good friends who is like a mom figure to me came and took me to go pick up Avery's birthday present and get some stuff that was needed. So Avery's early Birthday present is a Little Tikes basketball set that adjusts all the way to 6 ft! Grandma and uncle Randy paid half and I paid the other half. So as we speak it is hiding in my room and when he goes to bed tonight I am going to set it up for him!!!! So when he gets up in the morning and goes outside in his backyard he will see it!!!! I am hoping to get a picture of his facial expression when he sees it... So I got him some Lightning McQueen fruity flavor toothpaste, he seemed so excited he said "oh I think we need to go brush our teeth momma!" I told him he could wait until after dinner, lol... I can't believe my baby is going to be 5 years old.... Also since my birthday is 2 days before his, I got myself a birthday present! I got me a Brit Nicole cd "gold" one of my favorite songs!!! I also got a BBQ utensil set and a stick lighter. I am doing my first BBQ of the 4th of July!!!

So after we got everything we needed from Wally world, we dropped everything off at our home, went and got Avery and did some much needed grocery shopping.... So we got all the grocery shopping done and I may say Avery did a good job at the store!!!! He has come a long ways and I know that if I keep teaching him what is acceptable, what is not acceptable, and give consequences if he tests me, he will be a gentle, humble, respectful young boy and someday a young man... God has truly blessed us with soooo much and Avery and I are so very grateful!!!! Have a blessed night all....