I got tagged - and I actually completed it!

I've been tagged by the amazing and talented Michelle!

I am: Erin
I think: I sometimes think too much. I over think. Wait, let me think about this...
I know: where I came from, why I'm here and where I'm going.
I want: to see my grandchildren.
I have: weight I am trying to lose.
I wish: for my kids to grow up happy and healthy - and always love their mama.
I hate: feeling like I haven't accomplished anything.
I miss: my sis, Kelly.
I fear: letting someone down.
I feel: content.
I hear: my cat, Spaz, purring (she's sitting on the top of my chair) and the white noise of the computers in our computer lab.....err....I mean, home office.
I smell: nothing! Woohoo! That means no smelly messes to clean!
I crave: a Kit Kat.
I search: for patience.
I wonder: if I'm being the kind of mom my kids need.
I regret: not getting healthy years ago.
I love: my family, friends, reading, the beach (see side bar on my blog)
I care: enough to send the very best (I should market that) :-)
I always: try to keep my house organized (I'm losing this battle lately)
I am not: good at relaxing.
I believe: families can be forever.
I dance: with my boys because they don't care how ridiculous I look!!
I sing: in the car and then Nathan asks me to stop. Hmmm.....
I don't always: spend enough time with Scott.
I fight: my weight issues.
I write: lists all of the time. There's no bigger high for me than crossing things off of my never ending "to do" lists!!
I lose: most games when I play with Scott.
I win: when I remember to think before I speak or act.
I never: want to live in Utah.
I listen: to funky music when I go to the gym.
I can usually be found: in my car or in Noah's school.
I am scared: of the economy.
I need: inner peace.....and a massage.
I am happy about: being able to stay home with my kiddos (most of the time) :-)
I thee tag: Kelly, Jamie, Christy, Carolyn, and Rachel

Good Gauley!!

Scott, 2 of his brothers, Ryan and Mark, and our good friend, Matt went on a Guy's Weekend last weekend to the mountains of West Virginia to do some whitewater rafting! They left Saturday morning and relaxed all day Sunday. Monday morning they got up early for their adventure. They spent all day Monday going down the Gauley River. In the morning they did the Upper Gauley which was Class IV and V and the Middle Gauley. They stopped and ate lunch and then continued onto the Lower Gauley. The river was 26 miles and they were exhausted at the end of the day! Then, the invincible guys that they are, drove home 5 hours that night! No one fell out of the raft and fun was had by all! Kudos to my honey who has been talking about doing this for a long time and arranged it all! He had a wonderful, relaxing time with the guys and it's just what he needed!

There aren't any pics of them on the raft, but Scott did buy the DVD that was taken,
so I'll hopefully be able to post that soon!


(The guys were really impressed with the whitewater rafting company, so if you want more information about them you can click on the title to this post)

My Paycheck

I am fortunate to be able to stay home with my boys, so I don't bring home a paycheck. I feel I get paid with hugs, kisses, watching them figure something out for the first time, and snuggles. Noah is tracked out right now and we were running lots of errands today while Nathan was in pre-school. I was telling him how he is my most favorite 7 year old in the whole world. Then, Noah gets quiet and I collect a HUGE paycheck from him: "Mom, I love you more than Monster Jam."

I've won the lottery!!!!

Once upon a time.......

Nathan is sitting in the kitchen with me as I'm cooking dinner and says, "Mom, I want to tell you a story." "Alrighty," I said. He starts with "Once upon a time there was a lovely princess..." and I hurry to grab paper and a pen to write it down. What 3 year old uses adjectives?? Anyhoo, his story is below and is typed in "Nathan-ese", so if you need help translating, let me know.


Once upon a time dare was a WUH-vwee pwincess and she wived in the castle. And den he wocked her up - the witch did. And the pwincess was wealwee, wealwee, wealwee scared. And den went up the stairs and put in her woom and wocked it. And den she cwied and den the end.

Noah's Prayer Reminders

One of the reasons I blog is to keep an on-line family journal. This topic falls into that category.

During Sharing Time yesterday (part of our church's Sunday School for kids), the kids were asked to write down things they want to remember to thank Heavenly Father for in their prayers. Here is Noah's list:

* Our house
* My mom and dad
* My family
* The Bible
* My church
* My friends
* My teachers
* My school

Whose nose is in a book?

Ok, all you readers out there! What are you currently reading or what have you just finished reading? I LOVE to read and would love to get some recommendations! Let me know what you think/thought about your book, but NO SPOILERS, please!

I am reading Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (she's one of my fave authors). It's being read by my book club. Next, I'm going to read The Kite Runner. I love having a stack of books waiting for me!

The Ant Bully

I HATE ANTS!!!!!!!

We have had an ant problem every day this week. Those of you who know me, know that I am pretty good about keeping a clean house, but these darn ants find the smallest, most minute, tiniest, microscopic crumb there is to possibly find. First, they were trailing from the vent in the kitchen floor to the pantry and across my floor to the cabinets. Next, they were in the downstairs bathroom. Why? I have NO idea. Couldn't find anything they were after. I guess they remembered how irritated I was the day before. Next, they were in my family room covering a crumb. It caught my eye because there were so many on this crumb I thought it was a piece of Oreo cookie. Next, in my bedroom trailing from underneath the baseboard and up my nightstand. Then in the boys bathroom. My boys see an ant and yell, "Mom! Ants!" I ask, "How many?" When they start counting and get to 10 I know I'm in for another battle with the ants. We do have some fabulous spray and it does work. The rest I just suck up with the vacuum cleaner.

What Happens When Someone Steals Your Blog?

For that matter, what happens when your spouse discovers what a blog is, starts writing one of her own and includes pictures, names, locations and other details that could easily be used against her or her family?

Think I'm paranoid? Maybe so, but I'd rather not take the chance.

I work for a reputable company where people are well-paid. Things still end up stolen. There is always "free food" in the breakrooms from whatever class or event just finished up. Food still ends up missing from the refrigerators. People have lots of flexibility to work the hours they need to as long as things get done. They still come to work and goof off.

If you think I'm paranoid, check the reality around you. Everyone isn't as honest as you might be. And yes, I hacked this blog to add myself as an editor without even asking (though I'm sure she would have added me if I asked). Think it was difficult? Nope.

Finally, to recap some of the prior blog entries here, with my special pragmatic spin (Muhahahaha!):

1. Olympics on television sucks (how much gymnastics and swimming can one person watch before they vomit?). I have nothing against individual achievement, or watching China get disgraced for cheating. What happened to interesting sports, though, or for that matter, at least some variety? Are we *that* vanilla in this country now, or have we just become complacent about what TV feeds us?
   
2. Doctors make you wait because they get paid no matter what ails you or how long you sit around. The only thing that trumps this rule is if you're bleeding profusely (I mean, like "Carrie" kind of blood).
   
3. Baseball games are only fun if you're actually in the stadium. And really, if you're in the stadium you're not there for the game -- you're there for the hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, Dippin' Dots eaten out of a bowl shaped like a baseball cap and chance the drunk guy behind you is going to spill his beer all over you.
   
4. Thanks a bunch, dear spouse, for putting pictures of my whale self up for the entire planet to see. Now let the real vomiting ensue.
5. And since we've come full circle on the subject of gastrointestinal problems, I wholeheartedly invite all you blog-happy nuts to visit the Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness blog: http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/

Giant Poops - Must Read

I read this on someone else's blog and it is HILARIOUS! Anyone who has potty-trained a little one will L-O-V-E this. Enjoy!

*you can click the link below or the title

http://themcmommychronicles.blogspot.com/2008/09/giant-poops.html

Myrtle Beach Vacay

We took the kids to the beach for a couple of days and it was heaven! The boys were really good and that made the trip even nicer! Our hotel had a waterpark, lazy river and several pools. The beach was right there, too! We played at the beach and waterpark, played putt-putt, went bowling, saw the aquarium, ate at yummy restaurants, and spent time at the Nascar Speedpark. I can't wait until next year!

Here is a slideshow of our trip (and no, I did not choose the music). Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow