Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Du-du-duuuu...(like with a trumpet or a cardboard toilet paper roll)


Here you go my darling niece! =) Better to have chicken enchiladas at 11:00 at night and four days late than none at all. These enchiladas really are even better as leftovers anyway. =) I love you like crazy!!!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

I'm TRYING!!!!

Allie,
I'm TRYING to send you your enchiladas, but my internet KEEPS disconnecting! Patience, patience my dear!!! Beau and I are leaving early in the morning for another conference in Oklahoma City...so maybe Wednesday??? =)

I love you TONS!!!
Sas

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Stillwater Refuge

My friends Jesse and Amy Easley have a GORGEOUS piece of land - close to 1,000 acres I THINK - in East Texas. It's about two hours from Waco, Dallas, and Houston...so it wouldn't be hard for most any of "my readers" =) to get to. God put a dream in their hearts a long time ago (the SAME EXACT dream that's in mine!) to provide a place for people to come, relax, and be refreshed. They have two facilities there for guests to stay in - one that sleeps six and one that sleeps ten to twelve. I've only seen pictures of their new cabin, but it is BEAUTIFUL, and I think ANYONE would LOVE to go spend time alone or with family or friends at Stillwater Refuge. There's plenty to do there - hunting, fishing, nature trails, swimming in their lake, tent camping and they even have a hot tub at the new cabin! (And I LOVE hot tubs!) =) Their dream is slowly unfolding, and their goal for this year is to have a booking for at least one weekend out of each month. So check them out!!! Let me know if you're interested, and I can give you more info. (I don't remember their web site at the moment.)

P.S. Jesse and Amy, I LOVE the brochure! It's GREAT! Be sure to send me one when you get them printed. And the pictures of your kids and Carly's were BEAUTIFUL!!! GORGEOUS kids...all five of them!!! Tell Carly congratulations for me! I'm so happy for her!

Various and Asundry Things...

I just wanted to say "asundry". Is that even the word???

Asher has been sleeping well for the last two or three nights now. He's still getting better and better every night. It's so amazing to SLEEP again (for ME) after so many BAD nights!!! =) Thank you LORD!!!

He's doing THE FUNNIEST thing! The other day one of us said, "That's so sad" about something, and he looked up at us and got this sad look on his face and started "talking" in a quiet, slow, sad voice. It was HILARIOUS! And so now we just say that to get him to do it over and over. And he usually does. And he thinks it's SO FUNNY too! =)

I wish I would have taken a picture the other day of what I saw through the kitchen trash bag when I was taking it out. Asher has discovered the JOY (to HIM) of putting his toys in there! LOTS of them! He had probably put HALF of his magnetic alphabet in there along with one of his firetrucks. What are we gonna do with that kid???

He tried to say "banana" today! And he did pretty well a couple of times! He's SO SMART! =) And he points to his eye...or ours...or any animal's and says "eye". He can also point out all the different parts on his face.

Today he wanted me to read him his books. We have a basket FULL of his cardboard books, and he's no longer satisfied with reading two or three at a time. He wants to read ALL of them at LEAST once EVERY time we sit down to read. Anyway, when he took me upstairs to read today, I was in the middle of unpacking some boxes (yea!), so I sat him in the rocking chair and put the basket of books beside him. And he just sat up there and "read" for a long time all by himself. It was too cute!

I suppose my only other random piece of information...that has nothing to do with Asher...is that we have recently discovered the joy of "Monk" - the tv show. Monk is such a funny, loveable guy. It's a really fun show. Mom, I think you would like it, because he's a detective, and every episode he figures out "who done it". It's entertaining.

Toodles!

P.S. Allie, your enchiladas are still in the works!

Friday, January 25, 2008

Enchiladas for Allie

Allie,
Your enchiladas are on their way. My oven is cooking REALLY slowly!!! =) Keep your eyes peeled. I haven't forgotten you! =) I love you like crazy!!!

Love,
Sas

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Success!

It was a success of a day. The boy was still a bit whiny and clingy at times (although it's a tad bit cute sometimes when he snatches my leg when I'm walking by then won't let me go), but he took almost a two hour nap in his own bed and fell asleep effortlessly tonight! Yippee! Now, if we could cut down the waking up at night down to three instead of five...or zero - that would be AMAZING!!!

AND Beau and I hung/rehung five different things in our house this evening. You'd think that everything would be in its place after four months of living here. But it's not. But I feel a small sense of accomplishment. Maybe I'll get a little more done tomorrow.

It sounds really nice to go read in my bed now for a while until I can't keep my eyes open anymore - but I've got to go put sheets on it first, because Asher peed on it this morning. =) There's a first time for everything. We've had all kinds of explosions in the past few days!

Good night!

Last Night

Yea! Asher slept in his bed until 5:30 this morning!!! And then he slept with us until 7:30 or so. Granted, he woke up at least five times during the night, but we were always able to get him to go back down in his own bed. Again...a great improvement compared to the several nights before. Hopefully he'll keep getting better and better every night. Please keep praying!!!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Good Idea

Let me start by saying that immediately after I typed that last post, Asher let me rock him until he was ready to lie down with me - and we BOTH took a two hour nap!!! It was DIVINE! Thank You GOD!!! Then Beau got home just as Asher was waking up and took him downstairs so that I could have a while longer. I had been in that kind of hard sleep that kind of stays with you for a while...so a little more sleep ended things just right. =)

And tonight I've already been asleep for two hours, but Asher woke up, so I went and rocked him - and didn't have to give him a bottle (a step in the right direction compared to the last few nights. PRAY that he'll start sleeping in HIS BED ALL THE WAY through the night again!!!)...So on my way back to bed I decided to check blogs right quick. =) And Emily had a great idea...or Adrianna did. =) I, too, really do want to be more positive (although you can't tell by my last few entries). So, here goes...Ten Things That Make Me Happy Right Now in My Life...(in no particular order)

1.Reading my sisters' and mom's blogs (I love reading my friends' blogs too, but I rarely have time!)
2.That Robin, Julie, and Angie are all experiencing the same love that I have with Asher with their brand new little babies
3.When Beau takes care of Asher...and Asher is happy (and NOT whining or crying...that's just not the same) - taking a hot bath or sleeping while he does that
4.Laughing with my sisters - at things we wouldn't talk about with most anybody else! =)
5.That my family still sees the good in me even when it seems to me that I am falling apart =)
6.The THOUGHT of rocky road ice cream (Emily, you inspired me...I LOVE that stuff!) =)
7.Cuddling up next to Beau after I've gotten out of bed in the middle of the night to tend to Asher and gotten really cold
8.Hot chocolate...because it's REALLY cold!
9.My nieces and nephews...Allie, Jack, Skyler, Cooper, Claire, and Chloe...They're ALL really funny (except for Chloe...we might have to wait for her to come out and meet us before I can decide if she's funny or not) and BEAUTIFUL (I've seen Chloe's sonogram, she's already beautiful), and I love 'em to pieces!!!
10.My down comforter and the Christmas quilt that Dina made for us (yes, I'm still using it.)

That wasn't as effortless as I thought it would be, but I could keep going. I really am blessed! =) Now I think I'll go back to bed. Nighty night!

Complaining

I didn't used to be such a complainer. I tried really hard to live by the verse in the Bible, "Do not grumble or complain about ANYTHING..." But I feel like I am so opposite of that now! I hate that I am like that. It's as if as if as time goes on, there's more and more to complain about. What kind of outlook is THAT?! That's TERRIBLE! Today, not only are my kid's ears infected, I'm pretty sure that he's teething too. (He's got a constant stream of saliva running out of his mouth.) The result of those two things??? Crying, whining, and sleeplessness (for BOTH of us!). I'm about to lose it today! I need a BREAK!!! But I can't have one, because Beau is on his way back from his meeting in Oklahoma City, and I wouldn't be able to leave him with anyone else if I tried, because of the way he's feeling. All of that being said, I KNOW the truth - that I am BEYOND BLESSED!!! I LOVE my little boy! I love my life! I'm thankful deep down inside, but at the moment, I just want to take a decent nap!!!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Camp

I'm glad to know that my man really does feel called to what he's (we're) doing. I asked him this morning if he's ready for a "normal" job yet. He said no. Actually, first he said that I wouldn't be able to handle him not being able to stop by if I need him. =) But he actually just knows that this is where we're supposed to be. So, I am happy that I married somebody who sticks to what he knows God has called him to. (Not to say that this is what we'll be doing forever...maybe we will, maybe we won't. God knows.) Anyway...it's been a particularly FULL weekend - us being the only people living here at this camp and all. If something needs to be done. Guess who does it? Beau. And that's fine. He has a great attitude. It's just exhausting sometimes!!! He worked at least twelve hours yesterday (after a full "normal" work-week) and he's still working right now. We had a group here from Friday night through this morning, and he helped in the dining hall and did other things for them. And today he's been getting ready for a small group that's coming out for a day retreat tomorrow. It wouldn't have taken THAT long today, but there's a major plumbing problem, so he worked on that for hours. And now he's just wrapping up what has to be done before he leaves here at 5:30 in the morning for a meeting in Oklahoma City. Aykarumba! Sooo...pray for him! He needs rest! And he'll be able to get some on Tuesday and Wednesday hopefully!

On a fun note...Asher smiles on command now. It's pretty funny!

I'm off to iron Beau's pants, then I'm going to sleep! Good night!!!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Ears!

Well, as I've mentioned, my kid has been quite the needy fuss-bucket lately. Come to find out, there's a good reason for it...poor little dude! Yesterday, he woke up happy, went down for a nap in the normal fashion, but twenty five minutes later was stirring - which isn't normal for him. I picked him up and was rocking him, and his stomach was tightening and loosening over and over. Then he started shivering all over, and his teeth were even chattering - and this went on for a few minutes. I was QUITE concerned and called Beau to come home right away so he could help me decide if we needed to call the doctor or not. Asher was also seeming really out of it. He wasn't completely unresponsive, but he just stayed very, very sleepy through this whole ordeal - and normally he would wake up if we were messing with him like we were. We checked his temperature, and although our thermometer is a bit unreliable, it showed that he had a fever of 105 at one point. We called the doctor's office (in Waco), and they made us feel better about the shivering and said that he was probably just chilled because of the sudden onset of the fever. But after explaining everything from the past several days to them, they recommended that we take him in to get his ears checked, so we FINALLY found a pediatrician that we're going to really like in McAlester. Yea! While we were waiting for the appointment to roll around (Asher had been sleeping in my arms for hours already and Beau was back at work), all of a sudden Asher PUKED (BIG TIME) twice right in a row. It was TERRIBLE!!! He has never thrown up quite like that! It was everywhere - all over BOTH of us! And he was feeling SO BAD that it was REALLY REALLY sad! Both of us were in tears. We somehow got cleaned up and made it to the doctor, waited for over an hour past our appointment time, FINALLY got in...and now we know that Asher has a pretty bad infection in BOTH ears. Sooo...THAT is why he's been so fussy...and sleeping so poorly...and had such a high fever. He's never had an ear infection before, so I guess I just thought he never would. (That wasn't a very smart assumption.) So after several hours of being away from home (dr., dropping off prescription, shopping a little and eating a little dinner while waiting for it, and picking it up), we finally headed home. Asher slept MOST of the day, so when "bed-time" rolled around, it was NOT what I had been dreaming of! I tried putting him in his own bed, but he would have none of that, and I didn't want to force him since he was so under the weather. So we both got into my bed at 8:15. I think we were up by 9:45 or something like that and didn't go back to sleep until around 2:00 am or so. Aaaargh! I was EXHAUSTED! Then he slept pretty well with us until about 6:45 this morning when Beau's phone rang. So here we are. He's in MUCH BETTER spirits today. He's certainly not up to par, but he's not just in a sleepy daze like yesterday. It's so nice to see him talking and playing a little bit more. And HOPEFULLY he'll take a decent nap soon, so that I can too!!!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Riverbend Friends...

Yes, I'm still at the computer...not cleaning my room. I did take the sheets off the bed and take the cups to the kitchen though. =) Anyway, I was going to email our Riverbend friends today to let you (if your're reading this) know that WE MISS YOU!!! (But my email is acting up.) We are grateful for the opportunity that we've been given for Beau to manage Crosstimbers, and we're glad we're here. But we've mentioned it a few times lately to each other that WE MISS YOU!!! I checked Nadia's blog last night for the first time in a long time, and it was really nice to catch up a little - and to read stories about Benjamin and Ethan (the boys that Asher was growing up with). Although I liked Riverbend, it took a long time to really feel like HOME to me...but it grew on me...and now I'll love it and our friends there forever!!! Change is good, but it's sad too!!! I haven't felt sad since we moved here...hardly at all...but thinking of our RRC friends and all that we're missing out on there can leave a little tinge of sadness every once in a while. All that to say...we love you friends!!! And we want to come visit you soon!!!

Good Afternoon...

I don't REALLY have anything to blog about, but I thought for the sake of aunts, uncles, grandparents, and Allie =) I would at least say "Good Day". Asher is sleeping soundly at the moment. He had another very difficult time for at least two hours last night, but he finally went back to sleep, then he spent the last two hours or so in bed with us again. He woke up happy and flopping all over the place. Then he requested a "baa" (bath), so that's what we did. He gets so excited and says, "Baa, baa, baa..." over and over and over again. Too cute. Then the three of us went into town to run some errands for the camp. Beau has a big group coming in this weekend, so we're working on getting ready for them. Asher fell asleep on the way back home but miraculously transferred to his bed without a hitch. I love it when that happens. So, even though I should've been cleaning, I watched the first hour of "American Idol" from last night. I love that show!...98% of it anyway. Then I got up to go clean but got sucked in by the thought of unread blogs. So here I am...And here I go. Maybe I can get our room clean before Asher wakes up. Hope everyone has a great day!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Parenthood...

Asher slept with Beau and me ALL night last night. The poor little guy went down around 7:30 or so - like normal. But around 10:00 he woke up and was SO upset! It was really sad. It was as if he was scared or something. I don't know, he might not have been feeling well. I'm not sure what was wrong, but it wasn't easy to soothe him, then once he would calm down, I would rock him back to sleep, put him in his bed, then he would wake up frantically within a couple of minutes. So we brought him to bed with us, and he barely woke up a couple more times throughout the night, but overall, he seemed much more calm because he was with us. It was sad and sweet all at the same time. One of the sweetest things was this morning, when he had worked his way over to Beau, and he was lying on his back but with his head right up next to Beau's. It was so cute. I wish I could have documented it with a picture. I hate that he was sad, but I'm glad at the same time that he finds such comfort in being with us. We couldn't love him more!!!

Friday, January 11, 2008

WHY am I Still Awake?!

I'm crazy. That's all there is to it. I've been up with Claire Alyse (my niece) and Asher since the wee hours of the morning. They were both asleep by 9:20 tonight, but here I am. I can't help it. I had to check the sisters' and mom's blogs. It's one of those things. It's been a really good day. Emily and Allan are having an anniversary weekend this weekend, so Asher and I came to keep Claire Bear. Em and "Bil" went skiing in Santa Fe for the DAY. They flew out this morning at 7:30, and will be back pretty soon I think. So it was the one year olds and me until early this afternoon. We had a fun time playing. And they even managed to get dressed, fed, and both took at least little naps...which was the interesting part - trying to put the first one down while the other one is still awake and not wanting the second one to wake up when the first one does...We made it. Then we spent the afternoon and evening at Amy's. It was really fun to spend time with her and Cooper. Allie and Jack were there for a few minutes but then left for a friend's house. It was fun to watch Asher and Claire play in the big sandbox by Amy's house. They're really starting to play like little kids and not so much babies anymore. It's hilarious to watch them sometimes. Today when we were riding in the van, I looked back at Claire, because she was just laughing and laughing. And Asher was sitting there next to her making faces - actually trying to ENTERTAIN her! It was so funny! After having dinner at the Powell house, we headed back to the Kavs'. I was coming with every intention of putting them both down almost immediately when we got home, because they both seemed spent! But we got here, got pjs on, bottles made, and laid down to read books. And all of a sudden a switch FLIPPED in Asher, and he got SO hyper all of a sudden. He was acting like a crazy man. It was hilarious! I've never seen him take such a sudden turn like that! It was quite entertaining. Claire and I laid there and read books, and he tackled me, and ran in and out of the room doing who knows what. He was just hyper! So we all played for a while longer, and they finally started winding down again by 9:00. And they both went down without A peep! They were pooped! And so am I! That's why I can't believe that I'm still up. So good night!!! We've got another couple of days ahead of us similar to today. Emily and Allan are going away tomorrow and Sunday, but Mom and Dad will be here to help with the kiddos. So that will be quite nice! =) Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

"O-baaaaay"

My kid, although far from an angel, can just be so darn sweet sometimes! We've been trying really hard to teach him about obeying...which is not an easy task. You know how kids just make random cute sounds before they're actually talking? Well, he was already saying "o-baaaay" and not meaning anything by it. So I thought that one way I would try to teach him to obey is to tell him to say "obey" when he needs to obey. And he will repeat it after me, because he was already making that sound. Anyway,even though he was repeating it, he didn't really know what he was saying. But today he was fighting me over something that he didn't need to be doing, and I said, "You need to listen to mommy." And he said, "O-baaaay". And then he walked away and started doing something else. It was AMAZING! =) Granted, he's already NOT "o-baaaayed" many times since! He's a little hoodlum. A sweet hoodlum, but a hoodlum none the less! AND...I say, "Say 'Yes, Mommy'". And he nods his head really big. Too cute!

Sunday, January 6, 2008

New Pictures!!! (and my closet!)

Click on the Picasa link at the top left of my blog, and you can see ALL of our HUNDREDS of pictures from November and December!!! =) It's taken at least two full days (not exaggerating!) of uploading them to the internet (if not more) with our slow connection, but it's finally done! Yippee!

AND...you know how in my last entry I was off to organize my closet??? Well, I did it! I was so happy that I was going to come and tell the blog world. HOWEVER, not long after the completion of my project, the DARN bookshelves that were holding our many, many, many books COLLAPSED, and everything was DESTROYED! I was SO MAD I could've spit nails...or fire...or something! I was MAD!!!!! So, now my closet is a royal mess once again until I get new shelves! AAAARGH! Isn't that the worst story in the whole wide world??? =)

Have a lovely evening!!!

Friday, January 4, 2008

Random Thoughts All Rolled Up Together...

Well, Allie and Amy, this is for you...once again. I was on the phone with Allie earlier, and she said, "Pleeease blog for us!" I am rarely at this computer...much to their chagrin (shagrin??? I don't know, but it's a good word.)...and mine. I hate that I'm not able to communicate with the outside world via the internet like I used to. It's just not as easy with a SLOW connection and a baby that wants to get into EVERYTHING. =)

Speaking of that little tike...he's cute! =) He's in the phase where he's bringing us all kinds of things to put on him...shoes, socks, hats, belts, shirts, sunglasses, etc. He's walking around right now wearing a t-shirt of Beau's over his clothes, and I've got it twisted up in the back so he doesn't trip over it. This morning he was wearing his footsy pjs, one of Beau's white tube socks, and my little black ankle sock. It was funny. =) And the other day he was wearing Beau's belt wrapped around him about three or four times. Can't get enough of the little guy!

Something else WONDERFUL about Asher is that he's starting to get more independent (well, sometimes...when he's not CLINGING to my LEG!). I don't think I've blogged about this yet...if so, sorry. But we had this mega-gate (fence) up in our living room for a few months...keeping him out of the fireplace, off the stairs, out of the kitchen, away from the Christmas tree...Anyway, recently we decided to take it down and just let him roam free (except for around the Christmas tree). And it opened up this new little boy. It's great! He goes up and down the stairs by himself now and doesn't ALWAYS think that I need to be right there with him when he's playing. So I can actually be in one room, and he'll wander in and out at his own leisure. I've gotten more dishes done and rooms clean that way (although you wouldn't know it if you came by!...that will be another paragraph!) And yet, as I sit here typing this, he's sitting in my lap...and now he's off again.

On a more sentimental note...I am very thankful for the time that I got to spend nursing my baby boy. It really was quite a bonding experience for us, and I was very sad about losing that special time as I looked towards weaning him. We've been working towards that for a couple of months now - giving it up little by little - and we're almost there. But I am so happy that we still have plenty of cuddle time, and it hasn't effected either of us negatively at all. It's been a very positive experience...and it's as if he's extra cuddly at times just to compensate. I love it!

As for me, I face the same "giant" that I have been for the last two years of my life at LEAST...organization! It drives me CRAZY, because I used to be very clean and organized, and now I pretty much constantly feel like I'm drowning. And I hate that! I did conquer our bedroom the other day though...at least the clutter...I haven't really decorated it yet. So that's my new thing...little by little...step-by-step. I get overwhelmed so easily...a ridiculous theme of my life. So if I can just look at one little thing at a time, maybe I'll survive...and maybe I'll even get back to the "old me" someday. I can at least hope, right? If I could ever get my feet under me, I think I could maintain cleanliness and organization. And the thing is, it's probably not even THAT big of a deal...it just seems like it is, then I get "paralyzed", and it just keeps building. So here's to not looking at the big picture and to taking it little by little. =)

So I'm off to organize my closet...wish me luck. =)