Oh Christmas Tree... Oh Christmas Tree, Can we Assemble Your Branches...

We FINALLY got our Christmas tree up!! We started putting it up on Sunday, and finished up today. (I kinda had to, my Visiting Teachers were coming over!)

The top picture shows our two "helpers" as we were putting the branches on. The weights on the left are to go on the stand (as a counterbalance), because we only put half of the lower branches on, so it wouldn't stick out so far and block the walkway. Anyhoo...

You can't really tell, but I like to put the lights on layer by layer because it's so much easier. I also like to put LOTS of lights on the tree. My hubby had to take over putting the lights on the top, because my arms were just too short, even with the step stool.

The last picture is the finished product. The picture doesn't do it justice. We are really happy with the way it turned out.

Now we just have to wrap presents to put under it!

MERRY CHRISTMAS Everyone!!!!!

Let It Snow...

I am a little behind on posting. Sorry...

On December 4, we looked out our window and saw that it was snowing!!! We were so excited!! These pictures of us are in our back yard. Mike had met some friends earlier that evening to watch a football game and when he got home, the car was covered in snow and we ended up having a snowball fight in our garage! As we were throwing snow at each other, he said "I don't know how you are able to talk me into things like this!" (he said this as he was laughing and reloading) It was awesome.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I want to wish all my RLF and Bloggy Friends a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Some things I am thankful for:

1. My Lord & Savior Jesus Christ
2. My wonderful husband
3. My awesome family
4. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
5. My cats
6. My home
7. That I can afford to be a stay at home wife
8. That we are debt free
9. My Country
10. That families can be together forever

There is so much more. Amid the daily struggles and trials of life, at the end of the day, I know that I am truly blessed. I say this not to brag, but to acknowledge God's hand in all things.

What are you thankful for?

Sunday Scribbles

I have been in a total state of writers block lately, so here are some thoughts that I couldn't quite make into a full post...

1. I have not really gone anywhere for the last 3 days and have a really bad case of Cabin Fever.

2. My writer's block has been so bad, that I have not even been even able to think of comments to make on others blogs! I have been a total one sided blog stalker for quite some time.

3. My house really needs to be dusted.

4. I did not realize how much I would enjoy being a housewife! So much so, that I decided not to move forward with the medical practice. I decided to go to school instead. Who 'da thunk it???

5. I think I finally found a really good smelling, reasonably priced shampoo! I just bought 2 big bottles of the Wal-Mart brand of Pantene Icy Shine. Oh yeah!

6. I love the smell of coffee. I was in Sam's Club and someone was grinding their coffee beans, I was in heaven!

7. I rented the movie, The Soloist. I turned it off in the middle. It was boring.

8. I am really enjoying this cold weather. It is 59 degrees and breezy outside and I have my house opened up. I wish it snowed here in the winter!

9. I am really looking forward to seeing my my hubby's family for Thanksgiving. I haven't seen them since Labor Day weekend and I really miss them.

10. It is almost 4pm here and I am still in my pajamas. I will probably only change out of them when I take a shower and then put a clean set on. I love lazy Sundays.

Free at Last, Free at Last!!!!

Friday was my last day at work. My husband sent me flowers... (thanks, baby!) but there was not a card, cake, or even an offer to take me to lunch by my boss or fellow office people. Although I was disappointed at the indifference of my departure, I was not, in the least surprised. I guess I just thought that after being there almost 3 years, sometimes working 12 hour days (when everyone else had quit) so the office could still function, would mean something.

Oh well.

Now the good stuff... the reason I quit my job!!!

My good friend Mark is opening up a medical practice and not only will I be running the office, I will be part owner of the practice!!!!

I decided to take some much needed time off before the practice opens in January. It won't be all relaxation and sleeping in though... there are museums and matinee's and day trips and other fun stuff that needs to be taken care of!!!

Soooo Funny!!!

My friend Sarah posted this video on Facebook My hubby and I watched it twice and laughed till we cried both times. Since I don't know how to upload it directly to this post, I have put the link below.

Enjoy!

You Can't Fix Stupid Video

Pumpkin Festival

This past week my hubby has been working nights and so we hardly have seen each other. So, when Saturday came, we completely unplugged and just spent the day with each other and were totally selfish with our time. We didn't get out of bed until 1pm, made biscuits & gravy for "breakfast" and then went to the Pumpkin Festival/Maize Maze. We had so much fun. We went on a hayride, picked a pumpkin and went through the corn maze.

We stayed up till 3am and then slept in on Sunday. I didn't have to give a lesson at church, so we just relaxed all day.

This week, my hubby has to work nights again and even has to work Saturday, so we took full advantage of this weekend (get your minds out of the gutter, this is a family blog!). I just mean that we, oh nevermind!

Here are some pictures of our trip :

October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month

Over the course of almost 17 years, and 2 marriages, I have unsuccessfully tried to have children. I have had 7 (known) miscarriages and 1 ectopic pregnancy, from 1992 - 2008. I STILL cry over each and every child I have lost. I have learned to cope, but it is a very real pain that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

During those dark times, I have had to suffer in silence. This is mostly due to people not knowing what to say when something like this happens.

I will acknowledge that it can be awkward, trying to find something to say. People tend to NOT know how to respond with a miscarriage, especially in the 1st trimester, because typically, the mother isn't showing and there is usually no body to have a funeral for.

I have had some pretty callous things said to me during the times when I have miscarried:

1. Don't worry, you're still young, you have plenty of time to have babies.
2. Well, at least you didn't get attached to it.
3. Count your blessings, it was probably deformed.
4. It wasn't a real baby yet, why are you so upset?
5. You've already mourned over hearing the news (from the doctor that my baby had died), all you have to do is just pass the cells now right? So you shouldn't be so upset now.

And the list goes on and on.

So, my friends, if you know someone going through the terrible, heartbreaking ordeal of a miscarriage here are some suggestions to help:

1. Offer to run errands, watch her children, cook dinner, clean her house... these are the last things on her mind

2. Cry with her, hold her hand or just listen if she feels like talking

3. Say APPROPRIATE things to her; "I am SO sorry for your loss", "What can I do to help", "I am here for you"

4. Send flowers or a Thinking of You / Sympathy card.

These are just a few things that can mean so much. The point is to validate her feelings of loss and give her time to mourn.

Something else you can do:

Organizations across the globe ask that you take part in the "Wave of Light" by lighting a candle on October 15th at 7pm, in your local time zone. Please take a moment on this day for reflection, and remembering our lost children by lighting a candle at home, in groups and gatherings, or calling someone close to you who has experienced this loss. No matter how recent or how long ago, every parent would love to know that someone is remembering their angel child.


Much love and Peace,

Do Do Do Do, I Have Poo!

Birdie, Birdie in the sky
Dropped a dew drop in my eye
I won't laugh and I won't cry
I'm just glad that cows don't fly!

Last night the hubbs and I attended our Elder's Quorum BBQ. It was fun. The hamburgers were great!

There isn't much seating at the park we went to and so I was glad to find a relatively open picnic table. We sat down and I was playing with Shanna, our friends daughter. I then felt something hit my shoulder, but didn't think anything of it, because the trees we were sitting under had acorns on them.

I turned to say something to my hubby and felt something wet on my neck. I started freaking out (silently of course) saying: "Get it off!!! Get it off!!" I could tell he wanted to laugh. I asked him what had been on me and he was hesitant to tell me. Just before he told me, I heard the flutter of wings from the culprit taking flight and moving elsewhere to wreak havoc on some other poor soul.

Yes, folks, I had been shat upon.

I guess this proves that some days you step in it, some days you step around it, and some days it lurks high above waiting until that perfect moment to strike!

I AM Human, After All...

I was humbled today. Not in a bad way, but it happened. You see, I have been sick for the past week. Yes, I know, it seems like I am always sick. Because of being sick, I have not been keeping up on my housecleaning. (yes, we disinfected on Sunday, due to kitty poo, but the house is still a bit of a mess).

Well, today my wonderful friend Lisa offered to bring dinner over to us, and I took her up on it. I warned her about the state of my home. She came in and laughed because of my "messy" house and said "See?? You are human!" It took a lot of trust for me and swallowing my pride to let her into my house, while not being almost perfect.

I am glad to say I have learned a few things:

1. My house doesn't have to be perfect all the time

2. Real friends understand that life happens and sometimes your house gets messy, and yet they look past it and love you anyway

3. They also ignore a little "toot" that escaped even though I tried my best to hold it until she left! (hey, I'm sick!)

Love ya Lisa!!

WARNING: Gross Post

Today was a typical Sunday, like any other. We got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, got to church late.

We arrived home from church. Then the fun began....

Our house smelled like poop. Cat poop to be exact. No, no, no, no, no!!!

You see, anyone who knows me, knows that I am rather OCD about my house and the smell therein. I like my house to smell clean and fresh. We clean our home, keep the laundry tamed, clean the litter box regularly, etc., so there won't be odiferous offenders lurking in every corner.

When people come over, I do not want them to know that we have cats from walking into a wall of stench from a nasty litter box. This is an ongoing worry of mine.

So, you can probably imagine my horror to the lovely poop scent.

I knew who the offender was. It was my long haired cat, His Majesty. Sometimes he has issues with his poop. It gets stuck in his fur around his little bunghole. This time though, it was bad. So we donned the appropriate HazMat gear and proceeded to clean his little rear end of said poop. He protested at first, but then just sat there and let us finish, (He really had no choice, due to the deathgrip Mike had on him) and by finish, I mean, shaving his little butt. He also got a good washing in his nether regions and now smells like orchids. He is currently under our bed, madder than a wet hen, or.. err.. cat.

The fun doesn't stop there folks! We then had to go ALL OVER our house and disinfect it from top to bottom, because we didn't know where he may have sat and "spread the love", if you know what I mean!

During the disinfecting of EVERYTHING in our house, I turned to Mike and I said, "Well, I guess this will help prepare us for a baby" and his reply: "Yeah, but we won't have to shave our baby's butt!"

Ahhh the joys of having pets.

Wife Swap

Whilst (how often do people actually use this word?) taking a sick day at home from praying to the porcelain god all night, I decided to watch a little television. I came across this show. I must say, I. AM. ADDICTED. If you have never seen this show, the concept is the producers choose 2 families that could not be further apart in lifestyles and the wives live in the other families house for 2 weeks.

For instance, they had a family that was all about etiquette and a family that had no rules or manners. At the end of the 2 weeks, the etiquette family let down their guard and relaxed a little and the family with no manners learned some and life was more harmonious.

It is amazing the resistance these families have to trying a new way of living, especially since they only have to do it for 1 week.

The nice thing is, that each family actually learns something and feels that it was a good experience.

It teaches a good lesson to all of us that it is not good to be too extreme in one way or another, to be flexible with life and to be open minded to others.

Nothin to Say

I am having one of those days where so much is happening around me, but I don't have anything to post about. I guess the real question is: Is that sad, or am I really just boring?

WE ARE APPROVED!!!!

We are excited to announce that as of 11:00am on Wednesday, September 2, 2009....

We were officially approved for adoption!!! Our profile is active at www.itsaboutlove.org

What Really Grinds My Gears

It is no secret that I am a "woman of size". I can't hide it. I have learned to accept it, for now.

I get plus size clothing catalogs in the mail, and what REALLY "Grinds my Gears" is that they use these twiggy women to model the clothing!!!

This makes ordering tough, because clothing looks and hangs differently on a woman that is a size 2 (or even smaller) vs. a size 20 or even a size 12 woman.

Do they really think it would turn people away to see plus size women model plus size clothes in a catalog that is specifically geared toward a plus sized audience?

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!

After using the highly technical method of putting your names on pieces of paper and then drawing from a bowl, we have a winner from my 100th post giveaway!

April M. from Auntie April!

YAY!!! Email me with your address and I will send it out this weekend.

CONGRATS!!!!

Random Thoughts

I have decided to start a new feature on my blog... Random Thoughts. It is just something for me to be able to get out the things in my head so I can go about my day.

There is a great need for a Sarcasm font

My 100th Post! A New Look, A New Name and… A GIVEAWAY!!

I have been wondering what to post for this momentous occasion. I started my blog in 2007 to document our house being built, because our families are spread out across the U.S.

My friend April in CA encouraged me to start blogging and I had NO idea what I would write about and here I am writing about EVERYTHING.

I originally decided to name my blog Ponderosa Jr., because it was all about my house. My hubby’s parents live in Northern New Mexico and my father-in-law, refers to their place as “The Ponderosa”. Having lived up there for a while after Mike and I got married, I fell in love with the place and so when we moved to Las Cruces, I nicknamed our house the Ponderosa Jr. Since my blog is no longer about our house, I decided to rename it. The link is still the same, so in your blog list, be sure to change the name. I will officially change it in 1 week in my settings.

So, to shamelessly plug my blog and to say thank you to all my readers and followers, I am giving away…..

1. Burt’s Bees Travel Kit

2. Mini Gel Pens

3. Monopoly Deal card game (we just bought it, it is soooo fun!!)

4. Magnetic Note Pads

5. Mini Bowling Game

6. Fiji Apple Body Butter

7. Whoopie Cushion

8. Flart - “Noise Putty” use your imagination

9. Parents easy scrapbook

10. Hair Wrap Towel

To enter you can do one (or all) of the following, each will give you an entry:

1. Leave a comment (letting me know you did one or all of the following)

2. Post about this giveaway on your blog

3. Follow my blog (if you are already a follower, you will get credit for that, just !)

4. This is more of a request, grab my adoption button and put it on your blog. You can get it at oureternalcircle.blogspot.com

Home Study Today!!!!

Well folks, today is the day of our home study. I am excited and nervous. (actually I am wound tighter than an 8 day clock!)

After today... I can take a breath.

And then... we wait and wait and wait. Well, that is not all we will be doing. We are going to be very proactive in getting the word out about our hope to adopt, even more than we already have. To help with that, I have ordered some pass along cards from Spaces for Faces and hired Erin from DesignerBlogs.com, to design our adoption blog.

Our adoption blog's address is oureternalcircle.blogspot.com if you want to check it out, it isn't finished yet, there is still some things we need to put on there. PLEASE grab my button for your blog (once it is on there) to help us spread the word about our adoption.

Thanks for all your support my RL and Bloggy friends!! You're awesome!

P.S. I need to give a special shout out to Ashley, Sariah, Kendra, Shaela, and Amber for the card and flowers. You really made my day!!! I love you!!!

Are We Really THIS Lazy, People???

My hubby and I went to the grocery store last night and upon returning to our car, there were several carts in various places in the parking lot. This by itself is not uncommon.

The part that really gets to me is that we parked 1 space over from the "cart corral" and there were carts in the parking lot 2 feet from it!

I am just floored that people are parked right next to that thing and still don't put them away.

Seriously, are we really that lazy?

Happy Anniversary to Me!

My hubby and I celebrated our 4^th year of wedded bliss last week.

To celebrate, we went to Albuquerque and spent the day at the Aquarium and Botanical Gardens. I have been wanting to go to the Aquarium ever since I found out that New Mexico has one. It did not disappoint. It had freshwater fish, Gulf of Mexico fish and saltwater/ocean displays. The best part? It had SHARKS!! I love sharks. I am absolutely terrified of them, but they are so beautiful.

After spending time there, we sauntered, yes sauntered over to the Botanical Gardens. That place was breathtaking! We began our tour in an area for kids. It looked like a castle from the outside, complete with a dragon. We went inside and it was sort of like a maze. It oversized everything there, bugs, veggies, a HUGE watering can. It was awesome. It also had a butterfly house (sorry, no pictures) and a train set that would make most enthusiasts drool.

All in all, it was the best anniversary ever.