We spent all of last week at Disney World!  It was such a great trip.  I really wanted to stay longer, but life must go on.  Anyway, I plan to share photos very soon (right now they are still on Jonathan’s computer).

I thought I would share a few detail, though.  Micah was not too fond of the airplane trip.  He flew last summer, but he was much younger and it didn’t bother him to sit still for an extended amount of time.  This trip was a little rough.  It took a lot of energy on Mommy and Daddy’s part to keep him entertained and not yelling.  Once we were there, things went a little better!  He had his moments as most little ones do at this age.  He is testing his independence lately.  He wanted to walk by himself, for example.  When we got to a ride, we had to park the stroller.  He had no problem standing in line and walking when the line moved.  He enjoyed being the big boy.

His favorite thing may have been meeting the characters.  I was a little concerned that they might scare him, but that lasted about 30 seconds and then he was giggling, kissing their noses, blowing kisses, etc.  When he saw a character throughout the week, he would want to get out of his stroller immediately and go see them.

He got his first official haircut (a real trimming, not a little snip from Mommy) at Magic Kingdom.  The have a working barber shop on Main Street.  They gave him a certificate and mouse ears.  He was perfect for this.  He just sat and played with stickers while the barber did his work.  We were all amazed!

He loved riding the rides and looking at all the details around us.  We have decided he is an intense observer.  He will watch something very closely and them mimic.  He watched Mimi lick an ice cream cone and then copied her.  It was very cute!  We will have to remember to monitor what this little man sees because he really takes it in!

He also found his dance groove!  We went to Planet Hollywood for our first dinner and he danced his heart out while we waited for a table.  He even marched to a passing band at one of the parks.  He is becoming quite the music enthusiast!

I promise to post pictures soon!

Tomorrow we leave for our family vacation to Disney World!  We are so excited!  I promise there will be lots of pictures and maybe videos to share.  Yippee!  We’re coming Mickey!!

Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer tells you how to win a ton of music.  Be sure to visit www.WOWonline.com.

When I am sitting at the computer, I always wonder what would make a good post. Now, some would say just write something. I have always had a hard time with that! I need focus and purpose behind what I write. There is no reason why I think that, I just do. My friend Amy wrote today about finding what to post about and it made me think. I always have a good idea when driving or trying to fall asleep at night. My mind will race with ideas, but come writing time I am stumped. I know my little ole blog is pretty random, but I still get stuck. When something comes to mind, it is either all about Micah, too controversial, boring, or just silly.

So, I have started to work on that. One way I am trying to solve the problem is just to write and see what comes out. Another solution will be an idea list that I will keep nearby to scribble on when the lightbulb flashes in my brain. So, there you have it. Now, time to figure what I just said!

I have been pondering a lot lately about the role of a wife and mother. My thoughts have been influenced by readings I have had lately and prayer. Have you considered the change that has happened in society that “expects” a woman to work outside the home? I know that staying home is accepted, but it doesn’t seem to be the norm or priority in most households today. Why? I am not really sure and I am having a hard time with this.

Jonathan and I chose this for our family because I wanted to be there with my children each day and to provide a haven for our family. I feel like this is God’s desire for our family. Many would say that it must be nice, but it would never work for them. What wouldn’t work? People talk about income a lot when reasoning why the wife is working outside the home. While I understand it is difficult to have everything with one income, should we have it all? We have learned to sacrifice certain things and yet we still have so much and can enjoy treats and vacations. We just have to live frugally and within our means.

I’m sure I will be writing about this more in the future, but for now… I am still pondering I guess. What does the Bible have to say about all this? I have a general idea, but I am afraid it isn’t very politically correct. I think I am about to open a can of worms soon…and I am pretty sure once they are out, I can’t cram them back in.

I will be the first to tell you I have NO idea how to do anything in photoshop. I would love to take a class someday. Jonathan uses it every once in a while, but his uses are different from what I really want to learn. I want to make my photography appear as though I completely know what I am doing. Yep, I want to make my pictures purty!

So, I have been experimenting with the help of The Pioneer Woman. She has these cool actions that make her gorgeous photos into WOW! So, I thought before Mother’s Day I ought to give them a try. If they turn out neat, I might give the grandmas a special treat. Tell me what you think! I am really curious about this. I am trying out stuff, but i am not quite sure which stuff to try right now, so….. here’s a sample.

SOOC (straight out of camera) Lovely and Ethereal and Boost actions

Does he look like a cartoon now??? I am having a hard time seeing the “improvement”. Any thoughts?? Isn’t it too dark??

Erin.  My sister-in-law sent me a list to fill in so I thought I might do it here for fun.

FOUR 

Four places I go over and over…

Church, Wal-Mart, the kitchen!, the library

Four people who email me regularly…

Mom, Mom2, Jonathan, My Blog messages (does that count as email really?)

Four places I would rather be right now…

Disney World,  Disney World, Disney World, Germany

Four TV Shows I watch…

Grey’s Anatomy, LOST, Deadliest Catch, Ace of Cakes

AND…to change it up a bit… Four favorite things… 

Micah’s silly laugh

Jonathan’s dimples

Family

Dessert

There you have it!  I thought the number was 5 according to Sesame Street (we actually watched that this morning), but four will work.  Enjoy!

I have decided to give myself a schedule for household chores. I am bad about not getting any cleaning done for several days, and then having to spend an entire day catching up. There are always more fun things to do, so this is going to help me (I hope!!!). If I do this right, maybe my days will be more productive and not so hectic on those golden days when I try to do it all. So, for accountability, I thought I would post my schedule. What do you think??

Monday-Bake (for hospitality and household needs), Kitchen Detail Cleaning (nitty gritty cleaning that gets overlooked until it is so bad you just want to blow it up and start over!)

Tuesday- Bathrooms

Wednesday- Dust, Vacuum, Windows and Mirrors

Thursday- Sweep and Mop (I have to sweep almost daily with Micah’s messy eating habits, but this would be more extensive)

Friday- Spot cleaning, Organizing

Well….it’s a start. I also decided to menu plan for the week (I know, I got a wild hair this weekend!)

Monday - Chili with Cheese Biscuits (Yummy! I’ll share the recipe later because you HAVE to try them)

Tuesday- Crockpot Pork Roast with Potatoes and Onions

Wednesday- Chicken Salad Sandwiches (because I am craving them and Jonathan doesn’t come home for dinner this night)

Thursday- Quesadillas with gaucamole

Friday- Parmesan Chicken Tenders, Green Beans and Crescent Rolls

Saturday- Camping/Cooking out with SS Class - burgers and marshmallows!

Sunday- ??? Still thinking….has to be something quick because it is usually after lunch time when we get home…possibly leftovers

Well, life is really changing for me. I have begun to realize I don’t have a baby anymore. He is a little boy. And to prove it, my son has started laughing at his toots!

I think I need a do over! We used to get those when we were learning to do something…like me learning to serve for the church volleyball league. That was a site, but seriously, any suggestions?? I need to fix a few things and add some stuff, right?