a story

So, I was downstairs on facebook when pooky bear decided to come and join me. After she opened the door to the basement she did not shut it again. I was happy to see her and let her help look at things on facebook. This was all good until I hear Chad yelling at me to come upstairs and see what my daughter was up to. I get to the top of the stairs to find little monkey playing in the cat food. She had some in her mouth (gross) then proceeded to put the cat's dry food in the cat's water dish. Water and cat food were everywhere! Joy! Yet another thing to add to little monkey's things she ate as a child! Now I'm feeling like a bad mom, but laughing at the fact it will be a funny story to share at Little Monkey's wedding!

obsessive

For the last week I have been trying to finish crocheting the blanket I started for Pooky Bear when I was pregnant with her. I am nearly finished and don't want to put it down. I even made the comment, "it would be easy for me to do at church". Chad quickly stopped that idea. My goal is to have it finished by this week, so I have 4 months to work on a blanket for Little Monkey. This is very ambitious of me, however, with money constraints due to Chad being in school, I think a home made blanket from mommy would more than make up for a little less toys this year.

It's so weird to already be worried about Christmas presents and school has not even started yet!

Sad

We wanted to go to the lake for one last "sleep over", but the weather said no. Pooky bear is sad about this, but I got her to feel how cold it was outside, and she really didn't like to the cold at all.

This afternoon, we get to go to the church to clean, which Pooky Bear and Little monkey love to help! Maybe this will help take Pooky bear's mind off the lake. I also was thinking of taking the kids somewhere special because we are home tonight. We will have to see.

A random chat

We are getting ready for one last over-night at my Grandma's wonderful cabin. The cabin is not insulated, so it gets very cold at night now. We are only staying for one night this weekend. It seems weird to me because the last time I packed for the lake we stayed at Lumsden Beach for 6 days, came home for 2 days, then went to Arlington Beach for another 4 days. That was a lot of packing!

Last night, while I was figuring out the few things we should bring, Chad and I made yummy, triple chocolate cookies to take to the lake. I have to say, I am liking the cooler weather, as I am much in the mood to cook and bake because of it.

Tonight for supper is pot roast with chocolate zuccini cake for dessert.

Wow!

I realized it has been a while since I have posted. We have been busy with many trips to Lumsden Beach and Arlington Beach. The weather has been awesome, except for the last few days, it is starting to feel like fall already. I am unsure if I am OK with this.

I like the colours of fall, the weather is tollerable, the bugs are minimal; however, it means summer is over. I have to say I have had a really good summer all in all. We experienced some ups and downs, but all in all it has been life changingly good.

Chad starts university in the fall. He has his classes picked and everything! That is very exciting. He is getting nervous as the summer starts to come to an end. He will be fine though.

I don't know what I will be doing. I am done babysitting in September. I have had questions asked about me babysitting their children, but nothing set in stone yet. I know I need to find something for the fall, and I dread the idea of going to work and putting the kids in daycare. I, right now, am looking for a job which requires administration work in the afternoons leading into the evenings through out the work week. I am praying hard that something will come through as we are now supporting Chad, who was the main bread winner for our family.

This is something again that is in God's hands. We have been in his hands a lot lately, I hope He doesn't mind.

newest pics

Update

Little monkey has come down with a small (apparently there is such a thing) case of pnemonia. It is more a chest infection which turned into a mild case of pnemonia. She will be fine, we caught it in time and is on anti-biotics, advil and sabutimol (unsure of spelling). We spent our evening at the e.r. yesterday and the dr's office today. The doctor is confident she will be fine, and is wanting to see her next week to investigate her asthma further. I am happy something is being done about her finally. She had a rough summer last year and this year needs to be better. I am so thankful she is in God's hands, and with her speedy recovery showing all ready, I know she is!

Now I am off to bed!

Momment before chaos

I am taking a brief moment before I go into extreme packing mode for the lake. The good thing is that we are staying at a "full service" cabin, so packing is a lot easier than camping.
Hope everyone has a wonderful, rested week end, I know I will once I get out to the lake and get settled in.

Getting ready

I am slowly getting mobile today. Yesterday, my body was not functioning so well, I spent most of my day sleeping. Today, I am doing a lot better, but am slowly getting in the swing of things.

I am going to attempt at having another goal day to see how much I can get done.
Update: 12:53pm
Laundry- just do as many loads as I can load 3 in washing machine...yes!

make a list for packing to go to the cabin 1/2 done, it's a working progress as I come accross things I forgot

tidy up the living room ....but... we're still using it... :o)

have a shower (this is a reasonable goal, I think) Does a water fight in the back yard with your daughters count?

play with kids outside, this morning (who said some of the goals couldn't be fun) See previous update, I could not procrastinate at all about this goal. A chance to play with my girls, YES!

start packing for the lake I have a suit case started, just don't ask how much is in there.

Dishes if feeling ambitious yeah, right.

vacuum this will have to be later, the carpet (and couch) is a little wet right now.

I will check in later to update my progress.

Feeling bad for not posting

I confess, now my days are filled more with checking my facebook account rather than my blog. I appologize to those who regularly check my blog.
For a Gray family update:
Chad is enjoying his new job, he does not want to continue the job long term, but is happy to have a job until he starts school in the fall.
The girls are doing great, they spend most of their time outside in the gazebo in the back yard, when we are at home. I can't wait to take them to the lake this week end!
I am my busy crazy self. I always seem to have something on the go, Oh well, it is how I like it.

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful warm weather!
I am off to a friends house tonight,
Take care and stay cool!

*Cute story about little monkey: she can now count to three and says "blast off!" at the end. For her it sounds like, "On, ewe, eie, bast ohf!" It is too cute!

New Job!

I don't have long to blog, but I am excited to quickly share that Chad officially has a new job starting tomorrow morning. He went in this morning expecting an interview and ended up negotiating a wage for him and when he wants to start. Hurray for normal hours!
Hurray for Chad actually being at home and able to spend time with us. Hurray!

Have I fallen off the face of this earth?

It seems I have had no time to check in on my blog, or other blogs for that matter. My time has been crazy busy with my family including a day trip out to the lake to cut grass. Hurray for having the cabin ready to use for the summer! Today, we were actually going to go out to the lake for the day, however, the weather said "no". So today, I am going to bury myself in house work and do some errands that need to be done (specifically, set up for discovery land at church). I am normally good at not leaving it to the last minute, however, this week has been so crazy, I had to leave it until now. Oh well.

On another note, tomorrow Chad and I will be official members at our church. I've been attending the church for the last 9 years (Chad 6 years), however, I struggled with the idea I would be tied down to one denomination. I thought I was a Christian, that should be enough. I have now since lost that idea and choose to support the church I go to and declare that to the entire church. I will still not refer to myself as free-Methodist, but as a Christian, when asked about my religious background. But it feels good to know that my church is officially my "home church". There will be a BBQ after and then we have a birthday party to go to. Yeah for fun business!

On a Chad update: we are still praying for a suitable job for him. I know God has the perfect job planned for Chad, we just have to be patient and wait for the job to open up. We are in God's hands and there is no other place to be!

my little monkey

These were taken at Little monkey's friends house today, I can't believe how big she looks in these pictures, she is definately a toddler now!

playing at a friends house

what to do?

Chad is at his job right now, and he is misserable. He found out it is not four 10 hours shifts, but rather four 12 hours shifts with no overtime. He talked to a guy working there who has three kids and he said he never sees his kids because he is always too tired. He said he spends his week ends trying to catch up on sleep from the week. Chad phoned me in near tears because he does not want that for us. He wants to be the kids and I. I am very touch and warmed by his desire to want to be with us. However, what do we do about money?

Answer is simple, I know. Give it to God. Gee, psalm 37 for me, again. I told Chad to phone me at 2, then at 4, so we could talk. We both agree a good prayer session with God would be a great idea when he got home.

It is interesting though, now that I think of it. When Chad got the job, there were no houses available for sale in Pilot Butte. 95% of my friends were very much against us moving to Pilot Butte. Chad's stomach has been acting up HUGE for the last few days (IBS) Is this a sign from God telling us He has something better for us? I think only prayer and reading scripture are going to answer this question.

The Lord himself will go ahead of you.

He will be with you.

He will never leave you.

He'll never desert you.

So don't be afraid.

Don't lose hope.

(Deuteronomy 31:8)

Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust and not be afraid.

The LORD, the LORD,

is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

(Isaiah 12:2)

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

(Matthew 11:28-30)

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink;

or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food,

and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air;

they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,

and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

(Matthew 6:25-27)

Vent

I just experienced the realization that my lifestyle is going to be significantly different now that Chad has a new job. His 3:30pm-3:30am shift is going to throw a switch into my sleeping in routine. Chad and I have always rotated who got to sleep in and who had to get up with the kids. Now, I am going to be the one to get up with them, and be the one to put them to bed. I am thinking that I am going to have to start having the girls sleep in, so I can too!

I am happy he has a job where he is still going to be home everyday. Plus, I am loving the idea of him having a long week end every week end. Still, I love, love, sleeping in. On the week ends, Chad is going to keep his sleep schedule as it would be if he was working, this way his body will not have a hard time adjusting each Monday. We will see if this works.

I know this is a very selfish vent, and I know I am going to be fine with out sleeping in. None the less, I needed a good vent about it.

Hurray!

After 2 1/2 weeks of looking, my husband found a job! Yeah! He went to Pilot Butte yesterday to drop off his resume, ten minutes later he had an interview, and ten minutes after that he was offered a job. Hurray!!! My parents now are wanting us to find a house in Pilot Butte, but the pickings are slim, so we'll see. Fortunately it is only a 10 minute drive from our house. Chad did not even have to go on ei. God Bless the job market right now.

Now I can have fun this week end and know Chad going to start work Monday. I think a ice cream run is validated for celebrating this occasion tonight. (we couldn't last night due to t-ball and me working). Mmmm, Ice cream!

Oh, little monkey

Just when you think you are safe to wash your hands in the bathroom, you come back only to discover your little monkey got into the Penaton Cream and started to eat it. I quickly stopped her and tried to check to see what the ingredients were and there were none on the container, so I tried to look it up on line. I got the list of ingredients, but not the amounts used, of course. Thinking quickly, I decided to call poison control. Thankfully, I found out it is not poisonous, however, it is a choking hazzard if too much is ingested because it can build up at the back of the throat and cause the infant to choke! Fortunately, she was stopped right away and did not eat enough to cause choking. The poison control specialist advised me to feed her dry food and give her lots to drink. She had no problem with this. Little monkey turn away food, I think not!

This is a story I will be sharing with her when she gets older!

Oh, little monkey!

Inspiration

Chad was not offered the job we had all been praying for him. However for the first time, I recall, he was not depressed about it. He instead became motivated to do something about it. He has an action plan and with God on his side, I know he will find something which with suite both God and Chad's needs. I am excited about this and can't wait to find out what God has planned for him. Just today, I was talking to someone in a similar trade as Chad and he encouraged Chad to apply to all of the businesses in his trade regardless of experience because they are so desperate for people right now. Being that I don't believe in coincidences, I know this was an eye opener from God telling us he still has plans for Chad and our family.

This is a total reminder of Psalm 37

5 Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,

the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when men succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 37:5-7

One of my biggest struggles is "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him" My patience is getting better. My husbands reaction to not getting the job greatly inspired me to put more trust in God. Chad has put his complete trust in God, and is greatly inspired by our two beautiful daughters to get motivation. I am so in love with my husband right now and am so thankful he has finally realized Jesus is walking along beside him.

Thanks be to God!

AMEN!

My new favourite picture