SMOR slumber party!

i believe you're never too old for a slumber party. so last night, i had one!

the smors got together for some much-needed-friend-time . now it wasn't the kind of slumber party that pre-teen girls have. we didn't giggle all night and call boys. but we ate, talked and played some SERIOUS bananagrams! i won't tell you who won most of the games because that would be bragging. {giggle}

unfortunately, sammy smor couldn't stay all night. so just before she left we took a group picture {and played with nellie rae's creepy glasses!}

photo of the day 10-30-09

my smors

quote of the day: "People shouldn't leave their porch lights on and not hand out candy on Halloween. It's false advertising!" ~Spencer

a little shopping

today i splurged and bought me a pair of shoes, a new purse and a CD. before you get all excited {mom and geeg} the shoes and purse were purchased out of necessity.

photo of the day 10-29-09

i think it's time for new shoes

my old tennis shoes' soles were shot, so i replaced them, and most of the zipper pulls on my purse had come off so i couldn't open the different pockets anymore! the CD was the only actual splurge...it's the twilight soundtrack! i've looked at it many times, but today i decided to get it!

quote of the day: "I hate buying shoes and purses." ~me

poor little guys

colby and fuzzy stayed home from school today because they were sick. when i took them to the doctor, colby didn't want to wear the mask, so i put in on fuzzy. that way he couldn't spread his germs around the doctor's office.

photo of the day 10-28-09

colby and fuzzy

the doctor tested for strep, but the test came back negative. and he said that colby didn't have enough symptoms for the flu, so it's just viral and it will have to run its course. yippee.

quote of the day: "I can hear your gizzard!" ~the doctor Colby saw today

i found my camera AND i went to a park this afternoon. just warning you........lots of pictures today!!!

photo of the day 10-24

the preacher and family

it's a sock monkey costume!!!!

the rest of the pictures are from my walk today at a park near "our house". i've driven past there many times and wanted to stop, but today just felt like the right time to check it out. i'm so glad the boys and i went!

i was just amazed at the beauty of this little place! god is such an incredible artist. he knows just what colors to put together to create a masterpiece! i couldn't stop taking pictures!!!!

the boys had fun feeding the ducks and geese (mainly). at first they were scared of them, but by the end they were following them around honking at them!!!

i don't think he liked me sticking the camera in his face!

photo of the day 10-27-09

god's masterpiece

this duck has a mohawk!

one armed shot (of course!)

these leaves really were the size of their faces!

there's something about willow trees that are peaceful to me.

we found a chrysalis or cocoon. i'm not sure what this is, but it is still cool!

colby was just as fascinated with the cocoon as i was!

i caught him just standing and staring at it.

i {heart} this yellow tree!

quote of the day: Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn. ~Elizabeth Lawrence

hello monday

i worked 12 hours today! yes, you read that correctly.....12 long hours.

part of it is my fault because i didn't go to my school over the weekend like i told myself i would, so i had to go early to do the work i should have already done. and then i stayed late because i had to prepare for a sub tomorrow. i am going to be in a vertical team meeting all day! yippee.

i had another meeting today from about 2:15-3:00. a sub was watching my class, and in that 45 minutes i got a glimpse of what tomorrow will be like. HOLY COW!!! when i walked back in the first thing i noticed was that one of my kids was holding her lost puppy! she'd been carrying a "lost puppy" sign around with her all day asking people if they'd seen her dog, and then suddenly it was in my classroom on the 2nd floor of the school! i'm still not real sure how that happened.

another one of my kids sent himself to the office because he said he just couldn't take it anymore with the substitute!!! it's weird to me how so many kids think they have the option of just leaving class when they don't like what's happening! geez, i wish i could just leave every time i got irritated with them.

my camera is temporarily misplaced in my car. all of the stuff we used for trunk or treat is still in my car, and i think the camera is somewhere among all the destruction! since today is 10/26, my photo of the day will come from the 10th folder in my picture file, 26th picture. let's see what it is.....{i don't like it, so i lets' go with the 25th picture!}

photo of the day

colby watching his first BA fireworks

random quote of the day: "Why do people in ship mutinies always ask for "better treatment?" I'd ask for a pinball machine because with all that rocking back and forth you'd probably be able to get a lot of free games." ~Jack Handy

back by popular demand...part 2

before i was so rudely interrupted by blogger NOT uploading my pictures, i was talking about our trip to the pumpkin patch. one thing that frustrated me there is that it is SO HARD for me to make up my mind about which pumpkin to choose!!!

i carry several different ones around, set them down, come back to them and select a completely different one. ok, i know this is going to sound so stupid, but i even felt bad for the pumpkin that i carried around for a LONG time and then set it down because i found another one i thought was better! so while you're laughing about how dorky i am, here are the rest of the pumpkin patch pictures!

the farmer who drove the tractor pulling the hayride saw me taking pictures of the different pumpkins. when i stopped to take a picture of this tumor-covered one he said, "i used to have a girlfriend with a face like that! i thought she was purty, but she decided she didn't want me!" {giggle.}

photo of the day #287

mr. scarecrow, i needed your smile today

photo of the day #288

rocky leaning on daryl....precious!

sunday night the elementary kids had a game night and devotional in the teen room. they had a great time. i played a new game that was like I Spy books. i can't remember the name of it, but it was fun!

photo of the day #289

one of our elders playing monopoly jr.

monday afternoon the boys met me at the door shouting, "look what we found!!!" weapons. just what they need....

photo of the day #290

armed and crazy!

tuesday afternoon i came home feeling overwhelmed with all the stress of my new job, and i needed some beauty. i needed to release my frustration and forget about work for a while. i decided to take my camera and go for a walk. the sun was close to setting, so i didn't go far. but there was still plenty of beauty right by the house.

on my way out the door, i found this line of ammunition that had been unloaded in the hallway and up the stairs! colby had been here........{giggle, giggle.}

photo of the day #291

sunset through the leaves

this transition from broken arrow to bartlesville is unlike any other time we've moved. this is the first time our house hasn't sold quickly. this is the first time i've not started at my new job at the beginning of the year. this is the first time we've lived with another family.

i'll be real honest. this isn't easy. i've been kind of depressed lately. i feel like my life is consumed by this new job, and i don't feel settled anywhere. but this isn't the first time we've been unsettled. a little over 5 years ago, we had a house fire. we were "homeless" for 6 weeks. fortunately a generous lady from church let us stay at her family retreat. we called it the ponderosa. it wasn't easy then, but God brought us through it better than we were before {i think.}. so i know he'll bring us through this again. wednesday's picture of the day was taken at the ponderosa over 5 years ago.

photo of the day #292

remember

poor spencer was sick again thursday and stayed home from school. he had a stomach bug. i pray none of the rest of us get it!

photo of the day #293

sicko

and last but not least, today's photo is of the sweet dog who has allowed us to invade her territory and live with her for a while. she's very protective of the boys!

photo of the day #294

honey

quote of the day: "Have a blessed day, and BE a blessing today." ~unknown