I FINALLY have a camera again so I can shoot some fantastic photos of my cute little baby like these:

Here's one of Fischer enjoying his first popsicle of the summer season:

I have been extremely busy these days. I have been gardening and planting. My dad helped me build a garden.

This is my first attempt at the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter. It's doing great!!
My lettuce continues to grow...doesn't it look yummy?...I just want to pick it right now...but it wouldn't make a very big salad.

This is my "side of the house, grass wouldn't grow there anyway" garden. I planted peppers, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, grape tomatoes and canteloupe.

I have also been busy working on the Sam Thomsen Memorial Concert which you can read about here: http://www.swestcc.org/ and here: www.westsideomaha.org/samthomsen

I am so grateful that everything is coming together and that God has provided every step of the way. Today I received a phone call from a lady that works at the church where the concert will be held. She had just read Sam's sermon( http://http//www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10356854) and was greatly moved. She was crying and telling me how Sam must have been such a wonderful young man to have written such beautiful things. Sam's sermon is still blessing people.

A Little Cheer on This Rainy Day

Lettuce and Lock Outs

This is Fischer after I locked him outside...before you go call Child Protective Services...know that this was a lesson in why you don't lock your mommy out of the house while it's raining. It was for pure punishment education purposes...and besides, doesn't he look just miserable?

Lettuce Update: It's still growing...and yes I realize that I planted WAY TOO MANY lettuce plants in a small area...but I just wanted to see how many I could grow. Hopefully I will have one big salad soon. My tomato plants are doing great too. I will post a picture of them soon...because I know you are just dying to see them.

This is Garrison's little jail. He sits there while I get ready in the morning. Fischer likes to join the fun too.

You have until midnight tonight to print off these FREE Grilled Chicken Meals from KFC!!!
You can print up to 4 coupons! Enjoy!

I'm sure many of you have read MckMama's blog about her sick baby Stellan...who is home now!!

Anyway, I have decided to join her "Not Me!" series today and be brutally honest about my linen closet!

This is definitely NOT what my linen closet looks like:

A Sweet Angel

Look at my sweet angel taking a nap this afternoon...

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything...finding a quiet time is getting pretty hard around here especially since Garrison hasn't been sleeping well. He finally slept 11 hours last night...a continous 11 hours I might add. He has even had a decent nap today.


Since the popular thing to do right now is to change your blog(Franklin and Judy) I have decided I might take my blog in a somewhat new direction. Of course their will always be pictures of the boys and talk of our adventures...but I'm going to add my adventures at the grocery store. If any of you know me I am the price matching queen at Wal-Mart. I get all of the ads, write out a menu and list of what is on sale...and then take off to Wally World with coupons in hand. It's sort of like a treasure hunt...let's see what I can get for the least amount of money. And yes Laura, I am still making healthy balanced meals...in case you were wondering...did you notice the organic lettuce? :)


Today I got all of this for $54.00. I price matched most things..including the hamburger...which was $3.20lb but price matched at $1.77. I then had a coupon from the circular for $3.00 off ground beef. I purchased 5 pounds of ground beef for $4.96! I had some meat already, including chicken and steak so this helped a lot with the budget for the next two weeks! I got two pounds of strawberries, a cantaloupe, grapes, two dozen eggs, and two loaves of bread!


I also got two boxes of cereal, Raisin Bran and Shredded Mini Wheats for $1.43 each using a coupon found on http://www.coupons.com/ and price matching them at $2.18 a box. I'm not an expert and there are plenty of people who are so much better at this than me...but it's a start and I really enjoy doing it.

Here is a pic of my grandio purchase(and some cute pics of the boys):

Oh yeah, and I planted some lettuce and it is actually growing!!

My view from the deck..Fischer playing with his friend Harrison

He's trouble alright :)

Just a little fun at the park...

Yesterday we were talking about what a pretty little boy Garrison is ...and that he would be a really beautiful little girl...so this is what happened...and yes he will hate me someday for this.

Of course Fischer had to try then...he couldn't really pull off the beautiful girl look...

Then he made me try...I don't know about the beautiful part...but at least I AM a girl...

Daddy said...Don't even think about putting that pink ribbon on me.

Black Eyes and Bubbles

It's been a rough couple of weeks around here. Fischer and Garrison both have ear infections...I don't think Garrison's is getting better, so we have an appointment this morning. Fischer got a black eye while playing at the mall playspace. So, to lighten up the situation a little, here are some funny things that Fischer has said over the past few days:

I went to get my eyebrows waxed and as I was laying there finishing up, Fischer cam over to me, took my hand and said, "Mom, you look HOT!" I have NO idea where this came from...oh wait... my husband is a youth minister.

One night at dinner we were talking and in agreement Fischer said, "TOTALLY!"

I'm sure he has never heard a teenager say that!

And when something breaks around the house he blames it on the teenagers by saying, "Those silly teenagers!"

I am loving sweet moments like these

The Weather man LIED!!!

It has been a busy couple of weeks around here. We took a trip to Tulsa to attend the Soul Winning Workshop. We had a good time, however the weather was wacky. We saw fires, hail, rain, and then 8 inches of snow.

Fischer and Garrison had a good time with Grandma Wood and Aunt Libby. We got to spend some time with John, Emily and Esther! Esther loved baby Garrison.

There are so many things going on in the next couple of months. My mom is coming to visit in a few weeks and then before you know it Memorial Day will be here. We will be going to Missouri for that weekend.

In June we are trying to plan a benefit concert with Aaron Shust on the one year anniversary of Sam Thomsen's death. Aaron was one of his favorite artists and his hit, "My Savior My God" was played at Sam's funeral. I never knew how complicated it could be to get a concert going....but my daily prayer is that God will provide and make it happen. The teens are also planning on serving the homeless that day at the Sienna Francis house downtown. We would love for Aaron to join us and maybe flip the first burger.

In July the teens are planning a mission trip. There are many options up in the air, and I might go if we stay in the U.S.

Then before you know it Fischer will be 4! I will have two birthday parties to plan right in a row!
That blows my mind...that I will be planning Garrison's 1st Birthday party.

I know, I know...I am getting a little ahead of myself...I just know that this summer is going to fly by and I want to enjoy every minute.

Our first hail storm of 2009.

Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our 7th anniversary! It was anything but boring!

The day started with this:

That's right...500 balloons! What a labor of love that was. Thank you teen boys!

Franklin then took some of the boys in the youth group to play golf, while I took the girls to the zoo.

We then celebrated our 7 years by eating out and playing video games at the Family Fun Center. We earned 1396 points after playing a ton of games based on pure luck...we were so close to getting the jackpot of tickets on this one game...never send us to Vegas. Fischer was excited about the trinkets we brought home.

This is my favorite picture of the day. Why you ask?

Because it is the reason that we love our church family at Southwest so much. You see the older man on the right hand side of the picture? He's surrounded by a brood of loud, excited teenagers...and he's still smiling! Our elders love our young people and they like to see them having a good time. The teens were yelling, laughing and running through the office...but he didn't care...he was just enjoying their zest for life. They may be out of touch with their culture(sometimes we are too) but they care about their spiritual life. We are so blessed to work under an eldership that truly cares about our young people.

There was a time when a Friday night meant going out to dinner, dressing up, having a good time with friends...those were fun days...but I wouldn't trade them for the new Friday night.


I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so Fischer and Franklin went to the store to pick up a few things. When Fischer rode past the aisle of flowers he said, "Let's buy some flowers...for MOMMY!"


This is one of those moments in motherhood that makes it all worth it...a moment where you feel that maybe just maybe you are raising a sweet little man.


So, we spent our Friday night enjoying our flowers, taking some funny pictures, and listening to Wall-E pump music. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Thank you God for my blessings.

Look what Fischer got you mommy!!!