It Really Is True ~~~ And I'm Late to the Party

Odd title, huh? I know, I know. That's because you're in for a treat: TWO posts in ONE! How cool is that? (LOL I'm in a weird mood.)

Post 1: It Really Is True

What's true? You had to ask. Well, they say that when you become a mother, things really, really change. And, well, that's a DUH statement, huh? But, I've also heard that when you have children, it's like your heart is running around. Like they ARE your heart. And, before this weekend, I thought I knew what it meant. But I didn't. Not really. I had an idea, but now I get it better than I had before.

What's changed? Well, the wonderful Mr. Ham kindly gave me the weekend home ALONE! He took our three wonderful children downstate to see his family. Just so I could get a break! (This was originally planned because we thought he was going to be away for the fall semester, but that's another story.) Don't I have the best hubby ever? Isn't that the SWEETEST thing? I have been away from my kids before, and even for about the same amount of time. The difference is that I'm home and they aren't. I haven't been home alone for more than a few hours at a time since before they were born. This is S-T-R-A-N-G-E. Quite different from what I'd expected.Don't get me wrong. I'm enjoying my much-needed ME time. But, it's weird. Everything is empty, quiet, still. I don't mind, really I don't.

Back to the original point – about the hearts running around. It dawned on me yesterday – even Friday night. It is HARD for me to not worry with them so far away. I don't worry about them nearly as much when I'm the one away from home. But, my three little hearts – four, if you count Mr. Ham – are running around four hours away from me. They have to travel for four hours on the Interstate tomorrow to come home to me. A path that very well could be wrought with danger. A path that could lead to my losing them! :-( Yes, I trust God for their safety. I'm praying for traveling mercies, that they each come home in one – very much alive and healthy – piece.

How is this like I have little hearts out there running around? Well, because my heart aches – and not with worry. But like a piece – or a few pieces, I suppose – of me is missing. Little portions of my heart are running around with their cousins downstate, and I'm a bit fragmented. I won't be whole until they return – safely. God forbid – and I mean it, God, FORBID anything happen to them – I don't know how I would move on. But, thinking like that only leads to unhappiness. So, I'm writing this out to help get such things off my mind, and get myself back into enjoying what few hours left of freedom that I have to enjoy.

I feel like this half of the post is rambling. Sorry. But, hey, I'm true to form, right? This blog is, after all, Ramblings & More! I would be a liar if I didn't ramble! ;-) Anyway, summary: My kiddos (and wonderful hubby) are away for a weekend. And FINALLY understand what is meant when they say motherhood means you have your heart outside your body!

Post 2: Late to the Party

What party? Oh, just hold on there. I'll get to it, I promise. Just brace yourself: more rambling is on the way ...

When I was in high school, I was busy. Not only did I have school work and Treble Choir, but I had a boyfriend and Falconettes (poms). Well, this is specifically my senior year – and the boyfriend in question is none other than Mr. Ham. Yes, he's my high school sweetheart. God has been good to me. I digress ...

Anyway, as such, I missed the boat on the popular TV shows of the day. Friends, ER, and other goodies. I started watching them my freshman year in college, when I finally had time – sorta. I got hooked. When Mr. Ham and I were done with college, married, and moved to our current locale, I watched all of the old ER episode reruns on TNT. I had to see what had already happened. I wasn't having trouble understanding anything, but I wanted to know what I'd missed. I picked up the show the first year WITHOUT George Clooney. Yep, I missed Dr. Ross! But, I was a faithful watcher from then on out. Even through the last few, less-than-stellar (in my opinion) seasons. I had watched them ALL and HAD to see how they ended the show. I was satisfied with the way ER was wrapped up, but also happy to see it go. Talk about beating a dead horse ...

Anyway, because of my loyalty to ER, I missed out on many other good shows, one of which was Grey's Anatomy. And I regretted that once I heard about how good it was. But, I'm loyal – often to a fault – and I wasn't ditching a floundering ER for an "ER wannabe" show.

Cue NETFLIX!

Netflix, how I love thee ... let me count the ways ...

1. Grey's Anatomy


2. Grey's Anatomy


3. Grey's Anatomy

You get the idea. I'm FINALLY watching that show. I've only got a few episodes left in Season 2 – Netflix says the last disc is coming tomorrow. (The last episode I saw was when Dr. Burke got shot and Dr. Bailey finds him in the ambulance bay. And Izzy decides to cause a patient's heart to fail so he can get a transplant.) I gotta tell ya, I LOVED the show from the pilot! So fresh, offbeat, and fun! I love that there's drama, but the show also cracks me up at times. And I love, love, LOVE the music! What an excellent show!

Although, I must complain. The whole Addison-Derek-Meredith thing. Um, hello! He's married. Meredith, back off. Of course, now I should mention that I've been watching Private Practice since its pilot, so maybe that's why I really love Addison so much. But, ya know, she's Derek's WIFE. Anyway, I must say that I cannot stand Izzy. I liked her in the first season, but this inappropriate relationship with a patient (Denny) just PISSES ME OFF! Of course, my distaste for her in general might have something to do with the way the actress (whose name eludes me at the moment) became such a diva by the end of her run on the show ... But, the Denny thing. The whole time I'm thinking "Someone stop her!" Ugh, and waiting one more day for the conclusion to that ... TORTURE!

All of that to say that, while I've got some issues with it, I'm loving Grey's Anatomy. Never thought I would be, but I'm glad I gave into my curiosity. This show makes me laugh, makes me cry, makes me angry. Excellent, excellent show. I'm glad I finally joined in this party!

That said, I won't be able to watch this season as it airs. Mr. Ham likes NBC's lineup during the time slot of Grey's. But, Netflix has been good to me, and I'll just keep going that route. Plus, then there's very little waiting between episodes. Gotta love that! ;-)

Tuesday Tunes #6

Still thinking about a button ...

Anyway, I'm a little late today. Sorry. Life's busy. Today is registration for school for two of my kids. (How is that even possible? :shock: ) And I have too many books to read in too little time for my blog. Note to self: say no sometimes ...

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

Today I'm just sharing one song. It's one of my absolute favorites. (Click the link to listen.)

Hold Fast by MercyMe ~ AWESOME song. It reaches me when I really need encouragement. I hope it ministers to you, too.

To everyone who's hurting
To those who've had enough
To all the undeserving
That should cover all of us
Please do not let go
I promise there is hope

Hold fast
Help is on the way
Hold fast
He's come to save the day
What I've learned in my life
One thing greater than my strife
Is His grasp
So hold fast

Will this season ever pass?
Can we stop this ride?
Will we see the sun at last?
Or could this be our lot in life?
Please do not let go
I promise you there's hope

You may think you're all alone
And there's no way that anyone could know
What you're going through
But if you only hear one thing
Just understand that we are all the same
Searching for the truth
The truth of what we're soon to face
Unless someone comes to take our place
Is there anyone?
All we want is to be free
Free from our captivity, Lord
Here He comes

Sunday Stealing: Meme of Many Odd Questions, Part 3

Taken from the-blog-that-encourages-stealing, also known as Sunday Stealing!

45. Favorite color? Purple

46. Have you ever slapped someone? Probably.

47. Is your hair curly? Yep, naturally.

48. What was the last CD you bought? Umm...I'm not entirely sure. I've bought a few from MusiChristian.com this summer, and it's hard to remember what I purchased last. Especially because I usually purchase several at one time! LOL

49. Do looks matter? To some extent, yes.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater? My gut reaction is a firm NO. But, well, Jesus tells us to forgive. I don't think that necessarily means forgive and stay together, though. Would I want to forgive? Heck no! Given that forgiveness is something I should do, I would try to. It would probably be the hardest thing I ever did!

51. Is your phone bill sky high? I don't think so. What's considered "sky high" nowadays?

52. Do you like your life right now? Yes and no.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on? No way!

54. Can you handle the truth? Yes.

55. Do you have good vision? Only when I have my contacts in ... ;-)

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people? Hate? No. Dislike? Of course!

57. How often do you talk on the phone? As infrequently as possible!

58. The last person you held hands with? Either Mr. Ham or one of the kiddos.

59. What are you wearing? White socks, brown yoga pants, and an olive green T-shirt.

60. What is your favourite animal? Can't say I have a favorite. I love animals in general.

61. Where was your favorite picture taken at? Either J.C. Penney or at home. Not sure which is my favorite at the moment.

62. Can you hula hoop? Gosh, I don't know. I used to be able to, but it's literally probably been 2+ decades since I last tried ... :oops:

63. Do you have a job? You bet I do! I don't work outside the home, but being a stay-at-home mom isn't easy! Overworked and underpaid, I tell ya!

64. What was the most recent thing you bought? Um ... a book for a giveaway winner on Proud Book Nerd.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window? Not that I remember.

Flashback Friday #2

Again, this is from Larissa’s Bookish Life, and this week she's gone back 27 months. Once again, my book blog hasn’t been around long enough to do it there right now, but I thought I’d find something here. No book reviews this time. I think that might have been before I started writing book reviews. Anyway, I was a sparodic blogger at that time, so the closest thing to 27 months is from April 26, 2008.

I hadn’t intended to be away this long. Sorry. Although, I don’t think anyone’s even reading this so perhaps I’m only letting myself down! LOL Still, this can be therapeutic, so I really should do it more. Now to explain my absence.

It’s been a helluva couple of weeks. This past week I’ve been spending most of my time (when the kids allow, of course) helping a dear friend of mine launch a new Web site. It’s phpBB based like mine is, so I’ve done most of the modifications and stuff. That has been fun – I like doing stuff like that. (Yes, I know, I’m a nerd! LOL) I’ve even taken a bit of a hiatus from my own site in my efforts to help her get things up and running. I let my Staff know, as I felt they should be aware of my whereabouts. The good thing is I have good people on my site, and me being gone (or in much less than usual) for a while isn’t going to cause it to fall apart. I tried to get on a minimum of once per day. I must’ve done pretty well, as no one seemed to notice my absence.

I have since been made one of four Admin on my friend’s site. I haven’t let anyone on my site know that yet. Do I have to? I don’t think it’s a conflict of interests. My site is for Christian women; the new site is for moms. We aren’t what some would call “competitors” or anything. Plus, I’m one of FOUR Admin there, all of which can do techie stuff. I might say something at least to my staff. But, I don’t want to cause any drama. I know one of my staff members is on the new site, and so far she hasn’t said anything about it to me. (If anyone DOES read this and you happen to be on my site, please comment here to let me know your thoughts.)

Well, laundry beckons. So, I must go for now.

I gotta say it's interesting looking back. It's both fun and a little humbling. :oops:

To add your post to the linky list, see this week's POST.

Friday Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. I feel tired and mildly annoyed.

2. I really need to catch up on my reading.

3. Do what works for you.

4.I am completely unique.

5. It's hard to know how much of what I think I need is actually something I want.

6. Not sure what, but something follows suit.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading – or watching a movie with Mr. Ham, tomorrow my plans include catching up on reading – and laundry – and Sunday, I want to continue reading and finish laundry!

Tuesday Tunes #5

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is! ;-)

This week's picks:

Once again, I set my iPod Touch on shuffle, and this is what came up!

1. Lucy by Skillet ~ Great song. So emotional. Amazing. I would LOVE to know the story behind it, but last I heard they have no intention of sharing it any time soon. Hopefully they'll share someday.

2. Taking Over Me by Evanescence ~ Another great song. Enjoy!

So, how about you? What music would you like to share?

Sunday Stealing: Meme of Many Odd Questions, Part 2

Taken from the-blog-that-encourages-stealing, also known as Sunday Stealing!

23. Do you rent movies often? Yes, thanks to Netflix.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in? The diamonds on my engagement and wedding rings.

25. How many countries have you visited? Excluding my own, three: The Bahamas, Germany, and France.

26. Have you made a prank phone call? Yep. Lots in junior high.

27. Ever been on a train? Lots. Growing up near Chicago, it's next to impossible to not go on a train! It's one of the best ways to get downtown!

28. Brown or white eggs? White

29. Do you have a cell-phone? Yep.

30. Do you use Chap Stick? Not unless my lips are chapped.

31. Do you own a gun? Nope.

32. Can you use chop sticks? Not very well.

33. Who are you going to be with tonight? My family.

34. Are you too forgiving? One can never be too forgiving.

35. Ever been in love? Definitely.

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow (or the next soonest week day)? Dunno.

37. Ever have cream puffs? Yes.

38. Last time you cried? Not sure. (Why does this question come up so much?)

39. What was the last question you asked? See above.

40. Favorite time of the year? Late spring/early summer

41. Do you have any tattoos? Nope.

42. Are you sarcastic? Sometimes.

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect? Nope.

44. Ever walked into a wall? No.

Flashback Friday #1

I saw this on Larissa's Bookish Life, and decided to play along. My book blog hasn't been around long enough to do it right now, but I thought I'd find something from 16 months ago on here. And, ironically, it's a book review (with spoilers)!

The Gnostic Mystery by Randy Davila

rating: 2 of 5 stars
This book wasn’t much of a story, but more of a preaching. It’s clear that the author believes what is being preached in this book. There is very little action in the book – most of it is just people explaining why Christianity is a farce. Or at least why some people think that. The characters weren’t very believable. For Jack to be such an intelligent businessman you’d think he’d be a better conversationalist and you’d think he’d not be such a simpleton.

To be honest, this book has instilled a little bit of questioning into my head. I’m a born-again Christian, and won’t take something like this at face value. However, I’m also educated and somewhat interested in possibly doing my own research into this subject. I’m not going to take what one man writes about this and accept it as fact – I don’t care how many sources are cited. Where am I starting? Mere Christianity is my starting point. So, stay tuned to my reviews if you’d like to see the impression I get from that.

One thing I wanted to say about a specific plot point. And that’s about the differences in the disciples from the main Gospels to the Book of Acts. I believe Chloe and Punjeeh called it a “transformation” and as though the Disciples were re-born. Despite the author’s intentions, this does not prove that these are fabricated stories. On the contrary, it shows the change that happens once someone becomes a Christian. There’s a radical transformation, and the individual becomes a new creation. So, despite the author’s best effort to use that to show another reason to believe the New Testament is just a bunch of stories, this actually was a comfort to me. Because that’s what being a Christian is: it’s becoming a new person who (hopefully) bears little resemblance to the original.

While I did NOT like that book, I think it's a well-written review. Enjoy!

Tuesday Tunes #4

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me!  For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

So, this week, I'm gonna take the easy way out. I'm sorry. I'm participating in a read-a-thon for my book blog, and got lucky – one of the mini-challenges asked for us to associate music with books. I apologize for this, because I generally hate when I do this! :oops: Anyway, to find the music I'd like to share this week (and if you've read The Time Traveler's Wife, then I'd love to hear your thoughts on my choices), check out my post at Proud Book Nerd, HERE. (Scroll down to where it says "Second challenge.")

Oh, and a side note: I'm hoping to get a button for this soon ... (anyone wanna volunteer to make one?)

Sunday Stealing: Meme of Many Odd Questions, Part 1

Taken from the-blog-that-encourages-stealing, also known as Sunday Stealing!

1. First thing you wash in the shower? Usually my arms.

2. What color is your favorite hoodie? Gray

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? You betcha!

4. Do you plan outfits? Only for VERY special events.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? Tired – it's been a long, exhausting day.

6. What's the closest thing to you that's red? Dr Pepper can.

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having? Umm ... I don't remember it well at all. Just blurs. Sorry.

8. Did you meet anybody new today? Nope.

9. What are you craving right now? Sleep.

10. Do you floss? Occasionally.

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? Corned beef.

12. Are you emotional? Not really. Well, I shouldn't say that. I feel emotions, of course, but I don't always show them.

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000? Sure – by 100s ...

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it? Both.

15. Do you like your hair? Yes.

16. Do you like yourself? Not really.

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? For sure. In fact, I just recently posted five people I'd love to have a lunch date with, and he's on the list!

18. What are you listening to right now? The dryer and the a/c running.

19. Are your parents strict? They were when I was a kid. I'm a grown-up now, though, so this question doesn't really work! ;-)

20. Would you go sky diving? Absolutely not.

21. Do you like cottage cheese? Sure.

22. Have you ever met a celebrity? Do politicians count as celebrities? If so, I met a governor of Illinois back in the '80s – Governor Thompson.

Small Talk Six: T-Shirts

Today’s topic is “6 t-shirts you’ve read and loved.” You can answer this with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 photos, 6 videos, etc . . .

OMGosh! This is gonna be AWESOME! I will dig up six pictures. These are in no particular order. (Except where noted, these are from CafePress.)

1. Exercise: Some motivation required. ~ I actually bought this one! :oops: It cracks me up every. single. time. I look at it! This one is from shirt.woot! – a site I frequent because it's just too dang funny! Unfortunately, most of their shirts don't require reading – they just have funny graphics (with a funny title for the shirt). But, I had to share this one!

2. Supply ~ This one coupled with the one below is another favorite of mine. Although, I can no longer wear it, as it no longer applies to me.

3. Demand ~ I just thought these were too cute when I was breastfeeding.

4. I'm 2. What's your excuse? ~ I've seen this in many places in many different styles. It cracks me up. 

5. I do all my own stunts ~ Target had a similar shirt (with the same phrase) somewhat recently. We have one in size 2, and one in size 5 ... 

6. I still live with my parents ~ Another shirt similar to something they once had at Target. Grant wore it a year or two ago. Everywhere we went, people thought it was the funniest shirt! LOL I so wish I had bought it in bigger sizes! 

OK, this was too much fun! I could've listed tons and tons of shirts! LOL Now it’s your turn! Post your list and go back HERE to link up and find others’ lists!

Friday Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. Layers of chocolate.

2. Divine insight.

3. I'd be willing to bet that summer will be over before we know it.

4. The cats scare the dog.

5. I'm fond of books, reading, my family

6. Sometimes I wonder if I read too much!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chillin' and possibly watching some TV, tomorrow my plans include Abby's family birthday party and Sunday, I want to RELAX!

Top Ten Picks: Summer

One of my favorite memes, this is from Jillian at Random Ramblings. This week us to name our Top Ten summer must-haves.

1. Books ~ On comfy, breezy days/nights, I love to curl up with a book on the porch swing.


2. Sunglasses ~ My eyes don't do well with bright sunlight.


3. Ice cream
   


4. Tank tops
   


5. Flip-flops


6. Ice-cold drinks ~ Water and/or Dr Pepper


7. Air conditioning ~ I don't do well in HOT temps with HIGH humidity. (Interestingly, I grew up in a house that had NO a/c. I often wonder HOW I survived! LOL)


8. Bug spray ~ I don't handle mosquito bites well at all – they swell up HUGE and drive me BONKERS!


9. Leash ~ For walking the dog, of course!


10. The Stroller ~ Makes taking three kids (one of which is still a toddler) to places like the zoo a LOT easier! ;-)

You're next! What are your summer must-haves?

Top 2 Tuesday: Shopping

This week's topic is to name the best things you've purchased (so far) this year.

1. Our new new mattress. If you missed my tidbit about the trials of buying a new mattress (or two), you can get the scoop HERE. We've had the new new mattress for about a week, and I LOVE it! I'm so glad we got it. Mr. Ham asked me today how I'm doing with the new mattress, and I told him great. :mrgreen:

2. Our Blu-ray player. Don't tell Mr. Ham I said this, but I am SO happy we bought it. It was in January, and we had gift cards to Best Buy, so we bought one. Well, I should say HE bought one. I was not sold on the idea. But, let him – most of the gift cards were his. While I don't care too much about HD visuals and whatnot, what I'm happy for is Netflix. We can stream Netflix things on it, and that has made a HUGE difference in the life with the kiddos! (Background: When I got knocked up with Natalie, we canceled DirecTV to cut down on monthly expenses.) While not everything I miss from the DirecTV days is available, we get enough that the kids have more variety than just what PBS has to offer! :-) Best of all, it's significantly cheaper than DirecTV was! ;-)

What are your favorite purchases so far this year? If you wanna play, you can link up (and find other responses) at the post HERE.

Tuesday Tunes #3

Note to self: Schedule this ahead of time so you're not scrambling to get it done on Tuesday! ;-)

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is! ;-)

I had fun last week, so I'm going to do it the same way. I'm going to set my iPod on Shuffle and share the first couple of songs that come up.

1. Forsaken by Skillet ~ You know me, I LOVE Skillet. This is a great song off their Collide CD.

I recall going madly in love with you
And I remember this
How could I forget?
Regret is a needle
In my neck
It's slowly filling me
With poison
Spreading to my chest

Take my pain and numb me from this

Why do I have to beg
When all that's left
Is a memory
Forsaken [2x]

I recall pledging my sole devotion to you
It reminds me how
Now I'm on my knees
My guilt consumes
Lost the will in me
Wasting away before you
Hold me closer please

Take my pain and numb me from this

Why do I have to beg
When all that's left
Is a memory
Forsaken [2x]

Yeah, yeah, yeah
You break me

Forsake
You break me [2x]

You're breaking me

I recall going madly in love with you
And I remember this... Tell me

Why do I have to beg
When all that's left
Is a memory
Forsaken [2x]

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Forsaken
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Tell me why, why, why, why

2. Welcome to the Show by Brit Nicole ~ No real thoughts on this one. It's not my favorite of hers, but it works. I don't feel the need to share the lyrics. Hope you don't mind!

So, that's it for this week! This is a fun way to do it! If you've nothing specific you wanna share, try the random/shuffle trick! It's kinda fun seeing what comes up! :-)

Have a blessed day!

An Award!

There's nothing like a surprise award to brighten my day! :-) This is especially appreciated, given that I've recently lost my followers when I moved to WordPress (please come back ...) and started over with Google Friend Connect. Anywho ...

THANK YOU to Jacque at Stanwood Playschool for the Sunshine Award! :-)

To claim this award all you have to do is make a post thanking the person who gave it to you and pass it along to 12 other blogs that bring Sunshine to your life.

To say thanks for being a spot of sunshine in my life, I pass this award on to the following blogs (in no particular order):

1. Sacred and Profane
2. All-Consuming Books
3. From the ♥ of a Bookworm
4. 3 Boys and a Dog
5. The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood
6. Random Ramblings
7. A Mom's Take
8. Dark Faerie Tales
9. Life is Beautiful
10. A Moment with Mystee
11. The Undomestic Momma
12. Anya's Room

Please don't be offended or hurt if you're not on this list. It doesn't mean anything other than the fact that I could only list 12. It's so hard to do this, and I appreciate everyone reading this! :-) Love to you all!

A bit of Me(Me): Lunch Date

This Week's Question:

Name five people alive or dead that you’d love to have lunch with.

My Answer:

This is a tough one for me, and I'm not exactly sure why. But, I'll give it my best shot. The answers are in no order other than that in which they came to mind.

1. My grandmother ~ She's been dead since I was in the third grade. I still miss her terribly.
2. Amy Grant ~ I've looked up to her – and been a fan of her music – for as long as I can remember.
3. The band members of Skillet ~ I love their music, and their devotion to doing God's work. I'd so love to know them on a personal level!
4. Chris D. ~ She's my BFF, and we've never actually met in person! Having lunch with her would be AWESOME!
5. George W. Bush ~ Ducking for cover Don't hate me for this, please! No, he's not perfect, but neither are you. He's also not the worst president we've ever had. I admire him for his integrity, and would love to discuss his faith.

So, what about you? Who would you choose to have lunch with? If you wanna link up, check out the latest post.

Small Talk Six: Red, White, & Blue

Today’s topic is “6 of your favorite things that are red, white, or blue.” You can answer this with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 photos, 6 videos, etc.

1. Roses ~ Red and white
2. The sky ~ Blue
3. Dr Pepper ~ red can
4. Big fluffy clouds ~ white
5. The ocean ~ blue (and white, I suppose)
6. Peanut M&Ms ~ read, white, and blue

Now it’s your turn! Post your list and go back HERE to link up and find others’ lists!

Blogger Appreciation Day: June 2010

I think this is a great way to say THANK YOU to those who have sent readers your way! This was started by Kelli at 3 Boys & a Dog.

Here’s how it works:

1. Go into your tracking service (I use Google Analytics) and set the time period for June 1st – June 30th.


2. Find the sites that have referred readers to you and put them in order from most sends to lowest.


3. Write a post (like this one) listing your top 10 referrers.


4. Link that post up in Kelli’s MckLinky, which is HERE.

It would be appreciated if you could link back to this post, you know – return the favor!

Without further ado …

Thank you to my top 10 referrers for June!

1. Toddler Awesome ~ 8 ***TIED with #2 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


2. MomDot ~ 8 <– first time on the list! ***TIED with #1 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


3. DIY Themes ~ 6 <– first time on the list!


4. There's a Book ~ 5 <– first time on the list!


5. 3 Boys & a Dog ~ 4 ***TIED with #6-8 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


6. Signature Nail Polish ~ 4 ***TIED with #5, 7-8 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


7. The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood ~ 4 <– first time on the list! ***TIED with #5-6, 8 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


8. Sunday Stealing ~ 4 ***TIED with #5-7 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


9. Kelly's Korner ~ 2 ***TIED with #10 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


10. Bonds Family Essentials ~ 2 <– first time on the list! ***TIED with #9 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***

This was kinda tricky this month, as I had to combine the analysis between this and my previous Ramblings & More (on Blogger). Next month should be a lot easier! ;-) THANK YOU to all of you (and those not listed, too).

(I do not list my own sites, engines, Twitter, FaceBook, etc.!)

Friday Fill-Ins

1. When it's quiet I am happy.
2. Sometimes a week passes in what seems like a month.
3. My heart is heavy today.
4. I can't believe it's already July.
5. In the town where I was born there is a medical school.
6. His caring nature is something I really love about my significant other / friend.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading, tomorrow my plans include fireworks with the kiddos, and Sunday I want to relax and read some more!

BADD: Stay Sober Stay Alive

The Department of Transportation has asked American bloggers to spotlight the critical importance of staying sober behind the wheel this Independence Day. Given that in high school, I was a member of SADD, or Students Against Drunk Driving, I knew I had to support this. (In case it's not obvious, BADD=Bloggers Against Drunk Driving.) I strongly am opposed to drunk driving. If you're going to celebrate this weekend, please make sure to be responsible. If you drink, don't drive. Stay alive. And, equally important, don't endanger others!

Together We Can Spread the Message

Stay Sober Stay Alive

July 4, 2010

1. Simply pledge your driving sobriety this Independence Day by noting your blog URL and blog name.

2. At the bottom of this “Blog Hop” you will see text in which you can grab the code for this McLinky. Simply click the link and copy and paste the code into your very own blog post’s HTML section. Then click “compose” and copy and paste this pledge, adding your own message to the top as I did above. Copy the pledge from “together we can stay alive” above.

3. Follow the host Hollywood Chic [-first on the linky-] of this Independence Day Pledge for more information on the Department of Transportation, Buzz Driving, and Stats.

Be the Adult

Don't tell her I said this, but my mom gives good advice. She always has. When I was a teenager, I'd pretend to ignore it, process it, then follow it. Even into my 20s, I wasn't a fan of unsolicited advice, but I'd at least think about what she told me. From words of wisdom that led to my breaking up with my first serious boyfriend in high school to tips when buying a house, my mom's advice has often proven valuable. Again, don't tell her I said that! ;-)

One of the pieces of advice I've heard more recently is: Be the adult. Be the adult.

Where'd this come from? Well, we sometimes have issues with some of our children's friends, and I have vented to my mother about this. Things that drive me batty, and I gotta let out so I don't blow. I know these kids are young enough that it's more a matter of not knowing better than anything, but it's still frustrating and (in the right situations) infuriating. My mom will patiently listen, even agree with some of my concerns, but always remind me to "be the adult."

Do you know how often I have to remind myself of that?

Really, this is excellent advice. And not just when it comes to my kids' friends. In life in general this can prove useful. From an argument with my husband that gets out of hand to a disagreement with a friend. If I remember to "be the adult" maybe things would be resolved more quickly. Or at least with less fallout.

Heck! This might even come in handy with my kids. You know, when they're under my skin and WON'T get OUT! Maybe if I remember to "be the adult" I can find a way to alleviate the issues and help the kids (and myself) to move on.

Be the adult.

Great advice.

Thanks, Mom.

Tuesday Tunes #2

I almost didn't do this for this week. We've had a LONG week. Last Friday was Abby's 7th birthday. We had a party for her friends on Thursday. Friday night, the fun started. Natalie was first to be sick, followed (in a matter of hours) by Grant. Both are still working things out. Mr. Ham was next, followed by me. Abby appears to be getting sick now. So, obviously (I think), it has been a crazy few days. But, I decided to try to get a TT post up, because this (honestly) is something that I should've had scheduled and ready to go. Forgive me for slacking!

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

Because of the craziness that has been the past several days, I'm kinda at a loss. Usually I know in advance what I'm going to share. Not this week. I haven't a clue at the moment! So, I'm gonna whip out the iPod Touch, hit shuffle, and see what comes up first. Wish me luck!

1. Let God Arise by Chris Tomlin

Hear the holy roar of God resound
Watch the waters part before us now
Come and see what He has done for us
Tell the world of His great love

Our God is a God who saves
Our God is a God who saves

Let God arise
Let God arise
Our God reigns now and forever
He reigns now and forever

His enemies will run for sure
The church will stand, she will endure
He holds the keys of life, our Lord
Death has no sting, no final word

2. Because You're Mine by Building 429 ~ I don't know how much I've heard this before, but WOW! Awesome song! God is so good!

Child of mine I know that you’re hurting
And I’ve seen you try to soldier on
I am here to lift away your burden
And I will hold you till the pain is gone

So today I promise forever
Tomorrow I’ll say it again
You would give it all to know the answers
And I know you’ve heard this all before
I’m just here to help your heart remember
That no one else could ever love you more

You ought to know that I am here (near)
You ought to know I’ll be here to love you
Just to love you
Through all the pain and through the years
I’ll be the one to dry your tears
I love you, I love you
Because you’re mine

You would give it all to know the answers
And I know you’ve heard this all before
I’m just here to help your heart remember
That no one else could ever love you more

So today I promise forever
Tomorrow, I’ll say it all again

You ought to know that I am here (near)
You ought to know I’ll be here to love you
Just to love you
Through all the pain and through the years
I’ll be the one to dry your tears
I love you, I love you
Because you’re mine

So don’t you ever doubt
You are my precious child
my glory in the making
The years will bring you many trials
But I will never let you down
I’m here with my arms open just waiting for...

You ought to know that I am here (near)
You ought to know I’ll be here to love you
Just to love you
Through all the pain and through the years
I’ll be the one to dry your tears
I love you, I love you
Because you’re mine

You ought to know that I am here (near)
You ought to know I’ll be here to love you
Just to love you
Through all the pain and through the years
I’ll be the one to dry your tears
I love you, I love you
Because you’re mine
Because you’re mine
you’re mine

OK, that was a fun way to do it! :-) So, give it a try! Turn on your iPod (or other MP3 Player, or iTunes or even your CD player). Hit shuffle. What are the first two songs that come up?

Top 2 Tuesday: Deserted Island

It's been awhile since I've done this one.

This week's topic: Top 2 things (not people) you'd bring with you to a deserted island.

1. A Kindle ~ Loaded up to capacity with good books. (That way I can bring more than one book! ;-) )

2. My iPod Touch ~ Mainly for the music, but also for the apps.

If you wanna play, you can link up (and find other responses) at the post HERE.

Sunday Stealing: The Eighty Meme, Part 1

Taken from the-blog-that-encourages-stealing, also known as Sunday Stealing!

1. What curse word do you use the most? Damn, I think.

2. Do you own an iPod? Yep. An iPod Touch. LOVE it!

3. What person do you talk to on the phone the most? My hubby.

4. Do you still remember the first person you kissed? Yep. (And I must add eeeewwwww!)

5. Do you remember where you were on 11/9/01? I'm assuming this actually is supposed to be 11 Sept. 2001 – or as we AMERICANS write it: 9/11/01, Sept. 11, or just plain 9/11. Making that assumption, yes, I remember. I don't think I'll ever forget.

6. What was the last movie you watched? Umm ... The Princess and the Frog

7. Has anyone ever called you lazy? Sure.

8. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep? No. When I can't sleep, I'll read for awhile. That quiets my mind, and then I can fall asleep.

9. Has anyone told you a secret this week? Umm...not that I remember.

10. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? Eyes.

11. What are you looking forward to? The last two Harry Potter movies. I just saw a trailer this evening, and I am EXCITED!

12. Do you own any band t-shirts? Yep. I love to get T-shirts as a souvenir from concerts. I have Skillet, Third Day, Newsboys, and more.

13. What will you be doing in one hour? Sleeping, hopefully.

14. Is anyone in love with you? My husband.

15. Last time you cried? Umm...not sure.

16. Are you on a desktop computer or a laptop? Desktop. I love my Mac Mini.

17. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos? No.

18. Would you ever date anyone covered in tattoos? Probably not.

19. What were you doing before this? Facebook.

20. When is the last time you slept on the floor? Not sure. It's been awhile, thankfully.

21. How many hours of sleep do you need to function? I prefer 8-9, but I can function on a minimum of about 6.

22. Do you eat breakfast daily? Yes.

Getting To Know You ~ Better Late than Never

Right? ;-)


*To play..copy the questions..answer them..then go back to MannLand5 and link up*

1.If you had 5000.00 to spend on plastic surgery what would you have done? The boobs. Not bigger, just perkier. You know – more like before babies! ;-)

2. Do you watch Soap operas and if so what is your favorite and why? Nope.

3. Favorite clothing brand? Umm...whatever's comfy.

4. An afternoon shopping spree at your favorite store or maid service for a year? As much fun as the shopping would be, I'd have to go for maid service.

5. Would you ever vajazzle? :-? What is that?

6. Favorite Disney Princess? Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)

7. Last movie that made you bawl your eyes out? Umm...I have no idea. Movies don't usually make me cry.

8. Have you ever broken any bones and if so what? Nope.

A Bit of Me(Me): Animals

This is a new meme that I just love. Hosted by There's a Book, this is one question every week to help bloggers get to know each other. This week's topic is animals.

Are you an animal person? Any type in particular?

For me, it's cats. I LOVE cats. We have two, Zeus and Huckleberry. I've had cats almost all my life. I couldn't imagine ever not having a cat. We also have a dog, Sawyer. He is a beagle that we got when Grant was about 8 months old. (Sawyer was born the day Abby turned 3!) I hadn't really had a dog before this, so this has been a learning experience. I have a STRONG preference for the cats. There are so many, many things I prefer about these cats, but I'll refrain. There are bonuses to the dog, too. I just prefer the cats.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pics of any of the animals available at the moment. So, this will be a pic-free post – well, aside from the most adorable button I've ever seen! :-)

So, what about you? Are you an animal person? If you wanna link up, check out the latest post.

The End of an Era

It came as a slight surprise to me when Saturday morning Mr. Ham said "let's do the switch today."

The what?

The switch. The bedroom switch. Tear down the crib, set up Grant's new bed in the room the crib had been in, and start having Natalie sleep on the bottom bunk in Abby's room.

Ooooh. That switch.

Grant tries out his new bed
for the first time.

This is something we had been talking about for several weeks now. We originally had discussed doing so around Memorial Day weekend. I'm not sure why we didn't. Maybe part of it was denial? I dunno. What I do know is that Mr. Ham tore down that crib, then we disassembled the changing tower. Then assembled the hutch to make it a dresser/hutch instead of a changing tower. Then it was time for the bed. I made it with Grant's new Thomas bedding, and his room was ready. And he was THRILLED! I'm not sure if it's the having his own space, the Thomas bedding, the blue walls, or something else. But he was THRILLED. Still is. It's pretty cute, actually! (Click the thumbnails to see the pictures their actual size.)

Grant reads to his puppy in his new bed.

Once Grant's room was ready, we prepped the girls' room. Changed the sheets for Natalie, brought her favorite blankets (for snuggling) into the room, and let her check out her new pad. She was excited, too. And the next morning, she came into our room (way too early) with Abby, and she had a HUGE grin on her face! She, too, is still excited.

Grant shows off his Thomas bed.

It's bittersweet for me. Because it's the end of an era. For almost 7 years we have had that crib up and (mostly) in use. When Abby was a couple of months old, we moved her into it. She stayed in her crib until she was almost 2.5 – a few months before we needed it for Grant. He used it until he was a few months shy of 2, because Natalie was coming. And she has used it since she was a couple of weeks old. (Funny how that works – first child gets a couple of months in our room. Last child, a couple of weeks. But, I digress ...)

We knew when I was pregnant with Natalie that she was the last. It was confirmed for me shortly (we're talking moments) after her birth. I knew I was D.O.N.E. DONE! While I occasionally get a tiny smidgen of baby lust, it's very fleeting! I just remind myself how nice it is to be done with the newborn craziness. Natalie's got a routine, we're all settling into a nice family routine. I'm happy to NOT upset it now! ;-)

But, still, it is the end of an era. The Baby Era is over in the Ham household. Over and done. (Mr. Ham is fixed, so there's no question about it!) And I'm 99.9% happy with that. But, part of me will miss my cuddly, sweet babies. (Especially when the older one mouths off and rolls her eyes ...) The Baby Era is over. I'm not sure what to call it now. We have one in school, one in preschool, and the other's technically a toddler still. The first of many Transitional eras, perhaps? Maybe I'll call this Transition Era, the First. That will give way to The School Era, when all three are in school. Back to Transition, etc.

Yikes! I had better stop thinking about that! It'll make me sad.

Time to enjoy these sweet babies – er, I mean children – of mine before they want nothing to do with me!

Tuesday Tunes #1

I'm starting over. I still intend to attempt t0 share music with you every week. But, I didn't like Tune-In Tuesday as a title. Well, I liked it, but not its abbreviation ...

Anyway, so, Tuesday Tunes it is! And, new name = new string, hence my starting with #1. (Yes, I did say hence. I use that word a lot. My degree's in English. It's just something I do.)

For the newbies, here's the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What's the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it's very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It's one of few, very few, things that I couldn't imagine living without. As such, I'm always looking for new music, and I'm more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever's in my head at the moment, and sometimes that's determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! :-) For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU'RE listening to, whatever genre it is! :-)

And now I share.

1. Better Than a Hallelujah by Amy Grant ~ This is pretty new, and I like it. I've heard there's actually a lot of complaints about this song in the Christian-music world. (What IS it with Christians and being so damn critical and prone to bitching and moaning about every. little. thing. that they don't like? SOMEONE, please explain. How is that love? How is that a good example? No wonder so many people cannot stand Christians ... anyway, that is completely beside the point.) Take a moment to listen, really listen, to this song. I get what she's saying. I totally get it. Totally. I've decided to post the lyrics (excuse poor grammar. I just C&P these) with this one, because I think it'll make it easier for me to explain. Part of it is semantics: she says sometimes. She doesn't say that your (or my) hallelujah is crap. She doesn't say tears and suffering are the only thing God hears. She says that there are times when a hallelujah just isn't as good. Why? This is the part I think is most important: she's referring to the rawness and sincerity inside our cries for help. So many times our hallelujahs are just lacking in sincerity and rawness. I'm not saying that we're not sincere. I just think we're more real with God sometimes when we're broken. There's nothing like going through rough times to bring someone back into His arms. I've been there. Most people I know have been there. THAT is what this is talking about. And, knowing that, I think this is an absolutely beautiful, right-on song! Enjoy!

God loves a lullaby
In a mothers tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
God loves the drunkards cry,
The soldiers plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah.

The woman holding on for life,
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
The tears of shame for what's been done,
The silence when the words won't come
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah
Better than a church bell ringing,
Better than a choir singing out,singing out.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Better than a church bell ringing
better than a choir singin' loud
singin' loud

There was another song off her new album that I wanted to share, but it's not on Grooveshark right now. I don't have it on my computer, either, so I can't add it. I'll put it on the back burner for a future Tuesday Tunes post. Rather than force it and dig up another song just to fill the space, I'll keep it at one this week.

So, what about you? What music are you listening to lately? What music makes you think?

Getting to Know You ~ 6/20

*to play..copy the questions..answer them..then go back to MannLand5 and link up*

1. While at the beach, pool, etc..Do you cover up your assets or show them off? Back in my skinny days (or maybe I should say not-fat days) I showed them off. Nowadays, cover up. No one wants to see this!

2. Road trips or Plane trips? Depends on how far I'm going. If it's not too far, road. Otherwise, plane – I wanna get there fast!

3. I can't stand it when...? My kids are whiny and argumentative.

4. Have you ever gone topless at the beach? LMAO No way!

5. How many blog carnivals do you do a week? Between the two blogs, too many! But, they're fun, and I've made some great friends through them!

6. My favorite thing about the weekend is...? Having my husband home! :-)

7. Pancakes or waffles? Pancakes

8. Water Park or Amusement Park? Amusement Park with water rides! ;-)

Sunday Stealing: The Oh My! Meme, Part 1

Taken from the-blog-that-encourages-stealing, also known as Sunday Stealing! ;-)

1. The phone rings; who don't you want it to be? A solicitor

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart? Usually.

3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener? Listener.

4. What was the last compliment that someone gave you? Umm.. Abby told me I'm the best mom ever.

5. Do you play the lottery? Nope.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, who would you want with you? My husband.

7. Do you like to ride horses? Yes.

8. Did you ever go to camp as a kid? Yes.

9. What is your favorite party game? Umm...I dunno. Scattergories is fun.

10. If a sexy person was pursuing you, but you knew he/she was married, would you go for it? Nope.

11. When was the last time that you lied? Probably earlier today. Abby lost a tooth yesterday and the tooth fairy forgot to come ... :oops:

12. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you? That depends. If it's a different Christian denomination, sure. If it's something outside the Christian umbrella, then no.

13. If you have a S/O, who pursued who? If not, do you like to pursue or be pursued? Um...neither, really. We just kinda came together. One of our good mutual friends worked hard to help get us together.

14. Use six words to describe yourself. short, shy, lefty, quiet, loyal, Christian

15. Name a song that could make you cry. Can't say I can think of one. I'm not an easy crier.

16. Are you pleased with your education? Yes.

17. How do you feel about gun control? Less is more.

18. If your house was on fire, what thing would be the first thing you grabbed? Assuming we're talking about things because my family and animals are safe, I'd go for the computer.

19. How often do you have a romantic weekend? Rarely. We need to fix that!

20. Do you think more about the past, present or future? I'm an equal-opportunity thinker.

21. What was the last adult magazine that you have read? Adult? I sure hope you don't mean smutty. If you mean for grown-ups, then Parenting or Parents.

22. What are you told about your eyes? They are big and beautiful.

23. How tall is just right? WHAT? Umm...

24. Where is your dream house located? Probably about a mile or so away.

25. Do you have a secret fetish? LOL No.

26. Have you tried bourbon? If yes, what type? Nope. I'm not one for alcohol.

27. Have you ever seen a male or female stripper? Briefly saw a male stripper, but exited the premises once I realized that's what was going on.

28. When was the last time you were at TGI Fridays? Sometime over the past few weeks.

29. When was the last time you were at Church? Way too long ago ...

30. Where was the farthest place you traveled today? Upstairs. Seriously. Today was move-kids'-bedrooms-around day, so I didn't go anywhere. We took down the crib <sniff, sniff> and set up Grant in his new room. Natalie gets the second bed in Abby's room (where Grant used to sleep). Mr. Ham is now trying to get Natalie to go to sleep ...

31. What was your favorite job? Page designer. That was my first job out of college, and it was AWESOME!

32. What condiments do you like at your BBQ? Ketchup and mustard work for me.

33. Bud is hosting Thursday Thunks this week. Will you play? Probably not, simply because I've never done TT before. Hadn't even heard of it before now!

34. Do you look like your mom or dad? Mom

35. Who was the last person that you showered with (it's okay to leave out the name)? Um ... my husband? I don't know simply because I'm more of a solo showerer! ;-)

Small Talk Six: Father's Day

Today’s topic is “6 things you and your Dad both enjoy.” You can answer this with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 photos, 6 videos, etc . . .

My dad and I both enjoy:

1. Reading
2. Popcorn
3. Music
4. Chicago sports
5. My kiddos
6. Staying up later than we should

Now it's your turn! Post your list and go back HERE to link up and find others' lists!

Friday's Fave Five #5

I can't remember the last time I did this one. Bad me. I really want to do this more often. It's always, ALWAYS good to look back and see what I'm thankful for over the course of the week.

This is hosted on Living to Tell the Story. If you’d like to join in, the rules of play can be found HERE. This week’s post, with the MckLinky attached, is HERE.

1. Girl Scout Camp ~ Yes, I know. I'm a horrible mother, but I needed a break from the oldest. She's the sweetest, most loving child. But she's also a handful. And she gets bored easily. Girl Scout Camp (day camp) was a perfect activity for us. She's still home in the mornings and at night, but during the day she's having a blast with her friends. And, she's in the same group as her BFF. Yesterday she told me she's sad that today is the last day of camp. Me, too, kid. Me, too.
2. FROGs ~ Say what? That's my forum for Christian women (frogsgroup.com), and these ladies are the best, most supportive group of women I've ever had in my life. Even though I've been less-than involved there lately, they're still here for me when I need them. Thank you, ladies! I love you all!
3. A very understanding husband ~ A few weeks ago we purchased a new mattress. We chose poorly. After about a week and a half of hemming and hawing, I finally said enough was enough. It isn't as soft as I like my bed. It's too bouncy (we had a Simmons Beautyrest before, and we are SPOILED as a result). I'm waking up with a sore back EVERY day. Not good. Not good at all. So, my wonderful husband, who said he was fine on that mattress, agreed to get a new new mattress. (There's a 30-day guarantee, thankfully.) So, I went (without Natalie) and chose my top three. (And wouldn't you know it, I went back to Simmons! Which, interestingly, wasn't available the first time we shopped, so I think it's good we chose poorly first.) Mr. Ham and I went back (with the kiddos in tow) and he agreed on my absolute favorite! :-D My wonderful, sweet husband didn't let the fact that it costs TWICE our original selection stop him. (Shockingly, I have to add!) He and I agree: We got 11 years out of Mattress #1, and expect to likely get about the same out of Mattress #2. Now, the hard part. Waiting. Seven to 14 days for the mattress to arrive in the store. Then we schedule delivery. I still have a sore/stiff back every day (stupid wrong mattress), but at least I know it's almost over!
4. Thirty-day guarantees ~ See #3 for why! ;-)
5. Kids' programming back on Netflix ~ I recently posted an e-mail I had sent to Mr. Ham. (If you haven't read it yet, it can be found HERE.) Well, I checked a few days ago to find that Blues Clues and Dora were BACK! WOOT! AND, even better, Diego is available streaming, too! Extra bonus: Instead of just two seasons, all three shows have THREE seasons! Woohoo!

Now it's your turn. What are your five favorite things from this week?

Friday Fill-Ins

I remembered this week! YAY me! ;-)

1. I hope to sleep past 6:58.
2. It was the reason, of course, I swear it was.
3. Have more babies is something I no longer feel the need to do.
4. I have another errand to run, then it's time for some more reading.
5. I don't care where it isn't...just go find it
6. What were once vices are still vices.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nothing in particular ~ maybe some reading, tomorrow my plans include reading and finishing laundry (fun stuff) and Sunday, I want to take Mr. Ham out to dinner for Father's Day!

Tune-In Tuesday #10 ~ For Real

I type my titles before I actually write my posts. Otherwise, I forget to add a title! So, this was written in hopes that Grooveshark actually wants to WORK this week! I'm calling this #10 because last time Grooveshark wasn't working. Anyway, it's time for Tune-In Tuesday.

For the newbies: Tune-In Tuesday is something I (try to) do every week. I LOVE music – almost as much as I love reading. And, I figured that my blog is the perfect place to share music with you. Generally, it will be my favorites. Songs that touch me, songs that move me, songs that I love for any reason. Sometimes they'll be songs I heard recently that I like or songs that are pertinent to me at that time for reasons I'll explain in my post. If you love music – or just have some songs to share, too – please play along. For now, just leave me a comment with your link. When we get some more participation, I'll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier!

Now that that's out of the way, here's this week's Tune-In Tuesday Music:

1. Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) by Beyonce ~ I'm not too into Beyonce. Never have been. But, my daughter has been singing this lately – because the kid next door does. (I'm guessing it's the Chippettes' version, but I figure that'd be annoying, so we'll go with the original! ;-) )

2.Lead Me by Sanctus Real ~ I recently heard this one. WOW! I so wish this would hit home with my husband ...

I am so proud of myself! I did it – ahead of time, too! :-D I'm really, really hoping I can get into a routine with this!

So, anyone out there have music to share? I wanna know what you (or your kids, I suppose LOL) are listening to!