ICE STORM 09

This is where we have been.
It started on Monday afternoon and by Tuesday afternoon we lost our power. We made it until Wednesday when we heard that it would be Saturday before they could restore the electricity. We went to the in-laws where they had power and wood stoves. Scott's sister and family were there too. We all said this is our Florida without the pool. We vacation together in Florida.

Icy trees. While out in there in the woods I found the answer to "Does a tree make a sound when it falls in the forest and no one is there?" Yes it does make a noise. All day Wednesday you could hear the trees snapping and falling. At one point it sounded like a gun being shot.

We did alot of this. Rather Coco and Jack did a lot of this.

Determination!

I came home to clean out the fridge on Thursday and the power came back on about 3:15! Praise the Lord.

We had to throw out everything. Luckily we had put our freezer stuff in a cooler on Tuesday and then put it in Nana's freezer when we got there. The bright side? I have a very clean fridge now!!!

Hope everyone gets power back soon. My mother and sister are both still out!

Blessings,

Pam

Getting to know me

I found this blog All That Is Good. She is hosting a making new friends post every monday. Today is to list 10 things that most people don't know about you.

1. I can't sleep with socks on, feels like a can't breathe. Coco now believes she can't either.

2. I have to have 1 foot out of the covers when sleeping.

3. I wear a bite guard while sleeping.

4. I like being alone. Doesn't bother me one bit!

5. I don't like talking on the phone.

6. I would love to have a great singing voice.

7. I am not a great housekeeper. Before I married my motto was "The only thing domestic about me is that I live in a house".

8. I can touch my nose with my tongue.

9. I go weeks with shaving in the winter too!

10. I have always wanted to move away! Preferably Destin Florida!

Now go on over to All that is good and link up to you post. Have a great day

SLIPPERY

This is what we have to look forward to on Monday. A significant ice storm is headed our way. They are expecting up to 1 inch of ice. Which means a threat of power outages.
Scott is already telling me we need to go to his parents before it hits tomorrow. Their power always goes out but they do have wood heat as a back up. I am being fickle about it. I don't want to go over there. We have our gas kitchen stove and still have the little gas wall heater in the bathroom, we could use if need be. I just like to be home with my stuff, where if I get the urge to do something I can go do it. So I am hoping that the power stays on and we get to stay home.

Hoping you are all snuggly and warm on this winters night!

Blessings

PROM 1986

Coco was looking for something in the back of her closet and found my prom dress from 1986. We took it out to look at it and she wanted to try it on. I can't believe I was so tiny. I was 17 years old when I wore this dress and Coco is 81/2 and it was snug around her belly. I don't have a scanner or I would post a photo of me wearing the same dress.

I offered to save it for her prom and she quickly decided that she would desire something else. At this rate I don't think it will fit her when she is 17! It wouldn't fit one of my legs today. Scott says something was wrong with me, if I was that little. Well, I ate more than my Daddy but I had a very fast metabolism. Wonder where that went????

While Mom was here yesterday one of Coco's winter coats was laying on the couch so she picked it up and it just fit, little girls size 10/12. Of course Mom didn't not have a growth spurt at 30 like I did ! What do they say, just more of me to love!!!!

These photos with ones of me in the dress will make a great scrapbook page!

Blessings,
Pam

AWESOME GIVEAWAY

I just found this blog recently tatortots and jello. I love it already. She is in Hawaii and found some great things to bring back for one lucky person.

Go check it out and tell her I sent you.

Happy Saturday
Pam

PLEASE ALLOW ME TO BOAST

I am so proud of our girl! We went to the awards assembly at school today. Miss Coco received the Principals Award along with all A's & B's for the first 2 quarters of the year. The Principal Award is given to the student for character, attitude, responsibility and all around good citizen of the school. She was chosen by all of the 3rd grade teachers. This award is given to 1 girl and 1 boy out of the entire grade. What a honor for our girl. Below are a couple of photos I finally got her to stand still for.

We took her to McD's afterwards for a snack and then she went home with Mimi. Scott told me he was more proud of the principal award than the all A's and B's. He said he felt sorry for all the other parents if Coco was the one that got that award. Meaning the other kids must be really a chore since our girl is sometimes a real pill!

Proud Mama today!
Tomorrow I have some hilarious photos of her and a prom dress!!!!!!!!!

Blessings,
Pam

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW ME

The things I have done are in red. The ones on my list to do this year are in italics! I want to see all of yours too. Leave me a comment


1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5.Watched a meteor shower.
6. Been to Disneyland/world
7. Climbed a mountain.
8. Held a praying mantis
9. Sang a solo
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Taught yourself an art from scratch
14. Adopted a child
15. Had food poisoning
16. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
17. Grown your own vegetables
18. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
19. Slept on an overnight train
20. Had a pillow fight
21. Hitch hiked
22. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
23. Built a snow fort
24. Held a lamb
25. Gone skinny dipping
26. Run a Marathon
27. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
28. Seen a total eclipse
29. Watched a sunrise or sunset
30. Hit a home run (I want to beat Coco on the WII)
31. Been on a cruise
32. Seen Niagara Falls in person
33. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
34. Seen an Amish community
35. Taught yourself a new language
36. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
37. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
38. Gone rock climbing
39. Seen Michelangelo’s David
40. Sung karaoke
41. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
42. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
43. Visited Africa
44. Walked on a beach by moonlight
45. Been transported in an ambulance
46. Had your portrait painted
47. Gone deep sea fishing
48. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
49. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51. Kissed in the rain
52. Played in the mud
53. Gone to a drive-in theater
54. Been in a movie (heck yes…home video!)
55. Visited the Great Wall of China
56. Started a business (etsy)
57. Taken a martial arts class
58. Visited Russia
59. Served at a soup kitchen
60. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
61. Gone whale watching
62. Gotten flowers for no reason
63. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
64. Gone sky diving
65. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
66. Bounced a check
67. Flown in a helicopter
68. Saved a favorite childhood toy
69. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
70. Eaten Caviar
71. Pieced a quilt
72. Stood in Times Square
73. Toured the Everglades
74. Been fired from a job
75. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
76. Broken a bone
77. Been on a speeding motorcycle
78. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
79. Published a book
80. Visited the Vatican
81. Bought a brand new car
82. Walked in Jerusalem
83. Had your picture in the newspaper
84. Read the entire Bible
85. Visited the White House
86. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
87. Had chickenpox
88. Saved someone’s life
89. Sat on a jury
90. Met someone famous
91. Joined a book club
92. Lost a loved one
93. Had a baby
94. Seen the Alamo in person
95. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
96. Been involved in a lawsuit
97. Owned a cell phone
98. Been stung by a bee

If you want to let people know you better, copy and paste on your blog. Highlight the list what you have done or experienced. Have fun

Today did not go as I had planned. Coco woke up sick. I had to reschedule my interview, well he is supposed to call me back to set it up for next week. I felt really foolish cancelling due to a sick child. He is probably thinking , if she is like this for the interview I probably don't want her. Oh well I haven't heard the greatest things about that bank.

Sorry Cathy I didn't see your comment until tonight.

I did get out this afternoon to go get my Dave Ramsey book. I have read through several of the success stories and it is amazing what they have done.

I also went to Hob Lob to pick up a few items for some decorating I plan to do. I have a 1/2 bath off my scrap room with pink and green tile. Very 60's. I will try to take before and after photos. I hope to get going on it Friday if I don't have to work for my sis!

Also started on my cards for the valentine card swap that I signed up for.

Thats it for today. I have to work 8 hours tomorrow. I don't know if I can stand that! Wish me luck. Hope it goes by really fast!

I am getting so lazy!!!! I better look for a job or I won't be worth a hoot!
Blessings,
Pam

HISTORICAL DAY

I spent most of the day watching the Inauguration events. I really enjoyed watching history in the making. I did not vote for him but he is our commander in chief. I must pray for him and support him. That doesn't mean I will agree with everything he does but I am hopeful that he will surprise me. It doesn't matter who was elected they would have to prove themselves. I was proud that he did use the bible for swearing in. I had thoughts of him using the Koran. You know, you get so many emails and hear so many stories about him being loyal to his Muslim side. That is the part that worries me.

I believe God is preparing us for lots of changes. This being one of them.

I am definitely not a fashion guru but I loved Michelle's suit. I was worried all day about her being cold though. Why didn't the girl wear a warmer coat!!!They do appear to be a solid couple and laugh a lot. I loved it when he would joke with her and she would kind of slap at him. So cute

Again I am not in anyway informed enough to make a statement about this dress, but I will anyway. I thought it looked too much like it was made from a chenille bedspread! Please don't knock me, that is just the first thing I thought of!

On to other things. Do you have a Lifeway store near you? If you do they have Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover book on sale for $12.49. That is 50% off. I will be there bright and early tomorrow.

I have some good news I guess. I got a phone call from another Bank in our area looking for a loan processor! I am meeting with him tomorrow morning and I am on the fence about working. This may sound bad but I would like to be off for a little while to see how this is going to work. It might be that we can afford for me to stay home or I would really like to work at the school system so that Coco and I would have the same hours and time off. Our town is building a new elementary and new positions will be coming available within the next few months.

It does feel good that someone called me from a recommendation of someone else. Please say a pray that whatever happens that it is Gods will and that I will follow!

Thanks and goodnight

YEAH!

I didn't sleep the day away today! I have been staying up until 1 or 2 in the morning and then sleeping alot the next day. I know I was probably depression from the job loss but I didn't feel depressed really. I just didn't have any energy after staying up late. Now all I did when I stayed up was read blogs or watch tv so I wasn't worn out from cleaning or something like that.

Today was a new day! I went to bed last night after midnight but I got up at 6:45 to get Coco off to school. Scott is off on Mondays so he was home with me for awhile. He went to Mcd's for sausage biscuits and then I was so sleepy I went back to bed from 9:30 to 11am. Once I got up I turned on the Contemporary Christian station and cleaned my little heart out.

I was so proud of myself. Scott called later while I was vacuuming and he told me he was glad to hear I was up and working because he had prayed for me this morning. I think he was worried about me getting into a deep depression. I felt so bad for him. I felt bad that I had worried him.

I have been so focused on Jenna and Kelly's babies that I haven't worried about me and my problems which are nothing compared to what those girls are facing.

Tomorrow might be the day I start to tackle my scraproom. I will be sure to take before and afters! It is BAD!!!!!!

Wishing all of blessings,
Pam

VERY BLESSED

This has got to be one of the toughest weeks of my life. As I read all the blogs today with so many lifting the Stamps family and Jenna up in prayer. I am realizing just how blessed we are.

Scott spent all day and I mean all day helping others. He and a friend worked on widening a doorway for a terminally ill woman so that she would be able to use her wheelchair. This is a family that he met when he hosted a squirrel hunt back in the fall. The husband was not a christian at that time and I don't know what that situation is today, but he has been shocked time and again for the help our group has shown him

He spent the afternoon taking wood and food to another family that he doesn't know. He heard about them from our church and took wood to them this week because they can't afford to use the furnace so they are using wood fireplace only. After doing that the Lord laid it on his heart to take them food and more wood. That is what he did this afternoon. He has the biggest heart in a man that I know. I am so grateful that the Lord gave me this man. He is 6 foot 4 and a big man but he has the sweetest heart and would give you anything. He has given me so much in our 9 years together when he could have done something he wanted!

I am still having trouble with being unemployed. Trying to see the positive in it. I really was very fortunate that I received 7 weeks of severance , I will get unemployment benefits and still get to work for Tammy Lou about 12 hours a week. We should be fine financially if I can eventually find another job. There are some circumstances that might have a impact on me getting my old job back. I read a blog today where the girl called herself a domestic engineer. I like the sound of that. I should change my profile. I plan to get out of my funk and start taking advantage of the time off. I am making a list of things I want to do and projects I can finish up.

First on my list is next week I am going to get up just like I was going to work so that I don't waste each day sleeping and feeling sorry for myself! I have to remember how blessed we are.

Please remember Jenna and Kelly in your prayers tonight and don't stop praying for these girls and their babies. Kelly's Dad wrote a post tonight about all the babies in NICU and it just touched my heart. So lets remember all those babies that might not be getting the prayers that Brayden and Harper are getting. I just can't imagine what they are going through. I will be giving my little girl a few more hugs tonight and thanking the Lord for her, even though 8.5 years ago I was in a place that I didn't know if I would bring her home!

Wishing all of you blessings tonight!
Pam

Prayer Needed

I know most of you have heard by now that Kelly from Kellys Korner delivered baby Harper tonight. Harper was flown to Arkansas Childrens hospital with pnemonia. Please lift them up in prayer tonight.

Also, Jenna from Jenna's Journey still needs our prayers too. Her baby Brayden was born this week and is also at Arkansas Childrens Hospital. Jenna left the hospital within 24 hours of a c-section so I am sure she is in discomfort from the surgery and traveling.

Please pray for these girls and the precious babies they have been given.

Thanks
Pam

GETTING BETTER

I am feeling much better about being unemployed. I went to apply for unemployment benefits today and it went much better than I expected. We are going to have to be frugal but I think we will make it.

I went in to the office to clean out my desk and all but 1 person just hung their heads. I am sure they are feeling like it could have been them. Actually it should have been 2 of them but that was not my decision. I just can't speak Spanish! I don't blame them at all and I am sure they were uncomfortable, didn't know what to say or whatever.

I am struggling with letting this get me down. I was up Monday night until 3am crying and getting angrier by the minute. Tuesday I called HR and asked a lot of questions and the girl that laid me off was very helpful and considerate. She let me vent and then in a very nice way told me not to let those feelings get to our branch so that I didn't risk burning a bridge. She even sounded hopeful that I would be called back in the future. Hopefully I will find something I love and I can turn them down.

On to something different. Another blogger Jenna is need of our prayers. She delivered a precious baby boy last night and he is having some problems. Please pray for fast healing for both so that they can be together and Brayden will continue to improve without any more complications.

Blessings,
Pam

IT HAPPENED

What I have been afraid of happened today!

I got the ax! My job was part of a reduction in workforce!

As of 1:00 pm today I am unemployed. I haven't been unemployed since I was 16 years old.

I am a tad bitter about this but it is what it is! What in the world are we going to do????

I don't know the answer to that just yet but I suppose we will take it as it comes!

The scary part for me is that we are not prepared financially even though the mortgage business as been in the tank for awhile now! Looking back we ,so should have been saving for a day like this.

Another thing is that I haven't had to look for a job in 13 years. The jobs in banking have always came to me. What the heck do I do?

They did offer me a straight commission job as a loan officer. Yeah what a good job that would be when no one is buying houses right now! I was processing the loans before.

God brought me that job at a time when I didn't think I could make it another minute at my last employer so I trust that he has something better in mind. It might not be my choice but he knows what I need and where I am needed. This could be a lesson about money that I need, whatever the outcome I will trust in him to lead me.

If anyone has any leads on jobs in NWA, please send me the info and please pray for me to follow where God leads.

Blessings,
Pam

FEELING ENVIOUS

I am feeling kind of envious of all the pregnant girls right now.

The first thing Coco said to me tonight is Heather's baby is in the paper and Maggie's mom is pregnant and Mrs. Harp is pregnant. I want you to have a baby!

Breaks my heart that she wants a sibling so badly and I can't give her one. I really don't know that I would want to if I could. I love all the children in my life but to think about doing the baby thing now with Coco being 8 and me being 40 just scares me.

She keeps asking me and her Daddy to talk about adoption. I tried to tell her it isn't as simple as saying we are going to adopt and doing it. My cousins have had their hearts broken 2 times because DHS didn't do their job and a mother backed out. My SIL has had her heart broken several times due to similar situations, when she started fostering she got Jack at 4 months and he was almost 3 before the adoption was finalized.

I don't know that I have the heart to go through that or to put Coco through it. She assures me that it would be ok, even if a child was only here for awhile. I tried explaining that a new child in our home would take time away from her, she doesn't care if she doesn't get attention. We could have different bed times she says and she could stay up later to have time with us. Oh the girl has a answer for everything.

I told her that we would think, talk and pray about it. She said she would give us 2009 to think about it and wouldn't ask but every couple of months.

I think back over the past 8 years and wonder did I do everything I could to make it happen? Did I give in to soon to having a hysterectomy? Should we have tried other methods? Too late now to question what could have been. All I can do is pray for God's guidance and know that he will guide us in the direction we should go and give us the words to comfort Coco in her desire for a brother or sister!

If you are pregnant and reading this I am so proud for you to be embarking on motherhood! I wouldn't trade my Coco for anything in this world! The day she was born is the day I really understood what true love was. I didn't know I could love something so much and so deeply!

Blessings
Pam

NOTHING ELSE MATTERS

From the time Scott and Coco get home until time for dinner, bath or bedtime because of this!

Coco has never been allowed to use her Christmas or Birthday money until this year! That may sound mean but we have put it in savings or CD's for her college fund since before she was born. I started her savings account with $20 I received at her baby shower. She always has way to many presents anyway. Well this year we let her use some of her money to buy the Wii and Wii Fit.

Her Wii age was 24 years old! Much weaker than she should be! Whatever, she is 8 years old! It will probably tell me I am 90 and go straight to the ER!!!!! I will have to get on it while they are away! Wonder if they could go back and see my history, hmmmm I will have to check on that! I would hate for my hubby to really know my weight!! Yes I do keep some secrets!

I am glad that we let her get the games. It is tons of fun and I am planning a wii party soon! She already has all the little mii people set up for the whole family!

Blessings,

Pam

SO INCREDIBLE!

Coco just came to me and said

Coco: We need to throw away all our cleaners and clorox and stuff!

Me: Why

Coco: We need to just use vinegar and water

Me: Where did you hear that?

Coco: Jon & Kate

Me: big sigh

Then she went off with the dental floss to do her teeth!

Maybe the season dvd of Jon & Kate will have good influences on her! That will be my excuse for letting her stay up until midnught watching it on Friday night!

ONE THING ACCOMPLISHED

I got out the machine today to make a curtain for Coco's closet. I took down the doors a while back and planned on making or buying something frilly to put up but just hadn't done it. While in Hobby Lobby over Christmas Coco picked out the material she wanted. So I accomplished 1 panel and will have to go buy more material for the 2nd one.

Me and Brother getting busy!

Here's a close up of the fabric. Hot pink, lime green and black! I love the trim and have some left over to make her a tassel to match her room! Once I get the other one made it will look gorgeous!

Blessings,

Pam