2 weeks since

my last post. So very sorry! Not that we have been super busy or anything I guess I just haven't been in the mood for blogging. Last week I wasn't feeling up to par so that was some of it I am sure. I got a cold almost 2 weeks ago. I really thought I was over it in like 2 days. The 3rd day after the first signs of getting sick it hit me pretty good. My throat felt awful and it caused me to loose my voice. So for about 2 1/2 days my voice would go in and out of whisper sounds. Jackson kept asking me where my voice was at. I am almost back to normal. I still have moments of it cracking and thankfully I don't need to be cheering loudly for any sports games or anything or I might loose it again!

The weather has still been nasty for the most part. Over the weekend we got several inches of rain and yesterday we woke up to the ground covered in snow. The sun is finally out today, but its cold and extremely wet so it looks like another day inside. I think we have chances of snow again by the end of the week. I think I am going to research to see if I can find a bounce house or something fun to take the kids to next week. Being inside all the time is no fun at all. We have all done really well, but its getting old.

Update on the potty situation with Jackson, we are finally having success with going #2. WOOHOO!!! We decided to get more aggressive about our approach instead of backing off. I started to be more aware of when I thought Jackson might need to take care of business and then would talk to him about it. I would remind him that big boys go on the toilet and that we didn't want to mess in our pants. I would continue to repeat that. At first, it wasn't sinking in, but it finally started. The first few times of having some success on the toilet he was actually in the act of going and I would rush him to the potty and let him finish. Now, he will go off by himself and then I will trail behind reminding him that big boys go in the potty. He will then say yeah I need to go on the potty. Also, another change is that I don't stay with him anymore. At first, I was trying to read books to him and things like that, but that was way too distracting for him. He wouldn't focus on the task at hand. So now I tell him I will give him privacy and he can let me know when he needs me. He will now stay until the task is completed. I am not saying he is fully potty trained yet, we have had a few minor accidents due to him not totally understanding the urgency of getting to the toilet. I do believe we are well on our way of being fully potty trained, though!

3 times...

in one winter season we have gotten SNOW!!! This has to be some sort of record. We had the Christmas snow blizzard. Two weeks ago today we had an ice storm that was followed by snow. As of Tuesday this week some local towns were just getting their electricity back on. Now, today we are having more snow. I don't think its going to turn too nasty though. The temperature is suppose to rise well above freezing and the snow will be turning to rain. Not that we need anymore of that. I can't tell you last time we were able to get outside and enjoy the nice weather. We really need Spring to come. So all you Pacific Northwest people that read our blog, please quit hogging all the Global Warming/Climate Change weather! Us Mid-westerners would gladly change places with you! We aren't handling this yucky nasty overcast weather very well! Thankfully, our family is coping a little better with this weather than others, but still we would like for it to go away!!!!

Oh, no I am now...

a minivan drivin' momma!!! Yes, get your laughs out now! No, we didn't stumble and fall and bump our heads. Honestly, I wished we would have made this decision a long time again. I haven't really been a fan of minivans, but once we looked at the needs for our family and also the practical uses of a vehicle for us this became a no brainer(sp). Yes, we have gone through a fair share of vehicles, but I know this is by far our best choice yet that fits our needs. No it might not be the coolest vehicle on the road, but it gets the job done very nicely.(It is the coolest minivan though!) After we moved back to Oklahoma we got rid of our Suburban and have been driving a Chevy HHR. I loved it! It was super easy to get around and run little errands in. Living in rural Oklahoma it makes a family have to drive anywhere and everywhere to do things. At the time of our purchase of the HHR gas prices were close to $4.00. Driving a big SUV that got around 16 mpg was not fitting real well into our budget! The HHR was a great little family car. Thankfully, we were able to borrow either my parents or grandparents' suburban when friends or family came in to visit. At the same time, you get to the point of not wanting to ask to borrow anymore. Not that either of them minded, but we do go lots of places when we have visitors. We have been blessed not to have any accidents, but you always feel better when you are in your own vehicle if something was to happen. As Byron and I began the research of vehicles that had the capability of carrying 7 passengers and still have room for luggage, the choice basically came down to a minivan or a suburban. Suburbans are extremely expensive, difficult to maneuver in tight areas, and the MPG on those babies aren't too good, especially when it's the only family vehicle. The minivan has all the room we need and more, its easy to drive and to get into parking spots, and the MPG is around 5 MPG less than the HHR. It might not be the most stylish car on the road, the fastest, or the coolest, but it fits the needs of our family and I absolutely love it!

The details of the minivan: 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan with only 16,000 miles. Its color is a Sun-burnt orange leaning more towards a rustic orange. Its a unique, but great color. I can find it in any parking lot and it also wears dirt quite well. The interior is gray with bucket seats in front and the middle row with a bench for 3rd row seating. It has a touch screen stereo system. Also it has the reverse back up camera. Which for me is extremely nice! We are super thrilled with our new family vehicle: THE MINIVAN!!!!!!!

Parenting!

I am so thankful that I have a good size laundry room. It contains my washer, dryer, extra refrigerator, shoe storage, and vacuum cleaner. On several other occasions it holds confiscated toys. Most of the time, those would be Jackson's toys! Several months ago we had to take Jaycee's toys away for her lack of wanting to clean up her room. We moved her entire toy box with every toy that we could manage to fit in it to our bedroom and then others into the laundry room. She was without her toys for at least 2 weeks if not longer. When she finally got them back she was thrilled and to this day we have not had a problem with her cleaning up. Most of the time, she cleans up her room without us saying a word to her. Now, Jackson on the other hand seems to be loosing toys everyday. Last week we had taken the majority of his toys away. We gave them back this past Saturday because we were having people over for a Super Bowl Party and thought the kids would need toys to play with. Jackson was very excited to have his toys back and spent most of that day in his room playing. For the most part he did a good job picking up his toys. Unfortunately, his efforts have already turned sour. Last night he refused once again to clean up his room. This time we have removed every car he has. Those are really his prized possessions. I went through every inch of his bedroom gathering every car in every size and removed it from his room. Now, my laundry room once again has containers of confiscated cars. Hopefully, Jackson will grasp the fact that he needs to clean up when we ask him. If he doesn't come to understand this I am not sure what we will need to do. Maybe just clean out his entire room leaving nothing but a blanket and pillow on the floor for him to sleep on. I think the terrible two's are hitting him late and that its going to be more like the terrible 3's. He is just testing his boundaries and seeing what he can get away with. Unlike his sister, he doesn't enjoy "growing up". He would prefer to be a baby forever. Jaycee we have to remind her that she is 4 not 18. The joys of parenthood. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with two precious amazing adventurous and lively children. Even though at times I would love to pull my hair out, scream at the top of my lungs, and throw my hands up in surrender, I still wouldn't trade these moments for anything in the world. The hugs, kisses, and the laughter make it all worth it! Not to mention, to see them grow in their love for God and to see them over the years become the person that the Lord is calling them to be. As a parent, I don't think there is a greater accomplishment, for a lack of better word, then to see your child become all God created them to be. Parenthood is the most challenging and most rewarding "job" out there.