My Big Girl.

There are days that I just can't believe how big my little Miss D is.

She goes number 1 and 2 on the toilet.

She feeds herself.

She talks in almost complete sentences.

She says please and thank you momma.

She can count to 10.

She says yes momma and yes daddy.

She will sit and watch almost all of a movie.

She wore a necklace the other day.

She like to sweep and clean just like me.

She loves to listen to music.

She likes to help me fold the laundry.

She comes down the dark hallway and into our dark bedroom and walks to my side of the bed and says "snuggle minute".

She goes to the Children's Program at BSF.

She wanted to take a rock to the worker in the nursery at church yesterday.

She can put her socks on.

She didn't want me to sing to her before her nap today... she just pointed to the door and said "momma go out there". (ouch!)

She likes to eat popcorn.

(but she still sucks her thumb... I guess that still makes her my baby right!)

Cleaning Girly

I emptied out this bottle of cleaner because it was almost all gone. She didn't know the difference. She just wanted to do cleaning just like I was. She likes to do a bit of sweeping also.

We were at Walmart today and it was the 1st time that I had to take her potty in a public place. We have been able to time it just right and have her go before we leave and then hit the bathroom at yng if we are still out doing errands. Well today in the middle of my shopping she said "potty". So before she lost her load we headed to the nearest restroom. The one in the front of the store was under construction.... I found that out as we were approaching the door. So we had to head to the opposite side of the store and go to the other restroom. Of course it was in the toy department which we were planning on avoiding. But she had potty on her mind and wasn't distracted by the toys that we had to drive through as we went to the other potty spot. She made it to the toilet without any "tinkle panties". Yah for Miss D. My potty trained GIRL!

Tuesday is my favorite day.

We joined a new community group through our church. We meet on Tuesday nights. Tuesday's is a busy day for the D family. I have a study group that meets on Tuesday at 12:30pm and that usually is such a packed full time of learning and prayer that we usually don't end until at least 4pm. Then we head home for some quick dinner and then head out to our new group that we went for the 1st time to this week. Well the group was amazing and the couple that leads it are amazing too. I just finished reading their book last night. I will get the title up here later. Anywho... we ended up staying until 10:30PM! Poor little Miss D. Thanks to the Lord she was willing to cooperate with the fact that we stayed SO LATE. She was following around the kitty and eating snacks. She was being such an angel. We met a new couple that goes to the later service at our church... so our paths have never crossed with them. It was an amazing night. We just talked and talked and talked. It was really humbling to find out that my hubby and I were an "inspiration" to the leaders of the group. I just never think that my life and the suffering that I have had over the last year would ever speak to others and be inspiring. It has been God though me and that is the only explaination. It is just so cool when the Lord goes before you and leads our path directly to where we need to be. We started reading the book of Acts which is a book that I've been touching here and there on over the last month. Through some of the events in my life over the past month that book has been an encouragement to me. What Paul went through during his spreading of the gospel he encountered hard times has spoke to me. Everyday I'm just so thankful to the Lord and His daily lessons for me. His daily encouragement to me through His Word never ever runs dry.

March 7th Reading

March 7th.
UNDAUNTED RADIANCE

"Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." Romans 8:37

Paul is speaking of the things that might seem likely to separate or wedge in between the saint and the love of God; but the remarkable thing is that nothing can wedge in between the love of God and the saint. These things can and do come in between the devotional exercises of the soul and God and separate individual life from God; but none of them is able to wedge in between the love of God and the soul of the saint. The bedrock of our Christian faith is the unmerited, fathomless marvel of the love of God exhibited on the Cross of Calvary, a love we never can and never shall merit. Paul says this is the reason we are more than conquerors in all these things, super-victors, with a joy we would not have but for the very things which look as if they are going to overwhelm us.
The surf that distresses the ordinary swimmer produces in the surf-rider the super-joy of going clean through it. Apply that to our own circumstances, these very things - tribulation, distress, persecution, produce in us the super-joy; they are not things to fight. We are more than conquerors through Him in all these things, not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. The saint never knows the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it - "I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation," says Paul.
Undaunted radiance is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can alter. The experiences of life, terrible or monotonous, are impotent to touch the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

online is cool

I made the switch to bill payment online and I just had to share how easy it is... I don't have to worry that I have to stop and get stamps anymore. I just log into my online bank account and in my jammies I can pay some bills.

Very cool huh!

Wiggly at 7am.

Miss D and I has been enjoying The Wiggles at 7am lately. She wasn't to into them and now for some reason wants to watch them. Maybe now she can be a bit more interactive and sing along. Well just let me tell you if you don't have kiddos and you don't know who they are.... They sing and dance and are pretty cute for little kiddos. But for me as I sit there and watch with Miss D... I am pretty amused by their energy. The constant jumping and dancing... no wonder all of them are skinny. It is a really cute half hour show for Miss D and really entertains her... and I have to say there are some times during that show I have to just shake my head and wonder how they could act SO GOOFY and not just be completely self conscious. I guess that is why they have their own TV show and millions of dollars. Entertaining kids is their specialty and they really do a great job at it.

HAPPY LEAP DAY!

February 29th.
WHAT DO YOU WANT THE LORD TO DO FOR YOU?
Lord, that I may receive my sight." Luke 18:41
What is the thing that not only disturbs you but makes you a disturbance? It is always some thing you cannot deal with yourself. "They rebuked him that he should hold his peace . . . but he cried so much the more." Persist in the disturbance until you get face to face with the Lord Himself; do not deify common sense. When Jesus asks us what we want Him to do for us in regard to the incredible thing with which we are faced, remember that He does not work in common-sense ways, but in supernatural ways.
Watch how we limit the Lord by remembering what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past: I always failed there, and I always shall; consequently we do not ask for what we want. "It is ridiculous to ask God to do this." If it is an impossibility, it is the thing we have to ask. If it is not an impossible thing, it is not a real disturbance. God will do the absolutely impossible.
This man received his sight. The most impossible thing to you is that you should be so identified with the Lord that there is nothing of the old life left. He will do it if you ask Him. But you have to come to the place where you believe Him to be Almighty. Faith is not in what Jesus says but in Himself; if we only look at what He says we shall never believe. When once we see Jesus, He does the impossible thing as naturally as breathing. Our agony comes through the wilful stupidity of our own heart. We won't believe, we won't cut the shore line, we prefer to worry on.
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I can think of so many things that disturb me. I was just talking yesterday to a friend who has many disturbances in her life. Worring is at the center of it all and that is where the problem begins. When we begin to feel like we are bearing the burdens instead of giving it to Jesus... because He said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Choosing to worry and do other things that arn't of God, that is when we make the agreement with Satan... when we chose to worry and allow him to stir the pot of our life. As soon as we break that agreement and truely repent and change the way that we think... it is only then that The Holy Spirit can take the captain's seat back of our life ship and be the navigator. When He is our leader we are just following and that is where the peace is. No worring when the Lord of the heavens and earth is at the driver's seat!~

Feb 28 Oswald Chambers

I'm going to try and start to post each day of Oswald Chambers "My Utmost For His Highest". It is always a quick read... but seems to always pertain to my life somehow that day and I always come away from it feeling edified and lifted up. I want to share with my readers a bit of Oswald. He has a way of cutting straight through the "stuff" and right to the heart. Please be blessed by this reading and I hope that it finds you as it has me today. Shaking my head... as saying "Right On Man".

DO YE NOW BELIEVE?
"By this we believe . . . Jesus answered, Do ye now believe?" John 16:30-31

Now we believe. Jesus says - Do you? The time is coming when you will leave Me alone. Many a Christian worker has left Jesus Christ alone and gone into work from a sense of duty, or from a sense of need arising out of his own particular discernment. The reason for this is the absence of the resurrection life of Jesus. The soul has got out of intimate contact with God by leaning to its own religious understanding. There is no sin in it, and no punishment attached to it; but when the soul realizes how he has hindered his understanding of Jesus Christ, and produced for himself perplexities and sorrows and difficulties, it is with shame and contrition he has to come back.
We need to rely on the resurrection life of Jesus much deeper down than we do, to get into the habit of steadily referring everything back to Him; instead of this we make our common - sense decisions and ask God to bless them. He cannot, it is not in His domain, it is severed from reality. If we do a thing from a sense of duty, we are putting up a standard in competition with Jesus Christ. We become a "superior person," and say - "Now in this matter I must do this and that." We have put our sense of duty on the throne instead of the resurrection life of Jesus. We are not told to walk in the light of conscience or of a sense of duty, but to walk in the light as God is in the light. When we do anything from a sense of duty, we can back it up by argument; when we do anything in obedience to the Lord, there is no argument possible; that is why a saint can be easily ridiculed.

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Also, Mr. D is heading out of town tomorrow to go to Las Vegas with a childhood friend. He is about to see his 1st NASCAR race and he couldn't be more excited. I kinda wish I was going too... but I would have been a major 3rd wheel and really... who wants their wife around when they are with the guys and they are watching high-speed car racing??? So.. Miss D and I are gonna be hanging out this weekend.

Bubbles... and not the pretty kind.

My little Miss D had been fighting like a little trooper this last week. Look what she sneezed out of her nose yesterday. She REALLY doesn't like her nose running. She will call out to me when her nose begins a drip. I will wipe it out of the way and she will be on her way. Then a few minutes later and she will call out to me "nose running". When I have to use the bulb sucker thing... as I call it my "special tool" she will run away saying "no special tool". But then after the dramatic crying and sucking of the snot is over she is always pleasantly surprised by the fact that she can breathe again.

She is sitting on my lap right now and she just finished picking up her crayons. I asked her to pick up the huge mess of crayons on the floor in order to sit up on my lap and watch video of herself as a baby. She is watching one right now of herself crawling around and

getting into a box. After the video clip is over she will ask "different one again" or "different one baby again". I have a clip of her waking up from a nap in her crib and she likes to watch that one too. She will also make sure to tell me that she doesn't want to watch the current selection that I have chosen for her. She will say " not this one mama" or "different one" and then she will say "laughing" like I'm suppose to know which one that is... out of all the clips that I have on the computer. She is approaching bedtime by the sound of the wimpering little girl on my lap.

GROSS

This little friend was crawling in my kitchen this morning... can you imagine if I would have

STEPPED ON THIS IN MY BARE FEET!

ICK!!! Crunchy and Squishy!

Miss D was interested in it... but she was also very happy

when the bug was thrown out the back door.

Princess Miss D

I found this as I've been cleaning and organizing my STUFF! This was my MIL's homecoming crown and my SIL suggested that I wear it on my wedding day. So my MIL was so excited and I was too when I saw it. Isn't it so PRETTY! I felt like a princess. It fit Miss D's head just perfectly. She wasn't to interested in it... but I have a feeling that someday she will be.

My little Miss D got a belated Valentine's Day present from her Grammy. It was a chocolate See's Candy Sucker and a Fluffy Dragon that sings and flutters it's wings. She calls it Hippo Girl. It is so cute.. without the fluttering wings it would be annoying. She has been bringing it to me to be wrapped up in her blanket so that she can carry Hippo Girl around. She pets her head and rubs her back... Miss D is so tender. Back to the sucker. Add a little heat and saliva to a chocolate sucker and BAM! you get a sticky mess. Miss D sure enjoyed it. I put her in her old highchair that was out from under the stairs.. as part of the cleaning and thinning out of stuff. She enjoyed her sucker while sitting in that chair. The stickies were contained to the highchair... an easy surface to clean off.

More on my little daughter.... There are times during the day when I wonder if I have had any quiet in the last while. She yammers on at the mouth pretty much all day. Unless she is sitting watching a movie or something. How soon is it to play the quiet game? I know that she is only 2... so maybe it is a bit soon. I think that I would get a blank stare of confusion if I asked her to play that game with me. She would rather have some music playing and be dancing around or have me following her around with my hands on her shoulders singing "Down by the Station." She learned a new word the other day. Mr. D pointed out her collar bone. I didn't think that she would ever remember that. It is kinda random don't you think? Well after a bath today she made sure that I didn't forget that she knew where her collarbone was. Such a silly girl. Tonight she liked to have her blanket layed over the coffee table so that Hippo Girl could lay on it. So I would fluff it nicely on the coffee table and it would bug her if one of the corners wasn't layed out just right. I would purposely fluff it so that one of the corners didn't lay straight just to see what she would do... "momma fix it" is what she would say. Mr. D and I just sat there shaking our heads. Details... Detail. This girl is all about the details. I was cleaning the other day and she went into her bathroom and pulled out a Costco wetwipe and followed me around "doing her work" she wiped down the tv in the playroom and the printer and the window sills. She is such a "special helper". I sure do love her. Hard to believe that she is 2! I just loaded my cd's of old pictures on to my new computer... she likes to watch the video clips of when she was a baby. I do too!

Stuff For Sale

So I am also selling some things... as is my SIL @ eightcrazy.

These are for any local people who are interested. I could send stuff too... you pay shipping. I also have a ton of clothes... dresses, sweatshirts, fitted shirts, pants (capri and long), shoes and handbags.

I am also selling a toddler bed, diaper dekor with refills, chalkboard frame wall thing, bronze pier one mirror, brown wicker candle holder, white ceramic butter dish, painted glass stemware, glass and pewter cheese plate, Eddie Bauer Wood Highchair, Towels, Bedding(see picture below with Sham... I have 2 shams and a bedskirt that match), Martha Stewart Magazine collection, Wall Art, Photo Albums, VHS Movies, Mini Fridge, Double Stroller, Riding Lawn Mower, Small Water Heater, Ski set without bindings.... you name it and I might have it to sell.

Email me at mustsellthestuff@gmail.com if you are interested in seeing ALL the stuff I have for sale. I'm in the process of seperating all the stuff for sale and the stuff that isn't. The bonus room is going to end up the catch all room. If you are in the area we can hook up for a browsing session... If not then my dial-up will be put to the limit as I try to post pics on craigslist or to email you at some unknown location. By the way our house is for sale too... (sorry if you are reading this J & S ...(bit of a shocker) WE NEED TO TALK!

I will also try and get a sale together soon once I get sorted through everything. Stuff will be CHEAP... because it has GOT TO GO BYE BYE!

Happy VD Day to me!

Here was my BEAutiful VD Day present... 2 Dozen Roses. Yes I know that I typed VD Day. It is a joke between Mr. D and I. When I worked at my families buisness I had my own floral area of the store. For VD day Mr. D would go in after I had a LONG day of Valentine's day flower arranging and HE would make me my own personal floral arrangement. I didn't have any say in it all!~ He would pick the container...(one year he got really tricky and used floral foam)... he would choose the flowers and the greens. He would then do the arranging. I really appreciated the flowers because he arranged them special for me. After a long few days of filling orders for all the other men getting floral arrangements for their wives, I didn't want to make my own flowers for VD Day and I also didn't want him to buy me something from somewhere else. Now that I'm a stay-at-home mommy we don't have a floral buisness at my parents family buisness and so he has resorted to buying flowers from another place. I don't care anymore. When he brings them home I'm just excited as ever. So this year it was from a grocery store. He knows that I have the highest standards when it comes to flowers... because of my upbringing. I can spot old flowers trying to be sold as fresh a mile away. Mr. D spent extra time inspecting the flowers for sale and brought me home the most freshest and most beautifulist. I went out to the backyard and trimmed some branches and added them to the vase. I arranged the roses this year because I so rarely get the chance to do that anymore. (it is my passion). So aren't they pretty. My camera has a black and white with red setting so I decided to use it with the roses. One of the stems was broken a bit so that one went in a tiny vase for little Miss D.

This was the sunrise this morning.... goregous huh!

closest book at hand...? page 14

I got this idea off another blog I frequent....

I'm going to grab the nearest book I have to me. (the one that I just opened up from Amazon.com)

I'm going to now turn to hmmmm.... page 14. Since that is a special number to me. I have no idea what will be on that page. Then I'm going to read the 1st 3 sentences and then write to all you readers the next 3 sentences.

Here it goes...
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Page 14 of the Holy Spirit and You by Dennis and Rita Bennett.
The Holy Sirit having joined Himself to our spirit (1 Cor. 6:17) brings it from death to life; it is "born again," and becomes what St. Paul calls a "new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17; Rev. 21 :4-5).
The new life created by the Holy Spirit in us, is what Jesus calls "eternal life". This doesn't just mean "going on and on," But God's life in us, the kind of life that never runs down, never gets tired, or bored, but is always joyful and fresh (1 John 5:11).
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All I can say is that kind of life sounds great to me. Just in that last sentance... I could use some of that Holy Spirit power to get motivated instead of my morning coffee....

Ok... now to tag some friends to do the same fun task.

hmmmm....
Shannon, Jen, Steph, Erica and Margie

Can't wait to see what you all find to type!

Heres the low down..

TO all my beloved readers-
I've done my best at keeping this blog free of any personal info... (ie-names, ages, dates.)
I've had to put on comment moderation for that reason. There have been some comments that I haven't published because they contained personal info. So if you don't see your comment on here that is why...
I can't go in and change any typing on the comments... I can only chose to publish or reject them. SO~ all that said... please stick to Mrs. D, Miss D, Mr. D and that would be great. I know that my name is linked to this blog from others and that is out of my control. I'm ok with that. So... thanks in advance for the cooperation........... my readers!

Feeling like fringe

What do you all think of my new hair do? I needed a change. I love going in to get my haircut and not knowing what I'm going to leave with. I have had the same person cutting my hair since I was 11 years old. I've never had a bad hair cut! I haven't had bangs like this in ages....

On to a dream.

I pray you'll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don't know

Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your Grace
To a place where we'll be safe

I pray we'll find your light
And hold it in our hearts
When stars go out each night

Let this be our prayer
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace

Give us faith so we'll be safe.

We ask that life be kind
And watch us from above
We hope each soul will find
Another soul to love

Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Just like every child

Needs to find a place,
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe

Song by Josh Groban and Charlotte Church

my fine 4 legged friend

This deer has been in this spot since we got up this morning. Her fawn was there next to her... but has wandered off. Funny to think that when the fawn wanders back he will be wandering back to our house because that is where he left his momma.

Guess who isn't wearing daipers anymore... my little MISS D.

She got some 2T panties for her birthday and she was so interested in wearing them that we went for it. At night I would put a diaper over her cute little panties just in case. Well.... she hasn't woke up wet the last 5 days. So for 5 days she hasn't had an accident and has been completly daiper free. We went to BSF yesterday and she didn't wear a diaper. She could come to the children's program now that she is 2. She did so well. I was leaving her in a classroom with people that she had never met before and out the door I went. She cried for about 2 minutes... just long enough for me to feel my heart ripping out of my chest. I was working in the classroom next door with the 4-5 year olds... blessings... because I knew that she had stopped crying and I could hear that she was having fun.

The Bible lesson that the children learned yesterday was about the diciples in the boat and then Jesus walked on water over to the boat as the water was overtaking their boat. Jesus was concerned about his diciples and was going to comfort them and the shortest route to the boat was to go over the water. Peter saw Jesus and called to Him and then Jesus called Peter to come out to the boat and walk to Him. Peter by faith STEPPED OUT OF THE BOAT! He began to walk to Jesus. He was walking until he saw the surroundings and realized that he was afraid of being overcome by the waves and began to sink. Jesus held out His hand to Peter and rescued him. Jesus commended Peter for having a "little" faith. "O you of little faith" as Jesus said. I think that in that verse the "little" is meant to complement Peter on stepping out of the boat when all the other diciples decided to stay in the boat. Think of how much further Peter could have walked if he would have just kept his eyes on Jesus. That story was JUST what I needed to hear. I have never served in the BSF children's ministry and of all days to serve and hear that story. It was all God's planning.

I just realized that I wouldn't be putting a diaper on her anymore and that part of our life is over... mommy and baby. But we have moved on to panties and they are so much cuter. So there you go. I feel blessed to have a 2 year old that doesn't wear diapers anymore. But I guess that God know how much we can bear and with all that has been happening in our lives lately that has been so nice to have her just make that change with only 2 accidents (both on the tile floor... easy cleanup).

SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW.....

We still have snow on the ground. It is snowing on and off today. I have really gotten use to looking out the window and seeing white. It really brightens up the house. ENJOY the pics of the views this year.

You better appreciate them because it took 20 minutes to load these 3 pics! ugg...

Idea Needed Please...

I have two of these lovely empty tin containers... and I will have more because I LOVE the Arbonne Protein Shake. All you crafty people out there who require no effort to create... lend me an idea. What can I make with these? I have learned to look at things like this in a new light... thinking I should't throw these away. I'm sure that Eight Crazy or Infarrantly Creative should surely see a missed opportunity. So help a sister out....

LOST IS BACK!

PEOPLE!!! Listen UP.
LOST premeires TONIGHT!
I'm so excited I just can't stand it.
Last night they had a great recap from last season.
It was as if they were catching up all the people who have gotten SO confused over the last few seasons. The story line is SO thick that trying to catch someone up on what they have missed is SO hard. It was a great teaser last night and SO I'm pumped for the premeire tonight. Don't call me from 8-11pm tonight because Mr. D and I will not be answering our phone. Miss D is going to have to start hittting her sack at 7:45 on thursday nights.
I'm working on my painting. By the way... my painter helpers (Mrs. C and Mrs. A)... I've about got it all fixed. I figured out a way to slightly water down the paint and then ever SO carefully I fan out the edges to blend in so you REALLY would need to be looking hard to see. Although I did have to completely redo a wall in the entry way because the sunlight was just so and I could pick out the touchup spot like it was in 3D.

Talk about ANNOYING!

Mr. D and I have been working on some various projects around the house. One of them has been sheet rock touch up and touch up painting. I took my paper that had all the paint colors and base colors on it into the local paint store. Where we got the paint initially. I only needed a bit so he used a gallon of paint base to make me a few quarts of a few different colors. A little back ground info first. When Mr. D painted our interior walls while the house was being built he used a sprayer. Which mixes just the slightest bit of water into the paint. We know now that changes the paint sheen ever so slightly. Well back to the story. I had taken a few months picking out paint colors for the house. It was a hard task because I knew that the walls would NEVER be repainted. Mr. D and I HATE painting. I love the result of painting... BUT HATE the job of painting. So I chose a paint color called Tabu for the laundry room and for the guest full bath. I had chose a different color... I don't remember the name now for the den, dining and the bonus room. It was suppose to be a light pale yellow. I came up to the house after a day at work and Mr. D had been working on painting the house. I was SO excited to see the paint on the walls. He had done the laundry room and the bath. LOVED IT. Then he had done the den, dining and bonus room. HATED IT! It was like neon green. Why Mr. D didn't stop painting the horrendous color I'll never know. When I put the paint sample up to the wall it was wrong. I called the paint store and they said they would make me a new batch. I wasn't about to try that color again, so I just had them make me a new batch of Tabu so we could use that color in the den, dining and bonus. I knew that I loved the sagey green color... so there would be no surprises. Unknown to me they used a different base for the second batch. That means that the 2 Tabu colored rooms are just so slightly different. So that means that I have to have two different cans to touch up those rooms. And remember that they were all initially painted with a sprayer. I just took to digging out the list so that I knew which Tabu went where. I started my touch up and I can see all of them! Talk about just about going loopy. I just got done repainting a wall and the ceiling in the bath upstairs because it was so noticeable. The sheen is just a little different that you can see where I touched up! I touched and then retouched with the other base of Tabu to make sure that neither of the paints would cover correctly. Uggggh! How annoying. I'm nervous about touching up the main wall color because I think that it is going to be the same story. Different sheen.... just enough to see the touch ups. I can see the touch up in our master bath also. It is a different color. The crazy thing is that sometime I can see it and in other places it doesn't look so bad. I think I'm going to have to repaint all the areas that need to be touched up. That really doesn't sound like FUN AT ALL!!!!

Miss D Turns 2!!

Miss D Turns TWO!

She had such a fun filled day. The day began out by her sleeping in until 7:30am... a treat. Then We all got ready for family to come over. All were to arrive at 10am. Well the weather was throwing in a twist. There was ice covered streets and freeways... making for a delay in the festivities. All arrived safe and sound. We shared fruit, veggies and muffins. I made Lemon Supreme Cupcakes for Miss D and the other kiddos. I put sour patch kids on the top for a cute little detail. Miss D had 2 of course. She got doll house furniture, art suppiles, books and some clothes. She had a blast opening the gifts. There was tissue flying everywhere. She looked so pretty with her pigtails and her dress from last Easter. It was a little tight through the tummy after she was done eating. Everyone left and Miss D was down for a much needed nap. Mr. D and I cleaned and mopped the floors. It just feels good to get everything cleaned up right away so we didn't have to do it later. I didn't sleep very well the night before her birthday so I was tired after the party. But once the house was cleaned up I was able to rest. There really isn't anything like a tidy and cleaned up house. If you were to ask me if I cared about that before I was married... I would have said I didn't care. But being married to a person who appreciates that I have grown to appreciate it too. When we were selling the last house that we had it was for sale by owner. That was great training for keeping a tidy house. I never knew when someone would want to look at the condo. I was working during that time and I couldn't dash around and turbo clean.. So we were forced to pretend like someone would drop in any minute to see the condo. It taught me to keep a tidy house and now I just like it like that. Miss D and Mr. D are watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the background. It is cute to hear Miss D say scruptious. She has her 2 year old check up tomorrow. She hasn't been back to the doctor since her 18 month check up. Thanks to much prayer and faith in God's provision of salvation we have been well and haven't needed to go to the Doctor lately.

Morning GOD Encounter

I was finishing up my BSF Lesson this morning and during my prayer time and quiet time I got picture from God and then I quickly after received the word of knowledge. As I was praying for the Belt of Truth and the Breastplate of Righteousness.....

John 14:6 6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Ephesians 6:13-15 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

I got a picture in my head that I was wrapped up in a dollar bill. I didn't see the amount... just that I was wrapped up tight in in. As one would snuggle up with a blanket. I prayed for understanding and the Holy Spirit revealed to me that Jesus paid for my sin and I can wrap myself in His payment. When God sees me He sees the payment of Jesus' shed blood and not my dirty rags.

I know that there are no sore throats in Heaven and Jesus said in the "Model Prayer" 10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven in Matt 6:10.

Well I can take that truth and hold tight to it.

1 Corinthians 4:20 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
In the verse above "power" in the greek/hebrew mean dynamite.
The kingdom has the power of dynamite. Jesus is my access to the Kingdom.

Luke 17:21 21nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within[a] you."

The kingdom is also within me. Anyways.... back to the sore throat. I have about 3 times that I can remember stood firm knowing that if I use the name of Jesus and the authority attached with His name... whatever that is making my throat sore will have to obey the truth and the authority of Jesus. I ask in the Name of Jesus that whatever is making my throat sore to be gone. And my throat is better. Read the Book of Acts and you will see that Jesus gave His diciples the authority to go and heal the sick and cleanse the lepers. I'm a believer and so I have that authority too. The same Holy Spirit that indwelled Jesus... indwells me.
Here are a few more verses on healing to check out:
John 14:12
Mark 11:24
Exodus 15:26
Psalm 103:3
Exodus 23:25
John 5:19
Isaiah 53:5
1 Peter 2:24

Matt 12:43 43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

I have to tell the truth to you all. EVERYTIME that I have done this I immediately feel my throat shrink and be completely restored. I'm sitting here typing without a sore throat. When I woke up this morning it was sore again. I hope that this info and testimony finds you seeking and wanting more of the Kingdom of God and power of the Holy Spirit. God will meet you where you are and Jesus has showed throughout the New Testament that He is able to heal. All you have to do is ask. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide. He is the true teacher and the comforter. The secret things belong to the Lord and addressing the cause of the sore throat is the deeper issue.

Matt 7:7 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
One last thing.... A deep thought to ponder today from Bill Johnson's Book... When Heaven Invades Earth.
"Revelation that doesn't lead to a God encounter only serves to make me more religious. Unless Scripture leads me to Him, I only become more equipped to debate with those who disagree with my way of thinking." page 94.

If you are desiring to know God deeper than you do now and actually have a living ongoing God encounter. The Holy Spirit will be your guide. I have been met with hard resistance regarding the subjects I have talked about above. I have measured everything above with scripture and it lines up. I continue everyday to receive more knowledge through the Bible and other books I read. Another book I'm reading is The Holy Spirit and You. By Dennis and Rita Bennett. Lots of great info on understanding the gifts of the Spirit. I'm half way through and can't wait to buy one of my own ( I'm borrowing this one from my MIL) and sit with my highlighter.

Tinkle Time

Guess who has been telling me "Potty Time".

I'll bet that it is a given and you won't say me or Mr. D.....................

We had some friends stay the night last Saturday and their little girl sat on the potty before their bath and so I put Miss D on there to see what would happen when I asked her to go potty. Next thing I know is I hear the jet stream of tinkle filling the potty chair. I don't know how she would have been able to hold that while in the bath because there was alot that came out. So I have been continuing to ask her if she need to go potty. And sometimes she says no and sometimes she will say yes. She was just downstairs after breakfast watching My Friends Tigger and Pooh and she called out to me... "Mommy Potty Time". I do have to say that it has created more work for me because I want to capitalize on this new trick that she has... so I can't delay when she calls out to me. I drop what I'm doing and take her to the potty chair. She does her buisness and I put her dry diaper back on. So I need advice on when to make the change to panties or do I go to pull-ups? Do I stay with diapers until she can stay dry? The commercial is coming to mind with the pull-ups that turn cold when they begin to get wet. All the advertisments for pull-ups... "you I'm a big kid now." She is turning 2 in a few days.... I mean she is still so little. Hmmmmm.....

Also the pic of here above is with the crown that I wore on my wedding day. It was my MIL's homecoming queen crown. It fit Miss D just perfectly. I need to get her all dressed up and put that on her for some pictures. Maybe when I take her for her 2 year old pics.....

Home and SO Sunny

Getting back to dial-up is SO painful. I was so spoiled on vacation to have high-speed. Uggg.....
The sunrise yesterday and today have been Glorious! I'm sitting here at my computer being blinded in one eye from the sun shining in. It is so nice to be home. Miss D was SO happy to see us. She was at the airport to greet us and when we walked around the corner after getting off the plane she came running and smiling. I picked her up and she gave me the longest hug ever. She was rubbing my arms and face smiling. She did the same thing to her daddy. It was just the best to see her and give her kisses. I feel like I have been smothering her with hugs and kisses lately... but I don't even care. She had a fit a few days ago before her nap so we took her out of her room and gave her a little more time before she had to go back to bed. It was a little early for her nap anyways... she is weaning down to one nap a day. But anyways... we brought her into bed to snuggle and just lay together. Next thing we knew she was asleep! So I fell asleep too and we slept for 3 hours! It was the best. She is really amazing me! She talks so well. She is 3-4 word together now and there really isn't anything that gets past her.
I used the oven cleaning button yesterday to see what it was all about. It took 3 hours and it charred everything in my oven into grey dust. All I had to do was wipe it up and my oven was good as new! I have never done that before. But boy did it stink up my house! I had to open up the window (30 degrees outside!) because it was so stinky!
Man it is nice to be home.... we had 5 loads of laundry to do from our trip... but we didn't have to wash any of Miss D's clothes because a laundry fairy washed everything so all I had to do was put it all away.
I tried to post some pics of the sunrise... but blogger is not cooperating!

Too Cute

Snow.... what?

There is snow outside! How crazy is that. Last night they were getting ready for the snow by putting down de-icer all over the streets. It was kinda comical to see everyone all up in arms about the snow. I'm just hoping that we can make our flight connection tomorrow. I'm excited to get home. It has been a nice and relaxing but busy trip. Our Marriot hotels have been so nice. The 1st one we were at had a dinner and breakfast for free. We never made it to the dinner...but the breakfast was great. The hotel that we are at today had a great breakfast too. We rolled out of bed and headed down to get some food before they closed. I put my hair up in a ponytail and Mr. D didn't even wear a hat. Apparantly that is a big no no here... he didn't fix his hair. Now his hair is short so it wan't all crazy or anything. But everyone gave him a gawky-eyed gaze. It was as if they were thinking "you are in public and you aren't totally ready for your day yet... what were you thinking?" It was kinda funny. Mr. D asked me if he had anything on his face or something because everyone was looking at him like he did.
Last night we had a hard time finding somewhere to eat. It was 10pm eastern time...but 7pm at home... we have been trying to not get to messed up with the time change. Nowhere was open... so we had ourselves some Taco Bell. We are going to hit the last raceshops today and then we head home tomorrow!

More Town Travels

Today we went to DEI and how lame of us to not take any pictures. As we were driving away we remembered that we didn't and thought duh.... oops. It was really cool for Mr. D to see the # 3 car and to see the uniforms from previous cup races and all that stuff. We even did the majorly touristy thing and defaced a penny and had Dale Sr.s name smashed on it. Tomorrow we are going out to the Smoky Mountains and we are going to more tourism stuff. We have had some really busy days. But we are having a great time. Then on our last day here we are going to go to the rest of the race shops around town.

We ate at the most amazing restaurant called Cracker Barrel. Today we both had the daily lunch special. Meat loaf and mashed potatoes with a side. I chose the carrots and Mr. D had the baked apples. We also had cornbread... which didn't even need butter because you could see the glistening of the butter that was baked into the cornbread somehow. We did however need to ask for honey. We didn't get any sweet tea today... but we have surely has our fair share of it. We are no stranger to the sweet tea... thanks to some special friends that always make it when we are at their house. It is the same here. You can get it at all of the restaurants here. Yumm-o. Everyone is so nice and they seem to really want to talk to us. Wondering where we are from and what we are doing here. Anywho... the time change is getting to us... just as it is time to come home. Here are a few pics of the downtown and of me... since Mr. D wasn't feeling to photogenic.

Miss my girl.

Ok... today was a fun day. Although tonight I've been in a bit of a funk. I'm missing my little baby girl. We have been gone for only a few days and I'm feeling pretty torn tonight. I KNOW that she is in the most cuddly special care, but that doesn't do anything for me right now.... other than give me piece of mind. I'm across the nation and not with her. We are watching COPS on TV mixed in with a little Titanic and Legally Blonde 2. I'm kinda finding myself wanting to gather my stuff up quickly and catch the next flight home. I just had 4 oreos and they did taste good... but I still miss my baby. Please tell me that I'm not a bad mom for going on a relaxing trip away with my husband. I'm feeling guilty right now. Ugggggg. What a funk.

Hmmmmm.

I just watched this video... with high-speed in our hotel room.
Great explaination...
Fact vs. Fiction

Hush Little Puppy get in my Tummy

We had lunch at a Nascar themed restaurant were the waitress had a very thick accent. We ordered and she said that she would be back out with our "Hush Puppies". I thought ok... we didn't order them but whatever. So she came back out and put them on our table. I had to ask.... "What are they?" She said "Hush Puppies" and said "Yes, but what are they?" She said "Deep fried cornmeal". Ok... she suggested dipping in BBQ or in catsup. So we proceeded with our "Hush Puppies". I have to say... they were good. Kinda like deep fried kinda plain corn bread bites. I think they would have been good with honey. But I didn't ask because I didn't want her to think... ok, crazy lady... I'll bring you some honey.

Lakeside Views

This is a few pics of the local Lake Norman. There is 500 miles of lakeside property. It was so pretty. We had a great day just driving around and site seeing. We have a few suggestions of some more places to check out.
Mt. Mitchell
Builtmore House
and some scenic road that I can't remember the name of. It is about a 2 hour drive from where we are staying. But he said that the "Smoky Mountains" are worth seeing. They aren't much of a comparison to the mountains at home but... hey we still got 6 days!

Travling Today

I come to you my blogging fans from the city of Huntersville, NC. Mr. D and I are here for a little R&R. We will be touring the surrounding cities and having a great time. We had a great day of travels. Everything was so smooth. On the first leg of the flight to Minneapolis there was an empty seat next to me so we were able to stretch out and have some spare space. Mr. D enjoyed that since being cramped isn't his best fit. His legs are a bit long for the seat spacing. So I scooted over and we had the seat between us to just flow over into. We left Miss D with the 1st leg of her travels last night. Our flight left this morning very early and so we didn't want to wake her up. We dropped my car off at my parents house and were on our way. I was a little weirded out by knowing that Miss D was inside the house and that I just dropped off the car and took off. I really wanted to go in and give her a little kiss. That would have been selfish of me disturbing her at 5 am so I resisted. We were on to the airport and on our way to Charlotte. We made out connection in Minneapolis a half hour early. When I was booking the tickets I didn't think about the fact that Minneapolis could be a bit hairy in January. It was cold there, but not a drop of moisture and so therefore no delays. On the plane I was able to get into the Word. Proverbs and Psalms 10 today. Also, I read a bit of my BSF notes and began to read another book on the Holy Spirit. It was a fairly quick trip. It was nice to have the flights broken up in 2.5 hour increments. Our hotel is GREAT. We have a kitchenette and all the amenities. I come to you from FREE wireless internet. I even brought my usb cable to get some pictures off my memory card so that I don't have to worry about keeping my picture count low. So here is a few pics of our visit to the grocery store tonight. Please disregard my bloodshot eyes. A day of traveling on dry air-airplanes and no visine. Gross Spam like product. Milk that is in yellow plastic containers. Crazy expensive yogurt.

Tagged

EIGHT things that drive me crazy.

(disclaimer... I wouldn't say that I have anything that as Shan puts it "drives me crazy" but here are a few things that I don't like very much.)

I'm a pretty passive person. When I was posed with this question it did take me a minute to think in some things.

So here they are...

1. The little ear phones that go inside my ears. They came with my Ipod and they hurt my ears.

2. When I'm skiing or all bundled up for a play in the snow.... I have to have all my layers sleek and without any bunches (especially my socks and pants)

3. Dog slobber (pretty passionate about that one)

4. When others put themselves down. I wonder what I'm suppose to say to them in response? Are they looking for building up or just a listening ear?

5. The feel of squeaky clean dishes on my fingers. I have gotten use to it over the years. But I use to have to empty the dishwasher with damp hands.

6. Thinking about having any sort of blanket or cloth in my mouth. The thought of cotton touching my tongue... yuck! I can barely watch when Miss D puts her niney in her mouth.

7. The dust that daily accumulates on my Hardwood floor.

8. Cleaning out Miss D's poopoo chair.

Now who to tag? Steph and Linds

Brain Age 2

I bought Mr. D a Nintendo DS for Christmas this year. It was a joint present because I knew that I would get some use out of it too. I bought the game Brain Age 2. It begins with a test to determine the players brain age. There is a series of tests I had to go through...randomly chosen. Long story short my brain age was 80! That didn't make a girl feel very good. So... the point of the game is to improve brain function. The game is set up to give you certain exercises everyday to imporve brain function. I can retake the brainage test daily. I have taken the test again a few times. Only after a few days of training in between. A few of the tests are... Word Scramble (unscrambling words), Piano Player (using the stylus to play the tune of the song given), Memory Sprint (keeping track of a little runner as he goes ahead of people and falls behind and then at the end telling what place he came in) and a few more games. It unlocks more training modes the more daily stamps I get. My brain age began at 80 and went down to 70. Then it went to 52 then back up to 56. I took the brain test today and my brain age (I'm glad to say) is now 38!!! I have to say that I am actually getting better at doing math in my head. Not a skill that I have ever had. I have always been stuck counting the way that I learned in 1st grade. I will expain it to anyone who wants to know. But it has always been a stumbling block for me in learning to memorize the math ploblem and the answer. I feel like my brain is getting quicker and better at memorizing and counting. I really like the game. We also bought Super Mario Brothers... so if I'm feeling really good about myself, I will just go and play that game and realize that I have trouble beating a level without having the little mushroom that makes me super big and I can just slam through the level by mowing everything down that was in my way.

Now don't you all feel enlightened and want to go and buy a Nintendo DS.

Doe a deer... a female deer.

I wish that I could sing.
I'm sitting here loading my cd's on to iTunes and I just loaded the soundtrack to The Sound Of Music and I'm listening to it right now. I just love to sing along to this cd. But I would be so much better if I actually sounded better. I'm glad that Miss D could are less. Mr. D and I would really love to be able to just break out in song when ever we wanted to and not have to worry that what was coming out of our mouths would slightly repulse people. Anyone out there with me on this subject. Not counting those of you that can sing.... Melody and Stephanie. I look to you and think.... how lucky you are to be able to express yourself in song. I love to listen to music and sing along. I have such an array of music. Many of you may know that I have a large span of music to my collection. From the Shakespeare Sisters to Dean Martin.

Doe
Ray
Me
Far

When you know the notes to sing.
You can sing most anything.

Sew
La
Tea
That will bring us back to....
Doe

New and Improved

My blog readers... I come to you from my NEW computer. Let me tell you that my last one was pre marriage and very achient. But I am moving into 2008 at a nice quick speed. With dial-up still but with more ram and speed. I'm loving Windows Vista. I had heard mixed reports on the radio, but I think that they worked most of the bugs out and I like it just fine. We had a wonderful Christmas. We downloaded Itunes (3.5 hours) and I've been loading all my cd on there for my Ipod. Miss D is feeling much better. Her voice is back and so is her energy. Croup really got her sown but I surly enjoyed all her snuggle time. Now she just has a bit of a cruddy cough... but nothing to stress about. We made it through without even taking her to the doctor. I questioned myself a few times.. but my SIL who is a nurse practitioner reassured me and said that she would get worse before she got better and that was very true. It lasted a week and we are just coming out of it. So nice to have my girl back. Here are a few pics of my croupy little girl on Christmas eve and Christmas day.

We had a great New Years Day. Every year we spend it with Mr. D's family and we eat Abelskivers. It is a traditional Danish Dish and so very yummy. We stayed there all day... just like we do every year. We watched football and played games. Miss D got a nap and it was fum to just vegg out and snack all day. I was talking with Mr. D later that night over some tea and I shared with him how I don't like the feeling of being full all day. There is just something wrong with now feeling the hunger feeling. I wasn't feeling hungry but it was lunch time and so I thought... well I better eat lunch. I wasn't hungry though... but I still ate. I was full of junk. Today I'm back to 1200 cals and I'm on to lose the last "10". I bet that it is a few more after the last few weeks of trying to squeeze a workout here and there. Also eating all the holiday yumminess!

What should I do as a work out today... uggg such a habit to start again. A habit shouldn't be something to start and stop. I love the fact that my clothes fit and I'm determined to have made a life change.

Mr. D and I are taking a trip to North Carolina soon. I'm looking forward to getting away for a little while. We had planned to be gone for 5 days but somehow I booked the plane tickets wrong... or there was a mess up on someones part(maybe the airline)... anyways the tickets are for 8 days now! It was going to cost $850.00 to change the fare. We just decided to go with it and stay the whole time. Anybody out there have any suggestions for lodging? We have the 5 days we had planned on booked. But now we are going to be there for 3 more nights and we need somewhere to stay. We are thinking we might just wing it and decide once we are there. I need to get our car booked today. What about driving to South Carolina? Goergia? Virginia?

Those are all options.

I was going to post more pics but blogger is being picky.