tlc's Random Life

For me from sweet little Nathan This picture is of a gift from Jason's little boy Nathan.  He is the sweetest little guy.  He bought all of "the girls" gifts this year, now will I ever wear the butterfly hair clips, no probably not.  Did I show him in any way that they weren't the greatest thing since sliced bread absolutely not.  For all he knew I had never had a gift so awesome.  It makes me smile that he thought about us.  Now even though I won't likely be wearing them in my hair, I did find that they make great book marks and I love to read so I will still think of him every time I open up a book now.   This is the one lesson about gift giving I want my girls to learn and use every time they give or receive a gift, that it isn't the price or the size of a gift if you are giving from your heart then money means nothing.  I know I fall victim to all the hype of buying the latest greatest things for my girls because its what all the kids have these days.

 Britt & Bug  I was clicking through the hundreds of photos from this year on my computer this evening and came across this one of Brittnie and her very best friend Ladybug (Bug for short)  Now anyone who knows us has heard the story of Britt and Bug, but I can't help but tell it one more time.  So it started about the time Miss Britt was born I'm sure (before that I bet God said this one is a Cowgirl no matter what)  Every memory of her birthdays and every Christmas she has always asked for "horse stuff"  for us it was fun buying all the things little boys would be playing with since we didn't have any of our own, getting to go to Atwoods (one of my favorite places to shop)  to buy the toy horses along with a trucks and trailers, I believe she got just about every toy horse that store carried for either her birthday or Christmas each year, because it didn't matter who asked the question "what do you want for your birthday?"  or "

   My newest cookbook...YAY!!!   Why yes, of course.  But it isn't just any cookbook, its a cookbook from my best friends churches. Anyone who knows anything about cooking  knows that the church ladies have the best recipes. (Some that are quick & easy to make , some that will feed the whole church) but mostly just plain delicious.  I do have a problem with buying cookbooks, I always wanna try new yummy recipes and then if the money for the book goes to something great like your best friends church well who wouldn't wanna buy one?  I was sitting in the church last night at the Christmas concert that Jody had invited me to (it was great by the way)  when in the middle they had a few announcements and one of those announcements was that the ladies had cookbooks for sale after the concert.  I knew before he was done with that announcement that I would be buying one (ended up buying 2...it was a good cause)  It made me think back to the many times I had seen a

Was just flipping through one of my favorite farming magazines and came across this photo with its article.   The lady says she carefully cracks the eggs just at the narrow top while making breakfast and then cleans the shells and sets them aside to dry.  Later when its time to plant her seeds she uses them with a little potting soil instead of store bought start kits.  I love this idea and am always looking for ways to start garden plants inside.  I think I will be trying this out this next season...now I just need to find some seeds for all the yummy veggies I want to grow.  Maybe this Oklahoma weather will work with us next year instead of against us. 100+ temps every single day did us absolutely no good. The only veggie that really did well this last year was the okra and well we made some great pickled okra. But I sure did miss the the over abundance of tomatoes like the year before.   If you have great garden planning tips please share them in the comment section below.   I am su

 "The Sunset" By:  Valorie Corley  Seems Stephen and I (who don't have an artistic bone in our bodies) have what appears to be a budding artist on our hands.  It all started a few months ago when my sweet girl came home from school the first week of high school and informed us that she opted out of school softball this year, my first thought was "what who are you to just decide what you are and are not taking in school"...my next thought was "ahhh, I love watching you play softball that breaks my heart"  but then she said she choose art instead.  What art?  I didn't even know you could draw (after all you are your mothers kid and God knows I do not have a drop of artistic ability in by body) anyway...So she is taking art class and she seems to enjoy it.  she is always working on a project for that class.  A few weeks ago she was after me to take her to Hobby Lobby so she could pick up a few things.  I kept putting her off and not getting into

 Super yummy homemade "real" butter.  I am beginning to think that I was born into the wrong time frame.  As I sit in my comfy spot thinking of all the things people of my age wouldn't think of doing, I wish I could do more of. Like making butter(thanks steph for teaching me this), living on a farm raising lots of different animals and growing a wonderful garden that would provide for my family all year long.  All this seems silly to most everyone I talk to, they think I've lost my mind(maybe I have) anyway, I'm sure if I had been born back then I wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much as I do knowing that if the garden doesn't grow because the blistering heat killed nearly everything I planted or if the hens get on a kick that they don't wanna lay eggs or if the winter is so cold no amount of heat lamps will keep the chickens warm and they die off, well we'll just run out and grab what we need from the store.  A wonderful thought it is.  But I stil

Sarah, Jacie, M5 & I out caching :) One of our first days out caching all day.  Had a great time, met a fellow cacher and came away with a crazy story(1st of many I'm afraid).  But we came back safe so that's all that matters right?  It doenst matter that the truck wasn't in park or that it rolled way away from where we left it or that it nearly hit not one but two fences or that the baby was sleeping inside (it was locked so noone could steal her or the truck). What matters is God showed a couple of silly geocaching girls his power of protection and we thanked him for it all the way home (after we calmed our crazy in shock laughter).  We had fun and learned a bit more about needing to slow down and pay attention more.  So all & all it was a great day.

I got started doing this blog thing at the beginning of the year and loved it.  Not sure why, but I did.  I have had a few changes as were in my last post and well I just plain forgot to take the time to write.  But its back in the front of my mind and maybe I can stay on top of it.  we'll see.   :)    So since the last post i have been adjusting well to my new postion at work and loving the change in my hours as well.  Even though I work every saturday sunday monday and tuesday I do get off work at 6 each night and have 3 days a week to spend with Stephen(who is still home from work due to surgery) and my girls.  Sometimes they get upset with me because I have to work I think they understand (and they have more time with friends)  they don't have to worry about spending time with mom on the weekends.  anyway.  Stephen and I seem to be spending lots of time together since he has been home so much. Sometimes I think "goodness is he ever going back to work?"  then I fin

So, this last few weeks have been full of all sorts of changes in our lives...Stephen has had major back surgery (which he is doing great with) I got a new position at work.  I'm a lead (sounds important, but today is my 3rd day and I am not really feeling the importance yet)  with the new position comes more responsibility, I know this and I am sure I can handle it, but being that I am pretty much still the new girl on the block, not everyone is grasping the idea that i am a lead now.  There is this one lady here that no matter how nice I try to be she still looks at me like I am a patch of chewed gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe. (I feel like she is that annoyed with me all the time)  I thank God I only have to work with her one day of the week, but it makes the whole day just drag ever so slowly.  I know I didn't come to work to make friends, I came here to work. making friends was just an added bonus.  but I don't know how to make her feel better about me being here.

I know that a few months ago i mentioned that winter is my favorite season, but truth is I think that whatever season we are in is my favorite at the time it is happening.  because right now the thermometer keeps breaking past 100 almost daily...I see everyone and I do mean everyone complaining about how hot it is.  You see it too, on facebook there are at least 5 different photos that someone has posted from their cars and such. or how they are complaining about how they hate the heat here.  Well I am not one of those people.  I see all this complaining and think to my self..."hahaha these are the same people that were griping about the snow just a short 5 months ago"  my thoughts are this, and if it makes you mad, well sorry... This is Oklahoma, this state is known for extreme weather be it a ton of snow in February or 100 temps in June, July and august. Get over it already.  Go drink some ice tea and relax.  so you have to go outside in the heat or you work in it.  well if

 planting onions for Papa :)  Well it seems like only last week when we were out tilling, raking and planting our little garden (with the help of Papa)  Some would say this was walking on the edge of child labor <~~~ or that it was just a posed picture because there isn't any way you can get all 5 of those girls to work in the garden at the same time.  Well that may be true now that the weeding needs  to be done and its nearing 100 degrees out, but at planting time they were all fighting over who got to plant what.  It was fun because it was new.  Its been just over a month and a half and things are coming along pretty great. I know, it seems nuts that I am so excited to be growing a garden. I tried this once with very little results.  As I have mentioned I have my dad helping out so very much, and well everyone is helping really.  Stephen, the girls(when they have nothing better to do) and Katie, Christie and Haleigh.  Now Katie and Christie are helping because they st

 My Vallie...gotta love those cheeks  It is hard for me to really pick just one thing to write about my girls, seems they are always up to something.  Cant believe today my first born turned 15.  I remember the day we brought her home from the hospital.  Stephen had seen Joe(he was on the fire dept. with stephen) at the store on the way home and stopped to show off his pretty baby girl.  I still didn't know him well, but he and Jackie came to the truck and ooo'd and ahhh'd over my sweet baby. then out of the blue, Jackie pulled her little foot out and said "Well look at that Joe, she has your toes!" (because they were very long little toes) they all laughed, I was slightly embarrassed but that comment has made it all these years as our little joke.  Now every time we see either Joe or Jackie, they ask how their girl is doing and if she still has Joes toes.  Seems just like yesterday she was that tiny little girl with all that hair. (her hair was the firs

I was reading my besties blog the other day "For everything there is a season" and it really got me thinking. She mentioned how she didn't get to learn all the things she wished she had while her grandma was still alive. Now to be perfectly honest, I believe we all have those things we wished we had taken the time to learn from the loved ones who have past. I know I wish now that I would have really listened to my grandma Hilton while she went on and on about sewing, canning, cooking. Now don't get me wrong I did slightly listen, I can cook. Sewing though she was great and that I didn't take the time to listen like I should have. I can sew now, but that is due in part to my uncle mike and a good friend who had faith that yes even I could make a quilt if I put my mind(and heart) into it. Anyway, after reading Jody’s blog(you should holler at her and get her blog address it’s great) and reading all the things she wants to learn and remember from her poppy before h

I have mentioned the weather before in a post it was when we got loaded up with snow(i love snow)  but today was spring weather in OK.  I HATE spring weather in Oklahoma.  I can handle tons of snow, blistering hot summer days and the other mess we get all year long, what I can not handle (or not well anyway) is spring weather.  The entire months of April and May scare the crap out of me.  Thunderstorms not really a big deal, I can sit and listen to the rain and thunder and have fun counting to see how far away the storm is.  All good until...the weather man says TORNADO (warning, watch, low clouds, rotation...)  I turn into a complete basket case.  I try so hard to be tough and not afraid while around my girls, but just today while we were watching to see what these storms were going to be doing, Val turns to me and says "mom...you are scared, I can see it in your eyes"   What, no Im fine Vallie.  "dont lie mom I can see it.  its ok to be scared"   Crazy how they kn

Yes I know with me, that could be bad...but it isn'tf(this time anyway).  Today I swore off facebook(reality check...probably wont last a week, I mean come on I am a FB addict) but I am really trying to cut out some mess in my life.  So I have been doing some thinking...I have re-read all the post i have posted on my blog and well I am not very happy with what I have been posting.  why?  well because they really don't give you a peek into my life.  I mean the name is "a day in the life..." after all...so shouldn't it be about what is going on in my life at the time of the post?  not just some silly opinion, just life(mine and those around me all the time)  How else are you going to be keeping up with what is going on in my life if Im not posting anything that is much more than opinion...Take yesterdays post.  It was about my baby girl.  It was from the heart not the head.  I seem to really like how it turned out.  I could go on and on about stuff like that(the her

 found this pic, not sure but I believe she was 3 April 12th (yes i know it is the 13th now)...This date in 1999 we welcomed into the world our sweet baby Britt.  She had a bit of a rough time in the first week, but wow look at her now.  She is 12.  Cant believe she is already almost a teen. (yuck)  We were so spoiled with Val that when Miss Britt came along she set our world on edge.  Thats right, she was quite a mess(not sleeping throught the night even to this day she sleep walks) But you wouldn't meet a sweeter, kinder girl.  She has the biggest heart.  Ive been thinking alot about her today with reason, it was after all her birthday.  She got to bring her horse to our pasture this week inlight of her day, so she didn't really seem to mind that I had to work and she had a softball game on her birthday.  As long as she gets to play with Ladybug alittle before the day is over.  She is now fast asleep in her bed(for now) most likley dreaming of her best friend(the hors

I have been asked this question several times the last few weeks, with the weather being nice more these days, the girls and I (and Stephen some) have been getting out of the house and playing outside more. This is good for us all. I must say it is so stinking much fun. So what is geocaching (sounds like geo cashing) It really is pretty simple. It is high tech treasure hunting. There is a website you should visit (www.geocaching.com) there is a short video clip you can watch that explains it pretty well. You start at the website and look for caches near you(out in the woods or right there in the city you live in), key the coordinates into your gps system and then go outside and find the cache. While out looking, the coordinates will get you within a few feet of the cache from there you have to look for it yourself a little(this is our favorite part-to see which of the 4 of us finds it first). When you find it depending on the size of the cache, there may be items inside the container

Really missing time to sit and write…between working so much and sleeping to be ready for work I just haven’t been able to get it done. Which is crazy I never wanted to write anything before, but now I find myself upset that I haven’t made time. Still don’t know what I would write about if I had the time. Seems the subject of all conversations these days is the “2011 BLIZZAD” Frankly I’m done hearing about it. I have been walking around with my ear buds in so I don’t have to listen…ugh! So Valentines day. When your young and in love it seems that this is one of the most important days of the year. But I see now that when you are “old” and in love it really is just another day. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this because he didn’t do anything sweet for me because he did. We dropped our girls off at the skating rink and went to dinner alone. He didn’t however spend crazy amounts of money on silly flowers that just die. He spends crazy amounts of money on other things I want thr

Winter is my favorite season!  I remember how awesome it was getting up and looking out seeing this awesome snow everywhere and running to the living room to check channel 6 to see if our school was out for the day...good times.  Today (day 5 of 2011 blizzard) I do still love the snow.  the good times of being able to stay home all day and play in it or just veg in front of the tv are long gone.  Yep, it was up and at it for me Tuesday and everyday since.  I am glad to have a job where everyone just gets out there to get the job done.  I do miss being able to have time to play in the snow and spend time with my girls while they are out of school. but they understand, that even though I only clean and stock ambulances it is important to be there.  I hope that with this, the one lesson they learn is a good work ethic.  that if you have a job do what ever it takes to get it done.  As for this blizzard, well...Im ready for my second favorite season SUMMER!  Stay warm.