In honor of the #1 fan of Sesame Street living in our home...
(thanks, Lloyd!)
You Are Ernie |
 Playful and childlike, you are everyone's favorite friend - even if your goofy antics get annoying at times. You are usually feeling: Amused - you are very easily entertained You are famous for: Always making people smile. From your silly songs to your wild pranks, you keep things fun. How you life your life: With ease. Life is only difficult when your friends won't play with you! |
(found during an hour of blog-stalking when I should have been cleaning the house :) )
1. I eat the edges first, including pizza, sandwiches, hamburgers, etc., then the middle part. It's that "save the best for last" theory, which you're not technically supposed to do when you eat because it pretty much guarantees you'll eat the entire thing :)
2. I really cannot stand blue jeans, socks or pantyhose. I will tug and pull and squirm out of discomfort all day long when I wear any of these.
3. When I was younger, I sometimes used to count in a pattern when I walked (1-2-3-1-3-2-1)...can we say Rain Man??
4. I have always played with my ears and popped them...since I was a baby. When I was little, I used to play with other peoples' ears, but as I got older, I quickly learned that my mom was really the only one who thought that was sweet and cute. Everybody else just thinks it's annoying, so now I stick to my own pair.
5. I still bite my nails and have stopped feeling guilty about it.
6. I eat steak with ketchup. I do not care if we are at a five star, head-spinning expensive restaurant. If they're serving steak, I'm packing a bottle of Heinz 57.
7. I tend to bump into people when we're walking along together in a straight line. I'm convinced it's because one of my legs is very slightly shorter than the other.
8. When I'm really nervous and walking into a room/situation where I don't know many people or don't know what to expect, my eyes water. This started in high school for some reason (which was a very positive experience), and doesn't happen much anymore, but is totally embarrassing when it does because people who look closely think I'm crying.
I tag all people reading this blog that have quirks to confess :)
Michael and I had a FABULOUS anniversary/my birthday trip to the big apple for several days.
(thanks to Poppy and Mimi for watching our sweet boy while we were gone!)
First I'll list a bunch of the stuff we did, then I'll post the pictures, which is all anybody wants to see anyway :)
Friday we got in, got to our hotel, which was 2 or 3 blocks from Times Square and the theaters where our shows were. We went to broadway's Phantom of the Opera that night, which was AMAZING!! (Andrew Lloyd Weber, how do I love thee?), and then around Times Square. It was around 11:00pm when our show got out, and there were a million cops around and everything was lit up like the 4th of July, so I felt safer there than I would here in good ole DFW. These dudes on bicycle carts kept trying to give us a ride back to our hotel, which was kinda funny.
Saturday we did a bunch of sight seeing and a TON of walking and subway riding. We walked across the entire width of Central Park (width, not length...I'm tough, but not that tough), which was beautiful, saw a lot of the super cool, super expensive stores on 5th avenue (I didn't go in because I didn't want to be tempted beyond Michael's patience/our stores of money :) ). We went to Chinatown and experienced the crazy behind the walls rooms and alley ways necessary to look at "Coach" "Gucci", etc. handbags and all that other fake but real stuff that costs a tenth of the regular price (no, I did not buy any of it - it's ugly, truth be told, and ridiculous...just my opinion, no offense to those of you who choose to indulge). We also went to Little Italy and bought a lot of our souvenier stuff there. I decided on this trip that every time I go somewhere new or exciting, I'm going to buy a picture frame and put a picture from that trip in it. Unfortunately, I didn't do this for Prague, D.C., China, or Europe, but you've gotta start somewhere, right? Saturday night we ate out at a nice New York pizza place and then went back to our hotel to watch football (pregnant lady was exhausted, and my honey wanted the Ohio State game stats :) ).
Sunday we took the subway to the southern end of Manhattan and saw Ground Zero...pretty amazing, and then took the ferry across to Statton Island to see the TINY Statue of Liberty, which was a total let-down after seeing it being so HUGE in the movies, but was also interesting since it was so very different from what I expected. We walked around this area pretty much all morning, then caught lunch and went to change before our Sunday matinee of broadway's Wicked, which was also FANTASTIC. The plot for this show is phenomenal...it's one of those complete outside the box thinking kind of deals, which I always enjoy, and at the same time wish I'd thought of :) For dinner we ate at the Rock Center Cafe, which is right under the Rockefeller Center, and is also where everybody ice skates in the winter and is usually filmed by the network stations for Good Morning America, etc. VERY cool experience - we ate the fanciest, most expensive BBQ we've ever had, and I could tell our waiter was slightly annoyed that we weren't drinking anything but water - hee :) After dinner, we took the tour of the Rockefeller Center and got some great pictures of the city from a crazy amount of stories high.
Monday we packed up, ate a leisurely breakfast, and shuttled back across to New Jersey to catch our flight home. Fantastic trip, and quite nice to get some adult alone time and to celebrate our 5 years and where God has brought us in that time. I'd recommend NY to anyone, definitely.
And now, without further ado, the pictures...
Coming into the city, our driver got a ticket :)
Our hotel lobby
View from our room - Times Square
At Phantom
We were in the second row. Awesome.
After the show.
In Central Park.
Grand Central Station elevator.
The Campbell Apartments :)
Elmo on the subway...a $5 picture b/c Michael didn't have change :) I told Elmo it's because my son REALLY likes him.
Ground Zero construction.
On the ferry, headed back to Manhattan.
Teeny tiny Statue of Liberty *sigh*
After the show.
At the Rock Center Cafe.
On top of the Rockefeller Center. (Empire State Building in the background)
Thanks, honey for this amazing trip!! I loved every minute of it!
Take a look at the link that says "Amy" on my sidebar to see this sweet family's story. They need to be covered in prayer and lifted up to the Lord, especially now that little Ella has been born (evening of Aug. 31st). Please pray for both Amy and baby Ella's healing and recovery.
We love you, Carder family. You're in our prayers and thoughts.
I don't feel I'm very good at expressing myself about serious, deeper issues in life, so I typically choose to keep things light and fluffy and fun, with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure.
But recently I've really been chewing on some things, from past experiences combined with recent events and conversations with women far wiser than myself. So here goes what I've been thinking about, as best as I can say it.
Our world, and especially our American culture has taught us that weakness is shameful and awful, and is certainly something to be hidden and tucked away in darkness where no one else is able to see or find it.
I now know and am convinced more and more through examples from my own life and from others, that this is not only a false belief and world view, but that it is much more serious: it is a lie from Satan. And along with this, I'm beginning to believe that it is one of the biggest, most harmful and destructive lies we can choose to accept.
Our church did something called card board testimonies last weekend, and I was once again amazed at the raw power, glory, and truth attributed to God, as well as the comfort and emotional healing our entire congregation experienced from these testimonies/confessions. People who experienced addictions, abuse, death, loss, doubt and fear, and all kinds of bondage came forward and testified that Jesus Christ set them free. It was one of the most powerful things I've ever experienced. These brave people blessed literally thousands of people by stepping forward in truth. But what really struck me was the fact that they weren't always at this wonderful, rejoicing point of life; they weren't always out on the other side, testifying. At some point, they were lost, alone, crippled by fear, or beaten down and torn apart by the enemy. And God rescued and redeemed them all. But if they hadn't been honest and hadn't stepped into the light, there would be no testimony to give, and most likely no help to be had in a lot of their situations.
I believe more and more that honesty and openness about our weaknesses and struggles is key to truly bonding and growing deeper in Christ, and in spurring each other on toward the goal. Otherwise, we're fluffy, shiny Christians that stand for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and not much else - otherwise known as "American Christians."
My own personal healing and the healing of my family only came from honesty and bringing things out of the darkness and into the light, asking for help, not being ashamed of the truth of the way things were, and pursuing God's will in our lives. I don't say this to say "Go, me!" because God knows that had I stepped out in truth years earlier, so much pain could have been avoided and that many more people could've been helped, and He alone knows how He miraculously healed us, but I'm amazed, absolutely amazed, at how many other people I've been able to encourage and give strength to, not because I have a lot of wisdom to offer, or because I've got it all together (ha!), but because God makes me strong, and my weaknesses, failures and pain can be a testimony and a source of perseverance for others.
I think it's so important that I know that God can fill me with purpose and a new ministry to others when I've dealt with my own hang-ups and problems.
Being honest and bringing things to light does the opposite of what the enemy lies and tells us it does. It doesn't bring shame and hurt, isolation and rejection. It brings acceptance, encouragement, freedom, and great joy in the knowledge that God is using us to help others.
It's been a while friends, but yours truly has been busier than one person should be allowed. I've got three pieces of news to share, each following piece bigger than the previous one...here goes.
1. NEWS -- This just out...Mr. B. is officially the CUTEST clown ever known.
I couldn't keep his hat on long enough :(
The peeps at church dressed the kiddos up on their last summer day, keeping in with the circus theme they've had going. This is what I found when I went to pick him up (minus the sad/annoyed expressions that inevitably come when he sees a camera). Plus they had a bag of goodies and B. babbled on and on about the bounce house they got to play in when I asked him about it. So thanks Mindy and all the ladies who made it such a great experience for our little ones!
2. BIGGER NEWS -- You may have wondered in the past, "Who are the most wonderful, giving, selfless, hard-working people in the whole wide world?" I mean, who cannot possibly be topped? Oh friends, I have the answer. Their names are Micah and Lori. You read me right, and I'll tell you why. I took in upon myself recently to strip, texture, and repaint our master bathroom (see wallpaper picture below and you'll understand why), but I myself did not texture...oh, no, two angels from heaven came to do this for me. I was going to simply borrow a texturing machine (called a hopper - who knew?!) from Micah, which was wonderful in and of itself, when they were like, hey, why don't we just come do it for you? So they brought their sweet Annalee over for Bennett to play with, and we spent about 4 hours prepping, papering, texturing, and smoothing my bathroom walls. Michael was out of town, so Micah had to do all the nasty stuff (like removing our toilet - gross with a capital G) and stuffing his hand down the glop-ridden hopper, and skating on toilet water (don't ask). You won't find two more kind-hearted, giving people. I couldn't believe they spent their whole Saturday morning doing this for us and helping me out with my "small project." THANK YOU BOTH!!
The pictures I've included are befores, the work process, and afters.
hideous, I know..ALL OVER the walls
our prep work - we had to do this to the WHOLE bathroom, and around the CEILING..argh
Micah and the hopper
How they had to travel to the back yard to hose off so they'd prevent hoppered floors :)
still debating the wood doors..but the walls are beautiful!
pretty bathroom :)
4. BIGGEST NEWS -- Campbell Baby #2 is ON THE WAY, predicted to make an appearance around March 26, 2009!! This is yet another answer to prayer for us. This baby was in the works in our hearts and minds, and not really what we were going to actively try for for another couple of months, but God knew our hearts and what our family needed, so here he/she comes and we are THRILLED, PUMPED, and whatever other all caps words that equal excitement you can think of! We absolutely believe this is a direct blessing from God for our family and we are so thankful for the ease and wonder of it all. We'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers for our sweet one and our family as we change and grow.
(And if anyone has an AWESOME doctor they'd like to recommend, please e-mail me or facebook me or something to let me know, because I wasn't real satisfied with my last one, and have yet to find another one that I feel good about).
Um...yes, the previous post was a joke.
I thought I'd relieve the awkward feelings some of my friends must be experiencing in thinking I'd truly change my hair in such a way and not knowing quite what to say...(since I've already had three people ask if I was serious - HA!) :)
No worries, friends. I don't struggle with delusions of scary hair - rather, my great struggle is overcoming the desire to blog using undetectable sarcasm... :)
Okay friends, I'm getting my hair totally re-vamped. I need your help. Vote your favorite:
1. The Big Sexy
2. The Happy Homemaker
3. The Ice Queen
Thanks for your input! It'll definitely help me make a fashionable decision!
I've had several people ask more about couponing and CVS-ing, so I'm going to do a break-down of the deal I did this week. Here's what I got for $6.38:
(mega pack Pampers, Cascade dish soap, Colgate toothpaste)
