Effective Commercials

Chicken Fries....$3.99

Honey Mustard....$1.99

Ketchup.....$.99

8 year old boy looking at the circles of honey mustard and ketchup side by side on his plate and saying, "Hey, look, it's MasterCard!".....PRICELESS

VeggieTells

In our house, once something (an object) takes on a persona (is given a name) then it is "precious". Set apart, if you will, for the express purpose of having that name and not being harmed in any way.

For instance, there once was a spider that sat down beside HIM (the six year old) and didn't frighten HIM away. (Which, on it's own is amazing....the boy is afraid of EVERYTHING!) Josh saw this as an opportunity to talk about how God created the spider and all the amazing things that the spider can do that show how God designed this creature. During the process, the boy got really attached to this one of God's creatures. Then, because it was indoors and my husband is not a PETA sympathizer he killed it. It broke the little boy's heart. Josh talked with him for a while about how they had to kill it (it was indoors!). Josh had taken pity on the boy, because he could see how much that "precious" spider meant to him. Well, Niagra Falls has nothing on this little guys eyes! He cried for 3 hours!!!!

I love my husband's kind heart and how he doesn't want to break the kids' hearts. He is a softy in a lot of ways. I, on the other hand, guess I spend a lot more time with the kids and so I know that I can make up with them later (let's go with that, because otherwise I'm heartless).

Well, unless you ARE NOT a parent or are as lost as last year's Easter eggs, you know of a little show called VeggieTales. Now, we have a fresh, homegrown (somebody's home, not mine) tomato and a cucumber. I sat the tomato and the cucumber out on the counter while I was going to make my salad. Naturally, my oldest son would have to name them Bob and Larry! The spider loving boy then declared that they could not be eaten (since they have a name now!).

Not meanly, but very matter of factly, I tell "Mr. Muffett" that they are not named Bob and Larry, Bob and Larry are cartoons that we watch on TV. These are a tomato and a cucumber that I'm going to eat in my salad (they are homegrown!!!). I kissed and hugged him telling him that I loved his sweet nature. Then, I waited for him to leave the room and get occupied with one of his toys. THEN, I ATE BOB AND LARRY!!!!!

Hello, Mudda....Hello, Fadda....

Which would you choose, to have 60+ mosquito bites or to be mauled by a lion? Me, you ask, well, I'm not sure considering I'm in the first category. I feel like I've just returned from Camp Igottalottabugbites.

If you have any home remedies, I'd love to hear them. Please help me! As I am now at Camp Idontwannaitch!

Peace Offering

Have you ever noticed that when you get the kitchen spotless (and I do mean spotless), some kind of little creatures come in and get crumbs EVERYWHERE and dishes everywhere and an unidentifiable slime on the counter?

But, at least, one of the creatures did bring me a delicious egg he made for me! I guess it was his way of giving me a peace offering.

Tea Time?

I went to a Ladies ONLY Bible study tonight. I knew there was going to be limited parking so, my husband and sons dropped me off. While there, I was served this delectable drink. It was Cranberry-Raspberry Tea. YUM! The hostess of the study has a sister who lives in England. When she goes to visit, she brings back some of this tea.

Before I left, I got a refill (not for myself...I'm a wife and a mother...so, I GIVE...just go with me). After a GREAT Bible study, my family picked me up and the opportunity for me to share this wonderful drink with them had presented itself (kinda the female version of kill and drag it home, I guess).

My husband, who loves all things foreign (and wants to constantly travel...which, I try to discourage....I'm a homebody!!), took one sip and spoke of wishing to go to England. My oldest son in the back was chomping at the bit for a drink of the "English Tea". My husband passed the cup to the backseat. The boy took a drink and wished aloud to be in England right that instant. He wanted more Cranberry-Raspberry Tea. He now knows why they (the English) have tea time everyday.

The little brother then wanted his turn at the tea. He took his sip and said, "Interesting, very interesting" (he's six). The older boy decided we should start growing cranberries and raspberries so we can make more tea.

All the Pappas household knows about growing cranberries is water, a lot of water is used. (After looking it up on the web, I see something about flooding them, really like I know.) The youngest then informs his family that we need to dig a deep, deep hole and a wide, wide hole and pour some water in it. (Hey, he knows more than I do. He must be picking something up from the Ocean Spray commercials.)

All this from one cup of Cranberry-Raspberry Tea!!!

Water Displacement

I hope all of you had a great 4th of July yesterday. I know my family did. We went to my sister's house and had a pool party. It was the first time that all 13 of us had been at the pool at the same time. There were 8 adults and 5 kids (all under the age of 9). I found myself constantly doing a child head count. We had great food, great fellowship, and great fun!

My oldest learned to swim yesterday. He is on cloud nine. He tells everyone he meets that he is now a swimmer. Josh and I are so proud of him.

On a lighter note, my sister's bathroom door has issues. When the door is closed, if you don't know how to open, it won't open for you. I've been stuck in there a few times myself. However, I'm very persistent (as I've been told) and can get the thing open. Well, all that background to say, we all were sitting out around the pool, minus my father who had gone in to change from his swimsuit to his clothing, enjoying some refreshments when my brother's cell phone rings. He looks on the caller id and it says "Poppy." (Poppy is the name that refers to my father now that he has grandchildren.) My brother answered the phone to hear Poppy requesting for assistance....he was stuck in the bathroom! Boy did we get a kick out of that. I promised to blog about it. (I now use this blog as torture for those around me...I tell them if they aren't careful, I'll blog about them.) So, here it is!

Happy 4th!

I wish all my loyal readers, all 3 of you, a Happy Independence Day! May you spend time with your loving families as I know I will with mine. May God bless you today and everyday!

This Warranted a Post

A huge shout out to my husband and Burger King! My husband for bringing home lunch to his darling sons, and BK for giving the kids what they always wanted.

The boys now have kazoos. That's kazoo to the second power.

My youngest came to inform me with a look of genuine 6 year old glee on his precious face that the deafening noise that I just heard was him playing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".

I love you, honey!

June Bug not Roach...phew!!!!

Bless your heart, you are reading the post from a Southern gal.

Last night, I sat down at the computer and was finishing my Diet Coke (caffeine free, if you wanted to know). I got to the last bit in the can...yes, I was drinking straight from the can....which means I couldn't see in it....anyhoo, the last drink had a big, hard, wiggly thing in it. Well, I did not want to be like the old lady who swallowed the fly, so I just spat on my kitchen floor everything in my mouth. Which included, a bit of Diet Coke and a BUG!!!!! The BUG was on it's back and was wiggling it's legs in a most disgusting fashion considering it had come from my MOUTH! Notice I said, "WAS". Yes, I killed it with not a second's thought. Then, I put it in the trashcan in a napkin (this part is important!!!). I was home alone with the kids at the time. My husband was on his way back from preaching in KY. Not wanting to frighten the children I just went and quietly scalded my mouth and then used Listerine to decontaminate myself. If I had a hazmat suit, I would have put it on.

Also, it should be noted that I am a Southern girl who knows nothing about bugs except just very basic things. When I see bugs in their element, I can identify the most basic of bugs. For instance, a fly that is flying around a horse is a "horsefly", and a bee that is around a hive full of honey is a "honeybee". So, I saw this bug around food and thought....ROACH!!!!

I then call my hubby on his cell phone to tell him my horrific news, because really I thought my life was over. Would he ever love me after such a thing as this? Would he feel comfortable kissing a BUG MOUTH??? He reassured me that after I had scalded my mouth and used Listerine until I developed burns that he would then feel comfortable kissing me.

Eventually, he came home and I ran to the door to get some pity. He kissed me. What a trooper! I love this man. We talked some more about the event and then he heard me say something about the BUG being in the trash in a napkin. (Were you paying attention??? I told you this would come back in the story.) He went and looked at the remains and told me it wasn't a ROACH! That it was one of those beetles that fly around lights. AHA, then I knew it was a JUNE BUG....after all, it is barely out of JUNE! YIPPEE! He is my hero. He saved me from this torture.

Then, I remembered stopping by my parents' home after church services and getting the Diet Coke and walking to the van with the boys and as I was letting the little one in a JUNE BUG hit me in the head and disappeared. Obviously, into my drink. I was so happy because that meant that I had a Tennessee JUNE BUG in my Diet Coke and not a nasty, disgusting, ROACH from the Coca-Cola plant.

All is well with the world, JUNE BUG not ROACH....phew!!!!

More Pain, More Gain????

If the saying, "No pain, no gain" is true, then is more pain, more gain???? Please tell me it is! I am so sore from working out Monday night. I've already made the little ones separate the laundry (thanks, boys...mmmwwwaaa) because all the bending and stooping was about to make Mama have a stroke! I was even so sore that I walked/jogged....hey, wait a minute....won't I be sore from that? Okay, okay....I'll just listen to the Rocky music in my head and stay the course.

No Pain, No Gain

Isn't it true? No pain, no gain. We've all heard that and at some point in our lives we realize that statement in a personal way. Blogging for me has been something I've toyed with for a while. I've created my blog and deleted my blog more times than I care to remember. Trying to read those smashed/jumbled/slanted/blurry letters and numbers in that cryptic code box and then trying to type the code in the other box to be given the opportunity to even set up your account in the first place is part of the painful process. So, to go on and delete your account after you've finally deciphered the code is very painful. However, I think the worst part for me is to just blog. I feel that I have something neat to offer the blogworld, but I'm fearful of putting myself out there and not having a great post and then feeling worse pain. (Hello, insecurities!) I know, I know...no pain, no gain. So, the question is then what do I have to gain by blogging in the first place? The answer...I don't know. I plan to find out.

I have several things I'm working on in my life right now. My relationship with God, husband, kids, friends, family, and strangers, finances, and weight. All of these things you have to apply the same principle of "no pain, no gain" to. I have two good Christian friends with whom I am working out. All three of us are living out this principle right now after our workout last evening. Every time I get up out of a chair I hear an "aaahh" and feel the pain! I know that someday the pain will have payed off and I will be healthier and thinner. That leads me back to blogging. I don't know what will result from blogging, but I think I can safely say it won't make me scream and feel physical pain just from getting up out of the chair. So, what do I have to lose?