Crazy Me! I have done a few crazy things in my lifetime not because I was too ditsy to know better or sent out on a dare or not in my right mind, but just because that is who I am. I have always had a fascination with fame, television. That could be why I was so obsessed with getting a shot on the TODAY show while on my recent trip to NYC! You might could blame it on my parents because they let my brother be in an ice cream commercial and I was a bit jealous. Or is it because I was on the Academic Challenge team in high school and got a taste of TV as we competed against an area school. I love to hear stories of how people made it big, how things "worked out just so" to make their life what it is. If you promise not to judge me, I will share a few of the crazy things I have done because of my wonder and adventure of life.
Right after I had Emiley (what felt like deep despair... third child in three years and three weeks) I was feeling oh, not so cute! So I sent in all my information complete with horrible photos of myself to the Regis and Kelly Show. I was just SURE that the LIVE van was going to pull up to my house on Boynton St. and save me from my stretched out grey nightie that I wore night and day. If it was a good day, they may have caught me in my grey running shorts and a CLEAN t-shirt. They never arrived :(
There is also the time I registered everyday for the Proctor and Gamble $25,000 give-away from the View or when I wrote Oprah about the benefits of breast-feeding. I guess since I only nursed my babies nine-twelve months instead of five years, she didnt think I was an expert either and never gave me an invitation to the show. I have also helped a friend think of ways to "better" an application for Extreme Make-over Home Editon. And even though I didnt ever actually apply, I have desperately wanted to be chosen for Extreme Make-over just to have my teeth whitened...oh, to have pearly whites!
One thing that I also did was wrote into the TODAY show for a chance to star in Martina McBride's video for the song "In My Daughter's Eyes." (Its the song that has been playing at the beginning of my playlist.) Yes, I am for real. You guys thought you truly knew me didnt you? This small attempt at fame truly made me reflect on my three little girls in my world and what they mean to me. This happened about four or so years ago when Emiley was around two, Lainey was three, and Abbey was five. I told of how God had changed my life over and over, day after day because of these three little girls. I told of how I wanted to raise them to love God, glorify HIM daily, and how I wanted them to see that example in ME. I told of how I desire to be perfect... the perfect wife, mother, and friend so that they would also want to strive to be perfect. I confessed to not being perfect and expressed the feeling of disappointment in myself. I confessed that God is the only being that is perfect but through a life with him I am so much closer than I could be otherwise. I simply told the story of daughters. The story that is only simply told because of God's generosity and love for me. I told of how I had to have a hysterectomy two years after Emiley's birth and it was only because of God that I had my three daughters even though they were TRUE surprises to Will and I. I expressed my fear in knowing that my daughter's truly think "I am a hero, strong, wise, and have no fear" because inside I dont feel that way. I expressed my desire to become like my daughters and see everyone as "equal" and to "see the world is at peace." My girls make me "give more when I feel like giving up." I hope my daughters see "how happy they have made me.: My daughters have taught me so much... How to love, give, trust, how to have faith, be strong, endure, how to smile, laugh, truly be burdened, how to hope and pray without ceasing. God gave me Abbey Grace, Lainey Elizabeth, and Emiley Morgan because I needed THEM and He knew it! He knew I needed to feel my heart on the outside of my body and He knew what a great feeling it was because He allowed His son, Jesus, to live outside of him. All my fellow Momma friends know exactly what I am talking about! Even though I didnt win, I cant listen to this song without thinking of the greatest blessings in my life.
God knew it would make me who I am... Crazy, Crazy Me!
Right after I had Emiley (what felt like deep despair... third child in three years and three weeks) I was feeling oh, not so cute! So I sent in all my information complete with horrible photos of myself to the Regis and Kelly Show. I was just SURE that the LIVE van was going to pull up to my house on Boynton St. and save me from my stretched out grey nightie that I wore night and day. If it was a good day, they may have caught me in my grey running shorts and a CLEAN t-shirt. They never arrived :(
There is also the time I registered everyday for the Proctor and Gamble $25,000 give-away from the View or when I wrote Oprah about the benefits of breast-feeding. I guess since I only nursed my babies nine-twelve months instead of five years, she didnt think I was an expert either and never gave me an invitation to the show. I have also helped a friend think of ways to "better" an application for Extreme Make-over Home Editon. And even though I didnt ever actually apply, I have desperately wanted to be chosen for Extreme Make-over just to have my teeth whitened...oh, to have pearly whites!
One thing that I also did was wrote into the TODAY show for a chance to star in Martina McBride's video for the song "In My Daughter's Eyes." (Its the song that has been playing at the beginning of my playlist.) Yes, I am for real. You guys thought you truly knew me didnt you? This small attempt at fame truly made me reflect on my three little girls in my world and what they mean to me. This happened about four or so years ago when Emiley was around two, Lainey was three, and Abbey was five. I told of how God had changed my life over and over, day after day because of these three little girls. I told of how I wanted to raise them to love God, glorify HIM daily, and how I wanted them to see that example in ME. I told of how I desire to be perfect... the perfect wife, mother, and friend so that they would also want to strive to be perfect. I confessed to not being perfect and expressed the feeling of disappointment in myself. I confessed that God is the only being that is perfect but through a life with him I am so much closer than I could be otherwise. I simply told the story of daughters. The story that is only simply told because of God's generosity and love for me. I told of how I had to have a hysterectomy two years after Emiley's birth and it was only because of God that I had my three daughters even though they were TRUE surprises to Will and I. I expressed my fear in knowing that my daughter's truly think "I am a hero, strong, wise, and have no fear" because inside I dont feel that way. I expressed my desire to become like my daughters and see everyone as "equal" and to "see the world is at peace." My girls make me "give more when I feel like giving up." I hope my daughters see "how happy they have made me.: My daughters have taught me so much... How to love, give, trust, how to have faith, be strong, endure, how to smile, laugh, truly be burdened, how to hope and pray without ceasing. God gave me Abbey Grace, Lainey Elizabeth, and Emiley Morgan because I needed THEM and He knew it! He knew I needed to feel my heart on the outside of my body and He knew what a great feeling it was because He allowed His son, Jesus, to live outside of him. All my fellow Momma friends know exactly what I am talking about! Even though I didnt win, I cant listen to this song without thinking of the greatest blessings in my life.
God knew it would make me who I am... Crazy, Crazy Me!
And here is Miss Kate with Luke and Lainey!
Emiley and Lainey in their matching outfits. Arent they cute? I had to make them act like they love each other!
Then it was off to Rosa's for lunch and time to shop 'til you drop. We did shop and finally drop early evening and headed home. Abbey went with the Horton's to their home and we will meet back up with them this weekend for some Spring Break fun in Ft. Worth, but this time the daddys are taking a small tax season break and joining us! We cant wait for some indoor pool swimming at the hotel, a visit from the Stevens and all their kiddos that we adore, a trip to the zoo, more good food, and whatever else seems to tickle our fancy. More things that do not require a schedule. 
Last night we had enjoyed our usual Saturday night meal of steak, sweet potatoes and spinach and all had hunger pains for something sweet to top off our evening. Will suggested popcorn balls. I quickly reminded him that the last time we made popcorn balls our candy thermometer broke. OK... time to admit something here... We love popcorn balls so much that when our candy thermometer broke in the middle of making the candy for the popcorn balls last time, we tried to dig out all the glass so that we could still eat the yummy goodness. Will and I quickly realized how silly we were being after we thought about the possibility of one of the girls eating a piece of glass all for the love of popcorn balls. I think deep down we were willing to take the risk for ourselves but not for our sweet babies. 
Anyway, popcorn ball making is a family affair. Miss Em guarded the popcorn with her life while Will stirred the candy. Since we didnt have a candy thermometer, Will took this opportunity to teach the girls (and Me) how to test candy with water and no thermometer. Isn't he amazing and a man of many talents? Anyway, Will, Abbey, and Emiley worked hard on the popcorn balls while I took pictures...
Abbey is always the good sport and washed the dishes as went went through the process. 
The fun part comes when you get to dig your hands into the tub of butter (so that you dont burn your digits off!) and start making the balls. 
You arent going crazy... Lainey wasnt involved in any of the popcorn ball making. She got a bit upset with us early in the early and headed to bed. This is how we found her while we were feasting on our homemade dessert :)
So to make up for it... her is Lainey Beth all dolled up for her Western day at school on Friday. She had to be a cowgirl down to the rope and spurs. 
Ain't she a cutie?