What The World Needs Now Is Hugs, Sweet Hugs

Yesterday was our 8 year wedding anniversary.  Yesterday was also the day that some mentally ill person chose to go shoot up our local mall.  While the usual talk of banning guns, violent video games, blah blah blah was brought up, not one single person brings up the fact that we have a mental illness crisis going on.  A normal person doesn't plan a mass shooting and wake up and load a gun and walk into a crowded mall.  Just like a normal person doesn't plan a late night move theater shooting, even taking the time to watch the first 30 minutes of the movie!  I suppose even if we owned up to the fact that more and more Americans are falling victim to mental illness, we would all have opinions on why and how to treat them.
I'm not exactly sure what is going on, but I have an idea.  We live in a very connected society, but really have no human interaction.  Everyone is busy with their own life and their own problems, that we ignore the people around us.  We may talk on the phone, or text someone, but that is not the interaction that God made us for.  He wanted us to sit face to face, laugh together, hug, kiss, talk.  Why do you think people get homesick or miss a loved one that goes away?  Because we weren't meant to be separated for long.  All humans desire attention, love and interaction, but our current society has taken that away from us.  Sure it is great to be able to stay connected to someone who lives far away by emails, letters or phone calls, but it will never replace the face to face time that we desire.  It pains me to see a family sitting at a restaurant all looking down at their phones, only looking up to order, or a parent fiddling with their phone while their kid tries to get their attention.  We are raising a generation that will be numb to love.  Most kids don't even know what a hug is.  I remember my Grandma loved to kiss, we never really did it at our house, so it made me uncomfortable.  My family was never really affectionate, and I had never hugged many of my family members until my Sister died.  Random kids at school would come up and hug me, it kind of freaked me out.  At that moment I felt like an isolated puppy, being shown love for the first time.  I guess that is why our house is filled with hugs and kisses 24/7, to make up for the lack of ones growing up.  With all the crap going on in the world, kids need to know that they can come home and be loved unconditionally.
Yesterday was also the birthday of one of my dearest friends, who passed away earlier this year.  She was the best hugger in the entire world!  I loved showing up to work, just to get a hug from her.  Her hugs were so good, that shortly after she died I had a dream about her hugging me and it made me feel wonderful!  Her hugs were actually addicting, she was that good at it.  It also made me feel special and loved.  A simple hug can do so much!
Most school bullies come from homes that lack affection.  Most violent offenders come from homes that lack affection.  We are headed down a dangerous path.
Boy, did this post take a random turn.  I started rambling again. :)  In a nutshell, don't blame guns or violent video games for things like this.  The pen is mightier than the sword, and a hug is mightier than a gun.  Go out and hug somebody!

Spider and Tootie

Russ threw out a bad batch of popcorn right below our window yesterday for the birds.  At lunch today I looked down out the window and saw two big squirrels helping themselves.  The boys named them Spider and Tootie. 

She is either pregnant or ready for winter!

This is the look a squirrel gives a very loud and rude little boy who screams "I want to see."  :)  She gave Landon the stink eye for at least 45 seconds.

What God Is About To Do

        


**If you aren't interested in the bible lesson or are short on time, skip ahead to the 26 minute mark.  I for one never get tired hearing about the story of Joseph from the old testament. :)

Before It Is Too Late

The world is in a downward spiral and you may not know it, if you watch the mainstream media.  Things in Israel are not good.  They are at war. https://rt.com/news/gaza-israel-hamas-attack-687/  The European countries are involved in protests and riots and not one mention on the news.  These aren't little baby protests either, these are large scale protests where people are being injured. https://rt.com/news/austerity-protest-europe-arrest-657/  I believe we may see an economic collapse in the next 6 months.  The time is NOW to get right with the Lord.   Being a Christian means you have a relationship with Jesus Christ and you believe that he died for your sins.  It is pretty much a relationship, you don't need to do anything fancy or join a church.  Just believe.  He will do the rest. 

I am very heavy hearted about 'fake' religions that are becoming more mainstream.  To the best of my knowledge the Mormons, the Jehovah Witnesses, the Muslims, the Catholic Church and countless other versions of the church are not correctly teaching the gospel.  The first thing you need is a bible, that is all you need.  Any religion that has a second text is false.  You do not need to do hail mary's or take special classes.  While it is important that you find someone to teach you or help you understand the bible, you don't need to become a member of any church.  We may not be given the luxury of being able to worship in public and attend church in the near future, so it is best to make sure you have the tools and knowledge.  Our job is to transform and then transform others. 

Heaven is real and we all get the chance to live there.  While there are still parts of religion that are hotly debated and discussed.  I don't have the answers.  Nobody here on earth does.  Believe me when I say your questions will be answered one day, but not while you are here.  You don't have to be perfect, but you do need to have Jesus in your heart.  If you are not willing to die for your belief, then you are doing it wrong.  The people that saw Jesus after his 'death' were transformed and were willing to die to be able to spread the good news.  That shows me that what they saw was real.  That means that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.  Just like the bible said he would and just like Jesus said he would.  That is how you tell the difference between a prophet and a false prophet.  A real prophet is never wrong, what they say will happen, does.  A false prophet may be right at some point, but is also wrong more times than not.

Here are some websites to help you receive Jesus as your Savior:
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/how_to_be_saved.html

http://www.lostseed.com/meet-jesus/get-saved.php

Things are heating up and you need the Lord in your life.  If I told you that you could spend eternity with the ones you love the most, wouldn't you take me up on that offer?  I fear that time may be running out and you need to get right with the Lord.  But don't come to Him in fear.  He loves you more than you could even imagine and He is waiting for you.

Pumpkins and Tractors

The great pumpkin search of 2012 at Olson Farms.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, we love pumpkins from the pumpkin patch!

My attempt at a group shot.  I wasn't very successful on getting all four of them to look and smile.  Maybe next year.

Mom, the sun is in our eyes!

Landon had a run in with a door a few days before we went to the patch.  It's not significant but I wanted to document it so that when I am old and looking back at this picture I can remember why he had a black eye.  :)

Landon has had enough!

I see you!

We even met an alien at the pumpkin patch.

While the kids were posing for this picture, Landon was busy......

Yes, I took a few pictures as my child thought he would be stuck on the tractor forever. :)

The kids love this picture! 

And I even took video.  I am totally in the running for mother of the year!

kids all buckled in, ready to go home and then it started raining.  Perfect timing!

Election 2012

Election day is finally here.  It has been a long drawn out battle over the last 2 years.  It doesn't matter who 'wins' tonight, it doesn't matter whether a D or an R are in the white house, we will have the same result.  The same wars, the same deficit, the same bad polices, the same Constitutional destruction.  We will also have to continue to put up with the bickering back and forth and the blame game between the two main parties.  There are no winners tonight.

I voted for Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate.  I do not agree with him on all issues, but at least he wants to defend the Constitution instead of using it as toilet paper. I know he doesn't have a chance of winning, I know that Romney or Obama will "win" tonight.  I am downright depressed that I didn't have the chance to vote for Ron Paul.  Yes, I could technically write him in on my ballot, but I wanted to give a third party a fighting chance next election.  If they receive 5% of the popular vote they will get some money.  Money is what makes the political world go round.  Don't worry the money that they would receive is the money that people "donate" while they are doing their taxes. So technically they aren't receiving federal funds, which would be a big libertarian no-no. 

Most people vote for the lesser of two evils and each party thinks their candidate is the lesser.  In this election I am surprised to find myself thinking that Obama might actually be the lesser of the two evils.  Big shocker, huh?  Obama is a Muslim loving, anti-christian, socialist, right?  Well Romney scares me even more.  He may be a 'republican' and claim to be against abortion and gay marriage, but he is also a follower of a cult.  You might not see it that way, but I do.  Not only is he a follower of a cult, he is a influential, prominent leader of this cult.  He is following a false prophet.  Joseph Smith actually had a prophecy that Mitt is hoping to fulfill by becoming President.  The Mormons are excited for the election because it would mean the "white horse prophecy" could be coming true.  We all know how dangerous people can be if they believe they are fulfilling some sort of prophecy.  Click here to see what the White Horse Prophecy is. 
I pray that I am wrong, and I will admit that I will have to be wrong about something eventually. :)  No matter the outcome of this election I am certain we are in for a bumpy ride.

After immersing myself in all of this election junk I am thinking maybe, just maybe, Christians shouldn't be involved in this voting crap.  There is never truly a candidate that you can vote for that will be justifiable to God.  Though Ron Paul was as close as you could get.  Government is corrupt and ruled by money.  They are worshipers of money and most people running for President are lovers of money.  The Government will also never be able to 'save' us from anything.  You can't rely on Government, they are one bad check away from total destruction.  You can't expect Government to run to your rescue every time you are in trouble. Why should we waste our time complaining about elected officials?  There is only one man who you can rely on to rescue you and save you and that is Jesus Christ.  I am putting my full faith and trust in the man that will always be there when I need Him.  Jesus Christ is my President and I trust that He knows exactly what He is doing. 

A Right Fit

We have found a right fit for Aurora, for now.  I pulled her out of Margaret Scott and enrolled her at Fairview Elementary, where my Mom works.  It has seriously been a complete 180 from MS.  The whole environment is different, it is calm and it just feels like how a school should feel.  Scott had all 350 plus kids waiting in the cafeteria for 15 minutes before school started.  It was loud, the kids were rambunctious and I witnessed a whole bunch of things that should not be going on in a school.  It wasn't until 7:45, the time school is suppose to start, that the teacher came and got the kids from the cafeteria.  So essentially they were wasting about 5-8 minutes of the school day by doing this.  The kids should be in their seats and ready for roll call at 7:45.  I stuck it out as long as I could stomach it, but Aurora wasn't getting better at going to school every morning.  She wasn't allowing me to drop her off in the cafeteria and leave.  She needed me to take her to her class everyday.  There were also some other issues with some of the kids in her class as well. Basically I am not happy with the way the school is being run, so we went with plan B.  I already filled out all the paperwork to enroll Aurora at Fairview in April and she was accepted.  So Aurora has been at Fairview for the past 3 weeks.  She loves it!  She actually loves getting up early.  She loves her teacher and she really just blended right in.  She is more comfortable, she allows me to just drop her off, I am more comfortable, it just feels right!   The best part, Russ gets to pick her up! :)

Introducing....

Pumpkin Head JR

His twin brother, Pumpkin Head III

and their sister, Pumpkina Head.

Pumpkin Head has been very busy since the last time you saw him. :)

Relive the best of Pumpkin Head here!

Happy Halloween!

Where To Start....

I have been an absentee blogger for over 2 months!  A lot has taken place in the Jones house over the summer.   Our little princess turned 6 and the decision was made to send her to public school.  A decision that was not made lightly and a decision that has been second guessed numerous times.  Public schools suck, I have never had an experience with private schools, so I am going to assume they suck too, but just a little less than public schools.  It is clear that Aurora is not going to the same Margaret Scott I grew up in.  Everything has changed.  The kids have changed, the generation has changed.  It is quite scary at times.  I bawled every day for a week after I dropped her off at school.  I felt like a Mom leaving her child with a pack of wolves.  It didn't feel right.  I wanted to storm up there and pull her out immediately.  I stuck it out and while the feeling has subsided, it is still there.  I am realistic, I understand that I won't be able to protect my children from the world.  That they need to grow wings and fly, but it just didn't feel like the right timing.  I felt pressured by a lot of people to send my little girl to a public school.  It's just what kids do right?  They are born and at 5 you send them to Kindergarten for someone else to shape and mold them.  I disagree.  I always disagree with "normal."  I want something different for my children.  I don't want them to learn how to fit into the status quo, or become the status quo, I want them to dare to be different.  Question everything, have their own opinions and sometimes question authority.  Maybe I am weird?  I feel like my kids are destined for absolute greatness, not hum-drum normalcy.  I probably would have pulled Aurora out by now, except for the time being she loves it.  I don't love the tired induced outbursts or some of the things she is coming home saying.  I am trying to take a chill pill and give it some more time.  But how long do I wait until this feels right?  When do I know that the feeling I am having is not just me, it is a push from someone greater than me?  I tend to be very emotional and have been known to make some brash decision based on emotion, not on reality.  So I am kind of in limbo, trying to wait this feeling out.  Waiting for any sign from my daughter that this isn't a good fit. 

Meanwhile the boys and I started regular preschool time this week.  We are having fun and it feels right.  They are really smart, but they are boys, so we can only do so much before someone rather wrestle or get up and dance. :)  Trying a laid back approach and trying to make it fun.  So far so good.  It is a little different teaching 2 kiddos at one time.  They go at different paces and definitely have different learning techniques.  Trevor is slow and methodical.  Wyatt is fast and sloppy.  I think it will help me learn about them as individuals and help me relate to them more. 

Being a stay-at-home Mom can be stressful and nerve-wracking but I wouldn't trade this time for anything in the world!  I am super blessed that I have been able to stay at home.  I watch the kids at Aurora's school and I can tell a difference in the kids that have parent involvement, even if it is one parent.  Kids are like flowers, they need healthy food,  clean water, sunlight and love to grow up strong.  I am just praying really hard that my flowers don't wither or stop growing.  Russ and I are trying to do our best and trying to make the right decisions for our kids but only time will tell if our "best" was good enough.

Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Sneak Peak

Here is Landon's birthday slideshow!  This one took some time!  It will go live tomorrow on Landon's birthday, but anyone reading the blog gets a special preview. Don't you feel special? :)

Root R

While Russ and I were stressed out this weekend trying to find a plumber to fix our shower, Aurora grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper and got busy. My Grandpa had us call Mr. Rooter. Here is what she had to say in her letter to Root R:

Wise Guy!!!

An oldie but a goodie!  This was probably taken early 2010.  I have always wanted to submit it to America's Funniest Home Videos.  Do you think I should?

Mitt Romney: Should Christians vote for a Mormon?

This video is interesting and gives a different perspective.  The problem with America is the "voting for the lessor of two evils" mentality.  Let's pretend for a moment that Obama is actually a Christian.  That would mean in this case that Obama is actually the lessor of two evils.  That's right folks!  Obama would be your choice if you are going with that mentality.  But let's pretend that Obama is actually a muslim.  Then who do you choose? Both religions deny Jesus Christ.  So what do you do?  Well to me the answer is simple, you vote for neither of these idiots.  But Americans have fallen in the trap that if you don't vote for one of the 2 main candidates, you are throwing your vote away.  Well WAKE UP!  That is the exact reason why our country is in this mess!! 
I once held the opinion that I would vote for a Mormon, if he held true to the Constitution.  Not anymore.  The more I thought about it the more it bugged me.  We would be electing someone who pretty much worships Satan and his prophecies in the highest position available in the US.  Another news flash for you, Mormonisim is not a another form of Chrisitanity!  And watching so called Chrisitan preachers state that it is, on national TV just shows how far we have fallen. 
I believe wholeheartedly that God has sent us many solutions to our problems and we have ignored them.    We have been given chance after chance and have blown it every time.  If we will one day be judged for every word we say, would we not be judged for every vote we make?  Will you be able to justify the fact that you voted for Satan?  Just something to think about.

A Way With Words

I will find the time to post about our travels to Texas, but today I must post about Trevor.  Trevor has such a way with words.  He was told to be good and stay in his bed and he would be rewarded, so the next day he kept asking me, "Was I good in bed?"  He continued to do this for a few days afterward and I was not mature enough to giggle every time he asked me.  Today we went outside and played baseball. We took a break and came in for lunch.  After lunch he said, "I wanna go play the field.  When can we play the field?"  And yes I am still too immature not to giggle about it and run to the blog to "brag" about it.  Maybe one day I will grow up, but not today! :)

Traveling To Texas

We dropped the kids off at their grandparents house and headed for the airport.  I had been joking around that I was going to get molested at the airport and guess what, I did.  We checked in and went to the security line.  We took our shoes off, pulled out all our liquids, emptied our pockets and stepped into a machine that I am certain gave me a lethal dose of radiation.  Russ passed through, no problems.  I on the other hand had 4 "areas" come up on my scan, which the kind lady informed me that I won a complete pat-down.  She had to call over her walkie while she made sure I didn't make a run for it.  They escorted me to my luggage and took me to another area.  I had to stand on some sort of mat, spread my arms out and she proceeded to tell me what area she was going to "pat" before she did it.  Then as if that wasn't enough, she had to take a swab of her gloves and put in to some machine.  Luckily, I passed the test.  I still have no clue what the four things were that showed up.  I know that 2 of them were the drawstring on my pants.  I think they just wanted to feel me up. :)
We had some Snickers and water and waited patiently to board the plane.  We were in the back of the plane, so we had to load last.  Which I don't get, because it seems like it would go smoother to load the back first and work up, but whatever.  We had really nice flight attendants, at least on the way there.  Flying isn't as glamorous as it once was.  It is now a fit as many people as you can on a flight, get on , get off sort of thing.  I remember when they served meals on almost every flight and gave you pillows and blankets.  Now for that service you have to fly first class and even first class isn't very glamorous. 
We had some turbulence at the beginning of the flight, which scared me to death.  It was about a 3 1/2hour flight to Dallas.  Even with magazines and good company, it felt like we were on the plane forever.  We finally landed in Dallas and it took about 20 minutes from the time we landed to get to our gate.  I had been using a sweater in the plane, since I am cold all the time.  But as soon as we left the airplane, I knew I wasn't going to need my sweater anymore.  It was hot and sticky and it was 9:30 at night.  It was a great welcome to Texas.  :) 
Carol was waiting for us at the bag claim and we started our adventure.  Our first stop was Red Robin.  We tried out their gluten free buns, which are a little small and a little dry, but actually don't taste that bad.  I think I would prefer just to eat it without the bun though.  After our delicious meal, we headed to Carol's place, to get some much needed sleep for our busy day ahead..

Good Grief

It's been awhile since Russ has had to feel the pain of death.  My heart is broken for him.  The kids, especially Aurora picked up on it right away.  She kept asking him why he was crying, even though she knew the answer.  "Boys don't cry."  was her response.  And traditionally boys don't cry, I'm not quite sure why because a good cry always makes you feel better.  But when they do, it is usually a doozy.  I can still see my Dad collapsing and sobbing uncontrollably after he got the call his Mom had passed away.  It wasn't his finest moment, but in that moment I saw a glimpse of his heart.  I was only 9 at the time, but it will probably stick with me forever. 
It doesn't matter how old or how expected someone's death is, it still hurts the same. While there is joy of a reunion in heaven, it doesn't numb the pain felt here on earth.  It does "get better" but it never goes away. 
I felt helpless trying to comfort my husband.  When he said "all my friends are dying," my heart broke clean in two. I suggested that he stay home and process the whole situation, but of course he refused.  His schedule next week is a little messed up because of our upcoming trip to Texas and he only gets 24 hours of paid bereavement time.  He said that we couldn't afford to take unpaid time, but I'm pretty sure we can't afford to have him not grieve properly.  So of course after 2 days of little sleep and a lot of stress, he got up at 4:30 and headed off to work.  I've never had to help my husband through grief in the almost 13 years we have been together.  So this is uncharted territory for me. Prayers are always appreciated.

When I Get Where I'm Going

Russ' Grandma is on her way home.  She is a beautiful, precious soul and I am honored to be part of her amazing family!  When I first started dating Russ he always had to explain the family tree to me, there are so many branches!  I thought Grandma was absolutely crazy for having six kids and now that I have had four of my own, I still think she was crazy! :)  But I think she was truly a saint for raising 6 kids and the fruitfulness of her family just proves what a wonderful lady she is.  She raised some pretty amazing kids, who in turn raised some pretty amazing kids, who have raised some pretty amazing kids.  And I have no doubt that her great-grandkids will raise some amazing kids as well.  She had a part in shaping Russ in to the man he is and he has nothing but fond memories of his time with her.  He was honored to be her first Grandson, something he wears as a badge of honor. My heart aches for the family during this difficult time, but I am comforted by the fact that she will finally be home with Jesus and she will be reunited with Grandpa Skogan.  They gave the gift of the Lord to their kids, so I can only imagine the crazy family reunion in heaven.  Hopefully Jesus made her an extra big mansion, she will definitely need it! :)

I chose this song because she told Russ that he looked like Brad Paisley and it just seems fitting.

 Grandma Skogan this isn't goodbye, this is a see you later! We love you!

Remember When

I love this song and even though I am only 29, I can still "remember when" with the best of them. :) Life moves pretty fast and you really don't realize it while you are in the moment, but once you look back on your life you often wonder where time has gone.  I remember bringing the twins home from the hospital like it was yesterday and now they are going to be 4 years old next month! The best part of "remembering when" is the joy, love, happiness you get from these memories.  You don't remember the worry, anxiety or stress of those moments.  My mind has conveniently blocked out all memory of raising 4 babies at once.  I seriously have no recollection of how I survived each day.  The only memory I really have of that stressful time is feeding one baby while I used my foot to rock the other in their chair and Aurora happily playing off in the distance. Even though I referred to it as a "stressful time"  that certain memory only brings me complete joy.

Bad things happen, but God has given us the gift of memory.  We can recall the good times and even the bad, embarrassing or downright stupid, but even those memories usually bring laughter and joy.  Memories also bring families closer together.  They give you something to talk about, they give you a glimpse into your history. Memories are a comfort in time of sadness.  They don't take the pain away, but they make it a little more bearable.  Memories are a beautiful, wonderful thing.  I wouldn't trade mine for all the money in the world! The best advice I could give anyone is to cherish your time here on earth, make happy memories with your family and cling to the Lord. A good memory is the best investment you can make.  So go make some memories, reminisce on some old ones, cry, laugh and treasure your time.


"A life-long blessing for children is to fill them with warm memories of times together. Happy memories become treasures in the heart to pull out on the tough days of adulthood." Charlotte Davis Kasl

The Sandlot

One of my favorite movies growing up was "The Sandlot"  mainly because I had a huge crush on the main character.  I got permission from my parents to buy the movie on pay per view and stayed up late recording it on VHS so I could watch it over and over and that is exactly what I did.  Fast forward to now and Landon is as obsessed with the movie as I am.  So much so he tried to get a fight going at the beach.  The kids were all playing nicely in the sand and Landon all of a sudden stands up and starts walking over to these 2 boys (about the age of the actors in the movie) and yells out "You play ball, like a GIRL!"  Finger pointing and extreme facial expressions included.  The boys just ignored him, but he did it again and on the third time Wyatt joined him in the insulting.  I guess we are lucky that the other insults used in the movie weren't said.  I don't think those boys would have been too thrilled to be called a butt sniffer.

Seaside 2012

Landon's first Seaside trip! I was 5 months pregnant with him last time we went.

The birds left us alone until I opened a bag of chips and then we were surrounded.  I was too busy planning my escape to take a picture of all the birds!

Getting ready to hit the beach.

Walking to the beach...

Beautiful weather the whole time!

Only 10 more years.....

Last goodbyes to the beach and Ocean.

Coming home.

Coming home. 

We all had a blast!!  Our hotel was nice, the people were so friendly and the weather was wonderful.  A successful Jones family trip!!  Seaside is my favorite beach and it holds so many memories for me, so I am thrilled to be able to deposit some great memories in my kid's memory banks.  Now back to reality......