Happy Birthday Carrie!!!

She listens and encourages me, my dear sweet friend.
She is patient and smart, my consultant and editor.
She prays for me and speaks truth, my sister in Christ.

I know she'll probably hate this picture but I LOVE it because...


and I can always make her laugh.

I love you Carrie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

The way to Gus' heart

Gus: (screaming and crying) I need more ice cream!!!
Mom: No Gus, you already had one and can't have anymore.
Gus: (still screaming and crying) Nooooooooo, I need more.
Mom: I'm sorry Gus but you ate your ice cream.
Gus: No I didn't, I dropped it, waaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Mom: Well Gus I didn't know you dropped it. I thought you ate it. Mama will get you more.
Gus: oooooookaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.
Mom: (hands Gus his ice cream)
Gus: (happy as a clam) I like you Mama!!!

Flashback Friday: "Birth" days past

I can't believe will be doing this again in just a matter weeks!!!

Gus and Sam's first photo together.

This next time around I'll be the one holding the baby for the first photo opp!!!

Thankful Thursday

Still going strong...

Q and A

Question:What does $9 get you when you're a

crazy coupon lady?!?!

Answer:

1 dozen eggs

4 boxes of Kotex panty liners

6 1pt bottles of Nestle Nesquick chocolate milk

and

9lbs of Jennie O ground turkey!!!

(thanks Red for the tip off on the turkey)

Celebrating Independence!!!

And I'm not just talking about the 4th of July kind, all though we did a lot of that this weekend in Chelan. Just a few of those highlights for ya...

...and when it's all said and done, they are exhausted.

We Mitchell's are also celebrating another kind of Independence this weekend. The kind of independence you get when you are NO LONGER CHANGING DIAPERS!!!! That's right folks, I'm just as shocked as you are but it is for real. Gus became a potty trained man this weekend. How I'm not really sure...I'm mean, who gets potty trained while on vacation??? No sticker chart? No candy rewards?

Here's the story if your like me and you want all the details...

Well, this summer, between backyard water play and vacations my kids have been spending a lot of time in their swim suits. I have not been putting swim diapers on Gus but rather letting him make a mess of himself a few times. While we were camping for a week in June he decided he didn't like to potty on himself while in a swim suit and kept asking me to take him to the potty. After a couple long and unsuccessful trips in a row I just told him to pee in the grass at our campsite the next time he asked me. So down I pulled his pants and peeing in the grass is exactly what he did. I of course cheered him on cause to me, it was a step in the right direction. So since then he has been peeing in the grass in our backyard but only when he is wearing his swim suit. (sorry if you think that's grose but it worked for me) On Friday we started off our holiday vaca with a trip to the water park. I thought I better put a swim diaper on Gus cause I didn't think the water park would appreciate my son peeing on their grass. But he refused. So I told him he better tell me if he had to go potty and sure enough he did. He used the toilets all day at the water park with NO accidents. You're probably thinking sure, I bet you just didn't realize he was just peeing in the water... But that is not the case! He would be standing in water up to his belly and then tell me he had to go potty so off we would go. Clint and I decide it was best to go to the store and buy him some big boy underpants because he was even beyond pull ups at this point. So the whole rest of the weekend we made it to the bathroom every time but once. In his defence I had just woken him up from falling asleep in the car and he was super tired and grumpy and while we were walking to the park he had an accident. Poor guy. But he recovered very well with a fresh pair of underoos and shorts. Oh ya, and for those of you who are wondering...the answer is YES. He's using the toilet for #2 too!

So we are all very proud of our big boy Gus!!! I am so thankful to get this small break from diapers and the budget will be happy to only have one in diapers. Permitting this sticks of course. I am all to aware of that fact that this could change but I'll do my best to keep the momentum going.

WOW! Who knew I could make such a lengthy post about going potty?

PS-Moms out their who have or are struggling with potty training your 1st...Take heart cause my first was a lot tougher then the 2nd and 3rd. Big sisters and brother are a huge help in potty training their younger siblings.

Have I lost my faith in her?

America the beautiful

Land of the free and home of the brave.

A nation that was founded under the term "In God we trust"

yet...

A nation where abortion is not only accepted, it's encouraged

A nation that wants to take Christ out of Christmas

A nation who's public school system wants to educate my 4th grader on sex, birth control and homo sexuality

I could go on and on...

Sorry to be so unpatriotic so close to America's 233rd birthday. I guess sometimes the values of this country just get me down.

Heavenly Father, in you I do trust, and when all the faith I have in my country is gone, I will still have peace, because I can continue to put my faith in you.