This and That

I know it's been a while since I've blogged so I thought I would just share a little bit about what has been going on around the Bell house.

I got a new job! Yay! I started back in October and while it isn't my ideal "perfect" job, I am so happy I am here. I prayed about this job before I came. There were some inner workings that needed to happen in order for me to get this job and to make it work for me at the right time. I knew only God could orchestrate these things and so I gave all the worry, all the fears, all the questions, and He took care of it for me and now here I am! I work with an AMAZING team and they constantly keep me laughing. I am SO blessed.

The kids are doing great. Jay is driving me crazy over her school life but I guess that is what preteens do to their parents. I talked to her teacher a few days ago on the phone and I was crying because I was frustrated. I went on and on complaining to her and I guess I was hoping to hear a few words of encouragement and instead she says "Welcome to being the mother of a middle schooler.". Ummmm...thanks for that? I'm scared. Binky is such a hard worker and Buddy is busy being a three year old and tormenting the dog.

Thanksgiving was great this year. I tried out and cooked three new recipes and two of the dishes turned out great. I figured two out of three isn't too bad. I also got a new nephew at the end of October. His name is Warren Russell but they call him W.R. for short. The proud parents are Rusty and Brandy and I am so happy for them. He has a few health issues but we are just trusting and believing that God will heal him.

On another not, my birthday is less than two weeks away and birthdays are always fun. Two of my coworkers birthdays are the same week so we will be doing a lot of partying around the school!

Love, Hugs, and Oodles of Blessings,
Georgia

Toadally Yummy Tuesday...or Saturday???

Okay, I know it's not Tuesday but I thought it is time for a new recipe since it has been a while. This one is a extra sweet dessert that is good warm or straight from the fridge and the best part, it's super easy!



Sopapilla Cheesecake

Ingredients:

2 8oz tubs of cream cheese

2 8oz tubes of crescent rolls

1tsp of vanilla

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup of cinnamon sugar

9x13 inch pan

1 stick of butter



Directions:

Open one tube of crescent rolls and line the bottom of the 9x13 inch pan with the crescent rolls laying flat. Mix the sugar, softened cream cheese, and vanilla together until smooth. Pour the mixture over the crescent rolls. Open up the last tube of crescent rolls and lay them flat on top of the cream cheese mixture. Pour the melted butter on top of the crescent rolls and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the melted butter. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm or put it in the fridge. Either way is yummy!

New Look, New Puppy, I must be crazy!

Today I decided to give my blog a makeover. It was getting a little boring around here lately and I was ready for something new, something to spice up my blog. I have a little bit of self diagnosed ADD and I get bored with things pretty quickly. But getting bored with my blog was not something I wanted to let happen so I opted for a new layout design. Isn't it adorable? You can find your own layout design at www.thecutestblogontheblock.com and the best thing about the website's backgrounds...they're free! Gotta love that!

In other news, we adopted a puppy. Well, let me rephrase that...I found a puppy off the street, brought him home where we discovered he was sick, took him to the vets, found out he had Parvo, and now he is trying to recover at the vets over the next few days. We are praying this precious puppy makes it. The kids just love him, I love him, and I do not want to have to teach them this life/death lesson so soon after getting a puppy that they have wanted for SO long. So if you wouldn't mind dear reader, could you say a little prayer for our Pumpkin and that he makes a full recovery from this horrible virus? And please, please, please remember to get your pet vaccinated. Parvo is completely preventable if dogs are vaccinated appropriately and on time.

Have a good night!

God Makes Rainbows

Tonight I am sitting on the couch. I am reading some of my favorite blogs and Buddy is sitting on the other couch across from me watching Ice Age:Dawn of the Dinosaurs (one of his favorites).

At one point in the movie, there is a scene that shows a rainbow. Buddy turns to me all excited and says, Look Mommy! There's a rainbow!

Me: I see, a rainbow!

Buddy: Can we get one?

Me: No Buddy. Only God makes Rainbows.

Buddy: Can He make one for us?

Me: Yes, He will make one for us.

Buddy: YES! (with a small fist pump)

I love this kid and his sweet heart.

Toadally Yummy Tuesday

This is the recipe for my mama's Chicken and Dumplings. This dish is super yummy and very easy to make and it makes A LOT! The only draw back is that it is time consuming since you have to boil the chicken for 1 hour. However, the rest of the recipe allows you to just dump in the ingredients and be done. This recipe is a hit with my kids and my super picky hubby!



Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

1 bag of egg noodles

(Add these ingredients to the pot after chicken and noodles are cooked:)

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp of minced onions

6 chicken bouillon cubes

1 Bay leaf

1 tsp celery salt

3 cups of water (in addition to the water you will need to boil the chicken)

1 can of cream corn

1 can of biscuits (cut into 1/4's)



Directions:

1.In a large pot, cover the chicken with water. Boil the chicken 1/2 an hour on each side. Keep the chicken covered with water (add more water during boiling if neccessary. The chicken is done when it falls apart. Remove the chicken, keep the water.

2. Add the bag of egg noodles to the water and boil for about 8 minutes.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the boiling water.

4. The dumplings are done when they begin to swell, cover and simmer. (about 10 minutes)

5. Shred the chicken while the dumplings are cooking, dump the chicken into the mixture.

6. It's ready to eat!

Enjoy!

(I know today is Wednesday...don't judge me. But after making this yummy dish, all will be forgiven.)

There goes my baby

This week Buddy turned 3 years old...he is getting so big so fast. This morning I made it my mission to take down his crib and to redo his bed for him using a Toy Story theme (that his sweet Nana bought for him) so that he could have a "big boy bed". This was heart wrenching.

As I was disassembling the side of the crib that comes off (it's a crib that turns into a toddler bed), I was reminded of the day when JJ and I (well JJ at least) were putting the crib together anxiously awaiting his arrival. I can't remember the exact day we assembled it but I know we were only a few weeks away from his birth. We had waited so long because I had a miscarriage (that's a whole other post) before I got pregnant with Jeremiah and I had such a tough pregnancy with being in and out of the hospital with high blood pressure, protein in my urine on a regular basis, gestational diabetes, and kidney stones. For a while the doctor told us she would deliver Jeremiah at 29 weeks because of my health.

I think that we were both a little afraid to hope that we would be holding our baby, we had gone through so much the previous ten months. I remember JJ telling me when we were putting the crib up "I didn't think that this was going to happen. I was too afraid to hope." But God shined on us and we made it to 37 1/2 weeks and our beautiful baby boy was born.

We are so lucky. This little guy has brought so much joy into our lives. It makes me so sad to know that he is our last child (unless God intervenes) and that he is growing up so fast. Before I know it, he will be riding a bike, going to his friends house to hang out, going to camps, and getting a girlfriend.

So right now I will not cry, I will try hard not to be sad. I will cherish each and every moment I have with him. When he cries for me in the middle of the night, I will go to him because I know before long he will no longer think it is manly to cry. When he wants me to read a book to him "just a ill bit" (little bit) even though I have already read it twice, I will because pretty soon he will be able to read on his own. When he wants "one more kiss" before bed time, I will close my eyes, remember what his sweet kisses feel like because in the not too far future he won't allow me to kiss him anymore and I know, that I will miss this.

(Sorry the pics in this post are so bad. I was using my iPhone.)

The Bell Frogs and TOO MUCH BIRTHDAY!

August is always a busy month for us. Two of our kids have birthdays in the month of August along with my sister in law, J.J.'s uncle, his best friend, and Binky has two good friends that also have birthdays in August, so basically we end up partying all month.

Birthdays are a big deal for us in the Bell household. The kids always get to celebrate on the date of their birthday by going out to eat (their choice) or cake and ice cream at home with family. Then they have a "friends" birthday party on the weekend of their birthday, and then we will celebrate that Sunday with lunch at a restaurant of their choice.

Last week was Binky's birthday, she turned 9! She had partied so hard for three days straight with a family birthday dinner on Thursday night, circus, ears pierced, and dinner at California Pizza Kitchen on Friday, then her "friend" party on Saturday followed by a slumber party for her BFF whose birthday is five days after hers. By Sunday morning, her BFF's mom called me because she had fever...I diagnosed it as TOO MUCH BIRTHDAY!

Today is the first day Binky has been fever free. Apparently we will need to make some changes for next year, this is too much! In the meantime, enjoy a few pics from her birthday PARTIES!(Notice the THREE different outfits over THREE different days. Cringe!)

Others

So this month, our church is really focusing on serving others. We are having a servolution in our church. Last Sunday our pastor challenged us to pick a time every weekend through the end of September to spend one hour in prayer. I committed to a specific hour even though I was a little wary that I could actually pray a WHOLE HOUR(!?!?). This morning I was reading through a few of my favorite blogs and I happened upon one where a woman had committed to praying for her readers specific needs when they left a comment.

I would like to do that for you my dear readers. I would like to spend my time during this month that I have committed to being in prayer, praying not just for my needs, but for yours. I want to focus on praying for others. If you will leave me a comment stating your need (you can be anonymous or leave a screen name...He knows who you are), I will gladly and with all my heart, pray for you and your need. Also, feel free to comment back with any praise reports...God answers prayers!!!


"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:6

Promises

A couple of weeks ago the kids and I were leaving the house, it had been raining but the sun was shining brightly. One of the kids said, "Mommy, look! A rainbow!" And yes, there it was a beautiful full rainbow over my house. Not the half kind that are so common but this one was a rarity. This one reached from one side of the sky to the other. I stopped and got a quick couple of pictures with my iPhone (that's why the resolution is so yucky on the photos). It was a full arc, a full beautiful rainbow. A promise. My promise. A promise straight from God himself that my family and I will be taken care of. We will be provided for. A promise that he works out all things for our good. As Christians, sometimes we think because God is on our side, our lives will be filled with rainbows and lollipops. That is so far from the truth. Actually, God promises that we will have dark times. Bad things will happen to us and hard times will fall upon us. But he promises that he will be there right beside us through it all and he will help us get through the hard times.

"The LORD will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:5-6

The Bible is full of God's promises. And He keeps those promises. So I will not fear and when doubt comes my way, I will pray for Peace knowing that God is my Provider. And I know, he is going to blow my mind!

Interview with Binky

How was your day today Binky?
Ummm...fun.

Why was it fun?
Ummm...because I got to see my friend and we went to CiCi's pizza.

Binky, what is your favorite T.V. show?
Ummm...ICarly.

What do you like about ICarly?
It's a web show and all of the kids are making a web show in their houses. Buddy even likes ICarly.

Where did you get the name Binky from?
Ummm...I don't know. At first people called me Minky and then it changed to Binky.

Why did we call you Minky?
Well, I don't really remember. My dad would call me Mini Me, and then it changed to Minky, and then it changed to Binky, so I don't really know how.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A restaurant owner and put some art pictures in it.

What kind of food will you serve?
Ummm....Some seafood, a lot of meat, and some pbj, and french fries.

Binky, who is your best friend?
Chelseia. I met her when I was two.

Why is she your best friend?
Because I met her when I was two and I was in preschool I think and we are still friends.

What do you think makes a good friend?
How they be honest, and how they are nice. Just tell them what's going on and they like you as a friend.

How do you feel about Jesus?
I feel...umm...that's hard. I don't know what you mean that much. I feel that He is nice. He died on the cross for us and that was nice. I love Him very much.

Is there anything else you want me to ask you about?
Ummm...no ma'am.

Toadally Yummy Tuesday

Okay, so I haven't done this in a while and I thought today would be a great day to give my readers a wonderful recipe that can be cooked for dinner tonight! This recipe was taken from my pastor's wife and is a church family favorite....Disclaimer....I have no clue how many WW points this is and I don't want to. Just savor each bite!

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of broccoli
3 chicken breast halves
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup of mayonnaise ( I like Duke's because it is straight from the South and it is very rich...you can only find it at Kroger/ my mom uses Miracle Whip)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon of curry powder
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 small package of Pepperidge Farm seasoned bread crumbs

Directions:
Place chopped raw broccoli in bottom of pan. Chop chicken into small chunks. Put chicken chunks on top of broccoli. Make a sauce with the soup, mayo, lemon juice, and curry powder. Spread the sauce over chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle cheese over this. Sprinkle crumbs over all ingredients. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Serve with crescent rolls (or any bread you like), enjoy!!!

Wishing...

I wish I were up here...

Or here...

Or here again.

Oh, how I long for the beauty of the sea...

Why isn't my &%*@ phone ringing???

It reminds me of my teenage years when I was waiting for that certain somebody to call. How I would sit with the phone right next to me and wait for it to ring. Sometimes I would hit the "on" button just to make sure the phone was working correctly and check that there was a dial tone. But what I remember most was the anxiety that came with sitting and waiting and wondering and hoping. And now, fifteen years later I am back with the phone as a continuous presence by my side doing it all over again. Only this time, I waiting for that certain school to call.

The school that asks me to come in for an interview. The school that will allow me to start the begining of my dream career. The school that will put in my pocket a paycheck.

A paycheck that will allow me to get a new car since my current car has 160,000 miles on it.

A paycheck that will help me pay off my student loans.

A paycheck that will allow my kids to get a dog to add to our family that I always promised "when Mommy graduates".

A paycheck that will allow me to be independent and to live as an adult at 30 years old and not to have to go to family for help.

A paycheck that I so desperately need that allows me to have the life I so desperately want and have worked my rear end off for for the past ten years. I paid the price, I put in the time, I dedicated myself to it, so why in the world is my &%*@ phone not ringing???

Reminders

I was reminded to remember tonight...http://themcclenahans.blogspot.com/

Sometimes we get so bogged down with life, so frustrated, so irritated, so angry, so scared...
Sometimes we feel as if everything in our life is out of control and we forget...
We forget the things our Lord has done for us.
Sometimes, we forget the things He has brought us through.

So tonight I will reflect
I will remember the things my Lord has brought me through.

I will remember the time JJ and I were struggling in our marriage and the Lord spoke to me and gave me words that I have continued to hold onto when times get tough and I remember to "Just Stand."

I will remember when financially my back was against the wall in a certain situation, I cried out to God in the middle of the night, the next day I woke up and upon returning home there was a large lump sum check in my mailbox sent as part of my financial aide that I thought I had already received.

I will remember when the doctor told me I would have to deliver my son at 29 weeks...I was so scared... I prayed, I fell on my knees and asked God for His help. Buddy was born at 38 weeks gestation in perfect health.

I will remember when I delivered Jay, my first child, and I was losing too much blood, the doctor said a hysterectomy. I was 19. My dad called my Nana to have her pray...everyone prayed...bleeding stopped...I have three children now.

I will remember times when I thought death was the answer. I will remember times I was left in a drug and alcohol filled house by myself at night. I will remember the times He has seen me through even when I couldn't fathom a possible solution.

I will remember His goodness.
I will remember His grace.
I will remember His love for me.
I will remember, it's in His hands.

Then I thought, "To this I will appeal:
the years of the right hand of the Most High."
I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds.
Psalm 77:10-12

Not Me, Monday

Okay family and friends, here's another "Not Me" post that you can laugh at me about and then secretly admit to yourself that sometimes, you might do the same things...

On Tuesday when we got back from Florida, I washed a load of laundry from our trip. However it was NOT me that left that load of laundry in the washing machine until Wednesday morning where I had to rewash it twice because I was too tired and lazy to throw the laundry in the dryer on Tuesday night. I'm super mom! I am never too tired or lazy to do laundry.

It is most certainly not me who allowed my two year old son to pick up the m&m candies off the floor and eat them after I had dropped them making candy cookies for the kids. Good Heavens! Think of all the germs...I'm a much better mommy than that.

Finally, it was definitely not me who called the Kidney Foundation on Friday and made an appointment to have them come and pick up things I was donating that day and then forgot to put the items out on the porch where they left a nice "sorry we missed you"note. I would never be so thoughtless and forgetful.

So what about you? What have you "not" done this week? Remember, to read more "Not Me, Monday" posts from blogs all over the world, go to www.mycharmingkids.net.

Florida

Whew! I'm finally back from our Florida vacation and things should be settling down now. As you know, J.J. and I went on a week cruise at the end of May. When we came back, I was home for two weeks and then I went off to Florida for a family reunion with my dad, mom, and the kids (hubby had to work). I can't believe next Thursday will be the first day of July. Time sure does fly by.

The family reunion was really nice. It was in Port St. Lucie. My Grandaddy, Nana, brother, sister-in-law, aunts, uncles, and several cousins were all there. I really enjoyed the visit except for the part when my 86 year old Nana got very ill and ended up having to have emergency surgery. However, she is doing much better but please keep her in your prayers.

Along with visiting Port St. Lucie, we also spent a few days at Daytona Beach where we saw jellyfish, dolphins, crabs, and stingrays that were swimming in the water along with us. The girls spent most of their time in the ocean boogie boarding. They had a blast. My mom (who has always been afraid of the water) also jumped in and spent some time catching waves on the board.

The last two days of our trip we stayed in Orlando at a beautiful resort where we had a two bedroom suite the size of a large apartment. The kids had a great time in the pool there and Jay and Binky even participated in slide races that they had at the pool. They didn't win but they had a lot of fun. Our last night in Florida was spent at Dowtown Disney where we ate at the T-Rex Cafe (SO MUCH FUN!) and ate a pie pan filled with 8 scoops of ice cream along with syrup toppings, nuts, sprinkles, and way too much whip cream! (Papa was in all his glory.)

We had a lot of fun and I feel so blessed to be able to be apart of such an amazing family!!!

Toadally Yummy Tuesday

This is one of my family's very favorite "light" recipes. I take this soup, put it on top of baked tostito chips, add fat free shredded cheddar cheese, and fat free sour cream and it is SUPER yummy! The soup also freezes really well.

(Point values are for the soup only. This does not include the toppings listed above.)

Taco Soup
Points:4

Ingredients:
1 lb of cooked ground beef (5% or 7% fat)
1 medium onion
15 oz can dark red kidney beans
15 oz can black beans
15 oz can chili beans
15 oz can yellow corn
15 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can diced green chiles
15 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 package of Taco Seasoning
1 1/2 cups of water

Instructions:

Brown beef and onion, drain fat. Add all other ingredients, do not drain liquid. Stir well and simmer about 15 minutes. Add toppings if you wish!

Plans

Sorry I didn't post a Not Me!Monday! or a Toadally Awesome Recipe on Tuesday. I am falling behind, I know. I have been so busy getting ready for my graduation party on Friday, Graduation on Saturday, and family coming into town, that I haven't had time to sit down at a computer and blog. However for my few loyal fans, I have found the time now!
So I have kind of been in a funk the past couple of days. Life is changing so much and I have so much on my mind that I am having a hard time being positive. You would think with college coming to an end and mere days away from a seven day Carribean Cruise, I would be jumping for joy but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I am SUPER excited to be ending this chapter in my life and starting a new one, but I guess I am just feeling overwhelmed.
I have been worried about getting a job for next fall. My family is depending on me financially and I have put too much of a strain on us already. I have been praying and trying to trust and believe and put my faith in God knowing his timing is perfect, but sometimes I wonder....WHAT'S TAKING HIM SO LONG???
I know this is just a test he's given me. I need to wait and be patient and give over control to Him of my life. I know that is what He is wanting me to do. He just wants me to hand over the reins so he can take care of things. It's just so hard for me. I hate feeling out of control. I like controlling my surroundings. Not being in control makes me scared and I deal with a lot of fear when it comes to not being in control.
So for right now I am learning. I am trusting. I am believing that His timing is pure perfection and He has great things in store for me. Wonderful things beyond my wildest imagination.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Toadally Yummy Tuesday

This recipe is straight off Weight Watchers website. I love chinese food but most chinese food is really high in points and sodium, so this was a nice find for me.


I do add chicken breast to the recipe to give it more of a main meal feel, so of course the number of points will go up based on how much chicken breast, shrimp, or beef you add.


My husband liked this recipe as well as my little tadpoles so it is picky eater friendly. Let me know how it turns out if you try it. Enjoy!





Easy Fried Rice
POINTS: 3 (without meat added)
INSTRUCTIONS

2 spray(s) cooking spray
2 large egg(s), lightly beaten
1 cup(s) carrot(s), shredded
1 cup(s) scallion(s), sliced, divided
3 cup(s) cooked white rice
1/2 cup(s) frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 cup(s) low-sodium soy sauce, or to taste



Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; warm pan over medium-high heat. Add eggs; tilt pan so that eggs cover bottom.


When eggs start to set, break them up into pieces with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute more; remove eggs them from skillet and set aside.


Off heat, recoat same skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Add carrots and all but 2 tablespoons scallions; sauté until carrots are crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.


Stir in cooked rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Gently stir in cooked egg and remaining scallions; heat through. Yields about 3/4 cups per serving.

Not Me! Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

So this one is going to be pretty short because truth be told, I was a pretty perfect person this week! :)

So yesterday when my dryer decided to quit drying on me, I absolutely did not put a pullup on my two and a half year old son to go to church in because I absolutely did not wait until the last minute to wash all of his underwear. NOT ME! There are ALWAYS clean clothes in my little tadpoles drawers.

This week I also most certainly did not forget that I was the mom in charge of the snacks for my middle tadpoles soccer game, and had to go to the store at 9:00 the night before to buy snacks. I never forget my duties as a soccer mom.

Lastly, I would never look at my middle tadpoles socks and realize that she had on two different colors and choose to ignore it. I would be a good mom, care what people think, and make her march right up the stairs to get two matching socks on. I would never let her out of the house looking like that!

So please share...what have you not done this week?

Toadally Yummy Tuesday

Every Tuesday I will be posting a new recipe. These recipes will be ones that I use personally so most of them will be easy, light in fat and low in points, and a family pleaser. Hope you like the first one of the series.

Chicken Tacos
(Don't quote me on this but I figured that the chicken by itself is three points per serving)
Serves 6

So this is one of my favorite recipes for three reasons in order:
1. My husband and kids LOVE it.
2. It's SUPER EASY to make.
3. It's very low in fat and I like that!

Ingredients for taco filling:
2 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken thigh(s)
16 oz Old El Paso Salsa Mexicana, mild
1 tsp McCormick Ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1 small onion, cut into small pieces

Ingredients to complete the taco (amounts depend on how many your feeding):
flour tortillas
grated cheddar cheese
diced tomatoes
sour cream
shredded lettuce

Instructions:
Place the chicken thighs into your crockpot
Add Salsa, cumin, minced garlic, and onion.
Stir the ingredients together
Cook on low for 8 hours
Serve with flour tortillas, tomatoes, cheese, and lettuce for delicious chicken tacos!

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This week I absolutely did not run out of laundry detergent like a good mother never does. I ALWAYS have supplies on hand and ready to go. I also did not take the empty laundry detergent container and fill it up with water to get the last little drops of detergent out of and then used it to wash a load of my children's clothes. I then did not send my husband out at 12:00 at night to get more detergent so I could have some on hand for the next day. I am always prepared

I also did not reuse my "daily throw away" contacts ALL WEEK by putting them in contact solution to use the next day because I am to busy (ahem...lazy) to go to the eye doctor, have a eye exam, and buy new contacts. I am never too busy...I'm super mom!

I most certainly did not give my sweet two year old fruit snacks and goldfish for breakfast because we were running out the door for daycare and I did not have time to feed him a good breakfast. A good mom would never stand for her baby eating junk for breakfast. She would fix him a proper breakfast with eggs, bacon, and fruit.

And lastly I absolutely did not pick up my children 45 minutes before the daycare closed when they had been there since 7am just so I could spend an extra hour in peace in quiet while getting a manicure and pedicure. Nope absolutely not me! I take my babies everywhere with me.

So, what have you "NOT" done this week? Won't you share?

Battle of the Bulge

So about 14 weeks ago, I started Weight Watchers. Again. For the last time...hopefully.

Anyways, I've been doing really well. I have lost 25 lbs and I have lost 10% of my weight. My goal when I started was to lose 30 lbs by May 15,2010. Graduation day. It's quickly approaching and I have only 5 more pounds to lose so I have challenged myself. Normally I stay on track and track all of my points Monday through Friday. I go weigh in Saturday morning at 7:30 and then I give myself Saturday and Sunday off from tracking and obsessing over what I put in my mouth.

However, I cheated a few times this past week (my wonderful husband brought home ten packs of reeses peanut butter cups, one of my many weaknesses, and let's just say I enjoyed them a little too much) and so I gained .4 lbs. Not a huge gain, but who likes to see a plus sign before their weight? So I decided that this week I was going to track every single one of my points this week with no days off from tracking. If I bite it, I'm gonna write it. I'm also going to stick to drinking my water all this week and my goal is to walk 10,000 steps every day which I will keep track of with my pedometer. I want to see how following the plan with no cheating works for me.

Wish me luck!

~ Georgia

"Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." ~Matthew 4:4

Divinely Blessed

A few weeks ago my graduation announcements arrived in the mail. Oh what a exciting day that was. Before I ordered them I sat down to write down names of who I would like to send them to. It ended up that I had about 75 people I definitely wanted to invite so I ordered 100 of the announcements to get a good price by buying in bulk. Early this morning I again sat down with a church directory and my address book and reevaluated who I was sending announcements to. It turns out I should have probably ordered 150 instead.
I turned to my supervising teacher and shared the news that I should have bought more and she was amazed. She told me that she probably had three people who showed up for her graduation. She said I was lucky to have so many people that care about me. I agreed with her that yes, I am very blessed to be surrounded by a large family and so many friends. She went on to share with me that other than her mother and a couple other obscure family members, she only had her husband and kids left in this world.
The thought of that made me sad for her, but it did remind me of how truly blessed I am to have so many people that love me and that love my family. Yes, family drives you crazy but they are always there for you no matter what. They may not agree with every decision you make and you may feel the same way about them but in the end, they've got your back. I feel so blessed to have so much family. Not only do I have my biological mom's family and my dad's family but I also have my step mom's family and my husband's family that I love and adore.
I have so many people supporting me, rooting for me, loving me and my family. How can I do anything but say "I am DIVINELY Blessed."
~Georgia

Welcome to the Bell Pad

Hi. Welcome to the Bell Pad. This blog is created for all our friends and family that want to keep up with what is going on with the Bell family. To introduce myself, I am Mommy Frog (aka Georgia). I am currently a student at UNT but I graduate in May to become a teacher. I am married to Daddy Frog and we have three beautiful little tadpoles ranging from age 2 all the way to 11. Our family is an "on the go" kind of family. We are always jumping and hopping around from pad to pad. We are so glad you have decided to check out our pond. We hope you enjoy!