My husband Adam had a few minutes to grab lunch.  He went to a drive-thru and ordered, but then got stuck behind a line of cars.  They were moving slowly until the car in front of him came to a complete stop altogether. 
    As his frustration grew, Adam thought about pulling around and leaving.  He became even more angry as the older couple in the car in front of him stuck their heads out of their windows to turn back and look at him.  Two employees of the fast food place stretched their heads out of their window too.
    Adam had no idea what was going on but he continued to stay, because he'd already placed his order.  As his impatience grew however, he finally decided to pull away. 
    Suddenly, the car in front of him drove off, redirecting Adam to keep in line.  
    As Adam pulled forward with his window rolled down, he was beyond ready to grab his food and get going.  
    He held his card out as the young employee handed his food and drink through the window. 
.    The employee was chipper, saying, "Here you go Sir.  Have a great day!" 
    Taking his food, Adam continued to hold his card out.  The employee smiled, "Oh, that won't be necessary Sir.  The car in front of you paid for your food and for the people behind you too.  Have a good day!"   
     Nothing like that had ever happened to him.  Sure he's heard of it happening, but it's always been to someone else.
     He tried to take off, looking everywhere for the people who paid, but they were gone.  Completely disappeared. 
     Later, he called me in disbelief.  "It was the coolest thing."  He said.  "I was furious that everybody was taking so long, and then that happened."  He went on to say how it was a good reminder to never assume.
    When you think that something's in your way, or keeping you from what you want...it just might be for your own good and you don't even know it yet. 
    To the people in front of Adam today, whoever you are, Thank You.  That was such a wonderful thing to do.  We'll be sure to return the favor the next time we're out.
     I can only hope the people behind us will be as surprised and grateful as we were, and that's all because of you. 
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     What IS it with the toilet paper?  Why will nobody change it?  With six people in our house, it runs out quickly.  I'm not even kidding when I say this though...if I didn't change it, there would be a permanent roll sitting on the bathroom floor.
     I try to tell my husband and kids, "If it's out, replace it with a new one."  Nope.  It never happens.  I've literally gone into our bathroom to see an empty roll with a new one sitting on TOP of it.  I swear I heard my husband laugh from the other room.     
     Our five year old daughter will change it every once in a while but she usually puts it on upside down.
     This actually led to a survey question on our facebook page...
Do you face your toilet paper roll up or down and why?  The responses were quite funny:
      Erin L. wrote:  Over so the dogs can't get it and pull it all over the place.
      Julianna M. wrote:  I grew up with it under, and that's the best way to avoid kitty paws and little kids strewing it everywhere.... However.... In the interest of marital harmony, I have begrudgingly trained myself to place it over. I hate it over. Passionately. But it's not worth fighting about, and I have some MUCH larger battles... 
      Jamie M. wrote:  Over....no other way. I have even changed it in other places....like at my parents' house.
      Stephanie B. wrote:  In this house, definitely under. Why? If we didn't it would all end up on the floor from curious little hands of things 1 and 2.
      Mary Ann B. wrote:  Do you mean over or under? I place it to roll over. Why? Because that's the right way. ;) My family on the other hand just places the new roll on top of the empty roll if they even bother to get out a new roll.
     ...and my husband's personal favorite...
     Craig W. wrote:  I put it the exact opposite of what it was......this way if my wife had it the way she wanted...she'll be like "WTF happened to the roll" hehe       
      At this point I don't care which way it goes, as long as it's on.  It might be a long time from now until that day comes, but until then, a girl can dream...  
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     A friend of mine at work is going through a hard time right now.  She was telling me about her situation and how she didn't know if she'd get through it.  It reminded me of something a professor in college once told me.
     It was my senior year and her name was Dr. Morrow.  She was beyond wonderful and kind.  I went to her once, totally freaking out about almost being done with school and having absolutely no idea what to do with my life.  All of my friends seemed to have everything figured out with their jobs, getting married, with their whole...everything...and I was clueless.  
     Dr. Morrow sat me down and pulled up the Bible verse,
Psalm 119:105 - Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. 
     I was a little confused, until she explained.  
    "Think about it."  She said.  "If you lived back then and had to walk through narrow paths at night with nothing but an oil lamp, would you be able to see around you for miles?  Would you be able to see far ahead?  No.  If all you had was a small lamp, you would only see your feet and the steps that you took under the light.  The Bible doesn't say, Thy Word is a flashlight to know what's going to happen down the road.  God will guide you each step of the way.  It's not for you to know or worry about the future.  That's taken care of...and you'll be protected, with every step that you take."  
    It's something that's stuck with me and hopefully it helped when I shared it with my friend too.  
   Thank You Dr. Morrow!  I'll keep taking one step at a time.  XOXO
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     A few weekends ago, we were at my mom and dad's.  I had an itch on my left side and under my shirt there was a bump. When I looked...there was a little tick stuck to my skin. 
    "Hey mom!  Do you have any tweezers?"
    "Yes, why?"
    "I have a tick."
    "Oh!  Let me see.  There's nothing to worry about unless there's a white dot on their back."
     "Ummmm, mom.  This one has a white dot on it's back."
     "Oh!  Well, maybe it's not a white dot that's dangerous.  I don't know.  I'll get the tweezers."
     (great.)
     This led to my first ever internet search on ticks.  It turned out that the tick that I had, was fine.  It made me realize though, just how much I didn't know (or care) about ticks to begin with.  We haven't found a tick on our kids yet, so it never crossed my mind. 
     If or when you might get a tick however, have I got a treat for you.  I've put together some helpful information from the several websites that I found.  (Yes. My life is full of excitement.)
    Keep in mind...I am not a doctor, so if any of this information is wrong or invalid and you are the keeper of all knowledge on ticks (and yuck)...please feel free to correct.
                 TYPES OF TICKS  (ewww)
                     Lone Star Tick

    The Lone Star Tick female is easy to identify from any other tick by the white dot or "star" in the center of her back.  The star is actually part of her shield. 
    Lone Star Ticks are found throughout the southeastern and south-central states, but have been identified as far north as Maine and as far west as central Texas and Oklahoma. 
    The tick will feed on humans, and other animals (dogs/cats) and may be quite aggressive.  The saliva from Lone Star Ticks can be irritating, but the redness at a bite site does not necessarily indicate an infection.
    Although Lone Star Ticks are not known to carry Lyme Disease, research has found that they may cause STARI, or Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness, causing a rash that may be accompanied by fatigue, headache, fever, and muscle and joint pains.  STARI has not been linked to any arthritic, neurological, or chronic symptoms however - and the rash and accompanying symptoms have resolved following treatment with oral antibiotics.

                   The Brown Dog Tick

      The Brown Dog Tick will feed on a wide variety of animals, but dogs are the preferred host and attachment to humans is uncommon.  Dog Ticks can however, reach extreme pest proportions and infestation in houses and kennels.  Brown Dog Ticks have not been shown to transmit the bacteria which causes Lyme disease in humans, however in parts of the Southwestern United States, it may transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and in Europe, Asia and Africa, it is also known to carry what is locally known as Mediterranean Spotted Fever, or Tick Typhus. 

                   The Wood Tick

      Wood ticks are most active during the spring and summer months. They tend to be near field edges or wooded trails. Wood ticks usually take up to 24 hours before they begin feeding, giving you time to remove them.  Wearing repellant and proper protective clothing will help to avoid getting wood ticks.  Wood ticks may carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. 

              Deer Tick (Black Legged Tick)

       Deer ticks present more of a risk from around mid-May through mid-July. The risk is present, but lower, again in early spring and in the fall (late September-October) when the adult stage of the deer tick is active.  Deer ticks can carry Lyme Disease.  The risk of contracting Lyme Disease is small if the tick is removed soon after it becomes attached.  They must remain attached one to two days to transmit the disease and not all deer ticks carry Lyme Disease.
   (Lyme disease was first recognized in 1975, after researchers investigated why unusually large numbers of children were being diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in Lyme, Conn.)
   Signs and symptoms of Lyme disease may include: Flu-like illness, headache, extreme fatigue, red ear lobes, TMJ/ Jaw Pain (Temporomandibular Join), beck & back pain, joint pain & swelling, bone pain and EM rash (erythema migrans) or "bulls-eye".

     If you find a tick...don't panic.  Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to its mouth as possible.  Gently and slowly pull the tick straight outward from as close to the mouth/head as possible. 
     Try not to squeeze the body which may push infected fluid from the tick into your body.  Do not try and smother the tick with Vaseline, nail polish, liquid soap, a hot match, or any other crazy trick you've heard of.  This could cause the tick to burrow further into your skin or release infected fluid, increasing your risk of infection. 
     Once the tick is removed, wash the area and apply antiseptic to the area.  You may want to keep the tick in a zip lock bag if you have any concerns.
     Okay, I officially have the heeby-jeebies, so I'm going to stop with the tick stuff.  I hope this trusty guide will come in handy for you if you need it, but even more so, I hope that you never will.
                    Happy Summer!!!
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     Our staff had a fun breakfast pot luck at work this morning.  I made a recipe that was given to me from a mom friend in my daughter's preschool.  It was off the charts good.  Like, Christmas morning good. 
     I knew I wasn't alone in thinking this when everyone at work today asked for the recipe after just one bite.  On the heels of my Pinterest disdain...I thought I'd try something different.  It's a little old thing called, sharing a recipe from a friend.
     Her name is Nicole and she is the cutest thing with a family of thee boys and ANOTHER on the way!  The recipe has been in her family for years.  She gave me the go ahead to post it - and you can thank her on her awesome blog: www.aboutthecaldwells.blogspot.com

               SAUSAGE QUICHE RECIPE:
One pound of sausage (cooked well, then drained)
8 ounces of grated sharp cheddar cheese
2/3 cups of milk
3 eggs
1 deep dish pie crust

Mix milk and eggs, add salt/pepper to taste.  Add sausage to the mixture and mix well - set aside.
Sprinkle half of the cheese in the bottom of the uncooked pie shell.
Pour sausage mixture over the cheese.
Top with the remaining cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. 
The recipe can be doubled or tripled for larger groups. 
     Thank you Nicole! - You're the Best!  Can't wait to meet that little one!  XOXO
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     I have a total love/hate relationship with Pinterest.  I love it...and it hates me. 
     It taunts me with its fancy pages of, "Look at me.  Look at my awesomeness.  If you had any skills at all, you could do this too."
     I find great ideas and cute crafts, then think about doing them.  Note the word, "think".  Most of the time that's as far as I'll get, but every once in a while, I'll totally go for it. 
     Take Groundhog's Day for instance.  If you've followed this blog, you already know about my mad Pinterest skills.  I can take an adorable idea like this:

          And make it even more amazing, like this:

       Yep.  It was so incredible that the kids didn't even know what to say. 
       My latest bout with Pinterest came tonight.  Our daughter's dolls have all gone through some strange sort of wind tunnel of doom.  For some reason, they all have crazy hair that could house small colonies of rats. 
       Turning to (what else but) Pinterest, I found the answer to my prayers.  You don't have to throw those dolls away, noooooo.  You don't have to cut their hair.  All you have to do is mix two tablespoons of liquid fabric softener with eight ounces of water and spray it throughout the doll's hair.  Easy enough, right?  What could be better?!
     We started with who else, but her Tangled doll, Rapunzel.

             Our daughter mixed the magic potion...

                  ...sprayed her doll's hair.

            Then brushed...and brushed...and brushed.

    And dag-gone it Pinterest if you didn't get me again.  The pictures you showed were of beautiful, gorgeous results.

      Ummm, yeah.  Pretty close to how ours turned out too.

      We decided to work on Doc McStuffins for another try.

     And ooooh, Pinterest.  How you get to me so.  The fantastic results that you promised like this...

      ...in reality, end up for those of us who are the Pinterworst...like this.

       Our last and final attempt is going to be with Belle from Beauty and the Beast.  It makes me nervous because she is our daughter's favorite.  I hope when their hair dries, it will be a little better - but who am I kidding?
      I know I need to just stop pretending that anything I see on Pinterest will come out half as well once I try to do it.  It's a vicious cycle - and I can't seem to get off this train.
     I'll be sure to fill you in on any remedy or recipe I try that actually does work, if such a thing exists. 
     Until then Pinterest, I'll be watching you.  Aaaalways watching...
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      So things have been crazy.  Like, crazy-crazy.  I went back to work last week and everything's been in full swing.  I have my first post-op with the neurosurgeon this Wednesday so I'm hopeful he gives me the thumbs up towards my healing. 
      Anyway, back to the crazy part.  I know that the perfect, beautiful ideal of summer, consists of lazy days and sandy beaches.  One of those days would be nice.  We can't even seem to keep our heads above water though.  Take this weekend for instance...
      Between the four kids, there are a lot of fun birthday parties to go to.  It can get kind of bonkers sometimes though, when you multiply the number of kids in their classrooms, friends and neighbors, to the number of birthdays there are.  The parties are always great...unless you're someone with no sense of time - and even LESS sense of direction.
     Our daughter's friend was having her fifth birthday party at a really cool place.              

     Notice how there aren't any other kids in this picture?  If you're like me that's probably because,
     1.)  You're really lost and had to stop in this nice place to ask for directions...or
     2.)  You're very, very early...or...very, very late.
     In this case, neither applied.  (Well, I guess technically number two did.)
     As we made our mad dash into the place we hoped was the right location, we were met with emptiness.  No children playing, no cake, balloons, ice cream...unicorns.  Nothing but crickets.  
     A woman sitting at the front desk was startled by our attack mode and almost dropped her phone.
     "Can I help you?"  She questioned.
     Knowing that something was wrong (again, either number one or number two) I looked around frantically.
     "Why is no one here?"  I thought in my head, and evidently said out loud.    
     Putting her phone down, she laughed and replied, "I don't know!  Why are YOU here?"
     Turning to look at her, I smiled back.  "Oh, sorry.  I must be at the wrong place."  I held out the invitation for her to see.
     Reading it, she laughed a little harder.  "No honey.  You're at the right place and you're even here at the right time.  You just picked the wrong day that's all."
     Oooooof course I did.
     I don't know if we'll ever get to experience the lazy days of summer.  I don't know if they even really exist in this day and age to tell the truth. 
     I do know one thing for sure...I can relax knowing where and when the next birthday party will be.  We won't get lost and we'll be perfectly on time...hopefully even be on the right day too. 
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    Getting ready for the weekend, it's hard not to look back on years past of the celebration of the Fourth.  My mom loves a holiday and made sure that we always had something fun to do. 
    My hometown in Ohio had a drive-in movie theater which we used to love to go to and watch fireworks.  My friends and I would run around and catch a lightning bug or two. 
     I used to stare wide eyed at the designs I'd make with sparklers that were half fascinating/half terrifying, as I worried that my hand would get burned.
     It's the little things that stand out in my memory of growing up with the Fourth of July and I can't help but smile when I see my kids enjoy the same.   
     I hope this year will bring fun and celebration to you and yours...and maybe even a sparkler or two.  Happy Birthday USA!
                   Happy 4th of July.    

   He Loved his bike!  Thank you for the Birthday Wishes.  :)
          Happy Birthday Preston!  Love You So Much.
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   Our third son Preston is turning seven years old today.  He asked last night before he went to bed if he was going to be taller in the morning, just like his brothers.
    It's hard for him to be the youngest of the boys.  It seems as though almost everything in his life has been a hand-me-down from clothes, toys, sports equipment and video games.  He often has to sit waiting forever to have his turn, as his two big brothers continue to tell him just "one more minute".

     To make matters worse, he doesn't even get the benefit of being the youngest.  He has a little sister to contend with, giving him that whole "middle child" issue to have to deal with as well. 
      I can understand how this makes him crazy.  A good example of what he deals with is when he got his big brother's old bike because they'd outgrown it, then we got a new bigger bike for the boys and a new pink bike for his sister because she's a girl.
     Tonight for his birthday, that's about to change though.  My parents found a perfect bike, just his size.  It's too small for his brothers and it's totally all "boy" so his sister will want nothing to do with it.  It will be his very own, brand new bike...just for him. 
      I whole heartedly believe that siblings should learn to share and deal with turn taking, etc.  Sometimes it's just nice to feel special and have something all your own though.  
      I'm so excited to see his reaction.
      Happy Birthday Little Pret.  We Love You and thank God  everyday we get to watch you grow.  Especially now that you're so much bigger...because you're seven.  :) 
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