I'm Addicted to Facebook

So I had taken a little sabatical from my Blog due to my new found addiction with Facebook. How sad am I! Seriously! But I can't help it! I LOVE Facebook. I've been able to reconnect with friends from high school and college and keep up with friends in far away places that I'd kind of lost track of. However, I have found my way back to my Blog as well and am trying to carve out time each day to post. I LOVE my Blog. I think it is such a fun outlet!

So a friend sent me an article (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tara-stiles/help-im-addicted-to-faceb_b_166726.html) entitled "Help! I'm Addicted to Facebook" It is a good read for those fellow Facebookers! And if you're not on Facebook you need to be....(hint hint Corie! Come to the dark side!) So I thought I'd way in on "The 10 Warning Signs You Are Addicted to Facebook"

1. Facebook is your home page.
Okay I'm not here yet.....I still have to type it into the web browser - I haven't even made it a
link!
2. You update your status more than twice a day.
Guilty as charged - although I don't feel an urge to run to my computer to update my
status...so I guess that is a positivie.
3. You have over 500 "friends" half of whom you've never actually met.
I've met everyone in my friends list - so I'm good on this point.
4. As soon as you step away from your computer you're on FB on your phone.
I admit I've been on FB on my phone, but just because I had free time.
5. You are a FB stalker. You qualify as a FB stalker if you
a) click on someone's profile more than once a day even if they haven't messaged or tagged you in a photo.
b) have dragged and dropped more than 3 FB photos (not from your own profile)
c) actually go to a place mentioned on someone's page in hopes of seeing them in real life...creepy!
Again - good on this point. I'm not a FB stalker.
6. You change your profile picture more than a 12-year=old girl.
I've only changed mine twice. I'd like to change it again though. I need a good picture!
7. You have checked your FB page while reading this article.
Nope. I do have some self control! :)
8. You clean up your "wall" so it looks like you spend less time on FB.
Not yet, but if my husband ever joins FB I may have to start doing some housekeeping! :)
9. You are a member of more than 10 groups and respond to every event invitation "attending" even if you have no intention of going.
I do respond to things because I don't like when people don't respond to my things. So I do it
out of respect and courtesy. And I always respond properly.
10. You change your relationship status just to mess with people.
I don't do this either! But I could see where it would get some attention.

So I'd have to say I'm not that bad! I think my hubby might say differently, but based on this top ten list I'm good!

If you're not on FB you need to try it out! Make sure to look me up!

Weighing in on Idol

So I've been asked to be the 5th judge on American Idol! Just kidding! But, here is my take on what went down tonight......


Jackie (*)
Seriously! What was she wearing! Who thought that outfit was a good idea? And those vocals? I think she needed to work a little more on her singing and a little less on working the stage! Yeah....sorry Jackie maybe next year!

Ricky(****)
I thought his vocals show a lot of promise! He shows great voice control. Definitely has some pipes on him! However, I have to question the tight pants he was wearing...hmmmmm. Is this going to be a continuing theme tonight?

Alexis (****)
Girrrrlllllll! That was really great! I thought her vocals were pretty strong! Love her hair! I really like the blues!

Brent (**)
First I have to say I really do like Country music....but I'm not so sure of his song choice. For me his performance was just average. Nothing outstanding. Nothing remarkably rememberable. I will say he is adorable though.
Stevie (*)
Ohhh I really don't want to say anything bad....but that really wasn't very good. I think it was just a poor song choice and maybe a little inexperience. She is young! Stevie I think you need to keep practicing and come back in a few years.
Anoop(***)
This guy amazes me because I wouldn't expect that voice to come out of him! I like him. I don't know if he can win it all....he'll need to really step it up. But I think he did a good job tonight.
Casey (***)
Okay she is absolutely adorable! And Every Little Thing She Does is Magic is one of my favorite songs. However....it was just okay for me. Nothing terrible, but nothing special. I kind of think she was just trying to hard. Maybe a wildcard choice???
Michael(**)
Song choice people! Check it! Again...not the best choice of song for him. Several spots where he was super flat and it just wasn't anything memorable. I don't think it will be good enough to get him any further in this competition.
Ann-Marie (**)
She is beautiful! Wow! Okay...so maybe a little nervous. I think I heard some quivers and a few flat spots. However I liked it overall! I really like the song she picked! It's just a good overall song! I like that she didn't try to overpower the song or fancy it up too much! I think she deserves to go on to the next round but I'm not sure she'll get that chance.
Steven (*)
I really wanted to like him....the performance just didn't do anything for me. It was just kind of blah! I don't know.....I wouldn't vote him through at this point.
Tatiana (***)
First...what is she wearing! Sista...if you're going to sing Whitney you've got to bring it in the wardrobe department as well! Okay! I have to first say this girl annoys the crap out of me! But! She can sing! So on her singing abi1lity I'd have to put her through. I just don't know if I can take all the weeks of her personality! I'm torn! She's a wildcard for me!
Danny (****)
I have to say he is just one of my favorite contestants. I don't think he "brought it" tonight which was disappointing. But the man can sing when he picks the right song and lets loose! I hope he goes through because I would be very sad to see him leave the competition so soon!

• So my top guy is Danny
• My top girl is Alexis
• And the third person to go through would be Ricky
• Possible Wildcards would be Anoop and Tatiana

Let's see how I do!

Mindy...out!

My Babies - 4 months

Here are my precious little ones at four months of age...

JnM 16lbs 5ozs 26 inches

JhM 12lbs 14ozs 24.5 inches

JcM 13lbs 25.25 inches

Proverbs 21:21 NIV
He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.

My Babies - 3 months

Pictured at three months and starting to develop their personalities...


JnM


JhM



JcM

Psalms 100:5 NIV
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

My Babies - 2 months

It is amazing how much they change in just one short month....


JnM 12lbs 1oz 23inches



JhM 10lbs 12ozs 22.25 inches


JcM 11lbs 8ozs 23.75 inches



Psalms 115:15 NIV
May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

My Babies - 1 month

Here are my three sweet little babies pictured in their first month.

JnM 9lbs 4ozs 21.5 inches

JhM 8lbs 15ozs 21.5 inches

JcM 9lbs 5ozs 23inches

Proverbs 22:6 NIV
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

My Sweet Valentines

I just had to share a few shots of my little Valentines! This year Aunt J and I helped the girls make their Valentines for their friends at school. We had a really good time doing them! Enjoy the pics!

Happy Valentines Day!

Fighting the Yicks

So as most people know I have been fighting the Yicks lately. Some people may call them the blues or something similar, but for me they are the yicks. I don't feel like myself. I can't put words around it. I can't really explain it. I don't know exactly what the source of it is - although I have some sneaking suspicions as to a few causes (none of them major - just a lot of little things eating away at my inner being).

A sweet friend of mine sent me an email this morning that was so touching and awesome. She pulled out a verse that just blew me away....

"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule." - Matthew 5:3 from the Message

I let this roll around in my head all day today.....really let it sink in. I love God with all of my heart and feel very passionate about living a life that reflects God's love. However, I know that I am guilty...that I am not perfect. When times are good, when I am living high on life and the world around me....I am more self focused and less God focused. This is a sad but true fact. I hope others will not judge me for my honestly on this point. I think that it is easy to forget God when times are good and easy to turn to Him when we hit a rough patch.

But how sweet is it that no matter where we are, no matter if we are living high or at our lowest point God is ALWAYS there. He has never left us. He is faithful. He loves us unconditionally. How AWESOME is that!

This verse reminds me that sometimes I need to stop and look at my life. I need to look at what is most important. I need to prioritize. But most importantly I need to filter. I need to remove the things from my life that are not beneficial. I need to cut ties with relationships that are a drain on my time, emotions, and that make me feel bad about myself.

I believe that I am a good person. I believe that I have others best interests at heart. I believe that I have valuable things to offer people. I believe that I am the person God created me to be and that He does have a purpose for my life. I know that I have to go through the valleys in order to get to the mountain tops.

Today I stand at the end of my rope and I am blessed. I am blessed because in the silence of my prayer time I can hear God. I can feel Him tugging at my heart. I know He is working in my life. I know He has a purpose for me and that if I am faithful, if I listen, if I learn to be content and purposeful He will reveal to me the path for my life. I know it will not always be easy and it will not always be laughter and cheer. Being a Christian does not always mean that life will be happy and easy. But it does mean that my life will be full and blessed and wonderful in it's own special way.

I am here! I will live another day. Things will brighten up! I will become stronger! And no matter what, God will always be there with me....cheering me on and giving me the strength to fulfill my purpose.

"Thank you God for bringing me to the end of my rope. For making more room for You in my life. For bringing me back to a place where I can refocus. You are always faithful and intentional. Your love is bigger than me. I love you with all that I am and thank you for your continued blessings!" Amen

Fun Weekend

What a fun weekend we have had. Saturday morning we took the kids to see Hotel for Dogs. The movie is super cute. I really enjoyed it and so did the girls....well I think they enjoyed the popcorn and soda as much as they enjoyed the movie. B* had to actually cut Jh* off as she would have ate popcorn until she threw up. We came home from the movie, had lunch, and then bundled up and headed outside to sled.

Okay, let me say this....I had as much fun as (or to tell you the truth probably more) as the kids did. It was a BLAST! I love sledding so much. I remember going sledding as a kid. Even in high school my friends would get together and go sledding! And we had some GREAT hills back home where you could really pick up some speed! Oh so much fun.

For now our backyard hills are perfect for the girls. Just enough speed to make it exciting and not enough to make it dangerous! Here are some pictures from our fantastic afternoon.







We went out again today to take advantage of the warmer weather....sledding gave way to an all out snowball fight. It was so much fun to hear the girls laugh and giggle. They loved pelting me with snowballs and watching me drop to the ground. I felt like a kid again! I'm so glad they enjoy the outdoors!!!