THANKSGIVING in CHARLESTON

(the famous thanksgiving couch pic)


Making memories to last a lifetime...
I want so much for my children to grow up with wonderful childhood memories. Just like Jason and I did. We both had great childhoods-wonderful memories of holidays. I want that for my kids. I think this Thanksgiving was a great stop on that path.

the Turkey Parade- Every Turkey Day am in Wild Dunes there is a parade- First Comes the Fire Truck, followed by a seried of golf carts all decorated differently by families for Thanksgiving or Christmas, they throw candy, the kids have a blast..it ends with a SANTA FLOAT!!!!! a fun way to start the Christmas season!

Jack climbed the tree to get the best view of the parade-he was so proud of himself!
The kids sat in the back of the truck to watch at first, till they saw the candy...then the were running and grabbing!!! Why didn't we take any float pics??

Next comes the
Lights at James Island Park This is my personal favorite Holiday Tradition that we have in Charleston. Each and every year we make time to take the kids to this AMAZING display of lights in the park. There is a huge drive around the park full of lights to view from the car. But what tops it off is all of the activities located in the center of the park. We park the car and there are walking paths full of lights, lots of activities, Santa Claus, a great Merry-Go-Round, and the kids favorite- THE TRAIN RIDE.Every year we bundle up the kids and head there and make another set of great memorories!!!


My favorite part was watching the kids eat the smores they made!!!



The last thing we did was have all the kids write Christmas letters to Santa. They had a ball and we got some cute pics.





And of course...our famous couch pics...we must get this at each momentous family occasion:here are some of the various versions from Thanksgiving:::

GoOd NeWs, BaD NeWs....

GOOD NEWS: I gOt tHe JOB!!!!!!YEAH!!!!!! Peer Interview went really well today. I had a great time with the admissions nurse that I followed. I really know that I will enjoy this job. The Director Offered me the job....

BAD NEWS: tHe jOb DoEsNt StArT fOr AtLeAsT a MONTH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its a new position, one they are creating.
I sure wish they would hurry it up, figure out all the particulars, whatever it is they need and finish it up. I need to start like A MONTH AGO, not a month from now.
FRUSTRATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to be jumping for joy. But still no dotted line signed. So I guess its really still just fingers crossed...
No, its Keep Trusting Me Erika, I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
TRUST. Your family will be taken care of...Patience.

Job Interview Part III---Coming up on Tues.....

WEll...PART III of my job interview is finally going to happen. TUESDAY I will be following a home health nurse as she sees her patients. This is what they call my Peer Interview. I guess the nurse will be sizing me up and then report her impressions of me to her boss. NO PRESSURE THERE ERIKA!!!! will report how it went....wish it was Tuesday instead of Sat, not looking forward to the wait. I really really really need a job. And this one just sounds so perfect. I guess I am really applying for 2 different jobs-the weeknight call or the weekend call-I will be thrilled with either one, there are pluses and minuses to both, and one minute I think one would be better, the next the other...I JUST NEED A JOB..and this one seems beyond PERFECT for my family...I know God is in Control and what should happend will happen. We shall wait, hopefully Patiently and Trusting fully..that is my prayer.....

Jack and Raul-The Volcanic Explosion

 
 

So Jack from time to time brings home a buddy from school..this time it was RAUL...Raul has a book that describes an experiment that each student is supposed to do with Raul. The student is supposed to predict what they think might happen...attempt the experiement with the aid of Raul ( and a parent???) and then write there conclusion also in Raul's notebook.
Well this one was one that Jack knows well...The VOLCANO...Jack is friends with a science teacher- MS.DAWN..and Ms Dawn has given Jack a volcano and taught him the mechanics of how to make it EXLPODE (food coloring and all-thank you Ms. Dawn)-gotta look LEGIT right????
So Jack and his Daddy set up his Volcano and decided they would teach Raul all about the experiment using his actual Volcano, rather than just doing the "experient where an "eruption" occurs. They set Raul up (saftey goggles for both JACK AND RAUL OF COURSE!!!!!) and we took pics!!!
So in his class book he pasted the directions he gave Raul and the cute pic!!! I thought that was pretty creative! ( and pretty darn CUTE!!!

Its the Big Job Interview...Part II

I have the big part II of my interview today!!! I have high hopes that I may actually have a job again after today. Yeah!!!!!! I am very psyched about this one. It just seems so perfect for me!
Please God help me to remain CALM and COLLECTED...to be exactly what he is looking for...to just FIT....it seems like you are making all the pieces finally fall into place, like you guided me to this place. I don't want to get my hopes up too much...So helpt me to, again, be CALM..and to keep trusting in you LORD...100%....you have brought us through this whole journey..you will take us the rest of the way!!!
OK...He ( the boss) just called...JACHO just walked in..THE DREADED joint commission, the accrediting commission...so I am guessing my interview will not happen today =( He says he will call later today when he knows what his schedule is going to look like. He definatley wants to meet with me this week. WE SHALL SEE>>>>>>

Is it POSSIBLE to Play Without DUMPING EVERY TOY THEY OWN????

The minute my floor is clean...here comes Andrew to the toy cabinet under the tv...I have a nice little basket for his toys! Does he pull out what he wants to play with??NO, of course not We pull out the entire basket and dump it...and then proceed to....not play with a single one!!!



Insteed we wanna watch a cartoon! So here is our living room...FUll of toys..




And Andrew glued to Charlie and Lola...Of course...Mom could turn off the TV...I could play with him...But no, instead I take pics and am posting on my blog...reading your blogs and postponing all I need to get done around the house. PATHETIC RIGHT???
Okay...After this I promise I am going to get up and clean....clean the kitchen....do some laundry....help Andrew pick up toys...though that is an effort I don't know why I ever try, they will just be dumped right back out....BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW...ITS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A TWO YEAR OLD TO PLAY WITH ONE TOY UNTILL THEY ALL HAVE BEEN DUMPED OUT AND SPREAD ACROSS THE FLOOR!!!!! I do have to say Andrew is great at cleaning up...as long as we sing the CLean up Song the whole time....I am so grateful to whoever came up with that one!!! THANK YOU SUPER MOM WHOEVER YOU ARE!!!! I am not creative enough to come up with my own little jingles but I sure do use them. My kids just responds to them like they are Magic. Whats the deal with that????
__________________________

In the ADULT world.....I just got a call about my new job....it looks like they may have an even better offer for me!!!!! The Director wants to meet with me again on Monday to discuss the possibility of me doing call for Monday through THurs 5pm to 12pm....the meeting Monday would be to discuss details! I am so excited about the prospect. It would be so exciting to have weekends off. I would potentially have my evenings during the week occupied but its just call, so I can do all of my regualr activities. I just have to keep my beeper and car with me in case I have to answer a call and worse case senario have to go to a home.....I am psyched about the prospect.
Dear Lord, Please Help the right decision to be clear.

Life Choices....what I have been thinking lately...

This is from my Calorie King blog group posting that I use daily to keep myself on track.... its a post from my friend there Tracey......

A quote about life.
"Without the cracks the light couldn't shine in"

I think this HEALTHY REFLECTION from Sparkpeople is appropriate for today.

Do you really know what you're made of?

It's easy to stay true to our values when life is sunny.t because sometimes hope disappears, options run out, and bright days can turn darkl you can really count on to be there is your own inner strength.ese low points are chances to learn what you're capable of when you refuse to be knocked down for good. You may not be able to choose your hardships or options. But you do have the power to face what you're given with high character.ourself and your instincts, and your best will come forward. Think about the last time you had the choice to fold under pressure or to rise to the occasion. How might you have handled it a little differently? If there's room for improvement, what actions would have made you more proud of yourself?

Look at a man in the midst of doubt and danger and you will learn in his hour of adversity what he really is.
- Lucretius, Roman philosopher

ok...so as a christian I did not agree with all of the above. I am so grateful that I do not ever loose HOPE...Thank you LORD that I will always have HOPE in YOU. YOu will never leave nor forsake...Your plans are to prosper not to harm....
IT did point to me the idea that I have a choice daily...I choose my frame of mind, I choose my steps daily....
I want to choose to GLORIFY HIM IN ALL THAT I DO
I want to TrUsT more, have STRonGeR FAITH....I feel so frustrated, so down often as of late.
I want to choose to live a life that is a good example to my children, no matter the circumstances I am presented with.
I want to choose to see the light thorugh the cracks...
to see that I can choose to find the Good in the situation, the ability to grow, the possibility to honor GOD perhaps by...I don't know....thats what I want to begin to seek out more.
I choose to stop feeling down, sorry for myself. YEs this has been a rough year.. BUt GOd continues to provide...In every way. We have not gone under.
I continue to be blessed by:
an AMAZING HUSBAND who showers me with LOVE, SUPPORT, HELP as I continue to need it so much!!
an ever SUPPORTIVE Family...MOM, DAD, InLAWs!!!!They have stood by us through everything and continue to do so!
Kids who continue to thrive despite all.
An amazing circle of FRIENDS!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL..amazing continue support, and I have needed so much this year!!!


SO THANK YOU GOD FOR THE "CRACKS" SO THAT YOUR LIGHT MAY SHINE IN ALL THE MORE!!!!!
HELP ME TO BE EVER GRATEFUL AND EVER MINFUL of YOUR PRESENCE.

Thank you Jason,Family,Friend for all you do...I am truley grateful! I love you all.

SAVE THE TA-TAs

October is over....Breat Awarness Month....but I found this pic...actually it was sent to me from my bestest friend in the whole world Becky ( LOL BECK)....SO this is a shout out to all you women, well to everyone...Everybody out there is connected to this..We all have either ourselves, sisters, mothers, wives, friends...someone who this very day could be growing a CANCER in her BREAST....FinDinG it EARLY is tHe BEST way to SAVE THE TA-TAS!!!! It really is the best..its not just verbage...
PREVENTION IS THE BEST TREATMENT!!!!!!!
SO send this pic to all your LoVeD OnES...You Gals FeEL YoUR BoObBiEs toNigHT...HubBiES...HELP uS RemEmBER...Our Lives are so hectic. When it actually touches you, through a friend, a family member, or you....thats not when to start caring..NOW IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LETS ALL START NOW AND SAVE THE TA-TAS!!!!!!
Becky ( I know she won't mind me sharing...a lot of you know) is 30...my age...has gone through surgery, chemo,loosing hair,major pain,lethargy,being sick all the time, now facing WEEKS of RaDiAtIoN....LymphandoPathy for the rest of her life, may not be able to have her own children....and she is ALIVE...SHe is FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT....I know she would be the first to say...FEEL THOSE BOOBIES.....don't wait for the yearly doctor visit...It may be too late...
THIS CAN STRIKE ANYONE ANYTIME.....
Everyone reading this please go to http://www.thebreastcancersite.com
and just visit the site...Each time someone visits the site another free mammagram is givin to the underprivalaged for free!!!! They need the support!!!!! THe advertisers who pay for the mammagrams base what they give on how many hits the site recieves!!! Thanks for helping in the cause....I just wanted to get all that out!!!!
It is just so very important and I know I took it for granted, my health...until Becky.....it could have been me....I wish it was...I wish I could do this for her...But I know taking care of myself is one thing that I can do for her.

More Halloween PICS....enjoy!!!!

To View Larger, or to order Prints just click on middle of SlideShow!!!!!

Thank you to all of you that have been supporting us!!!! PRAISE BE TO GOD!

Make a Smilebox greeting

TRICK OR TREAT, SMELL MY FEET...

The kids got so excited about HALLOWEEN this year... is it Halloween yet momma,....is it here yet??? How many more days momma????? Is is tommorow?? Is it soon?????? When is Halloween tommorow???AHHHHHHHH
TRICK OR TREAT,SMELL MY FEET,GIVE ME SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT, IF YOU DON'T......over, and over, and over......now that Jack is in public school it comes with the lovely side effect of these little rhymes and sayings, all the ones we all knew and learned in elementary school....there have been many since school started, I will leave that for another blog.
SO HALLOWEEN FINALLY CAME....talk about EXCITEMENT in the Yaman HOUSEHOLD!!!
WE got dressed and waited for our friends to come TRICK OR TREAT.
 
 
 
Once all of the TRICK OR TREATIN FRIENDS, the KEISLER KIDS, the BORDEUX KIDS, and the JACKSON kids all the kids ran around the yard like little, well I guess like EXCITED KIDS!!!!!, then of course, being the MOMS THAT WE ARE, we insisted that they all calmly gather together up on the steps for a group photo....NO PROBLEMO MOMMA!!!
AHHH, AREN"T OUR BABIES CUTE!!!!:
 
 
 
 

JACK-O-LANTURNS Boy the kids had fun this Year

CARVING PUMPKINGS WITH MIMI AND POP-POP, MOMMA AND DADDY
...WOW THE EXCITEMENT...COULD NOT BE CONTAINED, SHOUTING, DANCING, YOU WOULD THINK THE GREAT PUMPKIN HIMSELF (anyone seen Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin???, anyways) YOU WOULD THING HE CAME AND LIT A LITTLE CANDY CORN FIRE UNDER THIER HINNIES!!! all that to say~~~man they had a ball. So much fun.Here are some pics of the pumpkins designed by the kids, and crafted by the worker bees(a.k.a. pop-pop and momma)If anyone didn't know, Jason has an adversion to pumpkins...can't stand them...can't touch them, won't have anything to do with them...weak stomach...can't do surgury on the poor helpless pumpkin~~ha ha~!

 

Click on collage and you can see the pictures much larger