It's Herbst Appliance Time

Well my second daughter hit stage two of her braces two weeks ago. (Stage one was she had to have wear an expander in the roof of her mouth to open up or expand the top jaw. Picture below)




She managed the expander with grace and dignity. Even though her speech sounded a little funny for a while. With the expander you had to put a little key in it and turn it each night. That job fell to my hubby since we have 3 daughters and I help do hair and he can not. Equal opportunity at our household)




Remember the head gears of the past? Well now they says, to fix an overbite "instead" of wearing a lovely head gear (pictured above) you get the privilege of wearing a lovely "herbst appliance" pictured below.








Well, that is a lot if metal inside the mouth! Paige is a trooper. It took 3 visits over 3 weeks to install the appliance. The final visit Paige was all excited to finally get it over with it & I had promised to take her to lunch & a trip to the bookstore. She loves to read. As we left the office we asked her to pose for pictures. Unfortunately when she opened up her mouth wide the appliance locked up for a few seconds and she could not close her mouth. Which did freak her out. Well we proceeded with our day.
I will be honest it took about 3 days before she was able to really adjust to eating and sleeping (she had to change her position of how she slept due to the fact that the metal hinge in her mouth rest between her cheek and teeth). Brushing her teeth takes longer now. However she is back to her regular routine now.




I did keep her out from school the day she got the appliance in & the day afterwards. The third day I sent her but picked her up for lunch, then she had the weekend to get more adjusted before she had to eat 1) in front of her peers but also 2) in the short amount of time allotted for lunch. The only challenges that she deals with now are: slower eatting, she also has to take smaller bites, and I do have to send toothpicks to school in case food gets lodged in her appliance. I swear she has to be the only fifth grade student with a toothpick in her lunchbox.
She has to wear this appliance for a year to correct her overbite. It has not been as bad as an experience ad I feared it would be! When we researched this we read all kinds of horror stories - I was really worried after that. Also we kept reading this is one of the most common used appliance that orthodontist use. However she is the only one we know of (as of right now) at the school who is wearing this appliance. However, you really can not tell she has it when you look at her, only if you get up close and look in her mouth.




After all this, simple plain braces (which are stage 3) will be easy breezy for her.
So that is what is happening in my world. Have any of your kids ever worn braces, expanders, or a herbst appliance?

Daddy & Daughter Date day

Well we just finished up with Spring Break around here. All the girls are back in school today. However one day of Spring break was devoted to me & the older daughters to attend the "Hunger Games". We were so excited. However, the reviews had warned about violence and little ones. Hum, what to do about the 8 year old.




Hubby decided to make that day, his and his youngest princess "Daddy & daughter date day"! Well you all know the best dates are built around a theme. The theme for this 8 year olds date was "Hop" as in the new to DVD movie. So hubby first took the youngest princess to eat breakfast at... You guessed it "IHOP".



After breakfast princess was ready to roll. So hubby took her shopping (what girl would not love that!). To but the movie "Hop", pick up a bag of jelly beans (in the movie the Easter bunny poops jelly beans. Right up there with 8 year old humor) and she got to pick out a toy. (I thought she would probably pick out a bunny to go with the theme but nope, I was surprised she picked up a stuff dog.)



They returned home (we were gone to the movies, so they had the place to themselves). So they got settled in and watched their movie and had some laughs. My 8 year old could not wait to tell me all about what a great date she had with her dad! I love that my hubby takes the time to show each of the girls how precious they each are but also how they should be expected to be treated on a date! Also that they are so loved they are worth his time one on one!
I love the book the Kevin Leman "What a difference a Daddy makes"! If you have daughters I highly recommend that you & your spouse read this book. (if he's not a reader tell him about it & discuss some of the topics in the book while on your date, or before you go to sleep at night)



Well I hope everyone is enjoying beautiful weather wherever you maybe!

Noooo!

This is what the bucket looks like that I dropped (on my carpet) by accident, did I mention on my carpet! The only thought echoing through my brain was Nooo! As I tried frantically to catch the can of paint as it slipped through my fingers, which then jostled the can and splashed the remaining paint onto the wall.
Ugh! Some days, you just feel like you should get back in bed and pull the covers way up over your head! However with paint splashed on the wall, now running down the wall-darn! That gravity! The paint that had landed on the carpet was oozing slowly into the carpet pad underneath.
So desperate, me jumped into action. (Had I mentioned that I dropped the bucket of paint right on the landing at the top of the stairs?). So I quickly ran to the bathroom, grabbed a towel wet it down and quickly went to town wiping up the wall that had paint running down it! Ahh! Yes! The paint was wiping up, I was starting to feel better until I looked down at the carpet.
As panic was starting to seep into my bones I quickly (boy it's Amazing how quickly I can get around when white Kilz paint is seeping into my carpet!). I hauled the steam carpet cleaner upstairs! Yes, hauled is the right word because that sucker is heavy!!! Yes, and suck it did!!
Now I know that probably voided any type of warranty I had on the carpet cleaner. But in my mind I justified that the $100 on clearance carpet cleaning machine that I had for over a year and a half; if, just if it could save my carpet (which it would run at least $1,00 to replace the upstairs carpet) it would have lived a valiant life and died a noble death!!
As luck would have it, it worked!!! That carpet steam cleaning machine sucked up all the paint! I promptly cleaned out the machine and it still works!!
Have you ever inadvertently made a huge mess? I confess, I handle big messes much better by myself. It is harder to keep it together when I have others running around.
With that in mind I loved the tweet author Lysa TerKeurst tweeted from her new upcoming book "Unglued" "I can face things that are out of control without acting out of control". What a great quote to ponder and keep in mind as we kick off Spring Break and all my girls will be home and my schedule goes out the window. Hope you all have a good weekend!

How do you Flip Flop?

Flip Flops, they come in SO many colors, they can be found in Any price range, and are growing in popularity! However, that leaves me asking "what exactly is flip flop protocol" or better yet "How do you Flip Flop?"




As a good southerner I know I can't wear white shoes until after Easter. I know I have to pack those white sandals up come Labor day, even if it's 80 degrees outside or my grandmother would be put to shame. However what are the rules for Flip Flops? (I mean as long as they are not white!) Can you wear them at anytime of the year, as long as it starts to get warm outside? I don't know! What's a girl to do!




I looked on line. Opinions vary! In the Tulsa World newspaper Katie Williams, a Tulsa marketing professional said "I think there are other options other than flip flops. I think that they should just be left on the boat or at the beach" she was alsoquoted as saying "Are they comfortable? Yes. Are they easy? Yes. Are the attractive? Absolutely not."
The same article quoted her as saying that seeing a man's feet in flip flops bothered her.




On the other side, stars have been photographed wearing everything from jeans and flip flops to sundress and flip flops. Even President Obama made history this January after being photographed in flip flops while on vacation. (Apparently, he was the first President to show his toes in public)




Flip flops are now trendy to hand out as a wedding favor not only at beach weddings but weddings that include dancing at the reception.




Brides and Grooms of summer weddings have joined in wearing these popular summer shoes.




Flip Flops always seem to me to hold the promise of summer. Warm days, cold drinks, and lazy days by the pool. I get as excited buying my first pair of the year as I do buying the first school supply for Fall. I guess I like new beginnings.




Flip Flops have grown so much in popularity, a wine label is named after them. Cute jewelry, hair accessories and candle holders can be found decorated in cute bright colored flip flops.




All I can tell is that everyone agrees that toe nails should be kept well groomed. If female polished. As well as feet should be moisturized, moisturized, moisturized-No cracked heels! Other than that I guess it's a matter of opinion. So what's yours? How do you wear your Flip Flops? Please leave me a comment, & if you have a second please answer the poll questions on the left hand side. Thanks y'all!
(Also thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes!)

It's my birthday!

Well I turned 42 today! Whew that # sounds a little bit older than I feel. I was so excited my family gave me a spin bike! (those who read my blog regularly know that I have fallen in love with that particular form of exercise. However, at times I have found it challenging to get myself to the gym for class if the kids are sick or my time is in high demand. Ah, the joys of being a mom). Here is a pic of my new ride!



My youngest made me a scavenger hunt, to find a vase that she had painted for me.



Hubby also gave me some pretty flowers.



My 41st year was such a blessing and brought so many unexpected life lessons and adventures. (did I mention that I have grown devoted to my readers. Reading glasses that is. Sigh! Confession time: I broke down & bought a cute glass chain/necklace to help me keep up with them around the house) (sigh! Not all change seems good but it keeps me humble and gives me something to giggle at)
Here's a card one of my friends gave me. (can you tell that we are pool friends)



I am excited to see what I learn and how I grow in my 42nd year. I hope that I grow more self disciplined as well as learn to extend myself grace. I want to laugh when things are funny, cry when things are sad and learn not to care so much about what "others" think, to enjoy the freedom in learning to only be concerned about pleasing God.

Do you like birthday's? Do you celebrate your birthday or do you cringe inside? Do you become more reflective as you become older? More thankful? Or more depressed? Do you have any birthday celebration rituals? I would love to know your views on birthdays! Please leave me a comment!!



Amy

What is your fragrance?

Have you ever gone into the kitchen and opened your fridge to get a drink to pull back and wrinkle your nose and think "what is that smell?". I know I have, my daughter the other night helped me cook dinner, and when she put the onion up, she accidentally did not seal the zip lock baggie closed. Wow! it is amazing how leaving a bag barely opened can allow the onion to stink up my whole fridge. If left unchecked it can flavor the ice - yuck! who wants ice that taste like an onion?

It is the same way with my life. It is amazing how when I take my eyes off of God, I start to think it is all about me. How quickly I can put off an odor of selfishness, whining, impatience, quick tempered, and crankiness. Yuck! Who would want some of that? (I know I don't even want it when I am putting off that odor.) It is amazing how quickly a bad attitude can spread and be with me through out my day and influence others as well. As a wife and as a mom, I need to be aware of how my attitude can stink up the days, of everyone I encounter through out the day.

I think of my attitude as I would a candle or a glad plug in. What aroma do I want people to smell when they walk into my house? Do I want them to smell an onion smell of grumpiness, or discontent or do I want them smell the wonderful fragrance of love, kindness, gentleness, patience. (In my mind I dream it smells like suntan lotion, at least at this time of the year I do.) So as you light a candle this evening, or when your at the store next time picking up a new plug in. Remember, just like we take so much time at the store, smelling the candles and picking out just the right one. It's just as important that I spend time with God each day, to ensure that my attitude or aroma of my heart (borrowed shamelessly from the movie "Facing the Giants") smells just as good!

One last thing, don't forget about your car! I know I love it when I get a new car fragrance for the van. I know based on comments my kids make about "Mom, grumbles, at the cars in front of us each morning in the car lines." That I had been forgetting about my attitude while driving. Anyone, else? or am I alone in this?

So What is your fragrance? What will your family and others smell this evening when they return home?