NOT ME MONDAY!

I have not done a NOT ME in a while, so I thought I would participate this week since I have ALOT of nots going around!!!

I did NOT go buy myself a nice sweater cardigan at Old Navy after hubby put me on a spending freeze....

I did NOT chat with the manager as if we were old friends because I am NOT there THAT much to get to know the workers personally!!!

I did NOT wear the CUTEST, BIGGEST pink flower headband to church today, with a pink shirt, a pink bag AND pink rhinestone ribbon flip flops... With a big pink pearl ring... and wore it loud and PROUD!!!

(Now that I broke the ice with my big flower headband collection... I plan on wearing one every week and buying more. I LOVE them!!)

My van is STILL NOT FIXED and is NOT costing us $1500 to fix!!!! It is NOT!!!! ( and it better be running as good as new when all is done or we are in trouble!!!)

I am NOT already planning next years tax return AND next years vacation.... and I FINALLY did NOT convince hubby a vacation is a MUST. =D.

I did NOT over-schedule this weekend and have 2 different guests staying in our Little Red House at THE SAME TIME... and they never met... AFTER I told everyone else they were not allowed to come visit because I was overwhelmed??!!??

Hubby did NOT just see lightning strike in the same place twice... (or actually 5 times)

It is NOT pouring and thundering as if the world is coming to an end AFTER hubby watered our entire yard and gardens thoroughly.

I did NOT just lose power because of the storm and have to re-write this blog... Nope NOT ME!!!!!

On a POSITIVE note.... LORI from EVERYDAY BLESSINGS is PREGNANT!!! I just found out she is 6 weeks along because Im slow like that! I have been following her and her struggle with infertility for a while and know how much her heart yearned to be a mother. She is just the sweetest and prettiest girl and deserves oodles of happiness. Why don't you go over and just say congrats.Tell her GapGirl sent ya, She has been waiting for this moment for 5 YEARS!!!

Lori, you will be in my prayers for a wonderful.... morning sickness free pregnancy... (and for a girl cause I know you want to buy those bows!!! =)))) PRAISE GOD!

Shopping Day Revisited...

This past friday was shopping day! Whoo-hoo!!! I ran off to one of my favorite food stores... ALDI! Aldi is not a fav among many, only the true money saving moms, or moms of many can truly appreciate the savings found among the aisles. I fill my cart overflowing with all sorts of things and it only cost me $120.00. Among the goodies are:

5 dozen eggs

3 packages mexican shredded cheese

2 bars of block cheese

6 boxes of cereal

10 cans of tuna

2 containers of lemonade

Orange Juice

Bacon

6 bags of different types of chips

and LOTS MORE.

Aldi carries no name brands but their brands usually taste the SAME as national, more expensive brands in supermarkets.

I also visited Wal-Mart which is undergoing MAJOR renovations. I had a hard time finding anything but stumbled across school supplies??? I filled my cart with $.25 crayons and $.25 notebooks for the kids to color and play with... AND fingerpaint because Im cool like that.=)

Here are just some of my goodies sprawled out and waiting to be put away. I still had a publix run to do...

Some close ups of the goodies....

More....

I had the rare privilege of shopping alone this time... But when I pulled up in the driveway, the kids ran out and attacked the bags as if it were Christmas.

They oohhed and ahhed over the fingerpaints and crayons. I also bought a new book for Emma that she was just dying for. Molly got a pack of gum she was promised and the rest of the kids were excited over the snacks and goodies I bought.

It was such a good feeling to come home and see them so happy and so thrilled over groceries and small treats. It made me feel just as happy showing them. As silly as this sounds, it was a nice family bonding moment!!! And made my heart smile.

Thats whats so great about families that love each other. We take pleasure in the small things in life and truly enjoy every moment.

Oh and Im sure your wondering... YES! I bought another chicken thing for my kitchen and a cardigan (on sale) for me. It somehow fell in my cart???

Reminders

Isn't this stainglass suncatcher beautiful?? I bought it at the Family Christian Store just down the road from me. (It was 50% off!)

I just didn't have the heart to put it back on the shelf. It now resides on my sliding glass door in my kitchen as a daily reminder of so many things.

My Garden, of course, first came to mind when eyeing this. You all know how I love my plants and flowers.

But this past wednesday in bible study at church our Pastor talked about overflowing love which only God can provide and how we should never stop growing and asking for overflowing love to give to others...

How perfect!!??!!

If only we were all loveable and huggable... what a wonderful world this would be.

Oh and DON'T FORGET to enter THE CHATTY MOMMY'S FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY!!!!! A $40 CSN giftcard. Whoo hoo. Hope I win!!!http://thechattymommy.blogspot.com/2010/07/its.html

Black Beauty

This morning was full of excitement in our Little Red House... at least the kids thought so. Our big black van has been out of commission for a few days. Hubby tried to fix her himself but due to a complicated work schedule and lack of auto shop in our backyard, off she went to our VERY trusty mechanic.

The kids were thrilled to see the big tow truck pull our beauty right out of the driveway and on to the flat bed. The older girls got sad that she was leaving us. I just sat there and thought, even broken, she is the prettiest van I have ever seen.

YES, our van is a member of our family and takes on an identification all of its own. She has been so good to us over the last 5 years. Trustworthy, reliable and dependable. She is old though and has lots of miles under her belt so its ok for her to take a rest. We are not mad or frustrated. Just THANKFUL we have the money to fix her and that we have had MANY years with NO repairs whatsoever. We have had SOOO many good times with her. SO many trips, short and long. We have crammed an illegal amount of people in her and even camped out in her before. ( I have pictures of that somewhere??)

My big tug-boat is known in my neighborhood and my church. When they see big ol bertha coming they know GapGirls clan is on her way... the party has arrived!!!

We have shoved Christmas trees IN her, furniture IN her and moved to a whole different state in her.

She has been to the beach, the mountains and to Disney.

She was a complete answer to our prayers for a new van. God practically placed her right in our laps. The moment I walked in her (9 months pregnant with #4) I KNEW she was the one. We bought her on the spot without ever lifting the hood or turning the key....

She will be laid-to-rest in the next year or two as we will be upgrading to a 12 passanger van but we will drive her as long as we can till that day comes... and then realize NOTHING can ever compare to our beautiful Black Beauty!!

Tropical Heat

Can you say... H-O-T today?? Im sure the rest of the east coast can also agree that the last couple of days have been brutal. I won't complain too much though, after all, I DO enjoy the heat. I will take a day like today over ANY cold, windy bitter snow day. But when Im pregnant, this extreme heat keeps me homebound for majority of the day. No pool, no puttering in the gardens (except for early mornings and after 730 pm) just me inside my Little Red House. Thats ok. Cleaning and organizing have gotten done.

This year my love of Elephant Ears has taken over. Its my second year growing them and my love for all varieties has quickly taken over. They are just LOVIN this heat!! Happy as clams they are... growing really big.

This is one I bought as a really small potted plant and she has over doubled in size. The corner of my front porch is the perfect place for her, plenty of shade... just like she likes.

Well, these aren't Elephant Ears but they are just growing beautifully in this sun. You can see when I started to use miracle grow on them. The bottom leaves are all thin and yucky but the top leaves are full and lush. OOPPPSSS. Better late than never though. I planted a second round which just finished germinating. That way I can have these all the way till the fall!!

Here are my back screen porch beauties that I bought on clearance for $3. They too were much smaller but have thrived in this spot. I also have miracle growed them and they are getting out of control. At the end of the season I will take out the bulb and stick it in the ground at the side of my house. They should come back....

Last but not least my pride and joy. These are second year Elephant ears and I love them so much. I bought bulbs last spring and planted them in the ground and to my surprise they took. They grew lovely. There are two plants side by side. In my region we are borderline perennials on a lot of plants based on our sub-tropical climate BUT can have cold winters... which we did this past year. I was sure I lost them but LOOK!!! they are back better than ever. This year I will layer double mulch to make sure I don't lose them.

I also transplanted another green EE to the other side of my porch. It wasn't doing good where it was... too much sun. It survived the transplant and looks as if its responding well, so hopefully in the next few weeks it will really grow big. Right now its tiny. Im hoping and praying it gets as big as the others. How cool would that be.

Stay cool everyone and enjoy the sunshine.

Xoxo

Coffee Anyone??

Is anyone else as particular about their coffee as I am??

Yesterday morning, I got up early and got ready for my OB appt. I went to the pantry and opened my Maxwell House Master Blend bucket-o-goodness to find it EMPTY!!!

I knew I was low, but I was hoping there would be enough left for just one more sweet brew.

Disappointed, I stopped at my fav Dunkin Donuts for a hot cup... with specific instructions on how I needed my sweet cup. After the first sip, I knew it just wouldn't do. I wasn't surprised. I HATE any coffee that is not brewed out of my house. Is that weird??

Am I a coffee snob? You will often find me traveling with my coffee mug simply because I cannot bare drinking coffee elsewhere. TRUST ME I HAVE TRIED. Its Filled with Maxwell House Master blend brewed out of my beloved black Mr. Coffee 10 pot coffee maker. Light with 1 sugar.

Out of it comes the sweetest cup of Joe you will ever taste. At least MY taste buds think so.

Hubby is not surprised... just one of my many little quirks which.."makes me crazy...." according to him. Maybe I should pray about this??

So, please tell me Im not the only one with very specific standards on coffee... or anything else for that matter...

What things do YOU need to have "just so" to make your day shine???

Our 4TH

What a GREAT 4th we had! It was relaxing, lazy and low key... which was JUST what the Dr. ordered. The pool, a nap and then fireworks all night long. Here are some pictures of our great night...

The 4th wouldn't be the same without something cute, yummy and patriotic!

Just as the sun began teasing us with a sunset, we headed out back, moved our chairs and had some family fun. The kids played soccer and bounced on the trampoline and hubby and I enjoyed the weather and sunset...

{ Love our Little backyard... }

Once it got dark, the show began... a display like you can't even imagine... BETTER that you can imagine... all thanks to some neighbors and their LOVE of fire. =)

We roasted marshmallows, ate watermelon and screamed loud whenever fireworks were let off. Hubby bought some as well. My Aunt, Uncle and cousin live on the next block over. They had company and we would text right before we each lit our stuff so we could look over and enjoy!.

The night was perfect, the kids had a blast and we all slept like LOGS until morning. How was your holiday?

Sweet P.

YAAAA!!! We are having another sweet baby girl in just about 3 months! After much discussion and debate, hubby and I FINALLY decided on a beautiful name for our baby girl. But what is it???

I added a poll on my sidebar to see how many of you can guess. So cast your votes and let me know in the comment section which one you choose...(You never know when a giveaway can pop up??!!)

For those that DO know, don't be a stinker and write her name in the comment section k??!!!

I will give you 1 BIG hint.... it starts with a "P!"

Xoxo

Happy Anniversaries All Around!!!

Today Hubby and I celebrate our 14 year anniversary!!! WOW, where has the time gone? Sometimes it seems like a blink of an eye and other times it feels like forever... but in a good way. As if we were always together. It has been quite a ride since I said "I Do" thats for sure!! A good ride at that. We have had many ups and a few downs but that is what makes the ride more exciting. We have had 6 moves in 2 different states... (we moved to Sc twice!!) We welcomed 5 (soon to be 6) babies into our life and mourned the loss of 5...

He is my best friend. If he is around, I need no one else. He is the first one I run to when I want to chat or tell a secret and the last one I gaze at every night when I fall asleep.

I often think Im the luckiest girl in the world.... really!! I was just telling him this last night! I have amazing kids who keep me busy and loved. There are so many of them, I will never need anyone else as their adventures... now and in the future will forever keep me busy. I have an amazing Little Red House filled with love and laughter. Its surely not the biggest in the neighborhood or the fanciest but in my eyes its the BEST! At the end of the day, as I sit in my backyard in my beloved green chairs with my hubby, Im so content with life. I wonder what I EVER did right to have God bless me the way He has.

Yesterday we also celebrated our 3 year anniversary of moving from Long Island, NY to the SOUTH!!! Another blessing!! A decision that was covered in prayer from the start and led every step of the way by the Lord! In faith, we packed up our big black van and our 5 babies, said goodbye to everyone we knew and drove....

Look how little everyone was!!! Abigail was only a few weeks old. WOW!!! Below was our rental. We rented it on severe prayer and the internet!!! It was perfect. A precious little house that served our purpose for the time being. We ended up building just down the road in the next development over. Talk about God placing us perfectly huh!!!!

One of the first things we did when we settled in was to buy FIREWORKS!!! Something Illegal in NY but run rapid here. YAA. We had fun that first year, and every year since. =)

Here is hubby with his bag full of treasures!!!

So, to my hubby of 14 years, I love you more than words can say. You have given me an amazing life... just by being by my side.... and I love you

XOXO

Tomatoes and 24 Weeks !

Do you remember THIS post? About our Bountiful Harvest? Well, monday afternoon as the kids were out and about playing, I was busy turning that big bowl of red juicy tomatoes into a delish dinner dish. Its quite simple but will easily become your favorite as soon as you taste it!!!

Chop up and de-seed freshly grown roma tomatoes (hubby hates the seeds) and throw in big bowl. Then cut up fresh mozzarella (another family fav) in bite size cubes and place in with tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste and then cover with Wishbone House Italian dressing. Chill for a few hours and enjoy on your back porch while watching the sun set!!! Oh its delicious.... (Just be careful of heartburn later that evening... especially if your preggo like me. OUCH!!!!!)

This past Sunday on my way to church I FINALLY remembered to pick me up some Miracle Grow. I covered anything that grew in my garden with this blue stuff and walk out every morning to see if they doubled in size. HA! Hubby thinks Im nuts and assures me it takes at least a week or 2 to see results but Im impatient!!

And last but NEVER least I am 24 WEEKS TODAY!!! only 16 more WEEKS left before we meet our sweet P. Last weekend we did a wee bit of shopping and was just so confused as to what to buy. What do I need, what do I want, what do I use the most. First time parents have it easy. They just buy one of everything. I refuse to as that is such a waste. But whenever I get in the baby aisle, my mind goes BLANK!!! And I totally forget all of my must-haves and my favorites.

Towards the end of our shopping trip, it all started to come back to me. I would dash down one aisle as I remembered that I NEEDED thin washclothes.... NOT the big plush ones. Although the big ones are nice, they are too bulky for a newborn or infant and the really thin ones work best to clean AND to place under chin as a bib. ( some bibs are just too bulky for sweet tiny babes.

We still have not picked out her special blankey yet... can't find the perfect one we want but we will soon. We have plenty of time!

Im off, the weather has cooled down a bit in the South (80's). Time to weed my gardens and putter around.

Have a WONDERFUL Thursday!