While I was at my other job...

Aislinn was playing with her friend. Check out Ashlea's blog and find out about her morning with Grace. It looks like it was A LOT of fun!

Please TOTALLY ignore the Gator attire that Ashlea loved to put on my daughter! We love the Whites and we won't hold it against them that they are Gators. Not everyone can be a Seminole you know... :)

Coughing, coughing and more coughing

That is the sound that I hear about every 5 seconds. Between the 7 of us, we have quite a little cough chorus going on.

Also, I am trying to stay motivated about going to the gym. I have pretty much stayed within a two pound spot since June! How frustrating. However, I need to mention that after my trip with my mother to San Francisco and New York City, I had to come back and lose around 5 pounds!

I guess that i just need to focus on the positive. I haven't gained any weight and mentally I feel much better. Yes, that sounds good...

Did you know that prayers are answered?

We had family home evening tonight and the lesson was on prayer. We discussed the correct way to pray, who we pray to, how often to pray and other good stuff.

We also sang these songs to help with our lesson:
A Child's Prayer
I Pray in Faith

I recently found myself on my knees with the children one morning during family prayer (Chris had already left for work) and out of my mouth came a request. I asked Him for the firm to get more real estate deals. (The real estate market is very slow and half of the practice is real estate.) Well, He answered! They have gotten at least one deal a day since then. That is nine in the last week. Not a coincidence! I am indeed grateful!

How do you like it?

I had my parents take some pictures of our family before we left for church this morning. Which one do you like the best?

Happy Birthday Kerstyn!

Nine years old!

Blowing out the candles.

Nine years old today. I just can't believe it! You have been a blessing in our lives every day since we knew you were coming. In your blessing, it said many times about joy. You have certainly been joyous in many ways. You brighten up the room.


I want to write this, even though it is very personal, because I NEVER want to forget it! I February of 1998, Chris and I attended the temple together. We had gone with specific questions about attending law school, and we knew that we could get our best opportunity at an answer at the temple. So we went.

As soon as I set down in the room, I had the spirit tell me that it was time to have another baby. I thought to myself, "No, I already have a baby. Brennan is just 13 months old." And again, "It's time to have another baby, and it's a girl!" I just couldn't believe it. I was thinking, I know this and now I have to sit here for 2 hours before I can tell my husband. On top of that, I knew exactly what he was going to say. "We came here to pray about going to law school and having another baby doesn't fit into that very well." I agreed. We did feel good about going to law school too. However, I knew what I felt about having another baby, and he said okay.

About 4 weeks later, we went to some seminar put on at the law school for anyone that was interested in attending. After it was over, Chris and I had a talk, and decided that he should try to go and that I probably shouldn't get pregnant given the demands that would be placed on us attending law school. Well, the next morning, I found out that I was pregnant!

Nine months and 4 days after our temple trip where I felt that it was time to have another baby and it was a girl, Kerstyn Rebekah Shipley arrived! I could never and will never be able to deny that she was supposed to come at the time that she did.

P.S. We did go to law school, but we put it off until the next year.

The day after

We celebrated Thanksgiving with Chris's family today. All of his siblings were there and his mother. It is always nice to see them all together. We ate way too much food, just like you are supposed to on Thanksgiving and the kids had a blast playing with their cousins. Well, I am saying they had a blast, but to me, they were playing, fussing, whining, playing, fussing, whining. Get the idea?

Kerstyn has been doing a countdown to her birthday for the last several weeks. Did you know that it is tomorrow? Well, you sure do if you have talked to her. :)

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent the morning getting ready to go to Lakeland and then to New Port Richey on Saturday. Chris participated in the ward Turkey Bowl and came home with a messed up knee. I did not do a good job packing because I left all of our vitamins and medications at home. It kind of felt weird today, not having any traditional Thanksgiving food, but it will come tomorrow. We had cereal for breakfast, Whataburger for lunch and spaghetti for dinner. Definitely not traditional Thanksgiving food, huh?

I am going to take the BAG idea from the Carter's and do it this year, so I hope they understand.

Melody's B.A.G.

B - Blessing - I have been blessed this year with good health and the opportunity to do some work on Melody for a change. Going to the gym and taking care of myself has been fun.

A - Accomplishment - huh??? I guess that I have done better at taking care of myself and therefore I have done better at being there for my loved ones.

G - Goal - In the next year, I would like to have increased patience with my husband and children and continue to improve myself both spiritually and physically.

Pool update

Cliff putting the drains in. (Sorry Cliff, I posted the one where you weren't posing. I thought it was more 'natural'.)

Standing at the shallow end looking to the deep end and hot tub.

The shallow end with the kiddie pool.

They came this week and worked on putting the steel in. Next will be the gunnite. It's starting to look like more than just a big hole. We're so excited. Can you tell?

A sweet comment

Today during closing exercises, Maria was talking with the primary children about being thankful. Several of the children had comments and/or questions and they were really paying attention. At the very end, Maria needed to wrap it up, and she said the last question or comment would be Kerstyn's. I was sitting in the row in front of Kerstyn with Jared and Lauklan, and I hear from a familiar voice, "Mommy brought me home on Thanksgiving Day."

I looked up and Maria looked at me to see if it was accurate, and it was. As I heard that out of my dear daughter's voice, a sweet spirit touched my heart and I teared up. As did Maria, and Sister Lugo as I looked at them.

What a blessing each of my children are in my life. Thanksgiving has not been the same since that day in 1998. I did bring Kerstyn home from the hospital on that day. I thought then, and still do now, that it was a really neat thing, to bring a child home for the first time on Thanksgiving Day.

Just thought I would share that with you. I am so thankful for the blessing of the spirit. That I can feel it often and know what it is. It keeps me safe, comforts me, and is a friend.

Saturday is a special day

It's the day we get ready for Sunday. We go to the gym, we wash our face, we go to a baptism, on this fun day!

There is no time to rest, they day is full.

Daddy is off doing moving chores.

We shop at Publix on the way home, and bring home dinner for the fam-i-ly.

Then was wash again because we played in the dirt and try to get presentable for church the next day.

Saturday is a special day, its the day we go crazy before Sunday!

Crazy, but fun...

Scratch that...

Not going to Tallahassee. :(
No shower.
No Thanksgiving with Tallahassee family.
No church in our old ward.
No dinner with friends.
No leisurely drive home on Monday.

Sad, sad, sad.

Trying to get ready

Since we will be leaving tomorrow night for Tallahassee, I am trying to get stuff ready to go. Like, washing and putting clothes away, getting my car aligned and 2 new tires, etc. This is VERY stressful! Only stressful because I let it be, I know that, but still...

I am looking forward to our weekend back in Tallahassee. We will be giving Holly a baby shower Saturday at 11 a.m.. Then we will be having a Thanksgiving with our family there Saturday night. Sunday, we will go to church at our old ward which I am looking forward to. Then, Sunday evening we are going to have dinner at Matt and Leigh's who were in the singles ward with Chris and I and got married about 8 months before Chris and me. It is going to be a busy weekend, but I am sure it will be fun too.

I can't wait for Thanksgiving day. It is hard to believe that it is only one week from today! There goes all my hard work at the gym. Oh well.

Don't you love this song?

We'll Bring the World His Truth

In Observance of Veteran's Day

Today Chris's office is closed in observance of Veteran's Day. At the last office, the employees would sometimes decide that they wanted to work today and get another day off at Christmas. Chris downright refused to do that! Now that he has his own office, he can do whatever he wants. And he does.

I feel that I need to take this opportunity to tell the veterans that are close to me how thankful I am for them.

Chris - served in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield in 1990 - 1991 as an Army Medic. I was still in high school, but I remember how I was concerned about the United States being at war. Not knowing Chris at the time was a good thing. I am sure that I would of been a basket case if I knew that my future husband was over in the war. I love you Chris, you are certainly MY hero!
Daddy (Jim Cottingham) - Served on an aircraft carrier during Vietnam. I know that you are great Daddy. Thank you for serving our country.
Ryan (my nephew genetically, but like a brother) - Served in the Army in the 82nd Airborne in Operation Iraqi Freedon twice and Afghanistan once. Ryan, you are a true soldier and a wonderful person.

Chris, Daddy and Ryan - thank you for your sacrifice and dedication to the United States. You are an example to many. Also, thanks to all the others that have served and are serving our country.

Primary

One of the happiest places to serve on Earth!

The Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation was today. I felt like I was in the middle of my cardiovascular workout before it started. But, as soon as I sat down and we got underway, I felt totally at peace. The children were just wonderful! The talks were sweet and the songs were sung with feeling. I couldn't ask for any better.

To top it all off, I had my parents in the congregation to hear the sweet spirits of the children that I serve. It is a great feeling to have your family with you at church, especially your parents, spouse and children. Isn't that why we do all of this anyway?

I love those kids! What a blessing to serve the Eustis ward primary children. It has been three years and three months since I was called to be the Primary President and I can sincerely say that I love it more and more each day! I KNOW that they teach me more than I teach them. No question about that.

Garage Sale and Fall activity

The community had their annual garage sale today so I drug out a lot of the stuff that I didn't want or need anymore. I made around $140! Not too bad for a morning's work.

After the garage sale, I headed off to Publix to get the stuff that I needed for the Fall Festival and the children's treats after their presentation. I could not believe that Publix did not have any fall cupcakes! Well, too bad, I just bought generic ones. You all know that I could NOT make them myself! It's against all that I know. :)

We went to the fall activity and it was a great time. The kids got to play on all of the farm stuff and they thought it was great. The adults go to play too and visit. The primary/ward activity was fun for all.

Glad its over now. Time to panic about tomorrow...

Not too much better

I had to call Dr. Soto this morning to tell her that Kerstyn is not much better at all. She called in Amoxicillin.

I also told her that Aislinn was running a 102.2 fever last night before bed. I was worried that she shouldn't be running a fever after 4 doses of her Augmentin. Dr. Soto wants to see if it will be gone by tomorrow. If not, I am to call back. I sure hope she will be doing MUCH better by tomorrow morning.

Halloween pictures - Better late than never?

Aislinn in her Halloween costume. Do you like her shoes? She wouldn't let me wear them for days. They are now hidden.

Greyson and Aislinn at the St. Edward's Preschool trunk or treat.

All of the kids outside the house waiting for Daddy to arrive. Aislinn still wouldn't take those shoes off. It kept her from being able to go to many houses, but she DID NOT care! Brennan was Jak, a video game character. Kerstyn was a Mommy (see the baby?). Lauklan and Greyson were Darth Vader's. Aislinn, the cheerleader. These costumes might look familiar. Lauklan, Greyson and Aislinn all wore them last year. But, under protest, I told the kids that I was not going to drop $100 on Halloween this year. They recycled and used their imaginations. I liked that.

Pool update

The guys in action. This was quite fun to watch. The round part at the bottom of the picture is the kiddie pool.

After the hole was done. Notice the pipes at the end. We had a nice gush of water and had to turn the sprinkler system off at the well head. Greyson said that it was a bubble bath. You would sure would have needed one if you got in that mud pit!

This is standing at the back of the house. The shallow end is nearest and the hot tub at the far end.

What a mess!!!

105.2

That is the temperature that Aislinn had yesterday when I got home from church! I was very worried, to say the least. I gave her Motrin, 2 popsicles and a bath. It came down.

Then this morning at 6:45, she was crying from her bed and it was 104.7. More Motrin and off to the pediatrician. She has an ear infection in the right year and is wheezing. Augmentin was prescribed for 10 days and Albuterol 3 times a day until the cough goes away.

Also, the last practice for the Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation was yesterday and it was SUPPOSED to be better than last week. Well, it wasn't! :(

Let me just say..

I LOVE Megan Berge! She sure knows what to say. You're too funny Megan, but thank you. You are always there to make me smile.

Does anyone read what I blog?

If you actually read what I blog, please let me know. I read all of my friends blogs and they have all of these comments, and look at me... hardly any!

Please give me some hope. Or, am I just that boring?

Comment, please. :)

Just plain crazy!

I worked in the office today for a little over 3 hours and got quite a bit done. However, not all of it was done, and already more things are piling up for the next week! I think that this job will take as much time as I will give it and I am not able to do more than one time a week right now.

No wonder Chris was constantly overwhelmed with the accounting issues and the administrative duties that the firm requires! They NEVER end! I hope that I am helping, even though I am feeling right now that I can't do enough. That's not what I need! I already feel that I don't have enough time or do well about being a wife and mom and keeping up with all of those duties. Now I get to add on the office duties too? HELP!