GOAL REACHED!!!!!

That's right - I'M GOING TO BUDAPEST!!

I will be leaving March 10th and return March 25th. I'm SO beyond excited! I've already purchased my ticket and everything.

Yes, you read that right - over TWO WEEKS away from my precious kiddos. I was booking the ticket, and an extremely low price popped up for these dates. I told my lovely husband and he said "Go ahead!" I asked him FIVE times, just to make sure he knew what he was getting into!

I mean, if I'm going to go to Europe, I might as well GO, right?! I am due for a mommy vacation! So, now that I've gotten all of these monetary donations... all I need now is donations of TIME to help take care of my mommyless brood while I'm away!!

Hint, hint. ;)

Pathetic Attempt at Begging

Okay, so it's been a million years (again) since I've blogged - and a hectic million years at that! It would take another million years to put it all on "paper", so I'm thinking I should just start fresh with right NOW, and slowly this year (do we REALLY want to remember it??) will surface on its own.


So, let's get down to the purpose of this particular post. Begging. :) I am unashamedly begging for help to get to Eurocon. What is Eurocon? It is an international conference our worldwide church holds every year in Budapest, Hungary. Why is this year so important? Because this past year, my best friend in the whole world moved to Budapest to be a missionary and a teacher in their international school. I miss her terribly and cannot wait to see her. All year I have been planning to make this trip to Budapest. When my husband's company closed down and we could no longer pay our mortgage, I would still answer the question "Are you going to Eurocon" with a definite YES. I know it sounds ridiculous and maybe a little irresponsible, but I really feel like I am meant to go.

This is NOT only to see my best friend. Eurocon is an amazing, life-changing experience, and I think God has something special for me there. Not that I haven't been receiving something special from Him HERE, I have. I have NEVER felt God's presence more clearly than I have through these impossible times. We've lost SO many precious people this past year... starting with last year during Eurocon when a very close friend of mine lost her father, and ending with a couple of weeks ago when ANOTHER close friend lost her father (also a close friend of my family.) These precious times away together with a relatively small group from our local church are times of bonding like no other. Last year I was there with Arline shortly after she got the news of her brother's passing (she is my friend's aunt.) She said there's no place she would rather have been when she found out, than with this FAMILY of friends to hold her up. I just can't even put into words what Eurocon means to me in so many ways.


So here I am, unabashedly asking for donations so I can go. I know there are more deserving people who I would love to go as well, but the thought popped into my head this morning after a conversation with my husband who told me the only way I can go is if a miracle happened. Who am I to limit God? If I don't get enough money to go, of course I will be sad... but I really don't see that as happening. PLEASE don't feel bad if you can't give anything. I don't WANT anyone to give ANYthing if they can't. I'm serious. I just figured if 70 people could give 10 bucks, that would pay for my ticket! I don't need a hotel room as I'll be staying with my BFF.

So here you go. I'm attaching a paypal button where you can donate. Otherwise, just PRAY! Thank you, and I love you all!!

Our crazy group in the Castle District

SUCH a great day with Staz, Gracie & Tina (even though I was wearing the same clothes for 4 days because my luggage was lost!)
Me & Arline

Twenty-Five Things

Okay, so out of sheer laziness and lack of time, I'm just going to copy and paste this from facebook. This is something that's been going around like wildfire (or the flu). Normally I'm not big on these kinds of things, but I love finding out things about people that I never knew, so here you go!

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you

1. Yes, they're fake. When I was 8, I was rollerskating in the (marble) lobby of the apartment building we lived in... my skates slipped out from under me and I landed on my 2 front teeth, and knocked them right out.
2. I've met Harry Connick Jr.
3. I would love to have twins again. And again.
4. My husband is really sweet... he just doesn't want anyone else to see it. :)
5. It really bothers me when friends try to push products on me. I'm not into natural potions, magic teas & juices, organic cleaning products... I don't want to join a multi-level ANYthing, thank you!
6. I would like to go back to school... I know it sounds generic, but I would like to be a nurse.
7. I still sleep with the pillow I've had since I was 2. My grandmother made it for me. I can't sleep without it (and my family teases me to no end about it.)
8. I watch entirely too much tv, and would secretly love to do away with it completely.
9. I would like to take my whole family and go on the mission field. I just could NOT live with those tiny washing machines!! :)
10. When I was in college, my best friend/roomie and I used to go to Walmart at midnight for NO other reason than to sit in the closed McDonalds seats and stare at the people that would walk in. We'd make bets on how many people would be in anything other than sweat pants. I miss those days... and I miss my best friend!!
11. That last one made me laugh and cry at the same time.
12. I watch a lot of movies... and swiftly forget them. You will often find me answering the question "Have you seen..." with "Ummm, I *think* soooo..."
13. I set foot in 3 countries and about 10 states last year.
14. I met my husband at a car dealership - where he sold me my first new car.
15. I used to want to visit EVERY continent in the world. Okay, so it might still be a dream. Can't figure out how I'd get to Australia or Antarctica, though... I AM over halfway there, though!
16. I love taking pictures. You want to know why? Because they help me remember. If I take a picture of something, it helps me remember it. Not the actual PICTURE, but TAKING the picture. If I lost all of my pictures, I would still remember taking them. Does that make sense?
17. I often can't fall asleep at night because I have a song running through my head over and over. Even if it's a song I like, it keeps me awake.
18. Used to hate diet soda. I mean, like hate, hate, HATED it. Couldn't even take one sip... and I'm now hopelessly addicted to it - Especially Diet Dr. Pepper.
19. I like to bite my kids' ears.
20. I wish Rita's wasn't closed in the winter.
21. I wish I had OCD. Seriously.
22. I hate cleaning. Well, it's not so much that I hate it, it's that no matter HOW much I clean, it's NEVER done...and if I pause for a minute, the mess catches up to me!
23. I should be cleaning right now, ugh!
24. I went to Kindegarten with most of my graduating class.
25. I went to school with a lot of the parents of the kids in my son's kindegarten class.

And one extra, just for my blog: I REALLY hate asking people for things, but my post below has actually turned into something FUN and exciting.

OBX Time!

We're having a beautiful time at the beach. It's a little overwhelming being here without my husband, but all in all it was definitely worth it. Today is our last full day, as we're leaving tomorrow. I can't believe how quickly it flew by (as most vacations do, right?!) Here are a few of my favorite pictures so far...

All the kids (SEVEN kids, ages 6 & under! And only ONE girl!)

Me & my boys on the pier

The whole crew on the pier

My ALONE walk on the beach (self portrait)... I didn't want to come back!

I'm So Sorry!

This post is for Catherine. :) I'm so sorry I haven't bee blogging. I'm in one of those life is getting away from me phases. It's not that I'm not on the computer, or that I don't have anything to write about... it's just that I don't really want to take the time to sit and think about how to write it.

For instance, right now I'm in the Outer Banks. It's so beautiful! There's so much I could write about I don't even know where to begin! I'll post some pictures when I get a chance. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with my blog! Christine, thanks for being interested enough to keep contacting me. I'll really try harder! :)

I'm a Nutcase

This is what I did yesterday:

The rose at the bottom was my original tattoo that I got about 10 years ago (actually he covered it up and redid it, it was pretty faded), but the rest is new. I drew an idea of what I wanted, and the guy designed it with the kids' actual footprints!

(this was the idea)

I cannot BELIEVE how painful it was! I wanted to give up halfway through. I said "I'm sure the other 2 kids would understand if their footprints were left off!" I made it, though.

What do you think? Am I a complete crazy person, or what?

Well, if I am, he's with me...

A Night In

Last night I got home from work fully expecting to go to the mid-week service at church. All four of my boys were dressed in matching Cowboys Jersies, all vamped up for a night out. A few minutes before departure, Baby (I know, Tina, he's not technically a baby anymore... don't get me started! sigh...) had a blowout. I know, sorry, but how else can I put it? All over his pants, shirt, everything. Simulatneously, twin # 1 followed suit. Change of plans. Man, were they disappointed! They found something that SHOULD have been packed away months ago and Mommy of the Year decided to do this...

And this...

And, of course, this...

You should have seen the multi-colored bath that shortly ensued! What fun little boys are!

*I apologize for no pictures of the baby. His artwork was by far the best. He actually did a lovely job grabbing the Halloween makeup while I was grossly absorbed in painting these characters... and proceeded to write all over himself (and eat a little... which probably didn't help the whole bowel issue!) Scrubbing yellow paint out of his ears and hair was the most fun I've had in a while (can you sense the sarcasm?)