Nattie Writes!

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:43 PM | Comments (0)

October 27, 2007

Another silly quiz

(Originally published by Nattie on September 13, 2003)

What's Your Treasure?

Your treasure is a Ruby. You're a true romantic with a good heart.

What's Your Treasure?
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Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 04:38 PM | Comments (1)

October 26, 2007

The Friday Five

(Originally published by Nattie on September 10, 2003)

1. Is the name you have now the same name that's on your birth certificate? If not, what's changed?Everything is the same except my last name which I changed when I got married.

2. If you could change your name (first, middle and/or last), what would it be? I like my name, but I've always liked names like Danielle or Samantha. Names that can be shortened to cute names like Danny or Sam. I can't think of a better middle name than Rose. I like it so much that I gave it to my daughter as a middle name too.

3. Why were you named what you were? (Is there a story behind it? Who specifically was responsible for naming you?) If I remember correctly I was supposed to be Stephanie or Alan, but they picked the name Natalie because of its meaning--"Christmas child." I was born 10 days before Christmas.

4. Are there any names you really hate or love? What are they and why? Hubby wanted the name Mercedes for a girl and I didn't like that at all. There is nothing wrong with the name, but I tend to like more traditional names. Then again he also wanted the names Ariel or Jasmine. Can you talk about different tastes or what?! I can't think of any name I really don't like. Unless it was Ithmar. I had a distant relation named Ithmar Coin. Who would name their poor child--Ithmar?!

5. Is the analysis of your name at kabalarians.com / triggur.org / astroexpert accurate? How or how isn't it? This is the analysis I got at www.kabalarians.com which I think is a real crock but interesting none the less...

Brief Analysis

Your first name of Natalie has created a deep, sensitive, refined nature with an intelligent mind. As you are particularly clever along business lines, and have mathematical ability and a keen appreciation of material values, you are inclined towards the business world. You would do well in a managerial position, as you have executive ability and a poised manner able to take charge and see that procedures are followed. You appreciate the finer things of life and look for quality in your material possessions. Your sensitivity and rather reserved manner make it very difficult for people really to know you. It is by actions rather than words that you show your regard for others. Your reticence has caused you to suffer aloneness and to live much within your own thoughts. You love to read, and are touched very deeply by the beauties of nature.

Guess what? It is pretty accurate other than the mathematical ability. I do like alegbra and the puzzle it represents, but I suck at math. I have been an assistant manager more than once. I do tend to take charge. I am very reserved (read, "shy!"). I do live very much in my own thoughts. I often think too much and obviously it is totally accurate when it says I love to read. LOL!

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 10:00 AM | Comments (2)

October 25, 2007

Even more silly quizzes...

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

How old is your inner child?

My inner child is ten years old!

The adult world is pretty irrelevant to me. Whether I'm off on my bicycle (or pony) exploring, lost in a good book, or giggling with my best friend, I live in a world apart, one full of adventure and wonder and other stuff adults don't understand.

How Old is Your Inner Child?
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What Color is Your Heart?

Your Heart is Blue

What Color is Your Heart?
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Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 07:45 PM | Comments (0)

October 24, 2007

still very weary

(Originally published by Nattie on September 12, 2003)

I couldn't sleep last night. Tossed and turned most of the night. Wes let me sleep in till about 11:30 am. I laid on the couch most of the day and still feel very weary. I'm hoping to go to church tomorrow. I need my strength for this next week. It seems like all my appointments are next week including a new Bible study starting at church on Wednesday nights and the Beth Moore study starting Thursday. Off to lie down again...

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 11:06 PM | Comments (1)

October 23, 2007

Sometimes...

(Originally published by Nattie on September 11, 2003)

Sometimes I feel like I must have Chronic Fatigue or something. I've been so achy lately for no good reason. I'm exhausted. I sleep and don't wake up refreshed. I scrubbed the kitchen floor on my hands and knees yesterday and still ache. I'm too young to feel like this. My mom has said before she thinks I sound like I have CFS, but when I look at the symptoms they say people with chronic depressive disorders can mimic symptoms of CFS. Well, there you have it. I have chronic depression. Will this ever go away?! I'm going to go crawl in a hole and maybe sleep. Hopefully the kids will take a nap too.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 10:43 AM | Comments (1)

October 22, 2007

A little roar

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

Before I go off to clean the kitchen, I have a little roar... I am now "Stay-At-Home Articles Editor" for Busy Parents Online. Yay, for me!

I'll be writing articles geared toward stay-at-home parents.

Okay, off to clean bbq sauce off the floors...

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 11:02 PM | Comments (0)

October 21, 2007

Make Time For Yourself

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

I really needed this link today--Making Time For Yourself. I got it through a wonderful group The Mother's Hour.

My poor children have gotten on my last nerve. They got up at the crack of dawn again, and snuck out of their room. How do children who are normally so noisy get so quiet when they are getting into mischief?!

They decided mommy needed another cake. This one used the last of our eggs, bbq sauce, syrup, cake mix, and the last loaf of bread.

They know better. I know they do. Why do they do these things? I made them do the clean up. They both got punishments. I tried to take the TV away from them but my husband said that was just punishing him. Aargh!

I felt achy and flu-like yesterday so I was already behind on dishes. Now I have more.

I'm running away and changing my name.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 09:42 PM | Comments (1)

October 20, 2007

List your pets, past and present

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

~ My first cat's name was Tiger. He didn't like me very much. I was only 3 or 4 when my dad brought him home. I decided right off he needed a bath. I used a whole bottle of Johnson's Baby Shampoo and then brought the wet cat to my parents saying, "I think Tiger is sick." My dad will say to this day that poor cat looked like a drowned rat. Needless to say, he didn't want to have much to do with me after that.

~ My next cat's name was Butterscotch. Butterscotch was my cat. He was an orange tabby cat which is still my favorite kind of cat.

Butterscotch slept on my pillow at night and was even known to scratch my parents when they reprimanded me.

Tiger and Butterscotch got left in Indiana with friends when we moved to California. Tiger was killed by a bear trap and I don't remember what happened to Butterscotch.

~ My next cat was Sylvia. She looked like Sylvester the Cat. I don't remember how long we had her, but she was a fixture in our apartment in Anaheim for years. She had to be put to sleep because of health problems. Mom held her as they fed her the "sleeping" pill in tuna and cried. I saw a little black and white kitty every where I went for quite a while.

~ My next cat was Peaches. She was a Siamese and her coat looked like peaches and cream. I had her from the time I was 14 to 18. I had to give her to a friend when I moved in with my mom and stepdad.

~ In junior high I had a little hamster named Ulysses. I killed it. I had to keep Ulysses in our spare bedroom because of Peaches and forgot to feed him. Then I had a stiff hamster.

~ For a short time I had another kitty--Squeaky. Squeaky didn't meow she squeaked. She and Peaches would chase each other back and forth from room to room. First you'd see a little black cat chasing a big Siamese. Then vice versa. Squeaky had to go when I moved in with my stepdad and mom, too.

~ While living at my stepdad's I adopted an outdoor kitty. She was a stray and I never knew if she would run away. So I named her Kitty. She was my faithful friend. She followed me to my car every day. She was a beautiful Persian. She was supposed to stay an outdoor cat because my stepdad was allergic. Then he allowed her in the garage. Then he fell in love with her too, and she was allowed in the house for breif moments of time. She quickly became a fixture in that house and still lives with my mom and stepdad.

~ I moved out on my own briefly when I was 21. There I picked up another stray--Tigger. He was another orange tabby. He came with me when I moved back home, but stayed primarily an outdoor cat because of Kitty. They tolerated each other as long as one was inside and the other was out. Poor Tigger stayed with my parents when I moved back to Indiana. He haunted my room looking for me for weeks. Then he was poisoned by a neighbor who didn't like tomcats.

~ My next pet was a family pet--Boots the cat. Boots and I never bonded. I was pregnant with Anna and couldn't change his cat litter. So the majority of Boots' care fell to Wes and he was Wes' cat. Boots stayed with us until we moved into the apartment we are in now.

~ For a short time we had a junkyard dog--Rex. He was a mutt and hyper. He bit the water meter man. We had to get rid of him when we moved into our last house because we didn't have a large enough yard for him.

~ I adopted a poor kitty again--Ginger. She and Boots got on famously. Ginger stayed with my sister-in-law when we moved because she was an outdoor cat.

~ Then there were our fish which we unintentionally killed--Goldy, Uno, Dos, and Tres--all goldfish and Oscar our algae eater.

~ Then there was Haffertee the hamster who died after we had only had him two days. I think the kids gave him a heart attack.

~ Then there was Alex, a pretty grey and white tiger striped kitty, a grandaughter of Ginger. She couldn't stay here in our apartment. We found out after we got her that cats have to be a year old and spayed or neutered to be here. Wes gave her to a girl at work. I miss Alex. She was my kitty.

~ We've been feeding another stray. My heart is going to be broken again. I want a kitty...

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 09:44 PM | Comments (0)

October 19, 2007

Where were you?

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

I love this song by Alan Jackson--"Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning" that was written about 9/11.

"Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day Out in the yard with your wife and children Or working on some stage in L.A. Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke Rising against that blue sky Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor Or did you just sit down and cry

"Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below
Did you burst out in pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters

"I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but i'm not sure i can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus, and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young.
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love.

"Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold Ynterstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother to tell her you love her
Did you dust off that Bible at home
Did you open your eyes in hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset for the first time in ages
Speak to some stranger on the street
Did you lie down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent home movie you're watchin'
And turn on 'I Love Lucy' reruns
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Or stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
And thank God you had somebody to love

(chorus x2)

"And the greatest is love.
And the greatest is love.
Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day"

Copyright Alan Jackson

Where were you?

I was working at the doctor's office, then. A patient came into the office and told us that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center in New York. We hurried to turn on the TV in the waiting room and watched in horror as a second plane hit the second tower.

I called my husband and told him to turn on the TV. We still didn't know what was going on when we heard a report that the Pentagon was bombed. We would later find out that it was another terrorist-flown plane that had crashed.

As President Bush ordered all planes to be grounded, a rumor erupted that a hijacked plane was on its way to California. "Was my family there in danger?" I asked myself. Later I heard the courageous tale of Flight 93 that sparred lives by crashing into a Pennsylvania field.

Life changed dramatically for some that day. Many lost their lives or loved ones. I counted my blessings that all my family was safe. But were they?

The reality hit home as I gazed at a beautiful blue sky free of all air traffic. My daily life may not have changed but the fabric of my sense of safety had been shredded that day.

All of a sudden I was adding new words and names to my vocabulary--al Qaida, bin Laden, and more.

I was proud of the way Americans rallied around each other. When they couldn't be there physically to help, they sent supplies, donated blood and money, and sent up many prayers. We held candlelight vigils, prayer and memorial services. We showed off our true colors--red, white and blue. Flags flew everywhere. Flags weren't just for flagpoles anymore. They flew on cars, t-shirts and in windows.

We supported our president as he began to wage a war on the insidious disease of terrorism. Where is that support today?

I'll never forget that day. The day my world stopped turning. The day I began to worry about terror in small town, USA.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 04:07 PM | Comments (0)

October 18, 2007

Another silly quiz...

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

Which 80's Lunchbox would you be...if you were an '80 s lunchbox..?

Smurf's Lunchbox!

brought to you by Quizilla

I actually had a "Little House on the Prairie" lunchbox.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

(For reasons I cannot explain, I took this quiz this morning. It was my first time.

I believe the one I carried to First Grade was a Roy Rogers or Davy Crockett model. It's hard enough to remember the '80s.--ND)

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 10:27 AM | Comments (1)

October 17, 2007

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 10:23 AM | Comments (6)

October 16, 2007

Luxuries...on the flip side

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

There is a song floating in my head, I can't remember the name. But somewhere in there it says, "I don't need any fancy cars," and I think it says something about not needing anyone to buy me rings.

I don't need the luxeries I posted in my "Luxuries" entry. I don't need expensive things. I'm rich in simple luxeries...such as:
~ eating cherry jello with my kids
~ drinking herbal tea out of my favorite cup
~ taking a steaming hot bubble bath
~ going to the library...alone
~ sitting on my porch soaking in the sunshine
~ sleeping in late on Saturday mornings
~ window shopping

The list goes on.

What are some of your simple luxuries?

Enjoy a few today.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 09:49 PM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2007

Luxuries

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

I got my favorite catalog in the mail Saturday--Levenger. It is the catalog for serious readers and if anyone is a serious reader, I am. I have never bought a thing from here, but I can dream can't I? These are luxuries I could never afford...but really want!

Reader's Mining Kit

Candlelight Reader

Writer's Oasis

Book Bungees

Kohl-I-Noor Pencils

Lantern of Knowledge Globe

Island Chaise

Book Carousel

Circa Leather Notebook

Dreaming of libraries tonight.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 02:35 PM | Comments (0)

October 13, 2007

Saturday Soapbox

(Originally published by Nattie on September 08, 2003)

(Prompt:) This week is a bit lighter than most, but I am really interested in your opinions of worship.

Share your favorite worship service you have ever been a part of and how you might design a time of worship that would fill your spirit with praise.

Okay, it is a day or two past Saturday, but I wanted to post my response.

It is interesting that these would be the questions, because I've been thinking about this. Yesterday I went to the church for the first time since our choir director left the church. They have divided his duties between two different worship teams. I already knew I would probably like the worship leader for the first service better, but decided to try the second service anyway since I have a hard time getting up early. The pastor spoke as powerfully as ever, but the music lacked something. It lacked the energy and heart that our old director gave it.

I enjoy good music. I wouldn't say I have to have worship songs or hymns. I like a mix of both. Some of my favorite songs are old hymns, but I also love the heart of the worship movement. I really found that heart when I attended a Vineyard church in California. They were a church started in the 70's by the Jesus Movement. I didn't agree with the way they interpreted some major points in spiritual gifts, so I eventually left the church. But I loved the way they worshipped God with their heart and soul. It was an intimate and intense openhearted awe of God. I still worship God that way today even when singing a hymn.

BTW, the Vineyard has some of the best worship music anywhere.

To me, worship services can be led by full bands, orchestras and choirs or they can be led by a single piano or guitar. For intimate worship, I prefer the simple piano or guitar. But when you are singing "How Great Thou Art," there is something totally inspiring about full orchestra accompanying you.

As far as preaching goes, I like the get-your-Bible-open-dig-in-and-take-notes sermon. I want something I can take away with me. My friend, Dana, had a blog entry about why go to church the other day. Here is what she wrote....

WHY GO TO CHURCH?

A churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not cooked these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"

Now, about share times...I think it depends on the size of your church. If you have a large church, I think small groups are important. You need that intimate fellowship with other Christians. Our church is fairly large and if every one shared during a Sunday service we'd be there all week. So they tend to save the sharing for Sunday evening services, Sunday school and Wednesday evening services. These are all smaller more intimate settings more conducive for sharing.

The perfect service to me would be...
~ Heart moving worship--music that puts you in the right frame of mind for listening and learning
~ Soul-changing preaching--applicable lesson with tangible things you can do to get closer to God

I can't really pinpoint a great service that I've been in. I know that I really enjoyed attending Calvary Chapel services in California. They seemed to have the perfect balance between worship and teaching. I almost always brought something home with me to think and pray about.

Yesterday's service was good. The music wasn't great. The pews weren't full, but the hearts of those there were full of love for God. We had a wonderful moment when the whole church came forward to lay hands on a little one in our church. He was diagnosed with spina bifida when he was born. He is the same age as my Jonathan, so he has a tender place in my heart. They are in the same Sunday School class and were in VBS together. He is a very active five-year-old and I hadn't thought about his spina bifida in a while, but he is having spinal surgery today. It was just so wonderful to see everyone come forward and lay hands on his little blonde head. The altar was packed.

Then Pastor preached and it was good. Great even. He is teaching on some John Maxwell sermons and there is some good stuff there.

I think a good service is often a state of mind. If I've rushed to get to church, fought to get the kids dressed, left a crying daughter in the nursery--well, my mind and heart are all conflicted. I want to sit and worship, but I'm thinking about my fractious five-year-old and the argument we had or about my clingy daughter, etc.

Yesterday, God was with us. We got ready in record time even though I woke up late. Anna, when given the option to sit with me, was willing to go to the nursery with minimal fuss. Jonathan was anxious to go and didn't fight me more than once to hurry. So I wasn't as ruffled in spirit when I sat down in my pew.

I could write on this forever. So I'll close with this thought: "Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the sheep of his pasture, the flock under his care."--Psalm 95:6-7

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 03:40 PM | Comments (1)

October 12, 2007

Ever just want to cry?

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

Do you ever just want to cry? For no real apparent reason. I know this is a woman thing. So since most of my readers are women (sorry, Daddy) I think you'll understand.
The day didn't start out great.

This thing with my kids wanting to cook has lost any hilarity it ever had. While I was hitting snooze this morning they were making an inedible concoction in the kitchen.

I think they used every clean plate we had and I've been keeping up on dishes lately so that is a lot! But that didn't really tick me off. We disciplined. I cleaned up.

Then Jonathan had speech therapy. He wanted to take a picture he had drawn to his teacher. I thought that was sweet. While he was in class, I sat in the nook I've found at his school and read Second Opinion by Hannah Alexander. It is a great book. I love Christian fiction that gets me thinking about my faith.

Then I came home and fixed lunch, did some laundry and more dishes. I checked my email while I ate lunch.
Wes went to work. I had some good moments with teaching the kids that I posted about. This evening we went on to spell - Mommy, Daddy, Nana, Jesus, Apple, Cat, Dog, and T-Rex (that last one was Jonathan's choice).

When I laid the kids down for their naps the tears began. My tears. Jonathan and I have this game we play. While he goes potty before his nap; I'll hide and pop out to scare him. He loves it.

Well, I scared him once and he wanted to be scared again. I did it and when he jumped up in "surprise" he bonked me in the face. That boy has a hard head. It hurt. I finished tucking them in and just laid in my own bed and cried. It hurt but all of a sudden the physical pain seem to bring some emotional pain to the surface.

I was still wiping tears from my eyes when the mail man rang the door bell. I had signed up for a Christian book club--Crossings--and my books were here. I enjoyed opening the package.

The books are:

• Jesus My One & Only by Beth Moore
• The Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore
• A Love Worth Giving by Max Lucado
• A Woman and Her God and
• Praying Through Life's Problems (a compilation with stories by Stormie Omartian and Beth Moore to name a few.

There was also a book by Nancy DeLeigh that is on back order. (Look for another entry from me titled "Hello, My name is Natalie and I'm a bookaholic.")

I napped and woke up with my face still hurting. It is mildly bruised which should be fun to explain to my counselor tomorrow.

The rest of the evening went as usual. The kids were remarkably well behaved--only a minor skirmish or two.

But I'm sitting here just wanting to cry. I don't know if I'm soul weary or what. I try not to cry too often in front of the kids.

Jonathan got scared this afternoon when I cried and told me to never scare him again. Poor thing. But I tell them, "Sometimes Mommy just gets sad. " I think today is one of those days. I'm just sad for no apparent reason other than I'm me.

Tonight is the night to lie in the comfort of my favorite verse;

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."--Psalm 34:18

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 10:25 AM | Comments (3)

October 11, 2007

Woo Hoo!

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

I'm teaching Jonathan to spell his name. I have his name written on an index card and then a separate card for each letter. He mastered his name and then took the letters to spell sissie's name--ANNA--without my help! Now he is trying to write his name.

My baby is growing up. I'm happy and sad all at one time.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 10:45 AM | Comments (1)

October 09, 2007

What do your mornings, afternoons, evenings look like?

(Originally published by Nattie on September 08, 2003)

What do your mornings, afternoons, evenings look like?

Me :
Morning--groggy
Afternoon--mildly alert
Evening--fairly alert
Middle of the night--all the lights are on

Children:
Morning--wide awake
Afternoon--even wider
Evening--still raring to go
Middle of the night--I don't want to go to sleep!

No matter how I try to order my days, my children are on different internal clocks. So I'm constantly racing to catch up, and by the time I'm caught up I'm sick of racing. By eight o'clock I'm ready to knock them over the head with a baseball bat.

Instead we usually pile in my chair and read a book together until I can get them wound down. Then it is my time. Time to read, write, pray, take a bubble bath, drink tea.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)

October 06, 2007

Saturday Smatterings

(Originally published by Nattie on September 06, 2003)

~ woke up late this morning
* got the kids and myself ready in half an hour
~ went to birthday party for their cousin at the Muncie Children's Museum
* the kids had a blast
~ it was a princess and prince party
* the girls dressed up in old gowns and wore crowns
~ the boys just got crowns (they didn't really care

* I didn't think I'd ever get the kids to leave
~ we were there for 3-1/2 hours
* came home to good mail
~ I forgot I actually answered the phone a while back and talked to a phone solicitor
* they were selling Scholastic cd-roms
~ I ordered one set--buy one, get one free--for $14.95
* Anna got Blue's Reading Time Activities
~ Jonathan got Bob the Builder:Can We Fix It?
* we also got a free "Clifford the Big Red Dog" mouse pad
~ our old one was wearing out, so this was a good thing
* while the kids played I worked on making flash cards for some unofficial homeschooling
~ I forgot about some books my friend Janet sent me a while back:
Learning at Home: Preschool & Kindergarten and Kids Have All The Write Stuff
* I'm also bidding on Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons on eBay
~ I keep getting out-bid
* makes me mad
~ the kids are asleep right now
* Anna had a nose bleed tonight
~ she is either getting a sinus infection
* or she is going to be like her mom
~ I used to get nose bleeds for no apparent reason when I was little
* I grew out of it
~ I'm going to get caught up on email and then go to bed
* hoping I wake up in time for church tomorrow
~ I have a hard time getting up in the morning
* But I'm going to try really hard to get up
~ night night
* don't let the bedbugs bite

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 12:52 PM | Comments (2)

October 04, 2007

There is one word for my son today: fractious.

(Originally published by Nattie on September 09, 2003)

Some definitions of "fractious" from Dictionary.com are:

• Inclined to make trouble; unruly.


• Having a peevish nature; cranky.


• Stubbornly resistant to authority or control.

That was my son. "What did he do?" you ask. Let's see: first he got into my makeup this morning, saying, "I only wanted to be like you, Mommy." Then he locked himself in my bedroom. He got in my scrapbook supplies, hung on my leg when I tried to go run errands, got ticked when I gave him a different cereal than he wanted, got ticked again when I gave him peanut butter and jelly instead of bologna, got even more ticked when I made him sit on the potty, tackled his sister a hundred times, and hit her a few times. He bugged me to death to make chocolate pudding and, when I did, decided he didn't like it.

The icing on the cake was when I wouldn't draw a picture of a gal-gator (alligator--I'm a horrible artist. He knows this. I told him that he is the artist in the family); he wadded the paper up and threw it in my face! He needed a knot yanked in his tail.

Needless to say he is now in bed. We prayed that God would help him to be better tomorrow. Please, Lord, make him act better tomorrow. Pretty please!

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 10:08 AM | Comments (0)

October 03, 2007

What are you thankful for today?

(Originally published by Nattie on September 06, 2003)

1. Teaching breakthroughs--Jonathan learned right and left. And he still remembers two days later!
2. Indian summer
3. Library workshops
4. Hamburgers on the grill
5. Butterscotch pudding

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 04:22 PM | Comments (1)

October 02, 2007

List things that make you smile

(Originally published by Nattie on September 05, 2003)

1. When my husband folds laundry.
2. Kisses and hugs from my children.
3. Sitting and reading a book with my children.
4. Calls from old friends.
5. Emails from good friends.
6. Snail mail--not bills!
7. Library sales.
8. Sitting in the sun watching my children play in the mud.
9. Hearing Jonathan and Anna giggle.
10. Watching my children sleep.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 10:44 AM | Comments (2)

October 01, 2007

What's Up With Nat?

(Originally published by Nattie on September 05, 2003)

I've been answering a lot of prompts lately, but I haven't really written about me. Nothing terribly exciting is happening.

This week I've...
~ taken Jonathan to speech therapy twice.
~ gone to the library a couple of times.
~ checked out or renewed:

And the Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers
The Wishing Jar by Penelope Stokes
Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg
The Church Ladies by Lisa Samson
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Honorable Imposter by Gilbert Morris
Say When by Elizabeth Berg
First Light by Brock & Bodie Thoene
The Betrayal by Beverly Lewis
Rosemary for Remembrance by Audrey Stallsmith
The Last Camel Died at Noon by Elizabeth Peters
Miss Julia Hits the Road by Ann B. Ross
~ visited with my father-in-law for a bit on Wednesday.
~ tried to find a preschool for Jonathan.
~ gone to therapy.
~ haven't exercised!
~ cleaned off the outdoor toys and got all muddy in the process.
~ washed ink off the kids faces.
~ washed blue stamp ink off Anna's face this morning. I think she really enjoyed having her face washed yesterday.
~ washed mud off the kids today.
~ then rinsed Jonathan's head when he decided to use a whole can of foaming body wash to clean his hair. He certainly smells good.
~ cooked and cleaned every day--even though you'd never be able to tell. Like the quote by Phyllis Diller, "Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."

Another word of wisdom that speaks volumes about my not-too-exciting days...Erma Bombeck likens motherhood to stringing beads on a string. We go about our days, stringing one wooden knob after another, assuming we're accomplishing so much. At the end of the day we look down and discover there is no knot and we have to start all over!

~ But then I had Jonathan come up to me with his letter book and say, "C is for Cat." Maybe he is absorbing what I am trying to teach him. Maybe?!

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 03:05 PM | Comments (2)