Sincerely 'Fro Me to You: The Next Step

*Update* Congrats to Wilma (#9). Email me your snail mail and I'll send some cookies your way!

{Carnival Guidelines}

For the past year, I've been sharing pictures of my fabulous 80's 'fro and the adventures of my over-permed 'do. 

My perfectly formed helmet of hair has enjoyed the ride.

circa, 1980 'fro

And more importantly, your linked-up old pictures and new stories have made it all the more fun!

As many of you know, I'm now hosting Works for Me Wednesday (WFMW) weekly now and I want to devote more of my attention to this new adventure. Plus, I don't really want to be known as the Carnival Queen.

I've decided to pay it forward (just as Shannon did for me). Instead of stopping the weekly 'fro fun, it will now be hosted every Thursday at The Glamorous Life. Marcy has kindly agreed to take over Sincerely 'Fro Me to You, starting next week. She's been a regular participant of this weekly event and she has a personal relationship with Mr. Linky!

I'm sure I will still join in occasionally because some pictures are just worth sharing.

Please join her next Thursday and support this carnival!

And just so none of y'all will be mad at me, I'm bribing you with Girl Scout Cookies! Everyone who links up today will be entered to win 3 boxes of the yummy Cookies!

So, there's that.

{Sincerely 'Fro Me to You} Idle Hands

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Welcome to Sincerely 'Fro Me to You, where we post pictures that won't make it into a scrap book because a.) we don't scrapbook b.) the pictures are embarrassing and/or terrible c.) we are lazy. 

Feel free to join in!

You know the old saying, "Idle hands are the Devil's tools?"

It's true.

And it turns out the Devil and toddlers are cohorts.

Buds, friends, BFF's.

My girl loves water. She loves washing her hands 49 times a day or taking 5 baths a day.

Or playing around in the potty. She's not picky about her water.

We did this a lot last week. I put shaving cream on a cookie sheet, donned her mini apron, rolled up her sleeves and let her play.

We wrote the alphabet, drew faces and balanced the checkbook.

Looks fun, doesn't it?

When that got old we moved the fun to the tub. I squirted the shaving cream on a floating plastic tray and she abused her brother's hot wheels.

I love those little hands. 

Busy and idle.

Scary Cindy {Sincerely 'Fro Me to You}

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My now nine year old daughter has always had a thing for Cinderella.

Let's just call her Cindy, okay? Because we're like this (crossing fingers to indicate closeness).

I shared this photo last year of their first meeting:

2002, 2 years old

It made me weep. It was my hubby's first Disney encounter and I promise I saw a tear in his eye too. He even whispered in my ear, "Maybe she is real."

He wasn't kidding.

So, Cindy goes way back with our family.

She came to my daughter's third birthday party.

She proposed to my son.

She pretty much ruined the chances for the "other" princess':

She convinced Santa to deliver this costume on Christmas morning:

I like to refer to this picture as "Scary Cindy."

The look on her face is, well, scary.

And just think: I have another daughter, recently turned two, with her first princess light-up shoes. It's like a nightmare, only with pixie dust.

{Just a reminder: The 'Fro will be replaced next week with the S.W.A.K. Carnival}

Dog*Gone It {Sincerely 'Fro Me to You}

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Once upon a time we were dog people. 

That was before Alice and Ike (the cats who let us live here).

After being married a few months, some friends (I use that term loosely) gifted (again, various meanings) a one year old male dog. He was a full-blooded Golden Retriever. He was huge, strong, and wild. He was a beautiful monster. 

A year passed and since we couldn't scratch the baby itch due to infertility, we got a female Golden Retriever puppy.

And so we had two large untrained dogs living in our home.

1997

Good times.

But we loved them.

For years.

But do you know what happens to a male and female dog who are supposed to be just friends?

They live in sin.

Only they keep it an absolute secret from their naive and ignorant owners. (No wonder it took us 6 years to have our first child!) 

Because um, yeah, about 48 hours before my dog's water broke on my carpet, I thought her tummy looked funny.

Just call me intuitive. 

We are the kind of people the Humane Society warns about.

Irresponsible pet owners.

I did have the sense to take my dog to the vet, where her pregnancy (duh!) and immediate delivery were diagnosed. Only we were especially lucky because she had medical complications.

Yes, our dog had an emergency C-section.

And we became the proud parents of some pretty cute, albeit messy and stinky puppies (7!)

(While our dog recovered in labor and delivery, my hubby whipped up this nifty dog playpen because our Albuquerque winter was harsh).

2000

It turned out okay in the end, the puppy sales covered all the unexpected costs and left us with enough money to buy a microwave. 

We also put an end to irresponsible breeding (the dogs, not us).

(P.S. The 'Fro will be put on hold Feb. 12 for the S.W.A.K. carnival. But that's okay, right? Because I know all of my faithful 'fro friends are participating!!)

Playing House {Sincerely 'Fro Me to You}

I'm joining Hooked on Houses because I'm hooked on fresh starts. And here's to a beautiful life full of color at The Inspired Room.

2002

I grew up playing with dolls.

I enjoyed pretending I was a Mommy.

I tucked in my precious babies every night, whispering sweet words.

I loved playing house.

And then I got a house.

With my own real babies.

Two in two years.

And then I wasn't playing any more.

When I look at this picture, I see past the precocious toddler stuffing her long-legged baby brother into her doll bed. Playing, pretending.

I see the gray.

It was the color of my soul.

Our circumstances helped shade my world. We were working at a church that didn't honor us, both of us working several jobs because the first wasn't honorable. 

My marriage held lies and secrets.

Loneliness was my shadow.

Depression my friend.

Money my need.

And then, God.

He became the light, the ray of Son to break up the darkness.

He delivered us from the dishonor.

He healed my broken marriage.

He met every financial need.

He colored my world.

 

And now red is so red. 

Green is very green.

Have you seen yellow?

I'm still playing house. 

Only this time, in color.

Food for the Soul:

John 8:12 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

The Coffee Club {Sincerely 'Fro Me to You}

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My kids love going to the farm.

They jump the hay bales with cousins. They hide in the barn. They make houses built of Alfalfa.

They name the cows. They search for hungry ticks under their waistbands.

Oh, could I tell you some tick stories! 

{But they certainly would NOT include a fat tick stuck to the nether regions of my then 3 year old son or of my joke-cracking hubby who threw himself on the bed and said, "Check me, I'm next!"}

But the highlight of their day occurs before the sun awakes most mornings. It's coffee on the front porch with grandpa.

On our last visit, we snapped a picture of The Coffee Club.  

I know years from now my kids will look back on these porch moments.

They will remember their grandparents.................

..................where their caffeine addiction began and...............

Their first tick.

{Okay, y'all. I want to punch Mr. Linky in the nose. He's not working and the site is down, so leave your links and I'll take my violent tendencies and keep trying.}

My Girl {Sincerely 'Fro Me to You}

Welcome back to Sincerely 'Fro Me to You!  The 'fro has been all gussied up just for you. You can read about the carnival here.

Today, my oldest child, turns 9 years old.

N-i-n-e.

That's almost double digits.

How did she get so big? I've noticed just lately that she's lost her little girl look. She's wistful, thoughtful and when I see her care for her toddler sister or guide her little brother, I have to swallow the lump in my throat. 

She's strong, smart and a straight-shooter. She is intimidating and loves a challenge.

Nine reasons I want to be like her:

1. She's soft and sweet

2. She's not afraid to eat cake for breakfast

3. She views the world as her playground

4. She thinks outside the box (while being in it) 

5. She's not afraid to get a little dirty

6. She's tough (completing a triathlon at age 7)

7. She's loves adventure

8. She looks good in camo

9. She's never too busy to stop and smell the flowers

Happy birthday, my girl. I love you.

{Mr. Linky keeps disappearing. If you don't see him, just leave your link so we can all come read!}

I Can't Forget {Sincerely 'Fro Me to You}

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Tomorrow, I will turn 36 years old.

Today, I remember.

Because I can't forget.

Two years ago, I celebrated my 34th birthday, in a hospital bed. 

My children, hubby and sweet mother-in-law (who dropped everything to help us) came bearing presents, balloons, cans of silly string and Bubba teeth.

We got quite the raised eyebrows from the nursing staff about the silly string hanging from the ceiling. 

And from my I.V.

My family did there best to cheer me up and they tried very hard to make if feel like my birthday.

But it didn't. 

Because my gift was lying in the ICU.

She was 32 hours old and she was born too early.

This week she turned two. She's perfectly healthy and a picture of God's power.

And when I think of my birthday, I can't really think of anything I want. Because I have it all.

I can't forget.

But that's because I don't want to.

{The 'Fro will be taking a 2 week-perm break for the holidays, I'll still be posting, but I won't resume Sincerely 'Fro Me to You until January. Please let me know in the comments if you want me to continue this carnival 'o mine. I have fun with it, but I want to quit it before it stops being fun for everyone else!} Updated at 7:00 am...The 'Fro will live on---

This Used to Be a Family Blog

Welcome to Sincerely 'Fro Me to You. I'm taking it UP A NOTCH today.  Because I'm crazy like that.

This used to be a family blog, until my toddler learned to take it all off:

(push play in the bottom left hand corner to view the strip show, I mean, slide show)

The Sled

This is Sincerely 'Fro Me to You sort of-edition. I have no idea if Mr. Linky will make an appearance today. He is an enigma. (If he is elusive, leave your link in the comments).

But I will not be deterred. 

Because I want to tell you a little story. 

As we decorated our Christmas tree the other night, I came across this ornament:

Our First Christmas Together.

14 Christmas' ago. Almost to the day.

After only a few months of marriage, we packed up our 6 boxes and moved (from our Texas birthplace) to Arkansas to be Youth Pastors at a church.

I could write a book about the 2 years we spent there.

It would fit nicely in the horror genre.

I am not kidding.  At all.

But through the trials of church problems, parsonage living and meager wages, my new hubby and I learned to love each other.

One winter morning, we woke up to a soft blanket of snow.

And it was a big deal for this Texas girl.

Our parsonage was down the hill from the church (another blog post entirely!) and I wanted to sled down that hill badly.  We rushed to the store, but the entire stock of sleds (2) had been sold.

I was so disappointed. 

While I sulked only as new brides can, my hubby went to the library, checked out a sled-making book and did just that.

He handcrafted a sled out of plywood.  

We bundled up and rode down that hill, taking turns, and trying it together all day.

It was perfect. Even with the ups and downs and hard work that comes with sledding.

As I held the ornament in my hand and squinted at the young couple in the photo, I thought about our  hurried, complicated lives filled with noisy children and pesky cats.  The 3 cross-country moves that brought us back to Texas and family are still a blur.  We nearly lost our way with a difficult career change, a rough patch in our marriage and the dangerous birth of our last baby.

But we stayed the course.

It's been the ride of my life.

On the sled.

Sincerely 'Fro Me to You: My Hand on a Stranger's Leg

My weekly carnival is here!  Thanks for joining Sincerely 'Fro Me to You!

Feel free to link up photos that you won't get around to scrap booking! Also, please note:  We will be putting the 'Fro on hold the week of Thanksgiving.

Now, down to business.

A letter I have been putting off for too long:

Dear Mr. Lego Man,

I ran across this picture the other day and I felt a pang of guilt. I should have apologized years ago for my inappropriate behavior. Time has not eased my seared conscience. And I'd like to make things right.

I am sorry for sliding my hand to your inner thigh when my daughter and I stopped for a quick rest on the bench. After such an exhausting day at Disney World, I was obviously not thinking clearly and  I have regretted my impulsive action for a long time.

Please forgive me.

THAT Mom.

Mr. Linky is having a BAD day again, so leave your links in the comments if it's not working for you! He disappeared with your links overnight!  Sorry, y'all. 

Sincerely 'Fro Me to You: There is a Reason

Sincerely 'Fro Me to You is here! Welcome. 

I'm keeping it short and sweet this week because sometimes words aren't required.

There is a reason, God, in His infinite wisdom gives us baby teeth when we are babies.

It's so we don't look like this when our big teeth come in:

(The normal Mr. Linky I use is not working tonight, so let's try this one. 

Or leave link in comments)

Sincerely 'Fro Me to You-The Clown Edition

Hello! Welcome to the circus. I mean, Sincerely 'Fro Me to You! I'm glad you guys are with me. I'd hate to be alone, posting these pictures!

I know this may come as a complete shock to you, but I'm going to admit something today.

Something profound.

We have always been clowns. 

Yes, it's true. THAT family would fit in well at the circus. 

Just look. We're naturals:

And this one will probably cost me. Because I'm pretty sure my hubby will get me for posting this next photo:

And his professional name? 

It was Britches.

Wonder if he'll get mad if I start calling him that?

Sincerely 'Fro Me to You-Themed Edition: Scary

Welcome to the first themed edition of Sincerely 'Fro Me to You! {You can read the nitty gritty carnival details here}.

I thought it would be fun to share our scary pictures this week.

Now, if you didn't post a scary picture, it's okay. I'm pretty flexible and I don't always follow all the rules exactly, you can still link up.

But be forewarned: If you link a picture of your mother-in-law, someone might call her scary in the comments.

Which could pose a problem for you and the hubby.

I'm just saying.

As I dug thru my organized (I use that term loosely) box o pictures, I decided to go with a grouping of pictures that made me very afraid. I had some costumed shots, but they just made my laugh. These following shots made me want to RUN & HIDE. And that felt right, for some strange reason!

It's very scary, so prepare:  the Engagement Photo Shoot

"Look Mom, I'm marrying a druggie!" 

"Or is something just wrong with her eye?"

"Whatever it is, it's obviously contagious!"

See what I mean?

We aren't exactly photogenic. We look like certified drunks in plaid and a sweater vest.

I think out of twenty shots, we got one where all four eyes were open.

A little story behind this photo shoot:  My future-hubby-to-be and I had a long distance relationship.  I was teaching school and he was working on his Master's degree. 

We got engaged on Sept 16 (about two hours after he got into town to see me).

These photos were taken on Sept 17 (the very next day).

Because my Mom had a hunch and made the appointment before we got engaged.  

Too bad she didn't buy us coordinating outfits.  

We married December 17 (just 3 short months later during my school break).

Scary, huh?