A post about everything with the MOST RANDOM pics..

First let me tell you why the random pics....

We are still renovating the house and my dear husband finally

broke the wall down into the tenant apartment which will now be part of my

house....with this being said we started moving our furniture and that

INCLUDES MY computer......

which leaves me the laptop and its very LIMITED PICS...

I could upload more pics to this laptop...

But, honestly I am a bit lazy......

Plus the pool picture below makes me dream of warmer days,

especially with the predicted snow storm for tomorrow!

I also wanted really as a reminder for myself to

get some thoughts onto paper.......

Unfortunately they pertain to my job again.......

So much has been going on there lately and it is storming there.

I guess at different times in one's life there are different seasons...

and right now is a real STORMY ONE @ my job!

Some not so nice person who is extremely argumentative went to

our boss and said that the

batch 2 staff

do not respect her and are so unhappy with her as a boss.

When I found this out....I was upset....

For many reasons..but most importantly I HAVE NEVER

said that!!!!!!

I grappled with what to do...

If you could have seen all the rules my boss now imposed..

If you really looked hard you could see and feel her pain...over such a hurtful

statement like that!

Finally, after almost two weeks I could not stand

the thought of thinking that I in any way could have contributed to her pain.

For I remember when I was in HS and started dating Tommy and spending all

my time with him and a friend whom became jealous said to me

"No one likes you they are just pretending to be your friend."

That crushed my hurt....

EVEN THOUGH I KNEW IT WAS SO UNTRUE..

AND,

SO MY BOSS NEEDED TO KNOW HOW UNTRUE THIS WAS!

So, yesterday I went in her office and I told her some TRUTHS....

My point of this story...

is sometimes before you even realize..

you start to change...

go along with things you might not ordinarily agree with..

One might get complacent,

one might laugh at things that you know

is just so WRONG....

After months of using this

"supposed" laughter as a distraction for my pain

(not that that is an excuse..it just is what it is)

(my dads illness, my guilt, his dying)

I finally had enough.

and RECLAIMED MYSELF...

No more...

I had it...

and when I work with this person again...

They will be in for a rude awakening..

I will never be guilty of the sin of omission, AGAIN..

I RECLAIM MYSELF.

I will NEVER GO ALONG with things that are wrong..

I do not NEED any one's approval!

What do I need? you ask.

I NEED to be seen as a faithful steward in the eyes of the my LORD...

And YESTERDAY at work I reclaimed myself!

This is not about bashing my job..b/c truly I LOVE my job..

and am so blessed to have it...

It is about NOT being corrupted by one or two bad apples!

On to a much lighter topic..

My two princesses in the above photo...

They make my heart swell with love.

They make my heart leap for joy.

I came home from work and

I saw a Birthday card for Tommy on the counter.

I thought it was odd b/c his b'day is not until

Valentine's day...

and I read the card and got such a laugh..

My most sweet Antoinette made it for him and told him to have such

a Happy birthday on his special day

b/c every other day of the year

will be his

HAPPY UN-birthday..

{smile}

I just love her...

love her so much...

sometimes I wish I would focus more on that..

than trying to make sure they are always so perfectly behaved and proper.

I know your kids need to be raised properly..but sometimes I think I get lost in having

such good kids..that I forget to sit back and enjoy them...in all their HUMANNESS..

I just love them..

I am so very blessed!

The one on the right with the red teeth(l0l) is my angelic

first daughter..Sometimes I have to ask the Lord..

What did I do to deserve her?

(and my many children)

For she helps me in ways that are too numerous to list.

I am so blessed..

and today

I am giving all the Glory to our Lord...

I am blessed..

While my heart still overwhelmingly aches......

and at times thoughts in my life will try to bring me down.....

Yesterday I decided to reclaim me

and find peace

and I must say I have..and will continue..

I am blessed..

I love my family...

and I love my GOD....

I am blessed.

With an Enormous Amount of Love in My heart,

Work and Chinese-ness

Hope you all had a great WEEKEND.....

For me this weekend meant WORKING......

My weekends to work are becoming known to

me as DOUBLE WEEKEND....(16 hour days)

They do exhaust me.

and sometimes make me a bit cranky.........

I decided that there are some things about myself

that I would like to

change.

and getting cranky and snippy is one of them!

Because......

Honestly even when my husband has put in 20-3o odd hours of

overtime in one work week(in addition to his 40 hours)

He is RARELY CRANKY!

Sometimes he will jokingly telling me that I require more sleep than him.

This one simple sentence

can truly CRANK me up.......

(even though I KNOW he is so right..shhh...do NOT tell him that he is right)

At my job..they joke that it is the Asian blood......

Because all of them at my place of employment

will work 3-4 doubles in ONE WORK WEEK.

that is 3-4 SIXTEEN HOUR DAYS..(in addition to their 37.5hrs)

I could barely survive two 16 hour days.

But they do!

Tommy works endlessly and then will come

home and labor on our home.......

He is such an inspiration and true role model

for our children....and for ME.

I tend to yell and make a mountain out of a molehill.

AND I so badly want to change that about myself!

With the Lenten Season approaching.....

I think I am going to truly try to work on myself.

from the INSIDE OUT.....

I am not sure what will be harder..working on the inside

or losing 10 pounds..lol.....

ahh..I guess we all are a work in progress!

On to one quick story.

EVERY TIME I go to work and I see this one particular person.

This person will ALWAYS GREET me in one manner.

person:Why hello there Annmarie Ch__(my last name)

How are you and your MANY CHINESE CHILDREN?

Me: We are all fine, thank you..and How are you?

But, I must tell you that every time after this exchange.....

I am left a bit annoyed and feeling awkward.

Why does this person have to say this every time?

First off, I know how many children I have,

who and what my children are...

I do not need a reminder or

an announcement in our lounge .

Not to mention that beforeI count how many or before they are anything.....

They are simply the loves of my life!

I do not know why people feel the need to state

the obvious or known.

This last time.....

there were some people in there that do

not know me..and they were like how many

Chinese children do you HAVE???

I politely answered I have five kids...

and then had to explain their Chinese-ness.

Then the conversation went on and on

about my many,

more than the average amount of kids per family,

Chinese children.

Not that I ever mind talking about

the loves of my life(thus the blog)

But...

It just left me feeling a bit awkward..

and on display.

I am use to this response..

but at my job...

IT is a bit much..

I go over and over in my head..

But, I can't come up with a polite way

to ask this person not to do this.

I did one time say something jokingly

Why do you always have to refer to me and my family like that?

I even went so far to say I find it a bit obnoxious.

of course I was not mean..

I am so NOT confrontational..

Anywho, I guess this person did not get the hint.

I just want to tell this person.

I know I have a lot of kids.....

Not an enormous amount.....

and I know they are Chinese....

For I know what nationality my husband is.

and Yes..(gasp)

I even know what box they or I need to check when

the consensus forms go out..

or when we fill out any type of legal paperwork referring to their ethnicity.

Yep..my pencil knows the exact box to check.

for I am completely aware as their MOM..

I do not need a reminder..

But..since I will never say that to this person,

I figured I would vent it here.

It reminds me of when I was 16 years old and

I met my mil for the very first time........

and she looked at me and as serious as she could be

in her broken English said to me:

You know he is Chinese people..

Yep..I know..

and I loved him so much then..

and even more NOW:)

With much love,

A spoonful of sugar...Please:)

Today it is time to play along with

Favorite Friday Foto...

Post your photos!!!

This week's theme is Kiss-Kiss.

And now for your spoonful of sugar:

5 Lumps please..lol..

Visit here to play along:)

This photo makes me want to kiss, kiss, kiss,

kiss, kiss all 5 of my sweet sweeties....

This picture was taken last weekend when

we went to my inlaws to celebrate

an early Chinese New Year..

I will post more of the pics later next week(hopefully)

With Much Love,

Black & White Wednesday:My 2 Angels

LOVE

IS PATIENT...

LOVE IS KIND...

IT DOES NOT ENVY , IT DOES NOT BOAST, IT IS NOT PROUD......

I THINK THE LOVE BETWEEN SISTERS:

(SERENA AND HER MEI-MEI)

COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY EXEMPLIFIES THAT!

Visit here to view other black & white

photos and link up if you want to show off

your pics:)

With Much Love,

Perhaps I should stay off the internet...

BECAUSE,
While looking at some of my favorite blogs..I came
across this site that was having a give away..
This lady makes these dresses and if you left
a comment of what dress you would like you would be entered to win..
Talk about TALENT!!!
She would CUSTOM make your dress...oh MY!!!
I thought it was worth a shot at winning such a beautiful dress:)
and while I assume I probably will NOT win... boohoo:(
A light bulb went off in my head:
I thought I am going to attempt to make a similiar style dress
and THEN my thoughts led me down memory lane..
My dad and I would talk endlessly about sewing..He sewed and I had
taken it up...he loved to talk to me about it..and always assured me
if I kept with it...it would get easier!
So...when I inevitably lose at the giveaway(boohoo:( again) and I decide to embark on this project...I will be thinking of you Daddy.. My ever so special...completely missed by all..DAD..








I must stay I love the dress with the bright turqoise..She said it is an Asain inspired theme...I justl love the vibrant colors!..they POP!

With Much Love

Favorite Friday Fotos:)

When I logged on today I thought it was

Thursday and I was going to write a post about what

I am Thankful for.

It rang something to the tune of...

I was like a kid in a candy store yesterday.

Celeste and sweet LeeLee went with me to the

Asian food market..

(with out daddy)

It is grand to go with out him...

b/c he has a tendency to rush us..

Celeste and I walked up each aisle..

Searching, looking, taking it all in..

We bought familiar items in their fresh bakery

department(all sense of 'sale' and expensive went right

out the door..lol)

They inquired to me after catching a glimpse of Leanna..

Chinese baby..

yep, her daddy is Chinese..

to which they give me a thumbs up..

and leads us to a very limited conversation.

Celeste and I were in heaven..shopping heaven:)

shopping to our hearts content as she munched on her bun and fed Leanna.

Who was such a little piggy devouring 2 whole buns.

(not sure how to describe them..but they have some sweet yellow stuff on the top)

Simple things like that bring a heck of a lot of contentment...

AND, now to the pics

which bring mucho contentment:)

My favorite January Fotos:

I love this picture b/c my LeeLee(all 21 lbs of her) looks so small

in the vastness of the house...and she looks amazingly happy:)
I love this photo b/c it just captures a glimpse of her


Leanna and her silly faces:)

Serena & her Mei-Mei on a pretend camping trip:)

Gaw-Gaw with Mei-Mei..
AND DO NOT mind that lolli..lol..

I love this pic b/c they look so happy;)

This is NOT my favorite pic...

it just shows off TJ's eye color..

He so does NOT have black eyes

like his 4 sisters...

He looks just like his daddy minus

his eye, skin and hair color...lol..

PLAY TIME:)

My favorite teenager smiling thru her agony of

studying endless pages for her Chinese final..

My other favorite budding teen..

Visit here to play along.

Much Love,

Black and White Wednesday - "Believe In Your Dreams"

Dreams...

Dreams...

Believe in your dreams...

I would like to think long and hard about what I dream of...

BUT,

since I worked 32 hours in 2 days..YIKES!!

Cleaned all Monday morning...

went back to work for 8 more hours..

Was completely ANNOYED by silly rules

my boss imposed on us 3-11ers.

Was a cranky mess by Tuesday..

LOST a piece of mail that had a net worth of $400.00.

Found it...

Lost another piece of mail..

Found it...

Cranky is an understatement.

Argumentative..

bitter....unnice (word?)

SO, dreaming a dream is so

not on my plate at this moment.

But...

this picture sure makes me want to

dream a dream..

AND a SWEET one at that..

if ONLY I WAS NOT watching

my weight..

gosh, darn!

not even sweet, sweet brownies

can I dream of!

lol..

But, I can dream

of sweet, sweet LeeLee

WITHOUT any weight gain..

Just complete and utter Heart gain!

Visit here if you would like to play along in

the Black and White Wednesday FUN!

C'mon don't we all have an inner dream of being

a photographer..and taking beautiful pics

of our little masterpieces sent from the ONE and ONLY!

With Much Love,