NICKERNOODLES NONSENSE

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:03:00 +0000

NAUGHTY...............

or NICE..........

or just plain ADORABLE..........

Merry CHRISTmas from our family to yours...........

May your season be filled with peace, hope, and joy during this wonderful time of year.

Charity:water

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:11:00 +0000

This year the Arnold family is doing something WONDERFUL for Christmas. Our beloved Grandma Arnold is such a giving person. Every year she gives each and every one of us a Christmas present and every year it gets harder and harder to figure out what she would like for Christmas. She loves anything you get her but its still hard to be unique. This year she sent out an email and instead of giving gifts......we are donating money to Charity:water. If you have never heard of this organization they raise money and dig wells for villages in Africa that are not fortunate enough to have clean drinking water. So the Arnold family is all donating and going to dig a well in Ethiopia for a village of 200-400 people that will have a nameplate "donated by the Arnold family" on it. I think its the best idea and I know Grandma will be so proud. If you want to learn more about Charity:water I have set up a link on the side of my blog. This is a great organization and I have watched the videos that shows the water these poor people are drinking. We take clean water for granted everyday and it breaks my heart what some people go through. I thank God everyday for all my blessings.

Christmas Program 2009

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:28:00 +0000

So this weekend is the big Kids' Christmas program at church. The name of it this year is Camel Lot and is going to be wonderful. We have some great actors/actresses, dancers, soloists and the best choir around. These kids are a joy to work with and getting to know them on a more personal level is wonderful. They are no longer so and so's daughter/son. They are some of my favorite kids in town and I love it when I am sitting somewhere and all of a sudden I have 4-5 kids right by my side wanting to hang out with me. It is very trying at times.....managing 40+ kids but its all worth it in the end. I even quit choir for awhile because I have been so busy with the kids. So if you live nearby and don't have plans Saturday night at 7:00......come see Camel Lot. Its going to be a great time!!!!!

p.s.....I won't have time to take pictures so I won't have any to put on here. I'll see if I can get my mom to take pictures for me. Have a great weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:09:00 +0000

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Have a blessed weekend and remember to give thanks for everything in your life, even the trials. The trials are what makes us stronger!!! Have a great weekend!!!

Why does society take Christ out of Christmas?!

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:12:00 +0000

No I am not jumping the gun and starting to celebrate Christmas before Thanksgiving. That is one of my biggest pet peeves!!! Although Brooklyn's school decided that it was time to have their Holiday Program....yes HOLIDAY PROGRAM last night at the school. As I sat there watching this program I wanted to get up and shout "What every happened to MERRY CHRISTMAS?! Isn't Christ the reason we celebrate this season? Its bad enough we have the program before we can even give thanks at Thanksgiving but now you take out the ONLY REASON we celebrate this season? I don't recall God sending an ipod touch, or a wii to be born into the manger. I don't remember God sending the perfect holiday decorations or cards to be born in the manger. I do remember God sending His ONLY SON to be born so that later in life he can be hung on the cross to save us from our sins. I do know that applies to EVERYONE that is sitting in this crowded school gym watching the HOLIDAY PROGRAM."

Why have we as Christians allowed those that don't believe in God have such a voice in society that now we are forced to watch Holiday Programs and say Happy Holidays instead of MERRY CHRISTMAS?! Why have we as a society put such an importance on what we are giving/getting for gifts and making sure our houses are perfectly decorated that we get so wrapped up that we don't reflect on the true miracle of the season until Christmas Eve. I am as guilty as anyone else.

I get myself worked up into knots figuring out what I am going to give for gifts and making sure my house is festive that by the time Christmas is here I am exhausted.

First I am giving Thanks for all the blessings in my life on Thanksgiving and then I am going to reflect on the true reason for the season...........A baby born in a manger sent from God up above, the same baby who as a man died for my sins. The same man who I cannot wait to meet when I get to Heaven........

Frustrations.......

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:57:00 +0000

Do you ever have days that no matter how well prepared you were the night before.......the next morning just crashes around you? I am having a day like that and its not fun. Actually.....this whole week has just not been very fun but tomorrow is always another day. This morning though I totally lost my cool and I don't even know why. Cooper lost his hat and gloves AGAIN and its not even December yet. When he told me I totally came un-glued and I hate it when that happens. I yelled at him just for losing his hat and gloves. I was in a hurry, the morning wasn't going right and here my precious little boy just lost his gloves and I over-reacted. I can't imagine how his little heart feels right now and I feel horrible for losing my cool!!! It reminds me of how much I do wrong on a day to day basis and yet God still loves me and never losses his cool with me. He is always there to listen when I need him to and still loves me unconditionally even though I mess up every day. I do know I am going to do everything in my power to make it up to Cooper. I just feel horrible and all I want to do is wrap my arms around him and kiss his adorable cheeks!!!

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Last night was the big night!!! It was the Michael W. Smith concert in Sioux Falls and what a great night it was. He is such an amazing and talented singer! I have listened to his music for years and this was the first time I have ever seen him in person.

Craig and I made a whole date night out of the concert. We left for Sioux Falls around 12:30 yesterday and had lunch with my sister and her boyfriend. We then went back to Jeremys house to play the Wii for a little bit before I had to be to choir practice at 4:30. Let me tell ya......the security around there is tough! Glad I had all my ducks in a row! Once we were all there we were ushered into the arena and there stood MWS. I have to admit. I was a little star struck! Then I realized he is a normal person like you and me, well except he has 21 albums, numerous #1 hits and an amazing band he gets to hang out with everyday.

So we started practice and it was so much fun. The concert started at 7:30 and the opening acts were Meredith Andrews, Phil Stacy (from season 6 American Idol and he has an amazing voice!), and Matt Maher (sp?). Then on came MWS and the whole arena started shouting in glee!!!! He sang 4 or 5 songs before it was time for the choir to come on stage. I was so excited and I will probably never have a chance like that ever again! It was so great and the worship was so intense! It was great to see so many people in once place praising God! We did take a moment of silence at the very beginning of the concert for those in Fort Hood, TX. So sad what happened there. The concert lasted 3 hours but it didn't feel that long. Time passes so quickly when you are worshipping God.

It was a great experience, and AWESOME worship time and I thank God for giving me the chance to experience it. Now today I am dragging a little but it was all worth it. I have tomorrow that I can take a little cat nap. Have a great weekend everyone!!!!

Family pictures

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:49:00 +0000

So last Friday night we had our appointment to take family pictures for the new pictorial directory at church. We were supposed to get them the friday before that but due to the H1N1 visiting our house we had to reschedule. I am one when I have to make an absolute decision I leave it to the last minute. I couldn't decide on what to wear or how I was going to fix my hair.

So the morning of pictures I kind of had an idea as to what we all were going to wear. After work Craig decided he needed new jeans, shirt and a haircut. WHAT?! OK......so guess that leaves me to get the kids home, fed, showers, curl Brooklyns hair and fix Coopers. Small dilema......it wasn't until after work that I realized that Cooper decided to cut his own hair. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! It was too late to get his hair cut and I didn't know what else to do. When I asked him what happened he told me that it just keeps falling off. Yeah.....that happens when you cut it with a scissor. So....I didn't panic too much and just combed his hair to the side. You can see it in the picture but it looks okay. I will post a picture as soon as I can. They really did turn out I just always stress over them too much!!!

We made it!

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:39:00 +0000

Well, we made it through the H1N1 with no problem. Took us almost a week to feel better but the kids are back to normal with the smiles and fighting. My counter doesn't look like a pharmacy counter anymore and I am back at work. Its amazing how one little illness can knock a household out for a few days. I did go around and start sanitizing like crazy afterwards. I am just hoping that nasty little bug doesn't visit our house again. So.....back to normal day to day routines. That is if you call my life normal......sometimes life is too busy. It was nice to have some days at home. I was just wishing it was under different circumstances!!! I am praying for all those that are effected with this flu!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:52:00 +0000

See these two adorable faces? Well the last week the smiles have been missing. The laughing, the games, everything has been missing? What stole the happiness from our house? Its a dreaded thing called H1N1. It hit our house this week and it took everything! It started out Wednesday morning. Brooklyn woke up running a high fever, head hurt, coughing, and body aches. I called the clinic and they told me that they are no longer testing but she has all the symptoms of H1N1. Great. The only thing that I could treat her with was Tylenol and Motrin. Her fever finally broke Wed night around 9:00. The next morning she got up and her fever was back at 101.2 which was better than the 102.4 from the previous day. So we spent another day at home and finally yesterday afternoon she was fever free and back to her normal self. We kept her home from school today just to be on the safe side. I stayed home from work this morning and was just dropping Brooklyn off at my moms when my phone rang.......

It was our daycare and now Cooper had all the same symptoms. So here we are hanging out at home again and I put my nurses hat back on. Right now he is laying on the couch in the family room while I work on the computer and he is just a limp noodle. The bad thing is I wanted to snuggle him but he won't snuggle. Guess those days are over! So.....its going to be a weekend of no plans for me and the kids.

I am sending Craig out of the house tomorrow. Its opening pheasant weekend here in South Dakota which is practically a HOLIDAY around here. He is going hunting with my dad and poor Cooper was going to go until he got sick. There will be other weekends for him in the future to go. Have a great weekend everyone!

Major meltdown and lots of DRAMA....

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:03:00 +0000

This little boy is something else.....let me tell you. Yesterday we were on our way to school and he asked me "Mom, if there is a piece of paper that I REALLY don't want you to see.....do I still have to show you?" Me with my curiosity spiked at this point told him yes. I was thinking he got in trouble at school and got a note sent home but here the paper was about the flu shot.

So last night I got a phone call from his teacher. She began to explain to me that there was an episode with Cooper at school yesterday. Great. I guess he wasn't following directions and got upset with his teacher. So she took him out in the hallway to talk to him and he DARTED OUT THE DOOR!! Luckily the principal was outside talking to one of the custodians and so Mr. D took Cooper to talk to him. Cooper told him that everyone was picking on him and he was going to run away to home to go to sleep.

Craig and I had a good talk with him and explained what could have happened to him. He won't do that again.

Needless to say.....its 8:15 and BOTH my kids are in bed. They were needing the extra sleep tonight and mommy needed the extra quiet time.

Come on already!

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:56:00 +0000

So it has been raining almost EVERY DAY since last Monday! Seriously......the only break we had was Saturday (which it rained that morning) and Sunday (which was still cloudy and cold). I am one that loves the sunshine. I don't care if I have to water my lawn all summer just to keep it from burning to a crisp.....I love the sun!!!! I feel like lately we live in Seattle or somewhere it rains a lot! London maybe?

Anyways........I always try to find a positive in a negative. So I figure since we are in a recession....I can use the rain to help me save some money. Here are my ways of going green!

-Instead of turning the water in the house on to clean laundry/dishes/bodies we are going to lather up with soap and stand outside to rinse off. Thank goodness we put up that privacy fence.

-No need to run to the carwash anymore.......I have my own super wash right in my driveway. It has it down pours more often than not.

-Don't have to water the lawn or animals. The rain is taking care of that.

-For Halloween we will just put rain jackets on an duck feet cause lets face it.......we are going to be paddling down main street in a boat here soon anyways. We can just say we are a family of ducks migrating south. No need for expensive costumes.

-Finally.....with the whole boat thing. I can save on gas because we will now being floating through town in our paddle boat.

There are my ideas on going green!

Way excited!!

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:52:00 +0000

Tomorrow we will FINALLY have internet at our house. I am waiting for all the gasps. Yes I know, we are way beind the times but really we never missed not having internet. The only times I missed it is when I want to post pictures to my blog and when worked BLOCKED facebook! Yep. I about had a meltdown! So.....as of tomorrow we will be hooked up to the world wide web finally!!!!

I feel like a traitor......

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:38:00 +0000

I am an avid Starbucks fan. I will admit it. I like to go there all too often and my husband flips out when he realizes just how much I spend in one month on my favorite Lattes. Its really bad now that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back! Anyways........recently just across the parking lot a competitor moved in. Since my lovely Starbucks is clear out by the interstate I decided to give Carribou Coffee a chance. I mean, seriously......its so darn handy to make a run across the parking lot to get coffee for everyone in the office.

I gave Carribou a fair chance but I have found that I am a true Starbucks lover. I even turned down getting a latte this morning because I already made my run before work out to Starbucks. I just wish they were so much closer!

So tell me.........have you tried both places? What is your opinion?

5 Word Meme

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:20:00 +0000

So I typically don't buy into doing these but this one seemed fun. I was given 5 words by Ginger and need to describe how they work in my life so here they are.........

Work: I have worked in the general public since I was about 15 years old. My very first job was a bus person for Godfathers. I was very proud of this job as it was my first and even thought I looked cool in the stupid hat and apron. Very young and immature at the time. My next job was working as a hostess for Bonanza which was a job I LOVED!!! I had a great boss and the co-workers and customers were awesome. I loved visiting with the people and making sure they were taken care of. I left Bonanza to be a cashier at a local grocery store which was a nice change of pace. Still get to help the customer but didn't smell like the resturaunt when I got off work. Then I was hired to work at Norwest Bank while I went to school. I started there my senior year in high school and worked there until Brooklyn had turned 1. Things changed when Wells Fargo came in and I didn't like it. I then went to work for Verifications and totally hated it. I got in trouble for talking too much (not on the phone) and only stayed there for 3 months. It felt like an eternity. I was then hired at Dacotah Bank and will be here 8 years in January. The thing with working in the public and growing up in this town for as long as I have is you get to know a lot of people. Craig HATES going shopping with me because I always run into someone I know.

Play: This is a funny one. When I get time my family and I have a blast during play time. We love to go sledding, wrestle, go horseback riding, bike riding, and just hanging out as a family.

Children: I have two wonderful kids that I just love. Brooklyn is 9 and a typical tween. That is what they call this age group. Not sure I am ready for this but I am enjoying the changes. She is very responsible, loves the Jonas Brothers, and wants to star in the next High School Musical movie. She loves to sing, do art, dance, and have girl time which I love. She is at the age where you can sit and have a great conversation and learn more about the person she is becoming. Although I miss the baby days with my first baby.....I am enjoying this new adventure with her. Cooper is my very energetic, loveable 5 year old. He is all boy and still takes time to give his mama a kiss each time he sees me. He loves the Transformers, just learned how to ride his bike without training wheels, and is always up to gravity defying stunts in the backyard. He loves to work with daddy in the garage and even has his own tools and toolbelt. He is a bundle of fun and even though its trying at times (I never had a brother) this boy stuff is pretty fun.

Food: oiy where do I begin with this?! I love food and the size of me proves it. ;o) My favorite dessert is brownies. I absolutely love brownies!!! I love italian and mexican food also. Olive Garden and Johnny Carrinos are two of my favorite places to eat. I love to cook soups, casseroles and such in the winter time. Every year, the weekend before Christmas my family and I get together to do all of our holiday baking. Its a great time to spend together and the kids have a blast helping with the easier recipes.

Travel: this is one thing we don't do a lot of but I want to do more of in the future. The last big trip Craig and I ever took was on our honeymoon when we went to Jamaica. It was a great time and we got to see lots of cool things. After 2 years of marriage we had a surprise package and then never had the money to travel to far away places until now. We are planning a trip to Florida in about a year and a half. Why so long? We want Cooper to be old enough to remember it and walk the WHOLE time BY HIMSELF!!! The kids are way excited and so are we. We have taken the traditional trip to the Black Hills for the Arnold Family Reunion and we went with my family too. Otherwise our general travel is to see family or to go camping.

So there you have it. A glimpse into the life of Nickernoodle and her gang. If you want to participate and have me send you 5 words.....let me know in the comment section.

A new resolution

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:59:00 +0000

So after a summer of crazy busy schedules.....I have decided that I am going to start saying NO a lot more. Our summer was jam packed with things to do that weren't even on my priority list.....which consists of my family only. That priority list was put on the back burner and I never want another summer like that again. So what does this mean? No more committing to things that I don't HAVE to be at.......more time on the bike trails with my kids. No more helping others out and not spending time with my family.......more campfires in the backyard. Don't get me wrong....I love helping others just not at the expense of my family time. With working full time and trying to get my Monavie business going......I don't have time to commit to much more than that. I just realize how little I was with my family and it hurts.....it hurts my heart. So......I am making my New Years resolution a little early.......my family comes first and everything elses will have to wait.

So excited!!!

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:34:00 +0000

So last night at choir our director had an important announcement. Michael W. Smith is going to be in concert on Nov. 5th in Sioux Falls but thats not the best part. He asked for 10 people from our choir to come and sing with others from different choirs in his concert!!! I couldn't pass this up, its a once in a lifetime chance to go!!! So some of us from our choir will be going to not only have a chance to listen to a talented performer but to also get to sing with him on stage! I am totally stoked and Craig is going with me to listen to the concert. Its going to be so much fun!

I need help.......

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:09:00 +0000

No.....not the kind you are thinking! I am looking for a laptop to use for my new business and for personal reasons too. I am very computer illiterate so I am not sure what is better. Mac or PC? If a PC which kind? What bells and whistles can't I live without and what don't I need. How much memory and what programs should I be looking for. Any help with this would be appreciated.

Happy Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:09:00 +0000

11 years ago tomorrow.......I said "I do" and have never regretted it for one moment. Tomorrow is our anniversary and I always look back to that day and think about everything that took place. We had a BEAUTIFUL wedding and a great reception and dance followed by a wonderful honeymoon. I can't believe its been 11 years already but I love this man and he loves me. What more could a girl want? Happy Anniversary Craig. I loved you then, I love you now, I'll love you forever..........

Mr. Cooper the Chef

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:37:00 +0000

The other day I called home to ask Craig a quick question before I got off work (he gets off at 3:00) and in the background this is what I heard:

Cooper: "Brooklyn.....you want a peanut butter sandwich?"

Brooklyn: "No thanks"

Cooper: "But I would be a good cook on it!"

BWAHAHAHAHAHA.........he was making them a snack before his soccer game and his specialty is peanut butter sandwiches. I love being a mom!!!!

School picture day

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:12:00 +0000

Do you remember as a kid how exciting school picture day was? For me it was stressful. I was always worried about what outfit my mom was going to pick out for me to wear that would haunt me for the rest of my life. She always loved those courdoroy pants, sweat vests, and long sleeved dress shirts. Yes in the '80s those were popular but I HATED them! There was one outfit I can remember and the vest was white with purple teddy bears on it. Even the pants were purple. Yeah, pretty sure they got the idea of Barney the Dinosaur from my outfit.

Anyways......today is picture day for the kids at school and as I am getting them ready I totally heard my mom when I was talking. Smile pretty, don't eat ketchup today, don't use those little combs they hand out until AFTER your picture. Yep.......every last word I sounded just like my mom.

I am always nervous to open that packet up too when they bring them home. Did they smile pretty? What is their hair going to look like? Do they have anything on their face? Lets face it.....I don't want to hand out pictures where Cooper has half his lunch all over his shirt. Yes I am weird about dirty clothes but I don't want all my family and friends wondering if I ever give the kids baths or showers!

So I got the kids all ready, got their envelope with the hefty fee for pictures put in their backpacks and sent them on their way praying for a successful photo shoot! I got word later from Coopers daycare that he asked them if they knew why he looked so cute today.......he replied it was picture day and that is why he is so cute. Must be picture day everyday in my world because both my kids are so cute to me everyday of the year!!!

Hope all you other moms have successful picture days in your households too!!!!

Its the most wonderful time.....of the year.

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:05:00 +0000

No I am not talking about Christmas......although it is glorious! I am talking about my favorite season. A season where I need just my good comfy jeans and trusty sweatshirt to keep me warm on a brisk walk. A walk that entails seeing beautiful scenery and crunching of leaves under each step I take. Where a bonfire feels the best in the evening and there are plenty of smores to share. A season full of spiced scents, warm apple pies, and beautiful colors everywhere you look.

I have always loved fall. I love going to the apple orchard and picking fresh, crisp apples to make apples pies like Grandma Arnold does. I love going to the pumpkin patch to watch the kids pick out the best pumpkin for them. I love going to football games and marching in the parade. I love watching my kids have a leaf fight even after I just piled them up to be put in the garbage can.

There is nothing about this season I hate. Its the next season that leaves a bad taste in my mouth but thankfully Christmas is in the middle of it so I can't complain.

Crazy little tidbit about me.....

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:22:00 +0000

Have you ever seen how many Hot Tamales (the candy) you can eat before needing to take a drink of water? Just curious if I am the only weird one out there!

A new look

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:56:00 +0000

So I tried designing my own blog background. What do you all think? Not bad for the first time!!!

A new beginning

noreply@blogger.com (nickernoodle) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Cooper recently started kindergarten and I found myself sad but yet happy for him. He has grown up so much in the last year and is ready to be a big boy. What does being a big boy all entail? Let me show you from Cooper's perspective:

--Brushing your own teeth if all you do is really eat the toothpaste

--Dressing yourself and pretending its taking a long time when really all you are doing is dancing around in your underwear for a few minutes

--Taking care of feeding and watering the dogs when really you are squirting them with the garden hose and throwing their food on the ground seeing if they can catch any of it.

--Making your bed when really you are quickly trying to hide all the crumbs from last nights cookies you snuck into your room and ate long after you should have been asleep.

--Showing how well you can climb on the monkey bars when really you are showing off for a girl, miss one and fall and land on your elbow. Resulting in your arm being in a sling for the weekend.

--Helping set the table when really you are plotting the best way to tick your sister off by setting daddys' place setting right next to you when really it was your sisters turn to sit by him. (not sure of the reason for arguing between the two of them on this one!!)

--Showing how well you play by yourself in the backyard when really you are hoping that mom doesn't come out of the house and catch you trying to hoist the dog up into a tree with a jump rope you tied around her waist. (yes I caught him doing this)

--The very best part of being a big boy is hearing mom tell you that she still loves you when you don't know if she realizes all the things you do behind her back or if she realizes it and still can't resist your big brown eyes!!!