Have you ever?

This is going around and thought it would be a easy blog post. You are supposed to BOLD the ones you HAVE done, but I think I will change the color of mine.



1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang/played a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies?

62. Gone whale watching

63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt,learning now

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

89. Saved someone’s life...by leading them to the Lord, and therefore having eternal life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Made a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee



Now if you do this let me know so I can visit yours

The past few days...

I can't believe it is already Sunday afternoon and it is back to work, school, etc. tomorrow! Here are some pics that was taken over the past few days! Enjoy


Brenten's 1st Basketball game

Benjamen just can't stay out of the walker

Sporting my Strawberry Shortcake pajamas

The Lord has gained another Angel....

I am sad to post this but for those of you that have followed precious little Camden's story http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/camdenmarshky, he grew his wings this morning and is now in Heaven.

Words cannot express my feelings right now....

Brooklynn Walking

Brooklynn started walking about 4 weeks or so ago, just before her 1st birthday. This is a video of her walking last night, giving Daddy hugs and then ignoring Daddy and giving Mommy hugs! She is her own character! Enjoy!

Abraham Lincoln lands in Mount Vernon...

For the last 14 months, I have been scurrying around behind my crazy boss planning for an 8 1/2 foot statue of our 16th President to be placed here in Mt. Vernon. Last Thursday the 18th the crazy planning finally paid off with a great tribute to a terrific President. The Illinois Supreme Court was in town to hear Oral Arguments (which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to see) at the Fifth Appellate Courthouse. This was the first time since 1897 that they have been in town to hear a case. Lincoln, as a lawyer, has been a long awaited treasure for our city and I am proud to say that I am a part of history that was made. Enjoy the pics!




Abe arrives in Mt. Vernon via Truck...

Just hanging out in Mid-Air

All bundled up for the unveiling..

Making my debut in front of 100's

This was my worst enemy for the last 14 months but it all paid off...

Pray for Camden and Family....

As some of you may know, I have asked previously for prayers for little Camden. I worked with Camden's grandmother, Marge, before Tony & got married and we have continued to be friends. Her little grandson, 3 year old Camden has been battling cancer for the over a year and half now, and the recent news that they have gotten has been devastating.

To read the latest on Camden, you can go to http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/camdenmarshky

According to Jenny's (his wonderful mother)website that she keeps going, he doesn't have much longer to live, but we know through God's grace, he can work a miracle. Please pray for Camden and his family to help them through this time even if they don't have much longer, let them make memories to last a lifetime.

Thanks, Misty

Family Pics..

Well, we went last week and had family pictures done at our local Sears. They actually turned out pretty good. Enjoy the slideshow!

Navarre Beach 2008

Tony and I recently went to Navarre Beach, FL for a much needed vacation. In the time we have been married, we have never gone on one let alone a honeymoon! So it was very nice to have no worries of the kids for the week. My boss owns a condo on the Gulf and we got the honor of using for a discounted price and enjoyed the vacation with our friends Dawn and David. Enjoy the pictures of our fun!!

Brenten's Kindergarten Graduation

Well, last Friday night, Brenten officially graduated from Kindergarten! To follow are some pictures from the evening!

New pictures...

We went to Springfield, MO a couple of weekends ago to visit our friends, Justin and Melissa whom we hadn't seen since Brooklynn was 3 weeks old. It was a fun trip but very cold. While the guys were out golfing, we went to Tablerock Lake to see the flooded waters..they had to open the gates at full force for the first time in I believe 12 or so years. It was an experience. As you can tell from the pictures, there is a picnic shelter where you can only see the roof and then the penny fountain was completely submerged in water. The pics of the kids and all is from Incredible Pizza which was lots of fun. Enjoy!!

Well..it has been a long time...

As the title goes..it has been a long time since I have actually posted any updates about the family, but it seems as if I never have enough time. I don't know how I do it, work a full-time job, take care of the 3 kids, school stuff for Brenten, the list goes on and on I am ready for a break! My job has been very trying at times here lately and I sometimes just want to throw in the towel and stay home, but then I think what will I do all day at home. I know, be busy with the kids, spend entirely too much time on the computer, not that I don't do that already. HaHa.

Brenten is over half-way through his first year of school and seems to be doing really well. He made the honor roll for 1st and 2nd quarter, I wonder where he got his smarts from? Not his dad!!! Benjamen will be 3 next month, and I think that we are in the terrible 2's..going into the torturous 3's..Lord please help us. Brooklynn is almost 6 months old..and is turning over both directions and trying to roll around the floor to get to something that has caught her attention. We have all fared pretty good this winter without catching the flu or some horrible bug, but it seems as if the kids all have a cough and stuffy nose now, but what is winter without that. I am ready for spring..the cold, snow and ice is getting to me. I don't understand how it can be 55 one day and then the next it is 15, snowing, raining and sleeting all in a matter of hours. It just amazes me!

I have uploaded a slide show of some pics of the kids over the past few months. Enjoy!

Some words for thought.....

Malachi 3:3 says:

"And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time thesilver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyeson the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames,
it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully
refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy --
when I see my image in it."




If today you are feeling the heat of the fire,
remember that God has his eye on you and will keep
watching you until He sees His image in you.

Pass this on....this very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

Some important things in life........

1. Those people that are in your life, are meant to be there. If you lose someone in your life and somehow they come back into your life, it was meant to happen and really shows you something about your relationship with them. If you lose someone in your life and they become more and more of a distant memory, so be it

2. Don't let ANYONE dictate who should and should not be a part of your life. Make your own choices, if your sibling/parent/friend isn't getting along with someone or dislikes someone, that doesn't mean you have to do the same to that someone. If you DON'T have a problem with them, don't create one just because someone else does.

3.If you are in love, act like. If you are unhappy with the relationship you are in, do something about it. Prolonging a relationship, (especially one that has children involved), because of the children, is ridiculous. You DON'T STAY TOGETHER FOR THE KIDS, a relationship between two people is about those two people, you have to love that person to make it work. You get one chance at this whole 'LIFE THING', make it worth while for crying out loud. Be in love, be happy, smile just to smile, enjoy knowing you get to spend the rest of your life with that someone instead of dreading each day that is coming.

4. Children, if you have them, they ARE and SHOULD BE what EVERYTHING is about. What you spend your money on, where you go to eat, what you do at home, whom you go and visit, EVERYTHING effects those childrens lives and it is up to YOU to take care of every part of them, mind, body, and spirit. What you do, how you talk, how you act is reflected on those children in more ways than any parent could possibly imagine. Show them what kind of person YOU really are and protect them from those that aren't thinking in their best interest.

5. The last, and most important thing that I have realized this past year is this....what matters most is the four walls that surround you and what's inside. It is more than wonderful to have family and friends that care about us and surround us, but no matter what, our little family comes first. We raise our children to appreciate that and value hardwork and those things are what matter the most. We try not to put ourselves first, we try not to put each other first, we try to put our children first. You can't even describe in words how much you can love a child and the lengths you would go to in order to teach them right from wrong and teach them how much you love them. It is priceless.

Anyways, I just felt like getting some thoughts out of my head onto something else so I decided to type this blog. I see things around me more and more that teach me to be a better mom and a better person. Most things I see are other people's mistakes and they teach me NOT to do those things that they are doing that bother or disgust me. But sometimes, more lately than ever, I have seen people change, evolve, conform into something better. Something right and strong and that makes me want to be more like that and do those things too.

Mission Accomplished....

If you read my last blog that I posted on MySpace, then you read about my discouragement in not getting to meet Matt Hughes at the local Harley Davidson store due to my husband having to go into work, which I still don't believe, but that is another blog in itself. I honestly don't think he wanted to come face to face with MH since he is a Serra fan. Well as of Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 2:30 p.m., in the wonderful town of Festus, MO at Wal-Mart (of all places), my mission was accomplished. My friend, Angela, went with me and she is basically the reason I have come to like UFC and Matt Hughes. She didn't get to see him when he was either because she was visiting her Mother, her husband did and he rubbed it in her face (love ya Sean!!).

As many of you know, Matt is a Christian and that is the main reason that I like him, well, other than he is cute to look at also. Anyone that can make a stand for Christ and stand firm in their beliefs is high in book. Matt is out on a book tour promoting his new book, Made in America, which I stand to say is good. I finished it last night. I laughed, cried, and then laughed and cried some more. For those of you from up home, you might remember the Charleston Spillway tragedy with the 2 EIU wrestlers that drowned. He was there when that happened and almost lost his life....as I read his recollection of what happened that day, I was in tears, I could remember the feelings that I had when it happened.

Back to Saturday, I met him, he said Brooklynn was cute with her ears pierced and all and she got her picture with him that I am hoping will make it to his blog...then Brooklynn got put into the same sentance as Posh Spice. Wow...

It was a great day in my books..I have met numerous famous people in my time..but I have to say that this may have been the best!!!