Beach Gardens

One Thousand Gifts and counting....

2012-01-15T21:38:00.000-06:00

I'm taking the dare and counting.
I'm not sure how I will post my gifts or if I will share all of them. I have a bright and colorful composition book I am writing in. For whatever reason, I haven't been able to bring myself to use my Itouch and the app I loaded. Maybe down the road. For now, I like to use paper and ink.
From this weekend, while I have been snuggled in bed sick:
30. The hum of the furnace
31. Cooperative children making root beer floats
32. The peaceful soft snoring of sick children resting comfortablely
33. My husband prepping for school this week as I rest
34. Daddy's Buddy making breakfast for his dad and me to celebrate our anniversary
35. Fun Mom's anniversary gift. An album of wedding pictures, remembering my sigh of one day and completing the project for me.
36. Comfy PJs
37. Popcorn and children on the floor watching a movie while I snuggle under the bedcovers
38. Sharing Little Princess' joy in healed gums. Removal of braces have allowed for better brushing.
39. My itching scratchy sweater from Ireland
40. Air hugs given and shared by my children with their Momma. Noone wants momma's germs, but they still want momma's hugs.

Another Flutter Nutter Quoteable

2012-01-12T16:44:00.000-06:00

Dinner at IHop with Grandpa before church.
Plates are being cleared and I see Flutter Nutter's almost perfectly empty!
Me: Wow! Flutter Nutter, you were hungry, you ate all your dinner.
FN: I wasn't hungry, but I fell in love with it.

Guess so, cause I had a long day and fell in love with this...

and I ate it all up!

Ordered it in place of my salad.

Best salad I ever had.

Soft Paws ~ Soft Claws

2012-01-07T13:49:00.000-06:00

I have been researching alternatives for my dad and his cats. Alternatives to declawing. These are sooo stinking cute ! I sure hope my dad decides to give them a try. I would love to have fancy cats pitter pattering through his house when I visit!

** the above link is my referral link**

New Years 2012!

2012-01-07T10:29:00.000-06:00

This is what I was up to this past weekend.
Cause I didn't take pictures, and my camera is with my daughter this weekend. As well as her computer with copies of all the pictures on my camera.... I will just be a teeny bit lazy and share the link to my sister's blog entry. 6 days of a lot of firsts. 6 days of great memories.

2012-01-05T12:50:00.000-06:00

So I settled in for a re-read of my dear friend, Wendy's email. I knew what she was writing was good, but with all the distractions and interruptions around here I have been unable to soak in the words and really get more than a quick cursory read. So I had exactly 2 minutes without interruptions. Just long enough for me to read it, and exclaim in my heart and mind with a WOW! Good stuff. I truly mean 2 minutes, because since I finished reading it and decided it must be blogged, I have had 3 commercial breaks courtesy of my children. All which must be focused upon and addressed. But this is good stuff. Stuff I have chatted in part with various family members over the last couple of days. Then I went to Amazon. I found the Kindle addition for 1.99. I have the Kindle app on my ITouch. Now, to find the time to read it, like I said early, 2 minutes is sometimes all I get. Frankly, that is rarity in of itself. Cause the only time they seem to not come looking for me is when I am working on chores. Then I have to go find them. Funny how that works.

Her email.

Happy New Years. I have been reading "Just Walk Across the Room - Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith" by Bill Hybels. This is an easy read. In a recent chapter, it reminds me again the role that I am suppose to play.
"Don't we often think that we are supposed to get a seeker to cross the finish line, seal the deal, and check the salvation box? Isn't the whole goal here to see people, come to faith in Christ? ... I believe many people begin their spiritual quest at a negative ten and that my role is to facilitate their movement to a negative eight....Two points on the spectrum, and a result that is still in negative territory It used to discourage me, but at some point I began to accept the fact that the role I am supposed to play is ... well, the role I'm supposed to play. ... I have a hoe, and I'm suppose to break up some really hard soil in someone's heart so that the next person to come along might have some influence in planning a seed or two along those rows. We can't ordain the role we get to play, and we certainly can't predict the time frame of someone coming to faith. It's easy to get cynical when sowing seed, but if you will just persevere, the potential is colossal."

Thank you Wendy for sharing!

Awesome Jeans Find for my Hockey Player

2011-12-30T07:32:00.000-06:00

Hockey Player is a very disobedient child lately. I (the Mom) keep telling him to stop growing. He won't. Instead he tells me, Big O Daddy O keeps telling him to keep growing. Well, we know who he listens to the most. BODO doesn't know what he is saying. He doesn't do the shopping. Buy the boy pants, and couple of months later he looks like he is ready to wade the crik out back. If only we had a creek.
Well they aren't that short yet. But they are on the verge of being that short. Short enough for Fun Mom to be concerned for everyone's sake. On break from school, so I should spend the time getting the shopping done so it doesn't interfere with more important things like acquiring groceries and shuttling kids to activities and laundry. Did I mention school in there? Nope, cause that isn't considered one of free time hobbies by the family. And I mean by the family, cause in my dreams that isn't how I would spend my free time. But that is not the theme of this post. My super savings and happy dance moment is the theme.

So off I go to Old Navy, hoping and hoping some more that their jeans are $10 still. My gut telling me No Sir-ee Bob, that I missed the sale by a day. Sure enough, I did. Not only did I miss the sale but the shelves were almost empty. I mean big wall of a few random pairs of jeans and lots of empty shelves. I managed to find, get this, 4 pairs of jeans in his size. 4!!! at the good ol' price of 2 for $30. Could be worse. At least they were offering the Old Navy Cash. $10 when you purchase $20. Did I mention I was there the day before with my Groupon coupon? Yep, they waited till I bought fun stuff to let me know they couldn't find jeans in the totes downstairs. So I look around a bit more, find a coat for Little Princess. She lost her coat this year. Fun Mom has been loaning her a coat from her collection of garage sale finds. It works for right now, but once it snows and they want to play it won't afford her much warmth. It is more sweater like than a play in the snow coat. Off to the register.

I do a couple of transactions just to maximize the amount of Old Navy Cash I can get. Not that I want to have spend that much more money at Old Navy, but I figure there is gonna be more growing in my house. Cause Daddy's Buddy has grown almost an inch in the last couple of months. Hockey Player has let it be known he is gonna listen to and obey the Dad and not me. Humpf. But back to the register.

First two pairs of jeans ring up as $15 each. Third pair of jeans..........$0.97 Ummm, that can't be right. I look at the girl behind the cash register and shake my head and say, "That can't be right." She looks at me and kinda shrugs and tells me she'll try the next pair to see what happens. Pair number 4......$0.97
I laugh, cause this just can't be right.
She looks the jeans over. She looks at the tags again and then she explains. They are "Painters" and sold online only. They must have been returned to the store. They aren't carried in the store anymore. Hence $0.97 ! ! !
Nope, I didn't go back and check the shelves for more, cause I had already handled every pair back there and grabbed every pair in the size I needed. Cause, afterall, I could only find 4 pairs in his size.
I floated out of the store feeling a big hug from my Heavenly Father. Thanking God for his provision. 4 pairs of jeans for $32. Which is less than the $10 sale, I missed by a day. 97 cents....better than a garage sale new with tags find! ! !
Want to know just a little bit more about how awesome all this was. I had looked online late the night before and all they had in stock in Hockey Players size was skinny, super skinny and lined (for warmth) jeans. None of which he would have worn. He would rather wear his too short pants than go there. For which, Fun Mom, has much to be thankful for, because, afterall, she is a teenager and style is important. These painter jeans are one of his favorite styles of jeans to wear. They are baggy and loose in the legs. (I think this is kinda funny, cause Hockey Player has gotta be one of the most thinnest kids I know and most things are baggy on him.)
Favorite Jeans, favorite price....what a great shopping experience!

Twirling, floating, happy dance! !

ZooBooks, Zootles, and Zoobies Buy One Get One Free + 25% off

2011-12-30T07:01:00.000-06:00

My boys love Zoobooks!
Recently we added Zootles for the youngest.
Every year I hold out to renew until the Buy One Get One Free sale is here.
This time the email contained a coupon code for 25% off. Not sure if it would apply, I typed it in the coupon code box. It worked!
Happy Dance!!! Love, love, love unexpected deals and savings.

For the sale click here. The coupon code is: 25OFF

Flutter Nutter's Sixth Birthday!

2011-12-15T16:22:00.000-06:00

I don't know how it happened. My baby turned six. Five was a piece a cake for this mommy. Starting kindergarten was easy. No tears. No heart strings being pulled. BUT six, that is another story. To make it even harder he went to the dentist a week and a half later and we discovered he is getting his molars and has loose teeth. How can that be? Where has the time gone?
Since we saw cousins perform in the Nutcracker in Colorado Springs over Thanksgiving Flutter Nutter chose the Nutcracker as theme for his cake. A little overwhelmed. Determined I would not put ballerinas on the cake. I did some thinking. I took the girls to the cake store to get some help. AND by the way, "Mom, I want a bow and arrow on the cake too." Hmmm, the Nutcracker used a sword...but it is his cake.

                                    So the Nutcracker went bow hunting, killed himself a reindeer.

                                 The reindeer left Dr. Pepper Jelly Beans behind in the shape of a six.


Then he shot arrows into those pesky mice he had to fight in the Nutcracker.

After all was done and said, he was very happy with his Nutcracker cake.
The cousins (my neices) might be just a bit dismayed at our re-creation of their favorite Christmas story.
Dad was happy I stuck with it and eliminated the ballerinas.

We had lunch at Olive Garden just like he wanted.
Just a couple of days later, cause he had to share his head cold with everyone. He didn't want to be the only one with the birthday sniffles.

Aunt Sharon did not fail the Aunty test. She provided lots of sweets and treats.
Just look at the top of that present.

Look deep, I think we can see his stomache!

Whew, he blew them all out!

I may be sad about how old he is getting to be, but he is still my little Flutter Nutter.
Happy Birthday!

Favorite Shots From MidWest Tournament

2011-12-15T16:01:00.000-06:00

I like to watch my Hockey Player on the ice.
He took to ice skates as if he was born to live on the ice. He has a tremendous amount of grace and focus when on the ice. He plays defense. Which means if the other team doesn't score when he is on the ice, he has had an awesome day! My tender hearted Warrior gets to hear me say, "Knock 'em down!" He may have a gentle heart, but there is nothing gentle in how he plays hockey. That is how it should be.

Yep, read that score sheet. They managed a shut out at 6:15 AM!
Translation, Hockey Player was up at 4:00 AM fueling up and shaking the sleep from his brain, so he could be at the rink by 5:30.
Good thing the ice rink is refreshingly cool in the morning

Birthday Favorites

2011-12-15T15:48:00.000-06:00

Flutter Nutter received this shirt from Aunt Sharon and Uncle Terry.

This morning, Hockey Player announces to me, "Mom, I think Flutter Nutter has worn that shirt for the last 3 days."
Me: "Dad did you hear that?"
Dad: "3 days, WOW, you must like that shirt. It must be a favorite?!?"
FN: "Yep"
Dad: "Why don't you put a different shirt on after breakfast."
FN: "I already have it on."
Dad: "So it is like stuck to you."
giggles
Dad: "Tomorrow, wear a different shirt."

What is it with Wednesdays?

2011-12-14T22:39:00.000-06:00

Last week it was all about language. This week, Daddy's Buddy asks me about Grandma when she died. Did we put her in a box and she died or did we put her in the ground and she died? I had to explain, she died in her sleep at HOME, then she went to a funeral home, they put her in a nice box called a casket and then put her in the ground. AHHH, that is how it works.
Hockey Player then asks, "Don't they drain all the blood out of the body and replace it with a preservative?"
A lot of oooohs and yucks.
"Yes and sometimes no," I replied shaking my head the whole time.
Little Princess pipes in with, "Unless they want to be cremated and turned into ashes."
Daddy's Buddy adds, "If they don't want to be in their dead body for the rest of their life."
Hysteria breaks out.
In their dead body for the rest of their life....
repeated over and over and loads of laughter
At this time, I am in the Pizza Hut drive through, at the window and can't stop laughing. I have to explain to the lady in the window about last week and the current conversation. She starts to laugh pretty good over being in the dead body for the rest of your life. I mean seriously, how do the kids come up with these things?

But it doesn't stop there. Flutter Nutter is giving me trouble with wearing his seat belt proper. I decide drastic measures must be used. I very calmly inform him, I do not want to buy a casket for Christmas. I do not want to spend Christmas crying. Would he please sit properly in the car?

He did for all of 5 minutes. To which I sounded off and told him, "Fine, you die, I am not buying you a head stone. I refuse to buy you a head stone for Christmas." He shaped up and sat all good in his seat and seatbelt. Who knew. Having a head stone is important !

Then coming home from church Flutter Nutter is being all super silly and disobedient, AGAIN.
I am done and tired. I am not letting them take you to the funeral home. I don't want a Christmas funeral. I will just leave you by the side of the road if you get killed. Shaped up and sat like he was supposed to. FLutter Nutter did respond with, "Cool." Not exactly what I was looking to hear. Hockey Player quickly responded with, "Not cool, cause then people would think you had been murdered."

Time to change the subject..."Let's go look at Christmas lights!"

Nintendo Mario and K'Nex Meet! !

2011-12-14T00:50:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness I am soo excited! This year, I am way behind on my Christmas shopping. No time, no ideas, until tonight! I made myself do some shopping and looking around tonight. Look what I found ! !
K'Nex Mario Kart sets. My gamer/builder is going to love this ! Good thing he doesn't know about my blog. Well he knows about it...but he doesn't go online yet. If you are one of the big siblings reading this, "ZIP YOUR LIPS AND CLOSE DOWN YOUR WINDOWS!" No sharing what you know.

Early... who needs sleep when it is Hockey Season???

2011-12-10T22:17:00.000-06:00

Its hockey tournament weekend!
Saturday's games were all in the afternoon! Blessed timing.
Sunday's games are at 6:00 AM and 7:45 AM.
Translation: Must be at the rink between 5:20 and 5:30. Must leave by 5 AM. Must be up with Hockey Player at 4 AM. He needs breakfast and to get the blood moving. He might need to shower again to clear his chest, throat and sinuses.  He has been fever free for 7 days. BUT the previous 8 days to those seven were filled with fevers and crud.

But we will not have to juggle hockey with church.  We will be done with plenty of time to get to Sunday School and church. Woo Hoo.

But first we must get all the children to bed.
"Flutter Nutter if you want to go to the hockey games, you need to get to bed."
FN: I want to go! I love hockey games !
Mom: They are really early. REALLY EARLY. You won't be able to get up if you don't get to bed.
FN: I love EARLY. Sometimes I get up when it is still dark early. Like Midnight early. I LOOOVVVVEEE Early ! !
Mom: Then off to bed.

Honestly he does love early. We have two that are up before the rest of us more often than not. Little Princess and Flutter Nutter. It can be a toss up between which will be up first.  Sometimes, though, we think it is Little Princess, but Flutter Nutter has curled up in a corner with a blanket and his DS. He knows he isn't to play his DS in the morning till he has his stuff done. But I guess when you get up and it is like Midnight dark outside Early, you know you can get some play time in.

The 'F' word and conversations Mom overhears after church

2011-12-08T09:06:00.000-06:00

Coming home from church! Yep, from church. I hear the following conversation in my back seat.
Unfortunately, I can't distinguish which child said what, so I will just abbreviate AC for another child to introduce the next speaker.
"You said the F word!"
AC: "You shouldn't say the F word"
My eyebrows are raised and my curiousity is peaked, still listening.
AC (I think Futter Nutter): "I know what the F word is, it is FAT !! "
AC: But your not suppose to say it.
AC: I know what the S word is!
more eyebrows
AC: Don't say it!
The conversation changes and I am curious.
MOM: What is the S word?
Daddy's Buddy: Loud and Proud : STUPID!
MOM: Yep, that is a bad word. We shouldn't say that one.
Daddy's Buddy: BUT YOU asked me.
MOM: Yes, I did. That was okay. But no more.
Daddy's Buddy: What is cussing?
Mom: Anytime we use mean words to try and hurt someone. Ugly, mean words.
Children: ohhh, okay

On the way home from church ! ? !
What were they discussing in their Awana Groups????

Woohoo! ~ Christmas Came Early!

2011-11-29T16:15:00.000-06:00

On our way out of town Thanksgiving weekend, we had to call the doctor for Flutter Nutter. He had a super bad head cold and we knew the Colorado altitude could complicate things. So our super wonderful pediatrician found a Walgreens along the way and ordered some scripts for Flutter Nutter. Good thing, cause Flutter Nutter needed them, and then Daddy's Buddy and Hockey Player needed them. All approved by the doctor, just in case you thought we were doing a big no-no of sharing prescriptions.
After we picked up the medicine, I got to looking at the receipt. I thought we just got an amazing deal...$10 for 3 prescriptions. However, we were only charged for one of the three medications. What ????? Focused on having fun, I decided to put it aside and think on later when we got home. Arrived home and decided not to worry about it, afterall, I made it all weekend without thinking twice about it.
Today I had to refill a couple of prescriptions. I signed the slips and sent my card in through the drive thru tube. I even put in my member number for Dillons so I could get my fuel points. The clerk informed me there was no charge! What? ? I looked at her and told her, "I always have to pay for my prescriptions. What is going on? This is the second time this has happened." Poor girl, she didn't know what to do. Here she had told me, "No charge" and I was insisting on paying. How crazy is that ! ? ! ?
She quickly went and found reinforcements. Receipts and paperwork looked over. I was told that everything had been processed and was correct. Balance due: $0
She did suggest we might have met our deductible for the year.
We DON"T have a deductible. Just co-pays.
I call the insurance company.
Our insurance has a catastrophic medical clause. Once you reach the designated amount out of pocket in a year then all medical expenses are covered at 100% for the remainder of the enrollment period!

Co-pays, prescriptions, eye doctors, dentists, counseling and therapy all apply. But NOT orthodontics. Bummer, cause Hockey Player is suppose to start that process next year and we would just have to start him this next month if they were only covered.
The year, I try to NOT go to the doctor. The year I am constantly reassuring hubby all will be fine, they don't need to go to the doctor. This year we meet our maximum out of pocket and qualify for the catastrophic clause. We have a month left + a day. Do I give the kids permission to go crazy?
Guess this means I can quit playing the do we or do we not get the flu shot. I hate paying for the flu shot and then we are all sick 3 months later with it.
So now, when I can't figure out what to buy for Christmas for the kids or my husband, I get to try and figure out if there are any medical things we should get taken care of while we can. Maybe the 2 topics can overlap and I will have both taken care of.... allergy medicine for the stockings! Dental xrays all wrapped up in pretty gold filling paper. Hee hee!
I don't know if I should be some what mortified about our medical expenses this past year or ecstatic that there are no more expenses the remainder of this year. For now, I will just celebrate in having no more payments for a month! ! WOohoO

SunButter ! ! ! YUMMY!!

2011-11-28T13:53:00.000-06:00

On our drive home from Colorado Springs we stopped in Colby at the Kansas Country Store.
Everyone was in need of some time to stretch their legs and take advantage of the facilities.
The folks there were wonderful and hospitable. They overheard me tell Flutter Nutter to not go touching all the food stuff since they had nuts and such and offered us samples of SunButter. Oh my goodness!! It was so yummy. It made my mouth do the happy dance it only gets to do when Flutter Nutter is not around and I have a chance to eat a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Sooo happy !!
The other children were overjoyed at the possibility of cookies and sandwiches.
No nuts, no cross contamination!
Yummy !!!
Happy Mouths and Happy Tummies !!!
Now I am doubly excited, cause the first thing I had to do was check Amazon and see if they offered it online.
They do!!
Our lives are forever changed for the better!

KitchenAid on Cyber Monday and those pesky little words...ON SALE and Rebate too!

2011-11-28T13:23:00.000-06:00

oooh my goodness! !! Isn't this pretty! ! !! !!
I just put it in my store.
It is on sale.
ON SALE!!!
oh how my hubbby hates those 4 little words. "It is on saaaaaale!!!!"
He has been making fun today.
Pretty cinnamon color.
I have always talked myself out of a KitchenAid, but I am caving. If only he could find the value in my having one.
He told me I already got my Christmas when I bought a Vitamix last month. It cleans itself! How cool is that. The KitchenAid doesn't do that, but it is pretty and would make cookies, frosting, cakes, bread, and so much more....
I am in love or is it in envy??? Ahhhh, **big sigh**
Did I mention there is a 50 dollar rebate?
And if you don't want the magazine subscription you can request the 24 dollars to be refunded to you. All in the print. Sooo pretty!
So, so pretty.
Oh, by the way it is on Amazon. hee hee, should have told you that.

State Quarter Collection

2011-11-22T14:31:00.001-06:00

So Little Princess developed an interest in the state quarters earlier this summer. We suprised her with a State Quarter Collection Book for her birthday!

She has taken her collection very seriously and has almost completed the series. On one of our recent hockey tournament weekends, she mistakenly put a five dollar bill in the quarter machine. It proved to be worthwhile, because she was able to add a lot of quarters to her collection!

You can find this book at Amazon. We actually discovered it at a Borders store that was closing. Saw it and knew immediately it would be a great gift for Little Princess.
Now we have a younger brother who would like to start his own collection. Hint, hint Grandmas and Grandpas! He put his allowance in the quarter machine at the ice rink this week to help start his collection.

I also wanted to let all of you dear friends, family and readers out there know, I am creating a tab/page specifically on behalf of Little Princess. This page will list the remaining quarters she is need of to complete her collection. If you happen to come across one and choose to share it with her, she would be thrilled!

New Perspective on Bedtime!

2011-11-21T22:15:00.000-06:00

Flutter Nutter just rushed downstairs with sooo much excitement and announced, "I get to go to bed! I am soooo happy! Daddy says I can go to bed. Now I don't have to be tired. I love him soo much, infinity beyond zero and all around the earth millions of times!"

Now I know, instead of saying "Go to bed." I need to say, "You can go to bed now, so you won't be tired."

Mystery solved.

Random Conversations!

2011-11-21T21:58:00.000-06:00

The girls are loom knitting. A lot of loom knitting is happening here. Aunt Sharon has ordered 26 hats and scarves. So when they aren't sleeping, eating or doing their school work, their fingers are busy. We were in the car tonight and a discussion was started about making hats for babies at the hospital for next summer. Patterns, designs and colors are free for the imagination while their fingers are busy. This particular idea was about babies born on the Fourth of July and having patriotic hats awaiting them. Little Princess didn't want to exclude babies that were already in the hospital. What about the babies born on July 2nd or 3rd and maybe had wet lung?
Wet lung? Yes, she knows about wet lung. She has heard about her birth story and the day and a half she spent in the NICU. However, she doesn't know what wet lung is and asks me. But before I can respond, Flutter Nutter excitedly announces, "I know what wet lung is!"
Fun Mom, a lot quicker than her mom, responds with, "Tell us what it is Flutter Nutter!"
His response: Wet lung is when you take your shirt off and get wet all over!
Quietly, my shoulders shake and quiver and I compose myself before telling him, not quite. I then proceed to answer Little Princess's question. But I get his logic and I really enjoy learning about the world through his eyes.

A Sweet Present!

2011-11-16T10:40:00.000-06:00

So I have been posting about my birthday.
And I got the sweetest present ever this year. AND it wasn't even candy. I do like candy, but this was better than that!

Sweet and talented Sarah suprised me with one of her crocheted creations.

According to her and my slightly jealous daughters (only slightly, cause it isn't nice to be jealous.) I am in style now! The girls lovingly finger it, but know better than to ask for it or to borrow it. Can you see me twirling and dancing around the room, singing "I am in style"?
What busy mom doesn't want to be a bit in the now and fashionable every once in a while? So I loving gaze down at my wrist and say, "Thank you, Lord for a friend who loving thought of me and twisted and twirled this yarn into a thing of beauty for me."

She makes lots of really cool hats and has her own Etsy store! I am amazed by her creativity and wonder where she finds the time with her busy children and home. But she does and she is so talented!
Check her out her creations at TaeTaesCrochet.
I absolutely love this hat:

The sock monkey hats make me giggle. The ones with flowers make me oooh and ahhh.

Flutter Nutter's Present

2011-11-16T10:23:00.000-06:00

In my bedroom, when I hear Flutter Nutter yelling, "Mommy!! You got a present!"
"You got a present in the mail!!!"

Fun Mom is laughing hysterically. "Mom, you got a present!"
This was my present:

Turn it over and....

Oh MY! If only the company knew the humor they provided my family with for my birthday this year. Fortunately, for me, Fun Mom was the only one at the time to get the humor.

Birthdays

2011-11-16T10:15:00.000-06:00

I am not big on my birthday. My birthday date is a bit unique. A bit controversial. October 31. AKA: Halloween.
I have experienced the gamot.
When I was little, my siblings shared their candy with me. Consider the sugar possibilities ! ! ? ? ! ! Cake, ice cream, and candy! ! My birthday is shared with deer hunting season, so celebrations had to be scheduled around school and the hunter Dad's absence.
Then as I got older, I heard things like, "Aren't you a witch!" Excuse me, HELLO! ! It is just a date.
That was in response to securing my driver's license number and expiration date for a check.
Then there was the look of horror on the faces of fellow Christians when they discovered I shared my birthday with the horrible holiday Halloween. I even heard from one person that birthday costume parties were only acceptable for people without Halloween birthdays!
Oh well. So I tend to be reluctant to share my birth date. Here I am announcing it to the world on my blog!
But as I have gained wisdom (i.e. not older), I don't dread it so much. I actually look forward to it. My only request is I don't have to cook on my birthday. A logical request considering the need to get children costumed up and answering the door to hand out candy. I look forward to not cooking. I look forward to greeting the little princesses, lady bugs, puppy dogs and other cutely dressed tots. No, I don't look forward to the zombies and other blood encrusted children.
But the smiles and sweet "tank ewes" I do enjoy.
Occassionally, the familiar face of an adult I haven't seen in years is a delightful treat. I really do love children. I really do believe they are a gift from the Lord.
If I can bless them and love on them this way, then I will.
And then, I will share in my children's sweets after they go to bed. Then I go shopping on Nov. 1 to get the clearanced candy, cause afterall, I like CANDY ! !

Suprises in Shakespeare's MacBeth

2011-11-15T00:22:00.000-06:00

I remember reading MacBeth in high school. Vaguely. I remember trying to figure it out. Discovering Cliff Notes. Listening closely in class to the discussions, wondering where I was when God dispensed the abilities to understand Shakespeare. Then, this weekend, I curl up to read MacBeth once again. Shook my head a couple of times to get rid of the "flusters". Grabbed the dictionary and slowed down my reading. I understood it! I really was enjoying the intelligence of the writing. The wit and humor weaved in the poetic style of writing. A depth and complexity that challenges one to think as they read, but rewards the reader with humor and suprises.
Suprises, in deed, because this time around I am getting what I am reading. Jaw dropping that causes my curiosity to peak, what will my students have to say about this book.
They have much to say. Crazy, incomprehensible (my word, not theirs). Lady MacBeth is EVIL! Crazy! Psycho!
To which, I have to agree.
I never remember reading this in MacBeth before:

"I have given suck, and know
How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dash'd the brains out,"

WHAT ????

I was completely into the story anticipating the murder of King Duncan and then I read the above. Shock rippled through me and I laughed. I know I have read the story. So many of the lines are familiar. I even remember my awkwardness when reading some of the passages. But this one, somehow escaped me. It did not escape my students.

But the highlight of the week's reading....Hurlyburly
as in, "When the hurlyburly's done,"
Isn't that such a fun word, especially, in light of Lady MacBeth dashing a baby's brains out.
Hurlyburly, meaning uproar or tumolt

My kids are in the midst of a hurlyburly. :)
No more hurlyburly! !

Why it seems nothing ever gets done at home...

2011-11-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

Lately, I am trying to keep from losing my hair. Gray hair, no problem. Hair loss could be a problem.
I look around my house and it seems to be in utter disarray.
Then I have a day/night like I did today.
Up early, got around for the day. Took care of some paperwork. Answered some school questions.
Met realtor to review inspection list for house my dad is buying.
Get ladder to inspect a roof. We were having trouble believing the roof was okay. Seller said the roof was replaced in 2009. We happen to know there was softball size hail in the neighborhood in 2010.
Big O Daddy O climbed up and all was well. Matter of fact, he was greatly impressed.
Off to get a Pepsi, cause I am fading now.
More paperwork, phone calls, count up popcorn sales and money for Cub Scouts, it is due tonight.
Whoops, missed lunch. Time to teach English. High school English and discuss MacBeth.
The time quickly passes.
Time for allergy shots, schedule a handful more and then post some packages at Dillons.
Home once again. Just in time to start thinking of dinner.
Fortunately, Fun Mom offers to prep dinner, while I lay down and work on Cub Scouts with Daddy's Buddy and Awana with Little Princess.
Little Princess is off to do her research now that I have her pointed in the right direction on the Awana website.
Daddy's Buddy is brushing teeth, lotioning hands and personal chores thanks to the Cub Scouts' section on caring for one's self. Then, we discuss character trait: Faith.
Close the eyes, but it is time to eat and I have to choose between snooze or eat. Did I mention I missed lunch, and instead ate a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and a few handfuls of Cheez-its?
Fun Mom has made chicken noodle soup from the basic of ingredients. A great job she has done. No canned soup for this girl.
Time to leave:
First drop off Fun Mom for a play performance, featuring several home school friends. Then, a stop at the library cause it is only 2 or 3 blocks from Cub Scouts.
Next, Daddy's Buddy has Cub Scouts and Little Princess and Flutter Nutter will hang out with us there. Hockey Player will be picked up and taken to the rink by a teammate.
Blink, blink, notes here, notes there, a little flag folding, wiggling, election, debating, and snacks Cub Scouts is over.
Late heading out, a few phone calls while driving, pick up Hockey Player, pick up Fun Mom, and take the long way home around because the short way is closed due to construction! Home sweet home and it is 9:45.
10:30 and everyone but mom is in bed.
Leftover Braum's and a bit more paperwork, computer work. The day is done.
But wait, just in case I can't remember why my house looks like it does in the morning, I will blog a reminder of the day(s) before.

What's a Hockey Mom to Do??

2011-11-10T01:02:00.002-06:00

So I have never been all that excited about sports that require full on physical contact.
Why risk getting hurt? Just silly.
Then I had boys.
Still not all that excited about contact sports.
But what does this mom do?
Well, when 70 pound Hockey Player is a defenseman,
playing with kids that weigh twice as much,
I PRAY and cheer for him.
Momma knows the best defensive is to be fast and to go in, at full speed.
But that doesn't always get the job done.
I tell him to treat the other players like his sisters.
He actually likes to annoy his sisters. He does a pretty good job at it.
I tell him to knock some kids on their padded backsides.
When Fun Mom loaded these pics up and I was playing with them, I whooped and hollered.
My boy threw his shoulder and raised his elbow, which he shouldn't have done I will admit.
However, my boy played it through and knocked the kid off of him!

Trying something new!

2011-11-09T23:15:00.001-06:00

With some encouragement from family, I have signed up with some advertising associates programs.
What this means, is that I will occassionally include links in my posts to various products that I really like. Some of them may even be offering a super great deal at the time. Should you click through the link and share my interest and purchase the same product, I may earn advertising fees as a result of your purchase.

Amazon and SwagBucks !

2011-11-09T22:37:00.001-06:00

I am so stinking excited. Christmas shopping is starting around here.
I was reading my email and learned that Amazon had the Pink Lego Bricks on sale for $15.

We happen to have a very creative princess. She wanted some pink lego bricks for her birthday. BigODaddyO didn't believe she would really get into them. But there was an Auntie willing to take the chance. She doesn't create as much lately cause her hands are busy knitting. A whole other story there. One that includes 26 hats and 26 scarves, all before Christmas. But I think after Christmas she just might want a break from knitting for a while!!!

Then I checked my swagbuck gift cards for Amazon and I had enough accumulated to only have to pay tax on these beauties! !
Hush all you readers. No telling my secrets. :)
If you are not using Swagbucks to do your online searching, you really should give it a try. If you fill so inclined, please sign up under me, by clicking on the link below. I get matching Swagbucks up to your first 1000.

Many things to post and share

2011-09-27T23:45:00.000-05:00

But since I use this blog to help capture moments. Store them away for another day when I am asked, "Do you remember..??" or just when I need to remember the good, the silly and the precious.
Tonight, I just want to remember taking the kids to the Christian book store. I don't do it often. Shopping, aka browsing in my world, isn't easy with children in tow. But tonight we were waiting and 1/2 hour to go till sis was done and ready to be picked up. After explanations that this was a Bible study, Sunday School, Homeschool kind of store, we browsed. Lots of treasures were found. But as I perused the card section with one of the children, desperately hoping we could find the right card we came across a twirling tower. Little business card sized sentiments written out and my dear son, who has been struggling something fierce, found one and asked my help with a word. "God has a place for me in his heart." He looked up at me as we walked and asked, "Does God have a place in his heart for me?" Fighting tears with all my might, I reassured him that yes, God has a place in His heart for him. He loves him very much and Jesus died for him too. Right there in the middle of the store, God reminded this broken hearted momma, reassured a scared little boy that there was a place in His heart just for us, warts and all. We never found the card we started looking for, just this little 15 cent card that represented hope and love to my boy. But it was the best 15 cents I ever spent cause he could always carry it with him and look at it whenever he needed to remember, there is a place in God's heart just for him.
That would have been enough, but then we found the poster he asked for in therapy today, one that will help him in communication. Then we found clear, blue overlays for one of the sisters. The colored transparencies help filter light that interferes with her being able to see well when reading. Her reading is greatly improved when using her transparencies. Except, the ones she has are 8.5 x 11 and not convenient. These were bookmark size! Perfect for stowing in her bible, school books and as a book mark in her leisure reading books. Her smile was from ear to ear!
My couponing, frugal self was extremely blessed because all of it cost us not a penny. I had a gift card in my wallet from several years back. A service gift from church. Tucked in my wallet, forgotten about until a month ago. Cleaning out my wallet, I pulled all the forgotten gift cards and tucked them in the cup holder of the car. A constant reminder that I have them. Guess what? I have now successfully managed to use all but a couple. The couple I have left, I think are empty. They are just waiting for me to double check at the store. What a sweet hug ang kiss from my Heavenly Father tonight.

Another Birthday coming up...

2011-09-19T16:49:00.000-05:00

And it will belong to Hockey Player. What does he want for his birthday? To play golf with his dad and the other men in his life. A white cake with blue frosting. To go out to dinner...where?? Golden Corral or Ryan's. Both are buffets. Both options mean he will not leave with a spare spot in his being still feeling empty. It is not unusual for the kids to go scavenging off of another's plate. We rarely have leftovers. But there are always a couple of family members not all that hungry and willing to share what is left on their plate. All I can think is he is becoming another hard to shop for man in my life.... He is a young man, so he does like his Itunes, technology and games. Of course, he likes hockey and golf. None of which are on the slighly less expensive end of the shopping ideas! At least I have his younger brothers.

Just another week out of 52 a year....

2011-09-19T00:10:00.000-05:00

Not a lot of extraordinary going on here. Trying to desperately slip into a routine, we keep adding a bit more each week. But I guess that is life, very little is consistent except for the need to eat, sleep, drink and go to the bathroom. :) AND there is alot of that happening around here!
Fun Mom has chosen swimming laps over running with her dad and brother. She is up to a mile at a time. Her current goal is to swim that mile in a 1/2 hour. Her school work is going smoothly.
Hockey is trying to get back into a full time calendar filler upper ! We have added Boy Scouts this year. It looks like maybe some horse back riding and volleyball throughout the year.
I am teaching high school English this year. OH MY ! is all I can say. Due in 3 days for me...15 vocabulary terms defined so I can grade their tests...these are Grandpa's vocab words and they are expanding my vocabulary. The first 3 chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird so I will be able to tell if they are answering correctly in the discussion.
Grandpa (my dad) is out of the hospital and doing great, all things considered! Hoping we can work out a trip with him this year. His emphysema and COPD is starting to really challenge him. My father-in-law has been on the golf course a couple of times. Not playing a full 9 holes yet, but able to hit the ball around. Which is absolutely wonderful after the roller coaster we all went on after his surgery this past February. My mom and dad-inlaw (don't like the term stepdad...so this is our name) are doing well. School is back in session for them and keeping them busy.
Little Princess and Hockey Player are being very reliable in their school work and chores. A huge blessing.
Daddy's Buddy is getting down with it with school as well. His reading ability blows my mind away. He caught me the other day and started to read the newspaper to me. An article on a cattle drive going through Kansas. WOW. Flutter Nutter, who needs a new nickname cause he is getting bigger, has started Kindergartner and Sparks. he knows a lot and just gets after it.
Little Princess taught Flutter Nutter to ride his bicycle this week..no training wheels. Dad and Hockey Player and Fun Mom were at the gym. Little Princess told Flutter Nutter, this is it, you are going to ride this thing. HE DID !
Another week, another Saturday. Laundry in process, bathrooms need cleaning....

Tears

2011-09-05T19:14:00.000-05:00

It has been a teary week. First it started with realizing this would be Hockey Player's final official year of Awana. Should he finish his book this year, he will earn his Timothy Award. That took me down memory lane. Cause with our club, they always ask parents what they will remember most. I can't help but remember Fun Mom's Timothy Award.
These two kiddos are intrinsically "tied" together when it comes to Awana. Cubbies came into our life as an answer to desperate momma prayers. I wanted something to help me teach my sweet toddler "Fun Mom" about Jesus. Pregnant with Hockey Player, my then 3 year old Fun Mom started going to Cubbies. Beginning my journey of learning how to sit, walk, and live my life while teaching these precious children about God. I had no idea, that a month into her first year of Cubbies, I would be laying in a hospital room in organ failure with dangerously high blood pressure, scared doctors and being induced. I was actually admitted, shortly after taking her to Awana. I thought I was just going to get checked and sent home. I wasn't scared when they told me I needed to be induced. All I could think on was the Bible verses I had been helping my little Cubbie to memorize.... "All have sinned.." "While we were sinners, Christ died for us..." "God loved us and sent his son..." I was asked once by my dear sister how it was I had the presence of mind to quote scripture at a time like that. I had no real answer for her. Many years later and many more life experiences later, my answer would be different....practice. When I spend my time focused on God's Word, it is only natural it comes to mind when times are desperate. Not that I can honestly say, I have done it "right" all these years since. I have had my times of distraction, to only realize how distracted I have become because when I am desperate again and there are cobwebs where there should not be. A reminder for why we are encouraged by God's Word to not grow weary in doing what we know is right (Gal. 6:9).

So as I dwell on my second's growing up and the faithfulness of God in his life, my littlest is starting kindergarten at home. He graduated Cubbies last year and is starting in Sparks. So ever glad, I am not sending him off on a bus. I think it would be even harder on this momma . My littlest girl turned 10. She will, hopefully, be trying to earn her Timothy Award next year. Daddy's Buddy is graduating Sparks this year. So many milestones, so many reflections.

A blessed reunion with extended family this weekend. Only six of the "greats" (3 + spouses) are still around. God showed me how very much I am loved by my extended family. Something I have known, but I saw it with my heart this weekend. Made me a bit weepier. With a childhood torn apart by divorce and lies of this world I sometimes can get lost in bad memories and then God so gently reminds me of the good memories and blesses me with the many grandparently hugs I have been missing for so many years. I have a place where I belong.

Then a phone call from my dad.
My heart tells me maybe I shouldn't put off for another year what can be done now. It is time for some more memory making.
Tears, a little heart wrenching at times, soothing at others, joyful still. But never unnoticed by my Heavenly Father. May I always rest in the palms of His hands.

How it is....according to Flutter Nutter

2011-08-28T09:11:00.001-05:00

Little Princess just celebrated double digits. We had been chatting for a month about the big event. Hockey Player's birthday is exactly a month later and it is now his turn to share his ideas and chat about his birthday. (I have a 30 day rule, because of this 1 month spread. They can start sharing and giving me their ideas for their birthday starting a month before. Otherwise I become overwhelmed.) But, when you are the little brother and you are 5 1/2 it seems like forever before your birthday. Especially, when the list goes like this...Little Princess, Hockey Player, Mom, Thanksgiving, and then you! Then Christmas comes right after. No spreading it out through the year.
So a couple of days ago, Flutter Nutter wanted to talk about his birthday. But it isn't his turn I very gently tell him.
His response, "But I have sooo many ideas!" in the sweetest, non-whining voice.
Hockey Player isn't in the car. I cave, cause who can argue with "I have sooo many ideas."
His first idea... a cake with icing grass, a house, trees and flowers. When I repeated back what he said but in reverse order...flowers, trees, house, and grass, I was immediately corrected. Cause you have to get the order right when frosting a cake. Otherwise, the grass is on the house and that would be silly and he doesn't want a "tree house".
Love this boy. I am not looking forward to his next birthday. I like him this age. :)

I don't play possum !!

2011-08-24T12:52:00.001-05:00

I catch frogs. I catch toads. I catch snakes. I will even hold a boa constrictor. I dissect creatures for science classes. I put worms on fish hooks. I take fish off of fish hooks. I don't do possum.
I "caught" a possum eating Gus' dog food last night.
Scared it off. Except it went under the house. **sigh**
Now we know why Gus keeps having the HUGE barking fits. Why he runs like a crazed animal we don't recognize. He runs in circles from one of the yard to the other, back and forth, back and forth for what seems like forever. Barking and freaking out.
So I started making calls this morning. Animal control won't do anything. Told us to talk to Animal Services. They don't do anything. They told us to call the Department of Wildlife. They don't do anything.
Somewhere along the line someone thought it was helpful to tell me we probably had a nest under my house.
A NEST ! * ** * * * A NEST ! * * * **
And noone can be of help. They offer suggestions on how to trap them. Tell you how to release them.
And then they all feel the need to tell me the good news...they don't carry rabies.
And then they tell me, they have ugly smiles and yucky mouths. Their mouths are incredibly dirty and full of bacteria. BUT they don't bite unless provoked. They are possums. Don't bite unless provoked. I kinda forget some of the other things they said it was rare for possums to do... Cause all I can think is I have 3 boys. Setting a trap to catch a possum would be cool. As for bites and how rare that is, I am having flash backs to a collison with a bowl of ice cream and the need for stitches....and the many other strange and rare events my family has had the joy of experiencing. Somewhere along the line, something was said about kids and traps and not a good idea and I start hyperventilating..
Big O Daddy O looks at me. I am hyperventilating. Pretty much freaking out. My kids jaws are on the floor. I don't do possum. Giant, filthy, bacteria infested, foaming from the mouth, overgrown, wiry, hairy, ugly RATS! I break down sobbing, big sobbing. Big O Daddy O just looks at me. I sobbed, I don't know why I can't do this, I just can't. I do all the other things, just not possum. PLEASE, GET THEM OUT OF HERE! ! ! ! It doesn't help not knowing if there is a "nest". I am certainly not getting down on the ground to look under my house. This is not the kind of zoo I live in/with. This could take days, weeks.... Can I go somewhere else, please????

Quiet Sunday Mornings at Home

2011-08-21T12:24:00.000-05:00

Daddy's Buddy went to the doctor on Wednesday...sinus infection.
He was doing better on antibiotics till Friday night.
Saturday...early stages of bronchitis and new antibiotics.
Rest and fluids.
He fell asleep last night around 5 and slept till this morning. His body is fighting.
Flutter Nutter spiked a 103-104 fever yesterday as Dad and Daddy's Buddy returned home from the doctor.
Off to the doctor again, cause we have weekend plans with grandparents.
Viral infection with flu like symptoms...not the stomache kind thank goodness.
Motrin, fluids and rest
He napped on and off.
No grandparents this weekend.
The birthday open house for family is canceled. :(
But the olders + friends + dad had fun Sat. night celebrating.
This morning I am hanging out with my boys.
I have listened to my church's sermons online. Check it out here.
Then I revamped my blog.
I have done a few other things.
But a quiet morning it has been.
I have enjoyed pondering the sermon I listened to in the midst of the quiet. I don't get this amount of quiet very often. It is nice.

Double Digits ! ! !

2011-08-20T23:57:00.000-05:00

Little Princess has hit this wonderful milestone! I am wondering where the time has gone. She no longer is the cute chunky baby that was in a hurry to greet this world. 1 month early and weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces and 18 inches long. She weighed 10 pounds on her due date!!! So glad she came early. :)

We are celebrating a wee bit early. Her birthday is during the school week. We, also, let Hockey Player in on the fun a bit. His birthday is next month, but he made the travel hockey team. The past 2 years it has been difficult to do anything for his birthday due to tournaments, practices, and life in general. We already have 2 tournaments before the end of October. So bring on the practices. So we let him get some friend action in with his sister's birthday. He will have cake and ice cream and dinner of his choice later on.

In honor of Little Princess,
The Top 10 Things I Adore About My Princess
(This hard to narrow down)
1. Her happy go lucky attitude about life
2. Her smile
3. Her sweet and sensitive spirit
4. Her loving heart
5. Her desire to be close to me, she likes to snuggle, she likes laps!
6. Her perseverance
7. Her brown hair and blue eyes (I prayed when I was pregnant with her that she would have brown hair ! Her blue eyes were a given, the whole family has them.)
8. Her helpful spirit and attitude
9. Her love for her siblings, all of them !
10. Her love for animals
PLUS one to grow on .... is her love for Jesus !!

Happy Birthday Little Princess!

Flutter Nutter and Daddy's Buddy!

2011-08-20T21:54:00.000-05:00

Driving past the car dealership near home, I hear... (I am referring to Boys because I can't remember exactly which one said what. )
Boys: That camo truck has gas in it.
Mom: I am sure it does. (Afterall, how could one drive without gas in a vehicle?)
Boys: Gas like Grandpa has.
Mom:   Trying to not laugh. Which Grandpa?
Boys:   The Grandpa with gas.
Mom: Trying so hard to not laugh. At this point I am thinking they are refering to the gas tank we take out to the lake to fill the boat and ask if that is the case?
Boys:   Noooo,
Boys:   But that Grandpa.
Mom:  Ahhh, Grandpa D. Are you refering to his Oxygen tank?
Boys: Yes, and Oxygen is a gas.
Mom: Right you are! More chuckling quietly to myself. So glad we had a bit of clarity there.

More Quoteables, Courtesy of Flutter Nutter

2011-08-20T21:45:00.000-05:00

I love the minds of children. Especially the younger ones, it is amazing to hear their perspectives on life and the world.
In the car...
Flutter Nutter: Daddy's Buddy and I are different. Daddy's Buddy snores and I breathe.

so hard to not snicker a bit.

Flutter Nutter: Stop laughing! I am trying to breathe ! I don't want to die !
a few more snickers
trying so hard to be quiet.

Flutter Nutter: I am serious, don't laugh! I don't want to die.

few minutes later;

FN: I am still breathing.

Whew, that is a relief. Cause we like our Flutter Nutter and want to keep him around for a long time.

Waiting can be so rewarding

2011-08-18T23:11:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago, we welcomed this beauty to our home! I am so excited. When we bought our home 14.5 years ago, I knew this wall would be perfect for a piano. Our baby was only 6 months old. I didn't play piano, but the wall would be a perfect frame for a piano. Fast forward a few years...Fun Mom takes violin lessons. She really wants to take piano. We buy a keyboard and get started on lessons for her, Hockey Player and Little Princess. Then we inherit Grandmama's keyboard. One upstairs, one downstairs and that helps with the competition for time to practice. Few years later, Fun Mom really wants a piano. I am overwhelmed by the idea. How do we find one? How do we know if it is any good and not beyond being able to tune? How would we get it into our home? So I casually look. Grandpa D finds out and he starts casually keeping an eye out. We have looked at a few over the years. Then two weeks ago, our church has their annual garage sale. Fun Mom loves the sound it makes. It looks great. Has a bench and is a price we can afford. Amazing part is the guys at church volunteer to deliver it. Hubby works nights. We don't know anyone who would be able to help during the day. They are all amazed I know exactly where I want it. Hubby wants to know what other secrets I am keeping from him. I have never told him how much I wanted a piano. Why put a pressure on him for something the time wasn't right for?
I am in awe of God's tender loving kindness to me and my family. He has answered the longing of my heart. Filled the empty spot in my home. Answered the desires of my children. Filled my home with music. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't just sit down and start playing. When they stop, someone else will drift in and start playing. 4 piano players in my home and we may be adding a fifth here in a year or so. I am beyond blessed.

Home Economics Home School Style !

2011-08-18T22:58:00.000-05:00

So my motto around here with my kids is "to be above reproach"
One of my goals with home schooling is that our kids are prepared for the world. That may mean public school at some time in the future. Who knows where God will lead us? But I want to present a positive light on home education. I don't want to do harm to the name of home education. I, also, don't want to do harm to my children. Should they end up in public school, I don't want for them to look at me and say, "Why didn't you push me?"
Today, I told a young teen and mom who will be joining my sophomore daughter in English, "Be prepared, I am going to work you to death. I triple the amount of work to compensate for my feelings of inadequacy." To which the mom laughed and I am sure the teen, gulped and groaned.
But along those same thoughts, Fun Mom is "taking" Home Ec. this year. Why? Well cause she wants to take cake decorating classes. Well I figure that is not enough. I calculated how many hours she would spend in class, and in my kitchen prepping for the class. Then I considered how many hours she would spend in a high school class room. Not enough hours. So what did I do....I compensated and created and amazing list of accomplishments for her to achieve this year in "Home Ec". The bonus is I am going to get a huge break in the kitchen. hee hee. The amazing part is how well she will be prepared for life beyond our home.
Here is her syllabus for the year.
HOME ECONOMICS 1

Take Basic Cake Decorating Class 1
Take Basic Cake Decorating Class 2
Take Basic Cake Decorating Class 3
Take a Cookie Decorating Class
Take a Cake Ball Decorating Class
Learn to prepare a Roast using a crockpot
Learn to prepare a Roast in the oven
Prepare and Cook a Whole Chicken
Learn to Use and Clean a Grill
Use a Grill
Use a Grill
Prepare and Bake Cinnamon Carmel Rolls from scratch
Prepare and Bake Bread Rolls from scratch
Learn to prepare a Meatloaf
Learn to bake an assortment of pies
Assist in preparing family meals and clean up
Assist in creating grocery lists and shopping for necessary ingredients

Home Economics 2
Sew a pillow
Learn basics of laundry
Plan a raised garden for the next year. Research it and price materials.
Start plants if needed for the above garden.
Balance a checkbook
Home Mechanics: breaker box, hot water heater, furnace, air conditioner, fireplace
Identify and use of basic tools, i.e. Phillips head screwdriver, wrench, etc.
Help stain the yard’s fence
Weather proofing a home
Assist in any other home repair and/or maintenance projects
How to use a lawn mower (1)
Mow the year a second time
How to use a weed-eater (1)
Weed eat a second time
Basic plumbing skills

Now guaranteed she is very skilled in the kitchen. But I have decided to expand her skills in the kitchen and home. Her dad is excited about teaching her how to use a lawn mower and weed eater. Honestly, she is excited about this course work. Geometry not so much, but the above list of things to do, she is alright with.
Not your typical Home Ec. class.

Yummy ! !

2011-08-18T22:44:00.000-05:00

Don't these look yummy!

Fun Mom is taking cake decorating classes.

I have incorporated these classes into her school year. Part of her Home Economics class.

She did these cupcakes the day after we found out she had dry socket from getting her wisdom teeth out.

She was shaky, puny and at the end of the class all she wanted to do was to go to bed.
The class was on making different kind of flowers.
She can decorate cupcakes for me anytime!

I am sooo proud of her.

I didn't get to try one.
Next time though. ;)

Back to school...

2011-08-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

Why is it so exhausting??
We haven't even started. I have just been taxing my brain with lesson planning, grocery shopping, helping puny kids recover and I am ready for bed at 8 pm. Sometimes by 3 in the afternoon. Mind you, I didn't even do the grocery shopping. I just helped with the list. The puny kiddos wanted their mom! ME! Awww, I felt so loved. I really didn't mind their wanting me to just sit with them. I was tired. But why am I so tired. I do this all the time.

Then what princess am I ?

2011-08-17T21:55:00.000-05:00

So, I can't leave well enough alone. After realizing, Cinderella I am not, I started to wonder which princess I most like. I have to admit, I don't feel much like a princess these days. Not with a household of seven. Princesses live lives of glamour, beautiful clothes, and travel. They must, right? That is what all the fairy tales paint it out to be. Never mind that the England's new princess opts to do her own household chores right now. She doesn't have kids. William doesn't count. I mean seriously, my life is most like Snow White and the seven dwarfs.
Yet, when I spend time reflecting on the qualities of Snow White, the animals don't come peacefully into my home to help clean. No, they come bounding in the door in the shape of a black lab, one that figures obstacles were meant to be mown over. Doesn't matter if the obstacle is a pile of clean laundry. The trash can is just a large food dish.
Though, I do have a lot of little people around. But they never put me in a glass box in sadness because I am "asleep" and they miss me. Nooo, they shhhshhh each other out of fear of waking me. I am beginning to think I resemble the old hag the most. The scary one. Seriously, I am not taking the nap cause I feel my most charming self. They aren't shhhshhh each other out of love for me and my need for rest. They are shhhshhh each other, so I will stay asleep, cause when I closed my eyes I was just as haggard as the old women in the story and just a mite grumpy. They fear if I awake a bit too soon, I will still be an old hag. They are hoping for a miracle, that I will awaken as Snow White.
Like I said, I think I should have left things well enough alone.

If we could only be Cinderella..

2011-08-16T10:21:00.000-05:00

We have had a relapse around here. There is something called Princess Syndrome that runs in my family. Painful to admit. For those of you who have not heard of this syndrome the symptoms are:
*an inability to see things that need to be picked up
*if said things are seen, there is an inability to pick up and put away these stray objects because it must be someone else's job.
*if these items are mine, well, someone else should do it for me, cause I am ever so busy.
*a strong desire to laze about and live in a dream world
*beginning to compare one's self to Cinderella
*dreams of being whisked away to a far away castle where there were people who actually enjoyed doing things for you
*complaining or grumbling or just having in general a bad attitude while doing chores

It is painful to admit but I know these symptoms all too well. I too have dwelled in the fantasy world of wishing my Prince Charming would appear and whisk me away to a castle. I just loved the story of Cinderella growing up. The fabulous rescue, the sense of "in your face" mean ol' stepmother and stepsisters. No more serving you. But I had an aha moment this summer when I watched one my own sweet princesses struggling to overcome this syndrome in her own life. Unfortunately, it wasn't a gracious, delicate aha Cinderella moment, it was more like a clutzy stepsister aha moment. Our Princess Syndrome behavior was nothing like Cinderella. Cinderella was kind and gentle, she served others with forebearance. She didn't like how she was treated but she didn't act out or rebel or return evil with evil. She returned good for evil, she whistled while she worked (i.e. did all things without murmuring or complaining). And in the end she was blessed by her King of Kings.
Ouch...
So not Cinderella here, but I want to be with all my heart.

Been pondering....

2011-08-13T08:29:00.001-05:00

This morning God woke me up. Yep! Really early too! Couldn't go back to sleep. I tried, and that is how I know God woke me up, cause I was still really tired. But I have been struggling with feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by what all needs to be done in a done and how it is going to be done. So with my glass of water (Important point, cause there is no Pepsi in the house. Kind of like coffee for the one who doesn't like coffee. Which is a good thing, cause if I had made a pot of coffee, then the whole house would have started to wake. Did I say it was really early.)..
So with my glass of water, I curled up to read my Bible and pray. God didn't have a magic answer to how it was all going to get done. He just told me to "just do it". There was no, huh?? head scratching, trying to figure out what He meant. Cause we have been down this road before. One foot it front of the other, just go to the next thing when the first is done. You see, I like to plan. I homeschool. I have a large family, to some at least...not like the Duggars. I like to create beautiful schedules. But guess what, my kids don't get it. THEY JUST DON"T GET IT!!! My husband doesn't either. Not that he should. Cause he is the head of the home, and I shouldn't be telling him what to do. Maybe asking him about a possible honey do project...(a whole other topic..)
But really they just don't get it. They don't have the same sense of accomplishment of a long list with tick marks next to each item. They just do not get it ! Besides my beautifully created charts just aren't fun to apply. Fun to create, but not to apply. So I have been pondering on how to organize my year, months and days. Not an easy task when I know my crew won't follow my schedule. I have managed to learn life throws us curve balls on a regular basis. So how Lord do we get it all done?
He reminds me, One foot in front of the other.
He didn't ask me to get it all done. He asked me to seek HIM first, then to just go to the next thing, one foot in front of the other. So I don't have all my plans figured out, but I have my mission/theme for the year.
Seek the Lord first and then "Just do it!"

No photography this week

2011-08-10T21:44:00.000-05:00

Thinking we need to post a "No Cameras" sign on our front door this week.
Both my girls had oral surgery today. The eldest lost her wisdom teeth, the youngest, some gum tissue.
Fun Mom wants company. She wants sympathy. But she won't let her friends near her, until their lack of photographic equipment is proven. I have thought about sneaking a few pics while they sleep. But their suffering hurts this momma's heart too much.

My guy...without always meaning to often turns me back to My GOD...

2011-08-09T00:35:00.000-05:00

Taken earlier this summer. All dressed up for work. He like his job. Then the other day he blew me away with the question, "What do you think about moving to Kansas City?" Stopped my heart, questions ran through my mind faster than a wild Cheetah. Then I paused and asked him why? What was he thinking? Whew, so glad I asked those questions instead of responding with my first thoughts.

But, he has gotten me thinking. When we first married, moving wasn't a big deal. I had moved a lot. I had never lived anywhere more than 3 years until my teen years. I lived in Colorado for 5 years and then moved my senior year. Though I never changed cities or states after that move, there were lots of moves from family homes to dorms to apartments and then I married. Our first apartment and then our first home. I seriously told him, I wanted to never move again. A home to grow our family in. It wasn't that I was tired of moving. But the cost of buying a home overwhelmed me so much, I never wanted to do it again. Now a family of seven, each person with their own stuff! I can't imagine the hurdle of moving. I can only imagine it taking a year to accomplish. A year to pack and then unpack. Oh, my!

But this time when he asked me what I thought about moving, I didn't think about packing. I thought about the kids, their friends, our doctors, our church, our hockey association, our homeschool network, our family. I realized we would still be near family. There would be new opportunities. A lot of new transitions. A lot of new opportunities to see God work. Relationships take time to build. I really rely on the security of having known our physicians for the last 5-15 years depending on the family member. There is a security in the known. I would have to trust in the security of knowing the One who Knows. For now, I am grateful my husband was just looking for a conversation. He does this sometimes. Makes me wish he would try a slightly less startling opener. At least I was able to sleep afterwards.

Ugly Hands ????

2011-08-07T00:42:00.000-05:00

So it has been an incredibly long day.  I was only home for 30 minutes out of a 13 hour day.
I sure miss being home. But it was one of those days. Errands had to be done. The meeting was supposedly mandatory, but........ made no sense to us and we were free to leave early. However, hubby and I decided to not go home. We decided to plug the laptop in at McD's and use their Wi-Fi and have a little Parent/Teacher Meeting. We never get alone time at home, not with Hubby's work hours.  So we talked for an hour uninterrupted, headed home. But I stayed only a 1/2 hour.  More to get done.  And then it was time to go work for hockey $$$.  Oh, how I love my boys. Hubby and I volunteer (?) our time for the hockey association in exchange for $$$ to be deposited into an account for hockey expenses. It was my turn to work. Got home and was tired.
Decided to soak in the tub. For a REALLY long time.  I happened to look at my feet and then my hands. I couldn't help the memory from rushing back. Flutter Nutter taking a bath and started crying. He was looking at his hands and was very upset. "MY HANDS ARE UGLY!!!!" No amount of consoling would work. He had played long enough to get wrinkly. The sight of his feet just made things worse. It didn't take long in his very short life to determine he liked showers better. Showers don't turn your feet and hands ugly.  This time, my hands were ugly and all I could think was, in a few more years, they may look like that for always. But that is okay, cause I will still enjoy soaking for a long time.

But it such a sweet memory of my Flutter Nutter's innocence, I can't help but record it.

A New Flutter Nutter Quoteable !

2011-08-05T00:36:00.000-05:00

Everyonce in a while Big O Daddy O breaks into the
"You say Poe-tae-toe, I say Poe-ta-toe; You say Toe-mae-toe, I say Toe-ma-toe"
Well in our house there is always a mispronouncing something or other and it happened again. To which B-O-D-O broke into the above quotation...
Then Flutter Nutter responded with, "So it's an onion?"
Completely confused and very serious.
The rest of us all laughed.
Now, he wants dad to say it again, just so he can ask, "So it's an onion?"

What is a person to do????

2011-06-26T22:26:00.003-05:00

I love Pepsi. I mean it. I love the fizz when a new bottle is first opened. The swfishh. The bubbles that tickle my nose. And I am a bit of snob about it. I don't like it from a can, it picks up a metallic taste. Quik Trip fountain over crushed ice, is really good. But I will settle for a bottle from a store poured over ice and if necessary straight from a chilled bottle.

Yep, I like my Pepsi. I have even kicked the habit twice in the past 6.5 years. My lastest devestating relapse was the result of my trip to Ireland. I tried having a Coke a few times over there. And I did okay. So when I got back, I thought I would try to have a Pepsi here and there. And I did have one here and there. One a day here, sometimes a second one a day there. Slowly I built up to routinely two a day. Just sneaked up on me. I wake up and the first thing I think is, I need a Pepsi to get me jump started.

big ** SIGH **

So I have been wanting to kick this thing again, but the timing hasn't been the greatest. All in my house agreed a Momma on steroids would not be good timing to kick the Pepsi habit. Already irritable, why add in a caffeine withdrawal headache on top of it. So the steroids are done, and I am as back to normal as I could possibly be. I drank my last Pepsi yesterday and decided today would be my first day to go without and start anew.

On the way to church, dear hubby knowing my love for Pepsi, like some like coffee in the morning, offered to stop. I told him it was my first day to go Pepsi-less. He kept driving. Sitting in church during announcements, our most awesome pastor asks the congregation to go buy and enjoy our favorite beverage in a 2-liter and donate the bottle to our sister inner city church. To which I looked at my husband and he laughs. He laughs. Then, again, in Sunday School, the same request is made. I am dragging at this point. I have not had my caffeine. I want to take a nap. My husband laughs.

He laughs us all the way home, but wait! He makes a detour. He stops at Quik Trip. What does he buy? Cherry Pepsi for the kids. Pepsi Max for himself. And drumroll, a Pepsi for me. Nothing like giving an addict more of what he is addicted to and expecting them to stop with just one glass. Honestly, I held out...all the way to 2:30. That bottle just sat there on the counter. I avoided the kitchen as much as I could. What can I say, I am doing my part to help the church. There is less than a 1/3 of the bottle left. I will finish it in the morning. Wash it out, take it to the church and quietly ask they not ask me for anymore 2 liters. Cause, then I will feel obliged to put off my withdrawal for yet another week.

Simple Summer Joys!

2011-06-26T22:08:00.004-05:00

Cake Boss I am not, but I did get it done...

2011-06-26T21:10:00.002-05:00

So I come home one night to discover that Fun Mom and her friend had designed the birthday cake for Fun Mom. The first words out of my mouth were, "Who do you think I am, Cake Boss?"

To which they laughed.

The cake they designed even had a wire feature that would require being covered in fondant.

The dear friend, that she is, offered to be there to help me. She would make the wire feature and would even cover it fondant.
Guess what, she wasn't able to come over after all...she was with her dad.
Not that the wire feature would have happened. :)
On the other hand, her mom and little sister were there helping to roll out fondant shapes. To taste the fondant and offer comedy and support as I attempt this mammoth cake. 4 cake mixes, lots of frosting and fondant. ONE BIG HUG and Happy daughter. She is so not allowed to make her next cake this complicated. And I need to take a fondant class and learn to make marshmallow fondant.

Feathers...they just get this momma in trouble

2011-06-26T20:29:00.004-05:00

So just a little while ago, my oldest turned 15. What did she want for her birthday? A feather in her hair! What did I say in return, "Will you call it macaroni?" Fun Mom, didn't think I was too funny. Why do you want a feather? Cause some of my friends have them and they are cool. I couldn't help myself, "Cause birds of feather flock together?"

So in spite of the constant laughter on my part, I decided we could do this. The one liners, I must admit just kept coming. That first night, I laughed so much, that even dear hubby told me I had to get a grip and stop laughing. But it only got worse, cause.....

I was going to make it happen and fortunately for my sweet daughter, her cousin, my niece posted these instructions on how to adorn one's mane with feathers. We can do this ourselves, I told her. Of course, her cousin is one cool cousin and that was okay. We texted her in Colorado. We found the tools and devices. But feathers??? They were hard to find. Texted my niece...checked out the stores she recommended.

Guess what?? Fly fishing is not as big in Kansas as in some other places. But, we were referred to a fly fishing store. We went, the guy knew we were coming... I should have known something was up. He greeted me at the door and said, "don't have any." HUH???? Don't have any what??? "What you are looking for?" But I haven't asked for anything. "I know what you are here for." You do???? Someone from the day before tipped him off that I was coming. But I didn't understand, left my name and number and left. But the birthday is now days away. I had no idea feathers would be difficult to come by. So I call my Gander Mountain loving friend. Well actually, she loves the man in her life who loves Gander Mountain in Wisconsin and sent her an SOS text. I, also, send a similar SOS to my sis in Colorado Springs. I am, meanwhile, on the computer looking up fly fishing stores in Colorado. My friend is in Wisconsin talking to her husband asking for feathers and he is like what??? Have I mentioned how much everyone adores FUN MOM! ! So my sis finds them in Colorado and priority mails them to us and they arrive within hours of party time.

YEAH ! !

Fun Mom, meanwhile, is not very impressed. This is far more of an ordeal than she bargained for and she doesn't understand why the salon is out of the question. AND she is very frustrated, her mother starts laughing hysterically at the mere thought of a feather, bird or anything fowl. Why??? might you ask. Well, in the course of searching fly fishing shops in Colorado, I came across a few online articles about these feathers....

This led to a little research about where these feathers come from....

Supposedly fly fishermen are angry. They can't find the feathers they need for their hobby. Why?? because they are walking all over the world not on fishing hooks but on the heads of human race. And yet there is a tremendous irony to this little fact. Which sends me rolling on the floor in hysterics, much to Fun Mom's displeasure. You see these feathers come from roosters. In particular, rooster's behinds. They are tail feathers ! ! !! Roosters are the males of their species. Male birds are all pretty colors and fancy to attract their more duller in appearance female counterparts. Think on this a bit. What particular part of the human race are attracted to these feathers..... the females. They are wearing tale feathers on their heads. They aren't attracting the males of the human race. They are annoying them. This irony sends me over the top. However, when you are 15 or almost 15, these ironies are not appreciated, nor is the uncontrolled laughter of the mother.

Alas, I get myself under control. Voila, my daughters and the friends have feathers. One day, the neices will have feathers too.

Aren't they beautiful???

and now they can "go shake their tale feathers! "

WOW !! It has been a while....

2011-06-26T20:11:00.002-05:00

I knew I had withdrawn from various social networking devices, but I didn't realize how long it has been since I had posted.
Pictures I have taken. Thoughts of posts that could be posted have been dreamed up...but then there is life. I must say the last few months I have been making conscious decisions away from social networking. Good, bad, will I regret the lack of "journaling", I don't know. But I do know that life is a bit more relaxed for me as a result of letting go of this "one" thing.
Kids have healed up. I have been visiting family here and there. We celebrated a 15th, 43rd, 60th, 42nd and 62nd birthday in the last month. Father's Day times four. A wedding. Managed to sneak the pool in a couple of times.
I was on steroids over the last month, so I got lots done at home. Crazed momma syndrome.
My oldest went to Colorado for a week.
The kids and hubby all were at VBS for a week. Nope, I didn't go this year. I worked on projects at home. LOTS of projects.
I have been lesson planning for the next year. 5 in school next year. I bought a GBC Pro-Click Binding system and been busy making up books. OH what fun that is! !! So going to like these books more than 3 prong folders, staples and 3 ring binders.
Listing stuff on E-Bay so I don't have to have a garage sale. :)
Garage - Sale Shopping ! ! !
Laundry, feeding children (why they find this necessary, I have no idea), more laundry, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning...did I mention I was on steroids this last month and the kids were duly frightened of mass cleaning spree. :)
And listening....
I find myself listening to the children in summer thrills.
Running down the street to the ice cream truck and ecstatic they have nut free treats !!!
Playing in the sprinkler with Gus the dog.
"Secret" discussions on how they can reinact a MacGyver stunt.
The mystery of how my oil and water boys have found they have common ground....laughing and plotting in great delight about how to annoy their older sister.
Summer Siestas! ! Oh, how I love these.
Summer nights, still warm but with the sun low in the west, it just doesn't feel as hot and it is perfect for a walk or hanging out on the porch.
My favorite is sneaking away to the lake and getting on my dad's boat. Completely disconnected from the world and responsibilities. No thoughts about laundry, paying bills, dishes, tomorrow's appointments. Just fun, hanging with the kids, feet dangling off the dock in the water, worms on a hook, tossing kiddos into the lake and hearing them holler at the suprise. Completely disconnected from our hectic life. So completely disconnected, I don't notice it till we were are headed home and the closer we get, the more my to do list and calendar starts running through my mind. Hubby agrees, more time at the lake is in the works. Nice for this momma to so completely disconnect. Who knows, maybe I will get some pictures taken and posted. :)

Guess what I did today??

2011-05-25T23:02:00.003-05:00

I vacuumed our dog! Yep! Sure did.
He was shedding, hair was getting everywhere. We would brush and the hair would fly off him. Kept thinking, would be kind a cool if we could use the vacuum and keep the hair from going all over.
So I tried it.
He let me do it! Okay, someone held onto his collar. Hence, he knew he was caught and didn't struggle. BUT..he did not growl. He did not try to get away. He did not nip at me or the vacuum or the person holding his collar at the time. He just sat there.
I used the vacuum this morning.
Then this afternoon, he stunk. Like barn stink. yech! So we gave him a bath. As the water hit him in the shower, chunks of hair started to fall off of him. I was flabbergasted. I scrubbed and rinsed. Before a few minutes passed, I was covered in hair. I had no idea a bath would cause his hair to just fall off of him.
So we got the brush (defur-inator) and more chunks of hair. Needless to say, Little Princess had the job of keeping the drain clean and free from the hair. Dried him and let him loose. Still lots of hair on the hand after petting him.
We got the vacuum out again. He looks 10 pounds lighter. He wasn't obese. He was HAIRY! He is really calm tonight. No bouncing around or trying to get on the table. Thinking we might need to keep the vacuum out all the time.

Ha, google ads have a sense of humor....

2011-05-25T23:00:00.002-05:00

So I have these ads running in my margin. I just noticed that today's ads are all about casts, medical supplies, etc. Anyhooo, just thought that was pretty funny.

Oh, how HE loves me

2011-05-25T21:57:00.003-05:00

I don't think I could ever say my life has been easy. There have been moments when God has blessed me with a season of calmness and peace. But there has been much drama in my life, childhood, adulthood, parenthood, the whole shebang. Through it all, I have had one constant request of the Lord, if this must be how it is, then please use it. Please don't let my tears and struggles be for nothing. May this time bless someone else. Don't get me wrong. I beg God for things to be different, I ponder what it might be like to have a boringly sedate and calm life. I kind of long for it at times. Yet, in all the craziness of this drama filled, rollercoast life of mine, I, also, experience God in ways I never could in a boring, sedate and calm life. I find myself tucking away these memories into my heart to ponder, cherish and cling to for the years to come. Some of these, I hold onto quietly, secretively, tucked deep into my heart. To share them, would reveal too much and possibly hurt one that I love. Others, I share quietly and then others I shout from the rooftops. Recently, God gave me a hug beyond anything I could imagine. A note of love for me to tuck deep into my heart and hold onto.

You see, I got a kiddo, well actually 5 of them. But this kiddo, some would say he has 'special needs'. He is absolutely brilliant. Far too brilliant for his age and he struggles socially. The memories of my childhood have come rushing back. I try to not share too much of his struggles. Labels, misconceptions, gossip, prejudice are all things that concern me. I want to protect him as much as I can from these.

For as long as I can remember, I have asked God for my life to be the one that breaks unhealthy cycles. I didn't know what that would end up looking like, nor how hard it would be to endure, I just didn't want things to continue as they were. As we were taking note of this kiddo's struggle, our life as we knew it was shattered, the pieces were like broken glass spread out on the ground. But God used this horror of horrors in our family, to introduce us to a wonderful team of people. With them we began to pick up the pieces. Funny thing is, you can't put glass back together again and have it look beautiful. It ends up cracked with little pieces missing. However, God creates beauty. That is what He has done and is doing with our broken pieces. I didn't want what I had before, He knew that. If someone asked me to describe what I want, I would not be able to. But God knows what I want. He even knows what it looks like. So the healing began, and then, we began to seek insight and help with this beloved child of ours. With the passing of weeks, the tears, the fears, and whys, God has continued to put back together the broken pieces. Not into what was there before, but into a beautiful work of art, a mosaic made out of the past but into something new and beautiful.

As with many works of art, the artist is never quite finished, there is always something. No difference here, at least for now. But every once in a while, the Artist lets you have a sneak peek. That is what happened a couple of weeks ago. God gave me a sneak peek, a truth I could hold onto, to ponder and cling to. This child of mine has a heart of gold, is challenging to parent, but has the sweetest, biggest heart. I have struggled this spring. Lots of invitations to travel and explore, but I would have to go alone with all the kids. We are still trying to get medicines fine tuned. Weather and schedule changes add other challenges. I confessed to our friend, Ms. Amy, I am scared to travel alone with the kids, all things considered. I know the kids want to, but I know how challenging it would be. She is sympathetic. She understands. She offers some encouragement. Then it is time to be one on one and so I leave. While I am alone, I remember the meaning of this child's name. Source of healing, a good steward of what God has given. I cling to these promises, because after all, I didn't choose his name. God impressed this name on my heart. I rest in my heavenly Father, enjoy a few peaceful " Just as quickly, they are there. A hug for me from my tender hearted child. Special words for me from Ms. Amy. Out of the blue, off topic, these words were said, "God made me special." "He loves me and lives in my heart." Nothing to do with the pictures being colored. Nothing to do with topics of school work and activities. Just a simple declaration.

My prayer is that he will know God's love. He will grow in stature and wisdom. He will trust the Lord and live a life that is for the Lord. That no matter what, he is special to God. God did not make a mistake when he made him, he is special and has a plan for him. And right now, God is using him to heal my heart and change the pieces of the past into a beautiful work of art.

...7..8..9..10....Cast or Not Here We Come

2011-05-18T16:45:00.003-05:00

For me it has been a week. Just busy. All the mom hats I keep juggling. This week we took Flutter Nutter to the ENT for post-op follow-up. A+, Great ! But since it is in the same building as our other doctors, the stories from April come up. AND...We were there just lask week to get Flutter Nutter's cast removed and arm x-rayed again. We will be there next week, for one more follow-up on the broken arm. Not to mention all the other "little" incidents. Have I ever mentioned the ladies at the front desk, who check us in, know us. They KNOW us. THEY KNOW ALL my kids by NAME. THEY KNOW them so well, they often don't have to ask us for birthdates to verify who we are. THEY KNOW US!
So this crazy, busy week as I try to get ready for FUN MOM's 15th birthday. Yep, 15! I am little buzzy over that one. Driver's permit here she comes if she ever finishes her freshman year. I may just fail her in a couple of subjects. Of course, 11 year old Hockey Player, has this light fuzz of a mustache going on and he'll be 12 soon. Little Princess cries at the drop of a hat, slams doors and is sooo obviously becoming hormonal with her 10th birthday looming around the corner. It is so much fun, when Fun Mom doesn't understand why Little Princess is being "so, so, so WHAT is wrong with her???" Well let's see, when did you hit puberty, Fun MOM? Her response, "10.5-11 years old???"
MMMhmmm, and how old is she???
Fun Mom immediately collapses in "No Way ! ! NOOOooooOOOOoooOOO, she is my LITTLE sister."

But back to topic, what does casting got to do with all this. Defintely not fishing this time. I am in this little tumbleweed called life. A friend is over, taking care of late afternoon stuff. Feeling a bit overwhelmed cause I am having difficulty finding the correct feathers. Another topic in of itself. But they are needed for the birthday this week.
In this tumbleweed, of my so called life, walks Flutter Nutter sobbing. He has tripped over Gus. Gus is our friendly bark-o-meter. He likes to be underfoot. Unfortunately.
So perceiving these cries were more of indignation, I ask Flutter Nutter, "Is this a hurt cuz something is broken and we need to go to the doctor."
FN: "No" He comes to get a hug and walks back off to go play.
Minutes later, in walks two of the neighbor boys, "Hockey Player is hurt."
OKay, my brain switches pathways and I think, is this the kind of hurt that is bothering them more than Hockey Player. Well, I don't hear crying, must be okay. Didn't quite register that Hockey Player doesn't cry, holler, sob or wail, he just gets very stoic and even more quiet.
But wait, here comes Hockey Player, and in my experienced mom way I ask, "Anything broken?"
To which he responded, "I don't think so, it just hurts."
OK. Good, go on doing your thing. Back to the tumbleweed.
30-45 minutes later, things are calming down on the homestead some. House is quiet and my nerves and thoughts have quieted some as well. In walks Hockey Player, very quietly, "My arm really hurts."
OKKKkkkkaaaay.
I have him come to me. I manipulate it, touch, poke, prod. Get some "oOoOOOows", and some "that doesn't hurts." What did you do exactly? I was hiding, and Daddy's Buddy was in the suburban. I didn't know he was. He opened the door and... WHACKED his brother good. Where is the eye ball rolling dizzy little emoticon for a time like this? ? Who knew Hide and Seek could be so dangerous?
Call the doc, cause it is 4:30, and maybe they can give me some guidance. I am sooo very tired of walking in there with injuries this Spring. There is no bruise, no swelling, just a bump. But it is a bump with a scratch. I get those bumpy scratches too. Nurse tells me, yes, can have a broken bone with no swelling and no bruising. Really ? ? Learning something new, again!
However, if his arm is broken, all they can do tonight is Xray it and confirm one way or the other. No casting till the next day. So, we have a choice. Keep him comfortable for the night and go in the next day or go to the doc possibly 2 days in a row. Hockey Player, opted being kept comfortable and waiting for 'tomorrow'.
At one point, he gets nauseated from the pain. But then he is fine. Ice and elevation. This morning it hurts more. At the doctor's office, it doesn't hurt that bad, BUT he is trying to tie his shoe with one hand. It doesn't hurt so bad, as long as he doesn't move it.
Off to X-ray. Where they know us very well. However, I did have to clarify this visit was for a new injury, different child. I am holding a brace in my hand. Forgot to mention, Fun Mom pulled out her brace from when she sprained her wrist, just happened to be for the left arm, and gave it to Hockey Player the night before, for stability. The reception asked us, if we had come into the doc and got the brace, or we had one already. Laughter, and yep, we had one at home that happened to fit. From there the conversation digressed.
In some families, the kids wear hand-me down clothes. The Clark household wears hand-me down casts and braces. We wondered if we could hand-me down stitches as well. And mind you, we do have the casts from the past. So we could rubber band those on. Good to know, if we ever find ourselves without insurance. So, I am psychotically laughing by now. X-rays are done and it is time to get the news. No Broken Bones, a Bruised Bone. To which the doctor tells Hockey Player, you can milk this one for a while. He then proceeds to pulling out a sling, telling us Hockey Player should keep his arm in the sling until he feels his arm is doing well enough without it. I, of course, ask how long this typically is. 10 days or so. WOW! Hence, the permission to milk this one for a while. Fortunately, he hurt his left arm. So he can still do work. I graciously pointed this out and that if he really wanted to get out of school work, he would need to get a serious concussion that would prevent him keeping his eyes open and keep his head hurting enough so that thinking would be difficult.
Bruised Bone. A new one for us.

Free Home School Curriculum!! Anyone ? ?

2011-05-15T22:28:00.002-05:00

So, I have been using Swagbucks for quite a while. I have Amazon Gift Codes built up. I have money deposited into my Paypal account. But it wasn't until tonight I realized I could use those Amazon codes to purchase some of my homeschool curriculum. I needed to order something and then to get free shipping, I was pondering what else was on my shopping list. It dawned on me to check on some of the items on my school shopping list. Oh, yeah! Happy Dance! ! ! Handwriting is ordered, on its way and it cost me nothing. That is how I like it! !
So if you haven't signed up with Swagbucks yet, you might want to think about it. And if you decide to, will you sign up through my link. I get bonus swagbucks for making the referral.
Oh, Happy dance ! !

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The Long Wait is Over.... (pictures)

2011-05-03T09:20:00.005-05:00

The Long Wait is Over....

2011-05-03T01:46:00.007-05:00

Timing is everything. Sometimes the timing is long in coming. The kids, their dad and I have been talking for a long time (4 years long time) about going fishing. Not living in the same town, it gets a little hard to coordinate such an endeavor. Add in emphysema, weather, health, and schedules....well time has flown by. But with Grandpa's latest visit, we made a point of it to go fishing. Only one fish was caught. We give credit to Flutter Nutter. It was his line. This fish ended up being half as big as him. I had the privlege of reeling in the catch of the day. Of course. as it always goes, there is a story to this fish. We had been catching lots of rocks and brush. So when I took the line I was convinced he needed help freeing himself from a rock. A tug, a little slack and then a big tug.... A FISH! Well we had been watching the kids on the shore and what they were catching. They weren't anything all that exciting big. An exciting catch but nothing to run and go get a camera for. The line was really pulling. I was trying to not be wimpy. Then this fish surfaced. "HELP" "HELP!" I am hollering. Then realizing dad can't help, he is connected to his O2 tubes. Big O Daddy O is busy with 3 other kids and their fishing poles. "HELP!" "HELP" They are all laughing, until they take a look. Quick as he can BODO is getting the net. A little bit of comedy there, trying to maneuver around children, fishing poles and the mom, yelling, "HELP!" "HELP!"

We defintely took pictures and the kids quickly turned to Grandpa and asked what kind of fish it was. It was definitely not crappie. DRUM fish. The kids were quick to say, "Of course, it is flipping around in the boat and it sounds like a drum." I got a quick lesson in freeing the fish from the hook and putting him on a string and hanging him off the boat. Back to fishing we went. With a little convincing the kids agreed to free this fish back to the waters till next time. Disembarked the boat with stories to tell and dreams of the one that got away were still to be had in their sleep. Looking forward to the next adventure!

April Reflections, part 5, the finale

2011-04-26T00:54:00.003-05:00

Day 8 of this roller coaster. I am blogging.
I truly hope, this will be the last of the spring time excitement. I have yet to check, but I think we are probably close to having exhausted our flex account.
Monday morning started with a quick shower, history lesson about Justinian 1 and Theodora. I knew it would be the only lesson I would get done for the day.
Flutter Nutter in his PJs is out the door promptly at 8 am.
Time for ear tubes.
All went well, till the recovery.
I did not expect 30 minutes of crying.
and drama...remember the ER.
DRamA.
Flutter Nutter is king of drama.
Nurse would walk into the recovery area and wailing and sobbing when resume.
Thermometers were as scary as a horror film.
I was compassionate. I was kind. But completely not prepared emotionally for how emotional he was. I mean, I had ear tubes. I remember being a little freaked out by bloody cotton balls laying by my head and the fact I was in bed with a sheet over me and my gown and undies were missing. But then again, that was 30 years ago. I don't remember crying.
I asked him what he wanted to eat.
FN: "I can't eat today!" more sobbing.
Misunderstanding, fasting only until surgery was over.
In that case. McDonald's.
Can do.
Then he remembers the lollipops.
The nurse comes into the room.
FN: "I think that was worth 2"
She looks at me.
I laugh. He thinks what he has been through is worth 2 lollipops. She smiles.
And returns with another lollipop.
So I take him to McDonald's and like any good mother, I remember the Gymboree email I received this morning.
Gymboree is 2 miles away.
I coax him into letting me shop. $2.99 sale! TV, chairs, lounge and rest. Drink your root beer.
YES! He agreed. Turned out to be a good thing. An hour later, he was feeling much better and ready to see his siblings.
I scored some awesome deals.
Casting in the afternoon. More appointments scheduled for the ENT and follow up for the broken arm.
Wiggles, and wiggles and wiggles.
FN: "I am not allowed to hit you guys with my cast!"
That's right. Rule number 1 from the doctor.
Daddy's Buddy is quick to say he would have chosen the neon green. Without thinking, I said, "Well, break your arm and you can have whatever color you want."
Hmmm, running out of humor and patience and little fried.
Doctor was quick to say, "Shhh, don't say that. That one would likely take you up on it!"
CHOKE, GAG, he's right, what was I thinking?
By now, my boys look like they have beaten each other up. But it is all self~inflicted.
Do they slow down? No.
Do they care their mother's nerves are shot? No

Then.... yes, there is a then....
Almost bedtime and FN has a gushing bloody nose. Noticed by Little Princess.
Caused by picking his nose, of course.
Blood everywhere. We are trying to clean him up.
He sobs, dramatically, of course,

"It's just be mean to Flutter Nutter Day!"

and I am sure it very well felt like that. Tubes, fasting, casting, nose bleeds, blankies being washed...

Tomorrow had better be "Pamper the Mom day, cause she needs a vacation!"

April Reflections, part 4...

2011-04-26T00:42:00.003-05:00

Easter Morning arrives.
Unfortunately, it didn't have the same bright, sunny outlook in my heart. I love Easter. But after the week I had been having, I was in survival/crisis mode. I just couldn't summon the excitement of the day and the time to celebrate with family. I wanted a quiet place. A place where noone could get hurt. Starting to dread the sound of a whimper, cry or my name being called. When the kids wiggled too much, anxiety was starting to seize me. They just needed to be still.
Of course, Flutter Nutter was still coming off the steroids and that was super difficult for him. AND for ME!
We make it through the morning and lunch no injuries.
Off to my in-laws for the games, hunt, and more food.
Flutter Nutter managed to fall trying to climb over a cinder block. Caught himself with his broken arm, but scraped up his knee pretty good. He fell over the brick that surrounds the fireplace, someone caught him just in time. FINALLY, he fell head first into Grandpa's exterior door. Another good egg on the top of his head. He split the wood on the door.
I wAs DoNE!!
DONE .
There was joking and laughing, warrior stuff, brush it off, haha...
The type of things I say, nOrmAlLY.
But not today.
Not this time.
I very firmly, (probably almost hysterically) told BigODaddyO, Flutter Nutter was going to sit down with an ice pack on his head. I DID NOT CARE what anyone else had to say or think about it. I was DONE and he was going to be iced !
Then, I went and finished my PEPSI.

April Reflections, part 3...

2011-04-26T00:12:00.002-05:00

Yep, part 3. I don't know how many parts there are going to be.
So we get the young man splinted up and home.
There wasn't much sleeping that night. The docs failed to give us anything for the pain, his or ours. So I held out till it daylight and paged the doc on call. Sweet Tylenol with Codeine was called out for us! Hope for sleep that night! ! !
Alas, we still have a full day. We don't stop, no siree, this crew just keeps putting one foot in front of the other.
We deliver dad's boat to the marina. We deliver children to the aunt's house to fill Easter eggs. We sneak in a mini nap. Head home, but pick up the TyLeNoL with CODEINE! Feed children. Go over the outdoor play rules.
"MOOOOooooM! ! Daddy's Buddy has a goose egg on his forehead!"

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So not excited. I mean, they didn't say he fell out of the fort. How bad could it be?

Oh my stinking WORD! It was the size of the Easter eggs they had been filling!
What did HE DO? ? ?

"I hit my head like this.." (he nods his head forward)

Really??? Just to hit your head? WHY? ? ?

DB: "NOOoooo, we were wrestling up in the fort and I fell like this (forward) into that piece of wood (2X4), like this (nod)"

Somehow in all of that these words came trickling out of my mouth..
"Really? ! ? ! ?"
"Wrestling in the fort?"
"After your brother just fell and broke his arm?"
"What on earth?"
"That's it, everyone in!"
"Showers! BED! I AM DoNe, DONE, DONE!!!!
I wish I could say the story ended there.
You see, earlier in the day, we were alerted to some very red hands. VERY RED Hands! Bright red. There was a time before, when we couldn't identify the source of the red color. Well thankfully, God reminded me of the koolaid packets I had discovered in the back of the suburban while we were hooking up the boat.
NoT bLoOd this time.
So it is bath time for Daddy's Buddy. He likes showers, but his hands are still dyed red and I sentenced him to a long soak to get his hands back to their normal color. Easter is the next day and Mom would like the kids to look somwhat nice considering the goose eggs, black eyes, scrapes, stitches and broken arm.
Bath is over and Daddy's Buddy comes crying. "My hand still stings."
What? ? Why would his hand be stinging?
First thought, he was messing with the razors...
I ask to see his hand.
Sure enough, superficial (doesn't need stitches) slice from the palm to the first knuckle on the finger.
"What did you do?" I asked.
DB: "When I hit my head, I went like this. (Caught himself with his hands.) There was big pieces of wood in my hand, but (with some enthusiasm here) I pulled them out."
** SIGH **
Neosporin, band aides, eczema creams, bed.

April Reflections, part 2...

2011-04-25T23:35:00.005-05:00

So, I am thinking, I should know by now there will be at least 1 week of roller coasting every spring and fall. Something about the change of seasons and activity level of my children. I am never prepared for it.

So in my last post I discussed Daddy's Buddy adventure. I completely forgot to mention we were at the dr. office on Monday for Flutter Nutter. Simple sinus infection...nope, sinus infection with bronchitis developing and wheezing. Dr. decided breathing was an important thing for the kid so he put him on STEROIDS and ALBUTEROL breathing treatments. Sounds like the dr. doesn't like me. We are sent to the ENT the next day.

ENT says lots of fluid and diminished hearing. TuBeS will be needed. OK...I am OK, I can deal with this.

So I spend the afternoon making phone calls and setting up appointments for the oral surgeon and ear tube surgery. (Yes, oral surgeon. I have 2 girls who will get to have oral surgery this spring/summer.)

Normal Wednesday after stitches and phone calls on Tues. Relatively normal Thursday.

Friday evening.

"Flutter Nutter fell, he is crying!"

"Flutter Nutter fell, from the fort!"

I have to make sense of 3 children ages 9, 7, and 6 as they tell stories of what happened and try to coax a sobbing 5 year old to tell me what hurts and what happened. Apparently, only the 6 yr. old saw what happened, and only briefly as she went about playing. Flutter Nutter was too preoccuppied crying to be able to tell me much. I did manage to discover he could not hold a bowl with his left hand. His eyes appeared to be equal and reacting to light appropiately. From what I could piece together, he fell about 8 feet onto a 2x4. His face was scraped pretty good, a few scrapes on his neck and back. But his arm.... not so good.

Into the car. Hockey Player went with us. Needed someone to keep an eye on him in the back seat. Good thing.

All was fine. Immediate Care could see him. Then he fell asleep. FELL ASLEEP. Couldn't hold his head up as we tried to talk to him fall asleep. He did cry really hard for 30 minutes. There was a huge adrenaline rush, and exhaustion tends to follow after that. BUT, he did fall 8 feet and he did hit his head. So the dr. office sent us to the ER. Hockey Player sat with him and tried to keep him awake. About a mile from the ER he gets Flutter Nutter to play I SPY. Checked in, he's counting to 15 and remembers 2 months ago we were there in the ER and he got a popsicle. Does he get another one??? he wants to know. Concussion ruled out.

Xrays, more tears, a buckle fracture of the wrist.

I try to wipe his face clean and discover splinters sticking in his cheek. I ask for tweezers and get a doctor. I hold him down and dr. removes splinters. Arm gets splinted, we get sent home.

Friday night! As we leave, Flutter Nutter is being a bit dramatic. Even the doctor commented on his drama skills. I lovingly encouraged FN to try out the children's theatre. Wouldn't be wonderful if one day he was accepting an Oscar, and was able to thank his mother for the time we were in the ER and she encouraged him to pour that passion and emotion into theatre. He didn't think that was such a great idea.

Webinz manages to be a wonderful distraction. How I am able to respond so calmly? It is only by the Grace of God. My sense of humor, again, the Grace of God.

April Reflections, part 1...

2011-04-23T10:17:00.002-05:00

The morning after a sleepless night and I must write these thoughts and memories down before I forget. There just might come a day I need to hand some of these stories over to the children I am blogging about.
It has been an interesting week to say the least.
Monday started off busy as always. Tuesday came along and I scratched my plans to head out for the evening and opted to curl up with the kids and ice cream. It would have been better for all of us if we had headed out. Approaching 7:00 and with bedtime looming I told these sweethearts to get a move on, get ready for bed, get their ice cream and lets watch this movie or there won't be time before lights out. What sweet, obedient children they are, the obeyed and got busy. Daddy's Buddy hurried to do my bidding and ran into his brother's bowl of ice cream. Hockey Player came into the room and said DB was crying because he ran into his bowl. Not too alarmed, not hearing the cries, I didn't think too much of it.
In walks Daddy's Buddy and blood is running down his face and I see a hole to the side of his eye. I YELL, "Go to the kitchen!" Of course, then everyone is wanting to know what is wrong. I just know I want blood on the kitchen floor, not the carpet and everywhere else. We have done that before.
Quick call to Immediate Care and they have a pediatrician on duty that can do stitches. Into the car with DB and the rest stay home to watch the movie and eat ice cream. As we are leaving DB asks, "What about my ice cream?" To which I holler into the house, "Put DB's and my ice cream in the freezer please. Bedtime is 8:30"
But it only gets better. The receptionist, nurses and doctor all ask, "How did you cut yourself?"
DB and I respond with, "Ran into a bowl of ice cream?"
"No, really, what happened?"
Me: "Really, he ran into a bowl of ice cream."
I then have to explain the looming bedtime, the movie they want to watch and ice cream they want to eat and the hurry to grab a bowl and get sat down for the movie. Then they want to know what kind of bowl. A normal, rounded, cereal bowl, that is very cold with ice cream. In response, we discover this is a first for them. Bowl of ice cream takes out boy! Then I pull a mom moment, as they get everything ready to numb and stitch. There is a little (much littler) girl out there waiting to be stitched as well. I tell DB he has to be really brave and not scare her with lots of screaming and crying.
2 Stitches later and lots of bravery on his part we are home eating ice cream and watching Tangled. DB is appropiately impressed with Rapunzel's ability with a cast iron skillet.

Summer Reading comes Early ! !

2011-04-16T19:28:00.003-05:00

I love Reading Programs and their REWARDS! So when my friend, Susan, emailed me this link I had to check it out! Scholastic and Kumon join together to offer free books for completing math and reading activities. I can't wait to include these activities into the kids' school work. They will enjoy picking their books out and getting their own package in the mail!

Quoteables Courtesy of Little Princess...

2011-04-06T22:16:00.003-05:00

It has been a busy day! All seven of us had eye appointments. (Yep, that is right. We have a wonderful eye doctor who will give us an entire morning ! And we clear the calendar and do not let anything get in the way.)

So for about half of us the day started super early. We don't all go in at the same time. The beauty of being a 2 car family. However, the 2 car luxury is only a benefit if the car keys for the second car are left for the other parent. Oops! A panicked call and 20 minutes later, both vehicles are humming down the road.

Appointments completed and the first group is off to Grandpa's. Wednesdays with Grandpa! The girls and I complete our exams, select glasses and pay. Pick up lunch, stop at the grocery store and finally arrive at Grandpa's. Then a whirlwind trip home, a quick dinner and back out the door to church.

So where does the quoteable come in??

Well my sister has been trying to get a hold of me. If we didn't live in two different time zones our availability to chat with one other would probably be at the same time. Since she feels she must live near the mountains and so far away, we find it impossible to live in the same time zone and connect most days.

So on the way home from church with me yawning, I try to finally return all of her unanswered calls. Is she able to talk? NO! But she was quick to say, get the kids in bed quick when you get home so we can talk. Well the ever cooperative younger sister who listens to the Older Bossy Sister all the time is quick to announce to the kiddos, "Aunt 'Shell says you are to go to bed the minute we get in the door so she can talk to me!"

To which Little Princess responds with, "Why?"
Because..... she wants to talk to me and has been calling all day and if you guys go to bed she will be able to talk to me uninterrupted.

To which Little Princess asks very seriously, "Can she just call you on Saturday?" "At 8 P.M."

Really ? ? ? Did she really just ask me this? ?
To which Fun Mom chokes and responds with, "That is 3 days away."

LP responds, "Yeah, but I want to stay up."

The whole time, I am thinking Saturday... hmmm, bridal shower, dad has class, 2 kids have a birthday party to go to, one child has a church thing to go to, groceries, laundry... Yep, I am free on Saturday to schedule a phone call with my sister! N * O * T * ! ! 8pm....that is the getting ready for bed witching hour....showers, teeth, delays, one more thing mom! Oh yeah, no phone call happening there. No wonder they think I don't have a life.

Drugstore . Com ! !

2011-03-28T14:59:00.003-05:00

So excited! I received an email earlier in the month from Paypal. If I made a $20 purchase at Drugstore dot com. I could get $10 off if I used my Paypal account to pay. Pushed it off to the side cause I couldn't think of anything to get. Got a reminder email today that the offer was expiring soon. So I did a quick scan through the coupons they were offering. Voila! A coupon for Zyrtec. I am needing Zyrtec alright. Sale + coupon puts me below the mark for free shipping. Add another bottle. Free Shipping and $11 cheaper than if I had gone to the store to get it with a coupon. Woohoo! Allergies ~ I am ready for you.

Wish I Could Sleep Like My Children !

2011-03-26T18:29:00.004-05:00

But of course, he would tell you, "I am just resting my eyes!"

Because naps and sleeping at this age is an insult.

I just love how he started off kinda off sitting on the bedside table and then ended up sprawled out on the table and the end of the bed.

Spring! ! I love Spring! !

2011-03-26T17:30:00.003-05:00

I love Spring! I love new flowers blooming. I love flowering trees. The poking ups of green stems and leaves of new plants breaking through the ground. I love new baby green grass.
I don't love pollen and sneezing and snuffling. But I love the warmth of the sun and the cool breezes. I love the sounds of children playing outside.
It doesn't mean I don't love the other 3 seasons. There are things I love about all the seasons and what they represent. So I try to be content in the season I am in presently. Figuratively and literally. Life. It is what it is. Sometimes, life is hard. Sometimes, it is really hard. Othertimes, life is not so bad, pretty good actually. But always there is something beautiful and something to love about each moment. God can use all these moments for His glory and I choose to focus and stand on that rock and promise.

This has been a difficult winter. I know I have posted that. I have struggled with how much to blog and share. So I have been mostly silent through the past winter. Instead, clinging to the promises in God's Word. He has a plan for our lives. Plans for our good, not to harm us. He uses all things for His glory.
Winter has a cozy effect on me. I like to curl up and stay warm. But I need sunshine. So much so, that during the winter I have been known to rearrange the furniture so I can curl up and soak in the sunbeams shining through the windows. I love sunshine. I open all the blinds much to the annoyance of some family members. Gotta have that sunshine. It has been suggested that I might consider getting a light or two for my home. The kind of lights that simulate sunshine and help with seasonal depression related to the gray and gloomy days of winter. It is being considered. We have had a child diagnosed with a mood disorder and have struggled through the process of medications this winter. We are getting to know this child for the first time. Who this child is without the mood issues. We know all of our children are amazing and fearfully & wonderfully made.
But we missed the sensitivity a child is able to express. The hugs that young children give. We are working on finding a balance with medications and side effects. On the other hand, we are enjoying some of the side effects... Hugs! Laughter! Contentment! Joking! The little notes of love and tenderness children leave all over the home. In the midst of cleaning this weekend, I rediscovered the window markers. This is what I found this afternoon on the windows. Along with the changes of season outside, I like the energy that seems to explode in our beings with the coming of Spring. The extra energy that enables us to clean the gardens. The energy that allows children toplay for hours on end outside. The energy that seems to encourage creativity and playfulness. So of course, I couldn't let him have all the fun. I like to joke and tease. That means when you have an ultra cool tween age boy who can't be caught dead showing any affection to his mother in front of anyone. He even waits to give good night hugs to me, when noone was around. Oops the secret is out! hee, hee So I couldn't help myself, I had to announce my love to this other son of mine. I got a shake of the head and a grimace smile. Sometime later, there was a response written back. Not sure if one of the girls tried their own hand at teasing their brother. Maybe, he wrote it. He won't ever admit it though. But I will take what I get. I will enjoy the seasons for all the bring.

On the front door no less. Wondering when he will wash it off. Before his friends come over?

So proud of me ! !

2011-03-23T10:45:00.003-05:00

It is spring break in our neighborhood and I have 4 extra children in my yard plus 4 of my own.
I am loving the sounds of it.
Cause they are in my yard working, being silly and chatting like crazy.
They are pulling the weeds for me. :)
Of course, I told them if they cleaned out my gardens I would pay each of them $5.
But hey, it is getting done and here I am blogging about it.
So while they are hard at work, I shall get to the work inside that so needs to be done. The work I would rather do than pulling weeds.

We are soo stinking spoiled!

2011-03-10T09:49:00.003-06:00

I must say, I love it!
The quick and easy answer to the following question, "How much longer?"
This site tracks flights for you and those desperate little ones who just can't wait to see their most loved one of the day.
They can, also, learn a little geography in the process.

GPS gizmos in the car are another fave. That little friend of ours, she charts our course and gives us an estimated time of arrival, how many more miles and how far to the next bathroom.

In a Whirl of Thoughts, Ideas and Questions...

2011-03-10T00:36:00.002-06:00

........and still not getting anywhere.
It is late and my research on the internet has netted me no greater insight to my delimma. A week long getaway with hubby to relax, discuss and plan is no where in the near future. The topic at hand: Home School Scheduling, year round vs. traditional public school schedule with some flexibility.
I am all for the year round. But I imagine it being incredibly difficult to manage in our neighborhood and our social circles. Mutiny from children who have friends not in school and they have lessons to do. Nevermind, there will be days they are off from school when their friends aren't. They want their cake and to eat it too. I have it tenatively planned out. 3 day school weeks in the spring and/or summer. 4 day school weeks during the remainder of the year. 10 weeks off throughout the year.

Why do I hesitate? I get tired. Tired of mustering the enthusiasm "to do school". Tired of the monotony. Home schooling is great. But it isn't easy. Currently there is the dread of the end of May and not being done. Which means we have to go into summer. Which means no break for momma. Momma needs a break. I MEAN Momma NEEDS a Break!

Schooling was easier when there was one and then two. I didn't REALLY understand that it was easier. I was struggling to get things done with toddlers and newborns and sleep deprivation. I listened to moms when they said it wouldn't get any easier. I just didn't understand why it wouldn't. Now I have a general idea. 7 individual personalities under one roof. Many different learning styles. Seven beautifully and wonderfully knitted by God, distinctfully, different people with (Oh MY!) sin natures! ! On a good day, only one of the seven struggle with a sin nature that disrupts the flow of the day. But watch out, for the days, when there is more than one at a time. And beware of when the Momma has her moments. Cause she has her moments and she doesn't get to just send the kids off for the day and have her moment privately! Throw in a week or two of sick days. Family emergencies, grandparents, activities, spring like winter days and spring fever and it is a wonder that we ever accomplish anything. My youngest two have completed preschool via PBS! Gotta love PBS, they know how to count to 20 and recognize their letters.
Which all leads to the researching I have been doing. A lot of research and little data collected. What I have been trying to discover is what is it really like homeschooling year round? What are the pitfalls? the difficulties? I have one kiddo who needs a regular schedule all the time. Disrupt the routine and it can take weeks to get back on track. That alone, is the reason for our interest in year round schooling. Then again this kid is savvy enough to know other kids get the summer off from school. I have to agree, the idea of 3 months off and just "playing" is wonderful. For this homeschool mom, just to be mom and not teacher is just delightful! So what do we do?
Haven't figured that out yet. But it is making me look really hard at the way we have been "schooling." Still thinking, praying and pondering.

Did you know? Now I know! !

2011-03-06T00:11:00.005-06:00

Ever wonder how someone's keys can just be there on the ground by the side of the road. Maybe it is a water gun or a pair of scissors. I have wondered how on earth some of this stuff gets lost! Now, I know. I wish I didn't know. All you need is a kid who can get into things and not put them back where they belong.
Today...Daddy's Buddy "borrowed" Dad's keys to get something out of dad's car.
Didn't just unlock the door from the garage door and hang them back up. Nope! He carried them out to the car. Then he carried them into the garage and placed them on the suburban's side runner. Close but not close enough to the keys' home. Hockey Player saw him do it. He didn't stop to think that is not where they belong. Nope! Not one bit ~ ARGH!
Big grocery shopping trip across town at the commissary. We drove the suburban of course. didn't know to check for car keys. Few more errands in the suburban. Time to go to Bingo, BigODaddyO can't find his car keys. Little bit of irritation, little bit of frustration, story comes out..........ugh!
I walked the neighborhood, hoping maybe they bounced off close to home. No such luck. Should be interesting to learn how much this one is going to cost. No spare keys for the car. :( That was the only set. At least I got a really good, long walk with the dog out of this experience.
All those things along the side of the road, are probably there courtesy of some young child who went to bed wishing he had listened about putting things away when you are done with them!

Did you know...

2011-03-01T09:38:00.002-06:00

generic medicines are not always "the same" as their name brand counterparts.

Discussing meds with our clinician at a checkup we were told that generic drugs can vary plus or minus 20% in their makeup compared to the name brand.
That is a 40% difference!
Not a big deal, necessarily, with some medications, but...........
Needless to say, I was quite shocked.
We have been advised to start saving our prescription bottles. When they are completed, writing on them about how that "month" went while taking that bottle of medicine.

Formulas differ from company to company. (The pharmaceutical company is listed on the prescription label.) Pharmacies often choose the company offering the best deal at the time when they purchase their stock. So there is no guarantee a maintenace dosage will be the same from month to month!

No matter how many times doctors and pharmacists have tried to reassure me generic is no different than name brand, I have not agreed. I realize we are talking about milligrams and micrograms and 20% may not seem like a lot when calculated. But when the dosage is 12.5 milligrams, we are talking about super small dosages. Basically, a little bit goes a looooong way! In this case, a teeny tiny little bit goes a long way! 10 mg, is not enough and 15 mg is too much.
AIY!
And now it is all beginning to make more sense....

A new month...

2011-03-01T08:58:00.003-06:00

The month of February was a tough one. It may be shorter in days, but it seemed like the longest month of the year. I clung to the verses Romans 5:3-5
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, nowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, becuase the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
I even whined about God training me for a marathon, even though I don't like to run. But you need perseverance to finish the race. Faith and character is defined by how you respond to trouble. Hope comes from the faith we have in God's loving plan for our lives and this time on earth is so short when compared to eternity.
I am grateful the month is over and a new one starting, however, I am grateful for all I learned and gained during this season of testing.
I am grateful:
*answers to prayers
*for a strong minded child who will submit to discipline even though it is uncomfortable
*for a diagnosis of bi-polar, we now know what we struggle against and can seek treatment accordingly
*for insurance
*for friends who have walked the path of aging parents and can suggest a rehab hospital when we have only minutes to decide
*that it was only a puppy that bit Flutter Nutter, I originally thought it was an adult dog
*we knew the owners and were able to get the dog's shot history
*for short but sweet visits with out of town brothers
*for a phone call from my brother to let me know he is okay. I haven't heard from in at least 3 years
*my brother telling me he is praying and talking to God
*for a husband who will intervene and shield me from neighborhood drama
*for clinicians who are able to offer valuable insight into the world of generic medications (a whole other post)
*for homeschooling and the flexibility it gives us to embrace tough times like these as a family
*beautiful mid~winter days at the park to soak in the sunshine and take mental health days
*a wonderful Sunday School class of ladies who understand the need to allow the tears to flow and let me because to do so at home, distresses the children too much
*google calendars and all I am learning in how to streamline things at home and reduce paper clutter
*technology in general, so helpful in maintaining lines of communication when life gets harried and scary hard
*a husband who will read a book I am reading when he would rather be doing something else
*a therapist who is just amazingly big hearted and encouraging, who finds such joy and positive qualities in my child
*a therapist who gives hope, hope that my child's future can be different than what I have seen in others
*family therapy
*blue skies and bright sunny days like today
*excitement and anticipation of a family trip to St. Louis for hockey and fun

My Favorite Quoteables of the Day

2011-02-25T19:09:00.004-06:00

Courtesy of Hockey Player.
The Mom: HP, have you learned the states and their capitals?
HP: Some of them, I know more now than I knew before.
Mom: Laughter, lots of laughter. Maybe, 5 minutes of laughter. It sure did not generate the same enthusiastic chuckle from dad. Though Dad said, "Wow, he used more than one word to answer!"
Hockey Player is honest. He is a man of few words. But how can you argue with, "I know more than before."
Well, he better learn them quick. The test is coming.

Between Fun Mom and Flutter Nutter.
Flutter Nutter is waiting for Fun Mom to finish her homework.
When she finishes there will be a trip to the store for marshmallows for Rice Krispie Treats.
He comes to get close to me, because sometimes he just needs to be right by my side. He discovers my secret stash for Scooby Doo Fruit Snacks! ARGH. He is so sweet..... Yes you can have one. But there is two.
"Can I share them?" he asks.
"No, there's not enough (I have been eating them), go to the table."
"Flutter Nutter, can I have some?" Fun Mom.
FN: "No, not till you finish your school work!"
laughter
FM: "Can I have something to help me get through and finish, an incentive? Pleeeeeease!"
FN: "NO!, not till you finish your work!"
She tries to blackmail him with brownies, to no avail. He wants his Rice Krispie Treats. She best hurry bedtime is in an hour.
I love it, for once it wasn't me ordering her to a chair to get work done! !

The Spoon Theory

2011-02-19T22:36:00.003-06:00

Couple of weeks ago, maybe it was only this past week, my sis told me to check out her blog. Sometimes life is soo much, it is impossible to keep track of the passing of time. I said ookay. Then life happened. Well yesterday, instead of doing what I should, I took a few moments to catch up on the lives of the people I try to follow via their blogs. I was quite behind on some, including my sister's. But I finally got caught up and saw the post and remembered the somewhat emotional phone call and the encouragement to read her blog. This was the post she wanted me to see. This is the link I followed. As I read the spoon theory, I was so comforted. Comforted to know there were others in similar situations. Comforted to know that my sister just might be able to say she "got it" when I had to choose to not take her calls or return them. Comforted to know there was a perfectly wonderful explanation out there and I didn't have to use up any "spoons" trying to figure out how to explain it. Thanks Sis for sharing this with me.

So for anyone who is struggling or knows someone struggling with a chronic physical or mental health condition check out the Spoon Theory. Sometimes, I think the spoon theory is a perfect explanation for the condition of me on any given day. Sometimes, it is the perfect explanation for me, the caregiver, as I have to stop and think through each activity on how it will affect my child who struggles as well. How many spoons do we have together? Sharing rarely works. What if we are both having a day that starts with very few spoons? ! ?

Did you know???

2011-02-04T18:31:00.005-06:00

Vegetable oil works really well on an old can opener that it is hard to turn. (Safer than WD40)
That a 6 year old will eat dinner faster than a speeding bullet with the promise of an egg beater to lick. And a 5 year old will do the same, with a little bit of protesting, "It's not fair!"
That a 6, soon to be 7, year old will behave for big sister and clean house, so Mom can get her errands done and then do the birthday shopping. (I learned this last weekend!)
That Elvis Presley will soothe and calm a confused Grandpa trying to come out of anesthesia.
The same Elvis Presley will entice a much younger generation to smile, dance and not be embarrassed by their mother.
That canned soup, fruit and pie filling can freeze in the can when stored in the garage during the winter.
You can put the frozen cans in the oven while it is pre-heating to thaw them just enough to drop the frozen lump in the pan to thaw and heat.
My children will let me nap 3 hours and will not wake me to ask school questions. They will wait till I am awake to go over the states, the capitals and fractions.

Just a glimpse into the things I have learned today.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things. Phil 4:8

Winter Alpha Omega Publications Sale !

2011-01-30T22:23:00.002-06:00

Alpha Omega Publications is having a Winter Sale. 20% off everything !
January 31, 2011 Only!
We have used Switched on Schoolhouse, Horizons and Life Pacs. My kids have loved them all. Currently my elementary aged kids use Horizons for Math and my first grader uses the Horizons Phonics and Reading. Plenty of practice problems. Lots of color on the pages to capture their interest. We have used Horizons for the last 8 years with great success. I hope we will be able to use it for the next 7 years, until my "baby" is grown up into the middle school years.
I will be definitely checking out the sale and my shopping list for the next school year to see what kind of deals I can find.

New Year and a New Calendar

2011-01-25T16:39:00.004-06:00

I like calendars. The pretty pictures. The memories. Over the past ?? years our calendars have been lovingly created by my mom. A couple of the years, there was a deal I couldn't pass up online, so I made one that way. But every Novemberish mom asks me to make a cd of all the pictures that year. Not an easy feat for me. As the number of pictures I have taken have declined and it would seem some years all the photos would be one or two or maybe 3 children. A couple would be left hanging out there? ? ? I really do love them all. There are just seasons. Like the girl who just is too embarrassed to ever have her picture taken any more.

But the past few years, these calendars have been more for wall art than functional for us. With seven schedules and lives to keep up with, the calendar gets crowded. I have searched and tried a lot of systems. I normally would find one that would work for a season and then I would start searching and praying again. The paper clutter always being such a burden.

Over a year ago, my Fun Mom and I went to Ireland. When we returned, she still had left over spending money! ! Imagine that. She had enough to get an Apple Itouch. Affectionately, renamed Me-touch! I watched her with her toy for a year. Pretty cool little gadget. Talked with a friend, learned a little more about aps. Started thinking....

Then this delightful friend sent me this link. All about using Google calendars for homeschooling. I didn't want a smart phone. Too thrifty to spend the money every month for internet access. However, I was really wanting to empty my hands and not have my bulky calendar. Using an Itouch for a calendar, that convinced me. So my back to school shopping including a very expensive calendar. Over Thanksgiving break I lost my school binder. The one with transcripts, grades and records. UGH ! ! Got me motivated in researching and learning how to use Google calendars for school. In the course of this research I discovered I could save their school records in Google documents! Imagine that. I back up records, but sometimes there is a gap.... Still playing with this idea. Still need to tweak this a bit here and there. But I am learning to not be afraid of all this technology and find a way to make it work for me and my family.

I fell in love with this new techno calendar concept. Enough now, my kids can access their school assignments and schedule on their devices. They can't change anything! They can look ! Of course, they love their "toys" and don't want to lose them. Not like a piece of paper called an assignment sheet. Really like this idea. But it gets better.

Different colors for different kids. Dad's schedule, mom's schedule. I can select which calendars I want to look at. I can choose which calendars to share with each child. But I also created a couple of special calendars. Can't remember where I read this idea but it stuck and I am loving it. I now have a calendar of possibilities. When I find out about something fun to do and don't know if we will. I put on the "Possibilities" calendar. I can hide it if it is cluttering up my screen. But I don't have to hold onto all those extra papers! Then I was collecting a list of prayer requests. Some I was having difficulty to remember because they were for a surgery date in a month, or a meeting in 2 weeks. Then I thought, a "Prayer Request" calendar. I can have repeat for as long as I need to. Plus, whenever I glance at my calendar, I am reminded to pray.

Assignment sheets that can't be lost. Calendars that can be accessed anywhere there is internet service. Reduced paper clutter. Plus, entertainment on the go for Flutter Nutter. He loves to play Angry Birds and Xs and Os (Tic Tac Toe).

Rejoicing !!

2011-01-20T08:50:00.003-06:00

I have been sick and dragging for a week now. This morning I made myself get up. Along with getting up, I was online checking school closings. Not that school closings affect us. It is a balmy 65 degrees in our school today and we need not worry about wind chills or icy roads since we home school. But we do have outside activities that cancel based on the school districts around. Of course it is not just a quick check. 2 minutes ends up in 30 minutes and then an hour. Cleaning up email, cause I haven't read email in 2 days. Clicking onto facebook to get updates on the lives of those I love. One of those updates stirs my heart with such joy, I need to take a minute or two or three to share.
When I can't sleep I pray. Not feeling well much lately, my sleep has been affected at night most of the last week. I have prayed. The subject of many of these prayers have been a sweetheart of little girl named Bethany. Just over a year old. Just having learned to walk. After watching my 5 all go through the milestones, I can imagine her little toddler frankenstein walk and waddle. The joy on her face as she discovers all that she can get into. The stumbles and falls that come with this new ability. Then the heartbreak of seeing her momma's post. Sweet Bethany is in the Burn Center. Several phone calls crying with my friend, I have known since junior high. Knowing the agony of a mommma's broken heart and all I can do is cry with her. Wanting to swoop in and rescue them from it all and not being able to. There is only One who can do anything. He is with them all the time and I cry out to my Heavenly Father on their behalf. Sweet Bethany fell against the glass doors to their gas fireplace. Not into the flames, the glass door. She landed with her palms against the glass door. We know now, these glass doors can reach 250 degrees and hotter. A trip to the ER sends them to the Burn Center in another city. My friend is surrounded by pain and suffering. Her little princess is is agony, but she isn't the only one. Pain and tears like I cannot imagine from many more than just sweet Bethany, it is the burn center. I can only pray for comfort, peace and healing. Dressing changes, and more dressing changes. My friend learns how to change these dressings herself and they get to go home. Lots of back and forth to the burn center. Talk of surgery. Talk of skin grafts. More tears. More pain. More dressings. My friend sobs to me, "I just want my baby's hands back." How easily we take for granted that little chubby fist and its tight grip on our fingers. The joy of playing patty cake and clapping to music. The soft skin and feather touch as the little hand touches us. She may not have fingerprints. A little of humor as Bethany is still Bethany and proves she is still capable of getting into things. God's mercies are new every morning. And then, the dressings come off and no surgery, no skin grafts need to be done! What joy!! All I can say is praise God. Thank you God for healing her little hands. For sparing my friend the agony of her little princess going through surgeries and skin grafts. Lord, please be with the other little ones suffering in the burn unit. Comfort them. Heal them as well Lord.
In an effort to educate people about these fireplaces, my friend is joining with another of her friends, who is currently going through the same thing. They have started the Bethsiah Project. There is a link in the margin.

64 Degrees and it is Dec. 30 ! !

2010-12-30T12:53:00.002-06:00

I am so loving the weather today.
With two sickies in bed with Strep. I have every window and door open today. The house smells of lysol, bleach and the ham in the oven.

I kicked the healthy children outside to play and they all have played out front for much of the afternoon. Street hockey is the theme for the day. When they need to rest they go straight for the legos. Gus is happy as well. He has been tormenting Hockey Player while he tries to play street hockey! He grabs the street hockey ball and goes running. All he needs is a pair of skates. Great defense.

I should have the camera out, but then they will just want to pose and the magic will be lost.

Really? ? People? ?

2010-12-25T20:07:00.002-06:00

Thanks Tina!
For the heads up! Indeed, my blog was hacked again. I have deleted the offending blog posts. Are the people out there so bored they can only find entertainment in loading gobbly gook on my blog. I can think of so many other entertaining things to do.
Naps
Eating turkey.
Chasing my children off to bed and watching a movie with hubby.
Playing scrabble.
Curling up with a good book.
Then there is the practical..which by the way you blog hackers, if you really have that much time on your hands, I would love for you to put your hands to good use and consider using your time to:
sweep and mop my floors
scrub my tubs
clean my little boys' room
scoop dog poo out of the backyard
wash cabinets
finish the basement ceiling
finish the bathroom
lay carpet throughout the house
repair the ceiling in our living room
I am sure one of the children would be more than willing to clog up the toilet to the point it needs to be pulled and cleaned out. That is a fun job!
When that is all done, I have 2 or 3 kiddos who would love to read books to you or have you read to them.
Not to mention all the many charity organizations out there that could use a few extra hands this winter!

My Favorite Quoteable Today !

2010-12-17T12:21:00.001-06:00

"Flutter Nutter I need Jesus!
Bring me Jesus !
Bring me Jesus Now! "

Everyone needs Jesus right? Fun Mom is laughing. She think what I have just hollered dramatically and as enthusiastically as a fire and brimstone preacher is "just wrong!" Why? Cause Jesus is smelly and needs a bath.
Jesus goes everywhere with us. Flutter Nutter loves Jesus so much.
I am washing fleece so it is a perfect time to bathe Jesus!
It is Jesus' fault Flutter Nutter will need lots of orthodontics. Flutter Nutter likes to suck on and chew on Jesus. He puts as much of Jesus into his mouth as possible. He has done this since he was babe. And the orthodontist was the one who discovered the problem a year ago when we had the older ones in her office. She took one look at him and asked us what he sucked on? I thought she must possess some super powers, how could she know? I told her he sucks on his BLANKIE. (Yes, Jesus is a blankie! ) She looked at me incredulous. She said, "Nuh uh." I said, "Oh yeah! He shoves as much as he can in his little ole mouth and sucks on it. Fortunately, he has never suffocated." Light bulbs and an aha moment for the orthodontist. I asked her how she knew. She pointed out how his teeth don't touch anymore when he bites down. Sure enough. I just thought he had a great goofy grin that wrapped itself all over my heart. And he does. What to do? Not much, she is going to make money off of us. She told us it was up to us if we wanted to take the blankie away and have to pay for therapy in addition to orthodontics! Gotta love an orthodotist who is a mom to a large family as well! !

Before you think I am being sacriligeous or blasphemous. Please meet Jesus. We all need Jesus. But sometimes, it is nice to have Jesus here on Earth to wrap yourself up in. Flutter Nutter has just that.

Mom's Reflections...

2010-12-15T21:54:00.003-06:00

I have tried really hard to take the wisdom of those before me to heart.
Especially, "enjoy the children because they grow up all too quickly."
It is true they do grow up quickly and I have found the more children I have the faster they grow up. It wasn't too long ago I looked at my middles and wondered where the preschool/toddler days went. I realized the addition of baby after baby left me with blurry memories. Now I am losing those very same days with my youngest. The olders are bigger and busier and I find myself in this fight against time to gain time with each of them while they are at this very moment. Then there is the struggle with my own selfish nature of just wanting a quiet moment for myself, a nap, a moment to stop and truly look around. There are times when I get the chance to stop and take a deep breath and I realize my surroundings have changed. It is no longer summer, the leaves are falling off the trees and then I blink and I am running for hats and scarves because of the bite in the air.

Lately, I have been savoring the sweetness of Little Princess. Her desire to comfort and serve others. She loves giving back rubs and scratches. She is learning new domestic arts, which she really enjoys.
Savoring the preciousness of Flutter Nutter. He is quick to say thank you without prompting, flatter his momma with no prompting, just the pure love and joy in his heart, and his innocent honesty when he is reflecting on things.
Hockey Player has been renicknamed this year around the house. I affectionately call him "Man-Child" and/or "Mowgli". If you can't remember where these names come from, take sometime to review Jungle Book. In the blink of an eye, Hockey Player has grown. He is no longer a boy, but not quite a man. He is clipping those apron strings from mom and gently sending me packing. He does still dote on me in his own ways. But he is becoming a man. He even has hairy toes now! That sends me in shock...I remember those precious little baby feet, the ones I kissed and tickled. Now they are strong feet, feet with a purpose and destination. In them, I see strength and manliness and my momma's heart aches with the truth, the days with this man-child are numbered and quickly passing.
Fun Mom leaves me all twisted with joy and anxiety. Her aunt once said, God made babies and little children, cute and adorable so we would continue to care for them and enjoy them. (Even if they flushed hot wheels and animal figurines down the toilet...my addition) But God, also made them to grow up and in that process allowed them to become annoying and irritating enough that as parents we didn't mind clipping some of those apron strings and giving them a good positive shove out of the nest. I am enjoying walking alongside Fun Mom during these years. The conversations we are able to have. We are moving away from the time where everything I say she just takes in and accepts. She asks questions, she reflects, she ponders, she makes observations. There are more and more adult conversations between us. There are the moments when "the littles", as the younger siblings are called, provide humor to us, that only the two of us get and we can look at one another in amusement and smile. A special time, where we are both enjoying their innocence and yet sharing in the private joke. The beginnings of a friendship, that I hope and pray survives the coming years to the time when we are mostly past the role of mothering and daughtering. In the midst of these precious moments, she does something so shocking to my system I am reminded, she too is growing up. Another apron string has broken and the struggle for independence and adulthood is still enduring and I have to let go just a little bit more.
Then there is Daddy's Buddy. He has had a tough autumn. Lots of changes in this boy. No longer little. Impatient to be like his big brother Hockey Player. Slicing those strings with mom with great warrior-likeness to only come running back for a brief moment or two. Even those moments are getting farther apart. He has lost his first tooth and for him that means he has arrived to Big Kid status. He has his own personal struggles. Ones we are learning alongside with him about and how to help him overcome them. Part of that overcoming involves in our interaction with him. He responds best when he is spoken to as an adult. Everything is very mature and grown-upishness with him. This Christmas he keeps making plans to fill everyone's stockings, even though Santa does it. He is planning and organizing when all will get done. He has taken over the responsibility to make sure Christmas happens. Decorations, check; menu, check; presents, check; calendar countdown, check and so on.
It seems all too quickly, I have only one little one left in my nest, Flutter Nutter, and he is very content to stay little. You might even say he has Peter Pan syndrome. The others are all leaping from the nest and trying to soar. How does a momma stop to even sleep when she knows very well, that the time is coming when one by one her little ones are going to take off soaring and if she even blinks, she will miss it?

Geminid Meteor Shower

2010-12-14T10:53:00.003-06:00

Ever so slowly I am reading through our astronomy book by Jeannie Fulbright. Last night at the hockey rink while Daddy's Buddy was going through drills, Little Princess, Hockey Player and I read about comets, meteors, and asteroids. At the end of the chapter is a chart giving approximate dates for meteor showers throughout the year. Instructions to go to a website were also included. Thanks to technology, I did a quick internet search and discovered that very night there was to be a meteor shower. Now it will continue for a few more days...till the 16th, if I remember correctly. But God's timing is perfect, because we didn't have to be up at a certain time this morning. With excited kids who asked if they could sleep in, we made our plans.
If you get a chance to head out in the cold, cold night this week, do so!
Hockey Player, Little Princess, Fun Mom and I headed out just after midnight to escape the city lights. It took us a while to position ourselves in the right direction. Hockey Player wasn't able to keep his eyes open long enough. One of the disadvantages of having had a game earlier in the evening, and a tournament the past weekend. He was pooped. The girls and I weren't disappointed. Beautiful !
We opted to head home before the shower peaked, but sleep was calling. We were blessed with the opportunity to watch the shower as we headed home.

It appeared to me the shower was coming from the south. Though one of the employees at the observatory said to keep our eyes towards the northeast. ?? ?? But the best vantage point was just looking straight up! If only it wasn't so cold, I would have reclined on the ground, instead of hovering in the suburban with my face pressed to the glass. I did eventually roll the windows down and stick my head out the window while the motor and heat were running. When the clouds thinned, we could see the meteors traveling through the sky, with one or two suddenly falling towards the earth as a shooting star! It was breath taking.

Unless Hockey Player begs to try again this week, we won't head out again. Sleep is crucial for this momma to function. But definitely worth the loss of sleep last night.

Thanks for the heads up dear friends,

2010-12-08T13:35:00.001-06:00

apparently someone accessed my blog and entered a bunch of jibberish on my blog.
I have since cleaned it up and changed my passwords. I am leaning more and more towards the advice of my husband on passwords. Living in the tech world he has a bit of insight on the best ways to choose and develope passwords. However, it will make it more difficult for me to remember them. Guess I won't need to do Sudoku and Crosswords to keep my mind sharp, just memorizing passwords that I gotta keep changing will do that. LOL! !

It worked!

2010-11-27T00:57:00.002-06:00

Grandma's Stories are on my IPOD! !
Takes 1 hour to put each cassette onto my computer.... 2 down, ? ? to go !
But they will be saved.
Can't wait to suprise the kids.
First Sleep!

So excited about Grandma's Stories!

2010-11-27T00:03:00.003-06:00

There's been a lot of discussion over the last year or two among the children. Who gets the latest tape of Grandma's Stories first? The competition is great. During the fall and winter months, Grandma Stories are a bedtime ritual. They gotta have them on before the lights are out.
(sidenote: Grandma's Stories are recordings of Grandma Mac and sometimes Grandpa Mac reading books to the children.)
My two youngest guys share a room and they can never agree to what they will listen to at night. Grandma's Stories or Bible verses for Cubbies/Sparkies. Over the last 2-3 weeks I have been researching on how to transfer these recordings onto my computer and, then, eventually onto the ipods/mp3 players. If that could be done, then maybe MP3/Ipods would eliminate some of the competition/rivalry over who gets Grandma's Stories first. I declared Thanksgiving weekend as the time to attempt this project. My first attempt bombed! Not the right kind of cords. However, while waiting in line to pay at the Black Friday Sales, early in the morning, BODO discovered the cord I needed. He may have been sleepy to start with, but he did wake up in the hustle and bustle of deal finding. He did GOOD! The cord is just what we needed. And now I have Grandma's stories on my computer. They have even synced to my Itunes... Next to see if I can load onto my IPod!

Getting the Most Bang for our Dollar!

2010-11-26T23:26:00.002-06:00

Big O Daddy O and I hit the Black Friday sales again today.
Yep, I am still up at midnight.
I never went to bed last night. I finally climbed under the covers just before 6 this morning, just in time to hear Flutter Nutter crying out for me. So glad, I hadn't closed my eyes yet. Got everything taken care of and back into the covers just after 6. Woke around 11 to deal with sibling issues and to discover Fun Mom still asleep. (WHAT? ? ?) Kicked her out of bed, rolled over to snooze till noon. Hence, I can't sleep.
This year we dreaded heading out to shop. The lines seemed longer. It was cold. Sleep was calling us. But...the deals were good and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the kiddos were all snug in their beds asleep. We brought Fun Mom up to our room to sleep, so she'd hear the crew if they were to awaken. We were able to slip back into the house around 5:30 am. (We left at 4.) I threw blankets over the packages by my side of the bed. Those little sneaks can't rustle bags right under this sleeping momma's head. :) The best part, we are pretty much done. The sales didn't match up to our shopping list for one of the kiddos. Seems there is at least one each year. We did manage to even pick up a few birthday presents.
Back to my title, before BODO took his pre-shopping nap this morning, we hit Walgreens at midnight. I had my list, my coupons and ad ! BODO was my shopping partner. He did his own transactions. Bargain shopper in training, he was. He did great job, at least until he started to try and add things to his cart. He was thinking get it all done. We ended up with lots of Jingle Cash when were done. Then I told him he could add things to the cart not on the list ! Lots of stocking stuffers and then some. Best part is we still have lots of Jingle Cash. Can't wait for next week to use them for more Jingle Cash. :) Since, I was in bargain mode, my brain switched over to the Dillons ad. We knew what we were going to be buying. We knew how much it would cost.... And we have a trip planned and we know where we will eat when on the road. So we headed on into Dillons to make the most of the Gift Card deal + Fuel Rewards. typically gift cards are worth twice the fuel points at the pump. Right now, they are worth 4X the dollar value of the gift cards in fuel rewards. We knew how much and where, so we spent our Christmas money on gift cards, got the fuel rewards and then in turn hit the stores! We'll do the same when we head on down the road.
I must say BODO wasn't super thrilled with the detours and being out instead of sleeping. But once he did the math, all was good.

Return to Hockey !

2010-11-14T23:13:00.005-06:00

Hockey season is upon us this year. It will be double the fun and double the craziness. Daddy's Buddy is now a Hockey Player TOoO! He has let me know that he does not want to be known as Daddy's Buddy on my blog. So until I come up with a new nickname that I just love and think fits this guy of mine, Daddy's Buddy he remains. (Good thing he doesn't get on the computer and read the blog yet...) I may have to rename Hockey Player and hand down his nickname....but it just doesn't feel right.
Hockey season started with a bang and an injury! First game, first 30 minutes and Hockey Player was down. But not for long. Sat out to catch his breath and then back on the ice he went. Big O Daddy O wouldn't let Mom check out Hockey Player. He is a Warrior after all. (Aren't all boys!) A mistake that BODO won't make again. Took his skates off between 2 games, and it was a challenge getting that skate back on for the second game. AND Hockey Player played the second game. The next day (Monday) we discover he needs one of these:

2 weeks in a cast. 2 weeks in a boot. Easy return to the ice to condition the ankle. (Not really...there is no take it easy with this kid.) He overdid it and had to sit out the next week. Miss yet another set of games/tournaments. Back on the ice. Taping. Icing after games. Elevate it during the day during school (beautiful that we homeschool, the couch was his new workstation!) The ankle weathered the week with just a little puffiness. So good, because it was hard to see these disappointed eyes.

This boy loves hockey. Can't get his attention, say a hockey term or just hockey. Boom back on planet earth he returns and he is looking to see where the action is. :) He now has a team of moms that worry about him. Just what every hockey player wants! But hey, he is back on the ice now...

This weekend both boys participated in the Kansas Cup. A wonderful hockey mom shared her pictures with me. So I have these of Hockey Player. I am waiting for the Bestest Aunt Sharon to pass on the pictures she took to me, so I can share memorable moments of both boys. So pictured above is getting back to business ! His serious expression his the only sign of how glad this boy is to be back on the ice. Feet, pucks and sticks belong on the ice. Ice does not belong on the body. :) First tournament back and it feels oh so good to end with one of these team pictures:

and one of these pictures of pure triumph and joy!

And yes, he did receive a pretty awesome check this weekend. Fortunately, Mom looked to check on one of the kiddos and missed it. To hear Big-O-Daddy-O tell it, makes the momma sick and she gets a lump in her throat. All of his new moms checked in with me to make sure he was okay. I just keep saying thank you Lord for preventing me from seeing it. So good to know he has a crew to watch out for him. He may not like it, but it is comforting and encouraging to this mom. He got back in the game and finished up. I was able to watch the Championship game later without as much angst and enjoy watching him have fun.

When asked later by BODO about the check, "It didn't hurt a lot, but it didn't hurt a little." In contrast, when he was checked and broke his ankle, "It didn't hurt at all." So it was a harder check, just like everyone said, the second time around. He did get back in the game. His chest was sore and his chin scraped up, but all is good and that is hockey for you! A checking clinic is on the horizon. Never been so intent on signing up for a clinic as I am this time.

I am hoping, maybe Daddy's Buddy finds a different sport he likes. I am grateful Flutter Nutter isn't too interested in playing sports. He is just interested in girls and computer games. For now, I will just go along for the ride and look forward to when i can see the Aunt Sharon's pictures of the boys.

Remembering...

2010-11-11T17:28:00.002-06:00

Couple years back (could be a few more, but it would take quite the effort to push through the cobwebs to remember exactly) I was trying to explain Veteran's Day to the kiddos. Part of our schooling. Part of just explaining why it was a holiday, banks were closed and Big-O-Daddy-O was off of work.

We were discussing what it meant to be a Veteran. Those who had gone before us and those still fighting today for the freedoms we so take for granted and enjoy. We got to talking and I realized there was another kind of veteran. The kind of warrior who fights, weeps and possibly bleeds as well for us on a daily basis. The kind of warrior who fights a battle that goes unnoticed mostly. These warriors fight for us in all kinds of situations and in all kinds of places but more often than not they do their fighting on their knees in the early hours of the morning, late at night, and they may even awaken in the middle of night or never sleep at all because they are praying. So as we wrote our thank yous to the veterans who fought for our country, I put pen to paper and wrote a few thank yous to the spiritual veterans in my life/family. There are two today that still stir my heart with immense gratitude and emotion when I think of them. Their bodies are failing them. Their memories may be failing them as well. Their faith still unwaivers. Their love for the Lord and others unwaivering. The legacy they have created and are still creating humbles me greatly. To my Great Aunt Dot (sometimes called Grandma Dot by my kiddos) and Great Uncle Paul, thank you for serving the True Commander and Chief and praying for all of us. As you pause to thank those who serve our country, take a moment to remember and thank the warriors who serve our King of Kings.

Because Dad isn't the only one....

2010-11-11T17:15:00.002-06:00

A big thank you to Big-O-Daddy-O on this Veteran's Day. He may not deploy and he may not see the horrors that some do, but he does hurt with those who hurt, prays for those who are in harms way and he takes care of business on this end. He realizes it is his job to serve the guys over there (wherever) so they are not left unprotected and unequipped. Thank you!

Because I couldn't say it any better...

2010-11-11T17:14:00.001-06:00

I will just borrow from my sister and share this link

End of Summer Cram Session

2010-10-22T13:24:00.002-05:00

Summer got away from me this year. It seemed to speed by faster than it ever had before. This time, we spent the last couple of weeks cramming in those things we had yet to do. One of those summer fun traditions is to go to one of the many sprinkler parks in town.
So we loaded up and the kids had fun.

Then we needed them to run around and dry off. Good thing there was a playground nearby. I had my phone with me instead of the camera. Sooo, I got to playing with the settings. It is too bad you can't flip throught the pictures. It is like watching a home movie, old flip card style. :)

Well, the moms did not want to be left out. Because, we are cool, we were quick to join in the fun. My super sweet friend was demonstrating the fine art of swinging. Had to prove to the ALL-KNowing 14 year that, yes, she could swing higher than the Fun Mom!

Fortunately, we were buckled up in our vehicles before the rain started. It poured all the way home. However, we were rewarded with the most beautiful rainbows once we were home.

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Little Princess' Ninth Birthday!

2010-10-22T12:32:00.002-05:00

So it has been a couple of months, but I finally did it!
The best part of waiting a bit to attack the pictures is the reminiscing. Sweet Memories. So grateful for Uncle Charlie and Aunt Tracy getting out there with the kids and the water balloons. Big-O-Daddy-O had a slipped disc and was out of commission. Lots of smiles and laughter. Good Birthday memories!

Does anyone have the time?

2010-10-13T17:05:00.005-05:00

Big-O-Daddy-O and I are finding ourselves in one of those seasons of transitions.
And, well, I just don't feel that old or like I am suppose to be here already.
It doesn't seem to be time to be having some of those discussions.
And some of those transitions, I knew they were coming up, and yet, I feel blindsided.
There are some benefits though.
I prefer to sit there and ponder the benefits more than the other.
We recently went to the pumpkin patch. At least the kids and I did.
Big-O-Daddy-O had appointments to keep. I started to panic that morning in the shower. I was thinking through the day and what needed to be done. My relaxing shower left me shaken and in shock.
I was going to the pumpkin patch WITHOUT a stroller or wagon!
I have never done the pumpkin patch without one of those handy tools.
There's a place for drinks, picnic lunches and PUMPKINS!
With 5 kids that translates into 5 pumpkins!
But then there is the realization, the kids are older and good helpers, so we would be fine. BUT no stroller? ! ? When did that happen? I mean, I know when that happened. I sold them, gave them away, threw them away. Yes, we had quite the collection of them. But I had never identified the stroller with any family tradition, that is until then. Last year, BODO did the pumpkin patch. Fun Mom and I were in Ireland. See, they are getting bigger.
The trip went just fine. We even went on another field trip yesterday and it was fabulous. Just me and the kids and we had a blast. Those pics are coming. I know, I keep saying that. But we plan to sneak away as a family for a few days and well, I will probably get caught up on the fun stuff then. But back to me and the kids. That is another mile marker in our life. Since Flutter Nutter was born, I reached a threshold. I could NOT, would NOT consider going anywhere alone with ALL of them. There were a few times I did out of necessity. BUT it was too overwhelming to even discuss. But now, they are older and more independent, which can be a good thing. I am discovering the joy of exploring this world with my crew once again.
Then there is this other transition in life. BODO has declared he is having his mid-life crisis. Things happening in his body. New diagnosis. Health habits needing to be changed. But the latest has left me quite befuddled. And frankly I don't want to talk about it. He could RETIRE! What the? ? (For you grand folks reading, please, don't be offended) But retirement is for OLD people. You think about it when you are in your 60s, maybe 70s. NOT your mid (I am not late) 30s. I realize BODO is in the next decade here, but he isn't even mid-40s yet. I am not OLD. I rediscovering the joys of playing with my children and new discoveries. I don't want to talk about retirement.
Where did the time go? I would like to frankly know how this has happened in all of just a couple of minutes. Because I sure don't think this much time has passed. The 15 years we have lived in our home, doesn't even seem to be 15 years. Much less the 15 years we have been married. I can deal with the wrinkles. Mid afternoon naps and saggy arms but really, RETIREMENT? ? ? ?
So for my birthday.... Can we not talk about retirement until BODO's birthday! ? !

The BEST Quote Ever

2010-10-08T12:42:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of Flutter Nutter:
" Girls are Gooder!"
"They are smarter"
Me: "Did you just say girls are gooder, cause they are smarter?"
FN: "Yeah! Duh! ! ! "
there you have it... girls are smarter, the words came out of a boy's mouth. :)