Fun things to do this summer...

I've been thinking of some fun things we can do this summer--just 30 minute or so of spontaneous fun. It always helps me to make a list, at least mentally, and I like to do this alphabetically (because I'm weird and because they need support groups for ppl like me). So I thought I'd share what I've come up with:

Art

Bubbles (or I'd rather say BEACH, but considering it's 100 miles away...)

Cupcakes

Watching a DVD together

Exercise together

Flea Market (browsing flea markets together..maybe with older children...)

Games

Hopscotch (drawing up a hopscotch on the sidewalk...)

Ice Cream (going for icecream or making your own)

Jungle Gym (making your own in the house with pillows and chairs and blankets)

Kite (flying a kite...don't know if there is enough wind, though, during the summer)

Laugh with each other (it's contagious with kids)

Music (turn on kid's music and dance together)

Nature Walk (my kids love this...just don't get burned out walking in the heat...)

Ocean (again, on my brain)

Play dough or Park (make some playdough...get a recipe on the internet that calls for Kool-Aid...)

Rest together (pile up somewhere and read books)

Swim

Trip (take a trip to an area closeby you have never been together)

Walmart (hey, sounds good?)

Yelling (have a yelling match a see who can get the loudest)

Zoo (if you have one close by....we don't)

"E" names for girls

Even though an elderly man at our church is determined that this baby is a BOY (He always predicts for ppl), I'm going to go ahead with the ultrasound and have a girl name ready. It was hard enough to come up with youngest son, Evan's, name, that I won't even think of boy names until the day I find out this girl is really a, um, boy. We do not announce our name until the baby is born, so you probably won't know what the baby's name is until then, but I will let you know some of the names we have been throwing around to each other. Feel free to share any that you think of that I have not included or tell us your favorite of these:
Emelia (pron. same as Amelia)
Elaina or Elena (same pronunciation)
Ella
Eden
Emily
Emaline (family name)
Elianna

That's about all that I can think of other than our names we tell ppl, Earnestine or Esmarelda. :o) I already have *my* name from the list halfway chosen, but I'm not telling! :o)

Diagnosis, Iron Deficiency Anemia

Over the past 3 weeks I've noticed strange symptoms regarding my body, but I didn't know they were probably all linked to the same problem. I normally have allergies and asthma both of which are more problematic during my pregnancies, but these were weird things other than those (which were aggravating enough, mind you). I've noticed that I would sit at the table after our supper meals and eat everybody's leftover ice from their cups. Then it seemed I was pulling a whole tray from the freezer and eating it when it got to just the right consistency. After that, I would get another tray, etc. Ice just tastes.so.good. Several had mentioned to me, low iron, anemia, etc., and while I'm not a nurse or medically trained person, I'm not a dummy to a few things in the medical world and knew that the craving ice thing probably meant low iron. However, I thought with my eating half-way healthy and taking Juice Plus daily that surely I was getting enough iron. I was so sure of my health that I had even stopped my Prenatal Vitamins.

Well on to more weird, albeit, interesting symptoms--I have always loved to smell soap. But, here lately, I really, really love the smell of soap--to the point of stopping by the bathroom to smell the wonderful aroma from a bar of Ivory soap. I have been loving bathtime where I could just really lather up really good and honestly, the soap smells good enough to taste. But I haven't. Yet. I also love to smell my deoderant which is Tom's of Maine Honeysuckle Rose. It is so yummy. Today, I decided to google my symptoms after I was craving chalk--not to eat, mind you (yet), but I just wanted to write with a piece of chalk--do an art project or something that used chalk.

Other side symptoms of mine include: muscle twitching at night (my legs will jump with no warning), very itchy skin (sometimes I can't sleep b/c of itchy skin), constipation (we all know that happens during pregnancy anyway) for a few days, then diarrhea, and fatigue. I really didn't think I have been tired until I look back over the last couple of weeks and I've had to really push myself to 'get up and go'.

Well, Google names it Iron Deficiency Anemia and don't worry about me, worry about the person who eats dirt, feces, or even chews toilet paper. Yes, there are several things that people ingest when they have this severely. But, I was happy to see soap, chalk, and other cravings for smell and texture, on the list.

Back to my prenatal vitamins. And probably I'll be adding an additional 20 mg of Iron to my ingestion.

As for now, Ice is still the best thing I've ever tasted.

How does your garden grow? CORN

We did corn last week--the whole shabang--pulling, shucking, silking, and cutting. The result? I have 19 bags of frozen corn in my freezer to feed my family over the year. I will probably get a couple more buckets full over the next week or two and then it will be time to move on to some other produce. We have butterbeans, pole beans, banana peppers, tomatoes, and cantelopes planted. Not a HUGE garden, but, speaking of HUGE, I'm sure it's plenty for this mama who will be HUGE in the upcoming weeks! :o)

Our other harvest that has past is potatoes. We finally dug those up and I tried something new this year. I peeled them, cut them into quaters, brought them to a boil for about 5 or 10 minutes (not enough for them to get mashed potato-consistency) and then froze them on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then, I placed them, individually, into freezer bags. I think I have 6 or 7 gallon freezer bags full of yummy potatoes for me to just get out as needed.

How does your garden grow?

World's Greatest Father...

Showing off their toothpicks...:o)

Very often I'm reminded of how wonderful my husband is and I'm so thankful that I prayed that I would marry the 'right one' for me. I remember it vividly, getting down on my knees and telling God I was through with 'going with' boys--I didn't want anyone else until the right one came along. Well my husband called the next evening! :o) I was pretty apprehensive at first because I was like, 'so soon, Lord?' I really didn't think it was him because I had just prayed. We dated for 3.5 years (and never broke up during that time) and got married as soon as he graduated from college and had a job lined up. I've watched God 'grow him up' into the man he is today and he is the most wonderful Father to our 3 (almost 4) children. He and I share the same desires for our children and for our marriage. God has put us on the 'same page', so to speak, and for that I'm so thankful. It saves arguments, I'm sure. His and my parenting styles are in sync and the children are aware of this. They respect their dad and know that his word stands. He always takes time to single each one out for a few moments of fun. My youngest is constantly asking about Dad during the day. He already idolizes his dad. I have seen some Dads my husband's age that I personally wanted to jerk around a few times but my husband has been the example of a father that fits the mold that I think Christ desires for each family. Here are a few adjectives to describe my husband, my children's father:
Hardworking
Consistent Disciplinarian
Dedicated to our Family and most of all to God
Humorous (definitely a plus as a father)
Spontaneous
Loving
Teacher of God's word and Spiritual Leader
Very Patience (he NEVER gets upset at the amt of work 3 kids incur--sometimes he will get all 3 kids out of the van for me, including opening my door.....he always helps out with the kids without complaining)
Faithful to our family
Very Intelligent (he has been called a 'brain')
Considerate
Even-tempered (I have NEVER seen him get really upset--he is very calm and cool) :)
Musically Talented and Talented Story Teller (the kids beg him to tell them stories)
and last, but not least....Handsome! :o)

Happy Father's Day to my husband! I Love You!

Back Home...

Wow, it has been a really long time since I've posted, but we've been so busy with Summer--full speed ahead that I haven't taken the time to blog. I will try to do better. On vacation, I had a chance to blog read a bit and was really inspired by the wonderful inspiring blogs out there. I came home motivated and encouraged to be a better wife and mother! Can't beat that, can you?
Well, we took a little trip about 3 hours from here. Actually, we accompanied my husband on his trip to a 3 day conference and stayed in the Hotel where the conference was being hosted. Now, don't laugh, but I have never stayed in a fancy Hotel before! Really. I was slightly nervous. I mean, who do you tip and who do you not tip? Etc. Well, things I've learned on this trip: 1. Tip everyone. 2. EVERYTHING costs at a hotel...even internet service...a movie is $13.95 to rent, as opposed to $3.95 off PPV--not that we rented anything, that's for sure! 3. The pool is awesome and very kid friendly. 4. Most ppl there look 'down-home' like we looked. There are more things, but my littlest one just awakened, so I'll go ahead and post some pictures from our trip. Nice to be home, but we did have a nice family time! Oh, 3 things about my kids on this trip: Babies CAN get there hands stuck in the elevator doors...oh my..it was tramatizing..thank goodness for my husband's calmness to just gently remove the hand before the doors pulled open any harder; Another thing is that 4 yr olds and 6 yr olds can still have accidents in their undies when they are playing hard at the park. AND it always happens when you have been there 5 or 10 minutes, AND there is no bathroom in site, AND you have valet parking when your van doesn't smell fresh upon arriving back ("Again, so soon?"); Also, my kids are loud, esp in a hotel lobby! :o)






Enjoying an ice cream cone after a really hot spell at the park.

The hotel--we were on the 10th floor.

At an outside BBQ restaurant
My handsome husband in a solemn expression
"I'm so tired"

He still has time from his busy schedule of watching PBS Kids to draw.

The waterfall outside the hotel. I was quite scared the kids would fall in before the picture was taken!
The nice room--sorry the picture quality isn't good.

Vegging out--watching cartoons after a hard day of swimming.

He loved the swimming pool!! He would say, "Look, Mom, I'm svimming!"

Wonderful article...

If you have time, go over to this link and read this wonderful article. It is very inspiring and encouraging. If you do not get the Above Rubies magazine, it would be beneficial to you to subscribe. I'm so thankful for the godly encouragement that IS out there, via the internet or the press!

Hope you're having a pleasant Sunday. All's quiet here as little ones are napping. I cooked for my parents today, so our tummies are full and our bodies need to rest. I imagine I'll be closing my eyes for a spell here in a little bit.

We have a cold snap upon us too. How weird is that? Brr...

Fun Friday Finds

I thought you might like to see my bargains from yesterday's shopping excursion. My mom volunteered to keep my kiddos until 6pm, so I went grocery shopping and bargain hunting. I knew how much I had to spend and didn't go over my budget. That is the good part. Check out these finds:

Top Left and Right: 1 dress and 1 pink skirt both Wal-Mart brand, $2 each
Middle: Two canvas prints for my recently redone laundry room, $1.50 each (from Target)
Bottom: Pack of Sweet tart chewies $3.50 (to be resold at Youth Camp)
Bottom back: Stegosaurus print for bathroom: $1.50 (from Target)
Bottom front: Baby announcements ($1.00..regular 9.99)
Bottom right: 2 pkg of Burt's Bees 3 combo chapstick and lip balm, $1.00 ea
Way Bottom right: 1 butterfly pin $.99

Fun Finds, eh??

A Feeling of Melancholy

This pregnancy has proved by far the most emotional one for me. My hormones have caused my feelings to be really tender even if I've hidden it to the outside world and those I love dear. There have been many times I've blinked back tears when noone noticed and I really had little reason to be expressing such a downcast emotion. Things that are really sad are really, really sad to me these days. One such sad account is the recent death of a former coworker of mine. I worked alongside a young man for 3 or 4 years, which is time enough to tuck away many memories of that person and of experiences shared together. Working closely with someone for 3 or 4 years is long enough to recognize the days that it's okay to walk on eggshells with that person, when to be relaxed around that person, and when to joke around that person. My best memories of Scott is of our getting into a pretty deep discussion (usually on medicine or health related issues) and he, being in thought, would pause to take a drink of his coffee, all the while wrinkling up his face in deep concentration. I remember that before he would speak he would clear his throat and you would know that a deeply, thought-out answer was about to spill from his lips. Then there were those days were he would pick up the phone to answer and noone would be on the other line, so he would take advantage of a little time to act silly. He would say, "Hello? Hello? Hello?" And with every "Hello" his voice would get higher and higher. We needed a good laugh like this, especially at the first of the month. Several times he would bring over a prescription for a second opinion, just to see if I read it like he did. This meant a lot to me. Every morning he would come in late and we would all look at the clock, as would he, and he would appear all innocent as if he was 10 minutes early. He would come in the same every day, coffee in hand and sometimes a paper or a medical journal. Several times, during lunch, things would get really busy and he would have it by himself. I would 'fly in' and he would just casually step away from the computer in mid-type. He never, ever acted like he was snowed-in, even if there were 10 prescriptions in line. He would be as calm as ever--that was his nature.
That was 8 to 10 years ago and I've only seen him one or two times that I remember. Funny how we lose touch with people we had friendships with as a result of school or a job. Makes me want to see if I can find out the address of the old man I worked with on Saturdays at that same job..........
Anyway, my heart is saddened and shocked. Life is so fragile and long life is not granted to the young, vibrant, and healthy. My friend was 38.

Goings on....

Time is mostly too short to get in a good, intelligent blog, so I will just do a quick update of what is going on around me. These will be in a random order as they come to me...
*Oldest son has knocked off two subjects in our countdown for summer vacation. This means less time homeschooling. We are down from about 2 hours to about 1 & 1/2 hours. I can say that truthfully I will be sad to see it come to an end. He will still be doing Math for a ways into the Summer and of course, we will be reading all summer long. I also am nervous about keeping my kids occupied for the summer. I know that is crazy, but I am nuts without some sort of 'game plan' or what they need to do to keep from getting 'idle' minds.
*We have started The Boxcar Children book this week and the kids LOVE it. They begged me to keep reading the first time, so we've read six chapters in 2 days! I highly recommend it!
*Swimming season has officially started as of Saturday. My kids are now transformers--they can change into fish at the first call for a 'swim day'. :) I still haven't gone--I don't want the baby to get hypothermia.
*Speaking of the baby, I still don't have a very active one, but the 2 oldest did get to feel her move yesterday. They were quite excited. I am constantly reminded of the tons of things I need to get done before she arrives in a few months.
*I am doing about 15 minutes of spring cleaning every day. I do this because spending hours per day spring cleaning just isn't doable for me. Today I cleaned behind and under the couch and right now the throw pillow covers and 2 of the actual pillows are in the wash. Too bad I can't throw my whole couch in the wash. Ugh. I desperately need a couch cover! After I get off of the computer I plan to roll up my rug and sweep under it. I also need to check under the couch cushions for missing toys, etc. I also probably will turn the couch pillows on the other side to disguise the stains in the side we currently sit on. My living room isn't too bad, but the other rooms are in desperate need of decluttering/deep cleaning. I have got to keep this up.
*We have planted a pretty big garden this year. Our potatoes are ready for digging and the pole beans and butterbeans have come up. Our tomato plants sort of drowned last week, so I don't know what we'll be doing there. We have cantelope plants that have come up and I also have some sunflowers that are coming up. I went out and hoed some today, but I could only make it for 1 row. Bending over made me feel like I was so full that I was going to throw up. Weird, I know. I hate a weedy garden, though.
*We have a blessed routine that we have been adhering to for about 2 months. It really works for us and I know my kids thrive on a schedule. After school is out, I will be changing it up, some, such as adding more chores for the kids. I'm sure they will love that. Right now my schedule is as follows:
5:00: Get up and have quiet time (sometimes it is wayyy too quiet time...as in I fall asleep..ha)
Sometimes I will go back to bed after my prayers, which I have been doing a lot here lately. Also I pretty much sleep in on Sat and Sun or at least get up later than 5.
After I get up: clean kitchen and cook breakfast (sometimes I do these in reverse, it's according to how hungry my kids are)
Start laundry, including putting away yesterday's laundry or ironing if needed (I only iron husband's in advance)
Make bed and pick up in room
Pick up in kids' room
Kids make bed and pick up (believe me there is plenty for them to pick up even after I finish)
Kids and I pick up in Living room
I pick up in Dining room
Start supper preps (thaw out meat or put something in Crock Pot)
Homeschool
After this we are really flexible, if it is a church night, the kids take naps, if not they will go outside and play for awhile. We are really flexible until supper and then after that it is pretty much the same until bathtime.
Of course, I have certain days where I do certain things regarding cleaning, etc.

Well, that's a wrap for now! What is going on with you? God is so good to us and 'daily loadeth us with benefits'.

Stinky Shoe...

Not me!

Butting in from a busy laundry day to post a funny.....
Yesterday afternoon, we had 'breakfast' for supper and as I was preparing the biscuits, I, of course, preheated the oven. A few minutes into the preheating I noticed a peculiar smell coming from the oven. I knew I didn't have anything else on the burner (the eggs and grits were already done), so I just sort of ignored it--for a while. The smell got worse and I noticed it had a burnt rubber smell about it. After seeing smoke start to come from the bottom of the oven (the broiler part), I had a flashback of Evan putting a shoe in the oven that morning. YK, it's one of those things you sort of see, but don't, or quickly forget about it. My reflexes went into action and we retrieved the black, melted, smokey shoe from the oven. Yuck. Evan looked very guilty! :o)
The bad thing is it was a shoe from a pair we had borrowed from a friend. Oops.
Have a good day.

An announcement..

I am excited to announce that our new growing little one appears to be....a GIRL! Yes, for frivolous reasons, I suppose, we had our ultrasound and the gender of the baby was revealed. The kids were very excited!! She appears to be healthy, complete with all her parts, so thank the Lord for that! Now, I'm wanting September to hurry up, but I have so much to do from now until then. Lots. to. do.
I'm planning on starting some Spring Cleaning today. I thought if I just spent 15 minutes a day on it, it would be better than nothing. So, today, as soon as I finish my internet time, I will start at my front door, cleaning it and then moving to the right of the room. I'm looking forward to it. My kitchen is in desperate need of a spring cleaning. Oh my, I glimpsed under the stove top the other day and was disgusted out of my wits! :o) I'm working on a special project in my laundry room that I hope to post some before and after pictures before long. :o)
Busy, busy, busy...that's us!!

Don't you love a bargain?

I teach a few students piano and I really enjoy spending the extra money I get from that on things like clothing for the kids or home decor. Occasionally I will spend it on going out to eat with my kids or something that we don't allow much for in our budget. Anyway, I'm thankful for my side 'job' and for the extra income it provides (I enjoy it as well). We have a couple of stores *sort of* nearby that get burn-out type things or overstocks, etc. I love, love to shop there. One really needs a couple of hours or more to really have a good time. I think my idea of a good Mother's Day gift or Birthday would be to be given a few hours to go and dig around (that's what you have to do sometimes...:o) for some bargains (sans the kids..:o). Last night, I rushed in for a few minutes (30...wow, did time fly) while my sweetheart sat out with the kids (I had my daughter) and I snatched up some great clothing buys for her. I used to borrow my sister's girls' clothes, but now my little girl is the same size or past the youngest of hers, so I can no longer do that. She is in desperate need of some modest skirts, so that's what I was mainly looking for. I didn't really find skirts, well, one, but I'm not sure it will *really* be as long as I would like it to be. I did find some really cute tops and a jumper. Just the denim jumper alone (Guess? brand) had an original tag of $34.50. The tops, both Carters (the short-sleeved didn't have an original price on it) had an original tag of $15.00 each. I paid just a little bit over $20 for everything (and I had a few kids song CDs in the bag too). The tea pitcher is from Walmart and it was $3. It has SIX cups with it as well!! I also decided to try the Purex powdered laundy detergent because I can get a huge box for $2.58. I think it may even be cheaper than my homemade recipe (maybe not as healthy...hmmm)! So, here is a peek at my bargains. I love to see bargains, so if you ever come across some, post a pic and let me look! :o) Happy Friday!

Castle Tours....

If you have a nosy, er..curious, tendency like I do, then you will enjoy viewing the homes that are posted by other homemakers on Candy's website, www.keepingthehome.com. It was great fun to tour these homes and see how others decorate or organize their castles. I've decided to join in and participate, posting pictures of my castle. I love my home with its many imperfections. We have our work cut out for us for awhile, but it will be great fun fixing it up to be the castle we desire. As for now, the Lord has blessed us both with contentment and we truly love it here. We inherited our house and some land and are so thankful for that. We have partly remodeled our home and I do so wish I had some 'before' and 'after' pictures to post (of the inside...the outside looks mostly the same).
Okay, before we go inside, I will take you on a tour of the land around which our house sits. We absolutely love the vegetation and the fields of green we have around here. The kids get to romp and play and it is great.


This is what you see as you are leaving my house, so just imagine coming up the drive instead of leaving. :o)

When you park and get out of your vehicle, if you look to the right, you will see this flower bed that's in need of some color. :o)

This is the view across the road from our house.This is the front of our home. We need some landscaping done (the cedar tree you can't see prevents much from growing on the right side of the front), but we will do it as we go along.


We love our front screened-in porch. We hope to paint the floor and repaint the furniture, but anyway, my son says, "Come on in!"What you see when you walk in the front door.

Looking to the left, you will see our main living area. Our two recliners were given to us and the red table I painted in our computer table. It was my husband's grandmother's table she 'started out' using.
To the right of the door, you will see our seating area by the fireplace. We do not have central heat/air, so this is our main source of heat during the winter. This house can get pretty drafty at times, but it is manageable. We enjoy the fireplace.
This is our dining area, straight ahead to the right. I hope to get a bigger table one day, maybe with a bench on one side, but it works and it was given to us when we first got married. The children have their own state/capitals placemats, so that is why there is only 3 of them. :) The highchair was one we used to sit in when we were babies and I confiscated it from my mom's house before she could send it to the Goodwill (it was at my grandmother's house).

We both play the piano, but rarely this one (too busy..ha). This is the area before you go into the kitchen. I see it looks pretty cluttered from here. I didn't do any special cleaning or decluttering before this photo session. :o) Now let's go through the door on the left and see what we find...

This is the room where Son, age 6 and Daughter, age 4 sleep. I loved their rooms. We work together to clean it up, but rarely are the floors this neat. :o) They love to play in here. If this new baby is a girl, I will most likely make this into the girls' room and repaint it...hot pink? I love bright colors. This current wall color is soo serene and refreshing. We worked hard on this room...on the ceiling are white boards just like around the sides. It makes for a cozy cottage feel. Come back out into the hall and let's go down to the master bedroom...

Our bedroom, which I really love. We recently 'inherited' this King Size bed from my husband's grandparents and we love it. We had dreamed about having a king sized bed and the Lord helped fulfill our desires. I just picked out this colorful, pink, floral (very feminine) comforter and I love it. I realize my wall color doesn't match, but I already have the paint for the walls--it will be a summer project. My son, age 1.5 sleeps on the toddler bed in the corner (most of the time, he sleeps with us).
Purposefully took a picture of the ceiling in our bedroom. I love it. My husband (and FIL) worked hard in this room...really hard. We have a beautiful ceiling in here and in the dining room. I would love to have it in our entire house...:o)


As you walk out of the bedroom, immediately to the left there is a master bathroom. It is currently in the throes of the remodeling process, so I didn't take a picture of it. There is also a linen closet directly in front of our bedroom door. Come back down the hall (this hall was very dank and dark before we moved in), let's go back into the dining room and into the kitchen....

The room I use the most. It has not been extensively remodeled by no means (notice the missing knobs on the cabinets)..just a paint job and a cheap, temporary rug put down, but I do love my kitchen. I could use more counter space, with my water distiller and my bread machine taking up lots of room. My stove is wonderful, too. It heats things so fast, you have to stand right there and not leave anything!
The view from my kitchen window....pear trees, fig trees, more vegetation and woods...
Come into the foyer...this part of the house was added on later (way before we got it of course) but has not been remodeled at all....

The foyer..the door really needs painting, doesn't it? The door on the left is another bedroom, but it is currently storage right now. I hope to convert it to a workable bedroom this summer. The curtain you see is hiding a book shelf and also my towels and extra toiletries are on the bottom shelf. The bathroom is on the right...come on in....My old-fashioned bathroom we currently use. It is a long walk to the bathroom from my bedroom (and those night trips are getting more frequent), but I do love this bathroom. My inlaws repainted it for me during my last pregnancy and I love the green. They also put in a new linoleum floor. I do look forward to a shower.... :o) Now, come through that door that needs painting....

I should've turned on the light for this picture. This is my large laundry area, or back porch. It is in a bad need of cleaning up and fixing up. I do have my deep freeze in this area and an extra refrigerator. This room is one of those rooms that everytime I walk in (which is wayy frequent because of the amt of laundry I do), I say, "I've got to get in here and do something besides stand over the washer"! Now to the right of this room, there is another very small bedroom that we use as a media room, I guess you could say. It has an old moniter in it where a VCR and a Nintendo can be hooked up. We rarely go into it, tho, maybe once a week, the kids will watch Barney. We have no TV in the house and hope to keep it that way! Now, you see that screen door on the far right? Let's go out it and I will show you where the kids play....
The kids' play area. Way back there is our garden that my FIL shares with us. We currently have corn coming up and potatoes. Garlic (beside the tree there) is everywhere in this yard! :)
Immediately to the right side of this view is....

The scuppernong (?) arbor and more play areas....Now to one of my favorite places....

My clothesline...yesterday was the childrens' laundry day, so it was full all day long!

Well, I had one more picture to share of the old barn on the left side of the house, but my little one is awake. I'm afraid he will mash something on the computer to erase my hard work! :) I hope you enjoyed my lowly castle. It's home to us!

Going for 5 at 5....

Getting up early and getting my day started with prayer and Bible reading is soo important to me as you probably know. However, it is SO easy to fall off of the wagon, so to speak, and I have done that more times than I care to confess. Every day, though, (some days more than others) I'm reminded how much I need the Lord, need His wisdom to raise these children in the right way, need His guidance on what to say to them and how to discipline, train, and disciple them. Sometimes, I just lean on the kitchen counter and tell the Lord just how much I need Him to help me. I can't do it alone. I know the Lord has convicted me to get up early and I know it works. I know it is what I must do.
I love a challenge and I love numbers. Everything I do, I do in numbers, it seems. I'm sure they have support groups for me. :o) So, my challenge to myself has been to go for 5 days in a row, getting up at 5am. Last night was a pretty restless one. I started out going to bed before 10 and someone had a wreck out on the highway in front of our house (we live on a dirt road, but you can see the highway) which caused the power to go off (guess they hit a pole or something?) so I finally drifted off to sleep (after constantly looking out the window checking on things, etc.). Got up at 3 something for the bathroom, got up before that because little son had soaked through his clothes, then it seemed I didn't get back to sleep before the alarm went off. But, here I am.
So, do you feel up to a challenge? Maybe you want to go for 6 at 6am? :o)
Well, I'm off to catch a few more minutes of computer time before I get busy with the children's laundry...the biggest laundry day of the week!
PS I haven't abandoned my homeschooling part 2 post...hope to finish this week....

Homeschooling Part 1

It seems as if Tuesday has become my blog day and although I'd prefer it to be more frequent, I'm doing what I can, I guess. It's been a little while since I've written a blog on homeschooling and since I'm as passionate about it as ever, I thought it was time.
Homeschooling has become a conviction for me. This means if I didn't do it, I would be disobeying God and missing out on that part of His will for me and my children. I feel all the benefits that one feels when they are being obedient to God in their convictions--benefits that cause one to wish everyone had the same conviction as you do, yk? I believe a lot of the time, God may have in mind the same convictions for most of His people, He's just waiting for a willing and obedient heart to listen and hear what He wants them to do. Some people may say, "Well I'm going to send my children to school and that's that", and never stop to listen for what God wants to happen in the education of that child. Others may think, "Well, I never could be adequate enough to teach my child", and never stop to think that GOD could empower them with wisdom and confidence to do this great job. Another feeling may be, "Well, I'm sending my children to school because I KNOW God would have them be a witness to other children," without stopping to think that God may indeed have other plans, or may see a child becoming ensnared by the world instead of the child being a witness. The last thing people may say is, "Well, if my child was going to so and so school, then I would, but our school is a really good one", without stopping to ask God--"what is really going on there?" The key here is to be prayerful about the education of your child just like you are prayerful about anything (if not moreso) and then LISTEN to what God has to say...be WILLING to be obedient if He has other options.
I did not decide to homeschool because I am a teacher by occupation. I felt God urging me (not nudging, but urging) to do so even before I took my first class as a 'certified' teacher. I do think that my being a teacher really helped me be obedient to God a little more than I might have been had I not been 'out there' as a teacher. If we are saved and are following Christ, then I believe His hand rests upon us. If we allow Him, he will turn His hand and lead us where He wants us to go (if we LET him). I have felt His hand direct us to homeschooling and make it clear to us why we are doing so.
The ultimate reason that was impressed strongly upon me was this statement. Why would I let my little lamb get out of my car every day and send him into a den of wolves? Sure, there are other little lambs there, but there are some wolves there too. A wolf waiting to tell your lamb that mom's and dad's ideas don't matter. A wolf waiting to tell your lamb about sex, but not in the way you would explain it to him. A wolf waiting to make fun of your child and to lower his self confidence (which many kids have ZERO by the time they graduate). A wolf wanting to grab your child in an unappropriate way (your child may never tell you....I didn't...and I went to one of those 'good' schools), a wolf wanting to slip your child a prescription pain pill that he got from his mom's purse or out of the medicine cabinet. These are just a few things that happen daily in schools. Why would I take a chance?!?!? This is MY lamb that God gave me. I am the shepherd over my lamb with God being my ultimate shepherd. I will not let a pack of wolves bite and tear on my child all in the name of a decent education. An education where He may be distracted constantly or may be pushed 'under the rug' because He can't achieve as fast as others and 'hey we are on a time schedule'.
Part 2 later.......

More Homemades.....

Okay....I may add to this post as I think of things to add or as I have time (my babies are due up anytime)...
Another Homemade that I do is I don't buy cough syrup. THE BEST cough syrup ever is.....Honey. You will be amazed at just how quick 1 TABLESPOON of honey will cure a cough. Of course, do not give it to an infant under age 1. I use the kind of honey that hasn't had a lot of processing--the kind from a honey farmer is the best (straight from the bee farm). You can check your health foods store or see if you have a honey farm in your area. My dad is my honey farmer, but he doesn't always have honey. :)
Learn to make your own mixes. I never buy boxed Pancake mix. It is a waste of money. You can't go wrong with this recipe.
HOMEMADE PANCAKE MIX
1 cup of AP flour
2 tps of baking power
1 tp of salt (I usually don't measure, but you don't want to add too much salt, pancakes are not to be salty)
MIx and add...
1 cup of Milk
1 egg
I find the consistency is better if I use a mixer for just a few seconds, but most of the time, I don't make the effort and I just whisk really fast with my whisk.If it is too thick, add a little more milk (you can use buttermilk too for yummier pancakes). DO NOT overmix--your pancakes will be tough. Also, if your batter is too thick, your pancakes will be tough.
DON'T buy Pancake Syrup from the store. It is artificially flavored and is just HIGH FRUCTOSE syrup. The best is Pure Maple Syrup, but it is expensive. A good natural alternative is Pure Cane syrup. It is cheaper and is really good.
Okay....next is MAKE YOUR OWN BREAD.
This is the cheapest thing you can do for your grocery budget. Now I have a bread machine (bought by my MIL for $10, I think...check your thrift store or yard sales) that does ALL the work for me and makes really good bread. But the BEST bread is made by hand and it can be really therapeutic to make bread! It takes time, so you will have to do it when the kids are involved in an intensive activity or napping, because you will be in the kitchen for awhile. Making bread can be the most rewarding homemaking thing you can do for your family. Here is my favorite recipe. Although it uses a lot of "White" things (verses wheat, etc), it is still WAY healthier than store bought brands.
For ONE loaf:
3 cups Bread Flour
1 pkg yeast (I use about 3/4 tp..not the whole pkg)
1 & 1/2 tps salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup WARM water
1/2 of 1/4th cup of oil (understand this? )
I think that's it....like I said it's coming from my memory.
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water and let it 'proof'--this means let it get foamy...takes about 10 minutes. Do this is a large bowl, because you will add the other stuff to this bowl. After it proofs, add the oil and the salt and stir lightly. Last you add the flour one cup at a time, stirring after each cup. You want the texture at the end of 3 cups to be really soft, not too sticky, more flour-y than sticky. You may have to add just a little more flour. If so, just throw a little in from your flour bag, until you get the right texture. Knead this mixture for a few minutes--5 or so minutes. To Knead, grab the mixture with your hands and turn it over in the bowl, pressing it down a few times before the next turn. You will get the 'feel' and hang of it. Meanwhile, turn your oven on the lowest setting to get warm. When you are through kneading and the dough has sort of formed a large ball, cover the bowl with a loose towel (can make it damp, in case the dough rises high, it won't stick to the towel) and put into the warm over to rise for about an hour. Don't forget to turn off the oven, you don't want the bread to cook. After an hour, take out the bowl (dough should have risen a pretty good bit), punch down the dough and knead it a few more times. Then in a greased loaf pan (don't forget to grease the sides), put the dough in and sort of shape it to fit the loaf pan. I smooth down the sides and let the middle be higher because I like the look of professional bread, lol. Okay, stick back into the oven , put the cloth back on, and let rise for about 45 more minutes or an hour (until the dough has doubled or risen 1 inch or so over the top of the loaf pan). Last, take out the pan, preheat your oven to 350 and then you're ready to bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy the aroma and watch your bread the last few minutes. Some stoves are different so check it. You don't want it to burn and you don't want it to undercook. Browning on top doesn't always mean it is done in the middle. You will 'get it right' with time. Don't give up if it doesn't turn out as well the first few times.
Let me know if you try this recipe! I hope I didn't leave out anything crucial. Like I said, it's coming from a pretty foggy, prego brain! :o)
Well, I'm off to start a load of the childrens' laundry and to get started on my chores. The children are still sleeping, so I'm going to see what I can get done! :o) I'll try to add more to this blog later on. Hope this helps!

Homemade Things...

Before I get on to my topic, I thought I'd do a quick update. I would love to be blogging everyday, but it seems I can't get into the swing of things, so every post I do, I have to update, it seems. We had the sickies move in last week starting with youngest son. I did take him to the doctor, which I usually don't do, but I followed my instincts and did. He had an ear infection, swollen glands, and just a yucky upper respiratory infection. He is cutting 3 teeth that have been boogers, let me tell you. He has never displayed such an ill temperament since he has been born as he has this past week/weekend. It was trying, but thank goodness, God gives us strength, He causes time to heal, and things do get better. He was a little better it seemed yesterday, so I hope we are on the mend. Middle child, dear daughter, has a bad cold and she has been feeling really poorly. The good part is that I don't think her ears are hurting and she is not teething, so she is taking things better. She seemed to be some better yesterday as well. Oh, I pray, I pray, we are getting better! Every time my kids get sick, however, it causes me to evaluate how I"ve been feeding them and if I've been taking precautions (for ex. seeing that their hands get washed as frequently as they should) that are necessary to prevent germs (as much as possible). I'm by no means a germ freak. In fact, it would do me good to be a little more germ conscious. I can always improve on the healthy eating aspect. One thing I'm planning on doing is planning out my meals for lunch and breakfast instead of just supper planning. It's easy to take the 'quick' or the 'junk' route for lunch instead of fixing a healthy meal. At least taking the time to cut up some fruit for them to eat with breakfast and lunch. Or taking the time to think about what raw vegetables they WILL eat and setting those before them for snacks. Oh, yes, I can improve! Also, seeing that they take their vitamins and immune boosters (like Elderberry tablets, etc) regularly. Youngest son never slacks in this dept because he wakes up asking for his 'ray-ray' or vitamins (I don't have a clue how he got that out of the word, vitamin).
We took a little weekend trip down to Pensacola, Florida, to a church fellowship meeting and enjoyed in immensely. I know some people would probably think us crazy for 'taking vacations' to church fellowship meetings or campmeetings, but we love it. We love church and seeing people that we haven't seen in years (like I did this weekend, meeting a girl I met about 14 or 15 years ago at a church in north Arkansas, who had 3 children, the oldest in whom she had NAMED HER AFTER ME! Isn't that amazing?! We were visiting while our children played at the swings and she and I got to talking and found out that we knew each other! It was amazing! She said that she remembered my name when she had her daughter--who was 13-- and liked it because she didn't know any more "Monica's"--and decided to name her that. We enjoyed talking and I give her my address and Email.) Anyway, one of the cool things about vacationing to fellowship meetings. Another cool thing is hearing testimonies of people saved from sin and delivered from meth and crack, etc.--people who came with a Homeless Ministry from Oklahoma. Wow, it is amazing what God is doing. We enjoyed ourselves in spite of our children being so poorly in health during that time. God's people are the most wonderful people, don't you agree? And the amazing thing is that He desires for EVERYONE to be His people.
Well...I promised a friend that I would do a blog on some homemade things or tips that I implement in my own home. Money savers, if you will. Maybe you can find one of these Homemades to use in your home.
HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP
I began making my own soap about 2 years ago, probably. My very favorite laundry detergent is Mrs. Meyers and would you believe that a month or so ago, I found several containers of Mrs. Meyers Laundry Detergent at a burnout type store in which I love to shop? I stocked up (my mom and I, who is more health conscious than I) and was in laundry heaven for a while. Anyway...my supply is gone and I'm back to my homemade version. Here it is...It is very cheap and the recipe I'm giving here lasts about a week for a family of 5 (if you wash everyday like me).]
Grate 2 bars of Ivory soap (with a cheese grater...do not use the tiny holes, it will take forever)
1 cup of Baking soda
2 cups of Borax (can buy in the laundry section)

Shake up and store in a plastic container (mine is a Rubber maid one that I got in the storage section at walmart--I think it's a 8 cup container or something of the sort). Use 1/2 cup in your laundry. Now the only thing is that this has no smell. That may bother some people, but it doesn't me because I have severe allergies and I don't need an unnatural smell (Mrs. Meyers uses essential oils for the smell). I also hang out my clothes and get that 'fresh' smell the air gives. You can purchase Lavendar Essential oils or a few more 'flavors' at a health food store and add a drop or two to your laundry water to get that fresh smell. I did that once, but all I had was peppermint oils and it wasn't too pleasant to have my laundry smelling like peppermint! LOL
So...those are two ways to save on your laundry budget. Make your own detergent and hang out your clothes.
Now I am going to do a separate post for the other homemades....

Ah..normalcy

Well, here to stay is the new belly bump, but gone, it seems, is the tiredness and drained feeling. Yes, I'm glad for some normalcy around here. We have settle back into a routine after a routine of doing what ever I *felt* like at the time, which wasn't much, I tell you. Is it a coincidence that I'm feeling better just in time for the flowers to be in full bloom and the freshly mowed grass to tickle my nose? Spring does wonders in dragging a body out of the pregnancy pit of despair. Yes, it does.
With my new burst of energy I have been working on maintaining the house in a state of something other than irrepair and disaster zone. I have also been feeling like being a schoolteacher again and we have been doing school work (complete with written lesson plans) full force. It is really going great and for the fifteenth time, I have no regrets about homeschooling. None whatsoever. I think it is making my son a little more clingy to me, but I will take that anyday over "Eww, those are my parents?" attitude that would hit around 6th or 7th grade in public school (when he would all of the sudden value his peers' opinion of things over his parents').
This week will consist of wiping a fresh truckload of ew..snotty noses (Evan, teething and just croupy), doing Laundry and getting to hang my clothes out (ahhh), schooling (including my now FOUR year old daughter), going on a field trip (Thursday with the local homeschooling group), and just. doing. normal. things.
Normalcy. Mundane. Routine. Aren't those nice words?

Well I thought I'd better...

try to get back in the groove of posting. I don't know what has gotten in me. I guess it's the spirit of "Laziness" when it comes to the computer. I guess it's a blessing in disguise, because I'm sure I don't have the time to devote to the computer that I'd really like to be able to do. I did so enjoy blogging, though, when I was getting to do it regularly. This post will just be an update of sorts...

This morning I woke up with a refreshed, renewed sense of mind. Does that every happen to you? I have been in a funk for awhile it seems with different areas of my life, even spiritually, but just mentally and in other ways I can't describe. I'm still trying to get up early and seek the Lord, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing, but it seems even when I succeed, I'm not getting 'to Him' like I had been. I know it is just a drought and maybe even a testing time, so I'm not discouraged. I start the book of Acts tomorrow and I know that it will be just what I need! We are doing good in our church and are enjoying the move of God, so that is most encouraging. There are some major changes that are occuring among us that could appear discouraging, but the Lord is really moving among us which lets me know that we are increasingly in His thoughts!

My baby girl ( I will try to get a picture posted, but who knows, I hear child #3 stirring in the next room) turns FOUR today!!! Oh my, I can't believe it. She is so excited about her birthday. I'm going to attempt a horse cake so I'm sure that the experience may prove humbling.

Speaking of baby, I'm so excited to know that there IS life within me. Having not been to the doctor yet (I'm trying to totally avoid the whole dr thing, can you tell?) OR having not taken a pregnancy test, even though my waistline is increasing, there is still something unbelievable about my being pregnant, yk? Well, yesterday (at 14 wks) I felt my first gentle nudge from this baby. It was way noticeable and I was really hungry, having skipped breakfast, so I think she or he was nudging me to get some nourishment going on! I usually feel the baby between 15 and 16 weeks, but since I really know what to 'feel' for, I'm not surprised at feeling the baby already. Anyway, I can rest assured that I'm not just getting fat! :)

Well, that's all for now. I will hurry and try to get a picture on here before I am surrounded by sleepy-eyed youngsters.

Drop me a comment if you're still reading! :)